We just wrapped up one of the busiest days on the Major League Baseball schedule. All 30 teams had to decide by 8 p.m. ET on Monday whether to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players. Unsurprisingly, it turns out that there were plenty of cuts. Here’s a team-by-team list of the players clubs parted with Monday…
AL East:
- Yankees: Nobody
- Rays: Guillermo Heredia (link)
- Red Sox: Marco Hernandez, Josh Osich (link)
- Blue Jays: Jason Adam, Derek Law, Luke Maile (link)
- Orioles: Nobody
AL West:
- Astros: Aaron Sanchez (link)
- Athletics: Ryan Buchter, Josh Phegley, Blake Treinen (link)
- Rangers: Ian Gibaut, Wei-Chieh Huang (link)
- Angels: Kevan Smith (link)
- Mariners: Tim Beckham, Domingo Santana (link)
AL Central:
- Twins: C.J. Cron, Trevor Hildenberger (link)
- Indians: James Hoyt, Kevin Plawecki (link)
- White Sox: Ryan Burr, Caleb Frare, Yolmer Sanchez (link)
- Royals: Humberto Arteaga, Cheslor Cuthbert, Jesse Hahn, Erick Mejia (link)
- Tigers: Nobody
NL East:
- Braves: Charlie Culberson, John Ryan Murphy, Rafael Ortega (links here)
- Nationals: Koda Glover, Javy Guerra (link)
- Mets: Nobody
- Phillies: Cesar Hernandez, Maikel Franco (link)
- Marlins: Nobody
NL West:
- Dodgers: Yimi Garcia (link)
- Diamondbacks: Caleb Joseph, Steven Souza Jr., Taijuan Walker (link)
- Giants: Tyler Anderson, Rico Garcia, Joey Rickard, Kevin Pillar (links here)
- Rockies: Nobody
- Padres: Pedro Avila, Miguel Diaz (link)
NL Central:
- Cardinals: Nobody
- Brewers: Alex Claudio, Junior Guerra, Jimmy Nelson, Tyler Saladino, Travis Shaw (link)
- Cubs: Danny Hultzen, Addison Russell (link)
- Reds: Kevin Gausman, Jose Peraza (links here)
- Pirates: Elias Diaz (link)
Danny R.
Taijuan Walker and a Danny Hultzen back to the M’s please
StandUpGuy
I’m surprised no one has brought up Charlie Culbertson yet. I would jump all over him. He only deserves a cheap deal but he seems like one of the few on here worthy o an actual major league contract. I would give guys like Treinen, Gausman and Peraza minor league contractss at the very least as well. Why didn’t Villar make this list? I guess he was waived rather than non-tendered? What’s the difference and why would the O’s make a point to do that?
Phanatic 2022
I think non tendered is when you are still under arbitration control.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
He was placed on outright waivers and subsequently traded. So he was neither. The marlins tendered him a contract
redsfan48
Reds will probably try to re sign Gausman. They liked him a lot as a reliever but he was set to make over $10M in arbitration, which is obviously far too much to pay for a reliever.
GothamGuy
the NY Mets absolutely have to make Kevin Pillar their main target !!
Brixton
Really aiming big!
Bart Harley Jarvis
Not just big, but Wilpon big!
whynot 2
Who says every signing has to be a franchise changing one? Pillar would be a decent addition. It’s all about collecting the pieces
costergaard2
+1 Buck = )
LordD99
He’s no longer an elite defensive player, maybe not even average.
GothamGuy
@ lordgg . . .. . , Pillar is certainly an average to above average defender who would address an obvious area of need for the NY Mets
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
The problem is he’s a below average hitter who’s value was tied up in his elite defense. He’s a major regression candidate when the balls revert back to non pin balls. If the Mets are serious about contending it’s not Pillar. You can average defense in house.
blotti
100 percent pillar of Mets can get him
This is a realistic pick up for the Mets
dylan1g
Blake Treinen is my target for sure.
Also, Diaz if I need a catcher.
Some teams should take a look at Domingo Santana.
StandUpGuy
Weren’t the A’s in talks with the Yankees just the other day about a Blake Treinen trade? I assume that by trade it meant the Yanks offered at least a crappy player they obviously weren’t going to non tender, a player to be named later or cash. Why didn’t the A’s just take whatever they could get as opposed to letting him go for nothing. It seems hard to believe the Yankees were offered an arb eligible player they wanted to keep but the A’s didn’t think was worth a roster spot. I mean at least get a low level minors player at the MiLB minimum with 6+ years of control left, right?
beyou02215
Good points. But a team has to stick to its minimum line sometimes. Otherwise, teams might try to exploit them in the future.
dylan1g
I completely disagree. Because NOW after they actually non-tendered Trienen, teams are gonna say to Oakland “I’m just going to wait instead for x to be non-tendered”.
pt57
There‘s no guarantee that the player will sign with the stingy team.
khopper10
Yankees may not have been willing to pay his full salary or may have been asking for an additional piece in order to take it on.
StandUpGuy
They had to be willing to pay his full salary considering they knew the A’s could walk away from him without paying anything. No team in baseball is dumb enough to pay someone to play for another team when they don’t have to pay him at all. The Yanks had to know that the A’s weren’t going to give up any prospects to cover cost for a guy they didn’t have to pay regardless.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
I never really understood that thinking especially for a team like the A’s. Villar was somewhat in the same boat. The A’s have such a backlog of young arms you’re not really look for iffy AAAA RPs. Trading for anyone generally means you’ll take an org filler or their are significant red flags about an old low level guy. That doesn’t really help your farm or player development you can get those guys in abundance through the draft and milb signings. In fact if you have a good development system it provides more clutter, especially if the MLB gets its way in eliminating MiLB teams. Nobody really knows what was offered. They got a piece in Allen that can potentially help and may be a AAAA guy, but there’s a path, and it’s a decent project. What do you really accomplish by trading for just anyone? If they don’t believe in Trienen’s control/health seems cutting bait isn’t a terrible assessment as opposed to trading for just anyone. If you put in context Treinen has had one spectacular season, but at this point it’s been aberration and he’s due decent money. What do you think teams really offered for a guy about to be NTd but possess a live expensive arm with plus stuff, but control and execution have generally been a problem.
damon389
Giving away a player for a bucket of baseballs sets a bad precedent. Who’s to say the A’s don’t re-sign him as a FA. The A’s non-tendered Mike Fiers in 2018 and then signed him as a FA.
StandUpGuy
MLB is only reducing the minor league teams by 25%. If the minor league player they get in return isn’t good enough to keep a roster spot thwybcould just release him and they would be in the exact same situation they are now. Even if it was literally a bucket of baseballs and the baseballs actually ended up being flawed and no good, the A’s could just throw them away and be in the exact same situation they are now. The Yankees had to be at least willing to give up a player they themselves weren’t going to non-tender because the trade didn’t happen and the Yanks still tendered everyone they possibly could. The Yanks also had to be willing to pay his full arbitration salary because they knew the A’s didn’t have to and therefore weren’t going to pay for any of it. I guess the idea that the A’s want to re-sign him at a lower cost is the best argument I’ve heard but what are the chances of that now that 29 other teams are able to bid on him and the Yanks have already shown they were willing to pay him more than the A’s? Unless the A’s sign him for less than his arbitration prediction strictly because he wants to stay with Oakland for less money because of geographical reasons, not trading him makes no sense… Unless the trade talks were exagerrated to the point that someone just overheard Yanks brass saying they would take Blake Treinen in exchange for a terrible contract and exaggerated to the point that it was actually considered trade talks. I mean… I guess I could see the Yanks offering Stanton for Trienen but that would be more like the Yanks just trying to give Stanton’s contract away and likely would just be something said in passing. Either Trienen specifically wants to play for the A’s for less than what the Yankees are willing to pay him, or the “trade talks” were completely over exaggerated by whoever reported them, or the A’s just decided to turn down a deal that would have brought them cents on the dollar in exchange for getting nothing. I doubt the A’s are that stupid but the narrative seems that way now. In kind of doubt Trienen is specifically willing to take less money to play with Oakland as well. My guess is the whole “trade talks” statement was overblown by whoever reported it first on Twitter or ESPN or wherever just so they could make clickbate. Meaning, I think the person who ORIGINALLY (not MLBTR) reported the trade talks knew that it made no sense and was never going to happen.
solaris602
CLE should be all over Domingo Santana.
andrewgauldin
Would be very interesting to see a team full of non tendered players. I’m sure they wouldn’t be as bad as the Orioles, Royals, Marlins, or Tigers. I think when the MLB expands again, this would be a cool concept. Just a random thought.
Bart Harley Jarvis
At today’s arbitration prices, what would certainly be one expensive ships and giggles team. Still an interesting concept, nonetheless…
Bart Harley Jarvis
At today’s arbitration prices, what would certainly be one expensive poops and giggles team. Still an interesting concept, nonetheless…
khopper10
I prefer ships and giggles
alwaysreal
Blake Treinen to the Dodgers?
alwaysreal
Maybe also Maikel Franco if they don’t land Anthony Rendon…
vtadave
Franco to the Dodgers? Why?
Jeff Zanghi
Why did the Red Sox claim Osich a month ago if they were just going to non-tender him anyway? Seems odd
deweybelongsinthehall
Change of mind? In anticipation of another small move that hasn’t materialized? Security to give the team more time with other decisions?
Jeff Zanghi
Why was Huang arb-eligible? He’s only got like less than 10 games of ML experience…
csamson11
I don’t think he was arb eligible, he just wasn’t offered a contract. Similar to Hultzen from the Cubs, who I believe didn’t have any options remaining.
aussiegiants53
Some decent bounce back names here. Surely most of them find new homes some sooner rather then later I’d imagine
cubsnomore
Yes and at lower wages.
mcdusty49
Dodgers take a flier on Treinen and Claudio please do something with the bullpen already
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
The Dodger already have Alex Claudio on their roster. His name is Adam Kolarek. There are only so many loogy types you can carry with the new rule and they’ll be available in abundance. Trienen sure.
thunderroad19
The Brewers are certainly gonna look different next year. And now there are Hader rumors too.
beyou02215
Any team that has even remote designs to contend could use Treinen in hopes for a bounce back. And I’m sure there are teams that are willing to let him close to start the season, too. My prediction – the ChiSox but really, who knows.
hyraxwithaflamethrower
Sox already have Colome to close, but I definitely wouldn’t mind them adding Treinen. Low-risk, high-reward potential.
redsfan48
Reds should go after Treinen for sure. Derek Johnson and Caleb Cotham can fix him
angelsinthetroutfield
Taijuan Walker, Tyler Anderson and Kevin Gausman are the guys who warrant a tire kicking from the Halos (probably most teams). Lots of potential there, wouldn’t be surprised to see any of the three play well in 2020
bradthebluefish
Phillies dumped Cesar Hernandez!? 2.5 WAR last year and plays 2B.
thetech
Red Sox will pick him up.
some guy 2
Put all these guys on one team and they sweep the Orioles.
brewpackbuckbadg
So you are saying the Orioles should release all there players and sign only these guys?
mgrap84
Yes lol. As an O’s fan its hard to watch the team we have go out there. I do say they should bring in a few of them and let them bounce back and then trade them
Franx
Jays should be all in on CJ Cron and César Hernández. Try Biggio in the outfield.
Moonlight Graham
2020 All-Non-Tender Team
(*Between healing arms and some bounce-back seasons at the plate, this team could actually compete with KC and Baltimore.)
C J. Phegley
1B C. Cron
2B C. Hernandez
3B M. Franco
SS J. Peraza
LF D. Santana
CF K. Pillar
RF S. Souza
DH T. Shaw
Bench Options:
C K. Smith (or K. Plawecki, or C. Joseph)
U T. Beckham
U C. Culberson
IF Y. Sanchez
OF G. Heredia
(I personally wouldn’t sign Addison Russell, but talent-wise, he’s worth consideration)
SP J. Nelson
SP A. Sanchez
SP K. Gausman
SP T. Walker
SP J. Hahn
CL B. Treinan
RP K. Glover
RP R. Buchter
RP J. Osich
RP T. Hildenberger
RP J. Guerra
RP A. Claudio
angt222
Mets should target Travis Shaw, Taijuan Walker, Ryan Butcher, Junior Guerra and Jimmy Nelson. Not saying all of these guys need major league contracts either but the NYM should reach out.
Roll
I cant see Shaw being a fit for the team but the others i an see. We have 3 or 4 people that would play any of the positions shaw would play and are either a better bat or better defender or both. Maybe on a minor league deal but Shaw might get a DH on a small market al team.
mgrap84
I could see the Orioles picking up Addison Russell now that they let Villar go
dodgersfan223574
Good riddance, yimi garcia
phenomenalajs
Does nontendered only apply to the deadline? I believe the Mets nontendered Panik and made him an FA right after the WS.
dmarcus15
Which team is going to take the PR hit on Russell?