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Remaining Needs: AL West

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With the offseason almost two months old, MLBTR is going through all 30 teams’ remaining needs by division. We started with the NL East. Now let’s move to the AL West, a division the Astros have won three years in a row. This has been a somewhat rocky offseason for the reigning pennant winners, which could create opportunities for at least one or two of the other teams in their division…

Houston Astros [Offseason Outlook]

The Astros’ nigh-invincible rotation has taken a couple serious hits since free agency opened, as all-world right-hander Gerrit Cole left to sign a record-high contract with the rival Yankees and back-end southpaw Wade Miley departed for the Reds. With Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke returning to man the top two spots, the front end of the Astros’ starting staff remains in better shape than most teams’. They’ll also get Lance McCullers Jr. back from Tommy John surgery, though the remainder of their rotation is decidedly less proven.

Jose Urquidy, Forrest Whitley, Rogelio Armenteros, Cionel Perez and Josh James are just a few in-house options who could start for Astros sometime in 2020, but there’s nothing resembling an established option after the Verlander-Greinke-McCullers trio. So, it would make sense for the Astros to seek a veteran from outside, though their desire to avoid the second level of the luxury tax ($228MM) could limit their options. As things stand, the Astros’ tax payroll’s already projected to check in at $237MM-plus, per Jason Martinez of Roster Resource. From that standpoint, the good news is that there’s no free agent remaining who’d cost an exorbitant amount to sign. However, that also means there’s no sure bet left on the open market. What about upgrading via trade? Two lefties – the Tigers’ Matthew Boyd and the Diamondbacks’ Robbie Ray – are among those who could be available, and both hurlers have drawn the Astros’ interest in the not-so-distant past.

Aside from the back end of its rotation, most of Houston’s roster looks as if it’ll once again enter next season in enviable shape. An exception could be at catcher, where the Astros probably won’t get much offense from Martin Maldonado, Dustin Garneau and Garrett Stubbs. Nevertheless, having re-signed the defensive specialist Maldonado for a two-year, $7MM guarantee, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Astros go into 2020 with their current behind-the-plate cast.

For Houston, the biggest question of all is whether it’ll face discipline in the near future for a scandal centering on alleged sign-stealing during its World Series-winning campaign in 2017. That’ll continue to be a major story to watch going forward, as it could have negative effects on president of baseball operations Jeff Luhnow, manager A.J. Hinch and the organization as a whole.

Oakland Athletics [Offseason Outlook]

There may be no greater need in Oakland that at second base, a position Jurickson Profar failed to solidify last season (the A’s dealt him to the Padres earlier this winter as a result). For now, the A’s have several fairly untested in-house possibilities in Franklin Barreto, Sheldon Neuse, Chad Pinder and Jorge Mateo, but they’ve shown interest in addressing the spot from elsewhere. Former Athletic Jed Lowrie, now a Met, has come up as a potential trade acquisition. If healthy (no sure thing after an injury-ruined 2019), the switch-hitting Lowrie would at least offer some variety to a righty-heavy lineup. But if the A’s don’t pick up Lowrie or someone else via trade, they can still choose from several free agents, including Starlin Castro, Brock Holt, Jason Kipnis, Asdrubal Cabrera, Scooter Gennett and ex-A Ben Zobrist, to name some players left on the market.

Elsewhere, the Athletics have at least considered adding a veteran backup catcher and more relief help. Matt Wieters has been on the radar as a possible reserve behind highly promising young backstop Sean Murphy. In the bullpen, the A’s had interest in a reunion with Blake Treinen before he signed a one-year, $10MM deal with the Dodgers. They also eyed Sergio Romo prior to his re-signing with the Twins, and have looked at Royals lefty Tim Hill.

Texas Rangers [Offseason Outlook]

Credit to the Rangers for remaking their rotation this winter. What was previously a weakness now looks like a strength with new faces Corey Kluber, Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles following the terrific Mike Minor–Lance Lynn tandem. But where are the offensive reinforcements? The Rangers came into the offseason at least expected to take steps forward at third base, where Anthony Rendon was available and Josh Donaldson is still without a deal. They watched Rendon sign with the Angels for seven years and $245MM,however, and it doesn’t seem they’re serious players for Donaldson. Therefore, barring a trade for someone like Kris Bryant of the Cubs or Nolan Arenado of the Rockies, it doesn’t appear the Rangers will be making a blockbuster addition at the hot corner. Other than Donaldson, free-agent options (Todd Frazier?) don’t inspire a great deal of confidence.

Meanwhile, the Rangers’ offensive production from the catcher position was catastrophically low last season. Jeff Mathis put up a wRC+ of 2 (yes, you read that correctly), while Jose Trevino wasn’t a world-beater in his own right. But the Rangers are currently poised to enter next year with those two as their primary backstops yet again. Robinson Chirinos, a former Ranger they’ve shown interest in re-signing, is still out there. So is Jason Castro. On paper, either would give the team a much more credible starting catcher than it has at the moment.

Not to be forgotten, the Rangers aren’t in the best shape at first base, where Ronald Guzman fell flat for the second straight year. The 25-year-old Guzman still has a minor league option remaining, so the Rangers could sign a veteran (Eric Thames? Old friend Mitch Moreland?), demote Guzman and still keep him in the org.

Los Angeles Angels [Offseason Outlook]

As mentioned above, the Angels made one of the offseason’s most noteworthy splashes when they signed Rendon. Many expected the Angels to hand out a $200MM-plus contract this winter, but the popular belief was that money would go to a pitcher (Cole or Stephen Strasburg). The Angels struck out on Cole, Strasburg and $100MM-plus man Zack Wheeler (now a Phillie), but with Rendon in tow, they boast arguably baseball’s premier one-two punch of position players in him and the transcendent Mike Trout. The supporting cast behind those two isn’t bad, either, with DH Shohei Ohtani, shortstop Andrelton Simmons, second baseman David Fletcher and left fielder Justin Upton as quality complements. Furthermore, star outfield prospect Jo Adell gaining on a major league spot.

If there’s one serious issue among the Angels’ cast of hitters, it’s behind the plate. The only catchers on the Angels’ 40-man roster are Max Stassi and Anthony Bemboom, and that probably isn’t going to cut it. They have, however, shown interest in boosting their cause from outside. Either Chirinos or Castro (or, although it’s less likely, a trade for the Cubs’ Willson Contreras) would go a long way toward giving them one of the most formidable groups of position players in baseball.

Of course, as was the case when the offseason began, the Angels still need front-of-the-rotation help. Sure, they’ve done well to land Dylan Bundy and Julio Teheran as competent innings eaters, and Ohtani will factor in again after missing all of 2019 (as a pitcher) while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Andrew Heaney and Griffin Canning are still in the mix, which is a plus, but there’s no proven ace in the fold. Problem is that it may be too late to find one. Boyd, Ray, Chris Archer (whom new manager Joe Maddon knows from their time in Tampa Bay) and David Price (who still has three years and $96MM left on his contract) are among the top options on the trade market, but all come with question marks.

Fortunately for the Angels, they’re still more than $20MM under the luxury tax, so there’s room for them to make further upgrades even after grabbing Rendon, Bundy and Teheran.

Seattle Mariners [Offseason Outlook]

Unlike the other teams in their division, the rebuilding Mariners have very little chance to vie for a playoff spot next season. As such, one of their only real “needs” is to find a way to jettison more veterans and keep building for the future. The Mariners already got rid of one prominent player in catcher Omar Narvaez, whom they traded to the Brewers earlier this month, and third baseman Kyle Seager, outfielder Mitch Haniger and second baseman Dee Gordon are among those who could also find themselves on the outs in the coming months.

Meantime, general manager Jerry Dipoto has said the Mariners won’t be adding to their position player group before next season, but it would at least make sense to buy low on a pitcher or two, hope for a rebound(s) and try to flip him or them by the July trade deadline. Old pal Taijuan Walker has come up as a possible starting addition via free agency, and would join free-agent signing Kendall Graveman as a bounce-back candidate for the Mariners. Those are the type of arms they should be on the hunt for right now.

Extension Candidate: Luis Robert

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Is there any prospect quite as exciting as a blue chip center fielder?  White Sox fans have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Luis Robert ever since he signed for a $26MM bonus with the team back in May 2017.  It was a contract that put the Sox in the proverbial “penalty box” under the old international signing rules, yet the splurge seemed more than worthwhile given the Cuban outfielder’s potential.

Robert’s early progress was hampered by ankle and knee injuries, as well as a thumb sprain.  But, with a clean bill of health in 2019, Robert set upon tearing up the minor leagues, hitting a cumulative .328/.376/.624 with 32 homers and 36 stolen bases (out of 47 steal attempts) over 551 plate appearances for three different White Sox affiliates.  Robert moved from high-A Winston-Salem to Triple-A Charlotte by season’s end, and though he only has 47 games and 223 PA at the Triple-A level, his .974 OPS in Charlotte left little doubt that the 22-year-old Robert is ready for the majors.

White Sox GM Rick Hahn feels the same way, telling reporters in his end-of-year press conference that the Chicago front office didn’t see center field as an area of need this winter since Robert was slated to handle the position for much of the 2020 season.  As to when Robert could make his debut, however, is still up in the air, leaving open the possibility that the Sox could erase all service-time concerns and lock him into the Opening Day outfield by simply inking Robert to an extension.

If this scenario sounds familiar, the White Sox did the exact same thing with another star prospect in Eloy Jimenez last spring.  Before even appearing in a Major League game, Jimenez signed a six-year extension worth $43MM in guaranteed money, and could end up earning $75MM over an eight-year span if the contract’s two club options are exercised.  The deal far exceeded the previous record extension for a player without any MLB experience, which was a six-year/$24MM guarantee for Scott Kingery from the Phillies prior to the 2018 season.  (The Mariners and first base prospect Evan White also agreed to a six-year pact for $24MM in guaranteed salary this past November.)

Robert’s representatives are obviously likely to aim for an extension that will surpass Jimenez’s deal, with the argument that their client offers more future value.  Like Jimenez, Robert is a top-five prospect in the eyes of MLB.com and Baseball America — which rank him third on their top-100 prospect rankings — while Baseball Prospectus’ midseason top 50 ranking placed him fourth.  While Jimenez’s batting ability is renowned, however, evaluators aren’t certain if he’ll be able to offer much defensively as a corner outfielder, and a move to first base could be necessary even within a few seasons.

In Robert’s case, while there is some question as to whether he’ll stick as a center fielder over the long term, he certainly projects to play up the middle for at least the opening portion of his career, which only adds to his five-tool potential.  His 30-30 season across the minors in 2019 indicated his power and speed, and BA and MLB.com rank his throwing arm in the 55-60 range on the 20-80 scouting scale.  Robert’s plate discipline is perhaps still a work in progress since he only posted 28 walks against 129 strikeouts last season, though it isn’t unusual for any young player to deal with a lot of swing-and-miss early in his career.  MLB.com’s scouting report cites Yoan Moncada as a possible comp, and Moncada significantly reduced his own strikeout problems (a league-high 217 in 2018 to 154 in 2019) with the help of Chicago’s hitting coaches.

Beyond the argument that Robert has the higher ceiling than Jimenez, Robert can also seek the higher deal since he has less incentive to sign an extension.  Robert already has that $26MM, remember, so he has already banked one life-changing fortune from his baseball career.  (Jimenez, by contrast, had “only” his initial $2.8MM signing bonus from the Cubs.)  Unless the White Sox were to offer Robert something far above and beyond Jimenez’s contract, Robert might prefer to just bet on himself and see how his initial season or seasons progress before considering long-term deals.

Without an extension in place, the White Sox could keep Robert in the minors for at least the first few weeks of the season, or at least long enough to ensure that they’ll get a seventh year of control over his services.  This would be the latest instance of a team manipulating a top prospect’s service time, and this entire practice has been put under the microscope this offseason now that Kris Bryant’s service time grievance is currently being examined by an arbitrator.  While the arbitrator is widely expected to rule in the Cubs’ favor, a decision reducing Bryant’s remaining team control from two years to one would send many shockwaves around the baseball world, and impact how every club handles promoting its best minor leaguers in the future.  As such, the White Sox might wait until the arbitrator’s ruling before fully diving into extension negotiations with Robert.

Beyond Jimenez, Hahn has extended several other promising White Sox players (i.e. Tim Anderson, Adam Eaton, Jose Quintana, Chris Sale) early in their careers over his seven-plus years as general manager.  A potential Robert contract could be the most unique and, in fact, most expensive of the bunch, though it would mark the latest aggressive move in a winter that has already seen Yasmani Grandal, Edwin Encarnacion, Dallas Keuchel, and Gio Gonzalez come to the South Side in free agency.  Since the club’s rebuild is clearly over, making Chicago’s center fielder of the future into part of the present could be the next step in the lead-up to the most anticipated White Sox Opening Day in years.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Outfield Rumors: Puig, ChiSox, Castellanos, Giants, Cardinals

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The White Sox were known to have continued interest in Nicholas Castellanos, and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter) adds that Chicago has also been in talks with free agent outfielder Yasiel Puig.  Whether the Sox ink either of these two players could now be in doubt, however, in the wake of yesterday’s reported agreement with Edwin Encarnacion.  At the very least, Castellanos might be out of consideration since there isn’t be an obvious spot for him to play every day, with Encarnacion and Jose Abreu handling first base/DH duties, Eloy Jimenez in left field, and Nomar Mazara playing at least a part-time role in right field.

It isn’t entirely out of the question that the White Sox could try to flip Mazara to make room for Castellanos, though the likeliest option is that Chicago will see if Mazara can still emerge as a reliable everyday player, or at least try to find a right-handed hitting platoon partner for him.  Puig could fit this description, and could potentially still be a target for the Sox on a one-year deal.  MLBTR projected such a one-year pact for Puig, and given the lack of news we’ve heard about Puig’s market this offseason, he could be more open to a platoon situation (that could very well evolve into more regular duty if Mazara struggles again).  The Marlins are the only team known to have shown interest in Puig this winter.

Some more rumblings on the outfield market…

  • While the Giants have been framed as a prime player in the Castellanos market, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports that the team’s portrayal as any sort of frontrunner to win the bidding is “overblown.” The organization does like Castellanos and is more willing to add a youthful free agent on a multi-year deal (Castellanos is still just 27) than a veteran entering his 30s. However, Pavlovic also questions whether the Giants would be willing to put forth a four- or five-year offer for any free agent while in the midst of an increasingly obvious rebuilding effort.
  • The Cardinals remain in the market for an outfielder, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explored in his holiday chat with readers this week. Corey Dickerson is at least under consideration, and the team hasn’t bowed out of the Marcell Ozuna bidding yet, either. The Cards’ preference is to have bring in an everyday outfielder as opposed to a platoon bat like Joc Pederson, whom the Dodgers have discussed in trades for a second straight offseason.

Latest On The Nationals’ First Base Situation

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The Nationals had interest in switch-hitter Justin Smoak before Smoak signed with the Brewers last week, The Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty reports.  With Smoak off the board, the Nats will continue to explore left-handed hitting options for both first base and their lineup as a whole, given their overall right-handed tilt.  As Dougherty notes, it’s quite possible that the Nationals bring back Matt Adams as that lefty bat, and Adams will again team with Howie Kendrick and (the still-to-be-signed) Ryan Zimmerman in a timeshare at first base.

Kendrick is already back in the fold, rejoining the World Series champions on a one-year deal worth $6.25MM in guaranteed money ($4MM in 2020 salary, and either a $2.25MM buyout of a mutual option for 2021, or $6.5MM in 2021 if both sides exercise that option).  The versatile Kendrick spent the majority of his time as a first baseman in 2019, though he also saw action at both second base and third base. Those other two infield positions are now in a state of flux, what with Anthony Rendon gone to the Angels and Brian Dozier and Asdrubal Cabrera currently free agents, so Washington could prefer to deploy Kendrick around the infield rather than commit him to a larger portion of the first base playing time.

Zimmerman, of course, is a free agent himself, though the longtime District stalwart has indicated that he will either return to the Nationals on a year-to-year basis or potentially retire.  “Both he and the Nationals remain willing to negotiate a cheap, one-year contract,” Dougherty writes, and “about $4MM has been floated as a price the sides could agree on.”

It seems to be more or less just a matter of time before Zimmerman officially returns to the fold for his 16th season in a Nats jersey, and his presence likely indicates that D.C. will stick with a platoon situation at first base.  The club “ultimately decided that the price was too high” for Smoak, whose one-year deal with Milwaukee is worth $5MM in guaranteed money.  It wasn’t a hefty figure, though perhaps too much for a Nationals team that is looking for a platoon partner rather than more of a full-time option like Smoak.

Eric Thames, Mitch Moreland, Greg Bird, Logan Morrison, Brad Miller, and Neil Walker are a few of the left-handed or switch-hitting first base options on the open market, though Adams represents a known quantity for the Nats.  Over 610 plate appearances since joining the Nationals in August 2018, Adams has hit 38 homers with a .240/.302/.485 slash line.  Long a force against right-handed pitching, Adams’ numbers against righties dipped in everything but the slugging department last season, though Dougherty said that Adams was bothered with some shoulder problems.  Washington declined its end of Adams’ $4MM mutual option for 2020, making the 31-year-old into a free agent.

If the Nationals can find a power bat at another position, Dougherty writes that the team could simply just go with Zimmerman and Kendrick as the all right-handed first base platoon, given Kendrick’s solid numbers against same-sided pitching.  The Nats continue to be one of the favorites to land Josh Donaldson as their new everyday third baseman, and, should Donaldson sign elsewhere, there have also been whispers that D.C. could try to acquire Kris Bryant from the Cubs.  Both Donaldson and Bryant are also right-handed bats, though with either of them playing third base, the Nationals could then explore adding a multi-positional left-handed bench bat, or one that could share time at second base with rookie Carter Kieboom or the switch-hitting Wilmer Difo.

Remaining Needs: NL East

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Quite a few of MLBTR’s top 50 free agents have already signed, though there are still a host of players available on the open market. We’ve seen somewhat less action on the trade market, which still features a number of stars and other useful targets.

Those links provide lots of info on the supply side. But what about demand? We’ll run through each division to identify the biggest-remaining needs of each team.

Atlanta Braves [Offseason Outlook]

As they did last time around, the Braves sprinted out of the gates to address multiple key needs. But the club’s biggest question entering the winter — what to do about the departure of star third baseman Josh Donaldson — remains unanswered. It’s a good roster as-is, but the lineup would look a whole lot better with another big bat in the middle of it. If Donaldson can’t be retained, the Braves could look to the trade market at third base or pursue one of the remaining corner outfielders and re-shuffle their internal deck accordingly. The club seems quite settled otherwise but could still explore opportunistic rotation additions.

Miami Marlins [Offseason Outlook] 

The Fish have spent the winter plugging in one-year veterans and jettisoning unwanted relievers. The idea was to create a mix that will improve the results a bit in the near term while simultaneously aiding the development of and avoiding undue pressure on young players. Much of that work is already done, but the team is reportedly still looking to add a power-hitting corner outfielder who’d supplement (or supplant?) recent minor-league signee Matt Kemp. Perusing the roster, it seems there’s also room to pick up a veteran pitcher or two to join the bullpen or perhaps the rotation. That’d become a clear priority in the event of a trade involving Caleb Smith, Jose Urena, or some other pitcher. Presumably, the club will continue to explore trade opportunities involving those and other players while keeping an eye on the waiver wire.

New York Mets [Offseason Outlook]

Aided by a renegotiation of the Yoenis Cespedes contract, the Mets have placed a series of expensive (a combined $25MM+) single-season bets on high-variance veteran pitchers. Having picked up two new starting-capable hurlers, a pair of bullpen pieces, and a part-time center fielder in Jake Marisnick, the New York org has already ticked the boxes it needed to.

So … why doesn’t it feel like GM Brodie Van Wagenen is finished? With a forthcoming ownership transition underscoring the need to win now, the club’s top baseball exec can’t afford to leave any stones unturned in his sophomore offseason. Installing a top-flight center fielder — Starling Marte looks like the best bet — would be at the top of the list, but the club can also explore blockbuster scenarios at other positions. It’s possible to imagine further improvements to the bench and bullpen mix, too. The Mets will be most keen to utilize blocked first baseman Dominic Smith as a trade chip — whether to bring back prospects, shed the Jed Lowrie contract, or deliver a different MLB piece — but younger big leaguers J.D. Davis and Steven Matz could also conceivably be dangled.

Philadelphia Phillies [Offseason Outlook]

The Phils landed two of MLBTR’s top dozen free agents, and they did so for lesser commitments than were necessary to secure quite a few other top players. That’s a nice start, but hardly sufficient to stand out from the other three contending teams in this division. Improving the bullpen remains an unfulfilled priority. While the rotation no longer stands out as a problem, it’s susceptible of being bettered. And the position-player mix doesn’t feel quite finished. The Phillies could choose to utilize Adam Haseley in center field and Scott Kingery at third base. But the lineup would look better with a newly installed regular for at least one of those positions, freeing Kingery to function as a super-sub and reducing the team’s reliance upon the still-unproven Haseley. It’s a tough scene in free agency unless the club reimposes itself in the market for Josh Donaldson. Creative trade exploration seems advisable. The Phils also still must figure out what to do with Odubel Herrera, who’ll be returning from a suspension.

Washington Nationals [Offseason Outlook]

Having finally completed a summit attempt, the Nats face new challenges in a repeat bid. Not unlike the Braves and Phillies, the D.C. roster would look much better with Josh Donaldson added in at the hot corner. If they miss on Donaldson, the Nats could be forced into some difficult and high-stakes trade talks. There’s an opening at second base as well — especially if the club intends to utilize the recently re-signed Howie Kendrick at first base, which is partially dependent upon its decision with regard to Ryan Zimmerman — which creates both need and opportunity.

Youngster Carter Kieboom could be cast into a big role, but the organization probably prefers to see him force his way up rather than relying on him out of the gates. It’s possible to imagine the addition of multiple veteran infielders from a large remaining pool, with a plan to mix and match and adapt over the course of the season. Any of the team’s internally developed reserve players could be supplanted over the next few months. Ditto the holdover fifth-starter and middle-relief options. Another rotation piece (if only for camp competition) and one or more relievers (preferably including a legit setup option) also remain on the list of needs for president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo, who’s overseeing a huge amount of roster turnover while trying to recover from a (literal and figurative) championship hangover.

Matt Moore Signs With NPB’s SoftBank Hawks

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11:00am: Moore is guaranteed $3.5MM on a one-year deal with the Hawks and can earn an additional $2.5MM via incentives, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link).

10:10am: Free-agent lefty Matt Moore has signed with the SoftBank Hawks of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, per a team announcement (link via the Japan Times). He’s represented by Apex Baseball.

The 30-year-old Moore appeared in just two games with the Tigers in 2019 before suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee which required surgery and ultimately knocked him out for the remainder of the year. A move to Japan is at least somewhat of a surprise for Moore — a formerly elite prospect who tossed 10 shutout innings with a 9-to-1 K/BB ratio and strong velocity (93.0 mph average fastball) in his tiny sample of 10 innings prior to last April’s injury.

Back in 2012, Moore was considered one of baseball’s three best prospects alongside Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. He may not quite have lived up to that sky-high billing early on, but Moore’s first 347 innings in the big leagues resulted in a 3.53 ERA with nearly a strikeout per frame. At the very least, he looked like a quality mid-rotation presence for the Rays, who selected him in the eighth round of the 2007 draft. And given that those numbers were compiled through his age-25 season, there was certainly some promise of a further breakout as he entered his prime years. Moore did, after all, finish ninth in AL Cy Young voting in an All-Star 2013 season that saw him toss 150 1/3 innings of 3.29 ERA ball.

Unfortunately for Moore, he suffered a torn UCL in 2014 that cost him most of that season and most of the 2015 campaign. He posted one solid, albeit unspectacular season upon returning from that injury before his struggles truly escalated; Moore logged a combined 5.99 ERA in 276 1/3 innings with 7.6 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 between the Giants and Rangers from 2017-18.

In spite of that rough two-year patch, however, he was still able to land a one-year, $2.5MM pact with the Tigers last winter. Given his relative youth — he’ll turn 31 in June — and the fact that his velocity in two starts this past season was higher than it had been since 2012, Moore seemed like a reasonable low-risk rebound candidate this winter.

However, the interest overseas clearly produced a better offer than any MLB club was willing to put forth, so Moore will become the latest in an increasing number of players to look to bolster their stock while playing abroad. He’s a higher-profile name than most who wind up signing in NPB or the Korea Baseball Organization, but that only adds to the level of intrigue. It’s easy to envision that with a strong showing for the Hawks, Moore could reemerge as a coveted rotation option for Major League teams once he returns to the open market.

Poll: Should The D-Backs Trade Robbie Ray?

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Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen has splashed far more cash in free agency this winter than in his prior offseasons at the helm. Most notably, he pulled off a surprise strike for star hurler Madison Bumgarner, who’s now in town for a five-year term.

The addition of MadBum seemed to be spurred largely by the already legendary lefty’s own interest in playing in Arizona. While the team proved amenable to working out a mutually agreeable contract, it was in large part an opportunistic strike for an organization that had signaled satisfaction with its pitching depth when it non-tendered Taijuan Walker at the outset of the offseason.

So … what about the team’s preexisting star southpaw? Hazen has denied that the big new addition would push Robbie Ray out of the organization’s plans, but word was at the outset of the winter — i.e., before the Bumgarner pursuit even began — that the team was open to dealing Ray. With Ray set to earn a projected $10.8MM via arbitration before reaching the open market, the club could cash him in and re-distribute the salary to account for its recent additions or support further signings.

Perhaps it’s now a rather simple proposition: put Ray on the auction block and get what you can in trade value. The Snakes already added Mike Leake and Zac Gallen via trade in the summer. Merrill Kelly is a Leake-like sturdy presence while Luke Weaver will look to resume his impressive initial showing after resting and rehabbing. That makes five without Ray. And the D-Backs have a host of upper-level depth on the 40-man, including Jon Duplantier, Taylor Clarke, and Taylor Widener.

On the other hand … maybe now’s the time and this is the team to hang onto the upside-laden Ray. The southpaw has rare strikeout ability and is a rather affordable asset for a pitcher of his ability. Bumgarner’s deal features a notably light 2020 salary, perhaps leaving payroll space to fit both of these quality lefties. Keeping Ray would make the Arizona staff one of the better units in the National League. The D-Backs could deploy some of their extra arms in relief capacities, comforted by the extra depth. Or they might deal away a now-unnecessary starting piece, prioritizing near-term upside over pure cost-efficiency.

While the Dodgers still look like a strong favorite in the NL West, the L.A. org hasn’t yet converted on its bids to improve this winter and does have a few potential weak spots. If the Diamondbacks are to make a real bid at breaking the stranglehold on the division, keeping Ray in hopes he can perform to his ceiling would make an awful lot of sense. Even if the Dodgers respond to the pressure by acquiring a star-level player, that could redound to the long-term benefit of the Diamondbacks and other division pursuers.

As always, it depends in no small part upon the return that could actually be achieved. But in this case, perhaps, it’s more a question of organizational direction than the specifics of trade value. Picking up more prospect capital arguably isn’t as important to the D-Backs as maximizing their 2020 chances. And there’s always the fall-back option of a summer trade or qualifying offer at season’s end.

How do you think Hazen and co. should proceed? (Poll link for app users)

White Sox To Sign Edwin Encarnacion

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The White Sox have reached an agreement to sign veteran slugger Edwin Encarnacion, according to multiple reports. Dominican reporter Yancen Pujols tweets that the sides have agreed to a one-year, $12MM deal that includes a $1MM signing bonus and $11MM salary, pending a physical. The contract also comes with a $12MM club option, sans buyout, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter).

Encarnacion has been one of the game’s premier hitters since his breakout 2012 season. Though he stepped back a bit in 2018, he rebounded well in the just-completed campaign and proved he’s still capable of top-notch offensive production as he closes in on his 37th birthday.

Through 486 plate appearances over the 2019 season, Encarnacion swatted 34 long balls and slashed a healthy .244/.344/.531. That was about thirty percent above the league-average output at the plate. Encarnacion also spent a fair bit of time in the field, logging 489 innings at first base and grading within range of average with the glove.

For the South Siders, this move represents the latest addition in a busy offseason. Encarnacion will pair with Jose Abreu to form a veteran slugging duo. The latter will presumably take the lion’s share of the action at first base, but both can share the load there to stay fresh.

Whether or not the White Sox will look to keep adding bats isn’t known. The club has been tied to corner outfielders throughout the winter but has already made one move there in acquiring Nomar Mazara. With Abreu and Encarnacion likely to be in the lineup most days, and Eloy Jimenez occupying another corner outfield spot, it’d be surprising to see another high-dollar bat land in Chicago.

That’s all the more true since the White Sox catching situation seems to have some spillover. New addition Yasmani Grandal will likely spend some days at first or in the DH slot to ease his load, which will likely absorb most of the rest days for Encarnacion and Abreu. Backup receiver James McCann now seems all the more expendable, since there won’t be quite as many opportunities to deploy Grandal elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NL West Notes: Samardzija, Cueto, Dodgers

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We’ve already rounded up news from the American League twice today. Now, let’s take a look at the latest on a pair of bitter rivals from the Senior Circuit.

  • The Giants seem likely to hold onto Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto this offseason, opines Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. That’s not particularly surprising, as San Francisco has little in the way of rotation depth. Samardzija looks like a plausible trade candidate, but any return figures to be minimal. He’ll make $18MM as a 35-year-old rental and looks like a back-end starter at this point. Cueto, meanwhile, will need to reestablish his health before another club will consider paying down some of the $46MM he’s due over the next two seasons (including a 2023 buyout). The veteran (34 in February) started just four games in September following an August 2018 Tommy John Surgery. As Schulman notes, each pitcher could see his trade value rebound with a strong first half.
  • The Dodgers have had a quiet start to the offseason, observes Andy McCullough of the Athletic. Given the club’s repeated postseason disappointments in recent years, many L.A. fans have called for a roster shakeup. That sentiment is shared by some in the Dodgers’ front office, relays McCullough, although the club’s only significant acquisition thus far has been reliever Blake Treinen, who inked a one-year, $10MM deal two weeks ago. While there’s still time for the Dodgers to make a splash- they remain front and center on the latest Mike Clevinger and Francisco Lindor rumors- McCullough points out that they haven’t acted rashly under Andrew Friedman’s leadership. They may not need to so this offseason, as they again look to be the overwhelming favorites in the NL West.

AL Notes: Biggio, Red Sox, Boyd, Angels

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We’ll round up a few stories and notes from around the American League on this Christmas afternoon.

  • Cavan Biggio could be in line to bounce around the diamond next season for the Blue Jays. The 24-year-old has no problem donning different gloves, he tells Kaitlyn McGrath of the Athletic. Biggio came up as a second baseman, although questions about his defense there dogged him consistently as a prospect. Last year, Biggio logged MLB starts at first base, second base, left field, and right field, although most of his work indeed came at the keystone. Now, he’d be amenable to logging time at third base and/or in center field next season, too. General Manager Ross Atkins has previously floated Biggio as a possibility to help solidify the Jays’ questionable center field mix, McGrath notes. Manager Charlie Montoyo will surely be looking for ways to get Biggio’s potent bat into the lineup. Thanks to elite plate discipline, Biggio compiled a strong .234/.364/.429 line (114 wRC+) as a rookie.
  • First-year Red Sox pitching coach Dave Bush sat down for a Q&A with Jen McCaffrey of the Athletic. He explains that the organization reached out to him to replace Dana LeVangie, rather than his ardently pursuing the position. That should ensure some continuity on the pitching side, as Bush has spent the past three seasons in Boston’s player development department. The longtime Brewer reiterated that Chris Sale is back on a normal offseason program and praised new signee Martín Pérez’s reliability. He also hinted that the organization could further tinker with Pérez’s pitch mix in hopes of unlocking some upside. A new cutter helped Pérez jump off to a fast start in 2019 with the Twins, but a brutal second half led Minnesota to decline his team option.
  • The Tigers aren’t actively looking to move staff ace Matthew Boyd, who still has three years of team control remaining. With the free agent market for starting pitching drying up, however, it’s natural to wonder if the teams who lost out on the top hurlers could reengage the Tigers on one of baseball’s prime trade candidates. One such team is the Angels, who have added Dylan Bundy and Julio Teheran to their rotation, but still have room to upgrade. The club is monitoring the trade market, Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com tweeted Monday, but the Angels and Tigers haven’t had any recent discussions on Boyd. Of course, there’s ample time for the sides to recommence talks regarding the 28-year-old, who ranked 11th among starters (minimum 100 innings) in strikeout minus walk rate in 2019.

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