With the Winter Meetings upon us, let’s round up the latest chatter on the market to start the morning …
- The Dodgers could play a fascinating role in the proceedings. As the L.A. front office works on major potential free agent moves, it’s also dabbling in the trade market involving some existing pieces. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports on Twitter that the club is open to discussing trade scenarios involving A.J. Pollock and Enrique Hernandez, along with the previously rumored Joc Pederson. Pollock just finished the first season of a complicated free agent contract, while Hernandez and Pederson each project to earn significant arbitration salaries in their final seasons of eligibility. MLBTR’s Connor Byrne recently broke down a potentially complicated offseason for the seven-time defending NL West champs.
- Outfielder Nicholas Castellanos may be down a suitor, but the news seems to be good. The Marlins are “out of the bidding,” according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic (via Twitter), owing to the fact that the auction ask has “sky rocketed” in the wake of the surprisingly lofty Mike Moustakas deal. Castellanos has always seemed a tricky player to predict. The youthful, bat-first performer might in past years have been a candidate for a top-of-the-market contract. But recent trends have not favored defensively marginal sluggers. We guessed he’d get four years and $58MM; now that Moustakas has topped that guarantee, perhaps Castellanos can be expected to go higher. His market still appears to be taking shape but could conceivably come together quickly over the next few days.
- Free agent shortstop Didi Gregorius appears “likely” to secure a significant, multi-year deal, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). Heyman hears that Gregorius could land an average annual value of $14MM to $15MM — which is just what we predicted he’d get (over three years) in our top-50 free agent ranking. It’s still unclear where Gregorius will land. Heyman suggests that the bidding may go too high for the Reds, possibly leaving the Phillies and unknown others to pursue the veteran infielder.
Really hoping the Giants aren’t part of this Castellanos bidding war, especially after they refused to tender Pillar a contract. I still see many sources saying they’re interested, though..
I might be in the minority but I hope we do nothing more than a reclamation project for the rotation (Alex Wood comes to mind) and see if we can flip them at the deadline. I think the Giants are going to be bad in 2020 so might as well be REALLY bad and secure a better pick. 2021 and beyond is what we need to aim for
I agree with you. I give the Giants credit for trying to field a contender every year but unless they get a resurrection from Longoria and a bounceback from Belt, Crawford & Posey plus top of the rotation production from Samardzija and Cueto- they dont have a chance of catching the Dodgers. That’s a lot of “if’s”.
Agree 100%
A .298 OBP for Pillar goes against everything the Organization is teaching and the Outfield Numbers are Slipping,that’s why he’s gone.They have money to spend but will do it with Players that are willing to take Walks and Grind,that’s one part for a Championship Team.
.823 OPS against lefties in 2019. A career .281/.313/.453 against lefties. A good option for a 4th OF/platoon situation for a team with lefty hitter who struggles against lefties (Bradley Jr).
SF cleared a roster spot by not tendering Pilllar exactly to go after a guy like Castellanos who is just a few months older than Harper..
Look for SF to go after roster depth and position flexibility at the MLB level. The days of regulars starting 150 games are over, bench players will play much more regularly lineups will be less regular..
I expect that and a continuation of improving the 26/40 roster talent level. Something that doesn’t happen at the meetings but the discussion starts is SF working with those teams who don’t have payroll flexibility, BOS, CHC two prime examples. ATL taking Melancon and his contract was very huge and still blows my mind.
Yea good luck trading Pollock and his contract. As a Dodger fan, I’d love to see it happen. But who would want to take on that contract?
Depends what you want to attach to it.
If they combo him with Pederson or Seager, then maybe a deal is out there
If the Dodgers attach Kiebert Ruiz to Pollacks contract the Pirates may be interested in a trade involving Marte.
His contract isn’t that bad. It’s only 12M a year. The length might be a problem, though
His contract was backloaded. He’s set to make 15/18/13 million the next three seasons and then an interesting player option or BO after that.
I’m talking about AAV, which is what matters with luxury tax implications. It’s actually $13M/yr
I’m pretty sure the acquiring team paying the bills will care about the cost they have to pay, not the AAV
Most contracts are backloaded like that. Owners only care about luxury tax. They don’t want to pay once cent more than they have to
I’d like to see where you got that information. Most contracts do not fluctuate as much as Pollacks. Some teams like the nationals offer significant deferrals, other teams evenly space it out. Some teams backload with the intent of trading the player when the contract gets to be market value (marlins and Stanton). There are only a few owners willing to pay the tax and the majority of owners don’t even flirt with that threshold, so this idea that the luxury tax is the end all be all is misplaced
Nomination for most clueless comment of the year, that owners don’t care about salary. Three quarters of owners might as well not even know what the luxury tax is it’s so irrelevant to them.
Fred.. the tax isn’t figured by the amount each year. It’s the average or AAV.
Yankees say hi take Stanton, Frazier and Andujar and please taken Stanton. Won’t happen but hey M’s got rid of Canó and crazy things happen all the time.
Are you stuck on stupid?
Hahahaha, you a fan girl too? Forgot this site is full of whipped MLB NETWORK Analyst.
Why would anyone want Pollock and his contract and why would you give up two cheap and promising players to do so? Just to lose an expensive, injury prone, perennial all-star (when healthy) for an expensive, injury prone, slightly above average (when healthy) player?
foh you absolute goof
Chill out, don’t wet yourself pal. You and the rest of the divas on this site should chill out.
So you are stuck on stupid?
Why did the dodgers sign him anyway if they already want to trade him one year in?
Verdugo looks like he’s better than they thought, Lux is ready, and other prospects are coming.. They also want to sign Rendon. There’s not enough room. Just because he’s not good enough for the Dodgers, doesn’t meant he’s not a good player. Dodgers would have the pay down some of his contract, of course
Just a reminder, Verdugo’s production fell off sharply in July and he spent the rest of the season on the IL with a nagging injury. I question whether the Dodgers are prepared to bank on him just yet (and also whether they are serious about Rendon).
Dodgers still have Kiki and Taylor to step in. Great luxury to have. Verdugo was also a rookie.
Pollock’s contract over the next two years averages only slightly more than the first, excluding the option and buyout (which are impossible to value today). I can kind of understand the negativity about him after his miserable performance in the postseason, but his batting line during the regular season was fine, especially considering how much time he spent on the IL. It was right on his career numbers. He is also valuable as a plus position player. I’d be surprised if the Dodgers actually traded him but if they did it wouldn’t be at some sort of fire sale price.
Pollock had a salary of $1 million last season. He counted 4 million because of his prorated 12 million signing bonus. He put up replacement player number last year, mostly due to a drastic fall in defensive numbers. He also didn’t run. His batting line may have been similar but his production across the board was down
I understand his contract is gamey but nobody is fooled by a prorated signing bonus. He gets that money no matter what.
He’s injury prone. Not a dependable bat, especially against RHP. His defense has gone downhill and not a real CF as his range has diminished. I think the Dodgers were hoping that he could get back to his 2014 and 2015 production levels but I seriously doubt he’s going to slash anything close to that. You’re going to get a very average 0.800 or lower OPS, which does not warrant what he’s getting paid. Buyers remorse after last year. He was good against LHP last year but that is a very small sample size of 99 ABs. He hasn’t played more than 113 games since 2015. You’d have to eat a bit of his contract and package prospects to get rid of him so at this stage they’re stuck with him. Never liked this acquisition. Same with Joe Kelly.
Castellanos doesn’t want to play in another pitchers park, so I’d expect him to sign for similar money in a more hitter friendly ballpark. I’d bet the house giants do not get him.
I would agree. He complained a bit about CoPa despite the fact that it is built well for guys who can drive the ball into the alley. Nick got a lot of doubles in that park..
Kinda got used to him playing for my Cubs but not looking good for a return.
Can Didi play 2b? I’d love to see the Red Sox swoop in and pick him up.
Wow there is a thought, sounds cool
We don’t have the money
I guess if teams think Moustakas can play 2nd then why can’t Didi?
I look for him to move to 3rd before 2nd though.
So the Reds wont pay 15/yr for Didi, but gave 16/yr for Moose? No way they are priced out, maybe length of contract could be the problem. I’d go 3 years max, but then again I wouldn’t have went 4 with Moose. If the Reds dont go for Didi, they should at least try and see what the A’s want for Siemian. I like Galvis, but he is not the guy for 162.
Perhaps the Reds were more certain that Moose would give them above average production and stay healthy. Didi comes with more risk IMO.
Yankees should have moves bin to 2nd after they got Glayber Torres. DU Lemehieu can play anywhere. put him at first.
Hmm I don’t see why not. I’d hate to see Didi in Red Sox though lol
Same here…
Could see Giants doing this, a non-crippling splash.
Dont think Didi is a really good fit for the Phillies. Segura at 3B doesnt make a whole lot of sense and Kingery, although versatile, should be utilized at his natural position of 2B, in my opinion. The Phillies should go all-in on Rendon and if they fail to sign him away from their division rival Nationals, Donaldson should be their plan B. Todd Frazier would be plan C and could be a viable stop-gap to Bohm. If they don’t land Rendon or Donaldson, I would imagine they’ll become serious bidders in the Gerrit Cole sweepstakes, as they should.
They could also engage the Cubs on Kris Bryant, but without a bevy of blue chip trade assets they would have to get creative. Perhaps they take on one of the Cubs bad contracts like Jason Heyward (who would presumably play CF), Yu Darvish (who would slot in the #3 spot in between Wheeler and Arrieta) or Tyler Chatwood (whom they could use as a swingman or long reliever). Before they can truly gauge Bryant’s trade value, they would have to see what the result is of the grievance Bryant filed with the players union to determine if he has one or two years of team control remaining.
I’d rather see the Phils save that 14 or 15mil from Didi and re-invest it into the pitching staff. Would love to see them acquire that Jose Peraza guy that was non-tendered by the Reds. He would provide depth up the middle at SS and 2B at 3 or 4mil per year and keep Segura and Kingery at their natural positions. If the Phillies did end up utilizing Kingery in CF or even 3B, Peraza would be a nice player to plug in at 2B with the ability to play SS should Segura miss any significant time to injury.
Or Castro instead of Peraza. Use funds for pitching as you suggest. Alex Wood if his back checks out?
I think the Phillies need to forget about shortstop and concentrate on Rendon. Segura is still good and move Kingery to his natural 2nd base position. With Rendon in the middle of Harper, Realmuto, Hoskins and McCutcheon leading off, I like our offensive alignment. With the addition of Wheeler on the mound, I think we make a push at the Braves.
Imagine an opening day lineup of:
Kingery 2B
Segura SS
Rendon 3B
Harper RF
Hoskins 1B
Realmuto C
McCutchen LF
Haisley CF
Nola P
Kingery leads off over Cutch?
I suppose you could flip the two of them but I wouldn’t ask a whole lot out of Cutch coming off that injury. I think Kingery would excel as a lead off hitter. He plays with a lot of energy and would benefit from seeing better pitches.
the team still has a hole in the rotation and plenty in the pen. id rather them focus on these areas and get a cheaper option to fill the infield hole. i like Castro for 2B or SS
Heyman is a dope. Reds were in for Wheeler at over $20m a year and he’s a luxury for them with their stocked staff. They may not get Didi but it’s not because they can’t or won’t pony up this off-season
Let Phil’s take Didi, Reds don’t need him that desperately, would rather c money spent on LHR and outfielder and 5th. Starter
I think the Phillies have more pressing needs than a SS. Does make any sense to go after Didi knowing you need a 3B, CF, 2B BP and SP. Segura could easily play second but third is a question mark. Of course, you could go BIG and get Rendon and Cole.. But still have holes in your pen. Tough spot for the Phillies.
Spencer Howard can be a piece in the Phillies pen.
Cole and Rendon are must haves for the Phillies to be a contender in 2020.
Not surprising the Marlins were going to be out of a bidding war on Castellanos. He would have been a nice get for the Marlins if he was $15 million AAV for 4 years, but higher than that doesn’t make sense for us at this time. I think the Marlins best bet would be checking in on Domingo Santana, if they aren’t too interested in Avisail Garcia. There are other possibilities. Not much rush needed here.
I’ve heard a lot more chatter about if the rangers miss on Rendon and Donaldson, getting Castellanos and trading for Andujar…. (I just don’t really want Andujar). If we did miss on the big names though, i’d ask about Bryant from the cubs, since his past few seasons have been injury riddled, maybe that drops his price a hair..
Stop the presses; LA will trade Pollock and SD will trade Meyers So who on Gods green earth is going to even consider taking them
Bryce Harper or A.J. Pollock ?
Anthony Rendon or Josh Donaldson?
I’d like to see Gregorius in Cincy. Castellanos too. But I don’t see the Reds going that deep for either of them if they are still expecting to sign another rotation piece. However, if they want to contend in the NL Central, only adding Moustakas will not be enough offense.
It’s going to be interesting.
Castellanos ain’t even worth a million dollars. Can’t field worth a damn and horrific at the plate. And if he doesn’t get his way he cries. Call him Nicholas but not Nick
Horrific at the plate? What are you talking about?
Yep a guy who was 21% above league average at the plate is “horrific”. Great call.
Bumgarner, along with Keuchel, is clearly on the decline. Whoever doles out a big $ contract will regret it within 2 years.
Be smart. Stay away, Rick Hahn.
Wonder if the cards could make a deal for Pederson? Genesis Cabrera, adolis garcia and ponce de leon? Maybe cards throw in another top 30 prospect and dodgers include some non top 30 to make it more even.
I think what’s happening in some cases, and this may be true of Castellanos, is that teams – yes, even analytically-oriented teams (is there any other kind these days?) – are starting to recognize the value of clubhouse chemistry and leadership, and the energy a guy like Castellanos brought to the Cubs, for instance, in addition to the awesome numbers he put up. Impossible to quantify, yes, but teams may be seeing that it sometimes means the difference between winning & losing. Yes, talent is still the most important thing. However, I believe that talent evaluators are starting to be intrigued by something that they have had trouble identifying in the past because they are largely intangible qualities, and are beginning to add quantifiable value to them. Just a thought, but it is interesting.
In other words, it’s another case of the analytical guys catching up to what the baseball ‘eyeball test’ guys had already known for generations due to trial-and-error, with a touch of experience and baseball evolution.
I sense, after the analytical guys are done, we’ll be right back where we started before analytics became a thing.
When NC signs for more than people expected, your statement will be why. He’s a 27-year-old leader in the clubhouse. There is value in making your team better as a whole: being a sparkplug, coaching up the young guys, setting an example for work ethic etc. These are things that make a difference and are often missed by fans.
A part of me wonders if Didi could play thirdbase effectively. Besides his down 2019, he seems to have enough of a bat to make a successful transition. If I recall correctly his arm is decent enough.
I’d love to see the Cubs re-up with Castellanos and find a suitor for Schwarber, perfect DH for the AL. I know Nick comes with a lot of negative criticism but his half-season here showed that he has a lot of heart and energy. He also liked being a Cub and he gave the team a much-needed kick in the behind, which they desperately need. It’s too bad he has jerkwad as his agent otherwise I think he would already be re-signed. Wouldn’t be too surprised if he somehow ends up reuniting with Maddon or with the ChiSox. Good luck Nick!
no thanks on Didi at that price. dont buy he’s worth that much after last year.
Castellanos would be a great fit for the Reds in RF. Winker and Aquino can split time in LF. He would lengthen their lineup and probably be a better fit in the 2 spot than Votto at this point.
I honestly think Castellenos would be great for the Dodgers. He is a righty bat in a heavy lefty lineup that kills left handed pitching. Have Bellingers defense and speed in centerfield then keep Verdugo in left, trade Joc, Gonsolin to Rangers for Leclerc
Agreed, they made a trade offer for him last offseason and the asking price by Avila was Verdugo or Ruiz which obviously was rejected…then they went and got Pollock. I’m sure they wish they held out now since they are trying to offload Pollock already.
Dodgers sign 3B A.Rendon
Dodgers create a trade bidding war between Atlanta, Washington, Texas, etc. for the remaining year of 3B J.Turner.
See if Corey Kluber is still back on his game, then put together a package to get him from Cleveland
Dodgers
1. Pollock, CF
2. Bellinger, RF
3. Rendon, 3B
4. Pederson, LF
5. Muncy, 1B
6. Smith, C
7. Lux, 2B
8. Seager, SS
If they can somehow unload Pollock, move Bellinger to CF and Muncy to RF and Turner to 1B that is a better lineup than relying on the unreliable Pollock. Bellinger is the best athlete for the Ddogers.and should be playing CF. Unloading Pollock will be tough though. And I doubt the Dodgers seriously pursue Rendon unless there is a significant drop in his value.