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Reds Sign Matt Davidson To Minors Contract

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The Reds have signed corner infielder Matt Davidson to a minor league contract, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports (via Twitter).  Davidson will be invited to Cincinnati’s big league Spring Training camp.

Davidson didn’t see any MLB action last season, spending all of 2019 with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate and hitting .264/.339/.527 with 33 homers over 528 plate appearances.  These big numbers (posted amidst the most hitter-friendly season in Triple-A history, to be fair) could have inspired the Rangers to keep Davidson in his customary first base/third base role rather than further experiment with him on the mound, as Davidson pitched just one inning of relief work.  Davidson did indicate last February that his pitching exploits were likely to be more of the emergency mop-up variety than of any real attempt to make him a two-way player, following three innings of pitching with the White Sox in 2018.

Selected 35th overall by the Diamondbacks in the 2009 draft, Davidson was sent to the White Sox in a notable December 2013 deal that brought Addison Reed to the desert.  Davidson showed some promise in 31-game cameo with Arizona in 2013 and then hit .224/.291/.435 with 46 homers over 939 PA with Chicago in 2017-18, as his power potential didn’t make up for a lack of average and on-base skills.  There was a lot of swing-and-miss in Davidson’s time as a big leaguer, with 355 strikeouts over 1028 career PA.  Following the 2018 season, the White Sox opted to non-tender Davidson rather than pay him a projected $2.4MM through the arbitration process.

Turning 29 in March, Davidson projects to be a corner infield depth piece for Cincinnati on either their big league bench or at Triple-A.  The addition of a 26th roster spot gives Davidson a greater hope of winning a job in Spring Training, though with Eugenio Suarez and Joey Votto firmly locked into third base and first base duties for the Reds, Davidson doesn’t have much of a path to regular playing time.

Latest On Dodgers’ Interest In Mookie Betts

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The Dodgers have been linked to several superstar players in both free agency and potential trades this winter, though with so many of the big free agents already signed elsewhere, the trade market might be Los Angeles’ best avenue to land a major roster upgrade.  To this end, the Dodgers have continued to explore the possibility of acquiring Mookie Betts from the Red Sox, according to MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi.

The deal could potentially be expanded to involve multiple players heading from Boston to Chavez Ravine, as Morosi suggests that David Price might be a fit as the veteran arm the Dodgers are looking to add to their rotation.  With the Red Sox looking to cut payroll and ideally get under the luxury tax threshold, rumors have swirled all winter about Price, Betts, and other high-priced Boston names being floated as trade chips.  Betts is projected for a hefty $27.7MM salary in his final year of arbitration, though that’s certainly a reasonable price to pay (especially for a big-market team like the Dodgers) for one of the sport’s very best players.

As game-changing as the idea of a Betts trade may be, the Sox aren’t actively trying to deal him, since the club would naturally prefer to explore other cost-saving options before parting ways with the 2018 AL MVP.  Moving Price and the $96MM owed to the southpaw through 2022 would be one of those preferred options.  While the Sox have drummed up some trade interest in Price, however, it still seems unlikely that a suitor would take on most of that contract given Price’s age (34) and recent injury concerns.

Moving Betts along with Price would definitely make a trade suitors more willing to absorb perhaps even all of Price’s contract, though obviously the Red Sox aren’t willing to move Betts just for the sake of a salary dump.  Indeed, Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom recently downplayed the idea of giving away any sort of younger talent along with Price, saying “so much of what we’re always going to be trying to accomplish, but certainly now, is to make sure we have as strong a farm system as possible.”

Morosi opines that the Red Sox would want one of the Dodgers’ top young pitchers (i.e. Dustin May or Tony Gonsolin) as part of a trade, though “Boston appears less insistent on” including infielder Gavin Lux as part of a trade package.  It could be for this reason that L.A. is perhaps currently more focused on Betts than on Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor, another All-Star who has been heavily rumored to be on the Dodgers’ list of targets.  The Lindor talks appear to be in something of a stalemate — Cleveland has continued to demand Lux in any deal for Lindor, while the Dodgers think so highly of Lux’s potential that they “have refused to include him in any offer for Lindor alone.”  The Dodgers are also known to be pursuing Cleveland righty Mike Clevinger, so it’s safe to assume that some multi-player offers have been floated in the Tribe’s direction.

Minor MLB Transactions: 1/2/2020

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The latest minor league moves from around baseball…

  • The Rangers announced the signing of outfielder Henry Ramos to a minors contract with an invitation to the club’s MLB Spring Training camp.  Originally a fifth-round pick for the Red Sox in the 2010 draft, Ramos spent his first seven pro seasons in Boston’s farm system before playing in the Dodgers’ organization in 2017-18 and then last season with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate.  The switch-hitting Ramos (who turns 28 in April) has a .275/.332/.418 slash line over 3323 career plate appearances in the minor leagues, with the bulk of his playing time coming in right field and center field.

Rangers Hire Darwin Barney As Triple-A Manager

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Veteran infielder Darwin Barney will manage the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in Nashville next season, as per a team press release.  The 34-year-old Barney is taking on his first coaching or managerial job, following a playing career that saw him appear in parts of eight MLB seasons.

Barney hit .246/.294/.341 over 2759 career plate appearances and 814 career games with the Cubs, Dodgers, and Blue Jays from 2010-17.  While his numbers at the plate weren’t anything special, Barney’s outstanding glovework earned him a spot as Chicago’s regular second baseman in the early part of the decade.  Over 5113 career innings as a second baseman, Barney posted 53 Defensive Runs Saved and a +6.7 UZR/150.  The 2012 campaign saw Barney post the third-highest (28) DRS total of any second baseman in the last 20 seasons, and Barney was duly was awarded a Gold Glove for his work that year.

Beyond the keystone, Barney also played third base and shortstop as he moved into a utility role later in his career, even amassing 50 innings as a left fielder for the 2016-17 Blue Jays.  Barney signed on with the Rangers on a minor league deal prior to the 2018 season, but was released during Spring Training and didn’t catch on with any other clubs.

As per Baseball Reference, Barney earned roughly $10.25MM over his career.  We at MLBTR wish Barney congratulations on a fine career and wish him all the best as he embarks on the next phase of his baseball life as a manager.

Latest On Josh Donaldson

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The Braves could lose third baseman Josh Donaldson in free agency, but they’re not going down without a fight. They’ve made the longtime star a four-year offer, David O’Brien of The Athletic tweets. They join the Twins and Nationals as teams known to have made recent four-year proposals for Donaldson. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com said Thursday that all three teams seem willing to go to the four-year, $100MM range. The Dodgers and the Rangers can’t be counted out of the race, either, per Feinsand.

This has become an especially fascinating trip through free agency for Donaldson, who MLBTR predicted would sign a three-year, $75MM contract when the proceedings began. However, with fellow third baseman Anthony Rendon and a slew of other standout performers already off the market, the 34-year-old Donaldson is now easily the game’s premier player without a contract. And he partly controls the third base market, as teams that lose out on the Donaldson sweepstakes might pivot to a trade for the Cubs’ Kris Bryant or the Rockies’ Nolan Arenado with no other studs left in free agency.

In the Braves’ case, they could have the prospect capital to trade for Bryant or Arenado, though it remains to be seen whether they’ll go that route. The seven-year, $234MM Arenado’s still owed could prove too rich for their blood. Donaldson shouldn’t cost anywhere near that much in cash, nor would the Braves have to cough up young players for him, and they already know he can thrive in their uniform. The one-time MVP was an integral member of a 2019 Atlanta roster that took home its second consecutive NL East title.

Domingo German Suspended 81 Games

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1:45pm: The league has issued German an 81-game suspension, Hannah Keyser of Yahoo Sports reports. The suspension’s retroactive to last September, meaning German will sit the first 63 games of 2020. He will not appeal the ban, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic tweets.

1:15pm: Yankees right-hander Domingo German’s future has hung in limbo since Major League Baseball placed him on administrative leave Sept. 19 for a violation of its domestic violence policy. Now, almost four months later, a resolution is seemingly on the way. The league’s decision isn’t far off, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, who reports German is facing a “significant suspension” that should last longer than a month.

The 27-year-old German was amid a solid season in 2019 before his off-field actions brought an end to it shortly before the playoffs. As part of a Yankees rotation that faced plenty of questions throughout the season, German was a stabilizing presence, as he posted a 4.03 ERA/4.72 FIP with 9.63 K/9 and 2.45 BB/9 across 143 innings.

Looking ahead to next season, it’s unclear which role German will fill should he return to the Yankees. They’ve added Gerrit Cole in free agency, and he’ll front a rotation that also counts Luis Severino, James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka as locks. There appears to be room for German to vie for the No. 5 spot if New York welcomes him back, but J.A. Happ (if he’s not traded) and Jordan Montgomery (who missed almost all of 2019 while recovering from Tommy John surgery) look like the top options for that role right now.

White Sox Designate Tayron Guerrero

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The White Sox have designated right-hander Tayron Guerrero for assignment, the team announced. The move makes room for outfielder Luis Robert, whom the White Sox signed to a long-term contract Thursday.

This ends a very short run with the White Sox for the 28-year-old Guerrero, whom the White Sox claimed off waivers from the Marlins on Dec. 6. Although Guerrero’s average fastball approaches 100 mph, he hasn’t been effective in the majors since he debuted in 2016 with the Padres. Through 106 innings, including 46 in 2019, Guerrero has only managed a 5.77 ERA/5.08 FIP with 9.42 K/9 and 5.69 BB/9.

White Sox Sign Luis Robert To Long-Term Deal

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1:33pm: The White Sox have announced the contract. Robert will earn $1.5MM in 2020, $3.5MM in 2021, $6MM in 2022, $9.5MM in 2023, $12.5MM in 2024 and $15MM in 2025.

12:07pm: The White Sox have reached a long-term agreement with center field prospect Luis Robert, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. The deal includes $50MM in guaranteed money over six years, and it features two club options, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The max value is $88MM over eight years, including $20MM club options for 2026-27 with $2MM buyouts in each of the two seasons, Passan adds. It’s a record-setting accord for a player who hasn’t yet debuted in the majors.

This will already be the second lucrative contract for the 22-year-old Robert, whom the White Sox signed out of Cuba for a $26MM bonus a couple months into the 2017 season. Robert has justified his payday since then, as he’s now regarded as one of the majors’ premier prospects. He ran roughshod over the high minors last season, batting .297/.341/.634 with 16 home runs in 223 plate appearances during his first (and maybe only) taste of Triple-A action.

As MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently noted when exploring a potential extension for Robert, he’s the latest White Sox outfielder to land a new deal before ever playing in the majors. The club signed outfielder Eloy Jimenez to a six-year, $43MM pact – then a record for an early career extension – shortly before last season started. Jimenez has more than lived up to the decision so far, having finished 2019 among the majors’ most successful rookies.

The Robert pact gives the White Sox an extra year of control over him, as they’re now slated to keep him through 2027 instead of ’26. Plus, if all goes well, it could tamp down massive arbitration earnings for Robert. Regardless, the White Sox now have at least two-thirds of an extremely enviable young outfield between him and Jimenez. And if recent trade acquisition Nomar Mazara, 24, begins living up to his vast potential, Chicago could possess one of the sport’s premier outfields for the foreseeable future.

Now that there’s no need to manipulate his service time, it seems likely Robert will open 2020 as the White Sox’s everyday center fielder. So, for the most part, the team’s Opening-Day lineup for the upcoming season appears set. The White Sox also have Jimenez (left), Mazara (right), Yoan Moncada (third base) and Tim Anderson (shortstop) as key members of their young offensive core. Sluggers Jose Abreu and Edwin Encarnacion (DH/1B) and catcher Yasmani Grandal will supplement that group, with a potential-packed rotation set to consist of some combination of Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, Reynaldo Lopez, Dylan Cease, Gio Gonzalez, Michael Kopech and Carlos Rodon.

Last decade was one to forget for the White Sox, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2008 or finished above .500 since 2012. But judging by general manager Rick Hahn’s actions this winter, including Robert’s contract, they’re all-in on changing their fortunes as early as this year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Red Sox To Sign Kevin Plawecki

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The Red Sox have reached an agreement with free-agent catcher Kevin Plawecki, Robert Murray reports. It’s a major league contract, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Joel Sherman of the New York Post adds that it’s for one year. Plawecki, an ACES client, will earn $900K, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets.

The 28-year-old Plawecki seems likely to serve as the backup in Boston to starting catcher Christian Vazquez. However, Plawecki – once a 35th overall pick (2012) and a top 100 prospect of the Mets – hasn’t been especially effective in the majors since he debuted in 2015. Plawecki put up a .218/.308/.330 line in 804 plate appearances with the Mets from 2015-18 before they moved on from him last winter. The club traded Plawecki to the Indians almost exactly one year ago, on Jan. 6, 2019.

The Plawecki acquisition didn’t work out as hoped for the Indians, with whom he batted a dismal .222/.287/.342 across 174 PA as Roberto Perez’s backup. On the other hand, Plawecki was a standout behind the plate, where he ranked near the top of the majors in Baseball Prospectus’ Fielding Runs Above Average metric.

Robinson Chirinos Reportedly Nearing Decision

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Veteran catcher Robinson Chirinos is “close to making a decision” on his next team, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter). He has drawn wide interest to this point of the winter.

It’s still totally unclear where Chirinos will land. He has at times been connected to the Rockies, Rangers, Astros, Rays, and Pirates over the course of the winter. The Tigers have also been mentioned, though they’ve probably filled their opening. It’s certainly possible there are other suitors out there as well.

Chirinos and Jason Castro stand out among the remaining open-market options behind the dish. Both graded within the fifty best free agents entering the winter. We predicted they’d each secure two-year, $10MM deals, but robust spending and ongoing demand could potentially push those numbers higher.

Teams pursuing Chirinos will value him as a sturdy-enough presence behind the dish who can add real value offensively. He has been average or better with the bat for every one of the past five seasons, including a 122 wRC+ in 2017 and a 113 wRC+ over a career-high 437 plate appearances in 2019 with Houston. Chirinos actually trended up defensively as well, drawing better (albeit still below-average) framing grades while rating as an excellent blocker of wayward pitches.

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