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Archives for December 2020

Mariners Claim Robert Dugger

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The Mariners announced Monday that they’ve claimed righty Robert Dugger off waivers from the Marlins. Seattle also lost righty Ian Hamilton to the Phillies and righty Walker Lockett to the Blue Jays.

Dugger, 25, was an 18th-round pick of the Mariners back in 2016 but landed in Miami as part of the package that sent Dee Strange-Gordon to Seattle. He’s made a handful of appearances with the Fish over the past two seasons but hasn’t found much success, posting a 7.40 ERA and a 29-to-20 K/BB ratio in 45 innings. Dugger’s struggles have persisted in Triple-A, although he had a solid track record up through the Double-A level, where he owns a 3.60 ERA with 9.0 K/9 against 2.9 BB/9 in 180 innings of work.

Lack of track record in the Majors and Triple-A not withstanding, Dugger gives the Mariners an optionable piece of rotation depth — perhaps one they feel will benefit from a change of scenery. Dugger also saw a pronounced jump in his four-seam fastball velocity from 2019 to 2020 (90.3 mph to 92.1 mph) and in his heater’s spin rate (2191 rpm to 2321 rpm), so perhaps the Mariners believe they can help him build upon those positive indicators.

Phillies Claim Ian Hamilton From Mariners

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The Phillies have claimed right-hander Ian Hamilton off waivers from the Mariners, per an announcement from Seattle.

This is the second time since September that a team has claimed Hamilton, as the Mariners did so when they got him from the White Sox. Chicago used an 11th-round pick on Hamilton in 2016 and then saw him turn into a decent prospect in its farm system, but the hard thrower hasn’t seen much action in the majors to this point.

Set to turn 26 years old next June, Hamilton has thrown 12 innings of seven-run (six earned) ball with 10 hits allowed and a 9:7 K:BB ratio. He owns a 4.85 ERA with tremendous strikeout and walk rates (10.1 K/9, 1.85 BB/9) across 42 2/3 innings in Triple-A ball.

Red Sox Outright Yairo Munoz

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The Red Sox announced Monday that infielder/outfielder Yairo Munoz has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Still just 25  years of age, Munoz joined the Red Sox back in March after a bizarre scene that reportedly saw him leave the Cardinals and fly home to the Dominican Republic without informing the club. The Cards responded by releasing Munoz, who apparently had been frustrated with the organization over playing time, amid other reasons.

Munoz had an impressive debut effort in 2018, batting .276/.350/.413 in 329 plate appearances while spending time at every defensive position on the field other than first base and catcher. His bat took a step back in 2019, and his playing time, accordingly, waned.

This past season, Munoz again hit well in a limited sample with the Red Sox. He came to the plate just 45 times but hit .333/.333/.511 with a homer, five doubles and a pair of stolen bases. Boston used him exclusively as a corner outfielder this season, although it’s easy to imagine that if he makes his way back onto the 40-man roster, he could be utilized all over the infield as well.

With the outright of Munoz, the Red Sox now have a pair of 40-man vacancies leading up to this week’s Rule 5 Draft.

Blue Jays Claim Anthony Castro, Walker Lockett

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The Blue Jays have claimed right-hander Anthony Castro off waivers from the Tigers, per an announcement out of Detroit. The move drops the Tigers’ 40-man roster down to 39 players. Toronto has also claimed fellow righty Walker Lockett from the Mariners, according to Seattle. The Jays now have a full 40-man roster.

Castro, 25, made his Major League debut with the Tigers this past season, albeit pitching in just one inning with a pair of runs allowed. Scouting reports on Castro tout his plus fastball and a potentially plus slider, but his command (or lack thereof) has proven a notable issue to this point in his pro career. Castro has 112 1/3 innings under his belt at the Double-A level but has issued 77 walks in that time. He logged a more palatable 3.3 BB/9 in 116 2/3 innings at Class-A Advanced in 2018, but he also plunked a dozen batters in that time

Castro had Tommy John surgery in 2015, wiping out that entire season for him in addition to part of the 2016 campaign. The Tigers have used him primarily as a starter, but as FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen pointed out in his scouting report last year, there’s some belief that he could maintain a heater in the upper 90s with that promising slider if used in a short relief role. It’s not clear how the Jays plan to utilize Castro, but he has a pair of minor league options remaining, so they can be patient with him if they keep him on the roster into the 2021 season.

Lockett was a waiver claim from the Mets on Sept. 1, but the 26-year-old didn’t last long in Seattle. He did throw 8 1/3 innings of four-run ball in the Mariners’ uniform, but that wasn’t enough to convince the club to retain him. Before his short Mariners tenure, Lockett – a fourth-round pick of the Padres in 2012 – had difficulty as a swingman with the Pads and the Mets. So far, Lockett has pitched to a 7.67 ERA/5.91 FIP with 6.5 K/9 and 3.33 BB/9 in 54 innings in the bigs.

Nationals Claim Rogelio Armenteros

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The Nationals announced that they’ve claimed right-hander Rogelio Armenteros off waivers from the Diamondbacks. Arizona picked up the righty in a waiver claim of their own after the Astros tried to pass him through outright waivers earlier this winter. Washington’s 40-man roster is at 34 players.

Armenteros, 26, didn’t pitch in 2020 owing to surgery that removed a bone spur from his right elbow. He made his big league debut with the Astros in 2019, however, and pitched to a 4.00 ERA with an 18-to-5 K/BB ratio in 18 innings (four starts). The righty has a generally sharp track record in parts of three seasons in the hitter-friendly Triple-A Pacific Coast League, having compiled a 3.73 ERA with averages of 10 strikeouts, 3.4 walks and 1.2 homers per nine innings pitched.

Though the elbow procedure creates some uncertainty, it’s clear that Armenteros is still viewed as an intriguing depth option with some upside, as we’ve now seen a pair of clubs claim him this winter. He does have a minor league option remaining, which surely appealed to the Nats, who have some uncertainty at the back of their rotation. After Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin, the Nats don’t have set fourth and fifth starters. Armenteros will join a group of candidates that includes Erick Fedde, Joe Ross and Austin Voth — assuming the Nats opt to carry Armenteros on the roster for the remainder of the offseason, of course.

Orioles Claim Ashton Goudeau, Outright Austin Wynns

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The Orioles announced Monday that they’ve claimed righty Ashton Goudeau off waivers from the Pirates and opened a spot on the roster by passing catcher Austin Wynns through outright waivers. Wynns has been assigned to Triple-A Norfolk and will no longer count against the 40-man roster after going unclaimed on waivers.

Goudeau, 28, made his Major League debut with the Rockies this past season but totaled just 8 1/3 innings, during which time he allowed seven runs on 15 hits and a pair of walks with only two strikeouts. Those struggles notwithstanding, Goudeau was terrific at the Double-A level in 2019, where he pitched to a 2.07 ERA and 2.05 FIP with 10.5 K/9, 1.4 BB/9, 0.46 HR/9 and a 44 percent ground-ball rate in 16 starts (78 1/3 innings).

The 29-year-old Wynns is a glove-first backup catcher with a career .239/.271/.339 batting line through 192 plate appearances. He’s posted similar numbers, albeit with a better OBP, in parts of three Triple-A, and it seems he’ll stick around as a depth option for the O’s.

Yomiuri Giants Formally Post Tomoyuki Sugano For MLB Teams

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The Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball have formally posted right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano for Major League teams. His 30-day posting period will begin tomorrow morning at 8am and run through Jan. 7 at 5pm ET, tweets MLB.com’s Jon Morosi.

Sugano, 31, is one of the most prominent pitchers in Japan. A two-time winner of the Sawamura Award — Japan’s Cy Young equivalent — he’s viewed as one of the top talents on the market behind Trevor Bauer, who is still in a class of his own among free-agent hurlers.

After a down season (by his lofty standards) in which he posted a 3.89 ERA in 2019, Sugano rebounded in 2020 with 137 1/3 innings of 1.97 ERA ball, averaging 8.6 K/9 against 1.6 BB/9 along the way. Overall, dating back to the 2015 season, Sugano has thrown more than 1000 innings with a 2.19 ERA while averaging better than eight strikeouts and fewer than two walks per nine frames.

Some fans may remember Sugano from a strong showing in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. The right-hander shined in a strong outing against Team USA, allowing just an unearned run with six strikeouts and one walk over six innings and eliciting high praise from skipper Jim Leyland.

“I can’t tell you, for me, tonight, how impressed I was with their pitcher,” Leyland said at the time (link via MLB.com’s Joe Trezza). “I mean, I thought he was really good. Located on the ball on the outside corners, fastball. Threw 3-0 sliders. That’s pretty impressive.” Leyland plainly called Sugano a “big league pitcher” after that game. (Those interested can check out all 81 of Sugano’s pitches from that game in this YouTube clip.)

Sugano’s fastball averages 92-93 mph and, like his curveball, boasts a strong spin rate. Sports Info Solution’s Will Hoefer took a look at him last October, calling him at least a No. 4 starter in the big leagues, and that was after an injury-hindered campaign as opposed to the strong 2020 showing Sugano just authored. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel also labels him a likely fourth starter, noting that he’d have a chance at three years with an annual value in excess of $10MM in a normal offseason but projecting a slightly more measured two-year, $24MM deal due to the sport’s revenue losses. Sugano would’ve been included on MLBTR’s own list of the game’s top 50 free agents had it been known for certain that he’d be posted at the time of publishing.

Major League teams will have the next 30 days to negotiate with Sugano, who is exempt from international bonus pools and free to sign a contract of any length and for any amount. In addition to the money paid to Sugano on his contract, the team that signs him will also owe a release fee to the Yomiuri Giants. That fee is equal to 20 percent of the contract’s first $25MM, plus 17.5 percent of the contract’s next $25MM in value, plus an additional 15 percent of any money guaranteed thereafter.

MLB Teams Told To Operate Under Assumption Of No Universal DH In 2021

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With MLB and the MLBPA reportedly preparing to ramp up talks on the structure of the 2021 season and the potential continuation of 2020 rule changes, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that Major League Baseball sent a memo to clubs just last week telling them to operate under the assumption that there will not be a universal DH in 2021.

It’s not a firm declaration that there will be no NL DH next season, and the two sides will surely discuss the matter further as they also assess 2020 changes like seven-inning doubleheaders, runners on second base in extra innings, roster size and expanded playoffs. Both sides have clear reasons to want the universal DH, and its permanent implementation is broadly seen as a question of “when” that will happen rather than “if” it will happen.

With regard to the current offseason, it’s a particularly important element for several players. Nelson Cruz is the most obvious name impacted by the universal designated hitter (or lack thereof) in 2021, but it’ll have an impact on other free agents as well. The Braves used Marcell Ozuna at DH more than in left field last year, and concerns about how his defense will hold up over the course of a multi-year pact will surely impact his earning potential among NL clubs. Michael Brantley could benefit from more time at designated hitter, and there are several first base types who’d benefit from the addition of 15 new DH spots.

The lack of clarity on the matter has likely already contributed to some offseason decisions. Perhaps the Cubs would’ve non-tendered Kyle Schwarber regardless, as they look to pare back payroll, but not knowing whether they’d have a DH option couldn’t have helped Schwarber’s case. It’s a similar story in Atlanta where Adam Duvall was cut loose after a 16-homer season. While Duvall is a solid defender in left field, the Braves are also uncertain of Ozuna’s status, which surely played into the Duvall decision to some extent.

Even if the league and the union formally agree to table the universal DH for the 2021 campaign, it’ll again be a heavily discussed piece of next offseason’s looming collective bargaining talks. The current collective bargaining agreement is slated to expire in Dec. 2021.

Latest On White Sox’ Outfield Targets

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Despite a clear opening in their outfield, the White Sox are “extraordinarily unlikely” to sign George Springer this winter, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. The longtime Astros slugger has plenty of interest elsewhere, and Passan suggests that the ChiSox aren’t keen on paying “center-field prices for a corner outfielder.”

That’s perhaps an overly simplistic means of describing the situation, given that there are plenty of highly paid corner outfielders — some whose current contracts top whatever Springer will eventually command in free agency (e.g. Bryce Harper). However, it’s also fair to say that a considerable portion of Springer’s value is tied to the fact that he is not only a vastly above-average hitter but an above-average defender at a premium position. By all indications he’d be a strong defender in right field as well, but it seems his asking price and the Sox’ valuation of a corner outfielder — even an extremely well-rounded one — don’t align.

Right field is still a glaring need for a White Sox club that predictably non-tendered Nomar Mazara after a miserable debut season on the South Side. Fleet-footed Adam Engel gives them an option, although his track record prior to the 2020 season was that of a replacement-level player. At the very least, a left-handed bat to pair with Engel in a platoon setting would be sensible for the Sox to pursue.

To that end, it’s worth adding that The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal lists the White Sox as one of the teams with “at least some” interest in free-agent slugger Joc Pederson. Passan suggests that perhaps Michael Brantley could be a fit as well, although Brantley has just 58 career innings in right field. He’s spent the bulk of his career in left field with some frequent work in center field as well during his younger days. (NBC Sports Chicago’s Chuck Garfien makes a pitch for the Sox to bring Adam Eaton back into the fold, although that’s purely an opinion piece and not an indication that the two sides have actually spoken about a reunion.)

Pederson isn’t a new name to be connected to the White Sox. There’s been little to solidly connect the two sides up to now in the current offseason, but this is now the third consecutive offseason that has seen the White Sox reported to have interest in Pederson. The Sox and Dodgers talked about a potential Pederson swap in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 offseasons, although they obviously weren’t able to come to an agreement.

For the Sox, Pederson would likely be a pure platoon partner for Engel, as his career .191/.266/.310 slash against lefties is difficult for any club to stomach. He doesn’t hit for a high average against righties, either, but Pederson walks at a near-13 percent clip and boasts top-of-the-scale power when he’s holding the platoon advantage, as evidenced by a .238/.349/.501  batting line (128 wRC+). Brantley would be more of an everyday option, as he generally hits for average and gets on base regardless of opponent, although the bulk of his power comes against righties only. Again, though, it’s not an ideal defensive fit for Brantley, who’d probably require some time at DH as well.

Adding a lefty bat is in many ways a sensible approach for the White Sox, whose lineup is rife with right-handed bats. Outside of switch-hitters Yoan Moncada and Yasmani Grandal, the Sox’ starting lineup is entirely right-handed; Jose Abreu, Nick Madrigal, Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert all bat from the right side, as does top prospect Andrew Vaughn, who could factor into the team’s DH mix at some point in 2021.

Kiwoom Heroes Officially Post Ha-Seong Kim

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Dec. 7: Kim has now been formally posted and can begin negotiating with MLB teams, tweets Jon Morosi of MLB.com.

Dec. 1: Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim has yet to be officially made available to Major League teams due to a minor delay in medical paperwork, Jeeho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency writes.  According to Kiwoom Heroes general manager Chi-Hyun Kim, Major League Baseball requested more medical documentation “that we didn’t think would be necessary.  Kim Ha-seong went for tests at three different hospitals on Monday and we sent those results to the KBO today.”

It’s been clear that Kim will be posted for months now.  The issue isn’t expected to keep the star shortstop off the market for much longer, and he could be officially posted as early as Wednesday or Thursday.  Once Kim is posted, MLB clubs will have a 30-day window for contract negotiations.

Given how many other notable shortstops are available either in free agency (i.e. Marcus Semien, Didi Gregorius, Andrelton Simmons) or trades (Francisco Lindor, and potentially Javier Baez or Trevor Story) this offseason, it’s possible this delay in Kim’s availability could somewhat hold up the rest of the shortstop market.  Kim is the more intriguing members of the 2020-21 free agent class, as he is just 25 years old but already has six seasons of excellent numbers under his belt in the KBO League.

Though some Major League teams may view Kim as a second or third baseman (or as a super-utility type who can play all over the infield), Kim’s potential as an everyday shortstop makes him particularly valuable.  The Blue Jays and Rangers are two of the teams reported to have interest in Kim thus far, which is indicative of how both contenders and non-contenders can view Kim as a long-term answer.

In addition to the contract itself, the team that signs Kim will also have to pay a transfer fee to the Kiwoom Heroes.  The Heroes’ transfer fee will be 20 percent of the contract’s first $25MM in value, 17.5 percent of the next $25MM, and 15 percent of anything beyond the $50MM threshold.

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