The Brewers have shown interest in free-agent outfielder Eddie Rosario, according to Robert Murray of Fansided. Rosario, on the open market since the Twins non-tendered him in December, stands out as one of the most accomplished free-agent hitters remaining. The 29-year-old is a three-time 20-home run hitter who belted another 13 during a shortened 2020 season, though it’s unclear where he would fit in Milwaukee. The Brewers already appear to have their starting outfield figured out with Christian Yelich and Avisail Garcia flanking Lorenzo Cain, but if the universal designated hitter sticks around in 2021, Rosario could play a big role there.
- Indians shortstop Amed Rosario is garnering trade interest, Mike Puma of the New York Post tweets. Cleveland acquired Rosario from the Mets as part of the teams’ Francisco Lindor trade earlier this month, but as Puma notes, the Indians also picked up fellow shortstop Andres Gimenez in that deal. As such, New York may be open to moving Rosario, once a star prospect whose major league career hasn’t gone according to plan so far. The 25-year-old has batted .268/.302/.403 with 32 home runs and 50 stolen bases in 1,564 plate appearances since he debuted in 2017.
- The Cubs will be in attendance for free-agent left-hander Carlos Rodon’s workout this week, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score writes. Rodon has spent his entire career thus far in Chicago, where he has pitched to a 4.14 ERA/4.32 SIERA with a 22.6 percent strikeout rate and a 9.6 percent walk rate in 536 2/3 innings as a member of the White Sox. Rodon looked like a solid mid-rotation type earlier in his career, but the 28-year-old has declined since 2018 because of shoulder troubles and Tommy John surgery. He became a free agent when the White Sox non-tendered him in December.
- If signed, Rodon could help the Cubs replace veteran southpaw Jon Lester in their rotation. Lester officially joined the Nationals on Wednesday, when he revealed to Bob Nightengale of USA Today and other reporters that the Cubs did make a late push to re-sign him. The details on the Cubs’ offer aren’t known, but the Nationals brought him in on a one-year, $5MM guarantee. Lester signed a six-year, $155MM deal with the Cubs before 2015, and he and the team enjoyed great success during that contract.
- It’s a matter of when, not if, the Pirates will trade righty Chad Kuhl, per Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic. Kuhl had a middling 2020 campaign after missing all of the prior season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, as he logged a 4.27 ERA/5.29 SIERA and recorded a 22.3 percent strikeout rate against an unappealing 14.2 percent walk rate in 46 1/3 innings. He has two years of control left and will earn $2.13MM in 2021.
I can’t believe that the Pirates will trade Chad Kuhl, simply because I can’t believe any team would give up anyone of value for him. He’s simply never been very good.
Kuhl is plenty of potential and hasn’t been that bad as you claim. If healthy, he is a pretty solid starter for any team. He’s only been in the league for 5 years and 1 1/2 of that was a Tommy John surgery. I think you are cutting the guy short here. He’s better than 85% of the starters out there right now and that is a year removed from surgery. I was at the game to watch his first start. There has not been too many pitchers that wowed me at first impression. Chad Kuhl can pitch but I think he needs to start the year in Pittsburgh to get some traction before being traded. Then guys like you can retract their comments
I’ve started to wonder how Kuhl’s stuff might have played differently if the Pirates weren’t jamming their sinkerball mentality in everyone’s head the last decade. He has good raw talent in his pitches, but has never really shown an ability to harness it or “pitch” at the major league level.
I agree with the first commenter from the stance that I cannot imagine anyone giving up anything of value for Kuhl. So to the second commenter’s point, you definitely hold on to him. In this case the lost 1/2 year of team control would be far outweighed by performance in regards to the prospect return.
Other thing to consider, no one pitched more than half of a season last year, we cannot expect pitchers to magically toss 180+ innings this year. Need all the depth we can find just to finish the year healthy
Sounds like a decent Angels pickup. Trade a lottery ticket for a guy who could maybe impact the MLB club, even if as a long reliever. We need a lot of innings thrown and some of them will be with the team up or down big.
If he establishes himself, give him more responsibility.
@PiratesFan Better than 85% of the starters out there? By that assessment, he’d be a #1 starter on roughly 6 teams.
Care to name me those 6 teams??
I’m even from Pittsburgh and think this is a joke.
@bush5104 he meant 85% of high school starting pitchers.
Bush-How about this-He is as good or better than 85% of the fourth starters in the ML’s?
Kuhl has solid stuff. Was good last year besides the walks. I figured him and brault would be during the season trades. But if a team is willing to buy now then great.
Get your Rosario’s while they’re hot, these deals won’t last long!
If the Braves aren’t going to sign Ozuna they should bring Rosario in tbh
I’m pretty sure New York already traded Rosario…Cleveland might look to deal him now.
Would anyone give a major league ready OF for him and a guy like Bauers or Zimmer? Baltimore for Santander? Seattle for Trammel? St. Louis for Carlson?
Reds or Phillies? What would they offer? Aquino?
I think that would be a very smart trade: Aquino for A. Rosario. Gives CLE a power hitting corner OF and Reds and solve their SS problem on the cheap.
Rosario wouldn’t have to compete with Giménez for “who’s playing SS” and Aquino doesn’t have to compete for playing time in Cincy with Castellanos, Senzel, etc.
Rosario to CIN makes a ton of sense. Reds are NOT gonna pay Gregorius anywhere near his asking price, and no way are they gonna even consider what COL wants for a year of Story. Aquino gets it done for CLE.
I glad you caught that as well! I thought I was coming down with something when I originally read that but it’s nice to know I’m not trippin’.
Exactly. “As such, New York may be open to moving Rosario,…”
They already did.
Cincy, A’s maybe.
Lol. You think the Cardinals would give up their best prospect in ten years for a mediocre shortstop and an outfielder Cleveland doesn’t want? Oof
Two words….Randy Arozerena! Third word….OOF!
Agree makes no sense for cards, but Carlson #2 to Oscar Taveras (RIP)
stan lee: D. Carlson is only 3 yrs younger than Rosario. To this point Rosario has proven more than Dylan. They’re 2 different players w completely different skill sets playing different positions. Did Rosario scuffle this year? Yes, he did. So did a lot of other players. Some guys had normal #’s,some scuffled, some had very productive #’s.
This season was a year of perspective & point of view. The numbers guys put up in this 60 game season: Was it a sign of regression, progress, breakout or a fluke/abnormally?
Bighouseblue: Arozarena is going to end up an average to slightly above average outfielder once pitchers figure him out imo. This season was a classic case of an unknown batter without a book on him taking advantage.
downonmybucs: You are absolutely right, Taveras was a better prospect, I tend to discount him with what happened, but I shouldn’t. Second best prospect is more accurate.
Prospectnvstr: Rosarios OPS+ for his MLB seasons have been 76, 88, 101, and 76. The only thing he has proven is that he is a below average major league player. Every single team on the majors would take the ceiling of Carlson over proven mediocrity every day of the week.
As an Indians’ fan I could only hope that the Cardinals GM is that stupid.
Mozeliak may not be the best Baseball executive in the world but pretty sure even he knows that deal would get him fired
If the Cardinals were to give up Carlson for a SS it would have been for Lindor. Rosario is not an upgrade at SS for the Cardinals and if you argue he is better the DeJong the difference isn’t enough to trade Carlson for
Robert Murray is the new Jon Heyman.
a Boras mouthpiece?
The Braves need to give that one-year contract to Eddie Rosario. A great addition to that lineup.
Cleveland does too…they only shaved off about $70 million this off-season.
Could Amed play CF I know the Mets considered that
Remains to be seen. My guess is no.
Or anybody that can give Freddie Freeman some protection.
The Braves, Dodgers, and Jays are three likely postseason teams that could use Rosario.
The jays don’t need Rosario at all. No room in the lineup for him and he’s not a 4th OF.
At this point Tellez is the DH. Rosario would be an upgrade there. Or Teoscar could DH and Rosario goes to RF
I’d like the SFG to pick up BOTH Rosarios.
Braves got so much to do but they better do something soon
A.Rosario will go to the Phillies
Who could Philly give up? I think the Tribe plans to use him in the OF….so it will take a MLB ready player.
Could Garcia play 1B? Yelich isn’t moving, Cain (if healthy) is a Gold Glove centerfielder. And 1B is still a hole that the Brewers need to fill.
Maybe but Avi is a plus defender in RF. Twould be a bit of a waste to move him to 1B
A second trade of Ahmed might destroy his confidence.
As it stands Oakland has no shortstop and never seems to have money. They were the first team I thought of for Rosario.
They also have a glut of outfielders at mlb and minor league level. Which I believe is a need for Indians. Also A’s some talented but flawed with injury history mlb ready pitching prospects . Looks like a trade could match up
I was going to suggest that Rosario could be traded for David Dahl of the Rangers, but thinking about it, I think I’d rather have Dahl’s bat in the lineup despite the better defensive alignment Rosario would bring. I like the idea of moving Solak back to LF (where he’s better at), but I really think that Dahl provides a better bat than Rosario.
Maybe by deadline time I’d consider the idea of a Gallo for Rosario+ package, but right now Cleveland needs to hold on to Rosario for his own good. Don’t go moving him around just because you can. Move Ramirez instead.
Dahl just signed and can’t be traded yet.
I forgot about that rule, thanks for reminding me.
Something else you forgot: the Indians aren’t stupid (didn’t the Kluber deal demonstrate that?) Ramirez isn’t going anywhere, good god.
LOL
The Pirates are foolish not to roll the dice and see if Kuhl can turn in a solid 1st half of the season before flipping him. Right now it seems like his value is right about at its lowest point.
His value is high now. He isn’t going to be give away. Cherington knows what he has.
Amed Rosario may be a good candidate for a break out campaign that establishes him as an upper level player. Not saying he will, but he has the pedigree, and it is obvious that he was rushed to the Majors too soon.
He first came up at age 21, with only about a season of AA and AAA combined.
Until this past Covid year, he had shown significant improvement both at bat and in the field every year.
He was a concensus top ten prospect with an FV of 65. To put that into perspective, the fangraphs 2020 top 100 had only three position prospects at 65 FV or above…Wander Franco, Gavin Lux, and Jo Adell.
Not every vunderkind becomes an elite player immediately. Some take a while, esp when they are rushed.
As an Indians follower, my hope is that Rosario isn’t taken too lightly by Cleveland in trade discussions.
I think Rosario (as well as Smith, who also had a rough transition to the majors) were rushed up in 2017 to save face. They really expected to contend that season, fell flat on their faces and sold at the deadline for what was widely regarded as a lousy return, so they called the two of them up to at least give the impression that they were looking forward. In hindsight, I think he might have benefited from some more time at AAA.
Well said overall though, I agree that Cleveland shouldn’t sell low on him right now.
Cats, it won’t surprise you that this commenter–better known as WhoAzcue–agrees that the Tribe should be wary of spinning off Rosario just because the organization is flush with shortstop prospects.
The first bulletpoint says New York when it should say Cleveland re: Rosario.
Matz getting traded article should be up soon!
Has he been traded?
Seems like such a Blue Jays pickup if he has.
I see the tweet now. Hmm, could be a pretty decent pickup if somebody moves him to the pen (i.e Mariners, Blue Jays)
Yeah he hasn’t been traded but I’m guessing he will soon. Yeah I agree. But if we don’t have someone coming in I wouldn’t have traded him.
Wouldn’t hate if the Rangers got him either because of our immense lack of depth. He could definatley help in a LR role out of the pen.
If the Mets go after Kiermaier, I can see a trade built around moving Familia and Matz.
I can see why Rosario is drawing trade interest. Teams that can’t afford the big FA SSs next offseason would be bringing in a young, cheap and controllable asset. Perhaps CLE is considering a trade since they just resigned Cesar Hernandez (2B) and can play Giménez at shortstop.
Kuhl has been Toronto rumoured for a few years. Wouldn’t be surprised if they grab him for depth starting. Not to say he would be it or the answer to what they need but wouldn’t be surprised if they grab him. Of course Charington has an intimate knowledge of Toronto’s farm system.
Are there any rumors about the Indians getting Kevin
Pillar? We need some outfielders. The cheaper the better.
Carlos Rodon, the big tryout, buyers beware, he will pitch a few games and something , somehow, will hurt, some tendon, or another boo boo will show up and will miss time . This guys career has not been good and you have to wonder how much he takes care of his body, as always looks rather large, just sayin !!!
Rodon would be more of a Q replacement rather than Jon. I guess the Cubs r gonna just use some sort of mix of Marquez/Azolay to be the other missing piece.
I thought the DH in the NL in 2021 was dead.
It expired at the end of the season and they supposedly told teams to operate as if it will be gone, but never gave it an explicit NO. They should have come to an up or down agreement in November, or, failing that, set a solid deadline on a deal. It’s obscene that we’re this far into the off-season and there’s still no definitive answer. Manfred and Clark are oversized toddlers.
Chad Kuhl is a very good pitcher, just needs an opportunity to get back to a regular spot in the rotation. Last year with the exception of the KC Royal games he was starting to show a return to form. Take away the KC game(7 days between appearances) and he would have been at 44 innings and have given up 13 earned runs equaling a 2.65 ERA. Before TJ surgery he was just starting to figure out his place as a major league pitcher. If he can keep it going he will generate high interest at the trade deadline this year.
I cannot imagine who the Pirates will have to pitch this year outside of Keller and for now, at least, Kuhl and Brault. Seriously, just who is going to pitch here?
That said, I was surprised to see Kuhl hitting the high 90’s on the gun last summer. Yeah, he needs some time to get his control back, but he does have heat
Brubaker and maybe Ponce.That is why I thought that they would keep Williams to eat innings.Otherwise they will marching out AAA pitchers like they did with the relievers in the second half of 2019.They May not care this year but it serves little reason to see these guys get continuously shelled because they are not ready for the ML.And remember that those pitchers had absolutely no 2020 season.
Kuhl under Ray is a 6th man type of guy.
Kuhl under anyone else could be a mid-rotation guy.
I can see teams (including the pirates) getting him and seeing what a new pitching coach can do.
Joe-I agree on Kuhl.He has potential to be a decent pitcher if his arm holds out.