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Archives for February 2021

Angels To Sign Phil Gosselin

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The Angels have agreed to a minor league deal with veteran infielder Phil Gosselin and invited him to Major League Spring Training, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya (Twitter link).

Gosselin, 32, spent the 2019-20 seasons with the Phillies and batted .255/.312/.363 with three homers and eight doubles in 170  trips to the plate. The well-traveled utilityman has seen MLB time with the Braves, D-backs, Rangers, Reds and Pirates in addition to his work in Philadelphia. Defensively, Gosselin has spent the bulk of his MLB time at second base, although he has experience at all four infield spots and has seen time in the outfield corners as well.

The Angels have a full infield, with David Fletcher at second base, offseason trade acquisition Jose Iglesias at shortstop and Anthony Rendon at third base. Gosselin will compete with former top prospect Franklin Barreto, waiver claim Robel Garcia and 24-year-old Luis Rengifo for backup time around the infield. Barreto is out of minor league options, which likely helps his case, but it’s possible the Halos could carry more than one backup infielder.

MLB, MLBPA Reach Deal On Health And Safety Protocols

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Feb. 9: The league has formally announced this year’s health-and-safety agreement. The on-field alterations include the return of seven-inning doubleheaders and runners on second base to begin extra innings. Any player is permitted to work as a pitcher in a given game — a departure from the rules the league had previously planned to put into place that prohibited position players pitching until a certain inning or six-run deficit was in place.

There will also be “strict” enforcement of of unsportsmanlike conduct violations that break physical distancing guidelines (i.e. players and coaches going out of their way to argue in an umpire’s face, bench-clearing brawls, etc.).

From a roster construction standpoint, the standard roster size will revert to 26 players until a September expansion to 28. In the event of a Covid-19 outbreak within a club, those teams will be permitted to add players to the MLB roster and return them to the minors, without burning minor league options or placing them on waivers, once their infected players are cleared to return from Covid protocols. Teams will again travel with five-man taxi squads.

MLB is also enforcing facemasks “other than for players on the field during a game or during pre-game warmups,” enhancing its contact-tracing capabilities and adding mental health resources for each club. Players who come in contact with a confirmed positive case of Covid-19 will now be subject to a week-long quarantine and must test negative on the fifth day of said quarantine.

The full scope of the changes and a detailed, point-by-point description can be seen in MLB’s official press release.

Feb. 8, 9:31pm: It looks as if we will see a 10-team playoff in 2021, Sherman writes. A 26-man roster that expands to 28 in September may also be in the offing, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

8:19pm: Major League Baseball and the MLBPA have reached an agreement on health and safety protocols for spring training and the regular season, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets. Hannah Keyser of Yahoo Sports previously reported a deal could be in place as early as tonight.

According to Keyser, the league will keep seven-inning doubleheaders and the runner on second base in extra innings around during the upcoming campaign. However, there will not be a universal designated hitter in 2021, meaning pitchers will go back to hitting for at least another season as the league and the union negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement before ’22 (Sherman confirms Keyser’s report). Questions about the universal DH have loomed large this offseason and affected such high-profile free agents as Nelson Cruz (Twins) and Marcell Ozuna (Braves), though those two sluggers have agreed to new contracts in recent days.

The league and the union haven’t been able to agree on much lately, including MLB’s 154-game regular-season proposal for 2021. But there’s at least more clarity on how the upcoming season will look, thanks in part to Monday’s news. Barring any COVID-related changes, spring training will commence Feb. 17 and a 162-game season will start April 1. However, between now and next winter, MLB and the players still have a lot of ground to make up in order to avoid a work stoppage.

Tigers, Greg Garcia Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Tigers and infielder Greg Garcia are in agreement on a minor league pact, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. The Meister Sports client will be invited to Major League Spring Training and compete for a roster spot.

Garcia, 31, has spent the bulk of his career as a utility player with the Cardinals, though he was with the Padres in 2020. That pairing didn’t pan out for either party, as Garcia stumbled with a .200/.279/.250 batting line in 71 plate appearances over the course of 35 games. A year prior, however, he logged a career-high 372 plate appearances and batted .248/.364/.354 with St. Louis.

The left-handed-hitting Garcia carries a career .245/.354/.339 batting line in 1303 plate appearances, and while his OBP has perhaps benefited at times from batting eighth in front of a pitcher in the National League, it’s worth noting that he boasts a strong walk rate at virtually every lineup position in which he’s been placed (including a 13.7 percent mark in 327 plate appearances as a leadoff man). Garcia has experience at second base, shortstop and third base, in addition to brief cameos at first and in left field.

The Tigers re-signed Jonathan Schoop to a one-year deal over the weekend, adding him to an infield mix that also includes Willi Castro, Niko Goodrum and Isaac Paredes. Garcia will compete for a backup spot in camp, but Goodrum’s versatility and the youthful pairing of Paredes and Castro could impede his chances.

Brewers Sign Jordan Zimmermann To Minor League Deal

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The Brewers have signed veteran right-hander Jordan Zimmermann to a minor league contract and invited him to Major League Spring Training, per a team announcement. It’s a homecoming for the Auburndale native and UW-Stevens Point product. He’s represented by ISE Baseball.

Zimmemann, 35 in May, had a much different free-agent experience this time around than his he did in his first foray into the open market, when he was one of the top names available in the 2015-16 offseason. He’d put together an excellent five-year run with the Nationals leading up to that free-agent venture, but the resulting five-year, $110MM investment from the Tigers proved to be a disaster for the Detroit organization.

Three of Zimmerman’s five seasons in Detroit ended with an ERA north of 6.00, including a 2020 season in which he was limited to just 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander’s best year with the Tigers came in 2018, when he tossed 131 1/3 roughly average innings — far from the No. 2/No. 3 type of starter the Tigers hoped to be getting in signing him to that nine-figure deal. On the whole, Zimmermann’s time with the Tigers produced 514 1/3 innings of 5.63 ERA ball with a similarly discouraging 4.80 SIERA and a lackluster 16.3 percent strikeout rate.

For the Brewers, however, there’s no risk in taking a speculative flier on a pitcher who, at least from 2011-15, was one of the game’s more underrated arms. A return to that form shouldn’t be expected — not when his average fastball has dipped about four miles per hour as he’s weathered forearm, back, shoulder and UCL injuries in the past half decade. But Zimmermann’s control remained excellent throughout his Tigers tenure, and he can still generate above-average spin on that depleted four-seamer. If he indeed makes the Brewers’ roster, it’s unlikely to be with the expectation of serving as anything more than a fifth starter or swingman.

Rays Sign Chris Archer

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Feb. 9: Archer has passed his physical, and the deal is official, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. A formal announcement and a (re)introductory Zoom call will both come later today. The team won’t need to make an additional 40-man move to create roster space after trading Aaron Slegers to the Angels last night.

Feb. 2: Free-agent right-hander Chris Archer is returning to the Rays, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. It’s a one-year, $6.5MM contract, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The deal is pending a physical. Archer is a client of VC Sports Group.

A 2006 fifth-round pick who opened his career with the Indians and Cubs organizations, Archer first joined the Rays in a significant trade with Chicago in January 2011. Archer was a highly regarded prospect at the time who wound up matching the hype in Tampa Bay, where he debuted in 2012 and was an eminently valuable member of its rotation for several years. Through 2018, the last year of his initial run with the franchise, Archer posted a 3.69 ERA/3.52 SIERA with a 25.8 percent strikeout rate and a 7.7 percent walk rate in 1,063 innings and 177 starts.

Despite the success Archer enjoyed as a Ray, the club decided to move on from him when his team control was dwindling before the 2018 trade deadline. That proved to be another brilliant trade by the Rays, who received two righties – Tyler Glasnow and Shane Baz – as well as outfielder Austin Meadows from the Pirates in exchange for Archer. Glasnow and Meadows have since turned into major league building blocks for the Rays, while FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen ranked Baz as their seventh-best prospect in a deep farm system last month.

The Archer trade was a disaster for Pittsburgh, meanwhile, as it lost three quality pieces for a player who disappointed in its uniform. The Pirates encouraged Archer to lean on his sinker, which did not work, as Steve Adams of MLBTR noted last offseason. Archer’s production dipped in the wake of the trade and got fell even more in 2019, when he registered career worsts in ERA (5.19), SIERA (4.38) and home run-to-fly ball percentage (20.2) in 119 2/3 innings. The hope was that Archer would bounce back last year, but he instead missed the season after undergoing thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in June. The Pirates then declined his $11MM club option for 2021 in favor of a $250K buyout.

Considering Archer’s recent performance and the severity of his procedure, the Rays are taking a big risk that he will return to being a viable starter. But it does look like a coup for the reigning American League champions that they’ve now reunited with the player they received such a massive return for just a couple of years ago. If healthy, the 32-year-old Archer may be able to help replace Blake Snell and Charlie Morton, whom the Rays’ rotation has lost since last season ended. He’s the second reclamation project the Rays’ starting staff has taken on in free agency, joining $3MM signing Michael Wacha.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Mets To Sign Albert Almora

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Feb. 9: Almora’s deal comes with a $1.25MM base salary that can be increased via incentives, tweets Heyman.

Feb. 7: The Mets are in agreement on a contract with free agent outfielder Albert Almora Jr., pending a physical, report Ken Rosenthal and Andy McCullough of the Athletic (Twitter link). It is expected to be a major league, incentive-laden deal for the Magnus Sports client, hears Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter).

Selected sixth overall in the 2012 draft by the Cubs out of a Florida high school, Almora had previously spent his entire career in the Chicago organization. Well-regarded as a prospect for his defensive acumen in center field, Almora broke into the majors midway through the Cubs’ World Series winning 2016 season. Over his first year-plus as a big leaguer, he looked to be establishing himself as another long-term core piece for Chicago. Between 2016-17, Almora was roughly a league average hitter. Combined with his glove in center, he at least seemed to be establishing himself as a solid regular.

Unfortunately, Almora’s offense has fallen since then. In 2018, he hit .286/.323/.378 with just five home runs over 479 plate appearances. While he made plenty of contact and hit for a high batting average, Almora’s overall offensive value was rather limited to his lack of power and meager 5.0% walk rate. Unfortunately, that drop-off at the plate continued, as he stumbled to a .236/.271/.381 line over 363 plate appearances in 2019. Almora spent most of last season at the Cubs’ alternate training site, starting just six regular-season games and being left off the roster for their playoff series against the Marlins. Chicago unsurprisingly non-tendered him after the season.

Even coming off a few poor years, it’s easy to see why the Mets were interested in bringing Almora in on what’s surely a low-cost deal. Advanced defensive metrics are divided on the extent of Almora’s impact with the glove, but they all agree he’s at least a solid center fielder. Over 2,612.1 career innings at the position, Almora has rated as six runs better than average, in the estimation of Defensive Runs Saved. Statcast’s range-based metric is more bullish, crediting Almora with fourteen plays above average. Ultimate Zone Rating, meanwhile, has rated him as closer to a break-even defender.

The Mets’ projected primary outfield of Dominic Smith, Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto is one of the better offensive groupings in the game but comes with obvious question marks in the field. Almora figures to serve as an oft-used defensive replacement at the end of games, perhaps bumping Nimmo to a corner and moving Smith off the grass when New York is protecting a late lead. A right-handed hitter, Almora also offers an obvious complement to the left-handed bats of Smith, Nimmo and Conforto. Guillermo Heredia is already on hand as a right-handed hitting fourth outfielder, but Almora offers a bit more upside in that role.

If Almora regains his footing at the plate, his stay in Queens could extend beyond next season. As a player with four-plus years of MLB service, Almora remains controllable via arbitration through the end of 2022.

Mets Sign Jonathan Villar

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8:15am: Villar is guaranteed $3.55MM from the Mets, Heyman tweets. The contract contains additional incentives that can boost that salary.

8:02am: The Mets have agreed to a deal with infielder Jonathan Villar, reports MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes hears the same, adding that it’s a one-year, Major League deal for the Wasserman client.

Jonathan Villar | Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Over the weekend, Villar was reported to be in talks with the Reds about a contract, but it seems New York made a better offer to the former Astros, Brewers, Orioles, Marlins and Blue Jays speedster. Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets that Cincinnati’s efforts were likely focused on a minor league deal.

The Mets have a full infield and crowded outfield mix as well, but the fleet-footed Villar will likely give them a super-utility option who can bounce around the multiple spots on the diamond. While Villar spent the bulk of his career at shortstop and second base, he’s also logged action at third base, in center field and in left. The Marlins originally planned to use him as their primary center fielder last year when they acquired him from the Orioles, but the team’s early Covid-19 outbreak threw the roster into a state of chaos and landed Villar back in the infield.

The 2020 season was an ugly one for Villar, who underwhelmed in Miami before completely cratering in a 22-game stint with Toronto. Villar’s overall batting line last season checked in at a disastrous .232/.301/.292, but his track record prior to that showing was generally solid.

From 2015-19, Villar batted at a combined .269/.336/.423 with 70 homers and 167 steals in 2472 plate appearances. Villar was quite arguably the best player on a lousy Orioles roster in 2019 when he hit .274/.339/.453 with 24 home runs and 40 stolen bases.

There’s some clear power and speed upside with the switch-hitting Villar, and while he doesn’t play any one position particularly well, his ability to fill in at a variety of spots on the diamond only serves to further deepen a much-improved Mets roster in 2021. He’s also been a productive regular recently enough that one could envision him stepping into an everyday role and capably holding down the fort in the event of an injury to second baseman Jeff McNeil, shortstop Francisco Lindor or third baseman J.D. Davis. Villar joins Albert Almora Jr. and Jose Martinez on an increasingly veteran Mets bench.

Angels Acquire Aaron Slegers, Designate Dillon Peters

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The Angels have acquired right-hander Aaron Slegers from the Rays for a player to be named later or cash considerations, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The Halos also designated lefty Dillon Peters for assignment, per Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times.

Slegers, a fifth-round pick of the Twins in 2013, was traded to Tampa Bay before 2019 and then had his most experience at the big league level last season. While Slegers combined for 32 innings in the majors from 2017-19, that barely outpaced the 26 frames he amassed in 2020. In all, the soft-tossing, 6-foot-10 Slegers has put up a 4.66 ERA over 58 major league frames.

Peters, who – like Slegers – is 28 years old, was with the Marlins and Angels from 2018-20. He recorded a 5.83 ERA/5.22 SIERA then with a 16.7 percent strikeout rate and a 9.9 percent walk rate in 132 2/3 innings between the clubs

Cardinals To Re-Sign Yadier Molina

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7:49pm: Molina will earn $9MM, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. He’s a client of MDR Sports Management.

7:24pm: It will be a one-year agreement, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets.

6:50pm: The Cardinals are nearing a deal to re-sign free-agent catcher Yadier Molina, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. This isn’t a remotely surprising development, as multiple sources reported a little over a week ago that Molina would remain in St. Louis.

Molina has been a Cardinal dating back to the 2000 draft, when they chose him in the fourth round. He debuted in the majors in 2004 and has since batted .281/.333/.404 with 160 home runs in 2,025 plate appearances, though simply citing his offensive numbers doesn’t do Molina justice. He is, after all, a nine time-All Star and a nine-time Gold Glove winner who has always been a highly regarded clubhouse leader and could wind up in the Hall of Fame. The soon-to-be 39-year-old Molina also has a pair of World Series on his resume, further adding to his mystique in St. Louis.

Molina received interest from other clubs earlier this winter, but a return to the Cardinals has looked like an inevitability for weeks. A reunion between the two has seemingly become even more probable since the Cardinals kicked their offseason into high gear in late January. Dating back to then, they have re-signed right-hander Adam Wainwright, who’s close with Molina and also ranks as a franchise icon, and swung a massive deal with the Rockies for superb third baseman Nolan Arenado.

Molina, assuming he returns, will once again line up as the Cardinals’ No. 1 catcher in 2021. While Molina isn’t the star he was in earlier years, he did bat .262/.303/.359 (passable relative to his position) in 156 plate appearances last season and throw out an eye-popping 45 percent of would-be base thieves. It appears he’ll once again mentor younger Cards backstop Andrew Knizner during the upcoming campaign.

Molina’s exit from the open market will take away another option at catcher, which is arguably devoid of starting-caliber free agents there. MLBTR ranked Molina as the 32nd-best overall free agent at the start of the offseason and predicted he would re-sign with the Cards on a one-year, $10MM contract.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rays Sign Hunter Strickland To Minor League Contract

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The Rays recently signed right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training, per Danny Russell of DRaysBay (h/t: Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times).

Strickland has already appeared in the majors with four teams – the Giants, Mariners, Nationals and Mets – since his 2014 debut. He was a tremendous part of the Giants’ bullpen from 2014-17, during which he combined for 180 2/3 innings of 2.64 ERA/3.58 SIERA pitching, posted a 23.7 percent strikeout rate against a 7.9 percent walk rate, and averaged 96.5 mph on his fastball.

While Strickland looked like a high-end reliever earlier in his career, he was not nearly as effective in the previous three seasons. His fastball velocity has largely remained intact, but offenses tattooed him in 2019, when he put together career worsts in ERA (5.55) and strikeout percentage (17.1) over 24 1/3 innings between the Mariners and Nationals. The 32-year-old inked a minors deal with the Mets before last season, but he threw just 3 1/3 frames and couldn’t consistently stay on their roster during the campaign.

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