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Blue Jays In Talks With Jose Bautista; Indians Also Interested

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The Blue Jays met with longtime slugger Jose Bautista today and have resumed talks to bring him back to Toronto, broadcaster Hazel Mae tweets and FanRag’s Jon Heyman confirms (Twitter links). Heyman had previously reported that the Jays had shown little interest in reopening discussions with Bautista, so their meeting with him today appears to represent a change in direction. He adds that the Jays perked up around the time that the Indians expressed interest in Bautista, which itself seems to be a new development. (Heyman adds that the Orioles might have been another possibility, but that they preferred to keep the draft pick they would lose as a result of signing Bautista, and they apparently actually told Bautista’s representation that Orioles fans simply didn’t like him.)

The Jays have already added Kendrys Morales to their DH mix this offseason, but they could certainly still use Bautista in right field. The Indians, meanwhile, were recently in talks with another Blue Jays free agent, Edwin Encarnacion, but at last check, those talks didn’t appear to be moving forward. Bautista is coming off a modest (for him) .234/.366/.452 season, and he rejected a qualifying offer, but MLBTR still projects that his established power bat could earn him a three-year, $51MM deal this offseason.

Angels, Padres Have Discussed Trade, Possibly Involving Second Baseman

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The Angels and Padres have discussed a trade recently, potentially involving the Padres’ collection of second basemen, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets. Fletcher points out that the Padres have four lefty-hitting infielders who could help the Angels fill their void at second base: Yangervis Solarte, Ryan Schimpf, Cory Spangenberg and Carlos Asuaje.

Of those four, Solarte is the most established hitter, and he’s coming off a strong .286/.341/.467 season. He played primarily third base in 2016, however, and has limited big-league experience at second. Schimpf played 68 games at second in 2016 while having an unusual breakout rookie season in which he batted just .217 but had a remarkable .533 slugging percentage, to go with 20 homers in just 330 plate appearances.

Spangenberg has spent the bulk of his career at second, but he missed most of the 2016 season due to injury and has a more modest track record as a hitter, in both the Majors and the minors. Asuaje, one of the prospects the Padres acquired in the Craig Kimbrel deal, had a good season at Triple-A El Paso in 2016 (batting .321/.378/.473, albeit in a favorable hitting environment) and made his big-league debut.

In return for one of their infielders, Fletcher suggests the Padres could target one of the Angels’ depth starters. Someone like Triple-A lefty Nate Smith might make sense, Fletcher tweets, apparently speculatively.

The Angels’ desire to acquire a second baseman comes as no surprise. They’ve lately been connected to trade targets such as the Phillies’ Cesar Hernandez, as well as free agents like Chase Utley and Stephen Drew. Hernandez is a switch-hitter, while Utley and Drew bat from the left side; a lefty hitter at the keystone would be a better fit for the Angels, who only have one lefty (outfielder Kole Calhoun) among their everyday players.

Royals Likely To Trade Wade Davis, Perhaps Soon

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The Royals are likely to deal closer Wade Davis, and such a deal could happen quickly, Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan tweets. 2016 was Davis’ third straight dominant year in the Royals’ bullpen — he posted a 1.87 ERA, 9.8 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 over 43 1/3 innings. He is eligible for free agency following next season.

With Mark Melancon receiving a $62MM deal and top closers like Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen reportedly receiving offers for even more, Davis’ trade market figures to be robust. The Dodgers and Cubs have been linked to Davis, as have the Mets (although the Mets could be a somewhat unlikely fit). The Nationals and other teams could potentially get involved in the bidding as well.

Orioles Begin Extension Talks With Chris Tillman

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The Orioles have had preliminary talks with righty starter Chris Tillman about an extension, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun writes. Encina characterizes those talks as “introductory,” suggesting that no deal is imminent.

This isn’t the first time the Orioles have expressed interest in extending Tillman, who is eligible for free agency after next season. (He is set to make a projected $10.6MM next season through the arbitration process.) As Encina notes, Orioles stars Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Zach Britton are eligible for free agency following the 2018 campaign. Extending Tillman, then, would help the O’s build a bridge between their current core and whatever that core might look like two to three years from now.

Tillman posted a 3.77 ERA, 7.3 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 172 solid innings in 2016. Those numbers roughly align with his career 4.13 ERA, 6.8 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. Tillman has rarely been among the AL’s top starters, but he’s been reliable and healthy, having pitched at least 172 frames in each of the past four seasons. (He did, however, miss a few weeks with a shoulder inflammation this season.) Those qualities could make him good money next winter, especially since he’ll be just 29. If extension talks with the Orioles do progress, Tillman’s camp could point to recently extended starters with five-plus years of service time such as Homer Bailey (who received six years and $105MM and an option) and Rick Porcello (four years, $82MM) as potential templates.

Red Sox Sign Mitch Moreland

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The Red Sox have announced that they’ve signed first baseman Mitch Moreland to a one-year contract. FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal was first to tweet news of the deal. Moreland will receive $5.5MM, Rosenthal’s colleague Jon Morosi tweets. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the two sides were in talks. Moreland is represented by RMG Baseball.

"<strong[Related: Updated Boston Red Sox Depth Chart]

Moreland hit a disappointing .233/.298/.422 with 22 home runs in 2016 and has been inconsistent in his seven years in the big leagues, although his .278/.330/.482 season in 2015 shows what he’s capable of in a good year. He’s also a capable defender at first base, with a 6.4 UZR and 7 DRS there last season, and he’s capable of playing corner outfield in a pinch. The 31-year-old Moreland has hit .254/.315/.438 with 110 home runs in a big-league career spent entirely with the Rangers.

The deal caps what’s been a huge day for the Red Sox, who have also acquired Tyler Thornburg and, more notably, Chris Sale. Moreland should provide Boston with help at the first base and DH spots, likely in tandem with a right-handed hitter — he’s batted just .240/.275/.398 against lefties in his career. The Red Sox need help at DH following the retirement of David Ortiz, and Moreland would seem to be at least a hedge against the possibility that they’ll acquire a higher-profile player, like Edwin Encarnacion (who they seemed unlikely to sign anyway, in part due to luxury-tax concerns) or Mike Napoli. In fact, with Hanley Ramirez also in tow, Moreland’s signing but all but shut those doors. The team also recently lost Travis Shaw in the trade that brought Thornburg to Boston, and Moreland will replace some of the at-bats the lefty-swinging Shaw took at first base. It would appear, then, that the Red Sox are attempting to compensate for Ortiz’s departure by strengthening their rotation, rather than by adding a superstar to replace him at DH or first base.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rangers Discussed Deal With Reds For Starting Pitching

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The Rangers and Reds have discussed a trade potentially involving either Anthony DeSclafani or Dan Straily, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets. Sullivan adds that another option for the Rangers as they attempt to address their rotation could be a reunion with free agent Colby Lewis. The Reds, meanwhile, are interested in reliever Jeremy Jeffress.

DeSclafani, it would seem, would be the more valuable of the two Reds trade chips. The 26-year-old righty posted a 3.28 ERA, 7.7 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 123 1/3 solid innings in 2016, and with less than three years of service time, he could be a solid middle-of-the-rotation piece for years to come. The 28-year-old Straily, though, also had a surprisingly solid year after arriving in Cincinnati via a waiver claim, posting a 3.76 ERA, 7.6 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 while eating 191 1/3 innings.

Lewis, now 37, posted a respectable 3.71 ERA in Texas in 2016, but with underwhelming peripherals (5.6 K/9, 2.2 BB/9). He also missed time to a strained lat.

The Reds’ interest in Jeffress is somewhat difficult to understand at first glance. The veteran Jeffress’ strong 2016 season and closing experience would make him somewhat of an odd fit as a luxury item for a rebuilding club, unless perhaps the Reds’ plan upon acquiring him would be to flip him to another team. The Reds could also potentially be thinking that Jeffress’ personal issues, including a recent DWI arrest, could reduce his price, although the Rangers have shown little reluctance in recent years in dealing with troubled players. The Rangers do, however, have significant relief depth.

Yankees Continuing To Listen To Offers For Brett Gardner

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The Yankees are listening to offers for outfielder Brett Gardner, but have not yet traded him because they haven’t yet received an offer suitable to them, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com writes.

“He’s here not because I can’t move him; he’s here because I’m not comfortable moving him, or haven’t been satisfied in my asks that would make me move him,” says GM Brian Cashman. “You’re going through the process, and you see if that changes. So far to this point, I’ve said no to a lot of different concepts thrown my way on it.”

The 33-year-old Gardner is guaranteed $25MM over the next two seasons, including a $2MM buyout on his $12.5MM option for 2019. He’s remained quietly productive in his last few seasons as a Yankee, with a skill set built around on-base percentage, respectable corner outfield defense, and very good baserunning. At last check, though, he wasn’t receiving significant trade interest, although, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams pointed out last week, that might change once more free agent outfielders come off the board. Gardner remains atop the Yankees’ depth chart in left field, although his departure could open playing time for a higher-wattage acquisition, for one of the Yankees’ younger players or even, occasionally, for new acquisition Matt Holliday (who figures to play mostly DH).

Braves To Re-Sign Eric O’Flaherty To Minor League Deal

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The Braves have agreed to a deal to re-sign veteran lefty Eric O’Flaherty to a minor league deal, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation writes (Twitter links). O’Flaherty is a client of MVP Sports Group.

The 31-year-old O’Flaherty struggled in 2016 in Atlanta, posting a 6.91 ERA, 6.9 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 28 2/3 innings. He was one of baseball’s better lefty relievers from 2009 through 2012, then had Tommy John surgery in 2013. After a promising return in 2014, though, he has struggled with slightly diminished velocity and control issues. Perhaps promisingly, he retains a very high ground-ball rate, with a 54.0 GB% in 2016.

Astros Sign Carlos Beltran

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DEC. 5: The Astros announced that Beltran has passed his physical, making the contract complete.

DEC. 3: The Astros have agreed to a one-year, $16MM deal with free agent DH Carlos Beltran, ESPN’s Buster Olney writes (Twitter links). Beltran is an MVP Sports Group client. Beltran will receive a no-trade clause, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News had previously tweeted that Beltran would sign today. Since Beltran was traded last season, the Yankees could not extend him a qualifying offer, and thus the Astros will not have to sacrifice a draft pick.

[RELATED: Updated Houston Astros Depth Chart]

Carlos BeltranThe Astros had repeatedly been connected to Beltran, and earlier this week it emerged that they were confident they could sign either Beltran or Edwin Encarnacion. The Red Sox, too, reportedly were very strongly interested in signing Beltran. The Yankees looked like a possibility as well, although Feinsand tweeted today that they were out of the running. Beltran agreeing to terms with Houston could pave the way for the Yankees to sign Encarnacion, though, as FOX Sports’ Jon Morosi tweets.

In Houston, Beltran will join a new-look Astros lineup that also now features catcher Brian McCann, left fielder Nori Aoki and right fielder Josh Reddick. Those three veterans will join a young core that includes Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman and George Springer, alongside top second baseman Jose Altuve.

Before the Beltran deal, Evan Gattis had been slated to fit in with the Astros at DH, and the Astros recently exercised their $5.2MM option on him. Gattis is coming off a strong season in which he hit .251/.319/.508 with 32 home runs. His exact role with the 2017 Astros is unclear, but he figures to catch sometimes (playing while McCann sits), while also sometimes playing corner outfield or DH’ing on days in which Beltran plays in the field.

Beltran turns 40 in April, but he showed no signs of slowing down last season, batting .295/.337/.513 with 29 homers for the Yankees and Rangers. That hitting line placed him among the game’s better designated hitters — the only ones who were markedly better were David Ortiz, Nelson Cruz and Encarnacion. The switch-hitting Beltran was particularly deadly against lefties, batting .338/.380/.589 with nine homers in 163 plate appearances, but he also hit righties well. Beltran no longer has the baserunning or defensive value he did as a young man, but his skills at the plate have aged remarkably well, as he’s topped an .800 OPS in five of the last six seasons.

Beltran now has 421 home runs in a career that stretches all the way back to 1998. In that span of nearly two decades, he’s played with both Astros manager A.J. Hinch (with the Royals in 2001 and 2002) and bench coach Alex Cora (with the Mets in 2009 and 2010). Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle tweets that Hinch and Cora’s familiarity with Beltran might have played a role in the Astros’ decision to acquire him. This will be Beltran’s second stint with the Astros — he hit .258/.368/.559 with 23 homers with them down the stretch in 2004.

MLBTR ranked Beltran the 33rd-best free agent available this offseason and predicted he would get a one-year, $14MM deal. The $16MM Beltran will receive next season is a slight raise on the $15MM per season he received on his previous three-year deal with the Yankees, and is the same as the amount Ortiz received in both 2015 and 2016.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dodgers, Rich Hill Nearing Agreement

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SUNDAY, 7:09pm: An official announcement from the Dodgers about a Hill agreement isn’t likely to happen tonight, Andy McCullough tweets.

SATURDAY, 6:48pm: The Dodgers and Hill are “closing in” on a contract, tweets Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. They’re unlikely to reach an agreement today, per Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times, though he corroborates Plunkett’s report that a deal is forthcoming (Twitter link). The Dodgers aren’t facing much of any competition from Hill’s previously reported suitors – the Astros, Rangers or Yankees – according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman.

4:02pm: Another team who tried to negotiate a deal with free agent starter Rich Hill believes the lefty has a three-year contract worth $40MM or more in place with the Dodgers, Peter Gammons tweets. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tells a similar story, saying the Dodgers might already have a deal in place for Hill for three years and $46MM-$48MM. Cafardo, though, emphasizes the possibility that one of a number of East Coast teams could still sign him. No move has been confirmed by Hill or the Dodgers at this point, however.

The latest rumors about Hill had the Dodgers as one of four teams bidding for his services, along with the Yankees, Rangers and Astros. The Red Sox and Orioles were also believed to be interested. Hill, of course, is coming off an outstanding age-36 season with the Athletics and Dodgers during which he posted a 2.12 ERA, 10.5 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 110 1/3 innings, including a start in which he was pulled a perfect game after seven innings. His performance in 2016 landed him the No. 14 spot on MLBTR’s list of the top 50 free agents, making him one of the top starters available.

The downsides with Hill are his age and his lengthy injury history — even in his 2016 breakout campaign, he dealt with blister problems and a groin injury. As Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times points out via Twitter, though, the Dodgers’ depth puts them in position to take advantage of Hill’s upside while minimizing their risk if he’s not available to pitch. Particularly given Hill’s vanishingly low 2016 home run rate of 0.33 per nine innings, there’s reason to be somewhat skeptical of his ability to repeat his incredible performance last season. He could regress a fair amount in the next couple years and still be a vital contributor, however, and if he does return to the Dodgers, he should provide their rotation with a healthy boost if he’s able to stay healthy.

For Hill, a $40MM-plus contract would represent an enormous financial windfall — he has spent most of his career as a journeyman and has never had a long-term deal. He’s also never made more in a season than the $6MM he made last year.

The Dodgers are currently dealing with debt issues, but those issues seem unlikely to prevent them from pursuing a free agent of Hill’s stature, and the team has not been required to reduce its payroll. In addition to Hill, the team has also been fleetingly linked to other potentially expensive or relatively expensive players like Aroldis Chapman and Andrew McCutchen.

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