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Phillies Sign Andrew Bailey, Edward Mujica

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4:30pm: Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that Mujica’s contract comes with a Major League base salary of $2.5MM, though he of course needs to make the club to earn that sum (Twitter link).

11:02am: The Phillies announced that they have signed free agent right-handed pitchers Andrew Bailey and Edward Mujica to minor league contracts.  The deals include invitations to attend major league camp as non-roster invitees.

Bailey, 31-year-old, tossed 8 2/3 innings for the Yankees this season but allowed eight runs in that time. He’s spent the past two years in the Yankees’ minor league system, battling back from shoulder injuries that have halted the former Rookie of the Year and American League All Star’s career. Bailey notched a tidy 2.57 ERA with 10.8 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 in 35 innings across four minor league levels this season as he worked his way back to the Majors.

Mujica, meanwhile, is coming off of a rough year in which he posted a 4.75 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 1.3 BB/9 across 49 appearances.  In May, the reliever was traded from the Red Sox with cash to the Athletics for a PTBNL/cash.  Unfortunately for Oakland, they did not get the Mujica of old.

Blue Jays To Sign Wade LeBlanc

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The Blue Jays and left-hander Wade LeBlanc have reached agreement on a minor league pact, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal includes an invite to major league spring training. LeBlanc, 31, spent the 2015 season pitching in Japan for the Seibu Lions. Back in November, the hurler joined Jeff Todd on the MLB Trade Rumors podcast to talk about his experience in Asia and his desire to return to Major League Baseball. The former Padres/Angels/Marlins/Yankees/Astros lefty has a lifetime 4.47 ERA with 6.1 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 in 446 2/3 big league innings — most of which came as a starter. However, LeBlanc has worked primarily as a reliever since 2012 and probably has an easier path to the Toronto roster in the bullpen.

Here’s a look at some more minor moves of note:

  • The Athletics confirmed that they have released first baseman Nate Freiman, as was first reported by Athetics Farm (h/t: CSN Bay Area’s Joe Stiglich, on Twitter). The 2012 Rule 5 pick spent the 2013 season with Oakland, batting a respectable .274/.327/.389 while working largely in a platoon capacity. His average and OBP dipped in 2014, and he spent the entire 2015 campaign in the minors where he struggled greatly in Triple-A. The 28-year-old batted just .220/.279/.321 this season at Nashville, prompting Oakland to designate him for assignment and outright him off the 40-man roster this summer. He’ll look to latch on with a new club and, considering the fact that he was a highly productive Triple-A bat as recently as 2014, should be able to do so.

Denard Span To Work Out For Teams

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Agent Scott Boras has told interested teams that Denard Span will be available for workouts after the New Year to show that he’s healthy, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (Twitter links).  Crasnick added that the Mets, Orioles, Royals, Giants, and Padres could all be fits for the veteran, but it’s not clear how much interest each of those clubs have.

At his annual Winter Meetings scrum, Boras was asked by a reporter if Span could wind up signing on as someone’s fourth outfielder.  After three seconds of silence, Boras tersely said “Next!” and moved along with his Q&A session.  He also rejected the notion that Span might settle for a one-year deal rather than a multi-year pact.  It’s still hard to see Span winding up as anyone’s reserve outfield option, but one has to wonder if Span is going to get the kind of deal he envisioned for himself a couple of months ago.  At the outset of the offseason, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes projected that Span could net a three-year, $39MM deal.  Lately, however, there hasn’t been much chatter surrounding Span.

The Nationals and Mets have both been linked to Span, though Washington wants to feel comfortable with Span’s health before offering up a deal.  Span, who is coming up on his 32nd birthday, has been excellent when healthy, slashing a combined .301/.358/.421 over the past two seasons with 42 stolen bases in 943 plate appearances.

Angels Claim A.J. Achter From Phillies

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The Angels have claimed reliever A.J. Achter off waivers from the Phillies, as Jeff Fletcher of the OC Register tweets.  The right-hander still has options remaining, Fletcher notes.

This marks the second time this offseason that Achter has been claimed off waivers. In late November, the Phillies claimed Achter off waivers from the Twins when teams were doing some Rule 5-related roster jostling. Achter, 27, has a career 5.18 ERA in the Majors but a stronger track record in Triple-A, where he most recently logged an impressive 2.63 ERA with 8.8 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9 in 48 innings. Achter’s ERA in Triple-A is well south of 3.00, and he’s displayed good control throughout his career, but he lacks velocity as well, having averaged just 90 mph on his fastball in the Majors.

As the MLBTR DFA Tracker shows, there are now only four players remaining in DFA limbo: Dan Otero (Phillies), Rey Navarro (Orioles), Tyler Olson (Mariners), and Chris Johnson (Indians).

Latest On Dodgers, Hisashi Iwakuma

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1:08pm: Issues arose during Iwakuma’s physical with the Dodgers, Bill Plunkett of the OC Register tweets, but the team has not closed the door to signing him.  Talks are still ongoing between the two sides.

11:04am: Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter) hears that the Dodgers are not out on Iwakuma. He surmises that they could be reworking the contract, however.

10:50am: The Dodgers are backing out on their agreement with pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma due to concerns over his physical, according to a Japanese-language report from the Jiji Press (translation via Kazuto Yamazaki on Twitter).  There’s no official word yet from the team regarding Iwakuma’s deal, but it should be noted that the two sides reached agreement all the way back on December 6th and a hiccup with the physical would explain the delay in making an announcement.

Iwakuma posted a 3.54 ERA in 20 starts for the Mariners last season, including a no-hitter.  He missed more than two months with a lat strain, however, and turns 35 in April.  He also dealt with some shoulder issues.  It’s not immediately clear what red flag(s) popped up on the veteran’s physical, however.  The Dodgers and Iwakuma shook hands on a three-year, $45MM contract prior to the Winter Meetings.  At the time, that seemed like a fair price for the Japanese hurler given the strength of the pitching market.  In fact, at the outset of the offseason, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes predicted that exact contract for him.

Despite injury troubles, Iwakuma ended up turning in a typically excellent campaign for the Mariners in 2015.  Over 129 2/3 innings, he worked to a 3.54 ERA with 7.7 K/9 against 1.5 BB/9. Remarkably enough, that’s the worst single-season earned run average he has compiled over a single campaign. He’s been remarkably good since coming to Seattle from Japan before the 2012 season. In 653 2/3 total MLB frames, Iwakuma has allowed just 3.17 earned runs per regulation game.

If the Dodgers don’t finalize their deal with Iwakuma, they could turn to fellow free agent starter Mike Leake, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets.  Leake is talking with the Nationals and Astros, but his preference is to pitch out west.  Leake has talked to teams about at least a five-year deal for about $75MM (link).  Scott Kazmir is also a consideration for Los Angeles, Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports tweets.

Rangers Sign Justin Ruggiano

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1:01pm: The Rangers confirmed the signing via press release.

1:00pm: It’s a one-year, $1.65MM deal (plus incentives) for Ruggiano, according to Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram (on Twitter).

11:13am: The Rangers are hoping to announce a deal with outfielder Justin Ruggiano today, according to Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram (on Twitter).  On Wednesday, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) noted that the Rangers were working on a one-year major league deal with Ruggiano. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News recently reported on the Rangers’ interest in Ruggiano as a right-handed depth piece.

Ruggiano is a very tough out for opposing southpaws, creating a solid fit with the heavily left-handed Texas lineup.  The 33-year-old turned things on after he was demoted early on by the Mariners, raking at Triple-A and even slashing a cool .291/.350/.618 in his sixty plate appearances with the Dodgers.  For his career, Ruggiano owns a .256/.321/.436 slash line across seven seasons with the Rays, Marlins, Cubs, Mariners, and Dodgers.  His lifetime line against lefties, of course, is a lot sharper: .272/.336/.520.

Interestingly, Wilson hears that Ruggiano will try out the first base position during spring training.  The Austin, Texas native has never played first base in his big league career.

Indians Sign Rajai Davis

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The Indians announced on Thursday that they signed veteran outfielder Rajai Davis to a one-year contract.  The Relativity Sports client will reportedly be guaranteed $5.25MM plus incentives which can boost the value of the pact to $6.475MM.  Specifically, Davis will reportedly earn $175K for upon reaching 400 plate appearances and receive an additional $175K for every 25 plate appearances from that point forth, until reaching 550 PAs, where his incentives max out
Rajai Davis (vertical)

Davis, 35, has spent the past two seasons in the AL Central, appearing in 246 games and receiving 864 total plate appearances for the division-rival Tigers. With Detroit, the fleet-footed Davis batted a combined .272/.314/.418 with 16 home runs and 54 stolen bases. Over the course of his career, Davis has been a far more productive bat against left-handed pitching, posting a cumulative .296/.351/.448 triple-slash in parts of 10 Major League seasons.

From a defensive standpoint, Davis has had inconsistent marks throughout his career but is capable of manning all three outfield positions. He has at least 700 innings at all three spots, though the bulk of that time has come in left field and center field. Davis’ collective body of work in center field has received slightly above-average reviews from Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved, while he’s been below average in left field. Having turned 35 in October, it’s possible he’s slowing down a bit, as last season’s 18 stolen bases were the lowest mark of his career.

Cleveland has been in need of outfield depth, particularly with Michael Brantley likely to miss the start of the season. Davis now joins an outfield depth chart that includes Collin Cowgill, Abraham Almonte, and Lonnie Chisenhall.  

The Twins and Rangers were also said to have had interest in Davis before he landed in Cleveland.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) first reported the agreement.  Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) and Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (on Twitter) added contract details, and Heyman later broke down the incentives structure (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Indians Designate Chris Johnson For Assignment

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The Indians announced that they have designated infielder Chris Johnson for assignment. The move will make room for the newly-signed Rajai Davis on the roster.

Johnson, 31, has a career slash line of .280/.316/.411 across seven big league seasons. He first arrived in Atlanta prior to the 2013 season as a part of the Justin Upton deal.  This year, he was shipped to the Indians in a waiver trade that saw Michael Bourn, Nick Swisher, and cash considerations go to the Braves.

Johnson signed a three-year, $23.5MM contract prior to the 2014 season. Then 29 years old, Johnson was coming off a career year in which he batted .321/.358/.457 with 12 homers. However, much of that production was the result of a .394 batting average on balls in play, and his overall numbers have come back down to Earth as his BABIP regressed to his career norm.  He hasn’t looked like an ~$8MM player as of late, but he could be a useful platoon bat given his success against lefties.

Johnson now joins Tyler Olson (Mariners), Rey Navarro (Orioles), A.J. Achter (Phillies), and Dan Otero (Phillies) in DFA limbo.  To keep track of everyone who gets designated for assignment, check out MLBTR’s DFA Tracker.

Wei-Yin Chen Seeking Five-Year, $100MM Deal

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Free agent pitcher Wei-Yin Chen is searching for a five-year, $100MM contract, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (on Twitter).  At that price, Kubatko adds, it’s clear that the Orioles have moved on to other offseason targets.  At the outset of the offseason, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes projected that Chen would land a five-year deal worth $80MM.  Apparently, the Scott Boras client is aiming higher.

Chen, 30, is coming off a nice four-year run with the Orioles which was highlighted by a particularly strong two-year platform in 2014-15.  Over the past two seasons, he’s logged a 3.44 ERA with 6.9 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9 to go along with a 40.8 percent ground-ball rate in 377 innings of work.  Chen turned down a qualifying offer from the Orioles earlier this offseason, so signing him would require a team to forfeit its first eligible draft pick.  That’s a notable disadvantage for Chen compared to quality pitchers remaining on the free agent market such as Mike Leake, Scott Kazmir, and Kenta Maeda.  Late last month, Tim took an in-depth look at Chen and speculated on the type of deal he could land.

The Cardinals appeared to be a solid fit for a pitcher like Chen but GM John Mozeliak recently said that the team is unlikely to make a “dynamic” signing at this stage of the offseason.  The Giants were known to have some level of interest in Chen, but they are almost definitely out on high-priced pitching after adding Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto this winter.

Rays, Rockies Have Discussed SP/OF Swap

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The Rockies have spoken with the Rays about a trade that would send outfield help to Tampa in exchange for starting pitching, sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).  Tampa Bay of course, has a pitching surplus to work with and the Rockies have been listening on their trio of outfielders.  However, Rosenthal notes, the Rays already have Kevin Kiermaier, Steven Souza, Desmond Jennings, and Brandon Guyer in-house, so they’re more likely to seek prospects than major league-ready outfielders in exchange for their arms.

Carlos Gonzalez carries the highest asking price of the Rockies’ outfielders, but Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson are cheaper and have greater control rights.  In particular, Dickerson has put up some huge offensive numbers and won’t even hit arbitration until next year. While he missed time last year with plantar fasciitis and fractured ribs, he still looks to be a highly intriguing asset.  Gonzalez has two years and $34MM remaining on his contract.  Blackmon, by comparison, is projected to earn just $4.5MM in his first of three arbitration seasons and is coming off a solid 2.1 WAR season (.287/.347/.450 slash).

The Rays are open to moving pitchers, but it doesn’t sound like we should expect to see a Chris Archer trade.  Tampa Bay considers Archer “pretty close” to untouchable, according to major league sources who spoke with Rosenthal.  The Rays are looking to win both now and in the future and it’s hard to envision that a trade of Archer could make them a stronger club in 2016.  That probably won’t stop clubs from inquiring on Archer, however, who is signed to a club-friendly extension through 2019 with club options that can hold him through 2021.

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