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AL East Notes: Red Sox, Orioles, Rays

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The Red Sox’s options are somewhat limited as they look to acquire a top starting pitcher this winter, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald writes.  Boston doesn’t have the assets to swing a deal for White Sox ace Chris Sale, Sonny Gray of the A’s, or any of the Mets’ elite arms.  The farm system won’t yield them a star pitcher right now, either.  That, of course, leaves only free agency and Boston has never gotten ace on the open market before.

Still, it’s not as though the Red Sox haven’t spent big on pitching in the past.  In 2010, the Red Sox signed John Lackey to a five-year, $82.5MM deal, though Silverman notes that he was more though of as a No. 2 pitcher to go alongside Jon Lester.  In 2007, the Red Sox paid $103MM to land Daisuke Matsuzaka on a six-year deal, but that was via the NPB posting system and not traditional free agency.

Here’s more out of the AL East:

  • The Orioles continue to have interest in a reunion with outfielder L.J. Hoes, who was designated for assignment on Friday by the Astros, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com writes. The O’s traded Hoes to Houston in July 2013 as a part of a package to land pitcher Bud Norris and while Hoes hasn’t really thrived since then, Baltimore apparently believes that a homecoming could chance that.  Hoes appeared in only eight games for the Astros in 2015, but he slashed .295/.383/.400 for their Triple-A affiliate.  All told, the 25-year-old owns a .237/.289/.328 batting line over 337 MLB plate appearances. Hoes has, however, shown some speed and on-base ability at the Triple-A level.
  • The Orioles are said to be discussing outfielder Jay Bruce with the Reds, although it doesn’t sound like anything is imminent at this time.  Kubatko writes that this isn’t the first time the two sides have discussed a Bruce deal and, in the past, the O’s have had concerns about Bruce’s left knee.
  • The Rays jettisoned catcher J.P. Arencibia, outfielder Daniel Nava, and righties Brandon Gomes and Kirby Yates from the 40-man roster last week in an effort to protect their top young arms in the Rule 5 draft.  It’s a move that Rays president Matt Silverman feels will expand his options as he talks trade with clubs this winter.  “We’re having conversations out of a position of strength given the pitching depth that we have and look forward to seeing how the rest of the offseason unfolds,” Silverman said, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

Details On Jay Bruce’s No-Trade Clause

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Last week, Reds outfielder Jay Bruce had an opportunity to update his limited no-trade clause by changing the list of eight teams that he can block deals to.  However, the 28-year-old decided to stand pat and keep the same clubs on his veto list, as Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com writes.  Bruce can block any proposed deal that would send him to the Red Sox, Rays, Yankees, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Marlins, A’s, or Twins.

That mix of small and large-market teams presumably shields Bruce from destinations he may prefer not to play in while affording him leverage if a big-spending AL East club were to come calling.  Of course, the Orioles are the one AL East club that is not on the block list and they have become the most recent team to be linked to the Cincinnati outfielder.  There isn’t any “momentum” toward a trade at this time, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, but it seems that the talks are at least active.

Bruce, 29 in April, will earn $12.5MM in 2016 and can be controlled for the following year with a $13MM option — or be bought out for $1MM.  The Reds are willing to listen on everybody and GM Walt Jocketty said that he would “probably” be open to moving Bruce and Aroldis Chapman, despite his previous reluctance to do so.  Bruce slashed .226/.294/.434 in 2015, numbers that were well below his best offensive work from 2010-2013.

Nationals Among Leading Suitors For Darren O’Day

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The Nationals are now a leading suitor for reliever Darren O’Day, a source tells Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Nats have been connected to O’Day for some time, but it appears that they have ramped up their pursuit.

On Saturday, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com noted that the Nations could have a potential edge in luring O’Day since his wife is a TV reporter working for a station in Washington D.C. At the same time, the Dodgers and Braves are also eyeing O’Day and they have their own advantages. The 33-year-old’s family lives in the Atlanta area, so the Braves could have some form of a hometown advantage.  Meanwhile, the Dodgers can probably offer the most money of the three.

O’Day is said to be seeking a four-year pact in the range of $28-36MM total and reportedly left the GM Meetings with multiple offers in hand. Presumably, none of the offers extended to him in Boca Raton were in that range, but the Dodgers have been connected to O’Day from the onset of the offseason and they reportedly have “significant” interest.  In addition to the Nats, Dodgers, and Braves, O’Day has been linked to the been linked to the Tigers, Mets, Cubs, Nationals, Red Sox, and Royals, though Boston and Detroit may now be less interested in high-priced bullpen pieces.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Iwakuma, Mets, D’Backs

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On this date in 2004, Washington’s franchise was given a name, as Leo Panetta of NationalPastime.com writes.  On that day, the National League squad was christened the “Nationals” with a sharp red-and-white color scheme.

Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere:

Please send submissions to Zach at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.

East Notes: Yankees, Marlins, Bour

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Here’s a look at the AL and NL East..

  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman understands the usefulness of dealing from a surplus in order to strengthen other areas, as Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News writes.  Most recently, Cashman sent backup catcher John Ryan Murphy to the Twins for outfielder Aaron Hicks, who Cashman feels could become an everyday player.  “We’ve just had a collection of catchers,” Cashman says. “It’s happenstance. You can trade from that area. The players get developed and some make it and some don’t. When you have that, it’s easier to consider the trade options to fill up another area of need. The players in your system are there for you to use at the major-league level or to acquire things you may lack.”  McCarron also discusses 23-year-old Gary Sanchez, who could some day be Brian McCann’s successor.  Of course, he could also be traded some day to address a weakness, just like Murphy.
  • The Marlins appear committed to first baseman Justin Bour, but they also want him to get in better shape, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.  Therefore, Miami will consider some inexpensive right-handed hitting platoon options this winter.  Bour, 27, slashed .262/.321/.479 with 23 homers across 446 plate appearances in his rookie season.
  • More from Jackson, who writes that the Marlins want to add two veteran starters in part because they don’t want to have to bank on a youngster like Justin Nicolino, Adam Conley or Jose Urena to be the fifth starter.  Still, those younger pitchers will be given a chance to compete with a veteran for the No. 5 slot.

Rosenthal On Freeman, Padres, Kemp, Cubs

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This afternoon, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports released a news-filled column with rumblings from around the league.  The whole article is worth a read, but here’s a look at some of the highlights:

  • The Braves are shopping first baseman Freddie Freeman, according to officials from three different clubs that have spoken with Rosenthal.  One of Rosenthal’s sources added that the possibility of Freeman getting traded was “the talk of the [Arizona] Fall League” among scouts earlier this month.  Freeman’s salary is set to rise from $12MM in 2016 to $20.5MM in ’17 and the Braves might not want to pay out those salaries as they look to rebuild.  After trading shortstop Andrelton Simmons, it’s clear that the Braves are not too fearful of the fan backlash that comes from trading star players.
  • Another official asserts that the Braves are “shopping everyone owed money.”  That could mean that the likes of right-hander Julio Teheran, right fielder Nick Markakis, and center fielder Cameron Maybin are for sale.  Earlier today, we learned that some folks within the Orioles organization would be open to a reunion with Markakis.  After a down year, Teheran’s value isn’t as high as that of Simmons, but Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com recently wrote that there’s a “good chance” that he would be made available.
  • Sources tell Rosenthal that the Braves “are talking to a number of…non-compensation free agents, including some veteran relievers.”  Ultimately, Rosenthal writes, it’s hard to tell what the Braves’ goal is in 2016.  In the end, the gameplan might be to sell off Freeman and Teheran, land even more prospects, and land a top choice in the 2017 draft.
  • The Padres are shopping right-hander Tyson Ross and outfielder Matt Kemp, major league sources tell Rosenthal.  Kemp is owed $86MM over the next four years and Rosenthal wonders aloud if the two players could be packaged together in order to facilitate a deal.  Ross, 29 in April, is under club control for two more seasons.  In 2015, he pitched to a 3.26 ERA with 9.7 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 across 33 starts.  Kemp, meanwhile, posted a .265/.312/.443 slash line that was below his career average with 23 homers in 2015 while playing poor defensively.
  • Sources say that the Cubs will “at least explore” the trade interest they are getting in right fielder Jorge Soler and infielder Javier Baez, Rosenthal writes.  Meanwhile, the Cubs do not intend to move third baseman Kris Bryant, shortstop Addison Russell or left fielder Kyle Schwarber.  If the Cubs were to move Soler or Baez, they would likely seek their pitching equivalent, meaning a player with similar service time and talent that’s roughly the same age.
  • The Rays are getting bites on relievers Jake McGee and Brad Boxberger, particularly after the Craig Kimbrel deal, according to sources.  Furthermore, teams are also zeroing in on Rays starters.

AL East Notes: Price, Yankees, Davis, Markakis

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Signing free agent David Price could be a prudent move in the long run for the youth-minded Yankees, John Harper of the New York Daily News opines.  The Yankees are slated to have lots of spending room next offseason, but the pitching market next winter will not be nearly as robust as it is now.  By signing Price, the Bombers can secure a true ace while they have the opportunity.  Money, of course, could be a roadblock, but Harper suggests that the Yankees could trade Brett Gardner and his sizable salary to soften the blow, a move that could be possible following the acquisition of Aaron Hicks.

How much could Price cost?  Recently, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes projected that the veteran hurler could garner a seven-year, $217MM deal on the open market.  However, he pegged the Cubs as his landing spot.

Here’s a look at the AL East:

  • Orioles GM Dan Duquette told Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette of SiriusXM (link via ESPN) that they have the resources to both retain Chris Davis and add a top of rotation starter.  “And by that, I mean a No. 1, 2 or 3 starter,” Duquette said (via Cash Kruth of MLB.com). “So there’s some in that group [of free agents]. I don’t think there’s that many No. 1 starters, but there’s some twos and threes in there that we could be very competitive on.”  Duquette also said he expects free agency to move much more quickly this offseason because all parties understand the qualifying offer system much better than they have over the past two offseasons.
  • Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com wonders if the Orioles would pursue a reunion with Nick Markakis.  It’s not clear whether the Braves would considering moving the outfielder, who still has three years left on his free agent deal.  Not everyone in the O’s organization is on board with the idea of bringing Markakis back to Baltimore, but there are people in the organization with interest in at least talking to Atlanta, Kubatko writes.
  • With defense valued highly across the majors, it couldn’t be a worse time for the Red Sox to try and unload Hanley Ramirez, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald writes.  Ramirez would seemingly appeal only to an American League team that needs a DH and Lauber theorizes that a team like the Orioles could have interest if Davis goes elsewhere.  Even for a DH-needy team, a Ramirez deal could be a hard sell given his contract.

MLBTR Originals

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A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR the last seven days:

  • On the most recent edition of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast, host Jeff Todd welcomed Peter King of CBS Radio News.  King, a respected journalist with a fascinating career, is a hot stove junkie who once followed transactions by way of newspaper and now regularly visits MLBTR.  A new episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is released every Thursday and can be accessed on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
  • Recently, MLB Trade Rumors launched a brand new official Instagram account:@TradeRumorsMLB.  Each day, we’re€™ sharing conversation-inspiring images about the hottest topics in baseball.  From there, we invite you to give us a like, weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section, and even share the link with a friend.  So, what are you waiting for?  If you don’€™t have an Instagram account, this is the perfect excuse to sign up and get one.  Follow us on Instagram today!
  • There’s a lot of work ahead for the Mariners’ new front office and Mark Polishuk ran down some of their different options this offseason.  In a way, GM Jerry Dipoto finds himself in something of the same position that he was in as the Angels general manager — a few superstars on huge contracts, a few regulars best suited to platoon duty, little minor league depth, and some payroll limitations.
  • Meanwhile, Dipoto’s old club will be looking to get back to the postseason in 2016.  Steve Adams discussed the Andrelton Simmons acquisition and forthcoming moves that could be in store for the Halos.  The Angels seem like logical players for free agent help on the pitching market and they’ll have to address holes at catcher, second base, third base, in left field and possibly at DH.
  • The Marlins have a lot of ground to make up in the NL East, but enter the offseason with a talented core, a bit of free cash, and a desire to compete, Jeff writes.
  • The Astros were thought to be a few years away from contention but they advanced their timetable in 2015.  Now, it remains to be seen how much further owner Jim Crane is willing to boost the payroll, Mark writes.  The payroll has gradually risen from a measly $26MM in 2013 to roughly $50.5MM in 2014 to last year’s total, so it seems like a boost into the $95-$100MM range could be coming this winter.
  • The AL East champion Blue Jays will have to rebuild their pitching staff this winter, though their first priority will be sorting out an unexpected front office shuffle, Mark writes.  The next step for the Jays will be to explore extending Bautista and Encarnacion, which will be very interesting negotiations.  Beyond that, everything is on the table for Toronto, including a possible reunion between new president Mark Shapiro and one of the pitchers he was fond of in Cleveland.

Mets Not Shopping Zack Wheeler

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Over the summer, the Mets nearly shipped Zack Wheeler to the Brewers in a deal that would have netted them Carlos Gomez.  That deal fell apart at the last minute due to concerns over medicals, but it showed that the Mets were willing to part with Wheeler given the right return.  However, when asked if the pitcher could be on the block this winter, Mets assistant general manager John Ricco said that would not be the case.

“We’re not actively shopping Zack by any stretch,” Ricco told Marc Carig of Newsday. “But as with the other starters, if something came up that we thought made us better, we’re going to talk about it.”

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his arm, the 86’d Mets-Brewers deal showed that Wheeler still holds considerable trade value.  Wheeler pitched 185 1/3 strong innings in his first full season for the Mets in 2014, but underwent Tommy John surgery in March.  Over his two seasons in Queens, Wheeler worked to a 3.50 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 and a 50 percent ground-ball rate.

Armed with a 95mph fastball and a pair of above-average breaking pitches, there was an expectation that Wheeler would take a step forward in 2015, creating a formidable trio atop the Mets’ rotation, alongside Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom.  Rival teams could have similar expectations for Wheeler in 2016 and while the Mets won’t be shopping Wheeler, it sounds like they’ll at least be listening on him.  Ricco indicated that the Mets were probably a little more inclined to move Wheeler in July since they felt that they were one outfield bat away from being contenders.  Still, the Mets exec wouldn’t rule out a similar set of events unfolding in the coming months.

“If there’s a deal that we think really makes us better, I can’t say we wouldn’t do the exact same thing,” Ricco said.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Kimbrel, Cards, Griffey

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On this date in 2007, Barry Bonds was indicted by a San Francisco federal grand jury on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice, as Leo Panetta of NationalPastime.com writes. Four years prior, Bonds allegedly lied to a grand jury about his PED use, and he potentially could have been sentenced to up to 30 years in prison if convicted of all charges. The slugger was initially convicted on a count of obstruction of justice, but that ruling was overturned earlier this year.

Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere:

Please send submissions to Zach at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

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