Red Sox, Erasmo Ramirez Nearing Minor League Deal
The Red Sox are nearing a minor league agreement with right-hander Erasmo Ramirez, per Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com (Twitter link). If the deal is completed, the ISE Baseball client would head to Major League Spring Training and compete for a spot on Boston’s 2019 staff.
Ramirez, 28, should be a familiar name for Red Sox fans after spending parts of three seasons with the Rays and pitching to a combined 3.98 ERA in 323 1/3 innings with the Tampa Bay organization. Unfortunately for the right-hander, the 2018 campaign was effectively a nightmare. Shoulder troubles limited Ramirez to just 45 2/3 innings of work, and he was woefully ineffective in that time.
Ramirez, pitching in his second stint with the Mariners organization this past season, posted a 6.50 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, a staggering 2.76 HR/9 and a 39.6 percent ground-ball rate. The effects of the injury on Ramirez were evident when looking at his velocity; after sitting at 91.6 mph with his heater a year prior, his average fastball in 2018 checked in at just 89.8 mph. Those red flags prompted the Mariners to outright Ramirez rather than retain him through arbitration. He’d been projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn a $4.4MM salary in his final trip through that process.
Certainly, the Red Sox will hope for a healthier version of Ramirez — the version who proved adept as both a starter and a multi-inning reliever prior to the 2018 season during a separate stint with the Mariners and a two-and-a-half year run in Tampa. From 2015-17, Ramirez logged a solid 3.97 ERA with 7.0 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, 1.21 HR/9 and a 47.3 percent grounder rate. Both his 10.3 percent swinging-strike rate and 32.9 percent opponents’ chase rate were solid marks that underscore his ability to keep hitters off balance when he’s at his best.
While the Sox won’t be counting on Ramirez for anything unless he proves capable of a show of faith in Spring Training, he can serve as a long option in the ‘pen or a depth piece in the rotation beyond Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello, Nathan Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez. Ramirez is just shy of six years of MLB service, so if he makes the roster, he’ll be a one-year option before reentering free agency next offseason.
Rangers Grant Carlos Asuaje His Release, Allowing Him To Sign With KBO’s Lotte Giants
Dec. 19: The Rangers announced that Asuaje’s rights have been sold to the KBO’s Giants. He’ll soon sign a contract with his new organization — one that will likely afford him upwards of the $1MM maximum that first-year foreign players can earn in the KBO. It’ll be a sizable increase in pay for a player who was no sure bet to stick on a Major League roster all season and would’ve only earned at roughly the $555K league-minimum rate (pro-rated for his time in the big leagues).
Dec. 16: Asuaje is “expected” to become a member of the Lotte Giants when they finalize a buyout from the Rangers, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets.
Dec. 14: Infielder Carlos Asuaje is nearing agreement on a deal that’ll bring him to the Korea Baseball Organization, according to Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal (Twitter link). Terms of the prospective deal are not known.
Presumably, the Rangers are on board with this move. The Texas club paid $50K to claim Asuaje off waivers from the Padres just a few days ago, but it wasn’t entirely clear what role he’d play given the existing slate of roster pieces. Perhaps this move will allow the club to clear a tidy financial profit.
Now 27 years of age, Asuaje has seen action in parts of three MLB campaigns. He’s a cumulative .240/.312/.329 hitter in 586 plate appearances, with significant platoon splits. Asuaje is considered a solid defender at second base, but isn’t an option at short.
Needless to say, that’s not the profile of a regular major league asset, though certainly Asuaje could still carve out a steady role at the game’s highest level. For now, though, he’ll take the bigger payday and steadier work on offer in the KBO.
Melisa Reidy Details Alleged Abuse By Addison Russell
Melisa Reidy has previously alleged, but not publicly detailed, abuse by former husband and Cubs shortstop Addison Russell. She greatly expanded upon her story in a lengthy interview with Kelly Wallace of Expanded Roster.
Needless to say, Reidy’s extensive account of abuse is extremely troubling. It includes multiple instances of serious physical battery along with ongoing emotional abuse. Reidy relays her recollection in full detail. Those interested in reviewing the full interview should follow the above link. (If the site is still having server issues, you can also access the story at this Twitter link.)
Russell is currently serving a 40-game suspension under the MLB-MLBPA Joint Domestic Violence Policy. It is not immediately apparent whether the league had access to all of the details presented today by Reidy, but she previously acknowledged having spoken with league investigators after finalizing her divorce. Neither is it known whether Reidy’s newly expanded allegations will lead to further investigation from the commissioner’s office.
In terms of his ongoing employment situation, Russell was recently tendered a contract by the Cubs, though that is not a guaranteed commitment. It is not known the extent to which Reidy’s full allegations (or other information) were available to the team. At the time, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said the organization wished “to try to become a small part of the solution for Addison, his family, Melisa Reidy and the larger issue of domestic violence prevention.” In a statement issued through the team, Russell apologized to Reidy for what he described as his “past behavior” while also stating an intention to “become part of the solution.”
Rangers To Sign Jeanmar Gomez
The Rangers have reached a minor-league deal with right-hander Jeanmar Gomez, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The signing includes an invitation to MLB spring camp.
Also joining the Texas organization on minors deals are a trio of other hurlers. Ariel Hernandez, Phillips Valdez, and Miguel Del Pozo are all slated to join Gomez on the big league side in Surprise, Arizona.
Gomez, 30, is still looking to fully reestablish himself after three tough seasons. He averaged 9.7 K/9 in 25 innings last year with the White Sox, but struggled to a 4.68 ERA in that span. He has now coughed up 5.28 earned per nine since the start of the 2016 season.
Unsurprisingly, the Rangers seem to be bringing in quite a few arms for spring trials. The club has mostly filled out its rotation, at least barring ensuing trades, but has quite a lot of bullpen positions up for grabs.
Of the other hurlers, only Hernandez has reached the big leagues. The high-powered, control-challenged pitcher struggled in a brief 2017 stint with the Reds. He bounced around last year, ultimately throwing 55 1/3 innings of 2.93 ERA ball in the upper minors but recording 8.8 K/9 against 6.5 BB/9 in the proceess.
Astros Sign Michael Brantley
DECEMBER 19: The deal is now official.
Brantley will receive a $2MM signing bonus and $15MM salaries in each year of the deal, per Rosenthal (via Twitter).
DECEMBER 17, 6:01pm: The terms have been agreed to, per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, who tweets that the deal will not come with any options.
5:48pm: The Astros are “closing in” on a deal with veteran outfielder Michael Brantley, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). It’s expected to promise Brantley something in the range of two years and $32MM if completed, per the report.
Entering the offseason, MLBTR graded Brantley the tenth-best free agent on the market. We predicted both he and Andrew McCutchen would secure three-year deals at $15MM average annual values. If today’s rumored pact goes through, though, McCutchen will have topped Brantley handily with his own three-year, $50MM agreement with the Phillies.
For the ‘Stros, this signing would deliver another veteran, left-handed-hitting corner outfield to a mix that already includes Josh Reddick. Both Brantley and Reddick are best with the platoon advantage, as is younger lefty-swinging outfielder Tony Kemp, which will make it interesting to see how the remainder of the roster is structured.
Brantley is certainly a polished offensive piece. The 31-year-old slashed .309/.364/.468 last year and is among the game’s best pure hitters, as reflected in his lifetime .295 batting average. He’s good for fifteen to twenty long balls annually, which is useful but hardly elite for a corner outfielder, but makes up for any shortcomings in that regard by rarely striking out (10.7% career K rate).
It certainly doesn’t hurt, either, that Brantley contributes in the running game. He swiped a dozen bags last year and has typically graded out as an above-average to excellent overall baserunner. In the field, Brantley has mostly drawn average marks for his work in left field.
The largest demerit, clearly, involves health. Brantley was limited significantly in 2016 and 2017 owing to a string of injuries and related surgeries. That, perhaps, is the most significant point of distinction between Brantley and McCutchen.
Even if the Houston club has its qualms about Brantley’s health outlook, it’ll have more flexibility than its peers to keep him rested and make the most of his skillset. Brantley can spend time at DH and perhaps even at first base, with the right-handed-hitting Yuli Gurriel potentially operating in a similar fashion but as a right-handed hitter.
The broader slate of Houston stars definitely hues right-handed, so it’s not as if there’s an over-abundance of lefty bats generally. Still, as hinted above, this acquisition poses some interesting questions regarding the outfield mix, in particular. Brantley, Reddick, and Kemp aren’t the only pieces to consider, after all. In terms of righty bats, George Springer will continue to get regular time while Jake Marisnick could work as a platoon piece.
That works well enough on its own, particularly if we assume Brantley will see action in other areas, but leaves two players (both left-handed hitters) unaccounted for. 25-year-old Derek Fisher struggled badly last year in the majors, but is still an intriguing talent. And Kyle Tucker is widely viewed as one of the better all-around prospects in baseball. The 21-year-old had a forgettable first attempt at the big leagues, but laid waste to Triple-A pitching in 2018 and could well be a major factor next season.
It’s tough to know exactly how this’ll all shake out. For now, suffice to say, the Astros still have plenty of options. It’s not hard to imagine another significant bat fitting on the roster. And it’s also not difficult to picture a trade — whether a blockbuster or one of lesser significance — that’d make use of the backlog of lefty outfield bats.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nick Martinez Re-Signs With Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
Former MLB hurler Nick Martinez has re-upped with Japan’s Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, the club announced (via the Japan Times). He’ll be guaranteed a reported $2.2MM.
Martinez, 28, landed with the Fighters last year after spending parts of four seasons in the majors with the Rangers. He obviously impressed his new club in his first attempt at Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.
Indeed, Martinez racked up an abundance of quality innings in 2018. He tallied 161 2/3 frames over 25 starts, an average of nearly 6.5 innings per outing, while working to a 3.51 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9.
Those K/BB figures aren’t terribly exciting, but whiffs have never been a feature of Martinez’s game. In his 415 1/3 total MLB innings, he owns a 4.77 ERA with 5.1 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9.
Twins To Sign Mike Morin
The Twins have agreed to a minor-league deal with righty Mike Morin, per Brandon Warne of Zone Coverage (via Twitter). It includes an invitation to participate in MLB camp next spring, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN adds on Twitter.
Morin, 27, has compiled 174 total inning at the game’s highest level over the past four seasons, working to a cumulative 4.66 ERA. His underlying numbers suggest he has been better than the results, however.
In addition to maintaining a solid combination of 8.6 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9, with a strong 12.8% swinging-strike rate, Morin has allowed only 0.78 home runs per nine innings and has a history of drawing soft contact. ERA estimators are rather bullish, crediting Morin with a lifetime 3.32 FIP, 3.89 xFIP, and 3.42 SIERA.
Nevertheless, Morin’s MLB opportunities have dwindled over the past two seasons. He spent the bulk of 2018 working at Triple-A for the Mariners organization. In 53 2/3 frames for Tacoma, he posted a 3.86 ERA with a familiar combination of 8.7 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, and 0.5 HR/9.
Darin Ruf Re-Signs With KBO’s Samsung Lions
Former MLB slugger Darin Ruf has decided to return to the Korea Baseball Organization’s Samsung Lions, per a club announcement. Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net passed along the news, which arrived via Naver Sports (Korean language link).
Ruf, who’s now 32 years of age, will receive $1.4MM in guaranteed money and can also pick up $300K in potential incentives. Evidently, he was unable to find more appealing opportunities with a MLB outfit. That’s hardly surprising given then tough market facing most lumbering power hitters of Ruf’s ilk.
It’s a nice consolation prize for the five-year MLB veteran, who has thrived in the hitter-friendly KBO since heading there in advance of the 2017 season. Last year, he delivered a healthy .330/.424/.605 slash with 33 long balls. He placed third in the league in OPS, lagging only Park Byung-ho and Kim Jae-hwan. It’s always interesting to peruse the KBO leaderboards to see the eye-popping numbers some familiar names are posting in Korea’s top league.
Troy Tulowitzki Hosts Workout For MLB Clubs
At least 11 teams were on hand to watch Troy Tulowitzki work out earlier today, reports Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports. The Giants, Angels, Red Sox, Cubs, Padres, White Sox, Orioles, Yankees, Phillies, Tigers and Pirates were all represented at the showcase, Brown reports (as were other, unnamed teams), with some clubs even sending their top executives to get a first-hand look at the former Rockies star. Angels GM Billy Eppler was in attendance, per Brown, as were new Giants president of baseball ops Farhan Zaidi and manager Bruce Bochy.
Since being released by the Blue Jays last week — with two years and $38MM remaining on his contract — Tulowitzki has been separately connected to a handful of teams including the Pirates, the Yankees, the Cubs and the Giants. His agent, Paul Cohen, recently told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that Tulowitzki is open to playing second base or third base with a new team. Brown, notably, writes that the biggest appeal for Tulowitzki will be the promise of regular at-bats at one positions (as opposed to moving between those three spots in a utility role).
It doesn’t seem as though there’s any early favorite to add Tulowitzki, who’ll cost his new team only the Major League minimum of $555K next season. (Toronto is on the hook for the remainder of his salary.) At that price, it’s justifiable for virtually any team to take a look at Tulowitzki and see if he can rediscover some of the form that once made him one of the game’s premier players. While few would expect him to return to his 2013-14 levels of output, that type of performance is hardly necessary from someone whose new team will pay him the league minimum. Tulowitzki’s bat was at least league-average in both 2015 and 2016, so if he’s healthy there’s plenty of reason to believe he can at least be fairly productive at the dish. How he adjusts defensively after undergoing surgery on both heels last year could be a more pressing question — particularly if he’s also adjusting to a new position after spending his entire pro career at shortstop.
Mets Notes: Moustakas, d’Arnaud, Plawecki, Pollock
Never afraid to be candid in his brief time as a Major League general manager, Brodie Van Wagenen spoke with SNY’s Steve Gelbs today and stated, “…[I]nternally, we would argue that we’re the favorites in the division right now” (Twitter link, with video). Van Wagenen expressed pleasure in being able to add a pair of back-end relievers (Edwin Diaz, Jeurys Familia) as well as a pair of middle-of-the-order bats (Robinson Cano, Wilson Ramos). That said, the rookie GM also made clear that the Mets aren’t done adding this offseason and indicated that they “still have some real money to spend.” Unsurprisingly, Van Wagenen didn’t dive into specifics about who else might be a target, but it seems that there’s still work to be done as the Mets look to reemerge as contenders in an increasingly competitive division.
A few notes on what could yet be in store in Queens…
- The Mets at least discussed the possibility of making a run at Mike Moustakas last week, tweets Mike Puma of the New York Post. However, as Puma notes, it’s not clear whether the addition of Ramos has lessened their desire to add another free-agent bat. The 30-year-old Moustakas hit .251/.315/.459 with 28 homers between the Royals and Brewers in 2018 — his fourth consecutive season of above-average production at the plate (by measure of park-adjusted metrics OPS+ and wRC+). The Mets already have Todd Frazier, a former client of Van Wagenen from his days as an agent with CAA, lined up to play third base next season. Frazier, 33 in February, struggled to a .213/.303/.390 slash line in 472 PAs with the Mets last season, though he still turned in above-average defense in 954 innings at the hot corner.
- Van Wagenen also told reporters today that teams have been calling about catchers Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki for the past month (Twitter links via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). Interest in both catchers has increased, per the GM, since the club agreed to terms with Ramos. Either d’Arnaud or Plawecki could be a logical trade candidate, especially given that both are out of minor league options. DiComo, though, notes that Van Wagenen has repeatedly talked up d’Arnaud’s versatility and indicated that d’Arnaud could be utilized in either left field or at first base in addition to his work at catcher. While the GM has suggested that the Mets could carry three catchers, it’d be a less clumsy roster structure if the Mets were to find a trade partner for either Plawecki or d’Arnaud and dedicate that would-be third catcher spot to a more traditional utility option.
- Also via DiComo (Twitter link), Van Wagenen implied that the A.J. Pollock may no longer fit into the Mets’ plans, suggesting instead that Ramos gives the Mets the right-handed, middle-of-the-order bat the team sought. Whether there’s some degree of posturing there remains to be seen, but Pollock was always at least somewhat of a stretch as a fit on a roster that already includes Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes and Juan Lagares. While Cespedes will miss significant time in 2019 as he recovers from surgery on both heels, a long-term deal for Pollock would’ve eventually presented some degree of a logjam. On the other hand, that’d only be the case if all those options were healthy, and the majority of them have had some notable injury issues in recent seasons.