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Blue Jays To Exercise Club Option On Justin Smoak

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The Blue Jays will exercise their $8MM club option on first baseman Justin Smoak, reports MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (Twitter link). The decision to do so over a $250K buyout seemed rather straightforward on the heels of a second consecutive strong season for the switch-hitting slugger.

[Related: Toronto Blue Jays depth chart]

Smoak, 32 in December, broke out with a massive .270/.355/.529 batting line and 38 homers in 2017, and while he didn’t quite replicate that production in 2018, he still enjoyed a strong performance at the plate. In 594 plate appearances, he hit .242/.350/.457 with 25 big flies and 34 doubles in the heart of the Toronto batting order.

Smoak’s initial two-year, $8.5MM extension with the Blue Jays back in the summer of 2016 drew some criticism but ultimately proved to be a feather in the cap of GM Ross Atkins and president Mark Shapiro. His option value jumped from $6MM to $8MM this season when he reached a combined total of 1100 PAs between the 2017-18 seasons, and he’ll now give the Jays either an affordable middle-of-the-order bat for the 2019 season or an interesting trade chip to market to other clubs this winter or next summer. While slugging first basemen generally haven’t been valued as much in recent seasons as they were even five years ago, Smoak still ranks among the game’s most productive hitters over the past two seasons and is a legitimate bargain at that modest one-year commitment.

Mike Moustakas, Joakim Soria Decline Mutual Options

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The Brewers announced Tuesday that third baseman Mike Moustakas and right-hander Joakim Soria have both declined their half of their 2019 mutual options. Moustakas’ option came with a $15MM value, while Soria’s was worth $10MM. Both players received a $1MM buyout and are now free agents.

[Related: Updated Milwaukee Brewers depth chart and payroll outlook]

Moustakas, who turned 30 last month, was traded from Kansas City to Milwaukee prior to the non-waiver trade deadline (in exchange for Brett Phillips and Jorge Lopez) and went on to hit .256/.326/.441 with eight homers in 218 plate appearances as Milwaukee’s primary third baseman. On the season as a whole, the longtime Royals slugger hit .251/.315/.459 with 28 long balls and 33 doubles.

It’s the second consecutive quality season at the plate for Moustakas since returning from a 2016 ACL tear, and it’s bold, to an extent, to see him turn down the guaranteed $15MM he could’ve secured (if the Brewers were similarly comfortable paying him at that rate, which isn’t a given). Moustakas and agent Scott Boras found extremely limited interest in free agency last winter on the heels of a superior offensive season to the one he just concluded.

It’s certainly possible that Moustakas turned down some multi-year offers early in free agency and was ultimately forced to settle for his eventual one-year, $6.5MM deal after those suitors pursued alternative options. But now that he’s a year older and coming off a worse season with a relatively characteristic platoon split, it’d be hard to say that Moustakas did anything to truly elevate his profile in 2018. It’s true that he can no longer be saddled with a qualifying offer, which unquestionably sapped his market last offseason, so at the very least he’ll have that burden lifted as he explores the free-agent market for a second time.

As for Soria, the final season of his three-year, $25MM pact (also signed with the Royals) was arguably the best of the three. In 60 2/3 innings, the 34-year-old pitched to a tidy 3.12 ERA while averaging 11.1 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and 0.59 HR/9 with a 35.7 percent ground-ball rate. Despite the fact that he’s entering his mid-30s, Soria posted the best swinging-strike rate (14.4 percent) and opponents’ chase rate (34.1 percent) of his impressive career. With that type of swing-and-miss ability in his back pocket, he’ll likely have little trouble topping the $10MM guarantee he’d have been promised had he instead accepted the option.

Agent: Realmuto “Is Not Going To Sign An Extension In Miami”

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While the Marlins have previously made it clear that they hoped to discuss a long-term contract with star catcher J.T. Realmuto this offseason, it sounds like Realmuto’s camp has other ideas. In an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM today (Twitter link, with audio), agent Jeff Berry of CAA Baseball told host Scott Braun that Realmuto “has informed the Marlins’ ownership, he’s informed their front office he’s not going to sign an extension in Miami.” Berry also indicated that he thinks Realmuto “will definitely be wearing a different uniform” by Spring Training 2019.

That, it should be stressed, still doesn’t mean Realmuto will be traded this offseason. He was among the most coveted trade assets in baseball last winter and remained with the Marlins, even after Berry publicly requested that the Miami front office trade his client. Fresh off a terrific season in which he batted .277/.340/.484 with 21 homers and 30 doubles, Realmuto will once again be in high demand. He’s projected to earn $6.1MM via arbitration, per MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, and he’s controlled through the 2020 season.

Adding Realmuto would be a transformative move for a number of hopeful contenders. The Dodgers and Phillies are set to lose Yasmani Grandal and Wilson Ramos to free agency, while the Nationals have a clear vacancy behind the dish after a disappointing two-year deal with Matt Wieters has now reached its conclusion. The Astros, meanwhile, will bid adieu to Brian McCann, and the Rockies have had issues behind the plate for the past several seasons. Atlanta recently extended Tyler Flowers through 2019 but will see Kurt Suzuki reach free agency this weekend. The World Series champion Red Sox, meanwhile, received underwhelming production from the trio of Sandy Leon, Christian Vazquez and seldom-used Blake Swihart. Milwaukee could surely look to upgrade over Manny Pina and already pulled off one blockbuster with the Marlins (Christian Yelich). The Angels and Athletics have little in the way of immediately ready catching options in the organizations, and the Twins could use an upgrade behind the dish as well.

Frankly, even hopeful contenders with established options behind the dish are likely to inquire on Realmuto, as he’d be an upgrade over the vast majority of backstops in the league. Only Grandal and Salvador Perez hit more home runs than Realmuto, while only Ramos turned in a wRC+ mark greater than Realmuto’s 127 (that is to say, Realmuto produced at a rate roughly 27 percent better than a league-average hitter after adjusting for his league and home ballpark). The average MLB catcher’s offense, conversely, was 16 percent worse than that of a league-average hitter by that same measure.

The Marlins could opt to hang onto Realmuto and enjoy another season of excellent production from one of the game’s best young backstops. But the concrete affirmation from his agent that there will be no extension talks does figure to once again stoke the flames, so to speak, when it comes to trade interest in Realmuto. Given the sheer volume of contending clubs who could use help behind the plate, it stands to reason that the Marlins could extract a significant haul of prospects and young, MLB-ready talent in return for their 27-year-old All-Star. And, with the clock ticking and just two years of club control remaining, odds are that his trade value will never be higher than it is this winter.

Royals Decline Jason Hammel’s Option

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The Royals announced that they’ve declined their half of right-hander Jason Hammel’s mutual option, thereby making him a free agent. Hammel will receive a $2MM buyout rather than a $12MM salary for the 2019 season and will hit the open market in search of a new club.

[Related: Updated Kansas City Royals depth chart and payroll outlook]

The 36-year-old Hammel’s two-year pact with Kansas City proved to be a sizable misstep for the organization, as the veteran righty limped to a 5.29 ERA in 180 1/3 innings in 2017 before turning in a 6.09 ERA in 127 frames in 2018. Hammel lost his rotation spot in Kansas City this season and finished the year in long relief for a Royals club that finished last in the American League Central.

Prior to his time in Kansas City, though, Hammel enjoyed a solid three-year run with the Athletics and Cubs. From 2014-16, he tallied 513 2/3 innings of 3.68 ERA ball, averaging 8.3 strikeouts and 2.4 walks per nine innings pitched. He saw his strikeout rate deteriorate with the Royals, though, and his ability to strand runners plummeted from roughly league-average territory to one of the worst in baseball with men on base. Those struggles seem likely to make it difficult for his camp to find a guaranteed role on a staff in 2019, but he’ll presumably still be viewed as a low-cost depth option by a number of teams.

Orioles Select Contract Of Branden Kline

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The Orioles announced today that they have selected the contract of right-hander Branden Kline. He would otherwise have qualified for minor-league free agency.

Kline, 27, was a second-round pick out of the University of Virginia back in 2012. His path up the ladder in the Baltimore system was slowed by arm injuries, however. Kline missed most of 2015 and the entirety of the following two seasons owing to a terrible run of injuries.

Now that he has battled through a surgically repaired broken leg, Tommy John surgery, and other procedures, Kline will likely feature only as a reliever. But he showed quite some promise in that capacity in 2018, when he threw 65 2/3 innings over 44 appearances at the High-A and Double-A levels, working to a 1.64 ERA with 9.7 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9.

Edgar Martinez Steps Down As Mariners Hitting Coach

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Edgar Martinez has decided to step down from his role as hitting coach with the team, GM Jerry Dipoto announced today. Martinez will remain with the organization in a different capacity.

Martinez, the legendary former DH, is said to have requested a new opportunity within the Seattle organization that would allow “more flexibility” than his former gig. Accordingly, he and the club came up with a new role — organizational hitting advisor — in which he’ll serve as something of a roving instructor at all levels of the organization while also performing “special projects, including one-on-one coaching.”

The veteran slugger, who figures to be a popular Hall-of-Fame candidate this winter, had been the M’s hitting coach for about two-and-a-half seasons. Previously, the M’s had announced that Mel Stottlemyre would not return to his post as pitching coach. Accordingly, the club is now looking to fill two key vacancies on the staff of skipper Scott Servais.

Twins Decline Options Over Ervin Santana, Logan Morrison

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The Twins have declined a pair of club options, per a team announcement. Starter Ervin Santana and first baseman/DH Logan Morrison will receive buyouts and become free agents.

Santana will receive a $1MM buyout in lieu of a $14MM club option. While it had seemed at times as if the club would likely end up deciding to keep him around for a fifth campaign, the veteran’s injury-limited 2018 campaign rendered that unlikely.

So long as he can show that his problematic right middle finger is healed, Santana ought to be a popular bounceback target on the open market. Though he’s now 35 years of age, he had turned in two consecutive stellar seasons before the forgettable season that just concluded.

As for Morrison, who signed on last winter in what seemed to be a highly team-friendly deal, injury issues also marred his season. The club will give him $1MM rather than picking up an $8MM salary for another.

The 31-year-old Morrison had settled for his contract with Minnesota after entering the market after a big platform season. Unfortunately, he found himself among the many defensively limited sluggers who didn’t find a lot of demand, and ended up requiring hip surgery after struggling at the plate with the Twins. He’ll surely also draw plenty of looks from clubs interested in finding a productive lefty bat at an affordable price.

Red Sox Exercise Club Option Over Chris Sale

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In one of the easiest option decisions in baseball, the Red Sox announced today that they have picked up their option over lefty Chris Sale for the 2019 season.

His contract originally called for a $13.5MM salary for the upcoming campaign, with a $1MM buyout. Owing to his prior Cy Young placement, though, it was boosted to a $15MM final value. When the deal wraps up after the 2019 campaign, Sale will have earned a total of $58MM over a seven-year term.

Acquired from the White Sox before the start of the 2017 season, the 29-year-old Sale has continued to excel since swapping his pale hose for crimson stockings. He has thrown 372 1/3 regular-season innings of 2.56 ERA ball thus far in Boston.

If there are any questions, they relate not to the quality of Sale’s work on the mound, but his ability to stay there. It would be unfair to make too much of five-start absence in 2018, as he has mostly been an exceptionally durable pitcher, but the shoulder woes that cropped up this year certainly represent something to watch moving forward. Hopefully, an offseason of rest will allow Sale to enter Spring Training at full speed.

NL Notes: Phillies, Cubs, Marlins

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The Phillies have done a good job of avoiding toxic contracts, but they also don’t have much in the way of homegrown stars in the upper levels of the minors, Matt Gelb of the Athletic notes. It seems obvious, then, that the route to improve this offseason is the free agent market, and they have been one of the teams with assumed interest in free agency’s biggest fishes, to wit, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. That said, owner John Middleton once balked at a perceived lack of on-field hustle from former Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis, which would seem at odds with a willingness to go all-in on Machado, given his growing reputation. Generational talents or not, it’s Middleton’s money, and it’ll ultimately be his decision whether or not Machado and Harper are worth the long-term investment. 

  • Regardless of what happens with Machado and Harper, the Phillies do not appear inclined to overreach in the secondary market, per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, specifically as it pertains to their outfield, where in-house options Nick Williams, Odubel Herrera, Roman Quinn, and Aaron Altherr are comparable-to and cheaper-than the middle class of talent available in free agency. GM Matt Klentak also says the Phillies are unlikely to explore the starting pitching market, despite potential interest in upgrading in that area. They are hypothetically interested in a left-handed starter, but Patrick Corbin, the top name on the market, figures to command more money than the Phillies are willing to spend on him. 
  • Cole Hamels is open to signing an extension with the Cubs, or at least that’s the impression 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine came away with after speaking with his agent, John Boggs. The Cubs have until Thursday to decide whether to pick up Hamels’ $20MM option for the 2019 season or let the Texas Rangers pay his $6MM buyout. His impressive turnaround with the Cubs (12 starts, 2.36 ERA, 3.59 xFIP) leads many to believe the team option will be exercised, but nothing official has come down from Chicago yet. If the Cubs do pick up the option, they could begin negotiating an extension as early as Friday with the soon-to-be 35-year-old lefty. In theory, the Cubs could decline their option and negotiate a new contract with Hamels from there. This is unlikely, however, as the Rangers would be on the hook for the $6MM buyout, and they’d have grounds to file a grievance in that circumstance. However it happens, we should know by Thursday if Hamels will play his 2019 home games at Wrigley Field.
  • The Marlins are open to being active in free agency this offseason, albeit for moderately-priced, low-risk veterans, per MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. With six arbitration cases and only three hefty contracts on the books, the Marlins are better positioned than in recent seasons to bring in some reinforcements from the outside to help build culture and mentor their younger players. One of those arbitration cases, last year’s Opening Day starter Jose Urena, has been rumored to be available via trade, but according to Frisaro he is much more likely to be the Opening Day starter in Miami for the second consecutive season.

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