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AL West Notes: Mariners, Hamels, Parker, Anderson, Bedrosian, A’s

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Some news from around the AL West, as the division heads into the All-Star break with four teams over the .500 mark…

  • There was some buzz last month about the Mariners discussing a trade for Cole Hamels, though the Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish hears that the Mariners’ “interest was greatly overplayed.”  Whatever talks the M’s and Rangers had about Hamels could have been simply due diligence on the part of Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto, who “checks in on every player and will never toss away any proposal immediately.”
  • The Mariners’ general need for pitching is further explored by Divish as part of his mailbag piece, as he isn’t sure Seattle will necessarily target a starter.  For one, a clear top-of-the-rotation arm may not be available.  The team’s search for such a pitcher is further complicated by the fact that some members of Mariners ownership and the upper-level management team aren’t keen on acquiring players who are only under contract for the rest of this season (i.e. Hamels or J.A. Happ, another pitcher linked to Seattle on the rumor mill.)  It should be noted that Hamels is technically under control for 2019 via a club option, though at a steep cost of $20MM.  As for a more controllable arm on a frequent Mariners trade partner, Divish doesn’t believe the M’s have the prospect depth to obtain Chris Archer from the Rays.
  • The Angels have been getting calls about such relievers as Blake Parker, Cam Bedrosian, and Justin Anderson, Ken Rosenthal reports in a video update for FOXSports.com.  All three right-handers have pitched well this season, with Parker stepping up as Anaheim’s first choice at closer in the wake of Keynan Middleton’s Tommy John surgery.  Rosenthal suggests the Angels will be open to selling high on these arms due to the “volatile” nature of relief pitchers on a year-to-year basis, though obviously L.A. would want a decent return since all three come with multiple years of control.
  • With the Athletics positioned to make additions at the trade deadline, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser figures the team will look to add pitching in some form.  Though the rotation is Oakland’s biggest need, Slusser suggests the A’s could “get creative” by bolstering its already-solid relief corps, which would allow the starters to make shorter outings before turning things over to the bullpen.  If the A’s do pursue a starter, it will be a mid-tier arm rather than a frontline ace — Slusser suggests the Twins’ Jake Odorizzi or Lance Lynn as the types of starters Oakland would look at obtaining, though there isn’t any indication that the A’s have specific interest in either of those Minnesota pitchers.

Red Sox, Braves Interested In Mike Moustakas

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7:10pm: The Royals may have to wait until Manny Machado is traded before fully pursuing a Moustakas deal, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (Twitter link).  Up to seven teams have been rumored to be involved in the Machado talks, and with some suitors already reportedly falling out of the running, it stands to reason that some of these teams could pivot to Moustakas.  The Braves, for instance, are also one of the clubs in on Machado.

4:00pm: The Royals are “more likely than not” to trade third baseman Mike Moustakas this month, per ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, who lists the Red Sox and Braves as a pair of playoff contenders interested in acquiring him.

The Red Sox already boast the majors’ best record (68-30) and a 4 1/2-game lead in the AL East, even though they haven’t gotten great production from third baseman Rafael Devers. But the 21-year-old still has plenty of time to turn into a foundational piece for the Red Sox, and it may behoove them to find an upgrade in the meantime. With Boston pushing for its fourth World Series title since 2004, the lefty-swinging Moustakas would seemingly qualify, having slashed .250/.306/.469 with 19 home runs in 386 plate appearances, easily beating out Devers’ numbers (.241/.292/.424 with 14 HRs in 367 PAs). Of course, Moustakas’ production also hasn’t been all-world, as he has logged a 106 wRC+ to Devers’ 87 and has dropped off precipitously since a red-hot April.

The Braves haven’t come close to matching the Red Sox’s excellence this season, but they’re still 52-42 – in possession of a National League wild-card spot and within half a game of the NL East-leading Phillies. Their starting third baseman, Johan Camargo, has actually outdone Moustakas by wRC+ (109), having batted .247/.346/.426 with nine homers in 263 PAs. The switch-hitting Camargo is capable of playing shortstop, however, and could perhaps usurp the starting role from the light-hitting, righty-swinging Dansby Swanson or at least platoon with him.

After failing to encounter much interest in free agency last winter, the 29-year-old Moustakas wouldn’t represent a long-term acquisition for any club. Moustakas is owed the rest of a $5.5MM salary this season, and then his employer will have to decide whether to exercise a $15MM mutual option for 2019 or pay him a $1MM buyout.

Sherman’s Latest: Pitching, Ross, Yates, Yankees, Familia, Gibson

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There is some uncertainty within the trade market for starting pitching, as contenders could wait until closer to the July 31st deadline to make a move for an arm just in case new trade candidates become available, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes.  Some executives and scouts who spoke to Sherman at the Futures Game cited such names as the Cardinals’ Carlos Martinez, and the Angels’ Tyler Skaggs and Andrew Heaney as potential hurlers that could join the market in the next week or two.  We’ve already heard of the Yankees’ potential interest in Skaggs and Heaney, and Martinez’s ability and years of control (potentially through 2023 via club options on his five-year, $51MM contract) would make him the most sought-after pitcher available if the Cards did indeed shop him.  Dealing a long-term piece like Martinez, however, would be an awfully bold move for a St. Louis club that would seem to still have designs on competing in 2019, and may not have yet thrown in the towel on getting back into this year’s playoff race.  The Cardinals are certainly a team to closely monitor to see if a turn-around is possible under their new manager, or, if they are deadline sellers, just how big a selloff could be in the offing.

Here’s some more trade buzz in another piece from Sherman…

  • The Yankees are one of the many teams who have checked in with the Padres about Tyson Ross, Brad Hand, and Kirby Yates.  New York was already been linked to Hand in rumors, and it makes sense that the team would also inquire about another talented reliever in Yates, who would come at a lower asking price.  Ross has posted solid numbers (4.32 ERA, 8.06 K/9, 2.26 K/BB rate over 108 1/3 IP) as he finally looks to be recovered from the shoulder issues and eventual thoracic outlet syndrome surgery that limited him to only 54 1/3 innings in 2016-17.  Since Ross is only signed to a minor league deal, his modest salary makes him attractive to all suitors, particularly to a Yankees club that is trying to bolster its rotation without passing the luxury tax threshold.
  • Reports from earlier today listed the Giants and Phillies as two of the teams interested in Mets closer Jeurys Familia, and Sherman adds the Red Sox to that list.  Boston is known to be looking for a significant bullpen addition, so it isn’t any surprise that the Sox have checked in on Familia as they explore the relief market.  As Sherman notes, the Red Sox and Mets combined on a notable bullpen trade at last year’s deadline when Addison Reed was sent to Boston.
  • With the Twins open to talking about pretty much any veteran on their roster, Sherman adds Kyle Gibson to the list of potential trade chips.  Gibson, the 22nd overall pick in the 2009 draft, seemingly enjoyed a breakout season in 2015 before scuffling the next two years, though he has rebounded for what looks like the best season of his six-year career.  The right-hander has a 3.42 ERA, 8.9 K/9, 46.5% grounder rate, and 2.48 K/BB rate through 115 2/3 IP this season.  Gibson could garner one of the largest returns of any Twins player in a deal, as he is controlled through the 2019 season via his final year of arbitration.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Machado, Phillies, O’s, Tigers, Bucs, Tribe

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This week in baseball blogs….

Submissions: ZachBBWI @gmail.com

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/15/18

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Keeping track of Sunday’s minor moves…

  • The Rockies have outrighted reliever Brooks Pounders to Triple-A and reinstated fellow reliever Carlos Estevez from the 60-day disabled list, per a team announcement. The club subsequently optioned Estevez to Triple-A. Given that he has been outrighted in the past, Pounders has the ability to elect free agency. It’s unclear if that will happen, however. The 27-year-old has been a Rockie since January, when he signed a minor league deal with the team, and earned a major league call-up in late April. Pounders then struggled to prevent runs over 15 1/3 innings, recording a 7.63 ERA on a whopping 25 hits. However, he did post tremendous strikeout and walk rates (9.98 K/9, 1.17 BB/9). The former Royal and Angel offered similar production with those two teams, as his 8.92 ERA, 9.86 K/9 and 2.35 BB/9 over 38 1/3 frames demonstrate. He owns a 2.93 Triple-A ERA, though, with 9.5 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 147 1/3 innings.

Red Sox Place Eduardo Rodriguez On DL

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3:41pm: Rodriguez’s ankle has “serious damage,” the Red Sox announced (via Sean McAdam of BostonSportsJournal.com). Rodriguez won’t need surgery, but he’ll be in a boot for two weeks before the team re-evaluates him.

9:40am: The Red Sox have placed left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez on the 10-day disabled list with a right ankle sprain, the team announced. In a corresponding move, Boston activated fellow southpaw Brian Johnson from the 10-day DL.

Rodriguez suffered the injury in Saturday’s start against Toronto, forcing him to depart after he spun 5 1/3 scoreless innings. Injury aside, the outing continued what has been a career-best season for the 25-year-old.

Boston has raced to the majors’ best record (67-30) thanks in no small part to Rodriguez, who has pitched to a 3.44 ERA/3.56 FIP with 9.46 K/9 and 2.75 BB/9 in 104 2/3 innings. His performance has helped offset David Price’s so-so season and given Boston another high-end starter along with Chris Sale and Rick Porcello.

With the All-Star break coming up, this may go down as a short absence for Rodriguez, though manager Alex Cora told reporters Saturday that the swelling in his ankle looked “bad.” If this injury proves to be serious, perhaps Boston will be more open to deepening its rotation prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline as it continues trying to hold off the Yankees in the AL East. The Red Sox do have some proven depth in the fold in Steven Wright and Drew Pomeranz, but those two are also on the DL. For now, then, they’ll turn to Johnson to join Sale, Porcello, Price and Hector Velazquez in their rotation.

Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers Reportedly In Lead For Manny Machado

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JULY 15, 2:59pm: The Phillies, Dodgers and Brewers are indeed in the lead for Machado, according to Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun, but a source tells him “it’s too close to call” whose offer is the best. The Braves are still alive, adds Encina, who writes that “the strength of the Yankees’ offer appears to have been exaggerated.”

2:32pm: The Yankees are still “serious” about acquiring Machado, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe hears.

1:37pm: The Orioles continue progressing toward a deal, tweets Olney, who echoes Heyman in suggesting the Phillies, Brewers and Dodgers are the three most likely clubs to acquire Machado. Olney omits the Yankees and Indians, however.

9:06am: The Brewers have made a “good offer” for Machado, Heyman tweets, adding that they “appear” to join the Phillies and Dodgers as the most likely landing spots for the shortstop. The Yankees and Indians are also still alive, Heyman suggests.

JULY 14, 5:44pm: The Orioles are “definitely motivated” to get a deal done as soon as possible, Olney adds, citing an evaluator who is familiar with trade discussions.

5:14pm: The Orioles are “making progress and narrowing their focus” in Machado trade talks, Buster Olney of ESPN tweets. The Phillies and Brewers are said to be among the finalists; it isn’t clear who the other finalist(s) might be at this time.

1:19pm: The Phillies are “thought to be” ahead of the Yankees “and maybe most others” in the Machado derby, Heyman tweets. The Brewers, Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Indians remain in the mix, though, per Heyman.

JULY 13, 6:30pm: Rosenthal adds on Twitter that the O’s are taking a closer look at the Philadelphia farm. And Jon Heyman of Fancred tweets that there has been “some progress” between the sides

That said, there’s some uncertainty among teams pursuing Machado as to when the O’s intend to make a decision, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter links). While the club is said to “have a pretty good idea what [Machado] can bring” back in a trade, it seems that some suitors are wondering if the Orioles won’t wait to act until the deadline gets closer.

12:55pm: The Phillies have improved their offer to the Orioles for star infielder Manny Machado, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter links). In recent days, the Brewers, Dodgers and Yankees have been categorized as the favorites to land Machado. However, Rosenthal suggests that while the Dodgers and Yankees have the strongest offers on the table, the Brewers are beginning to fade from the mix, while the Diamondbacks are, at this point, “on [the] periphery” of the market.

Regarding the Yankees’ interest in Machado, some have considered it a questionable fit given the presence of Miguel Andujar and Didi Gregorius on the roster. Rosenthal, though, echoes recent suggestions from MLB.com’s Jon Morosi that it’s at least possible that Andujar could be utilized as the centerpiece of a trade to acquire a controllable piece in the rotation, thus opening a spot for Machado. There are questions about Andujar’s defense, Rosenthal notes, which is borne out in defensive ratings (-12 Defensive Runs Saved, -7 Ultimate Zone Rating).

Suffice it to say, there are plenty of moving parts on the Machado front. Baltimore has been said to be keen on acquiring controllable starting pitching, and the Phillies have plenty of options in that regard, as do the Brewers, Yankees and Dodgers.

It’s not yet clear what, precisely, the Phillies (or any team) is willing to offer up, though the Phils have intriguing young rotation pieces in the form of Zach Eflin and Enyel De Los Santos, each of whom has already pitched in the Majors this season (extensively so, in Eflin’s case). Right-handers Sixto Sanchez and Adonis Medina are each considered to be among the game’s top 75 or so prospects, and the Phils have a number of MLB-ready back-of-the-rotation options on the 40-man roster who could be secondary pieces (e.g. Ben Lively, Jake Thompson, Drew Anderson, Mark Leiter Jr.)

Regarding the Yankees’ scenario, while some fans would undoubtedly bristle at the very notion of moving Andujar, third base is a position of depth for the Yanks, who still have Brandon Drury as an option who could step onto the big league roster following the season, should that scenario ultimately play out. Of course, the Yankees also figure to be prominent players in the offseason market to acquire Machado this winter, and if they’re successful in that regard, Andujar would’ve potentially been viewed as an expendable piece anyhow. As ever, it’s worth emphasizing that that’s one of numerous scenarios that’s likely being kicked around at this juncture.

As for the Brewers, they’ve previously been said to be among the most aggressive suitors, but right-hander Corbin Burnes, one of the Orioles’ targets, could prove to be a sticking point in those talks. Tom Haudircourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel took a lengthy look at the fit between the Brewers and Machado earlier today, calling him an “absolutely perfect” fit given the team’s deficiencies in the lineup — particularly at shortstop. Milwaukee, according to Haudricourt, still views struggling Orlando Arcia as its shortstop in 2019 and beyond, but Machado would give them a potentially overpowering top of the order, joining Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich, Jesus Aguilar, Travis Shaw and Eric Thames/Ryan Braun.

Phillies, Giants Among Teams Interested In Jeurys Familia

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Mets soon-to-be free-agent closer Jeurys Familia is drawing trade interest primarily from National League teams, Buster Olney of ESPN reports. The Phillies and Giants are among those clubs, per Olney, who notes that Philadelphia might wait to see whether it acquires Manny Machado and Zach Britton from the Orioles before embarking on an earnest pursuit of Familia.

Familia was one of the game’s best relievers from 2014-16, a stretch in which he pitched to a 2.20 ERA and saved 99 of 114 opportunities, but he took steps backward during an injury- and suspension-shortened 2017. The 28-year-old now looks closer to his top form, having recorded a 2.88 ERA/2.52 FIP with 9.52 K/9, 3.1 BB/9 and a 50.5 percent groundball rate in 40 2/3 innings this season. Along the way, Familia has saved 17 of 21 opportunities for the out-of-contention Mets.

The Phillies, as an NL East rival of the Mets, are quite familiar with Familia, and they’ve seen their bullpen turn in a middle-of-the-pack performance during a first-place season. The Phillies only lead their division by a game and a half, though, and their relievers entered Sunday 17th in the majors in ERA and 15th in fWAR. However, they have received strong production from youngsters Seranthony Dominguez, Victor Arano and Edubray Ramos.

The Giants, on the other hand, are out of the playoffs right now, sitting three games back of a wild-card spot and 3 1/2 behind NL West-leading Los Angeles. Statistically, the Giants’ bullpen has outdone the Phillies’, ranking 10th in ERA and an even more impressive sixth in fWAR. Familia would further strengthen a group that has seen Will Smith, Tony Watson and Reyes Moronta, among others, turn in absolutely great showings. San Francisco’s bullpen did lose closer Hunter Strickland to a fractured hand less than a month ago, but he should be back within a few weeks.

Any team acquiring Familia would be taking on a rental, as mentioned earlier. He’s owed the balance of a $7.925MM salary.

Giants Place Jeff Samardzija On DL

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The Giants have placed right-hander Jeff Samardzija on the 10-day disabled list with inflammation in his pitching shoulder, Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group was among those to report. Infielder Kelby Tomlinson is up from Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move.

This is the third DL stint of the season and the second on account of shoulder troubles for Samardzija, who was known for his durability entering the year. The 33-year-old came into 2018 fresh off five straight seasons of 200-plus innings. He has only thrown 44 2/3 at the halfway point this year, though, and hasn’t been effective when healthy enough to take the hill.

Samardzija has pitched to a 6.25 ERA/5.42 FIP thus far, thanks in part to poor strikeout and walk rates (6.04 K/9, 5.24 BB/9), a 29.9 percent groundball mark and a recent stark decline in velocity. All of those numbers represent personal-worst figures for Samardzija, who holds a 4.17 ERA/3.86 FIP with 8.1 K/9, 2.72 BB/9 and a 43.8 percent grounder rate for his career.

Samardzija is in the third season of a five-year, $80MM contract, a deal the Giants awarded him when he was a quality mid-rotation starter. Now, with a desire to stay under the $197MM competitive-tax threshold, they’d surely like to get rid of his money. The club has reportedly made him available, in fact, but his 2018 performance, newfound injury troubles and contract combine to make him immovable.

Despite Samardzija’s woes this year, the Giants sit a respectable 50-47, three games out of a wild-card spot and 3 1/2 behind the NL West-leading Dodgers. If Samardzija misses significant time after the All-Star break, it seems likely San Francisco will slot Derek Holland back into its rotation behind Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto, Andrew Suarez and Dereck Rodriguez.

NL Central Notes: Cardinals, Girardi, Cubs, Darvish, Cervelli, Villar

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The Cardinals’ players are now “on notice” after the team fired manager Mike Matheny on Saturday, Mark Saxon of The Athletic tweets. If the Cardinals (47-46) don’t turn things around during the coming weeks under interim manager Mike Shildt, there may be “sweeping changes” to their roster, per Saxon. St. Louis’ front office, for its part, “has pined for years to be a seller and stock up for the future,” Saxon writes. With the All-Star break on the doorstep and the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline soon to follow, the Cardinals won’t have a lot of time to reverse course on the field in the next couple weeks, though they’re only four games out of a wild-card spot.

  • Since Matheny’s ouster, former Yankees and Marlins skipper Joe Girardi has come up frequently as a speculative fit for St. Louis. The Cardinals will indeed consider Girardi, who already has a “good rapport” with president John Mozeliak and is thought of highly by the organization, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. It’s unknown whether Girardi will want to get back into managing after a long, successful run in New York, however. Girardi was unwilling to comment on St. Louis’ managerial situation when Joel Sherman of the New York Post contacted him.
  • Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish, out since late May with triceps tendinitis, told Carrie Muskat of MLB.com and other reporters Saturday that he’s hopeful he’ll be able resume throwing off a mound next weekend. However, there’s still no timetable for Darvish’s return to the Cubs’ rotation. With Darvish unavailable (and having struggled before his injury) and Tyler Chatwood in the throes of a rough year, the Cubs are looking for pitching as July 31 nears, according to general manager Jed Hoyer. “No matter what happens [with Darvish], we’re going to be trying to acquire pitching and try to acquire depth,” Hoyer said. “That’s our focus no matter what.”
  • Head injuries have been an all-too-common occurrence for Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli, whom concussion issues forced to the disabled list on Saturday for the fourth time since last June. It doesn’t appear his playing days are in peril right now, though. Asked Saturday if Cervelli’s career could be in jeopardy, Pirates director of sports medicine Tom Tomczyk said (via Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic): “A good question. We have the head of neurology (at Allegheny Health System) leading the direction and advising our internal team of doctors … and that recommendation hasn’t been relayed to him as of yet.” One way the Pirates could make Cervelli’s life easier is by giving him some playing time elsewhere on the field, and they are considering using him at first base on occasion, Elizabeth Bloom of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette relays.
  • The Brewers announced that they’ve placed second baseman Jonathan Villar on the 10-day DL with a right thumb injury and recalled outfielder Brett Phillips from Triple-A. It’s not known how much time Villar will miss, but it’s the latest disappointing development for a player who has experienced a marked drop-off since a great 2016. Villar has bounced back since a disastrous 2017 to some extent, though he has still batted a subpar .261/.315/.377 with six home runs and 14 steals in 279 plate appearances. The 27-year-old has been a key part of a generally weak middle infield, an area Milwaukee may bolster with a trade for Orioles shortstop Manny Machado. [UPDATE: An MRI revealed that Villar had just a sprained thumb and no structural damage, Brewers manager Craig Counsell told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other reporters.]

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