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Andrelton Simmons

Infield Notes: Phillies, Simmons, Wong, Tigers, Paredes

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The Phillies narrowed their focus on Andrelton Simmons before he signed with the Twins this afternoon, writes Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Didi Gregorius remains in play to return, but he may not be so keen on another one-year deal. Regardless, the Phillies prefer not to move Jean Segura back to short, notes Lauber. Even with Gregorius more-or-less the only remaining starting shortstop on the market, Segura’s presence, as well as Scott Kingery, means they don’t have to panic on an overpay. Should they ultimately strike out on Gregorius, Jonathan Villar and Hanser Alberto lurk as free agents, or the Phils could turn to the trade market to make a play for either Trevor Story of the Rockies or Javier Baez of the Cubs. Neither club has seemed particularly likely to move their star shortstop, but Phillies’ president of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski might be the guy to convince them. Let’s check in on some other infield news…

  • With middle infielders flying off the shelves, Kolten Wong is seeing an uptick in interest, per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter). The ace defensive second baseman has seen at least preliminary interest from the Tigers, Mariners, Rays, Cubs, Phillies, and Cardinals, with whom he’s spent his entire career. Wong’s power disappeared in 2020, slashing .265/.350/.326, but he won a second consecutive Gold Glove Award and continued to be an on-base presence for the Cardinals. Wong has quietly posted 3.3 bWAR per 600 plate appearances throughout his career, and as he enters his age-30 season, he could prove one of the more impactful free agents remaining on the market.
  • The Tigers plan on experimenting with Isaac Paredes at second base, writes Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Paredes is penciled in as the Tigers’ everyday third baseman, but manager A.J. Hinch said basically that there is no harm in expanding the 21-year-old’s skill set. He’s been on fire playing winter ball, and with Jeimer Candelario having a big season in 2020 (and Spencer Torkelson on his way to claim one of the infield corners,) it’s certainly worth testing the limits of Paredes’ defensive abilities.

 

Shortstop Notes: Simmons, Story, Polanco

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The Phillies, Reds, and Jays (among others) are those taking a look at Andrelton Simmons, per MLB Insider Jon Heyman (via Twitter). The Phillies and Reds are natural fits for the former Angel, given their openings at shortstop. The Blue Jays have notably explored many avenues for improvement. In the case of Simmons, it would mean raising their defensive efficiency in the infield, presumably by installing Simmons at short and letting Bo Bichette slide to third, where he would no doubt be a plus defender. At present, it would be surprising if the Phillies and Reds aren’t able to nab a shortstop apiece from the group of Simmons, Marcus Semien, and Didi Gregorius, given their clear need compared to other teams around the league. Considering the group of shortstops that could become free agents next year, teams could be trying to limit their long-term commitments at the position, though that’s not as likely as negotiations simply hanging up because of total dollars as teams hunt value deals.

  • Speaking of free agents to be, the Rockies’ Trevor Story may be the one of the bunch most likely to hit free agency next summer. At present, Colorado remains unmoved in their position to neither trade nor extend their star shortstop, per ESPN’s Buster Olney (via Twitter). At times this winter, they have been open to the idea of moving Story, but the most likely outcome still appears to be Story playing out the 2021 season in Coors Field and then hitting the open market.
  • The Twins may be one of the mystery teams taking a look at Simmons. When asked by Darren Wolfson of SKOR North (video link) if Jorge Polanco would be their opening day shortstop, Twins GM Thad Levin said, “I think we look at our team and say Byron Buxton’s our opening day centerfielder, and Josh Donaldson’s our opening day third baseman – almost everyone else on our team has defensive flexibility. We view that as a huge boon to our team.” Wolfson notes that the Twins know the asking prices for free agent shortstops Simmons and Marcus Semien are keeping an eye on it.
  • To be clear, Levine in no way implied that Polanco would not be a big part of their team in 2021, only that they consider the defensive malleability of the current roster as one of their advantages – both in the market and on the ball field. By DRS, OAA, and UZR, Polanco has measured as a subpar defender at shortstop throughout his career, and the Twins may see value in moving him to second in order to upgrade the infield defense on the whole. More broadly, the Twins appear keen on making the “best” free agent deal they can find, regardless of position. If flexibility really is central to the Twins’ philosophy, that could help explain any reticence they might have about locking Nelson Cruz into the designated hitter spot . That said, it’s hard to imagine finding any player better at their position than Cruz was as their DH the last two seasons (163 wRC+).

Free Agent Notes: Ozuna, Semien, Simmons, Miller, Moreland, Richards

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The latest buzz from the free agent market…

  • The Dodgers, Brewers, Yankees, and Red Sox are among the teams interested in Marcell Ozuna, according to Hector Gomez of Deportivo Z 101 (via Twitter).  These four clubs are new additions to Ozuna’s market, while the Twins and Mets (also mentioned by Gomez) were linked to the slugger earlier this winter.  Ozuna is looking for at least a four-year contract, Gomez writes.  While financial demands weren’t mentioned, it can be assumed that Ozuna is looking for enough money to put the Dodgers and Yankees well over the $210MM luxury tax threshold, so it’s possible their interest is somewhat limited.  Such a signing would also put Boston close to the threshold, and while the Brewers are nowhere near the tax line, it would represent a very bold move by a Milwaukee team that wasn’t expected to spend much this winter.  It has been a relatively quiet offseason for Ozuna on the rumor mill, as his market may be dependent on whether or not the NL has a designated hitter spot available in 2021 and beyond.
  • Didi Gregorius, Marcus Semien, and Andrelton Simmons “are viewed within the industry as similar enough that no team is compelled to set the market with a contract,” according to Matt Gelb and C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic,  This has created a lot of uncertainty about when any of the shortstop trio might sign, what their next deals might be worth, or what teams will eventually make the leap.  Gelb and Rosecrans discussed the three shortstops with nine  evaluators, who broke down the pros and cons of each player and ranked them 1-2-3 on a ballot.
  • In other news about the shortstops, the Red Sox are likely no longer a fit for Semien now that Enrique Hernandez is heading to Boston.  The Sox were reported to have interest in Semien as a second baseman, but MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo (Twitter links) hears from a source who believes “Semien still wants to sign as a shortstop,” despite interest from teams at other infield positions.  Boston is still looking to add a left-handed hitter to the bench mix, with Cotillo reporting that Brad Miller and Mitch Moreland are possibilities.
  • The Blue Jays were known to have interest in Simmons back in November and in the leadup to the trade deadline, and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that Simmons is still on Toronto’s radar.
  • Garrett Richards is one player who seems to no longer to be under consideration for the Blue Jays, as Cotillo reports that the Jays aren’t one of the teams still looking to sign the free agent righty.  “At least other teams” besides the Red Sox are still vying for Richards, Cotillo writes, though Boston seems to be relatively far along in discussions with Richards’ camp.

Reds Among Teams Interested In Andrelton Simmons

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Despite shedding salary for much of the offseason, the Reds are known to be in the market for a shortstop, and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that they’re among the clubs who’ve shown some interest in Andrelton Simmons.

It’s a natural connection to be drawn, of course, as Simmons is one of the top three free-agent options at the position alongside Marcus Semien and Didi Gregorius. That trio of free-agent shortstops represents a rather across-the-board skill set from which interested parties can choose. Gregorius is the most consistent offensive performer of the bunch but has the weakest defensive ratings of the group. Simmons is a generational defender but, even at his best, only a slightly above-average bat. Semien is the most well-rounded of the three and offers the highest offensive ceiling (evidenced by his mammoth 2019 season), but his overall track record at the plate is more modest than that of Gregorius.

The Reds have plenty of options to pursue if they’re intent on adding a shortstop, as the trade market also presents a few options even after the Mets’ acquisition of Francisco Lindor. The extent to which owner Bob Castellini is willing to spend to fill the need remains to be seen, however.

The Reds effectively dumped Raisel Iglesias’ $9.125MM salary on the Angels earlier this winter, and they non-tendered Archie Bradley despite a projected arbitration salary in the $5-6MM range. Cincinnati also cut backup catcher Curt Casali on the heels of a productive trio of seasons, and the Reds have reportedly been open to trading Sonny Gray as well. (Luis Castillo’s name has surfaced in rumors, too, although GM Nick Krall strongly denied his availability and plainly stated he expects the right-hander to be in this year’s rotation.)

Cincinnati has also been linked to both Gregorius and Semien at various points this winter, just as they’ve been speculated as a potential fit if the Rockies ultimately look to move Trevor Story. There’s no indication that there’s any preference for Simmons over that trio and other shortstop targets, but given that he’s coming off a pair of injury-shortened seasons, he could be the most affordable option.

Simmons, 31, was out to a strong start in 2019 before a Grade 3 left ankle sprain sidelined him for more than a month. His offense cratered upon returning from the injured list, and he was placed back on the IL just weeks later. His already modest power was nowhere to be seen in 2020, and he missed time this past season with his third left-ankle injury in just over one calendar year. Beyond that, his typically brilliant defensive ratings have taken a slide as he’s navigated those ankle woes.

A healthy Simmons is arguably the best defensive player in baseball — perhaps the best defensive player of the current generation — but he’s also now in his 30s and has some notable injury question marks on his recent track record. It’s not at all out of the question that he could bounce back with the glove and/or at the plate if the ankle is healed up, but his free-agent stock has clearly taken a tumble since his outstanding 2017-18 performance.

All three of Semien, Gregorius and Simmons have another wrinkle to consider in free agency this winter, as the possibility of taking a one-year pact and returning to market next winter isn’t as appealing as it might be in a normal winter. Next year’s free-agent class will not only include the aforementioned Story and Lindor, but also Corey Seager, Javier Baez and Carlos Correa.

Blue Jays Interested In Andrelton Simmons

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The Blue Jays looked into acquiring Andrelton Simmons prior to the August 31 trade deadline, and now that the shortstop is a free agent, veteran reporter Bob Elliott tweets that Toronto is again interested in Simmons’ services.

Simmons ended up playing in only 30 games in 2020, as he spent time on the injured list with a sprained ankle and also opted out of the season on September 22.  Over the small sample size of 127 plate appearances, Simmons hit pretty well (.297/.346/.356, 99 wRC+ and 95 OPS+), and the Jays or any team would happily take that sort of league-average offense in combination with Simmons’ usual excellent defense.  It’s worth noting that 2020 was by far the worst defensive season of Simmons’ career, though it’s fair to assume that his bad ankle contributed to his -1 Outs Above Average, -2 Defensive Runs Saved and +4.0 UZR/150.

That said, Simmons was also bothered by ankle problems in 2019, and has played in only 133 of a possible 222 games over the last two seasons.  In ranking Simmons 17th on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents, MLBTR projected that the 31-year-old Simmons might have to take just a one-year contract this winter, as teams will be wary of making multi-year offers given his recent injury history and any potential questions about his glovework going forward.

A one-year deal would certainly seem to fit the Blue Jays’ plans, as the team still considers Bo Bichette to be its shortstop of the future but a short-term defensive upgrade is still very much a need.  Signing Simmons would indirectly fix the Jays’ need at third base, since Bichette or Cavan Biggio could play the hot corner while the other plays second base.  Simmons doesn’t have the offensive upside of other rumored Jays shortstop targets as Francisco Lindor or Didi Gregorius, but he might have the lowest price tag — Gregorius is surely looking for a multi-year contract after taking a one-year deal with the Phillies last winter, while the Jays would have to pay a hefty trade return to pry Lindor away from the Indians.

Gold Glove Nominees Announced

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The 2020 Rawlings Glove Glove Award finalists have been released, with the Cubs netting the most nominations with seven. The Mets, Nationals, Phillies, Brewers, Rays, and Red Sox were shut out.

The awards for defensive prowess will be handed out based on defensive metrics alone this year, since managers and coaches weren’t able to see players outside their regional bubble. Moving to a metrics-based system, even for a year, certainly make for interesting television, especially since these awards can make an impact on arbitration cases. Considering the uncertainty of a 60-game season, awards could carry greater weight than usual in those proceedings, thought that’s just speculation. Without further ado, here are this year’s nominees:

AL Pitcher

NL Pitcher

AL Catcher

NL Catcher

AL First Base

NL First Base

AL Second Base

NL Second Base

AL Third Base

NL Third Base

AL Shortstop

NL Shortstop

AL Left Field

NL Left Field

AL Centerfield

NL Centerfield

AL Right Field

NL Right Field

Nicky Lopez of the Royals was originally left off the list, but he is in fact a nominee at second base, one of four nominations at the keystone in the American League. It’s the only position with four nominations.

There are a few other interesting things of note. Perennial candidates like Andrelton Simmons and Matt Chapman did not make the list this year due to shortened seasons, nor did last season’s Outs Above Average leader Victor Robles. Both Gurriel brothers earned nominations this year, with the younger Lourdes (LF) joining perennial candidate Yuli (1B).

There are also a couple of largely part-time players that made the cut, like Hoerner of the Cubs and Mendick for the White Sox. Neither was the everyday second baseman, but they did reach the inning minimum of 265 total defensive innings. They qualified at second because that’s where they played the most innings. Mendick, for example, registered just 226 innings at second, but with 27 innings at third and 15 at shortstop, he ended the year with 268 total defensive innings played.

Catchers required a minimum of 29 games, which is how we got a pair of White Sox catchers making the top-3. Pitchers had to throw a minimum of 50 innings.

The winners will be selected using the SABR Defensive Index and announced on November 3rd, per sabr.org.

Andrelton Simmons Opts Out Of Remainder Of Season

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6:01pm: The Angels have placed Simmons on the restricted list and selected infielder Elliot Soto in a corresponding move. Soto, whom the Angels signed to a minor league contract last offseason, is a former Cubs, Marlins and Rockies farmhand who has batted .272/.346/.389 in 1,323 Triple-A plate appearances.

5:29pm: Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons announced Tuesday that he has opted out of the remainder of the season.

“At this moment, I feel this is the best decision for me and for my family,” Simmons said in part to Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times. “We don’t know what the future holds, but we would like to sincerely thank the Angels organization and Angels fans for welcoming and making us feel at home.”

Simmons’ decision comes amid ongoing COVID-19 concerns that have caused others to opt out, though the 31-year-old has played the majority of the 2020 campaign. He spent time on the injured list with a sprained left ankle but has otherwise appeared in 30 games and slashed a respectable .297/.346/.356 in 127 plate appearances. That represents a nice bounce-back effort by Simmons, who was unable to complement his superlative defense with a decent offensive showing during an injury-limited 2019.

Of course, considering he’s a pending free agent, Simmons’ time with the out-of-contention Angels may be over. He originally joined the Angels in a trade with the Braves prior to the 2016 season, and while Simmons has been quite successful since then (15.5 fWAR in 2,281 plate appearances), the Angels haven’t gone to the playoffs since they acquired him.

Going forward, the Angels could try to re-sign Simmons or even issue him a qualifying offer before potentially losing him in free agency during the upcoming offseason. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him reach the open market unfettered. Simmons is on track to join Marcus Semien and Didi Gregorius as the best shortstops available in free agency.

Andrelton Simmons Discusses Future

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Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons is on schedule to become one of baseball’s most prominent free agents during the upcoming offseason. The Angels could extend Simmons before he reaches the open market, but it doesn’t seem talks have occurred between the team and his agent.

“Maybe my agent heard something, but not me,” Simmons said of potential negotiations with the Angels, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.

The Angels acquired Simmons from the Braves in a trade that sent Sean Newcomb to Atlanta prior to the 2016 season, but Los Angeles has underachieved since then. In fact, the team hasn’t clinched a single playoff berth with Simmons in its uniform, and that’s unlikely to change this year with the Angels holding a 20-28 record.

The Angels’ troubles haven’t come as a result of Simmons, a defensive whiz who has typically provided enough offense during his run with them to prove quite valuable. As a member of the Angels, the 31-year-old Simmons has slashed .280/.327/.394 with 36 home runs, 51 stolen bases and 15.3 fWAR in 2,255 plate appearances.

The problem for Simmons is that injuries, especially to his left ankle, have held him back over the past couple seasons. Simmons only played in 103 of a possible 162 regular-season games a year ago and sat out for a large portion of August 2020 on account of injury concerns, which could have a negative impact on his earning power on his next deal.

If Simmons does become a free agent for the first time in the next couple months, the Angels will have to decide whether to issue him a qualifying offer before he’s able to reach the open market. He would be an interesting case in that regard.

Blue Jays Among Teams Interested In Jonathan Villar

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Miami and Toronto are in discussions regarding Marlins infielder/outfielder Jonathan Villar, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. It’s unclear whether the two teams are progressing toward a deal, per Rosenthal, though Jon Heyman of MLB Network writes that Villar’s “definitely out there.”

Villar’s the second shortstop-capable player the Blue Jays have been connected to since the weekend, joining the Angels’ Andrelton Simmons. However, Simmons is not an option right now for Toronto, according to Rosenthal. The club’s in the market for help at the position after losing Bo Bichette to a knee sprain two weeks ago. Even if Bichette comes back this year, Villar’s versatile enough to slide to other positions, including second base and the outfield.

Since Bichette went down, the Blue Jays haven’t received much production from fill-ins Brandon Drury, Joe Panik and Santiago Espinal, but they’re still 18-14 and in the thick of the AL playoff hunt. In Villar, they’d be getting a switch-hitting 29-year-old whose offense has hovered around the league-average mark throughout his career. He’s off to a .272/.328/.360 start with two home runs and nine stolen bases in 126 plate appearances this season.

Villar, who’s on a prorated $8.2MM salary, is a pending free agent, so it may make sense for Miami to at least explore parting with him and other veteran trade chips. But even though the Marlins are just 14-15, they’re very much in the playoff race and will enter Monday tied for the final wild-card spot in the NL.

Blue Jays Checked In On Andrelton Simmons

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The Blue Jays have discussed shortstop Andrelton Simmons with the Angels, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports (Twitter link).  Specifically, the Jays “checked with” Anaheim in Morosi’s words, which could imply due diligence more than serious talks about Simmons, though the situation is certainly worth monitoring with just over two days left before the trade deadline.

Simmons is only recently back from a left ankle sprain that cost him over three weeks of the season, so the Blue Jays could very well want to see as much as they can of Simmons in action before deciding on a trade.  The veteran shortstop does have at least one hit in four of his five games since returning from the injured list, but his overall slash line for 2020 is only .257/.297/.286 in 37 plate appearances.

While obviously Toronto would like to get any extra hitting it could, Simmons’ biggest asset is his glove, as the four-time Gold Glove winner is widely considered one of the best defensive players in baseball history.  Adding that type of glovework at shortstop would go a long towards helping a position that has been a minus for the Jays since Bo Bichette hit the IL.  It isn’t yet clear when Bichette might return from his knee sprain, though he did begin baseball activities yesterday.

If the Jays did swing a deal with the Angels, their ideal situation would be Simmons at shortstop and Bichette back and healthy in a regular second base role, as Bichette played second base in the minors.  That shuffle would likely result in Cavan Biggio playing third base, as Biggio has played the hot corner in the minors and Travis Shaw has struggled at the plate this season.

Yesterday’s trade of Tommy La Stella to the Athletics would hint that the Angels are open for business as deadline sellers, as the Halos are in line for their fifth straight losing season.  Like La Stella, Simmons is also a free agent after the season, as the shortstop is winding up the seven-year, $58MM extension he signed with the Braves way back in February 2014.  Of his prorated $15MM salary for 2020, there is roughly $2.8MM still owed to Simmons over the last month of the regular season, so the Jays would be picking up a pretty significant bit of salary in this pandemic-impacted year unless some money is sent back to the Angels as an offset.

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