Ben Revere – MLB Trade Rumors https://www.mlbtraderumors.com Wed, 22 May 2019 13:28:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 Blue Jays Release Ben Revere https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/05/blue-jays-release-ben-revere.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/05/blue-jays-release-ben-revere.html#comments Wed, 22 May 2019 13:28:05 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=159309 The Blue Jays have released veteran outfielder Ben Revere from their Triple-A club, per Baseball America’s Kegan Lowe. He was in his second stint with the Jays after signing a minor league deal in late April. He’d previously had a brief but solid run as a regular in left field with Toronto after being acquired prior to trade deadline in 2015.

Revere initially reported to extended Spring Training upon signing, and he appeared in just eight games before returning to the open market. He collected multiple hits in four of those eight contests and hit .286/.286/.371 with only three strikeouts in his 35 plate appearances back in the Jays organization.

Revere, who turned 31 a couple of weeks ago, hasn’t played in the Majors since hitting .275/.308/.344 in 308 plate appearances with the Angels in 2017. He spent last season with the Halos’ Triple-A affiliate and batted .277/.319/.406 in a limited sample of 40 games. He’s long been known for his blistering speed and knack for putting the ball in play, although he’s swiped just three bags in those 48 games at the Triple-A level across the past two seasons. Revere is capable of handling all three outfield positions and was playing in games as recently as this past weekend, when he recorded consecutive multi-hit efforts, so he could land with another organization in need of some upper-level depth and step directly into a lineup in Triple-A.

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Blue Jays Sign Ben Revere https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/04/blue-jays-sign-ben-revere.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/04/blue-jays-sign-ben-revere.html#comments Sat, 27 Apr 2019 22:50:45 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=157170 The Blue Jays have signed outfielder Ben Revere to a minor league contract, per Scott Mitchell of TSN. Revere will report to extended spring training by the end of the month.

This is the second stint in the Toronto organization for Revere, who first joined them in a trade with the Phillies in July 2015. At that point, Revere was a roughly league-average hitter who was among the majors’ top stolen base threats. Revere’s career has gone downhill since then, though, evidenced by his horrific .217/.260/.300 line with 14 steals in 375 plate appearances dating back to 2016.

Now 30, Revere hasn’t appeared in the majors since he was with the Angels in 2017, when he totaled 308 PA and slashed .275/.308/.344 with 21 steals. Revere’s a lifetime .284/.319/.343 hitter with 211 steals in 262 attempts since he debuted with the Twins in 2010. He was last with the Rangers, who signed him to a minors pact Feb. 17 but released him just over a month later.

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Rangers Release Ben Revere https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/03/rangers-release-ben-revere.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/03/rangers-release-ben-revere.html#comments Wed, 27 Mar 2019 03:45:15 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=154704 The Rangers announced today that they have released veteran outfielder Ben Revere. He had been with the club on a minor-league contract but was not slated to make the MLB roster out of camp.

Revere, 30, topped three hundred plate appearances in the majors every year from 2011 to 2017. But the light-hitting center fielder failed even to appear at the game’s highest level in 2018, managing only a forty-game run at Triple-A in the Angels organization.

There was never a clear opening for Revere in Texas, though perhaps it was possible to imagine a way for him to crack the roster. He received only 22 plate appearances in camp, however, and never gained traction. Presumably, the speedy Revere — he has 211 career steals in the majors — will look for a better opportunity elsewhere.

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Rangers Sign Ben Revere https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/02/rangers-sign-ben-revere.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/02/rangers-sign-ben-revere.html#comments Sun, 17 Feb 2019 14:49:50 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=149593 The Rangers have signed outfielder Ben Revere to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. The deal comes with a $1MM salary if Revere makes the majors, per Jon Heyman of Fancred.

Revere, out of work since the Angels released him last August, is coming off a year spent solely at the Triple-A level. The 30-year-old took 166 trips to the plate with the Angels’ top affiliate and hit .277/.319/.406.

Before 2018, Revere – a first-round pick of the Twins in 2007 – saw major league action in seven straight and was successful at times. With the Twins, Phillies and Blue Jays from 2010-15, the lefty-hitting speedster posted four seasons of at least 1.5 fWAR and stole between 22 and 49 bases in five campaigns. At the same time, Revere batted a solid .295 with a .328 on-base percentage across 2,660 plate appearances, though a complete lack of power (four home runs, .054 ISO, .348 slugging percentage) tamped down his offensive impact.

After his decent early career run, Revere’s production fell below replacement level from 2016-17 with the Nationals and Angels, thus keeping him out of the majors last year. The center field-capable Revere could resurface in Texas in 2019, though the team already has six outfielders on its 40-man roster (Joey Gallo, Nomar Mazara, Delino DeShields, Willie Calhoun, Carlos Tocci and the injured Scott Heineman), not to mention veteran minor league signings Hunter Pence and Danny Santana vying for spots in camp.

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Minor MLB Transactions: 8/14/18 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/08/minor-mlb-transactions-81418.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/08/minor-mlb-transactions-81418.html#comments Tue, 14 Aug 2018 04:10:06 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=130499 There are quite a few minor moves to cover, with Baseball America’s Matt Eddy releasing several weeks’ worth of transactions. We’ll use this post to cover the most notable ones that haven’t yet featured on MLBTR:

  • The Angels released outfielder Ben Revere, who could perhaps be an interesting player to target for contending clubs that like the idea of adding a good defender and baserunning threat to their system. Revere, 30, hasn’t seen the majors this year after seven-straight seasons of action at the game’s highest level. He’s slashing .277/.319/.406 with a pair of steals through 166 plate appearances at Triple-A.
  • Ending a relationship that never seemed to work out, the Dodgers have cut loose infielder Erisbel Arruebarrena. Now 28, the former international signee hadn’t played much in the club’s system since he was suspended in May of 2016.
  • The Phillies have released a pair of former big leaguers: infielder Danny Espinosa and outfielder Adron Chambers. Espinosa’s always fickle bat has not yet recovered from a 2017 nosedive. In 240 Triple-A plate appearances with three organizations this year, he owns a .295/.239/.312 slash. Chambers, meanwhile, hasn’t seen the majors since 2013 and last played affiliated ball in 2015, but came back from an indy stint to produce a .278/.328/.437 batting line in 138 Triple-A plate appearances.
  • A host of players received their walking papers from the Diamondbacks. Righty Brian Ellington is among them; the flamethrower struggled badly with his command in limited minor-league action. Southpaw Anthony Vasquez was also released after after 85 2/3 innings of 5.04 ERA ball in the upper minors. The club also dropped several outfielders. Cesar Puello (.317/.426/.454) and Dan Robertson (.263/.361/.407) are both former big leaguers who were getting on base at Reno, but will now seek other opportunities.
  • The Giants released two notable players in righty Chris Heston and backstop Ryan Hanigan. Heston, 30, only made nine appearances in the minors this year owing to injury. Hanigan, who’s closing in on his 38th birthday, is still looking to crack the majors for the 12th-straight season but did not help his cause with a .175/.254/.193 batting line in 63 plate appearances at Triple-A.
  • The Cubs parted with Ryan Webb after he made just 11 appearances at the Rookie ball level. It is not immediately clear why the 32-year-old did not get a shot in the upper minors, or what’s next for him In eight seasons of MLB pitching, from 2009 through 2016, Webb owns a 3.43 ERA through 393 1/3 innings.
  • A variety of other former major-league relief pitchers were also on the move. Among them: The White Sox signed once-promising Braves reliever Mauricio Cabrera. Righty Dallas Beeler was released by the Royals. A trio of former MLB lefties are back in free agency after being cut free: Elvis Araujo (Orioles); Paco Rodriguez (Twins); and Dario Alvarez (Mariners).
  • Meanwhile, the Mariners parted with outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis and the Nationals did the same with Alejandro De Aza. One-time Rule 5 pick Taylor Featherston landed with the Reds.
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Angels Sign Ben Revere To Minor-League Deal https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/angels-sign-ben-revere-to-minor-league-deal.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/angels-sign-ben-revere-to-minor-league-deal.html#comments Sat, 31 Mar 2018 13:27:53 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=118788 The Angels have brought back outfielder Ben Revere on a minors pact, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets. Revere played 109 games for the club last season, but spent spring training with the Reds.

Revere brings with him eight seasons of MLB experience, plus speed on the basepaths, and respectable defense in the outfield. Still yet to reach his 30th birthday, the outfielder hit .275/.308/.344 in 2017 while chipping in 21 stolen bases across just 308 plate appearances. fWAR and rWAR pegged him around replacement level, while Baseball Prospectus’ WARP suggests he was worth about half a win above replacement.

With a fantastic major-league outfield of Mike Trout, Justin Upton and Kole Calhoun, a promotion of Revere to the big league club at any point this year would put him in a reserve outfielder/pinch running role for the Halos. It’s worth noting that the club’s other backup outfielders at present are Jefry Marte and Chris Young, neither of whom have been particularly impressive in recent seasons. Revere’s speed could be the asset that helps him force his way back to the majors this season.

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Reds Release Ben Revere https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/reds-release-ben-revere.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/reds-release-ben-revere.html#comments Sun, 25 Mar 2018 16:29:18 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=118095 The Reds have released outfielder Ben Revere, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com was among those to report. Revere joined the Reds a month ago on a minor league contract. Meanwhile, offseason minor league signings Phil Gosselin and Kevin Quackenbush have made the club. Gosselin will be part of the Reds’ bench, while Quackenbush will work out of their bullpen.

Revere was vying for a backup role in Cincinnati, but given the presences of outfielders Billy Hamilton, Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler and Jesse Winker, he looked like a long shot to make an impact with the team. The 29-year-old was ineffective over the previous two seasons, one with the Nationals and the other with the Angels, as he accounted for minus-1.2 fWAR and a .243/.282/.320 batting line in 683 plate appearances.

Revere’s signature speed was on display in 2017 during a 21-steal showing, but he’s no longer the solid regular he was earlier in his career with the Twins, Phillies and Blue Jays. Between his first full season, 2011, and 2015, Revere racked up 9.2 fWAR and batted .296/.329/.350 in 2,630 PAs. He also amassed 176 steals, the second-highest total in the league during that span.

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Reds Sign Ben Revere https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/02/reds-to-sign-ben-revere.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/02/reds-to-sign-ben-revere.html#comments Mon, 26 Feb 2018 23:38:08 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=115763 Feb. 26, 5:37pm: The deal is now official (h/t John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, via Twitter).

10:25am: Reds manager Bryan Price confirmed the agreement with John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, though he notes that the agreement is still pending a physical (Twitter link).

Feb. 25: The Reds have agreed to a minor league deal with free agent outfielder Ben Revere, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports (Twitter links).  Revere will receive an invitation to Cincinnati’s big league Spring Training camp, and he will earn between $1MM to $1.5MM if he should crack the Reds’ 25-man roster.

Revere will provide Cincy with a veteran backup option amidst a generally inexperienced crop of outfielders in camp.  The 29-year-old Revere hit .275/.308/.344 over 308 plate appearances with the Angels last season, modest numbers that still represented a solid improvement over his disastrous 2016 campaign with the Nationals.  He also again looked like his usual dangerous self on the basepaths, recording 21 steals in 27 chances and earning a strong +4.5 mark as per Fangraphs’ Baserunning (BsR) metric.

Cincinnati plans to deploy a four-man rotation of Adam Duvall, Billy Hamilton, Scott Schebler, and Jesse Winker in the outfield this season, which could make it hard for a fifth outfielder to make the team’s big league roster.  Still, Revere’s ability to play all three outfield spots is a plus in his favor (even if defensive metrics indicate he is average at best at all positions), and at worst he could also provide the Reds with some minor league depth.  Hamilton’s name was often floated in trade rumors over the offseason, so Revere could also step into the mix should the Reds swing a last-minute deal before Opening Day.

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West Notes: D-backs, Angels, Dodgers https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/07/west-notes-d-backs-angels-dodgers.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/07/west-notes-d-backs-angels-dodgers.html#comments Sun, 02 Jul 2017 03:35:43 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=96293 The fractured right hand shortstop Nick Ahmed suffered this week could force the Diamondbacks to address the position prior to the trade deadline, writes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. With Ahmed out for the foreseeable future, general manager Mike Hazen indicated that he’s open to acquiring a shortstop. “I felt like we had a clearer path,” Hazen said. “I do think, as you take on injuries, those things do change a little bit. I think over the next month, we have to be somewhat flexible given what may happen with the major-league team. I do think we have areas, like I’ve said before, that we’re going to at least focus in on to see if there are ways to improve the club.” Piecoro names the Reds’ Zack Cozart, the Tigers’ Jose Iglesias and the Phillies’ Freddy Galvis as potential targets, suggesting that each are likely defensive upgrades over the Diamondbacks’ in-house tandem of Chris Owings and Ketel Marte.

More from the majors’ two West divisions:

  • When Angels left-hander Andrew Heaney underwent Tommy John surgery a year ago, general manager Billy Eppler was unwilling to rule him out for all of 2017. Now, there’s a good chance Heaney will indeed take the hill this season, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. Heaney threw a 90-pitch simulated game Saturday and could embark on a rehab assignment later this month, and manager Mike Scioscia believes the 28-year-old has made “remarkable” progress. “I would say that his rehab has gone as well as you could hope for,” Scioscia said. “For him to throw the ball the way he did this afternoon, on the one-year anniversary of his surgery, is incredible. It’s very promising where he is.”
  • Mike Trout’s return from the disabled list later this month could create a dilemma for the Angels, who might have to decide between fellow outfielders Ben Revere and Eric Young Jr., writes DiGiovanna. Revere is the far pricier player, raking in $4MM to Young’s minimal salary; however, Young has slashed .275/.353/.418 with three home runs and 11 steals in 104 plate appearances to trump Revere’s output (.223/.237/.311, one homer, five steals over 152 PAs).
  • Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez won’t return until after the All-Star break, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com and Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links). The back troubles Gonzalez has dealt with for years continue to pose a problem, and he still hasn’t resumed baseball activities since going on the DL in the first half of June. “He’s not where he wants to be,” noted manager Dave Roberts.
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Camp Battles: Los Angeles Angels https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/02/camp-battles-los-angeles-angels.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/02/camp-battles-los-angeles-angels.html#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2017 23:40:57 +0000 https://mlb.traderumors.com/?p=85422 With limited resources at his disposal, Angels general manager Billy Eppler did well to plug holes throughout his team’s roster this offseason. The improved depth will not only help his team over the 162-game grind, it will result in some competition this spring.

Here are some notable position battles to keep an eye on.

LEFT FIELD
Cameron Maybin
Age: 30
Bats:
R
Contract Status:
1 year, $9MM
Options remaining:
Can’t be optioned without consent

Ben Revere
Age:
29
Bats: 
L
Contract Status: 
1 year, $4MM
Options remaining: 
Can’t be optioned without consent

Dustin Ackley
Age: 29
Bats: L
Contract Status: MiLB deal; $2.25MM if he makes the MLB roster
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

On the surface, Maybin should have a strong edge in this battle. Despite missing a good part of the 2016 season due to an assortment of injuries, he slashed .315/.383/.418 with 15 stolen bases in 393 plate appearances for the Tigers. Revere is coming off of an abysmal season with the Nats (.217/260/.300 in 375 plate appearances) in which he deservedly lost his starting job.

However, both players have been around long enough that their track records, as well as spring performance, will play a part in determining who will get the bulk of playing time when the season begins. Maybin has a long history of injuries and subpar offensive seasons. Revere, up until 2016, had been able to compensate for a lack of power and plate discipline with a .303 batting average and 36 stolen bases per season from 2012-2015. It would be tough to keep him out of the lineup if he returns to that form. Defensively, Maybin and Revere each cover a ton of ground and should be well above-average in left field.

Ackley, who signed a Minor League deal this offseason after he was released by the Yankees, is probably the most intriguing player in camp who could conceivably do enough in Spring Training to make a push if both Maybin and Revere struggle terribly. The 2nd overall pick in the 2009 draft, Ackley had an impressive rookie season with the Mariners in 2011, but has been a disappointment since.

Even if manager Mike Scioscia names one as his starter, it’s likely that he’ll look for platoon opportunities and/or go with the “hot hand” during the season, with Maybin and Revere both getting a chance to run away with the job.

Prediction: Maybin

CLOSER
Huston Street
Age: 
33
Throws: 
R
Contract Status: 
1 year, $10MM with 2018 club option ($10MM or $1MM buyout)
Options remaining: 
Can’t be optioned without consent

Cam Bedrosian
Age: 
25
Throws: 
R
Contract Status: 
Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’21 season
Options remaining: 
Out of options

Andrew Bailey
Age: 
33
Throws: 
R
Contract Status: 
1 year, $1MM 
Options remaining: 
Can’t be optioned without consent

Considering that Street had been one of the most consistent and reliable relief pitchers in baseball for more than a decade prior to an injury-plagued and ineffective 2016 season, it’s fair to say that he deserves the benefit of the doubt and should remain in the closer role to start the 2017 season.

The emergence of Bedrosian, however, is the likeliest reason why Street will have a much shorter leash than he’s ever had during his career. If not for a blood clot that ended his season two days after taking over as the closer when Street landed on the disabled list in early August, Bedrosian might have already proven that he’s the best man for the job. It won’t be long, though, if he can pick up where he left off (1.56 ERA, 11.4 K/9 in 45 appearances).

Former A’s closer Andrew Bailey also earned his way into the competition by pitching well after the Angels signed him to a Minor League deal in August (11.1 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 8 K). For Bailey to get serious consideration, though, he’d have to give the Angels every indication that he is healthy and back to the form that made him a Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star very early in his career.

Prediction: Street on Opening Day. Bedrosian takes the job from him by June 1st.

STARTING ROTATION (TWO SPOTS)
Tyler Skaggs
Age: 
25
Throws: 
L
Contract Status:
Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: 
1

Jesse Chavez
Age: 
33
Throws: 
R
Contract Status: 
1 year, $5.75MM 
Options remaining: 
Can’t be optioned without consent

Nate Smith
Age:
25
Throws: 
L
Contract Status:
Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’23 season 
Options remaining: 
3

Alex Meyer
Age:
27
Throws: 
R
Contract Status:
Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season 
Options remaining: 
1

Bud Norris
Age:
 32
Throws: 
R
Contract Status:
MiLB deal; $1.75MM if he makes the MLB roster
Options remaining: 
Can’t be optioned without consent

Yusmeiro Petit
Age: 
32
Throws: 
R
Contract Status:
MiLB deal; $2.25MM if he makes the MLB roster
Options remaining: 
Can’t be optioned without consent

Other candidates:
Daniel Wright, Manny Bañuelos, Brooks Pounders

Not only is there a rotation spot that is Skaggs’ to lose, he’s a strong candidate to break out in 2017. In his first season since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2014, Skaggs was eased back into action with 10 MLB starts after a late-July promotion. The Angels will still likely proceed with some caution since he only threw a total of 89 innings in 2016. He’ll need to prove in Spring Training that he’s ready to handle a full workload or else he could begin the season in Triple-A.

Chavez’s versatility is a big part of his value, but the Angels did not have the financial freedom to give nearly $6MM to a pitcher who wasn’t going to start or factor into the late-inning mix. He’ll be given every opportunity to win a rotation spot. In 26 starts with the A’s in 2015, he had a 4.37 ERA with 7.6 K/9 in 150.1 innings pitched. The Angels would be ecstatic if he can come close to that production.

Meyer, a former top prospect for the Twins, has battled injuries and control issues throughout his career. He does have an upper-90’s fastball, however, which is why he’s the most intriguing candidate on this list. The bullpen might be his ultimate destination, but the Angels probably aren’t ready to give up on him as a starter just yet. The 6’9″ right-hander only pitched 50.1 innings in 2016, but 12 of his 13 appearances, including all five at the MLB level, were starts.

Smith doesn’t have Meyer’s ceiling, but he has the potential to be a solid back-of-the-rotation starter and he might be ready to step in now. Both he and Meyer are on the 40-man roster, which is why they’ll get a long look this spring.

Like Chavez, Petit is valuable because of his ability to pitch as a swingman. In this case, he’ll be given an opportunity to win a rotation spot, although he’ll have an uphill battle to stand out. His ability to successfully bounce from the bullpen to emergency spot starter might even work against him since he’s an appealing candidate for the pen. Norris isn’t that far removed from being a very good MLB starter, but he’s had a rough go of it over the past two seasons (5.79 ERA in 196 IP between four teams). Regardless, Petit and Norris are veterans who are capable of contributing at some point, even if not right out of the gate.

Prediction: Skaggs and Chavez win spots.

[RELATED: Los Angeles Angels Depth Chart]

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Angels Sign Ben Revere https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/angels-to-sign-ben-revere.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/angels-to-sign-ben-revere.html#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2016 21:59:23 +0000 https://mlb.traderumors.com/?p=81248 The Angels have officially agreed to a one-year, $4MM contract with free-agent outfielder Ben Revere, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney first reported (Twitter links). There are also incentives in the deal based upon plate appearances that could boost its final value by up to $2.25MM, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag adds (Twitter links). Los Angeles has designated first baseman Ji-Man Choi for assignment to create roster space, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports on Twitter.

Aug 3, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Washington Nationals outfielder Ben Revere against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

With Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun entrenched as everyday options in center and right, it seems likely that Revere will mostly share time with Cameron Maybin in left field. The Maybin-Revere pairing figures to represent a higher-grade version of last year’s left-field platoon; while they’ll cost a combined $13MM, both are youthful players who won’t come with any future obligations.

[RELATED: Updated Angels Depth Chart]

Of course, there’s a reason that the fleet-footed Revere was available for such a limited commitment. Though he has been a heavily utilized player for the better part of the last six seasons, and offers quite a lot of versatility, Revere is coming off of a 2016 season which was the worst of his career at the plate.

Revere came to the Nationals last winter after playing in over 150 games in each of the two prior seasons — over which he carried a solid .306/.333/.369 batting line. He also swiped a combined eighty bags and rated as one of the game’s most valuable overall baserunners.

But things simply never took in D.C. After an oblique injury slowed him at the start of the season, Revere ultimately hit just .217/.260/.300 over 375 plate appearances. Though he continued to display excellent contact ability (34:18 K/BB ratio), his BABIP plummeted by about a hundred points (to .234) and drug his average down with it. And while Revere did steal 14 bases, he delivered only average value on the bases.

Given the struggles, Revere’s projected $6.3MM arbitration salary proved too rich for the Nats, who non-tendered him. Now, he’ll join fellow former Nationals Danny Espinosa and Yunel Escobar (each of whom was acquired via trade) as important role players in Los Angeles.

For the Halos, Revere appears to represent a solid value that solidifies an excellent outfield and adds flexibility for skipper Mike Scioscia. If he can return to being even a marginal offensive presence, Revere figures to represent at least a strong fourth outfielder who won’t cost quite as much as many similar players. While he carries neutral platoon splits, the left-handed-hitting Revere represents a natural platoon mate for Maybin and is plenty capable of spelling Trout at times up the middle.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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East Notes: Revere, Braves, Bird, Ross https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/ben-revere-sign-soon-rumor.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/ben-revere-sign-soon-rumor.html#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2016 05:09:32 +0000 https://mlb.traderumors.com/?p=81196 Free agent center fielder Ben Revere is reportedly likely to sign in the near future (as MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko first relayed earlier today), and Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet tweets that the Blue Jays won’t be his landing spot. That crosses the Blue Jays and Orioles (per Kubatko) off the list for Revere — two teams that could conceivably be in the market for a left-handed-hitting outfielder with some speed. Multiple teams still make some degree of sense for Revere, with the Giants, Mariners, Rangers, Angels and Tigers all striking me as on-paper fits (though that list is purely speculative). Non-tendered by the Nats this offseason, Revere logged a dismal .217/.260/.300 batting line in 375 plate appearances in 2016, but he’d batted .305 or better in each of the three prior seasons.

  • Braves president of baseball operations John Hart spoke with MLB.com’s Hal Bodley about the parallels between the rebuild he’s helped to architect in Atlanta and the one that he led in Cleveland back in the early to mid-90s. Hart also discussed the team’s decision to promote Dansby Swanson this past summer and the decision to add a trio of veteran starters — Bartolo Colon, R.A. Dickey, Jaime Garcia — this winter despite the team’s bulk of young pitching. “We didn’t want to stand in the way of our young pitchers, so we went with guys who I think are going to give us innings,” said Hart of adding three starters on one-year commitments. “I think this gives us a more competitive ballclub going into the new park. I don’t think this deviates from the plan we have.”
  • The Yankees “appear content” with Matt Holliday serving as the major offensive addition to their roster this winter, writes MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, which increases the importance of Greg Bird to the team’s 2017 roster. Bird is the early favorite to serve as manager Joe Girardi’s everyday first baseman next year, and GM Brian Cashman said that getting a look at Bird in the Arizona Fall League was important. “All we care about is him having a full healthy Fall League, which he’s done,” said Cashman. “It checks the box and we’ll be looking forward to seeing him in Spring Training. All reports are, he looks good.” Bird and Tyler Austin could compete for time at first base and may eventually settle into a platoon, while the outfield could see Aaron Judge and Aaron Hicks in a similar spring battle for playing time, Hoch writes.
  • Nationals right-hander Joe Ross missed significant time with a shoulder injury in 2016, but MLB.com’s Jamal Collier writes that the 23-year-old’s arm is back to health. Ross took a few weeks off to rest his shoulder, and it’s now full strength as Ross progresses through his typical offseason routine. As Collier points out, the trades of Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez magnify the importance of getting a healthy season out of Ross. Notably, Ross said he’s tinkering with some potential mechanical alterations to his delivery and throwing program in an effort to stay healthier next year.
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Quick Hits: Bautista, Revere, Holaday, Smith https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/quick-hits-bautista-revere-holaday-smith.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/quick-hits-bautista-revere-holaday-smith.html#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2016 21:37:01 +0000 https://mlb.traderumors.com/?p=81161 Jose Bautista has been speculatively linked to the Rays as a possible free agent target, though if Tampa Bay does make a move, MLB.com’s Bill Chastain notes that it might not come until late in the offseason.  The Rays have past used the tactic of coming in late with an offer to a veteran free agent (i.e. Asdrubal Cabrera, Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon) who is running short on options, so the Rays can land the player at a price that fits their limited budget.  Bautista’s market is still pretty unclear as we approach Christmas, with the first-round draft pick attached to him via the qualifying offer seemingly acting as a deterrent to many clubs.  The Rays’ top pick is protected so they would only have to surrender their competitive-balance round selection to sign Bautista — maybe an acceptable risk for a Tampa club that wants to compete in 2017, Chastain notes.

Here’s some more from around baseball…

  • Ben Revere could sign as soon as tomorrow, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports (Twitter links).  The mystery team isn’t the Orioles, Kubatko notes, though the O’s like the outfielder and checked in on him more than once this offseason.  Revere is hoping to bounce back after an injury-marred and mediocre 2016 season that saw him get non-tendered by the Nationals earlier this month.
  • Catcher Bryan Holaday can earn $850K in the majors under his new minor-league pact with the Phillies, Crasnick recently tweeted.  That lands just shy of MLBTR’s $900K arbitration projection for the 29-year-old, though of course he’ll need to earn a roster spot to get it.  Holaday seems to have a solid shot at taking over reserve duties behind presumptive Philadelphia starter Cameron Rupp, though he may need to hold off some younger challengers (and any additional veterans who may be added) in camp.
  • Former Padres and Tigers GM Randy Smith has been hired by the Nippon-Ham Fighters’ front office, according to a Kyodo News report.  Smith will be a senior advisor to Fighters general manager Hiroshi Yoshimura (a former member of Detroit’s front office when Smith ran the club) and the Fighters’ Major League scouting director.
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AL Notes: Chapman, Yankees, Encarnacion, Astros, Tigers https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/al-notes-chapman-yankees-encarnacion-astros-tigers.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/al-notes-chapman-yankees-encarnacion-astros-tigers.html#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2016 04:30:33 +0000 https://mlb.traderumors.com/?p=80131 The Yankees believe that the Marlins’ unexpected pursuit of Aroldis Chapman — Miami reportedly offered Chapman a five-year deal worth $87MM — forced New York to spend about $10-15MM more than they would otherwise have had to offer in order to finalize the deal, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. Sherman also adds that the Yankees are still hoping to add a starting pitcher and multiple relievers (one of the left-handed variety), though the Cashman said earlier this week that he doesn’t anticipate adding a free-agent starter due to the high asking prices around the league (via Sherman’s colleague George A. King III).

More from around the American League…

  • In an interesting read for Yankees fans (or for any fan, really), Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues examines the decision to re-sign Chapman from a variety of angles. Axisa questions whether the Yankees, who currently look to be a ways behind Boston in terms of expected 2017 performance, did the right thing in “paying a lot of money now to buy Chapman for the future” and notes the possibility that Chapman will be opting out of his deal just as the bulk of New York’s vaunted young talent is solidifying itself at the big league level. The move also flies somewhat in the face of the desire to get below the luxury tax threshold, Axisa observes, and there are of course ongoing public relations considerations due to last October’s domestic violence allegations.
  • Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet tweets that many in the industry still consider the Rangers to be the most logical landing spot for free agent Edwin Encarnacion. Texas reportedly feels that it doesn’t have the financial means to fit Encarnacion into the budget, but GM Jon Daniels and his staff have certainly made some creative value plays for free agents whose markets have crumbled a bit in the past.
  • The Astros prefer not to move upper-level prospects in their search for rotation upgrades, GM Jeff Luhnow tells MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Houston has been asked about top prospect Francis Martes on numerous occasions, McTaggart writes, though Luhnow downplayed the possibility of dealing the right-hander. “The players we’re staying away from are the players that are probably going to start the year on the big league club and are key parts of the 2017 plan,” said the Houston GM. “Martes is a very valuable player, and very valuable players that are close to the big leagues get asked about a lot. That’s no different with him. It would take something significant for us to move him.” McTaggart also notes that outfield prospect Kyle Tucker is “generally considered untouchable.”
  • The Tigers aren’t pursuing an Andrew McCutchen trade tweets MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. They’ve also yet to get involved with the recently non-tendered Ben Revere, tweets MLB.com’s Jason Beck. Detroit has a clear question mark in center field at the moment, but the team is also well-known to be striving to shed payroll and get younger. With that in mind, a pursuit of McCutchen never would’ve made much sense for GM Al Avila’s club, though Revere could be a low-cost option that would have plenty of surplus value in the event of a rebound from last year’s disastrous season.
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Outfield Notes: Fowler, Dyson, Soler, Herrera, Revere https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/outfield-notes-fowler-dyson-soler-herrera-revere.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/outfield-notes-fowler-dyson-soler-herrera-revere.html#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2016 03:51:54 +0000 https://mlb.traderumors.com/?p=79378 The latest in outfielder rumors…

  • The Blue Jays have offered Dexter Fowler a deal in the neighborhood of four years and $60MM, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports.  This falls short of the $18MM in average annual value that Fowler and his representatives are seeking, though it isn’t such an insurmountable gap that it would rule the Jays out of the running for the free agent outfielder.  The Cardinals continue to be interested in Fowler, Heyman notes, while the Giants and Nationals have also been linked to him in past reports and several other teams are speculative matches for Fowler in all three outfield positions.
  • Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson is another Cardinals target, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (via Twitter).  Dyson has the benefit of coming at a much lower financial or trade cost than Fowler or Royals teammate Lorenzo Cain, plus he would be a good fit for a St. Louis team that has defensive upgrades as a stated offseason goal.
  • The Royals like Jorge Soler, 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine tweets.  Rated as one of the game’s best prospects just two years ago, Soler has shown only a few glimpses of his potential at the MLB level and doesn’t have a clear path to regular playing time within the very crowded Cubs outfield.  The Cubs shopped Soler last offseason, and Levine speculates that a deal could be worked out involving K.C. closer Wade Davis, as Chicago is one of several teams interested in Davis.
  • There is some speculation that the Phillies would be open to trading Odubel Herrera, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets.  It would surely take quite a bit to make a deal happen, as Herrera has gone from Rule 5 pick to an everyday contributor for Philadelphia who has hit .291/.353/.419 and 23 homers over his two big league seasons.
  • With the Angels looking for a fourth outfielder who preferably hits from the left side of the plate, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register speculates that Ben Revere could be a good fit.  Revere had a brutal 2016 season and was non-tendered by the Nationals, but Fletcher notes that he has been an Angels target in the past and could be a potential bounce-back candidate.
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