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Red Sox Notes: Scott, Gardenhire, Ausmus, Swihart

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The Red Sox announced on Thursday that southpaw reliever Robby Scott underwent a “left elbow arthroscopy and debridement” procedure but is expected to be back to full strength by Spring Training 2018. As several have pointed out (including CSN New England’s Evan Drellich, on Twitter), it’s rather confounding that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told the media just yesterday that he wasn’t aware of any Sox players that required offseason surgery on the very day on which Scott was undergoing this procedure.

The 28-year-old Scott has emerged as a viable lefty option in the bullpen in the past two seasons with Boston, pitching to a combined 3.24 ERA with a 36-to-15 K/BB ratio across 41 2/3 innings of work. Right-handed batters haven’t had much trouble with Scott (.254/.338/.463), but he’s held lefties to a paltry .141/.227/.295 slash in the big leagues.

A bit more on the Red Sox…

  • Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (via Twitter) that former Twins skipper and current Diamondbacks bench coach Ron Gardenhire is among the three favorites to succeed John Farrell as the next manager of the Red Sox. Indeed, Walters calls Gardenhire one of the “final three” for the post — a surprising development just over 24 hours after Farrell was dismissed. Yesterday alone, there were six external candidates linked to the Red Sox’ job, for instance (Gardenhire included), though it’s possible that Dombrowski has been crafting his list of top options for awhile now.
  • Meanwhile, Peter Gammons of MLB Network and GammonsDaily.com has penned a lengthy and must-read look at Boston’s managerial opening as well as a number of offseason questions they’re facing. Per Gammons, one executive who was on hand for the last time that Brad Ausmus interviewed for Boston’s managerial spot (the 2012-13 offseason) called Ausmus’ interview the best he’d ever seen. Gammons writes that had the Sox not been able to pry Farrell away from the Blue Jays, Ausmus would’ve been the team’s manager years ago. Further in Ausmus’ favor, per Gammons, is that David Price feels that Ausmus is the best manager for whom he’s ever played. Gammons also notes that Alex Cora will be in consideration and that Sandy Alomar Jr. will likely receive an interview as well. Like Ausmus, Alomar has previously interviewed for the Red Sox’ managerial post.
  • Within that same column, Gammons reports that Blake Swihart’s surgically repaired ankle bothered him as late into the season as Labor Day, which would in part explain a disappointing .190/.246/.292 batting line in 53 games at the Triple-A level this year. Swihart, who received just seven MLB plate appearances in 2017, was once one of baseball’s most untouchable prospects but has seen his star fade in the wake of repeated injuries and defensive concerns behind the dish. Nonetheless, one Red Sox exec tells Gammons that with his ability to play catcher, first base, third base and the corner outfield, “Swihart can be a huge part of this team.”

An Early Look At The Red Sox’ Managerial Vacancy

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Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski’s decision to dismiss manager John Farrell earlier today wasn’t entirely unexpected, though like any managerial firing, it’ll lead to a wide swath of questions in the coming weeks as Boston seeks to hire a new skipper. As Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe writes, Dombrowski said Wednesday that his priority will be to hire a replacement that has previous experience as a manager or a Major League coach.

“Being in a dugout during a game and seeing what the manager encounters is probably helpful,” Dombrowski told reporters. “I do think it would be difficult for a person more so [in Boston] than in some other places to walk directly onto the field without some on-field managerial experience at some level or big league coaching.”

That, as Abraham points out, likely crosses off fan-favorite suggestion Jason Varitek — the former Red Sox catcher who has been working as a special assistant to Dombrowski in the team’s front office. Varitek has been an oft-speculated managerial candidate in past years, but he’s yet to get his feet wet as a coach in either the Majors or the minors.

Names of potential candidates should emerge over the next week or two, though Abraham and a few other reporters have made some initial suggestions. Abraham lists bench coaches Alex Cora (Astros) and Ron Gardenhire (D-backs) as well as recently dismissed Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus as possibilities. Gardenhire, of course, spent more than a decade managing the Twins while Dombrowski was GM over the AL Central rival Tigers, and it was Dombrowski who originally hired Ausmus as the skipper in Detroit. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale has also suggested that Gardenhire could emerge as a candidate, while ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted that Cora could get strong consideration as well. Meanwhile, CSN New England’s Evan Drellich tweets that Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens could get consideration as well.

Chad Jennings of the Boston Herald also lists Indians first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. and Dodgers bench coach Bob Geren as names to watch. Current bench coach Gary DiSarcina may seem a natural candidate, though he notes that Farrell suggested that an in-house option may not be in consideration. “At this point, successor from the staff, I don’t really know,” said Dombrowski. “…I’d say most likely not, but I’m not going to say for sure not.”

As to the reasons that Farrell was ultimately dismissed, Abraham details a number of instances of Farrell’s communication with his players deteriorating. Abraham reports that Dombrowski and Farrell strongly disagreed with how the team handled Manny Machado’s controversial slide into Dustin Pedroia earlier this year. Farrell’s claims that he was in the dark during the ridiculous Apple Watch scandal also reflected poorly on him, and the drama between David Price and commentator Dennis Eckersley also suggested further lack of communication between Farrell and the clubhouse, Abraham writes.

If there’s any bad blood between Farrell and the organization, he certainly didn’t air his grievances to the public. In a statement released via the Red Sox communications department, Farrell spoke warmly and gratefully about his time in Boston:

Despite an end to this season that we all wanted to be different, I am proud of this ball club and the resiliency shown. I have enjoyed every moment of this job – its peaks and its valleys. There are few, if any, positions in life that create so much passion on a daily basis.

I am grateful to an ownership group that gave me such a unique opportunity, and one that shared my desire to bring World Series championships to this great city. They supported me through a challenging and scary period in my own life, and I remain forever indebted.

I am grateful to two front office groups that worked tirelessly to provide me with the players that could consistently match up with the very best in the game. Their time and resources made my job so much easier and fulfilling.

I am thankful for fellow coaches who are far more than that – they are close friends. They have provided the necessary direction, guidance, and humor that have made the daily activities of a long season all that much more enjoyable.

I am especially grateful for five years of great players – and people. This game has always been built around and for the players, and I have tried to respect that for five years in Boston. I have witnessed Hall of Famers, memorable Fenway wins, and countless private moments that will always be with me. Those relationships will remain cherished for years.

The legions of fans who support this franchise keep their manager on his toes day in and day out. There are no days off when managing this proud franchise. I would not have wanted it any other way.

Again, I thank John Henry, Tom Werner, Michael Gordon, and the ownership team for their faith in me and wish them nothing but the best moving forward.

Beyond the managerial change, it seems likely that the Sox will be in for several coaching changes as well. Drellich writes that the team’s coaching staff has been informed that they can pursue opportunities outside the organization — an indication that whoever is tabbed as the next skipper will be able to bring on his own coaching staff.

Managerial Notes: Ausmus, Mets, Baker, Cubs

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A few managerial notes from around the majors:

  • Brad Ausmus is on the Mets’ radar as they search for a successor to Terry Collins, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag, who adds that the two sides have had one conversation to date. Ausmus managed the Tigers to a 314-332 record over the past four seasons, including a major league-worst 64-98 mark this year, and one playoff appearance (in 2014). With the Tigers in the beginning of a full rebuild, they decided before the season ended that they wouldn’t re-sign the 48-year-old Ausmus.
  • Dusty Baker is without a contract past this season, but the Nationals are “almost certain” to bring him back in 2018, Tyler Kepner of the New York Times writes. Baker is at the helm of a team whose NLDS matchup with the Cubs is knotted at one, but it doesn’t appear that the Nationals’ playoff performance will determine his fate. The Nats have been resoundingly successful during Baker’s two regular seasons at the helm, having gone 192-132 with a pair of division titles, though a World Series championship has eluded both them and Baker during their respective existences. Baker has managed four teams to a combined 1,863 wins, good for 14th all-time, but his lone trip to the Fall Classic (with the Giants in 2002) ended in defeat. Winning a title in Washington would earn Baker a place in Cooperstown, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo suggested to Kepner. “I think it’s probably as big for him as for anybody in the organization,” Rizzo said. “It’s important for him; he’s done everything but win a world championship as a manager. It’s a big goal for him. I think he’s a Hall of Fame manager, regardless, and that cements it if he wins a championship.”
  • Nobody in need of a manager has contacted the Cubs about bench coach Dave Martinez, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Cubs manager Joe Maddon finds the lack of interest in his longtime right-hand man confusing, saying: ‘‘He’s been around a lot of winning teams here. I see all the names [of rumored candidates], and there’s a lot of good names. But I’m telling you, to not include his name with these people just baffles me.” While the 53-year-old Martinez told Wittenmyer he’s “ready” to take the reins somewhere, he may go without an interview for the second straight year.  Martinez was a popular candidate before last offseason, Wittenmyer notes, as he interviewed for five openings in recent years.

Cafardo’s Latest: J.D., Red Sox, Mariners, Stanton, Cubs, Braves

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It “would appear” the Red Sox will be involved in the chase for Diamondbacks outfielder J.D. Martinez if he hits free agency in the offseason, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes. As Cafardo points out, there’s a connection between Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski and Martinez, whom the former plucked off the scrapheap when he was Detroit’s general manager in 2014. Now one of the premier hitters in the game, Martinez would provide some much-needed punch to a Red Sox club that’s lacking in the power department, though it’s unclear where he’d play in Boston. On paper, the Red Sox look set in the outfield for the next few years with Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi and Jackie Bradley Jr. in the fold.

More rumblings from Cafardo:

  • Indians first baseman/designated hitter Carlos Santana is another free agent-to-be who’s likely to land on the Red Sox’s radar, per Cafardo, who also names the Mariners as a probable suitor. Considering their positions, the switch-hitting Santana would seem to be a more natural fit than Martinez for Boston, which has gotten subpar production at first from impending free agent Mitch Moreland this year. Meanwhile, Mariners first basemen ranked last in the majors in fWAR (minus-0.7) during the regular season. Their top option, Yonder Alonso, could depart in free agency, which may lead to a Santana pursuit.
  • The Cubs could be a team to watch if the Marlins shop right fielder Giancarlo Stanton in the offseason, Cafardo suggests. It’s unclear whether the Cubs would have interest in the potential NL MVP, who’s due $295MM through 2028 (if he doesn’t opt out of his contract after 2020), but they have plenty of players the Marlins “would love” to acquire, notes Cafardo.
  • Royals GM Dayton Moore will only head to Atlanta if the Braves give him complete control, according to Cafardo. That jibes with a previous report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale and suggests that president John Hart would have to exit for a Moore-Braves union to come to fruition. Hart isn’t planning on leaving, however, Cafardo reports. Two members of the Nationals’ front office – assistant GM Doug Harris and the previously reported Dan Jennings – as well as ex-Red Sox GM Ben Cherington (now in Toronto) are on Hart’s radar as he seeks a replacement for John Coppolella, Cafardo relays.
  • Yomiuri Giants right-hander Miles Mikolas is eyeing a return to the majors, and if he does opt out of his contract in Japan, it appears he’ll draw plenty of big league interest. Fourteen major league teams scouted Mikolas’ most recent starts, and there’s a belief among some that he could be a capable mid-rotation starter if he comes back, according to Cafardo. Mikolas, 29, logged 37 appearances (10 starts) with the Padres and Rangers from 2012-14 and recorded a 5.32 ERA, 6.1 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9. He has been stellar with Yomiuri since 2015, though, with a 2.18 ERA, 8.0 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 across 62 starts.
  • The Tigers decided before the season ended to part with manager Brad Ausmus, but he told Cafardo that he wouldn’t have returned “even if they had offered me a three-year deal.” Ausmus didn’t believe he was the right match for a Detroit team in the initial stages of a rebuild. On potentially managing someplace else, he said, “I’d have to study the situation and see if it was the right fit for me.”

Rosenthal’s Latest: Ausmus, Gonzalez, Hendricks

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Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal, via a video for FOX Sports:

  • Departing Tigers manager Brad Ausmus says he would be open to managing a new team immediately, although he tells Rosenthal that there don’t seem likely to be many possibilities. Rosenthal, though, points out several, including the Phillies job as well as the Mets job, which is expected to open. The Braves could also be a possibility, and Rosenthal notes that if the Red Sox have a quick playoff exit and opt to part with John Farrell, Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski hired Ausmus while he was an executive in Detroit.
  • Fredi Gonzalez looks to have many qualifications that could be attractive to the Tigers, including past managerial experience with a rebuilding club (the Marlins) and connections to Tigers GM Al Avila (with whom he worked while both were in the Marlins organization). The Tigers will, however, consider any number of other candidates. One they might not consider too carefully is Giants third base coach Phil Nevin, who the Tigers fired as their Triple-A manager near the end of the 2013 season.
  • Astros utilityman Marwin Gonzalez could be a free agent to watch in the 2018-19 offseason, Rosenthal argues. Like Ben Zobrist, who received a $56MM deal two years ago, Gonzalez switch-hits and can play several positions in the infield and outfield. Gonzalez is also reaching the end of an outstanding .303/.375/.530 season. I might point out that Gonzalez doesn’t have Zobrist’s overall track record, but Rosenthal notes that Gonzalez will have only recently turned 30 at the start of the 2019 season, and that unlike Zobrist, he can play shortstop.
  • Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks’ first-year arbitration case this offseason will be an interesting one, says Rosenthal. Hendricks has a 2.94 ERA over 100 career games, a number that compares favorably to that of Clayton Kershaw in his first few seasons. that isn’t to say Hendricks and Kershaw are similar players, as Rosenthal points out, only that Hendricks’ first arbitration payday could be a hefty one.

Tigers Notes: Managers, Avila, Ausmus, Verlander, Astros

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The latest from the Motor City…

  • The Tigers are planning “an extensive search” for their next manager, GM Al Avila told MLB.com’s Jason Beck and other reporters.  Avila didn’t specify whether he was looking for a veteran skipper or a younger alternative to lead the Tigers through the “trying, grinding process” of a rebuild, though Avila did say that the new manager had to have some type of dugout experience, whether as a manager in the majors or minors, or as a Major League coach.  Previous manager Brad Ausmus, of course, lacked this experience, coming into the job after his playing career and a stint in the Padres’ baseball operations department.
  • From that same piece, Beck lists nine names he feels could be potential candidates to be Detroit’s next manager.  Beck’s options range from internal choices (hitting coach Lloyd McClendon and first base coach Omar Vizquel) to several other names with ties to Avila and/or the Tigers, including Fredi Gonzalez, Phil Nevin and Mike Redmond.
  • Ausmus’ lack of experience proved to be his undoing, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press opines, especially after the Tigers lost a key on-field leader in Torii Hunter after the 2014 season.  Ausmus was popular with his players but generally seemed like more of a teammate than a manager, creating a “country club” atmosphere within the clubhouse.  There were rumors that the Tigers were parting ways with Ausmus after both the 2015 and 2016 seasons, and Fenech believes that Avila should’ve made a managerial change then instead of giving Ausmus more chances.  Fenech also notes, in partial defense of Ausmus, that he faced a particularly large challenge for a first-time manager in taking over a team expected to be World Series contenders.
  • The trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Astros was finalized literally just two seconds before the August 31 deadline, Sports Illustrated’s Ben Reiter reports in a behind-the-scenes look at how the blockbuster deal came together.  Unable to return to his Houston home due to Hurricane Harvey, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow ended up making the final negotiations on August 31 while trying to find a cellphone signal at his in-laws’ dining table (during a dinner party, to boot).

NL East Notes: Kelley, Ausmus, Mets, Teheran, Braves

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Shawn Kelley left during the eighth inning of last night’s Nationals game due to an arm injury that left him with a badly-swollen right hand.  “Just on that last pitch I felt something go down through my arm and my hand swelled up a bit,” Kelley told media, including Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post.  “I just didn’t feel like I could pitch another pitch honestly. I couldn’t really grip the ball. I motioned for somebody to come out because I knew it wasn’t good.”  Kelley will meet with doctors today to evaluate the problem, which is particularly ominous given that Kelley has twice undergone Tommy John surgery.  The veteran right-hander has had two separate DL stints due to a bad back and a trap strain, and these injury issues have very likely impacted Kelley’s subpar performance.  Kelley has a 7.27 ERA over 26 innings this season, with huge spikes in his homer rate and hard-hit ball rate.  As Janes notes, Kelley may not have made the Nats’ playoff roster even if healthy, though the team will have one less bullpen option to choose from if Kelley is indeed hurt.

Here’s more from around the NL East…

  • Brad Ausmus won’t be returning as the Tigers’ manager next year, though Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com reports that some in the Mets front office are interested in speaking with Ausmus.  New York has also been rumored to be making a managerial change, and will likely look into several different candidates if it does indeed move on from the Terry Collins era.  It’s also possible that the Mets’ interest in Ausmus may not necessarily involve managing; Ausmus also worked as a special assistant in the Padres’ baseball ops department before taking the Tigers job.
  • Also from Gammons’ piece, he expects the Braves to be listening to offers for Julio Teheran during the GM Meetings in November.  Teheran drew some trade buzz this past summer, with Atlanta reportedly holding onto Teheran since it was unable to land another top-tier arm to replace the right-hander as the rotation’s ace.  Teheran has struggled to a 4.52 ERA over 175 1/3 IP this season, though that inflated number has been due to a lack of success at SunTrust Park — Teheran has a 6.23 ERA at home this season and a 2.84 ERA on the road.  While Teheran’s swinging-strike and contact rates have also gone in the wrong direction, between his controllable contract and the idea that he would rebound in another ballpark, the Braves would certainly garner quite a bit of interest in trade talks.
  • Braves CEO and chairman Terry McGuirk told MLB.com’s Mark Bowman and other media that the team won’t make any management decisions until after the season is over, though McGuirk did praise manager Brian Snitker and president of baseball operations John Hart.  McGuirk expects Hart, whose deal is up after the season, to return in 2018.  The Braves hold a club option on Snitker’s services for next year, though there has been speculation that the team could be exploring a change in the dugout, with FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman hearing from a source that the Braves are currently “leaning toward” hiring a new manager.  Snitker will meet with the front office to learn about his future, and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that this meeting could take place as soon as today.

Tigers Will Not Retain Brad Ausmus

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The Tigers and Brad Ausmus will part ways after the end of the current season, as Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports on Twitter that the club won’t extend his contract. Ausmus, 48, has been at the helm of the Detroit dugout for the last four seasons.

Detroit had exercised a club option to retain Ausmus for the current campaign. But it did not further address his contract situation last winter, leaving the skipper facing an uncertain future. Now, his tenure will end as the ballclub itself faces its own uncertainty as it carries out a rebuilding effort.

GM Al Avila says he’s looking for a “new approach and a fresh start” in that leadership role (via ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick, on Twitter). It’s not yet known, though, just what candidates the club will consider. The Tigers will have a head start on the rest of the managerial market, though, as they are the first organization to announce a chance.

Ausmus, a long-time big league catcher, was hired when the organization was pushing hard to contend. The Tigers won ninety games in his first year at the helm, but were swept out of the postseason and haven’t made it back since. Then-GM Dave Dombrowski was cut loose in the midst of a disappointing 2015 season, giving way to Avila. Detroit managed 86 wins last year, but the outlook wasn’t all that optimistic heading into the current campaign and the club has staggered to a 62-91 record to this point.

Notable change has come at many levels of the Tigers organization of late. That includes player turnover, of course, with J.D. Martinez and longtime star Justin Verlander departing via trade over the summer. Long-time owner Mike Ilitch passed away in February, leaving the team to his son, Chris. Of course, there’s also continuity in that transition; the younger Ilitch says his family plans to continue to own the ballclub for a long time to come (via MLB.com’s Jason Beck, on Twitter).

AL Notes: Upton, Angels, Tigers, Yankees

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Speaking with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports on Saturday, newly minted Angels left fielder Justin Upton noted that the free agent market has changed since January 2016, when he signed a six-year, $132.75MM contract with the Tigers, adding that “teams are looking for different things” (Twitter link). While the market shift could impact whether the 29-year-old opts out of the remaining $88.5MM on his contract after the season, it seems he’s considering vacating what’s left of the pact. “If you play well enough, there’s a job for you,” said Upton, who has slashed .279/.362/.541 with 28 home runs in 528 plate appearances in 2017. Thanks to his outstanding performance this year, the majority of those who voted in MLBTR’s latest poll on Friday expect Upton to test free agency again in the offseason.

More on the Halos and two other AL clubs:

  • Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera will serve a six-game suspension stemming from his role in a brawl with the Yankees on Aug. 24, while reliever Alex Wilson will sit three games and manager Brad Ausmus will be barred from one, per an announcement from Detroit. Major League Baseball originally handed down seven-, four- and one-game bans to Cabrera, Wilson and Ausmus, respectively, before the appeals process. Their suspensions began Saturday against Cleveland, with bench coach Gene Lamont stepping in for Ausmus.
  • As of Friday, settlement discussions between MLB and the players’ union regarding suspensions for Yankees catchers Gary Sanchez and Austin Romine were still ongoing, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. A decision is unlikely to come before Monday, per Rosenthal, who adds that the two backstops won’t serve their penalties simultaneously. Before Sanchez and Romine appealed, the former received the larger ban (four games to two).
  • Angels right-hander J.C. Ramirez will miss the rest of the season because of an elbow strain, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports (Twitter link). The Halos placed Ramirez on the 60-day disabled list on Friday, which didn’t come as a surprise given that he received a platelet-rich plasma injection earlier this week and looked unlikely to return at the time. Fortunately for both team and player, general manager Billy Eppler announced that the Angels haven’t found any new structural damage in Ramirez’s elbow. The 29-year-old turned in a respectable season before the injury, tossing 147 1/3 innings of 4.15 ERA ball and recording 6.41 K/9 against 2.99 BB/9, to go with a 51.4 percent groundball rate.

Central Notes: Ausmus, Candelario, Kennedy, Russell

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Tigers manager Brad Ausmus’ contract expires after the season, and as the club rebuilds, his future is unclear, Evan Woodbery of the MLive Media Group writes. “I can’t say that’s out of the question,” GM Al Avila said when asked about the possibility Ausmus would return for 2018. “I haven’t talked to him about it at this point. At some point we’ll sit down when we have some time and things settle down and we’ll see where that goes.” Ausmus himself declined to say anything too specific about the situation, though he did note that he thinks “there’s a lot of upside to young players because of the enthusiasm and energy and will to learn.” Last year, Ausmus expressed frustration about his uncertain future, only to have the Tigers pick up his option. Now there are no more options remaining on his deal, and the franchise appears to be heading in a different direction. He’s compiled a 308-310 record in most of four seasons in Detroit. Here’s more from the Central divisions.

  • After dealing Justin Verlander and Justin Upton this week, the Tigers will continue to get younger, promoting third baseman Jeimer Candelario and righty Myles Jaye today, as Woodbery notes. The 23-year-old Candelario, who the Tigers acquired in July in the deal that sent Alex Avila and Justin Wilson to Chicago, has batted .265/.343/.484 at the Triple-A level this year. He ranks fourth in MLB.com’s list of the Tigers’ top prospects. With Nick Castellanos transitioning to the outfield, there is (or could eventually be) space open for Canedelario at third base. Jaye, 25, has posted a 3.96 ERA, 7.9 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 131 2/3 innings in the rotations of Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers added him in a March 2016 trade that sent Bryan Holaday to Texas.
  • Cubs shortstop Addison Russell hasn’t played in a game since Aug. 2 due to an ongoing case of plantar fasciitis, and manager Joe Maddon informed the media that he’ll be out for another three weeks after aggravating the injury during a rehab assignment (link via MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat). An MRI confirmed the setback. With Russell on the shelf for another three weeks, the Cubs will continue to lean on Javier Baez as their primary shortstop, though Chicago also selected the contract of versatile utilityman Mike Freeman yesterday. Freeman isn’t likely to see many starts, but he gives Maddon some depth at the position and some insurance in the event of an injury to Baez. Here’s more from the Central divisions.
  • Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy offered a candid assessment of his opt-out clause when speaking with Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. “It would be pretty stupid if I did,” said Kennedy when asked about the possibility of exercising that clause. “You don’t go to the free-agent market pitching how I’ve been. No one is going to want that.” Set to turn 33 in December, Kennedy started the season with a strong April and has had some patches of success in 2017. However, he’s been shelled for 36 runs in his past 36 1/3 innings, allowing 49 hits (nine homers) and 17 walks against 30 strikeouts in that time. His current 5.47 ERA would be the worst full-season mark of his career and all but eliminates the possibility of forgoing the remaining three years and $43MM on his contract. Royals fans will want to check out Dodd’s column in full, as it’s packed with candid quotes from Kennedy and additional insight from manager Ned Yost.
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