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Dillon Gee

Rangers Agree To New Deal With Dillon Gee

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APRIL 3: Gee will earn at a $2MM annual rate while playing in the majors and can achieve up to $1MM in incentives, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). Also of note: Gee has agreed to a 45-day advance consent provision.

MARCH 31: The Rangers have agreed to a new contract with right-hander Dillon Gee, reports MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan (all Twitter links). Gee triggered the opt-out clause in his minor league deal with Texas earlier this week, giving the team 48 hours to add him to the 40-man roster or grant him his release. Gee is a client of SSG Baseball.

Instead, the two sides have agreed to a new Major League pact with the understanding that Gee will open the year as a starter at Triple-A Round Rock and have a chance to quickly emerge as the Rangers’ fifth starter, according to Sullivan. Gee will be on the 40-man roster — Sullivan notes that Chi Chi Gonzalez will likely head to the 60-day DL in a corresponding move — and could potentially be called upon when Texas first needs a fifth starter, on April 15. It’s not known if right-hander Andrew Cashner, who is currently dealing with biceps tendinitis, will be ready to take the hill at that time, but Gee represents a solid alternative in the event that Cashner isn’t able to pitch by that point.

The 30-year-old Gee enjoyed a very nice Spring Training with Texas, putting him in position to force a decision out of the Rangers. In 19 2/3 innings during Major League camp, Gee logged a 3.20 ERA with a stellar 18-to-3 K/BB ratio. While he’s been tagged for 25 hits, only one of those has left the yard for a home run. His final outing, which came against his former Royals teammates, included six shutout innings with just two hits allowed and nine strikeouts.

Gee underwent surgery in October to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome, though his high-quality Spring Training results suggest that he’s perfectly healthy now, of course. It’s not known to what extent that medical issue hampered Gee in 2015-16 (if at all), but the right-hander has struggled in the past two seasons with the Mets and Royals (4.97 ERA in 164 2/3 innings). Prior to that he’d logged a 3.91 ERA with 6.5 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9 in 639 1/3 innings for the Mets.

Dillon Gee Exercises Opt-Out Clause

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Right-hander Dillon Gee has utilized the opt-out provision in his minor league deal with the Rangers, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Texas will have 48 hours to add Gee to its 40-man roster. If the Rangers decide against adding Gee to the roster, he’ll become a free agent that can sign with any club.

Gee, 30, reeled off six shutout innings against his former Royals teammates today, yielding just two hits and racking up nine strikeouts to put an exclamation point on a solid Spring Training with the Rangers. In 19 2/3 innings during Major League camp, Gee logged a 3.20 ERA with a stellar 18-to-3 K/BB ratio. While he’s been tagged for 25 hits, only one of those has left the yard for a home run.

The Rangers signed Gee to a minor league deal this offseason as the right-hander sought to work his way back from surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome, which he underwent last October. Gee spent the 2016 season with the Royals — his first professional season pitching anywhere other than the Mets organization — and logged a 4.68 ERA in 125 innings split between the rotation and the bullpen. The 2015-16 seasons were something of a struggle for Gee, but prior to that he’d logged a 3.91 ERA with 6.5 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9 in 639 1/3 innings for the Mets.

The Rangers could utilize Gee either as a long man in the bullpen or as a starter early in the season while Andrew Cashner rehabs from a bout with biceps tendinitis. With the Rangers seemingly relying on a combination of Cashner and right-hander Tyson Ross (who also had thoracic outlet surgery this offseason, but later than Gee) to contribute regularly in the rotation down the stretch, retaining Gee as a depth option is undoubtedly a tempting option for Texas. The team does have alternatives, including A.J. Griffin, Nick Martinez and Mike Hauschild, but Gee comes with more experience and a greater track record of MLB success than those options.

Of course, the Rangers also have to weigh the financial component of the situation. Gee’s minor league deal with Texas reportedly comes with a $2MM base salary. If he cracks the Opening Day roster, that figure will become guaranteed regardless of whether he sticks on the roster for the entire season. While it’s hardly a prohibitive sum for a big league team, the Rangers may not be keen on paying Gee at that rate if they don’t feel there’s a long-term spot for him on the roster.

Pitching Notes: Smyly, Yankees, Wright, Gee, Swarzak

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There’s some degree of uncertainty surrounding Drew Smyly’s left arm, writes Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. Smyly was scratched from his scheduled start this coming Friday due to the fact that he didn’t feel good coming out of his last bullpen session. The southpaw was slated to meet with the Mariners’ team doctor today, with manager Scott Servais nebulously stating that Smyly’s arm felt “soggy.” As MLB.com’s Greg Johns tweets, Servais said following today’s contest that he’s yet to receive an update on Smyly’s condition. It’s not known what type of tests Smyly underwent or what level of concern the Mariners are currently harboring, but the situation is certainly worth monitoring as Opening Day looms. The initial plan, according to Divish, was to shut Smyly down from throwing for a couple of days. The results of his examination could, of course, alter that trajectory.

A few more notes pertaining to some rotations around the game…

  • Yankees manager Joe Girardi said today that the team won’t announce a fifth starter before the season begins, writes MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. With three off-days over the first 10 days of the regular-season schedule, the Yankees will carry eight relievers and use the built-in time off to rest their first four starters. Both Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino will be used as starters to begin the season, regardless of whether they’re in the Majors or minors, Hoch adds. Montgomery’s final stop in an unlikely bid for a rotation slot came earlier this afternoon, when he held the Blue Jays to one run over the life of five innings. Hoch also notes that GM Brian Cashman said the team has decided on a fourth starter, but Girardi did not make the announcement today. Montgomery, Severino, Chad Green and Bryan Mitchell are still vying for rotation spots.
  • Red Sox right-hander Steven Wright pitched with an elastic brace on his left knee last night, per Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. The knuckleballer has been feeling on-and-off soreness in his knee over the past several weeks, according to Abraham, but he termed the brace as a precautionary measure. The 32-year-old Wright added that he doesn’t believe there’s one singular incident that led to the soreness and doesn’t feel it’s impacted his pitching to this point.
  • The Rangers are faced with a difficult decision when it comes to Dillon Gee, observes MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, and the right-hander’s brilliant performance on Wednesday didn’t make things any easier on the team. Gee fired six scoreless innings and allowed just two hits while racking up nine strikeouts, requiring a tidy 67 pitches to get the job done. Gee, 31, has an opt-out clause in his contract today that will allow him to elect free agency if he is not assured a spot on the team’s roster. As Sullivan notes, Gee could be used in long relief or as a spot starter early in the season while Andrew Cashner is sidelined.
  • Dan Hayes of CSNChicago writes that right-hander Anthony Swarzak is making a strong push for a spot on the White Sox’ Opening Day roster. The former Twins righty has seen his velocity tick up to the mid-90s this spring, and his experience as a starter and a swingman could make him valuable in a multi-inning relief role. Manager Rick Renteria both spoke highly of the work Swarzak has put in during camp and noted that pitching coach Don Cooper has been working to get Swarzak stretched out a bit. With Carlos Rodon possibly ticketed for the disabled list to open the season, Swarzak and young Dylan Covey could combine in a sort of piggyback role to cover Rodon’s spot in the rotation early in the year, Hayes suggests.

Quick Hits: Pagan, Tigers, Giants, M. Upton, Rangers, Brewers, BoSox

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The expectation is that free agent outfielder Angel Pagan will choose his next team in the coming days, reports Jim Bowden of ESPN.com. The Tigers are among the clubs that have shown interest in Pagan, according to both Bowden and Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. However, a Pagan-Tigers union “doesn’t sound like a real possibility,” per Fenech (Twitter link). While Bowden also relays that the Giants are in on Pagan, Andrew Baggarly of the Bay Area News Group tweets otherwise.  Pagan, of course, spent the previous half-decade in San Francisco.

More from around the majors as Opening Day draws closer:

  • It’s likely that outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. will make the Blue Jays, but it’s not a lock, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. The last spot on the team figures to go to either Upton, whom Toronto acquired last summer from San Diego, or out-of-options middle infielder Ryan Goins. While Upton will make $16.45MM in 2017, the final season of the five-year, $75.25MM contract he signed with the Braves in 2012, the Padres are on the hook for most of that money. The Blue Jays only took on $5MM of the remaining $22MM-plus Upton had coming his way when they traded for him. The 32-year-old was amid a decent season at that point, but he closed the campaign by slashing just .196/.261/.318 in 165 plate appearances as a Jay.
  • The Rangers are in talks with right-hander Dillon Gee about restructuring his contract, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Gee, who has an opt-out for Wednesday, is in line to make a guaranteed $2MM if he takes the last spot in the Rangers’ bullpen. That’s unpalatable to the Rangers, who might want to send Gee to the minors during the season; however, Gee would be able to refuse such an assignment because of service time and still collect the $2MM. Grant suggests the two sides should work out a minor league split, meaning Gee would earn a prorated $2MM in the majors and a lesser salary in the minors.
  • First baseman Jesus Aguilar has made the Brewers’ roster, reports Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). Aguilar cracking Milwaukee’s roster seemed like a long shot at the outset of camp, but the February waiver wire pickup from the Indians has since recorded a video game-like, major league-best 1.395 OPS in 54 spring at-bats. The right-handed, out-of-options Aguilar could pair with fellow first baseman Eric Thames, a lefty-swinger, to give the Brewers a powerful tandem at the position.
  • Red Sox infielder Marco Hernandez came up as a trade candidate last week, when it appeared he had no place on the club’s roster, though an injury to Rule 5 pick Josh Rutledge may have created room. Rutledge suffered a strained left hamstring Tuesday, and Hernandez could be the beneficiary, notes Scott Lauber of ESPN.com. The problem is that the Red Sox want a right-handed hitter to complement corner infielders Mitch Moreland and Pablo Sandoval, but Hernandez is a lefty.

Pitching Notes: Rockies, Gee, Kendrick, Wheeler

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With today’s awful news about righty Chad Bettis, the Rockies face a dilemma in the rotation. As Nick Groke of the Denver Post writes, the club had believed it was looking for one starter to step up in camp, but now it needs two. It was debatable already whether the club ought to have added a starter, but now the need is all the more apparent. A variety of youthful competitors are on hand, of course, along with 30-year-old southpaw Chris Rusin, who’s probably best suited for a return to the bullpen. While there’s plenty of interesting talent, the Rockies may feel a need to find more certainty as they seek to push toward contention.

Here’s more on a few pitching situations from around the game:

  • Signed to provide the Rangers with depth, righty Dillon Gee may now be in position to take a spot in the Opening Day rotation with Andrew Cashner sidelined. As T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com writes, Gee says he feels healthy and likes the way he’s throwing. As he works back to full health following thoracic outlet surgery, Gee is also working to smooth out mechanical issues he identified in his work last year with the Royals.
  • It’s a similar story for Kyle Kendrick, who’s importance to the Red Sox has risen with David Price’s health issues. Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald reports that the 32-year-old won’t have an opt-out opportunity until June 15th, which gives the club some flexibility, though it’s possible he’ll be needed earlier. As Drellich writes, the Sox are encouraged by Kendrick’s initial showing, with manager John Farrell noting that the team likes that he’s working off of his sinker and cutter rather than relying on the four-seam fastball. From Kendrick’s perspective, “I feel right with where I’m at with my stuff.”
  • Mets righty Zack Wheeler is drawing some good reviews from his early showing on the mound, as Marc Carig of Newsday reports on Twitter. An “evaluator” tells Carig that Wheeler is showing a “smooth delivery” and that the ball is coming out of his hand well. That’s encouraging for the Mets, who have the depth to account for any further delays from the righty but no doubt want to see him contributing in the majors sooner than later.

Rangers Sign Dillon Gee

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The Rangers have announced the signing of righty Dillon Gee to a minor-league deal. He can earn $2MM if he’s in the majors, with a $1MM incentive package, per SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (via Twitter).

Gee is still recovering from thoracic outlet surgery — as is fellow recent signee Tyson Ross. Last year, Gee joined the Royals on a minor-league pact and ended up making 33 major-league appearances, 14 of them as a starter. But even before the surgery, he had struggled. Gee worked to a 4.68 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 over his 125 frames with Kansas City.

Just what Texas can expect from the 30-year-old, given his health concerns and recent performance dip, remains to be seen, but he ought to battle for a roster spot in camp. Assuming Ross isn’t quite ready for the start of the season, Gee could compete with pitchers such as A.J. Griffin, Chi Chi Gonzalez, and Nick Martinez for opportunities.

Free Agency Notes: Moss, Orioles, Gee, Royals

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Free agent slugger Brandon Moss “has been linked to the Orioles,” writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The 33-year-old possesses plenty of experience in the corner outfield – where general manager Dan Duquette is still looking for help even after acquiring Seth Smith on Friday – and could fit as a designated hitter in Baltimore. While re-signing Mark Trumbo would help fill those vacancies, Duquette didn’t sound optimistic about that Sunday. Moss should cost far less than Trumbo, largely because the former is coming off back-to-back mediocre seasons. As a member of the Cardinals last year, Moss swatted an impressive 28 home runs, but he nevertheless posted an unspectacular .225/.300/.484 line in 464 plate appearances. The lefty-swinger would at least add more power and variety to a mostly right-handed lineup, however.

More notes on the free agent market:

  • Right-hander Dillon Gee received medical clearance Thursday after undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in October, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (Twitter links). Gee, who should be ready for spring training, has garnered interest from multiple teams, per Cotillo (the Marlins contacted him earlier this offseason). The 30-year-old has been on the open market since November, when he cleared outright waivers and elected free agency. Gee spent 2016 in Kansas City, where he recorded a 4.68 ERA, 6.41 K/9 and 2.66 BB/9 in 125 innings and 33 appearances (14 starts).
  • Speaking of the Royals, the budget-conscious club will continue to monitor the market for potential bargains as the spring approaches, GM Dayton Moore told Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. “When the music stops, there’s always going to be a few guys without chairs,” Moore said. “And unfortunately, for those players, the options dwindle. For the clubs that stay aggressive and keep their pulse on everything, you can get some potential deals.” The Royals spent on several free agents – including Edinson Volquez, Kendrys Morales, Alex Gordon, Ian Kennedy and Joakim Soria – over the previous couple winters, but they’ve taken a much less aggressive approach this offseason. So far, backup catcher Drew Butera is the only free agent Kansas City has given a major league deal.

Marlins Rumors: Ramos, Ozuna, Fister, Phelps, Gee

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The Marlins have “signaled that they might be willing to trade” closer A.J. Ramos, reports ESPN’s Jayson Stark (via Twitter). On the one hand, the news isn’t all that surprising, as Ramos projects to earn a relatively hefty $6.8MM in 2017 and is only controllable for another two seasons, so Miami could market him as it looks to add more stability to its rotation. On the other hand, there have been reports that the Marlins are weighing a run at right-hander Kenley Jansen to beef up the bullpen and shorten the game for their starters due to the lack of available rotation help. Moving Ramos would go against the stated goal of deepening the relief corps with high-end talent, although perhaps the team could look to add some rotation help by moving Ramos and replace him with a free-agent arm. Ramos, 30, posted a terrific 2.81 ERA with 10.3 K/9 but also averaged 4.9 BB/9 and posted a career-worst 36.4 percent ground-ball rate in 64 innings with Miami last year.

A few more notes on the Fish…

  • There’s been “little to no dialogue” between the Marlins and other teams about outfielder Marcell Ozuna, reports MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. Many clubs are taking a patient approach to see how the pitching market develops before they determine whether they can part with an arm in a trade to address the outfield, Frisaro writes, and there isn’t much internal traction regarding the idea of dealing Ozuna. With Edinson Volquez on board, the Marlins may look further to the free-agent market rather than seeking trades to bolster the staff.
  • Also from Frisaro, the Marlins have had internal discussions regarding Doug Fister, C.J. Wilson and Jon Niese. Previous reports have linked Miami to the latter two names, but this appears to be the first definitive link between the Marlins and Fister, who posted a 4.64 ERA with 5.7 K/9, 3.1 BB/9 and a 45.3 percent ground-ball rate in 180 1/3 innings for the Astros last season. That marked a second consecutive weak showing for Fister, who was previously one of the more underrated starters in baseball while pitching for the Tigers. Fister’s strikeout rate has plummeted in recent years, though, and while he’s never thrown hard, his once 89-90 mph fastball is now more in the 86-87 mph range. David Phelps is also a candidate to step into the rotation, but the Marlins prefer that he remains at the back of the bullpen, Frisaro adds.
  • Also of note from Frisaro’s piece on the team’s free-agent hunt, he lists Jansen and Aroldis Chapman as assets that are probably too expensive for the Marlins but lists right-handers Mark Melancon and Daniel Hudson as more affordable options that could be realistic targets.
  • Meanwhile, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Marlins have reached out to the representatives for right-hander Dillon Gee, who became a free agent when he was cut loose by the Royals after the season. Gee is no stranger to the NL East, having spent the bulk of his career with the Mets, and he delivered 125 innings with a 4.68 ERA, 6.4 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 41 percent ground-ball rate for Kansas City last year. However, Gee’s season came to an end when he required surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome. He’s expected to be ready for Spring Training, though, and would give the Marlins a veteran arm who could function in a swingman capacity, making some starts as needed but also providing a relief arm capable of throwing multiple innings.

Dillon Gee, Daniel Nava Elect Free Agency

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2:54pm: MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan tweets that outfielder Daniel Nava has also cleared waivers and elected free agency. The 33-year-old Nava joined Kansas City on a midseason minor league deal and came up with the team late in the season but only saw 12 plate appearances there. The 2016 campaign was one to forget for Nava, as he posted just a .223/.297/.292 batting line in 148 trips to the plate between the Angels and Royals.

1:25pm: Right-hander Dillon Gee has elected free agency after clearing outright waivers, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Gee spent the 2016 season with the Royals but finished the year on the shelf and underwent surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome following the season. Rosenthal notes that Gee is expected to be ready for Spring Training.

Gee, 31 next April, adds another name to a weak market of free-agent starters. The longtime Mets hurler inked a minor league deal with Kansas City last winter and broke camp with the team in Spring Training. Gee ultimately played a fairly significant role with K.C., racking up 125 innings between the bullpen and the rotation (14 starts) and working to a 4.68 ERA with 6.4 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 41 percent ground-ball rate in his first taste of the American League. Those numbers were a bit better prior to a September slump, and it seems fair to assume that Gee’s performance was adversely impacted by his TOS symptoms.

While Gee lost his rotation spot during his final season with the Mets and spent much of that year in Triple-A, he was a regular on the Mets’ starting staff from 2011-14 when he pitched 606 2/3 innings of 4.01 ERA ball with 6.6 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected Gee to earn $3.6MM via arbitration, but he’ll now be able to negotiate with teams around the league. A one-year deal or a minor league pact seems the likeliest outcome for Gee on the heels of two seasons’ worth of mixed results and a notable surgery, but he could prove to be an affordable source of innings at the back of a rotation or in a swingman capacity next year.

Royals Notes: Cain, Gee, Orlando, Cuthbert

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The Royals’ defense of their World Series title ended today as the club finished with an even 81-81 record.  Here are some season-ending notes as K.C. looks ahead to a rebound year in 2017…

  • Lorenzo Cain won’t hit for the next two months, but he tells Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link) that he otherwise expects a normal offseason training routine.  Cain reiterated that his bothersome right wrist won’t require surgery.  The outfielder missed almost all of September with the bad wrist, capping off an injury-plagued season that saw Cain play just 103 games.  The health problems undoubtedly contributed to Cain’s .287/.339/.408 slash line over 434 PA, a below-average showing give how well he performed in the previous two seasons.  Cain is a free agent after 2017, so a return to good health and good form will be very lucrative for him.
  • Right-hander Dillon Gee will undergo thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star writes.  The procedure usually carries a recovery time of 4-6 months, so Gee could be ready for the start of Spring Training.  Gee signed a minor league deal with the Royals last winter and posted a 4.68 ERA, 6.4 K/9 and 2.41 K/BB rate over 125 innings, working as both a starter and a reliever.  He has another year of arbitration eligibility before hitting free agency following the 2017 campaign.
  • Paulo Orlando has emerged as a bit of a late bloomer in the Royals’ eyes, MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan writes.  The outfielder just delivered his best offensive season at age 30, though manager Ned Yost would like to see Orlando develop some more power.  Some other holes exist in Orlando’s game (a 2.7% walk rate, and perhaps an overall inflated slash line due to a .382 BABIP) but he has put himself into the conversation for at least a part-time outfield role in 2017.
  • Cheslor Cuthbert is on his way to the Instructional League to get some second base work, GM Dayton Moore told FSKC’s Joel Goldberg (Twitter link) during the pregame show of today’s Royals broadcast.  Though Cuthbert had a solid rookie season, he could be fighting for a roster spot next year since the Royals will have Mike Moustakas returning at third base, and Raul Mondesi, Christian Colon and Whit Merrifield all in the mix at second.  Learning to play multiple positions, of course, is an obvious boost to Cuthbert’s chances.  He has appeared in a handful of games at second in the majors and minors and also played some first base, beyond his primary third base position.
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