• The Reds have announced that they’ve released lefty reliever Jose Mijares. In addition, they optioned catcher Tucker Barnhart, infielder Eugenio Suarez and outfielder Donald Lutz to Triple Louisville and reassigned infielder Josh Satin and catcher Chad Wallach to minor-league camp. Mijares didn’t pitch last season after opting out of his minor-league deal with the Red Sox, but he’s been an effective specialist for much of his career, posting a 3.23 ERA with 8.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 over 259 innings in six seasons with the Twins, Royals and Giants. The Reds signed him to a minor-league deal in December.

• The Reds have signed southpaw Jose Mijares and right-hander Michael Bowden to minor league deals.  Mijares posted strong numbers (3.23 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 2.22 K/BB rate) over 259 relief innings with the Twins, Royals and Giants from 2008-13 but didn’t pitch in 2014 after he opted out of his minor league deal with the Red Sox last March.  Bowden was drafted 47th overall by the Red Sox in the 2005 draft and was considered a top prospect during his stint in Boston’s minor league system.  He couldn’t manage that same success in the majors, posting a 4.51 ERA over 133 2/3 innings with the Red Sox and Cubs from 2008-13.  Bowden pitched in Japan in 2014.
• The Diamondbacks signed left-hander Dan Runzler to a minor league contract.  Runzler posted a 3.86 ERA, 9.7 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9 over 72 1/3 IP with San Francisco from 2009-12 and was released by the Giants’ Triple-A team last July so he could pitch in Japan with the Orix Buffaloes.
• The Marlins inked outfielder Vinny Rottino to a minor league deal.  Rottino, 34, is returning to North American baseball for the first time since 2012 after playing in Korea and Japan over the last two seasons.  This is Rottino’s second stint in Miami, as he played for the Marlins, Mets, Indians and Brewers while collecting 110 career Major League plate appearances.
• The Rangers signed infielder Tommy Field to a minor league contract.  Field received 81 plate appearances with the Rockies and Angels from 2011-13 and he spent last season at the Triple-A level in the Angels and Pirates organizations.
• The Royals outrighted outfielder Moises Sierra and right-hander Casey Coleman to Triple-A, the team announced via Twitter.  The two players were both designated for assignment last week to create roster spots for the recently-signed Kendrys Morales and Yohan Pino, respectively.
• The Blue Jays announced the signing of left-hander Andrew Albers to a minor league deal that includes a Spring Training invite.  Albers posted a 5.89 ERA over 28 starts for Hanwha of the (very hitter-friendly) Korean Baseball Organization in 2014.  His Major League experience consists of a 4.05 ERA, 3.8 K/9 and 3.57 K/BB rate over 60 innings with the Twins in 2013.

As MLBTR reported at the time of the signing, Mijares' deal included an March opt out clause that he could trigger if he did not like his prospects in Boston.  Had things worked out, the 29-year-old would have earned $1MM on the major league roster with another possible $1MM tied to games pitched.

Mijares spent last season with the Giants and even though his 4.22 ERA in 49 innings was the second-highest of his career, his rate statistics (9.9 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9) were strong.  Unfortunately, the left-hander suffered from a staggering .410 BABIP, the highest mark in all of baseball among pitchers with at least 40 innings.  Advanced metrics like FIP (3.05), xFIP (3.90), and SIERA (3.45) indicated that Mijares outperformed his ERA last year.

Mijares, 29, spent last season with the Giants. His 4.22 ERA in 49 innings was among the second-highest of his career, but Mijares had attractive rate statistics (9.9 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9). Mijares suffered from a staggering .410 BABIP, the highest mark in all of baseball among pitchers with at least 40 innings. Advanced metrics like FIP (3.05), xFIP (3.90), and SIERA (3.45) thought Mijares outperformed his ERA last year.

Mijares looks increasingly to be a lefty-on-lefty guy. Over his career, he has allowed a .818 OPS to righties and a .623 OPS to lefties. But those splits were even more pronounced last year, as Mijares gave up a .961 OPS to righties and .710 mark to same-handed hitters.

The 29-year-old Mijares elected free agency after being outrighted to Triple-A by the Giants in November, He had been projected to earn $2.1MM in arbitration, but the Giants cut him in favor of giving Javier Lopez a three-year, $13MM extension. Mijares posted a 4.22 ERA with 9.9 K/9, 3.7 BB/9 and a 34.6 percent ground-ball rate in 2013. His typically excellent splits against left-handed batters regressed this past season, as they batted .276/.343/.367 against Mijares.

As can be seen in MLBTR's Agency Database, Goldschmidt also represents clients such as Alberto Callaspo, Ramon Hernandez, Juan Rivera and Alex Gonzalez. MLBTR's database contains information on more than 2,000 Major League and Minor League players. If you see any omissions or errors within the database, please email us at mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.

TUESDAY: The Giants have outrighted Jose Mijares to Triple-A Fresno, according to Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).  Mijares was arbitration eligible and was due $2.1MM, making him a non-tender possibility.  The re-signing of Javier Lopez, made official earlier this evening, made him expendable.  Rough outings against right-handed hitters gave the 29-year-old a 4.22 ERA, but he still turned in a solid 9.9 K/9 rate (with 3.7 BB/9).

Mijares, 28, joined the Giants this past August after they claimed him off of waivers from Kansas City. He posted a 2.56 ERA with 9.1 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 56 1/3 total innings, setting himself up for a raise from his 2012 salary of $925K. Matt Swartz had anticipated a $1.6MM salary for Mijares in his projections for MLBTR.

The Giants have six remaining arb eligible players, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows. Joaquin Arias, Gregor Blanco, Clay Hensley, Hunter Pence, Buster Posey and Sergio Romo are San Francisco's other eligible players.

• The Dodgers should explore moving Matt Kemp from center field in order to protect Kemp's long-term health, writes Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles.  Saxon suggests Carl Crawford could take over in center in 2014, though I'm not sure Crawford would be able to physically handle the position himself given his injury history.  Corner outfielders Crawford and Andre Ethier are both locked up through 2017 on contracts worth $187.5MM through 2017 and Adrian Gonzalez is the long-term answer at first base, so there really isn't anywhere for Kemp to move.
• The Giants' waiver claim of left-hander Jose Mijares in August has proven to be a key pickup, writes MLB.com's Tracy Ringolsby.  Mijares posted a 2.55 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings for the Giants down the stretch.
• The Orioles will probably bring back Taylor Teagarden as backup catcher, opines Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com.
• With Jason Giambi a managerial candidate in Colorado, USA Today's Bob Nightengale lists 10 current players who he believes could easily transition to running a team.  Derek Jeter can probably be eliminated from the list given Jeter's recent comments about the chances of him becoming a manager. 

Mijares has a 2.56 ERA with 8.6 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and a 33.3% ground ball rate in 38 2/3 innings this year. The 27-year-old earns $925K, will be arbitration eligible following this offseason, and will remain under team control through 2014.

I identified Mijares as a midseason trade candidate in May. However, I wouldn't have predicted he'd go unclaimed by 13 American League teams and a number of National League teams given the season he's having and his modest salary.

Mijares, 27, has a 1.72 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 36 2/3 innings with the Royals so far in 2012. The midseason trade candidate earns $925K this year and will be arbitration eligible following the season.

Rzepczynski was traded to the Cardinals last summer in the deal that sent Edwin Jackson to St. Louis. The 26-year-old has a 5.06 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 32 innings this year. He'll be arbitration eligible for the first time following the 2012 season.

The Angels, who currently have left-handers Scott Downs and Hisanori Takahashi pitching out of the bullpen, are willing to offer Peter Bourjos in a trade for the right reliever. Here's MLBTR's preview of the trade market for left-handed relief.

• After swinging a major trade to acquire Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante earlier today, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski says his team is "set at this point," according to Jason Beck of MLB.com (on Twitter).
• Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that Jonathan Broxton, Jose Mijares, Yuniesky Betancourt, and Jeff Francoeur have all been made available by the Royals.
• Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune passes along a video interview with White Sox GM Kenny Williams stating, "There's no sense" in acquiring a marginal upgrade to his rotation. Williams implies that his club will only be interested in adding a front-line pitcher, and that he's willing to look at prospect deals to improve his club in the short-term. Williams is also optimistic that John Danks, currently on the DL, can return and improve his team's rotation.
• Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports speculates that Carlos Quentin's recent extension could push teams into overpaying the Twins to acquire Josh Willingham (video link).
• Morosi also discusses the impact of the trade that sent Brett Myers to the White Sox.

The Twins non-tendered Mijares last offseason following a difficult 2011 campaign in which his average fastball velocity dropped and he walked as many batters as he struck out (30). The 27-year-old signed a one-year, $925K contract with the Royals in December and the results have been promising to this point. He has a 2.45 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in 14 2/3 innings, an indication that last year’s struggles may be behind him.

Mijares has returned to his career norms so far in 2012 and his fastball has regained its zip (90.9 mph on average). Against left-handed hitters he has impressive career rates of 8.1 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9. When lefty hitters face Mijares fewer fly balls become home runs and fewer batted balls become hits or line drives.

But he is a true ‘loogy’ in that his managers need to limit his exposure to right-handed hitters (they hit .271/.357/.434 against him). He’s best used as a specialist, and his managers know it. He has averaged less than one inning per appearance and faced nearly as many left-handers as right-handers in his five MLB seasons. 

The Royals aren’t under pressure to move Mijares, who’s affordable and under team control through 2014. But GM Dayton Moore won’t necessarily need Mijares for the next three seasons, as Tim Collins can neutralize tough left-handed hitters and the Royals have other potentially useful left-handed relievers in the minors. If the Royals can obtain a reasonably interesting prospect for Mijares while his value remains high, his tenure in Kansas City may be brief. 

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.