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Scott Kingery

Phillies Place Four Players On COVID-19 Injured List

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4:03pm: These four players were indeed placed on the COVID-19 injured list, per Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). That does not necessarily mean that the players have tested positive for the virus; the list also houses players that have shown symptoms consistent with infection or that have had contact with someone else that is infected.

1:54pm: The Phillies appear to have placed four players on the 10-day injured list. While the team has yet to make a formal announcement, the MLB.com transactions page indicates that Scott Kingery, Hector Neris, Tommy Hunter and Ranger Suarez have all been placed on the IL. No reason was listed.

Given the lack of a formal announcement and the lack of specified injuries, there’s bound to be speculation about COVID-19 among these four players. The league has already made clear that teams will not be required to name players who go on the injured list for COVID-19 reasons. In a statement to ESPN’s Marly Rivera yesterday, MLB offered the following:

Because COVID-19 is not considered an employment-related injury, we will respect the privacy of the players who test positive or who are under evaluation, and we will defer to their wishes regarding public updates about their status. Without their voluntary permission, we will not disclose any COVID-19 related information.

It should be emphasized that a player does not need to test positive for the virus to be placed on the IL for COVID-19. Players exhibiting symptoms and those who have come into contact with people who’ve tested positive can also be placed on the IL for precautionary reasons. Once on the IL for a positive COVID-19 test or for symptoms/contact reasons, a player will need to twice test negative in order to be reinstated.

Additional context may eventually come to light, but for now we know that the Phillies have several key players sidelined until at least the end of next week (the IL placements are retroactive to June 30). Kingery is expected to fill an everyday role in the infield this year, although his superlative defensive skills would allow skipper Joe Girardi to plug him virtually anywhere on the diamond while providing solid glovework. Neris entered the season as the clear closer in Philadelphia, and the veteran Hunter would’ve filled a setup role. Suarez gave the Phils 48 2/3 frames of 3.14 ERA out of the bullpen last year and had positioned himself as an important member of the staff as well.

An extended absence for Kingery could conceivably open the door for top third base prospect Alec Bohm (with Jean Segura manning second base). Non-roster veterans like Neil Walker, Logan Forsythe and Josh Harrison are also in the Phillies’ 60-man player pool. Absent the three arms that were placed on the IL, an already injury-plagued bullpen would become even more problematic. It’s not clear who’d step into the ninth inning should Neris be unavailable, but the trio of Neris, Suarez and Hunter could all play vital late-inning roles in 2020, health permitting.

Merrifield Or Kingery?

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Scott Kingery and Whit Merrifield aren’t exactly at the same place in their careers.

Merrifield, 31, led his team in bWAR last season and is considered by many as the best player on their rebuilding club. He’s a late-bloomer, but on the wrong side of thirty nonetheless, with 3.5 seasons under his belt as an above-average player. MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently wrote this of Merrifield: “The 31-year-old is one of the better all-around veteran assets in the game, considering his ability to play multiple positions, his inexpensive contract that could extend through the 2023 season, and his three consecutive seasons of strong production.” He boasts a career batting line of .296/.344/.445, good for 109 wRC+.

Kingery, 26, disappointed in a major way in his first shot at the big leagues, but he rebounded last year with an honest effort as a multi-positional asset for the contending Phillies. In just his age-25 season, Kingery posted a line of .258/.315/.474 across 500 plate appearances while socking 19 long balls. MLBTR’s Jeff Todd recently wrote this: “Kingery had some ups and downs in his second season in the bigs, but ultimately made huge strides and turned in a league-average offensive season.” To this point, Kingery’s career line stands at just .242/.291/.407 – but the former 2nd round pick produced a 101 wRC+ last season. At a similar age, Merrifield was splitting his time between Double and Triple A.

Financially-speaking, both are signed to long-term deals. Because Merrifield debuted on the older side, he signed a very team-friendly deal through potentially his age-34 season. He’ll make $5MM in 2020, $6.75MM in 2021, just $2.75MM in 2022, and the Royals hold a team option for $10.5MM in 2023. Many thought Merrifield would be traded to a contending team this winter, but the Royals love him, and given his contract, there’s no particular rush to move him. By not moving him, they’re missing out on the opportunity to add young talent to the organization, but Merrifield is producing now, and his story is one that might give many Kansas City farmhands hope.

Kingery is signed even longer. The Phillies will pay him $1.75MM in 2020 (in theory), $4.25MM in 2021, $6.25MM in 2022, and $8.25MM in 2023. Philadelphia also holds three team options: $13MM in 2024, $14MM in 2025, and $15MM in 2026.

Kingery’s deal brings a lot more upside, with Merrifield likely brings more near-term value. Given the current standings of the Phillies and Royals, an argument could be made that a straight-up swap of the two multi-positional right-handers makes a lot of sense. Kingery has yet to prove that he can produce a season like Merrfield’s 5.2 bWAR effort in 2018, but he’s also five years younger and signed for a longer period. Their deals, meanwhile, converge in 2023, where a 34-year-old Merrifield would be making more on a one-year deal than the 29-year-old Kingery, who at that point will have three relatively reasonable team options remaining.

Both players boast well-rounded games, with Kingery bringing a bit more pop potential, while Merrifield has superior bat skills. Kingery has swiped 25 bases while only being caught 7 times over his two seasons, while Merrifield led the AL in stolen bases in both 2017 and 2018. Last year, Merrifield’s volume and efficiency fell off a bit as he swiped just 20 bases in 30 chances. Both players have capably moved around the diamond, both infield and outfield. The gap between Merrifield’s 110 wRC+ last season and Kingery’s 101 wRC+ isn’t as great as the perceived talent gap between the two players. If nothing else, assume some age-related regression for Merrifield, while Kingery develops further as he grows into his prime, and don’t these two inch just a little closer?

Merrifield is the quick-trigger choice, but given a comprehensive look at both players, an argument can be made that Kingery is the better asset. All in, which would you prefer to have on your team: Merrifield’s proven qualities or Kingery’s rising upside? Put another way, who has the better asset: the Royals or Phillies?

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NL East Notes: Nimmo, Adams, Marlins, Kingery

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After undergoing more rounds of cardiac testing, Brandon Nimmo has been cleared to resume baseball activity, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen told reporters (including Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News).  There was some concern yesterday after it was announced that Nimmo would be taking the extra tests after being scratched from a spring lineup, though it appears as though Nimmo can return to action as per usual.  The outfielder is already trying to rebound from an injury-shortened season, as a bulging cervical disk limited Nimmo to only 69 games in 2019.  While Nimmo is returning, however, Matt Adams will also be undergoing more cardiac tests.  The eight-year veteran signed a minor league contract with the Mets last month and is hoping to crack the roster as first base/outfield bench depth.

More from the NL East…

  • Though the Marlins traded Zac Gallen to the Diamondbacks last summer, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro doesn’t expect the Fish to part ways with any of its other young rotation arms with big league experience.  The Gallen deal was unique in that Miami was able to acquire another very intriguing young player in Jazz Chisholm, and while such names as Caleb Smith, Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, and Jose Urena have drawn interest from other teams, the Marlins aren’t likely to move any more pitchers until they determine which of that group (as well as any of the other pitching prospects on the way up) are truly long-term pieces.
  • Scott Kingery put on some extra weight and muscle during the offseason to help combat the grind of the long season, and he told reporters (including The Athletic’s Matt Gelb) that focusing on a single position might also help keep him fresh down the stretch.  Throughout his two MLB seasons, Kingery’s play has suffered as the season has gone on, with a .576 OPS over 213 plate appearances in July and a .611 OPS in 157 September PA.  “The more your body gets worn down, the more you start recruiting muscles that you don’t want to be recruiting in your swing.  You’re just trying to find anything in your body to get your swing through rather than having it be free and easy like I want it,” Kingery said.  Becoming a primary second baseman could also help, as Kingery said that playing a super-utility role made him “gassed by the time the game was played.  It was a mental battle to try to figure out my routine and what I needed to do to get my mind and my body ready to play multiple positions.”  While the Phillies may still deploy Kingery in the outfield on occasion, the team’s current plan is to line him up regularly at second base or third base, depending on where Jean Segura is best suited.  Segura is himself changing positions, moving from his longtime shortstop spot to accommodate Didi Gregorius.

Phillies Notes: Outfield, Kingery, Franco, Dominguez

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The latest out of Philadelphia…

  • Although the Phillies lost starting outfielder Andrew McCutchen for the season on Tuesday, they’re not shopping for help in that area right now, according to Jayson Stark of The Athletic. The Phillies did just acquire outfielder Jay Bruce over the weekend, and they’re inclined to use him, Scott Kingery and the just-promoted Adam Haseley to complement right fielder Bryce Harper, per Stark, who notes the club also has the injured Roman Quinn working his way back. Indeed, manager Gabe Kapler indicated Haseley will see quite a bit of time in center, per Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia. However, with almost two months left until the July 31 trade deadline, first-place Philadelphia could sour on its non-Harper outfielders, including Haseley, and acquire more aid as it tries to fend off its NL East rivals.
  • While Kingery has been an outfield option at times in 2019, he’s in position to take over as Philly’s regular third baseman, Salisbury observes. Kingery has been the Phillies’ primary choice at third of late, largely because of Maikel Franco’s struggles. Franco’s hitting an awful .212/.286/.399 (65 wRC+) through 220 plate appearances, while Kingery’s slashing .333/.375/.578 (149 wRC+) in 96 PA. Whether Kingery’s production is remotely sustainable is in question, but it’s easy to see why the Phillies want to improve on Franco at the hot corner. The 26-year-old Franco’s numbers have plummeted since he captured the franchise’s attention with a productive half-season in 2015.
  • Reliever Seranthony Dominguez departed the Phillies’ win over the Padres on Wednesday with a mild elbow strain, Kapler said (via Salisbury). Dominguez faced just three batters, retiring one, before exiting with a trainer. Team doctors will examine Dominguez on Thursday, though Kapler noted there’s no fear of ligament damage at this point. Dominguez hasn’t been as strong as he was during his 58-inning debut in 2018, but the 24-year-old has still thrown 24 2/3 frames of 4.01 ERA/3.96 FIP ball with 10.58 K/9, 4.38 BB/9 and a 54.5 percent groundball rate this season.

The Importance Of Scott Kingery

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In a spirited attempt to repair their position player group and snap a seven-year playoff drought, the Phillies added four new regulars to their lineup during the offseason. The big-ticket acquisitions of Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Andrew McCutchen and Jean Segura left the club with just four holdovers. Of the returning quartet, only first baseman Rhys Hoskins and second baseman Cesar Hernandez have produced in 2019. On the other hand, this has been a horrid year for third baseman Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera, who didn’t exactly comprise a confidence-inspiring pair entering the campaign.

The 26-year-old Franco broke into the league in earnest in 2015, when he looked like a long-term core piece in the making during an 80-game, 335-plate appearance debut. Since then, though, success has been hard to come by for Franco. He turned in an 0-for-4 performance in a loss to the Cardinals on Thursday, dropping his batting line to an inept .215/.281/.393 through 210 tries this year. Franco’s 63 wRC+ ranks as the majors’ eighth-worst mark among 167 qualifying hitters.

While 2019 has gone poorly for Franco, it has been even worse for Herrera. Not only has Herrera failed on the field, where he has hit .222/.268/.341 (67 wRC+) in 139 trips to the plate, but he’s amid a troubling situation off it. The league placed Herrera on administrative leave Tuesday after he was arrested Monday on a charge of simple assault relating to a domestic violence incident.

It’s too early to jump to conclusions on Herrera’s arrest at this point, but we can judge him on what he has done between the lines. The fact is the 27-year-old’s production has been a letdown since 2018. Before then, he was a quality player who earned a five-year, $30.5MM extension from the franchise in 2016.

The Phillies have given Franco and Herrera plenty of rope so far in their careers, but they’re looking less and less like answers at their respective positions. And Philadelphia is no longer a rebuilding team – it’s in first place in the NL East, which figures to be a multi-team dogfight through September – meaning it must consider making moves to improve at third and in center. Luckily for the club, it may have an in-house solution for one of those spots in utility player Scott Kingery.

The 25-year-old Kingery opened the season as a reserve, but he has taken on a prominent role rotating between the hot corner and center since he returned from a month-long stay on the injured list. Going back to his May 19 activation, Kingery has started nine of the Phillies’ 11 games. Now, if he proves capable of performing like a legit full-timer, he’d take some of the pressure off executives Matt Klentak and Andy MacPhail heading into the July 31 trade deadline.

Philadelphia believes in Kingery, evidenced by the six-year, $24MM guarantee it gave him in March 2018. Kingery was a top 100 prospect at that point, but he had never even taken a major league at-bat. That inexperience was on display during a rough rookie season for Kingery, who struggled to a .226/.267/.338 line (62 wRC+) with 126 strikeouts against 24 walks in 484 tries.

So far, the sophomore version of Kingery is trumping his Year 1 numbers through 72 PA. However, his .328/.375/.567 slash (148 wRC+) looks as if it’s built on a house of cards. Having drawn a meager three walks against 20 strikeouts, Kingery is getting by on a sure-to-plummet .432 batting average on balls in play and a power surge that also looks unlikely to last. With three homers, Kingery’s fly balls are leaving the yard at an 18.8 percent rate – a figure he only approached once in the minors (in 2017). As a Double-A player that season, Kingery recorded a .295 ISO. Coming into this year, that was the only time Kingery had even neared a .200 ISO, let alone blown by it. With that in mind, don’t bet on Kingery maintaining his current ISO (.239).

Although there are reasons for pessimism regarding Kingery’s hot start, that’s not to say he can’t be a valuable regular for the Phillies now or in the future. It would be a colossal boon for the club if it happened immediately, considering its remade offense has been closer to middle of the pack than great this season. That’s largely because of Franco, Herrera and corner outfielder Nick Williams, who have combined for minus-1.1 fWAR in 414 PA. The Phillies can’t count on those three – nor can they expect a breakthrough from unproven outfielder Roman Quinn, 26, or McCutchen to man his old stomping grounds in center consistently – leaving the onus on Kingery to assert himself in a full-time role. If Kingery falls on his face, the Phillies may have to deal with the burden of finding two new regulars leading up to the deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Phillies Activate Scott Kingery, Option Nick Williams

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The Phillies are set to activate utilityman Scott Kingery from the 10-day injured list, Matt Gelb of The Athletic tweets. The club has confirmed Kingery’s activation, adding that it has optioned outfielder Nick Williams to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

The Phillies have been without Kingery since he landed on the IL on April 19 with a right hamstring strain. Before that, Kingery looked to be establishing himself in the majors after a rough rookie season in 2018. Along with slashing .406/.457/.719 (208 wRC+) with two home runs in 35 big league plate appearances, the versatile Kingery has seen action at shortstop, third base, second base and in left field this year. He’ll add another position on Sunday – center field – Gelb reports.

The Phillies have gotten next to nothing from center fielder Odubel Herrera or third baseman Maikel Franco this year, so Kingery could potentially see plenty of time at those spots as the season progresses. Despite the struggles of those two starters, the Phillies are 26-19 and leading the National League East by a game and a half over the Braves.

Williams, 25, hasn’t played in the minors since 2017, making his trip to Lehigh Valley particularly notable. Since Williams’ midseason promotion to the majors two years ago, the former top 100 prospect has amassed 856 PA and offered roughly league-average offense (.262/.322/.431 with 30 home runs – good for a 101 wRC+). However, Williams has struggled in the outfield, as shown by his minus-30 Defensive Runs Saved and minus-12 Ultimate Zone Rating, thereby limiting him to replacement-level value. He’s also hitting at a career-worst level this year, with a .180/.231/.262 line (33 wRC+), a single homer and 18 strikeouts against two walks in 65 tries.

Because Williams hasn’t quite panned out since the Phillies acquired him from the Rangers as part of a 2015 trade for Cole Hamels, Philly made other corner outfield arrangements this past offseason. They brought in high-priced free agents Bryce Harper and Andrew McCutchen to take over for Williams and Aaron Altherr, the latter of whom joined the Giants via waivers last weekend after the Phillies designated him for assignment.

Phillies Place Three On Injured List

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The Phillies have placed shortstop Jean Segura, infielder/outfielder Scott Kingery and reliever Victor Arano on the 10-day injured list, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The team recalled right-hander Drew Anderson, left-hander Austin Davis and third baseman Mitch Walding from Triple-A Lehigh Valley in corresponding moves.

Segura’s IL placement, retroactive to Wednesday, comes as a result of a left hamstring strain. It’ll deprive the Phillies of one of their key offseason additions and someone who has gotten off to a terrific start this year. The 29-year-old’s slashing .328/.384/.476 (130 wRC+) in 73 plate appearances, continuing an impressive run of production that began with the Diamondbacks in 2016.

With Segura unavailable over the past couple days, the Phillies turned to the versatile Kingery at short. After a rough rookie season in 2018, Kingery, 24, opened this year with an exemplary line of .406/.457/.719 (208 wRC+) and two home runs in 35 PA. He’s also dealing with a strained hamstring, but on his right side, and an MRI showed it’s “mild,” per Breen.

The absences of Segura and Kingery will leave shortstop to journeyman Phil Gosselin, at least initially. The club also has the somewhat experienced duo of Andrew Romine and Gift Ngoepe as potential minor league call-ups, but it would need to add either to an already full 40-man roster.

The 24-year-old Arano is now the third Phillies reliever currently on the IL, joining David Robertson and Tommy Hunter. Arano’s battling elbow inflammation, no doubt an ominous-sounding problem for a pitcher. The righty was one of the Phillies’ most successful relievers last year, his rookie campaign, though a horrific spring forced him to begin this season in the minors. He then dominated Triple-A hitters over four innings, which led to a return to the majors April 12. Since then, Arano has combined for 4 2/3 frames in three appearances and allowed two earned runs, both in the Phils’ loss to the Rockies on Thursday, while notching seven strikeouts against two walks.

Phillies Notes: Jordan, Kingery, Franco

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Some further changes are on the horizon in the Phillies’ front office, as farm director Joe Jordan has stepped away from the organization, Matt Gelb of The Athletic writes (subscription link). The Phillies have since confirmed Jordan’s departure. Gelb characterizes a “rift” between Jordan and the new front office, headed by GM Matt Klentak and president Andy MacPhail. The 56-year-old Jordan told Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia that he “had the greatest job” but “walked into [Klentak’s] office and told him I didn’t think I was the guy to take this thing forward.” Jordan had held that position since being hired by Ruben Amaro back in 2011 but knew both Klentak and MacPhail from prior experience working with the pair in the Orioles’ front office. Gelb’s column details Jordan’s departure at length, noting that increased usage of data, analytics and Trackman technology at the minor league levels have all been implemented under the new regime — among numerous other changes.

A bit more out of Philadelphia…

  • Phillies skipper Gabe Kapler tells Scott Labuer of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the organization isn’t planning on assigning one set position to super-utilityman Scott Kingery at any point in the near future. Kingery has played shortstop primarily over the past couple of months but is also seen as an option at second, third and in the outfield. “The most sensitive, direct, and understanding way I can answer this question  is that we don’t know,” Kapler says in response to questions of Kingery’s placement on the diamond in the long-term. Lauber also speaks at length with Cardinals third base coach and former big league utilityman Jose Oquendo about the manner in which Kingery has been used, as Oquendo himself was once one of the game’s most prominent utility pieces. Oquendo offers some veteran insight as a former player who thrived in that role for years, stressing that as long as the player buys in, he can enjoy success in that role. As Lauber notes, Kingery’s versatility should afford the front office plenty of flexibility in the offseason.
  • Salisbury also writes that third baseman Maikel Franco is likely headed to meet with a specialist to have his ailing right wrist examined today. Franco was among the Phils’ hottest hitters for much of July and in early August, but his bat has faded as he’s played through considerable pain. With the 26-year-old Franco currently unavailable, trade acquisition Asdrubal Cabrera has been logging most of the time at third base. The Phillies did bring J.P. Crawford up as part of their slate of September call-ups and, paired with Kingery, that gives them several options to fill out the left side of the diamond. Pedro Florimon is also back with the big league club as an infield option on the left side.

Quick Hits: BLA, Hernandez, Napoli

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Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently did a deep dive into the company known as Big League Advance, whose business model involves lump sum payments to minor-leaguers in exchange for a percentage of their future earnings. MLBTR readers might best know BLA as the company entrenched in a legal battle with top prospect Francisco Mejia of the Indians. Rosenthal’s piece goes into detail far beyond Mejia alone, and he notes at one point that BLA claims to have recently signed its 100th player. Players such as Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jose Osuna have benefitted from the lump sum payments BLA offers; the former is using the money to invest in his health, nutrition and conditioning, while the latter claims the money allows him to focus on baseball by reducing the stress of wondering how he’ll support his family. Others around baseball, however, claim that BLA uses predatory tactics to pressure young players into giving up significant money on the whole; indeed they’ve admitted to intentionally bypassing agents to talk with players directly. It seems that the major focus of Rosenthal’s piece is the upside and downside of BLA’s presence in baseball. My biggest takeaway from reading the piece is that there ought to be a serious discussion in the near future about how (or if) MLB ought to be involved in regulating companies like BLA.

More from around the league…

  • It was widely assumed that Scott Kingery’s surprise extension and resulting presence on the Phillies’ MLB roster would sap at least some playing time from incumbent second baseman Cesar Hernandez. That hasn’t been the case, as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki points out. Hernandez has actually started 18 of 19 games for the club this season, and while Kingery is a second baseman by trade, he’s played that position just twice so far at the MLB level. Instead, he’s spent time at shortstop, third and right field. Zolecki posits that while Hernandez may have seemed like an obvious trade deadline candidate at the season’s outset, it’s now difficult to see the Phillies dealing him due to his offensive impact and the uncertainty surrounding Maikel Franco and J.P. Crawford. Manager Gabe Kapler’s comments certainly strengthen that line of thinking: “We knew how Cesar’s track record suggested that he’s one of the better second baseman in baseball,” he said. “And now we’re blessed to see it every single day. It’s really exciting to look out there and see a guy that consistent. It’s really nice for a manager to have Cesar at the top of the lineup.”
  • Mike Napoli’s season-ending surgery obviously doesn’t necessarily mean the end of his career. But Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal has some interesting comments from Terry Francona suggesting that he believes Napoli (who was playing with the Indians’ Triple-A affiliate prior to the injury) will be an excellent coach if and when the time comes for him to hang up his spikes. “I’m not saying he’s done playing, I just mean if he chooses to start to be on this side of the field, my guess is he’ll be even better than he was as a player,” Francona said. It’s certainly a fair point; Napoli is well-known for his clubhouse leadership, and especially in Cleveland during their 2016 playoff run.

Quick Hits: Kingery, Phillies, Chen, Tigers, Maitan

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It was on this day in 2013 that the Brewers signed Kyle Lohse to a three-year, $33MM contract, ending Lohse’s extended stay in the free agent market.  The 2012-13 offseason was the first to feature the qualifying offer in its original form, and the draft pick compensation (a first-round pick, or the highest available pick for a team with one of the top ten draft spots) attached to Lohse’s services seemed to chill the market for the veteran right-hander.  Lohse became the first of several notable players whose free agency was impacted by the QO in the coming years, and even in its adjusted form under the new collective bargaining agreement, the qualifying certainly still acted as a seeming deterrent for several free agents this offseason.  The Brewers, it should be noted, ended up getting a pretty solid return on their investment, as Lohse posted a 3.45 ERA and 3.28 K/BB rate over 397 innings in 2013-14 before declining in the final year of the contract.

Some items from around baseball…

  • Talks about Scott Kingery’s precedent-setting extension with the Phillies came together within the last few days, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb writes (subscription required).  The team had been planning to keep Kingery at Triple-A long enough (April 13) to limit his service time and thus gain and extra year of control over his services.  At a guaranteed price of $24MM over six years, the Phillies see the contract “as a no-risk transaction,” as it isn’t too heavy a sum to eat if Kingery doesn’t live up to expectations as a big leaguer, though the organization is very high on the prospect as an important building block.
  • Of course, the Kingery deal was bound to generate some controversy given that he could be leaving a lot of future money on the table should he play well.  Speaking to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required), one rival agent described the contract’s three club options as “offensive,” given that the Phillies could control Kingery’s first three free agent years at a total price of $42MM, which surely won’t match the rate of market inflation by 2024-26.  Rosenthal’s notes piece is well worth a full read, as he catches up on some of the bigger stories of the past six weeks that he missed while recovering from back surgery.  (On behalf of all of us at MLBTR, it’s great to see Ken recovered and ready to go for the start of the season!)
  • Wei-Yin Chen faced live hitters in a 16-pitch batting practice session today, and the Marlins southpaw told reporters (including MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro) that it “felt like the old days,” prior to the elbow problems that have plagued him over the last two seasons.  Chen has been gradually moving through the recovery process, with today’s session being his first test against actual batters.  Without any injury setbacks, Chen could begin a proper ramp-up to the season and potentially return to Miami’s rotation by May, at the earliest.
  • The Tigers aren’t planning to make a trade to account for Mike Fiers’ potential DL stint, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi tweets.  The team already has Daniel Norris as an in-house replacement, plus Fiers isn’t expected to miss much time recovering from the back problems that have hampered him all spring.
  • Kevin Maitan’s prospect stock was already dimming after a difficult first full pro season, and the former Braves prospect has continued to draw mixed reviews from scouts in his first Spring Training with the Angels, Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper writes.  Though Maitan is still just 18 years old, scouts already believe his body type won’t allow him to remain at shortstop, and he may also be too big even to handle third base.  This puts more pressure on Maitan to hit if he isn’t going to play at a premium defensive position, and evaluators also have some questions about Maitan’s swing. pessimistic
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