Tim Beckham

AL East Notes: Orioles, Donaldson, Rays

By Kyle Downing | January 20, 2018 at 2:57pm CDT

There’s no official decision yet regarding where Manny Machado will play in 2018, but one could come as soon as this weekend. Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com provides some insight into Orioles manager Buck Showalter’s thought process in determining the young star’s position. Showalter has spoken with both Machado and Tim Beckham in regards to Baltimore’s infield alignment, and though nothing is definite yet, Kubatko seems to have confidence that the O’s will grant Machado’s wishes to move him to shortstop this coming season, which would in turn push Beckham to third base or into a super utility role. Showalter also offers some very honest evaluations of Mike Moustakas as well as the price points of some of the high-end free agent pitchers on the market. In addition, he delves into Baltimore’s catcher situation.

A few other notes out of the AL East…

Josh Donaldson told reporters today that, to his knowledge, his agent has not been engaged with the Blue Jays regarding a potential contract extension (hat tip to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com). This doesn’t necessarily eliminate the possibility that extension talks have taken place, but it certainly casts doubt on it. Donaldson has been the third most valuable player in baseball by fWAR (21.4) since he was traded to Toronto prior to the 2015 season, Though he started off slowly last season, he still managed an excellent .270/.385/.559 batting line for the campaign while hitting 33 homers. He’d be one of the marquee free agents of an impressive 2018, though the fact that he’ll be nearly 33 by the beginning of November will detract from his value in comparison with players like Bryce Harper and Machado.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times points out that the Rays are in a position to enter 2018 with both a higher payroll than last season and less talent on the roster overall. Of course, there’s still plenty of time for the team to make more moves. Topkin cites the lack of activity industry wide as a factor that has “paralyzed” the organization, but believes that once the “dam finally breaks,” they’ll have a lot of things to address. He quotes GM Erik Neander, who describes the team’s to do list as similar to what it was at the outset of the offseason. Topkin mentions a number of candidates who could possibly be traded in order to cut payroll for the team, including closer Alex Colome and the recently-acquired Denard Span. From my own standpoint, it’s not unfair to wonder whether Tampa Bay has any chance to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox as things stand now, let alone if the team continues to make cuts to a payroll that’s one of the lowest in baseball. That can only increase the trade speculation surrounding Chris Archer, Colome, and others on the roster.

Tim Beckham Changes Agents

By Jeff Todd | January 9, 2018 at 9:28am CDT

Orioles shortstop Tim Beckham has hired new representation, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). His new agency will be the Wasserman Media Group.

Beckham, who is now closing in on his 28th birthday, entered the professional ranks as the top overall selection in the 2008 draft. Though he has not quite lived up to that billing to this point, Beckham is fresh off of his most promising campaign at the MLB level.

While his tenure with the Rays came to an end at the 2017 trade deadline, Beckham produced at a roughly league-average rate at the plate during his time with Tampa Bay. And he exploded upon arriving in Baltimore, carrying a robust .306/.348/.523 batting line over 230 plate appearances despite a late-season swoon.

It’s tough to know just what to expect from Beckham, who has yet to prove he’s an everyday player but will surely be relied upon heavily by the O’s. There’s still some uncertainty as to how the club will line up on the left side of the infield, too, and Beckham has been approached about some potential changes.

Regardless of what’s to come, the first order of business will be sorting out a 2018 salary. MLBTR projects an arbitration salary of $3.1MM for Beckham, who earned $885K last year as a Super Two player and can be controlled for two additional seasons via arbitration.

As always, you can find up-to-date player representation information in MLBTR’s Agency Database.

East Notes: Frandsen, Franco, Machado, Orioles

By Steve Adams | January 8, 2018 at 11:20pm CDT

The Phillies announced on Monday that former big leaguers Kevin Frandsen, Kevin Jordan and Kevin Stocker will join their broadcast team. According to the announcement, that trio of former Phillies will rotate through road games and serve as color analysts alongside play-by-play broadcaster Scott Franzke. The 35-year-old Frandsen is the most recent member of the group to have suited up in the Majors, appearing in seven games for the 2015 Giants. Frandsen seemingly never made a formal declaration of his intention to retire as a player, though he has not appeared in a professional game since that 2015 season. It seems fair to assume, then, that he’ll embark upon a new career as he breaks into the media world.

A couple more notes on the Phillies and some other east coast clubs…

In less pleasant news, third baseman Maikel Franco was suspended from his team in the Dominican Winter League for “violating the organization’s discipline code,” per Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes. Franco and teammates Moises Sierra, Garabez Rosa and Eduardo de Oleo were photographed partying at a Dominican club as late as 6am on the day of one of the team’s playoff games, per the report. It was a disappointment for both his DWL team and the Phillies alike, prompting an apology from the third baseman: “I apologize to the team, the fans and our sponsors, it’s something that will not happen again,” said Franco. The 25-year-old Franco, who impressed mightily as a rookie in 2015, has regressed in each of the past two seasons and is coming off his worst MLB campaign to date. In 623 plate appearances, Franco slashed just .230/.281/.409 with 24 homers.
Orioles skipper Buck Showalter is overseeing what Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com calls a “delicate situation” on the left side of the infield, where Manny Machado has reportedly indicated a desire to move to a shortstop position that would otherwise be occupied by Tim Beckham. While Showalter isn’t tipping his hand, he says there’s been progress in resolving who’ll play where — assuming, at least, that Machado is ultimately retained by the O’s. The manager says he has “positioned us to maneuver regardless of what happens between now and the season starting.”
Showalter and Kubatko also cover a variety of other topics of interest to the Baltimore faithful in that as well as another post, focusing in particular on a trio of lefties. Rule 5 pick Nestor Cortes has drawn early praise from the skipper, though of course he’ll still need to earn and keep an active roster spot. Elsewhere, the general prognosis on key reliever Zach Britton seems to be positive, though that’s not to say there’s any change to the mid-summer timeline for him to return from his Achilles tear. Kubatko also held an interesting chat with Richard Bleier, who recognizes that his sparkling 1.99 ERA from 2017 doesn’t guarantee him anything entering camp.

AL Notes: Allen, Sano, Beckham, Rangers, Claudio

By Jeff Todd | October 10, 2017 at 10:21am CDT

The Twins have decided to part ways with pitching coach Neil Allen, as La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune writes. While Paul Molitor will remain as the manager after inking a new deal, the organization is now on the market for a new hand to guide the pitching staff. Minnesota is sure to enter the offseason in search of ways to boost the productivity of its rotation after a season in which only two starters (Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios) turned in high-quality overall campaigns. While others showed signs at times — Kyle Gibson finished strong, for example — there’s clearly room to improve through both new acquisitions and internal development.

Here’s more from the American League:

In other Twins news, the organization does not presently expect Miguel Sano to require surgery to address his shin injury, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports. Though there have been some prior indications to the contrary, a surgical option would be an “extreme” measure and isn’t on the table at this point, per the report. Berardino adds that young reliever J.T. Chargois is also not under consideration for a surgical approach despite missing virtually all of the season due to elbow problems. You’ll also find some player reactions to the coaching staff decisions at the link.
What can the Orioles expect from shortstop Tim Beckham in 2018? Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun takes an interesting look at Beckham’s two months in Baltimore, explaining that Beckham no longer consistently made high-quality contact and reverted to his high-strikeout ways after his outstanding performance in August. All in all, Meoli sees signs of optimism despite Beckham’s inconsistencies. For a team with other significant needs, especially in the rotation, there’s probably little choice but to roll with Beckham — whose deadline acquisition still looks like an excellent move — and hope for the best.
Another organization that figures to focus on pitching this winter, the Rangers, need to add volume to fill out their rotation, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reasons. The club likely won’t have the cash needed to add impact arms and needs to account for many spots on its rotation depth chart, beyond the five pitchers that’ll start the year in the rotation. Grant’s discussion drives home the challenge facing the Texas front office and the many moving parts involved.
Meanwhile, the Rangers have authorized southpaw Alex Claudio to play in the Puerto Rican winter league despite his heavy usage this year, as Gerry Fraley of the Morning News writes. Claudio has now established himself as a quality late-inning piece after turning in 82 2/3 frames of 2.50 ERA ball, with just 6.1 K/9 against 1.6 BB/9 but a dominating 66.7% groundball rate on the year. While GM Jon Daniels says the club was inclined initially to protect Claudio, he notes that the reliever has succeeded based upon a routine that has long included winter ball stints. This year, moreover, the devastation of Hurricane Maria has pushed back and shortened the schedule.

Orioles Acquire Tim Beckham

By Steve Adams | July 31, 2017 at 3:29pm CDT

The Rays and Orioles slipped a small-scale, last-minute move in just prior to Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline, with infielder Tim Beckham heading from Tampa to Baltimore in exchange for minor league right-hander Tobias Myers. Both teams have announced the deal.

Beckham, 27, was the first overall pick of the 2008 draft but has yet to live up to that billing. He has, however, provided nearly league-average offense in a somewhat limited role with the Rays over the past three seasons, hitting a combined .245/.299/.421 with 26 homers in 783 plate appearances (96 OPS+).

After narrowly qualifying as a Super Two player this past offseason, Beckham agreed to a one-year deal worth $885K with the Rays to avoid arbitration for the first time. The O’s will now control him for another three seasons via that arbitration process, should they see fit.

[Related: Updated Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles depth charts]

With J.J. Hardy on the shelf and a lack of quality internal options to replace him, Beckham will likely step into semi-regular playing time at shortstop with Baltimore — an opportunity that was not present for him with the Rays. Barring a huge surge in production over the season’s final two months, it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be a consideration for the regular job next season, but Beckham does have experience at multiple infield positions and could be a utility piece for the O’s moving forward.

Myers, who turns 19 later this week, was the Orioles’ sixth-round pick just last year. He’s currently pitching against older competition in short-season Class-A and holding his own, with a 3.94 ERA and an excellent 35-to-6 K/BB ratio through 29 2/3 innings.

Tampa Bay’s acquisition of Lucas Duda pushed Brad Miller to shortstop, leaving Duda and Logan Morrison to share time at first base and DH. With midseason pickups Trevor Plouffe and Adeiny Hechavarrria both also in the mix for the Rays, Beckham’s path to playing time was cloudier than ever, which likely accelerated the Rays’ efforts to facilitate a move. While Myers won’t slot in near the team’s top-ranked prospects, he gives the Rays a fairly low-level lottery ticket with encouraging K/BB numbers — a reasonable return for a player likely viewed to have a limited ceiling at this point.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported the agreement and the Rays’ return (Twitter links).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Position Player Market Notes: Granderson, Rays, Nats, Cards, Iglesias, Melky, Solarte

By Jeff Todd and Steve Adams | July 27, 2017 at 11:47pm CDT

Here’s the latest on the market for position players:

The Brewers have indicated some interest in veteran Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson, according to Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network (Twitter link). At this point, though, the sides don’t seem to have made any real progress toward a deal. The left-handed-hitting Granderson would add a new dimension to the lineup, which features a variety of right-handed outfield options.
As they continue to work on upgrading their roster, the Rays are willing to take trade offers for infielders Tim Beckham and Brad Miller, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter links). With the recent additions of Adeiny Hechavarria and now Lucas Duda, the Rays are perhaps a bit overstocked in infielders. Still, Tampa Bay is more interested in listening to potential offers than in shopping the pair around, Crasnick notes.
The Nationals have scouted Cardinals outfielder Tommy Pham along with reliever Trevor Rosenthal, according to Jon Morosi of MLB.com (via Twitter). As ever, it’s hard to read too much into this sort of report, but it does seem notable that the Nats would be putting any thought into an outfielder at this point. While the team has dealt with injuries — highlighted by Adam Eaton but also including Jayson Werth, Michael Taylor, and others — indications of late have been that outfield additions wouldn’t be pursued in earnest.
In other news on infielders, there’s some belief around the game that the Tigers could find a trade partner for shortstop Jose Iglesias, per ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (Twitter link). That’s a bit surprising to hear, given the lack of demand among contenders, though Iglesias is a controllable player who’d be of possible interest to a variety of organizations even if a run at the postseason this year isn’t likely.
The White Sox have gotten “a little” interest in left fielder/designated hitter Melky Cabrera, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets, though he also notes that the ChiSox would clearly need to pay down some of the remaining $5.4MM on Cabrera’s $15MM salary. CSN Chicago’s Chuck Garfien tweeted earlier today that GM Rick Hahn is willing to do just that, however, so perhaps a modest market could develop for the veteran switch-hitter’s services. After this morning’s Dan Jennings trade, Cabrera is one of the few plausible trade assets that remaining on a gutted White Sox roster. Struggling pitchers James Shields, Derek Holland, Mike Pelfrey, Miguel Gonzalez and Tyler Clippard all figure to be plenty available as well, though none carries much (if any) trade value.
Though it’s been more than a month since Padres infielder Yangervis Solarte suited up for a game, Rosenthal tweets not to rule out a trade. Solarte is embarking on a minor league rehab assignment this weekend and has drawn interest from other clubs, per Rosenthal. Solarte, 30, was San Diego’s hottest hitter in mid-June (.337/.427/.589, seven homers in 26 games/110 PAs) before incurring an oblique strain from which he has not yet returned. The switch-hitting Solarte can handle both second base and third base, and may even spend some time at short during his rehab, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. That versatility at the plate and in the field both looked highly marketable prior to his injury — as did his contract. Solarte is earning just $2.625MM this season with a $4.125MM salary in 2018 plus a pair of club options for 2019 ($5.5MM) and 2020 ($8MM).
Recent indications are that Mets infielder Asdrubal Cabrera will be dealt, and he’s still drawing interest from at least a trio of rivals, per Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter). The odds that he’ll be targeted perhaps also increased with an injury suffered on Wednesday by Phillies infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick. As MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki writes, Kendrick did not suffer a fracture when he was hit by a pitch on the hand. But it’s not yet known if he’ll miss time. Given that he has already missed two extended stretches with other health issues, Kendrick will perhaps need to reenter the lineup and show he’s at full speed to factor into the deadline shopping spree. (Even if he doesn’t, he’d be a candidate to move in August.)

AL East Notes: Wieters, Rays, Sanchez, Hanley

By Steve Adams | May 8, 2017 at 9:37am CDT

Matt Wieters will return to Baltimore tonight for the first time since signing with the Nationals, and he spoke with Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com about his offseason departure from the Orioles as well the emotions he’s feeling in advance of tonight’s return to Camden Yards. Wieters’ podcast appearance also included talk of Dylan Bundy’s breakout and the experiences he’s had when being managed by two of our generation’s most successful managers: Buck Showalter and Dusty Baker.

Some more AL East-related notes…

Though Rickie Weeks has gotten off to a dreadful start to his 2017 campaign with the Rays, the “clock isn’t ticking yet,” writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. It doesn’t appear that Weeks is on the brink of losing his roster spot, despite an ugly .163/.317/.286 batting line to open the season, though Topkin notes that he’ll need to turn things around sooner rather than later. Topkin also notes that the Rays face a decision when Matt Duffy returns from the disabled list late this month. Duffy is in line to be the starter, but the Rays will have to determine if Tim Beckham or Daniel Robertson is the better option to serve as a utility option.
Both Aaron Sanchez and the Blue Jays were encouraged by a 33-pitch bullpen session yesterday, writes Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. Sanchez felt comfortable enough to throw his curveball — the same pitch that has led to the blister issues and a subsequent removal of part of his fingernail — and is now slated to pitch in an extended Spring Training game on Tuesday. If that outing goes well, he’ll be an option to return to Toronto’s rotation this weekend against the Mariners, per Nicholson-Smith.
Hanley Ramirez has yet to appear in a game at first base this season due to a shoulder issue, but he’s ready to take the field for the Red Sox’ upcoming interleague series in Milwaukee, writes Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. That should allow the Red Sox to deepen their lineup against left-handed pitching, he points out, with Chris Young sliding into the DH slot and Ramirez playing at first over the left-handed-hitting Mitch Moreland. While Moreland has more than held his own against southpaws in a small sample of work this season (.879 OPS in 24 plate appearances), he’s struggled against lefties throughout his career. And, as manager John Farrell points out to Mastrodonato, Moreland isn’t accustomed to playing first base on an everyday basis (due largely to his platoon issues), so the ability to keep him fresh by mixing Ramirez in at first base is important in multiple regards.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Betts, Leon, Donaldson, Boxberger, Beckham

By Jeff Todd | March 23, 2017 at 11:10am CDT

In an interesting look inside the Red Sox front office, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports on the team’s analytical upgrade efforts. While the organization has long been associated with number-crunching and information hoarding, it has only recently ramped up its full-time staff to launch a new database effort and keep pace with other clubs. It’s an interesting look at the process behind and purposes of the team’s next steps in analytics.

Here’s more from Boston and the rest of the AL East:

In a look at Red Sox star Mookie Betts, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe delves into the role of off-field earning opportunities in determining the contractual path of Betts and other young stars. “[Getting endorsements] kind of eliminates things I’ve wondered as far as contracts go and the business part of the game,” says Betts. “[But] everything I can ever desire is going to start from me taking care of business on the field.” Whether that precludes a long-term deal — or, at least, drives up the potential price — remains to be seen.
Sandy Leon seems on track to open the season with the lion’s share of the time behind the dish for the Red Sox, skipper John Farrell told reporters including Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald (via Twitter). But the manager made clear that he doesn’t intend to rely too heavily on any one man at the catching position, suggesting it’ll be a fairly evenly shared platoon situation between Leon and Christian Vasquez — at least to start the season.
Star Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson took the field in Grapefruit League action for the first time yesterday, as MLB.com’s Paul Hagen writes. All indications were that his calf issue didn’t hold him back, so it seems that Toronto can still look forward to Donaldson’s presence on the Opening Day roster.
Rays righty Brad Boxberger isn’t going to be ready for Opening Day, but does hope to be contributing in the majors during the month of April, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. His lat issue will still require at least a week-long layoff before he beings a new throwing program.
The career of former top Rays prospect Tim Beckham has continued its roller-coaster path, Topkin writes. After a rough end to 2016, Beckham now seems ascendant yet again, with a strong showing in spring and unexpected opportunity at shortstop with Matt Duffy still on ice. Beckham is drawing rave reviews from manager Kevin Cash and veteran players for his commitment and performance, perhaps suggesting there’s still some hope the 27-year-old can turn the corner at the game’s highest level.

Players Avoiding Arbitration: American League

By Steve Adams | January 13, 2017 at 9:58pm CDT

The deadline for players and teams to exchange arbitration figures has come and gone, and there have been dozens of agreements broken throughout the league today. So many, in fact, that I’ve split the list up into a pair of league-specific posts to avoid having 100-something names in this list. You can see all the NL players here, and both of these will be updated as quickly as we’re able.

Many teams use the arbitration exchange as a hard deadline for negotiations on one-year deals — a “file and trial” approach which effectively means that once figures are exchanged, the only option they’ll pursue before a hearing is a multi-year deal. (The Mets and Orioles are both adopting that approach this year, and other teams to use that strategy in the past include Astros, Blue Jays, Braves, Marlins, Rays, White Sox, Pirates, Reds and Nationals.)

The most significant arb agreements of the day have been snapped off into their own posts already. We’ll continue adding the smaller-scale agreements from the American League right here (all projections referenced are courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, and all arbitration agreements and filings can be monitored in MLBTR’s 2017 Arbitration Tracker)…

The Rangers have announced agreement on a deal to avoid arbitration with lefty Jake Diekman. With today’s deadline having passed, the sides did exchange figures — $3.1MM versus $1.9MM — but obviously were already nearing a number. The high-powered southpaw projected at $2.6MM, and will receive $2.55MM, per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
The Mariners announced that they’ve avoided arb with all eight of their eligible players, which includes Jean Segura (reported last night), Danny Valencia, Jarrod Dyson, Leonys Martin, Drew Smyly, James Paxton, Evan Scribner, Nick Vincent. Numbers aren’t all in yet, but Valencia took home $5.55MM, per FanRag’s Robert Murray (on Twitter). Martin will earn $4.85MM, per Heyman. They were projected at $5.3MM and $6.3MM, respectively. Meanwhile, Dyson gets $2.8MM, Heyman tweets, which lands just over his $2.5MM projection. Smyly will receive $6.85MM — right at his $6.9MM projection — while Scribner gets $907,500, per MLB.com’s Greg Johns (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Paxton will land at $2.35MM and Vincent will receive $1.325MM, per Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune (via Twitter), both of which fall shy of their respective projections ($2.7MM and $1.5MM).
Catcher Martin Maldonado will receive $1.725MM from the Angels, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register (via Twitter). That’s just over his $1.6MM projection.
The Tigers announced that they settled with third baseman Nick Castellanos. He projected at $2.8MM, but will receive $3MM, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter).
Jeremy Jeffress and Jurickson Profar have each avoided arbitration with the Rangers, per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegarm (via Twitter). Jeffress receives $2.1MM, while Profar will receive $1.005MM. Also of note, the Jeffress deal includes incentives that can add up to $250K in incentives, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). He’ll get $50K apiece upon reaching 55, 60, 65, and 70 innings. He had projected for a $2.9MM salary, but his legal issues late last year certainly dented his bargaining power.
The Athletics have avoided arbitration with catcher/DH Stephen Vogt, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports on Twitter. Vogt will receive $2.965MM, falling shy of his $3.7MM projection. Oakland has also reached agreement with starter Sonny Gray for $3.575MM, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter), which is just shy of his $3.7MM projection. Also, reliever Liam Hendriks has agreed to terms, per John Hickey of the Mercury News. He’ll get $1.1MM, per Heyman (via Twitter).
Righty Adam Warren will get $2.29MM from the Yankees, per Baseball America’s Josh Norris (via Twitter). That’s just a shade under his $2.3MM projection. New York also announced deals with shortstop outfielder Aaron Hicks and lefty Tommy Layne, among other players whose arrangements were previously reported. Layne receives $1.075MM, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (via Twitter).
The Orioles have avoided arbitration with second baseman Jonathan Schoop, per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter links). He’ll receive $3.475MM, just over his projection of $3.4MM.
Adding to their previously reported deals, the Red Sox have announced agreement with all but two of their arb-eligible players. Salaries were reported by MLB.com’s Ian Browne for the players avoiding arb: shortstop Xander Bogaerts gets $4.5MM ($5.7MM projection), utilityman Brock Holt receives $1.95MM ($1.7MM projection), righty Joe Kelly will earn $2.8MM ($2.6MM projection), catcher Sandy Leon takes home $1.3MM (the same as his projection), lefty Robbie Ross gets $1.825MM (just $25K over his projection), and new righty Tyler Thornburg will earn $2.05MM (just under his $2.2MM projection).
Two moreplayers have avoided arbitration with the White Sox, per Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago (via Twitter). Among those not previously reported, starter Miguel Gonzalez gets $5.9MM and reliever Zach Putnam receives $1.175MM. That clearly indicates that Gonzalez and the Sox utilized his prior-years’ arb starting points, rather than his much lower earnings with the team last year. Putnam, meanwhile, had projected for $975K.

Earlier Updates

Twins setup man Ryan Pressly will earn $1.175MM in his first trip through the arb process, Crasnick tweets. That’s a shade better than the $1.1MM projection for Pressly, who has three years of club control remaining.
Danny Salazar and Bryan Shaw have both settled on one-year deals with the Indians, per Heyman (Twitter links). Salazar will receive $3.4MM in his first trip through the arb process, which checks in $400K below his $3.8MM projection. Meanwhile, Shaw’s $4.6MM salary (via Heyman) lands within $100K of his $4.5MM projection. As a Super Two player, Salazar still has four years of control remaining, whereas Shaw will be a free agent next winter. Lonnie Chisenhall, meanwhile, will earn $4.3MM according to MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian (on Twitter). That’s $200K more than his projection.
George Springer and the Astros avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3.9MM, reports Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Springer has four years left until he can be a free agent and will be arb-eligible three more times due to his status as a Super Two player. That $3.9MM figure checks in a ways south of his $4.7MM projection.
The Rays have now announced that they’ve avoided arbitration with all of their arb-eligible players except Jake Odorizzi. That means that in addition to Beckham, Kiermaier, Dickerson and Cedeno (all noted below), they’ve avoided arb with Alex Cobb, Erasmo Ramirez, Brad Boxberger, Danny Farquhar and Brad Miller. Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times reports (on Twitter) that Cobb gets $4.2MM, Farquhar gets $900K and Miller gets $3.575MM. Heyman tweets that Ramirez gets $3.125MM and adds on Twitter that Boxberger settled at $1.6MM. Cobb slightly topped his projection by $200K, while Farquhar fell short by the same margin and Miller fell $225K shy of his $3.8MM figure. Ramirez also came up short of his $3.5MM projection. Cobb is a free agent next winter while Miller and Ramirez are controllable for another three seasons and Farquhar can be controlled for four.
The Tigers avoided arb with both Jose Iglesias and Bruce Rondon, according to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter links). Also, Heyman tweets that Justin Wilson settled at $2.7MM. Iglesias’ $4.1MM salary clears his $3.2MM projection by a wide margin. He has one more offseason of arbitration remaining before he can hit free agency following the 2018 campaign. Rondon, meanwhile, comes in at $800K, which is $100K shy of his $900K projection. He’s still controllable for another three years and will be arb-eligible twice more. Wilson, meanwhile, checked in exactly in line with his $2.7MM projection and is controlled through 2018.
The Rangers announced that they’ve avoided arb with Tanner Scheppers and Robinson Chirinos. Slated to be the backup catcher in 2017, Chirinos will earn $1.95MM according to the Star-Telegram’s Jeff Wilson (Twitter link). That falls just shy of his $2.1MM projection. Wilson adds that Scheppers will earn $975K — a bit lighter than his $1.1MM projection. Both are controlled through 2018.
Brandon Kintzler and the Twins agreed to a $2.925MM deal, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. Kintzler parlayed a minor league deal into a run as Minnesota’s closer following a Glen Perkins injury. He did considerably better than his $2.2MM projection after logging a 3.15 ERA and 17 saves with 5.8 K/9 against 1.3 BB/9 in 54 1/3 innings. Kintzler is a free agent next winter.
A.J. Griffin has agreed to a one-year deal to avoid arbitration, the Rangers announced. Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram tweets that Griffin will earn $2MM on the new pact. Griffin, 28, signed a minor league deal last winter and made the club after coming back from Tommy John surgery with the A’s. He logged a 5.07 ERA in 119 innings and could be either the team’s fifth starter or a swingman, depending on how the rest of the offseason and Spring Training play out. He can be controlled through 2018.
Aaron Loup and the Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with a one-year, $1.125MM deal, tweets Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. Loup lands just under his $1.2MM projection and earns a $100K raise after pitching to a 5.02 ERA in just 14 1/3 innings of work. The Jays can control him through the 2018 season.
Corey Dickerson agreed to a $3.025MM salary with the Rays, tweets Heyman, which is $350K south of his $3.4MM projection. Dickerson is controllable through the 2019 season.
Austin Romine and the Yankees settled at $805K for the 2017 season, Heyman tweets, which is $95K less than the $900K projection. He’ll be their primary backup catcher and is controllable through 2019.
The Rangers announced that right-hander Sam Dyson agreed to a one-year deal, and Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that he received a $3.52MM contract. Dyson, who emerged as the closer in Texas this season, falls shy of his $3.9MM projection but still lands a nice payday for a first-year reliever that has achieved Super Two status. He saved 38 games with a 2.43 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 70 innings and is controllable through 2020.
The Yankees and Didi Gregorius agreed to a $5.1MM salary that is an exact match with Swartz’s projection, tweets Heyman. The 2016 season was Gregorius’ best at the big league level, as he hit .276/.304/.447 with a career-high 20 homers. He lands a nice raise over last year’s $2.425MM salary and can be controlled through 2019 via arbitration.
Kevin Kiermaier and the Rays have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $2.975MM deal for 2017, tweets Heyman. Kiermaier is fresh off his second Gold Glove season and is considered one of the game’s premier defenders, but he also had a nice season at the plate. In 414 plate appearances, the 26-year-old hit .246/.331/.410 with 12 homers and 21 steals. Kiermaier crushed his $2.1MM projection after sneaking into arbitration eligiblity by exactly one day of service time. He’ll be arb-eligible thrice more before hitting the open market following the 2020 season.
ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets that the Tigers and righty Alex Wilson avoided arb by agreeing to a one-year, $1.175MM deal. Wilson was projected to earn $1.2MM, so his deal falls right in line with that figure. The 28-year-old posted his second straight season of at least 70 innings with a sub-3.00 ERA in 2016. He can be controlled through the 2019 season and is arb-eligible twice more.
The Twins and right-hander Kyle Gibson settled on a one-year deal worth $2.9MM, tweets Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The former first-rounder had a solid season in 2015 but struggled to a 5.07 ERA with 6.4 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 in an injury-shortened 2016 campaign (147 1/3 innings). He falls a ways shy of his $3.5MM projection from Swartz. Gibson will remain under Twins control through 2019 and is arbitration-eligible twice more.
Center fielder Jake Marisnick and the Astros have agreed to a $1.1MM deal, tweets Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle. Marisnick, a defensive wizard, batted just .209/.257/.331 last season but has an inside track at the fourth outfield role in Houston due to his outstanding glovework. His salary lines up exactly with his $1.1MM projection, and he’ll be arbitration-eligible three more times as a Super Two player.
The Rays and infielder Tim Beckham agreed to an $885K salary for the 2017 season, tweets Heyman. The former No. 1 overall pick hit .247/.300/.434 with five home runs in 215 plate appearances for Tampa Bay last year. He seemed to fall out of favor with the organization late in the year and didn’t receive a September call-up after being demoted to Triple-A. However, he looks to be back in the fold for the 2017 campaign. Beckham is controllable through 2020.
The Red Sox and center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3.6MM, tweets Crasnick. Bradley, 27 in April, enjoyed far and away his best big league season in 2016, hitting .267/.349/.486 with 26 home runs, nine steals and brilliant defense. He topped his $3.3MM projection by $300K and will be arbitration-eligible three more times as a Super Two player before hitting free agency upon completion of the 2020 season.
The Indians and right-hander Zach McAllister have settled at one year and $1.825MM, tweets Heyman. The 29-year-old righty earned a $525K raise over last year’s $1.3MM salary and topped his projection of $1.7MM by $125K. McAllister tossed 52 1/3 innings out of the Cleveland ’pen last season, logging a 3.44 ERA, 9.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 to go along with seven holds. He’ll be arb-eligible one last time next winter and a free agent after 2018.
Lefty reliever Xavier Cedeno and the Rays have agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.3MM, tweets Heyman. That tops his projection of $1.2MM by $100K. Cedeno, 30, logged a 3.70 ERA, 9.4 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 41 1/3 innings this past season and chipped in 19 holds as well. He’s arb-eligible twice more and can be a free agent after the 2019 season.
Heyman also tweets that Tigers infielder Andrew Romine has agreed to a $1.3MM deal for the 2017 season. He was projected to earn $1.2MM, so he topped that sum by a $100K margin. The 31-year-old utilityman appeared at every position except catcher and pitcher for Detroit in 2016, hitting .236/.304/.322 with a pair of homers in 194 plate appearances across 109 games. His salary represents a $400K raise from last year’s $900K mark, and he’ll be arb-eligible again next winter before qualifying for free agency after the 2018 season.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Britton, Yankees, Rays

By Steve Adams | November 21, 2016 at 1:21pm CDT

The Red Sox are continuing to demonstrate a patient approach when it comes to free agency as they wait to learn what new changes the latest collective bargaining agreement will bring about, reports WEEI’s Rob Bradford. With Boston’s luxury tax payroll not far off from the current $189MM threshold, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is one of several top decision-makers from around the league that is waiting to determine exactly how much wiggle room he’ll have with regard to the luxury tax barrier before spending. As Bradford points out, while teams like the Astros (signing Josh Reddick, trading for Brian McCann) and Cardinals (signing Brett Cecil) have already spent at a notable level, those clubs aren’t anywhere near the current luxury cutoff. Bradford notes that a bat to help offset the loss of David Ortiz as well as an eighth-inning reliever remain the top targets for Boston.

Elsewhere in the AL East…

As a followup to Roch Kubatko’s report that the Orioles aren’t showing any inclination toward trading Zach Britton, ESPN’s Buster Olney argues (Insider subscription required) that GM Dan Duquette should be very open to doing just that. The price of relief pitching around the league is rising, Olney notes, and Britton’s projected $11.4MM salary isn’t all that prohibitive, especially to the big-market clubs that are looking for elite relief help this winter. Controlled for two more seasons, Britton could fetch the Orioles enough young talent to immediately plug multiple holes on the roster while also bolstering the farm system. The Orioles might not be offered enough to make the deal palatable, Olney notes, but with three top-tier relievers on the market (Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, Mark Melancon) but far more suitors looking for dynamic late-inning arms, the Orioles should at least be dangling Britton on the trade market to see if an overwhelming offer surfaces.
Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News opines that the Yankees should focus on Mike Napoli rather than Carlos Beltran if they’re eyeing a veteran bat to spend time at DH. Napoli, like Beltran, can be had on a short-term deal — likely two years at the most — and would provide some insurance at first base for Greg Bird, who is returning from shoulder surgery. Beltran can’t offer that luxury, Feinsand notes, and at age 40 he might be looking for a more clear-cut World Series contender than the Yankees.
Although Tim Beckham was sent home by the Rays at the end of the 2016 season, prompting some to speculate that his time with the team could be drawing to a close, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times wrote this weekend that Beckham now looks to be part of the 2017 picture, thanks largely to his defensive ability. Topkin also expanded a bit on Tampa Bay’s interest in Jason Castro, noting that while the catcher’s agent told him recently that the Rays are “in the thick of things” with regard to Castro, it’s not characteristic for the Rays to win a free-agent bidding war. A three-year commitment north of $20MM seems unlikely to come from the Rays, Topkin writes, which leads him to wonder if the team might instead pursue a trade for Miguel Montero, assuming the Cubs would be willing to include some salary in the deal.

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