Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Wade Miley

Cafardo’s Latest: Mondesi, Vazquez, Lucroy, Miley

By | at

Here are the highlights from Nick Cafardo’s latest column with the Boston Globe:

  • In this year’s Arizona Fall League, MLB could consider using earpieces allowing direct communication between managers, pitchers and catchers, Cafardo writes. Such a move would be designed to help prevent sign-stealing, while also improving the pace of the game by reducing mound conferences.
  • Cafardo notes the strange story developing in the Dominican Republic, where Raul Mondesi — the longtime big-league outfielder and father of the Royals infielder of the same name — has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of embezzling over $6MM from the city of San Cristobal during his time as mayor there. Mondesi had been involved in Dominican politics since the end of his big-league career in 2005.
  • The Red Sox acknowledge that catcher is a “two-man position,” although manager John Farrell thinks Christian Vazquez could take 110 to 120 starts next year. That means Sandy Leon could lose playing time. Vazquez has batted  .298/.336/.420 this season, including .336/.376/.493 in the second half. Leon hasn’t had a good season and is eligible for arbitration this winter, although it seems very likely, from my perspective, that the Red Sox will bring him back — Blake Swihart has struggled at Triple-A, and Leon is a strong framer who works well with pitchers, including ace Chris Sale.
  • After playing under an extremely team-friendly contract for the last six seasons, Rockies catcher Jonathan Lucroy is heading into free agency on a down note, having batted just  .258/.328/.353 this season (although it’s perhaps worth noting he’s posted a .390 OBP since heading to Denver in late July). Still, Lucroy is only 31 and will likely get a multi-year deal, given his track record and his reputation for terrific work behind the plate. “He’s a solid receiver and he handles a pitching staff well. Those are the two most important things,” a scout tells Cafardo. “The offense is baffling because he’s always been one of the best at his position. You have to take the leap that part will come back.”
  • The Royals could attempt to keep free-agent-to-be Lorenzo Cain this winter, Cafardo writes. At last check, it seemed unlikely the Royals could keep Cain. As Cafardo notes, Cain will turn 32 shortly after the start of the 2018 season. It’s unclear how the significant contract that will likely be required to retain Cain would fit into the Royals’ plans.
  • The Orioles aren’t likely to exercise lefty Wade Miley’s $12MM option, Cafardo writes. That means they’d pay him a $500K buyout. It’s unclear to what extent Cafardo is reporting on Miley’s status based on sources from within Miley’s camp or the Orioles organization, but either way, it does seem likely the Orioles will go in another direction — Miley has posted a 5.52 ERA, 8.0 K/9 and 5.2 BB/9 in what’s been a very rough 2017 season.

AL Notes: Britton, Miley, Barreto, Twins, Moylan

By | at

Over at Fangraphs, David Laurila provides an interesting look at the concept of African-American ballplayers serving as role models. Angels prospect Jo Adell has expressed an inclination to be just that; Laurila asked a variety of professionals what advice they have for the recent draftee. The post is well worth a full read.

Here’s more from the American League:

  • It’s not clear whether Zach Britton will pitch again for the Orioles this year. He’ll sit for at least three to five days after receiving an injection in his balky knee, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com was among those to tweet. With the O’s all but mathematically eliminated from the postseason race, there’s little reason to push a pitcher who has struggled all year long to gain traction. Instead, it seems likely the club will allow Britton to begin the healing process in hopes of a healthier and more productive 2018 season.
  • While the Orioles can control lefty Wade Miley through a club option, and certainly need arms in the rotation, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com writes that it’s time to bid adieu. The 30-year-old has struggled for the bulk of the season, making the $12MM price tag seem steep. Instead, Connolly urges, the O’s ought to pay him a $500K buyout and go looking for alternatives.
  • As the Athletics sort through their young position-player options, Joe Stiglich of CSN Bay Area writes, the club could consider giving Franklin Barreto some time in center field. Oakland seems to have a rather wide-open situation up the middle in the outfield grass. In the infield, though, there are several options at second base — including veteran Jed Lowrie, assuming he isn’t traded (and that his option is picked up, as appears likely). Stiglich runs through some other options; while there are a few internal players that may warrant consideration, it’s also conceivable that the team could use the opening to try an outside acquisition. (As I noted recently, Oakland could have a chance to take advantage of some outfield gluts in other organizations.) Regardless, as regards the 21-year-old Barreto, the key consideration is likely whether the team feels he’s best served taking on major league pitching or going back to Triple-A to iron out his strikeout issues.
  • The Twins have been making some scouting and development changes, as do many teams this time of year. International scouting coordinator Howard Norsetter was fired, La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reports. Norsetter had run the team’s efforts to find amateur talent abroad, excepting Latin America. The club also added a new part-time scout in Japan, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets.
  • Royals righty Peter Moylan tells Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star that he hopes to return to the organization next year. As Dodd explains, Moylan has been quite dominant against opposing right-handed hitters. He still generates tons of groundballs and throws his sidearm sinker at the same velocity. Given the seeming comfort level between player and team, and K.C.’s need for affordable roster pieces with a challenging offseason coming, a reunion wouldn’t be terribly surprising.

Starting Pitching Notes: Gray, Mets, Colon, Orioles

By | at

The latest on some rotation names around baseball…

  • Sonny Gray’s name has been frequently mentioned in trade speculation, though it appears teams have yet to engage in serious talks with the Athletics, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com reports (Twitter link).  Oakland executive VP of baseball operations Billy Beane hasn’t received any calls about Gray in recent days, and Gammons describes the calls that have come in as ” ’keep me in mind’ requests” rather than substantial inquiries.  Gray is enjoying a solid bounce-back season from his rough 2016 performance, and his trade value would seemingly be on the rise after excellent outings in each of his last two starts.
  • The Mets still have interest in a reunion with Bartolo Colon but the team will wait until the veteran’s DFA period is up before making a decision, Mike Puma of the New York Post writes.  The Braves designated Colon for assignment on June 29, and with Colon still owed roughly $6MM for the rest of the season, the Mets and any other interested clubs are sure to wait until Colon clears waivers so Atlanta will be on the hook for that remaining salary (minus the prorated MLB minimum).  The Mets would still have to make 40-man roster space for Colon but the team is confident that Colon would accept an offer to return to New York.  The 44-year-old still owns a home in New Jersey and he was both a fan and clubhouse favorite during his previous stint with the Mets.
  • Last summer’s trade of Wade Miley for Ariel Miranda last summer hasn’t worked out for the Orioles, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com writes, though Connolly notes that the deal is a microcosm of larger problems for the O’s.  Since the Orioles have been unable to both develop their own starting pitching and build up a good stockpile of minor league talent, the team has been forced to settle for middle-of-the-road acquisitions like Miley rather than a starter that could provide a clear rotation upgrade.  Connolly writes that the Orioles will likely pursue a similar move at this trade deadline if they choose to address their still-struggling pitching staff.  It also doesn’t help that Miranda has pitched well for the Mariners this year and is far cheaper than Miley with more years of control, though Connolly notes that Miranda was seen as “a fringe big leaguer” by many, and Miranda’s performance is perhaps boosted by Safeco Field (as per his stark home/away splits).

DL Notes: Howell, Beltre, Rickard, Johnson, Otani

By | at

Here’s the latest injury news from around the baseball world…

  • The Blue Jays placed southpaw J.P. Howell on the 10-day DL with a sore shoulder, with righty Dominic Leone recalled from Triple-A to take Howell’s place on the roster.  (Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi was among those to report the news.)  Signed to a one-year, $3MM deal in the offseason, Howell has a 54.00 ERA over one-third of an inning in his brief Jays tenure, thanks to an ugly outing on Friday that saw him allow two runs without recording an out.  Howell underwent labrum surgery in 2010 but his shoulder hasn’t had any issues since; the durable reliever has averaged 64 games per season from 2012-16.  With Howell sidelined, Aaron Loup is the only left-hander in the Toronto bullpen.  [Updated Blue Jays roster at Roster Resource]
  • Adrian Beltre is eligible to return from the 10-day DL today but the Rangers have decided against activating the star third baseman, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.  Beltre has been out of action due to a right calf strain and isn’t quite ready to play, though he has participated in batting practice and some running drills.  Joey Gallo has been filling in at third in Beltre’s absence.
  • Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard is headed to the 10-day DL due to a sprained left middle finger, manager Buck Showalter told MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and other reporters.  Rickard suffered the injury sliding into second base yesterday.  The O’s had a ready-made replacement for Rickard on the 25-man roster, as Wade Miley was activated from the 10-day DL for his scheduled start this afternoon against the Yankees.  There was some question over how Baltimore would find a 25-man roster spot for Miley upon his return, and according to Showalter, Rickard wouldn’t have been optioned had he been healthy.  With Rickard out, Trey Mancini and Craig Gentry will be the right-handed hitting sides of Baltimore’s corner outfield platoons, with Hyun Soo Kim and Seth Smith providing the lefty bats.  [Updated Orioles roster at Roster Resource]
  • Showalter also told media that Chris Johnson suffered a broken bone in his forearm after being hit by a pitch during a Triple-A game yesterday.  Johnson is expected to miss six to eight weeks.  The Orioles signed Johnson to a minor league deal this winter, and then released and re-signed the veteran to a fresh contract at the end of Spring Training.  The opt-out dates within Johnson’s contract (if any) aren’t known, though this lengthy absence could likely impact his decision about staying in Baltimore’s organization.
  • In notable international injury news, Shohei Otani will miss approximately six weeks due to a strain in his left thigh muscle, The Associated Press reports.  Otani suffered the injury trying to beat out an infield single, and as the AP piece notes, “the injury will add further debate to Otani’s insistence on batting as well as pitching.”  The two-way star is both Japan’s best pitcher and a very promising hitter, posting a 1.004 OPS with 22 homers over 382 PA last season for the Nippon Ham Fighters and is off to a blistering start in his first eight games this season.  (Otani has yet to pitch in 2017.)  Otani’s professional future is the subject of wide interest on both sides of the Pacific, as the 22-year-old is reportedly planning to come to the Major League Baseball in 2018.

Notable Roster Decisions: Orioles, Park, Wheeler, Severino, Judge

By | at

With Spring Training beginning to wrap up, details on teams’ Opening Day rosters are beginning to surface. Here are some notable decisions from around the league (decisions that directly impact the 40-man roster more directly are being kept track of in a separate post). Here’s the latest from around the league…

  • The Orioles will place left-hander Wade Miley on the 10-day disabled list to open the season, but he’s not actually expected to miss a start, according to Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun. Miley’s DL stint will be backdated, and his first start wasn’t expected to come until April 9 anyhow. Also on the DL will be right-hander Chris Tillman, as has been previously reported, and Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander, who is dealing with elbow and shoulder issues.
  • First baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini has made the Orioles’ Opening Day roster, as has outfielder Joey Rickard, per Meoli’s colleague, Eduardo A. Encina. It sounds as if veteran outfielder Craig Gentry will be making the roster as well, though Encina suggests that Gentry’s fate is ultimately tied to that of Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavarez, whom Meoli reported to be on waivers yesterday. If and when Tavarez clears or is claimed by another club, a 40-man spot for Gentry will be opened. Meanwhile, slugger Pedro Alvarez and second baseman Johnny Giavotella are Triple-A-bound to open the season, as are right-handers Alec Asher and Logan Verrett, per a club announcement.

Earlier Decisions

  • The Twins have decided against adding Byung Ho Park to the Opening Day roster, leaving him destined for Triple-A, as LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reports on Twitter. Adding Park would have required the clearance of a 40-man spot since he was outrighted last year. Lefty Adalberto Mejia — picked up in last summer’s Eduardo Nunez deal — has earned the club’s fifth starter job, Neal further tweets, seemingly bumping Tyler Duffey back to the pen.
  • Right-handers Zack Wheeler and Robert Gsellman will fill out the Mets’ rotation to to open the year, Marc Carig of Newsday was among those to report on Twitter. It wasn’t clear for much of the spring whether Wheeler would be ready to go at the start of the year, but he showed well late in camp and will now attempt to regain the form that once made him one of the organization’s core players. That leaves Seth Lugo and Rafael Montero fighting for the final bullpen spot, with the other likely to report to Triple-A to stay stretched out in case a need arises.
  • Yankees righty Luis Severino will take the club’s final open starting job, as Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets. He will look to regain the momentum he had as a rookie and leave a disappointing sophomore campaign in the rearview mirror. Meanwhile, the club has decided to option Rob Refsnyder, leaving Aaron Judge in line to make the roster and receive regular playing time in right, as Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com reports on Twitter.
  • The Red Sox announced today that lefty Drew Pomeranz will open the season on the 10-day DL due to a flexor strain in his left forearm. That does not appear to be a new injury, though; instead, the club is lining him up to pitch as scheduled while opening the door to carrying an extra player to open the year.

AL Notes: Mariners, Moncada, Zimmer, Orioles

By | at

Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune writes that Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto has a hard-throwing lefty reliever — “a legit late-inning presence” — on his offseason wishlist. It’s not the first time that Dutton has reported Seattle’s interest in adding such an arm to its relief mix, and a flamethrowing southpaw would indeed be an imposing complement to sensational rookie Edwin Diaz late in the game. Previously, Dutton noted that the team’s search wasn’t likely to be focused on Aroldis Chapman, whose free-agent price tag will be staggering. The trade market may not be flush with readily available late-inning southpaws, though from a purely speculative standpoint I’d personally wonder if Seattle might match up with San Diego in a deal for either Brad Hand or Ryan Buchter. While neither possesses the velocity of a Chapman or Andrew Miller, each sat at better than 92 mph with his heater this season (92.8 mph for Hand) and delivered a breakout season. Hand proved capable of pitching multiple innings while also showing better control and ground-ball tendencies than his teammate — ultimately tossing 89 1/3 frames with a 2.92 ERA, 11.2 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 and a 46.7 percent ground-ball rate.

A few more notes from around the American League…

  • Red Sox prospect Yoan Moncada suffered a thumb injury while batting in the Arizona Fall League recently, per Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald. Moncada didn’t suffer any fractures but has been out for a few days already and could undergo further testing today. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski tells Drellich that while it’s the same hand that Moncada has injured in the past, the issue isn’t believed to be serious at this time. Maintaining his health will be a key for Moncada as he looks to force his way back onto Boston’s roster in 2017. The 21-year-old struggled tremendously in his brief September call-up, collecting four hits and striking out 12 times in 20 plate appearances.
  • Royals right-hander Kyle Zimmer completed a four-week throwing program as part of his rehab protocol following thoracic outlet syndrome surgery back in July, tweets MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan. The former top five overall pick has battled shoulder problems throughout his minor league career, though the hope is that the TOS operation can help Zimmer return to health. Selected fifth overall in 2012, Zimmer has been a mainstay on Top 100 prospect lists even as he’s battled through injuries, but he tossed just 5 2/3 innings this season and has logged just 222 1/3 total innings since the 2012 draft. Only 67 2/3 of those innings have come at the Double-A level, so even if the 25-year-old is healthy next year, he’ll need further seasoning in the minors before he can be considered a Major League option in Kansas City. Flanagan notes that Zimmer is expected to be ready for Spring Training.
  • An Orioles official tells MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko that he doesn’t believe any of Wade Miley, Ubaldo Jimenez or Yovani Gallardo is well-suited to handle a bullpen role. Kubatko writes that while it’s something of an overstatement to imply that the O’s have a surplus of rotation arms, the team could consider dealing one of that trio this offseason. Each is a change-of-scenery candidate after struggling greatly this year, and Baltimore only has two open rotation spots behind Chris Tillman, Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy.

Orioles Acquire Wade Miley

By | at

After weeks of searching for an additional arm for their rotation — specifically a left-handed one — the Orioles have landed the southpaw they sought by acquiring Wade Miley from the Mariners. Minor league left-hander Ariel Miranda will head back to Seattle in exchange. Both teams have announced the trade.

"<strong

[Related: Updated Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners Depth Charts]

Miley gives Baltimore a desperately needed arm that can help to stabilize what has been an extremely top-heavy rotation. While Miley struggled quite a bit earlier this season, he’s righted the ship to an extent as of late, pitching to a 3.80 ERA with a 33-to-15 K/BB ratio across his past 47 1/3 innings of work (eight starts). His most recent outing was his most impressive with the Mariners, holding a potent Cubs lineup to a run on hit and a walk with nine strikeouts in seven innings.

Overall, Miley is sporting an unsightly 4.98 ERA in 112 innings, though that figure is accompanied by more palatable marks: 6.6 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 46.6 percent ground-ball rate. While the earned run average isn’t impressive, even that modest production represents an upgrade over the contributions that Baltimore has received from the third, fourth and fifth spots in its rotation. Beyond Chris Tillman and Kevin Gausman, the Orioles have seen right-handers Ubaldo Jimenez, Yovani Gallardo, Mike Wright, Tyler Wilson, Vance Worley and Dylan Bundy combine for a 5.93 ERA in 323 1/3 innings of work. As such, Miley only needs to provide a steady source of reliable innings to help stabilize the Orioles’ starting staff. And, Miley’s recent uptick in production could be an indicator that he could return to the form that saw him compile a lifetime 3.95 ERA in 832 1/3 innings prior to the 2016 campaign. He’ll also give manager Buck Showalter a left-handed option in his rotation — something that Baltimore has lacked all season.

The Orioles have been on the hunt for a rotation upgrade for more than a month, though they’ve been somewhat hamstrung in their efforts to add an arm due to the fact that their farm system is lacking in top-tier prospects. Miley, though, doesn’t figure to command an overwhelming return given his 2016 struggles and the fact that he’s owed a not-insignificant $8.75MM in 2017 plus at least a $500K buyout of a $12MM option for the 2018 season. Adding in the remaining $2.13MM on his 2016 salary, Miley is owed at least $11.38MM through the end of the 2017 campaign, though Baltimore could control him through 2018 for a total of $22.88MM if he is able to continue his recent success and prove worth of that $12MM option over the next 14 months.

The O’s signed Miranda, 27, to a minor league contract last May after he defected from Cuba. He’s on the 40-man roster by virtue of having his contract selected and making his big league debut earlier this year (he allowed three runs in a two-inning relief appearance) and has had fair success in the minors since signing with Baltimore. Miranda has a career 3.80 ERA across four minor league levels and has pitched to a 3.93 mark with 7.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 38.6 percent ground-ball rate in 100 2/3 innings (19 starts) out of the rotation in Norfolk.

Miranda will add some depth to the upper levels of the Mariners’ system and could even present them with an immediate rotation replacement for Miley or an option in the big league bullpen. The subtraction of Miley from the 2016-17 roster creates more of an opening for the Mariners to insert both Taijuan Walker and James Paxton into the rotation, health permitting. (Walker is currently on the disabled list with a foot injury.)

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports first reported that the two teams reached an agreement on a Miley deal, pending physicals (Twitter link). Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports added that Miranda would go to Seattle (Twitter link). Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the deal was official following the medical reviews (via Twitter).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Orioles, Mariners Discussing Wade Miley

By | at

JULY 31: The Orioles and Mariners are currently in talks regarding Miley, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

JULY 30: The Orioles are “taking a hard look” at Wade Miley, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. Baltimore has been in the market for a left-handed starter for more than a month, and Miley would function as something of a buy-low candidate for GM Dan Duquette if a trade is ultimately reached.

Seattle acquired the 29-year-old Miley in an offseason trade that sent right-handed reliever Carson Smith to the Red Sox, but the southpaw hasn’t performed up to expectations in spite of the move to a larger, more pitcher-friendly setting. Miley entered the day with a 5.23 ERA, 6.3 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 45.9 percent ground-ball rate. A massive uptick in his homer-to-flyball rate has been the root of Miley’s ERA spike, though it should be noted that he dominated the Cubs today, holding Chicago to just one run on one hit and a walk with nine strikeouts in seven innings to drop his ERA to 4.98. Miley, in fact, has quietly begun to right the ship after his early woes, as he’s now logged a 3.80 ERA with a 33-to-15 K/BB ratio across his past 47 1/3 innings of work (eight starts).

Adding Miley does come with modest financial risk, as he’s owed $2.1MM through season’s end plus a guaranteed $8.75MM in 2017 and at least a $500k buyout of a $12MM option for the 2018 season. Of course, if he’s able to sustain his recent run of solid results, then that price would be a relative bargain for a 30-year-old innings eater.

The Orioles have received virtually no production out of the third, fourth and fifth spots in their entirely right-handed rotation this season, so the pursuit of an arm to help support Chris Tillman, Kevin Gausman and the club’s slugging lineup and strong bullpen certainly makes sense. Miley has reportedly emerged as a semi-likely candidate to be moved, as the Mariners have been open to dealing underperforming veterans in order to swap them out for younger options with the hopes of remaining afloat in the American League playoff picture.

Trade Rumors: CarGo, Beltran, Pirates, Angels, Tigers, Athletics

By | at

The Rockies aren’t planning on moving Carlos Gonzalez or Charlie Blackmon, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman. While CarGo is a perennial trade candidate, the Rockies’ excellent play since the All-Star break has the team back at .500 and within a stone’s throw of a Wild Card playoff berth. Whether the Rockies will actually remain in the hunt remains to be seen, especially as other clubs in the race move to fortify their rosters, but Colorado has looked impressive as of late and could always extract value in trades of Gonzalez and/or Blackmon in the offseason if the club falls shy this season and wishes to add more pitching to its minor league ranks over the winter.

Some more trade rumors from around the league with the non-waiver deadline just over 24 hours away…

  • The Yankees are listening to offers on right fielder/designated hitter Carlos Beltran, tweets ESPN’s Buster Olney. However, executives from other clubs tell Olney that they consider the asking price on Beltran to be “beyond their reach.” As a free agent at season’s end, Beltran represents a logical trade candidate for the Yankees, who are walking a tightrope and trying to balance a desire to remain competitive in 2016 with a desire to build their farm system for the long haul. The Yankees have already traded both Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, but they’ve also added righties Tyler Clippard and Adam Warren in an effort to keep the bullpen fairly stable. Beltran is hitting .301/.342/.538 with 21 homers on the season and is earning $15MM in the final season of a three-year, $45MM contract. He’s still owed about $5.34MM of that sum, and while his defense may cause some NL clubs to shy away, American League teams that can give him some occasional time at DH undoubtedly would be intrigued by adding the 39-year-old’s still-productive bat to their lineups.
  • Pirates GM Neal Huntington said after yesterday’s trade of Mark Melancon that he’s still looking to add talent before the non-waiver deadline (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Adam Berry). Berry noted that the Bucs scouted the Rays and Yankees last night in a matchup of Drew Smyly vs. Nathan Eovaldi. Meanwhile, the Post-Gazette’s Bill Brink tweets that the Pirates asked the Braves about Julio Teheran but were told the right-hander isn’t moving.
  • The Angels have received the most trade interest in right-hander Cam Bedrosian, tweets MLB Network’s Peter Gammons. However, Gammons implies that a Bedrosian trade isn’t likely, suggesting that the Halos view him as a future closer. The 24-year-old is in the midst of an incredible season, having pitched to a 0.92 ERA with a 48-to-11 K/BB ratio and a 50.5 percent ground-ball rate. He’s controllable through the 2021 season, so it’s understandable that the Angels would strongly prefer to hang onto him. Then again, elite relief arms are commanding strong results, and while Bedrosian doesn’t have the track record that Ken Giles brought into the offseason, it’s possible that the Halos could get some meaningful pitching talent to add to their system if they did market him.
  • ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets that the Tigers have been checking in on fourth/fifth starter types, including Jeremy Hellickson of the Phillies, Wade Miley of the Mariners, Edinson Volquez of the Royals, Hector Santiago of the Angels and Erasmo Ramirez of the Rays. Detroit is looking to bolster its rotation and doesn’t seem keen on dealing away any potential long-term options in the rotation, as Crasnick’s colleague Jayson Stark tweets that clubs who have spoken to the Tigers say they’ve repeatedly turned away offers including Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd. (Notably, Stark mentioned the refusal to include Boyd and Norris in connection to some speculation on Jonathan Lucroy, but Detroit’s reluctance to part with either left-hander is worth mentioning all the same.)
  • MLB Network’s Peter Gammons reported earlier this week that the Dodgers have asked the Athletics about a package including both Rich Hill and Josh Reddick, and now Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Blue Jays have done the same. Toronto did acquire Melvin Upton Jr. earlier this week, potentially lessening the need for an outfield upgrade. But, Reddick would help to balance out a very right-handed lineup, and adding Hill to the mix would give the team a top-tier arm (if he can get healthy) to replace Aaron Sanchez if he is ultimately moved to the bullpen.
  • The Indians held some interest in Athletics lefty Marc Rzepczynski as of last night, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). Of course, Slusser’s report was prior to the Indians’ blockbuster acquisition of Andrew Miller, so it’s not entirely certain that they’ll be in the market for another lefty. However, they’ve regularly trotted out an entirely right-handed relief corps this season, so adding a more situational lefty like Rzepczynski to complement Miller, who dominates everyone and needn’t be limited to specialized matchups, makes some sense.

Heyman’s Latest: Sale, Cashner, Royals, Brewers, Giants, Mariners, Nats

By | at

Even though the Yankees made a forward-looking move by trading Aroldis Chapman for Adam Warren and three young prospects (highlighted by high-ceiling shortstop Gleyber Torres), they’ve at least placed a call to the White Sox to inquire on Chris Sale, writes Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports in his latest Inside Baseball column. GM Brian Cashman wouldn’t comment on Sale when asked, telling Heyman only that the Yankees call on virtually every player that’s available as a matter of due diligence. Heyman writes that there’s speculation among other clubs that the Yanks could make a legitimate run at Sale, possibly including Torres in the package, but there’s no indication yet to support that talk.

A few more highlights from the lengthy column…

  • The Astros called the Padres to inquire on Andrew Cashner but told San Diego about 48 hours later that they were no longer interested. Whether it’s because of the asking price or another reason isn’t entirely clear. Heyman adds that, unsurprisingly, Colby Rasmus won’t be getting another qualifying offer from the Astros this year after he accepted the QO last November and has underperformed in 2016.
  • The Royals will wait until the very last minute to decide if they’re going to sell off veteran pieces. Edinson Volquez, Kendrys Morales and Luke Hochevar — each of whom has a mutual option on his contract but is likely to hit the open market following the season — are among the team’s candidates to be traded if the Royals do sell. Interestingly, he also notes that there’s a belief that Kansas City will let Alcides Escobar go and replace him with Raul Mondesi Jr. I’d personally wonder if, even though he hasn’t performed well at the plate whatsoever, the Royals could generate some trade interest (either now or after the season) due to the $6.5MM club option ($500K buyout) on Escobar’s contract.
  • Angels GM Billy Eppler will at least listen to offers on both Hector Santiago and Matt Shoemaker, though each is controllable beyond this season (Shoemaker for another four years, Santiago through 2017), so there’s no definitive urge to move either. Yunel Escobar and Joe Smith are both trade candidates for the Halos as well, as has been noted frequently over the past couple of weeks.
  • The Brewers weren’t impressed at all by the Mets’ offer for Jonathan Lucroy, which centered around Travis d’Arnaud. Heyman cites Brewers sources as saying they’ve been offered better catchers than d’Arnaud and still passed on moving Lucroy just yet. Right-hander Junior Guerra, who is having a surprisingly strong season as a 31-year-old rookie, has generated some trade interest, but Heyman says there’s been little chatter on Chris Carter. It also seems that Ryan Braun isn’t being talked about much at this stage.
  • The Giants are interested in Minnesota’s Eduardo Nunez, who has also recently been connected to the Indians. The Twins figure to be wide open to trade scenarios in the coming days, and Nunez would give the Giants some cover at third base, shortstop, second base and in left field. Similarly, the Giants have a bit of interest in Alex Guerrero, who was released by the Dodgers earlier this year. However, Heyman points out that catcher Miguel Olivo, who is being sued by Guerrero after biting off a piece of Guerrero’s ear in a dugout altercation with the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in 2015, is playing for San Francisco’s Triple-A affiliate.
  • The Cubs and Rangers have both called the Mariners about Taijuan Walker and James Paxton, but Seattle hasn’t shown any inclination toward moving either pitcher. Wade Miley is more likely to be moved, and Heyman adds that the Mariners are still open to adding some pieces for 2016 and have checked into Angels righty Joe Smith, whom GM Jerry Dipoto signed while serving as GM in Anaheim.
  • The Nationals turned down proposals centered around both Lucas Giolito and Joe Ross when negotiating with the Yankees about Aroldis Chapman. From there, the Yankees shifted to younger players and asked for a four-prospect package centered around pitching — though it’s not clear just who New York was targeting.  Washington never got close on a Chapman trade despite quite a bit of talk with the Yankees, per Heyman.
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top