I’m not as worried about the pen now as I was in say August, but there are definitely opportunities to upgrade. Hendriks would be a nice addition.
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Didn’t he talk a lot of shit about the Astros? I wonder if he would even consider them.
I don’t know. I’m sure he’d consider the Astros’ money.
In case you missed it Hunter Renfroe and Greg Holland are off the board. Also I’ve added a few more closer-type names Chandler Rome threw out in a Chron article today that the Astros could be interested in…
CFs
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Contract predictions for Jackie Bradley, Jr. have ranged from 2 yrs/$16MM to 3 yrs/$30MM.
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If the reports of the Rays shopping Kevin Kiermaier in basically a salary dump are true, he might be had for a relatively low prospect cost. Owed a guaranteed $26MM over the next 2 years.
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Cubs didn’t want to pay Albert Almora an estimated $1.5MM in arbitration and cut him loose. Hard to see him as an everyday player in center but more likely a 4th or 5th outfielder. 27 years old.
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Others: Marisnick
Corner OFs
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Eddie Rosario hit .277/.310/.478 over 6 seasons with Minnesota and his .257/.316/.476 numbers in 2020 was actually fairly in line with those career numbers. But the Twins balked at paying him the roughty $10MM or so he might have earned in arbitration. LF only. Lefty hitter. 29 years old.
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Another corner outfielder hits the market as the Braves non-tender Adam Duvall. The 32 year old hit .237/.301/.532 in 57 games in 2020. MLBTR projected him to earn $4MM in arbitration. LF only.
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Set to earn $2.5MM in arbitration, the Rockies weren’t about to give that to David Dahl given his extensive injury history. He missed the entire 2017 season with a stress reaction in a rib that also created a back issue. In 2018 he fractured his right foot and missed over two months. His extremely poor 2020 apparently was the result of a right shoulder injury which required surgery in September. Missed extensive time in the minors as well. Can play some CF. Age 27. Lefty hitter. Signed by TEX–1 yr/$3MM
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Cubbies didn’t want to spend $8MM (or thereabouts) on Kyle Schwarber who shit the sheets in 2020 with a .188/.308/.393 line. Can he rebound to the .250/.339/.531 player he was in 2019? Lefty hitter. Age 28. LF only.
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Nats declined the $10.5MM option on Adam Eaton for 2021 after he hit just .226/.285/.384 in 41 games this past season. The 32 year old did hit .279/.365/.428 in 151 games in 2019. An option in RF. Lefty hitter. Signed by CWS–1 yr/$8MM
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Hunter Renfroe was DFA’d by the Rays after a poor 2020 (.156/.252/.393 in 42 games). The 29 year old hit .231/.291/.486 from 2017-2019 with the Padres and averaged nearly 30 home runs a year. The MLBTR estimate for his 2021 arbitration salary was close to $4MM. Another option in RF. Signed by BOS–1 yr/$3.1MM.
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The Indians pulled the plug on Tyler Naquin rather than pay him an estimated $2MM. The 29 year old former Klein Collins HSer and Aggie has played all 3 OF positions. .218/.248/.383 in 40 games in 2020 after hitting .288/.325/.467 in 89 games in 2019. Lefty hitter.
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The White Sox balked at paying Nomar Mazara nearly $6MM in arbitration salary after a subpar .228/.295/.294 2020 season over 42 games. He went .268/.318/.469 in 116 games with the Rangers in 2019. Another lefty hitter and possible option in RF. Just 26 years old.
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The Reds acquired Brian Goodwin for their stretch run in 2020 but he didn’t really produce in the 20 games he played for them so they kicked him to the curb rather than pay an estimated $3MM in arb salary. Came from the Angels where in the best stretch of his career hit .258/.327/.469 in 2019-2020. I don’t think he’s a particularly good defender but has played all 3 outfield positions. 30 years old and like most of the available corner guys is a lefty hitter.
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Mel Rojas Jr. is a KBO refugee perhaps viewed as a starter but more likely winding up as a 4th or 5th outfielder. Hit .349/.417/.680 in 2020 in the offense-happy league. If MLB bloodlines are your thing, dad pitched in MLB for a decade and is related to the Alou clan. 30 years old and may be a fit for RF. Switch-hitter. Signed by Hanshin (NPB)–2 yrs/$5MM
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A healthier version of Aledmys Diaz? Former Astro Kiké Hernández fits the bill. 29 years old.
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Speaking of utility guys, Brad Miller is primarily an infielder but does have some experience in the outfield as well. Last offseason the now 31 year old Miller signed a 1 yr $2MM FA deal with the Cards for whom he hit .232/.357/.451 in 48 games. He hit .260/.329/.565 in 79 games for the Indians and Phillies in 2019. Another lefty hitter.
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Others: Brantley, Marcell Ozuna, Joc Pederson
Relievers
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Projected for a roughly $5MM payday in arbitration, the Reds said no to Archie Bradley. Has a 1.197 WHIP with 259 Ks in 232 IP since being moved to the pen in 2017. Age 28.
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After a career year in 2019 (1.018 WHIP, 23 saves), Hansel Robles was miserable in 2020 with a 1.74 WHIP although in a paltry 17 innings. Not worth the estimated $4MM arbitration salary said the Angels and punted on him. 30 years old.
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Matt Andriese posted a mediocre 1.33 WHIP over his first 5 big league seasons but lowered that to 1.00 in 32 innings with the Angels in 2020. Evidently LAAA didn’t think that was sustainable or didn’t believe it was worth an estimated $2MM in arbitration so they bid him goodbye. 31 years old.
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Matt Wisler would have made slightly more than $1MM had he not been non-tendered by the Twins. K’d 35 in 25 innings in 2020 with a 1.145 WHIP. Will be looking for his 6th organization after having been traded 3 times, sold for cash once and waived once in the last 6 years. 28 years old. Signed by SF–1 yr/$1.15M
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33 year old Ryan Tepera is a former Brazoswood HSer and SHSU-ex who was let go by the Blue Jays in 2019 after 5 seasons with them rather than pay him a projected $1.6MM in arb salary for 2020. He was then picked up by the Cubs in a $900K deal. His 1.403 WHIP this season in just 21 IP wasn’t anywhere close to the 1.156 WHIP he put up with Toronto during his 5 years there. However he did whiff 31. Chicago made the decision not to pay him the $1.2MM he would have been owed in arb and non-tendered him. I think he gets offered only a minor league deal this offseason. Maybe a return to his hometown?
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As has already been noted in the thread Jeff Passan said that the Astros today were pursuing Liam Hendriks. Hendricks is alleged to want a 4-year deal. At the outset of free agency various prognosticators estimated he would would receive a contract of anywhere between 2 yrs/$24MM to 3 yrs/$42MM.
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Others: Brad Hand, Alex Colomé, Trevor Rosenthal, Blake Treinen, Pedro Baez, Kirby Yates, Shane Greene, Jeremy Jeffress, Greg Holland (signed by KC–1 yr/$2.8MM)
Catchers
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If Click is looking for a backup catcher, Curt Casali could fit the bill. Played that role in Cincy the last 3 seasons where he hit .260/.345/.440 over that span and (best I can tell) seemed to have played adequate defense. Apparently was set to make around $2MM in arbitration.
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Others: Jason Castro
At least 6 teams have been linked to the pursuit of JBJ (including ofc the Astros, Red Sox and an “unidentified AL Central team”…
So, is Springer going to the Blue Jays?
Have you heard something new? The speculation I saw on mlb.com was that it was down to the Blue Jays and the Mets, with the Mets seen as more likely.
someone tweeted that but nothing official i figured it would get someone here to do some “diving” to hear if there is any news.
Well, fwiw, I would rather see him with the Blue Jays than the Mets about 100x over.
Disagree. I don’t want to face him 9 times a year
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But how many times would he beat up on the Yankees? Red Sox?
Exactly. I’m looking for a young team to rise up in the East and make things difficult for the Yankees. I’m not sure about Tampa, but the Blue Jays look like they may have the talent to do that, and Springer would be a good veteran presence for them.
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Heyman also confirming this…
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That definitely works for me.
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Me too.
I haven’t figured out a reason to dislike the Blue Jays yet. I hope they win the East.
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Not being Boston or New York is reason enough to like them. I haven’t figured out a reason not to like Tampa Bay.
I guess I’ve made the switch from the National League.
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Jon Daniels sure likes those pitchers (and the occasional position player) with NPB experience. An incomplete list of signings/trades:
- Akinori Otsuka (trade)
- Colby Lewis (FA signing)
- Kazuo Fukumori (FA signing)
- Yoshinori Tateyama (FA signing)
- Koji Uehara (trade)
- Yu Darvish (FA signing)
- Kensuke Tanaka (FA signing)
- Kyuji Fujikawa (FA signing)
- Tony Barnette (FA signing)
- Kohei Arihara (FA signing)
All but Tanaka were/are pitchers.
Snell goes to the Padres for multiple prospects
Pads after Darvish now and signed a Korean 2B.