Stolen but what the hell. Trade Deadline
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Reds trade pitcher Mike Leake to Giants for minor leaguers
The Cincinnati Reds traded right-hander Mike Leake to the San Francisco Giants for minor leaguers Keury Mella and Adam Duvall, CBS Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported early Friday morning. The Reds officially announced the deal shortly thereafter.
Earlier on Thursday, Heyman reported the Reds were interested in moving Leake, who has a 3.56 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 136 2/3 innings this season, and a 3.87 ERA in 163 career starts. He will be a free agent at season's end. The Blue Jays and Yankees also were said to be pursuing Leake, who is 27 years old.
The Giants figure to be set in the rotation with Madison Bumgarner, Chris Heston and Jake Peavy, though the other spots -- belonging to Matt Cain, Tim Hudson and sometimes Ryan Vogelsong -- aren't as steady. He's going to replace Hudson, at least for now.
Leake, it has been said by Heyman and others, was keen on possibly being traded to the Giants. Leake is from California, his dad loves Giants great Willie Mays, and his family is acquainted with that of Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Pitching at AT&T Park also would be advantageous for Leake when compared to Great American Ball Park.
Among the return, right-hander Keury Mella, who turns 22 in a few days. In 16 starts for Class A San Jose, he posted a 3.31 ERA with 83 strikeouts and 26 walks in 81 2/3 innings. He's viewed by some scouts as the Giants best pitching prospect. Also going to the Reds, slugger Adam Duvall, who had 77 plate appearances with the Giants in 2014. This season, Duvall had 26 homers and a .548 slugging percentage for Triple-A Sacramento.
The Reds also are said to be looking at possibly trading closer Aroldis Chapman, along with outfielder Jay Bruce. They've already dealt ace right-hander Johnny Cueto to the Royals.
The Cincinnati Reds traded right-hander Mike Leake to the San Francisco Giants for minor leaguers Keury Mella and Adam Duvall, CBS Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported early Friday morning. The Reds officially announced the deal shortly thereafter.
Earlier on Thursday, Heyman reported the Reds were interested in moving Leake, who has a 3.56 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 136 2/3 innings this season, and a 3.87 ERA in 163 career starts. He will be a free agent at season's end. The Blue Jays and Yankees also were said to be pursuing Leake, who is 27 years old.
The Giants figure to be set in the rotation with Madison Bumgarner, Chris Heston and Jake Peavy, though the other spots -- belonging to Matt Cain, Tim Hudson and sometimes Ryan Vogelsong -- aren't as steady. He's going to replace Hudson, at least for now.
Leake, it has been said by Heyman and others, was keen on possibly being traded to the Giants. Leake is from California, his dad loves Giants great Willie Mays, and his family is acquainted with that of Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Pitching at AT&T Park also would be advantageous for Leake when compared to Great American Ball Park.
Among the return, right-hander Keury Mella, who turns 22 in a few days. In 16 starts for Class A San Jose, he posted a 3.31 ERA with 83 strikeouts and 26 walks in 81 2/3 innings. He's viewed by some scouts as the Giants best pitching prospect. Also going to the Reds, slugger Adam Duvall, who had 77 plate appearances with the Giants in 2014. This season, Duvall had 26 homers and a .548 slugging percentage for Triple-A Sacramento.
The Reds also are said to be looking at possibly trading closer Aroldis Chapman, along with outfielder Jay Bruce. They've already dealt ace right-hander Johnny Cueto to the Royals.
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It's here, hot stove-loving people. The calendar now says July 31, which means it's trade deadline day in Major League Baseball. With what we've already seen this week, we'll just expect the unexpected, no?
Seriously, it's been such a crazy week that I almost feel like the actual deadline day is primed for a letdown. Then again, dozens of loose ends remain. How many will be tied up? We'll find out by roughly 4 p.m. ET (that's the deadline for MLB teams to submit their paperwork to the league office, so it's possible we find out a little afterward, even in the high-speed Internet era).
Here are some of the top storylines heading into the day.
Will the Padres sell and, if so, how much?
It still looks like the Padres will aggressively sell. However, they've won 10 of their last 14 and are 7.5 games out of the second wild-card spot in the NL. It isn't likely that they make a playoff run by any stretch, even if they hold and didn't sell, but what if GM A.J. Preller wants to stick to his guns? It wouldn't be shocking.
Still, all reports indicate there's a big Padres sell-off that's at least being considered. It hasn't started yet, either, so what if they trade Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, James Shields, Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy and even Will Venable all in the same day? Wouldn't that be something. It would be a show-stopper in the complete opposite direction of last winter when they bought everyone they could.
One thing is certain: The Padres are an exciting team to watch on July 31 this year. Even if they hold it would be a big story.
Who wants a big-time closer at a big-time price?
We've seen Jonathan Papelbon change teams already (and Joakim Soria, though I'm not sure we could call him "big-time"). Might Aroldis Chapman and Kimbrel join him? We know the Diamondbacks have submitted the Reds their final offer for Chapman. If their offer isn't good enough, will someone else step up? Many reports indicate the Reds' asking price is through the roof, so it's very possible Chapman stays put. As for Kimbrel, it appears the Yankees and Astros are interested.
Mid-level arms for sale
The main courses on the starting pitching market -- David Price and Johnny Cueto -- are gone, but there's plenty remaining who could help to nicely round out a rotation. It's possible we see Cashner, Ross, Kennedy, Yovani Gallardo, Hisashi Iwakuma and more move on Friday. It's a nice way to bolster one's rotation without breaking the prospect bank, much like the Giants just did in adding Mike Leake.
Can the Mets recover in the eyes of their fans?
After the Carlos Gomez debacle, many Mets fans are displeased with their penny-pinching (it's possibly unrelated to Gomez, sure, but it's still penny-pinching) front office. If the Mets are able to swing Jay Bruce and/or Justin Upton, will that help matters? It probably depends on what they have to give up, but this is a fun storyline as the Mets eye a huge weekend series with the Nationals. A sweep there ties things up in the NL East and the Mets have their three horses (Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard) starting.
Shouldn't the Yankees add starter(s)?
The Yankees already had a bit of a thin rotation and now they have injury concerns about Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova, not to mention performance concerns of CC Sabathia. The name they seem most connected to at this point is Kimbrel, though, despite the presence of stud relievers Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller -- not to mention Chasen Shreve. The knee-jerk reaction is to say they shouldn't trade for a reliever and instead should grab a starter.
Allow me to counter. Kind of.
First of all, shortening the game is the best way to protect the rotation and you can't pitch every great reliever every single game. Viewed through that lens, Kimbrel helps the rotation indirectly (and admittedly very slightly).
Secondly, they can do both. Remember the hand-wringing about the Blue Jays adding offense in Troy Tulowitzki, since they needed starting pitching? Well, they just got David Price. The Yankees can add Kimbrel and a mid-level starter. See above for a partial list.
Cubs buyers for first time under Epstein/Hoyer
The Cubs are in contention for the first time since president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer took over. They are in need of a fifth starter and some bullpen depth right now. The offense has struggled in July, too.
Yet the Cubs have been quiet to this point.
Some of this is by design. They don't really have lots of places to add offense for this season without stunting the plan for the future and there aren't a whole lot of attractive bats on the open market that make sense for the club. Hence, there's little reason to cough up a lot of the farm system for a rental due to the makeup of a club that screams the true breakout is coming in 2016.
Still, making the playoffs would be a huge boost to the rebuild and they've been heavily connected with Tyson Ross.
The hunch is they grab a starting pitcher at the very least.
Will Astros, Blue Jays, Royals remain big winners?
The Astros have added Scott Kazmir and Carlos Gomez while supplementing their rotation depth with Mike Fiers. The Blue Jays got Troy Tulowitzki and David Price. The Royals landed Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist. While these aren't the only teams to make a splash, they seem to be the three top deadline "winners" so far in terms of additions to already-good (or at least contending, in the case of the Jays right now) ballclubs.
With so many names still out there, who might join them on Friday? Or will no one? That's a quality storyline, no?
The Dodgers
They came into the last week before the deadline with more resources (in terms of payroll flexibility, prospect stash, MLB talent and big-league record) than anyone else in the sport. So far, they've added Mat Latos, Alex Wood and some others while designating a handful of players for assignment.
They've lost out on Cole Hamels, Johnny Cueto and David Price. Are they prepared to go with Latos, Wood and Brett Anderson as their 3-5 starters with Mike Bolsinger as the backup option or do they want to grab another? Are they good with how the offense sets up? The bullpen? Will they shock everyone and spin Yasiel Puig into a blockbuster or just try to win with what they have? (I'm guessing no).
This season should probably be World Series or Bust, given the circumstances, so the Dodgers are absolutely a team to watch on Friday.
The unknown
Remember last year on deadline day when the A's dealt Yoenis Cespedes to the Red Sox for Jon Lester and later the Tigers countered by adding David Price? The latter deal resulted in Austin Jackson being pulled mid-inning to an ovation in Comerica Park, as he was part of the trade. Might we be blessed with another surreal moment like that?
Maybe.
It's trade deadline day. Anything is possible. Let the dreaming begin.
The Blue Jays are all-in. A few days after swinging a trade for Troy Tulowitzki, Toronto has acquired ace lefty David Price from the Tigers for a package of prospects, both teams have announced. Detroit receives lefty pitching prospects Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Jairo Labourt in the deal.
Needless a say, a deal of this caliber has all sorts of impact not only on both clubs, but the rest of the league. Let's run it all down.
1. The Blue Jays have improved their postseason odds tremendously.
This is obvious: the Blue Jays are going for it. They've now added Tulowitzki and Price, and still have another day to make more moves before the trade deadline. Toronto comes into Thursday at 51-51 and seven games back in the AL East. They are, however, only two games back of a wild-card spot. Their +100 run differential is the best in the AL and the second best in MLB overall.
The division is a long shot but it is not out of the question -- the Yankees and Blue Jays do have 13 head-to-head games remaining this year. The wild-card spot is very much up for grabs however, and the additions of Tulowitzki and Price are significant, adding as many as five or six wins to the team's ledger in the second half.
Those additional wins are huge given where the Jays sit in the standings. Each additional win improves their postseason odds tremendously. A team going from 92 wins to 95 wins is great, but it doesn't change a whole lot as far as the playoff situation goes. The Jays might be going from 82 wins to 88 wins with this trade, which could be the difference between baseball in October and golf in October. Huge impact.
2. Even with Price, Toronto's pitching still isn't great.
Price is a tremendous pitcher. Top 10 in MLB. But he is still just one pitcher. The Blue Jays have a team 4.02 ERA, ranking 21st in MLB. Their starters have a 4.34 ERA, 22nd in MLB. Price figures to replace Felix Doubront -- Doubront was designated for assignment Wednesday to clear a roster spot for Tulowitzki -- and join these four guys in the rotation:
Drew Hutchison: 5.42 ERA (72 ERA+) and 1.50 WHIP in 108 innings
R.A. Dickey: 4.27 ERA (81 ERA+) and 1.28 WHIP in 137 innings
Marco Estrada: 3.55 ERA (110 ERA+) and 1.18 WHIP in 99 innings
Mark Buehrle: 3.29 ERA (119 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP in 134 innings
Dickey and Buehrle have pitched better of late, but that is still only a serviceable rotation with Price, not a great one. That's okay! The Blue Jays have the best offense in MLB at 5.27 runs per game. The Yankees are a distant second at 4.79 runs per game. The offense makes up for a lot of pitching woes.
3. The Blue Jays probably aren't done.
At this point, even after Tulowitzki and Price, I wouldn't expect the Blue Jays to be done with their trade deadline shopping. I highly doubt they'll make another move of this caliber, but I wouldn't be surprised if they make a few depth additions before Friday's 4pm ET trade deadline. A depth arm or two, maybe another infielder with Devon Travis banged up, something like that. Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos has no reason to stop now -- the window to win is this year.
4. The Tigers probably aren't done either.
Price was obviously the biggest chip, but the Tigers have other players they figure to move before the trade deadline. Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria, two impending free agents, are most likely to go. (UPDATE: The Tigers traded Soria to the Pirates.) Rajai Davis and Alex Avila are others. The Tigers have some rental pieces to offer contenders. Cespedes in particular figures to have plenty of suitors, perhaps the Mets, who had their deal for Carlos Gomez fall apart due to medicals.
5. The Tigers aren't rebuilding.
The Tigers are still a win-now team, they're not rebuilding. Two of the prospects they acquired in the Price trade (Norris and Boyd) are MLB ready and could step right into the rotation. Miguel Cabrera and J.D. Martinez are still in the primes of their careers. Victor Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Anibal Sanchez are still productive. Justin Verlander has pitched well of late. Detroit's goal is to win now.
GM Dave Dombrowski used the word "reboot" on Wednesday and that's the best way to describe the club's situation. They're not tearing it down and starting over, they're just taking a slight step back and gearing up for another run in 2016. Dombrowski figures to target MLB ready pieces in any additional trades he makes this year. Given their current contract commitments, it is not in this club's DNA to rebuild.
6. No draft pick compensation for Price this winter.
Because he has been traded at midseason, the Blue Jays will not be able to make Price a qualifying offer after the season, meaning he will not be tied to draft pick compensation as a free agent this offseason. For a player of Price's caliber, teams won't hesitate to give up a first round pick to sign him. It's nice teams will be able to sign him and keep their pick, but it won't boost his market much. Price was going to get high-end dollars no matter what. Draft pick compensation has more impact on mid-range players, not elite guys.
7. The top pitchers are now off the market.
Both Price and Johnny Cueto have now been traded, as well as Scott Kazmir, who was arguably the third best available pitcher at the trade deadline. Among those still on the board are Ian Kennedy, Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, James Shields, Dan Haren, Mike Leake, Yovani Gallardo and maybe Hisashi Iwakuma. The White Sox are surging -- they've won seven straight and are 2 1/2 games back of the wild-card spot -- and could hold on to Jeff Samardzija to make a run. There are a lot of good pitchers available. The great ones have already been taken.
8. Lots of contenders still need pitching.
Along with the Blue Jays, you can count the Yankees, Dodgers, Giants, Cubs and Astros among the contending teams still in need of an arm. Maybe we shouldn't include the Dodgers since they're set to acquire Mat Latos and Alex Wood in a three-team trade. Squint your eyes and you could see the Cardinals and Angels looking for a starter too. As noted in Point No. 7, there are still plenty of good pitchers available, and there are no shortage of teams in need of an arm. The pitching market is not yet dead.
The market for Padres outfielder Justin Upton should be a lot bigger than it is. But unfortunately for San Diego, there are a limited number of teams looking for sluggers, with the Mets and Orioles being two of them. However, the smart money says that Upton, and the rest of the team's impending free agents, are dealt. That group of expiring deals also includes Ian Kennedy, Will Venable and Joaquin Benoit (who does have an option for 2016) ...
Things can change in the last couple days, but the Padres aren't close to anything with star closer Craig Kimbrel. With the market flooded with relievers, it may be tough to get proper value. The Nats were thought to be the best hope before they acquired Jonathan Papelbon. The Yankees offered to pay all of the $28 million remaining on Craig Kimbrel's deal but haven't been too anxious as they "already have two closers," as one person pointed out ...
Tyson Ross seems to be beloved out on the trade market. He is hoping to stay in San Diego, however. Word is, it would take a major haul to trade him. Still, the Astros, Rangers, Blue Jays, Cubs, Dodgers and others have been inquiring. As for their ace James Shields, his backloaded deal will pay him $22 million a year from 2016 to 2018, and as a result, he probably could get through waivers and be traded after July 31 ...
Pat Murphy is said to be "trending positive ... after a rocky start," according to Padres-connected people. However, it is said to be "too early to tell" whether he'll be brought back. Murphy, however, made a goofy remark after pulling Matt Kemp and Justin Upton on Wednesday, claiming he took those players out of Thursday's game to "troll the media." If that's really the case, shouldn't he have more important things to worry about?
One thing that's been made clear is that A.J. Preller isn't under a mandate to sell, despite the Padres' record $110-million payroll. He will presumably sell at least the impending free agents, starting with Upton.
More Inside Baseball ...
Atlanta Braves News
The Braves long wanted Cuban star Hector Olivera, and they appear to be on the verge of acquiring him only months after the Dodgers signed him to a $62.5-million, six-year deal. The Dodgers paid a very large signing bonus, as is the case oftentimes with Cuban players who have debts to the people that have developed them on the island. The Braves are only responsible for half of the $62.5 million due to the Dodgers already having paid the $28 million bonus. Olivera is still on a rehab assignment at the moment, but it appears he will go from LA to Atlanta in a three-team trade that also includes Miami (the one that's taking awhile and includes Mat Latos going to the Dodgers and Michael Morse).
Baltimore Orioles News
The Orioles inquired about Dan Haren, though it wanted some of the money paid down. So far Miami hasn't offered.
Chicago Cubs News
The Cubs have looked at Yovani Gallardo but have generally been linked to pitchers who are under control into 2016, so they may not be a favorite ... Cubs people love David Price, but no one sees them giving up a haul for a rental ... Cubs are talking to the Padres about Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner, with Ross believed to be the preferred option. San Diego has interest in Javier Baez, and the deal could be expanded to be much bigger. The Cubs aren't favored for Ross, though, and they are likely to wind up doing bigger deals next year.
Chicago White Sox News
The White Sox have been characteristically mysterious about their deadline intentions, but with a seven-game winning streak, a 2 1/2-game deficit and a big winter of work, rivals suggest they'd be surprised if Jeff Samardzija was traded now. Coincidentally, the White Sox were also 2 1/2 games out when they made the infamous White Flag Trade at the 1997 trade deadline ... Should they surprise folks, the Dodgers, Giants, Astros, Blue Jays and Yankees are potential landing spots. The Yankees make sense for him as a free agent since he's a guy who loves a big stage, and Yankees executive Jim Hendry originally signed him for the Cubs out of Notre Dame.
Cincinnati Reds News
Mike Leake's most likely landing spots are believed to be the Blue Jays, Astros, Dodgers, Giants, Yankees and Orioles ... The buzz about star closer Aroldis Chapman seems to have all but evaporated, so he may not get traded after all.
Cleveland Indians News
Kudos to the Indians for determining not to trade Mike Aviles, whose 4-year-old daughter Adriana is battling leukemia. Best wishes to Adriana.
Colorado Rockies News
Troy Tulowitzki was said by sources familiar with the situation to be very upset to have been traded without any consultation or notice. Tulowitzki may also not have been thrilled to go to a team that wasn't on his list of preferred destinations -- the Yankees, Dodgers, Giants and Angels were said to be his top choices. But word is, he felt much more upset about not being kept in the loop, as he always had been in the past. Tulowitzki always had been very close to the Rockies-owning Monfort Brothers, but this could put a dent in that long relationship. Tulo isn't likely to lash out, as he is an extremely non-confrontational fellow who is very conscious of his image around Denver. That is also why he never requested a trade even though there were many times he wanted to go to one of his preferred destinations. Tulo's agent Paul Cohen did not return messages. Neither did Rockies GM Jeff Bridich ... The reality is, while Tulo's people may think there were promises about where he'd go, he didn't have a no-trade clause and they should have long understood he might not go to one of the preferred destinations. Two years ago, which is when the Monforts should have traded Tulo, there were extensive talks with the Rangers regarding Carlos Gonzalez and the Mariners regarding Tulowitzki. Names that are believed to have come up (and not a concrete proposal by the other teams) included Seattle's Nick Franklin, Brad Miller, Taijuan Walker and James Paxton for Tulo, and Texas' Martin Perez, Jorge Alfaro, Jurickson Profar and Nomar Mazara for CarGo ... Jose Reyes has been led to believe by the Rockies he is not going to be flipped. But he's been through this before, and probably isn't buying a house in Colorado. (He never bought one in Florida either) ... Word is Toronto was worried about Reyes' defense. Perhaps the turf was taking a toll, though one scout remarked, "For a fast guy, his range never was what it should have been." Another scout who saw him recently said, "I was surprised at how his defense had deteriorated."
Detroit Tigers News
Word floating around was that GM Dave Dombrowski took a realistic view of his team and wanted to sell, and Wednesday was the day his plan was approved by owner Mike Ilitch, who is one of the best owners in the game. While this is obviously a downer for Detroit, this could be an indication Mike and his son Chris, who's taking on a bigger and bigger role, favor keeping Dombrowski, who is in the last year of his contract. Makes sense. Overall, he's done a terrific job.
Houston Astros News
Cole Hamels declined a possible chance to go to the Astros when approached some time earlier this week, as it was reported here a few times he likely would do. USA Today first mentioned the official rejection. The Rangers, where his wife's relatives live, were one of two AL teams on the pre-approved list ... The Astros are in talks for Tyson Ross -- that may be their best pitching hope.
Los Angeles Angels News
The Angels acquired three outfielders within the span of around 24 hours, reeling in David Murphy, David DeJesus and Shane Victorino. Though word is the trade flurry has nothing to do with any particular concern over the wrist ailment that's sidelined the great Mike Trout a couple days. In any case, it seems like Victorino may be more a bench player, and Matt Joyce, who is on the DL with a concussion after a slow start, may lose whatever role he had ... Carlos Gonzalez would have counterbalanced a righty-heavy lineup, but owner Arte Moreno has a mandate not to go above the luxury tax threshold and such a trade would have threatened that ... By homering for a 30th time this year, Albert Pujols joined Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Mike Schmidt and Babe Ruth as the only players to do post at least 13 seasons with 30 or more home runs.
Los Angeles Dodgers News
As was mentioned again in "Best Team Money Can Buy," the book on the 2013 Dodgers by Molly Knight, Clayton Kershaw declined a $300-million contract many months before he took a deal for $215 million over seven years, with a five year opt-out. It isn't clear exactly how long the $300-million deal was for, and Kershaw declined to say when asked about it this week. It is clear though that it was going to be considered a "lifetime deal," perhaps with personal service years attached to the end of it. Kershaw suggested in a brief interview at Citi Field a few days ago that he liked the options provided by the shorter deal with the opt out and couldn't see himself committing to staying forever in one place at the time ... Good thing the Dodgers are operating on only a 40 percent luxury tax rate and not the full 50 percent, as their payroll is approaching $300 million. With the tax, the total player expense will be around $400 million. They will, of course, have an excellent chance at the World Series when they are done ...Joc Pederson is struggling with the strikeouts lately, and he may lose his leadoff spot ... The Dodgers opened a kosher hot dog stand at Dodger Stadium, a nice touch considering their Jewish heritage (Sandy Koufax, The Sherry brothers, Shawn Green and Pederson). As Bill Shaikin remarked in the Los Angeles Times, "Mazel Tov." ... The Dodgers might want to make every night Yasiel Puig bobblehead night based on his performance Thursday.
Milwaukee Brewers News
The Brewers were apparently planning to make a third baseman of Wilmer Flores, so the deal that fell through wouldn't have been a bad one for him as he would have found a starting home ... The Cardinals and Pirates wre the two teams known to be interested in Adam Lind, but the Cardinals filled their need by acquiring Brandon Moss from the Indians. Since there's an option for $8 million for next year, the Brewers could keep Lind.
New York Mets News
GM Sandy Alderson and owner Jeff Wilpon met with Wilmer Flores to try to make him feel better about the situation. "They apologized," one person familiar with the talks said after a deal for him and Zack Wheeler fell through after it had been widely reported that it was agreed to. Flores was very emotional during the game but was said to be "fine" after the talk with the two Mets execs. Flores has been with the Mets organization since he was 16 years old and has had quite a roller coaster of a season. For all the heat he took early about his shortstop play, he is second on the team to Duda in home runs and hasn't made an error in two months ... The deal was scuttled when the Mets suggested they didn't like the medicals on Carlos Gomez's hips, sources said, confirming a report by Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. But agent Scott Boras said, "He's in first-class condition. He's never had a hip issue and never seen a doctor for a hip issue." ... The Mets are still looking to add a big bat ... The second Jenrry Mejia drug failure is a stunner. There was no challenge on his part, as there is no excuse. He was even caught with some archaic old stuff, stanozolol and the like. That's not even the good stuff. Adam Rubin of ESPN reported the failure came during his first suspension, at a time when relaxing might have been a better idea. Can't see the Mets taking him back after his suspension is up in a year. Hopefully, someone else will. No one should lose their career over IQ points ... If Cespedes is dealt, word is he would not mind New York one bit ... David Wright provided some hope he may not be more than a few weeks away when he worked out on the field at Citi Field.
New York Yankees News
The Yankees should be able to find their answer to second base from within if they can't land Martin Prado or Dustin Ackley. They loved Prado when he was a Yankee last year, and they've long coveted Ackley. Ackley is probably more likely than Prado for the Yankees. They like his swing for Yankee Stadium. The Marlins aren't anxious to trade Prado, but are listening. FOXSports.com first mentioned Prado, and the New York Daily News mentioned Ackley this time. If they can't be gotten, Stephen Drew has been fine except for his batting average -- and isn't batting average supposed to be less important now? Robert Refsnyder also looked OK in an earlier cameo. But they are obviously looking ... Shortstop Didi Gregorius has been excellent lately after a rough start in which some folks were crying for his head ... Reggie Jackson denied he shoved an autograph-seeking fan, saying he only cursed him out.
Oakland A's News
Folks are impressed that the A's were able to get Casey Meisner for rental reliever Tyler Clippard and also Sean Manaea for Ben Zobrist, another rental. Manaea is seen a potential high-end starter if he can remain healthy ... Sam Fuld continues to make Superman-type catches even after the A's sale.
Philadelphia Phillies News
The Phillies ended up doing well in the six-for-two Hamels deal, as they got two high-end prospects, Jorge Alfaro and Nick Williams. One scout familiar with the prospects going to Philly said, "Alfaro isn't mature but the physical tools are tremendous. He will get there, and if he does, look out. Williams' raw tools are better than Nomar Mazara's and he has shown flashes of being an impact player at the major-league level. But game maturity is coming. Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher will be Nos. 2-4 starting pitchers as they progress. Matt Harrison is progressing but still pitches like a guy with a bad back and could blow at any time." Says another AL scout, "Asher is a Clemens type ... strong kid. Big arm." Say what you will about the Phillies, but as it turned out, they didn't hurt themselves by waiting. They made the sort of deal they needed to make.
The Pirates made a run at Ben Zobrist but didn't come close to offering anything near to the value of Manaea ... Pittsburgh will look at relievers. Mark Melancon is having another brilliant year as closer, but he could use a bit more help.
St. Louis Cardinals News
St. Louis is said to be seeking bullpen help even after getting Steve Cishek, who should help (he had an ERA under 1 after returning from his minor-league stint) ... Adam Lind is no longer a possibility for the Cardinals now that they added Brandon Moss in a deal for pitching prospect Rob Kaminsky.
Seattle Mariners News
There's very limited interest in Hisashi Iwakuma. No big sale is expected for the Mariners.
Texas Rangers News
A few other teams -- in addition to the Dodgers, Blue Jays and Cubs -- have looked at Yovani Gallardo , who is still likely to be dealt.
Toronto Blue Jays News
One thing overheard: The Jays have no intention of flipping Tulo ... Along with all the other pitchers connected to them, the Blue Jays are considering Gallardo. Hard to predict them, though, since they consider everyone ... Hard to figure what the Blue Jays will do next since they are involved in everything, and wind up doing only the things that are never publicized ... There was varying opinion on Jeff Hoffman, the biggest righty pitching prospect the Jays gave up in the Tulo deal. One AL executive says he is a high-end starter, but another noted that "he doesn't miss many bats." (The first exec said that's only because he's in his first year after Tommy John surgery).
Washington Nationals News
Deposed closer Drew Storen isn't happy to have lost his role. Though he hasn't directly said that he's upset, he has told folks he didn't believe it was the right thing to do. That seems to be the case, as Storen led the NL in one-run saves and had better numbers than Papelbon. It was pretty clear the Nats were intent on replacing him for a third time (the first two times were for Rafael Soriano and Tyler Clippard) as it looked closely at Kimbrel and Chapman, too.
The Milwaukee Brewers traded outfielder Carlos Gomez and right-hander Mike Fiers to the Houston Astros, CBS MLB Insider Jon Heyman first reported Thursday night.
ASTROS GET: OF Carlos Gomez P Mike Fiers Cash Consideration
BREWERS GET: OF Brett Phillips OF Domingo Santana P Josh Hader P Adrian Houser
Lookout Landing, a Seattle Mariners blog, had news of the return first. Heyman confirmed the haul Milwaukee received in exchange for Gomez and Fiers.
A day after another deal involving Gomez failed to be completed with the Mets -- much to the embarrassment of all parties involved -- Brewers general manager Doug Melvin pivoted and sent him to the upstart Astros.
Gomez, 29, has been one of the premier speed-power outfielders in the majors over the past three-plus seasons. He's signed through the 2016 season, and is set to make $9 million next season, along with what's left of the $8 million he's making in 2015.
Gomez came in batting .262 with a .751 on-base plus slugging percentage, along with eight home runs and seven stolen bases. He has played through minor lower-body injuries this season, and his current health came into question Wednesday night after a trade with the Mets fell through, reportedly because New York didn't like what it read in medical reports during the final stages of the transaction. Word of the deal had gone public, however, which made for an uncomfortable night for Wilmer Flores of the Mets. It also put Gomez, along with his agent, Scott Boras, on the defensive about his physical condition. The Astros seem to have no concerns.
SIX THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE TRADE
1. The Astros had pursued Gomez for weeks, and were overjoyed when the deal with the Mets fell apart. They also quickly gave Gomez a passing bill of health.
2. Gomez was a top-five player in Major League Baseball in 2013 and 2014.
Only Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen and Josh Donaldson compiled more wins above replacement than Gomez in that span, according to Fangraphs. Gomez's combination of power and speed on offense, along with great defensive skills, made him more valuable (based on fWAR) than the likes of Miguel Cabrera, Paul Goldschmidt, Jose Bautista -- you name it. Gomez is capable of hitting the game-winning home run, or preventing it. He's a crowd-pleaser with flair and substance, one of the game's top showman. Some people are rubbed the wrong way by Gomez's theatrics, but to his own team, Gomez wins games.
He might have given the Astros a 7 percent greater chance of winning the AL West:
CARLOS GOMEZ: ADDED VALUE TO ASTROS
HOUSTON WINS WIN DIV PLAYOFFS
Before Trade 91.73 67.4 percent 95.8 percent
SportsLine 91.98 69.3 percent 97.7 percent
WARP (1.5) 92.74 74.3 percent 97.7 percent
Source: Stephen Oh, SportsLine
Stephen Oh of SportsLine explains:
My own model admittedly does not factor for individual defense as much as most advanced stats services probably do, so in my simulations, Carlos Gomez isn't having a measurable impact on Houston. With him, I have them winning 0.25 more games per simulation, giving them a 69.3 percent chance of winning the division, up from 67.4 percent before the trade.
However, if you use the Baseball Prospectus WARP metric, they report Gomez as having a 1.5 WARP which basically translates to improving a team by 1 percentage point per game (1% x 150 games = 1.5). I ran a simulation where I improved Houston by 1 percent per game -- not just the sliver of improvement my simulation model has -- and in this case, Gomez adds one win and nearly 7 percent to their chances to win the division.
4. The Mets had valid reasons for having second thoughts -- based on some of Gomez's stats in 2015.
Gomez's power and speed numbers have dropped for a third straight season. He's not stealing bases like he used to, and his metrics in center -- while good -- are not nearly as good as two seasons ago. He has missed time because of nagging injuries. There's some reason to believe, based on a relatively small sample size, that he already might have hit his peak and is beginning to decline. There's more reason to believe that he'll be a better player the rest of this season, and next, than he was in the first half of 2015.
5. The Astros say they could use Fiers as a starter or reliever.
Fiers, 30, has been an effective starter since breaking in full-time in 2012, but he's also been subject to occasional injuries (though not this season). He has posted a 3.89 ERA with a 121/43 K/BB ratio in 118 innings over 21 starts.
The Astros also recently added Scott Kazmir to their rotation from the Athletics, so Fiers might be rotation depth, in case the team wanted to sub out Scott Feldman or Collin McHugh. Following several heavily-losing seasons, the Astros are in the thick of the pennant chase, posting a 57-45 record in the AL West, good enough to lead the Angels by a game heading into play Thursday.
6. The Brewers got a great return for Gomez and Fiers.
Phillips is the prize of the package, described as a high-ceiling outfielder. He's 21 years old, and playing in Double-A. He's perhaps a top-40 prospect in all of baseball. Here's what Baseball America recently said about Houston's best prospect:
The Florida prep star grabbed as a sixth-rounder in GM Jeff Luhnow's first draft in 2012 has certified himself as the organization's top prospect. Questions about his power have vanished in the wake of 15 first-half homers and evaluators peg his arm as plus. At this point, his ceiling is first-division center fielder who's at least an average defender, with power, a 70 arm and a grinder mentality. He was recently promoted to Corpus Christi as the Astros try to better gauge his power and offense in general.
As Brew Crew Ball says, a potential five-tool center fielder makes sense as a return for a five-tool ballplayer such as Gomez.