MLB Hot Stove 2023-2024

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The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed OF Randal Grichuk to a one year contract worth $2 million in guaranteed money, comprising a base salary of $1.5 million in 2024, with a $500,000 buyout on a mutual option for 2025. If both sides exercise the option, then Grichuk will earn $6 million in 2025.

Grichuk hit .267/.321/.459 with 16 homeruns in 471 plate appearances for the Rockies and Angels, translating to 100 wRC+ for the 32 year old.

Grichuk has an extreme split, whereupon he smacks left handed pitching around the park but is sub-replacement level against righties. This probably means that Grichuk will mostly be a platoon option for the Diamondbacks in 2024.

Grichuk takes the roster spot of RHP Drey Jameson, who was moved to the 60-day IL and will miss the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last September.

 

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The reunion of the Smith-Njigba brothers in Seattle seems set to end after the Mariners designated Canaan Smith-Njigba for assignment to create roster spot for RHP Levi Stoudt, whom the Mariners claimed off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. Stoudt was traded by the Mariners to the Reds as part of the package for RHP Luis Castillo, and Stoudt made his MLB debut with the Reds in 2023, but managed just a 9.58 ERA in 10 1/3 innings.

 

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The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed RHP Chase Anderson to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Anderson spent 2023 with three different teams, starting the season with the Reds, then was traded to Tampa Bay, being designated for assignment and being claimed by the Rockies.

 

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LPH Tanner Scott won his arbitration hearing with the Marlins and will earn $5.7 million instead of the $5.15 million amount tabled by the Marlins.

 

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Michael Trout talked to the media today at Angels' Spring Training and declared that "the easy way out is to ask for a trade". He emphasised his loyalty to the Angels and his desire to win a championship with Los Angeles: "The overall picture of winning a championship or getting to the playoffs here is bigger satisfaction than bailing out and just taking the easy way out. So I think that's been my mindset. Maybe down the road, if some things change, but that's been my mindset ever since the trade speculation came up".

Trout is paid $35.45 million annually through 2030 and has full no-trade protection. It has been speculated after Ohtani left the Angels to sign with the Dodgers that the Angels may look to trade Trout, who has not played more than 119 games in a season since before the 2021 season (he played 36 games in 2021, 119 games in 2022 and 82 games in 2023). Trout turns 33 this coming August, suggesting that he might be on the downward slope of what has been a Hall of Fame career. Trout hit .263/.367/.490 in 2023, which translates to a wRC+ of 134 (suggesting he was 34% better than league average with the bat) but this was his lowest mark since his debut in 2011.

The Angels publicly said to the media after Ohtani left that they are not intending to undertake a rebuild, but their Opening Day salary commitments tally to $173 million, which is substantially lower than the corresponding figure in 2023 ($212 million).

Mike Trout says he’s loyal to the Angels because he doesn’t want to ‘take the easy way out’

Trout, 32, said he hasn’t asked for a trade because he is committed to trying to win with the Angels, who signed him to a 12-year contract five years ago. He said that might change someday, if “peo…

www.ocregister.com

Why Mike Trout deviated from his typical approach in discussing Angels future

For Trout, it’s clear this moment in time represents an inflection point in his Anaheim tenure.

theathletic.com

 

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Cody Bellinger remains the biggest free agent bat left on the market as the teams continue Spring Training. The Cubs have long been associated with re-signing Bellinger. Their chairman, Tom Ricketts, spoke to the media overnight and addressed the topic of re-signing Bellinger. According to reports, Ricketts told reporters that there have been some discussions but it hasn't become a negotiation yet. He added: "We're just waiting. Waiting for whenever he and his agent are going to engage. It could be any time now or it could be a few weeks. We'll see where it goes. Until they are ready to negotiate, there's not much we can do. We just have to wait for when it gets serious before talking about what the end money amounts are."

The reporters asked Ricketts whether he had spoken with Scott Boras, Bellinger's agent. Ricketts responded: "I don't talk to Scott. One of his signature moves is to go talk to the owner. When you do that, you undermine the credibility of your GM. Inserting yourself into that negotiation, I don't think that helps. I don't talk to him".

Boras claims that the Cubs spoke to him about Bellinger last winter (after the Dodgers released him): "Free agency is about recruiting players. It's the normal owner's signature move to be involved in the efforts of recruiting players and reaching out to me so I can convey to the player the ownership of the team covets them. That is the essence of free agency and it is a custom and practice for ownership to express commitment and involvement. When Cody was a free agent last year the Cubs engaged and were very aggressive in their pursuit. And their process is no different this year. So I am not clear as to what Tom is suggesting."

On the surface, Bellinger had a brilliant 2023 season with the Cubs, hitting .307/.356/.525 for a wRC+ of 134, including 26 homeruns. He also stole 20 bases and provided good defence in centre and at first base. However, his hard hit rate was only in the 10th percentile of qualified league hitters, with his average exit velocity 22nd and his barrel rate 27th. Bellinger did manage a career low strikeout rate of 15.6%, but the lack of impact might be working against Bellinger with most clubs looking at the analytics of each free agent.

Some teams might also be concerned about how sustainable the bounceback is, with Bellinger previously hitting a combined .193/.256/.355 in 2021-2022 which resulted in Bellinger being released by the Angels. He required shoulder surgery after the 2020 season and his agent contends that he was never fully healthy over that span.

It is also the case that potential suitors for Bellinger have pivoted to other options. The Giants were long associated with an interest in Bellinger, but they signed Jung Hoo Lee to play centre for them. The Blue Jays re-signed Kevin Kiermaier, while the Angels signed Aaron Hicks and are looking to cut payroll. The Mariners acquired Luke Raley and Mitch Haniger to reshape their outfield, while the Braves traded for Jarred Kelenic.

The Cubs might remain Bellinger's best option. While the Cubs traded for Michael Busch to play first base, there is still room for Bellinger in centre between Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki. Prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong has drawn a lot of praise but struggled when promoted to the majors for the first time and had a high 29.7% strikeout rate at Triple-A in 2023.

Cubs 'waiting' on FA Bellinger for contract talks

The Chicago Cubs say they're waiting for free agent Cody Bellinger and his agent to engage in full-blown contract talks, with Cubs owner Tom Ricketts saying there have been discussions but no negotiations yet.

www.espn.com

 

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The Pittsburgh Pirates have claimed OF Canaan Smith-Njgiba off waivers from the Mariners, per announcements from both teams. The Pirates put RHP JT Brubaker on the 60-day IL to create roster space for Smith-Njgiba. He returns to the Pirates after spending a bit of time traversing the DFA merry-go-round. He was originally acquired by the Pirates from the Yankees as part of the return for RHP Jameson Taillon back in January 2021 and stuck with them for three years before being designated for assignment by the Pirates in January. He was claimed off waivers by the Mariners about two weeks ago, but they designated him for assignment when they claimed Levi Stoudt over the weekend. The Pirates needed the room to make the signing of LHP Aroldis Chapman official, as the 60-day IL had not yet opened. Brubaker had Tommy John surgery in April 2023 and it does not appear that he is expected back on the active roster any time soon.

The Pirates also confirmed that they had signed RHP Chase Anderson to a minor league contract, including an invitation to Spring Training.

 

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Another notable free agent, LHP Blake Snell, is reportedly considering a contract offer from the New York Yankees, though the Angels and Giants remain interested in signing the reigning NL Cy Young winner. However, reports also suggest that Snell is not close to signing with the Yankees.

Latest on Yankees and Blake Snell

Earlier in the offseason, the mutual interest between the Yankees and two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell was clear.

sny.tv

 

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The Milwaukee Brewers are finalising a contract for RHP Brandon Woodruff according to reports. It will reportedly be a two year contract for Woodruff, though the salary and other financial details are not yet reported. Woodruff has spent his entire career with the Brewers but it seemed that this relationship would end at some point. Woodruff dealt with issues with his pitching shoulder through the 2023 campaign and eventually had surgery at the end of the season, which puts his 2024 season in jeopardy. He was non-tendered by the Brewers which made him a free agent for the first time.

The two year contract will give Woodruff time to heal his shoulder and then demonstrate both to the Brewers and potentially other clubs that he remains the top-line starter that he was prior to the injury. Woodruff has a career 3.10 ERA with a 28.9% strikeout rate, a 6.5% walk rate and a 42.8% groundball rate. Among pitchers with at least 650 innings pitched since the start of the 2017 season, Woodruff's ERA is sixth best in the majors.

With Burnes traded to Baltimore, it looks like RHP Freddy Peralta will lead the starting rotation for the Brewers, at least until Woodruff returns from injury.

 

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The Philadelphia Phillies made their signing of 2B Whit Merrifield official and in the process announced that they had designated RHP Kaleb Ort for assignment. Ort has been a successful pitcher in the minor leagues over his career, but is yet to find the same level of success in the majors. Ort finished the 2023 season with the Red Sox but was put on waivers in the off-season and has gone to the Mariners, the Marlins and the Phillies through waiver claims but each time has lost his roster spot. Since 2021, Ort has pitched 51 2/3 innings in the majors, for a 6.27 ERA and a 20.9% strikeout rate.

 

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The Boston Red Sox are adding some Australian determination to their bullpen, signing RHP Liam Hendriks to a two year contract with a $10 million guarantee, though he could earn up to $20 million if he hits the incentives. There is also a 2026 mutual option for Hendriks. The deal is not yet official, as it is pending a physical.

Hendriks was the AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2023 after making a return inside five months of being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in early January 2023. Unfortunately, his comeback was cut short after five appearances for the White Sox due to a bout of elbow inflammation that forced him to undergo Tommy John surgery in August.

Hendriks reportedly is targeting a trade deadline return from the surgery, though that would be highly ambitious. This deal for the Red Sox is more about 2025. The pressure won't be on Hendriks to perform in 2024, with the Red Sox likely to rely on RHP Kenley Jansen and RHP Chris Martin to be their top relievers, but both are set to be free agents after the season, which positions Hendriks nicely to take on the closer role once he is back to full health.

 

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The New York Mets are signing former Yankee Luke Voit to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Voit has joined the Mets at their Spring Training camp. Voit started the 2023 season with the Brewers but struggled in 22 games with Milwaukee, hitting .221/.284/.265 with a 36.5% strikeout rate and just three extra base hits in 74 plate appearances. The Brewers demoted Voit to Triple-A and eventually relesaed him in June. He signed with the Mets after the Brewers released him but could not force his way onto the Mets' active roster.

 

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Matt Chapman is one of the big-ticket free agents who remains available as the teams continue their Spring Training preparations. It has been reported that the Mariners have discussed the possibility of signing Chapman. It is not clear whether these are simply due-diligence explorations or whether the Mariners have actually engaged with Chapman's representatives regarding a potential contract.

The Mariners opened their off-season by trading away former third baseman Eugenio Suarez to the Diamondbacks in November 2023, after acquiring Luis Urias from the Red Sox. The Mariners then acquired Jorge Polanco from the Twins, who will be expected to man second base on an every-day basis. This will likely push Urias and Josh Rojas into a platoon covering third base at the moment, but the signing of Matt Chapman would result in Urias, Josh Rojas and Dylan Moore

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Dylan Moore

Age

25

Ht

177cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.9

3star

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5.1

2star

HB

6.7

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.9

4star

G

0.3

3star

No current season stats available

D

12.2

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

6.2

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

into bench roles.

Chapman started 2023 on fire, but after 1 May 2023, he only .205/.298/.361 over 467 plate appearances from 1 May to the end of the regular season. He had to deal with a finger injury in the last couple of months of the season, and put up .240/.330/.424 in 581 plate appearances for the season. Chapman isn't particularly disciplined at the plate, with a 29.9% strikeout rate and needs to hit for power to make up for his strikeouts and relatively low batting average.

When Chapman was still with the Oakland Athletics, the two clubs discussed a swap of Chapman for a bunch of Mariners' prospects, including Noelvi Marte. However, the Mariners were not prepared to trade Marte as part of the package of Chapman and the deal fell through. The Mariners then traded Marte to the Reds as part of the deal for Luis Castillo.

Analysis: Four questions the Mariners face in spring training

Are the Mariners done adding to the roster? What about the playoffs? Those are among the questions the team faces in spring training this year.

www.seattletimes.com

 

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The Chicago Cubs have added corner outfielder David Peralta on a minor league contract. Peralta spent the 2023 season with the Dodgers. He hit .259/.294/.381 in 422 plate appearances for the Dodgers, but only hit seven homeruns for the season - his lowest full-season tally since 2016. Peralta underwent surgery to repair a flexor tendon in his throwing arm after the season ended.

Peralta is likely to be depth for the Cubs' everyday corner outfielders, Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ. Peralta is not a candidate for centre field.

 

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The Cubs are also in agreement with free agent first baseman Dominic Smith on a minor league contract. The deal contains a base salary of $1.75 million if the former Met and National makes the Cubs' major league roster. If Smith hits the incentives in the deal, he could earn $3.5 million.

 

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The Baltimore Orioles announced that they have acquired reliever Kaleb Ort from the Phillies in exchange for cash. The Orioles designated outfielder Peyton Burdick for assignment to create roster space for Ort. Ort had been designated overnight (Australia time) to make room for Whit Merrifield on the Phillies' roster.

 

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The Detroit Tigers announced that they have claimed OF TJ Hopkins off waivers from the Giants and have designated LHP Kolton Ingram for assignment. Hopkins had spent his career with the Reds before being designated for assignment by Cincinnati in December and then being traded to the Giants for cash. Hopkins held his roster spot for a couple of months before being designated last week. Hopkins made his MLB debut in 2023, hitting .171/.227/.171 in 44 plate appearances at the top level.

Hopkins is generally seen as being a left fielder but has experience at all three outfield spots.

Ingram pitched 5 1/3 innings in the MLB for the Angels in 2023, allowing five earned runs over that span, striking out seven batters and walking five. He was designated for assignment by Los Angeles in January to make room for Aaron Hicks and was claimed off waivers by the Tigers. They now have a week to trade him or pass him through waivers.

 

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The Tigers also announced that they signed INF Keston Hiura to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. According to reports, Hiura is set to earn $2 million plus incentives if he is promoted to the Tigers' active roster. Hiura hits for power but also strikes out a ton. He was selected ninth overall by the Brewers in the 2017 draft and made his MLB debut in 2019, hitting 19 homeruns in 84 games in his first season in the majors. His 30.7% strikeout rate was high but it was hoped that it would fall as he gained more experience against major league pitching. However, his strikeout rate climbed to 38.5% of the time over the course of 2020-2022 in 200 MLB games. Hiura came into the majors as a second baseman but had to be shifted to first base and left field to compensate for his poor fielding.

Hiura was put on waivers by the Brewers at the end of March and he went through unclaimed, possibly because Hiura had agreed to a $2.2 million salary with the Brewers and no other team was prepared to pay that amount for him. He technically had the right to reject an outright assignment but in doing so would have forfeited the remainder of his salary. So he reported to Triple-A Nashville and played in 85 Triple-A games in 2023. While he cut his strikeout rate, the Brewers decided not to elevate him back to the major league roster and he became a free agent at the end of the season.

 

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The Baltimore Orioles announced that infielder Diego Castillo has gone unclaimed on waivers and has been sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk. He remains in the organisation (for the time being) and is likely to receive a non-roster invitation to Spring Training. For the time being, it puts an end to the carousel of Castillo's offseason, having gone from the Diamondbacks to the Mets, the Yankees, the Phillies and then the Orioles through waiver claims. He was designated for assignment by Philadelphia last week to claim Kaleb Ort (whom the Phillies later traded to Baltimore) and was claimed by the Orioles before being designated for assignment to claim LHP Matt Krook.

 

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The Tampa Bay Rays are in agreement with INF Amed Rosario on a one year, $1.5 million contract, according to Jeff Passan. Per other reports, Rosario could earn an additional $500,000 in incentives. The Rays have a full 40-man roster and must make a roster move when the contract becomes official. That can be accomplished by shifting either Drew Rasmussen or Jeffrey Springs to the 60-day IL.





Indeed, the Rays have just announced the Rosario deal and have confirmed that Rasmussen has been put on the 60-day IL.



Rosario has had plenty of experience in the MLB, but his 2023 was not a strong season for him offensively. He hit .265/.306/.369 by the trade deadline with the Guardians and with Cleveland not locked in to a playoff spot, found himself traded to the Dodgers in exchange for RHP Noah Syndergaard. The Dodgers decided that he would best be served by shifting to second base and he improved his weak defence at that position while maintaining a slightly under average production with the bat (.256/.301/.408 for a wRC+ of 93).

The Rays, of course, will be without Wander Franco for the foreseeable future and it is highly likely that Franco never plays another inning of professional baseball again. The Rays acquired Jose Caballero from the Mariners and it was suggested by their president of baseball operations that he could be the starter to beging the year. Taylor Walls is another option but he will miss the start of the season to recover from hip surgery, while the Rays may also look to prospect Junior Caminero to make the jump to the major leagues at some stage in the future.

The Rays also added veteran Yu Chang on a minor league contract to provide some non-roster depth.

 

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The Washington Nationals and RHP Derek Law have agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Law will earn a salary of $1.5 million if he is added to the major league roster and can earn up to $500,000 in incentives. He also has three opt-out opportunities.

 

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Gary Sanchez signed a deal with the Brewers. According to reports, Sanchez will earn a $3 million base salary with the opportunity to increase that to $7 million if he hits his incentives. The Brewers made the deal official and transferred Brandon Woodruff to the 60-day IL to create a roster spot for Sanchez. The Brewers also announced their deal with Woodruff, who is not expected to pitch this season after undergoing shoulder surgery in the offseason.

According to reports, the Brewers had some concerns about Sanchez's wrist, which he fractured in September 2023 after being hit by a pitch. Sanchez was in line to earn $7 million base salary, but the Brewers have negotiated their deal with Sanchez to provide that he can only reach that figure if he hits the agreed incentives.

Brewers deal with Gary Sánchez is back on after physical revealed issue

The Brewers had lingering concern over the condition of Sánchez’s right wrist after his physical.

theathletic.com

 

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The Brewers have designated utility player Jahmai Jones for assignment in order to create a roster spot for Brandon Woodruff. Jones signed with the Brewers in July 2023 and spent most of the remainder of the season on assignment, only getting into seven big league games, hitting .200/.273/.300. He exhausted his final option year in the process and is now out of options.

 

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As noted earlier this week, the Rays signed Amed Rosario to a one-year contract. Although he has played as a shortstop for the Guardians and Yankees, the Rays intend to move Rosario around the field, with the president of baseball operations Erik Neander telling reporters that Rosario will likely see time at both middle infield spots and in the outfield corners. This has implications for Australia's Curtis Mead, who is regarded as a top prospect around the league but has not been lighting it on fire in his early time in the majors.

Rays add to infield options, sign Amed Rosario and Yu Chang

Notebook | There’s more competition in camp for jobs now and increased options for how the final roster is assembled.

www.tampabay.com

 

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World Champion Eric Hosmer announced his retirement after spending 2023 as a free agent. Hosmer intends to build a career in the media after hanging up his cleats. In addition to winning a World Series in 2015 with the Royals, Hosmer won four Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger Award and was an All-Star. He also won the WBC with Team USA in 2017. He retires with 1,753 hits, including 322 doubles, 20 triples and 198 homeruns. He scored 812 runs and drove in 893.

Officially Retired From MLB, Eric Hosmer Starts New Career In Media

Eric Hosmer announced his retirement from MLB on Wednesday after 13 seasons and has formed MoonBall Media with former minor-league teammate Eric Seratelli.

www.forbes.com