MLB Hot Stove 2023-2024

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Fresh after beating Team Australia in a two-game exhibition series in Melbourne over the weekend, the Hanwha Eagles have signed veteran pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu. The deal is not yet official but it is highly likely that Ryu will join the Eagles in Spring Training in Victoria in the next few days. The financials have not yet been disclosed but it is reported that Ryu will likely become the highest-paid player in the KBO when he signs with the Eagles.

When the deal becomes official, it will represent a homecoming for Ryu, who pitched with the Eagles in 2006 at the age of 19. He won the KBO MVP as a rookie thanks to a 2.23 ERA through 201 2/3, and pitched to a 2.80 ERA in 190 appearances over seven years with the Eagles before being posted to the MLB. The Dodgers won the right to negotiate with Ryu and he signed with Los Angeles on a six year, $36 million contract with various performance bonuses.

Ryu carried his form over to the MLB, pitching to an even 3.00 ERA in 30 starts in his debut campaign, good enough to finish fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2013. However, he started seeing time on the injured list thanks to shoulder, elbow and lower body issues.

Nearing deal, KBO's Eagles tender status check on free agent pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin | Yonhap News Agency

By Yoo Jee-ho SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- On the verge of reuniting with their former sta...

en.yna.co.kr

 

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In the Rule 5 draft last year, the Chicago White Sox selected LHP Shane Drohan from the Boston Red Sox. In an unfortunate turn of events for Drohan, he had to undergo a nerve decompression procedure in his throwing shoulder, which will mean that he misses the entirety of Spring Training and is likely to start the season on the IL. His status as a Rule 5 pick prevents the White Sox from optioning him to the minors, and he will need to spend the entirety of the 2024 season either on the active roster and/or IL in order to shed his Rule 5 status for the 2025 season. If the White Sox wish to drop him from the roster at any point, he would need to be placed on waivers and, if he clears, offered back to the Red Sox for a nominal sum of $50,000.

The White Sox are also set to miss RHP John Brebbia for the entirety of Spring Training, though the White Sox believe they will have him back in time for the start of the season. Brebbia strained a calf muscle early in Spring Training.

 

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The Detroit Tigers have added infielder Gio Urshela on a guaranteed $1.5 million contract, with incentives that could increase Urshela's earnings this year by another $500,000 based on plate appearances ($100,000 bonus for 500, 530, 560, 590 and 620 plate appearances). Urshela is likely to be the Tigers' every-day third baseman, although he could also play shortstop or second base if required.







The Tigers announced that they have designated OF TJ Hopkins for assignment to open a roster spot for Urshela. It's a bitter blow for Hopkins, whom the Tigers claimed off waivers from the Giants two days ago.

 

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The Miami Marlins are in agreement with free agent shortstop Tim Anderson on a one-year, $5 million contract, pending a physical. Anderson is coming off the worst season in his professional career, hitting just .245/.286/.296 in 524 plate appearances, including just one homerun for the White Sox. The White Sox bought out Anderson to the tune of $1 million rather than exercise a $14 million club option for 2024, ending his eight year stint with the White Sox.

The Marlins are banking on a bounce back from Anderson who hit .318/.347/.473 in more than 1,600 plate appearances between 2019 and 2022. Despite a poor showing at the plate in 2023, Anderson is still third in batting average among hitters with at least 2,000 plate appearances over the past five years, behind new teammate Luis Arraez (.326) and Freddie Freeman (.315).

 

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The Pittsburgh Pirates are in agreement with RHP Mitch Keller on a five-year contract extension with a $77 million guarantee. The contract includes the 2024 season and runs through to the end of 2028. Keller was set to hit free agency after the 2025 season. Keller had agreed to a one-year, $5.445 million contract for the 2024 season, avoiding arbitration. As such, Keller now gets a four year, $71.5575 million extension on top of that deal.

 

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The New York Mets are set to be without RHP Kodai Senga indefinitely after he was diagnosed with a moderate posterior capsule strain in his throwing shoulder. He will open the year on the IL. Senga sat out Spring Training yesterday after reporting arm fatigue and was sent for testing by the Mets. Senga signed a five year, $75 million deal with the Mets last offseason after spending 11 years in the NPB. He pitched 166 1/3 innings for the Mets in his rookie season, with a 29.1% strikeout rate and an 11.1% walk rate, combining for a 2.98 ERA. Senga made the NL All-Star team and finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year award (behind the Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll) and even received votes in the NL Cy Young award.

Senga was almost certain to be the Opening Day starting pitcher for the Mets when the season begins in April but it is now almost certain that he will not be ready to pitch by then and the date of his season debut is now under some cloud.

 

[Constantgin]

 

[RPCB]

I do like that for the team. Hopefully Cody produces what he did last year.m

 

[hotchilli]

 

[largebus]

I know he had his issues pre-2023 but I'd sack Scott Boras as my agent if I was Bellinger. Held out into Spring Training when he got offered 5 years by Toronto

 

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Before the Giants signed DH Jorge Soler, they apparently had engaged in negotiations with DH J.D. Martinez over the terms of a contract. According to reports, the parties exchanged suggested salary numbers and the Giants were not "comfortable with" the counteroffer from Martinez and instead finalised their offer with Soler.

Mets’ looming talks with Francisco Alvarez, agent Bad Bunny have luxury tax problem

Unless Alvarez wants to sign very cheap (unlikely), it’s hard for a team over the fourth-tier luxury-tax threshold to do anything long term early.

nypost.com

According to reports, the Giants initially offered a one-year contract to Martinez, worth $14 million. There are conflicting reports. According to one report, Martinez rejected the contract in pursuit of a two-year contract, while another report suggests that Martinez wanted $20 million and declined the Giants' offer despite potentially being open to accepting a "little less" than his preferred salary figure.

MLB free agent rumors drag into spring but no need to panic | Nightengale's Notebook

Spring training games have begun but some of MLB's top free agents remain unsigned. What gives?

www.usatoday.com

As of this morning, the 36 year old former Red Sox and Dodger remains unsigned and is still a free agent.

 

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The New York Mets have claimed LHP Kolton Ingram off waivers from the Detroit Tigers and the Mets moved LHP David Peterson to the 60-day IL to create roster space. The Tigers designated Ingram for assignment last week and he joins his third organisation in under a month. The Angels designated Ingram for assignment after signing Aaron Hicks and he was claimed off waivers by the Tigers.

 

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The Los Angeles Angels have released catcher Francisco Mejia from his minor league deal. Mejia has previously been with the Guardians, the Padres and the Rays. Prior to joining Tampa Bay, Mejia had just 362 plate appearances under his belt, hitting .225/.282/.386, but was named the Rays' primary catcher. He took a step forward with the extra responsibility, hitting .251/.292/.397 in 576 plate appearances from 2021-2022, good enough for 95 wRC+. In 2023, the Rays added Christian Bethancourt and Mejia effectively ended his time with the Rays in July thanks to an MCL sprain. When he was fit again, the Rays had elevated Rene Pinto to backup catcher behind Bethancourt, leaving the Rays to outright Mejia off the 40-man roster. He finished the season at Triple-A and elected free agency.





Mejia signed a minor league deal with the Angels and entered camp as the likely third catcher on the Angels' depth chart behind Logan O'Hoppe and Matt Thaiss. However, it now appears that the Angels are comfortable with fellow non-roster invitee Chad Wallach as a veteran depth option.

 

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The Philadelphia Philies are in agreement with catcher Cam Gallagher on a minor league deal including an invitation to Spring Training, and Gallagher is already in camp. The 31 year old has played in parts of seven big league seasons, the first six of which were spent with the Royals, including a stretch where he was the primary backup to Salvador Perez. The Royals traded Gallagher to the Padres just before the 2022 trade deadline, though the Padres did not use him in a game and designated him for assignment. He was picked up by the Orioles in September 2022 and then outrighted off their roster without having made an appearance for Baltimore. He signed a minor league deal with the Guardians in January 2023 and he made the Opening Day roster as a backup to Mike Zunino on the Guardians' bench.

While Gallagher is strong defensively, he is anemic at the plate, hitting .126/.154/.168 in 149 plate appearances with the Guardians, translating to a -17 wRC+, the worst figure among all hitters with at least 100 plate appearances. He was designated for assignment by the Guardians in November.

 

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According to reports, free agent utility player Enrique Hernandez is weighing up contract offers from the Giants, Angels, Twins and Padres. Hernandez started the 2023 season as the starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, but was traded to the Dodgers at the trade deadline after struggling with the bat in the first half of the season. Hernandez hit .222/.279/.320 in 323 plate appearances prior to his trade, and then hit .262/.308/.423 while coming off the bench to play everywhere on the diamond except catcher.

Free-agent utility man Kiké Hernández is down to four teams. Here's how he'd fit with each

The 32-year-old has narrowed his choices down to the Giants, Angels, Padres and Twins.

theathletic.com

 

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The Miami Marlins formally announced their signing of shortstop Tim Anderson over the weekend. The Marlins put RHP Sandy Alcantara on the 60-day IL to create a roster spot. Alcantara will miss all of the 2024 season thanks to Tommy John surgery.

 

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The Cincinnati Reds are in agreement on a minor league deal with first baseman/designated hitter Mike Ford on a contract. Under the terms of the deal, Ford will make $1.3 million if he makes the active roster and can earn $125,000 of incentives. Ford also has opt-out rights during Spring Training and in the regular season. The first opt-out date is 23 March if he has not been guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster by that date.

Ford had just 251 plate appearances for the Mariners in 2023, and hit 16 homeruns on his way to a .228/.323/.475 slashline. He walked at 9.6% of the time but also struck out at 32.3% of the time.

Ford has a tough path to making the Opening Day roster, with the Reds spoiled for choice for infielders, with Jeimer Candelario, Jonathan India, Noelvi Marte, Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand all in line to play in the infield.

 

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The Cincinnati Reds have also agreed a deal with utility player Tony Kemp. The contract is a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. Kemp would be paid $1.75 million if he makes the active roster, with another $750,000 in bonuses available. Kemp has an opt-out right on 23 March if he has not been guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Kemp previously played for the Athletics and Astros, but comes off a down year with the Ahtletics. Although Kemp managed to walk at a higher rate than his strike-out rate, he did not have a good time of it at the plate, hitting .209/.303/.304 for a wRC+ of 77.

Kemp has over 2,000 innings of MLB experience at second base and left field, and also has completed some innings at the other outfield spots and at shortstop. Kemp also manages to steal bases pretty well, swiping 10+ bases in a season for each of the last two seasons.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

As noted last week, RHP Kodai Senga was diagnosed with a moderate posterior capsule strain in his throwing shoulder. According to the Mets, Senga has received a PRP injection in his right shoulder and will not throw for at least three weeks. Assuming all goes according to schedule, Senga would not be likely to return to throwing until late April or early May at the earliest.

Mets taking things slow with Senga's recovery timeline

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The Mets have developed at least a rough idea about Kodai Senga’s timeline. Senga flew to New York late last week to receive a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right shoulder, which doctors hope will promote healing of his strained posterior capsule. He is under

www.mlb.com

 

[Big Unit 30]

Please be true

 

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have re-signed free agent utility player Enrique Hernandez after trading OF Manuel Margot to the Minnesota Twins overnight.

According to reports, the Dodgers are sending Margot, infield prospect Rayne Doncon and cash to the Twins in exchange for minor league shortstop Noah Miller. The Dodgers originally received $4 million from the Rays to partially pay for Margot's $10 million salary when they traded for him and Tyler Glasnow from the Rays earlier in the off-season. Reportedly, the Dodgers are including that $4 million amount in the trade but it is not clear whether the Dodgers are sending any additional money to the Twins.

For the Twins, this likely ends their pursuit of a righty-hitting outfielder, after they had been linked to signing free agents Adam Duvall and Enrique Hernandez. It may also spell the end of a reunion with former Twin Michael A. Taylor. It is a bit of a buy-low on Margot, who has been held back by persistent injuries for the last two seasons.

Margot has better splits against left-handed pitching than against right-handed pitching, which means that he's likely to play as the fourth outfielder and be platooned depending on pitching match-ups, while also providing cover in the event one of Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner or Max Kepler need time off.

The Twins also acquire Doncon, a 20 year old infielder signed by the Dodgers in the international amateur signing window back in the 2021-2022 signing period. He was ranked the twelfth best prospect in the Dodgers' farm system by Fangraphs, while Keith Law of The Athletic ranked him 19th. Doncon has played shortstop, second base and third base in the Dodgers' system and advanced to A-ball during 2023. At the age of 19, he was somewhat underwhelming at that level (.216/.283/.368) but it was reasonably encouraging against more experienced competition. He's predicted to have to settle on either third base, second base or in the outfield as his body physically matures.

To acquire Margot and Doncon, the Twins gave up their former first-round draft pick in the 2021 draft, Noah Miller. He is scouted as being a solid defender but a sub-par hitter, averaging just .220/.326/.318 so far in his career. Miller will not be included on the Dodgers' 40-man roster.







Accordingly, the trade opens a roster spot for the re-signed Enrique Hernandez. Reportedly, Hernandez will earn $4 million in 2024. Hernandez previously played for the Dodgers between 2015 and 2020, then was traded back to Los Angeles by the Red Sox at the deadline last season. Hernandez is unlikely to command a starting role in the Dodgers' stacked starting nine, but he offers manager Dave Roberts flexibility to cover the outfield, as well as shortstop and second base.

 

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The St Louis Cardinals are adding a veteran bat to their lineup, signing long-time Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford to a contract. The financial details of the contract, which is pending a physical, have not yet been disclosed.

Cardinals signing 3-time All-Star Brandon Crawford

Crawford, 37, is expected to serve as a back-up shortstop behind 21-year-old rookie Masyn Winn.

theathletic.com

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giants/article/giants-add-veteran-ss-nick-ahmed-infield-closing-18688959.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

Sources: Cardinals finalizing a deal with Gold Glove-winning shortstop Brandon Crawford

Veteran and three-time All-Star, who bounded over the Cardinals for two World Series titles, is set to join team as a backup option, depth for roster.

www.stltoday.com

It ends a long and successful stay in San Francisco for Crawford, who played for the Giants for 13 seasons and won two World Series rings with the Giants (2012 and 2014). Crawford won three consecutive Gold Gloves (2015-2017) and a Silver Slugger (2015). Unfortunately for Crawford and the Giants, his offence fell off a cliff late in his time at San Francisco, hitting just .231/.308/.344 in 2022 and .194/.273/.314 in 2023. Inevitably, injuries also affected his availability, as he had IL stints in relation to both knees, his right calf, left forearm and right hamstring over the past two seasons.

 

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The San Francisco Giants have signed Nick Ahmed to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Ahmed leaves the Diamondbacks for the first time in his career to join a rival NL West team. Ahmed will compete with prospect Marco Luciano, Casey Schmitt and Tyler Fitzgerald to play shortstop for the Giants.

Ahmed played only 17 games in 2022 after he had shoulder surgery, and his offensive output declined precipitously in 2023, when he hit just .212/.257/.303 and found himself replaced by Geraldo Perdomo. Ahmed was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks before the post-season commenced and released him.

Before the injuries struck, Ahmed was not a force at the plate, but was decent enough when combined with his defence to warrant a spot on the Diamondbacks' active roster. Ahmed hit .242/.300/.402 from 2,057 plate appearances between 2017-2021, and was more productive against left handed pitching, hitting .257/.309/.430 against southpaws.

 

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After being released by the Angels earlier this week, catcher Francisco Mejia has reportedly had preliminary discussions about the terms of a contract that would see him re-join the Rays. Mejia spent the last three seasons in Tampa Bay before being designated for assignment by the Rays in August 2023 and subsequently being outrighted off their 40-man roster. At the time, Mejia chose to accept his assignment rather than test free agency but became a free agent after the end of the season and signed a minor league contract with the Angels.

Yu Chang takes a big swing in battle for spot on Rays’ roster

Notes | The versatile infielder known for his defense flexed some muscle in Sunday’s tie with the Tigers.

www.tampabay.com

 

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After making a big splash re-signing Cody Bellinger to a three-year contract (albeit with opt-outs after each of the first and second years), the Cubs also signed veteran first baseman Garrett Cooper to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Cooper hit .251/.304/.419 with 17 homeruns over 457 plate appearances with the Marlins and Padres in 2023, translating to a 96 wRC+. Cooper struck out at a rate below league average, and the change in scenery from Miami to San Diego at the trade deadline helped improve his slashline, after his six year run with the Marlins came to an end.

His struggles at the plate came at an unfortunate time for Cooper, who hit free agency for the first time. Between 2019-2022, Cooper hit .274/.350/.444 for a 117 wRC+ and was named an All-Star in 2022, but his production against right-handed pitching in 2023 helped suppress his batting production. Cooper had an .904 OPS against left handed pitching and a .666 OPS against right handed pitching.

He figures to offer some depth to the Cubs at first base, with their incumbent Michael Busch being a left handed hitter and relatively inexperienced playing in the majors.