Straight Outta Kauffman (OOTP 24)

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MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #2 -- WINTER MEETINGS EDITION
12/21/2023

Angels draw top pick in 2024 draft: With the 10th-highest odds, the Angels drew the best ball in the draft lottery, with the Royals, Rockies, A's, White Sox, and Tigers comprising the rest of the top six selections in order. It will be only the third time in franchise history they've held the top pick, with Danny Goodwin in 1975 and Darin Erstad twenty years later in 1995 as the picks at 1-1. Pittsburgh, who held the top pick last year, finished out of the lottery and will have the seventh pick as the draft resumes the natural order by reverse record beginning with that selection.

The only exceptions to that will be the Nationals, Yankees, Mets, and the Padres; the former has given revenue sharing the past two seasons now under the new system. Therefore, they cannot be eligible for the lottery two straight seasons, so they will select 10th. The latter three all exceeded the luxury tax threshold for 2023, and their first picks will all be penalized ten places since none of them landed in the top six.

Nola re-ups with Phillies: One of seven players to receive a qualifying offer, Aaron Nola has re-signed with the Phillies for the next six seasons, where he'll rake in about $108 million in guarantees over the life of the deal. His 2023 wasn't on par with his most recent seasons, seeing his FIP, SIERA, and strikeout rates all taking a dip, while his walk rate increased slightly, which might have scared away some potential suitors. That said, he can earn an additional $12 million in total incentives, up to $2 million per season based on All-Star bids, awards, and innings pitched. Nola had declined the $20.45 million qualifying offer, but becomes the first recipient of the offer to sign with a team. Blake Snell and James Paxton were the only two to accept the offer, while Nola, Shohei Ohtani, Sonny Gray, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Julio Urias all declined.

The move means that the Phillies could make one more serious run at the World Series, as Zack Wheeler is also set to return for the final year of his contract along with Michael Lorenzen, Taijuan Walker, and Ranger Suarez comprising the rotation to complement a strong lineup with Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper all returning, as well. Lorenzen and closer Craig Kimbrel inked extensions with the team during the season.

Kershaw back with the Dodgers: With Urias' intention to test the free agent market (and his ongoing legal woes), it was priority number-one for Brandon Gomes and the rest of the front office to make sure they took care of Clayton Kershaw; and after not getting a qualifying offer yet again, he has rewarded them by signing a three-year contract that might be the last big deal he signs for. It's for a slightly-less AAV than his $15 million figure from last year, but is spread out over the next three seasons. The third season vests at $14.2 million if he meets a 180-inning threshold in 2025. He can also make an additional $2.4 million in performance bonuses over the life of the deal, which could bring the total value to right at $45 million.

Royals big movers during Winter Meetings: In addition to holding the number-two pick in the 2024 draft, the Royals also pulled the trigger on a couple of significant trades while at the Winter Meetings -- first, they landed Tyler Glasnow from the Rays for outfielder/catcher MJ Melendez and outfield prospect Milo Rushford within the first day. A few days later, they pulled off a trade that saw first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino head to Baltimore for three players -- infielder Jordan Westburg, outfielder Dylan Beavers, and pitcher Noah DeNoyer. Right-hander Mason Barnett and some cash also went to Baltimore in the trade. The Rays also chipped in about $7.5 million to facilitate that particular deal, giving the Royals a talented, albeit injury-prone ace to pair with another injury-prone pitcher in Cole Ragans.

This is a critical offseason for GM J.J. Picollo and manager Matt Quatraro, both heading into the second seasons in their respective posts. In addition to the Glasnow and Pasquantino deals, the Royals also have to consider getting star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr extended, which there has been no indication of any movement in that regard for weeks. The Royals currently have about $80 million in obligations for 2024, which is about $10 million less than a season ago, so there is some room to maneuver if they so choose.

Overall, not a super-busy Winter Meetings: Aside from the Rule 5 yesterday and the Royals, there were very few other big trades or free agent signings, with Victor Robles' trade from the Nats to the Phillies a pretty big news-maker. Toronto also traded Jordan Romano to Cleveland for southpaw Joey Cantillo, yet another sign that the Blue Jays might be moving on from Alek Manoah (although there was no news on that front). Romano led the league in saves with forty-four last season. The A's also sent slugging outfielder Seth Brown to the Dodgers for a pair of prospects.

On the free agent side of things, Joey Gallo signed a six-year pact with the Halos, fueling speculation that Shohei Ohtani might have crossed the Angels off his list, but his camp gave no indication that's the case. The Dodgers added to their outfield depth with a three-year pact for Joc Pederson, worth nearly $40 million. Most notably, right-hander Sonny Gray also became the first player with a qualifying offer attached to sign with a different club, inking a four-year, $58 million deal to join an already-formidable rotation under skipper Craig Counsell. As a result, the Twins will be awarded a draft selection in the Competitive Balance A Round, right after the first round.

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MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #3
01/14/2024

Ohtani, Angels reach agreement: MLB.com's top free agent is off the board, and yes, he's headed back to Los Angeles to play under new Halos manager Gabe Kapler. Ohtani signed a short-term deal, just two years at $81 million, with the second year a team option for 2025 that carries a $12 million buyout. Each season would pay him in an equal amount of $40.5 million per season, and he'll have incentives to add an additional $1.5 million over the life of the deal. Overall, he's guaranteed $52.5 million considering the hefty buyout. Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto is now the top free agent on the board. Speaking of Yamamoto...

No favorites emerging for Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Arguably the most sought-after Japanese import pitcher since Masahiro Tanaka (who himself has not ruled out a return to MLB), Yamamoto through his representation has not indicated there are any teams that are standing out amongst the others, nearly six weeks into free agency. He is reportedly seeking a deal that eclipses the five-year, $75 million contract that Kodai Senga received last year from the Mets, and he ended up with two pieces of hardware from this past season, the NL Gold Glove for pitchers and the Rookie of the Year.

For the third straight season, Yamamoto was the winner of the Sawamura Award, the NPB's equivalent to the Cy Young in the states. He's also won their pitching triple crown (wins, ERA, strikeouts) three separate times. He struggled a bit in the postseason in allowing a dozen earned runs in 23 1/3 innings, but was still good enough to lead Orix to the NPB championship.

Trade market heats up: Mostly, trades are discussed at the Winter Meetings, but most don't get ironed out and completed until after they conclude, and this year wasn't much different. The next day, Seattle was apparently tired of waiting for Jarred Kelenic to take the next step, so they sent him to the White Sox along with Jose Caballero for Andrew Benintendi and cash considerations. Two days after that, the Twins shipped Edouard Julien and Nick Gordon to the Cardinals for Paul Goldschmidt, as St. Louis appears to be in the midst of beginning a re-tooling of the roster.

Other significant names to change teams via trade in the last few weeks were Dominic Smith (Nationals ---> Guardians), Blake Snell (Padres ---> Guardians), Edward Olivares (Royals ---> Mets), Paul Blackburn (A's ---> Angels), and just yesterday, Marcus Stroman went from the Cubs to the Orioles for prospects Colton Cowser and Connor Norby. Chicago will pay around $14 million of his $21 million figure for 2024, and received a couple of outstanding players in return that could figure heavily into the Cubs' plans as early as this season.

Free agent market also simmering: In addition to the Ohtani signing, Adam Duvall (Rockies), Justin Turner (Yankees), and Amed Rosario (Giants) both signed three-year contracts in the wake of the Winter Meetings, with the Guardians also tacking on three more years to ace pitcher Shane Bieber's current contract for next season. He'll make $54 million through 2027, with incentives that could add an additional $3 million ($1 million per season). Caleb Ferguson (Dodgers) and Paul Sewald (D-Backs) also signed multi-year extensions to stay put, and Liam Hendriks is headed to Baltimore as their likely new closer on a two-year contract.

But the two biggest free-agent pacts so far have been Eduardo Rodriguez and Cody Bellinger. The former signed the biggest free agent deal to date, inking with Cincinnati for six years at $138 million total. Rodriguez led the league in ERA a season ago, and while he reportedly enjoyed playing for the Tigers and manager A.J. Hinch, Detroit just couldn't come up with a competitive offer to stay after opting out of his Tigers' contract. However, they'll get a Comp Balance A selection in return for the 2024 Draft.

Bellinger is headed back to L.A. after just a one-year absence. He posted a 118 OPS+ in his only season on the North side of Chicago; and after surprisingly not receiving a qualifying offer from the Cubs, he signed with the Dodgers for $90 million over the next six years, including incentives that could drive that figure to as high as $100 million.

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MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #4 -- PITCHERS, CATCHERS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
02/10/2024

Little movement at the top of the heap: As the calendar turns to February and teams begin to prepare to head south for the spring, the free agent market has slowed almost to a crawl. There's still little to no movement on top free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and there are still quality hitters out there such as Andrew McCutchen, Rhys Hoskins, David Peralta, Michael Brantley, and Whit Merrifield. Some of the more recent signings from the position player crop were Jorge Soler to the A's (three-years, $38 million), Hunter Renfroe (one year, $6.9 million, also to Oakland), and Max Muncy to Toronto (two years, $19 million).

The pitching market after Yamamoto is beginning to see a little more clarity, through. Weeks after trading away Paul Goldschmidt and Juan Yepez in separate deals, the Cardinals nabbed Jose Quintana away from the sell-happy Mets for Zane Mills, and signed shortstop Tim Anderson to a five-year deal worth about $65 million. The Mets also in the same week signed Julio Urias for $66 million over four years, giving the Dodgers a Comp Balance Round A pick in the upcoming draft. Toronto also bolstered their rotation with $19 million over three years for former Yankee Luis Severino, and the Padres appear to be closing in on signing Frankie Montas to a multi-year contract.

However, Japanese imports Yuki Matsui, Shota Imanaga, and Naoyuki Umahara remain unsigned, and there is some chatter that they might return to Japan for 2024 before trying their luck again in 2025. Another Japanese pitcher, Kona Takahashi, was refused to be posted by his club earlier in the offseason, and will try again in 2025 per reports.

Arbitration cases being decided: The last of the arbitration cases were decided earlier this week. There weren't a bunch of huge surprises, but a few of the more surprising cases that went in favor of the player were Baltimore's John Means ($5.55 million) and Colorado's Brendan Rodgers ($5.61 million), as neither of them played a single day on the active roster, recovering from injuries. Means made just $2.95 million in 2023, with Rodgers earning just $2.7 million, meaning that he more than doubled his salary. For perspective, the teams put in figures of $3.95 and $3.65 million, respectively.

Below is a full listing of the arbitration-eligible cases, and how each were decided:

Baltimore: LHP John Means, $5.55 million (player), RHP Jack Flaherty, $6.5 million (team), RHP Dillon Tate, $1.7 million (team)
New York (A): LHP Anthony Misciewicz, $0.95 million (team), RHP Matt Bowman, $1.47 million (team)
Chicago (A): RHP Michael Kopech, $3.6 million (team)
Detroit: RHP Casey Mize, $2 million (team)
Minnesota: RHP Sam Coonrod, $1.3 million (team)
Texas: OF Leody Taveras, $2.2 million (team)
Houston: IF Garrett Hampson, $1 million (team), LHP Blake Taylor, $1.63 million (player)
Atlanta: RHP Mike Soroka, $4.05 million (team)
New York (N): OF Edward Olivares, $1.7 million (team)
Washington: RHP Tanner Rainey, $1.65 million (team)
Chicago (N): RHP Codi Heuer, $1.3 million (team)
Cincinnati: RHP Tejay Antone, $1.4 million (team), RHP Justin Dunn, $1.3 million (team)
Milwaukee: OF Magneuris Sierra, $0.9 million (team)
Colorado: IF Brendan Rodgers, $5.61 million (player)
Los Angeles (N): RHP J.P. Feyereisen, $1.4 million (team), RHP Rubby de la Rosa, $1.3 million (team)
San Diego: RHP Scott Barlow, $6.49 million (team)
San Francisco: RHP Cody Stashak, $1.4 million (team)

No Robles, No Problem: About six weeks after dealing away Victor Robles to division rival Philadelphia, the Nationals scored the first big international signing, inking outfielder Jung-hoo Lee to a three-year, $31.2 million contract to be their starting center fielder. It's a huge win for the Nationals, who have kind of lost their way since winning the World Series in 2019. While Robles is an elite defender in center, Jung-hoo is an impressive defender in his own right, and provides much more offensive potential to a lineup that desperately needs it.

The Tigers, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, and Mariners also were reportedly other top teams in his circle, but none of them were able to put together the overall package that Washington could. He can earn an additional $1.1 million per season in bonuses, which would bring the overall value of the contract to $34.5 million at its peak. He has individual bonuses for All-Star appearances, MVP awards, and plate appearances built in.

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2024 MLB Spring Outlook: Kansas City Royals
The lineup appears largely set, but rotation and bullpen battles should rage throughout the spring, and perhaps even into the regular season.

By MLB.com Staff
02/20/2024

Note: Projected starters in bold

Pitchers (37): L Jalen Beeks, L Dante Biasi, R Jonathan Bowlan, L Jake Brentz, R JT Brubaker, L Kris Bubic, L Noah Cameron, R Max Castillo, L Christian Chamberlain, R Dylan Coleman, L Austin Cox, R Steven Cruz, R Brett De Geus, R Jose De Leon, R Noah DeNoyer, R Jonah Dipoto, R Tyler Glasnow, R Jon Heasley, R Carlos Hernandez, R Will Klein, R Jackson Kowar, L Asa Lacy, L Daniel Lynch, R Alec Marsh, R James McArthur, R John McMillon, L Walter Pennington, L Cole Ragans, L Joely Rodriguez, R Brady Singer, L Evan Sisk, R Collin Snider, R Devin Sweet, L Josh Taylor, L Anthony Veneziano, R Jacob Wallace, L Angel Zerpa

Glasnow, Ragans, and Singer are likely the only locks in the rotation. After being included in pretty much every conversation about the starting rotation after the season ended, the Royals finally cut ties with veteran Jordan Lyles this past week, releasing him and his $8.5 million salary when they signed outfielder Andrew McCutchen to a two-year deal. Being that they've been in the organization the longest, it's considered that Kris Bubic and Daniel Lynch would be the front-runners to win the number-four and five slots in the rotation, but there a bevy of younger pitchers behind them that could overtake them. Lefty Austin Cox pitched to a 2.70 ERA last season in 40 innings of work, and his SIERA and FIP were quality at 3.79 and 3.58 each. Others such as Alec Marsh, Angel Zerpa, and James McArthur all logged starts last season and could figure in, as well as wildcard JT Brubaker, who signed a one-year deal after being non-tendered by the Pirates last November.

While the Royals would welcome an upgrade at the back of the bullpen, Carlos Hernandez is a fine option there after saving nine games last season following the Scott Barlow trade, pitching to a 3.47 ERA in seventy innings of work, with FIP (3.48) and SIERA (3.07) also giving him solid marks for his work. But what's behind him is less certain -- they acquired Joely Rodriguez from the Red Sox for minor league infielder Jeison Guzman as the only big bullpen move they made all offseason. Brubaker could also figure into the bullpen mix if he doesn't win a starting role, and veterans Jalen Beeks and Jose De Leon were signed to minor league deals, providing additional depth. Otherwise, they appear to be rolling with largely the same group that finished in the bottom five in the league in bullpen ERA a season ago.

Catchers (5): R/R Tyler Cropley, R/R Freddy Fermin, R/R Salvador Perez, R/R Logan Porter, R/R Luca Tresh

Perez will start Opening Day and will likely log the most innings behind the plate, but played pretty solidly at first base down the stretch last season and should get some innings there, especially when southpaws are on the mound, which means that Freddy Fermin should get a decent share of innings caught. Fermin got off to a hot start in his rookie season, but cooled off down the stretch after reaching an OPS of over .850 in early August, finishing with a .654 OPS (79 OPS+). Limited defensively behind the plate, Porter is likely going to have to show some versatility (CIF, COF) and a good bat in order to stick on the roster.

Infielders (15): L/R CJ Alexander, L/R Clay Dungan, R/R Maikel Garcia, R/R Jimmy Govern, R/R Nick Loftin, R/R Devin Mann, L/R Michael Massey, L/R Morgan McCullough, L/L Nick Pratto, R/R Jack Reinheimer, R/R Samad Taylor, R/R Tyler Tolbert, R/R Cayden Wallace, R/R Jordan Westburg, R/R Bobby Witt Jr.

The real decision here is where to play Maikel Garcia -- he logged more than 880 innings at third base last season, and was not particularly good (-2.1 DRS, 1.3 OAA). But in the Vinnie Pasquantino deal, the Royals brought in Westburg, who is a third baseman by trade. Garcia hits lefties well, while Michael Massey posted a better platoon split against righties, so a platoon situation at second base is on the table. In addition to Salvador Perez picking up first base at-bats against lefties, Devin Mann, whom they acquired from the Dodgers last season, could also figure into that kind of role should he make the roster. There is a lack of options for a reserve role (the Royals were rumored to be interested in former D-Backs shortstop Nick Ahmed), with Nick Loftin being the most likely option as he can play all four infield spots at least at an average-or-better level. Samad Taylor, Clay Dungan, and CJ Alexander could also make some noise for a reserve role.

Outfielders (15): L/R Dylan Beavers, R/R Dairon Blanco, L/L Tucker Bradley, R/R Nate Eaton, R/R Tyler Gentry, L/L Diego Hernandez, L/R Kyle Isbel, R/R Andrew McCutchen, R/R Juan Carlos Negret, L/R Erick Pena, L/L John Rave, R/R Shane Sasaki, R/R Nelson Velazquez, S/R Drew Waters, S/R Peyton Wilson

After missing parts of the last two seasons due to injuries, Drew Waters took it upon himself to get in good shape -- as in, ridiculously good shape. The switch-hitting outfielder showed up to camp at nearly two-hundred pounds, about ten pounds of muscle more than a season ago, and has looked good in early-spring workouts, driving the ball to all fields with power from both sides. Will it translate to the regular season? That's TBD, but in an interview with MLB Network's Harold Reynolds, he said that he came to camp with the intention of winning a job and playing all 162 games this season; and to do that, he'd have to get in better shape.

"I think he's going to have a really big year," said second-year manager Matt Quatraro. "He's a really fierce competitor, wants to be on the field, and I think he's going to get it done. One of the things he wanted to work on that he told me last year was getting better from the right side of the plate. Early on, he's really driving the ball from both sides of the plate, and whatever work he put in the offseason looks to be paying off early."

Waters has more than enough range and arm to play either corner, which could allow him to move around if needed, and can also give Isbel a spell in center if needed. Rule 5 pick Shane Sasaki is arguably the most athletic of the entire group; he has 6.48 60-yard dash speed, and is already an accomplished defender in terms of routes and anticipation. Free agent signee Andrew McCutchen is likely to get the vast bulk of his PA's as a DH, which will likely necessitate a fifth outfielder. Blanco was that guy last season, but there is stiffer competition for that role, including Sasaki along with Nate Eaton and Diego Hernandez.

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Last edited by artoodeetoo; 11-10-2023 at 03:29 PM.

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MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #5 -- YAMAMOTO REMAINS UNSIGNED
03/04/2024

Frontrunner(s) emerging for Yoshinobu? It's now early March, and Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto is still unsigned -- but are there leaders beginning to emerge? Reports are that the Dodgers are now the favorite to land him, but that to not count the Angels and Astros out. ESPN's Jeff Passan and MLB Network's Jon Morosi both individually corroborated these reports, so they appear to be legitimate, and Yamamoto's camp has not denied the claims. Even if he were to sign tomorrow, it's unlikely he'd be fully ready for the season since he would need time to ramp up innings having not pitched since November, and has not been in an MLB camp.

Yamamoto is by far and away the most desirable FA left on the market, as Alex Cobb remains the only other unsigned FA from the initial top twenty-five released at the start of free agency. Cobb will have to sign a multi-year deal with any team, as he is likely to miss most or all of 2024 while rehabbing from rotator cuff surgery late in the 2023 season, and is entering his age-36 season in '24. Cobb put together an outstanding season for the Giants in 2023, making thirty starts for the first time in his career, only getting injured in his final start of the season. He posted a league-best 2.69 ERA, and finished second in the Cy Young voting.

Braves, White Sox consummate deal: Alex Anthopoulos seems to want to corner the reliever market, having signed Pierce Johnson, A.J. Minter, and Kirby Yates to multi-year contracts. He's now added another well-controlled reliever to the mix, sending a whopping five players to the White Sox for southpaw Aaron Bummer. Included in that package were pitchers Jared Shuster and Mike Soroka, along with infielders Nicky Lopez and Braden Shewmake, and pitching prospect Riley Gowens, who was just drafted in the most recent draft back in July.

Bummer has team options for 2025 and 2026, meaning that the Braves hold all of the cards for him potentially reaching free agency after this season.

Early injuries impacting rosters: When Royce Lewis of the Twins went down with a knee sprain in mid-September and missed the playoffs, little did he know that would likely be the last time he'd take the field in a regular season game for the foreseeable future, as he's likely to miss the entirety of the 2024 season after knee surgery. Already dealing with some post-concussive symptoms from a collision with teammate Trevor Larnach in just the team's second spring training game back on February 24th, he came up limping rounding first base on a double two days later. It was later found that he suffered a torn PCL that would require surgery to correct, and that he would miss the entirety of the 2024 season.

It's been a rough start for pitchers, as well. Detroit's Matt Manning might not be ready in time for Opening Day, as he's still rehabbing an elbow injury post-surgery from late last season. Reds prospect Connor Phillips and Arizona's Peter Strzelecki, who both held key bullpen roles down the stretch for their respective teams, are going to miss the entirety of 2024 after undergoing elbow procedures. Cleveland pitching prospect Davis Sharpe is also likely to miss 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery just last week.

Still others, like Kyle Finnegan of Baltimore and Luis Urias of Boston may not be ready for Opening Day after shoulder and knee injuries respectively. Finnegan is out with shoulder impingement syndrome, and Urias was injured on a stolen base attempt after his left knee struck second base, being diagnosed with a knee contusion.

Grapefruit League Standings - Updated: Mar 4, 2024
Grapefruit League	W	L	T
New York Yankees	6	2	0
St. Louis Cardinals	6	2	2
Pittsburgh Pirates	6	3	0
Atlanta Braves	5	3	2
Toronto Blue Jays	5	4	1
Detroit Tigers	5	4	0
Philadelphia Phillies	4	4	2
Minnesota Twins	4	5	1
New York Mets	4	5	1
Miami Marlins	3	4	3
Baltimore Orioles	4	6	1
Boston Red Sox	4	6	0
Houston Astros	3	5	1
Washington Nationals	3	5	0
Tampa Bay Rays	3	6	0

Cactus League Standings - Updated: Mar 4, 2024
Cactus League	W	L	T
Seattle Mariners	8	1	0
Los Angeles Dodgers	8	3	1
San Francisco Giants	6	1	2
San Diego Padres	7	5	0
Milwaukee Brewers	4	3	2
Cincinnati Reds	4	4	1
Oakland Athletics	4	4	2
Chicago White Sox	4	6	1
Chicago Cubs	4	6	0
Kansas City Royals	4	7	0
Texas Rangers	3	6	1
Arizona Diamondbacks	3	3	4
Colorado Rockies	3	7	1
Los Angeles Angels	2	6	2
Cleveland Guardians	2	6	2

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2024 MLB Spring Update: Kansas City Royals

By MLB.com Staff
03/04/2024

After winning their first four games of the spring with a +15 run differential, the Royals have dropped their last seven, completely erasing that differential through just the first three games of that seven-game skid. They've played just one split-squad day, dropping both games of a split-squad doubleheader to the Rockies and Padres back on Tuesday. Still, their 4-7 mark is good for a middle-of-the-pack record in Cactus League play through yesterday's games.

Newcomer Jordan Westburg and catcher Luca Tresh have been a few of the position players that have received a lot of run in the early going, and have made the most of their opportunities. While Westburg is widely considered around the organization as a near-lock for the third base job, Tresh likely has a tougher road if he wants to completely skip a minor-league assignment to begin the 2024 campaign. He might have a shot since Salvador Perez is likely going to get an increased share of the first base reps, which will increase the need for a third catcher, but he'll also have to fend off Logan Porter and Tyler Cropley as well.

Westburg is 7-for-14 (.500), with a double and a pair of homeruns through the first ten or so days of the Spring Training schedule, while Tresh is close behind with a .462 mark (6-for-13) with a pair of dingers himself. Tresh, normally a catcher by trade, has also worked at first base; and per manager Matt Quatraro, could also get reps at third and in the outfield this spring.

Projected starting center fielder Kyle Isbel has also had a strong spring to date, going 4-for-10 (.400) with a double, four walks, and a stolen base to his credit. Nick Pratto and Dairon Blanco also each have a pair of homeruns so far, with the former crediting a re-vamp of his swing as a big factor.

"When we traded Vinnie (Pasquantino) in December, I think that told Nick that we really believe in what he can do at first base, and he's responded with a pretty good start so far," said Quatraro. "J.J. (GM Picollo) and I have talked about him quite a bit, and we're really anticipating him having a nice season."

A few of the pitchers that are on the fringe for a roster spot, including lefty Jalen Beeks and righty Jose De Leon, put up solid performances through the first portion of the spring. Beeks' last outing on February 29th included a three-run homerun, but he's allowed just one walk while fanning eight hitters (3 1/3 IP), including a clean scoreless inning with three punchouts way back on the 24th of February. In 2 1/3 innings (two appearances), De Leon walked a pair, but fanned four without a hit allowed.

Others that showed out in limited action were John McMillon, who fanned five with no walks in 2 2/3 innings; fellow righty James McArthur started on February 25th, and fanned three over 2 1/3 innings without allowing a run. He allowed a run in 2 2/3 innings over a relief appearance on the 29th, striking out one with no walks. He's one of the handful of holdovers from a season ago vying for a starting role, likely one of two available after Tyler Glasnow, Brady Singer, and Cole Ragans.

Injury report: Right-hander Dylan Coleman was placed on the 15-day (retroactive to 02/28) injured list with a sore shoulder, is not expected to miss any time at the beginning of the season. Infielder Tyler Tolbert was also placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 02/29) due to lower back pain.

Upcoming schedule: Beginning tomorrow, March 5th, the Royals won't get another day off until March 18th, two weeks from now. We'll be back with another spring update at that point.

vs. Chicago Cubs, vs. Seattle Mariners, @ Colorado Rockies, @ Texas Rangers, vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, @ Oakland Athletics, vs. San Francisco Giants, @ Colorado Rockies, vs. Los Angeles Angels, @ Arizona Diamondbacks, @ Cincinnati Reds, @ Chicago Cubs, vs. Milwaukee Brewers

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MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #6 -- ROSTERS BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE
03/11/2024

Yamamoto to don Dodger blue: It's now official -- the Dodgers announced the signing of Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a press conference at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, just two days after the signing was confirmed. Details were not verified, but it's rumored that the deal is for $200 million over seven seasons. Interestingly enough, the contract contains an opt-out for Yamamoto after the 2027 season, which would still put him firmly under team control as it would just be after his fourth season, and won't be eligible for MLB free agency until prior to the 2030 season if the opt-out is exercised. Reportedly, the opt out is in case Yamamoto and his camp feel a 're-negotiation of terms' would be feasible, depending on how his Dodgers' career has transpired to that point.

He's not expected to be ready in time for the team's season opener on March 21st in South Korea, just ten days from now. He's not likely to make his first start as a Dodger until March 28th or later, when he's had time to re-ramp up after just arriving at Camelback Ranch over the weekend. He's slated to make $24.8 million this season, while going up to $26.8 million (2025) and then $29.2 million (2026). His salary crests at $30.5 million in 2027 before the potential opt-out kicks in, with another $30.5 million in 2028, followed by two years of $29.2 million in 2029 and 2030 if he decides to opt in to the remainder of the deal, pushing his free agency timeline back a year to 2031, which would be his age-32 season.

In addition per Spotrac, he could earn an additional $2 million in bonuses per season, based on All-Star bids, Cy Young finishes, and innings escalators that begin at 110 innings pitched; earning $100,000 for reaching that initial milestone, and $100,000 for each ten innings pitched up unti 150. If he wins the Cy Young in any given season, he'll earn $1,250,000. If he finishes in the top three, he'll earn $250,000, and another $250,000 for each All-Star selection.

Royals, Braves swap players: Kansas City continues to wheel and deal, as they've acquired pitchers Nick Anderson and Kyle Wright from the Braves in exchange for former first-round hurler Jackson Kowar and cash considerations. It seems like a bit of a lopsided trade in favor of Kansas City, but Anderson and Wright both come with injury concerns; and Wright won't even be ready to pitch until 2025. That said, Wright is cost-controlled through 2028 with acceptable salary hits of $7.3 million (2025), $9 million (2026), and $10.6 million (2027) by virtue of the extension he signed late in the 2023 season with Atlanta.

He also carries a relatively inexpensive 2028 player option that matches his 2027 salary, although that's his age-32 year. For this season, he'll be paid $3.75 million to rehab and get ready by spring 2025. If he can regain his form from just two seasons ago in which he won twenty-one games and made thirty starts with a 3.19 ERA (3.39 SIERA, 3.79 FIP, both better than league-average marks), the Royals may have secured him over multiple seasons for quite a bargain. Anderson is also an oft-injured, but productive-when-healthy bullpen option that has closing experience, something the Royals have been looking for.

Kowar is the first of the Royals' vaunted 2018 class of pitching to leave the organization; and wasn't impressive in any of his stints with the Royals with the exception of late this past season, and even that sample of innings wasn't terribly impressive. He did have a solid SIERA of 3.20, but his FIP was 4.10, and his ERA a full run higher than that at 5.10. Perhaps there's a future there as a long relief option as he did fan thirty-four with just ten walks in 30 innings of work for the Royals last year, but with the depth of pitching that the Braves have in their rotation, it seems unlikely that he has any path to starting in Atlanta.

Mets' Rodriguez to miss four to five months: The Mets signed Cuban right-hander Yariel Rodriguez to a three-year, $19 million contract just shy of Spring Training, but just a handful of appearances into the spring, he's likely going to miss roughly half to two-thirds of the season following minor knee surgery to clean up a torn meniscus in his drive (right) leg. In five spring innings, he's allowed five hits and just one walk with four strikeouts. He was expected to contend for a starting role after pitching mainly out of the bullpen in both his native Cuba and in Japan for the last three seasons, but isn't expected back until August at the earliest per manager Carlos Beltran.

The Orioles and Dodgers also suffered some serious injuries to key players as the spring begins to wind down, with reigning AL ROY Gunnar Henderson now sidelined for the next several months, along with Mookie Betts in L.A. Henderson suffered what was termed as a hip sprain on a slide into second base, landing a bit awkwardly on his left hip during a game on March 5th. Betts suffered a broken finger during the Dodgers' 9-1 spring training victory over the Angels, getting hit with a thrown ball on his right hand while sliding into third base on a single.

Cobb, Giants working on re-union: San Francisco and free agent pitcher Alex Cobb have begun negotations to bring him back for the 2024 season 'and beyond', per GM Farhan Zaidi. Cobb pitched to a 2.69 ERA last season, finishing second in the Cy Young voting. However, he was diagnosed with an elbow injury after his final start of 2023; and underwent surgery a week later, rendering him out for the 2024 season.

The free agent righty has been seeking a longer-term deal (reportedly no less than three years), but has had a hard time finding takers at that length. While negotiations are ongoing with the Giants, other teams that missed out in the Yamamoto sweepstakes, such as the Yankees, Angels, and Red Sox, could also have some interest in the veteran righty.

[artoodeetoo]

MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #7 -- FINAL UPDATE
03/18/2024

Altuve, Astros announce extension: The biggest news of the past week was the announcement that Jose Altuve would continue to don the Houston uniform through 2028, signing a four-year, $109 million extension with the club. The three-time AL batting champ and sure-fire first-ballot Hall-of-Famer took to Twitter to thank the fans for their continued support, and that he was looking forward to 'multiple championships again' with the Astros.

His 2025 salary is around $31 million, but continues to decline after that, going to $27.4 million in 2026 and 2027, before falling to $23.2 million in the final year. He also has incentives that could push an extra million per season. He's slated to make $26.5 million in the final year of his previous extension that he signed way back in 2014.

Cobb, Yankees agree to deal: After missing out on the Yamamoto sweepstakes, the Yankees moved quickly to sign Alex Cobb to a two-year guaranteed deal that will pay him $22 million through 2025, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network. The contract also includes a 2026 team option worth $11 million that holds a buyout of $2.5 million. With Cobb sitting out the 2024 season on the injured list due to rotator cuff surgery, he'll make just $8 million this season, and that figure goes up to $14 million for 2025. The 2025 and 2026 years also include performance bonuses that could bring his figure up to an additional $1 million per year.

San Francisco was rumored, along with St. Louis, Kansas City, and the Angels as being other teams interested, but the top remaining free agent from the initial Top 25 is now off the board to the Yankees.

Guardians, Padres swap: Veteran reliever Scott Barlow is headed back to the AL Central right before the season starts, as he was swapped to the Guardians for cash considerations, per a report from MLB Trade Rumors, who cited a report from MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince. It's another solid addition for the Guardians, who had bullpen questions at the outset of the offseason, but addressed those handily with the acquisitions of John Brebbia, Jacob Webb, Jordan Romano, and now Barlow in front of closer Emmanuel Clase.

Romano, acquired in a trade with the Blue Jays for Joey Cantillo, actually led the AL in saves last year with forty-four. Barlow saved fifty-eight games for the Royals from 2018 through the mid-point of last season, including fifty-five of those since the beginning of the 2021 season.

Veterans sign with teams: After spending his first dozen seasons in San Francisco through 2022, Brandon Belt is now on his third team in the last three years, signing a one-year major league deal with the Cardinals. They acquired Edouard Julien from the Twins with eyes on him taking over the role, but has had a tough spring and St. Louis beat out a few interested clubs for his services. Former Cardinal shortstop Paul De Jong also signed a one-year, $1.75 million MLB contract with the White Sox.

The Dodgers welcomed back Jason Heyward earlier in the week, signing him to a one-year, $9 million pact earlier in the week. He's played in the last few spring training games, and is expected to play in the upcoming two-game series with the Padres in Seoul, South Korea.

Grapefruit League Standings - Updated: Mar 18, 2024
Grapefruit League	W	L	T
New York Yankees	16	6	1
Pittsburgh Pirates	13	9	2
St. Louis Cardinals	11	8	4
Baltimore Orioles	13	10	1
Atlanta Braves	11	10	3
Washington Nationals	10	9	3
Boston Red Sox	10	11	4
Philadelphia Phillies	8	9	5
Toronto Blue Jays	8	10	6
Miami Marlins	8	10	5
New York Mets	10	12	2
Detroit Tigers	9	12	3
Tampa Bay Rays	8	11	3
Minnesota Twins	7	10	8
Houston Astros	7	11	4

Cactus League Standings - Updated: Mar 18, 2024
Cactus League	W	L	T
Los Angeles Dodgers	14	6	1
San Diego Padres	14	7	0
Milwaukee Brewers	13	7	2
Seattle Mariners	13	9	2
Arizona Diamondbacks	10	8	6
Cleveland Guardians	10	10	3
San Francisco Giants	10	10	3
Texas Rangers	11	11	2
Chicago Cubs	12	12	1
Cincinnati Reds	9	11	2
Colorado Rockies	10	13	1
Oakland Athletics	9	12	3
Chicago White Sox	9	13	3
Los Angeles Angels	7	14	3
Kansas City Royals	8	17	0