Christmas Shopping

The Hot Stove season kicked it up a notch on Friday, with several teams looking to do a little Christmas shopping before the holiday hits. The day included a flurry of activity seeing several major trades swung and a few of the top free agent dominoes (after Harper and Machado) fall into place.

Here’s a look at what went down.

The major blockbuster came in the form of a seven-player deal between the Dodgers and the Reds in which the Dodgers were able to shed significant payroll while the Reds added quite a bit of useful major league talent to their roster.

In total, the Dodgers sent outfielders Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, catcher Kyle Farmer, left-hander Alex Wood and cash considerations ($7 million) to the Reds in exchange for minor league infielder Jeter Downs and right-handers Homer Bailey and Josiah Gray as well as international bonus pool money.

All three of the main cogs that the Reds acquired in the deal -- Puig, Kemp and Wood -- are set to hit free agency after the 2019 season.

Bailey, 32, had to waive his no-trade clause to approve the deal, and was immediately granted his release from the Dodgers, which was a condition of the deal. It’s unclear if he has any desire to try to re-sign with the Reds, or if he’ll look for work elsewhere on the open market.

The big winner in the deal, from a fantasy perspective, is Yasiel Puig, as he moves from a pitcher-friendly park to a hitter-friendly park and will now play every day rather than sit against left-handers. The 28-year-old slugger was limited to just 405 at-bats during the 2018 campaign, slashing .267/.327/.494 with 23 homers, 63 RBI and 15 stolen bases. With an everyday role in the middle of the Reds lineup, it’s not difficult to envision Puig becoming a monster five-category contributor in 2019. He also gets the added benefit of being reunited with old pal Turner Ward, who was hired by the Reds away from the Dodgers as hitting coach.

Puig wasn’t the only starting corner outfielder that the Reds acquired in the deal though, they also picked up National League Comeback Player of the Year Award winner from 2018, Matt Kemp. The 34-year-old faded in the second half, but still finished the 2018 campaign with a terrific .290/.338/.481 triple slash to go along with 21 long balls and 85 RBI. At a minimum, he’ll start against all southpaws, while Jesse Winker is likely to steal at-bats against right-handed pitching. Like Puig, he gets a nice ballpark boost with the move away from Dodger Stadium.

The Reds also picked up left-handed starter Alex Wood in the trade, and he’ll jump right to the top of the team’s starting rotation. Even though he experienced a drop-off from his brilliant 2017 season, Wood still compiled a tidy 3.68 ERA and 135/40 K/BB ratio across 151 ⅔ frames for the Dodgers in 2018. Wood, along with recent acquisition Tanner Roark, should add stability to a Reds’ rotation that registered a troublesome 5.02 ERA and 1.42 WHIP as a unit in 2018.

In addition, the Reds also snagged catcher Kyle Farmer. The 28-year-old backstop will compete in the spring to serve as the primary backup behind starting catcher Tucker Barnhart.

On the other side of the deal, the Dodgers gain much-needed salary relief, as they’ll shed around $16 million from their luxury tax tabulation. It has been speculated that part of that savings, as well as one of the recently vacated spots in the outfield, could go to superstar free agent Bryce Harper.

The Dodgers could also take on payroll in their rotation.Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports that the Dodgers are still in discussions with the Indians regarding acquiring star right-hander Corey Kluber. Morosi also notes that while the Dodgers are not willing to include Cody Bellinger in any potential deal, they are willing to discuss top prospect Alex Verdugo.

It wasn’t all cost savings for the Dodgers though, they were also able to land a couple of quality prospects in the transaction.

Jeter Downs, a 20-year-old middle infielder, was a first-round selection by the Reds (32nd overall) in the 2017 draft. He was ranked by MLB.com as the 7th best prospect in the Reds’ organization. In his second season of professional baseball, Downs slashed .257/.351/.402 with 13 homers, 47 RBI and 37 stolen bases in 120 games at Class-A Dayton.

The Dodgers also picked up 21-year-old right-hander Josiah Gray in the deal. A second round selection by the Reds from the 2018 draft, Gray was ranked as the 20th best prospect in the Reds’ system according to MLB.com. In his first exposure to pro ball, he registered a stellar 2.58 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 59/17 K/BB ratio across 52 ⅓ innings for the Reds’ Rookie League squad.

To make room on their 40-man roster for all of their new acquisitions, the Reds were forced to designate Robby Scott for assignment. The 29-year-old southpaw had a miserable 2018 season, but prior to that had been one of the better left-handed relievers in all of baseball. He shouldn’t be out of work for long.

Athletics land Profar

While the Dodgers/Reds seven-player deal captured many of the headlines, the Athletics made a major acquisition of their own on Friday, trading for Rangers’ infielder Jurickson Profar in a three-team trade that also involved the Rays.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports was the first to report the deal and laid out the groundwork. The Rangers received prospects Brock Burke, Eli White, Kyle Bird, Yoel Espinal and international bonus pool money, while the Rays netted reliever Emilio Pagan, prospect Rollie Lacy and a competitive balance pick.

Profar is set to take over as the A's second baseman, with Jed Lowrie now likely to depart in free agency. The 25-year-old former top prospect finally broke through in 2018, slashing .254/.335/.458 with 20 homers, 77 RBI and 10 stolen bases. From a fantasy standpoint, his power outlook takes a bit of a hit, moving away from the hitter’s paradise that is the Ballpark in Arlington and into the spacious confines of the Oakland Coliseum.

With the acquisition of Profar, that also means that there’s no clear path for Franklin Barreto to see full-time at-bats in the A’s lineup. According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Athletics have discussed using Barreto "more as an outfield option in recent weeks." Barreto has never played the outfield in the minors but has been used some there in winter ball, including this offseason. The A's have an opening in left field, but we're a ways from Barreto potentially being an option to start there. The former top prospect has options remaining but doesn't really have anything left to prove in the minors.

Dipoto Deals Again

With other trades going on around the big leagues, Jerry Dipoto couldn’t help himself, he just had to jump into the action as well. The M’s general manager made a shrewd move Friday evening, sending Ben Gamel and minor league right-hander Noah Zavolas to the Brewers in exchange for outfielder Domingo Santana.

It's hard to not like this acquisition for Jerry Dipoto and the Mariners. Still just 26-years-old, Santana is just a year removed from slashing .278/.371/.505 with 30 homers, 85 RBI and 15 stolen bases. While he gets a downgrade in ballpark by leaving Miller Park, he'll step into a full-time role in the middle of the Mariners' lineup, which will be a boon to his fantasy value.

It's interesting that the Brewers waited through the entire 2018 season with Santana as a luxury on the bench, then finally opted to deal him away for another outfielder. It seems as though they would have been better served by pulling the trigger on a deal last offseason.

As far as the return for the Brewers, it’s hard to get excited. After a breakout season in 2017, Gamel's production dropped off a cliff in 2018, slashing .272/.358/.370 with only one homer, 19 RBI and seven stolen bases. It's going to be difficult for him to crack a deep and crowded outfield in Milwaukee, even as a fourth outfielder. Zavolas, a 22-year-old right-hander, was an 18th round selection by the Mariners in last June's draft. He posted a 3.03 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 41/11 K/BB ratio across 38 2/3 innings in his first taste of professional baseball last season, split between High-A Modesto and Low-A Norwood.

Same Faces, New Places

The roster movement over the weekend wasn’t all on the trade front though. There was significant movement on the free agent market as well.

The Dodgers bolstered their bullpen in a big way, signing Joe Kelly to a three-year, $21 million contract with a $12 million club option for 2022. The buyout for the option is $4 million, so Kelly is guaranteed at least $25 million, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The right-hander posted a 4.39 ERA this past season, but he struck out over a batter per inning and was very effective in the playoffs during the Red Sox' World Series run. He’ll be a major part of the bridge between the Dodgers’ starting rotation and closer Kenley Jansen.

The Rays also made a major addition to their staff, landing free agent right-hander Charlie Morton on a two-year, $30 million contract with a vesting option for 2021. The vesting option could be worth as much as $15 million or as little as $1 million, depending on how much time Morton spends on the disabled list over the next two years. The veteran right-hander posted a 3.13 ERA and 201/64 K/BB ratio over 167 innings with the Astros in 2018. He’ll join Blake Snell to form a formidable one-two punch atop the Rays’ rotation.

Former Mets’ phenom Matt Harvey also found a new home on Friday, inking a one-year, $11 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels. He’ll also have the potential to earn an additional $3 million on incentives. It’s a nice low-risk signing for the Angels who hope that the increased velocity and better results that he showed with the Reds later in the season carry over to 2019.

The Cubs made a nice low-risk investment in their future as well over the weekend, signing right-hander Kendall Graveman to a one-year, $575,000 contract. The deal also carries a $3 million club option for 2020 with no buyout. Graveman, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, is unlikely to pitch in 2019, though at the aggressive end of his timetable he could possibly make it back into the fold in September. If he recovers well and returns to form, the Cubs have added a nice low-cost rotation option for 2020, and if not they’re not on the hook for any extravagant cost.

The Cardinals officially finalized their two-year, $25 million contract with free agent lefty Andrew Miller, which also includes a $12 million vesting option for the 2021 season. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic provided the specifics on the deal, which guarantees Miller at least $27.5 million when you include a $2.5 million buyout. The option will vest if he makes 110 appearances from 2019-20. Cardinals’ president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said he envisions using Miller "in high leverage situations... when you talk about role, there will be some flexibility in that." He'll provide a big boost to the Cardinals if healthy, but there's some risk since he'll turn 34 in May and is coming off an injury-plagued season. From a fantasy perspective, it sounds as though he’ll be used in a multi-inning role, rather than as the team’s closer -- a role in which Jordan Hicks still seems to be the leading candidate.

American League Quick Hits: The Athletics officially announced their two-year, $15 million contract with free agent reliever Joakim Soria. He’ll join a loaded setup crew in front of closer Blake Treinen… The Athletics also reached an agreement to bring back Mike Fiers on a two-year deal which is expected to be worth between $14-$15 million according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network… Morosi also reports that the Padres are discussing a trade for Blue Jays' right-hander Marcus Stroman…. Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that the Phillies and Yankees are among the leading teams to land coveted free agent southpaw Zach Britton… The Blue Jays inked Eric Sogard to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training… The Red Sox and Heath Hembree avoided arbitration, agreeing to settle on a one-year, $1.3125 million contract… CC Sabathia underwent an angioplasty on December 11, a procedure in which a stent is inserted in order to open up a blockage in one of his arteries. He’s doing well by all accounts and should report to spring training on time… The Angels brought back Parker Bridwell, snagging him off of waivers from the Yankees… Albert Pujols (elbow) began taking batting practice last week and is expected to be sans restrictions for the start of spring training… The Red Sox inked Ryan Weber to a minor league contract with a spring training invite… Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports the Tigers are likely to trade outfielder Nicholas Castellanos before Opening Day. The Dodgers are one team known to have interest… According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, the Rangers, Angels and Brewers are all interested in free agent southpaw Dallas Keuchel… Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that the Rangers "have expressed some interest" in Matt Davidson.

National League Quick Hits: According to Jon Heyman of Fancred, Manny Machado plans to pick a new team before the end of 2018… The Giants bolstered their bullpen, signing switch-pitcher Pat Venditte to a one-year major league contract… The Phillies brought in Gregorio Petit, Matt McBride, Josh Martin, Rob Brantly and Jeremy Bleich on minor league deals with invitations to big league camp… Mike Puma of the New York Post reports that the Mets are receiving "significant" interest in Travis d'Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki… Speaking of d’Arnaud, he and the Mets avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.515 million contract… The Mets inked veteran outfielder Gregor Blanco to a minor league deal complete with an invitation to major league spring training… Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reports that the Nationals have expressed interest in Brian Dozier.

Sleepers for 2019

Willie Calhoun

It’s never too early to prepare for your draft, and some of us draft fiends are already setting our draft dates for 2019 or even drafting now. The hot stove league is just taking shape, but it’s still a fun time to look toward the 2019 fantasy baseball season.

For the fifth year in a row, I’ll be breaking down category sleepers at each of the 5x5 roto categories. In the first installment of the series we’ll be reviewing hitters who could be sleepers for batting average. Over 10 weeks, I will be providing a list of sleepers for each 5x5 roto category (BA, HR, RBI, R, SB, W, ERA, WHIP, K, SV).  Since the hot stove league still has a long way to go this offseason, for the next few weeks we will focus on players in categories that are less based on opportunity and more based on skill.  Other roto categories that are more dependent on opportunity, supporting cast, and batting order spot (R, RBI, SB) or team and manager (W, SV) will be discussed in the latter half of the 10-week series.

Before reading any further, it’s important to note the definition of a sleeper. In this case, it’s a player who will exceed draft day ADP AND projections in a particular category. The players are broken down by mixed league sleepers and single league sleepers.

Mixed League Sleepers

Willians Astudillo, C, Twins

There’s an emerging obsession in the baseball stat head community involving Astudillo, and it’s not just that he resembles the cleanup hitter in your local softball league. Simply put, Astudillo’s contact ability is legendary. He fanned only three times in 97 plate appearances during his MLB debut last season after tallying 14 strikeouts in 307 plate appearances at Triple-A Rochester. That means he recorded an unbelievable 4.2 percent strikeout rate for the year between Triple-A and the majors. He also has just three strikeouts in 205 plate appearances at the Venezuelan Winter League. Not only is Astudillo making contact with almost everything in sight, but he’s a career .306 hitter in the minors and hit a whopping .355 in his limited sample size of playing time late last year with the Twins.

The .355 batting average hardly seems sustainable, but there’s major promise for hitters with a sub-10 percent strikeout rate in the majors. Over the last four seasons, we’ve only had 14 qualified MLB seasons that have had a sub-10 percent strikeout rate, and nine of those hitters batted at least .280. Over the last 10 seasons, 49 of 79 (62 percent) hit at least .280. Astudillo has a truly unique offensive skill, especially in this day and age, and his qualification at catcher is a huge bonus for fantasy owners. Last season he appeared at catcher, third base, DH, second base, center field, left field, and even pitched in just the 29 games we saw him. If the Twins are committed to keep Astudillo around as a utilityman, the batting average upside almost certainly makes him worthy as a top 15 catching option.


Willie Calhoun, OF, Rangers

Calhoun was supposed to be an AL Rookie of the Year candidate last season, but he never really got off the mat. The outfielder didn’t make his first MLB appearance until July 20 and saw only 108 plate appearances for the entire season. The results were also disappointing when he did play (.222-2-11), and he suffered an odd power outage at Triple-A Round Rock, hitting only .294-9-47 in 470 plate appearances. It was a truly odd year after Calhoun hit 27 home runs at Double-A Tulsa in 2016 and 31 home runs at Triple-A in 2017.

At age 24, it’s still much too early to give up on Calhoun, and there’s reason to believe he can be a major batting average contributor.  While his contact rate dropped off in the majors last year, Calhoun has notoriously been a great contact hitter in the minors with a career 11.2 percent strikeout rate and exactly 10 percent last year at Round Rock. It’s no coincidence that Calhoun has also hit at least .294 in three out of four minor league seasons and his small strike zone at 5-foot-8 doesn’t hurt, either. After a down year, Calhoun won’t be handed anything next season, but there are positive reports this offseason with Calhoun on his way to losing 20 pounds. His spring will be worth watching after last year’s struggles, but he’s at least still worth a flier.


Yandy Diaz, UT, Rays

Here’s a confession. This is the third time I’ve mentioned Diaz in this section over the last four seasons and the second year in a row. This will by the last time, I promise! Lack of opportunity was a big issue for Diaz in Cleveland, but it doesn’t look like that will be an issue anymore after he was traded to Tampa Bay in the Edwin Encarnacion/Carlos Santana three-team blockbuster during the Winter Meetings. The Rays apparently prefer Diaz’s potential over Jake Bauers, and he’s finally set to see playing time at the infield corners. Diaz did fare well late last year when Encarnacion was injured, hitting .312/.375/.422 in 120 plate appearances. For most of the year, he was stuck at Triple-A yet again and hit .293/.409/.388 while the team hoped he would develop more power.

The lack of power is what has kept Diaz down in the minors, but the Rays apparently don’t care. Diaz has posted an on-base percentage above .400 in four straight minor league seasons, and he’s also a career .311 minor league hitter with more walks (328) than strikeouts (322) in 2,247 career plate appearances. The fact that he appeared at DH more than any other position last year limits his eligibility in standard-rules leagues, but he should get eligibility at one or both of the infield corners in short order. It also wouldn’t be surprising if Diaz hit near the top of the batting order given his on-base ability.

Luis Urias

Luis Urias, 2B, Padres

Here’s another repeat offender from last year. Urias didn’t arrive to the majors until late August, playing 12 games before getting hurt. He’s moved very quickly through the Padres minor league system relative to age, as he was just 21 at Triple-A El Paso last year. It’s easy to see why the Padres wanted to take their time last year with a strikeout rate that ballooned to a career-worst 20.5 percent after it was at only 12.4 percent at Double-A in 2017. The good news is that Urias continued to hit for average, hitting .296 for the second straight year, and he’s still a .306/.397/.405 hitter for his minor league career.

The fantasy upside beyond Urias’ batting average is somewhat limited, as he’s yet to hit double-digit home runs and has only one double-digit stolen base season over five minor league seasons. However, he’s a proven on-base machine in the minors and has never hit worse than .296 before reaching the majors. San Diego’s recent signing of Ian Kinsler could potentially push Urias to shortstop until Fernando Tatis Jr. is ready, but it shouldn’t disrupt his playing time in 2019. Added is the runs potential, as Urias hit either leadoff or second in the order in all 12 games with the Padres.


Single League Sleepers

David Fletcher, 2B/3B, Angels

Infield injuries allowed Fletcher to get regular playing time in the second half of last season, and he did make some noise early on by hitting .324 in June. However, he had a sub-.700 OPS over the last two months of the season, failing to do anything notable for fantasy owners. As of this writing, Fletcher should compete for regular at-bats at second base or third base for the Angels, depending on where Zack Cozart winds up. He finished his rookie season with a more than satisfactory 11 percent strikeout rate after hitting .350 with only 21 strikeouts in 275 plate appearances at Triple-A Salt Lake.

Fletcher is a career .294 hitter in the minors, but there are valid questions about his ability to be a regular in the majors. He hasn’t shown much power (career .398 slugging percentage in the minors), but Fletcher does bring some speed, peaking at 20 stolen bases in 2017. The possibility of being a regular doesn’t bring much upside, but Fletcher’s great contact rate and recent success in the minors makes him an intriguing flier for batting average.


Josh Naylor, OF/1B, Padres

At this point, it’s safe to assume the Marlins are regretting the trade that sent Naylor to the Padres for Andrew Cashner and company in 2016. The 2015 first-round pick hadn’t done much in the majors to that point, but he’s now coming off a breakout year at Double-A San Antonio in 2018. The converted first baseman hit .297-17-74 with 64/69 BB/K in 574 plate appearances, facing more advanced competition after turning 21 in June. His plate discipline showed enormous improvement, and Naylor’s strikeout rate went from 17.2 percent in 2017 to 12.0 percent last year. The performance also followed an impressive Arizona Fall League in which he hit .304-3-14 in 19 games.

Naylor’s major league arrival isn’t exactly around the corner, especially if he remains with the Padres. San Diego’s current outfield depth chart is loaded, and Eric Hosmer is now the long-term first baseman. Still, with the progress Naylor showed last season, he’s looking like a surefire regular in the majors, and he has a good shot to see regular playing time during the second half if he gets off to a nice start at Triple-A. The batting average and contact improvement we’ve seen recently makes him a player to stash in NL-only leagues.


Kevin Newman, SS, Pirates

Hello, Newman! The 19^th overall draft choice in the 2015 draft, Newman arrived to the majors late last season and is currently set to compete with Erik Gonzalez for the starting shortstop job in Pittsburgh. The Arizona alum has a typical 1980’s shortstop skillset, with great contact ability, defense, and some speed. After a down 2017 season, he hit .302-4-35 with 28 steals in 477 plate appearances at Triple-A Indianapolis last season. He also hit .320 in 2016 between High-A and Double-A.

While Newman struggled in his major league debut, there is reason to think he has more ability to hit in the majors based on his skillset. Last season he fanned only 50 times in 477 plate appearances at Triple-A (10.5 percent strikeout rate), and he’s shown consistently strong contact ability up through the minors. It’s still possible Pittsburgh could sign another shortstop to compete with Newman and Gonzalez, but for now Newman has a great shot at winning the starting job. There’s plenty of ability for him to help in NL-only leagues.

Kevan Smith, C, Angels

Smith was claimed off waivers by the Angels in late October from the White Sox, and he makes for an interesting catcher if the team doesn’t make any additional moves at the position this offseason. Obviously, the prospect of value would be shattered if the Angels sign one of the remaining catching free agents such as Yasmani Grandal or former starter Martin Maldonado, but for now Smith has a great shot to pick up more at-bats next to Jose Briceno.

He’s already hit .281 in 497 career plate appearances, and there’s reason to think that can continue if he sees semi-regular playing time. Smith drastically improved his contact rate last season, fanning less than 10 percent of the time (18 strikeouts in 187 plate appearances), and the 30-year-old was a career .284 hitter in the minors. It’s worth noting his 9.6 percent strikeout rate was a bit out of character with what we’ve seen from Smith in the past, but he’s generally been an above average contact hitter for his career (14.1 percent strikeout rate). With more plate appearances, Smith is definitely rosterable as a second catcher in AL-only leagues.

Astros sign Brantley

Astros Ink Brantley

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the Astros are "closing in" on a two-year deal with Michael Brantley in the $32 million range. Brantley is one of the better all-around hitters in the majors and will offer a substantial upgrade to the already-potent Astros' offense. The 31-year-old outfielder batted a cool .309/.364/.468 with 17 home runs, 76 RBI, 89 runs scored and 12 stolen bases this past season. It was a nice return to form for the oft-injured veteran. He missed all but 11 games of the 2016 season with a shoulder injury that required multiple surgeries. His 2017 season was marred by an ankle injury that cost him about 70 games on the shelf. It is a bit surprising that Brantley would be willing to settle for a two-year contract, especially at his age. After a strong season in which he proved he is healthy and delivered a very sturdy stat line it is hard to believe he couldn't have held out for a longer deal. It seems he might have been more likely to get another couple of guaranteed seasons at $10-plus million now than at the conclusion of this contract, when he will be aging out at 33 years old and probably coming off a lesser year than the one he just had. Perhaps the allure of playing for a team as good as the Astros was worth leaving some money on the table.

Brantley's contact-oriented, line drive approach fits nicely into the well-rounded mindset of the Astros' lineup. He also brings a badly-needed left-handed bat to hit in the middle of what is otherwise a heavily right-handed batting order. The Astros struck out the second-fewest times in the major leagues this past season, behind only Brantley's former team the Indians. Brantley's 9.5 K% was second-best in the major leagues, behind only Andrelton Simmons of the Angels.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports says the Astros plan to rotate Brantley between left field, first base and designated hitter. With George Springer locked into the center field job, the addition of Brantley will push either veteran Josh Reddick or youngster Kyle Tucker out of the starting lineup. The 21-year-old Tucker struggled badly in 28 games last year as a rookie, but he is considered a consensus top-20 prospect in all of baseball. If he isn't going to crack the starting lineup the Astros will surely send him back to Triple-A for additional seasoning rather than bring him off the bench with the big club. Reddick is coming off a disappointing 2018 campaign that saw him hit just .242/.318/.400 with 17 homers and 47 RBI in 134 games. It was a big step back from the .314/.363/.484 slash line with 13 homers and 82 RBI he put up in 2017. The Astros are rumored to have been trying to unload Reddick on the trade market this winter but haven't found a taker yet. He seems to be the most likely to lose out on playing time as a result of the addition of Brantley. The guess here is their current plan would be to start Reddick for the first few weeks of the season, then play the service time game by bringing up Tucker after the team is guaranteed to get another year of control over him. Brantley has never played first base before but it was reported earlier this month that he was willing to give the position a try in order to add to his versatility, which could cut into Yuli Gurriel's playing time.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reports that the Astros remain interested in Nelson Cruz even after agreeing to terms with Michael Brantley. Brantley is expected to spend some time in the designated hitter spot for the Astros, but it's possible the club will add a full-time DH in Cruz. The 38-year-old registered a .256/.342/.509 batting line with 37 home runs and 97 RBI this past season for the Mariners and would certainly add even more thump to the Astros' lineup. The Astros also need to add at least one good starting pitcher after losing Charlie Morton and Dallas Keuchel to free agency, and Lance McCullers to arm surgery. They are quickly running out of options as the top pitchers who were on the market have already signed contracts. If they aren't able to spend their money to prevent runs, maybe they will be forced to pivot to Cruz to try to pump up their offense instead.

Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports that the Astros are "back in the mix" for Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto. Frisaro writes that prospect outfielder Kyle Tucker "remains a target" in a potential trade, though it's unclear if the Astros are willing to part with him. It's possible they'd be more willing to do so after reportedly nearing a deal with Michael Brantley. The Dodgers, Reds, Padres, and Rays are also involved in talks for Realmuto, though there doesn't appear to be a frontrunner at this time. The Astros signed catcher Robinson Chirinos to a one-year, $5.75 million deal earlier this offseason, but he is 34 years old and perhaps better suited to a role as the backup catcher rather than an everyday guy. The team won't let his presence prevent them from snaring a top-flight catcher like Realmuto if they can get a deal done.

Free Agent Signings

Rangers signed RHP Lance Lynn to a three-year, $30 million contract. This deal came out last week but wasn't made official until Tuesday. The 31-year-old hurler went 10-10 with a 4.77 ERA in 156 2/3 innings for the Twins and Yankees in 2018 so it is a bit surprising that he was able to snare this much money from the Rangers. He missed all of 2016 because of Tommy John surgery. Despite the sub-par season he still has a nice 3.57 career ERA in 190 starts and 24 relief appearances. One good sign in what was otherwise a down season -- Lynn's 9.25 K/9 was the best strikeout rate of his career. He could make for a sneaky late-round flyer in fantasy drafts next spring even though he will be pitching in a ballpark that is not ideal for pitchers.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reports that free agent starter Matt Harvey has agreed to a contract with the Angels. It is a one-year, $11 million deal with another $3 million available through performance-based incentives, per Fancred's Jon Heyman. The former All-Star posted a 4.94 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 131/37 K/BB ratio in 155 innings between New York and Cincinnati in 2018. It was the third consecutive poor season for Harvey, but at least he proved he is fully healthy for the first time in a good long while. The Angels will hope he can return to the form that saw him put up ERAs of 2.73, 2.27 and 2.71 in his first three seasons with the Mets from 2012 to 2015 (he missed 2014 due to Tommy John surgery). Trading the Reds' ballpark for the Angels' can only help his fortunes.

Cubs signed INF Daniel Descalso to a two-year, $5 million contract. According to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, Descalso will make $1.5 million in 2019 and $2.5 million in 2020, with a $3.5 million club option or $1M buyout for 2021. Descalso has a reputation as a fantasy dud, largely because he was not a good hitter at all while playing for the Cardinals for the first five years of his career. He has improved some at the plate in recent campaigns though -- he turned in an above-average .789 OPS this year for the Diamondbacks in 2018. He's capable of playing all over the infield, so he should be a handy piece for Cubs manager Joe Maddon. It will probably take multiple injuries to the Cubs' infield starters for Descalso to get enough at-bats for fantasy relevance however.

Nationals signed 1B Matt Adams to a one-year, $4 million contract with a mutual option for 2020. The Nationals traded Adams to the Cardinals in August, but he's officially back in the fold in Washington. Per Jon Heyman of Fancred, Adams will make $3 million in 2019 while the club option in 2020 is worth $4 million and carries a $1 million buyout. Adams batted .239 with 21 homers and a .786 OPS in 121 games this past season and makes for valuable insurance behind Ryan Zimmerman at first base.

Pirates signed RHP Jordan Lyles to a one-year contract. Lyles is guaranteed $2 million. As things stand now, the fifth spot in the Pirates rotation figures to come down to he and Nick Kingham, though it's possible the team will have room for both depending on whether Chris Archer and Joe Musgrove are ready to start the season on time. Lyles spent the bulk of 2018 with Padres until moving to the Brewers in August. He had a 4.79 ERA and a 40/11 K/BB ratio in 47 innings over eight starts last season. He had a 3.32 ERA in 40 2/3 innings out of the pen. His 8.61 K/9 was far and away the best of his career and it bumped up to an astonishing 12.12 K/9 in his 11 games with the Brewers at the end of the season, so perhaps the Pirates view him as a high-leverage setup man in the making.

Assorted Rumblings

Jon Morosi of MLB Network noted that the Angels have expressed interest in free agent backstop Yasmani Grandal. The Angels were one of the clubs that was in on Wilson Ramos before he signed with the Mets on Sunday, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see them amp up their interest in Grandal now that the free agent market is thinning out at the position. He doesn't get a lot of fantasy attention but he probably should. He ranked fourth on the ESPN Player Rater among all catchers this past season by batting .241/.349/.466 with 24 home runs and 68 RBI in 140 games.

CC Sabathia received a $500,000 performance bonus from the Yankees for the 2018 season. It wasn't officially announced, but the Yankees included the figure in their final luxury tax payroll. "It was something that we did very private and weren’t looking to publicize, and I’ll just leave it at that," said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Sabathia was ejected from his final regular season start just six outs shy of 155 innings pitched, which would have triggered the bonus. Sabathia hit the Rays' Jesus Sucre in retaliation for Andrew Kittredge throwing a pitch behind Austin Romine. After being ejected, Sabathia said that he doesn't make decisions based on money and felt like "it was the right thing to do." He ended up getting the bonus anyway. Sabathia will be back with the Yankees in 2019 after agreeing to a one-year, $8 million deal last month. The 38-year-old workhorse went 9-7 with a fine 3.65 ERA in 29 starts in 2018. He has 246 career wins, ranking him second among all active pitchers behind only the 45-year-old Bartolo Colon, who has 247 wins.

Craig Mish of Sirius XM reports that the Marlins are one of several teams to show interest in Bud Norris. Miami would be a good landing spot for Norris since he would presumably have a shot to close there. The veteran right-hander posted a 3.59 ERA and 67/21 K/BB ratio over 57 2/3 innings while converting 28-of-33 save opportunities for the Cardinals last season. Norris will turn 34 in March. He spent the bulk of his career as a mediocre starting pitcher before finding new life as a reliever the past couple of seasons. His strikeout rate has spiked significantly out of the bullpen to the point where he can be a fantasy asset even if he isn't getting saves.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo writes that the Giants had "the most impressive presence" among the teams at Troy Tulowitzki's open workout on Tuesday. According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Pirates are in on Troy Tulowitzki, but the A's are out. It's thought that Tulo would most like to be in the Bay Area, but the A's want to go in a different direction at second and the Giants don't have a starting job open for him. The chronically-injured shortstop was cut loose by the Blue Jays last week even though they still owe him $38 million. Any team can now sign him for the major league minimum salary. Pittsburgh might be Tulo's best opportunity to remain a starting shortstop on a competitive club, though it's possible more scenarios will open up once Manny Machado signs.

Quick Hits: Phillies signed INF Phil Gosselin to a minor league contract... Red Sox signed RHP Zach Putnam to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training... Pirates signed C Steven Baron to a minor league contract... Mets signed RHP Zach Lee to a minor league contract. The former highly-regarded prospect in the Dodgers' system, had a 3.65 ERA and 107/35 K/BB ratio over 145 2/3 innings this past season between the Rays' Double- and Triple-A affiliates... Royals signed OF Terrance Gore to a one-year contract. The 27-year-old Gore is 27-for-31 in stolen base attempts at the major league level, but he's only been given 19 plate appearances... Reds released 1B/3B D.J. Peterson... Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reports that Erasmo Ramirez is nearing a minor league deal with the Red Sox. The 28-year-old Ramirez missed time with a shoulder issue in 2018 while posting a 6.50 ERA over 10 starts... Indians acquired infielder Andruw Monasterio from the Nationals as the player to be named in the Yan Gomes trade. The Nationals had just acquired Monasterio from the Cubs in August in the Daniel Murphy deal. The 21-year-old hit .267/.363/.338 in high-A ball last season... Rangers re-signed RHP Matt Bush to a minor league contract. Bush is going to miss the first half of the season after elbow surgery... Mets signed OF Rajai Davis to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Davis, 38, batted only .224/.278/.281 over 216 plate appearances for the Indians last season, although he did steal 21 bases. The veteran speedster can play all three outfield spots and will compete for a bench job in spring training.

Winter in Vegas

In the past, we saw the bulk of the major offseason moves occur during the Winter Meetings. Times have changed in the sense that it has become the setting for starting or continuing negotiations rather than serving as the conclusion.
In other words, we’re probably going to have to wait a while on those mega-deals for Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.

We still had some action on Day Three in Las Vegas, mostly on the pitcher side of things …

What’s Happening

We’ll start with left-hander J.A. Happ, who has reportedly reached a tentative agreement to return to the Yankees. As first reported by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, Happ is expected to receive a two-year contract with an option for a third year. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the deal is worth between $34-35 million.

One of the most sought-after starters on the open market, Happ was hoping to land a guaranteed third year, but teams weren’t willing to go there with someone who turned 36 in October. The southpaw could still secure in that third year in this new deal if he can reach certain benchmarks in innings pitched and starts.

Happ enjoyed a strong finish with the Yankees after being acquired from the Blue Jays this past July, posting a 2.69 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 16 walks over 63 2/3 innings. He quietly owns a strong 3.48 ERA over the past four seasons.

The Yankees previously acquired James Paxton from the Mariners and re-signed CC Sabathia to a one-year deal, so they are set in their rotation. The big question is what’s next and if that plan possibly include Manny Machado or Bryce Harper. There’s more logic behind a move for Machado, but Cashman told reporters Wednesday that he’s always willing to be flexible if the right opportunity presents itself, calling the Yankees “a fully operational Death Star.” There’s your quote of the week, right there.

Morton is Money

Another notable starter was plucked from the free agent market on Wednesday, as the Rays have reportedly signed right-hander Charlie Morton to a two-year, $30 million contract. Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com reported news of the signing while Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports passed along word of an option for a third year, with the salary based on time missed due to injury.

It’s a nice payday for Morton, who signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Astros two years ago. Some questioned the move at the time, as Morton threw just 17 1/3 innings in 2016 before undergoing surgery for a severe hamstring strain, but he emerged as an important rotation piece for Houston with a 3.36 ERA over 55 regular season starts. He reached 201 strikeouts in 167 innings this past season while earning his first All-Star selection.

The 35-year-old Morton has an injury history, so he’s never thrown more than 171 2/3 innings in a season before. He was bothered down the stretch this year with a shoulder issue, so the Rays will likely have to be mindful about managing his workload. Fortunately, they seem well-equipped to do exactly that.

The Rays are still expected to utilize the opener in 2019, but they have three starters locked in place with Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, Morton, and Tyler Glasnow. It’s wide open after that, with Yonny Chirinos, Jalen Beeks, Ryan Yarbrough, and Wilmer Font among the candidates to serve as openers. The Rays will also have Brent Honeywell and Jose De Leon coming back from Tommy John surgery in 2019. There’s flexibility to give Morton some rest, as needed.

We can’t ignore that it’s refreshing to see the Rays spending some cash after a 90-win season. With many teams still in rebuild or reload mode, there’s real opportunity with the Wild Card spots in the American League.

With Happ, Morton, Patrick Corbin, and Nathan Eovaldi all off the board, left-hander Dallas Keuchel is now far and away the top starting pitcher remaining on the market. Japanese left-hander Yusei Kikuchi makes for an interesting alternative. His agent, Scott Boras, told reporters Wednesday that Kikuchi will meet with teams later this month in Los Angeles. As per the posting process, MLB teams have until January 2 at 5 p.m. ET to negotiate with him.

Rangers Dancing with Lance

Rangers starting pitchers ranked second from the bottom in the majors last year with a 5.37 ERA. It’s going to take more than one move to make a major leap forward, but the club addressed their weakness on Wednesday by reportedly agreeing to a three-year, $30 million deal with right-hander Lance Lynn. T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reported that the deal was close while Mark Feinsand of MLB.com passed along the contract details.

It’s a surprising deal on the surface for Lynn, who was forced to settle for a one-year, $12 million contract with the Twins this past March. Of course, it was a different situation this time around, as Lynn didn’t have the qualifying offer hanging over him. Still, it was hard to see him getting three years after he posted a mediocre 4.77 ERA over 29 starts and two relief appearances in 2018. He looked like a different pitcher after being traded to the Yankees, though, compiling a 4.14 ERA and 61/14 K/BB ratio over 54 1/3 innings. If he can keep that going through the first half in 2019, the Rangers could have a nice trade chip on their hands.

Tannest Deal Ever

Fresh off inking left-hander Patrick Corbin, the Nationals traded right-hander Tanner Roark to the Reds on Wednesday in exchange for right-hander Tanner Rainey. In case you were curious, it's the first Tanner-for-Tanner trade in MLB history.

MLB Trade Rumors projected Roark in the area of $10 million for his final year of arbitration, so the deal provides the Nationals with some wiggle room for some other moves. Odds are they’ll still end up signing at least one more starter, though likely at a lower cost. As of now, Joe Ross and Erick Fedde project to fill the final two spots in the rotation. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, free agents Wade Miley and Anibal Sanchez are among the names being considered by Washington.

Roark might not be the big splash Reds fans were hoping for given the discussions the club has reportedly been involved in, but he’s still a respectable rotation piece. The 32-year-old owns a 3.59 ERA for his career, though he checked in at 4.67 (96 ERA+) in 2017 and 4.34 (98 ERA+) in 2018. The home ballpark makes it difficult to expect steady value in mixed fantasy leagues, but Roark is a step toward respectability for the Reds, who have a bunch of uncertainty in their rotation beyond promising youngster Luis Castillo.

 

Score One for Bour

It wasn’t all about pitching on Wednesday, as the Angels have reportedly added slugger Justin Bour on a one-year deal. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported news of the agreement and Joel Sherman of the New York Post added that the deal includes a $2.5 million guarantee.

Bour is coming off a disappointing year in which he batted just .227/.341/.404 with 20 homers over 141 games between the Marlins and Phillies. The 30-year-old was non-tendered by the Phillies at the end of November, but he’s a fine pickup at this price considering he’s just a year removed from 20 homers and a .902 OPS in 108 games.

As for Bour’s role with the Angels, he would appear to be best-suited for a platoon at first base. He still produced against right-handers last year with an .819 OPS, but he nosedived with a .570 OPS against southpaws. Assuming Shohei Ohtani is cleared to be the regular designated hitter as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery, Albert Pujols could be looking at diminished role going into his age-39 season. As great as his career has been, that’s how it should be if the Angels plan to contend in 2019.

Quick Hits: Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that J.T. Realmuto remains the Mets’ No. 1 target at catcher, though Jon Heyman of Fancred hears that the Rays and Reds are in the mix … Jayson Stark of The Athletic reports that Craig Kimbrel is seeking a six-year contract north of $100 million … Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Cardinals were not one of the teams who met with Bryce Harper in Las Vegas this week … Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports that the Mets have begun preliminary talks with Jacob deGrom’s agents about a possible contract extension … The Reds, Braves, Padres, and Mariners are interested in Yankees right-hander Sonny Gray, per Jon Heyman of Fancred … Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic hears that the Athletics are among the clubs talking to the Rangers about Jurickson Profar … Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports that the White Sox are interested in relievers Jeurys Familia and Adam Ottavino … Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Reds and Dodgers have been talking about a number of different trade proposals, with Matt Kemp and Homer Bailey among the names discussed … Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that the Tigers have signed shortstop Jordy Mercer to a one-year, $5.25 million contract … The Brewers and right-hander Jimmy Nelson avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.7 million contract … Buster Posey (hip) is expected to begin running at full speed in mid-January … Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire confirmed Wednesday that Shane Greene will begin 2019 as the team’s closer … New Angels manager Brad Ausmus said Wednesday that he’ll probably hit Mike Trout second in 2019.

Winter Meetings First Pitch

We’ve already seen some big moves go down to keep the Hot Stove burning. There are sure to be more this week as baseball Winter Meetings get underway at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The Rotoworld Baseball team will have you covered, providing recaps like the one below each day as well as blurbs on our constantly active blog-site.


Royals Reel in Hamilton

The Reds made a relatively surprising decision to non-tender Billy Hamilton late last month. The speedster wasn’t out of a job for long.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic was first to report and multiple outlets confirmed that the Royals are close to signing Hamilton to a one-year contract. ESPN’s Buster Olney says Hamilton will make $5.25 million on the one-year pact, with a possible $1 million more available in incentives.

Hamilton hasn’t developed offensively as the Reds had hoped. He sports a career .245/.298/.333 batting line and has posted a .300 on-base percentage in just one of his five full seasons. Cincinnati mostly batted him ninth in 2018 and also benched him a decent amount.

With Whit Merrifield and Adalberto Mondesi slated to hit 1-2 in the Royals’ batting order, Hamilton will likely be in line to bat ninth again. However, he won’t have to hit behind the pitcher this time and will also have less competition for playing time. Additionally, going to a bigger ballpark should actually benefit a guy who needs more balls to fall in so he can use his speed.

Hamilton stealing “only” 34 bases and being caught 10 times last season was a disappointment. However, the 28-year-old hasn’t lost any of his speed and is headed to a team known to be aggressive on the basepaths. Hamilton has plenty of flaws but could be in line for a bounce-back season for fantasy purposes in 2019.

Three-Way Trade Blockbuster Being Discussed

We will say this about new Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen: he’s not boring.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Monday night that the Mets are discussing a potential three-way trade with the Yankees and Marlins in which they would land J.T. Realmuto. Noah Syndergaard would likely be headed to the Yanks in the scenario, although Andy Martino of SNY.tv hears that the Yankees like the Mets’ pitching and it’s not necessarily limited to “Thor.” Martino also says the Yankees are “pushing hard” to make a deal with the Mets happen.

Rosenthal hears that the Mets would not trade Syndergaard – who has three years left of control – if they’re only getting Realmuto – who has two – in return, so there would obviously be more notable names involved here. There’s also no word yet on what the Marlins would receive in the deal.

If it seems like the Yankees and Mets rarely make trades, it’s because it’s true. The last deal between the two teams involving major leaguers occurred in 2004. However, Rosenthal says that the clubs “have been in steady talks” since Van Wagenen became GM. Clearly the former agent isn’t afraid to shake things up, as he already demonstrated with the trade for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz.

The possible three-way trade is just one of several scenarios the Mets are reportedly working on in hopes of netting Realmuto, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post has reported that the one involving the Yankees "is not among the strongest." They’re also keeping tabs on other catching options, having met with Wilson Ramos on Monday, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Yankees in on Machado, out on Harper?

The Yankees have long been connected to free agent Bryce Harper even as various reports have suggested he isn’t a priority for them. On Monday, general manager Brian Cashman did his best to nip the rumor in the bud once and for all.

"We don't have an [infinite] amount of dollars to be playing with in any marketplace," Cashman said. "We're looking for a starter now; it was two, now it's down to one. We're looking for, how do we address the loss of Didi Gregorius? And we're looking for our bullpen. At no time all winter have I said that I'm looking for an outfielder. The Harper stuff, I'm surprised you're still asking."

GMs often tell you flat-out that they’re turning left, only to turn right. So, it’s possible Cashman is just yanking our chain. However, that’s a pretty definitive statement. Also a definitive statement is the one Cashman gave about pursuing Manny Machado.

"I've had several conversations with Dan Lozano about Manny Machado," Cashman said. "We are definitely focused in the marketplace on those areas of need. He obviously is available and solves that area of need. I'm not going to deny we've had a conversation or two."

Machado has always made more sense for the Yankees than Harper. He would provide them with a stopgap at shortstop until Didi Gregorius makes it back from Tommy John surgery and could then shift over to third base. Current third baseman Miguel Andujar is coming off an American League Rookie of the Year runner-up showing, but he’s a poor defender at the hot corner and could move across the diamond to first base.

Kluber Trade Talks Heating Up

It’s been pretty clear for a while that the Indians were going to trade one of their marquee starters in order to re-calibrate their payroll. Is a two-time Cy Young winner the likeliest to go?

With Carlos Carrasco agreeing to a contract extension last week, he’s staying put. That leaves Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer still on the trade block, and Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported Monday that trade talks involving Kluber were “intensifying,” with the Dodgers being among the teams involved in the talks.

For what it’s worth, Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti did his best to shoot down the report.

"I think we were reading one of those [tweets] on the [television] screen," Antonetti said. "We were sitting here eating lunch by ourselves going, 'Oh, really. Who is intensifying those talks?' I'm not sure who is having those talks intensified."

While Antonetti might deny that talks have picked up steam, he essentially confirmed that the Tribe will have to make moves to cut payroll.

"Ownership's invested incredible resources into our team over the course of the past few seasons to try to help push us to a World Series championship," Antonetti said. "At some point, you have to make sure you have sustainable finances that work for the long term. And we're in the process of working through exactly what that will be."

The Dodgers are already well-stocked with rotation options but could see adding Kluber (or Bauer) as a unique opportunity. They also have a top prospect in Alex Verdugo who is blocked in L.A. but fits exactly what the Indians are looking for. It’s a match that makes sense, but the Indians are no doubt fielding many calls about Kluber and Bauer.


Quick Hits: Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times has reported that the Rays have maintained a "running dialogue" with Nelson Cruz and have discussed contract parameters. Topkin also notes that the Rays "continue to have dialogue" with Charlie Morton and they have interest in Edwin Encarnacion and Yandy Diaz, as well … Robert Murray of The Athletic has reported that the Brewers have expressed interest in Daniel Murphy … Nick Groke of The Athletic has reported that the Rockies had trade talks with the Phillies about Carlos Santana before Santana was traded to the Mariners and they could revisit the idea of acquiring Santana … Andy Martino of SNY.tv has reported that the Yankees "have been highly reluctant to budge off two years" for J.A. Happ, whereas Happ is looking for a three-year deal … Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Monday that Chris Sale (shoulder) is "feeling fine" and the team is "comfortable where he is" … Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com has reported that the Tigers are hearing trade interest on Nicholas Castellanos …

 Bob Nightengale of USA Today has reported that several teams have expressed interest in Brandon Belt … Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle has reported that the Giants might be Yusei Kikuchi's "first choice" as a potential landing spot … Mark Feinsand of MLB.com has reported that the Dodgers have emerged as a potential suitor for free agent reliever David Robertson … Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Freidman said Monday that Corey Seager (elbow, hip) has "switched gears" from rehabbing to training for baseball … Miguel Cabrera (biceps) resumed swinging a bat earlier this month … Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said Monday that Jake Lamb (shoulder) will play some first base next season in addition to third base … Phillies general manager Matt Klentak revealed Monday that Cesar Hernandez played through a broken bone in his foot for most of the second half after fouling a ball off the foot in July … Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said Monday that he's not sure whether Danny Salazar (shoulder) will be on a normal schedule in spring training … Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has reported that the Athletics are showing interest in DJ LeMahieu … The Tigers signed Tyson Ross to a one-year, $5.75 million contract … Rangers manager Chris Woodward said Monday that Jose Leclerc isn't necessarily locked into the closer role … Jayson Stark of The Athletic reports that the Mariners aren't "especially motivated" to trade Kyle Seager.

Keeping the Klaw

Now that the Red Sox have triumphed over the Dodgers to secure the World Series title, the MLB offseason is officially upon us.

It didn’t take long for the hot stove to heat up either. Immediately following the World Series, Dodgers’ ace Clayton Kershaw indicated that he was still mulling over whether or not to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract to test the free agent market.

News trickled out in the coming days that the two sides were likely to work out a mutually-beneficial short-term extension that would keep the left-hander in Los Angeles for another couple of years.

On Friday, the two sides were able to reach an accord, with Kershaw inking a three-year, $93 million contract. The deal also contains incentives. In essence, Kershaw used his opt-out as leverage to get another year and at least $28 million added on to his contract.

Kershaw hasn't made 30 starts in season since 2015 due to injury and his velocity was noticeably down in 2018, but he was still highly effective with a 2.73 ERA and 155/29 K/BB ratio over 161 1/3 innings. He will turn 31 next March.

It’s a great deal for both sides, as it keeps the Dodgers’ World Series window open for a few more years while maintaining the ace atop their pitching staff.

From a fantasy perspective, there’s no denying Kershaw’s continued effectiveness when he has been on the hill, though the game-breaking strikeout numbers may be a thing of the past. He hasn’t logged more than 175 innings in a season since 2015 though and given his chronic back issues, durability is going to continue to be a concern going forward.

A perennial first round draft pick in most formats, I would expect Kershaw to begin to slide into the middle of the second round in most 15-team drafts, somewhere in the 20-26 range. If he gives you a full season without missing any starts from that draft spot, he’ll deliver ample profit.

All that Glitters

Major League Baseball handed out some hardware on Sunday night, announcing the winners of the Rawlings’ 2018 Gold Glove Awards.

Here’s a look at the winners, with the number of Gold Gloves that each player has won in parentheses.

American League

C - Salvador Perez (5) - Perez has been the gold standard of the position in the American League, winning the award five times in the last six seasons.

1B - Matt Olson (1) - Not bad work for Olsen, winning his first Gold Glove in his first full season on the job. He led all MLB first baseman with 14 defensive runs saved on the year.

2B - Ian Kinsler (2) - It's the second win for Kinsler, who also took home the award with the Tigers during the 2016 campaign.

SS - Andrelton Simmons (4) - Francisco Lindor was certainly deserving of consideration here, but Simmons is in a class of his own as a defender. It's a treat to watch him play the game.

3B - Matt Chapman (1) - The first-time winner is very deserving, as Chapman racked up a jaw-dropping 29 defensive runs saved at the position in 2018, which is 19 more than any other third baseman in the league. He has to be considered the favorite to take home the Platinum Glove in the American League.

LF - Alex Gordon (6) - It's the second straight win for Gordon, and sixth overall, after he won the award in four straight years from 2011-2014 as well.

CF - Jackie Bradley Jr. (1) - This one was definitely a long-time coming, as Bradley has played phenomenal defense for years in Boston, but has always had to battle Angels' superstar Mike Trout for the award.

RF - Mookie Betts (3) - Betts led all MLB outfielders with 20 DRS on the season, en route to his third straight gold glove. He's the gold standard by which other right fielders are currently judged.

P - Dallas Keuchel (4) - It's the fourth win in the last five years for Keuchel, who will hit free agency this winter.

National League

C - Yadier Molina (9) - It's the ninth Gold Glove for the Cardinals' star backstop, but his first since winning eight straight from 2006-2015.

1B - Anthony Rizzo (2) & Freddie Freeman (1) - It's just the fourth time in history that there has been a tie for a Gold Glove.

2B - D.J. LeMahieu (3) - This one was a mild surprise, as many predicted Kolten Wong (who led all MLB second baseman in DRS) to take home the honor. It's the third win for LeMahieu, who has snagged the award in each of the last two seasons.

SS - Nick Ahmed (1) - The first-time winner has long been considered one of the top defenders in all of baseball, all it took was getting a full-time job for the first time in his career to land the Gold Glove.

3B - Nolan Arenado (6) - Arenado has now captured the honor in each of his first six seasons in the big leagues. He also surpassed Larry Walker (5) for the most Gold Gloves in Rockies' franchise history. He's also in the running to take home his second straight Platinum Glove in the National League.

LF - Corey Dickerson (1) - Long considered to be an all-hit, no-glove outfielder, this one has to be especially rewarding for Dickerson, who finished second in DRS among National League left fielders.

CF - Ender Inciarte (3) - It's the third straight year that Inciarte has taken home the award. While he's obviously a terrific defender and deserving of the honor, you really have to feel for Lorenzo Cain who continues to get overlooked here each and every year.

RF - Nick Markakis (3) - It's the third time that Markakis has won the award, but the first time since 2014. It caps off a phenomenal year for the free agent outfielder who also earned his first All-Star nod.

P - Zack Greinke (5) - It's the fifth straight win for Greinke, who is widely considered the top fielding pitcher in all of baseball.

Nats Strike Quick

The Washington Nationals also struck quickly on the free agent market, inking former Cardinals’ closer Trevor Rosenthal to a one-year, $6 million contract.

The deal also includes an option for 2020, rumored to be at least $7 million with a $1 million buyout, making it $7 million guaranteed for the right-hander. The deal also includes incentives that could take the deal to $28 million over the two seasons, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post

Rosenthal didn't pitch in 2018 but isn't far removed from being one of the league's premier closers. It's a nice low-risk, high-reward move for the Nats. It’s expected that Rosenthal will work in a setup capacity in front of closer Sean Doolittle.

Tragedy hits in Dominican Republic

Unfortunately, tragedy struck the baseball world in the Dominican Republic when

Reds minor league pitcher Jairo Capellan died in a car crash early Saturday.

Fellow minor leaguers Raul Hernandez and Emilio Garcia were also injured in the crash; Hernandez is in critical condition, and Garcia in stable condition, both in Dominican hospitals. "We received this terrible news and send our condolences and support to the families, friends and teammates of Jairo, Raul and Emilio," Reds Chief Executive Officer Bob Castellini said in a news release. "Our Dominican operations are an integral part of the Reds organization, and this tragedy affects us all. We will remain closely involved to help everyone through this difficult time." All three players are 19 years old.

Rangers tab Woodward as manager

The Rangers didn’t waste any time narrowing down their search for a replacement to former skipper Jeff Banister, reaching an agreement with Dodgers’ third base coach Chris Woodward.

Woodward will get a three-year deal, with a club option for 2022, becoming the 27th manager in Texas Rangers’ history.

He’ll be officially introduced at a press conference in Arlington on Monday.

The 42-year-old has no prior managerial experience. He began his coaching career as the minor league infield instructor for the Mariners before working his way up to the big league staff. He has spent the past three seasons as the third base coach under Dave Roberts in Los Angeles.

Qualifying Offers

Friday marked the deadline for MLB clubs to extend $17.9 million qualifying offers to impending free agents. This time around, a new record-low seven players were issued qualifying offers. Under the current system which began in 2012, the previous low for players issued qualifying offers in a season was nine.

Here’s the list of players who did receive the qualifying offer, all of whom are expected to decline:

Patrick Corbin - Diamondbacks

Yasmani Grandal - Dodgers

Bryce Harper - Nationals

Dallas Keuchel - Astros

Craig Kimbrel - Red Sox

A.J. Pollock - Diamondbacks

Hyun-Jin Ryu - Dodgers

There are a couple of players who were expected to receive qualifying offers, but didn’t, which came as a mild surprise. Among those, were Astros’ right-hander Charlie Morton, Rockies’ second baseman D.J. LeMahieu and Indians’ outfielder Michael Brantley.

American League Quick Hits: ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the Orioles have been in contact with former Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington regarding their front office opening… The Astros claimed Chris Herrmann off of waivers from the Mariners… The Orioles re-signed left-hander Sean Gilmartin to a minor league contract… Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports the Rays are likely to trade designated hitter C.J. Cron this offseason…  The Blue Jays fired hitting coach Brook Jacoby...Steve Phillips of MLB Network Radio reports that the Yankees "will not be in on (Bryce) Harper" this offseason… White Sox’ general manager Rick Hahn noted that the organization has discussed a possible position change for Yoan Moncada…

National League Quick Hits: The Pirates hired Rick Eckstein as their new hitting coach… Cubs claimed Jack Reinheimer off waivers from the Mets… The Reds announced the hiring of Derek Johnson as their new pitching coach… Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that the Dodgers have started contract extension talks with manager Dave Roberts… The Brewers have hired Andy Haines to be their hitting coach, taking the place of Darnell Coles who resigned last week… Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Cardinals "intend to explore" the market for Bryce Harper "and see how they fit."... Despite not making him a qualifying offer, Rockies' general manager Jeff Bridich still plans to reach out to free agent right-hander Adam Ottavino...According to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, the Cubs have yet to make a decision regarding the future of Addison Russell.