Lindor out

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Lindor

If the Cleveland Indians didn’t think they had problems with their lineup before heading to spring training, they almost certainly do now. 
Friday’s news that All Star Francisco Lindor will miss seven to nine weeks and likely the beginning of the regular season while rehabbing a strained right calf muscle casts a pall on an already iffy lineup that was set to rely disproportionately on the 24-year-old shortstop’s production from the get-go.

Lindor was one of the most reliable leadoff hitters in the game over the last two seasons, leading baseball with 123 runs scored in 2018 and blasting home runs at a franchise record pace for his position.

With Lindor on the shelf, a lineup that was already set to have depth concerns beyond the No. 5 spot now has a gaping hole at the top. Below is a look at candidates on the Indians 40-man roster and spring invitees to take over the leadoff spot while Lindor is out.

Greg Allen

With only five career starts in the leadoff spot on his resume, Allen would be the player with the most to prove in order to earn a shot at Lindor’s leadoff spot. In 25 plate appearances in the leadoff role, Allen hit .304 with a double, four runs scored and a .708 OPS.

Jason Kipnis

No stranger to the leadoff spot for Terry Francona, Kipnis has started 220 games at the top of the Indians batting order. He’s a .274 lifetime hitter in the leadoff spot with a .779 OPS including 245 hits, 90 RBI and 139 runs scored. If experience is the determining factor, Kipnis is the strongest candidate.

Carlos Santana

Francona has experimented with Santana in the top spot rather frequently since 2016 because of the slugger’s ability to get on base consistently. His .845 OPS as a leadoff hitter in 132 lifetime games testifies to that. Santana would provide pop with 26 career home runs at the top of the order to go along with 95 walks.

Ryan Flaherty ?

Announced as a spring training invitee on Thursday, Flaherty’s chances of making the roster on opening day have increased with Lindor’s predicament. But Flaherty has just 12 career games batting in the leadoff spot under his belt and he’s not fared well at the plate in those chances, hitting just .167 with seven strikeouts in 18 plate appearances.

Max Moroff

A switch hitter acquired in the Erik Gonzalez trade, Moroff also lacks experience in leadoff situations, starting just six career games as a leadoff hitter. His .160 batting average and .521 OPS from the top spot in the order fail to impress as do his 13 strikeouts in 29 plate appearances.

Beyond the offensive impact of Lindor’s absence, The Tribe must account for the specter of his Gold Glove-caliber defense leaving a rather large hole in the middle of the diamond. Below are candidates from the 40-man roster and spring invitees to replace Lindor defensively at shortstop.

Jose Ramirez

If moving from third base to second base in each of the last two seasons didn’t bother Ramirez (and we’re still not 100 percent sure that’s the case), then a temporary shift back to his original position would be no big deal, right? Ramirez has logged 109 major league games at shortstop, most significantly in 2014 and 2015. He has a .970 fielding percentage with 12 errors in 399 chances. But his total zone total fielding runs are well below league average at the position.

Franky Lindor

The Fish haul in their Phil

The Marlins have spent the entire offseason trying to unload their best player but up until now no team was willing to meet their sky-high demands. The game's top-hitting catcher will move to a cozy new ballpark in Philadelphia and hit in the heart of a more productive lineup. For two years' control of Realmuto the Phillies are sending young catcher Jorge Alfaro, top pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez, low-level pitching prospect Will Stewart and a $250,000 international bonus pool slot to the Marlins. Realmuto was unhappy in Miami, mostly because they were in the midst of a complete tear down and rebuild cycle. Realmuto has been demanding a trade for the past two years and finally gets his wish.

Realmuto was the top-rated catcher in fantasy baseball last year as ranked by both the ESPN Player Rater and the Yahoo rating system. The move from Marlins Park to Citizens Bank Park can only do wonders for his offensive production. Fangraphs' home run park factors indicate that home runs are 21 percent more likely in Philly compared to Miami. Last year Realmuto batted .277/.340/.484 with 21 home runs and 74 RBI. Those home run and RBI totals were new career highs despite a career-low 125 games played -- and he has a great chance of besting those marks again in the upcoming season. For the record, Realmuto has a career .676 OPS at home and an .852 OPS on the road. Now he has a new home and his fantasy owners are dreaming in anticipation. One more reason that Realmuto is the best fantasy catcher is that he is one of the few catchers who can run -- he leads the majors among catchers with 31 stolen bases over the last four years (Yadier Molina is next with just 19 bags over that period). Realmuto should be the first catcher off the board on draft day in all formats.

Heading to the Marlins will be catcher Jorge Alfaro. Even though he is going to a less batter-friendly environment the trade could actually be a positive for his fantasy value, largely because he is likely to get a lot more at-bats with his new club. He received just 344 at-bats with the Phillies last year while batting .262/.324/.407 with 10 homers and 37 RBI. He has plenty of power and can knock the ball out of any ballpark. His problem is two-fold: a career 35.2 percent strikeout rate and a 4.3 percent walk rate. Pitchers are not going to challenge him with hittable pitches over the plate until he proves he can lay off the junk outside of the strike zone. Alfaro has a career .270 batting average, which is quite good -- but his .405 career BABIP will take a big tumble as the sample size grows. He is likely to settle in for the long term as a power hitter with a low batting average.

The centerpiece of the deal for the Marlins is 20-year-old right-hander Sixto Sanchez. He is widely considered one of the ten best pitching prospects in the game and was ranked as the number 27 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline last month. He spent last season at High Single-A Clearwater and registered a 2.51 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings across eight starts. He was shut down in June because of elbow inflammation and missed the rest of the season. At an even six-feet-tall he is a bit undersized for a traditional workhorse starting pitcher. He is a desirable asset in dynasty leagues but can be disregarded in redraft leagues this season. His major league debut is not likely to come until 2020 at the earliest. Sanchez immediately becomes the prize of the Marlins' farm system. The Marlins have one of the weakest farm systems in baseball despite their recent trades of Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna.

Left-handed starter Will Stewart will join Sanchez and Alfaro on the plane to Miami. The 21-year-old spent 2018 at Low Single-A Lakewood and registered an impressive 2.06 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings while making 20 starts. Considering he was a 20th-round pick in the 2015 draft he has vastly outperformed expectations. His fastball velocity is average at best. He is more of a sinker baller who induces a lot of groundball outs while keeping the ball in the yard. He surrendered just five longballs last year and recorded an elite 62.1 percent groundball rate. The true test will come when he reaches the upper minors.

Bryce Harper Has to Pick a New Team Eventually... Right?

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports that the Giants recently met with Bryce Harper. Heyman further adds that "multiple new teams" have emerged for Harper in the last week or so, perhaps an indicator that his price has dropped with the start of spring training fast approaching. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area hears that Giants CEO Larry Baer, manager Bruce Bochy, and new president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi were all present at the meeting with Harper. The Giants are in re-tooling mode and have previously stated they would not be making any big splashes in the free agent market this winter. Obviously a Harper signing would be the biggest possible splash. Adding Harper would jump-start their rebuild in one fell swoop. San Francisco would not be the ideal landing spot for Harper's fantasy value. Oracle Park is a pitcher-friendly stadium and perhaps the hardest park in the league in which to hit home runs. Harper has also met recently with the Padres. The Phillies are considered by some to be the favorite in the race for Harper, with the White Sox and Nationals also trying hard to sign him. Spring training is coming up fast. Which team is going to write out the huge check it will take to land Harper?

News From Around the League

** The Royals signed RHP Brad Boxberger to a one-year, $2.2 million contract. The 30-year-old saved 32 games for the Diamondbacks last season and struck out 71 over 53 1/3 innings, but he also blew eight saves and finished with a pedestrian 4.39 ERA. Boxberger is probably the favorite to close for the Royals, which would push Wily Peralta to a setup role. Boxberger routinely posts huge strikeout rates but issues too many walks and is prone to the gopherball as well -- he served up nine home runs in just 53 1/3 innings last year. The change in ballparks should help with that but he is likely to be one of the most volatile closers in baseball this year.

** The Rangers signed OF Hunter Pence to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Pence batted just .226/.258/.332 with four home runs and 24 RBI over 248 plate appearances last year with the Giants. He used to be a perennial early-round draft pick in fantasy leagues but we can barely see those days in the rear view mirror.

** Gerrit Cole's arbitration hearing with the Astros is scheduled for Monday. Cole requested a $13.5 million salary for 2019 and was offered $11.425 million from the Astros when arbitration figures were exchanged last month. The 28-year-old right-hander went 15-5 with a 2.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 276/64 K/BB ratio in 200 1/3 innings (32 starts) last season while earning $6.75 million. This is his final year of arbitration eligibility. Free agency looms next winter.

** Alex Bregman, who underwent surgery last month to remove loose bodies from his elbow, resumed hitting Wednesday. The surgery has an estimated six-week recovery time, so the young star is expected to be fully healthy for the start of the regular season. He broke out to the tune of a .286/.394/.532 slash line with 31 home runs, 103 RBI, 105 runs scored and 10 stolen bases last year for the Astros. The injury adds a small amount of uncertainty for those in leagues with early drafts. It would be wise to make sure he is playing in spring training games before investing too heavily in Bregman.

** According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Blue Jays are among the teams showing interest in free agent reliever Sergio Romo. The veteran right-hander pitched to a 4.14 ERA and 75/20 K/BB ratio in 67 1/3 innings as a versatile bullpen arm for the Rays in 2018, earning 25 saves while also starting a handful of games. He would likely work in a setup role behind closer Ken Giles with the Jays if that is where he lands. We shall see what happens.

** Brewers signed RHP Josh Tomlin to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Tomlin spent most of last season in a mop-up role for the Indians after a rough start, ultimately posting a 6.14 ERA across 32 appearances. Tomlin is strictly an innings eater.

** Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports that the Nationals have re-signed Jeremy Hellickson to a one-year, $1.3 million contract. There are performance-based incentives in the deal that can push its total value to $4 million. Hellickson pitched well for the Nationals last year when healthy, but the peripheral numbers suggest he had some luck, and he doesn't strike out enough batters to hold significant mixed-league fantasy relevance. He had a 3.45 ERA in 19 starts last year, but fantasy owners won't forget about his 5.43 ERA in 30 starts the year before.

Quick Hits: Indians signed C Dioner Navarro to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Navarro spent the 2018 season in the independent Atlantic League, batting .268/.299/.437 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 78 plate appearances with the Long Island Ducks. ... Indians signed INF Ryan Flaherty to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Flaherty appeared in 81 games for the Braves last season and slashed just .217/.298/.292. ... Mets re-signed C Devin Mesoraco to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. He batted .221/.303/.398 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI in 84 games last season between the Reds and Mets. ... Orioles signed RHP Nate Karns to a one-year, $800,000 contract. The 31-year-old right-hander sat out the entire 2018 season due to shoulder and elbow issues. ... Dodgers signed INF/OF Cody Asche to a minor league contract. Asche spent all of 2018 in the minors, batting .220/.304/.399 in 105 games between the Triple-A affiliates of the Mets and Yankees. ... Cubs signed RHP Carlos Ramirez to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. He's pitched 25 major league innings over the past two years and owns a 2.88 ERA. ... Twins signed LHP Tim Collins to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. He had a 4.37 ERA in 22 2/3 innings for the Nationals last year. ... Pirates signed RHP Tom Koehler to a minor league contract with a $1.25 million club option for 2020. He is recovering from shoulder surgery and will miss at least the first half of the upcoming season.

Next week , they all descend upon Florida and Arizona as pitchers and catchers are to report.

Can I say it now "Play Ball".

Real Muto

Tommy Pham

As we wait for literally anything to happen on the free agent market, arbitration cases are working themselves out between clubs and players. And while no teams seem willing to voluntarily lay out money for players' services, arbiters have no problem making sure the players are being paid what they're worth.

Two of the biggest wins in recent days have been in Tampa and Houston. Tommy Pham celebrated his win over the Rays

A former No. 1 overall draft pick also had his worth recognized, as Carlos Correa won his arbitration hearing against the Astros. Correa had filed for $5 million, and the Astros had filed for $4.25 million.

There remain eight arbitration hearings, but to this point three of the four rulings have come in favor of the players -- top-tier closer Blake Treinen got an even larger payday than Correa and Pham, winning his case to make $6.4 million in 2019. Treinen's $4.25 million raise from 2018 to 2019 is the highest one-year raise for a player in his second year of arbitration eligibility. That's not to mention the players who didn't go to arbitration, including Nolan Arenado, who settled with the Rockies for a record-high $26 million late last month.

Among the high-profile cases still to be settled are those of frontline starters Luis Severino, Aaron Nola and Gerrit Cole. Severino requested $5.25 million and was offered $4.4 million by the Yankees, Nola asked for $6.75 million and was offered $4.5 million by the Phillies and Cole requested $13.5 million and was offered $11.425 million by the Astros.

Getting  'Real'

It wouldn't be an offseason lowdown if there wasn't a J.T. Realmuto update.

Realmuto's exit is all but guaranteed, and the Marlins would prefer to have it done before pitchers and catchers report next week. Where he'll be reporting remains a mystery.

Tuesday brought two new interesting pieces of news on possible destinations. First, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the Phillies had recently checked in on Realmuto, and later in the day Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown warned to "keep an eye on" the Philly club in the pursuit of the catcher. The Phils are poised to enter the season with Jorge Alfaro post-dish but have long been searching for another impact bat to add to their lineup.


In recent days and weeks, the Reds, Rays, Dodgers and Braves have all been tied to the 27-year-old as well. So, much like the courtship of free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, Realmuto's club on Opening Day seems to be anybody's guess as we approach spring training.



One of the ways in which teams have skirted laying out guaranteed contracts to relatively pricey free agents is the minor league contract.

Minor league deals guarantee almost nothing, both in dollars and role on the team, but can return non-negligible value if a team hits on a player primed for a bounce-back year or a late-career resurgence. Recent successes of note include Mark Reynolds, who swatted 30 homers with 97 RBI in 2017 after earning a job in camp, and one of the few bright spots on the Giants last season, Derek Holland, who was given a rotation spot out of spring and proceeded to post a 3.57 ERA across 171 1/3 innings of work.

Though there will surely be come to come in the approaching weeks, recent days have brought two such signings of note -- the Marlins reeled in Curtis Granderson on a minors deal, and the Bucs did the same with Francisco Liriano.

The Granderson deal is interesting because of the numbers game; the Marlins just don't have that many major league outfielders on their 40-man roster. As such, the veteran Granderson, though turning 38 before the season, could easily earn an Opening Day roster spot after hitting 13 homers with a .782 OPS in 123 games last year.

The Liriano signing is more interesting for two reasons, not unrelated: not long ago he was a Pirate, making this a reunion; and as a Pirate he was terrific. This go-round the Bucs plan to try him as a reliever, so the ultimate ceiling isn't super high, but Liriano did hold southpaws to a .170/.255/.261 line last year and could emerge as a dangerous situational reliever for the Pittsburgh outfit.

Quick Hits: Cuban shortstop Yolbert Sanchez became eligible to sign with MLB teams Tuesday. It's unclear whether he'll sign with a team soon or wait until the new international signing period begins on July 2. The Orioles still have close to $6 million in international spending money and have shown heavy interest in Sanchez, who turns 22 in March. Per Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com, the Cuban shortstop is believed to be major-league ready with the glove right now and profiles to be an average to above-average runner ... Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports that Sergio Romo is close to a one-year deal with an unspecified team. We also don't know the dollar amount. The market for the 35-year-old Romo has been rather quiet this winter after he posted a 4.14 ERA with 25 saves and a 75/20 K/BB ratio over 67 1/3 innings with the Rays in 2018. He's still capable of being a useful late-inning arm ... Didi Gregorius (elbow) has been cleared to begin a throwing program. Gregorius is on the right track in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and should join the Yankees around the All-Star break, if not a little before. He'll mostly be limited to rehab work in camp this spring ... Indians acquired RHP Nick Wittgren from the Marlins for RHP Jordan Milbrath. It was no surprise that Wittgren drew interest after being designated for assignment last week. The 27-year-old posted a solid 2.94 ERA over 33 2/3 innings last season. He should slot right into Cleveland's bullpen for 2019 ... Niko Goodrum is the favorite to serve as the Tigers' primary second baseman in 2019. Goodrum made starts at six different positions last season, but he saw the majority of his playing time at second base and that's where he projects to be in 2019. However, he's still preparing to play multiple spots if needed. Goodrum, a non-roster invitee last spring, batted .245/.315/.432 with 16 homers and 12 steals over 131 games last season. The counting stats make him worth watching, but he's mostly a deeper league option in mixed fantasy formats.

Why hasn't Bryce Harper or Machado signed ?

In the days following the World Series, David Freese pondered his options for the coming spring. At 35, he felt rejuvenated after joining the Dodgers in August. He displayed his value with an excellent postseason, enough for the team to consider picking up his $6-million option for 2019.

The interest coincided with a pair of desires for Freese. He wanted to stay in Los Angeles. And he sought to avoid the demeaning, depleting process that free agency has become. He figured he would prefer retirement to waiting until March for a new deal. So he let the Dodgers cut his pay to $5 million, and sounded thrilled with the outcome.

“It was honestly great not to go into the market,” Freese said this past weekend at Dodgers Fan Fest.

A day after Freese re-signed, the process repeated on a grander scale. Clayton Kershaw avoided free agency by agreeing to a three-year, $93-million contract. Rather than use his potential departure as a cudgel, Kershaw leveraged his theoretical freedom into effectively what was a one-year extension. He preferred the comfort of the Dodgers over the uncertainty of the market. Hyun-Jin Ryu made a similar choice, opting for the team’s one-year, $17.9-million qualifying offer rather than seeking a larger, lengthier deal with other clubs.

Across the last three decades, as Major League Baseball emerged from the late-1980s scandal of collusion and began to compensate its workforce without manipulated prices, the players treated free agency as a panacea. It was the reward for the years spent riding minor-league buses down dusty roads. It was why they accepted three years of a league-mandated minimum salary, and three more potentially fighting with their employers in arbitration. Free agency was the goal.

If a player was fortunate enough to make it through that sluice with his health and skills intact, he could reap the reward of the open market.

Yet the winter of 2019 has reinforced the foreshadowing from last winter. Those days are gone. The compensation system for baseball players is not broken, but it has mutated in a way that has squeezed out those who had become comfortable with the old paradigm.

Two weeks shy of pitchers and catchers reporting for work this season, the list of available free agents extends beyond the high-profile duo of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. Dallas Keuchel, two-time all-star and former Cy Young Award winner, remains unsigned. So does seven-time all-star closer Craig Kimbrel. Multiple other former all-stars are available.

More revealing is the brevity of contracts that have been given out. Only four players — Washington Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin, , Boston Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and Seattle Mariners pitcher Yusei Kikuchi — have netted contracts longer than three years. Fifteen teams have spent fewer than $25 million on free agents this winter.

Consider the case of former Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal. Heading into his age-30 season, he averaged 24 home runs and a .799 on-base plus slugging percentage during the previous three years. His production outpaced that of catcher Brian McCann, who inked a five-year, $85-million contract with the New York Yankees before the 2014 season at the same age after averaging 21 homers and a .770 OPS. Grandal settled with Milwaukee.

The era of the irrational eight- or nine-figure payday has ended, as executives have seen the folly of deals awarded to players such as Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward and Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis .

“Data is laying it out there on how guys play, how they show up later on in these huge deals,” Freese said. “And I guess it’s just not panning out. So teams are just not going to throw that out there — especially if there aren’t more than a team or two fighting for a certain player. Especially if you’re in your 30s.”

Freese understood the logic. But he still fretted over the implications.

“I don’t like it,” he said. “I don’t think it needs to be like that. We understand how much money is out there, and the question is: where is the fans’ money going?”

Both Harper and Machado are 26, but have still been caught in this storm. In recent years, the proliferation of teams tanking in the hopes of rebuilding has been replaced by a more subtle scourge. No longer does half the industry abdicate winning in an effort to replicate how the Chicago Cubs and the Houston Astros assembled their championship clubs. But a majority of the sport has embraced austerity, even the large-market clubs who once used financial might to lord over rivals.

The Yankees diverted their offseason resources to a horde of relievers and second baseman D.J. LeMahieu, rather than Harper and Machado. The Cubs preferred to bring back shortstop Addison Russell, who was suspended in October for violating the sport’s domestic-violence policy, instead of pursuing Machado. Needing to fill a hole in their outfield, the Astros opted for a two-year, $32-million contract with Michael Brantley, a good player who lacks the stratospheric upside of Harper.

The Dodgers have scant interest in Machado and tepid interest in Harper, but they’ve still spent more than most.

Who knows why neither have signed. Maybe it's an elaborate game of chicken.

Arenado Breaks the Bank

The Rockies and 3B Nolan Arenado avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $26 million contract. The two sides came to an amicable settlement after Arenado requested $30 million and the Rockies countered with $24 million. The $26 million deal is a new record for an arbitration-eligible player, shattering the mark set last year when Josh Donaldson snared $23 million from the Blue Jays in his last shot at arbitration. Arenado will be a free agent after the upcoming season unless the Rockies are able to convince him to sign an extension. Arenado's salary will be tied with Giancarlo Stanton for the tenth-highest in the majors this year. The 27-year-old third baseman batted .297/.374/.561 with 38 home runs and 110 RBI last year.

Ohtani to Start Season on the Shelf
Angels general manager Billy Eppler told reporters on Thursday that Shohei Ohtani will not be ready for Opening Day. Eppler also said that Ohtani has not yet taken any swings since undergoing Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow in October. It is a foregone conclusion that he will not be able to pitch at all this season, but the hope is that he will be able to serve as the Angels' regular designated hitter. Today's news sets back his timetable quite a bit and makes him a very risky bet on draft day. He won the American League Rookie of the Year last season as the best two-way player in baseball since Babe Ruth. He batted .285/.361/.564 with 22 home runs, 61 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 367 plate appearances between pitching starts. So clearly, even as a one-way player he can still help lead fantasy teams to victory if he's healthy enough to see regular at-bats.

Snakes Find a Closer

The Diamondbacks signed RHP Greg Holland to a one-year, $3.5 million contract. The veteran closer is now the pre-season favorite to snare the ninth-inning job come Opening Day. Youngster Archie Bradley was atop the Diamondback's bullpen depth chart prior to Holland joining the team. Holland has 189 career saves, ranking him sixth among all active pitchers -- behind Craig Kimbrel (333 saves), Fernando Rodney (325), Kenley Jansen (268), Aroldis Chapman (236) and Joakim Soria (220). Holland was basically the baseball version of Jekyll and Hyde last year -- he had a 7.92 ERA in 32 games with the Cardinals in the first half and then rebounded with a 0.84 ERA in 24 games with the Nationals in the second half. He had an unlucky .379 BABIP with the Cardinals and a lucky .186 BABIP with the Nationals. The real Greg Holland is obviously in the middle. He has a career 2.83 ERA with a .296 BABIP and an 11.63 K/9 since making his debut with the Royals in 2010.


 Multiple outlets reported that the Astros have signed free agent left-hander Wade Miley to a one-year, $4.5 million contract. The deal is not official yet but there is so much smoke around this one that there has to be a fire. The Astros have three rotation slots locked down by Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Collin McHugh. Miley will take the fourth slot. He employed a smoke-and-mirrors approach to register a 5-2 record and 2.57 ERA in 16 starts for the Brewers last year despite his strikeout rate tumbling to a career-low 5.58 K/9. Fantasy owners should be skeptical that he can come anywhere close to repeating that minuscule ERA again. His ERA was 5.61 in 2017 and 5.37 in 2016. It would not be a surprise if the Astros were to sign another free agent starter in the next few weeks, perhaps even Dallas Keuchel, who remains unsigned after declining a one-year, $17.9 million qualifying offer from the Astros.

 Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports that the J.T. Realmuto trade talks are in "advanced stages." Frisaro pegs the Padres, Reds, Dodgers, and Braves as all being "in the mix," with San Diego possibly emerging as the "frontrunner". The Reds made an aggressive push to acquire Realmuto earlier this week and reportedly wanted a window to negotiate a contract extension for Realmuto but were denied that permission. Last week the Reds were able to make signing Sonny Gray to a contract extension a make-or-break condition of their trade with the Yankees, but they couldn't pull it off with the Marlins this time around -- at least not yet. Realmuto batted .277/.340/.484 batting line with 21 home runs and 74 RBI over 125 games last season. He is considered the best fantasy catcher in the league at this time. The Marlins' asking price for Realmuto has been astronomical for years. Any team that acquires him is going to have to sell the farm to get him.

 The Twins signed LHP Martin Perez to a one-year, $4 million contract with a $7.5 million club option for 2020. He is expected to join the rotation despite putting up a 6.22 ERA and 52/36 K/BB ratio across 85 1/3 innings for the Rangers in 2018. He might be better utilized as a situational lefty reliever because of his massive career platoon splits. For his career, right-handed batters have posted an .815 OPS against him, while left-handed batters have recorded a .650 OPS against him. Over the past three seasons combined, Perez's 5.18 K/9 is the lowest mark in the major leagues (min. 400 IP).

 MLB.com's Jon Morosi writes that the possibility of a Corey Kluber trade is "diminishing by the day." Kluber has drawn trade interest from a range of clubs, including the Dodgers, Padres, Reds, and Brewers, but the Tribe's asking price for the 32-year-old ace remains understandably sky-high and we're now just two weeks away from the beginning of spring training. Look for Kluber to take the bump on Opening Day for the Tribe. He finished third in the American League Cy Young Award balloting last season after going 20-7 with a 2.89 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 222/34 K/BB ratio in 215 innings.

Trent Rosecrans reports that the Reds are in "serious" discussions with free agent reliever Zack Duke. The situational left-hander registered a 4.15 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 52 innings while seeing action in a whopping 72 games last year for the Twins and Mariners. He missed most of the 2017 season due to forearm surgery but was one of the better left-handed relievers in baseball for a numbers of years before that.



 There are at least four realistic teams pursuing Bryce Harper. He lists the Padres, Phillies, Nationals and White Sox. The Padres sent a high-level delegation to Harper's home in Las Vegas on Thursday to see if they could entice him to choose San Diego as his new workplace.

 Sources believe that the Braves are "lying in the weeds" to sign free agent reliever Craig Kimbrel. Heyman also notes that other teams interested include the Phillies, Nats, Red Sox, Twins and a mystery team. Kimbrel was seeking a six-year deal in the $90 million range early in the offseason but it is believed both the years and dollar amount have been dropping in recent weeks. Sooner or later the price will get low enough for a team to jump on it. The 30-year-old is coming off a season where he saved 42 games and posted a 2.74 ERA with a 96/31 K/BB ratio for the Red Sox.
 The Athletics are pursuing veteran catcher Matt Weiters. Weiters missed a big chunk of last season and batted just .238/.330/.374 with eight home runs and 30 RBI across 271 plate appearances for the Nationals.
The Twins are "looking to add a reliever" and free agent Ryan Madson is among the "considerations." Madson registered an ugly 5.47 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 52 2/3 innings of relief last season between the Nationals and Dodgers.

The Rockies are interested in re-signing free agent outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. The 33-year-old outfielder had some great seasons for the Rockies in his heyday but has settled into mediocrity the last couple of years. Last year he batted .276/.329/.467 with 16 home runs and 64 RBI in 132 games.

Quick Hits: Utility man Hernan Perez underwent surgery to remove the pisiform bone from his left wrist after the 2018 season. He is expected to be ready for the start of spring training... Rockies signed 1B Mark Reynolds to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training... Pirates signed RHP Brandon Maurer to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Mauer registered an awful 7.76 ERA over 37 appearances with the Royals in 2018... Andrew Cashner (knee) expects to carry a clean bill of health into spring training. Cashner posted a wretched 5.29 ERA and 99/65 K/BB ratio in 153 innings with Baltimore last year... Pirates signed OF J.B. Shuck to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

 Shuck posted a brutal .192/.255/.231 batting line with zero home runs and four RBI in 142 plate appearances last season with the Marlins.

Jimmy's half Nelson

Jimmy Nelson has no restrictions, but he's not without concerns.

Nelson, who missed the entire 2018 season after 2017 shoulder surgery, will enter camp a full go, he revealed at Brewers On Deck, their annual fan festival. What's more, he said it's his goal to be the Brewers' starter on Opening Day.

"I love that mentality," Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said. "I love the fact that Jimmy wants to do that, and believes he can do that. Jimmy has gone through a really nice off-season to this point in terms of going through a normal throwing program. We’re going to let Jimmy’s health and progress dictate the pace at which this moves throughout the spring.

"It’s a balancing act, right? You want your players to be motivated, to get after it as hard as possible. It’s our responsibility to make sure he’s doing that as safely as possible. So, he and our medical staff have been in contact throughout this entire off-season.
"He has followed our throwing program to a T, and I know he will continue to do that."

Nelson was having a terrific 2017 season before the injury, posting a 3.49 ERA while striking out 27.3 percent of hitters in 29 starts. He injured the shoulder sliding head-first in a game on September 8.

When healthy, the 29-year-old is arguably -- or inarguably, depending on who you ask -- the Brewers' best starter. Even coming off a year-plus away, Nelson holds promise as a high-strikeout starter on a good team.

His shoulder is not Nelson's only, or biggest, concern, though. Soon after Brewers On Deck, he also revealed his unborn twin daughters needed a procedure to attempt to correct twin to twin transfusion, a condition that could mean one or both of the twins wouldn't live.

That potentially devastating news served as a good reminder that baseball players are literally just like us; in that, they're human. There is a "rather significant chance" of losing one or both babies, Nelson said on Instagram, and if that does happen it will have a real-life effect that transcends the fantasy game.

We're keeping the Nelson family in our thoughts.

Realmuto in Red?

Already having had one of the most active off-seasons, the Reds appear to lead the pack in pursuit of the most sought-after catcher available as well.

Reports trickled in Monday that the Reds were "making progress" in talks for Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, per Fancred's Jon Heyman. Tuesday morning, Heyman cautioned that the two sides were "still apart" on the prospects that would change hands in a potential deal.

It's hard to tell who might go to Miami in a potential deal, but Heyman offers that Reds prospects Hunter Greene, Nick Senzel and Taylor Trammell -- three of the team's highest-regarded prospects according to many outlets -- could interest the Marlins. In a separate tweet, Heyman names Jonathan India, the No. 5 overall pick in last summer's MLB Draft, as another possible prospect in play.

Though it may be posturing on the part of the Marlins, everything suggests it may take an uncomfortable package of young players, headlined by one of those mentioned by Heyman, to acquire the 27-year-old Realmuto. Most rumblings to this point have had the Fish seeking a sky-high return for the catcher, who is under team control through the 2020 season.

And although the Reds are the latest team believed to have momentum, they're not the only ones still said to have interest. Heyman notes the Padres, a team with a top catching prospect of their own, Francisco Mejia, to dangle; as well as the Dodgers, Braves, Astros and Rays are "among other possibilities" to win the bidding for Realmuto.

Infield insights

A pair of middle infielders found new homes on Tuesday.

Former Padre and Phillie Freddy Galvis inked a one-year, $5 million deal with the Blue Jays to presumably be the team's Opening Day shortstop. That move suddenly calls into question the status of Lourdes Gurriel, the previously presumed starter, with the possibility now existing that Gurriel begins the year in the minors or in a timeshare.

The deal also includes a $5.5 million club option for 2020.

Further south, the Marlins signed infielder Neil Walker to a one-year, $2 million contract. Walker has experience at a number of infield positions and will likely play them all at points this year.

The 33-year-old hit just .219/.309/.354 in 113 games with the Yankees last year.

Quick Hits: Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Marcell Ozuna (shoulder) will begin his throwing program in early February. Ozuna, who underwent shoulder surgery in late October, took batting practice and played catch at the Cardinals' complex in the Dominican Republic last week. Mozeliak said Ozuna is "looking strong" and "working hard" and they are encouraged by his progress ... Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports that the Twins have "inquired" on Craig Kimbrel and could make a play for him if his asking price drops ... the Red Sox signed RHP Jenrry Mejia to a minor league contract. Mejia was previously banned for life from Major League Baseball following a third PED bust in 2016, but he won reinstatement late last summer and will now try to rebuild his reputation with Boston. The 29-year-old right-hander hasn't appeared in a game at the MLB level since July 2015 ... Rangers signed RHP Shawn Kelley to a one-year, $2.75 million contract with a $2.5 million club option for 2020. The deal was agreed to on Monday and then made official on Tuesday evening after Kelley passed the necessary pre-signing physical. The 34-year-old right-hander delivered a sharp 2.94 ERA, 0.898 WHIP, and 50/11 K/BB ratio over 49 innings between the Nationals and Athletics in 2018, and will now continue his work as a late-inning setup man in Arlington, Texas. Kelley could maybe even slide into the closer role if Jose Leclerc is traded. John Andreoli has been designated for assignment in a corresponding 40-man roster move ... Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that the Padres are considering free agent Mike Moustakas. And Moustakas comes at the recommendation of his former teammate and current Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer. The Padres have emerged as a potential suitor for Manny Machado, but Moustakas will come cheaper and might also be more realistic ... Rays signed INF/OF Emilio Bonifacio to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Bonifacio turns 34 in April and spent most of last season in independent ball before signing a minor league deal with the Brewers late in the year ... the Diamondbacks signed manager Torey Lovullo to a contract extension. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reports that the new deal will run through 2021. His contract was set to expire at the conclusion of the 2019 campaign ... Jarrod Saltalamacchia announced his retirement from baseball, as did Dillon Gee ... the Mets and Royals made official their deals with Justin Wilson and Whit Merrifield, respectively. Wilson will earn $10 million over two years, while Merrifield will make $16.25 million over the final four years of team control.

Hey Man , there's a 2nd baseman in your Merri-Field

The Royals made some waves late Sunday when Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported that the club was closing in on a four-year extension with second baseman Whit Merrifield.

Well, extension isn’t really the correct term here, as they would be buying out his last pre-arbitration season as well as his three years of arbitration-eligibility, but you get the drift.

The real head-scratcher of the proposed deal was the total dollar amount, a reported $16.25 million guaranteed, with the possible to earn an additional $2 million in incentives. The deal also reportedly includes a club option for the 2023 season, which would have been Merrifield’s first season of free agency. With the option, Morosi notes that the total value of the contract could top $30 million.

While that’s a nice chunk of change for a 30-year-old who earned only $569,500 during the 2018 season, it looks like an extremely team-friendly deal for the Royals. While they’ll pay out a little more up front than they would have via the arbitration process, they gain cost certainty in the deal and also get to appease their new franchise player.

There’s no denying why the cash-strapped Royals would like to lock up Merrifield long-term, as he has been phenomenal since taking over as their everyday second baseman early on during the 2017 season.

After bursting onto the scene by hitting .288/.324/.460 with 80 runs scored, 19 homers, 78 RBI and an American League-leading 34 stolen bases in 2017, Merrifield may have been even better in his encore performance. Last year, he hit a monstrous .304/.367/.438 with 88 runs scored, 12 homers, 60 RBI and a whopping 45 stolen bases that topped all MLB players. He also led the league with 192 hits.

Merrifield has amassed 8.1 WAR over the last two seasons, including 5.2 in 2018, which was the 15th most among all MLB position players.

While he could have likely held out for much more guaranteed money, it’s also hard to fault Merrifield for setting his family up for life. Remember, this is a player who logged seven seasons in the minor leagues before getting his first taste of big league action in 2016. He then spent more time in Triple-A to begin the 2017 season and struggled through his first month with the Royals before he got hot in late May and never looked back.

Friars in on Machado and Realmuto

We have been hearing all along that there were a mystery team, or teams, still involved in the Manny Machado sweepstakes other than the Phillies and White Sox, and now one of them seems to be coming to the forefront.

According to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, the Padres are interested in setting up a face-to-face meeting with Machado and his representatives. We'll see what transpires.

Lin says the club may set up a meeting in Machado's native Miami, and that the club wants to have an in-person meeting if they're to get more seriously involved in talks for the infielder.

Though latest to the party, the San Diego club seems to have some momentum right now and could be serious players in the pursuit of the 26-year-old.

Machado isn’t the only superstar that the Padres may be after either, as they have been in trade talks with the Marlins about All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto.

Trade talks regarding Realmuto have been intensifying in recent days, with the Padres and Dodgers as the most serious suitors. Jon Morosi of MLB.com adds that the Marlins have requested that Francisco Mejia be included as a part of any return package for Realmuto, which makes sense as they’d have a major vacancy behind the plate.

The Padres, according to Morosi, have also requested an exclusive negotiation window to discuss a contract extension with Realmuto as a condition of any deal. The Padres have one of the best and deepest minor league systems in all of baseball, so they certainly have the talent to pull of this type of deal.

If they are somehow able to land both Realmuto and Machado, it would go a long way to pushing up the Padres’ window to compete in the National League West.

Risers and Fallers

Since the hot stove season continues to trudge along at a glacial pace and we’re still waiting to see what happens with the two biggest fish in the pond, I thought it would be worthwhile to take a glance at the biggest risers and fallers in average draft position since the drafting season began.

As you would expect, most of the significant movers and shakers are due to either a change in role, landing in a situation where they won’t be utilized, drop in playing time due to new additions to his team or even free agents that are languishing on the market without a team to call home.

Risers

Daniel Murphy - UP 31.62% (From 113.66 to 77.72)

That’s what landing at Coors Field will do for you. Murphy has gone from going at the 7/8 turn in 15-team leagues to the 5/6 turn. If looking to acquire Murphy in current drafts, be sure to pay attention to the recent trends, rather than trying to secure him at or around his overall ADP.

Domingo Santana - UP 19.41% (From 318.26 to 256.47)

Santana benefits greatly from the trade that sent him to the Mariners, as he’s now in line for full-time at-bats, rather than stuck in a fourth outfielder role with the Brewers again. Even at his current ADP, there’s plenty of room for profit if he can deliver anything close to his breakout 2017 campaign.

David Robertson - UP 17.93% (From 253.71 to 208.21)

This one is interesting because Robertson hasn’t officially been named the closer for the Phillies, but fantasy owners are buying in. Manager Gabe Kapler has indicated that Robertson "will be used as another late-inning, high-leverage arm and not as a traditional closer”, presumably sharing save chances with Seranthony Dominguez.

Yasiel Puig - UP 17.25% (From 109.95 to 90.98)

The fantasy public seems to love the move away from Dodger Stadium and into the hitter’s haven that is the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. The 28-year-old has all of the tools to be a true five-category difference maker.

Carson Kelly - UP 12.37% (From 460.55 to 403.6)

With the move to Arizona, fantasy owners are buying the hype on the former Cardinals’ backstop and hoping that he can displace Alex Avila for the lion’s share of the at-bats. Unlike most catchers drafted this late, Kelly does have some tangible upside.

Nelson Cruz - UP 11.38% (From 111.22 to 98.56)

Fantasy owners were apparently on board with Cruz regardless of where he ended up, because a spot in the middle of the Twins’ lineup and in the pitcher’s paradise that is Target Field was far from an ideal destination, yet his ADP shot up nearly two rounds with the move. Here’s to getting 40 homers from your utility slot.

Anibal Sanchez - UP 11.32% (From 314.83 to 279.19)

The 34-year-old right-hander had a resurgence with the Braves in 2017 and landed in as good of a spot as possible with the Nationals. If you buy into the fact that he can stay healthy and repeat even some semblance of 2018, there’s ample upside to be had at this price.

Andrew Miller - UP 11.29% (From 281.81 to 250)

Even if he’s sharing the closer’s role with Jordan Hicks, fantasy owners will do anything to get a shot at saves.

Troy Tulowitzki - UP 11.13% (From 493.61 to 438.65)

Count me as among those who are intrigued with Tulowitzi in the bandbox that is Yankee Stadium. With really no risk to be had at pick 438, I’ll likely have some shares.

Blake Parker - UP 10.81% (From 441.55 to 393.84)

After surprisingly getting non-tendered by the Angels, Parker will now compete with Trevor May for save chances in Minnesota.

Kelvin Herrera - UP 10.70% (From 419.9 to 374.98)

Once again, the chase for the almighty save. Even with Alex Colome likely to get the first crack at the ninth inning job with the White Sox, Herrera holds much more fantasy appeal now than he did before he landed in Chicago.

Fallers

Zach Britton - DOWN 31.39% (From 278.26 to 365.6)

Saves giveth and saves taketh away. Fantasy owners in early drafts were buying up shares of the veteran left-hander in the hope that he’d land a ninth-inning gig someplace. As the second or third option in the Yankees’ bullpen, his value has dropped considerably.

Jeurys Familia - DOWN 24.92% (From 396.14 to 494.84)

Like Britton before him, fantasy owners in early slow drafts were storing up shares of Familia with the thinking that there would be a team willing to sign him and immediately insert him in the closer’s role. Unfortunately, he wound up back with the Mets and behind the top closer in the game.

Nate Jones - DOWN 22.91% (From 473.51 to 578.67)

Saves, saves, saves. Jones entered the offseason as the favorite for save chances in the White Sox bullpen. That was before both Alex Colome and Kelvin Herrera were added.

Jeff McNeil - DOWN 21.42% (From 273.26 to 331.79)

The 26-year-old had an extremely impressive showing in 63 games as a rookie and was expected to open the season as the club’s starting second baseman. That was before the Mets went out and acquired Robinson Cano from the Mariners, forcing McNeil into a utility role and sapping his once-intriguing fantasy value.

Tyler Austin - DOWN 18.12% (From 493.45 to 582.88)

Austin began the offseason as someone likely to see full-time at-bats as either the first baseman or designated hitter for the Twins. That was before the acquisitions of both C.J. Cron and Nelson Cruz, rendering Austin an afterthought from a fantasy perspective.

Quick Hits: The Mariners officially announced their one-year, $1.3 million contract with Hunter Strickland. The right-hander is the favorite to begin the season as the M’s closer… Rangers' manager Chris Woodward officially announced Friday that Jose Leclerc will begin the 2019 season as the team's closer… They designated Max Povse for assignment in a corresponding move… Paul DeJong appears to be the favorite to bat in the third spot in the Cardinals’ lineup… The Brewers are planning to roll with a combination of Hernan Perez, Tyler Saladino and Cory Spangenberg at second base, that is provided they don’t sign or trade for an established second baseman prior to Opening Day… Braves’ manager Brian Snitker is leaning towards having Ender Inciarte lead off in 2019, despite the success that Ronald Acuna had out of that spot in the second half of 2018… Dylan Covey and Manny Banuelos are currently the favorites to open the season as the White Sox’ fifth starter according to general manager Rick Hahn… Jimmy Nelson (shoulder) said Sunday that he will enter spring training without any limitations… Orioles general manager Mike Elias on Saturday did not rule out the possibility of re-signing Adam Jones… Byron Buxton said Saturday that he's gained 21 pounds of muscle this offseason, with the goal of keeping him healthy throughout the 2019 season… The Rockies are considering moving Charlie Blackmon to a corner outfield spot. If that were to happen, David Dahl would slide over to center field… The Blue Jays signed right-hander Javy Guerra to a minor league contract… Kenley Jansen (heart) threw off a mound Thursday for the first time since heart surgery in November… Mark Trumbo told reporters that his surgically-repaired right knee is improving and he has resumed taking batting practice… Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Jung Ho Kang has already been granted a visa for the 2019 season… The Astros are open to the possibility of re-signing starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel and super-utilityman Marwin Gonzalez… Cubs signed RHP Junichi Tazawa to a minor league contract… Athletics' general manager David Forst said Friday that they have continued talks with Khris Davis about a possible long-term contract extension.