Mining the News (11/9/24)

Free Agents

• Some teams are considering using Jeff Hoffman as a starter.

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel reported within his ranking of the offseason’s top free agents that some clubs have considered pursuing Hoffman as a starting pitcher. The Athletic’s Matt Gelb backs that up in his own report, further pointing out that Hoffman is represented the same agency (CAA) that represented Reynaldo Lopez during his own switch from the bullpen to the rotation last winter.

Notably, McDaniel opines that Hoffman is still likelier to sign as a reliever. It’s the role in which he’s dominated over the past two seasons, and while he’s not the No. 1 reliever in this offseason’s free agent class — most publications, including MLBTR, assigned that honor to lefty Tanner Scott — Hoffman has a case to be considered the No. 2 or No. 3 bullpen arm on the open market this winter.

As a reliever, Hoffman has three pitches that have great grades and results.

Pitch: SwStr%, BotOverall, Pitching+
Four-seamer: 15%, 67, 103
Slider: 21%, 49, 104
Splitter: 18%, 49, 107

• Roki Sasaki and his parent team will leave a lot of money on the table if he’s posted this offseason.

If Sasaki were to be posted this offseason, he’d be looking at a bonus similar to what Shohei Ohtani received when he faced the same limitations. In 2017, Ohtani chose the Los Angeles Angels after a fierce recruiting battle, signing for $2.3 million, a fraction of his eventual production and the value he generated for the West Coast franchise.

The differences between major- and minor-league contracts — and being 23 or 25 in these cases — are enormous.

By waiting until after his 25th birthday to go through the posting process last winter, Yoshinobu Yamamoto landed a record-setting $325 million deal with the Dodgers. The posting fee to Yamamoto’s previous team, the Orix Buffaloes, cost the Dodgers an additional $50.6 million.

• Alex Bregman had elbow surgery.

Free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman underwent a procedure to remove a bone chip from his right elbow, his agent Scott Boras said Wednesday.

Boras said Bregman is on track to resume swinging a bat “in a few weeks” and hinted he will be at full strength for spring training. Bregman underwent a similar arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from the same elbow after the 2018 season.

After a mid-summer timeline from Ha-Seong Kim 김하성’s former GM, his agent says Kim will be ready near the start of the season.

Kim’s agent, Scott Boras, said the 29-year-old is receiving “widespread” interest from teams despite the injury.

“He knows that all the teams are aware about his return to play date, which is going to be, if not [at the] start, very early in the season,” Boras said on Wednesday. “They’re all aware. They’ve seen the reports and are very comfortable with his medical.”

American League

Athletics

• Mason Miller will not be moving to the rotation.

Last offseason, the Athletics moved Mason Miller from the rotation to the closing job. General manager David Forst said at the time that the A’s were open to building the right-hander back up as a starter after one season in relief. That doesn’t seem to be on the table for now.

“We’re not talking about moving him back into a starting role,” Forst told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle this week. While that doesn’t preclude having the conversation at some point during the offseason, it appears the likelier outcome is that Miller will remain in the ninth inning.

Guardians

• Andrés Giménez could play some shortstop next season.

The rationale behind moving him to shortstop in the past was maybe there would be a better bat (like Juan Brito) to take over at second base, while Giménez shifts to shortstop. Now, all eyes turn to Travis Bazzana, this year’s No. 1 overall Draft pick.

The second baseman from Australia could be on the fast track to the Majors. If he’s able to make his debut by the end of the ’25 season, the Guardians will need to have the flexibility to move Giménez to shortstop.

“It’s always helpful to have versatility,” Antonetti said. “So Gimé, throughout the season on his own, continued to take ground balls at shortstop, and we’ve encouraged him this winter to continue to get reps at short so that’s always an option.”

Orioles

• Jackson Holliday shortened his toe tap over the final two regular season games. Here is a comparison of his old and new one.

Jackson Holliday was "hesitant" to ditch his leg kick for a toe tap — an idea the Orioles first pitched shortly after drafting him.

But after imitating Shohei Ohtani during BP with coach Cody Asche, Holliday made the late-season switch and it worked.

📰: https://t.co/HgxI81P4lQ pic.twitter.com/DrIG3q1Xjb

— Jacob Calvin Meyer is on a byline strike (@jcalvinmeyer) October 24, 2024

Yankees

• Jasson Domínguez is not being guaranteed an outfield spot next season.

The Yankees aren’t guaranteeing top prospect Jasson Domínguez a spot in their starting outfield just yet. Cashman mentioned how the 21-year-old “missed a lot of time” this year due to injury.

“He’s in a position to potentially take a spot,” Cashman said, “but then we have to compare that to what else is available to us, too, and make those decisions. I’m not saying he’s guaranteed a position at November whatever day it is. We’ll wait and see how our winter plays out and what twists and turns come our way.”

• The second base void could be handled internally with Jazz Chisholm Jr. …

The Yankees also see second base as a position they could fill with any number of internal candidates. Cashman said the club could move Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third base back to second base or use prospects Caleb Durbin or Oswald Peraza at the position.

… or Caleb Durbin.

Cashman mentioned Caleb Durbin as a potential internal candidate to take over second base next season if they decide not to re-sign Torres. Durbin, who is on pace to break the Arizona Fall League record for stolen bases, could bring much-needed speed to the lineup.

• Ben Rice could be a solution at first base.

Cashman also said that he considers Ben Rice “a catcher first” rather than a first baseman, though Rice only played first base in the majors this season. But the GM called Rice “a possibility” as a solution at first base with Anthony Rizzo a free agent.

“He’s a great bat,” Cashman said of Rice. “He’s got some serious slug and on-base percentage in there. We’re really excited about the offensive profile.”

National League

Cardinals

• Willson Contreras will move to first base.

NL Gm’s are meeting the media. One thing to address with Cardinals brass: Willson Contreras is moving to first base.

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) November 6, 2024

• Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray will not waive their no-trade clauses.

This time, Contreras’ openness to a position change speaks volumes about his desire to remain with the Cardinals, despite the team’s current trajectory. With payroll going down and the organization focused on development, Mozeliak has held conversations with all players holding full no-trade clauses, gauging each player’s interest in staying through the rebuild period. Contreras expressed a desire to remain with the organization; the Cardinals will not be trading him this winter. At least one other player also has said he’d prefer to stay with the Cardinals, Mozeliak said. Per league sources, that player is Sonny Gray.

• The main outfielders will be Lars Nootbaar, Jordan Walker, and Michael Siani.

Mozeliak said Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker should see considerable reps in the corner outfield. Michael Siani looks to be the frontrunner for the starting center field job come spring training, though Victor Scott II will have opportunities as he continues to develop.

Cubs

• The team will get health checkups from Ben Brown and Cade Horton later this month.

Hoyer noted that both Brown and top pitching prospect Cade Horton (Pipeline’s No. 3 Cubs prospect and No. 42 on the Top 100 list) are scheduled for checkups later this month. If both are cleared following injury-marred campaigns last season, they should have a normal ramp-up leading to Spring Training and be in line to help in 2025.

Dodgers

• Shohei Ohtani may not be ready to pitch to start the season …

Ohtani has been making steady progress with his throwing over the past several months, but he was not available to pitch during the postseason. Ohtani also underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a left labrum tear on Nov. 5, and the team expects him to be ready for Spring Training 2025. While he should be ready for Opening Day as a hitter, it is unclear if Ohtani will be ready to open the season in the Dodgers’ rotation.

… and delay could be similar to Walker Buehler’s May 6th return from a similar injury.

Even if Ohtani weren’t rehabbing from left shoulder surgery, he was still coming off a second major elbow ligament reconstruction. The Dodgers decided to delay the start to Walker Buehler’s season in a similar situation this year — Buehler made his first start May 6. Is the same in the cards for Ohtani, even with the Dodgers opening the 2025 season at the Tokyo Dome in Ohtani’s native Japan?

• The team expects Ohtani not to run as much.

Gomes was more direct about one thing involving Ohtani: A year after becoming the first player ever with more than 50 home runs (54) and 50 stolen bases (59) in the same season, Ohtani probably won’t be as aggressive on the bases again in 2025.

“I have a hunch,” Gomes quipped. “I don’t want to count him out because I don’t ever bet against Shohei.”

• Tony Gonsolin, Tyler Glasnow, and Dustin May should be healed and rotation options to start next season.

Gonsolin did not appear on any of the Dodgers’ postseason rosters, but he’s expected to be available to open the 2025 season in the rotation, per general manager Brandon Gomes. (Last updated: Nov. 6)

…
General manager Brandon Gomes said that with rest and rehab in the offseason, Glasnow is expected to be ready to open 2025 in the rotation.
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General manager Brandon Gomes said May should be an option to open the season in the rotation in 2025.

• Again, the team will be using a six-man rotation next season.

Whether they have Ohtani pitching at the start of the season or not, Gomes reiterated that it is a “safe bet” the Dodgers will open the season with a six-man rotation — only further emphasizing what will be a target area for the organization this winter.

• With Mookie Betts shifting to the infield, Dalton Rushing could start in the outfield.

Shifting Betts to the infield would open up a corner-outfield spot, which could allow the Dodgers to take a shot at wooing top free agent Juan Soto. Perhaps more realistically, Dalton Rushing, the team’s top prospect and No. 39 overall according to MLB Pipeline, began getting reps in left field midway through 2024 and could have a clearer path to the big league club.

• Nick Frasso (shoulder) started facing hitters.

… as did prospect Nick Frasso, who progressed to facing hitters this fall …

• Walker Buehler decided to finally get amped up and pitch his best since the Dodgers were in the postseason.

At his core, the Dodgers’ starter is a competitor fueled by adrenaline, pressure and a bonafide challenge. So his sterling start in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night at Yankee Stadium was not necessarily a surprise. And neither was his summation of his efforts, which featured a dose of refreshing honesty.

“I think, as kind of brutal as it is to say, it takes that adrenaline and stuff to kind of really get me going mentally,” Buehler said. “I wish I would have felt that all year. I could tell you I’m excited to pitch every single game I’ve ever gone out there, but there is something different in the playoffs.”

Giants

• Tyler Fitzgerald is not tabbed to play shortstop next season.

“If we could find a shortstop, that’d be great,” Posey said Tuesday at the General Managers Meetings at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country. “I think Tyler Fitzgerald did a great job at short last year. I think he has value in multiple spots on the field. I do think it’s hard to play multiple spots at the same time during the season. Whether he’d be better suited to play second base long term is a discussion we’re having.”

Mets

• For now, Tyrone Taylor is the top centerfield option.

The Mets have an opening in center field now that Harrison Bader is a free agent. Brandon Nimmo moved from center field to left field so that the Mets could improve their defense, particularly up the middle. In 2024, Nimmo played sparingly in center field, but mostly appeared in left field. That’s expected to continue to be the case, Stearns said.

Also, Stearns mentioned Tyrone Taylor as worthy of consideration for playing time. Taylor supplanted Bader down the stretch in 2024 as the everyday center fielder, but has never been a lineup regular.

• Ronny Mauricio’s knee recovery is progressing slowly.

Ronny Mauricio made progress with his recovery from knee surgery, Stearns said, and is expected to be healthy for spring training. Mauricio has not started baseball activities. He had surgery last winter.

Stearns, when asked why Mauricio’s recovery has gone slower than expected, said: “I don’t have a great answer to that; it just has been. Sort of at every step of this rehab process, it’s just gone a little bit slower, taken a little bit longer. We’ve had a little bit more inflammation in the knee than we would have liked at various points, which has caused us to back off, get the inflammation under control, and then restart the process. So it’s very difficult for me to say exactly why, other than some people’s bodies just recover differently from significant surgeries.”

• Brett Baty played second base last season and could even move to the outfield.

Brett Baty impressed Stearns and other club officials with how quickly he picked up second base while in Triple A. Stearns wouldn’t close the door on Baty, mostly a third baseman, seeing action in the outfield, an area he dabbled in during previous minor-league seasons.

Rockies

• Kris Bryant will have several checkups with the team over the offseason to monitor if his back is healing.

Trying to get the former MVP back on track, the Rockies are planning to bring Bryant into Denver and their Arizona training complex for periodic check-ins throughout the winter.

“So far, all the reports I’ve gotten are very positive,” Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt said. “There was no surgery or anything. It’s just about strengthening the back and rehabbing it and doing some baseball activities, ramping up maybe a little earlier than he normally would.”