We’re less than a month away from spring training, baseball fans. Here is each team’s fall training report date. As you await the return of baseball in a few weeks, there are now Monday hot stove rumors.
Red Sox Mondesi found
The Red Sox signed oft-injured outfielder Adelberto Mondesi from the Royals Josh Taylor for lefty relief According to MLB.com. Boston will also receive a player to be named later in the trade. Even with Enrique Hernandez’s switch from center field to shortstop, the Red Sox need outfield depth following the departure of Xander Bogaerts and Trevor Story’s elbow surgery.
Mondesi, 27, has played in just 50 games over the past two seasons due to multiple injuries, including a torn ACL. He flashed five-tool skills in 2018, including hitting .276/.306/.498 with 14 homers and 32 steals in 75 games, though injuries hampered his progress. Mondesi will be a free agent after 2023. Taylor, 29, didn’t pitch in MLB last season and played few major league games because of a back injury.
When the Royals discuss other businesses
But wait, more action could come from the Royals now that they host Mondesi. Outfielder Michael A. Taylor In the last 24 hours. According to ESPNThe Royals have discussed trades involving utility player Hunter Dozier and infielder Nicky Lopez.
The 31-year-old Dozier, who can sign through the 2025 season, has not been able to do well in what appears to be the 2019 season. He has posted an 89 OPS+ over the past three years. Lopez, 27, is under team control through the 2025 season. He couldn’t build on what he had in a banner 2021 season. His OPS+ dropped from 104 to 58.
The Royals have plenty of young players in the majors and on the road, making them an obvious candidate to send at least one more pitcher between now and Opening Day.
The Athletics signed first baseman Jesus Aguilar to a one-year, $3 million contract. USA Today reported. Oakland spent nearly $30 million on six free agents this offseason (Aguilar, Aledmys Díaz, Shintaro Fujinami, Trevor May, Jace Peterson and Drew Rucinski), even though their 2023 salary cap is set at just $58.5 million. by FanGraphs. It’s one of the most underrated in baseball.
Aguilar, 32, is hitting .235/.281/.379 with 16 home runs in 129 games with the Marlins and Orioles in 2022. He’s been an above-average hitter since 2021, plus he’s considered an excellent clubhouse presence. . Aguilar can take first base with Seth Brown, and also DH at-bats. And, if he performs well, the A’s will probably flip him for the future at the deadline.
Marlins Stop chasing Gurriel.
The Marlins have ended their pursuit of free agent first baseman Yuli Gurriel. reported Miami Herald. Miami is currently set to play Garrett Cooper at first base and Jorge Soler at DH, but there is still room for Gurriel if they are willing to settle with Cooper or Soler in the outfield on defense. Jazz Chisholm is moving to center in the Luis Ararez trade..
Miami has been looking for top contact hitters all offseason and Gurriel is sure to fit the bill. In the year He’s posted one of the lowest strikeout rates in baseball since 2016, though he had the worst season of his MLB career in 2022, and at age 38, he may have died as an above-average hitter. But for now, the Marlins have given up on their pursuit. It is unclear whether they are focusing elsewhere.
Rays They are still looking for abuse
GM Eric Nieder, though, said the Rays are still looking to improve their offense. reported Tampa Bay Times. Jurickson Profar is still the best free agent position player on the market.Others like Miguel Sano, Franmil Reyes, Luke Voight and former Ray David Peralta remain unsigned, though.
The Rays ranked 21st in runs scored last season and scored more than one run in nine of their last 16 regular season games. Tampa was held to a lone homer in 24 innings in the Wild Card Series loss Guards. The Rays haven’t added any offense this season. If anything, they were lessened by the Ji-Man Choi trade.
Orioles He still needs driving assistance
Orioles GM Mike Elias said in an interview with 105.7 FM The Fan over the weekend that he hopes to add another starting pitcher before spring training (Through Baltimore Sun). Oi signed Kyle Gibson to a one-year contract earlier this summer. Kyle Bradish, Dean Creamer, Tyler Wells, and Austin Vaught will round out the rotation until prime-time pitcher Grayson Rodriguez is called up.
Baltimore met with Michael Wacha. The best free agent launcher available, the last weeks. Other unsigned starters include Zack Greinke, Mike Minor and Michael Pineda. If nothing else, the O’s could use another veteran.
red No further increases are expected.
The Redskins aren’t expected to make any more additions before spring training and the roster is “pretty much set,” GM Nick Krall said at the team’s Caravan event Monday (Through Cincinnati Inquirer). “Obviously, we broke it (after making the postseason in 2020). We changed some players last year. It’s something we need to get over. We’re trying to rebuild,” Krall added.
It was an underwhelming season for the Reds. They traded Kyle Farmer, added Will Myers and Luke Weaver, and that was it. Cincinnati opens 2022 with $114.1 million in payroll. Their projected 2023 payroll currently sits at $81.5 million; by FanGraphs. As a percentage of the 2022 payroll, the Reds are projected to take the largest payroll cut in baseball this year.