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Daily ClipsNovember 7, 2017

LOCAL

Royals' core group heads for free agency

Club's finances will dictate who it will try to bring back

November 6, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com

http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/260163322/hosmer-moustakas-among-several-kc-free-agents/

KC to extend QOs to Hosmer, Moose, Cain

November 6, 2017By Daniel Kramer/MLB.com

http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/260791478/royals-to-give-qualifying-offer-to-eric-hosmer/

Royals’ three top free agents will likely decline qualifying offers. What next?

November 6, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article183044371.html

MLB.com columnist predicts Royals will sign two of their most coveted free agents

November 6, 2017By Pete Grathoff/KC Star

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article183003586.html

Royals have a new Hall of Famer: It’s their mascot, Sluggerrr

November 6, 2017By Maria Torres/KC Star


Ian Kennedy did not opt out. Can he be worth $49 million for the next three years?



Former MLB general manager predicts Royals will re-sign Hosmer, Moustakas

November 6, 2017By Jared Koller/KCTV5.com

http://www.kctv5.com/story/36775626/former-mlb-general-manager-predicts-royals-will-re-sign-hosmer-moustakas

Kansas City Royals' Sluggerrr inducted into Mascot Hall of Fame

November 6, 2017By Hailey Godburn/KSHB.com

http://www.kshb.com/sports/baseball/royals/kansas-city-royals-sluggerrr-inducted-into-mascot-hall-of-fame

MINORS

Storm Chasers Nab 10th Straight 'Best of Omaha' Honor

Voters tab club as Omaha's Best Professional Sports Team

November 6, 2017Omaha Storm Chasers

https://www.milb.com/storm-chasers/news/chasers-nab-10th-straight-best-of-omaha-honor/c-260789200

NATIONAL

Finalists for BBWAA awards unveiled

November 6, 2017By John Schlegel/MLB.com

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/260802304/2017-bbwaa-awards-finalists-named/?topicId=27118122

Qualifying offers: Who got one; who didn't?

Deadline to extend 1-year, $17.4M contract has passed

November 6, 2017By David Adler/MLB.com

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/260724482/track-qualifying-offers-for-mlb-free-agents/

10 on Hall of Fame's Modern Era ballot

Garvey, John, Mattingly, Miller, Morris, Murphy, Parker, Simmons, Tiant, Trammell to be considered

November 6, 2017By Barry M. Bloom/MLB.com

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/260794290/10-on-hall-of-fames-modern-era-ballot/?topicId=27118122

Longtime executive Bob Bowman to leave MLB after 17 years

November 6, 2017USA Today

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/11/06/bob-bowman-leave-mlb-end-year/837083001/

MLB TRANSACTIONSNovember 7, 2017 •.CBSSports.comhttp://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions

LOCAL

Royals' core group heads for free agency

Club's finances will dictate who it will try to bring back

November 6, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com

http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/260163322/hosmer-moustakas-among-several-kc-free-agents/

It's go time for the Royals now.

The club has been awaiting and planning for the moment a large number of their core group hits free agency, and that moment has arrived.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore has indicated several times that they will "feel out the market" in terms of what free agents they might be able to bring back. But finances will be tight: The Royals based their payroll the past two seasons on deep runs into the postseason. It didn't happen either season, meaning owner David Glass had to subsidize the losses, according to Moore.

Free agents: First baseman Eric Hosmer, shortstop Alcides Escobar, third baseman Mike Moustakas, center fielder Lorenzo Cain, left-hander Jason Vargas, outfielder Melky Cabrera, right-hander Peter Moylan, right-hander Trevor Cahill, left-hander Mike Minor.

Note: Minor, 29, declined a mutual option for 2018, according to a source, and right-hander Ian Kennedy already has indicated he will not opt out of the remaining three years on his deal.

Arbitration-eligible: Right-hander Kelvin Herrera, right-hander Nate Karns, right-hander Brandon Maurer, right-hander Mike Morin.

Biggest potential free-agent loss: Hosmer, without a doubt. The 28-year-old emerged as the unmistakable leader in the clubhouse and on the field. Hosmer had a career year with a .318 average, 25 home runs, 94 RBIs and a whopping .385 on-base percentage. And he is up for his fourth Gold Glove Award. Losing Hosmer would be devastating inside the clubhouse -- he became a mentor to many of the young Royals. It simply is hard to imagine the Royals without him.

Potential free-agent targets: With their payroll limitations, the only logical targets will be their own free agents. Based on the drop-off difference in their possible replacements, it's likely the Royals target Hosmer and Minor (they simply don't have another reliable closer candidate). Durable and effective reliever Moylan also seems a logical choice to bring back. The guess here is there won't be a tremendous market for Escobar -- he's someone the Royals could sign late as insurance if Raul Mondesi can't handle the job.

Wild card scenario: Glass, who became fond of being a World Series participant in 2014 and '15, may decide it's worth the gamble to potentially subsidize the payroll in 2018, and therefore inflate the payroll in 2018 enough to bring back Hosmer, Minor, Moustakas and maybe Vargas. The working theory here would be that young players such as Jorge Bonifacio, Mondesi, Whit Merrifield and Jorge Soler could be part of the next wave of a Royals revival, as long as they have some established veterans assisting. This theory only works if they once again establish a shut-down bullpen, which starts with signing Minor.

KC to extend QOs to Hosmer, Moose, Cain

November 6, 2017By Daniel Kramer/MLB.com

http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/260791478/royals-to-give-qualifying-offer-to-eric-hosmer/

Facing many critical free-agent decisions this offseason, the Royals will make $17.4 million qualifying offers to first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas and center fielder Lorenzo Cain.

Teams have until 5 p.m. ET on Monday to make qualifying offers to their own free agents, which is set by the average of the game's top 125 salaries. The Royals trio now has 10 days to accept or decline the one-year deals or hit free agency.

In making the qualifying offers, the Royals are setting themselves up for compensation for each should they depart. Depending on where they land and/or how much they receive from another club, the Royals would receive Draft pick compensation in 2018.

This is a position the Royals had long seen coming, with most of their core hitting free agency this winter, many of whom were significant contributors in reaching the World Series in consecutive years and winning the title in 2015.

General manager Dayton Moore has long said he plans to "feel out the market" when discussing which free agents they will be able to bring back, in large part because of their mid-market financial constraints. Their $143 million Opening Day payroll was a club record, per Cots Baseball Contracts. Also, given their limitations, the Royals are more than likely going to be able to pursue only their own free agents.

Hosmer, 28, is coming off arguably his best season, with a career-best .318/.385/.498 slash line to go with 25 homers and 94 RBIs, and he is also up for his fourth Gold Glove Award. The veteran first baseman is one of the true staples in the clubhouse, having been present for the entire Royals rebuild and serving as a mentor to many of the club's young players. He was drafted with the No. 3 overall pick by Kansas City in 2008.

Moustakas, 29, was taken with the No. 2 overall pick the year prior and is a two-time All-Star, including 2017, which proved to be a major bounceback season after the third baseman tore his ACL early in '16. Moustakas batted 272/.314/.521 with a career-high and franchise-record 38 homers, tied for fifth-most in the American League.

Cain, 31, hit .300/.363/.440 with 15 homers and 49 RBIs and is widely considered one of the best center fielders in baseball.

Royals’ three top free agents will likely decline qualifying offers. What next?



The Royals confirmed Monday that the club will give qualifying offers to free agents Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain, ensuring some level of compensation should those players sign elsewhere this offseason.

All three players have 10 days to accept or decline the qualifying offer, according to the terms of the latest collective-bargaining agreements. All three players are among the top free agents on the market this winter and will almost certainly decline, which will send them to the open market.

The qualifying offer for 2018 is a one-year contract at $17.4 million.

The Star reported the Royals’ desire to hand out three qualifying offers last week. The club had nine players become free agents in the last week, including reliever Mike Minor, who declined his half of a mutual option for 2018.

The Royals are not expected to extend qualifying offers to Minor, starting pitcher Jason Vargas or shortstop Alcides Escobar. Outfielder Melky Cabrera and right-handed pitcher Trevor Cahill are not eligible because they were traded midseason. The other free agent is reliever Peter Moylan.

So if Hosmer, Moustakas and Cain decline the qualifying offer, why is it important? Because it will set the Royals up to gain three additional draft picks in 2018 if all three players leave.

Let’s review the compensation rules: The Royals will receive a compensatory, or additional, draft pick following the first round if a player declines a qualifying offer and signs a contract of more than $50 million. If the player declines the qualifying offer and signs for less than $50 million, the compensation pick will come after Competitive Balance Round B, which follows the second round.

In practice, the Royals could find themselves with three additional draft picks following the 2018 first round if Hosmer, Moustakas and Cain depart and all sign for more than $50 million, one reason among many the Royals were hesitant to sell off their main pieces before the trade deadline in 2017. Hosmer, 28, and Moustakas, 29, are expected to command contracts well beyond $50 million this winter, while Cain, 31, could as well — though it could depend on the length of his contract.

So could the Royals have extended qualifying offers to Vargas and Minor and attempted to gain more draft picks? Well, yes. But the risk would have been sizable. Based on their market values, Vargas and Minor would have likely accepted the offer, pocketed $17.4 million for 2018 and taken their chances at free agency again in 2019. Such maneuvers would blow a hole in the Royals’ budget for 2018.

In addition, Escobar, 30, is expected to sign for considerably less than either Vargas or Minor.

After receiving qualifying offers, Hosmer, Moustakas and Cain can still talk to other teams during the 10-day window. Those conversations could heat up next week when club officials from all 30 teams convene in Orlando for the annual General Managers’ meetings. Yet most major player movement will not take place until the month of December.

MLB.com columnist predicts Royals will sign two of their most coveted free agents

November 6, 2017By Pete Grathoff/KC Star

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article183003586.html

Well, if Jim Duquette is right, that going-away party in the Royals’ season finale was unnecessary.

Duquette, the former Mets general manager, wrote a column predicting which teams the top 25 free agents in baseball would sign with this offseason.

That list includes four players who were with the Royals in 2017: first baseman Eric Hosmer, center fielder Lorenzo Cain, third baseman Mike Moustakas and pitcher Jason Vargas.

Hosmer, Cain and Moustakas were fêted by fans in the final game of 2017, along with shortstop Alcides Escobar.

Duquette’s forecast is for Cain to sign with the Giants and Vargas to land a deal with the Orioles.

But Duquette also sees the Royals signing Moustakas and Hosmer. Not one player. Both.

Here is part of what Duquette wrote about Moustakas: “A lack of demand for third basemen hampered Justin Turner’s earning power to some extent last offseason, but Moustakas should command a sizable contract in the $100 million range over five or six years.”

And this is a portion of what Duquette wrote about Hosmer, who is listed as the No. 5 free agent: “Any team looking for a vocal leader with postseason experience, as well as a middle-of-the-order bat, should have interest in Hosmer. Given his age relative to the rest of the class, he'll likely get a longer deal, possibly seven years at $20 million per season.”

Many Royals fans believe the Royals wouldn’t be able to sign their top free agents. However, Dayton Moore told The Star’s Rustin Dodd that he is not making that assumption.

“Everybody assumes that we are just going to just get blown away in free agency, and we don’t have a chance, Moore said. “They may be right, but I think everybody felt that way about Alex Gordon at the time. That fell back to us. You just never really know.”

Royals have a new Hall of Famer: It’s their mascot, Sluggerrr

November 6, 2017By Maria Torres/KC Star


There’s finally another Royal in the Hall of Fame.

Well, the Mascot Hall of Fame, anyway.

After 22 seasons prowling the grounds at Kauffman Stadium, Royals mascot Sluggerrr received national recognition Monday when the Mascot Hall of Fame announced his induction as part of the Class of 2017. Benny the Bull (Chicago Bulls), Tommy Hawk (Chicago Blackhawks) and Nittany Lion (Penn State) were the other inductees.

According to the Royals, Sluggerrr was in part selected for his work in the Strike Out Bullying campaign.

Sluggerrr is the fourth MLB mascot in the Mascot Hall of Fame, which is located in Whiting, Ind. He joins Phillie Phanatic, Mr. Met and Slider of the Cleveland Indians.

Sluggerrr, who debuted for the Royals on April 5, 1996, took a playful jab at the Phanatic in September when he sat down with The Star for an interview.

“I call them the big, fat, dumb mascots,” said Brad Collins, who has performed as Sluggerrr since 2011. “I love those guys and they’re great performers. But if they were put in the Sluggerrr costume, it’s a completely different character.”

Ian Kennedy did not opt out. Can he be worth $49 million for the next three years?



Royals starter Ian Kennedy held true to his word, declining to exercise a one-time opt-out in a five-year, $70 million contract signed before the 2016 season. He had little choice.

Kennedy, 32, could have opted out in the days after the World Series and returned to free agency. But in doing so, he would have turned down a guaranteed $49 million on the final three years of the deal. And in doing that, he would have returned to the open market after posting a 5-13 record and 5.38 ERA in 2017, the fifth worst ERA in baseball among starting pitchers with at least 150 innings.

In late August, Kennedy said it “would be pretty stupid” if he opted out of the deal. The statement was blunt by the standards of athletes. It was not inaccurate.

So now Kennedy is back for the final three years of his contract. And the Royals, barring a salary-dumping trade, must hope to receive value in what is, for the moment, still the second-largest contract in club history behind Alex Gordon’s four-year, $72 million deal signed in the same offseason. (That’s a subject for another day.)

Royals starter Ian Kennedy held true to his word, declining to exercise a one-time opt-out in a five-year, $70 million contract signed before the 2016 season. He had little choice.

Kennedy, 32, could have opted out in the days after the World Series and returned to free agency. But in doing so, he would have turned down a guaranteed $49 million on the final three years of the deal. And in doing that, he would have returned to the open market after posting a 5-13 record and 5.38 ERA in 2017, the fifth worst ERA in baseball among starting pitchers with at least 150 innings.

In late August, Kennedy said it “would be pretty stupid” if he opted out of the deal. The statement was blunt by the standards of athletes. It was not inaccurate.

So now Kennedy is back for the final three years of his contract. And the Royals, barring a salary-dumping trade, must hope to receive value in what is, for the moment, still the second-largest contract in club history behind Alex Gordon’s four-year, $72 million deal signed in the same offseason. (That’s a subject for another day.)

But let’s start here: In 2016, Kennedy posted a 3.68 ERA while striking out 184 in 195 2/3 innings across 33 starts. He was durable, as he tends to be. But he did give up a ton of homers (33), and he wasn’t particularly impressive, according to advanced metrics. Overall, though, his results were strong. Kennedy was worth four wins above replacement, according to Baseball Reference’s version of WAR.

In 2017, of course, Kennedy regressed, putting up a 5.38 ERA while logging 154 innings and battling leg and shoulder issues. He gave up a ton of homers (34), and he was even less impressive, according to advanced metrics. According to bWAR, he was worth 0.5 wins above replacement.

The obvious answer, of course, would be that Kennedy needs to perform closer to his 2016 version to justify the guaranteed salary. That would give the Royals a solid No. 2 or No. 3 starter to slot behind Danny Duffy. That would be useful.

But there are ways to look at value from a dollar perspective, and even some of the best methods we have offer varying perspectives. So let’s take a look.

FanGraphs converts a player’s WAR into monetary value, in an effort to determine how much it would cost to replace that WAR on the open market. It’s not perfect, and there are multiple places that do this, so the calculations include a bit of estimation. But in 2016 and 2017, one win was worth roughly $8 million on the open market.

So back to Kennedy. In 2016, he produced 4.0 bWAR, worth close to $32 million on the open market. Hey, that’s good. And it probably sounds like a lot. Nobody is going to pay Ian Kennedy that much for one season. But again, the number is simply a look at how much it might cost to replace that production on the open market.

But then, of course, there is 2017: Kennedy posted just 0.5 bWAR. That was worth just $4.0 million; Kennedy made $13.5 million.

At this point, we’ll add a layer of confusion. According to FanGraphs’ version of the WAR stat, Kennedy was worth just 1.6 fWAR in 2016. (The simple reason is that FanGraphs’ formula is based on stats that a pitcher most controls — like strikeouts, walks and homers — while attempting to reduce the effect of the defense playing behind him. So in that sense, Kennedy was worth just $12.9 million in 2016.)

But let’s try to simplify for a moment and base the conversation on what did actually transpire. So here’s the simple math: The cost of a win is going to rise over the next three seasons. But assuming it’s just over $8 million — or close to it — the Royals would need Kennedy to average just more than 2.0 bWAR across the next three seasons.

For comparison: Here are four starters who posted just more than 2.0 bWAR in 2017: (click link for list)

So here we are: This perhaps offers an illustration of what the Royals need from Kennedy across the next three seasons in order to make his contract palatable. It’s not a perfect illustration. These are just four pitchers who put up varying degrees of performance. In order to win, or even contend, the Royals would likely need even more. A salary of $16 million in Kansas City is different than $16 million in New York or Boston or Los Angeles.

But back to the initial question: Can they can find decent value in the $49 million that remains on Kennedy’s contract? This would be a start.

Former MLB general manager predicts Royals will re-sign Hosmer, Moustakas

November 6, 2017By Jared Koller/KCTV5.com

http://www.kctv5.com/story/36775626/former-mlb-general-manager-predicts-royals-will-re-sign-hosmer-moustakas

Major League Baseball free agency officially opens up Monday at 4:00, and the 2017-18 offseason figures to have major implications on the future of the Kansas City Royals.

Before the market takes shape, former New York Mets General Manager Jim Duquette, and current MLB.com columnist, predicted on Monday that Kansas City will re-sign both first baseman Eric Hosmer and third baseman Mike Moustakas.

Hosmer and Moustakas join Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, Jason Vargas and Mike Minor as the team’s top unrestricted free agents this offseason.

Kansas City offered qualifying offers to Hosmer, Moustakas and Cain, which is a one-year deal in the vicinity of $18 million. It’s essentially a formality, as each player is expected to decline the one-year offer in hopes of landing a long-term deal.

The Royals still extended the offer, even knowing the three will all decline, as it helps with draft pick compensation. After extending the offer, if Hosmer, Moustakas and Cain sign for $50 million elsewhere, that team has to give Kansas City a sandwich pick in between the first and second round.

That means if the Royals lose all three players, they would have four picks first round picks since they extended qualifying offers. This also makes it slightly less likely for other teams to sign them, as doing so would cost the team a top draft pick.

This is a clause in the collective bargaining agreement meant to help deter other teams from swooping in on free agents. However, signing a player of the caliber of Hosmer, Moustakas or Cain, in the prime of their career, far outweighs the gamble that drafting high school players in the MLB draft.

Duquette lists Hosmer as the fifth best free agent in all of baseball, with interest outside of Kansas City coming from the Red Sox, Mariners and Mets.

Just two spots below the gold glove first baseman sits Moustakas at seven overall, with interest outside of Kansas City coming from the Cardinals, Yankees, Phillies, Mets and Angels.

Sandwiching Moustakas at number six and eight are a pair of former Royals, Wade Davis and Greg Holland, who also will hit free agency. Duquette does not expect Kansas City to be in the running for either bullpen arm.

Duquette does not predict Kansas City will resign Cain, instead opting for the 2014 World Champion San Francisco Giants. The 32-year old outfielder could also have interest from the Phillies and Mets.

Duquette also has Kansas City in the running for Vargas, Reds shortstop Zack Cozart and Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. With Hosmer and Moustakas expected to garner contracts close to, if not surpassing $100 million, it’s hard to see much more available salary space from Royals owner David Glass.

Still, many Royals fans would view the offseason as tremendous success if the team is able to retain one, let alone two, of their household name free agents.

For Hosmer, Duquette says teams looking for a vocal leader with postseason experience should have interest in Hosmer, and would not be surprised if the 28-year old lands a seven-year, $20 million per year deal.

For Moustakas, Duquette says the lack of demand for Dodger third basemen Justin Turner his free agent haul last offseason, but expects Moustakas to a contract in the $100 million range over five to six years.

For fans hoping for answers in the near future, it’s very unlikely Kansas City will make a splash move early in the offseason. If the Royals want a chance at Hosmer or Moustakas, it will most likely come after the market gets somewhat watered down.

The timeline could play out very similar to Alex Gordon after 2015, as it wasn’t until early January until the Kansas City left fielder dotted the bottom line. The Royals may miss out on free agents from other team’s by waiting on Hosmer or Moustakas, but many in baseball believe if the Royals can’t sign either, that 2018 will be the start of a rebuild.

Still, the thought of signing Hosmer or Moustakas is a headline Royals fans have to like seeing, after many thought they had said goodbye after tearful final regular season game. Every impending free agent has expressed a great desire to return to Kansas City, but asking a 28-year old to turn down an extra $50 million is a hard pill to swallow when push comes to shove.

But if Duquette is right, the immediate future of baseball in Kansas City may not be as rough as once thought.

Kansas City Royals' Sluggerrr inducted into Mascot Hall of Fame

November 6, 2017By Hailey Godburn/KSHB.com

http://www.kshb.com/sports/baseball/royals/kansas-city-royals-sluggerrr-inducted-into-mascot-hall-of-fame

Kansas City’s favorite king of the jungle has been inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame.

The Kansas City Royals’ Sluggerrr was inducted Monday, the announcement made from the home of the Mascot Hall of Fame in Whiting, Indiana.

The Royals released a statement in which Sluggerrr was quoted as saying:

“I’d like to thank all the Royals fans who helped vote me into the Mascot Hall of Fame, the front-office for supporting my ambitions and everyone involved with the Mascot Hall of Fame for voting me in,” Sluggerrr roared. “I take a lot of pride in being one of the mane attractions at Kauffman Stadium. I’d be lion if I said this wasn’t one of my proudest moments as the official mascot of the Kansas City Royals.”

The news release said Sluggerrr makes about 500 appearances a year and has been doing so since April 5, 1996. He is the fourth MLB mascot to be inducted.

According to the release, “Sluggerrr was selected for his fun and innovative in-game antics, skits and videos, as well as a new school show program.”

Other mascots inducted Monday include the Chicago Bulls’ Benny the Bull, the Chicago Blackhawks’ Tommy Hawk and Penn State’s Nittany Lion.

MINORS

Storm Chasers Nab 10th Straight 'Best of Omaha' Honor

Voters tab club as Omaha's Best Professional Sports Team

November 6, 2017Omaha Storm Chasers

https://www.milb.com/storm-chasers/news/chasers-nab-10th-straight-best-of-omaha-honor/c-260789200

The Omaha Storm Chasers have once again earned top honors by being named Omaha's Best Professional Sports Team, as selected on by voters at BestOfOmaha.com. This year marks the tenth consecutive year the organization has received the "Best Professional Sports Team" award.

"We are proud to be the Metro's top professional sports team for 50 seasons," said Storm Chasers President and General Manager Martie Cordaro. "Our organization constantly strives to deliver the best fan experience possible. With our 2018 campaign on the horizon featuring the Kansas City Royals exhibition game and the year-long 50th Season celebration, Opening Day cannot come soon enough."

The ten-year stretch in which the Storm Chasers organization has received Omaha's Best Professional Sports Team honor encompasses all seven seasons the franchise has played at Werner Park, where the squad has won four division titles, as well as three Pacific Coast League Championship and Back-to-Back Triple-A National Championships in 2013-14. The ballpark also hosted the First National Bank Triple-A All-Star Game in 2015.

Since hosting its initial Opening Day on April 16, 2011, a total of over 2.7 million fans have come through the gates of Werner Park. The upcoming 2018 season will mark the 50th Season in franchise history since the organization first began play in 1969 at Rosenblatt Stadium. The Storm Chasers are slated to face off against the Kansas City Royals in an exhibition game presented by SAC Federal Credit Union on Monday, March 26.

The Omaha Storm Chasers are the Triple-A Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Storm Chasers play at Werner Park in Papillion, Sarpy County, Nebraska. For more information please visit omahastormchasers.com and follow us on Twitter @omastormchasers and at facebook.com/omahastormchasers.

Omaha begins their regular season slate with Opening Night 2018 on Thursday, April 5 against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

NATIONAL

Finalists for BBWAA awards unveiled

November 6, 2017By John Schlegel/MLB.com

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/260802304/2017-bbwaa-awards-finalists-named/?topicId=27118122

After a postseason that left everyone breathless, baseball hearts are pounding again with the official arrival of awards season, starting with finalists for Baseball Writers' Association of America honors.

The finalists revealed Monday by the BBWAA for each league's Most Valuable Player, Cy Young, Manager of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards are just the start of the discussion. Winners of those prestigious honors will be announced from Nov. 13-16, all on MLB Network at 6 p.m. ET each night.

Between now and then, baseball fans and pundits alike will be taking sides on the "M-V-P" chants that echoed through different ballparks, dissecting which pitchers really delivered the best seasons, and examining the rookies who rocked the baseball world.

Reminder: While the historic exploits of the 2017 postseason are embedded in every baseball fan's memory banks, all that good stuff must be erased from the mental picture for the purposes of the BBWAA awards, leaving only regular-season accomplishments. The 2017 Esurance MLB Awards, however, will include postseason awards, which will cap off awards season Nov. 17 (8 p.m. ET on MLB Network).

Of course, focusing on the regular season was much easier for the voting members of the BBWAA -- two per league city, per award -- who had the season's final day as their deadline to turn in the ballots.

Here are this year's finalists for each award, with candidates listed in alphabetical order:

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

American League

Jose Altuve, Astros: With all the talent on the Astros, it's Altuve who clearly sets the tone with his excellence in every facet of the game. Altuve led the Majors in bWAR (8.3) and led the AL in batting at .346 and hits with 204, his fourth straight 200-hit season. He had remarkable consistency before and after the All-Star break, and he held things together when double-play partner Carlos Correa was out for six weeks. In short, the 5-foot-6 dynamo did it all.

Aaron Judge, Yankees: The MVP-Rookie of the Year double is a rare one, and even Mike Trout couldn't quite pull it off in 2012 when he tried to become the first since Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 and just the third overall. Judge has put himself into that category of player with a stupendous rookie season that saw him break the rookie record for home runs with 52 to lead the AL, also leading the league with 128 runs scored and 127 walks. Of course, the one flaw: an MLB-leading 208 strikeouts. Still, the accolades stack up as high as the 6-foot-7 slugger's stature.

Jose Ramirez, Indians: With his helmet flying and a special brand of energy, Ramirez has been a favorite of Tribe fans for longer than just 2017. But this year, he went national with an extra-special season. His 91 extra-base hits were the second-most by a Major League switch-hitter in history, just three shy of the mark set by Lance Berkman in 2001, and he led MLB in doubles with 56. In the Indians' biggest offensive season on record, Ramirez was the spark with streaks of nine multi-hit games and seven games with a double.

National League

Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs: A perennial MVP candidate, the D-backs first baseman took his game to a new level this season, helping lead Arizona into the postseason for the first time since 2011. In a fifth straight All-Star season, Goldschmidt hit for a .297/.404/.563 slash line with a career-high-tying 36 home runs and 120 RBIs -- similar numbers to what he posted in 2013, when he finished second to Andrew McCutchen in the NL MVP voting race.

Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins: Stroke by powerful stroke, Stanton went on a march into home run history this season. He whacked 59 homers, the most in the Majors since 2001 (Barry Bonds, 73; Sammy Sosa, 64). The gap of 20 to No. 2 (L.A.'s Cody Bellinger, 39) was the largest in NL history. Stanton also led the Majors with 132 RBIs, but it was homers that told his story -- one every 10.12 at-bats, and 11 in the first 15 days of August.

Joey Votto, Reds: Like Stanton, Votto is a finalist looking to buck the idea that an MVP has to be a member of a postseason team. In fact, Votto is in position to perhaps become the first player on a last-place team to win the award since Texas' Alex Rodriguez in 2003, and the third player overall. He had a very Votto-like season, leading the NL with 134 walks, 20 of them intentional, as well as in on-base percentage at .454 and in OPS at 1.032. The 2010 winner, Votto made his mark despite the Reds' struggles, continuing to be a perennial candidate.

CY YOUNG AWARD

American League

Corey Kluber, Indians: The 2014 winner and third-place finisher in 2016, Kluber had in many respects his finest season in 2017. His 2.25 ERA was the Majors' best, and a career best. He reached 203 2/3 innings despite missing much of May, and he displayed his normal controlled dominance with 265 strikeouts and just 36 walks, giving him baseball's best strikeout-to-walk ratio at 7.4, another in a long list of career bests.

Chris Sale, Red Sox: In his first season after changing Sox in a trade from Chicago to Boston, Sale was spectacular from the start of 2017. Often in the running for the Cy Young Award, finishing as high as third in 2014, Sale is very much at the forefront of the discussion this year. He struck out 308 batters to lead the Majors, also topping MLB with a 12.93 K/9 ratio and 214 1/3 innings pitched. His ERA of 2.90 was second in the AL to Kluber, and he led the Majors with 10 scoreless starts and 18 double-digit strikeout games. He had a few starts in August and September that got away from him, but overall the season was superb.

Luis Severino, Yankees: Going from a second-year ERA of 5.83 ERA in 2016 to the ace of the Yankees' rotation at age 23 in 2017 is quite the feat for Severino. His 2.98 ERA over 31 starts was the lowest by a Yankees hurler since 1997. He ranked third in the AL in ERA, fourth in strikeouts (230) and ninth in innings pitched (193 1/3). This is the epitome of a breakout year.

National League

Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers: Always a Cy Young favorite (and a Cy Young-MVP winner in 2014), Kershaw lost a little time to a back injury in 2017 but managed to post numbers that make it hard to notice. He led the NL in wins (18), ERA (2.31) and K/BB ratio (6.73). His 202 strikeouts marked his seventh time in his 10 seasons with 200-plus, the most in a pitching-rich franchise's history. Ultimately, just another Clayton Kershaw season.

Max Scherzer, Nationals: The reigning NL Cy Young winner and the AL winner in 2013, Scherzer had another great season as part of a 1-2 punch at the top of the Nationals' rotation. Notably, he became just the fourth pitcher in MLB history with a K/9 IP ratio of 12.0 or better (12.02) in a season of 200-plus innings, thanks in part to 15 games of 10 or more strikeouts. Like Kershaw, he's a Cy Young candidate every year, and he performed to that reputation again.

Stephen Strasburg, Nationals: In the spotlight since his first pitch in the Majors, Strasburg had a career year in 2017. His career-best 2.52 ERA ranked fourth in the Majors, and he led the NL with 0.67 HR/9 IP and was second with an opponents' OPS of .581. He finished strong, too, going 5-1 with a 0.84 ERA in his last eight starts. It's the best shot at Cy Young hardware to date for a player whose expectations have been huge from the start.

MANAGER OF THE YEAR

American League

Terry Francona, Indians

A.J. Hinch, Astros

Paul Molitor, Twins

This is a story of expectations -- both Francona and Hinch led teams with high hopes heading into 2017, and Molitor had one that was under the radar. In one sense, Molitor guiding the Twins back to the postseason for the first time since 2010 has an air of accomplishment all its own. Then again, there's leading the defending AL champs through all the challenges and putting together a record 22-game winning streak the way Francona did. And there's taking a talented team and pushing it over the 100-win plateau while winning the AL West by 21 games the way Hinch did.

National League

Bud Black, Rockies

Torey Lovullo, D-backs

Dave Roberts, Dodgers

Neither Black's Rockies nor Lovullo's D-backs necessarily had huge expectations coming into the season, but both found their way to the postseason, thanks in large part to their leadership. The Rockies had a difficult Spring Training, to say the least, but they rebounded for a stellar regular season to reach Rocktober for the first time since 2009. Lovullo, in his long-awaited debut season as a Major League manager, flipped the D-backs' record to 93-69, an improvement of 24 wins over 2016. That said, Roberts leading the Dodgers to their first 100-plus win season since 1974 can't be brushed aside, either. Without a summer slump, the Dodgers were headed to all-time territory in the wins column.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

American League

Andrew Benintendi, Red Sox

Aaron Judge, Yankees

Trey Mancini, Orioles

Any time a rookie is seriously involved in the MVP discussion, that's bad news for the other candidates for Rookie of the Year. But Benintendi and Mancini both put together impressive seasons for their clubs. Benintendi became just the 11th rookie in Major League history to post a 20-homer/20-steal season, hitting both numbers on the button. And Mancini's 24 homers were third-most for a rookie in Orioles history, while he also led MLB rookies with 159 hits and ripped off a 17-game hitting streak, longest in O's rookie history.

But Judge was simply extraordinary. He not only set the rookie record in home runs, but he was the fourth qualifying rookie ever to exceed a 1.000 OPS, at 1.049. It's just a very powerful case, perhaps open and shut.

National League

Josh Bell, Pirates

Cody Bellinger, Dodgers

Paul DeJong, Cardinals

Another powerful case was made in the NL, this one by Bellinger, whose 39 homers set an NL record -- not bad for a guy who didn't even make his debut until April 25. He also led NL rookies with a .581 slugging percentage and a .933 OPS, showing he's more than just homers with a cycle in July. Bell was no slouch in the power department, either, setting an NL record for a switch-hitting rookie with his 26 homers, while ranking second among NL rookies in RBIs (90) and in homers behind Bellinger. DeJong, meanwhile, managed his 25 homers in 417 at-bats, or 132 fewer than Bell, while ranking first in the NL in average (.285) and tied for first in doubles (26) among rookies. That's a lot of offense from that set of rookies.

Qualifying offers: Who got one; who didn't?

Deadline to extend 1-year, $17.4M contract has passed

November 6, 2017By David Adler/MLB.com

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/260724482/track-qualifying-offers-for-mlb-free-agents/

Major League Baseball's free-agent signing period has officially begun, and teams had until 5 p.m. ET on Monday to extend their prospective free agents a qualifying offer. For 2018, the qualifying offer is a one-year contract worth $17.4 million (the amount is the mean salary of MLB's 125 highest-paid players). Players who received a qualifying offer have 10 days -- until Nov. 16 -- to accept or reject the offer.

If a player accepts a qualifying offer, like then-Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson and then-Mets second baseman Neil Walker did last offseason, he remains with his club at the designated salary, becoming eligible for free agency again next offseason.

Players who decline the offer enter free agency but have Draft-pick compensation attached to them. If such a player signs with another team, the team that loses him receives a Draft pick the following year, generally following Competitive Balance Round B, which comes after the second round. On the flip side, the team that signs the player is subject to surrendering one or more Draft picks, although a team's highest first-round pick is exempt from forfeiture.Under the rules of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, for a player to receive a qualifying offer, he must never have received one previously in his career. He also must have spent the entire season on his current team's roster -- so players who were traded during the 2017 season are not eligible to receive a qualifying offer.

So who got one -- and who should say yes?

Here's a breakdown of the prominent free agents who have and have not received a qualifying offer. We've divided this list into two sections, leading with players who received a qualifying offer. A list of the most prominent players who did not get an offer is listed below that.

RECEIVING QUALIFYING OFFER

1B/OF Carlos Santana, DH, Indians

Cleveland has extended a qualifying offer to Santana, who put up another productive season in the middle of the Indians' order in 2017. Santana has been with the organization since 2008, when he was traded from the Dodgers as a 22-year-old prospect. In Cleveland, he developed into a patient and powerful hitter, and an above-average first baseman after starting his career as a catcher. The 31-year-old's season at the plate in 2017 was typically solid: Santana slashed .259/.363/.455 while posting one of the Majors' best strikeout-to-walk rates.

1B Eric Hosmer, 3B Mike Moustakas and CF Lorenzo Cain, Royals

Kansas City has officially extended qualifying offers to three members of the core that helped lead the franchise to a World Series title in 2015. The 28-year-old Hosmer, who played in all 162 games in 2017, has spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Royals. He enjoyed a career year this past season, hitting .318 with 25 home runs and 94 RBIs.

Moustakas, 29, has also spent the first seven years of his career with Kansas City. In 2017, he established a new franchise home run record for a single season with 38 while racking up a career-high 85 RBIs.

Considered one of the best center fielders in the Majors, the 31-year-old Cain hit .300 with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs in 2017.

RHP Lance Lynn, Cardinals

The 30-year-old Lynn provided St. Louis' rotation with durability in 2017, posting a 3.43 ERA and racking up 11 wins over 33 starts. The former reliever bounced back well this past season in his return from Tommy John surgery.

RHP Alex Cobb, Rays

The Rays extended a qualifying offer to the 30-year-old right-hander, who is a free agent after spending his first six seasons with Tampa Bay. Cobb made 29 starts and went 12-10 with a 3.66 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 179 1/3 innings in 2017, his second season removed from Tommy John surgery.

RHP Greg Holland, Rockies

Colorado struck gold with a one-year deal for Holland last offseason, and the club is open to a reunion after Holland's great bounceback year. The righty finished tied with Kenley Jansen for the National League lead in saves with 41, and he led the NL in games finished with 58.

RHP Jake Arrieta and RHP Wade Davis, Cubs

The Cubs watched Arrieta evolve from disappointment into an NL Cy Young Award winner after trading for him in 2013. He has given Chicago some of its most memorable moments since then, though 2017 was his least productive season with the club. Davis was integral to the Cubs' NLCS run in 2017, anchoring Chicago's bullpen en route to converting 32 saves in 33 opportunities.

NO QUALIFYING OFFER

LHP CC Sabathia, Yankees

If Sabathia does return to the Bronx, it won't be with a $17.4 million salary. The Yankees did not extended a qualifying offer to Sabathia, whom they signed in 2008 to what was then the richest contract for a pitcher in Major League history. Sabathia went 120-73 with a 3.75 ERA over nine seasons in New York, over which he reinvented himself several times.

DH Logan Morrison, Rays

The 38 home runs Morrison hit this season rank as third most in a single season in Rays history. Morrison has what the Rays look for in a hitter: power, and lots of it. But with home runs so plentiful in 2017, all power production has to be considered relative to its price.

RHP Andrew Cashner, Rangers

Cashner is set to hit free agency after his first season in Texas. The 31-year-old went 11-11 with a 3.40 ERA in 2017, throwing 166 2/3 innings in 28 starts.

SS Zack Cozart, Reds

A source told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon that the Reds are exploring their options, but the Reds did not extend a qualifying offer to Cozart, who is coming off a career year in which he was an All-Star for the first time. Cozart, 32, has battled health issues each of the past three seasons, most recently dealing with a right quad injury in late summer. In all, he missed 40 games in 2017 but still posted a career-best slash line of .297/.385/.548 with a career-high 24 homers.

10 on Hall of Fame's Modern Era ballot

Garvey, John, Mattingly, Miller, Morris, Murphy, Parker, Simmons, Tiant, Trammell to be considered

November 6, 2017By Barry M. Bloom/MLB.com

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/260794290/10-on-hall-of-fames-modern-era-ballot/?topicId=27118122

The Modern Baseball Era Committee, which is charged with the process of electing players into the National Baseball Hall of Fame through the Veterans Committee process, announced 10 candidates for election on Monday.

The candidates include nine players whose careers spanned a good chunk of the era from 1970-87, plus the late Marvin Miller, the MLB Players Association leader who put an indelible stamp on the game.

The players are Steve Garvey, Tommy John, Don Mattingly, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Ted Simmons, Luis Tiant and Alan Trammell.

The 16-person panel assigned to vote on them will be determined later this fall.

The vote is slated to be announced Dec. 10 live on MLB Network and MLB.com at 6 p.m. ET as the Winter Meetings open this year in Orlando, Fla. Any electees will be introduced at a media conference there the next day.

The induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., next year is July 29 and will also include any inductees from the BBWAA ballot, which is slated to be released on Nov. 20.

"Of course I'd love to be in," Garvey said when reached by phone immediately after the ballot was released. "It's been so long. The managers come up, and they've been grandfathered in. Yeah, let's get some players in. Have some fun."

The 16 members of the committee can vote for a maximum of five candidates, a total of 80 votes. As in any Hall of Fame vote, a candidate needs 75 percent to be elected. In this case, his name must appear on at least 12 of the 16 ballots. Just doing the math defines how difficult this particular process is.

Since Joe Gordon was elected in 2009, only two players have been enshrined through the Veterans' Committee process: Cubs third baseman Ron Santo in 2012, and Deacon White, a 19th-century catcher, in '13.

The committees were shuffled again last year in an attempt to correct that shortcoming.

"This is not unusual. It's about staying relevant," Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson said at the time. "There's now stronger emphasis on players who have recently fallen off the BBBWAA ballot. No group of candidates is being left out. We've always left the door open."

The committee was comprised by an 11-member panel of historians that boasted 10 members of the BBWAA who all saw these particular players compete.

About the players:

Garvey: Appeared on the BBWAA ballot for 15 years, ending in 2007, and never compiled higher than the 41.6 percent of the vote he amassed in his first year of eligibility in 1993. This is his third time on a Veterans' Committee ballot. He holds the record for consecutive games played in the National League (1,207) while playing for the Dodgers and Padres. He hit .338 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs in 11 postseason series, was named the 1978 and '84 NLCS MVP and won the '81 Roberto Clemente Award. Garvey also won the 1974 NL Most Valuable Player Award and four Gold Glove Awards.

John: Appeared on the BBWAA ballot for 15 years, ending in 2009, with his highest percentage of 31.7 coming in that last season. He pitched 26 seasons for the Indians, Dodgers, Yankees, Angels and A's, winning 288 games, 164 of them after missing the 1975 season because of ligament-replacement surgery in his left elbow, a surgery that still bears his name. A four-time All-Star selection, John won the '76 Hutch Award for persevering through adversity and '81 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award for integrity on and off the field.

Mattingly: Appeared on the BBWAA ballot for 15 years, ending in 2015. His top year was 28.2 percent of the ballots in 2001, his first season of eligibility. The current manager of the Marlins played 14 seasons, all for the Yankees, batting .307 with 222 home runs and 2,153 hits. A six-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove Award winner at first base, Mattingly led the American League in total bases in both 1985 and '86, won the '84 AL batting title, captured three Silver Slugger Awards and was named the '85 AL Most Valuable Player.

Miller: Was last on the Expansion Era ballot in 2013, the year managers Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa were all elected. Became the head of the MLB Players Association in 1966 and quickly turned the union into a powerhouse. Within a decade of being named head of the union, Miller had secured free agency for the players. By the time he retired in 1982, the average player salary was approximately 10 times what it was when he took over.

Morris: Was on the BBWA ballot for 15 years, ending in 2014. He had a high of 67.7 percent in 2013 and became only the second player in history to amass an excess of 60 percent of the vote and not eventually make the Hall, joining Gil Hodges. Morris was one of the best pitchers in the American League in the 1980s and played on World Series winners for Detroit, Minnesota and Toronto. He won 254 games over the course of 18 seasons, capturing the 1991 World Series MVP following 10 shutout innings in a Game 7 victory for the Twins over the Braves.

Murphy: Was on the BBWAA ballot for 15 years, ending in 2013. His percentage high of 23.2 came in 2000. Murphy played 18 seasons with the Braves, Phillies and Rockies, winning back-to-back National League Most Valuable Player Awards with Atlanta in 1982 and 1983. A seven-time All-Star, Murphy won five Gold Glove Awards and four Silver Slugger Awards in center field, finishing with 398 home runs and 1,266 RBIs.

Parker: Appeared on the BBWAA ballot for 15 years, ending in 2011, with his high of 24.5 percent coming in 1998. He was the right fielder for the World Series-winning "We Are Family" Pirates in 1979 and posted a .345 batting average in his club's seven-game win over the Orioles. The 1978 NL Most Valuable Player played 19 seasons, was named to seven All-Star teams and won three Gold Glove Awards.

Simmons: The catcher may be the greatest anomaly in BBWAA Hall of Fame voting. He lasted one year on the ballot in 1994 and didn't amass the minimum of 5 percent to carry over, logging 3.7 percent. Yet his numbers are compatible with Hall of Fame catchers Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, Gary Carter and Mike Piazza. An eight-time All-Star, he played for 21 seasons, batting .285 with 2,472 hits, 483 doubles, 248 home runs and 1,389 RBIs for the Cardinals, Brewers and Braves.

Tiant: Was on the BBWAA ballot for 15 years, ending in 2002, with his high percentage being 30.9 percent in 1988, his first year. He won 229 games in 19 seasons and recorded a 3.30 ERA, mostly for the Indians, Red Sox and Yankees. The Cuban native known as "El Tiante" won at least 20 games in four seasons, earning three All-Star selections. He won two American League ERA titles, including a 1.60 ERA in 1968, and led the league in shutouts three times.

Trammell: Was on the ballot for 15 years and had his best year (40.9 percent) in 2016, his final year of eligibility. Trammell's numbers compare favorably with career-long shortstop inductees Ozzie Smith and Barry Larkin. In Trammell's 20 seasons, all with the Tigers, he batted .285 with a .976 fielding percentage, while Smith hit .262 with a .978 fielding percentage and Larkin hit .295 with a .975 fielding percentage. In addition, Trammell was named the 1984 World Series Most Valuable Player after leading Detroit to the championship with a .450 batting average in five games.

Longtime executive Bob Bowman to leave MLB after 17 years

November 6, 2017USA Today

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/11/06/bob-bowman-leave-mlb-end-year/837083001/

Bob Bowman, longtime president and CEO of MLB Advanced Media, is leaving Major League Baseball when his contract expires next month.

Bowman helped the league and owners generate billions of dollars thanks in large part to BAMTech, the video-streaming company that governs and profits all the sport’s streaming broadcast packages and highlights, such as At Bat, Statcast, mlb.tv.

"With the recent completion of the sale of a majority stake in BAMTech to The Walt Disney Company, and recognizing the enormous talent pool that exists at MLB and MLB.com, it is an ideal time for new leadership," said Bowman in a written statement.

"Of all that we have accomplished, I am most proud of the people I have worked with, many of whom have been with me each step of the way over the past 17 years."

“Like the owners of our 30 clubs, I am grateful for the groundbreaking work that he and his team have performed for our sport," said commissioner Rob Manfred.

"Bob’s vision made our game even more accessible and enjoyable to millions of fans.”

MLB TRANSACTIONSNovember 7, 2017 •.CBSSports.comhttp://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions

TEAM

PLAYER

TRANSACTION

Chicago Cubs

Wade Davis

Tendered Qualifying Offer

Chicago Cubs

Matt Carasiti

Purchased From Minors

Chicago Cubs

Cory Mazzoni

Acquired Off Waivers From from Padres, San Diego

Chicago Cubs

Leonys Martin

Outrighted to Minors

Chicago Cubs

Jake Arrieta


Cleveland Indians

Carlos Santana


Cleveland Indians

Cody Anderson

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Right elbow surgery - out for season)

Cleveland Indians

Dylan Baker

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Right shoulder strain)

Cleveland Indians

Boone Logan

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Left latissimus dorsi strain)

Colorado Rockies

Greg Holland


Houston Astros

David Paulino

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Bone spurs, right elbow)

Houston Astros

Brady Rodgers


Houston Astros

Jandel Gustave


Kansas City Royals

Eric Hosmer


Kansas City Royals

Lorenzo Cain


Kansas City Royals

Mike Moustakas


Los Angeles Angels

Nick Tropeano

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Recovery from right elbow surgery)

Los Angeles Angels

Matt Shoemaker

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Strained right forearm)

Los Angeles Angels

J.C. Ramírez

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Right forearm strain)

Los Angeles Angels

Alex Meyer

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Right shoulder surgery - out for season)

Los Angeles Dodgers

Yimi García


Los Angeles Dodgers

O'Koyea Dickson


Los Angeles Dodgers

Logan Forsythe

Signed, ( 2018)(team option exercised)

Los Angeles Dodgers

Andrew Toles

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Torn right ACL - out for season)

Los Angeles Dodgers

Josh Ravin

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Abdomen strain)

Los Angeles Dodgers

Adam Liberatore

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Left forearm tightness)

Los Angeles Dodgers

Scott Kazmir

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Sore hip)

Los Angeles Dodgers

Grant Dayton

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Neck stiffness)

Minnesota Twins

Ryan O'Rourke


Minnesota Twins

Ryan O'Rourke

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Strained left forearm)

Minnesota Twins

Chris Gimenez


Minnesota Twins

J.T. Chargois

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Right elbow impingement)

Minnesota Twins

Phil Hughes

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Recurrence of thoracic outlet syndrome)

Minnesota Twins

Trevor May

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Torn right UCL - out for season)

New York Yankees

Nick Rumbelow

Purchased From Minors

Oakland Athletics

Dustin Fowler

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Ruptured right patellar tendon)

Oakland Athletics

Michael Brady


Oakland Athletics

Josh Smith


Oakland Athletics

Andrew Triggs

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Strained left hip)

Oakland Athletics

Simon Castro


Oakland Athletics

Bobby Wahl

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Strained right shoulder)

Oakland Athletics

Paul Blackburn

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Bruised right forearm)

Philadelphia Phillies

Vince Velasquez

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Right middle finger pain)


Zach Eflin

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Right shoulder strain)


Jerad Eickhoff

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Nerve irritation in right hand)


Pedro Florimón

Refused Minor League Assignment - Free Agent

Pittsburgh Pirates

Dan Runzler


Pittsburgh Pirates

Josh Harrison

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Fractured metacarpal, left hand)

Pittsburgh Pirates

Nik Turley

Acquired Off Waivers From from Twins, Minnesota

San Diego Padres

Hector Sanchez


San Diego Padres

Colin Rea


San Diego Padres

Tim Melville


San Diego Padres

Robbie Erlin

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Recovery from left elbow surgery)

San Diego Padres

Alex Dickerson

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Disc protrusion in back)

San Diego Padres

Carter Capps

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Blood clots)

San Diego Padres

Matt Strahm

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Torn left patellar tendon)

San Francisco Giants

Madison Bumgarner



Pablo Sandoval



Matt Moore


St. Louis Cardinals

Lance Lynn


St. Louis Cardinals

Trevor Rosenthal

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Right posterior elbow irritation)

St. Louis Cardinals

Alex Mejia


St. Louis Cardinals

Alberto Rosario


St. Louis Cardinals

Álex Reyes


St. Louis Cardinals

Trevor Rosenthal

Released

Tampa Bay Rays

Shawn Tolleson


Tampa Bay Rays

Alex Cobb


Tampa Bay Rays

César Puello


Tampa Bay Rays

Curt Casali


Texas Rangers

A.J. Jimenez


Texas Rangers

Chi Chi González


Texas Rangers

Hanser Alberto

Removed From 60-Day DL, (Right shoulder tightness)

Texas Rangers

Martin Perez


Texas Rangers

Austin Bibens-Dirkx


Toronto Blue Jays

Luis Santos


Toronto Blue Jays

Taylor Guerrieri

Acquired Off Waivers From from Rays, Tampa Bay

Toronto Blue Jays

Taylor Cole


Toronto Blue Jays

Raffy López


Toronto Blue Jays

Leonel Campos


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