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River Ave. Blues » 2018 Winter Meetings

Yankees re-sign J.A. Happ, designate Bridwell for assignment

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(Hannah Foslien/Getty)

December 17th: The contract is finally official. The Yankees announced it earlier today. Happ gets $17M in 2019 and $17M in 2020 with the $17M vesting option for 2021. Joel Sherman says the option vests with 165 innings or 27 starts in 2021, which are quite reasonable terms. There is no buyout on the option, so Happ comes with a $17M luxury tax hit through the life of the contract.

To clear space on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated righty Parker Bridwell for assignment, the team announced. He was claimed off waivers from the Angels a few weeks ago. I had a feeling one of the out of minor league options arms (Bridwell, Luis Cessa, Domingo German, A.J. Cole) would get the roster axe for Happ and Bridwell it is. He could clear waivers and remain in the organization as a non-40 man roster player.

December 12th: After some confusion, it appears the Yankees and J.A. Happ have agreed to a reunion. Mark Feinsand reports the Yankees and Happ have agreed to a two-year contract with what sounds like a third year vesting option based on innings and starts. There’s no word on the money or terms yet. Joel Sherman says the deal could be announced tomorrow.

“A real pro,” Brian Cashman said to Ronald Blum when asked about Happ. “Had a veteran presence within that clubhouse, knew exactly what was necessary and brought it every five days in the most competitive division in all of baseball.”

As I wrote earlier today, I didn’t like the idea of a guaranteed third year at all, so I’m glad the Yankees and Happ were apparently able to compromise with a vesting option. Happ turned 36 a few weeks ago and guaranteeing multiple years to a pitcher that age is always risky. At least the Yankees were able to mitigate that risk somewhat.

Once this deal is official the Yankees will be slated to go into next season with Happ, Luis Severino, CC Sabathia, James Paxton, and Masahiro Tanaka as their five-man rotation in whatever order. That’s a rock solid rotation with upside in Severino and Paxton (and Tanaka). The Yankees still have Sonny Gray too, though I get the sense he’ll be gone before Spring Training.

This past season Happ threw 177.2 innings with a 3.65 ERA (3.98 FIP) between the Yankees and Blue Jays, and his 26.3% strikeout rate was a career high by 3.3 percent points. His 27 home runs allowed were also a career high (by five). Happ had a 2.69 ERA (4.21 FIP) in eleven starts and 63.2 innings with the Yankees after the trade.

With Happ back in the fold the Yankees can now focus on a Didi Gregorius replacement and the bullpen, plus general depth. A better sixth starter than Domingo German and Luis Cessa would be cool given Paxton’s and Sabathia’s injury histories. Will the Yankees pivot and go after Manny Machado or Bryce Harper? I sure hope so.

2018 Winter Meetings Rumors Thread: Thursday

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Come on Yankees please. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty)

The final day of the 2018 Winter Meetings has arrived. These last few days have been pretty boring, huh? There haven’t been any blockbusters and even the rumors have been slow by Winter Meetings standards. (Please trade J.T. Realmuto already. I’m sick of hearing about him.) I guess that’s what happens when half the league is rebuilding and the other half decided to get under the luxury tax threshold at the same time in what was surely one big coincidence (wink wink nudge nudge).

As for the Yankees, they agreed to re-sign lefty J.A. Happ yesterday following a quick tryst with Noah Syndergaard earlier in the week. Happ gets two years and $34M or so with a vesting option. I can live with it. Aside from that, we’ve heard the Yankees connected to guys like Freddy Galvis, Adam Ottavino, and Zach Britton as they look to bolster their bullpen and replace the injured Didi Gregorius. Bullpen help and an infielder are the top priorities now.

“We try to promote we are a progressive, open-minded operation, that every day is different and that we are prepared to pivot and react at any moment,” said Cashman to Bryan Hoch. “If something doesn’t make sense today, it doesn’t mean it won’t make sense tomorrow. All I can keep telling you is, you know where my current focuses are, but at the same time we’re a fully operational Death Star.”

Cashman knows the Death Star got blown up, right? Anyway, the Rule 5 Draft is at 12pm ET today and everyone pretty much heads home after that, so the Winter Meetings are pretty much over. I’m sure some news and rumors and will trickle in though. Here are Monday’s rumors, Tuesday’s rumors, and Wednesday’s rumors, and here are today’s Yankees-related rumors. All timestamps are Eastern Time.

  • 5:32pm: The Yankees are open to adding another starter even after re-signing J.A. Happ, though there is little optimism for a Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer trade with the Indians. I figured that was the case even before the Happ deal. [Marc Carig]
  • 5:29pm: The reliever market “is starting to move” and the Yankees are talking to free agents and potential trade partners, according to assistant GM Mike Fishman. Jeurys Familia (Mets) and Joe Kelly (Dodgers) signed late last night, so the bullpen floodgates should open soon.  [Bryan Hoch]
  • 10:02am: The Yankees have asked about “high-end Major League talent” in Sonny Gray trade talks and that is apparently why he has not yet been traded. I have no problem with that. The Yankees (probably) won’t get that high-end talent, but ask for the moon and adjust down as necessary. You never know, some team just might be willing to meet that big initial asking price. Scott Kazmir, Victor Zambrano, etc. etc. [George King]
  • 9:30am: Thanks to Gleyber Torres’ versatility, the Yankees are not prioritizing a shortstop or a second baseman while searching for a Didi Gregorius replacement. They want the best player regardless of position. “The best decision possible, whatever it happens to be. Clearly, it’s a very deep amount of opportunities in the second base market rather than shortstop. So we’ll just have to decide,” said Brian Cashman. [Brendan Kuty]

Yankees make one selection, get raided in 2018 Rule 5 Draft

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Green. (@MiLB)

The 2018 Winter Meetings came to an unofficial close earlier today with the annual Rule 5 Draft. It is baseball’s way of ensuring players aren’t trapped in the minors indefinitely. The Yankees have a fairly deep farm system and it is no surprise then that they lost several players in this year’s Rule 5 Draft, mostly in the minor league phase.

Here are the full Rule 5 Draft results. Here are the players the Yankees lost:

  • Diamondbacks: RHP Nick Green (in MLB phase)
  • Athletics: OF Mark Payton (in minor league phase)
  • Cubs: RHP Alex Vargas (in minor league phase)
  • Phillies: RHP Gilmael Troya (in minor league phase)
  • Red Sox: RHP Anyelo Gomez (in minor league phase)
  • Royals: C Chris Rabago (in minor league phase)

As a reminder, players taken in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft have to stick on their new team’s 25-man big league roster all next season, or be placed on waivers and offered back to their original team. Players taken in the minor league phase are just gone. There are no roster rules. Those teams get to keep those players.

Green, 23, came over from the Rangers in the Carlos Beltran trade and he is a personal favorite only because he has a funky cutter/sinker hybrid that helped him post to a 66.4% ground ball rate this season, highest in the minors (min. 130 innings). Green threw 132.2 innings with a 3.32 ERA (4.28 FIP) with 17.7% strikeouts and 11.1% walks this season, with most of that coming with High-A Tampa.

The D’Backs are rebuilding, the Paul Goldschmidt trade confirmed that, so I imagine Green will get a long look in Spring Training and have a chance to stick in their bullpen. Jumping from High-A to the big leagues is not easy, especially with a walk rate like that, but Green’s funky cut-sinker is a dominant ground ball pitch and he could have staying power as a reliever who pounds away with that one pitch.

Among the minor league phase losses, Payton is the most notable because he’s been in the system the longest. The 27-year-old spent most of the last three seasons in Triple-A and hit .259/.368/.401 (120 wRC+) with six homers in 62 games in 2018. A guy like Payton had little hope of cracking New York’s outfield in the near future. He has a much greater chance to reach the big leagues with the Athletics.

Going into the 2018 season I ranked Vargas as the No. 30 prospect in the farm system but clearly I overrated him. The Yankees never used him like a prospect this year. The 21-year-old bounced between the rotation and bullpen, from level to level. They sent him wherever an arm was needed, basically. Vargas threw 83 innings with a 4.01 ERA (4.07 FIP) with 14.3% strikeout and 4.6% walks this season, mostly with Low-A Charleston.

Gomez, 25, was selected and returned by the Braves as a Major League Rule 5 Draft pick last offseason. He threw only 7.1 innings with Triple-A Scranton this season before going down with a significant shoulder injury. The 21-year-old Troya showed some promise a few years ago but hasn’t taken that step forward. He’s yet to pitch above rookie ball. Rabago, 25, was a waiver claim from the Rockies late this year. He played only seven games in the organization, all with Double-A Trenton.

The Yankees did add two players in minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft, first grabbing righty Adonis De La Cruz from the Mariners. The soon-to-be 24-year-old is a converted outfielder who threw 57.1 relief innings with a 4.71 ERA (2.80 FIP) with 30.2% strikeouts and 7.7% walks in Low Class-A. The Yankees have had some recent success with minor league Rule 5 Draft picks, most notably turning Yefry Ramirez into a tradeable asset, so maybe they can do it again with De La Cruz.

According to Emily Waldon, the Yankees acquired outfielder Tyler Hill from the Tigers after the Rule 5 Draft. Detroit took him from the Red Sox in the minor league phase. Huh. Every year one or two players selected in the Major League phase get traded right after the Rule 5 Draft. I can’t remember the last time a minor league phase guy was flipped. Anyway, the 22-year-old Hill authored a .254/.348/.312 (95 wRC+) batting line with one homer and 27 steals in 124 High-A games in 2018. Sox Prospects calls him a “a bat-first, organizational player,” so there you go. The Yankees likely sent the Tigers cash or a similar organizational player in the trade.

So, all told, the Yankees did lose an interesting prospect in Green and some upper level inventory in Payton, Gomez, and Rabago in this year’s Rule 5 Draft. Green could still be returned. The other three plus Vargas and Troya are gone for good. I can’t find a scouting report on De La Cruz but a recently converted position player with a 30.2% strikeout is interesting enough. Hill’s an organizational guy who will help fill out rosters. Nothing exciting, but the Rule 5 Draft rarely is.

Thoughts after the Yankees agree to re-sign J.A. Happ

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(Presswire)

J.A. Happ is returning to the Yankees. There was some confusion about that for a bit — Ken Rosenthal swings and misses less often than Jose Altuve, but that was a big ol’ whiff yesterday — but Happ and the Yankees have indeed agreed to a two-year contract with a third year vesting option. The deal is said to be worth at least $34M and possibly as much as $36M. Here are some thoughts on Happ’s return.

1. Filling out the rotation with Happ is fine if not a little underwhelming. I thought he was the best free agent starter still available so, in that sense, Happ is the best signing the Yankees could’ve made. Once the Yankees acquired James Paxton at that price though, I was really hoping they’d go big when filling that final rotation spot, and either spend big to get Patrick Corbin or swing a trade for Corey Kluber or Noah Syndergaard (the rumors got me excited, I won’t lie), someone like that. Alas, it did not happen. I can get not trading a young player(s) for Kluber or Syndergaard. Not spending on Corbin? That’s tougher to swallow seeing how they’re the Yankees and Corbin all but shouted from the rooftops that he wanted to wear pinstripes. Anyway, Happ is a solid Major League pitcher who can succeed in Yankee Stadium and the AL East, and really all the Yankees need from him is competence. Take the ball every fifth day and keep them in games. I was hoping that final rotation spot would go to someone with a chance to truly dominate more often than not, but those guys aren’t cheap, so the Yankees went for the next best thing. Like I said, Happ is fine if not underwhelming. It’s fine.

2. I am very glad the Yankees were able to avoid that third guaranteed year. I mean, Lance Lynn got three guaranteed years. Good gravy. Getting Happ at two years plus a vesting option is damn near a bargain given the Lynn contract. There are some worrisome indicators in Happ’s underlying numbers, plus he is 36, and pitchers have been known to fall apart quickly as they approach their 40th birthday. In this era of austerity, money and years matter, and locking a pitcher in for his age 38 season when we started to see signs of decline in his age 35 season doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. It’s one thing to offer Corbin a sixth year for his age 35 season. That sixth year is a long ways away and you’re getting what should be some peak years out of that contract. Happ’s contract covers what are typically decline years and the Yankees are just hoping he doesn’t decline too quickly. Keeping the deal as short as possible is the way to go when you’re signing a 36-year-old with over 2,100 professional innings on his arm. A one-year contract was never going to fly in this market. And, given Lynn’s contract, Happ seeking three guaranteed years was not unreasonable. The Yankees had to cave and give the second year. They avoided the third guaranteed year and that’s a win in my book.

3. On paper, this is the strongest Opening Day rotation the Yankees have had in several years, probably since 2010. FanGraphs projects the rotation as fourth best in the American League even before plugging Happ in, for what it’s worth. There is still a long way to go between now and Opening Day and things can change quickly — March is a particularly brutal month for elbow ligaments, for example — but, right now, it’s been a while since the Yankees had a rotation that looked this strong on paper. Luis Severino and James Paxton have true ace ability, Masahiro Tanaka has ace moments, Happ is solid, and CC Sabathia is #ActuallyGood. I swear, I have people yelling at me on Twitter and in the mailbag inbox acting like Sabathia has been putting up Bartolo Colon numbers the last few years and not Cole Hamels numbers. Maybe it all falls apart for Sabathia this year. If it does, the Yankees will deal with it. A one-year deal at $8M is basically zero risk. Anyway, the rotation right now is quite strong, and that’s what I’m trying to get at. There are definitely some injury concerns there, no doubt, but, when healthy, the Yankees will send a quality pitcher to the mound every night in 2019. Pretty cool.

4. That all said, I would love love love to see the Yankees continue to pursue another starter. I’m not saying they should give a Lance Lynn facsimile a three-year contract, but keep kicking the tires on guys like Kluber and Syndergaard, because they are true difference-makers, and there is always room in the rotation for someone like that. What about Yusei Kikuchi? He is only 27 and finding starts for him won’t be tough. The Yankees could bring him in as a sixth starter type who gets a regular rotation turn before really turning him loose next season. Finding a better sixth starter than Domingo German and Luis Cessa would be pretty cool. (I’m a Jonathan Loaisiga fan but the kid is a major injury risk and he’s never pitched at Triple-A. I’d rather not count on him for anything.) I thought Lynn would be a great long man/spot starter candidate but not on that contract. That’s the idea though. If not an ace like Kluber or Syndergaard, than a veteran swingman who can relieve or start like Lynn did for the Yankees last season. Looking over the list of free agents, does Francisco Liriano fit in that role? Maybe Derek Holland? Trevor Cahill would be the dream sixth starter pickup but it sounds like he’s going to get multiple years and a guaranteed rotation spot somewhere. “(Happ) doesn’t preclude us from being open-minded to any other options that develop over time, and in the meantime it does allow us to focus further on other aspects,” said Brian Cashman to Brendan Kuty yesterday. Cashman won’t close the door on another starter because he’d never close the door on another starter. I don’t think it’s a top (or even mid-range) priority though. I would be cool with looking for another starter though. I’d rather the Yankees have the rotation depth and not need it than need it and not have it.

Somehow still a Yankee. (Elsa/Getty)

5. Now that the Yankees have Happ back in the fold, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Sonny Gray on the move soon. Even with Brian Cashman making it crystal clear Gray will be traded at some point, it made sense to keep him around at least until the Yankees secured another starter. Trading Sonny only to strike out on a bunch of free agents and trade targets really would’ve stunk, you know? There is definitely an argument to made that the Yankees should keep Gray as a long reliever/sixth starter — getting dunked on by the general manager all offseason could be a hell of a motivator — but I just can’t see it at this point. The bridge has been burned and I have no reason to believe it will be rebuild. With Happ on board, trading Gray could happen very soon, because keeping him and his projected $9.1M salary just does not seem like something the Yankees will do at that point. That money will be spend elsewhere on the roster, either by taking money back in the inevitable Gray trade or signing a free agent (or trading for someone) later.

6. Does this signing happen if the Yankees don’t trade for Happ at the deadline? I think so, because they’re said to have liked him for a while, and they saw him up close plenty with an AL East rival the last few years. Plus the price was right on a short-term deal. The trade did give the Yankees a chance to learn more about Happ firsthand, however. They got to see his preparation, how he fit into the clubhouse, all that. That is not meaningless information. It’s important information, really, and it works both ways. The Yankees got to learn about Happ and Happ got to learn about the Yankees. They saw his preparation work and personality and he got to see the facilitates and how the Yankees do things. A pretty common theme the last few years is that players come to the Yankees and they don’t want to leave. Sometimes they do leave because that’s the business, but in recent years we’ve seen guys like Chase Headley, Todd Frazier, and Zach Britton all say they would love to remain with the Yankees after coming over as rentals at the trade deadline. Maybe the money and the fit is right and Happ would’ve signed with the Yankees anyway, even if he hadn’t finished the season in pinstripes. Or maybe he would’ve been a little tentative and stuck to his guns about the third guaranteed year because he didn’t know what he was getting himself into. I can’t imagine Happ’s short stint with the Yankees late this past season hurt the process at all. Rather, it seems like it may’ve helped the Yankees avoid that third guaranteed year because Happ knows what they’re about.

7. The Yankees will have to clear a 40-man roster spot for Happ — word is Happ’s deal could be announced today, and if that is the case, the team will have to open a 40-man spot right away — and the easiest move is designating one of the out of minor league options pitchers for assignment. Those are German, Cessa, Parker Bridwell, Tommy Kahnle, and A.J. Cole. German would be the last one of those dudes I’d cut. I’d dump Cole, personally, but is there really any difference between Cole and Cessa and Bridwell? Not really. Designating one of those guys for assignment is the easiest way to open a 40-man spot for Happ. I guess they could cut Kyle Higashioka or Tim Locastro, but nah. One of those out of options pitchers is the simplest route. (I’m still surprised the Yankees didn’t non-tender Ben Heller and re-sign him to a minor league contract while he rehabs from Tommy John surgery to clear a 40-man spot. Maybe Heller will get designated for assignment for Happ and clear outright waivers.)

8. It was reported late last night that the deal is worth $34M to $36M. Assuming it’s $36M, that’s an $18M luxury tax hit the next two years, and my quick math says the Yankees now have about $7M in wiggle room under next year’s $206M luxury tax threshold. That’s not much! The forthcoming Sonny Gray trade won’t necessarily clear his projected $9.1M salary — the Yankees could very well end up taking back money in the trade — but that money will go to another roster need one way or another. So, between the $7M in wiggle room and Gray’s projected salary, the Yankees have about $16M under the luxury tax threshold to find two relievers and a Didi Gregorius replacement, plus general depth. It seems like there’s just enough room for a top setup reliever reliever ($10M to $12M per year), a lower cost reliever, and a cheap Gregorius replacement. It has been clear all winter that signing Bryce Harper or Manny Machado would push the Yankees up over the luxury tax threshold. At this point they’ll probably have to go over the threshold to secure a second top reliever and/or a quality Gregorius replacement, someone like Scooter Gennett. I dunno, man. I just don’t know. We’ll see how Cashman & Co. address the rest of the roster now that Happ is back in the fold and the rotation is settled.

2018 Winter Meetings Rumors Thread: Wednesday

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Yankees pls. (Rob Carr/Getty)

The Winter Meetings are two days old and thus far the Yankees have been mentioned in one potential blockbuster, a three-team trade that would bring Noah Syndergaard to the Bronx, but that seems like a long shot. It always did. The Mets trading three years of Syndergaard to get two years of J.T. Realmuto doesn’t add up. The Yankees will (probably) have to come up with a starting pitcher another way.

“We have our comfort levels and if and whenever we do match up on the trade or free agent front, then we’ll have something to show for it, but there’s no guarantee that will happen anytime soon,” said Brian Cashman to Pete Caldera. “(A deal) could happen today. We’re very active. But at the same time, we’re disciplined about what we’re willing to do and what we’re not willing to do.”

In addition to the Syndergaard thing, we’ve learned the Yankees are open to trading Miguel Andujar, still have interest in Zach Britton, and will meet with Manny Machado and Bryce Harper at some point. The Harper meeting will take place during the Winter Meetings because he lives in Las Vegas. Machado will come visit the Yankees in New York. No moves so far this week but lots of chatter.

Here are Monday’s rumors and Tuesday’s rumors. Today is the final full day of the Winter Meetings — everyone will head home after the Rule 5 Draft tomorrow — so, if the Yankees are going to get a deal done in Las Vegas, it’ll probably happen today. Anyway, here are today’s Yankees-related rumors. This post will be updated throughout the day so check back often. All timestamps are Eastern Time:

  • 7:07pm: Well, forget about a Lance Lynn reunion. The Rangers gave him a three-year deal worth $30M, according to multiple reports. Imagine?
  • 5:31pm: “I’ve never heard the Yankees say (they’re out on Bryce Harper). It might be that they say things to you. I wasn’t there,” said Scott Boras today. Keep in mind Boras wants everyone to think the Yankees are in on Harper even if they’re not. [Ken Davidoff]
  • 3:20pm: The Yankees remain in “active discussions” with the Reds about Sonny Gray. Cincinnati seems to be connected to everyone this winter, including Corey Kluber. [Jon Morosi]
  • 3:18pm: The Yankees have discussed trade possibilities with the Indians regarding their starting pitchers. There is no traction at the moment because the asking price is quite high. [Marc Carig]
  • 2:00pm: The Yankees have been in contact with Freddy Galvis‘ representatives. He’s an excellent defender with double-digit homer power but poor on-base skills (career .290 OBP). Obviously the Yankees are considering him as a potential Didi Gregorius replacement. [Joel Sherman]
  • 11:14am: In addition to J.A. Happ, the Yankees are in the mix for Lance Lynn. I would be perfectly fine with Lynn as a long man/sixth starter type. As the Opening Day fifth starter? Nah. Seems like there’s enough interest in Lynn that he’ll get a rotation spot elsewhere and not have to settle for a swingman role with the Yankees. [Mark Feinsand]
  • 9:56am: The Yankees have not yet given any thought to signing Troy Tulowitzki. The Blue Jays released Tulowitzki with two years and $38M remaining on his contract yesterday, so any team can sign him for the pro-rated portion of the league minimum. Tulowitzki did not play at all this past season due to heel trouble but he’s recovered and is working out this winter. [Brendan Kuty]
  • 9:43am: Brian Cashman met with Adam Ottavino‘s agent last night. He is believed to be high on their wish list. Ottavino grew up in Brooklyn but I wouldn’t put much stock into the hometown thing. Money is usually the determining factor in free agency. [Joel Sherman]
  • 9:30am: The Phillies are believed to be inching closer to a deal with J.A. Happ, who is holding out for a three-year contract. “They are bringing it,” said one executive. The Yankees have interest in a reunion with Happ but thus far have been unwilling to offer a third year. [George King]
  • 9:30am: Internally, it was “never even much of a debate” for the Yankees to chase J.T. Realmuto. They value Gary Sanchez highly and he has four years of team control remaining whereas Realmuto only has two. [Joel Sherman]

2018 Winter Meetings Rumors Thread: Tuesday

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(Mike Stobe/Getty)

Day One of the Winter Meetings came and went yesterday without much activity. The were two small signings (Billy Hamilton to the Reds, Tyson Ross to the Tigers) and several waiver claims. That’s about it. There were plenty of rumors, of course, and the Yankees were involved in a few of ’em. Brian Cashman admitted he’s been in touch with Manny Machado’s and Yusei Kikuchi’s agents, plus we learned the Yankees aren’t comfortable with a three-year deal for J.A. Happ. Can’t say I am either.

“The operation that George (Steinbrenner) was able to operate and navigate through is nowhere close to the one that Hal Steinbrenner has to operate and navigate through,” Cashman said to Ronald Blum. “It’s a convenient, easy story to write about us being different than the Boss’s Yankees, but the game’s completely different, too, And I think we’ve been operating in a different capacity because it’s a whole new world order.”

Late last night word got out the Yankees are discussing a three-team trade with the Mets and Marlins that would put Noah Syndergaard in pinstripes. J.T. Realmuto would go to Queens and I assume the Yankees would send prospects to Miami. A trade this complicated is always a long shot — surely the Mets have other ways to get Realmuto without giving up Syndergaard, right? — and that goes double when there’s a Yankees-Mets element involved. This would be pretty rad though.

Anyway, here are Monday’s rumors. We’ll again keep track of all the day’s Yankees-related rumblings right here in this post, so make sure you check back often. Remember, the Winter Meetings are in Las Vegas this year. It might take a little while before everyone on the West Coast wakes up and starts feeding rumors and hot stove news to us East Coasters. All timestamps are Eastern Time. Here’s the latest on Day Two of the Winter Meetings:

  • 7:23pm: Brian Cashman confirmed that pretty much every player on the roster has been asked about in trades this offseason except Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. No one has the guts to ask about Judge, eh? There were some bad contract-for-bad-contract swap talks involving Jacoby Ellsbury. “Money laundering,” Cashman called it. [Bryan Hoch]
  • 4:35pm: The Yankees are one of three teams Manny Machado will visit, presumably after the Winter Meetings. It’s the Yankees, Phillies, and White Sox. Some #MysteryTeams are reportedly involved as well. [Jon Heyman]
  • 4:32pm: Three-team trade talks between the Yankees, Mets, and Marlins are not progressing. The Mets are still pursuing J.T. Realmuto but it sounds they’re looking for ways to get it done without trading one of the best pitchers in baseball. [Jon Morosi]
  • 11:46am: There’s a scenario in which the Yankees trade for J.T. Realmuto, have him split time at catcher and DH with Gary Sanchez, and move Giancarlo Stanton to the outfield. This strikes me as a “hey, Mets, if you don’t do this three-team deal soon we’re just going to keep Realmuto for ourselves” bluff, but we’ll see. [Joel Sherman]
  • 11:41am: The Yankees remain interested in a reunion with Zach Britton. The expectation is his market will begin “narrowing down” by the end of the Winter Meetings, so nothing is imminent. Britton has said he’d like to return to the Yankees. [Brendan Kuty]
  • 11:32am: J.A. Happ has several two-year offers in hand and is still looking for a third year. He’s indicated he’ll sign with the first team that offers that third guaranteed year. It’s been reported the Yankees won’t go there. [Jeff Passan]
  • 10:55am: The Yankees are open to moving Miguel Andujar. That would make sense in the construct of this Syndergaard-Realmuto three-team trade. In theory, the Yankees could trade Andujar to a pitcher and then sign Manny Machado. [Ken Rosenthal]
  • 9:30am: The Yankees and Reds had a “little talk” about second baseman Scooter Gennett. The left-handed hitting Gennett would be close to the ideal replacement for Didi Gregorius. The Reds want to trade him too, apparently. [Jon Heyman, Ken Rosenthal]
  • 9:30am: Eleven teams initially showed interest in Sonny Gray and the Yankees have now pared the list down and are focusing on trade talks with a select few teams. “We haven’t found the sweet spot yet,” said Brian Cashman. [Joel Sherman]

2018 Winter Meetings Rumors Thread: Monday

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The four busiest days of the offseason have arrived. Well, the three busiest days, really, because everyone heads home Thursday morning after the Rule 5 Draft. The 2018 Winter Meetings begin today at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, and, as always, there will be a ton of trades, free agent signings, and rumors these next few days. Lots of rumors. Lots and lots of rumors.

The Yankees have already had a fairly active offseason. They traded for James Paxton and re-signed both Brett Gardner and CC Sabathia, most notably, and they’ve also brought in some depth options like Hanser Alberto, Tim Locastro, and Parker Bridwell. The Yankees still need another starter though, plus a Didi Gregorius middle infield replacement and bullpen help. Brian Cashman’s work is far from done this offseason.

“Obviously, we have a number of things to accomplish that I consider heavy lifting. We need to fill our club out. Usually most things get concluded by the end of the Winter Meetings based on the last two years,” said Cashman to George King recently. “Things have dragged out longer, but for the most part, now momentum will kick in for everybody — players, agents and clubs. Hopefully we will be in position to improve ourselves, but part of this is having patience. We don’t want to make a mistake and rush this process. If it takes longer, it takes longer. Optimally, you would like to get something done between now and the conclusion of Vegas.”

The last time the Winter Meetings were held in Las Vegas the Yankees left town with a newly signed CC Sabathia and momentum toward a deal with A.J. Burnett and having started discussions about a deal with Mark Teixeira. I can’t say I expect the Yankees to be that active again this year — that was one of the largest free agent spending sprees in baseball history — but I do expect them to be busy this week. There’s still a lot of needs that have to be addressed.

As we do every year, we’ll keep you updated on the latest Yankees-related rumors in this one handy post throughout the day. The Winter Meetings are in the Pacific Time Zone this year, so we East Coasters may have to wait a little longer than usual each morning for everyone in Las Vegas to wake up and start cranking out rumors. Anyway, make sure you check back through the day for updates. Here’s the latest (all timestamps Eastern Time):

  • 5:59pm: The Yankees scouted Yusei Kikuchi “extensively” this past season and Brian Cashman said he’s been in touch with agent Scott Boras about the left-hander. Here’s everything you need to know about Kikuchi. His 30-day negotiating period closes Thursday, January 3rd. [Joel Sherman]
  • 5:54pm: Brian Cashman more or less shot down speculation the Yankees could sign Bryce Harper to play first base. “The Harper stuff, I’m surprised you are still asking,” he said. Cashman did admit he’s “had several conversations” with Manny Machado‘s agent, though not in Las Vegas at the Winter Meetings. [Bryan Hoch, Joel Sherman]
  • 4:35pm: The Yankees have considered Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed as they look for a Didi Gregorius replacement. They’ve had interest in him before. Ahmed is a fantastic defender and he discovered some power this year, but he’s still a below-average hitter. The D’Backs aren’t expected to part with Ahmed for anything less than a big overpay, so forget that. [Brendan Kuty]
  • 2:06pm: The Yankees are aiming high in Sonny Gray trade talks and asked the Reds about top prospect Taylor Trammell. MLB.com ranks Trammell as the 17th best prospect in baseball. Hey, you’ll never got Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano if you don’t ask. [Joel Sherman]
  • 12:38pm: Unlike Harper, Manny Machado will travel to meet with teams in their cities. That all but guarantees he will not sign during the Winter Meetings this week. I could see Machado’s and Harper’s free agencies dragging out into January. [Bob Nightengale]
  • 12:17pm: The Yankees and Padres remain in contact about Sonny Gray. San Diego doesn’t have much MLB talent to offer at this point — Matt Strahm would be nice, though I’d bet against it — so, if a trade does happen, it figures to be Gray for prospects. [Jon Morosi]
  • 11:52am: “Industry buzz” says the Yankees want to limit a potential J.A. Happ contract to two years. He’s shopping around for a three-year deal this offseason though. Always remember to take these secondhand “industry buzz” rumors with a grain of salt. [George King]
  • 11:30am: The Yankees will meet face-to-face with Bryce Harper at some point this week. Harper lives in Las Vegas, which is convenient. We haven’t heard the Yankees connected to Harper much this offseason and I suppose it’s possible this week’s meeting is just due diligence since everyone will be in the same place at the same time. [Jeff Passan]
  • 11:30am: In addition to Harper, the Yankees will also meet with Manny Machado at some point. I’m not sure if it’ll be during the Winter Meetings or later. They will not bid $300M to get him, however. If that’s true, the Yankees almost certainly won’t get Machado then. Either he’d have to take a deep discount or his market would have to collapse for that work. [Jon Heyman]
  • 11:30am: The Yankees have interest in free agent multi-position players Marwin Gonzalez and Josh Harrison. Both would fit as a Gregorius replacement though one (Gonzalez) is much more desirable than the other (Harrison) in my opinion. [Jon Heyman]