It's The Bigs Blog #8 - Notes for Podcast #46, AL Transactions

 Hey guys, Ben and I recently did an audio podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Anchor and many other platforms.  Just search "It's The Bigs Podcast" and when you do, please follow, subscribe, rate and review us so we can get more eyes on this great league!

Our podcast on Christmas was every AL Transaction done up to this point.  Below are the notes we were using so you can follow along if you'd like:


Baltimore Orioles

Options:  

  • Jordan Lyles 10M (declined, FA)

Notable Free Agent Losses:

  • Robinson Chirinos

  • Rougned Odor

  • Jesus Aguilar

Upcoming Prospects:

  • SP Grayson Rodriguez

  • SP DL Hall

Signings:

  • Kyle Gibson - 1/10 (replacing Lyles)

  • Adam Frazier 1/8M (replacing Odor)

  • Mychal Givens - 1/5 (welcome home)

Trades:

  • Received C James McCann and Cash Considerations for PTBNL





Boston Red Sox

Options:

  • Chris Sale, Player Option, 27.5M  (opted in)

  • Eric Hosmer, Player Option, 13M  (opted in, DFA’d by Red Sox, now FA)

  • James Paxton, Club Option, 13M  (Club Picked Up)

  • Hirokazu Sawamura, Club Option, 3M  (Club Delcined, FA)

  • Tommy Pham, Mutual, 6M  (Did not agree, FA)

  • Xander Bogaerts can opt out of remaining 4yr/80M (Did So, signed with SD)


Notable Free Agent Losses:

  • JD Martinez

  • Nathan Eovaldi

  • Michael Wacha

  • Matthew Strahm

  • Rich Hill

Upcoming Prospects:

  • 1B Triston Casas

  • SP Brayan Bello

Non-Tender Relases:

  • Franchy Cordero

  • Yu Chang

Signings:

  • Masataka Yoshida - 5/90M (Leadoff Hitter/OF)

  • Kenley Jansen - 2/32M (Closer, finally)

  • Justin Turner - 2/21.7M (New DH)

  • Chris Martin - 2/17.5 (New reliable reliever in the pen)

  • Joely Rodriguez - 1/2M (Lefty in the pen)

Trades:

  • N/A



Chicago White Sox

Options:

  • AJ Pollock, Player, 13M  (Pollock elected FA)

  • Josh Harrison, Club, 5.625M  (Club Declined, FA)

  • Tim Anderson, Club, 12.5M   (Club Accepted)

Notable Free Agents:

  • Jose Abreu

  • Johnny Cueto

  • Vince Velasquez

  • Elvis Andrus

Upcoming Prospects

  • N/A

Non-Tender Relases:

  • Adam Engel

  • Mark Payton

  • Danny Mendick

Signings:

  • Mike Clevinger - 1/12M 

  • Andrew Benintendi - 5/75M

Trades:

  • N/A




Cleveland Guardians

Options:

  • Bryan Shaw, Club, 4M (Team Declined, FA)

Notable Free Agents:

  • Austin Hedges

Upcoming Prospects:

  • SP Daniel Espino

  • SS Brayan Rocchio

  • C Bo Naylor

  • LF/RF George Valera

Non-Tender Relases:

  • Anthony Gose

  • Luke Maile

Signings:

  • Mike Zunino - 1/6M (replaces Hedges as backup C/DH)

  • Josh Bell - 2/33M (nice platoon bat with Naylor at 1B/DH)


Trades:

  • N/A




Detroit Tigers

Options:

  • Andrew Chafin, Player, 7M (Elected FA)

Notable Free Agents:

  • Tucker Barnhart

  • Daniel Norris

Upcoming Prospects:

  • SP Joey Wentz

  • C Dillon Dingler

Non-Tender Relases:

  • Jeimer Candelario

  • Brendan Davis

  • Harold Castro

  • Willi Castro

  • Michael Papierski

  • Miguel Diaz

  • Kyle Funkhouser

Signings:

  • Matthew Boyd - 1/10M

  • Michael Lorenzen - 1/8.5M  

Trades:

  • Traded Joe Jimenez to ATL for OF Justyn-Henry Malloy and LHP Jake Higginbotham




Houston Astros

Options:

  • Justin Verlander, Player, 25M (Declined, signed with NYM)

  • Will Smith, Club, 13M (Club Declined, FA)

  • Trey Mancini, Mutual, 10M (Club Declined, FA)


Notable Free Agents:

  • Michael Brantley

  • Yuli Gurriel

  • Martin Maldonado

  • Christian Vazquez

  • Aledmys Diaz

  • Jason Castro

  • Rafael Montero


Upcoming Prospects:

  • SP Hunter Brown

  • C Korey Lee

  • C/DH Yainer Diaz

  • INF David Hensley


Non-Tender Releases:

  • Josh James


Signings:

  • Jose Abreu - 3/58.5M (Well that replaces Yuli and the 1B/DH need.

  • Rafael Montero - 3/34.5M (And there’s the RP)

  • Michael Brantley - 1/12M 



Kansas City Royals

Options:

  • N/A


Notable Free Agents:

  • Zack Greinke

  • Arodys Vizcaino


Upcoming Prospects:

  • 1b Vinny Pasquantino

  • SS Maikel Garcia

  • SP Alec Marsh

  • INF/OF Nicholas Loftin

  • SP Jonathan Bowlan


Non-Tender Relases:

  • Jake Brentz

  • Nate Webb


Signings:

  • Jordan Lyles - 2/17M 

  • Ryan Yarbrough - 1/3M




Los Angeles Angels

Options:

  • N/A


Notable Free Agents:

  • Michael Lorenzen

  • Archie Bradley

  • Mike Mayers

  • Kurt Suzuki

  • Matt Duffy

  • Magneuris Sierra

  • Phil Gosselin

  • Kyle Barraclough

  • Monte Harrison

  • Mike Ford

  • Brian Moran


Upcoming Prospects:

  • C Logan O’Hoppe


Non-Tender Releases:

  • Jonathan Diaz

  • Touki Toussaint

  • Nash Walters

  • Rob Zastryzny


Signings:

  • Carlos Estevez - 2/13.5M (there’s the reliever, but far lower tier than I expected)

  • Brandon Drury - 2/17M (I didn’t expect a power CI bat like that but, ok.)

  • Tyler Anderson - 3/39M (There’s the starter but again, lower tier than I expected)


Trades:

  • Received OF Hunter Renfroe from Milwaukee for RHP Janson Junk, RHP Elvis Peguero and LHP Adam Seminaris - (there’s the OF I expected them to go for)

  • Received INF Gio Urshela from Minnesota for RHP Alejandro Hidalgo - (Hey, remember that draft a few years ago when the Angels took ALL starting pitchers?  This is them shedding that draft class)


Minnesota Twins


Options:

  • Sonny Gray, Club 12.7M - (Club Exercised)

  • Miguel Sano, Club, 14.25M - (Declined, FA)

  • Chris Archer, Mutual, 10M - (Did not agree, FA)


Notable Free Agents:

  • Gary Sanchez

  • Michael Fulmer

  • Sandy Leon

  • Aaron Sanchez


Upcoming Prospects:

  • SS Royce Lewis

  • SS/OF Austin Martin

  • SP Ronny Henriquez

  • SP Simeon Woods-Richardson

  • LF/RF Matt Wallner


Signings:

  • Christian Vazquez - 3/30M (there’s the catcher to replace Sanchez)

  • Joey Gallo - 1/11M (well, it’s cheaper than Sano?)


Trades:

  • Acquired RHP Alejandro Hidalgo from LAA for Gio Urshela

  • Acquired INF Kyle Farmer from CIN for RHP Casey Legumina




New York Yankees


Options:

  • Anthony Rizzo, Player Option 16M (Declined, FA)

  • Luis Severino, Club Option, 15M (Club Exercised)


Notable Free Agents:

  • Aaron Judge

  • Aroldis Chapman

  • Zack Britton

  • Andrew Benintendi

  • Jameson Taillon

  • Chad Green

  • Miguel Castro

  • Matt Carpenter

  • Marwin Gonzalez


Upcoming Prospects:

  • SS Oswald Peraza

  • SS Anthony Volpe

  • OF Jasson Dominguez


Signings:

  • Anthony Rizzo - 2/40M (Welcome back)

  • Aaron Judge - 9/360M (Welcome back, captain)

  • Tommy Kahnle - 2/11.5 (Welcome back)

  • Carlos Rodon - 6/162M (Welcome aboard)




Oakland Athletics:


Options:  N/A


Notable Free Agents:

  • Chad Pinder

  • Stephen Vogt

  • Adam Kolarek

Upcoming Prospects:

  • SP  Ken Waldichuk

  • SP Luis Medina

  • C/1B Tyler Soderstrom


Non-Tender Releases:

  • Deolis Guerra

  • Jared Koenig

  • David MacKinnon


Signings:

  • Aledmys Diaz - 2/14.5M (watch him get traded before this deal finishes)

  • Jace Peterson - 2/9.5M (wow, this is really something)

  • Trevor May - 1/7M (Closer?)


Trades:

  • Acquired LHP Kyle Muller, RHP Freddy Tarnok, RHP Royber Salinas, OF Esteury Ruiz and C Manny Pina for Sean Murphy

  • Acquired RHP Chad Smith from COL RHP Jeff Criswell




Seattle Mariners


Options:

  • Chris Flexen, Club Option 8M (Exercised)


Notable Free Agents:

  • Carlos Santana

  • Adam Frazier

  • Mitch Haniger

  • Matthew Boyd

  • Curt Casali


Upcoming Prospects:

  • SP Emerson Hancock


Non-Tender Relases:

  • Luke Weaver

  • Luis Torrens

  • Brian O’Keefe

Immediate Needs:

  • SP depth?

  • DH bat


Trades:  

  • Acquired Kolten Wong and Cash Considerations from MIL for OF Jesse Winker and INF Abraham Toro

  • Acquired OF Cooper Hummel from ARZ for OF Kyle Lewis

  • Acquired OF Teoscar Hernandez from TOR for RHP Erik Swanson and LHP Adam Macko.




Tampa Bay Rays


Options: 

  • Kevin Kiermaier, Club Option 13M (declined, signed with TOR)


Notable Free Agents:

  • Corey Kluber

  • David Peralta

  • Mike Zunino


Upcoming Prospects:

  • NOT SP Shane Baz - TJ in September 22, out for 23.  See you in 24, kid.

  • NOT SP Brendan McKay - TJ in Sept 22, out for 23.  Join Baz in recovery, kid.

  • 1B/2B/3B Jonathan Aranda

  • 2B/SS/3B/Slapdick Prospect Xavier Edwards

  • 3B/2B/1B Curtis Mead

  • SP Taj Bradley


Non-Tender Relases:

  • Ryan Yarbrough

Signings:

  • Zach Eflin - 3/40M (Kluber replacement)


Trades:

  • Traded 1B Ji-Man Choi to PIT for RHP Jack Hartman

  • Traded LHP Brooks Raley to NYM for LHP 




Texas Rangers


Options:

  • Garrett Richards, Club Option, 9M (Declined)

  • Kole Calhoun, Club Option, 5.5M (Declined)

  • Jose Leclerc, Club Option, 6M (Exercised)


Notable Free Agents:

  • Martin Perez

  • Kohei Arihara

  • Matt Moore

  • Charlie Culberson

  • Kevin Plawecki


Upcoming Prospects:

  • 3B Josh Jung

  • SP Jack Leiter

  • RP/SP Owen White

  • RP Cole Winn

  • 2b Justin Foscue


Non-Tender Relases:

  • Nick Snyder


Signings:  

  • Martin Perez - 1/19.7M

  • Andrew Heaney - 2/25M

  • Jacob deGrom - 5/185M




Toronto Blue Jays


Options:

  • Anthony Bass, Club 3M (team exercised)

Notable Free Agents:

  • Ross Stripling

  • Jackie Bradley Jr


Upcoming Prospects:

  • C Gabriel Moreno

  • SS/3B Orelvis Martinez

  • RP Nate Pearson


Non-Tender Releases:

  • Vinny Capra

  • Raimel Tapia

  • Bradley Zimmer


Signings:

  • Chris Bassitt - 3/63M (there’s the SP need)

  • Kevin Kiermaier - 1/9M 


Trades:

  • Acquired RHP Erik Swanson and LHP Adam Macko from SEA for Teoscar Hernandez

  • Acquired OF Daulton Varsho from ARZ for Lourdes Gurriel and C Gabriel Moreno

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