The Washington Nationals have signed right-handed starter Bronson Arroyo, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. The team has since announced the deal.
Arroyo has agreed to a minor league contract with an invite to Major League Spring Training. He will be reunited with Dusty Baker, who managed Arroyo for most of his career while he pitched for the Reds. If he makes the Nationals' 25-man roster, Arroyo will earn a $2 million base, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. He can make up to $8 million if he makes 32 starts. Washington had been mentioned as a suitor for Arroyo just this week, with the Reds, Marlins, and Padres also showing varying amounts of interest. With the deal, Arroyo adds depth to the Nationals' rotation that includes Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer, Gio Gonzalez, Tanner Roark, and Joe Ross. Turning 39 this February, Arroyo has not pitched since 2014, having had Tommy John surgery. This past season, Arroyo was traded from the Diamondbacks to the Braves to the Dodgers, but did not throw a single pitch for any of them. Arroyo's last full season came in 2013, while with the Reds. He went 14-12 with a 3.79 ERA and a 124 to 34 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 202 innings pitched. Over his career, Arroyo was known as one of the most durable pitchers in the Majors. He threw 199 or more innings every season from 2005 to 2013, with solid results during that time. Overall, with the Reds, Pirates, Red Sox, and Diamondbacks, he has a 4.19 ERA and a 2.38 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2,364 2/3 innings. --Devan Fink
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The Tampa Bay Rays have interest in free agent shortstop Ian Desmond, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation's MLB Daily Dish reports.
The only issue with Desmond is that he is attached to the qualifying offer. According to Cotillo, the Rays consider the QO to be a "huge obstacle" in getting a deal done. The Rays would have to give up their first round draft pick (No. 13) if they signed him. One source told Cotillo that a deal between the Rays and Desmond is "unlikely" at this time. Desmond is not an exact fit for the Rays. The team acquired Brad Miller earlier in the offseason to play shortstop, and the rest of the infield is set with James Loney at first, Logan Forsythe at second, and Evan Longoria at third. A fit could be made if Desmond was willing to become a utility player, similar to how Ben Zobrist was during his time in Tampa. Desmond would play plenty of games, but not all at shortstop. This could work because it has been bounced around this offseason that Desmond may consider playing a different position to get a deal done anyway. On a short-term deal, Ian Desmond may make sense for the Tampa Bay Rays, a team not known for signing big free agents. It is an interesting fit, but it could work. Last season, Desmond had a down year. He hit .233/.290/.384 with 19 home runs and 62 RBIs in 641 plate appearances. According to FanGraphs, the 30-year-old was worth 1.7 Wins Above Replacement. --Devan Fink
The Nationals, Reds, and Marlins are interested in right-handed starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports and Peter Gammons of MLB Network report.
Arroyo was in Cincinnati on January 22 to throw for the Reds, according to Robert Murray of Baseball Essential, though no deal is close. Arroyo spent the 2015 season with three teams, the Diamondbacks, the Braves, and the Dodgers, but did not throw a single pitch, as he had Tommy John surgery. The soon-to-be 39-year-old probably won't be looking for a long-term deal. He could be a veteran presence in any rotation, including Miami's, who has reportedly been connected to other veteran arms, like Doug Fister, Tim Lincecum, and Cliff Lee. Once one of the most durable pitchers in the Major Leagues, Arroyo threw 200 or more innings every single year from 2005 to 2013, excluding 2011, when he threw 199. His last full season came in 2013, when he went 14-12 with a 3.79 ERA and a 124 to 34 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 202 innings pitched. He was worth 1.2 FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement. Arroyo has pitched 15 seasons in the Major Leagues, registering a 4.19 ERA and a 2.38 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2,364 2/3 innings pitched. He has been worth 24.8 fWAR in his career, pitching for the Reds, Pirates, Red Sox, and Diamondbacks. --Devan Fink
The New York Mets have re-signed outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com first reported Friday night.
Cespedes agreed to a three-year, $75 million deal, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The deal includes an opt-out after one season and a full no-trade clause. If Cespedes does opt-out, he will make $27.5 million over a single season, the second-highest annual average value for a position player ever. It was quite a saga for Cespedes, who may have been extremely close to signing with the Nationals on Thursday. Numerous teams showed interest along the way, but the sweepstakes came down to the two National League East rivals. Cespedes reportedly wanted to return to New York, though the team was unwilling to offer him the five-year deal he coveted. Now, Cespedes gets a mid-range deal, but could hit the free agent market again next offseason anyway. One interesting factor in this deal is the fact that it contains no deferred money. The Nationals reportedly offered Cespedes a five-year deal for about $100 million, but with a lot of deferred money, thus lowering the present day value of the contract due to inflation over time. So, Cespedes might end up getting a larger sum of money in this deal with New York than what he would have got with Washington. If (and when) Cespedes opts-out next offseason, he will be in line to make much more money. Cespedes will be one of the best position player free agents in a weak market. He should be able to get the long-term deal he was seeking this offseason. For the Mets, re-signing Cespedes comes as a welcome sight to fans who believed that the team was pinching pennies. The team was the National League champion last year and Cespedes was a big part of that. He is a middle-of-the-order impact bat. The 30-year-old Cespedes hit for a .291/.328/.542 slash line with 35 home runs and 105 RBIs in 676 plate appearances with the Tigers and Mets last season. According to FanGraphs, he was worth 6.7 Wins Above Replacement. While the total guarantee does not look like a lot as compared to other outfielders, Yoenis Cespedes may have found the most creative deal on the 2016 free agent market. --Devan Fink
The Colorado Rockies are in serious talks with free agent right-hander Yovani Gallardo, reports Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post. Saunders adds that no offer is on the table quite yet.
Many teams had been connected to Gallardo throughout the offseason, but he had reportedly narrowed suitors down to the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and Colorado. If a deal gets done, the Rockies would be forced to give up their second round draft pick. Gallardo was offered a qualifying offer from the Rangers at the beginning of the offseason, but rejected it. The Rockies' first round pick is protected. Gallardo would be a good fit in Colorado, as the team's projected rotation is nothing special. As of right now, the Rockies would have Jorge De La Rosa leading their staff, with Chad Bettis, Jordan Lyles, Jon Gray, and Tyler Chatwood rounding out the rest. Gallardo would be a veteran presence in a rotation that definitely needs one. The soon-to-be 30-year-old Gallardo went 13-11 with a 3.42 ERA and a 121 to 68 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 184 1/3 innings pitched with Texas last year. His 124 ERA+ was the best of his career (minimum 5 games). Pitching in Coors Field, arguably the best hitter's park in the Major Leagues, could be a struggle for Gallardo. However, he is a good ground ball pitcher and may be able to avoid giving up loads of home runs. Last season, his fly ball rate was the 21st-lowest among starting pitchers in the Major Leagues. A deal is not done, though. Negotiations are ongoing between Gallardo and the Rockies, with other teams likely in the mix too. -Devan Fink |
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