With simply over a month to spare till pitchers and catchers report for camp in Florida and Arizona, Main League Baseball’s offseason is coming into its closing stretch. That leaves groups with treasured little time left to use the ending touches to their rosters. Under, CBS Sports activities has compiled all of Wednesday’s notable information, strikes, and rumors.
Verdugo market heating up
Veteran outfielder Alex Verdugo is drawing curiosity from a slew of golf equipment, in line with Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Amongst these jockeying for his companies? The Pirates, Mets, and Blue Jays.
Verdugo, 28, authored a disappointing season with the Yankees. He hit .233/.291/.356 (83 OPS+) with simply 13 dwelling runs in 149 video games. However, pursuant golf equipment probably view him as a rebound candidate primarily based on his youth and observe document (even now he is sporting a 101 OPS+ for his profession).
It would not harm Verdugo’s marketability that he is all however sure to accept a one-year pact at a middling wage.
Nationals ink Rosario
The Nationals have signed veteran utility participant Amed Rosario, the group introduced on Wednesday. Rosario will obtain $2 million for the one-year deal, in line with Jon Heyman of the New York Publish.
Rosario, 29, break up final season between three groups. He hit .280/.306/.380 (94 OPS+) with three dwelling runs and 13 stolen bases. He figures to be employed as a reserve.
Crimson Sox exhibiting curiosity in Minter
The Crimson Sox are one of many groups exhibiting curiosity in lefty reliever A.J. Minter, once more per Cotillo.
Minter, 31, has amassed a profession 3.28 ERA in almost 400 appearances. CBS Sports activities ranked him because the Forty eighth-best free agent coming into the winter. Here is what we wrote on the time:
This can be a contact decrease than Minter deserves to be primarily based on his observe document as a high-leverage lefty, however we’re hedging our bets on how groups will react to the season-ending hip surgical procedure he underwent in August. To his credit score, he continued to be efficient when he was out there; to his debit, his velocity and each his strikeout and home-run charges declined to the worst of his profession. Attributing these marks to Minter’s bodily ailment appears honest. On the similar time, it is in all probability smart to account for the likelihood that he by no means fairly regains his peak kind once more.
The Crimson Sox have reportedly had conversations with a number of different high free-agent relievers, together with former Cardinals nearer Andrew Kittredge.
