Tag Archives: Cleveland Guardians

Amed Rosario Acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers

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Amed Rosario is heading to Los Angeles…

The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired the 27-year-old Dominican professional baseball shortstop in a trade on Wednesday that saw them send right-hander Noah Syndergaard to the Cleveland Guardians.

Amed RosarioRosario joins a Dodgers team whose .629 OPS at shortstop is the fifth worst in baseball and that just a day ago traded for super-utilityman Enrique Hernández, who had been the Boston Red Sox‘s shortstop.

Syndergaard, 30, will join the Guardians in Chicago on Thursday for the opener of a four-game series, but it’s not clear when he’ll make his debut, according to Chris Antonetti, Cleveland’s president of baseball operations.

He is rehabbing at Triple-A after hitting the injured list in early June because of a blister on his right index finger.

After signing a one-year, $13 million contract with the Dodgers in the offseason, Syndergaard posted a 7.16 ERA over a dozen starts, and the Dodgers no longer envisioned a long-term place for him within what remains a needy rotation.

The Dodgers’ hope is for Rosario, who is hitting .265/.306/.369 with three home runs this season, to capture some of his previous offensive and defensive magic. Last year, he registered more than four wins above replacement, and he discussed a long-term contract extension with the Guardians before agreeing to a $7.8 million salary in arbitration.

Rosario is due to hit free agency this winter and will be among the youngest players in the class. He made his debut with the New York Mets at age 21 and was traded to Cleveland in 2021 as part of the four-player package for shortstop Francisco Lindor and starter Carlos Carrasco.

Cleveland could replace Rosario with young infielders Tyler Freeman and Gabriel Arias, and also could turn to 22-year-old Brayan Rocchio, who made his major league debut earlier this season and is currently hitting .295/.385/.419 at Triple-A.

“We felt that this made sense for us, and now is the right time to give Gabby and Tyler some more opportunities,” Antonetti said. “We also wanted to be respectful to Amed. We recognize his place on our team and as a veteran leader and his expectations of himself and transitioning him to a lesser role would had an impact on him and the team and we were very mindful about doing that.”

Cleveland’s beleaguered rotation could get a boost from Syndergaard, the one-time MLB All-Star who will join his fourth team in two seasons after getting dealt from the Los Angeles Angels to the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline last year.

Three of the Guardians’ top starters — ace Shane Bieber and right-handers Triston McKenzie and Cal Quantrill — are on the injured list, and the team currently has three rookies (Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen) starting alongside veteran Aaron Civale.

The Guardians’ pitching nonetheless has been among the team’s strengths, with a 4.07 starters ERA that ranks 10th in the major leagues. Cleveland could continue to pursue a bat to enhance an offense whose 420 runs are 25th in the major leagues.

Adolis Garcia Joins American League MLB All-Star Game Lineup as Injury Replacement

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Adolis Garcia is headed to the MLB All-Star Game…

The 30-year-old Cuban professional baseball player and Texas Rangers outfielder has joined the American League lineup as an injury replacement.

Adolis Garcia Garcia was named to the AL team along with Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays and Los Angeles Angels pitcher Carlos Estevez.

They take over for New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase.

With Garcia’s selection, Texas will become the first team in 47 years to have five position players start in the All-Star Game.

On the NL side, Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo was named as an injury replacement for Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson.

Estevez and Perdomo are first-time All-Stars.

Garcia joins Rangers catcher Jonah Heim, second baseman Marcus Semien, shortstop Corey Seager and third baseman Josh Jung in the AL lineup for Tuesday’s game at Seattle. The non-Rangers are Tampa Bay first baseman Yandy Díaz and outfielder Randy Arozarena, Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Hays.

The only other teams with five position players to start the All-Star Game were the 1939 Yankees and the 1956, 1957 and 1976 Cincinnati Reds.

Judge hasn’t played since tearing a ligament in his right big toe June 3 while crashing into a bullpen gate as he made a catch at Dodger Stadium. Trout broke his left wrist fouling off a pitch Monday and had surgery Wednesday.

Clase, who is tied for first in the major leagues with 42 appearances and ranks fourth with 24 saves, withdrew from the All-Star Game in order to spend time with his pregnant girlfriend in the Dominican Republic. He will remain with the Guardians through Sunday’s home series finale against Kansas City.

Swanson is dealing with a bruised heel and decided not to play in the All-Star Game.

St. Louis Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado Earns 10th Consecutive Gold Glove Award

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Make that a perfect 10 for Nolan Arenado…

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American baseball player, a third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, has become the fourth infielder to win 10 consecutive Rawlings Gold Gloves, when baseball’s winners for the sport’s most prestigious fielding awards were announced on ESPN2 before Game 3 of the World Series.

Nolan ArenadoArenado has won the National League‘s Gold Glove at third base in each of his 10 seasons in the major leagues. That streak ties former Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki for the longest by a player at any position to start a career.

The only infielders who put together longer streaks were Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson (third base, 16 straight Gold Gloves) and Ozzie Smith (shortstop, 13 straight) and former Cardinals and New York Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez (11 straight).

The Gold Gloves once tended to favor repeat winners, but this year’s list of honorees marked a season of unprecedented change. A record 14 players won their first Gold Gloves, including all but one of the winners in the American League.

The AL‘s first timers were Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber, New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez, Baltimore Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias, Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena, Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan, Guardians center fielder Myles Straw and Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker.

The AL’s only repeat winner was the Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu, who was recognized as a utility player.

There was a little more familiarity among those who joined Arenado as Gold Glovers on the National League side. The first-time winners included Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker, Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers, Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ and Cardinals utility player Brendan Donovan.

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto won his second Glove Glove, joining Houston’s Pena and Tucker in learning of their honor during the lead-up to their World Series contest.

“It’s a pretty cool moment, for sure,” Pena said. “[Getting] congratulated by our teammates. We know the focus is the game, so we’re going to enjoy this for a little bit and then get ready for the game.”

Pena joined Kwan and Donovan as winners during their rookie seasons, another record. The only other time in which there has been even two rookie Gold Glovers was 2020 (Luis Robert and Evan White).

In taking the honor, Pena continued to prove a worthy successor at the position in Houston to Carlos Correa, who won the award last season. Pena became the first rookie shortstop to win a Gold Glove.

“I heard that today and I was in shock because I didn’t know that was a thing,” Pena said. “But it’s pretty cool.”

San Diego Padres center fielder Trent Grisham won for the second time, while Los Angeles Dodgers star right fielder Mookie Betts won his sixth Gold Glove. Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried was honored for the third time.

Here’s a look at the 2022 Gold Glove winners:

American League
P: Shane Bieber, Cleveland
C: Jose Trevino, New York
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto
2B: Andres Gimenez, Cleveland
3B: Ramon Urias, Baltimore
SS: Jeremy Pena, Houston
LF: Steven Kwan, Cleveland
CF: Myles Straw, Cleveland
RF: Kyle Tucker, Houston

National League
P: Max Fried, Atlanta
C: J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia
1B: Christian Walker, Arizona
2B: Brendan Rodgers, Colorado
3B: Nolan Arenado, St. Louis
SS: Dansby Swanson, Atlanta
LF: Ian Happ, Chicago
CF: Trent Grisham, San Diego
RF: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles

Giancarlo Stanton Helps Lead New York Yankees Past Cleveland Guardians to Continue Playoff Run

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Giancarlo Stanton helps propel the New York Yankees to the next round…

The 32-year-old part-Puerto Rican professional baseball designated hitter put the first runs on the scoreboard in the first inning in the deciding game between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday.

Giancarlo StantonStanton hit a line-drive home run on an 87.5 mph cutter from Cleveland starter Aaron Civale over the right field wall, scoring Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo and putting the Yankees on top 3-0. Civale lasted one more batter, throwing just 26 pitches and recording a single out before Guardians manager Terry Francona gave him the hook.

In the end, the Yankees punched a ticket to the American League Championship Series with a 5-1 victory over Guardians.

The Game 5 victory capped a back-and-forth series in which the Yankees faced elimination in Game 4 in Cleveland and rain delayed multiple contests.

New York now faces off against the Houston Astros in a best-of-seven series that starts in Houston on Wednesday when Justin Verlander and Jameson Taillon go head-to-head in Game 1. During the regular season, the Astros and Yankees finished with the two best records in the American League, respectively, while Houston took five of seven games against New York.

The Yankees and Astros face off in Houston in Game 1 of the ALCS on Wednesday starting at 7:37 p.m. ET.

Julio Rodriguez Agrees to Massive Long-Term Deal with Seattle Mariners that Could Max Out at $470 Million

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Julio Rodriguez has finalized a historic payday…

The 21-year-old Dominican professional baseball player, nicknamed “J-Rod,” has finalized a massive long-term extension deal with the Seattle Mariners that guarantees him $210 million and could max out at $470 million, which would be the richest deal in American sports history, sources told ESPN on Friday.

Julio RodriguezThe Mariners announced the deal on Friday before Rodriguez’s at-bat in the sixth inning of Seattle’s 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians, and he received a standing ovation from the crowd of 39,870. In a news release announcing the agreement, the team called it a “historic day for Julio and Mariners fans.”

“This is a great day for my family and me,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “I have always wanted to spend my whole career here, in Seattle, with this team and with these fans. I want to win here, in Seattle. That was what I told my agents, and what I told [president of baseball operations] Jerry [Dipoto]. I am so happy to be here.”

The base deal is for $120 million and lasts through the 2029 season, sources said.

Following the 2028 season, the Mariners can exercise an option for an additional eight or 10 years, depending on where Rodriguez finishes in MVP voting in the preceding seasons.

If the Mariners turn down the option, Rodriguez can exercise a five-year, $90 million player option after the 2029 season or hit free agency just shy of his 30th birthday.

The Mariners’ option is where the potential money can grow into a historically large figure. If Rodriguez maxes out his MVP escalators, Seattle’s option would be for 10 years and $350 million, taking the total value of the deal to $470 million through 2039. The lowest level would be for eight years and $200 million on top of the original $120 million, keeping Rodriguez tied to the Mariners through 2037.

“Julio is among the most exciting players in the game and has only scratched the surface of what’s to come,” Dipoto said in a statement. “We feel the uniqueness of this deal befits the person. His infectious personality and ability on the field are only surpassed by his character away from it. We are thrilled that generations of Mariners fans will have the privilege of watching him play in T-Mobile Park for many years to come.”

Rodriguez, a powerful and fast center fielder, became one of the most exciting players in baseball when he made the Mariners’ Opening Day roster. His dynamic skills and big personality endeared him to a Seattle community that hasn’t seen the Mariners make a postseason in two decades.

With an MLB All-Star Game selection, an epic Home Run Derby performance and a .267/.326/.467 line with 20 home runs and 23 stolen bases, Rodriguez has made perhaps an even bigger impact than anticipated.

“He’s learned a lot over the last 4½, five months about Major League Baseball and things he needed to work on and continue to improve upon,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said Friday. “Really good teammate. I mean, you can go on and on describing where he’s at. But there’s a lot of baseball, really good baseball ahead of him, and I know that’s what excites me and the organization.”

Signed as an amateur out of the Dominican Republic for $1.75 million in July 2017, Rodriguez was seen by scouts as a prototypical corner outfielder who could hit for power. What he has blossomed into, particularly over the past two years, is a true five-tool player with elite speed and the range for center field without sacrificing any of the power that remains one of his calling cards.

The Mariners broke camp with Rodriguez in center field. He struggled in April, striking out 30 times in 73 at-bats without a home run. Since then, Rodriguez has been one of the top players in baseball and the best on a Mariners team that is 69-57 and 2½ games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles for the final American League wild-card spot.

His deal, which was first reported by MLB.com, guarantees him the most money for a player with less than one full year in the major leagues. San Diego signed Fernando Tatis Jr. to a 14-year, $340 million contract after his second season, and the Tampa Bay Rays guaranteed $182 million over 11 seasons to shortstop Wander Franco last winter.

Rodriguez is seventh this season in Baseball-Reference wins above replacement and 16th in FanGraphs’ version. Provided he finishes high in MVP voting in future seasons, his deal is likelier to resemble that of Tatis.

While the 10-year version of Seattle’s option would necessitate consistently high MVP finishes, an eight-year, $280 million version — which would guarantee Rodriguez $400 million — is very attainable.

The potential record-setting nature of the $470 million ceiling could soon be eclipsed. Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani is set to reach free agency after the 2023 season. A year later, Padres star Juan Soto, who turned down a guaranteed $440 million from the Washington Nationals before they traded him, could be a free agent right after he turns 26.

Chicago Cubs Claim Franmil Reyes from Cleveland Guardians

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Franmil Reyes is heading to the Windy City…

The Chicago Cubs have claimed the Dominican professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians.

Franmil Reyes Reyes, who began the season as the cleanup hitter for the Guardians, was designated for assignment by the team on Saturday.

He had been optioned to Triple-A Columbus earlier last week after batting .213 with nine home runs and 104 strikeouts in 263 at-bats.

Reyes belted 37 homers in 2019 — splitting the season between Cleveland and the San Diego Padres — and had 30 homers and a career-high 85 RBIs in 2021.

He is earning $4.55 million on a one-year contract this season and is arbitration-eligible the next two seasons.

Yohan Ramirez Acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates

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Yohan Ramirez is making a switch…

The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired the 27-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher from the Cleveland Guardians for cash while reinstating infielder Kevin Newman from the 60-day injured list.

Yohan RamirezThe Pirates optioned Ramirez to Triple-A Indianapolis and had Newman in the lineup and batting seventh for their game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Newman hadn’t played since April 26 due to a left groin strain.

Ramirez has appeared in a combined eight games this season with the Seattle Mariners and Guardians. He is 1-0 with a 6.97 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings. Right-handers are hitting .222 against him.

In 15 Triple-A appearances, he is 1-1 with a 6.06 ERA.

Ramirez has pitched in 49 career major league games with Seattle (2020-22) and Cleveland, going 2/3 with five saves and a 3.99 ERA.

“We really liked his stuff,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “I think there’s some things that we think mechanically we can continue to work on, but the actual stuff, we really like. The other thing is this is a guy with two options, which is really important for a club like us. We’re fortunate to get somebody like that.”

Newman, 28, is batting .250 with no homers and eight RBI in 14 games this season. He played shortstop before getting hurt but started at second base Friday. Shelton said Newman would be used at both positions.

Last season, Newman batted .226 with five homers and 39 RBI in 148 games.

Jose Ramirez Agrees to Historic 5-Year, $150-Million Contract Extension with Cleveland Guardians 

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Jose Ramirez is extending his time in Ohio…

The 29-year-old Dominican professional baseball player, an MLB All-Star third baseman and the Cleveland Guardians have agreed on a five-year, $124 million contract extension, according to ESPN.

Jose RamirezThe deal includes a full no-trade clause, per sources. With this year and the pickup of a 2023 option, Ramirez is guaranteed $150 million.

Cleveland set the table for this move during the offseason, picking up Ramirez’s $12 million contract option on November 5 after an MVP-caliber campaign for Ramirez. The formal transaction allowed the franchise some room for longer-term negotiations once baseball’s work stoppage ended.

The five-year, $124 million extension is the largest in franchise history, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The Guardians had been one of five Major League Baseball teams that had never agreed to a $100 million contract with a player. The Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox are the others.

Ramirez, who has finished in the top three of the American League MVP voting three times in his career, was one of few bright spots for Cleveland’s inconsistent offense during the team’s final season with its old nickname. He hit .266 with 36 home runs, 103 RBIs and 27 steals in the final year of what was a team-friendly $26 million, four-year contract.

“I would really like to stay,” Ramirez said after Cleveland finished 80-82 last year, the club’s first losing season since 2012. “But there’s no rush. I would really like to stay here the rest of my career. But we have to wait to see what happens. I would love to see what they have to offer.”

The veteran’s future has been a hot topic during spring training in Goodyear, Arizona, and manager Terry Francona was not afraid to open up about it last month.

“I think Jose knows how we feel about him,” Francona told reporters during a March 17 media availability. “In this age of blogging and the internet, there is so much out there that we could make ourselves crazy. I hope it doesn’t make him crazy. I don’t think it does.”

Chris Antonetti, Cleveland’s president, also addressed his star infielder’s future in Arizona last month.

“Without getting into specifics, I do think we’ll have some internal conversations,” Antonetti said about the new deal. “The timing of that is really hard to say when we’ll be able to do that, just because of the compressed nature of the offseason.”

Ramirez is the only position player left from Cleveland’s 2016 pennant-winning team, which lost the World Series in seven games. He has been in the majors since 2013, spending his entire career with Cleveland. In his first season, he appeared in just 15 games, but he has topped 120 games in five seasons since — and has stayed relatively healthy.

Francona expects to use Ramirez in the No. 3 spot in the batting order this season, telling reporters last month that it was safe to “ink” him in that spot moving forward.

The Guardians will open the year Thursday against the Kansas City Royals. In that game, right-hander Shane Bieber will become the 12th pitcher in franchise history to make three consecutive Opening Day starts.

Opening Day will also see the return of Francona to regular-season action for Cleveland after missing time because of toe surgery.

“It’s been a hard couple years, there’s no getting around it,” Francona said. “And I don’t want to act like a big baby because I know there’s people that have had way worst bouts than I had. But it’s not been easy.”

Yan Gomes Agrees to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract with Chicago Cubs

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Yan Gomes is headed to the Windy City…

The 34-year-old Brazilian professional baseball catcher and the Chicago Cubs have agreed to on a two-year, $13 million contract, according to ESPN sources.

Yan GomesGomes hit a combined .252 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs between the Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics last season. Washington traded Gomes to the Oakland A’s at the trading deadline.

He threw out 31% of attempted base stealers last season (19 of 43) and had a .990 fielding percentage.

In Chicago, Gomes likely will back up starter Willson Contreras.

For his career, Gomes has a .247 average, 117 home runs and 416 RBIs in 10 major league seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, the Cleveland Guardians, Washington and Oakland.

Javier Baez Agrees to Six-Year, $140 Million Deal with Detroit Tigers

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The Detroit Tigers have found what they’ve been searching for in Javier Baez…

The Major League Baseball team has agreed to a six-year, $140 million deal with the 29-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball player and free-agent shortstop, according to ESPN sources.

Javier BaezThe deal also includes an opt-out, according to the source.

It would be the second-largest free-agent deal in Tigers franchise history, behind Prince Fielder, who signed a nine-year, $214 million deal with Detroit in January 2012.

While he struck out a league-high 184 times last season, Baez hit .265 with 31 homers, 87 RBIs and 18 steals. He also brings Gold Glove defense to Detroit with his signature no-look tags.

The Tigers had been looking for a shortstop since it went 77-85 last season, finishing third in the AL Central behind the Cleveland Guardians and the Chicago White Sox.

Baez was selected in the first round of the 2011 draft. The two-time National League All-Star had been close to signing a long-term extension with the Chicago Cubs before the 2020 season, but the COVID-19 pandemic put negotiations on hold.

Those contract talks never resumed, and the Cubs traded Baez to the New York Mets this past July.