Tag Archives: Gold Glove

Donovan Solano Agrees to One-Year, $3.5 Million Deal with Seattle Mariners

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Donovan Solano is headed to the Emerald City.

The 37-year-old Colombian professional baseball infielder has agreed to a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners.

Donovan SolanoSolano can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses for plate appearances: $200,000 each for 300, 350, 400, 450 and 500.

Solano hit .286 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 96 games with the San Diego Padres last year, including .302 (32 for 106) with four home runs against left-handers.

He is a .279 career hitter with 40 homers and 279 RBIs in 11 major league seasons with the Miami Marlins (2012-15), the New York Yankees (2016), San Francisco (2019-21), Cincinnati (2022), Minnesota (2023) and San Diego.

Since 2019 Solano is hitting .294 with 31 homers and 180 RBIs.

“Donovan has been among the most underrated hitters in the game over the past six years,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in a statement.

Solano also gets a hotel suite on road trips. He would receive $50,000 for election to the MLB All-Star team and $25,000 for selection. Solano also can earn $150,000 for MVP, $100,000 for World Series MVP and $50,000 each for League Championship Series MVP, Gold Glove or Silver Slugger.

Left-hander Austin Kitchen was designated for assignment to open a roster spot.

He made his major league debut for Miami at Tampa Bay Rays on July 30, went 0-1 with a 14.14 ERA in one start and three relief appearances and was claimed off waivers by Seattle on September 9.

Toronto Blue Jays Agree to Deal with Cleveland Guardians for MLB All-Star Andrés Giménez

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Andrés Giménez is feelin’ blue (jays)…

The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a deal with the Cleveland Guardians for the 26-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman, an MLB All-Star, per ESPN sources.

Andrés GiménezInfielder Spencer Horwitz, 27, will head to Cleveland as part of the deal, per sources. The other elements of the trade were not immediately known.

The deal comes as Toronto is trying to retool its roster after a disastrous 2024 season and in the aftermath of its unsuccessful attempt to sign superstar Juan Soto.

Gimenez is in the midst of a seven-year, $106.5 million deal that runs through the 2029 season, with a club option for 2030.

He has won three Gold Gloves and is widely regarded as one of the sport’s best middle infielders.

He stole 30 bases for the Guardians last season but batted .252 with a slugging percentage of .340 and was moved down into the lower half of the Cleveland lineup.

In an era in which executives highly value offensive production, other teams had started to view Gimenez as perhaps overpriced for the small-market Guardians, with rival executives speculating earlier in this offseason that he might be on the move.

The Blue Jays went 74-88 last season and are facing a franchise crossroad ahead, which is why they took a shot — a long shot, it appeared from the outset — at signing Soto.

First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the team’s best hitter, will be eligible for free agency next fall, and to date, the Blue Jays haven’t been able to work out a contract extension. Associates of Guerrero say that as the player weighs his options, he’s not sure about the direction of the franchise.

Shortstop Bo Bichette is also eligible for free agency after next season.

The Blue Jays appear to be foregoing a significant rebuild and, according to agents and rival executives, have indicated they will do everything they can to rebound in the very competitive AL East in 2025. The Jays made a significant offer to Soto before being outbid by the New York Mets, and they have had talks with other free agents and teams about possible deals.

They were among the teams involved in the bidding for pitcher Max Fried before Fried, according to sources, agreed to an eight-year, $218 million deal with the New York Yankees.

Félix Hernández Among 14 New Candidates on the Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot

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Félix Hernández is on the ballot.

The 38-year-old Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher, nicknamed “King Félix,” is among 14 new candidates on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released on Monday, joining 14 holdovers.

Félix HernándezHernández, the 2010 American League (AL) Cy Young winner and a six-time MLB All-Star, won the 2010 and 2014 AL ERA titles.

He was 169-136 with a 3.42 ERA and 2,524 strikeouts for Seattle from 2005-19. Hernández pitched the 23rd perfect game in Major League Baseball history against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 15, 2012.

Hernandez isn’t the only Latino to become a first-time candidate.

Outfielder Carlos González, reliever Fernando Rodney and infielder Hanley Ramírez also are among the Latino newcomers on the ballot.

González was a three-time MLB All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and the 2010 National League (NL) batting champion. He hit .285 with 234 homers, 785 RBIs and 122 stolen bases for Oakland (2008), Colorado (2009-18), Cleveland (2019) and the Chicago Cubs (2019).

Pedroia was a four-time MLB All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, helping Boston to World Series titles in 2007 and 2013. He batted .299 with 140 homers, 725 and 138 steals for the Red Sox from 2006-19, winning the 2007 AL Rookie of the Year and 2008 AL MVP.

Ramírez was voted the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year and won the 2009 NL batting title, becoming a three-time MLB All-Star. He hit .289 with 271 homers, 917 RBIs and 281 stolen bases for Boston (2005, 2015-18), the Florida and Miami Marlins (2006-12), Los Angeles Dodgers (2012-14) and Cleveland (2019).

Other Latino holdovers include steroids-tainted stars Alex Rodriguez (134 votes, 34.8%) and Manny Ramirez (125, 32.5%) along with Carlos Beltran (220, 57.1%), Omar Vizquel (68, 17.7%), Bobby Abreu (57, 14.8%) and Francisco Rodríguez (30, 7.8%).

Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) members with 10 or more consecutive years of membership are eligible to vote. Ballots must be postmarked by December 31 and results will be announced January 23. Anyone elected will be inducted on July 27 along with anyone chosen December 8 by the hall’s classic baseball committee considering eight players and managers whose greatest contributions to the sport were before 1980.

Francisco Lindor Named a Finalist for MLB’s National League MVP Award

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Francisco Lindor is in the running for one of Major League Baseball’s biggest individual honors.

The 30-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball shortstop for the New York Mets, nicknamed “Mr. Smile,” is a finalist for the National League MVP award.

Francisco Lindor Lindor, a 4-time MLB All-Star, 3-time Silver Slugger and 2-time Gold Glove Award winner, is joined among the top three in National League voting by Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte and Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, a finalist for his first National League MVP award after twice winning the American League honor.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is a finalist for his second American League MVP in three seasons, joined by Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto.

Ohtani was unanimously voted the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023 as a two-way star for the Los Angeles Angels and finished second to Judge in 2022 voting. Ohtani signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December but didn’t pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery.

Ohtani would join Frank Robinson for Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues.

Pittsburgh‘s Paul Skenes is a finalist in balloting for the NL Cy Young Award and NL Rookie of the Year. The 22-year-old right-hander becomes the fifth rookie to finish among the top three in Cy Young Award voting, after Mark Fidrych (1976), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Dwight Gooden (1984) and José Fernández (2013). The only one to win both in the same year was Valenzuela in the National League.

Ohtani hit .310, stole 59 bases and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs exclusively as a designated hitter, becoming the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series title, playing the final three games with a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Ohtani would become the first primary DH to win an MVP award.

 

The top three finishers in voting for each of the major individual awards presented annually by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America were announced Monday night on MLB Network. Winners will be revealed next week.

Balloting is conducted before the postseason.

Ohtani would become the 12th player with three or more MVPs, joining Barry Bonds (seven) and Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (three each).

Lindor batted .273 with 33 homers, 91 RBIs and 29 steals, while Marte hit .292 with 36 homers and 95 RBIs.

Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Witt topped the big leagues with a .332 average, hitting 32 homers with 109 RBIs. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs.

Atlanta’s Chris Sale and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler are NL Cy Young Award finalists along with Skenes, who made his big league debut May 11 and went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts, striking out 170 in 133 innings.

Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, Kansas City’s Seth Lugo and Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase are the finalists for the AL honor. Clase becomes the first reliever to finish among the top three in voting since San Diego’s Trevor Hoffman came in second in 2006 NL balloting.

Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio joined Skenes as finalists for NL Rookie of the Year. Yankees right-hander Luis Gil and catcher Austin Wells are AL finalists along with Baltimore outfielder Colton Cowser.

Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt, Kansas City’s Matt Quatraro and Detroit’s A.J. Hinch are finalists for AL Manager of the Year. The three NL finalists were all first-year managers with their teams: the Mets’ Carlos Mendoza, Milwaukee’s Pat Murphy and San Diego’s Mike Shildt.

Jose Altuve Signs Five-Year, $125 Million Extension with Houston Astros

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Jose Altuve isn’t leaving his current universe…

The 33-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman has signed a five-year extension that all but guarantees he will finish his career with the Houston Astros.

Jose AltuveThe deal is worth $125 million, sources told ESPN, taking him all the way through his age-39 season.

“He’s a franchise-type player; one of the best in Houston history,” owner Jim Crane said at the owners meetings in Orlando, Florida. “And we hope someday he’s a Hall of Famer.”

The Astros announced the agreement on social media, calling their superstar an “Astro For Life.“

Altuve was heading into his final season — at $26 million — before free agency. His new deal begins in 2025 and takes him through 2029.

He has established himself as a central figure of the most successful era in franchise history, a seven-year stretch that has included two World Series titles, four American League pennants and seven consecutive trips (and counting) to the American League Championship Series.

Signed out of Venezuela in 2007, Altuve defied the odds and turned himself into a superstar despite being one of the most undersized players in baseball history at 5-foot-6.

Through 13 years in the big leagues, Altuve has slashed .307/.364/.471 while accumulating 2,047 hits, 295 stolen bases and 209 home runs. His résumé includes eight MLB All-Star invites, six Silver Sluggers, three batting titles, a Gold Glove and an MVP, won in 2017.

His career batting average is the highest of any active player with at least 2,000 at-bats, and the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ Freddie Freeman (2,017) is the only other player with more than 2,000 hits since Altuve made his debut on July 20, 2011.

But some of Altuve’s greatest work has been done in the postseason. Most recently, Altuve hit the dramatic winning home run to cap a contentious game against the division-rival Texas Rangers and force Game 7 of the ALCS. He did something similar in the 2019 ALCS, walking off the New York Yankees with a ninth-inning home run against MLB All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman to send the Astros to the World Series.

In 103 playoff games, Altuve has 27 home runs and 89 runs scored, which both rank second all time. His 117 hits are tied for third. He is one of just four players in MLB postseason history to surpass 100 hits and 50 RBIs, joining Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams and Manny Ramirez.

Yadier Molina to Serve as Special Assistant to St. Louis Cardinals’ President of Baseball Operations

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Yadier Molina is trading in his uniform for a suit…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher will remain with the St. Louis Cardinals as a special assistant to John Mozeliak, their president of baseball operations.

Yadier MolinaThe announcement comes after the longtime catcher wrapped up his 19-year big league career in 2022.

Molina was a 10-time MLB All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner who played all 2,224 games of his career for St. Louis. That included 2,184 games behind the plate, the most by any catcher for one team in major league history.

“We are excited to welcome Yadi back to the St. Louis Cardinals,” Mozeliak said in a statement. “He will provide invaluable help at the major league level, as well as spend time with our minor league teams in his new role with the team.”

Molina trails only Stan Musial, who played 22 seasons for St. Louis, for the most with the club. Along the way, he helped the Cardinals reach four World Series and win championships in 2006 and 2011. His longevity coupled with the success of those Cardinals teams are a big reason why he retired as the team’s career postseason leader in hits (102) and games played (104).

Molina, a fourth-round pick of the Cardinals in the 2000 first-year player draft, served as the manager of Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in 2023. He also managed Navegantes del Magallanes in Venezuela.

Gerardo Parra Named New First-Base Coach for Washington Nationals

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Gerardo Parra has landed his first Major League Baseball coaching job.

The 36-year-old Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder will be the new first-base coach for the Washington Nationals as part of a series of changes to manager Dave Martinez‘s staff announced by the club on Friday after a fourth consecutive last-place finish in the NL East.

Gerardo ParraParra played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals, as well for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Parra is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner and won the 2019 World Series as a member of the Nationals.

Miguel Cairo will be Martinez’s bench coach and Ricky Gutierrez is shifting to third-base coach after holding the title of run prevention coordinator in 2023. Chris Johnson was hired as assistant hitting coach.

Holdovers include hitting coach Darnell Coles, pitching coach Jim Hickey, catching and strategy coach Henry Blanco and bullpen coach Ricky Bones.

This is Parra’s first job on an MLB coaching staff. After retiring in 2021, he started working in the Nationals’ front office in 2022. Parra played in the majors for 12 years and signed with Washington in 2019 as a backup outfielder. His choice of “Baby Shark” as his walkup music — a nod to his 2-year-old daughter — became a rallying cry for fans and players while the club won its first championship that season.

Cairo, also a former player, was the minor league infield coordinator for the New York Mets last season. Before that, he was the bench coach for the Chicago White Sox for two seasons.

Coles, Hickey, Blanco and Bones head into their third season in these roles with Washington.

The Nationals did not renew the contracts of bench coach Tim Bogar, third-base coach Gary DiSarcina, first-base coach Eric Young Jr. and assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler.

The Nationals went 71-91 in 2023 as general manager Mike Rizzo continues to try to remake their roster. In the National League, only the Colorado Rockies finished with a worse record this year.

Rizzo and Martinez both got new contracts during the season.

Rizzo has been the team’s GM since 2007. He hired Martinez for his first managerial job before the 2018 season.

Texas Rangers Star Adolis García Wins First-Ever Gold Glove Award

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It’s the golden hour for Adolis García.

The 30-year-old Cuban professional baseball player and Texas Rangers outfielder has earned his first-ever Gold Glove, an award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League. Garcia earned the award as a right fielder in the American League.

Adolis García While his career-high 39 home runs during the regular season and eight in the postseason made headlines, you can’t overlook García’s tremendous defense in 2023. He earned the award, the fourth by an outfielder in Rangers history, due in particular to his cannon of an arm — his average arm strength of 93 mph. García had a team-best 11 outfield assists this season, which was tied for third in the American League. It was his third straight season with 10-plus outfield assists. He ranked third among qualified MLB right fielders in defensive runs saved (seven).

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher José Berríos is also first time winner. The 29-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball pitcher, known as “La Makina,” managed to bounce back from his worst season in the big leagues in 2022, when he struggled to a 5.23 ERA, to win a Gold Glove.

In ’23, he was more like the Berríos of old, posting a 3.65 ERA over 32 starts. But Toronto also got stellar defense off the mound from the right-hander, who joins Marcus Stroman (2017) and R.A. Dickey (2013) as the only pitchers in franchise history to win a Gold Glove Award.

Another first time winner… Houston Astros utilityman Mauricio Dubón. The 29-year-old Honduran professional baseball utility player appeared at every position on the diamond except pitcher and catcher for Houston in 2023, spending the majority of thetime either at second base or in center field.

He was a slightly below-average hitter, so most of his value came from his defense. Despite spending about half of a season playing second base (616 2/3 innings), he finished with five defensive runs saved at the position and two in the outfield.

Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez won his second consecutive Gold Glove award. The 25-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball shortstop and second baseman led American League second basemen with 18 outs above average and 23 defensive runs saved.

 

Giménez is the second Cleveland player to win multiple Gold Glove Awards at second base, joining Roberto Alomar, who won three straight from 1999-2001.

 

Gabriel Moreno has become the first Arizona Diamondbacks catcher to win a Gold Glove award.

The 23-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball catcher led MLB backstops in defensive runs saved (20) and Statcast‘s caught stealing above average (nine) in 2023. And with only 19 Major League games played behind the plate entering the season, only two non-rookies (excluding pitchers) — Ramón Urías (10 games at third base entering 2022) and Pokey Reese (11 games at second base entering 1999) — played in fewer games at the position for which they won the Gold Glove Award. At 23 years and 229 days old, Moreno is the sixth-youngest catcher to win his first Gold Glove honor.

San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. has won his first Gold Glove.

Tatis took home the National League award in right field ahead of finalists Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lane Thomas of the Washington Nationals.

When Tatis was moved from shortstop to right field to begin 2023, we wondered how he’d fare out there. He was a revelation defensively, leading MLB with 29 defensive runs saved, and his average arm strength of 96.6 mph trailed only Rockies rookie Nolan Jones in the NL. Tatis’ 24 career games in the outfield before the ’23 campaign were the fourth fewest played at a position for which a non-rookie won a Gold Glove Award.

The Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers and the Chicago Cubs tied for the high among clubs with three winners each, Rawlings announced Sunday.

Berríos, and Giménez earned $50,000 bonuses in their contracts..

Voting was conducted among managers and up to six coaches from each team, who can’t select players on their own club. Since 2013, voting has been factored with a Society for American Baseball Research defensive index, which comprises about 25% of the total.

The utility category is based on a SABR formula and additional defensive statistics.

Andrés Giménez Could Repeat as a Gold Glove Award Winner This Year

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Andrés Giménez could soon have a set of gold gloves…

The 25-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball shortstop and second baseman for the Cleveland Guardians, a Gold Glove winner last year, is among the finalists contending for the award this year.

Gimenez is among the three American League finalists in the second base position. He’ll face off against Houston Astros’ Mauricio Dubón and Texas Rangers’ Marcus Semien. Dubon is also a finalist in the AL’s utility category.

Puerto Rican professional baseball player of the Toronto Blue Jays José Berríos (29) and Venezuelan professional baseball player Pablo López (27) are finalists in the American League’s pitcher race, along with the Minnesota Twins’ Sonny Gray.

Other Latino finalists include Minnesota Twins’ Carlos Correa (AL, shortstop), Cleveland’s José Ramírez (AL, third base), Seattle Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez (AL, centerfield), Texas Rangers’ Adolis García (AL, right field), Miami Marlins’ Jesús Luzardo (NL, pitcher), Arizona Diamondbacks’

Gabriel Moreno (NL, catcher), Milwaukee Brewers’ Carlos Santana (NL, first base), New York’s Francisco Lindor (NL, shortstop), Colorado Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar (NL, shortstop), Los Angeles’ David Peralta (NL, left field), Atlanta Braves’ Eddie Rosario (NL, left field) and San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. (NL, right field).

Voting is conducted among managers and up to six coaches from each team, who can’t select players on their own club. Since 2013, voting has been factored with a Society for American Baseball Research defensive index, which comprises about 25% of the total.

The utility category is based on a SABR formula and additional defensive statistics.

Gold Glove winners will be announced on November 5.

Here’s a look at all the finalists:

American League finalists:

Pitcher: José Berríos (Toronto), Sonny Gray (Minnesota), Pablo López (Minnesota)

Catcher: Jonah Heim (Texas), Alejandro Kirk (Toronto), Adley Rutschman (Baltimore)

First base: Nathaniel Lowe (Texas), Ryan Mountcastle (Baltimore), Anthony Rizzo (New York)

Second base: Mauricio Dubón (Houston), Andrés Giménez (Cleveland), Marcus Semien (Texas)

Shortstop: Carlos Correa (Minnesota), Corey Seager (Texas), Anthony Volpe (New York)

Third base: Alex Bregman (Houston), Matt Chapman (Toronto), José Ramírez (Cleveland)

Left field: Austin Hays (Baltimore), Steven Kwan (Cleveland), Daulton Varsho (Toronto)

Center field: Kevin Kiermaier (Toronto), Luis Robert Jr. (Chicago), Julio Rodríguez (Seattle)

Right field: Adolis García (Texas), Kyle Tucker (Houston), Alex Verdugo (Boston)

Utility: Mauricio Dubón (Houston), Zach McKinstry (Detroit), Taylor Walls (Tampa Bay)

 

National League finalists:

Pitcher: Jesús Luzardo (Miami), Taijuan Walker (Philadelphia), Zack Wheeler (Philadelphia)

Catcher: Patrick Bailey (San Francisco), Gabriel Moreno (Arizona), J.T. Realmuto (Philadelphia)

First base: Freddie Freeman (Los Angeles), Carlos Santana (Milwaukee), Christian Walker (Arizona)

Second base: Nico Hoerner (Chicago), Ha-Seong Kim (San Diego), Bryson Stott (Philadelphia)

Shortstop: Francisco Lindor (New York), Dansby Swanson (Chicago), Ezequiel Tovar (Colorado)

Third base: Ke’Bryan Hayes (Pittsburgh), Ryan McMahon (Colorado), Austin Riley (Atlanta)
Left field: Ian Happ (Chicago), David Peralta (Los Angeles), Eddie Rosario (Atlanta)
Center field: Brenton Doyle (Colorado), Michael Harris II (Atlanta), Alek Thomas (Arizona)
Right field: Mookie Betts (Los Angeles), Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego), Lane Thomas (Washington)
Utility: Mookie Betts (Los Angeles), Tommy Edman (St. Louis), Ha-Seong Kim (San Diego)

Miami Marlins Trade Miguel Rojas to Los Angeles Dodgers

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Miguel Rojas is headed west…

The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired the 33-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball infielder from the Miami Marlins, adding some depth to a segment of their roster that experienced the loss of Trea Turner and Justin Turner to free agency this offseason.

Miguel RojasRojas, scheduled to make $5 million in his final year under contract, was acquired in exchange for minor league infielder Jacob Amaya, a 24-year-old who batted .261/.369/.427 in Double-A and Triple-A in 2022.

Rojas debuted with the Dodgers in 2014 and was sent to the Marlins as part of a seven-player trade that ultimately brought Enrique Hernandez and, in a subsequent deal, Howie Kendrick to L.A.

Rojas spent the next eight years with the Marlins and grew into a leader in their clubhouse, batting .265/.318/.366 from 2015 to 2022.

Rojas has posted an adjusted OPS of only 83 over the last two years — 17 percentage points below league average — but was a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop this past season.

With the Dodgers, however, Rojas is expected to take on a utility role, filling in at second base, third base and shortstop. Miguel Vargas, Max Muncy and Gavin Lux are expected to see most of the time at those three positions this season, with Lux slated to be the everyday shortstop.

Rojas’ acquisition puts the Dodgers dangerously close to exceeding the luxury-tax threshold of $233 million for 2023, but teams can make moves throughout the year to dip back under.