Tag Archives: Philadelphia Phillies

Brandon Gomes Named Assistant General Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers

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Brandon Gomesis movin’ on up in management…

The 34-year-old Latino former Major League Baseball pitcher has been promoted to vice president and assistant general manager with the Los Angeles Dodgers, continuing the former Tampa Bay Rays player’s climb up the front-office ranks.

Brandon Gomes

Gomes had been serving as director of player development since 2016. He joined the Dodgers’ front office after a five-year career with the Rays.

Gomes began with the Dodgers as their minor league pitching coordinator under then-director of player development Gabe Kapler, who now manages the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Gomes answers to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who like Gomes, is a Tulane Universitygraduate. Friedman was general manager in Tampa Bay for much of Gomes’ pitching career there.

Farhan Zaidi, who had been the Dodgers’ GM, left in November to join the rival San Francisco Giants. Friedman had said the team wouldn’t necessarily be filling his position.

Jorge Alfaro Traded to the Miami Marlins

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Jorge Alfarois headed to the Sunshine State…

The Philadelphia Phillieshave traded the 25-year-old Colombian professional baseball catcher to the Miami Marlins, in a deal that includes pitching prospects Sixto Sanchez and Will Stewart, as well as an international bonus slot.

Jorge Alfaro 

In exchange, Miami will send All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto to Philadelphia.

Alfaro is a power-hitting, cannon-armed catcher who will join a young group in Miami. 

Sanchez is the most well-regarded prospect in the deal, a 6-foot right-hander whose fastball sits in the high 90s and tops out over 100 mph. The 20-year-old missed a majority of the 2018 season with elbow inflammation. 

Stewart, 21, excelled in Class A last season, going 8-1 with a 2.06 ERA in 20 starts.

“We did not have to trade J.T.,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hillsaid. “But our goal is to build a long-term sustainable championship organization.”

Miami is hopeful Sanchez and Alfaro can blossom into stars. Sanchez especially has incredible upside, though the list of short, right-handed starters with huge velocity who have succeeded in the major leagues is not long.

“In Sanchez, we saw a front-of-the-rotation starter,” Hill said. “Electric stuff — a pitcher we think can develop and lead a championship rotation.”

Wilson Ramos Agrees to Two-Year Deal with the New York Mets

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Wilson Ramos is headed to the Big Apple…

The 31-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball catcher has agreed to a two-year contract with the New York Mets, according to ESPN.

Wilson Ramos

The deal is pending a physical. Once completed, it will be worth a total of $19 million, according to Fancred.

Ramos, who was acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Tampa Bay Rays at July’s trade deadline, is solid defensively and is a proven commodity offensively with a career .273 batting average and 109 home runs.

The veteran catcher, who made $10.5 million in 2018, batted .306 between the Phillies and Rays last season with 15 home runs and 70 RBIs.

Ramos also has been lauded for his veteran presence in the clubhouse and his ability to handle pitching staffs.

The two-time All-Star spent six-plus seasons with the Washington Nationals (2010-16) after breaking into the majors with the Minnesota Twins in 2010. He won a Silver Slugger award in 2016 after belting 22 homers with 80 RBIs and a .307 batting average with the Nationals.

Edwin Encarnacion Traded to the Seattle Mariners

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Edwin Encarnacion is headed to the Emerald City…

The 35-year-old Dominican professional baseball player has been acquired by the Seattle Mariners from the Cleveland Indians, sending Carlos Santana back to Ohio as part of a three-team trade that also includes the Tampa Bay Rays.

Edwin Encarnacion

The Indians will receive first baseman Jake Bauers from the Rays, while Tampa Bay will get third baseman Yandy Diaz from Cleveland. The Indians also are sending minor league pitcher Cole Sulserto the Rays and the 77th pick in the 2019 competitive balance draft to the Mariners.

Tampa Bay will send $5 million to Seattle, and the Mariners will pay $6 million to Cleveland.

Encarnacion hit .246 with 32 home runs for the Indians last season. He was third in the American Leaguewith 107 RBIs. His streak of seven consecutive seasons with at least 30 home runs leads all active players.

“We’re excited to add a proven offensive performer in Edwin Encarnacion,” Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. “In addition, by adding another draft pick for 2019, we have another opportunity to add to the talent in our minor league system.”

However, with the Mariners having made a flurry of moves — recently trading star second baseman Robinson Cano and closer Edwin Diaz — the team wouldn’t tip its hand if Encarnacion would be staying.

“We’ll see how it goes with Edwin, whether he stays with us or he moves on to another destination,” Seattle assistant general manager Justin Hollander said.

Santana returns to the Indians, where he started his career in 2010 before signing with the Philadelphia Phillies in free agency prior to last season. He was traded to the Mariners on December 3.

Encarnacion mostly served as the Indians’ designated hitter in 2018 but also started 23 games at first base. Cleveland ranked 23rd in the majors last season with a .312 on-base percentage from their first basemen. Santana provides an immediate upgrade in that department, as he had a .365 OBP during his eight seasons with the Indians and a .352 OBP with the Phillies.

Overall, Encarnacion has 380 career home runs with 1,156 RBIs and a .264 batting average.

He is guaranteed $25 million: $20 million next season and a $5 million buyout of a $25 million club option for 2020.

Santana signed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Phillies last offseason and has a base salary of $17 million in 2019 and $17.5 million in 2020. His contract has a club option for the 2021 season worth $17.5 million with a $500,000 buyout.

He hit .229 with 24 home runs and 86 RBIs in 2018.

Coming off their third straight AL Central, the Indians had been expected to make a move at the meetings, presumably with ace Corey Kluber or pitcher Trevor Bauer.

“Not sure how to feel,” Indians star Jose Ramirez tweeted.

Yonder Alonso hit 23 homers with 83 RBI last season as the Indians’ first baseman. He’s signed for 2019 with an option for 2020 — with the additions of Santana and Bauers, perhaps Alonso could end up in a trade along with one of Cleveland’s star pitchers.

Tampa Bay was eager to get Diaz, who hit .283 with 28 RBIs in 88 games for Cleveland in the last two seasons. Highly regarded at 27, his opportunities were limited with the Indians because they already had a talented infield.

“The key to this deal for us is how we feel about Yandy Diaz,” Rays vice president Chaim Bloomsaid. “We really like his bat. He hasn’t gotten an opportunity to show it regularly at the major league level just being blocked by some of the players that the Indians have had.”

Bauers made his major league debut last season and hit .201 with 11 homers and 48 RBI in 96 games for Tampa Bay.

Sulser spent last season in Triple-A and Double-A, going a combined 8-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 47 relief appearances.

Tampa Bay will send the Mariners $2.5 million in two installments by May 1 and Aug. 1 next year. Seattle will send Cleveland a pair of $1 payments on or before May 1 and Aug. 1 next year, and $2 million on or before each of those dates in 2020.

Jean Segura Traded to the Philadelphia Phillies

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Jean Segura is headed to The City of Brotherly Love…

The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired the 28-year-old Dominican Major League Baseball infielder and MLB All-Star from the Seattle Mariners.

Jean Segura

The deal involves multiple players and required Segura to waive his no-trade clause to join Philadelphia.

First baseman Carlos Santana and shortstop J.P. Crawford were among the players headed to Seattle, while relievers Juan Nicasio and James Pazos head to Philadelphia in the deal.

Segura batted .304 with 10 home runs, 91 runs and 63 RBIs in 144 games last season and was named an American League All-Star.

In June 2017, Segura agreed to a five-year, $70 million contract with the Mariners spanning 2018 to 2022. The deal has a $17 million option for 2023, with a $1 million buyout.

Segura was the centerpiece of one of Seattle’s biggest moves after the 2016 season, when he was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of a five-player trade.

He will become the latest high-profile player traded away by the Mariners, who are tearing down their roster in an effort to rebuild the team.

Santana, the 32-year-old Dominican baseball first baseman, signed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Phillies last offseason and has a base salary of $17 million in 2019 and $17.5 million in 2020. His contract has a club option for the 2021 season worth $17.5 million with a $500,000 buyout.

He hit .229 with 24 home runs and 86 RBIs in 2018.

Nicasio, a 32-year-old Dominican right-hander, was 1-6 with a 6.00 ERA and one save in 42 relief innings in 2018. He pitched for the Phillies briefly in 2017 after they claimed him off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates and later traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals.

With Santana traded, Rhys Hoskins will return to first base for the Phillies after playing in left field last season.

The Seattle Mariners Trade Edwin Diaz to the New York Mets

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Edwin Diaz has Metshis match…

The Seattle Mariners have officially completed a blockbuster trade that will send the 24-year-old Puerto Rican MLB All-Star closer and former All-Star Robinson Cano to the New York Mets.

Edwin Diaz

In exchange, the Mariners will receive outfielder Jay Bruce, reliever Anthony Swarzak, right-hander Gerson Bautista and prospects Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn.

“This trade bolsters our player development system with the additions of Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, while also providing immediate impact to our major league club in Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak and Gerson Bautista,” Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. “We view Kelenic as a true 5-tool player with a very high ceiling. Dunn is another former first-round draft pick, who we think has a bright future on our pitching staff. Bruce and Swarzak both bring proven production in the field and a veteran presence in our clubhouse. Bautista has demonstrated an impressive high-velocity pitch mix.”

The Mariners are also sending cash to the Mets to offset the money remaining on Cano’s contract, but they didn’t reveal the exact amount.

Diaz is considered the prize in the deal. Armed with a 100-mph fastball, he had a 1.96 ERA and led the majors with 57 saves last season — tied with Bobby Thigpen (1990) for the second-most in a single season in Major League Baseball history, trailing only Francisco Rodriguez‘s 62 in 2008.

Diaz also comes to New York cheaply.

He made just $571,000 in 2018, isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2020 and won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season.

Cano, 36, has five years, $120 million remaining on the 10-year, $240 million contract he signed with Seattle in December 2013, when current Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen served as his agent, along with Jay-Z‘s Roc Nation.

Cano was suspended for 80 games last season for violating baseball’s joint drug policy. He hit .303 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs in 80 games.

An eight-time All-Star at second base who starred for the New York Yankees from 2005 to 2013, Cano reportedly was happy to return to New York and waived his no-trade clause for the deal to be completed.

“I want to thank the Seattle Mariners organization, the city of Seattle, & the fans who are some of the best in our game. 5 years ago, you welcomed me to your city and embraced me from day one. Playing for you was a privilege, & I’m grateful for your support throughout the years,” tweeted Cano.

Seattle, which finished 89-73 this past season, has since decided to go into rebuilding mode. The Mariners have already traded ace James Paxton to the New York Yankees, catcher Mike Zunino to the Tampa Bay Rays and reliever Alex Colome to the Chicago White Sox, and Monday they sent All-Star infielder Jean Segura to thePhiladelphia Phillies.

Jake Arrieta to Make Debut with the Philadelphia Phillies on April 8

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Jake Arrieta is ready to Philly the pitching void…

The 32-year-old part-Puerto Rican Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher is set to make his debut with the Philadelphia Phillies next month.

Jake Arrieta

Arrieta is set to pitch before the home crowd in Philadelphia against the Miami Marlins on April 8, according tomanager Gabe Kapler announced Saturday.

Arrieta and the Phillies finalized a three-year, $75 million contract on March 12. He pitched his first spring training game for the Phillies on Thursday, striking out two, allowing three hits and walking none over two innings.

He previously played for the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs. He has won the Cy Young Award and has been selected an All-Star.

Arrieta helped lead the Cubs to a World Series championship in 2016.

Francisco Rodriguez Agrees to Minor League Deal with the Philadelphia Phillies

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Francisco Rodriguez is back in the game…

The 36-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher, nicknamed “Frankie” and “K-Rod“, has agreed to a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Francisco Rodriguez

Rodriguez, a former All-Star reliever, will report to major league spring training, according to multiple reports.

The deal, which was first reported by FanRag Sports on Saturday, will include a $2.5 million base salary if Rodriguez is added to the 40-man roster. And he has a chance to make $1.25 million in incentives.

Rodriguez, a right-hander, saved 44 games for the Detroit Tigers in 2016, but he was 2-5 with a 7.82 ERA in 28 appearances last season before being released by Detroit in June.

Rodriguez is fourth on the career list with 437 saves and set the single-season record of 62 in 2008, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels. His future was in question after a shaky season in 2012 with the Milwaukee Brewers, but he was able to rebound, reinventing himself by relying on his changeup.

The Tigers traded for Rodriguez in November 2015, and though his strikeout numbers in 2016 weren’t great, he had a solid season, and Detroit exercised his $6 million option for 2017. The Tigers remained responsible for the remainder of his 2017 salary.

Carlos Santana Agrees to $60 Million Deal with Philadelphia Phillies

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Carlos Santana is crossing state lines for a big paycheck…

The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a three-year, $60 million deal with the 31-year-old professional baseball player and free agent first baseman, according to multiple reports.

Carlos Santana

Santana became the first to reach a deal among the nine free agents who last month rejected $17.4 million qualifying offers from their former teams.

Santana has played his entire Major League Baseball career with the Cleveland Indians, who acquired him in a 2009 trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Santana has developed into a consistent run producer, and after catching and playing third base, he has become one of the league’s best fielding first basemen. He was a Gold Glove finalist this year.

The switch-hitter batted .259 with 23 homers and 79 RBIs last season for the American League Central champion Indians. He has a career .249 average with 174 home runs in eight seasons for Cleveland.

Santana will join a rebuilding Phillies lineup that also includes slugger Rhys Hoskins, outfielders Aaron Altherr, Nick Williams and Odubel Herrera, and third baseman Maikel Franco.

Nearly 150 of Santana’s 571 at-bats last season came in the leadoff spot, and with a career on-base percentage of .365, he can help provide RBI opportunities for Philadelphia’s other top hitters in the middle of the order.

Santana’s departure is a big loss for Cleveland, which led the AL with 102 wins during the regular season but lost to the New York Yankees in a Division Series.

Santana has a .213 average with four homers and eight RBI in 21 career postseason games.

The addition of Santana would be the second major deal completed Friday by the Phillies, who also traded shortstop Freddy Galvis to the San Diego Padres in a move that likely opens the shortstop job for top prospect J.P. Crawford.

Philadelphia Phillies Trade Freddy Galvis to the San Diego Padres

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Que padre for Freddy Galvis…

The Philadelphia Phillies announced they have traded the 28-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball player to the San Diego Padres.

Freddy Galvis

Philadelphia will receive minor-league pitcher Enyel De Los Santos in the deal.

Galvis has been Philadelphia’s starting shortstop for the last three seasons and has emerged as one of the sport’s top defensive players at the position. He batted .255 with 12 home runs, 61 RBIs and 14 stolen bases this past season, his sixth overall with the Phillies.

Galvis is eligible to become a free agent after the 2018 season. The trade likely will open up an opportunity for top prospect J.P. Crawford to become Philadelphia’s starting shortstop.

De Los Santos, who turns 22 on Dec. 25, went 10-6 with a 3.78 ERA in 26 games — 24 starts — for Double-A San Antonio in 2017.

Galvis would mark the second infield acquisition this week for the Padres, who already brought back third baseman Chase Headley in a trade Tuesday with the New York Yankees.