With just over a month to spare until pitchers and catchers report for camp in Florida and Arizona, Major League Baseball’s offseason is entering its final stretch. That leaves teams with precious little time left to apply the finishing touches to their rosters. Below, CBS Sports has compiled all of Wednesday’s notable news, moves, and rumors.
Verdugo market heating up
Veteran outfielder Alex Verdugo is drawing interest from a slew of clubs, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Among those jockeying for his services? The Pirates, Mets, and Blue Jays.
Verdugo, 28, authored a disappointing season with the Yankees. He hit .233/.291/.356 (83 OPS+) with just 13 home runs in 149 games. Nevertheless, pursuant clubs likely view him as a rebound candidate based on his youth and track record (even now he’s sporting a 101 OPS+ for his career).
It doesn’t hurt Verdugo’s marketability that he’s all but certain to settle for a one-year pact at a middling wage.
Nationals ink Rosario
The Nationals have signed veteran utility player Amed Rosario, the team announced on Wednesday. Rosario will receive $2 million for the one-year deal, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Rosario, 29, split last season between three teams. He hit .280/.306/.380 (94 OPS+) with three home runs and 13 stolen bases. He figures to be employed as a reserve.
Red Sox showing interest in Minter
The Red Sox are one of the teams showing interest in lefty reliever A.J. Minter, again per Cotillo.
Minter, 31, has amassed a career 3.28 ERA in nearly 400 appearances. CBS Sports ranked him as the 48th-best free agent entering the winter. Here’s what we wrote at the time:
This is a touch lower than Minter deserves to be based on his track record as a high-leverage lefty, but we’re hedging our bets on how teams will react to the season-ending hip surgery he underwent in August. To his credit, he continued to be effective when he was available; to his debit, his velocity and both his strikeout and home-run rates declined to the worst of his career. Attributing those marks to Minter’s physical ailment seems fair. At the same time, it’s probably wise to account for the possibility that he never quite regains his peak form again.
The Red Sox have reportedly had conversations with several other top free-agent relievers, including former Cardinals closer Andrew Kittredge.
