The Weekly Rundown: 2/5/23 - 2/11/23
It's the calm before the storm in MLB. A couple of big contract extensions highlight a quiet week in baseball.
Good morning!
Another quiet week in baseball is in the books, which means we’re another week closer to the action. Some players already have reported to spring training and before we know it, games will be back on our television screens. Feb. 24 marks the start of the spring training game schedule, so I’ll give you a second to mark that down on your calendars…
… Got that written down? Good.
It’s a quick rundown this week. Let’s jump right in.
Locking Down Darvish
Yu Darvish won’t be a free agent next winter after all. The veteran right-hander signed a contract extension that includes a full no-trade clause and will keep him in San Diego through 2028, when he’ll be 42 years old.
The Padres signed Darvish to a six-year deal worth $108 million, an $18 million average annual value. While it may not seem smart to commit so many years to an aging pitcher, it’s a win-now move for an organization with lofty aspirations for the next couple of seasons.
Darvish lowered his AAV so the Padres could have some wiggle room to further improve their roster. The contract could also help San Diego find a way to lock up superstar third baseman Manny Machado on a long-term extension of his own.
A two-time Cy Young award runner-up, Darvish is coming off perhaps the best season of his 10-year MLB career. He thrived as the ace of San Diego’s staff in 2022, going 16-8 with a 3.10 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. He struck out 197 hitters and walked only 37 in 194.2 innings (30 starts).
The Padres should be right there with the Los Angeles Dodgers battling for the National League West title. I’d argue they’re the better team on paper heading into the campaign. It’s a club capable of winning the World Series this year or next. And if they do, Darvish will play a major role in their success.
Houston Extends Javier
Shortly after Darvish’s deal was announced, the Houston Astros extended a star pitcher of their own.
Cristian Javier, who turns 26 in March, signed a five-year contract worth $64 million. He’ll make $3 million in 2023, $7 million in 2024, $10 million in 2025, and $21 million in 2026 and 2027, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
It’s the first big move for new Astros general manager Dana Brown, who previously served as the Atlanta Braves’ vice president of scouting. Right away, Brown showed he learned a thing or two from Alex Anthopoulos during his time in Atlanta. This is an extremely team-friendly contract extension. Locking up premier talent long-term was Anthonpoulos and Brown’s bread and butter during their time together in Atlanta.
Javier’s third MLB season was his best. The right-hander went 11-9 with a 2.54 ERA in 25 starts and five relief appearances last year, striking out 198 and walking 52 in 148.2 innings.
He was a postseason hero for Houston, pitching 11.1 scoreless innings against the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship and Game 4 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, when he led the way in a combined no-hitter.
That wasn’t the only no-hitter Javier was partly responsible for in 2022. On June 25, Javier started a combined no-hitter against the Yankees in the Bronx. He threw seven no-hit innings and struck out 13.
Seems like a good guy to keep around.
David Joins Goliath
The Dodgers rounded out their outfield by signing veteran David Peralta to a one-year, $6.5 million contract. It’s an unceremonious signing for an L.A. club that has been relatively quiet — by its standards, at least — this offseason. However, it could prove to be a smart one.
Peralta, 35, is capable of playing both left and center field. His best days might be behind him, but he has both a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger award on his résumé. He slashed .251/.316/.415 with 12 homers and 59 RBI in 134 games between Arizona and Tampa Bay last year.
A.J. For JJ
The Marlins and A’s traded former first-round picks on Sunday. Miami sent outfielder JJ Bleday, the fourth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, to Oakland in exchange for left-handed reliever A.J. Puk, the sixth pick in the 2016 draft.
Puk, 27, is a solid addition to the bullpen for Miami, though there is some injury risk. The former top A’s prospect underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018 and shoulder surgery in 2020. When healthy, he’s productive. He’s coming off a 2022 season in which he amassed a 3.12 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 62 appearances out of Oakland’s bullpen.
Bleday had a rough start to his big-league career in 2022. The 25-year-old hit just .211 with eight homers, 28 RBI, and a 659 OPS in 65 games. He was unlikely to make the Marlins’ Opening Day roster with Jazz Chisholm Jr. moving to center field, Avisail Garcia in right field, and Bryan De La Cruz in left.
Rapid Fire
The Cubs bolstered their bullpen by signing veteran righty Michael Fulmer. The terms of the deal haven’t been announced, but we can assume it’s an affordable short-term contract for the 2016 AL Rookie of the Year. Fulmer has mostly been successful since converting to a full-time reliever in 2021. Last season he posted a 3.39 ERA and a 3.57 FIP in 67 appearances between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins. The WHIP (1.37) is a bit higher than he would like, but this is a nice addition to the back end of the Cubs bullpen. He could emerge as their go-to closer.
One day after Fulmer landed with the Cubs, his former Tigers teammate Andrew Chafin landed back with the Arizona Diamondbacks on a one-year contract worth $6.5 million. I ranked Chafin among the top relievers on the free-agent market heading into the offseason. The southpaw posted a 2.83 ERA, 3.06 FIP and 1.17 WHIP in 64 appearances (57.1 innings) last year. Arizona’s bullpen suddenly looks pretty solid with Chafin joining All-Star and fellow left-hander Joe Mantiply in the back end.
The free-agent reliever dominoes continued to fall with Alex Reyes signing a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Dodgers. The 28-year-old righty is a bounce-back candidate after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery last year. He was an All-Star in 2021 with a 3.24 ERA in 69 outings. A low-risk, potentially high-reward move for L.A.
The Rumor Mill
I mentioned Manny Machado earlier in the Yu Darvish section. Sure enough, the Padres reportedly are expected to pursue a contract extension with the veteran slugger. He’s under contract with San Diego through 2028 but has an opt-out after this season. The six-time All-Star is coming off one of the best seasons of his 11-year MLB career, in which he hit .298 with 32 homers, 102 RBI, and a .898 OPS.
The Texas Rangers will continue to look for outfield help leading up to Opening Day, per their general manager Chris Young. A corner outfielder is a major need as their left fielders slashed a combined.186/.253/.256 in 2022. There aren’t many great options available in free agency as ex-Ranger Jurickson Profar is the best outfielder left on the market. Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star Bryan Reynolds is a possible solution, though the asking price for him remains sky-high.
That’s it for this week. The next time The Weekly Rundown arrives in your inbox, spring training will be underway. Before then, keep an eye out for my Way-Too-Early MLB Power Rankings. Those should be sent your way Monday or Tuesday.
Thanks for reading!