harmony

The Red Sox have opened a 40-man roster slot by outrighting catcher Ronaldo Hernandez to Triple A Worcester:

Like a franchise recognized this week by Baseball America: https://marinersblog.mlblogs.com/mariners-named-baseball-america-mlb-organization-of-the-year-8386f5adca8f :)

Perhaps there are no obvious Red Sox matches at the MLB level but the Mariners might be interested in prospects from an improved Boston farm system. Or not. Alex Verdugo might not be a better clubhouse fit than Jesse Winker and Tanner Houck might be redundant in Seattle's pitching depth chart. Or not. Seattle Times beat reporter Ryan Divish on Chris Flexen: https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/analysis-here-are-the-players-the-mariners-could-trade-to-take-the-next-step/

Today at The Athletic two beat reporters suggest a trade of Chris Flexen for Milwaukee second baseman Kolten Wong: https://theathletic.com/3958391/2022/12/02/mariners-brewers-trade-proposal-chris-flexen-kolten-wong/?source=freedailyemail&campaign=601983 MLB franchises and especially their fans tend to overvalue their assets but Flexen should be worth more than the $300,000 in surplus trade value at Baseball Trade Values (although BTV gives Wong only $100,000 in surplus value). In a trade for Flexen the Red Sox might need to bring in a third club although the Mariners could look to replenish a farm system depleted by the graduation and trades of former top prospects.

Would anyone prefer a trade for Seattle righthander Chris Flexen at a 2023 salary of $8 million over a multiyear contract for Jameson Taillon at an AAV of $12 million (or the $14 million projected at MLB Trade Rumors)? Compare the stats over the past two seasons for righthanders Taillon, Taijuan Walker and Flexen: JT 321.2 IP, 4.08 ERA, 100 ERA+, 4.2 fWAR, 3.5 bWAR TW 316.2 IP, 3.98 ERA, 99 ERA+, 3.9 fWAR, 3.1 bWAR CF 317.2 IP, 3.66 ERA, 108 ERA+, 3.7 fWAR, 4.7 bWAR The Seattle Mariners reportedly are shopping Flexen, who is two years younger than Walker and two-and-a-half years younger than Taillon. Flexen lost some luster in August when Luis Castillo bumped Flexen from the Seattle rotation. Despite the demotion Flexen matched Taillon’s 2022 bWAR of 1.3. Many will point to Flexen’s drop in fWAR from 3.0 in 2021 to 0.7 in 2022. However, Walker has never posted an fWAR above 2.5 and Taillon has not exceeded 2.3 fWAR since 2018. MLB Trade Rumors projects Taillon and Walker with four-year contracts in free agency, Taillon at $56 million and Walker at $52 million. Flexen is guaranteed a 2023 salary of $8 million in what MLB Trade Rumors reports is his final year of team control (despite Flexen currently sitting on two years and 107 days of MLB service).

One commentator thinks the Seattle Mariners might have the 22nd, 29th and 30th picks of the June 2023 draft: https://www.marinertalk.com/download/file.php?id=6705&mode=view The latter two picks would be tradeable.

The Seattle Mariners signed righthander Trevor Gott to an MLB contract after the Milwaukee Brewers cut the 30-year-old reliever who posted negative WAR in 2022 and for his career.

The first-ever MLB Draft lottery will take place on Tuesday, December 6, at the Winter Meetings in San Diego. 2023 MLB Draft order WWW.MLB.COM The order for the first 18 picks in the 2023 MLB Draft won't be determined until the first-ever Draft lottery, which will take place on Tuesday, December 6, at the Winter Meetings in San Diego. But the rest of the first round has fallen into place. Teams picked in reverse FWIW the Seattle Mariners are likely to have the No. 22 and No. 29 picks, the only franchise with two selections in the Top 30. Under the new CBA, Seattle received a bonus draft pick at the end of the first round when Julio Rodriguez was named AL Rookie of the Year after being rostered since Opening Day.

Thank you for the clarification.

In the last five seasons the Red Sox have finished first, second, third and twice in last place.

The mystery is how Baseball Trade Values assigns a value of $5.9 million for Jarren Duran with a projected 2023 wRC+ of 93 while assigning a value of $3 million to Taylor Trammell, a plus defender who is a year younger than Duran and who is projected with a 2023 wRC+ of 101. However, Duran has six years of team control and Trammell only five. Duran would fall behind Trammell, Jesse Winker, Jarred Kelenic and Cade Marlowe on Seattle's current depth chart of lefthand-hitting outfielders.

The Red Sox have traded for infielder Hoy Park, who has a career OPS+ of 74 in 210 MLB plate appearances as the South Korea native approaches his 27th birthday in April:

Compare the stats over the past two seasons for righthanders Jameson Taillon, Taijuan Walker and Chris Flexen: JT 321.2 IP, 4.08 ERA, 100 ERA+, 4.2 fWAR TW 316.2 IP, 3.98 ERA, 99 ERA+, 3.9 fWAR CF 317.2 IP, 3.66 ERA, 108 ERA+, 3.7 fWAR The Seattle Mariners reportedly are shopping Flexen, who is two years younger than Walker and two-and-a-half years younger than Taillon. Baseball Trade Values devalued Flexen after Luis Castillo bumped Flexen from the Seattle rotation. Many will point to Flexen's drop in fWAR from 3.0 in 2021 to 0.7 in 2022. However, Walker has never posted an fWAR above 2.5 and Taillon has not exceeded 2.3 fWAR since 2018. Columnist Tim Britton at The Athletic projects Taillon and Walker with contracts in the four-year, $56 million range: https://theathletic.com/3764820/2022/11/09/mlb-contract-projections-free-agent-pitchers/ Flexen is guaranteed a 2023 salary of $8 million in what MLB Trade Rumors reports is his final year of team control (despite Flexen currently sitting on two years and 107 days of MLB service).

The Yankees also scored 49 runs in their three top-scoring games, the Astros 47, the Blue Jays 58, the Guardians 42, the Rays 34 and the Mariners 36. The Blue Jays total includes a 28-spot against the Red Sox.

Gotta hate it when notin is right.

The Red Sox reportedly have non-tendered Franchy Cordero:

A "big" overpay by Seattle, according to Baseball Trade Values: https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trades/trade-108738/

1. Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Luiz Gohara were never in the same prospect class. Hultzen, Paxton and Taijuan Walker were. FWIW 25-year-old Logan Gilbert, with 5.4 fWAR in 56 starts, and 24-year-old George Kirby, with 3.0 fWAR in 25 starts, may have already surpassed that trio pitching as the third and fourth starters behind Luis Castillo and Robbie Ray. 2. The Mariners would not "free up" anything by trading a pitcher who has made 53 starts in the past two years for a pitcher who has 20 career starts. 3. Seattle does not want out of the last four years of the contract with 27-year-old J.P. Crawford, who over the past two seasons has posted 5.3 fWAR, valued at $42.6 million.

Tanner Houck is an unlikely trade target for the Mariners given the pitching depth in the Seattle system.

The Mariners also return a sixth starter in Chris Flexen who made 22 starts in 2022. Prospect starters Emerson Hancock, Taylor Dollard and Bryce Miller may be MLB-ready in 2023. This year Dollard was Pitcher of the Year in the Double A Texas League, Prelander Berroa Pitcher of the Year in the High A Northwest League and Joseph Hernandez the Pitcher of the Year in the Single A California League. The Seattle system has pitching depth.

The Rays reportedly are in "advanced trade negotiations" with unidentified teams: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/11/rays-notes-40-man-roster-trades-choi-kiermaier.html

Perhaps Chaim Bloom is negotiating an imminent trade with his former employer: Or not.

Some fans don't appreciate a 28-year-old player who is one year removed from an All Star, Gold Glove 4.7 bWAR/4.2 fWAR season.

In addition to offseason acquisitions the Mariners hope for improvements from their young core (who gathered on Saturday):

It's doubtful the trade for Luis Castillo was contingent upon the righthander signing an extension with the Mariners. The Seattle front office likely contacted Castillo's agent shortly after the trade but the extension was not announced until eight weeks later.