The Winter Meetings have begun!
Consider this your rumor and update depot. Refresh for the newest stuff, whether it’s a garbled tweet or actual news (that we’ll cover in more depth later). Follow us on Twitter for more.
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4:47 p.m.: So what do you know, people, the Phillies have been the busiest team today at the Winter Meetings.
Anyway, Meghan Montemurro with the Athletic reports Matt Klentak says while there’s interest, there’s “no heat” right now regarding deals for middle infielders Cesar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis.
So that burner remains on low.
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4:40 p.m.: And we have a deal, according to Jon Heyman. Pat Neshek is coming back for $16-$17 million over two years. The two years were reported by Matt Gelb.
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4:22 p.m.: Multiple sources (first Todd Zolecki) report the Phillies are close to bringing back reliever Pat Neshek.
Jon Heyman reported a deal for Neshek is likely for multiple years and around $16 million total.
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4:21 p.m.: Two quick things. First, Engelb Vielma, who technically was a Phillie once, has been claimed by the Pirates. New thing above.
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3:56 p.m.: Okay. According to Roch Kubatko, the Orioles are “doing their homework” on the Phillies farm system, in case talks about Manny Machado go from whisper to scream.
The Orioles seem to want Sixto Sanchez, which, duh, of course. They also like Scott Kingery, which, guess what, DUH, OF COURSE.
And Kubatko also wrote that Freddy Galvis is a name being floated. Well then … I’m listening …
Anyway, he also notes the Phils would have 72 hours to sign Machado to an extension, or else he becomes a one-year rental and the return is smaller.
Yes, Sixto and Scott is a LOT (hey that rhymes), but guys, this is the No. 3 best player in baseball.
Also, here’s the deal: On day one of the Winter Meetings, we already have a link from the Phillies to Manny Machado.
GET YOUR POPCORN.
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3:55 p.m.: Two bits of things. First the real news: The Mariners have claimed Cameron Perkins. He was waived earlier in the week by the Phillies to make room on the 40-man roster. The second thing is above.
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1:14 p.m.: Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philly reports the Phillies are intent on improving the bullpen during the offseason. He says the team has discussed the possibility of bringing back Pat Neshek. The 37-year-old righty had a career year with the Phils and Rockies last year, putting up a 1.59 ERA with a remarkable 69 strikeouts and six walks in 62.1 innings.
Salisbury also said the Phils have kicked the tires on free agent reliever Jake McGee. A lefty, McGee had a 3.61 ERA with 58 strikeouts and 16 walks in 57.1 innings last year for the Rockies. And, yup, he pitched far better away from Coors Field, limiting hitters to a .176 average and .247 BABIP on the road.
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11:06 a.m.: Jon Heyman tweets that the asking price on Cesar Hernandez is “expected to be high,” and that it should be. Heyman says Hernandez is worth more in a trade than second basemen like Ian Kinsler and Jason Kipnis. Considering Hernandez has been a steady .294/.372/.406 for cheap over the past two years, he’s very correct.
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10:47 a.m.: While not a Winter Meetings update, Joel Sherman at the New York Post reports the Phillies made “calls to get background information” on Giancarlo Stanton, but nothing serious materialized. So, Phillies fans, don’t think the Phils are completely ignoring making a major trade for a hitter, because this implies that’s not the case.
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9:41 a.m.: The Yankees are reportedly trying to get rid of Jacoby Ellsbury, you know, because they shouldn’t have a dying, expensive contract on the books. Anyway, Ken Rosenthal tweets teams can get creative here, asking for good Yankees prospects while taking on some percentage of Ellsbury’s contract in a trade. People immediately think the Phillies would do this, since they have the money and are in the market for a fourth outfielder. Maybe, but Ellsbury is often injured, and while the Phils can negotiate how much of the contract they take on, it’s still three more years of more than $20 million. Think about it: by 2020 the Phils may have a ton of bigger contracts on the books.
This seems like the kind of move a team just beginning its rebuild should consider (like Detroit).
Or, hell, maybe nobody should be interested in this deal and the Yankees and their fans have to live with Ellsbury’s contract. Boo hoo.
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8:29 a.m.: Speaking of garbled tweets, Jon Heyman says that Freddy Galvis is on the Padres’ radar for infield options. Although he says it in a weird way.
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