The seemingly terminally gradual offseason in Main League Baseball marches on right here in late January with 4 of the highest 10 free brokers (Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery) nonetheless out there, and rumors relating to the 4 are sparse. A minimum of there have been a pair of noteworthy signings Thursday evening in Joc Pederson to the Diamondbacks and David Robertson to the Rangers. Nonetheless, spring coaching opens in only a few weeks and there is loads of offseason enterprise but to be resolved.
Let’s dive in to the information and rumors for Friday.
Sasaki agrees to one-year deal in NPB
Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki has solely performed in three skilled seasons and is headed towards his age-22 12 months. He has expressed curiosity in being posted for MLB groups as quickly as attainable, although Nippon Skilled Baseball guidelines point out he could be caught there till after the 2026 season. For extra particulars, try the complete story right here.
In the interim, Sasaki has a one-year cope with the Chiba Lotte Marines, the club announced.
In 15 begins final season, Sasaki was 7-4 with a 1.78 ERA and 0.75 WHIP with 135 strikeouts in opposition to 17 walks in 91 innings. He additionally made two begins within the World Baseball Basic for Japan, going 1-0 with a 3.52 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.
This is a short scouting report from R.J. Anderson:
Sasaki has two huge choices, an upper-90s rising fastball and a devastating splitter/forkball, and an incredibly good really feel for throwing strikes based mostly on his age and his stuff. He is struck out 34% of the batters he is confronted as an expert, all of the whereas strolling simply 5% of them. That 29% margin, for reference, would’ve ranked second within the majors in 2023, behind solely Atlanta Braves flamethrower Spencer Strider. Sasaki does want to enhance his sturdiness. He was restricted to 91 innings final 12 months by an indirect harm, and thus far he is cleared the century mark simply as soon as. In any other case, Sasaki can rightly declare to already be one of many planet’s most proficient pitchers.
Braves, Rangers full minor deal
The Rangers traded outfielder J.P. Martinez to the Braves for right-handed pitcher Tyler Owens, the groups introduced.
Martinez, 27, is a 5-foot-8 left-handed hitter and appeared in 17 video games with the Rangers final season, hitting .225/.250/.325. In 77 Triple-A video games, he hit .298/.418/.543 with 21 doubles, 4 triples, 14 homers, 59 RBI, 54 runs and 38 steals. He is performed all three outfield positions. Clearly, the MVP (Ronald Acuña Jr.) has proper area locked down with Michael Harris II in middle, nevertheless it’s attainable some at-bats come open in left area, the place Jarred Kelenic is the deliberate starter proper now.
Owens, 23, spent final season in Excessive-A and Double-A. In 29 appearances, he pitched to a 3.03 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and caught out 67 in 65 1/3 innings. He was used each as a starter and reliever.
Rangers convey again outfielder
The Rangers have reached an settlement on a one-year pact with Travis Jankowski, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Jankowski, 32, is coming off arguably a profession season, one during which he posted a 90 OPS+ and 1.4 Wins Above Alternative for the reigning champions.
Earlier this offseason, CBS Sports activities named Jankowski an under-the-radar free agent, writing the next:
Jankowski is a affected person slap hitter with an considerable expertise for spraying low-flying batted balls again up the center. He is extraordinarily quick, and final season he went 19 for 20 on stolen-base makes an attempt. Defensively, he is greatest deployed in left, the place he is an asset regardless of a below-average arm.
If that seems like a spare outfielder to you, effectively … that is the purpose. Jankowski is not going to obtain a profitable multi-year deal to be somebody’s Plan A. What we’re banking on by together with him right here is that he’ll slot right into a part-time position and outproduce relative to expectations, if largely on a rate-stat foundation.
Jankowski figures to serve in a reserve position for a lot of the 12 months. The Rangers not solely have Adolis García and Evan Carter in tow, however high prospect Wyatt Langford ought to arrive sooner relatively than later as soon as the season will get underway.
