NL Central

The Milwaukee Brewers have one of the best relief pitchers in all of baseball in Josh Hader, and MLB teams are wondering what it would take to acquire him.

FanSided baseball columnist Robert Murray reports that Hader is generating trade interest, and the Brewers are willing to at least listen to offers even though they don't intend on moving the lefty flamethrower.

"But there is once again trade interest in Hader, according to sources familiar with the situation," Murray stated. "The Brewers intend to listen to inquiries, as they always do, but are not looking to trade Hader, who is coming off arguably his best season in the majors."

Hader was named the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year for the third time in his five-year career. After also winning in 2018 and 2019, he is now the first-ever three-time winner since the award's inception in 2014.

Hader finished with 34 saves and a career-best 1.23 ERA this past season. He dominated opposing batters throughout the second half of the season, as he didn't allow a run after July 28. The 27-year-old closer held opponents to a .126 batting average, the best among relievers by 22 points. He closed out a combined no-hitter for Milwaukee on Sept. 11.

Despite having such a young career, Hader is already the owner of multiple MLB records. He's the fastest player in history to reach 400 career strikeouts (234.2 IP), and he set records for most consecutive outs via strikeout (16) in 2018 and most consecutive hitless appearances (12) in 2020.

A three-time All-Star, Hader would be a major difference-maker in any MLB bullpen. While the Brewers don't have intentions to trade him, they could receive a massive haul if a team that believes Hader puts it over the top is willing to meet Milwaukee's hefty asking price. Listening to offers is the wise thing to do, though the likelihood is that Hader stays put.

Milwaukee made its fourth consecutive playoff appearance this season, falling in the NL Division Series to the eventual champion Atlanta Braves.

MLB announced on Friday that the Houston Astros won the 2021 Rawlings Gold Glove Team award as the best defensive team in the American League, while the St. Louis Cardinals won the National League version of the award.

The Astros had two individual Gold Glove winners this year (Carlos Correa, Yuli Gurriel), while the Cardinals had a record five individual winners (Tommy Edman, Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Tyler O'Neill and Harrison Bader). 

The Cardinals had one of the most impressive defenses in 2021, making an MLB-best 36 percent of their non-routine plays, per Inside Edge. The league average was 28 percent. 

Per FanGraphs, St. Louis finished first in MLB with 86 defensive runs saved and third in defensive runs above average (DEF) with 37.0, which measures defensive value relative to league average and adjusts for positional value.

They had the best individual fielder in Arenado, who won the NL's Platinum Glove winner for the fifth straight year. He finished the season top five amongst NL third basemen in DRS (six), DEF (8.0), assists (287), putouts (125) and double plays turned (38).

*Scheduled tweet*

For the 5th straight year, the NL Platinum Glove belongs to Nolan Arenado! pic.twitter.com/SAn2mEyXmq

— MLB (@MLB) November 12, 2021

While Arenado maintained his defensive dominance, the Cardinals featured four other players who were the best defenders at their respective position. Though Goldschmidt and O'Neill added to their collection, Edman and Bader won for the first time in their careers.

The Astros' defense was also impressive in 2021, making 32 percent of their non-routine plays, the fourth-best mark in baseball. Houston finished second in baseball with 78 DRS and sixth in DEF (24.1). 

Like Arenado, Correa took home the AL's Platinum Glove award after leading MLB with 21 DRS. He ranked second amongst AL shortstops in DEF (9.6) and third in both putouts (186) and assists (384).

.@TeamCJCorrea can flash the leather!

He is your 2021 AL Platinum Glove winner! pic.twitter.com/XKuG29YriV

— MLB (@MLB) November 12, 2021

In addition to Correa and Gurriel, catcher Martin Maldonado, outfielder Kyle Tucker and second baseman Jose Altuve were big reasons why the Astros defense was solid in 2021. 

Maldonado ranked second among AL catchers with 1,049 putouts and tied for fourth with 44 assists. Meanwhile, Tucker finished second among AL right fielders with 246 putouts, and Altuve finished fourth among AL second basemen with 199 putouts, third with 344 assists and fifth with 71 double plays turned.  

Two American League teams are reportedly hoping to pry All-Star center fielder Bryan Reynolds away from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners both have "significant interest" in Reynolds, although the Pirates feel "no pressure" to move him since he is under contract through 2025.

The 26-year-old Reynolds broke out and enjoyed a career year in 2021, setting personal bests in almost every major category en route to his first All-Star nod.

In addition to slashing .302/.390/.522, Reynolds blasted a career-high 24 home runs, drove in 90 RBI, scored 93 runs and tied for the Major League lead with eight triples.

Reynolds was one of the lone bright spots on a Pirates team that went 61-101 and finished last in the National League Central by 10 games.

After finishing fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2019 when he hit .314 with 16 homers and 68 RBI, Reynolds dropped off in a big way during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

The Baltimore native hit just .189 with seven home runs and 19 RBI in 55 games, but the struggles proved to be an aberration, as Reynolds bounced back last season.

Both the Yankees and Mariners would benefit greatly from adding Reynolds if either is able to acquire him from the Pirates.

The Yankees were without starting center fielder Aaron Hicks for nearly the entire 2021 season because of a left wrist injury. That forced them to play veteran Brett Gardner far more than expected, and it also resulted in Aaron Judge seeing a lot of action in center.

Gardner is now a free agent, and while Hicks is still under contract, it isn't certain how well the 32-year-old will bounce back from a torn tendon sheath in his wrist.

Additionally, Reynolds is a switch hitter, which would add some much-needed versatility to a Yankees lineup that was heavy on right-handed hitters last season.

The Mariners leaned heavily on Jarred Kelenic as their starting center fielder last season, and he largely struggled from an offensive perspective, hitting just .181 with 14 homers and 43 RBI.

The 22-year-old was essentially forced into a full-time role because 2020 AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis was limited to 36 games by a torn meniscus.

Reynolds, Kelenic and Lewis are all center fielders by trade, but they have positional versatility in the outfield and could give the M's an elite outfield defense.

Despite making the playoffs last season, the Yankees fell short of expectations, as they lost in the AL Wild Card game. The Mariners were just the opposite in that they far exceeded expectations by narrowly missing the postseason with a 90-72 record.

If the Pirates decide to part with Reynolds, he could be a key figure in helping the Yankees win their first World Series since 2009 or helping the Mariners reach the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

The Cincinnati Reds are "willing to engage in talks" about a trade involving Luis Castillo, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network added that Cincinnati might be open to moving "anyone making significant dollars," with Castillo referenced as a possible candidate. The right-hander is projected to receive $7.5 million for the 2022 season, per Spotrac.

Because he's headed for arbitration for the next two offseasons, Castillo will probably make less than he would earn if he were on the open market right now. Nevertheless, that cost might be too high for the Reds, who aren't being very subtle about their priorities.

Cincinnati traded Tucker Barnhart and his $7.75 million salary in 2022 to the Detroit Tigers. Explaining the move, general manager Nick Krall said the franchise "must align our payroll to our resources."

The front office followed up by waiving Wade Miley rather than picking up his $10 million option. The southpaw landed with an NL Central rival, the Chicago Cubs.

At this point, a Castillo trade might be inevitable.

The 28-year-old started a bit slowly in 2021 but finished with a 3.98 ERA and a 3.75 FIP in 33 appearances, per FanGraphs. He watched his strikeout rate climb from 8.4 per nine innings in the first half to 10.2 per nine in the second.

If the Reds are committed to tanking, then now is the time to trade Castillo. His two years of team control should allow Cincinnati to get a healthy return, and the free-agent market might help Krall's position at the bargaining table.

Max Scherzer is the unquestioned top pitcher available, but his age (37) may limit his pool of suitors. Then there is a good group of starters (Robbie Ray, Kevin Gausman, Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw among others) who either is not a proven ace or doesn't have question marks about his health.

For teams aiming to strengthen their starting rotation, pursuing Castillo in a trade might be better than dipping into free agency. 

One of Major League Baseball's best players during the 2021 season could be on the move.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Thursday that right fielder Nick Castellanos opted out of his contract with the Cincinnati Reds, which was set to pay him $32 million over the next two years.

This isn't particularly surprising, as Heyman noted in August that Castellanos was "likely" to do so and become a free agent.

Perhaps the Reds could have traded him prior to the deadline this season to avoid potentially losing him for nothing, but they remained in playoff contention until a late collapse in large part because of his presence in the lineup.

Castellanos surely elected to opt out of his contract because he largely outplayed the amount of money he was set to make.

He slashed .309/.362/.576 with 34 home runs, 38 doubles and 100 RBI while making his first career All-Star Game in 2021. He has power to all fields, can drive the ball in the gap and hits for average as someone who can carry a lineup for extended stretches.

Cincinnati was the third stop of Castellanos' career after he played for the Detroit Tigers from 2013 until the middle of the 2019 campaign when they traded him to the Chicago Cubs.

He launched 23 or more home runs in three straight years from 2017 through 2019 and even led the league with 10 triples in the first season of that stretch. He has been a player who hits for average and power during his prime and will remain in that prime for the immediate future at 29 years old.

Castellanos figures to be one of the most highly sought-after free agents this offseason given his age and recent production, and the Reds may have to compete with a number of big-market teams if they hope to re-sign him on a more lucrative deal than he opted out of Thursday.

Coming off a hugely disappointing 2021 season, Jackie Bradley Jr. has exercised his $9.5 million option to stay with the Milwaukee Brewers, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network and Audacy Sports.

Bradley had a prolonged free-agent period last offseason before signing a two-year, $24 million deal with the Brewers on March 4. He was coming off a solid 2020 campaign with the Boston Red Sox, posting a .283/.364/.450 slash line in 55 games. 

One potential reason it took Bradley so long to find a deal that appealed to him is a lack of consistency. The 31-year-old has been difficult to project from a year-to-year basis since making his MLB debut in 2013. 

After posting an above-average OPS+ in 2015 (119) and 2016 (118), Bradley posted three straight below-average seasons before the shortened 2020 campaign.

Bradley took a step back once again in 2021, hitting .163/.236/.261 with an OPS+ of 34 while making 134 appearances for Milwaukee.

Despite his inconsistencies at the plate, he has still been able to maintain a lot of value because of his defense in center field, though.  

From 2014-21, Bradley ranked seventh in both FanGraphs' ultimate zone rating (48.7) and in defensive runs saved (71) among all qualified outfielders. 

Bradley had another excellent defensive season in 2021. He ranked ninth among all National League players with a minimum of 400 plate appearances in defensive value (10.9) and tied for ninth in defensive runs saved (nine). 

It's because of this defensive ability that Bradley remained a regular in Milwaukee's lineup throughout the 2021 season, despite being the worst offensive player in MLB. 

Given how erratic Bradley has been as a hitter throughout his career, it's not a surprise to see him return to the Brewers. He is also going back to a team with a terrific foundation coming off an NL Central title with aspirations of competing for a playoff spot again in 2022.

Even though the eyes of Major League Baseball fans are trained squarely on the World Series, the end of the Fall Classic will bring about many questions for all 30 teams. 

This is certainly going to be a busy offseason, especially given the uncertainty around the labor negotiations and the likelihood of a work stoppage when the current CBA expires on Dec. 2.   

That is going to have a significant impact on when business will get done. Free agency officially starts five days after the World Series ends, but history has shown that teams don't usually make deals for marquee players until the winter meetings at the earliest. 

All of that is worth keeping in mind for the future. For now, though, there is plenty of buzz going on about some of the biggest players who could be on the move this offseason. 

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Xander Bogaerts Preparing to Hit Free Agency After 2022

After trading Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the start of the 2020 season, the long-term future of the Boston Red Sox was tied directly to Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers turning into All-Stars. 

That mission was accomplished in 2021, as both players were named to the Midsummer Classic and played key roles in the Red Sox reaching the American League Championship Series. 

Devers and Bogaerts remain under contract to the Red Sox next season, but things get murky beyond that. 

Per ESPN's Joon Lee, Bogaerts is planning on using the opt out in his contract after next season to become a free agent. 

The Red Sox signed Bogaerts to a six-year, $120 million contract before the 2019 season. The deal includes a $20 million player option for 2023, per Spotrac. 

Timing is a crucial part of free agency. Bogaerts would almost certainly attract a lot of attention if he could opt out this offseason, but he would also be competing with the likes of Corey Seager and Carlos Correa as the top shortstop. 

The top potential free-agent shortstops after next season include Tim Anderson and Trea Turner, but there's a steep drop to in talent after those two players. Dansby Swanson, who only has one full season with an OPS over .800 in his career (2020), would likely be No. 3. 

Bogaerts will be 30 years old after next season, but he's remained a quality defensive shortstop even as he's gotten older. The three-time All-Star ranked eighth among all qualified shortstops in FanGraphs defensive value (8.3) and ninth in out of zone plays (106) in 2021. 

Hitting is one thing that Bogaerts has never struggled to do. He has a .290/.353/.459 career slash line and has slugged at least .493 in each of the last four seasons. 

As long as Bogaerts has another strong season in 2022, there's no reason for him not to see what the market has to offer him. 

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Anthony Rizzo Hopeful for Yankees Reunion

A disappointing 2021 season has left the New York Yankees with a lot of things to evaluate as they look to improve next year. 

First base is one area that could have an opening, depending on what the Yankees want to do with Anthony Rizzo. 

If Rizzo has his way, he will be wearing pinstripes next season. Bob Klapisch of the Newark Star-Ledger cited a family member as saying that Rizzo is "quite eager" to return to New York in 2022. 

According to a family member, Anthony Rizzo is quite eager to return to #Yankees in 2022. That’s an important first step, assuming NYY want him back. Have to assume they do.

— Bob Klapisch (@BobKlap) October 25, 2021

The Yankees will have nine free agents this offseason. Rizzo, Corey Kluber and Brett Gardner are the most prominent in that group. It seems unlikely that Gardner, whose .689 OPS in 2021 was his worst since he was a rookie (.582 in 2008), will be back. 

Kluber could go either way. The two-time American League Cy Young winner was effective when he pitched (3.83 ERA), but injuries limited him to 80 innings over 16 starts. He's only pitched 116.2 innings over the past three seasons combined and will turn 36 on April 10. 

Rizzo was a solid hitter in 2021 between his time with the Yankees and Chicago Cubs. The three-time All-Star had a .248/.344/.440 slash line in 141 games. 

The first-base market looks strong at the top, with Freddie Freeman and Brandon Belt leading the way.

Belt is a volatile player because of his injury history. He has missed at least 25 games in six of the past eight seasons, including 65 in 2021. Given that he will turn 34 on April 20, betting on him staying healthy going forward seems like a high risk. 

Freeman is one of the most durable players in MLB. The reigning NL MVP has only missed four games in the past four seasons combined. 

The Yankees could also bet on Luke Voit staying healthy. He's been a productive offensive player when he's been able to play. The 30-year-old has a .267/.357/.510 slash line in five MLB seasons, but that only covers 351 games because of injuries. 

Rizzo can't be counted to produce at the same level he did at his peak with the Cubs, but he just might end up being the safest option for the Yankees at first base because he rarely gets hurt. 

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Cubs Reportedly Shopping Willson Contreras

The Cubs are mired in the early stages of a rebuild that started last season by trading most of the remaining core from their 2016 World Series roster, including Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant. 

One of the few holdovers from that squad is Willson Contreras, though his future with the club is very much uncertain. 

Per The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer "will almost certainly shop" Contreras this offseason if the two sides can't agree to a long-term extension. 

Contreras is a difficult player to evaluate for a new contract because his career has been mired by inconsistency. He ranked 39th among all catchers last season in framing, per Baseball Savant.

It looked like Contreras made significant strides in that area during the 2020 season, when he ranked 10th overall.

The Venezuela native threw out a career-low 21 percent of basestealers in 2021, per Baseball Reference. It was his first time finishing worse than the league average in that category. 

Contreras' bat does put him among the better backstops in MLB. The two-time All-Star ranked fourth out of 15 catchers with at least 400 plate appearances in homers (21), fifth in slugging percentage (.438), sixth in on-base percentage (.340) and fifth in weighted on-base average (.337), per FanGraphs.

The 29-year-old made $6.65 million in 2021 and has one more year of arbitration remaining before becoming a free agent. 

Given the state of the Cubs roster coming off a 71-91 season, there's little incentive for the front office to keep Contreras. He plays a demanding position where few players can age gracefully. 

Buster Posey resurrected his career with the San Francisco Giants in part because of how he was managed. The 2012 NL MVP routinely only played two of three games in most series during the regular season. 

Contreras' up-and-down MLB career to this point does make him a risky gamble for any team. His upside is high enough to make him worth betting on, especially for a potential contender looking to upgrade its lineup. 

St. Louis Cardinals minor league pitcher Dalton Roach says he was bitten by a bear this month while hunting for deer in Wisconsin. A black bear climbed the tree he was sitting in and bit him on his back, per Eric Lindquist of the Leader-Telegram.

"He was kind of moseying around. He didn't look like he was on any kind of mission or anything," Roach said. "But when he got to about 20 yards away, he took a left turn and came directly under my tree."

He added: "The next thing I know I can hear him right behind me and feel him breathing on my back. Then I feel a paw on my lap. He just kind of left the paw sitting there, so it's not like I wanted to make a big move and make him squeeze. Right when I thought this might be it, I decided I wasn't going to just go out and it was better to at least try to do something to get out of this situation."

Roach said he felt the bear bite him on his back before he decided to make himself big and scream to scare the bear off. Once the bear was gone, he climbed down the tree and made his way to the emergency room, where he received antibiotics, a tetanus shot and rabies vaccine. 

Roach recorded the initial bear sighting, which was shared by Jennifer Hoff of KARE 11. 

“By the time he was under my tree and then up behind me was 15 seconds.” 😱

A Wisconsin man hunting deer sees a bear instead.

That then climbs up to his stand and bites him in the back.

Dalton Roach recalls more of the encounter on @kare11 at 10p. pic.twitter.com/KVjiMea1PX

— Jennifer Hoff (@JennHoffReports) October 27, 2021

The Cardinals drafted Roach in 2018. He finished the 2021 minor league season with a 7-10 record and 5.65 ERA for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals. 

Matt Arnold is "expected" to remain the Milwaukee Brewers' general manager after withdrawing his name from consideration to fill the New York Mets' president of baseball operations vacancy, Will Sammon of The Athletic reported Wednesday.

The Mets requested permission to interview Arnold about the president of baseball operations role, which is common practice for an executive who could secure a promotion with a different club, but it was never granted before he removed his name from the discussion.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network provided further details:

While Mets have interest in Brewers GM Matt Arnold for a top job they have yet to receive permission to interview him and there’s an expectation they may not get that permission. Milwaukee previously turned down Mets’ attempt to interview Crew baseball president David Stearns.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 27, 2021

Two MLB sources told SNY's Andy Martino that Arnold may have "language in his contract" that's more limiting when it comes to his ability to interview elsewhere.

Heyman later noted Arnold is also receiving an extension from Milwaukee after turning down the Mets' overtures.

The 42-year-old UC Santa Barbara product joined the Brewers in 2015. They promoted him to general manager last November.

Staying with the Brewers means his offseason will likely be focused on finding another high-end bat to slot in the middle of the club's lineup.

Milwaukee features one of MLB's best rotations, led by Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta, and a terrific one-two punch in the bullpen with Josh Hader and Devin Williams.

The Brew Crew's batting order features solid depth, but it lacked a cornerstone with the decline of 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich. The outfielder posted a mediocre .752 OPS with just 21 home runs in 175 games over the past two seasons.

One more marquee bat could push the Brewers, who won the NL Central with a 95-67 record before getting eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series, into the World Series conversation next year.

Meanwhile, the Mets are set to reshape their front office after failing to reach expectations in their first year under new owner Steve Cohen. They finished third in the NL East at 77-85.

Mike Puma of the New York Post reported Tuesday the team previously contacted two other high-profile candidates, Theo Epstein and Billy Beane, but neither of those longtime baseball executives felt it was the right position for them.

New York could promote from within as assistant general manager Ian Levin and vice president of amateur and international scouting Tommy Tanous lead the internal options, per Puma.

The Mets, like the Brewers, have a strong rotation and promising bullpen pieces, but the offense needs ample work if they're going to chase down Atlanta in the NL East next year.