MLB Trade Rumors and News: The Rockies need a new general manager

The MLB Daily Dish is a daily feature we’re running here at MLBDD that rounds up roster-impacting news, rumors, and analysis. Have feedback or have something that should be shared? Hit us up at @mlbdailydish on Twitter or @MLBDailyDish on Instagram.

• The Rockies have been poorly run for a while now with general manager Jeff Bridich at the forefront of that mismanagement. They somehow made their relationship with their best player, Nolan Arenado, so bad that they had to trade him away and throw in a bunch of cash in order to do so. Well, Bridich’s time finally came as he and the team decided to mutually part ways yesterday.
• The Astro’s have signed Martin Maldonado to a one-year extension, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. While the terms aren’t explicit yet, Feinsand reports that catcher is guaranteed $5M for the one year deal, with a $5M vesting option for 2023. While the 34-year old’s hitting is abysmal, slashing a career lifetime .217/.291/.352, he’s worth his salt in Defensive Runs Saved. It’s a low-risk, high-reward move for the Astros that at least buys them another year to find a replacement for Maldonado if need be.
• The first few weeks of season had reinforced one simple fact: Mike Trout is probably the best baseball player of his generation. However, his warpath was put on brief hold Thursday when he was hit by a pitch in the elbow and had to exit the game early. Fortunately for the Angels and Trout, everyone is optimistic he will be back in the lineup Friday.
• Miguel Sano’s season has not been off to the best of starts. After really struggling to make contact through the first 10% of the season or so, Sano strained his hamstring during a doubleheader earlier this week and had to be placed on the injured list. If you are looking for a silver lining, top prospect Alex Kiriloff is getting called up as a result of the roster move.
• Neil Walker never made an All-Star team or won a World Series, but he had a very admirable 12-year major league career, playing seven seasons for his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates, winning a Silver Slugger Award in 2014, and making over $50 million along the way. Walker announced his retirement on Tuesday after going unsigned all offseason. He finished his career playing in 18 games for the Phillies last summer.
• In a major blow to the Nationals’ offense, Juan Soto has been placed on the injured list with a shoulder strain. Injuries are always tricky, but for now, it doesn’t appear that Soto will miss much more than the minimum required 10-day IL stint.
• Yasiel Puig, who has been unable to find a big-league job for a second straight season, has reportedly signed with Veracruz of the Mexican League and will attempt to revive his career there.
• Mookie Betts is a critical component to the Dodgers’ attempt to defend their World Series title. However, he may have to miss some time after getting hit by a pitch right on the forearm Monday night. The team is expecting to update his status today, but it is worth noting that he did not leave the game last night.
• The Braves got some good news Monday as it was announced that Ronald Acuña Jr. just has a mild abdominal strain and is day to day. Considering the amount of pain he was in a couple days ago while running the bases and how much the Braves are counting on him, this was mostly good news for Atlanta.
• Christian Yelich has been placed on the injured list with an injured back. Before you panic, this move is retroactive from April 14, so he shouldn’t be on the IL for too much longer. Fingers crossed we still get that comeback story we were all hoping for from him this season.
• I guess the best way to go out is on your terms. Yankees first baseman/outfielder Jay Bruce retired after Sunday’s game. Bruce leaves the league as a 14-year veteran and three-time All-Star.
• The Nationals have placed Stephen Strasburg on the 10-day injured list. A recent MRI has shown inflammation in his right shoulder after a start last Tuesday that raised some eyebrows. He’s currently 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA over his first two starts this season.
• Since being a highly heralded pitching prospect who was drafted #3 overall, Carlos Rodon has had to overcome several severe injuries and the label as a “bust” in his career whether it was fair or not. For at least one night, though, Rodon showed everyone what he was capable of as he threw a no-hitter (and nearly a perfect game if not for a 9th inning HBP) against the Indians.
• Braves center fielder Cristian Pache, widely considered a preseason favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year Award, has been placed on the injured list after suffering a strained left groin. Pache wasn’t exactly off to a scorching start this season, hitting .133 (4 for 30) with a .361 OPS.
• James Paxton had the opposite of an ideal start to the season, as Tommy John surgery was recommended for the Mariners starter. He threw just 1.1 innings before leaving his season debut with an arm injury. Paxton is set to return to the mound in mid-2022, also missing that season opener.
• It’s been a rough week for pitchers doing...anything. Trevor Rosenthal underwent thoracic outlet surgery, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports. The 30-year-old kicked off this season on the IL because of a shoulder problem. While the procedure is usually a 12-week recovery period, he will be re-evaluated in eight weeks. The closer spent this offseason hunting for a long-term deal that would hopefully keep him planted for a while. What he ended up with was a 1-year, $11M deal with the Athletics. After a monster comeback in 2020, pitching a 1.90 ERA over 23.2 innings pitched between the Royals and the Padres, this feels like a devastating blow for any sort of late-career renaissance. Fingers crossed for Oakland fans that he ends up back in the bullpen sooner than anticipated.
• The Yankees made a somewhat surprising addition, acquiring veteran infielder Rougned Odor from the Rangers in exchange for minor league outfielders Antonio Cabello and Josh Stowers. The Rangers are responsible for paying all but the league minimum to Odor, who they previously designated for assignment, and the Yankees will take a chance on a hitter who is capable of dominating right-handed pitching but has struggled to make contact in recent seasons.
• Orlando Arcia was widely considered one of the top prospects in baseball about five years ago, but he’s mostly been a disappointment since arriving in the big leagues. The Braves will see if they can turn his career around after acquiring the 26-year-old shortstop from the Brewers in exchange for relievers Patrick Weigel and Chad Sobotka. Arcia will initially report to Atlanta’s alternate training site.
• MLB has pulled the 2021 All-Star Game from Georgia due to new voting restrictions, and they’ll now host the Midsummer Classic at Denver’s Coors Field (we’re already excited for that Home Run Derby).
• The Angels have signed David Fletcher to a five-year, $26M extension, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The second baseman slashed a career best .319/.376/.425 over 230 plate appearances last season. While he offers almost no power at the plate, he’s consistent and has a jarringly low strikeout rate. The extension will begin this season and extend through 2025. The 26-year-old wouldn’t have been arbitration eligible until after this season and wouldn’t not have hit free agency until after the 2024 season. There is also a club option and buyout of $8.5M and $1.5M, respectively.
• Two-time All-Star slugger Todd Frazier was unable to find a major league job elsewhere after being informed that he wouldn’t make the Pirates’ Opening Day roster and opting out of his minor league deal. Frazier returned to the Pirates organization on a new minor league contract, and one would think he’ll be one of the first players they turn to in the event of injury or poor performance after he posted a .996 OPS with three homers this spring.
• The health and safety protocols that the league has put in place for the 2021 season have been a hot topic given that we are amidst a vaccine rollout that should, in theory, make existing out in the world much safer and easier. Monday, MLB sent out a memo to teams saying that if at least 85% of a team’s roster becomes vaccinated, that the health protocols they are operating under will be relaxed.
• The White Sox, fresh off an impressive run to the postseason last year, are primed to win the AL Central this year, but things just got a bit harder. It was announced last week that slugger Eloy Jimenez ruptured his pectoral tendon and will miss around 5-6 months of action as he recovers. While the White Sox do have a good number of quality bats in their lineup, Eloy’s injury is really going to put their depth to the test and place a lot of pressure on some young guys to perform.
• One of the more exciting guys set to hit free agency after this season is shortstop Carlos Correa who, despite having trouble staying healthy in his career, would be one of the biggest names on the free agent market if he made it there. It was reported that the while Astros did offer an extension to him, Correa considered the offer so low that he now seems resigned to test the waters in free agency after the season.
• While it doesn’t look super promising that the Astros are going to be able to lock up Carlos Correa and already lost George Springer to free agency, they did get some good news last week as they were able to lock up Lance McCullers with a five-year extension. It isn’t the marquee extension/signing they probably need to prolong their competitive window, but hey....progress.
• After signing a one-year deal with Toronto over the offseason, former All-Star reliever Kirby Yates may never get a chance to pitch in a Blue Jays uniform. Yates underwent Tommy John surgery, knocking him out for the entire 2021 season.
• The Royals and Salvador Perez have agreed to a monster contract extension. The deal will keep Perez in Kansas City for four more years to the tune of $82M. Slashing a career .269/.300/.449, the 30-year old was a cornerstone of the team’s 2015 World Series run. The extension also comes less than two years after Perez had Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2019 season. Despite that, the Royals seem to have no intention of letting the franchise icon leave any time soon.
• A few seasons ago, MLB tested out some new rules in the minor leagues that ended up being used in the major leagues, including the extra inning rule where a runner started each extra inning on second base. Now, it looks like MLB is eyeing some other changes with new rules getting tested out in the minors during the 2021 season. Such changes include an automated strike zone, limits on the shift, limits on pickoff moves, and changes to the physical bases designed to lead to less slipping and less collisions on the basepaths.