Roster Roundup: Early Offseason Edition

December 2, 2019

If there is one month when even the most diehard baseball fans tend to check out and focus their attention elsewhere, it’s probably November. It’s not that things don’t happen — eight managerial vacancies have been filled, a few of the top free agents have signed, and 118 minor leaguers have been added to their parent club’s 40-man rosters — but the offseason rarely picks up much steam until the Winter Meetings begin. So it’s understandable if you might need to get caught up on all of the recent comings and goings around the league.

I have compiled that list for you here, along with links to the applicable RosterResource depth charts and payroll pages, and analysis from FanGraphs writers for each of the more notable moves.

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

C Stephen Vogt signed to one-year, $3 million contract with 2021 vesting option. Analysis

Lost Off Waivers

RP T.J. McFarland lost off waivers to Oakland Athletics.

Added to 40-Man Roster

INF Wyatt Mathisen, INF Andy Young, SP Riley Smith, SP Taylor Widener

Atlanta Braves | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

RP Will Smith signed to three-year, $40 million contract with 2023 club option. Analysis
C Travis d’Arnaud signed to two-year, $16 million contract. Analysis
RP Chris Martin re-signed to two-year, $14 million contract. Analysis
C Tyler Flowers re-signed to one-year, $4 million contract. Analysis
OF Nick Markakis re-signed to one-year, $4 million contract. Analysis
RP Darren O’Day re-signed to one-year, $2.75 million contract with 2021 club option.
- When last healthy for a full season, O’Day had a 3.70 FIP, 11.3 K/9, and 17 holds in 16 appearances for the Orioles in 2017.

Added to 40-Man Roster

C William Contreras, OF Cristian Pache, SP Tucker Davidson, SP Jasseel De La Cruz, SP Philip Pfeifer

Chicago Cubs | Depth Chart | Payroll
Trade Acquisitions/Waiver Claims

P Jharel Cotton acquired from Oakland Athletics for cash considerations.
- The Cubs are taking a flyer on a pitcher who will be more than two years removed from Tommy John surgery on Opening Day.
RP CD Pelham claimed off waivers from Texas Rangers.

Added to 40-Man Roster

C Miguel Amaya, INF Zack Short, SP Tyson Miller, SP Colin Rea, RP Manuel Rodriguez

Cincinnati Reds | Depth Chart | Payroll
Trade Acquisitions/Waiver Claims

OF Travis Jankowski acquired from San Diego Padres for international bonus money.
P José De León acquired from Tampa Bay Rays for PTBNL and cash considerations. Analysis
RP Justin Shafer acquired from Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations. Analysis
OF Nick Martini claimed off waivers from San Diego Padres. Analysis
RP Josh D. Smith claimed off waivers from Miami Marlins.

Traded

OF Brian O’Grady traded to Tampa Bay Rays for PTBNL and cash considerations.

Added to 40-Man Roster

C Tyler Stephenson, SP Tejay Antone, SP Tony Santillan, RP Ryan Hendrix

Colorado Rockies | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

SP José Mujica signed to major league contract.
- The former Rays prospect missed the entire 2019 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
INF Eric Stamets signed to minor league contract with invitation to spring training.

Lost Off Waivers

INF Pat Valaika lost off waivers to Baltimore Orioles.
SP Tyler Anderson lost off waivers to San Francisco Giants.
SP Rico Garcia lost off waivers to San Francisco Giants.
RP Sam Howard lost off waivers to Pittsburgh Pirates.

Added to 40-Man Roster

1B/3B Tyler Nevin, SP Ashton Goudeau, SP Antonio Santos, RP Ben Bowden

Los Angeles Dodgers | Depth Chart | Payroll
Added to 40-Man Roster

INF Zach McKinstry, OF DJ Peters, SP Victor Gonzalez, SP Mitchell White

Miami Marlins | Depth Chart | Payroll
Released

P Wei-Yin Chen

Lost Off Waivers

RP Josh D. Smith lost off waivers to Cincinnati Reds

Added to 40-Man Roster

1B Lewin Diaz, SS Jazz Chisholm, SP Edward Cabrera, SP Humberto Mejia, SP Nick Neidert, SP Sixto Sanchez

Milwaukee Brewers | Depth Chart | Payroll
Trade Acquisitions/Waiver Claims

SS/2B Luis Urías, SP Eric Lauer, and PTBNL acquired from San Diego Padres for OF Trent Grisham and SP Zach Davies. Analysis
RP Eric Yardley claimed off waivers from San Diego Padres.

Traded

SP Chase Anderson traded to Toronto Blue Jays for 1B/OF Chad Spanberger.

Added to 40-Man Roster

INF Mark Mathias, OF Corey Ray, RP J.P. Feyereisen, RP Angel Perdomo

New York Mets | Depth Chart | Payroll
Waiver Claims

SP Stephen Gonsalves claimed off waivers from Minnesota Twins.
- His stock has fallen quickly, but it wasn’t long ago that Gonsalves was one of the better left-handed pitching prospects in baseball.

Added to 40-Man Roster

C Ali Sanchez, SS Andrés Giménez, SP Jordan Humphreys, SP Thomas Szapucki, RP Blake Taylor

Philadelphia Phillies | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

INF/OF Josh Harrison signed to minor league contract with invitation to spring training.
- The two-time All-Star could fill an important role on the Phillies’ bench, especially if Scott Kingery settles in at one position in 2020.

Waiver Claims

RP Robert Stock claimed off waivers from San Diego Padres.

Added to 40-Man Roster

SP Mauricio Llovera, SP JoJo Romero, RP Garrett Cleavinger, RP Cristopher Sanchez

Pittsburgh Pirates | Depth Chart | Payroll
Waiver Claims

RP Sam Howard claimed off waivers from Colorado Rockies.

Traded

SP Dario Agrazal traded to Detroit Tigers for cash considerations.
RP Parker Markel traded to Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations.

Added to 40-Man Roster

1B/3B Will Craig, Ke’Bryan Hayes, SS Oneil Cruz, RP Blake Cederlind, RP Cody Ponce

San Diego Padres | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

RP Drew Pomeranz signed to four-year, $34 million contract. Analysis

Trade Acquisitions

OF Trent Grisham and SP Zach Davies acquired from Milwaukee Brewers for SS/2B Luis Urías, SP Eric Lauer, and PTBNL. Analysis

Traded/Lost Off Waivers

OF Travis Jankowski traded to Cincinnati Reds for international bonus money.
OF Nick Martini lost off waivers to Cincinnati Reds.
RP Robert Stock lost off waivers to Philadelphia Phillies.
RP Eric Yardley lost off waivers to Milwaukee Brewers.

Added to 40-Man Roster

OF Jorge Oña

San Francisco Giants | Depth Chart | Payroll
Waivers Claims

INF/OF Kean Wong claimed off waivers from Los Angeles Angels.
SP Tyler Anderson claimed off waivers from Colorado Rockies.
SP Rico Garcia claimed off waivers from Colorado Rockies.
SP Trevor Oaks claimed off waivers from Kansas City Royals.

Added to 40-Man Roster

None

St. Louis Cardinals | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

SP Adam Wainwright re-signed to one-year, $5 million contract. Analysis

Released

RP Dominic Leone

Lost Off Waivers

RP Mike Mayers lost off waivers to Los Angeles Angels.

Added to 40-Man Roster

3B Elehuris Montero, SP Alvaro Seijas, SP Jake Woodford

Washington Nationals | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

C Yan Gomes re-signed to two-year, $10 million contract.
- The Nats could look much different in 2020, but their catching tandem of Gomes and Kurt Suzuki is set to return after combining for 29 homers and 106 runs batted in last season.

Added to 40-Man Roster

SP Ben Braymer

American League

Baltimore Orioles | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

OF Mason Williams re-signed to minor league contract.

Waiver Claims

INF Pat Valaika claimed off waivers from Colorado Rockies.

Added to 40-Man Roster

INF/OF Ryan Mountcastle, OF Ryan McKenna, SP Keegan Akin, SP Dean Kremer

Boston Red Sox | Depth Chart | Payroll
Waiver Claims

RP Josh Osich claimed off waivers from Chicago White Sox.

Added to 40-Man Roster

3B/1B Bobby Dalbec, INF C.J. Chatham, OF Marcus Wilson, SP Kyle Hart, RP Yoan Aybar

Chicago White Sox | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

C Yasmani Grandal signed to four-year, $73 million contract. Analysis
1B José Abreu re-signed to three-year, $50 million contract. Analysis

Traded/Lost Off Waivers

C Welington Castillo and international draft bonus pool money traded to Texas Rangers for INF/OF Jonah McReynolds.
RP Josh Osich lost off waivers to Boston Red Sox.

Added to 40-Man Roster

C Yermin Mercedes, OF Blake Rutherford, SP Dane Dunning, SP Bernardo Flores Jr., SP Jimmy Lambert, RP Zack Burdi, RP Matt Foster

Cleveland Indians | Depth Chart | Payroll
Lost Off Waivers

RP Nick Goody lost off waivers to Texas Rangers.

Added to 40-Man Roster

OF Daniel Johnson, SP Triston McKenzie, SP Scott Moss

Detroit Tigers | Depth Chart | Payroll
Trade Acquisitions

SP Dario Agrazal acquired from Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations.

Released

RP Drew VerHagen signed with Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters (JPL).

Added to 40-Man Roster

INF Isaac Paredes, OF Daz Cameron, OF Derek Hill, SP Beau Burrows, SP Anthony Castro, SP Kyle Funkhouser

Houston Astros | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

C Dustin Garneau signed to one-year, $650,000 contract.
- Garneau adds some much needed depth with rookie Garrett Stubbs currently the only other catcher on the Astros’ 40-man roster.

Added to 40-Man Roster

INF/OF Taylor Jones, SP Cristian Javier, SP/RP Enoli Paredes, SP Nivaldo Rodriguez, RP/SP Kent Emanuel

Kansas City Royals | Depth Chart | Payroll
Trade Acquisitions

INF/OF Matt Reynolds signed to minor league contract.

Lost Off Waivers

SP Trevor Oaks lost off waivers to San Francisco Giants.

Added to 40-Man Roster

INF Jeison Guzman, OF Nick Heath, SP Foster Griffin, SP Carlos Hernandez

Los Angeles Angels | Depth Chart | Payroll
Trade Acquisitions/Waiver Claims

RP Parker Markel acquired from Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations.
INF/OF Kean Wong claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay Rays.
RP Mike Mayers claimed off waivers from St. Louis Cardinals.

Released

1B Justin Bour signed with Hanshin Tigers (JCL).

Lost Off Waivers

INF/OF Kean Wong lost off waivers to San Francisco Giants.

Added to 40-Man Roster

SP Hector Yan

Minnesota Twins | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

SP Jake Odorizzi re-signed to one-year, $17.8 million contract. Analysis
C Juan Graterol, C Tomás Telis, RP Ryan Garton, and RP Blaine Hardy signed to minor league contracts.

Waiver Claims

RP/SP Matt Wisler claimed off waivers from Minnesota Twins.

Lost Off Waivers

SP Stephen Gonsalves lost off waivers to New York Mets.

Added to 40-Man Roster

INF/OF Travis Blankenhorn, OF Gilberto Celestino, OF/1B Luke Raley, SP Dakota Chalmers, SP Jhoan Duran

New York Yankees | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

OF Zack Granite signed to minor league contract with invitation to spring training.

Released

1B Greg Bird, OF Jacoby Ellsbury Analysis

Traded

RP/SP Nestor Cortes Jr. traded to Seattle Mariners for international bonus allotments.

Added to 40-Man Roster

OF Estevan Florial, SP Deivi Garcia, SP Luis Gil, SP Luis Medina, SP Nick Nelson, SP Miguel Yajure, RP Brooks Kriske

Oakland Athletics | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

C Carlos Perez, INF Ryan Goins, INF/OF Eric Campbell, INF/OF Nate Orf, SP Zach Lee, RP Ian Gardeck, RP Lucas Luetge, RP Brian Schlitter, and RP Jaime Schultz signed to minor league contracts with invitations to spring training.

Waiver Claims

RP T.J. McFarland claimed off waivers from Arizona Diamondbacks.

Traded

P Jharel Cotton traded to Chicago Cubs for cash considerations.

Added to 40-Man Roster

C Jonah Heim, SP Daulton Jefferies

Seattle Mariners | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

SP Kendall Graveman signed to one-year, $2 million contract with 2021 club option.
- Back in the AL West after spending a year on the Cubs’ roster while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Graveman’s last start in the majors came with the A’s in May 2018.
RP Carl Edwards Jr. signed to one-year, $950,000 contract. Analysis
INF/OF Patrick Wisdom signed to major league contract.

Trade Acquisitions/Waiver Claims

RP/SP Nestor Cortes Jr. acquired from New York Yankees for international bonus allotments.
SP/RP Phillips Valdez claimed off waivers from Texas Rangers.

Lost Off Waivers

RP Anthony Bass lost off waivers to Toronto Blue Jays.
RP/SP Matt Wisler lost off waivers to Minnesota Twins.

Added to 40-Man Roster

1B Evan White signed to six-year, $24 million contract with 2026-28 club options. Analysis

Tampa Bay Rays | Depth Chart | Payroll
Trade Acquisitions

OF/1B Brian O’Grady acquired from Cincinnati Reds for PTNBL and cash considerations.

Released

INF Matt Duffy

Traded

RP José De León traded to Cincinnati Reds for PTNBL and cash considerations.

Added to 40-Man Roster

C Ronaldo Hernandez, 2B Vidal Brujan, 3B/1B Kevin Padlo, INF Jake Cronenworth, INF Lucius Fox

Texas Rangers | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

SP Kyle Gibson signed to three-year, $30 million contract. Analysis

Trade Acquisitions/Waiver Claims

C Welington Castillo and international draft bonus pool money acquired from Chicago White Sox for INF/OF Jonah McReynolds. Castillo’s 2020 club option was declined by the Rangers..
RP Nick Goody claimed off waivers from Cleveland Indians.

Traded/Lost Off Waivers

SP/RP Phillips Valdez lost off waivers to Seattle Mariners.
RP CD Pelham lost off waivers to Chicago Cubs.

Released

SP/RP Adrian Sampson signed with Lotte Giants (KBO).

Added to 40-Man Roster

3B/1B Sherten Apostel, SS Anderson Tejeda, OF Leody Taveras, SP Kyle Cody, SP Tyler Phillips, RP Demarcus Evans

Toronto Blue Jays | Depth Chart | Payroll
Free Agent Signings

INF/OF Andy Burns, INF/OF Patrick Kivlehan, SP/RP Phillippe Aumont, RP/SP A.J. Cole, and RP Justin Miller signed to minor league contracts with invitations to spring training.

Trade Acquisitions/Waiver Claims

SP Chase Anderson acquired from Milwaukee Brewers for 1B/OF Chad Spanberger. Analysis
RP Anthony Bass claimed off waivers from Seattle Mariners.
- After establishing himself as a reliable late-inning reliever for the Mariners in 2019, Bass has a chance to become the Blue Jay’s primary setup man.

Released