MLB 17-18 Offseason: The Giants are preparing for EYBS' return

Matt Kemp to the Dodgers, Adrian Gonzalez, Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Charlie Culberson and cash going to Atlanta.

The Braves have already DFA'd Gonzalez, so he'll be a free agent. Rosenthal says Kemp is a strong candidate to be traded or released.

Seems like this was a payroll-balancing move for both teams (particularly to get the Dodgers under the luxury cap). Feels like a strategic move for the Dodgers to make room for the Kershaw opt-out and the Harper bidding next year.

Edit: In any event, I'm so glad AA is running a team again. I missed his chaos trades for AAAA pitchers.

 

Because they have no place for him in the outfield (at least one of hips has been grinding to dust for like three or four years). The guys they traded all have a year remaining on their deals, but Kemp has two. By acquiring him and being able to spread the money across multiple years, their salary commitment gets under the $197 million luxury tax threshold (which is more of a soft salary cap, because the MLBPA is fucking worthless).

Edit: It's a cash-neutral trade. The money they owed to the guys sent to Atlanta is roughly equal to what is still owed to Kemp, it's just that the commitment to Kemp is across two years.

 

Yep, Longo to the Giants for Span and some other dudes. Because, you know, any time you have the opportunity to add a rapidly aging slugger to a team long past its contention window, you have to do it.

In other news, the Orioles say that if they don't get an offer meeting their demands for Machado (two young, controlled starting pitchers) today or tomorrow, he's off the market.

In other Orioles news, Zach Britton has ruptured his Achilles tendon and will be out for at least six months. Should have traded him when you had the chance, Duquette, you goddamn idiot.

 

There's a huge stadium issue with Montreal, though.

 

Machado is off the market for now; the Cubs came closest with an offer of Mike Montgomery and one of Addison Russell or Albert Almora, Jr., but Baltimore stuck to its demand of two young, controllable starting pitchers, because ... even though Machado is really, really good, Dan Duquette is a goddamn moron and doesn't realize that nobody is giving up two extremely valuable assets for a one-year rental who is determined to hit free agency.

 

Machado for Russell would be a pretty sweet deal, and they have a glut of outfielders still, but losing Montgomery would be rough considering their rotation right now projects as Lester / Hendricks / Quintana / Portillo's leftovers / salami.

 

Supposedly Montgomery is still wanting to start, which is why the Cubs are dangling him. I figure they've decided to pass on Arrieta and his 7 / 200 starting price, hence why Epstein and Hoyer met with Darvish earlier this week. Hendricks / Darvish / Lester / Quintana / Portillo's leftovers wouldn't be a murderer's row of a rotation, but it wouldn't suck out loud.

Bullpen would still be a dumpster fire, though, but to be fair "Theo Epstein" and "good bullpens" don't generally go in the same sentence.