As actual spring training games are underway, Manny Machado is finally off the board, but Bryce Harper remains unsigned at this very late hour. That means we've got a healthy supply of buzz even as we head toward March. To give you an idea of what's out there on Friday, we're here to round up all the notable trade and free agency rumors. As always, our Free Agent Tracker is a great way to catch up on what's already happened on that front. Now let's jump in ...
Padres still in on Bryce?
The Padres on Friday formally introduced new third baseman Manny Machado, whom they recently inked to a $300 million contract. We're conditioned to think of the Pads as not being big spenders, but that's changing as GM A.J. Preller tries to complement the club's impressive prospects with established contributors. And speaking of Preller and his budget ...
A.J. Preller was asked if the Padres might still be in on Bryce Harper. He said a lot of words. None of them remotely denied it.
— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond) February 22, 2019
Look, A.J., you may be able to get away with non-denial denials at other times of the year, but not right now. More on this matter:
Padres brass is meeting today to see if they can try for a 2nd mega star. Probably still a long shot but give them credit for brass you know whats https://t.co/vWWpCrVtt8
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 22, 2019
At the moment, the Phillies still appear to be the front-runners for Bryce Harper, but the Giants and, yes, Padres are still in the mix to varying degrees. The Padres boast a bright future and geographic appeal, and after signing Machado their commitment to winning is obvious. Harper's bound to have noticed.
Right now the Padres are at roughly $114 million in payroll for the 2019 season. That means they can sign Harper while remaining far, far under the $206 million luxury-tax threshold. And, yes, they have the resources to land Harper. The question, as it is with all teams, is willingness. Speaking of which ...
Nats say they're out on Harper
For a long time, it's seemed like the Nationals were at least still on the fringes of the Bryce Harper talks. The ties are there, obviously, as they drafted and developed Harper and then saw him helm four division-champion squads. They even offered Harper a $300 million contract during the season, albeit one that was heavily back-loaded. So where do things stand now? To hear ownership tell it, the Nationals are moving on under the assumption that Harper is going to wind up elsewhere. You can read more here.
Twins land Marwin
The Twins on Friday reportedly agreed to terms with super-utility man Marwin Gonzalez on a two-year contract with $21 million. You can read more here.
White Sox ink Santana
According to multiple reports, the White Sox have agreed to terms with veteran right-hander Ervin Santana on a minor-league contract for 2019. ESPN's Jeff Passan tweets that Santana will make $4.3 million if he cracks the active roster.
As you see above, Santana was injured and ineffective last season, but as recently as 2017 he was an All-Star and finished in the top 10 in the AL Cy Young balloting. Santana figures to have a reasonably clear path to a rotation spot with Chicago, especially with Michael Kopech likely missing all of 2019 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
