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MLB Rumors: Michael Wacha, Royals Agree to 3-Year, $51M Contract, Can Max Out at $72M

Nov 3, 2024
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 10: Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha (52) walks to the dugout after the third inning of game 4 of the ALDS between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals on October 10, 2024 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 10: Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha (52) walks to the dugout after the third inning of game 4 of the ALDS between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals on October 10, 2024 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Kansas City Royals agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal with starting pitcher Michael Wacha, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Passan reported the contract, which includes a club option for the 2028 season, can max out at $72 million.

Wacha and Kansas City originally agreed to a two-year pact last winter. The second year was a $16 million player option.

Now, the right-hander gets a little more financial security, while the Royals have him on the books for two more years than if he had picked up his option. At this point, Wacha is probably tired of changing uniforms.

The 33-year-old presents some risk in terms of his durability since he hasn't made 30 starts in a single season since 2017.

His performance over the last three years has been a model of consistency, though. From 2022 on, he has maintained a 3.30 ERA and a 3.87 FIP while averaging 7.8 strikeouts to 2.5 walks per nine innings, according to Baseball Reference.

Wacha's changeup was downright filthy in 2024. Per Baseball Savant, opposing hitters slugged just .312 and had a 34.1 percent whiff rate on that pitch.

Pitching has long been an issue for the Royals. During a lengthy rebuild, they invested a lot of draft capital toward their starting rotation and saw little return on the field.

Signing Wacha and Seth Lugo last offseason represented a slight change of tack, and both wound up exceeding expectations. Cole Ragans, who arrived in 2023 from the Aroldis Chapman trade, has also thrived after Kansas City moved him from the bullpen to the rotation full time.

Kansas City made a 30-win improvement this year, going from 106 losses to a wild-card berth. Considering the makeup of the squad, there's no reason why the Royals can't maintain that in 2025 and challenge for an American League Central crown.

Getting Wacha extended before he could even hit free agency was a nice boost to the general atmosphere surrounding the organization.

MLB Rumors: Will Venable Named White Sox Manager After Historic 41-121 Record

Oct 30, 2024
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Will Venable #83 of the Texas Rangers looks on from the dugout during a game against the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field on September 20, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Hayden Carroll/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Will Venable #83 of the Texas Rangers looks on from the dugout during a game against the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field on September 20, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Hayden Carroll/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)

The Chicago White Sox have a new manager after a historically bad 2024 season.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan and Jesse Rogers, the White Sox plan to hire Will Venable as their next manager.

The White Sox finished last season with Grady Sizemore as their interim manager after firing Pedro Grifol and three coaches from his staff on Aug. 8. The move came two days after the team snapped its American League record-tying 21-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over the Oakland Athletics.

Chicago was playing at a historically bad pace under Grifol prior to his dismissal. Its .239 winning percentage (28-89) at the time of his firing was on pace to be the second-worst by any team since 1900. The 1916 Philadelphia Athletics won at a .235 clip (36-117).

The White Sox finished 6-6 over their final 12 games to finish with only the fifth-worst winning percentage since 1900, but their 121 losses were the most by any team in the modern era.

Sizemore, who previously worked as an intern for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023 before getting hired by the White Sox, recorded a 13-32 record in his 45 games in the manager's chair.

Venable, whose final season of a nine-year MLB career came in 2016 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, joined the Chicago Cubs staff as a special assistant to team president Theo Epstein in 2017. He took over as first base coach for the Cubs in 2018 and stayed in that position in 2018 and 2019 before moving to third base coach in 2020.

He joined the Boston Red Sox as a bench coach ahead of the 2021 season and became the associate manager for the Texas Rangers in 2023, helping them win the World Series later that year.

The 42-year-old now has his first gig as a manager and the tall task of leading Chicago in a rebuild after last season's disaster.

While the on-field results at the MLB level were humiliating for everyone with the White Sox organization in 2024, there are signs of hope for the future. They have an improving farm system with five top-100 prospects, led by left-handed pitcher Noah Schultz at No. 10 overall.

Venable will look to make the most of Chicago's talent as he begins his first year at the helm.

MLB Rumors: Dodgers' McCullough, Padres' Ellis Out of White Sox Manager Search

Oct 27, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 31, 2024: Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough on the field during the game against the St Louis Cardinals on March 31, 2024 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 31, 2024: Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough on the field during the game against the St Louis Cardinals on March 31, 2024 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Chicago White Sox appear to be narrowing down the team's search for a new manager.

According to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough and San Diego Padres special assistant A.J. Ellis are both "out of the running" to become Chicago's skipper for the 2025 season.

The White Sox fired former manager Pedro Grifol in the middle of their 2024 campaign, replacing him with Grady Sizemore as the team wrapped up a 41-121 season.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post revealed that Ellis dropped out of the hiring process due to family reasons, saying that he was "grateful" for the interest from Chicago.

The White Sox are continuing to make progress in their search for a new manager, as Texas Rangers offensive coordinator and bench coach Donnie Ecker was no longer involved in the hunt despite some initial interest (via The Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant).

Chicago's top candidates for the role have started to become evident.

Heyman previously reported that Rangers bench coach Will Venable, former Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin and Detroit Tigers bench coach George Lombard are considered "leading candidates" to fill the vacancy. Sizemore is also still in the running as an internal option.

The final decision by White Sox general manager Chris Getz may be soon. Getz is "aiming" to make his first managerial hire before MLB general managers are scheduled to meet in San Antonio on Nov. 4, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Chicago will be looking to put a disastrous season in the rearview mirror, setting a new record for losses in a single year. The White Sox also made some unfortunate history by losing 21 consecutive games, tying an American League record.

Getz is already reportedly whittling down his options, and a final choice could be coming shortly.

Travis Kelce Responds to Fans Trolling Him for Celebrating Guardians Win vs. Yankees

Oct 18, 2024

Travis Kelce is pushing back against people questioning his Cleveland fandom when he celebrated the Guardians' dramatic 7-5 win over the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the ALCS on Thursday night.

The Kansas City Chiefs star posted a message defending himself amid some pushback from Guardians fans after he celebrated David Fry's walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Yankees.

The controversy—I guess we can call it that—stems from Kelce, along with his girlfriend Taylor Swift, attending Game 1 at Yankee Stadium on Monday wearing normal clothing and nothing that would indicate he has any association with Cleveland.

There were even accusations that Kelce, who was born in Westlake, Ohio, and grew up in Cleveland Heights, was smiling in his suite after Juan Soto homered in the third inning off Guardians starter Alex Cobb.

Those were not the emotions true Guardians fans were feeling in the moment, but we do have historical evidence to show that Kelce doesn't shy away from his Cleveland heritage.

Notably, The New Heights podcast feed on X did post that Kelce was there supporting the Guardians.

Kelce also donned a Guardians jersey when throwing out the first pitch to his mom, Donna, at the 2023 home opener at Progressive Field.

Despite not showing his hometown pride during a night in the Bronx with arguably the most famous person in the world, Kelce has more than earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to supporting his hometown sports teams.

Hopefully, Kelce's explanation and the video evidence we have obtained puts this entire situation in the rear-view mirror. But if he decides to attend another game in the series, wearing something with a Guardians logo and/or colors could save him a lot of trouble.

MLB Rumors: Jerry Reinsdorf Open to Selling White Sox After Historic Losing Season

Oct 16, 2024
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 11: Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf attended a ceremony honoring former player Harold Baines for his recent induction in the National Baseball Hall of Fame prior to a game between the Chicago White Sox and the Oakland Athletics at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 11, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 11: Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf attended a ceremony honoring former player Harold Baines for his recent induction in the National Baseball Hall of Fame prior to a game between the Chicago White Sox and the Oakland Athletics at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 11, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)

Jerry Reinsdorf's tenure as the owner of the Chicago White Sox may be coming to an end in the future.

Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic reported Wednesday that the 88-year-old is "open to selling" the American League Central team following an abysmal 41-121 season. He is also "in active discussions" regarding a potential sale.

Ghiroli noted those discussions have been with a group led by former Major League Baseball player Dave Stewart.

Reinsdorf would stand to make quite the profit with a sale, as he led the group that bought the team for approximately $20 million in 1981. Forbes ranked the White Sox as the 15th-most valuable MLB franchise in March with an estimated value of $2.05 billion.

"The news represents a significant change of stance for Reinsdorf," Ghiroli wrote. "The oldest majority owner in baseball, Reinsdorf has shown no previous public interest in selling the team—at least, not as long as he was around as majority owner. Reinsdorf has said several times that he has advised his heirs upon his death to sell the White Sox and keep the Chicago Bulls, where his son, Michael, is COO and team president."

Yet this potential change in stance comes after Chicago made the type of history teams do not want to make this past season.

It broke the modern MLB record for the most losses in a season, which previously belonged to the 1962 New York Mets. That New York team went 40-120-1, but the 2024 White Sox ended up losing one more game.

Reinsdorf released a lengthy statement after his team broke the record and called it "an embarrassing season" while telling the fans they "deserved better." He also said the team "will do everything we can to fix this for 2025 and the future" after a "completely unacceptable" result.

The season marked a third straight where the White Sox failed to reach the playoffs, and the immediate future isn't exactly incredibly bright.

After all, general manager Chris Getz said last month, "We're not gonna be working heavy in free agency. We've got guys on the field right now who need to improve their game. A lot of these guys are young players and need to make the adjustments to be more productive."

B/R's MLB team also ranked Chicago's farm system as a solid but unspectacular 13th in the league just last month, so there may not be a group of future players who will save the franchise in the short term.

Perhaps Stewart could help turn things around following a baseball career that included three World Series titles, a World Series MVP and two American League Championship Series MVPs as an excellent pitcher who became one of the faces of the Oakland Athletics.

Ghiroli noted he previously led a group that attempted to purchase Oakland's stake in the Oakland Coliseum and has been interested in starting an expansion MLB team in Nashville.

With that as the backdrop, Ghiroli wrote "it's unknown what Stewart's potential involvement would mean for the White Sox staying in Chicago long-term."

Guardians Clinch ALDS with G5 Win vs. Tigers as Lane Thomas' Grand Slam Thrills Fans

Oct 12, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 12: Lane Thomas #8 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates a grand slam during the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers during Game Five of the Division Series at Progressive Field on October 12, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 12: Lane Thomas #8 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates a grand slam during the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers during Game Five of the Division Series at Progressive Field on October 12, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

The Cleveland Guardians advanced to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2016 with a 7-3 victory in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the AL Division Series against the Detroit Tigers.

Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas etched his name into franchise lore after accounting for five of the team's runs thanks to a grand slam and an RBI single. For Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, the presumptive Cy Young award winner in the AL, this was a disappointing finish to a career year, however.

Skubal threw 13 scoreless innings to open the postseason. Through four innings on Saturday, Guardians hitters still didn't have an answer for the southpaw.

Everything changed in the fifth.

Three singles loaded up the bases for Cleveland with one out and then Skubal plunked third baseman José Ramírez with a sinker to give the Guardians their first run. His next sinker was far more damaging as Thomas deposited it into the bleachers.

Thomas slugged only .390 after his midseason trade to the Guardians but has been a difference-maker in October. Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell was among those rejoicing after his heroics Saturday.

Detroit wasn't totally out of it from there.

Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson doubled and scored with two outs to make it a 5-2 game in the sixth. Detroit loaded the bases before a strikeout by designated hitter Kerry Carpenter ended the threat.

Second baseman Colt Keith also hit an RBI double in the seventh to trim the deficit further. Guardians reliever Eli Morgan got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

Closer Emmanuel Clase came on midway through the eighth for a six-out save opportunity. He logged more than one inning just once during the regular season, so bringing him out that early was a bit of a risk by manager Stephen Vogt.

The three-time All-Star didn't allow a baserunner as he set down six straight Tigers hitters to seal the win.

The Guardians open the ALCS on Monday at Yankee Stadium, with first pitch scheduled at 7:38 p.m. ET. The New York Yankees claimed four of six wins during their season series and have a 15-12 edge all time in the playoffs.

Given what Cleveland has achieved this year, nobody will be writing off the underdog.

Guardians Win ALDS Game 4 vs. Tigers as David Fry's Clutch RBI Excites MLB Fans

Oct 11, 2024
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 10: David Fry #6 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates a two run home run during the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers during Game Four of the Division Series at Comerica Park on October 10, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 10: David Fry #6 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates a two run home run during the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers during Game Four of the Division Series at Comerica Park on October 10, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

The Cleveland Guardians took down the Detroit Tigers by the final score of 5-3 on Thursday night, forcing Game 5 in the American League Division Series.

The Guardians faced a 2-1 series deficit on the road in Comerica Park, but they were able to keep their season alive with major contributions from David Fry.

With Detroit leading 3-2, Fry was called in to pinch-hit in the seventh inning with a runner on second. He hit a two-run shot to left field, giving Cleveland its third lead of the day.

Fry wasn't done just yet, as he gave the Guardians an insurance run with a squeeze bunt in the top of the ninth inning.

Cleveland jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first due to an RBI single from Lane Thomas, but Detroit responded with a sacrifice fly from Trey Sweeney. Both teams traded the lead once again before Fry came through for the Guardians.

Tanner Bibee started the game for Cleveland, allowing four hits and two earned runs in four innings of work.

The Tigers gave the Guardians some trouble in the ninth, scoring a run off Emmanuel Clase. However, Clase was able to keep Detroit off the board for a second time and secure the five-out save.

Fans were amazed by Fry's heroics.

The series now heads back to Progressive Field for a winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday.

Twins Owners to Explore Sale of MLB Franchise; Reportedly Valued at $1.7B

Oct 10, 2024
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: The Minnesota Twins logo on a ball bag during warms up during batting practice prior to a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at the Nationals Park on May 20, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: The Minnesota Twins logo on a ball bag during warms up during batting practice prior to a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at the Nationals Park on May 20, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

After missing the playoffs for the third time in the last four years, the Minnesota Twins could be on the verge of a major change.

The Pohlad family, which owns the Twins, announced Thursday in a statement it intends to explore the sale of the franchise:

According to Scott Soshnick and Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, the Pohlad family has retained investment bank Allen & Company to explore the possibility of selling the franchise. Sportico values the Twins to be worth $1.7 billion.

The Pohlad family has owned the Twins for the last forty years, making it the fourth-longest-tenured ownership in MLB behind the New York Yankees (1973), Chicago White Sox (1981) and Philadelphia Phillies (1981).

Soshnick and Badenhausen noted that team sales in MLB have become a rarity, with only five since the Los Angeles Dodgers were sold for $2.15 billion in 2012. Most recently, the Baltimore Orioles were sold to a consortium led by David Rubenstein for $1.725 billion in 2023. In 2020, Steve Cohen set an MLB record by paying $2.42 billion to purchase the New York Mets.

The Pohlad family saw early success upon purchasing the Twins, winning the World Series twice in the first eight years of ownership. However, after winning the 1991 title, Minnesota didn't make the playoffs again until 2002 and made just 10 postseason appearances over the next 22 years.

The Twins appeared to be headed for a second straight trip to the playoffs after 2023's run to the ALDS, but they went 12-26 down the stretch on their way to finishing with an 82-80 record, falling short of a wild-card spot. General manager Thad Levine announced last week that he was departing the organization, but the club will retain Rocco Baldelli as manager for a seventh season.

If the Pohlad family finds the right price for the franchise, it appears that the Twins will be embarking on a new era soon.

Kerry Carpenter's Clutch HR Off Clase Stuns MLB Fans as Tigers Win G2 vs. Guardians

Oct 7, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 07: Kerry Carpenter #30 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates after hitting a home run in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians during Game Two of the Division Series at Progressive Field on October 07, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 07: Kerry Carpenter #30 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates after hitting a home run in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians during Game Two of the Division Series at Progressive Field on October 07, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The Detroit Tigers evened the American League Division Series with a 3-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.

It was a pitcher's duel for most of the game with neither team getting on the board through eight innings, but that changed in the top of the ninth.

With two outs, Detroit catcher Jake Rodgers hit a single to left field to get on base and Trey Sweeney sent him to third with a single of his own. Kerry Carpenter delivered as the hero, hitting a three-run homer off of Emmanuel Clase to right field to give the Tigers a three-run cushion.

In the bottom of the ninth, Tigers' reliever Beau Brieske set the Guardians down in order to seal the victory.

After the win, fans praised Carpenter for stepping up against one of the best closers in the majors and delivering the homer.

Before Monday's matchup, Clase had allowed just five runs and two homers in 74.2 innings this season. He had also never given up a three-run homer in his entire career. That didn't matter for Carpenter as he gave Detroit its first postseason win since 2013.

After getting the win in Game 2, the Tigers will head back to the Motor City and Comerica Park, where they will look to get one step closer to keeping their magical season alive.

Josh Hader's $19M Astros Contract for 2024 Topped Tigers' 26-Man WC Roster Payroll

Oct 2, 2024
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 02: Josh Hader #71 of the Houston Astros delivers a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the eighth inning during Game Two of the Wild Card Series at Minute Maid Park on October 02, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 02: Josh Hader #71 of the Houston Astros delivers a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the eighth inning during Game Two of the Wild Card Series at Minute Maid Park on October 02, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Wednesday's American League wild-card matchup between the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros was a prime example that money doesn't always equal wins.

The Tigers' entire 26-man wild-card roster has a combined salary of $18.8 million, which is less than the sole salary of Astros reliever Josh Hader, who makes $19 million a year.

Kenta Maeda's $14 million takes up the bulk of the Tigers' payroll and just three other players make more than $1 million annually, per Spotrac.

Despite the payroll disparity, Detroit downed Houston 5-2 on Wednesday to advance to the American League Division Series. Hader pitched 1.1 innings, allowing three hits, an earned run and a walk.

The Tigers had a miraculous finish to the regular season, winning 15 of their last 21 games to ensure a spot in the postseason. The playoff berth marked their first since 2014 when they won the AL Central and reached the divisional series.

After winning its wild-card series against the Astros, Detroit will now take on the No. 2-seeded Cleveland Guardians in the divisional series.

While Cleveland has been one of the best teams in the American League this season, there's no denying the momentum the Tigers have, and they'll look to continue their magical run on Saturday.

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