CARLSBAD, Calif. — Jarred Kelenic’s overall statistics — .181 average, .615 OPS and 106 strikeouts in 377 plate appearances — present a poor rookie season. Yet, Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto said the former Mets first-round pick is still going to be “an exceptional player in the big leagues.”
After a historically dreadful start, Kelenic’s statistics improved from June to July to August to a September in which he had an .854 OPS and seven homers as a key performer in the Mariners’ ultimately futile drive for the postseason.
Dipoto noted the steady improvement and that Kelenic is still young (22) and only had alternate-site work during the 2020 COVID season. Overall, Dipoto called it “an encouraging year. … I think he will be an above-average All-Star-type player. There is little doubt he can do that from a talent and emotional standpoint.”
Kelenic was the key piece the Mets sent to the Mariners after the 2018 season, when they acquired Edwin Diaz and absorbed most of Robinson Cano’s contract. The lefty swinger had been the sixth-overall pick in the 2018 draft.
Steven Matz was scheduled to attend the GM meetings on Wednesday to meet with clubs interested in the free-agent lefty.
Matz went 14-7 with a 3.82 ERA in 29 starts this year for the Blue Jays after being traded by the Mets. Toronto remains interested in a reunion. The Tigers are very interested. The Angels and Red Sox are among other clubs considering Matz.
Matz likely will fall into the three- (possibly) four-year contract range for between $10 million and $13 million annually.
There are a lot of teams with a lot of money to spend in the market. Two that are being cited for being aggressive early are from the AL West — Seattle and Texas.
Another AL West club, the Angels are focused on starting pitching. And though they already have huge contracts with Anthony Rendon, Mike Trout and Justin Upton, and Shohei Ohtani nearing the point at which he will make huge money, the Angels are said to not be ignoring the top of the starting market, which includes Max Scherzer.
However, the Angels feel a need to bulk up a skimpy farm system. So they are unlikely to play for a free agent with a qualifying offer and lose draft picks in compensation. So that is Kevin Gausman, Robbie Ray, Eduardo Rodriguez, Noah Syndergaard and Justin Verlander.
Rays GM Erik Neander said that “100 percent” the Rays are going to tender a contract to Tyler Glasnow, though, he is unlikely to pitch in 2022. Glasnow underwent Tommy John surgery in early August, so at best he would return in September for a cameo.
Glasnow will cost about $5 million not to pitch in 2022 and then be due for about the same in 2023, which would be the righty’s walk year. The Rays see the potential $10 million investment as worthy because he would be worth that amount to just pitch in 2023, they could always try to extend him or they can try to trade him.
The Cubs, despite knowing that Glasnow would likely miss the 2022 season, tried to acquire the righty at last July’s trade deadline with the idea of having him for 2023. There will be other clubs willing to talk to the Rays about something similar.