The latest Brantley free-agent rumors
Although he's battled his share of injury problems, Michael Brantley has proven to be a well-rounded player throughout his career, and he enters free agency after hitting .309 with 17 homers, 76 RBIs, 12 steals and only 60 strikeouts over 143 games this past season. Below you will find a
Although he's battled his share of injury problems,
Below you will find a list of the latest news and rumors surrounding the outfielder.
Rosenthal: Astros 'closing in on' deal with Brantley
Dec. 17: The Astros may be on the verge of adding an impact bat to their lineup, as they're "closing in on" outfielder
#Astros closing in on free-agent outfielder Michael Brantley, sources tell The Athletic. Rival executives expect deal to be in two-year, $32M range.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 17, 2018
Rosenthal reports that the deal is expected to be for two years and around $32 million.
While he's not in the same tier as fellow free agents
Also a factor: The Astros are an incredibly right-handed lineup. Before the Brantley deal:
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 18, 2018
RHH: Bregman, Altuve, Springer, Correa, Chirinos, Gurriel, White, Marisnick, Stassi, Diaz
LHH: Reddick, Kemp
Not that lineup balance is imperative, but Astros susceptible to specialists.
Michael Brantley swung at 1008 pitches last season and only missed 111 times. His 11% whiff rate was 3rd lowest in @mlb. Alex Bregman was 7th lowest.
— Daren Willman (@darenw) December 18, 2018
https://t.co/469CiJXhZ0
Astros eyeing Brantley, Cruz
Dec. 15: The rotation arguably remains the Astros' biggest area of need, but the club is reportedly looking into offensive upgrades as well. According to MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal in an article for The Athletic (subscription required), Houston is talking to free agents
Houston is open to trading
As Rosenthal points out, Brantley's willingness to play first base is a bonus, as the Astros would be able to move
Why Brantley to Braves still makes a lot of sense
Dec. 14: The Braves made the first big free-agent splash of the offseason by signing
MLB.com's Richard Justice lists Atlanta as one of his seven teams most likely to make the next big move. In a lot of divisions in baseball, landing Donaldson and catcher
It's possible the Braves could make a play for
As the top name left on the open market among starters, it's expected Keuchel will score a four- or five-year deal worth upward of $15 million to $20 million per season, which likely would be out of the Braves' price range. Britton will come cheaper than that, but perhaps Atlanta would prefer to spend a similar amount on an everyday outfielder, especially after the division-rival Phillies just added one of their own in
After all, someone has to replace free agent
Could Phillies still consider Brantley after signing McCutchen?
Dec. 12: The Phillies signed a former National League MVP Award-winning outfielder Tuesday, and while it wasn't
Although MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal and Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported that the Phillies' addition of
Both @MattGelb and I are hearing same from multiple sources. Told addition of McCutchen would NOT preclude #Phillies from signing another outfielder, whether it’s Harper or someone else. https://t.co/ToylyfCwL7
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2018
That said, the Phillies could double back on Brantley if they sign
#Phillies chose McCutchen over Brantley but if Philly signs Machado over Harper (which appears preference), it’s posssible double back to Brantley for needed LH bat. But Brantley has alternatives could move on b4 that.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 12, 2018
Brantley at first base? His agents say it could happen
Dec. 6: Brantley's versatility could help him land a job this winter. While he's primarily being looked at as an outfielder, his reps are touting his willingness and ability to play first base, MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal reported Thursday.
Brantley has played exclusively in center and left field in his 10 years in the big leagues, but he logged 53 games at first in the Minors from 2007-08. It remains to be seen how he'd perform at the Major League level, but that added versatility could set him apart from the other free-agent outfielders on the market.
Rosenthal said there aren't any teams evaluating Brantley as a full-time first baseman, but they're aware he could see time there if needed.
Atlanta has long been rumored as a possible destination for Brantley, and on Thursday, The Athletic's David O'Brien reported that the Braves remain a possibility. The Braves are looking to trade for or sign an outfielder to a short-term deal if the price for Brantley, or other free-agent outfielders like
Why Brantley could be a match for Giants
Dec. 3: Giants fans undoubtedly are waiting to find out what direction the club will take under new president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi. While one of the big questions facing the franchise involves the possible trade of ace lefty
"His .364 OBP is 57 points higher than the Giants got from their outfielders in 2018," Justice writes. "While the Giants may kick the tires on
One other benefit? Brantley will be cheaper than either Harper or Pollock. Sure, the Giants likely could afford to splurge on Harper (think: $300 million to $400 million) or Pollock (who reportedly is asking for $80 million over five years), but the underrated Brantley seems to be more of the type of player that fits Zaidi's track record when he was in the front offices of the A's and Dodgers.