Marlins ship Gordon to M’s
The Miami Marlins’ latest payroll purge began not with Giancarlo Stanton, but with Dee Gordon.
The two-time All-Star second baseman was traded yesterday to the Seattle Mariners for three prospects in the first big deal involving new Marlins CEO Derek Jeter.
He wants to cut payroll by more than 20 percent to $90 million or less, which is why NL MVP Stanton is also on the trading block.
Miami acquired righthander Nick Neidert, the Mariners’ No. 2 prospect, along with infielder Chris Torres and right-hander Robert Dugger. The Marlins haven’t been to the playoffs since 2003, and they’re anxious to bolster a farm system that ranks among baseball’s worst.
“We need to add depth,” president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. “We need to do things to give us an opportunity to build an organization that we feel can win consistently. In this deal we took an All-Star caliber player in Dee Gordon, and were able to add three very talented pieces to our minor league system.”
The Mariners get $1 million in international signing bonus pool allotment, boosting the amount they can offer Japanese star pitcher and outfielder Shohei Ohtani to a major league-high $3,557,500, just ahead of the Texas Rangers ($3,535,000). They assume Gordon’s contract, which guarantees him $38 million through 2020.
The popular Gordon batted .308 in 158 games in 2016, and had 60 stolen bases to lead the major leagues for the third time in the past four years. He won the NL batting title in 2015 when he hit .333, and also won a Gold Glove that year.
He made the All-Star team in 2014 and 2015, then served an 80-game suspension the following year after a positive test for exogenous testosterone and Clostebol, substances he said he took unknowingly.
Cubs ink Chatwood
Right-hander Tyler Chatwood and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a $38 million, three-year contract.
He gets $12.5 million in each of the next two seasons and $13 million in 2020. His 2020 salary would rise to $15 million if he is an All-Star in the previous two seasons and $17 million if he gets Cy Young consideration in the prior two years.
Chatwood is joining a team with three straight NL Championship Series appearances and a World Series title in 2016. He figures to slot into the rotation behind Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana.
Chatwood, who turns 28 next week, was 8-15 with a 4.69 ERA in 33 appearances, including 25 starts, for Colorado last year. He is 40-46 with a 4.31 ERA over six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels (2011) and Rockies (2012-14, 201617). He was limited to four starts in 2014 and missed the 2015 season because of Tommy John surgery. …
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman will wear No. 34 next season as a tribute to Roy Halladay, who was killed in a plane crash last month.
Petit deal complete
Yusmeiro Petit finalized his $10 million, two-year contract with the Oakland Athletics after passing a physical.
The versatile righthander had been at home in Venezuela then Argentina before traveling to Northern California to complete the deal. Petit is scheduled to earn $3.5 million next year and $5.5 million in 2019, and the contract includes a $5.5 million club option for 2020 with a $1 million buyout.
He will return to pitch in the Bay Area after spending the 2012-15 seasons across the bay with the San Francisco Giants, helping them win World Series in ’12 and ’14.