MLB Player News

The Marlins are considering Justin Masterson and Jason Hammel, according to the Miami Herald. 

Hammel posted a 3.47 ERA over 176 1/3 innings split between the Cubs and A's. Masterson put up a 5.88 ERA over 128 2/3 innings with Cleveland and St. Louis. 

The Marlins would have interest in pitcher Wade Miley if the Diamondbacks make him available, according to the Miami Herald. 

Miley posted a 4.34 ERA over 201 1/3 innings last season. Miley is set to begin his first season of arbitration, but payroll is less of an issue for the Marlins next season. The team expects to have a payroll of over $60 million next year. 

Carlos Martinez appears to be a favorite for the final spot in the rotation following the trade of Shelby Miller, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak indicated during an interview with MLB Network Radio on Tuesday.

"He'll be given a clean path to fifth spot, if he comes to spring training prepared," Mozeliak said.

Martinez spent most of the 2014 season in the Cardinals' bullpen, but he did make seven starts, going 2-1 with a 4.45 ERA. Overall, he was 2-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 57 appearances.

With the trade of starting pitcher Shelby Miller to the Braves on Monday, the deal should clear a spot in the Cardinals' rotation for pitcher Carlos Martinez, according to the USA Today.

Martinez spent most of the 2014 season in the Cardinals' bullpen, but he did make seven starts, going 2-1 with a 4.45 ERA. Overall, he was 2-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 57 appearances. 

Martinez was an elite starting-pitcher prospect in the minors. He was considered a top-40 prospect by Baseball America from 2012-14.

Starting pitcher Justin Masterson is drawing a lot of interest in free agency, despite coming off a down season, according to ESPN. Teams are considering Masterson as a potential bounce-back candidate and looking to sign him to a one- or two-year deal.

Masterson struggled in 2014 as he was dealing with rib, knee and shoulder injuries. He expects to be at full health in spring training.

The Twins, Red Sox, Braves, Royals, Cubs and Giants are among teams believed to have shown interest in Masterson, who went 7-9 with a 5.88 ERA in 28 appearances (25 starts) between the Indians and Cardinals in 2014. He was an All-Star and had a career-high 14 wins in 2013.

Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels has had his name mentioned many times in trade rumors. Teammates Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins have also dealt with the same experience.

However, while it has been well-documented Utley and Rollins want to stay in Philadelphia, Hamels' preference hasn't been divulged ... until now. It appears Hamels isn't opposed to being traded, according to USA Today.

"He was neutral when I talked to him,'' Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro said. "Happy to go. I think he wants to win, but he signed his contract, and he plans on honoring the contract, obviously.

"There's no pressure to move him and no necessity to do it, and frankly I'm not dying to move him. If there is an opportunity that is going to make our organization better off, then you have to consider it because we're considering everything.''

A big hurdle to trading Hamels is the current free-agent starting-pitching class, which includes the likes of Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and James Shields, and teams more willing to dole out cash instead of trading top prospects to acquire Hamels. The veteran left-hander also has a no-trade clause, which includes 20 teams on the list.

"You've seen in the last several years that those prospects are highly coveted,'' Amaro said. "It seems like teams are more apt to just spend money, because it's just money. It's not entities that they're giving up as far as players are concerned, or talent. That's kind of the trend we're in.

"It's no secret that the free-agent market will kind of dictate where this thing goes, I think. But at some point the dominoes will start to fall and then we'll see where it takes us."

The Pirates acquired reliever Rob Scahill from the Rockies in exchange for minor-league pitcher Shane Carle.

Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said Tuesday he suspects he will have to trade one of the four starting pitchers due to hit the free-agent market next offseason, according to the Boston Herald. 

Johnny Cueto, Alfredo Simon, Mat Latos and Mike Leake are all set to become free agents after the 2015 season. Jocketty said he would like to keep Cueto.

The Blue Jays have called the Phillies to inquire about starting pitcher Cole Hamels, second baseman Chase Utley and left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo, according to the Toronto Sun.

Utley has a full no-trade clause in his contract, while Hamels has a limited no-trade clause and has only 20 teams on that list, which includes the Blue Jays. Bastardo is arbitration eligible and won't be a free agent until next offseason.

Rival executives say the Reds are "listening" to what teams may offer for certain members of their starting rotation, reports CBS Sports Baseball Insider Jon Heyman. Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Mike Leake and Alfredo Simon all are eligible for free agency after the 2015 season, though it's unlikely the team would trade its ace, Cueto, the report said.

Heyman noted that "Latos recent history of injuries might limit his value, Leake has a decent pay day coming as a fifth-year arbitration eligible player and Simon wasn't as good in the second half after a big beginning last year. So none of those pitchers would bring anything close to the kind of haul Cueto could potentially bring."