Reds, White Sox couldn't find common ground on Luis Robert Jr. trade, plus more MLB notes

The Cincinnati Reds were the busiest team in baseball the past two days, reaching an agreement with free-agent outfielder Austin Hays , signing veteran left-hander Wade Miley to a minor-league deal and trading for lefty reliever Taylor Rogers .

Until Sunday, Cincinnati was working on something even bigger: A trade for Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

Advertisement The teams could not find a middle ground on players or dollars, prompting the Reds to turn to Hays on a one-year, $5 million contract, pending a physical, according to sources briefed on the discussions.

Robert, 27, will earn $15 million in 2025.

His contract also includes $20 million club options for both 26 and 27, each with a $2 million buyout.

So he is guaranteed at least $17 million, a steep price if he endures another subpar, injury-marred season.

Robert has appeared in more than 100 games only once in 2023, when he hit 38 homers with an .857 OPS.

The teams did not resolve how much of Roberts salary the White Sox would have paid, sources said.

Reds infield prospect Edwin Arroyo , who missed all of last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, was one player under discussion.

But ultimately, the Reds could not get comfortable with the total cost.

The San Francisco Giants also expressed interest in Robert earlier this offseason, but those talks, too, failed to produce a trade.

The White Sox now appear likely to carry Robert into spring training.

They did the same last spring with potential free-agent right-hander Dylan Cease and ultimately traded him to the San Diego Padres on March 13.

Why Pujols is gonna be a great players manager From Ted Williams to Frank Robinson, Ryne Sandberg to Paul Molitor, the evidence is clear: Great players do not always make great managers.

In some cases, but not all, Hall of Famers find it difficult to accept the shortcomings of players less talented than themselves.

Albert Pujols, if he becomes a major-league manager, seemingly will not have that problem.

He understands how hard the game is, said catcher Martin Maldonado , who appeared in 10 games for Pujols Leones del Escogido in the Dominican winter league.

He knows that everyone is not like him.

Advertisement Pujols, 45, was back in the news this week, leading Escogido to its first Dominican league title since 2015-16 in his first managing job.

A longtime National League special assignment scout, granted anonymity for his candor, called it, huge for his case to manage at the major-league level.

Pujols said last March , If the opportunity is right one day, I think Ill be ready for it.

His players believe he will be ready, too.

Hes gonna be a great players manager.

He understands the grind players go through, said outfielder Tommy Pham, who appeared in nine games for Escogido.

When I joined the team, we were in a bad stretch of losses.

We couldnt catch a break.

He kept telling us the process is right, you guys are playing the game the right way, just let us get in the (playoff) round robin because we have the best team.

Sure enough he was right.

Escogido finished 24-25, losing eight straight games at one point, but claimed the last of four playoff spots.

It then won a seven-game series against the Tigres del Licey in the final round to advance to the Caribbean Series, which begins Friday in Mexicali, Mexico.

Escogido general manager Luis Rojas, the former New York Mets manager and current Yankees third base coach, said Pujols remained positive even in difficult stretches, made full use of his roster and excelled at handling players at different stages of their careers.

Pujols roster includes finale hero and Tampa Bay Rays infielder Junior Caminero , a top young player; infielder Jean Segura, who had career earnings of more than $100 million; and catcher Francisco Mejia, a seven-year veteran who is looking to get back to the majors.

Hes dealing with all those profiles you deal with in winter ball.

Which for me makes it a lot tougher than being a big-league manager, just because all of the variables you have, Rojas said.

He has done a really good job handling himself through that.

Advertisement Rojas said Pujols grew on the job, learning along the way.

A rival manager in the Dominican league, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Pujols was unafraid, made excellent use of his bench and showed very good feel for the game.

The NL special assignment scout recommended a major-league team should hire Pujols as a special assistant immediately, just to bring him into its organization.

Pujols, however, has a 1 0-year personal services contract with the Los Angeles Angels that began in 2023.

He is expected to be in spring training with the Angels, who presumably would let him out of the contract if he landed a major-league managing job.

Obviously, hes going to keep learning more if he chooses to do this again next year, or if he has a role with a big-league staff, Rojas said.

But I dont know that hell ever take a (coaching) role before a managers job.

It would be great for him, just for him to see up close what the day-to-day is like, who does what, some of the behind-the-scenes stuff that as a player he didnt see, even though he was probably close to his managers, just because of who he was.

But there are things (the Yankees) do as a staff that Aaron Judge doesnt know.

Still, Rojas said Pujols is on a path to becoming a major-league manager.

You can definitely see him handling it, Rojas said.

Hes very confident.

He has a lot of conviction in what he believes.

Caminero: The Rays next star? Caminero, 21, became eligible for the Dominican winter league draft after the 2023 season, his first full campaign as a professional.

Rojas, serving as Escogidos GM, selected him with the first pick, and Camineros go-ahead shot in Game 7 reinforced his status as one of the games emerging talents.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" Junior Caminero sends this baseball into orbit to give Leones del Escogido the lead in the 9th! pic.twitter.com/4WXMy0PH1L MLB (@MLB) January 28, 2025 Good news for the Rays.

Not-so-good news for Rojas Yankees.

Hes going to be a problem, Rojas said.

Caminero, who grew up a big Escogido fan, hit a ball 120 mph during the winter season Ohtani-Judge-Giancarlo territory, Rojas said.

At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, he shows easy opposite-field power, and Rojas said he improved at third base, becoming, better than I ever thought he would be in a short period of time.

Advertisement Rojas liked something else about Caminero, too.

He wants to lead, Rojas said.

I told (Rays manager) Kevin Cash that.

He wants to be in the middle of it.

Brewers curious offseason continues Last month, free-agent left-hander Wade Miley told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel , Im not going to just sign anywhere.

If I could draw it up, I would sign back in the (NL) Central, preferably wearing blue.

Dark blue.

Instead, Miley will be wearing red.

After spending the past two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers , Miley agreed with the Reds on a minor-league deal that will pay him $2.5 million prorated once he returns to the majors from the hybrid Tommy John surgery he underwent last May.

Which begs the question: Could the Brewers not afford that? General manager Matt Arnold did not respond to a request for comment.

But the Brewers, coming off their third NL Central title in four years, have signed only two free agents to major-league contracts right-hander Elvin Rodriguez , who spent last season in Japan, and left-hander Grant Wolfram , who at 28 has yet to make his big-league debut.

Both deals are believed to be for less than $1 million.

Miley, 38, is planning to return sometime in May, and has a June 1 opt-out clause in his deal.

Assuming he eventually joins the Reds, he will reunite with Derek Johnson, his pitching coach during his first stint with the Brewers in 2018.

The Reds also anticipate he will provide the same type of leadership for young pitchers that he did with Milwaukee.

The Miley move might prove relatively inconsequential.

But it further demonstrates how differently the Reds and Brewers who play in two of the games smallest markets are approaching the offseason.

In addition to Miley, Hays and Rogers, the Reds have added right-handed starter Brady Singer , catcher Jose Trevino and second baseman Gavin Lux .

They also re-signed lefty reliever Brent Suter and retained righty Nick Martinez when he accepted their qualifying offer.

Advertisement The Brewers, on the other hand, signed only Wolfram and Rodriguez, traded two-time Trevor Hoffman Award winner Devin Williams for left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr.

and infielder Chad Durbin and also acquired righty reliever Grant Anderson for minor-league lefty Mason Molina .

Orioles spending, but to what end? The Baltimore Orioles, in their first offseason under new owner David Rubenstein, have spent nearly $100 million on free agents.

But throughout the industry, questions persist about whether general manager Mike Elias can be as effective on the major-league side as he is with the draft and player development.

To replace ace right-hander Corbin Burnes , who left for the Arizona Diamondbacks as a free agent, the Orioles signed righties Charlie Morton , 41, and Tomoyuki Sugano , 35.

Their biggest expenditure was a three-year, $49.5 million deal on Dec.

10 for outfielder Tyler ONeill , who can opt out after one year.

Did Elias jump too quickly? By waiting until January, the Atlanta Braves signed Jurickson Profar to a lower guarantee, $42 million over three years.

And the Toronto Blue Jays signed Anthony Santander , the outfielder ONeill will replace, to a longer-term but lower AAV in present-day dollars, $14.3 million as opposed to $16.5 million.

Two-thirds of Santanders five-year deal is deferred.

He can opt out after three years.

Profar, entering his age 32 season, is the oldest of the three; Santander is 30, and ONeill turns 30 in June.

And, while Profar is coming off a career-best season, he has yet to achieve success outside of San Diego.

Santander, too, is flawed.

His career on-base percentage is .307.

He is a below-average runner.

And his defensive metrics are poor.

But over the past three seasons, he compiled 8.2 fWAR while Profar was at 5.1 and ONeill at 4.4.

ONeill averaged only 94 games in that span due to injuries.

The Orioles, perhaps mindful of ONeills history and seeking to bolster their outfield depth, took a low-risk flier Monday on Dylan Carlson , who agreed to a one-year, $975,000 deal that will increase to $1 million if he makes 200 plate appearances.

Carlson, 26, is another player who has dealt with numerous injuries, making six trips to the injured list the past four seasons.

But he is a switch hitter who, when healthy, excels against left-handed pitching.

He also can play all three outfield positions, improving the Orioles depth, and comes with minor-league options as well as an additional year of club control.

Advertisement One more note on the Orioles, and its of no small consideration to Elias: The team is well-positioned for the 2025 draft.

The Orioles hold the 19th overall pick, and gained the 30th and 31st choices, respectively, for losing Burnes and Santander.

And finally...

The Mets talked with free-agent reliever Kenley Jansens camp, according to sources briefed on the conversations.

But Jansens goal of 500 saves plus his likely price tag muddied the match, people familiar with the matter said.

Jansen, 37, needs 53 saves for 500, and with the Mets would set up for Edwin Diaz rather than pitch the ninth inning.

The Mets ended up agreeing to a one-year deal with Ryne Stanek , per league sources.

Jansen may end up making approximately double Staneks $4.5 million salary.

FanGraphs estimates the Mets luxury tax payroll to be $298 million, just $3 million below the highest luxury tax threshold.

Jansen alone would have put them over as would free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso, if he returns to the club.

At this point, the Mets appear unlikely to add another reliever.

(Top photo of Luis Robert Jr.: Matt Dirksen / Getty Images).

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