MLB Rumors: Brewers, Yankees, Padres, Michael Lorenzen, Enrique Hernandez, Tommy Pham

It’s March 1, and the remaining free agents include Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Matt Chapman and J.D. Martinez.

No one in baseball could have forecasted this. 

Their free agencies remain a mystery throughout baseball, with no one having an idea of what teams are all involved or when they may eventually come off the board. But there continue to be rumors involving other players around the league. Here’s the latest:

Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Wade Miley is an organizational favorite, especially with new manager Pat Murphy. He has compared his impact inside the clubhouse to that of Curtis Granderson — one of the most respected players in recent baseball history.

But Murphy recently said that Miley is 50-50 to be ready for Opening Day. It’s unclear what is specifically ailing Miley, so the update is rather ominous and leaves an innings-eater’s status in question. And for a rotation that is without Corbin Burnes, that’s something to monitor.

Murphy said that the Brewers will have more updates on Miley in about 10 days. If he’s out for an extended time, perhaps the front office could explore the free-agent market. It’s unimaginable to expect Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery to emerge as options, but mid-tier options such as Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger continue to linger on the market.

New York Yankees

On Foul Territory, super utilityman Enrique Hernandez revealed that he was deciding between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.

Hernandez, of course, ultimately signed with the Dodgers on a one-year, $4 million contract. So where does that leave the Yankees?

Hernandez perhaps was an outlier and a unique situation for the Yankees, given that he can play all over the infield and outfield. The remaining free-agent options do not present that same versatility. There are outfielders such as Tommy Pham, Adam Duvall and Michael A. Taylor. There are infielders such as Elvis Andrus, Jonathan Schoop, Jean Segura and Donovan Solano.

The interest in Hernandez suggests that the Yankees want to add another veteran to the mix. There are plenty of good players available, though none would provide the versatility off the bench that Hernandez presents.

San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres continue to look for outfield help, as general manager A.J. Preller told FanSided last week.

Considering that the Padres only have three outfielders on the major-league roster, it makes sense. Fernando Tatis Jr. has secured one spot while Jose Azocar and Jurickson Profar are penciled into the others. It appears increasingly likely that top prospect Jackson Merrill will make the club’s Opening Day roster, or at least debut early in the regular season.

It would be a meteoric rise for Merrill, who hasn’t played in Triple-A. But the Padres believe that Merrill has all the makings of a future star.

But that shouldn’t prevent the Padres from adding a veteran outfielder in free agency, with available options including Michael A. Taylor, Adam Duvall and Tommy Pham.