برچسب: Baseball

A slew of short-term deals and player opt-outs makes for some deep waters in this winter’s free-agent pool. From the MVP-caliber bats to the starting pitchers likely bound for Cooperstown to the second smorgasbord of stud shortstops in as many years to an intriguing Japanese pitcher and plenty of other impact players around the diamond, there’s a lot to work with on the free-agent front.
Here’s a look at the top 20 players who could be available (pending opt-out decisions that must be made shortly after the conclusion of the World Series). The ages listed are the players’ season ages for 2023 (i.e., the age they will be as of June 30, or roughly midseason).
1. Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees, age 31
Have yourself a walk year, sir. When Judge turned down the Yankees’ seven-year, $213.5 million extension offer at the start of the season, it was an enormous bet on himself, given his age and injury history. But Judge went on to have an enormous, history-making year. What he did at the plate was astounding. But the 6-foot-7, 282-pound Judge was also serviceable in center field and adept on the basepaths, which only adds to his allure. It will be fascinating to see how much the Yankees are willing to go above and beyond their initial offer if a bidding war breaks out with another club, such as Judge’s hometown(ish) San Francisco Giants.
2. Jacob deGrom, RHP, Mets, age 35
Can opt out of $32.5 million guarantee for 2023
Even after missing more than a calendar year because of elbow inflammation and a stress reaction in his shoulder, deGrom has made it clear he will opt out of his remaining deal and test the market. In proving, upon his early August return to the Mets’ rotation, that he remains an elite starting arm on a Hall of Fame trajectory, deGrom could challenge teammate Max Scherzer for the highest average annual value ever for a starter. What will be interesting to see is how far teams will go in terms of length of deal, given the aforementioned injury history.
3. Trea Turner, SS, Dodgers, age 30
The 2021-22 free-agent shortstop class was a doozy, and Turner fronts another very strong one this winter. Turner brings a beautiful blend of power, average, defensive capability at a premium position and game-changing wheels (100th percentile in sprint speed). His value could actually accelerate in the pitch-clock environment, with the addition of pickoff limits.
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Cardinals, age 32
Can opt out of five-year, $144 million guarantee
Arenado said earlier this year that he does not intend to opt out, and he could stick to that. But he’s posted the best season of his stellar career. One of the greatest defensive third basemen in history, Arenado also delivers a power bat that has squashed any questions about how Coors Field once aided his offense. The question is whether he will opt out, renegotiate with the Cards or test the open market.
5. Carlos Correa, SS, Twins, age 28
Can opt out of $35.1 million guarantee for 2023
Correa’s three-year pact with the Twins last winter (including $35.1 million player options for both 2023 and ’24) was a legit shock. Now, he has the option of seeking a longer deal in the open market this offseason or remaining with a Minnesota team for whom he quickly settled in as a valued leader. Correa had a solid year for the Twins, but his iffy injury history (and the wealth of available shortstop talent) clouded his market last year, and his defensive metrics regressed in 2022.
6. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Red Sox, age 30
Can opt out of three-year, $60 million guarantee
Bogaerts’ offensive ability is unquestioned. He has had at least a 128 OPS+ (or 28% better than league average) in each of the last five seasons, and he’s done it in a pressure-packed market. And with an 89th-percentile showing in Outs Above Average, there ought to be no question about his current capability at short, even if he might ultimately move elsewhere in the diamond by the end of a long-term deal.
7. Justin Verlander, RHP, Astros, age 40
Can opt out of $25 million guarantee for 2023
Apparently age ain’t nothing but a number for Verlander, who became the oldest starting pitcher to not only make a viable return from Tommy John but to do so at a Cy Young-caliber level. It was a stunning season even for somebody with a Cooperstown-worthy pedigree, and now we’ll see where it leads in terms of market value.
8. Dansby Swanson, SS, Braves, age 29
At a bare minimum, Swanson gives a team league-average offense and a dependable glove at a premium spot. But he is also capable of elite stretches at the plate, and, while other sabermetric sources did not think as highly of him, Outs Above Average rated him in the 100th percentile defensively this season. It will be interesting to see if his hometown Braves let his market linger, as it did for Freddie Freeman last winter.
9. Edwin Díaz, RHP, Mets, age 29
His Timmy Trumpet-aided entrance is reason enough to get excited about Díaz, but the stats are pretty good, too. After some initial awkwardness in his first season in Queens in 2019, Díaz settled into a strong tenure with the Mets in which he re-established himself as one of the best closers in the game, racking up K’s, limiting walks and long balls and closing out games in a big market.
10. Carlos Rodón, LHP, Giants, age 30
Can opt out of $22.5 million guarantee for 2023
Though he had a breakthrough 2021 season with the White Sox, Rodón’s earning power was limited by concerns about left shoulder soreness and fatigue that had limited him in the second half. But a terrific season with San Francisco could set him up for a bigger deal this time around. He has a wipeout fastball-slider combo.
11. Chris Bassitt, RHP, Mets, age 34
Though he was not the most heralded of the Mets’ starting pitching acquisitions prior to 2022, Bassitt proved to be every bit as reliable as he had been in Oakland, delivering a career high in innings and at times fronting a rotation temporarily robbed of Scherzer and deGrom. He would be an attractive option for teams that don’t want to break the bank for deGrom or Verlander.
12. Brandon Nimmo, CF, Mets, age 30
Speed, good defense, a bit of power and solid strikeout and walk rates will make Nimmo an attractive option for teams that aren’t in the Judge bidding. The only major knock on Nimmo has been health. But new training methods kept him on the field for more games than in any season since 2018. That will help his stock.
13. Koudai Senga, RHP, Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, age 30
Though it is not a guarantee that Senga will sign with an MLB team, he is expected to weigh offers from them this winter. And with a career 2.59 ERA and 1.11 WHIP (along with a fastball that has been clocked at 101.9 mph) in 11 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, he will be targeted by a wide number of teams in need of a starting boost.
14. Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Dodgers, age 35
We don’t know for sure that Kershaw will pitch in 2023. He’s had a Hall of Fame-worthy career, he’s dealt with chronic back issues and — much like the legendary Sandy Koufax, with whom he is often compared — he might not try to squeeze every last inning out of his arm. But even with his innings again limited in 2022, Kershaw showed he is still a master at his craft. And whether it’s re-signing (again) with the Dodgers or following the longtime industry speculation and pitching for the Rangers near his Dallas home, he would obviously draw interest.
15. Tyler Anderson, LHP, Dodgers, age 33
Anderson’s one-year deal with the Dodgers — coming off a 2021 season in which he posted a 4.53 ERA for the Mariners and Pirates — didn’t garner much attention. But as tends to be the case, the Dodgers got the best out of him. Coming off his highest innings total since 2018 and finding consistent success as a strike-thrower with an excellent changeup, Anderson looks to be a nice stabilizing rotation presence.
16. José Abreu, 1B, White Sox, age 36
A model of consistency since coming over from Cuba in 2014, Abreu has had only one full season in which his OPS was below .800 and he played fewer than 145 games (2018, when he won the AL Silver Slugger honor anyway). As was the case three years ago, the White Sox might value his leadership too much to let him get away.
17. Willson Contreras, C, Cubs, age 31
Concerns about Contreras’ defense limited his trade value, ultimately resulting in no deal at a Trade Deadline in which he had seemed an obvious candidate to move. Those same concerns could affect his free-agent market. But Contreras’ abnormal offensive production from the catching spot is difficult to ignore, and, if the Cubs don’t re-sign him, other teams could be interested in using him in a hybrid catching-DH role, as the Cubs did.
18. Josh Bell, 1B, Padres, age 30
Bell is an imposing, switch-hitting presence in a lineup but also an inconsistent one. His 2022 season, in which he slashed .311/.390/.504 in the first half before falling off in the second (amid a trade from Washington to San Diego) makes it difficult to read his market.
19. Nathan Eovaldi, RHP, Red Sox, age 33
Though Eovaldi was particularly homer-prone in 2022 and has had Tommy John twice, his raw stuff (including a fastball that averages 96 mph), the depth of his repertoire and his postseason pedigree make him worth including here.
20. Adam Wainwright, RHP, Cardinals, age 41
Teammates Albert Pujols and Yadi Molina announced their retirement plans, but Wainwright has been non-committal. His curveball has aged like a fine wine, and Waino remains a highly effective rotation weapon capable of durability and dependability. It would seem fair to guess that he’ll either return to the Cards or hang ‘em up.
Honorable mentions
The above list only scratches the surface. Here’s a depth chart of some of the intriguing guys at various positions.*
*This list could expand depending on various option decisions.
Catcher: Omar Narváez, Gary Sánchez, Christian Vázquez
Infielder: Jesus Aguilar, Elvis Andrus, Brandon Belt, Evan Longoria ($13 million club option), Trey Mancini, Jean Segura ($17 million club option), Justin Turner ($16 million club option), Kolten Wong ($10 million club option)
Outfielder: Andrew Benintendi, Michael Brantley, Michael Conforto, Joey Gallo, Mitch Haniger, Joc Pederson, Tommy Pham ($12 million mutual option)
DH: Matt Carpenter, Nelson Cruz ($16 million mutual option), J.D. Martinez
Utility: Brandon Drury, Adam Frazier, Jurickson Profar ($7.5 million player option)
Starting pitcher: Carlos Carrasco ($14 million club option), Mike Clevinger, Johnny Cueto, Zach Davies, Zach Eflin, Kyle Gibson, Zack Greinke, Andrew Heaney, Corey Kluber, Jordan Lyles ($11 million club option), Sean Manaea, Martín Pérez, José Quintana, Ross Stripling, Noah Syndergaard, Jameson Taillon, Michael Wacha, Taijuan Walker ($6 million player option)
Relief pitcher: Zack Britton, Michael Fulmer, Chad Green, Brad Hand, Kenley Jansen, Craig Kimbrel, Seth Lugo, Rafael Montero, Matt Moore, Adam Ottavino, David Robertson, Taylor Rogers, Will Smith ($13 million club option)
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CHICAGO — White Sox general manager Rick Hahn was not about to talk about any specific player potentially holding interest for his team as the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline approaches.
That edict included players on other teams, of course, or even a player on the open market such as outfielder Michael Conforto. So, when Hahn met with the media Friday afternoon and was asked about a player of Juan Soto’s excellence and expected high salary point to extend holding interest, he took a roundabout way of still making his point.
“How should I put this?” Hahn said. “I will say historically, as long I’ve been here working for [White Sox chairman] Jerry [Reinsdorf] and [executive vice president] Kenny [Williams], there hasn’t been a premium player that changed teams that we haven’t at least had a conversation about.
“You were probably, and this is my fault, we may have been a little too forthright or upfront in very recent premium free agent pursuits that led to fans being frustrated when we didn’t wind up converting on them. So I think at this point, I’m going to err on the side of that White Sox stealth mode … and if we make the deal, I’ll happily explain how it all came together.”
That premium free agent list would include third baseman Manny Machado, right-handed starter Zack Wheeler and outfielder Bryce Harper, players the White Sox pursued at some level over the past few years but eventually went elsewhere. Any team acquiring Soto, if the Nationals decide to move him, would have a little more than two years of control before he entered free agency.
All of this Soto talk is primarily hypothetical at this point. But Hahn did speak Friday about potential changes for a team entering the start of the second half trailing the Twins by three games in the American League Central. They were centered on areas of no surprise.
“Every team in baseball, whether they’re in it or not, never feels like they have enough pitching and we’re certainly not immune to that, primarily in the bullpen,” Hahn said. “Obviously, Aaron Bummer has been absent for a while. He’s starting to make some progress and we do project a return at some point, but that’s not guaranteed.
“So I would say bullpen’s probably the most obvious need. I think if you look at our offensive and defensive performance over the course of the year, the performances at second base and right field haven’t quite been what we would hope. That said, if you look at what Josh Harrison has done since June 1, and you look at what Gavin Sheets has done since he returned from the Minors, those both potentially could be solutions there. We’ll have to wait and see.”
The White Sox are a stronger offense against left-handed pitching, so a left-handed bat would help. Hahn wouldn’t even rule out a starting pitching addition, although the White Sox are pretty well set with Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, Johnny Cueto, Lance Lynn and Michael Kopech, even with Kopech’s workload being watched as the season progresses, and Hahn doesn’t see a great deal of volume in that market.
Hahn also won’t wait to make a move, gauging if a team currently in contention falls out in the next few weeks, if the deal makes sense and makes a difference.
“If we find the right deal for a player we think is impactful, we are going to want to pull the trigger on it when it’s available to us and not wait around,” Hahn said. “Take that bird in the hand vs. the two in the bush.
“With that said, it strikes me that more teams being in it, the added playoff spots, that a lot of these decisions might come down to the Deadline so teams know exactly where they sit. … The chatter has ramped up since Monday. I can’t tell you it’s because the Draft is over and we can only focus on one thing at a time as much as we’re within a couple weeks of the Deadline, so it’s only natural teams ramp up.”
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ANAHEIM — Ty France landed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a left elbow sprain, a transaction that removed the most productive hitter in the Mariners’ already thin lineup for the immediate future.
France said he’ll use the next 3-4 days to rest and receive treatment, combat the inflammation then reevaluate. He may play some catch, but he won’t pick up a bat, as doctors and team athletic trainers informed him that swinging would present the most stress in the area.
“Not that they didn’t seem as concerned, but because it’s my non-throwing arm, I don’t think it’s as worrisome,” said France, who initially feared that he tore his UCL after sustaining the injury in a collision at first base on Thursday. “Basically, the biggest test is going to be swinging. If I can let go of the bat and hold on to it with that one hand with full strength, that will be when I’m cleared.”
France and the Mariners couldn’t guesstimate a timetable, and the earliest he can return is July 4 due to the move being retroactive to Friday. The club is already down its best power hitter, Mitch Haniger (Grade 2 high ankle sprain), and another key slugger, Kyle Lewis (concussion), making France’s absence loom even larger. The first baseman has made a strong push to earn his first All-Star bid, having slashed .316/.390/.476 (.866 OPS) with a team-high 2.3 Wins Above Replacement, per FanGraphs.
So, Seattle will press on — and here’s how that first base fill-in situation might look:
The internal options
Kevin Padlo made his second career start at first on Saturday, after Dylan Moore got the nod on Friday. Mariners manager Scott Servais also said that Abraham Toro and Luis Torrens could see action there, too. That foursome has a combined 31 games of experience at the position.
“I’m not quite sure how it’s all going to play out,” Servais said. “We’ll give a number of guys an opportunity — matchup-based, just keep rotating it through. I don’t think just finding one guy you’re going plop in there and say, ‘OK, you’re going to play every day until Ty gets back.’ That’s probably not the direction we’ll go in. We’ll mix it up.”
In a corresponding roster move, infielder Drew Ellis — who was claimed off waivers from Arizona on June 16 — was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma. Servais mentioned that Ellis could see time at first, though his only experience at the position is 28 games in the Minors. Ellis, a former second-round Draft pick, has just 34 games of big league experience.
Evan White will not factor into immediate playing time due to a setback with his hernia and hip injuries that halted his rehab assignment with Tacoma on June 14. The 2020 Gold Glove Award winner hasn’t played in the Majors since May 2021, and Servais mentioned that he’ll need prolonged playing time in the Minors once he’s healthy enough before he’s ready to return.
The external options
If those options sound limited, the trade market is just as barren currently — and the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline is far enough off that any transactions this early, with many teams still in the playoff hunt, will likely cost a premium.
The most notable impact option is switch-hitting Josh Bell, who is slashing .303/.386/.487 (.873 OPS) with 11 homers and 141 wRC+ (league average is 100) for the last-place Nationals. His defensive metrics have improved notably over the past two seasons, too, as he ranks in the 66th percentile this year in Outs Above Average. He’s almost certainly going to get moved in the next few weeks, but he’s also going to be a free agent in the offseason and would cost premium prospect capital.
The Mariners aren’t as deep as when their farm system was ranked No. 2 by MLB Pipeline in March, after graduating Julio Rodríguez and George Kirby, and sending starting pitcher Brandon Williamson to the Reds in the trade that returned Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suárez. They’ve also paused in dealing from that depth, especially for a rental.
Some fans have clamored for another Nationals slugger, former Mariner Nelson Cruz, but his inability to play first base makes that incredibly unlikely. Other first basemen who could become available include Baltimore’s Trey Mancini, Miami’s Jesús Aguilar and Garrett Cooper, Kansas City’s Hunter Dozier, the Mets’ Dominic Smith and more. None are as impactful as France.
The ripple effect
Translation: For now, the Mariners will operate with what they have, which could feature even more matchup-dictated lineups.
On Saturday against Angels lefty Patrick Sandoval, Moore, who has an .850 OPS against lefties, started at second base over Adam Frazier, who has a .580 OPS against southpaws and is slashing .220/.292/.295 overall in what’s been a trying first season in Seattle. Toro switch-hits but is far better from the left side, Padlo’s splits are better against righties, and Ellis, against lefties. Torrens has been far more inconsistent after crushing lefties last year.
Servais had already used 54 lineups in 72 games entering Friday, and with France out, he’ll continue to mix things up.
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Cleveland, OH – The Cleveland Guardians today announced new fan friendly initiatives to leadoff the Summer season in Northeast Ohio.
— Friday, June 24 vs. Boston- All Fans to receive a José Ramírez #VoteGuards All-Star T-shirt.
— Friday, July 1 vs. New York-AL- All Fans to receive a Guardians T-shirt.
Extend into the community: Two Bally Sports Great Lakes Guardians Live Pregame shows will have a presence by traveling into the community for live hits during their show at two local festivals this summer with the team on the road. The Pregame shows will feature Guardians Alumni, Mascots and Strikers.
Guardians Schedule Features Seven Summer Weekends at Progressive Field
The Guardians 2022 summer promotional schedule features three bobbleheads, three jerseys and a number of new Guardians fan accessories. For the complete schedule, visit www.cleguardians.com/promos
The lineup will also feature Sugardale Dollar Dog nights, $2 Pregame in the District nights presented by Miller Lite and Coors Light, fireworks nights – including two Rock ‘N Blast dates – and Sunday Kids Fun Days.
The 2022 schedule features seven summer weekends at Progressive Field, including Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends:
New for the 2022 season, the Cleveland Guardians are offering a Family Value Pack for all Sunday games. The Family Value Pack makes it easier and more affordable than ever to bring the family to Progressive Field. Families can get four tickets and $40 in loaded value to spend on merchandise or concessions – all for just $80 (plus fees). Fans who need more than four tickets can add up to four additional tickets for $20 a ticket with each additional ticket including $10 of loaded value.
All seats are located in the Family Deck and only available for Sunday games.
Fans can learn more about Cleveland Guardians value ticket offers by visiting CLEGuardians.com/fanvalue.
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The arrival of the universal designated hitter for the 2022 season could be good news for these players who are still on the market.
With the new rule in place — a DH in both the American League and National League — there’s a sizable group of free-agent sluggers who could have an easier time finding a new team for the upcoming season, or get a juicier contract.
Here are 12 free agents who could benefit from MLB implementing the universal DH.
A universal DH is Pujols’ best shot to keep playing. He’s 42 years old, and even though the Dodgers found a partial role for him as a righty-hitting first baseman last season, he’s really a pinch-hitter at this stage … or a DH. That would keep him off his feet, and make it more likely a team could find a role for him again. Maybe even a return to the Cardinals for a last hurrah?
Freddie Freeman and Anthony Rizzo
Freeman and Rizzo don’t need the universal DH. They’ll get good contracts anyway. But a DH in the NL might make those contracts even bigger. Freeman and Rizzo are accomplished defensive first basemen — they were top five in MLB by Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric in 2021 — but they’re also both sluggers entering their age-32 season. And if a team is going to sign a slugging corner infielder to a big-money, long-term deal that takes them into their late 30s, having the DH as an option alleviates a chunk of the risk. For Freeman in particular, a universal DH might facilitate a reunion with the Braves if he wants to stay in Atlanta, or pave the way to another NL contender like the Dodgers.
Over the last five seasons, Castellanos has a 122 OPS+, making him one of the better hitters in baseball … and -56 Outs Above Average, making him one of the worst fielders. His bat is so good that teams will want him anyway — the Cubs brought him over from the AL, and the Reds kept him in the NL, and he’s a reigning Silver Slugger in the outfield there. Say a team like Cincinnati gets to have both Castellanos and Jesse Winker’s bats in the lineup without having to stick them both in the outfield — that’s a big win.
Schwarber was made to be a DH. A lefty masher built to mash home runs and not worry about anything else. He can play left field or first base if that’s what’s needed, but he’s a minus as a defender and a big plus as a pure hitter. If the Red Sox didn’t have J.D. Martinez entrenched at DH, that’s where Schwarber would have been after they traded for him. And if the Cubs had been allowed to have a DH for the years he was in Chicago, he probably would have DHed for them, too.
He was a DH before last year anyway. The Braves made it work with Soler in right field when they had to, but just look at how they used him in the World Series: right field when there was no DH in their NL park, at DH when they played on the road in Houston. The ideal for Soler is what he did with the Royals in 2019 — mash 48 homers to win the MLB home run crown while playing all 162 games, with over 100 of them at DH.
Joc Pederson and Eddie Rosario
Atlanta stacked up its outfield with bat-first, glove-second sluggers and rode them to a World Series win: Pederson starred in the NLDS, Rosario starred in the NLCS and Soler starred in the World Series. With a universal DH, a team like the Braves could get the maximum benefit out of such a roster. They’d be able to get one more bat in the lineup without facing defensive repercussions and take advantage of more matchups. For a player like Pederson, a DH in the NL could open up a return to his old team, the Dodgers — he started the most games at DH for L.A. of any player in 2020.
A universal DH could help Conforto indirectly. He doesn’t need to be a DH — the 29-year-old is solid in the outfield. But if teams can slide other bat-first outfielders over to DH, then it could let them bring in Conforto to play the outfield. Conforto’s better all-around game should place him at a premium over some of the other DH-friendly outfielders on the free-agent market, too. He’s as good of a hitter as they are anyway. And what if, say, the Mets re-evaluate their outfield and DH situations and think things would be better if they still had Conforto? Bringing him back seemed impossible once they signed Starling Marte and Mark Canha. But maybe not impossible impossible, with the addition of the DH spot.
Pham is a good enough hitter to give you a 20-20 season, but his defensive numbers have been lagging behind for a while now. The 34-year-old has been worth -17 Outs Above Average over the last three seasons, including -5 OAA in 2021, and he hasn’t posted a positive OAA since 2017 (+6). We’ve already seen an AL team use him as a DH — the Rays started him there for 21 games in 2019, and in almost every postseason game — and an NL team use him as a DH — the Padres gave him 13 starts at DH in 2020, and played him there in half of their playoff games.
The 35-year-old former MVP can still hit, as evidenced by his 27 home runs for the Phillies last year, but even though he’s still fast (28.7 ft/sec sprint speed, in the 73rd percentile of MLB), he grades poorly in outfield defense (-4 Outs Above Average, in the 12th percentile). McCutchen’s biggest value now comes as a home run and on-base threat (he drew 81 walks in 2021). Having played in the NL for essentially his whole career, McCutchen with his current skill set would fit better there if his team had the flexibility to put him in the outfield or at DH depending on the players around him.
Duh. A universal DH doubles the pool of teams that can sign Cruz, who’s 41 and exclusively a DH … and maybe the best DH out there, too.
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