MLB Free Agency Tracker: Story signs with Red Sox
Rejoice, baseball fans!
After months of ongoing discussions and negotiations, Major League Baseball's labor dispute came to an end last week. MLB and the players' union agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement to last through 2026, which means baseball is back open for business.
Less than four months ago, shortly after the Atlanta Braves were crowned World Series champions, the free-agency market took off, with moves made across MLB. Max Scherzer signed with the New York Mets, followed by Javy Báez to the Detroit Tigers and Corey Seager to the Texas Rangers. Big-name players were flying off the market, and now that the lockout has come to an end, that free-agency chaos is back.
Stay up-to-date here with all the biggest franchise-changing moves.
One of the final big free-agency balls has dropped, as former Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story signed with the Boston Red Sox early Sunday morning.
Story, 29, is a two-time All-Star (2018, 2019) and led the league in stolen bases in 2020. He spent six years in Colorado and won Silver Slugger Awards in 2018 and 2019.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jake Mintz:
Overshadowed for much of his time in Colorado by Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story has sneakily been one of the most valuable players in baseball since the beginning of 2018. In that span, he ranks 11th overall in FanGraphs WAR, ahead of some superstar names such as Arenado, Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. The Texan has magnificent power, especially for someone who has spent the entirety of his career thus far at shortstop, and his 107 homers since 2018 rank 12th in baseball ahead of players such as Freddie Freeman, Aaron Judge and Rafael Devers. While 2021 was an ill-timed down year for Story, his underlying batted ball data (he swung and missed a bit more than usual but hit the ball just as hard) indicates that there’s no real reason to panic.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora has already confirmed that Story will slide over to second base, with franchise stalwart Xander Bogaerts locked in at short. If Bogaerts, who has an opt-out after this season, leaves in free agency, the Sox can just push Story back to his natural position.
To me, this was a move the Red Sox absolutely needed to make. Before adding Story, the Boston lineup lacked depth compared to those of division rivals in Toronto, New York and Boston. A bottom four of Bobby Dalbec, Christian Vazquez, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Christian Arroyo was a half-step behind what the Jays, Yanks and Rays were planning to roll out there. The Red Sox had been uncharacteristically quiet this offseason, adding a few veterans to the rotation and the bullpen, but they came alive right at the end, when it mattered most. If Story returns to pre-2021 levels, as many expect he will, this deal is a win for both player and club.
Grade: A-
Correa agrees to deal with Twins
Carlos Correa has reportedly agreed to a three-year, $105.3 million deal with Minnesota, though considering that the deal has opt-outs after the first two seasons, it remains to be seen how long he will stay with the Twins.
Correa, a 27-year-old shortstop, is a two-time All-Star who just won his first Gold Glove last season. In seven big-league seasons, he has hit .277 with an .837 OPS, 133 home runs and 162 doubles.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On the Twins: The sequence of trades with the Rangers and Yankees that cleared enough money (and space in the infield) for Correa was some 10,000 IQ stuff from GM Derek Falvey, and it vaulted the Twins back into the mix in the AL Central (or at least for one of the AL wild-card spots). The Twins' horrible 2021 season never really felt like a reflection of where the organization is in its competitive cycle, and it's fantastic to see the front office get so creative with revamping the roster in an effort to jump right back into contention.
To any Twins fans looking at the opt-outs and wondering if it's worth having Correa if he's just going to leave after one year, please remember: You went to bed thinking your team might have a chance at Trevor Story and ended up with at least one year of a far superior player in Correa. Plus, if Correa does leave next winter, it would probably be because he had an excellent season — for the Minnesota Twins. Yes, Carlos Correa is on the Minnesota Twins. I just need to type that a few more times to really believe it.
Grade: A
On Correa: When Corey Seager signed his 10-year, $325 million mega-deal with Texas, it felt like the mark had been set for Correa and agent Scott Boras to presumably match or exceed. Instead, Correa ended up with one of the more shocking contracts in free-agent history, both in terms of who gave it to him and in terms of the unique structure. Boras did manage to land Correa a deal with the second-highest AAV for a position player ever ($35.1M) and the flexibility with the opt-outs to pursue a longer deal next year or the year after, should he stay healthy and perform to the levels he's capable of.
But it's still somewhat unclear what the biggest driving factor behind this deal was. Was it Correa's injury history? Was it just a weird market post-lockout? Did he like his chances to cash in more in a class without as many shortstops available next winter? If he falters or gets injured, he has more than $100M guaranteed the next three years. And if he does indeed stick in Minnesota for three years, he'll hit the market again at age 30, still a reasonable age for a free agent.
Don't get me wrong: This is still a stunning contract. But it's not like it puts Correa in a particularly bad spot. He's got a great safety net and a completely plausible path to the mega-deal we all expected at some point in the future, if he wants it.
Grade: B+
Phillies land Castellanos
The Phillies have reached an agreement with outfielder Nick Castellanos on a five-year, $100 million deal, according to ESPN.
Castellanos, 30, was an All-Star for the first time last season, hitting .309 with 34 home runs and 100 RBIs for the Cincinnati Reds.
In nine big-league seasons, he has hit .278 with a .814 OPS for the Reds, Cubs and Tigers.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On the Phillies: To hell with defense! After an awfully quiet first half of the hot stove, GM Dave Dombrowski finally made some big swings as Opening Day approaches, with the one-two punch of Kyle Schwarber and now Castellanos. Dombrowski drafted Castellanos back in 2010 when he was GM of the Tigers, and now he brings the right-handed slugger to Philly to help Bryce Harper and the Phillies get back to the postseason. Even with the addition of the DH in the NL, though, the Phillies' defense could be ... troublingly bad, but hey, they are going to score a whole bunch of runs! It's a bold strategy that at the very least will be spectacularly entertaining for the neutral fan.
Grade: B+
On Castellanos: Castellanos was somewhat overlooked in this free-agent class chock-ful of flashy shortstops, but all the dude has done the past three years is rake. His career year with Cincinnati in 2021 was beautifully timed, allowing him to secure a cool nine-figure deal in another ballpark that should suit his offensive profile particularly well as he ages into his 30s. I am perhaps most intrigued by which of Schwarber or Castellanos will DH more; I'd bet on Schwarber, but Castellanos isn't exactly Andruw Jones out there, either. That said, if he continues to mash as he has, the Philly faithful won't mind Castellanos' limited range at all.
Grade: A
Jansen heads to Atlanta
The Atlanta Braves capped a busy week with another stunning move, signing three-time All-Star closer Kenley Jansen to a $16 million, one-year contract Friday night.
The 34-year-old Jansen, who had 38 saves and a 2.22 ERA in 69 appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, is expected to take over from Will Smith as the Braves’ primary closer.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos said he discussed the signing with Smith before finalizing the deal.
The left-hander had 37 saves and was especially effective down the stretch and in the postseason for the World Series champions. In the playoffs, Smith had six saves and didn’t allow a run over 11 innings.
"We told him we might have an opportunity to do something like this, but we wanted to make sure he was good with it," Anthopoulos said. "Will is on board. He said, ‘If it makes the team better and gives us a chance to win another ring and have a parade again, I’m all in.’"
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Pedro Moura:
After rebounding in his final season with the Dodgers to reestablish himself as a dependable closer, Kenley Jansen set out on the free-agent market searching for a multiyear deal that would keep him in that role.
He found the job but not the commitment, signing with the Braves for $16 million over one season. He’ll close games for the reigning World Series champions, who of course already employ one of the sport’s best bullpens. It’s, in some ways, a curious fit, but it also makes sense because every other member of the Braves’ bevy of relievers is fine serving as a set-up man.
A Curacoan, Jansen grew up a Braves fan. This is a sentimental pairing and a fairly functional one. Los Angeles fans are surprised Jansen is not returning to the Dodgers like fellow free agent Clayton Kershaw. But it was always more likely that Jansen would depart. The intrigue in this move revolves around whether Jansen’s 2021 improvements will prove to have staying power.
Grade for Braves: B
Grade for Jansen: A-
Freeman lands in City of Angels
The Los Angeles Dodgers have a new first baseman.
After posting a heartfelt farewell letter to the city of Atlanta on Wednesday, Freeman found a new home shortly after, agreeing to a deal with the Dodgers just after 9 p.m. PT.
Freeman, fresh off a World Series title — and a win over the Dodgers in the NLCS — now joins the 2020 World Series champs.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Pedro Moura:
Five months ago, when the Braves and Dodgers were battling through another NLCS, no one thought Atlanta's star would soon bolt for Los Angeles. But he did — and for not much more money than the Braves were reportedly offering.
It came down to Freeman feeling more valued by the Dodgers than the Braves. Both teams' positions are understandable. Atlanta was able to acquire a comparable first baseman for less money — albeit a lot of prospect capital. The Dodgers were able to replace Corey Seager's powerful left-handed bat for half the cost and probably improve their infield defense in the process — or at least not worsen it.
Freeman will be 38 by the time this deal is over, but the Dodgers structured it in such a way that the dollars owed to him should not hamstring them at any time. The arrival of the designated hitter in the National League certainly helps him fit.
It didn't end well with Freeman and the Braves. He repeatedly said he wanted to be there for the rest of his career. We might never know which side is more to blame for that not coming together, but Freeman is stepping into a pretty good backup option, at the very least.
Dodgers: A
Freeman: A-
Kris Bryant signing with Rockies
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, third baseman Kris Bryant and the Colorado Rockies have come to terms on a seven-year, $182 million contract.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On the Rockies: This team never ceases to confound. A little more than a year after basically paying the Cardinals to take Nolan Arenado off their hands, here comes Colorado handing another third baseman — or left fielder? — a monumental contract in free agency. The Rockies face many challenges — competing in the same division as the Giants and Dodgers and finding competent pitching at altitude, among others — but how they've gone about tackling those challenges has left observers in and around the game often mystified about the grand plan.
It's not that the Rockies have never acquired good players. It's just that those pickups so rarely make sense in conjunction with the rest of their moves that it's difficult to get downright excited or optimistic about the outcome. Adding Bryant makes this team better, sure, of course! But handing him this giant deal late in free agency — with very few other moves left out there to help push the team's projected win total anywhere near that of the rest of the division — seems like an odd hail mary appeal to the fan base that the franchise is, indeed, trying ... something.
That said, it's difficult to imagine that Rockies fans are unhappy with this signing, as confused as they (and everyone else) might be, considering the sequence of events the past few years. At the very least, Bryant will be a reason to go to Coors Field and watch the Rockies.
Grade: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
On Bryant: It's very easy to look at this move and wonder why a star such as Bryant, who has played almost exclusively on contending teams, would choose to go to a team with such a massive uphill battle in the NL West. But it should be just as easy to look at this contract and remember how free agency almost always works: Money talks.
For as famous and talented as Bryant is, very few in the industry expected him to get a deal of this magnitude, and it's difficult to blame him for taking the huge guarantee. At this point, we don't know what other offers were on the table, but it seems likely that Colorado outbid the field rather handily. Now, you can point to how the Arenado extension ended up and wonder why Bryant would sign up for the same thing, but this is a very different situation. The dude has already won all there is to win: Rookie of the Year, MVP, the most incredible World Series imaginable — can you blame him for taking what we assume was the biggest offer and just so happens to land him in a beautiful city with the most hitter-friendly ballpark in the game? I certainly cannot.
You can question Bryant's motives all you want, but to me, this one doesn't look all that complicated. The dude got mega-paid, and now he'll be chilling in the Rocky Mountains, smashing 40 doubles a year well into his 30s. Sounds like a pretty good life to me.
Grade: B
Greinke going back to Kansas City
Pitcher Zack Greinke is reportedly returning to the Kansas City Royals, the team with which he began his major-league career.
Rosario returning to Atlanta
After a scorching postseason in which he was named NLCS MVP, outfielder Eddie Rosario is returning to the Braves on a two-year, $18 million deal.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jake Mintz:
On the Braves: Time to rejoice, fans, the franchise icon is coming home. Oh, no, not Freddie Freeman — he’s out the door. I’m talking about October hero Eddie Rosario, who’s back in Atlanta on a two-year, $18 million deal.
The left-handed outfielder was instrumental in the Braves' World Series journey, bringing home NLCS MVP honors with a slew of timely hits. He started the season in Cleveland, was dealt to Atlanta as part of the team's refurbished outfield and ended the year etched in franchise lore.
You might care about Rosario only because he caught fire for a few weeks at the right time, and that's OK! He’ll be pretty solid for the Braves, and maybe he’ll catch fire again.
He’s a consistent, if relatively unspectacular (besides the 2021 postseason), lefty bat who should slot into the outfield alongside Adam Duvall and Ronald Acuña Jr. The Braves probably need one more bat to replace World Series hero Jorge Soler — or they could, you know, bring back Soler.
Grade: A-
A's reportedly trade 3B Matt Chapman to Blue Jays for prospects
Oakland's purge continues, as after dealing right-hander Chris Bassitt to the Mets last week and Matt Olson to Atlanta on Monday, the A's have reportedly traded slugger Matt Chapman to Toronto for prospects.
In 2021, Chapman batted just .210 and struck out 202 times, but he also hit 27 home runs and drove in 72 runs. In five seasons with the A's, he batted .243 and averaged 31 homers.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On the Blue Jays: Amidst their reported pursuits of Kyle Schwarber and Freddie Freeman, Toronto decided to pivot to the trade route and get in on the Oakland fire sale. Two years ago, Chapman seemed to be ascending into the upper-echelon of superstars in baseball, pairing elite defense at the hot corner with some serious pop. But his overall offensive game has slipped the past two seasons, as the whiffs have piled up and the batting average has continued to decline. Still, the power is very much there, and his glove makes him a well-above-average player. Toronto wasn't exactly lacking in right-handed power, so Chapman might seem like a tad bit of overkill there, but his defense alone is a tremendous upgrade as the Blue Jays try to push into legitimate World Series contender mode after coming oh-so-short of the postseason in 2021.
Grade: A
On the A's: It's impossible not to compare this deal with what Oakland got for the other Matt, and through that lens, this is a bit underwhelming. Gunner Hoglund is the headliner, and he would've been a candidate to go in the top five picks of the 2021 MLB Draft had he not torn his UCL in his junior year at Ole Miss, which dropped him to Toronto at No. 19. If he comes back from Tommy John surgery strong, it isn't difficult to imagine Hoglund establishing himself as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball in a hurry.
Kevin Smith has had an odd minor-league career: a huge pro debut in A-ball in 2018, followed by a horrific 2019 in Double-A, and then a big bounce back in Triple-A last year, when he also reached the big leagues. He could be a useful infielder right away, and Kirby Snead and Zach Logue are both low-slot lefties who can contribute at the big-league level soon in a starting or relief role, but to what end? To some degree, Oakland gets the benefit of the doubt for turning not-so-sexy rosters on paper into respectable big-league teams for years. But if the trades keep coming — and Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas seem to be available — it will be difficult to imagine this team conjuring up a winning record, no matter their reputation.
Grade: C+
Kyle Schwarber signs with Phillies
After hitting 32 homers last season for the Nationals and Red Sox, Schwarber is returning to the National League, signing with the Phillies for four years and $80 million. In 2021, Schwarber slugged 25 home runs in 72 games for Washington before being traded to Boston, with which he batted .291 in 41 games down the stretch.
Schwarber can play the corner outfield spots and has some experience at first base. Now that the DH is universal, he'll most likely fill that role for Philadelphia.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jake Mintz:
On Schwarber: Like most human beings, Schwarber had a crummy 2020. In his final season with the Cubs, the stout slugger did not do much slugging. In a small sample of 224 pandemic at-bats, Schwarber slashed a paltry .188/.308/.393 for an OPS well below league average. And it wasn’t like he was making up for that with sparkling defense in the outfield. That underwhelming year motivated the Cubs to non-tender him, he became a free agent a year earlier than anticipated, and he penned a one-year, $10 million pact with the Nationals.
Then Schwarber went off. Besides Juan Soto, the Indiana University product was the most electrifying part of the 2021 Nationals season. In June, he caught absolute fire, slamming 16 homers in 18 games. When the rebuilding Nats cleared house at the deadline, Schwarber was sent to the Red Sox, and he didn’t miss a beat. He hit seven more homers down the stretch, despite missing some time due to a hamstring strain, and he was instrumental in Boston’s October run, with a homer in each round of the postseason. That return to form (and the implementation of a universal DH) earned Schwarber this massive raise with the Phillies.
When healthy, Schwarber is an elite middle-of-the-order masher who can carry a team’s offense for extended stretches. Schwarber proved that his lackluster 2020 was just a blip and parlayed a magnificent 2021 season into some very deserved generational wealth. He’s a personable character who has connected with fan bases wherever he has played and should become a fan favorite in Philly.
Grade: A+
On the Phillies: Finally. The Phillies had been quiet — too quiet. Their head of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, developed a reputation for action during his stints in Montreal, Miami, Detroit and Boston. Big Dave is a win-now guy who has built instant contenders by dealing away prospect capital for valuable pieces at the big-league level. But there’s a problem with that strategy: The Phillies' farm system kinda stinks now, and their most promising prospects are young, high-variance starting pitchers years away from the majors.
So this time, Dombrowski spent some money. Schwarber’s $20 million per year pushes the Phillies' estimated payroll to around $220 million, still below the luxury tax that ownership groups tend to use as a hard cap. This is still a team with a lot of questions — the aging Didi Gregorius at shortstop, the yet-to-prove himself Alec Bohm at third, the unspectacular Odubel Herrera in center — but Schwarber alters the complexion of the lineup and makes the middle of the order as intimidating as any in the National League.
Jean Segura, Schwarber, Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Rhys Hoskins is a legitimate postseason core — just don’t look at the bottom of the lineup or the bullpen. The Phillies have a few more moves to make (upgrading the defense, another starting pitcher) if they want to challenge for a spot in the expanded postseason, but adding Schwarber is a step in the right direction for a club that has been mired in mediocrity the past handful of seasons.
Grade: A-
Cubs sign Japanese OF Seiya Suzuki
The Cubs signed Suzuki for five years and $85 million as a free agent posted by the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. The 27-year-old outfielder played nine seasons for Hiroshima in Nippon Professional Baseball. He batted .319 with 38 homers and 88 RBIs in 2021 and has a .315 career average, with 182 homers and 562 RBIs.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On the Cubs: It has been a fascinating year for the North Siders, with them trading away much of their World Series core for a bunch of teenage prospects, only to turn around and hand Marcus Stroman a three-year, $71 million contract. Were the Cubs rebuilding? Were they jumping right back into contention? Heading into the lockout, it was unclear.
Now, they bring in another big free agent in Seiya Suzuki, albeit an unusually young one and thus one who can grow with the core of the next good Cubs team. I am a big believer in Suzuki's ability to succeed in MLB, but $85-plus million is an enormous bet on any player coming from a foreign league, considering how relatively few examples we have of such players succeeding. The undeniable risk holds this back from being a home run, but Cubs fans can be elated about adding Suzuki, who will at the very least make their 2022 team a whole lot more interesting, even if he alone can't push Chicago back into contention right away.
Grade: B+
On Suzuki: When the lockout went into effect 10 days into Suzuki's 30-day negotiation period, it seemingly left him in a precarious position. As a result, he'd be behind the normal timeline for a foreign player signing in December or January and having to transition to a new country, culture and league. But Suzuki reportedly was steadfast in his desire to play in MLB, no matter how long it took for the lockout to be resolved, and his patience certainly paid off.
Suzuki has been arguably the best all-around player in Japan for years now, and he clearly had multiple suitors, which drove his price way up. Now he gets to cash in on a five-year deal and join a rebuilding Cubs team with an amazing fan base but without the pressure to perform right away.
Grade: A+
On the Padres: Ouch. As if San Diego's week couldn't get any more frustrating following the announcement of Fernando Tatis Jr.'s broken wrist, which will keep him out for the first half of the 2022 season, now the Padres watch one of their top free-agent targets — one who was erroneously reported by some Japanese outlets earlier in the week as having signed with them — ink a contract elsewhere. With Opening Day drawing ever closer, Padres GM AJ Preller is running out of time to make a significant splash to help his team bounce back from a disastrous 2021.
Anthony Rizzo returning to New York
Rizzo, who finished last season with the Yankees after being traded at the deadline from the Chicago Cubs, agreed to a two-year, $32 million contract to stay in New York.
Rizzo got off to a red-hot start with the Yankees but slowed down after a bout with COVID-19. He finished the 2021 campaign hitting .248 with 22 home runs.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On The Yankees: One day after missing out on the Matt Olson sweepstakes, the Yankees seemingly decided to take themselves out of the Freddie Freeman hunt by bringing back Rizzo, who is just a month older than Freeman, for a more extended run in the Bronx. While his offensive output has started to decline slightly the past two seasons, Rizzo still provides an excellent OBP boost via walks and an elite proclivity for being plunked (he's the active leader in career HBPs).
Plus, he rejoins a lineup that desperately needed some more left-handed juice alongside Joey Gallo and switch-hitter Aaron Hicks. If this is the end of the Yankees' offseason, it's safe to say that most fans would be underwhelmed. But the team at least managed to put together a lineup that should scare most pitching staffs, and that shouldn't be overlooked.
Grade: B
Braves sign new 1B Matt Olson to massive contract extension
The Braves announced Tuesday that they have signed newly acquired first baseman Matt Olson to an eight-year contract extension that will pay him $168 million. The deal will run through the 2029 season and includes a $20 million club option for 2030.
In the contract, which is the largest in team history, Olson will make $15 million in 2022, $21 million in 2023 and $22 million per season over the remainder of the deal. He also has agreed to donate $1.68 million to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.
The Braves acquired Olson from Oakland on Monday in exchange for four players, including outfielder Cristian Pache.
This appears to bring an end to the Freddie Freeman era in Atlanta (more on that below).
Andrew McCutchen joins the Brewers
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Andrew McCutchen and the Milwaukee Brewers came to terms on a one-year deal Monday evening.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On the Brewers: McCutchen might not be the dynamic athlete in the outfield that he once was, but any discussion of Cutch's demise offensively has been greatly exaggerated. His 14.1% walk rate was seventh among qualified hitters in 2021, buoyed by a 94th-percentile chase rate (how often a batter swings at pitches out of the strike zone). The addition of the DH in the NL allows Milwaukee to plug his bat in that spot if the Brewers aren't thrilled with the idea of the 35-year-old roaming left field. Overall, adding Cutch to the pre-lockout addition of Hunter Renfroe is a nifty combo to make up for the offensive hole left by Avisail Garcia's departure. Add the fact that Cutch is easily one of the coolest, funniest, most well-liked people in the sport, and this is an easy win for the Brew Crew.
Grade: B+
Mariners add Winker and Suarez
On Monday evening, the Mariners acquired OF Jesse Winker and INF Eugenio Suárez from the Reds.
The Reds receive RHP Justin Dunn, OF Jake Fraley, LHP Brandon Williamson and a player to be named later or cash.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On the Mariners: It was only a matter of time before Trader Jerry struck in the post-lockout frenzy, and this one was a doozy. Winker is a bona fide All-Star slugger who demolishes right-handed pitching and bolsters a Seattle lineup desperately in need of some pop. Speaking of pop, ZERO players have more home runs the past four seasons than Suárez, who struggled for most of 2021 before bouncing back with an epic September in which he posted a 1.268 OPS.
The Reds clearly viewed Suárez as a negative contract and attached Winker in order to move it, but the third baseman is only 30 years old and a few years removed from receiving down-ballot MVP votes. Seattle was focused on addressing both 3B and LF when the winter began, and the Mariners managed to do both in one trade. This would be a full-blown A if it were a precursor to another big addition offensively, but Dipoto seems to have already suggested that fans shouldn't expect anything else on that front.
Grade: A-
On the Reds: Dunn and Fraley are young big leaguers with prospect pedigree who have shown flashes of being solid, but each has struggled mightily to stay on the field long enough to prove it. If they can stay healthy, these two should step in and contribute quickly. It has also been reported that a PTBNL of some significance will be part of this deal at some point, so make of that what you will. The real saving grace of this deal is Williamson, who has been steadily climbing the minor-league ranks, has emerged as one of the more promising southpaw prospects in baseball and should join the Reds' rotation at some point in 2022.
All in all, though, much like every other move Cincinnati has made this offseason, this was about shedding payroll, and that should never be celebrated, especially for a team that could have been in the NL Central mix with a few moves in the right direction. Instead, they keep going backward, and that's a real shame for Joey Votto and Reds fans in general.
Grade: C-
A's sending Matt Olson to Braves
News broke Monday that the Braves and Athletics had come to terms on a trade to send first baseman Matt Olson to Atlanta in return for a haul of prospects.
The move signals the beginning of a teardown in Oakland and the end of the Freddie Freeman era in Atlanta, with Olson returning to his home state after nearly 10 years with the A's.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jake Mintz:
On the Braves: Matt Olson is in, and Freddie Freeman is gone. I love this deal for Atlanta, but there’s no such thing as an A+ if a franchise icon is out the door. Letting Freeman go is ruthless and emotionless, especially if you believe reports that he wanted to stay, but it’s clear that the Braves just weren’t interested in bringing him back. If they really wanted to, they had years to put an extension together, but they chose door number two.
From a calculated, soulless, baseball numbers perspective, it makes a lot of sense. You’re dealing away no top-50 prospects for one of the top two first basemen in baseball (Freeman is the other). Instead of shelling out big cash to Freeman for his age-32 to 37 seasons, the Braves dealt for Olson and can now extend him for a similar rate for his age-28 to 33 seasons. If Freddie had been a one-year rental, letting him go in favor of a younger alternative would be a no-brainer. But this is baseball, and love is a piece of it.
Braves fans shouldn’t be too distraught, though. They still have a core of franchise faces to love, including Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson. And Olson is no slouch. He finished eighth in AL MVP voting last year, with 39 home runs and an OPS+ of 153 after slicing his strikeout rate in half. Sure, he’s not a lifetime Brave like Freeman, but Olson grew up in Georgia as a massive Braves fan. If you’re going to let someone like Freddie Freeman walk, this is about as good of a replacement as you can get.
Grade: A-
On the A's: The people running the Oakland A’s are smarter than me, and they’re smarter than you. Billy Beane, David Forst & Co. have been building and rebuilding with limited financial commitment from ownership since I was in diapers. There’s even a movie about it!
That said, I’m super underwhelmed by this return. As is the case with any prospect haul, there’s a glass-half-full and a glass-half-empty view on it. Cristian Pache is an elite defender in center field who is only 23 and could still figure it out at the plate, but so far, he has been an abysmal hitter at the big-league level. There’s a reason the Braves had to trade for all those outfielders last year at the deadline; they straight-up didn’t believe in Pache.
Shea Langeliers was a first-round pick out of Baylor in 2019 and is thought of as an outstanding defensive catcher with average power and enough feel for hitting to let that power work. Chances are he’s a perfectly good starting big-league catcher close to the big leagues (he got up to Triple-A in 2021), but he's by no means a superstar. It’s an odd addition for the A’s, who already have a controllable, young catcher who is definitely better than Langeliers in Sean Murphy.
Ryan Cusick was Atlanta’s first-rounder this past season. The right-hander out of Wake Forest has a top-of-the-charts fastball that sits in the high 90s and can touch triple digits, with good spin characteristics. He was dominant in his pro debut in Low-A but needs to prove he can throw strikes consistently at higher levels. Some evaluators see a reliever here.
Joey Estes was a 2021 breakout guy who has seen his stuff jump forward since he was drafted out of a California high school in 2019. His numbers for Low-A Augusta were phenomenal, but he has a long way to go until he’s a contributor at the big-league level. If it all clicks, he’s a solid No. 4 starter.
Olson’s departure is probably the first of many moves for an Oakland team clearly in rebuilding mode. Starter Chris Bassitt was shipped to the Mets over the weekend, and many expect starter Frankie Montas and third baseman Matt Chapman to be on the trade block as well. For all the shrewd moves Oakland’s top brass have conjured over the past few decades, the true sin of Moneyball was showing everyone that it’s possible to be good without spending money. With more investment, the A’s could have extended the two Matts, Olson and Chapman and built around that core instead of firesale-ing them off for a dice roll on the future.
Grade: C
On the Dodgers: With the Yankees just under the luxury tax after adding Josh Donaldson’s big contract Sunday and the Braves going the Matt Olson route, the Dodgers look like the front-runners to sign Freddie Freeman. They’d have to do some slight defensive reshuffling in the infield, likely pushing Max Muncy to second or DH, but Freeman is a southern California native who would elevate the Dodgers' lineup to a whole other level. Mookie Betts, Muncy, Trea Turner and Justin Turner plus Freeman would be just ridiculously good.
Grade: A
Yankees and Twins make five-player deal
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Yankees and Twins made a blockbuster trade Sunday night to send Josh Donaldson, Isaiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt to New York and Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela to Minnesota.
The deal is widely viewed as a cost-cutting move for the Twins, who wanted to shed some of Donaldson's hefty salary, and a chance for the Yankees to move on from Sánchez.
Also, the Yankees might have found their solution at shortstop with the acquisition of Kiner-Falefa.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jake Mintz:
On the Yankees: The Yanks filled a hole but created some new ones along the way. Let’s start with Donaldson, who immediately becomes the every-day third baseman. The 2015 American League MVP has struggled to stay healthy as he creeps deeper into his 30s, but he's still a difference-maker at the plate whenever he suits up.
Kiner-Falefa, who has had a really bizarre past few days, gives the Yankees something they haven’t had since peak Didi Gregorius: a reliable, no-doubt defensive shortstop. When Texas inked Corey Seager and Marcus Semien to enormous deals before the lockout, Kiner-Falefa became expendable and was traded to Minnesota on Saturday for catcher Mitch Garver. He showed up to Twins camp Sunday, shook manager Rocco Baldelli’s hand and was promptly dealt to the Yankees.
Rortvedt made his big-league debut last year and struggled in limited time but is thought of as a perfectly feasible backup catcher who has the potential to develop into a low-end regular.
Grade: B-
On the Twins: I like this deal a smidge more for the Twins than for the Yankees just because of Gary Sánchez's upside, but Minnesota still needs to convert the payroll flexibility gained from flipping Donaldson’s hefty contract into another acquisition or two. Donaldson was owed an average of $23 million over the next two seasons, and sending his contract to New York pushes the Twins' payroll under where it was last year, which hopefully leads to them splurging a bit on the free-agent market.
Sánchez still has the otherworldly raw power that made him a household baseball name in 2016. He just needs to rediscover some consistency in his approach.
Urshela’s bat took a step back in 2021 after two outstanding offensive seasons in ‘19 and ‘20, but he remains a superb defender at third base and a viable one at shortstop. The Twins have been connected to free-agent shortstop Trevor Story the past few days and seem intent on filling that spot externally. With Donaldson gone, expect Urshela to play the majority of innings at the hot corner for the Twins.
Grade: B
Nelson Cruz signs with the Nats
Also Sunday, soon-to-be 42-year-old Nelson Cruz signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Washington Nationals.
The DH has continued to be productive through his late 30s and into his 40s and now will team up with young star Juan Soto in D.C.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jake Mintz:
Cruz turns 42 on July 1. He’s going to get paid 15 million buckaroos this year for playing baseball, and he deserves every dollar of it. The National League’s addition of the designated hitter definitely played a role in buoying Cruz’s market, considering that both the Dodgers and Padres showed real interest.
While Cruz was his typical dynamite self in the first half of 2021 for the Twins, he was less productive after a midseason trade to the Rays. His bat slumbered in Tampa’s ALDS loss to Boston, with his 3-for-17 a big part of Tampa Bay's premature exit from October. Perhaps time is finally coming for one of the game’s most enduring characters, but he’ll get the chance to prove otherwise.
Since establishing himself in the bigs at age 28 for the Rangers back in 2009, Cruz has been one of the most formidable and consistent hitters in baseball. General wisdom says players begin to tail off in their 30s, as their bodies fall victim to the evils of aging, but Cruz has been one of the few players to buck that trend. His 372 home runs after age 30 are seventh on the all-time list behind the tallies of the four greatest baseball players ever (Bonds, Ruth, Mays, Aaron), another Hall of Famer (Thome) and a guy who would be in if not for PEDs (Palmeiro).
Cruz’s PED suspension in 2013 raises some questions about the legitimacy of his longevity, but he owned up to his transgressions and has tested clean ever since. While he has begun to discuss the end of his career in a few interviews, Cruz clearly wants to keep playing for as long as he can, and the Nationals are a perfect fit. He gets guaranteed at-bats on a team with relatively low expectations that also has Soto, the most talented hitter in the world. If the Nats are blah, they can deal Cruz to a contender at the deadline. If they surprise, he’ll probably be a key reason for it. It’s a win for both sides.
Nationals Grade: A+
Cruz Grade: A+
Twins acquire Sonny Gray from Reds
On Sunday, the Twins got into the fun by trading RHP Chase Petty to the Reds in exchange for RHP Sonny Gray and RHP Francis Peguero.
The move signaled the Twins' desire to bounce back after a supremely disappointing 2021 season.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On the Twins: The Twins could have gone a few different directions coming off their disastrous 2021 season, and Minnesota fans have to be thrilled that the front office has decided to push the roster toward contention, rather than rebuilding. Gray was a popular trade target for several contending teams, but arguably no team needed him quite as badly as Minnesota, whose rotation was left rather barren following the Jose Berrios trade to Toronto last summer. Gray as a No. 1 starter isn't necessarily the most intimidating force in the league, but he certainly gives this pitching staff far more credibility, and he's coming off an awfully underrated run with Cincinnati.
Grade: A-
On the Reds: It was no secret that the Reds were going to offload at least one of their starting pitchers post-lockout, and Gray always seemed like the most likely to go. When teams trade veteran stars, they usually target either less-risky prospects closer to helping the big-league club or prospects with star potential who are several years away from actualizing. In acquiring Petty, Cincinnati opted for the upside route, going for a young pitcher who had some of the most ridiculous stuff scouts have ever seen from a high schooler — up to 102 mph with some truly gnarly secondaries. That said, the high school right-hander is about as risky a demographic as there is in the MLB Draft, so while it's exciting to dream on Petty's upside, he faces a long climb up the development ladder, with many obstacles along the way, staying healthy chief among them.
Grade: C+
Chris Bassitt heading to Mets
On Saturday, the Athletics began their teardown by sending starting pitcher Chris Bassitt to New York in exchange for RHPs JT Ginn and Adam Oller.
The 2021 All-Star joins a robust Mets starting rotation featuring Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On the Mets: It might be for just one year, but adding a legitimate No. 2 starter to a team that already has two bona fide No. 1 starters is a pretty nifty move, especially considering the Mets didn't give up any of their tippy-top prospects. Bassitt has been tremendously underrated the past few seasons in Oakland, and his craftier arsenal should pair nicely with the fire-breathing repertoires of deGrom and Scherzer. This should be an excellent example of the wider baseball world finding out just how good a player who has been excellent in a smaller market really is.
Grade: A
On the A's: At first glance, this return looked closer to a C- for me, but I think getting two starting pitchers who project to help the big-league club relatively soon for just one year of Bassitt is a decent return, if not a flashy one. Oller came out of nowhere after being an MiLB Rule 5 pick to have one of the better seasons by any starting pitcher in the upper minors in 2021, and he should help the A's rotation as soon as this year.
Ginn has been famous since high school, selected as a prep arm by the Dodgers in the first round before turning them down and matriculating to Mississippi State. He was on track to be a first-rounder once again before Tommy John surgery in 2020 derailed his ascent to pro ball, pushing him into the second round to New York. If he can regain his pre-surgery form — and he started to look like it in the second half of 2021 — it isn't unreasonable to imagine him developing into a top-100-type pitching prospect over the next couple of years.
Grade: B-
Rodón heading to San Francisco
Fresh off a dominant 2021 season, Carlos Rodón is taking his talents to the Golden City and should bolster an already-impressive Giants pitching staff.
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Rodón and the Giants are in agreement on a two-year, $44 million deal. The 29-year-old lefty will join a rotation that includes Logan Webb, Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood and Alex Cobb. The Giants ranked second in MLB in 2021 with a team ERA of 3.24.
Rodón was a first-time All-Star in '21 and finished fifth in AL Cy Young Award voting. He went 13-5 on the mound with a 2.37 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 132 2/3 innings for the White Sox.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:
On the Giants: Before the lockout, the Giants seemed focused on retaining a good chunk of the team that won 107 games a year ago in one of the more shocking regular-season performances in recent history. Brandon Belt, DeSclafani and Wood were all brought back, while Cobb was the most notable external addition. The relatively surprising Buster Posey retirement left a Hall of Fame-sized hole at catcher, but it also likely opened up even more payroll flexibility for the team to go out and fill the gap atop the rotation left by Kevin Gausman.
Going after Rodón — particularly with a short-term, high-AAV commitment — is a savvy play by Farhan Zaidi & Co., who are left with a roster filled with a lot of good players but not many guys who could conceivably be great, All-Star level studs. When healthy, Rodón is absolutely that, and he should join Webb atop the San Francisco rotation to create a fearsome one-two punch.
Grade: A
On Rodón: The only mark against this for Rodón is the brevity of the deal compared to those handed out to Kevin Gausman and Robbie Ray. You can reasonably read that as a reflection of Rodón's injury history, compared to the track records of durability of Ray and Gausman, but we don't know for sure if he didn't receive any longer-term offers. What's more likely is that Rodón was betting on himself staying healthy and delivering another excellent season (or two), with the opt-out included as a chance for him to really cash in next winter if he repeats his 2021 performance over even more innings in 2022.
Rodón's performance in 2021 wasn't all that dissimilar from that of the Cy Young winner Ray; it just came in far fewer innings. Plus, while the deal is three years shorter, the $22M AAV is right in line with what Ray and Gausman got. What a surprise; Rodón's agent, Scott Boras, might have done a decent job here.
Grade: A-
Kershaw returning to the Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw is staying put and will remain a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to Ken Rosenthal, Kershaw agreed to a one-year, $17 million deal to return to the team with which he has spent his entire 14-year MLB career.
Kershaw spent much of the 2021 season on the injured list due to left elbow inflammation. After a brief return, he exited his fourth game back with left forearm discomfort, which ultimately kept him sidelined for the Dodgers’ postseason run.
The eight-time MLB All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner finished the 2021 season with a 10-8 record and a 3.55 ERA.
From FOX Sports MLB Writer Pedro Moura:
On the Dodgers: The Dodgers let Kershaw decide on his own timeline whether he wanted to continue playing baseball and continue playing for them. He had the past three months to ponder those questions, so it makes perfect sense that his decision was one of the first post-lockout transactions. When he appeared on "The Dan Patrick Show" last month to discuss his childhood teammate Matthew Stafford, he referred to the Dodgers’ Walker Buehler, the team’s players’ association representative, as "our" player rep.
With the Dodgers' Opening Day four weeks from Friday, Kershaw’s decision supplies the team much-needed clarity in sorting out their starting rotation. Kershaw could slot in as the team’s third starter behind younger, burgeoning stars Julio Urías and Walker Buehler.
Behind that trio, the Dodgers are operating in uncertainty. Trevor Bauer was placed on administrative leave Friday and might face a league suspension. But they signed left-hander Andrew Heaney early in the offseason, and they have talented right-hander Tony Gonsolin, among others, in-house.
Grade: A
On Kershaw: Kershaw’s 2021 statistics look better under the surface than they do at first glance. He made only 22 starts, logged a 3.50 ERA and missed the postseason because of an elbow injury. But his strikeout rate was his highest in six years, his walk rate was far better than his career norms, and most of the underlying data indicate that he was still confounding opposing hitters. If he is healthy, he could prove to be far more than a mid-rotation starter.
And his return, of course, means more to the franchise than any other free agent signed to a one-year contract possibly could. Drafted 16 years ago, Kershaw has grown up, excelled, buckled in the postseason and finally won a World Series all with the same organization. They’re running it back at least one more time.
Grade: A
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