Major League Baseball’s 2023-24 permanent free agents will be marked by the Dodgers’ creative and lucrative $700 million contract with Shohei Ohtani.
Will next year simply be Juan Sotocras?
What do you think of Aki Sasaki’s class?
Or could it be seen as a deep group leading to a change of power in the game, as is currently expected?
A lot can change in just one year, but after one season, the team will have a strong lineup of batters, especially infielders, and a lineup of starting pitchers with the potential to sign nine-figure contracts. It will probably be. There’s probably another team that spent a lot of money. this offseason.
This offseason’s biggest free agent spend went to the Dodgers, more than three times the amount spent in second place (Giants).
In an offseason where the Yankees’ heavy lifting was done through trades, the Phillies and some surprise results from the Diamondbacks and Royals rounded out a strange top five.
Teams that have been more active in recent years, such as the Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rangers and Padres, have fallen back and could rise to the top next year.
A stacked organization like the Orioles, which is in the process of selling, could start pouring money into top free agents to supplement cheap prospects in hopes of becoming the next Astros.
The most offensive team may be different, but the chief agent will be the same.
Scott Boras suffered an unexpected loss this offseason, with Soto, Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, Max Scherzer and a long stretch of free agency signing overwhelming deals, many of whom opted out. He will be returning to represent many of the best players, including the same handful of players who played in the finals. (Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Matt Chapman, Jordan Montgomery, JD Martinez).
The Mets will be freed from Scherzer’s dead money, will decide this season if they still pay a portion of Justin Verlander’s 2025 salary, and will have the funds to maneuver.
The Yankees will be busy with the potential loss of Soto, Gleyber Torres, Anthony Rizzo, Alex Verdugo and Clay Holmes.
Extra time, injuries, and lack of performance could change the outlook, but here are some of the free agents that make up what looks to be a strong class.
position player
There aren’t many catchers with Danny Jansen and Travis d’Arnaud likely leading the field.
However, the first base market is full, which could affect both teams in New York.
Alonso, perhaps the most reliable 40 home run threat in the game, will be a free agent.
Rizzo could become a free agent if the Yankees decline his $17 million club option.
Paul Goldschmidt of the Cardinals is already a potential Hall of Famer and will hit the market at age 37.
A less obvious option would be Christian Walker, the pennant-winning Diamondbacks’ No. 4 hitter. He hit 33 home runs last season with an .830 OPS and won his second consecutive Gold Glove Award.
Bellinger could be on the market again, as is Rhys Hoskins, who can opt out of his two-year deal with the Brewers.
Torres, who turns 28 in December, will be a young free agent and likely the best second baseman. The former Yankees top prospect hasn’t become the superstar he once was, but he’s settled into a solid middle-order hitter.
The options behind Torres will largely depend on whose options are taken.
Tampa Bay’s Brandon Lowe, a big-hitting power hitter who has struggled to stay healthy, could hit the market if the Rays decline his $10.5 million option.
The Phillies hold a club option on Whit Merrifield, and the Giants and Wilmer Flores have a mutual option for 2025.
At shortstop, the Brewers’ Willie Adames, a solid glove who just returned from a down season but also has a hitting background, may lead the pack.
Kim Ha-sung, a flexible defensive infielder who is playing shortstop for the Padres this season, broke out last season (.749 OPS) and has a reciprocal option after this season.
It’s possible (likely?) that the Yankees and Mets will pursue a third baseman, but that market would start with Alex Bregman.
The longtime Astro, who comes with playoff experience and the taint of cheating, means he hasn’t been the MVP candidate he was in 2018 and ’19, but he turned 30 this month and has been the best of the last two seasons. Recorded OPS.812. .
Even without Bregman, Matt Chapman (player) and Eugenio Suarez (club) have options after this season, and Justin Turner, J.D. Davis, and Gio Urshela all have local connections and are all available. It becomes possible.
It’s possible (definitely?) that the Yankees and Mets will target Soto, who has already reportedly rejected a $440 million contract extension from the Nationals.
Bids could reach $500 million (or more) for the superstar, who is most often compared to Ted Williams and turns 26 in October.
The infield class is stronger than the outfield, but some of the other outfielders who could be free include Verdugo, Anthony Santander, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Teoscar Hernandez, Michael Conforto, and Joc. There’s Pederson.
starting pitcher
Barring injuries, Orioles new ace Corbin Burnes should set the market as the closest thing to a sure thing among free agent pitchers.
Barnes, 30 as of October, has started at least 28 games in each of the past three seasons.
Other ace candidates in Burns’ age range include Atlanta’s Max Fried and Cleveland’s Shane Bieber, but both players have ended their seasons due to injury concerns.
Speaking of which, Walker Buehler’s strong season could catapult the Dodgers right-hander into another stratosphere, but Buehler is coming back from his second Tommy John surgery and will likely get off to a slow start this season. .
Verlander (who has a vesting option for next year), Scherzer, and Clayton Kershaw (player option) have aging, possibly crumbling, but probably great options.
A large group with high returns but risks includes Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, Nathan Eovaldi (vesting option), Robbie Ray (opt-out), Merrill Kelly (club option), Frankie Montas. (mutual option), James Paxton, and Alex Cobb. And Kyle Hendricks.
reliever
The Yankees could be in the market for a closer, with Clay Holmes entering his age-31 season.
Some established closers who could join him include Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, Giovani Gallegos (club option), Ryan Pressley (mutual option), and Craig Kimbrel (club option). .
Wildcard
We’re assuming the Yankees won’t let Gerrit Cole get away.
After this season, Ace can opt out of the remaining four years and $144 million of his contract, but the Yankees also have an option to sign him in 2029, the 10th year of his current deal, for $36 million.
Cole’s injury complicates things, but it would be a big surprise if he finds his way to free agency.
We also assume that Mr. Sasaki will not come from Japan, but only he knows the truth.
The 22-year-old is considered one of the best pitchers on the planet, is a star player for NPB’s Chiba Lotte, and has already made it clear he wants to play in the MLB.
But if the right-handed pitcher is posted before he turns 25, he would be considered an international amateur and subject to international bonus pool funding limits — the Angels originally signed him for $2.3 million. It’s the same restriction that allowed the league to sign Ohtani for $545,000 — minimum salary.
What if the “Monster of Reiwa” could be obtained at a price that any team could afford? Next year’s strong free agent class will be even stronger.
