2023-24 free agency, trades, and signings

[nobleisthyname]

Joc Pederson signs with the Diamondbacks. Total contract guarantee is $12.5M for one season.

https://twitter.com/jessenfriedman/status/1750726698423976029

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Joc Pederson signs with the Diamondbacks. Total contract guarantee is $12.5M for one season.

https://twitter.com/jessenfriedman/status/1750726698423976029

ooohhhh! I wish we had gone that way. I suppose Gallo can play the field, and of course is cheaper, but that's not a bad amount for Pederson. Similar to what we paid Schwarber for a year. Also, maybe from his perspective, it's more fun to have a slot on a team coming off a world series, but we would have flipped him to a contender later in the year.

[blue911]

ooohhhh! I wish we had gone that way. I suppose Gallo can play the field, and of course is cheaper, but that's not a bad amount for Pederson. Similar to what we paid Schwarber for a year. Also, maybe from his perspective, it's more fun to have a slot on a team coming off a world series, but we would have flipped him to a contender later in the year.

Why would he want to move mid-season? The last thing I’d want to do is set up house  again after spring training and moving for the regular season.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Why would he want to move mid-season? The last thing I’d want to do is set up house  again after spring training and moving for the regular season.

I think he'd probably prefer to have one place with a pre-season contender. I think the only way the Nats could have competed for him was to offer a better offer (a player option for a second year, or more money) and then said that the pain of being flipped mid-season isn't much of a detraction from the offer.

If it is true that Gallo was always Plan B after Plan A - sign Jeimer failed, then I'm guessing Rizzo never thought that a Rosario / Pederson / Belt / Votto was worth the premium. Maybe they did have Pederson as a Plan C and were seeing who took their offer first, Gallo or Pederson at a lower amount than $12.5 million. Could explain Gallo signing before Pederson.

[OfftheBat]

https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1751263042841596190?s=20

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1751263042841596190?s=20

Neris.

Would anyone be really surprised if Hunter Harvey had a better season than Neris? I know Neris has a longer track record, and he's getting what good veteran set up guys should get in terms of AAV, and Harvey will always be considered an injury risk, but I've got to think that over the next 2 years, a healthy Harvey is an incredible value.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Adam Frazier to the Royals. Looks like $4.5 million guaranteed, with around half of that a buy out of a second year mutual option at $8.5 million.

[OfftheBat]

Neris.

Would anyone be really surprised if Hunter Harvey had a better season than Neris? I know Neris has a longer track record, and he's getting what good veteran set up guys should get in terms of AAV, and Harvey will always be considered an injury risk, but I've got to think that over the next 2 years, a healthy Harvey is an incredible value.

Let's hope so!

[Slateman]

Neris.

Would anyone be really surprised if Hunter Harvey had a better season than Neris? I know Neris has a longer track record, and he's getting what good veteran set up guys should get in terms of AAV, and Harvey will always be considered an injury risk, but I've got to think that over the next 2 years, a healthy Harvey is an incredible value.

If you believe in the metrics and advanced analytics, Harvey was better.

[Slateman]

https://twitter.com/kileymcd/status/1752137685227946282?s=46

MLB righties Anthony DeSclafani and Justin Topa along with prospects OF Gabriel Gonzalez and RHP Darren Bowen is the four player return for Polanco, per sources. Believe cash is also involved.

You know .... Tigers might actually be able to win the division

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://twitter.com/kileymcd/status/1752137685227946282?s=46



You know .... Tigers might actually be able to win the division

nice deal for the Mariners. They were also supposed to be in on Cease.

[Slateman]

Eh, I dont think anyone is really in in Cease at this point. White Sox are asking for the moon.

Dont know why the Mariners would want Cease at this point. They basically have his non-Cy Young performance in Woo.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://twitter.com/kileymcd/status/1752137685227946282?s=46



You know .... Tigers might actually be able to win the division

nice deal for the Mariners. They were also supposed to be in on Cease.

Lot of love for the Twins here.
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/twins-and-mariners-link-up-for-intriguing-swap/

Polanco fills a need for 2024 for Mariners, Twins trade from strength (lots of depth) for necessary pitching help and a couple of prospect flyers.

[Slateman]

https://twitter.com/jeffpassan/status/1753228359968961023?s=46&t=_jO1E59uuQJ5dDLwoJaP7Q

Full trade, sources tell me and
@kileymcd
 :

Baltimore receives: RHP Corbin Burnes

Milwaukee receives: IF Joey Ortiz, LHP D.L. Hall and the 34th pick in the 2024 draft

This looks like an absolute steal for the Orioles

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/orioles-nearing-deal-for-corbin-burnes.html

Using FG rankings, Hall was the Os #8 prospect, and 45 FV. Ortiz was #57 this year in MLB, #3 in the Os system, and a 50FV.  hall had a nice MLB debut in middle relief - 19.1 innings, 3.26 ERA, 3.00 FIP, 28.4 K%, 6.2 BB%. Burnes is a free agent next year.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://twitter.com/jeffpassan/status/1753228359968961023?s=46&t=_jO1E59uuQJ5dDLwoJaP7Q

This looks like an absolute steal for the Orioles

It's a 1 year rental, and they gave up a 50FV and a 45FV plus a pretty good pick.

[Slateman]

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1754566041554894939

BREAKING: Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and the Kansas City Royals are in agreement on an 11-year, $288.7 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.

News on the monumental deal with full details, including opt-outs and a club option, free to read at ESPN:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39464757/sources-bobby-witt-jr-agrees-11-year-2888m-deal-royals

Thats a lot.

[imref]

Really need to get Abrams locked up.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

   That's Trea Turner money.

[Slateman]

  That's Trea Turner money.

Yea, well he has an all star season under his belt

Its really not TT money because they're getting his best years at that price, rather than having to pay for declining performance

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yea, well he has an all star season under his belt

Its really not TT money because they're getting his best years at that price, rather than having to pay for declining performance

that's about $26 million a year. with just 2 years service, it starts at $2million for his last prearb year, then escalates 7-13-19-30 for 2025-2028, then is $35 million for 2029-34. options for 2035-37 at $33-$28-$28 million each.  has 4 player opt outs for 2031-34.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

lots of player wins in arbitration today - Mauricio Dubon, Austin Hays, Taylor Ward, and Phil Bickford (who? Mets reliever -$900K).

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Altuve gets 5 year extension - $125 million. Kershaw back for a year.

[IanRubbish]

Really need to get Abrams locked up.

No chance after that Witt contract. 

[Count Walewski]

The Reds signed a 19 year old international FA named Ichiro Cano Hernandez. How the Mariners didn't sign him first is beyond me. He played for Mexico in the WBC.