2024-25 Off-season (Non-Nats)

[imref]

Braves trade Jorge Soler to the Angels for RHP Griffin Canning

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Options exercised on Brandon Lowe, Jordan Montgomery, Giolito and Rhys Hoskins

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Snell opts out

[Slateman]

https://x.com/kileymcd/status/1852747413124960542?s=46

Gerritt Cole opted out of his contract

Edit: Apparently the Yankees can retain him if they add a 5th year to his contract. So, basically, 5 years, 180 million

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://x.com/kileymcd/status/1852747413124960542?s=46

Gerritt Cole opted out of his contract

interesting. He missed Houston's championships so he has none on his resume. I wonder if he's waiting to see if the Yankees keep Soto or otherwise plug their holes. He may want to abandon ship. Who knows, he may even want to go to LAD. They have rotation holes.

[Slateman]

interesting. He missed Houston's championships so he has none on his resume. I wonder if he's waiting to see if the Yankees keep Soto or otherwise plug their holes. He may want to abandon ship. Who knows, he may even want to go to LAD. They have rotation holes.

Yankees have until Monday to add the year, otherwise he is a free agent.

[imref]

https://x.com/kileymcd/status/1852747413124960542?s=46

Gerritt Cole opted out of his contract

Edit: Apparently the Yankees can retain him if they add a 5th year to his contract. So, basically, 5 years, 180 million

Bowden says the Yankees will add the year at $36 million to keep him.

Anthony Rizzo is a free agent now.

[imref]

Cody Bellinger exercises his option. Will remain with Chicago.

[nfotiu]

Would Cole really get 5/180 in free agency.   That seems absurd to give out to a pitcher who is 34 and starting to break down.   Picking up that option seems as bad as the Nats signing Strasburg after his opt out.

[Slateman]

Would Cole really get 5/180 in free agency.   That seems absurd to give out to a pitcher who is 34 and starting to break down.   Picking up that option seems as bad as the Nats signing Strasburg after his opt out.

That's where I'm at. If they signed Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, or Shane Bieber and signed Soto, that virtually resets their window.

[Slateman]

https://x.com/dennistlin/status/1852745905969184825?s=46&t=CrtVRvY0yg9yvSaHifgWcA

Ha-Seong Kim declined his mutual option. He is a free agent

[Slateman]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2025-top-50-mlb-free-agents/

Fangraphs Top 50 free agents with contract predictions

[Slateman]

The Pete Alonso predictions are really interesting. The Mets offered him a 7 year, 158 million (22 AAV) in June of 2023.

FG has him ranging from 7 years/120 million to 5/125. That would be wild. And I would be very interested in him for the Nats at 5 years.

[imref]

Gerrit Cole staying with the Yankees. He's cancelling his opt out and negotiating an extension.

[imref]

Nightengale says the Phillies are open to offers for Bohm, Castelanos, and Marsh.

[nfotiu]

Gerrit Cole staying with the Yankees. He's cancelling his opt out and negotiating an extension.

That's kinda wild.   I guess Boras was pretty sure the Yankees were going to give that extra year, and Yankees basically called his bluff.  Is there really going to be an extension?  Boras has no leverage any more, and I'm sure the Yankees don't want an extension.

[imref]

Per Heyman, Roki Sasaki posting. Dodgers considered the favorites to sign him because of course.

[varoadking]

Per Heyman, Roki Sasaki posting. Dodgers considered the favorites to sign him because of course.

Who dat?

[Slateman]

Who dat?

Younger version of Yamamoto/Darvish

[Mattionals]

Rizzo should really really push for Sasaki. It's the age and cap on cost. Sure he will go to the Dodgers, but having another pitcher, even if he isn't an ace, is something we could really use.

[Slateman]

Rizzo should really really push for Sasaki. It's the age and cap on cost. Sure he will go to the Dodgers, but having another pitcher, even if he isn't an ace, is something we could really use.

Sasaki is going to the Dodgers. They have the largest bonus pool.

[welch]

Sasaki is going to the Dodgers. They have the largest bonus pool.

Depends when Sasaki's team posts him. If right now, then the Dodgers have $2 million left in their international bonus pool. If after December 15, then the pools reset.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/11/09/roki-sasaki-mlb-posting/

[imref]

D’arnaud to LAA

[Senatorswin]

After what happened to the pitchers who signed just prior to the start of the 2024 season I don't think I'd wait to the last second to sign this year if I was a high dollar pitcher in demand.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mlb/2024/11/18/nick-martinez-reds-qualifying-offer/43fd13fe-a5e3-11ef-a365-f28068283fb3_story.html

He accepts the QO.

I think guys should take more QOs if it is a close decision. No Soto level, but for many guys, get the one QO out of the way early, then you can't be given a QO again. That makes your next contract free of the "but I lose a pick" tag that lowers the value of your long term contract. [edit - to be clear, having been offered a QO, that's the one time it can be done regardless of whether it is accepted. It's just the question of whether you are better off going to the market next year without the acquiring team facing penalties]

I suppose the math is "is the AAV of the contract I can sign this year after rejecting a QO so much better than the contract I will get next year + the $21 million for this year. " There's a bit of risk, but these guys have probably taken on risk by declining prior attempts of their teams to sign them long term.