2021 Initial Free agent list

[navamind]

we signed Rob Refsnyder and Christin Stewart


lol

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Javy Baez will be the new Tiger SS

6 years/$140M

Way less than I was anticipating for him. Can't say I'll miss him. Put up some solid numbers for us but whiffs like crazy and the thumbs down fiasco was pathetic.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

we signed Rob Refsnyder and Christin Stewart


lol

Don't worry, you'll get race baiting primadonna Marcus Stroman.

 

[bksballer89]

we signed Rob Refsnyder and Christin Stewart


lol

 

[molsaniceman]

good grief

According to Chad Dey of Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, the Red Sox have reached agreement on a deal with James Paxton.​

It'll be a one-year, $10 million contract with a two-year club option for 2023 and 2024, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. The overall value could reach as high as $35 million, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Paxton required a second career Tommy John elbow surgery this past April and probably won't be an option for Boston until closer to the second half of the 2022 season. He's been a top-flight starting pitcher in the past but has logged only 21 2/3 total innings (six starts) over the last two years with a 6.65 ERA.

meanwhile

Astros signed RHP Héctor Neris to a two-year, $17 million contract.​

It's official. Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle adds that the deal, which was agreed to earlier this week, also includes an $8.5 million club option for the 2024 season and a $1 million buyout. Neris registered a strong 3.63 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 98/32 K/BB ratio across 74 1/3 innings (74 appearances) with the Phillies last year. He'll give the Astros a proven high-leverage option ahead of veteran stopper Ryan Pressly next season.

Blue Jays signed RHP Kevin Gausman to a five-year, $110 million contract.​

The agreement was first reported Sunday by MLB.com's Jon Morosi and made official by the Blue Jays on Wednesday morning. Gausman has a video press conference scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. The 30-year-old right-hander finished sixth in the 2021 National League Cy Young Award balloting after going 14-6 with a 2.81 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 227/50 K/BB ratio in 192 innings (33 starts) for the Giants. He will slide into a Toronto rotation that also features Jose Berrios, Hyun Jin Ryu, Alek Manoah, and Ross Stripling.

Rangers signed INF Marcus Semien to a seven-year, $175 million contract.​

The deal was agreed to on Sunday and has now been made official ahead of a likely freeze on all MLB transactions come Wednesday night. Semien gets a massive long-term payout from Texas after putting up an .873 OPS with 45 home runs, 102 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and 115 runs scored over 162 games for the Blue Jays in 2021. He served as Toronto's primary second baseman and will presumably do the same for the Rangers with fellow big-money newcomer Corey Seager fitting in at shortstop.

the boston cheap skates

 

[molsaniceman]

Marlins signed OF Avisail Garcia to a four-year, $53 million contract.​

The agreement was reported on Sunday and then made official on Wednesday morning after Garcia passed his physical. The 30-year-old outfielder produced a strong .820 OPS with 29 home runs and 86 RBI in 135 games this past summer for the NL Central-champion Brewers. He can provide a needed offensive boost in Miami.

 

[molsaniceman]

Mets signed RHP Max Scherzer to a three-year, $130 million contract.​

This deal, which carries a record $43.33 million average annual salary, is now officially official. There was some talk in the early part of the offseason that Scherzer might prefer to sign with a West Coast team, but he has made his offseason home in Jupiter, Florida, close to where the Mets conduct spring training. The veteran right-hander pitched to a stellar 2.46 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 236/36 K/BB ratio in 179 1/3 regular-season innings (30 starts) this past year between the Nationals and Dodgers.

 

[molsaniceman]

Rays signed RHP Corey Kluber to a one-year, $8 million contract.​

The now-official one-year agreement also carries up to $5 million in performance-based bonuses relating to the number of games he starts for Tampa Bay. Kluber again struggled with injuries in 2021, but the veteran right-hander registered a 3.83 ERA over 80 innings (16 starts) for the Yankees when healthy and he threw a no-hitter against the Rangers in May. He turns 36 years old next April.

 

[molsaniceman]

Twins signed OF Byron Buxton to a seven-year, $100 million contract extension.​

This new long-term pact was agreed to on Sunday and made official Wednesday ahead of a likely freeze on MLB transactions. Buxton was tremendously productive when healthy in 2021, posting a .306/.358/.647 batting line with 19 home runs, 32 RBI, nine stolen bases, and 50 runs scored over 61 games for Minnesota. Durability remains a concern, but he has all the tools to be a superstar across the length of the contract. The soon-to-be 28-year-old had been scheduled to reach free agency next winter.

 

[navamind]

$10M kinda seems like a lot for a guy who has barely pitched the last two seasons and will at the very least miss the beginning of the season.

 

[nynasty]

$10M kinda seems like a lot for a guy who has barely pitched the last two seasons and will at the very least miss the beginning of the season.

It's the 2 options that make the deal if he can come back healthy.

I always liked his tools, but he never seemed comfortable in NY. Wasn't surprised at all when he signed back out west. Was definitely surprised to see him come back to the AL East.

 

[navamind]

It's the 2 options that make the deal if he can come back healthy.

I always liked his tools, but he never seemed comfortable in NY. Wasn't surprised at all when he signed back out west. Was definitely surprised to see him come back to the AL East.

At least they're not heavily depending on a Paxton rebound. Just signed Rich Hill... again. I do like that they're stockpiling arms. I do like Big Maple. I'd rather try the two out than resign, say, Martin Perez.

 

[bksballer89]

 

[bksballer89]

 

[navamind]

Seems like the Sox made this trade for the prospects. Hopefully Kike remains the primary CF and JBJ is a 4th OF. Renfroe was a very good signing for the $3M he made in 2021, but he's a pretty average player (2.3 WAR). Absolute cannon but watching him track balls felt like an adventure. Good power but it comes with a meager OBP (career .297 and his career high .315 OBP was only the second of his career above .300). Hamilton looks more like a utility guy but Binelas looks like an intriguing corner IF prospect with some real power.

 

[nynasty]

Seems like the Sox made this trade for the prospects. Hopefully Kike remains the primary CF and JBJ is a 4th OF. Renfroe was a very good signing for the $3M he made in 2021, but he's a pretty average player (2.3 WAR). Absolute cannon but watching him track balls felt like an adventure. Good power but it comes with a meager OBP (career .297 and his career high .315 OBP was only the second of his career above .300). Hamilton looks more like a utility guy but Binelas looks like an intriguing corner IF prospect with some real power.

Is Milwaukee helping with the $12M due Bradley?

I knew he was bad last year, but didn't realize quite how dreadful. I know he's a defense first guy, but man, he stunk.

 

[navamind]

Is Milwaukee helping with the $12M due Bradley?

I knew he was bad last year, but didn't realize quite how dreadful. I know he's a defense first guy, but man, he stunk.

I can't imagine he'll hit any worse than a 35 wRC+ again, but Steamer projecting a 76 wRC+ doesn't give me too much optimism.

 

[molsaniceman]

The Astros did not make the re-signing of Justin Verlander official prior to the lockout.​

And it can't become official until a new CBA is in place, which means Verlander is still technically a free agent. It's curious, because reports of Verlander's one-year, $25 million deal (with a $25 million player option for 2023) surfaced two weeks prior to the expiration of the previous CBA. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes that the "logical conclusion is that an issue arose" with Verlander's physical. That's just speculation at this point, though. Verlander hasn't commented on the situation and the Astros aren't able to during the lockout. The 38-year-old, of course, is on the comeback trail from Tommy John surgery.