giants designated for assignment

San Francisco Giants | SF Giants DFA Nick Ahmed; activate Blake Snell,…

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San francisco giants | sf giants dfa nick ahmed; activate blake snell, 2 infielders from injured list, brett wisely appeared primed to take over for ahmed, who appeared in 54 games, batting .232 with an ops of .581.

Ahmed, 34, was designated for assignment in a series of roster moves that also activated another pair of infielders, Thairo Estrada and Wilmer Flores, from the injured list, along with Blake Snell, signaling their comfort moving forward with Brett Wisely and Tyler Fitzgerland splitting shortstop duties moving forward.

“We felt like with Fitzy, he’s here not really getting to play a whole lot, doesn’t know what his role is when he gets to play,” manager Bob Melvin said. “With younger players, that’s more difficult. And Wisely had played really well at shortstop too. So with Estrada coming back, a tough decision, but there’s a little bit more youth here now than a couple days ago.”

The Giants had one open spot on their active roster after trading Austin Slater to Cincinnati on Sunday and created another by optioning recent waiver claim Kolton Ingram, a 27-year-old left-hander, to Triple-A Sacramento.

Likewise, Melvin said, moving on from Slater was in order to give more opportunities to another young player, Luis Matos.

“We felt Luis should get some more reps, based on how he played earlier,” Melvin said. “And it’s tougher not knowing your role. Younger players need some more reps and at-bats. This is one way of doing it for him.”

Initially signed as an insurance plan to top prospect Marco Luciano at shortstop in spring training, Ahmed went on to win the Opening Day job and appeared in 52 games, maintaining his strong defensive reputation while providing some timely hits but holding a batting average of .232 and an OPS of .581.

With Estrada out since June 28 with a sprained wrist, Wisely had handled duties at second base alongside Ahmed at short, but with Estrada returning his normal spot, the move allows the Giants to continue to give consistent playing time to Wisely, a 25-year-old left-handed hitter who can play three infield spots and has been a sensation at the plate, batting .278 with three home runs despite his diminutive 5-foot-9 frame.

Tyler Fitzgerald, a right-handed hitter, should also receive more opportunities against left-handed pitching, Melvin said.

“You don’t see as many lefties, so Wisely is going to get the most at-bats,” Melvin said. “Wisely has swung the bat pretty well against lefties, but I think both of them are going to get an opportunity to play and know where they’re going to play and prepare for that.”

At Triple-A, Luciano has been taking reps at second base and occasionally DHing while batting .230 with a .687 OPS.

With left-hander Yusei Kikuchi on the mound for Toronto, Flores slotted back into the starting lineup at first base. He went on the injured list the same day as Estrada, with right knee tendonitis.

Snell is set to make his first start since a groin strain sent him to the injured list for a second time this season.

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Giants Designate Veteran Shortstop Nick Ahmed for Assignment

• By Matthew Coleman

• San Francisco Giants
• July 9, 2024

Giants Designate Nick Ahmed for Assignment

The San Francisco Giants announced Tuesday afternoon that they are cutting ties with shortstop Nick Ahmed . The 34-year-old infielder inked a minor league deal during spring training. Ahmed made the Opening Day roster, replacing longtime Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford .

Similar to Crawford, Ahmed’s value comes in the field. Ahmed spent 10 seasons in the National League West with the Arizona Diamondbacks , anchoring their defense. The Diamondbacks released Ahmed before making their postseason run last fall.

Much like Austin Slater , whom the Giants traded to the Cincinnati   Reds two days prior, Ahmed has struggled offensively. He has batted .232 with a .581 OPS and .303 slugging percentage in 52 games with the Giants in 2024, good for a –0.2 WAR.

Internal Replacement Options

For now, the Giants currently have three options on the active roster that can platoon until there’s an everyday starter. Tyler Fitzgerald will start Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays . Middle infielder Brett Wisely should get significant playing time, given his play as of late. Second baseman Thairo Estrada also gives the Giants depth at the position.

Marco Luciano sits in the No. 3 spot in the Giants’ Top Prospect Rankings by MLB.com. The 22-year-old shortstop has only played in 24 games at the major league level, playing in 10 games while Ahmed dealt with injury. His offensive potential shone in limited action, but his defensive paralysis was a problem, specifically late in ballgames.

External Replacement Options

A popular rumor that has circulated as the trade deadline approaches is a trade for Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette . The Blue Jays begin a three-game set with the Giants Tuesday night. Both Bichette and the Blue Jays are in the midst of down years. A trade would likely involve Luciano.

The Giants have also been linked to Miami Marlins IF/OF Jazz Chisholm Jr. His defensive versatility and ability to play multiple positions could be intriguing to the Giants. The Marlins are expected to be sellers, having sent Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres earlier this year.

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Matthew Coleman

Matthew Coleman is a student journalist at Long Beach State, where he works for the campus newspaper, the Daily 49er. He was a finalist for "Best Sports Writing" at the Los Angeles Press Club Awards in June 2024. Matthew is a huge Bay Area sports fan with his favorite team being the San Francisco Giants, some of his favorite players growing up were Tim Lincecum, Buster Posey, and Pablo Sandoval.

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Giants surprisingly designate pitcher for assignment.

• June 30, 2024

Vanessa Serrao

The San Francisco Giants made a roster move today and designated pitcher Spencer Howard for assignment, who is a former top prospect. He’s recorded decent results this year with a 1-1 record and a 3.80 ERA across 21 1/3 innings of work. The 27-year-old right-handed pitcher was born and raised in Templeton, California. Right-handed pitcher Landen Roupp was called up from Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move.

#SFGiants roster moves: • RHP Landen Roupp (#65) recalled from Triple-A Sacramento. • RHP Spencer Howard designated for assignment. — SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 30, 2024

Giants Shockingly DFA Spencer Howard

In his five-year MLB career, Howard has also played for the Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers. Howard’s DFA is somewhat puzzling. Not really because he’s some valuable asset that the Giants can’t afford to lose, but because Luke Jackson still has a job with a 6.23 ERA on the season. Howard has been serviceable on a staff overwhelmed by the injury bug . That trend continued when the Giants recently placed two infielders on the IL ( Wilmer Flores and Thairo Estrada ). But the Giants are not the only team dealing with injuries. Practically every team in MLB has been plagued with injuries .

Howard is a solid spot starter. However, it appears the Giants have a preference for veterans, which could be the issue. But with the Giants letting him go, he will succeed somewhere else and find a new home soon. Furthermore, considering that this season, he has put up the best numbers compared to past seasons despite being a small sample size, it’s an odd move that some fans are questioning. Howard has spent most of his career with the Rangers (three seasons from 2021-2023). Aside from this season, his numbers have left something to be desired, with his lowest ERA being 5.92, dating back to 2020 with the Phillies. The 25-year-old Roupp is in his first season with the Giants. The Rocky Mount, NC native sports a 5.27 ERA this season.

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Melvin explains Giants' decision to DFA former No. 2 pick Bart

By alex pavlovic • published march 31, 2024 • updated on march 31, 2024 at 12:45 pm.

SAN DIEGO -- For three days at Petco Park, Joey Bart hung out after games, unsure of what was next. He seemed to be in a good mood, even though the hammer was about to drop on his Giants career at some point. 

Bart often was put in awkward positions, but he handled it all well, including this spring when he showed up without a path to a consistent big-league job. Bart was so impressive in the spring, on and off the field, that the Giants carried him through Opening Day, hoping to kick the decision down the road long enough that they might be able to keep the former No. 2 overall pick in the organization.

Those hopes finally were fully dashed on Sunday, when Bart was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for right-hander Daulton Jefferies, who has been waiting all week to start the fourth game of the season. 

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There seems little chance that Bart gets through waivers given the constant need around the league for catching. Multiple rival scouts have said in recent days that their teams have an eye on Bart, and Bob Melvin spoke with some finality on Sunday morning when talking about the decision.

"At the end of the day if he's in the big leagues and he's getting to play and he's in a better place, then we wish him the best," Melvin said. "He worked awfully hard for us this spring. He had a great attitude the whole time, knowing that this could potentially happen. It's about moving on, and sometimes when you have to move on from your first team it's hard, but I think he's going to get a better opportunity than he would have been afforded here."

Bart ended up playing just 162 games for the Giants over parts of four seasons. His first professional season was wrecked by two hand fractures on inside pitches, and a year later the Giants rushed him to the big leagues because Buster Posey opted out during the pandemic and the two other options were struggling defensively. Bart had so many odd things happen that he only played 22 games in Double-A and less than a full season's worth in Triple-A with the Giants. 

The odds seem good that he now will get another shot in the big leagues, and he said in a text on Sunday that he's excited for what's to come. The Giants didn't lose faith in Bart this spring, they simply ran out of ways to keep him in the organization since he is out of minor-league options.

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"This spring, a lot of his talent level was starting to rise," Melvin said. "I know it was a quick ascent for him and he was coming in after a legend here and things don't go smoothly right away and all of a sudden you're up and down. That can be hard and hard on your psyche, as well, but I think he got past that this year and came into spring training in a good place. 

"He was just looking forward to having a good spring, knowing that something like this might happen."

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Giants DFA former first-round pick Bart

Maria Guardado

SAN DIEGO -- Joey Bart 's turbulent tenure with the Giants came to an end on Sunday, when the No. 2 overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft was designated for assignment prior to the club’s series finale at Petco Park.

The Giants carried Bart on their Opening Day roster as their third catcher, but they had to make a tough decision to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for right-hander Daulton Jefferies, who started against the Padres on Sunday after having his contract selected from Triple-A Sacramento.

They ultimately opted to cut Bart, who was out of options and didn’t have a clear path to playing time after falling behind Patrick Bailey and Tom Murphy on the catching depth chart.

“It’s difficult,” manager Bob Melvin said. “All of these are. But at the end of the day, if he’s in the big leagues and he’s getting to play and he’s in a better place, then you wish him the best. He worked awfully hard for us this spring. He had a great attitude the whole time, knowing that this could potentially happen. It’s about moving on. Sometimes when you have to move on from your first team it’s hard. But I think he’s going to get a better opportunity than he would have been afforded here.”

Bart, 27, was viewed as Buster Posey’s heir apparent when he was selected with the organization’s highest Draft pick in 33 years, but he struggled to establish himself in the Majors after batting .219 with a .623 OPS over 162 games in parts of four seasons in San Francisco.

The Giants were forced to rush Bart to the Majors after Posey opted out of the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, leaving the young backstop to try to navigate his first Major League season without the help of another veteran catcher.

Bart didn’t get much of a chance to serve as Posey’s apprentice the following year, spending most of the season at Triple-A Sacramento and making only two appearances for the 107-win Giants. He returned to the Minors after being supplanted by Bailey as the Giants’ catcher of the future last year, hitting .248 with a .750 OPS and six homers over 60 games for the River Cats.

Bart’s days with the Giants appeared numbered after they brought in Murphy to back up Bailey over the offseason, but he still drew praise from the new coaching staff for his attitude and the way he came into camp this spring. While it didn’t work out with the Giants, Bart could be a prime change-of-scenery candidate and should benefit from a fresh opportunity to stick somewhere else.

“It looked to me like he’s developed, certainly this spring,” Melvin said. “A lot of the talent level was starting to rise. I know it was a quick ascent for him, and it was difficult. You’re coming in after a legend here. Things don’t go smoothly right away, and now all of a sudden, you’re up and down. That can be hard, and hard on your psyche as well. But I think he got passed that this year and came into Spring Training in a good place.”

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Orioles Designate Reliever Craig Kimbrel for Assignment After Meltdown Against Giants

Patrick andres | sep 18, 2024.

• Baltimore Orioles

In the wake of a complete collapse against the San Francisco Giants Tuesday, the Baltimore Orioles are parting ways with a veteran reliever.

The Orioles have designated pitcher Craig Kimbrel for assignment, they announced Wednesday afternoon. In Baltimore's 10–0 loss to the Giants Thursday, Kimbrel surrendered six earned runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Kimbrel pitched in 57 games for the Orioles this season, going 7-5 with a 5.33 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings.

Once one of the most feared closers in baseball, Kimbrel has nine career All-Star appearances to his name. The 36-year-old's 440 career saves rank fifth in baseball history, and trail only Kenley Jansen among active pitchers.

The Orioles did it: They DFA’d Craig Kimbrel. — Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) September 18, 2024

In an otherwise rock-solid season for Baltimore, its bullpen has been a major question mark. With Kimbrel presumably on his way out the door, pitcher Seranthony Dominiguez is now the Orioles' saves leader with nine.

Baltimore is currently 84-67, four games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East division.

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Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .

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Orioles designate reliever Craig Kimbrel for assignment

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) returns to the dugout during a pitching change after he gave up six runs during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Craig Kimbrel reacts after giving up a two-run double to Boston Red Sox’s Ceddanne Rafaela during the seventh inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel delivers during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

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BALTIMORE (AP) — Craig Kimbrel’s time with the Baltimore Orioles is over.

The Orioles designated their former closer for assignment Wednesday following the latest in a series of rough outings.

Kimbrel gave up six runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning of relief in Baltimore’s 10-0 home loss to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night. Kimbrel has a 13.94 ERA in his last 11 appearances over the past month.

A nine-time All-Star, Kimbrel has pitched in 837 games and amassed a whopping 440 saves. But this season, his first with Baltimore, the right-hander has a 5.33 ERA with six blown saves.

The last of his 23 saves with the Orioles came on July 7. Not long after that, following several poor performances, Kimbrel desperately tried to regain the form that enabled him to pitch in the back end of the bullpen since breaking into the big leagues in 2010 with Atlanta.

It never happened.

“Tough day,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We have so much respect for Craig and his career. It’s never easy to say goodbye to someone who’s done a lot.”

The Orioles have lost eight of 11 games to fall four back of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. In a corresponding roster move, they recalled right-hander Bryan Baker from Triple-A Norfolk.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias signed Kimbrel to a $13 million contract in December to fill the void left by Félix Bautista, who had 48 saves last year before going on the disabled list with an elbow injury. Bautista underwent Tommy John surgery, which kept him sidelined for the entire 2024 season.

Kimbrel’s 23 saves before the All-Star Game helped the defending AL East champions hit the break atop the division.

“Heck of a first half for us. Helped us win a ton of games,” Hyde said.

Kimbrel’s decline began with a blown save on July 14 against the Yankees. He got the win in that game despite allowing three runs in the ninth inning.

“The game here against New York, that was a struggle, and he never got rolling after that,” Hyde said.

Kimbrel blew a save on July 25 in Miami and took a loss the following day against San Diego. At that point, Hyde began using Kimbrel in no-pressure situations in the hope that the 36-year-old would regain the form that landed him in fifth place on the career saves list.

“I tried to give him low-leverage spots, and it seemed like when there were runners on base he had a tough time not allowing that run to score,” Hyde said.

Hyde knew of Kimbrel’s sensational past, but there were only a few glimpses of that pitcher recently.

“He’s a Hall of Famer to me,” Hyde said. “Craig has done some amazing things in his career. To be able to pitch in the innings he’s pitched, for that long with that type of pressure, there are only a handful of guys who have been able to do that.”

Seranthony Domínguez, obtained in a July trade with the Phillies, has taken over the closer’s role for Baltimore.

“When we got him in the trade, it wasn’t like the next day we were saying Seranthony is going to be the closer now,” Hyde said. “It was more of need at that point because Craig was struggling a little bit.”

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Giants' Raymond Burgos: Designated for assignment

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The Giants designated Burgos for assignment Wednesday, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.

In the span of just two days, Burgos has been selected from Triple-A, optioned back to the minors and now will lose his spot on the 40-man roster. The 25-year-old lefty gave up a run during his only MLB appearance Monday but sports a 1.64 ERA in Triple-A, which could spark some interest from other organizations in need of bullpen help. Hayden Birdsong was selected from Sacramento in a corresponding move.

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Previewing The 2024-25 Free Agent Class: Starting Pitcher

By Steve Adams | September 27, 2024 at 2:19pm CDT

MLBTR’s positional preview of the upcoming free agent class continues with a look at the starting pitching market. It’s a deep group headlined by multiple former Cy Young winners and a “second tier” of front-of-the-rotation arms who are likely to command nine-figure deals.

Player ages, listed in parenthesis, are for the 2025 season. Stats are through play on September 25. Only players who have appeared in the majors this year are included.

Other Entries:  Catcher  |  First Base  |  Second Base  |  Shortstop  |  Third Base   |  Center Field | Corner Outfield | Designated Hitter

Former Cy Young Winners in Their Prime

Corbin Burnes (30)

Burnes will likely command the largest contract of any pitcher in the class. He’s two years younger than Blake Snell , healthier than Max Fried and has the best recent track record of any pitcher on this year’s market. Dating back to 2020, Burnes touts a 2.88 ERA in 811 2/3 innings. He’s currently working on his fourth sub-3.00 ERA during that five-year span and his third straight season of 32 or more starts (four straight years with 28+ starts).

Burnes isn’t without his red flags. He’s nowhere near the strikeout machine he was earlier in his career. This year’s 22.4% strikeout rate is only narrowly north of the 22% league average for starting pitchers. He’s not homer-prone, averaging exactly one big fly per nine innings pitched, but that’s still a marked increase over the 0.36 HR/9 he averaged in 2020-21 — when he was still punching out 36% of his opponents.

That said, Burnes is throwing harder than ever, sporting career-high average velocities on both his cutter (95.3 mph) and sinker (97 mph), per Statcast. He’s avoiding hard contact and free passes alike, sitting on a 6.1% walk rate that would give him a better-than-average rate in three of the past four seasons. Burnes doesn’t look as overpowering as he did in his Cy Young season, but he’s still a durable workhorse and one of the ten or so best pitchers in the sport. In the past decade, there have only been nine free-agent deals of six years or more for a pitcher beginning in his age-30 season or later. Burnes will very likely become the tenth as he and agent Scott Boras aim for a $200MM+ deal. He’ll receive and reject a qualifying offer from the Orioles.

Blake Snell (32)

Snell didn’t land the $200MM+ he was seeking last year, with skeptics surely wary of his sky-high walk rate and his relatively up-and-down history. His two-year, $62MM deal with the Giants contains an opt out that’ll let him reenter the market, however. Early this season, that clause looked like a non-factor. Snell missed most of spring training while his free agency lingered, was rocked for 15 runs in 11 2/3 innings through his first three starts, and went on the injured list with an adductor strain. He returned in late May, served up another 10 runs in 12 innings, and went back on the 15-day IL.

A bit more than a month later, Snell not only returned from the injured list — he returned to form. And then some. With the adductor injury behind him and the rust of a missed spring training shaken off, Snell looks better than ever. He no-hit the Reds in Cincinnati on Aug. 2 and has recorded double-digit strikeouts five times, including a career-high 15 punches against the Rockies on July 27. Snell has rattled off 80 1/3 innings of 1.23 ERA ball and worked six-plus innings in 10 of 14 starts since returning. He’s whiffed 38.1% of his opponents in that time against a 10% walk rate that’s still higher than average but worlds better than the 13.4% mark he posted in 2023.

Snell is arguably the best pitcher in baseball at the moment. The early struggles now look like anomaly. Snell has a 2.82 ERA over the past three seasons now (2.57 since Opening Day 2023), and he’s whiffed 32.4% of his opponents in that time. He’s been too dominant to be limited to a short-term deal this time around, unless he simply prefers the high-AAV, opt-out gambit. He should get the big contract that eluded him last winter. He’s unlikely to command $200MM, but a five- or six-year deal with a premium AAV should be on the table, especially since he cannot be issued a second qualifying offer after receiving one last winter.

Other Potential No. 1 Starters

Jack Flaherty (29)

After several seasons marred by injuries, Flaherty enjoyed a mostly healthy season in 2023 — just in time for free agency. His 4.99 ERA between the Cardinals and Orioles was hardly appealing, but he hit the market as a 28-year-old former top prospect who, earlier in his career, looked to be emerging as one of the NL’s better young arms. Flaherty bet on himself with a one-year deal in Detroit, and he now looks very much like that budding ace we saw back in 2019 and in the healthy portion of his 2021 season. In 162 innings, Flaherty has turned in a 3.17 ERA with a terrific 29.9% strikeout rate and very strong 5.9% walk rate. He’s hit a bit of a rough patch with a 6.43 ERA over his past three starts, but that’s only 14 innings.

The Tigers traded Flaherty to the Dodgers prior to the deadline, thus rendering him ineligible for a qualifying offer. There was some concern about the health of his back, but he’s made every start since that swap and carries a sharp 3.58 ERA with Los Angeles. If his struggles continue into the postseason and/or he misses a start due to back discomfort, his health could become a larger issue in free agency. As it stands though, he’s heading back to the open market ahead of his age-29 season and coming off a terrific all-around season. His age will give him a chance at landing a six-year deal, and even on five years he’s pitched well enough for an AAV that’d push him north of $100MM.

Max Fried (31)

Fried — Flaherty’s high school teammate — hasn’t had his best season, but he’s picked up the pace at the right time, rattling off seven starts and 44 innings of 2.86 ERA ball dating back to late August. That’s dropped his season-long ERA to a quality 3.42 mark. It’s not quite the same standard we’ve come to expect from Fried, who posted a combined 2.66 earned run average from 2020-23, but when your “down” season is a 3.42 in 165 2/3 innings, you’re in strong position for free agency.

Fried hasn’t been ultra-durable, never topping 30 starts or reaching 190 innings in a season, but he’s been consistently excellent since establishing himself in Atlanta’s rotation back in 2019. He’s given the Braves 816 frames of 3.09 ERA ball in that time, with his only real long-term injury coming last season, when he missed nearly three months with a left forearm strain. That same forearm sent him back to the shelf for two weeks in 2024, this time for neuritis (inflammation of a nerve). There could be some trepidation regarding that forearm in free agency, but Fried is a borderline ace with a pair of All-Star nods, two top-five Cy Young finishes and even three Gold Gloves. Only five pitchers in the past decade have scored a six-year deal in free agency as they head into their age-31 season, but Fried has a good chance to add to the list. He’ll receive and reject a qualifying offer.

Mid-Rotation Arms

Matthew Boyd (34)

Boyd has come roaring back from 2023 Tommy John surgery, stepping up in a big way for the AL Central-champion Guardians. He’s made eight starts since coming off the injured list and snapped off a 2.72 ERA with a big 27.7% strikeout rate and strong 7.8% walk rate. The injury bug has been a constant thorn in Boyd’s side, as he hasn’t made a full season of starts since taking the mound 12 times in the truncated 2020 season. The last time Boyd pitched more than 15 games in a season was back in 2019. Boyd has long shown the ability to miss bats and limit his walks. He has, at times, appeared on the cusp of breaking out as a big-name pitcher. He’s back at that precipice again, and while his age and injury history are going to limit the length of his contract, he could still secure a two- or three-year pact on the back of his outstanding rebound.

Andrew Heaney (34)

Like Boyd, Heaney at multiple points early in his career appeared primed for a breakout. It never happened with the Angels, as he was oft-injured and inconsistent when healthy. Heaney landed with the Dodgers on a one-year deal in his first foray into free agency and parlayed a big showing in another injury-shortened campaign into two years with the Rangers. He’ll return to the market as a more solidified starter, having tossed 303 1/3 innings of 4.06 ERA ball over the past two seasons (including a 3.98 mark this year). Add in his brilliant half season in L.A., and Heaney can sell teams on 376 innings of 3.88 ERA ball with strong strikeout and walk rates (25.7% and 7.4%, respectively). Another multi-year deal should be there.

Yusei Kikuchi (34)

Clearly talented but lacking consistency, Kikuchi may have finally found a recipe for success after being traded to Houston. The Astros have more than doubled his slider usage and reduced his curveball to a seldom-used change-of-pace offering. He’s annihilated opponents since the trade, spouting off 60 innings with a 2.70 ERA, 31.8% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate. Kikuchi is still sporting a heater that averages better than 95 mph, and he’s now missing bats and eschewing walks at career-best rates. His age won’t help his case in free agency, but the trade ensures that he can’t be hit with a qualifying offer. He’s wrapping up a three-year, $36MM deal right now that was signed largely based on potential and upside. He could find a larger three-year deal this time around now that he’s manifested that upside into high-end results.

Nick Pivetta (32)

Pivetta misses bats at plus rates and has improved his command considerably in recent seasons, placing him among the league leaders in K-BB% since 2023. Excellent as his rate stats are, however, they’re frequently undercut by his penchant for serving up home runs. Pivetta is among the most homer-prone starters in the sport, with a career 1.54 HR/9 mark and a whopping 1.81 homers per nine frames this season. Metrics like SIERA and xFIP, which normalize homer-to-flyball rate, frequently peg Pivetta in the mid-3.00s despite his earned run average regularly clocking into the mid-4.00s. It’s still likely that teams will be tantalized by his K-BB profile, however, and also by his durability. Pivetta missed a month earlier this season with a minor flexor strain, but that’s the only time he’s been on the big league injured list (outside a pair of stints on the Covid-related injured list a few years back). He’s a candidate for a two- or three-year deal, especially for clubs that play in pitcher-friendly parks.

Luis Severino (31)

Injuries ruined Severino’s final few years in the Bronx — but not in New York. He signed a one-year pact with the Mets last offseason as has proven to be one of the best short-term pickups for any club. Severino’s average fastball is down from its 97.7 mph peak but still sitting at a healthy 96.3 mph. He’s chewed up 182 innings over 31 starts for the Amazins and turned in a sharp 3.91 ERA along the way. His formerly plus strikeout rate is now a bit below average, at 21.2%, but his 7.9% walk rate and 46% grounder rates are plenty good. He’s also inducing infield flies at the best rate of his career, and his career-high 23 pop-ups generated this year are just as good as strikeouts. Severino has a big pedigree but hasn’t seen his results return to the ace-level form he displayed in 2017-18. He’s a qualifying offer candidate and could potentially even accept, but we’ve seen less-successful pitchers command strong four-year deals in recent years (e.g. Taijuan Walker , Jameson Taillon ).

Spencer Turnbull (32)

A lat strain derailed what was shaping up as an excellent rebound campaign for Turnbull. The longtime Tigers hurler has been sidelined for two months with that injury and only pitched 31 innings from 2022-23 due to Tommy John surgery. He inked a $2MM deal with the Phils last winter and has given them 54 1/3 frames between the rotation and bullpen, notching a tidy 2.65 earned run average with a big 26.1% strikeout rate. His 9% walk rate is a bit higher than average but only by a percentage point. His velocity is down nearly two miles per hour from peak levels, but Turnbull looked impressive when healthy and could find the first multi-year deal of his career if he finishes on a healthy note. He’s on a rehab assignment right now and could factor into the postseason pitching plans.

Fourth/Fifth Starters

Chris Flexen (30)

Flexen has been on a good run since late August, logging a sub-4.00 ERA in his past eight trips to the bump. That’s still only dropped him to a 4.95 mark on the season overall. He’s cleared 160 innings with below-average strikeout and grounder rates while yielding too many homers. It’s not a great profile, but he’s having a much better season than he did in 2023, when he landed a $1.75MM guarantee from the White Sox in free agency. Perhaps they’ll give him a raise and keep him for a similar role in 2025. If not, Flexen could slot into the back of a rebuilding club’s rotation on a cheap one-year pact.

Michael Lorenzen (33)

Lorenzen is in his third year as a starter and has signed three one-year deals in his previous trips through free agency. This year’s 3.37 ERA is his best out of a rotation, but his middling strikeout and walk rates (17.8% and 11.4%), coupled with his age, are going to limit interest to an extent. He could still land a two-year deal, and even if he takes another one-year pact, he should still get a raise on this year’s $4MM guarantee.

Frankie Montas (32)

Montas was dominant for the 2021 A’s and has been mediocre since, due in no small part to shoulder surgery that wiped out nearly all of his 2023 season. His one-year deal with the Reds (who eventually traded him to the Brewers) has produced lackluster results. Montas’ 4.85 ERA isn’t much to look at, but he’s at least proven to be healthy (29 starts, 146 2/3 innings). He’s also seen a velocity spike and uptick in swinging strikes since being traded to Milwaukee, but it still feels like he’s probably looking at another one-year deal.

Martin Perez (34)

Perez is eating innings one five-inning start at a time. He posted bleak numbers with the Pirates but has flourished since a trade to the Padres, for whom he’s made nine starts and notched a 2.61 ERA. Perez’s strikeout and walk rates have improved as San Diego more than doubled his curveball usage, but he still misses fewer bats than average. He’s a durable fifth starter who’ll likely land another one-year pact in free agency.

Joe Ross (32)

Ross missed the 2022-23 seasons due to injury but returned to the majors with Milwaukee this season and has turned in a 3.93 ERA in 71 frames. He’s split his time between the rotation and bullpen, but he showed well as a starter early in the season. He’s throwing harder than ever and still just 31 years old. His injury history probably limits him to one-year offers, but he’s a sneaky candidate to plug into a rotation on an incentive-laden deal.

Jose Urena (33)

Urena rode a minor league deal to a season-long spot on the Rangers’ staff. He’s pitched in 33 games, nine of them starts, and logged a 3.80 ERA despite a bottom-of-the-barrel 15.1% strikeout rate. He doesn’t have great command, but Urena throws hard and racks up grounders. This is his first season with an ERA under 5.00 since 2018. He could land a small one-year deal as a fifth starter or swingman.

Trevor Williams (33)

Williams was brilliant in 11 starts before a forearm strain cost him more than three months. He returned last week with five one-run innings against the Cubs. Williams has a 2.19 ERA on the year, but teams will take that with a grain of salt, given that it’s accompanied by an average strikeout rate (22.3%) and a heater that sits at 89 mph. He posted a 4.54 ERA overall in his two seasons as a National. This year’s showing might get him another two-year deal, but a soft-tossing 33-year-old coming off an injury-shortened season feels likelier to command a one-year deal.

Older Veterans

Alex Cobb (37)

Cobb’s return from hip surgery was slowed by a shoulder issue and blister troubles during his rehab process. He was traded from San Francisco to Cleveland before making his 2024 debut. The Guardians have gotten just three starts out of him due to blisters and a cracked fingernail on his pitching hand. Cobb was quite good from 2021-23. He should be able to land an incentive-laden one-year contract.

Patrick Corbin (35)

Corbin was an indispensable piece of the Nationals’ 2019 World Series run, but the final five seasons of his six-year deal have been a disaster. To his credit, he’s been durable and continued to eat up innings, even as his results have withered, which has at least helped spare the bullpen and avoid relying too heavily on untested young arms. Corbin has a 5.62 ERA this year — his fourth straight season over 5.00. He’s actually had more competitive starts than one might think, as his ERA is skewed by a handful of meltdowns (10 earned runs, eight earned runs, and a pair of seven earned run outings). He’s still looking at a one-year, innings-eater deal at best.

Charlie Morton (41)

Morton hasn’t yet indicated whether he’ll pitch again in his age-41 season. He hasn’t had his best showing in ’24, but 161 innings with a 4.08 ERA and a 24% strikeout rate that’s still better than average suggest he could have something left in the tank. He’s been back with the Braves for four years now, and if he wants to continue, another year at Truist Park makes the most sense.

Jose Quintana (36)

Quintana looked like he was running out of gas in mid-August. He’s since tossed at least six shutout frames in four of his past five outings. He’s allowed just one earned run in his past 32 frames and is now sporting a sharp 3.74 ERA on the season. His two-year deal with the Mets has been a success. He’ll hit the market in search of a similar pact but might have to settle for one year based on his age.

Max Scherzer (40)

Scherzer only made it into nine games this year after undergoing offseason back surgery. He never looked fully healthy, sitting on a career-low 92.6 mph average fastball and averaging fewer than five innings per start. The future Hall of Famer still kept his ERA just under 4.00 with solid strikeout and walk rates. If he wants to pitch in his age-40 season, he’ll surely find a one-year deal — likely with a decent base salary and plenty of incentives.

Drew Smyly (36)

Smyly has notched a 3.88 ERA in 58 innings working exclusively as a reliever this season. He’s primarily been a starter in recent years, however. The lefty’s ability to miss bats and pitch in a variety of roles should lead to a one-year deal. He’ll likely get interest both as a starter and reliever this offseason.

Ross Stripling (35)

Stripling started the season with seven good starts before being shelled for 24 runs (17 earned) in his next four starts and landing on the injured list for two months due to an elbow strain. He returned with a pair of decent starts in July, and was rolling after moving to the bullpen (one run in his first 8 1/3 relief innings). He’s since been obliterated for 10 runs in 3 2/3 innings across two relief outings. Injuries, a poor finish and an ERA north of 6.00 are going to limit the veteran swingman to a small one-year deal or even a minor league pact this winter.

Justin Verlander (42)

Shoulder and neck injuries limited Verlander to 16 starts this season, and his struggles since returning from the IL have been so pronounced — 27 runs in 27 1/3 innings — that his spot on Houston’s playoff roster is in jeopardy. Verlander has said he wants to continue pitching, and his track record will earn him another shot … just not at anywhere close to his current $43.333MM AAV.

Rebound Hopefuls

Shane Bieber (30)

Everyone knows how good the former AL Cy Young winner can be at his best. He hasn’t been there for some time. After an injury-shortened 2023 season that featured a prominent velocity dip, Bieber looked great in two starts (12 shutout innings) before requiring Tommy John surgery. He’ll be sidelined into May or June of the upcoming season in all likelihood.

Walker Buehler (30)

In his first season back from the second Tommy John procedure of his career, Buehler has delivered career-worst marks in strikeout rate (18.6%), walk rate (8.1%), average fastball velocity (95 mph), swinging-strike rate (8.2%) and HR/9 (1.91). He pitched at an ace level from 2018-21, but this version of Buehler bears little resemblance to that budding young star. He’ll likely look to follow Jack Flaherty’s lead and max out on a one-year deal in hopes of rebuilding his stock.

Anthony DeSclafani (35)

DeSclafani underwent season-ending flexor surgery before the season started. He posted a 5.16 ERA in 118 2/3 innings for the Giants in 2022-23. The 167 frames of 3.17 ERA ball with the ’21 Giants that prompted them to re-sign him for three years and $36MM feels like a distant memory. He’ll likely sign a minor league deal.

Marco Gonzales (33)

Gonzales underwent flexor surgery earlier this month — an operation that’ll sideline him for nine to twelve months. It’s not clear if he’ll pitch next season at all, but he was solid in his first five starts with the Pirates this year before getting shelled in his final two appearances and heading to the injured list.

Kyle Hendricks (35)

A mainstay with the Cubs, Hendricks has been a Cy Young finalist at his best but has labored to an ERA north of 6.00 in 2024. He’s been a bit better since June, with a 4.66 ERA in 87 innings, but the 35-year-old’s strikeout rate is at a career-low 15.7%. His walk rate, while still better than average at 7.6%, is the highest of his career. Hendricks plans to pitch next year even if the Cubs don’t re-sign him. A one-year deal or minor league pact is in his future.

Adrian Houser (32)

A quietly solid member of Milwaukee’s rotation from 2019-23, Houser was one of former Brewers president/current Mets president David Stearns’ first acquisitions with his new club. Things didn’t pan out. Houser was torched for a disastrous 8.55 ERA as a starter. He initially performed better upon a move to the ’pen but was cut loose after surrendering nine runs on five homers in a span of nine relief innings. He’s with the Orioles on a minor league deal now but didn’t pitch well in three Triple-A starts. He’ll be a minor league free agent at season’s end and look for a minor league deal this winter.

Wade Miley (38)

Miley underwent Tommy John surgery early in the season. He said at the time he was leaning toward a comeback effort once he wrapped up a yearlong rehab but would make a final determination based on how the rehab process goes and how his body feels. Miley was excellent in Milwaukee last year (3.14 ERA in 120 innings) and clearly likes it there. A reunion on a minor league deal or incentive-laden one-year pact would make some sense.

John Means (32)

Talented but snakebit, Means underwent his second UCL operation in three years back in June. He pitched just eight innings in 2022, made it back for 23 relief frames late in 2023, and pitched in only four games in 2024 before requiring that elbow surgery. When healthy, Means is a quality mid-rotation lefty, but he’s a wild card coming off such significant arm troubles and pitching only 52 1/3 innings over the past three seasons.

Michael Soroka (27)

The White Sox bought low on the once electric Soroka in hopes that he could rebound after enduring a pair of Achilles tears in addition to shoulder and elbow troubles. He was rocked for a 6.39 ERA in nine starts that saw him walk as many batters as he struck out (24 in 43 2/3 innings). Soroka has been much better in relief, with a 3.00 ERA and mammoth 37.9% strikeout rate. That might lead to interest as a reliever this offseason, but some clubs might still view him as a viable starter.

Alex Wood (34)

Wood’s one-year, $8.5MM deal with the A’s resulted in a 5.26 ERA over just nine starts. He had surgery to repair his rotator cuff in July. Wood has typically been effective when healthy (3.78 ERA in 1258 MLB innings), but that’s a major caveat for a pitcher who’s been on the injured list 11 times since the 2016 season.

Chase Anderson (37)

Anderson has pitched for seven teams across the past five seasons. This year’s 5.40 ERA (in 58 1/3 innings) is his lowest mark along the way. He’ll eat innings as a fifth starter or long reliever and can get another minor league deal.

Carlos Carrasco (38)

Cookie’s return to Cleveland was a feel-good story but didn’t go as planned. He’s now posted an ERA of 5.64 or worse in three of the past four seasons. Cleveland designated him for assignment this month. He’ll need to take a minor league deal if he plans to continue pitching.

Mike Clevinger (34)

Clevinger’s return to the ChiSox lasted only four starts and 16 innings. He posted a 6.75 ERA before hitting the IL with an elbow injury and eventually undergoing season-ending surgery to replace a disc in his neck.

Domingo German (32)

The longtime Yankees hurler was rocked for 18 runs in 20 2/3 innings with the Pirates. He posted a 5.04 ERA in 75 Triple-A frames as well. German was limited to minor league offers last winter and should be again this winter, on the heels of that performance.

Brad Keller (29)

Keller has been solid in Triple-A this season but limped to a 5.44 ERA in 41 big league frames in his first year after thoracic outlet surgery. He was a solid arm in Kansas City from 2018-20 but has struggled since, ticketing him for another non-guaranteed deal.

Julio Teheran (34)

Teheran’s 2023 resurgence with the Brewers proved fleeting. He gave up four runs in 2 2/3 innings with the Mets in his lone start of the season and has been tagged for 49 runs in 49 1/3 innings pitched in Triple-A between the Orioles and Cubs organizations.

Pitchers with 2025 Club Options

Kyle Gibson (37) — $12MM option with $1MM buyout

Gibson has done exactly what he was signed to do. He’s eaten up innings and stabilized the back of the St. Louis rotation, tossing 165 2/3 innings of 4.13 ERA ball. His strikeout and walk rates are a bit worse than average, but he still gets plenty of grounders and has by all accounts emerged as a leader in the Cards’ clubhouse. It’d be a genuine surprise if his option isn’t picked up.

Merrill Kelly (36) — $7MM option with $1MM buyout

Shoulder problems have limited Kelly to a dozen starts, but he’s been sharp when healthy. With a 3.71 ERA, 20% strikeout rate and 6.6% walk rate, this is an easy call at a net price of $6MM. The D-backs will pick this one up.

Lance Lynn (38) — $12MM option with $1MM buyout

A balky right knee hobbled Lynn throughout the season, but he still made 23 starts and notched a 3.84 ERA in 117 1/3 innings. The Cardinals have a pretty full rotation outlook and needs in both the lineup and bullpen. They could exercise the option and look for a trade partner, but it seems likelier that Lynn will be bought out and return to the market in search of another one-year deal.

Freddy Peralta (29) — $8MM option with $1.5MM buyout

Among the easiest calls in this slate of club options, Peralta currently has a 3.68 ERA in 32 starts and 173 2/3 innings of work. He’s set down 27.6% of his opponents on strikes and issued walks at a 9.4% clip. If his steady mid-rotation work over the years wasn’t incentive enough to pick up this option — and, for the record, it very much is — the contract contains a second club option for the 2026 season, which is also valued at $8MM.

Colin Rea (34) — $5.5MM option with $1MM buyout

As with his teammate Peralta, this is an easy call for Milwaukee. Rea has been a godsend for an injury-riddled rotation, making 26 starts (and five relief appearances) and piling up 162 innings with a 4.17 ERA, 19% strikeout rate and excellent 5.9% walk rate. At a net $4.5MM price point, the Brewers shouldn’t have to think long about exercising his option.

Player Options and Opt-Out Candidates

Gerrit Cole (34)

Cole presents one of the most fascinating opt-out scenarios in recent memory. He can walk away from his remaining four years and $144MM, but if he exercises his out clause, the Yankees can void his decision by tacking on an additional year at $36MM. That’d bring Cole’s contract to another five years and $180MM over his age-34 through age-38 seasons. On the heels of a typical Cole season, that might’ve seemed like an obvious call all-around. Cole, however, missed the first two-plus months with elbow inflammation and has been more good than elite (although he’s been heating up since mid-August). On the one hand, it’s hard to imagine the Yankees letting him go. On the other, five-year deals for pitchers beginning in their age-34 season or later are exceedingly rare.

MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently broke down Cole’s opt-out for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers , examining the decision through historical precedent in an effort to determine whether there are scenarios where Cole could unexpectedly end up back on the open market. Most seem to expect Cole to remain with the Yankees, but the manner in which his season has played out makes it less of a slam dunk and will shift more focus onto his playoff performance.

Nathan Eovaldi (35)

Eovaldi reached enough innings this year to trigger a $20MM player option in his contract. He’s a Texas native, so perhaps he’d prefer to simply stay put. But if he’s open to going through the free-agent process again, he should have no trouble topping that $20MM guarantee on a new contract. Eovaldi’s last deal was for two years and $34MM. He tacked on another $4.5MM via innings incentives. The right-hander carries a 3.80 ERA, 23.5% strikeout rate and 7.1% walk rate in 307 2/3 innings during his two years as a Ranger. He can’t receive a qualifying offer since he received one earlier in his career. Even if he doesn’t land a $20MM AAV, he could command a similar total guarantee to his last deal.

Lucas Giolito (30)

Giolito has a $19MM player option. He won’t turn it down after undergoing UCL surgery before the season even began.

Clayton Kershaw (37)

Kershaw is still “weeks” from returning. He’s pitched in only seven games and totaled 30 innings this year after undergoing shoulder surgery following the 2023 campaign. His player option has a $5MM base salary.

Sean Manaea (33)

Manaea has been unstoppable since early this summer. He’s sporting a sub-3.00 ERA over his past 19 starts, including a 2.63 mark with a masterful 30.3% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate in his past 11 trips to the mound. He’s been the Mets’ best pitcher this season. There’s no way he’ll simply exercise his $13.5MM player option. Manaea will reject that and at the very least consider a more enticing qualifying offer. He’s pitched well enough that he could decline that QO in search of a three-year deal, though, perhaps along the lines of the $63MM pact his former teammate Chris Bassitt signed a couple offseasons ago.

Nick Martinez (34)

Martinez has pitched too well for the Reds to give much consideration to exercising his $12MM player option. He’s spoken highly of his time in the Reds organization and would welcome a return, though in saying as much he implied that it’d have to be on a new deal because of his out clause. “If what I want lines up here, and I think it does … there’s a more delicate issue that I think needs to be talked about,” Martinez told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon . MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently took an in-depth look at Martinez’s looming opt-out clause for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers . He should at least have another two-year deal out there, if not a three-year offer.

Jordan Montgomery (32)

Montgomery has a $25MM player option and will be exercising that after limping to a 6.23 ERA in 117 innings during an injury-marred debut campaign with the D-backs.

Robbie Ray (33)

Ray can opt out of the remaining two years and $50MM on his deal, but it’d be a surprise if he did so on the heels of a Tommy John return effort that has seen him make just seven starts (4.70 ERA in 30 2/3 innings). A hamstring strain sent Ray back to the injured list early this month. He’s hoping to make one final start this weekend. The former AL Cy Young winner is ultra-talented, but he’s not topping $50MM in free agency this winter.

Michael Wacha (33)

After taking three straight one-year deals in his first three trips through free agency, Wacha has now begun to play the opt-out game. His four-year deal with the Padres and current two-year deal with the Royals both contained out clauses after the first season. Last year’s opt-out was an easy call after he pitched 134 1/3 innings of 3.22 ERA ball. He has a nominally tougher call this time around, with a weightier $16MM player option looming, but Wacha will still very likely opt out in search of another multi-year deal (perhaps with another opt-out). He’s racked up 166 2/3 innings of 3.35 ERA ball with a slightly below-average strikeout rate and plus command.

39 Comments

7 hours ago

I wouldn’t sign Snell until August 1st.

6 hours ago

Opposite, I’d sign him early and tell him to report to Peoria on January 10th. Get him to mid-season form in April

5 hours ago

Send him to Winter Ball!

I nominate Gwynning as Blake Whisperer (unless he signs with LA)

4 hours ago

I’m down with the sticky-icky, Blake and I speak the same language!

3 hours ago

That would break the Blake snell time continuum! Or snelliverse? Whatever!

If he is at peak at the beginning of the season, what would happen in September? Would the space time continuum get reversed so he’s horrible at the end?

He’s a first ballot second half HOF

Starting pitchers are a thing of the past(rare exceptions) Perfect would be like the tigers pitching with a few more bullpen arms.

Skubal 5 or 6 guys that can go 2-4 innings 5 or 6 good reliever arms

I see what you’re saying, but there was more value in last year’s FA SP market than there has been in some time, with Flaherty/Lugo, even Snell with his high-AAV results.

DET may not be in a playoff contention had they not had Flaherty’s production for much of the season, behind Skubal. That was a great contract for them, just KC signing Lugo/Wacha.

I hope Shane Bieber gets his due. He’s still only 30 and a list of accomplishments, getting injured at the wrong time, while his team is going deep without him.

I’d love to see him in the old English D again next season. He was a stud, our pitching coaches helped get him back to an ace, I’d bet he’d return for a decent deal.

Sure, but I wouldn’t doubt LAD pounces on a local boy made good for MUCH less than another (Fried) that could be healthier. Interesting that all 3 Harvard-Westlake pitchers: Fried, Giolito, Flaherty will enter FA together.

I’d be surprised to see Giolito choose to not exercise his $19M player option for 2025 after TJS surgery this season. Seems likely he’ll keep stealing money from the Sox.

Tigers should resign flaherty man

2 hours ago

I’m with you. He was great for the Tigers. Verlander, Buehler and Heaney are others names that night be fits. I think them signing an arm like Flaherty depends on where Tigers management sees Hurter, Madden and Jobe fitting next year.

50 mins ago

God a rotation of Tarik, jack, JV, and Jobe would be awesome

I do think the tigers will make a run at JV since they are finally good again and JV wants to win but flaherty is probably going to the Mets

This is the best group among free agents this year. Too bad the Cardinals won’t be spending.

Not really. Seems pretty average to me?

It shows how weak the FA class is overall. I agree with CardsFan, I scanned this list and thought this was by far the best group as a whole so far.

Which position do you think is stronger? I agree with CardsFan, if you want SP’ng you can find it, you want something else…good luck.

The guys are right. I don’t mean this is a great group compared to other years. I mean most positions this year are weak except for Soto. The rest of the outfielders are pretty mediocre after Soto.

I hope Corbin can snooker -yes I said snooker-some maroon GM into signing him to a MLB deal so he can lead the league in losses 5yrs in a row. Ahahaha!

Who wants to be a billionaire? Betting on Boyd to pitch well in the playoffs and raking it in during free agency. Braves or Dodgers.

@CO: Boyd has no chance of being signed by the Braves. Atlanta’s the only team in MLB that doesn’t employ Boras clients.

I did not know he was represented by Boras. So he’ll sign in April then.

Pay close attention to Snell, Burnes, even back ender Boyd.. Represented by Boras, meaning those 3 will be among the last FA to sign and some teams will want to have roster decisions done before the always procrastinating Boras is ready to move.

Wouldn’t shock me to see 2 of those 3 on a 1y with some kind of funky 2y option this coming winter/spring.

Deep class ! You can make a rotation out of bounce back candidates

I’d love to see Detroit sign Flaherty and Boyd back as insurance for next season. Flaherty was a stud all year, those 2 with Skuball, Olson, Montero, Jobe, and Mize would really give us a deep rotation, with Manning out there too they would have enough depth to handle the injuries that always seem to happen every year. Although they have really stepped up with bullpen games since the trade deadline, I think they would prefer conventional rotation work if possible. I said at the deadline I won’t be surprised to see Flaherty sign back this offseason.

Snell may not be the best starter in baseball, but he’s definitely one of the ugliest!

Plenty of options for the Mets to pick from. I would love to see a reunion with both Manea and Severino.

Not much there I’d throw money at other than Burnes or Snell on a short term deal which he probably won’t sign anyway. Montgomery might be a cheap lets see if he can bounce back option. Cole isn’t going anywhere and is a fool if he opts out. It’s just the merry-go round for the rest I bet. Just a case of who likes you more.

@Unclemiker: If Fried’s market softens due to injury concerns, he’d be a strong buy on a 5-6 year deal @$18M per.

I doubt he’s sign for 18 million a year and his forearm problems would make me back off from a long term deal. But that’s just my opinion. You have to figure at this point you’d be paying him 1 1/2 years to rehab from TJ.

Monty has $25MM player option which he’ll be exercising.

Missed that one.

Roll the dice on Beiber. Low base next year, focus on recovery next year, hope to get some good seasons years 2-4.

None of these are worth giving a 4 plus year contract

57 mins ago

None is a stretch Burnes is worth it and you could make an argument for Snell and Flaherty and maybe Fried. After that I do not like most of the options on a four year contract. Most will probably sign 2-3 years with maybe options.

Flexen? 3-15 Flexen? No one’s taking this dude and he’s not going to get a raise. He’s already beyond reinsdorf’s comfort zone at $1.75M.

37 mins ago

Trevor Bauer is also available for league minimum. Could be a decent 4/5 or mop up guy.

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