The Hot Stove League in MLB’s offseason came in like a lion with the record-breaking and historic Juan Soto contract. But since then, it has been very lamb-like. Besides Soto’s $765M deal, only three other players have gotten nine-figure deals.
The Yankees signed Max Fried to an 8yr/$218M contract. The Giants signed Willy Adames to a 7yr/$182M deal. And the Dodgers spent the same $182M, to Blake Snell, on a five year contract. Overall, 50 free agents have been signed so far, while 185 players are still without a home heading into 2025.
After Soto, this wasn’t considered a fantastic free-agent class, but some fantastic players are still on the market. Pete Alonso is still available at first base at the corner infield spots, and Alex Bregman is available at the hot corner.
I’ll put on my prognostication cap and say Alonso returns to Queens and re-signs with the Mets. Bregman has been linked to the Red Sox, but they have had an aversion to spending serious money the last few years. He makes all the sense in the world going to the Yankees. They lost out in the Soto sweepstakes and have that money available to spend elsewhere. They did sign Fried but have a hole in the lineup with Soto gone. They also will have a hole in their infield if they don’t get back Gleybar Torres. By signing Bregman, they can slide Jazz Chisholm to his natural position, which is second base.
Aside from Fried, the Yankees signed Paul Goldschmidt this week to a 1yr/$12.5M deal. If they can get Bregman, their infield will be the best in the game, with Goldschmidt at 1B, Chisholm at 2B, Anthony Volpe at SS, and Bregman at 3B.
If it wasn’t before, it seems apparent now that the Astros have moved on from Bregman. They traded Kyle Tucker to the Cubs in a deal that involved infielder Isaac Paredes. And this week, they signed first baseman Christian Walker to a 3yr/$60M deal. Their infield will be Walker at 1B, Jose Altuve at 2B, Jeremy Pena at SS, and Paredes at 3B.
Max Kepler has left Minnesota in other deals this week, signing a 1yr/$10M with the Phillies. And Carlos Santana is also leaving the Twins and returning to the Guardians for a 1yr/12M deal. In a corresponding move, they traded away 1B Josh Naylor to Arizona. Naylor is entering the last year of eligibility, and Cleveland couldn’t sign him as a free agent.
TRAGIC LOSS
Sports is supposed to be the toy store of our lives. When real-life issues creep in, especially at this time of year, everything is in perspective. Baseball has been losing some of the game’s all-time greats…but for the most part, they have lived long and eventful lives.
Willie Mays died on June 18th this year at the age of 93. Hank Aaron died on January 22nd, 2021, at the age of 86. After Mays’ death, the debate began as to who was the new “Greatest Living Player”…and this man’s name popped up as a worthy standard bearer. Rickey Henderson died this past Friday at the young age of 65.
In the 80s, there was no more dynamic player in the game. When he broke the stolen base record, he proclaimed, “Today, I am the Greatest of All-Time”…and he wasn’t wrong. He had all five tools and even added a sixth, which is a swagger. Not many players can get by with one name, but when someone said, “Rickey,” everyone knew who they were talking about…there was always only one Rickey.
The news came as a shock to all baseball fans. His cause of death has been reported as complications from pneumonia. He was just a week short of his 66th birthday. It’s hard to believe someone with so much life and vitality could be struck down at such a young age.
The phrase Godspeed has never been more appropriate. Heaven’s baseball team now has their leadoff hitter.