A few weeks after the conclusion of the season in the MLB with the triumph of the Braves in the World Series, the teams are already preparing for the next campaign by doing their shopping before the holidays.
Free agents are getting lucrative offers and already several big names are no longer available.
Corey Seager will be with the Rangers, Kevin Gausman joins the Blue Jays after their great season, Robbie Ray switched to the Mariners after his Cy Young and Javier Baez would be heading to Detroit to join the Tigers.
Big dominoes have fallen, but it’s just the start.
Record pace for contracts
With Max Scherzer and Robbie Ray’s deals, teams have committed more than $1.1 billion to free agents thus far this winter. And that’s without Seager, Correa, Freeman, Story, Baez, Bryant, Castellanos, Stroman, Suzuki, Rodon, Iglesias, Kershaw, Taylor, Schwarber, Conforto signing.
– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2021
Journalist Jeff Passan analyzes the distribution of contracts since the start of the offseason, and so far MLB teams have passed the billion dollar mark – and that was before the 140+ million Baez will reap with the Tigers and without counting the big contract of Baez (325 M $).
As Passan points out, several big names are still awaiting a contract and Carlos Correra will surely have a good offer in front of him, as will Freddie Freeman and Kris Bryant. Clayton Kershaw may also still have a big check ahead despite the injuries.
The most money ever guaranteed to free agents in one offseason came in 2019-20 with around $2.1 billion —$932M of it going to Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon and Zack Wheeler. This winter (and spring if a lockout lasts ‘til then) is primed to smash that number.
– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2021
We are therefore quickly approaching the record mark of 2.1 billion awarded in 2019-20 with the large contracts of Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg, for example.
Top 10 $ committed to free agents so far:
Texas: $561.2 million
New York Mets: $254 million
Toronto: $121 million
Seattle: $115 million
Detroit: $77 million
Houston: $67 million
Miami: $53 million
Los Angeles Angels: $45 million
St. Louis: $44 million
San Francisco: $36 million– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2021
The Texas Rangers, for example, have already given over $ 500 million in contracts by adding Seager and Marcus Semien. Yes, the team ends up with one of the best infields in baseball, but it’s a big bill to have it.
The Mets too, adding Max Scherzer, don’t hesitate to spend.
By the end of the year, the 2.1 billion mark will undoubtedly be exceeded. After that, come tell us that baseball is not healthy.
That’s a lot of money.