Colton Brewer to the Sox, Zig, sir.

Was gonna ask you the same thing.....and he played in the Giants division.

ColtEn, if you try to look up his shitty stats on baseball reference

I don't think Craig Kimbrel, in his wildest dreams, is going to land a six year deal. This article is not very revealing but here it is anyway-
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Teams that have spoken to Craig Kimbrel’s camp early in the offseason have been told that the right-hander “is looking for a six-year deal,” tweets ESPN’s Buster Olney. It’s likely that there’s some degree of tactical negotiating at play here; free agents will always set out seeking a sum larger than the one they perhaps hope to find, and a six-year pact for Kimbrel would be precedent-setting.

At 30 years of age, Kimbrel is already older than both Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman were when they signed their five-year contracts worth $80MM and $86MM, respectively. Those are the two largest deals for any reliever in MLB history, and Kimbrel is presumably aiming to topple both. His ability to do so, of course, is far from a certainty. Though he comes with as much name value as any reliever in the game, Kimbrel had already displayed some red flags in 2018 even before struggling in the postseason.

Through 62 1/3 regular-season innings in 2018, Kimbrel posted a 2.74 ERA which, while strong, was the second-highest of his career. Few clubs place much of an emphasis on that figure in today’s game, but Kimbrel also saw his walk rate spike to 12.6 percent, the second-highest full-season mark of his career. Beyond that, Kimbrel also averaged a home run per nine innings pitched for the first time and turned in a career-worst 3.13 FIP.

Unfortunately for Kimbrel, his most pronounced struggles came under the national spotlight of the 2018 postseason. He surrendered runs in five of his nine playoff outings, issuing eight walks and hitting another two batters in just 10 2/3 innings of total work. It’s worth noting that he’d allowed all of two earned runs in 10 postseason innings coming into the 2018 season, but his late struggles didn’t leave a favorable final impression.

All of this, to some extent, is a matter of splitting hairs. The 2018 version of Kimbrel wasn’t the superhuman entity that Red Sox fans enjoyed in 2017, but Kimbrel was still one of the game’s top relievers. His 97.1 mph average fastball velocity is a dead match for his career mark in that regard, and his 17.2 percent swinging-strike rate was actually an improvement over his 16.5 percent career mark. He ranked sixth among 151 qualified relievers in overall strikeout percentage, fifth in swinging-strike rate and 12th in K%-BB%. A control issue was his primary downfall in 2018, evidenced not only by the increased walk rate but by the decreased first-pitch strike rate and overall percentage of pitches he threw in the strike zone.

As for the postseason difficulties, those are hardly a death knell for Kimbrel’s free-agent stock. Yu Darvish, for instance, landed a $126MM guarantee last winter on the heels of some of his own World Series struggles, and the opposite effect (or lack thereof) can hold equally true; speculation that Daniel Murphy had emphatically bolstered his free-agent stock with his 2015 postseason heroics never manifested into reality. He signed a three-year, $37.5MM deal with the Nationals that was generally in line with pre-October expectations.

As for the six-year ask, that could well be a ploy to get down to a more realistic target of five years or even four at a record-setting average annual value — Wade Davis’ $17.33MM mark currently holds that distinction — which is generally where most projections have pegged Kimbrel this winter. We at MLBTR predicted a four-year, $70MM deal for Kimbrel, which would fall shy of the overall record guarantee for a reliever but would set a new high-water mark in terms of AAV at $17.5MM. Kimbrel already rejected a qualifying offer that would’ve paid him $17.9MM in 2019. As such, any team that signs him will face draft pick and/or international pool forfeitures.

No longer any kind of prediction. Patrick Corbin to the Nats (who's GM made it very clear in my previous post that he considered getting Mr. Corbin a priority).

I hate CBS for articles, but this one is pretty good.

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Free agent starting pitcher Patrick Corbin has agreed to sign a six-year deal worth $140 million, per Jon Heyman. Initially, reports didn't know which team Corbin signed with, but Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports it is the Nationals. The deal is pending a physical before it becomes official.

Corbin, 29, was the consensus top free-agent pitcher on the market once Clayton Kershaw decided to stay with the Dodgers.

A two-time All-Star, Corbin was 11-7 with a 3.15 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 246 strikeouts in 200 innings last season for the Diamondbacks. He finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting and it was a very strong field.

The Yankees, Phillies and Nationals have been the teams most connected to Corbin in rumors and many believed the Phillies wouldn't be outbid.

Still, the Nationals take the W here and get their man. Here are a four more things to know:


1. The Nationals' rotation is loaded*
*if healthy

The Nationals now have elite-level ace Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg -- who is as talented as anyone -- and Corbin as their top three. In 2015-16, Joe Ross pitched to a 3.52 ERA (118 ERA+) in his first two career seasons, but hasn't been healthy since. He made just three starts last year in his return from Tommy John surgery. In 2019, he should be back to his old self and that's a fine No. 4. Tanner Roark finished 10th in Cy Young voting in 2016, but he's been mostly average since. Still, average production from a number five who gave them 180 innings in each of the past two seasons is more than fine.

Of course, there's the asterisk. I already mentioned Ross' injury history. Strasburg has only made 30 starts in a season twice, last in 2014. He managed 22 last year. Corbin has a Tommy John surgery in his past, too.

2. The NL East is shaping up to be loaded*
*except for the Marlins

The Braves just won the division and already figured to be even better before signing Josh Donaldson. They're a legitimate contender. The Nationals might lose Bryce Harper, but they have the aforementioned rotation along with Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, Juan Soto and Victor Robles. Sean Doolittle anchors the bullpen. Plus, if they were hoping to pay what it took to re-up with Harper, there's still more money to spend for, say, a second baseman. The Mets just finished a blockbuster that landed them Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz and surely they aren't done being aggressive this offseason.

We'll get to the Phillies ...

3. The Phillies lose out
We've heard the Phillies were going to spend a ton, even to the point of being "stupid," straight from the owners. They lose here, but lots of big names remain on the market, so while the Phillies lose here, other free agents stand to gain with the Phillies possibly now being even more aggressive after missing on Corbin. Maybe they just go nuts and legitimately try for both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.


They aren't going to strikeout. It's just a matter of what they hit.

4. The Next tier of pitchers should be ecstatic
The market last offseason was depressed compared to where many thought it would be in free agency. Corbin getting $140 million over six years doesn't have that feel. Three big-money teams were in on him to the end, too. Two of them missed out, meaning they have money to spend and are likely still motivated to spend on pitching.

The next-best left-hander is Dallas Keuchel. He can probably hope for a pretty big deal, even if not in Corbin's range. J.A. Happ is also out there, though at age 36 he won't get nearly this length of commitment. He's still in for a high annual salary. Nathan Eovaldi and Charlie Morton can also likely expect some juicy offers.

It was a good day for Corbin and the Nationals, but it's soon to be pretty good for the rest of these free agent pitchers and the Phillies.

More Red Sox - thoughts on mlb.com with regard to Craig Kimbrel.

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Craig Kimbrel has compiled an impressive resume during his nine seasons in the big leagues, recording a microscopic 1.91 ERA with a 0.92 WHIP, 333 saves and a 14.7 K/9 rate, and he should be a coveted asset on the free-agent market this offseason.

Below, you will find a list of the latest news and rumors surrounding the right-hander.

Are Red Sox out on Kimbrel?
Dec. 6: News that Boston is bringing back right-hander Nathan Eovaldi impacts the market for Craig Kimbrel, because the Red Sox also had been lined up for a possible reunion with the All-Star closer. That may no longer be the case.

MLB.com's Ian Browne explores whether the Red Sox faced an either-or scenario with Kimbrel and Eovaldi this offseason.

"Of course, the Red Sox would love to have Kimbrel back, but it sounds like the cost could be prohibitive," Browne writes. "I just don't think the Red Sox have the budget for both Eovaldi and Kimbrel. They are likely going to have to pick one or the other. Don't forget that there are some star players on the team who are going to need to be paid within the next year or two if Boston wants to keep them, including Mookie Betts, Chris Sale, Xander Bogaerts and possibly J.D. Martinez. By signing both Kimbrel and Eovaldi, you wouldnt' be leaving yourself much financial flexibility going forward.

Kimbrel's free agency already has become a fascinating case, as many believe he is holding up the reliever market as MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo notes -- by being the top available late-inning arm and by reportedly floating an asking price of a six-year deal. "Kimbrel is unquestionably the top reliever this winter and will land the largest contract," Cotillo writes. "Even if he doesn't land the six-year deal he reportedly desires, he's drawing strong interest, with teams like the Phillies, Braves and Cardinals."

Bowden: Red Sox should re-sign Kimbrel
Dec. 5: The Red Sox were rumored to be closing in on bringing back one member of their pitching staff Wednesday with talks reportedly progressing with free agent Nathan Eovaldi. Another elite arm from their 2018 staff is still available in Craig Kimbrel, whom former Reds and Nationals general manager Jim Bownden lists among the transactions he'd like to see come to fruition before Winter Meetings end next week in a column for The Athletic (subscription required).

Bowden says if the Red Sox can sign Kimbrel to a reasonable deal "somewhere between what the Rockies paid Wade Davis and the Dodgers paid Kenley Jansen, they should get the deal done."

Closers of Kimbrel's talent and resume aren't readily available via free agency and trades, especially now that Edwin Diaz was dealt to the Mets, and Bowden says the defending champions won't be the same team without an "impact closer" in 2019.

Kimbrel, 30, has spent the past three years in Boston after the Red Sox acquired him in an offseason trade prior to the 2016 season. The seven-time All-Star posted a 2.74 ERA with 42 saves in the regular season, but stumbled in the playoffs. He allowed seven earned runs in 10 2/3 innings (5.91 ERA) despite converting all seven of his save opportunities during Boston's title run.

Why Kimbrel's market may take time to develop
Dec. 4: There are three key factors at play when it comes to Craig Kimbrel's free agency. One: He's the most accomplished and established reliever on the open market. Two: Despite being tied to Draft-pick compensation after declining the Red Sox's qualifying offer, he's reportedly seeking a whopping six-year contract. And three: There are a number of other late-inning arms for teams seeking bullpen help to consider.

Add it all up, and how does that affect Kimbrel? ESPN's Buster Olney looks at how the relief market could play out (subscription required): "The sheer volume of options could work against Kimbrel, so it may take some time for his situation to play out -- and the other prime relievers might have to wait for Kimbrel to set the top of the market," Olney writes. "It's possible that some clubs will work to move on and land the best of those relievers not named Kimbrel."

Among the other top names are Andrew Miller, Zach Britton, David Robertson, Adam Ottavino, Jeurys Familia, Joakim Soria and Cody Allen. To name just a handful or so.

Given those options, the question with Kimbrel becomes whether he will sign earlier than most relievers to help set the top end of the market ... or have to wait for a number of the aforementioned arms to get their deals first in order to see the supply dip and the demand spike. Considering Kimbrel's lofty asking price, the latter would seem more likely.

Despite acquisitions of Nicasio and Pazos, Phils could still pursue Kimbrel
Dec. 3: The Phillies' offseason could be just beginning with Monday's trade with the Mariners that was headlined by the acquisition of infielder Jean Segura but also relievers Juan Nicasio and James Pazos. That doesn't mean the club won't continue to be aggressive in bolstering its bullpen with a top-end free-agent reliever -- such as Kimbrel -- according to The Athletic's Jayson Stark. MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi reported last month that the Phils were interested in the seven-time All-Star.


Jayson Stark
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@jaysonst
Even though the #Phillies added 2 relievers today (Nicasio, Pazos), there's no indication it would stop them from pursuing a 9th-inning bullpen option a la Kimbrel/Miller/Britton/possibly David Robertson.

What's more likely is, it frees them to include Hunter or Neshek in a deal

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Stark lists Kimbrel, Andrew Miller, Zach Britton and David Robertson as potential Phillies targets -- all of whom have been linked to the club this offseason. Monday's acquisitions could also position the Phils to trade relievers Pat Neshek and/or Tommy Hunter to help acquire pieces they need elsewhere, which would only become more apparent should they sign a top reliever.

With owner John Middleton saying the club is prepared to spend aggressively and with general manager Matt Klentak loosely suggesting interest in Manny Machado, Bryce Harper and Patrick Corbin publicly, the team's needs in the bullpen haven't been as prominently illuminated. Phillies relievers last year were worth 4.1 WAR, per FanGraphs, and posted a 4.19 ERA, which ranked 11th and 18th, respectively. Fortifying their backend could be just as pivotal for the Phils as making the offensive upgrades they aspire to.

A left-handed target would appear to be more logical, given the club is carrying a freight of righties currently, and Kimbrel, who is reportedly seeking a six-year deal, figures to be the most expensive free-agent reliever. Depending on how they allocate their free-agent budget elsewhere, Kimbrel's price range could be steep.

Will Kimbrel's desire for six-year deal hinder his market?
Dec. 2: Based on the contracts teams have given elite closers over the past few years, Craig Kimbrel is poised to cash in this offseason. But the deal he's reportedly seeking would put him in unprecedented territory. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Kimbrel's initial ask is for a six-year contract.


Buster Olney
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@buster_ESPN
Teams being told that in initial ask, All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel is looking for a six-year deal.

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Even if he has to take a lower average annual value in exchange for a longer contract, a six-year pact still likely would make him the highest paid reliever in MLB history. Aroldis Chapman holds that distinction, having signed a five-year, $86 million contract with the Yankees after the 2016 season. Kenley Jansen isn't far behind, as he landed a five-year, $80 million deal from the Dodgers during the same offseason. Wade Davis holds the reliever record for average annual value at $17.3 million, though his deal with the Rockies is for only three years.

Jeff Joyce of MLB Network Radio doesn't think any team will be willing to meet Kimbrel's demands, or even come close.

"I don't even think he's gonna get a five-year deal like Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman got a couple of years ago," Joyce said. "Maybe a four-year deal. … I personally am not giving him a four-year deal for $60 [million] or $70 million, and I don't know who out there would, when you look at it, and especially when you've got guys like [Adam] Ottavino and [Zach] Britton and [Andrew] Miller and [Jeurys] Familia and [David] Robertson.

"I get it that Britton and Miller might not be what they were a couple of years ago, but I think teams would probably take chances on guys before giving [Kimbrel] this huge contract."

Embedded video

MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM
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Reports are that Craig Kimbrel wants a six-year deal. Jeff Joyce says no way he gets that many years.

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In any case, Kimbrel's initial demands might make it unlikely he'll reunite with the Red Sox or the Braves. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reports for Fancred Sports that, "The Red Sox want Kimbrel back but suggest they won't go five years for a reliever" -- let alone six. And while many consider Atlanta to be the favorite to sign Kimbrel, general mananger Alex Anthopoulos has made it clear the club may not have the financial resources to do so.


Jon Morosi
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@jonmorosi
Alex Anthopoulos spoke of how Craig Kimbrel (a free agent) is rightly beloved in Atlanta, but he also cautioned that the #Braves may not have the budget to invest in a high-end closer. @mlbnetwork @mlb

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This free-agent reliever could be an alternative to Kimbrel
Nov. 26: By just about any measure and metric, Craig Kimbrel looks like the best reliever on the open market, at least when it comes to his career to date. But that's only going to drive up his asking price, and some teams seeking late-inning arms might prefer to spend less.

There are a number of available back-of-the-bullpen relievers with setup and/or or closing experience, which could impact Kimbrel's market this winter. In fact, there's one such pitcher who compares favorably based on a selection of 2018 statistics, as MLB Network's "Hot Stove" show points out ...

Kimbrel: 62 1/3 IP, 2.74 ERA, .565 OPS, 13.9 K/9

Player B: 77 1/3 IP, 2.43 ERA, .509 OPS, 13.0 K/9

"Spoiler" - The first guy is Craig Kimbrel. Player B is Adam Ottavino.

"Cutch" to Philly. The last sentence in the article tells you all you really HAVE to know. I think the signing of McCutchen is a big mistake. And they aren't getting both Harper and Machado. Fuh-gedd-about-it. 

ESPN.com-

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LAS VEGAS -- We have the first big move of the winter meetings as the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to terms with Andrew McCutchen on a three-year deal for a reported $50 million that also includes a team option.

EDITOR'S PICKS

Law: Andrew McCutchen a key upgrade for Phillies in left field
The former NL MVP will improve the Phillies' defense in left field and should provide more consistency at the plate than the departed Carlos Santana did in 2018.

From the free agents set to cash in to the big-name stars sure to come up in trade rumors all winter long, keep up with all of the latest action.

I like this move for the Phillies for a couple reasons. Most importantly, McCutchen can still play. He hit .255/.368/.424 with 20 home runs and 95 walks that gave him a wRC+ of 120, the same as Cody Bellinger or George Springer, to name two comparable hitters. He's always been a patient hitter, so even as his batting average has declined from his 2012 to 2015 peak, he gets on base at a good clip. He's no longer a center fielder, but he's fine in a corner (plus-2 defensive runs saved in 2018), where the Phillies had terrible defense from Rhys Hoskins and Nick Williams.

In addition, McCutchen's power numbers could go up in Philadelphia. With the Pirates in 2017, he hit 19 home runs on the road and nine at home. In 2018, spending most of the season with the Giants before a late-season trade to the Yankees, he hit 13 of his 20 home runs on the road. So he's spent two seasons in two tough home-run parks -- PNC Park is very tough on right-handed hitters -- and now moves to one of the best home-run parks in the majors. He could hit 30 in Philly and projects as an offensive upgrade over Carlos Santana, the player he's essentially replacing in the lineup.

The other factor is that signing McCutchen doesn't remove the Philles from either the Bryce Harper or Manny Machado sweepstakes. In fact, with these big free agents waiting longer and longer to sign these days -- J.D. Martinez and Eric Hosmer didn't sign until late February last offseason, for example -- the Phillies ran the risk of not making any significant additions if they waited for Harper and Machado to make their decisions. So give GM Matt Klentak and the Phillies' front office credit for moving relatively early this offseason on a couple major deals, trading for Jean Segura and now signing McCutchen.

Right now, the Phillies' lineup looks something like this:

Cesar Hernandez, 2B
Segura, SS
McCutchen, LF
Hoskins, 1B
Odubel Herrera, CF
Maikel Franco, 3B
Williams, RF
Jorge Alfaro, C

Bench: Scott Kingery, Andrew Knapp, Roman Quinn

That's some solid OBP at the top of the lineup, an area the Phillies needed to improve on after ranking 10th in the NL in 2018. Of course, the lineup would look even better with Harper or Machado as an additional anchor alongside Hoskins -- and Franco and Williams certainly aren't roadblocks to signing those two guys.

Andrew McCutchen's combination of patience and power will help the Phillies' lineup, but they should keep shopping.
There should be plenty of room to sign both players. The projected payroll with McCutchen is now an estimated $127 million. The Phillies ran payrolls approaching $180 million earlier in the decade, so they can easily absorb two big contracts and should be willing to at least push up to the $206 million luxury-tax threshold.

Plus, imagine what Harper and Machado would do for the team's attendance. The Phillies drew 2.1 million in 2018 after three seasons in a row below 2 million. That's well below their peak attendance of 3.78 million in 2010. There is a lot of additional revenue to be made if the Phillies produce a winning team with star power.

So, yes, imagine how much fun this lineup would be:

Segura SS
Machado 3B
Harper RF
Hoskins 1B
McCutchen LF
Herrera CF
Hernandez 2B
Alfaro C

Indeed, before the McCutchen deal, FanGraphs projected the Phillies as just a 77-win team. McCutchen will boost that projection by a couple wins, but the analysis says the Phillies still look like a .500 team. In other words: They need more wins. They need Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.

Next 'domino to drop"?

So far the Big 2 have not been signed. mlbtraderumors.com-

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A year ago on this date, only one of the top ten names on MLBTR’s list of the top 50 free agents of the 2017-18 offseason had decided on their team for the upcoming season. That player, in fact, wasn’t technically even a free agent at all — Masahiro Tanaka decided against opting out of his contract with the Yankees, thus avoiding the open market altogether.

So, at least in comparison to the uniquely slow pace of last year’s offseason, we’ve already seen quite a bit of action on the free agent front this winter. After today’s news of Wilson Ramos’ deal with the Mets, seven of the top 25 players in this year’s top 50 ranking have already reached agreements, including three members of the top ten — Patrick Corbin (#3) signed with the Nationals, Nathan Eovaldi (#7) re-signed with the Red Sox, and J.A. Happ (#9) has reportedly agreed to rejoin the Yankees.

There have been a lot of rumors swirling around the remaining seven players in our top ten, and it’s anyone guess as to which will be the next to sign. Let’s take a look at where things reportedly stand with each member of this septet….

Bryce Harper: With Harper and agent Scott Boras reportedly looking for nothing less than the biggest contract in baseball history, it would admittedly be surprising to see the former Nationals outfielder come off the board next. Harper, his wife Kayla, and Boras has reportedly held court with multiple teams in private meetings in Las Vegas, though the specific identities of these teams isn’t yet clear. Teams like the Dodgers, White Sox, Phillies, and Cardinals are known to have some level of interest in Harper’s services, while we’ve also heard some teams (like the Nationals and Yankees) seemingly count themselves out of “Harper’s Bazaar,” as Boras calls it. Speculative fits like the Cubs or Giants could also be out due to budget constraints. Boras has a penchant for waiting until deep into the offseason to find a satisfactory contract for his clients, so I’d guess that we won’t know the identity of Harper’s next team before 2018 is over.

Manny Machado: The star infielder is set for in-person meetings with the White Sox, Yankees, Phillies, and at least one more team this week. It’s impossible to mention Machado’s free agency without also mentioning Harper, as the two share many of the same suitors and it seems highly unlikely that one team would be willing to spend big enough to add both to the same roster. Machado’s controversial history of overly-aggressive (or, as some might say, outright dirty) play has been a factor in his market, as was his October interview with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal about his admitted lack of maximum effort on some plays, and his admission that “I’m not the type of player that’s going to be ‘Johnny Hustle.’ ” While questions about Machado’s personality are legitimate, especially as he is looking for a record-breaking contract, it’s also possible some teams are using Machado’s interview as leverage to try and lower his price tag. We should know more about Machado’s status once these in-person meetings are complete, and if a team’s concerns about his work ethic are erased after a face-to-face meetings, it isn’t impossible that a signing could come before Christmas.

Dallas Keuchel: Another Boras client, Keuchel might not have quite as long a wait on the market since there has already been something of a run on free agent starting pitching, as Corbin, Eovaldi, Happ, and Charlie Morton have all found new teams. On the trade front, there now seems to be less chance that the Indians could deal Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer, while the Mets’ flurry of acquisitions have made a Noah Syndergaard trade less likely. Teams that missed out on these frontline arms may now be willing to meet Keuchel’s hefty asking price, and give up the draft pick compensation necessary to sign the lefty since he rejected the Astros’ qualifying offer. Teams like the Reds, Braves, Padres, Blue Jays, Phillies, and Nationals have all been reported to have varying levels of Keuchel’s services.

Craig Kimbrel: Teams would also need to surrender a draft to sign Kimbrel since he turned down a QO from the Red Sox, and might also have to fork over the biggest contract ever given to a relief pitcher. A big initial ask is a common negotiating tactic, of course, though even at a lower amount, Kimbrel and his representatives clearly see him worthy of a deal akin to Aroldis Chapman/Kenley Jansen money. The Cardinals and Phillies have both been linked to Kimbrel, and the Red Sox may or may not still be in on their former closer. The recent signings of Jeurys Familiar and Joe Kelly indicate that the bullpen market is starting to move, though Kimbrel is obviously in a higher financial level than those types of contracts.

Yasmani Grandal: The Angels, Astros, and White Sox have all been linked to Grandal, though Houston might be out of the catching market after signing Robinson Chirinos. Chicago also recently added James McCann, though that isn’t quite as significant an obstacle to a future move for Grandal, should the Sox deal Welington Castillo and then install Grandal as the starter ahead of McCann. Even before Ramos became a Met, Grandal’s biggest competition has likely been J.T. Realmuto, though teams have thus far balked at meeting the Marlins’ large asking price in a trade. The Mets are one team that decided to simply sign a quality catcher rather than trade for Realmuto, and another backstop-needy team could do the same by inking Grandal, though he’s another QO free agent. There has been some indication that the Marlins could decide by Christmas whether to keep or trade Realmuto, so once that decision is made either way, Grandal’s market will gain some clarity.

A.J. Pollock: Here’s another player who turned down a qualifying offer, and another with a pricey contract demand (reportedly in the $80MM range). The Mets, Braves, Reds, and Astros are known to have interest in Pollock, plus with so many trade rumors swirling around other outfielders, more suitors could easily emerge as more outfield spots are created.

Michael Brantley: Machado and Brantley are the only two of these seven players who don’t have QO compensation tied to their services, which gives Brantley in particular a boost as he tests free agency for the first time in his career. Furthermore, Brantley also appears willing to try playing first base, which adds a bit of extra versatility to his repertoire for any interested teams, even if Brantley would still primarily play as an outfielder. What could dampen enthusiasm, however, is Brantley’s initial asking price, reportedly something akin to a $20MM average annual value over three years. We’ve already heard that the Braves aren’t meeting that price, and other Brantley suitors like the Astros, Cardinals, and White Sox are also sure to aim for a lower number.

Dodgers want Bryce for a short term deal? Don't think Boras is going to go for that...

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Dodgers want Harper, but there's a catch
Might the Dodgers be on the fringes of the Bryce Harper derby? Here's an interesting nugget from Ken Rosenthal's must-read notes column in The Athletic ...

The Dodgers are widely rumored to be in on Harper, but the reality, according to major-league sources, is that they do not want him on a long-term, record-setting contract. A short-term deal with a high average salary and opt-outs might hold more appeal, but such an agreement likely would create luxury-tax issues for the Dodgers in 2019, and the team already has too many outfielders.

As for that outfield logjam, Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp have been the semi-frequent subject of trade rumors this off season, and there's still plenty of time to clear space for the likes of Harper. The financial aspect is a bit less certain. It's possible Harper would be open to a short-term deal that, say, broke the record for average annual value and, as Rosenthal notes, provided him with one or more opt-outs along the way. As well, Harper is a Las Vegas native, and playing for the flagship franchise of the West Coast might have some appeal. Really, though, such a pairing would come down to whether Harper is willing to forego $300 million or more in exchange for re-entering the market in another season or three. At this juncture, that seems unlikely.

Joakim Soria outta Kansas City and on to Oakland. I think he's definitely seen his best days, but is still a fair set-up man. $15M for 2 years is about par for someone with his numbers at his age these days.

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Dec. 21: The Athletics have officially announced Soria’s two-year contract. Their 40-man roster is up to 38 players.

Dec. 20, 11:38pm: Soria’s deal will pay him exactly $15MM over two years, tweets Jon Heyman of Fancred.

11:05pm: USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that the two sides do indeed have an agreement, in principle. Soria’s contract will check in with a total value in the $15-15.5MM range, tweets Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com.

10:51pm: The Athletics are closing in on a two-year contract with free-agent reliever Joakim Soria, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). The right-hander still has to pass a physical, per Rosenthal, and there are still some final details to be ironed out before the deal comes to fruition. Soria is represented by Oscar Suarez.

Joakim Soria | Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The 34-year-old Soria just wrapped up a three-year, $25MM contract with the Royals — a pact which didn’t pan out well in year one of the deal but took a turn for the better in years two and three. This past season, Soria tossed 60 2/3 innings of 3.12 ERA ball between the White Sox and Brewers, averaging 11.1 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and 0.59 HR/9 along the way.

In many respects, in fact, the 2018 season was one of the best, if not the best of Soria’s impressive big league career. He averaged personal bests in swinging-strike rate (14.4 percent) and opponents’ chase rate (34.3 percent), and his 2.44 FIP and 2.88 SIERA were among the best marks of his 12-year MLB career as well. Perhaps most impressively, the 83.6 mph average exit velocity that Soria allowed to opponents registered as the lowest of any pitcher in baseball (min. 150 batted ball events), per Statcast.

Much of the emphasis for the A’s this offseason has centered around the team’s rotation needs (with good reason), but adding Soria to the mix will give Oakland another quality reliever to join the likes of Blake Treinen, Yusmeiro Petit, Lou Trivino, Fernando Rodney and Ryan Buchter. That’s a solid collection of relievers, which figures to be more important for the A’s than most other clubs, assuming they plan to continue utilizing “the opener” tactic and piecing together the occasional game via “bullpenning.”

While Soria unequivocally improves the pitching staff as a whole, the A’s still have a clear, pressing need for some pitchers who can offer more innings than the aforementioned bunch. Oakland will be without Sean Manaea for the entire 2019 season due to shoulder surgery, while right-handers Jharel Cotton and Daniel Gossett will be on the mend from Tommy John surgery early in the season. The same is true of top pitching prospect A.J. Puk, and another rotation option, Andrew Triggs, will be recovering from thoracic outlet surgery.

At present, the Oakland rotation is a muddled mess, with the likes of Daniel Mengden, Frankie Montas, Paul Blackburn, Chris Bassitt, Aaron Brooks, Tanner Anderson and Grant Holmes among the options from which the organization can choose. The A’s, somewhat unthinkably, managed to win 97 games in a season where their most prominent starters beyond Manaea were Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson, Edwin Jackson and Mengden. That, however, seems highly unlikely to be a repeatable feat, and the A’s are expected to add some more experienced rotation pieces as the winter progresses.

A two-year commitment to Soria in the $15.5MM range is within reasonable proximity, albeit a bit shy, of the two-year, $18MM contract MLBTR estimated when ranking the game’s top 50 free agents in early November. Among participants in MLBTR’s Free Agent Prediction Contest, just 3.2 percent correctly pegged Soria to land in green and gold this winter.

Nelson Cruz ready to sign with Twins "on the cheap". $14M in 2019, club option for $12M in 2020 with minimal buyout. This is a no lose situation.

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The Twins are in agreement on a contract with free-agent slugger Nelson Cruz, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). It’s a one-year deal with an option for a second season, according to Fancred’s Jon Heyman (on Twitter). Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes further reports that Cruz will earn $14MM in 2019, and the contract contains a $12MM club option with a $300K buyout (Twitter link). Cruz is represented by the Primo Sports Group.

Nelson Cruz | Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Cruz, 38, was frequently linked to the Twins throughout the offseason. Minnesota stood out as a logical landing spot for the ultra-consistent slugger, as one of the few teams with a clear vacancy at designated hitter following the retirement of Joe Mauer and the decision to decline a club option over Logan Morrison. That pairing of Mauer and Morrison, then, will be swapped out for a more powerful combo of Cruz and C.J. Cron, whom Minnesota picked up from the Rays earlier this offseason.

Although he’s well into his late 30s, Cruz has shown little to no semblance of decline. His four-year, $57MM contract with the Mariners raised some eyebrows initially, but he not only lived up to every bit of that deal but actually provided Seattle with a fair bit of excess value. Over the life of that four-year pact, Cruz raked at a .284/.362/.546 pace despite playing half his games at Seattle’s pitcher-friendly Safeco Field. Cruz’s .256/.342/.509 batting line from 2018 was the weakest output of his four seasons in Seattle, but that was largely attributable to an uncharacteristic dip in his average on balls in play (.264 in 2018; .305 career). That BABIP drop came despite the fact that Cruz actually increased his hard-hit rate over his 2017 levels.

Adding Cruz will presumably push fellow righty slugger Tyler Austin into a bench role; the 27-year-old Austin showed huge power with the Twins following a midseason acquisition but remained strikeout-prone and OBP challenged. He can spell either of Cron or Cruz from time to time and has some corner outfield experience in the minors as well.

With Cruz in the fold, the Twins’ lineup will have the potential for quite a bit of power — particularly from the right side of the dish. Cruz has averaged 41 homers per season over the past half-decade, and he’ll slot into the heart of the order alongside Cron (30 homers in 2018) and Miguel Sano, who hit 28 home runs in just 114 games for the Twins in 2017

Of course, Sano’s status is one of the true mysteries for Minnesota heading into 2019; a fractured shin suffered by Sano late in 2017 ultimately led to offseason surgery that saw a titanium rod inserted into his leg, which prevented him from a full offseason of conditioning. If the lingering effects of that surgery are behind him and Sano can return to something approximating his 2017 levels of production, the Twins will possess a trio of right-handed sluggers to pair with lefty-swinging Eddie Rosario. Given the uncertainty surrounding Sano, Byron Buxton and fellow free-agent signing Jonathan Schoop, adding a player with Cruz’s perennial stability is all the more important for the Twins.

Financially speaking, the Twins can easily afford to add Cruz at $14MM for the upcoming season and still make additional moves. Cruz’s contract will boost the Twins’ 2019 payroll to just north of $100MM — a mark that is well shy of both the $112.6MM they’ve averaged over the past four seasons and the $128.7MM payroll they carried into the 2018 season a year ago. Beyond that, the fact that Cruz was added on a one-year guarantee means that the Twins still don’t have a single guaranteed contract on the books for the 2020 season, leaving them with more flexibility than any team in the Majors from a long-term vantage point.

Further additions would appear prudent for Minnesota. Though the Twins had a disappointing 2018 season, the American League Central still looks quite weak. The Tigers are still in the midst of a full-scale rebuilding effort, and though the Royals have indicated that they’ll aim to be more competitive in 2019, they’re in a largely similar situation. The White Sox have been rebuilding for a longer period of time and are showing signs of pushing closer to contention, but the 2020 season likely presents a more realistic timetable for the South Siders. Even the Indians, who have won three consecutive division titles, have weakened their roster to an extent this offseason, which at least creates an opportunity for the Twins to make another relatively surprising run. They’ll need bouncebacks from Sano and Buxton and could stand to further augment the pitching staff, though as noted above, they certainly have the financial resources available to make those moves.

Here's where we stand, up to the minute, on signings.

A little hard to read due to lineup of columns, but the first club is the 2018 club, the next is the team signed with for 2019- and the amount.

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Matt Adams 1B 30 Signed Cardinals Nationals 1 NR $3,000,000
Cody Allen RP 30 FA Indians -- 48 --
Abraham Almonte RF 29 Signed Royals Diamondbacks NR Minor Lg
Pedro Alvarez 1B 31 Signed Orioles Marlins NR Minor Lg
Brett Anderson SP 30 FA Athletics -- NR --
Luis Avilan RP 29 FA Phillies -- NR --
John Axford RP 35 FA Dodgers -- NR --
Tony Barnette RP 35 FA Rangers -- NR --
Anthony Bass RP 31 FA Cubs -- NR --
Jose Bautista RF 38 FA Phillies -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Gordon Beckham 3B 32 FA Mariners -- NR --
Tim Beckham SS 28 FA Orioles -- NR --
Matt Belisle RP 38 FA Twins -- NR --
Adrian Beltre 3B 39 Retired Rangers -- NR --
Joaquin Benoit RP 41 FA Nationals -- NR --
Gregor Blanco LF 35 FA Giants -- NR --
Jerry Blevins RP 35 FA Mets -- NR --
Justin Bour 1B 30 Signed Phillies Angels 1 NR $2,500,000
Peter Bourjos CF 31 Signed Giants Angels NR Minor Lg
Brad Boxberger RP 30 FA Diamondbacks -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Blaine Boyer RP 37 FA Royals -- NR --
Brad Brach RP 32 FA Braves -- NR --
Michael Brantley LF 31 Signed Indians Astros 2 4 $32,000,000
Zach Britton RP 31 FA Yankees -- 36 --
Clay Buchholz SP 34 FA Diamondbacks -- 39 --
Drew Butera C 35 FA Rockies -- NR --
Asdrubal Cabrera 2B 33 FA Phillies -- 29 --
Melky Cabrera CF 34 FA Indians -- NR --
Trevor Cahill SP 30 Agreed Athletics Angels 1 NR $9,000,000
Carter Capps RP 28 FA Padres -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Xavier Cedeno RP 32 FA Brewers -- NR --
Juan Centeno C 29 Signed Rangers Red Sox NR Minor Lg
Jesse Chavez RP 35 Signed Cubs Rangers 2 28 $8,000,000
Robinson Chirinos C 34 Signed Rangers Astros 1 NR $5,750,000
Lonnie Chisenhall RF 30 Signed Indians Pirates 1 NR $2,750,000
Tyler Clippard RP 33 FA Blue Jays -- NR --
Tyler Cloyd SP 31 FA Marlins -- NR --
Tim Collins RP 29 FA Nationals -- NR --
Bartolo Colon SP 45 FA Rangers -- NR --
Patrick Corbin SP 29 Signed Diamondbacks Nationals 6 3 $140,000,000
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Nelson Cruz DH 38 Agreed Mariners Twins 1 19 $14,300,000
Matt Davidson 1B 27 FA White Sox -- NR --
Rajai Davis C 38 Signed Indians Mets NR Minor Lg
Jorge De La Rosa RP 37 FA Cubs -- NR --
Randall Delgado RP 28 FA Diamondbacks -- NR --
Daniel Descalso 3B 32 Signed Diamondbacks Cubs 2 NR $5,000,000
Odrisamer Despaigne SP 31 FA Angels -- NR --
Jake Diekman RP 31 FA Diamondbacks -- NR --
Derek Dietrich LF 29 FA Marlins -- NR --
Josh Donaldson 3B 33 Signed Indians Braves 1 8 $23,000,000
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Brian Dozier 2B 31 FA Dodgers -- NR --
Lucas Duda 1B 32 FA Braves -- NR --
Zach Duke RP 35 FA Mariners -- NR --
A.J. Ellis C 37 FA Padres -- NR --
Nathan Eovaldi SP 28 Signed Red Sox Red Sox 4 11 $67,500,000
Alcides Escobar SS 32 FA Royals -- NR --
Eduardo Escobar 3B 29 Signed Diamondbacks Diamondbacks 3 NR $21,000,000
Marco Estrada SP 35 FA Blue Jays -- NR --
Jeurys Familia RP 29 Signed Athletics Mets 3 33 $30,000,000
Tim Federowicz C 31 FA Reds -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Mike Fiers SP 33 Agreed Athletics Athletics NR --
Doug Fister SP 34 FA Rangers -- NR --
Ryan Flaherty 2B 32 FA Braves -- NR --
Wilmer Flores 3B 27 FA Mets -- NR --
Nolan Fontana SS 27 Signed Angels Rangers NR Minor Lg
Logan Forsythe 2B 31 FA Twins -- NR --
Nick Franklin SS 27 FA Brewers -- NR --
David Freese 1B 35 Signed Dodgers Dodgers 1 NR $4,500,000
Yovani Gallardo SP 32 FA Rangers -- NR --
Freddy Galvis SS 29 FA Padres -- 50 --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Avisail Garcia RF 27 FA White Sox -- NR --
Jaime Garcia SP 32 FA Cubs -- NR --
Brett Gardner LF 35 Signed Yankees Yankees 1 NR $7,500,000
Evan Gattis C 32 FA Astros -- NR --
Cory Gearrin RP 32 FA Athletics -- NR --
Craig Gentry RF 35 FA Orioles -- NR --
Chris Gimenez C 36 FA Twins -- NR --
Ryan Goins 2B 30 FA Phillies -- NR --
Carlos Gomez RF 33 FA Rays -- NR --
Jeanmar Gomez RP 30 FA White Sox -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Adrian Gonzalez 1B 36 FA Mets -- NR --
Carlos Gonzalez RF 33 FA Rockies -- NR --
Gio Gonzalez SP 33 FA Brewers -- 22 --
Marwin Gonzalez LF 29 FA Astros -- 35 --
Miguel Gonzalez SP 34 FA White Sox -- NR --
Terrance Gore CF 27 Signed Cubs Royals 1 NR $650,000
Yasmani Grandal C 30 FA Dodgers -- 10 --
Curtis Granderson LF 37 FA Brewers -- NR --
Juan Graterol C 29 FA Reds -- NR --
Kendall Graveman SP 28 Agreed Athletics Cubs NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Justin Grimm RP 30 FA Mariners -- NR --
Robbie Grossman LF 29 FA Twins -- NR --
Javy Guerra RP 33 FA Marlins -- NR --
Taylor Guerrieri SP 26 FA Blue Jays -- NR --
Brandon Guyer RF 32 FA Indians -- NR --
David Hale RP 31 FA Yankees -- NR --
Billy Hamilton CF 28 Signed Reds Royals 2 NR $11,500,000
Jason Hammel SP 36 FA Royals -- NR --
J.A. Happ SP 36 Signed Yankees Yankees 2 17 $34,000,000
Bryce Harper RF 26 FA Nationals -- 2 --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Josh Harrison 2B 31 FA Pirates -- NR --
Matt Harvey SP 29 Agreed Reds Angels 1 24 $11,000,000
Chase Headley 3B 34 FA Padres -- NR --
Adeiny Hechavarria SS 29 FA Yankees -- NR --
Jeremy Hellickson SP 31 FA Nationals -- 46 --
Gorkys Hernandez LF 31 Signed Giants Red Sox NR Minor Lg
Kelvin Herrera RP 28 FA Nationals -- 38 --
Chris Herrmann C 31 Signed Mariners Athletics 1 NR $1,000,000
Derek Holland SP 32 FA Giants -- 30 --
Greg Holland RP 33 FA Nationals -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Matt Holliday LF 38 FA Rockies -- NR --
J.J. Hoover RP 31 FA Brewers -- NR --
Daniel Hudson RP 31 FA Dodgers -- NR --
Phil Hughes RP 32 FA Padres -- NR --
Nick Hundley C 35 FA Giants -- NR --
Drew Hutchison SP 28 FA Rangers -- NR --
Jose Iglesias SS 28 FA Tigers -- 20 --
Austin Jackson CF 31 FA Mets -- NR --
Edwin Jackson SP 35 FA Athletics -- NR --
Jon Jay CF 33 FA Diamondbacks -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Dan Jennings RP 31 FA Brewers -- NR --
Kevin Jepsen RP 34 FA Rangers -- NR --
Jim Johnson RP 35 FA Angels -- NR --
Adam Jones CF 33 FA Orioles -- NR --
Caleb Joseph C 32 FA Orioles -- NR --
Tommy Joseph 1B 27 FA Rangers -- NR --
Matt Joyce RF 34 FA Athletics -- NR --
Jung Ho Kang SS 31 Signed Pirates Pirates 1 NR $3,000,000
Nate Karns SP 31 FA Royals -- NR --
Shawn Kelley RP 34 FA Athletics -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Joe Kelly RP 30 Agreed Red Sox Dodgers 3 41 $25,000,000
Dallas Keuchel SP 30 FA Astros -- 5 --
Craig Kimbrel RP 30 FA Red Sox -- 40 --
Ian Kinsler 2B 36 Signed Red Sox Padres 2 37 $8,000,000
Patrick Kivlehan RF 29 Signed Diamondbacks Pirates NR Minor Lg
George Kontos RP 33 FA Yankees -- NR --
Ian Krol RP 27 FA Mets -- NR --
DJ LeMahieu 2B 30 FA Rockies -- 32 --
Adam Liberatore RP 31 FA Dodgers -- NR --
Tim Lincecum RP 34 FA Rangers -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Francisco Liriano SP 35 FA Tigers -- NR --
Jose Lobaton C 34 FA Mets -- NR --
Boone Logan RP 34 FA Brewers -- NR --
Aaron Loup RP 31 FA Phillies -- NR --
Jed Lowrie 2B 34 FA Athletics -- 7 --
Jonathan Lucroy C 32 FA Athletics -- NR --
Jordan Lyles RP 28 Signed Brewers Pirates 1 NR $2,050,000
Lance Lynn SP 31 Signed Yankees Rangers 3 14 $30,000,000
Manny Machado SS 26 FA Dodgers -- 1 --
Ryan Madson RP 38 FA Dodgers -- 47 --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Martin Maldonado C 32 FA Astros -- NR --
Nick Markakis RF 35 FA Braves -- 18 --
Victor Martinez DH 40 Retired Tigers -- NR --
Jeff Mathis C 35 Signed Diamondbacks Rangers 2 NR $6,250,000
Joe Mauer 1B 35 Retired Twins -- NR --
Cameron Maybin LF 31 FA Mariners -- NR --
Brian McCann C 34 Signed Astros Braves 1 NR $2,000,000
James McCann C 28 Signed Tigers White Sox 1 NR $2,500,000
Brandon McCarthy SP 35 Retired Braves -- NR --
Andrew McCutchen CF 32 Signed Yankees Phillies 3 13 $50,000,000
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Jordy Mercer SS 32 Signed Pirates Tigers 1 NR $5,250,000
Devin Mesoraco C 30 FA Mets -- NR --
Wade Miley SP 32 FA Brewers -- 23 --
Andrew Miller RP 33 Signed Indians Cardinals 2 43 $25,000,000
Brad Miller 2B 29 FA Brewers -- NR --
Shelby Miller SP 28 FA Diamondbacks -- NR --
Tommy Milone SP 31 FA Nationals -- NR --
Ariel Miranda SP 29 FA Mariners -- NR --
Miguel Montero C 35 FA Nationals -- NR --
Matt Moore SP 29 Signed Rangers Tigers 1 NR $2,500,000
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Mike Morin RP 27 FA Mariners -- NR --
Logan Morrison 1B 31 FA Twins -- NR --
Charlie Morton SP 35 Agreed Astros Rays 2 9 $30,000,000
Mike Moustakas 3B 30 FA Brewers -- 25 --
Peter Moylan RP 40 FA Braves -- NR --
Daniel Murphy 2B 33 Agreed Cubs Rockies 2 NR $24,000,000
Bud Norris RP 33 FA Cardinals -- NR --
Vidal Nuno RP 31 FA Rays -- NR --
Adam Ottavino RP 33 FA Rockies -- 31 --
Chris Owings CF 27 Signed Diamondbacks Royals 1 NR $3,000,000
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Edward Paredes RP 32 FA Dodgers -- NR --
Blake Parker RP 33 FA Angels -- NR --
Gerardo Parra LF 31 FA Rockies -- NR --
Steve Pearce 1B 35 Signed Red Sox Red Sox 1 49 $6,500,000
Hunter Pence RF 35 FA Giants -- NR --
Martin Perez SP 27 FA Rangers -- 44 --
Oliver Perez RP 37 FA Indians -- NR --
Gregorio Petit SS 34 FA Twins -- NR --
Jake Petricka RP 30 FA Blue Jays -- NR --
David Phelps RP 32 FA Mariners -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Brandon Phillips 2B 37 FA Red Sox -- NR --
Trevor Plouffe 3B 32 FA Phillies -- NR --
A.J. Pollock CF 31 FA Diamondbacks -- 6 --
Drew Pomeranz SP 30 FA Red Sox -- 42 --
Kevin Quackenbush RP 30 Signed Reds Dodgers NR Minor Lg
Hanley Ramirez DH 35 FA Red Sox -- NR --
AJ Ramos RP 32 FA Mets -- NR --
Wilson Ramos C 31 Signed Phillies Mets 2 16 $19,000,000
Jose Reyes SS 35 FA Mets -- NR --
Mark Reynolds 1B 35 FA Nationals -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Garrett Richards SP 30 Signed Angels Padres 2 NR $15,500,000
Rene Rivera C 35 FA Braves -- NR --
David Robertson RP 33 FA Yankees -- 34 --
Sean Rodriguez 1B 33 FA Pirates -- NR --
Enny Romero RP 27 FA Royals -- NR --
Andrew Romine SS 33 FA Mariners -- NR --
Sergio Romo SP 35 FA Rays -- NR --
Bruce Rondon RP 28 FA White Sox -- NR --
Adam Rosales SS 35 FA Indians -- NR --
Trevor Rosenthal RP 28 Signed -- Nationals 1 NR $7,000,000
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Tyson Ross SP 31 Signed Cardinals Tigers 1 45 $5,750,000
Ryan Rua LF 28 FA Rangers -- NR --
Drew Rucinski RP 29 Signed Marlins Japan NR --
Hyun-Jin Ryu SP 31 Signed Dodgers Dodgers 1 12 $17,900,000
Marc Rzepczynski RP 33 FA Mariners -- NR --
CC Sabathia SP 38 Signed Yankees Yankees 1 27 $8,000,000
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C 33 FA Tigers -- NR --
Anibal Sanchez SP 34 Agreed Braves Nationals 2 21 $19,000,000
Danny Santana CF 28 FA Braves -- NR --
Ervin Santana SP 36 FA Twins -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Hector Santiago RP 31 FA White Sox -- NR --
Luis Santos RP 27 FA Blue Jays -- NR --
Luis Sardinas SS 25 FA Orioles -- NR --
Ryan Schimpf 2B 30 FA Angels -- NR --
Jonathan Schoop 2B 27 Signed Brewers Twins 1 NR $7,500,000
A.J. Schugel RP 29 FA Pirates -- NR --
Rob Segedin 3B 30 FA Dodgers -- NR --
Kevin Shackelford RP 29 FA Reds -- NR --
James Shields SP 37 FA White Sox -- NR --
Matt Shoemaker SP 32 FA Angels -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
JB Shuck LF 31 FA Marlins -- NR --
Tony Sipp RP 35 FA Astros -- NR --
Burch Smith RP 28 FA Royals -- NR --
Carson Smith RP 29 FA Red Sox -- NR --
Justin Smoak 1B 32 Option Picked Up Blue Jays Blue Jays 26 --
Yangervis Solarte 2B 31 FA Blue Jays -- NR --
Joakim Soria RP 34 Signed Brewers Athletics 2 NR $15,000,000
Denard Span LF 34 FA Mariners -- NR --
Chris Stewart C 36 FA Diamondbacks -- NR --
Hunter Strickland RP 30 FA Giants -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Albert Suarez SP 29 FA Diamondbacks -- NR --
Jesus Sucre C 30 FA Rays -- NR --
Kurt Suzuki C 35 Signed Braves Nationals 2 NR $10,000,000
Matt Szczur LF 29 FA Padres -- NR --
Junichi Tazawa RP 32 FA Angels -- NR --
Josh Tomlin SP 34 FA Indians -- NR --
Kelby Tomlinson 2B 28 Signed Giants Diamondbacks NR Minor Lg
Carlos Torres RP 36 FA Nationals -- NR --
Ronald Torreyes 2B 26 Signed Cubs Twins 1 NR $800,000
Troy Tulowitzki SS 34 FA Blue Jays -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Danny Valencia 3B 34 FA Orioles -- NR --
Pat Venditte RP 33 Agreed Dodgers Giants NR --
Christian Villanueva 3B 27 Signed Padres Japan NR --
Stephen Vogt C 34 FA Brewers -- NR --
Chris Volstad RP 32 FA White Sox -- NR --
Neil Walker 2B 33 FA Yankees -- NR --
Adam Warren RP 31 FA Mariners -- NR --
Chase Whitley RP 29 FA Braves -- NR --
Matt Wieters C 32 FA Nationals -- NR --
Alex Wilson RP 32 FA Tigers -- NR --
PLAYER POS AGE STATUS 2018 TEAM NEW TEAM YRS RK DOLLARS
Justin Wilson RP 31 FA Cubs -- NR --
Blake Wood RP 33 FA Angels -- NR --
Chris Young CF 35 FA Angels -- NR --
Eric Young Jr. LF 33 FA Angels -- NR --
Eligible players can file for free agency through Nov. 28

The twists and turns keep coming in the public on-again off-again courtship between the Washington Nationals and free agent outfielder Bryce Harper. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden tweeted last night that the Nationals latest offer to Harper was actually “much more” than the $300MM commonly quoted. Per Bowden, the 10-year, $300MM offer was merely the first offer the Nationals made to their erstwhile superstar. The offer as stated – seen by many as the low-end of what Harper might expect – has been the single biggest signifier that the Nats are ready to move on from Harper, but the ongoing entanglement between the two sides is evidently more complex.

There’s lots to read into this, of course, especially given recent rumblings about Harper. In the context of the White Sox being unwilling to move beyond a 7-year bid, sources from 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine said that Harper has multiple ten-year offers in hand. Presumably, this meant offers from multiple teams, but given the lack of specifics, we have been left to speculate about which teams might have already extended such a deal.

In the wake of this morning’s reports from ESPN’s Buster Olney (Twitter link) and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (Twitter link), in which both suggested that the White Sox’ current offer to Manny Machado stands at $175MM over seven years, Machado’s agent, Dan Lozano of the MVP Sports Group, issued the following statement to MLBTR and other media outlets:

"I have known Bob Nightengale and Buster Olney for many years and have always had a good professional relationship with both. But their recent reporting, like many other rumors in the past several months, have been inaccurate and reckless when it comes to Manny Machado. I don’t know if their sources are blatantly violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement by intentionally misleading them to try and affect negotiations through the public or are just flat out lying to them for other reasons. But the truth is that their reports on the details of the White Sox level of interest in Manny are completely wrong.

I am well aware that the entire baseball universe; fans, players, teams, and media members alike; are starved for information about this free agent market for all players, including Manny. But I am not going to continue to watch the press be manipulated into tampering with, not just with my client, but all of these players’ livelihoods as they have been doing this entire offseason. The absence of new information to report is no excuse to fabricate “news” or regurgitate falsehoods without even attempting to confirm their validity and it is a disservice to baseball fans everywhere when the media does just that.

Moving forward, I will continue to respect the CBA’s prohibition on negotiations through the media, and hope that others would do the same."