After a slow start, the 2020-21 free agent market finally sprung to life over the last few weeks. The result is a lot of red ink (i.e. signing details) on MLBTR’s list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents, with only ten of the players that original list remaining without a contract for the 2021 season or beyond.
With less than two weeks to go before Spring Training camps are scheduled to open, the question has gone from “when will anyone sign?” to “who is left to be signed?” There are still plenty of prominent names remaining, including multiple former All-Stars, Gold Glovers, a Cy Young Award winner, and former World Series champions — including a very prominent member of the defending champion Dodgers.
Any of these players could sign at any time, of course, but it’s possible Yadier Molina could be back with the Cardinals very soon, given the reports of an agreement that could be made official now that the Caribbean Series is over. Justin Turner may also be down to a choice between four teams, and Jackie Bradley Jr. still has interest from a reported half-dozen teams.
With Trevor Bauer now a Dodger, interest seems to be picking up for starting pitchers like Jake Odorizzi, James Paxton, and Taijuan Walker. That could, in turn, spark some offers further down the ladder for veteran hurlers like Rick Porcello or Cole Hamels, as there hasn’t been much public buzz about either pitcher this winter.
On the bullpen front, Trevor Rosenthal has gotten interest from a few teams this winter, though several of his known suitors have since moved on to other late-game options. However, the “no such thing as too much pitching” mantra would certainly seem to apply to relievers as well heading into a 2021 season that may see several starters on innings limits as they rebuild arm strength. That would imply that the likes of Rosenthal and Mark Melancon could still be of interest to teams who already have a closer in place, in an effort to create a super-bullpen.
To add a couple more names to the mix, this poll also includes Brett Gardner and Brad Miller, who were honorable mentions on the original Top 50 list. They were bumped up to the 50-player slate for MLBTR’s free agent prediction contest after Marcus Stroman and Kevin Gausman made early exits from the market by accepting qualifying offers.
Of these twelve, who is your pick as the last free agent standing? (poll link for app users)
JBJ because Boras.
Boras-Exactly why I picked him also…not to mention he is asking for a lofty contract…Boras agents like this he lets them go into spring training before signing
Didn’t it come out a couple weeks ago that Yadi was going to resign as soon as he came back stateside? I could be completely wrong but I do know he’s supposed to sign very soon so my bet is on him
The poll asks who will be the last to sign. Not the next to sign
Like every body always stays on topic
As did I and for that reason.
I was replying to jbj, not Molina.
I picked Miller but this is a great point.
I picked JBJ because of the length he’s seeking. I just don’t see anyone offering him 5 years.
That’s why Kris Bryant need a need agent times is hard and there no bend in that Boris .He don’t lose only the player lose
Gardner because he’s going to retire.
As a Rays fan, I hope this is correct. Really solid career.
Ugh, I tussled between he and Boras, er, I mean, JBJ. I picked Gardy because I don’t see him going elsewhere and I’m starting to think this is the season the Yankees draw the line.
I don’t think it’s a case of Gardner retiring. It’s a waiting game. I believe the Yankees may want to make one more move and are waiting to see if they can pick up a starter or reliever on the cheap. They can’t make a final offer to Gardner until they know exactly what they have left.
Gardner need to be a met but I think Almora if given a fair chance could be a good CF starter but Cubs never gave him a chance cause. Happ is better but he was the 4th OF but got no chance
MLBTR predicted the Bauer signing
Quasimodo predicted all of this.
Turner because the D’s want every angle covered..
I put the same, turner is quickly running out of options
I’m really surprised the angels haven’t signed rosenthal or melancon to a 1 year deal. Heaven knows they need help outside of Iglesias.
How about the Phillies spending 3 million a year on reclamation projects instead of these relievers?
True as well, I can’t see either asking for more than 5/6 million per year.
I was thinking Puig but I guess he’s not considered top 50.
I was trying to recall if he was a Top 50 last year. If so, he still hasn’t signed from that list.
I, too, was going to ask about Puig since he was on the list last year. I guess rollover minutes don’t apply here.
I want to ask… why Cole Hamels? SF or Philly will pick him up here soon.
I said JBJ because I think he has the most… “flak” around him. None of the other guys have any real doubts around them. With the up and down production plus the fact that he wants a long term deal… that doesn’t add up. My second choice would probably be Paxton, but I expect all of those guys to start falling off the board soon.
Edit: Paxton has doubt, that’s why he’s my second choice.
SF needs to sign Hamels. The only lefty starter on the team is Alex Wood and he has never topped 171 innings in a season.
I picked Hamels out of bitterness. I took the tags off my Braves Hamels jersey. :(……..
Oof, yeah that sucks. Hamels is a good dude, it was just unfortunate that he didn’t play last season. Imo he has a pretty underrated HOF case, and I hope he can put together another solid season or two just to add on.
RunDMC I loved that signing by the Braves, and it broke my heart a little (as a Phillies fan), but I was happy I never had to watch Cole beat the Phillies for a division title. People forget how much bad luck the Braves had last year, and they still overcame a lot of it.
Rangers….Do you comment on EVERY single post?
I commented on their (@Rangers29) post – and they are responding.
Hamel would be great in Philly again
I’d guess JBJ. The reported years he wants is pretty ridiculous and all the pitchers will easily find jobs.
I doubt highly Gardy retires he’s just waiting for the last few Million the Yankees have left under the tax. Unfortunately it’s inevitable
I agree. JBJ is one hellva defender but is a horrible hitter. Having Boras trying to get more than he’s worth makes that a sh!tty long term deal for a team. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing him at Fenway all these years but I could also watch Pillar make the same plays at a fraction of the price.
Turner, because he should be signed already. Whatever offers he’s going to get he must have in hand by now. The hold up is hard to figure.
Turner needs to decide where he wants to play this year.
He’s got strong ties here in Los Angeles. But he ain’t get’n 4 yrs. no way
Turner got his ring go back to the Mets.
I think the Braves swoop in on Turner.
No way the braves show interest in Turner when they knowingly want to give young stud Austin Riley time there
@von that’s a really good spot but it would have to be for 4 years because anything less he would have a better chance at a ring with dodgers
@123Redsox Riley can play 3 different positions. Braves definitely have room for Turner.
@Tatsumaki It really depends how much interest LA has in bringing him back.
Braves would be good but don’t over pay his a starter but we need the DH please bring it back
@123Redsox, I’ve been a Braves fan for about 55 years and I think they need to trade Riley for 2 cases of balls, a case of sunflower seeds and a case of bubble gum because he’s never going to be anything more than a strikeout machine as he’s been since high school. His range to his right is limited which causes him to allow too many hits down the line. Yes he occasionally gets hot and crushes a few homers but I’ll guarantee you that if Camargo went into the season knowing he’s the starter he would be much better playing consistently as he showed a few years ago when he led the team in OBP and RBIs with runners on base and in scoring position after the all star break. If I had it to bet I wouldn’t hesitate to bet $10,000 that if Riley and Camargo both played 140 games in a season Camargo would beat Riley in average, drs, rbi and obp and would be very close if not ahead in homers and slugging percentage.
Turner needs to go to Milwaukee, and see what it feels like on the opposite side of a Dodgers-Brewers NLDS series lol.
Also, with the Dodgers over the LT , Turner suddenly becomes expensive. Even at 2+ 1
Cole Hamels. After last season’s injury, I can see teams being hesitant.
Paxton. The most questions with his health.
Does it really matter?
RIP Pedro Gomez.
yeah, where’s the coverage on this?!?!
Important baseball news. The guy was a groundbreaker with a passion for both baseball and reporting. How fortunate we baseball fans were to have him covering our game.
Why is Bamboo Brad even being mentioned here?
Gardner is easy to critique, but he’s been among the more consistently useful players around for more than a decade. 43 BWAR in 6153 PA, is a very solid career. Not a star, but produced consistent value. He’s 20th among active players in WAR. As a GM, you could have done a lot worse than sign him and run him out there. That being said, he’s not worth (to the Yankees) an eight figure salary.
I said Porcello because he last two years were pretty shaky.
Porcello was worth 1.6 fWAR (tied for 22nd in MLB among starters!) with a 3.33 FIP last year. I’ll take that especially at a $5mill price tag for one year!
OK. Big difference between his ERA and FIP.
Will all 50 even sign? Or will a few of them hang on until after the draft? And do they know that would be stupid since none of them have QO’s attached?
Yadier Molina. Only one team was ever going to sign him, and with catchers reporting next week, they seem unfazed…
he said he’d ink after the Caribbean Series
Cards might be in for a surprise. TLR has contacted Yadi and offered the back up position to Grandal. In a full season that’s possibly 70 games starting behind the dish. White Sox move Grandal to first and DH Abreu some. TLR is obviously a short term manager. Possible for Yadi to become the next David Ross in Chicago and end up with the top job after retiring as a player.
Porcello.
Hamels has to be the safest bet. After what happened last year with him, I’m surprised he’s even in the top 100 or that any team would have real interest. To me, a team like the O’s, Rockies, rangers, bring him in on a minor league deal hoping he breaks the major league roster and can coach some young guys. Like… even then, seems like a risky waste of any money lol
Sure, but if his medicals check out, a team could get a potential HoFer on a discount. Personally, I’d take a chance on him – with cleared medicals – over Jon Lester everyday and twice on Sunday.
Rosenthal. He’s a Boras client and he wants a closer role or a high-paying set-up role similar to Britton. Boras will wait well into Spring Training or even the start of the season for inevitable pitching injuries.
I’m going with JBJ if Boras thinks he is getting a 5-year contract.
Markakis
Where’s Osuna on the list?
Ozuna has re-signed with the Braves.
With so many teams still needing pitching I think it will be one of the position players.