News of the finally-ratified Collective Bargaining Agreement is dominating headlines, with good reason, but some free agent leads had quietly emerged during the final hours of CBA negotiations. Notably, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports that the Yankees had requested and received medicals for free agent pitchers Carlos Rodon and Yusei Kikuchi prior to the lockout. Heyman notes that the Yankees have received the medicals of free agent shortstop Carlos Correa as well, though disclaims that the team already has “two good shortstop prospects”, referring to touted youngsters Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza.
It has been speculated for some time that the Yankees minor league depth may impede their run at baseball’s top free agent, but their interest in Rodon and Kikuchi appears more straightforward. Despite possessing a high-upside stable of arms behind Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery, the Bronx rotation has no shortage of risk baked into it. Signing either Rodon or Kikuchi would add a similar high-risk, high-reward pitcher to the mix however, as these free agent targets dealt with injury and ineffectiveness down the stretch, respectively. Still, with a much higher luxury tax threshold to work with clubs like the Yankees are further incentivized to sign as many playoff-caliber arms as they can to see who sticks.
Some more free agent leads to usher in the post-lockout world…
- Piggybacking off of Heyman’s tweet, Darren Wolfson of SKOR North reports that the Twins have received medicals on Rodon and Kikuchi as well. Per Wolfson, the Twins are still searching for “multiple arms, starters and relievers” which should come as little surprise to fans who have followed Minnesota’s offseason to date. A Rodon signing would likely represent an uncharacteristically large splash for the Twins, though it should be noted they’ve shown interest in high-risk pitchers in the past, to say nothing of their interest in Rodon last offseason.
- Another free agent generating buzz is Jorge Soler, who Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports has received interest from more than six clubs. Now that the universal DH has been implemented Feinsand speculates that Soler will see his list of suitors grow. That theory certainly checks out on paper, as Soler has sported a useful 117 OPS+ since 2019, though his glovework during that same stretch has been decidedly below average.
With Soler, you have equal chances of him being good, sucky, or injured.
Rodon is probably good for 100 innings.
Wheel of Soler
Cubs sign Soler and then trade him in June.
“Heyman reports”…..lol.
Hey, the man’s got a quota to fill! And an active imagination to boot.
Hey man, I see what you did there.
Oh, right.
Thanks, Clip. I think the Yanks should target durability & consistency rather than “upside”. But, yeah. Heyman makes stuff up.
Amen to that statement
Ducky, I left an article link on the last Yankees thread for you, re: positional ratings, if you’re interested.
Noted. Will check out. The Conforto thread?
Edit: found it. Merci.
I’d like Rodon to sign with the Mets!
You must be a Braves fan.
Nice to see articles on rumors again 🙂
Correa is going to the Red Sox
No chance he signs with Boston. They have bigger needs then a overpriced SS
Correa during the ALCS seemed to love the energy of a Red Sox playoff game. With Alex Cora there and pressure being put on Bloom to actually sign someone, I think this is his play. They will put Bogaerts on 3B, move Devers to 1B. Dalbec will move to LF and Keke will play 2nd….Verdugo will move to CF. Not a great defensive outfield but the money they save on not signing Schwarber will go to Correa. Schwarber and Conforto are plan B…
And it begins!!!!
No signings yet ? Gee
Lots of changes in effect immediately, teams and FAs probably need a few days to assess.
Teams and players don’t have a few days to reassess. A few days and spring training has already started, and it’s already a short one. Players will want to be in camp ASAP, and teams had z3 months to plan.
So if you’re a FA that had a few offers from a few teams.
And now suddenly a few top spending teams can spend more, you’re going to say sorry can’t talk need to get to florida?
Teams that may have been fringe that now feel more compelled to add with expanded playoffs, nope sorry can’t talk must get to Arizona.
A bat first player who now has 15 more teams in the NL looking for his services.
Etc etc. players will rush to get there, but the league has changed drastically over the last week and both players and teams will reassess. Most players are probably already close and training anyways.
“A bat first player who now has 15 more teams in the NL looking for his services.”
Most NL teams have bat first guys on their team already. Now they don’t have to play in the field. At least 10 of the 15 teams will have guys sharing DH. In the AL only 3 teams used full-time DH’s in 2021.
I never said full time DHs I said bat first.
Do you not think that JD and schwarber types now have more eyes on them? Teams that can stick them in LF for now but will feel more comfortable with an extra year or two knowing they have a DH spot for them.
Clearly there hasn’t been a flood of moves so far because of teams and players reengaging, not sure why this needs to be argued. It’s actually not happening.
@Iseeghosts- I hope your 100% right, and by judging by your name I won’t put it past you. Just as long as Correa doesn’t become a Yankee, then I’m good. Looking for a cheap Trevor Story jersey on line, just in case my team gets smart and signs him.
Soler to the Giants? Rodon – White Sox didn’t bother to issue a QO. There was a reason……
Yea they’re cheap
Nah they got plenty of pitching with less injury history.
As a White Sox fan I concur with lambchop. High risk in Rodon, but there is still room for him on the Sox.
I really like Yusei Kikuchi a lot. Nice power arm that throws strikes. But he’s a fly ball pitcher that would probably get lit up at Yankee Stadium.
Yeah, but Blake has done a really nice job with their rotation. If he could get Kikuchi to level those FB %s out, he would be a nice rotation arm. That’ll be interesting to see: he could be the next Clay Holmes or the next Sonny Gray….
As a Mariners fan I say to any team that hires Kikuchi…
Good luck!!! Lol
As a Mariners fan, I hope Kikuchi goes to someone in our division so we can benefit from the million bombs he gives up every year.
If he doesn’t give up so many dingers he could be decent. I think he could be a worthwhile gamble for say 2/30. The rest of his game is solid and 2.5 years of data probably means he has a dinger issue but it’s not enough to say he likely to continue having the same level of issue with them going forward. It can take years for HR to stabilize for pitchers. My guess is he’s actually a solid #3 because or that. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get 3/40 on a contract.
Oh goody!………
Most will salivate at the big-name moves and expensive signings the large market teams make based on what a player did last year; while teams such as the Rays, Brewers, Astros, Guardians, Pirates and even Giants make head-scratching moves that will prove by mid-season to be far more effective.
Back to normal!
“Back to normal”. Yup.
Not the least of which is the occasional blowhard who thinks they know more than the rest of us. Yet is constantly shown to be completely wrong.
Yessir. Things are becoming as they should be. Feels good doesn’t it?
I don’t care about the Yankees.
Why isn’t this site exploding right now?!?!
Wake up all the writers!!
Everybody!!!!
They have been writing “What if…” Articles for months and now real rumors should be happening and it’s crickets.lol
…and so it´s begins…
Soler would look great in the Giants lineup. Just don’t get your hopes up for Suzuki; he’s signing with Boston very soon! (Fingers crossed).
I’m starting to think that Correa is not going to get anything close to a 10/$300M+ deal. He may very well need to sign a 1 year deal somewhere. If it does come to that, the Yankees make a ton of sense but I’m not sure they can afford to wait until he would make that decision. The Yankees need a short-term SS until one of the kids are ready and they are going to be aggressive in locking someone up soon.
Correa to Phillies.
Pete, I could certainly see the Phillies.
Dorothy: I really hope the Yankees don’t go even 6@$250 for Correa. I think that they just have too many needs at this point and the money could be a bit better utilized spread out.
Plus, I disdain the idea of Correa on the Yankees, so I’d rather have someone like Freeman, a consummate professional, a true role model.
I do agree that Correa isn’t going to get and offer what Seager received though. We shall see!
I think that’s Boston’s big play….remember Cora has coached Correa before I think they are tight
Yankee Clipper — If I were the Yanks, I would not sign Correa. They already have Volpe and Peraza (who I prefer) coming up. Both look like solid prospects and (though I’m not a Yankee fan), I think they have other more important needs.
He’s not getting a 10 yr deal…6/250M might entice him though, it’s more per year than 10/300 and teams have a bit more to spend….he is a SS though and already 27ish
Rondon is the biggest risk signing out there. Any thought as to who steps up and the terms?
Might be the Giants if the medical reports don’t scare them off. Under any circumstances, I wouldn’t offer him more than a two-year contract, which could easily be money flushed down the toilet.
Correa wi) be an Astro.
I’m all for the cards giving yepez a chance at dh, but soler could be a great addition too as the dh
I want Solar as a brave bad…