The upcoming free agent class doesn’t feature a ton of players whose contracts contain vesting options. Marcus Stroman’s deal with the Yankees would’ve contained an $18MM player option had he reached 140 innings, but an early-season knee injury made that impossible. The Yanks released him earlier this month anyhow.
While Stroman’s option was a non-factor, a trio of players are closing in on their own vesting provisions.
- Lucas Giolito, Red Sox RHP ($14MM club option converts to $19MM mutual option at 140 innings; $1.5MM buyout in either case)
Giolito is up to 106 2/3 innings across 19 starts. He needs another 33 1/3 frames to convert next season’s $14MM team option into a $19MM mutual provision. That’d allow him to decline his end and retest free agency as he heads into his age-31 campaign. He’d very likely do so and could command a three-plus year contract.
The righty’s season numbers aren’t exceptional. Giolito carries a 3.63 earned run average with a 19.6% strikeout percentage that is his lowest since his terrible 2018 campaign. He had a trio of blowups in his first seven appearances after missing all of last season to an internal brace surgery. He has been locked in over the past two-plus months. In his last 12 starts, Giolito carries a 2.34 ERA while averaging over six innings per appearance. His 20.4% strikeout rate still isn’t great, and he has benefitted from a .229 opponents average on balls in play, but he at least looks the part of a durable mid-rotation arm again.
Giolito has a good shot to reach 140 innings. He’d need to average a little under six innings per start over his next six appearances. If he stays healthy, he should take the ball at least seven times — which would give him leeway in case he has one bad outing in which he’s knocked out after two or three frames. Even a minimal injured list stint would take it off the table, though.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said over the weekend that the Sox had no intention of changing Giolito’s workload to keep him from vesting the option. No front office executive would publicly admit otherwise, of course, but there’s no reason to doubt Breslow in this case. The Red Sox are trying to secure a postseason berth. Even if they were out of contention, limiting a player’s workload so they could exercise an option to keep that player at a below-market rate wouldn’t make for an especially good relationship. If he gets to free agency, Giolito could take aim at something like the three-year deals secured by Luis Severino ($67MM with an opt-out after the second season) and Sean Manaea ($75MM with deferrals).
- Jorge Polanco, Mariners DH/2B ($8MM mutual option converts to $6MM player option at 450 plate appearances, escalates to $8MM player option at 550 plate appearances; $750K buyout in either case)*
Polanco re-signed with Seattle last offseason on a somewhat complicated deal that reflected his health uncertainty coming off left knee surgery. The deal contains an $8MM mutual option which would vest into a $6MM player provision if Polanco reaches 450 plate appearances. Polanco has taken 395 trips to the dish. He’s 55 plate appearances from reaching the vesting mark, and he’d escalate the player option price back to $8MM if he tallies another 155 trips before season’s end.
Initially, the Mariners looked to have struck gold with that surprise re-signing. Polanco blasted nine home runs while hitting .384 through the end of April. Even with knee and side discomfort limiting him to early-season DH work, he looked rejuvenated. Polanco’s production completely tanked over the next two months, however. He had a huge July but is back to a .213/.275/.298 showing in 14 games this month.
Polanco has hit .209/.283/.344 across 315 plate appearances since the beginning of May. His season batting line (.245/.310/.439) is still above-average, but there have been significant peaks and valleys. Cole Young has taken over at second base. While Eugenio Suárez’s impending free agency leaves an opening at third base, Polanco hasn’t shown he’s healthy enough to play there regularly. There’s a good chance the Mariners would buy out their end of the option if it remains a mutual provision. Polanco only needs to start another 13 or 14 games to give himself more security.
That shouldn’t be a problem with 36 games remaining on the schedule. The M’s have sat him in each of their past two games against left-handed opponents, but he continues to play regularly versus righties. He’s highly unlikely to get all the way to 550 PA’s to push the player option to $8MM, but he should easily unlock the $6MM player option that’ll give him the unilateral decision whether to return to free agency.
* The vesting provision also requires that Polanco hasn’t suffered a lower body injury that’d prevent him from being ready for Opening Day 2026.
- Matt Strahm, Phillies LHP ($5.5MM team option becomes guaranteed at $7.5MM at 60 innings)*
Strahm’s extension with the Phillies contained a $4.5MM club option for the 2026 season. The southpaw has already pushed that to $5.5MM and will escalate it to $6.5MM when he records two more outs. He’s 10 2/3 innings away from hitting the 60-inning threshold, at which point the price jumps to $7.5MM and becomes guaranteed.
In his case, it’s probably immaterial. Even if Strahm suffers a minor injury that keeps him from getting to 60 frames, the Phillies would probably exercise the option. Strahm is having another impressive season, working to a 3.10 ERA with six saves and 14 holds. His velocity has dropped a tick and he has lost a few points on his strikeout rate, but he has still punched out an above-average 27.7% of opponents. Strahm is one of Rob Thomson’s more trusted setup arms.
* The vesting provision also requires that Strahm pass a postseason physical.
“No front office executive would publicly admit otherwise, of course” — Thank you for adding this Tony.
Breslow has more than proven what he says is basically worthless, actions speak louder than words.
Remember this is the same front office that kept Roman in the minors because of service time manipulation.
It’s the same front office that repeatedly assured Raffy all offseason he would be the starting 3B.
It’s the same front office that insisted they’d be going for it at the deadline, only to come up with a mediocre lefty reliever they didn’t need and a 4th-string catcher they have yet to promote and a #5 SP.
It will be very interesting how the Giolito situation plays out, but I agree he’ll probably reach the 140 with plenty of time to spare.
Breslow has publicly mishandled things there in some instances but improving the team by signing Bregman – a far superior 3B to
Devers defensively – as he lingered on the market is certainly a 2 sided argument.
And service time manipulation is also 2 sided in Anthony’s case. He had very little AAA time entering ‘25 and not much AA time either, and has already been extended.
Agreed. It’s not surprising to hear a Yankees fan speak more highly of the Red Sox than FPG.
NYY – We are talking about honesty, or in Breslow’s case lack thereof. I’m not judging the decision to bring in Bregman, I’m pointing out how horribly Breslow handled it and lying to Devers was the main catalyst for the ensuing fiasco.
Compare Roman’s time in the minors to that of Campbell, then get back to me. One made the opening day roster despite not earning it in ST, the other was forced to languish in the minors where his own manager admitted there was no benefit to him spending more time in Woosta.
Guess which one of the two players agreed to a team-friendly longterm contract coming out of ST.
Roman’s extension happened long after the Sox were forced to call him up, and after the amount of time he had left to finish Top Two in ROY was greatly reduced.
Campbell had a great spring training and they needed a RH bat to balance the lineup.
Fever, please move on from Devers. What is said publicity isn’t necessarily what is said privately. Moreover, there was no guarantee Boston signed Bregman and Breslow was balancing negotiations and trying to stroke the ego of an immature athlete, which is not easy in the 21st century. As for promoting Campbell over Anthony, such was likely dictated by ownership with Anthony not then agreeing to a team friendly preseason deal
dewey – I moved on long ago, it’s Breslow I’m talking about. He’s still with the team ;O)
But since you brought it up, how does lying during the offseason stroke anyone’s ego? What possible benefit was gained? To Breslow’s credit, he acknowledged that he handled the situation poorly and he promised to improve with communication. Of course his promises are meaningless though. LOL
Oh I’m certain ownership was involved in the Roman and KC situations, but since ownership isn’t allowed to speak anymore it’s Breslow’s words that are critiqued.
Fever, we agree to disagree. I negotiate large valued construction accident injury claims and while such is not public, situations change and again it’s a balancing act. I’ll say one thing to the attorney representing the party sometimes to send a message as we have other cases together but then in mediation, I’ll say something different to the mediator. Both when said were true. The difference is no one is preserving those words to later frame me as a liar with snapshot quotes.
I don’t think there is any situation really. Giolito keeps pitching as the team is vying for the postseason. I see no benefits in preventing him from vesting. In that event, Breslow has a disgruntled vet for the stretch run and next while establishing a reputation for doing bad business among free agents.
YBC – I’d like to think Breslow would do the right thing, but every time I think that he proves me wrong. I mean there’s a reason why the Sox insisted on the 140 inning clause, correct?
They tried to delay one of his starts a few weeks ago, he pushed back and said no he wants to keep his scheduled start. He got his wish.
What happens if they want to skip his last regular season start so he’s well-rested to start Game 2 in the postseason?
What happens if they pull him after 3 or 4 innings in his final regular season start under the premise of keeping him fresh for the postseason?
Again I think it will be a moot point as he continues to pitch well the next few weeks, but you can never predict the future.
Fever, the article really doesn’t give Giolito justice by first pointing the overall numbers. Anyone watching knows Giolito has recently pitched like a great #2 who would be a #1 on many clubs. He’s too important to their playoff push and unless there is an injury worry, he’ll have that opportunity to reach the threshold. They want to work out a deal. He’s shown enough that he’s back and I wouldn’t be surprised if they work it out before the 140 innings becomes a distraction
dewey – I agree, Giolito’s season has played out much like Story’s season …. both started out very badly as they returned from a lengthy injury, and both have been great since around mid-June.
Sure the Sox are interested in keeping Gio no matter what, they only have two reliable SP’s going into next season. Crawford, Fitts, Sandoval, Harrison and Dobbins are big question marks, Houck is out for the year, and Buehler & May are free agents that likely won’t be coming back.
Will the Sox pay market price for a Gio extension? They have been reluctant to sign free agent SP’s at market price, especially when they are in their 30’s, so it will require a change of heart to extend Gio.
But like I said, it will probably be a moot point as Gio will likely reach 140 with plenty of time to spare.
Fever, You’re not wrong about these assessments however, the Breslow calculations have worked out pretty well.
The team has taken flight since they dumped their one dimensional player who shows zero athleticism. They “reinvested” the money in young athletic talent and they found money for Bregman and Crochet.
I don’t like the methods. The results are difficult to deny.
Devers doesn’t fit. The team has a new identity. Fast, athletic young teams are the way to go. Plodders like Devers are overrated now.
Soto – The team “took flight” for various reasons, none of which were because they traded their best player in a salary dump.
Roman Anthony was finally promoted shortly before the trade, he already has accumulated 2.1 WAR.
The starting pitchers have been great, especially their Top 3, just like before the trade.
The relievers have been great, especially their Top 3, just like before the trade.
Bregman returned from the IL and has contributed, just like he did before the injury.
Duran has had a strong second half just like last year, putting up a .973 OPS
So obviously none of those things had anything to do with Raffy.
Before the trade the Sox won 5-of-6 against the Yanks, in large part due to Raffy.
Raffy has hit 31 homers and driven in 78 runs in 116 career starts against the Yanks, you think that production against them is easily replaceable? You will see this weekend it’s not.
And oh yeah, Bregman is a plodder now …. the dude can’t run, we saw it again last night. He’s not at 100%. I wouldn’t call Abreu, Yoshida Wong, etc athletes either.
Also, they didn’t “reinvest” the Devers money yet. Once Anthony proved himself, they knew they would try to get a deal done. Reinvesting is hypothetically if they extend Bregman and Giolito or bring in a big bat like Alonso.
Who’s Tony? Tony Soprano? Tony the Tiger? Tony Graffanino?
Tony Taters!
Tony Orlando
Everyone knows Tony. He’s the man.