Six Players Extended Qualifying Offers
Six players will be extended qualifying offers this winter, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). Those players are:
- Trevor Bauer, Reds RHP
- Kevin Gausman, Giants RHP (story)
- DJ LeMahieu, Yankees 2B
- J.T. Realmuto, Phillies C
- George Springer, Astros OF
- Marcus Stroman, Mets RHP (story)
None of the players issued the QO comes as a particular surprise. Bauer, LeMahieu, Realmuto and Springer were all easy calls for their respective teams. Each of that group will certainly reject the offer. Stroman and Gausman might’ve been tougher calls but had been reported previously.
More notable are the series of players who were not issued a QO. Astros outfielder Michael Brantley will hit the market unencumbered, as he did when he became a free agent two years ago. Oakland didn’t issue a QO to either of Marcus Semien or Liam Hendriks, while the Phillies and Angels decided against an offer for Didi Gregorius and Andrelton Simmons, respectively. The six players issued a qualifying offer is down from last offseason’s ten, which isn’t much of a surprise since this winter is expected to be particularly tough for players in the wake of teams’ pandemic-driven revenue losses.
The players issued the qualifying offer will now have ten days to weigh their options. Players who reject the offer and become free agents will cost their signing teams draft compensation (or the right to recoup draft compensation if they sign with their current team). Here is a full run-down of the qualifying offer rules this offseason.
Giants Issue Qualifying Offer To Kevin Gausman
The Giants are planning to issue an $18.9MM qualifying offer to right-hander Kevin Gausman, reports Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic (Twitter link). Team and player remain in contact regarding a potential multi-year deal, Baggarly adds, making the move unsurprising. The team has officially announced the decision.
Gausman looked like a solid rebound candidate when San Francisco inked him to a buy-low, one-year contract last offseason. That turned out to be the case. In his first season in the Bay Area, Gausman tossed 59.2 innings of 3.62 ERA/3.09 FIP ball. He put up a career-best 32.2% strikeout rate on the back of an outstanding 15.2% swinging strike rate. Between his swing-and-miss stuff, youth (30 in January) and mid-90’s velocity, Gausman now looks like one of the best pitchers on the upcoming free agent market.
A multi-year deal might be in the cards. But Gausman’s only a year removed from being non-tendered by the Reds in a much more favorable economic situation. It’s possible he and his representatives will take that lofty single-year salary, then, although they’ll have ten days to weigh the market before making a decision. Gausman could also choose to accept the qualifying offer and then negotiate a multi-year deal with the Giants, as José Abreu and the White Sox did last offseason.
Mets Extend Qualifying Offer To Marcus Stroman
TODAY: The Mets officially announced that Stroman was issued a qualifying offer.
OCTOBER 31: The Mets plan on extending a qualifying offer to starting pitcher Marcus Stroman before tomorrow’s deadline, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (via Twitter). The move does not come as a particular surprise, despite Stroman opting out of 2020. Some mystery remained, however, as the revenue losses around the game already made for some surprising cost-cutting decisions.
With that in mind, Stroman could consider accepting the $18.9MM offer, play one more year in New York, and return unencumbered to what should be at least a marginally more favorable free agent ecosystem after 2021. Under traditional circumstances, Stroman should have no problem finding a multi-year deal on the open market, but there’s more uncertainty than ever. Still, Stroman is among the very best free agent starters available, should he decline the qualifying offer and test the open waters. He is represented by Klutch Sports.
The Mets would likely welcome him back, especially with Noah Syndergaard to miss the beginning of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Stroman made 11 starts down the stretch after GM Brodie Van Wagenen traded for him on July 28, 2019. Stroman was a long-rumored trade candidate with the Blue Jays, but the Mets emerged somewhat surprisingly as his ultimate destination despite being at the very fringes of contention at the time. Stroman was unable to move the needle even while going 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA/4.15 FIP in 59 2/3 innings with 9.1 K/8 to 3.5 BB/9. The Mets gave up two pretty good pitching prospects in Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson for those 11 starts from Stroman, though at the time, of course, the Mets expected to get a full 2020 from Stroman as well. He ultimately opted out of the 2020 season.
Throughout his career with the Mets and Blue Jays, the 5’7″ right-hander has a 51-47 record across 146 appearances (140 starts) totaling 849 1/3 innings with a 3.76 ERA/3.64 FIP and 7.36 K/9, 2.59 BB/9, and 59.6 GB%. He went 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA/4.15 FIP in 5 playoff starts with the Jays between 2015 and 2016, including a 6-inning, 2 earned run no-decision in a deciding game 5 ALDS win over the Rangers in 2015.
Pirates Decline Option On Chris Archer
The Pittsburgh Pirates declined their $11M option on Chris Archer, making the right-hander a free agent, per Jason Mackey of PGSportsNow (via Twitter).
The 32-year-old’s last big-league action came in 2019 when he went 3-9 with a 5.19 ERA/5.02 FIP in 119 2/3 innings over 23 starts with 10.8 K/9 to 4.1 BB/9. The Pirates hoped Archer could anchor their rotation, but a 0.8 rWAR season wasn’t enough to make an substantive impact for the Buccos.
Declining Archer’s option likely means the end of a disappointing era in Pittsburgh. Much was heaped onto Archer’s shoulders after being acquired from the Rays for soon-to-be stars Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows, and prospect Shane Baz. The 2018 deadline deal was doomed from the start, as Glasnow by himself arguably outperformed Archer down the stretch in that season alone with 0.6 rWAR to Archer’s 0.5 rWAR. Add in the years of control the Rays have for Glasnow, Meadows, and Baz (who has yet to debut) – not to mention Glasnow and Meadows critical role in helping the Rays to win the 2020 AL pennant – and the Pirates overpay for Archer couldn’t be more clear.
Even without the added expectations of the trade, it’s difficult to view Archer’s time with the Pirates as anything but a disappointment. He’ll finish with a 6-12 record with a 4.62 ERA in 172 innings across 33 starts.
All that said, there’s hope for Archer’s future. In all likelihood, he’s looking at a short-term contract to prove himself, but he will definitley be an arm to watch as a potential rebound candidate, as MLBTR’s own Steve Adams wrote about in March. Over his 8-year career with the Rays and Pirates, the former Indians and Cubs farmhand owns a 68-80 record with a 3.86 ERA over 1,235 innings.
Latest On Dustin Pedroia
7:58 pm: To be clear, there have been no firm discussions between the Red Sox and Pedroia or his agents. Discussions in the near-term are within the realm of possibility, but those talks have not happened as of yet, per Rob Bradford of WEEI.com (via Twitter). The two sides are prepared for a discussion, but decisions have not been made final, and those negotiations are not yet underway.
3:32pm: Dustin Pedroia is a Red Sox legend. Toeing the line between MLB superstar and postseason cult hero, the California-born second baseman played every game with grit and energy. The 5’9″ Pedroia could easily be mistaken for the “gutsy” brand of major-league glue guy, the overachiever who puts team first and whose motor never stops. Pedroia was exactly that, and though his blue-collar playing style could earn him the title of dirt dog, make no mistake about it: Pedroia was a superstar. A key player on two World Series winners, his accolades were numerous: 4-time All-Star, 4-time Gold Glove Award winner, a Silver Slugger award, the AL Rookie of the Year in 2007, and the AL MVP in 2008. He has accumulated 51.6 rWAR in his career, which includes 6 seasons of 5+ rWAR.
Unfortunately, knee injuries sidelined Pedroia in recent years. The 37-year-old appeared in just 9 games over the past three seasons. Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe now hears that Pedroia and the Red Sox “are prepared to talk soon about a mutual understanding that would end his playing career.” Pedroia is owed $12.125MM in 2021 – the final year of his deal. Abraham notes that the benefit for the Red Sox would be in freeing up his 40-man roster spot before the business of the offseason begins in full. No official announcement is planned, but if Abraham’s sources are indeed correct, Pedroia could make a final decision about the potential end of his playing days soon.
Currently, Pedroia owns a .299/.365/.439 career line across 6,777 plate appearances with 1,805 hits, 922 runs, 140 home runs, 138 stolen bases, and 51.6 rWAR. If Pedroia never plays another major league game, he will have put together an impressive resume that will merit consideration for the Hall of Fame.
He was drafted the same year Boston ended their 85-year playoff drought, beginning his career in A-ball as a 20-year-old during what turned out to be a magical year in Boston. It could be seen as a disappointment to arrive just after a year as redemptive and memorable as 2004 was for the Red Sox, but Pedroia didn’t appear to fret over missing out on the curse-breaking fun. Instead, he made his legacy on the continuation of a dream, helping to turn Boston into a perennial contender and one of the premiere franchises in the game. From his rookie season in 2007 – in which he roasted opposing pitchers to the tune of .317/.380/.442 – Pedroia cemented his status by ensuring Boston fans wouldn’t endure another stretch of title-less baseball. Even on a star-studded Red Sox team, Pedroia shined bright. Alongside fellow youngsters Jacoby Ellsbury, and Jon Lester, Pedroia teamed with a veteran cast of proven playoff heroes like David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Kevin Youkilis, Jason Varitek, Josh Beckett, and Curt Schilling to sweep the Rockies and win the World Series for the second time in four seasons.
Pedroia would again play a key role for a title team in 2013 when he posted 6.1 rWAR and finished 7th in MVP voting. For his career, Pedroia appeared in 51 total playoff games. He played his entire career with the Red Sox organization, currently sitting 7th in rWAR on their all-time franchise leaderboard. He’s also 9th in at-bats, 8th in hits, 6th in doubles, and 2nd behind only Everett Scott in defensive rWAR.
Cubs Decline Jon Lester’s Option
The Cubs have declined left-hander Jon Lester‘s $25MM option for 2021 in favor of a $10MM buyout, the team announced. The accomplished hurler is set to reach free agency for the first time since the 2014-15 offseason. However, the two sides appear willing to stick together on a less expensive pact, as Lester confirmed Friday on MLB Network Radio.
Lester revealed that contract talks haven’t occurred yet, but he added, “The feeling is mutual on both sides that we want to try to get something done.”
Lester anticipates a slow offseason because of the pandemic and doesn’t expect to sign imminently, but he’s sure to garner interest from other teams if the Cubs don’t make an earnest effort to bring him back. While Lester will turn 37 in January and is no longer his five-time All-Star self, he remains an immensely respected starter and someone capable of eating innings at the back end of a team’s rotation. Lester amassed no fewer than 171 2/3 innings in any season from 2008-19 and is now coming off a year in which he recorded 12 starts and 61 frames. On the downside, though, he registered career worsts in ERA (5.16), FIP (5.14) and strikeouts per nine (6.2).
Should he return to the Cubs on a buy-low contract, he’d continue to follow Yu Darvish and Kyle Hendricks in their rotation. At the moment, however, there isn’t much certainty after Darvish and Hendricks. Alec Mills joined Lester in posting subpar run prevention numbers in 2020, though Adbert Alzolay did pitch well over a small sample of work.
Indians Decline Options For Carlos Santana, Domingo Santana, Brad Hand; Pick Up Roberto Perez’s Option
The Indians have turned down club options for first baseman Carlos Santana, outfielder/designated hitter Domingo Santana and left-handed reliever Brad Hand, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic. They have, however, picked up catcher Roberto Perez‘s $5.5MM option.
Carlos Santana will get a $500K buyout instead of the $17.5MM salary he could have made. Domingo Santana will earn $250K in lieu of a $5MM salary. Meanwhile, the Indians will pay Hand $1MM over the $10MM figure he was due on his option.
It’s not a surprise the small-budget Indians are moving on from the Santanas, at least at those prices. Carlos Santana has spent all but one season of his career in Cleveland since it began in 2010 and has performed quite well, but he’s now coming off a disappointing year. Santana’s keen eye at the plate did lead to more walks (47) than strikeouts (43), but his average and power declined significantly en route to a .199/.349/.350 line with eight home runs in 255 PA. Even with another effective season, it would have been difficult to imagine the Indians keeping the 34-year-old for such a lofty fee.
The Indians took a chance last free agency on Domingo Santana, who once looked like a breakout hitter with the Brewers. Santana struggled late in 2019 with the Mariners, though, and that carried into this year. He gave the Indians a horrid .157/.298/.286 line with a paltry two HRs in 84 PA.
It’s not at all eyebrow-raising that the Indians are moving on from Hand, as they placed him on outright waivers Thursday. The move came as a shock at the time, though Hand nonetheless cleared waivers instead of saving the Indians from a buyout. He’ll head to free agency as a 30-year-old with an outstanding track record, including three All-Star appearances. Hand’s now fresh off a season in which he led baseball in saves (16, with no blown chances), put up a magnificent 2.05 ERA/1.37 FIP and posted 11.86 K/9 against 1.64 BB/9 in 22 innings.
Perez was one of the game’s top all-around catchers as recently as 2019, but a right shoulder injury limited his appearances and his effectiveness this year. However, despite slashing a woeful .165/.264/.216 with one HR over 110 PA, the Indians are keeping him in the fold. As things stand, they have two light-hitting, defensively gifted backstops in Perez and Austin Hedges, who could combine to make in the $8.5MM neighborhood in 2021.
White Sox Decline Options For Edwin Encarnacion, Gio Gonzalez; Exercise Leury Garcia’s Option
The White Sox have declined their club options for designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and left-hander Gio Gonzalez, per a team announcement. The club has picked up infielder/outfielder Leury Garcia‘s $3.5MM option.
Retaining Encarnacion would have cost the White Sox $12MM, but they’ll move on from him without having to pay a buyout. Conversely, Gonzalez will receive a $500K buyout in lieu of the $7MM salary he could have earned next season. These are hardly surprising decisions by Chicago, as both Encarnacion and Gonzalez disappointed after joining the White Sox in free agency last offseason.
While Encarnacion is one of the most prolific sluggers in recent memory, having totaled eight straight 30-home run seasons before 2020, this year was a nightmare for him. He continued to show above-average power (10 home runs, .220 ISO), but Encarnacion limped to a .157/.250/.377 line across 181 plate appearances. Considering he brings no defensive value to the table and will turn 38 before next season, it was surely an easy call to cut the cord for the White Sox.
Like Encarnacion, Gonzalez fell well short of his career-long track record as a member of the Sox. The 35-year-old has eight seasons of 30-plus starts under his belt, but he spent most of this campaign in the bullpen. Gonzalez wound up with four starts in 12 appearances and a 4.83 ERA/5.50 FIP with 9.66 K/9 against 5.4 BB/9 over 31 2/3 innings.
The White Sox could have bought out Garcia for $250K, but they’ll instead keep the versatile 29-year-old. While Garcia had an abbreviated season because of a thumb injury, he did slash a respectable .271/.317/.441 with three homers and a 14.3 percent strikeout rate in 63 trips to the plate.
Rangers Decline Corey Kluber’s 2021 Option
OCTOBER 30: The Rangers officially declined Kluber’s option.
OCTOBER 28: The Rangers plan to decline Corey Kluber‘s $18MM option for the 2021 season, reports T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com (via Twitter). They’ll instead pay him a $1MM buyout. Texas could still look to re-sign Kluber to a more affordable pact, Sullivan adds.
Texas acquired Kluber on the cheap from the Indians last winter, sending reserve outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. and reliever Emmanuel Clase to Cleveland. It was a move clearly motivated by Cleveland’s desire to cut salary, but in retrospect it hasn’t paid dividends for either club. Kluber suffered a Grade 2 teres major strain in his first start with Texas — an injury that ended his 2020 season after just one inning. Up in Cleveland, DeShields was an unproductive member of a below-average outfield group, while Clase suffered a teres major strain of his own in March before being hit with an 80-game PED suspension in May.
This marked the second straight injury-ruined season for Kluber, although the 2019 issues were fluky in nature. Kluber suffered a fractured forearm when he was hit by a comebacker early in the year and then sustained a significant oblique injury while working through his rehab process. He posted just a 5.80 ERA in 35 2/3 frames in 2019, though that was accompanied by a far more palatable 4.06 ERA, and he did punch out 38 hitters in that time.
Of course, Kluber’s overall track record is superlative. He’s a two-time American League Cy Young Award winner — plus another pair of top-three finishes — and a three-time All-Star. From 2014-18, he was unequivocally on the short list of MLB’s most dominant pitchers, working to a combined 2.85 ERA with 10.1 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9 over the life of 1091 1/3 innings.
Kluber is now 34 years old and will turn 35 next April, so there’s reason for genuine concern that he’s past his prime. That said, few pitchers can match the upside he brings to the table, and that track record alone should be enough to get him interest on an incentive-laden one-year contract. It sounds as though Texas unsurprisingly would welcome the opportunity to bring him back into the fold, but Kluber seems likely to also generate interest from contending clubs, which could appeal to him at this juncture of his excellent career.
MLB Owners Approve Steve Cohen’s Mets Ownership Bid
As expected, Steve Cohen has gotten the approval of at least 23 MLB owners in his bid to purchase the Mets, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). Cohen will take over 95% of the franchise from the previous ownership group, led by Fred and Jeff Wilpon, for a purchase price of around $2.475 billion.
The City of New York has also approved the sale, per Tim Healey of Newsday (Twitter link). As Healey explained yesterday, Mayor Bill de Blasio had to sign off on the deal because the municipality owns Citi Field and the associated land. Cohen will donate $17.5MM to local small businesses as part of the arrangement, he announced (via Healey).
Cohen’s group beat out a handful of competitors (most notably a Josh Harris-David Blitzer tandem and a group led by Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez) to gain exclusive negotiating rights for the franchise in August. It marked a second chance for Cohen and the Wilpons to work something out, after their efforts at a deal last offseason fell through. This time, even amidst massive economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the parties finalized a deal.
Today’s steps officially close the books on the sale of the franchise. Cohen, with an estimated net worth of $14.1 billion, becomes MLB’s richest owner. He and incoming baseball operations leader Sandy Alderson will have plenty of opportunities to add to the roster this winter, with most teams widely expected to act rather tepidly in the wake of pandemic-driven revenue losses.