MLB Free Agency is just around the corner and this free agency class is loaded with talent. We are still waiting for confirmation on some players with player options such as J.D. Martinez. Strasburg has decided to opt out, while Chapman has agreed to an extension with the Yankees. Updates will be made throughout the offseason. These are the top 20 free agents and potential destinations where they’ll head.
1. Gerrit Cole
Cole was able to top his remarkable 2018 season with a Cy Young bound 2019 campaign for the Astros. He went 20-5 with 326 strike outs. Oh my. The 29 year-old Cole might prefer to return home to his native Southern California area, but he admits he was also a Yankees fan growing up. The UCLA alum will most likely get offers from the Dodgers, Padres, Yankees, among others. Regardless, there’s one team that I really think is all in, and I expect him to land a record breaking contract for a pitcher.
6 years/$215 million – Angels
Gerrit Cole, Nasty 83mph Knuckle Curve and 90mph Slider (K sequence). 😨 pic.twitter.com/vi7M4mzjgM
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 15, 2019
2. Anthony Rendon
Rendon had his best season yet. The 3rd baseman put together a MVP like season by hitting .319 with 34 home runs and 126 rbis. The 29 year-old made his first all star team earlier this season and has won a Comeback Player of the Year award honor as well. The Dodgers are a team that could be in on him, but I think they’re waiting for someone else. The Rangers are another team that make sense because he’s from Texas, but I think the defending World Series champions won’t let him get away.
7 years/$224 million – Nationals
Anthony Rendon : 3-5, 3 runs scored & an RBI
Juan Soto : 2-4, 2 runs scored, 2 RBI & drew a walk
(Both hit back-to-back solo HR's off of Clayton Kershaw in the bottom of the 8th inning) pic.twitter.com/yYQ0HiHtMD— Lee Harvey (@AyeThatsLee) October 10, 2019
3. Stephen Strasburg
Stephen Strasburg might be one of the most underrated starting pitchers in baseball, and it’s not because people don’t notice the talent. It’s because he always seems to get hurt when he’s pitching at his peak. Well finally in 2019, he was able to pitch over 200 innings, which he hasn’t done since 2014. He led the National League with 18 wins. He only increased his value throughout the postseason and was the World Series MVP for the Nationals. Update(11/12) Padres are out due to price tag. This might come down to the Nationals and Yankees. If Nationals sign Rendon then he leaves, if they don’t then Strasburg stays. This feels 50/50
6 years/$206 million – Yankees
Stephen Strasburg was just flat-out FILTHY tonight pic.twitter.com/Ja9Ouc2w9l
— The Ledge (@TheLedgeSports) October 15, 2019
4. Madison Bumgarner
Bumgarner is the greatest postseason pitcher of this era, but for many that doesn’t seem mean a lot. A couple freak injuries have hurt his overall value, but he made 34 starts in 2019, pitched over 200 innings and had a respectable 3.90 ERA It would be funny if the Dodgers were to go after him. However, I really think the Braves and Brewers will make a serious run. Ultimately, I think he will stay put because the organization treats him like a hero.
4 years/$80 million – Giants
Hey Bumgarner, how bout you just shut your mouth and wave bye bye to that ball. 👋🏻 Muncy just embarrassed you. @Dodgers #BeatSF pic.twitter.com/6jWrKUmcYz
— SCOTT WARNER (@ScottWarner18) June 9, 2019
5. Hyun-Jin Ryu
Ryu bet on himself last season by accepting the qualifying offer made by the Dodgers. He is not eligible to do that again, but it’ll be worth it because he’s about to be paid. After leading baseball with a 2.32 ERA and being considered the Cy Young frontrunner for most of the season, Ryu will get a nice contract; however past injuries will prevent him from getting a long-term deal. He doesn’t strike me as somebody who wants to move, but that won’t matter because expect basically every California team to be in on him. Rangers are rumored to be very interested. I’d say he’s a Plan B for the Padres, Giants, and Dodgers, but not this Orange County ballclub that’s conveniently just a few miles away from Dodgertown.
4 years/$90 million (4th year club option) – Angels
10 Ks? Ryu not entertained? pic.twitter.com/4mEAFRjyTv
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 27, 2019
6. Josh Donaldson
Donaldson went from MVP to living on the DL. Well in 2019, he took a one year gamble by heading to the Braves and completely avoided the IL. He’s now a Comeback Player of the Year candidate. He played in 155 games and hit 37 home runs. The Braves have to decide if Austin Riley is their 3rd baseman, but ultimately I think they decide to keep the 33 year-old after how huge he was in 2019.
3 years/$45 million – Braves
7. Zack Wheeler
Wheeler made his debut for the Mets in 2013. He missed all 2015 and 2016 due to injury, but has been a solid starter these past 2 seasons. He made 31 starts and had a 3.96 ERA. I think the Mets are out on him after trading for Marcus Stroman. This match seems almost too perfect for Houston. They bought low on Cole who is a hard thrower and has devastating off-speed stuff. Well now they can turn Wheeler into that guy who is quite similar.
4 years/$84 million – Astros
8. Marcell Ozuna
The outfielder has been just ok with the Cardinals and only hit .241 with 29 home runs. The Cardinals have a lot of young outfielders, but he had a nice postseason with the team and I don’t think the team is letting him go just yet.
3 years/$36 million – Cardinals
9. Yasmani Grandal
Grandal is an interesting story because last offseason he turned down a 4-year deal from the Mets. Refused the qualifying offer from the Dodgers, so he signed a 1 year deal with the Brewers for less momey. Grandal had an all star season, hit a postseason home run off Max Scherzer, and had over 100 walks during the 2019 season. He’s the top catcher on the free agent market and deserves consideration from teams like the Brewers, Angels, Padres, Angels, but I think a team in Chicago is finally out of the rebuild phase and ready for an All-Star catcher to guide their young arms.
4 years/$64 million – White Sox
10. Jake Odorizzi
Odorizzi was an all star with the Twins in 2019. He struck out 178 guys in 159 innings. He even kept the Yankees in check during the postseason. He’s an underrated starter that held righties to under .200 The 29 year-old was once a trade piece during the Friedman regime in Tampa Bay and I think he’s that value piece the Dodgers are looking for to replace Ryu and Hill.
3 years/$48 million – Dodgers
11. Didi Gregorious
Despite having Tommy John surgery, Gregorious managed to come back and hit 16 home runs and drive in 61 runs in 82 games. He only managed to hit .238, so I think at age 29, he will be willing to bet on himself to get a bigger pay day in 2020.
1 year/$12 million – Yankees
12. Cole Hamels
Hamels is one of the most clutch postseason pitchers of all time. He’s shown that with the Phillies, Rangers, and Cubs. An oblique injury caused him to miss some time in 2019 for the Cubs, but he still had a 3.81 ERA. To those that claimed he was washed up were laughably wrong, so at age 35, Hamels still has a couple good years left in him. The San Diego native could flirt with teams like the Padres and Dodgers. However, it all seems to good to be true for Hamels to return to the place where he started.
2 years/$20 million – Phillies
13. Dallas Keuchel
Nobody wanted to pay the former Cy Young winner this past offseason, so eventually he gave in to a 1 year deal with the Braves. It just doesn’t seem like that will be happening again this winter. Maybe the White Sox will show interest, but the Brewers desperately need starting pitching help
2 years/$22 million – Brewers
14. Will Smith
Smith made his first all star appearance in 2019 and showed he still has a lot left in the tank. He’s one of the best bullpen free agent arms on the market and should be receiving a lot of buzz. You could count potentially 10 teams in on him. The Red Sox bullpen was horrible last season, so he seems like a good fit.
3 years/$30 million – Red Sox
15. Nicholas Castellanos
The Cubs traded for Castellanos at the deadline, and he rewarded them with 16 home runs in 51 games. This right handed bat has smashed left handed pitching his entire career. The Indians should really be in on him, but there’s another team out there looking for a big bat in the outfield
Giants – 4 years/$58 million
16. Yasiel Puig
Puig was traded twice last season. First to the Reds and then to the Indians. He hit 22 home runs for the Reds and just 2 with the Indians. For the first time in his career, he was not in the postseason. The White Sox have shown interest in Puig for years, but the Indians need an outfielder and they should want to bring him back after he batted .297 for the franchise.
3 years/$36 million – Indians
17. Jose Abreu
For the first time in his career, Abreu will be on the free agent market at the age of 32. He quietly led the American League with 123 rbis. He also batted .284 with 33 home runs for the White Sox. It is reported that the White Sox want to bring him back, while Abreu wants to return to the team as well.
3 year/$58 million – White Sox
18. Rick Porcello
Porcello has been both really good and really bad in his major league career. Last season he was really really bad with a 5.52 ERA. He’s only 30 and has won a Cy Young award before, so that has to count for something. It only makes sense for him to sign with a team that’s desperate for starting pitching.
2 years/$22 million – Blue Jays
19. Dellin Betances
Betances pitched 0.2 inning during the regular season and then tore his Achilles tendon celebrating during a Yankees postseason celebration. Unfortunately at his age of 31, he will now be associated as highly injury prone. It’s unclear how long he will be out for 2020, so he might be forced to take a shorter deal.
2 years/$18 million – Reds
20. Edwin Encarnacion
Encarnacion has his option declined by the Yankees making him a free agent. He was acquired from the Mariners halfway through the season and finished with 34 home runs and 86 rbis. He’s closing in on the age of 37, so will likely stay put in the AL as a DH. The Rangers could use a DH and Globe Life Park is a hitters paradise
2 years/$30 million – Rangers