News and Notes: Here We Are In Free Agency. Isn’t it Grand?
News and Notes for Tuesday, November 5th, 2024
MLB Free Agency began yesterday and qualifying offers were extended, or not extended.
The Guardians’ roster is now at 38 after Trevor Stephan and Sam Hentges were added to the roster, and James Karinchak was outrighted and chose free agency. Memories of Karinchak are definitely mixed, but he did have an excellent 2022. Unfortunately, if he can’t get his shoulder right, I doubt he’ll ever reappear in the majors. Someone will pick him up, I’m sure, but his health is an open question.
These twelve players received qualifying offers yesterday. If they accept, they are on a contract worth $21 million to the team who held their contract last season. If they decline and sign with another team, the team that offered to qualifying offer gets a compensatory pick from the team who signed the player.
Willy Adames, RHH SS, Milwaukee
Pete Alonso, RHH 1B, New York Mets
Alex Bregman, RHH 3B, Houston
Corbin Burnes, RHP, Baltimore
Max Fried, LHP, Atlanta
Teoscar Hernández, RH OF Los Angeles Dodgers
Sean Manaea, RHP, New York Mets
Nick Martinez, RHP, Cincinnati
Nick Pivetta, RHP, Boston
Anthony Santander, OF, Baltimore
Luis Severino, RHP, New York Mets
Juan Soto, RH OF New York Yankees
Christian Walker, RH 1B, Arizona
The slightly surprising decisions to me, at least, were Nick Martinez and Luis Severino. I was hoping the Guardians would pursue Martinez, Severino, Sean Manaea, Nick Martinez, and Nick Pivetta this offseason, but that seems less likely to happen in each of their cases, now. Please check out my article on starting pitcher options for the Guardians in the coming months.
Shane Bieber did not get a qualifying offer from the Guardians. I'm sure budget limits prevent the front office from even considering that price for a pitcher coming off Tommy John who may only pitch three months next season.
MLBTradeRumors released their top 50 free agents with predictions of contract numbers and eventual teams. The Guardians got three predicted signings from their three writers: Matthew Boyd, Walker Buehler and Danny Jansen. Let me say if that offseason happens, I will be DE-light-ED.
Guardians lefty reliever Andrew Misiaszek has yet to give up a run for the Surprise Saguaros, who won 11-3 yesterday as the Arizona Fall League continues.
Zack Meisel and T.J. Zuppe released part II of their offseason preview for the Guardians on the Selby is Godcast.
Now, don’t forget to go vote, American readers of this article!