Inside the Clubhouse: Top 6 free agents now that the MLB lockout is over
The MLB lockout has finally ended which means the free-agent market is back open. Here are the top players who could be signed in the next few days.
The lockout is over. Finally.
The lockout spanned 99 days. There were supposed “deadlines,” threats to cancel Opening Day and even reports that the entire season could be missed. But on Thursday afternoon, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association agreed to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement — and it’s going to send the entire industry into a frenzy.
Spring Training would begin March 17 or 18. Opening Day would likely be April 7. And free agency would open Thursday night, just hours after the CBA was agreed to.
“It will be pandemonium,” one prominent agent said.
“Free agency unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” a second agent said.
“Teams are going to be looking to get deals done quickly, so I would think there’s going to be some action,” another said.
Here’s a look at the top six players on the market with just hours before free agency opens.
Carlos Correa is among the top MLB free agents
Shortly after the lockout, Carlos Correa switched agents to Scott Boras in hopes of landing a mega-contract in free agency. He’ll be searching for a contract higher than Corey Seager’s 10-year, $325 million contract.
The only question is: who gives it to him?
Correa, 27, has been connected to the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays, among others. The Rangers signed both Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, so they are out, and the Tigers signed Javier Baez. Could they follow a similar model and try to add two premium infielders, reuniting Correa with his longtime manager AJ Hinch?
While the Tigers are said to “love” Correa, they were not willing to go above $300 million to sign him before the lockout. There is going to be vast interest in Correa, but if other big market teams are unwilling to meet his steep demands, he may struggle to get the type of contract he seeks.
Freddie Freeman
Entering the offseason, every baseball person predicted that Freeman would re-sign with the Braves. Alas, Freeman and the Braves did not agree to a deal pre-lockout, and it has cast significant doubt on his future. I still have a hard time seeing him leaving Atlanta, but the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and possibly others loom as potential suitors.
The contract comparison made among rival executives has been Paul Goldschmidt’s five-year, $130 million extension with the Cardinals. Both deals will involve players in their age-32 seasons and they are both represented by Excel Sports Management. But Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that Freeman is seeking a six-year, $200 million deal, meaning that there is a $65 million gap between what he wants and the $135 million offer the Braves are reported to have made in September.
My gut tells me he stays in Atlanta, but if he leaves, the Dodgers are a team to watch. One note: A source said that Max Muncy, the Dodgers’ current first baseman, “likes second base more than first.”
Trevor Story
The floor for Story could be Javier Baez’s six-year, $140 million deal, which teams might view as a cheaper alternative to Correa.
Among the teams to express interest in Story before the lockout, according to major-league sources, were the Seattle Mariners. Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported that the Mariners wanted Story to play third base and that there was a “long list of suitors” who wanted him to play a multitude of positions.
In October, Story did not rule out a return to the Rockies. But his top priority has been, and remains, playing with a contender. “Winning is at the top of the list and that’s something that has always meant the most to me.”
Kris Bryant
Among the teams to check in on Bryant include the New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Colorado Rockies and Houston Astros.
Bryant, 30, has arguably the most clouded market of any of the top free agents. There are mixed reviews among rival executives and agents on where he signs. One note: Before free agency, the Mariners were calling people close to Bryant and trying to gather info. Said one source: “It felt like a preliminary intro recruiting type thing.”
Nick Castellanos
The Miami Marlins expressed strong interest in Castellanos before the lockout. But with Derek Jeter leaving the team, and reports surfacing that their payroll may dip following the lockout, he could be out of their price range.
Castellanos, 30 in March, posted a 140 wRC+ and 34 home runs that both ranked third among free agents. He is among the best hitters in free agency, having made an easy decision to opt-out of the remaining two years, $34 million on his contract. He comes with concerns — he’s attached to the qualifying offer and is a below-average defender in the outfield — but with MLB implementing the universal designated hitter, he should draw strong interest on the market.
Among the teams that make sense for Castellanos include the Marlins, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres, among others.
Kyle Schwarber
I was slightly surprised that Schwarber didn’t sign before the lockout. There was a lot of buzz that a deal was in the works, but with the universal DH being implemented in 2022, his market is expected to be active almost immediately.
Schwarber, 29, has a couple of things working for him in comparison to Castellanos since he’s a year younger and is not attached to the qualifying offer. Additionally, Schwarber rated higher than most of the top free-agent sluggers in numerous categories, including Castellanos, Freeman, Correa, Semien and Bryant.
A team to watch for Schwarber will be the Philadelphia Phillies, who expressed strong interest before the lockout. The Texas Rangers were another team quietly interested in Schwarber, according to major-league sources, though they are likely out after signing Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, among others.