Oh, look at you! You must've just woken up from a three-month slumber. Let me catch you up. First, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series for the second-straight year. Got it? Good. Second, MLB free agency is here, and you have every right to get excited.
The dead of winter doesn't offer baseball fans much. Sure, the holidays are nice but we're all counting down the days til Opening Day. But, before then, the futures, of Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber, Cody Bellinger, Alex Bregman and more must be decided! That's where free agency comes in, as well as its showcase – the MLB Winter Meetings.
When does MLB free agency start?
I have bad news for you, coma patient – MLB free agency started a long time ago. The good news is it should be easy to catch up thanks to FanSided's MLB free agency tracker. The bad news is you missed those moments, but there are plenty more to come. The vast majority of the best free agents on the market, minus new Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease, remain available.
Free agency technically started on Nov. 6. By now, we've already glossed over the qualifying offer deadline and non-tender deadline, of which you didn't miss much. Trent Grisham stayed with the Yankees. Gleyber Torres remained a Tiger. Brandon Woodruff opted to reclaim his place in the Brewers rotation. And Shota Imanaga liked Chicago enough to call Wrigley home for another year. There, got it? Now it's on to the task at hand: the MLB Winter Meetings.
Why MLB free agency takes off during the Winter Meetings
Sometimes, the answer doesn't have to be so complicated. The MLB Winter Meetings begin this Sunday, Nov. 7, in Orlando. The Winter Meetings, along with the GM Meetings (which occurred Nov. 10-13 this year), are about the only time executives, agents and players get to meet in person. Most of their conversations occur over the phone, or during an official meeting set up by those in charge.
Will Kyle Tucker find a new home? Will Alex Bregman stay with the Red Sox, and Kyle Schwarber with the Phillies? Can anyone meet the Tigers asking price for Tarik Skubal, or the Brewers' for Freddy Peralta? All of these questions – or at least some of them – are much easier to answer when those who make the decisions are actually able to meet face to face.
Free agency in particular takes off at the Winter Meetings because some players attend to advocated for themselves. Agents are also in attendance to help clients land the best possible deal. And, most importantly, reporters meet with all of those involved to help spread the word. It's one long, unnecessary game of telephone, but you're able to put a face with the name. It works, I promise!
Which MLB free agents do we expect to sign at the Winter Meetings?
It would be surprising if any international free agents sign this early in the process, as many haven't even been posted yet. However, that won't stop their agents from working behind the scenes. Of all the top free agents, Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto – both Phillies – have been linked to the most teams of late, with the expectation that they will sign soon.
It makes sense for both of these stars to decide their futures sooner rather than later. Realmuto, for one, is the top catcher available and will likely set the market. The Phillies want him back, but Realmuto could have plenty of takers considering he's more than capable defensively and is a three-time Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner. Realmuto has a championship pedigree, even if he's never won a World Series.
Schwarber is in a different boat. While he will receive close to $30 million AAV when all is said and done, Schwarber is a DH and doesn't pretend to offer much else. He has 50-plus home run power, but would be better off not waiting on the market to develop due to his lack of positional flexibility. Philadelphia loves him, and as a result they are the favorites to retain him.
As for Tucker, Bregman and a host of other All-Star caliber players, expect them to sit on the market for a few days barring some unexpected traction.