The Major League Baseball hot stove is heating up ahead of an impending work stoppage. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires Wednesday night, and free-agent activity will be halted until the players’ union and the league can come to a new agreement — a process that could take months.
Many players and teams are getting deals in place before the lockout, and it’s led to a free-agent frenzy in the last two days. As of Tuesday morning, six of our top 10 free agents have signed:
- SS Carlos Correa
- SS Corey Seager: 10 years, $325 million with Rangers
- 3B/OF Kris Bryant
- IF Marcus Semien: 7 years, $175 million with Rangers
- 1B Freddie Freeman
- LHP Robbie Ray: 5 years, $115 million with Mariners
- RHP Max Scherzer: 3 years, $130 million with Mets
- RHP Kevin Gausman: 5 years, $110 million with Blue Jays
- RHP Marcus Stroman
- OF Starling Marte: 4 years, $78 million with Mets
The Rangers and Mets have been the most active teams in free agency and it’s not particularly close either. In addition to Seager and Semien, Texas also signed righty John Gray and outfielder Kole Calhoun. The Mets signed infielder Eduardo Escobar and outfield Mark Canha in addition to Scherzer and Marte. The two clubs have committed over $800 million to free agents.
Although free agency has been very active the last few days, the trade market has mostly gone cold, at least for the time being. The Pirates sent catcher Jacob Stallings to the Marlins for three players on Tuesday, and that’s about it as far as notable trades go. My guess is teams will focus on free agency before the CBA expires, and worry about trades later.
For what it’s worth, Tuesday will serve as a “soft” deadline for free agent signings because teams and players will need time to work out the contract details and review medical information prior to the CBA’s expiration. The two sides can’t agree to a deal at the last minute and put pen to paper. Here’s a look at the notable free agent deals to happen since Sunday night.
Notable hot stove deals
- Corey Seager and the Rangers have agreed to a 10-year, $325 million pact (full story here).
- Max Scherzer and the Mets have finalized a three-year, $130 million deal (full story here).
- Robbie Ray agreed to a five-year, $115 million deal with the Mariners (full story here).
- The Marlins acquired catcher Jacob Stallings in a four-player deal with the Pirates, the teams announced.
- Marcus Semien agreed to a seven-year, $175 million deal with the Rangers (full story here).
- Javier Báez agreed to a six-year, $140 million contract with the Tigers (full story here).
- The Marlins and Avisaíl García agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal (full story here).
- Kevin Gausman and the Blue Jays agreed to a five-year, $110 million deal (full story here).
- Jon Gray and the Rangers agreed to a four-year, $56 million deal (full story here).
- Corey Kluber signed a one-year deal with the Rays after spending 2021 with the Yankees (full story here).
- Reliever Kirby Yates signed a two-year, $8.25 million deal with the Braves, the team announced.
- Reliever Daniel Hudson is nearing a one-year, $7 million deal with the Dodgers, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
- Catcher Yan Gomes agreed to a…
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