Fresh Predictions for Top Remaining MLB Free Agents
There have been 30 free agents signed with an average salary of at least $10 million. New York Mets signed six of them. Carlos Correa, Carlos Rodón and Dansby Swanson are still available. The team needs are not as clear as before.
Carlos Rodón is a free agent. He is looking for a seven-year deal worth $210 million. Los Angeles Dodgers are interested in signing him. He will get seven years, $203 million with the Dodgers. The Giants are not interested. They have been reluctant to sign pitchers to longer contracts. Their last signing was Jason Heyward. In 2022, they had $107 million in payroll off the books.
Carlos Correa is expected to get at least 10 years, $295 million with the San Francisco Giants. The Giants and Cubs are the most likely teams to sign him. Chicago might try to lure him to their team. The Twins have an option to re-sign him in 2022. He will be 30 in June. Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson are also free agents.
Dansby Swanson is a free agent. He is expected to sign a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. The Red Sox and the Cubs are interested in signing him. The Twins are also interested. They are trying to re-sign Xander Bogaerts. If Boston signs a shortstop before signing Rafael Devers, Chaim Bloom's job might get louder.
Chris Bassitt is a free agent. He is one of just 17 pitchers worth at least 9.0 WAR since the beginning of 2020. Bassit received Cy Young votes while with Oakland in both 2020 and 2021. The 34-year-old righty is expected to sign a four- to four four years contract with the Baltimore Orioles. The Rangers landed deGrom and Andrew Heaney, while the Angels signed Tyler Anderson to a three-years deal.
Aaron Judge and Brandon Nimmo re-upped with their respective New York clubs. Michael Conforto missed all of last season with an injury and had a disappointing campaign in 2021. Houston is interested in signing him. He will probably get two years, $40 million with the Houston Astros. He clubbed 88 home runs from 2017-19. Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Houston are interested.
Noah Syndergaard is looking for a new contract. He is coming off Tommy John surgery and missed most of 2020 and 2021. Synergaard's strikeout rate has plummeted and his velocity has dropped. The San Francisco Giants are interested in signing him. If they don't get Chris Bassitt, the Baltimore Orioles might be a good fit. They would probably want to sign him to a one-year contract through 2026.
Nathan Eovaldi is a free agent. He was good in 2021 and finished fourth in the AL Cy Young vote. In 2022, he made two trips to the IL and had a difficult time keeping the ball in yard. The Boston Red Sox extended him a qualifying offer of $19.65 million, but he turned it down in pursuit of a multiyear deal.
Andrew Benintendi finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year vote five years ago. He's a singles hitter who is nowhere near as aggressive on the basepaths. The Giants are the most logical external suitor for Benindi. However, he might be better off signing a multiyear deal with the Yankees. He is expected to sign for five-years, $75 million.
Joey Gallo, Trey Mancini, Sean Manaea, Taylor Rogers and J.D. Martinez are the top remaining MLB free agents. They are: Joey Gallot, Joey Martinez, Jered Weaver, Anthony Rizzo and José Abreu. Trey Mankai is a first baseman/OF/DH for the Minnesota Twins. Taylor Rogers is the most coveted bullpen player. He is expected to sign a three-year, $39 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. The St. Louis Cardinals are also interested in signing him. They need a DH.
