It is 2021, but we are still waiting for the first significant hiring of an off-season agent. Only 12 of our 60 best free agents signed, including only five of the top 25. There have been some notable negotiations, however, including the biggest off-season shift so far on Thursday. Here are the latest news on hot stoves.
Mets acquires Lindor
The New York Mets closed their biggest Steve Cohen deal with a six-player blockbuster with Cleveland on Thursday afternoon. The Mets acquired the All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and right-footed Carlos Carrasco, and sent major league players Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez to Cleveland.
Here are the complete business details:
With Cleveland looking to reduce payroll, a Lindor business had been approaching for some time. Lindor, 27, is expected to win $ 20 million this winter in his final year of refereeing. To learn more about this highly successful business, here are three things you need to know along with the winners and losers of the business.
Mets is still at Springer, along with Jays
Even after adding Lindor and Carrasco, the Mets cannot be counted in the draw for All-Star free outfielder George Springer, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network. They are not alone, however, as Heyman also mentions that the Blue Jays are a prominent Springer suitor.
Springer, 31, hit 0.265 / .359 / .540 (140 OPS +) with 13 home runs in 222 plate appearances last season for Astros. Although the injury limited him to 122 games, 2019 was the best year of his career in several respects, setting career records on average, OBP, slugging, OPS +, WAR, home runs and RBI.
With Brandon Nimmo leading and in the center, flanked by Michael Comfort on the right and Dominic Smith on the left, the Mets need not add Springer, although he is a clear update on Nimmo. By moving Rosario in Lindor’s trade, the Mets showed that they are not ashamed to move the pieces to make room for a better player.
The Blue Jays are in a similar situation with a full outfield and Randal Grichuk being the central defender that Springer would replace. They do, however, have a DH point to play with.
Sugano will remain in Japan
Tomoyuki Sugano, the 31-year-old right-hander from Japan, faced a Thursday deadline at 5 pm ET to sign with an MLB team or decide to return to Japan. Sugano, who was posted by the Yomiuri Giants a month ago, had already received an offer for a four-year contract with three opt-outs from the Yomiuri Giants. The pitcher would also have received offers from MLB teams, however, at higher prices.
The deadline came and went with Sugano deciding to stay in the NPB with Yomiuri. He is eligible to become a Major League Baseball free agent in the next off-season, however.
Sugano is coming out of a dynamic season in the Japan Central League, where he had a record of 14-2 wins and losses, an ERA of 1.97, a WHIP of 0.888 and 131 eliminations for 25 walks in 137 1/3 innings. He has been the most consistent starting pitcher for Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball since Masahiro Tanaka joined the MLB in 2014.
He’s a two-time Sawamura award winner (equivalent to Japan’s Cy Young) and a former league MVP, and he has a post-season hitter to his credit.
The Dodgers have already hired substitutes Corey Knebel and Blake Treinen to reinforce their bullpen for next season, but they may not have added. Although interest in the best free agent, Liam Hendriks “has recently dissipated,” according to an LA Times report, the Dodgers have “significant interest” in free agent Kirby Yates.
Yates’ 2020 season was interrupted due to bone fragments in his right elbow. He was operated on in late August and the return period would be six to eight weeks, so there is no reason to believe he would be hurt in the 2021 season.
In 2019, Yates’ last healthy season, he saved 41 games in 44 chances for the Padres with 1.19 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 101 eliminations against 12 unintended walks in 60 2/3 innings.
The report indicated that the Dodgers plan to enter the season with Kenley Jansen as their next, but Blake Treinen is a good reserve option and adding Yates would make the bullpen even more formidable.
Yankees catch OF Allen in exchange
The New York Yankees switched to outfielder Greg Allen, the club announced on Thursday. Allen, who turns 28 in March, was assigned to a mission last week by the San Diego Padres. New York is sending left-handed pitcher James Reeves in exchange for Allen.
Allen did not generate much plate production during the shortened 2020 season, ending with a 0.154 / .281 / .308 cut line in 32 appearances, but he has good speed, scoring 32 stolen bases in 221 career games. Last year, Allen played just 16 games for Cleveland and San Diego, spending most of the 60-game period at alternate clubs. Allen is unlikely to be on the regular roster for the Yankees, so he will serve as depth of field for the football club in 2021.