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 were some notable negotiations last week, thanks to the San Diego Padres. Hopefully, this inspires other teams to take action. Here are the latest rumors of 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.
Thursday last day for posting Sugano
Tomoyuki Sugano, the 31-year-old right-hander from Japan, faces a Thursday deadline at 5 pm to sign with an MLB team or decide to return to Japan. Sugano, who was posted by the Yomiuri Giants a month ago, has already received an offer of a four-year contract with three Yomiuri Giants opt-outs. The pitcher would also have received offers from MLB teams, however, at higher prices.
The Mets are reportedly in Sugano, while the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants have been chasing the right-handed. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the San Diego Padres is also among the teams, but a return to Japan still seems to be the most likely outcome.
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.
Yankees catch OF Allen in exchange
The New York Yankees traded outfielder Greg Allen, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. 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.