MLB Free Agency: Andrelton Simmons Reportedly Joined Twins; Giants close to Tommy La Stella



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Tuesday has been one of the busiest days of the Major League Baseball offseason. Hall of Fame voting results have been announced; wide receiver JT Realmuto signed a new record deal with the Philadelphia Phillies; and Marcus Semien joined the Toronto Blue Jays, who just added George Springer last week.

These aren’t the only steps to be taken on Tuesday, either. Below you will find a recap of the other signings of the day.

Simmons signs with Minnesota

Andrelton Simmons played in an Eastern division and he played in a Western division. This coming season, he will play at a powerhouse, having joined the Minnesota Twins on a one-year contract worth $ 10.5 million, by Jeff Passan from ESPN.

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Simmons entered the offseason ranked by CBS Sports as the ninth best free agent available. Here is what we wrote:

How messed up was 2020? Simmons, arguably the best on-field shortstop of his generation, has been ranked as a below-average defenseman, according to measurements intended for the public. Now, to be fair, he has only played 30 games due to an ankle injury and his decision to retire at the end of the year. To be even fairer, reviewing his game suggests he was largely the same rangy, big-gunned and self-confident defender that he always was, he just dropped a few pop-ups that he wouldn’t have. had to give up and he didn’t. enough time to atone for that. It’s enough. Simmons has enjoyed a season of bouncing back to the plate, though his only real skill there is making contact. He’s posted a 98 OPS + since the start of the 2017 season, but let’s face it: you’re not signing him for his stick.

The addition of Simmons will push outgoing shortstop Jorge Polanco to second base. The young Luis Arraez, meanwhile, will be used as a public service.

La Stella gets closer to San Francisco

The San Francisco Giants are close to making a deal with veteran field Tommy La Stella, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area.

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La Stella, who will be 32 in a few days, entered the winter ranked by CBS Sports as the 31st best free player available. Here is what we wrote at the time:

La Stella hasn’t received as much fanfare this season as in 2019, when he made 16 home runs in 80 games and missed an All-Star Game appearance with a broken leg, but according to OPS +, it was the upper countryside. He has reduced his hit rate to barebone levels (up to 5% this year) without affecting his discipline or the adaptability of his swing, as he is still able to hit the ball hard (compared to itself) through airplanes. A team that signs La Stella does so because of the contributions he can make on the attacking side, especially with his average percentage and on the base against right-handed pitchers. He’s limited on the defensive side due to a poor arm quality and a general lack of nervous athleticism. La Stella can “play” second or third, you’re not going to feel good until he comes back to bat.

La Stella should see some action on both second and third base. As it stands, the Giants should start Donovan Solano and Evan Longoria in these positions. Still, having a little more depth is never a bad idea.



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