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The winter 2020 meetings – which will be held remotely – are less than a week away and that should really ignite the fire, as nine of our top 10 free agents remain unsigned. In the meantime, things are expected to start improving later this week, as the no-submission deadline (Wednesday night) should encourage a wave of activity.
Let’s dive into the burning rumors of Tuesday.
Red Sox eyeing Kluber
The Red Sox, who have just sabotaged their roster to drop below the luxury tax threshold, are poised to rise again, and a key step is to strengthen the rotation. On that front, here’s a scoop from MLB.com’s Jon Morosi:
As you can see above, Kluber has barely pitched in his one and possibly only season with the Rangers. As Morosi points out, it was due to shoulder issues. The previous season, a broken forearm limited Kluber to just 35 2/3 innings that were largely ineffective with Cleveland. That said, Kluber isn’t far from pitching at Cy Young’s level, and assuming he’s healthy again, he should have a solid market this offseason. If Kluber looks good in those aforementioned bullpen sessions, Boston will surely have company chasing the veteran right-hander.
Bryant will not be unsubmitted
Wednesday’s non-submission deadline is fast approaching and Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant won’t be one of the unsubmitted players, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. The Cubs will consider trades for Bryant, Heyman notes.
Our own Mike Axisa included Bryant in his preview of the non-submission deadline, writing the following:
Wouldn’t it be something if the Cubs didn’t submit Bryant after all the service-time shenanigans (and the grievance that took nearly five years to resolve)? Crazy, Bryant, a 28-year-old former MVP who played at the All-Star level as recently as 2019, is being discussed as a non-tender contender – teams trying to pretend don’t even entertain such ideas. – – but that’s the state of Chicago’s finances, according to owner Tom Ricketts. Bryant has had a miserable 2020 season playing injured and, if the Cubs are unable to find a suitable trade before Wednesday’s deadline, they could very well release him. I think it’s much more likely that they will keep it and hope it rebuilds the value next year so they can return it on the trade deadline (or, gasp, pretend), but that’s n is not set in stone. Chicago has several non-bidding candidates and Bryant is by far the most notable.
Bryant, who is a year away from free agency, still seems more likely than not to have played in his last game with the Cubs. Heyman also notes that the Cubs – who are expected to lose their pay this winter – may not bid on Kyle Schwarber.
Mets sign reliever Trevor May
The New York Mets have struck a two-year deal with Trevor May, according to multiple reports. On May 31, ended the 2020 season with a 3.86 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 38 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings (24 games) for the Twins. The May 14.66 / 9 of 2020 ranked seventh best among all relievers. He is ranked 37th best free agent on CBS Sports’ 60 best free agents list.
May had no fixed role with the bullpen Twins, filling as in the middle, set up and closer. Since undergoing Tommy John surgery that forced him to miss the 2017 season, May has landed an ERA mark of 3.19 and shown improved speed. May has not allowed any earned points in her last eight appearances (7 2/3 IP) of the 2020 season.
The Mets could certainly use a little help after finishing in the bottom half of the league for ERA (4.60) and FIP (4.74) last season. Dellin Betances, Jeurys Familia and Edwin Diaz all struggled at times for the Mets last season. The club made seven saves in last year’s abridged season and 27 saves in the 2019 season.
Red Sox agree to deal with E-Rod
The Boston Red Sox and starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez agreed to a salary of $ 8.3 million for the 2021 season ahead of the no-submission deadline, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The deal is worth the same amount as his 2020 salary.
Rodriguez, a 27-year-old southpaw, did not play in the 2020 season due to complications following his battle with the coronavirus. He was diagnosed with myocarditis, or “inflammation of the heart muscle,” as defined by the Mayo Clinic. He did not opt for the shortened season. On the contrary, he was arrested by the team.
In 2019, Rodriguez had a 3.81 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 213 strikeouts in 203 1/3 innings in 34 games started.
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