Blue Jays Discussion: 2024-25 Off-season: The free agent watch begins (and sometimes old baseball radio broadcasts)

[shortfuze]

Based on history I’m more inclined to believe he won’t sign with the Jays.

And what history would that be? Made up media speculation?

 

[Discoverer]

Yeah, at the risk of being yelled at like that poster who suggested that we should have a deadline on our offer, I think we should probably put a deadline on our offer to prevent a recurrence of last year.

Unless off course all of the other free agents we might be interested in are willing to wait past Xmas too.

You don't need to put a deadline on it, you just tell them "The offer is off the table if we sign someone else".

You can put a deadline on every offer to every player, but that's a good way to end up with nothing because everyone is going to say no if they think they can get a better offer by holding out.

 

[dubplatepressure]

Translation: I can hold out for more money and use the Jays as leverage in negotiations so I’m going to take my sweet time.

We know it. They know it. Everyone knows it at this point. Just sucks it got to this point.

 

[Dr.Funk]

 

[phillipmike]

Passan's hot stove temperature check: What's next in MLB free agency and on the trade market

While we wait for the next run of movement, here's which offseason areas are red hot -- and which are ice cold.

www.espn.com

[Passan] Among those with payroll flexibility: Toronto, San Francisco, Boston, Baltimore, Detroit, Houston and both New York teams.​

 

[Cloned]

And what history would that be? Made up media speculation?

The Jays being linked to almost every major free agent this offseason and last and landing none of them.

 

[tmlfan98]

What Passan says trumps anything anyone else says. His latest free agency update is below, with some Jays blurbs:

Passan's hot stove temperature check: What's next in MLB free agency and on the trade market

While we wait for the next run of movement, here's which offseason areas are red hot -- and which are ice cold.

www.espn.com

The biggest name missing from this list: Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The Blue Jays entered this winter intending to spend, and while they won't spread out the $700 million they were willing to give Soto on a group of lesser players, moving Guerrero is a last resort. If Toronto struggles and doesn't foresee re-signing Guerrero, he'll become the prize of the July deadline.

Right-hander Corbin Burnes and third baseman Alex Bregman are the two players left who fit this description, each with distinct markets that include some crossover. They also share an agent (Scott Boras) and a likely signing date after Christmas.

The cost to sign Burnes is likely to exceed Fried's deal, and Bregman's payday could be in the $200 million range as well. The markets for both players remain strong because a number of teams still have big money to spend. Among those with payroll flexibility: Toronto, San Francisco, Boston, Baltimore, Detroit, Houston and both New York teams.

Bregman has the widest variety of options. The Blue Jays need a third baseman. Ditto the Red Sox. The Yankees could move Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third to second base, and the Mets could make a similar infield shuffle with Mark Vientos shifting to first. The Astros don't want to stretch beyond a six-year offer and got Isaac Paredes in the Tucker trade to man third, but he could shift to first if Bregman re-signs with Houston. And the Tigers have a need for top-end talent and a connection through manager A.J. Hinch, under whom Bregman played for five years. The Phillies are also lurking, but only if they were to move Bohm.

Burnes' suitors include the Giants, Blue Jays and Orioles, and because of his bona fides -- four All-Star appearances, a Cy Young Award and the second-best ERA in MLB over the past half-decade at 2.88 -- ruling out others engaging would be premature.

This is the most confusing group considering that the list of teams that have inquired about corner outfielders includes nearly half the teams in baseball: the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Mets, Padres, Yankees, Braves, Phillies, Giants, Angels, Astros, Reds, Pirates and Royals

There aren't enough free agents to fill the open spots. While some teams could bow out via other moves -- if the Yankees sign a first baseman, for example, Bellinger will be a full-time outfielder and negate the need for another -- plenty have the incentive to lock in on a target and go full pursuit.

At the front of the group are Teoscar Hernández and Anthony Santander. Both are coming off excellent seasons that led to being tagged with a qualifying offer. Hernández's return to the Dodgers has always felt logical, but with his free agency festering longer than anticipated, a surprise team could jump into the mix. The interest in Santander has been limited enough that, despite coming off a 44-home run season, he could get squeezed. Also looking for a deal in the three-year-plus range: Jurickson Profar, who is coming off a .280/.380/.459 season that included a career-best 24 home runs.

Veteran Joc Pederson is regarded as an elite platoon option against right-handed pitching as well as a top clubhouse presence, and he's primed to snag a multiyear deal. Among the candidates for one-year agreements: Max Kepler, Alex Verdugo, Randal Grichuk (a lefty killer), Jesse Winker, Mark Canha, Austin Hays, Manuel Margot, Ramon Laureano, and Harrison Bader and Kiké Hernandez, both of whom play center.

 

[Discoverer]

Passan's hot stove temperature check: What's next in MLB free agency and on the trade market

While we wait for the next run of movement, here's which offseason areas are red hot -- and which are ice cold.

www.espn.com

When we first heard about the Gimenez trade, I was really hoping it would be a bigger deal and include Naylor, since we already knew Cleveland was looking at moving him.

I don't think the cost to acquire him would be that high. Making a trade like that is probably their best chance at landing two impact bats.

 

[Woodman19]

Even if we pull offers to FA because fans want to show them up, it won't stop agents from still using us as leverage.

 

[Kurtz]

You don't need to put a deadline on it, you just tell them "The offer is off the table if we sign someone else".

You can put a deadline on every offer to every player, but that's a good way to end up with nothing because everyone is going to say no if they think they can get a better offer by holding out.

What you've described there is in fact a deadline - in fact, the harshest form of a deadline. "Here is our offer, it may be gone at any minute".

 

[Discoverer]

What you've described there is in fact a deadline - in fact, the harshest form of a deadline. "Here is our offer, it may be gone at any minute".

I've always interpreted people suggesting a deadline as giving them a set date, probably because I doubt any team has ever made an offer without an "It may be gone at any minute" type caveat.

 

[phillipmike]

ESPN Insider Predicts Teoscar Hernandez Leaves Dodgers for Blue Jays | Dodgers Nation

ESPN insider predicts Teoscar Hernández to sign a multiyear contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he played five and half seasons.

dodgersnation.com

 

[MK78]

If Burnes ends up holding out for a better deal, I hope the Jays don't sign him after spring training has already started. That's just a no-no for pitchers.

 

[Kurtz]

I've always interpreted people suggesting a deadline as giving them a set date, probably because I doubt any team has ever made an offer without an "It may be gone at any minute" type caveat.

Again though, what you're proposing is stricter than a set deadline, and thus would be more likely to trigger your fear of a player rejecting your proposal outright.

In the deadline scenario, you give a player some time to decide before threatening to spend the money elsewhere.

In the Burnes scenario, if the report is that he's planning on taking his time with the decision is true, the implication is that it's a standing offer and he decides at his leisure.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Passan's hot stove temperature check: What's next in MLB free agency and on the trade market

While we wait for the next run of movement, here's which offseason areas are red hot -- and which are ice cold.

www.espn.com

Naylor? I hardly knew her.

 

[trellaine201]

Seattle is in talks with Cleveland.

 

[Ale Brew]

Seattle is in talks with Cleveland.

Yeah, apparently in on Naylor too, according to Morosi but nothing imminent.