In about a week, the Major League Baseball teams will open their spring camps through the States of Florida and Arizona. Shortly after, the exhibition season will start, and before you know, the opening day will have arrived. But before MLB teams Start hanging the ceremonial bruants around their stadiums, it should be recalled that there are still quality agents on the free market.
Last week saw the starter on the right Jack Flaherty return to the Detroit Tigers, as well as the first goal player Pete Alonso join the New York dishes. Add the Yoán Moncada agreement with the Los Angeles Angels, and this leaves eight members of the free ranking of the 50 best agents of Sports CBS available for rental.
In this spirit, below, I proposed a kind of market reset by highlighting the five best united players. You will find an analysis on what these players can bring to the clubs, as well as reflections on the reasons why they remain not signed – and, in fact, where they could finish when everything is said and done.
Let’s go.
1. Alex Bregman, 3b, n ° 3 entering the winter
What does it offer? It is true that Bregman has not climbed the same heights in recent years that he has occupied earlier in his career. Nevertheless, he was one of the six third most productive basic players in sport since 2020, according to the victories of Baseball Reference above. There is no mystery to know why: Bregman posted an OPS + less than 115 only in his career, and he remains a highly qualified defender. He also has a great experience in playoffs, for everything worth these days.
Why is it still available? The main factor here seems to be the duration of the contract desired by Bregman. To be clear: there are legitimate red flags in his profile, including the possibility that his slugging takes an important blow outside the friendly limits of Houston. The teams, of course, would prefer to limit their exposure downwards with a shorter pact. Bregman has apparently held strong on his requests, and if we believe the recent reports, he will eventually be done.
Where could he land? A handful of teams have been linked to Bregman in recent weeks. The group includes the Astros, its outgoing team, as well as the Tigers (managed by the former Houston AJ Hinch skipper), the Red Sox and the Cubs. Wherever Bregman goes, you think it will also help clarify the Nolan Arenado market.
What does it offer? At an unidentifiable moment in the Pivetta career, he turned into a meme due to the disconnection between his business and his results. Because of this dynamic, I think it was easy to neglect that it has become a legitimately solid launcher. Namely, Pivetta has raised an ERA + 102 and a withdrawal / walking ratio of 3.15 since the 2021 season – and it did it while making an average of 26 departures per pop. Add how Pivetta has always classified a quality point of view, and you can understand why he and his agent refused the qualification offer to start winter.
Why is it still available? Alas, the drop in the offer eligible for a more lucrative salary led to the reduction of Pivetta shares by the remuneration of the recovery. The old perceptions die hard, and it is possible that the teams always watch Pivetta with a certain skepticism, even if it seems unjustified at this stage.
Where could he land? There were a few teams publicly linked to Pivetta in the last month. Among them are the Red And Blue Jays (which has since signed Max Scherzer). He will also think that another club could get involved with Pivetta in the coming weeks if an injury or a business occurs which shakes its pitching staff. For example: could the Ink Pivetta Padres stop Dylan?
What does it offer? Jansen is long in the tooth, after celebrating his 37th birthday in September. However, he compiled an era + 120 or better in five consecutive seasons. Last year, he posted his highest walking ratio (3.10) in a full season since 2019. Jansen is also ranking fourth of all time, and even if I do not think about pursuing it Lee Smith (who he is 31 years old on tie) will prove to be a draw or anything, it is worth mentioning here all the same.
Why is it still available? Jansen’s commerce cup has succeeded worse than usual last season, allowing the strongest average contact of his career. This, in addition to its advanced age, could give teams a break before putting the reins to a high -effect role. And it is without considering the financial aspect. It is a pure conjecture, but it is probably fair to think that, even at this stage of his career, one of the best closers of all time would expect a better day of pay than another random veteran lift .
Where could he land? The Cubs and Pets were both publicly linked to Jansen before making other additions. Chicago has since won Ryan Prency and Ryan Brasier in the trades; The dishes signed Ryne Stanek. Presumably, another team will avoid the temptation to obtain a Ryan / Ryne and Ink Jansen instead, but the identity of this team will remain a mystery at this stage.
What does it offer? Heaney is very little likely to have another season as good as the one he is written with the Dodgers in 2022. However, it is a perfectly fine starter n ° 4 that managed an ERA + and a retraction ratio 3.07 in the two years since. Many teams can (and will be) worse than placing it for 25 to 30 departures.
Why is it still available? Credit this to a few factors. Heaney is older (he will be 34 years old in June) and lacks real advantage, making it a rescue option for clubs who want to raise their ceilings. It is also something of a situational adjustment based on its percentage of a 44%fly ball. For reference, this is one of the 20 highest percentages among launchers with at least 100 rounds launched in 2024. You can understand if a team in a home stadium would prefer not to give Heaney the ball every fifth days .
Where could he land? Tigers and Rangers were mentioned in rumors with Heaney this winter. Since Detroit has since signed Jack Flaherty, after having already inked Alex Cobb, it is probably fair to remove them from the race. It is a pure conjecture, but perhaps another club – like the A, the twins or the paadres – will intervene and add Heaney to the back of their rotation in the coming weeks.
What does it offer? Quintana is a result on the style launcher. You could not compile an ERA + of 118 in the last three seasons, and this is largely because it has done it while totaling a little more than seven sticks to the stick by nine sleeves. Quintana missed half the season in 2023, but he recorded more than 30 departures in two of the last three years. Nowadays, it makes him a battle horse.
Why is it still available? Again, Quintana is not exciting. Modern front offices will always treat a starter with a low punch with an apprehension, and seen in a certain perspective, there is undeniably more inconvenience with the profile than upwards. This does not suggest that Quintana should be forced to retire or to a minor league agreement; This is how the teams think, especially if they have a cheaper and comparable option in trailer.
Where could he land? Beats me. The name Quintana did not appear in the rumor mill all winter. I should imagine that at an absolute minimum, a team without competitive aspirations would consider it as a sponge of sleeves which could then be exchanged on the deadline, provided that it remains effective.
