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Were two months into the 2024 season, meaning more than a third of the schedule has already elapsed. While there are still plenty of games remaining, there are enough in the books to affect the market of the upcoming free agent cla s. Thats particularly true for players who can opt out of their current contracts. Player ages are for the 2025 season. (29): Can opt out of final two years and $52.5MM on three-year guarantee Bellinger didnt find the $200MM+ offer he was seeking last winter. As with a few other high-profile Boras Corporation clients (more on them in a minute), he pivoted to a short-term deal that allowed him to return to free agency next winter. Bellinger is arguably out to the best start of the bunch and seems on track to head back to the open market. He can earn a salary of $27.5MM in 2025 or take a $2.5MM buyout. If he decides to stay with the Cubs, hell then get to choose between a $25MM salary for 2026 or a $5MM buyout. The lefty-hitting center fielder has a .265/.325/.459 line with eight homers over 203 plate appearances. His 15.8% strikeout rate and 7.9% walk percentage are on par with last years levels. Bellinger is again succeeding despite a below-average 33.8% hard contact rate. Hal Mcrae Jersey Hes not performing at quite the same pace he did in 2023, but the overall profile remains the same: good contact skills with the ability to play center field and mediocre batted ball metrics. It could set up another winter where Bellingers exit velocities are the subject of plenty of debate. Perhaps his camp will need to lower their asking price in the early stages of his free agency, but the initial decision to opt out would be a straightforward one if he continues at this pace. Hed still be fairly young for a free agent at 29. Now two seasons removed from his dismal 2021-22 production, he also wouldnt be saddled with a qualifying offer. Bellinger received the QO last winter, so he cannot receive another in his career. (32): Can opt out of final two years and $36MM on three-year guarantee Chapman also settled for a short-term deal after a tough finish to the 2023 season. The defensive stalwart inked a three-year, $54MM contract with the Giants early in Spring Training. He has a $17MM player option for next season and an $18MM player option for the 26 campaign if he doesnt take the first opt-out. Theres a $1MM buyout on a mutual option for 2027 as well. Over 60 games in San Francisco, hes hitting .238/.307/.411 with eight home runs. Thats slightly better than average production in this seasons diminished run environment. By measure of wRC+, Chapman has been nine percentage points better than average at the plate right in line with his usual level. Hes putting the ball in play more than he ever had before, but hes sacrificing a few walks and some of his typically huge exit velocities to do so. While this would probably be enough for Chapman to head back to free agency in search of a three- or four-year deal, its not likely to result in the nine-figure contract that seemingly wasnt on the table last offseason. (34): Can opt out of final four years and $144MM on nine-year guarantee; team can override by exercising a $36MM option for 2029 if Cole declines his end As recently as a few months ago, this decision looked preordained. Cole, coming off a Cy Young win and probably the best pitcher in baseball, would trigger the opt-out only for the Yankees to override it by exercising a $36MM option for 2029. Boras in a chat with USA Todays Bob Nightengale in December. His status has at least been somewhat complicated by elbow inflammation that arose during Spring Training. Cole has spent the entire season on the 60-day injured list; hell begin a minor league rehab stint tonight. If he looks like his typical self in the second half, thisll probably be an easy call for Cole and the Yankees alike. If he struggles or, more worryingly, battles any other elbow concerns, hed need to more seriously consider hanging onto the final four years and $144MM on his record free agent deal. (35): Conditional $20MM option if Eovaldi reaches 156 innings pitched or based on Cy Young/All-Star results Eovaldis $34MM deal with the Rangers contained a conditional option for 2025 that went into effect if he threw at least 300 innings in the first two seasons. He logged 144 frames a year ago, meaning he needed 156 this season. Eovaldi lost three weeks to a groin strain. He has made nine starts and thrown 50 innings so far, leaving him 106 shy of the vesting threshold. With another 18-20 turns through the rotation, its still doable, but any other injuries would e sentially rule it out. He could also kick in the option with a top-five finish in Cy Young balloting or a top seven Cy Young finish and an All-Star selection. While hes pitching very well, the Cy Young provision only comes into play if he falls short of 156 innings. Placing that high without reaching 156 frames is a tall task. Even if he were to vest the option, Eovaldi may well prefer to head back to free agency in search of a multi-year deal. While hell be 35, he still looks the part of an upper mid-rotation starter. Eovaldi has followed up a 3.63 ERA during his first season in Arlington with a 2.70 mark to this point. His fastball is sitting around 96 MPH and he has punched out more than 26% of opposing hitters with a ground-ball rate north of 50%. Therell always be lingering durability questions given his age and two previous Tommy John surgeries, yet on talent, Eovaldi is one of the better pitchers who could be available. (33): $3.5MM player option; team can override by exercising an $8.5MM option if Flores declines his end In September 2022, the Giants signed Flores to a $16.5MM extension. He has a $3.5MM option for next season; if he declines, the Giants could keep him around by picking up an $8.5MM salary. Flores had arguably the best year of his career in 2023, drilling a personal-high 23 homers with a .284/.355/.509 slash line. The pendulum has swung in the opposite direction this season. He has only one longball with a .207/.276/.283 mark in 163 trips to the plate. Flores strikeout and walk profile havent changed, but his contact quality has plummeted. A full season of replacement level production would make it likely that Flores takes the $3.5MM salary. Theres still time for him to find his power stroke, though. (30): $19MM player option Giolito is likely to take a $19MM salary from the Red Sox next year. The typically durable right-hander suffered a UCL injury during his second Spring Training appearance with Boston. He underwent an internal brace procedure and will mi s the entire season. While he could be ready for the start of next season, hed be hard-pre sed to match a $19MM salary coming off the elbow procedure. Opting in would trigger a conditional team/mutual option for the 2026 season, though. If Giolito doesnt top 140 innings next year, the Sox would have a $14MM option (with a $1.5MM buyout) for 26. Giolito would convert that to a $19MM mutual option by reaching the 140-inning plateau. (34): Can opt out of final year and $15.5MM on three-year guarantee The Giants signed Haniger to a three-year, $43.5MM free agent deal two winters back. That allowed him to opt out of the final seasons $15.5MM salary. Hanigers time in the Bay Area was a disappointment. A broken arm limited him to 61 games and he didnt hit well when healthy. San Francisco dealt him back to the Mariners last offseason in a change-of-scenery swap involving and . Haniger is the only member of that trio who has played in 2024. (Ray is still recovering from Tommy John surgery, while DeSclafani was flipped to the Twins and ultimately required elbow surgery himself.) The veteran outfielder hasnt hit in his return to the Pacific Northwest. He carries a .221/.282/.349 line with six homers and a strikeout rate approaching 28% in 213 plate appearances. Hes trending towards sticking around. (32): Can opt out of final year and $18MM on two-year guarantee Hoskins inked a two-year, $34MM deal with the Brewers after losing all of 2023 to an ACL tear. He landed in a favorable hitting environment in Milwaukee with a chance to prove he was back to his typical offensive form. Hoskins has done just that over the seasons first two months, connecting on 10 homers with a .243/.345/.486 line through 168 trips. Hes well on his way to opting out and would be one of the top offensive players in next years free agent cla s. The Brewers could make him a qualifying offer. (37): $5MM+ player option The Dodgers brought back the future Hall of Famer, who is rehabbing from an offseason shoulder procedure. His d Barry Larkin Jersey
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发表于 2025-11-13 18:27:02