MLB free agency has begun! Well, a new phase of MLB free agency has begun. All of those players who became free agents after the World Series, and any additional free agents who were cut or used an opt-out or had their options declined, can now all sign with new teams as of 5 p.m. ET on Monday.
MLB free agents can now sign with new teams
Tuesday’s Say Hey, Baseball
Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images
That means Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain could all leave the Royals right now if they chose to. Some of the veterans who helped the Yankees make the postseason this year — Todd Frazier and CC Sabathia — could go elsewhere. The Red Sox might need to find a new first baseman with Mitch Moreland a free agent, and might not find Doug Fister as easy to sign this time around as the first. You could go on and on, but I won’t, because we don’t need 149 examples.
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Players like Yu Darvish don’t have to make a decision on a qualifying offer despite their talent level, as they weren’t even eligible due to a midseason trade. Nine free agents do have to weigh the qualifying offer they received, however: Carlos Santana, Alex Cobb, the aforementioned trio of Hosmer, Moustakas, and Cain, Lance Lynn, Jake Arrieta, Wade Davis, and Greg Holland.
Those players have 10 days (nine days as of 5 p.m. ET Tuesday afternoon) to accept or reject the qualifying offer, and we might not see a bunch of action on free agency until they make a decision: Maybe a few teams will rush in while the market is quiet hoping to fill holes before the market is fully set, but the MLB offseason is often about patience. And knowing just who can be acquired requires some.
- Game 5 of the World Series was a glimpse at the future of baseball. Well, not all baseball. Just read Grant Brisbee’s words, all right. He’s got points to make on his final reflections from the 2017 World Series.
- Here, again, are those 149 players who filed for free agency.
- And here’s a guide to all of the options that were picked up or declined over the last few days.
- And here’s our free agent tracker, so you can well, track, who goes where.
- In non-free agency news, the Modern Era Hall of Fame ballot was released, and it includes some players snubbed by Hall voters the first time around.
- MLB released the finalists for its awards at 6 p.m. on a Monday, and since you missed that while eating dinner or doing literally anything besides watching the MLB Network special, we wrote it up for you.
- The Twins offense was better than you think, writes Twinkie Town.
- Here are three ridiculous but realistic moves the Cardinals could make.
- Alex Cora told Red Sox fans what they wanted to hear, and Over the Monster wants to know why we take those pressers so seriously.
- If you’re wondering where Pablo Sandoval’s 2018 option came from, well, now you can find out.
- The Mets have some needs heading into free agency. Whether they’ll address them (or how well) is another story.
- MLB once again balked at its commitment to diversity, writes Mary Craig at Beyond the Box Score.
- Baseball Prospectus kicked off its top-10 prospect lists with the Braves.
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