Jake Arrieta is one of the better pitchers on this winter’s free agent market, and his agent, Scott Boras, wants to make that count. Boras has sent teams a 75-page binder on his client, and according to an MLB executive who spoke with ESPN, the expectation is Arrieta is seeking a $200 million deal.
Jake Arrieta is reportedly seeking a $200 million deal
Tuesday’s Say Hey, Baseball looks at Arrieta’s free agency and the first day of the winter meetings.
We should point out once again, as we always try to when Boras mentions that $200 million threshold, that the figure is just an indication that Boras and his client are looking for a large contract. It’s the 40 days, 40 nights from the Boras Bible, simply meant to represent “a lot of money and years.” Arrieta isn’t going to get $200 million, but all it takes is one team willing to engage with Boras on the idea that Arrieta deserves to get paid a whole lot of money, and then he’ll get his nine-figure deal.
That team could be the Phillies, who are awash with cash in the middle of their rebuild, and could want to lock up a player they’re familiar with. As Jon Heyman points out, the Phillies’ front office is full of former Orioles’ execs, and that’s where Arrieta got his start.
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It’s worth pointing out that Arrieta isn’t one of Boras’ elite clients, even if he’s reaching for that kind of payout and mentioning him alongside other clients like Max Scherzer. Arrieta threw 229 innings in 2015, then 197 in 2016, and just 168 in 2017. That 229 is the only time he made it over 200, and while he was absolutely dominant that year, he’s shown himself to be a bit more mortal the past couple of seasons.
He’s still capable of greatness, but he’ll also be 32, and while Boras tries to sell him as not having used all his bullets in his younger years, it’s possible Arrieta was never carrying that much ammunition to begin with. The Phillies organization, or whichever other team bids on Arrieta, is taking a real risk, but that’s just how free agency works: you have to identify which risks you’re comfortable taking, because all of these deals are risky.
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