The MLB 2020 crusade is young. But it’s not too early to start judging the contracts that have been awarded this off-season, from multi-year mega-pacifics to short-term demonstration contracts.
Specifically, which ones look like robberies and what scams?
This is a component of the first results, but more than two weeks of hot or bloodless production are not enough to make a call, especially in a long-term agreement. Other variables such as a player’s age and recent production, the duration and price of the contract, injuries and a trail of forward-looking scenarios are taken into account.
Note: We’ve included the original dollar figures for all contracts, but let’s not forget that 2020 salaries are apportioned for the 60-game schedule.
Contract: 4 years, $64 million; abandonment of players after the 2020 and 2021 seasons; $20 million mutual by 2024 with $2 million purchase
The Cincinnati Reds have taken several steps on their offensive this low season, but none pay more dividends than Nick Castellanos’ signature.
Between 2016 and 2019, Castellanos produced an Array840 PAHO and last season hit 27 home races and 58 doubles in the most sensible MLB between the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs.
One season at The Great American Ball Park, welcoming the batters, to increase the 28-year-old’s production, and so far has.
In his first 15 games with the Reds, Castellanos has an OPS of 1,171 with seven home races and 16 RBIs. Those numbers stabilize a little, however, Cincinnati happens to have chosen an All-Star batsman who is still at his peak for a bargain.
Contract: years, $85 million
Madison Bumgarner is a playoff and four-time All-Star legend. Then, when the Arizona Diamondbacks signed the left-hander away from rivals san Francisco Giants, D-back enthusiasts had each and every right to be excited.
So far, however, MadBum has fought with the Snakes, and there is an explanation for why those struggles can continue.
With 4 starts and 17.1 innings with Arizona, Bumgarner allowed 20 hits, seven home runs and 18 earned runs, “good” for a 9.35 ERA. On Sunday, he lasted two innings and allowed six runs in a 9-5 loss to the San Diego Padres.
More troublingly, his average fastball velocity has dropped from 91.4 mph in 2019 to 88.0 mph.
Bumgarner is 31 years old. It’s been a tough run, overshadowing two hundred innings in seven of the nine seasons since 2011 and releasing a few other 102.1 draws to the playoffs during that period. But it would possibly wear out.
This deal looks questionable now, and it could look downright bad as Bumgarner enters his mid-30s.
Contract: two years, $12 million
The Washington Nationals have recruited several veteran players to compensate for the loss of third baseman Anthony Rendon to the flexible agency. So far, Starlin Castro seems the most productive in the group.
In 11 games with the Nats, Castro reached Array359 with an Array877 PAHO. The four-time 30-year-old All-Star has noticed all its action at the base moment, however, it is also able to bet as a shortstop and third base, adding “polyvalence” to the specials list on its resume.
“I feel smart,” Castro told reporters about his fiery Debut with Washington. “It’s kind of like one of the things that each and every player is looking for: the main player trusts you, the main player believes in you. I’ve been with [the manager] Davey [Martinez] with the Cubs and we have a very smart experience. relationship.”
If Castro continues to produce at a high point for a relative salary, nationals will also be satisfied with that date.
Contract: 4 years, $92 million; $16 million club for 2024 with $8 million purchase
When he’s right, Josh Donaldson is one of the most productive third baseman in the game. The 2015 American League Most Valuable Player had a season forged in 2019 with the Atlanta Braves, scoring 37 home runs with an OPS of 0.900 and 155 games.
This led to a lucrative four-year contract with the Minnesota Twins that didn’t seem smart so far.
Donaldson’s fourth season in 22 before being on the disabled list with a détente in the right calf. He has struggled with calf disorders in the afterlife and was wasted a lot of time due to his both leg injury in 2017 and 2018. He’s also 3 four years old.
Donaldson can simply return healthy and a diversity of Twins already difficult. But it’s a sign of concern for a player his age and doesn’t bode well for the next few years, when he will bite a significant portion of Minnesota’s modest payroll.
Contract: one year, $14 million
Complications of COVID-19 limited Philadelphia Phillies to only 8 games on Sunday. But in this little sample, the Didi Gregorius short field looks like a van.
Signed this off-season on a one-year contract after a 2019 season shortened by injuries with the New York Yankees, Gregorius went 28 out of 9 with two home runs for the Phils.
The 30-year-old appears to be fully recovered from Tommy John’s surgery in October 2018 and is betting as the guy who won the WYD votes in 2017 and 2018. It was also reported that he emerged as the club’s leader after finding the former Yankees captain. Joe Girardi.
If Philadelphia manages to make a career in the deep east of the National League, Gregorius will be a great component.
Contract: one year, $18 million
The Atlanta Braves have launched a couple of one-year, $18 million deals this off-season. We’ll get to the one who’s doing it so far, but first the bad news.
When the Braves signed it, left-hander Cole Hamels was entering his 36-year season and had not recorded an IPF 4.00 times since 2016. But it’s not a bad concept to make a short-term bet on all four. All-Star time.
Hamels did not participate in the initial spring 2020 education due to a shoulder challenge and then placed in the 45-day IL with a triceps injury before being able to climb the hill at summer camp.
He pitched up to 120 feet and may soon begin a pen session, through Fox Sports South’s Kelly Crull, but may not be eligible to return to combat with Atlanta until September, even if all goes well.
That means, at best, the Braves will get a few appearances from Hamels and at worst this will be a total sunk cost.
Contract: one year, $2.5 million; $3.5 million club for 2021 with $500,000 purchase
The rebuilding Baltimore Orioles probably won’t make the postseason in 2020 despite a surprisingly decent start.
And José Iglesias will hardly continue to triumph in Array405 with an OPS of 1,005, which he made in his first 39 appearances on set with the O’s.
But the 30-year-old box veteran, who was An All-Star in 2015, can still offer prices beyond the small amount Baltimore will pay him, either in the box or at the clubhouse.
Churches, one of the few experienced in a list of youths of the Orioles, has assumed the role of mentor.
“I’m very happy,” Iglesias told reporters. “I take it one day at a time and do everything I can to help this team. It’s very fun to see young players like Rio [Ruiz] and Austin [Hays] going up there and competing, getting better each and every day. I really love where we’re at.”
Contract: 4 years, $80 million
When the Toronto Blue Jays recruited left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu this off-season, they opened their wallets for the national league’s protective leader of EFFECTIVENESS. Stress points.
However, there is a significant threat to the agreement. Ryu has never reached two hundred innings in a season since joining the major leagues in 2013 and has struggled with a variety of injuries that have led to shoulder and elbow surgeries.
The 33-year-old is healthy, but has allowed 8 earned runs, seven walks and 14 hits in 14 innings with the Blue Jays. He released five scoreless frames with eight strikeouts in his final start against the Braves, a promising sign.
But given its first difficulties, age and injuries, Toronto should not feel safe paying Ryu $20 million a year in its 36-year season.
Contract: one year, $18 million
After turning down a qualifying offer from the St. Louis Cardinals for one year and $17.8 million, Marcell Ozuna ended up signing almost exactly the same deal with the Atlanta Braves.
Now, the 29-year-old will have to prove that he has a multi-year contract before returning to the flexible agency. So far so good.
In 15 games with Atlanta, Ozuna has a 0.867 OPS with 3 doubles and 3 home races. And he constantly hits the ball hard. Its average output speed of 95.5 mph is the fourth highest in baseball, according to Statcast.
“When the Cardinals switched for [Ozuna] in late 2017, he came back a year as a 26-year-old,” Bravos general manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters. “He performed well for St. Louis, and we would be happy. But we thought it might be even better than that. We’ll locate it by the end of the year.”
Contract: Seven years, $245 million
Stephen Strasburg recorded 3.32 MPMs with 251 strikeouts in 209 nationals innings in 2019 and won World Series MVP honors. Nats enthusiasts had to breathe a slow down when the team temporarily re-signed the right after he resigned from his contract.
However, there was a risk. Strasbourg turned 32 in July and has suffered career injuries. In fact, 2019 was only the time of all 10 MLB seasons in which he pitched more than two hundred innings (the other was in 2014).
Therefore, you may almost hear the sighs of relief that turn into moans when Strasbourg scratched from its inception in 2020 with a nervous challenge in its throwing hand.
He made his debut on Sunday against the Orioles and allowed seven hits and five earned runs with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Some of this can be attributed to rust.
But the injury is worrying, and it’s far from a sure thing Strasburg will be healthy and consistently dominant as he moves deeper into his 30s.
All existing stats will come into play on Sunday and are courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs; courtesy of Spotrac’ contractuality.