MLB Free Agency Update

Over the past week there have been numerous signings of free agents, and even a few trades involving roster players and thought it would be a good idea to periodically update how free agency has been going.  It has been relatively quiet compared to how free agency usually goes at the beginning, but this has a lot to do with the Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire on December 1.  Teams are holding back on signing the expensive free agents in case something in the new CBA will impact how free agency and contracts operate.  This past week has also been the week when players had to accept or reject qualifying offers that were extended to them by their 2016 teams since the deadline to do so was Monday at 5:00 pm.

Free Agent Signings

• RP Jesse Chavez signed with the LA Angels
• 3B Will Middlebrooks signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers
• P R.A. Dickey signed with the Atlanta Braves
• P Bartolo Colon signed with the Atlanta Braves
• DH Kendrys Morales signed with Toronto

Qualifying Offer ($17.2 million) Acceptances

• SP Jeremy Hellickson with Philadelphia
• 2B Neil Walker with the New York Mets

Trades

• Oakland traded 3B Danny Valencia to Seattle for a prospect
• LA Dodgers traded C Carlos Ruiz to Seattle for SP Vidal Nuno
• LA Dodgers traded 2B/OF Howie Kendrick to Philadelphia for Darin Ruff

Rumors

• Atlanta has shown interest in SPs Sonny Gray, Chris Sale, and Chris Archer and have the prospects to make any of these trades happen
• Boston has shown interest in SP Chris Sale and they have a deep farm system; they have been linked to free agents Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista but they really only have room for one of two of these players
• Houston has inquired about C Brian McCann and 1B Miguel Cabrera and they could make both of these happen, and they have been rumored to possibly be suitors for free agents Carlos Beltran, Mike Napoli, and Jose Bautista
• Texas has been also linked to Jose Bautista, which would be crazy considering their history
• LA Dodgers have shown interest in trading for Justin Verlander of the Tigers after Detroit has said that they are open to trading anyone

Reactions

• I'm surprised that Jeremy Hellickson signed his qualifying offer because, after the season he had this year, I thought he would have been able to secure a four to five year deal on the open market for close to $15 million per season, which is just less of what he'll make with the qualifying offer.  
• I think Neil Walker signing his qualifying offer was smart after missing significant time in 2016 due to injury.  His value was down pretty far from what it had been with the Pirates and he most likely wasn't going to get a deal that was long-term nor for a lot of money per season. Signing his qualifying offer will give him financial security and also allow him to rebuild his value by having a good season in 2017.
• I really like the Braves' moves of signing veteran starting pitchers Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey, both of whom the Braves have experience with because of their tenures with the Mets. Dickey and Colon are notorious inning eaters, as both of them approach the 200 inning mark nearly every season.  They will also bring a veteran presence to a relatively young Braves' rotation that will benefit greatly from Dickey and Colon and these young starters won't be asked to throw too many innings.