Free Agent Frenzy: Bieber Fever
Shane Bieber Opts In, Shota Imanaga Opts Out
With Free Agency underway, welcome to my first newsletter covering one of the most exciting parts of the offseason! There have not been any signings thus far, but there have been some decisions that have altered the landscape. I hope to use this series to lay out my initial thoughts on any notable news. I plan for this medium to be less technically driven, but still add in my style and analytical mindset.
Let’s get to it!
Shane Bieber Opts In
In an unexpected turn of events, Shane Bieber accepted his 16M player option to return to the Toronto Blue Jays. It was a fruitful few months in Toronto as Bieber was a key piece in the Blue Jays World Series run, something that the team hoped would be the case after parting with Khal Stephen at the Trade Deadline. With Bieber looking fully healthy and showing no signs of command loss following Tommy John Surgery, it seemed like he would test the Free Agent waters for a second consecutive season and land one of the largest contracts as one of the best arms in the class. This, however, was not the case. Bieber forwent his 4M buyout and decided to run it back with Toronto for at least one more season.
Quick Thoughts
As a Blue Jays fan: This is awesome!
As a baseball fan: This is awesome… but why?
Bieber he surely could have landed one of the most lucrative deals this winter given the state of the SP in this Free Agent class and his track record. My initial reaction was that there was some medical concerns that may restrict his market appeal. After all, accepting the option would guarantee a comfy payday and give him the opportunity to showcase his talents to land an even larger contact next offseason. After parsing through reports about the decision, it sounds like Bieber and his wife truly enjoyed their time in Toronto. I would not be surprised if a long-term contract extension was announced in the near future.
Shota Imanaga Leaves Chicago… For Now
Shota Imanaga’s contract with the Cubs was unique. It included that the Japanese southpaw would spend 2 years on the northside of Chicago. After that initial pair of seasons, the Cubs had the option to extend the deal to 5 years, with the 3rd year transforming into a player option if the team decided to decline. After a chaotic series of reports which included both sides declining their options, Imanaga is now a free agent.
Quick Thoughts
I am not a big Imanaga fan. He is a soft tossing lefty with a massive home run problem that was further exploited by his home park. Despite my poor perception of Imanaga, I fully expected the Cubs to accept their side of the option. It would secure a suitable #3/4 starter for well below market value (13.25M AAV) before letting him walk in FA at 35 years old.
The Cubs decision to decline the option may sound the alarm to how Imanaga is viewed throughout the league. The Cubs must have tried to move him in a trade, and I would think that there would be a handful of teams willing to absorb his contract. What makes this whole saga even more perplexing is that the Cubs extended a qualifying offering (valued at 22.025M) which allows Imanaga to return to Chicago for greater than his initial 15.5M player option. It isn’t often a player accepts their QO, but Imanaga’s market may lead him back to the Cubs for at least one more year.
Qualifying Offers
The following players were tendered qualifying offers
Kyle Tucker
Kyle Schwarber
Bo Bichette
Framber Valdez
Dylan Cease
Ranger Suarez
Edwin Díaz
Zac Gallen
Shota Imanaga
Michael King
Trent Grisham
Gleyber Torres
Brandon Woodruff
The only players that have a strong chance to accept the QO are Shota Imanaga and Brandon Woodruff. Imanaga for his aforementioned potentially sour market and Woodruff for his injury concerns. Woodruff is another interesting case because he already received a 10M buyout after declining his player option, so he could rake in a total of 32M from the Brewers. It was somewhat surprising he was tendered a QO given his risks and cost, but Milwaukee must be convinced that a another team will land the big righty even with a draft pick attached to him.
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