Free Agent Frenzy: Qualifying Quandaries
Imagana, Woodruff, Torres, Grisham
Of the 13 players to receive a qualifying offer in this free agent class, an astonishing 4 were accepted. They were:
Shota Imanaga - LHP - CHC
Trent Grisham - CF - NYY
Gleyber Torres - 2B - DET
Brandon Woodruff - RHP - MIL
Last week I wrote that I only expected Imanaga and Woodruff to take the deal, with the main two talking points being the former’s contract opt out fiasco and the latter’s scary injury history. The probability that either arm would garner a long-term deal in free agency seemed low, especially with a draft pick attached, and having another year to replenish their stock felt like the most logical solution.
This is where Grisham and Torres come in. I was confident that both veterans would receive interest from a handful of teams given their performance in 2025. Both Grisham and Torres flashed impressive underlying metrics and returned positive offensive results in tandem with playing passable defense at positions of need for some contenders. I was honestly stunned when I read that they both accepted their QOs.
Now with a few days to reassess, these acceptances do not feel too confounding. The seemingly inevitable 2027 lockout has very likely scared teams away from mid-tier free agents. Both Grisham and Torres were not expected to land lucrative deals and the draft pick compensation to acquire them could prove costly if there if there is a lost season during a shorter 2-3 year contract. Teams simply are not willing to forfeit a pick for a non-game changing acquisition. We may also see this risk aversion with trade candidates that have 2 years of team control remaining (e.g. Joe Ryan, MacKenzie Gore).
Grisham and Torres tested the free agent waters and determined that they were not going to receive what they were looking for. They secured a very comfortable pay day and provided their former (and still current) team with an efficient contract for the next year. Hopefully with the Rule 5 Draft and Winter meetings coming up there will be more action soon!
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