World Series 2023: Players Who Can Earn New Contracts After Fall Classic
Big time players perform in big time situations and there are a handful of free agents currently competing in the LCS that have the opportunity to cash in on their showings with sizeable deals this offseason.
Aaron Nola of the Philadelphia Phillies is just one player who could see a significant contract based on his play thus far in the playoffs.
Why and which others are potentially in the same position?
Craig Kimbrel, Philadelphia Phillies
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Craig Kimbrel has not been as consistent as one might hope for out of their closer, and blew the save that allowed Arizona to draw even with the Phillies in Game 4 of the NLCS. When the veteran righty is on, though, he still has the stuff to sit down consecutive batters and win any game.
Kimbrel went 8-6 in 2023, with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.8 WAR and a WHIP of 1.043. Those numbers do not put the 35-year-old in the upper echelon of closers but he is still an effective thrower when he has command of his pitches.
Kimbrel is an unrestricted free agent in 2024 with a market value of $9.4 million, according to Spotrac. In a league where teams are constantly looking for quality bullpen arms, he will likely command even more than his value, meaning the Phillies may have to pony up to keep him on the roster.
That, or Kimbrel likes what he sees in Philadelphia and is willing to give a discount to the team in order to stick around. How he performs through the rest of the postseason, and whether he can shake off that disastrous eighth-inning against Arizona, may determine just how much the Phils want to keep the 417-save pitcher around.
Jordan Montgomery, Texas Rangers
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Lefty Jordan Montgomery is an UFA in 2024 and, based solely on his performance for the Rangers in this postseason, would have reason to expect an offer from the team.
He started four games, is 2-0 in those starts, and has an ERA of 2.38. He has struck out 16 and has a WHIP of 1.28. He has played up to the moment for a Rangers team that limped into the playoffs but has been as hot as any team in the tournament.
Montgomery was not quite as good in the regular season, but put together a 10-11 record with an ERA of 3.20 and a WHIP of 119.
Pitching is lifeblood for teams and if Montgomery gets past any initial talks with the Rangers and hits the market, expect him to field calls from contenders.
He is not a player who is going to wow opponents with natural skills but he is a smart pitcher who proven an ability to play some of his best ball in the biggest moments this season. His value, according to Spotrac, is $18.4 million per year and there will be a team willing to pay that for an experienced starter with a resume of quality playoff starts.
Martin Maldonado, Houston Astros
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Martin Maldonado is not an explosive hitter at the plate but he is a veteran at one of the most significant positions on the field and has been the primary catcher for the Astros since 2019.
He has been behind home plate for the heart of Houston's dynastic run and has experience catching starters Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander over that span.
He has hit 52 home runs since arriving for his second stint with the team but his average and on-base percentage are hardly anything to write home about.
They do not have to be, though.
Maldonado has a .994 fielding percentage and caught 14 runners stealing this season, per FanGraphs. While he had an uncharacteristic 12 passed balls this season, that is more of an anomaly than the standard as he spent four previous seasons with single-digit totals in that category.
Teams will line up to pay an experienced catcher, who has played in the biggest of games and demonstrated consistency at the position over that time. As cliche as it may be, defense wins championships, and his ability to pick off runners will prove valuable as teams feel more comfortable stealing bags with the new pitch clock and larger bases.
Do not be surprised if the Astros recognize his importance to the team and never really allow him to hear offers from any other team, especially if they win another World Series title with him behind the plate.
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Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies
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Aaron Nola figures to be one of the most coveted free agents in baseball this offseason as contenders seek another quality starter to take the mound.
To say he picked the worst time to have one of his worst seasons statistically would be accurate, but he has made up for it thus far in the postseason.
Whereas Nola went 12-9 with an ERA of 4.46 and his worst WHIP since 2019 (1.15), he made up for the up-and-down regular season by compiling a 3-0 record, with an ERA under 1.0 and 19 strikeouts.
He has been brilliant, a dominant starter who has been in this position before and knows what it takes to score wins in big spots.
That undoubtedly has the attention of potential offseason suitors and the fact that the Phillies were not able to get anything done with him to this point suggest that the righty may very well be suiting up for another team next season.
With a market value of $24.5 million a year, he will land a big deal and if he can bring a World Series title to Philadelphia, he would have earned it.
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