Yankees, Giants, Blue Jays, Rangers' Top Options After Cody Bellinger's Cubs Contract
The best remaining position player in MLB free agency is finally off the board after ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the Chicago Cubs agreed to a three-year, $80 million deal with outfielder Cody Bellinger.
Some notable veterans continue to wait for a new contract. Reigning National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell headlines the group.
With spring training underway, the biggest offseason blockbusters have already happened. Teams with championship aspirations still have the opportunity to fine-tune their squad before Opening Day.
Here's one player that makes sense for four such contenders, the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers.
New York Yankees
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Yankees chairman Hal Steinbrenner recently told reporters he's "still willing to consider anything that comes my way" in terms of additional moves, but it's tough to see a meaningful signing emerging at this point.
The Athletic's Brendan Kuty and Chris Kirschner reported on Feb. 19 "there had been virtually no movement" in negotiations with Snell and fellow southpaw Jordan Montgomery. The report also detailed how the cost of a lucrative short-term contract for either would be significant thanks to the Bronx Bombers being well above the luxury tax.
Snell is the more decorated player, but Montgomery might make more sense for New York since he'll likely command a little less money. He's a consistent performer, sporting a 3.68 career ERA and a 3.75 FIP, and his past experience playing in the Big Apple would be a nice bonus in this case.
San Francisco Giants
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San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi threw a wet blanket on the team doing anything else after signing Jorge Soler.
The Giants should be motivated to pursue further reinforcements. The gulf between them and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West has only gotten wider, and the perception they can't seal the deal with big free agents is a nagging concern.
Signing Snell would be a huge improvement for the starting rotation, one that has some question marks surrounding Alex Cobb and Robbie Ray as they work their way back from injuries.
Snagging a two-time Cy Young winner would have some symbolic value, too, with San Francisco striking out more often than not when trying to shop at the top end of the free-agent market.
Toronto Blue Jays
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Continuing the theme, Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins told reporters on Feb. 15 that "additions that would be of significance would mean some level of subtraction."
The nature of Bellinger's contract with the Cubs nonetheless leads you to believe a reunion between the Blue Jays and Matt Chapman can't be off the table entirely. Does Toronto's broad stance on free agents change if he's is willing to take what amounts to a one-year contract?
Chapman (30) is two years older than Bellinger, so he could still be less inclined to sign that kind of deal despite this being such a late juncture of the offseason. The Blue Jays certainly seem to be showing they have little appetite for a long-term pact when it comes to the star third baseman.
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Texas Rangers
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With Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Tyler Mahle all on the injured list, the likelihood of the Texas Rangers signing Snell or Montgomery looks slim. The combined absences of deGrom, Scherzer and Mahle does mean the defending World Series champions have some innings to fill.
Michael Lorenzen went 9-9 with a 4.18 ERA and a 4.46 FIP in 29 appearances with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies in 2023. He logged a career-high 153 innings, the first time he eclipsed 100 innings on the mound since his rookie year in 2015.
The right-hander could keep a spot warm in the rotation until one of the three aforementioned vets is healthy enough to return. His experience out of the bullpen would allow him to easily transition to a relief role when his services as a starter are no longer required.
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