MLB Free Agents 2020: Latest Rumors, Predictions for George Springer and More

Houston Astros outfielders George Springer and Michael Brantley are in very different situations in comparison to Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Charlie Morton heading into free agency.

Whereas Morton is probably only going to get a one-year deal, it is possible Brantley could get at least two years, and maybe more depending on whether the universal designated hitter is in play for 2021.

Meanwhile, Springer is widely regarded as one of the top position players available and will almost certainly command a multiyear deal potentially worth over $100 million.

Their markets might look different, but all three guys have a lot to offer interested teams. Springer can slug at the top of the lineup and play plus defense in center field. Brantley is one of the best contact guys in baseball, and Morton is a workhorse who has remade his career in the latter stages.

Here are some of the latest rumors involving the three stars, in addition to predictions for their prospective landing spots.

Blue Jays to Pursue George Springer

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

It has not taken Springer long to cement himself as one of the best outfielders in Astros history.

The 31-year-old hit 174 homers and posted an .852 OPS in his first seven seasons with Houston. In 2020, Springer clubbed 14 homers and had an .899 OPS before hitting four more homers and driving in nine runs during the playoffs.

Springer already ranks 14th in Astros history in terms of WAR, per Baseball Reference, and he is still in his prime. This will undoubtedly make him one of the most coveted players on the market, especially given the outfield needs of some notable contenders.

Houston would probably like to re-sign Springer. The Astros have three total outfielders entering free agency—Brantley and Josh Reddick are the other two—and Springer has been invaluable as a guy who sets the tone at the top of the lineup.

The Astros also have a number of players coming off the books next year, including Zack Greinke and Justin Verlander. But Houston also needs to consider whether it will extend shortstop Carlos Correa, who is five years younger than Springer and will also be a free agent after 2021. Plus, they seem focused on other internal options (more on this later).

Not to mention, there are some other American League upstarts who could be willing to spend more. Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported on an episode of the "Big Time Baseball" podcast the Toronto Blue Jays had Springer "on their list."

The Blue Jays might have shown their hand in terms of willingness to spend when they gave left-handed starter Robbie Ray a one-year, $8 million deal. Toronto is likely to pursue more pitching, but Springer would give the Blue Jays a legitimate positional star to complement its young core.

However, Toronto has outfield options, and Randal Grichuk is under contract through 2024. The Blue Jays might get outbid just because there is not as definite a need as there is in, say, Chicago.

The White Sox appear to have a pair of young stars in Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert. But right field was an issue last year, with Nomar Mazara disappointing and Adam Engel best deployed as a platoon option. Chicago is another team who could use pitching, though general manager Rick Hahn might plug-and-play with short-term starters while the young arms in the team's system develop.

Additionally, the White Sox have shown a willingness to spend big in recent years. Considering most of its young stars are under team control for the foreseeable future, Chicago could be willing to offer Springer the biggest deal and best chance to win for years to come.   

Prediction: Springer signs with the White Sox

Astros Hoping to Re-Sign Michael Brantley

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

One of the reasons the Astros might not re-sign Springer is they have already shown legitimate interest in bringing Brantley back into the fold.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the two sides are "trying to work out a deal," adding the four-time All-Star has expressed interest in returning.

Brantley has had tremendous success in Houston. He hit over .300 in each of the last two years, posting back-to-back campaigns with a 126 OPS+ and giving the Astros balance with his contact-heavy approach in the middle of the order.

The 33-year-old ranked in the 93rd percentile in whiff rate, per Baseball Savant, and is capable of hitting with power to all fields. Of course, defense has traditionally been a bit of a problem.

Brantley showed improvement with the glove in 2020, though he ranked as one of the worst defensive outfielders in baseball in outs above average in both 2018 and 2019, per Baseball Savant. 

However, it is possible the Astros re-sign Brantley and move him to left field, in turn shifting Kyle Tucker to either center or right and signing a cheaper outfielder to replace Springer and possibly Reddick. Remember, Houston should have a healthy Yordan Alvarez ready to resume DH duties.

The other reason an extended partnership could make sense is Brantley could have less value on the open market given his age and defensive deficiencies, particularly if the universal DH is not continued in 2021.

Houston already seems to have a bit of urgency when it comes to re-signing Brantley, and the Astros could act quickly to get a deal done before the universal DH question is even decided.   

Prediction: Brantley re-signs with Astros

Numerous Teams Interested in Charlie Morton

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

Morton might not have a ton of interest in playing beyond 2021, but a whole lot of teams want him for what could be his final year in the bigs. 

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported at least eight to 10 teams have "expressed some level of interest" in signing Morton after his $15 million option was declined by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Obviously, this would suggest Morton will have quite the market in free agency, and with good reason.

The veteran right-hander's raw numbers were lacking in 2020, as Morton posted a 4.74 ERA in nine regular season starts. But his 3.45 fielding independent pitching (FIP) mark suggested he deserved better results, which he got in the playoffs.

Morton was mostly terrific in October, allowing just one earned run in his 15.2 innings of work while also striking out 17 and putting his stamp on another winner-take-all game in the ALCS. His lone blemish came in the World Series, when the Dodgers tagged him for five runs on seven hits.

The 36-year-old (who will be 37 on Thursday) had a sub-4.00 ERA and struck out well at least 10 opponents per nine innings in each year between 2017 to 2019. Morton's late-career renaissance appears to appeal to a number of teams needing starting pitching.

Still, it seems likely the Rays will sign him for a lower price.

Feinsand reported the New York Mets and New York Yankees could be a pair of teams to watch among the many needing rotation help, as might the Atlanta Brave, given general manager Alex Anthopoulos' penchant for signing pitchers to one-year deals. However, he also noted the Rays are Morton's first choice.

Money might not be the biggest issue for Morton at this stage in his career. While Feinsand reported the Rays might not be willing to offer him more than $10 million, Morton would likely have the best chance to win one more ring with a Tampa Bay team that made it to the World Series this year. Plus, he and his family now live in Florida.

The Rays do have some arms coming through the system. But none are nearly as seasoned or battle-tested as Morton, who could take a discount to stay in Tampa Bay.   

Prediction: Morton re-signs with the Rays