Angels Sign Matt Moore

The Angels and Moore are in agreement on a one-year contract, tweets Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The Angels’ bullpen rebuild continues.

Free Agency Signings Are Proceeding at a Record Pace

For years, the baseball offseason had a predictable rhythm. When the World Series ended, we’d hit a lull. Around the Winter Meetings, a few Scott Boras clients would sign while he spouted strange, vaguely nautical similes. A few more marquee names would get caught up in Boras’ wake (see what I did there?) and sign as well. Then we’d have a lull around year end, and contract activity would pick up again in the new year.

That pattern hasn’t held even a little bit this winter. As of this writing, 45 of our top 50 free agents have signed, including the entire top 30; many guys who just missed the cut have signed as well. Four years ago, plenty of teams were still looking for free agent help in the first week of January. This year, your options are Johnny Cueto, Jurickson Profar, and then tumbleweeds.

This feels different than previous years of free agency, but I wanted to put some quantitative rigor behind that. I set out to compare this offseason to each previous one. I’ll spend plenty of time going through my methodology below, but first, let’s give the people what they want. This year really is different.

Breaking down MLB’s offseason flurry of mad-money moves

With this record-breaking spending has come unprecedented contract length. The first 64 major-league deals signed this offseason have averaged 2.9 years in length. If that figure holds, it will smash the previous mark of 2.3 years per deal set during the 2008-09 offseason, according to an analysis of Cot’s data going back to 1991.

With only 40% of available free agents signed to date, MLB teams have already guaranteed new signees 188 major-league contract seasons, surpassing the 15-year average of 169 guaranteed years per offseason.

Teams have signed an average of 60% of available free agents over the last 15 offseasons; the remaining players retire or sign minor-league or foreign deals. That means fans can expect roughly 50 more major-league free-agent deals. Even if those are all one-year deals, the total years guaranteed to players would eclipse last year’s sum of 222. The record for total years guaranteed in new free-agent deals is 229, set in 2004-05.

Carlos Rodón rumors

I know we’ve seen some silly new contracts but is any team desperate enough to go $210/7 for Rodon?

With the cost and commitment for top-tier free agents increasing, perhaps it’s no surprise that arguably the No. 1 pitcher on the market, Carlos Rodón, has reportedly upped his demands to interested clubs. He “is seeking a minimum of seven years on a $100 million-plus deal,” sources told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Brendan Kuty of NJ.com previously reported that Rodón was seeking six years with an average annual value around $30 million per year in his talks with teams. Slusser writes that increased contract length might scare the Giants off from re-signing the left-handed ace.

Red Sox Rumors: Boston ‘High On The List’ For Star Free Agent

He will be 36 in January. Consider me unenthused.

Of course, I’m not willing to pay $30 a month for NESN so I only watch a game or two a year now. That’s after watching around 100 games on TV and another ten at Fenway for years and years. I get it, though, the Red Sox don’t need fans like me.

Boston is going to be “high on the list” of potential landing spots for José Abreu, as reported by Bruce Levine on a recent episode of the “Inside the Clubhouse” podcast (h/t MassLive). Other realistic options for the longtime Chicago White Sox first baseman reportedly are the Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins and World Series champion Houston Astros.

“When you talk about the Boston Red Sox, when you talk about the Houston Astros, when you talk about Miami, those are real fits for Abreu,” Levine said, as transcribed by MassLive’s Christopher Smith.

2022-23 qualifying offer candidates and decisions

Tyler Anderson
Chris Bassitt
Xander Bogaerts
Willson Contreras
Jacob deGrom
Nate Eovaldi
Aaron Judge
Brandon Nimmo
Joc Pederson
Martin Perez
Anthony Rizzo
Carlos Rodon
Dansby Swanson
Trea Turner

Heyman: Ranking top 30 free agents in Major League baseball

1. Aaron Judge: The Yankees are feeling more confident this week. One reason I’d guess he will stay is that he shows great loyalty sticking with his longtime, very small-time agent. Teams: Yankees, Giants, Dodgers. Expert’s prediction: $330M, 9 years.

2. Jacob deGrom: Zack Wheeler told The Post’s Mike Puma deGrom likes being a Met. Teams: Rangers, Mets, Dodgers. Expert: $125M, 3 years.

3. Carlos Correa: Great defense, postseason pedigree and still 28, but interest last winter was disappointing. Teams: Dodgers, Giants, Braves, Twins, Cubs, Phillies. Expert: $275M, 9 years.

4. Trea Turner: Some think he prefers to go east, but he has said he liked Los Angeles and will consider all. Folks love him. Teams: Dodgers, Phillies, Cardinals, Red Sox, Cubs, Braves. Expert: $275M, 9 years.

5. Justin Verlander: The sure AL Cy Young should get multiyear deal at 39. Teams: Astros, Yankees, Dodgers. Expert: $75M, 2 years.