Mid-December MLB Recap

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertDecember 18, 2022
© USA TODAY Sports

As the holidays approach, nearly every notable MLB free agent has landed into a new contract for the 2023 season. In fact, only 21 players who accumulated a WAR of 1.0 or greater last season remain on the available big board.

BEST AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS

Unsigned MLB free agents who posted a 1.0+ WAR in the 2022 season. ALL AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS

PITCHERS POSITION PLAYERS
Johnny Cueto (SP) Jurickson Profar (OF)
Michael Wacha (SP) Matt Carpenter (3B)
Zack Greinke (SP) Brandon Drury (3B)
Matt Moore (RP) Justin Turner (3B)
Adam Ottavino (RP) Trey Mancini (1B)
Nathan Eovaldi (SP) Jean Segura (2B)
Scott Alexander (RP) Josh Harrison (2B)
Jordan Lyles (RP) Michael Brantley (OF)
  Jose Iglesias (SS)
  Elvis Andrus (SS)
  Willi Castro (SS)
  Curt Casali (C)
  Andrew McCutchen (OF)

 

THE FREE AGENT SHORTSTOP RECAP

With Dansby Swanson now off of the market, here’s a final scoreboard look at how things shook out for the star players, who combined for $1.107B in fully guaranteed contracts.

One interesting takeaway? None of these shortstops returned to their 2022 team.

UPDATED TAX PAYROLLS

Spotrac has been tracking projected Opening Day tax payrolls since the start of the offseason, from the Mets historic figure down to the Athletics doing Oakland things. Recent signings now position 11 teams north of the $200M mark, with the Cubs & White Sox as the latest members of this club.

TEAM PROJ. OPENING DAY TAX PAYROLL
NYM $353,900,339
NYY $288,086,565
PHI $242,414,946
SD $233,442,959
TOR $228,156,492
ATL $226,204,408
LAA $212,674,085
LAD $211,374,140
SF $205,988,276
CWS $201,799,532
CHC $200,464,059

Four teams still remain over the $233M tax threshold, with the Padres/Phillies still in the first taxpayer tier, the Yankees handedly in tier 3, and the Mets shattering the glass ceiling of the fourth tier.

ADDITIONAL TAX PAYROLL PROJECTIONS

TEAM PROJ. OPENING DAY TAX PAYROLL
TEX $199,698,413
HOU $197,293,816
BOS $196,724,121
COL $184,099,187
STL $178,592,297
SEA $175,536,382
DET $137,518,434
MIL $136,041,880
MIN $129,390,604
CLE $121,660,844
TB $121,044,842
ARI $119,201,857
WSH $115,098,735
MIA $108,536,654
KC $96,280,809
CIN $86,491,989
BAL $81,787,001
PIT $77,170,709
OAK $68,135,158

TRADE MARKET HEATING UP?

Generally the largest offseason trades come at or right after the early December winter meetings. But a few names are still being floated out with interest. We’ve detailed a number of those Winter Trade Possibilities here.


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