MLB Free Agency About to Explode as Baseball Returns
What a difference a night makes. Last night it appeared that another week of regular season games would be canceled after Major League Baseball and the Players Union couldn’t agree to a deal all because of the International Draft.
Give credit to both sides for sticking with it and finally coming to terms on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that will see the CBT (collective Bargaining Tax) threshold start at $230 million this year, and minimum salaries going up from $570,500 to $700,000 this year for players with three years minimum service time. The international draft? That was kicked down the road to July 25 when it will be reevaluated by then.
The breakdown of the votes makes it clear: The players wanted to play. Player reps, who represent the rank-and-file, voted 26-4 in favor of the agreement. The executive subcommittee, made of elected leaders, voted 8-0 against it. In the end, all of the players' voices were heard.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 10, 2022
The deal was not without a little drama as reports early Thursday indicated that a couple of Mets players were worried about the CBT hindering Steve Cohen’s ability to spend, but at the end of the day, everyone wanted to get this deal done.
Now the fun part begins: free agency.
There are a number of key free agents available including: third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant; first baseman Freddie Freeman; left handed starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw; left handed starting pitcher Carlos Rondon; outfielder Nick Castellanos; outfielder Michael Conforto; short stop Carlos Correa, and shortstop Trevor Story to name a few.
The Yankees and Mets could be very busy in the next few hours as free agency re-opens, and spring training officially begins on Sunday.
#MLB Fans Win!!
— Jim Bowden⚾️🏈 (@JimBowdenGM) March 10, 2022
* Expanded Playoffs
* Universal DH
*Serv Manipulation derailed
* Tanking derailed
*Young stars paid
*’23 ban shifts, pitch clock,+bases
162g Schedule 4/7 opening day
FA starts tonight Let’s gooo
The Yankees need answers at short stop and first base. There is chance Freeman or Correa could find themselves in the Bronx. They have been linked to the Yankees before the lockout started.
The Mets have been linked to just about everyone. But the names most linked to them were Bryant, who can play multiple positions, and, oddly enough, Freeman — who could end up in a DH/1B platoon with Pete Alonso.
What will happen? Get your popcorn people!