CLASS OF THE TITANS

Hardball ranks upcoming 2018-19 free-agent field

PORT ST. LUCIE — That wellchronicled free-agent class of the 2018-19 offseason is getting ever closer and just might be the greatest ever. Or it might not be quite as good as advertised.

What we know for sure is it will keep changing, like a living organism — stocks rising and falling. In the first week of March last year, I projected a top 10 for that winter that needs significant alterations now.

Sadly, the most overt change involves Jose Fernandez, who was due to be a free agent at age 26. I had him ranked sixth last year and would have moved him up based on his brilliant 2016. But Fernandez died in a boating accident Sept. 25.

A year ago, second basemen Brian Dozier, D.J. Lemahieu and Daniel Murphy were not even top-10 considerations. Now, even in a stacked class, they are at least in the conversation.

A year ago, no reliever was included in the top 10. But after a postseason defined by how aggressively the best were used and an offseason in which three (Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon) broke the previous record for the largest package given a reliever, you certainly have to mull the inclusion of Cody Allen, Zach Britton, Jeurys Familia, Kelvin Herrera and Andrew Miller — and maybe even Melancon again, because he can opt out of his fouryear deal following the 2018 season.

I had A.J. Pollock fourth last year, believing he was just beginning to touch his potential, then he missed nearly all of 2016 with a broken right elbow. Matt Harvey was fifth, then missed the final three months and needed surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome.

Dallas Keuchel was seventh and went from AL Cy Young to a 4.55 ERA. Andrew McCutchen was ninth, coming off four straight top-five NL MVP finishes, before having his worst season.

All of these players are talented enough to thrive in 2017 and regain their previous status.

In a sign of just how volatile this all is, David Price was ranked eighth last season and, even coming off a down year, would have been in the top 10 again (he could opt out after the 2018 season), but in the past few days it was revealed he has an elbow injury. The Red Sox announced no surgery would be needed, and his return is expected in 7-10 days. Still, with four years at $127 million due after the ’18 season, Price would be viewed as less, not more, likely to opt out.

What did remain steady was the top three, though there is a change at the top:

1. Manny Machado

Bryce Harper was No. 1 last March, coming off an NL MVP campaign. But he sagged while Machado put together another top- f ive MVP season. Both players should break the record $325 million deal of Giancarlo Stanton, and who gets the most that offseason may come down simply to who goes second after the first guy sets a new bar.

I put Machado here because after serious surgery on both knees he has played 162 and 157 games the past two years. He plays a more valuable position (third base) spectacularly, and might even be a shortstop option for some teams. Plus, there is greater industry concern about Harper the person than Machado, though Machado has had his on-field inferno moments.

I know there has been a lot of talk about just putting Harper on the Yankees and his marquee value is greater than Machado’s. But if I were a betting man and was told the Yankees had needs at both positions and were signing only one, I would wager on Machado. 2. Bryce Harper

Going back to MVP level could force a flip-flop for next March. Remember that beyond skill, Harper’s payday will be about his birth certificate, too. He will enter free agency having completed just his age-25 season, the same as Machado. 3. Clayton Kershaw He was third last year, and even a

back injury in 2016 does not change the perception he is the game’s best starter. He can opt out after 2018. 4. Josh Donaldson

I had him 10th last year, which had nothing to do with his present value. He was the 2015 AL MVP and was fourth last year. It is about going into his age-33 season, when he becomes a free agent, amid growing industry concern about giving aging players big money. But he has proven durable and great, so until that goes the wrong way, we should assume a big payday is coming. 5. Zach Britton

Who knows if there will be a ricochet again against giving huge dollars to relievers. Even then Britton might get major dough. He has a 1.38 ERA over the past three seasons, in which he has yielded eight homers in 209 innings. Why is he ranked over Miler, in particular? Age. Britton will head into free agency having just completed his age-30 season. Miller will be facing his 34th birthday come May 2019. 6. A.J. Pollock

Injury-devastated 2014 and ’16 seasons make you begin to worry about Pollock’s long-term durability, but his brilliance in 2015 combined with how much Arizona struggled without him in 2016 is a reminder of his value. 7. Charlie Blackmon He is nearly the identical age as

McCutchen (both 30), and McCutchen’s history is far superior. But Blackmon is trending upward. Will McCutchen rebound? Blackmon’s Rockies teammate Lemahieu is two years younger — but while Lemahieu’s terrific 2016 season was boosted by Coors numbers, Blackmon was as good on the road as home. 8. Andrew Miller

Maybe he will slider, slider, slider, usage, usage, usage his arm away. But over the past three years he has a 1.82 ERA and averaged 14.8 strikeouts, and Miller was the biggest force of last year’s playoffs. 9. Kelvin Herrera

There are a lot of similarities between Herrera and Allen, including age. So, this is as much a hunch that Herrera will age better. I was really tempted to put a starter not named Kershaw here. But who?

There is not a lot of successful history returning from surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome (Harvey). Keuchel’s stuff at his best always has to be razor precision. If the Rangers don’t pick up his 2019 option, Cole Hamels would be entering his age-35 season. Garrett Richards has the same small tear in his elbow that Masahiro Tanaka is pitching through. 10. Daniel Murphy

I considered catcher Yasmani Grandal as a switch-hitter with power and a strong reputation for pitch framing. Or Adam Jones — though I suspect, like McCutchen, he is trending toward losing his hold on center field. I went with Murphy because it appears he has decoded how to use his swing for maximum damage, and that he could have a significant final chapter as a Paul Molitor-esque DH.