The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOP PITCHERS ARE AMONG175 FREE AGENTS SO FAR
Jon Lester, Corey Kluber and Brad Hand were among 15 more major league rs who became free agents when teams declined their 2021 options, many the victims of budget cuts following a regular season without fans due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Also cut loose were Chicago White Sox designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and left-hander Gio Gonzalez, and Philadelphia relievers David Robertson, Hector Neris and David Phelps.
There are 175 players who became free agents following the World Series and about 15 more can go free this weekend. Amongthe remaining decisions are on player options by Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton, Boston designated hitter JD Martinez and Mets reliever Dellin Betances.
Teams must decide by 5 p.m. today whether to make $18.9 million qualifying offers to eligible former players who went free.
One player who won’t be going on the market is Anthony Rizzo. The Chicago Cubs picked up their $16.5 million option for Rizzo on Saturday, bringing back the popular first baseman after he struggled during the season.
The 31-year-old Rizzo hit just .222 this year for his lowest batting average since his first year in the majors in 2011. But he has been one of the majors’ most productive sluggers since hewas acquired in a 2012 trade with San Diego.
Lester gets a $10 million buyout from the Cubs that completes a $155 million, six-year contract rather than a $25 million mutual option. The 36-year-old left-hander was 3-3 with a 5.16 ERA in 12 starts this year.
Cleveland declined Hand’s $10 million option and also turned down first baseman Carlos Santana ($17.5 million). The Indians did exercise a $5.5 million option for catcher Roberto Perez.
Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti has indicated the teamwill see a substantial cut in payroll due to the financial hit caused by the pandemic. There could be other, bigger moves as the Indians consider trading All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor before his final season under contract.
Hand went 2-1with a 2.06 ERA and went 16 for 16 in save chances in the 60-game season.
Santana struggled in his second season back in Cleveland after leaving as a free agent in 2018. The switch-hitter batted a career-low. 199 with eight homers and 30 RBIs in 60 games.
Kluber, whose option was for $18 million, lasted just one inning in his only start for the Rangers before a shoulder injury ended his year. Kluber gets a $1 million buyout, and the club has said it is interested in re-signing him to a less expensive deal. The Rangers acquired the two-time Cy Young Award winner from Cleveland last offseason in a trade.
The Yankees have let Tommy Kahnle become a free agent rather than allow him to become eligible for salary arbitration ahead of a season he is likely to largely miss while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
New York said Saturday that the hard-throwing 31-year-old righthander had refused an outright assignment to the minor leagues and elected to become a free agent.