The free agency period in Major League Baseball begins today. There’s not likely going to be a whole lot of signings today, or even this week around the league. It’s a long offseason, and typically things don’t begin to heat up until around the winter meetings and those don’t take place until early December. Still, there will be some action this month, and behind the scenes teams are going to be working the phones with agents and players to at the very least gauge the interest between the two parties.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic proposed landing spots for his Top 40 free agents last week and of those 40 players, Cincinnati was among the ideal spot for three of them. Today, Tim Britton and Aaron Gleeman published a similar article at The Athletic. Within it there were six different players who had the Reds listed as among the “best fits”. All six of them were pitchers. Among them were former Reds Sonny Gray and Aroldis Chapman. None of the six pitchers included are projected to get big contracts, or even long contracts – the longest among this group was a 4-year deal at just $70,000,000. That may be “big” in Cincinnati, but only because the franchise has avoided free agency like they’ve avoided advancing in the playoffs over the last three decades.
It would seem that pitching is the Reds biggest area of need, and the national publications tend to agree. Whether that’s adding a veteran starter to help the rotation out or to add some arms to the bullpen – it’s the pitching that’s the focus.
Cincinnati certainly could use some help on the other side of things, too. As things stand today their outfield is quite heavy on left-handed hitters. Spencer Steer, who isn’t an every day outfielder (though he is an every day player), is the only guy in the mix who doesn’t hit from the left side of the plate. TJ Friedl, Will Benson, and Jake Fraley all swing from the left batters box. Adding a righty to the mix could go a long way, especially with how much David Bell likes to play the platoon game with 90% of the roster. The addition of the designated hitter to the National League also helps create additional at-bats for someone that wouldn’t have been there all that long ago.
There are going to be several players posted this offseason from Japan and Korea. The biggest name is Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Orin Buffaloes. Love it or hate it, he’s going to be out of the Reds price range if we’re to believe the clubs own words. He’s projected to cost somewhere around the $200,000,000 mark to sign, and that wouldn’t include the posting fee.
It was announced this morning that Jung Hoo Lee would also be posted this offseason, with Jon Morosi of MLB Network noting it should happen later in the month. The recently turned 25-year-old outfielder has played in Korea for seven seasons. He missed about half of the 2024 season, and it wound up being the worst season he’s had in quite a while – he hit .318/.406/.455 while walking 49 times with 23 strikeouts in 86 games. For his career he’s a .340/.407/.491 hitter with 383 walks and 304 strikeouts in 3947 plate appearances (career stats here). While we just talked about how left-handed the Reds outfield is, and Lee is a lefty, too, he could be an interesting addition to the lineup if his contact rate could come remotely close to what he’s been able to do in Korea in his career. And likely a very important factor for the Reds front office – he’s not expected to command a high price tag.
FWIW, MLB site does not list the Reds as a potential landing place for Yamamotto.
I would say the Reds need a potent LH OF bat. I consider Fraley and Benson “complimentary “ LH bats, not potent. That is why they are platooned.
The IF and C are RH heavy. Elly being the only non-RH bat.
They’re platooned because they hit RH pitching much, much better than LH pitching. Benson had a potent bat in 2023, and he was also platooned.
We are saying the same thing. If Fraley and Benson hit LH pitchers they would not need to be platooned.
I will explain my thoughts. Dave Parker, Bryce Harper, Joe Morgan, Freddie Freeman, Juan Soto, Joey Votto are/were “Potent” LH bats. Fraley and Benson are not, they are just complimentary LH bats.
Why do we have to keep on accepting what the front office trots on to the field?
Reds need some things for sure. That is not one of them.
Ah, but it is. Many are on this forum whine about Bell’s constant lineup tinkering and platooning. Well if the FO put potent players on the squad Bell would not need to tinker.
Why must we accept that we do not need better players than Fraley and Benson?
Many on this forum have basically no idea what theyre talking about and are just looking for reasons to complain. Pandering to that would just tank the team faster. But sure, if theres a player out there that will streamline out outfield mix great i guess, but that wont mean anything if they dont address the pitching.
This is just silly doofus. Benson was our 2nd best hitter in 2023 behind McLain.
If Benson is a good hitter why is he platooned?
I am with doofus on this one. I was not hype on Benson and he did prove me wrong. I still think he’s a .220 type hitter. He’s not a good outfielder either. I just don’t like his batting stance. We can’t expect everyone to duplicate or better their numbers from this past season.
2023 was Benson’s first full season as a big leaguer. He has the potential to be a full time star and needs to be given the opportunity to grow into that role.
I believe the Reds need a Right handed hitting OF. Too many Leftys on the outfield.
@Doofus – I don’t disagree with your premise. By my count, there is 1 free agent that might be considered potent.
I’m a firm believer that if you propose something on here, that you also provide the specific player and what it would take to get the player. Otherwise, its just talking to the wall.
Redsvol “…provide the specific player and what it would take to get the player.” I have several times.
Personally I’d love to have non platoon players. It would probably kill David Bell though to have to put basically an every day lineup out there. If we are going to keep Fraley and Benson I’d like to see what they can do for a month hitting lefties. Things DO change some times. 🙂
After the young guys were brought up and everyone settled into their roles, the only two ‘starters’ that were platooned on a regular basis were Fraley and Benson.
Fraley should continue to platoon. Benson had an outstanding year, especially considering how he started the year off. I have no idea if he can eventually hit lefties.
Steer can (and likely will) play outfield whenever a lefty starts. So Fraley is covered.
At most, you need one additional platoon partner. Senzel fills that role (if the Reds bring him back). Fairchild could too, those he’s more of a backup outfielder vs platoon partner.
I would spend 90%+ of my time, money, and efforts on improving the pitching this offseason.
I think Steer will be a special player. However you seem to believe the FO and or ownership spin that all we need to do is find another complimentary player to cover for that player’s deficiency. It is a way to make the fans believe we are really doing something when all ownership is doing is being cheap.
I know of no team that won a championship with an over abundance of platoon players. You win championships with potent players. Hitters who assassinate baseballs. Gold glove fielders. Base runners who scorch the bag as they make a turn for home!
Platoons have been used for decades, assuming championship teams dont use them is just plain false.
Im not covering for the org either, you keep saying that but no one is insisting the players they trot out there are just accepted. Benson and Fraley had success last season, end of story. You dont avoid successful players, you put them in the best scenario for success and if thats a platoon so be it. If you wanna listen to trade offers for them i have zero issue with that but they pretty clearly arent the teams main issue.
I never said nor do I assume that championship teams do not platoon a position. I said an over abundance of platooning.
doofus, by the end of the season, we were platooning at most 2 positions. What’s your definition of over abundance?
Fair enough, you did make that distinction. Is Fraley and Benson that much of an abundance? Does giving a Senzel type a start sometimes with the platoon advantage even count as a strict platoon? All managers do this to a degree, but then theres guys like Kapler that get canned because of it. I dont think any of us are even really disagreeing with you, just that your gripe about some players that were big contributors to the offense this year seems off.
So yeah, Benson is a good hitter even if he has to be platooned. Seems pretty obvious. Id love Bryce Harper over a platoon duh, is that option even out there for the Reds?
What about the 1990 Reds? They had a lot of role players. 13 players with more than 145 abs. Yes Larkin, Sabo, Davis and O’Neill. But Davis only played 127 games and Duncan 125. Heavy doses of Glenn Braggs in the OF, Jeff Read at C as Joe Oliver only played 121. Luis Quinones at 2nd, and Herm Winningham in CF. Hal Morris only played 107 games with Todd Benzinger playing 118 both at 1st base. That is a lot of mixing and matching by sweet Lou
“Senzel fills that role”
Being in the minority I’ll say it anyway. I’d like to see Barrero get another shot this time in a supersub role.
I’m sad that the reds aren’t bringing votto back but it does give us a lot of money to work with in free agency but does anyone really think that the reds are going to get a decent player probably not
The franchise moved on after Rise, Morgan, Bench, Perez, et al. It will after JV.
Very sadly, just like just about every year, (yawn) exorbitant costs of top shelf players are only affordable to the rich and shameless teams. The Reds will need to get middlen types and dig into our farm system for a trade or two. It’s going to take Nick Krall to be at the top of his game like never before and ownership to loosen it’s purse strings for us to get truly meaningful players who are not just serviceable warm bodies.
Kind of like Arizona or Minnesota?
Oh man, the last thing the Reds need is to see the Cubs land Counsell. “Cubs gonna Cub” won’t happen as much with him at the helm.
No need to fear. We’ve got David Bell. 😀
I’m on the Bring Sonny back bandwagon.
Depends on the length of contract he wants.
If 3 years or less, go for it, if not, say no thank you.
The decline can happen fast, especially for a pitcher.
I would rather go for E-Rod.
I guess this is the Cubs way of tellling David Ross he’s fired?
And Counsell reportedly getting a contract worth $40mill
“the franchise has avoided free agency like they’ve avoided advancing in the playoffs over the last three decades”. *spits drink* LOL
Someone smarter than me needs to explain why Yamamoto is out of the Reds price range. Seems to me he’d be nearly the same as Votto’s salary which fit neatly on the payroll…..a payroll roughly $50million less than we’ve had before which was still middle of the pack. And how is it the Padres can run payrolls near the top in a similar market? Maybe because the owner cares more about winning. I already feel like a selfish jerk for wanting a winning team, which might cause the ownership group to only triple the value of the franchise instead of quadrupling it.
200 million plus the posting fee for a player who has never pitched in MLB? It’s not really the same proposition as Joey’s contract, is it? Joey was an established MLB star when he signed it.
Yamamoto’s salary won’t be that of one of the game’s top talents ($45 million plus). To me that reflects his status as a non-established player. I find it difficult to believe he won’t be as good as say, a Dansby Swanson, one of last year’s prized free agents.
I too tend to shy away from paying all that money to someone who’s never pitched in the ML.
You may have missed that the Padres, despite record attendance, had to take out a $50M loan, which had to be approved by MLB to cover payroll. They are also expected to cut payroll next season because the CBA limits franchise debt ratios. As I’ve explained here many, many times–debt is not a long-term strategy to support payroll.
See my post below for how the Reds can make Yamamoto work.
For me the analogy is a home equity loan. The Padres took out a loan to upgrade the master bathroom and the investment won’t pay dividends until the home goes up for sale. The Castellini’s could run an operating deficit every year and still come out on top in the end……not a quadrupling of their investment but a ridiculous ROI nonetheless. In the meantime, they’re pocketing tens of millions while rebuilding.
I understand your point. Others have suggested it as well. Lots of media excitement about what the Padres did last year–you won’t see the same attention placed on the fact that they are so quickly having to shift strategies. What the Padre’s owner did was run up debt to boost payroll–he (or the organization) has to be willing to service the debt. It only took a year before they struggled to meet their obligations. The point is that their owner is NOT pumping money (or at least enough money) into the franchise; otherwise, they wouldn’t be up against league-mandated debt limits.
1-2 year contract for 1 or 2 SP. 3-4 year contract for 2 RP. That should get us what we need where we need it, imo.
A 1 or 2 SP will need 5-10 years.
1 or 2 as in quantity. I don’t think we should be in the market for a #1 or #2 starter. More like a a #3-#5. Just some dudes better than Weaver, Williamson, and Phillips.
Got it. I would like to go after Sonny. It’ll probably cost around 4/90. Injuries notwithstanding, I generally feel pretty good about Lodolo/Greene/Ashcraft/Abbott/Williamson/Phillips and we have the payroll room to go after someone who is actually good. SO I think I’d favor going after 1 high end guy rather than multiple mid-range guys.
Some interesting suggestions in Britton/Gleeman article. I’ll be surprised if the Reds land any of them. And the Reds need more than pitchers.
Echoing the Counsel to Stupid Cubs comments … I had my money on Houston. I shudder to think how much better they might be with Counsel running the show. And now we don’t get to avoid him nearly as much.
Yamamoto is the top prize in this year’s free agent class, but there will be many teams bidding for him. As I’ve previously stated, the Reds should pursue him as their top target. There will be few years where a 25-year-old top talent at their biggest position of need is available. Plus, they have very few commitments on their payroll, and the bulk of their core players won’t be arbitration-eligible in 2024 or 2025.
To make it work for both sides, I suggest frontloading the contract with salaries in the range of $50M in years one and two and then backing off to ~$15M in years three to seven. That would work out to 7 years and $175M that has more future value than typical MLB contracts that spread the salary out evenly or escalate salaries as they age. This strategy would absorb most of the cost and risk in the first two years and give the Red’s flexibility in the out years. Depending on one’s assumptions on inflation and return on investment for the early years of the contract, it would eclipse The Athletic’s estimate of 7 years and $203M. Also, a front-loaded contract would require a slightly lower posting fee as the fee is determined by the actual dollar value of the contract and not the future value of the contract.
That said, West Coast cities and NYC offer locations with larger Japanese populations, and that may matter a lot to Yamamoto or any other player from Asia, especially when they will likely get multiple competitive offers.
If he doesn’t work out, pivot to shorter-term, higher AAV deals and target pitching and a complementary RH hitter for the OF (e.g., Adam Duval).
Won’t happen. No matter what the projection is, the actual contract is likely to beat it. The one factor that you somewhat address is the competition factor.
Similar to the housing market, scarcity drives the value. So a rare player opportunity and multiple teams bidding for services is likely to drive the price point up and he’ll go for x% over market value. What you have proposed is essentially him taking a discount because of structure. Because of his rarity in availability, that is really unlikely to happen.
@Cap, I did not propose a discounted contract by structure. I suggested adding value by paying the bulk of the contract sooner, which is atypical for baseball (or sports) contracts. Earlier dollars in a contract are worth more than dollars earned later in a contract. For example, by paying an additional $25M in years one and two, the value of the contract is increased by $27M based on inflation and investing the proceeds into cash equivalents (e.g., using the most conservative assumptions possible).
BK,
No one knows for sure, 1 of the projects I saw, had him in the 6/240 range. (or I may be insane).
I would like the Reds to try, but I doubt it.
Also, another moose is a disaster for the Reds
I’m not on board with giving 200 million to any pitcher. That’s one I hope the Reds just sit out.
I like the idea of frontloading any big contract that they may land. It will help ease the sting of all of the extensions they will want to give to the young guys that deserve it in 2025 and beyond.
I can understand the sentiment of avoiding any contract of this size even though I believe the Reds must be willing to go after top talent, even if they have to be selective about doing it.
I’d rather they went for Juan Soto. Like you said, SD is in debt.
Several days ago I put out an earnest but rather “tongue in cheek” diatribe of how the Reds should have waited until the end of the season to decide on Bell with Counsell possibly waiting in the shadows for the taking. They didn’t and it backfired even more than the unpleasantness of having David Bell for 3 more. That’s #1.
Rating the prospects most likely to fit in Cincinnati is coming up Asian? They already badly failed this test with Shogo. Don’t even go there again. That’s #2.
Spending money to satisfy David Bell’s penchant for platoons is not a good investment or winning strategy. That’s #2.
Not getting free agents (or winning playoff series) loses both ends of the phrase on near necessity (and negative outcome if avoided). The stench of The Moose has left the building and if you can’t get a $100 mil deal done now then when will you do it. That’s #3.
I’m not feeling well about this so far. Name of the game.
#1 – How did it backfire? Counsell wasn’t coming to the Reds.
first #2 – Moose didn’t work out, so no more American players either?? That’s some extremely flawed logic about Asian players.
second #2 – Rarely do two platoon players cost more than a solid, everyday starter. Lower payroll teams like the Reds use platoons to get the same production of a much more expensive player. You don’t want a team of platoon players, but one or two is fine.
“I’m not feeling well about this so far.” – It’s only day one of free agency. Give it time.
I respect your opinions but… Counsell wasn’t going to the Cubs either, why not the Reds?/ I am advocating for the Reds to get active in free agency and not be hung up on one big failure, a la the Moose/ Bell’s platoons, multipositional approach and monkeying with all aspects of the game has not been effective IMO/ yes, it is early and I am not predicting they will fail in any regard of this offseason but I’m just generally apprehensive with what ownership and David Bell has provided the fandom thus far.
You know there was a time when alot of us here sang the praises of Madden and his fidgeting with the Cubs line up and positioning of players and use of statistics, etc. etc. and the Reds should emulate. Welllll…
@DD, I think you’re exactly right. Sadly, that’s the cost of being a Reds fan in the Castellini era. And there’s no way to really Bell proof the roster. Whatever he has to work with will be platooned and shuffled to other positions, to create a team of players modeled after his own career. As I said, before he was ever called up, guys like EDLC will never achieve their potential under Bell. Nothing last season convinced me otherwise.
What exactly is DD exactly right about?
All three points
My comment going back to August –
“3 obvious, oft repeated goals for the off season –
1 – get a good to great starter (Sonny?!?!), likely only via FA.?
2 – get a proven MLB power-hitting outfielder (may be available via trade)?
3 – get a new managing partner”
The only clarification I’d make is the OFer must be a regular, not a platoon player.
The only revision is to add another pitcher or 2 – at least a reliever to go with an acquired starter.
#3 remains doubtful.
For the past year and a half all I have been reading about here was the “plan”. How the owner would step up and spend money once the young players developed and the bad contracts came off the books. Some of the folks here, as recently as a month ago, were expecting the Reds to enter the 2024 season with a $120,000,000 million dollar (or higher) payroll. Well here we are and man how those expectations have changed.
Just get 2 decent SP’s (a #2 and a #3), teach all our hitters how to bunt (so they can even appropriate) and direct Bell to go with a set 9 man line up and let our young exciting studs go out an play every day — no platooning more than one position. I can name the starting 8 of the Big Red Machine and Oakland A’s dominating teams of the 70’s. The Braves, Yankees, Dodgers and Astros, teams that made the playoffs more often than not. They had star players at their core they played every day for years. We have the hitters/fielders, let them play (and get two more SP’s). ?
“One of the enduring myths surrounding the Big Red Machine is that Sparky Anderson rubber stamped his lineup card before each game with the names of Rose, Griffey, Morgan, Perez, Foster, Bench, Concepcion and Geronimo and forgot about them. The reality is that from its inception on May 9, 1975 through the end of the 1976 season, the Great Eight lineup only took the field as a unit in 63 regular season games”
Not only that but those teams were chuck full of established super-stars…of course you had a pretty set line-up. The minute the let-em play youngsters go into a slump, there will be calls to bench the bums and juggle the line up.
With the White Sox declining Anderson’s option and announcing that Cease was available, the Reds should build a package around Barrero and see if it flies. Yes, it will take more than Barrero, but it’s a start.
One of the reasons the White Sox parted with Anderson is Colson Montgomery. Unless they are looking for an interim solution at SS, they have Anderson’s replacement in-house.
https://www.mlb.com/prospects/top100/colson-montgomery-695657
Montgomery looked good in the AFL Allstar game.
Montgomery may hit the ground running, but they could use the insurance
The Reds need to find a way to bring Votto back for the upcoming season. I’m sure the 2 parties can find some common ground in contract negotiations. I can’t think of a better way for Joey to go out a Red than in a supporting role for these young Reds. He’s older so he really isn’t an everyday player anymore.
He can DH and fill in at 1st base when needed. The experience and leadership he can provide this young squad is priceless.
The 2 parties need to get this done!!
MBS I appreciate your research and perspective, but….taking the same 8 guys you listed and including every game they played from the 1974 through 1977 seasons the Great 8 played in an average of:
1974: 147 games.
1975: 145 games.
1976: 146 games.
1977: 153 games.
That’s an average of each of them playing in an average of 148 games each season. That includes our catcher and in 1974 when Griffey missed 72 games. Can you imagine if our Great 9 played in 91.4% of next year’s games and the following three year’s, too?! This year Steer played in 156 games and put up great numbers. Otherwise no other Red played in 148 games (as the Red’s 8 AVERAGED for 4 straight years!). Our 9 studs numbers are low because of 3 reasons: several were brought up after the season started, injuries and platooning. If the platooning ends, our odds of our Mag 9 having bigger numbers greatly increases. Lastly, some of this year’s Red’s games played numbers are misleading as platooning often resulted in their only having one or two AB’s. Put the Mag 9 in and let them play. A few may struggle against pitchers from one side or the other, and I’m sure a few of the Big Red Machine studs didn’t hit pitchers from both sides equally either. They way you get better is to face challenges head on, not sit on the bench. That tells you and your teammates that the manger doesn’t have enough faith in you to compete with ANY pitcher. You know what Johnny or Tony or Joe or Pete would have said to that?! ?.
Exactly. But it’s the Bell way
So by implication, the current Reds’ roster is as good as the BRM, held back by the manager’s lack of faith?
Yessiree!
…to @Mike’s analysis and comments not the bridge too far @greenmtred implication.
I agree. According to Google, “When postseason games are added to the regular season total, the Great Eight started a total of 80 games together in 1975 and 1976. The Reds record in those games was an astonishing 64-16, an . 800 winning percentage that projected over a 162 game schedule produces a record of 130-32.”
I’ve read other places the number is 88. Regardless just because they didn’t start together a great deal doesn’t mean they didn’t play most of the season. I too am more for letting players play as much as possible although I see no reason why their “off” days can’t be in a “platoon” situation. I don’t see how that can be planned months in advance as someone we all know and “love” likes to do.
I guess we’ll just ignore that Stephenson made far more starts than the plan that someone made and publicly shared months in advance.
haha No. He did. You have to admit though that Mr. Bell likes to “plan” days off well in advance and stick to it as much as possible. Managing “on the fly” is not his strength to say the least.
Neither you nor I know how far in advance Bell plans his lineups, nor do we know how often he deviates from his plans.
Okay. Maybe a better way of saying it is he “seemingly” plans days off well in advance and doesn’t deviate much from it. 😉
This is an exciting time to be a Reds fan. Krall said October 2022 that the roster would be dramatically different after the 2023 season.
Yes,, he has a plan and is being allowed to execute it and the roster is radically reconstructed.
Infield anchored by MM/SS/CES/Elly/NM. Marte said this weekend he wants to win a WS and ROY next year. Interesting to see what happens with India. Friedl breakout player and Fraley/Benson good lefty outfielders.
FO told Jim Bowden they are prioritizing quality and depth at SP and RP. Also prioritizing a quality RH hitting OF.
Reds will invest capital in the 2024 team and balance that with investing more capital in the 2025-27 teams.
1.) They will sign a quality established SP at AAV at 8 figures. Will that be a Sonny gray at 3/60 or a Lorenzen at 2/25 IDK. THey will get someone.
2.) They will acquire 2 good proven relievers.
3.) They may “spend” money in prospect capital and that counts as well as an investment in improving the team. Ive lobbied for sending significant prospect capital and established major leaguers( India) to Washington for Lane Thomas -a solid RF Nats. Dylan Cease is another target that could improve the team in the short and medium term but cost big prospect capital. So be it. Win now.
4.) Reds committed long term money and took on risk to sign hunter Greene. Reds will look to lock in some others. McLain/Steer/breakout CF Friedl and emerging potential stars in CES/Elly/Marte are candidates. That may not happen this off-season but certainly something Krall will do in the 6-18 month window and Reds will need money to commit for the medium window to lock in these young stars.
There is a plan and the Reds look positioned to win again for the short and medium and long term. Should be a fun off-season
Wow, @OS, that is one optimistic forecast.
And a good one!
Why is anyone talking about anything besides pitching? All this talk of potent OF bats, etc. Of course, if literally the only way to improve the team is improving upon a hitter, by all means. But that better mean they have looked under EVERY ROCK on earth, considered EVERY trade and extension possible, to secure some potent pitching. SP and bullpen and been denied. Hitting was not the reason they missed the playoffs. Sending the same arms out to cover the 5th inning on was.
It’s November 7th. The season doesn’t start for six months. There’s enough time to talk about how the team getting a better dietician could be the difference between them having not made and made the 2023 playoffs. The Reds offense wasn’t great last season and making it better actually could have been the reason they missed the playoffs.
Ok, Old School gets it. Steps 1 and 2 of your plan are dead on. Thank you.
Joe Kelly would help the bullpen. Ryan Weathers could be a decent trade candidate.
I’d like to see them add at least 1 good starter, 1 very good reliever and 1 good hitter. With the low payroll they have heading into the offseason they can do all of that without trading anyone.
Frankie< While I would love to see the Reds bring back Sonny Gray, don't think it will happen since he has received a QO. The Reds are not gonna give up their third highest draft pick (probably a second rounder) on top of his salary…projected by MLBTradeRumors (who are usually pretty close) at 4 yrs/$90M
I think the Reds will go after someone like a Michael Wacha (3/36) or Seth Lugo (3/42). Maybe Sean Manaea (2/22).
Bullpen targets could include Hector Neris (2/15), Phil Maton, Emilio Pegan or Ryne Stanik.
If they decide to add a RH outfielder, I could see Michael A. Taylor as a possibility. He hits LH pitching well, is a very good outfielder and would be less expensive than others. I suspect that Senzel will be non-tendered.
I tend to agree- but not for the QO. It’s only a 2nd rounder. More likely because the annual $ value and length will go beyond what Krall is comfortable paying for a 35 year old pitcher.
If we can get Sonny for 3 years and 60-70$m I’d like to see it. Anything more is likely to turn out bad. In 3- 4 years a lot of our young players are going to get paid.
Recent predictions of Free Agents that could end up with the Reds:
The Athletic – listed among best fits:
7 Sonny Gray*, 34, 3 years $72 million, 3.83 32 179.0
15 Lucas Giolito, 29, 4 years $70 million, 4.31 29 164.0
17 Michael Wacha, 32, 3 years $36 million, 4.56 28 153.0
18 Seth Lugo, 34, 2 years $26 million, 4.23 28 156.0
31 Mike Clevinger, 33, 2 years $22 million, 4.81 26 144.0
35 Aroldis Chapman, 36, 1 year $12 million, 2.84 60 60.0
MLBTR – listed among predicted destinations
11 Eduardo Rodriguez, 31, 4 years $82MM, 3.97 31 174.0
19 Seth Lugo, 34, 3 years $42MM, 4.23 28 156.0
24 Michael Wacha, 32, 3 years $36MM, 4.56 28 153.0
29 Reynaldo Lopez, 30, 3 years $30MM, 3.68 63 63.0
46. Hector Neris, 34, 2 years $15MM, 4.08 70 70.0
Format: Publication Rank, Name, Age, Contract Prediction, Steamer 2024 Stat Projections (ERA G IP)
* Received a Qualifying Offer and the Reds would lose their third highest draft pick if signed.
I thought Korea was only 12 hours or so ahead of America. I didn’t realize it was six months ahead since the Korean player has already missed half the 2024 season according to the article.
Let’s remember IF we had finished 5-5 instead of 3-7 we would have been in the playoffs. Couldn’t miss the playoffs by less! And our offense would have been better if the lineup we finished with had started the season — as I hope it will in April! Let’s get a couple of good SP’s. Our management won’t pay for great anywhere — although Id sure like to get Sonny Gray back for so many reasons: pitching , clubhouse leadership and teaching bunting! ?