MLB Free Agent Tracker 2019-2020

Bryce Harper

Position: OF

Former Team: Washington Nationals

New Team: Philadelphia Phillies (13 Years / $330M)

Lineups Analysis:

It finally happened. Bryce Harper signed through 2092 with the Philadelphia Phillies. Harper is a stud corner outfielder, who is going to get a bump in power production with his home ballpark. Philadelphia is going for it, and this gives them a big piece of the puzzle. Part of Harper’s hype is the fact he markets well, and Philadelphia doesn’t have a face of the franchise type player. Sorry Hoskins. With the other signings during the offseason, and they have been building for something special.

Manny Machado

Position: SS

Former Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

New Team: San Diego Padres (10 Years / $300M)

Lineups Analysis:

We knew that the Padres were in the mix for some superstars, but it did come as a surprise when Manny Machado signed long term. San Diego is not going to be competitive just yet, but they have made themselves buyers. With loads of talent coming and moves to make to bolster their pitching, we are seeing some waves made in the NL West.

Patrick Corbin

Position: SP

Former Team: Arizona Diamondbacks

New Team: Washington Nationals (6 Years / $140M)

Lineups Analysis:

Patrick Corbin’s career year could not have come at a better time. Corbin finished with a career high 30.8% strikeout rate, and had a 2.61 xFIP. He had a $17.9M qualifying offer on the table from the Diamondbacks, but turned it down for a longer term deal. Corbin is 29 years old, and this was his chance to get that big contract. He has made an impressive return from surgery, and is headed to a rotation that already has two proven aces. This was a great deal for both sides, as Washington will remain very competitive in an improving National League East, and Corbin gets the big deal he has earned.

Josh Donaldson

Position: 3B

Former Team: Cleveland Indians

New Team: Atlanta Braves (1 Year / $23M)

Lineups Analysis:

Josh Donaldson has been banged up the last few seasons, but started to get healthy in the second half. He played the last two months in Cleveland, and took a prove it deal with the Braves trying to land another contract later on. Donaldson is 33 years old, and a one year bet for the Braves is a solid move for both sides. If Donaldson does have injuries flare up again, the Braves are more than covered to slide Johan Camargo right in. Donaldson gives them a power right-handed bat, and when healthy is an above average fielder. The Braves were average against left-handed pitching last season, and this addition will help instantly.

Yasmani Grandal

Position: C

Former Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

New Team: Milwaukee Brewers (1 Year / $18M)

Lineups Analysis:

There were a number of good spots for Yasmani Grandal, and there really should have been more teams in on him. Milwaukee is going to give him a slight bump for his power production, and this gives the Brewers another good bat. Their lineup is deep, and the defense of Grandal has been overshadowed by his performance in the recent playoffs. He is not a bad defensive catcher by any means. This is a great fit for him and his swing, plus moving out of the NL West should give a bump for your numbers. It is another one year deal to prove it, and next offseason is going to be interesting if he puts up some strong numbers.

A.J. Pollock

Position: OF

Former Team: Arizona Diamondbacks

New Team: Los Angeles Dodgers (4 Year / $60M)

Lineups Analysis:

Going to a division rival won’t sit well with Arizona fans, but A.J. Pollock got a sweet deal for a 31-year-old outfielder with injury problems. After the Dodgers sent Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp to the Reds, many thought Harper would be in their lineup come Opening Day. That does not seem to be the case anymore after this deal went down. Pollock is a strong outfielder with average power and what is likely average speed now. He is still a plus bat that fits well within any lineup, especially one of the Dodgers.

Craig Kimbrel

Position: CP

Former Team: Boston Red Sox

New Team: Unsigned

Lineups Analysis:

Craig Kimbrel was a bit rocky during the postseason, and showed some signs of wearing down towards the end of 2018. This is a bit of a concern for the 30-year-old reliever, and other teams are aware of it as well. They are taking a cautious approach with Kimbrel, and because teams are not spending at will anymore, Kimbrel is still on the market. Boston is still in-play to resign him, and the Phillies have come out saying they might make an offer. It has been very quiet, but there are definitely teams in need of an elite closer.

Dallas Keuchel

Position: SP

Former Team: Houston Astros

New Team: Unsigned

Lineups Analysis:

I find Dallas Keuchel to be one of the more interesting names out there still, as his long time in Houston is now up. He is 31 years old, and a groundball left-hander that relies on weak contact. He would be a solid mid-rotation guy on a number of teams, but Keuchel would benefit going to a National League team preferably in a good ballpark. There are a number of teams that need pitching depth, and Keuchel has held out a fair while. There are not a lot of starting arms in this free agent class, and Keuchel is the best remaining one.

Andrew McCutchen

Position: OF

Former Team: New York Yankees

New Team: Philadelphia Phillies (3 Years / $50M)

Lineups Analysis:

For the first time in Andrew McCutchen’s career, he gets to hit in a friendly hitter’s park. Playing in Pittsburgh and San Francisco has definitely capped his power potential, and even at his age, there is some pop in that bat. His hard-contact rate was strong, and McCutchen still mashes left-handed pitching. This is a big upgrade for a young team, and a team that needs some leadership like McCutchen. I love the deal on both sides, as the Phillies are spending and were not shy bringing him in.

Nelson Cruz

Position: OF

Former Team: Seattle Mariners

New Team: Minnesota Twins (1 Year / $14.3M)

Lineups Analysis:

Despite being 38 years old, Nelson Cruz continues to be one of the best power bats around. Minnesota threw some one year deals together during last years free agency, but this year is looking much better. Cruz is a big power right-handed bat in the middle of the order, and they have made a move for power with C.J. Cron also coming in. The Twins offense looks much better on paper than a year ago, and Cruz is likely headed for one year deals until he decides to hang it up.

Charlie Morton

Position: SP

Former Team: Houston Astros

New Team: Tampa Bay Rays (2 Years / $30M)

Lineups Analysis:

After salvaging his career in Houston, Charlie Morton will move on to Tampa Bay. He will pitch in a slightly tougher division, but Tampa has been a good place for pitchers. Morton is on the older side, but still has plenty left in the tank. If he can carry what he found in Houston, he should have no substantial drop in numbers for the Rays. Morton has 29 wins in the last two seasons, and has had over a 10 K/9 in that span as well. Morton projects well with his new team.

Michael Brantley

Position: OF

Former Team: Cleveland Indians

New Team: Houston Astros (2 Years / $32M)

Lineups Analysis:

There are a lot of Cleveland names on the move, and Michael Brantley is one of them. After struggling with injuries in 2016 and 2017, Brantley played 143 games last season, with a .309/.364/.468 slashing line. Houston adding an above average outfielder is just adding on to an already strong lineup. At full health, Brantley is someone who can flirt with 20 HR and 10+ SB. His contact skills are the best factor of his game, where he has a career 10.7% strikeout rate, and a .351 OBP.

Nathan Eovaldi

Position: SP

Former Team: Boston Red Sox

New Team: Boston Red Sox (4 Years / $68M)

Lineups Analysis:

The postseason heroics have to be baked in just a tiny bit for Nathan Eovaldi and this deal. Eovaldi has floated around the league after a couple of significant surgeries, but has always been a high velocity arm that just needed some fine-tuning. He flashed potential with the Rays, and the Red Sox made a trade during the middle of the year. Eovaldi finished with a sub four ERA, and a 3.67 xFIP. Eovaldi has a projected war of 2.7 heading into 2019, and both sides look like they got a solid deal out of this.

J.A. Happ

Position: SP

Former Team: New York Yankees

New Team: New York Yankees (2 Years / $34M)

Lineups Analysis:

New York traded for J.A. Happ during the middle of the year to try and bulk up their rotation. Happ has been posting above average numbers for a few years now, and in a tough environment. Taking a short term risk on a 36-year-old lefty isn’t a big deal here, especially given the Yankees are now loaded with what could be the best bullpen in baseball. The rotation is also extremely solid after adding James Paxton via a trade from Seattle. An upper three ERA and above average strikeout stuff would be a win for both camps.

Wilson Ramos

Position: C

Former Team: Philadelphia Phillies

New Team: New York Mets (2 Years / $19M)

Lineups Analysis:

The New York Mets have had some bad injury luck behind the dish, and they have not had an offensive catcher in some time. The two-year deal for Wilson Ramos will help their offense. He is on the older side for a catcher, but in 111 games with .306/.358/.487 slashing line, the Mets will gladly take this. Outside of Yasmani Grandal, Ramos was the best catching option to fill a void for a few seasons. With a few offseason moves, the Mets are trying to climb back into postseason contention.

Jed Lowrie

Position: 2B

Former Team: Oakland A’s

New Team: New York Mets (2 Years / $20M)

Lineups Analysis:

The Mets made their move for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz, but the offseason signings here are somewhat underrated. While I don’t expect Jed Lowrie to produce like last season, he is a solid fill-in for a lackluster infield. Lowrie had a whopping 4.9 WAR, but projects for two, which is still top 20 among the free agents this season. Lowrie has good contact skills, and has had a double-digit walk rate in three of the last four seasons. He should get a bump hitting outside of Oakland now too.

Adam Ottavino

Position: RP

Former Team: Colorado Rockies

New Team: New York Yankees (3 Years / $27M)

Lineups Analysis:

Teams that needed bullpen help have to be kicking themselves, although Adam Ottavino was out there long enough to strike conversation with. Ottavino is on the older side, but is an above average reliever. He has pitched his career in Colorado, and will now head to New York. Ottavino hasd a 36% strikeout rate last season, but walks were an issue. He will slide right into what should be one of the best bullpens of the upcoming season. After the last few years of bullpens leading the way to World Series titles, New York is looking to go with that formula.

Andrew Miller

Position: RP

Former Team: Cleveland Indians

New Team: St. Louis Cardinals (2 Years / $25M)

Lineups Analysis:

2018 was a rocky year for Andrew Miller, dealing with injuries, and struggling a bit when he was healthy. The strikeouts were still there, but over a four ERA and climbing ERA estimators is somewhat of a concern. St. Louis was in need of lefty reliever, and it will be interesting to see if they use them like Cleveland did in combination with Cody Allen. Miller should get back to his usual self with health to blame for last season. This is a great deal for a Cardinals team putting in effort to get back into conversation of winning the NL Central.

Marwin Gonzalez

Position: UTIL

Former Team: Houston Astros

New Team: Minnesota Twins (2 Years $21M)

Lineups Analysis:

Marwin Gonzalez is a super utility player and is looking to earn a big contract. He got a moderate two year deal with the Twins, which will put him back on the market in 2021. He is a nice add for the Twins, as he can play multiple positions and contribute a few different ways as well.

Mike Moustakas

Position: 3B

Former Team: Milwaukee Brewers

New Team: Milwaukee Brewers (1 Year $10M)

Lineups Analysis:

Mike Moustakas played the same card he did last free agency, which is returning to his former club. It is another one year deal for Moustakas, which is now shaping up to be an odd route for him. This is a decent fit in Milwaukee, as he hits in a plus stadium, and adds a left-handed power bat to the lineup. It isn’t a sexy name, but 20+ HR is value to the Brewers.

D.J. LeMahieu

Position: 2B

Former Team: Colorado Rockies

New Team: New York Yankees (2 Years / $24M)

Lineups Analysis:

I find the D.J. LeMahieu deal to be one of the more underrated. With a lineup full of hefty power bats that have high strikeout rates, DJ LeMahieu is going to bring elite balance, and be a very good on-base guy for the Yankees. The Yankees now have an abundance of infield depth, and that will increase when Didi Gregorious returns. LeMahieu continously puts up strong numbers, and the movement from Coors to Yankee Stadium is going from one top five hitters park to another.

Daniel Murphy

Position: 2B

Former Team: Washington Nationals

New Team: Colorado Rockies (2 Years / $24M)

Lineups Analysis:

This was a great landing spot for Daniel Murphy, and a great add for the Colorado Rockies. Murphy played 91 games last season due to injuries, but after a slow start, he posted his typical numbers. He also opens the door to play first base and second for Colorado, although first is more likely at his age. Murphy has been one of the best contact hitters in baseball over the last few seasons, and he should easily top last seasons numbers or double them up if healthy.

David Robertson

Position: RP

Former Team: New York Yankees

New Team: Philadelphia Phillies (2 Years / $23M)

Lineups Analysis:

The Phillies had a below average bullpen last season, and this is a step toward improving it. David Robertson was with New York last season, where he had a 3.09 xFIP and 32.2% strikeout rate. At the moment, Philadelphia is looking to use him as a closer, which that never happened in New York. In his two seasons with the White Sox, he had 34 and 37 saves. He is more than capable of going back to that role, but the Phillies have also had their eyes set on a shock move for Craig Kimbrel.

Garrett Richards

Position: SP

Former Team: Los Angeles Angels

New Team: San Diego Padres (2 Years / $15M)

Lineups Analysis:

Garrett Richards has all the talent in the world, but health has not been on his side. He has not topped 100 innings since 2015, and last year when healthy he had a 3.62 xFIP and a 27% strikeout rate. Richards has one of the nastiest cutters in baseball, and induces a lot of soft-contact. San Diego has nowhere to go but up in terms of pitching, and taking a short two-year deal with only $15M tied to Richards, this was a chance worth taking. Richards will have the advantage of pitching in a very good ballpark, and the NL West is one of the better divisions to pitch in.

Cody Allen

Position: CP

Former Team: Cleveland Indians

New Team: Los Angeles Angels (1 Year / $8.5M)

Lineups Analysis:

Cody Allen had some issues last season with a 4.70 ERA and 4.55 xFIP. His strikeout rate was down from the prior seasons, and his walk rate was up. The hard-contact was also up 10% from 2017, and the velocity was down a bit. The Angels have not had a secure closer in quite some time, and they are taking a one-year rental for Allen to rebound. Los Angeles will use him in a traditional closer role, which has not been his thing in Cleveland with some other options around him.