Bold Free Agency Predictions

The Braves, who won 88 games in the regular season, just won the World Series. And Buster Posey announced his retirement this week after hitting .304 with an OPS of .889.

But, sure, we are going to try to predict with some precision what will happen in the next few months in the world of baseball. We sure will do great!

So, with the rest going bad again when the winter is over, here are our predictions for where some of the most prominent free agents will end up.

1. Carlos Correa will sign with the Tigres
Perhaps it is a bit innocent to connect the Puerto Rican with his old manager, AJ Hinch, because surely there will be opportunities – very lucrative – with teams more prepared to compete in 2022 (and in cities with better weather). The Tigers still have work to do, but they showed good signs in 2021, and Correa, just 27, is young enough to be an impact player for several more seasons.

2. Corey Seager will sign with the Yankees
Left-handed hitter? Yes. Power accompanied by good strikeout and walk rates? Yes. Postseason production? Yes. Seager fits these Yankees who have already formally forgotten Venezuelan Gleyber Torres at shortstop after moving him to second down the stretch of the 2021 season.

3. The Giants will sign Max Scherzer AND Justin Verlander
With just $ 50 million pledged by 2022, $ 30 million by 2023 and nothing after that, the Giants have the flexibility to go all-out for Max.

Scherzer and Verlander have different personalities, but the same goal. Can you imagine the two in the same rotation?

4. Trevor Story will sign with the Astros
Houston probably won’t deliver what Correa expects, but this would be a very good – and less expensive – consolation prize. Story is a good teammate, a good defender and a great candidate to rebound after 2021 below his production standards.

5. Kris Bryant will sign with the Rangers
The Rangers don’t expect to compete seriously before 2023, but they are ready to improve on what was a terrible lineup this year. Bryant could fill the need they have in left field and has the versatility to help out at other positions. Your experience would also be very helpful in Texas.

6. Marcus Semien will sign with the Mariners
The Mariners have a clear need at second base, and Semien made it clear in 2021 that he can play (and produce) there, setting a new record for home runs for waiters. There shouldn’t be a more motivated team than Seattle to add their bat and leadership.

7. Freddie Freeman will sign again with the Braves
Obvious. Next.

8. Clayton Kershaw will sign again with the Dodgers
Maybe not so obvious, because the Dallas native will spark a lot of interest in the Rangers and also the injuries complicate matters a bit. But we’ll think Kershaw will leave the Dodgers the day we see him.

9. Chris Taylor will sign with the Phillies
Philadelphia desperately needs to improve their lineup and give Bryce Harper more support. But searching among the best on the market will be difficult for a team with so many financial commitments and so many needs. That’s why the super utility Taylor (which won’t be cheap, but won’t cost as much as others) makes so much sense to them.

10. Nick Castellanos will sign with the Marlins
Miami has a dynamic and well-rounded pitching body, but it’s time to find people who can create careers and make this team a true contender in the East of the LN Castellanos, a native of South Florida, is a good place to start. after he walked out of the last two years and $ 32 million of his deal with the Reds.

11. Starling Mars will sign with the Guardians
Cleveland had the lowest Opening Day payroll in 2021, only having $ 12 million guaranteed for 2022 and nothing after that. It’s time to improve the lineup, win back a fan base for recent changes, and get the Guardians off to a winning start. The way to do that is to improve outfield production by signing the dynamic 33-year-old Dominican.

12. The Mets will keep their boys
Puerto Rican Javier Báez, Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard and Michael Conforto will stay in New York. Syndergaard and Conforto received and will surely accept your qualified offers. The Mets need Stroman following Carlos Carrasco’s surgery and Jacob deGrom’s injury problems.

13. Kyle Schwarber will sign with the Cardinals
The Cardinals desperately need left-handed hitters. And that’s where Schwarber would come in, who could play in the outfield and give Paul Goldschmidt a break from time to time at first. And even better if there is BD in the LN in 2022.

14. Robbie Ray will sign with the Angels
Betting that Ray’s big year 2021 is the new norm is a risk. But what better team to make a move like that than Angels desperate for starting pitching to get back to October?

15. Kevin Gausman will sign with the Blue Jays
If we are correct and San Francisco stays with Scherzer and Verlander and Ray leaves the Blue Jays, then the logical thing is that Gausman reawakens the interest of Toronto, which has already tried to acquire him in the past.

16. Carlos Rodón will sign again with the White Sox
The shoulder injury down the stretch will undoubtedly cast doubt on what was otherwise an exceptional year. The Whitelegs didn’t let another team keep Rodon after letting him declare a free agent last year, and there’s no reason to think they are going to let him go now.

17. The Twins are bringing back Nelson Cruz
Yes, they traded him to the Rays. It’s okay. But the offseason isn’t complete until Minnesota signs the Dominican again to a short-term contract. Is the law.