Nov 29, 2021 - Sports
The MLB hot stove
Jeff Tracy
Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios
MLB's hot stove went from warm to scalding on a Sunday that saw five teams dish out $558 million worth of contracts to seven players.
The big picture: With the CBA expiring Wednesday at midnight and a lockout expected, there's reason to believe this is just the beginning of a league-wide spending sprint.
The contracts include:
Rangers ($231M): 2B/SS Marcus Semien (seven years, $175M) and RHP Jon Gray (four years, $56M) — Texas, which hasn't made the playoffs since 2016, is trying to buy its way out of the doldrums.
Blue Jays ($110M): RHP Kevin Gausman (five years, $110M) — The Jays won 91 games last season but missed the playoffs. Between this and the huge extension with RHP José Berríos earlier this month, it appears they're going all in.
Marlins ($109M): RF Avisail García (four years, $53M) and RHP Sandy Alcántara (five years, $56M) — García's a decent free agent pickup, but extending Alcántara, their budding ace, could pay huge dividends.
Twins ($100M): CF Byron Buxton (seven years, $100M) — This extension would have been far higher with a better health track record, but he's exceeded 100 games just once in seven seasons. Hence, the unprecedented incentives.
Rays ($8M): RHP Corey Kluber (one year, $8M) — The 35-year-old, two-time Cy Young winner got hurt last year, but was effective when healthy (3.83 ERA in 80 IP).
What to watch: The next domino to fall could be Max Scherzer, who's reportedly close to finalizing a multiyear deal with the Mets.
Go deeper: Free-agency tracker (ESPN)