We polled the Pitcher List staff on where they expected 15 of the top free agents to sign. Ultimately, we received 28 responses from staffers with allegiances spread over half the teams in baseball. A consensus agreed on a few players, but others were all over the place. Whatever the case may be, the following are the 2020/21 free agent predictions of the Pitcher List staff.
JT Realmuto – C, Age: 30
Most frequent prediction, median contract: New York Mets; five years, $120 million
JT Realmuto is indisputably the best catcher in baseball. His WAR total increased every year from 2016 to 2019, and his 2020 pace in the sprint season would have likely bested his high-water mark of 5.7 WAR in 2019. His game simply does not have a weakness. In 2020, J.T. was in the 95th percentile for framing, had an average EV over 90, and was in the 84th percentile for sprint speed! The Phillies had to give up prized pitching prospect Sixto Sánchez to acquire Realmuto, which makes the decision to re-sign him extra juicy.
We asked the PL staff to predict where and for how much Realmuto would sign. Of the 28 responses, 54% said the Mets would snag him, with 39% claiming that he will land with the Phillies. The average response for the contract was 5.1 years and 124 million dollars. I think the staff is spot on with the salary and years predictions, even with a depressed free-agent market looming over the winter. However, I can’t see the Phillies letting Realmuto sign with the Mets nor the Mets throwing enough money at JT that he simply can’t refuse the offer. The Mets’ new ownership and front office want to build a team like the Dodgers, not simply buy their way into a short and expensive competitive window. In stark contrast to the Phillies, the Mets have a phenom catching prospect on the farm in Francisco Alvarez and really just need to sign a catcher for a couple of seasons to bridge the gap from now until “The Thing” can take over daily catching duties. That gap can easily be filled by a cheaper option like James McCann.
The Phillies, on the other hand, traded a lot for two years of Realmuto’s services when they shipped off Sánchez and they still have a bevy of established studs (Aaron Nola, Bryce Harper, Zack Wheeler, Andrew McCutchen) and emerging stars (Alec Bohm, Spencer Howard) on the active roster. In other words, to not sign Realmuto would undercut all of the moves the Phils have made in the last several seasons. Would the Phillies really spend all of that money and talent to simply let the best catcher in baseball leave for a team inside their own division? No, no they wouldn’t. They don’t have any decent catchers on the farm, Realmuto has found massive success with them already, the guy they gave $330 million has demanded they re-sign him, and the team looks primed to make a World Series run in the next three seasons if they do bring him back. Frankly, this is an easy decision for the Phillies. – Kyle Brown
George Springer – OF, Age: 31
Most frequent prediction, median contract: New York Mets; five years, $110 million
In a season where the Houston Astros saw a lot of injuries to their lineup and pitching depth, Springer hit .265/.359/.899 in 189 at-bats while hitting 14 home runs. Springer had the second-lowest strikeout rate in his career with a K% of 17.1%. Despite the Astros finishing the season 29-31, Houston made it to the extended playoffs, where Springer was again quite productive, hitting four home runs and batting .263.
At a position that doesn’t have much depth in the free-agent class, there will be multiple teams going after Springer. In a survey of the Pitcher List staff that had 28 respondents, 29% said they predict Springer to sign with the Mets, 18% with the Blue Jays, 14% with the Red Sox, 14% with the Houston Astros, 7% with the White Sox, and one vote each for the Giants, Cardinals, Brewers, Nationals, and Diamondbacks.
The Astros have let players walk in free agency before and have a handful of young outfielders that could fill in at center, including Kyle Tucker and Myles Straw. The Giants and Diamondbacks seem less likely to offer the large contract that Springer is expected to sign.
That leaves the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Mets. The Red Sox will be in need of a center fielder as Jackie Bradley Jr. is a free agent. Though Boston is in a rebuilding year with new general manager Chaim Bloom, I don’t see the Red Sox signing Springer. The team is likely to continue to rebuild and seem more likely to resign Bradley Jr.
The Blue Jays are coming off a playoff appearance with their young core. The Blue Jays could sign Springer to lead their young group of players but have a tough competitor in the Mets who need a center fielder. Brandon Nimmo has been filling in at center, but it’s clear that he’s better suited for a corner outfield position (most likely left field as Michael Conforto is in right). With Robinson Canó suspension, Jeff McNeil can move back to second base at full time, shift Nimmo to left and sign Springer to play center field.
The Mets seem like the best fit all around to sign Springer. Writers at Pitcher List predict his contract to be an average of 4.8 years, $114 mil total ($23.75 per year). I think Springer is in line for a 5-year, $120 million deal. He’ll fit right into center field, be able to continue to bat leadoff (as the Mets also don’t have a leadoff hitter), and will even out a predominantly left-handed lineup. – Amanda Levine
Trevor Bauer – SP, Age: 30
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Los Angeles Angels; three years, $99 million
Trevor Bauer is perhaps the most interesting free agent in recent memory. Say what you will about his off-field persona, Bauer enters the market as the reigning NL Cy Young winner with the ability to choose his own destiny. The on-field production is hard to ignore, setting career-best marks in K% and BB% heading into his age-30 season. No matter where he ends up, Bauer and his agent Rachel Luba seem determined to milk every last drop out of the free-agent experience. Whether that be constantly stirring up Twitter rumors, a photoshopped jersey contest, or literally wearing the hat of half the league, Bauer leverages his personal brand better than any player in baseball. He has become the poster-child for modern pitch design, with a strict and closely monitored training routine, and a polarizing social profile. Bauer’s innate personality makes predicting a landing spot that much harder. Looking through the smoke and mirrors though, I believe there is one non-negotiable need for Bauer: acceptance. Bauer needs to sign in a place where not only he is comfortable, but where those around him are comfortable with him as well.
The two most popular picks in our staff survey align with that notion. 32% think he will turn to his Southern California roots and sign with the Angels (nine votes), while 21% (including myself) think a Driveline-infused staff will keep him in Cincinnati (six votes). The upstart Padres (four votes) were another popular pick, as was the New York spotlight (three votes for the Yankees, one for the Mets). The Blue Jays also received a single vote. The staff also believes he will look past his previously stated desire to sign one-year contracts, predicting a three-year contract worth a whopping $92M ($30.67M AAV). The pitching-starved Angels certainly make sense on paper, especially with Arte Moreno’s propensity to spend on big-name free agents. I think the Angels are a Driveline-hire away from checking all the boxes as a runaway favorite. Assuming there is still mutual interest, his familiarity and recent success with the Reds could make them the only team in a position to keep him from a larger market. Young, upstart teams like the Padres and Blue Jays certainly make sense as well, although the Padres’ significant commitment to Manny Machado, a dreadfully backloaded Eric Hosmer contract, and a future Fernando Tatís Jr. extension may make them think twice. No matter the fit, Bauer is the market standard for pitching this offseason and is expected to get paid as such. – Natan Cristol-Deman
Marcell Ozuna – OF/DH, Age: 31
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Atlanta; four years, $68 million
Marcell Ozuna is coming off a one-year prove-it contract from Atlanta. The 31-year-old outfielder touts a Silver Slugger award while finishing sixth in National League MVP voting. There is no doubt that Ozuna will use his impressive season at the plate to seek a long-term deal from a potential suitor. The question is which organization is going to add enough zeros to an offer.
After polling the Pitcher List staff, three teams sat atop the heap of teams likely to acquire Ozuna: the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, and Washington Nationals. All three ballclubs will be looking to bolster their offense with a middle of lineup bat that can protect the players in front of him. The big caveat to Marcell’s game is his defense or lack thereof. Ozuna found himself in the outfield for only 21 games in the shortened season. The ruling on the universal DH will affect Ozuna more than most free agents, as Atlanta and other National League teams will be far more interested, should they need a designated hitter in 2021 and beyond. – Dave Swan
DJ LeMahieu – INF, Age: 32
Most frequent prediction, median contract: New York Yankees; four years, $60 million
DJ LeMahieu stands to see his first significant payday of his career following a pair of outstanding seasons with the Yankees. After signing a two-year, $24M deal with the Bombers prior to the 2019 campaign, LeMahieu hit a career-high 25 bombs and posted a career-high 5.4 fWAR in his first season in New York. His COVID-shortened 2020 season was also phenomenal with LeMahieu putting up a 177 wRC+ over 50 games and earning the American League batting title with a .364 average. A versatile and Gold Glove-certified defender, LeMahieu saw time at first, second, and third in New York. However, he’s heading into this age-33 season and will get worse defensively sooner rather than later. The ideal destination for LeMahieu would be a win-now team who could start him at second or third immediately, with the ability to shift him to first or designated hitter within the next few years.
LeMahieu’s age keeps him from being a truly elite free agent, but he’s still going to be highly sought-after. Pitcher List staffers expect LeMahieu to get a three- or four-year deal worth around $20M annually. Unsurprisingly, most PL staffers surveyed expect LeMahieu to head back to the Yankees, with 22 out of 28 respondents guessing he’d return. The Yankees are a no-brainer for him: he had a ton of success in that ballpark, they’ll have a spot for him, they’re in win-now mode, and they have the money to sign him. The Blue Jays are an interesting suitor, where LeMahieu could augment a rising core of youngsters. They’re defensively versatile enough as a squad to make room for him, likely at second since Cavan Biggio can move to third or the outfield. The Dodgers, Nationals, and even the Mariners all make some sense if they have the money to compete with New York. The main question is whether any of them thinks his power plays in their park as it does in the Bronx; only nine of his 36 Yankees homers came on the road. – Anders Jorstad
Marcus Semien – SS, Age: 30
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Los Angeles Angels; two years, $30 million
Marcus Semien didn’t chart the normal course to becoming an MVP candidate. He went into the 2018 season as an average defender with a career wRC+ in the mid-90s. But he managed to cut his strikeout rate in half and add 100 points to his ISO en route to becoming a two-time Gold Glove finalist and finishing third in the 2019 AL MVP race, all after his 27th birthday. His .285/.369/.522 was impressive, but a great deal of Semien’s career value has come from being a workhorse — he not only started all 162 in 2019, but he also led the AL in plate appearances. But after a wrist injury set back the start of Semien’s 2020 campaign, his performance suffered up until the final week or so of the season, further clouding where his true talent actually lies.
That’s part of what makes Semien’s market so difficult to gauge — his track record of performing as someone who deserves to be paid like a premium shortstop isn’t that long. It also doesn’t help that the 2021 free agent class has the potential to contain several top-of-the-line options in Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, Corey Seager, Javier Báez, and Trevor Story. There’s no guarantee that even three of them make it to December of next year as options, but just the thought that someone else might be out there could depress Semien’s market.
PL Staffers didn’t settle on a majority destination, but the Los Angeles Angels did lead the pack. The A’s have themselves said that re-signing Semien is a priority, but with Andrelton Simmons potentially departing, the Angels could look to another goatee to the left side of their infield in a push to overtake Semien’s old club for the AL West title. Other shortstop-strapped clubs could also enter the market, including the Reds and Phillies. $15m per year would put Semien at around a two-win player for his contract in normal times. With other options at his position, it seems likely we’ll know what the dollars/WAR number looks like and whether to revise that up or down. But either way, two or three years seems reasonable. – Alexander Chase
Nelson Cruz – DH, Age: 40
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Minnesota; one year, $19 million
There are very few things that seem to get better with age, especially when it comes to hitting baseballs, but free-agent slugger Nelson Cruz is one of them. There is a short list of hitters who have had as much late-career success as Cruz. The only players with a higher OPS+ in an age 39 or later season than Cruz’s 169 in 2020: Barry Bonds’ otherworldly 263 in 2004 and Ted Williams’ 179 in 1958.
It goes without saying that Cruz’s bat will be a boost to any team that signs him for the 2021 season. A look under the hood shows little signs of his bat slowing down. His Statcast page on Baseball Savant is riddled with red ink and looks more like a star hitter in the midst of his prime rather than a player heading into his age-40 season. Cruz’s average exit velocity was actually at a six-year low at “just” 91.6 mph, but that was still good for the 87th percentile in the league. Cruz still barrels the ball at an elite rate. His .268 expected batting average and .543 expected slugging would be a welcomed addition for any contending lineup in 2021.
Cruz has not played in the field since 2018, so it seems like a certainty that he will sign with an AL team if the universal DH doesn’t return next year. If the NL does have the DH next season, expect the number of suitors for Cruz to skyrocket, as Cruz is arguably the best DH in baseball. The Pitcher List staff expects Cruz to remain with the Minnesota Twins as 22 of the 28 members surveyed predict Cruz will re-up in the Twin City. As for term and dollars, Cruz’s age will probably prevent teams from offering anything other than a one- or two-year deal. Our staff felt the same way as the average prediction was for 1.4 years and $22 million ($15.7 per year). The Twins weren’t quite the “Bomba Squad” of 2019 in the shortened 2020 season (101 wRC+), so retaining Cruz should be their top priority. However, a reunion with the Mariners (as 7% of our staff predicted) or signing with other upstart teams like the Blue Jays or White Sox isn’t out of the question. – Steve Gesuele
Masahiro Tanaka – SP, Age: 32
Most frequent prediction, median contract: New York Yankees; three years, $39 million
Masahiro Tanaka feels like one of those players who’s been around forever and is near the end of his career. But in fact, Tanaka debuted in 2014 and is only 31 years old. The two-time All-Star hits free agency this winter for the first time in his career, spent entirely with the Yankees, after signing a seven-year deal worth $155 million dollars. While he never quite lived up to the contract, Tanaka has proved himself worthy of sticking around in the majors, a hurdle not cleared by every Japanese player to come to the States. From 2016-2019, he averaged 30 starts a year and just over 175 IP, worth 10.7 WAR during that stretch. In 2020, he threw 101 innings with a 3.56 ERA, an 8.4 K/9, 1.5 BB/9, and a 120 ERA+. On the other side, his FIP was 4.42 (a career-high) and his HR/9 was 1.7 (second highest in his career). Aside from a partially torn UCL, which didn’t require surgery, during his rookie year, he’s stayed relatively healthy throughout his career. He projects as a mid-rotation starter moving forward.
Given his ability to pitch in a major market like New York, and the Yankees’ need for rotation arms, a reunion in the Bronx seems likely. Our staff poll results agree, with 57% saying he’ll return to wearing pinstripes in 2021. 14% of responders said he’ll cross the country for an open spot with the Angels, who also have open rotation spots and have expressed that their checkbook is open this winter. 7% of responders said Tanaka will sign with the Mets, and I think everyone on this list is fair game for them this year. We project he signs for about 3 years/$36 million. – Ethan Kaplan
Michael Brantley – OF, Age: 34
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Houston; two years, $31 million
Out of the 28 responses from the PL staff, the average prediction for Michael Brantley was 2.3 years at $30M ($13 per year). Nine writers (32%) had him staying in Houston, and seven (25%) had Dr. Smooth heading to Washington. The Twins and White Sox each had two votes, with remaining single votes scattered across the Braves, Cubs, Angels, Mets, Giants, Cardinals, Rangers, and Blue Jays.
It is pretty easy to see the Astros re-signing Brantley as they will potentially have lost their entire 2020 starting outfield to free agency. They need to sign talent, and they know what they are getting with him. Brantley is on the older side (he turns 34 in May), and defense has never been his calling card. He signed a two-year, $32M deal before the 2019 season, so the amount seems reasonable considering his age. Outside of an injury-riddled 2016 season, Brantley notched over 100 wRC+ while playing on over 140 games each season. Also, his excellent bat-to-ball skills should age nicely and could move him to a DH role later or if Yordan Álvarez’s knees continue to plague him. – Shelly Verougstraete
James Paxton – SP, Age: 32
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Toronto; one year, $15 million
James Paxton is coming off an injury-marred 2020 season in which he registered his highest-ever ERA of 6.64 over only five starts — not an ideal year to set up free agency. The uber-talented left-hander just turned 32 but still sports an electric repertoire, so there are a number of teams that will be jockeying for his services.
In our free agent survey, there were 28 responses, of which eight said he’d go to the Toronto Blue Jays; two each for the Rangers, Athletics, Yankees, Twins, Angels, White Sox, and Red Sox; with one response each for the Nationals, Brewers, Mets, Padres, Giants, and Mariners. The average prediction for his contract was roughly 1.5 years with $20 million over that span. The left-hander makes a lot of sense for Toronto as a low-cost option since Robbie Ray, Ross Stripling, Nate Pearson, and Tanner Roark don’t inspire a lot of confidence behind 2020 AL Cy Young finalist Hyun-jin Ryu. Also, who wouldn’t want to see the Canadian Paxton play for his country’s team?
At this point in his career, Paxton would be best served to get a “prove it” deal while also in a position to start — regardless of whether the team is a playoff contender or not — so that he can go back into next year’s free agency with a larger deal in mind. – Jai Correa
Didi Gregorius – SS, Age: 31
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Philadelphia; three years, $30 million
Gregorius is well established as an above-average bat, and will likely settle in at about a .280/.330/.480 slash line. Those are good numbers, but they aren’t impactful ones, especially without anything special defensively (defensive analytics range from calling him nearly above-average to marginally above, but he’s well within the range of normality where it’s probably nothing more than a 45- or 50-grade tool).
His age holds him back, along with the fact that teams have demonstrated themselves pretty loathe to pay up for veterans who won’t be stars. It doesn’t help that 2021 will have one of the best shortstop free agent classes in recent memory, meaning that teams that don’t have an urgent need at shortstop will be tempted to wait until then. All of that adds up to Gregorius taking a short term deal to a team on the brink of contention. Gregorius would be the kind of player who would fill a hole at shortstop for a team like the Phillies, the Angels, or the Reds without breaking the bank, something that owners may be inclined to do this offseason. All of that adds up to Gregorius signing for somewhere between one and three years at no more than $1 5million a year. – Josiah DeBoer
Justin Turner – 3B, Age: 36
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Los Angeles Dodgers; two years, $25 million
2020 was another prototypical Justin Turner year for the 36-year-old free agent. He hit for an excellent .300+ batting average and produced solid if unspectacular power numbers while getting on base at an elite rate. That bodes well for him heading into free agency. If you look at our staff free agent poll, the vast majority of us (82%) believe he’ll end up back on the Dodgers and I think that makes the most sense. He’s a beloved icon in LA, and to be honest, unless the Dodgers look to make a big move for Nolan Arenado or Francisco Lindor (moving Corey Seager to third), their other options at 3B are pretty threadbare. They don’t have much in the way of internal options either. Despite this, there are several teams that have a hole to fill at third base as well and with so few options out there it certainly could cause a bidding war that puts Turner out of reach of the LA faithful.
Other teams predicted by our staff were the Brewers, who currently have Luis Urías at third, and they could certainly use another reliable bat in that lineup beyond Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain. If the Rockies do trade Nolan Arenado to the Dodgers, I could see it but their FO has already sworn off spending this offseason. If the NL DH comes back, I could see the Cardinals being players if they moved Matt Carpenter off the field for Turner as one staffer suggested. Toronto may be the only true competitor for Turner that I see out there. He would make that lineup absolutely devastating and give the young pups a veteran hitter to mold them out at the Rogers Centre. Finally, one staffer suggested the Braves, and I could see it if they end up missing out on Marcell Ozuna.
Ultimately I think I agree with the rest of the staff that the Dodgers won’t risk him going elsewhere as they attempt to defend their crown. The average contract prediction was 1.9 years, $25 million and I think that makes a ton of sense. $13.2 million a year is just over the $12 million he made last year and that would accurately account for the slight tax the Dodgers may need to pay to bring him back. – Daniel Port
Charlie Morton – SP, Age: 37
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Tampa Bay; one year, $12 million
NOTE: The predictions and the following statement were collected and written before Morton signed with Atlanta.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that most of us (15 out of 28, or 54%) see Morton heading back to the Rays this winter. While he has personally stated that he would prefer to stay in the TB organization, the fact that they declined his $15 million option obviously complicates that situation. He is now one of the more attractive FA pitchers, if not the most attractive, behind Bauer, especially since he is likely to only sign for one year given his age.
Assuming Tampa is priced out on Morton (Mark Feinsand of MLB.com has reported they won’t go much over $10 million), Morton’s possible suitors might also be limited due to his preference to remain on the East Coast. All of the remaining staff predictions have him landing on East Coast teams as a result (18% to Braves, 14% to Mets, with the Nats, Orioles, Red Sox, and Marlins all receiving one vote). However, he’s also mentioned a preference to play on a contender in what could be his final season. It’s possible an upstart team like the Orioles or Marlins are able to convince him that his services make them close to contenders, but it is a good bet that he lands on a team more likely to secure a playoff spot.
The median of our staff predictions has him landing a one-year deal worth $12 million. While money is certainly a factor (it always is), it doesn’t immediately appear to be the primary motivator behind his search for a new home. He’s already made upwards of $65 million in career earnings, and with retirement seemingly sitting on the front of his mind for a few years now, it will be interesting to see where he ultimately ends up. His ultimate destination may be guided more by personal preference than most other free agents. – Phillip Schnaider
Corey Kluber – SP, Age: 35
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Who Knows; 1 year, $12 million
One of the biggest mysteries of this mysterious free-agent period, Kluber was projected by our staff to sign a one-year deal — possibly two — at a salary just under $11 million. Because of his age and availability on a one- or two-year commitment, the broad consensus is that Kluber and a pitching-needy playoff contender will seek each other out. This narrows down his potential destinations a bit but also makes it a lot harder to narrow down a favorite. Excepting the few low-spending contenders chronically playing efficiency-ball, just about every would-be playoff team reads as a potential fit for the two-time Cy Young winner.
Which one he ends up with is an open question. Teams’ appetite for Kluber likely depends on how they view the assortment of injuries he’s sustained over the past 24 months. A 35-year old coming off of two lost seasons is never a good bet to stay healthy, but none of his individual maladies seems to have been particularly catastrophic, for whatever it’s worth. That being the case, he may still have avoided a dangerous and precipitous velocity drop. Though we don’t know what he’ll look like come April, his sinker averaged 91.5 mph the eight times he threw it in his only outing of 2020, a small but not back-breaking decline from his most recent dominant season in 2018, when the pitch averaged 92.0 mph. And in spite of his pre-injury struggles in 2019, his bat-missing ability remained on the surface unchanged, with swinging strike, whiff, and CSW rates (12.3%, 28.5%, and all hanging around his career averages. With the right team, there may very well still be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher in there somewhere, even if the 200-inning form of 2014-2018 is a thing of the past.
So what team might that be? The Angels were the only team to receive at least three votes from our staff, and on paper, they’re as logical a destination as any. They want to win now, they’re desperate for pitching, they’ve inquired on him in the past, and they can outbid anybody they want to. But there could be enough of a market for his services to make hinge on who has enough of a need to offer either the most money or the security of a two-year deal. In that case, potentially in first could be Atlanta, the Padres (where he began his career), Yankees, or the Reds. It may make even sense for the Astros to take a gamble on Kluber’s ace upside in the absence of Justin Verlander. Regardless, if Kluber returns to form, he’ll almost certainly find himself pitching for a contender come fall 2021, even if which contender is anyone’s guess. – Zach Hayes
Liam Hendriks – RP, Age: 32
Most frequent prediction, median contract: Philadelphia; three years, $33 million
Liam Hendriks, the 31-year-old reigning American League Reliever of the Year, is widely considered to be the most dominant reliever available in free agency. Hendriks followed up a surprising 2019 when he earned 25 saves and unseated Blake Treinen as the Oakland A’s closer, with just as dominant a showing in 2020. The Australian right-hander pitched to a 1.78 ERA and 13.1 K/9 over 25 ⅓ innings while converting 14 of 15 save opportunities. Hendriks will likely look to capitalize on his status as one of the game’s elite relievers, almost certainly pricing him out of a return to Oakland.
While there are a number of closer-needy teams, none are likely more desperate than the Phillies. During two active winters where they made high-priced acquisitions in both dollars and prized prospects, the Phillies never solved their bullpen woes, which ultimately led to a shakeup in the front office. The first task for their next GM will be to fix a historically bad bullpen that finished 2020 with a 7.06 ERA. Hendriks’ presence would go a long way in solving that problem, serving as a lockdown closer for the Phils as they hope to keep pace in what should be another competitive race in the NL East.
Wherever Hendriks lands, his free agency will be an interesting one to follow. In comparison to other top free agents, the PL Staff was divided on what jersey they believe Hendriks will be wearing in 2021. In addition to the Phillies who received 25% of the vote, the Angels, White Sox, and Red Sox all received more than one vote. A whopping 10 other teams also received a vote, a sign of the vast number of teams with playoff aspirations who also have bullpen needs to fill. Coming off a season where the finances within organizations have been turned upside down, the team most willing to pay Hendriks like a shutdown closer will likely win his services. – Anthony Tucker
George Springer (Photo by Keith Allison/Wikimedia Commons/flickr) | JT Realmuto (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire) | Trevor Bauer (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire) | Adapted by Doug Carlin (@Bdougals on Twitter)