With the decision to go to the Chicago Cubs for shortstop Dansby Swanson (28), the 2022 offseason free agent big-fish contract is over.
The remaining free agents do not have long-term contracts of more than 5 years. Swanson agreed to a seven-year, $177 million (231.8 billion won) contract with the Cubs. The Cubs team has not made an official confirmation on the 19th. However, according to current reports, the cause of death is an established fact. The $177 million contract is the second largest free agent contract in Cubs history. The eight-year, $184 million (241 billion won) contract for outfielder Jason Hayward, who was released during this season, was the highest value.
The MLB free agent contract proceeds in the order of the big fish. Regarding shortstop, former LA Dodgers Trey Turner was the first to sign an 11-year, $300 million (393 billion won) contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Following this, former Boston Red Sox Xander Bogarts signed an 11-year, $280 million (366.8 billion won) contract with the San Diego Padres.
The SF Giants, who missed the home run king Aaron Judge, used the money to catch former Minnesota Twins Carlos Correa and shortstop for 13 years and 350 million dollars (458.5 billion won). It was Swanson who got on the last train as a big-fish shortstop.
Over the past two years, the shortstop position in the free agency market has been prosperous with excellent big players. Until now, there have never been two or more contracts worth $100 million at shortstop in the free agent market. However, the FA market has also changed since last year as shortstops, who depend on power, have been pouring in.
Last year, former Los Angeles Dodgers Corey Seager signed a 10-year, $325 million contract with the Texas Rangers. The Detroit Tigers signed former Chicago Cubs Javier Baez to a six-year, $140 million contract, the Minnesota Twins signed Houston Astros Carlos Correa to a three-year, $105.3 million deal, and the Boston Red Sox signed former Colorado Rockies to a six-year, $140 million deal. lined up Correa became a free agent again by opting out after one season and showed his skills by signing a 13-year contract with the SF Giants. 메이저사이트
This year, the contract period and total amount increased significantly. The total contract annual salary of four shortstops, Turner, Bogarts, Corea, and Swanson, is $1.17 billion (1.45 trillion won). The contract period is 42 years.
Can the club succeed in advancing to the World Series by recruiting a large shortstop under a contract that will cause the club’s finances to falter? It is unknown. After the 2021 season, the four teams that signed large contracts did not even advance to the postseason. Seager’s Texas, Correa’s Minnesota, Baez’s Detroit, and Story’s Boston all tasted the bitter taste of being eliminated from the playoffs.
Eventually, Texas strengthened its mound this offseason and acquired Jacob deGrom for $185 million. Experts say that Detroit, Boston, and Minnesota spent money in the free agent market, but their PO power was insufficient.
Among the teams that recruited a new shortstop this year, the teams that advanced to PO in the 2022 season are Philadelphia and San Diego. They are dreaming of going to the World Series by upgrading their power with the recruitment of Turner and Bogarts. The Giants are being criticized for giving Correa outrageous money. The Cubs are now out of rebuilding mode with the signing of Swanson. Swanson alone is not enough to lead the team to PO.
MLB is a business. There is a strong perception that entering a PO once or twice during the contract period is a success. If you win the WS, it’s a jackpot. Let’s see how the 2023 season will change for the teams that recruited the field commander shortstop.