Recently, I took a quick look at all of the players with vesting options for the 2018 season, noting that many of the outcomes within will have significant ramifications for both the upcoming free-agent market and the future of those players’ respective teams. The implications are even greater for the eight players that have opt-out provisions of some type at the end of the current season. In some cases, the opt-out in question could either liberate that player’s team from more than $80MM in future commitments or saddle them with that same burdensome amount. (And, in most cases, if the player isn’t opting out, the remaining salary is indeed a burden, as the player either performed too poorly to opt out and/or got hurt.)
Here’s a look at the opt-out decisions that are looming at season’s end…
- Justin Upton, Tigers: The disastrous start to Upton’s six-year, $132.5MM contract now looks like a distant memory. After struggling to a .228/.286/.369 batting line through his first three months in the Motor City, Upton has surged with a .255/.342/.535 slash and 31 home runs over his past 471 big league plate appearances. Strikeouts are still an issue for Upton, but he’s also walking more than ever (15 percent in 2017). He’s on pace to finish the season right around the 30-homer mark, and if he can do so with an OBP in the mid-.300s and respectable marks in left field — he’s currently at +4 DRS and +3.4 UZR — then the remaining four years and $88.5MM on his contract will pose an interesting decision for Upton, who is currently playing out his age-29 season.
- Johnny Cueto, Giants: Cueto looked like an ace in his first year with San Francisco but has stumbled to a 4.50 ERA through his first 58 innings with the Giants in 2017. He’s still averaging better than eight punchouts per nine innings to go along with solid (but diminished) control. However, he’s seen his ground-ball rate plummet from 50 percent to 39 percent, and paired with the increase in walk rate (1.8 BB/9 to 2.5 BB/9), that has led to some issues. There’s still plenty of time for Cueto to get back on track, but the remaining four years and $84MM on his contract doesn’t look quite as easy to walk away from as it did just seven weeks ago. He’ll be 32 next season.
- Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees: Cueto’s slow start looks Cy Young-worthy when juxtaposed with Tanaka, who has logged a ghastly 6.56 ERA through 48 innings in 2017. Like Cueto, Tanaka has seen his control take a step back, though his strikeout and ground-ball rates are consistent, and his velocity is fine. Tanaka’s average on balls in play is up, however, and his homer-to-flyball rate has skyrocketed from 12 percent to 24.5 percent. Given his age (29 in November), Tanaka would be a virtual lock to opt out of the remaining three years and $67MM on his contract with a good season. If he can’t overcome his home-run woes, however, he may instead opt for the substantial amount of guaranteed cash remaining on his deal.
- Wei-Yin Chen, Marlins: Chen’s opt-out is perhaps the easiest to determine of any player on this list. Unfortunately for the Marlins, that’s due to the fact that he’s currently sidelined indefinitely due to arm troubles. Chen is on the disabled list with arm fatigue, though it’s been reported previously that he’d been pitching through a slight tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, which was sustained in 2016. Chen hasn’t pitched well as a Marlin even when healthy, and at this point it would take a quick recovery and a dominant finish for him to even consider opting out of the remaining three years and $52MM on his contract.
- Ian Kennedy, Royals: Kennedy has logged a solid 3.74 ERA in 233 1/3 innings since signing a five-year deal with Kansas City, but he’s already in his age-32 season. His strikeout rate and control have taken a step back in 2017 as well, and he’s remained homer-prone despite pitching half his games at the spacious Kauffman Stadium. Kennedy turned in a very strong final four months in his last contract season — which helped him land this surprising contract in the first place — but it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll opt out of the remaining three years and $49MM on his current contract.
- Greg Holland, Rockies: To be clear, Holland cannot technically opt out of his contract just yet. The one-year, $7MM contract that he signed with the Rox contained a $10MM mutual option that can vest as a $15MM player option if Holland finishes 30 games. At this juncture, though, it seems as if an injury is all that can stop Holland’s player option from vesting. He’s already finished 20 of the 30 games he needs, and he’s currently boasting a preposterous 0.96 ERA with a 26-to-6 K/BB ratio through 18 2/3 innings. Apparently, pitching at Coors Field suits Holland just fine, though if he keeps this up, it’s a foregone conclusion that he’ll turn down the one year and $15MM he’d receive for a second season at Coors and hit the market in search of a lucrative three- or four-year contract.
- Matt Wieters, Nationals: The stagnant offseason market for Wieters’ services culminated in a two-year, $21MM contract with the Nats that offers Wieters the opportunity to test free agency once again next winter, if he wishes. To this point, it’s looking likely that Wieters will pass on that player option. His walks, hard-hit rate and BABIP are up, none of which has come at the expense of his strikeout rate. Wieters is hitting a solid .283/.358/.442 with four homers on the year. His caught-stealing rate is down (23 percent), and his framing remains questionable, but the improved offense makes it seem likely that, even if Wieters again struggles to find the strong multi-year deal he craves, a contract comparable to the one year and $10.5MM he can opt out of will once again be available on the open market.
- Welington Castillo, Orioles: Castillo’s two-year, $13MM contract with the Orioles was a pleasant surprise for a player who had previously been locked into arbitration in Arizona before surprisingly being non-tendered. He’s off to a torrid .348/.375/.543 start to the season with four homers and six doubles through 96 plate appearances. There’s a fair bit of luck involved in that production, as evidenced by the 30-year-old’s .418 BABIP. But his strikeouts are down this season, and he’s thrown out a career-best 41 percent of attempted base thieves. His framing marks, while still below average, have improved on a per-pitch basis as well. His glove may prevent him from fully cashing in, but Castillo’s bat could make the remaining one year and $7MM on his contract easy enough to walk away from, assuming he’s healthy.
astros_fan_84
I don’t understand why GMs offer opt outs. I realize that they have to make concessions to sign free agents, but they rarely benefit a team.
alt2tab
In the short-term, sure. But I think some teams end up better off if a player opts out. For instance, if Upton opts out, the Tigers will probably be better off in the long-run because they won’t end up paying Upton when his decline starts unless they foolishly decide to re-sign him.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
No, Upton’s opt out clause does indeed hurt the Tigers. He will opt out if and only if he is playing well enough that the Tigers would prefer it if he didn’t opt out. If he plays well and they still don’t want to pay him, then odds are he would have become a tradable asset if not for the opt out.
biasisrelitive
exactly opt-outs are not good for the team now I understand why the offer them in the same way the offer no trade clause it can set their offer apart from other offers
alt2tab
It would hurt their 2018 chances, but could ostensibly improve their future outlook. They already have an aging roster filled with large contracts and Upton would just become another one of those for a team that doesn’t seem likely to seriously compete for a title in the next couple years. And they could use an Upton opt out to finally start rebuilding their minor league system when they get a 5th rounder for him (or whatever it is under the new CBA)
jdgoat
I think there alright unless the player you signed declined a qualifying offer.
barrybonds1994
They have to compete with other teams offering deals to players. If one team offers an opt out, another will. Teams hand out opt outs to these elite guys because they are offering a different type of value or leverage to the player that is not the same as adding extra money or years to a contract
liamsfg
I still think that you should commit to a fixed number of years and it can’t be fluctuated to benefit the player if they choose not to show up to play.
At least start titling these contracts correctly. I’m tired or reading “5-year deal” if its an opt-out after the second year call it a “2-year deal” then mention the rest. It muddies the truth behind a lot of signings these days.
halos101
sometimes it can help teams too. I don’t think their all that bad
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
Opt outs never help teams. They are pure downside to the team.
biasisrelitive
I 2nd ryan
Ken M.
Look at Tanaka’s K/9 since he came to MLB. Dropping every year. BB/ 9 have been going the opposite way. With a mediocre fastball,he isn’t going to opt out. He’d be lucky to get 4 yrs $66M.
thegreatcerealfamine
As a Yankee fan I truly hope Tanaka pitches better,then decides to opt out.
Michael Birks
Doesn’t David Price have a an opt- out after next year?
Wainofan
Opt outs are heavily weighted towards player benefits. A lot of flak went cards way when heyward signed with Cubs for less money, but cards refused opt outs and haven’t included them in anyone’s contract yet. In heywards case if he’s playing up to contract and Cubs would like to keep him, he’ll opt out and leave or resign for more money. If he’s not worth contract, as is currently the case, he’ll stay and Cubs are stuck with overpay. Win- win for player, lose-lose for team. Only benefit to team is it allows them to make a “better” offer to a player that might otherwise sign elsewhere.
nysoxsam
Most should take the security of what they have. Take Upton for example. Regardless of what he does, how many teams long term even in his prime will give more for such an inconsistent player?
aff10
What? In-his-prime Upton is clearly worth more than $88 million. The market valued a prime Upton at over $132M. If he struggles in the second half, he probably opts in, but right now, I think he’d beat $100 million again
Macho King OG
If Tanaka opts out the Yankees better run the other way, After the Arod and CC fiasco’s enough is enough!