We don’t really know whether or to what extent extension talks will continue during the coronavirus hiatus. But as I wrote yesterday, it seems reasonable to think they’ll be explored. Some may already have advanced nearly to completion before the global pandemic intervened.
While we may have to wait to learn who the targets are and see what deals get done, there’s a silver lining: more time for rampant speculation! Okay, we’re not going to speculate here; rather, we’ll tick through some interesting possibilities on paper. Remember, we’ve seen an increasing prevalence of deals with less-experienced players (even some without any MLB service) and with new player types (early-career relievers and utilitymen).
In the present MLB environment, value is king and the old forms are fading. Here are some names to chew on from the NL Central …
Brewers
The Brew Crew already reached two deals this winter, both of which are quite interesting for very different reasons. The Milwaukee organization reached a big new extension (that still feels team-friendly) with superstar Christian Yelich. And it placed a upside bet on young hurler Freddy Peralta, whose ERA hasn’t quite yet matched his talent.
Scanning the rest of the roster, the name that jumps off the page is Josh Hader. True, he just lost an arbitration hearing to the team. But he’s still got a big $4.1MM starting point to build from for three more seasons and his salary could go wild if the Brewers keep him in the closer’s role. Perhaps there’s a path to a deal, even if it doesn’t expand the Brewers’ control rights past arbitration much (if at all).
Likelier, perhaps, are highly talented youngsters Keston Hiura and Brandon Woodruff. The former isn’t even close to arbitration but seems like an easy bet to keep hitting. The latter is a year away from Super Two qualification, so this might be the best opportunity to get him locked in at a palatable price. Given the aggressive stance the Brewers took in the Peralta deal, you can’t rule out negotiations with fellow hurlers Adrian Houser and Corbin Burnes.
Cardinals
The Cards are known to be interested in working something out with franchise pillar Yadier Molina. It’s pretty likely they’ll get a deal done at some point given the obvious mutual interest.
Of greater long-term intrigue is the situation of staff ace Jack Flaherty. But odds of an agreement seem long, particularly after the club renewed his contract at a rather meager rate this spring. Perhaps fellow starter Dakota Hudson is a likelier target. If the club gets creative in exploring deals with the staff, relievers Giovanny Gallegos and John Brebbia might be approached, though neither is terribly youthful.
Two years out from free agency, Kolten Wong is a conceivable but hardly pressing potential target. It’s more interesting to contemplate an early pact with emerging utilityman Tommy Edman. But most intriguing of all? A pre-debut pact with top prospect Dylan Carlson. That would free the club to promote him whenever it wishes and perhaps secure a potential new franchise star for his entire prime.
Cubs
If you can’t trade ’em, extend ’em? Perhaps not in all cases, but the Cubs have a lot of quality players that could be targeted for extensions — now that the team has elected not to deal them over the winter and likely won’t have a chance to revisit its decision in the middle of the 2020 season. Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, and Kyle Schwarber could in theory all fall in this bucket.
The likeliest candidate, though, is shortstop Javier Baez. He was never really on the block, so far as anyone knows, and there’s clearly mutual interest in a deal. Baez is two years from free agency but already well into bigger earnings via arbitration. Talks have been up and down thus far.
Otherwise, the Cubbies could explore ways of locking in lower prices on non-stars for the foreseeable future. What if — and believe me, this is a hypothetical — but what if the team saw some value in the right arrangement with a younger, less-established player? The most interesting possibilities: infielder Nico Hoerner, backstop Victor Caratini, and center fielder (for the time being, anyway) Ian Happ. Having already done a deal with David Bote, this sort of possibility can’t be ruled out.
Pirates
Thankfully, in this case the team has more or less provided its own list (through unnamed sources that spoke with reporters). Younger big leaguers Bryan Reynolds, Kevin Newman, and Joe Musgrove are all said to be of interest, as is top prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes. Now that we know talks have been initiated, it’s a matter of seeing if anything gets done.
Notably absent from that group? Slugging first baseman Josh Bell. The 27-year-old is in his first season of arbitration eligibility after a big 2019 season. The absence of reporting doesn’t necessarily mean that Bell isn’t of interest, though he may be a bit spendy for the Bucs to commit to.
Beyond that, it gets pretty speculative. The Pirates have big hopes for high-upside youngsters Mitch Keller and Oneil Cruz, but probably want to see them develop more before thinking about a long-term contract.
Reds
The Cincinnati ballclub has made a host of interesting moves of late. But there’s still potential for greater contractual action with regard to a few in-house players.
Excellent right-hander Luis Castillo is easily the top target. He’s in classic starting pitcher extension territory as a 2+ service-class player with two full seasons of increasingly productive moundwork. The team can surely envision quite a lot of upside and he has some real incentive to dodge the risk of another MLB campaign before getting paid.
Perhaps there’s also an argument for considering talks with lefty Amir Garrett or reliever/pinch-hitter/CF Michael Lorenzen. If teams can strike deals with pitchers like Peralta and Aaron Bummer, then these guys can’t be ruled out.
It’s awfully intriguing to think about a deal for everywhere-but-nowhere man Nick Senzel. But his precise place in this organization has yet to be determined. While the team would probably buy in at the right price, he’s probably not going to sell himself short and buy into an uncertain situation. There are a few other conceivable candidates on this roster — outfielder Jesse Winker; starter Anthony DeSclafani — but it’s quite a bit harder to see a path to a mutually agreeable deal in those cases.
usafcop
Great stuff….keeps us fantasy guys busy with the stoppage of all sports….keep up the great work….and thank you
Dom2
Pirates have a lot of candidates yet not one will get an extension because its the pirates. Maybe if they had a Felipe Vazquez type player they would extend.
joblo
They can funny those in the nearest prison.
joblo
They can find those in the nearest prison.
btharveyku08
Guh, just lock up Flaherty already. Offer something like 10y/200M, if only to get the ball rolling.
jmlang
I agree, the Birds attitude of Status Quo is getting old. I’m thinking that the supposed “MO magic” is fizzled
uncle mike
Flaherty is a proven commodity. Obviously the Cardinals don’t appreciate him enough to pay him. Hope he gets traded to a team that does appreciate him and will pay him accordingly!!!
mlbnyyfan
No No No. Hopefully the Yankees get Hader or Castillo
Maurice Lock
No to Molina. No to Wong. No to anyone except Flaherty.
Iknowmorebaseball
I agree because the Cardinals have a lot of goats on that team. Flaherty’s the only guy that I would extend
uncle mike
Flaherty is the only proven young product the Cardinals currently have and Mozeliak treated him like he was trash this season when discussing salary. That one will
Blow up in Mozeliak’s face!!! Penny pinching on young impact players and giving multi millions to nonproductive players tears down relations with all of their young players.
uncle mike
I agree with that. Flaherty is proven and should have been compensated for it.
CardsNation5
GOATs? I didn’t know that the Cardinals had goats.
SalaryCapMyth
I don’t think Cardinal fans need to get concerned for a Molina extension. He himself said he was only going to play for a few more years. Whatever he signs won’t be huge.
Additionally, shouldnt Cardinal fans have just a LITTLE more loyalty to Molina considering how much he has meant to the team?
btharveyku08
Now that he’s said he’ll be fine with part-time role in his last year or two, I’m all for it, especially if the new catcher can learn from him.
jbeerj
If Stearns locks up Woody this year, I’ll write him in as president.
Iknowmorebaseball
There are too many goats that are unaware that Castillo is the best pitcher in the national league and Flaherty’s the second best picture in the national league. Both are from the NL Central division. in 2 years everyone will be saying what I’m saying now, so start saying it before then so you can be more knowledgeable or at least sound like it
stan lee the manly
Lol. Castillo isn’t even better than Flaherty, let alone DeGrom, Scherzer, Kershaw, Strasburg, etc. Talented pitcher? Undoubtedly. Best in the league? Not even close.
Maurice Lock
But Castillo is better than any other Cardinal pitcher not named, Flaherty.
stan lee the manly
Ok? Castillo is their ace, no crap he’s better than the Cards 2-5 starting pitchers. That’s the ace’s job. I don’t get what the point of this comment is. Flaherty is better than every other Reds pitcher as well, I’m not sure what we are getting at here.
army123456
Pirates management are idiots. They should try to lock up bell now. Bob, you are depressing. Sell the team.
uncle mike
Flaherty was treated wrong. The Cards should have given him more. Or could extend him with a 4-5 year contract.
earmbrister
Please extend Molina … Also Wainwright.
chiefroto
I must be the only one to get the Office Space reference. Good stuff!
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Right now they need to extend Rizzo and Baez. Then this winter try to lock up Bryant and Schwarber and they have 3 years to extend Contreras. Tax threshold resets next year. Giving them plenty of money to spend. Oh pitchers and position players. It will reset again by the time Contreas is in his walk year. It’s not impossible to sign them all but it’s more improbable
The real question is will the Ricketts ne to cheap to keep the Cubs together.