The Reds announced they have signed first baseman/outfielder Wil Myers to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2024. Myers will be guaranteed $7.5MM on the deal, which comes in the form of a $6MM salary in 2023 along with a $1.5MM buyout on the option. He can earn a further $1.5MM of incentives based on playing time and will receive an extra $500K if he’s traded, potentially earning $9.5MM by season’s end. Myers is represented by CAA Sports.
Myers, 32, was originally drafted by the Royals but was traded to the Rays before he made it to the majors. He was considered one of the best prospects in the league at that time, with Baseball America ranking him fourth overall going into the 2013 season. Myers would go on to make his MLB debut with Tampa that year, posting a batting line of .293/.354/.478. That production was 29% above average, by measure of wRC+. He was worth 2.3 wins above replacement in the eyes of FanGraphs and won the American League Rookie of the Year award.
Despite his prospect status and exciting debut, Myers has since settled in as more of a decent regular than a true star. He endured a sophomore slump in 2014, hitting just .222/.294/.320 for a wRC+ of 76. After that season, Myers was traded to the Padres and bounced back. Injuries limited him to just 60 games in 2015, but his 2016 was excellent. He hit 28 home runs and stole 28 bases, finishing the year with a batting line of .259/.336/.461 and a wRC+ of 114. That resulted in a 3.4 fWAR tally and encouraged the Padres to give Myers a six-year, $83MM extension.
Unfortunately for the Padres, that 2016 campaign now stands out as Myers’ best. He’s still been a valuable player, but hasn’t topped 2.0 fWAR in any subsequent season. Despite still being a decent contributor, his contract eventually came to be seen as an albatross due to its back-loaded nature. Myers got a $15MM signing bonus but then modest salaries of $2MM in 2017 and 2018, followed by $3MM in 2019, but then jumping to $20MM for each of the last three years of the deal. The club reportedly made many attempts to trade Myers in the latter half of the deal but never succeeded.
Over the six years of that contract, Myers hit 98 home runs and stole 61 bases. He struck out in 29.2% of his plate appearances but also walked at a healthy 9.8% rate. In the end, he produced a combined batting line of .252/.327/.451 for a wRC+ of 109, indicating he was 9% better than the league average hitter in that timeframe. He should be able to provide the Reds with a solid veteran bat that might also play up in their hitter-friendly ballpark.
Defensively, Myers played exclusively at first base in 2017 but has spent most of his time in the outfield in the five seasons since. Advanced metrics are split on his work, though he generally grades out as being about average as a corner outfielder and a bit subpar at first base. Myers’ flexibility in that regard is likely appealing to a Reds’ team that has uncertainty in those areas. Joey Votto has been the club’s first baseman for well over a decade now, but he’s now 39 years old, turning 40 in September. He also underwent season-ending rotator cuff surgery in August, which comes with an estimated six-month recovery time. That should allow him to return before Opening Day, but Myers gives them an experienced fallback plan if there’s any kind of setback or if the club wants to reduce Votto’s playing time.
In the outfield, they have a number of in-house options but no one really cemented in place. Nick Senzel, Nick Solak, Jake Fraley and TJ Friedl are some of the candidates who could be vying for outfield roles in 2023, but none of them have proven themselves enough that they should be guaranteed anything. Myers can step in wherever he fits best based on how those others are doing and can also take some time as the designated hitter if those others are all doing well. Mike Moustakas is also in line for some DH duty but he’s coming off two-straight disappointing and injury-marred campaigns. If Myers is performing well or the Reds simply want to make room for their younger players, Myers could become a trade candidate as the deadline approaches.
Financially, the rebuilding Reds haven’t thrown much money around this winter. This is just their second major league signing of the offseason alongside a modest deal for backup catcher Luke Maile. Roster Resource calculates this signing as bumping their payroll up to $78MM. That’s still well shy of their $114MM figure from Opening Day 2022, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts. If they are willing to spend up to similar levels, they could still have some more cash for further moves, though they also might stay on the low side after aggressively trading away significant salaries in recent years.
Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported the $7.5MM guarantee and the ability for Myers to reach $9.5MM. Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer first had the specifics of the $500K bonus for a trade plus $1.5MM in incentives. Mark Sheldon of MLB.com first broke down the $6MM salary in 2023 with the $1.5MM buyout on the option.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Well, it’s a position of need.
platoon with Fraley. nothing wrong with it. people complain when they do nothing….people complain when they do what they’re able to.
They’re able to do a lot more than they do, and that’s why people complain.
Outsider’s prespective, but Myers did pretty good down the stretch after getting activated off the IL for the Padres and still hits LHP pretty well.
and will take advantage of the balls that fly out of park, his power numbers should improve from last year
They did not steer wrong with this.
Smart by him picking a hitters park to try and bring up his next contract.
Good move for the reds too since they should be able to love him at the deadline.
Good point. And if they don’t love him at the deadline, they can always move him!
I want laugh emojis soooo bad
lmao! we love him already!
Quote of the day!!!
The Love is so MOVIng.
He seems underrated.. been above avg according to OPS+ almost every single year. When he gets the chance to play every day he’s a 2-3 WAR player.
Myers had heavy expectations. He’s been judged by his contract. 6yr/85mil, then the highest in team history.
Myers was ROY in TB and after 2 solid seasons 16/17, he was on his way in 18 until he got hurt…He’s bounced back, but his crime is that he’s just good…..not great…
Not living up to expectations others set for you is not a crime mate.
Exactly, was hoping since Harper will be out until All Star break, they’d have offered him a similar deal….
Injuries limited his availability. He slots in as a decent 1B option and DH which should keep him off the IL however there’s a bit more to the story. I could only describe it as a in between the ears situation but seemly a great guy
Overpay. This also makes no sense. Reds aren’t any better
Overpay? Have you not seen all of these asinine contracts? A one year deal at that price for a solid, consistent player with position versatility is a bargain.
It’s another overpay. The bigger contracts are even bigger over pays. The money stupidity knows no bounds.
Look it’s a lot of money for all of us who can’t hand it out. Cohen isn’t eating ramen noodles for Christmas because he spent so much. He’ll still be eating good. I would hate if someone told me to spend my money like they want me too. I’m a Braves fan but I’m 100 a Cohen fan too. If baseball didn’t make the ownership groups enough money to comfortably hand out these mega contracts it wouldn’t be happening.
Can’t you name a single FA which hasn’t been an “overpay”? Are you and @TTO the same guy?
Tyler Anderson was not an overpay. Ottavino, Lugo and Myers seemed right. Tailor seemed right. Stone Garrett was an underpay.
My comment was for @Yanks2 ranting overpay in every FA signing post with nothing to support his opinion. Ignorance is bliss.
Its a reasonable signing. However every FA signing can be said to be an overpay as 29 other teams weren’t interested in paying that much, for that player.
Oh my… A Yankee fan is complaining about the REDS overpaying? Um, sir, have you seen your own team lately? Yes, they may have all the money, but that doesn’t mean they don’t certainly overpay, too.
GABP is as good of a place as any for a pillow contract to boost offensive stats for next year’s market.
I didn’t know the reds had 7m in the budget.
They dumped 10 million in useless salary named Mike Minor.
That was minor deal.
These are the only kind of signings that you will see from them.
True, but you will probably see them spend more once they are (hopefully, someday) competitive again. I want all teams to do well because all fans deserve to be able to root for them team without hiding.
All the non tax lying teams are going to be getting about this amount from the tax paying teams. Expect them all to bring in a salary like this but most will not.
Man, El Gallo is gone! Wish him well, always wanted Will to retire as a Padre.
Adiós Gallo… I’m going to miss his enthusiasm and heart; he always respected and loved the fans. Wish him well, maybe he’ll be back one day! Dude can still play, heck of an athlete; I think the Reds got a good one.
An MVP candidate just 2.4 years ago. Streaky hitter, perhaps impacted by injuries he wouldn’t complain about. I’ve always liked him. Hope he goes 275/25/75 for Reds
I like this deal for the Reds. Myers will mash in Cincy and they can flip him at the deadline.
About time they did something. Nice pickup. They could use a veteran outfielder. Similar signing to Pham last season. If he is not flipped at the deadline, I’ll be shocked.
This guy consistently gets overpaid. He’s got great agents or teams love his peripherals or he’s very charming- something. A lot of guys with similar careers haven’t done anywhere near as well as him with salaries.
I was thinking the opposite. He’s routinely above avg and can play at a 2-3 WAR over the season. Was MVP-16 in 2020. He can hit.. maybe even better when he gets to play every day. 30 double 30 HR type guy
Wil Myers has never had a 30 double 30 HR season and hasn’t come close since 2017.
in comparison to the other free agent contracts. Myers got a deal worthy of his experience
Hopefully he prides himself as a man of faith.
???
poorly executed Thom Brenamann joke
What’s the context?
As there’s a drive into deep left field by Castellanos.
Hope he does well there. Loved how he bought rounds for people in bars after the NLDS.
His high-5 rounds up and down Harbor Blvd. will live on in legend!
Over 30 check, zero future upside check, able to be flipped for a useless prospect check. Yep its a typical Reds signing.
This move is fine. Reds need OF help and get obliterated by LHP. He plays OF and has >.800 OPS vs lefties career. Why complain when you bring nothing to the argument?
Tired of the dead end players that bring little to the future of the team and won’t bring in a prospect worth anything. Lots of younger players that still have a chance that the Reds may be able to flip for a better haul.
Please tell us who these players are!
A 25 year old dumpster dive player at least has a chance to raise their ceiling. At 32 Myers is there and won’t be worth much at the trade deadline, see Pham if you want proof.
Myers can go down as the ultimate example of why prospects are most valuable as a currency and not as an object of worship. I wish we could pull the archives of people losing their minds when he was traded to show how so many people knew without a shadow of a doubt he would be an annual winner of the triple crown and how stupid the team must be to get rid of him.
We still have RP Castillo from that deal.. TBR has nobody.. nor does Wash… and Turner would have left us for Phillies as it turned out…
So what if Turner leaves us for Philly? He still would have produced more surplus value than ol’ Whatsisface.
Technically there was a point in time last year where Castillo elected FA and then he re-signed with SD in early 2022 so I don’t know if you can even count him as being acquired in that trade anymore. He was a FA all offseason, any team could have signed him.
You are correct CNichols. The moment a traded player becomes a FA, everything he does after that has no bearing on the outcome of the trade. Even if he is only a FA for a second. Even if he doesn’t actually change teams.
Besides Myers was himself a top spec at the time coming off a ROY yr.. it was a good trade at the time.. Turner made it a bad trade as he developed power later
One year removed from winning ROY.
A great buy-low opportunity, but obviously a bad trade with the benefit of hindsight.
For me, the far more grievous sin was moving Wil to the OF to sign a mediocre 1B with a poor launch angle and an abnormally high BABIP during his walk year to a massive contract.
Wil went bar hoping after eliminating LAD in playoffs and bought rounds all night long for everyone at the Bar/s.. spent like $100k on the SD fans…. El Gallo is a SD Legend … go smash in Cincy and get paid in 2024.. who knows maybe we bring u back at the deadline
That’s like $100 for him
*Downvote”
Point being how many others did that…..
*
Hope you ducked, because it clearly went over your head….If not try some Advil
*Schwarber showed up at a few WAWA sandwich shops,got behind the counter etc etc. It just shows you give a %$#@
SD legend? More like a stain on the franchise,
Too bad, he’s such a mediocre player.
Lame take!
Shrewd signing – good candidate for offensive uptick in the bandbox and likely July trade piece.
Bye Wil. Padres fans will miss you. Tnx for the memories.
Well, crap. Drury and Myers gone in consecutive days. They were the only 2 players left that would’ve made Atlanta a better team. Way to screw the pooch AA.
Wil Myers doesn’t fit in ATL. He’s just not their type of player. They already have a full OF, 1B and DH.
He’d be a great platoon with Rosario, probably should actually even start over him simply based on being more productive on offense and defense. He’d be a perfect fill in if Olson went down with injury. Luplow was an epic failure of a signing.
Myers was tremendously over paid in San Diego, but that doesn’t mean that he is/was a bad player.
He’s an above average hitter, above average base runner, and plays both first base and corner outfield adequately.
Outside of the two home parks he has played in, he has hit lefties very well.
He was moderately overpaid on a tremendously back-loaded contract.
I was hoping he’d be back to platoon with Carp and serve as the 4th OF for the Padres.
Oh well. Going to miss him, but not his chasing the outside slider.
This year’s Brandon Drury, has a great first half in that stadium and then gets traded to a better team at the deadline. Good move for both sides.
Cincinnati is a great place to rebuild value for a better contract. I would have thought he’d have been more focused on a ring than contract at this point in his career though
I’m sure everyone is on the same page here. As long as he puts up solid numbers for CIN he knows he’ll be dealt to a contender in July, so he’ll still have his shot at a ring.
True, but you also might end up in Boston.
Buh bye Myers. You won’t be missed.
But several people above say he WILL be missed? Which is it? CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND?
Maybe they think he looks good in a uniform, I don’t get it.
I think Wil is generally well-liked in SD, but with the acknowledgment that he was overpaid and didn’t perform up to the contract he was given. That said he still has a good reputation as he was the longest tenured Padre, rolled with all of the punches the org threw at him, and he’s just generally a likable “good guy”.
It’s interesting to compare him to Hosmer, because Hosmer was also overpaid but people in SD generally dislike him because he didn’t put in the effort to get better, took everything for granted, and was seen as more selfish.
I think when people are saying that Wil is going to be missed in SD, they’re not saying they’re going to miss his production at $20M a year, they’re basically saying they’re going to miss him as a person.
The guy who was caught on video talking smack about his manager and was only the “longest tenured Padre” because no one would trade for him?
I’m surprised about Hosmer. He seemed like such a good guy in KC.
I’ve said this before but just because a guy is a good fit in one clubhouse doesn’t mean he will be a good fit in every clubhouse. Like, being a good clubhouse guy was supposedly one of the pro’s for James Shields when the Padres signed him. Then 16 months later when he was traded people were saying the exact opposite. Maybe those types of personalities meshed well in the Royals clubhouse but not with the ones in the Padres clubhouse.
That’s true
It’s about time cheapskate Castellini does something to hep this team! #SellTheTeamBob or show fans your financial books.
It sounds like the Reds are spending a lot of money, but in reality, that’s not the case. The Reds are likely only spending $3 million on Meyer. Unless he is injured, he will be traded at the deadline.
Not only will he get traded it will be for garbage like the Reds got from Boston and NYM.
Wil will be flipped at the deadline if he’s at all productive in Cincinnati. He can still be a tough out for lefties (like me).
Flipped for what? They didn’t get anything worth anything for Pham.
If he stays healthy he will rake.Solid ballplayer
Where ex padres go to die
In Cincinnati, he might be at 25hr by July 31st and the Reds could sell for him prospects. Good signing at that price.
I wanted him on the braves. But instead they signed a washed up luplow for the outfield. AA needs to upgrade.
He just might wind up on the Braves come next August if he stays healthy and plays well. He will be flipped if he doesn’t flop.
ATL have OFs they must review in MiLB. Their unknown production is more desirable than Wil Myers known.
I don’t know about that. They have no good out fielders left in the system. Just 4a guys and people in rookie or low a ball.
No sense on having a minor league system at all then.
Wil was the first building block in the Padres rebuild process so Padres fans have love for him. Well, a love/hate relationship is more accurate because he never lived up to the contract, but even so, he endured the rough rebuild years and wanted to see it through. Last year in the post season he was having the time of his life! Was hoping to retain him on a cheap contract for one or two years to hopefully achieve that goal for him and more importantly the Padres 1st championship. Get those numbers up in Cincy and enjoy it! Hope the best for him!
Padres missed here. Ok player but not for what they paid him. Reminds me of Nationals miss on Jayson Werth (sp?). Ok player but not for what they paid him.
Would’ve preferred him to Drury.
Perfect fit as a 2B/OF/DH guy.
I’ll take a flyer on a 32 year old Meyers over a 37 year Carpenter for twice the money anyday… AJ for ya!
It’s not twice the money, it’s almost the same. Both get $6m/yr. Carpenter gets a player option, so he can get $6m for another year if he sucks or walk if he has a good year. Myers gets bought out for $1.5m if he sucks or he can walk if he has a good year.
The real question is why not both? The Padres need a RH bat to complement Carpenter on the bench. Myers would have worked, but I guess Mancini or Voit would round out the roster nicely as well.
Maybe Myer wanted to be a full time player.
I think Stymee gets it right. Myers wants to play and he also wanted some time closer to his family/childhood hometown.
When your team’s biggest move over the winter is signing Wil Meyers and Maile it ain’t gonna be a good season. Looks like I’m doing more fishing this year.
Wil Myers was a bit of a Padres fan favorite over the years, but his “crimes” were being overpaid and essentially traded for Trea Turner. That one definitely hurt, but there was never a clamor for him to be exiled like with teammate Hosmer.
However, knowing the Padres, they would have eventually, sooner than later, traded Turner anyway for some other underperformer.
Padres fans will root for him to rake in Cincinnati. Virtually no Padres fans did likewise for Hosmer.
Why would they have traded Turner? The dude still had 3 years of control left when they started actively trying to contend.
Myers definitely has his critics which even he can understand. At the sametime myers was beloved by many especially the last couple of years.
He has embraced the city and the fans, because of that many friar faithful love him and he’ll be missed.
+/- 22 hrs.
I’ll take the over
It’s about time they sign JaCoby Jones.
If he does well, he likely will only be with the team for four months. In that case, they are only spending $3 million. Still better than nothing. They need all the offense help they can get.
Myers is a strikeout machine who appears unable to adjust to pitches so must guess at what pitch is coming. Nice guy, though. Plays hard, too.
My friend calls him Wi(ndmil)l Myers. The name fits.
Good luck running with Dixon instead
I really like this signing. Of the outfielders that were going to sign prove it deals (Conforto, Bellinger and Myers), I am glad we were able to sign one of them. This gives the outfield some more clarity, but still allows the Reds to trade him at the deadline if he gets off to a great start. Our payroll is smaller as well, so I don’t think the numbers in this deal really mean that much.
I’d really like to see the Reds give Fraley some playing time, not that I dislike this signing but you know it was done for their trade deadline theatrics.
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