The timing of this change is certainly interesting. Soler’s current contractual status with Kansas City is unique, owing to the nine-year, $30MM accord he signed with the Cubs as a 20-year-old back in 2012. After logging a 2019 campaign that included a .265/.354/.569 slash and 48 home runs, Soler is “signed” for the 2020 season at just $4MM. However, the 27-year-old retains the right to opt out of that guaranteed salary and into MLB’s arbitration process this winter, as is the case with many Cuban defectors who signed Major League deals under the previous international free agency infrastructure. Given Soler’s counting stats alone, he’s almost a certain lock to opt for the arbitration route.

Though KC still holds Soler’s rights through 2021, it stands to reason that club exec Dayton Moore might kick the tires on a potential long-term extension with the slugger this winter. If the club aims to contend within the next two seasons, as they’ve stated, Soler and his potent bat (136 wRC+ in 2019) project to be indispensable to Kansas City’s currently tepid offensive attack (cumulative 84 wRC+ in 2019).

And it certainly seems like Moore might agree with that logic: yesterday, we heard that the club is interested in using its financial resources to secure the services of existing players into the future. Hunter Dozier, Adalberto Mondesi, and Brad Keller could all be viable candidates for such an allocation, but Soler’s potentially imminent entry into arbitration could give the Royals added incentive toward wrapping an extension this winter.  If both parties are open to such an idea, our own Steve Adams recently used Randal Grichuk’s five-year, $52MM 2019 extension with the Blue Jays as a touchstone for possible negotiations between Royal officials and Soler reps.

YESTERDAY: Outfielder Michael Brantley has hired Excel Sports Management to represent him in free agency, SB Nation’s Devan Fink recently reported on Twitter. He is moving to Excel from The Legacy Agency along with agent Kenny Felder and some of Felder’s other clients, including George Springer of the Astros and Lewis Brinson of the Marlins.

Of this trio, Brantley’s case is of particular note since he’s now a free agent. He recently reached the open market without having received a qualifying offer, meaning any team can sign him without surrendering draft compensation.

Brantley, 31, spent ten seasons with the Indians. The latter half of his time in Cleveland was played under an extension that included an option for the 2018 season, which the club picked up at $11MM. However, the $17.9MM QO proved too rich for the Indians, even after watching Brantley turn in a nice effort in 2018.

While he’s hardly an eye-popping power threat for a corner outfielder, Brantley is an exceptional contact hitter who is plenty valuable on offense. He finished the 2018 campaign with a .309/.364/.468 slash along with 17 home runs and a dozen steals. Brantley was a tough out, with a 9.5% strikeout rate that only just exceeded his 7.6% walk rate.

Brantley’s new reps will no doubt pitch their client as a high-quality performer with the bat who showed recently that his particular skills haven’t waned. He can also provide some value on the bases, though Brantley isn’t particularly well-regarded defensively and is also somewhat vulnerable to left-handed pitching.

The biggest questions surrounding Brantley, though, don’t involve his quality of play. Rather, they concern his ability to stay on the field. Brantley has endured a series of travails that cast some doubt on his durability, particularly given the cumulative effects. At the same time, he was healthy in 2018 and offers a hitting skillset that isn’t easy to come by. MLBTR recently named him the tenth-best free agent on the market, predicting a three-year, $45MM contract.

Find up-to-date information on player representation in MLBTR’s Agency Database.

Benintendi, 23, was taken seventh overall in the 2015 draft and has handsomely rewarded the Sox to this point in his career. After an impressive debut effort late in 2016, he opened the 2017 campaign on the Opening Day roster and held down a regular job all season long.

After turning in 658 plate appearances of .271/.352/.424 hitting, with an even twenty long balls, Benintendi earned a second-place finish in the American League Rookie of the Year vote. He also grades as a quality defender — he’s considered capable of handling center, though he has mostly played in left thus far in Boston — and swiped twenty bags in 2017.

Benintendi remains two full seasons removed from his first potential trip through arbitration eligibility. Of course, it’s also conceivable that he could be approached at some point about the possibility of a longer-term arrangement, though it has been quite some time since the Red Sox have reached an extension with a pre-arb player. As MLBTR’s Extension Tracker shows, the last such deal was struck with Clay Buchholz back in 2011. For a position player, you have to go back to the team’s 2008 pact with Dustin Pedroia.

As always, you can keep up with the latest representation information with MLBTR’s Agency Database.

Bumgarner, 26, has gone from being a quality young pitcher to a bona fide top-of-the-rotation star. He’s ended each of the last three seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA, and has increased his innings output and K:BB ratio in each successive campaign. Last year, he spun a career-high 218 1/3 frames and struck out 9.6 while walking only 1.6 opposing batters per nine.

Of course, the Giants were able to lock MadBum into an early-career extension just prior to the 2012 season. That pact largely lined up with the guarantees given to other impressive young starters, but did set a record for 1+ service-time pitchers when it was signed.

Now, of course, the contract is an unquestionable steal for San Francisco, which controls Bumgarner through 2019 via a pair of $12MM options. That would take Bumgarner through his age-29 season, meaning he could still hit the open market at a reasonably young age — or, of course, consider an additional extension.

Bumgarner joins an already-impressive stable of pitchers with Excel, including Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Masahiro Tanaka. As always, you can find information on player representation in MLBTR’s Agency Database.

The Dodgers have expressed interest in reaching a long-term extension with Kershaw. However, Heyman reports that the sides haven’t started discussing a new deal. The left-hander will earn $11MM in 2013 then hit free agency following the 2014 season. He has considerable leverage after winning the 2011 Cy Young award and finishing second in this year’s balloting. 

The Dodgers are focused on their contract negotiations with Korean left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu and on free agent pitchers, Heyman writes. Zack Greinke and Anibal Sanchez are on Los Angeles’ radar and Kyle Lohse could be of interest as well.

MLBTR’s Agency Database has up-to-date information on MLB players and their agents.

“I believe that CAA Sports is best positioned to help me achieve my goals both on and off the field,” Howard said in an official statement.

Meanwhile, Excel Sports Management has added two pitchers who were former clients of CAA. MLB agents Casey Close and David O'Hagan added free agent right-hander Jeremy Guthrie and Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz to their list of clients at Excel, Mullen reports.

Be sure to check MLBTR’s Agency Database for up to date information about players and their agents.