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Dodgers Poised For Kershaw Reunion
The Hot Stove is officially sizzling. With free agency underway, teams have already begun re-shaping their rosters with a flurry of ancillary transactions as the free agent landscape starts to take shape through opt-outs, qualifying offers and non-tenders. The biggest development of the early stages of the offseason comes from Los Angeles. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Dodgers are closing in on a one-year contract with free agent left-hander Clayton Kershaw. The club decided against tendering the future Hall of Famer with a one-year, $19.65 million qualifying offer, enabling him to test the open market without any restrictions, but it appears that the two sides are headed for a reunion. The 34-year-old southpaw has spent the last 15 seasons in a Dodgers uniform and is coming off a remarkable late-career renaissance campaign last year in which he compiled a stellar 2.28 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 137/23 K/BB ratio across 126 1/3 innings (22 starts).
Kershaw’s halcyon days last decade where he was an NL Cy Young Award front-runner and elite fantasy contributor are in the rear view mirror, however, he’s proven that he can still make a significant impact for fantasy managers, when fully healthy. He missed a chunk of the 2022 campaign due to a lower back pelvic-area issue, but was still able to pitch at a high level after returning from the ailment. Fantasy managers shouldn’t bank on Kershaw making 30 starts at this advanced stage of his career, which limits his fantasy ceiling moving forward, but his impending return to Los Angeles is certainly a positive development for his future fantasy impact. He should remain a top-40 fantasy starter in drafts next spring.
Padres Re-Sign Potential Future Closer
The Padres have locked up their potential closer of the future. With elite closer Josh Hader, who was acquired from the Brewers last August at the trade deadline, slated to hit free agency at the conclusion of the 2023 season, and Edwin Díaz landing a massive five-year, $102 million contract from the Mets earlier this week, San Diego’s front office moved quickly to retain their hard-throwing set-up specialist on a five-year, $46 million contract. Robert Suarez looked virtually unhittable in the late stages of the regular season and postseason, finishing his Padres debut last year with a 2.27 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 61/21 K/BB ratio across 47 2/3 innings (45 appearances). He declined his $5 million player option for the 2023 season earlier this week to become a free agent this offseason, but didn’t end up staying on the open market very long. The flame-throwing 31-year-old right-hander was one of the premier stoppers in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball for years prior to coming back stateside and could factor into the Padres closer mix in the later stages of the upcoming season. At a bare minimum, he’s worthy of a speculative late-round stash for fantasy managers, especially those in deeper mixed leagues.
16 Free Agents Receive Qualifying Offers
With free agents finally cleared to negotiate and sign with new teams, the following 16 players received one-year, $19.65 million qualifying offers from their former team prior to Thursday afternoon’s deadline: Yankees OF Aaron Judge, Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts, Braves SS Dansby Swanson, Cubs C Willson Contreras, Dodgers LHP Tyler Anderson, Dodgers SS Trea Turner, Giants LHP Carlos Rodón, Mets RHP’s Jacob deGrom and Chris Bassitt, Mets OF Brandon Nimmo, Rangers LHP Martín Pérez, Red Sox RHP Nathan Eovaldi, Yankees 1B Anthony Rizzo and Giants OF Joc Pederson.
Just 11 of the 110 players to receive a qualifying offer since 2012 have actually accepted it. This year’s group has until Tuesday, November 15 to make a final decision. There are no real surprises among this offseason’s crop outside of the Giants’ decision to present a qualifying offer to Pederson, who seems like the most likely candidate to accept the offer. Some of the notable names that didn’t receive a qualifying offer, which will boost their appeal on the open marker this offseason, include Astros OF Michael Brantley, Mets RHP Taijuan Walker, Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez and Yankees RHP Jameson Taillon.
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MLB Quick Hits: Pirates acquired 1B Ji-Man Choi from the Rays for RHP Jack Hartman … Justin Verlander exercised the opt-out clause in his contract with the Astros ... Nick Martinez declined his $6.5 million player option for the 2023 season ... Dodgers declined their $16 million club option on 3B Justin Turner ... Mets exercised their $14 million club option on RHP Carlos Carrasco for the 2023 season ... Rays declined their $13 million club option on OF Kevin Kiermaier for the 2023 season ... Reds acquired INF/OF Nick Solak from the Rangers ... Reds signed RHP Kevin Herget to a minor league contract ... Rays released RHP Nick Anderson.
