ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
Alex Colomé, $10.3M (tender)
Yolmer Sánchez, $6.2M (non-tender)
James McCann, $4.9M (tender)
Carlos Rodon, $4.5M (tender)
Leury García, $4M (non-tender)
Evan Marshall, $1.3M (tender)
Josh Osich, $1M (non-tender)
Ryan Goins, $900K (non-tender)
CLUB OPTIONS
Write “pick up” or “decline” after the option.
Welington Castillo: $8 million/$500,000 buyout (buyout)
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Try to retain, or let go?
Jose Abreu (made $16M in 2019) (resign @ 2yr/$30m)
Iván Nova (made $9,166,167 in 2019) (let go)
Jon Jay (made $4M in 2019) (let go)
Hector Santiago (made $2M in 2019 on split contract) (let go)
FREE AGENTS
Zack Wheeler (5yr/$100m) - The rotation needs another solid arm. Wheeler may be the outer limit of what is financially possible.
Will Smith (3yr/$32m)(12,10,10) - Bullpen needs a boost and Smith should handle that just fine.
Yasmani Grandal (4yr/$76m)(20,20,18,18) - Tempted to wait a year for a run at Realmuto, but I decided Grandal is a fine catcher to plug into the lineup so let's do it.
Mike Moustakas (2yr/$24m w/team option) - Ok, maybe I went crazy, but I'm signing Moustakas to start at 2nd base until Madrigal is ready. Then he slides over to DH or can be utility. Depth is the key here.
TRADES
White Sox receive Shin-Soo Choo ($21m), Lance Lynn ($10m)
Rangers receive Kelvin Herrera ($8.5m), Blake Rutherford, Jimmy Lambert, +$2m
I consider this a salary dump for a Rangers team sorely in need of a rebuild and looking to add depth to their system. Lynn is the prize of this deal and Rangers use him to get rid of most of Choo's salary (minus the difference of Herrera's). Choo may be 37 but he still swiped 15 bags and hit 24 HRs. Did I mention the .371 OBP left handed bat?
SUMMARY
I think I ended up around $128m or so. Not sure about the fairness of the trade, but attempted to throw something together. In this scenario, the roster looks like this on opening day....
SS Anderson (R)
3B Moncada (S)
1B Abreu (R)
C Grandal (S)
2B Moose (L)
LF Eloy (R)
RF Choo (L)
DH McCann (R)
CF Engel (R)
Giolito, Lynn, Wheeler, Kopech, Cease/Lopez
Colome, Smith, Bummer, Marshall, Cease/Lopez, etc....
I hope to see Robert and Madrigal move into the majors quickly which bumps Engel back to 4th OF'er and moves Moustakas to DH/Utility. Choo leaves after 1 season and opens the door for a potential Betts signing next offseason (we can dream, right?) or one of the prospects to develop and make a case for playing time. Other options would be George Springer or Joc Pederson I believe.
