The 2020 season is now in the book, with the Los Angeles Dodgers winning the World Series for the first time since 1988. Teams are now beginning to look ahead towards the off-season in preparation for the 2021 season. On Thursday, the Cleveland Indians made the first move in a cost-cutting measure.
According to The Athletic’s Zach Meisel, the Indians are placing closer Brad Hand on waivers. Hand led the league with sixteen saves and a 2-1 record in the short season with 29 strikeouts and 2.05 ERA. With the Indians placing him on waivers to decline his ten million option, the team is now in cost-cutting mode. Hand will not be the only player being released in the coming days before free agency. The Indians won’t be the only team looking to cut costs. This year’s free agency could determine where teams are headed into the 2021 season.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred claimed that the league’s 30 teams will lose anywhere from $2.8 to $3 billion combined in operational losses. With many cities not allowing fans to fill the stadiums, teams have had to lay off their employees during the season, and more could be on the way. With an uncertain future heading into the 2021 season, players will soon feel the repercussions.
This year’s free agency class highlights Houston Astros outfielder George Springer and Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto. Both players are seeking big-time contracts like those in previous years. This time around, teams may be avoiding the market altogether, or players will have to take smaller deals to join a team.
History has shown that giving players big-time contracts in their early 30’s does not end well. In Realmuto’s case, the last catcher who got paid was former Minnesota Twins catch Joe Mauer. The difference is, Mauer was 26 and signed an eight-year extension worth $184 million in 2010. That year, Mauer had arthroscopic knee surgery and missed most of the 2010 season.
Since the contract extension, Mauer battled a ton of injuries, and he would move to first base a year later and remain there until the end of his career.
Other notable players who got paid at or around 30-years-old were Albert Pujols, Robinson Cano, Josh Hamilton, and Yoenis Céspedes. Once these players got paid, their production started to decline, leading to fans and sportswriters wondering why these teams paid them when they did not get their money’s worth.
Depending on what happens in the next several months, such as a vaccine for the coronavirus, fans may still not be allowed to fill the stands at sporting events. This furthers the impact on teams nationwide. Teams are now focusing on saving money any way they can to limit their organization’s impact. This year’s free agency class should take whatever teams are willing to offer them and nothing more.
Times have changed, players need to reevaluate what they will be willing to accept. Deals can be made once life returns to a more normal time. Be willing to take one or two-year contracts, especially with so many people struggling.
