The first day of the offseason for all of Major League Baseball kicked off yesterday with 149 players officially electing free agency and numerous others joining that group after having their options declined.
One of the bigger names to get their option declined was first baseman Adam Lind by the Washington Nationals. The Nats decided to give the veteran Lind a $500K buyout instead of paying him $5 million for the 2018 season.
Lind, 34, had a fine season in limited time hitting .303/.362/.513 with 14 foubles, 14 home runs and 59 RBI in 301 plate appearances. The majority of those plate appearances, 269, came against right-handed pitching. Lind also played 25 games in left field giving him his first outfield action since 2010.
Huston Street also finds himself as a free agent after the Los Angeles Angels declined his $10 million option. Injuries have limited the former star closer to only 30 appearances over the past two seasons and only four scoreless innings of work in 2017. The 34-year-old has 324 career saves.
The Angels also declined their team option on veteran starter Ricky Nolasco after he went 6-15 with a 4.92 ERA, 5.10 FIP and 1.45 WHIP in 181 innings during the 2017 season. The 34-year-old is just one year removed from posting a 4.42 ERA, 4.14 FIP and 1.25 combined for the Minnesota Twins and the Angels.
Jed Lowrie will stay with the Oakland Athletics for one more season after having his $6 million option picked up. The veteran infielder hit .277/.360/.448 with 49 doubles, 14 home runs and 69 RBI in 2017.
Other News and Notes
The Texas Rangers hired Don Wakamatsu to be their bench coach according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Utility man Andrew Romine was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners. He played all nine positions in the Detroit Tigers 2017 season finale.
The Arizona Diamondbacks exercised their team option on infielder Daniel Descalso.
White Sox declined a mutual option on veteran catcher Geovany Soto.
Twins star Miguel Sano will have surgery later this month to have a titanium rod inserted into his leg and will be out for six-to-eight weeks.
The Mariners declined the options on veteran right-handed pitchers Yovani Gallardo and Hisashi Iwakuma.
Red Sox made two obvious moves by formally exercising the 2018 club options on Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel. They also outrighted left-hander Robbie Ross Jr. who elected free agency. Lastly, they announced that Tony La Russa will join the organization as a special assistant to the GM.
Former Mets Darrell Ceciliani and Carlos Torres were both recently outrighted and chose free agency.
