Strasburg Deal Could Be Sealed Before Winter Meetings
Stephen Strasburg, one-third of this offseason’s most elite free agents- with Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon as the remaining two-thirds- could potentially re-sign with the Washington Nationals before the Winter Meetings even begin on December 8, says Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
The Nats made no effort to hide their interest in re-signing the righty after he decided to opt-out of the remaining four years and $100 million on his contract, with negotiations opening up almost immediately following this opt-out.
Braves Bring Back Chris Martin, Add Players To 40-man Roster
The Atlanta Braves made another addition to their roster on Tuesday evening, announcing that they have signed reliever Chris Martin to a two-year deal worth $14 million. Martin finished 2019 with the Braves after the club acquired him at the trade deadline.
Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors also reported that the Atlanta Braves selected the contracts of outfielder Cristian Pache, catcher William Contreras, as well as pitchers Jasseel De La Cruz, Tucker Davidson, and Phil Pfeifer. Pache, Contreras, De La Cruz, and Davidson are ranked by MLB.com as four of Atlanta’s top 15 prospects.
The Braves’ decision to add all five players now protects them from being selected in the upcoming Rule 5 draft, with the protection deadline set for Wednesday evening.
Akiyama is Potential Piece for Cubs
The Cubs are interested in Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama, and according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, this could make a whole lot of sense for Chicago.
Akiyama could potentially fill the club’s current holes in the leadoff spot as well as in center field, while also remaining an affordable option. The outfielder is reportedly looking for three years and $15 million, which appears doable for a Chicago team that is limited financially after exceeding the luxury tax in 2019 and anticipating a 2020 payroll of more than $200 million.
