MLB Free Agency Tracker: A's trade Chapman, Cubs sign Suzuki

Rejoice, baseball fans!

After months of ongoing discussions and negotiations, Major League Baseball's labor dispute came to an end Thursday. MLB and the players' union agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement to last through 2026, which means baseball is back open for business.

Less than four months ago, shortly after the Atlanta Braves were crowned World Series champions, the free-agency market took off, and moves were being made all across MLB. Max Scherzer signed with the New York Mets, followed by Javy Báez to the Detroit Tigers and Corey Seager to the Texas Rangers. Big-name players were flying off the market, and now that the lockout has come to an end, that free-agency chaos is back.

Stay up-to-date here with all the biggest franchise-changing moves.

A's reportedly trade 3B Matt Chapman to Blue Jays for prospects

Oakland's purge continues, as after dealing right-hander Chris Bassitt to the Mets last week and Matt Olson to Atlanta on Monday, the A's have reportedly traded slugger Matt Chapman to Toronto for prospects.

In 2021, Chapman batted just .210 and struck out 202 times, but he also hit 27 home runs and drove in 72 runs. In five seasons with the A's, he batted .243 and averaged 31 homers.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:

On The Blue Jays: Amidst their reported pursuits of Kyle Schwarber and Freddie Freeman, Toronto decided to pivot to the trade route and get in on the Oakland fire sale. Two years ago, Chapman seemed to be ascending into the upper-echelon of superstars in baseball, pairing uber-elite defense at the hot corner with some serious pop. His overall offensive game has slipped over the last two seasons as the whiffs have piled up and the batting average has continued to decline, but the power is very much still there and his glove still makes him a well above-average player. Toronto wasn't exactly lacking in right-handed power, so Chapman might seem like a tad bit of overkill there, but his defense alone is a tremendous upgrade as the Blue Jays try to push themselves into legitimate World Series contender mode after coming up oh-so-short of the postseason in 2021. 

On The A's: It's impossible not to compare this deal with what Oakland got for the other Matt they shipped to Atlanta earlier this week, and through that lens, this is a bit underwhelming. Hoglund is the headliner, and I'm a huge fan -- he would've been a candidate to go in the top-five picks of the 2021 MLB Draft had he not torn his UCL during his junior year at Ole Miss, which is what dropped him to Toronto at pick No. 19. If he comes back from Tommy John surgery strong, it's not hard to imagine him establishing himself as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball in a hurry. Smith has had an odd Minor League career: a huge pro debut in A-ball in 2018 followed by a horrific 2019 in Double-A, and then a big bounce-back in AAA last year when he also reached the big leagues. He could be a useful infielder right away, and Snead and Logue are both low-slot lefties who can contribute at the big league level soon in a starting or relief role, but to what end? To some degree, Oakland gets the benefit of the doubt for having turned not-so-sexy rosters on paper into respectable big league teams for years. But if the trades keep coming -- and Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas seem to still be available -- it's going to be hard to imagine this team conjuring up a winning record no matter their reputation. 

Grade: C+

Grade: A

Kyle Schwarber signs with Phillies

After hitting 32 homers last season for the Nationals and Red Sox, Schwarber is returning to the National League, signing with the Phillies. Schwarber slugged 25 home runs in just 72 games for Washington before being traded to Boston, where he batted .291 in 41 games down the stretch.

Schwarber can play the corner outfield spots and has limited experience at first base. But now that the DH is universal, he'll most likely fill that role for Philadelphia.

Cubs sign Japanese OF Seiya Suzuki

The Cubs signed Suzuki for five years and $85 million as a free agent posted by the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. The 27-year-old outfielder played nine seasons for Hiroshima in Nippon Professional Baseball. He batted .319 with 38 homers and 88 RBIs in 2021 and has a .315 career average with 182 homers and 562 RBIs.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:

On The Cubs: It's been a fascinating year for the North Siders, having traded away much of their World Series core for a bunch of teenage prospects only to turn around and hand Marcus Stroman a $71M contract for three years. Were they rebuilding? Were they jumping right back into contention? Heading into the lockout, it was unclear. 

Now, they bring in another big free agent in SeiyaSuzuki, albeit an unusually young one and thus one who can grow with the core of the next good Cubs team. I am a big believer in Suzuki's ability to succeed in MLB, but $85-plus million is an enormous bet on any player coming from a foreign league considering how relatively few examples we have of such players succeeding. The undeniable risk holds this back from being a home run, but Cubs fans surely have to be elated about adding a player like Suzuki, who will at the very least make their 2022 team a whole lot more interesting, even if he alone can't push them back into contention right away. 

Grade: B+

On Suzuki: When the lockout went into effect 10 days into Suzuki's 30-day negotiation period, it seemingly left him in a precarious position. As a result, he'd be behind a normal timeline for a foreign player signing in December or January and having to transition to a new country, culture and league. But Suzuki reportedly was steadfast in his desire to play in MLB no matter how long it took for the lockout to get resolved, and his patience has certainly paid off.

Suzuki has been arguably the best all-around player in Japan for years now, and he clearly had multiple suitors, which drove his price way up. Now he gets to cash in on a five-year deal and join a rebuilding Cubs team with an amazing fanbase but without having the pressure to perform right away. 

Grade: A+

On The Padres: Ouch. As if San Diego's week couldn't get any more frustrating following the announcement of Fernando Tatis Jr.'s broken wrist that will keep up out for the first half of the 2022 season, now the Padres watch one of their top free-agent targets — one who was erroneously reported by some Japanese outlets earlier in the week to have signed with them — ink a contract elsewhere. With Opening Day drawing ever closer, Padres GM AJ Preller is running out of time to make a significant splash to help the team bounce back from a disastrous 2021. 

Anthony Rizzo returning to New York

Rizzo, who finished last season with the Yankees after being traded at the deadline from the Chicago Cubs, agreed to a two-year, $32 million contract to stay in New York. 

Rizzo got off to a red-hot start with the Yankees, but slowed down after a bout with COVID-19. He finished the 2021 campaign hitting .248 with 22 home runs.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:

On The Yankees:One day after missing out on the Matt Olson sweepstakes, the Yankees seemingly decided to take themselves out of the Freddie Freeman sweepstakes by bringing back Rizzo (who is just a month older than Freeman) for a more extended run in the Bronx. While his offensive output has started to decline slightly over the last two seasons, Rizzo still provides an excellent OBP boost via walks and an elite proclivity for being plunked (he's the active leader in career HBPs). Plus, he rejoins a lineup that still desperately needed some more left-handed juice alongside Joey Gallo and switch-hitter Aaron Hicks. If this is the end of the Yankees' off-season, it's safe to say that most fans would be underwhelmed. But they at least managed to put together a lineup that should still scare most pitching staffs, and that should not be overlooked.

Grade: B

Braves sign new 1B Matt Olson to massive contract extension

The Braves announced Tuesday that they have signed newly acquired first baseman Matt Olson to an eight-year contract extension that will pay him $168 million. The deal will run through the 2029 season and includes a $20 million club option for 2030.

In the contract, which is the largest in team history, Olson will make $15 million in 2022, $21 million in 2023 and $22 million per season over the remainder of the deal. He also has agreed to donate $1.68 million to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.

The Braves acquired Olson from Oakland on Monday in exchange for four players, including outfielder Cristian Pache. 

This appears to bring an end to the Freddie Freeman era in Atlanta (more on that below).

McCutchen to the Brewers

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, OT Andrew McCutchen and the Milwaukee Brewers came to terms on a deal Monday evening.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:

On the Brewers: McCutchen might not be the dynamic athlete in the outfield he once was, but any discussion of Cutch's demise offensively has been greatly exaggerated. His 14.1% walk-rate was seventh-best among qualified hitters in 2021, buoyed by a 94th percentile chase rate (how often a batter swings at pitches out of the strike zone). The addition of the DH in the NL also allows Milwaukee to plug his bat in that spot if they aren't thrilled with the idea of the 35-year-old Cutch roaming left field. Overall, adding Cutch to the pre-lockout addition of Hunter Renfroe is a nifty combo to make up for the offensive hole left by Avisail Garcia's departure. Add in the fact that Cutch is easily one of the coolest, funniest, most well-liked people in the entire sport and this is an easy win for the Brew Crew. 

Grade: B+

Mariners add Winker and Suarez

On Monday evening, the Mariners acquired OF Jesse Winker and INF Eugenio Suárez from the Reds.

The Reds receive RHP Justin Dunn, OF Jake Fraley, LHP Brandon Williamson and a player to be named later or cash.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:

On the Mariners: It was only a matter of time before Trader Jerry struck in the post-lockout frenzy, and this one was a doozy. Winker is a bona fide All-Star slugger who demolishes right-handed pitching and bolsters a Seattle lineup desperately in need of some pop. Speaking of pop, ZERO players have more home runs the past four seasons than Suárez, who struggled for most of 2021 before bouncing back with an epic September in which he posted a 1.268 OPS. 

The Reds clearly viewed Suárez as a negative contract and attached Winker in order to move it, but the third baseman is only 30 years old and a few years removed from receiving down-ballot MVP votes. Seattle was focused on addressing both 3B and LF when the winter began, and the Mariners managed to do both in one trade. This would be a full-blown A if it were a precursor to another big addition offensively, but Dipoto seems to have already suggested that fans shouldn't expect anything else on that front.

Grade: A-

On the Reds: Dunn and Fraley are young big leaguers with prospect pedigree who have shown flashes of being solid, but each has struggled mightily to stay on the field long enough to prove it. If they can stay healthy, these two should step in and contribute quickly. It has also been reported that a PTBNL of some significance will be part of this deal at some point, so make of that what you will. The real saving grace of this deal is Williamson, who has been steadily climbing the minor-league ranks, has emerged as one of the more promising southpaw prospects in baseball and should join the Reds' rotation at some point in 2022. 

All in all, though, much like every other move Cincinnati has made this offseason, this was about shedding payroll, and that should never be celebrated, especially for a team that could have been in the NL Central mix with a few moves in the right direction. Instead, they keep going backward, and that's a real shame for Joey Votto and Reds fans in general. 

Grade: C-

A's sending Matt Olson to Braves

News broke Monday that the Braves and Athletics had come to terms on a trade to send first baseman Matt Olson to Atlanta in return for a haul of prospects.

The move signals the beginning of a teardown in Oakland and the end of the Freddie Freeman era in Atlanta, with Olson returning to his home state after nearly 10 years with the A's.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jake Mintz:

On the Braves: Matt Olson is in, and Freddie Freeman is gone. I love this deal for Atlanta, but there’s no such thing as an A+ if a franchise icon is out the door. Letting Freeman go is ruthless and emotionless, especially if you believe reports that he wanted to stay, but it’s clear that the Braves just weren’t interested in bringing him back. If they really wanted to, they had years to put an extension together, but they chose door number two.

From a calculated, soulless, baseball numbers perspective, it makes a lot of sense. You’re dealing away no top-50 prospects for one of the top two first basemen in baseball (Freeman is the other). Instead of shelling out big cash to Freeman for his age-32 to 37 seasons, the Braves dealt for Olson and can now extend him for a similar rate for his age-28 to 33 seasons. If Freddie had been a one-year rental, letting him go in favor of a younger alternative would be a no-brainer. But this is baseball, and love is a piece of it.

Braves fans shouldn’t be too distraught, though. They still have a core of franchise faces to love, including Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson. And Olson is no slouch. He finished eighth in AL MVP voting last year, with 39 home runs and an OPS+ of 153 after slicing his strikeout rate in half. Sure, he’s not a lifetime Brave like Freeman, but Olson grew up in Georgia as a massive Braves fan. If you’re going to let someone like Freddie Freeman walk, this is about as good of a replacement as you can get.

Grade: A-

On the A's: The people running the Oakland A’s are smarter than me, and they’re smarter than you. Billy Beane, David Forst & Co. have been building and rebuilding with limited financial commitment from ownership since I was in diapers. There’s even a movie about it!

That said, I’m super underwhelmed by this return. As is the case with any prospect haul, there’s a glass-half-full and a glass-half-empty view on it. Cristian Pache is an elite defender in center field who is only 23 and could still figure it out at the plate, but so far, he has been an abysmal hitter at the big-league level. There’s a reason the Braves had to trade for all those outfielders last year at the deadline; they straight-up didn’t believe in Pache.

Shea Langeliers was a first-round pick out of Baylor in 2019 and is thought of as an outstanding defensive catcher with average power and enough feel for hitting to let that power work. Chances are he’s a perfectly good starting big-league catcher close to the big leagues (he got up to Triple-A in 2021), but he's by no means a superstar. It’s an odd addition for the A’s, who already have a controllable, young catcher who is definitely better than Langeliers in Sean Murphy. 

Ryan Cusick was Atlanta’s first-rounder this past season. The right-hander out of Wake Forest has a top-of-the-charts fastball that sits in the high 90s and can touch triple digits, with good spin characteristics. He was dominant in his pro debut in Low-A but needs to prove he can throw strikes consistently at higher levels. Some evaluators see a reliever here. 

Joey Estes was a 2021 breakout guy who has seen his stuff jump forward since he was drafted out of a California high school in 2019. His numbers for Low-A Augusta were phenomenal, but he has a long way to go until he’s a contributor at the big-league level. If it all clicks, he’s a solid No. 4 starter.

Olson’s departure is probably the first of many moves for an Oakland team clearly in rebuilding mode. Starter Chris Bassitt was shipped to the Mets over the weekend, and many expect starter Frankie Montas and third baseman Matt Chapman to be on the trade block as well. For all the shrewd moves Oakland’s top brass have conjured over the past few decades, the true sin of Moneyball was showing everyone that it’s possible to be good without spending money. With more investment, the A’s could have extended the two Matts, Olson and Chapman and built around that core instead of firesale-ing them off for a dice roll on the future.

Grade: C

On the Dodgers: With the Yankees just under the luxury tax after adding Josh Donaldson’s big contract Sunday and the Braves going the Matt Olson route, the Dodgers look like the front-runners to sign Freddie Freeman. They’d have to do some slight defensive reshuffling in the infield, likely pushing Max Muncy to second or DH, but Freeman is a southern California native who would elevate the Dodgers' lineup to a whole other level. Mookie Betts, Muncy, Trea Turner and Justin Turner plus Freeman would be just ridiculously good.

Grade: A

Yankees and Twins make five-player deal

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Yankees and Twins made a blockbuster trade Sunday night to send Josh Donaldson, Isaiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt to New York and Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela to Minnesota.

The deal is widely viewed as a cost-cutting move for the Twins, who wanted to shed some of Donaldson's hefty salary, and a chance for the Yankees to move on from Sánchez.

Also, the Yankees might have found their solution at shortstop with the acquisition of Kiner-Falefa.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jake Mintz:

On the Yankees: The Yanks filled a hole but created some new ones along the way. Let’s start with Donaldson, who immediately becomes the every-day third baseman. The 2015 American League MVP has struggled to stay healthy as he creeps deeper into his 30s, but he's still a difference-maker at the plate whenever he suits up.

Kiner-Falefa, who has had a really bizarre past few days, gives the Yankees something they haven’t had since peak Didi Gregorius: a reliable, no-doubt defensive shortstop. When Texas inked Corey Seager and Marcus Semien to enormous deals before the lockout, Kiner-Falefa became expendable and was traded to Minnesota on Saturday for catcher Mitch Garver. He showed up to Twins camp Sunday, shook manager Rocco Baldelli’s hand and was promptly dealt to the Yankees.

Rortvedt made his big-league debut last year and struggled in limited time but is thought of as a perfectly feasible backup catcher who has the potential to develop into a low-end regular.

Grade: B-

On the Twins: I like this deal a smidge more for the Twins than for the Yankees just because of Gary Sánchez's upside, but Minnesota still needs to convert the payroll flexibility gained from flipping Donaldson’s hefty contract into another acquisition or two. Donaldson was owed an average of $23 million over the next two seasons, and sending his contract to New York pushes the Twins' payroll under where it was last year, which hopefully leads to them splurging a bit on the free-agent market.

Sánchez still has the otherworldly raw power that made him a household baseball name in 2016. He just needs to rediscover some consistency in his approach.

Urshela’s bat took a step back in 2021 after two outstanding offensive seasons in ‘19 and ‘20, but he remains a superb defender at third base and a viable one at shortstop. The Twins have been connected to free-agent shortstop Trevor Story the past few days and seem intent on filling that spot externally. With Donaldson gone, expect Urshela to play the majority of innings at the hot corner for the Twins.

Grade: B

Nelson Cruz signs with the Nats

Also Sunday, soon-to-be 42-year-old Nelson Cruz signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Washington Nationals.

The DH has continued to be productive through his late 30s and into his 40s and now will team up with young star Juan Soto in D.C.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jake Mintz:

Cruz turns 42 on July 1. He’s going to get paid 15 million buckaroos this year for playing baseball, and he deserves every dollar of it. The National League’s addition of the designated hitter definitely played a role in buoying Cruz’s market, considering that both the Dodgers and Padres showed real interest. 

While Cruz was his typical dynamite self in the first half of 2021 for the Twins, he was less productive after a midseason trade to the Rays. His bat slumbered in Tampa’s ALDS loss to Boston, with his 3-for-17 a big part of Tampa Bay's premature exit from October. Perhaps time is finally coming for one of the game’s most enduring characters, but he’ll get the chance to prove otherwise.

Since establishing himself in the bigs at age 28 for the Rangers back in 2009, Cruz has been one of the most formidable and consistent hitters in baseball. General wisdom says players begin to tail off in their 30s, as their bodies fall victim to the evils of aging, but Cruz has been one of the few players to buck that trend. His 372 home runs after age 30 are seventh on the all-time list behind the tallies of the four greatest baseball players ever (Bonds, Ruth, Mays, Aaron), another Hall of Famer (Thome) and a guy who would be in if not for PEDs (Palmeiro).

Cruz’s PED suspension in 2013 raises some questions about the legitimacy of his longevity, but he owned up to his transgressions and has tested clean ever since. While he has begun to discuss the end of his career in a few interviews, Cruz clearly wants to keep playing for as long as he can, and the Nationals are a perfect fit. He gets guaranteed at-bats on a team with relatively low expectations that also has Soto, the most talented hitter in the world. If the Nats are blah, they can deal Cruz to a contender at the deadline. If they surprise, he’ll probably be a key reason for it. It’s a win for both sides.

Nationals Grade: A+

Cruz Grade: A+

Twins acquire Sonny Gray from Reds

On Sunday, the Twins got into the fun by trading RHP Chase Petty to the Reds in exchange for RHP Sonny Gray and RHP Francis Peguero.

The move signaled the Twins' desire to bounce back after a supremely disappointing 2021 season.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:

On the Twins: The Twins could have gone a few different directions coming off their disastrous 2021 season, and Minnesota fans have to be thrilled that the front office has decided to push the roster toward contention, rather than rebuilding. Gray was a popular trade target for several contending teams, but arguably no team needed him quite as badly as Minnesota, whose rotation was left rather barren following the Jose Berrios trade to Toronto last summer. Gray as a No. 1 starter isn't necessarily the most intimidating force in the league, but he certainly gives this pitching staff far more credibility, and he's coming off an awfully underrated run with Cincinnati. 

Grade: A-

On the Reds: It was no secret that the Reds were going to offload at least one of their starting pitchers post-lockout, and Gray always seemed like the most likely to go. When teams trade veteran stars, they usually target either less-risky prospects closer to helping the big-league club or prospects with star potential who are several years away from actualizing. In acquiring Petty, Cincinnati opted for the upside route, going for a young pitcher who had some of the most ridiculous stuff scouts have ever seen from a high schooler — up to 102 mph with some truly gnarly secondaries. That said, the high school right-hander is about as risky a demographic as there is in the MLB Draft, so while it's exciting to dream on Petty's upside, he faces a long climb up the development ladder, with many obstacles along the way, staying healthy chief among them. 

Grade: C+

Chris Bassitt heading to Mets

On Saturday, the Athletics began their teardown by sending starting pitcher Chris Bassitt to New York in exchange for RHPs JT Ginn and Adam Oller.

The 2021 All-Star joins a robust Mets starting rotation featuring Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:

On the Mets: It might be for just one year, but adding a legitimate No. 2 starter to a team that already has two bona fide No. 1 starters is a pretty nifty move, especially considering the Mets didn't give up any of their tippy-top prospects. Bassitt has been tremendously underrated the past few seasons in Oakland, and his craftier arsenal should pair nicely with the fire-breathing repertoires of deGrom and Scherzer. This should be an excellent example of the wider baseball world finding out just how good a player who has been excellent in a smaller market really is. 

Grade: A

On the A's: At first glance, this return looked closer to a C- for me, but I think getting two starting pitchers who project to help the big-league club relatively soon for just one year of Bassitt is a decent return, if not a flashy one. Oller came out of nowhere after being an MiLB Rule 5 pick to have one of the better seasons by any starting pitcher in the upper minors in 2021, and he should help the A's rotation as soon as this year. 

Ginn has been famous since high school, selected as a prep arm by the Dodgers in the first round before turning them down and matriculating to Mississippi State. He was on track to be a first-rounder once again before Tommy John surgery in 2020 derailed his ascent to pro ball, pushing him into the second round to New York. If he can regain his pre-surgery form — and he started to look like it in the second half of 2021 — it isn't unreasonable to imagine him developing into a top-100-type pitching prospect over the next couple of years.

Grade: B-

Dodgers reportedly targeting Freeman

According to Juan Toribio of MLB.com, the Dodgers are looking to make a splash in free agency, with their main target being one of the biggest names on the market: slugging first baseman and Southern California native Freddie Freeman.

Following Atlanta's World Series title last fall, most observers believed Freeman would re-sign with the Braves, the team he has played for since he reached the majors in 2010. But according to Toribio, "the longer Freeman has stayed on the market, the more the Dodgers believe they have a chance to steal him away from the team that eliminated them from the postseason."

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said: "I would love to see Freddie Freeman in a Dodger uniform. Who wouldn’t?"

And first baseman Max Muncy, who was spotted taking grounders at second base Saturday, said, "I think he would be pretty incredible in this lineup. He’s one of the best hitters in the game. There’s no doubt. … Any team would be happy to have him, especially us. He would fit in this lineup really well, and we would be extremely dangerous, that’s for sure."

Cubs favored to land Correa?

According to Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com, the Chicago Cubs are among the favorites to land star shortstop Carlos Correa, citing their payroll flexibility.

"The Cubs were among the teams that had the heaviest dialogue with Correa’s camp in the hours before the lockout began in early December, and there is every reason to believe those conversations will resume," Morosi wrote.

The Astros aren't quite ready to give up on retaining their former No. 1 overall draft pick, however, with Houston owner Jim Crane recently saying he would circle back now that the market has reopened.

"I’m sure we’ll engage one more time, and we’ll see what happens," Crane said. "Carlos is a great player. He’s a one-of-a-kind player. I thought we made a good offer before. We’ll see where they’re at on their side. I’m sure we’ll talk to them shortly."

Rodón heading to San Francisco

Fresh off a dominant 2021 season, Carlos Rodón is taking his talents to the Golden City and should bolster an already-impressive Giants pitching staff. 

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Rodón and the Giants are in agreement on a two-year, $44 million deal. The 29-year-old lefty will join a rotation that includes Logan Webb, Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood and Alex Cobb. The Giants ranked second in MLB in 2021 with a team ERA of 3.24.

Rodón was a first-time All-Star in '21 and finished fifth in AL Cy Young Award voting. He went 13-5 on the mound with a 2.37 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 132 2/3 innings for the White Sox.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Jordan Shusterman:

On the Giants: Before the lockout, the Giants seemed focused on retaining a good chunk of the team that won 107 games a year ago in one of the more shocking regular-season performances in recent history. Brandon Belt, DeSclafani and Wood were all brought back, while Cobb was the most notable external addition. The relatively surprising Buster Posey retirement left a Hall of Fame-sized hole at catcher, but it also likely opened up even more payroll flexibility for the team to go out and fill the gap atop the rotation left by Kevin Gausman.

Going after Rodón — particularly with a short-term, high-AAV commitment — is a savvy play by Farhan Zaidi & Co., who are left with a roster filled with a lot of good players but not many guys who could conceivably be great, All-Star level studs. When healthy, Rodón is absolutely that, and he should join Webb atop the San Francisco rotation to create a fearsome one-two punch. 

Grade: A

On Rodón: The only mark against this for Rodón is the brevity of the deal compared to those handed out to Kevin Gausman and Robbie Ray. You can reasonably read that as a reflection of Rodón's injury history, compared to the track records of durability of Ray and Gausman, but we don't know for sure if he didn't receive any longer-term offers. What's more likely is that Rodón was betting on himself staying healthy and delivering another excellent season (or two), with the opt-out included as a chance for him to really cash in next winter if he repeats his 2021 performance over even more innings in 2022. 

Rodón's performance in 2021 wasn't all that dissimilar from that of the Cy Young winner Ray; it just came in far fewer innings. Plus, while the deal is three years shorter, the $22M AAV is right in line with what Ray and Gausman got. What a surprise; Rodón's agent, Scott Boras, might have done a decent job here. 

Grade: A-

Kershaw returning to the Dodgers

Clayton Kershaw is staying put and will remain a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to Ken Rosenthal, Kershaw agreed to a one-year, $17 million deal to return to the team with which he has spent his entire 14-year MLB career.

Kershaw spent much of the 2021 season on the injured list due to left elbow inflammation. After a brief return, he exited his fourth game back with left forearm discomfort, which ultimately kept him sidelined for the Dodgers’ postseason run.

The eight-time MLB All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner finished the 2021 season with a 10-8 record and a 3.55 ERA.

From FOX Sports MLB Writer Pedro Moura:

On the Dodgers: The Dodgers let Kershaw decide on his own timeline whether he wanted to continue playing baseball and continue playing for them. He had the past three months to ponder those questions, so it makes perfect sense that his decision was one of the first post-lockout transactions. When he appeared on "The Dan Patrick Show" last month to discuss his childhood teammate Matthew Stafford, he referred to the Dodgers’ Walker Buehler, the team’s players’ association representative, as "our" player rep.

With the Dodgers' Opening Day four weeks from Friday, Kershaw’s decision supplies the team much-needed clarity in sorting out their starting rotation. Kershaw could slot in as the team’s third starter behind younger, burgeoning stars Julio Urías and Walker Buehler.

Behind that trio, the Dodgers are operating in uncertainty. Trevor Bauer was placed on administrative leave Friday and might face a league suspension. But they signed left-hander Andrew Heaney early in the offseason, and they have talented right-hander Tony Gonsolin, among others, in-house.

Grade: A

On Kershaw: Kershaw’s 2021 statistics look better under the surface than they do at first glance. He made only 22 starts, logged a 3.50 ERA and missed the postseason because of an elbow injury. But his strikeout rate was his highest in six years, his walk rate was far better than his career norms, and most of the underlying data indicate that he was still confounding opposing hitters. If he is healthy, he could prove to be far more than a mid-rotation starter.

And his return, of course, means more to the franchise than any other free agent signed to a one-year contract possibly could. Drafted 16 years ago, Kershaw has grown up, excelled, buckled in the postseason and finally won a World Series all with the same organization. They’re running it back at least one more time.

Grade: A