[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

General Manager U7Gohan said he was working on something big, and after the most intense negotiations of his career, he has done it indeed...

Free Agent Signings

SS Carlos Correa (4.5, 4.5) for $344.6M/8yr with 9th and 10th-year team options and an opt-out after year 5. The deal is also backloaded and includes a $3M bonus for winning MVP and a full no-trade clause.

Carlos Correa was the player I wanted from the start to both shore up the infield defense by allowing Andres Gimenez to play 2B and adding a huge bat to the lineup for the long term. He has consistently done well on long-term deals in my saves but these were by far the most intense negotiations I've ever had, with Correa asking for $400M/8yr in the final stage of negotiations in a bidding war that lasted over a month. With our final offer, we got it done.

Trades

Trade 1: Kansas City Royals

Outbound: SP Cal Quantrill (2.5, 2.5), CL Tim Herrin (3.0, 3.0), SP Peyton Battenfield (2.5, 2.5), RP Eli Morgan (1.5, 2.0)

Inbound: CF Michael A. Taylor (3.0, 3.0), 1B Vinnie Pasquantino (2.5, 3.5), SP Alec Marsh (2.0, 2.5)

Taylor gives me my replacement to Myles Straw in CF, with Taylor possessing similarly top-of-the-line defense. I dealt Quantrill because I was lower on him and I could match the salaries up, a necessary move. Battenfield and Herrin were necessary sacrifices, but I got Alec Marsh, a groundballer with an upper 90s fastball, back to slide back into the SP competition and depth. Pasquantino was an undervalued player that gives me another potential big bat, and the DH spot is wide open as of now, so he doesn't have to take time from Josh Naylor. 1B Bobby Bradley (2.0, 2.0) was DFAd to make room on the 40-man roster.

Extensions

SP Shane Bieber (3.5, 4) for $162M/8yr with an opt-out after year 4 and 9th and 10th-year team options.

I had previously approached Bieber looking for an extension with two years left before he was set to hit free-agency, but we never found common ground. Now, we agreed on a deal that works for both sides, and trusts in Bieber to rebound from a down year in 2022.

From here on out, the team will need to rely on its player development system to keep adding bigtime talent to the MLB roster, whether that be through trades or promotion through the system. I believe the team is set up for success in 2023 with these moves, however.

Across the League

Major Free Agent Signings

RP Ryan Pressly (4.0, 4.0) to Dodgers, $22.6M/2yr
RP Aroldis Chapman (4.0, 4.0) to Dodgers, $19.4M/2yr
SS Jose Iglesias (3.0, 3.0) to Red Sox, $31.5M/3yr
SP Sonny Gray (3.0, 3.0) to Mets, $53.3M/4yr
1B Brandon Belt (3.0, 3.0) to Yankees, $78.4M/4yr
2B Adam Frazier (3.0, 3.0) to Angels, $26.6M/2yr
RP Corey Knebel (4.0, 4.0) to Rays, $14.5M/3yr
1B Josh Bell (3.0, 3.0) to Athletics, $49.6M/4yr

Major Trades

SP Shohei Ohtani (3.5, 3.5) to Dodgers
SP Luis Castillo (3.5, 3.5) to Cubs
2B Christian Arroyo (3.0, 3.0) to White Sox

Major Extensions

SP Lucas Giolito (4.0, 4.0) signs for $121M/5yr with White Sox
1B Rhys Hoskins (3.0, 3.0) signs for $78M/4yr with Phillies

The die has been cast. We now will cross the Rubicon...