MLB Free Agents 2021: Rumors, Predictions for Freeman, Correa, More
The 2021 MLB offseason is in its infancy.
The burners need a minute to really get the Hot Stove going. There has been some in-house action regarding options and qualifying offers, but it could be a while before major money changes hands and big names switch teams.
That hasn't stopped the baseball world from buzzing, though. In fact, some of the biggest players on the free-agent market are the subject of the latest whispers, so let's get to those rumors and predict where these household names will wind up.
Astros Make Offer to Carlos Correa
The Astros took their first swing at keeping star shortstop Carlos Correa in Houston, but they'll likely need to go a lot harder to actually get a deal done.
The offer, as Fox 26's Mark Berman relayed, was a five-year pact worth $160 million.
Unless teams are terrified of Correa's injury history, that might not even be half of what he gets. He earned his second All-Star selection and first Gold Glove honor this season, while hitting .279 with 26 home runs, 92 RBI and 104 runs scored.
The 27-year-old is a premium talent at a premium position in the heart of his prime. He can probably name his price, perhaps from the Detroit Tigers. They are coached by his former manager, A.J. Hinch, have a glaring hole at shortstop and might be ready to accelerate their rebuild with a slew of high-level prospects at or near the major league level.
Prediction: Correa signs a 10-year, $310 million deal with the Tigers.
Years Holding Up Discussions Between Freddie Freeman and Braves
The Atlanta Braves might be basking in the afterglow of their World Series championship, but they still have pressing business to attend to sooner than later.
Namely, star first baseman Freddie Freeman, a Braves lifer with 271 homers on his career resume, needs a new deal. While the two sides are talking, The Athletic's David O'Brien reported that "the holdup so far has been years—the number that Freeman is asking for in a new contract, and the number the team is offering."
Obviously, an external offer exceeding all expectations could change this, but that doesn't seem like too big of a gap to bridge.
Freeman, the reigning NL MVP, played an essential role in Atlanta's championship run and should be viewed as indispensable by the front office. If the Braves need to add an extra year onto his next deal or elevate its average annual value, that's a price worth paying.
Prediction: Freeman signs a five-year, $155 million deal with the Braves.
Marcus Semien on Mariners' Radar
Timing is everything for free agents, and Marcus Semien came to know that all too well during his previous trip to the open market.
That came just last offseason, after a disappointing follow-up to his third-place finish in AL MVP voting in 2019. The 31-year-old settled on a one-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and then hurriedly built his value back up.
This time around, free agency comes at the perfect time, as Semien just posted career highs in homers (45), RBI (102) and stolen bases (15) while also collecting his first Gold Glove after shifting from shortstop to second base.
He won't be hurting for suitors, and MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported the Seattle Mariners have already expressed "sincere interest."
Morosi noted that Semien, a California native, "is believed to prefer West Coast clubs," which might bump a team ahead of the Blue Jays in this pursuit.
Several teams would make sense, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, but our crystal ball has the Los Angeles Angels splurging on another big bat in hopes of finally putting a contending roster around Mike Trout.
Prediction: Semien signs a five-year, $125 million deal with the Angels.