2021 MLB Free Agents: Rumors, Predictions on Yankees, Marcus Semien and More

Shortstops continue to dominate the conversation in MLB free agency, with speculation running rampant about which team will be the first to cut a fat check for the services of Carlos Correa, Trevor Story or Corey Seager.

Not every franchise, as it turns out, has its eyes on the three gems of this offseason period, though.

Could the mighty New York Yankees, with their history of championships and spending to acquire big names, be more content to sit back and watch how things unfold before targeting a particular player at that position?

Perhaps players like Marcus Semien and Javier Baez will benefit.

That topic and the moving pieces involved headline the recent rumors surrounding free agents in the bigs.

The ghost of last offseason haunts the New York Yankees and is reportedly influencing the team's willingness to sign a top-of-the-market free agent at the shortstop position.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post:

"The shortstop contracts signed last offseason by Fernando Tatis Jr. (14 years, $340 million) and Francisco Lindor (10 years, $341 million) provide a top-of-the-market total—notably Carlos Correa and Corey Seager—for which to shoot. And the Yankees, according to multiple sources, have shown no desire to go into that realm."

As a result, the organization is more likely to monitor the market in hopes of it bottoming out so it can swoop in and nab a talented player below for less than they are projected to make.

This is not because the team feels as though it can skate through another season with the players it has at the position, though. Speaking to reporters in October, general manager Brian Cashman was clear that Gleyber Torres is not the answer at shortstop: "The bottom line is shortstop is an area of need, and we have to address it. Gleyber is best served at second base, in reality."

The need is there, but the team also has talented young prospects nearing the majors, and the idea of paying a king's ransom for a top-tier shortstop at this point, potentially slowing the development of those players, doesn't make sense.

If the Bronx Bombers don't see a possible deal for Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Trevor Story or any of the other in-demand shortstops available this offseason, do not be surprised if they take a shot on a talented, less expensive player or complete a deal with another club for one.

That way, they can bridge the gap between the 2022 season and the impending arrival of Anthony Volpe and/or Oswald Peraza to the bigs.

Prediction: Patient Cashman waits for Volpe, signs/trades for veteran stopgap.

Speaking of shortstops, the Detroit Tigers are also in the market for one, though the organization is not willing to pay the astronomical amount it would take to convince Carlos Correa or Corey Seager to sign on the dotted line. Instead, the team is eyeing the Toronto Blue Jays' Marcus Semien, per MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

Detroit is not alone on Semien, as the Texas Rangers have their eyes on him as well, per Jon Morosi, also of MLB Network. Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports reported the San Francisco Giants are also in the hunt.

With good reason.

Semien recorded 102 RBI and 45 home runs and generated 115 runs a season ago. Defensively, he committed just a single error all season, was responsible for 63 putouts and amassed a fielding percentage of .984.

He finished third in AL MVP voting behind teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and winner Shohei Ohtani, and he was two spots ahead of Correa.

Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors predicts Semien to garner half of what Correa does. That makes him mighty attractive to teams looking for a potential game-changing player without the financial commitment the higher-end free agents are going to command.

The Tigers have already invested a significant amount ($77 million guaranteed) in starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, making Semien a more feasible target than Correa or Seager. The Rangers have more financial power and are willing to spend upward of $200 million if they are confident they have the right player, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.

Considering Semien recently hired super-agent Scott Boras to represent him, Texas' willingness to pay more may prove the difference.

The key may be Semien's relationship with Toronto and the Blue Jays' willingness to fight to keep him.

The team has already committed substantially to pitcher Jose Berrios, so the prospect of a bidding war with Detroit, Texas, San Francisco and any other team that may enter the picture may not be appealing. His offensive output would be missed, and one cannot help but think there is something magical brewing up north with the one-two punch of Semien and Guerrero, but the price tag may prove too costly, forcing the team to head in a different direction.

Prediction: Semien finds a new home, signs with high-bidder Texas.

Stop me if you've heard this one before: the Oakland A's are looking to slash payroll.

With two years left until he hits free agency, first baseman Matt Olson figures to play a part in those plans, per Heyman.

Olson is a great player with a strong bat and equally impressive defensive skills. In 2021, he blasted 39 homers, added 111 RBI and had an OPS of .911. He also finished eighth in AL MVP voting, evidence of just how strong a season he had.

And the A's know it.

The organization most synonymous with moneyball has a history of moving players in exchange for prospects, aging vets or young major leaguers to free up money. With two years of club control remaining on Olson's contract, it has the opportunity to strike while he is hot to get something in return for him.

CBSSports.com's Mike Axisa suggests a deal like the one brokered between the Miami Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies for J.T. Realmuto, in which the Marlins received a young major leaguer, top-tier prospect and secondary prospect, makes the most sense.

The Yankees could use help at the position. Inconsistency because of injuries has kept the team from having a tried-and-true No. 1 at the position. Giving up a high-value prospect may not be something Cashman wants to do, particularly as the team eyes one of its two shortstops as the future of the organization at that position, but strengthening first base with a slugger and defenseman like Olson may be worth it.

This feels like a potential value pickup for the Yankees, the sort that comes from out of nowhere while everyone else is fixated on the shortstop position.

Prediction: New York makes a play for Olson.