MLB Free Agency

Carlos Rodón is one of the top free-agent pitchers left on the market, but at least one team has been deterred from paying the hefty price tag for the veteran.

The St. Louis Cardinals are unlikely to "shell out the years and money" that Rodón is seeking on his next deal, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

Rodón is seeking a deal in the range of seven-plus years and worth at least $200 million, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Dec. 12. It's not surprising the Cardinals are hesitant to cough up that much cash.

St. Louis has never signed a player for that kind of money. While Nolan Arenado is the highest-paid player on the roster, he signed his eight-year, $260 million deal when he was still a member of the Colorado Rockies.

Paul Goldschmidt's $130 million extension signed in March 2019 is the largest the franchise has ever handed out. Adam Wainwright's $97.5 million extension signed in March 2013 is the largest the Cards have ever dished out to a pitcher.

Further, the Cardinals are set to have a 2023 rotation that includes Wainwright, Miles Mikolas, Jack Flaherty, Jordan Montgomery and Matthew Liberatore. While Rodón would undoubtedly improve the rotation, he's not a necessity.

Additionally, not many pitchers have earned $200 million or more on a single contract. Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, David Price, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer and Zack Greinke are the only arms to hit the $200 million mark in their careers.

Rodón has been impressive in each of the last two seasons, but he doesn't match up with some of those elite pitchers.

The 30-year-old spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Chicago White Sox. He didn't break out until the 2021 campaign, when he went 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 185 strikeouts in 132.2 innings across 24 starts en route to his first All-Star Game selection.

Rodón went on to sign with the San Francisco Giants ahead of the 2022 campaign. He went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 237 strikeouts in 178 innings across 31 starts, earning his second straight All-Star Game selection.

The lefty has also topped more than 170 innings in a season just once—2022—and has been limited by injuries for much of his career.

If Rodón's price drops, then the Cardinals would likely continue to express interest. For now, it seems like pursuing him has been put on the backburner.

Noah Syndergaard is on the move again after agreeing to a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post added the deal is for one year and $13 million as Syndergaard is going to "bet on himself."

Passan reports Syndergaard is expected to join L.A.'s rotation in 2023.

Last season saw Syndergaard split time between the Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies. He began the year with Los Angeles and pitched well for the club before being traded to Philadelphia in August.

Syndergaard looked like he was regaining some of his old form during his brief tenure with the Angels. The right-hander had a 3.83 ERA and 64 strikeouts over 80 innings in 15 starts.

Things didn't go as well for Syndergaard after he was moved to the Phillies. He posted a 4.12 ERA and averaged just 5.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 10 appearances (nine starts).

The key for Syndergaard in 2022 was staying healthy. He had Tommy John surgery in March 2020 after experiencing elbow discomfort during spring training before the season was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Syndergaard experienced an injury setback early in the 2021 season that delayed his return. The 30-year-old was able to appear in two games out of the bullpen for the New York Mets late in the season.

The Angels signed Syndergaard to a one-year, $21 million contract during the offseason. He did change his pitching repertoire to make up for a dip in velocity.

Per FanGraphs, Syndergaard's fastball averaged a career-low 93.8 mph and he threw it just 47.5 percent of the time. He significantly increased the use of his slider (22.3 percent) and changeup (19.3 percent) to keep hitters off balance.

It's unlikely Syndergaard will ever get back to the form that made him a sensation for the Mets early in his career, the 2023 season could be a better barometer of what kind of pitcher he will be going forward.

The Dodgers taking a low-risk, high-reward bet that Syndergaard can at least become a mid-rotation starter as they pursue a playoff berth.

The Philadelphia Phillies may not be the only National League team who signs an impact shortstop this offseason.

After Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the Phillies agreed to an 11-year, $300 million deal with a no-trade clause with Trea Turner, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the Cardinals are also involved in the shortstop market and are interested in Dansby Swanson.

Signing Swanson could help St. Louis in multiple ways, as Morosi suggested such a move could also help the front office use another position player to land a catcher in a trade. He mentioned Sean Murphy of the Oakland Athletics or Danny Jansen of the Toronto Blue Jays as possible targets.

With Yadier Molina retiring after the 2022 campaign, the National League Central team could use a backstop.

As for Swanson, he would bolster an already formidable infield that includes Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado.

The free-agent shortstop is in the middle of his prime at 28 years old and coming off a season that saw him earn his first Gold Glove and All-Star selection. He slashed .277/.329/.447 with 25 home runs, 96 RBI and 18 stolen bases all while playing excellent defense, underscoring his ability to impact the game in a number of ways.

He was also responsible for nine defensive runs saved above average, per FanGraphs.

It is a testament to the shortstop market this offseason that Swanson, who has played for the Atlanta Braves his entire career, is likely the fourth-best option in a free agency class that also features Carlos Correa, Turner and Xander Bogaerts.

Yet he is a difference-maker in the field and at the plate, which is surely what a Cardinals team looking to take the next step after three straight losses in the National League Wild Card round is pursuing this offseason.

The shortstop market was always going to be a focus of Major League Baseball's free agency period this offseason, and that was certainly the case Monday.

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan reported the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to an 11-year, $300 million deal with a no-trade clause with shortstop Trea Turner. It is a head-turning deal with the security of a number of years and the no-trade clause, and he joins a team that reached the World Series just last season.

Turner's resume includes a World Series title with the Washington Nationals, a batting title, a Silver Slugger and two All-Star selections, so he will surely be a key piece in Philadelphia's already formidable lineup.

The question now is where Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson end up.

While all three are impressive players who will be major additions for whichever teams sign them, Correa is likely the headliner at 28 years old with accomplishments that include a World Series crown, Rookie of the Year, Gold Glove and two All-Star selections.

If Turner landed $300 million, that could be just a starting point for Correa.

The best fit for the former Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins shortstop is the Chicago Cubs. There is already known interest in place, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the National League Central team "jumped into the Correa sweepstakes" last offseason before he joined the Twins and "are also exploring the market" this offseason.

Chicago went to three straight National League Championship Series and won a World Series from 2015 through 2017 and should be looking to become competitive again in one of the sport's biggest markets.

Correa would allow Nico Hoerner to move to second base, provide elite defense up the middle of the diamond, doesn't come with draft pick compensation and is in the middle of his prime. He could be the face of the next true contender in the Windy City, and the team has reportedly demonstrated plenty of interest.

As for Bogaerts, his ideal fit would be with the San Diego Padres.

While that may seem like something of a wild-card pick considering Fernando Tatís Jr. is the team's shortstop, John Tomase of NBC Sports highlighted the versatility signing Bogaerts would sign for a lineup that would become arguably the top in the entire league.

"Bogaerts could easily move incumbent Ha-Seong Kim to a utility role while allowing Tatis to become a full-time outfielder, once his PED suspension ends.

"Imagine a lineup built around [Manny] Machado, Tatís, [Juan] Soto and Bogaerts. That's as good a top four as any offense in the game, and Padres GM A.J. Preller has a bit of a fantasy approach to lineup construction; ie., go get the best players and figure out how they fit later."

That leaves Swanson, who is something of a consolation prize just because of how talented the shortstop market is this offseason.

He was still an All-Star and Gold Glover just last season and is in the middle of his prime at 28 years old. Enter the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are always in win-now mode and seemingly need a shortstop after losing Turner to the Phillies.

Swanson may be a bit cheaper than the other options, and Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported last month "the Dodgers seem to view him as a very viable and interesting option."

He would reunite with former Atlanta Braves teammate Freddie Freeman and immediately bolster the team's chances at competing for a World Series against the likes of the San Francisco Giants, Phillies and others.