Frenzy Part II? What to expect when MLB roster freeze lifts

The ink was hardly dry on Corey Seager’s $325 million, 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers last week when baseball’s historically hurried free agency period crashed to a halt.

Hard to imagine anything competing with last Wednesday’s spending spree, when teams combined to commit a record $1.4 billion in the hours before baseball tumbled into its first labor stoppage in 26 years. But when the lockout ends, the frenzy for the game’s remaining free agents should be entertaining, too.

There are 141 major league free agents waiting for a freeze on roster transactions to lift once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. Progress on a CBA isn’t expected until at least the weeks before pitchers and catchers are set to report, meaning another mad dash is probably in store for teams trying to fill out their rosters ahead of spring training.

Here’s what to look for when the hot stove reignites:

IN SHORT SUPPLY

This year’s free agent class was headlined by a star quintet of shortstops, but three of them signed big-money deals last week — Seager, Marcus Semien (Rangers) and Javier Báez (Tigers).

Carlos Correa and Trevor Story remain, with Andrelton Simmons also available for suitors who might miss out.

Correa, the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-Star, was considered the top player on the market entering the offseason and is certain to get the biggest deal after the lockout. The 27-year-old batted .279 with 26 homers, 92 RBIs and an .850 OPS for Houston in 2021, perhaps shaking some concerns about his durability by playing 148 games — his first time with at least 111 since 2016.

Two targets loom for Correa — Seager’s $325 million deal was the biggest signed this offseason, and Francisco Lindor’s $341 million, 10-year contract with the Mets is the record...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Frenzy-Part-II-What-to-expect-when-MLB-roster-16683324.php