We've got OPTIONS news! We're getting more and more names into the free agent pool and getting clarity on some guys returning to their teams. It's been mostly declined options so far. Sandy Alcantara will get $21 million after the Marlins picked up their option. That was the only one on the positive side.
Joc Pederson declined his side of an $18.5 million mutual option. Which sounds silly, since Joc isn't going to do any better than that, but a mutual option means both sides have to accept it, and it was obvious that the Rangers weren't going to accept it, so I guess Pederson just wanted to break up with them before they break up with him.
Sonny Gray was paid $10 million to kick rocks. He's a new SP in the free agent pool at 37 years old. But he had a great season and it will be highly sought after on a short deal to help somebody's rotation.
Full report here:
Exercised
- Sandy Alcantara, Marlins: Miami picked up his $21M club option instead of paying the $2M buyout. MLB.com Blurb: The Marlins are keeping their ace. Sandy Alcantara's $21M option is picked up, so he stays at the top of a rotation with Eury Pérez and Max Meyer.
Declined
- Sonny Gray, Red Sox: His $30M mutual option was declined, and he gets a $10M buyout. USA Today Blurb: Sonny Gray, 37, hits the market with a $10M buyout after a 3.4 fWAR season.
- Joc Pederson, Rangers: He declined his side of an $18.5M mutual option. MLBTR Blurb: Joc Pederson is a free agent again after a 26-homer bounce-back season.
- Kyle Higashioka and Jakob Junis, Rangers: Texas bought out Higashioka's $7M option for $1M and Junis's $5M option for $1.25M. MLBTR
- Josh Bell, Twins: Minnesota declined his $10M mutual option and pays a $1.25M buyout. MLBTR Blurb: Josh Bell is a free agent after a 21-homer, 106 wRC+ season.
- Joe Ryan, Twins: Minnesota declined his $13M mutual option and pays a $100K buyout. He's still under team control through arbitration. MLBTR Blurb: Don't panic, Twins fans. Ryan is still under team control for 2027.
- Nick Martinez, Rays: His $20M mutual option was declined, with a $4M buyout. theScore
- Cedric Mullins, Rays: Tampa Bay declined his $10M mutual option and pays a $500K buyout. theScore
- Shawn Armstrong and Trevor Stephan, Guardians: Cleveland declined Armstrong's $8M mutual option ($1.5M buyout) and Stephan's $7.25M club option ($1.25M buyout). MLB.com
- Jeff McNeil, Athletics: The A's declined his $15.75M club option, and the Mets pay the $2M buyout. theScore
- Jeffrey Springs, Athletics: The A's declined his $15M club option and pay a $750K buyout. theScore
- Zach Eflin, Orioles: Baltimore declined his $25M mutual option. theScore
- Carson Kelly, Cubs: He declined his $7.5M mutual option, with a $1.5M buyout. theScore
- Michael Soroka, D-backs: He declined his $10M mutual option after a 2.7 fWAR season. theScore
- Robert Stephenson, Angels: The Angels declined his $2.5M club option. theScore
