After a very quiet start for the free agent market in MLB, things have been quietly starting to pick up since the start of the week. In addition to the rumors that are growing, guys are finally starting to sign, which is a good sign.
Jose Abreu signed with the Astros earlier this week, but we’ve also seen starting pitchers like Mike Clevinger (White Sox) and Matthew Boyd (Tigers) sign in recent days.
And as my colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois wrote yesterday, it shows that gunners are in demand.
And last night, we saw another starter sign a contract, as Zach Eflin signed a contract with the Rays.
What is surprising, on the other hand, is that the contract is for a period of three years and that it will bring in no less than $40 million to the pitcher.
It’s the biggest contract the Rays have ever given in the free agency market, and clearly, it shows that the Rays really wanted a starter to solidify a rotation (which already relies on a very solid line).
It’s not the custom of the house to do such a thing in Tampa Bay, but the Rays get their hands on a pitcher who is not bad and who comes from Orlando.
Again, the fact remains that it remains a fairly substantial amount for a guy like Eflin. Admittedly, he is not bad, but we are talking about a fairly average pitcher. A three-year contract for $13.33 million per year is a lot, I think.
Eflin also pitched in relief for the Phillies during the team’s playoff run last season. And despite everything, he deserves a nice contract from a team that does not necessarily roll on gold (but which has the resources to try to bring it to the next level).
I dare to believe that it will put an end to the rumors (a little strange, if you ask me) which linked the Rays to Jacob deGrom. After all, deGrom might be asking for more money than that just for the next year, and I tend to believe a team will give him that salary for a few years.
That said, it’s a nice sum for Eflin and, basically, an acquisition that’s not bad for the Rays. The team has freed up some cash in the past few months, and clearly they seem to want to bring talent into the squad.
And that is a good thing for all parties involved.
Note that initially, it was the Red Sox who had the best offer on the table. But the Rays decided to increase the value of their offer, which convinced the pitcher.
