With the World Series now over, free agency has begun. The Los Angeles Angels already got things going by re-signing outfielder Justin Upton to a large deal.
Player and team options for the 2018 season have begun to be exercised (or declined) as well. Here are some notable players who had the decisions on their options made on Friday.
Jose Altuve
In one of the least surprising moves in baseball history, the Houston Astros will bring back Altuve at a $6 million salary. The likely 2017 American League Mvp led the league in hits for the fourth straight year and won his third batting title.
The second baseman finished 2017 batting .346 with 24 home runs, 39 doubles, 81 RBIs, 112 runs, and 32 stolen bases. The 27-year-old hit seven home runs in the postseason as Houston won their first World Series.
Marwin Gonzalez
Fresh off a breakout season, the Astros have decided to keep Gonzalez at $5.125 million. He made at least 15 starts at five different positions in 2017. In 134 games, the 28-year-old hit .303 with 29 home runs, 34 doubles, 90 RBIs, 67 runs, and eight stolen bases.
Masahiro Tanaka
Tanaka has opted in for the remaining three years/$67 million remaining on his contract to stay with the New York Yankees. In his fourth MLB season in 2017, the 29-year-old easily had his worst season going 13-12 with a 4.74 ERA in 30 starts.
He struck out 194 hitters in 178.1 innings and finished with a 1.24 WHIP. He pitched much better in the second half of the season though, and he was outstanding in the postseason allowing just two runs and 10 hits in 20 innings.
Asdrubal Cabrera
Cabrera will remain with the New York Mets after they decided to exercise their team option of $8.5 million.
In 135 games in 2017, the soon-to-be 32-year-old (birthday is November 13) batted .280 with 14 home runs, 32 doubles, 59 RBIs, and 66 runs. It was the second straight year that the infielder hit for a .280 average, both seasons coming with the Mets.
Michael Brantley
Brantley will remain with the Cleveland Indians after they decided to keep him on board for $11 million.
The 30-year-old finished third in American League MVP voting in 2014 but has missed more games due to injury than he’s played over the past two years. He appeared in only 11 in 2016. In 90 games in 2017, the left fielder finished with a .299 batting average with nine home runs, 20 doubles, 52 RBIs, 47 runs, and 11 stolen bases.
Andrew McCutchen
The 2013 National League MVP McCutchen will stay with the Pittsburgh Pirates after the team decided they want him to stay at a $14.5 million price tag. The 31-year-old outfielder is not quite the player he was when he was a perennial MVP candidate from 2012-15, but he rebounded from a dismal (by his standards) 2016 season. In 156 games in 2017, McCutchen hit .279 with 28 home runs, 30 doubles, 88 RBIs, 94 runs, and 11 stolen bases.
Ichiro Suzuki
The 44-year-old Ichiro will not be back with the Miami Marlins as the team declined his $2 million option. It will be interesting to see if anyone picks up the likely future first-ballot Hall of Famer whose career 3,080 hits rank 22nd all-time. In 136 games (often as a pinch hitter) in 2017, Ichiro had a .255 batting average with three home runs, six doubles, 20 RBIs, and 19 runs.
Mike Minor
Minor has decided to test free agency after declining his half of a $10 million mutual option. He missed both the 2015 and 2016 seasons due to injury and was previously a starter with the Atlanta Braves. The 29-year-old (turns 30 on December 26) excelled out of the bullpen for the Kansas City Royals in 2017. In 65 appearances, Minor finished with a 2.55 ERA in 77,2 innings. He had six saves, a 1.02 WHIP, and 88 strikeouts.
