Free Agency has created opportunities for professional baseball players to get the contract that they may deserve. Then, they can end up on a team that will help them improve based on their current skill sets and help them with what they need to work on. It is a great way for players to develop their skills with coaching that they may not get from their current team.
“MLB free agency can be great for the players, they get to decide what they want for themselves, and I support it,” said fan of the MLB and Eagle High student Grayson Bruch.
For the first time in history, MLB waited for the decision of one player. Money plays a huge role in MLB free agency, and the decision of pitcher and hitter Shohei Ohtani opened the floodgates for other free agents. Ohtani signed to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a record breaking $700 million dollars in 10 years.
According to MLB.com, Ohtani offered to defer his $70 million a year to $20 million for the next ten years, so after his contract expired Ohtani will be earning $68 million yearly from 2034 to 2043.
Many believed the Dodgers could not hold onto that deal while still having the money to sign more stars of the league.
Fans at Eagle High, however, have mixed opinions on Ohtani’s record-breaking contract.
“I think Ohtani should not get as much money as he is because being a two-way player may wear him out, bringing him to a shorter career. Being a two-way player is stressful on one’s body, especially in the Major Leagues,” said sophomore Easton Chandler.
There has also been a lot of noise surrounding pitcher Blake Snell recently. Rumors surrounding Snell, the 2023 NL Cy Young winner, includes the Toronto Blue Jays “quietly monitoring” his free agency. Snell would join all-star pitchers Alex Manoah and Kevin Gausman, creating a pitching staff with elite championship potential.
Free Agency can be great for the league. If used correctly, it can improve player development. Big changes can happen during free agency that was proven this year.
