MLB free agency should heat up in the coming weeks, and we’re going over the projected team fits for some of the top players on the market. This will be split into two parts, with starting pitchers today and position players tomorrow.
Gerrit Cole: Angels
Top free agent pitcher Gerrit Cole is from Orange County and went to UCLA, Angels general manager Billy Eppler says the team is going to be aggressive in free agency, and owner Arte Moreno has shown he is not afraid to make a splash and spend big. The dots are super easy to connect for Cole joining the Angels, and it would probably be a minor upset if it doesn’t happen. Other big-market teams like the Yankees and Phillies will almost always be in the mix, but Cole is expected to join a star-studded squad with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.
Stephen Strasburg: Nationals
There’s been similar sentiment about Stephen Strasburg potentially returning to his hometown of San Diego to play for the Padres. San Diego has been aggressive over the past couple of years—but that might make it less likely they keep it up and make a massive offer to a pitcher that opted out of a four-year, $100 million deal. The smarter bet is probably Strasburg returning to the franchise that drafted him first overall in 2009 on a longer-term deal than the four years he had left remaining on his previous contract extension.
Hyun-Jin Ryu: Dodgers
The possibility of the Rangers, ahead of their move to a new stadium, making a strong push for Hyun-Jin Ryu or another free-agent starting pitcher appears to be increasing—Ryu would play with Korean star Shin-Soo Choo, who is said to be pushing for the Ryu signing, in Texas. However, the 2019 NL Cy Young Award runner-up ultimately might just be more comfortable staying in LA with the Dodgers.
Madison Bumgarner: Giants
If he feels he’s being wronged or disrespected by an offer the Giants give him, then things could certainly go in another direction. But Madison Bumgarner seems like the type of guy that would want to play with one team for his entire career, especially a franchise he’s won three world championships and a World Series MVP with. Plenty of contending teams should be interested in MadBum considering his truly remarkable postseason success, but it might take a huge offer to beat the incumbent in this case.
Cole Hamels: Phillies
Pitching a no-hitter in the final game you played for a team that you won a World Series MVP with, as Cole Hamels did in his final start with Philadelphia ahead of the 2015 trade deadline, is the perfect ending that might not want to be messed with. However, five years later, a reunion feels like a perfect fit. The Phillies arguably made a mistake not going after Hamels in each of the past two seasons, but their former ace can fill a lefty hole near the top of their rotation.
Dallas Keuchel: Yankees
Because Dallas Keuchel was able to join the Braves midseason and performed well in 2018, his wait shouldn’t be as long this time around (though nothing would be surprising given the state of MLB free agency). If the Yankees are unable to get Cole or Strasburg, Keuchel could be a value option that would instantly boost New York’s starting rotation.
Zack Wheeler: White Sox
Zach Wheeler is another potential target for the Yankees, but MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports that the Padres, Angels, Twins, and White Sox are the four leading teams to sign Wheeler. The White Sox are a squad on the rise, and they could use another powerful pitcher like Wheeler, who is a fit at soon-to-be-30-years-old, as they look to compete for a playoff spot in 2020.
Yeah Hamels to Philly obviously.