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Although Jed Hoyer and the Chicago Cubs still have time to find that much-needed (and implicitly promised) back-end free-agent reliever this offseason, two solid options just came off the board. This afternoon, news dropped that Jose Leclerc signed a one-year, $10M deal with the Athletics, while AJ Minter is signing a two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets (UPDATE: Looks like he may have an opt-out after one year, which is pretty unusual for a reliever).
When we discussed the Cubs’ plans to sign a top free-agent reliever earlier today, both Leclerc and Minter were part of that list of seven plausible targets: Carlos Estevez, A.J. Minter, Kirby Yates, Tommy Kahnle, David Robertson, Kenley Jansen, Jose Leclerc. But with those two down – and Tanner Scott still likely out of financial range – the list shrinks down to five. I still believe Yates is the guy they’re after, but each of the above has his pros and cons.
As for these deals, in particular, there’s nothing too shocking here (in terms of financials). I think both guys did well, but neither was rewarded so dramatically out of our projected range as to change our expectations for the Cubs. So that’s good, I suppose, for a team whose budget may be tighter than we previously expected.
As for the teams who landed these players, that’s a bit of a mixed bag. I don’t think anyone had the A’s making another (relatively) costly expenditure this offseason, even as they have spent more than usual as they gear up for their move to Vegas. So that’s one good relief target to a team we didn’t expect to sign one (bad for the Cubs’ leverage).
But the Mets are more of a surprise and a potentially/maybe/hopefully good thing for the Cubs. As a reminder, the Mets have been the team most often connected to Tanner Scott of late. And while NY (re: Steve Cohen) obviously still has the money to sign him, this deal for Minter does make that a little less likely and necessary. Scott will have plenty of suitors either way, but I really did think he’d be the next one to go (and to the Mets, specifically). I’m very curious to follow the fallout.
Zooming out one level higher, both of these signings are a bit of a surprise, as most expected Scott to sign before anyone else in this tier of the free-agent relief class. But neither Leclerc nor Minter (nor Jeff Hoffman, for that matter) waited for the top guy to set the market. So maybe others will soon follow suit.
