The MLB off-season keeps delivering. Over the past few weeks big name players have signed large contracts while hot ticket free agents are shuffling around the league.
Stay up to date with the latest noteworthy signings using our Roundup.
Chris Taylor (IF), Los Angeles Dodgers: Four-years, $60-million
The Los Angeles Dodgers are bringing back versatile All-Star Chris Taylor, agreeing to a $60 million, four-year deal with a club option Wednesday night.
The 31-year-old Taylor was an All-Star for the first time in 2021, when he hit .254 with 20 homers and set career highs with 92 runs and 73 RBIs. He hit a game-ending homer in the NL wild-card game against St. Louis, then batted .476 in the NL Championship Series against Atlanta, with three homers in Game 5.
Rich Hill (P), Boston Red Sox: One-year, $5-million
Hill, who turns 42 in March, is entering his 18th MLB season. He split the 2021 campaign between the Mets and Rays, making 31 starts with a 3.86 ERA and 150 strikeouts.
This will be Hill's second stint with the Red Sox after he pitched parts of three seasons from 2010-12 in Boston as a reliever. He has pitched in 324 games and made 195 starts in his career.
Yan Gomes (C), Chicago Cubs: Two-year, $13-million
The 34-year-old batted .252/.301/.421 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI.
He split his 2021 season with the Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics
Marcus Stroman (P), Chicago Cubs: Three-year, $71 million
The 30-year-old posted a 10-13 record with a 3.02 ERA through 179 innings pitched.
He spent the entire 2021 season with the New York Mets.
Mark Melancon (P), Arizona Diamondbacks: Two-year, $14 million
The right-handed Melancon, who will be 37 by opening day, led the big leagues with 39 saves last year in his only season with the San Diego Padres.
He had a 4-3 record and 2.23 ERA to earn his first All-Star appearance since 2016.
Dylan Bundy (P), Minnesota Twins: One-year, $5 million
Bundy went 2-9 with a 6.06 ERA in 90 2/3 innings last season for the Los Angeles Angels, starting 19 of his 23 appearances.
The 29-year-old was 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA in 65 2/3 innings in 2020, making 11 starts in the pandemic-abbreviated season that were strong enough to finish ninth in the American League Cy Young Award voting.
Corey Kluber (P), Tampa Bay Rays: One-year, $8-million
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber had his third consecutive injury-plagued season in 2021, going 5-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 16 starts for the New York Yankees.
His new deal includes an additional $5 million in incentives.
James Paxton (P), Boston Red Sox: One-year, $10-million
One of the top Canadian pitchers in MLB has found a new home after missing almost all of 2021 due to Tommy John surgery.
Left-hander James Paxton of Lander, B.C. is joining the Boston Red Sox after his second stint with the Seattle Mariners lasted less than one start. The man they call Big Maple is 57-33 with a 3.59 ERA in his nine-year major league career with the Mariners and New York Yankees.
Daniel Hudson (P), Los Angeles Dodgers: One-year, $7-million
Right-handed reliever Daniel Hudson has returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers on a one-year contract.
The Dodgers announced the deal Tuesday night for Hudson, who pitched in 40 games for Los Angeles in 2018.
Alex Cobb (P), San Francisco Giants: Two-year, $20-million
The 34-year-old pitcher, whose new contract has an option for 2024, was 8-3 with a 3.76 ERA in 18 starts for the Los Angeles Angels last season.
The 10-year major league veteran is 63-60 with a 3.87 ERA in his career.
Hector Neris (P), Houston Astros: Two-year, $17-million
The American League champs now have an experienced closer on a deal that includes an option for 2024.
Neris has saved 84 games over eight seasons for Philadelphia, including a career-high 28 in 2019. He had 12 saves and a 3.63 ERA in 74 appearances for the Phillies last season.
Javier Baez signs six-year, $140M deal with Tigers
Another free agent is off the board as Javier Baez has signed a six-year, $140-million contract with the Detroit Tigers.
Baez batted .265 with 31 home runs and 87 RBIs last season combined with the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets.
Kirby Yates (P), Atlanta Braves: Two year $8.25-million
Yates led the majors with 41 saves for the San Diego Padres in 2019. He didn't pitch this past season for the Toronto Blue Jays because of undergoing his second Tommy John surgery of his career on March 24.
Yates will make $1 million next season, and his salary bumps to $6 million in 2023. The deal also includes a $5.75 million club option for 2024 that comes with a $1.25 million buyout.
Robbie Ray (P), Seattle Mariners: Five year $115-million
The reigning Cy Young winner's new contract contains an opt-out clause after the third season.
The lefty, pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays, had a record of 13-7 with a 2.84 ERA in 32 starts last season.
Corey Seager (SS), Texas Rangers: 10-year $325 -million
Seager batted .306 with 16 homers and 57 RBI for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.
The 27-year-old's deal comes less than 24 hours after the Rangers agreed to a seven-year, $175 million deal with former Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Marcus Semien.
Max Scherzer (P), New York Mets: Three- year $130-million
Scherzer, an eight time All-Star and three time Cy Young award winner, helped the Los Angeles Dodgers to the National League Championship Series last season after arriving in a deadline deal from the Washington Nationals.
The 37-year-old went 15-4 during the 2021 season with a 2.46 ERA and 0.864 WHIP while also delivering 236 strikeouts.
Marcus Semien (SS/IF), Texas Rangers: Seven-year $175-million
Semien had a historic 2021 season with the Toronto Blue Jays highlighted by setting a single-season home run record for second basemen.
The 31-year-old dominated at bat, hitting .265/.334/.538 with 45 home runs and 102 RBIs while appearing in all 162 games.
Read the full story here.
Kevin Gausman (P), Toronto Blue Jays: Five-year $110-Million
The righty had a career 2021 season. Going 14-6 with a 2.81 ERA landed him sixth in the National League Cy Young voting.
It's a big pay-day for the 30-year-old who spent time on the waiver wire as recently as two years ago.
Read the full story here.
Avisail Garcia (OF), Miami Marlins: Four-year $53-million
The 30-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Brewers and hit .262/.330/.490 in 2021.
The 2017 All-Star set a career high in home runs with 29 and RBIs with 86.
Read the full story here.
Jon Gray (P), Texas Rangers: Four-year $56-million
The 2013 third overall pick made 29 starts in 2021 posting an 8-12 record with a 4.59 ERA and 157 strikeouts.
The righty's career record stands at 53-49.
Wander Franco (SS), Tampa Bay Rays: 11-year $182-million
The shortstop made his major league debut June 22 and hit a three-run homer. He batted .288 with 18 doubles, five triples, seven homers and 39 RBIs in 70 games.
The 20-year-old finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.
Read the full story here.
Starling Marte (OF), New York Mets: Four-year, $78-million
The 2016 All-Star and two-time Gold Glove award winner posted a .310/.383/.458 line with 12 home runs and an MLB-best 47 stolen bases in just 120 games.
Read the full story here.
Kendall Graveman (RP), Chicago White Sox: Three-year $24-million
Graveman pitched for both the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros last season, posting a 5-1 record with a 1.77 ERA.
The 30-year-old right-hander made nine appearances in the Astros' World Series run, striking out 11 batters.
Justin Verlander (P), Houston Astros: One-year $25-million
The 38-year-old right-hander's contract includes a conditional $25-million player option for a second season.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner and the 2011 AL MVP is 226-129 with a 3.33 ERA in 16 seasons.
Byron Buxton (OF), Minnesota Twins: Seven-year, $100-million extension
The 28-year-old has spent all seven years of his big-league career with the Twins.
Last season the centre fielder set career highs in home runs with 19, batting average (.306), on-base percentage (.358).
Read the full story here.
Jose Berrios (P), Toronto Blue Jays: 7-year $131-million extension
Acquired by the Jays from the Twins in late July, Berrios was an effective and reliable pitcher over 12 starts for Toronto, posting a 5-4 record and 3.58 earned-run average.
Both parties were eager to keep the right-handed pitcher in Toronto.
Steven Matz (P), St. Louis Cardinals: Four-year $44-million
The left-handed pitcher for the Mets from 2015-20 was traded to Toronto last January. He went a career-best 14-7 with a 3.82 ERA in 29 starts for the Blue Jays.
