MLB Off-Season Roundup 11/02/2023: Free Agency Starts

Max Muncy signs an extension, Joe Jimenez stays with the Braves, and more on the MLB Off-Season Roundup from yesterday.

The MLB off-season started yesterday and it was a busy transaction day. Not only did players start filing for free agency, but teams made a flurry of roster moves to prepare for signings, which can start Monday (11/06).

First up are players leaving teams…

• Elected Free Agency
  • Arizona Diamondbacks
    • Lourdes Gurriel Jr. SS (cannot receive qualifying offer due to contract clause)
    • Tommy Pham, OF
  • Baltimore Orioles
    • Jack Flaherty, RHP
    • Adam Frazier, 2B
  • Boston Red Sox
    • Adam Duvall, OF
    • Adalberto Mondesi, SS
    • James Paxton, LHP
  • Chicago Cubs
    • Shane Greene, RHP
  • Cincinnati Reds
    • Buck Farmer, RHP
  • Cleveland Guardians
    • Kole Calhoun, OF
    • Lucas Giolito, RHP
    • Reynaldo Lopez, RHP
  • Houston Astros
    • Phil Maton, RHP
  • Kansas City Royals
    • Brad Keller, RHP
  • Los Angeles Angels
    • Mike Moustakas, 3B
  • Los Angeles Dodgers
    • Shelby Miller, RHP
    • David Peralta, OF
    • Amed Rosario, SS
  • Milwaukee Brewers
    • Victor Caratini, C
  • Minnesota Twins
    • Joey Gallo, OF
    • Kenta Maeda, RHP
    • Tyler Mahle, RHP
    • Donovan Solano, IF
  • San Diego Padres
    • Luis Garcia, RHP
    • Rich Hill, LHP
    • Jurickson Profar, UT
    • Blake Snell, LHP
  • Tampa Bay Rays
    • Robert Stephenson, RHP
  • Texas Rangers
    • Mitch Garver, C
    • Travis Jankowski, OF

• Option Declined
  • Miami Marlins
    • Jorge Soler, OF (Player, $13.0M)
  • Milwaukee Brewers
    • Andrew Chafin, LHP (Club, $7.25M) – $725k buyout
    • Justin Wilson, LHP (Club, $2.5M) – $150k buyout
  • Oakland Athletics
    • Drew Rucinski, RHP (Club, $5.0M)
  • San Diego Padres
    • Seth Lugo, RHP (Player, $7.5M)
  • Toronto Blue Jays
    • Whit Merrifield, 2B (Mutual, $18.0M) – $500k buyout
  • Washington Nationals
    • Victor Robles, OF (Club, $3.3M) – remains with club through arbitration

• Placed on Waivers
  • New York Mets
    • Peyton Battenfield, RHP (will remain with Mets if unclaimed)
    • John Curtiss, RHP
    • Elieser Hernandez, RHP
    • Tim Locastro, OF
    • Bryce Montes de Oca, RHP (will remain with Mets if unclaimed)
    • Denyi Reyes, RHP
  • New York Yankees
    • Matt Bowman, RHP
    • Franchy Cordero, OF
    • Jimmy Cordero, RHP
    • Domingo German, RHP
    • Billy McKinney, OF
    • Ryan Weber, RHP
  • Pittsburgh Pirates
    • Miguel Andujar, 3B
    • Angel Perdomo, LHP
    • Yerry De Los Santos, RHP

• Retired
  • San Diego Padres
    • Nelson Cruz, DH
  • Texas Rangers
    • Ian Kennedy, RHP

• DFA
  • Kansas City Royals
    • Nate Eaton, C

And here are the guys going to the minors, at least until minor league free agency starts (which is noted)…

• Assigned to Minors
  • Boston Red Sox
    • Justin Garza, RHP (will be MiLB Free Agent)
  • Chicago Cubs
    • Nick Burdi, RHP (Can elect free agency)
    • Jeremiah Estrada, RHP
    • Jared Young, IF
  • San Diego Padres
    • Drew Carlton, RHP (will be MiLB Free Agent)
    • Chandler Seagle, C (will be MiLB Free Agent)

Finally, here are players being added to rosters, through signings, waivers, trades, etc…

• Signed
  • Atlanta Braves
    • Joe Jimenez, RHP (Atlanta Braves) – 3 years, $26.0M
  • Cincinnati Reds
    • Tony Santillan, RHP (Cincinnati Reds) – MiLB deal, NRI
  • Milwaukee Brewers
    • Colin Rea, RHP, (Milwaukee Brewers) 1 year, $3.5M with $5.5M club option ($1M buyout) for 2025.

• Option Exercised
  • Minnesota Twins
    • Max Kepler, OF (Club, $10.0M)
    • Jorge Polanco, IF (Club, $10.5M)
  • New York Mets
    • Omar Narvaez, C (Player, $7.0M)

• Extention
  • Los Angeles Dodgers
    • Max Muncy, IF – 2 years, $24M with $10M club option for 2026; $5M signing bonus. Replaces existing 2024 contact.

• Avoided Arbitration
  • Oakland Athletics
    • Sean Newcomb, LHP – 1 year, $1M

• Trades
  • The Pittsburgh Pirates trade Cody Bolton (RHP) to the Seattle Mariners for cash.

• Claimed Off Waivers
  • Cleveland Guardians
    • Alfonso Rivas, 1B (Pittsburgh Pirates)
  • Milwaukee Brewers
    • Vinny Capra, IF (Pittsburgh Pirates)
  • San Diego Padres
    • Tucupita Marcano, IF (Pittsburgh Pirates)

• Activated
  • Arizona Diamondbacks
    • Blaze Alexander, SS
    • Slade Cecconi, RHP
    • Kyle Lewis, OF
  • Kansas City Royals
    • Jake Brentz, LHP
    • Kris Bubic, LHP
    • Freddy Fermin, C
    • Daniel Lynch IV, LHP
    • Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B
  • Los Angeles Dodgers
    • Jake Marisnick, OF
    • Julio Urias, LHP
  • Pittsburgh Pirates
    • Vince Velasquez, RHP
  • San Francisco Giants
    • Roberto Perez, C
  • Texas Rangers
    • Jonathan Hernandez, RHP
    • Zak Kent, RHP
    • J.P. Martínez, OF
    • Owen White, RHP
    • Cole Winn, RHP

It’ll be a crazy week next week, as we’ll get more guys entering free agency, early signings, and hopefully the minor league free agent list. For now, here’s the dates of note for the off-season (along with some Cardinal specific names).