It is evaluated that the 2023-2024 Major League Free Agent (FA) market is somewhat lacking in relatively usable selections. It is unclear whether there will be as much activity as this year when there were quite a few starting transfers such as Jacob deGrom (Texas), Justin Verlander (New York Mets), and Carlos Rodon (New York Yankees).
The general outlook is that Julio Urias (LA Dodgers) and Aaron Nola (Philadelphia) are the best players, followed by Lucas Giolito (Chicago White Sox) and Blake Snell (San Diego). The ransom will change a little depending on this year’s performance, but it remains to be seen whether there will be a super-large contract worth more than 30 million dollars a year.
Players who are attracting attention here are veterans such as Clayton Kershaw (35, LA Dodgers) and Darvish Yu (37, San Diego), who are becoming legends of the LA Dodgers. It feels like it has come down a bit in its prime, but it is still producing good results. It’s interesting to see what clubs will conclude between age and current performance.
Kershaw, a prospective Hall of Fame player, signed a one-year contract with the Dodgers this year as well as in 2022. The annual salary in 2022 is 17 million dollars (approximately 21 billion won), and this year’s annual salary is 20 million dollars (approximately 24.7 billion won). He’s been plagued by injuries, but once on the mound, he’s showing class. Last year, he participated in 22 games and was selected as an All-Star for the 9th time in his life with good grades of 12 wins and 3 losses and an average ERA of 2.28.
However, there is no guarantee that he will remain with the Dodgers in 2024. The Dodgers are reluctant to give Kershaw a long-term contract. Most interpretations are that it is because of the risk of injury. Kershaw only pitched 121⅔ innings in 2021 and 126⅓ innings in 2022. Many media now believe that Kershaw will not be able to throw 180-200 innings the way he used to. Even if he would rather limit the innings, there was a constant voice that he would rather use it healthily in the postseason. 메이저놀이터
His hometown team, Texas transfer rumors pop up as a regular every offseason. ‘FOX Sports’ also warned on the 19th (Korean time) that ‘the left-hander is facing more problems with recent injuries. More importantly, he seems destined to choose forever between the Dodgers and his hometown team, the Rangers, but that doesn’t make him a normal free agent.”
Darvish is also complicated. Darvish’s six-year, $126 million contract with the Chicago Cubs ends this year ahead of the 2018 season. Last year, Darvish showed off his health, such as throwing 194⅔ innings in 30 games and recording an average ERA of 3.10 with 16 wins and 8 losses, but Darvish will turn 38 next year. It’s an age many teams don’t like. In fact, it’s not a strange age to think about retirement.
Here, Darvish also has an option to return to Japan. It is meaningful to spend the end of his active career in Japan, and next year, right after his 6-year contract ends, is also a good timing to make such a move.
“It’s not easy to predict how pitchers in their late 30s will age,” FOX Sports said. He predicted that performance would be important this year, saying, “Any injury or injury problem can yield a contract at a very different level.”
