Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:
1. Moncada to be made official:
The Angels agreed to re-sign third baseman Yoan Moncada to a one-year deal last week, but that deal still has yet to be made official. It’s unclear what’s caused the delay, as other clubs with agreements signed at a similar time have officially announced those deals. Regardless, an announcement figures to happen in the near future given that spring training is just around the corner. The Angels’ 40-man roster is at capacity, so Moncada will require a corresponding move to create space. There’s no indication that the Halos are planning to remove Anthony Rendon from the 40-man roster even after his contract was restructured and the club indicated that he won’t be with the team this season — they’ve already made multiple transactions that required 40-man moves since that revelation and have not removed him — so it seems they’ll simply place him on the 60-day IL when camp opens. That will give them some mid-February flexibility, but Moncada’s deal will surely be finalized before that point.
2. Fan events this weekend:
A number of teams are hosting fan events this weekend as spring training nears and fan excitement for the coming season grows. The White Sox will kick things off with SoxFest Live today and tomorrow, while the Braves, Royals, and Padres are all hosting one-day fan events tomorrow. The Giants’ Fan Fest tour will be in Sacramento tomorrow as well, while the Mariners will host their two-day FanFest tomorrow and Sunday. Details regarding each event’s schedule, ticketing, and location can be found at the team’s respective link, courtesy of MLB.com.
3. Free agents linger with February on the horizon:
The month of February is just days away. Pitchers and catchers report in just a couple weeks. Despite that, a number of notable free agents remain unsigned. Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, and Eugenio Suarez are arguably the most impactful names still on the market, but solid mid-rotation pieces like Lucas Giolito, Chris Bassitt, and Justin Verlander have also yet to sign. Will the impending arrival of spring training increase pressure to get a deal done, or will some of these players be content to continue holding out for the best deal possible? Max Scherzer, for his part, has indicated a willingness to hold off on signing until after the season begins in order to ensure he finds the right fit.
