The pool of players to become MLB free agents in 2020 is absolutely stocked. However, these players, more than others, need to have strong September.
As the 2019 MLB season is nearing its’ end of the regular season, speculation about the upcoming offseason enters baseball’s everyday conversation. Similar to the last few Winters, this impending free agency is expected to be beyond busy.
With about 25 days left in the season, this is crucial for looming MLB free agents. These last few weeks are an opportunity for players to raise their value by finishing the season strong. Players can end up making millions more on their new contract based off how they performed in September and in October if their team makes it to the postseason.
In 2018, right-handed pitcher Nathan Eovaldi was signed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, after missing all of 2017 to recover from his second Tommy John surgery. On July 25th, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox, the best team in baseball at the time. Eovaldi struggled in his first few starts with Boston but really brought everything together in September.
He went 1-0 in September, tossing 20 innings with an ERA of 1.35. His successful September set him up for huge roles in the Red Sox 2018 World Series run. In the 2018 postseason, Eovaldi pitched 6 games, starting two of them, and had a 1.61 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP. His dominance was key to the Red Sox triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Eovaldi went on to sign a four-year, $68 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. He is a prime example of how September and October weigh heavy significance when it comes to offseason contracts. Here are three impending MLB free agents that need to have a strong September and possible postseason if they want a more lucrative deal.