Top to bottom:
From $3 million to $20 million per 162, the Phillies and their divisional competitors will have some relief options, but each franchise has their own monetary limitations. Basically, there could be five possibilities: three free agents, one opt-out candidate and one trade chip. But, realistically, other avenues are remote.
Opting out is available to Aroldis Chapman, who has $34.4 million guaranteed if he declines this opportunity. Though, if he opts out, he’d probably have an asking price of $20 million per campaign for five summers. But no NL East team will be shopping in this high-end neighborhood.
Dollarwise, a player’s current salary escalates from that point, but free-agent bidding results in a steeper increase than a re-signing. To illustrate, Will Smith will probably receive $11 million AAV (average annual value) per season up from 2019’s salary of $4.2 million. With, though, a save rate of 89.5 percent, Smith has earned it.
Concerning his up-and-down career, Daniel Hudson has experienced a high of $5.5 million each in 2017 and 2018 to a drop with 2019’s MiLB deal for $1.5 million plus $1.5 million in incentives. So, his ceiling will probably be $8 million AAV for 2-3 years due to a seller’s market for late-inning firemen.
Phillies targets for late-inning hurlers (* left-hander):
- *Chapman, 31.5: 59 Gms., 56 Inn., 2.25 ERA, 37 Saves and 5 BS.
Four-seam fastball: 98.3-mph average and 102.3-mph max. - *Smith, 30: 63 Gms., 65 1/3 Inn., 2.76 ERA, 34 Saves and 4 BS.
Four-seam fastball: 92.9-mph average and 95.7-mph max. - Hudson, 32.5: 67 Gms., 71 Inn., 2.54 ERA, 7 Saves and 11 Holds.
Four-seam fastball: 96.4-mph average and 98.8-mph max. - Harris, 35: 67 Gms., 59 2/3 Inn., 1.51 ERA, 3 Saves and 26 Holds.
Cutters at 57.9 percent and curveballs at 42.1 percent. - Givens, 29: 57 Gms., 62 Inn., 4.65 ERA, 11 Saves and 7 Holds.
Four-seam fastball: 95.7-mph average and 99.5-mph max.
Finesse pitcher Will Harris, 35, is the oldest here, but he has a solid track record for the last five campaigns, although ’19 has been a career year. Ergo, he might receive an increase from $4.2 million to $6 million AAV for two summers as a setup man.
The youngest at 29, Mychal Givens is a fireballer, and many clubs have interest in hard-throwing relievers with endgame potential. In fact, Klentak was a suitor for the hurler in late July, and the exec may be willing to swap prospects to the Baltimore Orioles for his two seasons of control with a $3 million arbitration estimate.