MLB free agency is a fun time for baseball fans.
For the most part, it is a time of hope. It is a time to imagine that those signings could make a difference, maybe bringing a team to the playoffs or that those players are the missing pieces for a championship. It is a chance, even if just for a minute, to dream.
Three potential bargains in 2022-23 MLB free agency class
It is also a time when there will be plenty of speculation. Players such as Jacob deGrom and Aaron Judge are going to get plenty of attention with good reason. But there are also those bargains in free agency that can make a tremendous difference as well. Sometimes, the difference between a playoff spot and sitting home in October can be signing that right bargain free agent.
Which players in MLB free agency will be bargains during the offseason? Let’s look at three possible candidates that can make a difference at a lower cost.
Noah Syndergaard
The Angels had hoped that Noah Syndergaard would be a bargain in MLB free agency last season, although he commanded a one year deal worth $21 million.
It was a contract that was fraught with risk. Syndergaard had pitched just two innings in the previous two seasons as he missed time due to the pandemic and Tommy John surgery. The hope was that he would be ready to perform at his accustomed level.
This may be the right year to take a gamble on Syndergaard. He will be far enough away from TJS where he can be back to his previously dominant self. Syndergaard is also likely to be relatively cheap after he posted a 3.94 ERA and a 1.255 WHiP in his 134.2 innings between the Angels and Phillies, striking out 95 batters with 31 walks. He eventually lost his spot in the Phillies’ rotation down the stretch and into the playoffs.
His struggles down the stretch could work out perfectly for interested teams. A team on the cusp of contention looking for a possible top of the rotation arm on a bargain contract could be interested. Likewise, a rebuilding team hoping that Syndergaard can return to form and bring back a significant prospect haul could be a landing spot. He will attract interest but will not get anything close to that $21 million salary.
Teams are always looking for bargain arms in MLB free agency. Noah Syndergaard could be that piece during the 2023 campaign.