The MLB tender deadline was Tuesday at midnight. A number of teams opted to allow arbitration-eligible players hit the free agent market, which may shake things up in the coming weeks. The Kansas City Royals ensured they signed one of their coveted relievers before another team could.
This deadline is usually for MLB players who are entering their second, third or fourth years of arbitration eligibility. However, it can be used on first year arbitration-eligible players, those who are not yet arbitration-eligible, and others who have injury concerns. By non-tendering a player before the deadline, an MLB club is allowing that player to hit the free agent market, essentially making it known they no longer want to pay for his services. Many of these players have accumulated at least three years of MLB service time and could be solid additions to teams in need of certain pieces.
The top players who are now free agents include shortstop Everth Cabrera, infielder Gordon Beckham, first basemen Justin Smoak and Gaby Sanchez, third baseman Juan Francisco, outfielders Eric Young Jr. and John Mayberry Jr., starting pitchers Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy and relief pitcher Alexi Ogando. These players should draw interest from other teams throughout the league who are looking to get decent talent on the cheap. The complete list of non-tendered players can be found in this NBC Sports HardballTalk article.
However, a number of teams avoided the tender/arbitration process and signed some of their arbitration-eligible players, including the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees. The A's signed first baseman Ike Davis to a one-year, $3.8 million contract as well as reliever Fernando Rodriguez to a one-year, $635,000 contract. New York agreed with reliever Esmil Rogers for one-year and $1.48 million.
The Kansas City Royals non-tendered relief pitcher Francisley Bueno, but reached a two-year, $10 million contract with right-handed reliever Luke Hochevar. The 31-year-old helped the Royals in 2013 thanks to his success in the bullpen. That year he posted a 5-2 record with a 1.92 ERA and 0.825 WHIP in 70 1/3 innings. Hochevar was drafted as a starter - the No. 1 overall pick - in the 2006 draft.
Unfortunately, he underwent Tommy John surgery in the spring and was held out of the team's postseason run in 2014. The Royals view him as a commodity in the bullpen after his failed stint as a starter, posting a 38-59 record with a 5.44 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 128 starts. He should be able to return to action in spring training.
