Juan Soto is obviously the biggest name on the board, and the 26-year-old slugger might set a record for present-day value with his next deal after a career year with the New York Yankees.
But he’s just one of several All-Stars available in what figures to be an active winter.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman sounded as if he intends to bring back manager Aaron Boone for an eighth season and defended his team from criticism by Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly over New York’s sloppy World Series defensive play.
“I’m a big Aaron Boone fan. I think he’s a great manager and I think we’re lucky to have him,” Cashman said Tuesday at the general managers meetings.
Boone has led the Yankees to a 603-429 record, three AL East titles and one pennant in seven seasons. After the five-game loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series last week, Boone said he hadn’t thought about his future.
Boone agreed in October 2021 to a three-year contract that includes a team option for 2025. Cashman said the deadline for the option is 10 days after the World Series and he envisioned discussing both the option and a new deal.
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“I can’t put the cart ahead of the horse. We haven’t gotten there,” he said.
‘It stings forever’ – Aaron Boone on New York Yankees losing to Dodgers in World Series | MLB on FOX
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Cashman didn’t fault Boone for moves he made during the postseason.
“The manager’s job is so impossible, so you can play the game of second-guessing because you’re either going to make a move and it’ll be right, you make a move and it’ll be wrong and then have at it, right?” he said. “So I think he’s a really, really good manager. I think that we’re lucky to have him. He’s done a great job.”
Cashman acknowledged the World Series performance was a disappointment. The Yankees blew a 10th-inning lead in the opener when Freddie Freeman hit a game-ending grand slam off Nestor Cortes. After losing the first three games and winning Game 4, the Yankees wasted a 5-0 lead in Game 5 in a five-run fifth inning when center fielder Aaron Judge and shortstop Anthony Volpe made errors and pitcher Gerrit Cole failed to cover first on an infield grounder. The Dodgers won 7-6 to capture the title.
“First and foremost, I acknowledge that we played poorly in the World Series,” Cashman said. “We all saw that and unfortunately our `A’ game didn’t show up when it counted the most.”
“They got bad ball. Yeah, sloppy. Everyone knows that,” Kelly said. “We were saying every single game: Just let them throw the ball into the infield. They can’t make a play. I mean, you saw Shohei (Ohtani) get an extra base going to third off a sloppy Gleyber (Torres) play. It’s well known. We all knew. I mean, we’re the Dodgers. We know every little detail.”
“It was just a mismatch from the get-go,” Kelly added. “If we had a playoff reranking, they might be ranked eighth- or ninth-best playoff team. You know what I mean? You’re putting the Padres ahead of them, you’re putting the Phillies ahead of them, you’re putting the Mets ahead of them, you’re putting the Braves ahead of them — and the Braves just got unlucky because they had to play that doubleheader. You’re putting — I mean, the Guardians played like crap, but the Guardians played better, the better D (defense), better baseball all around.”
“I heard that,” Cashman said. “I also know people with the Dodgers, so I’ve got some internal conversations that I’ve got certainly feedback on. I think it’s more representative of some specific players rather than the overall group. And in Joe’s case, it feels like it’s for some reason, it’s a little personal, the way he’s out talking like he has.”
Cashman rejected criticism of the Yankees roster makeup, saying it’s natural that players are better at offense and not so strong at defense or base running.
“We’ve come across many a player that just aren’t good at bunting. As many times as you ask them to bunt and you practice bunting or whatever, they just aren’t good at it. And so at some point you manage the people you have,” Cashman said. “I remember having a conversation with one of my prior managers: ‘At some point you got to stop asking somebody to do something they’re not good at.'”
The Dodgers say the Japanese two-way player is expected to be ready for spring training in February.
Ohtani injured his nonthrowing shoulder while sliding into second base on a stolen base attempt, which resulted in a shoulder dislocation. He returned to play the next three games, helping the Dodgers beat the Yankees in five games to win the championship.
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Shohei Ohtani joins ‘MLB on Fox’ crew to discuss Dodgers winning the 2024 World Series
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The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.
Three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw has declined his $10 million player option with the Los Angeles Dodgers, electing to become a free agent.
The MLB Players Association listed Kershaw as a free agent in a statement released on Monday. The left-hander is still expected to re-sign with the Dodgers, his only big league team during his 17-year career.
The 36-year-old was hurt for much of last season, finishing with a 2-2 record and a 4.50 ERA over seven starts.
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The Dodgers did exercise a $5 million option for infielder Miguel Rojas and a $3.5 million option for catcher Austin Barnes. Barnes is the second-longest tenured Dodgers player behind Kershaw, playing 10 seasons.
The 35-year-old Rojas just finished one of the best seasons of his 11-year career, batting .283 with six homers and 36 RBIs. Barnes hit .264 with one homer and 11 RBIs.
Dodgers win World Series, Is Los Angeles a dynasty? | First Things First
If Hernández does, he will be under contract with the Dodgers for another season. If he declines and signs elsewhere, his new team must forfeit at least one draft pick and Los Angeles will receive at least one draft pick as compensation.
Juan Soto and Teoscar Hernández, fresh off their appearances in the World Series, were among the 13 free agents who received $21.05 million qualifying offers Monday. The players have until 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 19 to accept.
Since 2012, when the qualifying offer system began, only 13 of 131 players who were extended the offer have accepted it. All seven who got a qualifying offer last year rejected it. Most notably, superstar Shohei Ohtani turned down the offer from the Los Angeles Angels and went on to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency. Ohtani, along with Hernández, won the World Series over Soto and the New York Yankees.Â
