A frenetic weekend across Major League Baseball saw a number of elite free agents sign new contracts as a seemingly inevitable lockout prepares to halt all MLB action.
While owners shelling out hundreds of millions for players only hours before locking those very same players out for earning too much money is a baffling concept in itself, that’s not why we’re here. Instead, let’s bask in these final moments of labor peace, enjoy the hopefulness accompanied by big offseason moves and look at which teams did the most to improve their World Series odds for 2022.
More than $1 billion has already been spent on free agents this offseason. Some will boom, many others will bust. Here’s what oddsmakers are predicting.
All odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook.
The most money ever guaranteed to free agents in one offseason came in 2019-20 with around $2.1 billion —$932M of it going to Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon and Zack Wheeler. This winter (and spring if a lockout lasts ‘til then) is primed to smash that number.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2021