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Two days into the common season, just one place participant from MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents list stays unsigned: designated hitter/first baseman Brandon Belt. On Friday, the veteran slugger mentioned his enduring free company in an appearance on The JD Bunkis Podcast. In accordance with Belt, he had only a few calls with groups this winter that went additional than the groups expressing free curiosity. He by no means obtained to the purpose of “speaking about cash” with any golf equipment.
Belt means that quite a few groups thought-about him a second-choice possibility in the event that they have been unable to land their first alternative on a longer-term deal. Ultimately, he says “just about each one” of these groups “obtained their man.” He might be referring to the Giants, who signed Jorge Soler to a three-year deal, or the Mariners, who signed Mitch Garver to a two-year contract. A number of different groups signed designated hitters to one-year offers this offseason, together with the Diamondbacks (Joc Pederson), the Mets (J.D. Martinez), and the Blue Jays (Justin Turner).
The Rangers have been one group that reportedly mentioned signing Belt, however evidently, they by no means reached the purpose of constructing him a suggestion. That certainly has one thing to do with high prospect Wyatt Langford incomes a spot on the Opening Day roster, however nonetheless, Texas might have thought-about Belt for the spot that finally went to non-roster invitee Jared Walsh. Two extra groups that appeared like potential matches for Belt additionally opted to signal veterans on minor league offers as an alternative: the Blue Jays went with Daniel Vogelbach, whereas the Angels added Miguel Sano.
Though Belt “positively” needs to play in 2024 (per Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic), he instructed Bunkis that he didn’t need to accept a minor league contract. He made $9.3 million final season, and it’s secure to say he outperformed the Blue Jays’ expectations once they provided him that deal. It’s affordable to presume he hoped for a elevate. As a substitute, he’ll nearly actually should accept a sizeable pay reduce, if and when he ultimately indicators. To that time, Belt talked about how completely different his free agent expertise was through the 2022-23 offseason. He says it was “fairly simple” to land a contract as a result of “fairly just a few groups” have been inquisitive about his providers. That couldn’t be farther from the case this time round.
Belt says the entire expertise has “baffled [him] a little bit bit,” and it’s not onerous to see why. The left-handed hitter is coming off a wonderful season with Toronto by which he hit 19 dwelling runs in simply 103 video games. He additionally hit 23 doubles and drew 61 walks over 404 plate appearances. Solely seven AL batters (min. 400 PA) outproduced his .858 OPS and 138 wRC+. His .336 anticipated wOBA was extra good than nice, and he’s possible due for some regression as he enters his late thirties. Nonetheless, loads of groups could be higher off together with his skilled lefty bat on their roster.
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