On Monday morning, as the industry gathered for its annual ritual of bartering and bluffing known as the winter meetings, reports surfaced about Miami’s willingness to offer a five-year, $80-million contract to Kenley Jansen.
In the afternoon, Aroldis Chapman expressed his desire for a six-year deal worth $100 million.
In between, San Francisco finalized a four-year, $62-million contract with Mark Melancon, who will serve as the temporary owner of the sport’s richest contract ever for a closer, with Jansen and Chapman expected to shatter that mark in the coming days.
The Dodgers did not approach Melancon with much aggression.