We finally have the free agent news we’ve been waiting for in this bizarre, slow offseason. Alex Cobb signed with the Rays’ division rivals, the Orioles, so we’ll get plenty of opportunity to see him back in the Trop. Normally it’s a bad thing to see good free agents sign within the division, but in this case there’s a silver lining.
The draft pick compensation the Rays were set to receive depended on the size of the deal Cobb signed. By holding out and refusing to take a deal below what he saw as his value Alex Cobb crossed the $50 million threshold, and ended up with $57 million over four years.