For the second consecutive winter, MLB enters an offseason at a crossroads. Last year, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that cast a murky cloud over the league’s future. Now, the collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the players association is set to expire Dec. 1. How CBA negotiations unfold will undoubtedly be the story of the offseason, making any predictions on player movement feel somewhat fanciful.
Assuming the owners and players can come to an agreement in a relatively timely fashion (granted, that’s quite a large assumption), this year’s free-agent class is a big one. There are star shortstops under 30 and starting pitchers galore, with several intriguing buy-low options for teams looking to jump into the contending tier or shore up any roster gaps.