#contract-structure

#contract-structure

A year after losing out on Bregman, who reportedly had strong interest in joining the Cubs, Jed Hoyer got his man with a five-year, $175 million contract that proves to everyone how serious this team is about winning in 2026 and beyond. Frequent CI readers might not have been as shocked as others, since we had written about how splurging on arb salaries indicated a potential willingness to spend on a bat.

The Mariners struck gold with last winter's re-signing of Jorge Polanco on a $6MM free agent deal. They attributed his down 2024 season to a knee injury that had required postseason meniscus surgery. The switch-hitting infielder rewarded their faith by connecting on 26 home runs with a .265/.326/.495 slash across 524 plate appearances. Polanco has certainly put himself in position for a more lucrative trip this time around.

If it seems weird that the Sox would do this merely to save $125,000 - which is the difference between the $8 million option and the $7.875 million they'll pay him if he hits his incentives - I agree! That is weird! What is going on here! The big question, of course, is what this deal means vis a vis a potential trade of Jarren Duan. The fact is, I don't think it means much,

I love this company and everything it stands for. If you don't like the contract, don't sign it. If the bottom guys get paid as much as the top guys, there would be no incentive to get to the top.