The MLB offseason has already seen some lucrative deals made to free agents, and clubs are continuing to dig deep into their pockets to grab the top players available.
The Boston Red Sox, after finishing in last place in the American League East in each of the last two seasons, found their ace in David Price, signing him to a seven-year, $217 million contract on December 1.
Price was the prize free agent in this year's class, apart from Zack Greinke, and was awarded with the biggest contract for a pitcher in MLB history. Price, 30, will be 37 in the final year of his new contract but does have an option to opt out in 2018.
Greinke was a target for the Red Sox, although it has been reported that Red Sox owner John Henry only met with one free agent: Price. Not being signed before Price gives Greinke the upper hand in negotiations, however, as Price's deal now serves as a benchmark for Greinke as he negotiates back and forth with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.
The 2015 National League Cy Young runner-up, who posted a 1.66 ERA for the Dodgers last season, is 32 years old and likely won't be getting a deal in the seven-year range. As a result, he will probably receive more on the front end of his contract than Price.
While Greinke weighs his options, another pitcher found his home.
Jordan Zimmermann signed a five-year, $110 million deal with the Detroit Tigers after posting a career-worst 3.66 ERA with the Washington Nationals last season. The deal was announced on November 30, and to most Tigers fans, it was a bargain for a top-end pitcher.
The Nationals may have lost out on Zimmermann, but they seem to be in the conversation for other free agents around the league.
Ben Zobrist, 34, has been garnering a lot of attention this offseason after hitting 13 home runs last season for the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals. It's not surprising that Zobrist is getting so much attention, even at such a seasoned age. ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that the New York Mets have expressed interest, as well.
His production at the plate and at second base would do wonders for a team looking to put themselves in title contention, and his experience in the World Series is priceless.
Chase Utley is another player to watch this offseason, as ESPN's Jayson Stark reports that both the Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels are expressing interest.
After playing his entire career with the Philadelphia Phillies before being traded in August to the Dodgers, it appears that Utley has his heart set on playing baseball in California for the foreseeable future.
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