Last offseason, Carlos Rodon and his agent Scott Boras were unable to secure their long-term, high-salary deal. He instead opted to sign with the San Francisco Giants on a two-year, $44 million contract that included an opt-out after the first season. That opt-out has been key for Rodon, who has now garnered interest from teams all across the league.
Now, the question shifts to where he will land, and more importantly, how much he will earn. The qualifying offer he declined from the Giants was valued at $19.65 million, indicating that Carlos Rodon will be seeking both long-term security and a higher average annual salary.
While exploring potential deals that Rodon may sign, it makes sense to look at another pitcher who had a tremendous season with the Giants but the team decided not to sign: Kevin Gausman. Last offseason, heading into his age-31 season, the Blue Jays signed him to a five-year, $110 million contract.
For Rodon, who has struggled with his health during his MLB career, a five-year deal may be exactly what he is looking for on the open market. Under Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, the team has been reluctant to hand out deals such as Gausman. Rodon may have no choice but to look elsewhere.
According to FanGraphs, Rodon may be able to sign a lucrative deal in the ballpark of two-year, $85 million based on the estimated numbers swirling around a Jacob deGrom deal.
Where will Carlos Rodon play next season?
While we cannot rule out a return to the Giants, it seems that Carlos Rodon may be pitching in a different uniform next season. While many teams will be in conversation with Rodon, the Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and Philadelphia Phillies seem like the most likely destinations for the superstar hurler.
The best part of the MLB offseason is the unpredictability. He could very well sign with a team that has not been mentioned anywhere.
0 votes
