Not two days after word came down from his agent that third baseman Mike Moustakas was willing to sit out past the June draft before signing a short-term contract, it now looks like the Royals – the team that stood to lose out on a compensation pick if he went that route – are going to get a deal done.
it once looked extremely unlikely, but royals are back talking to mike moustakas about a possible reunion and there appears to be some hope. nothing done yet, however. https://t.co/bB6d1ahxTA
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 9, 2018
update: #royals have made an offer in hopes of bringing back mike moustakas, and are waiting to hear back. https://t.co/I3ZV8aFP47
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 9, 2018
sources: moustakes and royals are close to a deal. reunion said extremely likely. from @RobertMurrayFRS and me.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 9, 2018
Things are happening, it seems!
No, Moustakas to the Royals probably doesn’t immediately move the market for Jake Arrieta, for one example, but it does show the flow of activity is still happening. Earlier today, there was a rumor that the Padres were checking in on Arrieta for a bargain, but he was willing to wait. So, who knows? Maybe his willingness to wait (and same agent) will spark some activity.
It would also be nice to see Moustakas returning to the Royals, because it will mean that a team like the Cardinals isn’t going to be able to get him for a song.
Meanwhile, do I think this suggests the Cubs will do the same thing with Arrieta, since they would lose out on a compensatory pick if he waited until after the draft? Nope. Adding Arrieta, even if you could have it make sense for the roster, and even if you could do it for a relative steal, would still put the Cubs way too close to the luxury tax threshold, which they otherwise seem very intent on staying under this year, in part so they can go over it next year.
Come on, free agent market. Get going.
UPDATE: I know that the market never developed for him, but my God:
Mike Moustakas' deal has a $5.5M salary in 2018 with $2.2 million in performance bonuses. There is a mutual option for $15 million in 2019 with a $1 million buyout.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 9, 2018
I am stupefied. To put the signing into context:
The crazy thing: Moustakas is getting 6.8% of what his projected guarantee was at FanGraphs. If Arrieta got 6.8% of his projected guarantee, he'd be signing a one-year deal for about $6.6 million.
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) March 9, 2018