Baseball

Braves (already) let Alek Manoah become a free agent
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Braves (already) let Alek Manoah become a free agent
Credit: TSN

Today was the deadline for what is known as contract tender .

Basically, players who are eligible for arbitration (i.e. not experienced enough for full autonomy) have their club retain their rights by being offered a slightly higher salary than the year before. It's the same principle as a free agent WITH restrictions in the NHL.

A player in this position who is not offered such a contract automatically becomes a free agent and can sign with the club of his choice. This happens when a guy is no longer good enough or costs too much for the value of the offer to be made.

The Blue Jays, for example, had four guys in that position (Daulton Varsho, Ernie Clement, Eric Lauer and Tyler Heineman) and all four were offered contracts. #Formality

The Rangers, meanwhile, let go of two big guys who won the 2023 World Series: Jonah Heim and 2023 Series hero Adolis Garcia. Both earned too much for a club that has to trim the fat.

So they're free as a bird.

And it's interesting to note that the Atlanta Braves, who recently acquired Alek Manoah from the Blue Jays, didn't make that offer to the American pitcher.

The result? He's a free agent.

One wonders if this was done to free himself from his assigned value through the process in an attempt to sign him for less. But if so, it's a risk since the pitcher can sign with the other 29 MLB clubs.

To be continued.

PMLB
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This content was created with the help of AI.

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