Mariners agree to deal with Ray (source)

MLB.com is keeping track of all the latest news and rumors surrounding Robbie Ray.

Read all about Ray here.

Nov. 29: Ray reaches five-year deal with Mariners (source)
The Mariners have agreed to a five-year, $115 million deal with Ray, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The deal includes an opt-out after the third year.

Nov. 29: Ray set to meet with Angels; deal not close (source)
With Max Scherzer joining the Mets on a three-year deal and Kevin Gausman finalizing a five-year contract with the Blue Jays, the options at the top of the starting pitching market are dwindling.

Ray is among the best remaining free-agent starters, but MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi hears that the left-hander is not close to a deal with any team. Per Morosi, the Angels are one of Ray’s top suitors, but he hasn’t had a formal meeting with the team yet.

The Angels signed Noah Syndergaard to a one-year contract earlier this offseason and are nearing a deal with Michael Lorenzen, but they are seeking additional rotation help. The Halos are also working the trade market in their search for starters. Morosi reports that the team has had prelimary talks with the Reds about a deal for Luis Castillo.

Ray won the American League Cy Young Award as a member of the Blue Jays in 2021, but Toronto’s deal with Gausman likely takes the club out of the mix to sign the southpaw.

Nov. 27: Mets turn focus to pitching
After addressing their offense Friday, when they reached deals with Starling Marte, Mark Canha and Eduardo Escobar, according to sources, the Mets are now focused on the starting-pitching market, MLB Network insider Joel Sherman reports.

MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported Friday that the Mets had Scherzer, Kevin Gausman and Robbie Ray as their top three rotation targets, in that order, with Marcus Stroman a possibility as well. More >

Nov. 20: Red Sox pursuing starting pitching, in contact with Ray (report)
With the loss of Eduardo Rodriguez to the Tigers in free agency, the Red Sox are pursuing starting pitching and have been in contact with "virtually all of the top starters on the market, including Robbie Ray," according to the Boston Globe's Alex Speier.

Ray, who was named the AL Cy Young Award winner earlier in the week, harnessed his control problems, lowering his walk rate from over 14 percent in 2020, to just under seven percent in 2021, while striking out 32 percent of batters he faced.

Another name Speier mentioned, one which he said is "prominently on the radar" for Boston, is another Blue Jays left-hander from 2021, Steven Matz. Matz put together his best season since 2016, posting a 3.82 ERA (115 ERA+) over 29 starts for Toronto. Speier added that Matz is looking to get a free-agent deal done by Thanksgiving.

Nov. 19: Blue Jays reportedly prioritizing Ray, Matz
Pitching remains the focus for the Blue Jays after the team signed right-hander José Berríos to a seven-year, $131 million contract extension earlier this week. According to a report from FanSided’s Robert Murray, Toronto has “prioritized” Ray and Steven Matz and is in talks with both of the free-agent left-handers.

Ray and Matz were integral members of the Blue Jays’ rotation in 2021, making 61 starts combined. Ray won the American League Cy Young Award after leading the league in ERA (2.84), innings (193 1/3) and strikeouts (248), while Matz finished with a 3.82 ERA (115 ERA+) and 144 K’s over 150 2/3 innings.

The Blue Jays were reportedly in on Eduardo Rodriguez, Justin Verlander, Noah Syndergaard and Andrew Heaney before each pitcher came off the board.

The Angels were said to be showing interest in Ray, but after signing Syndergaard to a one-year, $21 million deal, the club is seeking more high-upside arms on short-term deals, per a report from MLB Network insider Jon Heyman. If that's the case, it would remove a potential competitor for Ray from the mix, giving Toronto a better chance to sign him.

The Mets are a possible competitor for Matz, with Heyman reporting that the club has interest in a reunion with the southpaw. New York traded Matz to Toronto for three players in January.

The Blue Jays are also hoping to re-sign Marcus Semien in addition to Ray and Matz. Including salary projections for arbitration-eligible and pre-arb players, Cot’s Baseball Contracts estimates the team’s current payroll to be roughly $113 million, so the Jays could conceivably have room to bring back all three.

Nov. 11: Ray, Stro, Thor among Angels’ potential targets
Addressing the rotation is once again an offseason priority for the Angels, and MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal reports in an article for The Athletic (subscription required) that the Halos see Ray, Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard and Alex Wood as potential fits for their staff. Rosenthal also mentions Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander as possibilities, and the club has been connected to Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Matz in other reports.

The Angels' interest in Ray was initially reported by MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi earlier this week. Of the pitchers mentioned above, Ray, Syndergaard, Verlander and Rodriguez each received a qualifying offer and will be tied to Draft-pick compensation if they reject it. Scherzer and Stroman were ineligible to receive a QO, while Wood and Matz were eligible but didn't get one.

According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, superstar center fielder Mike Trout is said to be pushing for the Halos to sign the 37-year-old Scherzer. Feinsand put the Angels among the eight likeliest suitors for Scherzer, though he still considers the Dodgers to be the favorites.

Including estimated salaries for arbitration-eligible players, Cot’s Baseball Contracts currently projects the Angels will have a $130 million payroll in 2022, so the team has some financial flexibility.

Nov. 10: Can Blue Jays keep Semien and Ray?
While MLB.com's Mark Feinsand recently suggested the Blue Jays might have to choose between Ray and Marcus Semien, but the club isn’t ruling out a return for both of its top free agents.

According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, Toronto has been aggressive on the market in the early going this offseason and would love to re-sign Semien and Ray.

What might that cost? MLB Trade Rumors predicted six years, $138 million for Semien and five years, $130 million for Ray.

Toronto has shown more of a willingness to spend in recent years, inking the largest free-agent deal ($150 million for George Springer) in franchise history last offseason and the third largest ($80 million for Hyun Jin Ryu) the year before, but re-signing both Semien and Ray would be taking it to another level.

The Blue Jays extended one-year, $18.9 million qualifying offers to both players, but each is likely to decline after signing a one-year contract last offseason.

Nov. 9: Angels showing interest in Ray, E-Rod (sources)
The Angels are looking to add at least one, and possibly two, impact starting pitchers this offseason and are showing interest in Ray and Eduardo Rodriguez, sources told MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi.

The rotation has been a persistent issue for the Angels during their seven-year postseason drought.

The club was in on Gerrit Cole two years ago but was outbid by the Yankees. Last offseason, Los Angeles traded for Alex Cobb and signed José Quintana. Cobb posted a 3.76 ERA but threw just 93 1/3 innings and is now a free agent. Quintana had a 6.75 ERA over 53 1/3 innings before being designated for assignment in August.

The Angels’ current starting options for 2022 include Shohei Ohtani, Patrick Sandoval, José Suarez, Reid Detmers, Jaime Barria and Griffin Canning.

Ray and Rodriguez received qualifying offers from the Blue Jays and Red Sox, respectively. If the Angels sign a player who rejected a QO this offseason, they’d have to forfeit their second-highest selection in the 2022 Draft, as well as $500,000 from their international bonus pool for the upcoming signing period. If they sign two such players, they will also forfeit their third-highest remaining pick and an additional $500,000.

Nov. 6: Is Ray more of a priority for Jays than Semien?
Ray ($8 million) and Marcus Semien ($18 million) were two of the best free-agent signings any team made last offseason, but after inking one-year deals, both are free agents again and headed for much larger contracts this time.

While it's certainly possible the Blue Jays will be able to re-sign both, it's more likely they'll have to choose between them.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand thinks if it comes down to that, Toronto will prioritize pitching over hitting.

Semien would be a big loss after socking 45 homers, but the Blue Jays have the firepower to withstand it, with a lineup that includes Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Bo Bichette, Teoscar Hernández and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Toronto's rotation is less equipped to handle the loss of Ray, especially with Steven Matz also possibly departing as a free agent. José Berríos, Hyun Jin Ryu and Alek Manoah are the top three Blue Jays starters under control for 2022.