As the Hot Stove heats up, look back at 10 of the most memorable free-agent deals since 2000
Every offseason, the whispers and rumors of Hot Stove season turn into tangible action as key free agents sign new contracts with new teams.
History shows that some new deals (and trades) pan out better than others -- but in the spirit of the Winter Meetings and the hope and promise of a team landing that difference-making free agent, here's a look at some of the most noteworthy free-agent deals of the past few years.
Note: Some players performed at high levels after landing with an organization via trade and re-signing later as a free agent -- think
Manny Ramirez, Red Sox, 2000: Eight years, $160M
The Red Sox made a huge splash by signing Manny Ramirez away from the Indians in '00, ushering in a new era and, finally, their first World Series win since 1918 in his fourth season in town.
After another World Series win in '07, Ramirez was traded to the Dodgers shortly before the conclusion of his mega-contract, but what he accomplished in Boston can't be understated.
Eight All-Star appearances, 274 homers, 868 RBIs, a cumulative 33.2 WAR and all the personality that went along with those numbers made this one of the most impactful free agent signings of the '00s.
After successfully posting the winning bid for his services, the Mariners added Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki ahead of the '01 season and … well, you know how things went. He was instantly a difference-maker, hitting .350/.381/.457 with an AL-best 56 stolen bases, 242 hits, posting a 7.7 WAR and winning Rookie of the Year and MVP honors. The Mariners also won 116 games that season.
He introduced himself to the league with this perfect outfield assist, nabbing a probably shocked Terrence Long at third base:
Remarkably, Ichiro's stats in '04 were even more gaudy. A .372/.414/.455 line added to his legacy and helped usher in a lucrative contract extension, but it's hard to argue with the immediate presence he brought to Seattle's lineup in '01.
Mike Mussina, Yankees, 2000: Six years, $88.5M
After a decade with the Orioles, right-hander Mike Mussina saw the division-rival Yankees interested in his services -- so he cashed out with a huge six-year, free-agent deal worth nearly $89 million in 2000.
At that point, Mussina was one of the most consistent pitchers around, winning 147 games in 10 seasons and making five All-Star teams as the Orioles' ace, and his excellence continued in the Bronx. Though he had a few injuries pop up that hampered some of his seasons with the Yankees, Moose was a reliable go-to for the Bombers, winning 52 games from '01-'03.
It was with the Yankees that Mussina came agonizingly close to throwing a perfect game at Fenway Park on Sept. 2, 2001, with only a two-out single off the bat of Carl Everett in the bottom of the ninth keeping him from the history books.
In all, he wound up 123-72 with a 3.88 ERA over the course of his eight seasons in New York, which concluded with a masterful 20-9 campaign in '08 that served as an exclamation point on his solid career.
Jermaine Dye, White Sox, 2005: Two years, $10.5M
After being a key contributor during the Athletics' string of postseason appearances in the early 2000s, Jermaine Dye signed with Chicago as a free agent before the '05 season. All things considered, the stint couldn't have gone better.
In '05, Dye hit .274/.333/.512 with 31 homers, collected 86 RBIs, appeared in more games than he had in any season since '01 ... and wound up World Series MVP after hitting .438 against the Astros and helping deliver the Sox their first championship since 1917 with a clutch go-ahead RBI single late in Game 4:
In '06, the second year of that contract, Dye was even better: a .315/.385/.622 line, 44 homers and 120 RBIs (both career highs) in 146 games landed him an All-Star nod, a Silver Slugger award and fifth-place standing in the AL MVP race.
Adrian Beltre is one of the most endlessly entertaining players in the game, and he's also really, really good on a consistent basis. After the Rangers signed him to a lucrative deal prior to the '11 campaign, he rewarded them by hitting .296/.331/.561 with 23 homers and 105 RBIs. He also earned the first of three consecutive All-Star nods and helped propel the Rangers to another AL pennant (though they'd lose to the Cardinals in seven intense games in the World Series).
Since '11, he's gotten better: he put up 19.8 WAR from 2012-2014, is the charismatic leader of the clubhouse and the infield, exemplifies fun on the field, has sweet dance moves and is pretty much the embodiment of consistency and the envy of all other teams everywhere.
When the A's surprised the league with their successful bid for Cuban slugger Yoenis Cespedes in '12, few outside the front office probably realized what a spark he'd be to Oakland's offense. Signed as an amateur free agent, Cespedes dazzled right away.
He hit .292/.356/.505 with 23 homers and 82 RBIs in his first season in the Bay (good for a 3.9 WAR), becoming a key contributor on both sides of the game for the A's, as they willed themselves to a thrilling last-second surge to stun the Rangers and win the AL West.
Cespedes' numbers fell back a bit in '13 (.240/.294/.442), his final full year with the A's before they traded him to the Red Sox for
After four seasons with the crosstown Yankees, Curtis Granderson agreed with the Mets on a four-year pact prior to the '14 season. Since signing that contract, Granderson has been a major contributor to the Metropolitans and was a big part of their run to the World Series in '15 (alongside fellow offensive standouts Cespedes and
In fact, Granderson's '15 earned him some MVP consideration on the strength of a .259/.364/.457 line, 26 homers, 70 RBIs and a WAR of 5.1, the third-highest of his career to date. Given the growing price of consistent offense from the outfield position, the Mets can look back on this deal as a definite win.
Second baseman Robinson Cano left the Yankees in search of new surroundings, and he found it -- and then some -- in Seattle. Overall, he's provided a strong return on the Mariners' lengthy investment.
A hiccup in '15 saw Cano hit just .287/.334/.446 -- the second-lowest average of his career, ahead of only '08's .271. Part of his struggles in '15 were due to a prolonged stomach ailment, but a healthy and fully motivated Cano bounced back in 2016 with authority.
A .298/.350/.533 slash line with 39 homers, 103 RBIs and a 7.3 WAR (his highest with the M's to date) demonstrated that yes, he's very much still capable of being "the guy" in the lineup and on the diamond.
Jon Lester, Cubs, 2014: Six years, $155M
The quiet efficiency of lefty Jon Lester was paramount to the Cubs finally ending their World Series drought in 2016, as he and rotation-mates
Lester, signed as a free agent by Chicago prior to the '15 season, pitched brilliantly for Chicago, as his 19-5 mark, 2.44 ERA (the lowest of his career) and 197 strikeouts helped him land some serious Cy Young consideration by season's end.
It's hard to look back on Chicago's storybook '16 season and imagine it playing out that way without Lester atop the rotation, so you could say this marriage has gone pretty well so far.
The Nats landed a big fish when they awarded Max Scherzer one of the biggest contracts in MLB history, and he's done pretty well to back it up thus far. In '15, Scherzer posted a 2.79 ERA, earned another All-Star nod, led the National League with three shutouts (and four complete games) and followed that up with a 20-7 record, 3.96 ERA, 0.968 WHIP and NL Cy Young Award in 2016.
Oh, and he also tossed a pair of no-hitters in '15:
He's simply one of the most dominant arms around, pumping high-velocity fastballs with ease and peppering in devastating off-speed stuff on a regular basis. His 284 strikeouts in '16 led the NL and were easily the most of any single season of his career to date.
The guy is just good.
Do you have a favorite free-agent signing who didn't make the list? Let us know in the comments below.
