00:00The reliever market is starting to come to a head, and a lot of dominoes are falling where they need to fall.
00:06A lot of people are being placed where they need to be placed.
00:09And I want to talk about three deals in particular.
00:12The three-year, $45 million deal that Robert Suarez got with the Atlanta Braves.
00:16We'll start with that.
00:17And then I want to get to the three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays that Tyler Rogers got, the Submariner.
00:22And then the one-year contract for Major League Baseball's active saves leader in Kenley Jansen.
00:27He's headed to Detroit.
00:29I want to start with Robert Suarez because this was an interesting one.
00:33And as I sat here and tried to dissect the reliever market, I saw the quarterback market in college football just blow up, right?
00:41Dylan Raiola's hitting the portal.
00:43The kid Sorsby at Cincinnati's hitting the portal.
00:45DJ Lagway at Florida is hitting the portal.
00:48Here's the thing.
00:49All of those guys are looking for the same exact thing.
00:52They're looking for a massive payday, but they are also looking for assurances that they are the starting quarterback of their program, right?
00:59They are going to greener pastures, but the only non-starter is you can't be a backup.
01:04And Robert Suarez fascinated me because you feel like if a closer hits the market in free agency, they just want assurances that they get the ball in the ninth inning.
01:14Robert Suarez got three for 45.
01:15It's anything but.
01:16He's going to be the setup guy for the Atlanta Braves.
01:19Why would he say yes to this?
01:21Was it a dollars and cents decision?
01:23Or do you feel like this guy just wanted to be in a good operation in a good city in Atlanta, feels like a solid organization, and he's totally fine throwing the eighth inning while Rysell handles the ninth?
01:32I think both with the third piece here, and I think the important piece being that maybe Suarez feels good or they had a discussion that he'll be the closer in 27 or in 28 potentially as well, right?
01:46So that because I'm interested, like Rysell Iglesias, he ended up turning in a fantastic year, but, you know, 35 years old.
01:55I imagine the Braves are looking at him as probably just the guy for next year, and then, you know, moving past that, like Suarez could be the guy that with a good season, slots right back up into that, you know, closer role, and then they'll bring in a setup guy or somebody else.
02:11I think this was probably the Braves saying, hey, we just want to put our best foot forward here, you know, with two fantastic times.
02:17You're still going to probably pick up some save opportunities here.
02:20Don't get us wrong, but years two and three, you're going to be our guy.
02:24And if I'm offered more money on a team that, you know, we don't know what other offers he had, but let's assume that, or some of the best offers he's got, on a team that has a really good chance to still be very good next year, and a team that I think plenty of players still want to play for in the Atlanta Braves, and you have that opportunity to potentially be the guy for them, you know, in 27 and 28, I think it's a no-brainer for Suarez.
02:47And, yeah, I do wonder how important it is to some of these guys to pitch the ninth.
02:51I feel like even some guys that had seemed hell-bent on it in the past seem to be a little bit more understanding that the committee thing has just become more and more common, especially in the postseason.
03:03First shoe to drop on that trend was Liam Hendricks.
03:06When Liam Hendricks came over to Chicago, he was very content throwing whenever they needed, and Craig Kimbrell was going to get the ninth inning.
03:13And it actually worked out better for Liam Hendricks, he parlayed it into more money than Craig Kimbrell got, who was hell-bent on throwing the ninth inning.
03:22But you look around, I found it funny with Suarez, because Robert Suarez, through the Mason Miller addition, and the development of Jeremiah Estrada, and the development of Adrian Morihone, was still the guy that was throwing the ninth inning for San Diego.
03:36So, he survived the by-committee roster and still came out as the closer.
03:43So, that made me think, okay, this guy needs to throw the ninth inning.
03:46But to your point, not the case whatsoever.
03:49It is also funny, not all 35-year-olds are created equal.
03:53No.
03:53Right now, Iglesias, you know, he's on a two-year deal.
03:55Robert Suarez turned 35 before opening day hits.
03:58But it feels like this guy's still a spring chicken for some reason compared to Rysel.
04:03I know, that's the funny part, too, is, like, they are similar in age, but I think when you look at the stuff, and I just didn't think the way these guys have thrown the last few years, I think there's a little bit more confidence, and Suarez is, you know, game aging a little bit better.
04:18But remember, Suarez is a unique story where he wasn't even really pitching for a bit.
04:21So, the miles on his arm are not even close.
04:24If I remember correctly, wasn't he the guy that was working, like, in construction and got talked back into, like, actually playing baseball and then got signed out of International League?
04:33Like, he's definitely got far less miles on the arm.
04:37And I think the Braves feel pretty good about the way his game, you know, I think will age.
04:41And then with Iglesias, yeah, I think looking at it from this year, this is the best one-two punch they can have.
04:48But I think they probably look at Iglesias and say, I don't know if it's going to be that great after this year.
04:53That's why you go in on the one year.
04:55And I think Suarez is going to be their guy for the next several years.
04:58And I think it really sets them up nicely now when you look at the back of that bullpen.
05:02And that's been a big part of the Braves' success.
05:04Their successful seasons, whether it's high-profile guys or guys that emerged and were like, oh, wow, where did they come from?
05:09Their bullpen was a huge component of their success.
Comments