MLB teams can start signing free agents tonight

The age of the quiet period is over. The time of free agency has come.

Starting tonight at 5 p.m. ET, free agents may start signing with new teams. Since the World Series ended until now, those free agents were only able to re-sign with their current team — nicknamed the “quiet period,” it’s a time for teams and outgoing free agents to negotiate before the hot stove really gets going. This was also the time for teams to exercise options or extend qualifying offers.

The Guardians were, well, quiet during the quiet period. Austin Hedges and Bryan Shaw are both slated to be free agents, and there’s a decent chance both of them could be back before spring training, but neither was getting a qualifying offer and there was no urgency to sign them before free agency started.

Cleveland Guardians news

3 ways Guardians could fill their catcher need for 2023 | MLB
Spoiler alert: One of them is Bo Naylor. If he doesn’t get the call to start in 2023, it sounds like catcher will be a big focus for the Guardians this offseason. Mandy Bell seems to believe the Guards are leaning toward bringing back Austin Hedges — hopefully as a bridge to Naylor.

Mets’ Edwin Diaz contract was not an overpayment | NY Post
Listen, it’s desperation time for finding team-specific news. So here’s Jon Heyman with this insightful look into the Guardians’ offseason plans in his latest column.

The Guardians are said to have some money to raise their puny payroll from $68 million. They need a catcher and a bat.

Truly the kind of reporting that only access to the greatest minds of a great office can get you. What a hero.

José Abreu is a Perfect Fit in Cleveland | Everyone Hates Cleveland
Why is José Abreu a perfect fit? Well you see, dear reader, he hits the ball very hard. But really, this is a nice breakdown of why Abreu would fit in Cleveland and why Abreu’s power drop in 2022 might not last (and if it does, a 137 wRC+ isn’t the worst thing in the world). Even if it’s not Abreu, it’s time for the Guardians to start adding to their young core.

Cleveland Guardians roster primer: Who stays, who goes as team mulls 40-man decisions? | The Athletic ($$$)
In short, most of the potential prospects that could be taken in the Rule 5 draft would require teams to take a big risk in adding an unprepared player to their major-league roster. There’s no urgency for the Guardians to add half a dozen players to the 40-man like last year.

Around the league

• The Rangers acquired Jake Odorizzi from the Braves.
• The Giants are looking for shortstops.
• The Orioles declined Jordan Lyles’ option for 2023.
• Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt win Hank Aaron Awards for best offensive players.
• Dave Dombrowski isn’t done building the Phillies.
• The 81-81 White Sox don’t have any payroll flexibility.
• Shohei Ohtani isn’t signing an extension with the Angels, because duh.