4 of the Biggest Free Agent Signings Early in the 2023 MLB Offseason

Major League Baseball (MLB) teams were able to start negotiating with and signing free agents five days after the 2023 World Series, which the Texas Rangers won on November 1. There are several significant players on the market this offseason, the most notable of whom is Shohei Ohtani, the reigning American League (AL) MVP who is likely to command a record-setting salary. 

While there was little action during the first month of the offseason, several teams did make a splash by either re-signing core players or signing free agents to multi-million-dollar contracts. Here's a look at four of the most notable transactions as of the end of November 2023. 

1. Sonny Gray (St. Louis Cardinals) 

Several teams bolstered their starting pitching depth in the first month of free agency, but no team improved its staff more than the St. Louis Cardinals. Most notably, the National League (NL) Central team signed right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray to a three-year, $75 million contract. A three-time All-Star selected by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft, Gray has played for five teams and spent the last two seasons with the Minnesota Twins. He posted an 8-8 record to go along with a 2.79 earned run average (ERA) in 32 starts in 2023. 

St. Louis also signed right-handed pitchers Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn to one-year deals worth $12 million and $11 million, respectively. 

2. Aaron Nola (Philadelphia Phillies) 

The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed right-handed pitcher Aaron Nola to a seven-year, $172 million contract. A first-round pick of the Phillies in the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft, Nola has spent nine seasons with the team and has a career 90-71 record with a 3.72 ERA and 1,582 strikeouts in 1,422 innings pitched. He went 12-9 with a 4.46 ERA last season, while striking out 202 batters in 193.2 innings pitched. 

3. Reynaldo Lopez (Atlanta Braves) 

The Atlanta Braves, who finished first in the NL East with a 104-58 record in 2023, signed 29-year-old relief pitcher Reynaldo Lopez to a three-year, $30 million contract with a team option for the 2027 season. An eight-year veteran, Lopez split last season between the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Cleveland Indians. He finished the season with a 3-7 record and 3.27 ERA in 68 relief appearances.  

4. Kenta Maeda (Detroit Tigers) 

The Detroit Tigers were one of the few AL teams to sign players in November. Detroit signed 35-year-old right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda to a two-year, $24 million contract. Maeda posted a 6-8 record with a 4.23 ERA in 21 games for the Minnesota Twins last season after missing the 2022 season due to injury.