MLB Free Agency

The Detroit Tigers have had a productive offseason to this point. Their biggest priority, Victor Martinez, was promptly inked for another four years, and signings/trades have also yielded Joakim Soria, Alex Avila, Anthony Gose, Joel Hanrahan and Josh Zeid.

Not bad for seven weeks' work.

Assembling Detroit’s squad won’t stop there. Despite answering questions regarding designated hitter, catcher and, to a degree, center field, one glaring blemish still remains: the bullpen.

The sweepstakes for Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas is down to four teams, writes Jon Heyman

Add Korean shortstop Jung-ho Kang to the list of international free agents hoping to make the jump to the major leagues in 2015.

Free agency isn’t just about which teams land the top players on the market. It’s also an opportunity for teams to find value where others don’t.

There are three types of MLB free agents.

There are those who are flat-out special and have been for some time. Then there are those coming off of their best season as they head into free agency. And sometimes, a free agent is both.

You can consider Russell Martin an example of a special player—offense, defense and leadership all wrapped up into one right-handed-hitting catcher—who played his finest baseball in 2014, parlaying it into a five-year, $82 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

New general manager John Hart may need to learn how to operate a construction truck in order to be fully qualified to take on the enormous reclamation project that is the Atlanta Braves. 

Hart began the process Monday by shipping beloved outfielder Jason Heyward and reliever Jordan Walden to St. Louis for starter Shelby Miller and pitching prospect Tyrell Jenkins.

A few pitchers looking for big contracts this offseason might need the money to pay for hefty phone bills.

Despite a deep list of free agents at the position, a number of starters on the market are already gaining tons of interest on the open market. While it might take some time before decisions are made and contracts are finalized, it is good for each player to know they are in high demand.

The Boston Red Sox have several holes to fill as they try to rebound from a last-place season in 2014.  While a trade or two is likely, the Red Sox will also look to bring in free agents to shore up their roster.

Far and away, the biggest need Boston has is starting pitching.  A potential ace like Jon Lester, Max Scherzer or James Shields is the primary target, but the Red Sox should bolster their rotation with additional depth as well.

This offseason is shaping up to be a different one for the Los Angeles Dodgers as it pertains to free agency.

With a revamped front office led by Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, the culture of the team has changed. While the Dodgers are still one of the richest teams in the league, it appears that throwing the most money at free agents may soon be replaced by a more analytical approach to improving the roster.