SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, USA (AP) It may seem strange for a few days, but Freddie Freeman is already wearing the white and blue of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kris Bryant wears the purple and black of the Colorado Rockies.
Also at the Arizona camps, Japanese star fielder Seya Suzuki appeared on Friday, ready to reinforce the Chicago Cubs.
It was a day of presentations of some of the biggest signings in the free agent market. In the case of Freeman and Bryant, money is certainly a substantial part that explains their decisions, although both said that it also influenced the desire to be close to their families.
“I talked to my wife and said, 'I think it's time to go home, '” said Freeman, who grew up in Southern California. “My dad is 67 years old and my grandfather is 86. Now you'll be able to see me every day, just like it was 15 years ago in high school. So this is special to me.”
Freeman said goodbye to the Atlanta Braves, champions of the last World Series, earlier this week. He signed an agreement for six years and $162 million to join a Los Angeles lineup that was already full of talent.
As for Bryant, he's been close to the Rockies for over a decade. The Las Vegas baseball player thought he would be recruited as the third overall pick of the 2013 draft, before the Chicago Cubs appeared and took him away in the second round.
The Cubs gave it in exchange to the San Francisco Giants during the 2021 season.
Once it hit the free agent market, he became comfortable with a Colorado organization that studied it in detail for more than 10 years. Bryant will remain in the Western Division of the National League, after formalizing his contract for seven years and $182 million on Friday.
“I love Denver. I love this city,” said the MVP of the 2016 season. “I've always imagined myself living here. Now that I have one child and two more are on the way, I'm going to have a big family, so just being close to home is an advantage for me.”
Suzuki completed their agreement on Friday. He signed with the Cubs for $85 million and five seasons.
Chicago will pay an additional $14,625,000 as a placement fee to Suzuki's previous club, Hiroshima Tokyo Carp, of the Japan Central League.
RODRÍGUEZ WILL OPEN OPENING GAME WITH DETROIT
Eduardo Rodríguez was chosen by the Tigers as the starter of the opening game, before working three innings in the preseason game against the Phillies.
The Venezuelan allowed one run and three hits, in addition to prescribing three strikeouts, in his work of 42 pitches.
At the age of 29, the left-hander signed in November for four years and 77 million dollars.