Fans get excited about free agency, especially if their team lands one of the winter’s big names. The Phillies and Bryce Harper, the Yankees and Gerrit Cole, the Mariners and Robinson Cano (which worked out well), and so on. The MLB Draft is gaining importance in the minds of baseball fans, but it is not on the same level as the NFL and NBA Drafts. Baseball’s Draft is becoming more relevant despite the delayed or non-arrivals of the top picks. Arbitration is the third avenue for teams to build. Most focus on teams maintaining the status quo, but it is the non-tendered players who can make a difference for a new team. 

The Cubs decision to non-tender Kyle Schwarber, thus making him a free agent, has garnered the most attention. However, he is not the only non-tendered player. More than 50 players suddenly became free agents Wednesday. There are a variety of reasons why. Under performance, better replacement player under team control, cost. The peril of every non-tendered player is best shown by Matt Wisler and David Dahl. They are now free agents largely for things beyond their control.

The Twins non-tendering Matt Wisler took many by surprise. Wisler’s 2020 was the best season of his career. Prior to 2020 he was 19-27 and 1 Save with a 5.20 ERA and 1.395 WHIP in 389.1 innings in five seasons. In 2020, he went 0-1, with 1 Save, 1.07 ERA, and 1.145 WHIP in 25.1 innings. A career year which normally would have made him an All Star. The choice to non-tender Wisler was strange as the bullpen was a strength for Minnesota. The Twins led baseball in Save Opportunities, while posting the American League’s 6th lowest bullpen ERA. Wisler is not a lock down closer, but rather a critical bridge. A closer is useless if the team cannot hold a lead before the 9th inning. Minnesota paid Wisler $725,000 after picking him up off waivers from the Mariners last off-season. After a career year, he was looking to make $1 to $2 million in arbitration. While his history is not as a dominant reliever, the Twins would not commit themselves to a full season, hopefully, with Wisler in their bullpen. In free agency, Minnesota may have difficulty finding an equal replacement at a lower cost. Time will tell if non-tendering Wisler was the right decision.

Minnesota’s decision to non-tender Matt Wisler was puzzling, while Colorado’s decision to non-tender David Dahl was surprising but understandable. Simply, Dahl could not stay healthy. While he has developed into a solid player, injuries have prevented Dahl from reaching the potential the Rockies saw when they drafted him 10th overall in 2012. 2019 was Dahl’s breakout season, he hit .302, with 15 Home Runs and 61 RBI in 100 games and was named to his first All Star team. A leg injury derailed his season in early August. Colorado hoped Dahl would continue his success in 2020, but a throwing shoulder injury in January derailed his season before it began. No player chooses to be injured and Dahl knew 2020 was an important season for his career, so he chose to not disclose the injury to the team over growing durability concerns. He tried to play through the pain but the numbers never lie. In 24 games Dahl hit .183 with no Home Runs and 9 RBI. His OPS tumbled off the mountains overlooking Denver, falling from .877 to .470. His injury history and $2.55 to $2.6 million expected price tag in arbitration was enough for the Rockies non-tender their former first round pick. 

Baseball is a hard game. The game is unfair and does not care about your past performance or potential. Big free agent signings raise the hopes for immediate team success. The Draft is hope for the future. Arbitration is judgement day for teams and players. Did the team develop the players and have players lived up to their potential. Schwarber, Wisler, and Dahl will find new teams. Not every non-tendered player returns to the Majors. Some return to the minor to finish their careers, while others move on to their next stage in life. Baseball is a cruel game, and the business of baseball only adds another layer to that cruelty. 

DJ