NEW YORK — Even before the Chicago Cubs got to celebrate their drought-ending World Series title with a parade, baseball’s business season began Thursday when more than 100 players became free agents and teams started making decisions on 2017 options.
Among the potential free agents are outfielders Yoenis Cespedes, Jose Bautista, Mark Trumbo, Josh Reddick and Ian Desmond; first baseman Edwin Encarnacion; catcher Matt Wieters; and closers Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon. They can start talking money with teams on Tuesday.
Clubs must decide by Monday whether to make $17.2 million qualifying offers to their players who became free agents, which would attach draft-pick compensation if they sign elsewhere. Only players who spent the entire season with one team are eligible for the offers.
Texas said it will make a qualifying offer to Desmond, and the two-time All-Star will have until Nov. 14 to accept.
In the first trade since the World Series, the Los Angeles Angels acquired outfielder Cameron Maybin from the Detroit Tigers for right-hander Victor Alcantara.
Maybin batted a career-best .315 with four homers, 43 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 94 games this year for the Tigers, posting one of his best big league seasons despite injury problems. The Angels said they will exercise his $9 million option.
The 23-year-old Alcantara has spent five years in the Angels’ minor league system. He went 3-7 with a 4.30 ERA in 29 appearances for Double-A Arkansas last season.
Among potential free agents, the Boston Red Sox exercised a $17.2 million option on designated hitter David Ortiz “as a formality,” even though the 40-year-old slugger has said he will retire.
The team also exercised a $13 million option on right-hander Clay Buchholz and declined a $3.75 million option on catcher Ryan Hanigan, who gets an $800,000 buyout.
Others whose options were exercised include Mets outfielder Jay Bruce ($13 million) and infielder Jose Reyes (minimum salary), Washington left-hander Gio Gonzalez ($12 million), Detroit closer Francisco Rodriguez ($6 million), Seattle outfielder Seth Smith ($7 million), Texas catcher Jonathan Lucroy ($5.25 million) and San Francisco left-hander Matt Moore ($7 million).
Among those whose options were declined were Chicago White Sox pitcher Matt Albers, Seattle catcher Chris Iannetta, Miami reliever Fernando Rodney, Mets left-hander Jon Niese and Washington right-hander Yusmeiro Petit.
In another move, the Houston Astros claimed outfielder Nori Aoki off waivers from Seattle.
Potential Free Agents
NEW YORK — The 169 players potentially eligible for free agency (c-club option, p-player option, m-mutual option; d-conditional option; e-right to elect free agency):
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BALTIMORE (10) — Pedro Alvarez, dh; Michael Bourn, of; Brian Duensing, lhp; Tommy Hunter, rhp; c-Logan Ondrusek, rhp; Steve Pearce, 1b; Nolan Reimold, of; Drew Stubbs, of; Mark Trumbo, of; Matt Wieters, c.
BOSTON (5) — Ryan Hanigan, c; Aaron Hill, 3b; Junichi Tazawa, rhp; Koji Uehara, rhp; Brad Ziegler, rhp.
CHICAGO (5) — c-Matt Albers, rhp; Alex Avila, c; Austin Jackson, of; Justin Morneau, dh; p-James Shields, rhp.
CLEVELAND (5) — Marlon Byrd, of; c-Coco Crisp, of; Rajai Davis, of; Mike Napoli, 1b; c-Carlos Santana, dh.
DETROIT (3) — Erick Aybar, ss; Casey McGehee, 3b; Jarrod Saltalamacchia, c.
HOUSTON (5) — Jason Castro, c; Doug Fister, rhp; c-Pat Neshek, rhp; Colby Rasmus, of; Luis Valbuena, 3b.
KANSAS CITY (8) — Drew Butera, c; c-Wade Davis, rhp; c-Alcides Escobar, ss; m-Luke Hochevar, rhp; m-Kris Medlen, rhp; m-Kendrys Morales, dh; Peter Moylan, rhp; m-Edinson Volquez, rhp.
LOS ANGELES (8) — Andrew Bailey, rhp; Jhoulys Chacin, rhp; c-Yunel Escobar, 3b; Tim Lincecum, rhp; c-Cameron Maybin, of; Geovany Soto, c; Jered Weaver, rhp; Chris Wilson, lhp.
MINNESOTA (1) — Kurt Suzuki, c.
NEW YORK (2) — Billy Butler, of; Mark Teixeira, 1b.
OAKLAND (2) — Ross Detwiler, lhp; Sam Fuld, of.
SEATTLE (5) — Franklin Gutierrez, of; Chris Iannetta, c; Dae-ho Lee, 1b; Adam Lind, 1b; Drew Storen, rhp.
TAMPA BAY (3) — Kevin Jepsen, rhp; Logan Morisson, 1b; Alexei Ramirez, ss.
TEXAS (6) — Carlos Beltran, of; Ian Desmond, of; Carlos Gomez, of; c-Derek Holland, lhp; Colby Lewis, rhp; Mitch Moreland, 1b.
TORONTO (10) — Jose Bautista, of; Joaquin Benoit, rhp; Brett Cecil, lhp; R.A. Dickey, rhp; Edwin Encarnacion, dh; Scott Feldman, rhp; Gavin Floyd, rhp; c-Jason Grilli, rhp; Dioner Navarro, c; Michael Saunders, of.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
ARIZONA (2) — Daniel Hudson, rhp; Rickie Weeks, of.
ATLANTA (3) — Emilio Bonifacio, of; Eric O’Flaherty, lhp; A.J. Pierzynski, c.
CHICAGO (9) — Trevor Cahill, rhp; Aroldis Chapman, lhp; Chris Coghlan, of; m-Dexter Fowler, of; c-Jason Hammel, rhp; Munenori Kawasaki, 2b-3b; David Ross, c; Joe Smith, rhp; Travis Wood, lhp.
CINCINNATI (2) — Ross Ohlendorf, rhp; Alfredo Simon, rhp.
COLORADO (6) — Jorge De La Rosa, lhp; Daniel Descalso, inf; Nick Hundley, c; Boone Logan, lhp; Ryan Raburn, of; Mark Reynolds, 1b.
LOS ANGELES (11) — Brett Anderson, lhp; Joe Blanton, rhp; Jesse Chavez, rhp; Rich Hill, lhp; J.P. Howell, lhp; Kenley Jansen, rhp; p-Scott Kazmir, lhp; Josh Reddick, of; c-Carlos Ruiz, c; Justin Turner, 3b; Chase Utley, 2b.
MIAMI (7) — Andrew Cashner, rhp; Mike Dunn, lhp; Jeff Francoeur, of; Chris Johnson, 1b-3b; Jeff Mathis, c; Dustin McGowan, rhp; Fernando Rodney, rhp.
MILWAUKEE (2) — Blaine Boyer, rhp; Chris Capuano, lhp.
NEW YORK (9) — Jerry Blevins, lhp; e-Yoenis Cespedes, of; Bartolo Colon, rhp; Alejandro De Aza, of; Kelly Johnson, 2b-3b; James Loney, 1b; Jon Niese, lhp; Fernando Salas, rhp; Neil Walker, 2b.
PHILADELPHIA (7) — Andres Blanco, 3b; Peter Bourjos, of; A.J. Ellis, c; Jeremy Hellickson, rhp; David Hernandez, rhp; c-Ryan Howard, 1b; m-Charlie Morton, rhp.
PITTSBURGH (5) — Neftali Feliz, rhp; Matt Joyce, of; Ivan Nova, rhp; Sean Rodriguez, inf; Ryan Vogelsong, rhp.
ST. LOUIS (5) — c-Jaime Garcia, lhp; c-Matt Holliday, of; Brandon Moss, 1b-of; c-Jordan Walden, rhp; Jerome Williams, rhp.
SAN DIEGO (6) — Edwin Jackson, rhp; Jon Jay, of; Brandon Morrow, rhp; Clayton Richard, lhp; Adam Rosales, 3b; Carlos Villanueva, rhp.
SAN FRANCISCO (8) — Gordon Beckham, 2b; Gregor Blanco, of; Santiago Casilla, rhp; Javier Lopez, lhp; Joe Nathan, rhp; Angel Pagan, of; Jake Peavy, rhp; Sergio Romo, rhp.
WASHINGTON (9) — Matt Belisle, rhp; Sean Burnett, lhp; Stephen Drew, 2b; Chris Heisey, of; Mat Latos, rhp; Mark Melancon, rhp; Yusmeiro Petit, rhp; Wilson Ramos, c; Marc Rzepczynski, lhp.
