Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents
NEW YORK — Outfielder Austin Hays and right-hander Kyle Finnegan — both former All-Stars — and second baseman Brendan Rodgers were among 62 players who became free agents Friday when their teams failed to offer them 2025 contracts.
Right-hander Jordan Romano, left-hander Patrick Sandoval and outfielder Mike Tauchman also were among the players cut loose, many of whom would have been eligible for salary arbitration.
The Washington Nationals cut right-hander Tanner Rainey, their last remaining player from the 2019 World Series championship team.
More than 20 players agreed to contracts ahead of the deadline, including San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski ($9.25 million), Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Brusdar Graterol ($5.4 million) and New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham ($5 million).
Hays, 29, was an All-Star in 2023, when he hit .275 with 16 homers and 67 RBIs for the Baltimore Orioles. He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on July 26 and batted .256 with two homers and six RBIs in 22 games while dealing with a kidney infection.
The 33-year-old Finnegan was an All-Star this year for Washington and finished with 38 saves.
The deadline marked the last time a team could drop an arbitration-eligible player without committing to at least 30 days of termination pay if the player is released. The flurry of cuts and contracts left 167 players eligible to exchange proposed arbitration salaries with their teams on Jan. 9.
Among players reaching one-year deals were Dodgers right-hander Dustin May ($2,135,000), Chicago Cubs catcher Matt Thaiss ($1 million in majors, $400,000 in minors), Colorado Rockies left-hander Lucas Gilbreath ($785,000) and Nationals right-hander Mason Thompson ($770,000 in majors, $374,600 in minors).
San Diego Padres infielder/outfielder Tyler Wade agreed to a one-year, $900,000 contract that includes an $850,000 salary next season and a $1 million team option for 2026 with a $50,000 buyout. Wade can earn $150,000 in performance bonuses each year for plate appearances: $25,000 each for 100 and 150 and $50,000 apiece for 200 and 250.
In addition, the New York Mets agreed to minor league contracts with first baseman Joey Meneses and catcher Jakson Reetz.
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