MLBTR continues our division by division look at next year\u2019s team\/mutual option class with the AL Central. Virtually all of the mutual options will be bought out by one side. Generally, if the team is willing to retain the player at the option price, the player will decline his end in search of a better free agent deal.<\/p>\n
Previous installments: player options\/opt-outs<\/a>, NL West<\/a>, AL West<\/a>, NL Central<\/a><\/p>\n Chicago White Sox<\/p>\n P\u00e9rez signed a $5MM free agent deal to serve as the veteran presence in a very young White Sox rotation. Chicago hoped he\u2019d pitch well enough in the first half to net a lottery ticket prospect at the deadline. P\u00e9rez was reasonably effective through his first three starts, but he came out of his fourth outing with forearm discomfort. A flexor strain diagnosis immediately sent him to the 60-day injured list. He\u2019s expected to avoid surgery but will miss almost the entire season<\/a>. A deadline trade is off the table, and he\u2019ll be bought out at season\u2019s end.<\/p>\n As recently as a few months ago, Robert\u2019s $20MM club option looked like excellent value, as did the matching option for 2026. He was a down-ballot MVP performer in 2023, when he hit .264\/.315\/.542 with 38 homers while playing plus center field defense. The \u201924 campaign was a struggle. Robert missed nearly two months early in the season with a hip flexor strain and was unproductive when healthy. He hit .224\/.278\/.379 with 14 homers in 100 games. Chicago held him into this year rather than sell low in an offseason trade.<\/p>\n That put a lot of pressure on Robert to hit early in the year. An excellent few months could make him one of the top position players available at the deadline. A terrible start might tank what remained of his trade value. The early returns are disastrous: .138\/.255\/.238 with 30 strikeouts in 96 plate appearances. There\u2019s still time for a turnaround, but Robert may be following in the footsteps of\u00a0Tim Anderson<\/a> and\u00a0Eloy Jim\u00e9nez<\/a> \u2014 players whose once team-friendly extensions soured to the point that they were traded for meager returns and\/or bought out.<\/p>\n Cleveland Guardians<\/p>\n Means underwent UCL surgery last June. That was his second such procedure within the past three years. He\u2019d undergone Tommy John surgery in 2022 and had only just returned before his elbow gave out again. The Guardians took a $1MM flier in free agency. The deal includes a $6MM team option for next season. Means is hoping to return to the mound in August or September. His late-season form will determine whether Cleveland wants to keep him around next year.<\/p>\n If the Guardians exercise the option, Means could unlock up to $2.5MM in performance bonuses. He\u2019d earn $75K apiece at 20, 30, 40 and 50 innings pitched next year. That climbs to $100K each for 60, 70, 80 and 90 frames; $125K at 100, 110, 120 and 130 innings; and $150K apiece for 140 and 150 frames.<\/p>\n Sewald had a pair of above-average seasons as Seattle\u2019s closer between 2022-23. His production started to trend down after a \u201923 deadline deal that sent him to Arizona. Sewald remained generally productive through the Snakes\u2019 surprising World Series run that year. Last season was his worst since his 2021 breakout. He allowed a 4.31 ERA with declining velocity through 39 2\/3 innings. The Guardians surprisingly guaranteed him $7MM to deepen an already excellent bullpen. The veteran righty has punched out 13 hitters through 10 1\/3 frames, but he has already surrendered three homers while averaging just 90.2 MPH on his fastball.<\/p>\n Detroit Tigers<\/p>\n Detroit added Brebbia on a $2.75MM contract early in Spring Training. It was a roll of the dice on the veteran righty\u2019s intriguing swing-and-miss rates. Brebbia had allowed nearly six earned runs per nine innings last season (mostly with the White Sox), but he punched out nearly 28% of opposing hitters. Things have reversed early in his Detroit tenure. Brebbia has only allowed two runs (one earned) over his first nine innings. His 8.8% swinging strike rate is well below average, though, and he\u2019s given out eight free passes \u2014 five walks and three hit batters.<\/p>\n Brebbia is working in low-leverage situations that suggest he\u2019s towards the bottom of the bullpen depth chart. He\u2019ll need to turn around his underlying numbers to pitch his way into more meaningful spots and, eventually, to convince the front office to exercise the option.<\/p>\n Brebbia could push the option price by another $4MM based on his performance this year. It\u2019d climb by $500K at 65 appearances, $1MM apiece at 45 and 50 games finished, and by $2MM for 55 games finished. The maximum escalator value is capped at $4MM, so the appearance threshold would essentially be nullified if Brebbia finishes 55 games and pushes the option value to $8MM based on that criteria alone. He has finished six of eight appearances so far.<\/p>\n Urquidy\u2019s situation is similar to that of Means. The former Astros righty required Tommy John surgery last June. Houston waived him at the end of the season. He reunited with A.J. Hinch in Detroit on a $1MM contract. Urquidy won\u2019t be an option until the final few weeks of the season in a best case scenario. Detroit can gauge his progress to determine whether they want to retain him at a $4MM base value. Urquidy could tack on another $3MM if the Tigers exercise the option: $150K each at four and seven starts next year; $300K apiece for 10, 13, 16 and 19 starts; and $500K each at 22, 25 and 28 starts.<\/p>\n Kansas City Royals<\/p>\n Michael Lorenzen<\/a>, RHP ($12MM mutual option, $1.5M buyout if team declines its end)<\/p>\n Kansas City brought Lorenzen back on a $7MM free agent deal. He\u2019s playing on a $5.5MM salary and would collect a $1.5MM buyout on a $12MM mutual option assuming the Royals decline their end. He grabbed a season-opening rotation spot with both\u00a0Alec Marsh<\/a> and\u00a0Kyle Wright<\/a> on the shelf. Lorenzen has had a customary start to the season. He carried a 4.57 ERA with a below-average 17.7% strikeout rate into this evening\u2019s appearance against the Rockies. He\u2019s through five scoreless innings against Colorado at the time of this writing.<\/p>\n Perez is making $22MM in the final season of the four-year extension that he signed in March 2021. At the time, it was the largest contract in organizational history. (Bobby Witt Jr.<\/a> has since shattered that record.) Perez is a franchise stalwart, of course, but it was still surprising to see the Royals guarantee him $82MM for his age 32-35 seasons \u2014 especially given the heavy workloads he\u2019d taken throughout his career.<\/p>\n The nine-time All-Star has rewarded the team\u2019s faith. He led the majors with 48 homers and 121 RBI in 2021, though he was already under contract for that season anyhow. He combined for a .261\/.307\/.447 slash over the first three seasons of the extension. Perez eclipsed 20 home runs in each, and he won the AL Silver Slugger Award behind the dish with a .271\/.330\/.456 showing during last year\u2019s playoff season.<\/p>\n Perez has started this season more slowly. He entered today\u2019s doubleheader with a .185\/.235\/.293 line, though he has picked up four doubles over two games against Colorado pitching. If this continues all season, the Royals could face a tough decision, but the safer bet right now is that Kansas City will exercise the option. It\u2019s tough to imagine Perez playing anywhere else.<\/p>\n Minnesota Twins<\/p>\n Minnesota added Bader on a $6.25MM contract amidst a quiet offseason. They\u2019ve preferred to have a capable right-handed hitting fourth outfielder who can reduce\u00a0Byron Buxton\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0workload in center field while complementing their lefty-hitting corner bats. Bader has started 18 of the team\u2019s first 25 games. He\u2019s hitting .230\/.319\/.393 with a trio of home runs through 69 plate appearances. It\u2019s an early improvement over last year\u2019s .236\/.284\/.373 showing, but it\u2019s unlikely the Twins would exercise their end of a $10MM option.<\/p>\n The bigger factor might be Bader\u2019s semi-regular playing time. He could push the buyout price as high as $3MM based on this season\u2019s plate appearance total. It has a $1.5MM base value and would climb by $200K at 400, 425 and 450 plate appearances, then by $450K at 475 and 500.<\/p>\n