Boras Clients Who Signed After January In Previous Offseasons

Some of you have a hilarious view of Scott Boras as some evil guy who forces clubs to pay more than they should for his clients. Please know that every time you reference Boras in this way, I laugh at you, much like one would laugh at a toddler telling a ridiculous story.

Anyway, here’s a nice piece from MLB Trade Rumors which details all of Boras’ clients who signed in February or later, dating back to the start of their database in 2011. It also includes the MLBTR prediction for what the player would get in free agency. Spoiler: Many of these Boras clients failed to reach the prediction. Here’s an example – “J.D. Martinez signs with the Red Sox for five years and $110MM. MLBTR had predicted Martinez for a six-year, $150MM deal at the start of the offseason.” Boras didn’t get Martinez either the years or the AAV that was expected at the beginning of the offseason.

But while it’s fun to tweak the noses of the ones shaking in their boots whenever a player aligns with Boras, it’s also a reminder that being patient in free agency can be a good thing for clubs when there’s a big supply at the position, like there almost always is with relief pitchers. Regardless of who the agent is, this is a good thing to keep in mind:

Perhaps the early-offseason offers were even lower for some of these guys and waiting it out was the smart play. It’s hard to know for sure without having details of those discussions, which don’t often come to light. But there aren’t many instances of a player waiting until close to the spring and then finding a really amazing deal.

Source: Darragh McDonald, MLBTR