With the pandemic in full swing and the season delayed, MLB saw a handful of opt-outs for the 60-game 2020 season. One of those players, Colorado Rockies outfielder Ian Desmond, became the first player to formally opt-out of the 2021 season as well. Desmond announced his decision via Instagram on Sunday.
The 35-year-old has played 11 seasons in the Majors with the Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers, and Rockies. A two-time All-Star, Desmond has a career average of .263 with 181 home runs, 277 doubles, 711 RBI, and 724 runs scored.
He joined the Rockies in 2017 on a 5-year deal worth $70 million. Desmond left just over $5.5 million of his adjusted salary on the table by opting-out in 2020 and was due to make $8 million this season with a $15 million option for 2022.
In his post-Sunday, Desmond stated in part, “For now, I’ve decided to opt-out of the 2021 season. My desire to be with my family is greater than my desire to go back and play baseball under these circumstances.”
The Rockies traded perennial All-Star and Gold Glove winner Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this year and now lose Desmond. Their over/under for wins is 64.5, and they are +5000 to win the National League West.
German Returns to Yankees
The favorites to win the American League pennant at +230, the New York Yankees, saw right-handed pitcher Domingo German return to the team on Saturday as his 81-game suspension ended. German missed all of last season after his September 2019 suspension under MLB’s policy against domestic violence.
German, 28, released a statement through the team on Sunday saying he wanted to address his teammates before speaking publicly to the media about his suspension.
German led the 2019 Yankees with 18 wins before his Sept. 18 suspension, and his .818 win percentage led all AL starters. In 24 starts, he posted a 4.03 ERA and struck out 153 batters over 143 innings. Gerrit Cole and Corey Kluber are at the top of the Yankees rotation even though German should compete with Jameson Taillon, Jordan Montgomery, Deivi Garcia, and Michael King for a rotation slot.
The Yankees are -200 to win the AL East with the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays at +350. They are -1000 to make the playoffs with an over/under of 95.5 wins. On the Los Angeles Dodgers at +350 have better odds than the Yankees +550 to win the World Series.
Giants Add Sanchez
Another NL West team made an addition on Sunday as the San Francisco Giants signed right-handed pitcher Aaron Sanches to a one-year, $4 million contract. Sanchez can earn an additional $2.5 million in performance bonuses if he makes between 16 and 26 starts in 2021.
Sanchez, 28, missed all of last season with shoulder surgery after splitting 2019 between the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros. In 27 starts in 2019, he was 5-14 with a 5.89 ERA. Sanchez made 20 starts in 2018, with Toronto going 4-6 with a 4.89 ERA, and he made just eight starts in 2017. His best year was by far in 2016 when the All-Star led the American League with a 3.00 ERA in 30 starts while going 15-2 over 192 innings.
Sanchez joins veterans Johnny Cueto and Kevin Gausman in a rotation that also features new free-agent signees Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood. The Giants are +4000 to win the West, +800 to make the playoffs, and their over/under win total is 75.5.
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