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The Robbie Ray free agency rumors are picking up pace in the hot stove season. Ray, the 2021 AL Cy Young winner, is a hot commodity and there are a number of potential suitors for his services.
Robbie Ray free agency 2021-22
Ray was so dominant for the Toronto Blue Jays last season that he received 29 of the 30 first-place votes for the most coveted pitching award in baseball. Ray managed to have such an outstanding season in his walk year, meaning that there will be a massive deal for him somewhere out there. The Robbie Ray free agent contract is going to be a big one and here are five spots he could land.
Blue Jays
The stability of staying with the Toronto Blue Jays is something Ray should consider. Toronto is a team on the rise and the way Ray has developed over the past few seasons has been incredible.
If he can continue to grow as part of a rotation already boasting three above-average starters there is no reason that this team shouldn’t be successful. The Blue Jays also have a dominant offense with the likes of Bo Bichette and Vlad Guerrero Jr. not even close to their primes yet. Toronto is a perfect fit for Ray as it is a team that can win now and also afford him.
Red Sox
This would be a gutting move for Blue Jays’ fans. Seeing Ray leave to play anywhere other than the Rogers Centre will be bad enough if it happens, but seeing a player they have groomed into a superstar moving to a division rival would be a major kick in the teeth.
The Boston Red Sox are a serious contender for Ray, especially after seeing dominant lefty Eduardo Rodriguez sign with Detroit this offseason. Ray would upgrade the rotation over Rodriguez, while also seriously weakening a competitor in the AL East. Given the strength of the division, it would represent a serious play of power.
Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an Ace away from a dominant pitching rotation. Adding one of the best starting pitchers in 2021 would make this team one that would get better as 2022 progresses.
Kyle Hendricks won’t be as bad as he was last year and in Alec Mills and Adbert Alzolay, the Cubs have two young and promising pitchers. The combination of Ray and Hendricks at the top of the rotation ticks a lot of boxes. Both strikeout hitters at a high rate and can go deep into games. This is a team retooling and they have the money to bring Ray onboard.
Angels
The Los Angeles Angels have made no secret of their desire to improve their pitching rotation.
GM Perry Minasian recently said as much to reporters. This is a club that wants to run a six pitcher rotation and a one-year deal recently given to Noah Syndergaard gives them five pieces in place. Adding a high-end starter like Ray completes the picture and makes this one of the most dangerous teams in baseball as they go all-in on getting Mike Trout into the postseason.
Rangers
The Texas Rangers would be a serious downgrade for Ray in terms of postseason likeliness in 2022. This is a ball club that lost 102 games last season, but there are big indications that there is massive money to spend to right this ship.
While shortstop is a big need in Dallas, the Rangers also have only one player on their roster that made more than 20 starts for them last season. Signing Ray would show other players that the Rangers are serious about building back up to contention. He would give them both quality and quantity as a starter with his ability to eat innings and the size of his contract would make a couple of rocky seasons more enjoyable.
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The best place for Ray to land is the Blue Jays. He’s done his best work with the Jays. The only season that comes close is 2017 with Arizona. When You look at his record you see a lot of strikeouts but a lot of losses, meaning he needs a team that hits. The Jays hit…even without Semien.