MLB Predictions: Angels To Sign Gerrit Cole, Rendon To Stay In Washington, Yankees Will Get Strasburg

The MLB offseason is in full swing but the top three available free agents, Gerrit Cole, Anthony Rendon and Stephen Strasburg, remain unsigned. With the information we have, however, we can predict with some degree of accuracy which player will land at which team.

Firstly, Cole is set to get an historic payday. Industry experts believe he will earn a contract worth almost $300 million, shattering the record for a pitcher which currently belongs to David Price for his $215 million pact with the Boston Red Sox.

To get that much money, Cole will have to go to a big-market team with deep pockets and a deep need for starting pitching. While the New York Yankees would make sense from this perspective, they may not be willing to part with that kind of money.

The Bombers are already nearing the luxury tax threshold and signing Cole would put them well above the limit. A major contract like his could even put the Yanks past the upper limits of the threshold which would incur the harshest financial penalties.

Plus, Cole is known to want to play in his native southern California. Enter the Los Angeles Angels. The Halos are no strangers to giving big contracts to free agents such as Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols. They are also acutely aware that Mike Trout is not going to be in his prime forever so the time frame to win a World Series with him is slowly closing.

That means the Angels are motivated buyers and should outbid all other suitors to land Cole.

Meanwhile, one blue chip free agent will more than likely stay put. Anthony Rendon finished third in NL MVP voting in 2019 and has garnered significant interest from many clubs. Due to his roots in the Lone Star state, both the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros are potential landing spots.

Of the two the Rangers seem more likely as they have more payroll available. However, the Astros did just win the American League and look like good candidates to do it again next season, even without Rendon.

With news that the Washington Nationals cannot afford to keep both him and Stephen Strasburg, one of the two is likely to depart. However, the Nats do have a bit more depth at pitcher than at third base, meaning that they will make Rendon a priority over Strasburg.

They are contenders who are ready to make Anthony Rendon a wealthy man, so the Nationals will retain the third baseman.

Finally, the Bombers have a need in the pitching department and have the resources to land one of Cole or Strasburg, even if they will have to pay a luxury tax to do so. They have met with both Cole and Strasburg in the week leading up to the winter GM meetings, showing their intent.

However, as mentioned above, they will need to be mindful of the luxury tax. That makes a deal for Cole look slightly more unlikely for financial reasons, even if he is the better pitcher right now. Plus, the Nationals will likely get priced out of Strasburg.

That makes the Yankees the best landing spot for Strasburg.