Part 7/11:
Amidst concerns about a potential new lockout, teams are frontloading contracts to avoid the risk of work stoppages reducing players' earnings. Nightengale indicates:
Teams are hesitant to scale back, but contractual structures may be designed to protect players against a shortened season.
Frontloaded deals, like Madison Bumgarner's, allow players to earn the majority of their salary early, mitigating future uncertainties.
Trade Market and Player Valuations
The discussion also covers the trade prospects of prominent players:
- Jared Skubal of the Detroit Tigers is seen as unlikely to be traded this winter, as the Tigers prefer to keep him and wait for a better offer in July.