MLB Rumors: Why Free-Agent Market Is Waiting On Bryce Harper, Manny Machado

Not every team can sign Manny Machado or Bryce Harper. For the rest, even smaller pieces such as Freddy Galvis or Michael Brantley might serve to be useful in shoring up areas of need.

Those lower-tier free agents might have to wait a while to find new homes, however.

Whereas Machado and Harper are the prizes of hot stove season, the rest of Major League Baseball is in a holding pattern until the big names set the market, Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila told Lynn Henning of The Detroit News.

“Avila said trade talks that had begun loosely at the GM Meetings earlier this month at Carlsbad, Calif., have also dragged as teams wait and see how the free-agent dominoes spill,” Henning wrote Sunday. “And that process could well mean nothing significant will happen until more exalted stars like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Dallas Keuchel and Patrick Corbin begin signing new deals.”

Avila also told Henning: “I do believe a lot has to happen with the big boys before our market starts to move in earnest.”

It remains to be seen if this winter unfolds like last offseason, when several mid- to high-level free agents remained unsigned well after many players had reported to spring training. However it plays out, teams apparently feel they can’t know the value of, say, Adam Jones until the best outfielder on the market sets the price ceiling.

In the meantime: Dear Manny and Bryce, we’re all waiting on you.