Austin Hays and Kyle Finnegan, once elected to the All-Star Game, join the 62 new free agents in the Major Leagues
NEW YORK — Outfielder Austin Hays and right-hander Kyle Finnegan — both former All-Stars — declared free agency Friday after their teams did not offer them contracts for 2025.
The list of 62 players also includes second baseman Brendan Rodgers, right-handed pitcher Jordan Romano, left-handed pitcher Patrick Sandoval and outfielder Mike Tauchman.
Many of the released players would have been eligible for salary arbitration.
Washington released right-hander Tanner Rainey, its last remaining player from the 2019 World Series championship squad.
More than 20 players signed contracts before the deadline, including San Francisco Giangts outfielder Mike Yastrzemski ($9.25 million), Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Brusdar Graterol ($5.4 million), and New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham ($5 million).
Hays, 29, was selected to the All-Star Game in 2023 when he hit .275 with 16 home runs and 67 RBIs for the Baltimore Orioles. He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on July 26 and hit .256 with two home runs and six RBIs in 22 games while dealing with a kidney infection.
Finnegan, 33, made the All-Star Game this year for the Washington Nationals and finished with 38 saves.
The deadline marked the last time a team could release an arbitration-eligible player without committing to pay at least 30 days of severance pay if the player is released.
The wave of cuts and contracts left 167 players eligible to exchange salary arbitration proposals with their teams on January 9.
Among the players who reached one-year deals were Dodgers right-hander Dustin May ($2,135,000), Chicago Cubs catcher Matt Thaiss ($1 million in the majors, $400,000 in the minors) , Colorado Rockies left-handed pitcher Lucas Gilbreath ($785,000), and Washington right-handed pitcher Mason Thompson ($770,000 in the majors, $374,600 in the minors).
San Diego Padres infielder/outfielder Tyler Wade agreed to a one-year, $900,000 deal, including an $850,000 salary this year and a $1 million team option for 2026 with a $50,000 buyout clause. . Wade can earn $150,000 in performance bonuses each year, depending on his plate appearances: $25,000 each for hitting 100 and 150, and $50,000 for hitting 200 and 250.
Additionally, the Mets signed minor league contracts with Mexican first baseman Joey Meneses and catcher Jakson Reetz.
