The Pirates drew loads of scrutiny for designating first baseman Rowdy Tellez for project when he was 4 plate appearances shy of reaching a $200K bonus in his contract, although administration has publicly disputed that the bonus had something to do with the choice. One other Pittsburgh veteran in the end landed in an analogous spot, however infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa tells Alex Stumpf of MLB.com that he declined a chance to enter the lineup and acquire a $250K bonus. The infielder completed the season at 496 plate appearances, when his contract would’ve afforded him a $250K bonus for reaching 500 journeys to the plate. Supervisor Derek Shelton initially omitted Kiner-Falefa from the Pirates’ Sunday lineup however, upon studying of the looming bonus, tried to plug the infielder again into the lineup.
“I didn’t assume it was honest to take a spot from [Liover Peguero], or one of many younger guys, a chance to play at Yankee Stadium away from them,” says Kiner-Falefa, whom the Pirates acquired from the Blue Jays on the commerce deadline. “I bought damage this yr. I missed a month. If that doesn’t occur, or if we’re truly in an actual race, I crush these incentives by an extended shot. So, on the finish of the day, I really feel like I didn’t deserve it from that side. It’s nothing the group did. They tried to make it proper on the finish. That meant rather a lot to me proper there. I’m grateful to [Shelton] and the group to present me that chance.”
A pair extra attention-grabbing contract notes from the ultimate weekend of the season…
- Rangers lefty Andrew Heaney started his remaining begin of the season Sunday at 156 innings, simply 4 frames away from unlocking a $1.5MM bonus in his two-year deal. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning Information writes that though he was hit exhausting by way of the primary three innings of the sport (seven runs allowed), Heaney was allowed to finish the fourth inning as a reward for the selflessness he’s proven in his two seasons with the membership and for the worth he’s offered as a teammate within the clubhouse. “[General manager Chris Young] mentioned we’re going to do the suitable issues by folks, by gamers and by followers,” Heaney tells Grant. “Chris and [manager] Bruce Bochy are baseball lifers and so they perceive what it means. I believed every part Chris advised me after I signed right here. It has been every part he introduced and extra.” The 33-year-old Heaney completed out the 2024 season with a 4.28 ERA in his 160 frames and logged an total 4.22 ERA in 307 1/3 innings over his two years in Texas. He’s a free agent this winter.
- Proper-hander Chris Flexen has eaten innings behind the White Sox’ rotation amid the group’s traditionally feeble season, and the membership made positive in his remaining begin of the season that Flexen was in a position to attain the ultimate incentive milestone in his one-year, $1.75MM contract, USA Right this moment’s Bob Nightengale factors out. Flexen’s deal known as for $250K bonuses at every of 75, 100, 125 and 160 innings. The best-hander entered Sunday’s begin with 153 2/3 innings underneath his belt. Flexen made the choice fairly straightforward for the Sox, as he tossed 6 1/3 shutout innings towards the Angels. Nonetheless, few would’ve questioned the choice to drag Flexen after six scoreless innings, 88 pitches and a 7-0 lead. However the Sox made positive to ship Flexen again out for the seventh and solely lifted him after he’d recorded that first out to get him to that 160-inning threshold. He completed out the season with a 4.95 ERA, main the group in innings and rating second to Garrett Crochet with 30 begins. Flexen will head again to free company this winter.
