Predicting top 10 free agent destinations (and who Yankees could still sign)

6. Clayton Kershaw

Personally, I’m done pretending “Clayton Kershaw to the Rangers” has legs, unless Clayton Kershaw goes to the Rangers, at which point I’m going to pivot to telling everyone, “Yeah, that was so obvious.”

Kershaw’s star isn’t shining as brightly as it once did, but with a 3.55 ERA and 144 whiffs in 121.2 innings last season, he’s still very valuable — and no MLB club can use him as much as his current and lifelong team.

The Dodgers, without Max Scherzer, are several starters short (they were already a little thin with him), and they’re not going to let Kershaw get away as he rehabs from injury.

Unless they are going to do that, in which case they’ll lose him to the Rangers, and I’ll say I told you so.

Contract Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers, Two Years, $42 Million

Yankees Chances: 0%

5. Nicholas Castellanos

Oh, he’ll be a Yankee in a few years once the Marlins get fed up with his contract, but for now, we’re sending him to South Beach for four years, which he will enjoy very much for 2.5 of them.

Castellanos, about to turn 30, put up the best offensive season of his career in 2021 and priced himself out of Cincinnati (though they really should keep him), rocketing 34 longballs out of the yard, posting a 136 OPS+, and really ruining the life of one Man of Faith.

He’s not a plus defender, and is really more of a swing-from-the-heels culture changes, and we foresee the Marlins trying to woo him down to Florida to reset their lineup. Miami has the pitching. Now, it’s about taking the next steps.

Contract Prediction: Miami Marlins, Four Years, $84 Million

Yankees Chances: 0%