San Francisco Giants

The New York Yankees are once again the most valuable team in Major League Baseball.

Sportico released its 2023 rankings of the league's most valuable teams ahead of the upcoming campaign, and the Bronx Bombers top the list at $7.13 billion. There is a sizable gap between them and the Los Angeles Dodgers ($5.24 billion) and Boston Red Sox ($5.21 billion) in the top three.

Here is a look at the complete list:

1. New York Yankees, $7.13 billion

2. Los Angeles Dodgers, $5.24 billion

3. Boston Red Sox, $5.21 billion

4. Chicago Cubs, $4.69 billion

5. San Francisco Giants, $3.81 billion

6. New York Mets, $2.82 billion

7. Atlanta Braves, $2.75 billion

8. Houston Astros, $2.58 billion

9. Philadelphia Phillies, $2.46 billion

10. Los Angeles Angels, $2.45 billion

11. St. Louis Cardinals, $2.44 billion

12. Washington Nationals, $2.18 billion

13. Toronto Blue Jays, $1.97 billion

14. Texas Rangers, $1.93 billion

15. San Diego Padres, $1.87 billion

16. Chicago White Sox, $1.84 billion

17. Seattle Mariners, $1.8 billion

18. Baltimore Orioles, $1.6 billion

19. Minnesota Twins, $1.56 billion

20. Milwaukee Brewers, $1.5 billion

21. Detroit Tigers, $1.46 billion

22. Cincinnati Reds, $1.39 billion

23. Colorado Rockies, $1.37 billion

24. Cleveland Guardians, $1.36 billion

25. Arizona Diamondbacks, $1.33 billion

26. Oakland Athletics, $1.31 billion

27. Pittsburgh Pirates, $1.26 billion

28. Kansas City Royals, $1.21 billion

29. Tampa Bay Rays, $1.19 billion

30. Miami Marlins, $1.07 billion

The Yankees' astronomical valuation jumps out, and Sportico noted only the Dallas Cowboys ($7.64 billion) and Golden State Warriors ($7.58 billion) are worth more when it comes to sports franchises.

Elsewhere, the Houston Astros were the biggest movers from last year's rankings.

Houston jumped three spots from 11th to eighth and also saw its total valuation increase by 8 percent. It turns out winning a World Series is good for business, as the Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games in the Fall Classic.

They are near the top of the list, but even those on the bottom are still worth a considerable amount of money.

Every team on the list is valued at more than $1 billion, which is notable in a league without a hard salary cap. Even the Miami Marlins, who are last on the list, check in at $1.07 billion.

But everyone is looking up at the Yankees.

MLB is set to implement new rule changes this season that will hopefully improve pace of play. Former San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey recently weighed in on the new additions to the game, saying he believes they will have a positive effect.

"I'll say it: I'm a big advocate of some of these rule changes and trying to get this game back to being not so one-dimensional, where you just try to throw a billion [miles per hour] and try to hit the ball out of the park," Posey told The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly. "I enjoy the subtleties and the game within the game."

Posey, who retired after the 2021 season after winning three World Series titles in his 12-year career in San Francisco, further explained that he believes players haven't been playing up to their full potential and the new adjustments can help change that:

"I'm afraid it's become a little too stagnant. I think young players believe, 'If I strike out 200 times, it doesn't matter if I hit 20 home runs.' We're starting to see some front offices start to say, 'Actually, it's not good to strike out.' So hmmm, OK. That's enlightening. But I do hope the game can get back to rewarding guys for doing the smaller things. I think baseball players are probably as talented as ever, right? But if the focus is only on power, it's a little stagnant to me. Some of these new rules will hopefully create some more action."

In September, MLB passed a slew of rule changes that included the establishment of a pitch clock and the banning of defensive shifts. There were also new amendments limiting pickoff moves and expanding the size of bases. However, ESPN's Jeff Passan noted that the vote was not unanimous, as player representatives in the competition committee "voted no on the shift and pitch-clock portions of changes."

As spring training for the 2023 season commenced this past weekend, we saw exactly how the new rules can drastically affect a game. The game between the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox ended with a called strike three on a pitch-clock violation after a batter wasn't set in the box prior to the clock reaching eight seconds, which is an automatic penalty.

Posey, a former seven-time All-Star catcher, said he expects players will be able to adjust eventually because he's heard good things so far.

"And I'm surprised I'm as excited as I am to see the pitch clock," he said. "Just from talking to guys who have been part of games with the pitch clock, I heard rave reviews."

The San Francisco Giants heavily recruited New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge this winter before he re-signed with the Pinstripes on a nine-year, $360 million deal.

Giants stars Logan Webb and Brandon Crawford were among those who met with Judge while he was in San Francisco, attempting to convince him to make the move out West. Once they found out Judge was staying in the Bronx, Webb said he and the Giants were pretty disappointed, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Giants offered Judge a contract in the neighborhood of $360 million, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported in December. While Judge grew up a Giants fan living in California, the Yankees matched that offer and the star slugger ultimately decided to honor his commitment to the franchise that drafted him.

San Francisco would have received a major boost with the addition of Judge, and its chances of winning another World Series would have been greatly improved. Now that he's staying with the Yankees, New York York is hoping their new captain can lead it to its first championship since 2009.

Judge has spent his entire career with the Yankees, which selected him in the 2013 draft. He has gone on to win the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2017, three Silver Slugger awards, four All-Star Game selections and an MVP award.

The 30-year-old put together the best season of his career in 2022, slashing .311/.425/.686 with 62 home runs, 131 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 157 games en route to winning the AL MVP award. His 62 home runs broke Roger Maris' AL home run record.

While Judge has received numerous individual honors, his ultimate goal is to help the Yankees win a World Series title. They team has come close to reaching baseball's biggest stage on several occasions during Judge's tenure, but they've come up just short each time.

The San Francisco Giants reopened a line of dialogue with Carlos Correa after his agreement with the New York Mets stalled, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi told reporters Thursday.

Zaidi didn't provide specifics of what the conversations entailed and indicated there was never any tangible momentum toward another deal with the star shortstop:

Farhan Zaidi says Giants did “have a couple conversations” with Carlos Correa’s camp when things fell through with Mets but Correa’s focus seemed elsewhere. “I’m happy for Carlos, he’s one of the great players in the game. … This whole (public) situation was really unfortunate.”

— Janie McCauley (@JanieMcCAP) January 12, 2023

San Francisco agreed to a 13-year $350 million contract with Correa, only for the deal to fall apart at the last minute because of an issue with his physical.

Whether it reflected a level of hesitancy on ownership's part to pay out a contract that large or Correa's desire to play elsewhere, it was considered a massive setback for the organization.

That the exact same situation played out with the New York Mets—an organization that has spared no expense under owner Steven Cohen—lessened the scrutiny toward the Giants a bit. Correa and the Mets came to an agreement on a 12-year, $315 million pact, but his physical once again presented a roadblock.

Correa was finally introduced as a member of the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday after signing a six-year, $200 million contract.

We heard you 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/T3tzJu7O7l

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) January 12, 2023

For the Giants, there was little harm in reaching out again to the two-time All-Star or his agent, Scott Boras.

The longer his saga with the Mets dragged on, the more it became clear Correa would have to settle for much less money and far fewer years than San Francisco and New York were initially prepared to offer.

But Correa might have made his mind up at that point. Even if he hadn't zeroed in on a return to the Twins when he heard from Zaidi, the 28-year-old may have already closed the door on San Francisco.

The San Francisco Giants are hoping Luke Jackson can provide depth to their bullpen next season.

The team announced Monday that Jackson has agreed to a two-year contract.

Per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, Jackson's deal is worth $11.5 million in total value and includes a team option for 2025.

If the club option for 2025 is exercised, Jackson will earn $7 million. If the 2025 club option is not exercised, Jackson would be entitled to a $2 million buyout.

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) January 9, 2023

Jackson missed the entire 2022 season after having Tommy John surgery in April. He was able to start throwing again six months later.

Got to throw for the first time in 6 months and dang was that fun! Now time for a braves W and a happy flight! #BravesCountryLetsRide

— Luke Jackson (@YaBoy77) October 12, 2022

While it's unclear if Jackson will be ready to pitch when the regular season begins, the Giants agreeing to give him a multiyear deal suggests they are confident he can contribute to their bullpen.

Any player coming off an injury who agrees to a deal with the Giants will immediately be compared to Carlos Correa.

Correa's 13-year, $350 million agreement with San Francisco fell apart because of the team's concerns stemming from an ankle issue that arose during his physical. The two-time All-Star reached agreement with the New York Mets on a 12-year, $315 million deal, but the contract has yet to be finalized because of concerns from the Mets about the same ankle.

There are obvious differences between the situation with Jackson and Correa. Jackson is coming off a serious injury, though one that has become fairly routine in Major League Baseball. His contract is also significantly lower in value, both in years and dollars, than Correa's agreement.

Jackson was originally a first-round pick in the 2010 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers. He made his big league debut five years later but was used sporadically before being traded to Atlanta in December 2016.

After bouncing between the MLB team and the minors for the next two seasons, Jackson became a staple of the Braves' bullpen in 2019. He set career highs with 72.2 innings, 18 saves and 106 strikeouts in 70 appearances.

The 2020 season was a step back for the 31-year-old right-hander. He had a 6.84 ERA and allowed 39 hits in 26.1 innings over 19 appearances.

Jackson rebounded in a big way in 2021 with a career-best 1.98 ERA in 71 appearances. He pitched 3.2 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit in three appearances during the World Series against the Houston Astros.

Despite missing out on the marquee players they were pursuing in free agency, the Giants have quietly put together a solid offseason. They have brought in Mitch Haniger, Michael Conforto, Taylor Rogers, Sean Manaea and Ross Stripling.

While it will still be difficult for the Giants to compete with the star-laden rosters of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the National League West, their depth is much better for 2023 as they try to get back in playoff contention.

San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi told reporters Friday it has been frustrating to not talk much publicly about the situation with shortstop Carlos Correa, who agreed to a megadeal with the team before the Giants backed out, reportedly because of medical concerns.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle relayed some of Zaidi's remarks:

The suggestion here seems to be that physical uncovered new medical issue. (Which seems to have been the case for other teams too.)

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) December 30, 2022

Says organization entirely aligned on all matters throughout from ownership to front office etc. all on the same page. Says good faith effort on both sides to get a deal done.

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) December 30, 2022

The Giants agreed to sign Correa to a 13-year, $350 million contract, but the deal fell through because of the team's concern over a medical issue.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the red flag was a broken right fibula Correa suffered during a minor league game in 2014. San Francisco was reportedly concerned about "the long-term stability of his leg—and the potential for Correa to quickly lose the mobility that won him a Platinum Glove in 2021."

According to Passan, Zaidi called Correa's agent, Scott Boras, with his concerns over the medical report the night before the team's planned introductory press conference. The Giants asked Boras for more time and postponed the press conference, and then they backed out of the 13-year deal.

Boras went public with his side.

"They said at that point in time they needed more information, they needed more discussion," the superagent told reporters. "They wanted to continue to talk, but at this time they couldn't go forward. And then I advised them that I had to pursue alternative measures on behalf of Carlos with other teams."

Correa then agreed to a 12-year, $315 million contract with the New York Mets, but the contract hasn't been finalized because they too have concerns following the physical, per Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes of The Athletic.

A source told Mike Puma of the New York Post on Monday that there was a 55 percent chance the deal would go through. The Post's Jon Heyman reported the contract "by all rights, should get done," noting both Correa and Mets owner Steve Cohen "badly" want to finalize it.

As for the Giants, it's been a frustrating offseason. They lost out on another superstar after pursuing American League MVP Aaron Judge, who decided to stay with the New York Yankees. San Francisco's 2022 ace, All-Star Carlos Rodón, is also a Yankee now after leaving in free agency.

San Francisco did strengthen its outfield, though, by signing Mitch Haniger, reportedly adding Michael Conforto and re-signing Joc Pederson. The Giants also added Sean Manaea to the starting rotation.

It's not Carlos Correa. It's not Aaron Judge.

But the San Francisco Giants did make an improvement to their lineup Friday.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the National League West team agreed to a two-year, $36 million contract with outfielder Michael Conforto. According to Spotrac, the Giants' projected total payroll for 2023 at this point is $152.9 million.

FanGraphs provided a look at San Francisco's potential starting lineup following the deal:

1. CF Mike Yastrzemski

2. RF Mitch Haniger

3. DH Michael Conforto

4. LF Joc Pederson

5. 3B Wilmer Flores

6. 2B Thairo Estrada

7. 1B J.D. Davis

8. SS Brandon Crawford

9. C Joey Bart

Quite frankly, Conforto is a consolation prize at best for the Giants.

It was no secret they were in on Judge, and Jon Heyman of the New York Post even had to issue an apology after he suggested the slugger was heading to San Francisco. All was well, though, when San Francisco agreed to a 13-year, $350 million deal with Correa.

Until it wasn't.

The deal was never actually finalized because of medical worries, and Correa instead agreed to a 12-year, $315 million contract with the New York Mets.

That left the Giants scrambling, and it appears they have landed on Conforto.

There was a time when Conforto would have been a major addition as well. He was an All-Star in 2017 when he slashed .279/.384/.555 with 27 home runs and 68 RBI, and he followed that effort with 28 long balls in 2018 and 33 in 2019.

However, he took a step back in 2021 with a .232/.344/.384 slash line to go with 14 home runs and 55 RBI in 125 games for the Mets. He then missed the entire 2022 season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Conforto could be the anchor of the Giants' lineup if he returns to his All-Star form after missing a season. He is just 29 years old and may be healthier now that he addressed the concern with surgery.

Yet San Francisco fans could be forgiven if they feel something of a letdown given how the offseason has unfolded.

After losing Carlos Correa earlier this week, the San Francisco Giants are hoping Michael Conforto can provide a spark for their lineup.

Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Conforto has agreed to a two-year, $36 million deal with the Giants.

ESPN's Buster Olney added the deal includes an opt-out after the 2023 season.

Conforto profiled as a solid bounce-back candidate in 2022 before he underwent offseason shoulder surgery. His agent, Scott Boras, indicated in May he might sign with a team following July's MLB draft, which would remove any draft-pick compensation from his deal.

Nobody chose to take Boras up on the opportunity.

Even before the shoulder injury, Conforto saw his value take a big hit. The 29-year-old picked a bad time to have one of the worst years of his career.

Unlike new teammate Francisco Lindor, who signed a 10-year, $341 million deal, Conforto headed into Opening Day in 2021 without a new contract. New York Mets team president Sandy Alderson signaled the franchise's desire to keep the 2017 All-Star that March.

"We've had Conforto for many years," Alderson said, per the New York Post's Ken Davidoff. "He has not only become an excellent player, but also part of the leadership group within the clubhouse. He's represented the Mets for a long period of time and represented us well. I think if it's possible, we will make the effort to keep Michael with us."

He added the Mets weren't as aggressive as the Toronto Blue Jays in landing George Springer, who signed with Toronto for six years and $150 million, because a new deal for Conforto was part of the calculus.

On George Springer, Sandy Alderson says it really came down to willing to go five years, but not six. He also adds, "had we signed Springer, probably less likely we'd be able to sign Conforto, for example."

— Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) March 1, 2021

MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reported in April 2021 that Conforto might look to sign for $200 million or more, eclipsing the total Springer received.

His performance ultimately didn't help his bargaining position with the Mets or any other team interested in his services.

In 125 games, Conforto had 14 home runs, 55 RBI and a .232/.344/.384 slash line. According to FanGraphs, his .322 weighted on-base average was 30 points lower than his career average (.352).

The Mets offense as a whole was a bit of mess and failed to live up to expectations. Hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater were both fired in the middle of the season.

Lindor saw his batting average slip all the way to .230. Dominic Smith slugged .525 and .616 in 2019 and 2020, respectively, before finishing with a .363 slugging percentage in 2021. Jeff McNeil saw his on-base percentage fall from .383 to .317. In short, Conforto wasn't the only one who struggled at the plate.

Prior to 2021, he was a consistent producer in New York's lineup, so that year may be a bit of an outlier. Per Baseball Savant, his .249 expected batting average was only fractionally worse than his career number (.251), while his expected slugging (.428) was a more pronounced drop from the .463 he has posted since 2015.

The shoulder injury is obviously a massive variable. He might have a clean bill of health now, but nobody can know for sure whether he'll rebound. He may never be the same player after the surgery.

As a short-term gamble, signing Conforto is a worthwhile risk for San Francisco because he was so good from 2017-20. His demand for $200 million looks laughable in retrospect, but his market value before the 2021 season arguably wasn't much below that.

The possible upside justifies the Giants' investment.

As much as this move could help San Francisco, there's no salvaging what has been a disastrous offseason for the franchise.

Carlos Rodón, the ace of the staff, signed with the New York Yankees. That came after Aaron Judged opted to re-sign with the Bronx Bombers having entertained overtures from the Giants. The final insult came as Correa left San Francisco at the altar and signed with the New York Mets instead.

Conforto could make a major difference for a team in need of outfield help, but it already feels like the 2023 season is a lost cause for the Giants.

The San Francisco Giants were involved in the most shocking offseason turn of events this week when they held up their deal with star shortstop Carlos Correa over a medical concern, opening the door for him to sign with the New York Mets.

On Thursday, ESPN's Jeff Passan shed light on the thought process behind San Francisco's hesitation, revealing the team had concerns over Correa's lower right leg following his physical examination. The 28-year-old had broken his fibula in 2014 on a slide during a minor league game, which led to surgery.

Passan noted that the Giants' fear "concerned the long-term stability of his leg—and the potential for Correa to quickly lose the mobility that won him a Platinum Glove in 2021."

The assertion likely came as a shock to Correa, who had agreed to a 13-year, $350 million deal on Dec. 13. Per Passan, his surgically repaired leg was an injury he "hadn't thought about in years, and suddenly it was putting in jeopardy the fourth-largest guaranteed contract in North American sports history."

Correa's agent, Scott Boras, dismissed the notion that an injury from eight years ago could affect his client down the line, pointing out that Correa received a 10-year contract offer from the Minnesota Twins, with whom he played the 2022 season.

"If a team familiar with his medical history was willing to offer Correa a decade-long contract, [Boras'] reasoning went, how bad could the injury really be?" Passan wrote.

The Mets swooped in and signed Correa to a 12-year, $315 million contract. It was another heartbreaker for San Francisco this offseason after its failed pursuit of American League MVP Aaron Judge, who re-signed with the New York Yankees.

The Giants are hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 2022 season in which they finished with an 81-81 record and failed to make the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six years.