The most notorious sports agent in the world Scott Boras made a lot of noise this past MLB offseason when his top-5 clients hit the free agency market in late 2023. The shrewd Boras is known for taking his time when it comes to signing deals with teams, and ensuring that his client gets the most money possible. Boras currently has 106 active player clients, who in total have signed a combined $3.8 BILLION worth in contracts.
This past offseason, however, the tide shifted, where MLB owners seemed to take a stand against the superagent, and not comply with his hefty demands. Although it took many months, with some clients not being signed until the middle of Spring Training, all of the “Boras 5” are currently on MLB rosters. With all the noise that was made about Boras and his clients, let’s take a look at the contracts those 5 players signed and how they are currently performing.
1. Blake Snell (P) - The reigning NL CY Young winner was expected to receive a lucrative multi-year deal worth north of $200 million this past offseason, but MLB teams weren’t willing to meet Boras’ lofty demands. Snell is currently in his 9th season and has received two CY Young awards. Besides those two seasons, however, Snell has never managed to pitch more than 150 innings in his other 6 campaigns. He ended up signing with the San Francisco Giants on a 2 Yr, $62,000,000 deal with an opt-out after the 2024 season. With virtually no spring training, Snell has been awful to start the season. He currently has a 9.51 ERA and a 1.940 WHIP in only 23.2 IP. Unless Snell has a massive turnaround, he will most likely accept his player option and remain a Giant next season.
2. Cody Bellinger (CF) - The most prized hitter on Boras’ client list from 2023 was the former MVP who had a massive bounceback season with the Cubs last year. After leaving the LA Dodgers, Bellinger signed a 1 Yr $12,000,000 deal with Chicago before the 23 season. He then went on to have his best season since his MVP campaign in 2019. Bellinger hit .307, along with 26 HR and an OPS of .881. Like Snell, Bellinger was seeking a multi-year deal worth north of $200 million, but couldn’t find a team willing to shell out the cash. He ended up returning to Wrigley Field on a 3 Yr, $80,000,000 deal, with an opt-out after 2025. He has been productive for the Cubs with an OPS of .783 and a Slug % of .455 in 47 games thus far. Although he never received his desired contract, Bellinger seems to be fitting in perfectly with the Cubs and should continue this production for years to come.
3. Jordan Montgomery (P) - After winning the World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2023, where he pitched to a 2.90 ERA in 31 post-season innings, the big lefty was expected to sign a multi-year deal with north of 25$ million per season. Like all of the other players on this list, that contract never came. Montgomery signed a 1 YR, $25,000,000 deal with the 2023 NL champs Arizona Diamondbacks, who were looking to make another push at the World Series in 2024. With no Spring Training for Jordan, the regular season numbers have not been pretty to say the least. He currently has a 5.48 ERA in 8 starts with the Snakes. Montgomery ended up firing Scott Boras as his agent after a failed free agency.
4. Matt Chapman (3B) - 4X gold glover and 2x platinum glover was coming off an average season at the plate in 2023 with the Toronto Blue Jays. Chapman has been one of the best defensive third basemen since the start of his career in 2017, but the offensive numbers have been pedestrian. After seeking a deal worth more than $100 million, Chapman signed with the SF Giants for 3 Yrs, $54,000,000. He has put up similar offensive numbers to his career average, batting .242 with an OPS+ of 112 this season. This contract so far seems to be a fair deal for both sides and Chapman will man the hot corner in San Francisco for the next 3 seasons.
5. J.D. Martinez (DH) - At age 35, Martinez put up his best OPS+ since 2019 last year with the Dodgers (134). Seeking multi-year security, J.D. couldn’t find a team willing to give him 2/3 years. The 6x All-Star ended up signing a 1 YR, $12,000,000 contract with the New York Mets only a week before the regular season started. In just 35 games, J.D. has 15 RBIs, a Slug % of .466, and an OPS+ of 131. He has been one of the few bright spots on a horrendous Mets team, and will almost certainly be traded to a contending team come July.
After a disastrous offseason for Boras and his top clients, many wonder what the future will look like for the 71-year-old super agent. His most prized client in all of sports, Juan Soto, is set to hit the market after the conclusion of the season. Soto has been one of the best players in baseball since 2018 and is in line for a record-breaking contract. Only time will tell how Boras responds to MLB owners taking a stand against his hefty contract demands.
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