MLB Stars Locking Early Deals

0:00On April 8th, Major League Baseball seeing a hot trend with young stars locking in early contract extensions. Teams front-load the cash short-term, but save big long-term if they nail it. Take Ronald Acunia Jr. with the Atlanta Braves, he signed an 8-year, $100 million deal back in 2019, right after his. Rookie of the Year award, now at 28th, he's grabbed five All-Star spots and the National League MVP, despite some injury bumps. Braves are smiling on that one. This wave's picking up steam lately. Over the past few weeks, Pittsburgh pirates extended Connor Griffin, Seattle Mariners did Colt Emerson, and Milwaukee Brewers, Inc. Cooper Pratt. All minor leagueers with bright futures getting paid early to stay put. For the St. Louis Cardinals, it's smart to eye deals for position players like J.J. Weatherholt or Mass & Win. Those guys fit the safe bet profile, building team cores without the same injury roulette, but hold off on young pitcher Michael McGreevy. The 25-year-old off to a

1:02strong 2026 start with a 2.53 ERA and two outings. Still, his velocities dipped and pitches carry huge elbow risks. He's already team-controlled through 2031, so why rush? Clubs like the Cardinals should prioritize those position-player locks first, then circle back to pitchers next year if the arm holds steady. Smart money plays keep the rotation spinning without the gamble. That's the story for today, MLB News Today, driven by AI. I'm Corey with The Story.