Part 2/9:
The recent contract negotiated by Santander with the Blue Jays reveals a changing landscape in the baseball free-agent market. Initially predicted to command over $100 million, Santander's deal turned out to be a more complex structure involving heavy deferrals, landing him a guaranteed average annual value (AAV) of around $14 million per year. This financial strategy illustrates the increasing caution teams are adopting, particularly when engaging with high-profile free agents.