Free agency is underway, and the top of this class is special. It’s led by two elite aces in Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg and a National League MVP candidate in third baseman Anthony Rendon. Cole is the front-runner for the American League Cy Young Award and is expected to become the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history. Although the industry has shied away from longer-term contracts over the past few years, Cole and Strasburg will likely be exceptions because of their ages — seven- or eight-year deals will take them only to their mid-to-late 30s. Both pitchers are coming off career years, and their open-market value couldn’t be higher, thanks to their age and platform-year performances.



This year’s free-agent class also includes a couple of set-up relievers fresh off World Series appearances, several quality middle-of-the-rotation starters, a few starting catchers, an All-Star-caliber third baseman in Josh Donaldson and a couple of solid...