Former Yankees Coach, 3-Time All-Star Says Scott Boras Learned From Failure

With one agent, Scott Boras, steering the negotiations for many of baseball’s star free agents this offseason, many observers assumed it was time to settle in for another slow-paced winter.

A year ago, some of Boras’ highest-profile clients were among the last players to sign contracts for the 2024 season. Cody Bellinger (Feb. 27), Blake Snell (March 19), J.D. Martinez (March 23), and Jordan Montgomery (March 29) all waited until spring training had already started to consummate new deals. All were widely predicted to sign for more years and more money than they ended up getting.

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The slow-roll approach had consequences for the players. Martinez gave Boras an ultimatum, saying he told Boras he would retire if he didn’t have a contract within a week. (The Mets signed Martinez days later.) Montgomery said the agent “butchered” his negotiations, fired Boras, and hired the Wasserman agency to represent him.

Count it as a lesson learned. Already this offseason, four of Boras’ top clients — Snell, Frankie Montas, Matthew Boyd and Nick Martinez — have agreed to new contracts for the 2025 season.

Sean Casey, who parlayed his 11-year playing career into three All-Star appearances, a successful career in media, and more recently a job as the New York Yankees’ hitting coach, doesn’t believe this is a coincidence.

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“I don’t know if it’s a Scott Boras revenge tour so much as it is a ‘failure is information’ tour,” Casey said on the most recent episode of his podcast The Mayor’s Office. “I actually think Boras was taken aback last year at the guys that he signed late. Snell signed so late, didn’t get the deal he wanted … (Jordan) Montgomery signed super late with the Diamondbacks, I think spring training had already started too when he signed. (Cody) Bellinger signs late. They all didn’t get the money they wanted, they all were late. Montgomery even fired Scott Boras.”

“I think it was more of an information thing. ‘OK, this is how it’s going to work with some of my guys – if you wait too long, some teams will drag it out?’ That’s what they did with these guys. … I think it’s more of a ‘failure is information’ tour than anything.”

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In terms of years and dollars, each player signed a contract that was at least in line with — if not in excess of — the consensus expectation.

Martinez accepted the Cincinnati Reds’ qualifying offer, a one-year, $21 million contract for 2025. Snell signed a five-year, $182 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Boyd got two years and $29 million guaranteed from the Chicago Cubs. Montas agreed to terms with the Mets on a two-year, $34 million deal.

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All of these deals went down in spite of Boras negotiating with five teams interested in the offseason’s biggest free agent, outfielder Juan Soto. The 26-year-old superstar is expected to sign in the days and weeks to come.

For fans disenchanted with baseball’s typically slow-moving free-agent market, November has offered a nice change of pace. At least some of Boras’ clients would likely agree.

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