The 2024-25 Main League Baseball offseason is properly underway, and several other notable free-agent names are off the board. With the Winter Conferences simply across the bend, we’re being handled to an virtually day by day provide of rumors relating to free company, trades, and the like. Talking of all that, Saturday’s spherical of scorching range rumors may be discovered slightly below.
Juan Soto, the highest free agent obtainable in the marketplace, appears to be inching nearer to signing together with his subsequent crew. The incumbent Yankees, Mets, Pink Sox, and Blue Jays are all recognized to nonetheless be concerned within the bidding course of, and the world-champion Dodgers additionally should be hanging round. For extra on that, plus all the newest on Soto’s scenario, observe together with our devoted protection of his free company.
Mets looking for extra beginning pitching
The Mets have added two potential beginning pitchers to their roster thus far this winter in Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes. They proceed to hunt extra rotation assist, nevertheless, in keeping with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. New York stays concerned with reuniting with lefty Sean Manaea, who put up wonderful numbers for the membership in 2024 earlier than hitting free company. Ought to that fail to materialize, the Mets may pivot to Walker Buehler or different free-agent choices, resembling Jack Flaherty or Nick Pivetta.
The Orioles are signing a pair of veteran hitters in outfielder Tyler O’Neill and catcher Gary Sánchez, in keeping with the New York Put up. Sánchez, 32, posted a 93 OPS+ final season with the Brewers. He appears prone to cut up time between catching in a backup capability and DHing on his one-year, $8.5 million contract.
Phillies exploring trades
The Philadelphia Phillies are after all squarely in contending mode, however they’re exploring commerce alternatives involving veteran contributors, seemingly as a way to deal with different segments of the roster as they angle to repeat at NL East champs in 2025. Listed here are the main points from Matt Gelb of The Athletic:
“The Phillies have continued to dangle [Alec] Bohm and Ranger Suárez, in keeping with major-league sources, in an try to amass big-league items. They’ve made Nick Castellanos obtainable, these sources mentioned, however any commerce would require the Phillies to pay down a lot of the remaining $40 million on his contract.”
The third baseman Bohm and the lefty starter Suárez are each helpful contributors within the right here and now, so the Phillies would little question be seeking to change their contributions within the occasion of trades involving one or each. Castellanos seems to be getting into his decline part and would presumably be making means for an improve at his corner-outfield spot. As Gelb signifies, although, his contract wouldn’t be simply movable.
Cubs nonetheless focusing on rotation assist
The Chicago Cubs not too long ago inked lefty Matthew Boyd to a two-year, $29 million pact, and their rotation already consists of the likes of Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, and Javier Assad. Even so, the Cubs nonetheless look like out there for beginning pitching, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic report. Sharma and Mooney add that right-hander Walker Buehler stays of curiosity to the Cubs, relying on what sort of contract he is in a position to command. The marketplace for mid-rotation assist has been a vendor’s atmosphere to this point, as Boyd’s deal will attest.
Yankees amongst groups concerned with Thairo Estrada
Second baseman Thairo Estrada is coming off an age-28 season in 2024 through which he batted .217/.247/.343 with 9 house runs in 96 video games for the Giants. Usually, that is not the sort of manufacturing that might draw consideration, even for a second baseman like Estrada, however he has a stronger offensive observe report previous to this previous season, and he isn’t but at an age that sometimes raises concern about decline. Talking of all that, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reviews that the New York Yankees are among the many groups with some stage of curiosity within the free agent. They might be eyeing Estrada for a utility function – the seemingly angle – or as a possible substitute for second baseman Gleyber Torres, who’s himself a free agent. MLB.com’s Thomas Harding additionally linked the Rockies to him.
