The 2024-25 Main League Baseball offseason is nicely underway, and a number of other notable free-agent names are off the board. With the Winter Conferences simply across the bend, we’re being handled to an nearly each day provide of rumors relating to free company, trades, and the like. Talking of all that, Saturday’s spherical of scorching range rumors will be discovered just under.
Juan Soto, the highest free agent obtainable in the marketplace, appears to be inching nearer to signing together with his subsequent group. The incumbent Yankees, Mets, Purple Sox, and Blue Jays are all recognized to nonetheless be concerned within the bidding course of, and the world-champion Dodgers additionally should still be hanging round. For extra on that, plus all the newest on Soto’s state of affairs, 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 to this point this winter in Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes. They proceed to hunt extra rotation assist, nonetheless, in line with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. New York stays occupied with reuniting with lefty Sean Manaea, who put up glorious numbers for the membership in 2024 earlier than hitting free company. Ought to that fail to materialize, the Mets might pivot to Walker Buehler or different free-agent choices, comparable to Jack Flaherty or Nick Pivetta.
Phillies exploring trades
The Philadelphia Phillies are in fact squarely in contending mode, however they’re exploring commerce alternatives involving veteran contributors, probably as a way to handle different segments of the roster as they angle to repeat at NL East champs in 2025. Listed below are the small print from Matt Gelb of The Athletic:
“The Phillies have continued to dangle [Alec] Bohm and Ranger Suárez, in line with major-league sources, in an try to accumulate 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 doubt be trying to exchange their contributions within the occasion of trades involving one or each. Castellanos seems to be getting into his decline section and would presumably be making method for an improve at his corner-outfield spot. As Gelb signifies, although, his contract wouldn’t be simply movable.
Cubs nonetheless concentrating on rotation assist
The Chicago Cubs just lately 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 seem like available in the market 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 capable of 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 occupied with Thairo Estrada
Second baseman Thairo Estrada is coming off an age-28 season in 2024 during which he batted .217/.247/.343 with 9 house runs in 96 video games for the Giants. Usually, that is not the form of manufacturing that may draw consideration, even for a second baseman like Estrada, however he has a stronger offensive observe file previous to this previous season, and he is not 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 degree of curiosity within the free agent. They could be eyeing Estrada for a utility position – the probably angle – or as a possible alternative for second baseman Gleyber Torres, who’s himself a free agent. MLB.com’s Thomas Harding additionally linked the Rockies to him.
