Losing Blake Snell is tough for the Giants, but losing him to the Dodgers? That has to sting L.A.’s longtime rival. San Francisco now has a massive void to fill in its rotation. There are a handful of high-quality starting pitchers left on the free-agent market, and the Giants might look toward the very top of it to find their Snell replacement.
Nov. 27: Yanks reportedly increase Soto offer, with top FA arms as backup plan
The Yankees increased their initial offer to Juan Soto in recent days, per a report from MLB Network insider Jon Heyman — but they’ve also checked in on some other top free agents.
Heyman wrote for the New York Post that the Yanks have also touched base with Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, though the club has not yet extended an offer to either player.
Nov. 27: Red Sox looking to land Soto and top starter
The Red Sox are one of the five teams that have made a contract offer to Juan Soto, a source told MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi. No one knows the value of that offer, but it shouldn’t be taken lightly as it seems like Boston means business in its pursuit of the offseason’s No. 1 free agent.
Writing in the New York Post on Tuesday, Mark W. Sanchez and MLB Network insider Jon Heyman said the Red Sox “are increasingly seen as a legitimate contender in the sweepstakes for the generational slugger as word is they are stepping up efforts to lure the superstar hitter away from their historic AL East nemesis.”
The Red Sox are also continuing their search for a frontline starter. Per a report from the Boston Globe (subscription required), the Red Sox are looking to add one even if they can seal the deal with Soto.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Red Sox were in on Blake Snell before he reached a five-year deal (per sources) with the Dodgers on Tuesday. Boston is believed to be seeking a left-handed starter, so it could turn its focus to Max Fried now that Snell is off the market. The Red Sox are also a team to watch in the trade market for White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet.
Nov. 27: Is an AL East bidding war brewing for Fried?
The Yankees and Red Sox are two of the top contenders in the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but might the two storied rivals also find themselves embroiled in a bidding war for another big-name free agent?
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand hears that the Yankees and Red Sox are both looking for a left-handed starter and were interested in Blake Snell before he reached a five-year, $182 million deal with the Dodgers (per sources) on Tuesday. Feinsand suggests that New York and Boston could now zero in on Max Fried, the top remaining southpaw on the free-agent market.
However, there’s a lot of competition for Fried, especially now that Snell is off the board. Three of the Yankees’ AL East rivals — the Red Sox, Orioles and Blue Jays — have also been connected to Fried, but they are far from the only teams looking for starters.
Nov. 27: Sasaki sweepstakes could come down to Dodgers, Padres
The Dodgers have been considered the favorite by many to sign Sasaki once he is posted for MLB clubs. Even with Blake Snell joining the Dodgers (per sources), L.A.’s interest in the 23-year-old Japanese right-hander seemingly hasn’t waned.
During his Wednesday chat on Bleacher Report, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman indicated that the Dodgers remain involved for Sasaki. Yet there is one other team that has “a true shot” of signing him, according to Heyman: the Padres. More >
Nov. 27: How will Orioles replace Burnes?
Few contenders have a greater need for a top starting pitcher than the Orioles, who are at risk of losing Corbin Burnes to free agency. O’s general manager Mike Elias made it clear at the beginning of the offseason that the team’s new ownership group was enabling him to explore the market for frontline arms, though Burnes may wind up being out of the club’s price range.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) reported on Nov. 21 that the Orioles appeared “more focused” on other options than they were on bringing back Burnes. However, one of their reported targets, Blake Snell, is now off the market after reaching a five-year, $182 million deal (per sources) with the Dodgers on Tuesday.
While it’s possible Baltimore will pivot to the next best southpaw on the free-agent market, Max Fried, the club is also in the mix for some lower-cost alternatives.
MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi reports that Baltimore is interested in free agent Nathan Eovaldi, who is a tier below Fried but has performed like a frontline starter in the postseason and can likely be had on a shorter-term deal as he heads into his age-35 season. MLB Trade Rumors projects Eovaldi for a two-year, $44 million contract. Right-hander Jack Flaherty, who won the World Series with the Dodgers this year, could be another possible avenue for Baltimore.
The Orioles could face competition for Eovaldi from Fried’s former team, the Braves. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reported on Nov. 5 that the Braves had Eovaldi near the top of their offseason wish list, and Morosi hears that Atlanta still has interest in him.
If the Orioles strike out in free agency, they could also look to the trade market to fill their need for an ace, with White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet a potential option. In the opinion of one National League executive who spoke to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Orioles are “the team to watch on [Crochet], for sure.”
Nov. 27: With Snell joining LA, is Flaherty still in Dodgers’ plans?
Jack Flaherty was born and raised in Southern California. He grew up a Dodgers fan. He said during the team’s 2024 World Series championship parade that he never wants to leave Los Angeles.
But after the Dodgers agreed to a five-year deal with Blake Snell on Tuesday night, per source, is re-signing Flaherty no longer an option for the reigning champs? MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi said Wednesday that the Snell move “probably” means Flaherty “won’t be back” with the club in 2025. More >
Nov. 26: ‘Growing sense’ Arenado will be traded (report)
According to a report from The Athletic’s Katie Woo (subscription required), the Cardinals have been exploring the potential trade market for third baseman Nolan Arenado over the past few weeks.
Multiple teams have expressed interest thus far, and while talks haven’t yielded any substantive progress, there’s a “growing sense throughout the industry” that the 33-year-old will eventually be dealt. Discussions are likely to intensify as the Winter Meetings approach.
Per Woo, Arenado is even open to playing more at first base to create roster flexibility for a potential new team, though it’s believed he would only be willing to waive his full no-trade clause to join a club set up to contend for multiple seasons.
Arenado is coming off a down season with the bat (16 homers, 101 OPS+), but he was still worth 3.1 WAR (per FanGraphs) thanks in part to his plus defense at the hot corner.
Arenado could be an attractive alternative to the top third-base options on the free-agent market — Alex Bregman and Willy Adames, both of whom are expected to command a nine-figure deal and are tied to Draft compensation after declining a qualifying offer. Arenado has three years and $74 million left on his contract, but $10 million of that will be paid by the Rockies.
Nov. 26: How does Snell’s deal with Dodgers impact the SP market?
Blake Snell is the first elite free agent to come off the board this offseason. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has agreed to a five-year, $182 million deal with the World Series champion Dodgers, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
How Snell-to-Dodgers deal impacts starting pitching market
Feinsand also reported that the Yankees, Red Sox and Orioles were in on Snell before he agreed to join the Dodgers. The left-hander had also been linked to the Blue Jays and the Giants, for whom he pitched this past season.
The good news for those teams? There are still a good number of impactful starting pitchers still available. That list is topped by Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, with many of the aforementioned clubs also interested in those two hurlers. Snell’s addition may hint that the Dodgers are moving on from Jack Flaherty, but MLB Network insider Jon Morosi recently identified teams such as the Yankees, Padres and Angels as other possible landing spots for the 2024 world champion. Granted, Morosi’s report came before the Angels reportedly came to terms on a three-year deal with lefty Yusei Kikuchi.
A couple of Japanese pitchers — 35-year-old Tomoyuki Sugano and 23-year-old Roki Sasaki — are on many teams’ radars. The Dodgers have long been considered one of the favorites to get Sasaki, although he isn’t expected to sign with an MLB club until Jan. 15, when the 2025 international signing period begins.
There are also trade possibilities out there for teams looking to upgrade their rotation. The most talked about candidate is White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet, who has been linked to a bunch of clubs, including the Phillies, Dodgers, Orioles and Red Sox.
Nov. 26: Five teams submit offers to Soto (source); decision coming soon?
To this point, Juan Soto’s free agency has been about meeting with teams and hearing their general pitches — but that has changed according to MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi, who reports that five teams have submitted contract offers to the 26-year-old superstar. Those teams are the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees and Blue Jays as well as the Red Sox, who are reportedly “stepping up efforts” to sign Soto.
That is obviously a significant step in the process, especially since MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand has said that “the feeling around the industry” is that Soto’s decision could be made before the annual Winter Meetings get underway on Dec. 9 in Dallas. On Tuesday, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com also reported that there is a “very good” chance Soto’s decision comes before the Meetings begin. More >
Juan Soto to begin receiving offers this week
Nov 25, 2024 · 4:16
Juan Soto to begin receiving offers this week
Nov. 26: Phillies could go after Bregman or Adames (report)
The Phillies are among the teams interested in acquiring White Sox ace Garrett Crochet, and Alec Bohm could be one of the players heading to Chicago if a deal is struck, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
If the Phillies trade Bohm and create a void at third base, Nightengale adds that Philadelphia “is expected to make a strong play” for Alex Bregman or Willy Adames.
