With the biggest event of the baseball offseason underway, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on throughout the day today:
1. The Winter Meetings are underway
Today marks the first full day of the Winter Meetings, with executives, agents, and players around baseball having convened in San Diego to do business. The day is sure to be rife with rumors fresh from the hot stove, with the potential for a new deal to break at any minute. Much of the focus is on Aaron Judge, particularly in the wake of multiple reports that he could have a deal in hand some point before the Winter Meetings end. The free-agent shortstop quartet of Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson will also dominate headlines this week, and Newsday’s Tim Healey tweets that center fielder Brandon Nimmo is in San Diego for face-to-face meetings with interested teams. Be sure to check in here at MLBTR throughout the day today for all the latest coverage and analysis. You can also download our free Trade Rumors app on iOS or on Android and set up notifications for your favorite teams or any players of particular interest!
2. Could the top of the pitching market keep moving forward?
Jacob deGrom’s five-year deal with the Rangers takes one of the most talented pitchers on the planet off the free agent market, but two aces are still available to be signed: reigning AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, and lefty ace Carlos Rodon. Both hurlers had phenomenal years in 2022, with Verlander’s 1.75 ERA in 2022 leading all of baseball and Rodon’s 2.25 FIP doing the same. The Mets appear to be among the most heavily involved on both players after losing deGrom to Texas, but they’re hardly lacking in competition. Verlander has been repeatedly connected to the Dodgers, and the Blue Jays been mentioned as another possible suitor for a second straight offseason. Rodon, on the other hand, reportedly has as many as nine teams interested, with the Orioles among those most recently connected to him. What’s more, the Rangers may still be interested in signing the lefty even after acquiring deGrom. While a team signing two players at the same position at the top of the market is typically rare, the Rangers should not be counted out, having done so as recently as last offseason when they inked both Marcus Semien and Corey Seager to massive deals.
3. Will the A’s deal Murphy soon?
Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos quashed rumors that his club could be on the verge of landing catcher Sean Murphy in a deal with the A’s last night, but Oakland is still actively discussing trades with several interested suitors. It’s been widely expected that the A’s will trade Murphy this offseason, with the team in the midst of a rebuild and flush with options behind the plate. Top prospect Shea Langeliers already reached the big league level in 2022, while fellow top prospect Tyler Soderstrom climbed from Class-A Advanced to Triple-A in 2022. The Guardians, Rays, Red Sox and Cardinals are among the teams known to have interest in Murphy, all of whom have the stockpile of prospects and young talent necessary to swing such a deal.
Announce Michael Conforto and Jurickson Profar to the Mariners lol! Happy Holidays everyone.
You want the Mariners to be a last place team again?
Relax and quit taking everything so literally. I just want the team to get better, period. I don’t care if they sign these guys or not.
Thank you for this. Too many people get caught up in whom their team is acquiring. I have my favorites for the RS, but I generally defer judgement to the real experts.
*Oakland Athletics have entered the chat*
Pretty sure Conforto and Profar wouldn’t make us a last place team anyway
The Guardians are expected to finish as runners-up in the pursuit of Murphy.
R Sox dont need murphy! They have to many areas that need to be addressed than break the farm for a catcher.
agreed! 100% Wong & McGuire are fine for 2023. Signing Aaron Judge fills several major needs for Boston. Extend Raffy, Get an Ace, Fix tge Bullpen, Snag Turner or Correa is Bogey leaves
Jeeze, want them to cure cancer too while they’re at it? Maybe figure out time travel?
You do realize that DD is no longer the GM right? lmao
Can’t tell if this is meant as humor.
I agree. I don’t feel comfortable with McGuire & Wong, but gambling that they can combine for 2.0 WAR, at close to minimum wage, is a gamble I feel comfortable with.
Why can’t the Tigers put a package of prospects together for Murphy? Include Dingler or Crouch as a catching prospect. Throw in a RP like Soto or Cisneros. Lange is untouchable.
Dangle Turnbull in front of them.
Would that be enough? A prospect catcher and two ML pitchers with one coming off TJ surgery and a no no on his resume?
A relief pitcher is “untouchable”? And not even a closer. Sure, he’s good but I would never say a reliever is untouchable. Also, A’s don’t need Dingler – dis t you read the article? They already have catching prospects, one of which is already on the 26 man roster.
Lange also had a 3.74 ERA and a .7 WAR that’s like just barely an above average reliever lol
Did you really just say the Guardians have no pitchers to offer? They have 3 starters on the top 100 list
As a Tiger fan Cisneros, Soto and Lange are the 3 RP that others are talking about. I was only saying that Lange is the one I’d hold onto.
OK, they don’t need Dingler. How about Colt Keith (#3 prospect) who just had a great Arizona Fall League run. Or Jace Jung (#2), Isaac Pacheco (#8) or Colt Keith (#6).
2 ML arms and a top 10 prospect.
Heck, Turnbull alone would be pretty good.
Keith + Jung + Pacheco is still about a Jobe-value low, according to BTV.
Turnbull is in arbitration, so the A’s won’t even touch a trade with him in it.
A’s have enough catching prospects already. That’s why Murphy is available.
Offering them another makes that bid much weaker.
The A’s don’t need catching prospects.
Murphy to the Cardinals for Tink Hence and Mason Wynn. Thank you
Tink Hence is a 80-grade baseball name.
That would be huge news! The Cardinals have so many possibilities for the A’s… all good! A’s would be foolish to trade with the Guardians or Red Sox. They have no pitching or power hitters to offer. The Cardinals are loaded with MLB ready prospects. Best in the league.
A’s need hitters not more starting pitching. They need guys that can hit with average and power. They traded for starters last year so the team is filled with future starters so now they need hitters.
The Guardians only have four pitchers variously ranked in major top 100 lists. All four have either pitched in AA or higher. They have four more who made their MLB debuts in 2022 as starters.
Not sure there are many orgs that have as much to offer in the way of pitching.
A’s need hitters not more starters. They received 6 starters in trades last year so they filled that need. They have 8 starters vying for 5 spot next year.
@ARC There’s no such thing as having too many pitching prospects.
there is when you have some of the worst hitters in the league starting for your club. A’s are using utility players all over the diamond last year. They need hitters. Murphy was by far their best hitter on the team.
The Guardians also have hitters on hand, either in AAA or in Cleveland.
Valera…24 HR, 3 triples, 25 doubles across two levels.
Gonzalez….20 HR, 2 triples, 36 doubles across three levels, including a 122 wRC+ in MLB.
Brennan…14 HR, 5 triples, 41 doubles across three levels, including a 155 wRC+ in MLB.
Benson…153 wRC+ in AAA.
Noel….32 HR, 2 triples, 26 doubles across three levels.
Palacios, a contact hitter with a 122 wRC+ in AAA.
All are in MLB or AAA.
The Guardians are hardly bereft of MLB ready hitting prospects…and that doesn’t include any of their young MIFs.
Are you an A’s fan?
Or just Jordan Walker straight up to get that guy out of my division. He is going to be a star, unfortunately.
untouchable prospect.
Guardians and Rays would make a strong offer, but they are not going to cave to something crazy. Cards fans are likely right they would do something pretty attractive short of Walker to get Murphy. Even though they can’t afford to give up its limited prospects, WSox could probably get fleeced for its #1 Montgomery and either Kelly or Vera Oakland can turn into a TOR starter as the main return. They are that short-sighted, especially when trading for a player that doesn’t yet make a really high salary.
That is honestly probably a pretty fair trade. But I do wonder if the A’s will want someone closer to the MLB.. I am going to predict if a deal does happen itll be something like Gorman, Liberatore, Burleson/Gomez
Would take more than that
If im Oakland im asking for Gorman, Libatoure and High Ceiling Prospect
That’s almost the exact package I’ve been thinking of. I think it will take Gorman, Liberatore, and Baez. Possibly even some low ball player as well.
Drop kick Murphy to the Cardinals makes all the sense.
Neither of Wynn or Tink Hence will be traded. Both fill major needs for the Cardinals. It will be Gorman, Burleson or Carlson plus a couple more solid prospects. I don’t want Gorman traded because his power is off the charts but it may take him to get the deal done.
Absolutely not. Gorman in place of Wynn
Stop trying to make “Rodon to the Orioles” happen.
It’s not happening.
I don’t think “Rodon to the Orioles” is happening either, King Floch. I know you are concerned about Rodon’s left arm holding up over a season but the Orioles need a top tier starter to take the next step forward and to me that means they need to sign either Rodon or Verlander and for the Orioles I prefer Rodon but I do not think the Orioles sign him or Verlander.
I much prefer short high AAV deals to long high AAV deals, so I’d rather sign Verlander. Much less risk than Rodon.
Only way the Cards trade Wynn is if they sign one of the big 4 shortstops. And that is possible if they get the catcher. Still need pitching.
I thought Murphy was being traded yesterday? Just shows how little trade rumors there are out there that many baseball reporters are just doing click bait articles. A’s are taking their time to get the best haul they can get.
Reds have a lot of middle infield prospects to deal for Murphy. They can’t play them all at those three positions. Not that it will happen. But I see Stephenson at 1B eventually due to concussion history so it would be a great addition.
If the Orioles do anything, I would take Verlander over Rodon
Nimmo would look good in CF in Detroit.
I wouldn’t. I think the O’s are at least a year away from true contention- Verlander to me is for teams desperate to push over the top for 2023 and who are willing to accept the risk they may have an albatross of a contract in 2025 if not as soon as 2024.
Murphy actually does seem like a solid fit for the Cardinals.
Predictions:
Verlander to Mets
Rodon to Yankees
Judge to Yankees
Turner to Phillies
Correa to Giants
Bogarts to Dodgers
Swanson to Padres
Nimmo to Mets
Contreras to Cardinals
Taillon to Blue Jays
This is a very plausible list, although I think the Mets probably also get Taillon.
Taillon would make a good cardinal
@Cleon Jones I want no part with Verlander coming to the Mets. Would rather they either sign Rodon or trade for someone like Shane Bieber. I wouldn’t mind them signing lower tier guys like Zach Davies or Wade Miley to be their fifth starters
Cleveland President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti has already stated that the Guardians are not trading for Shane Bieber. Why would Cleveland be so involved trading for Murphy then turn around and take a huge step backwards and trade Bieber?
You might be right, its just my sense that Cohen wants V to do what Scherzer didnt….theyll sign him for 3 and hope he has 1 WS year left in him.
Contreras to Houston, Taillon to the Mets, Nimmo anywhere but the Mets. I believe the Mets would be more interested in Rondon than Verlander, but could see it fall the way you have it.
There’s a common theme to the types of clubs on that list. No surprise.
Wow, you hit on the two deals announced today. Where do you think Murphy is going? I’m hoping for the Cardinals.
Suprised theres barely any interest in Mike Zunino. He was an allstar in 2021. Can expect a .200 batting average with 20-25 homeruns it seems like with really good defense. I’m curious how teams view him coming off a down year
After Murphy and Contreras are gone, interest in guys like Zunino and Narvaez should pick up.
Totally agree…Narvarx and Xinino will get paid in 2nd level catcher market.
After the shoulder / TOS surgery and missing almost all of 2022, becoming a FA at the end of the WS… Zunino is seen as “injured, but, recovering”. A thorough medical that shows he’s fit or getting fit will likely be followed with contract offers. The likelihood is he’ll receive a one year/make good contract, and/or a one year with second year option, either club or mutual.
We’ll see around the middle to end of January..
Can the Cardinals just go all in for once? Trade for murphy, sign trea turner or correa. Murphy is cheap. Its only spending big for 1 year. Next year wainwright, mikolas, dejong, and a couple arb guys come off the books. The year after, goldscmidt is off. Its one year of spending big!