As MLB’s offseason continues to plug along, here are three things worth keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Will recent activity on the relief market continue?
The market for relief pitching kicked into high gear over the weekend as the Astros agreed to a five-year deal with lefty relief ace Josh Hader just hours before the Angels came together with top right-hander Robert Stephenson on a three-year pact. The deals took the two best bullpen arms off the winter’s market, leaving Hector Neris and Aroldis Chapman among the best remaining options for teams in need of relief help. Plenty of clubs still figure to attempt to upgrade their bullpen mix. The Cardinals are reportedly on the lookout for another reliever to pair with recently-acquired righty Andrew Kittredge in their set-up mix, while the Rangers, Yankees, and Cubs have been frequently connected to the bullpen market this winter without moves to show for it to this point.
2. Signings to be made official:
The aforementioned deals for Hader and Stephenson still need to be officially announced, as does the four-year agreement reached between the Blue Jays and right-hander Yariel Rodriguez last week. The Astros, Angels, and Blue Jays all have full 40-man rosters already, meaning that a corresponding move will be necessary when each club announces its latest signing. Often, that move simply involves designating a player for assignment, though occasionally clubs will try to work out trades involving a player near the back of their roster to acquire talent that doesn’t require a 40-man spot. The Dodgers have pulled off a pair of trades in that mold this winter: one with the Yankees to acquire 2021 first-rounder Trey Sweeney in exchange for lefty Victor Gonzalez and infield prospect Jorbit Vivas, and a more significant deal with the Cubs where they shipped out top infield prospect Michael Busch and right-hander Yency Almonte to Chicago while picking up a pair of youngsters in lefty Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope.
3. What’s the plan in Boston?
The Red Sox held their annual Winter Weekend fan event over the weekend, during which team officials made headlines by indicating the club is unlikely to match last year’s payroll in 2024 and suggesting the team doesn’t need to add another starting pitcher after swapping out Chris Sale for Lucas Giolito (despite making starting pitching a focus of the offseason). Even as club officials were downplaying expectations, local reporting indicated that the club remains in contact with free agent starters, including top-of-the-market southpaw Jordan Montgomery. There’s little question that the Red Sox, who finished 22nd in the majors last year with a 4.68 rotation ERA, would benefit from an impact addition at the top of their rotation, particularly after losing a high-upside arm like Sale, but there’s certainly question about whether they’ll actually make such a move.
TrumboRedux
Gooooddd Mooorrnniiiinnggg Viiieett…wait..Good Morning MLBTR! Snell to sign TODAY! Got a feeling!
vaderzim
I’ll have the same feeling on March 27th. I hope he signs today though, that would be better.
TrumboRedux
Vaderzim, we need SOME kind of action today! If not Snail, then Monty!
vaderzim
Hopefully Monty will soon, especially to maintain a routine when Pitchers and Catchers report next month.
I picked Monty to re-sign with Texas, but my only 2 correct predictions have been Shohei and Teoscar Hernandez, so he could end up anywhere.
TrumboRedux
Vaderzim, haha That would sure be a good get for TX! And I totally agree about maintaining the “routine.” Not reporting to ST with his fellow pitching and catching bros is no bueno. Not for any pitcher!
Fever Pitch Guy
Trumbo – I have a feeling too!
Although mine is probably more related to yesterday’s pizza I left on the kitchen table overnight and ate this morning.
Slider_withcheese
Let’s not forget former MVP, rookie of the year, gold glove winning, silver slugging Cody Bellinger.
vaderzim
I see him signing with Washington or Oakland.
Just Kidding, I predicted Yankees, but after they got Soto, I can see him re-signing with the Cubs. Giants are possible too, but will probably come up short.
User 3044878754
Rob Manfred is expected to take NO ACTION today regarding the Diamond Sports / Bally tv controversy regarding the inequity teams (like Cleveland) are experiencing, in trying to determine their revenues for ‘24. Simply put, a shameful exhibition of lack of foresight by the commissioner to act in the best interests of baseball
TrumboRedux
Fever, You had pizza last night?!?! You lucky dog! Nothing better than cold pizza the next day…Or..umm..”luke-warm” pizza in your case..lol.
deweybelongsinthehall
Wasn’t going to comment but Fever, yours made me respond. I felt like vomiting this morning on an empty stomach. Both are most likely due to Sox ownership…
Blue Baron
@vaderzim: Anyone could wind up anywhere regardless of your predictions, lol!
Blue Baron
@OIC2021: What do you want him to do? Specifics are better than howling at the moon.
He really can’t unilaterally do anything anyway.
Fever Pitch Guy
Trumbo – I am normally a cold pizza guy too! No need to heat it up.
Speaking of lucky dog …. now you’ve got me thinking of a Costco hotdog for dinner. The only problem with that, I’ll have to close my eyes when I place the order because those new warm ginormous chocolate chip cookies are like right there.
Damn you Costco! You’re just trying to force me to buy your extra-large sweatpants!!
Fever Pitch Guy
dewey – Awww see Trumbo was trying to take my mind off the Sox and now I’m thinking of them again because of you!
Well since you brought it up, this is a fascinating summary of what’s transpired the past few days. No wonder NESN greatly limited their coverage from Springfield … and I had no idea Kennedy called Sox fans liars.
youtube.com/watch?v=0Q1TfO97T_o
stymeedone
Diamond Sports is going thru Bankruptcy. That is a legal procedure involving a judge and the court. What exactly do you think Manfred is able to do?
stymeedone
Dogs are better at Home Depot.
Balk
What team will he put pin to paper on?
TrumboRedux
Balk, Arte’s gonna take the plunge! Welcome to Disneyland Mr. Snell!
vaderzim
I had Snell headed to Wrigley, but I feel the Dodgers and Yankees are strong candidates.
I wish Baltimore would be willing to spend on him, but if they’re saving now to invest in their young talent long term, then I completely understand.
TrumboRedux
If the Dodgers got him I would be perfectly happy but not like if he went to Anaheim. If the Dodgers pick him up then they are truly greedy and hedonistic son’s of twitches lol.
Balk
Trumbo…Angels make to much sense. Initially I had him pegged to the Giants. I don’t think Mr. Snell’s contract is going to age well imho.
TrumboRedux
Balk, it might not age well you might be right. But the Halo’s are beggers not choosers!! They need all the help they can get! Even if it’s only 2 years of help. In 2 years, Rendon’s contract will be off the books and Snell can take over as the new ball and chain!
rememberthecoop
No way the Cubs sign Snell. Cubs won’t donlong-term contracts, especially atb30M per season!!
stymeedone
Angels don’t sign pitchers for more than 3 years. Do you really think that works for Snell and Boras?
GASoxFan
One of two things happens… breslow’s hires to help the young arms payoff bigger than anyone projects and he looks like a genius, or, it goes somewhere in between what it’d need to for the sp moves thus far to be a good choice and the floor everyone expects.
I’d expect the latter, the current sox 1-2 don’t stack up well against much of the competition which helps drive losses.
At least the Patriots own implosion this season gave Henry some cover to duck the full ire of New England fans
DCartrow
You got the Bruins and Celtics.
Be happy.
Fever Pitch Guy
Cartrow – UConn, New England’s college basketball team.
mang
UConn HUSKIES!
UConn HUSKIES!
UConn HUSKIES!
HUSKIES! UConn! Whoop!
olmtiant
Do not forget BC hockey and BU!!!! 1/2 in polls!!!( reverse #)
Blue Baron
@mang: As a Yalie, I say Go Blue!
I don’t know if they still face each other, but I attended the UConn-Yale football game at the Yale Bowl in 1984.
Blue Baron
@olmtiant: BU has been whupped by Cornell the last few times they faced off in Red Hot Hockey at MSG.
uscho.com/2019/11/29/uscho-game-of-the-week-cornel…
uscho.com/recaps/2017/11/26/no-7-cornell-holds-off…
uscho.com/2023/11/25/saturday-roundup-no-16-cornel…
olmtiant
Baron…appreciate the lesson… have more stock in BC ,but BU gave kid a job while at BC… as for above …what it’s worth the Redsox we’re also good around that same time..LOL!!!
Blue Baron
Cornell and BU met for the NCAA championship several times in the 1960s and 1970s, including 1967 with HOFer Ken Dryden in goal for the Big Red.
They used to play more often when both were in the ECAC before BU helped launch Hockey East in 1984.
The rivalry dates back to an outdoor game in 1925. I wrote about its history for US College Hockey Online here:
uscho.com/2019/11/29/uscho-game-of-the-week-cornel…
They’ve sold out MSG on Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend every odd year since 2007.
At every game in any sport, Cornell kids traditionally chant “Screw BU, (Brown/Columbia/Harvard/Yale or whatever the opponent) too!”
olmtiant
Very cool.. thank you… Ken Dryden… announced my favorite sporting event ever… yup even more than 2004( close second) so yes I DO BELIEVE IN MIRACLES !!!..
Blue Baron
Indeed, with Al Michaels, correct?
Dryden is a fascinating character. He chose Cornell for academics and, of course, went on to play for the Canadiens.
He took time off to attend law school at McGill U in Montreal and returned to play again after he graduated.
olmtiant
Again Baron thanks.. while I know of hockey east being a beast of a conference I didn’t know much about Cornell until frozen Four gets running… while I root hard for BC it’s very cool that such small colleges can be also top notch if not better!!! I think it’s so cool that they can become national champs while not really a chance in other 3 major sports.. sort of a Chamimade moment but for a championship…
Blue Baron
Cornell is most definitely not a small college. It’s actually larger than BC but smaller than BU.
It has a student body of 22,000 with seven undergraduate colleges and seven graduate and professional schools, and competes in 35 varsity sports.
It has a campus in Ithaca, two in NYC (Weill-Cornell Medical and Cornell Tech), and one in Qatar.
olmtiant
No not Cornell!!(lol)bejmidi state..quinepac . Denver… colleges you never hear of on the other major 3 sports.. Kid studying to take M cat could only dream of being accepted at Cornell!!! Sorry I meant colleges I have never heard of in any of the other major 3 sports…. That’s what makes college hockey so cool!! Half to admit though… tough to talk smack when BC trounces ND in hockey ( this year) to all alumni in Chicago when all they talk is football!!!
olmtiant
Nicely done Baron!! Enjoyed… my dream was to write for DIE HARD a Redsox publication I use to get here in Chicago (3 weeks after) but hey it was cool in the 80”s
Blue Baron
I covered a game at MSG a few years ago between BC and North Dakota. I was amazed how many people traveled from Grand Forks and North Dakota to NYC for the game.
olmtiant
North Dakota… another power house…would have loved to go to frozen four.. hell even the bean pot…
Blue Baron
When I was in school at Cornell c. 1980, we would sometimes sweep BC, BU, Hahvahd, and Northeastern and claim that we should have been awarded the Beanpot, lol.
Also watch the c. 1971 film “Love Story.” Ryan O’Neal, who died just recently, plays hockey for Harvard and there’s game action of Harvard vs Dartmouth and Harvard vs Cornell.
He gets into a big fight against Cornell.
I once interviewed Joe Bertagna, longtime commissioner of Hockey East. He played goalie at Harvard and was in the film’s hockey scenes.
Blue Baron
Here’s the story with Bertagna:
uscho.com/2018/11/23/uscho-com-game-of-the-week-co…
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
When UConn wins again, I’ll be interested. It’s all about money these days.
Blue Baron
@Chaim: Well duh, it’s a business. Name a professional sport or other form of entertainment that isn’t about money.
Nothing wrong with that.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
It’s just that CT is consumed by money. The whole state is expensive and all about money.
Blue Baron
Sorry, I thought you were referring to MLB.
But UConn is a big-time basketball program, and many large universities, especially state ones, use nationally ranked programs in basketball and football to bring in big revenue to fund academic as well as athletic functions.
Ivies like Yale, on the other hand, have much larger endowments to rely on.
Running any type of university is expensive one way or the other.
olmtiant
Another fine read… I guess not to bad to be introduced as guy who played goalie in love story by Dan quall….. so to. The point Denver /quinnipac/st cloud/ and of course. Cornell 13 all in the top 15 of rankings… throw in Maine and it make for a good finish Michigan/ Minnesota and ND… not so much…
Blue Baron
@GASoxFan: The Patriots’ implosion began when Brady left and was inevitable.
Brady made Belichick’s career.
GASoxFan
I’m just happy SF made it past GB, but disappointed Buffalo didn’t do the same to KC.
Sf became my team in the early 1980s, and I actively rooted against the Pats since then.
Blue Baron
Green Bay looks great with Love and came close.
Mikenmn
Still waiting for that transformative deal……
Yankee Clipper
It already happened and you missed it Mike. Weaver signed with the Yankees last week!
Old York
@Yankee Clipper
Yes, he’s bringing an extra 0.3 WAR this year, something the Yankees were missing last year.
LordD99
0.3? Don’t be so optimistic!
Old York
@LordD99
Based off Fangraphs.
This one belongs to the Reds
Surprised his WAR isn’t negative.
Fever Pitch Guy
Clip – I just hope his warmup song is Dream Weaver!
TrumboRedux
Fever, that would violate the trademark on “Jered Weaver’s” nickname!
Yankee Clipper
Haha, that would be pretty funny!
Blue Baron
@Fever: Or any song by the Weavers.
Mikenmn
Is that true? OMG, I did miss it. Changes everything/
This one belongs to the Reds
All those relief options would help any club. Who steps up and who sits on their hands?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Blackpink in the area
What tends to happen in the relief market is a team overpays for a reliever or two and it scares other teams off so they back away.
You can guess what team did the overpaying this year.
Blackpink in the area
What?
jorge78
No chat today from Steve?
TrumboRedux
Steve said he is tired of the inmates running the asylum and is on strike!
Fever Pitch Guy
Trumbo – I think the inmates should take on the MLBTR staff in a game of baseball … and allow the catchers to block the plate!
TrumboRedux
Fever, That sounds like a perfectly good idea. I have a feeling that Tim D. would veto our idea though, and still allow the game to be played as long as we didn’t wear metal spikes. Rubber or no game I’m afraid..
Blackpink in the area
More Red Sox?
NewYorkSoxFan
The Red Sox should unload Jansen and Martin for some young arms and use freed up capital to sign Monty and Soler. Instead I expect them to just bring Paxton and Duvall back and call it an off-season.
TrumboRedux
NYSox, not a bad idea..
GASoxFan
Most sox fans want them to move Martin and Jansen, but, the problem is for what, how, and to who?
Jansen is underwater on his deal. It’s his age, plus the 16m rental, makes him worth more IF he can put up good numbers again this year that makes him a better deadline sale than offseason.
Martin is due for regression in a big way, so it’s kind of the same… That makes it tough on how to value him – Sox like to point to last year’s numbers. Other teams also look at his age, expiring deal, and up and down nature in terms of results.
If boston ate half of Jansen deal and took a couple a-ball players back, both outside the top-100 of course and depending on the team, one in their #8-15 prospect, the other #22-unranked, you probably find a taker
On Martin, trickier. I think someone in the 15-25 range plus a lottery ticket or two make him yours.
BUT, you’ve also got to assume Breslow WANTS to move either right now. With the SP situation in flux and no signings to bolster it, Houck and Whitlock are penciled in to compete for rotation slots, not moving to the pen.
Blackpink in the area
What happens with a rebuilding team is they trade away the veterans and then the young players step in and gain valuable experience in meaningless games so that they are ready when it matters again.
The problem is the Red Sox don’t want commit to a rebuild even if it’s a short one. So they are stuck in the middle.
whyhayzee
Did you see what Casas did in the first half of last year? Did you notice the youngsters playing in September? Did you notice the innings pitched by Bello and Crawford?
Blackpink in the area
That’s a few players. Sale and Paxton are both in their mid 30s. Same with Jansen and Martin. And what I didn’t notice last year is any of them being traded at the deadline.
You have to pick a direction. The Red Sox don’t want to do that. It’s why they are stuck where they are.
Canuckleball
To continue on further with the issues with that proposal, who pitches for Boston in the 8th/9th?
In that scenario, you trade away two late innings arms and replace them with Monty/Paxton and Soler/Duvall and then call the offseason done.
Kenley may not be great at times, and Martin may be due for regression, but I don’t see internal replacements and such trades would not see reliable replacements coming back.
GASoxFan
Houck and Whitlock are your late inning RP replacements of course.
But, it requires corresponding SP moves, and, not just meeting but exceeding 2023 payroll which the team president isn’t keen on, thus, breslow probably lacks the budget to do
Fever Pitch Guy
GASox – Cooper Criswell coming soon to a starting rotation near you!
NewYorkSoxFan
GA – I’m with you, it’s very reasonable for the Sox to half to eat half of Jansen’s deal to get him off the books with a couple lottery tickets coming back. I’m under the understanding this team needs to cut payroll in the event they do get Monty and/or Soler. Martin I wouldn’t eat any salary as his performance last year more than warrants his salary and I’d love to sell high on that. To everyone else mentioning the loss of those two and their replacement, I believe Houck and Whitlock are more than capable. The ouster of Jansen and Martin is being suggested IF it means spending the money towards Monty which then frees Whitlock or Houck to move to the BP. I’d also like to add this team really isn’t as dire as most fans think, I believe these few simple moves put us in the convo for a WC spot.
GASoxFan
NY – I’ve called this a bridge year since Breslow was hired, and all the recent gossip/fodder from top brass is nothing but waiving away the fog that hid that from some fans a few months ago.
I don’t expect, or even want, this team to try to go ‘all-in’ for a WC at this point. What I DONT want is to see Duvall Soler or any of their ilk signed! You *could* sell me on hoskins to be a backup corner IF and DH guy with a nice bat. That’s the one hole at the moment, back up 3B guy as we really lack depth on that side, 1B too but have more guys with marginally more experience to that side. Right now the 40man has *one* backup in dalbec. You could point to the NRIs so far as maybe getting juggled onto there, but, I dont have a bunch of faith in any of them either.
Let what promising kids we have play, and, play cheaply! See what we can make of them. BUT, start stabilizing the rotation! I’m against snell, for Montgomery, or, twist my arm to convince me some bottom tier arms make sense. You can’t fix this rotation in one offseason, so, the time to start is NOW so in 25/26 you’ve got something there.
Samthesoxman32
No Red Sox fan WANTS them to do that. But if that’s the condition for signing any legit starter, then yes, please do it
Fever Pitch Guy
NY – No, if they sign Monty and Soler that would mean they are actually trying to win this year therefore they would need Martin.
JoeBrady
therefore they would need Martin.
===========================
Jansen is nothing special. While my preference would be to eat substantial salary and get a better prospect, I’d be fine with just trading him for salary relief and making Houck the closer.
IRT Martin, while folks want to trade while he’s high, I don’t think other GMs think that way. Probably better off keeping him.
Outfieldflyrule??
Not exactly a ‘hot take’ I know but neither the Snell or Monty signings will age well.
Old York
Sox looking at an 84 win season this year. 84-78 season, Tied for last place with TB in the AL East in 2024.
drasco036
Red Sox haven’t done anything to get six games better in the win column.
Frankly, the should let Berslow fire sale and rebuild the franchise. Let him look to add some players on one year deals for flip candidates and spend the second half developing guys for the following year.
Old York
drasco036
Based on the player WAR projected. It doesn’t mean that’s guaranteed, though.
whyhayzee
Did they create a sixth place in the division just for the Yankees? I hope so.
Old York
@whyhayzee
Well, based on Fangraphs, the Yankees would be top in the AL East, But, again, that’s why we play the game and not just use data.
Maybe Sox are 1st this year.
I.M. Insane
84-78? You’re very generous. I predict 75-87. I have a friend who’s predicting 70-92 and he may well be right.
Old York
@.M. Insane
Maybe 30-132. Oh wait, that’s Jokeland!
Old York
So, if I switch to using 0.294 for a replacement team, based on the agreed # between Fangraphs/BR, then the record would now be 79-83
baseball-reference.com/about/war_explained.shtml?_…
Either way, I think a ceiling of 84 and a floor of 70s. Could things get worse? Sure, but this is all on paper with zero injuries.
DirtyWater04
There’s a plan in Boston? That’s a bold suggestion. Haven’t seen anything resembling one in quite some time.
30 Parks
Updating the Red Sox status is like updating the status of paint drying.
GASoxFan
Paint drying has a plan in place from the moment the paint was formulated in the factory – drying. And, you know it’ll actually get to its target.
The 2024 red sox…. not so much
30 Parks
You’re right, GA – paint drying is more interesting.
JoeBrady
Or, conversely, maybe the paint is already dry, and no one wants to admit it.
I feel bad for Breslow. He’s discussing acquiring pitching, while one boss is saying that we aren’t spending, while another boss is saying we are going full throttle.
GASoxFan
Cots has the 26 man projected roster at $163.9m in payroll.
I think that says what we need to know about where the throttle is
DirtyWater04
They’re pushing the throttle to the limit, they just forgot to mention that while we were expecting some kind of juiced up sports car, the vehicle they were actually referring to is one of those 12 Volt toy Bronco things you can get for your toddler.
Raysasineppswasplanted
I blv nyy are still on the FA/Trade Mkt for a closer. They’ll pass on any SP left in the mkt and go full throttle on Soto & Burnes for next year.
88 Brooklyn Dodgers
Shame that they didnt make Ellsbury a career Red Sock. Didnt even give him an offer, as widely reported.
Salzilla
Can NYY sign Neris already? Let’s get that done, bullpen is crying.
Bill M
Neris will probably be next to sign somewhere, followed by Chapman. Yankees? Maybe not – a lot of bullpens are crying.
Bruce wulff
The large market cubs are waiting until prices go down with all these free agents but as with the relief pitcher market their options becoming more limited by the day. Their waiting for bellinger, Hoskins, Chapman etc will blow up in their faces by not being aggressive!
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
Who will be the first manager fired in 2024? A) John Schneider B) Oli Marmol C) Alex Cora D) Brandon Hyde E) Somebody Else
GASoxFan
Cora won’t get fired. Henry and company won’t allow it.
We get to see if breslow has any stones left though if Cora doesn’t get a new contract at best.
retire21
E. Derek Shelton. Hopefully.
tonyinsingapore
Remember when Chapman was an SP and there was perennial All Star talk? What could have been…
fenwayfrank
So the Sox are still in touch with Montgomerys agent, hoping the price will come down …..well whoopdee Flippin dooo…so are 10 other teams….you know the Sox will be outbid by 9 of those.
I feel they need at least 1, SP, 2 would better. At this point I’d take Paxton back and how about Ryu, he was pretty decent with Toronto.
Just so tired of Sox management blowing smoke up our backsides & insulting our intelligence. OK I’m done venting.