The Opener

With Spring Training rapidly approaching, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Pirates, Oviedo kick off arbitration season:

Right-hander Johan Oviedo and the Pirates went to the first arbitration hearing of the winter yesterday, according to a report from the Associated Press. A decision in that case is expected today after Oviedo argued for a $1.15MM salary in 2025 while the Pirates countered with $850K. As the AP notes, players won the majority of cases last winter with a 9-6 record, making 2024 the first time they won the majority of hearings since 2019. Teams have a massive 353-266 advantage overall throughout the history of arbitration hearings, so will 2025 fall in line with historical norms or join 2024 to create a trend of players starting to win arbitration cases more frequently? There are 11 more arbitration hearings scheduled, though it’s still possible for a late agreement on a multi-year deal (or one-year deal with an option) in those cases.

2. MLB The Show highlights three young stars:

The cover art for MLB The Show 25 dropped yesterday, and while the previous eight installments all highlighted just one player, this year’s edition features a trio of the game’s brightest young stars: Pirates ace Paul Skenes, Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, and Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson. The trio are on the shortlist for the baseball’s most exciting young talents, with Skenes having won NL Rookie of the Year and been a finalist for the NL Cy Young award in his first pro season last year while De La Cruz swiped 60 bags en route to an eighth-place finish in NL MVP voting. Over in the AL, Henderson was perhaps most impressive of all as he delivered an incredible season that earned him 9.1 bWAR, 8.0 fWAR, and a fourth-place finish in AL MVP voting behind Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr. and Juan Soto.

3. Managerial extensions on the way?

Yesterday, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner indicated that the club plans to open up extension talks with longtime manager Aaron Boone this spring, ahead of the final season on his contract. Boone took over in the Yankees’ dugout prior to the 2018 season, and while the club has been generally successful in the years since then, his tenure has overlapped with the second-longest World Series drought in franchise history. Boone’s Yankees have posted a 603-429 record overall during the regular season with postseason berths in six of his seven years at the helm, and he’s finished top five in AL Manager of the Year voting four times, including a second-place finish back in 2019.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have long been expected to work out an extension with Dave Roberts. Roberts has led the club to nine consecutive postseason berths since taking over in 2016, with four World Series appearances and two championships in that time. He also won the NL Manager of the Year award for his work in 2016 with six other top-five finishes. Overall, L.A. has posted an 851-506 record under Roberts. Club GM Brandon Gomes confirmed yesterday during an appearance on The New York Post’s “The Show” podcast with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman that the club plans to discuss an extension with Roberts before the season begins. Will other clubs open extension talks with their skippers and/or front office personnel? Back on New Year’s Eve, MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk ran through a list of managers and baseball operations leaders entering the final season of their contract in 2025.

As spring training nears, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. When will the Padres execute a trade?

Over the weekend, it was reported that the Padres might have more payroll capacity this winter than initially believed, allowing them to avoid shedding salary below currently projected levels. With multiple holes in the lineup and rotation, however, making a trade or two still seems all but necessary in order to make budget space available for additions to the roster. Right-hander Dylan Cease has long appeared to be available this winter, with infielder Luis Arraez and closer Robert Suarez among the other pieces that have been under consideration for a trade. The Friars are now also said to have fielded some interest in right-hander Michael King. Given the number of teams still interested in adding to their rotation, dealing Cease or King would bring the largest return of the group. There’s no indication San Diego is expressly shopping either right-hander, but it’s only natural that both would draw wide interest with the Padres willing to entertain the possibility of a trade.

2. DFA resolution incoming:

Last week, the Mariners designated left-hander Tyler Jay for assignment after acquiring right-hander Will Klein in a trade with the A’s. Jay, 31 in April, made his big league debut in 2024 and with 7 2/3 innings of work between the Mets and Brewers. The southpaw was cut from the club’s 40-man a week ago to the day, and as such the one-week window for a DFA’d player to either be moved or clear waivers is closing. There should be an announcement regarding Jay’s future at some point today, whether that’s a waiver claim or him clearing waivers. If Jay clears waivers, he’ll have the opportunity to reject an outright assignment and test free agency after being outrighted earlier in his career.

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

With spring training just a couple of weeks away, we’re nearing the point where the baseball offseason starts to give way to preseason excitement even as major free agents remain unsigned and team needs remain unfulfilled. Whether you have questions about what’s left for your team to do this winter or a trade proposal in the back of your mind, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be here to answer your questions during a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

With just two weeks until pitchers and catchers begin to report for Spring Training, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Cubs 40-man roster moves incoming:

The Cubs and Astros have reached an agreement on a trade sending veteran reliever Ryan Pressly (and $5.5MM cash) to Chicago in exchange for minor leaguer Juan Bello. Last night, Pressly agreed to waive his no-trade clause, receiving both a new no-trade clause and an assignment bonus (to cover the difference in state taxes) as part of the deal. That trade has not yet been formally announced by the teams, but when it is the Cubs will need to clear space on the 40-man roster. Pressly isn’t the only player the club needs to make room for on the roster. Utilityman Jon Berti agreed to a one-year deal with the Cubs last week. Like the Pressly trade, that signing has also yet to be made official and will require the Cubs to open a 40-man roster spot.

2. Bregman headed home?

Longtime Astros third baseman Alex Bregman was the talk of baseball over the weekend. Late last week, reports began to percolate that the Astros and Bregman had reengaged despite Houston’s acquisitions of Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes to handle the infield corners seemingly signaling a split. The Astros held their annual FanFest over the weekend and, while comments from GM Dana Brown described a Bregman reunion as a “longshot,” franchise face Jose Altuve emphasized the importance of Bregman to the team and made clear he would be willing to move to the outfield if it meant bringing Bregman back into the fold. Will a deal reach the finish line soon, or could another suitor for Bregman like the Tigers or Blue Jays swoop in and get something done instead?

3. DFA resolution incoming:

Last week, the Pirates designated infielder Tristan Gray for assignment to make room for veteran DH Andrew McCutchen on the 40-man roster. Gray, 29 in March, has just 17 games of big league experience under his belt between the Rays, Marlins, and Athletics over the past two seasons but was claimed off waivers by the Pirates back in October as a first base depth option. He’s since been pushed further down the depth chart by the acquisition of Spencer Horwitz, leading the club to cut him from the 40-man roster. That move was a week ago to the day, and as such the one-week window for a DFA’d player to either be moved or clear waivers is closing. There should be an announcement regarding Gray’s future at some point today, whether that’s a waiver claim or him clearing waivers and being outrighted to the minor leagues.

As the start of Spring Training creeps ever closer, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on headed into the weekend:

1. Bregman’s market heating up?

After Houston acquired Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes to handle the infield corners earlier this winter, it seemed difficult to imagine Alex Bregman returning to the only club he’s known to this point in his career. That door may not be closed, however. The Astros have not only not ruled out a reunion with third baseman but have actually kept their previous six-year, $156MM offer on the table as the offseason has progressed. Adding Bregman back to the mix would create a bit of a logjam in the infield, but it’s possible that could be addressed by moving either Paredes or even Jose Altuve to the outfield.

Renewed rumors of a reunion between Bregman and the Astros could increase the pressure on other teams interested in the infielder to make a move. The Tigers, Red Sox, and Blue Jays have all shown real interest in Bregman’s services at various points in the offseason, though in recent weeks Boston has been connected as much to Nolan Arenado as to Bregman, Toronto signed Anthony Santander to ease their need for a big bat, and Detroit’s negotiations with the third baseman have seemingly begun to stall out. Will all of that be enough to keep Bregman in Houston?

2. Movement on Alonso’s market?

Conflicting reports emerged yesterday regarding the status of contract talks between the Blue Jays and first baseman Pete Alonso. SNY’s Andy Martino and Newsday’s Tim Healey both indicated that talks have begun to advance, while Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet suggested there hadn’t been noteworthy movement. Toronto’s interest in Alonso isn’t new, as there were reports connecting the two sides earlier this month alongside other clubs like the Red Sox, Giants, and Angels. The Jays and other alternative suitors for Alonso began to get more attention last week when Alonso declined a three-year offer from the Mets, prompting them to begin to pivot to other additions as they braced for Alonso to sign elsewhere.

Adding Alonso to the lineup alongside Santander and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would improve Toronto’s offense in a hurry, although even with the DH available it’s easy to imagine the Jays’ defense suffering if Guerrero moves over to third on days where Santander or another player is DHing and Alonso plays first base. Notably, it seems likely that the Blue Jays would only be able to fit one of Alonso or Bregman into their lineup. With some signs from both markets that things could be heating up, will Toronto be able to add another significant bat?

3. Rockies Fest this weekend:

The Rockies are hosting their annual Rockies Fest fan event tomorrow at Coors Field. A number of the organization’s top players are expected to be present for the event including Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle, and Ryan McMahon as well as top prospects Chase Dollander and Zac Veen. Recently retired outfielder Charlie Blackmon is also set to be in attendance. Those players will be available for autographs and Q&A sessions, with other attractions including access to clubhouses and broadcast booths. A Q&A session regarding the team’s outlook is also on the schedule, though top club personnel such as manager Bud Black and GM Bill Schmidt have not been specifically announced as appearing at tomorrow’s event. For more information (including ticket pricing), you can visit the event website here.

Here are three things we’ll be paying attention to around baseball today:

1. Ogasawara’s posting window:

The Chunichi Dragons posted left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara for MLB clubs on December 10, giving him until January 24 to sign a deal. That deadline is fast approaching. If he and his reps at WME don’t strike an agreement with an MLB team by tomorrow, the southpaw will return to the Dragons for the 2025 campaign.

Ogasawara, 27, was an NPB All-Star for the first time in 2023 and was arguably even better this past year, reducing his ERA from 3.59 to 3.12 and increasing his strikeout-to-walk ratio from 3.27 to 3.73. He also lowered his home run rate from 0.8 HR/9 to 0.6 HR/9. However, it’s important to keep in mind that runs are harder to come by in NPB than MLB, and Ogasawara’s numbers aren’t exactly dominant by NPB standards. His ERA, strikeout rate, and home run rate were all worse than the Central League average in 2024. His strikeout rate was at 24% as recently as 2022 but has dipped in each of the past two years, bottoming out at a discouraging 13.6% this past season. That said, this year’s 3.7% walk rate was phenomenal. His plus command could help him land a spot at the back of a team’s rotation, though it’s possible he’d fit better in a bullpen role in MLB. Readers looking to learn more about the lefty can check out a detailed scouting report on Ogasawara from Sports Info Solutions’ Brandon Tew.

Very little news has come out about Ogasawara since he was posted, making it difficult to gauge his market and even harder to predict what size of contract he might sign. MLBTR predicted a two-year, $12MM deal for Ogasawara when we ranked him at No. 48 on our Top 50 Free Agents list earlier this offseason, based largely on his youth and command.

2. Waiting for the next notable trade:

While the trade market has been relatively slow so far in January, the rumor mill has remained active. The Dodgers are reportedly gauging interest in right-handed reliever Ryan Brasier, while the Twins and Padres are said to have discussed a deal involving catcher Christian Vazquez. Minnesota also has interest in Padres ace Dylan Cease. Meanwhile, the Cubs’ bullpen search has led them to consider trading for veteran Astros reliever Ryan Pressly, though his no-trade rights could make that difficult.

The biggest name still on the trade market is third baseman Nolan Arenado. While reports have suggested Arenado is now less likely to be dealt than he was earlier in the offseason, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has said he is still trying to find a deal. However, team chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. recently suggested an Arenado trade isn’t a necessity, and his club isn’t desperate to cut payroll in 2025. Perhaps that means Arenado will stay in St. Louis after all, or perhaps those comments are intended to give the Cardinals some extra leverage — be it in Arenado negotiations or in potential trade talks for other veterans on the roster.

3. Roansy Contreras DFA resolution:

The Orioles designated right-handed reliever Roansy Contreras for assignment last week after claiming infielder Jacob Amaya. That kicked off a seven-day countdown for the O’s to either trade Contreras or run him through waivers. Today marks the end of that week-long period. The waiver process can take up to 48 hours, so it’s safe to presume the righty was placed on waivers Tuesday. By some point today, we should find out if another team will claim him or if the Orioles can send him outright to the minor leagues. He has never been outrighted previously in his career and does not have the necessary service time to reject an outright assignment.

Contreras, 25, began his career as a prospect in the Yankees organization before the team traded him to the Pirates as part of the deal that sent Jameson Taillon back to New York. He pitched in parts of four seasons with Pittsburgh from 2021-24 before the Pirates traded him to the Angels this past May. Since finishing off the 2024 campaign with L.A., he has bounced between several teams on waivers, going from the Angels to the Rangers to the Reds to the Orioles. He has a career 4.72 ERA and 4.66 SIERA in 90 games (33 starts) and clearly offers enough upside for several teams to be interested in claiming him off. Perhaps that upside will convince yet another team to take a chance on him today. If not, the O’s can stash the former top prospect in Triple-A Norfolk as a depth arm.

After yesterday’s exciting Hall of Fame announcement, here are three things we’ll be watching around baseball this Wednesday:

1. More clarity about Yates’s potential deal with the Dodgers?

When USA Today’s Bob Nightengale first reported the potential deal between the Dodgers and Kirby Yates, he described it as a “tentative agreement.” From that wording, it wasn’t clear if anything other than a standard physical was holding things up. However, further reporting suggested a deal wasn’t quite that close. For instance, Jack Harris of the L.A. Times wrote the two sides were merely “working toward a deal,” with the Dodgers “trying to make [Yates] yet another impact addition to their pitching staff.”

Presumably, more details will come out soon, and barring any previously unknown injury issues, it seems likely Yates will be a Dodger in 2025. Two key details that have yet to be revealed are the length and dollar value of the “tentative agreement.” MLBTR predicted a one-year, $14 million contract for the All-Star reliever on our Top 50 Free Agents list earlier this offseason.

Speaking of Dodgers bullpen signings, the team has also yet to finalize Tanner Scott’s four-year, $72 million contract. They have one open spot on the 40-man roster, so they will be able to formally announce one new contract without making an additional transaction but will need to make a corresponding move before finalizing another.

2. Mets to announce Minter?

It has now been five days since the Mets reportedly agreed to terms with free agent reliever A.J. Minter on a two-year, $22 million contract. However, they have not yet officially announced him as the newest member of the club. The Mets already have an open spot on the 40-man roster, so they do not need to figure out a corresponding move. Thus, they are presumably just waiting for the results of his physical to come back clean.

The deal will likely be finalized any day now, although it’s worth remembering the 31-year-old Minter is coming off of left hip surgery that ended his 2024 season in mid-August, lending some extra importance to that physical exam. Minter was one of the most reliable relievers in the game from 2020-23, and the fact that he landed a $22MM guarantee ($6MM higher than MLBTR’s prediction) shows how highly the Mets value his skill set.

3. What’s next for the Diamondbacks?

The Diamondbacks confirmed they’re all in for 2025 when they signed star pitcher Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million deal. Yet, they have been quiet ever since, with their only additions in January being utility infielder Grae Kessinger and backup catcher René Pinto. Considering how little the Padres have accomplished this offseason, the D-backs are in a great position to leapfrog their division rivals. At the same time, considering how much the Dodgers have done this winter, the D-backs need to keep adding if they want any chance to compete for the NL West crown. For example, the team could use another back-end reliever to replace Paul Sewald and at least one more bat to make up for the losses of Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk.

However, it’s possible that GM Mike Hazen might not have much left to spend. While owner Ken Kendrick has declared that “every dollar” of revenue will be reinvested in “ballplayers and not in the ownership,” he also claims his team is “stretching the budget” as is with the Burnes contract. Perhaps the next move for the Diamondbacks is to try to offload some of Jordan Montgomery’s $22.5MM salary so they can use those savings to bolster the lineup or the bullpen.

With the start of Spring Training just weeks away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Hall of Fame voting results:

The results of this year’s Hall of Fame vote will be announced today at 5pm CT. Anyone who receives 75% of the vote or more will join infielder Dick Allen and outfielder Dave Parker as part of the 2025 Hall of Fame class. Headlining this year’s class is outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who has a chance to become just the second unanimously-elected Hall of Famer in baseball history behind Mariano Rivera. Another newcomer to the ballot who has a chance to be elected is southpaw CC Sabathia, while closer Billy Wagner is entering his tenth and final year of eligibility but stands a strong chance of election after garnering 73.8% of the vote last year. Ryan Thibodaux’s BBHOF Tracker records all publicly revealed ballots and estimates that 50% of the total ballots are currently publicly available. If the rest of the votes were to perfectly mirror the publicly revealed ballot, Suzuki, Sabathia, Wagner, and Carlos Beltrán would all be elected this cycle.

2. Will Profar’s market begin to heat up?

The top remaining outfielder on the market, switch-hitting slugger Anthony Santander, signed a five-year deal with the Blue Jays yesterday that guarantees him $92.5MM. Santander coming off the market could have significant implications for final top remaining outfielder on the board, Jurickson Profar. Profar had an excellent platform season with San Diego, slashing .280/.380/.459 in what was by far the all-around best performance of his career, but the All-Star’s inconsistent track record heading into his age-32 season seems to be giving clubs pause in free agency.

That’s led to a quiet market, but with Santander off the board it’s plausible that some of his rumored suitors could shift their focus from one switch-hitting corner outfielder to another. The Angels, Tigers, and Red Sox were all connected to Santander, to varying degrees, and have yet to land an alternative via free agency or trade. Profar has reportedly seeking a three-year deal this winter. A return to the Padres may not be a realistic, as San Diego is facing a major budget crunch and would likely have to clear other salary commitments in order to make room for him.

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

With spring training just a few weeks away, we’re nearing the point where the baseball offseason starts to give way to preseason excitement even as major free agents remain unsigned and team needs remain unfulfilled. Whether you have questions about what’s left for your team to do this winter or a trade proposal in the back of your mind, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be here to answer your questions during a live chat scheduled for 2pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

With the start of Spring Training just three weeks away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Relief Market Fallout:

The biggest domino of the relief market finally fell over the weekend when southpaw Tanner Scott agreed with the Dodgers on a four-year, $72MM deal. Scott is the latest bullpen arm of note to reach an agreement in recent days, joining Jose Leclerc, A.J. Minter, Andrew Kittredge, and Jeff Hoffman. That movement on the relief market has allowed a lot of teams, including the big-spending Dodgers and Mets, to address their late-inning needs already.

But there’s still several clubs that appear to be in the market for late-inning relief help. The Orioles, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Cubs were all involved Scott’s market to some degree, with Chicago even putting forward a final offer of four years and $66MM that nearly matched that of Los Angeles. All four of those clubs could stay involved in the relief market going forward, with Chicago and Toronto already having been connected to the top remaining free agent reliever in righty Carlos Estevez in the wake of the Scott deal. Other top relievers available include Kirby Yates, David Robertson, and Kenley Jansen. Who will be the next to sign?

2. Twins trades on the horizon?

Over the weekend, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey indicated that the club’s trade conversations have begun to escalate in recent weeks. Minnesota has been one of the least active teams in the entire sport this winter, as their only addition to the 40-man roster with even a single plate appearance in the majors so far is Mickey Gasper, who the club swung a minor trade for last month. It’s long been clear that the club was facing severe budget restrictions this winter as ownership puts the team up for sale, and as such the front office is in a position where they’d need to trade away salary commitments in order to bring in additional talent.

Plenty of attention has been paid to the possibility of a Pablo Lopez trade this winter, but it seems more likely that the Twins would pursue trades involving pricey but less impactful veterans like Christian Vazquez, Willi Castro, and Chris Paddack as they try to remain competitive in the AL Central this year. If Minnesota manages to get a deal done, it could allow them to address the club’s hole at first base or add a much-needed right-handed complement to their heavily left-handed corner outfield mix with the money saved.

3. Cardinals Winter Warmup Wrap-up:

The Cardinals’ Winter Warmup fan event began over the weekend, with a number of headlines emerging from the comments made by players and personnel at the event. The festivities aren’t over yet, however, as more remains on the club’s schedule for the final day of the event today. Willson Contreras and Lars Nootbaar are both scheduled to be available for autographs, as is manager Oliver Marmol. The most notable event on today’s schedule, however, is certain to be a Q&A session with ownership. Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and team president Bill DeWitt III will both be present for the Q&A. Marmol is also scheduled to hold a Q&A later in the day.

As the start of Spring Training creeps closer, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Cubs Convention begins today:

The Cubs are holding their 38th annual fan convention at the Sheraton Grand in Chicago this weekend. The convention begins at 6pm CT this evening, though the majority of festivities take place on Saturday. Manager Craig Counsell, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, and chairman Tom Ricketts are expected to be in attendance, and it’s possible there will be some interesting quotes that come from their public appearances. The guest set to get the most attention from Cubs fans is surely Sammy Sosa. Sosa had not been welcomed back into the Cubs organization following the conclusion of his 13-year stint in Chicago back in 2004, and though tensions between the two sides lasted 20 years and multiple ownership groups, a thaw in relations finally occurred last month when Sosa issued a statement apologizing for “past mistakes” in a tacit acknowledgement of his participation in the steroid era.

A number of current and former players in addition to Sosa are expected to be in attendance this weekend as well, including newly-acquired outfielder Kyle Tucker. Tucker settled on a $16.5MM salary for 2025 in order to avoid arbitration yesterday after the Cubs acquired him in a blockbuster trade with the Astros last month. This weekend’s convention also takes place one day after the Cubs unveiled their new alternate home uniforms for the 2025 season, which will be featured during Friday day games at Wrigley throughout the summer. For more details on the Cubs Convention (including ticket pricing), you can visit the event website here.

2. Choo to be honored ahead of Rangers FanFest:

The Rangers are hosting their 2025 FanFest on Saturday at Globe Life Field. More details on the event can be found here, but one former player expected to be in attendance is 16-year MLB veteran Shin-Soo Choo, who spent the final seven years of his big league career in Texas. In advance of tomorrow’s FanFest, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News notes that Choo will be honored with the Mark Holtz Alumni Award at the team’s awards banquet this evening. A career .275/.377/.447 hitter, Choo was an All-Star with the Rangers at the age of 35 back in 2018 before wrapping his MLB career up in 2020. Since then, he’s headed back home to South Korea and played four more seasons with the SSG Landers. Choo retired at the end of the 2024 campaign at the age of 42 after 24 seasons in professional baseball.

3. Upcoming DFA resolutions:

Two players who were previously designated for assignment should see their situations resolved today: infielder Livan Soto and right-hander Amos Willingham. Soto was DFA’d by the Orioles last week after Roansy Contreras was claimed off waivers by the club, while Willingham was DFA’d by the Nationals to make room for Jorge Lopez on the 40-man roster. Both played figure to either be claimed off waivers by a rival club today or, should they clear waivers, be outrighted to the minor leagues to serve as non-roster depth for their respective club. Willingham has just 19 games of MLB experience under his belt with a 7.11 ERA, while Soto has batted .351/.407/.494 in 87 trips to the plate at the big league level across three MLB seasons. Willingham has a much stronger Triple-A track record than his brief big league run might indicate (3.47 ERA, 23.3 K%), while Soto is the opposite, having posted a .266/.362/.385 slash that’s much lighter than his production in limited MLB work.

As the offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Teams weighing trades of bonus pool money?

Yesterday, the Giants made two trades to pick up additional international bonus pool money. In doing so, they shipped out catcher Blake Sabol to the Red Sox and righty Will Kempner to the Marlins. More teams could follow suit in that regard, as both the Dodgers and Padres are in the market to add additional funds to their bonus pools amid their respective pursuits of NPB right-hander Roki Sasaki. Those clubs aren’t likely to be alone in the looking to make deals involving bonus pool space. Sasaki’s presence on the market has caused the Dodgers to allow several committed players to look elsewhere, while the Padres have been holding off on finalizing deals in anticipation of Sasaki’s decision. The Dodgers, Friars and Jays have all held off on finalizing deals with international prospects as of yet, as have several other clubs. Even teams that aren’t finalists for Sasaki might be cagey with finalizing deals, knowing that they could have the ability to trade for some extra bonus space and scoop up a prospect who’d been gearing up to sign with L.A., San Diego or Toronto.

2. Potential movement on the infield market:

There’s been some movement on the infield market since the calendar flipped to January, kicked off by Josh Rojas signing with the White Sox on Jan. 2. Since then, Amed Rosario and Donovan Solano have landed deals in D.C. and Seattle, respectively, while Thairo Estrada finalized his December agreement to sign in Colorado. That movement has left relatively few bench players still available on the infield with Whit Merrifield, Jose Iglesias, and Paul DeJong among the most notable options available. Meanwhile, the infield market’s rumors have primarily been focused at the top of the market where there’s been plenty of buzz about the markets of both first basemen Pete Alonso and third basemen Alex Bregman in recent days. With rumors churning at the top of the market and a number of lower-level signings occurring in recent weeks, could more deals be on the horizon?

3. Will Sasaki spur movement in the rotation market?

Aside from an occasional one-year deal for a veteran arm like Justin Verlander or Charlie Morton, the rotation market has quieted in the aftermath of right-hander Corbin Burnes signing late last month. Jack Flaherty, Nick Pivetta, Max Scherzer, Andrew Heaney and Jose Quintana are among the quality veterans who still remain available in free agency. Luis Castillo and Dylan Cease have seen their names come up in trade rumors, but there’s been seemingly little movement on those markets in the New Year. One potential wrinkle in the market is Sasaki, particularly since the Padres could feel more comfortable dealing from the rotation were he to land in San Diego. Other clubs like the Mariners, Cubs, Yankees and Rangers were at least loosely involved in his market until recently and may have been holding off on significant decisions while waiting on a resolution to his free agency. Those clubs, now informed that they’re out of the running, will have to turn to alternative plans. With a decision looming from Sasaki, could the wider market start to move again in the coming days?