Here are three things we’re keeping an eye on going into the final weekend before the holiday break…
1. Last-minute shopping?
The hot stove tends to slow down a bit around the holidays and Christmas is on Thursday next week. Will that spur teams and players to get some things done before the shops close? Already this morning, before this post could even go up, the Padres agreed to a deal with Sung Mun Song and the Phillies traded Matt Strahm to the Royals for Jonathan Bowlan.
2. Rotation market moving?
The starting pitching section of free agency has been moving a bit slower than other segments. The Blue Jays quickly snapped up Dylan Cease but then things went quiet for a few weeks. Things have seemingly picked up a bit, as Michael King, Merrill Kelly, Dustin May and Adrian Houser have come off the board in the past week. Tatsuya Imai, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Zac Gallen and others are still out there and could perhaps see their markets pick up.
3. Ticking clock for posted players.
Players coming from NPB or KBO who are posted for MLB clubs only have a set amount of time to negotiate deals. Song got a deal done just before his posting window was set to close. Munetaka Murakami is now the one with the least amount of sand in the hourglass, as his posting window closes on December 22nd. Imai and Kazuma Okamoto have until early January but might want to get something done before the holidays.
Photo courtesy of Troy Taormina, Imagn Images
I think Boras and Bregman will sign before Murakami.
YBC – No team has reached Bregman’s asking price yet, I think Boras will continue to try and milk higher offers. Last offseason they didn’t agree on a contract until right before ST.
True. But that’s because they waited too long for their deal to materialize and it never did.
The 2027 lockout should be called the “boras lockout” he caused it all by himself
How do you figure that? By trying to get the most money for his players? Don’t let billionaire owners trick you into thinking they’re losing money – they just want to keep more of it.
So greedy owners is bad I agree, but greedy players is okay?
You think seats , beers and burger prices stay the same same when a team signs a star player …everything from the owners and players is passed onto the consumer (us) baseball is a business. Owners got to make their money . They had to put it up to purchase the team . Any player that can’t live off 100 million for 10 years of baseball service is pure greed . Never want to hear a player say it’s about the sport because it’s not anymore. They need to make money 100% but at what cost ? They lose fans when fathers can’t afford to take a family to a game because it cost $500 + for a 3 hour event.
No I 100% agree with you. The players greed is arguably worse than ownership greed it’s just I almost never see it get called out for what it is. It’s almost always framed as just “securing the bag” or something like that. Greed is greed regardless of where it comes from.
Boras has a reputation of holding out so I think teams just expect it from his clients at this point. His demands are sky high and then they come back down to earth slightly as long as you give him 20 opt outs.
Murakami has to sign by Monday, Bregman does not. I can’t imagine Boras saying we need to hurry up here. Plenty of teams need a 3b and the market will open up more after Murakami settles.
The problem is, Murakami is a lousy at the hot corner. At best, he’s a part time 1st baseman, but likely a full time DH. And no one knows if his offense will carry over to the bigs.
At 25, the kid’s got room to grow and develop. That’s the type you want.
Okamoto and Imai are great fits for the Mets. Who knows though. And Imai sort of implied he wants to be the only Japanese player on the team he signs with.
Jdaw – Yankees don’t have any Japanese players, the Mets do (for now anyway)..
FPG
That would be a very odd request by Imai. If true. I have my doubts.
@Jdawginsc
ChiSox doesn’t have an Japanese players. Good place to sign.
Maybe the Mets trade Senga before then. Apparently the Cardinals are still looking for starters. I wonder if a trade surrounding Senga and Contreras is a possibility
Can Okamoto really play LF every day is the question that a lot of teams are probably asking.
Not sure if that was pithy, but first base was the thought. Gold glove infielder fits what Stearns is trying to do.
If the news that they are working with a payroll limit of 320 is correct, they might not be in on Bellinger as much as reported.
Might have to move McNeil plus to get more room.
Nah , pretty much every team is worried about his strikeout rate coming to the majors . It’s reported he can’t hit high velocity. That’s a lot of K’s in the MLB
There is an adjustment period for velocity that every Asian player has to make. But reports on Okamoto are that he has handled 93+ well in Japan. Of course nothing is guaranteed. I think if he can play OF corner, it really opens up his value/market.
Okamoto or Murakami to the Marlins would be great. Both would be perfect, but that’s a pipe dream
“Least amount of sand in the hour glass” Why are you writing for MLBTR?
Darragh only moonlights as a writer for MLBTR, his main squeeze is penning for the “Days of our Lives”.
Lol is that not a common term for running out of time? I thought that was pretty universal?
Like sands of the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.
So-crates
Man, I gotta do some last minute holiday shopping as well. Think Cash wants to come with me?
The small markets should be all over Murakami. It’s the rare time you’ll be able to get a Japanese stud.
Buccos need to sign Okamoto preferably over Murakami ! They need to get this first move done then add another free agent & another by trade. Free agent—- O’Hearn or Ozuna
Trade——-Lowe, Duran, Adell or Robert
Is anyone a little surprised murakami is unsigned with 3 days to go?
no
No
Last minute Christmas shopping?
Astros shopping last year came on the 24th
But still, last minute is going to continue