Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on as the week gets underway…
1. Murakami press conference:
The White Sox will host a press conference to introduce slugger Munetaka Murakami this morning at 11am CT. The two sides didn’t look to be a fit early in the offseason, when industry expectations were that the 25-year-old Murakami would command a long-term deal and when White Sox GM Chris Getz openly spoke about reluctance to commit to free agents beyond the upcoming season. However, when Murakami’s market didn’t develop as hoped, the South Siders opportunistically pounced and landed him on a two-year contract. Murakami has 80-grade raw power but concerns scouts with his struggles against velocity, penchant for whiffing and limited defensive flexibility. Even with those red flags, he could add 30 or 40 home runs to Chicago’s lineup if all goes well. Sox brass will be on hand to discuss where Murakami fits into the puzzle and what’s next on the checklist.
2. Where do the Red Sox go from here?
The Red Sox have operated exclusively on the trade market thus far, adding Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras (in separate trades) from the Cardinals and Johan Oviedo from the Pirates. They’re the only team in the American League that hasn’t signed a free agent to a major league contract this winter and one of just two teams in either league fitting that description (joining the Rockies as the other).
Yesterday’s acquisition of Contreras seemingly sets the Sox at first base and pushes young Triston Casas down the depth chart. Casas, recovering from knee surgery performed last May, could mix in at designated hitter once he’s ready to go, but the Sox also have Masataka Yoshida to consider in that spot. They’d love to shed the remaining two years and $36MM on Yoshida’s contract, but trimming even a decent portion of that sum off the books would be a tall order. Casas has a minor league option remaining, so it’s possible he could head to Triple-A, but there figure to be other clubs looking to buy low.
The Red Sox are still receiving interest in outfielders Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu. They still have plenty of minor league rotation depth to peddle. Casas now feels more expendable. Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony are the only major salaries on the long-term books. The Sox seem well positioned either for a large free-agent expenditure or another major trade, with third base and the rotation standing as natural areas of focus. Where will they go from here?
3. Last-minute holiday shopping:
The holidays are upon us, and while there’s typically a major slowdown in terms of hot stove activity over the final week of December, there’s also usually a rush to complete some last-minute deals prior to that quiet period. Last year, we saw each of Walker Buehler, Joc Pederson, Sean Manaea and Andrew McCutchen in the final days before Christmas (as can be seen in MLBTR’s Contract Tracker). The year prior, it was Kevin Kiermaier, Mitch Garver, Yuki Matsui and Martin Maldonado (Contract Tracker link). In 2022, names like Michael Conforto, Craig Kimbrel, Taylor Rogers, Tucker Barnhart, Drew Smyly and Wil Myers all signed. There’s no telling exactly who’ll come off the board this week, but expect a handful of free agent deals to wrap up before front offices and players alike pump the brakes in the final days of the year.
Was hoping Murakami would sign with the Angels so Mark Gubicza could say sugoi again.
Not much going about. Not yet.
Reds don’t believe in signing free agents until they have been picked over, if then.
Same thing / philosophy from Jeddy n Tommy Nickels.
If its not on sale or clearance, we dont want it
Are you really comparing the spending of the Reds vs. the Cubs?
I’d love for the Orioles to swing the rumored trade with the Cards for Romero before the unofficial Christmas break.
If they can also get the deal done for the other SP acquisition after Baz (please be Imai, please be Imai, please be Imai…), either by trade or free agent signing, even better.
Contreras is a damn good get for Boston. Murakami to the White Sox is super strange fit. Obviously he’s hoping to use his time there as an audition to a better deal elsewhere. There is no other reason anybody would want to come to the Sox, ask Eloy, Vaughn, Tim Anderson, Moncada, or Luis Robert. No organization is better at ruining top tier talent.
He might not have to wait long to put on another jersey. If he lights it up for the first 4 months next year, he could be traded at the deadline. If he looks the part, there would be legit interest in 2 possible playoff runs of Murakami and the White Sox could get what they really need, more young talent, since it’s doubtful they’ll be competitive during his contract.
Canuck – youre on to something there.
Lets say they try to get fastballs by him early and he hits 15hRs, behind Robert Jr. Then with that protection Robert Jr’s stats go up.
Now in July the White Sox trade BOTH. Imagine the haul…………..
Freddie Freeman’s contract ends in two years. Murakami is banking on a break out two-year contract that lands him in Dodger blue in 2028.
I find it amazing that so many Red Sox fans are over the moon about Contreras. He’s not all that anymore.
Uncle – i see nothing to be happy about here unless there is a Suarez or Bregman in the Sox future plans.
This move alone doesnt even replace the mediocre numbers we got from Bregman’s 2/3 of a season last year
deeds – so before you rush off into calling someone names…..
In less games played Bregman had a higher WAR, OPS, OPS+, is a better defender, and, is younger
In the absence of adding another good bat, this is a step backwards from the team that finished in third place last year.
Youre right, sounds stupid to me too
There were a lot of Cards’ fans that love Contreras.
Joe – I dont hate the player. If there is more here, than the move gets better
I dont love the fact that the last years of a contract, that everyone says should prevent you from signing a player in their prime, is what we’re looking at here. A 34yo player moving into a new situation.
Contreras brings consistency. 20 HRs a year and a .350 OBP is pretty good.
he is right. they have not replaced devers power
I find it amazing you’re trolling so obviously. I haven’t heard one single rd Sox fan be “over the moon” anout Contreras.
I don’t think Breslow is that concerned with power. I think he’s going full Moneyball and is looking at on base percentage. Can they replace Devers on base percentage? I think Contreras can do that. Triston Casas and Roman Anthony are the two best power hitters, but Roman also gets on base a ton. They need Casas to develop into a major power bat, which if healthy he has a chance at. In general though, I don’t think they are interested in paying a premium on home runs, they want baserunners.
Considering that the left side of the Dodger infield likes to bounce their tosses, especially Betts, Murakami is the last guy I’d want over there trying in vain to dig them out.
Try again.
Red Sox should be trying to swing that Marte trade or maybe a deal for an SP2. If either doesn’t happen, they are messing up.
Labeling a #2 in December makes no sense. It only matters in October. Its a fan thing, not a GM thing. And, they’ll have plenty of 2-Bs they can chose from that that point.
Really just means get another top end SP in Boston’s case. Crochet is one of the best three pitchers in baseball and would be next to impossible to get Skenes or Skubal to push Crochet off the Opening Day start.
But, thats not Breslow’s M.O. He likes to acquire piiching projects and take them to the next level or fix them. Like he did with Chapman last year. Noone expected him to be a top 3 closer..
His plan is obvious. Load a ton of capable pitchers on the 40-man and develop a Top pitcher by October. They have plenty of pitching One through Five to get through the Season and by October he plans on having #2, who is well rested.
No sense on spending resources on something you think you can develop yourself.
They have their 2nd ace in Bello n Gray.
That staff is going to lead them to the promise land as long as they get 1 more bat n some more back end relief
Bello is a #3 at best.
Again being a #3 in December means nothing.
But, Bello is just one pitcher, they have many that could become that guy.
Gray, Bello, Sandoval, Tolle, Early, Harrison.
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Am I saying that any of those guys will have a great season? NO!
What Im saying is by October, when the need a #2 starter for the playoffs, at least one will emerge as more than capable.
Reggie Smith — placeholders Reggie, a placeholder for quality.
Lets revisit in September.
Reggie — Why do I have to wait until September? That’s nonsense to my point.
Give me every Red Sox pitcher’s exact stats for 2026, not your opinion of how they will do. Just like Chapman in 2025, we dont know what to expect.
Reggie — Yeah Reggie, we don’t know. But we understand skills and talent. From that we can at least gauge players. Which is why the use of generalizations is useful. Which is what we are talking about Reggie.
So last year, would you have “generalized” Chapman to a 1.07 ERA and 0.078 WHIP? How? Those are his best numbers of his career.
Sonny Gray? Are you going to generalize he cant reach his numbers from 2 years ago? 2.79 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, because those are definitely #2 starter numbers.
And how do you generalize young players like Tolle and Early. We have no idea what they can do.
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What your saying is you want to use projection averages and say ‘none are a #2’. Im saying someone will break that mold, because thats what Bailey does, and we wont know who until September.
REggie — it doesn’t matter. My point isn’t about stats, it’s about talent and skill. The Red Sox could use another pitcher of caliber to go along with Crochet and Gray because like you’re meaning, it isn’t a done deal.
My point is about adding another guy that increases the talent in the rotation. Red Sox’s are at their best when they have ace level perfomances from at least one guy. Crochet could very well chalk up another great season. Same with Gray. But I don’t see any reason why not hedge there bets with another name.
I see your point. And I’d love another Starter.
But I feel there is only one more major move left and shoring up 2B or 3B is better use of the available funds.
Reggie you may be right that position player might be better suited to improve the team. I’d like Marte but I suspect they don’t want to pay him for 5 years, let alone send prospect capital. And nearly the same for Bichette either.
I think Arizona is asking for the sky for Marte, which I dont blame them. But, at the end of the day, they need to come down in the price.
But, yeah Marte would be my first choice too.
Is Murakami locked into White Sox for 6 years until he reaches tenure, like a minor league player. before he qualifies for FA? Or, can he just sign with any other team in 2 years?
I think I remember a similar thing happening to another Japanese player 15 or 20 years ago. He signed a short-term contract, but was stuck going to arbitration instead of gaining Free Agency after the contract expired.
If he was locked into more than 2 years it would be reported for sure. He is just trade bait. I hope he mashes like Schwarber or Matt Stairs, seems in a similar mold. Those kinds of players are good for baseball. If he’s good he’ll wind up elsewhere sooner than later.
That would only apply if said player was under the age of 25 and considered an “amateur” by MLB’s standards.
We will have to wait for more details to know for certain. I would imagine he will be a free agent after this contract. Arb is guided by how much a player earns already and their performance, nobody ever got less in arb than the previous season. I doubt they want to give him raises for 3 or 4 years with $17,000,000 as a starting point
Reggie, based on his age, I believe he returns to normal free agency. As for Casas, I didn’t realize he had an option left. No reason to sell low. If no one offers a reasonable deal or he’s not part of a big trade, let him get AB’s in Worcester to prove himself again. If he does well, he’ll vibe brought up or then dealt.
Asian free agents typically negotiate the right to free agency at the end of their initial deal. Ha Seong Kim is a recent example. All indications are that Murakami will be a free agent again in two years.
If the Sox acquire Marte or sign Eugenio, I’ll be happy with the lineup.
The Contreras contract leaves less than $29M under the 2nd threshold, which the Sox insist they won’t go past, so I doubt Bregman or Bichette will be signed now.
Most estimates I’ve seen on Bichette have him in the $26-28M AAV range, with Bregman in the $30-32M range, so Bichette fits better than Bregman financially. There are still several avenues to trim payroll back and make room for either though.
I’d really love to see Bichette brought on board. It’s very unlikely, but the dream of an Anthony/Bichette combo at the top of that line up is very intriguing. However, the sensible side of me says this is the roster they’ll roll with going into ST. Any other “big” moves would be a total surprise to me.
maine – I’m thinking the Sox will leave $7-$10M space for potential trade deadline acquisitions. So even if Bo can be signed at that low an AAV, it’s likely too high for the Sox to consider. Plus I still believe he’s staying in Toronto.
I agree with Duran being traded and/or Yoshida being traded with some of his contract eaten the Sox could trim payroll. I wouldn’t be surprised if they trade Duran & Yoshida together for practically nothing with Yoshida’s full contract sent away. They have done that sort of thing in the past, ie: Mookie/Price and AGon/Crawford & Beckett.
Fever – I actually agree, I think they want to leave about $10M in space to add in-season without going over. But as you noted if you subtract Duran and half of Yoshida that clears over $15M in AAV, and you could still find a taker for Sandoval and remove up to another $9M.
maine – Sandoval wouldn’t be a good trade candidate right now, nobody is gonna acquire him without knowing when he will return and how he will look when he does. Best case scenario, he starts the season on the active roster and needs a couple months to shake off the rust like Gio did. Then perhaps he would make a good trade deadline candidate.
Hicks would be a better trade candidate, attach a solid player or simply eat half his contract.
Fever – while I think a team would take him right now, we could definitely get more in return if he comes back and looks good for a month or so. There are always pitchers who go down in spring training or the first few weeks of the season, and if he’s pitching well I think he’d be a pretty hot commodity at that point. And even if you don’t move him until May, you’re still saving a majority of that money toward the luxury tax.
And I agree that roster-wise moving Hicks would be a better move, but I don’t see anyone willing to take him and any significant portion of his salary.
maine – Never underestimate the number of teams that think they can “fix” a flamethrower’s control. It’s one of the oldest stories in MLB, “he’s got such a great arm, if only we can improve his control”.
why do you or any fans care about team payrolls.who cares about payrolls thats mlb and the owners problem .not ours.i dont care to disguss payrolls except my own.
slim – I am a major investor in the team. As such, the team’s spending impacts my return on investment.
If they spend poorly, or overpay, then it hurts the product on the field.
Because they aren’t going to spend past a certain limit, so it’s a matter of figuring out how to make the improvements necessary while staying within that limit. I care only as far as it impacts the on field product.
Can we give Breslow Executive of the Year Award now?
Last year’s moves in off-season, Crochet, Chapman, Bregman, Narvaez, Buehler accounted for +14.6 FWar, without breaking the bank. Which was better than every other team in the league.
This years moves seem to be following the same path.
Those guys have like $100,000,000 AAV on their contracts
2025 Salaries:
Crochet: 3.8
Chapman: 10.75
Bregman: 40
Buehler: 20
Did you mean “like” $74.55M? The key is for short-term contracts and stay below the 2nd Threshold. Which he did perfectly.
AAV of crochet is much higher and Chapman extension raises his too
So we’re not talking about 2025 anymore? Crochet was paid exactly $3.8M last year, his extension kicks in in 2026.
As for the future cost of those contracts:
What are the Red Sox paying Buehler and Bregman in 2026?
As Crochet’s contract goes up, Breggie and Buehler vanished.
Which is the beauty of short-term contracts. Controlled Spending.
Okay. I would still consider spending $75,000,000 in 25 and committing another $200,000,000 plus between crochet, Chapman and Bregman(yes they committed the money to him even if he opted out) to be breaking the bank
100%. Small market thinking.
Hopefully he has a nice blend and can reach the playoffs again in a tougher AL Beast
Barring injury Bregman was going to opt out. He was looking for 7 years last year, and is looking for at least 6 this year.
If there was an injury, then it wouldve been a big problem. They probably wouldnt have any of the flexibility they had this season to make the moves they did.
But, now we’re reached the ‘what ifs’ and not reality. ‘What if’ Aaron Judge had a multi-year injury? What would that do to the Yankees payroll.
MrShowtime:
100% Small Market thinking with a Big Market budget. Love it.
Yes I root for a small market team
Reggie – the Red Sox finished in third place last year, white-knuckled into the playoffs and were dismissed.
Crochet alone is essentially the difference in the team.
Yes, Breslow deserves credit for trading for Narvaez and the Chapman signing (although, you cant convince me that anyone thought Chapman had this much left).
Buehler was dfa’d
Bregman had pedestrian numbers in 2/3 of a season
What about the trade for Dustin May? Just forget about that one? Steven Matz?
Crochet was an excellent Move
Narvaez was an excellent Move
So youre dismissng Chapman because no one could see his ability EXCEPT Breslow?
So youre dismissing 1/3 of Bregmans season because it was GOOD? Cherrypicking at its finest.
Buehler was a $20M GAMBLE that failed. $20M on the Starting Pitching FA market doesnt buy you much.
May was an absolute bust.
Martz? What was wrong with him? ERA 2.08, WHIP 0.877/ Those are excellent numbers for a rental.
What about Refsnyder? I forgot that one, $2M for a Lefty Masher.
Reggie – so, after reflection what youre saying is the same as what I’m saying. His choices are as inconsistent as any one else, Not Executive of the Year material?
BTW, I know you think his trading for Crochet was some genius stroke, but lets be honest, for the package the Sox gave up, me or you couldve consummated that trade
What Im saying is nothing like what your saying. Youre all Doom and Gloom.
Breslow went 5 for 7 with 3 homeruns. And you only want to look at the 2 strikeouts to judge his game. Those are MVP numbers.
I’ll repeat my point from before. Find me a team who had better production out of the players they acquired last season. Every team that made at least 7 moves has a couple of Buehler’s and May’s in them.
Reggie – I was meeting you halfway. giving a POBO that much credit for a third place finish………
Now you’re going to be proven wrong, and it took longer to write this than it did for me to figure it out.
Yankees, you’ve heard of them?
Max Fried
Bellinger
Devin Williams
Bednar
McMahon
Reggie- 3HRs with no one on base and trailing by 7 runs.
First striking out in the eighth with the tying runs on.
Then Striking out again in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and two outs
LOL
“His choices are as inconsistent as any one else, Not Executive of the Year material?”
Is meeting me halfway? Lol. So I completely agree with you is meeting halfway.
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Well played on Yankee’s point. But, Yankees invested insane capital in 2025, and is why they’ve been nonexistent this offseason.
Well Jerry Dipoto won Executive of the Year for 2025 and it was damn well deserved. Breslow has a chance if he can make another big splash or two between now & the deadline as well get farther in the playoffs in 2026.
Ignorant: Agreed
Don’t forget the Devers deal Reggie? Can’t give him Executive when he “flubbed” that up.
Devers is 2nd best deal of the year behind Crochet. Problem child.
Goes from Red Sox (not in playoffs on June 16th) to Giants (in playoffs on June 16th). Then, Red Sox made the playoffs and Giants didnt.
They took on $240M!!! And his stats from help 6/16 to 8/2 was 37 for 137 with 52 strikeouts. By then trading deadline was over and Giants were packing it in.
Problem child? Yeah, if you believe what all Henry’s mouthpieces propagate. I’m well aware Devers tee’d up the character assassination ball for the Red Sox to hit. But Devers was clearly baited into it by the Red Sox.
I get the point about the deal wouldn’t be great long term. But it wasn’t that constricting. At least it didn’t require such progressive action to force the situation.
And although 3B defense wouldn’t be great, we’d have an excellent Devers and Anthony punch.
I have eyes:
1) Devers refused to DH, when Red Sox acquired Bregman, even though his defensive numbers were horrendous.
2) Took groundballs at SS, full knowing the Boston Media would have a meltdown over it.
3) Refused to play 1B, after an injury, claiming “they cant expect me to play every single position out there” — No, Red Sox didnt want you to play ‘every single position’ just 1B, and only because there was an injury.
4) Goes to San Fran and says “I am here to play where ever they want me to play”
5) Ghosted Will Clark three times to work on firstbase defense. He didnt even show enough courtesy to text him. Devers just stood him up.
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$300M and this is the leadership youre going to show around a young core of players? As I said a “Problem Child” or “Prima Donna” if you want.
What would you want from the Mets for Casas?
Not too much. But since he has an option left, and they can easily stash him in Worcester, more that a little.
Guessing a sp w upside or a RH bat?
AAV for Crochet is like $28M so yeah, 100M for those mentioned is about right.
The comment was regarding 2025 – only!! And Crochet made $3.8M last season. In 2026 the $28M AAV kicks in, as does the -$60M accountable to the departed Bregman and Ferris.
2 yr contract right now looks like a win win for Murakami and the ChiSox. The signing can be looked at through alot of lenses: prove it deal, trade chip, etc…
i know it’s been a rough stretch for bosox fans but your team is heading into a nice window. hopefully 2027 isn’t a lost year
the Red Sox Will go the trade route. They will allow people to walk. They are willi ng to pay CBT tax at the 1st level, but not beyond. We’ve heard “let the kids play” Now they are going to do it.
One more productive RH bat with infielder fielding skills and the Red Sox are pretty set.
None of those last minute signings panned out especially well. FA Xmas shopping seems to be a fools errand.
Wonder if the red Sox would make another trade with the cards. Cards get yoshida and his full contract plus Casas and a prospect for romero and nootbar. Redsox dip below cbt enough to sign bo or bregman and get a good lefty pen piece and an outfielder who has shown flashes. Cards get someone hopefully that plays well and they can flip at the deadline plus a potential long term first baseman and a prospect.
Just asking….is the 8 yr/$180M staff prediction for Murakami the worst (furthest off) stab ever?
I don’t recall some of the Bellinger predictions before his yearly short term gigs.
Missing by six years and $140+M is pretty substantial.
Or…was it just tabbing him as #4 out of 50 way off??
Speaking of Casas, in his 3rd season with the Red Sox, George Scott hit .171 with an OPS+ of 40. Over the next three seasons his OPS+ was 106. So they traded him to Milwaukee.
Well, it looks like there’s no more decent free agents anymore. Time to get spring training going now…
Casas will get time to rehab in triple A and hopefully he can be deadline trade bait. He was a very good prospect that had some bad luck and wasn’t able to put it all together. He is slow, not athletic and it looked just like that when he stumbled down the first base line and tore his patella tendon. I would love to see him mashing 30 to 40 homers like he was predicted to do, but the sox made the right move not counting on that production in 2026.
Maybe the Pale Hose would be a match for Yoshida in an exchange of bad contracts – Bientendi heading to Beantown? I know Boston already has a glut of outfielders, but spinning both Abreu & Duran in separate deals (for Wacha & Marte) May address their lingering holes…
80 grade power and nobody besides 120 L whitesox are willing to give him a deal? 34mil? all the analytics just screwed 29 other tms cuz this guy gonna mash. who cares if he strikes out alot? 40 home runs as a rookie. 2 yrs from now he gonna cash in $$$