With one free agent move already in the books this morning, here are three more things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world:
1. Will the rotation market heat up?
After weeks of a relatively frozen rotation market, things finally started to pick up this weekend when the Cardinals signed Dustin May to a one-year deal while the Diamondbacks reunited with Kelly on a pact worth $40MM over two years. The top of the market is still largely untouched (aside from Dylan Cease), leaving plenty of viable options for interested teams like Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, and Ranger Suarez. The middle tier of this year’s market could be moving more quickly, by contrast, with Kelly having now signed and plenty of buzz surrounding other mid-market players like Zac Gallen and Michael King. Who could be the next domino to fall?
2. Relief market dwindling fast:
The market for relief pitching has been by far the fastest moving of the winter so far, and that didn’t change this weekend. Kenley Jansen and Tyler Rogers both came off the board as the former inked a one-year pact with the Tigers while the latter landed with Toronto on a three-year deal. Precious few high-end relief arms remain available at this point, with Brad Keller and Pete Fairbanks standing out as the best of the rest. There are still some very interesting candidates who could be had on one-year deals due to age. That’s a group that includes right-hander Chris Martin, who reportedly plans to pitch in 2026 in his age-40 season.
3. Mets fill first base in unorthodox fashion; what’s next?
Mets fans are still reeling from the loss of Pete Alonso to the Orioles at this year’s Winter Meetings, but president of baseball operations David Stearns wasted no time in getting a deal done with another veteran bat who’ll effectively take his spot in the lineup. Switch-hitter Jorge Polanco inked a two-year deal to come to Queens over the weekend, and despite spending most of his big league career as a second baseman, he’ll reportedly be used primarily at first base and DH with the Mets. Polanco’s a quality addition to the lineup, to be sure, but he lacks the power potential that Alonso brought to the table on such a consistent basis. Will the Mets look to supplement that lost power with a big bat in the outfield or at third base? Is there a big move in store on the pitching side of things?
I think the SP market is sorta waiting on the Imai signing. I think a lot top teams are on in on him and waiting to see how that resolves.
That said, King sounded further along than others yesterday…?
Doubting Polanco touches much 1b. Mets have a bit to go in their offseason I would assume. Even this Yankees fan isn’t cynical enough to think otherwise.
That whole article was about those three teams being the finalists and why king would fit there. Then they corrected it saying no teams were finalists, probably should’ve deleted the article
Feels like David Stearns is trolling Mets fans at this point.
You are a little biased Cashman.
He’s not alone with his philosophy. Getting into the playoffs is one thing in a watered down format but tell me how many times this type of strategy has won the World Series. His approach got to the playoffs often in part because the Brewers are in the Central. While the Cardinals and Cubs are not cheap, they are not traditionally at the top of the payroll chart (most years). Having big spenders on both coasts, I don’t see it working in the East or West divisions. Even in the AL, I don’t see it working for Boston which now has to deal with the O’s spending in addition to Toronto and the Yankees.
That’s what he loves to do. That, and be cheap. Short term deals worked out so, so well this year. Let’s try it again! Let’s replace a guy who averages 160 games and 35 HR a year with a guy who averages 130 games and 20 HR a year. We won’t miss Pete at all! 😂😆😂
You guys are funny thinking Stearns is out there operating independently, just doing whatever he wants. Cohen is fully supportive of this strategy because of how he made his money.
From Google’s AI:
Steve Cohen’s business strategy is a multi-faceted, information-driven approach that combines rapid, high-frequency trading with in-depth fundamental and quantitative analysis, all governed by rigorous risk management.
Too much common sense in your comment for these guys. All they want to do is call him a nerd and talk about how New York doesn’t have patience for building a club the way successful small teams do. if Cohen wanted Pete to retire a Met the contract would have been done last year, no way he lets Stearns make the decision to get rid of Pete.
Cohen tried to buy a World Series and it didn’t work out. So he’s trying the other theory, draft and develop, and hired the guy who’s had as much success as could be expected of said theory. Give him some time
Stearns is GM’ing the wrong team. He should be in Tampa or Oakland/Vegas. NY doesn’t settle for nickel and diming crap. $20M per on Polanco is essentially throwing away $20M, just like Montas, Manaea…
Murakami is still a no show in The Opener with a week to go….curious
Very quiet on the Japanese front this year even with a bunch of good players.
Considering he’s hitting well under .200 on pitches above 93mph I’d say there’s some buyer beware other teams are thinking about. 93 is slow for MLB pitchers and guys like Yoshi, Ohtani, and Roki are the exception and not the rule considering most NPB pitchers sit around 88-91
Can see the Mets signing both Bregman and Tucker and having an absolutely loaded lineup
Not gonna happen. First, Tucker is looking for 10 years, probably gets at least 8 at at least a 36 million AAV. Plus the loss of a draft pick. Not a Stearns move at all. Second, Bergman will be looking for 6-7 years….well beyond Stearns’ comfort zone. He won’t settle for another short term deal like he did last year. Plus, what really good player wants to go to a team so willing to gut its core in so short a time span unless it’s for really big money? Which Stearns isn’t giving.
It feels like a “Let’s tread water/sneak into the playoffs for 2 years and see what we actually need in 2028 to win” vibe.
You can only say that if Polanco gets injured. As long as he’s healthy he will produce and put up numbers similar to last season.
I doubt very seriously that Polanco will be playing much 1B. He will be a DH. This is a ruse by the Mets Front Office to hide what their true intentions are.
David Stearns and the Mets will sign 35 yo Mike Tauchman to try to prove to the rest of baseball that he can find a diamond in the rough.
Except for the fact that Tauchman isn’t Kyle Tucker, everything works out according to plan.
Jake Meyers/Christian Walker for Kodai Senga
Who says no
Probably the Mets since they just essentially spent the same amount of money that Walker gets to sign Polanco
Meyers
The Closer market maybe “dwindling fast” but the reliever market is still packed with available options in free agency and trades. Fairly misleading headline.
I think we’ll see some decent movement this week as I’m sure lots of players would love the Christmas gift of knowimg where they will be playing next season, then a couple of slow holiday weeks, and then hopefully start seeing more come of the board following the holiday breaks
Kyle Wright is a pitcher that could be a good addition at the back of a rotation. He had some good rehab starts last season.
Imai will sign with the Cardinals they still need 3 pitchers in top 3 spots.
They just got Dustin May for the 4th or 5th spot in the rotation.