Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Winter Meetings Underway:
Players, agents, and executives alike arrived in Orlando last night for this year’s Winter Meetings, which officially kick off today and run through this coming Thursday. Even before the meetings began, there was significant movement around the league. The big news of this weekend was a trade between the Mariners and Nationals that saw top prospect Harry Ford head to D.C. in exchange for ground balling lefty Jose A. Ferrer. Many more trades and transactions figure to follow over the coming days, and last year’s Winter Meetings famously kicked off with a record-shattering contract between Juan Soto and the Mets. What will the biggest stories of this year’s meetings be? Be sure to check in with MLBTR throughout the coming days to hear about all the latest news!
2. Schwarber gets a big offer… from the Pirates?
The market for slugging DH Kyle Schwarber has been among the most active for any position player this offseason, and last night word broke that he’s received at least one significant offer. That four-year offer is expected to be worth more than $100MM, and comes from an unusual place: Pittsburgh. Pirates brass have frequently indicated this winter that they have more resources at their disposal than usual, but a nine-figure deal for Schwarber would be a massive departure from the franchise’s previous comfort zone; they’ve never signed a free agent to a guarantee of $40MM in the past. Schwarber is also known to be pursued by the incumbent Phillies as well as the Reds, Red Sox, Giants, and Orioles. With one offer already on the table, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the slugger’s market move quickly over the coming days.
3. Teams keeping an eye on Marte:
While the Diamondbacks have made clear that they don’t necessarily plan on trading Ketel Marte, that hasn’t stopped various teams from keeping an eye on the switch hitting All-Star. The 32-year-old would immediately become the best hitter available on the trade market if Arizona were to shop him, and there’s a number of teams already checking in. Yesterday, it was reported that the Red Sox, Rays, Tigers, Pirates, and Mariners have all been keeping an eye on Marte as a possible addition to their respective lineups. In a market where Bo Bichette is the only star-level middle infielder available via free agency, Marte figures to be especially attractive to teams in need of infield talent. That could spur the Diamondbacks to consider a trade, particularly as their payroll has reached record levels in recent years and their rotation has been depleted by the departures of Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly (not to mention Tommy John surgery for Corbin Burnes).
Schwarbs can thank the Nats for helping reignite his career, although of course most of his resumed success has been due to his own efforts.
Yeah Schwarbs will definitely be paid handsomely right now. He’ll probably get 3 or 4 years also, on one last contract. Good for him.
If the Pirates are offering him 4 years then I believe it’s not only a lock he will receive at least 4 years but likely he gets a 5th from some team like PHI, BOS, NYM or CIN
Yeah I’m thinking 5 for 140M for Schwarber to return to Philly. Love for it to be Cincinnati but I’m realistic
If I was Pirates I’d give him 7 160m if need be. If he wants to take less $ or someone wants to beat it so be. Won’t be surprised if he gets 5 6 years.
7 years??? That’s insane.
No offense.
5 6 7 all the same. He just wants the $ and I would rather give it to him via extra year vs more $ a year. And I want him playing even if he is a 700 ops. Pirates had that in Cutch so why not this guy. After he takes them to world series fans won’t mind him hanging around as leader pinch hitter time share dh. Main thing is keep the aav low as possible. Give him 10 20 30 years doesn’t matter. You will see it every old guy signing holy overpay batman he ain’t going to be good those last 3 years age like fine milk. Who cares it doesn’t matter.
@rowsdower Reds will need to trade Greene for Bryce Eldridge to sign Schwarber
Be the most exciting offseason since Griffey jr if they pull that off
6 or 7?
Nah they won’t trade Greene. They’ll find the money in getting rid of Singer, TySteve, Trevino, Lux
He won’t sign if they even remotely threaten to trade pitching. Pitching is the only thing holding them together.
Because if the Bucs sign him to 7 years and all he’s doing is OPSing 700 then it pretty much destroys any chance of the Pirates competing for the next half decade.
You honestly see the Bucs competing within the next 5 years? Bravo Sir.
Probably Tyler since they extended Trevino. They can’t cut both catchers. But you’re right Greene is going nowhere.
If the Reds did trade Greene, they’re getting a lot more than Bryce Eldridge. Boston would give them a much better package than that. The Dodgers would put together a better package too.
Moot point though because I don’t see them trading Greene unless somebody like the Tigers blew them away with an offer of Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle. The only way Detroit would even think about doing that is going all in on Skubal’s final year and trying to win the World Series but I can’t imagine them or anybody meeting the price tag for Hunter Greene.
Not it won’t. Big name is great for marketing 700 ops will be fine.
You replied to the wrong comment. Just giving you a heads up.
No I didn’t. Site just gives multiple people in comment section a notification and places it not directly under the one you hit reply to often.
@Big Wiffa – if Cincy were to trade Hunter Greene for Bryce Eldridge, they should fire their entire front office. Greene is worth 5X Eldridge right now. SF would need to include their rookie pitcher who did really well last year (forget his name) + Ramos & Eldridge to get Greene.
@Doesn’t Joe It All.
See Dorthy replied to someone way above me but I still got notification and comment is way down here below me.
At Joe, The dodgers don’t have anyone near Eldridge value
Name a package the Red Sox would part with for Greene that would be better than Eldridge
Mantoooth, Eldridge and Ramos would be a dream package. Have you seen the hitting market this offseason ? Prob not bc there isn’t one lol
MLB has Eldridge and the 12 best prospect and he could be ranked as high as 5. At age 20, he hit more homers with a wrist injury than anyone on the reds team, at age 19 he cleared 3 milb levels. Clearing 3 levels as a teen is a lock to become a pro.
Greene has 4 years 60 mil left. Over that same span, Eldridge will make maybe 8-10 mill. Freeing up another 50 mil to invest in the team that could possibly create space for Schwarber
When you include all the intangibles, 1 for 1 isn’t that far off and don’t tease red fans with a Krall firing 🤣
Cap – I think even if he gets a 4-year deal he will still have contracts after that. Not that uncommon for a DH to play beyond Age 36, especially now with the NL having the DH as well.
I mean Nelson Cruz was nothing special and he played through Age 42!
Nelson Cruz posted an OPS+ of 145 ages 32-40 and hit over 300 HR. That is indeed something special.
GB – I respect some people have different definitions of the word special.
Cruz never finished Top 5 in MVP, never hit more than 44 homeruns, batted only .200 with a .724 OPS in his two WS appearances, and of course was suspended for roids.
Schwarber is the opposite of all those things.
Schwarber to me is his generations Dave kingman. If Dave kingman played today he would be a star
Spickard – Schwarber and Kingman are opposites, as Schwarber has a career .346 OBP while Kingman had a career .302 OBP.
Kingman (8.2%) never walked, Schwarber walks a lot.
Different era kingman also k less than schwarber but there basically guys with a lot of power and that’s it. Kingman hit 442 homers and at one time had the most homers of guys retired not in the hof. Just my opinion have a great day
You beat me to it. Schwarbz gets on base, Dave was a two outcome hitter.
Nelson Cruz was nothing special? Is that sarcasm? You don’t get a contract through age 42 if you weren’t anything special.
It will be interesting if the Reds actually make an offer to Schwarber or this is a smokescreen as usual with this management team.
Have the reds actually said that they’re interested or has it just been rumors
I can’t confirm this, maybe Red here can, but the Reds gave some special treatment to Schwarber when the Phillies were in town last season, or is this BS I saw on Twitter? Probably BS on Twitter…
They called Dad in to throw the first pitch and coaches from back in the day. Shill moment.
I believe they did a little scoreboard thing between innings as well. They have done the same with ex-Reds like Suarez when they come back in town as well.
I think the pirates offer is a smokescreen. They won’t be able to attract big name free agents and they’ll be outbid quickly.
As for reds, I’m curious how all these tv deals effected their total revenue cause they ran a budget up to around 140 mill before. They’d have to be comfortable doing that again over several seasons to realistically pursue Schwarber as many of their young players will be going through arbitration over that time. If he loves Cincy as much as everyone is portraying, he’d probably something 5yrs/140. Maybe reds can work ina huge signing bonus and some deferrals to lighten the annual blow
Trading Greene for Eldridge would help financially too and those two are everything reds need in their lineup next season !
@Bigwhiffa
Long suffering Pirates fan here, so definitely biased in my opinion.
Logic and history suggest your statement about Pirates is accurate, but considering Pirates have quite possibly the best young pitching staff in MLB, the consensus best hitting prospect in MLB, and the fact they have very little money tied up in guaranteed salaries, you may be wrong.
Maybe a guy like Schwarber visualizes himself to be the big fish in the Pittsburgh three rivers, while launching balls over the Clemente Wall, and surprises the baseball world.
Maybe the Pittsburgh front office was impressed with the visionary improvements and the sponsorships that are PA centric that would vibe along westward with him. Wawa hoagies in the middle of Sheetzland. Gorilla marketing at its finest. And the recruiter efforts for players. Staff. Immensely effective.
Critical off-season for a lot of teams. Lockout potential looming, but just the sheer lack of high-end FAs next off-season, it reminds me of the Jason Heywadd signing, bc who are you grabbing next year? Skubal, Peralta are the headliners but for batters it’s a lot of 32+ guys, no real headliner.
I would be signing guys based on a 2 year budget, but that’s just me.
Most of the stars have been getting massive long term deals. Hitting wise there is a lack of stars hitting free agents. Off the top of my head I can’t even think of a hitting star being a free agent next year.
Probably means the bats out there this year will get paid handsomely.
baller – With the CBA likely to make it more costly to sign free agents, wouldn’t it make more sense to sign guys long term now so they are grandfathered in?
The new cba would be over and renegotiated twice before half of these long contracts expire. Not sure how you can grandfather in a deal that lasts longer than the one your negotiating
oh – I don’t follow you?
Any contract signed now for at least 2 years would be grandfathered in, since the current CBA expires a year from now.
Let’s say they implement new penalties for signing free agents of greater than $100M ….. that would not impact all the players who currently have contracts of over $100M, because they are grandfathered in.
If all the mega contracts are grandfathered in then what’s the point of a new cba? Nothing will have changed.
I definitely have a problem defining the beginning and end of my thoughts. Or properly expressing them through words, or at all
oh – Everything will change for all contracts given after the new CBA begins :O)
Was out yesterday missed that Schwarber news. Interesting if true. Pirates could play spoilers to the contest!
Happy Winter Meetings Week, like Xmas for MLBTR! Who’s on your wishlist???
I want Hoyer to sign Imai.
How about you? I know some Yankees fans want Kwan from the Guardians. That would solve the leadoff spot and LF for the Yankees.
I’m not as into Kwan as others, but I wouldn’t mind him. Still like Bellinger and Tucker more in that order.
I’d like Fairbanks for the pen and either a King reunion or someone of lower cost for the rotation.
I’m intrigued by all of the Japanese stars so I wouldn’t say no to any.
Bellinger coming back makes too much sense. Cashman should really be landing him, unless Tucker is in play.
What the Pirates have done in the past is irrelevant. What are they never going to beat that 39 million? They simply haven’t had the foundation and farm system to invest in a free agent in the last decade. Since you missed it well they haven’t been a good team for awhile.
Yes they have. They could have invested at the 2024 trade deadline but acquired BLDC and IKF but only if they also traded away Martin Perez.
Even if the Bucs had the best farm system year after year Bob Nutting would not invest in free agents. And the only reason why he would do it now is because of the same reason why the A’s did it last year.
No one available at 2024 deadline. Prices were insane. I covered the entire thing. I really wanted Booker who wasn’t traded. Wanted Winker who went for more of a pitching prospect I would have been comfortable with and he didn’t do anything special enough to help anyways.
Reason they are spending now has nothing to do with the fake news oh they have to avoid a grievance or Manfred is making them or they are trying to show the other teams before the labor dispute.
Nutting invested plenty Marte Polanco Cutch AJ Martin Jung Cervelli Liriano Nova Harrison. Have to go back that far because it’s the last time they had opportunity to win. Now in 2026 they do. Had in 2025 as well but no free agents available yeah yeah I am sure you were one of the many wanting Santander Conforto.
What did you cover? Who are you? What outlet do you write for??? No offense but check yo’self or you’ll continue to sound like you write for Rumbunter.
Nutting didn’t invest plenty. Acquiring veterans and hoping they had comeback seasons isn’t optimal and NH got lucky.
Actually I wanted BC to sell some of his prospects before 2025. I’m all about “grow the arms, buy the bats”. And I still think he should do that.
They were relevant a few years back too carrying several all stars but never went all in financially for a playoff push. Pirates know he’s not gonna take it. It’s a PR move, showing other teams theirs an offer while giving pirate fans hope
According to the mlbtr comment section Heyman said the pirates are a fit for Marte. So nothing about interested eye talks.
Other than that great article
Guys who are holding up the market:
Schwarber–some team’s #1 choice
Diaz–gotta have a closer
Imai–is he an ace?
simon – A case could be made for Schwarber for hitters, but Diaz and Imai? Cease already signed, Williams already signed, Iglesias already signed, Helsley already signed …..
Phillies
Yankees
Padres
Bellinger Bellinger Bellinger
Someone will overpay (in trade cost) for Marte–but that doesn’t make it a bad idea for teams in the hunt. Someone will overpay for Schwarber, but again, that doesn’t make it a bad idea for the next 2-3 years, for the right team. In fact, there are a number of fringy players–not bad, have talent and history, but recently injured or underperformed–or are coming off a contract year–who will get too much for too long. Bellinger could be one of the latter.
I’m a Reds fan and I would love to see them sign Schwarber. However, I think it would be great to see the Pirates grab him if the Reds can’t swing it. I remember the 70’s when the Pirates and Reds ruled the decade in the NL. The Dodgers and Phillies were excellent in the middle to late part of the decade but the Reds and Pirates were strong the entire decade. There was nothing like watching a doubleheader at Riverfront Stadium between The Big Red Machine and the Pirates lumber and lightning teams. It would be good for baseball if they were both relevant again.
Here’s how cynical Pirates fans have become: suspect they made a “safe” offer knowing that Shwarber will get better offers elsewhere so it looks like they tried.
After reading the articles on Schwarber and Marte being looked into by the Pirates. Now we all know that the Pirates will not acquire both Schwarber and Marte. It would be one or the other.
Now the question is if the Pirates would do this, who would be the best single acquisition?
Schwarber is a FA signing and they have money for one finally. Marte is a trade package deal and Pirates have a shitload of pitching depth. Prob take Seth Hernandez Nick Gonzalez and some more, but so be it. They ABSOLUTELY could do both of these deals. And still have money to spend.
“…and they have money for one finally”. What? The same owner who said he lost $2MM at the end of 2024? Now he has supposedly up to $40MM to spend? Has revenue sharing increased that much?
Schwarber and Jorge Polanco
Then maybe trade Keller for a 3B
Pirates need to sign Kyle Schwarber
That is all