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Nationals Sign Josh Bell

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Josh Bell is heading back to Washington, as the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports that the first baseman has signed a one-year, $6MM deal with the Nationals.  The 32-year-old Bell is represented by the Boras Corporation.

Since Nathaniel Lowe was just acquired last week to be the Nats’ new everyday first baseman, Bell likely now slots in as the first-choice designated hitter.  Both the left-handed hitting Lowe and the switch-hitting Bell have pretty even career splits, but Bell could step in at first base every once in a while when Washington faces a left-handed pitcher, even though Lowe is a much better fielder.  As the DH, Bell’s switch-hitting bat also brings a bit more balance to a Nationals lineup that is heavy on lefty swingers.

In a career defined by major hot and cold streaks, Bell’s previous stint in D.C. stands out as perhaps the most consistent stretch of his nine MLB seasons.  The Nationals acquired Bell from the Pirates during the 2020-21 offseason, and Bell proceeded to hit .278/.363/.483 with 41 homers over 1005 plate appearances from Opening Day 2021 until he was dealt to the Padres as part of the Juan Soto blockbuster at the 2022 trade deadline.

Unfortunately for Bell and the Padres, his bat went cold after the deal, though his overall offensive output was enough for him to earn NL Silver Slugger honors for the DH position.  It also led to a two-year, $33MM contract with the Guardians that winter, but Bell didn’t hit particularly well in his first four months in Cleveland before he was again dealt at the deadline, which sparked another hot streak as he helped lead the Marlins to a playoff berth.

The pattern continued at last July’s deadline, as Bell again found himself on the move from the Marlins to the Diamondbacks.  Bell had hit only .239/.305/.394 in 441 PA for Miami last year, but his bat again came to life post-trade, as he hit .279/.361/.436 in 162 PA for an Arizona team that had temporarily lost starting first baseman Christian Walker to the injured list.

The short-term nature of this latest contract leaves open the possibility that Bell could be dealt at his fourth consecutive trade deadline if the Nationals aren’t in contention.  While Lowe is under arbitration control through the 2026 season, Bell and fellow free agent Michael Soroka were both inked to one-year deals, as the Nationals seem to be somewhat hedging their bets on their readiness to compete in 2025.  The Nats have struggled through five straight losing seasons since their World Series victory in 2019, yet with many members of their young core now in the big leagues, there was speculation Washington might be a little more aggressive this winter in firmly announcing the end of its rebuild.

This being said, Bell’s signing is certainly a boost for a Nationals club that had trouble producing offense last year, particularly in the power department.  The Nats’ 135 home runs ranked 29th of 30 teams, and CJ Abrams (with 20 homers) was the only D.C. player who went yard more often than Bell (19 homers) did in 2024.

With Bell and Lowe in the fold, expected improvement from Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr., and a full season from top prospects James Wood and Dylan Crews, there is plenty of reason to think the Nats can be a much more productive lineup.  If everything clicks and the team’s young pitching also takes a step forward, the Nationals might well get back to winning baseball next year, and then perhaps start spending on bigger-name talent next offseason.

Bell’s career walk and strikeout rates have consistently been above average, while his barrel rates have been more spotty.  His hard-hit ball rate dropped to 40.1% last season, slightly below the league average and his lowest mark since the 2018 season.  While there isn’t much sign of decline at age 32, per se, the big question about Bell is simply which version of the slugger is going to show up, given how his production has swung back and forth so sharply over the last few seasons.

Now that Bell is signed, third base remains a target area for Washington, as the team’s attempt to get Gleyber Torres to change positions from second base fell on deaf ears.  The bullpen remains a clear area of need, and there’s still plenty of time in the offseason for the Nationals to add a bigger name than Soroka as more of a clear-cut upgrade to the rotation.

Marlins Sign Freddy Tarnok To Minors Deal

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The Marlins have signed right-hander Freddy Tarnok to a minor league deal, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball Media writes.  The contract includes an invitation for Tarnok to attend Miami’s big league Spring Training camp.

Tarnok made his MLB debut in the form of a single appearance and two-thirds of an inning for the Braves in 2022, and Atlanta then dealt him that winter as part of the three-team, nine-player trade that saw Sean Murphy head to the Braves and William Contreras and Joel Payamps land in Milwaukee.  The Athletics’ end of the trade saw them obtain Tarnok and four other players, only two of whom (Esteury Ruiz and Royber Salinas) are still with the A’s just over two years ago.

Tarnok’s own time on Oakland’s big league roster was limited to five games and 14 2/3 innings in 2023, with the righty delivering a 4.91 ERA in that limited sample while also allowing four homers and 11 walks.  Shoulder and hip injuries hampered Tarnok for much of the year, and he ended up having hip surgery in August 2023.  Some rust wasn’t unexpected after Tarnok’s recovery, but he managed only a 7.39 ERA in 31 2/3 Triple-A innings this past season.

That time in Triple-A was spent with both the Athletics’ top affiliate and in the Phillies’ farm system, as Philadelphia claimed Tarnok off waivers this past June.  The Phils outrighted Tarnok off their 40-man roster at the start of November and he elected to become a minor league free agent.

An increase in both his walk and home run totals plagued Tarnok in the upper minors as well as in his brief time in the majors.  These issues have led to a 4.68 ERA over 92 1/3 career Triple-A innings, as well as an 11.97% walk rate and 23.44% strikeout rate.

While Tarnok has some ability to miss bats, his inability to keep the ball in the park or keep batters off the basepaths has left him looking for a fresh start entering his age-26 season.  It is possible a healthy Tarnok gets back to his much more solid pre-injury form, and for the minimal cost of a minors contract, the Marlins are betting that he can become at least a depth swingman now that he is further removed from his hip surgery.  Leighton writes that Miami will again give Tarnok a chance to start games.

Diamondbacks Not Close To Any Pitching Trades

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The Diamondbacks’ surprise signing of Corbin Burnes added a new frontline arm to a rotation that was already operating at a surplus on paper.  Burnes joins Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Jordan Montgomery, Brandon Pfaadt, and Ryne Nelson, giving the Snakes an enviably deep group of starting pitchers.  The D’backs had already been drawing trade interest in this group even before Burnes was added, but Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports that the Burnes signing wasn’t made with any other pitching swaps immediately on the horizon.

According to Piecoro, no “other deals [are] lined up or even close” involving Arizona’s pitchers, as the Diamondbacks will continue to take a measured view of the market.  A source tells Piecoro that the D’Backs will likely “spend the coming days fielding calls from teams still in the hunt for starters, including those that were in on Burnes.”  The D’Backs aren’t in any particular rush to complete a trade any time soon, as having more than a full rotation in place before New Year’s Eve gives the club plenty of time to figure out the best possible offer.

It also isn’t entirely out of the question that the Diamondbacks stand pat on their starters, especially if an injury emerges to a starter during their offseason training, or during Spring Training.  Kelly, Rodriguez, and Montgomery all missed significant time with injuries last season, so there is obvious value in having extra pitchers on hand should any more health issues create openings in the rotation.  Operating with a six-man rotation is also a possibility, in order to keep everyone healthy and fresh for what the D’Backs hope can be an extended run through the playoffs.

Given how the Burnes deal reportedly came together just within the last week when Burnes himself approached the D’Backs, it isn’t surprising that the signing wasn’t part of an immediate plan to re-model the pitching staff.  Such two-step transactions are usually hard to pull off, though the Diamondbacks were part of such a set of moves from the Guardians just last week — Arizona acquired Josh Naylor from the Guards, and Cleveland then signed Carlos Santana that same day to immediately fill Naylor’s spot as the everyday first baseman.

The fact that Burnes signed with a team that was seemingly already set for starting pitching gives GM Mike Hazen even more leverage in shopping his hurlers.  Such known Burnes suitors like the Orioles, Blue Jays, or Giants are still in need of pitching, to say nothing of the many other starter-needy clubs on the market that weren’t willing or able to meet Burnes’ asking price.

Nothing seems to have changed in terms of which starters are most prominently on Arizona’s trade block.  Gallen and Kelly are both free agents next winter but don’t seem likely to be dealt, as a team source told Piecoro that the team’s focus in on “trying to put the best team on the field in 2025.”  Nelson is controlled through the 2027 season and Pfaadt through the 2029 season, so the Diamondbacks would probably only move either if a longer-term asset (likely a position player) could be obtained in return.  The D’Backs might not mind moving the $66MM remaining on Rodriguez’s contract, but the club would certainly have to sell low and eat some of that money in the wake of E-Rod’s injury-plagued down year.

That leaves Montgomery as still the chief candidate to be dealt before Opening Day.  Montgomery’s trade value is also at a low ebb after his rough first year in Arizona, and his $22.5MM salary for the 2025 season.  Owner Ken Kendrick’s public criticism of Montgomery following the season only increased the probability that the left-hander would be pitching elsewhere next year, yet again, the Burnes signing gives the D’Backs some flexibility in this regard.  The Diamondbacks technically don’t have to trade Montgomery if an acceptable offer for another starter comes their way, and offers for Montgomery might improve if other teams become increasingly desperate to add pitching.

Giants Considering Pete Alonso

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The Giants already made one big infield addition by signing Willy Adames, and kept Matt Chapman off the free agent market entirely by signing the third baseman to a six-year, $151MM extension back in September.  With the Giants still weighing big moves, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that “Pete Alonso is on their radar” as a significant upgrade to the first base/DH mix.

As it stands, LaMonte Wade Jr. will be getting the bulk of first base at-bats, as the left-handed hitting side of what will likely be a platoon situation.  That said, reports have suggested San Francisco is open to moving Wade, and that the Giants had some interest in signing Paul Goldschmidt before Goldschmidt landed with the Yankees.  Top prospect Bryce Eldridge is viewed as the long-term answer at first base, and with Eldridge making his Triple-A debut in 2024, a shorter-term signing like Goldschmidt made sense as a bridge at the position.

Adding Alonso would only somewhat change that direction.  If Alonso took over the everyday first base role, Wade could be shifted into the part-time DH role, and Wade is a free agent next winter so he might not remain part of the Giants’ future plans.  Eldridge played some outfield in 2023 but is largely viewed as a first baseman going forward, so he and Alonso could form a powerful first base/DH combo even if such an arrangement would lock down both positions for years to come.

There’s also a possibility that Eldridge could become a big trade chip the Giants can dangle to address other needs, or that Alonso wouldn’t necessarily be a long-term addition.  MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand hears from various executives around the league that Alonso’s next contract might involve an opt-out clause or two, thus allowing Alonso to re-enter the market potentially as early as the 2025-26 offseason.  Alonso’s agent Scott Boras has included such opt-out provisions in several of his clients’ deals in recent years, in some cases creating an extra level of flexibility for teams and for players coming off less-than-ideal platform years.

It could be argued Alonso is coming off two relative down years, as he has a solid but unspectacular 121 wRC+ since the start of the 2023 season.  The first baseman slugged 80 homers and hit .229/.324/.480 in 1353 plate appearances over that span, while providing little value with his glove or on the basepaths.  Clubs are increasingly wary about committing big money to first base-only players in general, and Alonso’s increasingly homer-heavy approach raises questions about his overall offensive value.

Oracle Park may not exactly be the best ballpark for a right-handed hitting slugger to re-establish his value, though Alonso’s options may be increasingly limited.  The Yankees (Goldschmidt), Astros (Christian Walker), Diamondbacks (Josh Naylor), and Nationals (Nathaniel Lowe) have all addressed their needs at first base.  MLBTR’s Leo Morgenstern recently looked at Alonso’s market and cited the Giants along with the Reds, Tigers, Blue Jays, as possible darkhorse candidates for the slugger, along with the more obvious possibility that Alonso just re-signs with the Mets.

Indeed, most of the executives who spoke with Feinsand “believe an Alonso/Mets reunion is inevitable,” even if such a deal involves opt-out clauses.  The Mets remain linked to both Alonso and Alex Bregman, leaving the team with an interesting choice of top-tier corner infielders since Mark Vientos can play first or third base depending on who is signed.  (Or, it isn’t entirely out of the question that the aggressive Mets could sign both Bregman and Alonso, with Vientos moving to DH.)  Jon Heyman of the New York Post writes that “a sizable gap” remains between Alonso and the Mets in their current negotiations.

Because both Adames and Alonso rejected qualifying offers, the Giants would have to surrender two more draft picks and another $1MM in international bonus pool money if they brought Alonso into the fold to join their new shortstop.  This might not necessarily be an obstacle since the Giants already gave up two picks and $1MM to sign Chapman and Blake Snell (two other qualified free agents) last offseason.  RosterResource estimates San Francisco for roughly a $167.1MM payroll and $207.5MM luxury tax number in 2025, so adding Alonso is feasible even if it remains unclear how much ownership is willing to spend on next year’s roster.

The Giants’ pursuit of Corbin Burnes signaled that the club was willing to make another splurge, though Slusser notes that they didn’t offer Burnes more than the $210MM over six years than the righty received from the Diamondbacks.  Indeed, Slusser frames the Giants’ courtship of Burnes as fairly limited, writing that “San Francisco’s pursuit never advanced much beyond initial talks at the general manager meetings…and an offer made at that point did not get things off the ground.”

President of baseball operations Buster Posey addressed the Giants’ next steps in a text to The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly, with Posey writing “We believe in our young arms, and feel like they are in a position to take some big steps forward.  [We] will continue to look on the offensive side for players that give us a chance to score runs in multiple ways.”

Mets Offered Two-Year Contract To Teoscar Hernandez

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1:51PM: The Mets’ offer to Hernandez “would’ve carried a similar annual average value to the contract he agreed to with the Dodgers but without deferrals,” The Athletic’s Will Sammon writes.  Such shorter-term deals for outfield or DH help remain a possibility for the Mets, if for less than what it would’ve taken to sign Hernandez.  For instance, Sammon notes that the Mets have interest in re-signing Jesse Winker in such a role.

1:25PM: The Mets’ interest in the free agent outfield market was seemingly limited to just Juan Soto, as unlike other Soto suitors, New York wasn’t known to have any public interest in the likes of Teoscar Hernandez or Anthony Santander as backup plans if Soto signed elsewhere.  However, now with Soto already in the fold, the Mets made a late bid on Hernandez, as Newsday’s Tim Healey reports that the Amazins offered the slugger a two-year deal earlier this week.  The dollar figure isn’t known, but Hernandez rejected the deal anyway and rejoined the Dodgers on a three-year, $66MM pact.

Since the Mets have the financial resources to be in on any available player, their interest in Hernandez could’ve been a case of due diligence.  There’s no harm, after all, in checking in on a talented hitter to gauge his interest in joining the Mets, and president of baseball operations David Stearns might have seen an opening in a shorter-term deal since Hernandez was lingering on the market.

This isn’t to say that signing Hernandez would’ve been a bargain, exactly, as he would’ve cost the Mets even more draft and international bonus capital.  Because New York exceeded the luxury tax in 2024, signing Soto cost the Mets $1MM in int’l bonus pool money, plus their second- and fifth-highest picks in the 2025 draft.  Like Soto, Hernandez also rejected a qualifying offer, and thus signing him would’ve required that the Mets give up another $1MM from their international bonus pool, as well as their third- and sixth-highest draft selections.

Adding Hernandez would’ve further crowded the outfield picture.  The projected starting outfield consists of Soto in right field, Brandon Nimmo in left, Jose Siri and Tyrone Taylor platooning in center, Starling Marte likely relegated to DH duty, and Jeff McNeil, Jared Young, and Luisangel Acuna able to step onto the grass in a pinch.  Had New York signed Hernandez, the likeliest scenario probably would’ve seen Nimmo return to center field, unless the Mets were successful in opening up the DH spot by trading Marte.  Reports from a few weeks ago suggested the Mets were willing to eat some of the $19.5MM owed to Marte in the event of a trade, and while no deal was thought to be in the offing, the Mets’ openness to cover salary might hint that Marte is the odd man out.

If signing Hernandez was seen as something of a unique circumstance, the Mets’ outfield depth probably means they’re less likely to seek out Santander or another outfield bat unless Marte is dealt.  In terms of lineup additions overall, New York remains linked to Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman as the club looks to boost at least one corner infield slot.

Padres Sign Mike Brosseau

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The Padres have agreed to a deal with infielder Mike Brosseau, as announced by his Icon Sports Management agent Joe Rosen.  While not specified by Rosen, it can be assumed that Brosseau signed a minor league contract.

Brosseau has a career .242/.313/.428 slash line in 647 career big league plate appearances with the Rays and Brewers from 2019-23.  Primarily a second and third baseman during his five MLB seasons, Brosseau has also seen action at first base, shortstop, and both corner outfield slots, with this versatility making him a useful part-time roster piece.  He also provided good numbers at the plate in his first two seasons and in 2022, which was his first season in Milwaukee.

Unfortunately for Brosseau, he struggled to a .654 OPS in 78 PA in 2023, leading the Brewers to outright him off the roster that July and then release him so Brosseau could pursue a deal in Japan with the Chiba Lotte Marines.  The 37-game stint in NPB didn’t work out for Brosseau and he returned to North American baseball in 2024, hitting .263/.356/.417 over 405 combined PA with the Triple-A affiliates of the Royals and Mets.

Padres first baseman Luis Arraez and second baseman Jake Cronenworth are both left-handed hitters, as are projected backups Tyler Wade and Trenton Brooks.  Brosseau could be viewed as a complement to Wade to give the Padres some utility infield coverage on both sides of the plate, and both Wade and Brosseau can play all over the diamond.  Brosseau also has a minor league option year remaining, giving San Diego some potential flexibility in moving him back and forth from Triple-A over the course of the season.

Braves Re-Sign Brian Moran To Minor League Deal

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The Braves have signed left-hander Brian Moran to a minors contract earlier this month, as per Moran’s MLB.com profile page.  The southpaw elected to become a minor league free agent at the end of the season.

This is the third straight winter Moran has inked a minors pact with Atlanta, though this tenure has yet to result in any playing time at the MLB level.  Moran posted a 3.21 ERA, 28.3% strikeout rate, and 9.8% walk rate over 47 2/3 innings with Triple-A Gwinnett in 2023, but dropped back to a 5.91 ERA and 22.9K% in 45 2/3 innings last year, albeit with an improved 7.6% walk rate.  Looking at other advanced metrics, Moran benefited from an 84.8% strand rate in 2023 but had a .373 BABIP in 2024.

Now entering his age-36 season, Moran seems to be viewed by the Braves as a useful veteran depth arm, even if the club hasn’t been compelled to give him another look on the active roster.  Cracking the bullpen could again be difficult for Moran since Dylan Lee, Aaron Bummer, Angel Perdomo, and Dylan Dodd are all left-handers projected to be part of the relief corps, plus Atlanta recently brought another southpaw in Kolton Ingram into the fold on a minor league deal.

Moran last appeared in the majors in 2022, pitching just a third of an inning in cup-of-coffee fashion with the Angels.  Moran has a 7.94 ERA in 11 1/3 innings over 18 career games in the big leagues, primarily with the Marlins and Blue Jays during the 2019-20 seasons.  A seventh-round pick for the Mariners in the 2009 draft, Moran has bounced around the league to multiple organizations, including another stint in Atlanta’s minor league system back in 2016.

Pirates Sign Darick Hall To Minors Contract

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The Pirates have signed first baseman Darick Hall to a minor league deal, as revealed by Hall on his Instagram page earlier this week.  Hall elected minor league free agency at season’s end, after the Phillies outrighted him off their 40-man roster back in August.

A 14th-round pick for the Phillies in the 2016 draft, Hall showed plenty of pop during his time in the minors, including a .253/.342/.458 slash line and 76 homers over 1735 plate appearances at the Triple-A level.  Big production in the 2022 season in particular earned Hall his first trip to the big leagues, and he continued to impress by hitting .250/.282/.522 with nine homers in 142 PA.

Unfortunately, a thumb surgery cost him over two and a half months of the 2023 season, and Hall hit only .167/.196/.241 over 56 Major League PA while spending most of the year at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.  Hall last appeared in the big leagues on July 20, 2023, as he spent the entirety of the 2024 season in the minors.  Hall hit only .236/.320/.387 over 488 PA for Lehigh Valley last year, so he didn’t do much to force the issue in earning himself another look on Philadelphia’s roster.

It also didn’t help Hall that, as a first base-only player at this stage of his career, the Phillies never had much of a place to play him.  Between Rhys Hoskins, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber, the Phils had most of the first base and DH at-bats spoken for, leaving Hall without much of an opening unless someone was injured.  (The Phillies only called Hall up to the majors in 2022 after Harper was sidelined by a fractured thumb.)

After spending his entire pro career in Philadelphia, Hall will now head across Pennsylvania to join the Bucs, though he’ll again find himself lower on the depth chart.  Andrew McCutchen will continue to garner most of the DH at-bats and the newly-acquired Spencer Horwitz is slated to be the Pirates’ regular first baseman.  Horwitz and Hall are both left-handed hitters so that will limit platoon opportunities, though Hall might find a niche if McCutchen is spelled against the occasional righty starter.

Hall has played a handful of games as a left fielder in winter ball, but he has made only one career minor league appearance in the outfield, so it doesn’t seem likely that the Pirates will use him anywhere beyond first base.  Hall is out of minor league options, so if he did stick with the Buccos beyond Spring Training, Pittsburgh would have to put him through waivers again if the club wanted to send him to the minors.

Details On Mariners/Red Sox Trade Talks

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The Mariners and Red Sox have been linked together in trade rumors for the better part of a year, including reports from earlier this winter that Seattle turned down Boston’s offer of Triston Casas for either Bryan Woo or Bryce Miller.  Another intriguing deal involving Casas was at least discussed between the two sides, as MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports that the Sox weren’t willing to agree to a deal that would’ve seen Casas swapped in exchange for Luis Castillo.  The Red Sox were only open to such a trade if Masataka Yoshida was included along with Casas.

Yoshida signed a five-year, $90MM deal with the Red Sox in December 2022, back when Chaim Bloom was still Boston’s chief baseball officer.  The contract greatly exceeded what Yoshida was expected to land in his entry into North American baseball, and once Craig Breslow took over Boston’s front office last winter, it didn’t take long before Yoshida’s name began to surface in trade rumors.  Yoshida is still owed $54MM over the final three seasons of that deal, plus he underwent shoulder surgery in October, though he is expected to be recovered in time for Opening Day.

Since Yoshida’s contract has become the central talking point of his MLB career, his salary tends to obscure the fact that he has posted decent numbers over his two seasons in the Show.  Yoshida has hit .285/.343/.433 and 25 home runs over 1001 plate appearances, translating to a 112 wRC+.  That production has ticked upwards against right-handed pitching, as the lefty-swinging Yoshida naturally has better splits against righties (.810 OPS in 749 PA) than lefties (252 PA).  Known for being a very disciplined hitter during his time in Japan, Yoshida has been one of baseball’s toughest batters to strike out during his time with the Red Sox.

For all of Yoshida’s contact, however, he hasn’t delivered much in the way of hard contact or power numbers.  He has also posted subpar walk rates, and public defensive metrics didn’t like his glovework over 713 1/3 innings as a left fielder in 2023.  The Red Sox responded to the fielding struggles by limiting Yoshida almost exclusively to DH duty in 2024, a decision that reportedly didn’t please the 31-year-old.

Since the Mariners could use a left-handed bat and basically hitting help of any kind, Yoshida might have some appeal on paper to Seattle.  That said, Randy Arozarena is set to play left field and Mitch Haniger is already slated to take on the bulk of DH at-bats, so Yoshida would again likely be limited to a platoon DH role in the Mariners’ lineup.  It is also easy to imagine what the M’s had little to no interest in taking Yoshida’s contract off Boston’s hands, as reports have indicated that the Mariners might only be open to moving Castillo in order to clear his salary from the books.

Castillo is owed $68.25MM in guaranteed money from 2025-27, plus a $25MM vesting option for 2028 that becomes guaranteed based on health, and if Castillo tosses at least 180 innings during the 2027 season.  Trading Castillo and taking back Yoshida would represent only $39.25MM of savings for the Mariners’ payroll, which the M’s probably didn’t view as worthwhile even with the bigger benefit of obtaining a controllable young slugger like Casas.  Seattle president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has publicly stated that trading from the rotation is a “Plan Z” option given how much the Mariners value their elite pitching staff, and if the M’s did budge on moving a starter, taking back an unwanted contract as salary offset is surely not on Dipoto’s radar.

It seems increasingly clear that the Sox are ready to move on from Yoshida, yet naturally it will be tricky in getting another team to absorb anything more than a fraction of his $54MM remaining salary.  Attaching Casas or another young player to Yoshida in a trade package would be a significant sweetener, even it could also be viewed as something of a waste of a trade asset to give up young talent as part of a salary dump.  While $54MM obviously isn’t a drop in the bucket, Yoshida’s contract isn’t all that onerous for a big-market club and a traditional big spender like the Red Sox, plus their estimated $212MM luxury tax number for 2025 is well under the $241MM tax threshold.

That said, the Red Sox have also exceeded the tax line just once in the last five years, as ownership has made a clear mandate to scale back the team’s spending.  This hasn’t stopped Breslow from making some significant moves, though Boston’s pitching acquisitions this winter (i.e. trading for Garrett Crochet and signing Walker Buehler and Patrick Sandoval) came with a pretty limited financial cost.  The Sox have also been linked to such major free agent names as Juan Soto, Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, Teoscar Hernandez, even if those players ultimately ended up signing elsewhere.

The Mariners and Red Sox have been seen as natural trade partners, as Seattle’s pitching depth and need for hitting dovetails with Boston’s rotation needs and surplus of position players.  Considering the quality of the Mariners’ arms, it is safe to guess the Sox would still be open to adding a Seattle starter if an acceptable deal could be lined up, but the two clubs have been unable to find a match after at least a year of on-and-off trade talks.

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