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The Opener: Arbitration Filing Deadline, Cubs, Rotation Market

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Arbitration filing deadline:

Today is a big day on MLB’s offseason calendar, as Thursday marks the deadline for teams and players to exchange figures ahead of salary arbitration. Most of those cases will end in the two parties settling on a salary to avoid arbitration, but any team that still has unsigned players after today will be scheduled for a hearing in front of a three-person arbitration panel. It’s a messy process that can cause discord between player and team. Arb hearings present a difficult balancing act for teams that simultaneously wish to avoid damaging the relationship they have with their players but also are incentivized to hold a firm line on arbitration-level salaries to avoid setting damaging future precedents. The official deadline to reach an agreement is scheduled for noon CT, but teams and players will continue negotiations until the more firm deadline to file figures at 7pm CT this evening. As always, MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz delivered projected arbitration salaries for every eligible player in the game at the outset of the offseason.

2. What’s next for the Cubs?

After what had been a quiet offseason focused mostly on retooling the team’s bullpen, the Cubs made their first big splash yesterday when they swung a trade for talented right-hander Edward Cabrera. Chicago surrendered top outfield prospect Owen Caissie (alongside younger infield prospects Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon) to the Marlins in exchange for Cabrera’s services. Cabrera is controlled via arbitration for the next three seasons and is projected for a salary of just $3.7MM in 2026. That should give Chicago ample space in the budget to get involved elsewhere in the free agent market. With a rotation that suddenly looks quite deep, that could mean a more aggressive pursuit of top free agent bats. The Cubs have been connected to Alex Bregman throughout the winter, and in recent days have also been tied to Bo Bichette and even old friend Cody Bellinger. A reunion with outgoing star Kyle Tucker still seems unlikely, but could a big free agent splash be in store for the Cubs before the season begins?

3. Will the rotation market keep moving?

Yesterday’s Cabrera trade took another big piece off of the trade market, leaving only a handful of starters left to pursue on that front. Brewers righty Freddy Peralta is perhaps the most talked-about player at this point and could be an impactful rental for an acquiring team, but other players (e.g. Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore, Mets righty Kodai Senga, Royals lefty Kris Bubic, Reds righty Brady Singer) could all theoretically be available in the right deal. Meanwhile, the lower tiers of the free agent market saw a bit of movement yesterday when the Rockies agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Michael Lorenzen. Less active has been the high-end rotation market in free agency, where arms like Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez still remain.

Poll: Who Will Sign Bo Bichette?

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It’s been an unusual trip through free agency for Bo Bichette. The infielder is one of the most attractive free agents on the market as a bat-first shortstop with multiple All-Star appearances under his belt who will only be 28 years old next year, but he’s not gotten much attention in the rumor mill this winter as players like Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, and Cody Bellinger have absorbed most of the offseason attention. Perhaps that lack of buzz has been due to a widespread assumption that Bichette, who has long spoken about his desire to stay in Toronto for his entire career, was sure to remain with the Blue Jays going forward. That’s an illusion that’s been shattered by the Jays’ addition of Kazuma Okamoto and their reportedly increased aggression in the market for Tucker, however. If the Blue Jays appear to be pivoting towards other stars, where does that leave Bichette? A look at his potential landing spots:

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox haven’t been shy about their desire to either re-sign or replace Bregman, adding to an infield mix that already includes Trevor Story and Marcelo Mayer as likely starting options. Bichette would certainly be as strong an addition as any for the Red Sox, adding a transformational right-handed bat to their heavily left-handed lineup. Bichette would likely be the weakest defender at shortstop between himself, Story, and Mayer, but that shouldn’t be a significant problem seeing as Bregman himself does not play shortstop and Bichette has expressed a willingness to move off his native position headed into 2026.

All of that makes Bichette a great fit for the Red Sox, which is surely why they held a video meeting with him last month. Even so, there are some potential obstacles. The team has reportedly started to be more aggressive in their pursuit of Bregman in free agency, and it’s nearly impossible to imagine Boston bringing in both players. Even if they don’t bring Bregman back into the fold, the Red Sox have shown a clear preference for utilizing the trade market to improve rather than free agency, so perhaps someone like Brendan Donovan or Ketel Marte would hold more appeal.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs are a more recent entrant into the Bichette sweepstakes, as they’ve been connected to him in recent weeks. Chicago has had a very quiet offseason so far, but with Tucker expected to head elsewhere in free agency it’s easy to see why they might want to bring in a big bat to supplement the offense. As the #2 free agent in this year’s class behind Tucker, Bichette would certainly qualify, and his relative youth could be attractive to a Cubs team that is building up a core of young talent that includes Pete Crow-Armstrong, Matt Shaw, Michael Busch, and Cade Horton with more youngsters on the way.

On the other hand, Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner are the league’s best defensive middle infield combination at the moment. Bringing Bichette into the fold would seemingly either require Bichette to move to third base (thereby pushing Shaw into a utility role) or trading Hoerner to free up the keystone. The team’s front office already gave Shaw a vote of confidence earlier this winter, but Hoerner’s name has come up occasionally in trade rumors this winter as he heads into his final season before free agency.

Los Angeles Dodgers

As with the Cubs, Los Angeles’s interest in Bichette is a somewhat recent development. It’s hardly ever a shock to see the Dodgers involved in the market for a top free agent, and Bichette is no exception to that. After a down season in 2025 from Mookie Betts, adding Bichette’s right-handed bat to the middle of the lineup could be very attractive for the Dodgers in order to help balance out the big lefty bats offered by Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.

With that being said, an infield consisting of Betts at shortstop, Bichette at second base, and Max Muncy at third base could leave much to be desired defensively. What’s more, such an alignment would require moving Tommy Edman back into center field on a daily basis, a move the club could be hesitant to make given his injury history. Of the winter’s top free agents, Tucker seems like a more straightforward fit for the Dodgers given their weak outfield mix. Even with that being said, however, the Dodgers’ financial muscle and eagerness to build on their back-to-back World Series wins leaves just about anything on the table for the club.

Toronto Blue Jays

While much of the discourse surrounding alternative suitors for Bichette is due to the seemingly closing window for him to return to Toronto, that doesn’t mean the Blue Jays are completely out of the running. Bichette’s affection for the only team he’s known since being drafted in the second round back in 2016 has been widely reported for years now, and his close connection with fellow star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. surely makes a return to Toronto the most attractive option from his own perspective. While Tucker is a more straightforward fit for the team’s needs after signing Okamoto, Bichette would still certainly be an extremely viable alternative if the bidding for the star outfielder gets outside of the Jays’ comfort zone. Placing Bichette at second base and either moving Ernie Clement into a bench role or having Okamoto split time between first base, third base, DH, and the outfield corners in order to create playing time for Clement could certainly be a viable option.

Other Options

Those four teams are perhaps the most feasible options for Bichette, but they’re far from the only ones. The Phillies have been connected to him and could certainly fit him into the lineup if they were to more significantly alter their lineup by dealing Alec Bohm, but signing Bichette seems likely to complicate their ability to re-sign J.T. Realmuto. The Yankees have also been connected to Bichette and might be his best chance at playing shortstop in 2026 given Anthony Volpe’s difficult year last season, but they presently seem focused on signing Bellinger and adding to their rotation, making a pursuit of Bichette lower on their list of priorities. The Giants could certainly use an upgrade at the keystone over Casey Schmitt, but they’ve been more focused on trade options like Donovan and Hoerner than the free agent market. The Tigers could theoretically put Bichette at shortstop in 2026 alongside Gleyber Torres before sliding him over to second when Torres hits free agency next year in order to make room for top prospect Kevin McGonigle, but Detroit’s front office seems largely content to head into 2026 with the same group that brought them back-to-back playoff berths the past two seasons.

Where do MLBTR readers ultimately think Bichette will land? Have your say in the poll below:

The Opener: Tucker, DFA Resolutions, Bregman

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Movement on Tucker’s market?

Outfielder Kyle Tucker’s market has moved more slowly than the top free agents of recent offseasons. Players like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and Aaron Judge had all already signed by this point when they were on the open market. There’s been at least some smoke with regard to Tucker of late, however; the Blue Jays have seemingly stepped up their pursuit of the offseason’s top hitter. Adding Tucker would be a crown jewel on a banner offseason for Toronto, transforming the middle of their lineup with the addition of a lefty slugger who can complement Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and balance a lineup that leans heavily right-handed. Toronto isn’t the only known suitor for Tucker. He’s been at least loosely connected to teams like the Mets and Dodgers, although Los Angeles would primarily be interested in a shorter-term deal.

2. DFA resolutions continue:

As we move further from the holiday season, the players who were left in DFA limbo during the league’s holiday pause continue to find resolutions. Yesterday saw Justyn-Henry Malloy traded from the Tigers to the Rays, while the Cardinals scooped up Justin Bruihl from the Guardians. Today figures to see more players’ situations resolved. In particular, lefty Josh Walker, outfielder Wade Meckler, and former top prospect Marco Luciano all appear likely to either be claimed off waivers or outrighted by their current clubs today. They were all designated for assignment two days after Jhonkensy Noel and Joey Wiemer. Noel and Wiemer were both claimed off waivers Monday.

3. Will Bregman find a long-term offer?

After opting out of the final two years and $80MM remaining on his contract with the Red Sox, third baseman Alex Bregman re-entered free agency hoping to land more long-term security this winter. That path worked out for the other big bat from last winter’s class who settled for a short-term deal with an opt-out, as Pete Alonso landed in Baltimore on a healthy five-year guarantee. It’s been unclear if there was something similar in the cards for Bregman throughout the offseason. Bregman was receiving real interest from Toronto, but the team’s recent Kazuma Okamoto signing makes it more difficult to see a fit between the two sides. He’s also drawn varying levels of interest from the Cubs, Tigers and D-backs. Some recent rumors have suggested the Red Sox are getting more aggressive in their pursuit of Bregman. Will that be enough to net him the long-term offer he covets, or will another suitor like Chicago or Arizona need to step up its efforts in order to get him there?

Poll: Will The Blue Jays Add Another Big Bat?

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The Blue Jays have been the most active team of the winter, making splashes in the rotation (Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce), bullpen (Tyler Rogers), and mostly recently the lineup with their signing of third baseman Kazuma Okamoto. While Okamoto has a chance to be an impact bat, given his track record as one of the best hitters in NPB, he’s not on the same level as a few other hitters to whom Toronto has been linked. On one level or another, the Jays have been connected to most of the top free agent hitters this offseason. Most recently, reports have centered around three names: outfielder Kyle Tucker, infielder Bo Bichette, and third baseman Alex Bregman.

Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reported yesterday that while the Blue Jays could add more from here, that might require the team to subtract payroll elsewhere on the roster. Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers of ESPN wrote this morning that the Okamoto signing does not take the Jays out of the running for either Tucker or Bichette.

It’s been relatively quiet on the Tucker front, though Rogers and Olney suggest he has both short- and long-term possibilities in front of him. Whichever route he takes, the annual commitment will be significant. Toronto has expressed a willingness to deal Jose Berrios this winter, but his contract is underwater. They wouldn’t be able to shed the full freight of the $66MM he’s still owed. Anthony Santander is making significant money as well, but he’d be even more difficult to trade coming off of a career-worst season where he was limited to 54 games by injuries; Santander also posted a .175/.271/.294 slash (61 wRC+) when healthy enough to play.

Neither Berrios nor Santander would subtract enough payroll to fully offset the addition of a Tucker, Bichette or Bregman. Berrios is owed $18MM in 2026 and has matching $24MM salaries in 2027-28. Santander is owed $16.5MM in 2026 and ’27, $14.75MM in ’28 and $12.75MM in ’29. A hefty $10MM of his salary is deferred in each of those seasons.

If the Blue Jays are truly nearing maximum capacity when it comes to payroll, it’s hard to imagine them coming out on top for one of those star free agents. The Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers, and Mets are among the other big market clubs to have been connected to at least one of those free agents in some capacity.

Of course, it’s possible the Jays don’t feel much need to subtract salary at all. Their $279MM payroll and $308MM of luxury tax obligations (according to RosterResource) are franchise records that thrust them into the top bracket of luxury penalization, but the Jays have a great deal of money coming off the books after this season. George Springer, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Daulton Varsho, Yimi Garcia, and Eric Lauer are all set to reach free agency after 2026. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects Varsho and Lauer for a combined $14.1MM in arbitration this year, while the other four will combine for $70.5MM. That’s nearly $85MM in salary set to come off the books, and declining Myles Straw’s club option for next season would push that figure even higher.

Some of that money would surely need to be re-invested in the roster to replace the departing veterans, but next year’s free agent class doesn’t figure to boast a transformational, middle-of-the-order bat on the level of Tucker or even Bichette. Seiya Suzuki, Randy Arozarena, Nico Hoerner, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are among the top position players set to reach free agency next winter. While all are talented players in their own rights, none is a surefire perennial All-Star like the top bats of this winter’s class. That could make it prudent for the Jays to throw caution to the wind this year and do some of next offseason’s shopping a year early.

How do MLBTR readers expect the Jays to proceed this winter? Will they come away with another top free agent before Opening Day, or will Okamoto be their top addition on offense? Have your say in the poll below:

The Opener: Giants, DFA Resolutions, MLBTR Chat

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Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye out for throughout the day:

1. Giants 40-man move incoming:

Yesterday, the Giants officially announced their signing of right-hander Tyler Mahle. One more piece of the puzzle has to be put into place before Mahle’s deal can become official, however: creating a 40-man roster spot for the righty. San Francisco’s roster is currently at capacity, which means one player will need to be removed in order to make room for Mahle. The Giants have not yet announced that transaction. That typically takes the form of a DFA or release, but it’s at least plausible that the team could be working out a trade that creates 40-man roster space, as the Dodgers did just before the new year by shipping Esteury Ruiz to the Marlins. Whatever the corresponding move for Mahle might be, it figures to be announced in the very near future.

2. DFA resolutions on the horizon:

Yesterday saw a pair of players who had been stranded in DFA limbo over the holidays find a new team, as both Joey Wiemer (Nationals) and Jhonkensy Noel (Orioles) were claimed off waivers by new clubs. There are still several unresolved DFAs from over the holidays, however, and each of them figures to reach a conclusion in the coming days. MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald took a look at the players in DFA limbo just before the new year, with former notable prospects like Marco Luciano, Justyn-Henry Malloy, and Ken Waldichuk among the more interesting names who are waiting to find out where they’ll be playing going forward.

3. MLBTR chat today:

With the start of the 2026, we’re now just over a month away from spring training. The offseason is more than half over at this point both in terms of the calendar and impact free agents on the board, with 30 of MLBTR’s Top 50 free agents having signed already. Still, plenty of questions about this offseason remain. Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette, and Framber Valdez are among the number of top-flight free agents still available, while the trade market holds intriguing talents like Edward Cabrera, Freddy Peralta, and Brendan Donovan who could all still be moved. If you’re wondering what’s in store for your favorite team in the new year or simply looking for the latest hot stove buzz, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered with a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. Readers can use this link to ask a question in advance, follow along when the chat begins, and read the transcript after the chat concludes.

The Opener: Cabrera, Imai, Blue Jays

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Cabrera market heating up?

Right-hander Edward Cabrera has been viewed as a potential trade piece for the Marlins for several years now, but over the weekend the market for Cabrera’s services seemed to heat up somewhat. The Yankees, Giants, Cubs, and Mets were all reported as having interest in Cabrera’s services yesterday, with the Yankees seeming to be involved most heavily. Cabrera is headed into his age-28 campaign and is controlled for the next three seasons via arbitration, making him an affordable addition for virtually any club looking for starting pitching. The talented righty enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, though it was also his first season throwing even 100 innings at the big league level due to a lengthy injury history. The right-hander’s combination of upside and risk make him one of the more intriguing assets on the trade market at the moment.

2. Imai presser today:

The Astros are set to formally introduce right-hander Tatsuya Imai at a press conference later today at Daikin Park, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The addition of Imai should add a capable and upside-laden arm to the Astros’ rotation, slotting in behind Hunter Brown and helping to offset the loss of Framber Valdez. Houston was a somewhat surprising entrant into the Imai bidding but managed to reel the right-hander in with a three-year deal that guarantees $54MM thanks to a combination of significant incentives and the opportunity to opt out of the deal in each of the next two offseasons. That could set Imai up for a much bigger payday down the road if he can deliver high-end results, but in the meantime Astros fans will get the opportunity to watch one of Japan’s top young starters make the jump to MLB in their uniform.

3. What’s next for the Blue Jays?

After signing a number of pitchers early in the offseason, from Dylan Cease to Tyler Rogers, the Blue Jays made a splash on the position player market by bringing in third baseman Kazuma Okamoto over the weekend. Adding Okamoto to the infield, at least on paper, would fill the hole left on the infield by Bo Bichette’s departure in free agency. With Okamoto at third, Ernie Clement can move to second base while Andres Gimenez slides to shortstop. However, there’s been no indication that the Blue Jays are done adding. A reunion with Bichette could certainly still be possible (thereby pushing Clement into a utility role), and the team has also been known to be very involved in the market for the offseason’s top free agent, outfielder Kyle Tucker. Will they be able to follow up Okamoto’s signing with an even bigger bat to boost the lineup?

Royals Extend Matt Quatraro

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The Royals announced this afternoon that they’ve signed manager Matt Quatraro to a three-year extension. Quatraro was already under contract through 2026 but now has signed on for the 2027-29 seasons as well. The announcement notes that the deal includes a club option for the 2030 campaign.

Quatraro, 52, took over managing the Royals after the 2022 season, replacing Mike Matheny. Prior to taking his current role with the Royals, Quatraro served as a bench coach and third base coach for the Rays, as well as an assistant hitting coach in Cleveland. Quatraro’s first year at the helm in Kansas City was a disastrous one, as his team lost 106 games. That’s a record that can’t fairly be attributed to Quatraro in full, however, seeing as he inherited a franchise coming off a 97-loss campaign that last finished above .500 in 2015. After an aggressive push towards contention during the 2023-24 offseason, Quatraro managed to lead the Royals back into the playoffs as they posted a respectable 86-76 record.

That was good for second place in the AL Central that year and earned Kansas City a Wild Card spot. They ultimately swept the Orioles out of the playoffs that year before falling to the Yankees in a four-game ALDS. That season earned Quatraro a second place finish in AL Manager of the Year voting, just behind Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. After another busy offseason last year, the Royals were hoping to repeat that performance and return to the playoffs. Things didn’t go quite so well the second time around, as the team finished with an 82-80 record that left them five games back of the final Wild Card spot.

Disappointing as that outcome was, however, extensions for Seth Lugo and Maikel Garcia have suggested that the front office and ownership feel things are still trending in the right direction, and deals to bring in pieces like Isaac Collins and Matt Strahm further indicate that the Royals enter 2026 with postseason aspirations once again. That’s exceptional for a Royals club that had enjoyed just four season above .500 in the 30 years preceding Quatraro’s ascension to the manager’s chair. Given the team’s relative success under Quatraro compared to their recent history (the club’s back-to-back World Series appearances in 2014-15 notwithstanding), it’s hardly a shock that the Royals decided to work out a new deal with their skipper rather than have him enter the 2026 campaign as a lame duck.

With Quatraro now under contract for at least the next four seasons, the Royals will enter what could prove to be a pivotal season for the club with some stability in the dugout. As Kansas City looks to maximize it’s years with superstar and franchise face Bobby Witt Jr. under franchise control, they’ve aggressively added players to the team who figure to come off the books in the coming years. Lugo, Jonathan India, Michael Wacha, Carlos Estevez, Kris Bubic, and Salvador Perez could all reach free agency either this offseason or next. Another disappointing season could leave the team in a difficult spot given ownership’s apparent hesitance to add more to a payroll that’s already at franchise record levels. By contrast, a return to the playoffs could cement this as one of the franchise’s best stretches in recent history.

Giants, Yankees, Mets, Cubs Interested In Edward Cabrera

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9:55PM: The Giants are “also believed [to be] interested” in Cabrera, Jon Heyman of the New York Post writes. San Francisco has already signed Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser to join Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Landen Roupp in the rotation, but a more controllable pitcher like Cabrera would be useful since Ray and Mahle will be free agents next winter. Beyond that starting five, the Giants have several younger arms but not a lot of experience, and conceivably one or two of these pitchers could be moved to Miami in a hypothetical Cabrera trade package.

12:54PM: The Yankees are discussing the possibility of a trade for right-hander Edward Cabrera with the Marlins, according to a report from Chris Kirschner and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The report also adds that the Yankees remain involved in the market for Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta after their involvement was first reported at the Winter Meetings last month. Meanwhile, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Mets and Cubs have also shown interest in Cabrera.

Cabrera, 27, is an exciting young arm with considerable upside. The righty enjoyed a breakout season last year with Miami, pitching to a 3.53 ERA with a 3.83 FIP in 137 innings of work across 26 starts. That’s decent mid-rotation production already, but what makes Cabrera an especially enticing trade candidate is the possibility he’ll take a step forward in the future. The youngster averaged a career-best 97.0 mph on his fastball this past season despite throwing a career-high in terms of innings, and paired a strong 25.8% strikeout rate with a career-best 8.3% walk rate.

With a solid 47.9% ground ball rate for his career in addition to those strong strikeout and walk numbers, it’s not hard to imagine Cabrera building on his 2025 season to emerge as a dominant starter. The righty is also controlled through the end of the 2028 season, meaning that an acquiring club would have plenty of time to work with him before he reaches free agency.

Of course, that’s not to say there aren’t causes for concern. 2025 was the first year Cabrera crossed the 100 inning threshold at the big league level due to an assortment of injury woes. The most significant of were shoulder problems that limited him in both 2023 and ’24, but even last season saw Cabrera make two trips to the injured list. His second trip to the shelf, which occurred back in September, saw him sidelined due to a right elbow sprain. Elbow injuries are always worrisome for pitchers given that UCL injuries wipe out at least a year of a pitcher’s career when they require surgery, though it’s worth noting that Cabrera still struck out 26.3% of his opponents over his final two starts of the season after he returned from the shelf.

The Yankees, for their part, are seeking at least one starter to add to their rotation with both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon poised to start the season on the injured list, while Clarke Schmidt figures to miss most if not all of the 2026 campaign. Max Fried, Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler, and Will Warren all figure to be part of the Opening Day rotation at this point, but additional injuries could crop up and it makes plenty of sense for the Yankees to add another starter to the mix ahead of depth options like Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough.

Cabrera could be a particularly appealing addition for New York given that MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him to earn just $3.7MM in arbitration this year. While the Yankees certainly have the budget to afford someone pricier, their primary focus seems to be retaining Cody Bellinger at this point and it’s unclear if the team has the stomach for a second nine-figure deal on top of the one Bellinger is reportedly seeking. That would leave bids of players like Ranger Suarez and Framber Valdez unrealistic, and Cabrera projects to be better than most other starters in free agency at this point.

That affordability also figures to be attractive to the Cubs, who have long been known to be searching for a player to add to the front of their rotation this winter. The club appeared to finish second in the Tatsuya Imai sweepstakes behind the Astros earlier this week, so it’s possible that missing out on Imai could spur the team to more aggressively pursue Cabrera or other starting pitcher.

Cabrera’s affordable salary would be particularly attractive for the Cubs given their reported interest in the infield market. They’ve been connected to each of Kazuma Okamoto, Alex Bregman, Eugenio Suarez, and Bo Bichette on one level or another throughout the offseason, and while Okamoto is off the market the other three remain available. Swinging a deal for Cabrera could allow the Cubs to sign one of those big bats without going over the luxury tax, something they’ve been loath to do in recent years, and that signing of an infielder could lessen the blow to the team’s offense a trade for Cabrera might create.

As for the Mets, the team has made adding to the front-of-their-rotation a stated priority as well but so far have been focused on reworking their position player mix and bullpen. Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz both walked in free agency, while Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams, and Luke Weaver have signed to help make up for those losses. Meanwhile, they’ve shipped out Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil while bringing Marcus Semien into the fold via the trade market.

All that maneuvering has left the starting rotation virtually untouched, and the Mets have made clear that they’re willing to deal from their collection of young infield talent (including Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos, and Luisangel Acuna) this winter as they look to improve the rest of their roster. They also have plenty of young pitching of their own, which could be attractive to the Marlins as a way to keep their deep rotation well-stocked with talent even after dealing Cabrera.

Red Sox Have Made “Aggressive” Offer To Alex Bregman

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While the Red Sox have spent most of the offseason focused on the trade market to augment their roster, they now appear to be turning their attention towards free agency. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported in an appearance on an episode of the podcast “First Up with Korolnek and Colaiacovo” (audio link courtesy of Foul Territory’s Robbie Hyde) that the Red Sox made an “aggressive” offer to Bregman before speculating that Bregman will ultimately return to Boston.

The market for position players has been fairly quiet since Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso signed during the Winter Meetings last month. While third baseman Kazuma Okamoto’s free agency wrapped up yesterday when he signed with the Blue Jays on a four-year deal, Bregman remains the top dog available at the position ahead of Eugenio Suarez, Ramon Urias, and Yoan Moncada. The best overall infield talent available this winter aside from Bo Bichette, Bregman lingered on the free agent market last offseason before signing a three-year, $120MM contract with Boston that included multiple opt outs and significant deferred money. That deal worked out quite well for both sides, as Bregman turned in a 125 wRC+ and 3.5 WAR in 118 games before returning to the open market this winter.

With that said, he’s once again struggled to find a market for the sort of long-term deal he’s been seeking. Boston has been known to have interest in a reunion, but there have been indications that the Red Sox are reluctant to go long-term on him (or any other free agent, for that matter). They’ve kicked the tires on plenty of alternative options this winter, ranging from trades for infield talents like Ketel Marte, Brendan Donovan, and Isaac Paredes to pivoting towards another player like Okamoto or Bichette in free agency. At this point, however, Okamoto is off the market and Marte appears unlikely to be dealt.

Perhaps the dwindling alternatives have led Boston to step up their pursuit of a Bregman reunion, though it should be noted that an “aggressive” offer does not necessarily mean a long-term one. It could certainly be argued that the $40MM average annual value (which dropped to just under $32MM after factoring in deferred money) deal Bregman signed with the Red Sox last year was an “aggressive” offer thanks to the high annual salary and player-friendly opt out structure, and that deal maxed out at just three seasons. So, too, could the Tigers’ best offer to Bregman from last winter be called aggressive, as the six-year, $171.5MM offer topped the winning bid by more than $50MM in terms of total guarantee and was the longest of the final offers Bregman received.

Regardless of what Boston’s offer to Bregman currently looks like, it seems as though market forces may be pushing the two sides back together. As previously mentioned, a few of the Red Sox’s potential alternatives to Bregman have started to come off the market or otherwise become less likely. Meanwhile, Bregman’s own alternatives to Boston could also be dwindling. Just as Okamoto signing in Toronto takes him off the table for the Red Sox, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports that the deal makes Bregman signing with the Jays less likely despite mutual interest between the sides prior to Okamoto’s signing. Likewise, there have been connections drawn between Bregman and the Diamondbacks, but that could become less viable for Arizona to pull off financially if a Marte trade is taken off the table.

Even if the Jays and Diamondbacks aren’t the likeliest suitors at this point, other options are still available. The Cubs remain involved in Bregman’s market at least to some extent, though they (like the Red Sox) seem hesitant to commit to long-term deals for most players. The Tigers have seemingly remained on the periphery of Bregman’s market but don’t seem to be an especially aggressive suitor. The Phillies were recently reported to have at least some interest in Bichette and could theoretically fit Bregman as well, though they haven’t been tied to Bregman directly and even the Bichette connection seems to run in contrast with previous reporting suggesting that their room to spend is somewhat limited at this point.

Yankees Sign Paul DeJong To Minor League Deal

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The Yankees and Paul DeJong are in agreement on a minor league deal, according to a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post. DeJong will receive an invite to big league Spring Training next month as part of the deal. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that DeJong will receive a $1MM salary if he makes the team.

DeJong, 32, was a fourth-round pick by the Cardinals back in 2015. A fast riser through the minors, he made his MLB debut in 2017 and slugged 25 homers in 108 games en route to a second place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting that season. That led St. Louis to lock DeJong up long-term, signing him to a six-year extension that ran through the 2023 campaign and included club options for 2024 and ’25. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, regression almost immediately began to take hold for DeJong. After a few years as a league average hitter who still managed to offer solid power and good defense at shortstop, his offensive numbers began to fall off starting in the shortened 2020 season. After hitting just .196/.280/.351 over the 2020-22 seasons, DeJong bounced back to a roughly league-average level in 2023 across 81 games for the Cardinals.

That was enough to make him a trade asset for the rebuilding Cards, and he was swapped to the Blue Jays in a minor trade just before the trade deadline as protection against injury for shortstop Bo Bichette. Unfortunately, DeJong went an atrocious 12-for-93 over the final two months of the season while playing in Toronto and San Francisco. That .129/.128/.183 slash line in a nearly 100 plate appearance sample tanked whatever value he might have recouped prior to free agency, and DeJong wound up signing with the White Sox on a $1.75MM guarantee. DeJong managed to put together a decent season for Chicago (and Kansas City) in 2024, with 24 homers and a 96 wRC+ across 139 games that saw him split time between third base and shortstop.

While DeJong’s numbers improved, his prospects in free agency did not. Last offseason he was once again relegated to signing with a rebuilding club, and his $1MM guarantee from the Nationals clocked in even lower than the one he received from the White Sox the previous year. This time, however, DeJong’s season was derailed by an errant pitch that struck him in the face, fracturing his nose and causing him to miss ten weeks. He returned to the Nats’ bench mix in July but did not turn in especially inspiring results. The veteran ended 2025 with a 76 wRC+ in 208 trips to the plate and returned to free agency looking for a chance to bounce back.

Now that he’s with the Yankees, DeJong figures to compete for a spot in what could be a crowded bench mix for the Yankees. Amed Rosario and backup catcher J.C. Escarra figure to fill two of the four spots on the club’s bench, meaning DeJong will compete with Oswaldo Cabrera, Jorbit Vivas, and Braden Shewmake for those last two spots on the bench. The Yankees’ bench figures to get squeezed even more with time. After all, if the team winds up re-signing Cody Bellinger or otherwise adding an outfielder to the roster, that would push Jasson Dominguez to the bench. Likewise, the eventual return of Anthony Volpe to the roster when he completes his shoulder rehab figures to push Jose Caballero into a bench role. That leaves a relatively narrow window for DeJong to make the Yankees’ roster, though injuries and trades could theoretically create space for DeJong to find a role.

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