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Cubs, Mariners Among Teams Interested In Yoan Moncada

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“Several” teams remain involved the market for third baseman Yoán Moncada, according to a report from Francys Romero this afternoon. Romero goes on to report that the Cubs and Mariners are among the clubs with interest in Moncada’s services in addition to the Blue Jays, who were previously reported as a potential suitor last month.

After spending eight seasons on the south side of Chicago, the prospect of Moncada moving on to the north side and joining the Cubs makes plenty of sense. The switch-hitter has primarily played third base throughout his career but has also spent time at the keystone. Those are perhaps the two positions where the Cubs could stand to benefit most from shoring up their depth. The club parted ways with third baseman Isaac Paredes as part of the deal that brought Kyle Tucker to Chicago last month, and while top prospect Matt Shaw seems poised to take over everyday reps at the hot corner he has just 35 games of experience at the Triple-A level.

It would be a surprise for the club to simply anoint an unproven player as an everyday player, even one as talented as Shaw. To that end, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer indicated last month that Shaw will have to “earn” the position in Spring Training. There’s at least some semblance of internal competition for the role in the form of Rule 5 draft pick Gage Workman as well as utility infielders Miles Mastrobuoni and Vidal Bruján, but adding a player with more of a big league track record to the mix could give Shaw some more robust competition for the role. Moncada is as good a choice as any player available on the infield market for that role. Though he’s often been injured in recent years, he’s hit a respectable .262/.311/.422 (101 wRC+) over the past two seasons and was a well above-average regular as recently as 2021.

In addition to providing competition to Shaw this spring, adding Moncada to the Cubs’ infield mix would give the club additional protection against the possibility that incumbent second baseman Nico Hoerner isn’t ready for Opening Day. Hoerner underwent flexor tendon surgery back in October, and the Cubs have subsequently indicated that although he’s expected to be ready early in the 2025 season at the latest, a specific timetable for his return won’t be clear until camp opens next month. With so much uncertainty surrounding both second and third base, the addition of Moncada to the mix would give the Cubs a high-upside veteran who could fill in for Hoerner in the lineup early in the year and act as an insurance policy against Shaw struggling in his first taste of big league action.

As for the Mariners, MLBTR discussed Moncada as a potential fit for their needs at third base in a post last night. Given the club’s wide-open third base competition, the prospect of everyday playing time is one that would surely appeal to Moncada if it were to be made available to him. With that being said, Moncada’s 29.4% strikeout rate over the past two seasons could give the Mariners some level of pause given their efforts to cut down on strikeouts in their lineup over the past couple of years. With that being said, the third base options available in free agency this winter are fairly limited and it’s difficult to imagine Seattle finding a clearly better option for the hot corner unless they can swing a trade for a player like Alec Bohm or Willi Castro.

While Toronto’s interest in Moncada’s services isn’t exactly news, it’s nonetheless noteworthy given that prior reports of interest in his services originated prior to the Andrés Giménez trade last month. With Giménez and Bo Bichette seemingly locked into the club’s middle infield barring a Bichette trade coming together at some point, that seemingly left youngsters like Ernie Clement and Addison Barger to jockey for playing time at the hot corner. Adding Moncada to the mix might push those youngsters to the bench or Triple-A, though it’s also possible that the Jays could instead have a bench role in mind for Moncada while Clement remains as the club’s likely regular at third.

Where Can The Mariners Turn For Third Base Help?

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The Mariners haven’t been shy about their desire to shore up their infield mix this winter, and while at points in the offseason the club has shown an interest in upgrading at second their focus appears to be primarily on upgrading the infield corners rather than the keystone, where options like Dylan Moore and Ryan Bliss are available to hold down the fort until top middle infield prospect Cole Young is ready for his MLB debut.

First base appears to be fairly simple hole for the club to fill. They’ve long been connected to a reunion with veteran Justin Turner, who helped to bolster their first base mix down the stretch and could pair well with Luke Raley’s left-handed bat at the position. Aside from that possibility, a number of viable veteran options like Mark Canha and Anthony Rizzo still remain available in free agency as well, not to mention trade candidates like Yandy Diaz, Luis Arraez, and LaMonte Wade Jr. who could provide a bit more impact at the cost of trade capital. Even after a run on first base talent just before the New Year, plenty of options remain available for the club to consider as they look for an upgrade over Raley and youngster Tyler Locklear.

Third base, however, is a bit more complicated. While a number of players could at least theoretically be available at the position this winter, Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado both figure to be well outside of the Mariners’ price range. Another potential trade candidate, Eugenio Suarez, also seems unlikely to be a fit given that the Mariners themselves traded Suarez just one offseason ago. Beyond Bregman, few options available in free agency provide obvious upgrades over Josh Rojas, who the club utilized at third base last year before non-tendering him back in November.

Standing pat doesn’t appear to be an option at the position, either: Austin Shenton and Leo Rivas could at least theoretically pitch in at the position but have a combined 136 plate appearances at the big league level, necessitating at least one veteran addition to take the lion’s share of reps at the hot corner. With an apparently tight budget and minimal internal solutions available, who could be a realistic target for the club this winter?

Free Agents

  • Ha-Seong Kim: Kim, 29, is without a doubt the best free agent infielder who could potentially fit into the Mariners’ budget given his 106 wRC+ and plus defense all around the infield over the past three seasons. MLBTR predicted Kim to land a relatively affordable one-year, $12MM contract ahead of the 2025 season at the outset of the offseason, but as the market has developed some reports have indicated he could land a multi-year deal this winter and depending on how the bidding goes, it’s easy to imagine things going beyond Seattle’s comfort zone. Beyond the possibility of Kim landing a deal that goes beyond what Seattle is willing to offer, Kim has played both shortstop and second base far more commonly than third throughout his career. As Kim likely looks to rebuild his value coming off shoulder surgery, it would hardly be a shock if he preferred to sign somewhere where he’d be able to be a regular shortstop. He’d be a defensive upgrade for J.P. Crawford, but the Mariners have shown no desire to move him off the position to this point.
  • Paul DeJong: DeJong, 31, was a quality regular at shortstop with the Cardinals early in his career and even made an All-Star game back in 2019. His offense fell way off after that season, however, and he struggled to a 72 wRC+ from 2020 to 2023. Last season as something of a rebound for the veteran, however, as he split time between the White Sox and Royals and managed to hit a respectable .227/.276/.427 (95 wRC+) in 139 games with solid glovework at both shortstop and, more importantly in this context, third base. That respectable season should allow him to easily beat the $1.75MM guarantee he landed with Chicago last winter, though he should nonetheless still be a perfectly affordable option for the Mariners this winter. It’s easy to imagine DeJong jumping at the opportunity if offered regular starts in Seattle, but it’s fair to wonder if the Mariners would have much interest in him as a fit. After all, they just parted ways with Rojas back in November despite strong glovework thanks to his below average offense, and DeJong’s 32.4% strikeout rate last year goes against the more contact-oriented approach the club has attempted to cultivate in recent years.
  • Yoán Moncada: Moncada would be an interesting candidate for the third base job in Seattle. A former top prospect, Moncada has had an up-and-down career with the White Sox before things came off the rails due to injuries the past few years. He’s played just 104 games over the past two seasons, but has a fairly respectable 101 wRC+ in that time. It’s far from impossible to imagine him bouncing back to something closer to the 120 wRC+ he posted with Chicago back in 2021, though it’s possible that (like with DeJong) his elevated strikeout numbers throughout his career could give the Mariners some pause. That said, Moncada’s overall offensive profile when healthy is stronger than that of DeJong’s, and given his limited track record in recent years the infielder should still be very affordable.
  • Jose Iglesias: Iglesias is coming off a career year with the Mets that saw him slash .337/.381/.448 (137 wRC+) in 291 plate appearances across 85 games. That’s the sort of performance that should make him a very attractive candidate for virtually any club’s bench mix, but the Mariners could stand out among other potential suitors by offering him a regular role. With that being said, there’s plenty of potential cause for concern in Iglesias’s profile. The veteran infielder will play all of this coming season at age-35, and it’s impossible to imagine him replicating the incredible .382 BABIP that made him an above-average hitter last year. He’s also fairly inexperienced at third base, although he did play the position quite well (+2 Outs Above Average) when called upon by the Mets last year. Iglesias’s contact-oriented approach could hold particular appeal in Seattle, and he could be an attractive option for the club if they’re interested in giving larger roles to youngsters like Shenton and Rivas.

Trade Candidates

  • Alec Bohm: Bohm stands out on this list in part because the club has already reportedly expressed interest in his services this winter. Those talks understandably seemed to fizzle out when the Phillies asked for Logan Gilbert or George Kirby in return for Bohm’s services, but if Philadelphia decides to drop their asking price as the offseason drags on he remains one of the better fits available to the Mariners this winter. While Bohm’s defense at the hot corner has generally left much to be desired, he slashed a strong .280/.332/.448 (115 wRC+) last year and struck out just 14.2% of the time, making him a strong fit for a club that has typically shied away from high-strikeout hitters when possible. If the asking price for Bohm stays anywhere near where it was earlier this offseason, however, it’s hard to imagine a trade coming together.
  • Willi Castro: Castro, 28 in April, has started just 48 games at third base throughout his career to this point but is a super utility player with a great deal of experience at both shortstop and second base, which suggests he should be able to handle the hot corner relatively easily. Since joining the Twins prior to the 2023 season, Castro has put up back-to-back 108 wRC+ seasons while accumulating 5.6 fWAR. Minnesota seems disinclined to pay the $6.2MM that MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects Castro will earn in his final trip through arbitration, but that’s a price tag the Mariners should have little trouble stomaching for a likely regular at a position of need.
  • Brett Baty: Baty, 25, stands out from the other potential trade candidates mentioned thanks to the fact that he’s got just 169 MLB games under his belt. A former consensus top-30 prospect in the sport, Baty has struggled to this point in his big league career and hit just .229/.306/.327 (83 wRC+) in 50 games with the Mets this past season. The emergence of Mark Vientos has seemingly boxed Baty out of a path to playing time with the club in 2025, particularly if Pete Alonso eventually returns to Queens. That could make Baty expendable for the club, and if the Mariners aren’t able to find a more reliable veteran option in free agency or on the trade market it would be very understandable for the club to pivot towards rolling the dice on a player with Baty’s offensive potential and prospect pedigree.

Managers & Top Front Office Executives On Expiring Contracts

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Several teams don’t publicize contract details for their top front office executives or even for their managers, so this list of skipper and execs (any head of a baseball operations department, whether titled as a president of baseball ops, general manager, chief baseball officer, etc.) entering the final year of their deals may not be entirely complete or accurate.  Still, since MLBTR so often focuses on players entering their “contract year,” this post provides a rough outline of which notable team personnel may be feeling some extra pressure as their own deals may be close to expiring.

It is quite possible some of these names may have already quietly signed extensions weeks or months ago, or will sign new deals during Spring Training once clubs turn their attention away from offseason roster-building.  A shorter-term extension may not necessarily indicate much extra job security, as some teams tack an extra year (or at least a club option) onto an executive or managerial contract just to avoid the appearance of that person entering a lame-duck year.  Of course, even a longer contract is no guarantee of job security, as a rough season can instantly put a manager or a front office on the hot seat.

As always, thanks to Cot’s Baseball Contracts for reference information on some of these contract terms.

Angels: Ron Washington is already heading into the final season under contract, as he signed only a two-year deal to manage the Halos in November 2023.  While the Angels were only 63-99 last season, it could hardly be considered Washington’s fault given the subpar state of the roster.  Expectations will be higher in 2025 since the team has been aggressing in adding talent this winter, and since GM Perry Minasian got a contract extension last August, Los Angeles might also look to add a year onto Washington’s deal to at least keep him on line with the guaranteed portion of Minasian’s new contract.  It should be noted that Washington turns 73 this coming April, so he might also prefer to just take things year-to-year if he has any thoughts about retirement.

Astros: Dana Brown is entering his third season as Houston’s GM, and the terms of his contract weren’t made public when he was hired in January 2023.  It is possible Brown might only be working on a three-year deal since his predecessor James Click also received just a three-year commitment, though Click was hired in the singular aftermath of the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal.  This probably isn’t a situation to monitor too closely since the Astros have kept winning during Brown’s tenure, with the caveat that owner Jim Crane and his advisors are known to weigh heavily on baseball operations decisions.  Click was let go within days of winning a World Series due to reported acrimony with Crane, but there hasn’t been any indication of any heat between Crane and Brown.

Athletics: Mark Kotsay’s initial contract covered the 2022-24 seasons, and the A’s picked up Kotsay’s 2025 club option over a year ago.  GM David Forst said in October that “there’s no one I would rather have managing this team,” and that Kotsay “wants to be here,” though there hasn’t been any public word about any extension talks.  As comfortable as Kotsay seems with the organization, it is possible he might be willing to let the season play out and then explore his options, if he has any uncertainty over continuing to manage the A’s through their stint in West Sacramento before their planned move to Las Vegas for the 2028 season.  While no public details were revealed about Forst’s latest contract, the GM has obviously signed some kind of extension since his last deal expired after the 2023 season, and said in November that “I’ve been here for 25 years.  There’s not a thought that I wouldn’t be in this for the long run.”

Blue Jays: Manager John Schneider is entering the last guaranteed season of his three-year contract, as the Blue Jays hold a club option on Schneider for 2026.  It is fair to guess that the Jays might not exercise that option too far in advance, as there is widespread speculation that another disappointing season (or even a slow start) will cost Schneider his job.  The same could be true of general manager Ross Atkins, even though Atkins is under contract through 2026.  Team president Mark Shapiro is also entering the final season of his five-year contract, and while Shapiro’s focus has been more towards bigger-picture projects like Rogers Centre’s renovations, his possible departure might also trigger a larger overhaul unless the Jays turn things around on the field in 2025.

Braves: Manager Brian Snitker is entering the last year of his contract, so the Braves might well look to tack at least one more season onto Snitker’s deal this spring.  Snitker has led Atlanta to the postseason in each of the last seven seasons, highlighted by the team’s World Series victory in 2021.  He has stuck to just shorter-term deals and extensions during his tenure, which is probably due more to his age (Snitker turned 69 in October) than any dissatisfaction on the organization’s part, so no change seems imminent in the Braves dugout.

Cardinals: John Mozeliak’s exit plan is already in place.  The longtime head of the St. Louis front office is stepping down after the 2025 season, with Chaim Bloom already inked to a long-term contract to become the Cardinals’ next president of baseball operations.

Cubs: The Cubs have posted 83-79 records in each of the last two seasons, but they still haven’t reached the postseason during Jed Hoyer’s four-year tenure as president of baseball operations.  2025 is the last year of Hoyer’s original five-year contract, and acquiring Kyle Tucker (who is a free agent next winter) in a big-ticket trade might indicate that Hoyer is feeling some heat to win as soon as possible.  It can be argued that Hoyer has been somewhat hamstrung by ownership’s reluctance to spend at the top of the market, but that might also indicate that ownership could be considering hiring a PBO with more experience in building contenders on limited budgets.

Dodgers: Reports surfaced earlier today that the Dodgers are planning to work out an extension with Dave Roberts, as the skipper is entering the last season of his last three-year extension with the club.  It comes as no surprise that L.A. wants to retain Roberts in the wake of the team’s second World Series title during his tenure, and it stands to reason that president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is also a candidate for a new deal, perhaps regardless of the terms of his last agreement.  Friedman came to the Dodgers on a five-year deal in October 2014, then signed an extension of an unknown length in November 2019.  If that next contract was another five-year pact, Friedman is a technically free agent right now, but there has no zero indication that Friedman (who has been as busy as ever in bolstering the Dodgers roster this winter) is going anywhere.

Guardians: This is a speculative entry since it has been well over a decade since Chris Antonetti’s contract terms were publicly reported.  Even if he is approaching the end of his current deal, there hasn’t been any sense that the Guardians are planning a front office change, especially not in the wake of another AL Central crown and a trip to the ALCS.  Antonetti has been a member of Cleveland’s front office since 1999, and in his current role as president of baseball operations since October 2015.

Mariners: Jerry Dipoto has been extended twice since the M’s first hired him in September 2015, and his last extension in September 2021 was a multi-year deal of unspecified length.  It is therefore possible this could be Dipoto’s final season under contract as Seattle’s president of baseball operations, unless another extension has been signed in the last three-plus years.  Despite four straight seasons of 85 or more wins, the Mariners reached the playoffs just once in that span, as a lack of hitting has hampered the team over the last two years in particular.  It remains to be seen if ownership is okay with just being competitive (or, as Dipoto infamously put it, winning “54 percent of the time“) or if any impatience is growing over the Mariners’ difficulty in truly breaking through as a contender.  The Mariners were sparked to a 21-13 record down the stretch after manager Dan Wilson was hired last August, so it could be that the managerial change (and a change of hitting coaches) is what was needed to get the M’s back on track, but Dipoto and Wilson could both face pressure if Seattle again falls short of postseason baseball.

Orioles: Mike Elias has been Baltimore’s GM for six seasons, though his contract terms haven’t been made public at any point during his tenure.  Manager Brandon Hyde signed a three-year deal when first hired prior to the 2019 season, and he has signed at least one or perhaps two extensions since, leaving his contract status a bit of a mystery.  This is another situation where job security probably isn’t an issue, as the Orioles have come out of their rebuild to reach the playoffs in back-to-back years, even if the club has yet to record even a single postseason win in that span.  New owner David Rubenstein is eager to win but hasn’t shown any inclination to changing the leadership structure since he bought the Orioles earlier this year.

Pirates: Ben Cherington has now completed five full seasons as the Buccos’ general manager, so he either signed a somewhat unusually long contract when first hired, or he has already inked one extension that has escaped public attention.  Pittsburgh fans are impatiently waiting for the first winning season of Cherington’s tenure, as the team has flirted with contention in each of the last two years before finishing with identical 76-86 records.  Paul Skenes has at least emerged as the crown jewel of the Pirates’ lengthy rebuild process, so regardless of Cherington’s contract terms, it doesn’t appear as though he is in any danger of being fired.

Rangers: Bruce Bochy’s return to managing saw him sign a three-year contract with Texas, so 2025 represents the final year of that deal.  Bochy turns 70 in April but didn’t give any hints about retiring when speaking to reporters at the end of the season.  A second straight losing season might change the equation either on Bochy’s end or on the front office’s end, but the Rangers’ 2023 World Series title (to say nothing of Bochy’s three previous rings as the Giants’ manager) has naturally brought him a lot of leeway within the organization.  Both sides might prefer to go year-to-year just to maintain flexibility, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Bochy soon gets another year added to his contract.

Rockies: Bud Black has signed three straight one-year extensions to remain as Colorado’s manager, and past reports have indicated that Black is on something of an unofficial year-to-year rolling contract with the organization.  It is perhaps notable that Black’s most recent deal wasn’t finalized until this past October, whereas his previous two extensions were completed prior to the start of the seasons.  This might indicate that ownership and/or Black himself are starting to think harder about continuing the relationship in the wake of six straight losing seasons, even despite the Rockies’ well-known penchant for staying loyal to long-term employees.  The same logic could extend to GM Bill Schmidt, though Schmidt’s contract terms haven’t been known since he was elevated to the full-time general manager position in October 2021.

Royals: Matt Quatraro is entering the final guaranteed year of his initial three-year contract as manager, though the Royals have a club option on his services for the 2026 season.  J.J. Picollo has also completed two full seasons as the team’s general manager since being elevated to top of Kansas City’s baseball ops ladder in September 2022, though his contract status in the wake of that promotion wasn’t known.  Regardless, it doesn’t seem like either is going anywhere, and extensions could be in order since the Royals enjoyed an 86-win season and a return to the playoffs last year, including a wild card series win over the Orioles.

Tigers: Likewise, Detroit is also coming off a playoff appearance and a wild card series victory, as a magical late-season surge left the Tigers just one game short of the ALCS.  It is therefore safe to assume that president of baseball operations Scott Harris has plenty of job security, and while his contract terms aren’t known, it is probably safe to assume Harris received more than a three-year guarantee when he was hired in September 2022.

Twins: Some larger-scale changes could be afoot in Minnesota since the Pohlad family is exploring selling the Twins, and some shuffling in the front office has already taken place, with president of baseball ops Derek Falvey also becoming the president of business operations and Jeremy Zoll replacing Thad Levine as general manager.  Falvey’s previous deal was up after the 2024 season so obviously he signed an extension, but while manager Rocco Baldelli’s previous extension is known to have run through at least the end of the 2025 campaign, it is unclear if the coming season is the final year of that deal.  If Baldelli is indeed heading into a lame-duck year, the ownership situation might prevent the skipper from getting at least another season added to his deal, just so a new owner could potentially have a clean slate in evaluating things once they take over the team.

White Sox: This is more of a speculative entry, just because Chris Getz’s contract terms weren’t released when he was named Chicago’s general manager in August 2023.  A GM wouldn’t normally be considered to be on the hot seat so soon after being hired, nor are immediate results expected since the White Sox are quite obviously going through a hefty rebuild.  While nobody expected the Sox to contend in 2024, however, there’s a difference between just being a losing team and having a league-record 121 losses.  Another embarrassment of a season might give owner Jerry Reinsdorf second thoughts about Getz’s stewardship of the rebuild effort, or the possibility exists that Reinsdorf could sell the team, which should shake the organization up entirely.

Yankees: Aaron Boone quieted some of his critics when the Yankees both returned to the postseason, and captured the first AL pennant of Boone’s seven-year stint as the Bronx manager.  This result led the Yankees to exercise their club option on Boone’s services for 2025, and while no negotiations had taken place about a longer-term deal as of early November, it stands to reason that some talks will take place before Opening Day.  Then again, Boone’s current deal wasn’t signed until after he’d already completed the final season his previous contract, so it could be that the Yankees will again play wait-and-see.  There isn’t much sense that Boone is in jeopardy, and while expectations are always high in New York, ownership’s loyalty to Boone through some relative lean years would make it unusual if he was let go so soon after a World Series appearance.

Lenny Randle Passes Away

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Former major league utility player Lenny Randle has passed away at 75. The National Baseball Hall of Fame confirmed the news on Monday evening.

Randle was a multi-sport collegiate star at Arizona State. He played on the Sun Devils football team in addition to his work as ASU’s second baseman. He stuck with baseball after being drafted by the Washington Senators in 1970. Randle jumped right to Triple-A after the draft and made his big league debut by his first full season. He remained with the franchise when they relocated to Texas and rebranded as the Rangers going into the ’72 campaign.

After a few seasons in a utility role, Randle broke through in 1974. He hit .302 and stole 26 bases (albeit with 17 times caught stealing) across 151 games. Randle played multiple positions and was a valuable enough part of the Texas roster to receive down-ballot MVP support. He had another strong season in 1975, hitting .276 with 24 doubles across 676 plate appearances. He divided that season mostly between second base and center field.

Randle didn’t play as well in ’76. He lost his hold on the starting second base job the following spring. Randle threatened to leave camp, which led to public criticism from manager Frank Lucchesi (link via MLB.com). Randle confronted Lucchesi and, after a brief exchange, punched the manager multiple times. Lucchesi was hospitalized with a fractured cheekbone. Randle would eventually plead no contest to battery charges, leading to a fine.

While teammates and Texas beat reporters said that kind of outburst was out of character for the generally soft-spoken Randle, the Rangers made the obvious decision to move on from him. Texas suspended him for a month and traded him to the Mets before the ban was lifted. Randle moved to third base in Queens, where he had a strong first season. He hit .304 with a career-high 33 steals. His numbers dropped again in ’78, after which he bounced around the league.

Randle had a cameo with the Yankees in 1979, played somewhat regularly for the Cubs the following season, then finished his MLB career with two seasons in Seattle. During his stint with the Mariners, Randle had the humorous play in which he blew a slow roller down the third base line into foul territory after realizing he didn’t have a play on the ball. Umpires awarded the hitter first base.

Over a 12-year big league career, Randle hit .257/.321/.335. He was never much of a power threat and only connected on 27 home runs. The switch-hitter picked up 145 doubles and 40 triples while stealing 156 bases. He collected just over 1000 hits and scored nearly 500 runs. MLBTR joins others throughout the game in sending our condolences to Randle’s family, loved ones, friends and former teammates.

Looking For A Match In A Luis Castillo Trade

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One of the worst-kept secrets in baseball this winter is the Mariners’ need for infield help. If the 2024 season were to start today, the club would have J.P. Crawford locked in at shortstop but little certainty around the rest of the diamond. First base would likely be occupied by a platoon of Luke Raley and Tyler Locklear, the latter of whom struggled badly in a 16-game cup of coffee with Seattle last year. Second and third base would be even dicier. Dylan Moore is capable of playing both positions and could be an everyday player for the club after appearing in 135 games last year but may be better suited for a super utility role given his impressive versatility and struggles against same-handed pitching. Ryan Bliss, Austin Shenton, and Leo Rivas are all young and intriguing hitters who made their big league debuts in 2024, but none of them got even 100 plate appearances in the majors last year and would be risky to rely on in full-time roles.

That obvious need for an infielder or two has led the Mariners to consider making a move they’ve long resisted pulling the trigger on: trading from their vaunted starting rotation. There’s an argument to be made that Seattle boasts the best starting rotation in baseball. George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo form the sort of proven, controllable corps of young starters that most teams can only dream of developing, and veteran right-hander Luis Castillo has served as a veteran anchor for the club’s rotation ever since he was acquired from the Reds following the 2022 trade deadline. While the Mariners still seem unlikely to part with any of the youngsters in their rotation, they’ve begun to at least listen to offers on Castillo, who has drawn interest around the league thanks to his fairly affordable contract and consistently above average results.

That’s not to say a Castillo trade comes without potential obstacles. While the right-hander has pitched well during his two full seasons in Seattle, he’s not posted the same front-of-the-rotation results he flashed earlier in his career with Cincinnati. After posting a 3.46 ERA (132 ERA+) with a near-matching 3.43 FIP from 2019 to 2022, Castillo’s 3.48 ERA (110 ERA+) has remained stagnant the last two years despite a much friendlier home ballpark for pitching while his 3.86 FIP is a noticeable step backwards from the earlier days of his career and his fastball velocity has lost a tick or two since he arrived in Washington.

Aside from those potential concerns for would-be suitors, Castillo also wields a full no-trade clause and could block any trade if he so chooses. One final wrinkle from the Mariners’ perspective is their lack of starting pitching depth behind an excellent top five rotation pieces; Emerson Hancock would likely be the next man up if Castillo was dealt, but he struggled in 12 starts last year and there’s virtually no big league ready starting depth behind him in the organization. That could make a team that could offer a young starter in addition to infield help a particularly attractive trade partner for Seattle.

So, which clubs are best suited to swinging a deal for the right-hander? Let’s take a look at nine possible options, listed alphabetically between three tiers:

Best Fits:

  • Blue Jays: The Blue Jays have had a difficult offseason so far, as they’ve struck out on both Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes in free agency. Their biggest addition to this point is infielder Andrés Giménez, who they swung a deal to acquire from the Guardians during the Winter Meetings. With that said, they’re known to be in the market for starting pitching help, and Castillo would form a solid veteran nucleus in the rotation alongside Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, and Chris Bassitt. What’s more, the Jays have a number of interesting young infielders like Davis Schneider, Leo Jiménez, and Will Wagner who could be of interest to the Mariners.
  • Giants: The Giants made a big splash just before the Winter Meetings began by signing Willy Adames but join Toronto in being a top reported suitor for Burnes who missed out on the right-hander when he agreed to a deal with Arizona late Friday night. Castillo would be an excellent starter to pair with Logan Webb at the front of San Francisco’s rotation, and the Giants have previously expressed a willingness to deal first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. this winter. Wade, 31 on New Year’s Day, has posted a solid .258/.376/.401 (120 wRC+) with a fantastic 15% walk rate over the past two seasons.
  • Orioles: As the team Burnes pitched for in 2024 prior to reaching free agency, the Orioles join the Blue Jays and Giants in the hunt for a top-of-the-rotation arm now that he’s departed for the desert. The need for a front-end arm in Baltimore is perhaps more acute than it is anywhere else on this list, as 2023’s staff ace Kyle Bradish isn’t expected to pitch in the first half of 2025 following UCL surgery last year. Castillo would slot in front of Zach Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez for the Orioles, offering some much-needed stability to the Baltimore rotation. In return, the Orioles could offer a player from their surplus of first base options such as Ryan Mountcastle and perhaps even add in a young starter like Cade Povich to help replace Castillo in the Seattle rotation. Notably, the Orioles are among the teams that have reportedly inquired after the right-hander this winter.

Next Tier Down:

  • Braves: The Braves watched both Max Fried and Charlie Morton depart from their rotation for free agency last month but have yet to make a significant move this offseason outside of trading Jorge Soler away to the Angels. Adding an arm like Castillo to the mix behind Chris Sale and (eventually) Spencer Strider would offer the club another high-end starter while also providing security to a rotation full of frequently injured hurlers. Atlanta doesn’t have much to offer in the way of infield help outside of prospect Nacho Alvarez Jr. but could help supplement the Mariners rotation by offering a controllable starter like Bryce Elder or AJ Smith-Shawver as part of the return.
  • Cubs: The Cubs have already been connected to Castillo this winter and are known to be in the market for a front-end starter to pair with Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga, but the club’s recent trade for Kyle Tucker has seemingly complicated the fit between the two sides. The Mariners are known to have had interest in Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner this winter, and the Cubs previously could part with Hoerner and replace him at the keystone with Matt Shaw. Since then, however, the Cubs shipped third baseman Isaac Paredes to the Astros in exchange for Tucker. With Shaw now penciled in as Paredes’s replacement at the hot corner, the Cubs may be less inclined to part with Hoerner to bolster the Mariners’ infield. While a young starter such as Javier Assad or Jordan Wicks could help facilitate a trade, it’s hard to imagine a deal for Castillo getting done that doesn’t send some sort of infield help back to Seattle.
  • Red Sox: The Red Sox are also among the teams known to have discussed Castillo with Seattle, and the club specifically attempted to swing a trade involving him, Triston Casas, and Masataka Yoshida that was eventually shut down by the Mariners. It’s hard to imagine Boston parting with Casas in a straight one-for-one swap for Castillo, which could make finding a match between the two sides difficult. Perhaps a deal could still be had that sends a lesser infield piece such as Vaughn Grissom or David Hamilton to Seattle alongside a young starter like Kutter Crawford, but now that the Red Sox have brought Walker Buehler into the rotation other clubs may be more motivated to get a deal done with Seattle than Boston is.

Longer Shots:

  • Dodgers: The Dodgers are not known to have interest in Castillo but are always a threat to upgrade their roster and could certainly benefit from adding a steady, innings-eating arm like him to the cavalcade of high-octane arms with durability questions that currently make up their starting rotation. Even so, however, the Dodgers have little to offer from their infield mix at the moment. Perhaps Gavin Lux could be a serviceable platoon partner for Moore at second base, but even adding a young starter such as Landon Knack alongside Lux seems unlikely to entice the Mariners to part ways with Castillo.
  • Mets: The Mets are among the teams that have been connected to Castillo this winter, but they subsequently rounded out their rotation by adding left-hander Sean Manaea. It’s at least theoretically feasible that the club could add Castillo and push Clay Holmes out of their projected rotation and into the bullpen, but given the fact that New York explicitly signed Holmes to start that would be a major surprise, even as the Mets have excess pieces such as Brett Baty and Tylor Megill that would surely interest Seattle.
  • Tigers: Detroit could use a bona fide front-end arm to pair with Tarik Skubal next season, and adding mid-rotation veteran Alex Cobb didn’t exactly fill that need. The Tigers also recently signed Gleyber Torres in a move that pushed youngster Colt Keith to first base, seemingly leaving former first overall pick Spencer Torkelson without a role in the majors. Torkelson would be a high-upside addition who’s sure to be intriguing to the Mariners as they search for first base help, but it’s unclear whether they would part with Castillo to land him or if the Tigers are interested in taking on the $72.45MM Castillo is guaranteed over the next three seasons.

Rays Have Previously Expressed Interest In Harry Ford

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The Rays have previously expressed interest in Mariners catching prospect Harry Ford, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. There is no indication that Tampa’s interest in the youngster is current or that there are any ongoing trade negotiations between the two clubs.

Ford, 22 in February, was Seattle’s first-round pick in the 2021 draft and is a consensus top-50 prospect in the game. He’s managed to hit well at every level of the minors he’s been exposed to from the moment he kicked off his pro career with a .291/.400/.582 slash line in 19 rookie ball games shortly after being drafted. He made the jump to full season ball in 2022 and found success there as well, slashing .274/.425/.438 at the Single-A level in 2023 before posting a nearly identical .257/.410/.430 slash line at High-A the following year. During both of his stops in A-ball, Ford floated walk rates north of 17% while while flashing 10-to-15 homer power. Most interestingly, he showed off very impressive wheels for a catcher and flashed 25-steal speed on the basepaths.

The youngster hit his first real roadblock in 2024 upon reaching the Double-A level. In his age-21 campaign this past year, Ford hit a solid but unspectacular .249/.377/.367, which was good for a 119 wRC+ at the level. Ford’s 14.1% walk rate remained impressive and he reached new heights on the bases with 35 steals, but his power output cratered as he swatted just seven homers in 523 trips to the plate. Even that relative down season was still noticeably above average relative to his league, however, and that feat is all the more impressive given the fact that Ford was one of just five qualified hitters in the Double-A Texas League who played the 2024 season at age-21 or younger.

While Ford’s bat is generally very well regarded, there are some questions about whether or not he’ll be able to stick behind the plate. Ford’s athleticism has drawn plenty of praise, but he’s a well below average fielder behind the plate at the moment which has led some to suggest he might follow in the footsteps of Daulton Varsho, who was also an athletic and speedy catching prospect through the minor leagues but moved to the outfield early in his big league career. For the time being, however, the Mariners appear poised to continue developing his skills behind the plate.

Given the Rays’ interest in Ford, it seems likely they too believe in his ability to stick behind the plate. Tampa’s needs behind the plate entering the offseason were well-known as they not only lacked a clear complement to Ben Rortvedt at the big league level for 2025 but also have no catching prospects of particular note currently coming through their pipeline. A look at MLB.com’s Top 30 Rays prospects list reveals just two catchers: catching convert Dominic Keegan ranks 13th, while 19-year-old J.D. Gonzalez ranks 27th despite having hit just .161/.268/.198 in his first taste of stateside baseball this past season.

Swinging a deal for Ford would do little to improve the club’s short-term catching situation given the fact that he’s not yet reached the Triple-A level and is still considered very raw behind the plate defensively. With that being said, the Rays already addressed their immediate need at catcher by signing Danny Jansen to a one-year deal, slotting him in ahead of Rortvedt in the club’s catching tandem. That leaves the club fairly set behind the plate for 2025, but those questions figure to come up once again when Jansen departs for free agency a year from now. Adding a top catching prospect like Ford who’s around a year away from the majors would make some sense for the Rays, then, allowing Jansen to serve as a bridge to the future of the position this year.

Even as Ford still makes sense as a potential trade target for the Rays, however, it’s fair to wonder how likely a deal coming together is even if Tampa remains interested in the young catcher. The Mariners are well known to be in the market for infield help this winter, having previously spoken to the Cubs and Phillies about Nico Hoerner and Alec Bohm. Those talks haven’t appeared to gain much traction, which makes pivoting to a Rays infielder like Yandy Díaz or Brandon Lowe at least theoretically feasible for Seattle.

With that being said, Diaz and Lowe figure to be key cogs in a Rays lineup that struggled to create runs last year, and with no apparent need to cut payroll further after dealing Jeffrey Springs to the A’s it’s unclear whether either player would even be available this winter. Perhaps a deal could be worked out involving a less-established Rays infielder like Jonathan Aranda, Curtis Mead, or Osleivis Basabe, but it’s unclear whether the Mariners would be interested in adding a youngster of that variety or are more focused on established players with a big league track record.

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.

Mariners Sign Jacob Nottingham To Minor League Deal

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The Mariners signed catcher Jacob Nottingham to a minor league contract earlier this month, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. This will be his fourth stint with the organization.

Nottingham is a true journeyman, having spent time in seven different MLB organizations throughout a professional career that spans more than a decade. He was drafted by the Astros, who traded him to the Athletics two years later as part of a package for starter Scott Kazmir. The following offseason, the A’s flipped him to the Brewers as part of the return for slugger Khris Davis.

It was with Milwaukee that Nottingham made his MLB debut. He played a handful of games for the Brewers every year between 2018-21, producing a respectable .770 OPS and 103 wRC+ in 99 trips to the plate. His seven home runs and .273 isolated power were particularly impressive, especially for a catcher. On the other side of the ball, he appeared in 36 games behind the dish, compiling 2 Defensive Runs Saved and a +2 Fielding Run Value. Despite the tiny sample size, those defensive numbers were encouraging. Nottingham was always considered a bat-first catching prospect with serious questions about his defense behind the dish.

The backstop became a Mariner in April 2021, although his first stint with the club was short-lived. Seattle claimed Nottingham off of waivers on April 28 only to designate him for assignment and trade him back to Milwaukee on May 2. However, the M’s claimed him again a couple of weeks later, and this time, he stuck around in the organization for the rest of the season. He appeared in 10 games with the Mariners, though he only appeared as a first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter – never as a catcher. Unfortunately, Nottingham performed poorly, going 3-for-26 with 12 strikeouts. He spent most of the rest of the 2021 season on the injured list at Triple-A.

Nottingham has not made it back to the majors since 2021. From 2022-23, he played in the minors with the Orioles, Mariners, Giants, and Nationals, putting up a .745 OPS and a 91 wRC+. He then spent the 2024 campaign playing in the Mexican League. He will now return to affiliated ball, re-joining an organization that clearly likes what he brings to the table. In his age-30 season, Nottingham can provide catching depth for Seattle behind Cal Raleigh, Mitch Garver, Nick Raposo, and top prospect Harry Ford. The Mariners are known to be seeking a right-handed bat this winter, and Nottingham offers depth in that area as well.

Mariners Made Two-Year Offer To Carlos Santana

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The Guardians made a splash over the weekend by signing first baseman Carlos Santana to a one-year deal worth $12MM, bringing the long-time Cleveland staple back into the fold for the third time in his career. With that being said, however, it wasn’t the only contract offer Santana received during his free agency. According to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic this morning, the Mariners extended an offer to Santana that came with more guaranteed money than the one he landed in Cleveland. Rosenthal also cited the Yankees, Mets, Tigers, Diamondbacks, and Rangers, and Padres among clubs that had interest in the switch-hitter before he ultimately landed in Cleveland.

Regarding Seattle’s offer, Rosenthal specifies that not only did the deal come with more guaranteed money, but it actually involved a player option for the 2026 season, allowing Santana to either opt out and return to free agency or remain with the club. It’s somewhat surprising to hear that a club was willing to guarantee a second guaranteed year to Santana, who will celebrate his 39th birthday in early April. Rosenthal describes the Mariners as Santana’s “initial priority” until the Guardians realized that they could trade Josh Naylor to another Santana suitor, the Diamondbacks. At that point, the Guardians offered Santana (who had coincidentally just sold his Cleveland area home) the one-year deal he went on to sign.

The Mariners briefly acquired Santana from the Phillies during the 2018-19 offseason but flipped him to Cleveland shortly thereafter, before he ever suited up for the club. He eventually returned to the organization in 2022 after being traded there by the Royals, and this time his stay lasted 79 games. In 294 trips to the plate for Seattle, Santana hit .192/.293/.400. Despite that sub-Mendoza Line batting average, Santana’s performance was actually good for an above-average 103 wRC+ thanks to a strong 11.9% walk rate and the 15 home runs he clobbered down the stretch for the club.

That half-season stint evidently made enough of an impression with the Mariners that they were interested in a reunion as they searched for first base help this winter. Earlier this winter, the Mariners were reportedly pursuing a reunion with either Carlos Santana or Justin Turner at first base. Turner is still available, though it’s unclear whether that interest on Seattle’s end has persisted as the first base market has shifted in recent days. Of the six teams besides Cleveland that Rosenthal noted had interest in Santana’s services, three of them have found solutions in the days since: the Rangers replaced Nathaniel Lowe with Joc Pederson, the Yankees signed Paul Goldschmidt, and of course the Diamondbacks traded for Naylor and opened the door for Santana to re-sign in Cleveland.

For the Mariners, Mets, and Padres, there’s still a number of interesting first base options available. Turner has been a reliably above average hitter 11 consecutive seasons now but celebrated his 40th birthday last month, a reality that could give some teams pause about committing to him as a regular option if they can’t offer significant time at DH as well. Pete Alonso is of course the top free agent available at first base, though barring a sudden change in plans by the Padres or Mariners it seems unlikely he would fit the budgets rumored to be in play for San Diego and Seattle. Anthony Rizzo, Mark Canha, Josh Bell, and Yuli Gurriel are among a number of veteran options at the position who could likely be had on a low-cost deal, and the trade market offers the possibility that the Giants could part ways with LaMonte Wade Jr. or perhaps even a deal with the Rays involving Yandy Diaz, who hasn’t been the subject of many trade rumors this winter but appeared to be available prior to this summer’s trade deadline.

Mariners, Nationals, Mets Interested In Paul Goldschmidt

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Veteran first baseman appears to be drawing a lot of interest as a free agent. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Yankees, Giants, Mariners, Nationals and Mets are all engaged with him. The connections to the Yankees and Giants have been previously covered at MLBTR, as well as interest from the Tigers.

Coming into the winter, the free agent market for first basemen had various intriguing options, but their respective ages gave them different levels of earning power. As part of MLBTR’s annual ranking of the Top 50 Free Agents, Pete Alonso was the top first baseman. Now 30 years old, he was predicted for a five-year, $125MM deal. Christian Walker, who is going into his age-34 season, had a prediction of three years and $60MM. Goldschmidt, now 37, was predicted for $15MM on a one-year deal. Veterans like Justin Turner and Carlos Santana didn’t crack the list but should be in line for one-year deals as well.

Earlier today, the Astros cut out the middle of that market. Walker has reportedly agreed to sign with Houston on exactly the three-year, $60MM deal that MLBTR predicted. For clubs that are still looking for help at first base, there’s now a clear divide between the big-ticket option in Alonso, as well as several other more affordable possibilities. Alonso also rejected a qualifying offer, so he’s also tied to the associated penalties with signing such a player, which depend upon whether a club paid the competitive balance tax this year or is a revenue sharing recipient.

Regardless of how clubs feel about Alonso, some of them will just not be likely candidates to make that kind of a splash in free agency. For those that are looking to make a modest investment at first, Goldschmidt is an intriguing candidate.

As recently as 2022, Goldschmidt was one of the best players at the position. He won National League Most Valuable Player that year, hitting 35 home runs, drawing walks at a 12.1% clip and stealing seven bases. He slashed .317/.404/.578 for a wRC+ of 175 and produced 6.8 wins above replacement, per the calculations of FanGraphs.

But the last two years have been far less impressive. He had a .268/.363/.447 batting line and 122 wRC+ in 2023. In the most recent season, that was down to .245/.302/.414 and a 100 wRC+, exactly league average production. His 7.2% walk rate was the worst of his career. His 26.5% strikeout rate was a personal high, apart from his rookie debut way back in 2011.

That’s downward slope is obviously somewhat discouraging, but Goldy has a strong track record and at least finished strong in 2024. After hitting .230/.291/.373 for an 87 wRC+ in the first half, he posted a .271/.319/.480 line and 120 wRC+ in the second half. The Cardinals aren’t bringing him back as they pivot to a reset year, which involves lowering the payroll. It also means more playing time for younger players like catchers Iván Herrera and Pedro Pagés, which is pushing Willson Contreras to first base.

The Mariners are rarely huge spenders in free agency and are working with budgetary constraints this offseason, reportedly having about $15MM of wiggle room at the moment. It’s been rumored that they are considering Luis Castillo trade offers as a means of opening up some extra room, but they wouldn’t be a likely suitor even in that scenario. They are looking to add multiple infielders and a Castillo trade could perhaps leave them looking to make a rotation addition as well.

Goldschmidt fits well into their offseason plans as they are looking for a right-handed hitting veteran first baseman. They have been connected to Turner and Santana in rumors this offseason, as well as Walker before he agreed to his new deal with the Astros. Goldschmidt is another option they could consider, as he would require a lesser investment than Walker, though likely more than Turner or Santana.

MLBTR’s $15MM projection for Goldschmidt exactly matches what the M’s reportedly have to spend. That wouldn’t leave them any money to get the other infielder they want, likely a third baseman, though perhaps the trade market could help them out there.

The Nationals have been rebuilding for a while but could perhaps be ready to emerge back into contention. Their roster has started to fill up with exciting young talents but president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said back in September that adding middle-of-the-order bats was a priority this winter.

That kind of addition wouldn’t have to come at first base but it would be the most logical place for it. They have lots of exciting young players for the outfield. CJ Abrams and Luis García Jr. seem to be set in the middle infield. Prospect Brady House is a potential third baseman of the future.

But at first, the Nats gave most of their playing time to Joey Gallo, Joey Meneses and Juan Yepez this year. The club declined a mutual option on Gallo while Meneses was outrighted and has since signed a minor league deal with the Mets. Yepez is still on the roster but is likely viewed as more of a role player than an everyday guy. The Nats also don’t have a strict designater hitter and could theoretically have lots of at-bats to share between Yepez and Goldschmidt or some other external addition.

The Mets technically have a first base vacancy but it would be a surprise to see them put fill it with Goldschmidt. Alonso has been a mainstay there for years and many in the baseball world expect the Polar Bear to wind up back in Queens. If Alonso ends up elsewhere, it’s been expected that the Mets would move Mark Vientos over from third since his defense at the hot corner is not well regarded. That could allow them to pursue someone like Alex Bregman or Nolan Arenado.

It’s clear though that president of baseball operations David Stearns loves short-term deals. Last winter, he signed ten free agents, nine of them getting one-year deals. Sean Manaea got two years but with an opt-out, which he eventually triggered.

This winter, it was thought that he would ramp up the aggressiveness. The 15-year Juan Soto deal certainly qualifies but Stearns has paired that with a pile of far more modest moves. Despite having seemingly unlimited funds to work with, he has given one-year deals to Griffin Canning, Jared Young, Dylan Covey and Justin Hagenman, a two-year deal to Frankie Montas and a three-year deal with an opt-out to Clay Holmes.

Signing Goldschmidt to replace Alonso would likely mean Vientos staying at third base for another year, but that was tolerable in 2024 and he’s only 25 years old, so perhaps he will improve a little with more experience. Guys like Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña could perhaps push their way into the infield mix over the course of the year, solidifying the infield group for 2026 and beyond.

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