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In nearly every aspect, it's been a banner offseason for the Mets. They signed one of the most coveted free agents in MLB history to the largest contract in North American sports. They brought back a franchise cornerstone their preferred way: a short-term deal that doesn't run the risk of overcommitting long-term. They re-signed the lefty who carried their rotation in the season's second half in what looks like a potential late-blooming breakout. They grabbed one of the most underrated relievers not just in this year's class but throughout the sport in general. Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea and A.J. Minter make for a terrific quartet of headline additions, with a broad-reaching swath of depth moves also on the books.
Keeping Manaea was an undeniable boon to Carlos Mendoza's rotation, even if it came at a generally steep cost. As shown in MLBTR's Contract Tracker, Manaea is one of just five starters in the past decade to secure a $25MM AAV over three or more years beginning in his age-33 season or later. Teams generally are loath to commit this type of money in a pitcher's mid-30s, but the left-hander's performance and the bull market for starting pitching early in the winter coalesced to land him (and 35-year-old Nathan Eovaldi) a rare contract for pitchers in this age bracket.
The rest of the Mets' moves in the rotation, however, have been lackluster. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns came to Queens with a reputation of eschewing long-term deals from his time heading up the Brewers' baseball operations department. There was some question as to how much of that stemmed from Milwaukee's perennially bottom-third payroll and how much was a philosophical directive from Stearns himself. The two offseasons with Stearns at the helm for the Mets don't represent a large enough sample to say he simply won't go long-term for a pitcher under any circumstances, but signs point to the likelihood that his avoidance of large-scale pitching contracts in his Brewers days wasn't solely a product of owner Mark Attanasio's frugality.
MLBTR’s Anthony Franco held a live chat today, exclusively for Front Office subscribers!
The Nationals have opted for another risk-averse offseason. At the end of last season, Washington general manager Mike Rizzo teased the possibility for an impact lineup addition.
“We need a couple of bats that can hit in the middle of the lineup and take the onus off some of these good young core players and assist them in the run creation of our offense. We have the core players to be middle-of-the-lineup hitters,” Rizzo told MLB.com’s Bill Ladson. That provided some hope that the Nats would make a big free agent push, but that has not come to be.
Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell have been Washington’s biggest lineup acquisitions. Lowe, whom the Nats acquired from Texas for reliever Robert Garcia, has been a well above-average hitter in three consecutive seasons. He’s a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat. A reunion with Bell, who has been one of the game’s streakiest hitters throughout his career, on a $6MM free agent deal is less exciting.
Lowe, who will make between $10.3MM and $11.1MM in his penultimate arbitration season, has been Washington’s costliest acquisition for 2025. They took a $9MM flier on Michael Soroka and brought back Trevor Williams for two years and $14MM. They’ve made minimal commitments to Shinnosuke Ogasawara ($3.5MM over two years), Jorge López ($3MM) and Amed Rosario ($2MM). Williams and Ogasawara are the only players to whom they’ve committed multiple years. The latter’s contract pays him like a seventh or eighth starter. Lowe is under arbitration control for another season that could cost upwards of $15MM, but the Nationals could trade or non-tender him if they’re not keen on that price.
It wasn’t the kind of headline-grabbing offseason that suggests the front office felt they were a move or two away from pushing the top three teams in the NL East. They remain the fourth-best team in the division on paper. Lowe could be a legitimate 2-3 win upgrade over last year’s collection of first basemen, who hit just .241/.310/.376. Beyond that, they’re mostly relying on internal improvements.
The Nationals dramatically cut spending during their rebuild. The Lerner family considered selling the franchise and didn’t want to saddle potential buyers with long-term deals. While they’re no longer actively exploring the sale possibility, maybe they haven’t given Rizzo and his front office leeway to make a significant splash.
If that’s the case, the front office’s actions have been understandable if largely unexciting. This roster still seems to be a year away from viable playoff contention. Pursuits of even upper middle tier free agents like Anthony Santander or Sean Manaea were unlikely to change that. They were never going to seriously threaten the Mets, Yankees, etc. on Juan Soto. A top-of-the-rotation arm like Corbin Burnes or Max Fried might have provided the ceiling boost needed in the rotation, but that requires an ownership group willing to approve a $200MM+ free agent deal.
Ya-aawwwwwn. Much like the mighty grizzly bear, I've spent the cold winter months of the midwest hibernating in my west county burrow. The calendar has now flipped to February, though, and I've awakened to see all of the telltale signs heralding the full arrival of fantasy baseball season... Football is finally ending and birds are almost chirping, while dozens of podcasts extensively extol the virtues of the same seven players. And just yesterday, Eno Sarris emerged from his local craft brewery and saw his own merm's shadow, officially ushering in 30 more weeks of content. Huzzah!
MLBTR's Steve Adams hosted a chat today, exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers.
The Giants' offseason got out to a roaring start and has quieted to something of a murmur. Even before the winter truly began and they formally announced a changing of the guard in baseball operations, then-advisor and now-president of baseball ops Buster Posey at least had a hand in (if he wasn't firmly driving the bus) extending Matt Chapman for six years and $151MM. At his introductory press conference, Posey offered up the following quote:
"I think back on some of my earliest memories walking into a spring training clubhouse -- walking in and seeing Willie Mays sitting at a table with Willie McCovey and Gaylord Perry, Juan Marichal. The next week it's Will Clark, Jeff Kent, Barry Bonds. I always appreciated -- and I don't think I appreciated it as much when I was a younger player -- but as time went on, I appreciated what that meant not only to the community but to us as players. There's a standard and expectation for being a San Francisco Giant. It's a privilege to try to go out on the field and hold ourselves accountable to that standard. You can go more toward my era, with [Matt] Cain and [Tim] Lincecum, [Madison] Bumgarner and [Brandon] Crawford and [Brandon] Belt. What I came to realize is sure, all those guys were great players and part of great teams, but what those guys ultimately meant to the San Francisco Giants fanbase and the community was memories. And all of us that are lucky enough to get to be involved in baseball in whatever capacity, understand that not only is it the greatest game in the world, but we're in the memory-making business. It's ultimately entertainment. It's an opportunity for grandparents and parents to share memories. It's an opportunity for strangers sitting out in the bleachers to share a great memory that happens at the ballpark and that can be talked about from that time on for the rest of their life, potentially."
Just over a month into the offseason, that mentality appeared to be on full display. Willy Adames put pen to paper on the largest contract the franchise had ever handed out: a seven-year, $182MM contract. The team was tied to marquee free agents like Corbin Burnes and looked into trades for star players like Kyle Tucker and Garrett Crochet, ultimately balking at the notion of including top prospect Bryce Eldridge in a package for either. Still, it was a promising start to a winter after years of the Giants eschewing bids for high-end free agents and generally showing an aversion to long-term commitments.
The vibe surrounding the Giants seems much different just six to seven weeks later. The Giants' most recent move was a cost-saving trade. Posey is now expressing that he's comfortable with the roster as currently constructed.
MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald held a live chat today, exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers.
This is a sponsored post from Sports Reference.
Baseball fans are no strangers to the excitement and unpredictability that come with the offseason. Every winter, teams reshuffle their rosters, making trades, signing free agents, and seeking that one player who could put them over the top in the coming season. This MLB offseason has been no exception, with high-profile moves shaking up the landscape of the sport. Amidst this flurry of activity, all baseball fans should start studying now to make sure they’re locked-in for Opening Day and the 2025 season’s daily Immaculate Grid.
What Is Immaculate Grid?
Immaculate Grid is a daily trivia game powered by Sports Reference that challenges players to fill a 3×3 grid with players who meet specific criteria, like sharing a team or achieving a specific statistical feat. Each square on the grid requires the player to recall a particular player from the past or present who fits the parameters, such as players who have played for two teams or hit a certain number of home runs. The game gives players a list of prompts, and they must select the correct player to fill each box. The goal is to complete the grid with as few incorrect guesses as possible.
For baseball fans, Immaculate Grid serves as a great way to flex one’s knowledge of the game, combining fun with an opportunity to refresh one’s memory about past and present MLB players. It’s a game that offers an endless variety of challenges, thanks to the dynamic nature of MLB rosters and the continuous changes that happen each offseason.
Challenge your friends and compete for the lowest “rarity score”.
A “rarity score” is calculated as the sum of the percentages for each cell you get correct plus 100 for each empty cell.
How to Play:
Offseason Moves and the Challenge of Immaculate Grid
Aside from fans challenging their baseball obsessed peers during the winter months, the offseason allows the hardcore fans to get ahead for the 2025 season of Immaculate Grid.
Here are a few of the key moves resulting in player’s changing teams. Once they play one game, they’re eligible to be an answer on the Immaculate Grid!
Key MLB Offseason Moves:
1. Juan Soto to the New York Mets
2. Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Kyle Tucker traded to the Chicago Cubs
4. Garrett Crochet traded to the Boston Red Sox
5. Blake Snell to the Los Angeles Dodgers
6. Max Fried to the New York Yankees
7. Willy Adames to the San Francisco Giants
8. Christian Walker to the Houston Astros
9. Devin Williams traded to the New York Yankees
10. Cody Bellinger traded to the New York Yankees
11. Clay Holmes to the New York Mets
12. Yusei Kikuchi to the Los Angeles Angels
13. Justin Verlander to the San Francisco Giants
14. Brady Singer traded from the Kansas City Royals for Jonathan India of the Cincinnati Reds
15. Walker Buehler to the Boston Red Sox
16. Jesus Luzardo traded to the Philadelphia Phillies
17. Josh Naylor traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks
18. Paul Goldschmidt to the New York Yankees
19. Anthony Santander to the Toronto Blue Jays
20. Luis Severino signs with the Oakland A’s
Still More Moves to Come:
Opening Day is still over two months away and pitchers and catchers don’t report for several weeks, which means there will still be lots of MLB offseason activity and players potentially signing with a new team.
Will Alex Bregman land in Toronto or reunite with his former manager AJ Hinch in Detroit?
Do the Mets bring back Pete Alonso on a short-term deal?
Does Jack Flaherty’s willingness to sign a short-term contract increase the teams interested?
Immaculate Grid is the perfect game for baseball fans, offering both entertainment and a valuable way to stay up-to-date on player movements. As the MLB offseason continues to evolve, the game remains an engaging and rewarding challenge.
With key offseason trades and signings shaking up team rosters, fans can sharpen their knowledge while having fun. So, whether you’re a die-hard fan who follows every trade or a casual viewer who’s just getting back into the swing of things, Immaculate Grid is the perfect companion for keeping track of the game during the offseason.
Also be sure to visit ImmaculateGrid.com for puzzles on other sports too like NBA, WNBA, NHL, NFL, and soccer!
The Guardians have made four free agent acquisitions this offseason. They retained Austin Hedges as their backup catcher. Shane Bieber re-signed to finish his Tommy John rehab and return to the rotation midseason. Cleveland brought back Carlos Santana to play first base -- a move made in tandem with the trade sending Josh Naylor to Arizona. Last week, they added Paul Sewald to an already excellent bullpen. Cleveland also brought in Luis Ortiz and Slade Cecconi via trade to deepen the rotation.
They've yet to address the outfield. Steven Kwan is one of the game's top left fielders. The other two positions are far less settled. Cleveland tendered Lane Thomas a contract for his final year of arbitration. Barring a late trade, he'll be back to play regularly somewhere. For now, that looks like center field by default.
The Guardians started nine different players in center field last year. Three of them -- Ramón Laureano, Myles Straw and Estevan Florial -- are no longer in the organization. Six others, including Thomas, remain on the 40-man roster. Yet none of them should be playing center field regularly for a team trying to defend its AL Central title. Top prospect Chase DeLauter is the hopeful long-term answer, but he has only played 42 games above High-A. It's tough to bank on him breaking camp.
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