The Opener

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world as we head into the week:

1. What’s next for the Rangers?

A surprising swap of big names on large contracts happened yesterday, as the Rangers sent second baseman Marcus Semien to the Mets in exchange for Brandon Nimmo. From the Rangers’ perspective, the deal allows them to re-imagine their lineup and replace non-tendered corner outfielder Adolis Garcia while still staying in line with their goals to cut payroll this year. While Nimmo is on the books for five years as opposed to Semien’s three, he’ll actually cost about $4.75MM less per year for luxury tax purposes after factoring in the cash New York sent alongside Texas’ new left fielder. With a luxury tax payroll that RosterResource now projects to land around just $191MM and Josh Smith free to take over at second base, the Rangers come out of this trade with the flexibility to perhaps even make another addition to the lineup or sign some bullpen help while still cutting payroll substantially from last year. It’s unclear what exact level ownership is comfortable spending to this year.

2. Mets’ infield logjam grows bigger:

The Semien-Nimmo trade is a bit more complicated from the Mets’ end. With Nimmo headed to the Rangers, the Mets now have Juan Soto as their only locked in regular in the outfield for the 2026 season. By contrast, they’re flush with infield options after adding Semien to a group that already included Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Luisangel Acuna, and Ronny Mauricio. Semien and Francisco Lindor figure to handle regular reps up the middle, which would leave just two spots on the infield for those four youngsters. A Pete Alonso reunion would further cut into those opportunities. Also displaced by the deal is Jeff McNeil, who could move into the outfield if necessary but was already the subject of trade rumors even before this deal.

The Mets could move any of those infielders as they look for help in the rotation or bullpen. It’s also worth noting that one of the game’s perennial top spenders now has a corner outfield vacancy and less money on the long-term books when the market’s top free agent is corner outfielder Kyle Tucker.

3. Maton signing not yet official:

The Cubs agreed to terms with right-hander Phil Maton on a two-year deal Friday night, though that signing has not yet been finalized. Maton’s deal is pending a physical, and financial specifics are not yet known. The Cubs have been reluctant to commit to relievers on multi-year deals in recent years, making the signing all the more notable. Chicago’s last multi-year free agent signing for a relief arm was the Craig Kimbrel contract all the way back in June of 2019. (They did make a strong offer to Tanner Scott last winter, though.) Is this a change in philosophy or merely a one-off? The Cubs have plenty of space on the 40-man roster, so a corresponding move will not be necessary when the Maton deal becomes official.

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

1. Non-tender deadline arrives:

This evening, teams around baseball will need to decide whether to offer contracts to their arbitration- and pre-arbitration level players. Those who are non-tendered will head directly into free agency without being placed on waivers. Earlier this week, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco made a comprehensive list of players who could at least theoretically be at risk of a non-tender today, although the majority of them likely will not actually head into free agency.

Many will simply be tendered a contract by their team and go through the normal arbitration process, landing a salary around what MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected for them last month. Others could sign at a discount right away on a “pre-tender” deal to avoid arbitration, like Connor Wong did with the Red Sox yesterday. Still others could be traded to another team more interested in paying their arbitration price tag, which we saw when the Astros and Braves swapped arbitration-level players by sending Mauricio Dubon to Atlanta in exchange for Nick Allen.

2. Trade candidates ahead of tonight’s deadline:

As teams look to get something out of players they’re considering a non-tender for, a number of trades could be possible today. The Rangers have already been shopping outfielder Adolis Garcia and catcher Jonah Heim for days as they look to shed payroll, and a non-tender could be in the cards for either or both if a trade isn’t worked out. Meanwhile, some players who were designated for assignment earlier this week could be traded in the coming hours before their team would otherwise cut them and send them into free agency. JJ Bleday of the A’s, Ramon Urias of the Astros, and Christopher Morel of the Rays are among the players DFA’d earlier this week who could theoretically still be dealt if a team was interested in picking them up at their arbitration price tag.

3. Posting windows opening:

For players coming over from Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan or South Korea’s Korean Baseball Organization, free agency can be a much more abbreviated affair. Players posted by their NPB clubs for MLB teams have just a 45-day window to sign, while that same window is only 30 days for KBO players. NPB right-hander Tatsuya Imai’s negotiating period began yesterday, and he’ll be followed today by both NPB infielder Kazuma Okamoto and righty Kona Takahashi according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Imai’s posting window will run through January 2, while Okamoto and Takahashi will both see their windows last through January 4. Top international power bat Munetaka Murakami’s negotiating window began two weeks ago, and KBO infielder Sung-mun Song figures to be officially posted this weekend to kick of his own window.

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

1. Braves getting down to business:

Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has long been known for his desire to move quickly during the offseason, and yesterday saw him kick off Atlanta’s offseason in a big way. The team re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias on a one-year deal worth $16MM and followed that move up by swinging a trade with the Astros for utilityman Mauricio Dubon. Iglesias helps to steady a bullpen mix that bid farewell to righties Tyler Kinley and Pierce Johnson when their club options were declined. Dubon gives the club a viable answer at shortstop should they fail to find an upgrade elsewhere and an excellent bench piece if he does wind up squeezed out of the starting lineup. In addition to further exploring the shortstop market, Atlanta will be on the hunt for rotation help and another reliever or two.

2. Trade market heating up?

The Dubon deal was the second notable trade in as many days, joining the surprise swap of Taylor Ward for Grayson Rodriguez between the Angels and Orioles. Neither Ward nor Rodriguez was a potential non-tender candidate, but Dubon and Nick Allen (whom the Astros acquired in exchange for Dubon) both might have been on their previous teams. MLBTR’s list of non-tender candidates released yesterday, and GMs around the league will surely be focused on trying to work out trades for any of their players who they don’t plan to tender a contract to tomorrow over the next day. Some notable trade candidates on that list include Jonah Heim, Adolis Garcia, Jonathan India, Alec Bohm, Jesus Sanchez, and Bailey Falter.

3. Could Iglesias spark more relief market movement?

Iglesias re-upping with the Braves wasn’t exactly a shocking move, given Atlanta’s proclivity towards familiar faces and a need for help at the back of a bullpen that lacked certainty outside of Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer. Even so, there have been indications this winter that the market for relief arms could move more quickly than other parts of free agency. Iglesias is far from the only interesting name available in a market led by Edwin Diaz. Robert Suarez, Ryan Helsley, and Devin Williams are all notable names who should get strong contracts this winter, while Brad Keller, Pete Fairbanks, and Luke Weaver might lack that star power but would still be exciting additions to the back of virtually any bullpen. Who will be the next to sign?

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on today:

1. What’s next for the Orioles?

Last night’s surprising trade between the Orioles and Angels saw Baltimore bring Taylor Ward into the outfield mix, while Anaheim added a high upside arm to their rotation in Grayson Rodriguez. There’s little reason to wonder why the Angels swapped a rental bat for a roll of the dice on a young pitcher under long-term control who was once among the very best pitching prospects in baseball.

Baltimore’s motivations aren’t quite so easy to parse, given that the club’s outfield was already somewhat crowded with Ward now joining Tyler O’Neill, Colton Cowser, Dylan Beavers, Leody Taveras, Heston Kjerstad and prospect Enrique Bradfield. The trade helps balance out a lefty-heavy Orioles lineup, but Baltimore was already in clear need of additional rotation help. Might the addition of Ward signal that the O’s are prepared to use some of their existing outfield depth to help land a starter? Will they simply turn to the free agent market to fill out their starting staff?

2. Several players in DFA limbo ahead of non-tender deadline:

A large number of players were designated for assignment ahead of yesterday’s deadline to protect prospects from the Rule 5 draft. JJ Bleday, Christopher Morel, Jake Fraley, Tayler Saucedo, Jason Foley, and Ramon Urias stand out among the most notable names to end up in limbo after yesterday’s moves, and now those players figure to be available to any team interested in trading for them at a minimal price before their current teams likely non-tender them this coming Friday. Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia and catcher Jonah Heim weren’t designated for assignment, but they’re being shopped ahead of Friday’s non-tender deadline. Will Texas line up on a deal for either of the two?

3. MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agent podcast:

A special episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast goes live today, as Darragh McDonald is joined by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco for a two-hour conversation covering MLBTR’s list of the Top 50 MLB Free Agents for the 2025-26 offseason with predictions. Whether it’s a discussion of Kyle Tucker and MLBTR’s $400MM prediction for the offseason’s top free agent, or the unpredictability of Dylan Cease’s market coming off a relative down season, the podcast provides insight into the discussions that went into this year’s Top 50 list. The episode is already live on both Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and will be posted here on MLBTR later this morning!

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

1. Deadline for qualifying offer decisions:

Today’s the deadline for players who were extended the qualifying offer to make their decisions on whether to accept the QO or head into free agency encumbered by draft pick compensation. The majority of the 13 players who received a QO will reject it without much thought, but there are a handful of edge cases who could at least consider accepting the one-year, $22.05MM deal rather than testing the open market. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco conducted a poll of MLBTR readers last night that suggested fans believe Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres is the most likely player to accept. That’s MLBTR’s own judgment, as well; Torres was the only player we predicted would accept the QO in our Top 50 MLB free agents list. Shota Imanaga, Zac Gallen, and Trent Grisham are among the other players who could plausibly opt to accept the QO today.

2. Rule 5 protection deadline:

Today isn’t just the deadline for QO decisions. While the QO decisions get much of the attention, today’s deadline on protecting prospects from the Rule 5 draft by adding them to the 40-man roster figures to impact every club in the league. Teams with cluttered 40-man rosters will be looking to either trade Rule 5 eligible prospects they can’t fit on the roster or discard players already on the 40-man to make room for those prospects. Meanwhile, teams with plenty of 40-man roster space will be looking for the opportunity to add players squeezed out of other organizations to their own rosters. While the Rule 5 draft itself won’t occur until the Winter Meetings next month, today’s efforts to protect players from it figure to spark plenty of movement around the league.

3. Naylor introductory press conference:

Josh Naylor’s five-year deal with the Mariners is now official. As a result, the Mariners are hosting a press conference to officially re-introduce Naylor to the media as a long-term member of the organization later today. Naylor himself will be present, of course, as well as his agent, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and GM Justin Hollander. Dipoto and Hollander’s presence could leave the door open for hints towards the Mariners’ plans for the rest of their offseason, which could offer insight onto how they’ll continue to build on this year’s team after missing the World Series by just one game and making one of the largest free agent investments of Dipoto’s tenure with the organization into Naylor.

As the first major piece of the offseason puzzle shakes loose, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Naylor nearing deal:

The big news from this weekend was the Mariners and first baseman Josh Naylor getting together on what’s expected to be a five-year deal in the range of $90MM-$100MM. That Naylor re-upped in Seattle is hardly a surprise given that president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto had made it extremely clear that retaining Naylor was a “priority” for his front office headed into the winter. Naylor himself was candid about enjoying his stay in town as well, as well. Even if it was an expected outcome, however, a deal coming together so quickly and at a level that seems likely to meet or slightly exceed MLBTR’s five-year $90MM prediction for his eventual contract seems like a good sign for the players on the market this winter. The deal figures to be made official at some point in the near future, and a more specific breakdown of the contract structure is likely to be revealed in the coming days as well.

2. What’s next for Seattle?

Now that Seattle has landed their top priority of the winter, it’s fair to wonder what a team that came just one game from the World Series this season will do moving forward. It would make sense for them to continue looking for ways to bolster their infield, given that Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suarez both hit free agency alongside Naylor to open up holes at second and third base. The Mariners are also known to be looking into the high leverage relief market this winter. One other question would be about the future of Harry Ford, who showed himself to be ready for the big leagues but is blocked from everyday playing time by Cal Raleigh behind the plate. Perhaps Ford could be tabbed as the team’s backup catcher and get semi-regular starts elsewhere in the lineup, though it also seems as though a trade may not be off the table.

3. Nationals to introduce Blake Butera:

As noted by Bobby Blanco of MASN, newly-minted Nationals manager Blake Butera will be available to the media later today in an introductory press conference scheduled for 1:30pm local time. Butera, 33, is the youngest manager in MLB as he steps into his new role and is arguably among the most unorthodox in a sea of unusual managerial hires this winter. President of baseball operations Paul Toboni will presumably be in attendance as well and has spoken effusively of his new skipper in previous comments to the media. Prior to being hired by Toboni, Butera had served as the Rays’ senior director of player development and was a manager in the minor leagues for four seasons.

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

1. Trade market buzzing:

On the heels of this week’s GM Meetings, there’s been plenty of rumors about the trade market that will be worth monitoring as the offseason progresses. Cardinals super utility man Brendan Donovan, Royals southpaw Kris Bubic, and Mets veteran Jeff McNeil have all drawn interest from rival teams in recent days. All of those pieces appear to have real potential to move this offseason, but there are other longer shot trade candidates floating around the rumor mill as well. The Diamondbacks are getting plenty of calls on star infielder Ketel Marte, and the Mets are getting interest on mercurial right-hander Kodai Senga. Even with teams like the Reds and Astros publicly taking big names like Hunter Greene and Isaac Paredes off the table, there’s still plenty of early intrigue on the market.

2. Bullpen market heating up?

Yesterday, a report from Francys Romero of BeisbolFR suggested that the market for relievers could start moving in the early part of the offseason. That would be a sharp contrast to last winter, when top relief arms like Tanner Scott lingered on the market into January and even the earliest signings for veteran closers didn’t start until the Winter Meetings. There have already been plenty of rumors about the offseason’s top relief arms this winter.

Right-hander Brad Keller is garnering interest as a starter after a dominant year in the bullpen with the Cubs. The Red Sox, Reds, Dodgers and Marlins have been connected to Devin Williams, and the Dodgers have also been connected to Raisel Iglesias as they look to bolster a middling bullpen that forced them to move Roki Sasaki into a ninth inning role this October. One other interesting wrinkle in the bullpen market this year is the presence of Edwin Diaz, who wasted no time in signing during his last trip to free agency when he inked a deal with the Mets in early November back in 2022. Could he or another top relief arm follow suit with a November deal this year?

3. Coaching staff additions continue:

While most of the focus is on free agency and the trade market at this point, teams are still doing the little things in the background to prepare for the 2026 season. That includes making alterations to and finalizing their coaching staffs. Just in the past few days, the Orioles, Twins, Reds, and Astros have all made significant coaching moves. More will surely continue to trickle in throughout the offseason, especially from the many teams that have hired new managers this winter. That’s also to say nothing of the Rockies, who still have to hire a manager after naming Paul DePodesta their president of baseball operations last week.

Don’t forget to enter MLBTR’s annual Free Agent Prediction Contest! Submissions close at 11pm central time this evening. Without further ado, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. GM Meetings wrapping up:

It’s the final day of the GM Meetings, but there’s still time for the league’s 30 front office heads to add fuel to the rumor mill before they depart Las Vegas. While a handful of minor transactions have occurred, for the most part the GM Meetings have been about laying groundwork and providing hints on the direction some clubs could look to take this winter (such as the Pirates’ potentially expanded payroll capacity). We’ve also seen comments from GMs downplaying their interest in dealing away speculative trade candidates (such as Dana Brown’s comments on Isaac Paredes). A noteworthy trade or signing could still happen before the GM Meetings wrap up, but the focus is likely to be on movement that could occur in the coming days as qualifying offer decisions come due and the non-tender deadline approaches. Next month’s Winter Meetings figure to have far more fireworks in terms of hot stove activity.

2. 2025 MVPs to be crowned:

As awards week wraps up, the winners of this year’s MVP Awards in both leagues are set to be announced this evening. There’s little intrigue in the NL, where Shohei Ohtani is widely expected to cruise to his fourth career MVP trophy despite banner years from fellow finalists Kyle Schwarber and Juan Soto. In the AL, this year’s season-long battle between Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh will finally come to a close, with Jose Ramirez joining that duo as a finalist following his second consecutive 30-homer, 40-steal season. Whether Judge’s otherworldly offensive numbers will be enough to overcome Raleigh’s 60 home runs and status as a quality defender at the game’s most difficult defensive position will be revealed at 6pm CT.

3. Additional awards to be announced:

While the main event this evening is the Most Valuable Player announcement, that’s not the only award set to be announced throughout the day. The 2025 All-MLB team will be announced today at the GM Meetings, while winners of the Comeback Players of the Year, Relievers of the Year, Outstanding DH, Executive of the Year, and Hank Aaron Awards will also be revealed as well. All of those awards will have their results announced on MLB Network’s awards show this evening, which runs from 8pm to 10pm CT. As noted by MLB.com, more than 70 current and former MLB players are expected to be in attendance for the show.

As the offseason continues, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day:

1. GM Meetings continue:

The GM Meetings began yesterday, and with the league’s top decision-makers all in one place the rumor mill is sure to stay busy. Some teams (e.g. Pirates, D-backs) took the opportunity to try and stamp out trade rumors surrounding their top players. For many others (e.g. Mets, Dodgers, Braves, Royals) there have already been some hints to where their priorities in free agency and/or on the trade market lie. As this week’s meetings continue, more information should come forward in the form of both public-facing comments from MLB’s front office bosses and sourced reports from behind the scenes. While it’s unusual for substantial transactions to happen this early in the calendar — next month’s Winter Meetings are a much larger source of actual action — its not impossible that an early move or two could occur this week in addition to the usual rumors and intrigue.

2. Cy Young Awards to be announced:

This year’s Cy Young Award winners will be announced tonight, though there doesn’t seem to be much debate as to who’ll win this year’s hardware. Pirates righty Paul Skenes and Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal have seemed likely to lock up the awards for quite some time now, and there’s little reason to expect an upset in either case. It would be Skenes’ first career Cy Young Award after he won the NL Rookie of the Year award and finished as a finalist in Cy Young voting last season. For Skubal, this would be his second consecutive AL Cy Young win. The other finalists in the NL are Phillies southpaw Cristopher Sanchez and Dodgers right-hander (and 2025 World Series MVP) Yoshinobu Yamamoto. In the AL, Skubal is joined by Red Sox lefty Garrett Crochet and Astros ace Hunter Brown.

3. Join the MLBTR Free Agent Prediction Contest!

Last week, we here at MLBTR published our 2025-26 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions list. As is the case every year, that list coincides with the announcement of our annual Free Agent Prediction Contest! $900 in cash prizes, as well as one-year memberships to Trade Rumors Front Office are available to the contestants who have the most success in guessing where the league’s top free agents will ultimately land this winter. The contest closes tomorrow night, so be sure to get your predictions in while you still can!

Here’s a few things to monitor around the baseball world today:

1. GM Meetings continue in Las Vegas

Baseball’s annual General Manager Meetings are this week in Las Vegas, Nevada. While they typically don’t feature as many transactions as the more well known Winter Meetings, the GM Meetings still see executives laying the groundwork for offseason trades and free agent signings. With all 30 teams as well as many player agents in attendance, there might be some interesting rumors trickling through later in the day. Among the new leaders this year are Paul DePodesta, Chaim Bloom, and Paul Toboni. Of course, all three have significant baseball experience, but DePodesta is returning to the sport as the Rockies’ president of baseball operations after spending a decade in the front office for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. Bloom recently took over as president of baseball ops for the Cardinals, while Toboni assumed that role for the Nationals back in September.

2. Manager of the Year Awards announced tonight

Awards season continues with the Manager of the Year winners set to be announced tonight at 6 pm CT. The American League finalists are Blue Jays manager John Schneider, Mariners skipper Dan Wilson, and Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who won the award last year. Schneider took the Blue Jays from last place in 2024 to Game 7 of the World Series this year, while Wilson’s Mariners and Vogt’s Guardians both won their respective divisions, with the Guardians mounting a historic comeback to overtake the Tigers on the final day of the regular season. Meanwhile, the National League contenders are the Brewers’ Pat Murphy, the Phillies’ Rob Thomson, and the Reds’ Terry Francona. The Brewers under Murphy had the best record in the majors at 97-65 (.599), while Thomson took the Phillies to the NLDS and Francona took the Reds to the playoffs in his first year at the helm.

3. MLBTR chat today

The offseason continues with the GM meetings running through November 13, the deadline for qualifying offer acceptance coming on the 18th, and the non-tender deadline a few days later on the 21st. Whether your team is planning an active offseason or merely looking to improve the margins of their roster, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat at 1 pm CT later today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.