The Opener

As MLB’s offseason continues, here are three things worth keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. What’s next for the Brewers?

Yesterday saw the Brewers and Mets get together on a trade that sent right-hander Adrian Houser and outfielder Tyrone Taylor to Queens in exchange for pitching prospect Coleman Crow. The sell-side move from Milwaukee subtracts from a rotation the club had deepened earlier in the offseason by signing right-hander Joe Ross and reuniting with veteran southpaw Wade Miley. Taylor’s departure clears one piece from what had become a crowded outfield mix following the club’s decision to sign top prospect Jackson Chourio to a pre-debut extension earlier this month.

The departure of Houser makes any deal involving right-hander Corbin Burnes more complicated. With likely sixth starter Aaron Ashby’s timeline uncertain as he looks to work his way back from shoulder surgery, trading Burnes could leave Milwaukee short on viable starting options headed into 2024. Of course, it’s worth noting that the club may be more hesitant to deal Burnes to begin with than once believed. The outfield, by contrast, is an area from which the Brewers should have little issue sacrificing some depth. Aside from Chourio and Christian Yelich, Milwaukee’s outfield mix also features Garrett Mitchell, Joey Wiemer, Sal Frelick, and Blake Perkins. That’s plenty of talent the club could trade use to improve their infield situation, which offers little certainty outside of shortstop Willy Adames.

2. D-backs, Gurriel deal not yet official:

Over the weekend, the Diamondbacks reportedly brought back left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on a deal worth $43MM guaranteed over three years that features both an opt-out after 2025 and a club option for 2027. That deal has yet to be made official, meaning Gurriel does not yet count against the club’s 40-man roster. At the time of the signing, that wasn’t particularly meaningful as Arizona had an open spot on its 40-man. That changed earlier this week, however, when the club claimed right-hander Collin Snider off waivers from the Royals. With the addition of Snider filling the club’s roster, Arizona will now have to clear a spot for Gurriel when his deal eventually becomes official, something they could accomplish by working out a minor trade involving one of the players towards the back of their roster or by simply designating a player for assignment.

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As MLB’s offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Will Yamamoto get $300MM?

The top free agent remaining at this point in the offseason is right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The 25-year-old NPB ace has previously been reported as having seven “finalists” for his services: the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Giants, Red Sox, Phillies, and Blue Jays. Reporting has since indicated that Philadelphia and Toronto are likely on the periphery of the sweepstakes, while last night rumors surfaced that the Dodgers were considering making an offer to Yamamoto in the $250-300MM range.

An offer even on the smaller end of that range would make Yamamoto’s contract the second-largest in MLB history for a starting pitcher (ignoring two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani) behind only Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, edging out Nationals righty Stephen Strasburg’s $245MM guarantee from the 2019-20 offseason. The bidding process for Yamamoto’s services is expected to continue throughout the week, leaving the door open for other finalists’ offers to reach or even surpass the reported range L.A. is considering.

2. Is a Matsui deal on the horizon?

Yamamoto isn’t the only NPB pitcher getting buzz of late. As of yesterday, the Padres and left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui were reportedly close on a multi-year deal. Matsui, 28, has posted sub-2.00 ERAs out of the bullpen in Japan in each of the past three seasons, with a combined 1.42 ERA and a 36.4% strikeout rate across 152 innings during that time. That show of dominance overseas earned Matsui the No. 43 spot on MLBTR’s annual Top 50 MLB free agents list. The Cardinals, Red Sox and Cubs are among the teams that have been connected to Matsui this offseason outside of San Diego, though with a deal seemingly on the verge of coming together, those teams may be forced to look elsewhere for bullpen help going forward.

3. Pirates facing roster crunch:

The Pirates have begun making moves to add to the club in recent days as they look to improve upon a 76-86 season during which the club showed flashes of success but ultimately finished fourth in the NL Central. Two recent moves made to improve the club’s standing were the addition of left-hander Martin Perez to the rotation and the club’s reported reunion with veteran DH Andrew McCutchen, who will don on a Pirates uniform for an 11th season in his 16-year MLB career. Before either deal can become official, however, the Pirates must clear space on their 40-man roster, which is currently full even without Perez and McCutchen having officially signed. Pittsburgh could look to make a minor trade or two in the coming days to clear space on the roster for their recent signings, or simply designate two players on the 40-man roster for assignment to make room.

As MLB’s offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Will Carpenter find a new team?

The Braves released veteran slugger Matt Carpenter yesterday, sending the 38-year-old to the open market. Carpenter posted an otherworldly performance as a member of the Yankees in 2022 when he slashed a whopping .305/.412/.727 across just 47 games. Outside of that brief stint in the Bronx, however, Carpenter has posted below average offensive numbers every year following the 2018 campaign, when he finished in the top-10 of NL MVP voting with the Cardinals.

While Carpenter’s age and mostly meager production in recent years make it reasonable to wonder if he’ll be able to land a job with a big league club, it’s worth noting that any interested club would only have to pay a pro-rated portion of the big league minimum for the time Carpenter spends on the roster given the Padres and Braves are still on the hook for his 2024 salary. That could make him an affordable option for teams in need of a lefty bat on a tight budget.

2. Royals working through roster crunch:

The Royals have spent more than $100MM on free agents this offseason, and the influx of additions has led to something of a logjam on the 40-man roster in recent weeks. To accommodate their new signings, Kansas City has shipped right-hander Taylor Clarke to Milwaukee, outfielder Edward Olivares to Pittsburgh, and most recently right-hander Jonathan Heasley to Baltimore in minor trades while also surrendering right-hander Collin Snider to the Diamondbacks on waivers. That flurry of activity has allowed them to make official the signings of right-handers Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Chris Stratton as well as left-hander Will Smith.

Even after all of that, the club still has one more player for whom they’ll need to open a 40-man roster spot: outfielder Hunter Renfroe, who the club reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with last week. The Royals have largely been successful in working out small trades for marginal players on their 40-man roster while navigating through this roster crunch, though it remains to be seen if they’ll pull off a fourth swap in that vein or have to settle for designating a player for assignment to accommodate Renfroe as they did with Snider to make room for Smith.

3. MLBTR chat today:

With the new year swiftly approaching, are there any questions burning in your mind about the offseason as 2023 comes to a close? Are you wondering what’s next for your favorite team, or perhaps curious about what the market for a particular free agent looks like? If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.

As MLB’s offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Could the Orioles reach a lease agreement today?

Earlier this year, the Orioles and Maryland governor Wes Moore initially reported that they had reached an agreement that would keep the Orioles in Baltimore for at least 30 years. That deal was later revealed to be a non-binding “memorandum of understanding,” and no deal has come together in the months since. That could change today according to an announcement late last week from Moore’s office that a long-term lease agreement between the Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority will be voted on by Maryland state officials today. The agreement is expected to go before both the stadium authority and the state’s Board of Public Works this afternoon. Time is running out on an agreement, as the club’s lease at Camden Yards expires at the end of the calendar year.

2. Is the outfield market heating up?

The positional market has lagged behind the pitching market for the most part this offseason, and while infielder Jeimer Candelario and DH Shohei Ohtani have both signed in recent weeks, the outfield market was falling even further behind in free agency with a focus on trades of players like Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, Tyler O’Neill, and Jarred Kelenic. Fortunately, the outfield market has begun to heat up over the past week as KBO star Jung Hoo Lee landed in San Francisco on a six-year deal.

Since then, the rest of the outfield market has begun to catch up as Hunter Renfroe reached an agreement on a two-year pact with the Royals. Just yesterday, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and the Diamondbacks came together on a multi-year contract that will keep the reigning NL championship club’s left fielder in town for the next two to four seasons. It’s possible that the recent movement on the outfield market could spur movement involving a corner outfield class led by Teoscar Hernandez that also features noteworthy names such as Tommy Pham, Joc Pederson, and Jorge Soler.

3. What’s next for the Padres?

The Padres kicked off their offseason earlier this month by trading away Soto and center fielder Trent Grisham to the Yankees in exchange for a package of five players headlined by right-hander Michael King and top pitching prospect Drew Thorpe. While the club was initially believed to be motivated to move Soto by a desire to open up budget space to repair a pitching staff that had lost four starting pitchers (including reigning NL Cy Young award winner Blake Snell) and star closer Josh Hader to free agency, reporting from this past weekend indicates that San Diego may have less room in the budget to work with than initially believed even after dealing away Soto.

The Padres are reportedly considering attempting to duck under the luxury tax threshold this offseason, a strategy that could leave them with just $30MM to spend as they look to add multiple arms to both the rotation and bullpen while also filling out their recently-vacated outfield alongside franchise cornerstone Fernando Tatis Jr. Given the club’s complicated financial situation and the number of holes left on the roster, the club’s path back into contention seems likely to remain unclear until president of baseball operations A.J. Preller and his front office make their next move.

As MLB’s offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Glasnow deal appears imminent:

Reports yesterday indicated that the Dodgers and Rays have agreed upon a trade that would send right-hander Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Manuel Margot to the Dodgers in exchange for Ryan Pepiot and Jonny Deluca. The deal hinges on an extension being finalized between the Dodgers and Glasnow. A deal is expected to come together, with Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times suggesting it could occur as soon as today. When completed, the deal will begin to address L.A.’s massive vacancies in the rotation, where Glasnow will join Bobby Miller and Walker Buehler as surefire starting options. Emmet Sheehan and Ryan Yarbrough are among the club’s depth options for the rotation, though the Dodgers figure to continue looking to reinforce the group after posting a 4.57 ERA that was 11th-worst in all of baseball last year.

2. Royals 40-man roster move incoming?

Yesterday, the Royals cleared space on their 40-man roster for right-hander Seth Lugo by trading right-hander Taylor Clarke to the Brewers in exchange for right-hander Ryan Brady and infielder Cam Devanney, neither of whom are on the 40-man. Lugo isn’t the only free agent signing the club will need to make room for on their roster, however, as Kansas City also got together on a deal with right-hander Chris Stratton earlier this week. The Royals, of course, could simply designate a player on their 40-man for assignment to make room for Stratton, though it’s fair to wonder if the club hopes to work out another minor trade to clear roster space as it did with Milwaukee yesterday.

3. SP market heating up?

In addition to the aforementioned agreement on a Glasnow trade, the starting pitching market lost a pair of free agents yesterday as right-handers Jack Flaherty and Tyler Mahle signed on with the Tigers and Rangers, respectively. The deals further heat up a middle-to-back of the rotation market that has seen plenty of deals come together so far this offseason. The upper tiers of the market have lagged behind in comparison, with Eduardo Rodriguez agreeing to a contract this month after quick-strike deals came together for Aaron Nola and Sonny Gray in November. Generally, it seems as though the top-of-the-rotation market is being held up by the Yoshinobu Yamamoto bidding. Yamamoto visited with the Phillies, adding a new team to the widely-known field of contenders for his services that already included the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Giants, Red Sox, and Blue Jays.

As MLB’s offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Glasnow trade buzz:

News broke recently that the Dodgers and Rays were discussing a deal that would send Tyler Glasnow and Manuel Margot to L.A. in exchange for Ryan Pepiot and Jonny Deluca. No deal ultimately got done yesterday, and there have been reports of the Rays discussing Glasnow deals at a similar level of seriousness with other clubs. Could a deal come together soon? The 6’8” right-hander has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career but would be a major addition to the front of any would-be contender’s rotation; dating back to the 2019 season, Glasnow owns a 3.03 ERA and 2.89 FIP across 60 starts (332 2/3 innings).

2. Lee to undergo physical:

Star KBO outfielder Jung Hoo Lee recently agreed to terms with the Giants for six years and $113MM ahead of what should be his stateside debut. The final step in Lee’s move to MLB is expected to occur today as he undergoes a physical. That step in the process is usually a formality, though Giants fans will of course remember the Carlos Correa saga last offseason that saw him initially agree to a contract with San Francisco before the club backed out due to issues with Correa’s ankle. Lee, 25, underwent season-ending surgery in late July after sustaining a fractured ankle just this past season, though of course the Giants were well aware of that fact before engaging with the young outfielder.

3. Ohtani’s introductory presser:

Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is a Dodger, on a contract that shook the baseball world with its significant deferrals and unique conditional opt-out clause. Ohtani’s time in Dodger blue is expected to officially begin at 5:00pm CT this evening with an introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium, where both Ohtani himself and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman will be available to the media. It will be Ohtani’s first media appearance since his 2023 season came to an end back in September. Ohtani underwent elbow surgery shortly thereafter, though specifics regarding the procedure have not been made available since.

With 60 days remaining until pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today…

1. Yamamoto meeting with teams:

Yesterday, the Dodgers met with NPB ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto as the 25-year-old hurler continues meeting with clubs interested in his services this offseason. L.A. joins the Giants, Mets, and Yankees among clubs publicly known to have met with Yamamoto this offseason. It was reported yesterday that both the Red Sox and Blue Jays figure to join that quarter in the coming days. A report last week indicated that the field for Yamamoto’s services had thinned to seven teams, with every team that has met with Yamamoto to this point except for Boston named alongside two “mystery teams.”

2. Is Bellinger’s market crystalizing?

The Giants shocked the baseball world by landing star KBO outfielder Jung Hoo Lee on a six-year deal worth $113MM. The signing of Lee takes another top left-handed bat off of the market following Shohei Ohtani’s decision to sign with the Dodgers and the swap that sent Juan Soto to the Yankees. Both the Giants and Yankees were considered top suitors for center fielder Cody Bellinger prior to their additions of Soto and Lee. It’s possible that the recent run on left-handed bats has left Bellinger with only a handful of potential destinations left.

Remaining suitors for Bellinger could include the Blue Jays, Cubs, and Mariners. Toronto and Chicago, the latter of whom Bellinger bounced back with in 2023, were among the final bidders on Ohtani before he landed in L.A. The Mariners, meanwhile, have little certainty in their outfield beyond Julio Rodriguez and would benefit from Bellinger’s 15.6% strikeout rate last year as they look to create a more contact-oriented lineup. It’s also at least plausible that the Giants have the wherewithal necessary to land both Bellinger and Lee, though given the club’s logjam in the outfield they may be better suited toward spending in other areas at this point.

3. Greinke joins the market:

After months of uncertainty regarding the plans of future Hall of Famer Zack Greinke, the veteran right-hander is reportedly planning to continue his career in 2024. The news puts Greinke in line to become the 20th pitcher in major league history to record 3,000 career strikeouts, a milestone he sits just 21 punchouts away from. Beyond the potential history a 21st big league season from Greinke figures to involve, the update also adds another quality back-of-the-rotation starter to a market ravenous for starting pitching options. While Greinke struggled to the first below-average ERA+ of his career since 2005 last season, it’s easy to see a club taking a chance on Greinke given the solid deals back-end starters like Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson have received so far this offseason.

In the recent past, Greinke hasn’t had much impact on the wider free agent market as he’s seemingly limited himself to pitching in Kansas City. However, the news of Greinke’s decision to continue pitching comes on the heels of the Royals committing to Seth Lugo on a three-year pact, leaving open the possibility that Greinke will need to look elsewhere to continue his career. If Greinke hopes to stick with familiar clubs, both the Dodgers and Diamondbacks could use rotation fortifications, even after Arizona landed Eduardo Rodriguez earlier in the month.

As the offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Press conference in Arizona:

At 2:00pm CT this afternoon, the Diamondbacks will be holding a press conference to introduce newly-signed left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to the press. Both Rodriguez himself and GM Mike Hazen will be in attendance. Rodriguez, who signed a four-year, $80MM contract as the Winter Meetings were coming to a close last week, is the largest free agent signing by the D-backs since the ill-fated Madison Bumgarner deal signed prior to the 2020 season. The press conference could shed some light on Arizona’s payroll flexibility going forward this offseason, as the reigning NL champs are into uncharted territory with regards to their payroll. RosterResource projects them for a $127MM payroll in 2024, a figure that comes in just below the club’s all-time high payroll of $131MM back in 2018 (per Cot’s Baseball Contracts). That would seemingly leave little room in the budget for further additions, but Arizona has nonetheless been connected to bats at the top of the DH market such as J.D. Martinez and Jorge Soler.

2. Contracts yet to be made official:

Yesterday saw the Royals make their one-year agreement with left-hander Will Smith official, designating right-hander Collin Snider for assignment to make room for Smith on the club’s 40-man roster. With Smith now officially on the roster in Kansas City, it’s possible that two other signings that were agreed upon over the weekend could be made official in the near future as well: fellow southpaw Andrew Chafin’s $4.75MM deal with the Tigers, and catcher Austin Hedges’s $4MM pact with the Guardians. Cleveland already cleared a spot for Hedges on their 40-man roster by shipping catcher Christian Bethancourt to the Marlins the day of their agreement with Hedges, while the Tigers currently have just 38 players on their 40-man, leaving them room on the roster for another addition even after Chafin’s deal is made official.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

With the Winter Meetings now in the rearview mirror and baseball’s biggest free agent off the board, are there any questions burning in your mind about the offseason? Are you wondering what’s next for your favorite team, or perhaps curious about what the market for a particular free agent looks like? If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.

On the heels of baseball’s $700MM man making his decision, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Fallout of Ohtani’s decision:

Shohei Ohtani is set to become a Dodger on a record-shattering $700MM deal. With the biggest question of the offseason answered, there’s plenty of ripple effects that will impact the remainder of the offseason. It’s not yet clear whether Ohtani has undergone a physical and his contract with the Dodgers has been finalized, and L.A. will need to clear a spot on its 40-man roster to accommodate the addition of Ohtani once those final steps have happened. Looking beyond the Dodgers, the teams that missed out on Ohtani — the Blue Jays, Angels, Cubs, and Giants are among the teams that were involved in the bidding process — will need to look elsewhere as they attempt to improve ahead of next season. That could allow the markets for other top players, such as center fielder Cody Bellinger, right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and left-hander Blake Snell, to come into focus over the coming days.

2. When will the rumored Dodgers-Yankees deal be completed?

An unusual report surfaced yesterday, with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal indicating that the Dodgers and Yankees were working on a trade that would send two players on L.A.’s 40-man roster to the Yankees in exchange for a prospect in the Yankees organization who is not on the 40-man. The deal would clear the aforementioned roster spot needed to finalize Ohtani’s contract while also making room for right-hander Joe Kelly. Joel Sherman of the New York Post heard the same, adding that the Yankees will pick up an “end of roster pitcher” who could provide depth lost by the inclusion of depth arms Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito in the Juan Soto trade while also adding an additional prospect. It seems likely that the specifics of the deal should be available in the near future.

3. Could the relief market be picking up?

Yesterday saw a pair of veteran free agent southpaws come off the board as left-hander Andrew Chafin reunited with the Tigers in Detroit while Will Smith rejoined the team for whom he made his major league debut in Kansas City. With those two arms off the board, will the relief market continue to heat up? Closer Josh Hader headlines the class, while flamethrowing 27-year-old Jordan Hicks, breakout righty Robert Stephenson and NPB relief ace Yuki Matsui are among the other notable names who’ve yet to sign. The Cubs, Cardinals, Astros, and Rangers are among the many teams known to be searching for relief help at this point in the offseason.

With the Winter Meetings now in the rear view mirror, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Will the Orioles change hands?

The Orioles are coming off a sensational season that saw them post an AL-best record of 101-61 as the core of young talent cultivated by GM Mike Elias and his front office in recent years finally came to fruition. While the club seems sure to once again be a force to be reckoned with in 2024, recent news created some off-the-field uncertainty for the Orioles’ regarding their future. Reporting indicated yesterday afternoon that David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group, was in talks to acquire the Orioles from the Angelos family. It’s unknown at what level those talks are occurring, but a change in ownership as the Orioles enter their competitive window could be a game changer for a club that (according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts) has posted a bottom-five payroll in the majors each of the past five seasons.

2. How much do the Diamondbacks have left to spend?

After reportedly agreeing to a four-year, $80MM contract with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to shore up the club’s rotation, the Diamondbacks have dipped their toes into uncharted territory with regards to their payroll. The reigning NL champions have never posted a payroll higher than $131MM (per Cot’s) and yet RosterResource now projects the club for a $133MM payroll in 2023 as things currently stand. Will GM Mike Hazen and his front office have more room to spend as they follow up on last year’s deep postseason run? If there is additional payroll space in Arizona, the club is reportedly interested in offensive additions, including at DH.

3. Contracts waiting to be finalized:

Several contracts from the winter meetings have not yet been finalized and formally announced by their clubs at this point. Of particular noted are the pending one-year deal between utilityman Nick Senzel and the Nationals as well as the reported three-year agreement between infielder Jeimer Candelario and the Reds, as the deals would leave Washington and Cincinnati without any remaining space on their 40-man roster. That’ll force them to make corresponding moves for future additions to the 40-man this offseason. Other deals that have not yet been made official include the one between Arizona and Rodriguez as well as yesterday’s pact between the Mets and right-hander Jorge Lopez.