The 2024-25 Main League Baseball offseason carries on, and notable free-agent names are off the board, together with the most important identify of all in Juan Soto. With the Winter Conferences effectively behind us and plenty of massive free brokers and commerce targets nonetheless obtainable, we’re nonetheless being handled to an virtually every day provide of rumors relating to all of that. Talking of which, Thursday’s spherical of rumors might be discovered just under.
Mets meet with Sasaki
The New York Mets met with Japanese righty Roki Sasaki on Thursday, stories SNY. Sasaki, our No. 7 free agent, cannot signal with a group till the 2025 worldwide signing interval opens on Jan. 15. As a result of he’s beneath 25, he’s topic to the worldwide bonus swimming pools, and might be restricted to a minor-league contract.
Sasaki, 23, is probably the most gifted pitcher on the earth not beneath contract with an MLB group. It is upper-90s gasoline with a wipeout slider and splitter. The worldwide bonus swimming pools vary from $4 million to $8 million every year relying on market measurement. Sasaki just isn’t eligible for a monster contract a la Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which ranges the monetary taking part in area throughout his free company.
Phillies signal Kepler to one-year deal
The Philadelphia Phillies have signed outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year contract price $10 million, in line with ESPN. He’ll be part of an outfield combine that features Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, and Johan Rojas. Kepler has primarily performed proper area whereas sliding over to middle occasionally. That means a doable transfer for Castellanos to left area with Marsh and Rojas platooning in middle.
Kepler, 31, had the worst offensive season of his profession in 2024, slashing .253/.302/.380 with eight dwelling runs in 105 video games. He was higher towards lefties (.721 OPS) than righties (.672 OPS), although that’s out of line with the remainder of his profession. Kepler’s made his cash as a lefty platoon bat who hits righties effectively and performs superb proper area protection.
Arenado-to-Astros commerce could also be revisited
The St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros had in place the outlines of a commerce that will’ve despatched veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado and vital money to Houston. Nonetheless, Arenado invoked his full no-trade clause to dam the deal, as is his contractual proper. Maybe, although, this doesn’t suggest that an Arenado-to-Astros deal is an impossibility. This is The Athletic:
“[Arenado] stays open to exploring the thought, and each Houston and St. Louis will hold in touch relating to a doable deal, although it’s unclear how closely the Astros will proceed their pursuit.
“In keeping with a number of group sources, Arenado didn’t wish to rush into a choice and most popular to attend till extra of the third-base market was established.”
The will to attend might mirror the truth that third baseman Alex Bregman, an Astros lifer at this writing, continues to be obtainable on the free-agent market, and might be the best choice by groups who need assistance at third base and are prepared to satisfy market charges. If Arenado waits out Bregman, then he’d have extra readability on his market. That would imply, partly, renewed talks between the Astros and Cardinals. Different potential suits for Arenado embody the Yankees, Mets, Pink Sox, and Phillies ought to they commerce Alec Bohm. The Cardinals are searching for to commerce Arenado as lean deeper right into a youth motion in St. Louis and clear wage obligations for 2025 and past.
An eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, Arenado has proven indicators of offensive decline within the final two seasons, and that raises issues transferring into what might be his age-34 season. He does, nevertheless, stay a standout defender at third base. He is owed $74 million over the following three seasons. Nonetheless, his former group the Rockies are on the hook for $10 million of that whole, and the Cardinals reported willingness to incorporate $15 million in money of their talks with Houston would push the remaining dedication under $50 million for any group that acquires him. That is, in fact, assuming St. Louis possession stays prepared to pay down his contract to such an extent.
Lorenzen hoping to be two-way participant
The poor man’s Shohei Ohtani? That is apparently the intention for free-agent hurler Michael Lorenzen. In keeping with The Athletic, Lorenzen’s agent Ryan Hamill is pitching groups on his shopper hitting and pitching for them and probably to non-contenders as somebody who might be flipped on the commerce deadline. The Athletic stories the pitch would come with promoting Lorenzen to different groups by exploiting a roster loophole.
MLB guidelines state {that a} participant pulling double responsibility as a hitter and pitcher should pitch a minimum of 20 innings and log a minimum of 20 video games as a place participant or DH and have a minimum of three plate appearances in every of these video games. Assembly these benchmarks is required for the participant to not depend as one of many group’s permitted 13 rostered pitchers. Primarily, if Lorenzen hits in 20 video games for a non-contender, he may then be traded to a contending group and provides that membership a further arm with out sacrificing a pitching roster spot.
This is extra from The Athletic report:
“Hamill, in line with sources briefed on his conversations, is speaking with such golf equipment about signing Lorenzen, getting him the required plate appearances to qualify for two-way standing after which flipping him to a contender that will profit from carrying him as a 14th pitcher.”
Lorenzen, who turns 33 in January, can begin or relieve as a pitcher. As a hitter, he hasn’t batted since 2021. Throughout 147 profession plate appearances as a hitter, Lorenzen, who bats and throws righty, has a slash line of .233/.282/.429 with seven dwelling runs.
Seattle continues to hunt an improve at first base and for his or her listless offense extra usually, and that is led to some talks with Cleveland relating to Josh Naylor:
The lefty-swinging Naylor, 27, is coming off a 2024 season for the Guards by which he slashed .243/.320/.456 (118 OPS+) with 31 dwelling runs in 152 video games. For his profession, he owns an OPS+ of 112 throughout elements of six MLB seasons. The 2025 season might be Naylor’s stroll yr. The Mariners have an abundance of beginning pitching, and it is doable the Guardians can be focusing on rotation assist in any such deal.
Nats signal Soroka
The Washington Nationals have agreed to phrases with veteran right-hander Mike Soroka, The Athletic stories. USA At this time places it at a one-year, $9 million pact and notes that Soroka might be within the D.C. rotation.
Soroka, 27, is coming off a 2024 marketing campaign for the White Sox by which he pitched to a 4.74 ERA and a 1.91 Okay/BB ratio in 79 2/3 innings. For his profession, he has an ERA+ of 120 throughout elements of 5 MLB seasons. Of his 69 profession appearances, 52 have been begins. The previous first-rounder as soon as had vital long-term upside (he made the All-Star group with the Braves in 2019), however a future of accidents waylaid his potential.
