Main League Baseball’s offseason is underway, and which means the rumor mill is in full operation. Under, CBS Sports activities has gathered Tuesday’s most attention-grabbing strikes and rumors in a single handy spot.

Blue Jays thought-about favorites to land Tucker

The Blue Jays, contemporary off an American League pennant, are thought-about by different entrance places of work to be the favorites to land Kyle Tucker, per ESPN. Naturally, provided that Tucker is the most effective obtainable free agent, there are many different groups within the operating right here within the early going.

The Dodgers, the membership that defeated the Blue Jays within the World Sequence, are anticipated to have curiosity if Tucker is open to a short-term association. The Phillies, Giants, Orioles, Yankees, and Mets are additionally potential touchdown spots, relying on how the market develops over the approaching weeks.

One workforce not anticipated to be concerned within the Tucker sweepstakes: the Cubs. Chicago acquired Tucker in a commerce final winter with the Astros, however doesn’t seem to have severe curiosity in retaining him.

Kyle Tucker free company: Execs and cons, contract prediction, touchdown spots and extra for star outfielder

Matt Snyder

Yankees nonetheless need Bellinger again

In Yankees outfield information, heart fielder Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying provide at Tuesday’s deadline. With him again within the fold, it would seem like the Yankees do not want free-agent Cody Bellinger again. There’s Aaron Decide in proper discipline, clearly, Grisham in heart, Jasson Domínguez in left, Giancarlo Stanton at DH and Ben Rice at first. 

Nonetheless, the Yankees “plan to proceed to pursue” Bellinger, per MLB.com. 

Bellinger, 30, hit .272/.334/.480 (125 OPS+) with 25 doubles, 5 triples, 29 house runs, 98 RBI, 89 runs and 5.1 WAR final season. There is definitely room for him on the Yankees. Domínguez nonetheless is not a certain factor and Stanton is injury-prone. Domínguez might be the fourth outfielder on this case.

Imai posted

Proper-hander Tatsuya Imai’s negotiating window will open on Wednesday after he was posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Skilled Baseball league, in keeping with a number of stories. Imai will then have till Jan. 2 to succeed in an settlement.

CBS Sports activities just lately ranked Imai because the Twelfth-best free agent obtainable this winter:

Relative to how entrance places of work view hitters transferring from NPB, pitchers are a near-certain amount. There are too many success tales to fixate on the variations within the ball and the schedule or to counsel it will have a devastating impact on the expertise in query. That is excellent news for Imai’s inventory. He is contemporary off a dominant season that noticed him publish a 1.92 ERA and a 3.96 strikeout-to-walk ratio throughout 163 innings. He possesses mid-90s velocity and a forkball-like slider he delivers from a low launch level. Imai is not far faraway from struggling along with his command (it took till his seventh skilled season for him to stroll fewer than 4 batters per 9 innings), however groups assured in his strikethrowing skill might envision him being no less than a No. 3 starter as quickly as subsequent spring.

The Lions will obtain a charge primarily based on Imai’s whole contract price. 

Pirates intend to spend

The Pirates will try to buttress a roster constructed round ace Paul Skenes this winter, in keeping with ESPN’s Jeff Passan. 

Passan stories that the Pirates have been prepared to signal first baseman Josh Naylor for greater than twice the franchise’s earlier file free-agent deal (presently $39 million) earlier than he opted to return to the Mariners on a five-year, $92.5 million contract. Pittsburgh is thought to have curiosity in DH Kyle Schwarber, amongst others. 

Passan additionally notes that the Pirates are toying with the thought of permitting high prospect Konnor Griffin to compete for the beginning shortstop job subsequent spring. There are complicating issues at play nonetheless, together with one other looming work stoppage forward of the 2027 season. Here is extra on Pittsburgh’s pondering: 

The choice is sophisticated. The final teenage place participant to debut within the massive leagues was Juan Soto in 2018. A expertise of Griffin’s caliber should not be rushed as a result of a workforce desires to win now. And the considerations over the brand new primary settlement are notably acute for a workforce akin to Pittsburgh: If the doomsday state of affairs happens and 2027 is misplaced, gamers will recoup misplaced service time, and with the potential for gamers to barter a shorter window to succeed in free company, the Pirates do not wish to begin Griffin’s clock early just for the principles to whipsaw and punish them for it.

Griffin, 19, hit .333/.415/.527 throughout three ranges, ending the yr with a 21-game stint in Double-A. 

Phillies dealing with steep competitors on Schwarber

The Phillies wish to reunite with DH Kyle Schwarber, one of many high 5 free brokers within the class, however conducting that goal will imply outmaneuvering a slew of different events. 

There’s an immense demand for Schwarber partially due to his manufacturing on the plate and partially as a result of his age and positional considerations will restrict his contractual time period, in keeping with ESPN.

ESPN lists a slew of groups as having a point of curiosity, starting from the anticipated highrollers — Phillies, Pink Sox, Mets, and Blue Jays — to the Pirates, who, as famous above, pursued Naylor earlier than he re-upped with the Mariners.

Schwarber, 33 come March, has hit .228/.358/.508 (135 OPS+) with 47 house runs on common over the past three seasons. 

Rangers have mentioned Garcia, Heim in trades

The Rangers have engaged in commerce talks regarding outfielder Adolis García and catcher Jonah Heim, in keeping with MLB Community’s Jon Morosi. That ought to come as no shock: García is coming off a down yr and is embarking on his last season of workforce management. Heim, in the meantime, seems to be a possible non-tender candidate. As CBS Sports activities wrote earlier this week:

Heim’s inclusion appears foolish provided that you have not up to date your priors for the reason that Rangers received the World Sequence. Within the two seasons since, he is been a well-below-average hitter providing diminishing defensive returns. The Rangers have publicly asserted they intend to trim payroll. Heim’s price ticket would not stand out in any other case, however the Rangers can absolutely discover Kyle Higashioka a brand new dance accomplice for lower than $6 million. 

Morosi notes that no deal is believed to be shut. 

Mets buying Nimmo, different place gamers

The Mets are prepared to deal from their surplus of hitters, and that features being open to shifting both utility participant Jeff McNeil or outfielder Brandon Nimmo, per ESPN. Kids Luisangel Acuña, Mark Vientos, and Brett Baty — all perpetually on the commerce block — are on the market, too.

Nimmo, 33 come March, is a comparatively new addition to the rumor mill. It is unclear if the Mets will be capable of discover a suitor, nonetheless, given his superior age and contract. Not solely is Nimmo signed for 5 extra years (at greater than $20 million per pop), however he additionally has a no-trade clause. In different phrases, he must consent to any commerce, making the Mets’ quest for a deal all of the trickier. 

Final week, the New York Publish reported the Mets have internally contemplated how a lot cash they’d want to incorporate to facilitate a Nimmo commerce.