As the offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on today:
1. What’s next for the Astros?
The Astros are one week removed from a franchise-altering trade that shipped star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Cubs in exchange for a package of three players, including All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes. Even with Paredes in the fold, Houston not only remains in the market for Alex Bregman — they also reportedly made a push to acquire Nolan Arenado from the Cardinals only for Arenado to block the deal with his no-trade clause.
Had Houston successfully brought in Arenado, it seems likely they would’ve moved Paredes over to first base. That remains a possibility for the club if they re-sign Bregman or Arenado can be convinced to waive his no-trade clause at some point down the line, but it also seems possible that the club could turn to Paredes at third and target first base help such as longtime Diamondbacks slugger Christian Walker, to whom they’ve been connected in free agency and in the lead-up to the 2024 trade deadline.
2. Sasaki scheduling meetings with teams?
Yankees GM Brian Cashman revealed to reporters (including Chris Kirschner of The Athletic) yesterday that his club has been granted an in-person meeting with star NPB right-hander Roki Sasaki, who was posted for MLB clubs during the Winter Meetings and figures to sign with a team as an international amateur next month. Until Sasaki makes his decision sometime after the international amateur free agency window for 2025 opens on January 15, he’ll be heavily courted by the majority of the league, given the unique circumstances of his free agency.
3. Contreras resolution imminent:
When the Rangers landed right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob Webb in free agency last week, that left the club in need of a 40-man roster spot. They chose to designate right-hander Roansy Contreras for assignment, which gave them a seven-day window in which they could either work out a trade involving Contreras or attempt to pass him through waivers. That window is set to expire today, meaning an announcement regarding Contreras’s future should be imminent. (Since waivers take 48 hours, which are included in that weeklong window, it seems Contreras is already on waivers.)
The 25-year-old hurler was once a consensus top-100 prospect with the Pirates and looked like at least a solid back-of-the-rotation arm as recently as 2022, when he posted a 3.79 ERA in 95 innings. A disastrous 2023 season caused him to move to the bullpen, however, and since then he’s profiled more as a middle reliever as he’s moved from Pittsburgh to Anaheim to Arlington. Now, Contreras may find himself on the move again if he’s claimed off waivers by another club. Should he clear waivers, the Rangers would have the opportunity to outright him to the minor leagues as non-roster depth for the 2025 season.
Well so much for the notion Roki doesn’t want to pitch for a large market team.
Hopefully the Red Sox have a chance, especially with Roki being buds with Yoshida.
I feel like he’s going to grant most if nit all teams a chance to make their pitch since it doesn’t hurt to hear them out. As much as I would love him on my Yankees and hope the presentation blows him away, I still think he’ll end up in San Diego…if not the Dodgers
Beer – I wouldn’t be surprised if all 30 teams are willing to sign him, I can’t picture him wanting to meet with all of them.
I think the biggest factors will be comfort level, winning potential, and whether he wants to be an ace or instead wants to join a team that already has one (or more) aces. If I were him I’d also look at strength of defense and bullpen.
I agree kinda, Dodgers most likely and Padres second-most.
FPG: I think we can rule out Colorado and my beloved White Sox. If he’s interested in the Sox I would suggest someone drop a net on him and show him the final standings from 2024.
avenger – Yeah realistically I can’t see him signing with either of those teams, or with Miami.
He’s just doing his due diligence, I think he’d be doing a disservice to himself not to at least hear what teams have in mind for him and the future.
Taking a meeting is harmless and in no way an indication if he plans on going to a mid / small market team or the bigger dogs.
Nobody said he doesn’t want to pitch for a large market team. LA is a pretty large market.
They have said like many before him Sasaki probably stays west coast bound cause it’s easier for big name Japanese players to stay connected to the Japanese market.
Harrison – Nobody has said it?
Here’s a direct quote from his agent: ““I think that there’s an argument to be made that a smaller, mid-market team might be more beneficial for him.”
Technically that doesn’t rule out large market teams, but considering it came from his agent it held some weight … and perhaps still does.
Reread that quote again focus on the word “might”
What’s his agent suppose to say when asked about where he will wind up? “Well, only certain teams should apply”
Yeah his agent isn’t gonna eliminate and burn bridges with 20 mlb clubs and maintain good relations with 10 that Sasaki already has interest in.
Harrison – That’s what agents do, they use words that are not definitive so as to not rule out any team.
There’s a reason he said what he said.
Wow, I’m shocked his agent is trying to generate as much interest as possible instead of closing doors before talks begin. It’s almost as if the agent is trying to start a bidding war. Weird!
Yeah. To maintain open relationships with all clubs cause when he hits free agency one day you don’t want to have bad blood with clubs cause that’ll drive down suitors and price tags. Same thing he’s doing now. Ensuring all clubs feel like they have a chance even small market ones so price tag goes up high as possible.
Totally new concept no agent has tried before. Scott Boras could learn a thing or two from Roki’s agent
Dave2
Because Sasaki chose not to wait two years, there is no bidding war to be had. At least 28 out of 30 teams are all willing to give Sakai their maximum available allotment. No bidding or negotiation, Sasaki and his agent just have to say “I choose you.”
MLB – This is a legit question, do perks get factored into the value of a contract?
I ask that because (incredibly) Soto demanded his own personal luxury suite for every game and he also demanded 4 up front tickets behind home plate for every game.
So could teams pursuing Roki use perks to gain an advantage on signing him?
The bidding war will be when new funds become available teams will trade prospects for extra IFA money to increase their offer. You’ll see a flurry of moves of teams who think they have a shot trade with teams who don’t think they have a shot or don’t have a lot of ifa money to begin with.
This will probably be the biggest movement of ifa money we ever see at one time.
True, but still peanuts in the grand scope of things.
@feverpitchguy. I never looked it up, but someone said they aren’t allowed anymore. It happened with ohtani. It was never disclosed, but he definitely had a list of demands that the teams needed to meet.
There won’t be a “bidding war”. His agent knows how much bonus pool money each team has.
@vtadave. Yeah but every team can atleast get up to 8 million. Some teams can get to 12-13. Since you can add 60% of the base amount via trades. He’s a 100 percent going to pick a team, and say OK you need to max out the bonus money.
this is a unique and fun situation. would love the yankees to get him but it would also be cool if he said the hell with it i’m going to the pirates
absolutely. any means necessary
Harrison: His price tag can only go as high as a team’s international bonus pool. After six years comes the big money.
FPG: Reggie Jackson has a clause in his contract with the Yankees that he had to be on camera a certain amount of times each game.
avenger – Wow that’s interesting, didn’t know that!
FPG, things like a luxury suite at the stadium or tickets beyond what teams make available due families would or charter flights from Japan for his family would. Things like a suite in the hotel when team is on the road wouldn’t.
@avenger. In theory your correct. Would not surprised me if teams have attorneys looking at loopholes to incentize his deal within the rules. Trying to find the updated rules. Sponsorships is probably one way.
Baseball – I find it fascinating the Yankees offered Soto $760M but refused to give him his own luxury suite at the stadium.
I give them credit for sticking to team policy, would have been interesting if he had also demanded permission to grow a beard.
Sasaki already makes more in endorsements than any MLB player in the US other than Ohtani. About 1.2 billion yen per year.
Its part of the reason he is not too worried about coming to US ahead of actual free agency at age 25.
Biting off your nose to spite your face?
Just pay him the extra $525k the suite and 4 front row tickets cost retail and then say he bought it just like the other players.
That was stupid on their part.
Far more Japanese players have signed with teams that are not on the West Coast than with any of the 6 West Coast teams. Iirc the most was with the Red Sox.
The Padres will miss out on Sasasaki, have spent nothing this offseason and have holes all over the roster.
The only thing this organization will market is the successes of the last few years and the “hope” fans should have for next year.
Selling “hope” is much more cost efficient than adding payroll.
@tow. If your going to troll atleast spell his name right. It’s on this page.
One thing that will likely factor in his decision will be, where does he want to be for the next six years? That’s a big decision.
FPG: And Darvish. I hope Sasaki doesn’t give in to the lure of one of the big three and takes a shot with an up and comer, like the Red Sox or Mariners, or even a contending team like SD. There has to be some other appeal than the Mets, Dodgers and NYY.
avenger – He could make up to an additional $3M in postseason pay if he signs with one of those teams, that’s not chump change. And postseason gives him the opportunity to make a bigger name for himself.
Losing is not fun for athletes, except maybe for Rondon.
Don’t trade yoshida until he signs haha
I bet padres are willing to trade a top prospect for the bulk of your international salary cap. Hmmm….and you kno they draft better than you !
Prediction
Sasaki will strike out 19 in his 1st start for dodgers
Then blow his elbow out in 2nd start and miss 16 months
Then come back to win cy young
Then blow blow the elbow out again & leaves mlb back to tokyo
With climate change comes extreme weather
Senga missed a whole yr with injury
Yamamoto was hurt half the season
Ohtani has had 2 TJ surgeries in the majors
Roki is screwed
Hahaha Brew!
You just described Aaron Rodgers jets career
@sad
My team always catching strays LOL
I kind of wonder if maybe the Astros should just sell the club, trade everybody away or release guys nobody else wants to take and start from scratch.
They’re tainted from the trashcan stuff and people either don’t want to play there or the guys who have been playing there or like to play there don’t have the kind of respect and integrity attached to their numbers that free agents want to be associated with.
No one outside of the “fan” cares about the trash cans. It’s completely meaningless.
hayzee – Ask Joe Kelly.
Joe Kelly was upset that they admitted to it, not that they did it.
orbit – That’s not the quote from him that I read, do you have a link?
Doesn’t really make sense because they admitted it only after they were accused and the evidence presented. They could no longer deny it even if they wanted to.
Houston — a place where your prime star is ignored so a ridiculous cheating scheme can help lesser players. Yeah, no free agent cares about that.
@trill. You realize Altuve, and pressly are the only ones left right. It’s far fetched to say it’s because of the scandals. Especially with different managers, and front office running the team. Sounds like it’s a baseless opinion or troll attempt luckily I’m not a Astros fan.
Rex – Exactly! Plus Arenado made it clear he wasn’t ruling out the Astros, he just didn’t want to commit to them right now.
Altuve is the only one left from the 2017 team. Pressly was still on the Twins in 2017.
@rod. I was on the fence about adding pressly knew it was close. Not a Astros fan just calling out the troll comment.
Trill – Arenado is waiting for Bregman to sign, then other potential suitors will be more motivated to acquire him.
Sucks for the Cards though, they would have been relieved of all but $5M per season of Arenado’s contract.
“People don’t want to play there.”
I hate the Astros too but that’s ridiculous. Josh Hader just signed there last season. He could of signed anywhere he wanted.
Arenado has a full no-trade clause but gave 6 teams he’d waive it for and the Astros were not on the list. Just because Arenado didn’t want to approve a trade there, doesn’t mean “nobody” wants to play there.
Yet that won’t stop you from crying about them will it now. Be honest. It’s ok.
Rod: Arenado’s list of six teams is apparently not the full list.
I believe he’s going to either the Dodgers or Padres. For most Japanese players – not all – the west coast is preferable for obvious reasons, so they each have that built-in advantage. Additionally, we all know that the Dodgers are a very well-known brand in Japan while the Fathers employ Roki’s idol.
I could see Seattle too, especially w a pitchers park and an elite staff, he would have very little early pressure.
Ma: It surprises me that Seattle isn’t more of a draw for Japanese players. Huge Japanese population not only in Washington but all the way into British Colombia. Plus, all-time great Ichiro works in the M’s front office.
Sasaki‘s stuff is so great, I’m happy that he’ll pitch in the MLB. I wish him a healthy career. Sadly I don’t think that the Yankees will land him.
I find it strange that Joel Wolfe mentioned Sasaki’s trouble with Japanese media.
I assume it’s more about criticism rather than just volume. However it is not a good indicator for handling pressure in the future.
The Japanese media follow his parents to the grocery story. The video of the media throng following them while they tried to shop is hilarious and more than a little scary.
Damn you Arenado. Rejecting the Astros just gave them good karma to win the World Series in 2025. I wish you would just go there so you can jinx them out of the playoffs like you have for every year of your career besides the short playoff stints of 2017, 2018 and 2021.
If I was in charge of MLB, I would put my thumb on the scales. Sports leagues love TV$ which loves top markets. Sasaki is a 100mm$ asset and so I would intervene to make sure he goes to a major market.
Prob plenty ways to do it, but an easy one comes to mind – get major advertiser or two to sign him for big endorsement $.
Personally, I don’t think Sasaki is coming to the Yanks. I’d love to be wrong, of course, but I’m realistic. He’s got friends in the league already like Yoshida abd Darvish so I’d give the Sox and Pads the best chance.
As for Arenado, I want to see that resolve by Christmas for the guy. Knowing for sure now that your team no longer has to suck. Here’s to a swift resolution with a team he’d like to go to.
Ichiro is personally leading the Mariners’ meeting with Sasaki. The about-to-be Hall of Famer still has a lot of sway in Japan, where he is somewhat godlike. At that ballpark, he has a chance to have a sub 2 ERA and if they use Castillo to get a solid 3B and sign one of the Kims to play 2B, they’ve got more than a good chance to win the West. After that, who knows?
Roki Sasaki is on a plane to Toronto at this very moment.
it’s true, Ki-ki to K’nada chants were heard outside the grange in Mississauga
With that new study on pitching injuries, is the commissioner going to make a new rule that pitchers can’t throw any harder than 90mph and have to keep the spin rate low? Maybe 15 RPMs?
I would be very interested to know why Pete Alonso doesn’t seem included in first base options for the Astros