With the Winter Meetings behind us, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:
1. All eyes on Bregman?
After a frenzy of rumors and action at the Winter Meetings, MLB’s hot stove season will continue chugging along even with agents and executives having departed Dallas yesterday. According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, infielder Alex Bregman could be the next major domino to fall on the free agent market. Feinsand notes that the Astros, Red Sox, Yankees, and Tigers are among the teams “in the mix” for Bregman’s services. Among those options, the Astros are known to have made an offer to Bregman in the vicinity of six years and $156MM prior to the Winter Meetings, though at the time reports indicated Bregman was hoping to land a contract north of $200MM. Meanwhile, Bregman is an apparently divisive target in the eyes of Boston brass as Alex Cora and Sam Kennedy are reportedly more intrigued than chief baseball officer Craig Breslow at the idea of pursuing Bregman. The Red Sox reportedly envision Bregman at second base if signed, a position he has expressed willingness to play despite a lack of experience at the position in the majors.
2. Soto presser:
After the Mets officially signed Juan Soto to the biggest contract in professional sports history yesterday, Brian McGrath of MLB.com writes that the club is expected to formally introduce Soto in a press conference slated for 3pm ET this afternoon that will also feature club owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns. The press conference could shed some additional light on a free agent process that captivated the baseball world in the weeks leading up to the Winter Meetings as well as the next steps Mets brass have planned. The club will likely add at least one more starter to their rotation, and Stearns recently stated that they’d “love” to reunite with first baseman Pete Alonso as well.
3. Adames presser:
While the Soto presser may get more buzz, he’s not the only top free agent being introduced by his new team via press conference today. As noted by MLB.com, the Giants are poised to introduce shortstop Willy Adames in a press conference scheduled for 11:30am PT. Newly-minted president of baseball operations Buster Posey will surely be on hand to discuss the first major free agent signing of his tenure and possibly to discuss the club’s next steps. The Giants are regarded as a top candidate to land top free agent starter Corbin Burnes, although they face competition from the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and incumbent Orioles. Beyond that, the club was among the teams said to be interested in Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker yesterday. That suggests a willingness to pursue star-caliber talent in both trade and free agency as they look for more ways to improve the club this winter after a disappointing 80-82 finish in 2024.
Please don’t make the Bregman mistake, Yankees. At least two of Christian Walker, Cody Bellinger, Kyle Tucker will make for an outstanding offseason after losing Soto.
And, if I had my druthers, perhaps Tanner Scott (but that’s not gonna happen, I know).
I’m pretty sure the Yankees are gonna sign Alonso
@MysteryWhiteBoy13
Alonso is signing with the Nationals.
@old Or that
I hope not; I feel the same about Alonzo. He’s a great hitter, but he’s not a good fit on the Yankees. He’s more of what they need to move away from.
Just imagine if Boston trades Casas and signs Alonso. I don’t see it but stranger things have happened.
Dewey – I dont really want to lose Casas, but everyman has his price.
I would trade Casas for an SP1
But in that scenario and the money being similar, I want Alonso, not Bregman (and moving Devers to first base)
While I agree Yankees need less strikeouts and more table-setters/speed, the 1B should be the position where you go for the high power low average guy imo. Pete would be a great fit at 1B and i shouldnt have to mention the short porch. That said, it shouldnt be the only move they make, if they even make it.
Sad, while Devers might be able to handle first, I want him off third even if he has to DH. The infield costs the pitchers too much each yrar on extra pitches and runs.
The short porch is in RF, not that it matters with Alonso.
The issue with Alonso is his poor defense. A 1B should be a solid defender and someone who is great with the glove. Solid decision making on the field should also be required. He’s none of those. He’s…Dave Kingman.
Casas is not worth a SP1. He’s a 2 tool player. Avg at best fielding, below avg runner, avg arm.
If he isn’t hitting .280+, OB% .360+, and hitting for power than he is just an average major leaguer.
Cmon…you would trade Casas for an SP3. Casas is ok but he’s not going to be a difference making bat.
yankees need a lead off man for sure but only 8 teams had a lower k-rate in 2024 (which surprised me to learn)
I don’t believe that 1-for-1 Casas brings back Castillo or Cease. If Casas was the lead plus an organizational top 25 prospect, the Padres and Mariners are inches away from pulling the trigger.
Casas has been a reputed slugger with patience since he played for USA 15U in Miami. He’s 24yo, team controllable.
In the mlb 195 games he’s hit 37HR, 97 rbi, OBP.357 and OPS.830 while battling muscle injuries for part of the time last year.
What makes that unattractive to 20+ mlb GM’s?
Very doubtful
You would most likely be wrong about that. Unless Alonso market completely stood Cashman is not in favor of one dimensional players and rumors are the Yanks are not it but we will see.
If the offers are comparable, the Astros will actively avoid trading Tucker or Valdez to an AL team.
One of their motivations to trade is that this offseason has seen the NL add talent and the AL lose talent, so they feel they can still make a World Series run.
They won’t jeapordize that by giving one of their stars to an AL team unless it’s an offer they can’t refuse.
@mystery
I’m 99% they won’t. Cashman, in recent interviews, had said over and over, that he wants to stay away from the lumbering, less athletic, high strikeout, limited defense right handed batters. Alonzo is the posterchild for sick a player. I think if Belli, Walker or Santana aren’t secured then he will go with Rice at 1b and try and get, perhaps Bregman and move Jazz to 2b to improve the defense.
Oh snaps ! A druthers reference lol
Walker is more of a risk than Bregman I think. And Tucker to cubs ensures belli to Yankees imo. Cubs have to replace that bat and can’t do it with Yankees alone
In what way is Walker a risk? His age means he probably signs a much shorter term contract, thus mitigating the risk.
4 years 100 mil+ eats up a lot of cap space and then he’s on the wrong side of 35 for most that contract. Plus he’s getting out of the desert air
Clip – I feel the same way about Bregman, but it would be even worse with the Red Sox because of the dynamics between him and Cora.
Breslow has been basically a figurehead, hopefully he stands his ground on this one and tells Cora “hard no” on Bregman. Between Campbell, Grissom, Story, Rafaela and Mayer the Sox have middle infield covered for a while.
Spend the damn money on what you don’t have Red Sox – pitching and catcher!!!!
Fever, the club needs a righty bopper and two pitchers at least including another starter
dewey – Okay then buy low on Murphy, that would kill two stones with one bird. Haha!
I’m actually bullish on Story having somewhat of a rebound year.
Campbell is a righty.
Sure I’d like to have Santander, but I would prefer an outfield of Duran/Abreu/Anthony and i don’t want to tie up the DH spot. Ditto with Teo.
Hard to tell what Cashman is doing. The last I read was they are “cooling” on Walker supposedly to focus on Tucker. But the offer they made to Houston for Tucker was called “crap” as it didn’t include any top prospects or Gil.
This just feels too familiar. I remember Cashman saying a couple of years ago how they “weren’t done” but didn’t do anything else and finished barely above .500 because of it.
We have to take into account the fact that Hal cares about the bottom line, and every new $ in salary costs roughly $2. There’s more than a half $Billion difference in signing Fried and not signing Soto. You can’t replace Soto in the line up, so realistically you need not one but at least two quality regulars to plug in. That’s going to cost–in prospects, in money, in draft picks (if they sign a QO). How much does Hal want to spend?
@Joe @Mike
The idea that the Yanks are unwilling to spend a fanatic amount of money to field the best team possible via trade or FA. Of course they’re a limit on a particular player but they just offered $760 mil PLUS we’re willing to pay the harshest lux tax on that spending.
Keep in mind that they have $81 mil of last years payroll off the books. Loisaga’s numbers weren’t released but I’m sure it’s miniscule. Fried gets $28 mil but I had they agreed to a signing bonus for the first 2 years which lowers the aav. Let’s for the fake of convenience day that of the $81 mil, they’ve repurposed $30 mil of it. That’s more than enough to acquire two good players for $50 mil and that’s WITHOUT raising the payroll which I’m sure they’ll be willing to do if it makes sense. And if they are willing to eat some of Stroman and perhaps DJ they might be able to repurpose another $10-$15 mil. If they eat $8 mil of Stroman’s contract and $8 mil per of DJ then that opens up another $17 mil which I think is possible. Stroman at $10 mil and DJ at $7 mil is digestible if you attach a lottery pick prospect like they did when they acquired Stanton.
Joe, that’s what worries me the most….. Cashman not being able to get out of his own way to improve the team. A “good trade” for Cashman shouldn’t matter – filling the team needs now does imo.
Tbh, I’d rather have Alonso than Walker. Though Bellinger for a year and then try for Vlad or Murakami is very good as well. If we got Alonso and Tucker, though, that’d be a mighty impressive lineup.
I don’t want Bregman either, I’d rather keep Jazz at 3rd and get Arraez or get Arenado (in that order of preference).
Trading for Tucker and Bellinger (or signing Walker) would be fantastic. Even though you never know which version of Bellinger you will get 😀 But if you trade Gil for Tucker (only with an extension), you have to add a sp. Buehler? Too expensive?
Yankees burned once by giving up a haul for 1 year of Soto, ready to repeat with Kyle Tucker.
Anyone else convinced the Mets are gonna let 30 year old Pete Alonso walk this offseason and then over pay for Vlad Jr next offseason.
They will probably sign Carlos Santana for 1 year
Mystery – Yep, I think Vlad to the Mets is inevitable sometime during the next year.
If it gets him out of the AL East I’m all for it
If you don’t have a budget it really doesn’t matter. I bet they pay Alonso and throw him right behind Soto and Lindor.
But then they don’t have anywhere to play Vlad next year. I mean I guess they could pay one of them to be a full time DH, but seems unlikely
I don’t see Vlad as some Juan Soto can’t miss signing. He’s had two amazing years and several blah years. Pete Alonso has probably been more consistent with the bat.
@led Alonso has 1 year with an ops above 900 and that was his age 24 rookie season. Vlad has 2 and is turning 26 this year. Alonso is actually quite over rated commensurate to his actual stats
Pete Alonso has lived over .800 ops. Last year was probably his worst hitting year of his career, not great for your big contract. Vlad has had several season under .800. I think Alonso has been more consistent and will cost a fraction of the price. I don’t put Vlad in the same category as some of these guys getting monster contracts. Mets could add Walker, might be the smarter play.
Vlad has both a higher ceiling and higher floor. Even with Alonsos so called consistency, Vlad has better career numbers
Mets ‘could’ add Walker, but he’s going to want more years than they’ll be willing to give. It’s probably his last chance for a solid contract at the age of 35. Yankees would make more sense.
Slightly better yes. They have the same exact career path besides Vlad getting a little service time manipulation. Would I rather have Vlad, yes. He’s younger and does have a higher ceiling, not so sure about the floor. Would I rather have Vlad for 400 million + vs Alonso 170-180. That’s the debate. I don’t think the Mets care about money, I also think they are trying to win in 2025. If Vlad goes out and puts up 2024 numbers, he will get a stupid contract. 12 years 35-40 million per year. If I am a gm that’s a contract I would avoid.
Slightly better is better. And once again, Alonso’s best season was 6 years ago.
They definitely do not have the same career path, one was 20 years old in their rookie season.
Carlos Santana gives them just as much of a chance to win in 25
We will have to agree to disagree on this one. Santana isn’t in the same stratosphere as Alonso with the bat. Pete Alonso is older but started their mlb career the same year. Alonso has played 26 more games. Alonso ops+ has never been below 122. Vlads has been below that mark 3 times. Ceiling is absurd for Vlad and several years younger. My argument is that Vlad probably isn’t worth double maybe triple Pete Alonso.
Convinced is too strong a word, but it is certainly plausible. that said, it all comes down to years and numbers: Alonso supposedly rejected a Mets offer of 6/$150, allegedly wanting closer to $200M.
Recent reports have suggested that the Astros might sign him to 5/$120, or the mariners to 5/$130M.
If those stories have any truth and that is where the market values him,, then a return to the Mets is still possible.
TODAY IS FEELING LIKE A GREAT DAY TO BE A Mariners fan!
My prediction for today is we will acquire nothing and sign nobody! Any 36 year old way past their prime free agents out there that bat over .200? We got 10 mill for you!
Oh and don’t forget about overvaluing pitching ! Y’all are def up to that today lol
Being a Mariners fan is tough, but if you want to feel better, at least you’re not a White Sox fan!
Justin Turner come on down!
So if Bergman ends up at Second what does that mean for Kristian Campbell? He’s basically as big league ready. And between the outfield log jam it forces him to short which he’s not been rated highly at and is presumably Mayers on the long term. Does that mean Casas is gone and Raffy goes to first or does Devers become the full time DH and Bregman moves to third once Campbell or Mayer is called up. Overall I’m a fan of Bregman just think the contract is going to be brutal
Bregman* stupid auto correct lol
No. They can’t move devers to DH with that contract. And can’t move casas for Bergman. Boston is the only place Bergman is worth the financial risk imo. He’d fit great in that lineup and ballpark. Then if you bring him in as a second baseman- he’s already changed to a less demanding position. Seems inevitable at this point !
Trade Campbell + for Luis Castillo
I think that makes Boston division favs after those 2 moves
Campbell is not getting moved for Castillo. Also, forget the money associated with a position. It’s a sunk cost regardless and Raffy at DH would seem to make the team better if you fill third with Bregman or another strong two way player.
I guess you could rotate Bregman, Devers and Casas. One is the DH, one at first, one (not Triston) at third. It can be done. But does Bregman/Campbell push Vaughn Grissom permanently out of the picture and, if so, why did they even bother making that trade aside from a salary dump?
I think it’s far more likely you would go into the spring with an open competition at 2B between Rafaela, Grissom, Campbell and maybe a FA in that scenario. Devers/Casas as DH/1B and then there’s some flexibility in the roster if you have an injury at 1B/3B.
Grissom has little trade value, I think the real question is if Rafaela with his extension has more value in a potential trade. I think Grissom wins the job out of the simple fact they did trade for him but it’s likely a short leash.
That would be the Trevor Story signing all over again; sign a player that plays a position that’s already filled and plug him in somewhere else. Bregman is a superior defensive 3B to Devers and if they are going to go that route than it needs to be either trade Casas or Yoshida to free up 1B/DH for Devers, release Yoshida or give him his glove back and try your best to hide him in LF (at least in Fenway). No playing guys out of position because then their defense falters and the offense suffers with it
The Red Sox need an infusion of proven right handed mlb hitting. I would sign Bregman with a greater concern for number of years than dollars. If they could get Bregman for 5yrs and maybe a team sixth option i would do it.
First two years he could play second base, and then move back to third when Devers becomes full time DH.
Sad – The way they keep trying to trade Casas, I really think Devers will be given a shot at first base. Hopefully Casas stays next year though.
As for Bregman, don’t you think his crashing OBP is a big concern? It was .423 in 2019 and it’s down to .315 this year. Perhaps his vision is deteriorating? The Sox don’t need another low OBP guy, they have enough of those.
FPG – the Astros had a very strange year, the lineup never synched up and each individual player got hot at various points, but never together.
Maybe slightly unlucky as his BABIP was .260 vs league average .290. He can be a stabilizing force on defense, doesnt strike out much, should be helped by Monster, and career .325 hitter at Fenway.
Sad – I certainly agree his defense is solid, but it’s not just this year that his offense declined. It’s dropped considerably in each of his last three full seasons:
OPS
2019 – 1.015
2022 – .820
2023 – .804
2024 – .768
Trends are important to me, look at Story for example.
2019 is an outlier for every hitter—juiced ball. .820 to .804 is noise. The real question is whether the elbow was bothering him enough last year that he was overcompensating and chasing. If not, then the trend is concerning enough to pass. But if it was health related, he could be an important two-way piece.
Or…OR you could bring back The Dominator. Dominic Smith is primed and ready to go.
let – Now you got me thinking about pizza for lunch!
It seems like such a strange idea to throw a pile of money at a guy and then ask him to play a position he’s basically never played before.
You could easily get stuck with an expensive player who can’t play the position you need him to, and there may not be room for him to play the position he’s good at.
In Boston’s case, getting Bregman and not using him to replace Devers at 3rd is just… I don’t have a word to accurately describe that.
Nonsensical.
No to Bregman for the RS. Unless it is for like 3-4, which isn’t going to happen.
I’m not the only one who wants to see Soto fail
No, but don’t tell anyone I said that. Promise?
@SammyJ
He’s already in the HOF, so even if he fails on day 1, he’s locked. He has money, WS ring and records. Guy’s set for life, even if he doesn’t play any of the 15 years he signed for.
Your pancakes are ready. Time to come up and have breakfast with me!
~Mom
I’m the one that makes the pancakes for mother
I don’t wish any ill will towards Soto or the Mets at all. Nobody forced either party’s hand. And, sadly, by 2028 or 2029 Soto will probably be the 3rd or 4th-highest paid player.
I’m not wishing injury or anything. I just hope he gets busted for something or maybe gets the yips and turns to the bottle
Rangers sign Scott, Hoffman, Estevez and then Roki next month to call it an offseason.
Don’t ruin my dream
I feel like the entire league is holding their breath on Bregman’s production and athletic durability falling off a cliff, so nobody wants to sign him to what he’d like to receive.
One of those situations where he might’ve benefited from a relatively team friendly 12 year/$252M extension (or another 6 years/$152M on top of his original 6 years/$100M original extension) going back 6 years ago, because now that he’s there and expecting his big free agency pay day, they can all see the emerging cracks in his game and don’t want to be stuck with an albatross.
I don’t trust him to live up to any deal beyond about 2-3 years at this point.
Bregman reeks of feeling a lot like Jeter at the end of Jeter’s 10 year/$18 deal when he wanted another 10 years/$200M or 5 years/$150M and he settled for 3 years/$50M or so and wound up essentially limping to the end of that last contract before retiring.
Anybody signing him would be wise to not go beyond 4 years/$130M and that’d be max value.
I hate when I make typos or errors due to writing too quickly- and on my phone- so I am hopping onto my computer to make corrections because I have nothing better to do at the moment:
*Jeter’s deals were for 10 years/$189M and 3 years/$51M and 1 year/$12M
However, when I see the salaries listed, his $51M deal always adds up to around $48M and they never list any signing bonus or buy out on it and on top of that the first year is the really odd number of $14,729,364- I don’t recall this being a pro-rated contract or him losing money due to suspension or anything, so anybody remember what was up with that or why they never list any signing bonus or buyout on that $51M?
ALSO: Bregman’s deal was 5 years/$100M but I somehow remembered it being for 6 years/$100M- which other player’s contract did I get this confused with?
Appreciate Anthony’s Soto HOF article above… but why are comments closed?
Probably related to being a guest writer article and not from the MLBTR staff.
You talking Stathead, TTO? I took that as an advertisement for Anthony’s own article. Idk, just struck me as weird, and now I forgot what I wanted to talk about regarding Soto! Have a great day dude
Some of the Yankee fans have been…vocal. Not on here, but some of the baseball podcasts lol
@Gwynning
It’s a sponsored article.
Copy, thanks. Cheers all
If Gil is in any Kyle Tucker trade I’m guessing the remaining pieces will not be substantial prospects. Losing Gil at his age and control and from the rotation would be a big loss especially understanding that he was honestly the ace or stopper last season for most of the season.
If the Yankees include Gil maybe they add a Ben Rice and Will Warren or Chase Hampton. I’m not sure Spencer Jones would be part of that deal nor should he be but if he’s in it with Gil than the third piece can’t be a substantial prospect. I know many are down in Jones but he’s a big kid who is developing slowly much like most players his size and his skill set and glimpses of what he can do especially in the playoffs last season makes me think it would be smart to let him develop and eventually he will be the starting cf because Dominguez is below average defensively.
The stories of Bregman, Soto, and Adames, while rooted in the pragmatic sphere of baseball transactions, compel us to consider deeper philosophical questions about freedom, value, and identity in a commodified world. In the end, the sport itself becomes a microcosm of the human condition, reflecting our struggles to reconcile individual agency with systemic structures, intrinsic worth with extrinsic valuation, and personal legacy with collective memory.
Jordan Schlansky?
Anyone else here besides me, that would rather have Christian Walker than Pete Alonso?
……and it ain’t even close.
I love how they closed the comments on that terrible Soto hall of fame article lol.
I noticed that lol.
they should turn them back on.
Apparently, with visions of signing Bregman, the Red Sox are longing to revisit the Pablo Sandoval, Rusney Castillo era of unbelievably stupid contracts. We can throw Yoshida in the mix as well. When they finally decide to spend, they spend like schmucks…….
I don’t know what team is gonna overpay Bregman, but my guess is they will regret it.
Damn. Mets better hurry up and sign Alonso. He should be a mMet for life❤️