The Opener

With the Winter Meetings nearly upon us, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Soto saga entering the final stretch?

The headlines this offseason have been dominated by Juan Soto, and the 26-year-old superstar nears a decision on his next team. Jeff Passan noted earlier this week on ESPN (h/t to Awful Announcing on X) that Soto is expected to make his decision before the Winter Meetings begin in Dallas on Monday. That would seemingly leave Soto’s suitors to make their final pushes for his services this weekend, and reporting yesterday indicated that at least one team (the Red Sox) is hoping to meet with Soto one more time before he makes his decision. Boston is joined by the Mets, Dodgers, Blue Jays, and incumbent Yankees in their pursuit of Soto’s services, and the Red Sox appear to have made a significant effort to land the superstar despite the general assumption around the industry that Soto will remain in New York as either a Met or a Yankee. Whoever lands Soto will pay a steep price tag, as the bidding for his services has already surpassed $600MM.

2. Chapman to undergo physical:

The Red Sox and lefty Aroldis Chapman reached a one-year deal worth $10.75MM earlier this week, and that deal could be finalized as soon as today according to a report from Francys Romero, who notes that Chapman is expected to undergo his physical in Boston today. The Red Sox currently have 39 players on their 40-man roster, meaning they won’t necessarily need to make a corresponding move to add Chapman to their roster. With that being said, however, the Rule 5 Draft is just days away and teams without 40-man roster space on the day of the draft next week cannot make a selection. The Red Sox haven’t made a Rule 5 pick themselves since they selected Garrett Whitlock from the Yankees in the 2020 draft, but they acquired right-hander Justin Slaten through last winter’s draft by way of the Mets drafting him and then immediately dealing him to Boston. If they want to make a selection this year and finalize their Chapman deal, they’ll need to open a 40-man spot.

3. Athletics open the wallet:

Ahead of their first season in West Sacramento, where they’re set to play for three seasons between departing Oakland and arriving in Las Vegas for Opening Day 2028, the nomadic A’s shocked plenty of onlookers when they landed right-hander Luis Severino on a three-year, $67MM deal that includes an opt-out after the second year. The deal landed above expectations for Severino, whom MLBTR predicted would sign a three-year, $51MM deal in our annual Top 50 MLB Free Agents list.

A’s brass indicated earlier this winter that they may be forced to focus on the trade market rather than free agency when upgrading the club due to hesitance from players about committing to a Triple-A ballpark as their next home, but the Severino signing demonstrated another avenue for adding talent: making an offer too tantalizing for a middle-tier free agent to refuse. Will the club try to go over the top for more free agents this winter, or will they pivot to the trade market from here on out?

With just a few days to go until the Winter Meetings, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Overseas players officially posted:

Two players from across the Pacific have just been posted for major league teams, officially allowing them to join MLB’s free agent market: KBO infielder Hyeseong Kim and NPB right-hander Koyo Aoyagi. Kim, 26 in January, is the bigger name of the two. His posting has been anticipated for the better part of a year. The former double-play partner of Ha-Seong Kim, he has ample experience at both middle infield positions but has spent considerably more time at second base — playing exclusively there in 2024. While the younger Kim hit an excellent .326/.383/.458 in 127 games for the Kiwoom Heroes this year, that strong slash line figures to come down somewhat at the big league level. Even if he projects as merely a league average (or even slightly below average) hitter, his youth, speed (30 steals in 2024), and strong defense make him one of the more interesting players available in a thin infield market.

Aoyagi, on the other hand, will celebrate his 31st birthday next week. A low strikeout rate could limit his upside at the big league level. Even so, Aoyagi could provide an interesting depth option for clubs on either a minor league deal or a relatively inexpensive big league deal. It’s also possible that the sidearming hurler could get a look from an MLB club in relief, which might help his stuff play up compared to his work in Japan as a starter, where he posted a 3.69 ERA with a 13% strikeout rate this year.

2. Rays stadium plan to be voted on:

While the majority of the attention regarding the Rays’ stadium plans is focused on the 2025 season in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton’s destruction of Tropicana Field, the question of where the club will be playing long-term has been put back on the table as well. There should be some movement on that front today. Colleen Wright of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the St. Petersburg City Council is scheduled to vote on approving bonds that would help finance a new stadium for the Rays. The sides had a plan in place last year that would’ve constructed a new stadium near the Trop in time for the 2028 season, but the aftermath of Milton and frustration from local officials about the club’s decision to play its home games in nearby Hillsborough County next year rather than in a stadium located within Pinellas County alongside the Trop, has led to delays in the approval of bonds for financing the new stadium.

Even if today’s vote passes, that won’t guarantee the stadium plans goes through as intended. The delays have led the Rays to suggest that the stadium may now not be ready in time for the 2028 season, leaving the club skeptical about the deal. What’s more, the Pinellas County Commission also delayed approving their own bonds that would fund the project. Getting approval from the county seems to be a much larger obstacle than the city of St. Petersburg, given that last month’s elections altered the makeup of the commission, with a handful of key votes in favor of the stadium deal no longer in office.

3. Yankees exploring other top-of-the-market options:

While all eyes are on Juan Soto as a decision seemingly looms in the near future, the Yankees do not appear to be putting all their eggs in his basket. Reports yesterday indicated that they’re also making efforts with a number of other high-profile free agents. They’ve met with starters Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, and shortstop Willy Adames has also drawn interest from the club recently. Could yesterday’s reports offer a glimpse at which players the Yankees might focus on if Soto departs?

As the baseball world gears up for the Winter Meetings, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on today:

1. Soto bidding reaches new heights:

The bidding for Juan Soto has reportedly surpassed $600MM, the price tag MLBTR predicted the outfielder would land in our annual Top 50 MLB Free Agents list. The news confirms what has been apparent all along: barring a surprise decision to accept massive deferrals, Soto will land the most lucrative contract in MLB history this winter — at least in terms of the deal’s net present value. The Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Dodgers are generally considered to be the top suitors, and there’s been no firm indication to this point that any of them are out of the bidding. With Soto narrowing the field, could a deal be in place before the Winter Meetings begin in Dallas?

2. Signings to be made official:

A handful of reported signings have yet to be made official by their clubs: the Mets’ two-year pact with Frankie Montas, the Cubs’ two-year deal with Matthew Boyd, and the Red Sox’ one-year agreement with Aroldis Chapman. It’s possible those deals are being held up while each club arranges for their new player to take a physical, as is commonplace before finalizing a contract. All three of those teams had open space on their 40-man roster at the time of reaching the agreements, so corresponding moves won’t be necessary. Still, as deals become official, additional details sometimes pop up, as was the case with the recent revelation that Blake Snell’s deal with the Dodgers contained a conditional option for a sixth year.

3. Movement on the relief market:

That aforementioned deal between the Red Sox and Chapman was the first significant signing of a reliever this winter. A handful of relievers have signed small major league deals this winter but Chapman’s $10.75MM guarantee dwarfs those of the other early signers, which are led by the $2.25MM guarantee Boston made to Justin Wilson last month. At such an early point in the offseason, there are still plenty of quality options on the relief market, which is led by southpaw Tanner Scott. Rumors that other top relievers like Jeff Hoffman and Clay Holmes have garnered interest as starters could thin out top end of the relief market a bit.

Chapman highlighted this winter’s class of one-year options from the left side out of the bullpen, though other veterans like Tim Hill, Danny Coulombe, and Andrew Chafin remain as solid options in the next tier down. Could Chapman’s signing spur more movement on the relief market, particularly with the other southpaws?

The Hot Stove has begun to heat back up after slowing down over Thanksgiving. With more activity surely on the horizon, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today.

1. Snell introductory presser today:

The Dodgers are scheduled to hold a press conference at 2:30pm local time this afternoon where they’ll formally introduce left-hander Blake Snell after he signed a five-year deal with the club. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and GM Brandon Gomes will both be in attendance to field questions from the media. Even after signing Snell, the club may want to make further rotation additions (a reunion with Clayton Kershaw seems inevitable, at the very least) and plenty of work still remains for the reigning champs in the lineup and bullpen as well. L.A. remains on the periphery of the Juan Soto market. They’d like to re-sign Teoscar Hernandez, but if neither hitter lands with them, they could pivot to Anthony Santander as they look for corner outfield help. Meanwhile, the club’s relief corps lost Blake Treinen and Daniel Hudson to free agency and retirement, respectively, making veteran relief help a potential priority this winter.

2. Options dwindling on the catching market:

The Rangers signed catcher Kyle Higashioka to a two-year deal yesterday in a move that took another catcher off the board fairly early in the winter. This year’s crop of free agents behind the plate was sparse to begin with, and it’s only thinned further as Higashioka joins Travis d’Arnaud, Austin Hedges, and Jacob Stallings in having found new homes already. With teams like the Rays, Orioles, Cubs, Blue Jays, and Padres all potentially in the market to add behind the plate, Danny Jansen and Carson Kelly are the top names ahead of an assortment of mid-30s veterans such as Gary Sanchez, Elias Diaz, and James McCann. The lack of quality options behind the plate could create a seller-friendly trade market for catchers, but few obvious trade candidates at the position exist. Minnesota’s Christian Vazquez stands as the most logical name available, but the $10MM he’s owed in 2025 eclipses his market value by a few million. Could the upcoming Winter Meetings involve a mad dash to lock up the remaining catchers on the market?

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

With the Winter Meetings just days away, the 2024-25 offseason has begun to ramp up with a number of noteworthy signings in recent weeks that have already taken six of MLBTR’s Top 50 free agents off the board. Whether you have questions about who your favorite team will be targeting this winter, or a trade proposal in the back of your mind, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be here to answer your questions during a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

On the heels of an overnight signing, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. What’s next for the Mets?

The Mets reportedly signed right-hander Frankie Montas to a two-year deal worth $34MM that includes an opt-out after the 2025 season yesterday. In doing so, they filled the first of three rotation spots that were vacated by the departures of Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, and Jose Quintana in free agency. Montas, who struggled last year to a 4.84 ERA and 4.71 FIP in 150 2/3 innings of work between the Reds and Brewers, is hardly a surefire impact addition to their starting five but should eat innings at the back of the rotation with the upside to provide additional value — not unlike Manaea was viewed at the time of his deal with New York last year.

While the Mets are sure to remain zeroed in on Juan Soto, there’s little question that the club is going to continue to pursue rotation upgrades. Will president of baseball operations David Stearns and his front office use their financial might to land a surefire ace like Corbin Burnes or Max Fried, or does the club plan to operate similarly to last winter on the rotation market while focusing their largest additions on a lineup that stands at risk of losing Pete Alonso?

2. Is there more coming from the Cubs?

The Cubs entered the offseason surrounded by rumors they could look to add to the top of their rotation this winter, but they’ve subsequently reversed course to focus on middle tiers of the starting pitching market. That ostensible shift in focus seemingly led to today’s overnight deal for southpaw Matthew Boyd, who reportedly signed on with the club for $29MM over two years. The Cubs were generally expected to look to add players to their rotation and bullpen this winter while also searching for an upgrade behind the plate. They’ve at least nominally addressed all three of those positions already this winter by adding Boyd, Eli Morgan, and Matt Thaiss. Is there more coming from the Cubs, or does the remainder of their offseason hinge on working out a Cody Bellinger trade?

3. When will the market for QO starters heat up?

One quirk of the pitching market movement this winter is that it’s been focused exclusively on hurlers who aren’t attached to draft pick compensation. While many of the starters expected to land multi-year deals this winter received a qualifying offer last month, Montas and Boyd join Yusei Kikuchi and Blake Snell among the list of starters who did not. Some unencumbered free agents such as Jack Flaherty and Nathan Eovaldi remain, but the options on that front are dwindling. Will teams continue to shy away from qualified free agent starters until later in the offseason, or could the coming days spur some activity on the other side of the starting pitching market?

As you’re eating Thanksgiving leftovers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, here are three things to keep an eye on around baseball today:

1. Black Friday shopping:

After a quiet Thanksgiving Day, will any teams resume their offseason shopping on Black Friday? It’s not typically a busy day on the baseball calendar, but it’s not as if every front office executive around the league takes the day off. Three years ago, for instance, news broke that the Mets had signed Starling Marte, Mark Canha, and Eduardo Escobar on Black Friday.

If any team is going to be active today, the Blue Jays might be the best bet. After all, Canadian Thanksgiving has long since passed, and the Jays have been active on Black Friday before; they traded for Josh Donaldson on Black Friday in 2014 and signed free agent J.A. Happ on Black Friday in 2015. Toronto has been linked to several of the top free agents this winter, including Juan Soto, Max Fried, and Anthony Santander. Most recently, a report from Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet connected the Blue Jays to Alex Bregman and Luis Severino.

2. Hyeseong Kim to be posted?

According to Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News, Hyeseong Kim left for Los Angeles earlier today in anticipation of his move from the KBO to MLB. His current team, the Kiwoom Heroes, has not yet posted him, but they are discussing the topic with Kim’s agents at CAA. The three-time KBO Golden Glove winner told Yoo he expects to be posted after Thanksgiving. That suggests he’ll be available to sign with MLB clubs as early as next week. After he is officially posted, he will have 45 days to sign a contract before his posting window closes.

Kim came in at no. 26 on MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents list this offseason. And unlike fellow international star Roki Sasaki, Kim is old enough and has the necessary amount of professional experience to sign with any MLB club for as many years and dollars as he can command. Given his plus speed, his defensive talents at second base, his well-regarded bat-to-ball skills, and his youth (he won’t turn 26 until January), the MLBTR staff predicted him to sign a three-year, $24 million deal.

3. Soto sweepstakes continue:

Until he puts pen to paper on a (presumably) record-breaking contract, Juan Soto’s free agency will remain the biggest story of the 2024-25 MLB offseason. The latest update in the Soto saga, according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, is that the Yankees increased their offer on Wednesday, although it is not clear what their previous offer was or how much they upped the original number.

More tidbits from Heyman’s reporting include the fact that Soto would prefer a long-term deal as opposed to a shorter contract with a higher AAV. However, he is likely to ask for opt-outs in whatever deal he signs. The Yankees made it clear they are willing to include opt-outs in their offer, but reportedly, so are multiple other suitors. Don’t expect Soto to sign this weekend, but keep an eye out for reports and rumors that will surely continue to trickle out.

On the heels of last night’s surprise signing, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Snell switches sides in Dodgers-Giants rivalry:

The first top-of-the-market domino fell last night when the Dodgers and left-hander Blake Snell agreed to a five-year, $182MM deal that includes deferred money that drops the net present value of the deal to the $160-165MM range. It’s the southpaw’s latest stop in what has become a tour of California in recent years. After winning the NL Cy Young award for San Diego in 2023, Snell found a disappointing market in free agency and ultimately settled for a two-year, $62MM deal with the Giants last winter. That contract, of course, included an opt-out this winter. The lefty dealt with injuries and struggled early in the season but was baseball’s best pitcher from July onward, prompting him to opt out and again test his fortunes.

With a deal for a front-of-the-rotation arm now in the books, what’s next for L.A. this winter? The outfield seems likely to be the next order of business in L.A. with Mookie Betts poised to return to the infield in 2025, leaving Andy Pages as the only full-time outfielder who currently figures to be on the club’s Opening Day roster (although Tommy Edman could very well be the club’s regular center fielder with Betts back in the infield). The club is known to be involved on at least some level in the Juan Soto bidding, and there’s mutual interest in a reunion with Teoscar Hernandez. Reuniting with longtime franchise face Clayton Kershaw once again appears to be on the docket, as does upgrading a bullpen that saw right-hander Daniel Hudson and fellow righty Blake Treinen become a free agent earlier this month.

2. Will any other major players sign early?

Between Snell’s deal last night and the pact between Anaheim and southpaw Yusei Kikuchi that broke on Monday morning, the hot stove has picked up in a hurry this week. Thanksgiving could slow the momentum a bit when it arrives tomorrow, but at this point it would hardly be a surprise if a few more significant pieces came off the board before executives arrive in Dallas for the Winter Meetings in the evening on December 8. The deals for Snell and Kikuchi took two of the top six free agent starters off the market, so it stands to reason that the markets for Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Jack Flaherty, and Sean Manaea could start to heat up in the coming days as well.

It’s also possible that the market begins to thaw on offense, however. The Soto sweepstakes have dominated the headlines in that part of the market to this point in the winter, and it seems increasingly likely he’ll have landed somewhere at least by the time the Winter Meetings conclude, if not sooner.

3. Will Arenado change hands?

In the early days of the offseason, reports out of St. Louis indicated the Cardinals would be trimming payroll and taking a potential step back this winter as they focus on youth and development for the 2025 season. That led to plenty of rumors regarding the availability of three veteran players: catcher Willson Contreras, right-hander Sonny Gray, and third baseman Nolan Arenado. Contreras and Gray both appear to be reluctant to waive their no-trade clauses and depart St. Louis, with Contreras even poised to move to first base in 2025 to accommodate the Cardinals’ youth movement as catchers Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages stand poised to take on larger roles.

Arenado, however, has at least kept an open mind to the possibility, and the Cards have explored the market for him. Given Arenado’s stellar reputation with the glove and declining numbers at the plate, it would be something of a shock if any team actually wanted him to move across the diamond to first base, but he’s reportedly open to such a move in the right setting. Will a deal come together?

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

1. Is more movement on the starting pitching market on the way?

News broke of the winter’s first major signing yesterday when the Angels reportedly agreed to a three-year deal with veteran southpaw Yusei Kikuchi. Kikuchi, 33, ranked as the #12 free agent available on MLBTR’s annual Top 50 MLB free agents list. The southpaw sports a 3.96 ERA (105 ERA+) and 3.78 FIP over the past two seasons, placing him among the many mid-rotation arms in this winter’s class. It would hardly be a surprise if the Kikuchi deal represented the floodgates opening on significant signings. Last year, Aaron Nola re-signed with the Phillies to kick off the starting pitching market and fellow top-tier righty Sonny Gray followed by signing with the Cardinals just one week later.

One potential wrinkle with this year’s class, however, is the relatively small number of pitchers who are similar to Kikuchi in terms of overall effectiveness while remaining unencumbered by a qualifying offer. Nathan Eovaldi and Jack Flaherty are perhaps the closest comparisons overall, though Eovaldi’s age could limit his market while Flaherty’s youth and upside figures to expand his own. Hurlers like Sean Manaea, Nick Pivetta, and Luis Severino compare reasonably with Kikuchi but are attached to draft pick compensation, while Andrew Heaney and Matthew Boyd are unencumbered like Kikuchi but are generally considered to be in the tier below him.

2. Will more teams finalize their coaching staffs?

Yesterday saw the Orioles finalize their coaching staff for 2025, including the announcement of former big league catcher Robinson Chirinos as their new bench coach. The Red Sox finalized their staff late last week, accompanied by the announcement of José Flores as the club’s new first base coach. With December just over the horizon and the free agent market starting to heat up, will more clubs begin to announce finalized coaching staffs for next year in the coming days? Some clubs still appear to be finalizing their coaching hires, as the Mariners are reportedly poised to hire Kevin Seltzer as their next hitting coach while teams like the Brewers, Cubs, and Marlins still have positions that need to be filled.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

With the non-tender deadline in the rearview mirror and the winter’s first major free agent signing in the books, the 2024-25 offseason has begun to ramp up. Whether you have questions about who your favorite team will be targeting this winter, or a trade proposal in the back of your mind, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be here to answer your questions during a live chat scheduled for noon CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

On the heels of a notable early-morning signing, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Soto beginning to take offers?

The early part of the offseason has been littered with reports about teams meeting with or planning to meet with superstar outfielder Juan Soto. The Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Dodgers are all known to have met with Soto at this point. The Phillies were reportedly planning to meet with the slugger as well. Other teams, including the Giants and Royals, are known to have at least checked in on Soto, but the star’s free agent process is seemingly moving past the introductory stage as a report yesterday indicated teams are expected to start making offers this week. Given that Soto’s contract is widely expected to mark a new record in terms of net-present value, the coming stage of the process could quickly weed out teams that were remaining involved in hopes that Soto’s market would prove softer than some of the sky-high numbers thrown around so far. Could things begin to progress quickly for Soto once he begins receiving offers?

2. Non-tendered players enter the free agent pool:

Friday night saw a number of interesting players enter the free agent pool after being non-tendered by their clubs. These players generally occupy the lower tiers of free agency, as teams with substantial interest in them at their arbitration price point could have just traded for them in the days leading up to their non-tender. That said, interesting players such as Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Woodruff, and Cody Bellinger have found themselves in the non-tender pile in recent years. This year’s class lacks that sort of big name talent, but longtime Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano, Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan, Angels starter Patrick Sandoval (recovering from Tommy John surgery), and former Mariners infielder Josh Rojas are among the intriguing potential options that are now available to teams. Romano was an All-Star in 2022-23 before injuries ruined his 2024 season. Finnegan was an All-Star this past season but struggled through an awful final two months of the year.

3. What’s next for the Royals following the India trade?

Over the weekend, the Royals and Reds got together on a previously-rumored trade that sent Brady Singer to Cincinnati in exchange for Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer. Wiemer’s fit in Kansas City as a short-side platoon partner for center fielder Kyle Isbel is a fairly straightforward one, but the acquisition of India is a bit more complicated. India is seemingly poised to play everyday as a potential leadoff option for the club ahead of Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez, but it remains to be seen how the club’s defensive alignment will shake out now that both India and incumbent second baseman Michael Massey are in the mix.

Both India and Massey have played second base almost exclusively in the majors, but India came up as a third baseman and both players could surely handle either left field. Is a position change in the cards for either player headed into Spring Training, or are there more deals on the horizon that could clarify the club’s infield picture? Maikel Garcia and Massey were the club’s primary options on the infield alongside Witt and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino last year. Could Garcia or Massey be relegated to a utility role or even on the move in a future deal to upgrade the club’s questionable outfield mix now that India is in the fold?

With a major offseason deadline now upon us, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. The non-tender deadline is today:

The deadline for clubs to tender contracts to the players in their organization is 7pm CT this evening. The annual deadline never fails to spur activity with arbitration-level players, who typically are at the greatest risk of being non-tendered. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco discussed the process and a wide-ranging list of possible non-tender candidates yesterday, and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see a transaction regarding any player on that list at some point before this evening’s deadline. That transaction could be a non-tender, allowing the player to depart for free agency early rather retaining them at an arbitration-level price tag, but it could also come in the form of a trade to another club more willing to pay that arb price or even a pre-tender deal where the sides avoid arbitration at a lower price point to save the club some money and offer the player some certainty.

2. Could the trade market heat up this weekend?

Earlier this week, the Cubs swung a pair of trades on the same day. They acquired right-hander Eli Morgan, who is slated to be eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career this winter, from the Guardians in exchange for outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario. They also acquired recently DFA’d catcher Matt Thaiss in a cash deal with the Angels. It’s likely that we’ll see an uptick of trades similar to both of these deals over the coming days.

With the arrival of the non-tender deadline today, several arb-eligible players on the bubble of being non-tendered get moved today, either off teams looking to cut costs to teams with budget space available, or from a team that would otherwise non-tender a player to one interested in offering him an arb-level contract. Aside from that, we saw a slew of players DFA’d in advance of the Rule 5 Draft protection deadline earlier this week. Any number of them could be flipped to another club via trade or waivers. That could lead to a handful of minor trades similar to the Thaiss deal, where a club adds a player for a typically relatively minor return, and there will also surely be plenty of waiver activity (and subsequent DFAs) in the days ahead.

3. Who else will meet with Snell?

Two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell reportedly met with both the Red Sox and Dodgers recently, giving a glimpse into the soon-to-be 32-year-old’s market. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic suggested yesterday that both the Blue Jays and Orioles could soon set up meetings with Snell, adding that the left-hander is aiming for a shorter stay on the free agent market this time around after waiting until March 19 to sign last winter.

It seems fair to presume that the Yankees (who had interest last offseason) and Mets (who saw 60% of their rotation reach free agency) could also sit down with the lefty. Snell could potentially hold broader appeal than fellow free agent aces Corbin Burnes and Max Fried due both to his lack of a qualifying offer and the fact that his age could tamp down the length of his contract (at the likely trade-off of a premium annual value). Might that create a few surprise suitors who don’t typically shop in the deep end of the free-agent pool?