The Opener

With Spring Training just weeks away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Who will get the call from the Hall?

The results of this year’s round of Hall of Fame voting will be announced at 5pm CT this evening, determining who will join former Pirates, Marlins, Rockies, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland in being inducted into Cooperstown on July 13. Third baseman Adrian Beltre appears to be all but guaranteed to join Leyland in this year’s class. As shown by the Baseball Hall of Fame Vote Tracker maintained by Ryan Thibodaux, Beltre has received votes on a whopping 99% of publicly-known ballots at the moment. With 53.4% of ballots known, Beltre would need votes from less than 60% of the remaining ballots to secure his spot in Cooperstown. In addition to Beltre, Twins catcher Joe Mauer and Rockies first baseman Todd Helton both appear to have a strong chance of getting the call this evening with votes on 82.9% and 82% of known ballots, respectively.

Southpaw closer Billy Wagner (77.6%) and slugging outfielder Gary Sheffield (75.1%) are both also on paths to clear the 75% threshold and land a plaque in Cooperstown, though the odds either player makes it in are still up in the air at this point. This year’s results are particularly key for Sheffield, as this is his tenth and final appearance on the ballot. By contrast, Wagner is in his ninth year of eligibility while Helton is in his 6th. Mauer and Beltre just joined the ballot this year. On the other end of the spectrum, left-handed starter Mark Buehrle, third baseman David Wright, right-handed closer Francisco Rodriguez, and outfielder Torii Hunter all have been selected on between 4% and 8% of public ballots. Players need at least 5% of the total vote to remain on the ballot for the following year.

2. Paxton headed out West?

The Dodgers appear to be nearing a deal to add a third starting pitcher to their rotation this winter, as reports have indicated the club is close to a one-year deal with veteran southpaw James Paxton. If the deal is completed, Paxton would join fellow offseason acquisitions Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow as well as internal arms Bobby Miller and Walker Buehler in the club’s likely starting five. The Dodgers have an open spot on their 40-man roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to bring in Paxton if the deal is completed. Big Maple’s likely departure from the free agent market takes another mid-rotation arm off the board, leaving Mike Clevinger, Michael Lorenzen and Hyun-Jin Ryu among the best remaining options.

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

With just three weeks left until Spring Training, there’s plenty of boxes still unchecked on the offseason shopping lists of clubs all around the league. Are you wondering what’s next for your favorite team, or perhaps curious about what the market for a particular free agent looks like? If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.

As MLB’s offseason continues to plug along, here are three things worth keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Will recent activity on the relief market continue?

The market for relief pitching kicked into high gear over the weekend as the Astros agreed to a five-year deal with lefty relief ace Josh Hader just hours before the Angels came together with top right-hander Robert Stephenson on a three-year pact. The deals took the two best bullpen arms off the winter’s market, leaving Hector Neris and Aroldis Chapman among the best remaining options for teams in need of relief help. Plenty of clubs still figure to attempt to upgrade their bullpen mix. The Cardinals are reportedly on the lookout for another reliever to pair with recently-acquired righty Andrew Kittredge in their set-up mix, while the Rangers, Yankees, and Cubs have been frequently connected to the bullpen market this winter without moves to show for it to this point.

2. Signings to be made official:

The aforementioned deals for Hader and Stephenson still need to be officially announced, as does the four-year agreement reached between the Blue Jays and right-hander Yariel Rodriguez last week. The Astros, Angels, and Blue Jays all have full 40-man rosters already, meaning that a corresponding move will be necessary when each club announces its latest signing. Often, that move simply involves designating a player for assignment, though occasionally clubs will try to work out trades involving a player near the back of their roster to acquire talent that doesn’t require a 40-man spot. The Dodgers have pulled off a pair of trades in that mold this winter: one with the Yankees to acquire 2021 first-rounder Trey Sweeney in exchange for lefty Victor Gonzalez and infield prospect Jorbit Vivas, and a more significant deal with the Cubs where they shipped out top infield prospect Michael Busch and right-hander Yency Almonte to Chicago while picking up a pair of youngsters in lefty Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope.

3. What’s the plan in Boston?

The Red Sox held their annual Winter Weekend fan event over the weekend, during which team officials made headlines by indicating the club is unlikely to match last year’s payroll in 2024 and suggesting the team doesn’t need to add another starting pitcher after swapping out Chris Sale for Lucas Giolito (despite making starting pitching a focus of the offseason). Even as club officials were downplaying expectations, local reporting indicated that the club remains in contact with free agent starters, including top-of-the-market southpaw Jordan Montgomery. There’s little question that the Red Sox, who finished 22nd in the majors last year with a 4.68 rotation ERA, would benefit from an impact addition at the top of their rotation, particularly after losing a high-upside arm like Sale, but there’s certainly question about whether they’ll actually make such a move.

As MLB’s offseason continues, here are three things worth keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Could a Hader signing be on the horizon?

Among the winter’s top free agents, relief ace Josh Hader’s market has been relatively quiet to this point in the offseason. Aside from stray connections to the Orioles and Yankees much earlier in the winter, ties between Hader and specific teams this winter have mostly stayed speculative. That changed yesterday afternoon, however, as reporting indicated that the Astros were making a “strong push” to bring Hader back to Houston, where he spent parts of three seasons as a prospect.

While the Astros have been among the teams most strongly connected to the bullpen market this winter, it would be something of a surprise to see a team that has openly acknowledged its payroll limitations this winter land the market’s top closer. After all, Hader has been rumored to be seeking a deal that would top the $102MM guarantee Edwin Diaz received from the Mets last offseason Hader would be a difference-maker for an Astros club that could lose Justin Verlander, Jose Altuve, and Alex Bregman in free agency next winter. While the lefty posted a career-high walk rate in 2023 and struck out less than 37% of batters faced for the first time since his rookie season, he nonetheless posted a sterling 1.28 ERA and 2.69 FIP across 61 appearances this season while picking up 33 saves.

2. Cardinals roster move in the works?

The Cardinals allowed right-hander James Naile to depart the organization for an opportunity overseas last night, opening up a spot on their 40-man roster. That roster spot could be filled rather quickly, as MLB.com’s John Denton indicates that a roster move could come as soon as today. While Denton doesn’t discuss specifics of what that roster move could entail, he suggests that it will “likely” be the addition of a relief pitcher.

That’s hardly a surprise, as the Cards have been heavily connected to the bullpen market throughout the offseason and president of baseball operations John Mozeliak was candid earlier this offseason about the club’s desire to add at least two players to its late-inning mix this winter. A deal with the Rays for Andrew Kittredge landed one of those arms, and it’s possible the impending roster move could be their second such addition. The club has been tied to the likes of Ryan Brasier and Phil Maton in free agency this winter, though plenty of relief arms remain on the market.

3. Could Duvall be nearing a decision?

According to a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post yesterday, outfielder Adam Duvall’s market has seemingly come into focus in recent days with two finalists for the veteran’s services: the incumbent Red Sox, and the Angels. Either would be a sensible fit for the 35-year-old. The Red Sox benefited greatly from the presence of Duvall’s righty bat in their lefty-dominated lineup last season as he slashed .247/.303/.531 in 353 trips to the plate last year. If re-signed, he could serve as a righty complement to young outfielders like Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu while also potentially spelling youngster Triston Casas at first base. With the Angels, Duvall could serve as a platoon partner for unproven players like Mickey Moniak in the outfield and Nolan Schanuel at first base, while also deepening a position player mix that lost Gio Urshela, Randal Grichuk, Eduardo Escobar, and Mike Moustakas among others to free agency on top of franchise face Shohei Ohtani.

As MLB’s offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. What’s next for the Blue Jays?

The Blue Jays are reportedly in agreement with right-hander Yariel Rodriguez on a four-year deal worth $32MM. The 26-year-old hurler is set to undergo a physical in the United States in the near future, though he’s currently waiting for a visa that would allow him to enter the country. Once that’s sorted out and Rodriguez is officially signed the club will have to make room for the righty on its 40-man roster, which is currently at capacity. In the meantime, Toronto appears likely to turn its attention to addressing DH, where they’ll need to replace the strong production Brandon Belt offered last season. The Blue Jays have been connected to plenty of slugging bats this offseason including Joc Pederson and J.D. Martinez. The addition of a big bat at DH could help the club boost an offense that is at risk of taking a step back in 2024 as currently constructed.

2. Will the recent activity on the starting market continue?

With plenty of teams still on the lookout for starting pitching and all signs pointing to the likes of Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery taking their time in free agency, Jon Heyman of the New York Post recently suggested that the next tier of free agent starters could begin to see some activity in the coming days. Heyman highlighted arms such as James Paxton, Hyun Jin Ryu, and Michael Lorenzen while noting that clubs like the Pirates, Nationals, Red Sox, Orioles, and Padres could all be players in this tier of free agency.

It wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise to see activity on the pitching market over the next few days, seeing as it’s been the most active area of the market in recent weeks. Including the reported deal Rodriguez, a look at MLBTR’s Contract Tracker shows that Rodriguez is the sixth free agent starter that’s agreed to a multi-year deal since Yoshinobu Yamamoto landed with the Dodgers just before Christmas, joining the quintet of Lucas Giolito, Sean Manaea, Shota Imanaga, Marcus Stroman, and Jordan Hicks.

3. Yankees signing to be made official:

The Yankees made the aforementioned Stroman signing official yesterday and designated outfielder Oscar Gonzalez for assignment to make room for the veteran righty on their 40-man roster. It won’t be the only 40-man roster move the club makes in the coming days, as their signing of right-hander Luke Weaver has not yet been made official. The club could simply look to designate another player on its roster for assignment, as they did with Gonzalez, though an alternative solution could be working out a minor trade with another club to acquire non-roster talent in exchange for a player towards the back of the club’s 40-man.

As the MLB offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Are more injury announcements on the horizon?

With Spring Training less than a month away, Astros right-hander Kendall Graveman joined Rangers ace Max Scherzer as one of the first players to be announced as undergoing a surprise surgery that will impact their availability for the 2024. While Scherzer is expected to return to the mound sometime this summer after undergoing back surgery last month, Graveman is poised to miss the entire 2024 season on the heels of his recent shoulder surgery. Both veterans serve as a reminder that players will occasionally discover unexpected injury concerns as they ramp back up in preparation for the season over the weeks leading up to pitchers and catchers reporting in February.

While the Astros appear unlikely to change course following the Graveman news, unexpected injury announcements of this sort can at times serve as a catalyst for a sudden development on the free agent market as the club looks for a back-up plan to its injured player. With just 28 days until Spring Training, are there any other players who won’t make it to camp this year?

2. When will the relief market begin to heat up?

The market for relief pitching has largely stayed stagnant this winter, with two of the biggest signings (namely Jordan Hicks and Reynaldo Lopez) expected to compete for roles in their new club’s starting rotation. With that being said, plenty of demand for relief helps still remains as the Astros, Cardinals, and Cubs all remain heavily involved in the hunt for bullpen additions. While each of those clubs appear to be on the lookout for relief help more generally, both the Rangers and Yankees were specifically name-checked as potential frontrunners for right-hander Hector Neris over the weekend. Other teams that could be on the periphery of the relief market are the Dodgers, Angels, and Orioles, each of whom were connected to veteran righty Ryan Brasier earlier this month. Will the recent smoke percolating over the bullpen market lead to a signing in the coming days?

3. Is Rodriguez close to a deal?

The Blue Jays have been tied to a number of major players this winter, ranging from Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto to Cody Bellinger and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, though they’ve either come up short or seemingly backed away from the market’s top players in every instance in favor of lower-level additions like Kevin Kiermaier and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. That trend may be continuing on the starting pitching side of things, as reports indicated yesterday that the club is “optimistic” about their chances of signing Cuban right-hander Yariel Rodriguez. Rodriguez did not pitch with an affiliated league in 2023 as he worked to be declared an MLB free agent and most recently pitched to a 1.15 ERA in 54 2/3 NPB innings back in 2022.

It’s the second such report in that vein in as many months, as Toronto was said to have “taken the lead” in the hunt for Rodriguez’s services a few weeks ago. The addition of Rodriguez to the club’s pitching staff would likely give right-hander Alek Manoah competition for the club’s fifth starter spot this spring, and add a potentially strong late-inning reliever to the back of a Toronto bullpen that recently lost Jordan Hicks in the event that Manoah maintains his hold on the role. Will the club be able to get the deal done after missing on most of its targets earlier this winter?

With less than a month remaining until pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Dodgers to introduce Hernandez:

The Dodgers have announced that outfielder Teoscar Hernandez will be made available to the media via Zoom later today. The virtual press conference is scheduled to begin at 5pm CT this evening, with GM Brandon Gomes also expected to be made available in addition to Hernandez. The addition of Hernandez may prove to be the capstone on an incredible offseason for L.A. headlined by the signing of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. Along with Ohtani, the club has revamped its starting rotation by signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto as well as dealing for and extending Tyler Glasnow. Meanwhile, the outfield mix has seen a similar overhaul with the addition of right-handed bats in Hernandez and Manuel Margot who can complement existing center fielder James Outman as well as Jason Heyward, who was re-signed early in the offseason to patrol right field.

2. Will the Giants keep adding to their rotation?

San Francisco entered the offseason with a clear need for rotation upgrades, and that need was only exacerbated by the announcement that veteran righty Alex Cobb underwent hip surgery in late October and is expected to miss the start of the 2024 campaign. Without Cobb as part of the mix for the Opening Day rotation, the Giants had only ace Logan Webb locked into a rotation spot for the coming season with youngsters like Kyle Harrison and Keaton Winn and depth options like Ross Stripling penciled in to fill out the rest of the group. Since then, the Giants have made a pair of additions to their rotation, though they’ve both been somewhat unorthodox.

The club landed left-hander Robbie Ray in a deal with Seattle, though the southpaw isn’t expected to return from Tommy John surgery until sometime this summer and San Francisco gave up a potential rotation piece in Anthony DeSclafani to complete the deal. Aside from that trade, the club’s major addition to the rotation has been landing right-hander Jordan Hicks on a four-year deal over the weekend. While the club has reportedly signed Hicks to be a starter, the flamethrower has just eight starts in the majors under his belt and has struggled to a 5.47 ERA in those 26 1/3 innings of work. Will these upside additions be the only rotation upgrades the Giants make this offseason, or will they seek the stability of a more surefire starter? Top-of-the-market lefties Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery remain available, but options are dwindling after that duo with the likes of Mike Clevinger and James Paxton among the best starters available in the next tier down.

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

Now that 2024 is upon us, are there any questions burning in your mind about the offseason with Spring Training a matter of weeks away? Are you wondering what’s next for your favorite team, or perhaps curious about what the market for a particular free agent looks like? If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.

Here are three things worth watching in baseball today…

1. Bellinger’s still out there:

After a bounceback season with the Cubs in 2023, Cody Bellinger seemed to set himself up for a nice payday going into 2024. That hasn’t materialized just yet, as he lingers on the open market in mid-January. His most recent employer held 2024 Cubs Convention over the weekend and Bellinger seemed like the star of the event, despite not being there. Per Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, everyone was talking about Bellinger throughout the festivities. Will he end up back with the Cubbies? And when?

2. International signing period begins:

The 2024 international signing period has officially begun. Young players from countries like the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and others often agree to deals years before they become official, but today is the day when pen can be put to paper. Each club has a fixed spending pool which they can use to give bonuses to players they sign from now until December 15. The lower-revenue clubs get larger pools and clubs sacrifice pool space by signing free agents that have rejected qualifying offers, while pool money can also be traded. Ben Badler of Baseball America is tracking each club’s pool space and the players they have agreements with.

3. Spring Training a month away:

Many parts of North America are currently dealing with frosty winter conditions and/or severe storms, but the boys of summer are just over the horizon. Not all clubs have the same date for pitchers and catchers to report to Spring Training, but it will be somewhere in the February 13-15 window for most clubs. If you’re one of the people who has to dig a car out of the snow today, perhaps you can hold that thought inside to help keep you warm.

One the heels of all but 22 arbitration-eligible players around the league agreeing to deals yesterday, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Cubs to introduce Imanaga:

The Cubs are expected to introduce newly-signed lefty Shota Imanaga in a press conference at 2pm CT this afternoon (h/t to Yuki Yamada of Sankei Sports) just hours before the team’s annual Cubs Convention kicks off this weekend. Imanaga signed in Chicago earlier this week on a four-year, $53MM deal with opt-outs after the second and third years that can be voided if the club exercises a fifth year club option that would take the total commitment to $80MM. Adding the lefty isn’t the only move the Cubs have made in recent days, and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer will surely be asked about the prospect-for-prospect swap that brought infielder Michael Busch to the Cubs from the Dodgers yesterday in addition to the signing of Imanaga. To acquire Busch and right-handed reliever Yency Almonte, the Cubs surrendered a pair of recent draftees: left-hander Jackson Ferris (2022 second round) and outfielder Zyhir Hope (a 2023 11th-rounder who signed an over-slot $400K bonus, the equivalent of fifth-round money).

2. Yankees roster moves incoming:

The Yankees deepened their pitching staff yesterday, adding right-hander Luke Weaver on a major league deal in the afternoon before signing veteran righty Marcus Stroman to a two-year pact last night. Stroman, in particular, is a significant boost to the rotation behind Gerrit Cole, filling out a staf that also includes Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes, and Clarke Schmidt. Deepening the rotation mix has left something of a roster crunch in the Bronx. The club already had a full 40-man roster, so they’ll need to clear two spots for Weaver and Stroman in the coming days. The club could accomplish this simply by designating two players for assignment, though an alternative solution could be working out a minor trade with another club to acquire non-roster talent in exchange for players towards the back of the club’s 40-man.

3. Kranick in DFA Limbo:

In order to make room for newly-signed lefty Martin Perez on the 40-man roster, the Pirates designated right-hander Max Kranick for assignment last week. The seven-day period during which Kranick can be left in DFA limbo expires this afternoon, meaning a conclusion is expected sometime today. Kranick, 26, was an 11th-round pick in the 2016 draft by Pittsburgh and came up to the majors with the club back in 2021. The righty pitched to a 5.56 ERA in 43 2/3 innings of work across 11 appearances for the Pirates between 2021 and 2022 before he underwent Tommy John surgery in June of the latter year.

The righty didn’t appear in the majors 2023 due to a lengthy rehab but returned to action in the minor leagues toward the end of the season, posting a strong 2.76 ERA in 16 1/3 innings of work at the Triple-A level. Kranick has a very solid Triple-A track record (3.72 ERA, 19% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate), but he’s also out of minor league options and therefore would need to be carried on any club’s active roster or else exposed to waivers again. If Kranick goes unclaimed, the righty figures to be outrighted to the minors by the Pirates, where he’ll serve as depth at the Triple-A level entering the season.

As we arrive at a major date on MLB’s offseason calendar, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Arbitration Exchange Deadline

The deadline for teams to exchange salary figures with players eligible for arbitration is set for today. The deadline was reportedly moved up from its original date of Friday, January 12 last month via joint agreement between MLB and the MLBPA, though news of the change only broke for the first time last night. A deadline for players and teams to come to contract agreements avoiding arbitration has been set for noon CT today, while salary figures will be exchanged by 7pm CT this evening. While teams and players can continue negotiating beyond the exchange of salary figures, teams have increasingly opted for a “file and trial” approach to arbitration in recent years, cutting off talks on pure one-year deals once figures are exchanged.

Today’s deadline should spur plenty of activity around the league throughout the day, as every team in baseball has at least two players with whom they’ll need to come to an agreement this afternoon or exchange salary figures with this evening. Most notably, each of the Orioles, Rays, Blue Jays, Yankees, Marlins, and Dodgers have ten or more such players. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected salaries for all arbitration-eligible players back in October. Yankees star outfielder Juan Soto leads the pack this year with a projected salary of $33MM that would break the record set by two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani last winter.

2. Could the market for starting pitching pick up soon?

With left-hander Shota Imanaga off the board after reportedly agreeing to a four-year, $53MM deal with the Cubs, could more movement on the starting pitching market be on the horizon? The trio of southpaws at the top of the starting pitching market this winter has been whittled down to two as only Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery remain available, though it doesn’t appear that either player is close to signing at the moment. That said, rumors have begun to pick up in recent days regarding right-hander Marcus Stroman, who is generally regarded as one of the better arms still on the board. Meanwhile, White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease remains the focus of the rumor mill in terms of trade candidates as all indications point toward a deal coming together in the coming weeks even as the club’s reported asking price for their top starter remains quite hefty.

3. Kuhnel exiting DFA limbo:

Astros right-hander Joel Kuhnel was designated for assignment last week after the club claimed fellow righty Declan Cronin off waivers from the White Sox. Today marks one week since Kuhnel’s DFA, meaning a resolution is expected sometime today. Kuhnel, 29 next month, spent his entire career in Cincinnati prior to a cash deal shipping him to Houston back in June. The righty sports a lackluster 6.02 ERA in 76 career appearances at the big league level, though his 4.55 career FIP improves his overall resume somewhat. While Kuhnel’s 19.3% strikeout rate is nothing to write home about, he does sport an impressive 52.5% groundball rate for his career. That could spur an interested club to take a chance on Kuhnel, claiming him off waivers and adding him to their own 40-man roster. If no team opts to do so, the Astros can attempt to outright the right-hander to Triple-A as non-roster depth, though Kuhnel would have the ability to reject such an assignment after previously being outrighted by the Reds back in 2020.

As the offseason continues to trundle along, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Imanaga contract to be finalized:

Left-hander Shota Imanaga reached an agreement with the Cubs last night, as first reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, but there’s still plenty of information surrounding the deal that’s yet to come to light. The deal is pending a physical, which is expected to happen today. In addition to Imanaga’s physical, today could bring clarity regarding the specific terms of the arrangement between the sides. Reporting has indicated that the deal guarantees Imanaga just $30MM over two years and involves a complex series of options as well as incentives that could bring the total guarantee to around $80MM over a longer term.

More complex contract structures have become more commonplace in recent years with examples ranging from San Diego’s arrangement with right-hander Michael Wacha last year to superstar outfielder Julio Rodriguez’s extension with the Mariners. Even so, it’s something of a surprise to see Imanaga agree to a two-year commitment. Many in the industry believed he’d surpass Kodai Senga’s five-year deal with the Mets, and ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote just last week that some executives around the sport expected the left-hander to top $100MM. MLBTR predicted a five-year, $85MM deal for the left-hander heading into the offseason.

2. Jordan Hicks’ market:

Right-hander Jordan Hicks is perhaps the best right-handed relief option on the market and arguably the market’s second-best bullpen arm behind relief ace Josh Hader. It appears the bidding for the flamethrowing righty’s services may be gaining steam, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post indicated yesterday evening that the market for Hicks has begun to pick up. Hicks has been connected to plenty of teams this offseason including the Yankees, Astros, Rangers, Red Sox, and Angels. Hicks, whom MLBTR predicted would land a deal worth four years and $40MM this offseason, combined a 28.4% strikeout rate with a 58.3% groundball percentage and would be a strong addition to virtually any club’s late-inning mix. Will the movement on his market lead to a signing in the near future?

3. Llovera exiting DFA limbo:

Red Sox right-hander Mauricio Llovera was designated for assignment back on January 3 to make room for fellow righty Lucas Giolito on the club’s 40-man roster. Today marks one week since Llovera was DFA’d, meaning a resolution is expected sometime today. The right-hander, 28 in April, made his big league debut with the Phillies back in 2020 and since then has spent time in the Giants and Red Sox organizations with a career 5.80 ERA and 5.29 FIP in 59 career big league innings.

While those numbers are nothing to write home about, it’s worth noting that he’s excelled in Triple-A in recent years, with a 2.82 ERA and 25.9% strikeout rate at the level since the start of the 2021 season. If a team is sufficiently intrigued by that performance, they could claim him on waivers and add him to their own 40-man roster. Should the Red Sox manage to sneak him through waivers, they’ll have the opportunity to assign him outright to the minor leagues where he can act as non-roster depth for Boston headed into the 2024 campaign. Llovera has previously been outrighted, however, giving him the right to reject a second outright assignment in favor of free agency.