With MLB Winter Meetings opening up Sunday night in Orlando, kicking off four days of trades, free agent moves, and hot stove rumors that will only get hotter, these are some things to consider.
Where is Kyle Tucker going?
With Kyle Tucker, (top free agent) still available you have to expect the usual suspects to come calling. With the Dodgers, Yankees, and Mets all being rumored to have interest in Tuckers services, make no mistake about it if any of these teams strike out with Kyle Tucker, expect them to swing for the fences in an attempt to sign Cody Bellinger. I believe teams will be monitoring both of these players very closely.
Time for the Cardinals to move Arenado?
We are all thinking it, so someone has to say it. There is no reason for the Cardinals to delay the inevitable and they should move on from Nolan Arenado, which might be the plan the Cardinals were signaling to with the farewell ceremony for the 10-time Gold Glove winner in their final home game. After paying down $20 Million to trade Sonny Gray to Boston, surely the Cardinals are more than willing to eat the money owed to potentially move Arenado. It is not out of the realm of possibility but with Eugenio Suarez and Alex Bregman, both better options at this juncture of their respective careers, available I feel like those two will get calls from contenders before, “kicking the tires” on the 34-year-old Third Baseman.
Who will be on the move this offseason?
Every offseason there are always one or two major trades. Last year at this time, no one expected the Houston Astros to move on from Kyle Tucker. By the end of the Winter Meetings, the Astros had made it abundantly clear that he was available and they were ready to strike a deal. Perfect example is the Chris Sale trade two offseasons ago.
What to expect regarding the Pitching Market.
After the Red Sox were able to make a deal with St. Louis acquiring Starting Pitcher Sonny Gray, the next day Dylan Cease agreed to a 7 year/$210 Million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. With the likes of Ranger Suarez, Framber Valdez, and Michael King still available, teams could also make calls to acquire top pitchers like, Sandy Alcantara and Joe Ryan. Who will jump at the opportunity add one of these arms to their rotation?
Stars From NPB signing to the MLB?
The three main stars that teams will be engaging in a bidding war to add to their rosters this offseason are RHP Tatsuya Imai, Third Baseman Munetaka Murakami, and First Baseman Kazuma Okamoto. All three stars from Japan have been posted and the 45-day signing windows are officially open. Murakami has until December 22 to ink a deal, while Imai and Okamoto have until January 2. These players could sign at any time between now and then.
Nationals listening to offers.
The Washington Nationals are under new management and are entertaining offers on both LHP Mackenzie Gore and SS CJ Abrams. Although Gore has previously been on the trade market, Abrams (under contract until 2028) is fairly new to the rumors. With the lack of options at Shortstop (with the exception of Bo Bichette) anyone seeking to upgrade the Shortstop position should be doing anything in their power to strike a deal with the Nationals. With a transition of power happening in the Washington front office, and the willingness of them to want to move on from Gore and Abrams, that tells me this may be an overdue reset.
Tigers simmering down on Bregman
The Tigers, Cubs, and Red Sox are the three teams hoping to add free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman to their starting lineups. But with Gleyber Torres accepting the Tigers qualifying offer, it seems like Detroit has shifted gears and is now starting to prioritize signing a serviceable free-agent infielder similar to the likes of Ha-Seong Kim. Maybe this opens the door for St. Louis to make a deal with Bregman.
