MLB Rumors: Latest on Jackie Bradley Jr. Contract, Francisco Lindor Trade, More

The 2020-21 MLB offseason has begun in earnest.

Most teams are still hashing out offseason plans or, in the unique case of the New York Mets, undergoing a search for an entirely new front office.

However, some general managers have already gotten down to business. The Toronto Blue Jays made the first free-agent signing when they brought back left-hander Robbie Ray after acquiring Ray from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the August trade deadline.

Additionally, a number of marquee players with qualifying offers (QO) will need to make a decision on their respective offers this week. Needless to say, things will start to heat up in a hurry.

Here are some of the latest offseason rumors around baseball.

Just a few months ago, Jackie Bradley Jr. seemed destined to leave Boston.

The 30-year-old was heading toward free agency at the end of the year, and the Red Sox were bona fide sellers at the trade deadline. But while Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reported the franchise tried to deal JBJ, the Red Sox apparently did not get the desired return. 

What followed was a strange series of events where chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom suggested the team wanted to extend Bradley, though Bradley's camp said they had yet to receive any contact from Boston's front office, per Rob Bradford of WEEI. 

However, it would seem the two sides are finally making some inroads on a potential deal. 

Bradford reported Sunday the Red Sox had reached out to Bradley about signing him through "2021 and beyond," suggesting there is interest in a multiyear deal. 

Bradley's stance on his own free agency is unknown. He said in September he would be open to re-signing with the Red Sox but also suggested he was excited to enter the open market, per Alex Speier of Boston Globe.

The former All-Star and Gold Glove winner is coming off a strong bounce-back year in which he slashed .283/.364/.450 with a 118 OPS+. Bradley also ranked in a tie for second in terms of outs above average (OAA), per Baseball Savant, and is widely regarded as one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball.

Boston is not nearly as handicapped by payroll and the competitive balance tax (CBT) as it was last offseason. However, the Red Sox also have a ton of needs in the pitching staff and might not be thrilled about ponying up the cash for a center fielder. 

The question will be whether Bloom can convince Bradley to possibly take a discount, in terms of annual average value, from the $11 million he made in arbitration last year. To do so, Bloom might need to put more years on the table.

Cleveland Indians superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor might get traded this offseason, but baseball fans should not expect any kind of blockbuster for some time.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported a deal involving Lindor is "unlikely to happen quickly." Morosi also noted Cleveland might hope to do business with the Mets, but New York has yet to address its baseball operations department after cleaning house on Friday. 

The Mets could eventually enter the fray, particularly with billionaire Steve Cohen taking control of the team and appearing poised to spend big this offseason. This could include a move and eventual extension for Lindor, who will be in his final year of arbitration in 2021.

New York has a plethora of infield assets, from big-league shortstop Amed Rosario to youngsters such as Andres Gimenez and Ronny Mauricio. The Mets could also dip into their pool of outfielders, with the likes of J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith potentially being available.

But Cleveland's starting point in a hypothetical trade with the Mets could be even bigger, per David Lennon of Newsday. Lennon reported the Indians' initial ask could involve Gimenez and Jeff McNeil, which would almost certainly seem to be a "No" for the Mets.

Gimenez was capable with the bat and stole eight bases last year. As for McNeil, the 28-year-old hit over .300 with an .836 OPS just one year after posting 4.6 fWAR, per FanGraphs. McNeil has become an offensive staple who can play multiple positions and is estimated to make less than $600K next year, per Spotrac. That seems like a lot of value, even for a player as magnetic as Lindor.

Of course, there are other reasons a Lindor trade is complicated, aside from Cleveland's potential ask. Not a ton of teams have the future payroll flexibility to extend the 26-year-old and are unlikely to give up much for one year of Lindor. Not to mention, he is already projected to make nearly $20 million in arbitration this season, per Spotrac. 

There is still a non-zero (possibly greater) chance Lindor will be on another roster come Opening Day. But it could be multiple months before a deal comes to fruition.

The financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic figures to influence the free-agent market as well as how much teams choose to spend this offseason.

Still, there are sure to be teams who spend a little extra as they hope to take the next steps in being more competitive.

Andy Martino of SNY.tv reported the Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Blue Jays and Mets are all expected to be among the biggest spenders this offseason. Buster Olney of ESPN also reported the White Sox could be "aggressive buyers." 

It comes as no surprise the White Sox and Blue Jays will be eager to buy. Both teams are loaded with young talent, though both could also use some rotation upgrades, with the White Sox also possibly looking at an upgrade in right field.

New York was not as successful as Chicago or Toronto, but Cohen's ownership marks a new era for the Mets, and wholesale changes to the front office could be an indicator they intend to "go for it" this winter.

The Giants are a rather curious inclusion on this list. San Francisco does not have the kind of young talent the latter three teams possess. But despite missing the playoffs, the Giants have been competitive in each of the last two years, and they also have some big contracts coming off the books next season.

In any case, these four upstarts could be teams to watch as the offseason progresses.

All stats obtained via Baseball Reference, unless otherwise noted.