AL West

Reigning American League Cy Young winner Justin Verlander's price tag may be more expensive than the Houston Astros are willing to spend.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Verlander and the Astros are "far apart" in contract talks with the 39-year-old seeking a deal worth $130 million over three years.

Heyman listed the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets as potential landing spots for Verlander if things go south with the Astros.

A three-year, $130 million deal would match what Max Scherzer got from the Mets last offseason. The contract made him the highest-paid player in Major League Baseball by average annual salary ($43.3 million).

The Mets' interest in Verlander may be a contingency plan in the event they don't re-sign Jacob deGrom. Heyman reported on Thursday that people in the Mets' organization believe deGrom "prefers to return" to New York.

The Yankees are still waiting on Aaron Judge to make a decision. They have a need for another frontline starter with Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes. It would also make them better and potentially weaken an Astros team that has knocked them out of the playoffs three times since 2017.

The Dodgers saw last season the downside of not having a true No. 1 starter in the playoffs. They have so much depth on the roster that they won 111 games in the regular season, but they didn't get more than five innings from any of their starters in the NLDS loss to the San Diego Padres.

There are some differences between the two star pitchers that make Houston's apparent apprehension understandable. Scherzer signed his deal heading into his age-37 season and has never had a major shoulder or elbow injury in his career.

Verlander will turn 40 on Feb. 20 and missed the entire 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery. The nine-time All-Star returned in near-peak form in 2022 with an MLB-best 1.75 ERA and 0.83 WHIP over 175 innings in 28 starts. He earned his third career AL Cy Young award.

The Astros are operating from a position of strength. Even if Verlander signs elsewhere, they will still have Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia and José Urquidy in the rotation. They could potentially use the money they would have spent on Verlander to sign another free-agent starter if they decide to move on.

Another one of baseball's biggest stars could be headed to Los Angeles.

An MLB executive believes that if Justin Verlander doesn't re-sign with the Houston Astros that he'll "probably" sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Heyman lists the Dodgers as the favorite, with the New York Mets and New York Yankees as the second-favorites.

The Dodgers reportedly met with Verlander on Monday, and MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported on Tuesday that he believes the Dodgers "have the best chance at this moment" to sign the veteran hurler.

"I believe the Dodgers have the best chance at this moment to sign Justin Verlander." 👀

- @jonmorosi | #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/fK8qIarXaC

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 29, 2022

Verlander put together arguably the best season of his career in 2022, posting an 18-4 record with a 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 185 strikeouts in 175 innings across 28 starts en route to a Cy Young award and the Comeback Player of the Year award.

It was an especially impressive season for Verlander after he missed all but one game in 2020 and all of the 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The 39-year-old had been with the Astros since midway through the 2017 season, when he was traded to Houston by the Detroit Tigers. He played for the Tigers from 2005 through a large portion of the 2017 campaign, winning one Cy Young award and an MVP award.

The Dodgers have always been in the market for top-tier talent. They acquired Mookie Betts in a trade with the Boston Red Sox before signing him to a 12-year, $365 million extension in June 2020.

Additionally, L.A. signed superstar first baseman Freddie Freeman to a six-year, $162 million deal in June 2022. The Dodgers also boast a roster that includes two talented players in Gavin Lux and Max Muncy.

If Verlander joins the Dodgers, he'll only add to an impressive rotation that includes Julio Urías, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Walker Buehler.

The Seattle Mariners have shown interest in free-agent outfielder Michael Conforto, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

The Athletic's Will Sammon reported on Nov. 9 the New York Mets might be open to reuniting with Conforto, who spent his first seven seasons with the team.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post listed the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs as having weighed a move as well.

The 29-year-old missed the entire 2022 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. His value had already taken a hit before that following a down year in 2021. He had 14 home runs, 55 RBI and a .232/.344/.384 slash line to go along with a 100 OPS+, per Baseball Reference.

Assuming he takes a short-term contract to leave himself free to collect a bigger payday in 2024 or 2025, Conforto would be a worthwhile gamble this offseason. Between 2015 and '20, he had an .843 OPS and a 128 OPS+, so a team might be getting an impact hitter at a fraction of the cost.

The Mariners are well positioned to take just such a risk.

Seattle will have reigning American League Rookie of the Year Julio Rodríguez patrolling center field, and it already acquired Teoscar Hernández to be the everyday right fielder. Assuming he rebounds at the plate, Conforto would be a clear upgrade over Jarred Kelenic.

Since he's still only 23, it might be too early to write Kelenic off altogether, but a .168 average and a .338 slugging percentage illustrate how much he has struggled through his first two seasons.

After winning 90 games and ending their lengthy playoff drought, the Mariners will want to keep making progress in 2023. Whether it's Conforto or another option, finding a veteran outfielder to take Kelenic's place in the lineup is an obvious way to fortify the offense for that pursuit.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is viewed as the player who could benefit the most from MLB's ban on infield shifts beginning in 2023.

Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated provided detailed analysis of the upcoming change Monday, noting no hitter in the league had more hard-hit ground-ball outs into the shift (71) than the Rangers infielder last season.

Seager faced a shift 93 percent of the time in 2022, a jump of 16 percentage points from 2021, and his .176 batting average on hard-hit grounders was a career-low mark, per Verducci.

The analysis also showed he was one of the most unlucky players when it came to line drives that turned into outs because of the shift along with the Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber.

Seager signed a 10-year, $325 million contract with the Rangers last December after spending the first seven seasons of his MLB career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 28-year-old North Carolina native hit a career-high 33 home runs, but his OPS dropped to .772, his worst full-season mark since reaching the majors in 2015. His OPS across his final two years in L.A. was .926.

He was a 4.5-win player (via FanGraphs) despite the significant impact of the shift on his ability to get on base.

The ban on the shift creates a lot of intrigue about what level of production Seager can provide. The new rule mandates two infielders on each side of second base and forces the infielders to line up on the infield dirt.

The three-time All-Star could end up in the MVP conversation if his power and defensive numbers remain strong to pair with a likely increase in his batting average and on-base percentage.

That's great news for the Rangers, who own a fearsome top half of the order with Seager, Marcus Semien, Nathaniel Lowe, Adolis García and Jonah Heim.

The rest of the lineup could use upgrades before the 2023 campaign gets underway, though.

Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, will host the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

The Midsummer Classic is coming back to Arlington!@GlobeLifeField will host the 2024 @MLB All-Star Game. pic.twitter.com/SJBkV1WB0i

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) November 17, 2022

This will be just the second time the Rangers have hosted the Midsummer Classic. The National League earned a 3-2 win over the American League in Arlington in 1995.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said the Rangers and Arlington "presented a robust bid for All-Star Week."

"The Rangers stepped up under difficult circumstances and Globe Life Field served as terrific host for the 2020 Postseason, including the World Series," he said. "We are excited to once again feature Baseball's newest ballpark on a global stage next summer."

This was inevitable once Globe Life Field opened in 2020. MLB wouldn't wait too long before taking the All-Star Game to North Texas, and Manfred said as much in 2019.

Beyond being the newest MLB stadium on the block, Globe Life Field's retractable roof makes it much easier to stage major events in the heart of summer. Unlike in 1995, the heat won't be a factor in the 2024 All-Star Game and its accompanying showcases.

To some degree, Thursday's announcement adds a little more pressure for Rangers general manager Chris Young, who's running the front office following the August firing of Jon Daniels.

Texas made a big splash last offseason by signing Corey Seager and Marcus Semien.

Despite that signal of intent, the Rangers ultimately finished 68-94. The organization will obviously want to see more success by 2024, and the number of ASG representatives it has in its home ballpark will be one barometer for whether that goal is met.

Shohei Ohtani is coming home.

The Los Angeles Angels star revealed Thursday that he plans to represent Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, which is being held partially in Tokyo next March.

"I have officially informed Team Japan Manager Mr. Kuriyama that I would like to participate in next year's WBC," Ohtani said in a statement posted on Instagram. "Looking forward for the opportunity to face the best players around the world and to be able to play in front of the Japanese fans for the first time in over 5 years!!"

Ohtani was born and raised in Japan and played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters before signing with the Angels before the 2018 season. He was previously on the roster for Japan's 2017 World Baseball Classic team but missed the event with an ankle injury.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the WBC scheduled for March 2021. Ohtani was unable to compete for the gold medal-winning Japanese team at the 2020 Summer Olympics (which were held in the summer of 2021) because of the MLB season.

It's unclear whether Ohtani will play both ways in the WBC. From a financial perspective, it's hard to justify him potentially risking injury in what amounts to an exhibition tournament. Ohtani will make $30 million next season in the final year before he hits unrestricted free agency, at which time he will have one of the more curious contract negotiations in MLB history.

The 28-year-old is one of baseball's best power pitchers and power hitters, a once-in-a-century talent who has finished top-two in AL MVP voting for two successive seasons. He has also dealt with significant injuries over the course of his career, including Tommy John surgery in 2018.

While there is always a risk any time a player takes the field, the additional toll of the WBC should be a factor players who are nearing free agency consider before deciding to play. Ohtani has apparently made that calculation for himself and decided representing his country is worth the risk.

Houston Astros star Justin Verlander won his third American League Cy Young Award on Wednesday, while Sandy Alcantara became the first Miami Marlins pitcher to win the National League honor.

Alcantara earned all 30 first-place votes to secure the trophy over finalists Max Fried and Julio Urías.

UNANIMOUS 🏆

Sandy Alcantara received all 30 first place votes for the NL Cy Young Award! pic.twitter.com/LOV7gFKUyW

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 16, 2022

Verlander also unanimously beat out finalists Dylan Cease and Alek Manoah.

Justin Verlander UNANIMOUSLY wins the AL Cy Young Award, receiving all 30 first place votes! pic.twitter.com/yP4GNk6q74

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 17, 2022

Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani finished fourth in AL voting.

Alcantara led all pitchers with 8.0 wins above replacement, per Baseball Reference, thanks mostly to his impressive durability, highlighted by a major league-best 228.2 innings. He tallied 23.2 more innings than anyone else, while his six complete games doubled the next-best number.

No team in baseball posted more than five complete games this year.

The 27-year-old was lights-out, finishing 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA and 0.98 WHIP plus 207 strikeouts.

Though Urías had more wins (17) and an NL-best ERA (2.16), Alcantara's ability to consistently carry his team made him the top choice.

Verlander also stood out for his incredible season, finishing 18-4 while leading the majors with a 1.75 ERA and 0.83 WHIP. He added 185 strikeouts in 175 innings, while his 220 ERA+ was easily the best of his career.

Only twice in 28 starts did the right-hander allow more than three earned runs.

The 39-year-old has been one of the best pitchers in baseball throughout his career, but few gave him the chance to bounce back at this level after he underwent Tommy John surgery and made just one appearance over the last two years. He proved all doubters wrong with an outstanding regular season and then helped the Astros win the World Series.

Cease had a strong case for the award, including his 227 strikeouts and memorable hot streak during the summer (11 GS, 65.2 IP, 0.82 ERA, 0.96 WHIP from June 14 to Aug. 11), but he wasn't as consistent as Verlander.

Verlander is now one of only 11 pitchers with three Cy Young Awards, adding to his Hall of Fame résumé.

Houston Astros owner Jim Crane is hoping the team doesn't lose ace pitcher Justin Verlander in free agency this offseason, but he knows it will take a massive deal to retain him.

Crane told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that he believes Verlander is seeking a contract similar to that of New York Mets starter Max Scherzer, who signed a deal with the highest average annual value in MLB history last season at $43.3 million ($130 million over three years).

"I know him well, so we’ve been pretty candid," Crane said. "He’s looking at the comp, which I think there’s only one or two. … J.V.’s probably got a few years left, and he wants to make the most of it. I think he’s going to test the market on that."

Verlander, who will turn 40 in February, turned down a $25 million contract option to test the open market.

While Crane didn't mention what the franchise would be willing to offer Verlander to retain him, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle recently reported that Crane is hoping to offer him a deal in the range of two years and $30-35 million annually. Rome added that while "multiple people familiar with Crane’s thinking said he’s set something of a limit in negotiations with Verlander," there's still a chance Crane would be willing to exceed those numbers.

The veteran right-hander enjoyed a stellar 2022 season in which he went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA, a 0.83 WHIP and 185 strikeouts to establish himself as the favorite to win his third American League Cy Young Award. He then helped lead Houston to a World Series championship, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.

Verlander's 2022 campaign was a bounce-back performance after his lost 2020 and 2021 seasons. He made one start in 2020 before being shut down and forced to undergo Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss the entirety of the following year.

Losing Verlander in free agency would be surprising for Houston, but the team should be able to manage the loss thanks to its deep starting rotation that includes Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr.

The Seattle Mariners are banking on a bounce-back season from 2021 All-Star Teoscar Hernandez.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Mariners have acquired the 30-year-old outfielder from the Toronto Blue Jays. Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reported the Mariners will deal relief pitcher Erik Swanson and pitching prospect Adam Macko in exchange for Hernandez.

Swanson will provide a boost to Toronto's bullpen. The right-hander was excellent with a 1.68 ERA, 70 strikeouts and just three homers allowed over 53.2 innings in 57 appearances last season.

FanGraphs' Eric Longenhagen ranked Macko as the 10th-best prospect in Seattle's farm system last season. The 21-year-old left-hander was a seventh-round draft pick in 2019. He struck out 60 with a 3.99 ERA in 38.1 innings in High-A but didn't pitch after May 21 with an unspecified injury.

The 2022 season was disappointing for Hernandez. He hit .267/.316/.491 with 25 homers and 77 RBI in 131 games. His 127 OPS+ was the third-highest mark of his career in a full season, but it was a step down from the previous two years.

In 193 games in 2020 and 2021, Hernandez had a .295/.345/.538 slash line with 84 extra-base hits. He made the American League All-Star team in 2021 and set career highs in homers (32) and RBI (116).

While he's coming off a down year, it's surprising to see a Blue Jays team with playoff aspirations move on from Hernandez without an obvious replacement in place. He is entering the final season of arbitration with a projected salary of $14.5 million, per Spotrac.

Adding Hernandez allows the Mariners to tinker with their outfield and designated hitter rotations. Newly minted AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez will continue to handle center field.

Jesse Winker in left field has been a below-average defender throughout their career. Winker had the ninth-worst defensive value rating among qualified players in 2022 (minus-12.8), per FanGraphs.

Mitch Haniger, who was Seattle's primary starter in right field, is a free agent. The acquisition of Hernandez would seem to indicate the Mariners are moving on from Haniger.

Hernandez can play both corner outfield spots, though he's also been below-average with the glove for most of his career. He has been an above-average hitter over the past five seasons with the Blue Jays. This is a great buy-low acquisition for a Mariners team looking to build after ending a 21-year playoff drought last season.

2022 All-Star starting pitcher Tyler Anderson reportedly has found a new home in free agency, but he won't have to go far.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Anderson has agreed to a multiyear contract with the Los Angeles Angels after turning down the qualifying offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers. MLB Network's Mark Feinsand added that Anderson's deal with the Angels is for $39 million over three years.

A seven-year veteran, Anderson put forth the best season of his career while playing on a one-year, $8 million contract with the Dodgers. The 6'2" lefty made 28 starts and two relief appearances in 2022, finishing with a 15-5 record while posting a 2.57 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP and 138 strikeouts in 178.2 innings of work.

Anderson joins an Angels starting rotation that also includes Shohei Ohtani, Patrick Sandoval, José Suarez and Reid Detmers. Ohtani is the only right-handed starter on the team at the moment, though it's possible that the Angels will look to add another free agent to the staff this offseason.

However, Anderson is joining an Angels franchise that is surrounded by uncertainty. Longtime owner Arte Moreno announced plans to sell the team. Ohtani, the 2021 American League MVP, has one year left on his contract before becoming a free agent next winter. General manager Perry Minasian said last week that L.A. has no intentions of trading Ohtani despite the substantial interest from teams around the majors.

Losing Anderson is a blow to the depth of the Dodgers' starting rotation, which will also be missing Walker Buehler for the majority of next year after he underwent Tommy John surgery. The team still has a strong staff led by Julio Urías, Tony Gonsolin and veteran Clayton Kershaw, who recently agreed to a one-year deal to return to Los Angeles in 2023.