MLB Rumors

Some within Major League Baseball are expecting free-agent outfielder George Springer to sign a huge contract in the near future.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, some MLB people he has spoken to think Springer may be the first big domino to fall in free agency, and they also believe the 31-year-old signing a "bonanza deal" is a possibility.

Springer, who has spent his entire seven-year MLB career with the Houston Astros, is arguably the best offensive player available in free agency along with New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu and Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto.

While Springer has played a huge role in Houston's success, current indications are that he is likely to end up elsewhere next season.

Last month, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reported that the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays had established themselves as the finalists to sign Springer.

That was before the Mets acquired shortstop Francisco Lindor and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco from Cleveland, so it is unclear if New York remains in the running.

The Connecticut native is a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner. He has slugged 29 or more home runs and drove in 80 or more runs in a season three times each, and he has also scored 100 or more runs in a season on three occasions.

Despite his power, the center fielder spent part of his tenure in Houston as a leadoff hitter, which speaks to his versatility.

He enjoyed a career year in 2019, hitting .292 with 39 home runs and 96 RBI, and followed that up with solid production last season in the COVID-shortened campaign, batting .265 with 14 homers and 32 RBI in 51 games.

Springer also has a penchant for coming through when the games matter most, as he has hit .269 with 19 home runs and 38 RBI in 63 career playoff games. He was also named World Series MVP in 2017 after batting .379 with five homers and seven RBI in the Fall Classic.

Any team that signs Springer will be landing a huge addition with the potential to completely change their lineup since he can hit pretty much anywhere in the order.

The Mets would perhaps challenge the Los Angeles Dodgers to be the World Series favorite in the NL by adding Springer and Lindor to a lineup that already included Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto.

Meanwhile, the Jays would land a much-needed veteran to supplement young offensive stars such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio.

Regardless of where Springer signs, he will be a splashy acquisition who could help shift the balance of power in either league.

The Chicago Cubs and New York Mets have reportedly held trade discussions about third baseman Kris Bryant.

According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, the Cubs have expressed interest in catching prospect Francisco Alvarez, although Mets president Sandy Alderson indicated Thursday that he won't trade additional top prospects.

The Bryant rumor comes on the heels of New York acquiring shortstop Francisco Lindor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco from Cleveland on Thursday for infielders Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez as well as prospects Josh Wolf and Isaiah Greene.

Bryant, who is set to enter the final year of his contract in 2021, has been rumored to be on the trading block for the past couple of years. With no reported movement on a new deal between Bryant and the Cubs, a trade could finally be on the horizon.

The 29-year-old has spent his entire six-year MLB career with the Cubs. During that time, he has been named an All-Star three times, won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2015 and won both the World Series and NL MVP award in 2016.

Bryant hit .292 with 39 home runs and 102 RBI in his MVP campaign, but he has not been able to match that level of production since.

While he did earn an All-Star nod in 2019 when he hit .282 with 31 homers and 77 RBI, Bryant struggled mightily last season.

During a campaign that was shortened because of COVID-19, the Las Vegas native hit a career-worst .206 with just four home runs and 11 RBI in 34 games.

Part of the reason for Bryant's struggles last season may have been a wrist injury that cost him time. Bryant tried to play through it before landing on the injured list.

While Bryant's stock may not be as high as usual, he has shown in the past that he can be an elite offensive player. The Mets are serious about contending with new team owner Steve Cohen in the fold, and trading for Bryant would be another splashy move.

New York already has a dangerous lineup that includes Lindor, first baseman Pete Alonso and outfielder Michael Conforto, and Bryant would give the Mets another threat that pitchers would have to account for.

It is understandable why the Cubs reportedly may want Alvarez in return, as MLB.com rated him the No. 58 prospect in baseball last season.

The 19-year-old appeared in 42 Single-A games in 2019, hitting .312 with seven home runs and 26 RBI.

Although Bryant would add another layer to New York's offensive attack, trading a potential future offensive superstar at catcher for him may not be a move that ultimately pays dividends.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor is headed from Cleveland to New York—to join the Mets, but he nearly could have ended up in pinstripes. 

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees asked what it would take to get Lindor away from Cleveland as they made contingency plans in case D.J. LeMahieu elects to move on in free agency. 

Lindor was dealt to the Mets alongside Carlos Carrasco in a trade that sent Amed Rosario, Andres Gimenez, Josh Wolf and Isaiah Greene to Cleveland. 

The 27-year-old slashed .258/.335/.415 with eight home runs last season, following up a 2019 campaign that saw him hit .284 with 32 home runs and 32 steals.

With four consecutive All-Star selections, two Silver Slugger awards and two Gold Gloves before the shortened 2020 campaign, he was a major piece of Cleveland's recent success, which included three division titles and a postseason appearance last season. 

The Yankees have held firm in their desire to re-sign LeMahieu, with manager Aaron Boone telling reporters in December that the 32-year-old infielder was the team's "top priority" this offseason. The two sides were reportedly more than $25 million apart in contract negotiations last month. 

Per Sherman, the team is "committed to seeing it through with LeMahieu even as other options ... come off the board." 

But they'll need to act quickly if they want to compete with their neighbors this season. According to Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media, both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers are also interested in LeMahieu, with the defending World Series champions looking to add LeMahieu if Justin Turner moves on in free agency. 

Amid rumors that other teams are seriously pursuing free-agent second baseman DJ LeMahieu, the New York Yankees are taking a unique approach to their quest to re-sign the infielder. 

"The Yankees knew that DJ LeMahieu was a quality player and other teams will have interest in him, but there's also a level that they will go to try and bring him back," Yankees reporter Jack Curry said on YES Network (h/t Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media). "In speaking to someone from the organization recently, they said they're in a 'wait-and-see mode.'"

The 32-year-old LeMahieu enters the market off of two strong seasons in New York, where he had a 2019 worthy of a fourth-place MVP finish and won the American League batting title this year, becoming the first player in the modern era to win the award in both leagues. 

The 10-year MLB veteran, who played with the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies before joining the Yankees, hit .364 with 10 home runs, 27 RBI and 41 runs through 50 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, earning his second Silver Slugger award in as many years and finishing third in MVP voting. 

Among the teams reportedly in pursuit of the star are the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays, per Miller. 

But the Yankees have previously been outspoken about their commitment to the star. Manager Aaron Boone told reporters in December that LeMahieu was the team's "No. 1. priority to bring back this winter." 

Bob Klapisch of NJ.com reported that LeMahieu is hoping for a five-year contract worth $125 million, a report that NJ.com's Brendan Kuty added fuel to when he suggested that the player and team were separated by more than $25 million. 

On Tuesday, Miller reported LeMahieu was down to $110 million, though there was still a price gap between the two sides, with the Yankees offering $84 million over four years. 

With a slow-moving free agency that entered the new year with LeMahieu and other top free agents, including pitcher Trevor Bauer and catcher J.T. Realmuto, still unsigned, Curry said the Yankees are holding back.

Without LeMahieu, the team would have a major hole to fill in the infield. 

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber is staging a workout in Florida on Jan. 13, according to MLB Network's Jon Paul Morosi.

Morosi reported the Boston Red Sox are among the teams showing interest in Kluber. The 34-year-old made one start for the Texas Rangers in 2020, suffering what proved to be a season-ending shoulder injury.

Kluber's reputation precedes him and all but guarantees he'll land somewhere this offseason. Between 2013 and 2018, he was fourth among pitchers in WAR (33.2) and 16th in FIP (2.89), per FanGraphs.

However, big questions hover around his value on the mound considering he was limited to eight appearances over the past two seasons.

Kluber suffered a non-displaced fracture in his right forearm in May 2019, which was more of a freak accident since it came on a liner up the middle. He was unable to return because of abdominal tightness he experienced while rehabbing.

Possible suitors might be encouraged by the fact none of his three recent injuries appears to be related. Calling the muscle tear in his shoulder "season-ending" is a bit deceiving, too, in a 60-game campaign.

For teams willing to assume some risk, Kluber is a great buy-low candidate.

The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey posited the Red Sox make a lot of sense based on their need for starting pitching along with Kluber's connection to the region. His wife is from Massachusetts, and he already has a home in the state.

The MLB market for Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano is taking shape, with multiple suitors interested in signing him.

Per MLB Network's Jon Heyman, the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays are among the teams hoping to add the 31-year-old. 

Heyman added that the New York Mets have talked with Sugano's representatives, but their "main focus is elsewhere."

Sugano has been arguably the best pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball since making his debut for the Yomiuri Giants in 2013. He has won the Central League MVP award twice, including in 2020 when he finished 14-2 with a 1.97 ERA and 97 hits allowed in 137.1 innings over 20 appearances. 

Per MLB.com's J.P. Morosi, Sugano is considered to be the second-best free-agent pitcher available this offseason behind 2020 National League Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer. 

"One MLB scout said Monday that Sugano’s fastball has late action and typically ranges from 91-93 mph, topping out at 95," Morosi wrote. "Sugano's slider is known as his best secondary offering, and he also throws a forkball and changeup that can be above-average pitches."

The Yomiuri Giants formally posted Sugano on Dec. 8, giving all 30 MLB teams 30 days to negotiate with his representatives. If he decides to play in MLB, a deal must be completed by 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 7.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported after Sugano was posted that the Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers were interested. 

The Padres have since acquired Blake Snell and Yu Darvish in separate trades with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs. It's unclear how much interest they still have in adding Sugano to their rotation. 

The Blue Jays have a young offensive nucleus and are in need of pitching depth to maximize their full potential. Hyun Jin-Ryu was terrific in his first season with the team, posting a 2.69 ERA last season. Taijuan Walker was the only other they had who made at least six starts and posted an ERA under 4.71. 

The Giants are stuck between trying to contend and wanting to rebuild after going 29-31 last season. They have missed the playoffs in each of the past four years and haven't finished higher than third in the NL West since 2016. 

Sugano is a six-time All-Star in NPB and is a two-time winner of the Eiji Sawamura Award as the league's top pitcher. 

The Chicago Cubs have reportedly shown interest in free-agent catcher Jason Castro amid a retooling effort for the franchise.

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported the Cubs could consider adding Castro as teams call about incumbent catcher Willson Contreras.

The Cubs are in the midst of a retooling effort that began this week with the trade of Yu Darvish to the San Diego Padres.

As of now, it's unclear if the Darvish trade was the beginning of a full-scale rebuild or simply a salary-clearing move as the Cubs try to reconfigure their roster. Mooney reported the Cubs view Castro as a "complement" to Contreras, meaning they may not be as motivated as some think to move on from the two-time All-Star.

On Wednesday, Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer told reporters any Contreras rumors were "fictional": "Listen, Willson Contreras, I think he's one of the top handful of catchers in baseball. We control him for two more years. I think that catching is a strength of this team as a result of having him on the roster."

Castro, a 2013 All-Star, split last season with the Angels and Padres. He hit .188/.293/.375 with two home runs and nine RBI in 27 games.

The Chicago Cubs appear to be clearing their books of high-priced contracts.

The team reportedly is shopping catcher Willson Contreras on the trade market, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, after already dealing Yu Darvish to the San Diego Padres and non-tendering slugger Kyle Schwarber. 

Per that report, Contreras is owed $5 million for the 2021 season, a figure that could rise to $7.4 million in arbitration.

It isn't the first report that the Cubs are willing to move on from Contreras. On Dec. 3, the New York Post's Joel Sherman wrote that Chicago was "very open" to dealing the veteran catcher. 

Contreras, 28, has spent his entire five-year MLB career with the Cubs, with two All-Star Game selections and a World Series title in 2016. He hit .243 with seven homers and 26 RBI in 57 games last season, posting a .763 ERA. He has two seasons with 20 or more home runs, offering solid pop from the catcher position. 

For teams that miss out on the J.T. Realmuto sweepstakes in free agency, Contreras could be a nice contingency plan. 

It would be a somewhat curious move from the Cubs, however, with the team trading its other catcher, Victor Caratini, to the Padres in the Darvish deal. But it appears as though the Cubs are entering fire sale territory:

This from a team that won the NL Central in 2020 and has reached the postseason in five of the past six seasons. Cubs' fans have reason to be irate if the team continues down this path. It might be a long season in Chicago. 

The New York Yankees have two key free-agent questions to address this offseason with DJ LeMahieu and Masahiro Tanaka.

Per Randy Miller of NJ.com, LeMahieu remains New York's "first priority," and he "prefers" to remain with the team.

Miller added: "The Yanks also have interest in keeping Tanaka, but that may not be possible if they re-sign LeMahieu and plan on staying under next season's $210-million luxury tax threshold."

The Yankees are already up against MLB's $210 million competitive balance tax with neither player under contract. Spotrac estimates their tax allocations are currently at $209,709,524 in 2021.

It's been a running theme since the season ended that LeMahieu and the Yankees hope to remain together.

"I think it's no secret that he is probably our No. 1 priority to bring back this winter," manager Aaron Boone told reporters earlier this month. "I know [GM Brian Cashman] is working on that. And hopefully, at the end of all this, DJ is a Yankee for a long time."

The issue seems to be the length and value of the contract. Brendan Kuty of NJ.com reported Dec. 13 there's more than a $25 million difference between what LeMahieu wants and the Yankees' proposal of $75 million over four years.

LeMahieu has finished in the top four of American League MVP voting the past two seasons. The 32-year-old led MLB with a .364 batting average and the AL with a .421 on-base percentage and 1.011 OPS in 2020.

Tanaka didn't receive a qualifying offer from the Yankees, so there won't be any draft compensation attached to him if he signs with another team. The Japanese star has spent his entire seven-year MLB career in New York. He posted a 3.56 ERA in 10 starts last season.

The San Diego Padres may not be done acquiring All-Star pitchers, with Yu Darvish reportedly on their radar. 

Per Dennis Lin, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, the Padres are "deep into talks" with the Chicago Cubs about Darvish that would include "multiple players" going to Chicago if the deal gets done.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported there is "growing optimism" the Padres will finalize a deal for Darvish "as soon as today." Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported the Padres had agreed to the price the Cubs were asking for Darvish. 

Coming off their first playoff appearance since 2006, San Diego's front office is being aggressive in trying to maximize its roster's championship window.

Lin, Josh Tolentino and Ken Rosenthal reported Sunday night that the Padres have an agreement in place to acquire 2018 American League Cy Young winner Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays for Luis Patino, Francisco Mejia, Blake Hunt and Cole Wilcox. 

MLB.com's Jon Heyman noted that San Diego isn't among the teams on Darvish's 12-team no-trade clause on his contract, meaning the Cubs can deal him without needing his approval. 

The Cubs are among many teams in Major League Baseball that appear to be in cost-cutting mode this offseason. Kyle Schwarber was non-tendered a contract as he was heading into his final year of arbitration.

ESPN's Buster Olney reported in November that Chicago was willing "to move almost any veteran—as well as just about anyone from the core group of position players who won the 2016 World Series, including shortstop Javier Baez."

Darvish's $22 million salary in 2021 is projected to be the highest on the Cubs roster. The right-hander finished second in National League Cy Young voting last season. He went 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 76 innings.