MLB Rumors

Two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom is available to sign with any team on the open market, but the New York Mets are confident that the prized free agent doesn't want to go anywhere.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that while the Mets know there's a chance deGrom walks in free agency, the team is prioritizing him this offseason and believes he is interested in staying put as well.

"Mets people seem to think he prefers to return (well, he could have fooled me!), and there's some concern about losing their homegrown uber-talent and watching him win Cy Young awards elsewhere, so he may still be their top remaining target," Heyman wrote.

Heyman also predicted that the Texas Rangers would be the team with the second-best chances to sign deGrom this offseason, but he listed the Tampa Bay Rays as a long shot despite the franchise's proximity to his hometown of DeLand, Florida. He noted that the Rays are not known for big spending in free agency, while deGrom will undoubtedly command a hefty price tag.

The 2022 season didn't go as deGrom had planned, as he was forced to miss the first few months because of a stress reaction in his shoulder. After making his season debut in August, he finished with a 5-4 record in 11 starts. He posted a 0.75 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 64.1 innings pitched, but his 3.08 ERA was his first time with a plus-3.00 ERA since 2017.

DeGrom had a particularly tough finish to the regular season when he allowed three or more earned runs in four consecutive starts. However, he had a strong showing in Game 2 of the Mets' wild-card series against the San Diego Padres, allowing two runs with eight strikeouts in a 7-3 win. New York went on to lose the series in an upset after being pegged as a World Series contender earlier in the year.

While deGrom likely has multiple teams courting him in free agency, the Mets have a strong core that can once again contend for a title in 2023 if he decides to stay. Max Scherzer will surely be motivated after his postseason disappointment, and New York was able to retain star closer Edwin Diaz at the start of the offseason. Keeping deGrom in the mix would give the Mets a strong chance at bouncing back next season.

The New York Yankees reportedly have made a big offer to 2022 American League MVP Aaron Judge with the hope of getting him to re-sign.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Yankees "have an offer on the table" in the range of eight years and $300 million.

Passan did note the team "could increase" the offer if another suitor makes a serious play.

The San Francisco Giants have been viewed as Judge's most likely destination if he leaves New York. It's unclear at this point if the Giants have made a formal offer, but they did host the four-time All-Star on a visit last week.

According to Passan, Judge will likely make his decision during the winter meetings that begin on Sunday in San Diego.

If the deal Judge signs is for $300 million over eight years, it will be the richest average annual deal for a position player in Major League Baseball history. Mike Trout currently holds the title with a $35.5 million average salary from the Los Angeles Angels.

Max Scherzer ($43.3 million) and Gerrit Cole ($36 million) are the top two players in MLB by average annual salary.

The newly reported offer from the Yankees is a significant increase over what they proposed to Judge before the start of the 2022 season.

General manager Brian Cashman told reporters on April 8 that Judge turned down an offer of $17 million for 2022 plus $213.5 million over seven years. The average value of the deal over eight years would have been $28.8 million.

Judge significantly increased his value with a historic performance last season. He set a new American League record with 62 homers and became the first player since Barry Bonds in 2004 with at least 11 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs.

The Yankees went 99-63 during the regular season and won the American League East for the first time since 2019. They defeated the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, but were swept out of the playoffs by the Houston Astros in the ALCS.

As is often the case during the offseason, some MLB teams might be in a holding pattern until the biggest fish in free agency gets reeled in.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Wednesday that "the high-end market could move, perhaps quickly" once Aaron Judge agrees to a contract.

According to Passan, the New York Yankees are prepared to offer around $300 million over eight years and might go higher depending on any competing bids.

Because of his asking price, Judge has a limited pool of suitors. In addition to the Yankees, the San Francisco Giants have met with the American League MVP. The Los Angeles Dodgers could make a run, too.

Even assuming those are the only three teams that are looking to sign the native of Sacramento, California, his decision will carry big implications.

The Giants could set their sights on one of the next best outfielders. Brandon Nimmo, Mitch Haniger and Andrew Benintendi are all available, while Cody Bellinger and Michael Conforto are both intriguing free agents.

Passan speculated the Yankees could take the money they earmarked for Judge and put it toward one of the top-end shortstops on the market, with Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson all likely to get nine-figure offers.

San Francisco could adopt the same approach if it wants to flex its financial muscle after missing out on Judge.

Wherever the 30-year-old winds up, some of the free agents might be waiting to see the final terms of his new contract.

Eight years and $300 million would give the four-time All-Star an annual salary of $37.5 million, eclipsing Mike Trout's $35.5 million average salary and setting a record for a position player.

You wouldn't expect another player to get a bigger contract than Judge, but a record-setting pact could help shape what the likes of Turner, Correa, Bogaerts, Swanson, Jacob deGrom, Carlos Rodón and Justin Verlander demand.

The MLB Players Association reportedly requested a league investigation to determine whether there was "improper communication" between the New York Yankees and New York Mets regarding the potential free-agent pursuit of outfielder Aaron Judge.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Wednesday the union referenced a Nov. 3 article by SNY's Andy Martino, which said the Mets wouldn't engage in a "high-profile bidding war" with the Yankees because of a "mutually respectful relationship" between team owners Steve Cohen and Hal Steinbrenner.

"The only way people involved can see the Mets changing course and pursuing Judge would be if the Yankees somehow declared themselves out of the bidding," Martino wrote.

If the Players Association can prove the Mets' reluctance to bid directly against the Yanks damaged Judge's free-agent market, it would be a violation of MLB's collective bargaining agreement, per Rosenthal.

The Mets have emerged as one of the league's biggest spenders since Cohen purchased majority control of the franchise in November 2020. Their current projected payroll for 2023 ($184.7 million) is the highest figure in MLB by more than $20 million, per Spotrac.

So it's important for top-tier free agents like Judge to at least have the threat of a Mets bid as part of the process to maximize their leverage. If the New York teams aren't willing to battle each other, it limits the upside of the slugger's likely nine-figure contract.

Judge, who set the new American League record with 62 home runs in 2022, hasn't shed much light on his free-agent foray throughout the year.

"That's all going to run through my agent," Judge told reporters in October after the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs. "I haven't even thought about the next step yet. But like I said, we've got time to figure it out. I've never been in this spot before."

Along with the Yankees and Mets, Jim Bowden of The Athletic listed the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox as the other potential suitors, saying it's hard to see any of the other 25 teams having a "legitimate chance" in the sweepstakes.

If there's only five clubs seriously involved, taking the Mets out of the equation represents a 20 percent drop in interest for Judge's representatives to work with on the market.

Should a formal grievance be filed by the Players Association, an arbitrator would hear the case, and Judge could be awarded "triple damages" if collusion is proved, per Rosenthal.

The Judge situation will likely make or break the Yankees' offseason. He carried the team's offense for extended stretches during the 2022 campaign, and there's no option, internal or external, who can replace his production barring a massive blockbuster trade.

So there's a strong chance Steinbrenner's club was likely to match any offer given to the 30-year-old four-time All-Star regardless of the surrounding circumstances, but more limited competition could prove quite valuable in terms the final contract cost.

It makes the collusion case an interesting subplot to what's already one of the winter's top stories.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly "showing interest" in Japanese starting pitcher Koudai Senga, a three-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star.

Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reported Friday that Senga, 29, is "now eligible" to enter free-agent contract talks with MLB teams after opting out of his contract with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.

Since Senga is a traditional free agent—he's not part of the posting system typically involved with Japanese players making the switch to MLB—the team that signs the right-hander won't incur any additional fees beyond the contract's value.

The five-time Japan Series champion is coming off a 2022 season with the Hawks where he posted a 1.94 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 156 strikeouts in 144 innings. His career ERA across 11 years of Japanese pro baseball stands at 2.42.

In October, Senga said making the move to MLB is the end of a long-term plan.

"I'm absolutely going to file for free agency," Senga told reporters. "I've been saying I'm going to do it for the past six years, so this represents nothing new for me."

The Dodgers will face plenty of competition for him in free agency.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Tuesday the San Diego Padres were interested along with "virtually every other MLB team."

The Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays are among the other clubs publicly linked to Senga so far, per Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors.

MLB sources told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that Senga features a fastball that can reach triple digits and an elite splitter, but there are concerns about his lack of a polished breaking ball and some nagging elbow injuries over the years.

"[Senga] is one of the most talented, physically gifted players I've ever played with," Fukuoka teammate Colin Rea told Sherman. "His competitiveness on the mound is second to none and he works his butt off in between starts. He throws 100 and has a split that no one can touch. He's constantly trying to improve every day. His English also is improving. He could be a star in MLB."

Regardless of where he signs, he'll likely open his U.S. career as a mid-rotation starter in 2023. Any team signing him to become an ace-level contributor would be taking a risk.

Record-breaking New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge reportedly headlines a group of nine MLB players expected to receive contracts of at least $100 million this offseason.

One player, New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz, already joined the nine-figure club by signing a $102 million extension. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported other members of the group expected to join Diaz and Judge via free agency, which opens Thursday at 5 p.m. ET:

• SS Trea Turner (Los Angeles Dodgers)
• SS Carlos Correa (Minnesota Twins)
• SS Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox)
• SS Dansby Swanson (Atlanta Braves)
• OF Brandon Nimmo (New York Mets)
• SP Carlos Rodón (San Francisco Giants)
• SP Jacob deGrom (New York Mets)

Nimmo is the only name on the list that may catch some people by surprise given his modest counting stats across seven seasons with the Mets. He's recorded just 63 home runs and 23 stolen bases in 608 career appearances.

That said, the 29-year-old center fielder gets on base at a high rate (.385 career on-base percentage) and plays solid defense (six outs above average in 2022, per FanGraphs).

Agent Scott Boras said Wednesday a "majority" of teams have already called him about Nimmo.

"You are looking at a guy that there are no center fielders in our game that are available," Boras told reporters. "And then you add leadoff to that and then you add ... on-base percentage to that, and he's an excellent defender and then also he can play in New York. When you have those elements that are there, he becomes a very integral part of what we found for a team to win 100 games. He's a very proven commodity and there are very few that can replace him."

Otherwise, two intriguing storylines early in free agency will be whether the Yankees can keep pace in the Judge sweepstakes and which star shortstop signs first to set the market at the position.

New York can't afford to lose Judge and expect to remain a top-tier contender in the American League. He carried the club's offense for extended stretches in 2022 en route to setting the new AL home run record with 62.

As Boras alluded, there aren't many great options available in center field, and even the dropoff from Judge to Nimmo is rather significant. So the ability to re-sign the 6'7'' slugger is a make-or-break situation for the Yanks.

Meanwhile, all four of the top-tier shortstops available should surpass the $100 million mark if they're willing to sign long-term deals.

Swanson, who's often ranked fourth on the list and could sign first to help set the baseline for the others, finds himself in a similar situation to Freddie Freeman last offseason. He's spent his entire career with the Braves but hits the market without a new deal.

"Business is business, man. It's not always the fun part about the game," Swanson said last week on 92.9 The Game. "I wish it was just one plus one, but it never seems to be that way."

Freeman left to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Swanson may follow him out the Truist Park door, leaving Atlanta with a void at shortstop.

All told, a lot of money is going to get spent over the next few months and, given the high-end talent available, the clubs willing to open their checkbooks could put themselves at the forefront of the 2023 championship chase.

The Philadelphia Phillies fell short in the World Series, but they may have another superstar on their roster as they attempt to reach the sport's biggest stage again next season.

"There's some interesting rumblings that he wants to be here," Jayson Stark of The Athletic said of free-agent shortstop Trea Turner during an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic.

Turner is part of a loaded free-agency class at shortstop that also features Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson as the headliners.

Philadelphia potentially being interested in one of them doesn't come as much of a surprise considering it reached the World Series largely relying on Bryson Stott and utility man Edmundo Sosa at the position.

They can each be solid players but don't exactly inspire the same level of fear in opposing pitchers as Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins and Nick Castellanos do as part of a powerful lineup.

Upgrading at shortstop by adding Turner to that group would be daunting to the rest of the National League East.

The 29-year-old's resume includes two All-Star selections, the 2019 World Series title when he was a member of the Washington Nationals and the 2021 batting title when he hit .328 across 148 games for the Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers.

He spent the 2022 campaign in Los Angeles and slashed .298/.343/.466 with 21 home runs, 100 RBI and 27 stolen bases as a multi-tool player who can impact the game a number of ways. Turner can also play a serviceable shortstop and has been responsible for a combined nine defensive runs saved above average throughout his career, per FanGraphs.

Turner will be a highly coveted free agent this offseason, but a desire to join the Phillies would surely help the reigning National League champions in their pursuit.

Four days after winning the World Series and amid rumored tension with ownership, James Click could be on the verge of returning to the Houston Astros in 2023.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Astros owner Jim Crane said he is "in discussions" with Click on a new deal.

In a report on Oct. 2, USA Today's Bob Nightengale noted Click's job security may depend on the Astros winning the World Series because Crane has "never warmed up to him" and has "long questioned whether he’s the right guy" to be general manager.

Following the Astros' 7-0 postseason start ahead of the World Series, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal provided more insight about Crane's reasoning for not being sold on Click as general manager:

"Sources familiar with the Astros’ situation who are not authorized to talk about the team’s operation cite a variety of potential reasons for the uncertainty surrounding Click: Stylistic clashes between the 44-year-old executive and the 68-year-old Crane, disagreements about the size of the baseball operations staff and concern from Click about other voices in the organization influencing the owner."

Click and manager Dusty Baker were hired in 2020 in the wake of Jeff Luhnow and A.J. Hinch being fired as a result of the cheating scandal during the 2017 season.

Baker's original deal with the Astros was for one year with a team option for 2021. He signed a one-year extension for 2022 in November 2021.

The Astros announced on Wednesday that Baker has extended his deal to return next season.

Click has been working without a contract since October 31. The 44-year-old spent 15 seasons working in the Tampa Bay Rays' front office from 2005-19 prior to being hired by the Astros.

In three seasons with Click as general manager, the Astros have made the playoffs three times and reached the World Series in each of the past two seasons, including a victory over the Philadelphia Phillies this year.

Houston's 106 wins in 2022 were the second-most in franchise history (107 in 2019).

The New York Mets are reportedly "most worried" about the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers as they attempt to re-sign starting pitcher Jacob deGrom, who opted out of his contract to become a free agent.

SNY's Andy Martino reported Tuesday the Mets are expected to make a "strong" offer to bring back deGrom early in free agency but aren't planning to stay in a long-term bidding war with the Braves, Rangers and other interested clubs if that's how the situation plays out.

Martino also noted the two sides have had "preliminary contact":

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The top of New York's pitching staff is the main point of concern as free agency gets prepared to open Thursday, especially after the team was able to re-sign closer Edwin Diaz to solidify the back end of the bullpen.

There are a lot of question marks behind Max Scherzer, which means multiple additions could be necessary if Carlos Carrasco and Chris Bassitt also depart.

DeGrom coming back would provide a major boost, but it doesn't sound like the Mets' front office is willing to meet or exceed any offer to keep him.

The club is willing to pay fair market value or "perhaps go a bit higher" but will otherwise attempt to fill the void in another way, per Martino.

Watching the two-time Cy Young Award winner, who's pitched his entire nine-year career with the Mets, land with the NL East rival Braves would be a tough pill to swallow, though.

Atlanta already features one of MLB's best rotations with Max Fried, Spencer Strider, Kyle Wright and Charlie Morton, and picking up a starter with a 2.52 ERA across 209 career starts would give the Braves the best starting group in baseball.

Meanwhile, deGrom represents a bigger need for the Rangers, who have more talent on their roster than their 68-94 record in 2022 would indicate. One of the missing pieces is a true ace.

In October, Texas general manager Chris Young didn't hide his intention to enter free agency with an eye toward improving the rotation.

"We will be active on the free-agent market with the intention of signing multiple starting pitchers," Young told reporters.

Landing deGrom would be a massive step in the right direction toward rebuilding that area of the roster.

All told, it's hard to imagine the Mets won't do everything in their power to keep their longtime ace, but all signs point toward ample competition on the market.

Starting pitcher Zack Greinke is reportedly "expected to return" for a 20th MLB season in 2023.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Thursday the Kansas City Royals are "interested" in re-signing Greinke, who compiled a 3.68 ERA across 26 starts for the club this season while playing on a one-year, $13 million contract.

The 39-year-old right-hander said after his final start of the season he wasn't sure whether he'd be back next year.

"I don't really know for sure what's going to happen," Greinke told reporters in early October. "We'll figure it out eventually, but I don't know at the moment."

He posted solid overall numbers in 2022 despite a low strikeout rate (4.8 per nine innings) basically unheard of in the modern game. He was able to remain effective thanks to limiting walks (1.7 per nine) and keeping the ball in the park (14 home runs allowed in 137 innings).

Greinke was drafted by the Royals in 2002 and made his major league debut for the club in 2004. His first stint in K.C. ran through 2010.

The Florida native proceeded to make stops with the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Houston Astros before returning to the Royals ahead of the 2022 campaign.

His career resume includes the 2009 AL Cy Young Award, six All-Star selections and six Gold Glove Awards.

Baseball Reference shows him having a fringe Hall of Fame case, including a career WAR (76.4) that's slightly above the average Hall of Famer.

Coming back for at least one more season will give him an opportunity to keep building the case that he deserves a place in Cooperstown.

If Greinke returns but doesn't re-sign with Kansas City, it's possible he could generate interest from contenders in free agency as an option for their back end of their rotation.

Another one-year deal with the Royals seems like the most likely outcome, though.