MLB Rumors

Two-time All-Star Carlos Correa hasn't completely closed the door on returning to the Houston Astros. 

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Correa is still in contact with the Astros as he continues to explore offers in free agency.

Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston reported on Nov. 6 that Houston proposed a five-year, $160 million contract to the Puerto Rico native.

It's unclear if the Astros have changed that offer in subsequent talks with Correa. 

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman previously acknowledged the team has met with representatives for "most" of the top free-agent shortstops, including Correa's. 

The Detroit Tigers, who are managed by former Astros skipper A.J. Hinch, were rumored to have interest in Correa. However, they agreed to a six-year, $140 million deal with Javier Baez on Tuesday, per MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

The market for elite shortstops has exploded over the past nine months. Fernando Tatis Jr. set the first benchmark when he signed a 14-year extension with the San Diego Padres worth $340 million in February. 

Francisco Lindor surpassed that in April with a 10-year, $341 million extension from the New York Mets. 

On Monday, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Corey Seager agreed to a 10-year, $325 million deal with the Texas Rangers. 

Correa has a strong argument that he's the best player among this quartet. The 27-year-old ranks third among all qualified shortstops in FanGraphs wins above replacement (25.1) since 2015, behind Lindor (32.1) and Xander Bogaerts (31.4). 

Among all shortstops with a minimum of 2,000 plate appearances since 2015, Correa ranks fourth in on-base percentage (.356) and fifth in slugging percentage (.481). He was an elite defender in 2021 with 20 defensive runs saved, earning his first career Gold Glove award. 

Correa has shown himself to be more durable over the past two seasons with just 16 games missed after sitting out a total of 192 games from 2017-19 because of injuries. 

No team knows Correa as well as the Astros. They selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft. He was named AL Rookie of the Year in 2015 and helped the franchise win the World Series in 2017.     

In the aftermath of their agreements with Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, the Texas Rangers could turn to the trade market to free up space in their infield.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the New York Yankees are pursuing a trade with the Rangers for 2020 Gold Glove winner Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Sunday the Rangers agreed to a seven-year, $175 million deal with Semien.

On Monday, Passan reported Seager agreed to join the Rangers on a 10-year, $325 million contract.

Kiner-Falefa has played shortstop, third base and catcher in his career. He won the AL Gold Glove at third base last year after leading the league with seven defensive runs saved, per FanGraphs.

After Elvis Andrus was traded to the Oakland Athletics before the start of the 2021 campaign, the Rangers moved Kiner-Falefa over to shortstop. His defense didn't suffer, as he ranked third among all qualified players at the position with 10 defensive runs saved.

Kiner-Falefa doesn't boast a lot of power in his swing, but he makes enough contact to hit for a solid average. The 26-year-old has a .265/.316/.354 slash line in 392 games with the Rangers.

Since the start of 2020, Kiner-Falefa has a .273 batting average with 11 homers and 63 RBI in 216 games.

The Yankees ranked 22nd in FanGraphs' defensive value in 2021. Their shortstops, primarily Gleyber Torres, finished tied for 26th in MLB with minus-15 defensive runs saved.

Kiner-Falefa wouldn't be the big splash acquisition that Yankees fans would get excited about, but his defensive skill set would be an upgrade for the team in 2022 and beyond.   

Major League Baseball and the players association are reviewing a postseason expansion proposal that would include 14 total teams, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers. 

The playoff field would include the three divisional winners in each league and four Wild Card berths per league. The teams with the best record in each league would get a bye into the best-of-five divisional series, while the remaining two division winners could pick their first-round opponent from the bottom three wild-card teams. 

The top wild-card seed would then play the remaining, unpicked wild-card team. In a twist to the wild card round in the past, however, the higher-seeded teams would host all three games in the best-of-three series, a major advantage. 

The postseason would then proceed as it traditionally has following the opening round of games. 

Rogers reported that there are "mixed feelings on the proposal" from both sides, with players concerned it might "disincentivize teams from spending and/or pushing for more wins knowing they might make the postseason with, say, 80 to 83 victories."

Meanwhile, "an informal poll of executives at the general managers meetings earlier this month revealed they weren't thrilled with the idea of a televised event on the Sunday night before the playoffs begin where opponents would be chosen. It's ripe for second-guessing and perhaps even bulletin-board material."

Financially, it would make sense for league owners, given the added televised games and four more teams per year gaining a postseason berth and a potential shot at home games. 

Major League Baseball went to a 16-team playoff format in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, providing something of a preview for a potential 14-team system. That format didn't add much chaos to the postseason, with the top two seeds in each league—the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays—meeting in the World Series. 

It would appear another change in the playoff format could be on the horizon. The current collective bargaining agreement between the league's owners and players expires at midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 1. 

Free-agent outfielder Nick Castellanos is reportedly looking for a long-term contract this offseason as multiple teams pursue him following an All-Star campaign.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com called him "a great fit" for the Miami Marlins but suggested the National League East team could fall out of the running because he is looking for a seven- or eight-year deal.

Elsewhere, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the Philadelphia Phillies reached out to Castellanos' camp, which is all the more notable because president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was with the Detroit Tigers when they selected the then-third baseman in the first round of the 2010 draft.

While there has been a run of contract agreements prior to a potential work stoppage Wednesday, Castellanos remains one of the best available players who could drastically improve whichever lineup he joins.

Giving him such a long-term deal could be something of a risk considering he turns 30 in March, but he has played the best baseball of his career of late.

He was a first-time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner this past season for the Cincinnati Reds while slashing .309/.362/.576 with 34 home runs and 100 RBI. Every number in the slash line and the home run total represented career bests, and he fell a single RBI short of the career-high 101 from the 2017 season.

Castellanos hit 23 or more long balls in three straight years from 2017 through 2019 and had an impressive 14 in 60 games during the shortened 2020 campaign.

Philadelphia was a middling 15th in the league in home runs in 2021 with 198, while Miami was near the bottom at 28th with 158. Adding Castellanos, who has also played for the Chicago Cubs, would surely drive those totals up as either team looks to compete with the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

Miami already added some offensive pop when Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported it agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal with former Milwaukee Brewers slugger Avisail Garcia, and the 29-homer outfielder would be quite the one-two punch with Castellanos.

Still, the reported length of the latter's desired contract could be an issue for teams looking to make a smaller commitment, even if he is a game-changing presence in the middle of a lineup.          

While the Detroit Tigers have been heavily linked to Carlos Correa this offseason, it appears the club is also considering another free-agent shortstop. 

The Tigers have reportedly had contract discussions with Javier Baez over the last several days, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. It's unclear what this means for the club's pursuit of Correa. 

Correa is believed to be Detroit's top target at shortstop this winter because of his relationship with former Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch, who managed him from 2015-19. 

However, it's not surprising the Tigers are seeking out other options, especially with the possibility that Correa signs somewhere else. 

Baez is also drawing interest from many teams, including the New York Mets, who he spent the 2021 campaign with, and the Boston Red Sox. So, the Tigers will face some stiff competition for the veteran. 

According to SNY's Andy Martino, the two-time All-Star could sign before a potential lockout at the beginning of December. 

The 28-year-old hit .265/.319/.494 with 31 home runs and 87 RBI in 138 games last season between the Mets and Chicago Cubs. He performed better once he was traded to the Mets, hitting .299/.371/.515 with nine home runs and 22 RBI in 47 games. 

Baez would represent a significant upgrade at shortstop for Detroit. In 2021, the Tigers posted a minus-0.1 fWAR at the position, the third-worst in MLB, per FanGraphs.

If Detroit were to not sign a shortstop this winter, the team would have to rely on a combination of Zack Short and Harold Castro in 2022. Short slashed .141/.239/.282 with six home runs and 20 RBI in 61 games with four errors at short. Castro, meanwhile, is not primarily a shortstop. 

In addition to Correa and Baez, the team could also consider Trevor Story, Marcus Semien and Corey Seager.  

The New York Mets and Javier Baez have maintained an open dialogue about his potential return to the Big Apple.

SNY's Andy Martino reported Tuesday the Mets have "remain involved" in Baez's free agency and that his future could be resolved ahead of MLB's possible work stoppage on Dec. 2.

The arrival of Steven Cohen was supposed to signal a new dawn for the franchise. No longer would ownership act as if it doesn't operate out of one of the biggest media markets in the world. To that end, Francisco Lindor's 10-year, $341 million extension was a great first step.

However, the fanbase might already have to reset expectations.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported the Mets "are unlikely to add a free agent who rejected a qualifying offer from another club" because doing so would mean forfeiting the 14th overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft.

In August, MLB.com's Jim Callis, Sam Dykstra and Jonathan Mayo put New York 22nd in their ranking of the best farm systems. By holding onto the 14th pick, the front office can replenish its minor league talent pool.

You know what would be better than that? Winning a World Series in 2022 or 2023.

Refusing to sign Marcus Semien, Robbie Ray or Nick Castellanos because of the draft implications sends an odd message for a team in the Mets' position.

Re-signing Baez would help reverse that narrative a bit. The 28-year-old had nine home runs, 22 RBI and a .515 slugging percentage in 47 games with the team following his trade from the Chicago Cubs.

He provided the Mets with a compelling reason to bring him back, and the glut of proven shortstops (Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Trevor Story and Marcus Semien) might mean he has to settle for a little less than he would've in a different offseason.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter projected him to get $72 million over three years, which is far from a king's ransom.

If Baez ultimately lands elsewhere, then fans might really begin questioning how much has changed in the transfer of power from the Wilpon family to Cohen.

The San Francisco Giants need starting pitching, and they are reportedly taking an "incredibly aggressive" approach to the position this offseason.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported as much Monday, noting Logan Webb was the only starting pitcher who is currently slated into the rotation. "The expectation is that they will sign multiple starting pitchers in the coming days," Passan wrote while also pointing out San Francisco is a desirable location for free agents after a successful 2021 campaign.

It didn't take long for the team to follow that aggressive path:

The Giants finished with the best record in the league last season at 107-55, although they lost to the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series.

Despite the early playoff exit, they exceeded expectations and were aggressive at the trade deadline, acquiring 2016 NL MVP Kris Bryant. They will reportedly remain aggressive this offseason as they look to build a team capable of competing with the powerhouse Dodgers once again in 2022.

Yet the only hope to realistically contend with Los Angeles is by addressing the pitching.

San Francisco already declined Johnny Cueto's $22 million club option, and Kevin Gausman and Alex Wood are free agents. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi called the rotation the team's "No. 1 priority" this offseason, per Maria Guardado of MLB.com.

Guardado noted San Francisco has a "reputation for helping free-agent starters rebuild their value" thanks to director of pitching Brian Bannister and pitching coaches Andrew Bailey and J.P. Martinez, which could contribute to Passan's report that players want to join the team.

The rotation was just Webb prior to San Francisco's decision to re-sign Anthony DeSclafani, although that is a solid starting point.

The 25-year-old finished the 2021 season with a 3.03 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 158 strikeouts in 148.1 innings and appears primed to serve as a key contributor for the Giants in the immediate future. Who will be lined up around him and DeSclafani in the rotation is the bigger question.       

The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly "are trying to bring back" star free agent shortstop Corey Seager and "don’t appear seriously interested in the other big free agent shortstops," per Jon Heyman of the MLB Network.

That approach to free agency would make sense for the Dodgers, given that they could simply play Trea Turner at shortstop if Seager departs. 

Given that Seager is one of the biggest names on the market, there has been no shortage of rumors about where he might land:

Obviously, keeping Seager would be ideal for the Dodgers. Despite only playing in 95 games last year, the 27-year-old still hit .306 with 16 homers, 57 RBI and 54 runs with a .915 OPS, his second consecutive season with an OPS over .900. 

It isn't easy to find shortstops of his ability. Well, at least in most years. This winter, Seager is joined by fellow shortstops Carlos Correa, Trevor Story, Marcus Semien and Javier Baez in free agency, an absolutely loaded group. But with plenty of teams in the market at the position, Seager should have no shortage of suitors.

Unlike the rest of his suitors, however, the Dodgers have a ready-made replacement in Turner, who hit .328 with 28 homers, 77 RBI, 107 runs, 32 stolen bases, 195 total hits and a .911 OPS. 

In Turner's 52 games with the Dodgers, he played almost exclusively at second base, giving the Dodgers one of the best offensive middle infields in baseball. But if Seager signs elsewhere, L.A. is covered at shortstop. 

That may keep the Dodgers from pulling out all the stops in a bidding war for Seager. But losing him would still be a big blow for a team with World Series aspirations. 

The Miami Marlins are reportedly "closing in" on a five-year contract extension for pitcher Sandy Alcantara, according to Craig Mish of MLB Network.

The new deal could be worth more than $55 million.

Alcantara was set to enter arbitration for the first time this offseason and would have been under team control through the 2024 season. The 26-year-old was projected to earn an estimated $4.5 million in 2022 through arbitration, per Spotrac. 

The reported deal would give the pitcher a hefty raise with guaranteed money while keeping him under team control for two extra seasons.

Alcantara finished last season with a 3.19 ERA, 1.075 WHIP and 201 strikeouts in 205.2 innings. Though the Marlins' struggles led to a 9-15 record for the right-hander, he excelled individually and finished with 4.1 wins above replacement on the mound, per Baseball Reference.

The 26-year-old came to Miami in 2019 as part of the trade that sent Marcell Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dominican Republic native made a quick impact in his new location, earning an All-Star selection that year when he posted a 3.88 ERA in 32 starts, including a National League-leading two complete-game shutouts.

The Marlins remain a work in progress overall, finishing 67-95 in 2021. The team's 31-29 record in the shortened 2020 season was enough to earn a spot in the expanded playoff, but that was the franchise's only postseason appearance since 2003, when it won the World Series.

Locking down Alcantara is at least a step in the right direction while developing an exciting young pitching staff that also features Trevor Rogers, Pablo Lopez and Zach Thompson.   

Carlos Correa does not appear headed to the Bronx.

Matthew Roberson of the New York Daily News reported the Yankees prefer a "stopgap" solution at shortstop rather than breaking the bank for either Correa or Corey Seager. Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner seemed open to the idea of signing Correa when he spoke to reporters earlier Wednesday.

"He's obviously a great talent. And, look, I think, hopefully, most people have moved on from that. I mean, I think it's only healthy to move on from things like that instead of stewing on it year after year," Steinbrenner said, alluding to the Astros' cheating scandal.

The Yankees used a platoon at shortstop last season that included Tyler Wade and Andrew Velazquez. Their performances were a far cry from the halcyon days of Derek Jeter manning the 6 hole; the position has been a significant source of concern since Didi Grigorious' departure after the 2019 season.

With the Yankees equipped with an unlimited budget and two major stars in Correa and Seager on the market, they seemed like a natural fit for both. Correa didn't win over any fans with his comments regarding Jeter's defense, but those wounds would quickly heal once he puts on pinstripes.

It's possible that Seager, Correa and Trevor Story wind up driving one another's prices down to the point the Yankees feel comfortable handing out a multi-year deal. If they go the stopgap route, Andrelton Simmons could be an intriguing option with high defensive upside.