The Rumors Swirling at the MLB Winter Meetings

The Winter Meetings are of to an exciting start with all signs pointing towards much more excitement ahead.

Aaron Judge
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 23: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros in game four of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 23, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

I arrived in San Diego Monday morning, and since then, the stove has been red hot. Jacob deGrom signed a five-year, $185M contract with the Rangers and Trea Turner reportedly turned down a $342M dollar offer from the Padres to join the Phillies for 11 years, $300M.

Justin Verlander signed a two-year, $86M deal with the New York Mets with a vesting option for a third year at $35M. It’s mayhem here in San Diego, as those three deals are only the tip of the iceberg. Here’s some of the most notable reports and rumors at MLB’s Winter Meetings thus far.

The Chicago Cubs are BUSY

One of the most active teams here is the Chicago Cubs. It’s been reported they could sign two shortstops. They already have Nico Hoerner, but it’s expected he could move to third base or play some center field if they sign multiple infielders. The Cubs would follow the Rangers aggressive approach of last offseason in which they signed both Marcus Semien and Corey Seager to monster deals.

The Cubs met with Carlos Correa yesterday and will meet with Bogaerts and Swanson to discuss potential deals. It’s only speculation on my part, but Bogaerts seems to be the most likely candidate, as it could be more likely he would move off of shortstop compared to Swanson or Correa.

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The Cubs are also in trade talks with the Oakland A’s for catcher Sean Murphy. According to Ken Rosenthal, the A’s are looking for “Major League players rather than prospects.”

The Aaron Judge Sweepstakes are Heating Up

Aaron Judge is reportedly arriving in San Diego for the Winter Meetings sometime this afternoon and it’s looking increasingly like a decision could be made soon.

John Heyman reported that the Giants have offered $360M, but the situation remains fluid. The word seems to be the “assumption/belief among rivals is that the Yankees remain favorites. Yankees are hopeful but say they still don’t know.”

Here is an interesting tweet from MLB Insider Jim Bowden.

Other Notes

  • According to Mark Feinsand, Jameson Taillon’s market is heating up. As many as five different teams are in discussions with his agent, including but not limited to the Mets, Phillies, Cubs, Orioles, Yankees, and Blue Jays.
  • The Blue Jays are very active on the trade market from the catching position. It seems they are likely to part with Danny Jansen. It’s also reported they are in on Cody Bellinger and Andrew Heaney. In addition to the Blue Jays, Heaney’s market includes the Rangers and Giants.
  • Per Ken Rosenthal, the White Sox are open to trading closer Liam Hendriks, but they are unwilling to include Tim Anderson in any trade proposals.
  • The Diamondbacks have reported interest in shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Their General Manager Mike Hazen worked in the Red Sox front office when Bogaerts debuted in 2013. The Diamondbacks have a hole at shortstop until top prospect Jordan Lawlar makes his debut, and this could be the perfect fit for a young Diamondbacks team in need of a veteran like Bogaerts.
  • The Rangers are interested in adding an additional starting pitcher even after signing Jacob deGrom. They met with Carlos Rodon yesterday and appear to be in on most of the remaining free-agent starters. They would prefer to spend on a free-agent starter rather than trade for one.
  • Kodai Senga’s market is very strong. Per Jon Heyman, his market includes the Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox, Cubs, Padres, and Rangers, but other teams have expressed interest in the flamethrower from the NPB.
  • According to Jeff Passan, star Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida has been posted and now has 30 days to sign with an MLB team. Yoshida has been praised for his excellent plate discipline and sneaky pop from the left side of the plate. As 29 years old, he would be a welcomed addition by many ballclubs and expects to translate to big league ball quickly. He slashed .335/.447/.551 with almost double the amount of walks than strikeouts last year.
  • Justin Turner’s market includes at least two teams. The Marlins and the Dodgers appear to be the most interested.