Interest building in Votto?
LATEST FREE AGENT & TRADE RUMORS4:44 PM UTC
We’re keeping track of all the latest free agent and trade rumors.
Jan. 11: Three teams ‘expressing interest’ in Votto (report)
Votto, 40, hit .202/.314/.433 in an injury-shortened 2023 campaign. Although injuries have limited him to 156 games over the past two seasons, he is two seasons removed from posting a .938 OPS with 36 home runs in 129 games. In 17 seasons with the Reds, he had a .920 OPS with 356 home runs. He is the active leader in walks, with 1,365.
Votto could get a chance to continue his playing career with the hope that he’ll be able to stay healthy and produce at a level higher than league average at the plate, especially now that we’re well into the era of the universal designated hitter.
Jan. 11: Hicks drawing interest from Astros, Yankees
Hicks has battled injuries and control problems during his career, but heâs coming off a season in which he posted a 3.29 ERA with a 28.4% strikeout rate over 65 2/3 innings. The right-hander may have untapped potential, given his relative youth (heâs 27) and electric arsenal.
Per Morosi, Houston has been looking for bullpen help throughout the offseason. The club saw Hector Neris, Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek all enter free agency in November.
Meanwhile, much of the Hot Stove buzz involving the Yankees of late has been about their pursuit of starting pitcher, but the club could also use additional bullpen help after Wandy Peralta became a free agent and they traded a number of arms in deals with the Padres (for Juan Soto and Trent Grisham) and the Red Sox (for Alex Verdugo).
Jan. 10: Do Orioles have the best chance to land Cease?
The trade talk surrounding Dylan Cease has quieted in recent weeks, but it’s not due to a lack of interest. White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Tuesday that there “[isn’t] a club out there that hasnât expressed some level of interest” in the 28-year-old pitcher.
In a Tuesday afternoon appearance on Foul Territory, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that, owing to the dearth of starting pitching on the free agent market, the White Sox could be waiting for the few remaining big names to come off the board to drive up demand for Cease among clubs who miss out on the likes of Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and Marcus Stroman.
Chicago’s reported demand is high. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers wrote Wednesday that the club is looking for multiple high-end prospects and some “fill-ins” in return. Rogers listed the Yankees, Cubs and Reds as three teams that could pry Cease away from the Windy City, and Rosenthal included the Red Sox, Giants and Rangers among the clubs most in need of starting pitching.
But both reporters indicated that the Orioles could be the strongest contender for Cease because of their deep farm system, which features six players ranked in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects.
“The Orioles could use Cease more than the White Sox right now,” one front office executive told Rogers.
Furthermore, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden (subscription required) believes the Orioles’ depth will ultimately enable them to “outbid the other teams in contention” for Cease.
Jan. 10: Yankees ‘top candidate’ for Stroman; Red Sox among clubs still in the running
MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi reports that the Yankees have emerged as the “top candidate” to sign Marcus Stroman after having “productive discussions” with the right-handed pitcher in recent days.
However, the Red Sox, Giants, Orioles and Angels are still in on the 32-year-old hurler, per MLB Network insider Jon Heyman. More >
Jan. 10: Cubs reportedly in talks with numerous top free agents
With the Cubs and left-handed starter ShĆta Imanaga seemingly on the verge of finalizing a multiyear deal, what will be Chicago’s next move? It appears the club is exploring many options at the top of the free-agent market. More >
Jan. 10: Hader’s market still in flux; powerhouse clubs interested
The free-agent starting pitching market still features some notable names, including Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery.
Might Josh Hader have to wait until those starters sign before finding a deal of his own?
Sources told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand that some teams considering Hader — namely the Yankees and Rangers — are prioritizing rotation help, viewing the All-Star reliever as a fallback plan if theyâre unable to land an impact starter. Feinsand includes the Cubs and Phillies as two other interested clubs and describes the Dodgers as the “wild card” in the Hader sweepstakes. More >
Jan. 8: Are Giants the best fit for Chapman?
Any team interested in Chapman must weigh the positives and negatives in his profile. He is a dependable power hitter who has played in at least 140 games in each of the past five full seasons. In 2023, he ranked in the 98th percentile or higher in barrel rate and hard-hit rate. And defensively, the two-time Platinum Glove winner remains very strong at the hot corner.
Conversely, Chapman’s 17 homers last season were his fewest in a full season, and a right middle finger injury impacted his results at the plate, which included a .659 OPS after April 30. His strikeout rate has been north of 27% in each of the past four years. After declining the qualifying offer from the Blue Jays, Chapman will cost his new team at least one Draft pick and money from its international bonus pool in addition to a likely nine-figure contract.
Considering all of that, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) wrote Monday about why the Giants could make sense as a landing spot for Chapman as he enters his age-31 season. More >
Jan. 8: Mets ‘actively trying’ to trade for starting pitching (source)
With Sean Manaea in tow, per source, the Mets’ starting rotation options now include Kodai Senga, JosĂ© Quintana, Luis Severino, Tylor Megill, Adrian Houser, Joey Lucchesi and Manaea (plus David Peterson when he returns from injury).
Although that collection could be good enough for the Mets to contend in 2024, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports that New York isn’t done trying to address its rotation. According to Feinsand, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is âactively trying to trade for more starting pitching.” More >
Jan. 8: Hoskins ‘makes so much sense’ for Cubs
The Cubs have an opening at first base that could still be filled by Cody Bellinger. But if Chicago can’t re-sign its 2023 star, there is one other free-agent first baseman who “makes so much sense” for the Cubs, according to MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi. That’s Rhys Hoskins. More >
Jan. 8: Rays reportedly shopping DH RamĂrez
Tampa Bay is shopping designated hitter Harold RamĂrez, sources told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required). Acquired via trade with the Cubs before the 2022 season, RamĂrez has put up a .306/.348/.432 slash line in two seasons with Tampa Bay. That period includes just 18 home runs over 803 at-bats, but RamĂrez has shown good contact skills (17.4% strikeout rate) and has posted a .374 average and a .921 OPS against left-handed pitching.
The 29-year-old has two years of club control remaining and is projected to receive $4.4 million in arbitration in 2024, per MLB Trade Rumors. Trading RamĂrez could allow the Rays to give more plate appearances to 25-year-old Jonathan Aranda and their No. 3 prospect, infielder Curtis Mead.
Joc Pederson, J.D. Martinez, Jorge Soler, Brandon Belt and Rhys Hoskins are among the players available to clubs looking for a DH in free agency. RamĂrez could present those teams with another route to filling that need.
Jan. 7: Are Yankees poised to make major rotation addition?
As they search for rotation help, the Yankees are continuing to negotiate with free agents Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. They also remain involved in trade talks with the White Sox regarding ace righty Dylan Cease.
While there’s no indication the Bronx Bombers are close to adding any of those pitchers yet, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reports in an article for the New York Post that thereâs a belief the Yankees will ultimately add a significant starting pitcher before the offseason is over, with managing partner Hal Steinbrenner âsaid to be on board with the concept of a serious addition to a rotation.â More >
Jan. 7: What’s next for the Dodgers after the reported deal with Teoscar?
The Dodgers have had an offseason for the ages by acquiring Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Manuel Margot and re-signing Jason Heyward. Their busy winter continued Sunday with a reported one-year, $23.5 million deal with Teoscar HernĂĄndez, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. Will this deal complete the Dodgersâ offseason or are there more moves on the way? More >
Jan. 7: Red Sox listening on Jansen, Yoshida (report)
While the Red Sox continue to explore several options to add to their roster, they could also look to trade away multiple players to keep their payroll in check.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Boston is telling teams that All-Star closer Kenley Jansen — owed $16 million in the final year of a two-year contract — is available. The team is also willing to listen on outfielder Masataka Yoshida, who signed a five-year, $90 million deal with the Red Sox last offseason. More >
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