8 MLB Winter Conferences 2024 Storylines to Watch After Juan Soto’s Mets Contract

Juan Soto is a New York Met. He agreed to a record-shattering 15-year, $765 million deal to move to Flushing Sunday night.

The most important chip is off the board, however 18 of B/R’s top 25 free agents from the outset of the offseason are nonetheless free brokers. Many are prone to discover properties throughout this week’s MLB Winter Conferences.

Here is a have a look at eight non-Soto storylines to observe this week in Dallas.

On the outset of the offseason, we predicted Alex Bregman would return to the Astros on a five-year, $130 million deal that included a $26 million membership possibility for a sixth 12 months.

Admittedly, that projection now feels brief. But it surely makes the supply the Astros reportedly have put to Bregman—six years and $156 million, per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart—appear an affordable start line for the 2 sides.

McTaggart went on to notice that if Bregman, a Scott Boras consumer, pushes for a contract nearer to $200 million, the Astros will probably pivot to a different possibility.

The technique from the Astros seems to be clear and doubtless sound—they need to retain their franchise icon, however solely on their phrases.

Bregman is an excellent participant, who has posted a .798 OPS during the last three seasons. However he is by no means matched the Corridor of Fame-level manufacturing the Astros obtained from him between 2018 and 2019, when he posted a .970 OPS.

He is additionally coming into his age-31 season. Desirous to restrict issues to 6 years might be a superb technique from proprietor Jim Crane and basic supervisor Dana Brown.

Whereas it might be unusual to see Bregman depart Houston after 9 unimaginable seasons, if it would not spend the cash on him this offseason, a few of it would be capable to be reallocated to retaining Kyle Tucker and/or Framber Valdez subsequent winter.

You possibly can argue both of these two could be sounder investments.

Coming off of a 121-loss season, the White Sox seem intent on cashing in Garrett Crochet, who had a breakout marketing campaign and has two extra years remaining earlier than free company.

Common supervisor Chris Getz has been open concerning the want for a package deal led by place gamers. Given how distant the White Sox are from rivalry, it is truthful to marvel if the return should not be solely prospects, versus together with a controllable MLB piece that might assist them in 2025.

There will not be a scarcity of groups on the desk for Crochet, who struck out a staggering 209 batters throughout 146 innings pitched for the White Sox a 12 months in the past. At varied factors, the Boston Purple Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles have all been reported to have curiosity within the 25-year-old lefty.

We’ll get to extra on the Orioles in a bit, but when the White Sox are hoping to land a bundle of younger place gamers for Crochet, they could possibly be the perfect commerce associate.

Their farm system is loaded with place gamers—3B/1B Coby Mayo, C/1B Samuel Basallo, OF Vance Honeycutt, OF Dylan Beavers and OF Enrique Bradfield Jr.—that could possibly be expendable contemplating the unimaginable job that basic supervisor Mike Elias has performed at growing expertise.

Boston is one other group that seems to have a fairly robust MLB lineup and will in all probability spare just a few position-playing prospects, significantly within the outfield. Its prime 5 prospects are all place gamers—OF Roman Anthony, SS Marcelo Mayer, IF/OF Kristian Campbell, C Kyle Teel and OF Braden Montgomery.

B/R’s Joel Reuter has the Purple Sox farm system ranked because the third-best in baseball, so they might put collectively a compelling package deal as properly.

Props to the Toronto Blue Jays for making a critical push for Soto, however they by no means made a ton of sense as a touchdown spot for him given they completed final in a crowded AL East in 2024 and each Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette can grow to be free brokers after the 2025 season.

Because the Blue Jays attempt to rebound from a 74-win season, there are fast wants, resembling one other huge bat that may drive in runs and a number of affect relievers.

Nonetheless, it is exhausting to flee the sensation none of it actually issues till Toronto figures out the futures of Guerrero and/or Bichette.

Guerrero has made 4 consecutive All-Star Sport appearances, and he simply completed sixth in AL MVP voting after hitting .323 with 30 residence runs, 103 RBI and a .940 OPS. The Blue Jays ought to take a big portion of the cash they provided to Soto and see if they’ll get Guerrero to bypass free company subsequent offseason and stay within the 6.

Bichette is a little more difficult. Accidents restricted him to only 81 video games this previous season, and he struggled when he was on the sphere, with FanGraphs noting he posted only a 0.3 WAR.

It is also truthful to wonder if his long-term future will probably be at shortstop take into account he has minus-7 defensive runs saved and minus-18 DRS in his profession.

There’s one thing to be stated for letting Bichette’s contract 12 months play out. Perhaps he rebounds and also you need to again the truck up for him subsequent offseason. Perhaps he rebounds and is essentially the most coveted commerce chip on the commerce deadline. It is also doable he would not have a ok season to warrant a megadeal, and the Blue Jays let him stroll subsequent winter after he declines the qualifying supply.

Taking that strategy with Bichette could be loads simpler if Guerrero is locked up.

If the Blue Jays cannot get one of many two signed long-term this offseason, there is a truthful argument to be made they need to significantly take into account commerce presents.

In Guerrero’s case, particularly, groups will probably be keen to provide extra now once they could be getting a full season of his providers after which get the fitting to increase a qualifying supply to him subsequent offseason. If he’s traded throughout the season, his new employer would not be capable to give him a QO.

You do get the sense, although, that the Blue Jays will carry each Guerrero and Bichette into their contract years. That might be a daring technique for basic supervisor Ross Atkins. Let’s have a look at if it pays off.

Clay Holmes was an All-Star in two of the final three seasons out of the bullpen for the Yankees. However regardless of an unimaginable repertoire, he typically struggles with command, which price him the nearer’s job late within the 2024 season.

It did not harm him on the free-agent market, although.

The Mets inked the 31-year-old to a three-year, $38 million deal final Friday, a pact that features the prospect to decide out after the second season. Curiously, they’ve checked out his arsenal and determined to make use of him as a starter.

That makes issues much more attention-grabbing for Jeff Hoffman, with ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel the first to report earlier this offseason there was some curiosity from groups within the 2014 first-round choose returning to beginning after two super years as a high-leverage reliever for the Phillies.

Hoffman—ranked because the second-best free-agent reliever this offseason on our B/R countdown—would not appear to have closed the door on beginning once more.

“I feel I’d be an incredible starter if given that chance once more. It was cool seeing what [Reynaldo Lopez and Jordan Hicks] did final 12 months and, for me with how wholesome I’m and what I’ve performed the previous couple of years with my arsenal, it is an attention-grabbing thought. … It is smart that guys with deeper arsenals than most relievers have discovered success.”

“Till it acquired introduced again up [by interested teams], I assumed that ship had sailed. … It could be completely completely different than the primary go spherical. I really feel like I am 24 years outdated once more. … I am transferring the way in which I am speculated to now. I view [starting] as an incredible problem. I am as wholesome as I’ve ever been. I’d welcome the chance. … I like pitching out of the bullpen and late in video games, too.”

With a wipeout slider, Hoffman revived his profession with the Phillies, posting a 2.28 ERA over 122 reduction appearances the previous two seasons. He was an All-Star in 2024. Issues did not go properly for him within the postseason, however he appeared to suit properly in that function.

“All issues being equal, I need to get the final out,” he added.

Having lined Hoffman the final two seasons, he match properly with the Phillies. Having beforehand pitched for the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds, he valued enjoying in a profitable group. He is additionally from New York state, so Philadelphia is a comparatively good location for him and his household.

The guess right here is that if the Phillies make a aggressive supply, he’ll return because the group’s prime high-leverage reliever.

But when there’s more cash in beginning, Hoffman is perhaps clever to take it. Though in that case, he’ll have a brand new employer in 2025.

It is a fairly good offseason to be in search of a primary baseman.

Alonso homered 34 instances and drove in 88 runs in what was thought of a down season for him. Does energy all the time age properly? No. Might he find yourself DH-ing within the back-half of a deal? Perhaps. But it surely appears like slugging first basemen have grow to be like operating backs in that there was an overcorrection to some dangerous contracts.

Alonso is coming into his age-30 season and the B/R contract projection for him is 5 years and $135 million. If you need a slugger to hit cleanup for you, that may be a fairly good funding.

Whereas Alonso is the No. 5 total free agent on our listing, Walker is thirteenth and presents one other All-Star stage possibility at first base.

The one draw back with Walker is he’ll flip 34 subsequent March, however he has 30 residence run energy and has received three consecutive Gold Glove Awards. For him, we’ve projected a three-year, $60 million deal.

Neither Paul Goldschmidt nor Carlos Santana made our prime 25 listing, however each are achieved veterans nonetheless able to having productive stretches that can land one-year offers to be the beginning first baseman for somebody.

An alternative choice for groups in search of a primary baseman is buying and selling for Josh Naylor, with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reporting the Cleveland Guardians are “open to commerce presents” for the slugging first baseman.

Naylor was an All-Star in 2024, hitting 31 residence runs and driving in 108 runs. He is coming into his contract 12 months.

The Orioles traded for Corbin Burnes previous to his contract 12 months, and he was wonderful for them. En path to a fifth-place end in AL Cy Younger Award voting, he went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA and 3.55 FIP throughout 194.1 innings pitched.

It could be fairly the assertion for brand spanking new proprietor David Rubenstein to authorize his entrance workplace to fulfill the free-agent asking worth of the 30-year-old, who was projected to signal a seven-year, $224 million deal.

What appears extra probably is they’ll make one other main funding or two whereas accumulating draft-pick compensation when Burnes—who rejected a qualifying supply—indicators elsewhere.

On a previous slide, the O’s buying and selling for Crochet was examined. Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported they’re “in on” Max Fried.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand has additionally famous Baltimore has curiosity in veteran righty Nathan Eovaldi.

The Orioles have performed such an amazing job growing place gamers, however they have not constructed that very same kind of pipeline by way of pitching.

As issues stand, Grayson Rodriguez and Zach Eflin—two gifted pitchers with sturdiness considerations—are the headliners in supervisor Brandon Hyde’s beginning rotation.

It feels just like the Orioles want so as to add a pair of affect starters this winter.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have already inked two-time Cy Younger Award winner Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal, which incorporates $65 million in deferrals.

However who will they bring about again from the group that simply received the World Sequence?

Clearly, the largest title to observe is Teoscar Hernández, who has been linked with just a few groups however nonetheless makes essentially the most sense for the Dodgers.

As a result of he declined the qualifying supply, any group aside from L.A. that indicators him must give up draft compensation. The Dodgers would not, and they might be clever to capitalize on that.

Hernández had a serious rebound season after signing a pillow contract with the Dodgers final winter. Batting behind a few of the recreation’s elite hitters benefitted Hernández, who homered 33 instances, drove in 99 runs and posted an .840 OPS. He additionally brings a optimistic power that is exhausting to quantify by way of worth.

Notably with the plan being to make the most of Mookie Betts within the center infield subsequent 12 months, getting a positive factor at one of many two nook outfield spots is arguably the largest precedence for the Dodgers. A 3-year deal would make sense for each Hernández and L.A.

Past Hernández, Jack Flaherty and Kiké Hernández are among the many different key free brokers from the reigning world champions.

One factor you may be positive of is that there will probably be deferrals in any main contract the Dodgers give out.

Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are each within the twilight of their careers, and will probably be attention-grabbing to see how the 2 future Corridor of Famers are valued in free company.

The 2024 marketing campaign was sort of a misplaced one for Scherzer, who did not make his season debut till late June after he had offseason again surgical procedure.

It wasn’t all easy crusing from there, as he had injured-list stints due to proper shoulder fatigue and a left hamstring pressure. Nonetheless, he is been remarkably wholesome for the majority of his profession, and he posted a 3.95 ERA throughout 10 begins for the Rangers, so he can nonetheless be efficient when wholesome.

Verlander, in the meantime, is a free agent once more following his second stint with the Astros. He was legitimately dangerous over 17 begins this previous season, posting a 5.48 ERA. He later admitted he rushed again from a neck harm, which contributed to his 9.26 ERA in September and getting left off the ALWCS roster.

There’s a actuality right here that Scherzer is 40 years outdated and has logged 2,878 innings in his profession. Verlander will flip 42 in February and has a staggering 3,415.2 innings logged in his historic profession. Father Time would possibly simply lastly be right here for these two.

Nevertheless, somebody goes to signal every arm, hoping they’ll present a veteran presence of their rotation in 2025. And so long as Scherzer and Verlander are on the mound, we’ll watch.