Mariners among teams linked to KBO star
LATEST FREE AGENT & TRADE RUMORS
We're keeping track of all the latest free agent and trade rumors.
Nov. 6: Mariners among teams interested in KBO star Hye-Seong Kim
Second base will be a priority for the Mariners once again this offseason. They may end up finding their answer at that position overseas.
As reported by MLB Network insider Jon Morosi, the Mariners are among the clubs that have "closely evaluated" Hye-Seong Kim, who plays for the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO. Kim, 25, has a .304 career batting average through eight seasons in the KBO. Over the past two seasons, he has batted .331 and stolen 55 bases. He also provides plus defense.
Kim is not yet able to negotiate with MLB teams since the Heroes haven't posted him, but that is expected to happen this offseason. Morosi wrote earlier this month that other teams with a need at second base -- Red Sox, Giants, Angels -- could be in the market for Kim. The Dodgers saw him when they played against Kiwoom in an exhibition game before the start of the 2024 season. Manager Dave Roberts said after the game that "our scouts like [Kim]."
Nov. 6: How many teams are in on Snell?
Following his fantastic second half of the 2024 season, Blake Snell is expected to draw interest from many big-market clubs. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand has listed the Giants, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Dodgers, Orioles and Blue Jays among the left-hander's potential suitors. An industry source also told Katie Woo and Will Sammon of The Athletic (subscription required) that the Rangers could be in the mix as well. However, that source added that the extent of interest from Toronto and Texas depends on Snell's price tag. More >
Nov. 6: 'Widespread sense' Red Sox can 'trade for nearly anyone' (report)
The pitching-needy Red Sox have six position players on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. They also have a few attractive pieces already at the big league level, including first baseman Triston Casas, catcher Connor Wong and Gold Glove outfielder Wilyer Abreu.
It remains to be seen if Boston will address its pitching issues with a trade, but according to The Boston Globe's Alex Speier (subscription required), "there’s a widespread sense that the Sox can trade for nearly anyone." More >
Nov. 5: RHP Pivetta has 'surprisingly strong' market
Nick Pivetta has to choice to make. He can take the qualifying offer, which the Red Sox extended to him on Monday and which would pay him $21.05 million in 2025. Or he can decline the qualifying offer by the Nov. 19 decision deadline and look for a longer or more lucrative contract on the open market.
It's an "interesting decision" for Pivetta, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. Accepting the QO would represent quite a raise for the 31-year-old right-hander, who made $7.5 million this season. But there appear to be multiple teams interested in him. Per MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi, Pivetta has a "surprisingly strong" market. More >
Nov. 5: Braves eyeing RHP Eovaldi (source)
Right-handed starter Nathan Eovaldi ranks near the top of the Braves’ wish list, an industry source tells MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
Eovaldi became a free agent Monday when he declined his $20 million option to stick with the Rangers through the 2025 season. The 34-year-old can now pursue a multiyear deal that would most likely include an average annual value of at least $20 million.
Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said Monday that the team will work on bringing Eovaldi back. But with the Braves facing the possibility of losing left-hander Max Fried in free agency, they may fill that void with Eovaldi. He went 12-8 with a 3.80 ERA over 170 2/3 innings this season. Before signing with Texas prior to the 2023 season, Eovaldi spent five years in Boston pitching alongside current Braves ace Chris Sale. More >
Nov. 5: Teams reportedly interested in Giants' Doval
A few teams are expressing interest in Giants right-hander Camilo Doval, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The 27-year-old is entering his first year of arbitration and is under club control for three more seasons.
Armed with a cutter that regularly touches 100 mph and a high-whiff slider, Doval has been one of the most electric relievers over the past few seasons. He was an All-Star in 2023, a year in which he paced the National League with 39 saves.
However, a consistently high walk rate contributed to Doval losing his job as the Giants’ closer in 2024. He was demoted to the Minors in August after recording a 4.70 ERA and issuing 29 walks over 44 innings. He was recalled a couple of weeks later and finished the year in a middle-relief role while Ryan Walker took over as San Francisco’s closer.
Doval ended the season with a strong 28.8% K rate and an elite 60.5% ground-ball rate. However, his 14.4% walk rate tied the Guardians’ Triston McKenzie for the second-highest in MLB (minimum 50 innings pitched).
Nov. 4: Could Brewers' Williams be on the trade block?
The Brewers declined the $10.5 million club option on closer Devin Williams on Sunday, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The two-time All-Star remains under club control as he is heading into his final year of arbitration. The salary he will get via arbitration is likely to be less than the $10.5 million it would have cost the Brewers to exercise the option (per MLB Trade Rumors, he's projected to make $7.7 million), so declining it is not a surprising move. But it's no guarantee that Williams will remain with Milwaukee into next season.
Passan writes that Williams is a trade candidate, and Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said last month that the team will "stay open-minded" about the closer's future.
Although Williams missed the first four months of the regular season due to a back injury and surrendered a series-changing homer to the Mets' Pete Alonso in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series, the right-hander was fantastic in between those two points. Williams allowed only three earned runs and struck out 38 batters over 21 2/3 innings during the regular season. He was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2020 and then made the All-Star team in 2022 and 2023. Over that two-year span, Williams appeared in 126 games and recorded a 1.73 ERA.
The Brewers have dealt multiple star pitchers nearing free agency in recent years. They traded Corbin Burnes to the Orioles prior to the 2024 season, his final year of club control. They also sent former closer Josh Hader to the Padres ahead of the 2022 Trade Deadline. Hader became a free agent after the 2023 season and signed a five-year, $95 million contract with the Astros.
Nov. 4: Thirteen players receive qualifying offers
As Monday's 5 p.m. ET deadline for teams to make qualifying offers (a one year, $21.05 million offer for 2025) to eligible players passed, 13 received a QO: Willy Adames (Brewers), Pete Alonso (Mets), Alex Bregman (Astros), Corbin Burnes (Orioles), Max Fried (Braves), Teoscar Hernández (Dodgers), Sean Manaea (Mets), Nick Martinez (Reds), Nick Pivetta (Red Sox), Anthony Santander (Orioles), Luis Severino (Mets), Juan Soto (Yankees) and Christian Walker (D-backs). More >
Nov. 4: Cole staying with Yankees on existing deal
Gerrit Cole is staying with the Yankees.
After triggering a contractual opt-out this past weekend that could have made him a free agent, Cole and the Yankees agreed Monday to continue with their deal as it was originally constituted, meaning that the right-hander is still signed to a contract with $144 million remaining through 2028.
Cole and the Yankees may someday entertain extension talks concerning the 2029 season and beyond, general manager Brian Cashman said, but that can take place at a later date. Cashman said that club decision-makers “weren’t necessarily comfortable” voiding the opt-out by adding a year and $36 million to the deal, which they communicated to Cole and agent Scott Boras.
With Cole off the market, Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell and Max Fried are among the headliners of this offseason's starting pitcher free-agent class.
Nov. 4: 2025 option decisions
The deadline for players and teams to make 2025 option decisions was Monday. This includes opt-outs, player options, club options and mutual options.
You can find a full list of the 2025 option decisions here.
Nov. 2: Yankees reportedly view Alonso as backup plan for Soto
As expected, the Yankees declined Anthony Rizzo’s 2025 club option ($17 million) on Saturday, opening up a vacancy at first base. How the Yankees address that spot could depend on what happens with free-agent superstar Juan Soto.
MLB Network insider Jon Heyman hears that longtime Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is a "prime backup plan" for the Yankees if they are unable to re-sign Soto. More >
Nov. 2: Bellinger staying with Cubs
Cubs outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger has exercised his player option to return to the team in 2025. That keeps the versatile star in the fold for $27.5 million next season.
Bellinger will have another chance to opt out ahead of the 2026 season. As part of the three-year, $80 million pact he signed with the Cubs last spring, Bellinger can earn $25 million in 2026 or receive a $5 million buyout.
Nov. 1: Snell opts out of contract
As expected, Blake Snell has opted out of his contract with the Giants to become a free agent. It is the second straight offseason he is hitting the open market after he signed a two-year, $62 million deal with San Francisco last March.
A two-time Cy Young Award winner, Snell becomes one of the top starting pitchers on the free-agent market, along with Corbin Burnes, Max Fried and Jack Flaherty.
Although Snell was coming off his second Cy Young Award a year ago, he may actually be more desirable this offseason. Many of his underlying metrics were better in 2024, and he won't be tied to Draft compensation this time, as he's ineligible to receive another qualifying offer.
MLB.com's Mark Feinsand ranked Snell third on his list of the top free agents on the board. You can follow the latest Snell rumors here.
Oct. 31: Braves swap Soler for Canning in trade with Angels
The Braves and Angels completed a trade on the first day of the MLB offseason, with Atlanta sending outfielder Jorge Soler to the Halos for pitcher Griffin Canning.
The acquisition of Soler will beef up a Halos lineup that tied for 22nd in homers (165) and ranked 28th in OPS (.671) this past season. Soler has two years left on the three-year, $42 million deal he signed with the Giants last offseason. San Francisco dealt him to Atlanta prior to the Trade Deadline.
The 32-year-old slugger finished the season with 21 homers and a .780 OPS over 142 games overall, producing nine homers and an .849 OPS after the trade to the Braves.
Soler was expendable for a Braves team that will get back Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2025. After winning the NL MVP Award in 2023, Acuña missed much of 2024 while recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee.
Canning gives the Braves some rotation depth on the same day they saw Max Fried and Charlie Morton enter free agency. The trade also cleared significant money off Atlanta’s books, perhaps opening up more space for the club to re-sign Fried or a comparable starter.
Oct. 31: Report: Soto eyeing record deal; many clubs already showing interest
Soto has been a free agent for less than 24 hours, but a bunch of teams have already been in contact with him, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman.
Heyman writes in the New York Post that eight teams checked in with Soto in the hours after he and the Yankees lost to the Dodgers in World Series Game 5 on Wednesday. By Thursday morning, the number of interested clubs was up to 11. One is reportedly the Mets.
It's unclear how many will meet Soto's reported asking price. Per Heyman, $700 million -- or more -- is seen as Soto's "new magic number." That would match the total value of Shohei Ohtani's contract with the Dodgers, but much of that money is deferred, lowering the deal's present-day value. Soto, conversely, is looking for a "solid" $700 million, according to Heyman.
You can follow all the latest Soto rumors here.
Oct. 31: 2024-25 free-agent class
Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, Willy Adames and Max Fried are among the top players who reached free agency after the 2024 World Series.