Could 2-time All-Star closer be on the trade block?
LATEST FREE AGENT & TRADE RUMORS
We're keeping track of all the latest free agent and trade rumors.
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 (source)
Gerrit Cole is staying with the Yankees, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand on Monday.
The Yankees' ace will remain in New York on the same four-year, $144 million deal he originally opted out of.
Cole and the Yankees will continue to discuss options for a potential contract extension, per Feinsand's report. But for now, the Yankees have secured their ace through the 2028 season.
The Yankees had a deadline of 5 p.m. ET on Monday to decide whether to void Cole's opt-out and prevent him from reaching free agency by adding a one-year extension worth $36 million to his pre-existing deal. Instead, the Yankees and Cole were able to negotiate an agreement that excludes that additional year, but still keeps Cole in New York for the same contract that he would have had if he hadn't opted out, while allowing for the possibility of an extension later.
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. 4: Eovaldi declines player option to become free agent
Nathan Eovaldi declined his player option with the Rangers on Monday and is now a free agent. President of baseball operations Chris Young said the club still has a lot of interest in bringing back the right-hander, a Texas native who joined the team on a two-year deal in free agency after the 2022 campaign.
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: Manaea intends to opt out of deal with Mets (source)
Sean Manaea is set to become a free agent once again. The left-hander intends to opt out of the final year on his two-year, $28 million contract with the Mets, a source told MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.
The decision should come as no surprise after Manaea rejuvenated his career with New York this past season, pitching to a 3.47 ERA -- down from a 4.73 ERA across 2022-23 -- with 184 K's over a career-high 181 2/3 innings.
Manaea was especially effective after lowering his arm angle to emulate Braves ace Chris Sale in late July. After the change, Manaea notched a 3.09 ERA with a 9.87 K/9 over his final 12 regular-season starts.
The Mets are seeking multiple starting pitchers this offseason, with Manaea, Luis Severino and José Quintana all hitting free agency. Those pitchers combined for 37 percent of the team's innings in 2024.
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.