Since the Dodgers just wrapped up the World Series in 5 games, I suppose it’s time that we start the off-season thread.
I’ll start:
Wasting absolutely no time, Atlanta has traded OF Jorge Soler to the Angels for pitcher Griffin Canning.
Juan Soto will be a rich(er) man before opening day next season.
He just turned 26. He hit .288 with 41 homers and 109 ribbies this season. Granted, he was hitting in front of Judge, but those are still big numbers. There will be many teams contacting his agent.
It will be a huge contract, it will be in NY, but I’m not sure if the Bronx or Queens.
Would you be willing to correct a typo in my OP? Jorge Soler is listed as IF, but he should be an OF.
Thanks!
The Cardinals dropped their option on pitchers Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson (and about $30 million in payroll) and are expected to let 1st baseman Paul Goldschmidt “test the market” in the first wave of their we-won’t-call-it-tank rebuilding phase.
The Brewers were a really fun story this year. No one expected a lot out of them, given that they had lost their longtime manager (Craig Counsell) to the Cubs, their best pitcher in '23 (Corbin Burnes) had been traded to the Orioles, and their best everyday player (Christian Yelich) missed half the season with back issues, which ultimately required surgery.
This year, they were the youngest team in MLB. They played scrappy, and fast, and won the division going away, with a 65-year-old first-time manager (Pat Murphy). They’ll probably lose shortstop Willy Adames in free agency this winter, but they still have a bunch of promising young players, including C William Contreras, OF Jackson Chourio, and 2B Brice Turang. Even without Burnes, and with closer Devin Williams missing much of the season (also with back issues), they had one of the better pitching staffs in baseball.
I’m hopeful that Yelich can return and play effectively. I’m not sure that they can replicate this year’s result (and I’m not sure that the rest of the NL Central will be that mediocre again), but they should remain fun to watch.
I’m hoping the Dodgers make a serious play for Adames. We need a better-than-average SS and he fits the bill .
Soto’s deal will likely be in the range of $600 million. He is a very, very rare free agent find - a genuinely A+ hitter, who stay healthy, and only 26.
The Blue Jays have a guy named Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who’s also young - almost a year younger than Soto - and has only one year left on his contract. He is coming off a sensational year. He is a Canadian citizen and has expressed his love for Toronto in no uncertain terms. So, naturally, it appears the Blue Jays have no intention of re-signing him, because, Mark Shapiro. I predict he’ll be traded in July for a grab bag of B prospects.
There’s been speculation that the Cubs will sign Adames, shift Dansby Swanson to 2B, and put 2B Nico Hoerner on the trading block. I really hope this doesn’t happen. As a Cub fan.
He’s old, he’s slow, his strikeout rate is up while his homers and walks are trending down.
Brian Cashman: He’s absolutely perfect!
As expected, the last player from the Cubs 2016 World Series-winning team, Kyle Hendricks, has chosen free agency.
While I appreciate everything he did for the team and the organization, this is absolutely the right move for all involved parties. It was painful watching him pitch last season.
Seemingly having read the criticism of his performance on this board in the Playoffs thread, Bob Costas has announced his retirement as MLB play-by-play announcer.
For years I considered Costas the best baseball announcer on TV. But his performance in the Yankees/Royals series this season lowered my opinion of him considerably. It was time for him to hang up his microphone.
Well that is for the best. He was terrible in that series.
Costas has always been better talking about baseball than announcing games in my opinion. For National announcers, Mel Allen was easily the best in my life. Joe Morgan the worst.
In a move that has surprised some, Cody Bellinger has opted to remain with the Cubs for the 2025 season.
When Bellinger signed his most recent contract with Chicago, he had negotiated an opt-out clause after every season.
Personally, I’m not surprised by the move. Not only is it more money, but Bellinger had a disappointing and injury-plagued 2024 season, and that hurt his prospects of finding a better deal elsewhere. Depending on how 2025 goes for him, he may opt out after the upcoming season. He’s only 29, so he should still have several good years left.
The Cubs also declined the option on LHP Drew Smyly.
Yankees decline option on Rizzo. I like Rizzo, but his best years are long behind him. I’d rather see Rice get a chance to start the year, seems to me they gave up on him too soon this year.
As much as it hurt when the Cubs traded Rizzo, their front office looks like a bunch of geniuses with the trading of Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, and Rizzo.
The Royals re-signed Michael Wacha to a 3-year, 51-million-dollar deal. Wacha was 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA last season, one of the best of his career.
Wacha is 33 years old. KC is obviously hoping he’s got a lot left in the tank.
Gerrit Cole opted out of his contract. The Yankees can void that by adding $36 million and another year to the end of his contract. The deadline is 5PM today otherwise he’s a free agent.
Tough call for the Yanks. He’s vital to the team, but the back end of the contract is likely to be wasted money. He will be earning $36m per year for 2025 to 2029. He’ll be 34 next year. So ages 34-38.
Let him walk and spend the money on Juan Soto maybe.