Rumor mill roundup: Updates on every top free agent, trade candidate

We’ve seen a number of signings since the conclusion of last week’s Winter Meetings. But with fewer than 10 days remaining in the holiday shopping season, there are still plenty of deals to be made.

Unlike that celebrated stretch in the retail industry, the Hot Stove season will surely linger into January (and possibly February). So where do things stand as we enter the second half of December?

The starting-pitching market

Dylan Cease’s $210 million, seven-year deal with the Blue Jays was seemingly an indication that the market for starting pitching was going to be hot this offseason. Yet in the weeks since, the top free-agent starters remain unsigned.

Michael King appears to be the most likely to sign next, with suitors including the Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles, Cubs and Mets. The belief is that King will sign a deal for four years, while the other top starters – namely Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai and Ranger Suárez – are looking for at least five years.

Imai’s situation will have to be resolved by Jan. 2, when his posting window ends – more on that later – but it remains to be seen when Valdez, Suárez and Zac Gallen land deals. There is plenty of depth on the high-end starting pitching market, though Cease’s deal might have raised expectations of what those pitchers will command.

The lengthy list of free-agent starters also includes Nick Martinez, Chris Bassitt, Zack Littell, Justin Verlander, Zach Eflin, Tyler Mahle, Lucas Giolito, Michael Lorenzen, Patrick Corbin, Erick Fedde and Adrian Houser.

The position-player market

Three notable hitters have signed big deals this winter, all of them coming in the first base/designated hitter market: Pete Alonso (five years, $155 million with the Orioles), Kyle Schwarber (five years, $150 million with the Phillies) and Josh Naylor (five years, $92.5 million with the Mariners).

• Who will drive the free-agent market? Top names to watch

Those signings were just the appetizers for the rest of the position-player menu, because the biggest names remain available.

Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette should see their markets begin to heat up, especially with few players on the trade market of their caliber.

Tucker has already visited the Blue Jays, though the Yankees, Mets and Dodgers are lurking as potential suitors. Bellinger could wait until Tucker sets the market before making his decision. However, the inclusion of the two New York teams among those interested in Bellinger – the Yankees would love to bring him back after a successful first year in pinstripes – could push him to sign first.

The markets for both Bregman and Bichette aren’t as defined. The Cubs, Tigers and Red Sox are believed to be among the teams pursuing Bregman, while the Blue Jays, Braves and Red Sox have been connected to Bichette.

Of course, the longer they go unsigned, we could begin hearing about some infamous “mystery teams” emerging for any of these four players, especially if they remain available as the calendar turns to January.

The reliever market

It has been a good offseason for relief pitchers, with the vast majority of late-inning arms already off the board.

Edwin Díaz’s three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers set a record for average annual value for a reliever, but a number of others have signed eight-figure contracts. Other three-year relief deals include Devin Williams ($51 million with the Mets), Robert Suarez ($45 million with the Braves) and Tyler Rogers ($37 million with the Blue Jays).

Ryan Helsley signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Orioles, Emilio Pagán got two years and $20 million from the Reds and Kyle Finnegan returned to the Tigers on a two-year, $19 million deal. Raisel Iglesias inked a one-year, $16 million deal with the Braves, while Kenley Jansen joined the Tigers on a one-year deal, the terms of which remain unknown.

Clubs still seeking back-end bullpen help don’t have many proven options to choose from, with Pete Fairbanks the clear-cut No. 1 choice. Fairbanks has drawn interest from a number of clubs and, according to sources, has at least one team aggressively pursuing him. Given the lack of competition on the market – Luke Weaver is the next-best option – Fairbanks should be able to take his time before making a decision.

The trade market

One key reason for the slow-moving free-agent market could be the potential for some major trades as teams weigh all options before shelling out nine-figure deals.

All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte appears likely to be moved, even after Arizona signed Merrill Kelly to a two-year free-agent contract. The Red Sox, Blue Jays and Mariners are among the teams interested in Marte, who can block trades to five teams. The Athletic reported those teams are the Athletics, Yankees, Pirates, Giants and Cardinals.

On the pitching side, Freddy Peralta continues to be the most sought-after arm on the market. The Brewers have received significant interest in both Peralta and closer Trevor Megill, with sources saying Milwaukee is likely to move one of them this offseason. Peralta will earn $8 million in 2026, making him an affordable front-line option for pretty much any club in the Majors.

Washington’s MacKenzie Gore – an All-Star this past season – is also expected to be traded, putting another reasonably priced – and unlike Peralta, controllable through 2027 – arm on the market. The Nationals could also deal shortstop C.J. Abrams (who is under control through '28), though sources said Washington appears more motivated to deal Gore.

Other players on the trade market include Cardinals infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan, Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr., Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera, Pirates righty Mitch Keller, Royals lefty Kris Bubic and Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe.

There has also been some intriguing talk about the Padres’ willingness to trade closer Mason Miller, whom San Diego acquired at the Trade Deadline in a megadeal that saw Leo De Vries – the game’s No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline – traded to the Athletics.

Then there’s Tarik Skubal, who will continue to be the source of trade rumors from now until next summer’s Trade Deadline. The price tag for Skubal – assuming the Tigers would even move him – will be astronomically high, though if there’s a pitcher worth paying such a haul for, it’s Skubal.

The Japanese market

We mentioned Imai earlier while addressing the starting pitching market, but a pair of infielders – Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto – are also facing deadlines to sign with Major League clubs.

Murakami’s posting window closes on Dec. 22, meaning he must make a decision in the coming days or return to Japan for another season. The slugger has power that should translate to the Majors, though there are questions about both his defense – most clubs project him as a first baseman rather than at third – and his history of high swing-and-miss rates in Japan.

Okamoto is considered the more complete overall hitter, though his defensive ability at third base is also a question mark. Okamoto’s posting window closes on Jan. 4, giving him more time to decide on a big league club.