Mookie Betts and Christian Yelich won the 176th and 177th MVP Awards on Thursday. (And believe me, I know exactly how many there have been.) It was the first MVP for each player, assuring them that their already-accomplished careers will not pass by unrewarded. They will not join the list of outstanding players who never quite grabbed the big trophy, a group that includes legends Eddie Murray, Eddie Mathews, Mike Piazza, Paul Molitor and Derek Jeter.

So with Betts and Yelich now on the other side of the velvet rope, here are the 10 best players who are still looking for an MVP nod, how close they've come and whether they're likely to get one someday.

1. Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies
Best Finish: Third place, 2018

Arenado is always going to face the voters' tendency to discount Rockies players -- only one has been MVP, Larry Walker in 1997 -- though it's always worth remembering Arenado will be a free agent after next season. His OPS+ has risen every season since he joined the league, and somehow, he's just now entering his prime.

Video: Must C Crushed: Arenado takes NL HR lead with a pair

2. Alex Bregman, Houston Astros
Best Finish: Fifth place, 2018

Bregman received plenty of votes after a monster 2018 in which he led the Majors in doubles and was the best player on a 103-win team. He won't turn 25 until next season's Opening Weekend, and he's well positioned to remain the star on a perpetual contender for the next half-decade.

Video: Must C Clutch: Bregman's first career walk-off homer

3. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
Best Finish: Fourth place, 2018

It wasn't long ago that Freeman was thought of as an above-average, but not spectacular first baseman. He has since crafted himself into an undeniable superstar, and perhaps even an underappreciated one. As the young Braves rise around him, he remains the leader and the steadiest force on a team we're going to be seeing in a lot of Octobers. He led the NL in hits and doubles last season, and he won't turn 30 until next September.

Video: Must C Clutch: Freeman's HR gives Braves lead in 6th

4. Jacob deGrom
Best Finish: Fifth place, 2018 (1 first-place vote)

It has been four years since a pitcher won an MVP Award -- Clayton Kershaw in 2014. deGrom was arguably better in 2018 than Kershaw was that year, but he was no doubt hurt by the Mets' fourth-place finish.

Video: ATL@NYM: deGrom hurls 8 scoreless to earn 1.70 ERA

5. Paul Goldschmidt
Best Finish: Second place, 2013, '15

Goldschmidt's last three seasons haven't been quite as incredible as that stretch of 2013-15, but he's still been fantastic, and after a slow start to 2018, he was his old self for the final few months. His best season, 2015, happened to be the same year Bryce Harper had his monster season, and 2013 was the year Andrew McCutchen and the Pirates broke out. The real question: Does Goldschmidt make another MVP run in Arizona, or somewhere else?

Video: ARI@COL: Goldschmidt powers 2 homers at Coors Field

6. Francisco Lindor
Best Finish: Fifth place, 2017

If the Indians ever put together a season where they catch fire and win the AL Central by 30 games or something, it'll be the ideal season to honor Lindor, who is their spiritual leader and a transcendent player. Adding power to his game -- he has gone from 15 homers in 2016 to 38 last season -- hasn't cost him any of his other skills, and he has the added advantage of health and durability. He led the Majors in plate appearances (and runs, for that matter) in 2018. All that talent and he's only 25 years old.

Video: HOU@CLE Gm3: Lindor launches 446-ft dinger off clock

7. Manny Machado
Best Finish: Fourth place, 2015

It's obviously still up in the air where Machado will be peddling his wares in 2019 and beyond, but after the season he had in 2018, it's clear he'll be at the center of every conversation for years to come. He picked a terrific time to have the best year of his career, though his antics in the postseason have opened him up to scrutiny that could cost him votes. But it is obvious that Machado is one of the best players in baseball, and should be for the foreseeable future.

Video: LAD@ATL Gm4: Machado drills three 109-plus-mph liners

8. J.D. Martinez
Best Finish: Fourth place, 2018

Martinez is unlikely to ever win an MVP -- no primary DH has since Juan Gonzalez in 1996 -- but we simply cannot deny a hitter of this caliber. Martinez just keeps getting better. For what it's worth, he did play 57 games in the field last season.

Video: Must C Classic: J.D. Martinez clubs his 40th homer

9. Jose Ramirez
Best Finish: Third place, 2017, '18

We've all known about Lindor for years, but far fewer people saw Ramirez coming. He has put together three magnificent years in a row, culminating in a 39-homer 2018. He went 2-for-31 in the last two postseasons -- but the postseason isn't a part of the MVP vote. Will he and Lindor take votes away from each other for years to come?

Video: Must C Crushed: Ramirez goes yard twice vs. Reds

10. Max Scherzer
Best Finish: 10th place, 2016, '17, '18

Scherzer has won three Cy Young Awards, he finished second this year and he hasn't finished lower than fifth since 2012. But he has never made much of a dent in MVP voting despite having won as many Cy Young Awards as Kershaw and more than Justin Verlander, both of whom have won MVPs. Scherzer may have to content himself with those Cy Youngs. If he wins one more, he'll be just the fifth pitcher in MLB history to have four: Roger Clemens (seven), Randy Johnson (five), Steve Carlton (four) and Greg Maddux (four) are the others.

Video: Must C Classic: Scherzer gets 12 straight outs via K

It's Hot Stove season, and MLB.com is keeping track of all the latest free agent and trade rumors right here.

• Free agents, by position
• Free agents, by team

Phillies are ready to spend for Harper, Machado
Nov. 16: If the Phillies are going to seriously pursue both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, they'll have to be willing to seriously open their wallets. And they're prepared to do just that.

"We're going into this expecting to spend money. And maybe even be a little bit stupid about it," owner John Middleton told USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale at the MLB Owners Meetings.

"It's exciting to contemplate what we may be able to do this offseason. We know the free-agent class this year is really, really good."

Both Harper and Machado could command contracts in the 10-plus year and $300-plus million range. But the Phillies currently have less than $70 million on their payroll for 2019, and only about $50 million committed for 2020 and $15 million for 2021.

They can afford to make a major play in the free-agent market, and it looks like they plan to do it, as they try to make the leap to a playoff contender after fading down the stretch in 2018. In addition to being linked to Harper and Machado, Philadelphia could make a play for a top starter like Patrick Corbin or a reliever like Craig Kimbrel.

Middleton wouldn't refer to Harper or Machado by name, "But," he told Nightengale, "we will be spending."

Padres are eyeing Syndergaard again
Nov. 16: The Padres could be something of an X-factor this offseason. Coming off their eighth straight losing season, they're not contenders -- yet -- but they do have arguably the top farm system in baseball, with much of that young talent (read: Fernando Tatis Jr., Francisco Mejia, Luis Urias, Chris Paddack) on the verge of making an impact in The Show. Since the club's window to contention should be opening, it's certainly possible San Diego could make a bold move to try to return to relevance sooner than later. That's part of why they landed Eric Hosmer a year ago.

One such possibility? Trading for a big-name, front-of-the-rotation arm like Mets righty Noah Syndergaard, who they expressed interest in back in July.

The Padres remain interested, MLB Network Insider Ken Rosenthal writes in a story for The Athletic (subscription required): "The likelihood that the Mets secure long-term deals with Syndergaard and National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom seems slim, so it probably will behoove them to at least explore the trade market for one or the other."

Andy Martino of SNY also is hearing that the Padres are "expected to go harder after Syndergaard now."

Video: Rosenthal on Padres' interested in acquiring Thor

Syndergaard still is only 26 years old and won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2021 campaign, so he would sync up well with the Padres' timeline. What's more, he would provide an ace-caliber pitcher to front a rotation that already includes youngsters like Joey Lucchesi, Eric Lauer and Jacob Nix, and will soon feature high-upside prospects like Paddack, MacKenzie Gore and Cal Quantrill, among others.

Of course, Syndergaard's high-velocity repertoire, age and remaining years of control all make him a pricey acquisition, so the Padres would have to surrender more than a few top prospects to bring him aboard. Given the system's talent and depth, however, they could afford it.

Could the Angels be in play for Miller?
Nov. 16: The Angels need pitching, period. Their starting rotation might be the more glaring issue, as hard as it's been hit by injuries, but they could use some bullpen upgrades, too.

Maybe Andrew Miller could be one. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal suggests that Miller to Anaheim is a possibility (subscription required), given his connection to Angels general manager Billy Eppler.

Eppler was in the Yankees front office when New York signed the left-hander to his last free-agent contract in December 2014 -- a four-year, $36 million deal. It was with the Yankees that Miller really emerged as a relief ace, before his trade to the Indians in 2016.

Miller's now played out that contract, and is on the market again entering his age-34 season. He's coming off an injury-plagued year, with his performance slipping in 2018 as he dealt with knee and shoulder issues. But if he's fully healthy in 2019, he could recapture his dominant form. The Angels could use an arm like that, especially if they trade reliever Blake Parker, which Rosenthal notes they might.

Could Keuchel's free agency extend into the new year?
Nov. 16: Dallas Keuchel is one of the top starting pitchers on the free-agent market, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to sign any time soon.

MLB.com's Jim Duquette speculates that Keuchel is one of a handful of free agents who may have to wait a bit. One key reason for Keuchel, in particular? "The available supply of left-handers could be a factor ... with Patrick Corbin, J.A. Happ, Gio Gonzalez, and Wade Miley joining Keuchel as free agents, as well as Japanese southpaw Yusei Kikuchi, who is set to be posted."

In other words, Keuchel has some competition on the open market. Not to mention, a number of other left-handers -- like the Giants' Madison Bumgarner and Mariners' James Paxton -- are in the mix as potential trade chips, too. While Keuchel may stand out some for his 2015 American League Cy Young Award and overall durability, there are other options -- and cheaper ones at that.

Harper to the Yankees inevitable?

Nov. 15: While the Yankees have said their main focus this offseason is starting pitching, WEEI's John Tomase suggests one of this offseason's biggest prizes could still end up in pinstripes.

"For now, the Yankees aren't considered favorites to land [Bryce] Harper," Tomase writes. " ... But forgive me for thinking that somehow, someway, the Yankees end up playing a role in this before it's over. It would be a New York kind of move, especially in the wake of a fourth World Series title for the Red Sox since 2004. It could be justified by Harper's age, and man would it make Red Sox-Yankees even more compelling."

Harper has said that he wears the No. 34 because the two digits add up to 7, Mickey Mantle's number. And as a young, exciting and sometimes polarizing superstar, he fits the mold of past Yankee free-agent signings over the years. As for room in New York's outfield, the Yankees re-signed Brett Gardner earlier this offseason, making it a full house. But Tomase argues that the 35-year-old Gardner may not be the answer given his age, and Aaron Hicks is tradable. 

One way or the other, the Yankees being in play for Harper would be very intriguing, to say the least.

Belle weighs in on Harper and Machado
Nov. 15: The White Sox signed Albert Belle to what was, at the time, the largest contract in baseball history, at five years and $55 million in 1996. Belle joined NBC Sports Chicago's White Sox Talk podcast on Thursday to talk about the club, and one of the topics of discussion was whether Chicago would try to sign Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, given they are expected to land contracts in the range of $300 million-$400 million.

"I guess [fans] should be skeptical until it actually happens," said the five-time All-Star. "If they're willing to spend the big money on Harper or Machado ... that means they're willing to go for it again, and win a pennant. ... If I were an owner, I wouldn't give anyone more than a five-year deal. I'm just trying to figure out all the guys who signed big deals that are hurt now. Look at Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols ... Robinson Cano isn't gonna pan out on his [deal]."

Should the Giants invest in Eovaldi?
Nov. 15: Nathan Eovaldi helped his stock tremendously with a great postseason performance for the Red Sox, and several teams are reportedly interested in signing the hard-throwing right-hander this offseason. But given his injury history, is he worth the risk, especially for a team that has a pair of high-priced starters that have been injured often, like the Giants?

San Francisco gave free agent Johnny Cueto a $130 million contract prior to the 2016 season, and Jeff Samardzija a $90 million deal the same offseason. Both missed most of the 2018 season with injuries, and Cueto will be out for part of 2019 after Tommy John surgery. Will the club take a gamble on Eovaldi?

"Eovaldi checks off a lot of those boxes that made guys like [Rich] Hill attractive to the Dodgers," writes NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic. "When Eovaldi is right, he's dominant, and he certainly showed in the postseason that he's a selfless teammate -- something that's important to [new Giants president of baseball operations Farhan] Zaidi and to the holdovers in the Giants' front office.

" ... Any pitcher with Eovaldi's injury history might scare them off from the start. [But] with the Dodgers, Zaidi wasn't scared off by injuries. They took big swings to try to add rotation depth, and Eovaldi certainly would fit with Zaidi's past pursuits."

Lack of counter offer suggests Harper might not return to Washington
Nov. 15: The timing of the report that Harper rejected a 10-year, $300 million offer from the Nats during the final week of the regular season -- during the General Managers Meetings in Carlsbad, Calif., last week -- presented plenty of intrigue. On one hand, Harper's representatives might have had incentive to set the floor for any negotiations, but the club might have also had incentive to show that it made a strong effort to retain Harper.

Either way, the fact that no news has surfaced that Harper's camp made a counter offer to Washington suggests that the longstanding face of the franchise likely won't be back, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

"I think he's gone from Washington," Nightengale said on the ESPN Baseball Tonight podcast with Buster Olney recently. "The fact that he never even bothered to make a counter offer or even talk about it, I think he wants at least, he's looking at least for $400 million, probably 12 or 13 years at about $35 [million] per year."

Video: Collier on Nationals' huge offer to Harper, pursuit

That figure will likely be out of the Nats' price range. The club is in the market for starting pitching and catching, and have been linked to some prominent players to fill those voids, such as Patrick Corbin and Dallas Keuchel -- the top two free-agent pitchers -- as well as Yasmani Grandal, the market's top backstop, and the Marlins' J.T. Realmuto, who Washington pursued in the past before the asking price became too high.

Nats GM Mike Rizzo has said that the club will continue to pursue Harper in free agency, but that the club's offer from the final week of the season is no longer on the table, per Nightengale. It wasn't immediately clear if Scott Boras, Harper's agent, made a counteroffer. Boras is known notoriously for pushing his clients to free agency and an opening bidding field. 

Nightengale speculated that the Phillies are the favorites to land Harper, but he also didn't discount the White Sox, who hope to climb back to contention after a massively disappointing 2018. 

Video: Bryce Harper's likelihood of joining the Phillies

"I think the Phillies are a very desperate team," Nightengale said. "They've got a ton of money. They made it clear: 'We want to spend money. We want to win right now.' So I think they'll do everything possible to sign Harper, no matter what the price is ... I'd be stunned if he doesn't end up with the Phillies."

Boras is known to be close with Phillies principal owner John Middleton, and it's been no secret that the club is perhaps the favorite to land Harper.

Are Yankees gearing up for serious pursuit of Machado? Will A-Rod play a part?
Nov. 15: Count MLB Network insider Jon Heyman among those who expect the Yankees to make a serious run at free-agent infielder Manny Machado, despite team owner Hal Steinbrenner saying that he found Machado's comments on his lack of hustle "troubling."

"I think [ownership loves] the guys that want to play for the Yankees," Heyman said Thursday on WFAN. "And Machado, they know that he wants to be a Yankee, or have heard that."

Heyman pointed to Alex Rodriguez's relationship with Machado as a potential factor that could sway the Yankees toward the 26-year-old. Rodriguez, who maintains an advisor role in the organization, has known Machado since the latter was a teenager, with both players having a connection through the Miami baseball scene.

Steinbrenner expressed some reservations about Machado on Wednesday, stemming from the shortstop's controversial interview with Ken Rosenthal during the postseason about not being a "Johnny Hustle" type of player.

"If it's a $300 million guy or a $10 million guy, clearly those comments are troubling," Steinbrenner said. "That's really [general manager Brian Cashman's] job, if we're interested in any player, to sit down with them face-to-face and ask them, 'Where did this come from? What was the context around the entire interview? Was there a point? How do you justify it?'

"Because that ain't going to sell where we play baseball."

But Heyman thinks Steinbrenner's comments were merely a case of the owner "saying the right thing."

"If you say that you don't mind that he didn't hustle, then you're not really doing the right thing," Heyman said. "Publicly, you've gotta take a big stand on pro hustling, it's not a difficult concept. So I think [Steinbrenner] just said the right thing."

Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay shared similar thoughts on his radio show Wednesday about the club's interest in Machado.

"The feeling I get, is that the Yankees are in, in a serious way, on Manny Machado," Kay said. "Now, Brian Cashman has said ... 'he's on the radar.' I think he's more than on the radar."

Tweet from @YESNetwork: .@RealMichaelKay: "The Yankees are IN, in a serious way, on Manny Machado." pic.twitter.com/yn5J9bYDx6

Heyman: Marlins don't want to trade Realmuto in NL East
Nov. 15: Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto is one of the hottest names on the trade market, and Miami may have four potential suitors in its own division, as the Nationals, Mets, Phillies and Braves could all use a backstop. However, the fan bases of those teams might not want to get too hopeful.

As he mentioned Thursday in an appearance on WFAN, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman is hearing that the Marlins don't want to trade Realmuto within the National League East.

Realmuto's agent, Jeff Berry, made it clear in October that his client has no intention of signing a long-term contract extension with the Marlins, who have control over the catcher for two more seasons before he can become a free agent. Berry also predicted Realmuto "will definitely be wearing a different uniform by the start of Spring Training."

Even if they exclude the NL East from trade talks, the Marlins will likely still have plenty of teams that are interested in acquiring Realmuto, including the Astros.

In his story (subscription required) looking at one move each 2018 postseason team needs to make to get back to October, The Athletic's Jim Bowden named Realmuto as the player Houston should target, writing that the catcher is "worth giving up an elite prospect for."

Bumgarner's trade value not what it once was
Nov. 15: As the Giants tumbled out of contention last summer and began selling pieces such as Andrew McCutchen, ownership steadfastly told management not to make Madison Bumgarner available. But now, under new president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, that approach might shift, though how much Bumgarner might bring back in return is perhaps not as prosperous as it once was.  

"Teams are saying, 'You know, that might be a player you might want to move sooner rather than later,'" ESPN's Buster Olney said recently on the Baseball Tonight podcast.

"He's a legacy player, but I think if someone walks into that job now as Farhan is and takes a clear-eyed look at the situation, absolutely you would put Bumgarner out on the trade market because especially from what I'm hearing from other teams is there are metrics on Bumgarner that are not promising, especially the damage done by opposing teams to his fastball."

Bumgarner ditched his four-seamer last year and went exclusively to his sinker, which averaged just 90.8 mph and surrendered a .301 opposing batting average and .578 opposing slugging percentage, according to Statcast™ -- alarmingly high for an offering he went to 34.4 percent of the time. Bumgarner has the delivery and deception to work off his secondary pitches, but the setup offering presents concern. 

Bumgarner also suffered significant injuries in consecutive seasons that may have contributed to his effectiveness. In 2016, he separated his pitching shoulder in a dirt bike accident during on off day in Colorado, and last spring, he fractured his fifth metacarpal in his pitching hand on a comebacker that cost him the first two-plus months of the season. Prior, Bumgarner had never been on the disabled list over his first eight seasons in the Majors. 

"It's not the same Madison Bumgarner," USA Today's Bob Nightengale told Olney on the podcast. "It's not the Bumgarner that was a World Series hero or anything like that. He's not been the same guy since the injuries. So now with a full winter to recover and everything else, I think [the Giants] need for him to have a dominant spring and a dominant start [to the regular season] and then maybe they can move him. I don't see them locking themselves up with Bumgarner because you know what you're going to get. I don't think you're going to get that much from him on the trade market."

Bumgarner has two years left at $12 million per year on what's played out to be a very team-friendly deal. That might make him a coveted target, but the closer he comes to reaching free agency, the less valuable he will become, Nightengale suggests. 

"I think they wait to see if they're in the race or out of it by the All-Star break next year," Nightengale said. "I do believe they'll listen to offers on Bumgarner, but I think they're going to find themselves stunned by how little interest there is in him. I mean, he's a free agent in a year."

Will Goldy return home and play for the Astros?
Nov. 15: The D-backs may be shopping stars Paul Goldschmidt and Zack Greinke, and as for the All-Star first baseman, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman looks at some possible trade partners in an article for Fancred Sports. Heyman notes there aren't many clubs out there in the market for a first baseman this offseason, but one interesting destination would be Houston, as Goldschmidt went to high school about 30 miles north of Minute Maid Park, and then attended Texas State University.

Goldschmidt could alternate between first base and designated hitter for the Astros, along with Yuli Gurriel. Or the versatile Gurriel could move to other spots on the infield. Goldschmidt, six-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner, has a career .297/.398/.532 slash line with 209 home runs in eight seasons with Arizona.

A one-year 'make-good' contract for Donaldson with the Twins?
Nov. 15: ESPN 1500's Touch 'Em All Podcast featured a discussion Thursday about whether the Twins should make a run at free agent third baseman Josh Donaldson. The signing of Donaldson would mean Minnesota could move Miguel Sano to first, and if Donaldson remains healthy and returns to form in 2019, that could mean a vast improvement in production from the hot corner.

"He's only 32, he's only three years removed from an MVP season ... Josh Donaldson on a 'make-good' one- or two-year contract ... I think if you strike out on Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, I think if you were to bring in Josh Donaldson, move Miguel Sano to first base and/or DH, and Tyler Austin and Miguel Sano could fight over first base and DH, and if you put a bona fide -- if he's healthy -- bona fide, solidified, stud player at that position, that makes it a lot easier to stomach the Twins' lineup going in[to '19]."

Donaldson was the AL MVP in '15, but was limited to 52 games last season due to injury. Between the Blue Jays and Indians, to whom he was traded in August, Donaldson hit .246/.352/.449 with eight home runs. The season prior, he belted 33 homers in just 113 games for Toronto.

Reds' starter search reportedly revolves around Paxton, Gray
Nov. 15: The Reds need pitching and are expected to spend aggressively this offseason, but MLB.com's Richard Justice writes that the contract demands of Patrick Corbin and Dallas Keuchel -- arguably the top two starters on the market -- may be out of Cincinnati's "comfort zone." Instead, Jon Heyman reports for Fancred Sports that the Reds are focusing their search around James Paxton and Sonny Gray, who would both come with lower price tags -- in terms of dollars, at least.

Reds president of baseball operations Dick Williams had alluded to the team's need for two pitchers and the Reds' willingness to pursue an arm via trade in an interview with Cincinnati's WLW Radio on Wednesday.

"I think we need to add two pitchers," Williams said. "I said two pitchers. They could both be starters, they don't have to be. There's a good chance we'll target two starters and I think we have to be prepared to pursue both [free agency and trade] avenues.

" ... When you don't have as much money, you're not playing with those guys that go off the board first. You're able to sort of wait and let the other guys spend their money, and then find the value deals. I think this year we feel like we need to be a little more aggressive than that."

According to Heyman, trade partners are, unsurprisingly, focused on the Reds' top three prospects per MLB Pipeline: infielder Nick Senzel (No. 1), outfielder Taylor Trammell (No. 2) and right-hander Hunter Greene (No. 3). However, the Reds might be wary about parting with several top prospects after their experience in trading for Mat Latos in 2011, when they moved four prospects -- Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal, Edinson Volquez and Brad Boxberger.

If Cincinnati were to balk at the prospect price in a trade for Paxton or one of Cleveland's options (Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco), a pursuit of Gray could be a better alternative, though Heyman reports that several teams are involved in talks for him. A reunion with Matt Harvey could also make sense.

Would Roberts move up the coast if no deal gets done with Dodgers?
Nov. 15: Though it appeared the Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts were nearing a multi-year contract extension last week, the two sides appear to be at a standstill at the moment, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman in an article for Fancred Sports. Heyman suggests that while Roberts -- who has guided Los Angeles to the World Series in back-to-back seasons -- has many reasons to prefer to stay with the Dodgers, he might consider joining ex-Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi in San Francisco if a deal can't be worked out.

Zaidi joined the Giants' front office as its new president of baseball operations earlier this month. The mutual familiarity between Zaidi and Roberts, coupled with the fact that longtime Giants skipper Bruce Bochy has one year remaining on his contract, makes a reunion by the Bay possible.

Grandal's postseason woes could scare suitors
Nov. 15: Grandal was worth 3.6 fWAR and 125 wRC+ last year -- trailing only J.T. Realmuto, perhaps the most coveted trade chip this offseason -- yet some scouts question whether the veteran catcher's October ghosts will catch up with him in free agency. 

In a recent article by ESPN's Buster Olney (subscription required), multiple front-office evaluators suggested that while Grandal is a rare breed of being one of the game's best catchers both offensively and defensively, it might be hard for some clubs to look past his past two postseasons, when he was essentially benched for Austin Barnes. 

"Do you forget the bad stuff from October, and focus on all of the good stuff from the summer?" one AL evaluator asked, per Olney. 

Over 32 career postseason games, all over his past four seasons with the Dodgers, Grandal has slashed .107/.264/.200 with 35 strikeouts across 92 plate appearances. Even for his prowess at pitch framing, Grandal was on the wrong end of four passed balls this past October alone. 

Video: NLCS Gm 3: Grandal discusses defensive performance

"You figure that whatever team signs him will probably be one of the clubs that cares about the subtle [good] stuff he does on defense," another evaluator told Olney. 

Olney notes that the Astros, Nationals, Braves, Angels and Mets are in the market for a catcher, as are the Dodgers, whom Grandal turned down a qualifying offer from. So there's clearly interest from his incumbent club, even if it's not necessarily long term. And Realmuto, who might affect Grandal's market, is reportedly attached to an incredibly high asking price from the Marlins via a trade. 

Olney suggested that the White Sox could be a potential suitor for Grandal. After three full seasons in rebuild mode, Chicago is looking to contend again, and it has been linked to the market's top talent.

"There is skepticism the White Sox will, in the end, land either Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, and Grandal might be the next-best position player fit for the White Sox, if they believe Grandal is the right guy to work with a very young group of starting pitchers," Olney writes. 

As MLB.com's Mike Petriello noted recently, the 2018 season was one of the weakest in MLB history in terms of catcher production. In that context, Grandal would appear valuable. But some teams also account for postseason performances, and Grandal's have been glaringly poor.

Eovaldi's right arm gets clean bill of health
Nov. 15: While some front offices may be wary of free agent Nathan Eovaldi's health, especially after the right-hander just went through a taxing postseason, his doctor gave him a glowing review following a routine visit Tuesday.

"To me, he's over Tommy John surgery and he's over revision Tommy John surgery," Dr. Christopher Ahmad, the Yankees' team physician who operated on Eovaldi's elbow and forearm in 2016, told NBC Sports Boston. "And I would consider him in the same category of somebody who has a healthy arm, and whatever worry I have about that player, I have the same or less for Nate.

As Ahmad noted, Eovaldi has undergone two Tommy John surgeries during his career, the second one coming in 2016. This past season was his first since that second procedure, and he threw 111 innings during the regular season.

Eovaldi possesses incredible velocity, averaging 97.2 mph with his four-seam fastball in the regular season and nearly 99 mph in the playoffs, getting it as high as 101.6 mph, per Statcast™, which puts extra stress on his arm.

The 28-year-old was used in a variety of roles during the postseason, and he made three appearances in the span of four days during the World Series, the final one a 97-pitch outing on one day of rest. However, he appears to have come through no worse for the wear.

"Sometimes subtle features can be picked up that the ligament's acting a little weak, like small bone spurs forming often can be a sign that the ligament is a little loose or acting weak," Ahmad said. "Bone spurs form to compensate. No bone spurs. And even coming off an extended postseason, he didn't have any muscle problems like muscle strain patterns. So essentially, his elbow checked out as well as it could be after having a second-time Tommy John surgery."

Should signing Harper be the Dodgers' priority?
Nov. 15: After re-signing Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers may be preparing for a relatively quiet offseason. But The Athletic's Jim Bowden thinks the club should look to make a massive splash by signing one of the biggest names on the free-agent market: Bryce Harper.

In his story (subscription required) looking at one move each 2018 postseason team needs to make to get back to October, Bowden writes that Harper to the Dodgers "makes too much sense," even if the club is saying it isn't planning on significantly increasing payroll.

The Dodgers reportedly tried to acquire Harper via waivers in August, and after losing in the World Series for the second straight season, it wouldn't be a major surprise if they bid on the slugger in an effort to get over the hump.

As Bowden points out, Harper would give the Dodgers' lineup a strong left-right balance, and his star power would be a major marketing point in Los Angeles.

Could Beane pull off another surprise by signing Corbin?
Nov. 15: The A's were one of baseball's biggest surprises in 2018, winning 97 games after starting the year with MLB's lowest payroll, and The Athletic's Jim Bowden thinks executive president of baseball operations Billy Beane should look to pull off another big stunner this offseason by signing Patrick Corbin.

In his story (subscription required) looking at one move each 2018 postseason team needs to make to get back to October, Bowden points out that the small-market A's have the resources to sign at least one starting pitcher to a big-money deal. With Oakland's defense, pitcher-friendly home park and lineup, Bowden considers the club a perfect landing spot for Corbin.

Beyond Sean Manaea, who may miss all of 2019 following left shoulder surgery, the A's relied heavily on journeymen in the rotation this past season, with Trevor Cahill, Edwin Jackson, Brett Anderson and Mike Fiers combining to make 63 starts for Oakland. All four of those hurlers are free agents, leaving the A's with an uncertain rotation picture.

Do Indians have payroll flexibility to add Pollock?
Nov. 15: Cleveland took a small step towards addressing its outfield questions when it acquired 25-year-old Jordan Luplow from Pittsburgh on Wednesday, but adding an All-Star-caliber starter in the outfield would still be one of the most signficant improvements that the Tribe could make for 2019. That's why Jim Bowden writes for The Athletic that the Indians should take a chance on A.J. Pollock.

When Pollock is healthy, he's an MVP-caliber talent, as he showed in his 2015 season, when he hit .315/.367/.498 with 20 homers and 39 steals while winning the National League Gold Glove Award in center field. And despite playing only 113 games in 2018 -- indicative of his injury-riddled career -- he still set a career high with 21 long balls, with 11 homers and nine steals in just his first 40 games of the season.

The 30-year-old center fielder appears to be completely healthy now, and as a reunion with Michael Brantley appears to be off the table, Pollock represents the best option on the market for a team not willing to pay the steep price for Bryce Harper. With Brantley and Josh Donaldson on their way out of Cleveland, Pollock's powerful bat would go a long way in adding length to a lineup featuring Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor.

It remains to be seen whether Cleveland will be willing to make a pricey commitment to Pollock as it looks to rein in its payroll, as Lindor and Trevor Bauer will command huge raises in arbitration this offseason.

Why Red Sox should consider re-signing Kimbrel
Nov. 15: While a number of key contributors from the Red Sox's historic 2018 season are now free agents, The Athletic's Jim Bowden thinks (subscription required) it's imperative that the club re-sign one of them, in particular, and that's closer Craig Kimbrel.

In terms of average annual value (AAV), Kimbrel is projected to land a deal similar to those signed by Aroldis Chapman (five years, $86 million), Mark Melancon (four years, $62 million), Kenley Jansen (five years, $80 million) and Wade Davis (three years, $52 million) in recent offseasons.

Boston had baseball's highest payroll this past season, but it might be hesitant to give Kimbrel such a large deal. Chris Sale, Rick Porcello and Xander Bogaerts are set to hit free agency next offseason, and Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. the year after. The Red Sox likely can't keep all of them, even if they don't re-sign Kimbrel.

But Bowden writes that Boston should look to keep as much of the 2018 team together as possible to make another run at a World Series title in '19, and argues that Kimbrel can't be easily replaced, as one of the few elite closers in the game.

To ease burden on bullpen, could Brewers consider Keuchel?
Nov. 15: The Brewers won the National League Central and made it to Game 7 of the NL Championship Series while relying heavily on their bullpen, but The Athletic's Jim Bowden thinks the club needs to improve its starting rotation to ease the burden on its relief corps in 2019.

In his story (subscription required) looking at one move each 2018 postseason team needs to make to get back to October, Bowden names Dallas Keuchel as a perfect fit for Milwaukee.

"[Keuchel] would slide nicely in the rotation, bring more leadership, and with his strong character and sense of humor, would be a match made in heaven in the Brewers clubhouse," Bowden writes.

Just four pitchers threw at least 100 innings for the Brewers in 2018, and two -- Brent Suter and Chase Anderson -- didn't appear in the postseason. Overall, the club ranked 19th in innings thrown by starters, and fifth in innings by the 'pen.

Could Cubs sign Brantley and shop Schwarber?
Nov. 15: The Cubs may be unwilling to hand out $300 million or more to Bryce Harper or Manny Machado this offseason, but The Athletic's Jim Bowden doesn't think that will prevent the team from improving.

In his story (subscription required) looking at one move each 2018 postseason team needs to make to get back to October, Bowden names Michael Brantley as a player Chicago should pursue for left field.

Bowden argues Brantley would be an upgrade over Kyle Schwarber on defense, and the 31-year-old's contact-heavy approach could help eliminate some of the offensive inconsistency that plagued the club in 2018.

While Chicago ranked ninth overall in runs scored this past season, it also had one or no runs 39 times -- the second most in the Majors after the Orioles.

As part of Bowden's plan, the Cubs could flip Schwarber to an American League team to address another need after inking Brantley.

Cruz can still provide great value despite age
Nov. 15: While free agents in their mid-to-late 20s, such as Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Patrick Corbin and Nathan Eovaldi, will dominate the conversation during Hot Stove season, there are a number of players in their late 30s and early 40s who still have plenty to offer, as MLB.com's Will Leitch wrote Thursday.

Nelson Cruz is arguably the most prominent member of that group, coming off an age-37 season in which he hit 37 homers, drove in 97 runs and produced a 135 OPS+.

The underlying metrics suggest Cruz is poised for continued success, as he finished 2018 with the seventh-highest hard-hit rate (51.3 percent) and the 11th-highest barrel-per-plate-appearance rate (9.3 percent) in the Majors, according to Statcast™ (min. 150 batted-ball events).

The slugger has played just nine games in the field over the past two seasons, so his suitors will likely be limited to the American League, with the Astros and Twins considered the favorites. But Leitch argues every AL team could benefit from adding Cruz to its lineup.

MLB Network insider Jon Heyman echoed that view in an article for Fancred Sports looking at 35 under-the-radar free agents. Heyman advises teams not to bet against Cruz, even though Kendrys Morales' three-year, $33 million contract with the Blue Jays hasn't gone well.

Lowrie could be free-agent bargain
Nov. 15: When a free-agent class features two potential Hall of Famers in their primes (Bryce Harper, Manny Machado), a Cy Young Award winner (Dallas Keuchel), an elite closer (Craig Kimbrel) and a pitcher coming off a breakout season (Patrick Corbin), it's easy for others to get lost in the shuffle.

Jed Lowrie is among those who aren't receiving significant attention, but could provide notable value as free agents. In fact, Lowrie was listed first in MLB Network insider Jon Heyman's article for Fancred Sports looking at 35 under-the-radar free agents who could pay huge dividends.

Emma Baccellieri of Sports Illustrated also considers Lowrie to be a potential "value buy" in free agency, placing the switch-hitting second baseman among the biggest free-agent bargains.

She points to Lowrie's relatively advanced age (34 years) and robust injury history as reasons why he might not get a contract that will truly reflect his on-field potential in the coming years.

Baccellieri also cites Lowrie's increasing launch angle (following the A's recent trend), his resultant low ground-ball rate and his high hard-hit rate (37.6 percent, per Statcast™, fourth among American League second basemen with 150 batted balls) as reasons to believe that Lowrie's recent success is an indication of a changed approach that will lead to continued production.

After a seven-season tenure with the Nationals that included a National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2012, an NL MVP Award in 2015 and six All-Star nods, Bryce Harper is now a free agent for the first time.

Below, you will find a list of the latest news and rumors surrounding the outfielder.

Is Harper's food preference the key to his free agency?
Nov. 16: Amid peak Hot Stove season, some rumors are more firm, others more frivolous. This one might fall under the latter label, but that doesn't make it any less fun.

As the baseball world awaits Bryce Harper's decision, we're gobbling up just about every tasty morsel of information we can when it comes to the free-agent superstar. TMZ Sports tracked down Harper at LAX and got, well, this delicious scoop, straight from Harper: "Favorite food? Probably Chicago. They got great food. ... Deep dish, of course. Anywhere in New York, of course, you know you can always go out there and eat good food."

Translation: Harper definitely is putting the Cubs, White Sox, Yankees and Mets at the top of his list, right?

In reality, the 26-year-old pointed out that he's still a long way from making any decision with regard to signing what is expected to be a massive, potentially record-breaking contract. But, hey, consider this a little food for thought.

Harper to the Yankees inevitable?
Nov. 16: While the Yankees have said their main focus this offseason is starting pitching, WEEI's John Tomase suggests one of this offseason's biggest prizes could still end up in pinstripes.

"For now, the Yankees aren't considered favorites to land [Bryce] Harper," Tomase writes. " ... But forgive me for thinking that somehow, someway, the Yankees end up playing a role in this before it's over. It would be a New York kind of move, especially in the wake of a fourth World Series title for the Red Sox since 2004. It could be justified by Harper's age, and man would it make Red Sox-Yankees even more compelling."

Harper has said that he wears the No. 34 because the two digits add up to 7, Mickey Mantle's number. And as a young, exciting and sometimes polarizing superstar, he fits the mold of past Yankee free-agent signings over the years. As for room in New York's outfield, the Yankees re-signed Brett Gardner earlier this offseason, making it a full house. But Tomase argues that the 35-year-old Gardner may not be the answer given his age, and Aaron Hicks is tradable. 

One way or the other, the Yankees being in play for Harper would be very intriguing, to say the least.

Phils ready to spend for Harper, other big free agents
Nov. 16: If the Phillies are going to seriously pursue Harper, Manny Machado and other top free agents, they'll have to be willing to seriously open their wallets. And they're prepared to do just that.

"We're going into this expecting to spend money. And maybe even be a little bit stupid about it," owner John Middleton told USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale at the MLB Owners Meetings.

"It's exciting to contemplate what we may be able to do this offseason. We know the free-agent class this year is really, really good."

Both Harper and Machado could command contracts in the 10-plus year and $300-plus million range. But the Phillies currently have less than $70 million on their payroll for 2019, and only about $50 million committed for 2020 and $15 million for 2021.

They can afford to make a major play in the free-agent market, and it looks like they plan to do it, as they look to make the leap to a playoff contender after fading down the stretch in 2018. In addition to being linked to Harper and Machado, Philadelphia could make a play for a top starter like Patrick Corbin or a reliever like Craig Kimbrel.

Middleton wouldn't refer to Harper or Machado by name, "But," he told Nightengale, "we will be spending."

Belle weighs in on Harper and Machado
Nov. 15: The White Sox signed Albert Belle to what was, at the time, the largest contract in baseball history, at five years and $55 million in 1996. Belle joined NBC Sports Chicago's White Sox Talk podcast on Thursday to talk about the club, and one of the topics of discussion was whether Chicago would try to sign Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, given they are expected to land contracts in the range of $300 million-$400 million.

"I guess [fans] should be skeptical until it actually happens," said the five-time All-Star. "If they're willing to spend the big money on Harper or Machado ... that means they're willing to go for it again, and win a pennant. ... If I were an owner, I wouldn't give anyone more than a five-year deal. I'm just trying to figure out all the guys who signed big deals that are hurt now. Look at Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols ... Robinson Cano isn't gonna pan out on his [deal]."

Lack of counter offer suggests Harper might not return to Washington
Nov. 15: The timing of the report that Harper rejected a 10-year, $300 million offer from the Nats during the final week of the regular season -- during the General Managers Meetings in Carlsbad, Calif., last week -- presented plenty of intrigue. On one hand, Harper's representatives might have had incentive to set the floor for any negotiations, but the club might have also had incentive to show that it made a strong effort to retain Harper.

Either way, the fact that no news has surfaced that Harper's camp made a counter offer to Washington suggests that the longstanding face of the franchise likely won't be back, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

"I think he's gone from Washington," Nightengale said on the ESPN Baseball Tonight podcast with Buster Olney recently. "The fact that he never even bothered to make a counter offer or even talk about it, I think he wants at least, he's looking at least for $400 million, probably 12 or 13 years at about $35 [million] per year."

Video: Collier on Nationals' huge offer to Harper, pursuit

That figure will likely be out of the Nats' price range. The club is in the market for starting pitching and catching, and have been linked to some prominent players to fill those voids, such as Patrick Corbin and Dallas Keuchel -- the top two free-agent pitchers -- as well as Yasmani Grandal, the market's top backstop, and the Marlins' J.T. Realmuto, who Washington pursued in the past before the asking price became too high.

Nats GM Mike Rizzo has said that the club will continue to pursue Harper in free agency, but that the club's offer from the final week of the season is no longer on the table, per Nightengale. It wasn't immediately clear if Scott Boras, Harper's agent, made a counteroffer. Boras is known notoriously for pushing his clients to free agency and an opening bidding field. 

Nightengale speculated that the Phillies are the favorites to land Harper, but he also didn't discount the White Sox, who hope to climb back to contention after a massively disappointing 2018. 

Video: Bryce Harper's likelihood of joining the Phillies

"I think the Phillies are a very desperate team," Nightengale said. "They've got a ton of money. They made it clear: 'We want to spend money. We want to win right now.' So I think they'll do everything possible to sign Harper, no matter what the price is ... I'd be stunned if he doesn't end up with the Phillies."

Boras is known to be close with Phillies principal owner John Middleton, and it's been no secret that the club is perhaps the favorite to land Harper.

Should signing Harper be the Dodgers' priority?
Nov. 15: After re-signing Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers may be preparing for a relatively quiet offseason. But The Athletic's Jim Bowden thinks the club should look to make a massive splash by signing one of the biggest names on the free-agent market: Bryce Harper.

In his story (subscription required) looking at one move each 2018 postseason team needs to make to get back to October, Bowden writes that Harper to the Dodgers "makes too much sense," even if the club is saying it isn't planning on significantly increasing payroll.

The Dodgers reportedly tried to acquire Harper via waivers in August, and after losing in the World Series for the second straight season, it wouldn't be a major surprise if they bid on the slugger in an effort to get over the hump.

As Bowden points out, Harper would give the Dodgers' lineup a strong left-right balance, and his star power would be a major marketing point in Los Angeles.

Is a return to D.C. possible for Harper?
Nov. 14: Baseball fans, writers, executives -- just about everyone involved in and around the sport, really -- have been anticipating Bryce Harper's free agency for, well, quite some time. What amount of money could he sign for? How many years would he get? What team will land him?

Wouldn't it be funny, then -- or maybe even a little anticlimactic -- if he stayed put?

In a close count, the on-air talent for MLB Network Radio predicted that Harper will re-sign with the Nationals.

Tweet from @MLBNetworkRadio: 🚨🚨 FREE AGENT PREDICTIONS 🚨🚨The @MLBNetworkRadio team says:Brantley ������ #BravesCorbin ������ #YankeesEovaldi ������ #RedSoxGrandal ������ #AstrosHapp ������ #YankeesHarper ������ #NationalsKeuchel ������ #NationalsKimbrel ������ #BravesMachado ������ #PhilliesPollock ������ #Mets pic.twitter.com/zXhhCHEFXi

While a number of other teams have been linked to the Harper market -- from favorites like the Phillies and Yankees, to other big-market possibilities like the Dodgers to dark-horse candidates like the White Sox -- it wouldn't necessarily be surprising to see the 26-year-old return to the Nationals.

After all, it's the only franchise Harper has known as a professional. The Nats drafted Harper and helped him develop into a big-name star as well as an MVP. Let's not forget: The club still hasn't won a postseason series -- something that, no doubt, Harper wouldn't mind trying to change.

Plus, general manager Mike Rizzo has made it known that he would welcome Harper as a part of the team's future, recently stating -- amid reports that the Nationals offered a 10-year, $300 million contract at the end of the regular season -- "We certainly have made attempts to sign him. He's our guy. We're looking forward to seeing what can transpire." 

Projecting Harper's next contract
Nov. 14: While superstar slugger Bryce Harper is primed to cash in this offseason, he may have several options to consider when it comes to the length of his next contract, which Sports Illustrated's Emma Baccellieri covered in an article for si.com on Tuesday.

The most likely option would seem to be what Baccellieri terms "The Lifetime Deal," a 10-year contract in the neighborhood of $350 million.

These types of deals are risky for the signing team, as the Angels and the Mariners have found out after inking Albert Pujols and Robinson Cano, respectively. But as Baccellieri points out, Pujols was 31 years old and Cano 30 when they signed. Harper is only 26, giving him a better chance to make a long-term contract pay off.

Harper could also consider a shorter-term deal with a higher average annual value (AAV). Baccellieri proposes a four-year, $170 million contract that would blow away the record for AAV, which is held by Zack Greinke at $34.4 million.

Taking that one step further, Harper could sign a one-year deal for $45 million, betting on his ability return to MVP form in 2019 before entering free agency again next offseason. This would obviously be risky for the outfielder, as he could have a down year or suffer an injury, but he might consider it if the offers he receives aren't much better than the one he reportedly rejected from the Nationals (10 years, $300 million) on the final day of the regular season.

Are Giants better off signing multiple players instead of Harper?
Nov. 13: The Giants could have between $30 million to $40 million to spend this offseason, and they have been connected to free agent Bryce Harper. However, as Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports points out, Farhan Zaidi, San Francisco's new president of baseball operations, may prefer to spread out the club's resources to fill multiple needs.

When Zaidi was the Dodgers' general manager under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, the team never gave out any contract totaling more than $80 million, opting instead to focus on building a deep roster.

Pavlovic notes that the Giants need a starting pitcher, an outfielder and a utility man, and he suggests signing J.A. Happ, Nick Markakis and Marwin Gonzalez for what MLB Trade Rumors projects will be a combined $33 million in 2019. None of the three is expected to require a long-term commitment, whereas Harper is believed to be seeking a 10-year deal.

As Pavlovic writes, Harper would certainly make the Giants flashier, but signing multiple players to less expensive deals could be the better route to take.

Phillies may need Harper's personality as much as his bat
Nov. 13: With money to spend and a desire to contend as soon as next season, the Phillies are considered the favorites to sign Bryce Harper. And while the Phils would certainly benefit from adding Harper's bat to their lineup, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports writes that the slugger's personality could be just as important.

Although Aaron Nola and Rhys Hoskins are strong building blocks, Salisbury argues that Harper would provide Philadelphia with a much needed face of the franchise to energize the fan base and help fill Citizens Bank Park.

While the Phillies made a leap this past season, winning 14 more games than the previous year, they ranked just 17th in average attendance at 27,318. In 2008, when Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels were in their primes and the club won the World Series, the Phils averaged 42,254 fans per game, ranking fifth overall.

Salisbury also writes that Harper's "competitive sneer" will rub off on the rest of Philadelphia's roster, giving the club a much-needed edge as it tries to keep pace with the up-and-coming Braves in the National League East.

Are White Sox trying to clear space for free-agent stars by shopping Garcia?
Nov. 13: The White Sox are actively shopping right fielder Avisail Garcia, according to a report from MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, which may be part of an effort to clear space for Bryce Harper.

Tweet from @Feinsand: According to a source, the White Sox are actively trying to trade Avisail Garcia. There���s a sense within the industry that Chicago will non-tender Garcia if they���re unable to deal him.

With Jose Abreu at first base, Daniel Palka and Matt Davidson likely to split at-bats at the designated-hitter spot, and top prospect Eloy Jimenez potentially taking over in left field soon, the White Sox will have nowhere for Garcia to play if they sign Harper.

Garcia has battled persistent injury problems during his career, and he's proven to be an unremarkable offensive performer (lifetime 101 wRC+) as well as a subpar defender (lifetime -26 Defensive Runs Saved as an outfielder). And although he was worth 4.2 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in 2017, per FanGraphs, his production was boosted by great batted-ball fortune (.392 BABIP). Over the rest of his career, he has tallied exactly zero WAR.

MLB Trade Rumors projects Garcia will earn $8 million in 2019, his final season of arbitration eligibility. However, Feinsand reports that there is a "sense within the industry that Chicago will non-tender" him if it can't work out a trade.

Trading or non-tendering Garcia would also give the White Sox the additional option of shifting Tim Anderson to the outfield to make room for Manny Machado at shortstop, though Chicago also has an opening at third base if Machado is willing to move back to that position.

Harper rejects the Nationals' qualifying offer
Nov. 12: Bryce Harper has rejected the Nationals' one-year, $17.9 million qualifying offer, as was expected. The 26-year-old superstar is expected to receive a long-term contract somewhere in the $300 million-$400 million range.

Since he was made a qualifying offer, Washington would get a selection after the fourth round of next year's MLB Draft, and the club that signs Harper would be subject to losing a pick (or picks) and international bonus pool money.

Are the Phillies shopping Santana to make room for Harper?
Nov. 12: According to MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal in an article for The Athletic (subscription required), a rival executive said the Phillies are "shopping the hell" out of first baseman Carlos Santana, who signed a three-year, $60 million contract with Philadelphia last offseason.

Per Rosenthal, the Phillies want to move Rhys Hoskins back to first base. While that makes strategic sense from a defensive standpoint -- Hoskins recorded -19 Outs Above Average, per Statcast™, and -24 Defensive Runs Saved in left field this past season -- Philadelphia may also be trying to clear space on the payroll and in the outfield for free agent Bryce Harper.

Santana's deal included a $10 million signing bonus, leaving him with a base salary of roughly $35 million over 2019-20, and he has a $500,000 buyout on his $17.5 million club option for '21. The Phillies will likely need to send some cash to move the 32-year-old, who hit .229/.352/.414 with 24 homers and 86 RBIs over 161 games in the first year of his contract.

Philadelphia has been consistently connected to Harper this offseason and could conceivably afford to sign him without moving Santana, but doing so would likely mean putting promising right fielder Nick Williams on the bench or giving Santana more playing time at third at the expense of Maikel Franco.

A big gap between Harper and Machado?
Nov. 12: In a piece for The Athletic, Cliff Corcoran ranks the best under-28 free agents of all-time. It's interesting to see where the top two free agents on this year's market land. Manny Machado is ranked third, behind only Alex Rodriguez (2000) and Barry Bonds (1992). Bryce Harper is all the way down at 11th out of 13 players, ahead of Carlos Beltran (2004) and Goose Gossage (1977).

"The math projects [Machado] to be worth 5.2 bWAR in his age-26 season, but he has been a six-win player in four of the last six seasons (I'm counting his 5.7 bWAR this year given his uncharacteristic struggles in the field), so he could very well exceed that projection," writes Corcoran.

With respect to Harper, Corcoran cites his inconsistency at the plate and injury history, pointing out his 1.5 WAR (Baseball Reference) in 2016, and 1.3 WAR last season.

"What was supposed to be the monster free agency to end all free agencies is instead a confusing mixed bag of impressive accomplishment and confounding underperformance," Corcoran writes.

How will Rizzo address the Nats' needs this offseason?
Nov. 12: Although the Nationals want to bring back Bryce Harper, the club has other holes to plug, and earmarking a substantial portion of their payroll for a potential Harper reunion could have dire consequences if the team waits too long and the 26-year-old signs elsewhere.

According to MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal in an article for The Athletic (subscription required), one agent offered a theory about Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo's offseason approach, predicting that Rizzo will aggressively try to address the team's needs, then leave it up to ownership to make the final decision on Harper if the outfielder is still available.

As Rosenthal points out, Rizzo must proceed as if Harper is not returning after the slugger reportedly rejected a 10-year, $300 million offer from the Nats on the final day of the regular season.

Rosenthal also notes that any upgrades the Nats make could make the team more appealing to Harper and persuade him to re-sign, which would be a win-win scenario for Rizzo.

As we've seen over the last couple of offseasons, the Hot Stove calendar has evolved. While there once was a time when all top free agents would be signed before the New Year, recent offseasons have seen players wait until well into Spring Training in search of the best possible deal.

Here are five players who could remain unsigned come January.

Note: Ages listed are as of Opening Day 2019

1. Dallas Keuchel, LHP, age 31
Given that he is not overly reliant on high velocity, he's a good bet to age relatively gracefully. That said, we saw last year with Jake Arrieta that teams might not give long-term deals to pitchers a couple of years removed from their peak seasons. Arrieta still got a high average annual value ($25 million), but only three years.

It remains to be seen if last year was an aberration or a new trend. Multiple teams have interest in Keuchel, but teams are acutely aware that his strikeout rate dropped from 23.7 percent in his American League Cy Young Award-winning 2015 to 17.5 percent last season, while his ground-ball rate went from 61.7 percent to 53.7. Additionally, the available supply of left-handers could be a factor as well, with Patrick Corbin, J.A. Happ, Gio Gonzalez and Wade Miley joining Keuchel as free agents, as well as Japanese southpaw Yusei Kikuchi, who is set to be posted. Additionally impacting the starting-pitcher market is the possibility of James Paxton, Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and maybe even Madison Bumgarner being available via trade.

Likely suitors: Astros, Yankees, Nationals

Video: Grandal becomes free agent in 2019

2. Yasmani Grandal, C, 30
With high-revenue teams losing a second-round Draft pick and $1 million in their international bonus pool for signing players who declined qualifying offers, Grandal may be the free agent who is most impacted.

Any team in major need of a full-time backstop that is flush with prospects should be willing to add Grandal and forego the pick. But most teams can't check both of those boxes. With many teams now splitting the catching duties between two quality game-callers, Grandal may have a difficult time landing a multiyear contract.

Likely suitors: Nationals, Mets, Astros

Video: Josh Donaldson set to enter free agency before 2019

3. Josh Donaldson, 3B, 32
Coming off a down year due to injury, having played a combined 165 games over the past two seasons, is usually a recipe for a one-year "pillow contract," with the hopes of re-entering the market next year. But very few have had the career that Donaldson has. Since 2013, his wRC+ of 146 and combined WAR of 35.6 dwarfs Manny Machado's during the same period (121 wRC+, 29.0 WAR).

Evaluators still view Donaldson as a middle-of-the-lineup bat, and on a longer-term contract in the AL, his bat would play well as a 3B/1B/DH and he could still play 150 games. National League teams would likely pause on playing him solely at third base for more than one year, but it should be noted that Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos had the same role in Toronto when Donaldson was named 2015 AL MVP.

Likely suitors: Indians, Yankees, Astros, Braves

Video: Lefty slugger Mike Moustakas hits free agency

4. Mike Moustakas, 3B, 30
Moose was a free agent last winter and didn't sign until March, and most people blamed the Draft-pick compensation tied to him for dragging down his value. He doesn't have that baggage to worry about this year.

That said, his homer total dropped from 38 to 28 and his OPS went from .835 to .774, which means he is probably not going to get the kind of long-term deal he once envisioned.

Likely suitors: Cardinals, Royals, Mets

Video: Adam Jones enters free agency after productive 2018

5. Adam Jones, OF, 33
To Jones' credit, he moved from center field to right field in the middle of the season, not an easy transition for anyone. Metrics say he isn't much of a defender any more, as he was -13 Outs Above Average, among the lowest for everyday outfielders, but his right-field play was visibly better at the end of the season.

With a lot of veteran outfielders available this winter, interest in Jones may take a while to develop, but he is a widely respected player who still managed a 102 OPS+ last year and 110 the season before. For a team that is looking for a veteran to mentor a young team -- or a contender looking for a reliable player -- he still has value.

Likely suitors: White Sox, Padres

Josh Donaldson has battled injuries in recent years, but his track record of MVP-level production should make him a coveted free agent nonetheless this offseason.

Below, you will find a list of the latest news and rumors surrounding the third baseman.

Donaldson could sign late
Nov. 16: Josh Donaldson will have his share of suitors on the free-agent market, but it might take him a while to sign. Former general manager Jim Duquette writes that Donaldson is one of the key free agents who could take until the new year to find a landing spot.

Donaldson is something of a unique case among this year's class. The 32-year-old is coming off probably the most disappointing year of his career, having struggled through injuries for most of the season. But he also has an elite track record -- Donaldson was a consistent MVP candidate just a few years ago -- and showed flashes of a resurgence at the end of the year after his trade to the Indians.

According to Duquette, evaluators "still view Donaldson as a middle-of-the-lineup bat." He would fit especially well with an American League team that could spell him with stints at designated hitter along with his time in the field at third or first base. National League teams might not prefer to play Donaldson every day at third base over a longer-term deal, especially with his arm health a question, but that wouldn't necessarily rule out a jump to the NL.

Duquette suggests the Braves as one potential suitor, for example, especially with GM Alex Anthopoulos having been the Blue Jays' GM when Donaldson was on his MVP run in Toronto. Duquette also lists the Yankees, Astros and Indians as possible landing spots for Donaldson.

A one-year 'make-good' contract for Donaldson with the Twins?
Nov. 15: ESPN 1500's Touch 'Em All Podcast featured a discussion Thursday about whether the Twins should make a run at free agent third baseman Josh Donaldson. The signing of Donaldson would mean Minnesota could move Miguel Sano to first, and if Donaldson remains healthy and returns to form in 2019, that could mean a vast improvement in production from the hot corner.

"He's only 32, he's only three years removed from an MVP season ... Josh Donaldson on a 'make-good' one- or two-year contract ... I think if you strike out on Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, I think if you were to bring in Josh Donaldson, move Miguel Sano to first base and/or DH, and Tyler Austin and Miguel Sano could fight over first base and DH, and if you put a bona fide -- if he's healthy -- bona fide, solidified, stud player at that position, that makes it a lot easier to stomach the Twins' lineup going in[to '19]."

Donaldson was the AL MVP in '15, but was limited to 52 games last season due to injury. Between the Blue Jays and Indians, to whom he was traded in August, Donaldson hit .246/.352/.449 with eight home runs. The season prior, he belted 33 homers in just 113 games for Toronto.

Would a Corbin/Donaldson duo be a better buy than Harper? 
Nov. 14: The Phillies and the Cardinals placed first and second on MLB.com's list of teams that are ready to spend big this offseason, with Richard Justice noting that both clubs would be a great fit for Bryce Harper. But Justice also mentions a potential alternative for both teams -- signing Patrick Corbin and Josh Donaldson.

MLB Network insider Jon Heyman projects Harper will sign for $330 million over 11 years, giving him an average annual value of $30 million. Agent Scott Boras is believed to be asking for upwards of $400 million, and there's a good chance Harper will end up making at least $35 million per year.

Per Heyman's projections, the Corbin/Donaldson duo would cost $38 million on average, with Corbin landing a five-year contract for $100 million and Donaldson signing for $36 million over two seasons.

There are risk factors associated with both approaches, but signing Corbin and Donaldson may have more short-term upside than using that money on Harper alone. Corbin was worth 6.3 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in 2018, per FanGraphs, while Donaldson averaged 6.9 WAR per season from 2013-17. If the Phils or Cards got the best versions of Corbin and Donaldson, it could put them over the top in their respective divisions.

Donaldson ranked fourth-best FA by Sporting News
Nov. 13: Donaldson isn't necessarily in the free-agent echelon of, say, Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, but outside those two, might he be the best position player available? Ryan Fagan of Sporting News argues as much, saying that behind Harper, Machado and left-handed starter Patrick Corbin, Donaldson is the best free agent available in a list of 79 ranked. 

Donaldson will turn 33 next month and was limited to 52 games last year with a left calf strain, which has prompted speculation that the veteran third baseman will take a "pillow contract" -- one on a shorter term for a higher average annual value, or one laden with incentives. Fagan suggests that in his assessment of Donaldson, saying that the 2015 American League MVP Award winner offers more upside than uncertainty. 

"Maybe [the No. 4 ranking] is a bit high for a guy with injury issues the past couple of years, but he's worth the risk on a short-term (if he's betting on himself) or incentive-laden contract," Fagan writes. 

Video: DET@CLE: Donaldson launches 1st homer for the Indians

Donaldson might offer the most hit-or-miss potential among the top tier of position players available in the free-agent market. But as many have pointed out, should he even approach a level of his elite form, Donaldson would make a lot of sense for teams looking to contend immediately. 

In a separate piece, Fagan directly compares Donaldson to Mike Moustakas, the other top free-agent third baseman (given that Machado is being courted as a shortstop), saying that, while Moustakas has clubbed 66 homers the last two years and played solid defense, which should garner multiyear offers, Donaldson has the edge between the two.

"Donaldson's worth the risk," Fagan writes, "as long as the contract doesn't have insane money/years guarantees."

Phillies could look to Donaldson, Moustakas for upgrade at third
Nov. 12: MLB.com's Todd Zolecki notes that Phillies third basemen ranked 18th in the Majors in batting (.248), 21st in on-base percentage (.311), and 13th in slugging percentage (.438) last season. Will the club upgrade at third base? That may depend on whether they sign one of the two big superstar sluggers on the market, Bryce Harper or Manny Machado.

"If they sign Harper, they might be more inclined to pursue help at third," Zolecki writes. "If they sign Machado and he plays shortstop, they might be more inclined to move forward with internal options like J.P. Crawford, Maikel Franco and even Scott Kingery, who could play second base if Philadelphia trades Cesar Hernandez."

Zolecki suggests the Phillies may pursue free agents Josh Donaldson or Mike Moustakas. He writes that they would likely try to ink Donaldson to a short-term deal given the risk involved; he was hurt for most of last season, and was not as productive as in years past when he was in the lineup.

Will Donaldson headline Cardinals' offseason pursuits?
Nov. 12: The Cardinals may pursue free-agent third baseman Josh Donaldson to upgrade their offense, but Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch argues that the veteran comes with too much uncertainty to be relied upon as the club's marquee addition this offseason.

Donaldson has a lofty ceiling, as he slashed .285/.387/.559 with 111 homers from 2015-17, winning the American League MVP Award in the first year during that span.

But Donaldson will turn 33 years old in December and is coming off a season in which he played just 52 games due to right shoulder and left calf injuries.

Although Frederickson thinks Donaldson would be well-received by the fan base as St. Louis' new starting third baseman, he writes that it "would seem a bit thin" if the slugger was "the Cardinals' sole big move for the lineup."

Donaldson could be courted by as many as 10 teams
Nov. 9: While Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, Patrick Corbin, Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel predictably received plenty of attention at the General Managers Meetings this week, many others also drew significant buzz, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. Among them was Josh Donaldson, who could be a free-agent bargain after playing just 52 games during an injury-plagued 2018 season.

Not long ago, Donaldson was considered one of the top players in all of baseball. The third baseman won the AL MVP Award in 2015, and he's only one year removed from producing 33 homers and a .944 OPS in 113 games.

Per Feinsand, more than a half-dozen teams are expected to make a run at Donaldson, with as many as 10 clubs potentially in the mix.

In an article for The Athletic (subscription required), former MLB general manager Jim Bowden lists the Cardinals, Rays, Rangers, Phillies, Padres and Cubs as potential landing spots for the third baseman, who will turn 33 in December.

With Zunino in tow, Rays could pursue Donaldson, Cruz
Nov. 8: Now that the Rays addressed their glaring need for a catcher by acquiring Mike Zunino from the Mariners, they could be an interesting destination for one of the big bats on the free-agent market this winter. Two names to watch: Nelson Cruz and Josh Donaldson.

According to Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic (subscription required), Tampa Bay has more payroll flexibility this offseason than in years past. That could put them in position to pursue an impact right-handed hitter -- to go along with newcomer Zunino, who also provides pop from the right side -- as they try to build on their surprise success from this past season.

The Rays surged down the stretch and finished with a 90-72 record. One rival general manager told Rosenthal that even if they might have overachieved in 2018, their young talent and depth, both in the Majors and Minors, is a good sign for the future.

If they think they can contend in 2019, adding a hitter like Cruz or Donaldson could provide a major power boost to the lineup, and might not even break the bank. Cruz has averaged 41 homers over the last five seasons, but he's 38 years old and essentially a designated hitter only.

Donaldson has a ton of upside, one of the game's elite players just a couple of seasons ago, but the 32-year-old third baseman was plagued by injuries this year and didn't pick up his form until the very end of the season after his trade to the Indians.

Does the reward outweigh the risk for Donaldson's suitors?
Nov. 6: Few free agents could be more boom or bust this offseason than Josh Donaldson.

His advancing age (33 in December) and ongoing calf and shoulder injury issues (165 games played across 2017-18) make Donaldson something of a gamble for teams interested in inking him to a multi-year deal. He's also only three seasons removed from winning the AL MVP and was one of the most durable and very best all-around players in the sport from 2013-16 before the aforementioned injuries undercut his playing time and production.

So what can be expected from the slugging third baseman in 2019 and beyond? And which teams could be a good fit for him?

MLB.com's Mike Petriello digs into Donaldson's free agency, highlighting both the potential production and the possible pitfalls, while also mentioning a handful of clubs that might make sense, including the Phillies, Cardinals, Braves, Mets and Angels.

Can Donaldson be the impact player he was not too long ago? "Basically, this is going to come down to health," Petriello writes. "Donaldson does, however, have the highest offensive ceiling of anyone available outside of Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, and he's shown it recently." More >

One of the best Trade Deadline additions any team made in 2018, Nathan Eovaldi posted a 3.33 ERA over 12 regular-season appearances (11 starts) with the Red Sox before shining in the postseason for the World Series champions. Having boosted his stock considerably, Eovaldi should draw significant interest on the free-agent market.

Below you will find a list of the latest news and rumors surrounding the right-hander.

Should the Giants invest in Eovaldi?
Nov. 15: Nathan Eovaldi helped his stock tremendously with a great postseason performance for the Red Sox, and several teams are reportedly interested in signing the hard-throwing right-hander this offseason. But given his injury history, is he worth the risk, especially for a team that has a pair of high-priced starters that have been injured often, like the Giants?

San Francisco gave free agent Johnny Cueto a $130 million contract prior to the 2016 season, and Jeff Samardzija a $90 million deal the same offseason. Both missed most of the 2018 season with injuries, and Cueto will be out for part of 2019 after Tommy John surgery. Will the club take a gamble on Eovaldi?

"Eovaldi checks off a lot of those boxes that made guys like [Rich] Hill attractive to the Dodgers," writes NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic. "When Eovaldi is right, he's dominant, and he certainly showed in the postseason that he's a selfless teammate -- something that's important to [new Giants president of baseball operations Farhan] Zaidi and to the holdovers in the Giants' front office.

" ... Any pitcher with Eovaldi's injury history might scare them off from the start. [But] with the Dodgers, Zaidi wasn't scared off by injuries. They took big swings to try to add rotation depth, and Eovaldi certainly would fit with Zaidi's past pursuits."

Eovaldi's right arm gets clean bill of health
Nov. 15: While some front offices may be wary of free agent Nathan Eovaldi's health, especially after the right-hander just went through a taxing postseason, his doctor gave him a glowing review following a routine visit Tuesday.

"To me, he's over Tommy John surgery and he's over revision Tommy John surgery," Dr. Christopher Ahmad, the Yankees' team physician who operated on Eovaldi's elbow and forearm in 2016, told NBC Sports Boston. "And I would consider him in the same category of somebody who has a healthy arm, and whatever worry I have about that player, I have the same or less for Nate."

As Ahmad noted, Eovaldi has undergone two Tommy John surgeries during his career, the second one coming in 2016. This past season was his first since that second procedure, and he threw 111 innings during the regular season.

Eovaldi possesses incredible velocity, averaging 97.2 mph with his four-seam fastball in the regular season and nearly 99 mph in the playoffs, getting it as high as 101.6 mph, per Statcast™, which puts extra stress on his arm.

The 28-year-old was used in a variety of roles during the postseason, and he made three appearances in the span of four days during the World Series, the final one a 97-pitch outing on one day of rest. However, he appears to have come through no worse for the wear.

"Sometimes subtle features can be picked up that the ligament's acting a little weak, like small bone spurs forming often can be a sign that the ligament is a little loose or acting weak," Ahmad said. "Bone spurs form to compensate. No bone spurs. And even coming off an extended postseason, he didn't have any muscle problems like muscle strain patterns. So essentially, his elbow checked out as well as it could be after having a second-time Tommy John surgery."

Which teams could benefit most from Eovaldi's elite fastball velocity? 
Nov. 14: A number of clubs could be targeting Nathan Eovaldi this winter because the hard-throwing hurler stands out from the rest of the free-agent class -- which includes Patrick Corbin, Dallas Keuchel and J.A. Happ -- with his velocity. His fastball averaged 97.1 mph last season, which ranked third among regular starters behind only Luis Severino and Noah Syndergaard. He hit triple digits 10 times, more than any other regular starter.

MLB.com's David Adler speculates five potential landing spots for the 28-year-old veteran, idenifying the Brewers, Giants, D-backs, Padres and A's as clubs that not only need a starter, but could use a starter with Eovaldi's velocity.

The Giants, for instance, didn't have any starters with league-average fastball velocity in 2018 and had the lowest rate of fastballs throwing at 95 mph or greater in the Majors (0.4 percent). More >

Will it be back to Boston for Eovaldi?
Nov. 14: When a team trades for an impending free agent midseason and both parties proceed to have undeniable success the rest of the way, well, it's easy to keep coming back to the conclusion that the two sides will reunite to see if they can't repeat what worked so well. Especially in the case of the Red Sox and Eovaldi, who was such a key ingredient in the club's World Series title.

No wonder, then, that the majority of MLB Network Radio's on-air talent predicts that Eovaldi will re-sign with the Red Sox.

Tweet from @MLBNetworkRadio: 🚨🚨 FREE AGENT PREDICTIONS 🚨🚨The @MLBNetworkRadio team says:Brantley ������ #BravesCorbin ������ #YankeesEovaldi ������ #RedSoxGrandal ������ #AstrosHapp ������ #YankeesHarper ������ #NationalsKeuchel ������ #NationalsKimbrel ������ #BravesMachado ������ #PhilliesPollock ������ #Mets pic.twitter.com/zXhhCHEFXi

It does make sense in many ways, too. Not only did Eovaldi flourish with Boston -- he posted a 3.33 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP in 54 regular-season innings, then a 1.61 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP in 22 1/3 frames in the postseason -- but the flame-throwing right-hander also would provide a different look for a rotation that has a trio of southpaws in ace Chris Sale, David Price and Eduardo Rodriguez. Steady veteran Rick Porcello is the only righty in the projected rotation with any real big-league experience as a starting pitcher, and he's due to become a free agent after the 2019 season.

In other words, bringing back Eovaldi could be a move for next season and beyond when it comes Boston filling out its otherwise lefty-heavy rotation.

Eovaldi ranked fifth-best FA by Sporting News
Nov. 13: Eovaldi's postseason heroics assuredly helped his free-agent stock, but given how this market has long been touted to be one of the best in history, would it be a stretch to say that Eovaldi is among the five best players available? Ryan Fagan of Sporting News suggests as much in a list of 79 free agents he ranked recently, with Eovaldi coming in at No. 5, behind Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Patrick Corbin and Josh Donaldson. 

"Eovaldi isn't just here because of his stellar World Series," Fagan writes. "He had similar dominant stretches in the regular season, and that type of triple-digit mph late in starts is intoxicating. And like Corbin, he's only 29."

Indeed, of 235 starting pitchers who threw a four-seam fastball in the sixth inning or beyond, Eovaldi's 96.9 mph average trailed only Luis Severino (98.0 mph) and Noah Syndergaard (97.0 mph), according to Statcast™. While Eovaldi likely won't be used in the capacity he was in the postseason -- coming out of the bullpen for both abbreviated and extended stretches -- Eovaldi showed that, even in a year that he came back from his Tommy John surgery, that he still possesses some of the game's most elite velocity for a starting pitcher.

Video: ALCS Gm5: Eovaldi fans Bregman with 101.6-mph heater

What does recent history say about the contract Eovaldi should expect?
Nov. 12: Eovaldi is one of the most intriguing arms on this offseason's market thanks to his postseason heroics, but even just a few months ago, when the hard-throwing right-hander was acquired by the Red Sox at the non-waiver Trade Deadline, he was a high-upside arm with electric stuff but was on pace to post an ERA over 4.00 for the fourth straight season. It was only after he moved to Boston and made various adjustments that he saw extended success and his stock soared down the stretch.

But as the Boston Globe's Alex Speier points out, that might simply have been considered overperformance in a small sample size in the past, but these days, with teams increasingly focused on the promise of future performance and potential, those few months of elite performance with the Red Sox will be enough to land him a lucrative contract.

But just how lucrative? Speier examines a pair of similar cases in the recent past -- Rich Hill of the Dodgers and Tyler Chatwood of the Cubs -- to estimate the dollar figure that Eovaldi might be looking at.

After the Red Sox signed Hill out of independent ball in 2015 and the left-hander posted a 1.55 ERA down the stretch, he landed a prove-it deal with Oakland and locked down a three-year, $48 million deal as a 36-year-old after the 2016 season given just over a year of proven success. Meanwhile, Chatwood landed a three-year, $38 million contract with the Cubs based on his relative youth and track record of success on the road, among other factors, despite his 4.69 ERA in his final year with the Rockies.

With Eovaldi a surer bet than Chatwood and the 28-year-old having pitched 111 innings in 2018, nearly identical to Hill's 110 1/3 successful innings in 2016, the precedents suggest that Eovaldi, eight years younger than Hill at the time, should be in line for a floor of three years and $40 million or four years and $52 million. And it's not hard to imagine Eovaldi approaching Hill's average annual value of $16 million per year despite his injury history, meaning that a best-case scenario could be around four years and $65 million.

Could this potential blockbuster trade add a surprise suitor for Eovaldi?
Nov. 11: It will likely take an offer of seismic proportions to convince the Cubs to part with star third baseman Kris Bryant. Could a package involving Noah Syndergaard do the trick?

SNY's Danny Abriano thinks that a swap of the hard-throwing Mets star for Chicago's former National League Most Valuable Player Award winner would make sense for both sides. And as he goes on to explain, if such a dramatic deal were to unfold, the impact could make ripples around the league, possibily even impacting the free-agency pursuits of high-end starters like Patrick Corbin and Eovaldi.

Why would it make sense for the Cubs? Abriano thinks that despite all of the high-profile names in Chicago's starting rotation, there is still a need for a true ace on the staff. He points to Jon Lester's diminishing numbers, Yu Darvish's inconsistent health and the inability of Jose Quintana and Kyle Hendricks to consistently pitch at an ace-caliber level as examples of why Syndergaard might be a good addition on the North Side.

Meanwhile, the Mets have a need for a right-handed power bat that could slot in at third base, and with New York reportedly not interested in pursuing Manny Machado, Bryant could offer a tantalizing alternative. Since Bryant hasn't yet hit free agency, if the Mets aren't willing to pay Bryce Harper or Machado to add a franchise-altering face, the Cubs third baseman could offer an outside-the-box solution.

With that said, if the Mets felt confident enough in Bryant's shoulder health to part with Syndergaard, they would likely seek a high-upside arm to bolster their rotation. Though Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco or James Paxton could make sense as trade options, the prospect cost of acquiring one of those arms -- in addition to whatever prospects the Mets might send to Chicago to sweeten the Bryant deal -- might be prohibitive.

So in that case, the Mets might join the fray for Corbin, Eovaldi, Dallas Keuchel or other top starters in free agency. Though the bidding for Corbin and Keuchel are expected to be pricey with the Yankees in tow, new Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has expressed that New York remains in win-now mode, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the Mets were aggressive in free agency.

Could the Nationals be a dark-horse suitor for Eovaldi?
Nov. 10: While it's believed that the Red Sox are interested in bringing back free agent Eovaldi, the market for the right-hander could be robust. In fact, in an article for The Athletic (subscription required) on Thursday, Jim Bowden listed 14 teams that could be in on Eovaldi this offseason.

The Red Sox and the Yankees are on there, as are the rebuilding Reds and White Sox, who both are reportedly planning to spend aggressively in free agency to improve their pitching staffs.

Then there are the dark horse candidates, with the Nationals standing out as one of the more interesting possibilities.

Washington's primary focus is re-signing Bryce Harper, but if Harper departs, the club may not necessarily look for replacements on the free-agent market, as it has Juan Soto, Victor Robles, Adam Eaton and Michael A. Taylor in the fold. Instead, the Nats could use some of the resources they have earmarked for Harper to improve other areas of the roster, including the catching position and the rotation.

The Nationals already have a substantial amount invested in the starting staff, and they may want to avoid handing out another $100 million or more to a pitcher with Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg on the books, making Eovaldi a more likely target than Patrick Corbin or Dallas Keuchel.

BOSTON -- The snow started falling hard in Boston not long after it was announced that Mookie Betts had won the American League Most Valuable Player Award. Some of the lights above Fenway Park were still lit, but Jersey Street was mostly empty as the snow kept coming down. The first win for the 2018 Red Sox, out of the 119 they would win through the World Series, came in the late spring. Now it looked like winter had come early in Boston. But with the news about Betts, it was as if it were still summer for one more night. Or at least October.

Betts is a magical player. He wasn't just the best all-around player in his league this season, he is also the best all-around player the Red Sox have ever had. That is saying plenty. But it is true.

• All-time AL MVP Award winners

The Red Sox had Babe Ruth when Ruth was young and both a hitter and a starting pitcher. He is still the greatest figure in baseball history. But even Ruth couldn't do as many things as Betts can do on a baseball field.

Ted Williams was the best pure hitter of all time. Not only is he the last .400 hitter in baseball, but he also hit .388 the year he turned 39. Even Williams couldn't do as many baseball things as Betts.

Video: Betts reacts to winning American League MVP Award

Neither could the great Carl Yastrzemski, who won the Triple Crown for the Red Sox in their own magical, Impossible Dream season of 1967, one that ended one victory short of the Sox winning the World Series. In addition to everything else, Yastrzemski was a genius at playing left field at Fenway, in front of the Green Monster. It isn't the same as playing right field at Fenway, and it certainly isn't the same as playing right field the way Betts does.

• Complete 2018 awards coverage

"He is the best right fielder I've ever seen with my own eyes," former Orioles manager Buck Showalter told me earlier this season. "Every time I'd even hear the suggestion that they might move him to center, you know what I was? Really, really happy."

David Ortiz sometimes felt like the Ruth of the modern era, at least for the Red Sox, and he was in the middle of the order and the middle of everything when his Sox won three World Series between 2004 and '13. He didn't have all the tools for baseball that Betts has. Again: No Sox player has had as many tools as Betts.

Betts came close to winning the AL MVP Award in 2016. This year, he closed the deal. It is more clear than ever that the award he won on Thursday night should simply be called the Best Player Award, and not be tied to any old-time definition of valuable. The voters continue to say there is no distinction between "valuable" and "best." But do you know what the highest honor paid to Betts was on Thursday night? The voters said he was a better baseball player than Mike Trout, who finished second in the voting this season.

Video: MLB Tonight on Mookie Betts winning the 2018 AL MVP

Betts can hit, hit for power, steal bases and make throws from the outfield that you have to see to believe. There are all these times when he shows you how much Willie Mays he has in him, running toward the line in right field and at the short wall or chasing down another ball and then wheeling and looking for a force on the bases.

Betts can jump, too. You saw how his glove ended up over the right-field wall at Minute Maid Park in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series, trying to take a home run away from Jose Altuve before a couple of fans took it away from Betts. Then an umpire, Joe West, was the one who took Altuve's home run away, citing fan interference.

Betts was exactly where he was supposed to be in the outfield, though. He was where the ball was, part of the best defensive outfield -- along with Andrew Benintendi and Jackie Bradley Jr. -- that I've ever seen. It is funny how often that happens. It is funny how big moments seem to follow this 5-foot-9 kid around.

"It's definitely a special award and something that I cherish," Betts said on Thursday night. "But I think the most important thing is that we won a World Series and got to bring a trophy back to Boston."

Betts' numbers were wonderful, of course, a .346 batting average, 129 runs and a .640 slugging percentage, along with 47 doubles, 32 home runs and 30 stolen bases. And his FanGraphs WAR was 10.4, the highest number any player has had since Barry Bonds (11.8) in 2002.

Video: ALCS Gm4: Betts robs HR on interference, call stands

"Obviously, I really wanted to win [in 2016]. Just being in that spot, you don't ever know if you're going to make it back," Betts said in a conference call after the vote was announced. He said that winning this award after so many people thought he should have won in '16 was "everything I imagined and more."

Betts wins this award in the time when Trout has established himself as one of the most complete players of all time. Betts is not just a complete player, but he's also is a joyful one. The Red Sox have had players who hit more home runs, obviously. They have had players produce higher batting averages. They once had Ruth, the most famous player of them all. But they have never had a better all-around baseball player than Betts.