Two frontrunners emerge for potential Donovan deal with Cards (report)

We're keeping track of all the latest free agent and trade rumors.

Dec. 13: Giants, Mariners emerge as frontrunners to land Donovan from Cards (report)

A popular name on this offseason's trade market has been Brendan Donovan, with the Cardinals' infielder reportedly drawing a lot of interest. According to a report in the Athletic (subscription required), the Giants and Mariners have emerged as frontronners to acquire Donovan from St. Louis.

With Jorge Polanco reaching a deal to join the Mets, Seattle has a vacancy at second base, which is Donovan's primary position. The Giants could use an upgrade at the keystone position after getting a .616 OPS from their second basemen last season. Donovan was an All-Star for the first time in his career in 2025, and for the season he posted a .287/.353/.422 slash line. He's a versatile player defensively, appearing at shortstop and in left field in addition to second base.

According to the Athletic report, the Cardinals are seeking multiple top prospects in exchange for Donovan, and switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (the Mariners' No. 7 prospect per MLB Pipeline) and outfielder Lazaro Montes (No. 3) have been discussed. Giants prospects who have been discussed include infielder Gavin Kilen (No. 3) and left-hander Carson Whisenhunt (No. 7).

The Athletic also reports that San Francisco and Seattle "remain engaged in trade talks" with the D-backs about second baseman Ketel Marte.

Dec. 13: Mets land Polanco; Mason Miller, Luis Robert Jr. among reported trade targets

Already this offseason, the Mets have seen closer Edwin Díaz, slugging first baseman Pete Alonso and stalwart center fielder Brandon Nimmo all depart, with Díaz and Alonso signing free-agent contracts elsewhere and Nimmo being traded to the Rangers for Marcus Semien.

The Mets filled one of their lineup holes on Saturday, reaching a two-year deal with Jorge Polanco (per a source). According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, the club plans to play Polanco mainly at first base and DH. The switch-hitter primarily has been a middle infielder during his career, with some experience at third, too. His only first-base experience came this past season, when he entered as a defensive replacement for one batter in the ninth inning of an April 6 game against the Giants.

With Semien, Polanco, Francisco Lindor, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Jett Williams, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña all in the mix for playing time, it's possible the Mets won't make another infield addition.

That said, the club is likely to remain active on multiple fronts. Here’s a roundup of the latest:

• The Athletic reports that the Mets and Padres have been engaged in trade talks, though Lindor and Fernando Tatis Jr. have not been involved in those discussions, nor has infielder Jake Cronenworth.

Padres players discussed include starter Nick Pivetta, outfielder Ramón Laureano and relievers Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada. San Diego has interest in the Mets’ “young Major Leaguers and all of their top prospects, both pitchers and position players.”

• Center field is one of the positions -- along with left field -- where the Mets could use a major offensive upgrade. Could White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. be the answer? According to The Athletic (subscription required), the Mets are considering it. Chicago might have to kick in some cash, though, as Robert is owed $20 million for 2026.

• Per Heyman, the Mets are one of the teams that have checked in on outfielder Kyle Tucker, the top overall free agent in this year’s class. The Mets also have been tied to fellow free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger.

• With trade rumors swirling around reigning two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who is entering his final season under team control, Heyman reported for the New York Post (subscription required) on Thursday that the Mets have been “debating now whether to go all in with big-time young players for Skubal, or wait until winter and try to do a free-agent deal for what will likely be record bucks.” One high-ranking Mets official told Heyman that Nolan McLean is “off limits,” but Heyman speculates that New York could tempt Detroit with “some combination” of Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat, Carson Benge and Williams.

• The Mets are believed to be among the many teams that have interest in trading for Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta, another pending free agent after 2026. A Brewers official told The Athletic that “lots of teams” are calling about Peralta.

• A source told MLB.com's John Denton that the Mets reached out to the Cardinals about first baseman Willson Contreras after Alonso signed with the Orioles. However, their deal with Polanco makes Contreras less of a fit.

Dec. 13: Will Blue Jays make another big splash by signing Tucker?

The industry consensus on Kyle Tucker’s market hasn’t changed much throughout this offseason, with the Blue Jays continuing to be widely viewed as the frontrunners.

The latest link between Tucker and the Blue Jays comes from ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez:

“If there's one team willing and able to give outfielder Kyle Tucker the $400 million he seeks in free agency, it's the Toronto Blue Jays, according to many of the agents, executives and managers at baseball's annual winter meetings this week,” Gonzalez writes. More >

Dec. 13: Red Sox reportedly trying to add multiple impact bats

The Red Sox are aiming to acquire two bats to help their lineup, per The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey (subscription required), and they are apparently leaving no stone unturned in order to accomplish their goal.

• 6 options for Red Sox after missing out on Schwarber, Alonso

Although reported targets Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso and Jorge Polanco signed elsewhere, there are still plenty of options in play for Boston. Here’s a breakdown of the players they’ve been linked to:

Alex Bregman: The most likely option for the Red Sox appears to be a reunion with Bregman, who opted out of his contract with Boston in November.

Bo Bichette: Boston recently had a meeting with Bichette, according to a report from Ari Alexander of WHDH 7News in Boston. The meeting, which took place over Zoom, reportedly went well, and Bichette "came away impressed with the Red Sox," Alexander wrote. The Athletic reported last week (subscription required) that Boston views Bichette as an "intriguing alternative" if it can't bring back third baseman Alex Bregman.

Ketel Marte: The Red Sox are one of the many clubs involved in trade talks for the D-backs second baseman.

Eugenio Suárez: Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports that Boston has been in touch with Suárez, but the club's interest in the slugger appears to be "lukewarm" at this point, likely because it is prioritizing Bregman. Alex Speier of The Boston Globe previously reported (subscription required) on the Red Sox's connection to Suárez. Per McCaffrey, Boston tried to acquire Suárez before the 2025 Trade Deadline, with the intent of playing him at first base.

Isaac Paredes: The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) wrote about Boston’s interest in trading for Paredes, noting that the Astros’ asking price for the third baseman "likely would be steep." Houston, which is trying to acquire controllable starting pitchers, is specifically interested in one of the Red Sox’s two young left-handers: Payton Tolle and Connelly Early. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Monday that he is open to trading some of Boston's pitching depth to upgrade the team elsewhere.

Munetaka Murakami: The Red Sox are one of the teams MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi mentioned as having interest in Murakami, one of several Japanese stars available this winter.

Kazuma Okamoto: On Wednesday, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported that the Red Sox have shown interest in Okamoto, another coveted Japanese slugger.

Corey Seager: The Red Sox have discussed a trade for Seager, according to the Globe (subscription required). Seager, signed by the Rangers through 2031, does not seem like an especially likely trade candidate, but the five-time All-Star and two-time World Series MVP would be a huge addition to any lineup.

Brendan Donovan: At the Winter Meetings, Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom acknowledged St. Louis has been engaged in trade talks regarding Donovan. The Red Sox are one of the teams that has talked to the Cards about the second baseman/left fielder, the Globe reports.

Dec. 12: Latest on Murakami’s market

It’s almost decision time for one of Japan’s top sluggers. After being posted on Nov. 8, Munetaka Murakami has until Dec. 22 at 5 p.m. ET to reach a deal with an MLB club, or he’ll return to Nippon Professional Baseball for 2026.

As MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi noted Friday, Murakami might be a backup plan for some of the clubs considering other star infielders, be it free agents like Bo Bichette and Alex Bregman or trade candidates like Ketel Marte, but the aforementioned deadline means something will have to give soon.

Morosi names the Red Sox, Mariners, Tigers, Phillies, Mets, Blue Jays and Pirates among the teams that have interest in Murakami.

Dec. 12: Will Braves make a run at Bichette?

The Braves have been busy this week, first signing outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year deal on Wednesday, then adding reliever Robert Suarez on a three-year deal Thursday.

Suarez, who turned in a 2.97 ERA and an NL-leading 40 saves in 2025, will serve as the setup man for closer Raisel Iglesias, who returned to the Braves on a one-year, $16 million deal in November.

Given all of the injuries Atlanta’s rotation dealt with in 2025, it might behoove the club to address its starting pitching depth next. To that end, the team is continuing to monitor the market for top free agents such as Zac Gallen, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.

At the same time, MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi reports that the Braves “like the group they’ve got right now” in the rotation and could prioritize a big move at shortstop instead, perhaps even going after the top player available at that position, Bo Bichette. More >

Dec. 11: Tatis 'untouchable' in any Padres blockbuster

The Padres are reportedly "shooting big" on the trade market this winter. But any blockbuster won't involve the team's superstar, Fernando Tatis Jr., according to general manager A.J. Preller.

"He's somebody that we're not talking about, however you want to say that," Preller told the San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee at the Winter Meetings (subscription required). "If you want to say that's 'untouchable,' you can say that."

With Preller at the helm, the Padres are always one of the most interesting teams to watch during Hot Stove season. So despite a quiet Winter Meetings for San Diego, anything can still happen. But Tatis should be staying put entering 2026.

Dec. 11: Dodgers' Glasnow reportedly mentioned in trade talks

If everyone is healthy, the Dodgers' 2026 starting rotation looks like the best in the game: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki and Tyler Glasnow make up a fearsome quintet. But there might be a change coming to that group before the start of the season.

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reports that Glasnow's name was mentioned in trade talks during this week's Winter Meetings, and the Dodgers "would not be opposed to moving him."

Glasnow, whom the Dodgers acquired from Tampa Bay before the 2024 season, is due $32.5 million in 2026 and '27, and he has a $30 million club option for 2028. If declined, that club option converts to a $21.5 million player option.

The 32-year-old has the stuff to be a perennial All-Star, like he was in 2024. But he has run into myriad injuries throughout his 10-year career and has never thrown more than 134 innings in a single year. While with Los Angeles, Glasnow missed the final two-plus months of the 2024 season, including the playoffs, due to right elbow tendinitis. He missed about 10 weeks of this past season with right shoulder inflammation.

With Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Emmet Sheehan and others in tow, the Dodgers have starting pitching depth from which to trade. It's unclear what they might want in return for Glasnow, but adding an outfield bat is still on their offseason to-do list.

Dec. 11: Market for D-backs' Marte, other top 2Bs heating up (reports)

One month after D-backs general manager Mike Hazen indicated that he was willing to listen to trade inquiries for second baseman Ketel Marte, rumors continue to swirl around the three-time All-Star.

MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported earlier this week that Marte's market is heating up, with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Mariners, Rays and possibly the Phillies as potential suitors for the 32-year-old. The Reds are also considering a move for Marte, according to The Athletic (subscription required).

The Rays and D-backs have discussed a deal that would include starting pitchers Ryan Pepiot and Shane Baz going to Arizona, per the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro (subscription required). Talks with another club about Marte, per Piecoro, "involved a more high-profile starting pitcher as the starting point of a deal, with other pieces expected to be added."

Marte was excellent yet again in 2025, hitting 28 home runs with an .893 OPS and 4.6 WAR (per FanGraphs) in 126 games. Since 2023, Marte is a top-15 player by both WAR (15.3) and wRC+ (140), with Marte winning a Silver Slugger Award and making the All-Star Game in each of the past two seasons.

Further adding to Marte's appeal is his affordable contract, which will pay him $91 million over the next five seasons, with an $11.5 million player option after the 2030 season. However, the D-backs are understandably seeking a big package in return for him.

If the Rays are able to land Marte, that would ostensibly make a trade involving second baseman Brandon Lowe much more likely, and the chances of a Lowe swap did increase during the Winter Meetings, according to MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi, In November, Tampa Bay picked up Lowe's $11.5 million club option; he will be a free agent after 2026. Cincinnati is reportedly interested in Lowe, and Morosi said on Wednesday that the Pirates have talked to Tampa Bay about a deal.

Teams that miss out on Marte and Lowe could pursue the Cardinals' Brendan Donovan, another popular trade target. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (subscription required) reported that the Giants, Mariners, Royals and Pirates are interested in Donovan. The Red Sox have also discussed a trade for the 2025 All-Star, per The Boston Globe (subscription required).

Dec. 11: Might Cubs trade Nico Hoerner?

According to Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic (subscription required), Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner's name has come up in recent trade conversations. However, they term a deal involving the two-time Gold Glover as "unlikely" and state that the talks aren't a sign that the Cubs are actually looking to move Hoerner.

The 28-year-old second baseman is slated to reach free agency following the 2026 season. He was one of MLB's most valuable players in baserunning and fielding this past season while producing a career-best 109 wRC+. Hoerner has produced at least 4.0 FanGraphs WAR in three of the previous four years. In the only outlier year, 2024, his fWAR was 3.9.

Dec. 10: What's next for the Orioles after Alonso splash?

The Orioles narrowly missed out on Kyle Schwarber, matching the five-year, $150 million contract that he accepted from the Phillies, according to a report from The Athletic (subscription required). But it didn't take long for them to pivot, inking first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million deal on Wednesday.

Alonso's presence creates a logjam at first base for the Orioles, though that's certainly a good problem to have. Baltimore now has three right-handed-hitting first basemen, including Coby Mayo and Ryan Mountcastle. Meanwhile, catcher Samuel Basallo -- the organization's No. 1 prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- was also expected to get some time at first base. That likely won't be the case with Alonso in the fold; he's played all 162 games in back-to-back seasons.

Maybe that frees up an asset for the Orioles to use in a trade for a starting pitcher.

According to a report by The Athletic (subscription required), the Orioles are one of the teams interested in trading for Marlins starter Edward Cabrera. MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi reported that the O's have had "steady communication" with the Nationals about lefty starter MacKenzie Gore. Any deal for Gore would be the first trade between the two franchises since an October 2001 swap sending Hall of Famer Tim Raines to Baltimore from the Montreal Expos.

There was also a report from MLB Network insider Jon Heyman tying Baltimore to free-agent starter Ranger Suárez on Monday. According to Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner, the Orioles are still interested in Suárez, even after signing Alonso. Morosi also noted that the O's have had talks with another free-agent lefty, Framber Valdez.

Baltimore has been one of the busiest teams this offseason, with money to spend and a desire to return to contention in a hurry after a disappointing 2025 season. In addition to signing Alonso, they've traded for outfielder Taylor Ward and signed both reliever Ryan Helsley and outfielder Leody Taveras.

Dec. 10: Yankees, Red Sox, Giants among teams interested in Peralta (report)

While the Winter Meetings wrapped up and brought many significant moves, there's still much activity to come in the following weeks and months.

That activity could include a trade of Brewers starter Freddy Peralta. According to a report from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon (subscription required), the Yankees, Red Sox, Giants, Orioles and Astros are among the teams that are interested in Peralta, with other teams like the Mets also believed to be in on the Brewers' righty. A Brewers official told The Athletic that “lots of teams” are calling about Peralta, terming it “a good week.”

That teams are interested in Peralta is hardly surprising. Peralta, who is entering his final year of club control before reaching free agency, has long been viewed as a prime candidate for the Brewers to trade, even after Milwaukee is coming off a franchise-best 97-win season. The 29-year-old Peralta is coming off one of his best seasons, posting a 2.70 ERA with 204 strikeouts in 176 2/3 innings, resulting in a fifth-place finish in NL Cy Young Award voting.

Peralta is projected to make around $8 million next season in his final year of arbitration. Due to the low salary and his high-level performance, the Brewers will certainly seek a big return, even though Peralta only comes with one year of control. More >