Mega Thread 2024-2025 MLB Hot Stove

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The Cleveland Guardians are in agreement with LHP John Means on a one-year contract with a club option for 2026. The contract is pending a physical so it is not yet official. Means is currently recovering from his second Tommy John surgery and is not expected to pitch before August. Means is guaranteed $1 million on his 2025 contract, and there is no buyout on his 2026 option, which is worth up to $7.5 million, based on escalators.

 

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The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a one year, $1.35 million contract with RHP Kendall Graveman and have designated RHP Seth Martinez for assignment to create the roster space to formally add Graveman to the roster. Graveman will earn $1.25 million base salary in 2025 and will receive $100,000 on a $5 million mutual option for 2026. The contract also includes $1.95 million in performance bonuses. Graveman missed the 2024 season to recover from shoulder surgery, but has previously pitched with the Mariners, Astros and White Sox.

Arizona Diamondbacks in agreement with late-inning reliever: Source

The Diamondbacks are set to add reliever Kendall Graveman to their bullpen mix on a one-year deal.

www.azcentral.com

 

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OF Mike Trout has long been the centrepiece of the Angels outfield, and has patrolled centre field for Los Angeles for almost his entire career, but he also has suffered a litany of injuries over the past few seasons that have curtailed the number of appearances he has managed recently. He spoke to reporters at Angels Spring Training to confirm that he has had discussions with the Angels regarding a move to right field in order to keep him healthier and on the field.

Between 2012 and 2019, Trout played at least 114 games in each of those seasons and managed to play at least 134 games in seven of those eight seasons. In the shortened 2020 season, Trout managed 53 out of the 60 games the Angels played. However, in 2021, he only managed 36 games thanks to a severe right calf strain. He played 119 games in 2022, but that fell to 82 games in 2023 after he fractured his left hamate bone. In 2024, he twice tore his left meniscus and played just 29 games.

Trout also turns 34 during the season but has six seasons to run on his contract (including this year). Centre field requires more effort than either of the other outfield positions, so while moving Trout to right field will reduce his value to the team, it is more likely to keep him healthy and therefore available to play. The Angels will likely use Taylor Ward in left field and Jorge Soler as their designated hitter, which means with Trout shifting to right field, they will need to find a new centre fielder. Mickey Moniak has played centre field in Trout's absence, with 445 innings logged in centre in 2023 and then in excess of 800 in 2024. However, while he has the experience playing the position, his production with the bat has not been strong.

 

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The Arizona Diamondbacks are in agreement with infielder Geraldo Perdomo on a four year, $45 million contract extension with a club option. The deal begins next season and will buy out up to three years of Perdomo's free agency.

 

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Infielder Alex Bregman ended up signing with the Red Sox, but details have come out regarding the Detroit Tigers' offer to Bregman. According to reports, the Tigers offered Bregman six years and $171.5 million with an opt-out after the second year (2026). There would have been $40 million of deferred money included in that offer, which is $20 million less than the money deferred by the Red Sox in their deal with Bregman.

Bregman and his representatives engaged in negotiations with Detroit. It appears that Bregman sought $200 million over seven years, or (alternatively) $186 million over six years, with an opt-out after the first year (2025). Neither offer included any deferred money.

Alex Bregman could join Tigers in future after Detroit made 'priority list' in free agency

Third baseman Alex Bregman was open to joining the Detroit Tigers and even made them contract proposals before signing with the Boston Red Sox.

www.freep.com

 

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It appears that the Minnesota Twins are planning on using Harrison Bader in left field, notwithstanding his defensive prowess in centre field, where he is ranked as the fifth best centre defender since 2017 by Defensive Runs Saved and the best centre fielder since 2017 by Outs Above Average. However, Bader is moving to left field to accommodate Byron Buxton, who is one of the four players ahead of Bader by DRS and is second to Bader by OOA. Further, Bader has not hit well (career .698 OPS and 90 wRC+) while Buxton (despite playing centre field) has a .844 OPS and 129 wRC+ over the last six seasons.

It appears that Bader will play left field more than right field, according to Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, given the outfield dimensions at Target Field. Bader has had more career success against left handed pitching than against right handed pitching (career wRC+ of 109 against southpaws), but even this has declined over the past three seasons (he had a wRC+ of 95 against southpaws between 2022 and 2024).

Of course, there is always the ever-present question about Buxton's health to play centre field. He has not started more than 87 games in centre in a single season since 2017, so Bader would fill in relatively well at centre field if Buxton is forced to miss time at centre field.

Twins notes: Harrison Bader ‘looking forward’ to playing left

Plus an injury update on top prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Royce Lewis clarifies a viral comment about slumps.

www.nytimes.com

 

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The Miami Marlins are looking to give Jesus Sanchez experience at centre field during Spring Training, according to their manager Clayton McCullough. Sanchez will still likely be their primary right fielder, but the hope is that he can at least spend some innings in centre field during the season, provided he shows his capabilities at the more demanding position in Spring Training. Sanchez previously played centre field in 2022 for the Marlins, starting almost half of Miami's games at that position, but in 2023 he only played 58 total innings at centre field and zero innings in 2024. Sanchez has generally been the Marlins' right fielder over the last two seasons, while also starting a few games in left field.

 

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RHP Adam Ottavino has agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training with the Boston Red Sox. According to reports, Ottavino is already in camp. If he makes the Red Sox MLB roster, he will earn $2 million in 2025. However, if he does not earn a spot on the roster in 2025, he can opt out of his deal and return to free agency.

Ottavino made his MLB debut for the Cardinals as a starter in 2010, but was converted into a reliever by the Rockies in 2012 after claiming him off waivers. Over the last 13 seasons with the Rockies (2012-2018), Yankees (2019-2020), Red Sox (2021) and Mets (2022-2024), Ottavino has pitched 720 2/3 innings in relief for a combined 3.33 ERA. He ranks fifth since 2012 among relievers for appearances and third in innings pitched. He has not been put on the IL since 2018.

Red Sox bring back reliever who once said he’d strike out Babe Ruth ‘every time’

The Red Sox are reportedly bringing back a veteran pitcher who once made a bold claim.

www.masslive.com

 

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The self-imposed deadline for 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr to come to terms on a contract extension with the Toronto Blue Jays has expired without a deal in place between the two sides. Guerrero told reporters at Spring Training that the parties did not reach a deal. According to ESPN, Guerrero does not intend to negotiate during the season and expects to reach free agency next off-season, though a contradictory report suggests that he would not close the door on signing a contract extension if the Blue Jays make him a "realistic" offer.

Guerrero turns 26 just before the start of the 2025 season and will likely be the most coveted player in free agency next off-season if he does not come to terms on a new contract with the Blue Jays (or another club if Toronto trades him by the trade deadlin). Guerrero is a four time All-Star with a Gold Glove award at first base and two Silver Slugger awards. He is a career .288/.363/.500 (137 wRC+) hitter. In 2021, he finished runner-up to Shohei Ohtani for AL MVP when he hit .311/.401/.601 (166 wRC+), tying Salvador Perez for the most homeruns that season by an AL hitter (48). He did regress in 2022 and 2023, but in 2024, he hit .323/.396/.544 (165 wRC+) in 159 games. He only slugged 30 homeruns but hit a career-best 44 doubles and lowered his strikeout rate to 13.8%. Just nine qualified hitters struck out less often than Guerrero, and only Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez with his 39 homeruns exceeded Guerrero's .221 isolated slugging percentage.

Although details are yet to emerge about how much Guerrero sought from the Blue Jays in taks about a contract extension, it appears that he was looking for more than $450 million. According to Jeff Passan, when asked if the Blue Jays had offered him a deal that was close to his price point, Guerrero responded, "no". Since Guerrero said before Soto signed with the Mets that Toronto's offer was approximately $340 million, it appears that this would be the case.

 

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The Chicago Cubs are in agreement with 3B/1B/DH Justin Turner on a one year, $6 million contract, with an additional $2.5 million available in incentives. According to reports, Turner will likely be more of a part-time player with the Cubs than he was with the Blue Jays and Mariners in 2024, now that he has turned 40. The Cubs have elected to sign Turner rather than pursue a trade with intra-division rivals the St Louis Cardinals for Nolan Arenado, after the Cubs missed out on signing Alex Bregman.

Turner began his career as a third baseman but in recent seasons, he has transitioned to the less physically demanding first base role while also acting as a designated hitter for his previous teams. However, both roles are already filled in Chicago, with Michael Busch likely to play first base and Seiya Suzuki to be the designated hitter. So Turner is likely to be a bench bat and to fill in for either Busch or Suzuki if they need to take time off. Turner also offers some depth at third base where the Cubs are expecting their top prospect Matt Shaw to win the job out of Spring Training, despite having not played an MLB game at this stage.

 

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The San Diego Padres are in agreement with OF Tim Locastro on a minor league contract, according to Locastro himself. He will head to minor league camp, not to Spring Training. Locastro is recovering from shoulder surgery performed last July.

Locastro signed a minor league contract with the Padres last year, and played 33 games at Triple-A before he dislocated his right shoulder during a game. He tried to rehab the injury but was unsuccessful and underwent surgery in July to repair damage to the shoulder, including to the labrum.

Auburn's Tim Locastro signs minor league deal with San Diego Padres

Auburn native Tim Locastro has re-signed with the San Diego Padres, he told The Citizen Wednesday.

auburnpub.com

 

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The Cubs have made their signing of Justin Turner official, inking him to a one year contract. Turner is reportedly guaranteed $6 million in the form of a $4 million base salary and $2 million buyout on a $10 million mutual option for 2026. Turner would receive $125,000 for reaching 350, 375, 400, 425, 450 and 475 plate appearance, and $250,000 if he reaches 500, 525 and 550 plate appearances. Turner also receives $250,000 for 120 and 150 days on the active roster, and a $500,000 bonus if he is traded.

The Cubs designated outfielder Alexander Canario for assignment to fit Turner onto their roster.

 

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The Miami Marlins announced that they have claimed RHP Seth Martinez off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks after the D'backs designated him for assignment earlier in the week. The Marlins put RHP Eury Perez on the 60 day IL to create roster space for Martinez. Perez is recovering from Tommy John surgery and is not expected to be able to pitch until the second half of the 2025 season.

Martinez will now join the third organisation of this off-season, after being put on waivers by the Astros in November and being claimed by the Diamondbacks. Arizona bumped him off their 40-man roster to fit RHP Kendall Graveman, whom they signed a few days ago.

Martinez bounced between the minors and majors while in Houston, being optioned 12 times between late 2021 (when he made his MLB debut) and the end of the 2024 season (when Houston waived him). Altogether, Martinez has 137 1/3 innings of work in the majors, with a 3.93 ERA, a 20.7% strikeout rate and a 9.2% walk rate. Martinez now has no minor league options left so must be retained on the active roster.

 

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It appears that the Sacramento Athletics are in agreement with RHP Dylan Floro on a contract, though it is unclear yet whether Floro has signed a major or minor league contract. Floro has a locker set up in the Athletics' Spring Training clubhouse in Arizona. If the Athletics have signed Floro to a major league contract, they could put LHP Ken Waldichuk on the 60-day IL to create roster space, as Waldichuk is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Floro spent the 2024 season with the Nationals and Diamondbacks, pitching a combined 68 innings with a 3.80 ERA. He managed a 2.06 ERA with the Nationals in the first half of the season, through 52 1/3 innings and only gave up one homerun. However, when Floro joined the Diamondbacks the tables flipped and Floro gave up 17 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings with Arizona in the second half of the season, which included four homeruns. The Diamondbacks designated Floro for assignment and released him in late September.



The Athletics have subsequently announced that Floro has been signed to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training.

 

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The Boston Red Sox are in agreement with LHP Matt Moore on a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Moore spent most of the last two seasons with the Angels, also having pitched with the Guardians and Marlins since the start of the 2023 season.

Moore was at one stage mentioned in the same breath as Bryce Harper and Mike Trout as prospects, but his career never fully took off after he had Tommy John surgery in 2014. Moore also missed significant time in 2019 when with the Tigers after suffering a knee injury and had to head to Japan to rebuild his career in 2020. He signed a contract with the Phillies in 2021 to be a starter, but struggled in that role and was demoted to the bullpen. Moore signed a minor league contract with the Rangers in 2022 and was exclusively a reliever, which revived his career as he pitched 74 innings with a 1.95 ERA. He then moved to the Angels in 2023.

 

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According to reports and a subsequent announcement, MLB and ESPN have each opted out of their broadcasting contract that covers the 2026-2028 seasons. Unless the parties subsequently negotiate a new deal, the 2025 season will be the final year of ESPN's broadcast of baseball.

The MLB released a statement that included the following comments:

We have had a long and mutually beneficial partnership with ESPN that dates back to its first MLB game in 1990. Unfortunately in recent years, we have seen ESPN scale back their baseball coverage and investment in a way that is not consistent with the sport's appeal or performance on their platform.
Given that MLB provides strong viewership, valuable demographics and the exclusive right to cover unique events like the Home Run Derby, ESPN's demand to reduce rights fees is simply unacceptable. As a result, we have mutually agreed to terminate our agreement.

For its part, ESPN released a statement that noted that it "applied the same discipline and fiscal responsibility that has built ESPN's industry-leading live events portfolio... As we have been throughout the process, we remain open to exploring new ways to serve MLB fans across our platforms beyond 2025."
According to reports, ESPN would have been on the hook to pay $550 million annually to MLB for the broadcast rights for 2026-2028 had it not triggered an opt-out by 1 March. ESPN had sought to renegotiate the cost, noting that Apple and Roku each were paying much lower fees (Apple pays $85 million annually for the rights to broadcast two Friday night baseball games on Apple TV+, while Roku pays $10 million per season for the right to broadcast one game on Sunday mornings).

For 2025, ESPN has the Sunday night game each week of the regular season (which is a standalone game), the Home Run Derby, and the Wild Card round in the playoffs.

MLB, ESPN opt out of TV deal for 2026-28; MLB cites ‘minimal coverage’

ESPN had been asking to lower the fees it pays to MLB for the next portion of its current contract. The deal would remain in place for 2025.

www.nytimes.com

 

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The Pittsburgh Pirates are reportedly in agreement with LHP Andrew Heaney on a one-year contract that will guarantee $5.25 million to the former Ranger. The Pirates roster is at capacity, so a move will need to be made to make the deal official when Heaney passes a physical.

Heaney pitched 160 innings for the Rangers in 2024 for a 4.28 ERA. In two seasons with Texas, Heaney made 66 starts and allowed a combined 4.22 ERA across 307 1/3 innings.

Heaney will eat innings for the Pirates, but is no more than a reliable fourth or fifth starter behind the trio of Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Mitch Keller. Heaney's downfall is his predisposition to give up homeruns, having allowed 1.54 homeruns per nine innings across his career (compared to 1.29 homeruns per nine innings in 2024). The Pirates, however, have a pitcher-friendly park, with only Oracle Park and the Oakland Coliseum ranked less favourably for homeruns over the last three seasons than PNC Park.

 

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The Toronto Blue Jays are adding LHP Ryan Yarbrough to their organisation on a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Yarbrough finished the 2024 season with Toronto after starting it with the Dodgers, when the Blue Jays traded OF Kevin Kiermaier and cash to the Dodgers in exchange for Yarbrough. While he has experience as a starter, the Blue Jays used him in long relief, pitching 31 1/3 innings across 12 appearances, with a 2.01 ERA.

Yarbrough has long been a soft-tossing pitcher, with an average 86.5 mph on his fastball. But he specialises in inducing soft contact from opponent hitters whenever he has pitched (which includes the Rays, Royals, Dodgers and Blue Jays). He has 196 appearances at the major league level, with 68 starts, but he is often asked to eat innings as a long reliever when making an appearance.

Yarbrough has a career 4.21 ERA in 768 innings with a 18.7% strikeout rate, a 5.5% walk rate and an average exit velocity of 85.1 mph, which is three mph lower than average.

 

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According to reports from a couple of days ago, the Sacramento Athletics have opened discussions with OF Lawrence Butler on a possible contract extension. GM David Forst confirmed to reporters that the Athletics are talking about extensions with players but declined to name the players.

Butler broke out for the Athletics in 2024, hitting .262/.317/.490 with 24 doubles, two triples and 22 homeruns in 451 plate appearances, but he really caught the eye after the All-Star break. After the All-Star Break, Butler hit .300/.345/.553 with 13 homeruns and 32 extra-base hits.

Butler is not due to start arbitration until 2027 and won't become a free agent until 2030. If the Athletics extend Butler, then it's likely that he'll be in line for a contract similar to Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, who signed a seven-year, $63.5 million contract last Spring as he entered his age-22 season. Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz signed for eight years and $50 million as a 24 year old two years ago. The Pittsburgh Pirates signed third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes to an eight-year, $70 million contract after the 2022 lockout ended.

Currently, only DH/OF Brent Rooker, RHP Luis Severino and LHP Jeffrey Springs are players signed beyond the current season for the Athletics, although the Athletics hold a club option on Springs and Severino has an opt-out after next season. Beyond Butler, catcher Shea Langeliers, shortstop Jacob Wilson, second baseman Zach Gelof and centre fielder JJ Bleday stand out as potential extension candidates for the Athletics.

Lawrence Butler and A’s talking long-term contract extension: Sources

MESA, Ariz. — Fresh off a breakout performance last year, right fielder Lawrence Butler is engaged in talks about a contract extension with the A’s, people briefed on the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly told The Athletic. A power and speed threat, the 24-year-old Butler...

www.nytimes.com

 

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The most important news of the offseason

 

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The most important news of the offseason

Who's going to police how well groomed they are?

 

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The most important news of the offseason

Devin Williams already going down in to Yankee folklore without actually appearing in a regular season game. Story is that he shaved his beard when he joined the Yankees and then told Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman he wanted to keep his beard.

Devin Williams gets candid about Yankees’ new beard policy and its free agency implications

Devin Williams spoke to Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman last week to voice his preference for keeping his beard, but didn’t think anything would come of it.

nypost.com

 

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The Texas Rangers have signed OF Kevin Pillar to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Pillar has played 12 MLB seasons for the Blue Jays, Giants, Red Sox, Rockies, Mets, Dodgers, Braves, White Sox and Angels. His best season came in 2019 when he earned a single vote in the NL MVP chase for a .264/.293/.442 season with the Giants after he struggled in five games with the Blue Jays. Pillar is a career .255/.293/.406 hitter, but in 2024, his bat quietened down, hitting just .229/.291/.377 with the White Sox and Angels. He generally fills the role as a depth outfielder after he struggled with an every-day role with the White Sox early last season. Pillar did manage to hit well against left-handed pitching in 2024, hitting .301/.352/.500 against southpaws in 2024, compared to a .236/.291/.378 in 282 plate appearances while with the Angels.

 

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It appears that while the Cardinals and Astros have re-engaged on a potential trade of 3B Nolan Arenado from the former to the latter, the two sides have not had any "traction" in those discussions. According to The Athletic's Chandler Rome and Katie Woo, there were brief discussions after 3B Alex Bregman was signed to a contract by the Red Sox, but Arenado's stance that he would not waive his no-trade clause to allow a trade from St Louis to Houston apparently ended the discussions quite quickly.

Cardinals, Astros briefly talked Nolan Arenado deal; stance on no-trade is unchanged: Sources

According to league sources, at least one more team has joined the Astros in talks with the Cardinals to acquire the veteran third baseman.

www.nytimes.com