Your lingering Hot Stove questions, answered

But the offseason is much from over.

We nonetheless have two months earlier than pitchers and catchers report back to Spring Training, and so much can occur between from time to time.

Here’s a breakdown of the offseason panorama popping out of the Winter Meetings, together with the notable free brokers who’re nonetheless obtainable, key storylines to observe, groups that must make a transfer and potential commerce candidates.

Here are 4 of probably the most fascinating post-Meetings storylines to observe over the subsequent couple months …

1. How will the shortstop market play out?

And then there have been two. Trea Turner (11-year, $300 million cope with Phillies) and Xander Bogaerts (11 years, $280 million cope with Padres) are off the board, leaving Correa and Swanson as the highest choices within the shortstop market.

Correa’s seek for a contract of $300 million or extra goes again to final offseason, and you need to suppose he and agent Scott Boras need to high Turner’s deal, if not Francisco Lindor’s $341 million contract with the Mets that made him the highest-paid shortstop in MLB historical past.

The Giants and Twins appear to be the highest rivals for Correa, whereas the Cubs are extra centered on Swanson. One of these groups goes to be left with out a chair as soon as the music stops.

The Dodgers and Braves even have holes at shortstop with Turner and Swanson reaching free company, however they’re stated to be comfy with inside replacements. After reportedly coming nowhere near the Padres’ supply for Bogaerts, the Red Sox are more likely to shift Trevor Story to brief and concentrate on including a second baseman quite than pivoting to Correa or Swanson.

2. Pressure is on the Red Sox to increase Devers

Speaking of the Red Sox, they’ve now misplaced two franchise cornerstones — Mookie Betts and Bogaerts — in lower than three years. Meanwhile, Sox followers simply watched the rival Yankees do what it took to convey again Judge.

Boston may have taken care of Bogaerts previous to 2022, however the staff’s reported supply to tack one 12 months and $30 million onto his remaining contract — thus guaranteeing him $110 million throughout 2022-26 — was nicely under what the shortstop was in search of.

The Red Sox are vulnerable to dropping one other star, third baseman Rafael Devers, in free company subsequent offseason, so the stress is mounting for Boston to signal the 26-year-old to an extension. The Red Sox reportedly made Devers an preliminary supply just like Matt Olson‘s eight-year, $168 million extension with the Braves earlier than bumping their supply north of $200 million in October, however the two sides remained far aside at that time.

Devers is not the one urgent concern for Boston after a last-place end in 2022. The Red Sox have been lively thus far, reaching offers with Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida and relievers Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin and Joely Rodríguez, however the membership nonetheless has huge holes at catcher, second base and DH, in addition to within the rotation.

3. Where will Rodón land, and for a way a lot?

Rodón is seemingly in an awesome spot with the best way the beginning pitching market has performed out. Fellow aces Justin Verlander and Jacob deGrom are off the market, and there’s a giant dropoff from the Rodón/Senga tier to the opposite starters nonetheless obtainable.

Coming into the offseason, offers signed in recent times by the Phillies’ Zack Wheeler (5 years, $118 million), the Mariners’ Robbie Ray (5 years, $115 million) and the Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman (5 years, $110 million) appeared like good comps for Rodón. However, the left-hander may very well be poised to go nicely above these contracts, even perhaps exceeding Patrick Corbin’s six-year, $140 million pact with the Nationals.

Brendan Kuty of NJ.com heard Rodón has been asking for six years at a charge of $30 million per 12 months in his talks with groups.

The Yankees have “strong interest” in Rodón, in keeping with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, and he’s additionally been linked to the Dodgers, Giants, Twins and Orioles.

4. Do the Dodgers have one other late-winter splash in retailer?

The Padres re-signed Nick Martinez and Robert Suarez earlier than reaching a surprising contract with Bogaerts. The Giants have been very a lot within the combine for Judge and stay within the hunt for one more huge fish after lacking out on the 6-foot-7 slugger. San Francisco additionally re-signed Joc Pederson and landed Mitch Haniger earlier than the Judge determination got here down.

The Dodgers, although, have largely lingered within the background whereas their NL West rivals have grabbed headlines. Los Angeles did re-sign Clayton Kershaw, however Turner, Tyler Anderson, Andrew Heaney and Cody Bellinger are all gone, and the membership hasn’t achieved something to exchange them but.

In current years, the Dodgers have waited till deep into the offseason to strike. Their commerce for Betts got here in February 2020. They signed Trevor Bauer 12 months later, then inked Freddie Freeman this previous March.

Will historical past repeat itself? Or are the Dodgers content material to put low and watch for Shohei Ohtani to succeed in free company subsequent offseason?

The Dodgers went 111-51 final season and have been a whopping 22 video games higher than the second-place Padres. They nonetheless have a ton of expertise on their huge league roster and have proven 12 months in and 12 months out the power to unearth hidden gems and convey up surprising contributors from the farm system. Point is, whereas they’ve been quiet this offseason, they don’t essentially want to do something splashy.

The identical can’t be stated for various golf equipment round MLB.

We already coated the Red Sox. The Yankees received the Judge sweepstakes, however that is largely nonetheless the identical staff that simply obtained swept by the Astros within the ALCS. The Bronx Bombers must do extra.

Staying within the AL East, the Orioles have been speculated to be lively on the free-agent market this offseason after ending with a stunning 83-79 report in 2022, however their most notable addition up to now has been 35-year-old righty Kyle Gibson, who posted a 5.05 ERA final season. The Blue Jays, in the meantime, nonetheless want an outfielder and a beginning pitcher.

Giants followers anticipated Judge. If Pederson and Haniger find yourself being the largest strikes San Francisco makes, there are going to be a number of sad of us within the Bay Area.

The Cubs landed Bellinger and Jameson Taillon, but when their involvement with the shortstop market does not bear fruit, is that this higher than a third-place staff within the NL Central? The identical goes for the Twins within the AL Central sans Correa.

And, after all, we will not overlook the Angels, who have not made the postseason since 2014 regardless of having two of the perfect gamers in baseball, Mike Trout and Ohtani. The Halos signed Anderson and traded for Gio Urshela and Hunter Renfroe, however in a division with the Astros, Mariners and Rangers, which may not be sufficient.

Now that among the high free brokers are off the board, we may see some motion within the commerce market. Here are 5 potential names that may very well be on the commerce block within the coming weeks.

SP Pablo López, Marlins: Given the lofty price ticket hooked up to starters on the open market, López may very well be a preferred commerce goal for groups that want rotation assist however don’t have the urge for food to pony up for a free agent. The 26-year-old righty owns a 3.52 ERA and a 3.48 FIP because the starting of 2020 and is controllable by 2024. Other beginning pitchers who’re attributable to turn into free brokers in one of many subsequent two offseasons and have come up in commerce chatter embody Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Lucas Giolito, Shane Bieber and Blake Snell, however they aren’t almost as more likely to be dealt as López.

C Sean Murphy, A’s: Oakland was stated to be near a deal involving Murphy throughout the Winter Meetings, however he stays with the A’s. One of MLB’s finest defensive catchers and an above-average hitter as nicely, he may draw renewed curiosity as soon as Vázquez finds a house. The 28-year-old Murphy is underneath staff management by 2025.

OF Bryan Reynolds, Pirates: Reynolds (controllable by 2025) requested a commerce previous to the Winter Meetings. The Pirates say they count on him to be a part of the staff in 2023 and past. But he’ll be 28 years previous on Opening Day and will probably be near free company by the point the Pirates are critically able to contend.

RP Liam Hendriks, White Sox: According to Feinsand, the White Sox mentioned trades involving Hendriks with a number of groups throughout the Winter Meetings. The Australia native stays top-of-the-line closers within the recreation, however Chicago has a loaded bullpen and will look to make the most of a weak free-agent reliever market by dealing Hendriks. His $15 million membership choice for 2024 will turn into assured if he is traded.

SS Willy Adames, Brewers: One or extra groups are going to return away dissatisfied as soon as Correa and Swanson signal. An Adames commerce stays unlikely, however it’s not out of the realm of potentialities for a Brewers membership that has dealt Josh Hader, Kolten Wong and Renfroe prior to now 5 months. If there is a staff keen to go all out to commerce for Adames (controllable by 2024), the Brewers would possibly pay attention.