MLB Rumors: Jack Flaherty's market, Mets Alonso bluff, another international star

The MLB Hot Stove has been brought to a light simmer, but there are still plenty of valuable free agents and trade targets circling the rumor mill.

Anthony Santander is the latest big piece to come off the board, signing a five-year, $90 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. That move came on the heels of Roki Sasaki's decision to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, spurning Toronto and San Diego in a move that does the opposite of promote parity.

The pitching market has been booming all winter, with Blake Snell, Max Fried, and Corbin Burnes each signing landmark contracts. Fried's set a record for left-handed pitchers. That puts names like Max Scherzer and Jack Flaherty in focus, as the teams who couldn't afford the upper echelon of free agent pitchers will surely hammer the second-tier market. Meanwhile, Pete Alonso is the most accomplished bat left unsigned.

Here is all the latest scuttlebutt from around the league.

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MLB Rumors: Shinnosuke Ogasawara is running out of time to land MLB contract

Roki Sasaki was not the only Japanese pitcher on free agency radars. Shinnosuke Ogasawara, a 27-year-old southpaw posted by the Chunichi Dragons on Dec. 10, is also available to the highest bidder. He finished this past season with a respectable 3.12 ERA, which came on the heels of an NPB All-Star berth in 2023.

Ogasawara is not as dominant as recent phenoms, such as Sasaki or Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but he's a genuine talent with a future in the big-leagues. When exactly that future starts, however, is unclear, as Ogasawara is running out of time to land his first MLB contract.

Since he was posted on Dec. 10, he has until Jan. 24 to sign on the dotted line with an MLB deal, as MLB Trade Rumors outlined. If Ogasawara cannot agree to terms before then, he will return to Chunichi for another season.

With options beginning to dwindle around the league and a hard deadline on the horizon, don't be shocked if talks pick up quickly for the international star.

MLB Rumors: Mets aren't out on Pete Alonso after all

The New York Mets and Pete Alonso continue to haggle over contract details without a resolution in sight, but therein lies the key detail. They're still haggling, which means the Mets are not content to watch their All-Star first baseman walk without a fight.

It has been tough sledding for Alonso on the negotiating front. He's fighting an uphill battle as a first baseman on the wrong side of 30, but he's coming off a series of clutch postseason performances, which reaffirmed his value to the Mets. He his beloved in that locker room and in that fanbase. It's difficult to imagine Alonso actually wearing a different uniform.

The 30-year-old is open to a three-year contract with opt-outs, as reported by Will Sammon of The Athletic. This has become the Scott Boras special — back his clients into a corner, then settle on a flexible deal that sets up another free agency bid the next winter. There is a clear gap between New York and Alonso, but the recent reports of the Mets pivoting away were false.

According to Jon Heyman in his latest B/R Live Stream, the Mets are "still looking at" a potential reunion with Alonso. Toronto, meanwhile, has emerged as the primary competition. Alonso's market is dwindling, with the reports of his willingness to sign a short-term deal signaling the improbability of a long-term contract, which he initially wanted.

MLB Rumors: Jack Flaherty still has plenty of options in free agency

With Roki Sasaki finally off the board, Jack Flaherty is clearly the best remaining free agent pitcher. He might not soar to the same heights as Max Scherzer, but Flaherty is 28 years old with a long career ahead of him. His 2024 campaign was highly impressive, as Flaherty fought through back issues to complete 28 regular season starts and a stellar postseason run for the injury-ravaged Dodgers.

The market for pitchers has obviously diminished in recent weeks, but it shouldn't be too hard for Flaherty to find his next home. B/R's Jon Heyman no longer believes Flaherty will achieve his initial projection of four years and $80 million, but several teams remain as possible landing spots.

Heyman specifically lists the Rangers, Tigers, Braves, and potentially the Angels as teams in search of rotation depth. He makes special mention of the Angels in connection to Flaherty, an LA native who plainly enjoyed his time with the Dodgers last season. It'll be a while before the team from Anaheim is ready to contend, but that front office has more than enough financial backing to splurge on Flaherty.

Also mentioned are the Padres, who whiffed on Sasaki and who are desperately in need of pitching depth. San Diego probably won't spend on the level necessary to sign Flaherty — there's a reason Dylan Cease's name is so prominent in trade rumors — but long story short, there is no shortage of teams in need of rotation upgrades. Flaherty should be able to find his next team sooner than later.