MLB Rumors: Phillies could lose a starter, Cubs rotation build, O’s disappointment

The chaos of the Winter Meetings has come and gone, and now we've reached the long, slow slog toward the start of Spring Training. But just because there are no more events to look forward to on the offseason calendar doesn't mean there isn't still plenty of business to attend to between now and when pitchers and catchers report in February. Plenty of big free agents remain, headlined by Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, while everyone from Cody Bellinger to Luis Castillo could be traded over the next few weeks.

So let's take a run through the latest rumors from around MLB, including some potentially bad news for the Philadelphia Phillies' odds of keeping a key starter around and the Chicago Cubs looking to bolster their rotation after trading for Kyle Tucker last week.

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MLB Rumors: Phillies could be saying goodbye to Ranger Suarez sooner rather than later

As things stand, the Phillies starting rotation appears to be in good shape in 2025, with Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola anchoring things, Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez providing depth and top prospect Andrew Painter on the mend from last year's Tommy John surgery. But Suarez has found himself the subject of some trade rumors this offseason, as he has just one year of team control remaining before hitting free agency next winter.

And now it seems like the lefty really is as good as gone, whether it comes this offseason or next: On Monday night, the Boras Corporation's Instagram account announced that it had added Suarez as its newest client.

Suarez is far from the first person to seek Boras' representation ahead of a contract year, and he certainly won't be the last. The lefty isn't the sort of frontline name that will command $200 million on the open market, but given his track record — he has a 3.27 ERA across 117 appearances and 90 starts since joining the Philly rotation back in 2021 — his postseason performance and the way even mid-rotation names have gotten paid this winter, you can bet that he's set to cash in. Given the Phillies' payroll crunch, it seems unlike that contract will be in Philly, and we know Boras has no bones about opting for the highest bidder.

MLB Rumors: Cubs eye lefty-heavy rotation with Jesus Luzardo trade

Landing Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros was a major coup for Jed Hoyer, even as a one-year rental. Now that he's acquired a middle-of-the-order bat, though, the Cubs have turned their attention back to their biggest need of the offseason: finding more starting pitching to complement Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele atop the team's rotation. And while a run at Burnes is off the table, it seems that Hoyer has identified an ideal target on the trade market in Miami Marlins lefty Jesus Luzardo.

Luzardo has battled injuries (he's thrown more than 100 innings in a season exactly once in his six-year MLB career) and inconsistent command, but when he's on, he's got legitimate ace stuff. And with the Marlins looking to tear things down to the studs under new president Peter Bendix, he can likely be had for cheap, and he comes with two years of team control.

Plus, adding Luzardo would give the Cubs one of the most unique rotations in the Majors, with four lefties among Imanaga, Steele, Luzardo and recent free-agent signing Matthew Boyd.

The odds of just happening your way into a rotation that's 80-percent left-handed are pretty slim, which would seem to suggest that Hoyer sees some sort of advantage in that roster construction. Whether he'll be willing to dip back into his enviably deep farm system, however, is another question.

MLB Rumors: Scott Boras challenges the Orioles to put up or shut up

Monday night's signing of NPB star Tomoyuki Sugano notwithstanding, few teams have had a more underwhelming offseason so far than the Baltimore Orioles. Snagging Tyler O'Neill on a three-year deal to replace Anthony Santander was a good bit of business, and there's still a ton of talent on this roster. But the rotation remains a huge question mark, and it doesn't sound like the O's have much of a chance to re-sign Burnes at this point.

Whether he was trying to turn up the heat on a would-be contender or just trying to pay a compliment, Scott Boras decided to poke Baltimore a little bit, telling reporters on Monday that new owner David Rubenstein has made it a priority to retain they players they've drafted and developed.

Orioles fans hoped that things would change when Rubenstein, a billionaire who built his fortune in private equity, bought the team from long-time owner Peter Angelos earlier this year. But that's yet to come to fruition, whether due to fluke circumstance, Rubenstein's unwillingness to pay or GM Mike Elias' own reticence to get aggressive in the marketplace. It's clear, though, that Boras is sick of it, and he's willing to call the team out years before homegrown stars like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson hit free agency. If Elias continues to keep his powder excessively dry, expect the passive aggerssion to only continue.