MLB Rumors: Sandy Alcantara available, Yankees bullpen reunion, Sasaki visit revealed

After an eventful start to December, the MLB offseason has hit a bit of a snag. Some of the biggest names in free agency and on the trade market, like Juan Soto, Max Fried, and Garrett Crochet are off the board, but several intriguing options on both fronts are still out there for the taking.

With Christmas in the rearview mirror, there's reason to believe that the hot stove is going to heat up again. The MLB rumor mill certainly has continued to percolate even with the recent inactivity.

With that in mind, here are the latest MLB rumors for your enjoyment on this fine Thursday evening.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

MLB Rumors: Another potential Roki Sasaki suitor revealed

With Soto off the board, an argument can be made that Roki Sasaki is the most intriguing free agent available. He might not have the MLB resume as a guy like Corbin Burnes, but the restrictions on the contract he can sign make him a realistic target for all 30 teams.

Sasaki can entertain all 30 teams, but that isn't going to happen. In fact, a couple of teams have already said that they haven't been invited to speak with the Japanese right-hander yet. That can change, but Sasaki is obviously interested to an extent in the teams he has spoken with already. The Texas Rangers have joined that list of interested suitors, according to the team's president of baseball operations Chris Young.

Young didn't go into detail about how the meeting went, but the fact that the Rangers met with him is a good sign. Again, all 30 teams are interested, so to get this meeting is a big deal, even if they don't end up with the player.

It'll be interesting to find out (if we ever do) what drew Sasaki to accept an invitation from the Rangers. They aren't in a huge market (which could be a good thing) but also are not on the West Coast, are coming off a disappointing season, and don't have the best track record for pitching development.

It'd be a bit surprising to see him end up in Texas, but the fact that he accepted the meeting is a big deal. It means that the Rangers have a chance, even if their odds, right now, feel slim.

MLB Rumors: Yankees interested in ideal bullpen reunion

The New York Yankees might've lost out on Juan Soto, but they've been the most active team of the offseason thus far, signing Max Fried and Paul Goldschmidt while pulling off trades for Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger. Are any of these players close to the caliber of Soto? Absolutely not. They are, however, all solid additions capable of helping New York get back to the Fall Classic.

The Yankees have done as good of a job as they realistically could've, rebounding from the loss of Soto, but still have work to do to build the best roster for them to succeed in 2025. An area that can always use work is the bullpen.

The Yankees have already addressed the 'pen by adding Williams and Fernando Cruz in trades, but there are two clear issues with their bullpen. One, it lacks depth. Two, it lacks a left-handed option. The latest report from Jon Heyman of the NY Post links New York to an ideal target.

"The Yankees also brought back uber-talented Jonathan Loaisiga and added strikeout artist Fernando Cruz in a trade for pitch-gaming savant Jose Trevino, bolstering their strong bullpen — though they still need a lefty (they’re pursuing old friend Tim Hill and others)."

The Yankees are pursuing Tim Hill to be their primary left-hander coming out of the bullpen. That fit makes a whole lot of sense.

Hill was struggling mightily as a member of the Chicago White Sox before being released by the team in mid-June. The Yankees picked him up and immediately watched him make more of an impact than he ever has at the MLB level. He posted a 2.05 ERA in 35 appearances for the Yankees in the regular season, and allowed just one earned run in 10 appearances and 8.1 innings of work in the postseason.

Considering how well he pitched for the Yankees, particularly in October, it's a no-brainer to bring him back. Hopefully, Brian Cashman can find a way to get a deal done before another team swoops in.

MLB Rumors: It sure sounds like Sandy Alcantara is available

The Miami Marlins are coming off a wildly disappointing 62-100 season and have only made their team worse this offseason by trading Jake Burger and Jesus Luzardo in separate deals. They recouped decent value for both players, but the fact that Miami traded two fairly young and controllable proven MLB players suggests that the team is not planning on competing anytime soon.

With that in mind, MLB fans can only wonder if more trades are coming for president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and Co. Most of the team's veterans have been traded already, but the Marlins do still have one star on their roster with a good amount of value — Sandy Alcantara. Based on Bendix's latest comments makes it seem as if his team's ace might actually be available.

The Miami Herald asked Bendix if he can definitively say if Alcantara is a longterm part of the future, even though he listens to proposals on everything. His response: “You said it: We never rule out anything. We listen to everything. Sandy is a really important piece for our organization. I’m really excited to see him pitch on Opening Day.”

While Bendix didn't say outright that the Marlins are shopping Alcantara, he did say that the team will not rule anything out. In other words, if a team comes to him with an offer he deems as too good to pass on, as was the case with Luzardo and Burger, he won't be shy when it comes to pulling the trigger.

Whether now is the optimal time to trade Alcantara, a star pitcher coming off a year on the sidelines recovering from Tommy John Surgery, can be debated, but if he were to get dealt, Marlins fans hope to see a massive return. When healthy Alcantara is one of the best innings eaters in the game, and he's set to make just $17.3 million annually for the next two seasons with a club option for the 2027 campaign worth $21 million.

Alcantara is a star, is under the age of 30, and would come incredibly cheap financially for the next three seasons. The Marlins likely won't be competitive for the duration of Alcantara's contract so it does make sense to see what they can get for him, but they shouldn't settle for anything less than a very hefty return.