We haven't even hit Thanksgiving yet, and already the Hot Stove has started to get nice and toasty. Right on the heels of the Seattle Mariners bringing back first baseman Josh Naylor and the fascinating Grayson Rodriguez deal between Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels, it was the Atlanta Braves' turn to get busy on Wednesday night. In the span of an hour or so, the team re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias on a one-year, $16 million deal and flipped infielder Nick Allen to the Houston Astros for utility man extraordinaire Mauricio Dubon.
What will be the next domino to fall? It seems like we could get our answer sooner than expected, as the markets for some of the biggest names in MLB free agency have picked up steam. Below are the latest updates from the rumor mill on Thursday, Nov. 20, including an unexpected suitor for Kyle Tucker and a potential hint about Kyle Schwarber's ultimate landing spot.
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Could the Orioles really factor into the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes?
Baltimore caught just about everybody off-guard when they flipped Rodriguez to L.A. in exchange for veteran slugger Taylor Ward. But if you thought that meant the O's were set on outfielders, well, think again: According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon, Mike Elias and Co. "are not ruling out a pursuit of right fielder Kyle Tucker".
It's fair to be skeptical of the idea, even as Orioles brass makes a lot of noise about a renewed willingness to spend this offseason. Tucker's bidding seems likely to clear the $400 million mark, well beyond any deal this franchise has ever handed out, and the dance card in the outfield is pretty full with Ward, Tyler O'Neill and Dylan Beavers in the corners and Colton Cowser in center field. Still, Cowser or Beavers could be moved in a trade for pitching, which would maybe open up room for a run at Tucker. We wouldn't classify Baltimore as a likely landing spot, but who knows?
Will Braves settle at shortstop after Mauricio Dubon deal?
In that same column, Rosenthal and Sammon wonder whether Dubon might wind up becoming Atlanta's everyday shortstop in 2026 rather than a bench piece. The middle-infield market is very, very thin this winter past Bo Bichette, who isn't a great defensive fit at short anyway. Ha-Seong Kim's market figures to be awfully healthy — he is a Boras client, after all — and potential trade targets like Corey Seager (tough to move), CJ Abrams (in the Braves' division) and Ezequiel Tovar (who knows what the Rockies want) all feel unlikely at the moment.
Given all that, could Atlanta simply slot Dubon in at short and spend big money elsewhere (like, for example, at DH)? It's possible, but I'm still skeptical. Ownership has already said publicly that they'd like to be a top-five payroll in the sport next season, so money won't be an issue. Getting Kyle Schwarber out of Philly will be easier said than done, and Pete Alonso is iffy as a long-term investment. Bichette is the cleanest path to a major offensive upgrade, and Dubon makes much more sense as a Swiss army knife given his light bat and his ability to play everywhere on the diamond. Maybe I'm misreading things here, but I don't think Alex Anthopoulos is done taking swings by a long shot.
Yankees show interest in a Devin Williams reunion
It was a roller-coaster ride for Williams in his debut season in New York, to put it mildly. He struggled so badly to start 2025 that he was booed off the mound and stripped of the closer's role, but he rebounded admirably to become one of the Yankees' most trusted relievers in October.
And that apparently has New York interested in a reunion, with The Athletic reporting that the team recently reached out to Williams' camp about a new deal. Yes, the top-line numbers were ugly, but Williams' underlying metrics (particularly his ability to miss bats) were as good as ever; he's an obvious bounce-back candidate for 2026, and the Yankees could very much use another back-end option to pair with David Bednar. Whether Williams liked his experience in the Bronx enough to be open to a return, especially amid a hot market, is another question.
Kyle Schwarber has Reds fans dreaming of a hometown reunion
Most of the chatter around Schwarber thus far has centered around him heading back to Philadelphia, where the Phillies would no doubt love to slot him back atop their lineup in 2026. But that might be easier said than done: Not only will Philly have to fend off other contenders like the Red Sox and Padres, but we also can't rule out Schwarber's hometown Cincinnati Reds.
The star slugger was back in Middletown, Ohio, this week to visit his old high school, and while there he had some very intriguing things to say about the possibility of playing in Cincy.
Kyle Schwarber said he and his family will spend a lot of time back home in Middletown in the future.
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) November 20, 2025
As the NL MVP runner-up gears up for free agency, he spoke with our @Porters_Videos about potential interest from his hometown Reds: pic.twitter.com/jvO1vsF1mZ
“I grew up going to games here," Schwarber said. "I grew up sitting in the bleachers and watching a lot of games and I think the kid would be excited, right? You have your hometown team that’s calling."
Of course, nothing comes for free in this league, and the Reds would need to meet Schwarber's asking price — an open question given the way this front office and ownership group have operated in recent years. Still, Cincy does have a need for more pop at DH, and this pitching staff is ready to contend in a meaningful way. If they're willing to pay up, Schwarber would have to give it some serious consideration.