Options have been exercised, qualifying offers have been extended and MLB free agency has officially opened. It's time for Hot Stove season to well and truly begin, starting with this week's GM Meetings.
All 30 lead execs will assemble in Las Vegas for three days beginning on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Don't expect a flurry of transactions or anything; the GM Meetings are usually centered around off-field issues like rule changes, and most teams are still getting their ducks in a row. (For context: The most notable move last year was the New York Mets' trade for Jose Siri.) Still, gathering every MLB front office (and plenty of agents) in the same hotel is bound to get the juices flowing — and lay the foundation for signings and trades to come later in the offseason.
Over at USA Today, MLB insider Bob Nightengale set the stage for the week and the winter to come, breaking down the teams to watch, which free agents might wind up where and which unexpected stars could be on the move.
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MLB Rumors: Cubs could shop at high end of pitching market
It seems like a fait accompli at this point that the Chicago Cubs won't be the highest bidder in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes this winter, rendering his time on the North Side and one-and-done deal. Setting aside for the moment just how ridiculous it is that a franchise printing money in one of baseball's biggest markets would just let a star player walk in free agency, it does at least seem like Jed Hoyer is poised to put (some of) that money to use elsewhere.
Specifically, the starting rotation, a group that was already in flux even before the team declined to retain lefty Shota Imanaga. Even if Imanaga accepts the qualifying offer or otherwise returns to Chicago next season, the Cubs need pitching, and Nightengale reports that the team could be "shopping in the expensive aisle" to do so. Two specific names he mentions: Dylan Cease and Framber Valdez, arguably the top two arms on the market.
Of course, the bidding for both will be fierce, and it's not exactly Hoyer's M.O. to blow the market out of the water if needed. Still, there's no reason for the Cubs not to be fully committed to building a World Series contender next season, and it's hard to imagine them doing so without impact talent at the top of this rotation. It's easy to see both Cease and Valdez as potential fits: The former is coming off a down year but still boasts elite swing-and-miss stuff, while the latter has a ground ball-heavy approach that would be a dream for Wrigley Field and this elite infield defense. And both are among the league's preeminent innings eaters, which should be music to Chicago's ears after how last season ended.
MLB Rumors: Could Blue Jays be dark horse for Kyle Tucker?
Speaking of Tucker, Nightengale name-drops the usual suspects when assessing his market at the start of free agency, namely the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. Which makes sense: Both teams have money to spend, championship aspirations and needs for a corner outfielder.
But Nightengale also mentions another intriguing team in connection to Tucker, suggesting that the Toronto Blue Jays might be "the perfect fit". You can see why: The Blue Jays aren't hurting for money after this year's World Series run, and that's even more true if Bo Bichette departs in free agency. Plus, left field remains a bit of a question mark, and George Springer's declining athleticism means he should be ticketed for DH duties at some point in the near future. Replacing or augmenting Bichette with Tucker, another big bopper to pair with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., would be the ideal way to erase the memory of Game 7 heartbreak.
Will Tucker return the interest? That remains to be seen; we don't need to remind Jays fans of how hard it's been to lure stars north of the border. But the vibes are at an all-time high right now, and Toronto's pursuit of both Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto suggests that ambition and cash won't be issues.
MLB Rumors: Fernando Tatis Jr., Ketel Marte among stars that could be traded
Free agency isn't the only thing to keep our eye on, though. This already figured to be among the most robust trade markets in recent memory, and if Nightengale's reporting is accurate, things might be even wilder than previously thought.
Nightengale checks off the usual suspects, guys like Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez and Sandy Alcantara that we've heard about since the trade deadline. But he doesn't stop there, also checking off Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and D-backs infielder Ketel Marte as names to watch.
Marte bubbled up in rumors during the year, suggesting that Arizona had soured on his effect on the clubhouse. Even if that was overblown, you can understand why a team with uncertain prospects in 2026 (especially with Corbin Burnes on the shelf) might want to sell high on a 32-year-old with a lengthy injury history who's under contract until 2030.
Tatis Jr., on the other hand, is a new one, and Nightengale does qualify it by saying that the Padres don't want to trade the face of their franchise. Still, money is tight in San Diego right now, and it does feel like one of their long-term contracts might need to get off-loaded at some point soon. Good luck getting anything for Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill isn't going anywhere and Tatis Jr. figures to command way, way more on the market than Manny Machado. With the way the market is trending right now, a 14-year, $340 million contract looks downright reasonable, especially for a two-way star who will only turn 27 in January.