MLB Rumors: Cubs' Imai advantage, Murakami shocker, Mets still spending

After a hot Winter Meetings, things really cooled down in the MLB offseason before Friday, when a couple of blockbusters were finalized. With Christmas less than a week away, it's entirely possible that momentum continues and more moves come off the board in the coming days.

With that in mind, the latest rumors highlighting Japanese stars Tatsuya Imai and Munetaka Murakami, as well as the New York Mets, are worth your time on this fine Saturday afternoon.

Cubs odds in Tatsuya Imai sweepstakes improved without doing anything

It's been a very quiet offseason thus far for the Chicago Cubs, as the biggest move they've made saw them sign Phil Maton to a two-year deal. Sure, Maton is a fine addition to a bullpen that needed reinforcements, but there's more work for the Cubs to do, particularly in their rotation. Given that, the latest update in the Tatsuya Imai sweepstakes is one that Cubs fans will certainly like.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed on Friday that Imai has not met with the team and he has no idea if the right-hander will do so at all. Now, this doesn't mean that the Cubs have met with him or that the Yankees are fully out of the hunt, but it obviously makes it less likely that Imai will end up in the Bronx, thus taking a clear favorite for his services down a notch.

In fact, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand said that the Yankees and Cubs have been considered the favorites to sign him. If the Yankees haven't even met with him up to this point, that has to mean that the Cubs are the favorites, right? Again, this doesn't guarantee anything, but with Imai needing to sign by Jan. 2, Cubs fans have to like where they stand currently in the hunt to sign perhaps the best free agent starting pitcher available.

Munetaka Murakami market still in flux

Entering the offseason, Munetaka Murakami was seen as one of the most exciting free agents out there. Sure, there are some whiff and defensive concerns, but 25-year-olds with his kind of power don't grow on trees. Murakami has hit 265 home runs in eight seasons in Japan, and can easily average 35+ home runs a season in MLB if everything clicks. You'd think a player his age with that kind of power would attract a ton of suitors and sign a massive contract, but the way his free agency has gone, it's not looking like that'll be the case. Just look at the latest update from Will Sammon of The Athletic ($).

"There’s also a possibility, however, that Murakami ends up finding any such long-term offers lacking in terms of dollars. Some of those same scouts who admire Murakami’s power also question his defense, contact rates and ability to make necessary adjustments against better pitchers. Therefore, a short-term deal may hold some appeal," Sammon wrote.

Rather than sign a massive nine-figure deal, Sammon believes it's a possibility that he'll wind up signing a short-term deal. The reason for this ultimately has a lot to do with his defensive and whiff concerns.

As bad as this sounds for Murakami, a short-term deal could be a blessing in disguise. If he isn't generating much interest now, he'll certainly command an absurd deal sooner rather than later when he re-tests free agency if he proves he can hit big league pitching and play the field competently. He could make more money in a couple of years than anyone expected him to this winter if he proves he belongs at the MLB level.

As for where he'll sign, that is also unknown. Murakami's market is so strange that ESPN's David Schoenfeld predicted he'd sign with the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox do have money to spend and are improving ever so slightly, so it's not as if this move wouldn't make sense, but it'd be pretty wild to see a free agent who was once so enticing wind up with a team that's nowhere near competitive.

It'll be interesting to see if either of these potentially wild outcomes will come to fruition. Murakami's deadline to sign is Monday, Dec. 22, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Steve Cohen hints at big Mets moves ahead

To say it's been a rough offseason for New York Mets fans would be an understatement. The Mets traded Brandon Nimmo and lost both Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz to free agency in a matter of a couple of weeks, and have yet to make a big splash this offseason. A New York Sports article suggested that the suffering of Mets fans would continue this offseason, estimating their payroll would wind up in the "$310 million to $320 million range," giving the team roughly $20 million to spend the rest of the winter. Owner Steve Cohen was quick to squash that on X (formerly known as Twitter), though.

Cohen would be surprised if the Mets' payroll wound up being lower than last year's $342 million payroll, meaning there's a whole lot more room to spend than previously insinuated. This is music to the ears of every Mets fan.

Having that much money to spend means the Mets can realistically acquire the frontline starter and big bat they desperately need without worrying. A $310-$320 million payroll would've likely restricted them to just one or the other. Knowing that they have more wiggle room, and knowing that the Mets could easily shed more salary by trading one or more of guys like Jeff McNeil, Kodai Senga and David Peterson, there's the potential for a huge offseason still to come.

Of course, it's on David Stearns to actually make moves. With the right moves, the Mets could easily find their way back to the postseason in 2026.