Four teams remain in the MLB postseason. With all due respect to the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Brewers, it feels like that number is about to fall to three. The Los Angeles Dodgers are charging to the World Series behind elite pitching, just like we all predicted a month ago. The ALCS is a bit more competitive after a rollicking Toronto Blue Jays comeback in Games 3 and 4, but you'd be silly to count out the Seattle Mariners.
For the other 26 MLB teams, though ... it's the offseason. Stuff is already happening behind the scenes. The Guardians re-signed Austin Hedges, because of course they did. We won't see the free agency floodgates open until after the season, especially around Winter Meetings, but the stage is being set.
The latest MLB rumors cover two of the most coveted names on the market — Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman, a 2025 free agent, and Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, a 2026 free agent — as well as a GM on the hot seat in San Diego Padres mastermind AJ Preller.
Here's what you need to know.
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MLB Rumors: Alex Bregman's market should expand without a qualifying offer attached
Alex Bregman will opt out of his three-year, $120 million contract with the Red Sox to test the open market. He almost certainly won't get $40 million per year again, but if the 31-year-old can get six or seven years with a higher total sum, he'll be a happy camper. It's all about long-term security for Bregman at this point.
The two-time World Series champ has earned massive respect around the league, and for good reason. This past season was a roller coaster of sorts, as he came out of the gate strong but fizzled out down the stretch amid injuries. On the whole, though, it's hard to complain about an .821 OPS and 128 OPS+ with 18 home runs in 433 at-bats. It's fair to wonder how exactly Bregman will age, but he's still remarkably solid across the board, hitting for contact and power, not to mention offering a Gold Glove résumé at third base.
Bregman's market consisted of at least four teams last offseason, but that was when he had a qualifying offer attached. That meant Boston lost a draft pick in the process of signing him. Bregman can't receive a qualifying offer twice, which means there will be no additional compensation for teams looking to pry the veteran out of Beantown this winter.
That "should expand the field of interested clubs," as MassLive's Sean McAdam writes. He cites two viable suitors: the Chicago Cubs, who made a four-year, $130 million offer in 2024, and the Detroit Tigers, who made a six-year, $175 million offer, which may better align with what Bregman is seeking after pocketing a crisp $40 million from Boston in 2025.
MLB Rumors: AJ Preller contract extension is 'possible but not guaranteed'
AJ Preller has certainly earned his reputation as one of the most ambitious general managers in MLB. Even amid an ownership dispute and budget constraints, Preller left it all on the table at the 2025 trade deadline, shelling out a significant chunk of the San Diego farm system to acquire big-ticket contributors like Mason Miller, Ramón Laureano and Ryan O'Hearn.
The result — at least in the short term — was a first-round postseason exit. That raises new questions about Preller's future in San Diego as he enters the final year of his contract. While Preller is well respected, and he has done an excellent job of building the Padres into a perennial contender, it would appear his future is very much in question.
"This week, as the franchise contended with the fallout from Mike Shildt’s resignation as manager and reports of his conflicts with coaches and others in the organization, team sources indicated that another contract extension for Preller is possible but not guaranteed," wrote Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Padres employees have noticed "increasing tension" between Preller and CEO Erik Greupner, who already received a new extension — and who owns a small stake in the team. Greupner's "influence has grown," per Lin and Rosenthal. While the product on the field remains exceptional, that disconnect between CEO and GM could leave Preller vulnerable to an eventual pink slip.
While Padres fans almost certainly want Preller to stick around, the GM needn't worry too much. He's sure to land another job, and quickly, if San Diego opts to go in a new direction.
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MLB Rumors: Tarik Skubal rejected four-year, $100 million contract from Tigers last offseason
The Tigers enter the 2025-26 offseason with a clear mandate: build a contender around Tarik Skubal and extend their Cy Young-winning ace. That's easier said than done, however, especially for a GM with his hands tied by small-market finances like Scott Harris. The Tigers just don't spend at the level of a club from New York or Los Angeles, and Skubal is about to single-handedly reset the market for starting pitchers if he reaches the open market in 2026.
It's becoming increasingly plausible that Skubal could receive up to or in excess of $400 million as a free agent. The Tigers made an offer last winter of four years and $100 million, a "noncompetitive" offer that he flatly rejected, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press.
The New York Post's Jon Heyman recently said there is a $250 million gap between Skubal and the Tigers, but it could be $300 million-plus in reality. While that $100 million offer from Detroit would be a hefty sum historically for a pitcher who hasn't reached free agency, it's just not enough for a dominant arm like Skubal. Not in this marketplace.
Max Fried got $218 million last winter, a record for a left-handed pitcher. With all due respect to Fried, who could finish top-three in Cy Young voting, he's a couple tiers below Skubal, who is expected to win the American League's top pitching award for the second straight season. Skubal, 28, finished the 2025 campaign with a 2.21 ERA and 0.89 WHIP, registering 241 strikeouts in 195.1 innings pitched.
He's the best pitcher in baseball. And he will be paid accordingly, especially with Scott Boras as his agent. It's up to Detroit to go above and beyond to make sure he gets paid in a Tigers uniform.