The Winter Meetings are always insane. Unexpected trades happen. Free agents come flying off the board. I’m in the gym at 4 a.m. with executives and agents, then chasing rumors until midnight. It’s pure chaos. And I love it.
So what might (or might not) happen at the Winter Meetings next week in Orlando? With Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber and many free agents still unsigned, it could be active. Very active. Here’s how I see the Winter Meetings playing out.
Kyle Schwarber watch heats up at Winter Meetings
Where he goes, I don’t know. No one knows. But Schwarber is in demand, loved by seemingly everyone he's been around in baseball, and there are plenty of teams — Phillies, Red Sox, Pirates, Orioles, among others — who have been connected to him in reports. The expectation is that his eventual contract will be for five seasons, and I could very well see that going down at the Winter Meetings.
Kyle Tucker’s free agency stretches beyond Orlando
Tucker just visited the Toronto Blue Jays’ spring training facility, as FanSided first reported. Since he did that, it’s entirely possible he takes more visits before deciding where to spend the rest of his career. But a contract of that magnitude takes time. And I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it takes time for the superstar slugger to sign, with Jeff Passan of ESPN.com saying it “could stretch into the new year potentially.”
Freddy Peralta trade rumors dominate the Winter Meetings
After Brandon Woodruff accepted the qualifying offer, my first instinct was that a Freddy Peralta trade became more likely. Both Mark Attanasio and Matt Arnold went on the record saying that the two things had no correlation. But there is always a chance that the interest in Peralta is so overwhelming that it forces the Brewers to make a trade. Nothing has come close to enticing Milwaukee. But with teams able to meet face-to-face in Orlando ... you never know.
J.T. Realmuto remains with the Phillies
There’s a lot of interest in free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto. Teams love his leadership and what he provides on the field, both at the plate and behind the plate. It’s why the Phillies love him, and I have a very difficult time seeing him leave Philadelphia. It won't be a long-term contract, but a reunion keeping him the two sides together makes all the sense.
After all, look at the catchers with 10 straight seasons of 2.5+ rWAR in MLB history: Realmuto, Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, Mike Piazza, Pudge Rodriguez and Ted Simmons. What do all (besides Realmuto for now) have in common? They're all in the Hall of Fame.
The Pirates push to make a splash on offense
The Pirates have been connected to almost every free agent bat imaginable. They had serious interest in Josh Naylor. I doubt they land Kyle Schwarber. So that leaves a few options such as Jorge Polanco, Ryan O’Hearn and J.T. Realmuto, among others. I expect the Pirates to land a meaningful bat and add other pieces on offense. On Polanco: he has interest from the Mariners, and Seattle would like him back.
The Mets push to re-sign Edwin Díaz
The Devin Williams signing did not take the Mets out of the Edwin Diaz sweepstakes. Not by a longshot. Diaz still has interest from other clubs, but the reported five-year, $100 million price tag (via Bob Nightengale) would seemingly limit the suitors. So I believe that David Stearns and Steve Cohen make a strong push to keep Diaz, which would give the Mets a dominant duo in the late innings.
The Marlins target bullpen upgrades
The Marlins are active in the bullpen market, having been connected to Pete Fairbanks and others in reports. Perhaps they land Fairbanks and another reliever to shore up the late innings of their bullpen. For a team that far exceeded expectations last year, adding to the bullpen and maybe adding another starting pitcher (Michael King?) would be very smart. It could put them over the hump in getting into the postseason.
Uncertainty remains surrounding Cody Bellinger
After Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer, the immediate word was that Cody Bellinger was still in play for the Yankees. I buy that. Yes, the Yankees are attempting to keep Bellinger. But the two sides are not close to a deal, and team owner Hal Steinbrenner said it would be "ideal" to lower payroll. If that's the case, where does that leave Bellinger and the Yankees? I'm leaving the door open for a return to the Bronx, but I'm a little skeptical of their chances at the moment.
Trade buzz around MacKenzie Gore picks up
I don’t know if MacKenzie Gore is traded at the Winter Meetings. But there is likely to be massive interest in the star left-hander who has two years of team control remaining on his contract. Like Freddy Peralta, it could end up leading to a trade. Part of me wonders about whether A.J. Preller and the San Diego Padres could do it, but after the Mason Miller trade at the deadline, I’m unsure if they have the prospects to pull it off.
The Braves’ Twitter account strikes again
The most secretive franchise in baseball is the Atlanta Braves. Most of their moves break via the team Twitter account in a press release. Knowing how active the Braves have been this offseason, with needs at shortstop, bullpen and in the rotation, part of me thinks we see another Braves transaction announced via their Twitter account.