The MLB offseason is at a standstill. There’s no way of sugarcoating it.
Every time I ask an executive what’s going on, they suggest that it’s simply a quiet time; some executives take vacations with their families over the holidays to escape the baseball landscape for a week. But with Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger and others still unsigned, the market is bound to heat up at some point. That time just isn’t right now.
So, what is going on? I dove into that on The Baseball Insiders podcast on Friday. Here’s the highlights of what I said.
The next player to sign …
INF/OF Kazuma Okamoto
With Okamoto needing to have a deal signed by Sunday, the clock is ticking to agree to terms on a contract either by Friday or Saturday so he can complete a physical with his new team. Translation: We’re officially on Okamoto watch.
Who’s in? Well, Jon Heyman reports that the Angels are not expected to be aggressive in the bidding for Okamoto. I don’t believe the Pirates are the most likely landing spot. Two possibilities to watch are the Toronto Blue Jays and the San Diego Padres. But this feels like a player who could sign with a mystery team considering how little we know about his current free agency.
Dodgers lurking for Bo Bichette
The market for Bichette includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs, Jon Heyman reported.
The Dodgers are a team I’ve mentioned before with Bichette, and they continue to have interest in Tucker as well. The Yankees’ priority is Cody Bellinger, and Bichette could be a fallback if they don’t end up bringing Bellinger back. The Cubs, meanwhile, absolutely need another star-level player. There’s no reason why they should not be acting like a big-market team, and adding Bichette immediately adds to their chances in the NL Central (and, really, the National League as a whole).
Belief in the Mets
I’ve been critical of the Mets’ offseason. You’ve been critical of the Mets’ offseason. We’ve all been critical of the Mets’ offseason.
But I’m a believer in the Mets, really because of David Stearns.
I spent a few years around Stearns when he was the Brewers’ president of baseball operations. He’s one of the smarter executives I’ve ever been around. He always has a plan. He has contingencies. Yes, losing Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and Edwin Diaz hurts. But he knows what he's doing.
Just look at free agency. Bichette, Bellinger, Tucker and many other high-end players remain unsigned. There is always the trade market, too. There’s a lot of time for Stearns to get this right and field a winning club in 2026, and I fully expect him to do so. It’s just taking a lot longer than anyone in Queens would like.
Alex Bregman
I still believe the Red Sox are the best option for Alex Bregman. He’s exactly what they signed up for last season – a threat offensively and defensively – and also established himself as a leader within that locker room. It’s a matter of how aggressive team ownership will get for Bregman at this point. And, really, after trading Rafael Devers and shedding the entirety of his nine-figure contract, there’s no excuse for them to not go out and get Bregman – or at least another star player.