MLB Rumors: Cardinals payroll cuts, Pete Alonso favorites, White Sox frontunner

With the 2024 MLB campaign almost at its end, it's worth taking a moment to reflect on all that has happened this season. We've seen history in all its forms, and the competitive balance around the league has seldom been better. If you want proof of how wild and unpredictable this season has been, look no further than the utter instanity set to unfold in the NL Wild Card over the next couple days.

We must also look ahead to what promises to be a chaotic winter. Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes figure to draw the majority of free agency headlines, but several big-ticket names could change locales in the months to come.

The latest MLB rumors deluge from Bob Nightengale of USA Today gives us a good sense of what could happen this offseason. Here's what demands your attention.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

MLB Rumors: White Sox could target Carlos Beltran as next manager

The Chicago White Sox fired Pedro Grifol midway through what is officially the worst season in MLB history, at least from a win-loss perspective. Not much has gone right for Chicago this season. They couldn't even trade their All-Star pitcher and borderline Cy Young candidate at the deadline because he sabotaged his own market.

That said, there have been generally positive vibes around Grady Sizemore as the interim manager. A three-time All-Star turned coach, Sizemore feels like the kind of manager the White Sox need. Young, hip, and able to relate to players amid what is sure to be a protracted rebuilding process. There's a very real chance it gets worse before it gets better for the Sox, so the manager needs to be able to keep the locker room in tact through severe dry spells.

That said, there's a very real chance the White Sox move on from Sizemore in search of a more accomplished name. Not to oversimplfy the matter, but Carlos Beltran, currently in a supporting role for the New York Mets staff, has nine All-Stars on his resume, compared to Sizemore's three. That is not an actual indicator of coaching ability, of course, but Beltran is expected to interview for manager roles this winter, according to USA Today.

"It’s time that Carlos Beltran, a special assistant with the New York Mets, receives interviews from teams seeking a manager," writes Nightengale. "He’d be a good fit with the White Sox if they don’t retain Grady Sizemore."

Beltran would mirror Sizemore in many ways as an accomplished former player. Whomever the White Sox end up hiring, it's essential that they command the locker room with a strong voice that players respect. As soon as the White Sox season goes south in 2025, and it will, that locker room risks falling apart. They need a manager to keep that from happening.

MLB Rumors: Cubs and Mariners are projected frontrunners for Pete Alonso if he leaves Mets

The Mets are expected to stand at the front of the line for free agents like Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes, which will complicate any efforts to retain Pete Alonso. The Polar Bear's love for NYC is well documented and it's safe to say he wants to return, but money talks in free agency. If the Mets hold up their resources elsewhere, it won't take long for other teams to come knocking.

It's generally unwise to hand out significant long-term money to power-hitting first basemen with limited defensive utility, especially when they're on the wrong side of 30 (Alonso's birthday is in December). That said, Alonso has been one of the best sluggers in baseball since his debut in 2019. A four-time All-Star, Alonso's so-called "down" season has yielded .241/.330/.464 slashes with 34 home runs and 88 RBI across 597 ABs. The Mets presumably want him back, but if he's too far down on the priority list, other teams are lurking.

According to USA Today, rival executives "believe" Alonso will end up with the Seattle Mariners or Chicago Cubs, if not back with the Mets.

The financial element could get tricky, but Seattle was extremely aggressive in its pursuit of power-hitting at the trade deadline, acquiring Randy Arozarena and Justin Turner, among others. The Cubs, meanwhile, need an offensive spark in the worst way. Cody Bellinger has regressed compared to his bounce-back campaign a year ago and the Isaac Paredes trade has not worked out as anticipated.

Chicago would need to find a new positional home for Michael Busch, assuming Alonso doesn't absorb DH duties, but there are certain risks that are worthwhile when a hitter of Alonso's caliber is involved. The strikeouts will always be a concern, but when he's raking, Alonso can alter the trajectory of a game with one swing.

MLB Rumors: Cardinals expected to float Sonny Gray in trades to cut costs

The St. Louis Cardinals, in what is perhaps the most predictable twist of all time, are expected to dangle Sonny Gray in trade talks after a commendable debut season from the former All-Star. Gray was one of the few bright spots in a St. Louis season defined by mediocrity. The veteran was expected to help launch the Cards back into the postseason mix, but the rotation around him wasn't nearly good enough.

Gray, who inked a three-year, $75 million contract last winter, has a full no-trade clause. Among the expected suitors, per USA Today, are the Cincinnati Reds, who could look to pair Gray alongside Hunter Greene atop their rotation. That's a frightening thought for NL Central teams, so St. Louis may need to think twice about sending their veteran ace to a division rival.

This was certainly not his best season, but Gray admirably followed up his 2023 Cy Young runner-up campaign. In 28 starts for St. Louis, Gray produced a 3.84 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, netting 203 strikeouts in 166.1 innings pitched. That was a hair shy of Gray's career-high mark in the punch-out department, and he probably would've set his personal record if not for injuries. So, while Gray allowed more runs than a season ago, hits, walks, and base runners were all down, and K's were up. Point being: he can still bring it.

Gray's no-trade clause gives him significant control over the situation. He can steer himself to a bonafide contender or an ideal locale. Cincinnati doesn't make the most sense at first glance, but it's where Gray spent three of his best years. Elly De La Cruz is trending toward an MVP campaign eventually and the Reds are sure to get better in a winnable NL Central. Perhaps with Gray on the bump, Cincy can start to make noise again.