The calendar, a wall calendar sponsored by a local funeral home, is set in 2025 and some of the biggest names, including Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes, have been left out of the lineup. Still, some notable free agents and trade targets are still available, which means MLB rumors are coming in on a daily basis well into the second half of the offseason. Speaking of which, Thursday’s supply is just below.
Angels weigh in on Alonso
The Angels are “considering” signing free agent first baseman Pete Alonso, the New York Post reported. The Halos have a talented young first baseman in 2023 first-round pick Nolan Chanuel, but acquiring Alonso would allow them to try Chanuel in the outfield, or trade Chanuel to other players on the roster. It can also be exchanged with Veterans Anthony Rendon, Jorge Soler and Mike Trout are expected to take up the majority of the team’s DH at-bats.
We ranked Alonso 11th as the best free agent available this offseason. The longer he remains unsigned and the closer he gets to spring training, the more likely it is that Alonso will return to the Mets on a one-year deal with a player option, perhaps similar to the deals Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman signed last winter. It will be. Free agents have given a cold shoulder to right-handed first basemen in their 30s in recent years. As good as Alonso is, it’s not often that a player with his profile wins big money.
Tigers and Jays’ favorite to win Bregman
Astros veteran third baseman Alex Bregman is almost certain to sign elsewhere and is the top remaining free agent on the market, potentially putting his situation in focus. Jon Heyman said during a recent livestream appearance that the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays are the “most likely” teams to acquire Bregman at this time. The Tigers, in particular, have been linked to Bregman for some time. Detroit is making a surprise playoff berth in 2024, and the Jays are looking to bounce back from a very disappointing season. Each team needs an upgrade at the hot corner, and Bregman promises to do that for years to come.
Earlier in the offseason, CBS Sports ranked Bregman as the No. 3 free agent in the current class. Below are some of our articles.
Bregman was one of the most productive third basemen in the sport for most of his career. He has the sixth-highest WAR at the position since 2020, ahead of Rafael Devers, and the only other notable third baseman of this era. He has had a great career so far. But this exercise is, in part, about looking to the future. The more I looked into Bregman, the more I had questions about his bat. I can’t deny the feel of his contact, but I’m not so sure about other elements. For example, Statcast calculates that if he had hit the same ball in any of MLB’s other 17 fields, he would have hit at least 30 fewer home runs in his career. You can’t hold it against Bregman – you play golf on the course you’re on – but it suggests his power could be affected elsewhere. His walk rate has also been an issue, dropping to a career-low 6.9% last season as he became more aggressive. Bregman’s batting and fielding skills are still good enough to provide value. There’s just a little more reason to say “hmm” here than the value of his name suggests.
Bregman will turn 31 in late March. The current Astros are negotiating for infielders Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker, but this means there is no path to a Bregman reunion.
The Chicago White Sox have agreed to a one-year contract with infielder Josh Rojas, MLB.com reported. Rojas, 30, finished the 2024 season with the Mariners, batting .225/.304/.336 (91 OPS+) with eight home runs and 10 stolen bases in 142 games. For his career, he posted an OPS+ of 92 in six major league seasons. Rojas can play multiple positions, including second base and third base. He spent a lot of time at shortstop through 2021, and also saw some innings at the outfield corner.
