We are two weeks into the 2024-25 MLB offseason and so far the Angels have been the most active team. They landed Jorge Soler in a salary dump trade with the Braves, and signed Kyle Hendricks and Travis d’Arnaud as free agents. The rest of the baseball world has yet to really kick things into gear. Here now are Wednesday’s hot stove rumors.
ChiSox prefer position player in Crochet trade
The White Sox are likely to trade All-Star lefty Garrett Crochet this offseason and their preference is a package led by a high-end position player, reports ESPN. That said, they would consider taking a pitcher as the headliner if the rest of the trade package is to their liking. Crochet, 25, has two years of team control remaining and is the offseason’s No. 1 trade candidate.
MLB Trade Rumors projects a $2.9 million salary for Crochet through arbitration in 2025. That is a bargain. He is excellent, he is very affordable, and he comes with multiple years of control. The bidding war for Crochet will be fierce because every team from the big spending Dodgers and Yankees to the small market Brewers and Pirates can afford him at that projected salary.
BoSox have interest in Eovaldi
The pitching-needy Red Sox have interest in a reunion with righty Nathan Eovaldi, according to WEEI. Eovaldi declined a $20 million player option to enter free agency. He of course spent much of 2018 and all of 2019-22 in Boston, and helped the club win the 2018 World Series championship. Eovaldi is our No. 10 free agent this offseason.
Eovaldi, 34, threw 170 2/3 innings with a 3.80 ERA for Texas this past season, and he has one of the greatest postseason resumes ever. He’s also been a beloved teammate and an asset in the clubhouse everywhere he’s played, something the Red Sox know firsthand. Boston badly needs rotation help and an Eovaldi reunion on a 2-3 year contract makes sense.
Mariners interested in Turner reunion
The Mariners have interest in bringing veteran first baseman Justin Turner back next season, and the two sides have already had some talks, GM Justin Hollander told MLB.com. “We’ve already had discussions with JT and reiterated our interest that we expressed at the end of the season,” Hollander said. Turner is our No. 41 free agent this offseason.
Turner, 40 later this month, joined the Mariners in a midseason trade with the Blue Jays this summer and slashed .264/.343/.403 with five home runs in 48 games with Seattle. He still has great plate discipline and the ability to get the bat on the ball, though Turner’s power has begun to dry up. At this point in his career, he’s more of a 10-15 homer guy than a 20-plus homer guy.
Giants do not have meeting scheduled with Soto
According to The Athletic, the Giants do not currently have a meeting scheduled with top-ranked free agent Juan Soto. That does not mean they won’t meet with him this offseason, only that the Giants do not have a meeting on the books at the moment. Soto reportedly either will meet with or has already met with the Blue Jays, Mets, Red Sox, and Yankees. Undoubtedly other teams are in the mix. The Giants, under new POBO Buster Posey, are expected to trim payroll this winter.
