The Atlanta Braves won the World Series one week ago Tuesday and already we’ve seen our first notable trade (Tucker Barnhart to the Tigers), free agent signing (Andrew Heaney to the Dodgers), and waiver claim (Wade Miley to the Cubs) of the offseason. The MLB hot stove is now open for business, though the looming expiration of the collective bargaining agreement threatens to halt activity.
Here, then, are Wednesday’s hot stove rumors as the GM Meetings continue in California.
Ohtani ‘extremely happy’ with Angels
He’s a two-way star, you know, so Shohei Ohtani gets the double profile treatment:
Ohtani is the AL MVP favorite this season with good cause, as the numbers above demonstrate. He’s also, like fellow Halos superstar Mike Trout, generally a stranger to winning baseball with the Angels. That has led to some hints of dissatisfaction on Ohtani’s part and speculation that he may be eyeing greener, more successful pastures. However, Ohtani’s agent is here to push back against that somewhat tantalizing narrative:
Ohtani isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2023 season, so this is hardly an urgent situation. That said, striking positive tones is a promising sign, even if it’s fairly standard for a player to say such things in these circumstances. It remains quite vital for the Angels to contend while Ohtani is still under team control, and these remarks don’t change that.
Rangers in on Corey Seager
Power-hitting shortstop Corey Seager is one of the most coveted of free agents in the current class, and he’s going to be of interest to a number of teams, including the incumbent Dodgers. Now you can add the Texas Rangers to the list:
Seager, with a career OPS+ of 131 and a mark of 145 in 2021, is a true difference-maker at the plate, especially by the standards of the shortstop position. What might dampen his market a bit is his rather substantial injury history. Just twice in his seven-year career has he played 145 or more games in a season (although he was mostly healthy in the abbreviated 2020 season). That said, teams will bet on the skills winning out, and Seager will wind up signing one of the biggest contracts of the winter.
White Sox willing to consider Kimbrel trade
The White Sox recently picked up their $16 million option on high-leverage reliever Craig Kimbrel for the 2022 season, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be suiting up for the South Siders next year. Sox GM Rick Hahn recently told reporters as much (via ESPN’s Jesse Rogers):
“What we have to figure out is if it makes the most sense to have Craig in a White Sox uniform going forward or is there a better use of that spot and him perhaps via trade.”
Kimbrel, 33, joined the White Sox in a deadline trade that sent righty reliever Codi Heuer and second baseman Nick Madrigal to the crosstown to the Cubs. Kimbrel was dominant with the Cubs, saving 23 games and pitching to a 0.49 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings, but he struggled badly after the trade, allowing 13 runs in 23 innings before continuing to pitch poorly in the postseason. The Sox are no doubt thinking that some team out there will bet on Kimbrel’s regaining his form, and that’s a distinct possibility.
Mariners interested in Reds‘ Luis Castillo
The Reds moving into 2022 are choosing to be non-competitive in the name of payroll reduction, and that likely means trades of some of their frontliner veterans. Right-hander Luis Castillo is certainly one possibility, as he’s second-year arbitration eligible this offseason and has been a top-tier starting pitcher over the last three years. Needless to say, Castillo will be a popular target among aspiring contenders, and Jon Morosi of MLB Network names the Mariners as one team that has interest.
As Morosi notes, they have a deep farm system from which to deal, and they could use an upgrade in the rotation. As well, Seattle is coming off a 90-win season and lugging around the longest current playoff drought in major North American team sports. Those are strong incentives to fortify the roster going into 2022. Adding the likes of Castillo would certainly qualify as fortifying the roster.
Tigers, Red Sox dueling over Eduardo Rodriguez
Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez’s market seems to be picking up. The free agent recently received a qualifying offer from the incumbent Red Sox, and already the Tigers seem to be heavily interested:
Boston, though, isn’t content to let the market pry him away:
Rodriguez, 28, is coming off a somewhat disappointing season in terms of run prevention (4.74 ERA), but he posted the best K/BB ratio of his career. Over the course of that six-year career with the Red Sox, Rodriguez has posted an ERA+ of 110 and made one All-Star team. He profiles as a mid-rotation asset with some upside to be more than that.
