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Even with Shota Imanaga signing with the Chicago Cubs, the MLB free agent pool still consists of tons of high-end talent on both sides. Need rotation help? Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Marcus Stroman are all still available for the taking. Need an elite closer? Josh Hader‘s your man. Is solid pop what you’re looking for? Matt Chapman, Cody Bellinger, and Rhys Hoskins are still there.
Despite all the big names though, the free agency period is moving noticeably slowly. Every time a big name signs somewhere, it seems like we need to wait another week before anybody else makes a move, which is shocking considering how many big-market teams have still yet to make an impact signing. The Rangers and Blue Jays have yet to make any considerable moves. Even teams rumored to sell like the White Sox and Brewers have yet to give away any of their high-end talent.
Nonetheless, as the start of spring training draws nearer every day, there is bound to be some big moves just around the corner. Here are the latest rumors surrounding the top MLB free agents as well as potential trade pieces.
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Five teams are in on Marcus Stroman
Jon Heyman took to MLB Network to reveal that there are five teams currently in the conversation to land the two-time All-Star.
HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.
The five teams in question are the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox.
Heyman added that while he doesn’t believe the Orioles have a great chance of landing Stroman, he understands that there is mutual interest between Stroman and the team.
As of right now, the favorite seems to be the Yankees.
This is a shocking development considering just a few days ago, the Yankees had not made an offer, according to Bob Nightengale. Talks must have gone extraordinarily well for the Yankees shift in interest to change so dramatically. Regardless, if the Yankees are in fact suddenly interested, Stroman has gone on record to say that he wants to play in pinstripes.
Cubs are bound to land another big name
Having already signed Shota Imanaga, the Cubs don’t appear to be done. According to Jim Bowden of CBS Sports, the Cubs have made significant offers to several of the top remaining free agents, including the resurgent Cody Bellinger.
This news came before the Imanaga signing, but Bowden never mentions Imanaga during this clip. It’s clear the Cubs are looking to contend in 2024. However, if they can land one or two of these stars, they might be ready to compete for an NL Central title sooner than we think.
Imanaga’s contract could be larger than we thought
The Chicago Cubs signed Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga to a four-year deal worth $53 million, but ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reports that the deal could be worth up to $80 million.
Rogers states that after 2025 and 2026, the Cubs will have the option to shift Imanaga’s contract to a five-year, $80 million deal. The decision to change his contract will be made by the Cubs. Should they refuse to up his contract, Imanaga will have the option of opting out and becoming a free agent.
Down to three teams for Matt Chapman
Former Oakland Athletic and Toronto Blue Jay Matt Chapman is linked to three teams Jon Heyman reports, and shocker, it’s the same three teams that have been linked to every free agent this winter.
As stated earlier, we already knew the Cubs were interested in Chapman. However, what makes this noteworthy is the short list of teams that Chapman is supposedly narrowed down to. The only other teams in the mix are the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays. Evidently, the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers are all out or long shots for the four-time Gold Glove recipient.
Chapman took a step back offensively in 2023, recording the lowest home run total during a full season of his career. Still, Chapman boasts an outstanding glove and has enough power to be an above-average hitter and excellent third baseman.
Of the three teams in the running, the Cubs have the least need for Chapman. Baseball-Reference cites that the San Francisco Giants accrued the fewest Wins Above Average from the third base position of the three teams listed (-1.4). The Blue Jays accrued the most (2.5), but that was, of course, with Chapman at third. The Cubs still definitely need a third baseman, as they were below average in that statistic as well (-0.5), but if the Giants and Blue Jays are trying to compete in 2024, especially given how tough their divisions are, Chapman should be a much higher priority for them than Chicago.
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