Stay up to date with the latest from the baseball hot stove.
MLB free agency is cruising right along, with many of the big names, including Juan Soto, off the board. But some impact players are still available, and the trade market has been active.
Here’s a quick look at where things stand so far this offseason:
Reports: Roki Sasaki sweepstakes could be down to just Dodgers, Blue Jays
Roki Sasaki, the No. 2 player on Yahoo Sports’ Top 50 free-agent rankings, could be down to his final two teams: the Dodgers and the Blue Jays. Early Friday, the Padres made some international free agency signings, indicating that they could be out on Sasaki. The the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers had reportedly already been informed they were out on the pitcher.
According to The Athletic, the Blue Jays hosted Sasaki for a visit last week, and the Dodgers hosted him for another visit that included star players.
The international signing period opened Wednesday, and now Sasaki is free to sign with an MLB team. He has until Jan. 23 to make his decision.
Dodgers stay active with Gavin Lux trade, Hyeseong Kim signing
The Dodgers traded second baseman Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for outfield prospect Mike Sirota and a Competitive Balance Round A pick (around No. 37). The move came a few days after Los Angeles signed former KBO infielder Hyeseong Kim to a three-year deal with $12.5 million guaranteed. The contract has a two-year option for the 2028 and 2029 seasons that could allow the deal to be worth as much as $22 million.
The 25-year-old Kim, who played the past six seasons with the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes, was the first player from South Korea and Japan to be posted this offseason and has been training in Los Angeles for the past month.
Corbin Burnes signing with Diamondbacks
Corbin Burnes is headed to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and it wasn’t cheap.
The 2021 Cy Young Award winner agreed to a six-year, $210 million deal with the Diamondbacks, which includes an opt-out for Burnes after two seasons.
Because Burnes, Yahoo Sports’ No. 3-ranked free agent, turned down a qualifying offer from Baltimore, the Orioles will receive draft pick compensation from his new team.
The contract is the largest in Diamondbacks history. Burnes, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, will pitch for the local team after reportedly turning down offers from the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays.
Required reading:
Follow along with Yahoo Sports as we track all the rumors, signings and more during MLB free agency:
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Mets re-sign outfielder Jesse Winker to one-year deal reportedly worth up to $9 million
The New York Mets are bringing back Jesse Winker for another year, signing the 31-year-old outfielder to a one-year deal that is reportedly worth up to $9 million. Winker joined the team in July 2024 via trade from the Washington Nationals and was a key part of the team’s postseason run.
The move also hints at the Mets’ tactics on first baseman Pete Alonso, who is one of the top free agents this offseason. With talks to bring back Alonso stalled, and with the first baseman reportedly receiving significant interest from other teams, re-signing Winker might be a signal that the Mets are not expecting Alonso to return and are starting to look at other options.
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Sasaki meeting with Dodgers again
The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes are down to just three teams: the Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays. According to The Athletic, the Dodgers are getting one more meeting with Sasaki on Tuesday, which will reportedly involve “several of their star” players.
The international signing period opens on Wednesday, at which point Sasaki will have eight days to sign with a team.
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No Sasaki for Cubs
Source says Cubs have been informed they are out on Roki Sasaki
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) January 13, 2025
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Orioles agree to one-year, $10 million deal with reliever Andrew Kittredge
Reliever Andrew Kittredge has agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Kittredge’s contract reportedly includes $9 million guaranteed and a $9 million club option with a $1 million buyout.
Free-agent reliever Andrew Kittredge in agreement with Orioles on one-year, $10M contract, source tells @TheAthletic. Kittredge’s guarantee includes $9M in salary and a $1M buyout on a $9M club option.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 10, 2025
Kittredge spent seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals ahead of last season. The 34-year-old reliever finished 2024 with an ERA of 2.80 across 70 2/3 innings for the Cardinals.
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