Here’s the latest from baseball’s hot stove
In less than a month, spring training camps will open across Arizona and Florida. There are still plenty of free agents waiting to sign and trade candidates waiting to move. There will be no shortage of activity between now and the start of camp. Here now are Monday’s hot stove happenings.
Blue Jays have interest in Scherzer
The Blue Jays maintain interest in future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, according to Sportsnet. Toronto lost out on Japanese ace Roki Sasaki and still has an opening in the rotation behind Chris Bassitt, José Berríos, Bowden Francis, and Kevin Gausman. Alek Manoah and erstwhile top prospect Ricky Tiedemann will miss much of 2025 following Tommy John surgery.
Although they’ve made a habit of missing out on marquee free agents, there is still time for the Blue Jays to salvage their offseason. A starting pitcher, whether it’s Scherzer or someone else, plus a big bat like Pete Alonso or Anthony Santander would go a long way. Now 40, Scherzer was our 12th-ranked free agent this offseason. Alex Cobb, Charlie Morton, and Justin Verlander signed identical one-year, $15 million contracts this winter. That’s the going rate for an accomplished veteran nearing the end of the line.
Estévez’s market heating up
With Tanner Scott off the board, the market is picking up for reliever Carlos Estévez, reports MLB.com. The Blue Jays and Cubs are among the teams with interest in the free agent righty. We ranked Estévez as the 34th-best free agent available this offseason. He is our second ranked unsigned free agent reliever behind Kenley Jansen.
The Cubs in particular stand out as a landing spot for Estévez given their glaring need for a veteran late-inning stabilizer. Rookie Porter Hodge did terrific work when pressed into closer duty last year, though the best version of the Cubs has a veteran closer, allowing manager Craig Counsell to use Hodge as a high leverage fireman earlier in the game. Estévez, 32 and an All-Star in 2023, is a power pitcher with a track record of missing bats, though he can be home run prone at times. The Phillies acquired Estévez from the Angels ahead of the 2024 trade deadline.
Cardinals have some financial flexibility
At the team’s Winter Warm-Up event this past weekend, Cardinals POBO John Mozeliak said the team has been given a little more financial flexibility. “(Owner Bill DeWitt Jr.) is giving me a little bit of flexibility because we haven’t been able to accomplish what we thought we would by now. He’s been very understanding about what that might look like,” Mozeliak said (via The Athletic).
St. Louis is entering a “reset” period, Mozeliak admitted earlier this offseason, and the expectation is payroll would come down from last year’s $172.2 million number. Cot’s Baseball Contracts estimates the team’s 2025 payroll at $146.7 million. The Cardinals have been very inactive this winter. The only players they’ve added to the 40-man roster from outside the organization are waiver claims Bailey Horn and Roddery Muñoz. They haven’t completed any trades or major-league free agent signings.
