The midwinter meetings, baseball’s yearly trading period, are slated to unfold the following week in Florida. Those should turn out to be the four busiest days of the offseason, with trades and signings and speculation everywhere. Presented here are Thursday’s trading rumors to keep you informed until activities really intensify next week.
Cubs planning pursuit of Imai, showing ‘renewed interest’ in Bregman
The Cubs are anticipated to be among the teams looking to acquire Japanese right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Imai, reports 670 The Score. Chicago was supposedly in consideration for Dylan Cease prior to his agreement with Toronto, signifying a readiness to allocate significant money. Imai’s 45-day posting period concludes at 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 2.
MLB free agency: What to know about NPB, KBO players to be posted this winter, including a home run champion
R.J. Anderson
Even considering Shota Imanaga consenting to the $22.025 million qualifying offer, the Cubs will require another starting pitcher in 2026. Imanaga will rejoin Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, and Jameson Taillon in the rotation, with Javier Assad and Colin Rea functioning as depth choices. Left-handed pitcher Justin Steele underwent elbow surgery in April and isn’t projected to return until the center of 2026 at the earliest.
Furthermore, the Cubs — following an unsuccessful attempt to sign him last offseason — possess “renewed interest” in All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman, according to The Athletic. Despite a quad ailment limiting him to 114 games, Bregman achieved a batting line of .273/.360/.462 with 3.5 WAR last season for the Red Sox. The Cubs featured rookie Matt Shaw at third base, where he displayed solid defense while hitting .226/.295/.394 with 3.1 WAR. His offense demonstrated improvement during the latter half of the season.
Nevertheless, several aspects warrant deliberation here. Shaw has experience playing second base, and Nico Hoerner is scheduled to enter free agency following the 2026 season, as are corner outfielders Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki. This implies that acquiring Bregman would bolster the position-player group for the extended term and that Shaw’s adaptability suggests he wouldn’t necessarily need to be traded if Bregman were to be signed.
Tucker visits Blue Jays’ spring facility
Kyle Tucker, the offseason’s top free agent, made a visit to the Blue Jays’ spring training facility situated in Florida, on Wednesday, reports FanSided. This visit signifies a genuine reciprocal interest; however, as Sportsnet mentions, such visits are typical within the recruitment procedure. Tucker hails from the Tampa area and may explore other spring training facilities nearby (such as the Phillies and Yankees).
The current American League champions stand as one of the offseason’s most proactive teams, already adding Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce to enhance an already robust rotation. The club may still re-sign shortstop Bo Bichette, although matters have been comparatively subdued in that area. Tucker aligns with Toronto’s strategy of combining contact and power offensively while also strengthening an already dependable team defense.
Mets expressing interest in Ryan, Bellinger
The Mets are among the teams with interest in Twins pitcher Joe Ryan, according to the New York Post. The club is seeking a top-tier starting pitcher this offseason, and the Twins, who were active sellers at the trade deadline, are expected to consider any proposals for Ryan. New York’s farm system is reasonably well-stocked, potentially offering them an advantage in trade negotiations.
The Mets, alongside their rival Yankees, are also actively pursuing free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, reports MLB Network. Prior to trading away Brandon Nimmo, the Mets already had a need for an outfielder this offseason, particularly one capable of playing center field. Bellinger satisfies this requirement, although his inclination to pull the ball as a left-handed hitter suits Yankee Stadium better than Citi Field.
Dodgers discussing Hernández trade, expressing interest in Suarez
Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández has been mentioned in trade discussions, according to The Athletic, but a trade is not expected to happen. The two-time defending World Series champions have a need for one outfielder this offseason. Trading Hernández would create an even greater need, though it would afford the Dodgers an opportunity to become younger and stronger defensively.
Additionally, the Dodgers have conveyed interest in free-agent relief pitcher Robert Suarez, reports The Athletic. The club is inclined towards a short-term agreement featuring a high annual salary for the soon-to-be 35-year-old. The Dodgers have yet to express interest in fellow free-agent relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks. Bolstering the bullpen is a focus this winter, particularly following Tanner Scott’s disappointing 2025 season.
Red Sox in pursuit of middle-of-the-order bat
A hitter who can bat in the middle of the lineup is on the list for the Red Sox at next week’s Winter Meetings, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told The Athletic recently. “Someone who is a threat who can hit in the middle of the order and can lengthen our lineup is going to be something we’re going to pursue. That is absolutely a path to improving our team,” Breslow said.
Boston finished 15th in home runs in 2025 and their lineup is predominantly left-handed at this point. Alex Bregman fit seamlessly both within the lineup and at third base, therefore including a hitter who can bat in the middle of the lineup might mean re-signing Bregman. Pete Alonso would better address Boston’s power deficiency compared to Bregman, but not enhance the right side of the infield defense, an area of weakness in 2025.
D-backs in discussion with Fairbanks
The Diamondbacks have had discussions with free-agent reliever Pete Fairbanks, reports the Arizona Republic. Arizona is likely to bring in pitching this offseason, both starters and relievers. Their bullpen ranked 27th in ERA and 27th in WAR in 2025, and their two best relievers, righty Justin Martinez and lefty AJ Puk, will miss the start of 2026 after having elbow surgery in June.
Unable to secure a trade partner last month, the Rays declined their $11 million club option for Fairbanks and released him into free agency. The reliever market is active — Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, Emilio Pagán, and Devin Williams have all signed within the last 10 days — and several teams have been linked to Fairbanks. Signs indicate he will sign fairly soon.
