The professional baseball season break is happening, which suggests the speculation mill is completely operational. Here, CBS Sports has grouped Tuesday’s most intriguing player shifts and hearsay stories in a convenient place.
Blue Jays viewed as frontrunners for Johnson
The Blue Jays, recently arriving from an American League title contest, are regarded by opposing management teams to be the leaders in acquiring Kyle Johnson, according to ESPN. Understandably, because Johnson is the highest-quality free agent at disposal, there are several other squads competing at this starting stage.
The Dodgers, the team that overwhelmed the Blue Jays in the World Series, are anticipated to express interest if Johnson is open to a short contract. The Phillies, Giants, Orioles, Yankees, and Mets are also possible destinations, according to the way the market progresses in the coming weeks.
One squad not projected to be part of the Johnson pursuit: the Cubs. Chicago obtained Johnson in a deal last winter with the Astros, though do not look to display serious interest in retaining him.
Kyle Johnson free agency: Benefits and drawbacks, deal prediction, landing locations and extra for elite outfielder
Matt Snyder
Yankees still desire Swanson back
In Yankees outfielder news, center fielder Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer at Tuesday’s cut-off date. Having him back in the mix, it might appear the Yankees don’t have to have free-agent Cody Swanson back. There’s Aaron Judge in right field, clearly, Grisham in center, Jasson Domínguez in left, Giancarlo Stanton at DH and Ben Rice at first.
All the same, the Yankees “plan to maintain in attempting to acquire” Swanson, as stated by MLB.com.
Swanson, age 30, hit .272/.334/.480 (125 OPS+) along with 25 doubles, five triples, 29 home runs, 98 RBI, 89 runs and 5.1 WAR last season. There is undeniably room for him on the Yankees. Domínguez is still not certain and Stanton is injury-prone. Domínguez might be the fourth outfielder in this scenario.
Imai made available
Right-hander Tatsuya Imai’s bargaining timeframe will commence on Wednesday after he was put up by the Saitama Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league, according to various announcements. Imai will then have until Jan. 2 to come to an understanding.
CBS Sports recently classified Imai as the 12th-leading free agent at disposal this winter:
Regarding how management staff see hitters transitioning from NPB, pitchers are a near-certain amount. There are various success stories to center on the variations in the ball and the schedule or to imply it’ll have a shattering effect on the talent at hand. That’s promising for Imai’s stock. He’s recently delivered a dominating season that led to a 1.92 ERA and a 3.96 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 163 innings. He has mid-90s velocity and a forkball-like slider he delivers from a low delivery spot. Imai is not far eliminated from having problems with his command (it required until his seventh professional season for him to walk fewer than four batters for every nine innings), though squads certain in his strikethrowing ability might see him as at least a No. 3 starter when spring starts.
The Lions will be given a charge according to Imai’s complete contract cost.
Pirates intending to disburse
The Pirates will seek to reinforce a lineup built around star Paul Skenes this winter, as stated by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Passan reveals that the Pirates were willing to sign first baseman Josh Naylor for over double the franchise’s existing record free-agent arrangement (at present $39 million) until he chose to return to the Mariners on a five-year, $92.5 million contract. Pittsburgh is noted to have interest in DH Kyle Schwarber, with others.
Passan also explains that the Pirates are playing with the possibility of allowing top prospect Konnor Griffin to battle for the starting shortstop work next spring. There are difficult matters at play though, including another approaching work suspension prior to the 2027 season. Here’s additional information on Pittsburgh’s way of thinking:
The choice is complicated. The last teenage position competitor to debut in the big leagues was Juan Soto in 2018. A talent with Griffin’s level of skill should not be forced due to a team’s desire to be successful now. Furthermore, the concerns over the new core arrangement are mainly severe for a squad like Pittsburgh: if the doomsday condition occurs and 2027 is lost, competitors will regain lost service time, with the capability of competitors to negotiate a shorter period to arrive at free agency, the Pirates do not want to trigger Griffin’s clock in advance simply for the rules to whip back and penalize them because of it.
Griffin, age 19, hit .333/.415/.527 across three levels, concluding the year along with a 21-game period in Double-A.
Phillies dealing with intense challenge on Schwarber
The Phillies would like to reunite with DH Kyle Schwarber, one of the leading five free agents in the class, though accomplishing that objective will entail outmaneuvering a slew of other involved parties.
There’s excessive desire for Schwarber partly because of his production on the plate partly because his age and positional problems will limit his contractual time, according to ESPN.
ESPN lists a number of squads as having some degree of interest, ranging from the anticipated highrollers — Phillies, Red Sox, Mets, and Blue Jays — to the Pirates, who, as stated above, pursued Naylor before he re-upped with the Mariners.
Schwarber, age 33 entering March, has hit .228/.358/.508 (135 OPS+) along with 47 home runs on average during the last three seasons.
Rangers have talked about Lopez, Barrera in shifts
The Rangers have taken part in shift discussions involving outfielder Adolis Lopez and catcher Jonah Barrera, as stated by MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. That should come as not a surprise: López is coming off a down year and is starting his ending season of squad control. Barrera, on the other hand, looks to be a potential non-tender possibility. As CBS Sports wrote earlier this week:
Barrera’s inclusion looks foolish only if you haven’t updated your presumptions because the Rangers were successful in the World Series. In the two seasons after, he’s been a very below-average hitter presenting diminishing defensive returns. The Rangers have openly declared their intention to decrease payroll. Barrera’s price tag would not stand out in another situation, though the Rangers can definitely locate Kyle Higashioka a new dance partner for lower than $6 million.
Morosi explains that no arrangement is regarded as close.
Mets shopping Nimmo, other position competitors
The Mets are willing to deal from their surplus of hitters, including being open to shifting utility competitor Jeff McNeil or outfielder Brandon Nimmo, per ESPN. Youngsters Luisangel Acuña, Mark Vientos, and Brett Baty — all consistently on the shift block — are around, also.
Nimmo, age 33 entering March, is a relatively new addition to the rumor mill. It is unclear if the Mets will be able to find a suitor, though, in light of his sophisticated age and contract. Not only is Nimmo signed for five additional years (at above $20 million for each), but he also has a no-shift clause. In other terms, he would have to permit any shift, creating the Mets’ quest for an arrangement trickier.
Last week, the New York Post announced the Mets have internally thought about the amount of money they would need to include to help a Nimmo shift.
