MLB free agency: Nolan Arenado spikes trade to Astros, Yankees find Juan Soto replacement

With Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana all free agents after throwing at least 170 innings for the Mets this year, New York entered this offseason with some major work to do, even in the non-Juan Soto department.

They’ve responded with an “Island of Misfit Toys” approach to the rotation. They’ve already signed Frankie Montas to a two-year, $34 million deal after a down season with the Reds and Brewers and former Yankees closer Clay Holmes a three-year, $38 million deal, with the plan to convert him from reliever to starter.

Their latest addition: Angels starter Griffin Canning, a former top prospect, on a one-year, $4.25 million deal, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Canning holds a 4.78 career ERA and should slide into the back of the rotatio

There were reports after the New York Yankees’ trade for Cody Bellinger that the former MVP was told he would play center field on his new team, but Yankees manager Aaron Boone poured cold water on that idea Wednesday.

Center field, left field and first base are all in play for Bellinger, who is a solid defender at each position. That makes sense for the Yankees, who have spots open in both outfielder corners and at first. Aaron Judge played center field in 2024, but would likely move to right if Bellinger is available to take center.

Nolan Arenado is one of the biggest names on the trade market, though not necessarily the most valuable, and we now know he probably won’t be going to the Houston Astros. The St. Louis Cardinals third baseman has informed his club he will not waive his no-trade clause for a move to Houston, according to MLB.com.

The Cardinals were reportedly willing to spend $15-20 million to the Astros to cover the $64 million in salary that Houston would have to take on (the Colorado Rockies are already on the hook for $10 million of the $74 million remaining on Arenado’s deal), but they also needed Arenado’s approval.

A player invoking his no-trade clause doesn’t always mean a trade is dead — often, the move is a ploy to shake some extra dollars out of his new team — but the Astros are reportedly not hopeful about a change. The team also already has a likely starting third baseman in Isaac Paredes, acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade.

The New York Yankees have their Juan Soto replacement — or at least a guy who can take Juan Soto’s place on the field.

The team swung a trade with the Chicago Cubs for former MVP Cody Bellinger on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, betting on a talented player to bounce back from a rough couple of years. The Cubs are also sending cash to the Yankees and will receive right-handed reliever Cody Poteet in return.

Soto’s record-setting pact with the New York Mets left the Yankees in dire need of a corner outfielder with enough pop to slide into the middle of the order. Bellinger could fit that bill and was available via trade due to his contract with the Cubs, which gives him player options for 2025 and 2026 that pay him a total of $52.5 million.

It was clear a trade was coming after the Cubs acquired Houston Astros star Kyle Tucker in a blockbuster move, but there were rumors of the team shopping Bellinger even before they succeeded in acquiring Tucker.

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The Baltimore Orioles have struck a one-year, $13 million deal with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano. The 35-year-old had a 1.67 ERA and 111 strikeouts in Japan this past season.

Jesús Luzardo had a 2024 to forget with a 5.00 ERA and a season-ending back injury, but he could still attract a high price for the Marlins.

One of the top arms on the trade market, Luzardo is reportedly seeing interest from the Chicago Cubs. With Luzardo under team control for two more seasons, the Marlins will want a significant return for a talented arm who was great in 2023 but has struggled with injuries.

The Houston Astros have already acquired one third baseman with Isaac Paredes via the return of the Kyle Tucker, but they might not stop there. Per The Athletic’s Chandler Rome, Houston has emerged as a serious suitor in a trade for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.

Arenado is one of the biggest names on the market but not necessarily one of the most valuable players. He is still owed $74 million across the next three seasons, $10 million to be paid by the Colorado Rockies, and any team that takes him is going to want the Cardinals to take another bite out of that if they expect any sort of meaningful prospect return.

Acquiring both Parades and Arenado would likely mean a move to first base or a utility role for Paredes, given Arenado’s Gold Glove defense. And it almost certainly means Alex Bregman will be playing in a new uniform next season.

The Rays are sending Jeffrey Springs to the A’s in exchange for RHP’s Joe Boyle and Jacob Watters, as well as OF Will Simpson. A compensatory draft pick will also be heading Tampa’s way, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

The 32-year-old Springs appeared in only 10 games over the past two seasons as he dealt with ulnar neuritis, as well as Tommy John surgery. He is owed $10.5 million each of the next two seasons, and his contract features a club option worth $15 million for 2027.

The Chicago Cubs are bringing in a new offensive weapon, acquiring All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros on Friday, per multiple reports.

In return, the Astros will reportedly receive three players: infielder Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and third-base prospect Cam Smith.

Tucker has played his entire career with the Astros, starting in 2018. He won a World Series with the team in 2022 and has picked up a number of awards the past few seasons, including three All-Star selections, a Gold Glove (2022) and a Silver Slugger (2023). Tucker missed time this season due to a right shin injury but still received his third consecutive All-Star selection.

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The New York Yankees have reportedly acquired reliever Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr., second-base prospect Caleb Durbin and some cash are heading to Milwaukee.

The 30-year-old Williams recorded 14 saves in 22 appearances last season with the Brewers. He missed the first three months of the season due to a stress fracture in his back. When he returned, Williams allowed only three earned runs over 21 2/1 innings in the regular season.

The addition of Williams, plus the return of Jonathan Loáisiga, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, will bolster the Yankees’ bullpen. The question remains whether manager Aaron Boone will use Williams or Luke Weaver as the team’s closer in 2025.

Cortes has turned himself into a reliable starter since seeing an increased workload beginning in 2021. He made 84 starts over the past four seasons and ate innings for the Yankees (173 1/3 in 2024), but with the addition of Max Fried, it was clear someone in the New York rotation needed to be moved.

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The baseball world is captivated by Roki Sasaki and where he’ll play in 2024. But Sasaki, it seems, is just as unsure as everyone else.

Until Sasaki’s official posting on Tuesday, very little information had emerged about the talented youngster, his preferences, his thought process and his path forward. But at the winter meetings, atop a makeshift podium in a comically enormous ballroom at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, offered the public a cornucopia of clarity.

The impromptu Q&A session was a sight to behold, as chaotic an information gathering as you’ll see. Reporters sardined themselves together in a crescent eight rows deep, their recording devices extended toward the soft-spoken agent. Wolfe swayed uncomfortably in the center of the madness, towering over the media in a navy jacket, charcoal slacks and a pair of Nike Dunks. He spoke slowly, with an almost solemn seriousness. Over the course of 20 minutes, Wolfe fielded a barrage of inquiries about his client.

The biggest takeaway? Even Wolfe isn’t sure yet what Sasaki wants.

Asked what’s important to Sasaki in selecting a team, Wolfe was either purposefully vague or refreshingly honest. “I’m not entirely sure yet,” he said. “I’ve known Roki for a little over two years now, and as I’ve gotten to know him, it’s been a little bit difficult to really ascertain what his decision-making process would be for choosing a team because his focus has predominantly been on whether or not he’s going to be able to post.”

Here’s what else we learned from Wolfe about this winter’s most sought-after pitcher.