Your Local SEO and Digital Marketing Experts in San Diego County
Juan Soto signed with the Mets just as the winter meetings were beginning and the Yankees made sure to sign Max Fried to a $218 million deal before leaving Dallas.
Since then, the Red Sox have traded for Garrett Crochet, the Yankees have traded for Devin Williams and the Cubs have traded for Kyle Tucker.
The hot-stove season, however, has plenty more to delivery before the start of spring training.
Here’s the latest on the top-15 available free agents:
1 | SP Roki Sasaki
- The 23-year-old Japanese was posted during the winter meetings, triggering the start of a frenzied 45-day window for teams to land him. As an international free agent younger than 25 years old, Sasaki is subject to teams’ international bonus pools, which reset when the new signing window opens on Jan. 15. Because his earnings will be capped, all teams are in play for Sasaki.
2 | SP Corbin Burnes
- The Blue Jays and Giants could be the two most “aggressive” teams to pursue Burnes, according to MLB.com. The 2021 NL Cy Young winner won a career-high 15 games (2.92 ERA) after the offseason trade to Baltimore. Burnes declined his qualifying offer from the Orioles earlier this month.
3 | 3B Alex Bregman
- After missing out on Soto, the Yankees are expected to “put on a full-court press” to add Bregman, according to USA Today. The Red Sox have reportedly are also shown interest in Bregman, who is coming off a career-low .768 OPS. Bregman declined the Astros’ qualifying offer earlier this month.
4 | RP Tanner Scott
- The Dodgers, according to The Athletic, have interest in Scott and that’s likely ramped up with the Yankees trading for Williams. Likely the best impact reliever on the market, the 30-year-old Scott is coming off an All-Star selection and a 22-save campaign that began with the Marlins and ended with a dominant turn with the Padres in the postseason.
5 | OF Anthony Santander
- The 30-year-old switch-hitter is seeking a five-year deal, according to the New York Post. The Yankees, Blue Jays and Red Sox have interest after missing out on Soto. Santander is coming off a career-high 44 homers and the first All-Star selection of his career. He has also been mentioned as a target for the Nationals. Santander declined his qualifying offer earlier this month.
6 | OF Teoscar Hernandez
- The 32-year-old playoff hero will have interest from the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox and Blue Jays, primarily as a Soto contingency plan accord to various reports. Hernandez hit 33 homers in one year with the Dodgers and averaged 26 over the last six seasons. He declined a qualifying offer earlier this month.
7 | OF Jurickson Profar
- The 31-year-old is coming off starting the All-Star Game for the NL, a bounce-back after posting the worst WAR among all players in 2023 with the Rockies. Profar’s market will be interesting as he had no takers until late in spring training in 2023 after opting out of his original deal with the Padres. He returned to San Diego in 2024 for $1 million.
8 | 1B Christian Walker
- The Mariners, according to the Seattle Times, have had the 33-year-old Walker “atop their wish list” this offseason, although they may have to trade pitcher Luis Castillo to make room in the budget. The Astros, Diamondbacks, Nationals and Yankees have also been tied to Walker, who is coming off a third Gold Glove season and has 95 homers over the last three years (.813 OPS).
9 | RP Jeff Hoffman
- The Phillies, according to The Athletic, could explore a reunion with Hoffman. An All-Star set-up man after striking out 89 over 66 ⅓ innings (2.17 ERA) with the Phillies, Hoffman has reportedly landed on some teams’ radar as a starting pitcher project. Hoffman hasn’t started since 2022.
10 | RP David Robertson
- He declined his half of a $7 million mutual option after posting a 3.00 ERA over 72 innings in 2024 games as a set-up man with the Rangers. He struck out 99 batters. The 39-year-old has 177 saves over his 16-year career.
11 | SS Ha-Seong Kim
- The Giants appear to be out of the running after landing Adames before the winter meetings. The Detroit Free Press has reported that the Tigers have interest, while the Blue Jays and the Padres have been tied to Kim, who is coming off shoulder surgery that will eat into the 2025 season.
12 | SP Jack Flaherty
- Because the Orioles are reluctant to pursue pitchers attached to qualifying offers, they could find themselves looking for a reunion with Flaherty, according to The Athletic. The 29-year-old SoCal native had a 3.58 ERA in 10 starts after the Tigers traded him to the Dodgers and a 7.36 ERA in five postseason starts.
13 | SP Sean Manaea
- Before locking up Soto, the Mets had been interested in a reunion with Manaea, according to The Athletic. The former Padre had a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts last year in New York, leading him to opt out of $13.5 million for 2025 in search of a bigger payday.
14 | OF Joc Pederson
- The Blue Jays and Rangers, according to multiple reports, have interest in the 32-year-old veteran. Pederson had a .908 OPS and 23 homers in 2024, but he’s a platoon player who does almost all of his damage against righties (22 HRs, .923 OPS).
15 | RP Kenley Jansen
- The 37-year-old veteran is among the options the Blue Jays are considering, according to Canada’s Sportsnet. Jansen struck out 114 over 99⅓ innings (3.44 ERA, 1.16 WHIP) the last two years in Boston’s bullpen.
Your Local SEO and Digital Marketing Experts in San Diego County