MLB Off-season Rumours: Jays aiming high in starter market?
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Follow along for all the latest news and rumours from around the Major League Baseball off-season.
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Jays eyeing top flight arm?
The Toronto Blue Jays appear to be shopping at the top of the free agent starting pitcher market, as The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports they are pursuing Blake Snell, Corbin Burnes and Max Fried.
Rosenthal notes the Jays are among the teams that have already or plan to meet with Snell, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles.
Burnes (No. 3), Snell (4) and Fried (6) are all near the top of TSN's Top 75 MLB Free Agents list released last week.
Rosenthal adds that while Snell (32) is older than both Burnes and Fried, any team that signs Snell would not have to give up draft pick compensation since he was not eligible for a qualifying offer.
Snell signed with the Giants late last off-season on March 19 and seems more inclined to get his next team figured out earlier in free agency, writes Rosenthal.
Mariners eyeing duo of veteran bats
The Seattle Mariners are considering a reunion with one of either Carlos Santana or Justin Turner, writes Adam Jude of the Seattle Times.
General manager Jerry Dipoto said late in the season club would place a premium on clubhouse leadership this winter and mentioned both Turner and Santana as quality leaders. Jude adds the Mariners also have a need for a first baseman/designated hitter.
The Mariners acquired Turner from the Toronto Blue Jays in an in-season trade, and had Santana during the 2022 season when they won 90 games.
Sasaki's agent denies rumours of pre-arranged Dodgers deal
The Juan Soto sweepstakes may be getting all the shine this off-season but where 23-year-old Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki signs could end up being nearly as impactful long-term.
According to The Athletic's Evan Drellich, people "have continuously speculated behind closed doors that the outcome is predetermined" with the Los Angeles Dodgers signing Sasaki at some point early next year after his official posting.
Drellich adds that executives have informally brought suspicions of an unwritten agreement to the commissioner's office. Sasaki's agent, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman, denied such an agreement existed.
“While a bunch of executives who should know me better and do a lot of business with me insult my integrity by insinuating that I would be a part of some type of nefarious agreement,” Wolfe told The Athletic, “in reality, this is just poor sportsmanship.”
Drellich reports the Dodgers have $2.5 million remaining in their international signing bonus pool for this period, and have $5.1 million next season, tied for the smallest around the league with the San Francisco Giants. Some teams will be able to offer Sasaki north of $7 million, but industry speculation heavily leans toward him signing with the Dodgers given the success of fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and L.A.'s need for pitching.
The 6-foot-2 righty finished up his fourth NPB season for the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2024, going 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111.0 innings pitched. He has a lifetime NPB ERA of 2.10.
Sasaki is ranked at No. 2 on TSN's Top 75 MLB Free Agents of 2024 list unveiled Thursday.
Steinbrenner says keeping Soto a 'priority'
New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner told reporters Wednesday that retaining superstar outfielder Juan Soto was a priority for the team this off-season.
“He's definitely a significant part of why we got to the World Series,” Steinbrenner said via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. “I've got ears. I know what's expected of me. So, look, it's been a priority. We wouldn't have gone out to the West Coast if it wasn't.”
Steinbrenner also said his meeting with Soto, which happened earlier this week in Southern California, went well and included “a very honest, back-and-forth dialogue.”
Soto is the clear No. 1 on TSN's Top 75 list and is expected to receive one of the largest contracts in sports history this winter.