The Major League Baseball off-season is in full swing with chatter heating up as teams start to put their winter plans in place. Follow all the latest rumours on TSN.ca.

Harper seeking monster payday

Everyone knows Bryce Harper is going to get paid. The only question is how much?

According to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune, Harper is reportedly hoping for a deal larger than Giancarlo Stanton's 13-year, $325 million deal. 

Whether or not a team decides to give him that much is the big question, but at just 26 years old, there's no doubt he will receive one of the biggest free agent paydays in history.

Unlike other sluggers who were handed massive deals in recent years like Miguel Cabrera or Albert Pujols, Harper's free agency will take him through the prime of his career. Both Cabrera and Pujols' deals kicked in with them on the wrong side of 30.

Multiple reports indicate the Chicago White Sox have emerged as a surprise suitor for Harper, and a photo of what appeared to be a banner featuring his name and number hanging in the United Center earlier this month only added to the noise. Still, there have been no concrete reports of any offers exchanged between teams and Harper's agent Scott Boras. 

 

Is Bumgarner available?

He's been one of the best pitchers in baseball for much of the last decade but as ESPN's Buster Olney writes, the San Francisco Giants have a decision to make.  

While the Giants reportedly shot down trade offers for the star lefty last season, Olney notes that newly named president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi is the right person to make a tough decision on Bumgarner because he is new to the regime and does not have emotional ties to Bumgarner or the past value he's provided to the franchise during their three World Series titles since 2010. 

Both his velocity and hard-hit rate on his fastball are increasing, which is a troubling trend for any pitcher, especially one slated to turn 30 next year. Bumgarner will become a free agent at the end of the 2019 season. 

Trading Bumgarner could also be a way for the Giants to bolster a lackluster farm system.

 

Betances on board with signing Machado

New York Yankees reliever Dellin Betances seems to be on board with the club signing infielder Manny Machado.

“I’m hoping we can get [Machado] here,” Betances said Tuesday night at a Harlem Thanksgiving turkey drive. “Obviously, he would be a big add to our team. We don’t know how long Didi [Gregorius] is going to be out for.”

"I know he's a good teammate," Betances added, who played with Machado during the World Baseball Classic last year as members of the Dominican Republic squad. 

It was reported earlier in the week by Jerry Crasnick of ESPN that the Yankees were doing "extensive" background work on Machado. It is unclear if the two sides have spoken about a potential deal.

 

Orioles getting close to finishing GM search

Houston Astros assistant general manager Mike Elias will be the next general manager of the Baltimore Orioles barring a sudden change of heart according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. 

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com named Elias as the top candidate for the job last week. 

Former O's GM Dan Duquette was relieved of his duties at the end of the season. Buck Showalter was also let go as manager. 

If he does get the job after all, Elias will have his work cut out for him. Not only did the Orioles lose a franchise-record 115 games, but they have one of the thinnest farm systems in baseball.