MLB Off-season Rumours: Cubs, Astros talking Tucker trade
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Astros potentially shopping outfielder Tucker
The Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros are engaged in preliminary talks surrounding a potential deal that would send star outfielder Kyle Tucker to Chicago, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports.
Tucker, 27, has been an All-Star each of the last three seasons and finished fifth in AL MVP voting last season. He hit .289 with 23 home runs in 78 games last season.
The Astros are looking at infielder Isaac Paredes and outfielder Seiya Suzuki as the central returns in the potential deal, according to Rosenthal.
Rosenthal also reports that the New York Yankees are interested in the star outfielder, and AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil is part of the asking price for Houston.
Given Tucker's track record of success early in his career, early predictions are that the outfielder will command a contract in excess of $400 million when he is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.
The Astros have historically avoided paying players contracts of that size, which is why he is a hot name on the trade market at this time.
Yankees prepared to make sales pitch to Japan's Sasaki
23-year-old phenom pitcher Roki Sasaki, who was posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines of the NPB earlier in December, is drawing significant interest from teams across the majors.
Sasaki wowed players and scouts alike at the 2023 World Baseball Classic pitching for Japan, where the righty's fast ball routinely exceeded 100mph.
The New York Yankees love what they saw and have prepared their sales pitch, according to general manager Brian Cashman.
“A big arm with a big desire to be great,” Cashman said. “His intent is to be one of the game’s greatest pitchers on the planet. We certainly would love to participate in allowing that to happen.”
MLB international signing rules only allow players under the age of 25 to be signed to minor-league deals and to be paid out of the international signing bonus pool money.
Yankees' interest in Bregman growing?
According to The Athletic's Bryan Hoch, there is buzz surrounding the New York Yankees and star third baseman Alex Bregman.
Bregman, 30, is the top third baseman on the market this off-season. He hit .260 with 26 home runs and 75 runs batted in last year.
The Yankees were disappointed to have finished second in the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but they rebounded quickly to sign lefty ace Max Fried and now, potentially, Bregman.
"No retreat, no surrender. Find a way to put together a roster, get back to the World Series and try to win it," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said earlier on Wednesday.
Mets may not be done?
The New York Mets made the biggest splash in free agency history earlier in December, when they signed outfielder Soto to a 15-year, $765 million deal.
Soto's agent, Scott Boras, doesn't think they're done.
"I think it's pretty evident that the Mets have decided that they're going to pursue winning, and winning for a long time. They've made it very clear to us that they're not limited to signing one great player."
Boras represents many of the game's top players. The Mets are coming off an 89-73 finish that culminated in them losing the NLCS to the eventual-champion Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.