MLB Off-season Rumours: Blue Jays, Giants in on Burnes
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Could Blue Jays nab Burnes in free agency?
According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the market for former Cy Young-winning pitcher Corbin Burnes is narrowing, and the Toronto Blue Jays are among the final teams in the hunt for the righty.
"The Max Fried deal (eight years, $218 million with the New York Yankees) probably set his market, you're probably looking at more than $240 million for Burnes," Feinsand said on MLB Network on Wednesday.
"I think Toronto is in it for sure, I think the San Francisco Giants are in it ... [Toronto is] motivated to get a win ... They seem like a team that might be motivated to get Burnes."
The Blue Jays fell short in their courting of superstars Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto each of the last two off-seasons.
Burnes has finished in the top 10 in Cy Young voting each of the last five seasons and won the award in 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers. Last season with the Baltimore Orioles, Burnes posted a 2.92 earned-run average with 181 strikeouts in 194.1 innings.
Buehler drawing interest from multiple clubs
The market for former Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler is starting to heat up, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.
Olney reports that Buehler's representatives are seeking a multi-year deal with with opt-outs and that the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and Giants are among those interested.
The Red Sox completed a major deal to acquire starting pitcher Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, but still have money to spend on other rotation help.
Buehler struggled in 2024 in his return from Tommy John surgery, finishing with a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts. Before missing the entire 2023 campaign due to injury problems, Buehler finished top 10 in NL Cy Young voting in 2021 and 2019.
Padres reportedly listening for trade talks on veterans
The San Diego Padres - who fell in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS a season ago - are reportedly listening to trade calls on multiple veteran players, per reports.
The team has reportedly received interest in starting pitcher Dylan Cease, infielder Luis Arraez and shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
Cease was acquired from the Chicago White Sox ahead of the 2024 season and finished fourth in Cy Young voting in his only season with San Diego. He finished with a 3.47 ERA with 224 strikeouts in 189.1 innings pitched.
Arraez was acquired via trade from the Miami Marlins in May and finished with a .314 batting average to claim his third consecutive batting title.
Both Cease and Arraez are set to hit free agency after the 2025 campaign and the Padres are not expected to sign either to he significant deals they are likely to garner.
Bogaerts, 32, struggled mightily this past season, hitting .264 (lowest since 2014) with 11 home runs (lowest in a full season since 2017). He is entering the third years of an 11-year, $280 million contract.
Veteran righty Morton may return for another season
41-year-old right-handed starting pitcher Charlie Morton is still deciding whether he wants to return for an 18th season in 2025, but according to The Athletic's David O'Brien, he is not likely to return for the Atlanta Braves.
O'Brien reports that there haven't been any recent talks with Morton, who spent the last four season with the Braves.
Morton has made stops with the Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays in his lengthy career. He finished third in AL Cy Young voting 2019 with Tampa Bay.
Last season, Morton finished with an ERA of 4.19 across 30 starts for Atlanta.
In 383 career MLB games, Morton owns an ERA of 4.01 with 2,047 strikeouts in 2,125.2 innings pitched.