Buy or Sell Corey Seager and MLB Trade, Free-Agency Rumors Post-Winter Meetings
This year's MLB Winter Meetings seemed to be more about chit chat than about action, with only a handful of transactions scattered amongst a sea of rumors.
Yes, there were three big signings in the forms of Kyle Schwarber, Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso. All told, however, there were fewer than a dozen moves actually finalized in Orlando.
What can we make of all the talk, though?
Are the Twins going to be buyers instead of sellers?
Is anyone really trying to acquire Ketel Marte and Corey Seager or are they all just doing their due diligence on the All-Star middle infielders?
Are the Orioles just getting started?
Do the Mets actually have a plan?
Let's buy or sell some of the latest scuttlebutt as we wait for the next big domino to fall.
Orioles Remain Open for Business
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Between trading for Andrew Kittredge in early November, trading for Taylor Ward in mid-November, signing Ryan Helsley in late November and making that massive Pete Alonso splash at the Winter Meetings, the Baltimore Orioles have been extremely busy in their quest to avoid a repeat of last year's fifth-place finish in the AL East.
But have they just been getting warmed up?
Both MLB Network's Jon Morosi and Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner suggested after the Alonso signing that the O's remain very much interested in adding a top-tier starting pitcher, be that Framber Valdez or Ranger Suárez via free agency or MacKenzie Gore or Edward Cabrera via trade, all of whom Baltimore has been linked to this offseason.
We're BUYING the Orioles doing more buying.
As frustrating as it has been for O's fans to perpetually watch the team not make a long-term investment in any of the young stars—aside from locking up Samuel Basallo on what may end up being a preposterously team-friendly nine-year, $78M contract—the plus side is having the flexibility now to really go for it.
Even after the additions they've already made, they're looking at an estimated payroll slightly north of $150M, after ending this past season with an estimated tax payroll north of $175M.
Perhaps a trade is more likely than a signing after the hefty investment in Alonso. There's room to do something significant, though, and the Orioles will add a starting pitcher who immediately gets slated to start either on Opening Day or in Game 2 of the upcoming campaign.
Corey Seager on the Trade Block?
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Whether the Rangers are actually willing to trade Corey Seager seems to be changing on an hour-by-hour basis over the past month.
However, it has never once sounded like something they seriously want to do.
On Wednesday morning, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reported that the Red Sox, Braves and Yankees have all inquired about Seager, but that the Rangers haven't had any substantial/meaningful talks about actually trading him away.
ESPN's Jeff Passan also reported Thursday morning that the Rangers are in "listening mode" on Seager, but added: "To be abundantly clear: Texas isn't looking to shed the remaining $186 million on his contract. The return would need to overwhelm the Rangers."
It just all sounds like a bunch of hot air, doesn't it? As if there's some sort of requirement to always be speculating on someone who is unlikely to be traded, and that the focus had to at least temporarily shift away from Paul Skenes while trying to push the narrative that Pittsburgh might spend money for a change.
Look, if someone wants to invest $186M in a shortstop, Bo Bichette is right there for the taking, is nearly four full years younger than Seager and wouldn't come with the added cost of giving up controllable young talent to get his current employer to the negotiating table.
Not saying there's a zero percent chance Seager gets dealt, but it does seem extremely unlikely. SELLING Seager being on the trade block.
Twins Looking to Reload, Not Rebuild
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Shortly before the Winter Meetings began, the big Twins news from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal was that they wouldn't be trading away Joe Ryan, Byron Buxton or Pablo López, hoping to contend in 2026 as opposed to doubling down on their trade deadline fire sale.
And then in Orlando, GM Jeremy Zoll and president of baseball operations talked about wanting to add bullpen help and a power bat.
Within reason, of course.
These are still the Twins we're talking about.
They were never in the running for Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso. Surely, no one expects them to go sign Kyle Tucker. But The Athletic's Dan Hayes reported that they're interested in that next tier of first basemen, checking in on Ryan O'Hearn, Rhys Hoskins and Josh Bell.
It has been unclear from the outset which way this Minnesota domino would topple. In our offseason preview for all 30 teams from one month ago, my grand conclusion on the Twins was: "Should be interesting to see whether their first big move of the offseason (if they make one at all) is a buying or a selling one." And I'm still not remotely confident in which direction they'll go.
For now, I'm BUYING the Twins as a cautious buyer. They'll see if they can—within the confines of their budget—revamp the bullpen that was stripped clean at the trade deadline and add at least one impact bat somewhere. They do still have a decent core in place, and play in what is MLB's most winnable division.
But if we get into mid-to-late January and they still haven't added anything of note, maybe that's when they pivot and put the likes of Buxton and Ryan on the trade block.
At any rate, embracing a rebuild would arguably be better than simply keeping the status quo.
Tarik Skubal Trade Looming?
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As part of ESPN's post mortem on the Winter Meetings, they asked their MLB experts who were in Orlando what was the most interesting thing they heard this week. And Jorge Castillo said: "That a Tarik Skubal trade is likely."
Likely?
Really?
That sentiment stemmed from Detroit's president of baseball operations Scott Harris saying early in the Winter Meetings (per The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen): "I've been pretty clear since I've been here, I don't believe in untouchables at any level."
While some people seem to have taken that statement and run with it as a sign that the Tigers are actually trying to trade away Skubal, that's just the mindset that anyone in that position has to have.
Simply put: You can't get a Godfather offer if you don't answer the phone.
But that wasn't some dog whistle to the other 29 teams to please come calling about Skubal, as well as top prospects Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark.
It was a nothing burger. Harris basically just said that he's doing his job. And we are SELLING the idea of a Skubal trade being likely.
If anything, Detroit signing Kyle Finnegan to a two-year, $19M deal this week made it seem even less likely that they'll trade away Skubal this winter, because who throws a near eight-figure salary at a reliever on a multiple-year deal and then trades away the face of the franchise?
As with Corey Seager, we're not saying there's a zero percent chance Skubal gets traded. But Skubal staying in Detroit is far more likely than not.
New York Mets Are All Over the Map
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While Mets fans bemoaned the departures of Edwin Díaz to the Dodgers and Pete Alonso to the Orioles, rumors involving the Mets interests just kept popping up left and right.
It was reported on the first night of the Winter Meetings that the Mets met with Framber Valdez at some point in November, and later reported that they had a video meeting with Michael King.
However, Will Sammon of The Athletic reported on Monday that the Mets are reluctant to sign any pitchers to long-term offers, so are they pursuing the biggest fish or not?
It's worth noting that news came before the Díaz and Alonso signings, and maybe things have changed a bit following the public backlash from losing those beloved stars. But let's BUY the Mets wanting Michael King while we SELL the Mets chasing Framber Valdez, as King should be gettable at less than half the total cost of Valdez.
Also on the starting pitching front, it was reported that the Mets could be willing to trade David Peterson, which we're definitely BUYING. One of our predictions heading into the Winter Meetings was that the Mets would sign one starting pitcher and trade away another. Granted, we called out Kodai Senga as the one they'd be trading away, but it could be any one of their too many middle-of-the-rotation type arms.
There was also talk of the Mets wanting to trade for Lars Nootbaar, Willson Contreras and Brenton Doyle, as well as speculation of interest in signing Paul Goldschmidt. But we're SELLING all of that. For now at least. Their next two moves should be adding a starting pitcher and swinging big for either Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger, and then maybe they'll worry about filling out the depth chart with a veteran like Goldy.
Royals Shopping for Multiple Outfielders
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Let's not bury the lede on this one: We are BUYING the Royals upgrading their outfield. And with more than just the buy-low flyer on Lane Thomas that was finalized on Thursday.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported early in the week that Kansas City wants to add one outfielder via trade (from its pitching depth) and one outfielder via free agency.
The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported on Monday that the Royals were interested in Harrison Bader, Austin Hays and Mike Yastrzemski (though Yaz signed with Atlanta on Wednesday). And on Wednesday night, The Athletic's Katie Woo and Fabian Ardaya reported that the Royals were interested in trading for the Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández.
It's hard to see the latter coming together, as the Dodgers already have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to pitching depth. But Kansas City certainly has shown a desire to upgrade what has been an almost exactly replacement-level outfield over the past two seasons combined.
As with the Twins, no, we can't imagine the Royals ponying up a competitive offer for Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger. Bader and Hays are definitely more in their wheelhouse, while a trade for someone like Toronto's Joey Loperfido could be in the cards.
They'll be busy, though. They've got too much talent in that pitching staff and in that infield to let a woebegone outfield be the reason they fall short of the postseason yet again.
Ketel Marte's Market Heating Up
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Though no trades of any particular consequence were finalized during the Winter Meetings, it seems like there was quite a bit of talk about Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman and three-time All-Star Ketel Marte.
Marte has six years and more than a little over $100M remaining on his contract. But he's a 32-year-old middle infielder who will gain 10-and-5 full no-trade rights two weeks into the 2026 campaign, so there has been a growing "now or never" sentiment for the D-Backs to trade him.
And there's plenty of interest in him, with the Red Sox, Rays, Tigers, Phillies and Blue Jays among the known suitors who have been identified at some point in the past couple of weeks. There has also been talk of the Pirates, although he is reportedly on Marte's five-team no-trade clause. (Doesn't mean it can't happen, but it does make an unlikely pairing even more improbable.)
And on Wednesday, we got a sense of what the asking price might be, with Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reporting that the Rays and Diamondbacks discussed a package highlighted by starting pitchers Ryan Pepiot and Shane Baz.
It's no surprise that the Diamondbacks would want two MLB-caliber starting pitchers in exchange for Marte, considering that's precisely what they would need in order to still have a chance of contending in 2026 without their star second baseman.
It is, however, surprising to hear that the Rays are that seriously in the market for an expensive, slugging second baseman while simultaneously trying to trade away Brandon Lowe's $11.5M salary. Knowing the Rays, though, if they got the deal done, they'd keep Marte for the $16M season in 2026 and the $12M season in 2027 before trading away the remaining four years and $75.5M.
The Diamondbacks have said it's unlikely they'll trade away Marte, but now that we're hearing more about the suitors and a tentative trade package, it kind of seems like it's getting close. We're BUYING Marte getting traded before Opening Day, but SELLING the Rays being the landing spot. The Red Sox still seem more likely, and definitely have the available young arms to make it happen.
