Because the offseason continues, listed here are three issues we’ll be maintaining a tally of across the baseball world at present:
1. Fried presser at present:
The Yankees made their newest main signing official yesterday after they introduced the addition of southpaw Max Fried on an eight-year deal. The membership will maintain an introductory press convention for Fried at midday ET at present. Fried and GM Brian Cashman each determine to be in attendance to take questions from the media. Fried, 30, has been among the many finest pitchers within the sport by ERA since his breakout season in 2020 with a 2.81 determine that trails solely Brandon Woodruff and Clayton Kershaw amongst starters in that point. Fried figures to affix longtime ace Gerrit Cole on the entrance of the Yankees’ rotation because the membership makes an attempt to retool its AL pennant-winning roster within the aftermath of Juan Soto heading to Queens.
2. What’s subsequent for the Yankees?
Talking of the Yankees’ retooling course of, they took one other step in that course yesterday after they traded for Cody Bellinger in a wage dump take care of the Cubs that price them nothing aside from Triple-A swingman Cody Poteet. Bellinger’s coming off a relative down season (109 wRC+) in 2024 however was top-ten in NL MVP voting the 12 months prior after a resurgent marketing campaign. Presently, Bellinger seems to be ticketed for normal taking part in time in middle subject with the Yankees, nevertheless it’s attainable that might change relying on the readiness of prime prospect Jasson Dominguez (who performed left subject in a 2024 cup of espresso however has spent the majority of his profession in middle) and the membership’s free agent pursuits. Signing a nook outfield bat like Anthony Santander or Teoscar Hernandez might push Bellinger to first base, whereas including a primary baseman like Josh Naylor, Christian Walker, or Paul Goldschmidt would depart Bellinger as an everyday on the outfield grass.
3. Arbitration offers:
Yesterday, the Royals averted arbitration with right-hander Kyle Wright by agreeing to a $1.8MM wage for the 2025 season. Gamers and groups got here to various related offers upfront of the non-tender deadline final month, however groups might want to attain agreements with (or face arbitration hearings in opposition to) the remainder of their eligible gamers earlier than the arbitration submitting deadline on January 9. Whereas gamers and groups can comply with offers after that date to keep away from arbitration, MLB golf equipment have more and more adopted a “file and trial” strategy to arbitration the place they cease negotiations on one-year arbitration contracts as soon as the deadline to file has handed. With simply three weeks till stated deadline, there should be a number of different gamers agreeing to salaries for the upcoming season within the days and weeks forward (with a specific rush on that Jan. 9 submitting day itself). MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected arbitration salaries for all 272 arbitration-eligible gamers again in October, though a lot of these names have been non-tendered or in any other case faraway from the 40-man roster since that point.
