AL East

After losing star pitcher Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, the Baltimore Orioles are exploring remaining free agents and potential trade options, including a possible reunion with the Los Angeles Dodgers' Jack Flaherty, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon and Katie Woo.

Flaherty made nine appearances for the Orioles in 2023, including seven starts.

In Flaherty's brief stint with the Orioles, he posted a 6.75 ERA with 42 strikeouts. Last season with the Dodgers, he had a 3.58 ERA, recording 62 strikeouts while allowing 52 hits in ten games.

The Orioles recently inquired about Flaherty after reports suggested he was their backup plan in case they missed out on Burnes, per Sammon and Woo. Additionally, the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, and San Diego Padres are all teams that could be targeting Flaherty for rotation upgrades.

The 29-year-old is also rumored to be a target of the San Francisco Giants, according to Sports Illustrated's Patrick McAvoy.

Just Baseball's Ryan Finkelstein recently predicted Flaherty will sign with the Giants, projecting a five-year, $100 million contract.

Flaherty has expressed a preference for a long-term contract, which could limit some teams' efforts to pursue him, according to Sammon and Woo.

Free-agent right fielder Anthony Santander is reportedly a hot commodity on the open market this winter.

According to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, while the Detroit Tigers "have interest" in Santander, the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Angels are considered "the frontrunners for his services."

Santander spent his first eight major league seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and is coming off a career year in which he earned his first All-Star selection and Silver Slugger Award. The 30-year-old posted career highs of 44 home runs and 102 RBI while hitting .235 in 155 games.

Petzold noted that Santander "isn't expected to reunite with the Orioles in 2025." It's easy to see why multiple teams are reportedly pursuing him this offseason.

As a switch-hitter, Santander would be a strong fit near the top of the Tigers' lineup, which has "a flurry of left-handed hitters," per Petzold. Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris admitted the lineup lacks balance after the team's season came to an end in the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians.

"We got a little left-handed towards the end of the year," Harris said in mid-October "I think we could use a right-handed bat to balance us out."

Detroit added former New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres on a one-year deal, so he will provide the team with a productive right-handed hitter. However, Santander would be the power bat the Tigers need to contend for another playoff spot in 2025.

It sounds like Santander has a bevy of options available to him in free agency, and many will be watching to see where he ends up because he has the potential to be a difference-maker on a contending team.

Walker Buehler could have a new number as he joins a new team next season.

Buehler, who inked a one-year, $21 million deal with the Boston Red Sox earlier this week, teased his new rare No. 0 jersey on social media.

"What up Boston? #0 here... See y'all soon," he wrote on social media.

What up Boston? #0 here… See y’all soon pic.twitter.com/QJZpq9joSw

— Walker Buehler (@buehlersdayoff) December 28, 2024

Buehler, who wore No. 21 during his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, would be just the third player in Red Sox history to rock No. 0, joining Brandon Phillips and Adam Ottavino. In 2024, 13 players across the majors wore No. 0.

Buehler, a two-time All-Star, will play for a new team for the first time in his career in 2025. A first-round pick in the 2015 MLB draft, Buehler spent the first seven years of his career with the Dodgers before hitting free agency this offseason.

The seven-year veteran recorded a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts last year before coming up big in the postseason with a 3.60 ERA and 13 strikeouts across 15 innings. Buehler pitched six innings without allowing a run in the World Series against the New York Yankees.

The best season of Buehler's career came in 2021 when he had a 2.47 ERA and a 16-4 record. He underwent Tommy John's surgery after the 2022 season and missed the entire 2023 season.

After bouncing back from surgery last season, Buehler is looking to return to his All-Star self with his new team in 2025.

After their run to the World Series, the New York Yankees will need a replacement for a key member of their lineup.

Infielder Gleyber Torres and the Detroit Tigers agreed to terms on a one-year deal for the 2025 season on Friday. ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported Torres' deal is worth $15 million.

Torres had played the 2024 season on a one-year, $14.2 million deal after avoiding arbitration, and he said in February, "I want to be a Yankee for life." Despite a strong finish to the year, the team chose not to retain him.

❤️🫶🏻 pic.twitter.com/oLZX7OAXiS

— Gleyber Torres (@TorresGleyber) December 27, 2024

In 154 regular-season games, Torres hit .257 with 15 home runs and 63 RBI. He found a groove after the All-Star break and was moved into the leadoff spot in New York's lineup, hitting .292 over the second half of the year. During the team's postseason run, he hit .241 with two home runs and eight RBI as the Yankees ultimately lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

Torres spent two-and-a-half years in the Chicago Cubs farm system at the start of his career before being traded to the Yankees in 2016. He made his major league debut two years later in 2018 and made an immediate splash, earning back-to-back All-Star selections in his first two seasons.

However, the 28-year-old's production leveled off after his scorching start to his career, causing him to be subjected to trade rumors and questions about his effectiveness at second base. Over the second half of the 2024 season and the playoffs, he proved that he can still be a difference-maker in the right situation.

Overall, Torres owns a .265/.334/.441 slash line in 888 career games, and he has registered 138 home runs, 441 RBI, 460 runs scored and 53 stolen bases.

By joining the Tigers, Torres will bring his experience and postseason insight to a team that reached the playoffs this past season. Detroit went on a remarkable late-season run in 2024 and unexpectedly reached the American League Division Series.

Torres will be joining a lineup that also includes rising stars Riley Greene and Colt Keith, creating a strong combination as Detroit chases a playoff spot in 2025.

As for the Yankees, they must now fill a hole at either second base or third base depending on where they decide to deploy Jazz Chisholm next season.

The New York Yankees reportedly have a pair of lefty bullpen arms in their sights as they continue a busy offseason that has included trading for Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams and signing Max Fried and Paul Goldschmidt, among other moves.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, "Andrew Chafin is high on the Yankees' list of lefty pen targets. Tim Hill is, too."

Chafin, 34, spent the 2024 season with the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, going 4-3 with a 3.51 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 70 strikeouts and one save in 56.1 innings (62 appearances).

Hill, also 34, split time in 2024 between the Chicago White Sox and Yankees, finishing 4-0 with a 3.36 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 31 strikeouts in 67 innings (62 appearances). He appeared in 10 postseason games (8.1 innings) as well for the Yankees, posting a 1.08 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and three strikeouts.

Both would address the major need left on New York's roster—a left-handed arm in the bullpen. Currently, the Yankees' stable of relievers are all right-handed.

The team has previously been linked to Tanner Scott, the top left-handed reliever on the market. But Scott will cost more to acquire and the Yankees already addressed the closer role with the Williams' trade, so Chafin or Hill signings feel more likely.

The Yankees, to this point, have done well to address other needs, including the loss of Juan Soto to the crosstown Mets. New York has distributed that money to fill out a number of positions rather than just one, though the loss of a superstar always hurts.

A Chafin or Hill signing wouldn't be sexy, but the Yankees can't go into the season without a left-handed option in the bullpen.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said on Monday that he and the Toronto Blue Jays remain far apart in extension negotiations.

"What they offered me is not even close to what I'm looking for," Guerrero said in an interview with Abriendo Sports (translation h/t Héctor Gómez.)

Guerrero has one season remaining under arbitration before he is set to hit free agency in 2026. He is projected to earn $28.8 million next season by Spotrac.

Guerrero told Abriendo Sports he is "ready to go" on signing a long-term deal if the Blue Jays meet his requests (translation h/t Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith.)

The Blue Jays star added that his negotiation deadline is the first full day of spring training. The Jays begin Grapefruit League play on Feb. 22.

Speaking to @AbriendoSports
Vlad Guerrero Jr. says he’s been discussing a possible extension w/ Blue Jays & is “ready to go” on a long-term deal for the right offer. Also: he says he doesn’t plan to negotiate after 1st full day of spring training & Jays front office knows this https://t.co/dZsxXA6ghL

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) December 22, 2024

The Blue Jays and Guerrero have been at odds over what salary the four-time All-Star first baseman should earn since at least before the 2024 season, when the team filed at $1.85 million lower than Guerrero in arbitration.

Guerrero ended up winning the case and setting an arbitration hearing record with the $19.9 million decision.

The Blue Jays have previously resolved contract disputes with stars following arbitration disputes, including the three-year, $33.6 million deal they agreed to with Bo Bichette just one month after clashing with the shortstop in arbitration.

But that deal only covered Bichette's already arbitration-eligible years, and was worth at least ten times less what Guerrero is seeking.

Guerrero told Abriendo Sports that the Blue Jays have offered north of $340 million (h/t Mike Rodriguez and Carlos Baerga.) It sounds like that total won't be enough now that Juan Soto reset the market with the 15-year, $765 million deal he signed with the New York Mets.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal recently reported that "the perception within the industry remains that the Jays are desperate to do something big" after last year's 74-win season, and that a deal worth somewhere between $500 million and $600 million "probably is more realistic" to keep Guerrero.

Given that Guerrero won his second Silver Slugger Award while batting .323 with 30 home runs and 103 RBI during his age-25 season, the Jays will likely need to do better than half of Soto's contract in order to keep him in Toronto. It sounds like the franchise has about two months left to get there or consider alternative options.

The New York Yankees have added a former MVP to the roster.

The Yankees are signing first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12.5 million deal, according to YES Network's Jack Curry and ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Goldschmidt, who turned 37 in September, adds a right-handed bat to the Yankees lineup.

He could potentially serve as part of a platoon with Ben Rice, who split time between Triple-A and the MLB last season but could take on a bigger role in 2025.

Here's a look at the Yankees projected starting lineup following the Goldschmidt signing.

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Yankees projected 2025 starting lineup

1. Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B)
2. Aaron Judge (RF)
3. Cody Bellinger (CF)
4. Giancarlo Stanton (DH)
   
5. Paul Goldschmidt (1B)
6. Jasson Domínguez (LF)
   
7. Austin Wells (C)
8. Oswaldo Cabrera (3B)
9. Anthony Volpe (SS)

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The Yankees had a current 2025 payroll of $234 million and a projected 2025 payroll of $266 million prior to the Goldschmidt signing, according to Spotrac.

Even after the addition of Goldschmidt's one-year deal, the team will remain well below their adjusted total 2024 payroll of $308 million (h/t Spotrac) following the offseason departure of Juan Soto in free agency.

Goldschmidt recorded a career-low .245 batting average and .716 OPS while recording 22 home runs and 65 RBI for the St. Louis Cardinals last season.

His numbers improved against left-handed pitchers, against whom he batted .295 in 81 games.

That could make him a potential fit for a platoon with Rice, who struggled to sustain offense at the MLB level but still recorded his best numbers against right-handers.

The Yankees could still be looking to add another infielder to this roster. The team has previously been linked to Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.

The Houston Astros were pursuing Arenado, but he recently blocked a proposed move to Houston using the no-trade clause in his contract, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, John Denton and Brain McTaggart.

Signing Goldschmidt could potentially help the Yankees convince Arenado not to similarly block a trade to the Bronx. The two were teammates over the past four seasons in St. Louis, and MLB.com's Denton, Feinsand and Bryan Hoch recently reported that Goldschmidt "could have a strong influence" on Arenado waiving his no-trade clause for the Yankees.

Chisholm took on a role at third base last season after primarily playing second base earlier in his career. If the Yankees are able to work out a trade for Arenado, Chisholm could slide back to second, with Goldschmidt and shortstop Anthony Volpe rounding out the infield.

Paul Goldschmidt's six-year run with the St. Louis Cardinals is over after he agreed to a deal with the New York Yankees.

Jack Curry of the YES Network first reported Goldschmidt and the Yankees reached agreement on a one-year contract. ESPN's Jeff Passan added the deal will be worth $12.5 million.

There are no options in Goldschmidt’s deal with the Yankees, per source. It is a straight one-year contract.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 21, 2024

Even though the Cardinals were able to salvage a decent season by record (83-79), this roster was in desperate need of an overhaul.

St. Louis had the third-oldest roster in MLB during the 2024 season. The age-related decline for former star players like Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado left the team in a difficult spot.

It's to the credit of Cardinals general manager Mike Girsch that they did eventually start to embrace a youth movement. Masyn Winn, Lars Nootbar, Alec Burleson and Andre Pallante all look like contributors on the next great St. Louis team.

Goldschmidt's future is more difficult to figure out. He is only two years removed from winning the NL MVP award with a .317/.404/.578 slash line in 151 games during the 2022 campaign.

But now, at 38 years old, Goldschmidt doesn't look anything like that hitter. He had his highest strikeout rate (26.5 percent) since his rookie year in 2011 when he only played in 48 games. He has the lowest walk rate (7.2 percent) of his career.

Goldschmidt was right around league average with a 98 OPS+ last season, but that's not what you want from a player who can only play at first base or DH.

The Yankees will be hoping that a change of scenery can provide a spark that turns things around for Goldschmidt. His track record of success does offer some hope he will fix things, though it's hard not to be concerned because of his age.

This isn't exactly the big splash Yankees fans may have been wanting given their lineup issues beyond Aaron Judge, but Goldschmidt does represent an upgrade over what they got out of Anthony Rizzo at first base last season.

Since there is no way to add a one-for-one replacement for Juan Soto, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has done a solid job of recreating his production in the aggregate.

New York's biggest addition was to the pitching staff by signing Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract. The reigning AL champs are also hoping the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium will provide a boost to Cody Bellinger's power output after they acquired him from the Chicago Cubs.

Goldschmidt certainly helps the Yankees against left-handed pitching in a way that Bellinger doesn't. Bellinger had a .305 on-base percentage against lefties last season. He did hit for average (.298) and decent power (.441), but they need him to get on base at a higher clip to be of significant value.

By comparison, Goldschmidt had a .295/.366/.473 slash line vs. left-handed pitching last season. He can still be an effective player in the right circumstances, but the Yankees still have work to do with their offense to get back to the level they were at in 2024 with Soto hitting in front of Judge.

The New York Yankees traded catcher Jose Trevino to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night, according to Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The Yankees received right-handed relief pitcher Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson from the Reds in exchange for Trevino, per Sherman and Heyman.

New York announced the move was official shortly after the New York Post's report:

The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired RHP Fernando Cruz and C Alex Jackson from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for C Jose Trevino.

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) December 21, 2024

The 32-year-old primarily served as New York's backup catcher in 2024, hitting .215 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs in 73 appearances.

Trevino's value stems from his defense, as he earned Platinum Glove honors to go along with his Gold Glove selection in 2022. He also made an All-Star appearance that year, racking up 11 homers and 43 RBIs.

His 2023 campaign was cut short due to wrist surgery and he was replaced in New York's lineup by Austin Wells in 2024. Wells finished No. 3 in American League Rookie of the Year voting and is expected to remain a key contributor for the Bronx Bombers moving forward.

Trevino is under his final year of team control on his contract before becoming a free agent following the 2025 season.

Yes way, Jose 💪 pic.twitter.com/SexW6aa4Rm

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 13, 2024

Cruz suited up in 69 games for the Reds in 2024, accumulating a 4.86 ERA to go along with a 1.335 WHIP. Despite the 34-year-old's high ERA, he's been adept at causing opposing hitters to whiff at his pitches.

Cruz averaged an impressive 14.7 strikeouts per nine innings last season. In 66.2 innings of work during his 2024 campaign, he struck out 109 batters while allowing 35 walks.

Five batters faced, five strikeouts.

Fernando Cruz is somethin' else‼️ pic.twitter.com/0pM1Xdkc23

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) May 27, 2024

Jackson spent the 2024 season on the Tampa Bay Rays and struggled to make an impact. He owns a .456 OPS for his career and will likely fill Trevino's depth role behind Wells.

The Yankees have been active on the trade market as of late, acquiring Cody Bellinger in an agreement with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.

Now, they've dealt Trevino to the Reds.

The New York Yankees are reportedly staying aggressive in the free-agent market as they continue to search for solutions at first base.

In the aftermath of Christian Walker's reported deal with the Houston Astros, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the team is focused on free agents Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana moving forward:

The Yankees were interested in Walker too but didn’t want to lose a draft pick in compensation. They still are focused on Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 20, 2024

Nightengale reported that the qualifying offer the Arizona Diamondbacks gave Walker deterred the Yankees' pursuit before the Astros swooped in. Walker reportedly agreed to a three-year, $60 million deal with Houston.

The Yankees went 94-68 in 2024 and reached the World Series. While it was a pretty successful season, first base was a weakness as Anthony Rizzo dealt with injuries and also produced just eight home runs. The team enjoyed a brief hot stretch from rookie Ben Rice, but his bat ultimately went cold and he finished the season with a .171 batting average.

While Walker could have filled that hole, Goldschmidt and Santana are both viable options. Santana slashed .238/.328/.420 with 23 home runs and 71 RBIs for the Minnesota Twins in 2024. He is a switch hitter who could be a short-term fill while players like Rice develop.

Goldschmidt would be a flashier option considering that he is a former MVP winner. The 37-year-old slashed .245/.302/.414 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024.

Regardless of who they sign, it looks like the Yankees still have every intention of adding a veteran first baseman during an offseason that has already seen them sign starting pitcher Max Fried and acquire former MVP Cody Bellinger.