NL Central

The Pittsburgh Pirates are reportedly expected to retain outfielder Andrew McCutchen.

Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, McCutchen is expected to sign a one-year, $5 million deal this week.

The 37-year old spent the first nine seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, and he rejoined the Pirates in 2023 after stints with the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers.

Last season, McCutchen recorded 100 hits, 12 home runs and batted .256. He suffered a partially torn Achilles in September, which kept him out the remainder of the season.

Pittsburgh finished the year 76-86 last season, missing an eighth-straight postseason. The Pirates are hoping retaining the veteran can help them as they continue their rebuild.

At 37-years old, McCutchen's return banks on the hope of a full-recovery from his Achilles injury. If he is able to recover without any complications, it will be his 16th season in the MLB and his 11th with the Pirates.

While McCutchen has faced some decline over the past few years, he was once an MVP-caliber player. In 2012, he averaged .327 with 31 home runs and 96 RBIs. In 2013, .317 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs, winning the National League MVP. In 2014, he averaged .314 with 25 home runs and 83 RBIs and followed that performance up with similar numbers in 2015.

McCutchen likely won't be posting MVP numbers this season, but his veteran leadership could be valuable to younger players.

The Pirates are expected to resign McCutchen, but the work isn't over as Pittsburgh looks to continue adding pieces over the offseason.

It appears the Toronto Blue Jays are the leaders to land free agent slugger Cody Bellinger.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Toronto Blue Jays have "emerged as the favorite" for Bellinger, although the Chicago Cubs do remain a candidate for his services.

Bellinger just wrapped up a one-year deal with the Cubs following a six-season tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is a two-time All-Star, a World Series champion and was the 2019 NL MVP.

Bellinger had a resurgent 2023 season on the North Side, hitting .307 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs. He also had 20 stolen bases, finished 10th in MVP voting and won a Silver Slugger award.

This sets him up to get quite the payday this offseason and Toronto has seemingly been looking to throw some cash around to improve the team. The Blue Jays were in on two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani until the end of his free agency, and Bellinger would be a strong pickup following this.

Toronto went 89-73 in 2023 and reached the playoffs, falling to the Minnesota Twins in the Wild Card round. This was Toronto's third postseason appearance in four seasons, but the team has failed to win a playoff round during this run.

The AL East also appears to be an arms race, with the New York Yankees acquiring Juan Soto, the Baltimore Orioles looking like a formidable force for the foreseeable future and the Boston Red Sox being in on Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Signing Bellinger would help the Blue Jays keep pace and potentially grab a division crown in the near future.

The Cincinnati Reds are reportedly still shopping second baseman Jonathan India.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that trade talks involving India "remain active" with multiple clubs after the team signed infielder Jeimer Candelario.

India has multiple seasons of control left as he is not set to hit free agency until after the 2026 season. He has played his entire career at second base, with some spot appearances as a designated hitter.

India is a career .244 hitter with 17 home runs, 61 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. He was the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year and could be a solid addition to a team looking to solidify the second base position.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Reds are not guaranteed to trade India as the team likes his leadership capabilities, but the logjam in the infield is something Cincinnati will have to sort out. The Reds have Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Noelvi Marte, Spencer Steer, India and now Candelario in the infield.

While Steer is expected to be moved to the outfield and India could be used as a designated hitter and potentially at first base or the outfield, selling high on him and bringing in a few prospects or adding pitching depth could be a solid option for a team looking to make a postseason push soon.

After missing out on Shohei Ohtani, the Toronto Blue Jays are "expected" to swing at outfielder Cody Bellinger, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

To win over the former NL MVP, however, the Blue Jays will need to beat out the team Bellinger spent 2023 with.

"The Cubs remain a threat to keep Bellinger, who's said to have liked his first year on the North Side very much," Heyman wrote.

The San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres are also reportedly interested in Bellinger, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

The outfielder slashed .307/.356/.525 for the Cubs in 2023 on his way to his second career NL Silver Slugger award.

The Blue Jays have been tied to a series of potential high-profile roster additions this offseason, including outfielder Juan Soto.

But now that Ohtani is ready to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Soto has ended up with the New York Yankees, Toronto's bids for star left-handed batters have yet to garner results so far.

"Now that they didn't get Ohtani, they didn't get Soto, they want a left-handed bat... I think Toronto will be in there for Bellinger," Heyman said Wednesday. "Those are the two most likely teams at this point."

MLB.com's Mike Petriello projects Bellinger receiving a five-to-eight year deal worth between $150 and $200 million "as arguably the best position player available" other than Ohtani.

The Blue Jays set a franchise record with a $213 million luxury tax payroll in 2023. The addition of a free agent like Bellinger would likely put them on track to set another record.

Toronto leadership may be ready to spend that much money in to break a disappointing postseason streak that saw the team swept in the Wild Card round three times in the past four seasons.

But if the Blue Jays decide that next step to win a Wild Card game means adding a hitter like Bellinger, it looks like they will have to beat out the Cubs first.

Looking to upgrade their pitching staff, the Cincinnati Reds are looking at multiple avenues to add a starter.

Per MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Reds are "active" in exploring free agency and the trade market with former AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber on their radar.

Morosi also noted Lucas Giolito and Michael Wacha are among the Reds free-agent options.

Coming off a promising 82-80 season, the Reds are looking to strike while their stock is trending in the right direction. They have already made one notable move this offseason, agreeing to a three-year, $45 million contract with Jeimer Candelario.

Adding Candelario could be the precursor to a trade because they had a logjam on the infield before giving him that deal. He joins a group that includes Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, Jonathan India, Elly De La Cruz and Christian Encarnacion-Strand.

Those six players are fighting for the four spots on the infield and at designated hitter. India has been talked about as a potential trade candidate, but Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall told reporters during the winter meetings they are "not looking to move him."

One potential solution could be having De La Cruz start next season in the minors to work on his plate discipline. He's only 21 and has a dazzling set of tools, but he also had a .300 on-base percentage and struck out 144 times in 427 plate appearances last season.

Bieber is the biggest name of the pitchers being targeted by the Reds. The Cleveland Guardians are always looking for ways to save money, and his estimated $12.2 million salary in arbitration might be more than they want to spend.

There are injury and/or performance concerns for all three pitchers connected to the Reds. Bieber has missed significant time in two of the past three seasons due to shoulder and elbow injuries. His decline in velocity last season made him much easier to hit, resulting in him posting the second-worst ERA of his career (3.80).

Giolito's 94 starts over the past three seasons are tied for sixth-most in MLB, but his 4.43 ERA during that span is tied for 85th out of 104 qualified pitchers.

Wacha might be the most reliable of the three pitchers at this point. He's started 47 games over the past two seasons, posting a 3.27 ERA with 228 strikeouts in 261.2 innings.

The Reds certainly need to come out of this offseason with one starter they can rely on for at least 150 innings. Graham Ashcraft was the only pitcher on the staff who threw more than 118 innings in 2023.

Corbin Burnes is likely remaining with the Milwaukee Brewers.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Brewers are "now expected to retain" Burnes rather than dealing him on the trade market.

It's good news for Brewers fans. Burnes, 29, is a three-time All-Star and the 2021 Cy Young award winner. He was excellent in 2023, finishing 10-8 with a 3.39 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 200 strikeouts across 193.2 innings and 32 starts.

He's helped lead the team to the postseason in five of the last six seasons, though he first emerged as an ace-level starter in the 2020 campaign. For a Brewers team fresh off of winning an NL Central crown, keeping their ace is an indication that a postseason berth remains the goal, even with manager Craig Counsell leaving for the Chicago Cubs.

The Chicago Cubs appear to have been left in the dark when it comes to Shohei Ohtani's free agency.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer told reporters Tuesday that the franchise hasn't received any update from Ohtani's camp regarding if the club is still in contention to sign him this winter.

"I'm not going to comment on it but we haven't been given a status check," Hoyer said.

The Cubs have been linked to Ohtani throughout free agency, and he even considered Chicago before he agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Angels to come to the United States from Japan.

However, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Tuesday that a high-ranking executive said the "Cubs' optimism of landing Shohei Ohtani has now significantly waned." He added that the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles and San Francisco Giants are the "likely finalists."

Nightengale also reported that the Cubs "balked" at Ohtani's asking price of 10 years and at least $500 million.

Ohtani has been known to prefer the west coast, but if Hoyer hasn't heard anything from the veteran's camp, it's reasonable to believe the Cubs may still be in the running for his services.

Losing out on Ohtani would be a huge miss for the Cubs, which are coming off one of their best seasons since 2020. They finished the 2023 campaign with an 83-79 record and just missed out on the playoffs.

Ohtani would significantly elevate a Cubs rotation that includes Kyle Hendricks, Justin Steele and Jameson Taillon. However, he won't be able to pitch until 2025 after undergoing elbow surgery in September.

The 29-year-old will still be able to bat next season, and that alone would be a huge boost for the Cubs.

Ohtani slashed .304/.412/.654 with 44 home runs, 95 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 2023. Those numbers are better than any player Chicago had on its roster last season.

Ohtani is considered the best player in baseball, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that he's in no rush to reach an agreement. This could be a long process, so baseball fans should buckle up.

The Chicago Cubs and free-agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins reportedly "remain in contact" as he explores the open market.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the Cubs and Hoskins have discussed both one-year and multiyear proposals. The 30-year-old is attempting to come back from a torn ACL suffered during the 2023 season.

The Philadelphia Phillies moved on from Hoskins this offseason when they named Bryce Harper their full-time first baseman. Hoskins spent his first six MLB seasons in Philadelphia.

"We think the world of Rhys and Jayme (Hoskins' wife)," Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. "They are wonderful people who have done so much for the community. I don't want to 100% close any doors but I'd say that's the situation. He understood. If he's not back with us, we wish him nothing but the best."

A good power hitter with a propensity for drawing walks, Hoskins would have garnered significant free-agent buzz if he weren't coming off a significant injury. The one-year deals he's discussed with the Cubs are likely motivated by a desire to return to free agency next winter and cash in on a bounce-back year.

Hoskins slashed .246/.332/.462 with 30 home runs and 79 runs batted in during the 2022 season. He's expected to make a full recovery and be ready for spring training after starting to take batting practice in October. There was an outside shot Hoskins would have been ready to play if the Phillies made the 2023 World Series.

It's looking increasingly like Shohei Ohtani's next stop will not be Chicago.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Cubs "balked" at Ohtani's asking price of 10 years and at least $500 million. Per Nightengale, Chicago now appears to be out of the mix.

Of note, however, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Cubs have not been told they are out of the running:

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said the team hasn't "been given a status check" from Ohtani's camp, and declined to comment further, per Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune.

Nightengale previously reported that the Cubs' optimism has "significantly waned" in recent days, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants emerging as finalists in the sweepstakes.

Ohtani, who will not be able to pitch during the 2024 season due to UCL surgery, is nevertheless set to break the North American record for guarantees in a professional sports contract.

Jeff Passan of ESPN reported Ohtani's deal could reach the $600 million mark and is expected to easily surpass $500 million.

It's noteworthy that Nightengale's final four teams included three from the state of California. Ohtani was known to prefer the West Coast when he initially came over from Japan, and it seems that preference has stuck. Toronto is the darkhorse in the race, but it's likely the Blue Jays would have to well outbid the Dodgers, Angels and Giants to have a serious shot.

The Cubs were initially considered a strong contender for Ohtani after he did consider the club during his initial negotiations to come stateside.

However, it appears they're once again being outbid and outmaneuvered by teams out west.

It was once considered a foregone conclusion that Ohtani would leave the Angels, so it's noteworthy they remain in the race. The Angels would give Ohtani a combination of comfort in his recovery, money and autonomy given his star power. His rationale for staying would likely be the same as Mike Trout's; it's hard to find a better location with less pressure.

Going to the Dodgers, who have been considered the favorites, would ratchet up the pressure on Ohtani a significant amount while he lives in the same area of the country. If championships are his ultimate goal, then the Dodgers may be his best choice. If it's comfort, then the Angels may still have a shot.

The Milwaukee Brewers are likely to have multiple suitors if they decide to trade starting pitcher Corbin Burnes.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Wednesday "a lot of people around the industry in recent days have said they expect Burnes to be moved before spring training." He added the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels are "all enamored with Burnes to varying degrees."

The Brewers made the playoffs for the fifth time in six years in 2023, but they could be heading toward a radical shift in their short-term priorities.

First came David Stearns' decision to step down as president of baseball operations in October 2022. Milwaukee has now lost another figure instrumental in its recent success, with manager Craig Counsell leaving to take the same position with the Chicago Cubs.

Should the front office decide to start building toward the future, Burnes is a natural candidate to trade.

The 29-year-old is due to be a free agent in 2025, and he's coming off his third straight All-Star appearance. He went 10-8 with a 3.39 ERA, a 3.81 FIP and a National League best 1.069 WHIP in 32 appearances.

The four teams listed off by Morosi all have a clear need for pitching.

The Dodgers' starting rotation remains a bit of a mystery with Clayton Kershaw, Lance Lynn and Julio Urías all free agents. Urías is also still on administrative leave following his September arrest on suspicion of domestic violence.

The Giants have likewise watched Alex Cobb and Sean Manaea hit the open market, and they could use another top-end starter behind Logan Webb.

For San Diego, acquiring Burnes would allow the team to improve its staff without stretching its finances too thin beyond 2024.

The Angels, meanwhile, have been stuck in a perpetual chase for good starting pitching for years, long predating Shohei Ohtani's free agency this winter.

Given his pedigree, Burnes probably has even more teams interested in his services. Only having him for one more year of arbitration hinders what the Brewers can get back in a trade, but there's almost certainly a worthwhile offer out there should the bidding get underway.