AL West

The list of teams for one of the top remaining free agents is reportedly getting smaller.

Per ESPN's Buster Olney, Alex Bregman is "likely to land with" the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs or Detroit Tigers "soon." Bregman has spent his entire eight-year MLB career with the Houston Astros, and the organization is "skeptical he'll return to Houston," according to Olney.

Bregman reportedly declined a six-year deal worth around $156 million from Houston earlier this offseason as he was seeking a contract worth roughly $200 million.

Even after Bregman rejected that deal in December, the Astros believed they were still in the mix. USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported in January that Houston was "keeping the door ajar for" the 30-year-old to re-sign with the Astros.

The Athletic's Chandler Rome also reported in January that Bregman had re-engaged in contract talks with his former squad.

The tone regarding Bregman changed recently, however. Rome reported last week that Astros general manager Dana Brown said at the team's annual luncheon that Houston "lost Bregman" while referring to the third baseman in the past tense several times.

According to Rome, Brown said the Astros were "continuing to have internal conversations because he's still available," though he added that he hadn't recently spoken to Bregman's agent, Scott Boras.

With Brown subtly indicating that Bregman won't return to the Astros, the focus shifts to where he will end up.

Olney noted that joining the Red Sox would likely mean shifting to the middle infield. He added that if he signs with Chicago, it will be "likely on a short-term" contract.

Signing with the Tigers would allow Bregman to play for a team ready to compete this year. Detroit is coming off an 86-76 season in which it reached the ALDS and will bring back reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Adding a player like Bregman could give the Tigers enough to make a push for the World Series.

Bregman, a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion with the Astros, had 26 home runs, 75 RBI and slashed .260/.315/.453 in 2024. He also won the first Gold Glove Award of his career.

Legendary former MLB outfielder Ichiro Suzuki fell one vote shy of being a unanimous first-ballot Hall of Famer, and the voter who denied him that distinction remains unknown.

The Baseball Writers' Association of America published 321 of 394 Hall of Fame ballots for the 2025 class on Tuesday, and Suzuki appeared on all of them, per the Associated Press.

Today we are publishing 321 of 394 (81%) Hall of Fame ballots from the 2025 election.https://t.co/df0YkMGRSy

— BBWAA (@officialBBWAA) February 4, 2025

Suzuki headlines the Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2025 alongside former star pitcher CC Sabathia and former closer Billy Wagner. Legends Dave Parker and Dick Allen were also elected through the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. They will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during a ceremony at Cooperstown on July 27.

When it was revealed that Suzuki appeared on 393 out of 394 ballots to earn an election to the Baseball Hall of Fame, the 51-year-old handled the moment with grace.

"There's one writer that I wasn't able to get a vote from," he said through a translator last month. "I would like to invite him over to my house, and we'll have a drink together, and we'll have a good chat."

Former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera remains the only player to receive 100 percent of the Hall of Fame vote from the BBWAA, appearing on all 425 ballots for the 2019 class. Fellow Yankees legend Derek Jeter appeared on 395 out of 396 ballots in 2020.

Still, Suzuki undoubtedly had a resume worthy of a unanimous selection. He earned American League Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in his first year with the Seattle Mariners and went on to become a 10-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove Award winner and two-time AL batting champion.

The Baseball Hall of Fame leaves the option up to the voters on whether or not to make their ballots public, so it remains to be seen if the lone voter who didn't include Suzuki will reveal themselves in the future.

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown gave a definitive indication that free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman won't be returning to the team this offseason.

Per Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Brown said during the Astros' annual media luncheon that the team "lost Bregman" and twice spoke about him in the past tense.

Brown added that Houston is still having "internal conversations" about Bregman, but he hasn't had any recent discussions with agent Scott Boras.

Bregman has spent his entire career with the Astros since making his major league debut in 2016. He became one of the faces of the franchise, earning back-to-back All-Star selections in 2018 and 2019 and helping lead Houston to two World Series titles in 2017 and 2022.

In 2024, Bregman played in 145 games and hit .260 with 26 home runs and 75 RBI. He earned his first career Gold Glove Award for his production at third base.

Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reported that the Detroit Tigers "are still interested in Bregman after signing right-hander Jack Flaherty to a two-year, $35 million contract" on Monday.

Petzold named the Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs as the other teams "involved in the Bregman sweepstakes," though he noted that the Tigers "have conducted their offseason moves around their interest in signing Bregman, as they declined to upgrade the offense with other notable right-handed hitters."

It appears that Houston will have a new third baseman for the first time in 10 years, as Bregman has multiple viable suitors who appear motivated to compete for his services.

The Los Angeles Angels tried to make another free-agent splash in their quest to return to relevancy in the American League.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Angels "made a run" for Anthony Santander by offering him different three- and four-year concepts before he wound up signing with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays were able to land Santander on a five-year, $92.5 million deal with an opt out after the 2027 season. His contract also includes $61.8 million in deferred money, bringing the present-day value down to $68.6 million.

Some details on Anthony Santander's $92.5-million, five-year deal. The deferrals in the deal give the contract a present value calculated at $68.6 million, per industry sources. That means for CBT purposes, the AAV is a tick above $13.7m.

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) January 23, 2025

It doesn't seem like it would have been hard for the Angels to beat that structure, but there's also the possibility that Santander felt like he would have a better chance to compete for a playoff spot with the Blue Jays.

The Angels have prioritized short-term thinking over long-term perspective for years. They've done it again this offseason by signing free agents like 33-year-old Yusei Kikuchi, 35-year-old Kyle Hendricks and 36-year-old Travis d'Arnaud.

On the one hand, it's admirable Angels ownership is still trying to spend money to build around Mike Trout. On the other hand, though, they're starting from such a low point coming off a 63-99 record in 2024 that it's hard to envision them making up enough ground to challenge for the postseason in 2025.

Santander is a flawed player, but he likely would have been the second-best outfielder behind Trout—assuming he can stay healthy—on the Angels next season if a deal would have been worked out.

The Angels are entering the year with Trout, Taylor Ward and Jo Adell as their starting outfielders. Santander made his first All-Star team with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, hitting a career-high 44 homers in 665 plate appearances.

Los Angeles has made the playoffs just once since the 2010 season. The team hasn't won a playoff game since Game 5 of the 2009 ALCS against the New York Yankees.

Ryan Pressly will suit up for the Chicago Cubs this year after spending seven seasons with the Houston Astros.

Per The Athletic's Chandler Rome, Pressly's exit came after a severed relationship between the relief pitcher and Astros general manager Dana Brown. Brown said that when Houston signed Josh Hader last offseason, which moved Pressly from his role as a closer, it "fractured" Pressly and Brown's relationship.

"Any time you take a major-league player out of a role where they feel comfortable, it's going to fracture your relationship some," Brown said.

Rome noted that Brown put Pressly on the trade block earlier this winter in part "because of their broken relationship."

According to Rome, Brown did not feel like trading Pressly was his only option, praising the veteran for his willingness to take on a role he didn't want.

"Pressly has been a true professional. He accepted the role even though he felt like he still could close. I know he's going to get the opportunity to close in Chicago," Brown said. "I felt like we had some extra relievers, and if this is an opportunity where we could free up some money and build for the future. I thought this was that opportunity."

Pressly fared well as Houston's closer from 2020 to 2023, recording 71 saves and keeping his ERA at 3.58 or lower during that stretch. He had a career-high 33 saves in 2022 and had one of the best ERAs of his career in 2021 at 2.25.

Pressly took on a setup role last season, recording four saves and a 3.49 ERA in 59 appearances.

In Hader's first season with the Astros in 2024, he had 34 saves and a 3.80 ERA across 71 appearances.

Houston signed Hader with the intention of bolstering the back of its bullpen, even if that meant pushing Pressly out of the role he wanted to be in most.

"You're moving a guy out of position who felt like he didn't deserve to lose his job because you acquired another elite closer like Hader," Brown said, per Rome. "The whole purpose in doing all that was to really lock down the back-end. I know in his heart of hearts he wanted to close. We've had conversations about it. I would definitely say things were different, but we kept it professional and we got through it."

While Pressly had to part ways with the team he helped lead to three World Series appearances and one championship, he'll almost certainly get the chance to return to a closer role in Chicago.

As the Houston Astros work to re-sign Alex Bregman, they are also showing "strong interest" in other options, including veteran infielder Jorge Polanco, sources told The Athletic's Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal.

The Astros are reportedly favoring Polanco as a signing target, with no significant progress being made in negotiations to re-sign Bregman.

After the Astros traded Ryan Pressly to shed the majority of his $14 million contract, Bregman's decision remains uncertain, with five other teams reportedly still in the mix for his services.

Enter Polanco, the versatile Swiss Army knife infielder who has played shortstop, second base and third base since entering the league. The Astros are reportedly eyeing him for a potential move to left field should he sign, per Rome and Rosenthal.

The infielder's switch-hitting ability would also bring balance to the Astros' heavily right-handed lineup.

Polanco spent his first 10 MLB seasons with the Minnesota Twins, where he posted a .269 batting average with 447 RBI and 112 home runs. In his lone season with the Seattle Mariners, he recorded a .213 batting average with 45 RBI and 16 home runs over 118 games.

The Mariners wrapped up last season with an 85-77 record, finishing second in the AL West. However, they opted to decline Polanco's $12 million option, instead choosing a $750,000 buyout that made him a free agent.

The 31-year-old battled knee issues for much of last season, which significantly impacted his production, particularly from the left side of the plate, resulting in a career-low .651 OPS. His playing time also took a hit as a result. However, Polanco showed signs of improvement after the 2024 All-Star Break, boosting his OPS to .724 and hitting 11 of his 16 home runs over the final 63 games, per MLB.com's Daniel Kramer.

Polanco underwent left knee surgery in October to resolve the problem. According to his orthopedic surgeon, Polanco is expected to be "100 percent and fully recovered" by the start of the season, with "no restrictions during spring training," per Rome and Rosenthal.

Jose Altuve says he is willing to move out of the infield in 2025 if it means bringing Alex Bregman back to Houston.

"We haven't talked about it, but for Alex, I'd do whatever," Altuve said Saturday when asked if he had discussed the potential position change with Astros manager Joe Espada (h/t Our Esquina's Lorenzo Delgado.)

Altuve continued: "He's one of the best players in the whole league, but he's definitely one of the best players on the team. So, we want him to stay. So whatever I have to do for him to stay, I'm willing to do it."

When asked specifically if he would be willing to play outfield, Altuve answered, "I'll be willing to do everything if he stays."

José Altuve on free-agent Alex Bregman.

“Whatever I have to do for him to stay, I’m willing to do it.” pic.twitter.com/xZxOPUfHWe

— Lorenzo (@lorenzodelgad0) January 25, 2025

When asked if he'd ever played outfield before, Altuve said, "Have you seen me?"

The 5-foot-6 career infielder continued: "I want to win, and he's going to be a guy that's going to make this team better. We have a better chance to win a championship with him. That's my answer. I'm willing to do whatever for him to stay."

The Astros offered Bregman a six-year, $156 million deal earlier this offseason, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.

Bregman didn't accept the offer, and the team appeared to move on when they filled their infield by trading for Isaac Paredes and signing Christian Walker.

But McTaggart reported Saturday that a source says the Astros "wouldn't say 'no'" if Bregman now expressed interest in that same offer.

Astros general manager Dana Brown meanwhile said Saturday the door was still "cracked" for Bregman to come back to Houston:

Astros GM Dana Brown gives an update on where the club stands with Alex Bregman. The sides continue to talk. pic.twitter.com/0vc5poO08c

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) January 25, 2025

If Altuve moves to left field, and Paredes agrees to move from third base, the Astros could conceivably fit Bregman back into the infield. Those moves may be part of why Brown called a potential Bregman return a "long shot" as of Saturday.

As the start of spring training gets closer without Alex Bregman being signed, the possibility of him returning to the Houston Astros are looking a little better than when iit appeared the team moved on.

General manager Dana Brown told reporters on Saturday during the team's fan fest that the door to extend Bregman is "cracked" open and the two sides have had talks.

"The interesting thing is when we made some trades and some moves this offseason, we never realized that Bregman would still be on the market at this time," Brown said. "We've had some conversation and I could kind of leave it there, but we've had some conversations."

The Astros seemed to pivot from Bregman earlier in the offseason when they traded Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs. Their return in that deal included Isaac Paredes, whose primary position is third base.

It's unclear if Houston has changed its initial offer to Bregman. MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reported on Dec. 5 the Astros proposal was "worth around" $156 million over six years.

At the time, it seemed like that was an attempt by the Astros to say they offered Bregman the richest contract in franchise history while knowing he wouldn't take it because McTaggart noted he was seeking $200 million.

There have been several teams that have shown interest in Bregman, but apparently none willing to go as far with a contract offer as he would like. The Detroit Tigers were once considered a popular landing spot to reunite with former Astros manager A.J. Hinch, yet there's no indication they are aggressively pursuing him.

The Cubs have entered the race for Bregman, but their interest is impacted by having a limited budget left to spend on the roster for 2025.

Per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, the Boston Red Sox have "remained engaged" with Bregman's camp but they don't appear interested in a deal longer than four years.

Speier noted there are "at least three teams" that offered Bregman deals of at least five years this offseason.

With the majority of the league holding their first workouts on Feb. 12 and 13, Bregman figures to make a decision by then to ensure he can get a full spring training with his team.

The Astros know better than anyone what a difference Bregman can make in the lineup and as a defender.

Since making his MLB debut in 2016, Bregman ranks third among all third baseman with 32.8 FanGraphs' wins above replacement. José Ramírez (43.4) and Nolan Arenado (41.3) are the only players at the hot corner who have been better than him at the position.

A two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, Bregman hit .260/.315/.453 with 26 homers in 145 games for the Astros in 2024.

While most signs point to Alex Bregman joining a new club this offseason, he reportedly could be back in Houston next year.

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Astros "are keeping the door ajar for" Bregman to return to Houston. Nightengale noted that if Bregman returns, the Astros could shift Isaac Paredes to second base while moving Jose Altuve to left field.

The Athletic's Chandler Rome reported that the Astros and Bregman re-engaged in contract talks this week.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman later reported the Chicago Cubs are believed to have interest in Bregman:

Astros and Cubs are believed showing significant interest in Alex Bregman, with Tigers and Red Sox among others involved. His longtime Astros team, also engaged at the start of winter, want him enough they may move Paredes to 2B and Altuve to LF to accommodate.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 24, 2025

Bregman reportedly declined a six-year deal worth around $156 million from the Astros earlier this offseason and that contract is still "on the table" according to Rome. Bregman is believed to be seeking a deal closer to $200 million. That figure might be too much for Houston to fork over, as the biggest contract the Astros have ever given was Jose Altuve's five-year, $151 million extension in 2018.

The Astros also added to their infield earlier this offseason when they signed Christian Walker to a three-year, $60 million deal, so they aren't exactly desperate to bring back Bregman.

As Nightengale noted, Bregman has generated interest from several teams, including the Detroit Tigers. The Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold reported last week that the Tigers "remain interested" in Bregman, though contract talks between the two sides "are at a standstill."

Petzold also reported that Bregman has garnered interest from the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.

With other teams getting in the mix, the Astros will likely have to act soon to get Bregman back to Houston next season. While they could likely still field a competitive roster without Bregman, he's been a staple of their squad for nearly a decade, helping them win a pair of World Series in 2017 and 2022.

The 30-year-old slashed .260/.315/.453 with 26 home runs and 75 RBI in 2024. He's one of the best free agents remaining this offseason and his market should only heat up in the months leading up to spring training.

Ichiro Suzuki received a special honor on Tuesday when he was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Now, the team he spent most of his career with plans to honor him further.

The Seattle Mariners announced Tuesday that they will retire Suzuki's No. 51 jersey.

On August 9, we’ll officially retire Ichiro’s iconic No. 51. #IchiroHOF

8月9日に、イチローの「51」は正式に永久欠番となる。

🔗 https://t.co/7tWKi0G8Dt pic.twitter.com/d794RDFx4r

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) January 22, 2025

Suzuki spent 14 of his 19 MLB seasons with the Mariners.

The Mariners will retire Suzuki's number on Aug. 9 at T-Mobile Park. The ceremony will be a part of "Ichiro Hall of Fame Weekend" from Aug. 8 through Aug. 10 when Seattle hosts the Tampa Bay Rays.

Suzuki will join Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez and Jackie Robinson as the only players to have their jersey numbers retired by the Mariners.

"For nearly a quarter of a century, Ichiro has been an integral part of the Seattle Mariners organization," Mariners chairman and managing partner John Stanton said, per MarinersBlog. "And today's announcement will assure that his number will be proudly displayed in T-Mobile Park forever as he aptly joins Ken and Edgar as Mariners in the Hall of Fame."

In Suzuki's 19 MLB seasons, he was named to 10 All-Star teams and won 10 Gold Glove awards and three Silver Slugger awards. He was the American League batting champ twice and led the AL in stolen bases once.

In 2001, Suzuki won both AL MVP and AL Rookie of the Year when he collected 242 hits, 34 doubles, eight triples, eight home runs, 69 RBI and 53 stolen bases while recording a .350 batting average. Suzuki also holds the record for the most hits in a single season with 262.

Suzuki fell one vote shy of earning a unanimous selection into the Hall of Fame, receiving 393 of 394 votes. He is the first Japanese-born player elected into the Hall of Fame.

Suzuki, along with CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 27 in Cooperstown, New York.