MLB Free Agency

According to a senior executive with Major League Baseball, there was no collusion between the New York Mets and New York Yankees regarding free-agent slugger Aaron Judge.

"We've completed our investigation," the executive said, per Sean Gregory of Time. "And we've notified the MLBPA that there is no basis for any claim of collusion."

Concerns arose when Andy Martino of SNY reported earlier this month the Mets had no plans to engage in a bidding war with their crosstown rivals and would only be involved if the Yankees decided they were not going to pursue Judge in free agency.

"Talking to Mets people about this all through the year, the team in Queens sees Judge as a Yankee, uniquely tailored to be an icon in their uniform, stadium and branding efforts," Martino wrote. "Owners Steve Cohen and Hal Steinbrenner enjoy a mutually respectful relationship, and do not expect to upend that with a high-profile bidding war."

The players association responded to that suggestion by requesting a league investigation into the idea two league owners could be collaborating to drive Judge's price down.

Gregory noted the MLBPA can still file a grievance, which would leave the case in the hands of an independent arbitrator.

Although the Mets may not be involved in the pursuit of Judge, he could ultimately benefit from a bidding war involving the Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers, among potential other suitors.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported Judge was in San Francisco to meet with the Giants, whom Randy Miller of NJ.com reported last month "won't be underbid" when it comes to money available for the superstar who grew up in Northern California cheering for the National League West team.

"The Dodgers and other clubs could become serious pursuers of Judge, as well, turning this into a bidding war that figures to surpass $300 million," Miller wrote.

A price tag that high wouldn't come as a huge surprise considering Judge is coming off one of the best seasons in MLB history. He set the American League record with 62 home runs while showing off his overall impact with a .311/.425/.686 slash line and 131 RBI.

Where he lands is arguably the biggest story of the entire offseason, but, at least according to an MLB executive, there isn't any collusion involved.

Catcher Gary Sanchez is an under-the-radar free agent who could end up providing plenty of bang for the buck during the 2023 MLB season.

Although there hasn't been a ton of buzz about his potential destination during the early stages of free agency, his market should eventually heat up once the biggest names come off the board in the coming weeks.

Sanchez morphed into a one-dimensional slugger in recent years after starting his career as a pretty well-rounded hitter for the New York Yankees. His lifetime average, which stood at .283 after the 2017 season, is down to .225 after spending 2022 with the Minnesota Twins.

He's still provided value as a power hitter at a position with a limited number of impact offensive producers, though. His 154 homers since 2016 rank second among MLB catchers behind only the Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez, per FanGraphs.

His list of accolades includes two All-Star selections (2017 and 2019) along with the 2017 Silver Slugger Award for American League catchers.

Sanchez is coming off a 2022 campaign in Minnesota in which he compiled a .205/.282/.389 slash line with 16 home runs in 128 appearances. His .659 OPS was the second-lowest mark of his career.

The 29-year-old Dominican Republic native drew mostly positive reviews from Twins manager Rocco Baldelli despite an up-and-down year at the plate.

"He's impressed our group," Baldelli said in June. "He really does care. He's very accountable to his guys. He just wants to be good, and they know it. Overall, as a staff too, we couldn't be more pleased with what we've gotten from him on the defensive side of the ball. He's swinging the bat good too. He's done a real nice job back there. You can tell he's taken pride in what he's doing."

If he can provide 20-plus homers and solid defense moving forward, that'll represent strong value at a position where a lot of clubs are struggling for answers.

Here's a look at a couple of potential landing spots as part of his foray into free agency:

Minnesota Twins

Sanchez staying in Minnesota wouldn't come as much of a surprise since the team doesn't have a ready-made replacement waiting in the wings. The club would hope for a bounce-back hitting year in 2023 to go along with his improved defending.

He'd likely split time with Ryan Jeffers at catcher while also drawing some starts as the designated hitter when he's not playing the field.

If his OPS returns closer to his career mark of .778 and he can deliver over 20 homers, that would give the Twins above-average production at the position and help the offense rise in the rankings after it finished 17th in runs scored last season.

That said, it's still a position the front office must address for the future, either through the draft or with the signing of international prospects.

New York Yankees

Sanchez returning to New York may be an unexpected turn of events since it seemed best for the sides to go their separate ways last offseason, but it does make sense on paper as the Yanks look to add some offensive depth for the middle of the order.

He can split time with the defensively strong Jose Trevino, pinch-hit in games Trevino starts and draw an occasional start at designated hitter to spell Giancarlo Stanton. It's a way to maximize the impact of his bat without asking him to carry the load like he did in points during his first stint with the club.

The Yanks have other things higher on their offseason to-do list, starting with making sure superstar outfielder Aaron Judge returns to the Bronx. So a Sanchez reunion is something that would probably come together late in the winter.

If he's still on the open market as the rest of roster becomes settled, however, it's an idea the New York front office could consider for a little more pop.

Cleveland Guardians

Signing Sanchez would represent an intriguing bet for the Guardians. At his best, he can be one of the league's top offensive catchers while providing steady play behind the dish. His mediocre play in recent years makes it unclear whether he can get back to that high level.

If signed, pencil him in as Cleveland's starter behind the dish to open 2023, but he'll have competition from prospects Bo Naylor and Bryan Lavastida in spring training.

Bringing in an established veteran would take the pressure off that tandem to make a significant impact next season, but the Guardians aren't likely to block either of them if they show promise during the exhibition slate.

So it's possible Sanchez would slide into more of a timeshare situation, but adding his power upside to an offense that ranked a modest 15th in runs scored last season would be a worthwhile investment.

Former MVP outfielder Andrew McCutchen is flying under the radar on the MLB free-agent market, but he could provide a depth boost for just about any team heading into the 2023 season.

McCutchen captured the NL MVP award in 2013 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he also earned five All-Star selections across his first nine MLB seasons.

He's since made stops with the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and, most recently, the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 36-year-old Florida native is coming off a 2022 campaign with the Brew Crew when he compiled a .237/.316/.384 slash line with 17 home runs and eight stolen bases in 134 games. His .700 OPS was a career-low mark.

While McCutchen has mostly played corner outfield or designated hitter in recent years, he has expressed confidence in his ability to still play center field, his longtime position with the Pirates where he won a Gold Glove in 2012.

"It's definitely a position I know I can still play," McCutchen said in July. "The outfield is the outfield, but it's something I've done for a lot of my career, so of course I'm the most comfortable out there at that position."

The continued positional versatility combined with a bat that still has some pop gives him value as he enters what's likely the twilight of his terrific career.

Here's a look at a few potential landing spots for the four-time Silver Slugger Award winner.

Brewers

Sticking with the Brewers would give the club a little flexibility as it awaits the full-time arrival of their top outfield prospects, including Garrett Mitchell, Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer. It's a talented group, but re-signing McCutchen would remove some of the pressure on them to potentially make a high-end impact in 2023.

In terms of veterans, Christian Yelich and Hunter Renfroe are likely locked into starting jobs barring an offseason trade. It leaves center field as the one open spot in the club's outfield.

If a few of those aforementioned rising stars make Milwaukee's final roster, it would likely mean more sporadic playing time for McCutchen, who could see his most consistent work at DH. If the prospects start in the minors, the veteran will be more involved.

It's unclear whether the Brewers are interested in a reunion given his modest production last season, though.

Pirates

Heading back to the Pirates may signal McCutchen's career is winding down. A veteran of his caliber typically joins a contender to chase a World Series ring. The Buccos aren't in that category right now, but he obviously has a long history in the Steel City.

The club legend would probably see a majority of his starts at designated hitter, but he could still garner some playing time in the outfield when Bryan Reynolds, Cal Mitchell or Jack Suwinski needs a day off.

Signing with Pittsburgh is something that may wait until later in the offseason to see whether McCutchen can attract interest from a club closer to contention.

He'd surely be welcomed back with open arms if the Pirates are his ultimate destination.

Astros

McCutchen isn't the offensive force he was during his peak years with the Pirates, but he's a worthwhile depth addition for the reigning champion Astros. He can bring veteran leadership to the clubhouse even if he's not in the lineup every night.

Kyle Tucker and Chas McCormick are likely locked into starting jobs in the corner outfield spots for Houston. Jake Meyers is penciled in for center field, but there could be playing time available if he starts slowly in 2023.

McCutchen could back up all three outfield spots and also draw the occasional start at DH when Yordan Alvarez needs a breather.

Perhaps most importantly, it would represent a golden opportunity for him to add a World Series ring to an otherwise terrific career résumé.

The New York Yankees "recently requested medical information" on free-agent pitcher Jacob deGrom, according to Andy Martino of SNY.

While that doesn't guarantee a Yankees' pursuit of deGrom in free agency, Martino added that they were just one of five teams to request his medical information thus far.

The 34-year-old deGrom, who spent the first nine seasons of his MLB career with the New York Mets and won two Cy Young awards along the way, will be one of the top players in free agency and arguably the top pitcher, with Justin Verlander also making a strong case.

He isn't without his concerns. Injuries limited him to just 26 total starts over the past two seasons, making his medical information all the more important for prospective suitors.

But when he's been healthy, he's been productive. He finished the 2022 campaign 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 62.1 innings, and was on pace for a legendary season in 2021 (7-2, 1.08 ERA, 0.55 WHIP, 146 strikeouts in 92 innings) before inflammation and a stress reaction in his shoulder cut it short.

His age and injury history may limit his market somewhat, but players with his capacity to completely dominate don't hit free agency often. He'll have a vibrant market.

As for the Yankees, Martino noted that re-signing defending American League MVP Aaron Judge will be the priority, with the team also focused on improving the pitching staff.

Former Yankees pitchers like Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton and Jameson Taillon, among others, are free agents this winter, creating the potential for a lot of turnover in New York's pitching staff this offseason.

Certainly, adding an ace like deGrom would alleviate the potential pain of losing those arms.

The New York Mets reportedly held a free-agent meeting with Japanese starting pitcher Koudai Senga, a three-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star.

Will Sammon of The Athletic reported Thursday that the meeting "went well" but noted the Mets face competition from "several teams" for the 29-year-old right-hander.

New York is facing some rotation uncertainty after Jacob deGrom, Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker all entered free agency after the 2022 season.

Max Scherzer remains one of MLB's top aces and the club has a couple solid mid-rotation options in Carlos Carrasco and David Peterson, but there are two spots still up for grabs.

Senga is coming off a strong 2022 campaign with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the NPB club he's played for since 2012. He compiled a 1.94 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 156 strikeouts in 144 innings across 22 appearances.

The five-time Japan Series champion features a fastball that can touch triple digits and a wipeout splitter that's an impressive out pitch, even for the MLB level.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported MLB executives and scouts are concerned about his lack of a third refined pitch, some fastball command issues and nagging elbow injuries during his time in Japan, though.

Colin Rea, a former MLB pitcher who's spent parts of the past two seasons as Senga's teammate in Japan, told Sherman he's confident the starter's skill set will translate favorably.

"[Senga] is one of the most talented, physically gifted players I've ever played with," Rea said. "His competitiveness on the mound is second to none and he works his butt off in between starts. He throws 100 and has a split that no one can touch. He's constantly trying to improve every day. His English also is improving. He could be a star in MLB."

MLB sources wondered whether Senga may ultimately be a better fit as a closer given his explosive fastball and two-pitch repertoire, per Sherman.

The ideal outcome for the Mets would be re-signing deGrom and adding Senga, which would allow the new arrival to open his tenure as the team's No. 4 or No. 5 starter, taking away a lot of the pressure that would come being higher up in the rotation.

A starting group of Scherzer, deGrom, Carrasco, Peterson and Senga would project as one of the league's best.

Ben Clemens of FanGraphs projected a four-year, $56 million contract for the Japanese star, which would come with some risk given the concerns raised by execs and scouts, but the Mets have shown a willingness to spend big money under owner Steve Cohen.

The good news from a financial perspective is that Senga is a standard free agent, meaning he's not linked to the standard posting process for players making the move stateside from Japan. So the contract will be the only fee associated with his move.

Senga, whose accolades also include a gold medal with Japan at the 2021 Summer Olympics, hasn't provided a timetable for picking his first MLB team.

The MLB Players Association reportedly requested a league investigation to determine whether there was "improper communication" between the New York Yankees and New York Mets regarding the potential free-agent pursuit of outfielder Aaron Judge.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Wednesday the union referenced a Nov. 3 article by SNY's Andy Martino, which said the Mets wouldn't engage in a "high-profile bidding war" with the Yankees because of a "mutually respectful relationship" between team owners Steve Cohen and Hal Steinbrenner.

"The only way people involved can see the Mets changing course and pursuing Judge would be if the Yankees somehow declared themselves out of the bidding," Martino wrote.

If the Players Association can prove the Mets' reluctance to bid directly against the Yanks damaged Judge's free-agent market, it would be a violation of MLB's collective bargaining agreement, per Rosenthal.

The Mets have emerged as one of the league's biggest spenders since Cohen purchased majority control of the franchise in November 2020. Their current projected payroll for 2023 ($184.7 million) is the highest figure in MLB by more than $20 million, per Spotrac.

So it's important for top-tier free agents like Judge to at least have the threat of a Mets bid as part of the process to maximize their leverage. If the New York teams aren't willing to battle each other, it limits the upside of the slugger's likely nine-figure contract.

Judge, who set the new American League record with 62 home runs in 2022, hasn't shed much light on his free-agent foray throughout the year.

"That's all going to run through my agent," Judge told reporters in October after the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs. "I haven't even thought about the next step yet. But like I said, we've got time to figure it out. I've never been in this spot before."

Along with the Yankees and Mets, Jim Bowden of The Athletic listed the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox as the other potential suitors, saying it's hard to see any of the other 25 teams having a "legitimate chance" in the sweepstakes.

If there's only five clubs seriously involved, taking the Mets out of the equation represents a 20 percent drop in interest for Judge's representatives to work with on the market.

Should a formal grievance be filed by the Players Association, an arbitrator would hear the case, and Judge could be awarded "triple damages" if collusion is proved, per Rosenthal.

The Judge situation will likely make or break the Yankees' offseason. He carried the team's offense for extended stretches during the 2022 campaign, and there's no option, internal or external, who can replace his production barring a massive blockbuster trade.

So there's a strong chance Steinbrenner's club was likely to match any offer given to the 30-year-old four-time All-Star regardless of the surrounding circumstances, but more limited competition could prove quite valuable in terms the final contract cost.

It makes the collusion case an interesting subplot to what's already one of the winter's top stories.

First baseman José Abreu may end up on the Boston Red Sox this offseason.

Bruce Levine of 670 The Score (h/t Adam London of NESN) reported the American League East team is "high on the list" of possible landing spots along with the Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins and Houston Astros.

Abreu has put together a decorated career since joining the Chicago White Sox in 2014.

The 35-year-old's accolades include the 2020 AL MVP Award, the 2014 AL Rookie of the Year Award, three All-Star selections and a trio of Silver Slugger Awards.

He's coming off a 2022 season with the South Siders where he compiled a .304/.378/.446 slash line with 15 home runs across 157 appearances. Although his power numbers were down a bit, his .824 OPS still ranked 23rd among all major league hitters.

With Abreu's numbers staying strong into his mid-30s, he said there was no timetable for how long he wanted to keep playing.

"As long as I can or as long as life wants me to," the slugger told reporters in August. "I'm in a good place right now. My family is in a good place. I'm in a very good organization here. We'll see. I don't put numbers or limits. We'll see what life has for me, and I'll go with it."

Even if his power numbers never return to their peak—he crushed 36 homers in 2014—his offensive game is well-rounded enough to provide ample value.

Abreu's potential departure from the White Sox could be a surprise given his long history with the franchise, but Chicago's loss may end up being a major gain for the Red Sox. He could provide a nice boost to the middle of the team's batting order.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly "showing interest" in Japanese starting pitcher Koudai Senga, a three-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star.

Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reported Friday that Senga, 29, is "now eligible" to enter free-agent contract talks with MLB teams after opting out of his contract with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.

Since Senga is a traditional free agent—he's not part of the posting system typically involved with Japanese players making the switch to MLB—the team that signs the right-hander won't incur any additional fees beyond the contract's value.

The five-time Japan Series champion is coming off a 2022 season with the Hawks where he posted a 1.94 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 156 strikeouts in 144 innings. His career ERA across 11 years of Japanese pro baseball stands at 2.42.

In October, Senga said making the move to MLB is the end of a long-term plan.

"I'm absolutely going to file for free agency," Senga told reporters. "I've been saying I'm going to do it for the past six years, so this represents nothing new for me."

The Dodgers will face plenty of competition for him in free agency.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Tuesday the San Diego Padres were interested along with "virtually every other MLB team."

The Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays are among the other clubs publicly linked to Senga so far, per Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors.

MLB sources told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that Senga features a fastball that can reach triple digits and an elite splitter, but there are concerns about his lack of a polished breaking ball and some nagging elbow injuries over the years.

"[Senga] is one of the most talented, physically gifted players I've ever played with," Fukuoka teammate Colin Rea told Sherman. "His competitiveness on the mound is second to none and he works his butt off in between starts. He throws 100 and has a split that no one can touch. He's constantly trying to improve every day. His English also is improving. He could be a star in MLB."

Regardless of where he signs, he'll likely open his U.S. career as a mid-rotation starter in 2023. Any team signing him to become an ace-level contributor would be taking a risk.

MLB teams that hope to trade for a top-tier starting pitcher like the Cleveland Guardians' Shane Bieber or Milwaukee Brewers' Corbin Burnes reportedly face "astronomical" asking prices.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday neither the Guardians nor Brewers are showing an "intent to deal," which could restrict those pushing to land an ace to a free-agent class led by Jacob deGrom, Carlos Rodón and Justin Verlander.

Bieber and Burnes are on the same contract track. They each have two years of arbitration remaining and can't become free agents until after the 2024 season. That puts little time pressure on their teams' front offices, so the lack of trade intent isn't a surprise.

Here's a look at how the standout right-handers performed in 2022:

• Bieber: 2.88 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 198 K in 200 IP
• Burnes: 2.94 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 243 K in 202 IP

Given those numbers, the contractual control and the fact that both Cleveland and Milwaukee are playoff contenders heading toward 2023, the chances of a blockbuster trade are remote.

In turn, the competition for the top starters on the free-agent market figures to become intense as World Series hopefuls attempt to bolster their rotations.

The good news for those clubs is plenty of talent is available in free agency, led by the trio of deGrom, Rodón and Verlander.

• DeGrom: 3.08 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 102 K in 64.1 IP (New York Mets)
• Rodón: 2.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 237 K in 178 IP (San Francisco Giants)
  
• Verlander: 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 185 K in 175 IP (Houston Astros)

Passan listed deGrom (34 years old) and Rodón (29) among the free agents expected to receive contracts with a total value over $100 million.

Verlander, 39, is a different case because of his age, but he could attract a lucrative one-year contract from a team on the cusp of World Series contention, or from the Astros as they attempt to defend their championship next season.

While it's never cheap to add an ace, that's particularly true this offseason because the demand for elite starters far outweighs the supply on both the trade and free-agent markets.

The dominoes will begin to fall when free agency opens at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.