MLB Rumors: Astros face stiff competition for Martin Maldonado
The Houston Astros and Martin Maldonado have "mutual interest" in a reunion, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. That said, several teams have checked in with the 37-year-old catcher, including the San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins, and Chicago White Sox.
Maldonado is a favorite of the Astros' coaching staff and bullpen, but he will cede starting duties to 25-year-old Yainer Diaz next season. Dusty Baker once said Diaz attended Maldonado's "boot camp." Now, the transition of power is official. Maldonado could return as a backup — Rome says Astros pitchers are holding out hope that he does — but another team could tempt the seasoned vet with more money and more opportunity to play.
Few players have developed a more volatile relationship with their fanbase than Maldonado in Houston. He's obviously a brilliant defender who develops a deep connection with his pitchers, but Maldy was essentially a non-factor in the batter's box last season. In 407 plate appearances, he slashed .191/.258/.348 with 15 home runs, 36 RBIs, 139 strikeouts, and 30 walks.
Diaz is a legitimate weapon on offense. That, combined with his youth, makes him the ideal starter. Maldonado is a good person to keep around the clubhouse, and around Diaz, but the Astros can't afford to use him extensively once the games start to count. If Maldonado is unwilling to accept a backup role, it's probably best to bite the bullet and let him walk.
MLB Rumors: Cubs connected to Rays' Tyler Glasnow
The Tampa Bay Rays are expected to trade RHP Tyler Glasnow. FanSided's Robert Murray deemed the likelihood of a move 9.8/10, citing Glasnow's expensive short-term contract (one year left worth $25 million) and Tampa Bay's limited motivation to extend Glasnow beyond 2024.
"There is a very, very, very real chance that Glasnow is traded. The remaining one-year, $25 million left on his contract makes him a very difficult piece for the small-market Rays to keep and considering that they are highly unlikely to keep him, trading him has always been the most realistic option."
While the Rays might not want to pay Glasnow, the pitching market is more robust than normal. Teams are hungry for quality starters and Glasnow figures to have a long line of suitors. One team frequently tied to Glasnow has been the Chicago Cubs. MLB insider Bruce Levine recently confirmed talks between the two sides, while also noting a potential hangup from Chicago's perspective.
Glasnow will have "multiple big market clubs" after him, per Levine, but there are concerns about his lack of durability. Last season, Glasnow set a career-high for starts (21) and innings pitched (120.0) despite dealing with nagging injuries. That is a concern, as Glasnow pitched far fewer innings than many top-shelf free agent pitchers, such as Blake Snell (180.0), Aaron Nola (193.2), or even Chicago's own injury-plagued starter, Marcus Stroman (136.2).
Still, Glasnow's blistering heat and high strikeout rate — 162 K's in those 120 innings — will keep him in the mix for teams eager to add pitching. When he's right, Glasnow can absolutely overwhelm batters with his potent fastball and slider. There is inherent injury risk with the 30-year-old, but that is the case for any trade.
If Chicago doesn't muster up the courage, another team will probably swoop in to snatch up Glasnow.
MLB Rumors: Pete Alonso hints at desire to stay with New York Mets
Pete Alonso has been the focus of trade rumors all offseason. He's due to hit free agency in 2024 and his agent, Scott Boras, is notorious for using the open market to determine player value, rather than signing extensions.
Instead of allowing Alonso to walk as a free agent, the New York Mets could decide to cash out now. There has been widespread speculation tying Alonso to the Chicago Cubs, among other potential suitors. He's an absolute force at the plate — .217/.318/.504 with 46 home runs and 118 RBIs last season — so the 28-year-old probably won't go anywhere without a significant offer coming across Billy Eppler's desk.
With several teams desperate to add Shohei Ohtani and/or Juan Soto, Alonso could be viewed as an appealing Plan C around the league. For his part, however, Alonso appears to be quite content in New York. He was recently seen at a Knicks game donning what one has to imagine is a very purposeful piece of wardrobe.
His shirt reads "New York or Nowhere."
As Scott Neville of Sports Illustrated points out, Aaron Judge pulled the very same move last offseason before re-signing with the Yankees. On the other hand, Judge famously almost signed with the San Francisco Giants. So, the Mets' fanbase can't count their chickens before they've hatched. Alonso can always change his mind.
That said, it would appear that Alonso is very much content with his situation in New York. There has been no indication that Alonso wants a trade; only that teams are interested in the two-time Home Run Derby champ. And heck, who wouldn't be?
