Boy, do we have a boatload of MLB rumors on this fine Friday afternoon.
Before we jump into the goods, here's a list of some of the recent MLB rumors articles to catch you up. After, we'll dive into some of the latest murmurs as the GM meetings in Arizona close up shop.
Jorge Polanco likely to be traded
According to Jon Morosi, Twins second baseman Jorge Polanco appears likely to be traded. Team president Derek Falvey acknowledge that there might be interest in some of the talent-dense positions the Twins have but also said they value their top players and like the fit.
Morosi, though, filled in the gaps:
"[Polanco] is someone who is available, and people around the industry believe there's a very strong chance that the Twins will in fact move Jorge Polanco this winter."
Luis Severino return to Yankees unlikely
Brendan Kuty of The Athletic provided an update on Luis Severino's oblique rehab, saying the recovery is going well and that Severino, who had a rough 2023, is drawing interest from nearly a third of the league in an offseason where starting pitching is of demand with few elite options in the open market.
Notably, Kuty reports the Yankees are not one of the interested teams.
2023 was a rough year for Sevy and the Yankees alike. He started the year injured and was frustrated at the number of hoops the team was having him jump through to get back as a starting pitcher, namely, the team's desire to have him participate in live batting practice games him.
Those steps would prove perhaps necessary, though, as Severino struggled to recapture ace potential he displayed previously, closing the year with a 6-plus ERA and a WHIP of 1.646. Six of his eighteen starts in 2023 he gave up five runs or more.
Yamamoto will be of interest to both NYC clubs
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is going to be one of the crown jewels of the offseason. Coming over from Japan to play in MLB, Yamamoto is highly sought-after by clubs in need of starting pitching depth. It's never precisely clear what the ceiling is for an international prospect, but Yamamoto projects highly, throwing a no-hitter with MLB executives watching in a playoff game.
When Yamamoto gets posted by the Orix Buffaloes -- which is expected to happen soon -- there are 45 days for him to agree on an MLB contract. According to Andy Martino, both NYC clubs, the New York Mets and New York Yankees, are thought to be in on him. Martino reports that the Queens club would have a tougher time landing him than the Yankees:
It's been reported that Yamamoto prefers to pitch for a large market, and none would be bigger than that of New York City.
That doesn't guarantee him to land with the Yankees or Mets, however, as a number of professional clubs could throw dizzying financial numbers at him to try to secure his services this winter.
Most interesting is the 45-day timeline Yamamoto has to come to an agreement with a team. If he is posted well before fellow Japanese free agent Shohei Ohtani makes a decision on his own free agency, it's worth wondering how that may impact franchises who are interested in both players but can't afford to sign the duo.
Will they skip out on Ohtani to guarantee they at least get Yamamoto? Or, might they hold out on the time-constrained Yamamoto contract in hopes that they can keep the checkbook open for Shohei?
Juan Soto trade talk dead? One insider doesn't think so
In the weeks leading up to the GM meetings, there was plenty of buzz about the San Diego Padres potentially trading Juan Soto. Specific rumors came up about a Cubs trade that seemed destined to focus in on young star Christopher Morel who is still finding his way on the defensive side of things.
Then, the GM meetings came and comments from the Padres and whispers around the meetings seemed to convince everyone that Soto was, instead, positioned to stay in San Diego, at least for the start of the season. Soto, who is a free agent after this year, could also be a hot topic of discussion at the trade deadline.
Yet, Buster Olney says no. Appearing on The Michael Kay show, Olney said that he still feels Soto is getting traded before the season starts, confident enough to slap a "100 percent" label on it.
Color me skeptical of anyone willing to give a trade a likelihood of 100 percent, but Olney is far more plugged in than me, so what do I know?
The Padres want to chop payroll. A Soto trade would be an easy way to do that. It might completely alter their chances of winning a title anytime soon, but the team was woeful in 2023 despite the incredible amount of talent it rostered.
Phillies deny recent rumors about Nick Castellanos trade
On Thursday, it was reported that the Phillies were thinking about trading Nick Castellanos, the slugger who seemed to hit a home run nearly every time he was up to bat in the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves.
That, at first glance, looked like a shock. His offense was a jolt that willed them above the Braves easily, and his attitude on the team was tone-setting.
My colleague Chris Kline put it well:
On the whole, it would be a true shock to the system if the Phillies jettison Castellanos. He fits the blue-collar Philadelphia vibe exceedingly well and fans won't be quick to forget his towering performance against the Braves. The highs were as high as the lows were low.
In response to the shocking rumors, the Phillies have apparently let it leak out that those reports were pure bogus. Buster Olney of ESPN reports that the Phillies have told him Castellanos isn't going anywhere.
In all honesty, that tracks a lot closer to expectation than what we heard Thursday. For now, he's under team control until 2027 when he hits the open market.
