MLB Rumors: Orioles predicted to sign Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson to monster extensions
After years of being in the cellar of the AL East and MLB entirely, most fans knew that a massive upswing coming for the Baltimore Orioles. It just happened to arrive far sooner than many expected as the O's soared to the top of the division and the best record in the American League.
Of course, that didn't translate into postseason success but, for a young team, that appears like the obvious next step. And one MLB insider is predicting that the Orioles make big moves to ensure that bright future this offseason.
Rather than making a big splash free agency signing or trade (though the latter is certainly a possibility), Jim Bowden of The Athletic ($) recently made some predictions for signings and trades this offseason and had the Orioles keeping the heart of their young core intact.
Namely, Bowden predicted that the Orioles would sign both Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson to major extensions this offseason -- and that the Angelos family would set a season ticket record for the number sold for the 2024 season.
Of the predictions that Bowden made, this is among the most tame and believable. Rutschman was phenomenal all season, slashing .277/.374/.435 with 20 home runs and 31 doubles while driving in 80 runs. Henderson, who played in 150 games this season, was even better with a slash line of .255/.325/.489 with 28 homers, 29 doubles, 9 triples and 82 RBI. Both were also phenomenal defensively.
If the Orioles can make the money work -- which there should be no limit for these two players -- expect Baltimore to make good on this prediction and lock up their young duo of stars for the long, long haul.
MLB Rumors: Insider predicts Yankees trade for Juan Soto, sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto
While Brian Cashman might be drawing the ire of New York Yankees fans, the expectation from the fanbase remains that the organization needs to make a big splash this offseason.
So how about two... at least!
In his offseason predictions for MLB, former GM Jim Bowden of The Athletic ($) predicted first that the Yankees will be the team that's able to pry superstar outfielder/DH Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres as he enters the final year of his contract with a blockbuster trade sending the slugger to the Bronx.
But wait, there's more. Bowden immediately followed that prediction with another for the Yankees, asserting that the franchise will also sign Japanese free agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto amid a high-stakes bidding war throughout the league. He added a prediction of a seven-year, $211 million contract for Yamamoto that would push "the Yankees' payroll to the highest it's ever been under owner Hal Steinbrenner."
Since the dawn of Soto trade rumors amid turmoil with the Padres' finances (and even before), the Yankees have appeared to be a likely possible trade destination. They have a rich pool of prospects, a historically aggressive mentality, and an ever-present need for star power. New York could use all of that in its favor to land (and hopefully re-sign) Soto.
As for Yamamoto, that somehow might be the more important addition for the Yankees if it were to come to fruition. The 25-year-old starting pitcher has been near unhittable for the Orix Buffaloes in Japan, posting a 1.21 ERA with 169 strikeouts over 164 innings and 23 appearances. Given New York's desperate need for pitching upgrades, this would be about as good as it could get.
But the question remains -- will Cashman pull the trigger on these moves? Stay tuned (and ready to get angry if he doesn't, Yankees fans).
MLB Rumors: Cardinals will hire legend Yadier Molina as coveted 'manager in waiting' according to former GM
Though you'd be hard-pressed to find a St. Louis Cardinals fan who's over the moon about manager Oli Marmol returning for the 2024 season after the unmitigated disaster that was the 2023 campaign under his watch. But have no fear, Cards fans -- a longtime hero with the franchise could be just biding his time until he takes Marmol's job, at least according to one former MLB executive.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic ($) had a note for the Cardinals in his long list of 2023-24 offseason predictions that the organization would hire former catcher and fan-favorite Yadier Molina as part of Marmol's coaching staff this offseason, adding that Molina would then become "the most prominent 'manager in waiting' in the sport."
Reports for several weeks now have suggested this is a possibility, and Molina's likely pursuit of an eventual managerial position make sense. The future Hall-of-Fame catcher has spent time in Venezuela as a manager and was at the helm of Puerto Rico during this year's World Baseball Classic.
The bigger question would be if the Cardinals would be the ones to hire him as the manager, ostensibly forcing Marmol to work with his replacement. It's entirely possible as Marmol certainly enters the 2024 season on the hot seat after one of the worst seasons in St. Louis in recent memory and entering a full-scale roster reconstruction this offseason.
Should Marmol show any signs of failure again in 2024 with Molina on his staff, you can bet that Cardinals fans will be quick to push for the former catcher to take over given the success he saw as an integral part of the Redbirds.
