MLB free agency is cruising right along, with many of the big names off the board. But some impact players are still available.
Here’s a look at where things stand so far this offseason:
Atlanta Braves add outfielder Jurickson Profar
After a relatively quiet offseason, the Braves are adding 2024 All-Star Jurickson Profar on a three-year, $42 million contract. Profar spent the previous season and a half with the San Diego Padres, hitting .280/.380/459 in 2024 and earning a Silver Slugger Award. He will make $12 million in 2025 and $15 million in each of the following two seasons.
Since winning the World Series in 2021, the Braves have struggled to get back to the top of the sport. They’ve reached the playoffs in the past three seasons but haven’t made it past the division series.
Dodgers add another reliever in Kirby Yates
The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their offseason show of force on Tuesday by adding Kirby Yates, another of the top relievers on the market, to their bullpen, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
After missing out on Roki Saasaki, the Toronto Blue Jays are agreed with Anthony Santander on a five-year, $92.5 million deal. Santander, 30, had a career season in 2024, smashing 44 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles while batting .235 with an .814 OPS.
He ranked No. 11 on Yahoo Sports’ list of the Top 50 MLB free agents going into the offseason.
As a left-handed batter, Santander, a switch-hitter, hit .225 with a .793 OPS and 12 homers in 2024. But he did most of his damage batting right-handed, slugging 32 home runs with a .225 average and .822 OPS.
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Rays agree to two-year, $29 million deal with infielder Ha-Seong Kim
Infielder Ha-Seong Kim is heading to the Tampa Bay Rays, agreeing to a two-year, $29 million contract with the team, per multiple reports. The deal reportedly includes an opt-out after the first season.
Kim, who spent the past four seasons with the San Diego Padres, is recovering from shoulder surgery, but is reportedly expected to return to play in May. He is expected to take over at shortstop in Tampa Bay.
Tigers reportedly in agreement with Tommy Kahnle
The Detroit Tigers and right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle are in agreement on a one-year, $7.75 million deal, per multiple reports. Kahnle spent the previous two seasons with the New York Yankees, posting a 2.38 ERA with 94 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings pitched.
Source confirms: Tommy Kahnle in agreement with Tigers on one-year, $7.75M contract. First with terms: @ByRobertMurray
The former Texas Rangers closer has agreed to a one-year, $13 million contract with an additional $1 million in incentives for games played, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The Dodgers are now on track for a $379 million payroll, per Fangraphs’ estimate, which would be the largest payroll in MLB history. The 110% CBT surcharge would mean this deal is more like a $27.3 million deal for them.
Yates is coming off one of the best seasons by a reliever in 2024, with a 1.17 ERA that ranked behind only Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase for the best mark among relievers.
MLB The Show announces cover athletes: Paul Skenes, Gunnar Henderson, Elly De La Cruz
For the first time ever, MLB The Show has three cover athletes: 2024 NL Rookie of the Year and Pirates ace Paul Skenes, 2023 AL Rookie of the Year and Orioles slugger Gunnar Henderson, and Reds All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz.
Is Steve Cohen right to complain about the Mets’ Pete Alonso negotiations?
Ryan Pressly to the Cubs
The Houston Astros stuck a deal on Sunday to send closer Ryan Pressly to the Chicago Cubs. Pressly waived his no-trade clause in order to make the deal happen.
The 36-year-old held a 3.49 ERA in 56 2/3 innings last season with the Astros. The longtime veteran earned two All-Star nods during his seven-year run in Houston, with the most recent coming in 2021.
The Chicago Cubs are finalizing a trade to acquire closer Ryan Pressly from the Houston Astros, pending medical review, sources tell ESPN. Pressly will waive his no-trade clause to Chicago to facilitate the move, and Houston will send money to help cover his $14 million salary.
Mets owner Steve Cohen gets candid about Alonso trade: “I don’t like what’s been presented to us”
The New York Mets have been making big moves this offseason, including signing Juan Soto to a mega contract. But one stubborn piece of the Mets’ offseason has been trying to bring back Pete Alonso.
At a fan fest event on Saturday, Mets owner Steve Cohen made it clear that negotiations are ongoing, but he is frustrated with the process.
“Personally, this has been an exhausting conversation and negotiation. I mean, Soto was tough — this is worse,” Cohen said.
With things dragging on, Cohen even hinted that the team might have to move on from Alonso if the two sides remain in limbo.
“As we continue to bring in players, reality is [it] becomes harder to fit in Pete to what is a very expensive group of players that we already have,” he said.
Read more here.
Jose Altuve open to changing positions if it helps bring Alex Bregman back
On the news that the Astros have reengaged with Alex Bregman, second baseman Jose Altuve was asked how he would help bring the longtime third baseman back to Houston.
“For Alex, I’ll do whatever,” Altuve said. That reportedly includes moving to the outfield and allowing Isaac Paredes, who was acquired in the Kyle Tucker trade with the Cubs, to take his spot at second base.
“For Alex, I’ll do whatever,” Jose Altuve said. “Whatever I have to do for him to stay, I’m willing to do.”
Yes, that includes moving to the outfield, Altuve said.
Alex Bregman’s career with the Astros appeared to be over after Houston signed free-agent first baseman Christian Walker. However, with Bregman’s market apparently stalled, the Astros have resumed talks with the third baseman, who has played all nine of his MLB seasons with Houston, The Athletic reports.
Bregman has reportedly attracted interest from the Red Sox, Blue Jays and Tigers. But his rumored pursuit of a contract in the five-year, $200 million range has apparently been an obstacle, as it was with the Astros.
Houston made a six-year, $156 million offer to Bregman, and that deal is still available, according to reports.
Bregman batted .260 with a .768 OPS, 26 home runs, 30 doubles and 75 RBI in 634 plate appearances last season for the Astros.
What to make of Profar’s deal with Atlanta?
Traditionally one of the more active teams each winter, Atlanta had been eerily quiet this offseason coming off its seventh consecutive trip to October. The Braves were one of just a handful of teams that had yet to sign a free agent to a guaranteed big-league deal this winter, but they finally got on the board with the addition of Profar on a three-year deal worth $42 million.
The Padres — with whom Profar starred in his breakout 2024 season — have also yet to sign a major-league free agent this winter, and they surely would’ve loved a reunion with Profar. But San Diego’s ongoing ownership dispute and bloated payroll apparently made retaining Profar difficult. Instead, he joins a Braves team that had an unsettled left-field depth chart that projected to feature the largely unproven Jarred Kelenic and recent signee Bryan De La Cruz in a platoon of sorts. Now that duo can cover right field until Ronald Acuña Jr. returns from ACL injury, at which point Acuña should join Profar and center fielder Michael Harris II to form one of the more dangerous outfield trios in the National League.
The switch-hitting Profar and his excellent on-base skills will provide some much-needed balance to a Braves lineup that severely underwhelmed in 2024. While Profar’s plate discipline has always been stellar, it was a notable uptick in power production supported by huge strides in his batted-ball quality that fueled his 2024 breakout that he has now parlayed into an eight-figure deal. Although he’ll no longer be a main character in the Dodgers-Padres rivalry, Profar could continue to play a key role for a team hoping to dethrone the champs in 2025.
Jurickson Profar signs with Braves
Outfielder Jurickson Profar has signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Atlanta Braves, the team announced Thursday.
According to the Braves, Profar, who was No. 15 on Yahoo Sports’ Top 50 MLB free agent list, will earn $12 million in 2025 and $15 million in 2026 and 2027.
Last season with the San Diego Padres, Profar posted a career year, batting .280, hitting 24 home runs and driving in 85 runs with 10 stolen bases. Among National League left fielders, his 4.3 fWAR was highest, and he was above the 90th percentile in expected wOBA (.364) and expected batting average (.283). He was also the sixth-best hitter by wRC+ in the NL.
Anthony Santander’s deal with Blue Jays includes $61.75M in deferred money, opt-out
Anthony Santander’s five-year, $92.5M includes $61.75M deferred, according to a copy of the deal viewed by The Athletic. Present-day overall value by union’s calculation is $68.6M with a $13.7M AAV.
Santander deal includes opt out after third year. If he opts out, Jays can void it by increasing salary by $2.5M in each of final two years and exercising option for 2030 at $17.5M.
The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their latest talent coup on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, officially introducing Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki as a member of the team.
After statements from Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, Sasaki introduced himself through an interpreter before facing questions from media for the first time as a Dodger.
The primary question concerned the influence of fellow Japanese Dodgers stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on his decision.
Read the full story here.
Guardians sign reliever Paul Sewald to 1-year deal
The Cleveland Guardians are adding reliever Paul Sewald on a one-year, $7 million deal, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The contract includes a mutual option for 2026.
Sewald spent the past season and a half with the Arizona Diamondbacks after a 2023 deadline trade from the Seattle Mariners. In 2024, he pitched 39 2/3 innings and posted a 4.31 ERA with 43 strikeouts.
Tim Anderson signing minor-league deal with Angels: Report
Former All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson signs a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels as he tries to revive his career with manager and infield guru Ron Washington.
The Dodgers will formally introduce Roki Sasaki at 3 p.m. PT Wednesday.
Why Roki Sasaki signing with the Dodgers isn’t surprising
Welcome to Toronto, Anthony Santander
The Blue Jays did what they needed to do
The Toronto Blue Jays hadto do something.
After futile runs at multiple top free agents — Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes and Roki Sasaki all spurned Canada’s team this winter — the Jays found themselves in a position of desperation. Their roster, though capable of competing in 2025, remained incomplete and undermanned, particularly on offense. And with two of the club’s franchise cornerstones, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, just a year from free agency, the future was growing increasingly hazy. The pressure, for this franchise without a postseason win since 2016, had reached a fever pitch.
But on Monday, the Jays gave themselves some breathing room and a much-needed injection of power, with the club reportedly agreeing to terms with slugging outfielder Anthony Santander on a five-year contract. It’s an inevitable, obvious pairing between a team sorely lacking in pop and a free agent with immense juice.
