Very few seasons will see the sheer number of tier-one players on the market at the same timeand with the focus on hot-hitters, the fortunes of Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Trea Turner are at the forefront of everyone’s consciousness.
But there are other moves afoot as well, some that are more fundamental and can have longer-lasting implications than simply a short-term ticket to the playoffs.
Four of baseball’s premier shortstops are all free agents, providing a chance for teams to anchor their infield and leadoff batting orders for the foreseeable future. Aside from Trea Turnerthe market is also shuffling to accommodate Xander Bogaerts, Dansby Swanson, and Carlos Correa. And with these names on the shopping list, it is no small wonder that the same teams are sniffing around two or more of them at the same time.
Teams on the prowl
Philadelphia Phillies
The early indications that Philadelphia were interested in Trea Turner have not subsided, although their recent interest in Xander Bogaerts indicates that they are looking to hedge their bets in case Turner falls through.
The Phillies president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, spent time with the Red Sox and it was he who signed Bogaerts six-year, $120 million extension with that club back in 2019. With Bogaerts now on the market again, the Phillies are looking to sign a top-level shortstop and move Bryson Stott over to second base.
Boston Red Sox
The biggest need for Boston is in the offense, with their outfield decidedly lacking in production. And while losing Bogaerts will hurt them, they are likely to replace him with a like-for-like replacement, with most rumors centering on them picking up Dansby Swanson from Atlanta.
In the outfield, they are reportedly showing strong interest in nabbing Bryan Reynolds from the Piratesdespite reports coming out of Pittsburgh that there is little desire to let him go. The Sox are also reported to be interested in several of the Diamondbacks’ outfielders. As an organization, the Diamondbacks have outfielders in spades, all but one hitting from the left sideand giving up one or more would not seriously dent their productivity.
Atlanta Braves
While the Braves would love to keep Dansby Swanson in the fold, they are reported to be in the race, if not the outright favorite, to pick up Trea Turner from the Dodgers. Their focus in these trades seems to be their bullpen rather than their bats, with Jesse Chavez being re-signed and Nick Anderson reportedly to follow suit. After swapping Jake Odorizzi for Kolby Allard from the Rangers, the Braves are likely to use some of that spare cash that they have laying around for making sure that they can stay competitive in the June trade window.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The fourth corner of this middle-infield swap-o-rama is the Dodgers, and while they are not at all happy at the prospect of losing Trea Turner, they are rumored to be in the race for picking up Carlos Correa. Some TrueBlue fans will not be happy at the thought, but management seems to feel that any ill feeling will be swept aside by the uber-talented shortstop’s productivity.
While there was a shaky start to proceedings when Clayton Kershaw was not offered a QO, and it looked like Texas would go all-in for himbut recent rumblings are that he is all but guaranteed to re-sign with LA.
Houston Astros
The Astros are the strongest side in the game at the moment, and losing some of their players to free agency is unlikely to bother them much. It certainly never has in the past, where the club’s development has been shown to be as deep as any in baseball. Their biggest hole to fill is the same as back in June, when they picked up Christian Vazquez from Boston. Catcher.
Dusty Baker is keen on using Martín Maldonado for his knowledge and defensive ability. Let’s face it, there are few catchers in the game today who can come close to him behind the dish. But playing him means eating an almost automatic out with the bat, and while the Astros are productive enough to wear that most of the time, there are games when the offensive production outweighs the defense.
Reports are that the Astros are heavily interested in Willson Contreras and although the Cubs have issued him a QO, he has declined it indicating his willingness to test the waters elsewhere. The Astros offered José Urquidy for him straight up back in June but that deal was shut down by Cubs ownership. They could wind up with their man in the end anyway.
The best of the rest
Beyond the big teams, it seems as if the Angels will keep hold of Shohei Ohtani for at least another year, indicating that he was not available at any price. The Red Sox have made the same position clear for Rafael Devers, although there is still speculation that the slimmest sliver of a chance exists that the Dodgers may be able to reunite Devers with Mookie Betts.
Aaron Judge is going to occupy as much time as anyone else in the league, perhaps leaving it to the last minute before signing anywhere. The Yankees are squarely focused on keeping him, although with the way that he was treated by the New York fans in the fall fresh in his mind, he will want to keep all doors open. Let’s face it, every team in baseball will want himand while the Giants are favorites at the moment, it is anyone’s guess as to where he will end up.
Anthony Rizzo is another Yankee who can profit from the organization’s focus on Judge, with several teams expressing interest in the hard-hitting first baseman, including both the Astros and the Rangers. But there is always a chance that the Cubs could want him back and pay big for the privilege.