MLB The offseason continues Sunday, with just two weeks until the annual winter meetings. THE Brewers officially named Pat Murphy their new manager Wednesday morning, leaving only the Padres with an opening. After this time, the rumor began to circulate. Let’s go for Sunday.
Phillies and Nola agree on new deal – could Harper follow?
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN,, the Phillies have reached agreement with right-hander Aaron Nola on a seven-year contract worth $172 million. Nola will therefore return to the only franchise he has ever bid for after a short foray into free agency. CBS Sports ranked Nola as the second-best starting pitcher in the classbehind only Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Nightengale adds that the Phillies should talk to star Bryce Harper about an extension that would keep him in town for the rest of his career. It’s unclear how many more years the Phillies will have to wait to make that desire a reality — Harper’s current deal isn’t set to expire until the winter of 2031, when he’ll be 39 years old.
Trout not available
It looks like Mike Trout will stay with the Angels for at least another season. General manager Perry Minasian rejected requests from “several major market teams” who checked Trout’s availability, according to Nightengale.
The likelihood of trout being marketed this winter has always been low. Our Mike Axisa recently explained why: “Trout has missed significant time due to injuries, has nearly $250 million remaining on his contract and has a full no-trade clause.”
Check back next year when the topic will likely be revisited.
Dodgers and White Sox talk shutdown
Dylan Cease is one of the best starters available on the trade market. As expected, the Dodgers are one of the teams seriously interested in adding him to their rotation, according to Nightengale.
Cease, 27, finished second in Cy Young Award voting in 2022. He had a rough season in 2023, posting a 97 ERA+ and the lowest full-season strikeout rate of his career . Even so, the Dodgers likely see him as someone they can help unlock a new level of sustained performance in the future.
Cease is under team control through the 2025 season.
The brave are planning a big coup?
The Braves raised eyebrows this weekend when they secured more than $12 million in projected arbitration prices through trades and non-tenders. That’s leading rival executives to suggest Atlanta is poised to make a splash this winter, by Nightengale And The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal..
Precisely what Alex Anthopoulos and his team have in mind remains to be seen — although it’s probably fair to think they’ll at least check in with this winter’s top free agents, including Shohei Ohtani.
Anthopoulos gained a reputation as a bold and opportunistic leader. In recent years, he has done much of his work through trades, acquiring Matt Olson and Sean Murphy in back-to-back winters.
Mets interested in Severino
Count the Mets among the teams interested in free agent right-hander Luis Severino, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic.
Severino, a two-time All-Star, posted a 65 ERA+ in 89 innings this season. Still, he’s an intriguing rebound candidate, thanks in part to an arsenal that pitching models have continued to rate highly.
CBS Sports ranked Severino as the 37th best free agent available this winter.
Woodruff sparks interest
Brandon Woodruff, waived by the Brewers on Friday following shoulder surgery that could sideline him for most of the 2024 season, is attracting interest from several teams, according to Rosenthal. That includes the Brewers, who tried to sign him to a two-year pact that would have extended control of their team by one season. Ultimately, these talks did not result in a deal and the Brewers opted to no-tend Woodruff rather than trade him for a nominal return.
Are the Blue Jays ready to move Manoah?
The Blue Jays are open to trading right-hander Alek Manoah, according to what rival leaders told Rosenthal.
Manoah, 25, finished third in Cy Young Award voting in 2022. He had a horrible 2023, however, posting a 5.87 ERA (72 ERA+) and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1, 34 out of 19 starts. Manoah was demoted to the minors in June and then saw his season end prematurely due to physical issues.
In theory, Manoah would be an interesting low-cost candidate. Practically speaking, the Blue Jays may not want to trade him at what they perceive to be his lowest value.
