The 2024-25 Major League Baseball offseason carries on, and notable free-agent names are off the board, including the biggest name of all in Juan Soto. With the Winter Meetings well behind us and many big free agents and trade targets still available, we’re still being treated to an almost daily supply of rumors regarding all of that. Speaking of which, Thursday’s round of rumors can be found just below.
Mets meet with Sasaki
The New York Mets met with Japanese righty Roki Sasaki on Thursday, reports SNY. Sasaki, our No. 7 free agent, can not sign with a team until the 2025 international signing period opens on Jan. 15. Because he is under 25, he is subject to the international bonus pools, and will be limited to a minor-league contract.
Sasaki, 23, is the most talented pitcher in the world not under contract with an MLB team. It’s upper-90s gas with a wipeout slider and splitter. The international bonus pools range from $4 million to $8 million each year depending on market size. Sasaki is not eligible for a monster contract a la Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which levels the financial playing field during his free agency.
Phillies sign Kepler to one-year deal
The Philadelphia Phillies have signed outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year contract worth $10 million, according to ESPN. He’ll join an outfield mix that includes Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, and Johan Rojas. Kepler has primarily played right field while sliding over to center every so often. That suggests a possible move for Castellanos to left field with Marsh and Rojas platooning in center.
Kepler, 31, had the worst offensive season of his career in 2024, slashing .253/.302/.380 with eight home runs in 105 games. He was better against lefties (.721 OPS) than righties (.672 OPS), though that is out of line with the rest of his career. Kepler’s made his money as a lefty platoon bat who hits righties well and plays very good right field defense.
Arenado-to-Astros trade may be revisited
The St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros had in place the outlines of a trade that would’ve sent veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado and significant cash to Houston. However, Arenado invoked his full no-trade clause to block the deal, as is his contractual right. Perhaps, though, this doesn’t mean that an Arenado-to-Astros deal is an impossibility. Here’s The Athletic: