It’s 2025, and not surprisingly some of the biggest names – including Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes – are off the board. Still, some notable free agents and trade targets remain available, and that means a daily supply of MLB rumors as we move deeper into the back half of the offseason. Speaking of which, Monday’s supply of rumors can be found just below.
Rangers sign reliever Chris Martin
Chris Martin is returning to Texas. The Arlington native has signed a one-year contract with the Rangers, the team announced Monday. Financial terms were not disclosed. Martin, 38, spent the 2016-17 seasons in Japan, then returned to MLB with Texas in 2018. He threw 44 1/3 innings with a 3.45 ERA and 50 strikeouts against only two unintentional walks for the Red Sox in 2024.
Texas must re-sign or replace closer Kirby Yates and setup man David Robertson this offseason. Signing Martin helps accomplish that. He’ll join recently acquired lefties Robert Garcia and Hoby Milner, and righties Shawn Armstrong and Jacob Webb, in manager Bruce Bochy’s new-look bullpen. We did not rank Martin among our top 50 free agents this offseason.
Royals bring back Lorenzen
The Royals are re-signing righty Michael Lorenzen to a one-year contract worth $7 million, reports ESPN. The deal includes a $12 million mutual option for 2026. Lorenzen joined Kansas City in a deadline deal with the Rangers last year. We ranked him as the 38th-best free agent available this offseason. Here’s the write-up:
We’ve denied Lorenzen a spot on these lists in the past before because he doesn’t fit what we conventionally desire from starting pitchers. Namely, he’s prone to amassing some less-than-impressive strikeout (and strikeout-to-walk) rates. We’re giving in to him this spin around the sun with the thinking that teams will try to mimic the Royals’ approach by adding pitchers whose arsenals are greater than the sum of their parts. Lorenzen throws something like seven pitches, all spanning the vertical and horizontal movement spectrum, and maybe two of them would grade as average or better. That he’s continued to find success anyway (he’s accumulated a 106 ERA+ since 2022) suggests there’s an effect not being captured by traditional measures or modes of thinking. Let’s see if he can keep it up.
Lorenzen, 33, threw 130 ⅓ innings with a 3.31 ERA between the Rangers and Royals in 2024. There was talk Lorenzen could sign with a non-contender as a two-year player earlier this winter, though that didn’t happen. The Royals went to the ALDS last year and intent to compete again in 2025. They’re unlikely to give at-bats to Lorenzen, a career .233/.282/.429 hitter who has two at-bats since 2019.
Arenado hoping for trade to Red Sox
The St. Louis Cardinals are shopping veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado as they lean into a youth movement and look to shed payroll. Arenado has a full no-trade clause, so he’s in control of the process. Indeed, he’s already reportedly invoked that clause to block a deal that would’ve sent him to the Houston Astros. If, however, the Cardinals and Boston Red Sox are able to agree on a swap, then Arenado would go along with it. Here’s Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive.com: