Mega Thread 2024-2025 MLB Hot Stove

[Dixie Flatline]

The 2024 MLB season is now in the history books, with the Los Angeles Dodgers claiming their eighth title in franchise history by defeating the New York Yankees 4-1. They will enjoy a parade on Friday in Los Angeles (Saturday morning, Australian time).

But for the other 29 clubs, work has already begun on preparations for the 2025 MLB season, with pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training in mid-February 2025 (dates are yet to be confirmed, but could be as early as 12 February 2025). Obviously there will be a lot of player movement through the off-season, with some big ticket free agents looking to sign some big contracts in the off-season.

This off-season, the biggest free agent available is RF Juan Soto, who enjoyed a stellar 2024 with the New York Yankees, but is no lock to return to the Bronx Bombers. There will be a number of clubs interested in signing Soto, who at the age of 26, is probably still yet to reach the peak of his career, despite being in the majors since he was 19 years old, but is on a Hall of Fame trajectory with his hitting. To put the accomplishments of Soto in perspective, his (former) teammate, catcher Austin Wells, was a rookie in 2024 for the Yankees and just completed his first full big-league season, and he's just 260 days younger than Soto.

For those looking for help on the pitching side of the roster, there are plenty of options available, with RHP Corbin Burnes headlining the list of free agent pitchers, although there are some question marks on whether Burnes has already peaked and is on the downward slide of his career, given that his strikeout rate has declined in each of the past four seasons and his in-zone contact rate is on par with Kyle Gibson, Chris Flexen and Carson Fulmer, none of whom are aces in their respective rotations.

An interesting scenario is the future of third baseman Alex Bregman. The Astros have a long history of letting players go and replacing their output with younger, more cost effective options (see, for example, Jeremy Pena replacing Carlos Correa). Bregman, however, has been one of the more productive third basemen for much of his career. His teammate, Jose Altuve, has publicly backed the Astros to re-sign Bregman to a long-term deal, but it is still a question on whether Bregman will remain an Astro in 2025 and beyond.

Blake Snell was one of the so-called "Boras four" who remained unsigned in 2024 until well into Spring Training. He eventually landed a deal with the San Francisco Giants (which contains a player option that Snell will almost certainly decline) and pitched poorly in the first months of the season. However, he bounced back to record a no-hitter and the fourth best ERA+ of his career. He is hoping that his second consecutive trip through free agency lands him a long-term deal.

For those looking for a little bit of thump to add to their lineup, they will be hard pressed to go past long-time Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. The Polar Bear hits free agency for the first time in his career at the age of 30. He's never hit less than 30 homers in a season in the big leagues, but his strikeout rate has increased in the last two seasons consecutively, and he's fallen short of the generational talents at first base such as Albert Pujols or Miguel Cabrera.

Top free agents in this year's class include:

• Juan Soto (RF)
• Corbin Burnes (RHP)
• Alex Bregman (3B)
• Blake Snell (LHP)
• Max Fried (LHP)
• Jack Flaherty (RHP)
• Sean Manaea (LHP)
• Nathan Eovaldi (RHP)
• Pete Alonso (1B)
• Max Scherzer (RHP)
• Shane Bieber (RHP)
• Ha-Seong Kim (SS)
• Anthony Santander (OF)
• Joc Pederson (OF)
• Teoscar Hernandez (OF)
• Christian Walker (1B)
• Luis Severino (RHP)
• Yusei Kikuchi (LHP)
• Gleyber Torres (2B)
• Blake Treinen (RHP)
• Clay Holmes (RHP)
• Jeff Hoffman (RHP)
• Jurickson Profar (OF)
• Walker Buehler (RHP)

Free agency opens on 4 November (US time).

 

[Dixie Flatline]

RHP Lucas Giolito has exercised his $19 million player option with the Red Sox for the 2025 season, according to the team. He missed the entirety of the 2024 season with elbow surgery rehab after he was diagnosed with a partial tear in his UCL and a flexor sprain during Spring Training.

The Red Sox are primsed to lose RHP Nick Pivetta to free agency, so Giolito will join a starting rotation featuring Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford, though Giolito may not be ready to pitch on Opening Day.

Giolito also has an option for 2026. If he pitches less than 140 innings in 2025, the option converts to a club option worth $14 million. If he pitches in excess of 140 innings, the option becomes mutual and is worth $19 million. The option comes with a $1.5 million buyout.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Los Angeles Angels and the Atlanta Braves are in agreement on a trade that sends DH Jorge Soler to California in exchange for RHP Griffin Canning. The Angels take on the entirety of the remaining two years and $26 million on Soler's contract, while the Braves assume Canning's salary in his last season in arbitration.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The St Louis Cardinals have declined their club options on RHP Kyle Gibson, RHP Lance Lynn and RHP Keynan Middleton. The Cardinals will pay each pitcher $1 million and they are now free agents, eligible to sign with any other team from Monday. The club options on Gibson and Lynn were each worth $12 million, while the Middleton option was worth $6 million.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

OF Randal Grichuk has declined his end of a mutual option with the Diamondbacks, and will receive a $1.75 million buyout. It was not known whether or not the Diamondbacks had exercised their club option over Grichuk, but that becomes immaterial with Grichuk's decision as he will become a free agent. Grichuk had a strong season at the plate for Arizona, hitting 20 doubles, two triples and 12 homeruns from 279 plate appearances in a platoon role.

 

[RPCB]

That is 24 players we won’t be signing this winter. Yay us.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

And the pursuit of Juan Soto has begun in earnest. According to the NY Post, at least 11 teams have reached out to Soto's agents the morning after the Yankees lost the World Series. Although Soto cannot field free agent offers until next week, there is nothing in the rules that would prevent other teams from expressing their interests generally to Soto and his agents. Among those that have made contact with Soto include the Mets.

Juan Soto eyeing a historic $700 million MLB free agency contract

Word is that within two hours of the Yankees losing the World Series, eight rival teams checked in with interest, and by Thursday morning, the number was up to 11.

nypost.com

Mets among first teams to check in on Juan Soto after World Series

Juan Soto is officially a free agent, and there is no shortage of early interest.

nypost.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Chicago White Sox have a new manager, hiring former associate manager of the Rangers, Will Venable, to fill the role recently held by Pedro Grifol and Grady Sizemore (albeit in an interim capacity). Venable has long been regarded as a future major league manager, having graduated from Princeton and then putting together a nine-year career as a player. After retiring as a player at the end of the 2017 season, Venable became a coach in 2018, and interviewed for the Cubs role after Joe Maddon left as manager. Venable also had interviews with the Giants and Astros. Venable won a World Series with the Rangers in 2023.

Venable named White Sox manager: 'I'm excited about the challenges'

CHICAGO -- Will Venable has a self-described underdog mentality and all the things that come with it. Those intangibles should come in handy as he was named the 44th manager in White Sox history on Thursday. The White Sox dipped quite a few rungs below underdog status last season, losing

www.mlb.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

OF Hunter Renfroe and RHP Chris Stratton exercised player options in their contracts with the Royals, according to reports. The Royals declind their end of a mutual option on infielder Adam Frazier, while LHP Josh Taylor elected free agency.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

As noted in the above tweet, LHP Jordan Montgomery made possibly the easiest decision in his career by exercising his player option to stay with the Diamondbacks for 2025. After he was signed into Spring Training in 2024, he had a terrible season for the Diamondbacks, putting up an ERA of 6.23 in 117 innings completed for Arizona. He was demoted from the starting rotation after 21 starts, the first time in his career that Montgomery (who was a world champion with the Rangers in 2023) had lost his starting job. Both Montgomery and the Diamondbacks hope that he can resurrect his career in 2025 with the possibility of a trade.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Additionally, the Twins declined their end of a $6.25 million option over infielder Kyle Farmer. He will collect a $250,000 buyout and hits free agency for the first time in his career. The Twins also declined an option on outfielder Manuel Margot.

Farmer spent two seasons in Minneapolis, hitting .256/.317/.408 in his first season after being acquired from the Reds. He came back to Minneapolis for the second season but struggled, hitting just .214/.293/.353 in 242 plate appearances.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Brewers have declined their end of a mutual option worth $12 million on LHP Wade Miley. Miley will receive a $1.5 million buyout instead and returns to free agency. Miley underwent Tommy John surgery in April after making two starts for Milwaukee at the start of the season.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The (Oakland) Athletics announced that infielder Tristan Gray had been claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates, while RHP Austin Adams and infielder Armando Alvarez have been outrighted off the 40-man roster. Gray was on the Athletics roster for a couple of months after he was claimed off waivers from the Marlins. Gray has 36 plate appearances in 17 career games in the MLB, for a poor .152/.222/.273 slashline.