Mega Thread 2024-2025 MLB Hot Stove

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Shohei Ohtani wins the NL MVP, making him only the second person in baseball history to win MVP awards in both leagues after Frank Robinson, who won the NL MVP with the Reds in 1961 and the AL MVP with the Orioles in 1966. He received all 30 first place votes from the writers, to finish 157 points clear of runner-up, Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets (420 points for Ohtani compared to 263 points for Lindor). The Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte finished third with 229 points. Ohtani becomes the first full-time designated hitter in baseball history to win the MVP award.



Full breakdown of the NL MVP voting is here:

Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani makes history by winning MVP unanimously for the third time - BBWAA

Los Angeles' Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani was the unanimous selection for the NL MVP award, adding a third MVP to the two he won in the American League. Ohtani, who earned MVP honors in the American League in 2021 and 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels, becomes the second player in history to win the

bbwaa.com

 

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Aaron Judge was awarded all 30 first place votes available to be the AL MVP unanimously, ahead of the Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr and Juan Soto. It is the second time in three seasons that Judge is the AL MVP after he claimed the award in 2022 (the season in which he broke the single season AL homerun record). Judge put up some historic numbers in his quest to be named MVP, hitting 58 homeruns and batting .322/.458/.701, translating to a wRC+ of 218 (indicating that he was 118% better than league average in 2024), which exceeded the wRC+ of 206 that he recorded in 206. Judge also proved to be adequate in centre field, playing 903 career innings in centre in 2024 to accommodate Juan Soto in right field. Combining his hitting and his fielding, Judge was determined to be worth 11.2 wins above replacement by FanGraphs.

In just about any other season, Bobby Witt Jr would be celebrating his maiden MVP award, having hit .332/.389/.588 with 32 homeruns and 31 steals while playing excellent defence at shortstop. Witt was determind to be worth over 10 wins above replacement by Fangraphs for his 2024 season. The Royals will receive an extra pick after the first round in the 2025 MLB draft because Witt finished top three in MVP voting within his first three MLB seasons.



Full vote breakdown is here:

Yankees’ slugger Aaron Judge wins his 2nd MVP, this one unanimously - BBWAA

New York Yankees' outfielder Aaron Judge won his second American League MVP Award, sweeping all 30 votes. Judge, who also won this award in 2022, is the 17th multiple winner in the American League. He joins a list that features three-time winners Jimmie Foxx (1932-33, 1938), Joe DiMaggio (1939...

bbwaa.com

 

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People are saying the Reds won this but India is pretty underrated

 

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Over the weekend, the Kansas City Royals acquired 2B Jonathan India and OF Joey Wiemer from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for RHP Brady Singer. The Royals had space on their 40-man roster to accommodate the incoming players, so no corresponding moves were necessary.

India and Singer were former college teammates at Florida who were each drafted by the Reds and Royals respectivelyh in the first round of the 2018 draft, and reached the majors within a couple of seasons being drafted.

India won the NL Rookie of the Year in 2021 after hitting .269/.376/.459 with 21 homeruns and 34 doubles in 150 games that season. He has taken a step back in relation to his results at the plate, hitting a combined .246/.333/.394 with 27 homeruns in 222 games since that rookie season, as India has had a stop-start career thanks to hamstring and foot issues over the last two seasons. That is not spectacular production given that among MLB stadiums, Great American Ballpark is generally ranked the second most hitter-friendly stadium behind Coors Field.

India mostly played at second base for the Reds in 2024 after Matt McLain suffered an injury during spring training. India hit .248/.357/.392 with 15 homeruns over 637 plate appearances. He has not hit 20+ homeruns since he made his debut and is unlikely to see a spike in his power after moving to the bigger Kaufman Stadium.

The Royals are likely to plug India in at the top of their order to bat ahead of MVP runner-up Bobby Witt Jr and sluggers Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquintino. The question remains about where India will play in the rejigged Royals lineup. The vast majority of his career has been spent at second base, but he has graded out as a subpar defender at that position. Statcast (Outs Above Average) graded him as bang average in 2024, but DRS rated him -10.

India does have college experience at third base and the Reds were planning on trying him at other infield positions last Spring until McLain suffered his injury, although there is a question on whether India has the arm strength to be a success at third base (his arm strength at second base - a less taxing position - was graded as average by Statcast). The Royals may also consider moving India into a corner outfield position to replace either MJ Melendez or Hunter Renfroe, who have not been particularly productive.

In return for India (and Joey Wiemer) the Royals gave up their own homegrown talent in the form of starting pitcher Brady Singer. In 2024, Singer performed well as a mid-rotation starter, putting up an ERA of 3.71 in 32 starts across 179 2/3 innings pitched. This is an improvement on his career ERA of 4.28. Singer managed to get strikeouts at a 22.3% rate while keeping the ball on the ground 47.1% of the time and limiting walks to 7.1% of the time. Singer is not a flamethrower, averaging approximately 92mph on his fastball and relying on his slider to get outs. He does tend to give up hits to lefties, with a combined slashline of .291/.367/.488 to left handed hitters this season compared to .208/.252/.311 to right handed hitters.

Singer, however, profiles as a decent innings-eater for the Reds who will stabilise the rotation that was hit by injury in 2024.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5926126/2024/11/16/jonathan-india-brady-singer-reds-royals-trade/

 

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After meeting with a number of interested teams over the past week or so, the chase for OF Juan Soto is expected to heat up this week, with reports suggesting that the first round of offers will start to be made to Soto's representatives this week. Soto has met so far with the Yankees, the Mets, the Blue Jays, the Dodgers, the Red Sox and the phillies, while the Giants, the Rays and the Royals have all contacted Soto's camp to express their interest (though no meetings have been held between Soto and those clubs, it would appear, and the Royals are on the precipice of withdrawing from the race).

 

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The Boston Red Sox are reportedly considering moving incumbent third baseman Rafael Devers to another position and are targeting the Cardinals' Nolan Arenado in a trade to fill that role, regardless of whether Devers moves to first base or becomes the Red Sox starting designated hitter. Interestingly, in an interview given to the Boston Globe, Devers' agent, Nelson Montes de Oca, said that Devers has no plans to go to another position, saying that Devers likes to play third base and that is what he will be playing.

The Red Sox would also have to deal with the implications of a potential move to first base would have for incumbent first baseman, Triston Casas, who is under team control for four more seasons and had previously expressed interest in signing with the Red Sox for the long-term. Casas missed most of 2024 through injury but has hit .250/.357/.473 (125 wRC+) since making his MLB debut late in the 2022 season. There has been speculation that the Red Sox may be prepared to offer Casas in a trade to acquire starting pitching, but the Red Sox GM Craig Breslow denied those rumours earlier in November.

The Red Sox also have regular DH Masataka Yoshida under team control for three more seasons (at the cost of $55.6 million over that timeframe) so moving Devers to DH would also require the Red Sox to either trade Yoshida or keep him as a bench bat, which probably would not be the best use of their resources.

However, Devers regularly profiles as one of the worst third basemen in the league defensively. In 2024, he was worth -9 defensive runs saved and -5 in Fielding Run Value. That is the lowest DRS and tied for the lowest FRV among all qualified third basemen in 2024 (minimum 750 innings).

The Red Sox have been connected to Alex Bregman and Willy Adames in free agency, while they also have been connected with Cardinals' third baseman Nolan Arenado. Both Bregman and Adames are expected to command long-term contracts worth in excess of $100 million, so adding Arenado via trade may assist the Red Sox pursue other free agent upgrades to their roster (such as OF Juan Soto, RHP Corbin Burnes and LHP Blake Snell), with Arenado due $74 million over the next three years. Arenado has a full no-trade clause which he would need to waive in order to facilitate the trade, but while he has not formally requested a trade at this point, it does appear that he would consider a trade in the right circumstances.

Some Things I Think I Think: On some steps Red Sox need to take for bullpen

Random thoughts about (mostly) sports topics.

www.masslive.com

Knowing he needs to be on the field for the Red Sox to succeed, Rafael Devers is approaching offseason differently - The Boston Globe

This year he’s following a strength and conditioning program set by team staff that includes the earliest starting date in his career.

www.bostonglobe.com

 

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According to their manager, Mark Kotsay, the Athletics had enquired with RHP Walker Buehler about the prospect of Buehler pitching for the Athletics in 2025, but was rebuffed pretty definitively by Buehler, who made it clear he had no interest in pitching in West Sacramento in 2025.





Over the weekend, it was reported that the New York Yankees also has shown interest in signing Buehler as a free agent. Buehler, of course, recorded the save against the Yankees to secure the World Series for the Dodgers not even a month ago. The irony is, of course, that Buehler had not had a good season up until the postseason, pitching to a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts and 75 1/3 innings for the Dodgers during the regular season. However, Buehler pitched five scoreless innings in the Dodgers' game 3 win over the Yankees, and the scoreless ninth inning in game 5, while he also pitched four innings of scoreless baseball against the Mets in game 3 of the NLCS.

'Mutual interest' between Yanks, 2024 World Series foe (report)

MLB.com is keeping track of all the latest Yankees-related free agent and trade rumors right here. You can follow the latest Juan Soto rumors here.

www.mlb.com

 

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The Seattle Mariners have signed RHP Adonis Medina to a minor league contract. Although not specifically confirmed, it is presumed that the contract comes with a Spring Training invitation. Medina signed with the Phillies in 2014 and was a consensus top-100 prospect for them in 2017, but struggled over the next two seasons. He made his MLB debut for the Phillies in 2020, giving up two runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts in four innings, but he was optioned off the roster. He stayed with the Phillies in 2021, making four further appearances at the big league level, but ended up being waived by the Phillies. He has bounced between the Pirates and the Mets, while he also has pitched in South Korea. Medina came back to the States and signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals in February, although his strong results in Triple-A did not result in a call-up to the majors.

Minor League Transactions: Nov. 3–19, 2024

A recap of all transactions involving minor league players the last two weeks.

www.baseballamerica.com

 

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The Colorado Rockies have signed utility infielder Kyle Farmer to a one-year, $3.25 million contract which contains another $1.25 million in incentives. Farmer will be paid a salary of $2.5 million for the 2025 season and there is a $750,000 buyout on a mutual option for 2026 that is worth $4 million.

Farmer began his MLB career with the Dodgers, but he only broke out when he was traded to the Reds. He played regularly as a multi-positional infielder with Cincinnati across two seasons in 2021-2022, hitting 30 home runs over that period. The Reds then traded Farmer to the Twins in the 2022-2023 off-season. Farmer played reasonably well for the Twins in 2023, hitting .256/.317/.408 with 11 homeruns and 14 doubles, but his offence fell off a cliff in 2024, hitting just .214/.293/.353 with five homeruns over 242 plate appearances. The Twins declined their end of a mutual $6.25 million option over Farmer for 2025.

With the Rockies having non-tendered Brendan Rodgers, they have room for a second baseman. Farmer has played 800 career innings at second base (compared to over 2,000 innings at shortstop and just over 1,000 innings at third base). The Rockies are banking on prospect Adael Amador developing to a point where he can be the answer at second base, but he did not shine at Double-A last season and is still only 21, so Farmer will likely get first crack at playing second base until at least Amador is ready to be promoted to the majors.

 

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The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly interested in a number of big ticket free agents. In addition to their interest in outfielder Juan Soto, it is reported that the Blue Jays are also interested in outfielder Anthony Santander, RHP Corbin Burnes and LHP Max Fried.

The Blue Jays currently have George Springer and Daulton Varsho established in their outfield, but Varsho underwent shoulder surgery in September and could miss the start of the 2025 season, while Springer is 35 and his numbers suggest that his best is behind him, having seen his wRC+ decline for five consecutive seasons from 155 in 2019 to 95 in 2024.

The Blue Jays have a number of prospects that could spend time in the outfield, but none of them are proven or high pedigree. Davis Schneider played 81 games in the majors for the Blue Jays and didn't particularly shine in his opportunities last season. Other prospects include Nathan Lukes, Joey Loperfido, Jonatan Clase, Addison Barger and Steward Berroa.

MLB rumor mill: What we're hearing from GMs with Juan Soto contract looming large

Weeks away from MLB's winter meetings, GMs are expecting a flurry of hot stove activity.

www.usatoday.com

 

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The deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players was Friday (US time). All players who are non-tendered before the deadline go directly into free agency, where they become eligible to sign with any club (including the club that non-tendered the player in the first place).

• The Los Angeles Angels announced that they non-tendered LHP Patrick Sandoval, INF Eric Wagaman, and OFs Jordyn Adams and Bryce Teodosio.
• The Houston Astros tendered contracts to their entire arbitration class.
• The Athletics announced that they did not tender a contract to RHP Dany Jimenez.
• The Toronto Blue Jays did not tender contracts to RHP Dillon Tate or RHP Jordan Romano.
• The Cleveland Guardians did not tender contracts to OF George Valera and RHP Connor Gillispie. Both were designated for assignment earlier in the week.
• The Seattle Mariners did not tender contracts to OF Sam Haggerty, INF Josh Rojas, RHP Austin Voth and RHP JT Chargois.
• The Baltimore Orioles did not tender a contract to RHP Jacob Webb.
• The Tampa Bay Rays announced that they non-tendered OF Dylan Carlson, LHP Tyler Alexander, LHP Colin Poche and LHP Richard Lovelady.
• The Texas Rangers tendered contracts to their entire arbitration class.
• The Boston Red Sox announced that RHP Bryan Mata and RHP Isaiah Campbell were non-tendered. They were previously designated for assignment earlier in the week. However, the Red Sox have re-signed Mata and Campbell to minor league contracts with invitations to Spring Training.
• The Kansas City Royals tendered contracts to their entire arbitration class.
• The Detroit Tigers announced that they have non-tendered infielder Eddys Leonard, RHP Ricky Vanasco, RHP Brendan White and RHP Wilmer Flores. The first three players had already been designated for assignment prior to the deadline for tendering contracts to arbitration-eligible players.
• The Minnesota Twins tendered contracts to their entire arbitration class.
• The New York Yankees have non-tendered infielder Jon Berti and LHP Tim Mayza.
• The Chicago White Sox have non-tendered first baseman/outfielder Gavin Sheets and RHP Enyel De Los Santos.

 

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In the National League, the following players were non-tendered:

• The Atlanta Braves non-tendered outfielder Ramon Laureano, LHP Ray Kerr, RHP Griffin Canning, RHP Huascar Ynoa and RHP Royber Salinas.
• The Milwaukee Brewers have non-tendered LHP Hoby Milner.
• The St Louis Cardinals have non-tendered RHP Adam Kloffenstein.
• The Chicago Cubs have non-tendered infielder Nick Madrigal, OF Mike Tauchman, infielder Patrick Wisdom, RHP Adbert Alzolay, RHP Brennen Davis and RHP Trey Wingenter. Wisdom, Alzolay, Davis and Wingenter were all designated for assignment prior to the deadline.
• The Arizona Diamondbacks have non-tendered LHP Brandon Hughes.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers have non-tendered RHP Brent Honeywell Jr and LHP Zach Logue.
• The San Francisco Giants non-tendered LHP Ethan Small and RHP Kai-Weei Teng. Teng had been designated for assignment earlier in the week.
• The Miami Marlins offered contracts to their entire arbitration class.
• The New York Mets non-tendered Grant Hartwig and LHP Alex Young and outfield prospect Alex Ramirez.
• The Washington Nationals non-tendered RHP Kyle Finnegan and RHP Tanner Rainey.
• The San Diego Padres non-tendered RHP Luis Patino, RHP Logan Gillaspie, OF Bryce Johnson and INF Mason McCoy.
• The Philadelphia Phillies have non-tendered OF Austin Hays.
• The Pittsburgh Pirates have non-tendered first baseman/outfielder Connor Joe and OF Bryan De La Cruz, as well as RHP Hunter Stratton.
• The Cincinnati Reds have non-tendered RHP Ian Gibaut.
• The Colorado Rockies have non-tendered RHP Cal Quantrill and second baseman Brendan Rodgers.

 

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The Los Angeles Angels are reportedly in agreement with LHP Yusei Kikuchi on a three-year contract worth $63 million. Kikuchi spent nine seasons pitching in the NPB (and also had a stint in the Australian Baseball League) before being posted for major league clubs prior to his age-28 campaign in the 2018-2019 off-season. Kikuchi signed with the Mariners on a contract that guaranteed him $56 million over four years, with the fourth year being a $13 million player option that the Mariners could gazump by picking up a four-year club option worth $66 million.

However, Kikuchi did not live up to his contract in Seattle, pitching to a combined 5.39 ERA and 5.17 FIP in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He improved somewhat in 2021, pitching to a 4.41 ERA and 4.61 FIP, although that included an 11-start stretch where he managed a 2.33 ERA and a 27.5% strikeout rate. He entered free agency after the 2021 season and signed with the Blue Jays on a three-year, $36 million contract. Again, his results were indifferent in 2022, pitching to a 5.19 ERA and a 5.62 FIP in 100 2/3 innings of work between the starting rotation and bullpen.

Kikuchi finally put it together in 2023, starting 32 games and pitching to a 3.86 ERA with a 25.9% strikeout rate compared to a 6.9% walk rate. He underperformed in 2024 when looking at his ERA (4.75) but advanced metrics were kinder to Kikuchi in 2024 with the Blue Jays, with a 3.66 FIP, a 3.51 SIERA and 3.43 xFIP during his 22 starts for the Blue Jays.

Toronto flipped Kikuchi to the Astros at the trade deadline, with Houston sending back prospects Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner (son of Billy Wagner) to the Blue Jays. Kikuchi suddenly turned into an ace for the Astros, pitching 60 innings for the Astros after the deadline for a 2.70 ERA, with a 31.8% strikeout rate.

The Angels are taking a chance on Kikuchi maintaining his hot finish to the 2024 season, as they have added him to replace Patrick Sandoval, whom the Angels non-tendered last week. He joins Jorge Soler, Travis d'Arnaud, Kevin Newman and Kyle Hendricks as new additions to the club. Kikuchi receives the biggest free agent contract since the Angels signed C.J. Wilson in 2011. Kikuchi, Tyler Anderson and Hendricks will form the veteran nucleus of their starting rotation in 2025, easing the burden on Reid Detmers, Chase Silseth and Jack Kochanowicz.

 

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The Baltimore Orioles have reportedly finalised their 2025 coaching staff, hiring former MLB catcher Robinson Chirinos as their new bench coach. Chirinos announced his retirement as a player in May 2023, and this will be the first professional coaching assignment for him. Chirinos played for the Orioles back in 2022, appearing in 67 games and hitting .179/.265/.287 in his age-38 campaign. Accordingly, Chirinos was teammates with a number of Orioles players that will be part of their 2025 campaign, including Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins, Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish, Felix Bautista, Jorge Mateo and Ramon Urias.