MLB Player News

Most seem to expect the Blue Jays to be among the high bidders for Soto. It’d be a surprise if the Red Sox were competitive, given their reticence in recent years, but if they were even going to break the bank, this would be the occasion.

The Orioles are known to be in the market for help behind the plate as James McCann hits free agency and it’s believed they will be casting a wide net. Díaz, 34, had a down season by his standards in 2024, slashing a mere .265/.313/.382 with just six homers and 39 RBI in 351 plate appearances between the Rockies and Padres. He would represent a solid, if unspectacular, backup option for the O’s behind Adley Rutschman and they wouldn’t have to break the bank to bring him in.

The 28-year-old backstop split his 2024 season between the Astros and the Nationals organizations, slashing a combined .187/.314/.335 with eight homers and 25 RBI in 300 plate appearances at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. He’ll continue to function as organizational catching depth for the Nats.

The 26-year-old hurler bounced around a lot during the 2024 season, seeing action with four different organizations (Athletics, Astros, Red Sox and White Sox) at the Triple-A level. He also made one appearance with the Astros, allowing one run and striking out a pair of batters in his two innings of work. He has a very live arm — with a fastball that has touched 101 mph — and makes for a nice depth addition for the Twins’ bullpen.

The 27-year-old latched on with the White Sox in August of last season and went on to hit .256/.358/.402 with a pair of homers and seven RBI in 95 plate appearances at Double-A Birmingham. He’ll continue to function as auxiliary infield depth for the White Sox.

The 27-year-old second baseman spent his first seven minor league seasons in the Mets’ organization. In 2024, he slashed .246/.330/.456 with 16 homers, 52 RBI, three stolen bases and a 60/37 K/BB ratio across 321 plate appearances at Triple-A Syracuse. He’ll add infield depth for the A’s at Triple-A Las Vegas.

Soto has met with several clubs, including the Mets, Dodgers, Blue Jays and Red Sox, and it really doesn’t look like his free agency will drag on long as it has with some other top free agents in recent years. That’d be a good thing, too, since the rest of the market is very much waiting on him.

It’s likely the deal includes an invite to spring training, but no official word just yet. The 28-year-old showed promise not long ago, but has dealt with injuries that have limited him to just 12 2/3 innings over his last three campaigns. If healthy, he could compete for a bullpen spot in the Cactus League, but he’ll need to be added to the 40-man roster to pitch for the Rangers.

Marte, 29, joins Seattle after being outrighted by the Phillies off their roster at the conclusion of the season. The 29-year-old struggled to a 6.92 ERA in his time with Philadelphia over 23 appearances, and just adds depth to the Seattle staff at this stage of his career.

With his velocity down by about two mph from his old norms, Gallegos had a 6.53 ERA in 20 2/3 innings before the Cardinals dropped him in July. He was pretty terrific the previous five years, racking up 43 saves and 76 holds while amassing a 3.14 ERA in 283 innings for the Cardinals from 2019-23. If he looks good in spring training, he’ll likely claim a spot in the Dodger pen.

Farmer officially joins the Rockies after hitting .214 with a .646 OPS for the Twins in 2024. The 34-year-old can play all over the field, and should serve in a utility role — perhaps as the starting second baseman depending on the rest of the offseason for Colorado — but his fantasy value is significantly limited even if he’s a regular.