The biggest, and perhaps only, big thing from this year’s Winter Meetings happened late Wednesday, when the Yankees completed a trade to acquire Juan Soto from the Padres.
The news comes a day after the Yankees traded for former Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo on Tuesday, restarting the outfield for 2024.
In exchange for Soto, the Padres acquired Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Johnny Brito, Randy Vazquez, and Kyle Higashioka. The Yankees also acquired outfielder Trent Grisham in the trade.
Orioles sign Craig Kimbrel
The Orioles needed a new closer with flamethrower Felix Bautista out for the 2024 season, and they found one, signing Craig Kimbrel to a one-year, $13 million contract on Dec. 6. .
Kimbrel doesn’t have the magic of the Braves’ young hurler, but he had 23 saves and a 3.26 ERA with the Phillies in 2023. He was also the team’s only All-Star representative.
Shohei Otani’s number of suitors is reportedly decreasing.
It is reported that the competition for Otani is heating up. Some suitors have withdrawn from the race, while others have increased interest.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Mets, Red Sox and Rangers have moved on to other targets. Meanwhile, the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Cubs and Angels reportedly remain in the race to land the two-way superstar. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted Tuesday that the team had indeed met with Ohtani, giving himself an unwanted boost.
It’s unclear whether the Giants, who have long been rumored to be interested, are still involved in acquiring Ohtani’s signature.
Cardinals add Sonny Gray to rotation
The St. Louis Cardinals are essentially overhauling their entire rotation for the 2024 MLB season. After signing both Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, the team added Sonny Gray to a three-year, $75 million contract on November 27.
Gray, 34, pitched 184 innings with the Minnesota Twins in 2023, posting a 2.79 ERA.
He is ranked No. 7 on Zack Kreiser’s Top 25 Free Agents list and represents a positive new direction for the Cardinals’ pitching staff.
Phillies bring back Aaron Nola on 7-year contract
The Philadelphia Phillies ended a relatively quiet few weeks early in MLB free agency when the team and pitcher Aaron Nola reached agreement on a seven-year, $172 million contract on November 19th. hit.
Nola was the No. 3 free agent on Kreiser’s Top 25 list.
Hired Stephen Vogt for the first time as a manager.Craig advises Cubs on shock incident
During the winter, when several teams were looking for new captains, the first domino to fall was in Cleveland, where the Guardians hired Steven Vogt to replace the retired Terry Francona on Nov. 6.
In a shocking turn of events, on November 6, it was announced that the Mets had hired Carlos Mendoza as their new manager, and that Craig Counsell was heading to the Chicago Cubs. Counsell signed a five-year contract with Chicago worth more than $40 million, making him the highest-paid manager in MLB.
Ron Washington lands with the Angels
The Los Angeles Angels have found a new manager for the 2024 season, hiring veteran Ron Washington on November 8th.
This will be Washington’s first managerial job since leading the Texas Rangers for eight seasons from 2007 to 2014. In Arlington, Washington won the American League twice, and in 2011, the team came one shot away from winning the World Series when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals. Since 2016, Washington has served as the Atlanta Braves’ third base coach.
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