The MLB winter meetings are underway in Nashville, Tennessee, and it figures be an action-packed week of rumors, signings and trades. Will No. 1 free agent Shohei Ohtani choose his next team at the meetings? Will big spenders such as the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs open their wallets in Nashville?
Passan’s winter meetings preview It took a lot longer than most people anticipated — largely over the review of medicals, a source told ESPN — but Juan Soto is officially headed to the Bronx, ending weeks of speculation on whether the Padres would trade him and whether the Yankees would acquire him.
Dodgers leave Nashville primed to make big moves, But Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said his team left with “a lot more clarity” on its free agent targets and potential trade acquisitions.
The Dodgers are primed to be baseball’s most active team when the dust settles on this offseason.
With Felix Bautista expected to miss all of the 2024 season following Tommy John surgery, the Baltimore Orioles are on the verge of a deal to sign veteran closer Craig Kimbrel.
Kimbrel, 35, had a good regular season with the Phillies, collecting 23 saves in 71 appearances before struggling mightily in Philadelphia’s playoff loss to the Diamondbacks.
Kimbrel played last season under a one-year, $10 million deal, and if he were to get something along those lines, he would immediately become their most expensive financial obligation.
As if the wait to hear their fate on the Shohei Ohtani chase isn’t excruciating enough, the Blue Jays now have the added burden of seeing a massive division rival nab a superstar player who was believed to be their prime secondary target this off-season.
*Blue Jays fans trying not to get their hopes up*
Jeff Passan: pic.twitter.com/IZNz7Fv8is
— theScore (@theScore) December 7, 2023
Whether the Jays ever would have been able to match that haul remains to be seen, but it’s clear their ability to chase Soto was compromised by their massive monetary bid for Ohtani, the Japanese sensation who is expected to unveil his decision this weekend.
In 2023, Soto hit .275 and banged out 35 home runs and 32 doubles on his way to 109 RBIs. With one year remaining on his deal with the Padres and given the haul they sent the other way, it is expected the Yankees will sign Soto to a lucrative, multi-year extension.
Not that the Jays would have been able to give the Padres enough to land Soto, the fact that he’s gone to a division rival certainly heightens the impact of the Ohtani decision, one in which many in the industry expect to be resolved by the weekend.
Fans responded as follows:
Out of nowhere?
I thought they've been in it since day 1?— Aingaran (@aingaran) December 7, 2023
This can’t turn into an other KD or Dame situation.. Toronto sports fans need this .. #ShoheiOhtani
— Yosef Rosenzweig (@yoserosie) December 7, 2023
Isn’t he injured and won’t even pitch next season? I’m not sure I understand the hype for a batter only at this point.
— Damaged Oiler Fan (@d5qurd) December 7, 2023
People forget Cory Seager wanted to come to Blue Jays but the Blue Jays seemed to low bawling 😭 him… we will see..
— Michael (@Michael18022961) December 7, 2023
Passan hasn’t been paying attention if he says this is “out of nowhere”. It’s been a story for weeks. Lol
— Jon Hreljac (@Jon_Hreljac) December 7, 2023
I wonder if the blue jays were the “mystery team” making an aggressive run at ohtani.
— Travis (@BeforeUtopia) December 7, 2023
