As the hot stove prepares to head into the holiday lull, word is the Indians want final offers for Francisco Lindor this weekend, and the Rockies are very open to moving Nolan Arenado. The free agent market has been very busy so far this offseason. The trade market could soon heat up as well. Here are Saturday's latest hot stove rumors.
White Sox add Keuchel to rotation
The Chicago White Sox have reportedly signed free agent left-hander Dallas Keuchel to a three-year, $55.5 million deal. Keuchel, who turns 32 in January, was ranked No. 10 on our Top 50 Free Agent list. The southpaw finished the 2019 season with a 3.75 ERA in 19 starts for the Atlanta Braves. This year's free agency signing for Keuchel comes much earlier than last year's when he didn't sign with the Braves until June 7 and didn't make his 2019 season debut until June 21. Here's the full story.
Mets getting calls about Cespedes
Multiple teams have inquired about Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes, writes MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Nothing is imminent and his injuries are a significant obstacle to a trade. Cespedes hasn't played since July 2018 due to heel and ankle injuries. He suffered the ankle injury at his ranch earlier this year and it led to an amended contract that greatly reduced his 2019 and 2020 salaries.
In all likelihood teams are looking to acquire Cespedes to get a sweetener for taking his salary off New York's hands. The Mets are said to be open to attaching Dominic Smith to Jed Lowrie and/or Jeurys Familia to shed their contracts. Other clubs could look to take on Cespedes and his reduced salary to get Smith or a prospect. The Giants acquired Zack Cozart and his $12 million salary to get prospect Will Wilson, the 15th pick in the 2019 draft, from the Angels earlier this month.
Blue Jays interested in Encarnacion, Shaw
The Blue Jays have interest in free agent sluggers Edwin Encarnacion and Travis Shaw, reports Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith. The interest in a reunion with Encarnacion is said to be mutual. Toronto currently has openings at first base and DH after losing Justin Smoak to free agency. Rowdy Tellez could fill one of those spots with Encarnacion or Shaw filling the other.
According to Cot's Baseball Contracts, the Blue Jays currently have about $75 million on the books for next season, down from their $114 million Opening Day payroll in 2019. Their focus is on pitching -- Toronto is said to have interest in Hyun-Jin Ryu -- but they do need another bat, preferably a lefty to complement all their young righty hitters. That would seem to make Shaw a better fit, though Encarnacion has a reputation for mentoring young players and being a clubhouse positive.
Mariners interested in reunion with Walker
Could Taijuan Walker return to the Mariners? Seattle is "definitely interested" in a reunion, according to MLB.com's Greg Johns. The Diamondbacks non-tendered Walker last month rather than pay him a projected $5 million or so through arbitration in 2020. Walker missed most of this past season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, though he did appear in one big-league game in September.
Marco Gonzales and Yusei Kikuchi are the only locks for the Mariners' rotation at the moment. Justin Dunn, Kendall Graveman, and Justus Sheffield are currently slotted into the rotation behind Gonzales and Kikuchi. The Mariners drafted Walker in 2010 and sent him to the D-Backs in the big Ketel Marte/Mitch Haniger/Jean Segura trade in November 2016. He is still only 27 and is a former top prospect, so Walker offers more upside than the typical free agent.
Tigers sign Cron, Schoop
The Tigers have signed first baseman C.J. Cron and second baseman Jonathan Schoop to matching one-year contracts worth $6.1 million. The Tigers are in the middle of a rebuild -- they lost 114 games this past season and at least 98 games in each of the last three years -- but Cron and Schoop will help the club be respectable in 2020, as will catcher Austin Romine, who they signed to a one-year deal worth a little over $4 million earlier this month.