The calendar -- it's a wall calendar sponsored by a local funeral home -- has flipped to 2025 some of the biggest names, including Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes, are off the board. Still, some notable free agents and trade targets remain available, and that means a daily supply of MLB rumors we get into the back half of the offseason. Speaking of which, Thursday's supply can be found just below.
Angels weighing run at Alonso
The Angels are "weighing" a pursuit of free agent first baseman Pete Alonso, reports the New York Post. The Halos have a good young first baseman in Nolan Schanuel, their 2023 first round pick, though they could try Schanuel in the outfield if they bring in Alonso, or even trade Schanuel for help elsewhere on the roster. Veterans Anthony Rendon, Jorge Soler, and Mike Trout figure to get the majority of the team's DH at-bats.
We ranked Alonso as the 11th best free agent available this offseason. The longer he goes unsigned and the closer we get to spring training, the more likely it is that Alonso returns to the Mets, perhaps on a one-year contract with player options similar to the deals Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman took last winter. Free agency has been unkind to right-handed hitting first basemen in their 30s in recent years. As good as Alonso is, players with his profile don't cash in big often.
Tigers, Jays favorites to land Bregman
Veteran third baseman Alex Bregman, an Astros lifer who seems almost certain to sign elsewhere, is the top free agent left on the market, and his situation may be coming into focus. Jon Heyman during a recent live stream appearance identified the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays as, at the present juncture, the "most likely" to land Bregman. The Tigers in particular have been linked to Bregman for some time. Detroit is coming off a surprise playoff run in 2024, while the Jays are looking to rebound from a deeply disappointing season. Each team is in need of an upgrade at the hot corner, and Bregman promises just that for years to come.
Earlier in the offseason, CBS Sports ranked Bregman as the No. 3 free agent in the current class. Here's part of our write-up:
Bregman has been one of the most productive third basemen in the sport for much of his career. He's compiled the sixth-most WAR at the position since 2020, putting him ahead of Rafael Devers and behind only the who's who of this era's third basemen. He's had a terrific career to date. Yet this exercise is, in part, about looking forward. The more we dug in on Bregman, the more we developed reservations about his bat. There's no denying his feel for contact but we're not as confident about the other elements. For instance, Statcast's calculations suggest he would have at least 30 fewer career home runs had he hit the same array of batted balls in one of 17 other MLB fields. You can't hold that against Bregman -- you golf the course you're on -- but it does suggest his power might play down elsewhere. There's also the matter of his walk rate, which cratered to a career-low 6.9% last season as he grew more aggressive. Bregman's bat-to-ball and defensive skills remain good enough for him to provide value; there's just a little more reason to say "hm" here than his name value indicates.
Bregman turns 31 in late March. The incumbent Astros have their infield corners spoken for with Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker, which means no path for a Bregman reunion.
White Sox sign Rojas
The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms with infielder Josh Rojas on a one-year contract, MLB.com reports. Rojas, 30, is coming off a 2024 season with the Mariners in which he slashed .225/.304/.336 (91 OPS+) with eight home runs and 10 stolen bases in 142 games. For his career, he owns an OPS+ of 92 across parts of six major-league seasons. Rojas is able to man multiple positions, including second and third base. He's spent significant time at shortstop as recently as 2021, and he's also seen innings at the outfield corners.
