Thanksgiving is just around the bend, but before the crippling gluttony takes hold let's make time for some MLB offseason rumors. So here they are, served up hot and available for sandwiches over the weekend.
Dodgers focused on re-signing Seager
The Dodgers, coming off nine straight postseason appearances, have a number of outgoing free agents who should be priority items this winter. One of those is shortstop Corey Seager, and the club indeed sounds committed to bringing him back:
Andrew Friedman on MLB Network said the Dodgers are being aggressive in regards to bringing back Corey Seager
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHarrisTBLA) November 24, 2021
Seager, 27, is coming off a 2021 season in which he batted .306/.394/.521 with 16 home runs in 95 games. For his career, he owns an OPS+ of 131 -- an outstanding figure, especially by shortstop standards -- with 26 home runs and 42 doubles per 162 games played. Speaking of games played, Seager continues to carry with him worries about his health and durability, which could exert some downward pressure on his market. Needless to say, though, the Dodgers have the resources to bring him back regardless of what the going rates are. Seager's been an essential part of their recent dominance, and he figures to perform at a high level, at least when healthy, for years to come.
Mets still looking for rotation help
After missing out on Steven Matz -- much to the chagrin of owner Steve Cohen -- the Mets will now look elsewhere to fortify the rotation behind Jacob deGrom. To wit:
Mets still intend to sign 2-3 starting pitchers and the market is hot. Gausman and Stroman are on their list, as is just about everyone. Would have gone over $40 mil to sign Matz so that money and more is sitting there.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) November 24, 2021
Gausman seems likely to re-up with the Giants, on whose watch he's reached new levels, but without question he's of interest to a number of teams, and it's possible the market will set a price beyond what the Giants are willing to pay. As for Stroman, he thrived last season for the Mets and has been performing at an ace level since the start of the 2019 season. As Martino's tweet indicates, the Mets are in the market for multiple arms, and according to prior reporting they're focused on free agents who did not receive qualifying offers (which would likely cost the Mets a draft pick should they sign such a free agent).
Mets make two minor additions
The Mets on Wednesday announced two minor pick-ups. First they signed outfielder Nick Plummer to a one-year, major-league contract and then they claimed right-hander Antonio Santos off waivers from the Rockies. Plummer, 25, is a former first-rounder who can play all three outfield positions. He also enjoyed an offensive breakout last season in the higher rungs of the Cardinals' farm system. The Mets are betting he's found a new level going forward. Santos, 25, has good fastball velocity and a deep repertoire but was unable to find much success in brief stints with the Rockies.
