The 2024-25 Major League Baseball offseason has begun, and that means an almost daily supply of rumors regarding free agency, trades, and the like. With the General Managers' Meetings ongoing, this week is no exception, even as we're just dipping our toes into the hot stove season. Speaking of all that, Thursday's supply of scuttlebutt -- scuttlebutt! -- can be found just below.
Sasaki's agent denies handshake agreement with Dodgers
The 23-year-old right-hander Roki Sasaki is the latest star poised to make the leap from the Japan to the U.S. major leagues, and he's also one of the most coveted starting pitchers on the market. Because Sasaki is so young and also doesn't have the requisite service time in NPB, Japan's top professional circuit, he's subject to MLB's rules governing international amateur free agents. As such, he's going to be subject to signing bonus limits and sign for far, far less than he'd get on anything resembling an open market.
Theoretically, that puts all teams in the mix based on the amount of money left in their international bonus pools. However, expectation and rumor have it that the Dodgers are Sasaki's preferred destination, possibly to the extent that there's already an informal agreement in place. This week, however, Sasaki's agent, Joel Wolfe, strongly pushed back against that possibility. Here's what he said to Evan Drellich of The Athletic about those rumors:
"While a bunch of executives who should know me better and do a lot of business with me insult my integrity by insinuating that I would be a part of some type of nefarious agreement, in reality, this is just poor sportsmanship."
MLB is nearing the end of the current international signing period, and the Dodgers indeed have the most bonus money left to spend. However, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred recently disclosed that Sasaki isn't expected to sign until the 2025 signing period begins on Jan. 15 of next year. At that time, the Dodgers' spending advantage would be eroded, and teams, in general, could offer Sasaki a much larger bonus -- albeit one still not close to what he'd receive on an open market.
Ohtani, for his part, said after winning the National League MVP Award on Thursday night that he hasn't recruited Sasaki yet, and that he'll "respect his decision wherever he wants to sign."
Snell market heating up
Two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell found the market a harsh place last offseason, as he wound up signing a late-hour deal with the Giants in March. Coming off a strong 2024 -- one dragged down by early struggles surely attributable to his not having a normal spring ramp-up -- Snell exercised his opt-out. Suffice it to say, he's probably not going to wind up signing a two-year pact with an opt-out this time around.
Indeed, as Ken Rosenthal reports suitors are already lining up to woo the lefty. According to Rosenthal, Snell has already met with the Red Sox and Dodgers. Rosenthal adds that Snell may have met with or may soon meet with the Orioles and Blue Jays.
Snell, who turns 32 in early December, is fresh off a 2024 season in which he pitched to a 3.12 ERA and an even more impressive 2.43 FIP in 20 starts and 104 innings for the Giants. He spent more than a month on the injured list with a groin issue. In his 14 starts after returning from the IL he logged an ERA of 1.23 with 114 strikeouts in 80 1/3 innings.
Cubs want to move Bellinger
The Cubs would like to move outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Rosenthal notes that other teams believe the Cubs will face difficulty in actually pulling off a trade, however, based in part on his performance and in part on his contract's unusual structure.
Bellinger, 29, posted a 111 OPS+ last season, down from his 139 mark in 2023. He opted into his contract for the 2025 season, a decision that will net him more than $30 million when a potential $5 million buyout is weighed. To further complicate matters, Bellinger's deal includes another opt-out opportunity this offseason, meaning that an acquiring team would have to face additional uncertainty for the 2026 campaign.