Spring training is a roughly three weeks away and the hot stove is beginning to heat up. Although only 23 of our top 60 free agents have signed, 13 of the 23 have signed since Jan. 1. Here are the latest hot stove rumblings.
Three teams pursuing Puig
The Marlins, Royals, and Yankees are among the possible landing spots for free agent outfielder Yasiel Puig, reports CBS Sports HQ's Jim Bowden. Miami and Kansas City have outfield openings at the moment, and the Yankees could trade Clint Frazier for pitching, which would open a spot for Puig. Our R.J. Anderson ranked Puig the No. 40 free agent on the market.
Puig, 30, agreed to a one-year contract with the Braves last summer, but the deal fell apart after he tested positive for COVID-19. After sitting out the regular season, Puig played five winter ball games in the Dominican Republic, going 3 for 13 (.231) with seven walks and six strikeouts. In 2019, his last MLB season, he authored a .267/.327/.458 batting line with 24 home runs.
Giants interested in outfielders Bradley, Rosario
The Giants are showing interest in free agent outfielders Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Eddie Rosario, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Either option would seem an upgrade for the Giants in the outfield, but the fits differ.
As things stand, the Giants have Mike Yastrzemski as the everyday right fielder with Alex Dickerson the lefty-side platoon man in left field. From there, it's fill in the holes with Darin Ruf, Austin Slater and Mauricio Dubon.
The fit with Bradley is obvious. He's a standout defensive center fielder who would be tasked with holding it down in the spacious and tricky center field of Oracle Park. He has been a useful offensive player at times in his career, too, including last season when he slashed .283/.364/.450 (118) OPS+ with 11 doubles, seven homers, 22 RBI and 32 runs in 55 games.
Rosario is a bit opposite. He needs to remain in left field and given that he's also a left-handed hitter, a platoon with Dickerson wouldn't work. Rosario can bring the thunder offensively, though. He had 13 homers and 42 RBI in 57 games last season after going for 32 and 109, respectively, in his 137 games in 2019. It's always possible the NL uses a DH in 2021, too.
If not, it appears that Bradley makes more sense for the current roster, though it's certainly possible the Giants grab both players.
The most important takeaway is the Giants are keeping their options open while looking to fill out their outfield.
Marlins want an outfielder, pursued Santander
The Marlins are seeking an outfielder and pursued an Anthony Santander trade with the Orioles, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. Free agents like Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario are believed to be too expensive for Miami, Heyman adds. The Marlins currently have Garrett Cooper, a natural first baseman, penciled into right field alongside Corey Dickerson and Starling Marte.
Santander, 26, has slugged 31 home runs in 130 games the last two seasons. He will earn either $2.1 million or $2.475 million through arbitration in 2021, and will remain under team control through 2024. Santander would seem to be part of the O's core, but, as Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports writes, they've have made everyone available, and they have outfield prospects on the way.
Yankees acquire Taillon
The Yankees have acquired righty Jameson Taillon from the Pirates in a 4-for-1 trade. Pittsburgh will receive righties Roansy Contreras and Miguel Yajure, infielder Maikol Escotto, and outfielder Canaan Smith in the deal. Yajure has limited MLB experience and is the only one of the four to play in the big leagues. Taillon, 29, is rehabbing from his second Tommy John surgery and has not pitched in an MLB game since May 2019. He threw 191 innings with a 3.20 ERA and a 3.89 K/BB in 2018, the last time he was healthy.
Braves re-sign Sandoval
The Braves have re-signed switch-hitting infielder Pablo Sandoval to a minor-league contract, reports MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. He'll earn $1 million at the MLB level. Sandoval, 34, started last season with the Giants and joined the Braves late in the year, hitting .214/.287/.262 with one home run overall. He went hitless in three postseason at-bats with Atlanta. Sandoval will compete for a bench spot in spring training.