It's 2025, and not surprisingly 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 as we move deeper into the back half of MLB's offseason. Speaking of which, Saturday's supply of rumors can be found just below.
A's still eyeing upgrades
The A's have been spending this winter, at least by their own recent standards. Rather than suggesting some newfound desire to win baseball games on the part of John Fisher, it's all likely an effort to fend off a union grievance over the pocketing of revenue-sharing funds. This winter, the A's have signed Luis Severino and Gio Urshela, traded for Jeffrey Springs, and inked Brent Rooker to a long-term extension. Still, they have a ways to go before they satisfy the rule that requires them to devote 1.5 times their revenue-sharing haul to player payroll. That's in part why general manager David Forst suggested the team may not be done making offseason additions:
As far as more moves for the A’s. David Forst said there are still open conversations and he’s hopeful to make some additions to the club — maybe one or two more things and mentioned starting pitching again, but added he likes where the team is at right now.
— Jessica Kleinschmidt (@KleinschmidtJD) January 10, 2025
The top starting pitchers left on the free-agent market are Jack Flaherty and Max Scherzer (and Roki Sasaki, whom the A's very likely have zero chance of signing). It's not likely the A's swim in those waters, but a more modest addition may be in the offing.
Kahnle market heating up
Veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle remains available for hire, and Jon Heyman reports that eight teams have some level of interest in the 35-year-old right-hander. That's a healthy market, which is what you'd expect, given that almost every aspiring contender could use bullpen help. Kahnle is coming off a 2024 season for the New York Yankees in which he pitched to a 2.11 ERA and 4.01 FIP in 50 relief appearances. For his career, he boasts an ERA+ of 125 across parts of 10 big-league seasons.
