We've yet to see any major deals this offseason, but the General Managers Meetings are underway and could lay the groundwork for a flurry of moves over the next few weeks.
You can read a preview of the GM Meetings from MLB.com senior national reporter Mark Feinsand right here. Meanwhile, here’s a look at some of the latest Hot Stove topics making the rounds.
Phillies reportedly eyeing Kim as shortstop insurance
At the start of the offseason, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski presented a clear challenge to starting shortstop Trea Turner: improve your defense, or change positions.
While Philadelphia's roster doesn't currently have an obvious replacement for Turner at short, the team could look to bring in an infielder who can play multiple positions and potentially slot in at shortstop if Turner needs to be moved.
The team is reportedly showing interest in at least one free agent who fits that description: Ha-Seong Kim, according to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Kim has struggled over the past two years, missing time with injuries and posting a 50 wRC+ with -0.9 WAR (per FanGraphs) over 99 games. But he was worth 10.5 fWAR across 2023-25, recording a 106 wRC+ and playing plus defense at multiple positions (shortstop included).
The Phillies may prefer to move on from Turner entirely -- he’s reportedly available, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale -- but dealing him will be a tall task for Dombrowski. He still has seven years and roughly $190 million left on his deal (plus a full no-trade clause), will turn 34 next June and is coming off a career-worst season.
Braves won't entertain trade offers for Acuña
A note to teams who are looking to trade for Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. this offseason: He is reportedly not going anywhere.
MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi reported Monday that Atlanta has no interest in moving Acuña and will not even engage with inquiring teams on the topic.
Although the idea of dealing Acuña has become a popular discussion point among Braves fans, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman recently provided three reasons why the team should hang on to the 2023 National League MVP, who will turn 29 years old next month.
Since his historic 41-homer, 73-steal season in ‘23, Acuña has often been derailed by injuries, playing in just 51.6% of the Braves’ regular-season games over the past three seasons. However, he will make $17 million in 2027 and carries a $17 million club option for 2028 before reaching free agency. That’s a relative bargain for a player who is still in his prime and, even despite those various ailments, has logged a 130 OPS+ since the start of 2024.
Atlanta’s championship window is still open, and Acuña is motivated to regain his spot among the game’s elite players. So for now, you can expect the two sides to continue to shoot for their goals together.
Rangers could look to trade expensive stars
Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said last week that he expects the club’s 2027 payroll to look “very similar” to ’26 ($193 million), leaving Texas with a limited budget to spend on free agents. As a result, speculation is growing that the team could shop high-priced veterans Corey Seager, Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi as a way to reallocate some resources.
MLB Network insider Jon Heyman added further fuel to the fire in an article for the New York Post (subscription required) on Sunday. He’s heard the Rangers will indeed be considering trades for those three players this offseason.
Granted, none of the three will be easy to move. While deGrom and Eovaldi are both entering the final year of their contracts, both have full no-trade clauses. deGrom reportedly invoked his trade veto power to block a deal to the Braves at the Trade Deadline.
Seager’s no-trade protection is more limited, but he can also block deals to select teams. Moreover, he’s still owed more than $150 million over the next five years, a hefty commitment for a player who has been sidelined for long stretches in each of the past four seasons and is coming off one of his worst years at the plate (112 OPS+).
How Mets, Dodgers, Cubs might approach Skubal sweepstakes
We're still in the early stages of the offseason, but if there is a favorite for Tarik Skubal, the top free agent available, it's "probably" the Mets, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman said Monday.
New York's high payroll and need for starting pitching make the two-time Cy Young Award winner an obvious fit. Heyman also mentioned the Padres, Giants, Phillies and Blue Jays as teams that could be involved for the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner. But that's not the full list of possible suitors, of course.
The incumbent Dodgers will also be in the mix. However, the 29-year-old Skubal could set new contract records for a pitcher this offseason, both for the largest guaranteed contract (currently Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325 million) and highest average annual value (Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander at $43.33 million).
That could complicate things for Los Angeles, which sent three prospects to the Tigers to acquire Skubal at the Trade Deadline. The Athletic’s Katie Woo (subscription required) reports that the Dodgers would be unlikely to meet a contract that extends beyond Yamamoto’s 12-year deal.
The club could, however, draw on last year’s deal with Kyle Tucker for inspiration. It landed the star outfielder on a shorter term with a high AAV (four years, $240 million).
Despite ESPN’s Jeff Passan hearing that the Cubs “badly” want Skubal to help fill glaring starting-pitching needs, Chicago will seemingly sit out the race. The Cubs “appear unlikely to enter the bidding war” for Skubal, according to Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic (subscription required).
Sharma also notes that, despite not extending for Skubal, the Cubs are expected to “at least check in on” every other free-agent pitcher. Each of the five pitchers in Chicago’s end-of-season 2026 rotation has become a free agent (Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, David Peterson, Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes).