Major League Baseball's2025 winter meetingsare underway with the baseball world descending on Florida to (hopefully) make some deals and lay the groundwork for moves in the weeks to come.
OutfielderKyle Tuckeris considered the winter's top free agent, with big batsAlex Bregman,Kyle SchwarberandPete Alonsoalso on the market. Need pitching? Left-handed starters Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez are available, as well as closer Edwin Diaz.
TheDetroit Tigersprobably won't trade Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, but there's plenty of intrigue with the ace entering his final year before hitting free agency.
Follow along for the latest news and updates:
Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
Kyle Schwarber the center of attention in Orlando
Now that closer Emilio Pagan is back in the fold for theCincinnati Reds, all eyes turn to Kyle Schwarber as the Reds and the rest of MLB head to Florida for the winter meetings.
Team sources say the Reds' long-rumored pursuit of the star slugger from Middletown remains serious heading into the industry's annual convention – when many in the game believe the robust market for Schwarber should start to crystallize.
The favorite to land this year's National League MVP runner-up still is considered to be his ownPhiladelphia Phillies, who have expressed strong interest in bringing him back even as reports suggest they're slow-playing the process as his market becomes more defined.
The Mets, supposedly the Orioles, Blue Jays and Red Sox, and allegedly even the Pirates have been linked to Schwarber, too.
– Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer
Yankees' Brian Cashman pushes back on Sonny Gray
Former Yankees pitcher Sonny Gray may not have enjoyed pitching in New York, but team GM Brian Cashman said Sunday night the now division-rival never let him know that was the case until it was too late.Speaking to reporters Sunday nightafter arriving at the Winter Meetings, Cashman said Gray didn't voice his displeasure until after the 2018 trade deadline.
Accroding to Cashman, Gray admitted his agent encouraged him to stay silent about his dislike for New York when the Yankees acquired him in 2017 so that it would improve his value as a free agent.
"I never wanted to go there in the first place," Gray saidin his introductory press conferenceon Dec. 2 after theBoston Red Soxacquired him from theSt. Louis Cardinals.
Gray had a rocky time with the Yanks, going 15-16 with a 4.81 ERA before they traded him to theCincinnati Redsfollowing the 2018 season. After Gray came clean about his true feelings, Cashman said he told the pitcher, "Nothing I can do about it now. I wish you'd told me beforehand. I wish we knew this before we ever tried to acquire you."
Jeff Kent voted into Hall of Fame by contemporary era committee
ORLANDO, FL — EverySan Francisco Giantsfan knew the day would eventually arrive that their legendary slugger would be elected into Baseball's Hall of Fame.
Who would have ever imagined second baseman Jeff Kent would be the one to enter Cooperstown while Barry Bonds, baseball's all-time home run king, was shut out again.
Kent, whose 377 home runs are the most by a primary second baseman in baseball history, received 14 of the 16 votes by the contemporary era committee and was the only player elected on Sunday, Dec. 7. Kent, who received 46.5% of the votes in his final year on the Baseball Writers Association of America ballot in 2023, needed 12 votes (75%) to be elected.
– Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports
MLB trade rumors on top 10 targets
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers
Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
MacKenzie Gore, Washington Nationals
Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays
Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox
Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals
Luis Severino, Athletics
Yankees rumors: Pitchers for Bombers to target
There's an acute need to improve the Yankees' setup relief, but they're likelier to find relievers via trade – as they did with Devin Williams and Fernando Cruz last winter. Bidding on big, free agent bullpen arms – led this time by Edwin Diaz – hasn't been a Yankee trait in recent years, and they're also likely to see Luke Weaver follow Williams (Mets) to another club.
Steinbrenner's stated satisfaction with his rotation doesn't rhyme with a pursuit of big-name starters, a group that includes Japan's Tatsuya Imai.
Last year, Max Fried ($218 million) made it a trio of expensive, pinstriped free agent starters, joining Gerrit Cole ($324 million) and Carlos Rodon ($162 million). But Cole, Rodon and Clarke Schmidt will start the season on the injured list, and there's incentive to add a one-year veteran option – perhaps inviting Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer into the conversation.
Right-handers Chris Bassitt, Merrill Kelly and Nick Martinez are potential short-term options, while Michael King - reluctantly traded in the Juan Soto deal - is a far more expensive but worthy target.
– Pete Caldera, NorthJersey.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:MLB winter meetings rumors live: Latest trade news and rumor updates
