MLB rumors: News from the winter meetings on free agency, trades
Major League Baseball’s winter meetings have begun. The four days of talks in Nashville will undoubtedly produce a flurry of trades and transactions as agents seek contracts for their free-agent players and executives from all 30 teams convene to talk trades and league business. The rumor mill is already churning with big-name free agents such as Johnny Cueto and Jason Heyward still on the market.
See the latest MLB news and rumors below. Check back for updates on the latest scoops.
• 2015 MLB Free-Agent Tracker
Jose Fernandez
• The Marlins have strongly denied that they are trying to trade Jose Fernandez despite several rumors that teams are discussing a deal for Miami's young ace. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports that a rival executive said the Marlins have not “proposed anything reasonable enough to make people think they want to deal.”
• The Dodgers, Giants and Diamondbacks are among at least a dozen teams that have spoken to the Marlins about Fernandez, according to multiplereports.
• Before acquiring Shelby Miller from the Braves, the Diamondbacks nearly had a deal for Fernandez, reports Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. The deal would have included Patrick Corbin and Dansby Swanson.
• Miami asked the Dodgers for a five-player package in exchange for Fernandez, including Joc Pederson along with top prospects Corey Seager and Julio Urias, reports MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro.
• Rumors have surfaced that the Yankees are willing to trade Luis Severino in exchange for Fernandez. However, Joel Sherman of the New York Postreports that the Yankees will not offer Severino to the Marlins and that talks have discontinued.
Yoenis Cespedes
• Four teams—the Angels, Giants, Tigers and Royals—have shown interest in free-agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, reports Sherman. The Mets have acknowledged that they are unlikely to re-sign Cespedes, who they traded for at last year’s deadline.
Baltimore Orioles
• Chris Davis has an offer in the neighborhood of $150 million from the Baltimore Orioles, reports MASN’s Roch Kubatko. The Orioles also met with Upton’s agent, presumably in case Davis decides not to return, reports Heyman.
• Baltimore is also searching for a left handed starting pitcher that could replace free-agent pitcher Wei-Yin Chen if he does not return, reports Heyman. The team has been looking at Scott Kazmir as an option.
• Rosenthal reports that the Orioles are no longer in the running for Rangers’ Mitch Moreland or Lind. The team is reportedly showing interest in South Koren outfielder Hyun-Soo Kim.
• Baltimore has reportedly met twice with Scott Boras in regards to first baseman Chris Davis, reports Rosenthal. The team has also reportedly met with Upton’s agent.
• The Orioles are also interested in free agent outfielder Will Venable, reports Rosenthal.
• Baltimore has received calls regarding closer Zach Britton, but do not appear to want to trade him, reports Heyman.
Other news & notes
• The Nationals are interested in right handed pitcher Mike Leake, reports Rosenthal. Other clubs are reportedly making aggressive pushes for Leake as well. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the Nats have made an offer to Leake.
• Following the Walker-Niese trade, the Mets have now stepped up their efforts to re-sign Bartolo Colon, reports Marc Carig of Newsday.
• The Cincinnati Reds are reportedly shopping third baseman Todd Frazier, reports C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
• After acquiring big-name pitchers Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller, the Diamondbacks do not expect to make any additional moves this offseason, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
• The Astros are attempting to put together a deal that would convince the Phillies to trade reliever Ken Giles, reports Heyman.
• Astros’ center fielder Carlos Gomez and right fielder George Springer are drawing interest, reports Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. The Cubs are said to be interested in Gomez.
• The Astros are among the many teams that are inquiring about the price of Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco, reports Zack Meisel of The Plain Dealer.
• The Phillies are interested in signing free-agent pitcher Doug Fister, Heyman reports.
The Braves are not interested in trading pitcher Julio Teheran, reports Buster Olney of ESPN.
• Many teams are interested in free agent pitcher Tim Lincecum, who is recovering from hip surgery, reports Heyman.
• The Rockies have had numerous talks about outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, reports Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.
• The Cubs are among the teams interested in signing free-agent outfielder Denard Span, and are also looking at Jason Heyward, Heyman reports.
• Heyman reports that there have been speculations about Heyward receiving a 10-year deal.
• Teams interested in free agent shortstop Ian Desmond are exploring the option of him playing in the outfield, reports Crasnick.
• The Mariners and the Brewers are making progress in trade talks that would send first baseman Adam Lind to Seattle, reports Jon Morosi of Fox Sports. Morosi expects Lind to be moved within the next 24 hours. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Mariners are not likely to trade outfielder Alex Jackson for Adam Lind.
• The Brewers are interested in Pedro Alvarez to play first base, reports Morosi.
• The Angels are reportedly inquiring about outfielder Justin Upton, according to multiple reports. However, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports that there is “nothing happening” between the Angels and Upton.
• At least 10 teams are interested in Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna, and a trade is likely, reports Spencer.
• The Yankees could be planning to acquire Ozuna by first trading for Astros starter Vincent Velasquez, reports George A. King III of the New York Post.
• The Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers are interested in Rajai Davis, reports Heyman.
• The Indians are interested free agent Steve Pearce, reports Paul Hones of Cleveland.com.
• The Rangers and the Diamondbacks are reportedly meeting to discuss a reliever-for-starter deal, reports Evan Grant of Dallas Morning News.
• The Tigers are looking to add a left-handed reliever to their roster, such as Tony Sipp or Antonio Bastardo, reports Morosi.
• The San Francisco Giants are considered the frontrunners to sign left fielder Alex Gordon, reports Olney.
• The San Diego Padres are willing to listen to potential trades involving anyone, including pitcher Tyson Ross, reports Rosenthal.
• The Red Sox are currently not willing to trade center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., reports Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
Completed transactions
• The Pirates have traded second baseman Neil Walker to the Mets for Jon Niese, reports Sherman
• The Phillies have reached an agreement with pitcher David Hernandez, pending a physical, reports Rosenthal.
• The Atlanta Braves agreed to trade pitcher Shelby Miller to the Arizona Diamondbacks, reports Rosenthal.
• Ben Zobrist reached an agreement with the Chicago Cubs on a four-year deal, the team announced late Tuesday.
• The Chicago Cubs agreed to trade infielder Starlin Castro to the New York Yankees in exchange for pitcher Adam Warren and a player to be named later, the team announced late Tuesday.
• The Braves and free-agent catcher Tyler Flowers agreed on a two-year deal, according to multiple reports. It will pay him $5.3 million in guaranteed money.
• The Giants have reportedly signed right handed pitcher Jeff Samardzija to a five year contract.
• The Athletics have signed reliever John Axford pending a physical, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
