As the 2025 MLB season officially concludes, front offices across the league are already turning thier attention to the offseason. This week’s General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas have provided a key setting for preliminary discussions regarding free agency and potential trades, with several high-profile players generating significant interest. From the Padres’ pursuit of a new bat to the Mets’ complex roster decisions and the arrival of a highly-touted pitching prospect from Japan, here’s a breakdown of the latest developments shaping the MLB landscape.
The San Diego Padres are still evaluating options to fill gaps in their lineup, particularly at first base and designated hitter. Venezuela’s Luis Arráez, a free agent who has played both positions, remains a possibility despite the Padres declining to extend a qualifying offer last week.
“We are definitely interested in Luis,” Padres General Manager A.J. Preller stated this week during the General Managers Meetings. “We’ll be talking with [Arráez’s agent] Dan Lozano and seeing where he’s at. I know Luis enjoys San Diego. He’ll be someone we discuss.”
Elsewhere, the New York Yankees are reportedly considering a reunion with right-handed pitcher Michael King, according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required). However, the Yankees will face competition for King’s services, as the Chicago Cubs also have him “on their radar,” per Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (subscription required).
King began his Major League career in 2019, spending his first five seasons with the Yankees primarily as a reliever. From 2022-2023, he posted a 2.60 ERA in 83 appearances, including nine starts. He was then traded to San Diego before the 2024 season as part of the package for Juan Soto and transitioned to a full-time starting role.
The General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas concluded Thursday with no blockbuster deals finalized. However, one team consistently surfaced in discussions regarding outfielder Kyle Tucker: the Toronto Blue Jays.
“You’ve heard the same teams mentioned all week – the Yankees, the Phillies, the Dodgers. The team I heard more than any other linked to Tucker were the Blue Jays,” noted Mark Feinsand of MLB.com during Thursday’s edition of MLB Tonight. “Obviously, right now [the Blue Jays have] all the momentum in the world coming off their World Series run. … I think Tucker is certainly going to be in the mix there in Toronto.”
The future of closer Edwin Díaz remains uncertain. After securing a five-year, $102 million contract – a record for a reliever – following the 2022 season, the New York Mets are not progressing towards a new deal with the same speed this offseason.
Díaz, who opted out of his contract earlier this month to re-enter free agency, said Thursday at the MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards in Las Vegas that his representatives have held conversations with the Mets about a new contract. However, he assessed his chances of returning to Queens as “50-50.”
Highly touted Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai is expected to be one of the most sought-after free agents this year. The Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball will post the right-hander during the offseason, allowing MLB teams to negotiate.
The 27-year-old posted a 1.92 ERA in 163.2 innings last season in Japan. Over the past three years, his earned run average for the Lions has been a stellar 2.18.
The New York Mets and first baseman Pete Alonso have begun discussions regarding a potential contract extension, according to MLB Network analyst Jon Heyman in the New York Post (subscription required).
The talks appear to be progressing more favorably than last offseason, when Alonso accepted a two-year, $54 million deal with a 2025 opt-out clause, which he has now exercised.
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes unanimously won the National League Cy Young Award after posting a 1.97 ERA with 216 strikeouts in 32 starts in 2025. However, speculation has emerged regarding his long-term future with the organization.
A report from Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media cited an anonymous Pirates teammate who allegedly overheard Skenes expressing a desire to play for the New York Yankees and be traded before hitting free agency after the 2029 season. Skenes quickly dismissed the speculation.
Despite his impressive early career, questions remain about how long Skenes will remain a Pirate.
He was briefly mentioned in trade rumors before the 2025 Trade Deadline, and Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington said Tuesday during the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas that teams have continued to inquire about his availability.
“It’s always respectful. Clubs have to ask the question, right?” Cherington commented. “I suspect that won’t end. But the answer has been consistent.”
Arizona Diamondbacks General Manager Mike Hazen has indicated he’s open to trading from the team’s top prospects this winter to bolster their pitching, and appears willing to at least listen to offers for one of their star players.
Trade rumors surrounding star second baseman Ketel Marte are not new – it was a topic discussed at the July Trade Deadline – and it’s understood the Diamondbacks would require a significant return to even consider a deal.
Milwaukee Brewers reliever Devin Williams is attracting considerable interest from potential suitors in free agency. Approximately 12 teams have expressed interest, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and Cincinnati Reds, according to The Athletic (subscription required).
Despite a challenging 2025 campaign with the Yankees – a 4.79 ERA in 62 innings and losing the closer role – underlying metrics suggest Williams performed better than his surface numbers indicate. His expected ERA of 3.09 and FIP of 2.68 were significantly lower than his actual ERA, and he ranked in the 97th percentile or better in chase rate, swing-and-miss rate, and strikeout rate.
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has been a popular name at the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas, emerging as one of the most intriguing trade candidates this offseason.
However, according to two rival executives, the belief within the industry is that the Tigers will not trade Skubal this winter despite him entering his final year of team control before becoming a free agent.
“I’d be surprised if he were moved,” noted one National League executive. “But that doesn’t mean teams won’t try.”
The Mets are expected to be active this offseason, with several questions – some obvious, some less so – needing to be addressed before 2026.
Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns addressed some of those topics Tuesday at the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas, also reflecting on what went wrong during a disappointing 2025 campaign.
Which team could be the most active in trade conversations during this week’s General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas? MLB Network analyst Jon Paul Morosi believes it’s the St. Louis Cardinals.
“I think the Cardinals are open to negotiating in terms of potentially moving some of their veteran players,” Morosi said during Tuesday’s edition of the Hot Stove program.
Prior to the 2025 World Series, Bo Bichette had never played a position other than shortstop in the Major Leagues. But with a knee injury limiting his mobility after missing the first two rounds of the Toronto postseason, he played second base during the Fall Classic.
Could that have been a glimpse into the future for the 28-year-old free agent? Perhaps. According to MLB Network analyst Jon Paul Morosi, multiple teams with a shortstop already established on their roster are showing interest in Bichette as a second baseman or third baseman.
The Baltimore Orioles have done a strong job recently building a young core, drafting well and developing players before adding complementary pieces.
Is this the winter Baltimore goes all-in?
Industry sources believe the Orioles will be aggressive in free agency to try and return to the postseason, following a disappointing 75-win season that left them in the American League East basement.
The top free agents this winter won’t be rushing into making one of the biggest decisions of their lives: where to sign.
But according to Jon Paul Morosi of MLB Network, it’s possible that Kyle Schwarber, arguably the best power hitter available this winter, won’t be on the market for long.
New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga is drawing interest from several teams in the trade market as a low-risk option, according to a report from The Athletic.
Senga, 32, had a tale of two seasons in 2025. He started the year pitching like an ace, posting a 1.47 ERA through his first 13 starts. But Senga finished the season in the Minor Leagues, posting a 6.56 ERA in eight outings after the All-Star break and losing his place in the rotation even as New York was fighting for a postseason spot.
With the General Managers Meetings having begun Monday in Las Vegas, the winter could heat up this week. Even if there isn’t a large volume of free agent signings, there could be several rumors and reports to review regarding some of the top players in the group.
Outfielder Kyle Tucker headlines that list, and several clubs will be making their best offers to the 28-year-old.
Another Japanese star is on the way to the Major Leagues.
The Seibu Lions of the NPB announced Monday that they will allow right-handed starter Tatsuya Imai to enter the posting system during this offseason for Major League teams. Once the window opens for Imai, teams will have 45 days to negotiate a contract with the 28-year-old pitcher.
Imai, who is the No. 11 free agent in Mark Feinsand’s ranking this year, had a 1.92 ERA in 163.2 innings this year with the Lions. The right-hander struck out 178 batters, walked 45, and allowed just six home runs. Some of his highlights in 2025 include throwing the first eight innings of a combined no-hitter and striking out 17 batters in a two-hit shutout.
First baseman Pete Alonso sought a long-term contract as a free agent last year, but ultimately settled for a two-year deal to return to the Mets. The agreement included a 2025 opt-out clause, which Alonso exercised Tuesday. He will once again seek a long-term contract this offseason, especially after hitting 38 home runs last season, but will that contract come from the Mets?
According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, “the expectation” is that the Mets will let Alonso walk as a free agent “unless he accepts a team-favorable contract.”
According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, “don’t be surprised if the Mets are very interested” in outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger this offseason.
Bellinger, 30, came off a solid campaign with the Yankees – 29 home runs, .814 OPS – and could help the Mets address their need for a center fielder and/or a first baseman.
