The annual Winter Meetings begin Sunday in Orlando and they are typically the four busiest days of the offseason, with trades and free-agent signings and rumors aplenty. Here are Sunday’s hot stove rumors to get you ready for the week ahead.
Cubs to be aggressive?Â
The Cubs play in one of the largest markets in baseball, but sat in the teens in payroll last season and haven’t been huge spenders in free agency for nearly a decade. Might things change this offseason? Via The Athletic, “the Chicago Cubs are targeting a higher level of the free-agent market and signaling an openness to spending for certain players, according to team and league sources briefed on the club’s deliberations.”
The Cubs were reportedly in on Dylan Cease before he signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Blue Jays and are now apparently involved in talks with big-ticket free agents like Alex Bregman, Michael King and Tatsuya Imai.Â
It remains to be seen if the Cubs can land any of these big targets, but to see them connected to some of these players in rumors is a bit of a change.
Several teams interested in Donovan
Cardinals super utility man Brendan Donovan is a popular trade target this offseason. Several contenders, including the Astros, Dodgers, Guardians, Royals, and Yankees have checked in him this offseason, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis needs to clear an infield spot for top prospect JJ Wetherholt sooner rather than later, hence Donovan’s reported availability.
It is no secret the Cardinals are taking a step back and not prioritizing short-term contention. In that case Donovan, 29 in January and with two years of team control, doesn’t fit well with their timeline. He is a contact/plate discipline hitter who has played every position except pitcher, catcher, and center field in the big leagues, though Donovan fits best at second base these days.
Giants not making Eldridge off-limits
Giants’ top prospect Bryce Eldridge is not considered off-limits this offseason, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. That does not mean they are shopping him or are eager to move him, just that, in the right deal, the Giants are willing to discuss Eldridge, who went 3 for 28 (.107) during his brief big-league debut this past September.
Still only 21, Eldridge is a slugging first baseman/DH. The Giants, meanwhile, are locked into Rafael Devers through 2033. It only makes sense then to see whether Eldridge could be more useful as a trade chip for pitching or perhaps a second baseman. He may be most valuable to San Francisco as a trade chip than as a first base/DH caddy with Devers long-term.
Multiple teams have checked in on Marte
The Rays, Red Sox, and Tigers have checked in with the Diamondbacks about All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte, reports USA Today. Marte has a five-team no-trade list, though he will pick up 10-and-5 rights on the tenth day of the 2026 season. That means he’ll gain full no-trade protection as a player with 10 years of service time, including the last five years with the same team.
Arizona needs pitching this offseason, both starters and relievers, and trading Marte for multiple arms could be their best path to add cheap young pitching to the organization. Marte, 32, is owed $102.5 million from 2026-31 and, with his 10-and-5 rights looming, this offseason is the D-backs’ last opportunity to trade him without worrying about Marte potentially vetoing a deal.
Royals interested in Yastrzemski
The Royals have interest in re-signing outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, according to the Kansas City Star. Yastrzemski joined the Royals in a deadline trade with the Giants this past summer and was quite productive down the stretch, hitting .237/.339/.500 with nine home runs in 50 games with Kansas City. We ranked Yastrzemski as the 32nd-best free agent available this offseason.
Upgrading the outfield is a must for the Royals this offseason. Their outfield collectively hit .225/.285/.348 with 37 home runs and an MLB-worst minus-1.1 WAR in 2025. That is untenable. Kyle Isbel is a capable gloveman in center and bottom of the order hitter, but improving the corners is imperative. Yastrzemski or otherwise, the Royals need bona fide outfield bats this winter.
Multiple teams interested in King
As expected, Michael King is a popular free agent. In addition to the aforementioned Cubs, the Mets, Red Sox, and Tigers are among the teams with interest in the right-hander, according to the New York Post. King, 30, missed time with shoulder and knee injuries in 2025, though he showed top of the rotation ability in 2024 and has late-inning relief experience. We ranked King as the 17th-best free agent available this winter.
King declined the $22.025 million qualifying offer last month, meaning the team that signs him will have to surrender a draft pick(s) to do so. Boston has already added two starters this offseason (Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo) and they have young arms at the ready (Connelly Early and Payton Tolle), but there’s never any harm in adding more pitching, especially someone like King.
Rays may not move high-priced player?
Despite their history of trading their highest-paid players each offseason, the Rays may hold on to Yandy DÃaz and Brandon Lowe, reports the Tampa Bay Times. Tampa declined their $11 million club option for closer Pete Fairbanks last month, presumably after being unable to find a trade match. DÃaz ($12 million in 2026) and Lowe ($11.5 million) are the club’s two highest-paid players.
Including arbitration projections, the Rays have about $85 million on the books for 2026, a touch higher than their $79 million payroll in 2025. The club is said to be seeking a starting pitcher, with former Ray Zach Eflin reportedly of interest. The Rays have new ownership, though all indications are the team will not see a significant payroll increase, at least not in the short-term.
Marlins won’t trade Pérez
The Marlins are willing to discuss all their starting pitchers in a trade except Eury Pérez, reports The Athletic. That means Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera, and Ryan Weathers can all be pried loose for the right price. Miami reportedly approached Pérez about a long-term extension earlier this offseason, though those talks have yet to result in a contract.
Alcantara, who began to look more like his Cy Young self late in the season, is owed $17 million in 2026 with a $21 million club option for 2027. Even if he’s no longer an ace, those are more than reasonable salaries for a pitcher with his talent. Cabrera has three years of team control remaining. He and Alcantara are two of the offseason’s most obvious trade candidates.Â
Dodgers, Hernández interested in reunion
In perhaps the least surprising news of the offseason, the two-time World Series champion Dodgers and utility man Enrique Hernández have mutual interest in a reunion, according to The Athletic. Hernández had surgery on his non-throwing elbow last month and will miss the World Baseball Classic. His status for Opening Day is unknown.
Although his offense leaves much to be desired these days, Hernández is a valuable utility player who can play every position except catcher, and he’s an excellent clubhouse guy. It should be noted Hernández did not sign with Los Angeles until after spring training opened the last two offseasons. This seemingly inevitable move may not happen until February again.
Mariners open to re-signing Garver
The Mariners have interest in re-signing Mitch Garver after trading catcher Harry Ford to the Nationals on Saturday, reports the Seattle Times. With Cal Raleigh entrenched behind the plate, Ford was an obvious trade chip, though Seattle does need a backup catcher. Raleigh is the only catcher on Seattle’s 40-man roster at the moment.
Garver, 35 next month, spent the last two seasons with the Mariners, hitting .187/.290/.341 with 24 home runs and suspect defensive numbers. The Mariners initially signed Garver to be their most-of-the-time DH, though he eventually settled into more of a backup catcher/platoon DH role. We did not rank Garver among our top 50 free agents.