Welcome to another MLB offseason! We’re poised for an exciting winter with a strong free-agent class, headlined by Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes, and more contending clubs than we’ve seen in years trying to make their teams better with meaningful acquisitions.
We’re days away from free agency officially starting but the trades have already begun, with the Braves sending slugger Jorge Soler to the Angels for right-hander Griffin Canning on Thursday. So what other players will we see change teams before next season?
Here are 25 of my bold — and not so bold — predictions for the 2024-25 offseason. Please share your own predictions in the comments section.
1. The Yankees match the Mets’ and Dodgers’ best offers to Juan Soto, signing him to a $622 million contract that keeps the Soto-Aaron Judge tandem in New York’s lineup for years to come.
2. The Mets focus on starting pitching in free agency and manage to sign both Corbin Burnes and Max Fried to long-term contracts while also bringing back first baseman Pete Alonso, dropping more than half a billion in future salary commitments to land the trio.
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3. Roki Sasaki is not posted by his team, the Chiba Lotte Marines. The talented Japanese righty has to wait another year to become a free agent and join the major leagues, disappointing the Dodgers (among other teams), who wanted to sign him this offseason.
Willy Adames will be the top shortstop on the free-agent market. (Katie Stratman / Imagn Images)
4. The Dodgers sign shortstop Willy Adames to a six-year, $150 million deal. The World Series champs also re-sign left fielder Teoscar Hernández (three years, $75 million) and righty Walker Buehler (two-year contract with a club option; base salary of $12 million per year plus incentives).
5. The Astros sign center fielder Cody Bellinger, after he opts out of his contract with the Cubs, to a four-year, $112 million pact. Houston also re-signs third baseman Alex Bregman for seven years and $185.5 million.
6. Lefty Tanner Scott signs a four-year, $60 million deal with the Phillies, who say goodbye to high-leverage relievers Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez in free agency.
7. The Nationals ink outfielder Anthony Santander for six years and $142 million, landing the power bat in the first big signing of their rebuild in a deal that’s reminiscent of their past signing of Jayson Werth.
8. The Guardians are able to bring back ace Shane Bieber and also sign veteran righty Michael Wacha for three years and $45 million.
9. The Royals sign lefty Sean Manaea to a three-year, $68 million deal to replace the departed Wacha.
Christian Walker has posted an OPS+ above 120 for three straight seasons. (Jeff Hanisch / Imagn Images)
10. The Mariners sign first baseman Christian Walker (three years, $72 million), improving offensively and defensively at the position. Seattle also lands second baseman Brandon Lowe (two years, $24 million) after Tampa Bay doesn’t pick up his option.
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11. The Padres re-sign both left fielder Jurickson Profar and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim as they opt to “run it back” with largely the same team in 2025.
12. The Red Sox sign righty Jack Flaherty to a three-year, $68 million deal and lefty Yusei Kikuchi to a three-year, $42 million deal.
13. The Rangers re-sign righty Nathan Eovaldi (two-year, $42 million deal with a club option) and land reliever Carlos Estévez (three years, $33 million) in free agency.
14. The Tigers sign right-hander Nick Martinez to a three-year, $40 million contract.
Blake Snell had a 3.12 ERA and 1.048 WHIP in 20 starts this past season. (Jay Biggerstaff / Imagn Images)
15. The Orioles ink Blake Snell to a three-year, $105 million deal and then trade three strong prospects to the Athletics for flame-throwing closer Mason Miller, whom they convert back to a starting pitcher.
16. After exercising his $22.5 million player option, Jordan Montgomery is traded by the Diamondbacks to the Braves for two minor-league pitchers, with Arizona agreeing to pay half of his salary.
17. The Diamondbacks exercise their $15 million club option on Eugenio Suárez, bringing back the third baseman after a 30-homer, 101-RBI season.
18. Veteran starter Charlie Morton announces his retirement from baseball after 17 seasons.
19. The Pirates sign outfielders Tyler O’Neill and Joc Pederson, adding veteran offense to their lineup.
20. For the second year in a row, no players accept the qualifying offer.
21. Ichiro Suzuki is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot. Billy Wagner is elected in his 10th and final year on the ballot. And Andruw Jones, the greatest defensive center fielder I ever saw, also gets the call to Cooperstown.
22. The Rays start the season playing in the Blue Jays’ spring training complex in Dunedin, Fla., staying until a fix is in place for the Tropicana Field roof to make the ballpark playable again.
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23. Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are named MVPs of their respective leagues. Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale win the Cy Young awards.
24. Luis Gil and Paul Skenes win Rookie of the Year honors … and I once again complain about there not being dedicated awards for the best rookie pitcher and best rookie position player, as two of Colton Cowser, Austin Wells, Jackson Merrill and Jackson Chourio should also have been recognized for their strong seasons.
25. Stephen Vogt of the Guardians and Pat Murphy of the Brewers are named the managers of the year after guiding teams to division titles in their first seasons. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is voted the MLB Executive of the Year.
(Top image: Meech Robinson / The Athletic. Photos: Luke Hales / Getty Images; Greg Fiume / Getty Images; Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images; Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
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