Major League Baseball's offseason is here, and with it comes a delightful daily heaping of rumors, news, and notes. Below, you can find all of the most notable to surface on Thursday.
Rangers interested in deGrom, other high-end pitching
The Rangers acquired a veteran starter on Wednesday night, adding right-hander Jake Odorizzi in a trade with the Braves. That won't stop them from pursuing even more rotation help, however. According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Rangers have been in touch with several of the top starters available this offseason, including Jacob deGrom, Carlos Rodón, and Kodai Senga.
CBS Sports recently ranked deGrom (No. 2), Rodón (No. 8), and Senga (No. 23) among the top 50 free agents available this winter.
Texas' rotation ranked 25th in the majors in ERA last season.
The Rangers also seem like a decent bet to retain left-hander Martín Pérez, who posted a 2.89 ERA in 32 starts. It's unclear if the two sides will be able to reach a new agreement, or if the Rangers will tag him with a qualifying offer -- a one-year tender worth more than $19 million.
Giants able to afford anyone
The Giants have been rumored inside the industry as a potential landing spot for outfielder Aaron Judge. It's to be seen if that will come to pass, but top executive Farhan Zaidi touted his team's financial flexibility on Wednesday night.
"From a financial standpoint, there would be nobody that would be out of our capability," he told reporters, including John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Of course, the Giants may use some of their financial warchest to retain free agents like Carlos Rodón and Joc Pederson. They're also also expected to pursue additional pitching help, as well as upgrades on the infield.
Mariners interested in Nimmo
The Mariners have expressed interest in free-agent center fielder Brandon Nimmo, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Nimmo is the top center fielder available on the market, and was recently ranked by CBS Sports as the seventh best free agent. Here's what we wrote:
Juan Soto. Freddie Freeman. Bryce Harper. Aaron Judge. Paul Goldschmidt. What do those five players have in common? They're the only batters with at least 1,000 plate appearances during the Pandemic Era to reach base more frequently than Nimmo did. He's more than a pretty on-base: he's made improvements both as a center fielder and as a platoon-disadvantaged hitter, as the last two seasons have represented two of his three best single-season performances versus southpaws. If there is a stain on his T-shirt, it's his durability. Nimmo has appeared in more than 100 games just twice (thrice if you prorate his 2020 campaign over 162 games). The body doesn't tend to grow more durable as one ages, but Nimmo's top-of-the-order bat and middle-of-the-field glove should net him a lucrative long-term deal anyway.
In the event the Mariners do sign Nimmo, they would presumably slide probable Rookie of the Year Award winner Julio Rodríguez to a corner-outfield spot. Expect Seattle to trade veteran Jesse Winker in any case. Our own Mike Axisa recently named Winker one of the likeliest players to be traded this offseason.
