Your guide to MLB’s offseason chaos: The wild moves that happened — and the even wilder ones that didn’t
The opening week of the 2023 MLB season is just four days away following a baseball offseason that was, in a word, chaotic.
Not long after the Houston Astros were done celebrating their 2022 World Series title, the hot stove season heated up and provided a little bit of everything — from Cy Young winners changing teams and a star switching sides of a rivalry to decade-long record contracts and unexpected big spenders. And the drama surrounding the players who ultimately stayed put somehow managed to top even the biggest additions.
Whether you are just realizing that Jacob deGrom left New York for the Texas Rangers, Justin Verlander replaced him on the New York Mets and Carlos Correa is on the … well, you are going to need to sit down for that one — or you know all the moves that went down and still aren’t quite sure what to make of them, there’s plenty to learn before the games begin. ESPN MLB experts Bradford Doolittle, Jesse Rogers and David Schoenfield break down the moves that rocked the offseason. What did they mean for the teams that made them — and for the rest of MLB?
Who needs a GM to sign a former MVP?
Date of the deal: Nov. 28: Astros sign Jose Abreu for three years, $58.5 million
What it means for the Astros: The Astros’ core has been evolving ever so quietly over the past two or three years, and with mainstay Yuli Gurriel headed for free agency, the choice for the then-GM-less Astros was to either pursue a 38-year-old player coming off his second poor offensive season in three years, or a 36-year-old player two years removed from an MVP award and coming off another strong season. Houston’s GM-less front office chose door No. 2, inking Jose Abreu to a three-year, $58.5 million deal. And so the Astros still have a high-contact, run-producing veteran first baseman — albeit for a lot more money than it would have cost to keep Gurriel, who ended up with a minor-league pact with the Marlins.
How it rocked baseball: Gently. Anytime the reigning champions add a former MVP, the baseball world is going to notice — but there are much bigger moves ahead.
Abreu landed the upper end of the range of contract he could have hoped for, and now he has a chance to roll with the defending champs in pursuit of his first World Series ring. The move invited scrutiny only because it was natural to wonder if the Astros would have given three years to Abreu, or anyone else who might have served as a Gurriel replacement, had championship-winning GM James Click still been in the fold. No other first base/DH atop this winter’s free agent market got a three-year contract and the total value of the deal was 46% more than any other free agent in that role received.
Dominoes: Probably not many, as it’s unlikely teams were lining up to give Abreu that kind of contract. But there were at least a few interested suitors because despite his age, Abreu is a 1B/DH run producer good enough to hit in the middle of the order. His record of consistency and durability were big marks in his favor. The Guardians reportedly also offered Abreu three years and so might have preferred Abreu to Josh Bell, whom they eventually landed on a two-year deal. Elsewhere, if the price point were different, maybe the Dodgers would have given Abreu a long look rather than signing J.D. Martinez. The White Sox, Abreu’s old team, seemed intent to move forward with younger players already on their roster. Overall, the signing created more of a ripple than a wave, but it’s hard to ignore anytime the defending champs add an impact bat to their lineup.
The Rangers gave Jacob deGrom how much?
Date of deal: Dec. 2: Rangers sign Jacob deGrom for five years, $185 million
What it means for the Rangers: If deGrom can stay healthy, this move could push the Rangers into wild-card contention and make us forget that this was viewed as something of an overpay at the time. (The five-year, $185 million contract was such a shock that even New York Mets owner Steve Cohen wouldn’t match it to keep the longtime ace in Queens.)
DeGrom has looked great this spring after being slowed by tightness on his left side. As long as he stays healthy, he’ll be the lead in a revamped rotation that features newcomers Nathan Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney along with holdovers Martin Perez and Jon Gray. It’s simple: deGrom gives the Rangers American League West legitimacy — as long as he’s on the mound every five days.
How it rocked baseball: This was the move that really ignited this winter’s hot stove. The deal was announced just days before the winter meetings and served as a reminder there was money ready to be spent by teams across the league after last year’s lockout.
Adding deGrom’s contract to the combined $500 million Texas doled out for Corey Seager and Marcus Semien last season showed the Rangers are suddenly playing in the deep end of the free agency pool. It also signaled to fans the team was basically all-in after hiring Bruce Bochy as manager.
But the length of the deal also had many in the game shaking their heads. Is the oft-injured deGrom really going to be healthy for one season — let alone five? “Risky move” was a term used by rival general managers in the aftermath of the signing — of course, deGrom will be facing their teams this season, so they might be eating their own words.
Dominoes: When Texas followed the deGrom signing by adding Eovaldi and Heaney to its rotation, the AL playoff hopefuls gained a new contender. Texas’ starting pitching spree also made the competition even stiffer for teams trying to upgrade their own rotations during the offseason.
But the biggest domino this move set off fell when the Mets countered with an ace signing of their own a few days later …
Did you really think the Mets wouldn’t respond with a huge splash?
Date of deal: Dec. 5: Mets sign Justin Verlander for two years, $86.7 million
What it means for the Mets: Remember, the Mets entered the offseason needing to replace or re-sign several key free agents. They took care of one the day after the World Series, quickly re-signing Edwin Diaz to a $102 million deal. That still meant three-fifths of their starting rotation were free agents — deGrom, Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker. With deGrom headed to Texas, the Mets moved quickly to replace an injury-prone ace with one who had just won the AL Cy Young Award.
In his return from Tommy John surgery with the Astros in 2022, Verlander had one of his best seasons, going 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA and holding batters to a .186 average. The only acknowledgment to age and health was a dip in his workload: He made just 28 starts and pitched 175 innings, after averaging 34 and 218 with Houston in 2018 and 2019. The Astros’ rotation depth meant Verlander started just five times all season on four days of rest, so that may be something the Mets consider doing as well. Yes, he’s now 40 years old, but at the same age, Randy Johnson finished second in the Cy Young voting, Nolan Ryan led the National League in ERA and strikeouts, Roger Clemens won 17 games and Tom Seaver won 16. The great ones are often still great at 40.
How it rocked baseball: Everyone knew Steve Cohen was going to spend money this offseason — with so many free agents, the Mets had no choice. But making a 40-year-old pitcher the highest-paid player in the game is always going to draw a few raised eyebrows — and four-letter exclamations. In the interest of team harmony, Verlander’s two-year contract (it also includes a conditional player option for 2025) will pay him $43.333 million per season — matching teammate Max Scherzer for the highest annual average salary in the sport. While Cohen’s pockets are deeper than the Mariana Trench, the deGrom-Verlander maneuvering also showed the Mets weren’t going to approach the offseason with complete reckless abandon: When the deGrom price tag got higher than they were comfortable with, they shifted gears to Verlander.
If there was a surprise here, it was that the Astros and Dodgers — the two initial favorites to land Verlander — never seemed to be in the picture. The Astros didn’t have a general manager at the time and seemed intent on not dramatically increasing their payroll and relying on their pitching depth for 2023, while the Dodgers, who like short-term contracts, appeared intent on lowering payroll for 2023 — and perhaps stashing away money for a run at Shohei Ohtani for 2024.
Dominoes: The Mets weren’t going to stop at Verlander. A couple of days later they signed Jose Quintana and then a few days after that they signed Kodai Senga, the hard-throwing righty out of Japan. That filled New York’s rotation needs, so Bassitt signed with the Blue Jays and Walker with the Phillies — and with deGrom and Verlander both off the board, Carlos Rodon was left as the clear top starter still available.
A $300 million megadeal starts the shortstop carousel
Date of deal: Dec. 5: Phillies sign Trea Turner for 11 years, $300 million
What it means for the Phillies: Trea Turner is another dynamic hitter in a lineup full of them, and he should help Philadelphia get by without Bryce Harper for at least the early part of the 2023 season. As he showcased in the World Baseball Classic, Turner brings a combination of speed and power that few other players possess — a perfect fit for the only NL offense to rank in the top five in both home runs and stolen bases last season. With the rule changes, expect Turner to swipe even more bags, providing a lethal combination of talents at the top of the lineup (while also playing a key position on the field). There are some injury questions in Philadelphia’s lineup, but this is still one of the most dangerous offenses in all of baseball.
How it rocked baseball: Turner’s 11-year, $300 million deal was the first of several decade-long contracts given out over the winter. Because we did not yet know just how freely money was going to be spent on the other top available hitters, those two numbers — $300 million and 11 years — drew a collective “wow” from the industry, which was gathered at the winter meetings in San Diego. It became the second-largest deal for a shortstop in MLB history, and even with what came after, only one free agent received more total dollars than Turner this winter.
Dominoes: Turner set the market for shortstops. He’s the best of the four stars at the position who were available, and he got the most money. After Turner signed, teams looking for an impact player at the position knew they would have to pay big to land one of those remaining: Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa and Dansby Swanson. In the end, thanks to Turner setting the tone, the four players received a combined $965 million.
Arson Judge to San Francisco; Aaron Judge returns to the Bronx
Date of the Deal: Dec. 7: Yankees re-sign Aaron Judge for nine years, $360 million
What it means for the Giants and Yankees: For the Giants, this was a once-in-a-decade opportunity. Landing Aaron Judge would have been the team’s biggest free agent signing since Barry Bonds in 1992, almost 30 years to the day from when Judge … didn’t sign with them. With Judge off the table, the Giants moved on to Carlos Correa — and then moved on from Carlos Correa, pivoting back to the softer lights of adding quality veteran depth. The Yankees, on the other hand, retained a great player who had already achieved iconic status for a franchise with which that’s not easy to do. It was more than a baseball coup — it was a message to everyone that maybe, just maybe, the Yankees brand is still transcendent.
How it rocked baseball: Well, the thing that will resonate from the Judge-to-the-Giants saga was that we all got another reminder to never tweet. All along it seemed like Judge was overwhelmingly likely to either remain with the Yankees or end up with the Giants, for whom he rooted as a Bay Area kid. During the hours in which it seemed like Judge might be changing coasts, there were knee-jerk reactions published and many more that were prepared but never posted. Perhaps someone will come out with a book of those unnecessary commentaries someday.
Dominoes: Correa … and Not Correa. For a moment, the Giants’ offseason seemed so glitzy, and then it didn’t. It was as strange an offseason a franchise has had in a long time. And it might still turn out to be a decent one if their less-splashy acquisitions (the ones that actually happened) pan out. Meanwhile, the Yankees, with Judge in hand, turned their focus to pitching and landed Carlos Rodon … from the Giants. Things haven’t been this strange between these franchises since they shared the Polo Grounds.
The Padres get in on the shortstop fun (because of course they do)
Date of deal: Dec. 7: Padres sign Xander Bogaerts for 11 years, $288 million
What it means for the Padres: The Padres didn’t need a shortstop — Ha-Seong Kim had a solid 2022 season, especially with the glove, and they have Fernando Tatis Jr. coming back from injury and suspension next month. But with Bogaerts they get a four-time All-Star coming off one of his best all-around seasons, a hitter with a .304 average over the past four seasons and a reputation as a strong leader.
The Padres are all-in with an exclamation point, and now they have a fearsome offensive foursome in Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Tatis and Bogaerts. Bogaerts will play shortstop, Kim will slide over to second, Jake Cronenworth to first and Tatis will move to the outfield. With the Dodgers expected to take a major step back from their 111-win season, many now view the Padres as favorites to win the NL West — something they haven’t done since 2006.
How it rocked baseball: The Padres?!?! How the heck are the Padres doing this?!?! Indeed, Bogaerts’ 11-year, $280 million deal — on top of the mega-contracts the team already had with Tatis and Machado — was perhaps the most shocking of the offseason. At the beginning of the offseason, estimates for Bogaerts ranged from $168 million (ESPN) to $189 million (MLB Trade Rumors) to $217 million (FanGraphs). As good as he is, Bogaerts hit just 15 home runs in 2022, he’s entering his age-30 season and his defensive metrics have usually been below average (although not in 2022).
The deal staggered front offices and other owners. Indeed, while owners expected Steve Cohen and the Mets to spend lavishly, that comes with the territory of playing in New York. The small-market Padres, after running the sixth-highest payroll in 2022, will likely rank third this season behind only the Mets and Yankees. To top it off, the Padres later signed Machado to an 11-year, $350 million extension rather than let him walk away from his opt-out after the season. There are some in the game wondering how the Padres can afford it — and there are fans wondering why their team’s owner can’t do the same thing.
Dominoes: Well, here’s the deal: Owner Peter Seidler and GM A.J. Preller were going to spend the money on somebody. They reportedly offered Turner $342 million. They made a pitch at the winter meetings — held in San Diego — hoping to lure Judge to the West Coast.
When they ultimately made Bogaerts their signature offseason signing, no team felt the pressure more than the shortstop’s former team — the Boston Red Sox. Fans in Boston were angry. Another star had left, and the fact that the Padres were willing to spend like this while Boston’s ownership was not added to the ire. Soon after, the Red Sox handed out an 11-year, $331 million extension to ensure Rafael Devers would spend his entire career with the franchise.
An All-Star catcher changes sides of a heated rivalry
Date of deal: Dec. 7: Cardinals sign Willson Contreras for five years, $87.5 million
What it means for the Cardinals: St. Louis replaced a legend with an All-Star, not a bad follow-up after franchise icon Yadier Molina retired. It’s a defensive downgrade — no one was better than Molina at calling a game and dealing with pitchers — but the Cardinals will get more offense from the position. Willson Contreras will likely slot in after Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado in one of the game’s best 3-4-5 lineup combinations.
How it rocked baseball: Few thought that the organization synonymous with developing pitchers over the decades would hand the keys to its staff to an offensive-minded catcher like Contreras. But the real shockwaves came because a star who had spent the entirety of his career on the North Side of Chicago landed with the Cubs’ biggest rival — where he will be tasked with succeeding a St. Louis icon. As you can imagine, Cubs fans were stunned by Contreras’ landing spot and Cardinals fans will have to get used to rooting for a player who was a big part of their rivals’ recent success.
The five-year, $87.5 million deal also opened some eyes because it didn’t seem that Contreras had a lengthy list of suitors. The Cardinals opted to sign Contreras over making a trade for one of the available catchers and were confident enough to make him the highest-paid free agent in franchise history.
Dominoes: The catching market thinned out quickly once Contreras signed with the Cardinals, including the Cubs turning to defensive-minded Tucker Barnhart to fill their own hole at the position. But the biggest fallout of the Cardinals signing Contreras was that it crossed off one possible trade destination for another All-Star backstop.
The Braves make their annual deal for an A’s star
Date of deal: Dec. 12: Braves acquire Sean Murphy in trade with A’s
What it means for the Braves: The Braves’ deal to acquire catcher Sean Murphy from Oakland came about nine months after they brought in Matt Olson from the A’s in a deal that returned catcher Shea Langeliers — who became a big reason why Oakland was willing to part with Murphy. Not long after Atlanta traded for Murphy, they signed him to one of those Braves-esque extensions, this one going for six years, $73 million. It’s a team-friendly deal (as long as the team isn’t called the “Oakland Athletics“).
How it rocked baseball: This trade probably produced more than one spit-take from rival executives. Because Murphy’s service time was climbing into the latter phase of his controllable years, and Oakland had Langeliers in hand, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the A’s would trade him — he’s a good player, and that’s what happens to good players on the A’s. There were plenty of contending teams that could have used Murphy. The Braves weren’t necessarily one of them, but they saw the chance and they took it.
Dominoes: The Guardians ended up with Mike Zunino. The Astros stood pat with Martin Maldonado, deciding against signing a replacement for Christian Bethancourt. The Braves, after landing Murphy, dealt William Contreras to the Brewers for a prospect. There is much that is different than it would have been had Oakland traded Murphy to what seemed like a more likely destination.
Carlos Correa to the Giants … or so it seemed
Date of (non-)deal: Dec. 13: Carlos Correa, Giants agree to deal for 13 years, $350 million
What it meant for the Giants: The Giants had been searching for a new face of the franchise even before Buster Posey retired in 2021, and according to president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, they were going to be “aggressive” and “really active” in free agency this offseason. The obvious target to fill their need for a power-hitting outfielder: Aaron Judge, who grew up rooting for the Giants. When he instead decided to return to the Yankees, and with Turner and Bogaerts off the board, the Giants and Correa were … well, maybe not exactly a perfect fit, but the Giants had money to burn and Correa wanted the biggest contract he could get. The two sides agreed to a 13-year, $350 million contract, blowing past the Giants’ previous record contract for a free agent, Johnny Cueto‘s $130 million deal.
And then Correa failed his physical.
How it rocked baseball: A week after agreeing to terms with Correa, the Giants were finally set to introduce Correa for his official signing press conference — only to back out at the last minute over concerns about an old ankle injury that required surgery when Correa was in the minor leagues in 2014. Agent Scott Boras was not happy.
“You’re talking about a player who has played eight major league seasons,” Boras said. “There are things in his medical record that happened decades ago. These are all speculative dynamics. Every team has a right to go through things and evaluate things. The key thing is, we gave [the Giants] medical reports at the time. They still wanted to sign the player and negotiated with the player.”
Nobody could remember something like this happening before, certainly not so late in the process. Zaidi termed it a “difference of opinion” on Correa’s medicals. One of the top free agents headed back into free agency.
Dominoes: With most of the top free agents already signed and delivered, the Giants were left scrambling for the second-tier players. They ended up parceling out their money to outfielders Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto and pitchers Ross Stripling and Sean Manaea, but they lost Rodon to the Yankees and finished the offseason with no Judge and no Correa.
For Correa, though, the pivot seemed quick, as in the hours after the deal with the Giants fell apart, it appeared he had found a new landing place courtesy of Steve Cohen and the Mets. Little did we know at the time, but this saga was only just getting started.
The Yankees land an ace — if he can stay healthy
Date of the deal: Dec. 15: Yankees sign Carlos Rodon for six years, $162 million
What it means for the Yankees: With Rodon joining a pitching corps of Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino, Nestor Cortes, Frankie Montas and others, New York had put together the best on-paper rotation in MLB’s hot stove season. Rodon, 30, is coming off two straight dominant seasons in two different leagues, both of which landed him in the top six of postseason Cy Young balloting. This came on the heels of years of injury-related frustration for the lefty who was the third pick of the 2014 draft. Sure, it was a $162 million commitment but, hey, Rodon is really good and it’s the Yankees.
How it rocked baseball: ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel forecasted a $130 million outlay for Rodon, so the value of his deal was more than we thought he would get (only deGrom, who got $185 million from Texas, received more as a pitcher). But the market for him was robust — after deGrom signed, teams hoping to make the splashiest of splashes with rotation upgrades were down to Rodon. After this, it was a whole lot of Plan Bs. For the Yankees, it meant ever more injury risk for an expensive rotation full of that quality. And indeed, they’ll be without Montas for a long time because of a shoulder injury. Rodon — yeah, he’s hurt as well, but it doesn’t appear to be serious, though it will delay his Yankees debut.
Dominoes: It’s hard to say. Rodon’s deal was the last massive free agent deal of the offseason to go to a pitcher. Minnesota was an oft-mentioned possibility for Rodon and so perhaps the Twins, at the time, were the club most frustrated at Rodon landing with the Yankees. As it turned out, though, if the Twins had indeed met this market price for Rodon’s services, their pivot back to Correa — from whom they spent big after his earlier deals fell through — might not have been possible.
A homegrown Braves star becomes the new face of the Cubs
Date of deal: Dec. 17: Cubs sign Dansby Swanson for seven years, $177 million
What it means for the Cubs: Chicago should have a solid double-play combo for at least the next half-decade after the signing of Swanson moved Nico Hoerner back to second base, where he was a Gold Glove finalist in 2020. Both players are strong in the field and provide offensive value in different ways: Hoerner makes contact, Swanson hits for power.
They are now the centerpieces of the franchise, with Swanson’s decision to come to Chicago giving credence to the team’s latest rebuilding efforts. He has made it known he wants to win, but the Cubs might not be ready for prime time just yet — it’s hard to imagine this is the year that Chicago makes the leap into the group of elite teams. With Swanson on the roster, though, a winning season became a much more attainable goal.
The move also shows that the big-market Cubs are coming out of their rebuild and willing to spend again. That they landed a star who has been part of championship-level teams in Atlanta this quickly signals that Chicago will continue to be a destination for top free agents.
How it rocked baseball: For two consecutive offseasons, star shortstops have been at the top of free agent rankings.
Last year, it was Seager, Semien, Correa, Trevor Story and Javier Baez. This year, Turner, Bogaerts and Swanson joined the mix, along with Correa, who hit free agency again.
The Cubs’ signing of Swanson signaled that the two-winter carousel ride was finally coming to an end, with Chicago one of the big spenders that had now solidified the position for years to come. All in all, more than nearly $1.75 billion was handed out to this group — not bad for a position that not that long ago was thought of as a place for light-hitting, glove-first players.
Dominoes: Not only had the game of shortstop dominoes now come to an end, but the entire top of the free agent class had found homes after Swanson joined the Cubs. This move capped an unprecedented two weeks of spending, starting with deGrom’s contract just before the winter meetings and culminating with Swanson’s deal.
The winners of free agency had won, the losers were left looking for smaller deals and all of the biggest contracts were in place before the calendar turned to 2023 — or so we thought at the time.
Hey, the Dodgers and Red Sox finally did something
Date of the deal: Dec. 17: Dodgers sign J.D. Martinez for one year, $10 million | Dec. 18: Red Sox sign Justin Turner for two years, $22 million
What it means for the Red Sox and Dodgers: Justin Turner with the Red Sox and J.D. Martinez with the Dodgers? Man, free agency can get weird. Over the past two seasons, Martinez has been a better hitter (123 OPS+ to 118 OPS+) over more plate appearances (1,230 to 1,144). They both got in the neighborhood of $10 million in annual value, but Turner, nearly three years older, got two years from Boston while Martinez’s L.A. pact is for one year. The Dodgers will use Martinez at DH, meaning that Max Muncy will be at the hot corner — a weak spot for the Dodgers, at least on defense — and L.A. will hope for the best. Turner will also be DHing, only for the Red Sox — a team that needed a DH but not a third baseman, because they have Devers.
How it rocked baseball: Really, how does this happen? This might have rocked the two markets more than all of baseball — but these two players were beloved on their former teams. They did great things and won rings. It felt more like a “Freaky Friday” situation: If they were traded for each other before Opening Day, would anybody remember that they were free agents to begin with?
Dominoes: Well, the Dodgers, who had Justin Turner at third base and lots of options for DH, now have a shaky glove at third base and a more or less everyday DH in Martinez. The Red Sox, who had an everyday DH in Martinez and a star third baseman in Devers, now have an everyday-ish DH in Turner and a star third baseman in Devers. Why?
To say that fans of these two teams were frustrated with the offseason plans of their front offices would be an understatement, and these moves didn’t exactly change those sentiments. In the case of the Dodgers, the biggest fallout to an offseason without a big splash is that the top of the National League is now much more open than in recent years with L.A. likely to take a step back and other NL heavyweights positioned to pounce.
Correa to the Giants … Correa to the Mets … OK, now this is getting awkward
Date of (non-)deal: Dec. 24: Mets, Carlos Correa ‘working through’ medical issue
What it meant for the Mets: While most of the top-spending teams already had a shortstop, the Mets had another idea: They would sign Correa and play him at third base alongside Francisco Lindor. It didn’t matter that they already had Eduardo Escobar and top prospect Brett Baty. Hours after Correa’s deal with the Giants fell apart and with owner Cohen negotiating the deal while vacationing in Hawaii, the Mets and Correa agreed to a 12-year, $315 million deal that would push the Mets’ payroll to nearly $500 million including tax penalties — but give them a lineup featuring an All-Star infield of Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Francisco Lindor and Correa.
“We needed one more thing, and this is it,” Cohen told the New York Post.
It all seemed like such a perfect fit.
How it rocked baseball: Five. Hundred. Million.
Dominoes: In the collective bargaining agreement signed before the 2022 season, a third level of luxury tax had been implemented — the so-called “Cohen Tax,” as other owners were already wary of how Cohen might spend. The players had bet that Cohen wouldn’t let a little tax interfere with his desire to win a World Series. The players were right. After the Correa deal, the Mets were about $90 million above the third level.
But then the official announcement of the signing dragged on … and on … and three weeks later, there was no deal. The Mets had the same concerns with Correa’s medical reports as the Giants. And suddenly, this match made in Flushing went down the drain.
Correa to the Giants … Correa to the Mets … Correa to the Twins — and the saga is finally resolved
Date of deal: Jan. 10: Twins sign Carlos Correa for six years, $200 million
What it means for the Twins: The Twins had been a surprising landing spot for Correa after his first trip into free agency after 2021, in a deal that included an opt-out, which Correa exercised. The Twins wanted Correa back, but they knew they couldn’t offer a deal that matched the Giants or Mets. Their options at shortstop at this point included moving Jorge Polanco from second base or the recently acquired Kyle Farmer — so let’s just say having Correa fall back into their laps was a very good thing in Minnesota. While they’re probably not a World Series contender, the Twins will hope to emerge from a three-team race in the AL Central.
How it rocked baseball: It certainly capped the wildest, most adventurous free agent trek in history. The final deal guarantees Correa $200 million over six years and includes four years of options that could make it a 10-year, $270 million deal, a nice pick-up for the Twins at a discount compared to Correa’s original $350 million deal with the Giants — if he stays healthy, of course.
Dominoes: For the rest of this offseason? Not many. By this point, Correa’s options were limited, and the Twins were the only real fit. The Dodgers weren’t spending, the Yankees had multiple shortstop prospects (including Anthony Volpe, who will start in the majors), the Orioles have Gunnar Henderson already in the majors, the Mariners were content with J.P. Crawford and the Braves were banking on Vaughn Grissom.
But the fallout of the Carlos Correa saga goes far beyond what moves followed, or even just MLB free agency. Will anyone ever be as certain that a mega-contract in any sport will be completed until the ink on the contract is actually dry again? Correa’s name now goes down as a reminder of every twist and turn that made this MLB offseason unforgettable.
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Chris Low
There isn’t much surrounding college football that isn’t in something of a state of flux.
The discussions surrounding the future playoff format bounce around like a pingpong ball. Schools are for the first time in history sharing revenue with athletes. Conference realignment marches onward, and the overhaul of rosters via the transfer portal continues at a dizzying pace.
All the while, the start of the 2025 season is less than a month away.
What that means is it’s time to take a magnifying glass to the 2025 schedule and hand out some superlatives, some flattering and some not so flattering. All rankings referenced are from ESPN’s post-spring Top 25, and Notre Dame, despite being an independent, will be considered a Power 4 school for our purposes.
Before we dive in, an annual reminder: Schedule strength tends to look a lot different in July than it does in late October.
Toughest overall Power 4 schedule: Florida
A year ago Billy Napier and his Florida football team epitomized resiliency. Despite an ugly 1-2 start, Napier never lost the locker room and guided the Gators to four straight wins to end the season with an 8-5 finish. But just like a year ago, Florida’s schedule is again brutal.
The Gators are the only team in the SEC facing the league’s three highest-ranked preseason teams (No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Georgia and No. 6 LSU), with the Georgia and LSU games away from home. The Sept. 13 trip to LSU is followed by a trip to No. 21 Miami the next week. In a five-week stretch from Sept. 13 through Oct. 11, which includes a bye on Sept. 27, Florida plays at LSU, at Miami, at home against Texas and at Texas A&M. The Gators’ annual showdown with Georgia in Jacksonville on Nov. 1 is followed by back-to-back SEC road games against Kentucky and No. 24 Ole Miss.
Wisconsin is a close second in this category. Luke Fickell and the Badgers could use a strong bounce-back season after losing five in a row to end 2024 and missing a bowl game for the first time in 22 years. Like Florida, Wisconsin faces six ranked teams, including four of the top 11 — at No. 9 Alabama on Sept. 13, home against No. 5 Ohio State on Oct. 18, at No. 8 Oregon on Oct. 25 and home against No. 11 Illinois on Nov. 22.
Easiest overall Power 4 schedule: Wake Forest
Jake Dickert takes over for Dave Clawson at Wake Forest and has his work cut out to get the program back into the upper tier of the ACC. But he faces only one preseason Top 25 team in 2025: SMU at home Oct. 25, with a bye the preceding week. The Deacons avoid Clemson, Miami and Louisville in the ACC. Their first four games are at home along with two of their last three games. A game at No. 24 Ole Miss was replaced by a trip to Oregon State, meaning there are no Power 4 nonconference foes on the Deacons’ schedule. Their only back-to-back conference games on the road are against Florida State and Virginia on Nov. 1 and Nov. 8, and those teams finished a combined 7-17 last season.
Missouri, coming off back-to-back seasons of at least 10 wins under Eliah Drinkwitz, has a schedule tailor-made to make it three straight seasons with double-digit wins. The Tigers’ first six games are at home, and they avoid Texas, Georgia and LSU in the SEC. Their toughest nonconference game is against Kansas at home.
Toughest overall non-Power 4 schedule: Kent State
This one doesn’t seem fair. Kent State went 1-23 over the past two seasons, fired coach Kenni Burns in April and replaced him with interim coach Mark Carney. Not only do the Golden Flashes have to play three Power 4 nonconference teams on the road, including No. 16 Texas Tech on Sept. 6 and No. 25 Oklahoma on Oct. 4, but they face MAC preseason favorite Toledo on Oct. 18 on the road.
South Florida’s schedule is equally daunting. The Bulls open the season against Boise State, Florida and Miami in successive weeks (Florida and Miami on the road) and face American Athletic Conference contenders Navy, Memphis and North Texas on the road.
Easiest overall non-Power 4 schedule: Liberty
The Flames are a repeat winner here, which means Jamey Chadwell’s club should be a prime candidate to be the Group of 5 representative in the playoff. Liberty doesn’t face any Power 4 nonconference opponents, although James Madison’s trip to Lynchburg on Sept. 20 will be a game to watch. The toughest Conference USA challenge might come in Week 2 against Jacksonville State on the road. Otherwise, Liberty received a favorable draw in the conference. In other words, not returning to the Conference USA championship game for the second straight season would be a big disappointment on the Mountain. Elsewhere, North Texas’ path to the American championship game is helped by avoiding Tulane and Memphis, and its toughest nonconference game is against Washington State at home Sept. 13.
Toughest Power 4 nonconference schedule: Clemson
This was a coin flip between Clemson and Stanford until quarterback Jake Retzlaff departed BYU. Now the trip to No. 10 BYU on Sept. 6 doesn’t look quite as daunting for the Cardinal, who end the season Nov. 29 at home against No. 7 Notre Dame.
So Clemson gets the nod. The Tigers open the season Aug. 30 at home against No. 6 LSU, then close the season Nov. 29 on the road against bitter rival South Carolina, which is ranked No. 13. Clemson also faces Troy, a top contender in the Sun Belt Conference, at home a week after the LSU opener.
Miami has three tough early-season matchups out of conference, albeit all three at home, against No. 7 Notre Dame on Aug. 31, South Florida on Sept. 13 and No. 19 Florida on Sept. 20.
Easiest Power 4 nonconference schedule: Penn State
It’s Penn State by a mile, or about as long as it takes to get to Happy Valley from just about any major airport. This should be James Franklin’s best and most balanced team, but one that will be untested when it rolls into Big Ten play against Oregon at home Sept. 27. The “warmups” come in the first three weeks of the season, all at home, against Nevada, Florida International and Villanova, followed by a bye week before facing the Ducks.
We can’t let Indiana completely off the hook. For the second straight season, the Hoosiers won’t play a nonconference game against a Power 4 foe. They open the season with three straight home games against Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State (without Larry Bird). To be fair, Indiana is also the only Big Ten team that has to play Penn State and Oregon on the road.
Must-see nonconference games
To be clear, neutral-site games don’t count for this list:
• Auburn at Baylor, Aug. 29
• Utah at UCLA, Aug. 30
• Texas at Ohio State, Aug. 30
• Notre Dame at Miami, Aug. 30
• LSU at Clemson, Aug. 30
• Alabama at Florida State, Aug. 30
• Michigan at Oklahoma, Sept. 6
• Kansas at Missouri, Sept. 6
• Texas A&M at Notre Dame, Sept. 13
• Florida at Miami, Sept. 20
• USC at Notre Dame, Oct. 18
• Clemson at South Carolina, Nov. 29
Better be careful
Some sneaky good games matching Power 4 teams against Group of 5 teams:
• Toledo at Kentucky, Aug. 30
• James Madison at Louisville, Sept. 5
• UCLA at UNLV, Sept. 6
• Army at Kansas State, Sept. 6
• South Florida at Florida, Sept. 6
• Arkansas State vs. Arkansas, in Little Rock, Sept. 6
• Duke at Tulane, Sept. 13
• Arkansas at Memphis, Sept. 20
• Tulane at Ole Miss, Sept. 20
• BYU at East Carolina, Sept. 20
• San José State at Stanford, Sept. 27
• Boise State at Notre Dame, Oct. 4
Jeff Lebby, in his second season, will lead the Bulldogs against four playoff teams from a year ago at Davis Wade Stadium: Arizona State on Sept. 6, Tennessee on Sept. 27, Texas on Oct. 25 and Georgia on Nov. 8. If that’s not enough, the Bulldogs close the season at home Nov. 28 in their annual Egg Bowl matchup with No. 24 Ole Miss. Nearly 80% of Mississippi State’s roster is made up of first- or second-year players with 60 new players added for this season.
Easiest Power 4 home schedule: Texas
Only one preseason Top 25 team will visit DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium this season, and that’s at the very end when No. 23 Texas A&M makes the 105-mile trip to Austin. After opening against No. 5 Ohio State on the road, Texas plays San José State, UTEP and Sam Houston the next three weeks at home. Other than Texas A&M, Texas’ other two home dates the final month of the season are against Vanderbilt on Nov. 1 and Arkansas on Nov. 22. In an odd twist, Texas doesn’t play a game in Austin in the month of October. Florida, Kentucky and Mississippi State are all on the road, and the Red River Showdown game against Oklahoma, as always, is in Dallas.
Toughest Power 4 schedule away from home: Syracuse
Fran Brown was a first-year head coach last season, but he showed the poise and precision of a 20-year veteran in leading Syracuse to 10 wins, only the third time since 2000 that the Orange had won 10 games. As an encore, he faces an enormous challenge. Syracuse lost most of its key playmakers from a year ago and faces a brutal schedule away from home. The Aug. 30 opener against Tennessee in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be a quasi-home game for the Vols, and that’s just the start. The Orange play at No. 2 Clemson on Sept. 20, at No. 15 SMU on Oct. 4, at No. 21 Miami on Nov. 8 and at No. 7 Notre Dame on Nov. 22.
Easiest Power 4 schedule away from home: Missouri
The Tigers play eight of their 12 games this season at Faurot Field, and only one of their four road games is against a ranked opponent, No. 25 Oklahoma on Nov. 22. The other three are against Auburn (Oct. 18), Vanderbilt (Oct. 25) and Arkansas (Nov. 29). It’s never easy on the road in the SEC, but the Tigers are avoiding some of the most treacherous stops.
Toughest close to the season: Rutgers
Granted, Rutgers’ schedule outside the Big Ten is cushy (home games the first three weeks against Ohio University, Miami (Ohio) and Norfolk State), but the close to the season — ouch! Rutgers’ last six games are No. 8 Oregon at home Oct. 18, at Purdue on Oct. 25, at No. 11 Illinois on Nov. 1, Maryland at home Nov. 8, at No. 5 Ohio State on Nov. 22 and No. 1 Penn State at home Nov. 29. The Scarlet Knights are the only Big Ten team this season that has to play Penn State, Ohio State and Oregon.
Easiest close to the season: Illinois
Illinois is poised for another banner season under Bret Bielema with most of its key players back from the 10-win season a year ago. The Fighting Illini’s schedule is front loaded as they play four of their final six games at home, and three of the last four are home games against Rutgers, Maryland and Northwestern. The only road game in that stretch is at Wisconsin on Nov. 22. Illinois won’t face a preseason Top 25 opponent the last five weeks of the season.
Toughest three-game stretch: Oklahoma
The criteria for this category are three games in three consecutive weeks with no byes. Brent Venables and the Sooners will have a chance to build some momentum, but they face an October grind that could break any team. It starts with No. 3 Texas in Dallas on Oct. 11, followed by a road game at No. 13 South Carolina on Oct. 18 and then a home game against No. 24 Ole Miss on Oct. 25. If you want to stretch it out to four games, things don’t get much better for the Sooners. They go on the road the next week to play Tennessee on Nov. 1 in Neyland Stadium. Three of those four games are away from home.
Basking in Florida’s sunshine
Miami doesn’t play a game outside the state of Florida until traveling to face SMU on Nov. 1. Six of the Hurricanes’ first seven games are at home at Hard Rock Stadium, and a seventh is in Tallahassee against Florida State on Oct. 4. Included are three straight all-Florida affairs against South Florida on Sept. 13, Florida on Sept. 20 and at FSU on Oct. 4
Dabo and the SEC
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney gets another shot at the SEC to open the season in the Battle of Death Valleys on Aug. 30 against LSU. Clemson is 18-12 vs. the SEC since the start of the 2012 season, but the Tigers have lost seven of their past 10 games to SEC opponents, beginning with a 42-25 loss to LSU in the 2019 national championship game.
Mountains are calling
From just east of Marys Peak, Oregon State will travel across the country to the Blue Ridge Mountains to take on Appalachian State in Boone, North Carolina, on Oct. 4. Talk about two places that are hard to get to, but two gorgeous campuses.
Taking Saturdays off
Houston plays three Friday games (Sept. 12 vs. Colorado, Sept. 26 at Oregon State and Nov. 7 at UCF). The Cougars open the season on a Thursday at home, Aug. 28 vs. Stephen F. Austin.
Ryan Silverfield has guided Memphis to 10 or more wins in each of the past two seasons, a first in program history, and enters his sixth season amid big expectations in the American Conference with a roster full of new faces via the transfer portal. The Tigers are 11-2 at home the past two years, which bodes well for 2025. Just about all of Memphis’ toughest games are at home, including Arkansas’ visit on Sept. 20. In conference play, top contenders South Florida (Oct. 25), Tulane (Nov. 7) and Navy (Nov. 27) all come to Memphis’ Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
Avoiding campuses
Tennessee, for the 11th straight year, will not play a nonconference regular-season game on an opposing team’s campus. The last time the Vols played a nonconference road game (not counting the playoff game last season at Ohio State) on the opposing school’s campus was Sept. 13, 2014, when they lost 34-10 to No. 4 Oklahoma in Norman. The Vols did win at Pittsburgh in 2022, a 34-27 overtime victory, but the Panthers play their home games at the Steelers’ stadium, Acrisure Stadium, formerly known as Heinz Field, which stands along the Ohio River on the north side of Pittsburgh. The opener against Syracuse in Atlanta will be Tennessee’s sixth neutral-site game in the past 10 years.
Power outages
Houston, Indiana, Maryland, Northwestern, Ole Miss, Penn State, Rutgers, Texas Tech, Wake Forest and Washington don’t play any nonconference games against Power 4 opponents in 2025. Every school in the ACC except Wake Forest plays at least one Power 4 nonconference team, and nine schools (Boston College, Miami, NC State, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, SMU, Syracuse, Stanford and Virginia Tech) play two nonconference games against Power 4 foes. As ACC commissioner Jim Phillips likes to say, “Go ACC!” There are a few caveats. Some of the teams not playing Power 4 opponents are playing Oregon State or Washington State, and that includes Ole Miss. Wake Forest pulled out of the back half of its home-and-away series with Ole Miss last season, and the Rebels had to scramble, adding Washington State at the last minute.
Jet-lagged Huskies
The only time all season Washington plays back-to-back home games is against Colorado State and UC Davis to open the season. From there, it’s back and forth and all over the map for the Huskies. Consider: After playing at Washington State in Pullman on Sept. 20 (not an easy trip), Washington comes back home on Sept. 27 to face Ohio State, then hits the road the following week to play Maryland on Oct. 4, then back home against Rutgers on Oct. 10 (a Friday), back on the road against Michigan on Oct. 18, back home against Illinois on Oct. 25, and then after a bye, back on the road against Wisconsin on Nov. 8. Thank goodness for charter flights.
Vols flopping Dawgs and Gators
Georgia and Tennessee meet Sept. 13 in Knoxville, the earliest the teams have met in a season since 1995 (Sept. 9) when Kirby Smart was a freshman defensive back for the Bulldogs. The Vols won 30-27 in the final seconds on a field goal. Smart never beat Tennessee as a player, but he has won eight straight in the series as a coach. Tennessee, meanwhile, doesn’t face Florida until Nov. 22 at the Swamp, the latest those teams have played (not counting the 2020 COVID season) since 2001 (Dec. 1) when Tennessee won 34-32 in the Swamp in a game that was postponed because of the Sept. 11 attacks. Tennessee is a combined 12-38 against Georgia and Florida since 2000, 2-6 under Josh Heupel.
Hogs debuting on the SEC road … again
For the third straight season, Arkansas opens its SEC season on the road, the only school in the league having to play three straight openers away from home. The Hogs won 24-14 last season at Auburn and lost 34-31 at LSU in 2023. Arkansas opens SEC play this season at Ole Miss on Sept. 13. In fact, Arkansas plays its first two SEC games on the road, traveling to Tennessee on Oct. 11. Arkansas, Auburn and Vanderbilt are the only three SEC teams that have to play their first two league games on the road. All five of Arkansas’ road opponents this season won at least nine games a year ago, and four (Memphis, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas) won 10 or more games.
Border War returns
Kansas and Missouri will renew their series Sept. 6 in Columbia, the first time they’ve played since 2011. It’s the first of a four-game agreement to bring back the series, which dates to 1891, and will be Kansas’ first visit to Faurot Field since 2006, when Missouri won 42-17. Their 2011 meeting was at Arrowhead Stadium, with Missouri winning 24-10. The teams had met 93 years in a row before the series was not renewed following the 2011 game; at the time, it was the second-most-played rivalry in Division I-A football history.
Catching up with old teammates
With full-scale free agency alive and well in college football, more and more players from the transfer portal are going up against their former schools and teammates. Some notable examples this season:
• Duke quarterback Darian Mensah at Tulane on Sept. 13
• Ole Miss offensive guard Patrick Kutas vs. Arkansas on Sept. 13
• Oregon cornerback Theran Johnson at Northwestern on Sept. 13
• Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold at Oklahoma on Sept. 20
• Texas A&M receiver Mario Craver vs. Mississippi State on Oct. 4
• Ohio State tight end Max Klare at Purdue on Nov. 8
• Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter vs. UCF on Nov. 15
• Missouri receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. vs. Mississippi State on Nov. 15
• Oregon offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon vs. USC on Nov. 22
• Oregon defensive tackle Bear Alexander vs. USC on Nov. 22
• LSU receiver Nic Anderson at Oklahoma on Nov. 29
Homecoming for Helton
Clay Helton gets a homecoming, sort of anyway. Helton, with a new five-year contract after winning eight games last season at Georgia Southern, returns to Los Angeles when the Eagles face USC on Sept. 6 in the Coliseum. With one game as interim head coach in 2013, Helton was USC’s official head coach for seven seasons before being fired early in the 2021 campaign. He was 46-24 overall and won the Rose Bowl following the 2016 season (52-49 over Penn State), which is the Trojans’ last appearance in the Rose Bowl. The next season, Helton guided the Trojans to the 2017 Pac-12 championship, which is their last conference championship.
They’re playing where?
It’s always interesting (and entertaining) to see Power 4 teams playing on the road at Group of 5 teams, especially when it’s on campus. Case in point: Bill Belichick’s second game as North Carolina’s coach will come Sept. 6 against in-state foe Charlotte in 15,300-seat Jerry Richardson Stadium. Some of the others this season: West Virginia at Ohio University on Sept. 6 and Oklahoma at Temple (Lincoln Financial Field), Iowa State at Arkansas State, SMU at Missouri State and Utah at Wyoming, all Sept. 13.
Not very Belichickian
Speaking of Belichick, he didn’t get a bad draw in his first season at North Carolina. And, yes, we know he’s not one to look ahead until it’s “on to whomever.” But the Tar Heels face TCU at home in the Sept. 1 Monday night opener, and if they win that one, it’s conceivable they could be 5-0 going into their home game against Clemson on Oct. 4. The Tar Heels get a bye week prior to the Clemson game after playing at UCF on Sept. 20.
Fear the Terps
Maryland dipped to 4-8 a year ago after three straight winning seasons under Mike Locksley. The Terps’ schedule in 2025 is manageable enough that they should have a chance to return to their winning ways. Their nonconference schedule consists of Florida Atlantic, Northern Illinois and Towson, all at home, and Maryland is the only Big Ten team that avoids Penn State, Ohio State and Oregon. The Terps have three ranked teams on their schedule, and two of those games (Indiana and Michigan) are at home.
Run-down Red Raiders
Texas Tech, ranked No. 15 in the preseason, is pushing all its chips in on this season and reportedly spent more than $28 million on its roster. Led by coach Joey McGuire, the Red Raiders are looking to reach double-digit wins for the first time since the late Mike Leach led Tech to 11 wins in 2008. But to do it, they’re going to have to push through a seven-week gauntlet of Big 12 games. That’s right, seven straight Big 12 games without a bye from Oct. 4 to Nov. 15 — at Houston, vs. Kansas, at Arizona State, vs. Oklahoma State, at Kansas State, vs. BYU and vs. UCF.
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David Schoenfield
It’s MLB trade deadline day!
General managers haven’t slept in days, and they’ve probably developed carpal tunnel from texting so much. Every player traded is guaranteed to make a major impact and every prospect looks like a future star … right?
OK, maybe not. But a couple of the trades that happen Thursday might decide a division race or clinch a playoff berth or maybe even key a World Series run. One of the no-name prospects might, indeed, turn into an All-Star.
As always, there are some intriguing names being floated in trade rumors. But this is a list of the biggest names most likely to be traded Thursday, so it won’t include the following players (who could still move):
Hopefully, we will get a surprise trade — or three — involving some of the above players. But as the 6 p.m. ET deadline approaches, here are the top 10 names to watch.
(Note: Unless mentioned, all players will be free agents at season’s end.)
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers
Kelly might be viewed as more of a grind-it-out innings eater, but that feels like a bit of a disservice to his ability, especially since he’s pitching well with a 2.56 ERA over his past 10 starts, lowering his season ERA to 3.22. After getting knocked out early in his second start of the season, he has gone at least five innings in every start since then, usually going six or seven.
His superlative work in the 2023 postseason (2.25 ERA across four starts) is another reason he’s a fit with any contender. The Cubs could certainly use a starter to go with Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, the Astros likewise could use a third strong starter to follow their two aces in Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown. And while the Tigers already acquired Chris Paddack, they might need another starter with Reese Olson out for the season.
Best fits: Texas Rangers, Astros, San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers, Red Sox
O’Hearn’s versatility to play first base or a corner outfield slot is a big plus, although the Orioles have largely used him in a platoon role, which is a negative. He was hitting .333 with a .961 OPS through the end of May but hasn’t done much since then (.224 with four home runs). The Rangers have the worst OPS from their DHs in the majors, so O’Hearn fits there, and the Astros have been vocal about wanting a left-handed batter. The Brewers have popped up late in the game as a possible destination, although first baseman Andrew Vaughn has been red-hot filling in for the injured Rhys Hoskins.
Best fits: Tigers, Rangers, Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Cubs
Bednar is interesting for a couple of reasons: He’s having an excellent bounce-back season after a rough 2024, posting career bests in strikeout and walk rate, and he’s under team control through 2026. Santana is likewise under control through 2026 and has a minuscule 1.36 ERA, although he has a below-average strikeout rate and has relied on a low BABIP that could regress at any time.
As you can see from the list above, there are no shortages of teams in need of high-leverage relief, with some of those clubs viewing Bednar as a closer and others as a setup guy. The Tigers’ bullpen has struggled for a couple of months as has the Mets’ aside from closer Edwin Diaz. The Rangers have surged of late but have had few save opportunities, with the past couple having gone to journeyman Robert Garcia. The Blue Jays acquired Seranthony Dominguez but want another reliever, and the Dodgers might want an upgrade on Tanner Scott as their closer.
Best fits: Dodgers, Yankees, Rangers, Tigers, Blue Jays
The Twins already traded Jhoan Duran, so they might be understandably reluctant to trade another high-leverage reliever, especially one with the fifth-highest strikeout rate in the majors among pitchers with at least 40 innings. But the trade returns for relievers have been high so far and Jax, like Duran, is controllable for an additional two seasons, adding to his value. If the Twins can get a package similar to what they received for Duran, it might be difficult to say no — and there are several contenders still in need of bullpen help.
Best fits: Rangers, San Diego Padres, Giants, Reds
Ozuna’s trade value is diminished since he’s strictly a DH and has struggled for two months after posting a .426 OBP and .883 OPS through the end of May. Since then, he has hit .176 with a .600 OPS and has lost some of his DH at-bats to rookie catcher Drake Baldwin. But there’s no reason for the Braves to keep him, and the Rangers and Padres happen to have the worst DH production in the majors and could take a chance on an Ozuna hot streak. He did indeed homer Monday and Tuesday, so maybe one is coming.
Best fits: Blue Jays, Cubs, Astros, Tigers, Red Sox, Padres, New York Mets
Morton, 41, was arguably the worst starter in the majors the first month of the season, when he had a 10.36 ERA through his first six outings, losing all six. He rediscovered the feel for his curveball during a stint in the bullpen, and since rejoining the rotation in late May, he is 7-1 with a 3.66 ERA. His peripheral stats aren’t quite as impressive as the ERA suggests but he has given up three or fewer runs in 10 of 12 starts. His playoff experience doesn’t hurt either. How about a return to Houston, where he was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series?
Best fits: Philadelphia Phillies, Mets, Astros, Padres
Mullins is another from the long list of Orioles free agents. The question for teams that might need a center fielder, such as the Phillies and Mets: How good is he on defense? Statcast metrics say he has been pretty good, with a 77th percentile in outs above average (although with one of the worst arms in the majors, which does hurt his overall defensive value); but in terms of defensive runs saved, he is the worst center fielder in the majors at minus-17 DRS. Which metric to believe? Given the Orioles have the second-worst BABIP allowed in the majors, he might be a better fit in left field or off the bench (or as a potential DH option for the Padres).
Best fits: Pretty much any contender
One of the more intriguing pitcher popups of 2025, Houser began the season in Triple-A with the Rangers, where he had a 5.03 ERA, but then landed with the White Sox, where he has a 2.10 ERA in 11 starts, nine of those ranking as quality starts. That’s out of character with the rest of his career, but he is throwing harder. Plus, his curveball has been more effective than in the past — thus, he has using it more often. He could obviously be a candidate for a playoff rotation, if he keeps pitching this way, or a valuable multi-inning reliever.
Best fits: Phillies, Astros, Reds, Padres, Rangers, Blue Jays
Luis Robert Jr. is the bigger name the White Sox might trade, and maybe the Phillies or Mets take a chance on him to play center field, but Tauchman has hit much better than Robert — his OPS is nearly 200 points higher — and would demand a lesser return to acquire, thus making Tauchman more likely to be traded. He’s not an option for center field, although the Phillies could play him in left over the struggling Max Kepler, but he would be a nice DH option for the Padres or Rangers.
Best fits: Phillies, Padres, Mariners, Dodgers, Padres, Rangers
Laureano does have a reasonable $6.5 million club option for 2026 and given the excellent numbers he’s put up — .290/.355/.529 — he’ll be in demand, but could also return to the Orioles. He’s a right-handed alternative to the left-handed outfielders, so could work for a team that needs a righty bat like the Mariners or take over in left field for the likes of the Phillies (Max Kepler hasn’t been good) or Dodgers (Michael Conforto has been even worse). The Rangers could use him as a DH.
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