Top News:
JP Hoornstra / Dodgers Nation:
Shohei Ohtani to Sign with Toronto Blue Jays over Los Angeles Dodgers: Sources — The wait is over: Shohei Ohtani is signing with the Toronto Blue Jays. — According to multiple sources who spoke with Dodgers Nation on Friday, the two-way superstar has ended the suspense of the most lucrative free-agent pursuit in baseball history.
Ken Rosenthal / The Athletic:
What I'm hearing about Rangers' pitching plans, Jorge Soler and more — Imagine Jacob deGrom and Clayton Kershaw both joining the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers sometime after the All-Star break. It would be as if the team was making two stunning deadline additions …
Gillian Tan / Bloomberg:
Carlyle's Rubenstein Is in Talks to Acquire Baltimore Orioles — Rubenstein's net worth is $4.6 billion according to Bloomberg … Rubenstein is among suitors pursuing a transaction, said one of the people, all of whom requested anonymity discussing confidential information.
Evan Petzold / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers re-sign Brenan Hanifee to minor-league contract with spring training invite — Right-hander Brenan Hanifee, who spent most of last season in Triple-A Toledo before his MLB debut in September, has re-signed with the Detroit Tigers. — Hanifee, 25, signed a minor-league contract …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
The Athletic:
Are they in? On Yoshinobu Yamamoto and others, Red Sox seemingly remain on periphery — NASHVILLE, Tenn — As the market for top free-agent starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto narrows to a select few serious suitors, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was asked one simple question on Wednesday.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, NESN.com, Boston.com and NBC Sports Boston
Anthony Franco / MLB Trade Rumors:
Braves Acquire Max Stassi, David Fletcher — The Braves and Angels have lined up a swap of change-of-scenery candidates. Atlanta announced the acquisition of infielder David Fletcher and catcher Max Stassi for minor league first baseman Evan White and reliever Tyler Thomas.
Discussion:
ESPN, Orange County Register, Battery Power, The Athletic, ClutchPoints and Los Angeles Times
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Has Shohei Ohtani's super-secret sweepstakes slowed Cardinals' pursuit of trades, relievers? — Sports columnist Ben Frederickson wraps up the Cardinals' trip to Nashville for this year's winter meetings, where meetings were plentiful and one potential reliever was nabbed.
Discussion:
Boston Herald, MLB Trade Rumors, ClutchPoints and Viva El Birdos
The Athletic:
Whatever Shohei Ohtani decides, Cubs still moving in other directions — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Chicago Cubs appear to be pivoting in different directions while Shohei Ohtani continues with his clandestine process. The Cubs aren't going to put this message on the Wrigley Field marquee: “We're out on Ohtani.”
RELATED:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Dodgers admit meeting with free agent Shohei Ohtani while Cubs look out of contention — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Los Angeles Dodgers are cautiously optimistic they will sign free agent Shohei Ohtani, but the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants still remain firmly in the running for baseball's biggest star.
Discussion:
The Athletic, New York Daily News, Dodgers Nation, ClutchPoints, Dodger Blue, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, New York Post, Cubs Insider, Orange County Register, Fox News, YouTube, ESPN, MLB.com, Bleacher Nation, True Blue LA, NBC Sports Bay Area …, Yahoo Sports, Associated Press, DraftKings Network, Marquee Sports Network and MLB Trade Rumors
Ken Rosenthal / The Athletic:
Yankees' Juan Soto trade means a risky move back to center for Aaron Judge — Let us hear from The Mayor, who just happens to be the Yankees' previous hitting coach, and hates the idea of Aaron Judge playing center field. — Sean Casey, step to the microphone.
Discussion:
New York Post, New York Daily News, MLB Trade Rumors, Yahoo Sports and ClutchPoints
MLB.com:
Draft experts make the first 10 picks of 2024 — The second annual MLB Draft Lottery took place at the Winter Meetings on Tuesday, with 17 teams having varying odds of landing the first pick in the 2024 Draft. The Guardians came away with the No. 1 overall pick for the first time in franchise history …
Discussion:
Inside the Crown, Plain Dealer, The Athletic, South Side Sox, Denver Post, Royals Review, Battery Power and Athletics Nation
RELATED:
J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:
Inside The MLB Draft Lottery: How The Cleveland Guardians Scored No. 1 Pick In 2024
Inside The MLB Draft Lottery: How The Cleveland Guardians Scored No. 1 Pick In 2024
Discussion:
South Side Sox, Into The Fountains, Plain Dealer, ESPN, Yahoo Sports, New York Post and MLB Trade Rumors
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Red Sox trade Alex Verdugo to Yankees for three pitchers — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Yankees acquired outfielder Alex Verdugo from the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night, with New York turning to the 27-year-old to improve its offense in just the eighth trade between the rivals since the start of the Divisional Era in 1969.
Discussion:
The Athletic, NBC Sports Boston, Forbes, NESN.com, MLB Trade Rumors, CBSSports.com, The Boston Globe, Pinstripe Alley, USA Today, Boston.com, Boston Herald, FanGraphs Baseball, ClutchPoints, MLB.com, New York Post, Yahoo Sports, Bleeding Yankee Blue, Over the Monster, Just Baseball, DraftKings Network, Bleacher Nation and New York Daily News