MLB rumors: Roki Sasaki meets with Mets, Nolan Arenado leaves door open for Astros trade

The 2024-25 Major League Baseball offseason carries on, and notable free-agent names are off the board, including the biggest name of all in Juan Soto. With the Winter Meetings well behind us and many big free agents and trade targets still available, we’re still being treated to an almost daily supply of rumors regarding all of that. Speaking of which, Thursday’s round of rumors can be found just below. 

Mets meet with Sasaki

The New York Mets met with Japanese righty Roki Sasaki on Thursday, reports SNY. Sasaki, our No. 7 free agent, can not sign with a team until the 2025 international signing period opens on Jan. 15. Because he is under 25, he is subject to the international bonus pools, and will be limited to a minor-league contract.

Sasaki, 23, is the most talented pitcher in the world not under contract with an MLB team. It’s upper-90s gas with a wipeout slider and splitter. The international bonus pools range from $4 million to $8 million each year depending on market size. Sasaki is not eligible for a monster contract a la Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which levels the financial playing field during his free agency.

Phillies sign Kepler to one-year deal

The Philadelphia Phillies have signed outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year contract worth $10 million, according to ESPN. He’ll join an outfield mix that includes Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, and Johan Rojas. Kepler has primarily played right field while sliding over to center every so often. That suggests a possible move for Castellanos to left field with Marsh and Rojas platooning in center.

Kepler, 31, had the worst offensive season of his career in 2024, slashing .253/.302/.380 with eight home runs in 105 games. He was better against lefties (.721 OPS) than righties (.672 OPS), though that is out of line with the rest of his career. Kepler’s made his money as a lefty platoon bat who hits righties well and plays very good right field defense.

Arenado-to-Astros trade may be revisited

The St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros had in place the outlines of a trade that would’ve sent veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado and significant cash to Houston. However, Arenado invoked his full no-trade clause to block the deal, as is his contractual right. Perhaps, though, this doesn’t mean that an Arenado-to-Astros deal is an impossibility. Here’s The Athletic: 

“[Arenado] remains open to exploring the idea, and both Houston and St. Louis will keep in contact regarding a possible deal, though it is unclear how heavily the Astros will continue their pursuit.

“According to multiple team sources, Arenado did not want to rush into a decision and preferred to wait until more of the third-base market was established.”

The desire to wait may reflect the fact that third baseman Alex Bregman, an Astros lifer at this writing, is still available on the free-agent market, and is probably the top choice by teams who need help at third base and are willing to meet market rates. If Arenado waits out Bregman, then he’d have more clarity on his market. That could mean, in part, renewed talks between the Astros and Cardinals. Other potential fits for Arenado include the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Phillies should they trade Alec Bohm. The Cardinals are seeking to trade Arenado as lean deeper into a youth movement in St. Louis and clear salary obligations for 2025 and beyond. 

An eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, Arenado has shown signs of offensive decline in the last two seasons, and that raises concerns moving into what will be his age-34 season. He does, however, remain a standout defender at third base. He’s owed $74 million over the next three seasons. However, his former team the Rockies are on the hook for $10 million of that total, and the Cardinals reported willingness to include $15 million in cash in their talks with Houston would push the remaining commitment below $50 million for any team that acquires him. That’s, of course, assuming St. Louis ownership remains willing to pay down his contract to such an extent. 

Lorenzen hoping to be two-way player

The poor man’s Shohei Ohtani? That’s apparently the aim for free-agent hurler Michael Lorenzen. According to The Athletic, Lorenzen’s agent Ryan Hamill is pitching teams on his client hitting and pitching for them and possibly to non-contenders as someone who can be flipped at the trade deadline. The Athletic reports the pitch would include selling Lorenzen to other teams by exploiting a roster loophole.

MLB rules state that a player pulling double duty as a hitter and pitcher must pitch at least 20 innings and log at least 20 games as a position player or DH and have at least three plate appearances in each of those games. Meeting those benchmarks is required for the player not to count as one of the team’s permitted 13 rostered pitchers. Essentially, if Lorenzen hits in 20 games for a non-contender, he could then be traded to a contending team and give that club an additional arm without sacrificing a pitching roster spot.

Here’s more from The Athletic report:

“Hamill, according to sources briefed on his conversations, is talking with such clubs about signing Lorenzen, getting him the necessary plate appearances to qualify for two-way status and then flipping him to a contender that would benefit from carrying him as a 14th pitcher.”

Lorenzen, who turns 33 in January, can start or relieve as a pitcher. As a hitter, he hasn’t batted since 2021. Across 147 career plate appearances as a hitter, Lorenzen, who bats and throws righty, has a slash line of .233/.282/.429 with seven home runs. 

Seattle continues to seek an upgrade at first base and for their listless offense more generally, and that’s led to some talks with Cleveland regarding Josh Naylor: 

The lefty-swinging Naylor, 27, is coming off a 2024 season for the Guards in which he slashed .243/.320/.456 (118 OPS+) with 31 home runs in 152 games. For his career, he owns an OPS+ of 112 across parts of six MLB seasons. The 2025 season will be Naylor’s walk year. The Mariners have an abundance of starting pitching, and it’s possible the Guardians would be targeting rotation help in any such deal. 

Nats sign Soroka

The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with veteran right-hander Mike Soroka, The Athletic reports. USA Today puts it at a one-year, $9 million pact and notes that Soroka will be in the D.C. rotation. 

Soroka, 27, is coming off a 2024 campaign for the White Sox in which he pitched to a 4.74 ERA and a 1.91 K/BB ratio in 79 2/3 innings. For his career, he has an ERA+ of 120 across parts of five MLB seasons. Of his 69 career appearances, 52 have been starts. The former first-rounder once had significant long-term upside (he made the All-Star team with the Braves in 2019), but a long run of injuries waylaid his potential.