2024 MLB Winter Meetings: Top Storylines

The LA Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series several weeks ago and that means there is a several-month-long break before the Opening Day in March of 2025.

Although we won't be able to watch live baseball for the next few months, there will still be plenty of action happening in the MLB.

The Winter Meetings will begin next Monday in Dallas which is when representatives from all 30 teams converge to discuss league business and potential trade ideas. This is where trade ideas originate, so let’s dive into some blockbuster trades that could happen and some of the biggest free agents on the market this offseason.

The Juan Soto saga

The Juan Soto saga came to a close on the eve of the Winter Meetings, with the 26-year-old superstar signing a record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets.

It was reported that Soto met with various teams, including the Mets, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, and was seeking a deal in the $700 million range after his career-best 2024 season.

Now that the Soto sweepstakes is over, the attention turns to some other big-name free agents…

Where will Corbin Burnes sign?

One of the best free agent pitchers on the market is Corbin Burnes. The right-hander was traded from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Baltimore Orioles last offseason to be the new face of the Orioles rotation. Burnes made 32 starts and had a 15-9 record with a 2.92 ERA - his lowest since 2021. The ace earned his 4th All-Star nomination and finished the year fifth in the AL Cy Young vote. Now, he’s a free agent looking for a new contract.

At 30 years old, Burnes still has plenty of good years left in him. That’s why his asking price is north of $200 million. Heading into the Winter Meetings, the clubs that seem most interested in the right-hander include the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, and Boston Red Sox. After teams lost out on Blake Snell, who signed a 5-year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers, Burnes has become the top pitching target.

The next Japanese phenom: Roki Sasaki

The next Japanese phenom could be coming to the MLB this offseason. Roki Sasaki is a 23-year-old right-hander that is considered to be the best pitcher in Japan. He has made his intentions clear that he wants to come to the MLB even though he would be losing out on a lot of money.

Last season, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the big name out of Japan and he signed a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers. We won’t see that kind of contract for Sasaki though since players under 25 who have not completed at least six years of service time in a foreign league are subject to getting a cap on their contract.

This is a similar situation to a few years ago when Shohei Ohtani came to the MLB. Ohtani signed with the Angels for a little over $2 million which is quite different from his current contract with the Dodgers. The Padres and Dodgers are the leading contenders for Sasaki, but an inside report states that Sasaki has already chosen his team.

The biggest trade target: Garrett Crochet

Last season was a disaster for the White Sox. Chicago finished 41-121 which put them in the record books as one of the worst teams in baseball history. The one bright spot on the team was reliever-turned-starter Garrett Crochet. The southpaw made 32 starts and compiled a 3.58 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP in his first full season as a starter.

There were a lot of speculations that Crochet was going to be traded at the deadline in the summer, but a combination of a string of bad outings and high demands made a lot of teams lose interest. Crochet is under contract for $2.9 million in 2025, but he likely won’t be with the White Sox when Opening Day rolls around because of his cheap contract. There are a number of teams in on Crochet at the moment like the Mariners, Cubs, Reds, Red Sox, and more.

Read all you need to know about the MLB Winter Meetings on site.