The 2023 Winter Meetings are now done. But even though there are traditionally several big moves made during the annual meeting, it was all quiet for virtually all of it. Still, we did get some information on what teams are planning and a look at what the rest of winter could bring to MLB teams. Here’s our recap of the 2023 Winter Meetings and what we learned during the annual event.
The Ohtani sweepstakes continues
The secrecy surrounding Shohei Ohtani has continued, as the superstar has yet to find a new team at this point, nor do we have many details on which teams are still in it.
There have been reports to suggest that the Dodgers, Giants, and Blue Jays are among the finalists and the one team that (sort of) confirmed a meeting with him was the Dodgers thanks to manager Dave Roberts.
A decision is expected soon, but this could go a bunch of different ways. Will the Los Angeles Dodgers get yet another superstar for their lineup, or will their in-state rival San Francisco scoop him up? And what about the Blue Jays, who saw one of their AL East rivals acquire a superstar on December 6?
The free agent market begins to open up
Since the Ohtani sweepstakes have consumed quite a few of the contenders and probable spenders this winter, the MLB free agent market has been mostly quiet to this point.
There was some movement this week, as the Orioles snared reliever Craig Kimbrel to replace Felix Bautista for 2024. After the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft, the Diamondbacks signed LHP Eduardo Rodriguez to a multi-year deal.
Still, many top free agents not named Ohtani — Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Rhys Hoskins, and Jorge Soler, to name a few — remain available.
All quiet on the trade front?
The Padres made their much-anticipated trade of Juan Soto on December 6, as the 25-year-old superstar was traded to the Yankees for four pitchers and Kyle Higashioka. San Diego got what they needed — MLB-ready starting pitching — but what else is on the horizon in the trade market?
We don’t know for sure and realistically, the trade market could be quiet for some time. The Reds asked on White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease — but the price tag was very high — while the Brewers stated their belief that Corbin Burnes is expected to be the team’s Opening Day starter.
Not to mention, the Astros refuted the idea of an Alex Bregman trade, even though he has just one year left before free agency. It’s quiet for now and teams are using their best poker faces. But once the big free agents come off the board, things could change.
Mookie sticks at second
Dodgers star Mookie Betts spent just 15 games in the infield between 2020-22. However, the losses of Justin Turner and Trea Turner in free agency last winter, coupled with no Gavin Lux in 2023, gave Betts the opportunity to play 70 games at second and 16 at short in 2023.
The Dodgers confirmed this past week that Betts will likely be their starting second baseman, a move that ensures the returning Jason Heyward gets time in right against righties and gives LA one less hole to worry about come 2024.
The question now becomes who will play to Betts’ right come 2024. Dodgers brass confirmed they are optimistic that Lux will be the man at short next season. However, a recent report from The Athletic indicates the Dodgers could look for an upgrade.
What will the Cardinals do with O’Neill?
Even though we noted in our 2023 Winter Meetings recap that teams have remained mum on potential trades, one team that did confirm trade interest in a player was the Cardinals. Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak confirmed that St. Louis is listening to trade offers for outfielder Tyler O’Neill.
A trade for O’Neill would be very interesting. The 28-year-old — who clashed with manager Oliver Marmol this past April — is one year away from free agency and O’Neill has plus power and speed. However, the past two seasons have not been kind to O’Neill after what was a breakout campaign in 2021.
The potential return for O’Neill won’t be high under those circumstances. At the same token, the Cardinals do have options for the corner infield positions.