MLB free agency is here!

Similar to how last winter was defined by the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes, this offseason will revolve around another generational superstar: Juan Soto. The 26-year-old slugger is coming off a career year with the New York Yankees, having also helped the Bronx Bombers back to the World Series for the first time in 15 years. Now, he’s likely staring down a record-breaking contract that might very well span the next decade-plus. 

But where? The chatter has already begun during this week’s GM meetings. He’s not the only big fish on the open market, of course. There are plenty of other top-tier free agents, including ace pitchers Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles and Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves as well as Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.

RELATED: 2025 MLB free-agent rankings, team fits: Juan Soto leads top 30

And as Soto himself knows, after being dealt to New York from the San Diego Padres last offseason, there could always be landscape-shifting trades made in the winter.

Follow along below for the latest rumors around MLB free agency!

Nov. 6

Sasaki more likely to be posted than not

The 2024-25 MLB free-agent class might add another monumental talent. “Indications” are that Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki will be posted by NPB club the Chiba Lotte Marines, ESPN reported. If he is posted, the Dodgers are “heavily favored” to land the 23-year-old, according to ESPN. MLB on FOX insider Ken Rosenthal also reported that the Dodgers are the “heavy, heavy favorites” to land Sasaki, who was teammates with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Team Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The possible sweepstakes for Sasaki won’t be as highly competitive from a spending standpoint as other free agents. Due to posting rules, teams can only use money from their international signing pools to offer him. Sasaki has pitched fewer than six professional seasons, meaning he can earn a maximum of $8 million if he’s posted after Dec. 15. If he’s posted before that date, the most he can receive is roughly $2.5 million, according to ESPN. 

Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been in contact with Soto, checked in on Alonso

As free agency commenced Monday, Cashman shared that he spoke with Soto following the team’s World Series loss in late October. Cashman added that he’s already been in communication with Soto’s agent, Scott Boras.

RELATED: Juan Soto sweepstakes: Is he Yankees’ to lose? Analyzing 9 potential suitors

Cashman figures to be busy in the coming weeks, as first baseman Anthony Rizzo and second baseman Gleyber Torres are also free agents. With that, Cashman confirmed the Yankees have interest in Pete Alonso, who’s available after starring for the Mets the past six seasons.

“There are a lot of high-quality players in this marketplace, and certainly Pete did an amazing job with the Mets,” Cashman said. “I had a brief conversation with Scott about a lot of his — he has a lot of free agents, which is normal, and Pete’s one of them, so yes.”

As for Torres, the Yankees did not extend him a qualifying offer, and Cashman offered a tepid response on whether the former All-Star could return. 

“I’m not gonna dissect what he’s good at and not as good at,” Cashman said. “Obviously, he’ll have a lot of conversations with a lot of teams that have a need in that area and that might include us, who knows. But appreciate his efforts while he was here.” 

Astros GM Dana Brown: Re-signing Bregman the “biggest priority”

Houston has a few key free agents to mull over, including Alex Bregman, Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Verlander. As Houston looks to retool after an early playoff exit, Brown was pretty blunt on which player the team is coveting this most this offseason. 

“We’d love to have Alex Bregman back,” Brown told reporters at the GM meetings. “It’s our biggest priority.”

The Astros, of course, have allowed a handful of homegrown stars walk in free agency in recent years. But Brown seemed bullish about the club’s chances to retain Bregman.

“Our mindset right now is that he’s not going elsewhere and we want to sign him,” Brown said. “If he ends up going elsewhere, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, but I’m going into this offseason with the thought that we’re going to get Bregman back. Hopefully we can do it.”

In an interview with MLB Network, Brown shared that he’s had initial conversations with Kikuchi and Verlander’s agents. He also said he’s “gone back and forth” with outfielder Kyle Tucker’s agent about a possible extension. Tucker is entering the final year of team control.

“We hope to narrow things down and have more conversations,” Brown said. “But we’ve had multiple conversations.”

Bichette not available for trade

With Bo Bichette set to become a free agent after the 2025 season, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins made it clear that the team isn’t willing to move on from the shortstop sooner than it has to. He told MLB Network that any trade calls involving Bichette are “an easy no.”

Bichette is coming off an underwhelming 2024 campaign, slashing .225/.277/.322 with just four homers in 81 games. 

Rooker not available via trade

Athletics general manager David Frost insisted the A’s, who are temporarily relocating to Sacramento beginning next season, will not part with star designated hitter Brent Rooker.

“We’re going to keep [Rooker],” Frost told the New York Post.

Rooker was one of the most sought-after players ahead of the trade deadline in 2024. He finished the season with 39 homers and a 165 OPS+.

Nov. 4

Dodgers in on Soto? Mets not?

The New York Mets have long been seen as the most likely candidate to lure Juan Soto away from a return to the New York Yankees. But the Dodgers, fresh off beating Soto and the Yankees in the World Series, intend to make a bid for Soto “if he’s interested,” the New York Post reported last week. However, the Yankees reportedly believe a Soto-Dodgers union would “never happen” and regard the Mets and Toronto Blue Jays as their biggest threats in keeping the slugger.

Brewers could trade closer Devin Williams

One of the more surprising developments of the opening days of the MLB offseason was when the Milwaukee Brewers declined closer Devin Williams’ $10.5 million team option. Williams is a two-time All-Star who also won National League Rookie of the Year in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but did not make his 2024 season debut until late July due to stress fractures in his back. It’s part of the reason the defending NL Central champion Brewers declined his option, believing the 30-year-old closer will make less in arbitration anyway. 

That not only helps the small-budget Brewers but also makes Williams a more attractive trade candidate, and he’s reportedly expected to be just that. Milwaukee has been aggressive in moving star players in the past. Williams, of course, only ascended to the closer role after the Brewers stunningly dealt Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres at the 2022 trade deadline.

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The Spurs game against United will be televised on Thursday, 19 December.

Arsenal are now exploring alternatives with European governing body Uefa for the Bayern tie. This includes moving the fixture to Meadow Park in Borehamwood, where they play the majority of their Women’s Super League matches.

However, Meadow Park’s facilities do not currently meet Uefa regulations so there would need to be some flexibility.

It is unclear where the ground fails to meet the regulations but Uefa’s rules state requirements on a range of things, including pitch heating and covers, grass height, floodlights, goalpost structures, pitch surrounding areas, artificial pitches and frequency of pitch watering.

There is no video assistant referee (VAR) or goalline technology requirements in the group stages of the Women’s Champions League.

It is an uncomfortable situation for Arsenal, given they have made a point of making Emirates Stadium the main home for their women’s team.

BBC Sport has contacted Uefa for a response.

Video Details

West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus has been handed a further two-game ban after admitting violent conduct following his red card against Tottenham Hotspur.

Kudus sparked a melee in the 82nd minute of the game as West Ham lost 4-1 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 19 October.

He was initially shown a yellow card for a foul on Micky van de Ven, but he proceeded to push both the Dutch defender and Pape Matar Sarr in the face.

The additional suspension extends his ban from three to five games, meaning he will be eligible to return against Leicester City on 3 December.

Kudus has also been fined £60,000 and West Ham were fined £30,000 for failing to control the behaviour of their players.

The Ghana international has scored two goals in eight Premier League appearances this season.

The first CFP rankings were released this week for 2024, and we finally have a look at what a potential 12-team College Football Playoff Bracket might look like come December. Check out everything you need to know about the 2024-25 College Football Playoff Bracket below:

2024-25 College Football Playoff Bracket

Playoff Round 1

• No. 12 Boise State vs. No. 5 Ohio State
• No. 11 Alabama vs. No. 6 Texas
• No. 10 Notre Dame vs. No. 7 Penn State
• No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 8 Tennessee

Quarterfinals

• No. 4 BYU vs. winner of Boise State/Ohio State
• No. 3 Miami (FL) vs. winner of Alabama/Texas
• No. 1 Oregon vs. winner of Indiana/Tennessee
• No. 2 Georgia vs. winner of Notre Dame/Penn State

Indiana and BYU are ranked too low in first CFP rankings | Joel Klatt Show

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A Football Association suspension meant Mendy, who was on a basic salary of £6m a year, was unable to fulfil his contractual obligations when not in custody.

Judge Dunlop said: “I found that Mr Mendy was ‘ready and willing’ to work during the non-custody periods, and was prevented from doing so by impediments (the FA suspension and bail conditions) which were unavoidable or involuntary on his part.”

She said the amount Mendy will receive will be calculated between the two parties or at a future hearing if they cannot agree.

City have declined to comment.

Mendy was remanded in custody for five months before being released on bail in January 2022. The case went to trial for the first time in August 2022.

In January 2023 Mendy was cleared of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

He was then cleared of raping a woman and attempting to rape another in July 2023 at a retrial.

Mendy, who left City when his contract expired, now plays for French side Lorient.

In the submissions detailed in the judgement, Mendy’s lawyer argued that City had “a binary choice – to follow the dismissal procedure (which would, if a dismissal resulted, have freed Mr Mendy to contract with another club) or to keep him under contract and continue paying him”.

The hearing was told how on 15 occasions Mendy held or attended parties in breach of Covid-19 regulations or bail conditions, or both.

City’s lawyers argued that the suspension, being in custody and his bail terms “clearly amounted to a full impediment to Mr Mendy being able to perform his contract” and that the impediments were a result of his “culpable behaviour”.

The judgement read: “Mr Mendy’s position is that he is an innocent man whose career has been ruined, and life blighted, by false sexual allegations and that the football club which brought him to this country effectively abandoned him in his hour of need.

“Manchester City’s position is that Mr Mendy largely brought his troubles upon himself and ignored sensible advice and warning after warning in his self-destructive pursuit of his chosen lifestyle.

“Both these narratives have validity, and there is no one cause of the chain of events which unfolded in this case.

“The question of whether Mr Mendy deserves to be paid, however, is one for the commentators and comments sections. The only question for me is whether Manchester City was legally entitled to withhold that pay.”

Mendy’s legal team said City’s then chief football operations officer Omar Berrada had said he would be paid his salary if found not guilty.

Berrada denied the claim and Judge Dunlop said any “assurances about backpay” were “irrelevant”.

Mendy, who joined City from Monaco in a £52m deal in 2017, won the Premier League in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

His final appearance for City was on 15 August 2021.