2:44 p.m.: The Phillies have their first big “splash” of the offseason, if you want to call it that. Andrew McCutchen is heading back to the Keystone State but as a member of the Phils.
Sources: Phillies are in agreement with Andrew McCutchen, pending a physical.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) December 11, 2018
The 32-year-old no longer is the MVP candidate he was for a few years with the Pirates, but he is coming off a solid season in which he hit 20 home runs and drove in 65 runs while splitting time with the Giants and Yankees.
It’s still a pretty big commitment to the five-time All-Star.
McCutchen's three-year deal with the Phillies expected to be in the range of about $45 million.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 11, 2018
2:30 p.m.: Would the Red Sox really be willing to trade a Cy Young Award winner in his walk year just to clear payroll?
The Boston #Redsox, who had the highest payroll last season, are looking to clear some payroll space, rival executives say, who openly wonder if Rick Porcello is available in right deal.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 11, 2018
If the goal was simply to clear payroll, then sure, it makes some sense. But Porcello is entering the final season of his contract anyway, and it makes you wonder what they’d be able to get for him. So if you can’t get a whole lot for him, and you don’t plan on taking on much more payroll this winter, why not keep him? He’s one of the club’s most durable pitchers, who has logged at least 171 innings in each of his four seasons with the Red Sox. Who knows, though, perhaps it’s part of something bigger.
2:25 p.m.: We’ve got another update on the Red Sox’s quest to retool the bullpen.
While #RedSox have indicated they are all but out on Kimbrel, a reunion with Joe Kelly remains a possibility, sources say. Players on team lobbying for his return. No deal close, however.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2018
1:55 p.m.: The Red Sox’s interest in David Robertson is nothing new, but the defending World Series champions reportedly are very heavy on the Yankees’ free agent reliever.
1:30 p.m.: The Padres are lurking, and they could throw a big ol’ wrench into the J.T. Realmuto trade talks.
#Padres have been told by #Marlins they have prospect inventory to get Realmuto but have not been told yet by Mia what combo would need to be.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 11, 2018
1:15 p.m.: The White Sox are taking a chance on Ivan Nova to pick up some innings at the back end of their rotation.
#WhiteSox acquiring RHP Ivan Nova from the #Pirates, pending a review of medical records of players involved, sources tell me and @ByRobertMurray.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2018
Nova is a nice depth piece, who has logged at least 161 innings in each of the last three seasons.
The reported Nova trade could just be the start of a busy day, too.
The deal sending Ivan Nova to the White Sox, which was first reported by @RobertMurrayMLB, was the first of what should be a few trades today, per major league sources. While the free agent market feels frozen at the moment, there are plenty of trade talks still percolating.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 11, 2018
12:10 p.m.: Teams looking to make a deal for Mets ace Jacob deGrom are out of luck. Then again, putting together a package to acquire arguably the most talented pitcher in baseball would be next to impossible.
Meanwhile, as Joel Sherman notes below, Noah Syndergaard is available, which isn’t news at this point.
I asked execs from a few teams who inquired and all echoed that #Mets told them deGrom is NOT available. Open to listen on Syndergaard
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 11, 2018
11:54 a.m.: The Los Angeles Dodgers are open for business.
Dodgers have talked to other teams about moving two outfielders among the group of Kemp, Puig, Pederson, Bellinger, and as they look to re-shape payroll, they are also are prepared to move starting pitchers Rich Hill and Alex Wood.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 11, 2018
11:45 a.m.: The Yankees apparently are connected to everyone at this point. And while earlier reports indicated the Mets would get J.T. Realmuto and the Yankees would get Noah Syndergaard in a potential three-way trade with Miami, the Bombers evidently have their eye on Realmuto, too.
Have heard multiple times now this scenario laid out: #Yankees try to get Realmuto, keep Sanchez as catcher/DH, move Stanton to OF more regularly. #Marlins
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 11, 2018
11:35 a.m.: It sounds like J.A. Happ’s people are making one last back-channel push to maximize the left-handers potential contract.
The market heating up for JA Happ who’s seeking a 3-year deal
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 11, 2018
Sources: Where J.A. Happ winds up could come down to the team that guarantees him a third year. Right now, none has, and he has indicated he’ll sign with the first one that does. If none steps up, he’s got a number of two-year offers to consider, most from contending teams.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 11, 2018
10:55 a.m.: It’s just a matter of time before the Yankees do something, isn’t it?
Name to watch with #Yankees: Miguel Andújar. Rival execs tell me and @ByRobertMurray NYY open to moving him. Would make sense as #Marlins’ ask for Realmuto; MIA wants established young MLB player as headliner. Also would line up with NYY pursuit of Machado. Torres could play SS.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2018
8:42 a.m.: This certainly makes sense given the Mets-Yankees-Marlins trade rumors floating out there at the moment.
The sense among some other teams is that the Marlins have begun to push to make a Realmuto trade, which is a major change in their past approach. For a year, they set a very high price and challenged anyone to meet it, and waited. Now they seem to be looking to finish a deal.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 11, 2018
8:15 a.m.: Here’s all the latest on a potential blockbuster trade among the Yankees, Mets and Marlins that could send Noah Syndergaard to the Yankees and J.T. Realmuto to the Mets.
8 a.m.: And we’ve got mystery teams in the Bryce Harper sweepstakes.
Bryce Harper Las Vegas rundown: He’s met with several teams here off site in his hometown. And has a few more to go. Also, a “mystery owner” has flown in to visit with him.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 11, 2018
7:30 a.m. ET: There wasn’t much in the way of player movement Monday at the MLB winter meetings, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t any news.
The Boston Red Sox “reintroduced” Nathan Eovaldi at a press conference, but perhaps the more noteworthy tidbit from that presser was Boston’s president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski acknowledging a reunion with closer Craig Kimbrel seems unlikely.
Elsewhere, the Cleveland Indians seemed busy shopping some of their front-line starting pitching, with Corey Kluber’s name coming up all day. The Tribe and Los Angeles Dodgers were said to be in discussions about a deal for the former Cy Young Award winner.
And, of course, the New York Yankees continue to loom. Talks connecting the Bronx Bombers to free agent infielder Manny Machado won’t go away, and other reports indicate the Yankees might be working on a trade to acquire New York Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard in a wild three-way deal with the Yankees and Miami Marlins.
The winter meetings continue Tuesday in Las Vegas, and we’ll continue to have updates on all the latest news and rumors with some analysis sprinkled in as things happen. Check back all day for updates.
