With less than a month until pitchers and catchers report, the hot stove is starting to warm up. George Springer, the top free agent entering this winter, signed last Tuesday. Another top-10 talent, Michael Brantley, headed back to Houston on Wednesday. Who else might sign in the coming days? Here are the latest rumblings from the hot stove.
Yankees trade Ottavino, resume talks with Gardner
The Yankees have been busy the past couple of weeks, signing DJ LeMahieu and Corey Kluber and acquiring Jameson Taillon in a trade. They don't appear done just yet, either. The Yankees traded Adam Ottavino and a pitching prospect to the Red Sox on Monday, in a move that was designed to free up additional room in New York's luxury-tax calculations.
That's worth keeping in mind, since, according to YES Network's Jack Curry, the Yankees have resumed conversations with veteran outfielder Brett Gardner.
Gardner, 38 come August, has hit .241/.327/.428 (103 OPS+) over the last three seasons while providing the Yankees with coverage in both left and center field. It's unclear what kind of salary he would be demanding, but the Yankees should have closer to $13 million separating them from the tax line following the Ottavino trade.
Mets making post-Hand plans
The Mets missed out on Brad Hand, who signed with the Nationals on Sunday, but that doesn't mean they'll go the winter without adding another left-handed reliever. MLB Network's Jon Heyman tweeted that the Mets still like Justin Wilson, who spent the past two seasons with the club.
Heyman doesn't note whether the Mets are engaged with Wilson. It's possible they'll expand their search for a southpaw reliever to include other free agents, like Jake McGee and Tony Watson, as well.
