Why MLB's Winter Meetings were so slow, plus what's next for Alex Bregman, Ketel Marte, more

The MLB world gathered in Orlando this week ... but it didn't result in a flurry of deals

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Major League Baseball's annual Winter Meetings ended Wednesday without much sizzle on baseball's hot stove. Kyle Schwarber is back with the Phillies. Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso are both leaving the Mets, giving the Dodgers a new closer and the Orioles a new slugger. Otherwise it was pretty quiet in central Florida with the MLB world gathered in one spot.

However, the market has been set for what still should be an interesting offseason. So why were the Winter Meetings so slow? And what's next this winter? 

Why was the market so slow at the meetings? 

As mentioned, it was a relatively slow week at this year's Winter Meetings. It was largely viewed as a place for conversation but not much movement. 

"Believe me when I say that I'm not being snarky," one executive intimated. "There is no deadline related to the Winter Meetings. So, front offices are not gonna feel pressured by the media or fan sentiment to make a deal for the sake of making a deal during a three-day event."

The executive, however, did offer a solution, saying that it would be interesting if the league introduced an offseason deadline.

"That plus a salary cap and maybe even a floor would get us closer to how other leagues operate where there's more activity condensed into a shorter period," the exec added. "But with the way we're set up with a long offseason and no deadlines, teams, players and agents are going to hold out until the last minute for the best possible deal."

What's next?

Mets leave Orlando with a lot of added pressure

The prevailing emotion around the meetings was shock when it came to the Mets. Their trade for Marcus Semien in exchange for Brandon Nimmo last month was the first move that made people stop and reassess how different the Mets could look next season. Especially given Semien's two consecutive down seasons. Still, Semien is a veteran. He has won a World Series, and on a team that has had clashes among its stars and a reputation for internal turmoil, he can be the ultimate professional. But when the Mets lost out on Díaz -- who bolted to Los Angeles without giving them a chance to counter -- it confirmed what many around the game had sensed: The changes are going to be seismic in Queens. Then, on Wednesday, Pete Alonso made the Mets' new reality even more stark. He agreed to a five-year contract with the O's at $155 million -- numbers the Mets were seemingly not comfortable with.

Just what are the Mets doing? That was the question floating around Orlando as the Winter Meetings wound down. Real criticism began to shift toward president of baseball operations David Stearns. Can he close? He proved he could build a winner in Milwaukee, but how will he shape a club with both money and expectations? The Mets now have a gaping hole at first base where a cornerstone in Alonso once stood. And they still need pitching. The pressure is on Stearns and the Mets to answer in the coming weeks and plenty of notable names still available through free agency and trades.

Dodgers flex off-field might once again

Let's stay with the Dodgers for a moment. Manager Dave Roberts said this week he was comfortable with his club as it stood. Then they went out and landed Díaz (on a three-year, $69 million deal), who could easily slide into the closer's role, moving Tanner Scott -- who struggled in 2025 -- to an eighth-inning role. While other teams pinch pennies, the Dodgers keep finding ways to dominate both on the field and in the transactional game.

Could Bregman top $160 million?

Boston was very quiet this week, as fans wait for a big-money move. The Red Sox were "in" on Kyle Schwarber -- they didn't get him. The Sox were "in" on Alonso, too, but according to a source, the Sox made an offer nowhere close to what Alonso received from the Orioles. The American League East is stacked, and if the Sox don't get Alex Bregman, they might be at the bottom of it. 

"Alex earned the right contract-wise to opt out and see what's going on," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "And we know he was very important last year and there's a lot of leaders out there who are good players, too. So we'll see what the future holds."

Still on the topic of Bregman, one industry source believes that after the Alonso and Schwarber deals, Bregman's could be in the range of five years and $165 million or more. That might be an overpay, but is dictated by the market that has already been set. 

Just how good is the O's lineup now?

The O's were expected to be big players this offseason and they certainly got off to a good start after inking that deal with Alonso. Executives around the league believe that Baltimore might just have the best lineup in baseball as Alonso joins Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Adley Rutschman, Jordan Westburg and Taylor Ward. Still, they need to add to their pitching staff if they want to be competitive.

'Little traction' on Ketel Marte trade right now

Marte's name came up a ton this week, but one source said he's just a popular name with little traction at the moment. Arizona is not interested in moving him at the moment, the source said. That could very much change as the market plays out during the offseason, but, remember, the Diamondbacks are just a couple of years removed from a World Series berth and was widely viewed as a team that just underperformed last year. 

What are the Yankees doing? 

New York has shown itself to be a stubborn club, firm in its convictions. Brian Cashman said the Yankees won't wait on Cody Bellinger and will start pursuing other options. But when asked what he could do to improve the roster, he offered, "the needs aren't so glaring." In a loaded division, that mindset could come back to haunt them.

The Athletic reported that Scott Boras may wait for Kyle Tucker and his group to sign before turning to Bellinger's market. And with the Mets desperate for a significant splash, Queens might end up being the cleanest fit for Bellinger, who can handle all three outfield spots and first base.

As for the Yankees, Cashman said they need to add "a bit more versatility," which sounded like code for leaning heavily on internal options rather than diving into larger free agent signings.