In less than two weeks, pitchers and catchers will report to Arizona and Florida, and spring training will get underway. Ten of our top 50 free agents remain unsigned, including No. 4 free agent Framber Valdez. Here are Saturday’s hot stove rumors as we wait for the cold of winter to turn into the warmth of spring training.
Yankees interested in Goldschmidt reunion
The Yankees have interest in re-signing first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, according to the New York Post. They have also shown interest in righties Michael Kopech and Nick Martinez, and outfielders Randal Grichuk and Austin Slater. Grichuk or Slater would serve as a righty complement to the team’s lefty heavy outfield. Kopech and Martinez are depth arms.
Goldschmidt, 38, spent last season in New York and posted an .889 OPS the first two months of the season. After June 1 though, he slashed .226/.277/.333 with only four home runs, and gradually lost playing time to Ben Rice at first base. Given their roster, a righty hitting outfielder makes more sense for the Yankees than a righty hitting first base-only guy like Goldschmidt.
Red Sox have discussed pitching depth in trades
The Red Sox have discussed lefty Patrick Sandoval and righties Brayan Bello and Jordan Hicks in trades, reports The Athletic. The club added three starting pitchers this offseason (Sonny Gray, Johan Oviedo, Ranger Suárez) and now seems open to moving an incumbent(s). A right-handed hitting second or third baseman figures to be the most likely target in any trade.
Sandoval missed 2025 with Tommy John surgery and is owed $12.75 million in 2026. Bello and Hicks have more significant contracts. Bello is owed $49.5 million from 2026-29 with a $21 million club option for 2030. Hicks has $12 million coming to him in both 2026 and 2027. Boston’s projected $265 million competitive balance tax payroll would be a franchise record by roughly $20 million.
D-backs seek first base, pitching help
The Diamondbacks continue to seek a first baseman and pitching depth, team president Derrick Hall told MLB.com. “I know we’re still trying to find another complementary first baseman. And I think we can still look to improve our pitching, both starting and relievers, but we still have some moves to make. We’re not done,” Hall said.
A righty platoon partner for lefty hitting Pavin Smith makes the most sense, hence ongoing speculation about a Paul Goldschmidt reunion. Arizona’s bullpen ranked 27th in ERA and 28th in WAR last year, and so far they’ve only made low-cost/low-impact relief additions (Taylor Clarke and Jonathan Loáisiga.) The bullpen would seem to be a greater need than a platoon first baseman.
Robertson announces retirement
Veteran reliever David Robertson announced his retirement on Friday. “I’ve decided it’s time for me to hang up my spikes and retire from the game I’ve loved for as long as I can remember. Baseball has given me more than I ever dreamed possible over the last 19 seasons,” Robertson wrote on social media. He finished last season with the Phillies.
Now 40, Robertson played 17 seasons in the majors with eight teams, including nine years with the Yankees. He retired with a 2.93 ERA and 1,176 strikeouts in 894 ⅓ innings. Robertson was the last active member of New York’s 2009 World Series championship team. He was also part of the USA’s World Baseball Classic winning team in 2017.
White Sox sign Hays
The White Sox have signed veteran outfielder Austin Hays to a one-year contract worth $6 million, reports ESPN. Hays, 30, played 103 games with the Reds despite calf, foot, and hamstring injuries last season. He is a quality platoon option, posting a .949 OPS against lefties. Chicago’s outfield mix now includes Hays, Luisangel Acuña, Andrew Benintendi, Brooks Baldwin, and Everson Pereira. Acuña and Baldwin have infield experience.
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