MLB Rumors: Joey Votto rejects retirement, willing to leave Reds
The Cincinnati Reds finished the season 82-80, painfully close to postseason contention but still on the outskirts. There's plenty to get excited about with the future of the franchise, but there's also the immediate fate of franchise legend Joey Votto to consider.
Votto, 40, has spent his entire 17-year career with the Reds. A former MVP with six All-Stars and a Gold Glove on his resume, few players in Cincinnati history live up to Votto's list of accomplishments. There has been rampant retirement speculation around Votto, who appeared in 65 games for the Reds with .202/.314/.443 splits, 14 home runs, and 38 RBIs. He posted a -0.1 WAR and was generally ineffective for a team on the precipice of contention.
Injuries have been central to the narrative around Votto in recent years, as has age. He's not ready to hang up the cleats, though, and he's even willing to leave Cincinnati to play one more season with the goal of finishing on a high note.
"I want to play again at least one more year," Votto told longtime sports analyst Dan Patrick. "The last couple years were crummy. I wasn't healthy for two years, so I'd like to play well. It's not the taste I want to leave in my mouth."
The Reds have a $20 million club option for Votto next season. He's not sure if the franchise will exercise it, which could lead to his first genuine free-agent experience. He's prepared to find another team, but it's clear he would prefer to return to Cincinnati for a proper swan song.
It would be exceedingly strange to see Votto in different colors. Here's to hoping the Reds can work it out with a franchise pillar.
MLB Rumors: Braves could take interest in Brewers' Willy Adames, Corbin Burnes
The Milwaukee Brewers were swiftly eliminated from the playoffs by the Arizona Diamondbacks, kicking off a potentially transformative offseason for the small-market Midwest franchise.
FanSided MLB experts Robert Murray and Adam Weinrib spoke about potential moves the Brewers could make on 'The Baseball Insiders' podcast. With concerns about payroll taking center stage, pitcher Corbin Burnes and shortstop Willy Adames were highlighted as potential trade candidates. It was even suggested that Milwaukee could package the two together.
Murray notes trade talks last season between the Brewers and the Atlanta Braves centered on Adames. Shortstop is a position of need for Atlanta. The pitching staff could also use a boost with injury concerns galore and uncertainty about Charlie Morton's future with the ball club.
Is there room for the Braves to swing a blockbuster trade here?
Money is the deciding factor, of course. Both players have one year of arbitration left before free agency in 2025. Milwaukee doesn't have a hefty payroll. Burnes is a Cy Young winner whose contract negotiations with the team last season turned sour. Adames is worth a prospect or two. The Braves would have to feel good about their financial future to pull the trigger on this deal.
Still, adding Burnes to the top of the rotation with Spencer Strider and Max Fried is a tempting proposition. Atlanta is in win-now mode with an ownership group that's comfortable shelling out dough to field a winner. The Braves are built to last with the current group, so it's not hard to see Alex Anthopoulos at least picking up the phone for a casual conversation with Brewers GM Matt Arnold.
MLB Rumors: Mets to bid high for Yoshinobu Yamamoto
The New York Mets are expected to be front of the line in the bidding war for Japanese hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
A two-time MVP in Japan, Yamamoto's precision on the mound will make him one of the offseason's most coveted free agents. The Mets are expected to be "high bidders," as owner Steve Cohen tends to be. Billy Eppler was thought to be a key factor in the Mets' pursuit — he courted Shohei Ohtani as the Angels GM and he lured Kodai Senga to the Mets last winter — but Eppler resigned yesterday. New York will have to navigate front office turnover while also attempting to woo multiple high-value free agents.
Money can paper over a lot of concerns about a franchise's lack of leadership structure, though. The Mets finished the season in fourth place, 75-87, despite starting the campaign with the MLB's highest payroll. Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander were both traded at the deadline, which leaves a gaping hole ready to be filled by a player in Yamamoto's vein.
New York clearly doesn't want to rebuild, but instead 'retool.' Yamamoto fits such a timeline at 25 years old. There are concerns about his thin 5-foot-10 frame and his lack of top-end speed, but he paints the corners and unleashes impressive movement on the ball.
The Mets would have to feel good about Yamamoto and Senga atop the rotation. Heck, Ohtani isn't out of the picture either. New York could essentially court an entire country's fanbase along with a collection of players if ownership and what remains of the front office is committed enough.