MLB Rumors: New managerial candidate for Mets emerges
Following the conclusion of the 2023 regular season, the New York Mets learned that manager Buck Showalter, who earned Manager of the Year honors in the National League last season, would be stepping down from his position.
As such, the Mets have been on the lookout for a new skipper. However, according to Andy Martino of SNY, the Mets may have somebody in mind.
On X (formerly Twitter), Martino revealed that the Mets have been granted permission by the Milwaukee Brewers to interview Craig Counsell.
The Mets originally did not have permission to speak with Counsell, but it appears that the Brewers have changed course.
After the Brewers were swept by the eventual National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks in the Wild Card Series, rumors began to circulate about Counsell potentially departing Milwaukee for somewhere else.
Former Brewers President of Baseball Operations David Stearns was recently hired by the Mets to serve in the same role. His rapport with Counsell could potentially lead to the Brewers manager being lured to New York.
The Mets finished the regular season with a 75-87 record after winning 101 games and earning a Wild Card in 2022.
MLB Rumors: Red Sox trade buzz centers on young talent
Could the Boston Red Sox be looking to trade some players?
According to Jen McCaffrey, who covers the Sox for The Athletic, there are a few players that may be on the chopping block after the team finished with a 78-84 record.
Among the players listed were outfielder Alex Verdugo, infielder Bobby Dalbec, and right-hander Tanner Houck.
McCaffrey notes that the Red Sox have a glut of left-handed hitting outfielders, and that after a disappointing season, the team could potentially move Verdugo.
Dalbec was the team's starting first baseman in 2022, but quickly fell out of favor. Triston Casas' emergence has further complicated matters for the Red Sox infielder.
In that case, there isn't really a clear spot for Dalbec on the Red Sox roster. Dalbec played some outfield this year to become more versatile, and McCaffrey predicts that packaging him with another player and giving him a fresh start elsewhere might be in his best interest.
Houck had a difficult season, posting a 5.01 ERA over 21 starts. Boston's rotation has been a weak point in recent years. It's possible that he'll get another chance to crack the rotation in 2024, but McCaffrey pointed out that packaging him in a trade with a few arms could give Boston a higher-quality arm, which is what they need.
MLB Rumors: Cardinals have pieces to trade for ace
The St. Louis Cardinals are coming off of a terrible season which saw them lose 91 games and finish in last place in the NL Central. The main culprit for their struggles was their lack of pitching.
However, the Cardinals are expected to be very busy this winter, a stark contrast from the 2022-23 offseason, where all they did was sign Willson Contreras.
In order to add the three starting pitchers they need, they will have to utilize both the free agent and trade markets. According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, several of their young position players are drawing trade interest.
Goold notes that Alec Burleson, Tommy Edman, Brendan Donovan, and Nolan Gorman have been at the center of trade discussions.
The Cardinals have plenty of depth on the position player side that could be used in order to strengthen their biggest weakness, which is their starting rotation.
Patrick McAvoy of Sports Illustrated notes that Tampa Bay Rays ace Tyler Glasnow could be a possibility, though his injury history may pose a problem for St. Louis, who will need to determine which players will be used to add an ace.