There was no shortage of big moves in Major League Baseball this winter. We saw the biggest signing in the history of the sport, for goodness’ sake. But that might not even be the headline, as the defending World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, have stacked their roster to the point where some fans (and even MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred) have raised the possibility of a salary cap or at least limits on deferred payments.
A salary cap wouldn’t achieve what many would want, namely competitive balance, but the calls will only grow louder if the Dodgers win the World Series again. Attention is the most valuable commodity these days, and the sport certainly has it with the Dodgers, for better or worse.
Here were the five biggest moves this offseason.
1. Mets beat out Yankees, sign Juan Soto to record-breaking contract
Not only did Soto land a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets — the largest contract ever in North American professional sports history — but he left the crosstown Yankees in order to do it. It’s the biggest signal yet that it’s a new world under Mets owner Steve Cohen, who simply wouldn’t be denied in this process.
Yes, money did most of the talking here, but Soto also prioritized the family atmosphere that the Mets have tried to instill in the franchise. The 26-year-old Soto is on a Hall of Fame track through his first seven seasons in the majors, amassing 201 home runs and a .285/.421/.532 batting line over 936 games. Who knows what sort of player he will be at the end of this contract, but the Mets will worry about that later. Soto should form a dynamic duo with fellow superstar Francisco Lindor as the Mets attempt to build off their surprising 2024 campaign.
2. Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki chooses the Dodgers
What do you get for the team that has everything? The best international pitcher available, of course. While the Blue Jays, Giants and Padres were involved in negotiations, Sasaki ultimately chose the defending World Series champions in mid-January. Because he’s under 25 years old, he was considered an international free agent, so the Dodgers paid him a $6.25 million signing bonus and will get six years of team control. In other words, not quite in line with the massive spending the Dodgers are known for right now.
Armed with a 100-mph fastball and an exceptional splitter, Sasaki posted a 2.10 ERA in 64 starts over four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League in NPB. He’s had some injury issues in his short career, but the Dodgers were willing to take a calculated risk given his massive upside.
3. Red Sox acquire new ace Garrett Crochet
The Red Sox were also involved in discussions with Juan Soto and Max Fried before they signed elsewhere, so they turned their attention to the trade front to secure Crochet for the top of their rotation. Crochet enjoyed a breakout season in an otherwise dreadful year for the 121-loss White Sox, posting a 3.58 ERA with 209 strikeouts and just 33 walks across 32 starts.
The 25-year-old southpaw struck out 35.1% of the batters he faced, the highest among all pitchers with at least 140 innings pitched. NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale was second (32.1%) and AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal was tied with Sonny Gray for third at 30.3%. Crochet reached uncharted territory with his workload last season, so the White Sox played it safe with him in the second half, limiting his starts to four innings or less after the beginning of July.
Will the Red Sox take the reins off in 2025? Will they want to see him complete a full season before discussing a contract extension? As it stands, Crochet is due to be a free agent after the 2026 campaign.
4. Cubs acquire Kyle Tucker, send Isaac Paredes to Astros
With Tucker staring a big payday in the face next offseason, the Astros decided to cash in their chips now and swap him to the Cubs for three players, including third baseman Isaac Paredes, prospect third baseman Cam Smith and right-hander Hayden Wesneski.
The 27-year-old Tucker was well on his way to blowing away his previous career highs last season before a right shin fracture sidelined him for three months. Perhaps a byproduct of the star power around him during his time in Houston, Tucker has quietly been one of the game’s best players over the past four seasons, ranking 13th in fWAR during that time.
Craig Counsell’s first season in Chicago didn’t exactly go as planned, but Tucker can help the Cubs make some noise in the NL Central this year. As for Paredes, he’s a ready-made replacement for Alex Bregman at third base in Houston and his right-handed pull power should play perfectly at Daikin Park.
5. Diamondbacks surprise with Corbin Burnes signing
With the usual suspects all in the market for high-end starting pitching this offseason, the Diamondbacks were a surprising landing spot for Burnes, but maybe they shouldn’t have been. Burnes has called Arizona home since 2018, and the prospect of being closer to his wife and three young children proved to be a motivator. Of course, it also helped that the Diamondbacks gave him a six-year, $210 million contract.
Burnes was excellent during his lone season with the Orioles, posting a 2.92 ERA across 32 starts. The Diamondbacks narrowly missed the playoffs last season, but the two-headed monster of Burnes and Zac Gallen at the top of their rotation could have them October-bound once again.
