MLB rumors: Mets could trade starter, NPB pitcher Tatsuya Imai posted to free agency, Giants target pitching

Major League Baseball’s offseason is officially underway and that means the rumor mill is in full operation. Below, CBS Sports has gathered Monday’s most notable news, notes, and moves from around the league in one convenient spot. 

Mets discussing starting pitchers in trades

The Mets are discussing their starting pitchers, including righty Kodai Senga, in trades with other teams, reports The Athletic. Young righty Nolan McLean is presumably off-limits in anything other than a true blockbuster. Veterans Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, and David Peterson are more likely to be moved, along with Senga. Peterson will be a free agent after 2026. Holmes, Manaea, and Senga are all signed through 2027 (Holmes can opt out after 2026).

Senga is the most intriguing of the bunch. The 32-year-old has been limited by injuries the last two years and was so ineffective late this past season that he was demoted to Triple-A. Senga has shown frontline starter upside though. With good health and perhaps a fresh start, he could be a very nice upside play. He’s owed $14 million each of the next two years, a more-than-reasonable salary even if he’s merely league average-ish rather than ace-like.

Imai posted by NPB’s Lions

Tatsuya Imai, a 27-year-old right-hander, has been posted for MLB consideration by the Saitama Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league. CBS Sports recently ranked Imai as the 12th-best free agent in the class. Here’s what we wrote:

Relative to how front offices view hitters transferring from NPB, pitchers are a near-certain quantity. There are too many success stories to fixate on the differences in the ball and the schedule or to suggest it’ll have a devastating effect on the talent in question. That’s good news for Imai’s stock. He’s fresh off a dominant season that saw him post a 1.92 ERA and a 3.96 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 163 innings. He possesses mid-90s velocity and a forkball-like slider he delivers from a low release point. Imai isn’t far removed from struggling with his command (it took until his seventh professional season for him to walk fewer than four batters per nine innings), but teams confident in his strikethrowing ability could envision him being at least a No. 3 starter as soon as next spring.

Imai compiled a 3.15 ERA and a 1.94 strikeout-to-walk ratio over parts of eight seasons in NPB. As per MLB’s agreement with NPB, Imai will have 45 days to reach an agreement with an MLB team. Additionally, the Lions will receive a posting fee based on his contract’s total value.

Giants to pursue pitching depth

The Giants have already made headlines this winter by hiring former Tennessee Volunteers skipper Tony Vitello as their manager. Now, San Francisco’s focus has shifted to adding to a roster that hasn’t secured a playoff berth since 2021. Specifically, the Giants intend to add to their pitching staff — a unit that ranked 10th in the majors in raw ERA. 

“Right now there are holes,” general manager Zack Minasian told reporters. “It’s not to say that some of those holes can’t be filled from within. You always want to be open-minded of that, and we’re always going to challenge the players that we have internally. This year will be no different. But obviously, if we can bring some pitching in from the outside to continue to build up depth and try and find quality, we’re going to look at that as much as possible.”

CBS Sports’ free-agent rankings included five pitchers in the top 15, suggesting the Giants should have some quality options when it comes to filling out their staff. Alas, owner Greg Johnson recently acknowledged the Giants intend to be “cautious” about signing any pitcher for more than $100 million. That figures to take them out of the equation on many of those top available arms.

White Sox to pass on top free agents

The White Sox haven’t been competitive in any of the last three seasons. Don’t expect that to change this winter, at least as it pertains to them pursuing top free-agent talent. Rather, the White Sox have already publicly signaled that they’ll continue to focus on their internal options rather than handing out multi-year contracts to veterans.

“Free agency is an avenue to bring in players to help in the win total,” general manager Chris Getz told MLB.com. “But to go beyond this upcoming season I think would be a little premature considering the state of our club right now and the development of these young players.”

Four of Chicago’s top six recipients of plate appearances were in their age-25 season or younger. That doesn’t include infielder Colson Montgomery, who led the team in Wins Above Replacement by posting a 130 OPS+ in 71 games. Additionally, four of Chicago’s five top innings-throwers were also 25 years old or younger. 

The White Sox have won 61 games or fewer in each of the past three years. Prior to that stretch, they had enjoyed a respectable three-season span that included two playoff berths.

Turner wants to play in 2026

Veteran infielder Justin Turner wants to continue his playing career, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.

Turner, 41 later this month, hit .219/.288/.314 (75 OPS+) in 80 games with the Chicago Cubs. To be fair, he was more productive when blessed with the platoon advantage, posting a .759 OPS against lefties (as opposed to a .387 mark against righties).