Last year’s Winter Meetings came and went without the news everyone was waiting for, as Shohei Ohtani didn’t choose the Dodgers until the following weekend. The headliner of the meetings was instead the Yankees‘ blockbuster acquisition of Juan Soto.
A year later, Soto has the stage all to himself, but chose to take himself off the board early. The outfielder signed the largest contract in the history of American team sports Sunday, beating Ohtani’s $700 million deal from last offseason.
Soto agreed to a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets late Sunday night, per multiple reports.
Soto was the biggest name of the offseason, but he wasn’t the only impact player available. Even after Blake Snell and Willy Adames found new homes in the NL West, the free agent class still includes Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, and Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki.
With those names on the market and other players available via trade, it could be an especially active handful of days as MLB’s decision-makers meet in Dallas.
The Sporting News is tracking the latest news, rumors, and transactions from MLB’s Winter Meetings. Follow along with the action below.
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Dodgers ink reliever Blake Treinen
The Dodgers made multiple moves Sunday night. After signing veteran outfielder Michael Conforto, the team also brought in reliever Blake Treinen on a two-year, $22 million deal.
Treinen, 36, spent his last four seasons with the Dodgers. He’s put up a 2.29 ERA over 149 2/3 innings since joining the club.
Juan Soto signs largest deal in team sports history
Soto, 26, started the Winter Meetings with a bang, signing a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets on Sunday night. It’s the richest deal in MLB history, topping the $10-year, $700 million contract signed by Shohei Ohtani last offseason.
The move gives the Mets arguably the best hitter in baseball, as Soto has put up an impeccable .288/.419/.569 slash line over his career. He’s a four-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger and already has one World Series championship under his belt.
Since Soto was the biggest prize on the free-agent market, it’s possible his signing gets things moving. Burnes, Fried and Bregman remain the biggest names on the market now that Soto signed. They should all draw plenty of interest from teams with Soto off the board.
Dodgers pick up Michael Conforto on one-year deal
The Dodgers signed an outfielder Sunday, just not the one everyone was waiting on. Los Angeles inked veteran Michael Conforto to a reported one-year, $17 million deal.
Conforto, 31, is coming off a season in which he hit .237/.309/.450 with the Giants. He’ll move to a better ballpark with the Dodgers, and a team known for getting the most out of its veterans.
Red Sox plan to pursue Teoscar Hernandez as backup plan
The Red Sox “intend to pursue” former Dodgers OF Teoscar Hernandez if they can’t land Juan Soto, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
Hernandez, an All-Star and Home Run Derby winner in 2024, is also reportedly a target of the Yankees and Dodgers, pending Soto’s decision.
Tigers showing interest in Ha-Seong Kim
The Tigers have shown interest in former Padres SS Ha-Seong Kim, according to the Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold. Kim was a target of the Giants before Willy Adames agreed to a deal with San Francisco.
Kim is coming off a tough year ended by an injury, but his excellent glove was complemented by a breakthrough bat in 2023. The Tigers could signal that they’re ready to be aggressive after a surprise postseason run by adding Kim, though there is no indication a deal is in the works.