Baseball’s winter meetings are approaching, and fans are eager for trades and signings.
So far, the offseason has been quiet except for the Los Angeles Angels who added a veteran player recently. All top 50 free agents are still unsigned, leaving fans waiting for that exciting trade or signing to happen. Why is everything moving so slowly? Let’s explore some reasons behind this pause in activity.
One big factor is Juan Soto’s situation. Just like Shohei Ohtani last year, Soto’s decision is causing a hold-up. He and his agent Scott Boras are meeting with teams to find the best fit—likely whoever offers the most money. Teams need to know if they have a chance at signing him before they can move on to other plans because Soto’s contract could be as expensive as several mid-tier players combined. Fans might wonder why other teams aren’t making moves yet.
Waiting on Sasaki
While Soto’s market is limited due to his high price, Roki Sasaki is available for many teams since he’s considered an amateur free agent by MLB rules. Sasaki made headlines with a 19-strikeout perfect game in 2022! Because of his status, he can only sign using international bonus pool money, which means every team wants him just like when Ohtani was first available.
This demand means negotiations will take time as everyone waits to see where they stand in the race for Sasaki. Both he and his current team benefit from waiting until January 15th when new international funds open up—only two teams have more than $2 million now: the Dodgers and Orioles. Once pools refresh, several clubs will have over $7.5 million ready.
The Missing Sellers
Another reason things are slow? Few teams want to sell players right now! Of the 18 teams not making playoffs, only a few like the Marlins or White Sox seem likely sellers; others like Nationals or Pirates think they’re improving and won’t sell off talent easily.
When there aren’t many sellers around during winter meetings it could mean fewer trades happen at all—or maybe some unexpected deals if fringe teams decide selling makes sense (like Tampa Bay Rays did before). Or maybe clubs get creative with “challenge” trades where both sides swap similar value players—a tricky thing indeed!
What do you think will happen next? Will we see big moves soon?
