Major League Baseball’s offseason is here, and that means it’s time for the rumor mill to go into overdrive. Below, CBS Sports has gathered all of Saturday’s most notable news, moves, and murmurs into one convenient viewing spot.
Cardinals utility player Brendan Donovan figures to be a popular trade target this winter given his track record (career 117 OPS+), defensive versatility, and remaining years of cost control. You can count the Astros among the interested parties, according to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome.
In general, the Astros are known to want to add to their lineup. They ranked 21st in runs scored in 2025, though they did grade as a league-average offense through the lens of FanGraphs’ park-adjusted wRC+ metric.
“I think we’re going to be giving guys more of a break this year, and there will be moving parts, but when we move the parts, (creating an) offensive lineup is going to be a big focus,” general manager Dana Brown said. “When we score four or more runs, the team is really good. We want to put some more runs on the board.”
Mariners want to retain own free agents
The Mariners, fresh off a disappointing loss in the American League Championship Series, will begin with them prioritizing keeping their own free agents, like infielders Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez, and Jorge Polanco.
“Our offseason is largely going to start with the guys who were on the team last year and try to bring as many back as possible,” general manager Justin Hollander said earlier in the week, according to the Seattle Times.
Previous reports had re-signing Naylor top among the Mariners’ winter to-do list. It’s not yet clear if Seattle has made progress in those efforts.Â
Angels seeking bats
The Angels ranked 25th last season in runs scored and 26th in park-adjusted offense. Unsurprisingly, one of their offseason priorities is adding to the lineup in a meaningful way.
“We want to be a more balanced offense,” general manager Perry Minasian told the Orange County Register. “There are some really attractive right-handed hitters that I’d love to have, that are just good hitters, that I don’t necessarily think anyone cares if they’re right-handed or left-handed. So does it have to be left-handed? No. Apples to apples? Of course, you choose left hand over right-handed.”
CBS Sports’ free-agent rankings listed the Angels as a possible fit for several downmarket position players, including infielder Jorge Polanco and outfielder Harrison Bader. It’s unclear if the Angels have or will have interest in either.
The Angels are also expected to pursue pitching help, including a few starters to fill out their rotation.