ORLANDO, FL — Tigers Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal stayed in Detroit.
Slugger Kyle Schwarber returned to Philadelphia.
The Los Angeles Dodgers got better.
The New York Mets got worse.
And the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox did nothing.
The Baseball Winter Meetings came and went this week at the Hilton Bonnet Creek Resort with three major free-agent signings (Schwarber, Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz), no major trades, and one big surprise (the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds bidding for Schwarber).
Yet, general managers, teams and agents insist important groundwork was laid, and anticipate that by the time they gather around the Christmas tree, there will be plenty of new toys for everyone.
The 10 biggest questions remaining before the holidays:
What are the New York Mets going to do after Pete Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles on a five-year, $155 million contract and closer Edwin Diaz fled for the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million deal?
Will they steal Cody Bellinger from the Yankees? Do they throw money at Kyle Tucker? Will they actually give a free-agent starter more than a three-year deal?
Prediction: The Mets take a run at Bellinger, but wind up trading for Astros first baseman Christian Walker or signing free agent Kazuma Okamoto, while also signing starter Michael King and reliever Robert Suarez.
Are the Arizona Diamondbacks really going to trade All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte, or realize no one will give them the pitching package they desire?
The Diamondbacks came to the winter meetings believing Marte would stay with them.
They left town believing he will be traded.
Prediction: Marte is traded to the Boston Red Sox, but the Detroit Tigers and, yes, the Cincinnati Reds are possibilities.
Will the Detroit Tigers really trade Tarik Skubal?
They surprised teams by engaging in serious talks, and were intrigued by the Dodgers’ potential package of prospects, triggering trade rumors.
Prediction: Skubal will stay put. There’s simply no team that will strip their farm system for one year of Skubal knowing that he could be parting after one year for the riches of free agency, where he’s expected to receive at least $400 million.
Were the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds actually serious in their bids for Kyle Schwarber?
Absolutely.
The Pirates offered a four-year, $120 million package and the Reds told Schwarber they’d up the ante to at least five years, $150 million like the Baltimore Orioles, but Schwarber simply wanted to return to Philly.
“There were a lot of things that stuck with us through our last four years in Philadelphia,’’ Schwarber said, “and knowing that there were so many great things in the future to come in Philadelphia.”
Prediction: Neither team plans to spend anywhere near the money they offered Schwarber, believing he was an exception, but the two teams are expected to be more active on the trade front.
Are the Dodgers done with their free-agent spending, or are they greedy for more?
The Dodgers certainly don’t need any more help after landing Edwin Diaz, but hey, they’re the Dodgers, so why not? They do have an opening in the outfield, particularly if they trade Teoscar Hernandez, and there’s no one on the market better than Kyle Tucker.
Prediction: The Dodgers will make a bid for Tucker, and are willing to pay in excess of $30 million a year, but only on a short-term contract. They have no interest in giving him the nine- or 10-year deal he’s seeking. And Tucker has no interest in signing a deal that won’t carry him through the rest of his career.
Where will free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman go?
A year ago, the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs were in hot pursuit of Bregman. He signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox, but opted out after the first season, leaving $80 million on the table.
Now, one year later, the Red Sox and Tigers are still interested, with the Cubs saying they’re perfectly comfortable with rookie third baseman Matt Shaw.
Prediction: Bregman returns to Boston, but won’t get anywhere near the $40 million annual salary he left behind.
Now that the Orioles signed Pete Alonso, what’s their next move?
The Orioles need pitching. Desperately. And now they have some bats they can unload in either Ryan Mountcastle or Coby Mayo for a pitcher, and still hit the free-agent market.
Prediction: The Orioles trade for Miami Marlins starter Edward Cabrera, who is under team control for three seasons. He’d be the ideal compliment to Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish.
Will the San Diego Padres trade a prized reliever like Mason Miller to get starting pitching help?
The Padres are desperate for starting pitchers, and even listened intently to offers for Miller to get the help they need.
A.J. Preller, president of baseball operations, confirmed that they had trade talks involving Miller, but also Adrian Morejón, Jeremiah Estrada and David Morgan. They have two gaping holes in their rotation that they need to fill, with little money to spend.
Prediction: The Padres will surprise everyone by trading ace Nick Pivetta, who’s scheduled to earn $20.5 million, for starters now and in the future.
Will the Yankees spend the necessary money to bring back Cody Bellinger?
The Yankees are making no secret how bad they want Bellinger, but money talks, and so far they haven’t given him a lucrative long-term contract.
“We’re an aggressive franchise, but we already have some very large commitments,’’ Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters. “The more of those you have, the more it affects you in other areas. Everything’s tied together.
“Our ownership has obviously demonstrated, year in and year out, how massively committed they are. At the same time, that’s not an open blank checkbook, either.’
Prediction: Hal Steinbrenner opens his checkbook and signs Bellinger, but nothing close to the pricetag Tucker is seeking.
Are the Toronto Blue Jays done spending?
Nope, they’ve got the itch now, and believe they can get back to the World Series with a loaded and deep starting rotation.
Prediction: The Blue Jays sign free agent right fielder Kyle Tucker and closer Robert Suarez, too, while letting shortstop Bo Bichette walk.
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