The uncertain 2026-27 Major League Baseball offseason is fully underway. The ongoing CBA negotiations and the near certainty of an owner-implemented lockout on Dec. 1 loom over all, and it may indeed mean a flurry of trades and free agent signings leading up to that date. That was certainly the case leading up to the last lockout of 2021-22. As for the present moment, the General Manager Meetings in Las Vegas are underway, and since there may not be any Winter Meetings this offseason (thanks to the lockout), the GMs' pow-wow could instead be a locus of activity.
Thanks to that prospect of a hastened pace and the ongoing GM Meetings, offseason rumors are flowing. Speaking of which, we'll be here each day to round up what's out there. You can find Wednesday's supply just below.
Yankees interested in Bohm
The New York Yankees are eyeing an upgrade at third base given the prolonged struggles of Ryan McMahon, and free agent Alec Bohm may be a potential target for GM Brian Cashman, according to the New York Post. Bohm, 30, is coming off a subpar walk year for the Philadelphia Phillies, but he has a career OPS+ of 101 overall. He also fared much better in the second half, and his season-long numbers were dragged down by a terrible April. Bohm is not much of a fielder these days, but the Yankees may be willing to live with that if they determine he can provide an offensive upgrade.
As for McMahon, Cashman already conceded to looking for a replacement.
"He's signed through next year for us, but I definitely know we need to improve production in a lot of different spots on the club if we can," he told reporters on Tuesday. "So we'll be open-minded to finding what we can run into if it's there."
Skubal market continues to take shape
The market for ace Tarik Skubal, far and away the top free agent available this offseason, continues to pick up steam, and it may be that he signs his next contract before the owners lock out the players on Dec. 1. The Los Angeles Dodgers, who traded for Skubal leading up to the deadline, the New York Mets, the Chicago Cubs, and the San Diego Padres are known to have varying levels of interest in Skubal. Now, the New York Post reports, the Toronto Blue Jays have entered the fray and emerged as Skubal suitors.
As for the Dodgers, they indeed plan to meet with Skubal, GM Brandon Gomes said. There could be a twist in their pursuit, though; The Athletic reports that the Dodgers are interested in Skubal on a short-term deal, presumably with a higher AAV like they gave to Kyle Tucker. But given the uncertainty of the CBA, would Skubal be willing to sign a contract that has him back on the market in just a few years?
Mets top executive David Stearns, meanwhile, emphasized on Tuesday that he and the club are willing to offer lengthy contracts to pitchers but that circumstances matter. That, in theory, should allay fears that he's not prepared to make a significant offer.
Padres hoping for Pivetta reunion
The San Diego Padres not long ago declined their club option on right-handed starter Nick Pivetta. However, they may not mean a parting of ways for club and player. Padres lead decision-maker AJ Preller on Tuesday told reporters, including Marty Caswell, that the team hopes to work out a new agreement with Pivetta so that he can return to San Diego for the 2027 season and perhaps beyond. Pivetta enjoyed a standout season in 2025, but his 2026, while excellent while on the mound, consisted of just eight regular-season starts because of elbow problems.
Nationals getting trade interest in Dylan Crews
Dylan Crews, the 24-year-old outfielder for the Washington Nationals, has yet to reach the potential that made him the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2023. However, that ceiling is still there, and Crews is obviously young enough to realize his promise. Speaking of Crews, the Athletic reports that multiple teams have approached the Nats about Crews' availability in trade and that the Nats have not declared him off-limits. That of course doesn't mean a trade will happen, but a change of scenery for Crews may indeed be a winter possibility.
Mariners favoring Suzuki over Arozarena reunion
Outfielder Randy Arozarena was the Seattle Mariners' top player last season, and now he's a free agent. The M's, though, may not be interested in bringing back Arozarena and instead may be targeting fellow free agent outfielder Seiya Suzuki, the Seattle Times reports. Each veteran outfielder will be going into his age-32 season in 2027, and each produced at a high level in 2026.
Orioles not inclined to tear it down
After missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons and trading away catcher Adley Rutschman leading up to the 2026 deadline, the Baltimore Orioles seem like a teardown candidate on paper. However, president of baseball operations Mike Elias batted down talk of a major roster makeover. "A lot of our key, core players are very unlikely to go anywhere," Elias told the media, including the Baltimore Banner, at the GM Meetings.
