December’s almost upon us, with just one week remaining until the yearly baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando. These four days are the offseason’s most active stretch, filled with trades, free agent signings, and buzz. Until then, here are some of the latest whispers from Sunday’s Hot Stove.
Regarding the Yankees’ outfield plans, the New York Post reports the team sees Kyle Tucker more as a backup option for Cody Bellinger rather than the reverse. Although Bellinger is expected to come at a reasonable cost this offseason, he offers greater defensive versatility and is already familiar to the Yankees after a solid stint with them last year. New York continues to target top-tier outfield free agents after Trent Grisham accepted a qualified offer worth $22,025,000. Signing either Bellinger or Tucker could make Yasson Dominguez expendable. Once the Yankees’ top prospect, Dominguez completed his first full MLB season in 2025 but was often benched in critical moments in favor of Bellinger, Grisham, or Aaron Judge.
The Boston Red Sox, after acquiring Sonny Gray, are zeroing in on bolstering their offense, which ranked 15th in home runs last year, with plans to bring in multiple hitters. The team shows interest in reuniting with Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman and may also pursue a second hitter like Jorge Polanco. The Red Sox want right-handed corner infielders to balance their often left-handed lineup and may add two batters while potentially trading an outfielder such as Wylier Abreu or Jalen Duran. The Gray trade likely marks just the start of the Red Sox’s offseason moves, with bigger changes possibly on the horizon.
Contract talks between the Milwaukee Brewers and star right-hander Jacob Misiorowski have not advanced significantly, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Misiorowski isn’t scheduled for free agency until the 2031-32 offseason, so there’s no rush, but the earlier Milwaukee secures a deal, the more cost-effective it will be. Long-term deals with pitchers less than a year into their tenure are rare; only three pitchers in the last 15 years have had such extensions. For a small-market team like Milwaukee, early extensions are crucial to keeping talents like Misiorowski beyond their rookie contracts.
Fan Take: This offseason’s moves highlight the strategic chess game teams play to build competitive rosters, balancing cost, talent, and team chemistry. Fans should watch closely as these developments could reshape lineups and influence the balance of power in Major League Baseball for years to come.
