MLB Rumour Roundup: Where things stand with top free agents

With spring training on the horizon and Opening Day not far behind, a number of prominent free agents remain without a team for 2026.

While it’s not unusual for MLB’s off-season to linger into January and February, this winter’s market has been an especially slow burn — particularly at the top end. Even after Alex Bregman inked a $175-million deal with the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, five of this year’s FanGraphs top-10 free agents remain unsigned, with pitchers and catchers set to report in less than a month.

However, things could be set to change, as recent days have seen a few logs tossed on the hot stove when it comes to the free agencies of Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette and Cody Bellinger.

Perhaps most notably among the trio of impact hitters was the fresh reporting that surfaced Tuesday around the Tucker sweepstakes.

The Athletic‘s Will Sammon wrote that the New York Mets have “held multiple video meetings with Tucker within the last week” and that they are offering the outfielder $120 to $140 million for three years. Additionally, Fansided‘s Robert Murray reported that the Mets extended a short-term offer worth $50 million per year.

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When comparing New York’s bid to the “long-term offer” the Toronto Blue Jays have put forth to Tucker, per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, while considering that he has reportedly also met with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the (multi) million-dollar question then becomes: What is the 29-year-old seeking in his first trip to the open market?

The answer could hold the key to Tucker’s ultimate landing spot, but according to the New York Post‘s Mike Puma, the Mets aren’t expecting a decision to come until “at least Thursday.”

As that decision draws closer, the rumour mill continues to churn with teams eager to bolster their rosters before returning to the diamond. Here’s a roundup of the latest buzz from across MLB.

Phillies considered Bichette’s ‘most serious suitor’ after meeting

Tucker isn’t the only free agent making the rounds in the new year, as Bichette met with the Philadelphia Phillies on a video call on Monday, a development that appears to have shifted the star shortstop’s market.

According to The Athletic‘s Matt Gelb, the two sides left the meeting with “optimism,” and rival clubs are beginning to view the Phillies as Bichette’s “most serious suitor.”

One key differentiator for the Phillies, per Gelb, is their willingness to extend beyond six years to sign the longtime Blue Jay, a strategy the club and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski have frequently employed to land top free agents.

A pair of recent examples came in the last four years, when Philadelphia gave Trea Turner an 11-year contract and retained starter Aaron Nola on a seven-year deal to get both agreements over the finish line.

As is always the case in free agency, though, one phone call can change anything, and Bichette’s market extends beyond Philadelphia.

USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale wrote Tuesday that the Boston Red Sox “are expected to aggressively pursue Bichette” after losing Bregman to Chicago. The New York Yankees are reportedly in the mix, as well, per the New York Post‘s Jon Heyman, as the Bronx Bombers survey the market, should they miss out on a reunion with Cody Bellinger.

Speaking of the Bellinger reunion…

One of this off-season’s most widely assumed outcomes has been Bellinger returning to the Bronx, after his one season in pinstripes resulted in an .813 OPS and 29 homers.

But the two sides have been unable to align on contract length, with the Yankees reportedly offering five years and Bellinger seeking seven.

Heyman provided an update on Tuesday, reporting that the parties “continue to talk into this week” and that New York has tried to enhance its proposal by adding an opt-out and excluding any deferred money from the contract.

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Nightengale wrote that the Yankees are justifying their five-year offer due to the fact that no position-player free agent has received a longer deal and because their bid would make Bellinger the fourth-highest paid outfielder in the sport.

Bellinger, 30, and his agent, Scott Boras, however, are pushing for the longer contract because the former MVP is younger than the other free agents who signed earlier this winter.

Giants ‘aggressively pursuing’ trade for second baseman

Already boasting an infield that includes Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman, the San Francisco Giants are reportedly trying to round out the group with an upgrade at the keystone spot.

ESPN‘s Jeff Passan reported Tuesday that the Giants are “aggressively pursuing a second baseman” and have been engaged in trade talks with the St. Louis Cardinals for Brendan Donovan and with the Chicago Cubs for Nico Hoerner.

Donovan has been one of this off-season’s most discussed trade chips. The soon-to-be 29-year-old is coming off his first career all-star appearance and has proven to be a consistent presence in the Cardinals lineup through his four big-league seasons.

With two years of team control remaining and St. Louis shipping out most of its established veterans, Donovan has been rumoured to be available for most of the winter. The Red Sox and Seattle Mariners have also been reported as suitors for his services.

Hoerner, meanwhile, appears to be a relatively new addition to the trade block. After landing Bregman to hold down the hot corner in Chicago, the Cubs could shift 24-year-old Matt Shaw from third to second base following an uneven rookie season, potentially making Hoerner expendable.

The 28-year-old is coming off a 2025 season in which he hit .297 with 29 stolen bases and continued to perform as one of the top second-base defenders in baseball.

With just one year remaining on a three-year, $35-million extension signed in 2024, Hoerner would likely cost less in a potential trade than Donovan.

Quick hits

• After losing Bregman, the Red Sox have shown interest in free-agent third baseman Eugenio Suárez, according to Sean McAdam and Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Boston reportedly checked in on Suárez ahead of last season’s trade deadline.

• The Detroit Tigers are exploring the starting-pitching market and have talked with free agents Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito, per a report from The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal and Sammon on Saturday. However, the Tigers may be less likely to make an addition if they lose their arbitration case against Tarik Skubal, who filed for $32 million versus the club’s $19 million submission.

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NBA Rumour Roundup: How does Morant market look after Young deal?

If the anti-climactic Trae Young trade was any indication, the market for undersized guards with undeniable offensive capabilities but glaring defensive deficiencies certainly doesn’t favour the seller.

It’s not enough to be a one-way player in the NBA anymore — coaching staffs are getting better at hunting mismatches as players are too strong or fast or skilled not to garner advantages in favourable matches — and guys like Young routinely find themselves on the wrong side of a one-on-one or switch.

So, with Ja Morant‘s name coming up in trade rumours, it’s worth wondering what the market for him even looks like, considering his similarly small stature, defensive ineptitude, and susceptibility to injury.

The fuss around the league with less than a month to go until the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline is that Morant will be the next all-star to get moved. On Friday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Memphis Grizzlies are entertaining offers for the high-flying point guard, and the noise has only grown in recent days.

Charania added that the Grizzlies would prioritize draft picks and young players in return, potentially positioning them for a rebuild as they approach the mid-season mark at 17-22 and 10th in the Western Conference, without a real path to contention in the near future.

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However, much like Young, the market may not be as impressive as one might have expected two or three years ago.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Grizzlies are hoping for at least one first-round pick for Morant, but it’s no sure thing after seeing Young go to Washington in a salary dump without any draft compensation involved.

“They got four firsts and a swap for Desmond Bane, and (the Grizzlies are) hoping for one first for Ja Morant,” Stein said on the All NBA Podcast. “It just tells you that small guards, no matter how electric, if they’re not known for playing defence, and if they’re not known for availability, the market’s gonna be limited.”

According to Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, the Grizzlies would also be willing to take on bad contracts if it means they get picks or young players in return, sweetening the pot for any team willing to take Morant.

With that low a price, the market should be flush with teams looking to acquire the 26-year-old, but with a $39-million price tag this season and two more years under contract above $40 million, plenty of teams may not want to cuff themselves to a player that hasn’t proven to be able to win, let alone stay healthy.

So, who are the teams to watch for Morant? Unlike the shock move for Young, where he’ll head up a rebuild in Washington, the suitors for Morant appear to be past that point. According to FS1’s Rachel Nichols, Morant’s preferred destination would be Miami, while NBA insider Jake Fischer and Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel both reported that the Milwaukee Bucks could be a team in the running as they look to salvage the Giannis Antetokounmpo era. Additionally, Charania mentioned on NBA Today on Tuesday that the Sacramento Kings may be interested.

Stein also indicated that the Raptors could be a team to make a play for Morant, as the belief among rival teams is that there’s win-now pressure surrounding the front office, but his statistical fall-off this season — averaging 19 points, 3.2 rebounds and 7.6 assists while shooting 40.1 per cent from the field and 20.8 per cent from three — may not be appealing enough of an upgrade over current PG Immanuel Quickley.

Regardless, the sea change in the NBA’s trade market has been clear. Gone are the days of blockbuster packages for assumed superstars — players who can sell tickets but not necessarily win games. The idea of what a winning player is has changed, and the market has adjusted… drastically.

If Morant is gone, is Jaren Jackson Jr. the next domino?

While the Morant market might not net the Grizzlies an ideal return as they move into another possible rebuild, a potential Jaren Jackson Jr. trade would likely garner a much more appealing package.

The three-time all-defence forward signed a five-year, $240-million contract in the off-season, and though he’s averaging only 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks — a step down from his marks over the past three seasons — his ability as a stretch big with above-average rim-protection ability should be appealing to any contender.

Yahoo! Sports’ Kelly Iko reported Monday that, while the Grizzlies may still choose to move forward with Jackson Jr. as the team’s centrepiece, it’s also possible that he could be the next domino to fall with intriguing production from youngsters like Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.

According to Fischer, rival teams are monitoring his situation and hoping that he also asks out, with the Toronto and Atlanta testing “Memphis’ resolve for keeping Jackson,” with the market for high-level bigs getting murkier following Anthony Davis‘s hand injury.

Where do Raptors stand with Quickley?

With the Toronto Raptors firmly in a playoff spot at fourth in the Eastern Conference, and with some clear needs at the point guard and centre spots, it stands to reason that they’ll be buyers come the deadline.

However, their current contract situation, particularly as it concerns Quickley, could cut down on their options over the next month.

The 26-year-old guard is on the books for $32.5 million per year until the end of the 2028-29 season, and his production hasn’t exactly lived up to that number. He’s averaging 16.5 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 42.3 per cent from the field and a below-league average 34.7 per cent from three.

According to Fischer, the Raptors had checked in on Domantas Sabonis, but the Sacramento Kings had no interest in taking back the contracts of either Quickley or centre Jakob Poeltl, who’s on the books for three more years at an average of $28 million per year.

Additionally, the Raptors were a contender in the Young sweepstakes before his trade to Washington, with the team building a package around Quickley and draft capital, per Fischer. However, the Hawks also had no interest in taking back the Raptors guard because of the remaining salary.

So, while it seems the Raptors have gauged the market on the guard, the list of takers is small if not nonexistent, which limits their options to buy without parting with guys like RJ Barrett come the deadline.

Fastbreaks

• Lakers on the lookout: On the back of a 5-5 stretch, the Los Angeles Lakers once again look like a team ready to make a change to help them tip-toe the line between LeBron James’ twilight year(s) and Luka Doncic’s prime. According to Fischer, the Lakers have been monitoring the Jonathan Kuminga situation in Golden State as a 23-year-old wing who could make sense with Doncic in the long run. More drastically, perhaps, is a potential interest in Jackson Jr., with James’ agent Rich Paul suggesting on the Game Over Podcast that the Lakers should trade Austin Reaves for the Grizzlies forward.

• Davis still on the market: Davis’s market seemed to dry up after the oft-injured big man suffered a hand injury, even though it won’t need surgery, according to the team. And because of that shortened recovery time, Charania reported that the Mavericks have therefore continued to gauge the market on their big man, with “multiple interested teams.” Among that group, the Hawks and Raptors are the “foremost” interested parties, per Charania on Wednesday. Davis remains in line to return at some point this season and could possibly help a contender, though his continued struggles with injuries may lower his price tag for interested parties.

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Canadian men to host Uzbekistan in friendly in Edmonton on June 1

The Canadian men’s soccer team is returning to Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium, although this time it’s for a game in June not November.

“So we’re fairly confident snow pants won’t be a requirement,” quipped Arlindo Gomes, vice-president of business development and venues management for Explore Edmonton.

Canada’s last game at Commonwealth was an infamous 2-1 frigid win over Mexico in a November 2021 World Cup qualifier before 44,212 hardy fans. According to Environment Canada, the game-time temperature was at minus-9 C, with a wind chill of minus-14 C.

Canadian defender Sam Adekugbe went viral after throwing himself into a snowbank after Cyle Larin scored to give Canada a 2-0 lead. The stadium was quickly dubbed Estadio “Iceteca,” after Mexico’s iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

“An amazing environment,” said Canada coach Jesse Marsch, who watched the game from Europe with then-coach John Herdman running the Canadian sideline.

Expect more comfortable conditions when Canada hosts Uzbekistan on June 1 as part of its final preparations for the FIFA World Cup. Marsch expects a sellout at the 56,400-capacity Edmonton venue.

It will be the penultimate warm-up for the 27th-ranked Canadian men, who will wrap up their preparations with a June 5 or 6 game in Montreal against a yet-to-be announced opponent in the June 1-9 international window.

Co-host Canada opens World Cup play in Group B on June 12 against a European qualifier in Toronto before heading west to host No. 54 Qatar and No. 17 Switzerland on June 18 and 24, respectively, in Vancouver.

Uzbekistan, ranked 50th in the world, will make its World Cup debut this summer in Group K alongside No. 6 Portugal, No. 13 Colombia and the winner of an Intercontinental playoff featuring No. 56 Congo DR, No. 70 Jamaica and No. 150 New Caledonia.

Marsch is currently holding a camp for out-of-season players in California ahead of a friendly Saturday against No. 94 Guatemala in Los Angeles. It’s the first meeting between the two since the Central Americans knocked Canada out of the Gold Cup in a quarterfinal penalty shootout in Minneapolis last June.

After the Guatemala games, Canada’s next outings will be a pair of games in Toronto in the March 23-31 FIFA window against yet-to-be announced opposition.

The Uzbekistan friendly comes two days after the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest, which could make for some challenging travel for Canada captain Alphonso Davies, an Edmonton native, if Bayern Munch makes the championship game.

Marsch said he hopes Davies makes the Champions League final, adding “I can’t imagine a world where even after that he doesn’t find a way to get to Edmonton as soon as possible.

“As our captain, and at home in Edmonton, we’re going to make sure that Alphonso’s there and that he’s on the pitch at some point.”   

The Edmonton game also falls on FIFA’s deadline for teams to declare their final World Cup roster.

A natural grass pitch will be laid for the Uzbekistan game. Asked if the grass will remain at Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack deflected the question, saying “Still some details to be worked out on that.”

The CFL’s Elks referred the question to city officials. Canada Soccer did not immediately respond to a question about the future of the grass.

Canada will hold a pre-tournament camp in North Carolina around the June international window.

It will mark the second time Canada and Uzbekistan have faced off. The Canadian men defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 in June 2016 a friendly in Bad Waltersdorf, Austria.

Uzbekistan and Canada have both risen up the rankings in recent years with Uzbekistan at No. 96 in September 2018 and Canada at No. 120 in January 2017.

“I think their trajectory is very similar to ours,” Marsch told a media availability in Irvine, Calif. “So we think it’s a good team. It does now represent a bit of a similar playing style to Qatar. A really good challenge and a really good team so I think it will be great preparation for us.”

Uzbekistan split a pair of games in Asian World Cup qualifying with Qatar winning 3-2 at home (on a 112th-minute goal) and losing 3-0 away.

Uzbekistan, known as the White Wolves, is coached by former Italian star defender Fabio Cannavaro, a four-time World Cup participant and 2006 winner. Cannavaro took over from former Uzbek international Timur Kapadze in October after the team had qualified.

Uzbekistan had come close previously to qualifying but fell just short in continental qualifiers for both Germany 2006 and Brazil 2014. It booked its ticket by finishing runner-up to Iran in its third-round AFC qualifying group, finishing above the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea.

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Grizzlies’ Zach Edey to miss six more weeks with ankle injury

Zach Edey isn’t coming back any time soon.

The Memphis Grizzlies announced Wednesday that the Canadian big man will be out at least six more weeks due to a stress reaction in his left ankle.

Based on the recommendations of consulting experts, Edey is going to continue his current plan of offloading and rehabilitation, and will be reevaluated in six weeks.

Edey, 23, was diagnosed with the injury on Dec. 11 and has not played since.

The seven-foot-three big man is averaging 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks over 11 games in his sophomore season.

Edey missed the first 13 games of the 2025-26 schedule while recovering from off-season surgery on his left ankle.

The Toronto-born centre finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting last season after playing in 66 games.

Memphis will also remain without the services of another Canadian, as the team announced Wendesday that Brandon Clarke is out another four to six weeks with a right calf strain.

The Grizzlies sit 10th in the Western Conference with a 17-22 record.

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Back on the grind, Nick Taylor opens PGA Tour season with title defence in Hawaii

Nick Taylor has been the most dramatic winner on the PGA Tour the last three seasons, with each of his triumphs since 2023 coming in playoffs.

But before he headed to the Sony Open in Hawaii to defend his 2025 title, Taylor told Sportsnet.ca it’s been his consistency of which he’s most proud.

“It’s certainly something I never take for granted,” Taylor said by phone before beginning his 2026 campaign on Thursday in Oahu, Hawaii. “It’s pretty wild to look back at the last three years, and to win each year has been pretty remarkable.” 

Taylor defeated Nico Echavarria on the second extra hole last year at the Sony Open after chipping in for eagle on the par-5 18th in regulation to force the playoff. His Sony Open triumph was his fifth win on the PGA Tour — far and away the most among this generation of Canadian male stars. 

Waialae Country Club has been a happy hunting ground for Taylor, who has now gone T7-T7-win in his last three spins around the storied venue, one of the PGA Tour’s longest-standing host clubs. 

Although Taylor had just three top-10 finishes in 2025 on Tour, the other two high finishes came in signature events. He also finished just one shot back of another top 10 at the RBC Canadian Open. 

For the second time in three years, Taylor also made it to the season-ending Tour Championship, where just the top 30 on the FedExCup standings get to tee it up. 

“It’s close to the top of the pyramid when it comes to reflecting a great year and a consistent year,” Taylor said of earning his way into the season finale. “To keep up the consistent play and make it to the Tour Championship, it’s a feeling of satisfaction because it’s just the 30 top guys on the PGA Tour. 

“It’s the cherry on top of the season knowing you put together a nice body of work from the entire 12 months.” 

If there was one point of negativity on Taylor’s resume over the last half-decade, it has been his performance at the major championships. He made the cut at the 2020 Masters (the one played in November) but went on to miss eight major cuts in a row before finding the weekend again at the Masters last spring. 

Taylor then missed the cut at the PGA Championship but finished T23 at the U.S. Open at Oakmont, his best-ever major result. 

“It wasn’t amazing, but breaking the streak of missed cuts was Step 1 and I felt like I was borderline competitive at the U.S. Open. There were a lot of steps in the right direction, but each major I’ve played there were slightly higher comfort levels, which is important,” Taylor said. “They are difficult golf tournaments with tough fields. I’m going to enjoy them and go in with the goal to win.” 

Another thing that’s back on Taylor’s radar is the potential to make the Presidents Cup team for the International side, with this year’s competition taking place at Medinah Country Club in Chicago. Taylor won early in 2024, but he struggled through the balance of the year — including missing the cut in his title defence at the Canadian Open — and was ultimately left off the team that played in Montreal and was captained by Mike Weir. 

He said his motivation to play well at the majors and ultimately try to make the Presidents Cup team this time around is high. 

The start of 2026, however, has been odd from a regular-routine perspective. With the regular season opener, the Sentry, cancelled due to course conditions and the ensuing extra week of winter-time holidays, this may be the latest Taylor has started his PGA Tour season, he said. It’s been a nice extended break, however. In 2025, he said, his family left for the first event of the year just three days after Christmas. 

Taylor played two events in the four months following the Tour Championship last August — he missed the cut at the World Wide Technology Championship before notching a top-20 finish at the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the DP World Tour — and admitted this long time away has been “a bit foreign” to most of the guys on the PGA Tour since they’re used to being on all the time. 

“It feels like a long summer break from school,” Taylor said with a laugh. 

Taylor said one thing he’s eager to do again is get a few updated temperature checks about the goings on of the PGA Tour — and there will be plenty to say when the first full-field event of the year starts up Thursday. The Tour just reinstated Brooks Koepka — returning after three years with LIV Golf — and there has been plenty of smoke around what the new-look PGA Tour will be starting in 2027 under the new CEO leadership of Brian Rolapp. 

“The 2027 season (will have) some pretty significant changes. I’m curious, but I can only control what I can control. If I get back to what I’m doing and if I keep playing as well as I am, I’ll be on the right side of it,” Taylor said. “But it’s not something I’m going to tune out because there is too much noise. I like to gossip about the Tour like the next person.”

This year, though, begins anew Thursday with the Canadian the first defending champion of the season. Taylor is a veteran now, and he said it’ll be nice to get his band back together and back into the same kind of routine he’s had for the last decade and a half. 

He’s made a habit of winning lately, too. And he’d like nothing more than for that trend to continue. 

Perhaps, however, with a little less drama. 

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