The MLB free agent market is heating up as the offseason is in full swing. Some of the major deals go down before MLB Winter Meetings each year. Here’s taking a look at two big rumors doing the rounds ahead of the meet next week.
San Francisco Giants looking to sign Tatusya Imai
Tatsuya Imai made headlines on Monday, stating in an interview with the Daisuke Matsuzaka on the show, “Hodo Station”, that he has no intentions of signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Instead he feels it will be a greater honor to beat the Japanese supersar trio of Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on his way to a title.
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What better place to do it from than from the Dodgers’ perennial rivals, the San Francisco Giants. On November 20, during a segment on the MLB Network, insider Jon Morosi claimed that Imai was the “perfect player” for the Giants. He feels that he would be a correct #2 to back up ace Logan Webb.
“They need a co-star alongside Logan Webb in that rotation, and I believe that Imai would be a great complement,” Morosi said.
Imai is a career 3.45 ERA pitcher in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league with a 58-45 record. But he had a career season in 2025, pitching to a 1.92 ERA over 163.2 innings and earning 178 strikeouts.
Robert Suarez on New York Mets’ radar
The New York Mets lost Edwin Diaz to free agency after the superstar closer opted out of his 5-years, $102 million contract after his third season. The team is assessing their options with former San Diego Padres reliever Robert Suarez, who opted out a contract of his own, a potential pick.
Suarez has earned consecutive All-Star appearances for the Padres. The Venezuelan professional also recorded the highest saves in the regular season in 2025 with 40. In four seasons with the club, he has cumulative 5.8 bWAR in just 210.0 innings pitched.
Despite on the wrong side of the 30s, approaching his age-35 season, Suarez’s velocity hasn’t been compromised. He has a 98.6 mph average fastball and had a high 27.9% strikeout rate. He also has had good performances in October, with a 2.45 ERA in 14.2 innings pitched. The Mets are the first team connected to him this winter.
Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy
