MLB Rumors: Bregman surprise suitor, Blue Jays drama, Eovaldi unlocked

As we approach the MLB Playoffs, there is also mounting anticipation for what will happen after the postseason. With Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes as the big-ticket free agents, this winter promises plenty of excitement as front offices navigate a saturated market. Several noteworthy names are bound to change teams, with some contenders in danger of collapse, while others fight vigilantly to take their spot.

Here are the latest MLB rumors on this fine hump day, a taste of what is to come.

MLB Rumors: Nathan Eovaldi vests 2025 player option with Rangers

Nathan Eovaldi went 4.2 innings in the Texas Rangers’ loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. It wasn’t his best night — the 35-year-old coughed up 11 hits, a couple walks, and seven earned runs in a loss — but it was enough to secure Eovadli key power over his future.

Eovadli reached the necessary innings total to vest his player option for the 2025 campaign, which is worth $20 million. Essentially, the two-time World Series champ can now opt in to another season with the Rangers. That does not, however, mean that Eovadli is a lock to remain in Arlington beyond 2024.

This has been another solid season of work for Eovadli, despite Wednesday’s stinker. He has an 11-8 record through 27 starts with a 3.96 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. He can still push the upper-90s on his fastball and he has invaluable postseason experience, which should drum up a market in free agency.

That being said, Eovadli may not exercise his player option. He could look for a long-term financial commitment instead, perhaps angling to finish his career with a more viable contender. The Rangers are reigning World Series champs, but this season has seen Texas’ roster fall apart at the seams. Currently 72-79 on the season, the Rangers are a distant third place in the AL West and far removed from the playoffs picture.

MLB Rumors: Blue Jays locker room is restless amid disastrous season

The Blue Jays’ dominant victory over Texas yesterday has Toronto seven games below .500 and dead last in the competitive AL East. After spending their offseason pursuing big-ticket free agent and trade candidates, such as Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, the Blue Jays ended up with a significantly worse team in comparison to their 2023 playoff squad.

The frustration has been palpable, both around the fandom and inside the locker room. The issues stretch beyond poor management in the front office and in the dugout. Players are struggling, with only a select few actually living up to preseason expectations. In a recent episode of his podcast, Blue Jays ace Chris Bassitt laid bare the frustrations mounting within the clubhouse.

“I think a lot of people are in the same boat as me,” Bassitt said (h/tToronto Star). “They have had bad years, comparatively, to what they should be. That’s not the front office’s fault. We, as players, have got to be a lot better and I think a lot of us know that.”

A lot of the discourse around Toronto has been directed toward GM Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider. This is completely justified, but it is important to criticize those on the field, too. Several Toronto “stars” have performed at career-worst levels. Take, for example, George Springer, whose OPS (.687) is down almost 50 points compared to last season and over 100 points worse than his All-Star campaign in 2022.

“At the end of the day, they’re not playing the game,”  Springer told reporters. “It’s my job to get a hit with a guy on second base, not Ross’ … I don’t think there’s anybody as frustrated as the guys in this locker room. I think we all expected to be better. We owe that to the fans.”

These feelings have been bubbling up all season. We all remembers the reports of Bo Bichette pining for a trade before the deadline. After what appeared to be a step in the right direction in 2023, Toronto’s entire mechanism has collapsed. It’s unclear how the organization can move forward, especially with a much-needed front office overhaul unlikely to occur.

Toronto is expected to pursue Juan Soto this winter, but assuming that does not happen, it will be exceedingly difficult to turn this ship around.