MLB Trade Rumors and News: White Sox make Machado offer, A’s determined to win over Murray

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• Do we finally have some headway in one of the biggest rumor mills this winter? The White Sox have offered Manny Machado an eight year deal, per report. The report also mentions that if the price is right and Machado is interested, the contract could extend past eight years, which as a person with commitment issues makes my skin crawl. Dear goodness all I want is a reprieve from this madness.
• The Mets’ new front office has made it abundantly clear that they are really trying to go for it this season as they added a two-year deal with the versatile Jed Lowrie to the list of moves they have made this offseason. The National League East is shaping up to be a bloodbath in 2019.
• Our Patrick Karraker has 10 storylines to follow throughout the rest of the MLB offseason, because he is also sick of this two-player circus that is ensuing.
• The Braves, still in the market for a corner outfielder, have been having some talks with one of the top outfielders still on the free agent market in A.J. Pollock. The Braves have been relatively quiet since signing Josh Donaldson and Brian McCann to a one year deals, but they could still be big movers this offseason before the dust settles.
• MLB would allow the Athletics to add Kyler Murray to their 40-man roster, thus opening up the arena of them offering Murray a major league contract. MLB is looking into whether or not the A’s tried to bait Murray into signing a deal with this as a pretense, but so far they haven’t found anything pointing towards the like. If I may wax poetics for a moment, this is pure insanity. Murray has never appeared in a single minor-league game, so the notion of him being placed on a 40-man, given money upfront, and then expected to perform at the top echelon of baseball not only feels like a delusion on grandeur, but is disrespectful to minor-league players who have to grind just to live in a studio apartment with five other guys.
• The Nationals, continuing the trend of National League East teams looking to contend, signed second baseman Brian Dozier to a one-year deal. The Nationals have been big players this offseason and if they were to re-sign Bryce Harper somehow, they would be among the favorites in the NL yet again.
• Cleveland has claimed pitcher A.J. Cole off of waivers from the Yankees.
• Jerry DiPoto is the type of person that I aspire to be with the amount of drive I wish I had, and it showed yet again as the Mariners signed Tim Beckham and Cory Gearrin to one year deals. One can only assume that Seattle is far from done this offseason with DiPoto at the helm.
• The Athletics are attempting to convince Kyler Murray to forgo NFL draft and join the team by any means possible. Andersen Pickard breaks down both sides of the coin on this one.
• Veteran pitcher and wear-er of many jerseys Jaime Garcia is reportedly retiring at the age of 32, which seems like the life to be honest.
• The Blue Jays have a new manager now and late last night, they waded into the free agency waters with the signing of reliever David Phelps to a one year deal with an option for a second year. Phelps missed all of 2018 after having Tommy John surgery, but could be a strong bounce-back candidate for Toronto.
• The Brewers lit the hot stove late Wednesday night by signing Yasmani Grandal — the best catcher on the free agent market — to a one-year, $18.25 million deal.
• The Dodgers have acquired veteran catcher Russell Martin from the Blue Jays, which was a very sneaky but very nicely done move, especially with Grandal off the market.
• The Mariners have brought back a familiar face in Dustin Ackley, as they signed the former No. 2 overall pick to a minor-league deal.
• The White Sox made their next calculated move when they signed Jon Jay to a one-year deal. Jay was not particularly good in 2018, especially at the plate, but it seems like his signing might have more to do with Chicago trying to lure Machado than any other baseball reasons.
• The White Sox also made a move earlier in the day to bolster their bullpen when then snagged Kelvin Herrera on a two-year deal with a club option for a third year. Herrerawas one of the more desirable targets at the trade deadline in 2018 and should give a big boost to Chicago’s bullpen.
• The Indians have acquired catcher Kevin Plawecki from Mets. It’s expected that the young catcher will take the place of Yan Gomes as one half of Cleveland’s backstop duo. Is Brodie trying to keep pace with Jerry Dipoto? Perhaps.
• The Mets have acquired J.D. Davis from the Astros in a five-player deal that sent three prospects to Houston. That’s two more infielders the Mets have swung a deal for, for those of you keeping score at home.
• The Yankees have signed DJ LeMahieu to a two-year, $24 million deal, per report.
• Mookie Betts and the Red Sox agreed to gigantic $20 million arbitration settlement. It was a record until Jacob deGrom smashed it hours later. Sorry Mookie.
• Someone was playing ‘Mario Kart’ on the Royals’ scoreboard.
• I went through all of the work that we here at MLB Daily Dish have done over the past year and put together a Best of 2018 that we thought you might enjoy. 2018 was a busy year here at the Dish, and we hope that you continue to enjoy the content here in 2019 and beyond.
• It sure stinks to be a free agent second baseman in 2019.