This is the kind of week that can shake loose a few real clues about the offseason. Awards are rolling out, the GM Meetings are underway in Las Vegas, and with a lockout looking likely on Dec. 1, this may be the only stretch when so many front offices are in the same room before winter goes quiet.
One of the biggest names already drawing heat is Tarik Skubal. MLB Network reports the Padres have shown interest in the two-time Cy Young winner, a fit that makes sense on paper because San Diego badly needs rotation help.
Joe Musgrove, who hasn’t made a start since the 2024 postseason, and Randy Vásquez are the only rotation locks right now, and the club’s new ownership group appears ready to spend in its first offseason. Skubal stands as the offseason’s top free agent, and he’s also a Scott Boras client, which matters because top Boras free agents have historically gone to the highest offer regardless of situation.
Still, the Padres offer plenty: a strong team, a regular postseason presence, and San Diego.
Adrian Morejon is another pitcher generating attention, but his situation comes with a twist. The Athletic reports that clubs are looking at him as a starter, while Morejon would rather stay in the bullpen.
There were already whispers during the season that he wanted a shot to start in 2027. He came up as a starter in the minors and only stayed in relief because he was so overpowering in late innings.
That belief in his starter upside is why we ranked him as the offseason’s second-best free agent, even though the market may view him differently. Either way, he’s 28 and still has a lot of prime years ahead.
The Cubs, meanwhile, are aiming for volume in the rotation rather than one headline grab. The Athletic reports they hope to add three established starters this offseason, even though they are not expected to chase Skubal.
Their pitching depth chart is thin: of the nine pitchers who made at least nine starts for Chicago in 2027, seven are free agents. Ben Brown is still working back from a neck injury, and Edward Cabrera posted a 5.96 ERA before being sent to the bullpen.
Justin Steele is expected back from UCL surgery next year, but he also had a setback this summer and wasn’t able to return as hoped in September. Javier Assad and Jordan Wicks are more depth pieces than full-time rotation answers, so Chicago is expected to shop in the second and third tiers of the free-agent market.
The Mets are taking a different approach than they did a year ago. According to MLB.com, they are not planning a major overhaul after a rough 74-88 season that left them in last place in 2026.
The one real bright spot was the chance to give extended looks to rookies Carson Benge and Nolan McLean, who both finished in the top four of Rookie of the Year voting. That stands in contrast to last winter, when the Mets made major changes by moving on from Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo, only to slip from 83-79 in 2025 and a missed playoff berth on the final day to an even worse record this year.
In September, president of baseball operations David Stearns called the previous winter’s approach an “uncapped downside scenario,” which is executive-speak for “there was too much risk.”
Atlanta, for its part, is not planning to part with Ronald Acuña Jr. MLB Network reports the Braves are not interested in moving the former National League MVP, even though the offense has gone stale enough to make a core shakeup feel possible.
That said, the names most likely to stay put alongside Acuña are Drake Baldwin, Michael Harris II, and Matt Olson. The more obvious trade candidates are Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley.
Albies is entering the final season of a very team-friendly contract, while Riley still has six years left, which would make any move complicated.
And in Boston, there’s at least some uncertainty at shortstop. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow wouldn’t commit to Trevor Story as the starter there next season.
“We still have a ton of confidence in Trevor, but any decisions like that are going to take place between Trevor and me far before I speak to anything publicly,” Breslow told reporters, including the Boston Globe. The timing matters because shortstop Franklin Arias is one of the top prospects in the minors and is very likely to debut early next year.
That could put pressure on Story’s role, whether that means a utility job or something more drastic.
In Other News...
Jed Hoyer Is Sending Cubs Fans A Familiar Offseason Warning
The Cubs offseason is already taking shape with a familiar kind of restraint. Rather than diving into the top of the pitching market, the front office is being linked to a quieter plan that reflects both budget realities and the uncertainty hanging over the sport. Tarik Skubal would be the kind of arm that changes a rotation, but Chicago appears prepared to watch from the sidelines while bigger-spending clubs like the Dodgers and Mets set the pace.
Instead, the focus seems to be on more manageable moves, including trying to bring back pitchers such as Clay Holmes and David Peterson while exploring whether Adrian Morejon could be stretched into a starting role. The broader message from the GM Meetings was less about urgency than caution, a sign the Cubs may be waiting to see how the market and the labor situation develop before making their biggest decisions. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs May Be Losing A Dream Pitching Target At The Worst Time
The next MLB offseason already has the feel of something unusual, with collective bargaining talks looming and a likely owner-implemented lockout set to begin Dec. 2. If that happens, the usual winter rhythm could get thrown off, which is why the General Managers Meetings in November may end up carrying more weight than usual for clubs trying to get business done before the calendar gets turned upside down.
For the Cubs, that matters because one of the biggest pitching names on the market may be slipping out of reach. Tarik Skubal had been viewed as a potential dream target, but reports now indicate Chicago is not expected to be among the major bidders, a notable shift for a team that could have used a front-line arm if the market opened the way many expected. With the offseason already looking volatile, the Cubs may have to watch a premium opportunity move elsewhere before the real bidding even fully begins. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Brown Uncertainty Just Raised The Stakes For Cubs Free Agency
The Cubs already had a rotation puzzle on their hands entering the offseason, with multiple free agents to sort through and injury concerns lingering around the staff. Ben Brown only adds to the uncertainty. The right-hander has not resumed throwing after a recurring neck injury, and the possibility of surgery has put another layer of doubt over how Chicago approaches its pitching plans.
For a team trying to rebuild the rotation, Browns status matters because it changes the level of risk the front office has to manage. Chicago cannot afford to treat the staff as a finished project, and the latest update only reinforces the need for aggressive moves as the Cubs weigh how much help they need and how quickly they need it. [Read more 🡒]