January 03, 2025 - BY Admin

MLB free agency: Corbin Burnes agrees to massive deal with Diamondbacks, Teoscar Hernández rejoining the Dodgers

MLB free agency is cruising right along, with many of the big names, including Juan Soto, off the board. But some impact players are still available, and the trade market has been active.


Here's a quick look at where things stand so far this offseason:


Teoscar Hernández rejoining the Dodgers

Teoscar Hernández is staying with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a few more years.


The outfielder and 2024 World Series champion agreed to a three-year, $66 million deal with Los Angeles, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal reportedly includes a fourth-year option for $15 million, a $23 million signing bonus and, as is common for the Dodgers now, around $23 million in deferred money.


The player provided confirmation on his Instagram story.


Hernández had one of the best year-to-year turnarounds in 2024, following a disappointing 2023 with the Seattle Mariners with a stellar performance as a Dodger. Hernández was brought to L.A. to help boost the Shohei Ohtani-led Dodgers into a championship-caliber team, a mission that was certainly successful.


Corbin Burnes signing with Diamondbacks

Corbin Burnes is headed to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and it wasn't cheap.


The 2021 Cy Young Award winner reportedly agreed to a six-year, $210 million deal with the Diamondbacks. Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported the agreement, which includes an opt-out for Burnes after two seasons.


Because Burnes, Yahoo Sports' No. 3-ranked free agent, turned down a qualifying offer from Baltimore, the Orioles will receive draft pick compensation from his new team.


The contract is the largest in Diamondbacks history. Burnes, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, will pitch for the local team after reportedly turning down offers from the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays.


Gleyber Torres heading to Detroit

Gleyber Torres has agreed to a one-year, $15 million deal with the Detroit Tigers. The 28-year-old second baseman has spent his entire seven-year career with the New York Yankees. Last season, he hit .257 with 15 home runs, 63 RBI and 80 runs scored in 154 games.


At first glance, this deal seems awfully low for a player of Torres’ track record and especially at his age, even if the sense in the industry was that the market could be on the cold side for the second baseman following his unremarkable final season with the Yankees. But Tigers GM Scott Harris acknowledged that Torres had larger offers available and instead chose the one-year pact with Detroit in hopes of reestablishing his value and hitting free agency again next winter.


If Torres benefits from the change of scenery after seven years in New York and shows meaningful strides on both sides of the ball, he should be in position to secure a more significant multi-year deal a year from now, when he’ll still be one of the younger free agents at 29.


First-base market moves quickly after slow start

The market for free-agent first basemen was noticeably slow until the week before Christmas.


The Houston Astros struck first with a reported three-year, $60 million deal to acquire free-agent Christian Walker, previously a standout bat for the Arizona Diamondbacks. That triggered a chain of moves, as the D-backs opted to replace Walker by trading for Cleveland Guardians All-Star Josh Naylor last weekend, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.


Then the Guardians reportedly signed old friend Carlos Santana for his third stint with the team. Santana spent last season with the Minnesota Twins, so we'll see if they do anything to respond. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees picked up former MVP Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year, $12.5 million deal.


The first-base market still isn't close to finished, as Pete Alonso and others remain available.