2:29 PM ET Right-hander Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a five-year, $118 million contract, sources tell ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Wheeler was considered the prize of the free agency class among starting pitchers for teams who didn’t want to compete in stratospheric bidding for Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg. The Phillies,
MLB
7:00 AM ET Every free-agent class has its different strengths and weaknesses, and this winter brings a very strong group of starting pitchers. At the top of the heap, there are aces in Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg, followed by a strong group of mid-rotation starters that includes Hyun-Jin Ryu, Madison Bumgarner, Zack Wheeler, Dallas
5:51 AM ET The bidding for right-hander Zack Wheeler continues to progress toward resolution, with the Philadelphia Phillies seen by sources as the most potent bidders — and the Reds, White Sox and Rangers also involved. Wheeler, 29, is widely viewed in the industry as the best of the second tier of free agent starting
10:33 PM ET Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants and left-hander Tyler Anderson agreed to a one-year deal Tuesday, a day after the club declined to tender him a contract and made him a free agent. Anderson, who turns 30 on Dec. 30, was claimed off waivers from NL West-rival Colorado on
5:50 PM ET ESPN News Services NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole, the top pitcher on the free-agent market, was set to meet with New York Yankees officials in California on Tuesday. General manager Brian Cashman, manager Aaron Boone and new Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake made the trip to speak with the 29-year-old right-hander, according
2:34 PM ET Left-handed reliever Jake Diekman and the Oakland Athletics are in agreement on a two-year deal with a club option. A source familiar with the deal told ESPN’s Jeff Passan that the contract is for $7.5 million. The move comes a day after the A’s decided not to tender a contract to another
11:51 AM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Two players from Japan, Shun Yamaguchi and Ryosuke Kikuchi, have been made available to major league teams through the posting process. Clubs have until Jan. 2 (5 p.m. EST) to negotiate with them, Major League Baseball said Tuesday. Yamaguchi, a 32-year-old right-hander with the Yomiuri Giants, was
9:13 AM ET Some high-ranking club executives believe that third baseman Anthony Rendon will be the first of the mega-dollar free agents to come off the board this winter. Rendon has already had meetings with teams, including the Dodgers and Rangers, and before Rendon reached the open market, Washington made an offer in an effort
8:30 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” For the many thousands of hours executives have spent talking with their counterparts about potential trades since the end of the baseball season, there have been a grand total of four deals
9:54 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman figures he’ll either find himself back with the World Series champions next season — or out of baseball. “I think I’ve made my intentions pretty clear,” Zimmerman said Monday night, when he attended the premiere of a documentary about last season’s title.