Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Hot Stove season is officially here and there are plenty of storylines to keep an eye on with free agency now open. As a result, we at MMO are going to attempt to keep you up to date with the latest rumors involving the New York Mets and the rest of MLB.

Yankees Focussed on Judge

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the New York Yankees are making re-signing Aaron Judge their biggest and most pressing priority this offseason. The slugger is the biggest prize available on the open market, especially after hitting 62 home runs in a historic 2022 season. After turning down a seven-year, $213.5 million contract from the Yankees last offseason, Judge will get a mega deal this time around and it seems as though his current employers are finally willing to give their face of the franchise what he wants.

Speaking to Meredith Marakovits of the YES Network, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner stressed that he will “do everything we can to make that happen” in regards to keeping Judge in pinstripes. Steinbrenner revealed he has had positive discussions with his superstar masher and it does appear that it will be the Yankees who will give Judge a blockbuster deal worth north of $36 million per season.

Mets Interested in Heaney / Lugo Attracting Interest

Bolstering pitching will be one of the biggest priorities for the Mets this winter and, per Tim Healey of Newsday, they are taking a look at LHP Andrew Heaney. The 31-year-old, who knows general manager Billy Eppler from their time with the Angels, posted a 3.10 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 14 starts with the Dodgers in 2022 on a prove-it deal. While not a flashy name, Heaney would give the Mets a much-needed lefty arm and he would provide some depth to the bottom of the rotation.

Meanwhile, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post, Seth Lugo is already attracting admiring glances from a number of teams with free agency only a few days old. The veteran has posted a 3.48 ERA in just shy of 500 innings of work for the Mets, and he’s established himself as an important part of the bullpen. Although the front office were successful in locking elite closer Edwin Diaz down to a new and historic contract, they have their work cut out in rebuilding this bullpen for the 2023 season.

Cubs Going Big Fish Hunting

Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Chicago Cubs have made contact with the agents for shortstops Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, and Dansby Swanson. Chicago has been in a rebuild but it seems clear that the franchise is serious about taking major strides forward in 2023. As such, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Cubs are already very active in the shortstop market, and it appears likely that they will sign one or two big free agents this winter.

White Sox After Murphy

It isn’t fun to be an Oakland A’s fan at the moment. The team is in a full-blown rebuild, they are trading assets like they are going out of fashion and, oh, the team could be relocating to Vegas. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, the A’s could be on the cusp of trading away another fan favorite with the Chicago White Sox one of several teams taking a hard look at Sean Murphy, per 670 The Score. The catcher is under team control as an arbitration-eligible player through 2025. He hit 18 home runs with 66 RBI in 2022 and is an excellent all-round catcher who will significantly upgrade the catcher position for most teams in the majors.

Angels Looking For More Pitching

The Angels chasing pitching is nothing new and that won’t change in 2023. Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Angels have checked in on RHP Kodai Senga. The soon-to-be 30-year-old has spent his entire career with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan, posting a 1.94 ERA in 144 innings with a 27.5% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate in 2022. It is believed the Cubs, Dodgers and Rangers are also interested in Senga, who is projected to be a very good middle of the rotation guy on a contender.

Astros Looking At Familiar Face For GM

The Houston Astros shocked the baseball world this week by parting company with general manager James Click, despite the fact he helped build the team that won the 2022 World Series days before. Never let anyone tell you sports isn’t a business. Anyway, Click reportedly had a poor relationship with owner Jim Crane, who is now looking to a familiar face to become his new GM. Per USA TODAY, the Astros have Orioles Assistant GM Sig Mejdal on their list of candidates. Mejdal spent 2012-18 with Houston and is said to have a strong relationship with Crane. Should he get the job, Mejdal will be inheriting an elite team that could well compete for another World Series in 2023. Watch this space.