MLB Rumors: Cardinals could make dramatic changes to catcher room for next year

Speaking of another team facing a dramatic rebuild, the St. Louis Cardinals are expected to make decisive changes, especially in their starting rotation this winter. Elsewhere on the roster, the catcher position could get a major overhaul, too.

Starting catcher Willson Contreras dazzled in his first year with the Cards, proving his value on both offense and defense after a seven-year stint in Chicago. Behind Contreras, however, Andrew Knizner and Iván Herrera are two names that could be competing for a spot in 2024.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold said of Knizner and Herrera's future, "Their overlapping careers meant competition between the Cardinals' current catchers, Knizner and Herrera, for playing time would be inevitable. Barring a trade, that contest is developing. With Contreras on the injured list, the remaining games are theirs to split. One of the most compelling competitions of spring has a preview during this fall."

The rest of the 2023 season could effectively determine which catcher stays and which catcher goes. Contreras will likely retain his starting spot for next season, but the vacant backup role could go to either the 28-year-old Knizner or 23-year-old Herrera -- but not both, Goold suggests.

With six games to go in the regular season, the backup catcher battle for 2024 is already underway. The winner gets to stay in St. Louis, and the loser gets shopped for compensation that could help the Cards shore up other parts of the roster.

MLB Rumors: Giants get 'damaged' rep for their handling of free agent pitchers

The San Francisco Giants are having a mediocre year turned more sour by the latest MLB rumors. According to The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly, some league members believe the Giants have "damaged" their reputation when it comes to plucking players from the free agent pitching market.

Per Baggarly, a few examples of the way the Giants may have mismanaged their free agent pitching acquisitions lie in the season trajectories of Alex Wood, Sean Manaea, and Ross Stripling. Those three noticeably underperformed in the spring, and the Giants responded by demoting them and placing them in bulk relief roles.

Outfielder Mitch Haniger also saw his playing time get cut short and was recently sent to the bench after an injury-related decline in his performance. Haniger received $43.5 million this past offseason.

The Giants' handling of their free agent signings has elicited scorn from the rest of the league. Baggarly writes that some anonymous league higher-ups view "the Giants' atypical usage patterns with both pitchers and hitters" as something that will make it "difficult to cultivate trust with players they attempt to sign this winter."

San Francisco's tendency to give up on their free agent signings when the going gets tough increases the pressure on those players, effectively making them feel like rookies who need to play to a certain standard to keep their roster spot.

The Giants will continue scouring for free agent gems this winter as they do any winter, but rumblings of their questionable player management may have the marquee pitcher targets (ahem, Ohtani) looking elsewhere.

MLB Rumors: A rumored Juan Soto blockbuster trade to Red Sox

Padres star Juan Soto's future could see him joining the Red Sox in Fenway Park, assuming San Diego makes the choice to deal him.

After a disastrous 2023 season, the Padres may be on the brink of losing not only Soto but other key starters like Blake Snell and Josh Hader, creating a daunting task for A.J. Preller to rebuild a playoff-contending team. To avoid breaking the piggy bank on Soto, maybe the Padres opt to trade the star slugger less than two years since he arrived in San Diego -- and if so, maybe the Padres find a desirable suitor in the Boston Red Sox.

As Sports Illustrated's Patrick McAvoy writes, the Red Sox could have interest, along with the rest of the MLB, naturally. McAvoy said, "If the Red Sox want to take another step forward, adding someone of Soto's caliber with Rafael Devers could immediately catapult the Red Sox up the standings. Boston has a deep farm system and could meet any asking price from the Padres."

Boston may also consider dealing its own star Alex Verdugo this offseason, so the compensation for Soto could end up working in the Padres' favor.

Soto is set to be a free agent after next season, and at just 24 years old, the three-time All-Star may indeed be the hottest commodity in baseball this winter. If the Padres are looking for certain qualities in a potential suitor, the Red Sox may check all the boxes.