News & Rumors: The Crawfish Boil 12/15/2025

SB Nation

The latest news and rumors for the Houston Astros and from around MLB – it’s in here! Today’s offseason Crawfish Boil for December 15, 2025:

How bad did former Mets closer Edwin Diaz want a chance to win a World Series? Take a look at this contract info from MLB Insider Jon Heyman:

That’s a good amount of deferred money, and a conditional option that kicks in if the following happens per Ronald Blum of the AP:

Los Angeles has a $6.5 million conditional team option for 2029 with no buyout. The option could be exercised if he has a specified injury through the end of the 2028 season and he does not end the season or postseason healthy, or if he has a specified surgery.

If the conditional option is exercised, he could earn $2.5 million in performance bonuses for 2029 based on games finished: $750,000 each for 45 and 50 games and $1 million for 55.

Former GM Jim Bowden thinks the Seattle Mariners make the best fit for St. Louis Cardinals’ IF/OF Brendan Donovan:

Bowden also thinks the Baltimore Orioles are about to make a big move for starter:

Former Mets GM Steve Phillips believes his old team has set their sights on Padres’ fireballing reliever Mason Miller and White Sox’ CF Luis Robert Jr.

New Astros SP Ryan Weiss joined the Crush City Territory podcast and spoke about coming back to the United States and more:

The Minnesota Twins have a new 1B:

Bell was once upon a time part of the 1B free agent crop with Jose Abreu and Anthony Rizzo. Since then, Bell has struggled to look anything like the player he was in Pittsburgh in 2019, or the player he was in Washington in 2021-22.

Bell has since bounced from Cleveland to Miami to Arizona and back to Washington – where he spend the 2025 season. Last season, Bell hit .237 with a .325 OBP and .741 OPS. Bell finished with 22 HR and 63 RBI in 468 AB, good for a 110 OPS+.

Bell got a 1-year, $7M deal with a mutual option for 2027.

Former Rangers OF Adolis Garcia has a new home, and it’s in the City of Brotherly Love:

Garcia’s presence in Philadelphia almost assuredly means that OF Nick Castellanos will have a new home in 2026 as well, since Garcia is expected to replace Castellanos in RF.

Garcia signed a 1-year, $10M deal, and Castellanos is in the final year of a deal that will pay him $20M this season.

Garcia had a second straight down season in Arlington in 2025 after helping to lead the Rangers to their first ever World Series title in 2023. Garcia batted .227 with a woeful .271 OBP and subpar .665 OPS, finishing the season with 19 HR and 75 RBI in 507 AB.

Castellanos, never considered the plus defender that Garcia is, is also coming off a subpar season that saw him hit .250 with a .294 OBP and .694 OPS, with 17 HR and 72 RBI in 547 AB.

It seems likely the Phillies will have to pay down some of Castellanos’ contract to move him.

Rangers GM Chris Young stated he is not interested in moving star SS Corey Seager:

It is worth noting that often times, when a team denies shopping/listening on a player they have been reportedly shopping/listening on, it’s usually their way of telling other teams through the media that they haven’t received an offer to their liking.

The Dodgers have reportedly told SP Tyler Glasnow that he is not going anywhere this offseason as well:

In Glasnow’s case, reports had been that the team would be willing to include him in a potential trade for 2x Cy Young Award Winner Tarik Skubal. This may indicate the Dodgers are no longer pursuing Skubal.

A lot to unpack in Ken Rosenthal’s latest rumor mill piece:

Here’s a Cliff’s Notes version:

The Royals are looking for another OF. They are interested in Red Sox OF Jarren Duran, but think it would cost them Cole Ragans whom they value more.
The Royals are also interested on Cardinals IF/OF Brendan Donovan but the Mariners and Giants are the frontrunners there, per Katie Woo of The Athletic.
The Diamondbacks are still seeking to move All-Star 2B Ketel Marte, and are likely seeking young pitching in return. (Marte’s 5 team no-trade list includes the A’s, Yankees, Pirates, Giants and Cardinals. He gets 10 and 5 rights on the 10th day of the regular season which would allow him to block a deal to any team, so it stands to reason he will be moved before the season begins.)
Japanese star Munetaka Murakami’s destination remains a mystery as teams are equally amazed at his power and leery of his swing-and-miss rates.
The Brewers are open to trying newly-acquired reliever Angel Zerpa as a starter.

The Mets are still seeking a front-end starter and an OF/DH bat per Will Sammon of The Athletic:

The Mets are also being active in the trade market, reportedly willing to move Ronny Mauricio, Luisangel Acuna, and Mark Vientos. The team is also reportedly willing to move on from 2B/OF Jeff McNeil, SP David Peterson and SP Kodai Senga, but will not just dump them.

Sammon also reports a big name free agent signing is not off the board.