ORLANDO \u2014 There is a long hallway that links the Waldorf Astoria to the Signia by Hilton, and that hallway served as a main thoroughfare for Monday\u2019s opening day of baseball\u2019s Winter Meetings. The meetings are split between the hotels, and all day, baseball executives, agents and managers walked the route to and from.<\/p>\n
They looked busy.<\/p>\n
Their transactions suggested otherwise.<\/p>\n
As Day 1 broke for dinner on Monday night, the top of the free agent market remained frozen while the market\u2019s top trade chips remained unmoved. Thus far, only one of the Big Board\u2019s top 12 free agents<\/a> has signed, while aces Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta and Sandy Alcantara \u2014 among others \u2014 remain untraded.<\/p>\n So, there were lots of places to go on Day 1, but there was little movement of any consequence. Here\u2019s a Day 1 wrap-up:<\/p>\n Rendon expected to sit out 2026 season<\/p>\n One way or another, it seems Anthony Rendon has played his last game with the Los Angeles Angels.<\/p>\n Brittany Ghiroli reported on Monday that the Angels do not expect Rendon to play this season<\/a>, which will be the last of the now notorious seven-year, $245-million contract Rendon signed in December of 2019.<\/p>\n Rendon is owed $38 million next season and is currently rehabbing from his second hip surgery. There\u2019s a chance the team and player could agree to some sort of buyout that would pay Rendon his salary with deferrals on a more-team-friendly schedule \u2014 as other injured veterans have done in the past \u2014 but regardless, the Angels are building their roster with an assumption that they\u2019ll be without Rendon for the duration.<\/p>\n When Rendon signed with the Angels in 2019, he was coming off an MVP-type season with the Washington Nationals, but he\u2019s since played a total of 257 games, and he\u2019s been a below-average hitter since 2021. Rendon has never played more than 58 games in a season with the Angels, and he missed all of last season.<\/p>\n The Angels primarily used Yoan Moncada, Luis Rengifo and Kevin Newman at third base last season, but all three are currently free agents.<\/p>\n Diamondbacks begin rebuilding rotation<\/p>\n Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are free agents, Corbin Burnes is recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the Arizona Diamondbacks have two months until pitchers and catchers report to spring training.<\/p>\n So, it\u2019s time to start rebuilding the rotation.<\/p>\n The rebuild began on Monday with the Diamondbacks signing Mike Soroka to a one-year deal.<\/a> Although Soroka has been at his best coming out of the bullpen \u2014 .704 opponents\u2019 OPS as a starter, .584 as a reliever \u2014 the Arizona Republic reported that Soroka will be a starter. He\u2019ll slot into the rotation with Eduardo Rodriguez, Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt. Burnes had surgery in June and could return in the second half.<\/p>\n Nationals at center of trade market<\/p>\n This winter\u2019s free agent market has been slow to develop, but the trade market has been busy, and the Washington Nationals are in the crosshairs of eager teams. Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon reported this afternoon<\/a> that the Nationals are being \u201cpushed aggressively\u201d in trade talks for shortstop CJ Abrams. That\u2019s on top of previously reported, widespread interest in starter MacKenzie Gore.<\/p>\n Abrams, 25, is in his first year of arbitration eligibility, meaning he comes with three more years of team control. If the Nationals make him available, he would be a standout in a market otherwise light on shortstops.<\/p>\n Gore, 26, has two more years of team control and is coming off a career-best season. The free agent market is deep in starters, but light on high-upside aces. Starters Sonny Gray, Grayson Rodriguez and Johan Oviedo have already been traded this winter, while Gore, Freddy Peralta, Sandy Alcantara and Mitch Keller are among other proven starters who could be dealt.<\/p>\n Astros showing interest in Rays\u2019 starter Baz<\/p>\n The Houston Astros lost Framber Valdez to free agency and Luis Garcia to injury. Their search for rotation replacements has landed on a homegrown target. Well, sort of.<\/p>\n Chandler Rome and Rosenthal reported late Wednesday that the Astros have inquired about trading for Rays starter Shane Baz,<\/a> a Houston native. Baz, 26, is in his first year of arbitration eligibility and had a 4.87 ERA in 31 starts last season.<\/p>\n Some sources suggested a finalized deal for Baz is unlikely, but he\u2019s one of multiple rotation targets the Astros have considered on the trade market.<\/p>\n Tigers sign Anderson after breakout in Korea<\/p>\n The Detroit Tigers might have rounded out their rotation on Monday by signing 31-year-old Drew Anderson<\/a> to a one-year, $7-million deal. The contract includes a $10-million option for 2027.<\/p>\n After brief big league stints in his mid-20s, Anderson spent the past four seasons in Japan and Korea and had a standout 2025 season with a 2.25 ERA in 30 starts for the Korean SSG Landers.<\/p>\n Assuming the Tigers keep Skubal as their ace, they could use Anderson to fill out their rotation alongside Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, Reese Olson and a handful of younger options.<\/p>\n Dodgers say Hern\u00e1ndez trade unlikely<\/p>\n The free agent market is relatively light on impact outfielders, and Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez\u2019s name has come up in trade conversations.<\/a> Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes, though, said Monday that a Hern\u00e1ndez deal is unlikely<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cNot something we anticipate at all,\u201d Gomes said.<\/p>\n Hern\u00e1ndez has two years remaining on a three-year, $66-million contract.<\/p>\n Mattingly could join son Preston in Philadelphia<\/p>\n The Philadelphia Phillies are among the many teams that seem to be in a holding pattern while the free agent market is slow to pick up steam. Matt Gelb reported at the start of Day 1 that the Phillies are \u201cwilling to wait\u201d<\/a> while Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto test the market.<\/p>\n But the Phillies could on the verge of an addition.<\/p>\n