SAN ANTONIO — The annual general manager meetings concluded without any scandalous gossip or trades, with Baltimore Orioles’ GM Mike Elias being the last executive to exit the J.W. Marriott hotel lobby at 2 p.m., heading to the airport.

“It felt unusually quiet this year,” remarked a seasoned GM. “Typically, there are whispers and leads, but this time there was nothing.”

“It’s challenging when only two teams, the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins, aren’t aiming to contend next season, leaving the rest of us vying for the same players.”

A few signings did occur, including veteran reliever T.J. McFarland being the first free agent to join the Athletics post their move, starter Kyle Hendricks departing the Chicago Cubs for the Los Angeles Angels, and experienced catcher Austin Hedges reuniting with the Cleveland Guardians.

The most notable news was Gerrit Cole remaining with the New York Yankees, ultimately accepting the original four-year, $144 million deal he was initially owed.

Surprisingly, there seemed to be more buzz about managerial contracts than player movements. The San Diego Padres extended Mike Shildt’s contract for another two years while the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees started talking about extensions for Dave Roberts and Aaron Boone. Meanwhile, Skip Schumaker, the hottest managerial candidate, opted to take a year off and join the Texas Rangers as a special assistant, positioning himself as a potential successor to Bruce Bochy, who is expected to retire after the 2025 season.

The most sought-after free agent, aside from Juan Soto — described as “the Mona Lisa” of this market by his agent Scott Boras — is Christian Walker, a three-time Gold Glove first baseman who has played for the Arizona Diamondbacks for eight seasons, averaging 33 home runs over the past three years.

At least six teams are planning to pursue Walker fiercely. Teams such as the New York Yankees, Diamondbacks, and Washington Nationals believe he could be available at significantly less than Alonso’s cost. This situation may spark a bidding war primarily between the Yankees and Mets.

The Mets’ strategy for the winter remains puzzling for many executives. They doubt that David Stearns, president of baseball operations, intends to keep Alonso for $200 million or pay Soto around $700 million. Instead, they think he might lean towards distributing funds across various player positions, such as acquiring Walker or moving Mark Vientos to first base while looking for a third baseman, potentially Alex Bregman.

However, the wild card remains Mets owner Steve Cohen, who plans to meet with Soto next week, according to the New York Post. Cohen might urge Stearns to sign Soto regardless of the financial implications.

Every team in baseball would love Soto, but executives speculate that the leading candidates for his services will likely include the Yankees, Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Francisco Giants, with the Blue Jays emerging as a strong dark-horse contender.

The most enigmatic free agent is 23-year-old Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki, who is regarded as potentially the best young pitcher globally.

If the Chiba Lotte Marines decide to post him, all 30 teams will vie for his signature. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers may be the frontrunner for his talents, especially since (pitcher) Shohei Ohtani is unlikely to return by the start of the season after his left shoulder repair surgery.

“This is uncharted territory,” commented Stearns, who personally scouted Sasaki. “It’s certainly fascinating.”

The most intriguing newcomer at the meetings was Buster Posey, the future Hall of Famer and the new president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants. This marked his first GM meetings.

Posey engaged with agents and connected with nearly every team, announcing plans to relocate the team’s analytics department for the 2025 season.

“I’m passionate about baseball,” said Posey, who contributed to the Giants’ three World Series championships as a player. “This role presented a chance for me to make an impact on the front office, helping assemble great talents on the field in a region my family loves. It was simply an unparalleled opportunity that I couldn’t turn down.

Mike Hazen, the president of baseball operations for the Diamondbacks, was another favored executive, trying to leverage owner Ken Kendrick’s recent public criticism of veteran pitcher Jordan Montgomery in the season’s closing days. Kendrick expressed regret for recommending the signing of Montgomery, deeming it a major error, privately hoping Montgomery would opt out of his contract. Instead, Montgomery opted to stay, earning $22.5 million next year, which gives the Diamondbacks a roster of six starters.

Hazen had a private discussion with Montgomery to address any remaining concerns.

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There has been some pressure regarding player accountability this season, as noted by Hazen, but other general managers (GMs) are eager to take advantage of the situation, showing significant interest in team discussions.

“We’re in conversations with teams about starting pitchers since we have six on our roster,” Hazen shared. “Some teams are vying for them. I believe our starting pitching position is quite strong. I would like to keep that, but we will see how things unfold during the offseason.”

No player currently on a team drew more attention at the GM meetings than Garrett Crochet, a starter for the Chicago White Sox. Last season, Crochet struck out 209 batters over 146 innings while earning just $800,000. The White Sox are openly making him available for trade and are anticipated to finalize a deal by the end of the winter meetings, with the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly leading in their pursuit.

“A large number of teams have shown interest,” stated Chris Getz, GM of the White Sox. “The right players must be included in any trade. We are prioritizing a strong return with position players. We can’t rush into anything, that much is clear.”

John Mozeliak, the president of baseball operations for the St. Louis Cardinals, found himself in a potentially uncomfortable position. As he enters his final year in this role, he aims to prepare the organization for what lies ahead instead of pushing for a World Series win.

The Cardinals, who have made the playoffs 17 times since 2000, are not undergoing a full rebuild but are taking steps towards a reset.

They will allow All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to leave, have declined options for veteran pitchers Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, and indicated that All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado, along with pitchers Sonny Gray and Miles Mikolas, could be on the market if they agree to waive their no-trade clauses. Moreover, All-Star closer Ryan Helsley has been placed on the trading block. Catcher Willson Contreras has opted against waiving his no-trade clause and will transition to first base.

Numerous rumors were clarified during the GM meetings:

While the Milwaukee Brewers are open to receiving offers for All-Star closer Devin Williams, GM Matt Arnold clarified that they plan to retain him, believing he is the best closer in the game. If they decide to trade him, it is likely to happen around the All-Star break if the Brewers are not in contention.

The Phillies have no intentions of shifting All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper back to the outfield.

Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman, currently recuperating from elbow surgery to remove bone chips, is open to the idea of moving to second base.

Willy Adames, the Brewers’ All-Star shortstop, is also receptive to a position change to third base.

Looking ahead, teams, executives, and agents will gather in Dallas for the winter meetings from December 9-12, which is also the location where Alex Rodriguez landed the largest contract in baseball history: 10 years for $252 million.

That same contract would not even cover a starter’s cost in dealings for Soto.

“I expect this winter to be a departure from previous ones,” remarked one experienced GM. “I can envision teams exchanging major-league players for other major-league players, reminiscent of earlier times. At the very least, I believe transactions will proceed more swiftly once we arrive at the winter meetings.”

“The Soto sweepstakes won’t delay things. Only a select few teams can afford him. We should witness more typical operations, and hopefully at a quicker pace than last year.”