Now that Santa has put away the sleigh for another year, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on today…
1. The Athletics lock up Soderstrom
In a rare bit of major news breaking on Christmas Day, the A’s have agreed to a seven-year, $86MM extension with left fielder Tyler Soderstrom. Between his increasingly strong numbers at the plate and the successful transition to left field, Soderstrom cemented his place as a building block for an Athletics team as they approach their next era in Las Vegas. The Soderstrom extension highlights a busy week for the A’s that has also included the Jeff McNeil trade and the Mark Leiter Jr. signed. The next step might be adding starting pitching, as the A’s have yet to do much to address a rotation that was a weak link in 2025.
2. Imai’s posting deadline approaches
January 2 at 4pm CT marks the end of the 45-day posting window for Tatsuya Imai, as the right-hander will be spending the 2026 season with the Seibu Lions if he can’t finalize a deal with a Major League team within the next week. Such teams as the Yankees, Phillies, Cubs, Orioles, Giants, and Mets have been linked to Imai’s market, though in the case of the latter two clubs in particular, it remains to be seen if the Giants or Mets are willing to make a long-term commitment to any starting pitcher. MLB Trade Rumors projected a six-year, $150MM for Imai as he makes the jump from Japan to North American baseball, and given the number of larger-market teams reportedly interested, it would seem like Imai should be able to land a substantial payday. The Jan. 2 deadline creates a bit of urgency for Imai’s suitors, and his situation might be resolved before other free agent starters (i.e. Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, Zac Gallen) come off the board.
3. A busy end to 2025?
The final week of the year tends to be relatively quiet in terms of transactions, as many front office executives take the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day as something of an unofficial break. Of course, as we just saw with Soderstrom’s deal, the hot stove can suddenly heat up at any given time, so you never know when a big extension, trade, or signing might be just around the corner. A big free agent who spent the holidays weighing offers, for instance, might be ready to make a decision now that Christmas is over. Besides Imai’s posting period, Kazuma Okamoto’s posting deadline is also coming up on January 4, so that’s another Japanese star whose arrival in MLB could be determined in short order.
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