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MLB Trade Rumors | Darragh McDonald: Carlos Correa has made some notable news despite the ongoing lockout, swapping agencies and going with superagent Scott Boras. Correa is the biggest name left on the market following a spending spree prior to the lockout, and was projected to be one of, if not the highest paid players this offseason. Fellow shortstop Corey Seager has set a high bar for Correa to clear if that will be the case, inking a 10-year, $325 million deal with the Rangers — and he did so as a Boras client.
CBS Sports | Dayn Perry: Talk about a “what-if” — Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux went on David Cone’s podcast and said that his intention was to sign with the Yankees as a free agent in 1992. He flew to the city expecting to sign a contract, but one never came, a change that is apparently attributed to a team executive suffering a heart attack. Maddux would instead go to the Atlanta Braves, where he would put up a decade’s worth of ridiculous numbers. It certainly would have been fun to watch Maddux all those years, but as Perry points out, the Yankees didn’t exactly suffer in the ‘90s without him.
The Athletic | Lindsey Adler: As I’m sure you’re aware, the MLB lockout continues unabated. The most recent proposal went nowhere, and there’s little sense of what an eventual agreement will contain. Certain topics that are definitely being discussed would impact the Yankees more than other. This article is behind a paywall, but a change in the current luxury tax system would perhaps encourage ownership to spend more of the money they absolutely have; the question of service time before players can reach free agency would alter management’s approach towards roster construction; a universal DH would keep valuable pitchers safe during interleague play; and expanded playoffs would have big ramifications in the competitive AL East.
Sports Illustrated | Nick Selbe: Selbe picks out an area of need for each of the 2021 AL playoff teams to address this offseason, and would you believe he thinks that the Yankees need to upgrade at shortstop? Correa and Trevor Story remain possibilities. First base is also in need of an upgrade, even including the presence of Luke Voit. Division rivals Boston and Tampa Bay should be looking to give a boost to their bullpen and starting rotation, respectively.