Day 3 featured the Rule 5 Draft, a big trade, and a signing by the Crew
Entering day three of the Winter Meetings, here’s our wrap-up from days one and two. Wednesday was a bit quieter than Tuesday, but there was a major trade that involved a player Milwaukee was rumored to be involved with, and the Rule 5 Draft ended in the afternoon. Here’s a round-up of what happened on the third day.
- The biggest deal of the day came when the Red Sox swung a trade for left-handed starter Garrett Crochet. The White Sox got quite the package in return, netting four talented prospects. That group was headlined by Kyle Teel, who ranks 25th in MLB Pipeline’s rankings, along with outfielder Braden Montgomery (54th overall prospect), infielder Chase Meidroth, and pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez. Now that Crochet has been traded and Blake Snell and Max Fried have signed, the pitching market is thinning as Corbin Burnes and Jack Flaherty lead the free-agent group. Other trade chips such as Dylan Cease also continue to be discussed.
- Within the NL Central, the Reds are apparently interested in acquiring pitcher Nick Pivetta, according to Joel Sherman. The Reds already traded for Brady Singer from the Royals and could continue to bolster their rotation further.
- Second baseman Gleyber Torres continues to generate interest. The Angels and Nationals have been linked to the former New York Yankee, offering a significant improvement to either team’s infield. The Nationals would likely move Torres to third base if they are content with Luis Garcia Jr. at second.
- In perhaps a surprising move, the Astros are considering trading away star outfielder Kyle Tucker. Since Tucker is approaching free agency and the Astros might not match the hefty price tag, they could consider getting some value back now in a trade rather than letting him walk after next season. Interested teams include the Yankees, Cubs, Giants, and Phillies.
- Alex Bregman is one of the biggest names left on the market. The star third baseman is growing closer to reaching a decision, per Mark Feinsand. The group of contenders interested includes the incumbent Astros, the Red Sox, the Yankees, and the Tigers.
- The Padres, always an entertaining follow this time of year, might consider trading a host of players in Cease, Luis Arraez, and Xander Bogaerts. Cease and Arraez were only acquired last year. Those two are both free agents next year, so it’s understandable to look for some trade value before they reach the open market. As mentioned above, of those three, Cease is apparently generating the most interest from other clubs.
The most notable news on the Brewers front involved the Rule 5 Draft and some free-agency rumors.
- Milwaukee’s most notable Rule 5 Draft move was the acquisition of Connor Thomas, a left-handed pitcher from the Cardinals. He had an impressive campaign in Triple-A this year, pitching to a 2.89 ERA while mostly working out of the bullpen. For all the Brewers’ moves in the draft, read our article from earlier today.
- Milwaukee also signed left-handed reliever Grant Wolfram to a major league deal, though Wolfram has yet to make his MLB debut. A 6-foot-8-inch lefty, Wolfram turns 28 tomorrow and has spent parts of six seasons in the Texas Rangers system after being drafted by them in 2018. Between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024, Wolfram pitched 60 1⁄3 innings across 46 appearances with a 3.13 ERA and 69 strikeouts.