So far, Soto's free agency has primarily involved meetings with teams and listening to their pitches. However, this has shifted, as MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi now reports that five teams have made contract offers to the 26-year-old star: the Red Sox, Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, and Blue Jays. Over the weekend, ESPN's Buster Olney noted that contract offers were anticipated to start coming in this week.

The Yankees had a meeting with Soto on Monday in California, and team owner Hal Steinbrenner stated on Wednesday that it was a "productive meeting" with "open and honest discussions."

Steinbrenner mentioned that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, manager Aaron Boone, president Randy Levine, and special assistant to the GM Omar Minaya were all present at the meeting. However, he did not reveal any details about the team's pitch to Soto or whether any offers were made during the discussion.

When he was introduced for the starting lineup, Ohtani ran onto the field wearing a warming device on his injured left shoulder. After drawing a four-pitch walk, he supported his shoulder by holding onto his jersey, a precaution encouraged by the team in case he needed to make a play.

Following days of speculation, Shohei Ohtani was included in the Dodgers' starting lineup as their leadoff hitter during a 4-2 victory over the Yankees in Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Monday night.

The Dodgers' standout designated hitter went 0-for-3 but managed to get on base twice, starting the game with a leadoff walk and scoring on Freddie Freeman's two-run homer. Additionally, he was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning.

More importantly, Ohtani did not experience any setbacks and will return to the lineup for Game 4 on Tuesday. The Dodgers are currently in a strong position with a 3-0 lead in the World Series and are aiming to complete a sweep.

Blake Snell, who is currently a free agent, is being closely followed by MLB.com for the latest news and rumors surrounding his future. As of February 19, it has been reported by a source that Snell has received an offer from the Yankees. However, it is worth noting that the Angels and Giants are also potential destinations for the left-handed starting pitcher. This development comes after previous reports indicated that the Yankees have a strong interest in Snell, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner.

The details of the offer extended by the Yankees to Snell are not clear. Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that the team offered him a five-year, $150 million deal before shifting their focus to Marcus Stroman. According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees were prepared to surpass Carlos Rodón's six-year, $162 million contract in negotiations with Snell's agent, Scott Boras. However, their offer fell short of Snell's desired price. As the start of the season approaches, there is a possibility that Snell and Boras may become more flexible in their demands. Snell will need to sign soon in order to have enough time to prepare for the beginning of the season.

The current pitching rotation for the Yankees includes Gerrit Cole, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, along with Nestor Cortes and Clarke Schmidt. Additionally, the team has also signed Marcus Stroman and Carlos Rodón. On paper, this appears to be a formidable starting staff, assuming everyone remains healthy and performs at their best. However, there are some concerns within the group. Last season, Rodón and Cortes made a combined total of only 26 starts, posting a high ERA of 5.92. Furthermore, Stroman struggled towards the end of the season, recording an 8.29 ERA in his last 11 appearances while also dealing with injuries.

Early Monday morning, three-time All-Star closer Liam Hendriks, a new addition to the team, arrived at the Fenway South complex. According to a source, Hendriks has agreed to a two-year contract worth $10 million with the Red Sox. The deal includes performance bonuses that could increase the total value to $20 million, and it also includes a mutual option for the 2026 season. Initially reported by Chris Cotillo of MassLive, the agreement is still pending a physical examination and has not been officially confirmed by the club.

Following his Tommy John surgery on August 2 to repair a torn right ulnar collateral ligament, Hendriks is optimistic about making a return at some point during this season. He is currently in the early stages of the typical 12-to-14-month recovery timeline, which would mean a potential return to the Major Leagues after the All-Star break. Unfortunately, this injury came as a setback for Hendriks, who had just returned to the mound on May 29 after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during the offseason. He made a limited number of appearances, recording one save and posting a 5.40 ERA, before being placed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation on June 12 and subsequently undergoing surgery.

As of now, Kenley Jansen serves as Boston's closer and has been the subject of recent trade rumors. Jansen is set to become a free agent after the 2024 season. The combination of Jansen and ace setup man Chris Martin at the back end of the bullpen is considered a strong point for the team.

The signing of Hendriks by Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is seen as a proactive move for the future.

According to a source, free-agent right-hander Brandon Woodruff is set to return to the Brewers. The team has not officially confirmed the reported two-year deal. Woodruff, who had shoulder surgery in October, is anticipated to be out for the majority, if not all, of the 2024 season. Woodruff previously played seven seasons with the Brewers, where he achieved an impressive 3.10 ERA in 130 appearances (115 starts), making him the franchise's best pitcher in terms of ERA among those who have thrown at least 500 innings for the team.

After being chosen by the Brewers in the 11th round of the 2014 Draft from Mississippi State, the talented right-handed pitcher had established himself as one of the premier starters in the game. However, his 2023 season was cut short due to injury, leading him to undergo surgery to fix the anterior capsule of his right shoulder. This procedure may keep him out of action until 2025. As a result, the Brewers decided not to offer the 30-year-old a contract, allowing him to become a free agent.

It remains to be seen if Woodruff will regain his previous pitching form following his shoulder surgery. However, if he does, he will return to the mound at the age of 31 or 32, depending on his recovery time. This is still a stage in his career where he should be capable of performing at a high level for many years to come.

Known for his upper-90s fastball, as well as a changeup, slider, and curveball, Woodruff has shown remarkable consistency since his MLB debut in 2017. He boasts a career strikeout rate of 28.9 percent and a low walk rate of only 6.5 percent. Typically, the hard-hit rate against him has remained around 30 percent, which is impressive. However, in 11 starts last season, this figure rose to 41.6 percent.

As Spring Training commences in Port St. Lucie, Florida, this page will continue to provide updates on injuries and changes to the roster.

On February 19, the Mets signed Luke Voit to a Minor League contract. This move comes just two days after securing Ji Man Choi on a similar deal, bolstering the team's first-base options. Voit spent 37 games with Triple-A Syracuse last season and previously played for the Brewers. Throughout his seven-year MLB career, he has played for five different teams, accumulating 95 home runs in 508 games. Given Pete Alonso's established position at first base and limited bench spots available, Voit may return to Syracuse by the end of March.

As the camp resumes in Port St. Lucie, Florida, this page will be continuously updated with the latest injury reports and roster changes throughout Spring Training.

On February 17, the Mets signed Ji Man Choi to a Minor League contract, adding to their depth at first base. Choi, a Korean native, has primarily served as a designated hitter during his eight-year career. Last season, he played for the Pirates and Padres, posting a .624 OPS in 39 games. As a left-handed hitter, the 32-year-old Choi will compete for designated hitter opportunities during spring training alongside Mark Vientos and DJ Stewart. It is possible that he may end up at Triple-A.

In another move, on February 14, the Mets signed right-handed pitcher Shintaro Fujinami to a one-year contract. To accommodate Fujinami on the roster, the Mets transferred infielder Ronny Mauricio to the 60-day injured list. Mauricio, who underwent right knee surgery, is expected to miss a significant portion, if not the entirety, of the regular season. The Mets' 40-man roster is currently full, but they can create an additional spot by transferring left-hander David Peterson, who is also dealing with a long-term injury, to the 60-day injured list.