The MLB offseason hasn't really gotten going yet, but the free-agent and trade markets haven't been entirely inactive either. The number of moves that have happened is in the dozens.

Each year, we rank the 10 worst contracts in MLB, with Anthony Rendon taking the top spot in 2024. And it serves as another reminder that all these situations are fluid. This time, bounce-back years from the likes of Carlos Rodón, Trevor Story and Jacob deGrom helped change the perception of big deals from offseasons’ past.

MLB rumors are the hot topic in the league, with high demand for free agents. Here’s the latest update on some top sluggers.

The Major League Baseball world is trying to close the gap with the Los Angeles Dodgers after the National League West team won back-to-back World Series titles, and it starts in the offseason.

Schwarber, who has been with the Philadelphia Phillies for the past four years, is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. He batted .240 with a .928 OPS, a National League-leading 56 home runs and a major league-leading 132 RBIs.

If the Rays trade second baseman Brandon Lowe, the Pirates are considered a perfect fit. Could Pittsburgh pull it off?

With Ryan Helsley off the market, Pete Fairbanks might be the next closer to sign. The Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins are among the teams interested in him, according to industry sources briefed on his market.

The greater likelihood, if past is indeed prologue, points toward the league locking out the players Dec. 1, 2026. A lockout would shut down free agency and trades, as it did in 2021, and set an even more important, though informal, deadline: early to mid-March 2027, the drop-dead date for potentially losing regular-season games.

"Schwarber is not only one of the game’s most dangerous sluggers, but he’s the heart and soul of the Phillies — one of the best leaders Philadelphia’s clubhouse has ever seen," MLB .com reporter Todd Zolecki wrote. "He’s also a valued member of the community, regularly hosting charity events in the Delaware Valley."

Cody Ponce could be the latest pitcher to return to MLB after reinventing himself overseas, and he's reportedly drawing a lot of interest on the free-agent market. Ponce, who played two seasons for the Pirates from 2020-21,