Latest MLB rumors on Hader, Imanaga and more free agent and trade updates

It's been quiet on the MLB free agency front as of late. Ever since the Los Angeles Dodgers sent the baseball world into a tizzy with the acquisitions of both Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the biggest free agents remaining have stagnated. Nobody is making a move.

Until then, all we can rely on is rumors, speculation, and news from the experts. With names like Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Josh Hader, and Matt Chapman still available, there's plenty to be excited about if you're a fan of a large-market team. Here are the latest rumors surrounding some of the biggest free agents and potential trade pieces remaining.

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Latest MLB Free Agency Rumors:

Blake Snell likes the Yankees

There is a lot to like about a guy who has notched two Cy Young awards in a five year span. When it comes to the Yankees and Blake Snell, the feeling is perhaps mutual.

SNY's Andy Martino wrote in his Thursday column that Snell, "has privately expressed an interest in playing for the Yankees, though he has plenty of other suitors."

Shota Imanaga could draw more than $100 million

Yamamoto was the biggest name from Japan this offseason, and since he has signed, all that attention has shifted to Shota Imanaga. The left-handed pitcher was a big reason for Japan's World Baseball Classic championship a year ago, but is known to pitch more to contact than strike people out. While he has had flashes of strikeout potential, he has a career 9.4 K per nine innings right now, which might be a little low for someone that could command over $100 million.

Yankees not interested in Imanaga

The New York Yankees need starting pitching but NY Post's Jon Heyman believes the team views Imanaga as more of a fly ball pitcher than anything else. Such a pitcher would struggle to succeed in Yankee Stadium.

Instead, Heyman believes the Giants, Red Sox, and Cubs will have the most interest in Imanaga.

Dodgers, Rangers are favorites for Josh Hader

MLB Network Insider Jon Morosi reports the Dodgers are interested in signing Josh Hader. Hader, a five-time All-Star has been spectacular aside from a horrendous second half in 2022. While his velocity has decreased over the past few years, he remains an elite closer with strikeout potential out the wazoo.

Outside of the Dodgers, the Texas Rangers appear the next in line. Texas did not re-sign 2023 closer Aroldis Chapman, and as of right now, the team will lean on Jose Leclerc to fill that closer role. Leclerc is a tremendous pitcher, who has recorded a sub-3.00 ERA in two straight seasons, but has never taken on a full-time closer position. Furthermore, Leclerc's suboptimal 2.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio for his career may make Leclerc too risky an option for Texas to rely on. Hader would fill that need emphatically.

Dylan Cease, Jesus Luzardo are the most likely pitchers to be traded

Even though the free agent market is still loaded, several teams may be interested in snagging one of the arms available via trade. The two biggest names being thrown around are White Sox righty Dylan Cease and Marlins lefty Jesus Luzardo.

While Luzardo broke out in 2023 to the tune of a 3.58 ERA and 10.5 K per 9 rate, Cease struggled to recapture the magic he displayed in 2022 when he was a Cy Young finalist. Cease more than doubled his ERA from 2.20 in 2022 to 4.58 last year. Cease was still a masterful strikeout pitcher, racking up 10.9 K per nine innings, but that figure has actually dropped each of the last three seasons for Cease. His strikeout-to-walk ratio has also dropped in each of the last three seasons. Cease has a tremendous arsenal, but his control is certainly a concern for teams looking to trade for him.

The teams that appear most interested in Cease are the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners.

Jon Morosi believes the Mariners could make a play for Cease as well as an additional bat to really help them compete in the loaded AL West.

The market for Luzardo is quieter, but the Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix did say he was willing to listen to offers for all players except Eury Perez.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB Rumors: Latest on Dodgers, free agents Imanaga, Hader and more