MLB Hot Stove begins at GM Meetings in Las Vegas as Skubal sweepstakes start

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Major League Baseball’s Hot Stove season has effectively kicked off at the 2026 General Managers Meetings at the Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, as club executives and agents began arriving over the past 24 hours. The timing comes with a key labour deadline looming: the Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire on Dec. 1, and MLB expects November to bring more free-agent activity than most years, with a trade market that could also be unusually active as all 30 teams begin discussing offseason options this week.

For the New York Mets, the offseason priority highlighted by the league’s current market chatter is the starting rotation, with Tarik Skubal singled out as the major free-agent target. The source describes Skubal’s free agency as the dominant story in the coming days and weeks, and it says many people around the industry believe the Mets are the overwhelming favorites to sign him. One American League executive is quoted in the source saying that if New York wants Skubal, “he’s going to be a Met,” adding that the bidding pool for a player of his calibre is limited and that the Mets’ need for him is greater than any other team’s.

The same reporting points to the key negotiation question for the Mets as the length of any contract. It notes that David Stearns, New York’s president of baseball operations, has historically avoided long commitments to pitchers with arm-trouble histories, preferring shorter-term deals for starting pitchers. With the Mets missing the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, the source says owner Steve Cohen could be inclined to address the rotation by adding what it frames as the best available arm, “no matter what the cost,” while still leaving the contract-term issue as the central risk calculation.

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ offseason focus is described as revolving around whether they will re-sign Skubal after acquiring him this summer. The source explains that the Dodgers traded three prospects, including two from MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, to obtain the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner, and it says Skubal is expected to seek the largest pitching contract in history this winter. It also contextualizes Los Angeles’ payroll capacity by listing several current high-dollar commitments, including Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s $325 million deal, while noting that Yamamoto’s agreement is the current record for the largest guaranteed pitcher contract.

At the same time, the source points to roster considerations that could shape the Dodgers’ decision. It lists multiple rotation options already on the roster, including Yamamoto, Ohtani, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone and Justin Wrobleski. It further notes that other regulars are in their thirties, including Freddie Freeman (37), Max Muncy (36), Mookie Betts (34), Teoscar Hernández (34), Ohtani (32) and Will Smith (31). A rival executive quoted in the source argues that “the Dodgers need bats, not another arm,” portraying Skubal as something that might be viewed as a luxury rather than a need depending on how the club prioritizes younger talent.

In Milwaukee, the Brewers’ offseason planning is framed around a spending decision that begins with Jake Bauers. The source says president of baseball operations Matt Arnold and his group arrived in Las Vegas ready to evaluate the winter, but that the most immediate decision is tied to a qualifying offer extended to Bauers. Milwaukee must wait another week to learn if Bauers will accept the one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer, and the source indicates that the outcome will directly affect what the team can do at first base this winter if Bauers rejects the offer.

The Brewers’ broader offseason approach is also linked to their catcher position and player-construction timeline. The source says trading players nearing free agency—using Corbin Burnes as an example—has been part of Milwaukee’s playbook in recent years, but it identifies William Contreras as the player who best fits the type of move they might make. Because Contreras is entering his final year before free agency, the source says Milwaukee will likely at least listen to offers for the catcher if it does not believe it can re-sign him.

New York’s approach is described through the lens of positional needs and the likelihood of free-agent bidding. While the Yankees are typically believed to be in the mix for top players, the source says this year should be different: one rival executive is quoted saying, “I would be shocked if the Yankees made a real play for Skubal,” citing other holes the club must address. The same reporting points to offense as a clear priority area after a disappointing end to the season, noting that the Yankees ranked ninth in runs scored and 11th in OPS in the Majors.

The source also outlines the offensive areas where the Yankees are expected to look for upgrades. It attributes part of the struggles to Aaron Judge’s injury but highlights gaps at second base, third base and catcher. It describes potential targets that include adding a right-handed catcher to pair with Austin Wells and using Anthony Volpe as an option at second base, with further possibilities such as Brandon Lowe and Luis Arraez at that spot. It also identifies third base as a likely focus, mentioning Teruaki Sato as a candidate to land in the Bronx, and it notes that Japanese imports have historically fit New York’s success pattern, referencing Hideki Matsui and Masahiro Tanaka.

Beyond the position player picture, the source indicates the Yankees may need to address the bullpen this offseason as well, given that closer David Bednar and setup man Paul Blackburn are on the free-agent market. The Yankees’ decision-making at these positions, according to the source’s framing, could help explain why a rotation-first addition like Skubal might not be the top priority this winter.

Finally, the source names the Blue Jays as a factor in the Skubal market despite Toronto being described as more of a “don’t count out” scenario. It says Toronto has shown a willingness in recent years to pursue top free agents, and it points out that the Blue Jays previously took shots at Juan Soto, Ohtani and Yamamoto. It adds that general manager Ross Atkins has paid premiums for pitching with nine-figure deals to Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman and José Berríos, and it notes the Blue Jays’ willingness to spend by citing Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s $500 million extension.

The source suggests Seiya Suzuki as an established fit in Toronto’s lineup and presents Skubal as an option that would strengthen the rotation alongside players such as Cease and Trey Yesavage. It also lists alternative pitching targets if Skubal does not arrive in Toronto, including Freddy Peralta, Michael King, Sonny Gray and Tyler Mahle. It concludes by identifying second base as another possible target area, with the source stating that Ernie Clement could be used as a super-utility player and that Lowe, Arraez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are also available as free agents.

With CBA negotiations set against a Dec. 1 expiration date and all teams in Las Vegas beginning formal and informal offseason conversations, the early emphasis on Tarik Skubal underscores how quickly free-agent market dynamics are starting to shape team priorities. For the Mets and Dodgers in particular, the key unknowns are contract length for New York and overall roster balance for Los Angeles, while the Brewers, Yankees and Blue Jays are presented as clubs whose offseason spending and positional needs may determine whether they push hardest for Skubal or pivot to other targets.