The New York Mets have offered free-agent starting pitcher Max Scherzer more than $40 million per year, according to sources. The length of their offer is unknown, and it doesn't mean he'll sign with them. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants are still in the running, and Scherzer could make his decision on Sunday night or Monday. The Mets have turned their full attention to Scherzer, especially with right-hander Kevin Gausman signing a five-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. An average annual value of more than $40 million would be a record for any contract in MLB history, and the offer could be at least three years in length. Despite being 37 years old, Scherzer dominated in the second half with the Dodgers, going 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and an 11.7 K/9 in 68 1/3 innings over 11 starts.

The Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Kevin Gausman agreed to a five-year, $110 million deal on Sunday night, according to sources familiar with the deal. Gausman accepted a one-year, $18.9 million qualifying offer from the San Francisco Giants last year and set career-highs in innings (192), ERA (2.81), WHIP (1.04), strikeouts (227) and wins above replacement (5.2) in 2021 while earning his first All-Star nod. He used his splitter/four-seamer combination 88% of the time and had 219 of his K's with those two pitches. The 30-year-old's splitter generated 138 K's last season. With the Rays potentially losing Cy Young winner Robbie Ray, Gausman is a nice prize for the top of the rotation heading into 2022. It'll be hard for him to replicate his success next season in the tough American League East, though.

Free agent third baseman Pablo Sandoval expects to play next season, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Sandoval, 35, spent last season with the Atlanta Braves before being traded to the Cleveland Indians but was right after. The veteran slashed .178/.302/.342 with four home runs in 69 games. He's had a hard time producing numbers that he put up earlier in his career since he signed a big contract with the Boston Red Sox ahead of 2015. His fantasy value is non-existent, and he probably won't find a starting job with any team he lands on.

The Texas Rangers and free-agent outfielder Kole Calhoun have agreed to a one-year deal on Sunday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. The financial details aren't known as of now. The 34-year-old veteran dealt with injuries for the majority of last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks and was never able to find his stroke, slashing .235/.297/.373 with five home runs in 51 games. However, he posted an .864 OPS in 2020 and has shown the ability to hit for power in his career, compiling 131 home runs from 2015-2020. Calhoun won't be drafted in most leagues but does have some value as a late-rounder in deep leagues if he's able to bounce back.

Free-agent outfielder Avisail Garcia will be heading south next season, as he has signed a four-year, $53 million deal with the Miami Marlins, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. After a poor showing in 2020, Garcia put up his best numbers since 2017 last season, slashing .262/.330/.490 with 29 homers, eight steals, 86 RBI and 68 runs scored over 135 games with Milwaukee. Garcia will likely slot into the heart of the order for Miami to provide some solid pop, and he could see some nice RBI totals with the Marlins.

Free-agent middle infielder Marcus Semien has signed with the Texas Rangers for seven years and $175 million, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Semien is coming off a season in which he finished third in the American League MVP race after slashing .265/.334/.538 with 45 home runs, 15 steals, 102 RBI and 115 runs scored over 162 games with Toronto. Despite entering into a slightly worse lineup with the Rangers than what he had with the Blue Jays, Semien should still be one of the top middle infielders come draft day next season.

The Houston Astros signed free-agent relief pitcher Hector Neris to a two-year deal worth $17 million guaranteed on Saturday, according to a source. Neris will replace right-hander Kendall Graveman, who signed a three-year, $24 million deal with the Chicago White Sox earlier this week, in Houston's bullpen. The 32-year-old right-hander had multiple stints as the Philadelphia Phillies closer in the last eight seasons, and he had a 3.63 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 74 1/3 inning in 2021. Neris ranks second in relief appearances (372) and is third in relief innings (366 1/3) since 2016, so he should at least provide the Astros with plenty of innings in a backend bullpen role while helping Ryne Stanek set up closer Ryan Pressly. Neris should have value in leagues that reward points for holds.

The Miami Marlins maintain interest in free-agent outfielder Nick Castellanos. Castellanos is from the Miami area. He'll be seeking at least two years and $34 million after opting out of the final two years of his deal with the Cincinnati Reds. The Marlins typically don't spend that kind of money, but they may try to bring Castellanos home to give their young pitching staff some help on the offensive side of the ball after losing out on Starling Marte. Castellanos hit .309/.362/.576 with a career-high 34 home runs, 100 RBI, three stolen bases and 95 runs scored in 585 plate appearances over 138 games for Cincinnati. The 29-year-old is one of the best all-around hitters in the big leagues and has power to all fields.

Free-agent right-hander Kevin Gausman is expected to sign a contract in the next two or three days, according to sources, and it's increasingly likely that he'll land a five-year deal. Gausman turns 31 in January and finished sixth in the National League Cy Young voting after posting a career-best 14-6 record with a 2.81 ERA in 192 innings while striking out 227 batters in 2021. The Toronto Blue Jays are one finalist for Gausman's services as he nears his decision. The Giants would likely be interested in bringing him back after his career year, but it's unclear if they'd be willing to go five years for him. Along with the Jays and Giants, the Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Seattle Mariners have all been linked to the right-hander. With no draft-pick compensation attached to him, the 30-year-old is even more attractive on the open market.

The New York Mets are aggressively pursuing free-agent starter Max Scherzer, who is expected to make his decision before the impending Dec. 1 lockout, but they may need to move to a Plan B given his known preferences. Scherzer limited his choices to California teams as a trade piece last summer, so the Mets know it won't be easy. The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels are among the team's interested. The perennial All-Star and Cy Young contender had a great second half with the Dodgers, going 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 89 strikeouts and only eight walks in 11 starts over 68 1/3 innings. The 37-year-old is still going strong as a fantasy asset and should help anchor any pitching staff he joins in 2022.

The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with right-handed reliever Yimi Garcia on Saturday. The deal includes a club option for the 2023 season. Garcia has a high-spin fastball and will provide the Blue Jays with a nice middle-innings reliever. The 31-year-old spent part of last season as the closer for the Miami Marlins and had a 3.47 ERA with 15 saves before he was traded to the Houston Astros. Garcia wasn't as good there, sporting a 5.48 ERA down the stretch and allowing seven runs in five innings in the postseason before tossing four scoreless innings in the World Series. Toronto is coming off a 91-71 season in 2021 in which they just missed the postseason. Jordan Romano should enter 2022 as the Jays closer, but bullpen roles might be flexible.

Free-agent right-hander Corey Kluber agreed to a one-year deal, pending a physical, with the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, according to sources. The 35-year-old missed more than three months with a right shoulder strain before rejoining the New York Yankees in late August of the 2021 season. When he was available, Kluber was solid, though, posting a 3.83 ERA in 80 innings pitched, including a no-hitter. His experienced arm will complement young starters Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, Luis Patino and Shane Baz next season. If the deal is finalized, Kluber will make $8 million, with the chance to earn up to $13 million through incentives. If healthy, the three-time All-Star and two-time American League Cy Young winner could be a nice value in fantasy drafts.

The New York Mets are determined to add a top starting pitcher after just signing outfielders Starling Marte and Mark Canha and infielder Eduardo Escobar on Friday, and their order of preference appears to be Max Scherzer, Kevin Gausman and Robbie Ray. It's unclear how realistic it is for the Mets to land Scherzer. The Mets also have interest in re-signing Marcus Stroman, but he said that the team would prefer a bigger name starting pitcher. The New York Post's Joel Sherman reported that the Mets also have interest in right-hander Jon Gray. After spending $124.5 million on free-agent bats on Friday, it's possible that Gray and Stroman are more realistic targets. Stroman had a nice 3.02 ERA in 33 starts for the Mets in 2021, so he'd be a solid consolation prize if New York doesn't make a huge splash with a starting pitcher.

The Detroit Tigers have been in discussions with free-agent shortstop Javier Baez, according to sources. The Tigers are currently focused on Baez after previously talking with both Carlos Correa and Marcus Semien. Baez could be a fallback option for the Tigers if Correa's price tag is too rich for their taste. But one thing is clear: Detroit is looking for a high-profile shortstop as they try to go from rebuilding to contending in 2022. The soon-to-be 29-year-old Baez had an up-and-down year in 2021 with the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets, but he finished hot and was walking at a career-high rate to close the season in New York. Baez will remain a streaky hitter because he swings and misses often, but he had a pretty solid season with a .265/.319/.494 slash line and 31 homers when it was all said and done.

The New York Mets have signed free-agent outfielder Starling Marte to a four-year, $78 million contract. On Friday, the Mets had a busy day, acquiring infielder Eduardo Escobar, outfielder Mark Canha, and now Marte via free agency. The 33-year-old slashed a career-high .310/.383/.458 with 12 home runs, 55 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 47 stolen bases over 120 games for the Miami Marlins and Oakland Athletics. He was the best free-agent centerfielder on the market. Marte has more value in category leagues due to his elite speed and will be one of the top-10-12 outfielders off the board in upcoming fantasy drafts in 2022.

Free-agent pitcher Michael Wacha agreed to a one-year deal with the Red Sox on Friday. He was mainly used as a traditional starter for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021. The right-hander will provide the Red Sox with pitching depth and slot into the back-end of Boston's starting rotation. The 30-year-old went (3-5) with a 5.05 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and a 121:31 K: BB across 124 2/3 innings for the Rays in 2021. Wacha will be used as a streamer when the matchup is favorable in most fantasy leagues and is a solid reserve pitcher in deep-league formats in 2022.

The New York Mets and free-agent infielder Eduardo Escobar agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract on Friday. The 32-year-old bounced back in 2021 after a disastrous campaign in 2020 (slashed .212/.270/.335). He slashed .253/.314/.472 with 28 homers, 90 RBI, 77 runs scored, and one stolen for the Diamondbacks and Brewers over 599 plate appearances in 2021. Escobar has multiple eligibility and will qualify at first (18 games), second (42 games), and third base (99 games) in most leagues in 2022. The former Diamondback has hit for 25 or more home runs in three of his last four seasons and should remain a viable fantasy asset with his new team for the upcoming year.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are being connected to free agent reliever Kirby Yates, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The 34-year old signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays last offseason but didn't pitch at all after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. That was after only pitching 4.1 innings in 2020 due to injury. Before his health troubles, he was an effective reliever from 2017 until 2019, posting a 2.40 ERA, 38.5 K%, and 0.97 WHIP along with 54 saves. The Diamondbacks don't have a clear shutdown reliever, so he may get the chance to save some games if he signs. However, he shouldn't be drafted as a closer right now, as most teams don't want a closer who's appeared in only six games the past two seasons.

The Texas Rangers have contacted veteran free agent Clayton Kershaw, according to Rangers manager Chris Woodward. The future Hall of Famer spent 14 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, compiling a career 2.49 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 27.6 K%. His 2021 was injury-riddled, appearing in only 22 games and missing the entire postseason. He was still solid when on the mound, pitching to a 3.55 ERA and 3.00 FIP with 144 strikeouts in 121.1 IP. The 33-year old isn't the pitcher he once was, but when healthy will still provide any team with a top of the rotation arm. Fantasy managers should show caution given Kershaw's late-season injury troubles, but the lefty is still a multi-category contributor when he's on the mound.

The Seattle Mariners are eyeing free agent starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports. The 30-year old right-hander is one of the most pursued pitchers on the market this offseason, as the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Angels, among others, have all been connected to him. He's been one of the better pitchers in the game during his seven-year career and posted a 3.02 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 158 strikeouts in 179 innings with the Mets this past season. Teams also like his durability, as he's started at least 32 games in four of the past five years. He has limited fantasy value without the big strikeout numbers, but he's someone managers can trust to help with innings and ERA.