GM Meetings kicked off today in Vegas, and look, everyone’s buzzing because these next three weeks are gonna be wild. We’re talking serious hot stove action before a potential December 1 lockout, and already, the Padres have jumped into the mix, showing major interest in two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Yeah, you heard that right. This winter’s heating up fast.
Blue Jays Desperate for Power, White Sox Hunting for an Ace
First up, the Blue Jays are absolutely scrambling to find some power. Their primary second baseman in 2026, Ernie Clement, crashed hard in the second half, and frankly, he’s always been more of a super utility guy anyway. Josh Smith is their other option, but neither of those guys are dropping bombs. Toronto finished dead last in home runs this past season, which is just brutal. Kazuma Okamoto was the only player to clear 15 dingers, hitting 33, and only four Blue Jays even managed to hit 10. That’s just not gonna cut it, folks. So, it’s no shocker they’re eyeing free agent second baseman Brandon Lowe, who brings a .260 average, 94 runs, 35 homers, 96 RBI, and 2 stolen bases. Plus, he’s a lefty bat, which would be a huge balance for their mostly right-handed lineup. We’ve got him ranked as the 13th-best free agent out there, and honestly, the Blue Jays need him if they want to escape the HR basement.
Meanwhile, White Sox GM Chris Getz just straight up told MLB Network Radio that adding rotation help is their “top priority.” He’s planning to exhaust both the free agency and trade markets, which, yeah, good luck, those aces aren’t exactly growing on trees. Their postseason closer, Grant Taylor, is moving to the rotation, which is interesting, and Hagen Smith is staying in the bullpen. They’ve got some depth with guys like Sean Burke, Luis Castillo, Anthony Kay, Davis Martin, David Sandlin, Noah Schultz, and maybe Shane Smith and Drew Thorpe, but Getz knows they need to improve, especially at the top. They’re definitely on the hunt for a bona fide ace.
The Skubal Sweepstakes Heats Up Big Time
Now, for the really spicy stuff: the Padres are officially in the mix for Tarik Skubal. This dude is a *two-time Cy Young winner*, with a ridiculous 2.72 ERA, a .96 WHIP, 158.2 innings pitched, just 27 walks, and a whopping 186 strikeouts. Those are ace numbers, pure and simple. Adding a pitcher of his caliber would be a massive statement, and it shows you how serious teams are right now, with the GM Meetings barely underway. The league knows what Skubal brings, and with a potential lockout looming, teams are not messing around. They want their guys locked down now.
With the GM Meetings just starting and that December 1 lockout deadline looming, you know things are about to go absolutely bonkers. Keep your eyes glued to those rumor mills, because if today’s any indication, the next few weeks before that deadline are gonna be a blur of big moves and even bigger names.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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