Major League Baseball's free agent market has cooled since a red-hot stretch at MLB's winter meetings that included middle- and lower-tier free agents landing strong deals in addition to Juan Soto's record $765 million contract with the New York Mets. While a smattering of signings is expected before Christmas, the post-Soto deluge most in the industry foresaw has not materialized.
The culprits are mainly twofold. With prices for players at a premium, teams have turned to the trade market as an alternative, leaving free agency stagnant. Teams also recognize the calendar works in their favor.