The World Series is over and, as a result, MLB‘s offseason has officially begun.
We’ve already seen a pair of trades go down, with the Cincinnati Reds sending pitcher John Lamb to the Tampa Bay Rays for cash, and Detroit shipping outfielder Cameron Maybin to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for pitching prospect Victor Alcantara.
It’s going to be a hectic offseason to be sure, one that’s filled with as much, if not more trade speculation than free-agent chatter, given the relative dearth of available talent on the open market.
Speaking of free agency, will a team forgo extending a qualifying offer to a four-time All-Star, a move that would assuredly accelerate his departure? Is winning a World Series ring enough to keep a key component of a world championship lineup in place? Has the party come to an end in Cleveland?
We’ll hit on all that and more in this week’s edition of fact or fiction.