A pair of high-profile free agents—Aroldis Chapman (New York Yankees) and Ian Desmond (Colorado Rockies)—both came off the market Wednesday, but Chicago was once again the center of the baseball universe, as both the Cubs and White Sox pulled off notable trades on Day 3 of baseball’s winter meetings.
The White Sox traded outfielder Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals for a trio of high-upside pitching prospects—Dane Dunning, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez—while the Cubs sent slugger Jorge Soler to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for All-Star closer Wade Davis.
While those moves were significant, we’re left with a slew of unanswered questions as the final day of winter meetings gets underway.
Is Kenley Jansen going to beat Chapman’s record-setting five-year, $86 million pact for a free-agent closer? Are the White Sox done dealing? Does anyone want Edwin Encarnacion or Mark Trumbo? And who, if anyone, will be selected in the Rule 5 draft, which begins at 9 a.m. ET?
Keep it here throughout the day for the answers to some of those questions, the latest chatter and analysis of all the moves. Hit us up in the comments section below and on Twitter (@RickWeinerBR) with your thoughts on all the action.
Done Deals
Thursday: RP Koji Uehara signs a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Chicago Cubs (per Japan’s Nikkan Sports via the Boston Herald‘s Evan Drellich).
Rule 5 Draft (Former team)
Minnesota: RHP Miguel Diaz (MIL): Traded to Padres in exchange for a PTBNL or cash
Cincinnati: C Luis Torrens (NYY): Traded to Padres in exchange for a PTBNL or cash
San Diego: SS Allen Cordoba (STL)
Tampa Bay: RHP Kevin Gadea (SEA)
Atlanta: RHP Armando Rivero (CHC)
Arizona: RHP Tyler Jones (NYY)
Milwaukee: LHP Caleb Smith (NYY): Traded to Cubs in exchange for a PTBNL or cash
Los Angeles (AL): RHP Justin Haley (BOS): Traded to San Diego and then Minnesota, both deals for a PTBNL or cash.
Chicago (AL): RHP Dylan Covey (OAK)
Pittsburgh: LHP Tyler Webb (NYY)
Detroit: LHP Daniel Stumpf (KC)
Baltimore: 2B Aneury Tavarez (BOS)
Toronto: RHP Glenn Sparkman (KC)
Boston: IF Josh Rutledge (COL)
Cleveland: LHP Holby Milner (PHI)
Texas: RHP Michael Hauschild (HOU)
Cincinnati: C Stuart Turner (MIN)
Baltimore: 1B/OF Anthony Santander (CLE)
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com