Following on from last night’s surprise signing, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on throughout the baseball world today:

1. Snell switches sides in the Dodgers-Giants rivalry:

The first big-league domino fell last night for the Dodgers and the lefties Blake Snell agreed to a five-year, $182 million contract that includes deferred funds that reduce the net present value of the contract to the $160-165 million range. It’s the southpaw’s final stop on what has become a tour of California in recent years. After winning the NL Cy Young Award for San Diego in 2023, Snell found a disappointing market in free agency and ultimately settled on a two-year, $62 million contract with the Giants last winter. Of course, this contract included an opt-out for this winter. The left-hander battled injuries and struggled early in the season, but was the best pitcher in baseball by July, prompting him to opt out and test his luck again.

With a deal for a front-of-the-rotation arm now on the books, what’s next for LA this winter? The outfield seems likely to be the next assignment in LA Mookie Betts is ready to return and leave the infield in 2025 Andy Pages as the only full-time outfielder currently on the club’s Opening Day roster (although Tommy Edman could very well be the club’s regular midfielder, with Betts back in the infield. It is known that the club is involved, at least on some level Juan Soto offer, and there is mutual interest in seeing each other again Teoscar Hernandez. Reunion with long-standing franchise face Clayton Kershaw appears to be on the list once again, as is upgrading a bullpen that saw right-handers Daniel Hudson and fellow right-winger Blake Treinen Become a free agent early this month.

2. Will other key players sign early?

Between Snell’s deal last night and the Anaheim-Southpaw pact Yusei Kikuchi which broke on Monday morning, the hot stove got pretty hot this week. Thanksgiving could dampen the momentum somewhat tomorrow, but at this point it would hardly be a surprise if a few more key pieces come off the table before executives arrive in Dallas for the winter meetings on the evening of December 8th. The deals for Snell and Kikuchi took two of the top six free agent starters off the market, so it stands to reason that the markets are for it Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Jack FlahertyAnd Sean Manaea Things could also get hot in the next few days.

However, it is also possible that the market will begin to thaw on the offensive. The Soto sweepstakes have dominated the headlines in this part of the market up to this point in the winter, and it seems increasingly likely that he will have landed somewhere at least by the end of the winter meetings, if not sooner.

3. Will Arenado change hands?

Earlier in the offseason, reports out of St. Louis suggested the Cardinals would trim their payroll this winter and potentially take a step back as they focused on youth and development for the 2025 season. This led to numerous rumors about the availability of three experienced players: Catcher Willson ContrerasRight-handed Sonny Grayand third baseman Nolan Arenado. Contreras and Gray both appear unwilling to give up their no-trade clauses and leave St. Louis, with Contreras even poised to move to first base in 2025 to accommodate the Cardinals’ youth movement at catcher Ivan Herrera And Pedro Pages are ready to take on bigger roles.

However, Arenado was at least open to the possibility and the Cards explored the market for him. Given Arenado’s stellar reputation with the glove and declining numbers at the plate, it would be something of a shock if any team actually wanted him to move across the diamond to first base, but he is reportedly open to such a move in the right place Environment. Will a deal be made?