"In a rare bit of major news breaking on Christmas Day, the A's have agreed to a seven-year, $86MM extension with left fielder Tyler Soderstrom. Between his increasingly strong numbers at the plate and the successful transition to left field, Soderstrom cemented his place as a building block for an Athletics team as they approach their next era in Las Vegas."
"January 2 at 4pm CT marks the end of the 45-day posting window for Tatsuya Imai, as the right-hander will be spending the 2026 season with the Seibu Lions if he can't finalize a deal with a Major League team within the next week. Such teams as the Yankees, Phillies, Cubs, Orioles, Giants, and Mets have been linked to Imai's market, though in the case of the latter two clubs in particular, it remains to be seen if the Giants or Mets are willing to make a long-term commitment to any starting pitcher. MLB Trade Rumors projected a six-year, $150MM for Imai as he makes the jump from Japan to North American baseball, and given the number of larger-market teams reportedly interested, it would seem like Imai should be able to land a substantial payday."
"The final week of the year tends to be relatively quiet in terms of transactions, as many front office executives take the week between Christmas and New Year's Day as something of an unofficial break."
Tyler Soderstrom signed a seven-year, $86MM extension with the Oakland Athletics after improving offensively and completing a successful transition to left field. The deal establishes Soderstrom as a building block as the A's prepare to relocate to Las Vegas. The A's also completed the Jeff McNeil trade and signed Mark Leiter Jr., yet starting pitching remains an unresolved need after a weak 2025 rotation. Tatsuya Imai's 45-day posting window ends January 2 at 4pm CT, and he will return to the Seibu Lions if no major league deal materializes. Multiple large-market teams have been linked to Imai and MLB Trade Rumors projected a six-year, $150MM contract, creating late-offseason urgency. Year-end front office breaks typically slow transactions.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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