News & Rumors: The Crawfish Boil 12/3/2025

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News and rumors on both the Houston Astros and from all around MLB: all in today’s Crawfish Boil (Off-Season Edition):

• After signing SP Ryan Weiss, the Astros are not done, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. He reports that it seems the Astros best path to top to mid-tier starter is via trade, not free agency:

“multiple sources said Houston believes its best avenue to acquire an established starting pitcher is via trade. There is considerable interest from other teams in both center fielder Jake Meyers and right fielder Jesús Sánchez, though Sánchez’s dismal performance after the trade deadline may impact his value.“

The Astros are not done addressing their rotation, but as mentioned here, multiple sources continue to reiterate that acquiring a starter via trade is far more likely than spending on one in free agency – https://t.co/571EISNcIF

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) December 2, 2025

• Brian McTaggart of MLB.com put together his Astros Winter Meetings primer:

Here's the Astros’ agenda entering the Winter Meetings https://t.co/TcFyjFRwE0

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) December 3, 2025

• Is Brewers SP Freddy Peralta now more likely to be dealt? Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic addressed that and more:

Latest notes:

*Reds’ interest in Schwarber

*Brewers softening on trading Peralta

*Bellinger’s defense

*Bichette’s offense

*How Rockies handled transition https://t.co/74BjSW9QkA

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 3, 2025

• Cubs SP Matthew Boyd said he will pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, and will do so with pride.

Chicago Cubs veteran Matthew Boyd will pitch for Team USA in the WBC, saying he feels blessed to have been invited.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 3, 2025

• Anthony Kay is the latest pitcher to sign a MLB deal after pitching overseas. He is joining the White Sox on a 2-year deal.

In October, I spoke with Anthony Kay about his comeback to MLB after posting a single-season record 1.74 ERA in Japan. Now, he’s headed to the Chicago White Sox on a two-year, $12 million contract. https://t.co/iQLkNQQNyk

— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) December 3, 2025

• Josh Byrnes will be the new GM of the Colorado Rockies per Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin of The Athletic. This will be the third different NL West team Byrnes will be the GM of, and fourth different NL West team he will have been a member of the front office of.

Josh Byrnes, former Diamondbacks and Padres general manager, will be the Rockies GM under president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, sources tell me and @dennistlin. Byrnes has been the Dodgers’ senior vice president of baseball operations since 2014.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 3, 2025

• Bob Nightengale of USA Today put together his list of the top 10 trade targets this offseason:

MLB trade top 10 targets as rumors swirl before winter meetings https://t.co/8LSftSsQxh

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 3, 2025

• Buster Olney of ESPN listed the biggest needs for 10 contending teams. He included the Orioles and the Royals, but omitted the Astros. Despite that egregiously poor decision, here is the piece:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...st-needs-contenders-dodgers-cubs-yankees-mets

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