WRITTEN BY: Jake Geiger, Staff Writer

MLB free agency is beginning to heat up and this offseason has some high-profile names. Rumors are swirling and fans are wondering how their teams will look for the 2021 season. Transactions should be beginning in the next couple weeks, so let’s take a deeper look at some of the bigger names this MLB offseason. 

One of the biggest names in the free agency is Cincinnati’s own Trevor Bauer. Bauer just won the National League Cy Young with his 1.73 era and 5-4 record. He is also known for his antics on and off the field. He is very active on social media and has teased baseball fans of where he might land by having multiple teams hats in numerous pictures. 

There are a lot of potential suitors for Bauer, including the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels. The Angels are rumored to be the favorites, but the Yankees and Red Sox certainly have the cap space to sign Bauer. 

Bauer’s chances of returning to Cincinnati are slim as the Reds do not have enough money to give a maximum contract. 

Other big names include Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu, Astros outfielder George Springer and Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto. 

LeMahieu did not accept his qualifying offer with the Yankees, so he is exploring the free-agent market. There still is a good chance LeMahieu resigns with the Yankees, but another team that has expressed interest in the veteran second baseman are the Toronto Blue Jays. 

This could be a big acquisition for Toronto as they lack veteran type players and this would also be an in division transaction. The Yankees and Blue Jays are in the same division, so New York would still see LeMahieu often. 

Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto had a solid season hitting .266 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI’s. Realmuto is most likely not returning to Philadelphia and the waiting list for him is high. 

A rumored team to be making a strong push are the New York Mets. Billionaire Steve Cohen just bought the New York Mets and is looking to make a lot of acquisitions. 

The last big-name free agent worth mentioning is Houston Astros’ outfielder George Springer. 

Springer is a three-time all-star, World Series champion, World Series MVP and a two-time Silver Slugger. With these qualifications, Springer may be receiving the most money out of any free agent this offseason. 

Springer’s strongest suitors include the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox. The Red Sox just had one of their worst seasons in recent years and could use an MVP caliber player like Springer. The White Sox are on the rise after making the playoffs this past season and being one of the younger teams in all of major league baseball. 

Teams looking to make big splashes this offseason include the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets and Chicago White Sox. The Yankees and Red Sox are typical free-agent suitors because of their large-cap spaces, so look for these two dynasties to leave a mark this free agency offseason. 

The Mets are an interesting name since billionaire Steve Cohen is now the owner and is desperate to make some splashes. The Mets also have a good young core and are close to being a playoff team. 

Additionally, the White Sox are looking to add more contributors and strengthen their chances at a World Series push. 

Lastly, COVID-19 further complicates this already interesting free agency period because teams might not be able to meet with free agents. It is also difficult to predict what the subsequent MLB season will look like as cases nationwide continue to climb.