Holiday Rush: Starting Pitching Free Agents and Murakami Update

Major League Baseball is deep into the offseason, and the holiday calendar is doing its usual thing: making front offices move faster than they’d like. With Christmas right around the corner, the starting pitching market—here and overseas—is finally waking up after a slow start. The clock’s ticking especially loud for international stars who have to deal with strict posting deadlines.

MLB Hot Stove Heats Up Before the Holiday Freeze

When the holidays approach, MLB business usually slows down. Executives, agents, and players step away from the grind. That looming break tends to pull deals forward, and this winter’s no exception.

Teams that spent weeks checking the market are now under pressure to act before front offices go dark for a few crucial days. That urgency has already shown up in both trades and international signings, with a few notable moves hinting at a last-minute rush before Christmas.

Padres Act Early With Sung Mun Song Signing

The San Diego Padres kicked off the pre-holiday action by signing Sung Mun Song, a pitcher posted from Korea. Song’s deal stood out because it came right before his posting window closed. The margin for error with KBO and NPB timelines is razor-thin.

San Diego keeps showing a willingness to dive into international markets for pitching depth and upside, instead of only chasing the pricey MLB free-agent class.

Phillies and Royals Swap Arms

The Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals made a deal that shows how teams are trying to fill pitching needs from every angle. Philadelphia sent veteran lefty Matt Strahm to Kansas City for right-hander Jonathan Bowlan.

Strahm gives the Royals a versatile arm who can work in relief or spot start. The Phillies get Bowlan, a controllable pitcher who could help in their rotation or bullpen down the line.

Starting Pitching Market: Slow Start, Sudden Push

This offseason, starting pitching has moved at a deliberate pace. Position players and relievers signed earlier, but the rotation market took its time. Many teams waited for a few key deals to set prices and expectations.

Now, those dominoes are finally falling.

Blue Jays Jump Early on Dylan Cease

The Toronto Blue Jays jumped early, landing Dylan Cease and staking their claim in the upper tier of the starting pitching market. Cease’s signing gave the market a jolt and set a benchmark for frontline arms. Oddly, instead of sparking a rush, it led to an extended lull that frustrated both teams and players.

That pause seems to be over as clubs adjust their plans and the calendar adds more pressure.

Recent Signings: King, Kelly, May, and Houser Off the Board

In the past week, the market has finally started to move. Several notable arms are off the board:

These signings matter for more than just the names. Now, teams know what it costs, and pitchers can figure out where they fit.

Top Starters Still Available as Deadline Pressure Builds

Even with the recent movement, a handful of big-name starters are still unsigned. They’re about to take center stage as teams scramble to lock in rotations before the holiday slowdown.

The biggest names left are a mix of MLB veterans and international standouts.

Remaining Big Arms: Imai, Valdez, Suárez, and Gallen

Four pitchers stand out as possible market shifters:

With mid-tier deals wrapping up, contenders still hunting for a rotation anchor are expected to ramp up their pursuit of this group. The window is narrow before front offices go quiet for the holidays.

International Market: Posting Deadlines Drive Urgency

The international posting system is adding another layer of urgency this offseason. Teams aren’t just racing each other—they’re racing the clock.

Players posted from Japan (NPB) and Korea (KBO) get only a short window to negotiate. When that closes, their path to MLB is blocked for the year.

Song’s Beat-the-Clock Deal and Murakami’s Looming Deadline

Sung Mun Song’s deal with the Padres got done just before his posting window expired. It’s a reminder of how tight these timelines really are. That same pressure is now building for other international stars.

Munetaka Murakami, one of the most anticipated bats coming over from Japan, faces a December 22 deadline. His camp and interested teams have limited time to work out what could be one of the offseason’s biggest signings.

Imai and Okamoto May Move Before the Holidays

Imai’s negotiation window, along with Kazuma Okamoto’s, stretches into early January. Still, both might try to get deals done before Christmas. For players, locking in a contract before the holidays means clarity and less risk of the market freezing or priorities shifting in January.

MLB clubs face a similar dilemma: wait too long, and the options might be fewer—and pricier.

What Comes Next on the MLB Offseason Calendar

The holidays are right around the corner. Expect a flurry of last-minute deals—some out of opportunity, others out of pure necessity.

Teams will look at their depth charts again. They’ll revisit old conversations and try to close the gap between what they need and what their budget allows, all before phones start going silent.

Some clubs want a frontline starter like Valdez or Gallen. Others aim for an international prize—maybe Imai, maybe Murakami.

Plenty of teams would settle for shoring up their rotations with mid-tier arms. The next few days might decide how these contenders stack up for 2025.

Honestly, in an offseason shaped by deadlines, the calendar feels like just another player in the game.

 
Here is the source article for this story: The Opener: Holiday Rush, Starting Pitching Free Agents, Murakami