The opener: Kim, Arbitrage, Scherzer

As the MLB offseason continues, here are three things we’ll be watching around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Kim’s posting window pulls closed:

KBO infielder Hyesung Kim has just under 32 hours left in its posting window, which is set to close at 4pm CT tomorrow. MLBTR ranked Kim as the #26 free agent available on our annual Top 50 MLB Free Agents list, where we predicted a three-year, $28MM deal for Kim at the start of the offseason. That said, it’s worth noting that the earning power of international free agents can be difficult to predict like Kim’s compatriot Jung Hoo Lee demonstrated last winter when he signed a nine-figure deal with the Giants that blew past all expectations at the time of his posting.

There have been few concrete rumors about Kim’s free agency to this point in the offseason, and with so little known about Kim’s free agency, it’s hard to predict which teams might be interested in the infielder or if he might consider returning to Kiwoom Heroes in 2025 if he can’t find a contract to his liking. Primarily a second baseman, Kim also has plenty of experience at shortstop and is generally regarded as a strong defender who should have little trouble handling third base if needed. The Mariners, Yankees, Angels, Cubs, Padres and Brewers are among a number of teams that could make sense as potential suitors for a versatile infielder like Kim.

2. The deadline for filing arbitration is approaching:

Arbitration-eligible players around the league must either reach an agreement with their club or face an arbitration hearing each winter, and decision day is fast approaching for those players this winter. The deadline to apply for arbitration is one week from today, January 9. While teams and players are free to negotiate even after submission, clubs have increasingly used next week’s deadline as a cut-off point for negotiations, taking what has been called a “file-and-sue” approach to arbitration. The majority of ​​rb-level players typically sign before the deadline to avoid arbitration, as the Royals right-handed Kyle Wright did last month. Many more players are expected to follow in Wright’s footsteps over the next week, including what is sure to be a flurry of offers on deadline day.

3. Is Scherzer’s market heating up?

Reporting yesterday indicated that four teams are involved in the market for the future Hall of Famer Max Scherzeralthough no specific clubs have been linked to the veteran hurler. At age 40, Scherzer is coming off an injury-plagued season and is no longer the perennial contender for Cy Young awards that he was in his prime. Still, the right-hander has remained valuable when healthy, posting a 3.81 ERA (109 ERA+) and a 26.8% strikeout rate over the past two seasons. The eight-time All-Star is among the highest upside players still on the market and offers a relatively inexpensive alternative to the best hurlers remaining on the market. Jack Flaherty and Nick Pivettawhile standing out in a crowd of veterans looking for one-year deals as the most impactful option at the level of the market now that Walker Buehler is off the board.