MLB rumors: Padres decline option on key rotation piece, Korean star to be posted

The 2026-27 MLB offseason is only four days old and already the hot stove moves and rumors are coming in. Here are our top 50 free agents and top 25 trade candidates, and here are the important offseason dates and deadlines you need to know. Here now are Sunday's hot stove happenings.

Padres decline Pivetta's option

San Diego's top two starters are now free agents. Two days after Michael King exercised an opt-out clause to become a free agent, the Padres declined their $14 million club option on Nick Pivetta, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. Had the Padres picked up the option, Pivetta would have held an $18 million player option for 2028. That surely factored into the team's decision.

Pivetta, 34 in February, missed roughly five months with a flexor strain this past season. He returned late in the season and pitched reasonably well in six starts spanning September and the postseason. The San Diego Union-Tribune notes the Padres still have concerns about Pivetta's elbow, but could re-sign him to a new contract with a lower salary and/or no player option.

San Diego signed Pivetta to what amounted to a two-year, $23 million contact with two players options in February 2025. The flexor strain triggered an injury clause that converted the 2027 player option into a club option. We ranked Pivetta as the offseason's 43rd-best free agent.

Orioles decline Robert's option

As expected, the Orioles have declined their $20 million club option for center fielder Luis Robert Jr., reports ESPN. They will pay him a $2 million buyout, so it was functionally an $18 million decision. Robert suffered a hamstring injury and played only three games with the O's after being claimed off waivers from the Mets in late September.

Now 29, Robert again had multiple stints on the injured list this past season. He continued to punish lefties and play solid center field defense when healthy, but injuries have limited him to only 271 of 489 possible regular-season games from 2024-26. We did not rank Robert among our top 50 free agents, though he is an interesting upside play given his age.

Hanwha Eagles to post Si-Hwan Roh

The Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization will post star third baseman Si-Hwan Roh for MLB teams this offseason, reports Yonhap News Agency. Roh signed the richest deal in KBO history in February (11 years and $23 million), though as part of the deal, the Eagles agreed to post him this offseason, and Roh agreed to return to the team once his MLB stint is over.

Roh, 26, has been one of the KBO's best players the last several years. He hit .283/.360/.505 with 29 home runs in 2026, and has averaged 35 home runs per 162 games since 2023. Roh is considered a reliable but unspectacular defender at third, plus he has first base experience as well. This free agent class is very thin at the hot corner. Roh should generate a good deal of interest.

KBO players get a 30-day negotiating window once officially posted. If Roh does not sign with an MLB team during the 30-day window, he will return to the Eagles. It's possible that Roh, a right-handed hitter, will eclipse his $23 million guarantee with the Eagles over just a handful of years with an MLB team.

Astros, Rays make minor trade

The Astros have acquired Triple-A righty reliever Evan Reifert from the Rays for cash, reports the Tampa Bay Times. Houston is likely to add him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. The Rays did not have the roster space to do that, so they traded for cash rather than lose him for nothing. Reifert, 27, has an excellent slider and used it to strike out 81 batters in 58 Triple-A innings in 2026. He should spend time in Houston's bullpen next season.

MLB rumors: Padres decline option on key rotation piece

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