MLB rumors roundup: San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers

More MLB free agents are off the board, but there are still plenty of MLB rumors out there about some well-known players and where the next stops on their baseball journey might be.

MLB rumors: Smoke around Los Angeles Dodgers and Dansby Swanson intensifying?

Swanson’s name is one of the biggest still out there, and there are plenty of teams that could potentially use his services in the lineup. That includes the Dodgers, who lost Trea Turner this offseason to the Philadelphia Phillies in a massive deal.

Could Swanson fill the hole vacated at shortstop by Turner? According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), while Gavin Lux could be an internal answer for the Dodgers at shortstop, Rosenthal says L.A. could well be looking for a platoon partner for him at the position since Lux (a left-handed hitter) has trouble hitting southpaws. That’s where Swanson would come in.

With the Dodgers perhaps unsettled with that question about Lux, would that worry be enough to bring in Swanson and crush the plans of the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and others? It seems to certainly be a possibility.

MLB rumors: Manny Machado opting out of San Diego Padres contract?

We’ve already seen plenty of examples this offseason (Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa being among them) of players opting out of contracts and finding bigger paydays. It’s possible that All-Star third baseman Manny Machado could follow suit.

According to Jon Heyman in this article for The New York Post, “They [the Padres] do anticipate superstar Manny Machado opting out after 2023.” That’s big news for a Padres team that brought in Bogaerts this offseason and believes it has a top of the lineup (including Machado) to compete with anyone in the National League.

St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado chose not to opt out of his contract this offseason, helping the Cardinals save money they could invest in free agents. Will Machado choose a different path next offseason? Expect the questions to hover over the franchise for some time to come.

MLB rumors: Texas Rangers interested in Michael Conforto?

The Rangers made a big splash this offseason by signing Jacob deGrom to lead their rotation. Now Texas may be looking to add to its lineup to back deGrom and the rest of the new-look Rangers options on the mound.

Rosenthal reports that Conforto has caught the eye of the Rangers, who may be looking to bulk up their outfield production. The 29-year-old outfielder is reportedly looking for a short-term deal to not only prove he is indeed healthy after shoulder issues cost him all of last season, but also to prove that he is worthy of a bigger contract, perhaps as early as next offseason.

Conforto is also being reportedly chased by other teams, including the New York Mets, where he has played his entire seven-year career.