Not even the MLB offseason can battle the dropping temperatures, largely because the hot stove remains ice cold. Does someone want to tell the league’s 30 teams that the transaction freeze hasn’t formally started yet? 

The lack of action doesn’t mean there’s no news, though. Max Scherzer quietly hinted at his plans for next year, and we also just learned about another international pitcher eligible to arrive stateside. Now we just need someone to pick up the phone and actually try to upgrade their roster before a potential lockout begins on Dec. 2.

Here are the latest MLB rumors as of Sunday, Nov. 8. 

Max Scherzer certainly sounds like he’ll pitch in 2027

If you don’t want to feel old, we suggest briefly looking away. Scherzer, who debuted with the Diamondbacks in 2008, could realistically be the final player from the Aughts to play in the majors. Justin Verlander just retired, Carlos Carrasco has a 6.33 ERA over the last four seasons, and Andrew McCutchen recently turned 40. 

Despite the continued rumors about him finally calling it quits, the 40-year-old Scherzer told the New York Post he intends to pitch in “lockout games” this winter. We imagine those are similar to the “simulated games” pitchers throw during spring training and while on rehab assignments.

Scherzer went 4-9 with a 5.74 ERA in 84.2 innings for the Blue Jays this past season, and he’s been worth 0.3 bWAR since the start of 2024. We’ll see whether he settles for a minor-league deal or if a team is willing to guarantee him a big-league roster spot. 

Atlanta Braves lukewarm on free agents Nick Pivetta and Casey Mize

We haven’t heard much about a possible Ronald Acuña Jr. trade of late, though the Braves admittedly have far greater priorities. Management must add at least one reliable starting pitcher this offseason, especially with Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach’s respective elbow troubles.

Could the answer come in the form of Pivetta or Mize, who teamed up on the Padres following the trade deadline? Although Pivetta has a 2.87 ERA over the last two years, a flexor injury limited him to 34.2 regular-season innings this past season. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the Braves are understandably concerned about the Canadian right-hander’s elbow; Pivetta turns 34 in February and may need to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal.

As for Mize, he had a 7.46 ERA and allowed 13 homers over 44.2 innings with the Padres. Both sides partly attributed his post-deadline struggles to an ankle injury, but he turns 30 next May and previously had Tommy John surgery in 2022. The AJC’s Gabriel Burns said the Braves’ interest in Mize during this past summer’s deadline was “overstated.”

What to know about Taiwanese reliever Jyun-Yue Tseng

Congratulations to Tseng, who turned 25 on Saturday and was posted by the Chinese Professional Baseball League’s Fubon Guardians this weekend. If MLB teams want to add the intriguing righty reliever, we recommend moving quickly and locking him up ahead of the looming work stoppage. 

The 5-foot-8, 149-pound Tseng owns a 2.36 ERA and 91 saves across six seasons for the Guardians, and he’s only allowed 10 home runs in 240.1 innings. Sounds too good to be true, right? That depends on whether you’re concerned by both his diminutive size and his 3.6 percent walk rate.

Tseng is no stranger to pitching stateside, having previously played in both the Little League World Series and the World Baseball Classic.