Hot Stove Lunch: Red Sox linked to Seattle's Edwin Diaz; Mets in the middle of everything

It's that time of year when trade rumors pop up everywhere and teams are seemingly linked to every player in the game. You'd be advised to take most of those rumors with the proverbial grain of salt.

But one caught my eye Tuesday night. First, because it was written by the estimable Joel Sherman of the New York Post, and secondly because it was one I didn't expect.

In a story about how the Seattle Mariners are trying to unload Robinson Cano and his remaining $120 million ... in order to accomplish that goal, the Mariners might be willing to include All-Star closer Edwin Diaz. Sherman then went on to say that among the teams most interested in Diaz was the Red Sox.

He also noted that some of the teams talking about Diaz might not necessarily be interested in taking on Cano to get a deal done. And indeed, it would seem that Cano, at 36 and coming off a season in which he served an 80-game suspension for PED use, would not represent a good fit for the Sox.

But I found the Red Sox' interest in Diaz surprising. Of course, the Red Sox are in need of a closer, with free agent Craig Kimbrel highly unlikely to return.

However, there are so many quality closers available on the free agent market (Andrew Miller, Zach Britton, Jeurys Familia, Kelvin Herrera...), why would the Red Sox be talking about trading for one, since that would involve[, presumably, sacrificing prospects?

Taking on Cano's contract to facilitate a deal for Diaz wouldn't seem to make much sense either, especially with Dustin Pedroia still on the books for three more years and the DH spot capably filled by J.D. Martinez.

Still, an interesting development.

Elsewhere...

AL EAST 

Yankee owner Hal Steinbrenner sat down for an interview with the YES Network

The Orioles still have a lot of work to do -- like hiring a manager and putting together a coaching staff.

The honors keep coming this winter for Blake Snell.

The Blue Jays filled out their staff.

AL CENTRAL

After all the talk of dealing Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco, maybe the Indians are really trying to move Trevor Bauer.

Are the Twins thinking about non-tendering Robbie Grossman?

The Tigers signed free agent lefty starter Matt Moore.

A look at some of the prospects the White Sox won't be willing to move.

AL WEST

A call for the Astros to retire the numbers of two former players.

What is the future for Mike Trout in Anaheim?

Jesse Chavez has returned to the Rangers on a two-year deal.

The A's have unveiled plans for a new ballpark

NATIONAL LEAGUE 

Suddenly, the Mets are in on all the big names -- Bryce Harper, Robinson Cano...

HOT TAKE I MIGHT SOON REGRET

Major League Baseball partnered with MGM on Tuesday, officially getting into the legalized sports gambling business. That much was inevitable. Sports gambling has been legalized in a handful of states already -- including Rhode Island just recently -- and is unquestionably on the rise. It only makes sense for MLB to prepare for that.

But here's what's strange: in making the announcement, commissioner Rob Manfred noted that baseball's sometimes glacial place may be beneficial when it comes to gambling, since “it gives an opportunity to be creative with respect to the types of wagers” that could be made in between plays.

While that, too, may be true, that's quite a turnaround for Manfred, who has been campaigning for a quicker pace and has even held open the possibility that he might unilaterally implement a pitch clock to help speed up games.

So, which is it, commissioner? Does baseball need to improve its pace? Or it's OK to have long games because we can monetize them?