PHOENIX – The Los Angeles Dodgers spent a lot of money last offseason before winning big in the playoffs, win a World Series title after having committed more than a billion dollars on players like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Teoscar Hernández.

Now it’s time to see which teams are in the mood to open their wallets to free agents heading into the 2025 season.

The Ohtani competition dominated last year’s off-season conversations until the Japanese superstar signed a stunning $700 million deal over 10 years last December. With apologies to Juan Soto, no one may be making that kind of salary in the coming months, even though this year’s class is arguably richer.

Soto, Willy Adames, Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Blake Snell, Alex Bregman and Jack Flaherty are among the high-profile players looking for new teams. After that, there is another attractive group of players like Hernández, Anthony Santander, Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, Pete Alonso, Christian Walker and the previously mentioned Sean Manaea who could provide a big boost to teams vying for the championship.

MLB general managers will meet this week in San Antonio, Texas, in the unofficial opening of the offseason. There isn’t usually much movement during these early November conversations, but the groundwork for future deals is often laid.

Here are some things to watch for as MLB free agency opens this week:

Soto shined as a Yankee, but don’t expect a cut in New York

This class may be deep, but there’s no doubt that the No. 1 prize is Soto. The four-time All-Star already has 201 career home runs, a career .421 on-base percentage and helped lead the New York Yankees to the World Series before losing in five games to the Dodgers.

He is also only 26 years old.

The Yankees would love to keep Soto, who has teamed with Aaron Judge to become a formidable pairing for the Bronx Bombers. But it’s unclear how much owner Hal Steinbrenner is willing to spend on a player who could land a contract in the $500 million range.

Soto didn’t raise his hand after New York disappointing outing in the Fall Classicbut it doesn’t seem like he’s ready to sign for a reduction.

“I’m going to be available for all 30 teams,” Soto said. “I don’t want to say that anyone has an advantage, because at the end of the day we’re going to look at what they have and how much they want me.”

More Big Apple decisions brew for the Mets

One of the most intriguing teams to watch over the coming months it’s the New York Metswho overcame a slow start to advance to the NL Championship Series before losing to the Dodgers.

Alonso has played a significant role in the Mets’ lineup over the past six seasons, hitting 226 home runs. Manaea, Luis Severino and José Quintana are also on the market after all being important parts of the pitching rotation.

The franchise must now decide whether to keep them, build new ones, or do a mix of the two. There’s a lot of pressure on the team to improve, especially because it doesn’t look like the crosstown Yankees are going to stop winning anytime soon.

Fascinating veterans seek late-career resurgence

It will be fascinating to see what happens with veterans like Paul Goldschmidt, Walker Buehler, Shane Bieber and Carlos Santana. These are guys who have miles (and surgeries) on their bodies, but have been great players for a long time.

Goldschmidt was the 2022 NL MVP for the St. Louis Cardinals, but his offensive production has plunged in recent years. Still, he’s a first baseman who is good in the clubhouse and keeps his body in excellent shape.

Buehler returned from his second Tommy John surgery this season. There have been many ups and downs, although his superb performance in the World Series suggests he still has plenty left. He pitched six scoreless innings against the Yankees, including a scoreless ninth to win the series in Game 5.

Superagent Scott Boras will make his presence felt again

Baseball superagent Scott Boras has long been considered one of the best in the business, even though last year’s offseason was not among his best.

Several of his clients – including Snell, Matt Chapman, Jordan Montgomery and Cody Bellinger – didn’t sign until spring training, but didn’t get the long-term, high-value contracts they sought . Instead, most ended up signing short-term deals.

Boras will once again be a major factor this offseason, representing several top free agents including Soto, Burnes, Alonso, Snell and Bregman.

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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb