The Major League Baseball off-season is in full swing with chatter heating up as teams start to put their winter plans in place. Follow all the latest rumours on TSN.ca.

Yankees doing their homework

The New York Yankees are doing "extensive" background on free agent infielder Manny Machado according to Jayson Stark of The Athletic. 

Ken Rosenthal, also of The Athletic, notes that while it's common for teams to do background on a player, Stark's use of the word extensive could indicate stronger interest. 

Machado's play during the post-season -- including a dustup with the Milwaukee Brewers that prompted Christian Yelich to call him a dirty player and a self-described lack of hustle that was on display at times during the World Series -- have put him under the microscope. 

Whether or not the Yankees have made a formal offer to the 26-year-old is not clear. 

 

Brantley on Braves' radar?

It looks like the Braves are getting ready to dip their toes in the free agent market. 

According to Mark Bowman of MLB.com, the Braves have expressed interest in free agents Michael Brantley and Wilson Ramos. Bowman notes that while the Braves do have interest, teams are still in the courting stage where they show interest in many free agents just to get a feel for the potential interest and cost.

Brantley, who finished third in the 2014 American League MVP race, has battled injuries the past few years but played in 143 games last season and looks to be back at full strength. He slashed .309/.364/.468 with 17 longballs. 

Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com reported over the weekend that there is "zero" chance that Brantley returns to the Indians, who are believed to want to cut payroll this off-season. 

Ramos hit .306 with 15 home runs and 70 RBI in 111 games last season split between the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies. 

 

Greinke available?

The Arizona Diamondbacks could be open to trading right-hander Zack Greinke according to Rosenthal. 

He notes that the D-Backs are potentially willing to reduce some of Greinke's financial burden to facilitate a deal. He is entering the fourth year of a six-year, $206.5 million deal he signed prior to the start of the 2016 season.

After struggling in his first year in the desert, Greinke has been solid the last two seasons, going a combined 32-18 with a 3.20 ERA and 414 strikeouts over 410.0 innings. 

 

Phillies shopping Santana?

Rosenthal reports that the Philadelphia Phillies are shopping first baseman Carlos Santana.

While he did hit 24 home runs, Santana hit just .229 to give him his lowest OPS today (.766) in three years. If the Phils are able to find a taker for the two years and $35 million, they could slide Rhys Hoskins over to first base and open up a spot in the outfield.

Prior to his time in Philadelphia, Santana spent eight seasons in Cleveland with the Indians. 

 

Could New York Deal Gray?

Since the Yankees acquired right-hander Sonny Gray in a deal with the Oakland Athletics just prior to the 2017 trade deadline, his effectiveness has gone way downhill. 

Through most of five seasons in Oakland, Gray's ERA was 3.42, but in a season and a half in the Bronx, it's gone way up to 4.51. Despite his downward trend, he could still have some trade value, writes George A. King of the New York Post. 

"I think he [has value] because with the way starting pitching is right now, you look at him as a reclamation project. There has to be value with what starting pitching has become,” one talent evaluator for an AL rival told King.

King notes that since many once-prized prospects in the Yankees' farm system are now in the big leagues, New York might be inclined to make a deal for prospect depth.