AL East

It’s long been known that Russell Martin, the top free-agent catcher on the market, would command a large contract this offseason.

The Boston Red Sox figure to be active participants on the trade market this offseason.

Yes, they have plenty to spend and could sign several marquee free agents. But the Sox have holes in their rotation, in their bullpen and at third base, and given their glut of outfielders, first basemen and young, right-handed arms, they have the ammunition to make deals both major and minor.

On the heels of a season that saw the Baltimore Orioles cruise to their first American League East title since 1997, Buck Showalter has been named the AL Manager of the Year:  

Major League Baseball confirmed the news:

Scott Miller of Bleacher Report passed along the voting results:

Believe it or not, the New York Yankees don’t plan on being big spenders this offseason. At least compared to previous years.

There is no denying that Pablo Sandoval is among the top free agents available this offseason.  The Boston Red Sox are expected to be one of many teams interested in pursuing the third baseman.

With the MLB offseason recently getting underway, the handful of prized free agents available this winter will undoubtedly be getting most of the attention from teams across the league.

Baltimore Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette was named Sporting News' 2014 MLB Executive of the Year on Monday.

The club's official Twitter account congratulated Duquette on the award, which was announced at the annual general manager meetings in Phoenix:

The Boston Red Sox figure to be among the most active teams in both the free-agent and trade markets this offseason.

They need to fill at least two spots in their starting rotation. They need to solidify third base. They need to bolster their bullpen, and they could decide they need a new backup catcher, too.

Coming off an unexpected last-place finish in 2014, the Boston Red Sox look to be a major player in free agency this offseason.  Big names like Jon Lester, James Shields and Pablo Sandoval are being widely discussed as players Boston may go after.

On the other hand, which available free agents should the Red Sox stay away from?

The offseason has only just begun, and already it's been a very tumultuous one for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Indeed, new president of baseball operations Matt Silverman—who took over the job in October after Andrew Friedman, his longtime predecessor, left for the Los Angeles Dodgers—has his work cut out for him.