Given the lack of movement around baseball due to the Christmas season, these are the biggest headlines for the week of December 21st-December 27th:
- On Tuesday December 22nd, the St. Louis Cardinals reached an agreement with free agent RHP Mike Leake on a five year contract worth $80 million, as first reported on Twitter by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
- On Wednesday, December 23rd, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced the signing of veteran John Jaso to a two year contract for $8 million overall.
- Also on Wednesday, the Baltimore Orioles officially announced the signing of Hyun-soo Kim to a two year contract worth $7 million.
- On Christmas Eve, the Washington Nationals agreed to a three year contract for $37.5 million with former Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy, as first reported by Jim Bowden of ESPN.
- On December 26th, the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to terms on a minor league contract with free agent infielder Elian Herrera.
- In other news, the Colorado Rockies signed reliever Adam Ottavino to an extension, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired LHP Kyle Lobstein in a trade with the Detroit Tigers, the New York Mets signed OF Alejandro De Aza, and the San Diego Padres signed LHP Buddy Baumann.