2024 is in the rearview mirror, but baseball¡¯s offseason keeps humming along.

In fact, there is quite a bit of Hot Stove business still in need of settling, even with the calendar having flipped to 2025 and Spring Training starting next month. So as front offices around the league emerge from the holiday break, we tasked a group of MLB.com writers with breaking down seven of the juiciest storylines to watch in the days and weeks ahead.

1. Who will win the Roki Sasaki recruiting battle?

The single biggest question of the new year is: Where will Sasaki sign?

Opportunities like this just don't come around very often. Sasaki is a generational pitching prospect -- a 23-year-old with a 100 mph fastball and a devastating splitter whose ceiling is "the best pitcher in the world." And every team has the chance to get him.

Sasaki's decision should come between Jan. 15, when the 2025 international amateur signing period begins, and Jan. 23, when his window for negotiating a deal with an MLB team closes.

For now, Sasaki has begun the process of narrowing down his many suitors. Sasaki's agent, Joel Wolfe, said Monday that 20 teams have submitted presentations hoping to woo Sasaki. Sasaki has reportedly met with at least seven teams in person already -- the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Rangers, Giants and Padres. Since Sasaki was posted by his Nippon Professional Baseball club, the Chiba Lotte Marines, on Dec. 9, the Dodgers and Padres have been considered favorites to land the young flamethrower.

Sasaki is currently at home in Japan, but when he returns, his selection process should pick up in earnest, including potentially visiting one or two teams in their cities as he finalizes his decision.

One lucky team will end up with one of the most talented young pitchers in the world. But so many teams want Sasaki, we'll just have to wait and see. -- David Adler

2. Will the trade market produce another starting pitcher blockbuster?

The free-agent market for starting pitchers has been busy, with Corbin Burnes (D-backs), Max Fried (Yankees), Blake Snell (Dodgers) and other notable names signing for big money with new teams. But the trade market for starters hasn't been nearly as active.

When Garrett Crochet changed his Sox from white to red in a trade from Chicago to Boston, it seemed like it might be the first of multiple marquee trades involving starting pitchers. But apart from the Marlins sending Jes¨²s Luzardo to the Phillies, starter-centric trade dominoes haven't fallen -- but that doesn't mean they won't. Spring Training is still more than six weeks away, so there's plenty of time for teams to bring significant upgrades to their rotations. And, of course, there are always rumblings because multiple contenders still need rotation help. But with the free-agent pitching class ever-dwindling, the trade market could soon be the only hope.

But how might that play out? Can the Padres be persuaded to trade Dylan Cease, who finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting in 2024? Will Sonny Gray waive his no-trade clause and leave St. Louis? Will the Braves pull another out-of-nowhere move to land a proven starter, as they did last offseason with eventual Cy Young winner Chris Sale? The pitching burner of the Hot Stove remains ready to cook -- somebody just needs to move the pan. -- Jason Foster

3. Will anyone outbid the Mets for Pete Alonso?

Alonso is one of the top position players remaining on the market, but his list of potential suitors has taken a hit over the past couple months. Christian Walker signed with the Astros and Paul Goldschmidt went to the Yankees, leaving the Mets as the frontrunner to bring back Alonso -- but it might not be that simple.

As recently as last week, there was a ¡°sizable gap¡± in potential contract talks between the Mets and Alonso, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman. That could open the door for another team (the Giants, perhaps?) to swoop in and convince Alonso to play somewhere other than New York. -- Paul Casella

4. Where will third base stalwarts Nolan Arenado and Alex Bregman end up?

Arenado reportedly invoked his no-trade clause to block a trade to the Astros ¨C and Houston has likely closed the door on bringing back Bregman after signing Walker to play first base with Isaac Paredes taking over at third base.

But Arenado¡¯s name is still being floated in trade rumors -- and Bregman still needs a home. The latter has been tied to a number of teams this offseason, including the Tigers, Phillies, Blue Jays, Red Sox and Mets, among others. As for Arenado, he holds a lot of the power in any potential trade talks given his no-trade clause. He¡¯d seemingly be willing to waive it for the right fit, but it remains to be seen if the Cards can find a viable trade partner that works for both the club and Arenado. -- Paul Casella

5. How far will the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees keep pushing?

These three teams all have World Series aspirations and all three have made major noise toward that goal so far this offseason. The World Series champion Dodgers signed lefty Blake Snell and outfielder Michael Conforto, and brought back outfielder Teoscar Hern¨¢ndez. Meanwhile, the AL champion Yankees signed free-agent lefty ace Max Fried and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, and traded for outfielder Cody Bellinger and closer Devin Williams. And, of course, the Wild Card Mets signed the mighty Juan Soto and re-signed rejuvenated lefty Sean Manaea.

While each team's moves might be enough to satisfy most clubs for one offseason, you get the feeling that the Dodgers, Yankees and Mets probably aren't content to stop here, as each team still has varying levels of need. But how much more could they add? Is it possible they're all just getting started?

All are seemingly in the running to sign coveted Japanese righty Roki Sasaki, who would boost any rotation. Do the Yankees decide to make a splash at third base and sign Alex Bregman or lure Nolan Arenado in a trade? Do the Mets re-sign first baseman Pete Alonso to a huge contract or look elsewhere to fill their first-base need? Do the Dodgers add another bat, perhaps in the form of shortstop Ha-Seong Kim or outfielder Luis Robert Jr.? Will any or all make a move nobody expects?

All three teams have arguments as World Series contenders even if they don't make any other major moves. But if they do, their already strong offseasons will create only greater expectations for 2025. -- Jason Foster

6. Does one of the more quiet contenders have a big move up its sleeve?

Besides the three behemoths mentioned above, the D-backs (Corbin Burnes), Giants (Willy Adames), Cubs (Kyle Tucker) and Red Sox (Garrett Crochet) are among those who have landed stars this offseason.

Yet other postseason hopefuls have not been quite so bold in looking to improve their rosters. The Mariners and Padres have been almost entirely quiet so far -- an anomaly under the regimes of Jerry Dipoto and A.J. Preller, respectively. The Twins could fall into that group as well. The Braves, Brewers, Reds, Royals and Tigers all have made moves, to varying degrees, without necessarily creating a dramatic shift in their outlooks for 2025.

But perhaps the two most notable clubs here reside in the AL East. The Orioles have a golden opportunity to capitalize on their young talent, and while Tyler O¡¯Neill, Gary S¨¢nchez and Tomoyuki Sugano each could prove to be savvy acquisitions, their contributions will be blunted by the loss of Burnes (and the expected loss of Anthony Santander). The Blue Jays did swing a trade for an elite defender in second basemen Andr¨¦s Gim¨¦nez, but whiffed in their pursuits of Soto and Burnes, leaving them short of offseason impact ahead of what could be a make-or-break season in Toronto.

The flame is still lit on the Hot Stove, however, and there are opportunities via both free agency and trades for each of these clubs to improve significantly between now and Opening Day. Who will act the most aggressively? -- Andrew Simon

7. Where will Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander continue their march toward Cooperstown?

There's a trio of veteran future Hall of Fame pitchers who are free agents right now: Scherzer, Verlander and Clayton Kershaw.

Kershaw intends to return to the Dodgers in 2025, where he's pitched his entire career. But what about Scherzer and Verlander?

Scherzer and Verlander are at the tail end of their careers -- Verlander will be 42 years old on Opening Day 2025, and Scherzer will turn 41 during the season. But they're not done yet.

While both of them struggled through injuries in 2024 -- Verlander had neck issues, while Scherzer was rehabbing from back surgery until June, then dealt with shoulder fatigue and a hamstring strain late in the year -- Scherzer and Verlander feel like they have more left in the tank.

Verlander, who enters 2025 with 262 career wins and 2,416 strikeouts, said in October: "I do feel like I have a lot more to give pitching-wise." And Scherzer, who has 3,407 K's, said in September when he was shut down: "I still believe I can put you at a high level. There's nothing stopping me from doing that, just right now my body is not fully cooperating."

It's just a matter of where they will land next season. Presumably, the two pitchers would want to sign on with contenders. But there are always teams looking for experienced starting pitching depth, and Scherzer and Verlander's track records speak for themselves. -- David Adler