What Jeff Passan is hearing about MLB free agency, trade rumors and latest offseason buzz

Now that MLB players have filed for free agency and teams have elected to make a few qualifying offers -- or not -- some developments are starting to take shape as the offseason kicks into high gear. Teams are making plans, and from there, trades and transactions are sure to follow.

With baseball's front-office chieftains headed to Scottsdale, Arizona, for the general managers meetings next week, ESPN.com's Jeff Passan is starting to find that some teams are already getting active in their pursuit of deals with free agents and considering trades among themselves.

Here's what he's hearing:

First, one team is already in pursuit of free agent Josh Donaldson, with the Rangers making inquiries:

Coming off a season in which they missed the postseason entirely, the Cubs might be willing to make a move with their starting catcher, Willson Contreras:

Meanwhile, on Chicago's South Side, the White Sox and Jose Abreu both might try to work something out now that the team has made a qualifying offer:

... while Drew Pomeranz might have some upside for teams looking to invest in bullpen reinforcements:

Finally, the Yankees might strike as quickly as they did last year to keep a veteran player in the fold: