Some comments,
caleblyn.
As mentioned teams had an exclusive chance to negotiate with their players. Some timeline stuff...
After the end of the WS, teams have a window to make a Qualifying Offer to soon-to-be FAs. A QO is an average of the Top125 players. Teams have a deadline to make the offer. The players have a window to accept/reject. I believe until the end of that deadline, those players can't sign elsewhere.
The Winter GM meetings just completed. That is a time when you may see some trades, but AFAIK, rarely FA signings, if they are allowed.
The Rule V roster deadline was yesterday. That is when you make your roster complete to protect players in your minors. The actual draft is Dec 5th? I believe. The Rangers have 38 (including Hedges for some reason). In order to participate in the draft, teams must have an open roster spot. ie... you can't have 40 on your 40. So, the Rangers effectively can participate. I believe that Rule V roster deadline is the same deadline for players to reject their QO, which helps teams know where they stand.
Over the next few weeks, teams can sign FAs, but little activity is completed because teams are evaluating where they are what might be. As mentioned, Ohtani supposedly plans to have a decision by the Winter Meetings (Dec 4-7th). I think that is when you see many decisions made. Mid-December you'll have a wave of FA signing. I think Boras gets GMs in neighboring rooms and goes back and forth twisting their arms.
The face-to-face helps move things along. I think historically, mid-Jan is when the next wave happens. Teams start to evaluate the moves of other teams and start to panic.
Some players/agents don't like to be 1st, which is true... the other side of that is Agents can leverage multiple players against teams. Boras has Snell and Montgomery and will likely use the two to get better deals for each of them. If you can drive up the cost of your 2nd best FA SP... the best will get that much more. He can also wait to see if a SP signs with a competitor... say Yamamoto signs with Seattle, the Rangers then have more urgency to sign Monty.
Here is a link that is probably more accurate timeline info:
https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/news/key-2023-2024-offseason-dates-for-major-league-baseball