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When conversations turn to Minnesota Twins franchise favorites, it is easy to focus on the bats that carried October runs or the defenders who made iconic plays. Just as often, however, the foundation of Twins baseball has been the men on the mound. From Hall of Fame starters to lockdown closers, the organization has consistently produced pitchers who defined eras and gave fans confidence every fifth day or in the ninth inning. MLB Network has been creating lists of the franchise favorites for the lineup and pitching staff. Last week, I attempted to create the Franchise Favorite Lineup; it led to plenty of discussion. Minnesota’s best players can be debated, and that adds to the intrigue of the exercise. Here are five starters and relievers, with some honorable mentions at both spots. SP: Johan Santana (36.1 rWAR, 10th in franchise history) Santana stands at the top of any Twins pitching discussion. At his peak, Santana was not just the best pitcher in franchise history, but one of the most dominant arms in baseball. His two Cy Young Awards and ability to control games made him appointment viewing. For a stretch in the mid-2000s, the Twins felt they had the best pitcher in the sport, and that advantage shaped the entire organization. SP: Bert Blyleven (48.9 rWAR, 5th in franchise history) Blyleven represents both longevity and excellence. His curveball became legendary, and his statistical résumé places him among the game's greats. While some of his best years came elsewhere, Blyleven’s time with the Twins included critical contributions to championship teams. His Hall of Fame plaque connects Minnesota to baseball history in a tangible way. SP: Brad Radke (45.3 rWAR, 6th in franchise history) Radke may not have the same national recognition as others on this list, but his importance to the Twins cannot be overstated. Radke was reliability personified, taking the ball year after year and giving the team a chance to win even when the rest of the roster floundered around him. In an era defined by efficiency and control, Radke embodied what the Twins valued in a frontline starter. SP: Jim Kaat (35.6 rWAR, 11th in franchise history) Kaat bridged generations of Twins baseball. His durability and competitive edge anchored the early years of the franchise, and his success helped establish credibility for a young organization. Kaat’s career longevity and eventual Hall of Fame induction underscore his importance both in Minnesota and beyond. SP: Jack Morris (2.1 rWAR) Morris brings big-game gravity. While his time with the Twins was brief, his impact was unforgettable. Morris’s performance in the 1991 World Series remains one of the most iconic pitching efforts in baseball history, and that single season cemented his place in Twins lore. He might be the most debatable name on the list, but his place in franchise history is hard to ignore. RP: Joe Nathan (18.4 rWAR) Out of the bullpen, Nathan is the standard, with a borderline Hall of Fame career. He transformed the closer role in Minnesota, combining dominance with consistency. He ended his career with 377 saves, and 260 of those came in a Twins uniform. Ninth innings felt shorter when Nathan was on the mound, and his run as one of baseball’s elite closers gave the Twins a level of certainty that few teams enjoyed. RP: Rick Aguilera (15.5 rWAR) Aguilera served as the Twins’ primary closer for nearly a decade, finishing his Minnesota career with 254 saves, the most in franchise history until Nathan arrived. Beyond the numbers, Aguilera was trusted in the most significant moments, anchoring the bullpen during the 1991 championship season. His ability to execute in October solidified his place among the most essential pitchers the Twins have ever had. RP: Glen Perkins (9.0 rWAR) Perkins represents the modern Twins reliever who also carried emotional weight with the fan base. A Minnesota native who became a three-time All-Star closer, Perkins brought both performance and connection. His peak seasons reminded fans that bullpen dominance could still be homegrown. RP: Eddie Guardado (9.5 rWAR) Guardado thrived in chaos. Nicknamed “Everyday Eddie” for a reason, he took the ball whenever needed and delivered in countless high-leverage moments. His versatility and fearlessness made him one of the most trusted arms of his era. RP: Jhoan Duran (7.3 rWAR) Duran is the newest name on the list, but his inclusion already feels justified. With triple-digit velocity and a devastating breaking ball, Duran has redefined what is possible out of the Twins' bullpen. His trade last year was disappointing, because he could have been one of the top relievers in team history had he stayed in Minnesota. Though it will be a footnote instead of a headline in team history due to his early exit, the electricity of Duran's signature entrances is one of the brightest spots in an often dark recent stretch of team lore. The honorable mentions highlight the depth of Minnesota's pitching history. Starters like Camilo Pascual, Dave Goltz, Frank Viola, and Jim Perry each had stretches where they carried the rotation and left a lasting imprint. In the bullpen, Taylor Rogers, Griffin Jax, Juan Rincon, Al Worthington, and LaTroy Hawkins all played key roles in stabilizing late innings across different eras. Leaving any of them off a favorites list is less an indictment than a reminder of how many meaningful arms have passed through the organization. Together, this group tells the story of the Twins through pitching. It is a history built on reliability, timely dominance, and moments that still linger in the memory of anyone who has followed the team long enough. Who would you add to the list? Who should be taken off? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

During their recent run of success, the Brewers have been famous for some late signings that ended up paying off big-time. For instance, Jose Quintana became a rotation mainstay in 2025, helping the team power through early injuries. Could they find similar magic again in 2026? Milwaukee currently boasts a deep starting rotation, featuring Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, Jacob Misiorowski, Quinn Priester, Chad Patrick, Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser, Carlos Rodriguez, and Tobias Myers as candidates to fill slots. That doesn’t include current relief options Ángel Zerpa, DL Hall, and Aaron Ashby. So, why consider adding a free agent or two? Firstly, Woodruff, Henderson, Gasser, and Myers all spent time on the injured list in 2025. So did Hall and Ashby. That’s half of the rotation candidates. Top depth starter Cameron Crow also has an injury history, and Peralta could very well be traded. You really can’t have too many starting pitchers. Here are four names the team could still pluck from free agency for help, in the event of a trade or injuries. Jordan Montgomery Montgomery will still be recovering from his second Tommy John surgery in the early part of 2026, likely not being available until the All-Star Break. The Brewers could consider signing him to a Woodruff-esque deal ($3 million in 2026, $7 million in 2027, and a $15 million mutual option with a $2.5 million buyout for 2028). It would be like getting a solid starter as a mid-season acquisition, without paying the price in terms of prospects. The Brewers acquired Montgomery along with Shelby Miller this July, in exchange for a player to be named later. By taking on the money remaining on Montgomery's deal with the Diamondbacks, the Crew avoided having to give up any meaningful prospect to get Miller, but they also bought some time to work with Montgomery and oversee his rehab process in the wake of surgery. The deal didn’t quite work; Miller was lost for the season due to injury. Bringing Montgomery back could make some good come out of it, after all. Nestor Cortes The Brewers hoped Cortes would be a solid piece of the rotation in 2025, when he was acquired in the Devin Williams trade. Instead, he was injured early in the season and eventually traded to the Padres (with shortstop Jorge Quintana) for Brandon Lockridge. Before 2025, Cortes had been a solid starting pitcher, including being a top-10 Cy Young vote recipient in 2022. Milwaukee’s brought pitchers back from the brink before, and Cortes could be the latest in that line. Besides, if Cortes has a dominant year, the Brewers could issue the qualifying offer and get a compensatory draft pick. A one-year, $3-million deal for 2026 with a $10-million mutual option for 2027 (and a $2-million buyout) could bring Cortes back, if no stronger an offer materializes for him. Jose Quintana Quintana was such a late signing that Milwaukee had to option him to the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League Brewers and couldn’t bring him up until two weeks into the regular season. Thereafter, though, he was a solid presence in the rotation who ate innings and gave the bullpen much-needed breaks when he was on the mound. Quintana took $4 million to come to Milwaukee in 2025, but made another $4.65 million in incentives based on innings and starts. This year, Milwaukee could offer him $5 million on a one-year deal, and then a mutual option for $10 million in 2027, with a $2.5 million buyout. Patrick Corbin At his best, Patrick Corbin was an All-Star and received votes for the Cy Young Award. From 2022 to 2024, though, he had a rough stretch in Washington, wherein he was arguably the worst full-time starter in baseball. He rebounded somewhat with the Rangers in 2025. Over the last five years, Corbin has pitched an average of 167 innings a season, making him a reliable workhorse. Corbin also has a World Series ring, won with the Nationals in 2019. Milwaukee’s track record of maximizing pitchers’ stuff (as they did for Quintana in 2025) might be appealing to Corbin, as well. Corbin’s strikeout rates have been better than Quintana’s over the last two years. As a similarly cheap echo of Quintana's signing, Corbin could be the veteran presence and high-volume arm Milwaukee needs. Which of these lefties do you think the Brewers should take a chance on? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

Here are five fast facts about Royals' top prospect Carter Jensen. The Kansas City native impressed in his brief big league stint last year. With Salvador Perez hitting age-35 and his contract expiring in 2027, Jensen has made sizable progress towards becoming the Royals' backstop of the future. Learn all about his strong attributes, what he needs to work on, and the likelihood that he shares reps at the position with fellow pipeline talent Blake Mitchell. View the full article

Dave Gasper breaks down the pros and cons of the Brewers potentially trading Freddy Peralta this offseason as the rumors continue to heat up about a possible move. Is this a move that Matt Arnold should make? Will Peralta end up like Brewers pitchers of the past? Or will he be held until free agency like Willy Adames? View the full article

Jeremy, Jamie, and Theo provide their favorite prospects they anticipate becoming the new cult hero prospect in the Twins farm system in 2026. View the full article

There are 24 days remaining before Twins pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers, FL, on February 12th to signify the official commencement of spring training. Here are 24 questions they'll need to answer as they steer toward the start of a 2026 season brimming with uncertainty. 1. Who's closing games? If the Twins were to carry a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning on Opening Day in Baltimore, who would get the ball to pitch the ninth? Is that pitcher currently on the roster, or still yet to be acquired? The former would be rather uninspiring, barring a big spring breakthrough from someone like Connor Prielipp. 2. Who's pitching the other high-leverage relief innings? Beyond the closer role, there are going to be a lot of important innings to be doled out to Twins relievers. They are presently short on compelling options for the setup and fireman roles. You hope newcomer Eric Orze can build on his solid rookie campaign and Cole Sands can rebound from a disappointing year. That would be a start. Much work to do. 3. How will the catching unit take shape? They're not going to carry three catchers on the 26-man roster ... are they? With Ryan Jeffers and now Victor Caratini topping the depth chart ahead of Alex Jackson — who's out of options and owed $1.35 million via arbitration — that's how things are currently laid out. Something seemingly has got to give. 4. How will Twins catchers handle the new ABS challenge system? This is a question faced by every team, with the implementation of Automated Ball-Strike challenges bringing a new twist for major-league batteries (and batters). For the Twins, who are currently getting familiar with a pair of new catchers in Caratini and Jackson, there's an added element of learning and discovery in play. 5. Was Royce Lewis's healthy finish a trend or mirage? The second half of the 2025 season saw Lewis look as healthy as he has in years, even though it didn't necessarily translate into outstanding production. Hopefully the positive physical signs carry over into this new season, helping him unlock his previous form. We'll likely know pretty quickly; Lewis got injured in spring training last year, and on Opening Day in 2024. 6. What will Josh Bell's split between 1B/DH look like? This matter because it will have an impact on the value Bell can provide — will a hitting-only role accentuate the benefits of his bat, or will too much time in the field prove detrimental? Of course, the answer to this question also has implications on who else can get playing time at these spots. There's no question the switch-hitting Bell will be playing every day if healthy. 7. Can Bailey Ober bounce back or is this his new norm? Ober has a history of showing up to camp with a few extra ticks on his fastball, igniting the imaginations of fans who wonder what a consistent mid-90s fastball could do for his repertoire. This year, following a major drop-off, a spring stuff boost for Ober feels like more of a requisite than a luxury. If he's throwing 89 MPH again in mid-March, what do they do? Anything? 8. Will Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez really still be here? The Twins have been insistent that they don't intend to trade either, and the rumor mill has gone quiet on both fronts. I still wonder. If a late push emerges among suitors, and the Twins take a realistic look at their contention chances over the next couple years, will they really turn down an aggressive make-sense offer for either or both? 9. Who will emerge among the second tier of starters? Assuming the top three veterans do all remain in place, there are only two rotation spots available. Simeon Woods Richardson has to be penciled in as fourth starter. That leaves one remaining spot for a group that includes Zebby Matthews, David Festa, Taj Bradley and Mick Abel. It sets up a competitive spring battle. Are the Twins really planning to send three of these clearly MLB-ready guys to Triple-A? Another "something's gotta give" situation, which is why I'm skeptical on question #8. 10. Which young starters will transition to relief, and how quickly? This is one of thing that might give. Moving, say, Matthews and Festa into relief roles would alleviate the starting logjam and help address the bullpen shortage. It would also be a fairly tough sell for two guys who still have rotation upside. Whatever the decision, the Twins likely need to make some firm calls early on so these pitchers can acclimate to their roles in spring training. 11. Will Trevor Larnach stick around? Maybe the biggest looming roster question at this point. There's little question the Twins would be very open to unloading his $4.5 million salary and removing some redundancy to their roster mix, if the right offer came along. But they don't want to lose a talented former first-round hitter for nothing — thus the reason they tendered him a contract in arbitration. 12. Other than Brooks Lee, who gets shortstop reps in spring training? The departure of Carlos Correa leaves the Twins without much in the way of proven major-league shortstops. Lee is the closest thing, having played the position regularly following the Correa trade last year. He's a question mark, and everything behind him even more so. Ryan Kreidler, Orlando Arcia and Vidal Brujan figure to try and make their cases in exhibition play. The divvying of opportunities among them will be interesting. 13. Is growth or regression ahead for Luke Keaschall? Keaschall was a spark of energy that catalyzed the Twins when he was on the field as a rookie. He's one of the biggest causes for excitement among fans this season. But all too often we've seen a promising young Twins hitter break through and follow up by taking a major step backward rather than forward. Can he avoid the pervasive regression bug? 14. How committed are the Twins to Kody Clemens? His trajectory toward making the team isn't in much doubt, based on comments from team officials. And that's fair enough, given some of the flashes he showed last year. But if he struggles for a prolonged period, reverting to his pre-Twins form (career 70 OPS+), are we really going to have to watch the team stand firm on its thinly-supported belief? Is there a level of play this spring that could push him out of the Opening Day plans, given the presence of Bell, Caratini and Wagaman? 15. Are the Twins really going to carry James Outman on the roster? He's out of options so they will be compelled to do so. But Outman looked really rough during his 60 games with the Twins after being acquired last year, both offensively and defensively. If he doesn't hit or show more in the outfield during spring training they've got to just let him go. Right? Outman turns 29 in May. Not impossible he passes through waivers. 16. Can any of the low-tier hitters they've added show anything with the bat? Needing to improve their offense, the Twins have brought in a lot of position players with very poor track records for hitting. Can guys like Kreidler, Jackson, Arcia, Brudal or even a theoretical bat-first player like Eric Wagaman shake off their woeful recent runs of production? It's going to be hard to score runs with bottom-of-the-barrel performers getting a bunch of collective plate appearances. 17. How open is the door for MLB-ready prospects? When the alternative is giving innings to fringe 30-year-old journeymen, or veteran hitters who have struggled over sizable samples, I'd just as soon give the reins to young prospects who could surprise, or at least benefit from taking their lumps. I'm curious to see if players like Connor Prielipp, Marco Raya and Gabriel Gonzalez might be given an opportunity to compete for roster spots. 18. Where will Alan Roden start the season? A particularly interesting case. The Twins acquired Roden in the Louis Varland trade because they viewed him as MLB-ready. He joined the team immediately, didn't hit, and then suffered a season-ending injury. The jury is out on his major-league viability, but Roden has a little to prove at Triple-A (.917 OPS) and he's 26. In a way it would feel strange for a semi-rebuilding team to send him to St. Paul, but I don't see how he fits on the roster alongside both Larnach and Matt Wallner — especially if Outman is there. 19. Where will Austin Martin start the season? He'll turn 27 in March, and like Roden there's not much left for him to accomplish in Triple-A, where Martin has 500+ plate appearances and an .816 OPS. He too is trending to be the victim of a roster crunch, however. His lack of a standout bat, or viability at SS/CF, work against his fit on a short four-man bench. 20. What will Derek Shelton do differently than Rocco Baldelli? With relatively little changing on the roster makeup front, the Twins are leaning hard on their coaching staff overhaul to shake up the dismal status quo from 2025. On the surface, Shelton doesn't seem to represent a significant change from Baldelli, who was dismissed following last season. But starting in spring training, we'll get a chance to see first-hand how he approaches and talks about the game ... and how the team responds. 21. Can voices of respected former players make a difference? In addition to Shelton and a handful of new coaches (including former players like LaTroy Hawkins and Grady Sizemore), the Twins are bringing a couple of recently retired, familiar faces: Michael A. Taylor to help the outfielders, and Ryan Pressly to help the relievers. It's an interesting tactic and I'll be curious to see how much these seasoned voices can resonate with some of the young big-leaguers finding their way. 22. What would it take for Eduardo Julien to avoid waivers? As things stand, he'll be coming to spring training to compete for a roster spot. And he'll need to win one, because Julien is out of options, so he'll hit waivers if the Twins want to send him to the minors. It's really hard to find a role that Julien could fill, even with a big spring, unless there are multiple injuries in the 1B/DH mix. 23. How serious are the Twins about leaning into stylistic changes? After the trade deadline sell-off in 2025, Baldelli and the Twins embraced a much more aggressive style of play, stealing and taking extra bases with abandon. There have been comments suggesting the team wants to keep leaning into this scrappy bygone identity, but you have to play to your roster strengths and this still isn't a team boasting much speed. 24. Will some of the team's best young players FINALLY stay healthy? The biggest reason to believe in the future of the Twins is the presence of near-ready potential stars in the likes of Keaschall, Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez. But these guys have been constantly besieged and derailed by injuries. If that continues to happen, everything else almost feels moot. Minnesota needs its top young talents to stay healthy in camp and carry it over into the regular season. Did I miss anything? What are your biggest burning questions as you look ahead to spring training and then Twins season, which are suddenly not too far off in the distance? View the full article

As we reported at Brewer Fanatic earlier this month, the Brewers are focused on landing controllable starting pitching in return for Freddy Peralta. The impending free agent has attracted a vast number of suitors, due to his paltry $8-million salary in 2026 and off the back of his third straight 200-strikeout season. Last year, he recorded a 2.70 ERA and 5.5 bWAR. Peralta's consistency—his on-field performance and his off-field leadership—mean that the price will be high, but who are the names being thrown around by his most commonly linked suitors? Brandon Sproat - RHP, New York Mets, #87 Just Baseball Prospect Perhaps the most commonly linked name from the Mets system, Sproat was a helium prospect entering 2025. He endured some struggles before finding his groove at the end of the year in Triple A, but eventually got a cup of coffee in the majors. Sproat had a 4.79 ERA in just over 20 innings for the parent club, but that came with a FIP of just 2.80, showing solid potential to miss barrels. Coming out of a low three-quarters slot, Sproat's high-velocity four-seam fastball ran into problems with poor shape, and he's since morphed into a sinker-dominant, ground-ball pitcher. His best offering is his 85-mph slider, using seam-shifted wake. His low arm angle compensates for some struggles with spinning the baseball, and his results ticked up in the second half of the season. His main issue is the lack of fastball whiffs, but a solid array of pitches behind the sinker—all of which performed well in Triple A—forms a deceptive mix, blending the slider, sweeper, changeup and a curveball to create an arsenal that's tough to pick up and tough to square up. He might not rack up strikeouts at a high level, and as a ground ball-oriented pitcher, his ceiling would therefore be lower than Peralta's. However, he's controllable through at least 2031, and the Brewers can make the most of that profile with their infield defense. Jonah Tong - RHP, New York Mets, #37 Just Baseball Prospect Jonah Tong is another high-profile arm in the Mets system, with a uniquely intense delivery and arsenal. Tong would, by consensus, be preferred across most outlets to Sproat, with a higher ceiling and better command of his arsenal despite larger struggles once he reached the Mets rotation. Tong had a 7.71 ERA in 18 2/3 innings, but he did show a far better whiff rate, and his unique profile is certainly fascinating to a Brewers rotation without a lot of quality off-speed pitches to boast. Tong's arsenal grades out exceptionally well from a deception and stuff perspective. His release point is almost identical for each of his pitches, as you can see from the icon in the top left, while his whiff rates in a short sample at Triple A were impressive on both the fastball and changeup. His delivery, meanwhile, evokes Tim Lincecum. NXkyMTBfWGw0TUFRPT1fQkFSVlhWVUFWQW9BQVZFQkJRQUhCMUFEQUZsWFZRY0FWQVlEQUFVRkNWWldCZ29I.mp4 Tong only throws one fastball, but it is of a far higher quality than Sproat's, and his changeup increases its effectiveness even further as the two pitches blend well before separating late. As with Brewers prospect Logan Henderson, Tong's slider and curveball could use some refining, but if he can develop a true third pitch—especially a genuine out pitch to right-handers, to whom the slider proved ineffective in the early returns—the sky is the limit for Tong. Over-the-top deliveries can make it difficult to generate lateral movement, and the Brewers might be wary of Tong's effectiveness against same-handed hitters, unless Chris Hook sees something with which he can work. If the Brewers landed Tong instead of Sproat, any supplemental pieces would likely be lower-level. Peyton Tolle - LHP, Boston Red Sox, #33 Just Baseball Prospect Perhaps the best prospect on this list, Tolle ticks a lot of boxes for the Milwaukee Brewers. He averages just under 96 mph from the left side, combining a low arm slot with above-average induced vertical break and almost 7.5 feet of extension, meaning his fastball plays extremely well. Tolle also possesses a 90-mph cutter that he uses to keep hitters off his fastball, and almost 70% of his pitches are one of those two offerings. When he wants to switch things up, Tolle has a slider, a curveball and a changeup, all of which look solid from a Stuff+ standpoint—although the release points aren't identical. Tolle has almost 10° of arm angle difference between his cutter/changeup combo and the fastball/curveball combination, and that might have implications down the line Another exceptional part of Tolle's game is his command. He walked just 3.4% of hitters in his short time in Triple A, despite the tighter strike zone from the ABS challenge system. He has plus stuff and plus command. If he can link the arsenal together a little further, Tolle could be a star. As such, the Red Sox will be in no hurry to trade him away. JR Ritchie - RHP, Atlanta Braves, Just Baseball #94 Prospect Ritchie is probably the least exciting of the names listed here. His fastballs don't grade out particularly strongly, especially when the full arsenal is categorized correctly. (As with many pitchers with large arsenals, Statcast can struggle to decipher which pitch is which.) Throwing a four-seamer, sinker and cutter, Ritchie is an effective kitchen-sink operator on the mound. In his slider and curveball, he boasts two solid breaking pitches to which to turn to prevent hitters from sitting on his heater. He has a low arm slot, with consistent release points that really allow it to play up. The four-seamer, especially, can get whiffs at the top of the zone, but it can also find the barrel if he misses his spots. Ritchie pitched 140 innings in 2025, with a combined 2.64 ERA, including a 3.02 ERA at Triple A. However, his peripherals don't stack up quite so nicely, with a 4.15 FIP at the highest level of the minor leagues and a double-digit walk rate creeping in at both Double A and Triple A. This certainly creates some concern for the profile without the gaudy strikeout numbers to offset those walks, and a 14-percentage point difference between his strikeout and walk rates is nothing to shout about. Ritchie may have tired as the season went on, having thrown just 49 innings in 2024 and really stretching himself in 2025. He's a high-floor arm more likely to fit the back end than the front end of a rotation, but he does have good feel to spin the ball and has developed a strong arsenal of pitches moving in a variety of different directions. The further he got from Tommy John surgery, the better his stuff got. Emmet Sheehan - RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers - Not prospect eligible I'm sure many would throw up at the thought of the Dodgers becoming even more of a behemoth in 2026, but it's futile to ignore the suitability of their controllable MLB arms. River Ryan has a high-velocity fastball (with poor shape) but failed to get much swing-and-miss at the major-league level, albeit with excellent secondaries. Gavin Stone used the kitchen-sink approach to limit barrels well in 2024, before injury struck. However, if the Brewers really wanted to push the Dodgers, they could demand a one-for-one trade of Emmett Sheehan for Peralta. Sheehan had an electric 2025, but in a fully healthy rotation, it's difficult to see him finding an everyday position among the Dodgers' big-money signings. From a low three-quarters slot, Sheehan has phenomenal riding life on his fastball, with high induced vertical break for his release point and one of the flattest vertical approach angles in baseball. Averaging almost 96 mph, it may be one of the most underrated pitches in the game, while his tight gyro slider, two-plane curveball and changeup are all plus pitches. The Brewers are loath to do one-for-one deals, and prefer to spread their risk more in any return. If the opportunity of a challenge trade opened up in this case, however, they would have to seriously consider what they could manage with five more years of control of a potentially elite arm. So, Which Pitcher Should Get You Most Excited? Of the listed top-100 prospects and major league-ready arms the Brewers might be able to chase down, Tolle would be the most exciting. His command of the strike zone and above-average stuff are exciting and there is further development to dream on. Would any of these pitchers pique your interest in a Peralta deal? Which would you trade for, if all were on the table? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! View the full article

Baseball truly is a global game, with 265 players from outside the United States at the start of last season. However, the country of Brazil has only produced eight big league players, with lackluster degrees of success. The most successful of the bunch is former All-Star catcher Yan Gomes, who put up very good numbers during his 13-year career. However, we’re here to talk about the second best. That player is Paulo Orlando. Paulo Roberto Orlando was born in São Paulo, Brazil, on November 1st, 1985. Paulo didn’t discover baseball until he was 12, when his mother’s physician told him to try it. Baseball is an obscure sport in Brazil, played mostly by Japanese Brazilians, and Paulo was one of the very few players who weren’t of Japanese descent. Orlando only played baseball on the weekends, as there are very few baseball fields in Brazil; he played other sports like track and soccer. He quit track at 20 and decided to pursue baseball full-time, moving to the Dominican Republic and eventually to Venezuela. There, he was quickly discovered by a Cuban scout for the White Sox and signed to the organization shortly after. What separated Orlando from the rest was his speed, despite his running form looking a bit off. He was named the fastest base runner in the White Sox system during the 2006 and 2007 seasons, as well as the best defensive outfielder in 2007. But then something happened to Orlando that altered the course of his career. On August 9, 2008, Orlando was traded to the Royals for pitcher Horacio Ramirez. Orlando would make an immediate impact in Single-A, leading the league in triples that season. Two years later, now with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, he hit .305 with 13 homers, 64 RBI, and 25 steals to earn Texas League All-Star honors. In 2011, he became just the third Brazilian-born player, and the first non-pitcher, to make it to Triple-A when he was promoted to Omaha. He would spend time between Double-A and Triple-A over the next three seasons until finally breaking through to the big leagues in 2015 after he played 1,017 minor league games. Orlando would make the Opening Day roster and made his debut on April 9, becoming the third Brazilian-born player in MLB history. His first big league hit was a triple off John Danks, which was the first hit by a born-and-raised Brazilian player. Three days later, he would hit two more triples, becoming the first player in MLB history to record three triples for his first three hits. He would hit five triples in his first seven games, creating a new record for the fewest games to hit five triples to open a career. Orlando would only play 86 games in 2015 before being optioned to Omaha to make room for Ben Zobrist, but he made an impact during those games. He would rejoin the Royals for the playoffs, where he would become not only the first Brazilian-born player to win a World Series but also the latest person to win a World Series on their birthday. 2016 would be a breakout year for Orlando as he spent the season as the starting right fielder. He would play 105 games, putting up a .302 batting average with 5 home runs, 43 RBIs, and a bWAR of 2.0. The success wouldn’t last long as injuries and inconsistencies would plague his 2017 season as he hit .198 in only 39 games. He would play only 25 games in 2018 before getting demoted to Omaha. He would not play in the bigs again. Orlando would elect free agency and sign a minor league deal with the Dodgers. He hit .211 with two home runs, seven RBIs, and one stolen base in 24 games for the Oklahoma City Dodgers. He was flipped to the White Sox and played only 69 games with the Charlotte Knights before being released. He would then play a couple of seasons in the Mexican League for the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos and El Águila de Veracruz before returning to Kansas City to play for the Monarchs. He would help lead the team to the 2021 American Association championship, but would return to the Mexican League in 2022. He would get injured during spring training and has not played in the Mexican League since. He would play one more time for his country in the 2023 Pan-American Games, where he led Brazil to a silver medal. He will now serve as the baserunning coach for the Brazilian national baseball team in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Paulo had a short yet memorable Royals tenure, forever marking his name in Royals lore. Sure, he won’t be a Royals Hall of Famer, but his impact with the Royals will forever be remembered. The country of Brazil has not produced a lot of successful players, but Orlando certainly produced some of the most memorable moments in recent Royals history. View the full article

By now, you know our first Winter Meltdown guest for 2026 is LaTroy Hawkins. Today, we’re excited to reveal the second featured interview taking the stage at this year’s Twins Daily Winter Meltdown: Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton. Shelton was named the new manager of the Twins in late 2025, marking a return to an organization that already knows him well. He previously served as Minnesota’s bench coach during the club’s recent run of division titles, making this a homecoming as much as a new chapter. Shelton takes over the role from Rocco Baldelli and brings with him a steady, experienced voice shaped by years of leadership at the major-league level. Before returning to Minnesota, Shelton spent five seasons as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, leading a team in the midst of a rebuild and earning respect for his steady leadership, strong relationships with players, and forward-thinking approach. His résumé spans nearly every corner of a major-league staff, from player development to hitting coach to bench coach, giving him a broad, practical perspective that connects equally well with established veterans and emerging talent. At the Winter Meltdown this weekend, fans will get a rare opportunity to hear directly from Shelton early in his tenure as Twins manager. Expect insight into his return to Minnesota, his vision for the team, and reflections on the journey that brought him back to the Twin Cities – all in the relaxed, fan-first atmosphere that has become a Meltdown tradition. Pairing Shelton with LaTroy Hawkins creates a must-see lineup: a former fan-favorite Twin alongside the franchise’s new on-field leader. Add in live interviews hosted by Aaron Gleeman and John Bonnes, and the 2026 Winter Meltdown is shaping up to be another unforgettable night for Twins fans. Tickets are limited, and if past Meltdowns are any indication, this is one interview you won’t want to miss. Tickets It's not too late to get tickets, but you can't just buy them. We hoped to sell some for $60, but we're limited to just 250 tickets, and we need to prioritize our Caretakers, so we can't release them to the general public. But you can become a Caretaker for as little as $4/month, and that gets you a free ticket, AND you can bring up to three more guests for just $20 each. Become a Caretaker here! If you are already a Caretaker, THANK YOU. But please do not delay in buying your ticket. We will likely sell out, even limiting them to Caretakers and their friends. So grab them now. Each ticket includes: Two complimentary craft beers An exclusive Winter Meltdown 2026 pint glass Automatic entry into door prize raffles Five hours of premium Hot Stove hangouts with your people Live on-stage interviews hosted by Aaron Gleeman & John Bonnes Face time with special guests who mingle with the Twins Daily community Event Details Date: Saturday, January 24 Time: 4:00 – 9:00 PM Location: Smorgie’s, 508 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis With the Winter Meltdown falling on the same weekend as TwinsFest, the day will be a full, perfectly sequenced celebration of baseball. Spend the afternoon at Target Field soaking in TwinsFest, then make the easy trip over to Smorgie’s to keep the energy rolling – the ideal way to transition from daytime fan fest to an evening surrounded by fellow diehards, cold drinks, and great conversation. View the full article

Let me tell you a story. Not long ago, a solid journeyman relief pitcher got hurt. He tore his Achilles tendon, in fact, which is a major bummer of an injury. Before being felled, he'd been an unspectacular but valuable reliever for two and a half years. Since the start of 2023, indeed, he's appeared in 131 games in the majors and put up a 3.58 ERA. Most of that work came for the Mariners, who still had control of him for 2026 if they wanted it. Instead, though, they non-tendered him in late November. Guys who tear their Achilles in July rarely make it back to the mound before the following June, and the reliever wasn't good enough to wait on that way. Not even two months after being cut, he has a job again. The Cubs signed Trent Thornton to a minor-league deal after watching his pro day at Tread Athletics this month, and he'll get an invitation to big-league spring training, a source confirmed. Thornton, 32, is already touching 92.5 miles per hour on the gun, and he threw six different offerings in a 23-pitch bullpen session before scouts at the facility in North Carolina. He's making an impressively fast recovery from the injury, and sure looks like he'll be at full strength by Opening Day. I have a little conspiracy theory to share with you, though. It has nothing to do with his injury; there'd be little incentive for anyone involved to lie about or obfuscate his real health status. Rather, I want you to consider this chart, showing Thornton's pitch types and shapes for 2025, according to Statcast: Now, here's a clip of his session at Tread's Pro Day and the data on his pitches, served up by the coach who worked with him directly at the facility. The key to good detective work is seeing what's missing from a picture, so spot what's missing from that Pro Day outing by Thornton. He didn't throw the changeup or splitter at all. In fairness, he only threw those two pitches a combined 24 times in 2025 and 29 times in 2024. The tweet in which Tread announced that he was signing with the Cubs called him a "super supinator," which is true. Supinators are pitchers whose mechanical preference is for the inward turn of the palm required to throw a breaking ball; they're the ones who can produce elite spin rates on those pitches. Thornton is famous for having one of the highest-spin curveballs in the league, averaging over 3,000 revolutions per minute. Those guys tend not to throw many changeups, which generally require pronation (the outward turn of the palm through pushing the thumb down), instead. Ah, but it's possible the 'generally' in that last sentence is doing important work. The famous not-quite-new pitch of 2025 was the kick-change, whereby a pitcher who favors supination creates a changeup that works for them by using a spiked grip that "kicks" the spin axis of the pitch toward the arm side as they release the ball. Instead of having to pronate to create arm-side movement, the grip does the work for them. Jameson Taillon had a good season thanks to unlocking this very secret. Thornton is an exceptional candidate for a kick-change, and Tread is one of the top proponents of that pitch in the independent pitching development sphere. They've tweeted that term 11 times since early August, alone. The last two such tweets were celebrations of the progress made by two of the facility's pupils in November, centered on their kick-changes. The coach overseeing each of those guys was Turner Givens—the same one who has worked with Thornton there. If you wanted to take Thornton to the next level as a reliever, you'd give him a kick-change. It looks like he even tinkered with that pitch a bit in 2025, throwing a different flavor of changeup than he had in the past about 10 times before getting hurt. It's unfathomable that, in a couple months of work with Givens at Tread, Thornton hasn't been developing a kick-change. But he didn't throw it at his Pro Day. That might be purely because it's not ready yet. Thornton's extension at release was very, very low in this outing, because that's one way pitchers modulate effort and because that major injury to his landing leg is still healing. Extension is key to executing a good changeup, so the pitch might not be ready for prime time. However, there's another hypothesis worth our consideration. This is the conspiracy theory portion of the program. Cubs vice president of pitching Tyler Zombro joined the organization after a few months as a coach akin to Givens, at Tread—and he didn't stop working for Tread when he joined Chicago. Even after a big promotion to that VP role for Chicago in the fall, he maintains a role at Tread. Zombro is the Cubs' new secret weapon of pitching development, and because of his work at Tread, almost any pitcher who passes through that facility will come into his orbit. Thornton is the third pitcher signed by the Cubs coming out of Tread's Pro Day, joining righthander Tyler Ras and southpaw Charlie Barnes. That's probably organic, in that Tread's philosophy of pitching both informed Zombro's and now reflects it. A pitcher who works at Tread for a while will be molded to suit that philosophy, and Zombro can hardly fail to notice when they respond well to it. Tread isn't quite an extension of the Cubs, but it's sure become a likely place to find pitchers the Cubs will like. That doesn't amount to a conspiracy. If Zombro and the Cubs knew they'd have interest in Thornton, though, might Zombro have encouraged Givens and Thornton to keep the kick-change in the holster for Pro Day? That probably wouldn't have been a tough sell, for the reasons we mentioned earlier. It certainly could help the Cubs keep Thornton below the radar, though. This is a guy with 235 appearances and 401 innings in his big-league career. Getting him on a minor-league deal might not have been possible, if another team or two had seen the pitch that's likely to round out his arsenal and help him get lefties out. Opposing lefty batters hit .271/.327/.442 against Thornton in 2024 and 2025, combined. Fix that, and he becomes a candidate for high-leverage relief work. The kick-change can do that. With that pitch established, he would merit a big-league deal with an immediate 40-man roster spot. Instead, the righty will come to spring training with a chance to win a job, but the team will have roster flexibility to add higher-end talent for the balance of the winter—and he'll cost them virtually nothing if he doesn't pan out. Did Zombro help hide the most promising development happening for Thornton behind the scenes, to more easily steer one of Tread's most accomplished auditioners to the team he works for? It's unlikely, but not impossible. This is why many within the game are uncomfortable with arrangements like the one between Zombro, the Cubs and Tread—which is hardly unprecedented. It won't matter unless Thornton really has a dazzling spring, but if he fights for and wins a spot in the pen and turns out to be a key arm, credit Zombro with (at least) being the relational conduit who helped the team snare him. View the full article

Welcome to the first iteration of Fish On First's 2026 MLB Draft big board. With the start of the college baseball season around the corner, let's begin by focusing on the top 50 draft-eligible players. As the draft approaches, the board will expand, eventually to 200 prospects. Players are ranked from 1-50 based on future value (20-80 scale) and listed along with their school, position, age, height/weight, and handedness. Rank Name Age at Draft School Throw/Bat Position Ht/Wt FV 1 Roch Cholowsky 21 UCLA R/R SS 6'2' - 185 60 2 Grady Emerson 18 Fort Worth Christian HS (TX) L/R SS 6'2" - 180 55 3 Chris Hacopian 21 Texas A&M R/R 3B 6'1" - 180 55 4 AJ Gracia 21 Virginia L/L OF 6'3" - 195 55 5 Cameron Flukey 21 Coastal Carolina R/R RHP 6'6" - 205 55 6 Drew Burress 21 Georgia Tech R/R CF 5'9" - 175 55 7 Jackson Flora 21 UC Santa Barbara R/R RHP 6'4" - 175 55 8 Blake Bowen 18 JSerra Catholic HS (CA) R/R CF 6'3" - 210 55 9 Kevin Roberts Jr. 17 Jackson Prep HS (MS) R/R OF 6'5" - 215 55 10 Eric Becker 21 Virginia L/R 2B/3B 6'3" - 185 50 11 Tyler Spangler 18 De La Salle HS (CA) L/R SS/3B 6'3" - 195 50 12 Tyler Bell 21 Kentucky S/R SS 6'1" - 180 50 13 Liam Peterson 21 Florida R/R RHP 6'5" - 200 50 14 Logan Hughes 21 Texas Tech L/L OF 5'11" - 200 50 15 Ace Reese 21 Mississippi State L/R 3B/OF 6'3" - 180 50 16 Matt Ponatoski 18 Archbishop Moeller HS (OH) L/R SS 6'2" - 190 50 17 Gio Rojas 19 Majory Stoman Douglas HS (FL) L/L LHP 6'4" - 190 50 18 Aiden Ruiz 19 The Stony Brook School HS (NY) S/R SS 5'10" - 165 50 19 Alex Hernandez 20 Georgia Tech R/R 3B 6'2" - 185 50 20 Kaden Waechter 18 Jesuit HS (FL) R/R RHP 6'3" - 190 50 21 Maddox Molony 21 Oregon R/R SS 6'2" - 200 50 22 Trevor Condon 18 Etowah HS (GA) L/R CF 5'11" - 180 50 23 Chris Rembert 21 Auburn R/R 2B/OF 6'0" - 200 50 24 Logan Schmidt 17 Ganehsa HS (CA) L/L LHP 6'4" - 170 50 25 Jacob Lombard 18 Gulliver Prep HS (FL) R/R SS/3B 6'3" - 185 50 26 Joey Volchko 21 Georgia R/R RHP 6'4" - 210 50 27 Eric Booth Jr. 18 Oak Grove HS (MS) L/L CF 6'0" - 205 50 28 Denton Lord 18 South Walton HS (FL) R/R RHP 6'8" - 220 50 29 Wessley Roberson 18 Glynn Academy HS (GA) S/R OF 6'1" - 175 50 30 Keon Johnson 18 First Presbyterian Day HS (GA) R/R INF 6'2" - 195 50 31 Justin Lebron 21 Alabama R/R SS 6'2" - 165 50 32 Malachi Washington 18 Parkview HS (GA) R/R OF 6'0" - 190 45 33 Jake McCoy 21 South Carolina L/L LHP 6'1" - 185 45 34 Chase Brunson 21 TCU R/R OF 6'3" - 185 45 35 James Clark 18 St. John Bosco HS (CA) L/R 2B 6'1" - 195 45 36 Gabe Gaeckle 21 Arkansas R/R RHP 5'11" - 185 45 37 Will Brick 18 Christian Brothers HS (TN) R/R C 6'2" - 195 45 38 Caden Sorrell 21 Texas A&M L/L OF 6'3" - 195 45 39 Owen Kramkowski 21 Arizona R/R RHP 6'3" - 175 45 40 Kollin Ritchie 21 Oklahoma State L/R 3B/OF 6'2" - 220 45 41 Eric Segura 21 Oregon State R/R RHP 6'2" - 200 45 42 Sawyer Strosnider 21 TCU L/L OF 6'2" - 200 45 43 Beau Peterson 18 Mill Valley HS (KS) L/R 3B 6'3" - 205 45 44 Lucas Moore 21 Louisville L/R CF 6'1" - 170 45 45 Jemsen Hirschkorn 18 Kingsburg HS (CA) R/R RHP 6'7" - 210 45 46 Carson Tinney 21 Texas R/R C 6'3" - 220 45 47 Brady Harris 18 Trinity Christian Academy HS (FL) R/R OF 6'2" - 180 45 48 Carson Bolemon 19 Southside Christian HS (SC) L/L LHP 6'4" - 210 45 49 Derek Curiel 21 LSU L/L CF 6'2" - 175 45 50 Andrew Williamson 20 UCF L/L OF 6'0" - 195 45 MLB free agent activity may cause slight changes to the draft order. For the time being, the Marlins hold the 14th, 52nd, 73rd, 88th, 118th, and 150th overall picks. They will select 12th in rounds 6-20. View the full article

Remember the 2024 Blue Jays season? Most fans would rather forget about it. Toronto finished last in the AL East amid disappointing offensive seasons from George Springer and Bo Bichette, and with a pitching staff that lacked consistency from top to bottom. By Baseball Reference WAR, Bowden Francis was the Blue Jays' second-best pitcher, which is a reflection of how thin the roster became. By the trade deadline, the team was in sell mode, and the season was effectively over. The real culprit for why that season was so bad was the bullpen. All in all, it was a 4.82 bullpen ERA, and a dreadful -2.1 FanGraphs WAR number. That fWAR was by far the worst in the majors and the worst in franchise history. It’s not hard to see how it happened. Yimi García and Jordan Romano both got hurt, Tim Mayza was DFA’d mid-season, Erik Swanson had been demoted, and the best reliever the Blue Jays had was Ryan Yarbrough, who was brought in from the Dodgers at the trade deadline. Almost a year to the day, I wrote a piece about what history says about bullpen units coming off historically poor seasons, concluding that a bounce back in 2025 was likely. Long story short, it was. The Blue Jays' reliever fWAR jumped to 3.2 in 2025 (which is the exact number ZiPS projected coming into the season), a jump of over five wins from the year prior, ranking them 18th in all of baseball. Of course, the turnaround wasn't simply the result of positive regression; the Blue Jays did a massive overhaul of the bullpen from one season to the next. Jeff Hoffman was brought in to anchor the ninth inning, Yariel Rodríguez shifted to the bullpen full-time, and Louis Varland and Seranthony Domínguez were added at the trade deadline. At the same time, several pitchers already in the organization took meaningful steps forward in 2025. The result was a bullpen that not only looked different on paper but also performed significantly better on the field. The difference is most obvious when comparing individual contributions year over year. Blue Jays Bullpen bWAR Comparison - 2024 Contributors vs. 2025 Contributors 2024 Reliever bWAR (2024) 2025 Reliever bWAR (2025) Chad Green 0.7 Yariel Rodríguez 1.4 Brendon Little 0.1 Braydon Fisher 1.4 Genesis Cabrera -0.1 Brendon Little 1.1 Erik Swanson -0.3 Eric Lauer 0.9* Trevor Richards -0.5 Tommy Nance 0.6 Nate Pearson -0.7 Jeff Hoffman 0.5 Zach Pop -1.4 Mason Fluharty 0.1 *Numbers as a reliever only, and are an estimate, as Baseball Reference does not differentiate between SP and RP WAR. In a season that required all 162 games to clinch the AL East, the impact of strong bullpen performances was impossible to ignore. Mason Fluharty’s escape act against the Dodgers and Braydon Fisher's stranding of the zombie runner twice late in the season in Tampa are two instances that directly swung wins in the Blue Jays' favour. Ultimately, those small moments were key in deciding who won the AL East. Getting better pitchers is half the battle; the Blue Jays' bullpen was also better as a group in several other categories: Metric 2024 2025 K-BB% 11.3% 15.1% SwStr% 10.3% 12.8% Strand Rate 69.0% 71.9% HR/9 1.46 1.04 FB Velo (mph) 94.0 95.1 Barrel Rate 8.7% 9.1% As a whole, the unit improved in several areas. Yes, the barrel rate rose by 0.4%, but league-wide the barrel rate rose by 0.7%, so that's still an improvement for the Blue Jays. On top of that, they were able to strike out more batters, throw harder, and leave fewer men on base, while, most importantly, limiting the number of home runs allowed. For as much as the Blue Jays' bullpen had home run issues at times, the total number they gave up dropped from 92 in 2024 to 69 in 2025, an improvement of 23 total home runs. Looking forward to 2026, all eyes are going to be on the bullpen yet again. The addition of Tyler Rogers is certainly going to help, especially when it comes to home runs. A return to health for Yimi García will also be beneficial, as will a full season of Louis Varland. In addition, the bullpen has more depth than in recent years. Yariel Rodríguez, who was a key part of the bullpen this past season, has been outrighted off the roster and will have to work his way back into the picture. The Blue Jays have two Rule 5-eligible players (Spencer Miles, Angel Bastardo) that may factor into this bullpen. Ricky Tiedemann, Chase Lee, and several other names with or without big league experience may also factor into the bullpen if need be. For what it's worth, the ZiPS projections for the Blue Jays just released earlier this month, and that system has the Blue Jays bullpen taking yet another leap, to the 3.9 WAR mark. That number would have them in 13th place in MLB based on last season's numbers. Now, as spring training grows closer, the Blue Jays could benefit from another bullpen arm. Both the starting rotation and the lineup seem to be set in stone, but the bullpen could be the easiest way the Blue Jays could raise their ceiling. Free agent Seranthony Domínguez could be an option to return, and there are always relievers that may be available via trade. Entering 2026, the Blue Jays have reason to believe their bullpen can once again be a strength. Improved depth, better health, and favourable projections point towards continued progress, but the margin for error in the AL East remains razor-thin. The 2024 season served as a reminder of just how quickly things can unravel when the bullpen becomes a liability. For Toronto, sustaining this progress may be the clearest path to the Fall Classic and avoiding another season where things unravel just as quickly. View the full article

The Twins have agreed to a two-year, $14 million deal with Victor Caratini. What does that mean for the catcher position? How will the Twins open up a spot on their 40-man roster for him? Also discussed in this video are the additions of Eric Wagaman, Vidal Bruján, and Orlando Arcia. The final topic is regarding the Twins fighting with Joe Ryan over $500K and how that might impact their relationship. View the full article

It's been fairly quiet for the San Diego Padres ever since they re-signed starting pitcher Michael King and signed infielder Sung Mun Song. However, the pilot light on the hot stove turned into a medium-low flame on Monday. Jon Heyman of the NY Post is reporting that the San Diego Padres are one of many teams interested in utility man Miguel Andujar. At 31 years old, Andujar is coming off his best season with a .822 OPS (125 wRC+) and 10 home runs. Though his quantity of contact is a plus, his quality of contact leaves more to be desired. While he finished in the upper 80th percentiles in whiff and strikeout rates, he finished in the teens when it came to barrel and hard hit rates. With the Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds, he played a little bit at each of the corner infield and corner outfield spots. While his versatility is a plus, he's not particularly strong defensively, as he accrued negative Outs Above Average at each position in 2025 (except first, where he only played 13 innings). Regardless, he would undoubtedly be an upgrade over Will Wagner, Bryce Johnson, and Mason McCoy. Do you think the Padres should sign Andujar? Let us know in the comments. View the full article

You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, GleemanAndTheGeek.com, click this link or you can listen to it or watch it below. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox have fortified their rotation, but still have needs on the offensive side of the ball. While their primary need is for a third base, a recent report suggests they are also looking to improve elsewhere. Sean McAdam of MassLive is reporting that the Boston Red Sox "Remain Active" in the catcher market. They previously had been tied to J.T. Realmuto and Victor Caratini, but they have signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins, respectively. Had they landed Realmuto, then incumbent backstop Carlos Narvaez likely would have moved to a backup role. On the other hand, a Caratini signing likely would have kept him in a starting role. With both guys off the market, the remaining catchers in free agency are not overly attractive options. Turning our sights to the trade market, there haven't been reports of available catchers; however, there is a lot of speculation that the Twins may shop Ryan Jeffers. Jeffers, 29, is in his final year of arbitration and will be a free agent following the 2026 season. He's a bat-first catcher who has a career .740 OPS (108 wRC+) and 68 home runs across 515 games. In 2025, he shifted his approach at the plate, sacrificing power for plate discipline and contact. Behind the dish, three years of mentorship from Cristian Vazquez didn't seem to impact his defensive acumen. He's a well below-average defensive catcher. If they do look to trade for a catcher (or a third baseman), Ed Hand of Beyond the Monster is reporting that Connelly Early and Payton Tolle would not be made available unless "the return is something truly elite." That leaves the logjam in the outfield or a big league starter like Brayan Bello as potential routes to acquiring a backstop to pair with Narvaez. Who do you think the Red Sox should target? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

While a team in need of depth virtually across the board, the catcher spot could represent an area worth addressing for the San Diego Padres. A spot that was something of a mess last year remains concerningly uncertain ahead of 2026. The early 2025 iteration of the Padres relied on a combination of Elías Díaz and Martín Maldonado on any given day. Neither was particularly successful, with offensive oblivion present and defensive regression manifesting heavily in regard to the latter. Supporting an upper-tier pitching staff was a challenge, and neither was able to supplement the offense, even relative to the lower expectations of the position itself. Maldonado would eventually lose his spot in the regular season's second half upon the team's acquisition of Freddy Fermin. And it's Fermin who remains entrenched behind the plate to start 2026. Fermin wasn't particularly strong down the stretch, but the fact that his 64 wRC+ still represented an upgrade over either of his two predecessors speaks to how minimal their production was. With a career mark of a 90 wRC+ at the plate, it stands to reason that he'll fare better in a full season with the Padres. And even if he doesn't, he provides enough defensively as a blocker with an 88th percentile pop time that should compensate well enough. Behind him, though, is where things start to get a little bit messy. As of now, Luis Campusano is projected as the No. 2 catcher behind Fermin. A longtime prospect of the organization, Campusano has yet to get a genuinely extended run as an opportunity to be a full-time catcher. He caught two very brief stints at the top level last year and has regressed massively with the glove over time. Some upside still exists with the bat, but even if the team was inclined to give him an opportunity, could they still look to upgrade their catching duo and let his bat instead serve as an option at first base or designated hitter? If they were to choose such a route, there's at least one intriguing option that could be, theoretically, available in the Chicago Cubs' Carson Kelly. Kelly is coming off something of a career year with the Cubs, posting an offensive output that was at or near his career high just about everywhere you look. He parlayed a strong approach on breaking and off-speed pitches with improved contact skills to post a .179 ISO and 115 wRC+, the former of which was his best since 2019 and the latter serving as easily the highest of his time in the big leagues. Among the 34 catchers with at least 300 plate appearances to their name last year, Kelly's wRC+ ranked ninth. His ISO sat 14th, as did his total value reflected in fWAR (2.6). That latter number was also the highest of Kelly's career. Which makes sense when you start to factor in his defense, which is fairly similar to Fermin's. Kelly doesn't possess the pop time of Fermin (51st percentile), but he was still in the 90th in caught stealing above average and in the 91st in blocks above average. His framing was in the same neighborhood as the Padres' current backstop, but it's rare that you get a catcher that excels in each facet of the position. Having two catchers who are adept at blocking and controlling the run game while being at least within striking distance of "average" on the framing side would greatly support a pitching staff that will need every bit of it. Of course, Kelly being a viable target assumes that the Cubs would even be willing to move him. He's in something of a timeshare with Miguel Amaya, who looked to be on the come up in each of 2024 and 2025 before the latter was derailed by injuries. Even if the two split duties, the assumption is that Kelly's 2025 — from both a health and performance standpoint — would be a springboard toward the majority of duties in the upcoming year. That doesn't mean he's not available, though. A free agent after the year, Kelly's contract carries an AAV of $5.75 million. With the Cubs now up against the luxury tax threshold following the addition of Alex Bregman, could they deal from an area of stability in order to give themselves a little bit of breathing room against that marker? It's a bit tough to envision given the lack of options behind Kelly and Amaya and their apparent reluctance to allow top hitting prospect Moisés Ballesteros to get in work at the position. Nevertheless, the fact that they have two starting-caliber options, on paper, could allow them to feel more comfortable in such an endeavor. The Padres' side of it is easy. They don't feel comfortable allowing Luis Campusano to serve as a full-time backup. They'd rather him work in as a bench bat, first baseman, or designated hitter before doing so as a catcher. They get a solid option to partner with Freddy Fermin who offers more offensive upside and a similar skill set behind the plate. It's a way to fortify the position while deploying Campusano's best asset (his bat) in areas where it's not a detriment. It's a relatively murky picture to really make clear given the absence of an indication that Kelly is truly available. But with so few intriguing options on the free-agent market and the same lack of clarity permeating throughout the rest of the trade winds (to say nothing of the fact that the Jed Hoyer and the Cubs have awoken from what was a mid-winter slumber), it's an option that could be on the table if A.J. Preller gets aggressive enough. View the full article

Andrew Morris is the next man up in the Twins farm system to likely be added to the Twins rotation when called upon in 2026. A listener of Destination: The Show wants to know if he can be a dependable arm or end up in a similar role to Travis Adams and Pierson Ohl in 2025. View the full article

Outfield prospect Brendan Jones discusses the bittersweet process of getting traded from the Yankees to the Marlins and why he's optimistic that it will be a smooth transition to his new organization. View the full article

Sweet Lou, Comrade Cody, and Ol' Gregg give offseason grades for the Twins pitchers and hitters. Is it an F or an F-? Lou attempts to provide structure as Gregg complains about folk music and Cody names his favorite world leaders. Royce says the Darnedest Things, and so does Aaron Gleeman. Listen using Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twins-off-daily-podcast/id1741266056 Listen using Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tb78XlurcPTYYSsARdbD7 Listen using iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-twins-off-daily-podcas-167548600/ Listen using Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/nvclbt0w Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twinsdaily View the full article

As Twins Daily's Winter Meltdown has grown in the public consciousness, it's also grown in the number of guests. Today, we're thrilled to announce LaTroy Hawkins will be joining our party, where he'll be interviewed by Aaron Gleeman and John Bonnes, participate in some activities, and stick around to meet our caretakers and their friends. (Sorry, absolutely no autographs.) Plus, we'll reveal our second guest tomorrow! "Hawk" spent over two decades in Major League Baseball, but the core of his career came with the Minnesota Twins. Drafted by the team in 1991, Hawkins worked his way through the organization and made his major league debut in 1995. The Twins used him in a wide range of roles: starter, long reliever, setup man, and eventually closer. That flexibility made him a regular presence on the pitching staff throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, a period when Minnesota was moving from one contending generation to another. Hawkins’ best-known seasons came during his time in the bullpen. Hawkins was a key contributor in the 2002 and 2003 division-winning teams, frequently asked to pitch in high-leverage situations late in games. Hawkins ended up pitching in 366 Twins games over nine years, finishing his Minnesota tenure as one of the team’s all-time leaders in relief appearances and innings pitched by a reliever. He developed from a do-anything contributor to an overpowering reliever who showed up consistently and handled whatever role was assigned to him. After leaving Minnesota, Hawkins went on to pitch for ten(!) more major league teams over the next 12 years, extending his career into his early forties and becoming one of the most widely traveled pitchers in MLB history. Still, his longest stay and most recognizable stretch came with the Twins, where he established himself as a dependable arm and team leader for an organization rediscovering its mojo. After his playing career, he rejoined the franchise, joining the organization as a special assistant in 2016, and will be the team’s bullpen coach this upcoming year under new manager Derek Shelton. We would love for you to get to know him better. It's not too late to get tickets, but you can't just buy them. We hoped to sell some for $60, but we're limited to just 250 tickets, and we need to prioritize our Caretakers, so we can't release them to the general public. But you can become a Caretaker for as little as $4/month, and that gets you a free ticket, AND you can bring up to three more guests for just $20 apiece. Become a Caretaker here! If you are already a Caretaker, THANK YOU. But please do not delay in buying your ticket. We will likely sell out, even limiting them to Caretakers and their friends. So grab them now. Each ticket includes: Two complimentary craft beers An exclusive Winter Meltdown 2026 pint glass Automatic entry into door prize raffles Five hours of premium Hot Stove hangouts with your people Live on-stage interviews hosted by Aaron Gleeman & John Bonnes Face time with special guests who mingle with the Twins Daily community Event Details Date: Saturday, January 24 Time: 4:00 – 9:00 PM Location: Smorgie’s, 508 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis With the Winter Meltdown falling on the same weekend as TwinsFest, the day will be a full, perfectly sequenced celebration of baseball. Spend the afternoon at Target Field soaking in TwinsFest, then make the easy trip over to Smorgie’s to keep the energy rolling – the ideal way to transition from daytime fan fest to an evening surrounded by fellow diehards, cold drinks, and great conversation. And join us tomorrow when we announce our final guest! He’ll be a “first” for Twins Daily’s Winter Meltdown! View the full article

Last season, the Kansas City Royals’ pitching staff was one of the better groups of arms in all of Major League Baseball, finishing sixth in earned run average while allowing the 12th fewest hits and eighth fewest home runs in the league. The Royals return a large portion of the arms in 2026. Here is a look at starting rotation options for the Royals for the upcoming 2026 season. Cole Ragans The Royals' ace was limited to only 13 starts in 2025 after dealing with two separate stints on the injured list. The left-hander missed just under three weeks with a left groin strain before returning for one start on June 5th, in which Ragans would last only three innings before leaving with shoulder discomfort. The former first-round pick was diagnosed with a left shoulder strain, holding Ragans out of action until Sept. 17. Even when healthy, Ragans struggled to find the form the all-star from 2024 showcased, pitching to a 3-3 record, 4.67 ERA, and 1.18 WHIP over 61 2/3 innings. The area where Ragans was still elite was the strikeout category, fanning 98 batters over those 62 1/3 innings. The 14.3 K/9 innings led all Royals starters. If Ragans can stay healthy and return to the 2024 season form, where Ragans went 11-9 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, he gives the Royals a dominant force at the top of the team’s rotation. In 2024, Ragans held opposing hitters to a .213 average as opposed to .228 in 2025. In 2024, Ragans finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting. Seth Lugo Lugo was extended in July of 2025, to remain with the Royals on a two-year $46 million contract through the 2027 season. Through 26 starts, Lugo went 8-7 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Lugo, like Ragans, spent two separate trips on the injured list in 2025, missing two weeks with a right finger strain in May, then heading to the IL again on Sept. 4, with a lower back strain, a move that would end the right-hander’s season. The now 36-year-old finished runner-up to Tarik Skubal in AL Cy Young voting in 2024, a season that saw Lugo go 16-9, post a 3.00 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. During the 2024 campaign, Lugo made 33 starts, tied for the most in MLB. A healthy Ragans and Lugo give the Royals two different looks at the top of the team’s rotation, while providing them with a chance to win on any given day. Michael Wacha Signed to a three-year extension in November of 2024, Wacha has been durable over the right-handers’ first two seasons with the Royals. Wacha has made 29 and 31 starts, accumulating 166 2/3 and 172 2/3 innings for the team. Over 31 starts last year, Wacha pitched to a 10-13 record, 3.86 ERA, and 1.22 WHIP, similar to 2024, where the now 34-year-old went 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. In year one with the Royals, Wacha allowed 17 home runs, followed by 15 last season. Wacha led the Royals rotation in 2025 with 13 quality starts. If Wacha can continue to provide around 30 starts, an ERA under 4.00, and a WHIP close to 1.20, that will give the Royals many quality innings through the middle of the rotation. Noah Cameron Cameron put together a very strong rookie year for the Royals, pitching in 24 games, posting a 9-7 record, 2.99 ERA, 1.10 WHIP over 138 1/3 innings, while holding opposing batters to a .214 batting average against. For his efforts during the 2025 season, Cameron finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting, trailing only Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, and Roman Anthony. The 26-year-old comes into 2026 with a spot in the rotation and higher expectations as the former Royals seventh-round selection in 2021 looks to build on what was an incredible rookie season. Over the 24 starts, Cameron posted 10 quality starts, so continuing to work deeper into games will be on the watch in year two for the left-hander starter. Kris Bubic 2025 was a breakout year for Bubic, posting a record of 8-7, 2.55 ERA, and 1.18 WHIP over 20 starts after spending 2024 as a reliever. Unfortunately for Bubic, the season ended in July after suffering a left rotator cuff strain, which would ultimately require surgery, ending the left-hander’s season. Bubic is expected to be ready for the 2026 season after beginning a throwing program late in 2025. Bubic only appeared in three games in 2023 after recovering from Tommy John surgery, so this is a pitcher who has struggled to remain healthy throughout his six-year career. In Bubic’s 20 starts in 2025, 11 of them were quality starts, while also posting nine strikeouts per nine innings, giving the Royals strong swing and miss ability when healthy last season. Ryan Bergert Acquired in July from the San Diego Padres as part of the return for Freddy Fermin, Bergert gives the Royals a strong depth arm in case of injury. In 19 appearances last season, Bergert pitched to a 2-2 record, 3.66 ERA, and 1.26 WHIP over 76 1/3 innings. After the trade, Bergert made eight starts for the Royals, totalling 40 2/3 innings, a 1-2 record, 4.43 ERA, and 1.33 WHIP. The 25-year-old will look to build off what was a nice rookie year in 2025. Stephen Kolek Also acquired from the Padres in July, Kolek turned in his best numbers when the former 11th-round selection in 2018 became a Royal. In five starts, Kolek went 1-2, with a 1.91 ERA and 0.68 WHIP over 33 innings. All five of Kolek’s starts were of the quality variety, and the 28-year-old held opposing hitters to a .168 average after the trade. For the year, Kolek pitched to a 5-7 record, 3.51 ERA, and 1.14 WHIP. In today’s day and age of baseball, having these quality depth rotation options is huge for a Royals team looking to return to the postseason. View the full article

Last season, the Kansas City Royals’ pitching staff was one of the better groups of arms in all of Major League Baseball, finishing sixth in earned run average while allowing the 12th fewest hits and eighth fewest home runs in the league. The Royals return a large portion of the arms in 2026. Here is a look at starting rotation options for the Royals for the upcoming 2026 season. Cole Ragans The Royals' ace was limited to only 13 starts in 2025 after dealing with two separate stints on the injured list. The left-hander missed just under three weeks with a left groin strain before returning for one start on June 5th, in which Ragans would last only three innings before leaving with shoulder discomfort. The former first-round pick was diagnosed with a left shoulder strain, holding Ragans out of action until Sept. 17. Even when healthy, Ragans struggled to find the form the all-star from 2024 showcased, pitching to a 3-3 record, 4.67 ERA, and 1.18 WHIP over 61 2/3 innings. The area where Ragans was still elite was the strikeout category, fanning 98 batters over those 62 1/3 innings. The 14.3 K/9 innings led all Royals starters. If Ragans can stay healthy and return to the 2024 season form, where Ragans went 11-9 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, he gives the Royals a dominant force at the top of the team’s rotation. In 2024, Ragans held opposing hitters to a .213 average as opposed to .228 in 2025. In 2024, Ragans finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting. Seth Lugo Lugo was extended in July of 2025, to remain with the Royals on a two-year $46 million contract through the 2027 season. Through 26 starts, Lugo went 8-7 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Lugo, like Ragans, spent two separate trips on the injured list in 2025, missing two weeks with a right finger strain in May, then heading to the IL again on Sept. 4, with a lower back strain, a move that would end the right-hander’s season. The now 36-year-old finished runner-up to Tarik Skubal in AL Cy Young voting in 2024, a season that saw Lugo go 16-9, post a 3.00 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. During the 2024 campaign, Lugo made 33 starts, tied for the most in MLB. A healthy Ragans and Lugo give the Royals two different looks at the top of the team’s rotation, while providing them with a chance to win on any given day. Michael Wacha Signed to a three-year extension in November of 2024, Wacha has been durable over the right-handers’ first two seasons with the Royals. Wacha has made 29 and 31 starts, accumulating 166 2/3 and 172 2/3 innings for the team. Over 31 starts last year, Wacha pitched to a 10-13 record, 3.86 ERA, and 1.22 WHIP, similar to 2024, where the now 34-year-old went 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. In year one with the Royals, Wacha allowed 17 home runs, followed by 15 last season. Wacha led the Royals rotation in 2025 with 13 quality starts. If Wacha can continue to provide around 30 starts, an ERA under 4.00, and a WHIP close to 1.20, that will give the Royals many quality innings through the middle of the rotation. Noah Cameron Cameron put together a very strong rookie year for the Royals, pitching in 24 games, posting a 9-7 record, 2.99 ERA, 1.10 WHIP over 138 1/3 innings, while holding opposing batters to a .214 batting average against. For his efforts during the 2025 season, Cameron finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting, trailing only Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, and Roman Anthony. The 26-year-old comes into 2026 with a spot in the rotation and higher expectations as the former Royals seventh-round selection in 2021 looks to build on what was an incredible rookie season. Over the 24 starts, Cameron posted 10 quality starts, so continuing to work deeper into games will be on the watch in year two for the left-hander starter. Kris Bubic 2025 was a breakout year for Bubic, posting a record of 8-7, 2.55 ERA, and 1.18 WHIP over 20 starts after spending 2024 as a reliever. Unfortunately for Bubic, the season ended in July after suffering a left rotator cuff strain, which would ultimately require surgery, ending the left-hander’s season. Bubic is expected to be ready for the 2026 season after beginning a throwing program late in 2025. Bubic only appeared in three games in 2023 after recovering from Tommy John surgery, so this is a pitcher who has struggled to remain healthy throughout his six-year career. In Bubic’s 20 starts in 2025, 11 of them were quality starts, while also posting nine strikeouts per nine innings, giving the Royals strong swing and miss ability when healthy last season. Ryan Bergert Acquired in July from the San Diego Padres as part of the return for Freddy Fermin, Bergert gives the Royals a strong depth arm in case of injury. In 19 appearances last season, Bergert pitched to a 2-2 record, 3.66 ERA, and 1.26 WHIP over 76 1/3 innings. After the trade, Bergert made eight starts for the Royals, totalling 40 2/3 innings, a 1-2 record, 4.43 ERA, and 1.33 WHIP. The 25-year-old will look to build off what was a nice rookie year in 2025. Stephen Kolek Also acquired from the Padres in July, Kolek turned in his best numbers when the former 11th-round selection in 2018 became a Royal. In five starts, Kolek went 1-2, with a 1.91 ERA and 0.68 WHIP over 33 innings. All five of Kolek’s starts were of the quality variety, and the 28-year-old held opposing hitters to a .168 average after the trade. For the year, Kolek pitched to a 5-7 record, 3.51 ERA, and 1.14 WHIP. In today’s day and age of baseball, having these quality depth rotation options is huge for a Royals team looking to return to the postseason. View the full article

Tomorrow, the results of the BBWAA Hall of Fame election will be announced on MLB Network. Carlos Beltrán will be a Hall of Famer. Andruw Jones is likely to join him. Meanwhile, most of this year’s newcomers to the process will officially fall off the ballot and out of consideration. That includes former Blue Jays All-Star Edwin Encarnación. Of course, next year will bring a whole new crop of first-timers to the ballot. So, I set out to find which of them, if any, suited up for our Toronto Blue Jays. Limiting my search to those who actually played an MLB game for the Blue Jays, I found three names that could appear on the next BBWAA ballot. If all three of them make the ballot, they’ll join Mark Buehrle and Omar Vizquel as the former Jays under consideration for the Hall of Fame class of 2027. Before I tell you who they are, I’ll make things clear: None of them is going to be inducted into the Hall. I doubt any of them will stick on the ballot for more than one year. Yet, as I laid out in a piece about Buehrle last week, just appearing on the ballot is an honour. Without further ado, those three players are Joakim Soria, J.A. Happ, and John Axford – listed in order of likelihood to appear on the ballot, at least in my opinion. If I were ranking in terms of their impact on the Blue Jays, there’s no doubt Happ would be first. I couldn’t blame you if you forgot Soria and Axford played for the Jays at all. Soria, one of the greatest Rule 5 draft success stories, played for nine teams over 14 MLB seasons and recorded saves for seven of them. His 229 career saves put him in the top 50 all-time (44th), while his 20.82 Win Probability Added (per FanGraphs) places him among the top 20 relief pitchers dating back to 1974. His 15.4 fWAR and 18.6 bWAR both rank 10th among 21st century relievers. His time with the Jays was brief and forgettable; Toronto acquired him at the trade deadline in 2021, and he pitched to a 7.88 ERA in 10 appearances down the stretch. He announced his retirement after the season. Happ finished as the runner-up for the NL Rookie of the Year in 2009, earned a handful of down-ballot votes for the AL Cy Young in 2016, and finally made his first All-Star team in 2018. From his first full season until his last in 2021, he ranked eighth in the majors in starts and 10th in wins. All told, the lefty pitched in 354 games (328 starts) for eight different teams, but he spent far longer in Toronto than anywhere else. First acquired in a mid-season 10-player trade with the Astros in 2012, Happ pitched for the Blue Jays through the 2014 season. They traded him to the Mariners for Michael Saunders the following offseason but re-signed him a year later. He then suited up for Toronto until the deadline in 2018, when the Jays sent him to the Yankees. In 135 total games with the Blue Jays, Happ collected 59 wins and 691 strikeouts, pitching to a 3.88 ERA. Last is Axford. The Brewers saw something in the Ontario native that no one else did. They signed him off the trash heap in 2008, and two years later, he was a star closer. In 2010, Axford succeeded the great Trevor Hoffman as Milwaukee’s ninth-inning arm, and in 2011, he led the Senior Circuit with 46 saves. He was named the NL’s Rolaids Relief Man and also earned down-ballot Cy Young and MVP votes. Axford finished his career with an ERA under 4.00 and 144 saves in 544 appearances. Yet, he really only had those two great seasons. He recorded almost half his career saves from 2010-11; over the next eight years, he pitched to a 4.50 ERA with a neutral WAR and a negative WPA. His time with the Blue Jays was almost as brief as Soria’s. He gave the club 45 outings with a 4.41 ERA in 2018, collecting four wins and six holds before he was traded to the Dodgers at the deadline. In the table below, I’ve listed each of Soria, Happ, and Axford's career Wins Above Replacement (per Baseball Reference) as well as their scores in three Hall of Fame metrics: JAWS, Hall of Fame Monitor (HOFm), and Hall of Fame Standards (HOFs). Then, for comparison, I’ve listed the lowest score in each of those metrics by a player to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot in each of the last 10 years. For instance, Rick Porcello has the lowest bWAR (18.8) and JAWS (18.6) on this year’s ballot, while Howie Kendrick has the lowest HOFm (12) and Alex Gordon has the lowest HOFs (14). You’ll see each of those numbers listed in the “2026” row. The final row lists the average of the lowest bWAR, JAWS, HOFm, and HOFs scores on the ballot for the last decade. Player bWAR JAWS HOFm HOFs Joakim Soria 18.6 17.4 47 16 J.A. Happ 21.1 20.8 23 18 John Axford 4.0 4.9 17 7 Year bWAR JAWS HOFm HOFs 2026 18.8 18.6 12 14 2025 7.5 7.9 22 7 2024 24.2 20.9 28 16 2023 14.5 13.3 15 11 2022 14.5 16.9 52 17 2021 17.8 16.6 14 4 2020 7.1 8.0 18 11 2019 5.5 6.0 0 5 2018 7.9 10.0 21 7 2017 14.1 13.5 6 11 Average 13.2 13.2 18.8 10.3 From these numbers, Soria and Happ both look like realistic contenders to make the ballot, while Axford is more of a long shot. That said, it’s not always easy to predict the Hall of Fame ballot. The number of players on the ballot changes every year, but for what it’s worth, 14 players are likely to exit after this year: Beltrán and Jones are on track for induction, Manny Ramirez will fall off after his 10th year of consideration, and 11 of the 12 newcomers (all except Cole Hamels) are unlikely to receive enough support to earn another year in the conversation. So again, that’s 14 spots opening up. Baseball Reference lists 31 contenders for a slot on the potential ballot for 2027. The BBWAA could choose more than 14 of them, but they certainly aren’t picking all 31. Only one of next year’s newbies has a legitimate Hall of Fame case, Buster Posey, though several more are locks for a spot on the ballot, including Jon Lester, Ryan Zimmerman, and Brett Gardner. I think Kyle Seager, Ervin Santana, Jake Arrieta, Jay Bruce, Asdrúbal Cabrera, and Pablo Sandoval are safe bets too. After those 10, I’d say Soria and Happ have as good a case as anyone. Here’s where all three former Jays rank among newcomer candidates in the stats I listed above: Player bWAR JAWS HOFm HOFs Joakim Soria 18th 19th 3rd 14th J.A. Happ 13th 13th 11th 11th John Axford 31st 31st 16th 26th Once more, Soria and Happ strike me as likely ballot candidates but not locks. Then again, I might be too low on Soria, considering he was a closer. If guys like Fernando Rodney, Huston Street, Heath Bell, and former Blue Jay LaTroy Hawkins appeared on the ballot in recent years, Soria should have a spot. And if Axford even has a case, maybe Soria is a lock after all. Two years from now, we’ll see David Price on the ballot. In three years, Josh Donaldson will have his turn. But before then, it could be Soria, Happ, and possibly Axford representing the Blue Jays on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot. While they won't ever be Hall of Famers, it will be nice to remember and celebrate their MLB careers. View the full article

In their first free-agent signing of the offseason, the Boston Red Sox have picked up southpaw Ranger Suarez on a 5-year, $130 million contract. As we’ve already noted here on Talk Sox, this breaks the free-agent curse hanging over the Red Sox this offseason and starts to paint a clearer picture of the team in a post-Alex Bregman world. While I think I can speak for the vast majority of fans when I say that we’re relieved that Craig Breslow and company have done something now, the signing of Suárez signals that the team may be gearing up to move on from some established pitching depth, with far more players than spots available. There’s one name that, unfortunately, makes the most sense out of all of them. Brayan Bello, it feels like your time with the Red Sox is quickly drawing to a close. I’ve talked at length about my love for Bello while also highlighting the fact that he is quite likely the most underrated trade chip the team currently possess. I won’t rehash that entire article, but he’s young, controllable, and has a high floor with a high-ceiling upside. When he’s on, he’s one of the best groundball pitchers in the game and it seemed that he learned to control his emotions on the mound far better in 2025 than he had in previous seasons. As the rotation is currently constructed, he’s the fourth-best pitcher on the team at best and could easily be passed up by either Connelly Early or Payton Tolle at some point during the 2026 season. While all of that is incredibly positive and reason enough for him to stick around Boston, it’s the exact reason the team can sell high on him and target their biggest need at the moment, an infielder to play either second or third. Bello, thanks to his existing team control, might be enough on his own to bring back a quality infielder. Building a package around him and some members of the farm system could net the Red Sox an even bigger name on the trade market, and certainly one better than any free agent still currently available. I floated Bello as a potential name in a deal for Ketel Marte on a recent episode of the Talk Sox Podcast, but if GM Mike Hazen is to be believed, he’s no longer an option to be traded at this point in the offseason. It’s no secret that Craig Breslow likes to work the trade market and can get creative for the right return package. If a team is looking to upgrade their rotation, and maybe outfield at the same time, they could do a lot worse than calling and asking about Bello alongside one of the multitude of outfielders the Red Sox employ. There’s an argument to be made that trading away someone like Tolle or Early would net the Red Sox a bigger returning player than a deal centered around Bello, but from everything that has come out of Fenway Fest, it seems like the team is incredibly high on both young lefties and would need to be absolutely blown away by a return to consider moving them. Bello and Suárez fill similar niches as shorter, groundball-heavy pitchers, and their recent commitment to the latter makes it easier to move on from their commitment to the former. There’s still work to be done for Craig Breslow, but don’t be shocked to start seeing Bello’s name popping up in more and more rumors as we get closer to spring training. The front office knows there’s a lot of negativity being directed at the club right now, and Ranger Suarez goes a long way to proving the team is serious about making significant improvements, but unless they are going to pony up for Bo Bichette to play up the middle, the team is going to have to turn back to the trade market to find anything close to a suitable replacement for Bregman. Brayan Bello is a homegrown pitcher with an established floor of a mid-rotation starter, but that's a valuable profile on the trade market as well. With Suárez signed up, it may be time to field some offers for the newfound pitching surplus in Boston. View the full article