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Gerald Knutson, 42, has had his holiday season ruined. Twins Daily once again supplied me with the funds to interview one local fan about his feelings about the ballclub. Unfortunately, Gerald hasn’t watched an inning since they traded Brusdar Graterol away to Los Angeles. Fox Sports North left YouTube TV around that time, and he refuses to pay cable prices to watch meaningless regular season games. The “Twins” causing him distress aren’t the Twins at all. The nativity scene outside of Our Lady of Perpetual Helplessness—a favorite parish among Minnesota sports fans–included two baby Jesuses this year. “What child is this?” he asks, gesturing at the second infant nestled among the barn animals. I suggest that was an oversight, but Gerald is positive he missed a doctrinal update in the bulletin. I offer to go in and get an explanation. Inside, I run into the parish priest, Fr. Maloney. He greets me, “Remember when Brett Favre threw that interception in the NFC Championship?” I then introduce myself as a reporter for Twins Daily and ask him about the double Messiahs outside. He blinks. “Twins Daily?” He asks. “Do you know the young man who writes there and keeps coming in asking to buy indulgences? He wrote an ill-advised satire piece about the Pope last May. That site should only let RandballsStu write satire. Everyone else there sucks.” “Well, some of it’s more parody,” I start. “And some of it’s surreal—" “Ask the Church Lady about the two ***** childs,” he says, cutting me off before I can point out the red box drawn around this very transcript. Where is that coming from? You can see it too, right? “Oh, we installed a new nativity scene this year,” says the Church Lady. I am in a different room. It’s like my childhood living room, except blue and there were no doors or windows. I think the Church Lady’s name was Barbara Rethke, but I think she just went by Church Lady. “We must have left the old child out there on accident. “And while we’re talking about the Twins, they should not sign Luis Arraez. His swing decisions are horrendous, and he doesn’t have another tool to support him if his BABIP starts with a two.” Finally, I have my Twins fan. “They also need to move David Festa to the bullpen. Two plus-plus pitches. Closer stuff. By the way, did you read Matthew this morning?” “Of course,” I reply. “Riveting genealogy.” “Not the scripture,” she scoffs. “Matthew from Twins Daily. He wrote about whether the Twins should sign Kennys Vargas to platoon with Clemens. 13,000 views. 173 comments.” She turns her computer monitor toward me. Below the Vargas story was a second Matthew, chronicling the time he made the A-Honor Roll despite being a truant, reflecting poorly on Highland Park Senior High. “I guess we really do plagiarize everything Gleeman says,” I muse. “There is nothing new under the sun,” she replies. “Every story has been told and will be told again. Though if Gleeman wants to protect his material, he should invest in a VPN, promo code CHURCHLADY. And also, Matt Wallner has a huge hole in his swing at the top of the zone.” Why is the definition of satire at the top of this page? This clearly isn’t satire. Through one of the room's many windows, I see Gerald has organized a protest. Some of the protesters seem to understand it’s about the mysterious twins in the manger, but more seem convinced it’s a protest of the Twins. Most wear Vikings purple, naturally. Santa Claus out there, too. He gives me a wry smile and says he’s on his way to give cheap pohlad a lump of coal. “I’m hoping to catch him before he leaves for Target Field with the Ghost of Christmas Present,” says Father Christmas. “Who is the Ghost of Christmas Present?” I ask. “They refuse to announce it,” he replies. “But if payroll doesn’t go up, does it even matter?” A Vikings helmet rolls out of the crowd. St. Nicholas kicks it. He screams in agony, dropping to his knees. “Did you know Santa broke his toe when they shot this scene?” the Church Lady asks me. Was she wearing that Guardians cap this whole time? I wonder if the Twins should sign Miguel Sano as a pitcher. My phone buzzes. I have an MLB notification. The Twins signed Josh Bell. One year, seven million. Wait. Am I dreaming? That’s not realistic at all. And what’s the meaning— I wake up. I'm lying swaddled in a hospital bed. Around me sat three wise men—RandballsStu, Phil Miller, and … “Gerald Knutson?” I ask the stranger, whose face I had only ever seen in the dream. “No, I’m Parker Hageman,” the man replies. “I thought you were a myth,” I say. “No, I just don’t really write much anymore.” “Greggory,” says Stu, “if that is your real name. I’m here to talk about satire. It’s not funny when anyone but me does it.” “But I’m not doing satire,” I protest. “You of all people must understand.” “Not. Funny,” said he. “It’s not supposed to be funny,” I exasperatedly reply. “It’s supposed to be amusing. But what is Phil doing here?” “I don’t have anything better to do in retirement,” the aged writer admits as he got up to fiddle with the hospital jukebox. “You’ve been in a coma for weeks,” Stu says. “TC Bear dropped a piano on your head. You popped out with piano keys for teeth and everything.” At least I knew I hadn’t missed any Twins news. It was still December. “So then what’s the true meaning of Christmas?” I ask. “I’m a nihilist,” answers Stu. “Christmas doesn’t mean anything to me. An ass spat in my face earlier today. I felt nothing. I never have.” Don’t Stop Believing by Journey started playing on the hospital jukebox. “Say what you will about the tenets of Chicago White Sox fanhood, but at least it’s an ethos,” a voice from behind me says. I turned my head to see Santa Claus leaning through the open window, away from the three. “I just gave a lump of— View the full article

At face value, the Nick Pivetta trade rumors make no sense for the San Diego Padres. We're talking about a rotation that has already lost Dylan Cease to free agency. The same rotation that will be without the injured Yu Darvish all season, and now features Joe Musgrove, who hasn't pitched since the end of the 2024 season. Currently, San Diego has Pivetta alongside Musgrove, Randy Vasquez, and JP Sears projected to be in their rotation for 2026. Plus, they just signed Michael King back, which could make Pivetta even more expendable. Of course, even with King in tow, that rotation is not a top staff in the league, with Pivetta as its ace. So, why are the Padres listening to offers on the right-hander? The truth is, it might make more sense than fans think. Pivetta's career stats scream "one-year-wonder." His previous career-high in bWAR was 2.5 in 2022, before breaking out for 5.3 bWAR in 2025. His best ERA was 4.04 in 2023, before posting a 2.87 mark in 2025. Likewise, his best FIP was 3.79, back in 2018, before finishing with a 3.49 FIP in 2025 (notably, much higher than his ERA). His WHIP fell to a career-best 0.985, blowing his previous best mark of 1.121 out of the water. The list goes on and on. The FIP/ERA comparison presents an interesting picture for Pivetta. From 2017-2024, Pivetta had a 4.36 FIP and a 4.76 ERA. His career FIP was nearly half a run better than his ERA. In a single-season sample, that would be considered bad luck, but over an eight-year period, it can be explained by the fact that Pivetta is a guy who gets hit hard. In his career, according to Baseball Savant, opposing hitters have a 9.4% barrel rate (compared to a 7.2% league-average). They've had an average exit velocity of 89.7 MPH, and a 40.5% hard-hit rate against Pivetta (compared to a 37% league-average). FIP is a stat based on strikeouts, walks, home runs, and hit batters. While he's not a strikeout artist, Pivetta has always had solid K/BB ratios and has never hit more than six batters in a season, so his FIP tends to be solid compared to his ERA. Usually, when a pitcher's ERA is higher than his FIP, it means his defense was bad and he got unlucky, but this is a long-term trend for Pivetta. His FIP was lower than his ERA in seven of his eight seasons. Did he have bad luck all seven seasons? Or were the Phillies and Red Sox defenses awful during his time with both clubs? Or could it be that Pivetta, being a pitcher who allowed more hard-contact than league average, made things harder for his defense? From 2017-2024, he allowed a .304 BABIP, while the league average hovered between .291 and .300. All of that is to say, Pivetta probably wasn't falling victim to bad BABIP luck and bad defense; he was falling victim to being one of the hardest-hit pitchers in the league. And that did not change in 2025. Pivetta allowed a 10.9% barrel rate (10th percentile), a 45% hard-hit rate (15th percentile), and a 90.3 average exit velocity (22nd percentile). Those were no better rates than he allowed in previous seasons, yet the results changed. In 2025, his ERA was 2.87, significantly lower than his 3.49 FIP, despite the underlying metrics staying almost exactly the same. What does that mean? It likely means Pivetta was not getting unlucky from 2017-2024; it means he got extremely lucky in 2025 and will probably regress back to the mean in 2026. If Pivetta is a one-year wonder, it makes sense for San Diego to sell high on their most tradeable asset. But what if he isn't? Will the Padres regret trading Pivetta if he has another strong 2026 season? Well, probably not, because Pivetta has a contract opt-out after 2026. If he turns in another All-Star level campaign next season, he will likely opt out of his deal, looking for a big payday before his career ends. That effectively makes it a lose-lose scenario for the Padres if they want to keep Pivetta. If they keep him and he turns out to be a one-year-wonder, they missed their chance to trade a No. 3 starter for the price of an ace. If they keep him and he continues to pitch like an ace, they will lose him next offseason and get nothing in return. That's why, as odd as it is to be shopping the ace of a rotation that is lacking in impact talent, it does make sense to offload Pivetta if the right deal emerges. View the full article

Though it’s worth not getting too excited about words alone, some of Tom Pohlad’s remarks about the state of the organization on Wednesday were encouraging. Notably, he called for accountability and change when results don’t meet expectations. Could this mean trouble for the current front office? Derek Falvey and company have been at the helm for nearly a decade, and despite a strong regular-season track record, they have only a single postseason series win to show for it. Despite missing the playoffs in four of five seasons in the era of expanded playoffs, Falvey was actually promoted to run both the baseball and business sides of the organization following a 2024 collapse. His seat has never seemed particularly hot. Perhaps that’s about to change. Tom Pohlad’s opening message, which essentially criticizes repeating the same process over and over while expecting different results, seems to apply perfectly to Derek Falvey and the front office in recent years. They’ve chosen to run almost identical rosters back repeatedly despite disastrous results. Up until the trade deadline, they were holding strong to a vision that just wasn't working. The payroll has been scaled back, lending them a bit of slack, but this front office used to at least be creative in their roster-building. Trading a former first-round pick and top prospect for Sonny Gray, or fan favorite Luis Arraez, for Pablo Lopez seems like a lifetime ago. Though not always popular moves, the Twins used to at least take swings to shake up the roster. Instead, it’s been status quo with poor results for nearly three years. The current front office has been in charge long enough that every player, aside from Byron Buxton, has been drafted, signed, or acquired by them. Perhaps this has been part of why they’ve had such a difficult time shaking up the roster in recent seasons. They had a mess to clean up when they took over in 2016, when the organization had a reputation for being analytically outdated and unsuccessful for several years prior. It’s the last five years, however, that have been the least successful stretch of this regime’s time in charge aside from 2023’s brief playoff run. Fans questioned whether the team was entering a full-blown rebuild at the 2025 trade deadline, as the Twins' selloff included both rentals and team-controlled players. Just weeks ago, those concerns remained very real as the Twins seemed on the fence about trading star players such as Buxton. This was particularly interesting, as it was reasonable to wonder whether this front office has earned the right to oversee another rebuild. Now seemingly aiming to compete in 2026, Tom Pohlad’s comments raise the question of whether this might be the last shot for Derek Falvey and this front office. The biggest holes on the roster were created voluntarily when the Twins chose to go scorched-earth on a dominant, team-controlled bullpen at the deadline. Falvey and GM Jeremy Zoll have expressed their comfort with replacing these players and maintaining a competitive roster, and now their confidence will be tested next season. The Twins will also be relying on several rebound performances in the lineup for the second season in a row from many of the same players that failed to make good on those hopes in 2025. Throw in several top prospects set to debut at some point down the stretch, and the organization’s player development will have to take center stage in order for the lineup to return to a competitive level. "We're gonna develop young players," Derek Shelton proclaimed in his intro presser, channeling what appears to be an organizational mandate. But it's not really up to him. Tom Pohlad’s comments should put Derek Falvey and the front office on notice. Employing the same process over and over without success is the definition of what we’ve seen for years now. If another attempt to compete fails in 2026, with a roster fully developed by this front office, it’s time for some accountability. Do you agree? View the full article

During the Winter Meetings, it was speculated that third baseman Alex Bregman could be a fallback option if the Blue Jays fail to sign Bo Bichette. Now, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Bregman could be a primary target for Toronto. Toronto’s winter to date has largely centered on pitching. The club added Dylan Cease on a seven-year deal, signed Tyler Rogers and Cody Ponce, and acquired Chase Lee in a trade. Bregman turns 32 in 2026, coming off two productive seasons. In 2024 (age 30), he played 145 games and logged 634 plate appearances for Houston, hitting .260/.315/.453 with 26 homers. His wOBA was .331, his wRC+ was 117, and he finished at 4.2 fWAR. In 2025 (age 31) with Boston, he appeared in 114 games and had 495 plate appearances, batting .273/.360/.462 with 18 homers. He posted a .356 wOBA, a 125 wRC+, and 3.5 fWAR. His 2024 BB% was 6.9% and his K% was 13.6%. In 2025, his BB% was 10.3% and his K% was 14.1%. View the full article

John Counsell, who was the Milwaukee Brewers' former director of community affairs and the father of former Brewers manager Craig Counsell, died Tuesday. He was 83. John Counsell worked for the Brewers from the time Craig Counsell was 8 to 18, with his son often running with the big names in team history, including Hall of Famers Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. John Counsell attended Notre Dame, where he also played baseball, footsteps Craig would follow. John Counsell was signed by the Minnesota Twins and played four years (1964-67) in the minors, including three with the Wisconsin Rapids Twins. But he never made it past Class A. Craig Counsell would play for the Brewers in 2004 and again from 2007 to 2011, then became the team's manager from 2015 to 2023, winning three NL Central titles. View the full article

The Miami Marlins have a two-headed, left-handed-pitching monster rapidly approaching the big leagues after wreaking havoc down on the farm. Robby Snelling led all minor league southpaws with 166 strikeouts in 2025. He spent half of his season with Triple-A Jacksonville, making 11 starts for the Jumbo Shrimp with only nine earned runs allowed. Nearly a year younger than Snelling, Thomas White missed bats at an even higher rate. He got a cup of coffee in Jacksonville (two starts) to end the season. Although neither are on Miami's 40-man roster yet, both prospects are likely to debut during the 2026 season. Snelling's success was the bigger surprise coming off an uneven 2024 campaign. He sliced his ERA in half (from 5.15 to 2.51) and improved his xFIP by more than a full run (from 3.80 to 2.72). These are elite numbers for any prospect, especially one who's facing Double-A and Triple-A competition as a starter. The curveball is Snelling's best pitch. It got a 42.70% whiff rate in Triple-A and a low .241 xwOBA, faring well against both lefties and righties. The pitch resembles former Marlin Andrew Heaney's curveball, but with much more velocity on it (averaging 82.6 mph). ckRPWTFfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0R3ZFJBRklNWGdjQUMxb0dWZ0FIQWdNQ0FGZ0hWVllBQjFVQkExRUNCUXNFQkZNSA==.mp4 An increase in velo has benefited Snelling's whole pitch mix. His fastball sat at 94.7 mph in Triple-A. He mostly removed the sinker from his arsenal as a result of being able to overpower hitters with the four-seamer and commanding it so well. Snelling's fastball has characteristics comparable to Tanner Scott's. Both get around 16.7 inches of induced vertical break (IVB), close to six inches of arm-side run, and just over six feet of extension down the mound during their delivery. Snelling's ability to locate more precisely and his slightly lower arm angle (approx. 26.6 degrees) are more conducive to long-term performance even if his velo doesn't continue to climb. Overall, his fastball performed well in Triple-A, posting a 36.5 whiff% and a .200 xwOBA. ckRPWTFfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0FBSlpCZ1pRQWxjQUFRQlFYd0FIQVZkVEFBTlRBZ0lBVUZFRVVnSURBd1pjQjFCUw== (1).mp4 Snelling was in the strike zone 54.5% of the time in Triple-A, which would have ranked top 10 among MLB starters in 2025. He mixed his pitches in such a way that hitters only swung at 62% of in-zone pitches, the same as Hunter Brown. Even when they did, their 77.5% zone contact rate was Dylan Cease-like. Outside the zone, the contact rate was 50.7%, on par with NL Cy Young Award runner-up Cristopher Sánchez (50.5%). He also thrived at limiting hard contact with a 3.5% barrel rate and 28.5% hard-hit rate. Snelling showed minimal flaws in 2025, and continuing a trend from his San Diego Padres days, he was injury-free. He has emerged as a complete pitcher. This is not meant to diminish Thomas White at all (2.31 ERA and 2.80 xFIP in 89.2 IP). His "stuff" may be slightly better than Snelling's, including a fastball that sits 95 mph and touched triple digits on several occasions. His sweeper is practically a cheat code for getting whiffs both in and out of the zone. UUFkQnFfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1VBQlVWRkVCVkZNQUNRRUJVZ0FIQkFkVEFBQlVCVllBQkZkVUJBQUVBVmNIVmdNRQ==.mp4 However, White's lack of efficiency is a potential concern when looking ahead to how he'd fit in a major league rotation. He finished Double-A with a walk rate of 12.6%, and it ballooned to 25% his two starts of Triple-A. Although it's reasonable to project further improvement in that area—he is entering his age-21 season—waste pitches will likely always be part of his formula. White has completed six innings only once in a professional game. For context, Snelling did that 14 times in 2025 alone. The future is bright for both Marlins minor leaguers. White is universally ranked higher on public prospect lists due to his ceiling, but it may be easier to forecast consistent success for Snelling at the highest level. One thing's for sure: they will command a lot of attention when they report to spring training in February as non-roster invitees. View the full article

“To be honest it was a complete surprise,” Blake Wehunt said as he thought back to the 2023 draft. Taken in the ninth round out of Kennesaw State by the Boston Red Sox, Wehunt never expected to be drafted by the organization. The right-hander admitted that going into the 2023 draft, he had talked to teams here and there, but really had no idea when it came to expecting anything. All he knew was that he had a decent year to the point he had a shot at hearing his name called, but he wasn’t entering the draft with the thought of getting picked. “I hadn’t talked to the Red Sox much, so I went into it with zero expectations,” Wehunt recalled about the pre-draft process. “Sure enough, the Red Sox ended up calling. I’m blessed to be where I’m at.” Wehunt didn’t pitch much after getting drafted in 2023, getting into a single game at the Florida Complex League where he tossed one inning and struck out a batter while allowing one hit. The 2024 campaign was a bigger year for the pitcher, as in his first full professional season, he moved through three minor league levels, going from Single-A Salem and finishing the year with Double-A Portland. This past season saw Wehunt deal with injury, spending time on the injured list due to a lat strain. On the season, Wehunt wound up going 2-8 with a 5.68 ERA in 63 1/3 innings. In total, he appeared in 17 games and struck out 76 batters. But despite that, the season was still a success because of his improved cutter. “The fastball was 93-95 at the time and we have this huge gap in the arsenal where everything was either slow or fast. And so they came up with the idea of the cutter, and I was able to understand how to throw it pretty quickly,” Wehunt said as he talked about the process behind how a pitcher decides to add to their arsenal. The pitch, which he added in 2024, has evolved from there. “The plan before was to have something to show hitters early in counts that wasn’t a fastball and wasn’t off-speed. As I’ve grown to use it more, it’s definitely become more of an [offering] I can throw it in any count. It’s developed into using it how it should be vs just get ahead with it.” Of course, despite the improved cutter and Wehunt’s own work ethic, the injury still lingered on his mind as the season wore on and as he eventually got ready for the offseason. “Coming back (during the season) was a little tough because mentally, I had to learn how to trust that again. Now I’m to the point I don’t feel [the injury] anymore.” Wehunt spent half of October and half of November in Florida to do maintenance on his injury and making sure it was fine before getting into his usual offseason routine. Though, he also found time to enjoy some of his favorite activities. “I’m a big-time outdoorsman. Hunting, fishing, I’m all for it,” Wehunt explained when asked about things he enjoyed doing outside of baseball. “Most of the offseason I find myself doing [that kind of stuff]. Chasing deer and ducks and everything else.” And despite his enjoyment of hunting, Wehunt also knows that once New Year’s Day rolls around, it’s time to put the guns and bows away and to begin ramping up for baseball. “As soon as New Years is over, let’s put the rifle and the bow down and lets really hone in.” View the full article

In part three of our countdown of the Royals’ assets, we will be talking about the 15th through 11th most valuable player assets. If you missed the previous two lists, they are listed here. Part 1: #21-25 Part 2: #16-20 15. Michael Wacha Age: 34 Controlled Through: 2027 with a club option in 28 Wacha has been a steady and reliable presence on the mound and in the locker room. His 2.8 bWAR was third-best on a Royals team flushed with pitching depth. He also led the team in wins (10) and innings pitched (172.2), so he was the team’s workhorse for long stretches of the season. His advanced metrics on Baseball Savant show that he is in the 99th percentile in offspeed run value and in the 82nd percentile in pitching run value. Entering his age-35 season, it’s good to see Wacha still has some gas left in the tank and hopefully can continue to be solid for years to come. 14: Lucas Erceg Age: 30 Controlled Through: 2029 Erceg took a slight step back from 2024, but he was still one of the better arms in the Royals' bullpen in 2025. Throughout the year, Erceg served as the set-up man behind Carlos Estévez, and his ERA of 2.64, along with eight wins, helped the Royals have one of the more underrated bullpens in baseball. While most of his numbers were down from his excellent 2024 season, he still posted a high pitching run value of 72, and his fastball run value increased. If Erceg can continue to have quality appearances, he will be a mainstay in the Royals' bullpen for years to come. 13. Sean Gamble Age: 19 Controlled Through: 2031+ Gamble was selected 23rd overall by the Royals in the most recent MLB Draft. He was placed on the ACL Royals, but did not play any games for them in 2025 because he was not officially signed until July. The Royals see a lot of potential in Gamble, especially in the at-bats he took while at IMG Academy. He is a contact-heavy hitter and a plus runner with positional versatility, which the Royals love in their players. Now, whether he can turn his high school success into success at the minor league level is left to be determined, but he is an intriguing prospect that Royals fans will undoubtedly keep an eye on. 12. Josh Hammond Age: 19 Controlled Through: 2031+ Hammond was selected five picks after Gamble, at 28th, because of the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) reward for Bobby Witt Jr. finishing in the top three of AL MVP voting. Hammond was a two-way player throughout high school and helped lead Wesleyan Christian Academy to its second state title in three years. Hammond has a lot of raw power at the dish to all sides of the field and has a cannon for an arm. Despite his two-way approach in high school, the Royals will focus more on his hitting, as that’s where he shows the most potential. He was drafted as a shortstop, but scouts say he could move to third base due to his arm. It’ll be intriguing to see what the Royals do with Hammond in the near future. 11. Vinnie Pasquantino Age: 28 Controlled Through: 2028 The Pasquatch is coming off a stellar year as he put up career highs in hits (164), RBIs (113), home runs (32), and bWar (2.4). It was a year that Vinnie needed, as he wasn’t able to contribute much during the Royals' playoff push in 2024, but he was able to contribute big time this year. His bat is his most valuable asset; his defense is what really needs work, as his fielding run value of 21 and his -7 OAA is not good enough for a team that prides itself on good defense. Still, there is no doubt that Pasquantino’s bat will stay in the middle of the order as long as he puts up the numbers he did this past year. View the full article

When it comes to content ideas, you either come up with something creative or steal from someone else. Well, here at Brewer Fanatic, we are going to borrow a concept from our friends over at Twins Daily. That is a list of player assets entering the upcoming season. Twins Daily has been doing this since 2018. Our inaugural Brewer Fanatic list will rank the 25 Milwaukee Brewers players and prospects with this in mind: Who are the most valuable in the organization's pursuit of building a champion? To do so, we considered age, upside, and contract. The Brewers are in one of the best positions in franchise history, coming off their third straight NL Central championship, having a relatively young MLB roster and prospects ready to be the next wave of contributors. Like it or not, that will allow the Brewers to spin off some of the talent before hitting free agency or to acquire other controllable assets. This list is a group effort. Jason Wang, Michael Trzinski, and I each came up with our own lists and merged them to create this ranking. Our individual rankings are included with each player, so you know who to blame if your favorite player isn't higher. Just kidding (but really). Each player's age and controlled-through years are based on his Baseball-Reference age for the 2026 season and when B-R says he can become a free agent. 25. Jared Koenig, LHP Jason's rank: 26 | Michael's rank: 24 | Steve's rank: 16 2026 Season age: 32 Controlled through: 2029 Opening our list is one of the Brewers' most dependable arms, who is often put into tough and late-inning situations, even if he is a late bloomer. As the Brewers do, they picked Koenig up off the scrap heap following the 2023 season, when he spent the entire season in the minors for the San Diego Padres after pitching in 10 MLB games for the Oakland A's in 2022. In two seasons with the Crew, Koenig has appeared in 127 games and posted a FIP of 3.31, striking out 24.6% of batters and walking 8.1%. While tying for ninth in MLB with 27 holds, Koenig has been versatile, serving as an opener in six games, all in 2024. Koenig provides a nice complement to Aaron Ashby, the Brewers' workhorse left-handed reliever, allowing manager Pat Murphy options depending on matchups, while also having a lefty to deploy when Ashby isn't available. Koenig allowed one run in six postseason games in 2025. He primarily relies on his sinker, which he used 57% of the time in 2025, while mixing in a cutter (18%) and curveball (16%). Koenig is entering his final pre-arbitration year and would be a very attractive piece to another team, even as he enters his age-32 season. 24. Tobias Myers, RHP Jason's rank: 14 | Michael's rank: 26 | Steve's rank: 25 2026 Season age: 27 Controlled through: 2030 After being a surprising rock of the 2024 starting rotation in his rookie season, notching a 2.7 bWAR in 27 games (25 starts), Myers was virtually nonexistent for the Brewers in 2025. Part of that stems from how his 2025 began — on the 15-day injured list with a strained left oblique. That was only a temporary setback, as he was activated and returned to the rotation in late April, when the Crew needed starters. But that only lasted for six games (one in relief) as Myers was optioned to Triple-A Nashville less than a month later. The Nashville shuttle was his plight for the rest of the season. As the Brewers' rotation stabilized, Myers was relegated to a bullpen role. His numbers for the season were very solid. He posted a 3.92 FIP, just behind the 3.91 in 2024, and an ERA+ of 117 in 22 games, including six starts. A big development for Myers in 2025 was the introduction of a splitter and a reduced reliance on his changeup. Already with a cutter and slider in addition to his four-seamer, Myers used the new splitter 16% of the time in the majors, with his changeup going from 11% in 2024 to 1% in 2025. Myers figures to be in the mix for the back end of the Brewers' rotation or a long-relief role. 23. Garrett Mitchell, CF Jason's rank: 20 | Michael's rank: 21 | Steve's rank: 21 2026 Season age: 27 Controlled through: 2028 Mitchell is the great unknown for the Brewers. Unknown because he hasn't been able to stay on the field long enough to showcase his value due to a variety of injuries. A first-round draft choice in 2020, Mitchell made his MLB debut in August 2022, playing 28 games that season. Since then, the left-handed-hitting center fielder has played 19, 69, and 25 games. That was due to a torn labrum while sliding (2023), a fractured left index finger in spring training (2024), and a strained left oblique and left shoulder surgery while rehabbing (2025). That doesn't include a left knee injury that sidelined him in 2021 and an oblique issue in 2022, both in the minors. In 2024, when he came back from the fractured finger, he showed flashes of his potential, putting up a .255/.342/.469 slash line with eight homers, 21 RBIs, and 11 steals. With 13 homers and 23 steals in 141 career games, it isn't hard to project a 20-homer, 30-steal full season. Mitchell has the talent and charisma to be as productive and popular as left fielder Jackson Chourio, which would be a boon for the Brewers. While Blake Perkins provides stellar defense in center, he doesn't have the offensive tools that Mitchell does, and the Brewers' offense sorely needs. With Perkins in his first year of arbitration eligibility, 2026 shapes up as a crucial season. The nature of Mitchell's injuries seems more fluky than anything, but frustrating for all involved, given their frequency. Mitchell is likely to be the Opening Day center fielder for the second year in a row; the only question is how many games will be played after that. 22. Robert Gasser, LHP Jason's rank: 21 | Michael's rank: 22 | Steve's rank: 19 2026 Season age: 27 Controlled through: 2030 The Brewers have been dreaming on Gasser since he was the key piece coming back in the Josh Hader trade with the San Diego Padres at the 2022 trade deadline. At the time, Gasser was a top prospect as a left-handed starting pitcher and, after spending all of 2023 at Triple-A Nashville, Gasser made his MLB debut in May 2024. But after five starts, in which he had a 3.38 FIP and 163 ERA+, Gasser blew out his left elbow and required Tommy John surgery. That kept him out until late in 2025, coming back to make two abbreviated late-season starts. The good news is that means Gasser will have a typical offseason and be ready to go at a fairly full throttle in spring training, though the Brewers will monitor his workload. With the rotation currently having a top three of right-handers Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, and Jacob Misiorowski, Gasser will be in competition with right-handers Chad Patrick, Logan Henderson, and Myers for the final two spots. Working in Gasser's favor is that he is a left-hander, potentially the only one in the 2026 Opening Day rotation. Featuring a four-seamer and a sweeper that he uses fairly equally (34% and 33% for his brief MLB career), along with a sinker and changeup, Gasser showed a good strikeout ability with 410 in 337⅓ innings in the minors, including 41 in 38 innings while rehabbing in 2025. Gasser should be a big part of the Brewers' rotation in 2026 and beyond. Due to the injury that cost him most of two seasons, this will be his final pre-arbitration season. 21. Luis Pena, SS-2B Jason's rank: 5 | Michael's rank: 26 | Steve's rank: 26 2026 Season age: 19 Controlled through: TBD Speaking of dreaming, we hit the first of three prospects to make this list. As you can see, where to rank Pena differed greatly, perhaps because the interpretation of this list's meaning differed among the three voters. None of this is a knock on Pena, the consensus No. 2 prospect in the organization. Six months older than top prospect Jesus Made, the 19-year-old Pena has risen through the system at the same speed as Made, except for one late promotion for Made in 2025. Both are middle infielders, with Pena shifting to second base in deference to Made. Pena, part of the Brewers' stellar 2024 international signing class, made it to High-A Wisconsin this season after being part of an exceptional grouping at Single-A Carolina. In 71 games at Carolina, Pena slashed .308/.375/.469 with six homers, 52 RBIs, and 41 steals. Following his promotion to Wisconsin, Pena ran into his first struggles as a professional, with a .168/.220/.297 slash line in 25 games. Speed is Pena's primary asset, with 83 steals in 140 games over two seasons, but he does have a good hit tool, having won the Dominican Summer League batting title in 2024 with a .393 average. His power increased from one homer in 2024 to nine in 2025, showing there is room to grow there as his body matures. Pena has also seen time at third base and appears to have the arm strength for the position. Likely to begin 2026 at Wisconsin, Pena is very much part of the Brewers' future and could find his way during the year to Double-A Biloxi with a good showing. View the full article

When it comes to content ideas, you either come up with something creative or steal from someone else. Well, here at Brewer Fanatic, we are going to borrow a concept from our friends over at Twins Daily. That is a list of player assets entering the upcoming season. Twins Daily has been doing this since 2018. Our inaugural Brewer Fanatic list will rank the 25 Milwaukee Brewers players and prospects with this in mind: Who are the most valuable in the organization's pursuit of building a champion? To do so, we considered age, upside, and contract. The Brewers are in one of the best positions in franchise history, coming off their third straight NL Central championship, having a relatively young MLB roster and prospects ready to be the next wave of contributors. Like it or not, that will allow the Brewers to spin off some of the talent before hitting free agency or to acquire other controllable assets. This list is a group effort. Jason Wang, Michael Trzinski, and I each came up with our own lists and merged them to create this ranking. Our individual rankings are included with each player, so you know who to blame if your favorite player isn't higher. Just kidding (but really). Each player's age and controlled-through years are based on his Baseball-Reference age for the 2026 season and when B-R says he can become a free agent. 25. Jared Koenig, LHP Jason's rank: 26 | Michael's rank: 24 | Steve's rank: 16 2026 Season age: 32 Controlled through: 2029 Opening our list is one of the Brewers' most dependable arms, who is often put into tough and late-inning situations, even if he is a late bloomer. As the Brewers do, they picked Koenig up off the scrap heap following the 2023 season, when he spent the entire season in the minors for the San Diego Padres after pitching in 10 MLB games for the Oakland A's in 2022. In two seasons with the Crew, Koenig has appeared in 127 games and posted a FIP of 3.31, striking out 24.6% of batters and walking 8.1%. While tying for ninth in MLB with 27 holds, Koenig has been versatile, serving as an opener in six games, all in 2024. Koenig provides a nice complement to Aaron Ashby, the Brewers' workhorse left-handed reliever, allowing manager Pat Murphy options depending on matchups, while also having a lefty to deploy when Ashby isn't available. Koenig allowed one run in six postseason games in 2025. He primarily relies on his sinker, which he used 57% of the time in 2025, while mixing in a cutter (18%) and curveball (16%). Koenig is entering his final pre-arbitration year and would be a very attractive piece to another team, even as he enters his age-32 season. 24. Tobias Myers, RHP Jason's rank: 14 | Michael's rank: 26 | Steve's rank: 25 2026 Season age: 27 Controlled through: 2030 After being a surprising rock of the 2024 starting rotation in his rookie season, notching a 2.7 bWAR in 27 games (25 starts), Myers was virtually nonexistent for the Brewers in 2025. Part of that stems from how his 2025 began — on the 15-day injured list with a strained left oblique. That was only a temporary setback, as he was activated and returned to the rotation in late April, when the Crew needed starters. But that only lasted for six games (one in relief) as Myers was optioned to Triple-A Nashville less than a month later. The Nashville shuttle was his plight for the rest of the season. As the Brewers' rotation stabilized, Myers was relegated to a bullpen role. His numbers for the season were very solid. He posted a 3.92 FIP, just behind the 3.91 in 2024, and an ERA+ of 117 in 22 games, including six starts. A big development for Myers in 2025 was the introduction of a splitter and a reduced reliance on his changeup. Already with a cutter and slider in addition to his four-seamer, Myers used the new splitter 16% of the time in the majors, with his changeup going from 11% in 2024 to 1% in 2025. Myers figures to be in the mix for the back end of the Brewers' rotation or a long-relief role. 23. Garrett Mitchell, CF Jason's rank: 20 | Michael's rank: 21 | Steve's rank: 21 2026 Season age: 27 Controlled through: 2028 Mitchell is the great unknown for the Brewers. Unknown because he hasn't been able to stay on the field long enough to showcase his value due to a variety of injuries. A first-round draft choice in 2020, Mitchell made his MLB debut in August 2022, playing 28 games that season. Since then, the left-handed-hitting center fielder has played 19, 69, and 25 games. That was due to a torn labrum while sliding (2023), a fractured left index finger in spring training (2024), and a strained left oblique and left shoulder surgery while rehabbing (2025). That doesn't include a left knee injury that sidelined him in 2021 and an oblique issue in 2022, both in the minors. In 2024, when he came back from the fractured finger, he showed flashes of his potential, putting up a .255/.342/.469 slash line with eight homers, 21 RBIs, and 11 steals. With 13 homers and 23 steals in 141 career games, it isn't hard to project a 20-homer, 30-steal full season. Mitchell has the talent and charisma to be as productive and popular as left fielder Jackson Chourio, which would be a boon for the Brewers. While Blake Perkins provides stellar defense in center, he doesn't have the offensive tools that Mitchell does, and the Brewers' offense sorely needs. With Perkins in his first year of arbitration eligibility, 2026 shapes up as a crucial season. The nature of Mitchell's injuries seems more fluky than anything, but frustrating for all involved, given their frequency. Mitchell is likely to be the Opening Day center fielder for the second year in a row; the only question is how many games will be played after that. 22. Robert Gasser, LHP Jason's rank: 21 | Michael's rank: 22 | Steve's rank: 19 2026 Season age: 27 Controlled through: 2030 The Brewers have been dreaming on Gasser since he was the key piece coming back in the Josh Hader trade with the San Diego Padres at the 2022 trade deadline. At the time, Gasser was a top prospect as a left-handed starting pitcher and, after spending all of 2023 at Triple-A Nashville, Gasser made his MLB debut in May 2024. But after five starts, in which he had a 3.38 FIP and 163 ERA+, Gasser blew out his left elbow and required Tommy John surgery. That kept him out until late in 2025, coming back to make two abbreviated late-season starts. The good news is that means Gasser will have a typical offseason and be ready to go at a fairly full throttle in spring training, though the Brewers will monitor his workload. With the rotation currently having a top three of right-handers Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, and Jacob Misiorowski, Gasser will be in competition with right-handers Chad Patrick, Logan Henderson, and Myers for the final two spots. Working in Gasser's favor is that he is a left-hander, potentially the only one in the 2026 Opening Day rotation. Featuring a four-seamer and a sweeper that he uses fairly equally (34% and 33% for his brief MLB career), along with a sinker and changeup, Gasser showed a good strikeout ability with 410 in 337⅓ innings in the minors, including 41 in 38 innings while rehabbing in 2025. Gasser should be a big part of the Brewers' rotation in 2026 and beyond. Due to the injury that cost him most of two seasons, this will be his final pre-arbitration season. 21. Luis Pena, SS-2B Jason's rank: 5 | Michael's rank: 26 | Steve's rank: 26 2026 Season age: 19 Controlled through: TBD Speaking of dreaming, we hit the first of three prospects to make this list. As you can see, where to rank Pena differed greatly, perhaps because the interpretation of this list's meaning differed among the three voters. None of this is a knock on Pena, the consensus No. 2 prospect in the organization. Six months older than top prospect Jesus Made, the 19-year-old Pena has risen through the system at the same speed as Made, except for one late promotion for Made in 2025. Both are middle infielders, with Pena shifting to second base in deference to Made. Pena, part of the Brewers' stellar 2024 international signing class, made it to High-A Wisconsin this season after being part of an exceptional grouping at Single-A Carolina. In 71 games at Carolina, Pena slashed .308/.375/.469 with six homers, 52 RBIs, and 41 steals. Following his promotion to Wisconsin, Pena ran into his first struggles as a professional, with a .168/.220/.297 slash line in 25 games. Speed is Pena's primary asset, with 83 steals in 140 games over two seasons, but he does have a good hit tool, having won the Dominican Summer League batting title in 2024 with a .393 average. His power increased from one homer in 2024 to nine in 2025, showing there is room to grow there as his body matures. Pena has also seen time at third base and appears to have the arm strength for the position. Likely to begin 2026 at Wisconsin, Pena is very much part of the Brewers' future and could find his way during the year to Double-A Biloxi with a good showing. View the full article

Coming out of the Winter Meetings, the Twins find themselves circling back to a familiar need. The team's offense struggled down the stretch and remains the most obvious place to upgrade a roster that is trying to stay afloat while reshaping its long-term direction. Last week, the Twins signed Josh Bell to a one-year, $7 million deal that comes with ramifications for the current roster. Minnesota could let him be the team's everyday first baseman, but he has been a poor defender for most of his career. To field the best lineup, Bell might be better suited for a DH role with a different player taking over at first base. That brings us back to Houston and to a decision that still hangs over the organization. The Twins shocked their fan base and much of the baseball world when they sent Carlos Correa back to the Astros last July. The deal felt like a final acknowledgement that the previous competitive window had closed. The return only sharpened that feeling. Minnesota received a 26-year-old low-minors pitcher in Matt Mikulski, who the team already released, and agreed to cover $33 million of Correa’s remaining contract. At the time, it looked like the Twins took the best offer available. Now, we know the talks may have been more complicated. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Minnesota initially pushed for veteran first baseman Christian Walker as part of those negotiations. Houston declined. Walker had just signed a free agent deal the previous winter and still had two years and $40 million remaining. The ask suggested the Twins were not simply dumping salary but actively searching for a way to remain respectable in the short term without Correa. Fast forward to this offseason, and Walker’s name is back in circulation. Reports indicate the Astros are attempting to clear a logjam at first base and designated hitter. Chandler Rome of The Athletic has noted that interest around the league has been limited. Walker’s 2025 numbers explain some of that hesitation. Over 154 games, he slashed .238/.297/.421 (.718) with a 99 wRC+ and produced 1.1 fWAR. There are reasons to think there is still something left. Walker was far better in the second half, launching 15 home runs and posting a 120 wRC+. He will be 35 years old in 2026 but remains a strong defender at first base (2 OAA in 2025), which carries real value for a pitching staff that will include young infielders across the diamond. This is where the Correa trade could be partially salvaged. Minnesota is already sending $10 million per season to Houston as part of Correa’s deal. A creative solution could see the Astros send Walker to the Twins while covering roughly half of his remaining salary ($16-20 million of the $40 million owed). Minnesota would likely need to include a lower-level prospect to make it work, but the cost would be manageable. It would not erase the sting of trading Correa for such a light return. However, landing a steady first baseman who can provide average offense and above-average defense would help stabilize the roster and provide a more transparent bridge between rebuilding and competing. Sometimes saving a trade does not mean winning it outright. Sometimes it means finding a way to make the aftermath hurt a little less. Does Walker make sense for the Twins? How much of his salary could the front office expect to acquire? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Entering the 2025 MLB season, expectations weren’t too high for Toronto Blue Jays youngster Addison Barger. After all, Barger struggled to produce on a consistent basis during his various stints up in the big leagues in 2024. Nevertheless, he did show some promise in the end, tallying seven home runs and 28 RBIs over 69 games played. However, a 0.4 bWAR and 68 OPS+, along with an average exit velocity of 88.3 mph and a hard-hit rate of 38.3%, left a lot to be desired. However, 2025 would turn out to be the coming out party for Barger. Not only did he become a regular in the Blue Jays lineup following his promotion in mid-April, but he would eventually be a key piece of their offensive attack during the regular season and the playoffs. So, with his sudden emergence to prominence, can Barger become the next homegrown star for Toronto? Taking a look at the numbers, the 26-year-old registered a .243 average and a .756 OPS, together with 61 runs scored, 32 doubles, 21 home runs and 74 RBIs over 135 games played in his first full season with the Jays. Just for comparison, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a slightly better average (.272) and OPS (.772), but just 52 runs scored, 26 doubles, 15 home runs and 69 RBIs in 123 games played in 2019, his first full season with Toronto. Going more in-depth with the advanced stats, Barger saw his average exit velocity jump to 91.7 mph this past season, ranking him in the 86th percentile in the league. His elite hard-hit rate of 51% ranked in the 91st percentile. More impressive was his bat speed of 75.9 mph, putting him into the 93rd percentile in the league. At the same time, Barger had a respectable xwOBA of .331 and barrel rate of 11.4%. As for Guerrero, he actually paled in comparison in his first full season with the Jays, maintaining just an 89.4 mph average exit velocity, a 38.7% hard-hit rate, and 7.7% barrel rate, though he managed a similar .333 xwOBA, thanks to superior plate discipline and contact skills. Seeing how Guerrero has turned out for the Blue Jays in recent years, Barger is absolutely on the right path in his development. That being said, perhaps Barger's ascension is more similar to that of Bo Bichette, who burst out big time in his first full season in 2021, producing a .298 average and an .828 OPS, along with 121 runs scored, 29 home runs and 102 RBIs over 159 games played. That year, Bichette had an xwOBA of .350, an average exit velocity of 91.4 mph, a 47.5% hard-hit rate and a 9.9% barrel rate. So, overlooking Bichette's massive offensive production, Barger’s underlying metrics look quite similar to those of Bichette from his first full season. One thing to keep in mind is the fact that it took Barger until age 25 before entering his first full season with the Jays, whereas for both Guerrero and Bichette, their first full seasons with Toronto came at a much younger age (20 and 23, respectively). As a result, it was reasonable to expect that they had some more time to grow, whereas Barger had a lot more time to mature his game before taking the big stage. In addition, if taking a look at their performances from the minors, both Guerrero (.945 OPS, 160 wRC+) and Bichette (.894 OPS, 144 wRC+) were better hitters than Barger (.814 OPS, 120 wRC+) before their first full seasons in the majors. So, potential-wise, one would expect greater things from the Jays' dynamic duo. Nevertheless, Barger optimistically displayed rapid growth and maturity in his game when he was able to adapt and elevate his play during the postseason. He hit .367 with a 1.024 OPS, together with eight runs scored, three home runs and nine RBIs in 17 playoff games, coming through with big hits in some key moments. As a result, if Barger is able to progress his game as both Guerrero and Bichette did theirs, the Blue Jays might not need to waste too much money targeting any top free agent sluggers on the market. That is because they could have a budding one in Barger, who could be developing into the team’s next homegrown star. He might not be quite at the elite star-production level of the other two aforementioned players, even once he reaches his full potential, but getting the next Shawn Green or Adam Lind (when they were in their primes) wouldn't be too shabby either. View the full article

On Saturday evening, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Royals remain open to trading starter Kris Bubic and other pitchers to acquire a big-name bat this offseason. Bubic had an excellent campaign in 2025, despite missing most of the second half due to a shoulder injury. In 20 starts and 116.1 IP, the first-time All-Star posted a 2.55 ERA, an 8.97 K/9, and accumulated a 3.3 fWAR. Only Michael Wacha posted a higher pitcher fWAR last season (3.6) for the Royals. Additionally, upon his return to the rotation last year, Bubic still profiled well across his TJ Stuff and other metrics, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary below. Bubic rated above-average in not just TJ Stuff+ (103), but zone% (51.9%), chase% (32.4%), whiff% (28.8%), and xwOBACON (.344). Thus, it makes sense why teams are interested in Bubic's services for 2026, even if he will be a free agent after next season. In addition to Bubic, it also seems like the Royals may be interested in trading relievers John Schreiber or Bailey Falter to clear payroll for a player like Boston's Jarren Duran or St. Louis' Brendan Donovan. Here's what Rosenthal says about those possibilities in his latest piece. John Schreiber is an interesting name, mainly because he was used in many high-leverage situations last year. When it came to gmLI, which measures leverage index when a pitcher enters a game, only Carlos Estevez (1.81) and Lucas Erceg (1.64) had higher gmLI marks than Schreiber. That said, while the 31-year-old righty posted a 3.80 ERA and flooded the strike zone last year, he struggled to generate chases and whiffs, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary below. As for Bailey Falter, he struggled in his brief tenure in Kansas City, posting an 11.25 ERA in 12 IP with the Royals. His FIP was a little better at 5.22, but his overall FIP was 4.94 over 125.1 IP with the Pirates and Royals last season. Like Schreiber, inducing whiffs and chases was an issue for Falter a year ago, and it's hard to imagine it improving enough in 2026. While Falter and Schreiber may not be trending in the right direction, they could be a nice fit for a roster that lacks bullpen depth and needs relievers who will throw strikes and limit the walks. Rosenthal mentioned that Kansas City remains committed to keeping not just Cole Ragans but also to Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, among others, even though they are drawing interest. The Royals have traded away Angel Zerpa and Jonathan Bowlan already this offseason, who posted ERA marks of 4.31 and 3.61 last season, respectively. It will be interesting to see whether Royals GM JJ Picollo would be open to trading another young pitcher, such as Noah Cameron, Ryan Bergert, Stephen Kolek, or Luinder Avila, if it helps them acquire a big-name position player who can boost the middle of the batting order. Photo Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images View the full article

If you thought that the Brewers found slim pickings when it came to the Major League Rule 5 Draft, check out the dribs and drabs of the minor league phase of the draft. Milwaukee had only a couple of players who made any impression at the major league level for the Brewers, and a handful of others who made it to the big leagues, albeit for other teams. Here are the five players drafted by the Brewers who actually played for Milwaukee. Isaac Collins, OF-2B (from Colorado), 2022 Despite showing good speed with 30 steals at Double-A Hartford in 2022, the Colorado Rockies elected not to protect Collins, and the Brewers scooped him up in the Minor League portion of the draft. Collins began the 2023 season at Double-A Biloxi and showed power (10 HR), speed (29 steals), and a good eye, drawing 75 walks while batting .269/.424/.431 across just 376 plate appearances. He earned a late-season promotion to Triple-A Nashville but went 0-for-7 in three games. The following year, Collins showed his stuff at Nashville, batting .273/.386/.475 with 14 homers and 24 steals in 500 trips to the plate. The Brewers called him up for a sip of Starbucks in September. Although Collins struggled with only two hits in 17 at-bats, he showed his moxie, singling on the first pitch he saw in the major leagues and then stealing second base against his former organization in a 4-1 loss to the Rockies. The switch-hitter earned the final spot on the 2005 Brewers Opening Day roster after Blake Perkins suffered a broken tibia in training camp. Although the Brewers stumbled out of the gate, losing four straight games, Collins went 3-for-6, including a pair of doubles. He scuffled through mid-June but then caught fire over the next three months, hitting .297/.383/.485 with 26 extra-base hits in 229 ABs. Collins ran out of steam the last three weeks of the regular season, batting just .133/.333/.167 over 30 at-bats. In the postseason, Collins got only one start and went 0-for-9. Defensively, he posted a -1 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), which put him squarely in the middle of all left fielders, but had a +5 Outs Above Average (OAA), which ranked him near the top of the list. After the 2025 season, Collins was traded, along with relief pitcher Nick Mears, to the Kansas City Royals for pitcher Ángel Zerpa. Caleb Boushley, RHP (from San Diego), 2021 The Brewers selected the Hortonville, Wisconsin product (via UW-La Crosse) from the San Diego Padres in the 2021 Minor League phase. The major league portion was postponed and then cancelled due to an offseason lockout. Boushley spent the entire 2022 season at Nashville, starting 25 games while posting a 12-2 record with an ERA of 3.25. His 1.17 WHIP was solid. He repeated the Triple-A level in 2023, and although his stats weren’t as good as the previous year, Boushley got called up to Milwaukee in late September. In his first action on a major league mound, Boushley had mixed results as he gave up a home run to Ian Happ, blew a save, but got the win in extra innings. In 2 1/3 innings, he allowed the Happ home run, walked two (one intentionally), and struck out five. To date, it is his only major league win. After the season, Boushley was outrighted to Nashville, and in January, the Minnesota Twins signed him to a minor league contract. He made two appearances in two separate stints for the Twins, and after the season, he became a free agent after he refused a minor league assignment. The Texas Rangers signed Boushley to a minor league contract in November. In 2025, Boushley spent most of the season with Texas, making 25 appearances and earning one save. Two days before Thanksgiving, Boushley signed a contract with the KT Wiz in the KBO League, hoping to find a little overseas magic. David Manning, RHP (from Minnesota), 2002 Manning was a third-round pick of the Texas Rangers in the 1992 MLB Amateur Draft. He spent seven years in the Rangers organization and barely made it to Triple-A, pitching in 12 games over a three-year period. He was granted free agency after the 1998 season and signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs. Manning pitched two seasons at Double-A and Triple-A but suffered an undisclosed elbow injury that curtailed his 2000 season and the following season. He was a member of the New York Yankees organization for two months in early 2002 before being released. Manning signed with the Minnesota Twins in July and made 10 starts at Double-A New Britain. He was released once again and then was signed in the Minor League Rule 5 draft by Milwaukee. Manning began the 2003 season at Triple-A Indianapolis and got called up to Milwaukee in early August when Glendon Rusch went on the disabled list. It only took a few days for him to make his big-league debut. Unfortunately, he got rocked in his first outing, giving up four hits, five walks, and seven runs in a four-inning start against Montreal. A week later, he made his second start, and the results weren’t very different. Manning allowed seven hits, three walks, and six runs in just 2 2/3 innings against Florida. He was released 10 days later. He never made it back to the majors, but he did see a lot of the world. In addition to playing two seasons in the Chinese Professional Baseball League, he played three years in the Mexican leagues and one winter in Venezuela. He also played in two independent leagues and had partial seasons in the Cubs and Orioles organizations. Matías Carrillo, OF (from Pittsburgh), 1987 Carrillo was purchased by the Pirates in December 1985 from the Mexico City Tigers after four seasons in the Mexican League. After two ho-hum seasons in the Pirates chain, he was selected by the Brewers in the 1987 Minor League Rule 5 Draft. He spent four years (one at Double-A and three at Triple-A) in the minors for Milwaukee and was a decent player, finally getting his shot in the bigs in May 1991 when outfielder Darryl Hamilton went on the disabled list. Carillo did his best Moonlight Graham impression, although he played in three games to Graham’s one contest. In late May, Carrillo came into three consecutive games as a defensive replacement in left field for Franklin Stubbs and Greg Vaughn. Carrillo’s Milwaukee career showed no plate appearances and no defensive chances in the field. He was sent back to Triple-A Denver to make room for the return of pitcher Teddy Higuera at the end of May. Carrillo returned to the Mexican League for two years before he got signed by the Florida Marlins. He finally got his first big-league at-bat on September 1, 1993, and singled off Padres’ pitcher Andy Benes. He also had a double and two RBI. In his first dozen games, Carrillo batted .323/.323/.452 with four doubles across 31 at-bats. He finished the year with a batting line of .255/.281/.364 across 55 at-bats. In 1994, Carrillo played 80 games up until the Major League Strike. He batted .250/.295/.301 across 136 at-bats. He became a free agent after the year and played the next 15 years in the Mexican Leagues, retiring from baseball at age 46. Carrillo managed eight years in the Mexican League and one year in the independent Pioneer League before pulling the plug. Tom Candiotti, RHP (from Kansas City), 1980 How many people remember that ‘Cotton’ Candiotti pitched for the Brewers? He began his career with an unaffiliated team in the Low-A Northwest League in 1979 before signing with the Royals. He pitched for one year with the Royals at Double-A and Triple-A before getting picked by the Brewers in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft in 1980. He made 21 appearances (14 starts) in 1981 at Double-A El Paso and went on the shelf with an elbow injury. He underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the end of 1981 and the entire 1982 season. He pitched at two levels in 1983 before getting called up to Milwaukee in August when Don Money went on the disabled list. After a pair of relief outings, Candiotti earned four straight wins, including two complete games and one shutout. The last four games were a disaster as he lost four straight. He posted an ERA+ of 117 and a FIP of 3.90. Candiotti was viewed as a long reliever in 1984 by manager Rene Lachemann, but instead was sent down to Triple-A Vancouver. He was recalled by Milwaukee in mid-July and made three starts with mixed results before going on the DL with right shoulder tendinitis. Upon his return, he made five appearances in September, finishing his Brewer career. In 1985, Candiotti made 28 combined starts between El Paso and Vancouver and was released after the season. Candiotti made 18 appearances (14 starts) for Milwaukee, posting an ERA+ of 96 and a FIP of 4.04. Candiotti spent the next 14 years in the bigs, toiling for Cleveland, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto, and Oakland. He amassed 200+ innings nine times in his career. He retired at age 42 with 151 wins and an ERA+ of 108. The Ones That Got Away Five of the players chosen by the Brewers in the draft didn't make it to Milwaukee, but instead, made their big-league debuts with other clubs. Mike Warren, RHP (from Oakland), 1981 Warren made six starts at Single-A Stockton (4-0, 3.27 ERA), striking out batters at a rate of nearly 25% while posting a 1.14 WHIP. He was traded, along with first baseman Johnny Evers, to the A's for utilityman Rob Picciolo. Warren pitched for Oakland for three years (1983-85) and made 27 starts among 52 appearances and had an ERA+ of 75 and a FIP of 4.75. Juan Cerros, RHP (from Cincinnati), 2004 Cerros actually pitched in the bigs before Milwaukee scooped him up. He made 11 relief appearances for the Reds in 2003 and pitched to an ERA+ of 87 and FIP of 4.26. Not sure what happened in early 2005, but Cerros never pitched in the Brewers chain, instead electing to play in his native Mexico for the next 10 years. Brett Campbell, RHP (from Washington), 2007 Campbell also pitched in the bigs prior to getting drafted by the Brewers. In 2006, Campbell appeared in four games for the Nationals, posting an ERA+ of 45 and a FIP of 6.38. The Brewers released him before the start of the 2008 season. After his playing career, Campbell was a coach at Georgia Perimeter College, a small school near Atlanta. After two years, he became a scout for the Texas Rangers and, more recently, is scouting for the New York Mets. Kevin Mattison, OF (from Miami), 2013 Mattison also played in the majors prior to being drafted by Milwaukee, appearing in just three games for Miami in 2012, going 0-for-5. In 2014, Mattison played in 91 games at Triple-A Nashville, batting just .212/.294/.387 with 21 extra-base hits in 217 at-bats, but he struck out 33% of the time. He was released by the Brewers in mid-August. He signed with the Nationals before the 2015 season but was released after just three games at Triple-A Syracuse. Matt Ramsey, RHP (from Miami), 2016 Ramsey pitched for Double-A Biloxi in 2017 and led the Southern League with 27 saves. In mid-July, he was promoted to Triple-A Colorado Springs but scuffled there and was sent back to Biloxi, where he finished the season. Ramsey was released after the season and was picked up by Houston. He spent the 2018 campaign in the minors for Houston and once again chose free agency. The Los Angeles Angels signed him, and he started the 2019 season at Triple-A Salt Lake. He was called up to the Angels in late April and the next day made his only big show appearance, pitching a perfect ninth against the New York Yankees, striking out Mike Ford to end the game. He was let go by the Angels in early June. He pitched in Mexico and in an independent league, but retired after the season. Final Thoughts The Brewers, like most other teams, hope to find that special needle in a haystack with the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. It happened with Collins, Candiotti, and, to a lesser extent, Mike Warren. But for the most part, major league teams are just happy if they can find someone who can be a solid performer for them at the higher levels of the minors. And if they happen to make it to the bigs? That's a job well done by that organization. Please feel free to share any thoughts or comments in the comments section below. View the full article

A.J. Preller has been activated. As evidenced by the San Diego Padres' re-signing of Michael King and signing of South Korean infielder Sung Mun Song, the organization now stands to play a significant role in how the remainder of the winter transpires across the landscape of Major League Baseball. And while the addition of Song, in particular, could have a bearing on the team's willingness to deal from their position player group, he stands to serve as a wildly important addition regardless of how the rest of the offseason unfolds. The 2025 Padres lacked infield depth. Outside of the starters, it was a group that was led by Jose Iglesias in a reserve role. The veteran appeared at second base for 40 games, third base for 24, and shortstop for another 32. Mason McCoy made a dozen appearances at short and another two at the keystone. There was a smattering of Tyler Wade in there early, too. To recap, that's a wRC+ of 73 (Iglesias), 42 (McCoy), and 69 (Wade) in support of their starting group. And that starting group didn't remain healthy throughout the year, with Xander Bogaerts, in particular, only appearing in 125 games. Plus, Jake Cronenworth missed a bit of time early in the year. Suffice it to say that when there was an absence — however brief it may have been — the Padres had a problem on their hands without any supplemental offense to speak of. Song's addition changes the calculus entirely. In general, the team is getting a versatile infielder that supplements the starting lineup with significantly more offensive upside than anyone they trotted out last year. His most recent KBO action featured a .315/.387/.530 line with 26 homers and 25 steals. Song logged time only at second and third base last year but also has some first base reps to his credit. His addition, as such, unlocks some versatility for the current roster. As things stand right now, you're looking at some combination of Gavin Sheets and Luis Campusano at first base. Jake Cronenworth will primarily handle the keystone while bouncing over to first occasionally. Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado remain in place to handle shortstop and third base, respectively. While first base still stands as the most likely of the positions for an upgrade at present (barring a trade of Cronenworth), let's momentarily assume that no further transactions unfold with respect to the infield. Sheets' on-paper ability to move to the outfield corners and Campusano's current obligation as the team's No. 2 catcher allows new manager Craig Stammen to work Song in with some frequency, perhaps even as the primary first baseman if he's more content to have Sheets serve as a DH and let Campusano develop his glove behind the plate without additional obligations. Cronenworth can also slide over if he wants Song in at second base. Perhaps most importantly, though, is the fact that Song can step in reliably at third. That allows Stammen to work Machado in as the designated hitter with at least a little more frequency. We've seen his bat go through questionable stretches and his glove work decline a shade over the last two years. The flexibility there just adds a bit more of a safety net in those stretches where an approach or mechanical adjustment is needed on the part of Machado, without the extra burden of focusing on the defensive side of the ball. It's not that Song will supplant Machado for any meaningful stretch of time, but more so that he just offers that extra layer of protection for an essential player entering a season in which he'll turn 34 years old. Regardless of specifics, though, it cannot be overstated how much more dynamic the infield group becomes with Sung-mun Song now in the mix. Even if he's unable to attain a role as a traditional everyday player, he offers a level of offensive upside as a fill-in or injury replacement that the Padres lacked entirely in 2025. Not only does he offer the bat-to-ball skills that you prefer from that kind of role, but he possesses much more power and speed upside. While it's now much more likely that they deal from this group than it might have been even a few days ago, it's clear that the floor has been raised considerably on the infield grass in San Diego. View the full article

“The monthly card update is never late, nor is it early. It arrives precisely when it means to.” When it comes to overall card market health, I have fielded a lot of questions on if I think there is a bubble in this marketplace. Unfortunately, I don’t have a very “clicks-friendly” answer. Is there a bubble? Yes and no. In the new products from roughly 2015 and on, there are just too many cards. Even your numbered cards have different variations. Let's say you pull a 2025 Topps Chrome true red parallel, numbered /5, Royce Lewis. Fun pull, but there’s also an /5 sapphire, /5 logofractor, /5 ray wave, /5 red wave, and more! As you can see, you think you have this extremely rare card, but it has a long list of cousins. For these modern cards to do really well over time, you need the card to grade a 10 and it needs to be a very popular player. Otherwise, I think this modern market is certainly a bubble waiting to burst. The card market isn’t all doom and gloom. Like I mentioned above, it’s knowing the right cards and the right players to target. There has been a junk wax era in the past, and we are on the verge of that again (if not already there with the print runs on some of these rookie cards). The early 2000s is the market I am targeting and feels like it’s not as widely collected. Print runs are lower and there are some elite names and “local legends” that I love. The two big ones are Albert Pujols and Ichiro. Both are universally loved and will be remembered by baseball historians until the end of time. The other target for me is local fanbase heroes that were great players but maybe came up short of immortal careers. This could include players like Kris Bryant, Bernie Williams, Torii Hunter, and many others who will likely be short of The Hall. Without hesitation, these people will have a large collection of people who say, “That is my favorite player of all time”. Remember, target rookie cards, on card autographs (not sticker autos), low serial numbered cards before 2020, and cards that have a chance to grade gem mint. Overall, baseball cards are becoming more of an institution in the average household and cards are more visible and more widely accepted than ever before. Before the pandemic card boom, this was far more of a hide in your basement and don’t tell anyone type of activity. Now when you hop on Instagram, there are card accounts all over. You can even be at a party and there’s a good chance if you bring up “cards”, you’ll see someone's eyes light up. Cards aren’t going anywhere, but being able to know what is trash and what is treasure is a huge deal for someone’s enjoyment of the hobby. I always point folks to 130point.com to check on comparable sales and to get an idea of what others have decided certain cards are worth. 5 Twins players and their cards I am looking to add before the turn of the new year: Kaelen Culpepper (Bowman Chrome 1st’s autographs) Royce Lewis (‘22 Topps Chrome Rookie autographs *NON STICKER*, Bowman Chrome 1st’s) Byron Buxton (1/1’s and ‘15 Topps Chrome Rookie autographs) Joe Mauer (‘02 Bowman Chrome autograph, numbered cards and SPs from playing years) Torii Hunter (numbered cards from 2015 and earlier and autographs) View the full article

Dismissed by the Miami Marlins at the end of the 2024 season, Jeff Schwarz filed a civil complaint against his former employer in Palm Beach County Circuit Court on Thursday. Schwarz, who was 60 years old when the Marlins dismissed him, alleges that he was the victim of age discrimination. He's seeking "in excess of $50,000" through this lawsuit. It's unclear exactly when Schwarz was originally hired by the Marlins, but the photo above is from 2004. Across several different stints with the organization, his various roles included Triple-A pitching coach, Gulf Coast League pitching coach, pitching coordinator and (most recently) rehabilitation pitching coach. Quite frankly, I wasn't aware of his existence until learning of this legal action and therefore don't have any insight into the quality of his coaching. Schwarz's lawsuit references both president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and director of player development Rachel Balkovec, both of whom are in their 30s. Balkovec delivered the news of his termination, allegedly attributing the decision to "cleaning house" rather than job performance. Schwarz attempts to establish that there was a pattern of discrimination on the basis of age in violation of the Florida Civil Rights Act. In total, 11 Marlins coaches who were at least 46 years old got canned in October 2024 despite being "eminently qualified for their position," he claims. That group included Triple-A Jacksonville manager Daren Brown, High-A Beloit manager Billy Gardner and minor league pitching coordinator Scott Aldred. Schwarz feels that he is entitled to compensation for "extreme emotional distress, mental pain and suffering, past and future pecuniary losses, inconvenience, mental anguish, loss of the capacity for the enjoyment of life and other non-pecuniary losses, along with the loss of back and front pay, interest on pay, bonus, and other fringe benefits." You may download the full lawsuit here (Jeffrey Schwarz v. Marlins Teamco LLC). I'm not a lawyer, but this situation seems highly likely to be settled out of court. View the full article

The San Diego Padres reunited with ace Michael King, removing some burden off the shoulders of various other starting pitchers in the rotation. View the full article

It was easy to see that the Brewers valued Brandon Lockridge’s speed and defense the moment they acquired him at the 2025 trade deadline. The 28-year-old’s sprint speed of 30.1 feet per second ranked seventh among all baserunners, and he has accrued 5 Defensive Runs Saved in just 394 ⅔ career big-league innings in the outfield. That profile fit in nicely with Milwaukee’s existing team identity. Lockridge’s approach has been geared toward maximizing the havoc he can wreak on the bases rather than hitting for power. In 196 games across the 2023 and 2024 minor-league seasons, he reached base at a .396 clip and stole 86 bases while hitting just five home runs. That offensive profile has yet to translate into success in the majors, where Lockridge has hit .226/.268/.308 for a 62 wRC+ in 160 plate appearances, but his defensive value has kept him slightly above replacement level in 79 games. Like Blake Perkins, Lockridge doesn’t need to do much offensively to be a productive fourth outfielder. However, the Brewers are high on him to an extent that suggests they see more potential in his bat. They acquired him for veteran starter Nestor Cortes in a deal that also saw them pay down the remainder of Cortes’s salary. Milwaukee also shipped Isaac Collins to Kansas City last week, a move that opens up more playing time for Lockridge next season. A fifth-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2018, Lockridge was scouted during his early prospect days as a power-speed threat who regularly pulled the ball in the air. He popped a combined 39 home runs over his first three full years in the system. Serious swing-and-miss issues stalled Lockridge’s progression, though, with a 68.5% contact rate and 26.9% strikeout rate holding him to a .230/.300/.379 line (90 wRC+) in Double-A in 2022. By 2025, Lockridge’s contact rate improved to 80.6% in Triple-A, but the home runs have evaporated because he’s stopped pulling balls in the air. His 50.1% hard-hit rate ranked in the 92nd percentile of Triple-A hitters this year, but his 8.1% pull air rate ranked in the 11th percentile. In the big leagues, Lockridge hit 36.9% of his batted balls to the opposite field, the fifth-highest rate among hitters with at least 100 plate appearances. Many hitters who typically prioritize going to the opposite field stand further back in the batter’s box. This gives them time to let the ball get deep over the plate and still make decent contact, rather than meeting the ball before their hands and barrel have a chance to work through it. Lockridge, however, doesn’t set up like a hitter with an extreme opposite-field approach. He stands a few inches closer to the pitcher in a much wider stance than most of his oppo-minded contemporaries, meaning he typically makes contact in front of the plate. The biggest reason Lockridge rarely pulls the ball in the air is not where in a pitch’s flight he makes contact; it’s his swing path. Despite making contact in front with decent tilt, Lockridge’s average attack angle of 5 degrees was only half the league average, meaning his barrel doesn’t switch to much of an upward trajectory by the time it reaches the ball. In other words, he’s often chopping at it – swinging down and leveling out, instead of swinging down to lead into a slight uppercut as his hands work through the pitch. That choppiness was immediately on display in his Brewers debut, initially in a productive fashion. He notched his first hit with a 104.4-mph grounder through the right side. VndNNndfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0JnTllVbEpRVjFFQVdRTlFBQUFIQkFCU0FGa0NWVmdBQmwxWFZBWUFWUVJWQndjRg==.mp4 He later smoked a 102.1-mph liner to right on a hanging breaking ball. VndNNndfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1Z3TlpBRkZTQUFZQUNGWUZBd0FIQ1FkV0FGaFhVRkVBVVZJQkFRWlhWQUlHVkFGUw==.mp4 That’s not a fundamentally bad swing – it can produce worm-burner and line-drive singles, just like those two hits – but it may not be the best utilization of Lockridge’s athleticism in the box. Despite posting a solid 40.5% hard-hit rate during his small sample as a Brewer, he slugged just .370 with an 86 wRC+. Lockridge may be capable of a more balanced profile, and Pat Murphy prefers the versatility of a more vertical bat path for the right hitters. He and the Brewers shouldn’t try to turn him into a power hitter – his speed is his greatest asset – but some small tweaks to get him meeting the ball at a better angle could yield a valuable payoff. View the full article

The MLB Draft Lottery delivered an early holiday gift to the Twins at last week’s Winter Meetings when the club secured the third overall pick. It is the organization’s highest draft position since 2017 and one that should offer the chance to add an impact talent to a farm system already trending upward. Still, ending up in the third spot comes with a history that is anything but straightforward. Depending on the year, the third pick has produced Hall of Famers, perennial All-Stars, fringe big leaguers, and players who never quite lived up to the expectations placed on them. That is the challenge the Twins now face. The third overall pick can transform a franchise, but its legacy also provides a reminder that even the most carefully managed scouting departments can miss. Minnesota has reaped both ends of that spectrum over its history with the pick and now finds itself hoping that this year’s draft can tie the story together in a much more satisfying way. Some of the best selections ever made from the third spot came long before the modern scouting and analytics era. The Brewers struck gold twice in the 1970s by drafting Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. Both players carved out Hall of Fame careers while accumulating more than 75 rWAR apiece, setting standards that have towered over every other third overall pick for nearly five decades. The 2000s produced more star talent with Evan Longoria in 2006 and Manny Machado in 2010. Machado’s 61.7 rWAR already puts him among the elite at the position, and he still has time to climb higher before his career closes. More recently, the third overall pick has been attached to high ceilings and heavy risk. Detroit selected prep outfielder Max Clark in 2023, a player many evaluators believe could be a fast mover once he gets deeper into pro ball. He is already a consensus top-50 prospect and could debut as early as 2026. The Rangers went in a very different direction with Kumar Rocker in 2022 after his winding path from Vanderbilt to independent ball to the first round. It was a surprise pick at number three that changed the rest of that first round. Rocker still flashed top 50 potential entering last season, but has struggled to find sustained success in the majors. Last season, he had a 4.88 FIP and a 19.5 K%. Miami hoped Max Meyer, a Minnesota Golden Gopher legend, would become a rotation anchor after taking him third overall in 2020. Injuries and inconsistency have slowed his ascent, leaving his long-term role in MLB unsettled. In 2025, he posted a 4.47 FIP with a 23.9 K%. The Twins have their own complicated history with the third overall pick, and both of their selections arrived with expectations that were never fulfilled. Minnesota believed Willie Banks could become a fixture in the rotation after grabbing him in 1987. Instead, he bounced around the league and contributed only 1.0 rWAR in 85 career appearances. Dave McCarty followed in 1991 and brought an enticing college power bat, with evaluators projecting a quick rise. He reached the majors but never developed into the middle-of-the-order presence the Twins hoped for, producing negative value during his time in Minnesota (-3.2 rWAR) despite playing parts of 11 seasons in the majors. As Jamie Cameron wrote, the Twins have some intriguing options that will be available with the third overall pick next July. College shortstop Justin Lebron is the frontrunner for the third pick. Last season, he posted a 127 wRC+ for Alabama. Other college options include Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress, Virginia outfielder A.J. Gracia, and Coastal Carolina right-handed pitcher Cameron Flukey . However, it’s important to note that a lot can happen during the spring season for college and high school players. There is at least one comforting trend. In both years, when the Twins held the third overall pick, the franchise went on to win the World Series. It may be a coincidence, but with a premium draft selection now secured and a front office that has seen some recent draft success stories, Minnesota has a chance to reshape the story around the third pick. History may be complicated, but the Twins will gladly accept the opportunity to add the next great chapter. What stands out about the history of the third overall pick? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

A.J. Preller and the San Diego Padres are always lurking. So, when it was reported (though eventually clarified) that Michael King had boiled his free agency down to three teams — the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees — it was hardly shocking that it was San Diego that was able to convince the New York state native to put pen to paper and remain on the West Coast. King and the Padres agreed to a new three-year pact on Dec. 18. The deal can pay him up to $75 million across the three years, though only the first is guaranteed for both sides. Each of the two additional years carries a player option, with those two years holding the potential to pay King $58 million ($28 million in 2027, $30 million in 2028). The deal carries significant risk for the Padres, as there's plenty of opt-out potential if King can stay healthy and earn a longer-term contract following the 2026 campaign. If he's not healthy or struggles, then they're on the hook for significant dollars. Nevertheless, it's hard to overstate the value of familiarity in beginning the process of stabilizing a presently shallow rotation. The Padres entered the offseason with only Nick Pivetta guaranteed within their starting five. Dylan Cease departed for Toronto, and it was widely expected King would follow him out the door. Even with Joe Musgrove set to return from Tommy John surgery early in the year, his lack of a firm timeline and a collection of fringe arms — JP Sears, Sean Boyle, Randy Vásquez, and Matt Waldron — left very little by which to be inspired as far as the starting pitching group was concerned. Worse yet was that the path to actually improving that status was murky. The farm system is barren to the point where acquiring an impact starter via trade would've likely been impossible. Additionally, the organization is seemingly always in some form of financial peril, a situation which had the potential to become worse as ownership explores a potential sale of the franchise. So, while names like Ranger Suárez, Zac Gallen, Framber Valdez, and Tatsuya Imai exist on the free-agent market and options like Freddy Peralta or maybe Tarik Skubal are available via trade, possessing the resources to acquire any of them was going to be a tall order. Even for an executive as ambitious as Preller. Which is why, despite the risk, the re-signing of Michael King is in the upper tier of worthwhile roads the Padres could have traversed in their pursuit of starting pitching. When healthy, the Padres know what they're getting in King. The 2024 season, his first in San Diego, featured a 3.9 fWAR courtesy of a 2.95 ERA, a 27.7 percent strikeout rate, and an 8.7 percent walk rate. His percentile distribution looked as follows: Not only was King adept at running up his strikeout total, he was downright excellent in avoiding quality contact. It's an area in which he continued to find success through his injury-plagued, 15-start campaign of 2025. Despite the fact that he averaged fewer than five innings per start and took a major step back on the whiff side of things, he still ended things in the 84th percentile in average exit velocity for opposing hitters (87.8 MPH) and the 68th in Hard-Hit% against (38.1). For a player who worked through a nerve issue and knee inflammation over the course of a full season, that he still was able to maintain some level of effect is encouraging. What the Padres need King to do in 2026, above all, is to get back to his efficiency. He averaged 5.7 innings per start in that 2024 season, but followed it up with only 4.9 innings per start in 2025. The health component was (obviously) the primary factor there. Especially because there isn't a whole lot to be too discouraged by within the particulars. His fastball velocity only fell by 0.2 miles per hour through those issues, and his spin rates were actually higher on the year. There are some usage factors that could be improved (like getting the changeup back to its usual level of involvement and effectiveness), but health will be the primary factor in King providing value to the 2026 Padres. That's what they're banking on, too. The risk is obvious. If King experiences additional inflammation or nerve issues, then the Padres have a severe problem on their hands, both in terms of personnel and payroll. If healthy, though, he's a stabilizing force atop the rotation, capable of providing nearly six innings per start. And while the general public has already come to accept the idea that he'd opt out in the event of a strong season, he'd still be in line to take home elite money for two consecutive years. It'd be about years if he does, not dollars. Risk was going to be a natural byproduct of any of the notable free-agent options, though. And that's the important thing to consider here. Suárez has back issues. Gallen has had stretches of uneven performance and a smattering of trips to the injured list. Imai has to transition from Japan to the United States. Valdez is two years older. They all feature some kind of risk, and the term of any contract is projected to be longer for his free-agent counterparts. In King, the Padres not only get a short-term commitment (even if it doesn't end up completely working out), but familiarity. That matters. They know him in the physical sense and in a mechanical one. There isn't an adjustment period with the coaching staff given that Ruben Niebla is still running things as pitching coach. You purely have to ensure King is healthy, and it's unlikely the Padres and their limited resources would've been willing to make this investment if they believed he was anything but. Essentially, this is kind of an ideal outcome for the Padres. The risk exists but feels more minimal by comparison considering that familiarity. The contract doesn't run into next decade like, say, Xander Bogaerts' does. Above all, they now insert King atop their rotation alongside Pivetta and a returning Musgrove. This singular addition changes the pitching outlook for the staff and puts the roster into far better position than it was even 48 hours ago. View the full article

In the next installment of the countdown of top Royals assets, we are highlighting the 16th-20th-most valuable player assets. If you missed the previous list of players, you can find the breakdown of players 21-25 here. 20. Carlos Estévez, RHP Age: 32 Controlled Through: 2026 (Club Option for 2027) In his first year in Kansas City, Estévez assumed the closer role. He is serving the last year of his 2-year, $22.2 million contract, which includes a club option for $13 million in 2027. Estévez had an excellent year in 2025, leading the American League with 42 saves. He has been a reliable anchor for this bullpen after James McArtur and Lucas Erceg shared closing duties in 2024. His success in 2025 may have been slightly fortunate compared to the Statcast expected metrics, where his ERA, batting average, slugging percentage, and weighted on-base average against were all lower than expected. ERA BA SLG wOBA Actual 2.46 .199 .315 .255 Expected 3.72 .231 .396 .299 His fastball velocity has also declined in each of the past three seasons. Still, Estévez has counteracted that by throwing his fastball at a career-low 53.5% of the time while increasing the frequency of his slider and changeup. He does not strike out a ton of batters, but he also prevents hitters from barreling the ball and is above average at keeping runners off the bases. It is valuable to know who is getting the ball in the 9th inning to close out a game. If Estévez can replicate his season from last year, the Royals will be in a good position to compete in 2026. 19. Kyle Isbel, CF Age: 28 Controlled Through: 2027 Isbel has been a steady presence in the Royals' outfield. He has accrued at least 1.6 bWAR in each of the last three seasons, and is one of the best defensive centerfielders in baseball. His defensive excellence did not go unnoticed the previous season when he was a finalist for the Gold Glove award in centerfield. He grades in the 93rd percentile in fielding run value and outs above average. He has one of the fastest reaction times, which allows him to cover a lot of ground in Kauffman Stadium’s large outfield. His offense is lacking, grading below the 10th percentile in xwOBA, xBA, and xSLG. Despite his deficiencies at the plate, his OPS+ of 83 was still higher than that of 11 players who logged time in the Royals’ outfield last season. If he can maintain his current offensive output, Isbel’s elite defense will remain a positive asset to the Royals. It will especially help if the Royals can add offensive production in the other outfield positions. 18. Isaac Collins, OF Age: 28 Controlled Through: 2030 Speaking of outfield help, the Royals are hopeful that Isaac Collins can make an immediate impact in the lineup. On December 14th, the Royals traded for Collins from the Milwaukee Brewers along with Nick Mears. Collins should be able to fill the void in left field that plagued the Royals last season. In his rookie campaign, Collins slashed .263/.368/.411, suitable for a 118 OPS+ and 2.1 WAR. His strong performance earned him a 4th place finish in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. Collins’ main offensive attribute is his plate discipline. He gets on base at a high rate, draws walks, and doesn’t chase pitches out of the zone. The walks will be a welcome addition to the lineup, considering the Royals ranked 29th in walks last season, and Collin’s OBP of .368 outpaced all qualified Royals hitters in the previous season. His hitting and power metrics graded last season at close to or just below average, but his ability to consistently get on base will be very valuable to the Royals. Collins also provides versatility on defense. With the acquisition of Lane Thomas, Collins could also shift to second base if needed. This will be valuable since the Royals’ second basemen also struggled at the plate last season. With five more years of team control remaining, the Royals' Collins can develop into a consistent contributor for years to come. 17. Seth Lugo, RHP Age: 36 Controlled Through: 2927 (Vesting Option for 2028) Lugo took a step back in 2025 following his Cy Young runner-up campaign in 2024. After signing an extension to keep him in Kansas City through at least 2027, Lugo struggled on the mound and eventually landed on the injured list for a lower back issue. Lugo will look to bounce back in 2026, hoping his regression is injury-related rather than age-related. If he can limit his walks and home runs allowed, he should be in a good place to be a reliable workhorse in the rotation and go deeper into games. In 2024, he averaged 6.26 innings per start, and in 2025, he only averaged 5.59 innings. 16. Salvador Perez Age: 35 Controlled Through: 2027 Perez assumed more innings behind the plate after Freddy Fermin was traded to the Padres last season. Entering his age-36 season, Perez has logged significant mileage at baseball’s most physically demanding positions, especially for someone of his age. With the emergence of Carter Jensen, the Royals should probably look to cede more time behind the plate to Jensen. Perez’s leadership is still unquestioned, and he continues to be a vocal leader in the clubhouse. He has the “C” in his jersey for a reason. Hopefully, he can turn to mentoring Jensen in his next two seasons in Kansas City. For now, he is still a valuable bat in the Royals lineup. He will continue to hit for power in the middle of the lineup, whether he is catching or serving as the designated hitter. View the full article

Shota Imanaga's return to the Chicago Cubs' rotation — after a bizarre double-opt-out that required the qualifying offer to mend — should be a boon at large for the team in 2026, even if his home run problems render him less effective than the pitcher he was in 2024 and the first half of 2025. However, his presence (and the looming return of Justin Steele from elbow surgery) puts the Cubs in a weird spot when it comes to one of their best depth arms. Javier Assad took 29 starts for the North Siders in 2024, and he entered camp with an eye on yet another job at the back of Craig Counsell's rotation. Unfortunately, an oblique strain had other ideas, holding him out until August 12. That long layoff limited him to just seven starts (plus one bullpen appearance) and 37.0 innings, but he was more or less the pitcher fans have come to expect when stepped back onto the mound — he recorded a 3.65 ERA, 47.4% ground-ball rate, while pitching to about 1.0 fWAR per 100 frames. His strikeouts were down, but so too were the amount of walks and home runs he surrendered. He pitched to contact effectively, letting the Cubs' superlative defense take care of the many balls in play. In other words, he was Javier Assad. Long one of baseball's best FIP-beaters (a topic our @Jason Ross explored in depth here), the 28-year-old's expected stats continued to betray his actual production. His 4.24 FIP this past season was more than a half-run higher than his ERA; his expected ERA (xERA) was 4.79, clear of his actual mark by more than a full digit. It's no secret why a contact-manager like Assad continues to outperform his FIP; the stat hones in on the outcomes a pitcher controls (strikeouts, walks, hit-by-pitches, and home runs). It may be a better indicator of a pitcher's potential to dominate, but it hardly accounts for a pitcher who knows how to pitch to his defense's strengths as well as Assad does. A lot of what drives his success is a seven-pitch mix that includes three fastballs (a four-seamer, a cutter, and a sinker), two distinct slider shapes (a traditional slider and a sweeper), and a curveball and a changeup. None of these pitches are actually incredible, mind you — in a small sample, his sweeper and four-seamer were the only offerings to generate an xwOBA below .300 this year. He gets by on a quantity-over-quality approach, which works when you're able to differentiate movement profiles as much as Assad does. *Chart courtesy of Baseball Savant Again, that sheer diversity doesn't lead to dazzling results. His strikeout rate has never been above 21% in a single season, and he routinely ranks toward the bottom of the league in generates whiffs and chases. Were it not for a proven ability to miss barrels and generate ground balls, Assad probably wouldn't even be in the league. And yet, he has proven, time and time again, to have that ability, expected stats be damned. Putting him in a Keegan Thompson-esque, multi-inning-fireman role is simply not the right play here. Assad is a starter, plain and simple. Thanks to that seven-pitch arsenal, he tends to get better as he gets deeper into games. He's also significantly better with runners on base, which would sound like a load of small-sample nonsense if he hadn't repeated the same feat four years running. So, what's the plan here? He isn't taking a spot from Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Cade Horton, or Imanaga in the rotation, and Steele would have the inside track on the fifth job if and when he's healthy. Plus, Colin Rea is still a factor after his strong effort in 2025, and Jordan Wicks and Ben Brown are still clogging up space on the 40-man roster. Would the Cubs really stash Assad in Triple-A (he has two option years remaining) until a need arises? Will they try to treat him like a true swingman, á la the way the Cincinnati Reds have used Nick Martinez the past few years? It's something of a good problem to have since Assad has proven so effective in his opportunities, despite what the expected metrics suggest. He's not so good that he'll cause internal strife by ringing up 15 Triple-A hitters a night, but it's also a waste of his talents to have him soak up mop-up duty on either side of a blowout. What the Cubs need is an Alec Mills or Keegan Thompson. What they have is Javier Assad. If they can find the balancing act between those two distinct archetypes, perhaps a brighter future lies ahead for both team and player. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins made big news in the past week by signing free agent Josh Bell, and then formally announcing a drastic shakeup to the franchise's ownership structure. Outside of that, however, it's been fairly quiet on the offseason front. Most notably, the club has yet to take serious action on its most clear and pressing need: the bullpen. Cole Sands, coming off a disappointing season, is accompanied by Justin Topa as the only veteran relievers in the mix. Kody Funderburk seems likely to return. Outside of that, the Twins entered this winter with essentially an open slate. They acquired Eric Orze, coming off a solid age-27 rookie season with the Rays, in a low-wattage trade. He's lined up for a spot. More recently, Minnesota brought in two right-handers with major-league experience on minor-league deals: Grant Hartwig and Dan Altavilla. It's easy to see why fringy free agents like these would be drawn here. Aside from the four aforementioned names — who are all shaky in their own ways — there's nothing standing in the way of major-league bullpen spots other than the likes of Travis Adams, Pierson Ohl, John Klein, Marco Raya and Connor Prielipp. I'm sure the Twins are planning on turning to all of those guys at some point, but there's no need to feel compelled to rush any of them. In many cases, these young pitchers could stand to get some true relief experience in the minors after largely working in starting or hybrid roles in the past. Yeah, the Twins will probably add a more established reliever or two via signing or trade, but I doubt they'll go much beyond that in terms of MLB contracts. Investing heavily in the bullpen would clash with the philosophies this front office has held strong to, and also, incoming ownership figurehead Tom Pohlad made clear that big spending is not in the cards. Plus most of the top free-agent relievers are off the market already. Flexibility is going to be the point. I don't want to paint it as a good thing that the Twins are so short on dependable, proven major-league relievers. It's not. But there are some advantages in creating this stage of opportunity. We've seen plenty of instances where the Twins had an exceptional relief pitcher in hand — Jeff Hoffman, Yennier Cano, Ronny Henriquez — only to let him slip away because they couldn't afford the patience to stick with him through struggles, or to give him innings ahead of more accomplished arms. That's not going to be much of an impediment in 2026. The Twins will take an experimental approach and hope it yields success stories that actually take root here instead of elsewhere. But again, this comes with major downsides from a perspective of short-term competitiveness. While the trial-by-fire formula can eventually lead to a high-quality, cost-efficient relief corps, it is pollyannaish to believe that's going to take hold immediately. For every Hoffman, Cano and Henriquez, there are many more borderline pitchers with hints of upside who flop and never figure it out. The Twins had to go through many misfires to land on the deep, methodically developed bullpen that they unloaded at last year's deadline. On their way to figuring out what works in a completely reinvented unit, we're going to have to endure some pain. Any baseball fan knows how much a terrible bullpen can sabotage the fortunes of an otherwise capable team. That's the big paradox facing the Twins, and as Tom Pohlad framed it more broadly, "the needle we're trying to thread this year." I have no expectation that the Twins will be terribly ambitious in adding to their bullpen over the remainder of the offseason, but I'm eager to see how creative they can get. One way or another, it should be an adventure. View the full article

Alex Bregman remains a hot topic on the free-agent market as two of the biggest names, Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso, are now off the board. That leaves Bregman, Bo Bichette, and Kyle Tucker as the top remaining bats still searching for a home. Boston had been linked to Bichette earlier in December, but Julian McWilliams reported on December 9 that “the Red Sox are no longer involved with Bo Bichette unless his market changes drastically.” That development leaves Bregman as the premier hitter connected to the Sox, in a market that has noticeably picked up pace over the past week. The looming question for Craig Breslow and the front office remains: Despite the successes of the 2025 season, should the Red Sox look to retain Bregman’s services going forward? The answer is unequivocally yes. Before getting there, it is worth summarizing the recent developments surrounding Bregman and his market, as he has gradually moved out of Boston’s presumed grasp and into the orbit of other teams. On December 11, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reported the following: “Mega-agent Scott Boras, representing Alex Bregman, the top free-agent third baseman on the market, has initiated discussions with the Mariners to express Bregman’s willingness to consider Seattle as a destination, an industry source told The Times.” That report suggested the market may not have been moving at the pace Bregman originally anticipated. When an agent reaches out to a team rather than the other way around, it signals a lack of leverage and likely did little to increase the Red Sox’s sense of urgency. Chris Cotillo of MassLive echoed that sentiment shortly thereafter. Then, on December 16, the dam broke. Jeff Passan reported on December 18 that Bregman is seeking a long-term deal after taking a short-term contract last offseason. Ken Rosenthal added in The Athletic that the Diamondbacks could pursue Bregman while keeping Ketel Marte, though such an outcome appears unlikely. The idea of the Red Sox offering a long-term contract to a player over the age of 30 runs counter to their recent history. Even this offseason, they lost out on Pete Alonso to a division rival after refusing to go to the necessary lengths, a pattern that mirrors their approach with Schwarber as well. In fact, the only player on the current roster signed as a free agent to what could reasonably be considered a long-term deal of four or more years and over $100 million is Trevor Story. To their credit, the Red Sox have committed to intelligent extensions with Ceddanne Rafaela, Kristian Campbell, Brayan Bello, Roman Anthony, and Garrett Crochet. Still, the organizational theme is clear: a reluctance to deviate from “the model.” While the back half of contracts with older free agents often becomes inefficient, there is real value in maximizing the short-term window. Craig Breslow has demonstrated sharp decision-making in trades and roster construction, but at some point, he needs to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman once said, “If you’re always rational about every free agent, you’ll finish third on every free agent.” Breslow and company have been too rational. Even last offseason, it felt as though Breslow was backed into offering Bregman a one-year, $40 million deal simply to avoid the risk of committing four-plus years to a 30-year-old. @Maddie Landis dove deeper than I have into the financial decisions of this new-form Red Sox and how their approach contrasts with the Chicago Cubs. It is an excellent piece that expands on the issues I raised here. Beyond what appears to be a philosophical issue within the modern Red Sox front office, though, it's clear Alex Bregman needs to be brought back. He is one of only three free agents projected by FanGraphs to produce at least 4.0 fWAR. A model of consistency, Bregman has not posted a wRC+ below 114 since his rookie season, has never recorded a strikeout rate above 15.5 percent, and has hit at least 12 home runs in every full season except his rookie year and the shortened 2020 campaign. According to data from TJStats, Bregman remains one of the elite bat-to-ball hitters in the sport. That profile is especially relevant given that the Red Sox ranked sixth in O-Swing percentage at 29.4 percent, 19th in Z-Contact percentage at 85.2 percent, 25th in overall Contact percentage at 75.8 percent, and 10th in strikeout rate at 22.9 percent. His off-field presence may be just as valuable as his production at third base or in the batter’s box. Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer have both spoken about Bregman’s influence on their approach. Carlos Narváez recounted Bregman calling him at 2 a.m. to discuss hitting mechanics and consistently seeking extra cage work with teammates. Even Connelly Early has described how Bregman sat down with him after his debut to discuss pitch tipping. If the Red Sox commit to Bregman, or a player of his caliber, on a long-term deal, it would signal a commitment to championships rather than an exclusive focus on optimal future outcomes. This is already a playoff-caliber roster, and with the right moves, it can become a legitimate championship contender. It is time for Breslow to move beyond the model. View the full article