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"So, we've got J.P. and now, maybe B.J., and maybe we get A.J. too. Let's get all those guys with the initials." - John Gibbons The Boston Red Sox were not going to persuade J.P. Ricciardi away from his plans for the Toronto Blue Jays. After his friend Theo Epstein shocked the baseball world by quitting his post as general manager of the Red Sox on Halloween, Ricciardi made it clear he was committed to the same position he held in Toronto. The Massachusetts-native said his relationship with Blue Jays’ president Paul Godfrey was “hard to put a price tag on” and that ownership was willing to increase spending to make Toronto more competitive in 2006. “I have no interest in that job, none whatsoever,” Ricciardi said, a day before he met the first of his three high-profile free agent targets for the offseason. Ricciardi felt Toronto could contend with its current payroll of around $50 million, but the team finished 80-82 in 2005, and starting pitching was one of the areas the team sought to improve in with an expanded payroll. Roy Halladay (12-4, 2.41 ERA) had been spectacular before his season ended with a broken leg, and in his absence, Josh Towers (13-12, 3.71) and rookie Gustavo Chacin (13-9, 3.72) were leaned on, with each logging over 200 innings. Dave Bush (5-11, 4.49) and Ted Lilly (10-11, 5.56) were also due to return, but Ricciardi dreamed of adding A.J. Burnett to Toronto’s staff. A cocksure right-hander with a high-90s fastball, Burnett supplemented his reputation in the final days of the 2005 season. “We manage scared, we coach scared, and we play scared,” Burnett said of the Florida Marlins, a day before 75-year-old manager Jack McKeon sent Burnett home with a few games left on the schedule. Despite the kerfuffle, Burnett headed to free agency as one of the top players on the market. He was considered by insiders a long shot to land with Toronto, with his childhood-favourite team, the St. Louis Cardinals, expected to be the front-runners for his services. If they could not swing Burnett, Ricciardi had interest in free agent lefty Jarrod Washburn, who did NOT reciprocate. The Wisconsin native not only preferred to play in the Midwest, but grew “visibly upset” when reports of Toronto’s interest first circled in September. Washburn wound up signing in Seattle and posted a 31-49 record across four seasons. (photo credit: Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review) The Blue Jays sent their best recruiting effort at Burnett, who arrived in Toronto and was greeted at the stadium by Halladay. Afterwards, at a local steakhouse, Doc told Burnett about the closeness between players and coaches alike inside the Blue Jays clubhouse. Toronto pitching coach Brad Arnsberg was in Florida with Burnett from 2002-2003, and the free agent pitcher told Halladay he wished to meet Ricciardi and Gibbons as well. Later, at a Raptors game, Burnett said Toronto looked “night and day” from his time in Florida. The Blue Jays had inserted themselves at the front of Burnett’s market, which was shaping up to be a four-to-five year pact worth around $10 million annually. As the Winter Meetings neared, Ricciardi discussed contracts with his other two targets: Brian Giles and B.J. Ryan. The 34-year-old Giles had seen his power numbers drop since being traded from Pittsburgh to San Diego but finished ninth in NL MVP voting in 2005 with a .301/.423/.483 slash. The hard-throwing southpaw Ryan was coming off his first All-Star appearance, saving 36 games for Baltimore in his first season as a closer. Toronto’s willingness to spend appeared to be the only thing keeping them linked to the three free agents. Ryan’s free agent visit resonated so much for Geoff Baker that he led his story in the Toronto Star by saying the meeting “will likely be as close as (Ryan) gets to playing baseball in this city.” So, when the New York Daily News reported that Ryan and the Blue Jays agreed to terms on November 25, it was the first bombshell of the offseason. Replacing the beleaguered Miguel Batista as Toronto’s closer would net Ryan a five-year, $47 million contract, according to the report, figures that exceeded any contract ever given to a reliever – figures that were denied by the general manager. “As far as I know, we haven’t signed anyone yet,” said Ricciardi, with yet being the key word. Born Robert Victor Ryan on December 28, 1975 in Bossier City, Louisiana, Ryan explained he went by B.J. or Bo Junior after his father: “That’s just straight redneck-ology right there.” (Photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images, via SB Nation) The deal was finalized two days later. It was a stunner, “almost laughable” to Ken Rosenthal, but the deal sent a message to Burnett, Giles, and the rest of the baseball world that the Blue Jays were serious. Burnett’s market had narrowed to a handful of teams, with Toronto growing in appeal to the right-hander and others. “When you look at what the Blue Jays are trying to do here, you’ve got to be impressed,” said Giles’ agent Joe Bicks. “I can tell you Toronto’s getting serious consideration.” Giles was reported to have received a five-year contract worth $55 million from Toronto, a report that wasn’t true. Ricciardi acknowledged his club had made Giles an offer but would not go that high in term for the aging outfielder. As Giles neared his decision, Ricciardi had a “gut feeling” the California native would return home. The outfielder was leaning towards a deal with the Dodgers before the Padres upped their offer by nearly $5 million, re-signing Giles on a three-year, $30 million contract. Burnett remained unsigned as the baseball world headed to Dallas for the Winter Meetings. His agent Darek Braunecker said they had received final offers from all interested teams, including the betting-favourite Cardinals, who came in with a four-year deal worth $10 million annually. The coveted fifth season in the St. Louis offer was only an option year. With insiders feeling the decision was down to the Cardinals and Blue Jays, Toronto ponying up a guaranteed fifth year would be a difference maker. “We’ve got things that we’re working on right now, but we’re still waiting to see what happens with A.J.,” said assistant GM Tony LaCava as he, Ricciardi, and the rest of the front office checked into the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in the afternoon. If Toronto struck out on Burnett, they were rumoured to be interested in discussing a trade with Oakland for Barry Zito, who had one year left on his contract. He signed with San Francisco the next offseason. (photo credit: The Associated Press, via The Globe and Mail) A few hours later, Braunecker arrived at the hotel, signalling the meetings were about to get underway. The suspense would not last long; Toronto’s offer of five guaranteed years for $55 million sat atop Burnett’s list. Burnett desired to pitch in a Cardinals uniform, and Braunecker went back to St. Louis that evening. Walt Jocketty and the rest of the Cardinals' brain trust met and would make their final, final offer: four years, $44 or $48 million. Either way, Burnett was heading north. No one was willing to make the financial commitment that the Blue Jays were, something the free agent took advantage of. Toronto’s first offer to Burnett was for five years and $50 million, which was met with a $60 million ask over the same length. While the two sides split the difference on money, the Blue Jays gave Burnett a no-trade clause as well as an opt-out after year three. Some felt the Blue Jays overpaid for not one, but two pitchers, in a span of eight days, but for the first time in a decade, Ricciardi had landed the free agent big fish for Toronto. And the Winter Meetings had only just begun. View the full article

On Friday, the Associated Press reported that nine teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, will pay the competitive balance tax for the 2025 MLB season. Toronto's bill came in at $13,609,719 on a $286,135,551 CBT payroll. The Blue Jays avoided paying the luxury tax in 2024, so they were able to reset their penalties. That means that, unlike the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Astros, and Rangers, the Blue Jays did not face a higher charge for having exceeded the CBT threshold in consecutive seasons. However, they will still pay the fifth-highest luxury tax bill in the league, and their top pick in next year's draft will be moved back 10 spots because their payroll exceeded the third threshold of $281 million. In 2026, the third threshold will rise to $284 million, but the Blue Jays are already well past that number, according to RosterResource. With an estimated CBT payroll of around $294 million, there is a very good chance that Toronto will be over the fourth (and highest) luxury tax threshold by the end of next season. Featured image courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images. View the full article

The San Diego Padres added KBO star Sung Mun Song and a former Minnesota Twins top prospect, Jose Miranda, in free agency. Which player has a better chance of breaking out for the team in 2026? View the full article

The San Diego Padres filled a gaping hole in their 2026 rotation by agreeing to re-sign free-agent right-hander Michael King. It's a big deal, in more ways than one. As important as it was for San Diego to address an offseason need, the contract's structure benefits the club early while also protecting the player for the foreseeable future. The basic math, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, is $75 million over three years ($25 million AAV). That's in line with what Nathan Eovaldi and Sean Manaea received last offseason to return to the Rangers and Mets, respectively. But the baseball math makes this deal potentially much smaller, and therefore a win for the Pads. It starts with the breakdown of the Year 1 compensation. According to Feinsand's sources, King is guaranteed up to $22 million in 2026, which is almost equal to the $22.05 million qualifying offer he declined last month. But the payout is not straightforward. Rather, it's divided this way: -- $12 million signing bonus. -- $5 million base salary. -- $5 million buyout of a $28 million player option for 2027. If King rebounds from his injury-marred 2025 season and pitches like the revelation he was in 2024, then he'll surely test the market again at 31. If he has a bad year and/or is injured again, then he can opt in and bank the $28 million. Then, he would face a similar decision following Year 2: a $30 million player option for 2028, with no buyout. Those are nice insurance policies. Consider this, too: If MLB's salary structure changes drastically in the wake of a lockout next December, that $58 million could become above market. King would have an incentive to stay all three seasons, but he still would be able to go year to year. Of course, the Padres get something out of this, too. King's $5 million salary next year should, in theory, allow the front office to spend on a back-end starter and/or an infield bat (beyond the recently signed Sung-mun Song). Even if that's not the plan, San Diego's rotation leaders -- King, Nick Pivetta ($19 million) and Joe Musgrove ($20 million) -- will tie up a reasonable $44 million in cash in 2026. For a budget-conscious team, that's more than affordable, even if the long-term plan is still uncertain. If King opts out next offseason, then the club would be freed from a backloaded contract after extracting solid value. The timing couldn't be better because of the labor situation and the possibility that ownership will change course and trim the payroll. It's rare that a deal with this kind of structure is a win-win for both sides, but the Padres did what it took to keep King in town. Now, they'll reap the benefits. View the full article

A day after re-signing starting pitcher Michael King, the San Diego Padres have landed another free agent. Well, this move doesn't have the same gusto as the king signing; it is a low-risk, high-reward deal. Aram Leighton of Just Baseball is reporting that the San Diego Padres and utility and Fielder Jose Miranda have agreed to a minor league deal. Miranda, 27, played parts of four years for the Minnesota Twins. Overall, he was an above-average hitter with a 103 WRC+, .719 OPS, and 28 home runs in exactly 1,100 plate appearances. Despite that productivity, he was limited to just 12 big league games in 2025 due to performance. Having been demoted on April 12, after some confusion on the base pass, Miranda never got it going with Triple-A Saint Paul and ended up spending the rest of the season in the minor leagues. Following the season, the Twins outrighted Miranda, who declined his assignment and effectively became a free agent. Miranda, who can play multiple infield spots, is a bit position-less as he can't play any of the spots particularly well. Miranda was a bit of an unknown and unheralded prospect prior to his 2021 season, when he split time between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A Saint Paul. For more on the rise and fall of Miranda, who will look to bounce back in 2026, check out our article on Twins Daily! What do you think of the signing? Can he bounce back with the Padres in 2026? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

When Josh Bell signed a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals for the 2025 season, he wanted to change his swing and hit for more power. His hopes were to hit more home runs, and he didn’t mind striking out a bit more. He adjusted his swing and his stance, both from the left side of the plate and the right side of the plate. His stance was more upright, and he utilized a slightly higher leg kick than he previously had. While these changes are not uncommon in the modern game, Bell had some lousy results immediately after making them. Through May 14th, he had a wRC+ of 46, with a slash line of .146/.234/.285. Through this same time period, he had a lower average exit velocity, a higher strikeout rate, and a lower walk rate than his career numbers. His hard-hit rate was the lowest it had been since 2017. Bell was hoping to hit for more power, envisioning more home runs and doubles by making these changes to his swing, but the results did not follow. In the first six weeks or so of the season, he was one of the worst hitters in the major leagues. The switch-hitter struggled from both sides: more fly balls, fewer line drives, more chasing outside the zone. Too many easy outs. From the outside, one may have thought this was Bell aging and that he would never be the same, especially given some downward trends in contact quality over multiple seasons. However, Bell was able to make in-season adjustments to not only improve his numbers, but give more hope for future years as well. This is likely what caught the Twins' eye, compelling them to give the 1B/DH a bigger contract than anyone they signed last offseason. “I just tried to lower my launch angle, tried to focus on squaring up the ball as best as I can, tried to get my OPS over .600 -- so, I’ve done that,” a resurgent Bell said around the All-Star break. “Now I'm fighting for .700. We'll see where we go from there.” From May 15th until the end of the season, Bell hit for a wRC+ of 130, which is 30% above league average. His slash line of .272/.358/..467 was the improvement he and the Nationals were hoping for. Virtually every metric trended in the right direction as visible changes took hold, and that creates room for healthy optimism going forward. The Bell signing is one that will not only lengthen the Twins lineup, but he will provide a veteran presence as someone who has gone through struggles and shown the ability to make in-season adjustments. The Twins surely value this in a veteran for a young and less experienced roster. Are you a believer in Josh Bell's turnaround? Share your thoughts below! View the full article

According to Just Baseball and Aram Leighton, the San Diego Padres have signed Jose Miranda to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training. For the Padres, it is a low-risk upside play on a hitter who not long ago looked like a reliable middle-of-the-order presence. For Miranda, it is another opportunity to prove that his best baseball is not already behind him at age 27. For a moment, it felt like the Twins had uncovered yet another homegrown bat. Miranda arrived in 2022 as a former second-round pick and top-100 prospect and eventually settled in after a rocky introduction to the majors. He finished his rookie season hitting .268/.325/.426 (.751) with a 116 wRC+, popping 15 home runs and 25 doubles in 483 plate appearances. A shoulder injury derailed Miranda’s 2023 season almost immediately. Installed as the Opening Day third baseman, he struggled badly before undergoing surgery, finishing the year with a .211/.263/.303 (.566) line. While the injury offered some explanation, it also introduced real questions about whether Miranda’s bat would ever fully bounce back. In 2024, he appeared to answer some of those concerns. Miranda rebounded with a .284/.322/.441 (.763) slash line and a 112 OPS+ across 121 games. The production returned, but so did the physical issues. Repeated back injuries shortened his season and prevented him from building any real momentum heading into the following year. Then came 2025, when everything unraveled. Miranda made the Opening Day roster but quickly looked overwhelmed. Through 12 games, he hit just .167 with 13 strikeouts in 36 plate appearances. His timing was off, the quality of contact evaporated, and the Twins sent him back to St. Paul. Things only worsened there. After a freak accident while carrying bottled water, Miranda struggled throughout the year, slashing .195/.272/.296 (.569) in 90 games with the Saints. His once reliable bat to ball skills disappeared as he chased pitches and failed to drive mistakes. It was a shocking fall for a player who had looked like one of the Twins most dependable hitters just a year earlier. Miranda’s four year run in Minnesota ended with a .263 average, 28 home runs, and a 101 OPS+. He remains a bat first corner player with limited defensive value and pronounced reverse splits, but the talent has not vanished entirely. For the Padres, this is a simple gamble. If Miranda can rediscover even a portion of his former self, the reward could be meaningful. If not, the cost is minimal. View the full article

Shortly after the news of Kansas City acquiring Matt Strahm from Philadelphia in exchange for Jonathan Bowlan, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extra Base reported that utility player Abraham Toro agreed to a Minor League deal with the Royals that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training. The 29-year-old infielder played with the Red Sox last season, posting a 77 wRC+ and -0.7 fWAR in 284 plate appearances. His best season fWAR-wise came in 2024 with the Athletics, as he not only posted a career-high 0.7 fWAR, but also sported an 87 wRC+ in 364 plate appearances. Toro struggles to generate hard contact, as his average exit velocity, barrel, and hard-hit rates ranked near the bottom of the league, according to TJ Stats data. That said, he makes a lot of contact and doesn't strike out, despite an aggressive approach, which can be seen in his Statcast percentiles below. Because this is a Minor League deal, the Royals do not have to clear a roster spot for Toro. Kevin Newman was also invited to Spring Training earlier this month and should compete with Toro for a spot on the 40-man roster this spring in Surprise. Photo Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images View the full article

The Blue Jays are in the thick of the offseason rumour mill, supposedly chasing both Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker. Fans are refreshing their social feeds like they're life-support machines. So, I asked four AI platforms to tell me when and where these stars will sign. The results? A comedy of contradictions. MetaAI basically shrugged and said, “Let’s wait and see.” Thanks, Meta. Groundbreaking stuff. It did toss out a Bichette-to-Jays scenario for seven years and $210 million (the exact terms of Dylan Cease's contract), and Tucker juggling a short-term Dodgers deal versus a 10-year Blue Jays mega-contract. I read this as he’ll sign somewhere, sometime, for a lot of money. Riveting stuff. Thanks, Meta. After some additional prompts to ChatGPT, it boldly predicted Tucker would sign first, later this month or early January, maybe with the Jays or Yankees. Bichette? Somewhere between $180-225 million over seven or eight years. Basically, what every human analyst has been saying for months. Insight level was slightly ahead of a fortune cookie. (Although, as a product, offseason Blue Jays fortune cookies might do well, especially after a season like last year.) Also needing a bit more prodding, Copilot went full crystal ball. It gave exact dates. Tucker signs December 23 with the Jays, Bichette January 8 with the Yankees. It even threw in a Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade rumour for spice. If this happens, Copilot deserves a plaque, or at least a shot at becoming the GM for the White Sox or Rockies. If not, well, it’ll just say “data changed.” Grok AI was the least impressive of all the platforms. It thought Tucker still played for the Astros (he was traded to the Cubs in 2024). Oops. It predicted Tucker would sign February 1 for $180 million and Bichette January 15 for $150 million. Bargain-bin prices compared to all the other predictions. Does AI have more insight than human analysts or MLB GMs? The short answer is no. AI is regurgitating public rumours and projections, while actual GMs are negotiating behind closed doors with real budgets, egos, and spreadsheets. AI can’t read the room, gauge a player’s loyalty, or know if an owner woke up feeling generous. It’s guessing. Sometimes confidently, sometimes hilariously incorrectly. Most analysts consider Tucker to be the top free agent on the market. Lots of teams have expressed interest outside the Jays, Dodgers and Yankees. The Mets and Giants are also considered potential suitors. Our friends in the AI world didn’t really take any of those outside teams seriously. Aside from the Mets, the same teams have been rumoured to be part of the Bichette sweepstakes. After a Zoom call earlier this month with Bichette, the Red Sox remain in the hunt. There are rumours that the Mariners and Rangers have also reached out. ESPN’s Jeff Passan has suggested that the Jays could still land both Tucker and Bichette, but that seems highly unlikely considering the amount of spending they have committed to already. Most market predictions point to the majority of free agents signing by early January, giving some buffer room before pitchers and catchers report. Based on past seasons, sometimes more complex negotiations extend into February. The odds are that both Bichette and Tucker are waiting to see how the league responds to the first big signing. Neither wants to be first. If another team signs Tucker, then the Jays will pivot and pursue Bichette a bit harder, probably increasing their offer as they look to lock him up. Once both sign, others will follow suit. Teams that were in the hunt will adjust and fill voids through different free agents or trades. The list of available free agents remains long. The position player free agents who can put up big wins above replacement (WAR) numbers are few and far between now. Cody Bellinger (7.0 fWAR from 2024-25) and Tucker (8.7 fWAR from 2024-25) are the two biggest names on the outfield free agent board. There has been some talk that the Jays and Yankees are waiting for Tucker’s decision before following up with Bellinger. The Mets and Giants could be some of the front-runners for Bellinger. Alex Bregman (7.7 fWAR from 2024-25) and Eugenio Suárez (7.6 fWAR from 2024-25) are the biggest names outside of Bichette and the NPB free agents in the infield. Bregman and Suárez are both in their thirties, and have drawn plenty of interest. The Tigers, Cubs, Diamondbacks, and Red Sox are among those courting Bregman, while Suárez looks destined to head back to the National League, perhaps with the Pirates, although the Red Sox have been linked to him as well. At the end of the day, AI’s predictions about MLB free agency are entertaining, but they’re hardly gospel. These platforms can crunch numbers, scrape rumours, and spit out contract figures, but they lack the human nuance that drives real negotiations. General managers like Ross Atkins (love him or hate him) aren’t just balancing WAR numbers and payroll. They’re navigating egos, clubhouse chemistry, and ownership whims. AI can’t predict if a player’s spouse prefers Manhattan over Toronto or if a team’s billionaire owner suddenly decides to splurge after a successful weekend in Vegas. What this experiment really shows is that AI can be good for sparking conversation, but not for setting your betting lines. It’s a tool, not a crystal ball. The fact that one platform suggested Tucker still played for the Astros says it all. Data without context is just noise. Meanwhile, the real decision-makers are working phones, making offers, and playing the long game. So, will Bichette and Tucker sign with the Blue Jays? Maybe. Will AI ever replace MLB GMs? Not a chance. Until then, enjoy the speculation, laugh at the algorithms, and remember that baseball’s biggest moves are still made by humans, not AI. View the full article

On Friday morning, Robert Murray of Fansided noted that left-handed reliever Matt Strahm would be heading to the Kansas City Royals, according to sources. Later, Mark Feinsand confirmed the move, also noting that right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlan would be going back to the Phillies in the deal. The Royals this offseason have noted that they wanted to acquire a lefty reliever who could get left-handed batters out. After trading away Angel Zerpa for Isaac Collins and Nick Mears, it seemed like the Royals' need for such a reliever was even more urgent. Strahm is a former 21st-round draft pick by the Royals, selected in the 2012 MLB Draft. Strahm pitched two seasons in Kansas City (2016 and 2017) and put up ERA marks of 1.23 and 5.49, respectively. Since then, he's pitched for the Padres, Red Sox, and Phillies and posted a 2.74 ERA, 2.99 FIP, and 1.5 fWAR in 66 outings and 62.1 IP. When looking at his metrics via TJ Stats, Strahm illustrated above-average stuff metrics, a strong ability to flood the strike zone, and a capability to generate a lot of chase as well as weak contact. Strahm will be a free agent after the 2026 season. It will be interesting to see if Strahm will be a one-year project or if the Royals are planning to extend him at some point next year. He just turned 34 years old this November. As for Bowlan, he had a solid year last season, posting a 3.86 ERA in 44.1 IP. He also sported strong TJ Stuff+ metrics as well as chase and whiff rates, according to TJ Stats. Bowlan's FIP was a bit higher at 3.97, and he didn't see a whole lot of high-leverage situations last year. He is also out of Minor League options, and he was one of the most optioned relievers in the Royals' bullpen last season. With the arrival of Mears and James McArthur returning from injury, it seems like the Royals were willing to make Bowlan expendable, despite his intriguing pitch metrics. The Royals have made the deal official, per their team's social media accounts. With it being a one-for-one trade, the Royals roster remains full at 40 players. Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images View the full article

The Chicago Cubs' quiet offseason continues, as the team made two more savvy signings in Caleb Thielbar and Tyler Austin while waiting out the top end of the free-agent market. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox, despite a couple of savvy trades for starting pitchers, are one of just two teams in MLB this offseason not to sign a major-league free agent. What's going on?View the full article

Well, someone finally woke A.J. Preller up. Mere hours after securing the services of Michael King in free agency, the San Diego Padres have agreed to sign Korean infielder Sung-mon Song. It appears to be a three-year deal for $15 million, meaning the Padres' will owe Song and King roughly $30 million combined in 2026. The starting third baseman for the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization, it's unclear if the Padres foresee a position change for Song (first base?) or if there are internal plans to shift Manny Machado elsewhere (which seems unlikely). Either way, adding Song's bat should be a huge boon for the Padres' offense, as he's coming off a season in which he posted a .917 OPS in 144 games. He also hit career highs in home runs (26) and stolen bases (25). Song has played first and second base as well at points of his career, and the 29-year-old offers enough versatility and power and speed to fill any number of roles as a starter or off Craig Stammen's bench. He's looking to join former teammates Ha-Seong Kim, Jung Hoo Lee, and Hyeseong Kim in America as successful KBO to MLB converts. More to come... View the full article

Not only did the Twins finally reveal their minority partners this week, they also announced that Tom Pohlad would assume the role of the ownership group’s Executive Chair, previously held by his younger brother, Joe. Beyond the Succession-esque family drama, this led many observers to ask two questions: There’s a Tom Pohlad? Just how many Pohlad brothers and sons are there? In the interest of public service and because it’s not like they’re going to give us a new free-agent signing to write about, Twins Daily did some shoe-leather reporting to suss out just how many Pohlads are out there. Here’s what we know, as of Friday, December 19th, 2025. CONFIRMED POHLADS Joe: Former Executive Chair, accidentally gave honest answer to Jason DeRusha. Tom: Current Executive Chair, has yet to give accidentally honest answer to Jason DeRusha. Bill: Hollywood producer and director. If your annoying hipster friend has a cult band or troubled musical genius they won’t shut up about, Bill has directed that biopic. Kind of looks like William H. Macy. Jim: Little is known about him. Feels like, with his wealth, he should go by either James (classy, elegant) or Jimmy (renegade bad boy, spends office hours at a bar that only takes cash). LIKELY POHLADS Bob: Wikipedia says he’s one of the three brothers who inherited the team from Carl and Eloise Pohlad. He’s listed on the Twins website. But no one can confirm with 100% certainty that he’s real. Percival Edgar: Sent to boarding school in London in 1968 and just never left. Fancies himself a real English dandy, given to wearing a pocketwatch and riding one of those tall bikes everywhere. Faints a lot. Tubercular. UNCONFIRMED POHLADS Li'l Mike: The hip-hop Pohlad. From the mean streets of Deephaven, Li'l Mike is allegedly releasing his debut single “Commercial Real Estate (Over-leveraged)” in February 2026. Has an MBA from Cornell. Tony: Quit Stanford in his junior year to get into improv comedy. Is not currently in will. Theo: Vampire with a kind heart. Connor: Aspiring Tik-Tok/Reels influencer. His most popular clip, “How to Know If Your Butler is Defiant,” has over 500 views. We will continue our exhaustive investigation, and update this post accordingly. But, you know, billionaires. If any of the unconfirmed Pohlads disappear from the list, assume they are very real and that we've been threatened with legal action. View the full article

Jack and Spencer break down the Angel Zerpa trade and updates from the Winter Meetings. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

The Cubs were interested in Michael King at the outset of this offseason. After they got a sense of his initial asking price (approaching $100 million on a four-year deal, according to one source), they backed away, but once it was clear that King wouldn't net quite that rich a contract, they circled back to him. Ultimately, King re-signed with the Padres Thursday night, on a remarkably player-friendly deal that guarantees him up to $75 million over three years and gives him the right to opt out after either of the first two. A source familiar with the team's thinking said they were open to signing King on a short-term deal, but were unwilling to offer him both that high an annual average value and the pair of opt-outs that enticed him to return to San Diego. That's a sensible stance. King is coming off a season disrupted by injury, and his health history is spotty. He passed a physical to finalize his deal with the Padres, but the risk the team is assuming on that deal is a bit unwieldy, from the Cubs' perspective. This is the luxury the team has afforded itself, with the holidays looming and big names coming off the board but some desirable options left. By signing relievers Phil Maton, Caleb Thielbar and Hoby Milner and right-handed slugger Tyler Austin on low-cost deals, Jed Hoyer has set a floor that allows him to eschew further additions to the bullpen or the bench until he resolves more pressing business. He has roughly $40 million in 2026 salary available to him, if the right opportunities are there, but he's bought the ability to be patient and take a strong negotiating position. Before he signed with the Phillies for $22 million over two years, Brad Keller came to the Cubs and expressed a willingness to sign for less, according to two sources with knowledge of the conversation. The Cubs passed. They were not serious suitors for Luke Weaver, either, as he signed a similar deal with the Mets. Though they would still welcome improvements to their relief corps, the club now has its sights set on upgrading the lineup and the front half of the starting rotation, and they believe their current depth allows them to keep their focus there until they get resolution of situations just like the one that transpired with King. Among players still on the market, Zac Gallen and Tatsuya Imai are highest on the Cubs' radar as starters; they prefer those players (at their expected prices) to Ranger Suárez or Framber Valdez. They're also staying in the mix for four position players of note, sources said. It's down to the last three days of Munetaka Murakami's posting period, and the offers the left-handed slugger hoped would materialize are not forthcoming. Initially looking for $200 million or more on a long-term deal, Murakami is increasingly open to shorter-term deals that could include opt-outs and/or club options to convert an initial contract worth under $100 million into something more lucrative. The Cubs have been in contact with Murakami's agent, Casey Close, about the possibility of such a deal. They're also keeping tabs on the market for fellow impending Japanese import Kazuma Okamoto, whose market has developed slowly but who is expected to get a robust offer once Murakami signs and the picture crystallizes for teams still seeking a right-handed bat. The other two players the team has shown interest in, according to a league source, are extremely familiar names to Cubs fans: Alex Bregman and Cody Bellinger. Agent Scott Boras has been dissatisfied with the offers for both hitters thus far, though Bellinger is expected to wait out the market and sign sometime in January, anyway. The arguments for and against signing either player are well-documented, by now, but the Cubs are taking an opportunistic stance on each—as well as on Gallen, Imai, Murakami and Okamoto. In all likelihood, the team will only sign one of those six players. They would be stretching their budget near its breaking point to land more than one, and they generally prefer to keep some powder dry into mid-January. No matter which of their targets they sign, though, they should be left with some surplus talent on their roster, and Hoyer could then try to land a second difference-making player via trade. Signing Bregman, Murakami or Okamoto could beget a trade sending Matt Shaw elsewhere for pitching help. Signing Bellinger could free up Owen Caissie or Moisés Ballesteros to be dealt. One way or another, the Cubs will land a big fish, and they're likely to do it soon. They've passed on some opportunities already, believing a better one is waiting for them and that their small, early moves this winter have given them the leverage to hold out. That's a bit of a tightrope act, but by now (for better or worse), Hoyer is comfortable on that wire. View the full article

In the mold of our friends over at Twins Daily, I wanted to figure out who the 25 most valuable player assets were in the Kansas City Royals organization going into 2026. This is especially important amid rumors of possible Royals trades. If Kansas City does want to acquire a player, who are the candidates with enough asset value to help put a deal over the top? There are various tools to do this. Baseball Trade Values is an incredible resource, as is their Trade Simulator. However, player value can go beyond their "trade value" on the market. Yes, a player's age, contract, controllability, and upside all matter. Additionally, other factors matter, especially those related to the Royals' context and their current standing as a franchise. And where are they now? They are on the rise, looking to return to the postseason after an 82-80 season in 2025. Under GM JJ Picollo and owner John Sherman, the Royals are looking to be a perennial small-market winner, like the Brewers, Rays, and Guardians. That said, they also seem willing to make the right trades to get the right players and assets to compete for not just a Central Division crown and postseason berth, but an AL Pennant and World Series title as well. Thus, there is a balance of young and veteran players on this Top 25 list, reflecting the Royals' current situation. This list will definitely change over time, but as we finish 2025 and head into 2026, this group of 25 Royals players is the most important in the organization, based on all the factors I have mentioned above. Let's begin by looking at this group of Kansas City assets, starting with the 25th through 21st players in this post. 25. Michael Massey, 2B/LF Age: 27 Controlled Through: 2028 Massey is coming off a rough season, posting a 57 wRC+ while only accumulating 277 plate appearances due to various injuries. That said, he posted a 104 wRC+ and 1.5 fWAR in 2024 and was a leadoff hitter for the Royals in the postseason that year. He has a bit of a free-swinging approach (career 0.23 BB/K ratio), but there is some power there (.190 ISO in 2024) for a second baseman, which gives him value. Another positive aspect of Massey's profile is that he's solid defensively and can play second base and left field seamlessly. He's accumulated an OAA of +3 and FRV of +6 at second base over his career and a FRV of +1 in the outfield. That versatility is a big reason the Royals tendered him a contract this offseason and why he could be attractive to other teams in a possible trade, especially if he were moved to a more hitter-friendly park. 24. James McArthur, RHP Age: 29 Controlled Through: 2029 McArthur didn't throw a pitch for the Royals last year due to recovery from elbow surgery. However, he has sneaky value as a pitching asset, especially given his low salary ($800,000 in 2026) and years of team control (he will not be a free agent until 2030). Though he is nearly 30, his arm should be fresh after sitting out all of 2025. In 2024, his ERA was high at 4.92, and even though he saved 18 games in 57 appearances, he blew seven games. That inconsistency in the ninth led to him losing the closer's job to Lucas Erceg, who was acquired at the 2024 Trade Deadline. A deeper look into McArthur's metrics shows a rosier picture for 2026, especially if he's healthy. Two seasons ago, he posted a 30.7% and 31.4% CSW, as well as a groundball rate of 53.3%. As a result, his FIP was a lot better at 4.17, as was his 3.62 xFIP. He could thrive in a middle-innings or seventh-inning setup man role in 2026 and beyond. He also could benefit from another year of tutelage from not just Brian Sweeney, but new assistant pitching coach Mike McFerran, who replaced Zach Bove, who left for the pitching coach job with the White Sox. 23. Ben Kudrna, RHP Age: 22 Controlled Through: 2031+ The Royals added Kudrna to the 40-man roster this year, despite an uneven season in the Minors last season. In 24 appearances (22 starts) and 102.1 IP between Double-A and Triple-A, he posted a 5.30 ERA, 4.22 FIP, 1.44 WHIP, and 2.12 K/BB ratio. However, he was particularly disastrous in 11.1 IP with the Storm Chasers. In Triple-A, Kudrna posted a 14.29 ERA, 9.94 FIP, 2.74 WHIP, and 0.59 K/BB ratio. Kansas City still added Kudrna to the 40-man roster despite the rough Omaha debut because the Overland Park native has shown the ability to adjust at each Minor League level. After putting up a sub-20% K rate in High-A in 2023, he improved his K rate to 24.2% overall between High-A and Double-A in 2024 and 22.9% overall last year. He is also only 22 years old and should benefit from some coaching changes (there will be a new manager) that could help Kudrna in a full season in Omaha. Kudrna may not be an "ace" at the Major League level, but he has No. 4-to-5 starter potential with No. 3 upside, which gives him pretty good value as a player asset in this Royals organization (though his stuff is more good than "elite"). 22. Ryan Bergert, RHP Age: 25 Controlled Through: 2031 Bergert came over in the Freddy Fermin trade with San Diego and initially got off to a great start in Royals blue. In August, he posted a 2.54 ERA and 3.13 K/BB ratio in 28.1 IP with the Royals. In September? He posted an 8.76 ERA and 1.56 K/BB ratio in 12.1 IP before being shut down for the remainder of the injury due to shoulder impingement. In 40.2 IP with the Royals overall last year, he put up a 4.43 ERA, 3.75 FIP, 1.33 WHIP, and 2.29 K/BB ratio. He definitely has strikeout ability (22.4% K rate with the Royals), and he limited his hard-hit rate from 37.5% earlier in the year with San Diego to 35.6% with Kansas City after the Trade Deadline. He does allow a lot of fly balls, however, with a 47.6% flyball rate overall last season. Bergert has a chance to climb this list if he returns healthy and can iron out his command a bit in an end-of-the-rotation or hybrid role in 2026. If he can regain the form he had in that first month in Kansas City, he could be a Top-15 player asset by the conclusion of next season. 21. Stephen Kolek, RHP Age: 28 Controlled Through: 2031+ Kolek, who also came to the Royals in the Fermin trade, is a tad older than Bergert, but he was more successful overall in 2025. In 19 starts and 112.2 IP with the Padres and Royals last year, he posted a 3.51 ERA, 3.82 FIP, and 1.7 fWAR. Kolek was especially successful with the Royals, as he posted a 1.91 ERA, 2.71 FIP, and 0.9 fWAR in five starts and 33 IP. Kolek's profile is very different from Bergert's. Bergert generated more strikeouts, as Kolek only sported a 16.8% K rate and 24.8% CSW last year. However, the former Texas A&M pitcher was much better at generating groundballs (51.4%) and commanding the strike zone (2.48 K/BB ratio). The lack of swing-and-miss for Kolek could make him susceptible to some regression in 2026, but it seems like the Royals have succeeded with pitchers of his profile, with Seth Lugo and Noah Cameron being prime examples. His ability to limit walks and eat innings makes Kolek a valuable asset, especially since he's still in the pre-arbitration process. That said, his age (28) deflates his value a bit, especially since he'll be 30 in 2028 and 2025 was his first real exposure as a starter at the Major League level (he pitched 42 innings in 2024 but only as a reliever). Look out soon for part 2 by Philip Ruo, which looks at the 20th through 16th player assets in the Royals system! View the full article

One message from the Twins front office came through clearly at the Winter Meetings. Minnesota wants to hold on to its three stars (Byron Buxton, Pablo Lopez, and Joe Ryan) with an opportunity to trade established talent in return for productive big-leaguers who fit their needs better. The Twins have done this in recent years, when trading for Lopez or when trading away Jorge Polanco. That shift aligns with what is happening in Baltimore. The Orioles surprised much of the league by signing Pete Alonso to a five-year contract. Before the deal, they already had multiple in-house corner infield options, including Coby Mayo. The Alonso signing pushes Mayo further off his defensive home, and Baltimore’s loaded infield creates an opportunity for clubs looking to upgrade at first base. Few teams match up better with Baltimore’s needs than the Twins, who have starting pitchers and young arms they may be willing to move, and who still need help at offense-first positions even after signing Josh Bell. Mayo remains an intriguing target, despite a challenging 2025 season. Right-handed power has long been his calling card. Scouts and analysts loved the explosiveness in his bat and the potential for middle-of-the-order production. Last season, he posted a 103 wRC+ in Triple A, but was limited to a 95 wRC+ in his big-league time. He remains just 24 years old, with the kind of offensive ceiling that doesn't come around often. A team willing to bet on upside could still dream on a future where Mayo anchors a lineup for several seasons. Let's consider three realistic trade concepts that could spark a conversation between Minnesota and Baltimore. Trade Option 1 Twins Receive: 1B Coby Mayo Orioles Receive: RHP Bailey Ober Both Ober and Mayo are coming off rough 2025 seasons. Ober ran into uncharacteristic command issues while fighting a hip issue, leading to more hard contact than he had allowed in previous years. However, his track record from 2022 through 2024 still carries weight with clubs. Over that span, he recorded a 115 ERA+ and a 3.74 FIP while showing reliability and strong strike-throwing. With two years of team control remaining, he matches what the Orioles need as they continue to search for durable mid-rotation pitching. For Minnesota, this deal represents a swap that fits their stated direction. Trade Option 2 Twins Receive: 1B Coby Mayo Orioles Receive: RHP Mick Abel Minnesota acquired Abel at last year’s trade deadline in the Jhoan Duran deal, and they have shown optimism about helping him refine his delivery and command. That makes it complicated for the Twins to move him this quickly, but circumstances have shifted for both teams. Mayo and Abel are remarkably similar assets. Both are pre-arbitration players with prospect pedigrees who have taken early lumps in the big leagues. Sometimes a reset is beneficial. This kind of challenge trade allows each organization to take a new developmental approach with a talented young player. Trade Option 3 Twins Receive: 1B Coby Mayo Orioles Receive: RHP David Festa, RHP Andrew Morris This offer gives Baltimore two pitchers who can cover innings in the near future. Festa has flashed a fastball with carry and strikeout ability (32.0% strikeout rate at Triple-A St. Paul last season), and he is big league-ready, so he could slot into their rotation almost immediately. Morris is a step behind, but earned a 40-man spot this winter because of his strong command profile and the likelihood that he can contribute in the next few seasons. Last season, he posted a 4.14 FIP and a 22.4% strikeout rate for the Saints. For a team looking to build long-term pitching depth, this package may be more appealing than a single arm with risk. Each scenario highlights a different angle for balancing value between the clubs. Baltimore must decide whether it prefers established innings, developmental upside, or a mix of both. The Twins, meanwhile, have to decide whether Mayo is the right risk, as they look for ways to shake up their core and bolster their offense. Which deal gets the job done from Baltimore’s perspective? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

I'm a pretty big believer in the depth of the Milwaukee Brewers' starting rotation, heading into 2026. They currently have Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, Quinn Priester, Jacob Misiorowski and Chad Patrick penciled into the five slots in that rotation, but crucially, they also have Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser, Aaron Ashby, DL Hall and Coleman Crow as candidates for starting roles in the event of injuries or trades. That's not counting Ángel Zerpa, in whom I don't believe there's much ceiling as a starter but whom the team has been open to considering for that role. If you're looking for the soft underbelly of the midwestern dragon that is the Brewers, though, the second and third tiers of that group of prospective starters are the first places to poke and prod. The lineup is, if anything, even deeper, and the team's farm system is richer on the position-player side than in arms. The bullpen is bulletproof, not only chock-full of talent but boasting an extraordinary number of interchangeable and optionable arms. It's in the ability of Priester to build on his breakout; the ability of Woodruff to stay healthy; the abilities of Misiorowski, Patrick, Ashby, Henderson or Gasser to make the one key adjustment needed to establish themselves more firmly as starter-capable big-leaguers; and the ability of the Brewers to hold onto Peralta while building a World Series contender on a budget that uncertainty lurks for this team. Thus, an infusion of talent and stability at the back end of the prospective rotation would make sense. The Brewers have been smart and opportunistic with such moves the past few winters, including late pickups of Jakob Junis for 2024 and José Quintana for 2025. This time, though, they should aim incrementally higher and nab free-agent starter Zack Littell. You can ask some hard questions about the fit between Littell and the Brewers, and you might not even get positive answers. For instance, the Brewers tend to like pitchers who do well by Baseball Prospectus's model-driven DRA, but Littell had a 107 DRA- in 2025, where 100 is average and lower is better. He hasn't been better than average since 2023, and that was in just 90 innings. He's been an improbable workhorse starter the last two seasons, totaling over 340 total innings, but that comes after a career that began as a strictly fastball-slider reliever. He threw his slider nearly half the time until four years ago, and it's not even a plus pitch. Littell learned a splitter in 2022 and has made it a staple of a much-expanded arsenal, but his two fastballs are both underwhelming. He doesn't utilize a bifurcated approach, where he focuses on two or three pitches against each handedness of batter; he throws the kitchen sink at everyone. He's survived by absolutely hammering the strike zone over the last two years, with an ERA under 3.75 across 61 starts, but he doesn't miss many bats and the advanced metrics tell us that he's doomed to run into more trouble as he ages. Why, then, does Littell suit the Brewers well? Firstly, he should come cheap, for such a sturdy starting pitcher. The brevity of his track record and the lack of a single pitch or trait that lights up most teams' valuation models will probably prevent him from earning an eight-figure salary on a multiyear deal, as Adrian Houser just did with the Giants. Littell offers a strange but real flavor of durability at a cost that is unlikely to reflect that reliability. He's also a great pitcher to put in front of Milwaukee's stellar defense. A young and athletic team, the Brewers catch the ball and convert batted balls into outs as well as anyone in baseball most years, and Littell (who has walked fewer than 4.5% of opposing batters since moving to the rotation in mid-2023) will lean nicely into that team strength. He's liable to give up too many home runs, but letting the defense work and racking up innings to shield the bullpen from overuse has significant value, in itself. That assumes that Littell doesn't materially change how he goes about things. In reality, the Brewers would probably make some significant changes. They'd be likely to tweak his slider to behave more like a cutter, but also have him use it less and lean harder on his sweeper. They would almost certainly also move him across the pitching rubber. Littell moved from the middle of the rubber to the extreme first-base edge of it when he moved to the rotation in 2023; the Brewers would almost surely move him to the third-base side. That would fix some issues with the interaction between his fastballs and his slider and splitter, and might even change the way those heaters play. The Rays are good at pitching development, and turning Littell from a waiver-claim reliever to a mid-rotation starter counts as a win for them. However, the Brewers can take him to a level above what the Rays achieved, by realigning him and getting his stuff to play up. It would be a bit of an experiment, but the Crew should explore signing Littell, because he would solve some of their lingering problems with starting pitching depth. View the full article

Jordan Hicks certainly didn't do a great job of endearing himself to the Boston Red Sox faithful after arriving as 25% of the trade return for Rafael Devers. However, with Kyle Harrison looking crowded out of the rotation and James Tibbs III plying his trade in Los Angeles, the flamethrowing right-hander may be the Sox's best chance of recouping an iota of value from that ill-advised blockbuster. Once a superlative high-leverage relief arm for the St. Louis Cardinals, Hicks' career went wayward after signing a four-year contract with the San Francisco Giants that came with the stipulation that he'd attempt a move to the rotation. In 42 appearances (29 starts) in the Bay Area, the right-hander logged a 4.83 ERA and 4.15 FIP, watching his strikeout rate plummet while proving unable to reel in his unwieldy habit for issuing free passes. The Red Sox acquired Hicks and transferred him right back to the 'pen, but things only got worse. Opposing hitters posted a .949 OPS against him as he recorded an 8.20 ERA and 6.19 FIP. His 15.5% strikeout rate was pitiful; his 12.4% walk rate was just plain ugly. The stuff was just no longer playing up in a short-stint capacity, and Hicks was placed on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder injury in early September, prematurely ending his season. Now on the fringes of the roster, the former closer is likely only safe by virtue of being owed $25 million over the next two years; no team will pay him that much for his recent production, and the Red Sox are unlikely to waive him while soaking up such a large dead cap hit. As such, expect Hicks to be on the Opening Day roster in 2026, barring a bad-contract for bad-contract swap at some point this winter. Instead of just lamenting his presence, though, let's try to see if Andrew Bailey and the pitching lab can do anything to help Hicks return to his former glory. His best season was probably in 2023 when he posted a 3.29 ERA (3.30 xERA, 3.22 FIP) between the Cardinals and Blue Jays while rocking a career-best strikeout rate of 28.4%. Between that year and this past season, look at all the places Hicks has declined (2024 is included for reference): *Chart courtesy of Baseball Savant The average exit velocity he allows has jumped by more than three miles per hour, and his hard-hit rate has jumped by nearly ten percent. His average fastball velocity has wilted by 2.5 mph, which is directly related to the five-percent drop in whiff rate. And, because of his recurring shoulder issues, his arm angle has declined by about five degrees since 2023, which factors into the next part of our discussion. Hicks remains excellent at generating ground balls thanks to his sinker-heavy approach. As someone who utilizes perceived rise well, his vertical movement profile generally remains the same as it was a few years ago (each of his pitches generally functions with anywhere from zero to five inches of perceived rise) However, we've talked about the importance in having movement variance along at least one of the planes — it's a necessary factor in being an effective pitch tunneler. But look at Hicks' horizontal movement over the years: At his best (2023), Hicks has kept things incredibly tight on the x-axis. However, as he's lowered his arm angle over the past few seasons, his range of horizontal movement has shifted dramatically. Which, in turn, has made him an easier pitcher to read and react to; large changes in run or sweep are far easier to pick up on in the batter's box than minuscule ones. With declining velocity in conjunction to more distinguishable pitches, it's no wonder how hitters have become better at approaching Hicks. Again, this is a little backwards from how we traditionally think about improving a pitcher's arsenal. Normally, we want more variance in movement, not less (it forces hitters to sell out to one side of the plate, rather than being able to target a specific part of the zone). But Hicks has made a living on the margins, using upper-echelon velocity to punish batters into ground outs and pop-outs, rather than generating reams of strikeouts. Adding a few more ticks back to his arm, if at all possible, would be the easiest fix here; getting him to tighten his splitter back up would also suffice. The talent is there, even if his unique profile requires everything to click at the same time to be effective. There's a good chance that Jordan Hicks' best MLB days are behind him. But, so long as the Red Sox feel obligated to roster him, there's no use in treating him like a lost cause when there are some apparent tweaks in plain sight. View the full article

If you were looking for an unsung hero behind the Blue Jays' run to Game 7 of the World Series, you wouldn’t have to go far before Eric Lauer's name came up. He made his season debut at the end of April, and after a run of quality pitching out of the bullpen, he joined the rotation full-time on June 11, remaining there until the end of August, after which he transitioned back into the bullpen. On the season, Lauer posted a 3.18 ERA with 2.2 bWAR over 104.2 innings, adding another 8.2 frames during the postseason, including an incredible outing in Game 3 of the World Series that held the Dodgers scoreless over 4.2 innings. For as sensational as Lauer was in 2025, the day he became a Blue Jay was uneventful; it didn't make many headlines when he signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays in December of 2024. Now, it's quite rare that a minor league signing has as much impact on a team as Lauer did. With all due apologies to Matt Whatley, Kevin Gowdy, and Amir Garrett, that's the rub when it comes to minor league contracts; if these players were all expected to be good, then they wouldn’t be in this category. At some point, it becomes a matter of throwing darts and hoping one lands on the bullseye. With that being said, the Blue Jays have already signed a few players to some minor league deals. Let’s learn more about them to see if any of them could have a Lauer-sized impact in 2026. Michael Plassmeyer, LHP 2025 Stats (in AAA with TEX): 105.2 IP, 4.43 ERA, 34 BB, 99 K Plassmeyer, now 29 years old, was drafted in 2018 by the Mariners and has bounced between six different teams in his seven minor league seasons. He was first traded after the 2018 season in a deal that also sent Mike Zunino and Guillermo Heredia from the Mariners to the Rays, with Jake Fraley and Mallex Smith going the other way. Plassmeyer has 11 innings of big league experience under his belt, with the Phillies in 2022 and ‘23. He’s a three-pitch pitcher (fastball, changeup, slider) that averages just under 89 mph on his heater. He’s a strike thrower, and if the Blue Jays can find a way to have him miss more barrels, then he could carve out a Lauer-ish role in ‘26 as a swingman who can move between the bullpen and the rotation. Rodolfo Castro, 2B/SS 2025 stats (in AAA with PHI): 133 G, .234/.324/.421, 19 HR, 18 SB, 22.7 K%, 10.3 BB% If the name Rodolfo Castro stands out, you might remember him from a play in 2022 when his cellphone famously flew out of his back pocket during a headfirst slide into third base. The incident earned him a one-game suspension under MLB’s electronic device policy. The now 26-year-old does have 194 MLB games under his belt, and although he hasn’t hit well (career 83 wRC+), Castro does still have a nice combination of power and speed. While he has played all over the infield, third base appears to be his best defensive fit. Castro had been a switch-hitter his whole career, but gave it up to hit strictly right-handed in 2025. The Blue Jays may think there is more to come as he gets more repetitions from the right side. He could see some big league time in 2026 if the bat holds up. Tanner Andrews, RHP 2025 Stats (in AA with MIN): 16.2 IP, 3.78 ERA, 18 K, 3 BB Andrews, now 30, was selected by the Marlins in the 10th round of the 2018 draft. He reached as high as Triple A with the Giants in 2023 and ‘24 but has yet to make his major league debut. Andrews is a three-pitch pitcher (fastball, splitter, and slider) and has battled bouts of wildness in his career, carrying a 9.0% career walk rate in the minor leagues. However, he did trim that number down to just 4.0% in a small 2025 sample, and paired that with a FIP that dipped below 3.00 for the first time (2.01). The Blue Jays likely buy into that progress, and if Andrews can continue that trend, then he’ll provide some big league relief depth or, at worst, become an intriguing relief option in Buffalo. Carlos Mendoza, UTIL 2025 Stats (in AA-AAA with DET): 97 G, .287/.394/.409, 7 HR, 12 SB, 11.1 K%, 13.0 BB% Mendoza, 26, is a left-handed-hitting utility player who has seen time at second base, third base, left field, and right field in the minors. At just 5-foot-7 and 165 lbs., he’s never likely to be much of a power hitter, but through two levels in the minors in 2025, he did have a .394 OBP, a good contact rate (83.9% in '25), and he walked more than he struck out. Versatile, good contact skills, and a wRC+ above 100 at almost every level at which he’s played. You can see why the Blue Jays would have interest here. He’s a candidate to make his big league debut this season if things break his way. ***** No one is expecting these players to be game changers in 2026, but no one expected Lauer to be one either. The most likely scenario is that these players will spend more time with the Bisons than the Blue Jays. Still, there is enough skill and upside here to find some reason for optimism, and it wouldn't be a surprise if one or two make an impact at the big league level this season. View the full article

We'll keep this short and sweet: The San Diego Padres have finally addressed the starting rotation, adding Michael King back on a three-year, $75 million deal. There's a lot to discuss here. Though injuries diminished his effectiveness in 2025, the 30-year-old successfully completed his transition from the bullpen to the rotation in 2024, pitching to a 2.95 ERA and 3.33 FIP in 173 2/3 innings while accruing 3.9 fWAR. This past season wasn't as great (3.44 ERA, 4.42 FIP), but King was hampered by various injuries; when healthy, he's proven capable of being a frontline starter. The Padres' rotation looks much better with King in tow, with he, Nick Pivetta, and Joe Musgrove forming a formidable triumvirate atop the pitching staff. Especially after losing Dylan Cease, keeping King around ensures that the Friars have enough pitching firepower to at least hang around in the Wild Card race. Other questions to ponder in the immediate aftermath of this move: What's the next move the team should make? The rotation still probably needs at least one more legitimate starter to compete with the National League's best — is there room in the budget for another marquee addition? Speaking of the budget, did the Padres make the right call by spending (what appears to be) all of their budget on King? There were other top-tier starter (Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez) available, as well as a few trade candidates with hefty salaries. Does this make a trade of Nick Pivetta (or one of the bullpen arms) more or less likely? We won't know the answer to any of those for some time, but with Christmas barreling toward us and the New Year on the horizon, securing their Opening Day starter's services again is a huge boon — and a reason to breath a sigh of relief. The Padres will at least be able to field a competitive starting pitching group next year, and now there's some legitimate upside to be excited by. For plenty more on the King re-signing, stay tuned to Padres Mission. View the full article

When a team notches four division titles in five years, you would expect that they have the key positions locked down by long-term options. The Brewers, though, have had different players as their primary starter in center field in each of the last five seasons. Jackie Bradley Jr., Tyrone Taylor, Joey Wiemer, Blake Perkins, and Jackson Chourio have each been primary starters at the position since Opening Day 2021. That’s a lot of turnover, but there’s been a lot of quality there. Bradley was the only flop, and the Brewers turned him into Hunter Renfroe, and Renfroe became some pitching help. Taylor and Wiemer also were dealt for new assets by the Crew. In each of the last three years, the eventual regular was not the one they planned for: Garrett Mitchell's injuries forced them to pivot. Could yet another player be the primary starter in 2026? In one sense, the Brewers hope so. Chourio starting the bulk of the games in center field was never the plan. While he's athletically sufficient for center, he fits a bit better as a left fielder, where he spent most of his time in 2024. The move this year was due to a rash of injuries (Mitchell, Perkins) and the limitations on what Christian Yelich can do after undergoing back surgery in 2024. The organization would like to see Mitchell handle the bulk of the starts in center. In his 141 total games, he’s racked up 3.6 WAR with a 112 OPS+, according to Baseball Reference. Mitchell has 30/30 potential and could be a left-handed version of Carlos Gómez at his 2013-2014 peak. Of course, that hinges on him addressing the holes in his swing, learning to lift the ball, and staying on the field. He hasn't been exposed enough to test whether he can do the first two; he's been stunningly unable to check the third and most crucial box. Perkins was the primary center fielder in 2024 and was a Gold Glove finalist. He missed a lot of 2025 due to an injury suffered in spring training, and he wasn't his best self even after he returned. Given the nature of that injury and the difficulty of losing his mother during the season, though, he more than deserves a mulligan. It's just that a mulligan doesn't mean guaranteed playing time, on a roster this strong. Chourio has posted two 20/20 seasons to start his major-league career and is seen as the franchise player for the late 2020s and the 2030s. Ideally, perhaps, he's a corner outfielder, but they could do much worse than having him find his playing time in center again in any of the next few seasons, while his elite speed still covers for some subpar reads on balls off the bat. Mitchell, Perkins, and Chourio are the best three center fielders on the 40-man roster, but there are now others. Sal Frelick, who’s primarily played right field, is a viable center fielder, and he has a Gold Glove from 2024. His bat’s taken a step up, although he arguably ran out of gas late in the season. Even more than Chourio, his best defensive spot is in a corner, but his bat will never have Chourio's thunder, so letting him stretch to use his speed and cover center would be fine. Behind those four, the Brewers have Brandon Lockridge and Steward Berroa, mid-season acquisitions in 2025 due to the injuries that hit the outfield. Akil Baddoo, signed to a deal that grants him a 40-man roster spot (though not a place on the Opening Day roster), played a fair amount in center as a rookie in 2021. He hasn't spent meaningful time there since 2022, and is strictly an emergency option, but he gives the team even more insurance. It doesn't stop there. Minor-league prospect Luis Lara will likely be in Triple-A Nashville, while Braylon Payne will patrol center for High-A Wisconsin. The Brewers could also move prospects like Jesús Made and Luis Peña to center to accommodate other prospects, although at the moment, that seems very unlikely. In short, center field could be in flux for a long time in Milwaukee, but in this case, it’s a sign of the immense depth and drafting success the team has had. Mitchell or Chourio could seize the gig on a more lasting basis, but that seems unlikely at this juncture. Who should be in center field for the Brewers in 2026? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

There was a time (roughly the spring of 2018) when Scott Kingery represented one of the more intriguing names across the baseball landscape. Had the Chicago Cubs brought him into their organization at any point around that particular moment, then his involvement in a potential roster would've had a bit of juice to it. We're far removed from such a time, however. Kingery signed a pre-debut extension as a top prospect with the Philadelphia Phillies in March of 2018. The contract carried club options for 2024 through 2026. Unlike many of his counterparts that have signed that type of deal, there wasn't really a point where the contract looked like a win for the Phillies. Kingery posted a wRC+ of just 61 across 484 plate appearances in 2018. He improved to 100 in 500 PA the following season and showed a bit of pop (.216 ISO), but flamed out entirely during the COVID sprint of 2020 (36 wRC+). After toiling largely in Triple-A for the next four seasons — the final two of which he never appeared at the major-league level — Kingery was sent to the Los Angeles Angels for cash last November. After an uninspiring 29 plate appearances, he was outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency. That's where the Cubs enter the picture. Kingery signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs earlier this month. It's entirely possible that his initial signing on December 2 is the last we hear of him as a noteworthy member of the organization. With the way his career has transpired, one would really have to stretch to see this as a signing anything beyond its literal significance: depth. There's no logical reason to expect him to ply his trade at Wrigley Field outside of injury to one of the team's current position players. With that said, there's been almost no activity to speak of on the part of the Cubs in building up their positional depth this winter (let alone adding a legitimate component to their lineup), save for their very cheap acquisition of Tyler Austin. They've made signings to build up their bullpen again, but outside of the odd Alex Bregman whispers, there's been nothing even speculated. Such is the nature of a tight-lipped franchise like the Cubs, compounded with their relative inactivity in making outside additions. That context does add a least a little bit of uncertainty as to whether the Cubs will seek additional roster depth or give Kingery a legitimate shot to win a bench job in the spring. Even if it's unwise to award a roster spot to a player who hasn't posted a positive fWAR at the top level since 2019, it's also not an impossible image to project. Kingery's value at this point lies almost exclusively in his versatility. He logged time in the Angels organization last year at second base, third base, shortstop, and all three outfield spots. He was perfectly adequate at each, with his worst Outs Above Average in small samples unfolding at second (-1 in 53 innings) and shortstop (also -1 in 13 innings) while with the big-league club. Of course, the caveat to that is that you're not getting anything with the bat. Kingery's wRC+ in his 19 games with the Angels was just nine, and it was only 58 while in Triple-A. Factor in a career strikeout rate over 28 percent that is hardly compensated for with a walk rate under seven percent, and there's very little to speak of in terms of offensive value. At the same time, the Cubs just spent a season rolling out the likes of Jon Berti, Vidal Bruján, Gage Workman, Nicky Lopez, and a post-deadline Willi Castro among their reserves last year. It's not entirely unreasonable to think they'd give Kingery a little bit of run as a versatile bench piece if they're unable to fill such a role elsewhere. At least with his presence, you have coverage for Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson and a late-game insertion option in the event that you need to deploy a pinch hitter whose defensive chops aren't completely trustworthy (like Moisés Ballesteros). In an ideal world, the Cubs are thinking bigger for their lineup than Scott Kingery. While the versatility will play, the absence of any offensive value is something we saw become a major issue for Chicago out of their depth last year. If lessons were learned, then perhaps they shoot higher as the offseason wears on. But it's also not entirely unreasonable to imagine a path to playing time considering the lack of movement for the Cubs thus far. View the full article

If everything goes to plan, Mason Miller could be striking out Shohei Ohtani for the final out of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. That is because Miller, the San Diego Padres' closer, was named to the U.S. roster on Thursday. Miller joins starters Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, and Logan Webb, among others, as committing to play for the U.S. Skubal and Skenes were this year's AL and NL Cy Young Award winners, respectively. Miller, acquired by the Padres at the trade deadline from the Athletics, notched 22 saves in 26 chances between the two teams, including two saves in three opportunities with San Diego. Miller mainly served as the setup man for Robert Suarez, who was a free agent this offseason and recently signed with Atlanta. Miller has a 0.77 ERA and 1.12 FIP in 22 appearances with the Padres. He had a 54.2 strikeout percentage after the trade. View the full article