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Following the Twins' introductory presser with Derek Shelton, media members held a scrum with Derek Falvey on what's ahead on their offseason agenda. Theo was a part of the scrum, and from what he heard from Falvey, it doesn't sound like much will be changing from the last two offseasons. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs ended their 2025 campaign with a game started by Drew Pomeranz. There was a time (before the Covid-19 pandemic) when that sentence wouldn't have seemed crazy, but that was also the last time that it wouldn't have. Since then, Pomeranz has transitioned from a starting pitcher to strictly a two-pitch reliever. Shota Imanaga, who was on regular rest, spent the entire game in the bullpen. There are many reasons the Cubs didn’t win the World Series in 2025, but their loss in Game 5 was truly a microcosm of what was wrong with the roster. They were one pitcher short, relying too much on a bullpen to hide the deficiencies of their rotation.. Jed Hoyer, in his end-of-year press conference, essentially admitted as much, speaking of how difficult it was for the team to make the additions they wished they could at the deadline. This will have change as the team looks to build on their 92-win season in 2026. Luckily for the Cubs, there are many options on the market. If they would like to attack the free-agent class, top-line arms such as Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease and Ranger Suárez are all available to be signed while surrendering draft-pick compensation. If they don't love any of these options, they could look to the trade market, hoping that the prices on Joe Ryan, MacKenzie Gore or Edward Cabrera have come down. Instead, though, the Cubs may look to a place they have looked multiple times in the last few seasons: across the Pacific Ocean, to Japan. Enter: Tatsuya Imai, a 27-year-old right-handed pitcher from Japan's top flight, Nippon Professional Baseball. Imai's club, the Seibu Lions, have confirmed their intentions to allow the pitcher to come to America this offseason. His agent, Scott Boras, said Wednesday that the hurler will officially be posted on November 19, which is next Wednesday. Imai is likely to have plenty of suitors, and his contract is expected to rival those in the top tier of free agency, with The Athletic predicting he will earn north of $140 million. The Cubs have not been a team we associate with big-time free-agent contracts in recent years, but I think the righty may be the type of player the Cubs will be willing to break the bank on. To understand why the Cubs may target Imai, we need to first understand what the Cubs rotation lacks: strikeouts. In terms of ERA, the Cubs finished in the top 10, but they were 23rd in strikeout rate. Chicago’s defense is excellent, but adding more swing-and-miss would give the team’s run prevention a needed boost, and the Japanese star would certainly do that. He struck out 27.8% of all hitters and over 31% of righties in 2025. Ben Brown is the only Cub who made more than five starts with the team and struck out even 25% of opposing hitters. There is a caveat. Imai's fastball isn't going to be nearly as special in terms of velocity when he comes over. However, I don't think this will scare off the Cubs. To put it in context, in NPB, Imai had the second-fastest fastball in the league, clocking in around the 95-mph mark and touching 99 on occasion. When he comes over, though, his fastball will be around average for a right-handed starter in Major League Baseball, which was 94.6 mph last year. The good news for Imai is that his arm angle is funky, which should allow him to create deception. While NPB does not make arm angle public on their tracking site, it's likely that his angle will put him around the flattest in baseball. Compare the above video of Imai to the below video of Seattle Mariners' starter Bryan Woo. Woo clocks in around a 23° arm angle, the 12th-flattest of any starter in 2025. I expect Imai to be in that range. Uk8yeU5fWGw0TUFRPT1fVUFVSFZGUUhYd2NBWEFSVUFBQUhBVkFFQUZrRFUxa0FVRlVNVWxJRlV3b0RVVkZR.mp4 While I hesitate to compare the two directly in terms of fastball value, Woo's fastball sat at 95.6 mph last year. And while the shape of Woo's fastball is good, grading out on FanGraphs's Stuff+ as a 105, on shape and velocity alone, it falls short of elite. Despite that, Woo's fastball performs among the best in the league. It's pretty well-known that the Cubs, who threw the most four-seam fastballs of any team in 2025, value the pitch highly. While we shouldn’t expect Imai to duplicate Woo’s success with the four-seam fastball, it also wouldn’t be surprising to see the Cubs attempt to use Woo as a template for what can be done. The Cubs have managed to squeeze extra velocity out of a few arms in their system over the years, and when you add year two of Tyler Zombro and everything Tread Athletics can do, it gives the Cubs a strong foundation to help get the most out of him. Imai may never dominate on velocity alone, but I think there’s potential for the pitch with a good fastball organization, like the Cubs. Imai’s most unique offering is his "slider". I'm going to be careful what I call it, though. It's not really a slider, at least in the traditional sense, because Imai throws his with arm-side run. This effectively makes it a “reverse” breaking ball, or screwball, running toward a right-handed batter instead of away from them (as most righties’ sliders do). I suspect that Stuff+ models will hate the pitch, but the results in Japan were stunning. The slider generated a 45.9% swing-and-miss rate, which would have placed it in the top 10 in whiff rate in MLB. It's fair to wonder how the pitch will play against American big-league hitters due to its unique nature, but if there's one thing I'm confident about, it’s that the Cubs aren't afraid of a funky pitch. Due to his slider-fastball combination, Imai has been absolutely deadly against right handed hitters. On the surface, this makes sense; both of these pitches play up against like-handed hitters before we factor in the funk factor of his delivery or slider profile. Beyond that, it would appear as though he added a sinker to his repertoire late in the season—yet another pitch that will help him navigate the best righty batters in the world. It’s great to have all of these offerings, but there’s a drawback; none of these pitches are great against left-handed hitters, and this has been a general Achilles heel for him over his career in NPB. One of the hallmarks of the Cubs pitching staff in 2025 was their on-the-fly development of changeups, a pitch often used to attack opposite-handed hitters. Both Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon, who badly needed an extra offering, developed very strong kick-changes before or during the 2025 season. It wouldn't appear as though Imai would be a direct candidate for the kick-change like the other two, as he tends to be more of a pronator to begin with. (The kick-change, which involves using the placement of the middle finger to "kick" the spin axis sideways as the ball comes off the fingers, has usually been a tool employed by pitchers who tend to supinate and specialize in glove-side movement.) Despite that, an organization who can continue to get the best ot his changeup is likely the organization willing to spend big on the pitcher to begin with. Before 2025, Imai had terrible walk issues with lefties, specifically, walking 11% of them in 2024. He developed a better changeup in 2025, which dropped his walk rate against lefties to 8.5% and allowed him to make major strides in terms of run prevention against them. The Cubs, an organization that excels at teaching the changeup, would continue to work with the pitcher to solve this issue. It's likely that this isn't entirely behind him, as the step up in competition will push him to his limits. I don't think that the overall package that Imai has today puts him in the same tier as Yoshinobu Yamamoto was when he came over from NPB two offseasons ago; I don't think anyone does. Even the priciest predictions have Imai making around half of the $325 million that Yamamoto got from the Dodgers. But he's also a clear step above what Shota Imanaga was when the Cubs signed him, and he's proven capable of being somewhere between a second starter and a fourth-best option. I wouldn't expect Imai to headline a rotation, but I do think there's more than enough clay to mold a front-line option. There are probably going to be some tweaks. Imai's fastball location leaves something to be desired; the changeup is just starting out and likely needs refinement; and it will take a good organization to best use Imai's funky reverse slider. Still, I think he fits into how the Cubs view pitchers. They love four-seam fastballs, lower arm slots, changeups and funk. Imai fits Chicago in other ways, too. The Cubs have been active in scouting Japanese players under Hoyer. They have signed both Seiya Suzuki and Imanaga. They have been major players, regardless of outcome, when it comes to Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki. They have even reportedly offered a contract to 22-year-old, undrafted NPB outfielder Kotaru Tsunematsu (though we are unsure if he's accepted as of writing this article, and he seems as likely to become a force in their front office someday as to blossom on the field). He's also the right age for this kind of investment. Pitchers rarely hit the market at the age of 27. While the Cubs have shied away from big contracts, their two biggest signings of the last decade were offered to 26-year-old Jason Heyward and 29-year-old Dansby Swanson. Pitchers are aging better than hitters lately, too. Will Imai end up in Chicago? It’s no sure thing. The New York Mets are interested, and have recently signed Kodai Senga. The New York Yankees are always a premium destination and are looking for pitchers. There will be plenty of competition. But I also feel like this is a unique situation in which the pitcher's style aligns with much of what the Cubs like. Coming over from Japan, there is no draft-pick compensation attached, which is likely a factor for the Cubs. Taking all these factors in conjunction, I think the Cubs are going to put him very high on their offseason list. If the Cubs are going to spend $150 million on a player, Imai is probably the type they are willing to look at. View the full article

With Shane Bieber opting into his contract for the 2026 MLB season, the Toronto Blue Jays might have the front end of the rotation more or less set, with Kevin Gausman and Bieber leading the way. Bounce-back candidate José Berríos and promising rookie Trey Yesavage will presumably play roles in the middle of the rotation for the Jays this upcoming season. So, Toronto doesn't necessarily need to blow the bank to round out its starting rotation. Here, we will take a look at three free agent starting pitchers the Jays could pursue, all of whom will likely be available on shorter, less expensive deals than the arms at the very top of the market. Tyler Mahle Prior to 2025, Tyler Mahle would have been an under-the-radar candidate for contenders looking to fill out their rotations. That is because with a career ERA above 4.00, along with his injury woes in recent years, teams would have been more wary about his consistency and durability over an entire season. Yet, Mahle managed to put together the best season of his MLB career in 2025 with the Texas Rangers. He posted a 6-4 record with a tidy 2.18 ERA and 1.13 WHIP, while giving up only five home runs in 86 2/3 innings pitched over 16 starts. His ability to prevent the long ball in recent years could come in handy for the Blue Jays in the hitter-friendly confines of the Rogers Centre. Having also just turned 31, Mahle should have plenty of gas left in the tank in the coming seasons (presuming he can stay healthy) to help Toronto build sustainable winning success going forward. Lucas Giolito Lucas Giolito was a revelation for the Boston Red Sox after returning from UCL surgery that wiped out his 2024 season. To complement Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, Giolito posted a strong 10-4 record with a 3.41 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, together with 121 strikeouts in 145 innings pitched over 26 starts. Unfortunately, the 31-year-old right-hander suffered a right elbow injury in late September that ended up keeping him out of action during the postseason. Without the services of Giolito, the Red Sox were eliminated by the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card Series. Giolito would slot in nicely behind Gausman and Bieber to form a dominant trio for the Jays’ rotation in 2026. Given his past success pitching in the AL while playing for the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels and the Red Sox, the nine-year veteran should transition in seamlessly playing for Toronto. Brandon Woodruff Another elite pitching option that performed well after coming off surgery that kept him out of action for 2024, Brandon Woodruff returned to form just in time for the Milwaukee Brewers during the latter half of the 2025 season. He would compile a stellar 7-2 record with a 3.20 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, giving up just 14 walks while striking out 83 batters in just 64 2/3 innings of work over 12 starts down the stretch. Yet, similar to Giolito above, Woodruff would also miss the 2025 postseason due to a right lat strain that he sustained towards the end of September. As a result, the Brewers were also disposed of during the playoffs at the hands of the eventual champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. One advantage Woodruff has over the two other candidates above is that when he is on his game, he can actually be one of the best in the league. However, his durability has always been an issue, having made more than 22 starts only twice during the past six seasons. That limits his overall potential impact. But, if the Blue Jays can bet on a clean bill of health for the veteran 32-year-old pitcher, Woodruff could turn out to be a huge steal this offseason for Toronto. View the full article

The Red Sox are in need of some starting pitching, and while there is some depth in the free agent market, Dylan Cease, Tatsuya Imai, and Zac Gallen are three of the more interesting names to consider. View the full article

Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Toronto Blue Jays are expected to be suitors for former Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks. Today, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic confirmed and expanded on that rumor. Bannon reported that the teams are targeting high-leverage relievers in free agency and identified Devin Williams, Phil Maton, and "other similar relievers" in addition to Fairbanks. Williams struggled through 67 appearances for the Bronx Bombers, logging 62 innings pitched in relief. Though he posted a career-high 4.79 ERA, his 2.68 FIP suggests he was better than the surface stat indicates. On the other hand, his K-BB rate of 25.0%, which would be considered low for most pitchers, was below his career average. If we can point to one thing as the reason for his struggles, it would be his league-worst 55.2% strand rate—a number roughly 20 points below his career norm and typically not predictive from one season to another. MLBTR projects him to net $68 million over four years. Maton appeared in 63 games between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers in 2026. He recorded a strong 2.79 ERA backed by an even better 2.60 FIP. Additionally, he posted a solid 23.4% K-BB rate. MLBTR named him an honorable mention on their top 50 free agents list, but didn't provide a contract prediction. Who are other high-leverage relievers you'd like to see the Blue Jays pursue? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

For the Chicago Cubs, when it comes to first base, Michael Busch will start for the next five years, health and skills permitting. After a tremendous 34-homer, 94-RBI season, we should expect him to man the position for the foreseeable future. The only nit to pick is his stats against left-handed pitching: a .207/.274/.368 batting line with only four home runs in 95 plate appearances. The recently-jettisoned clubhouse favorite Justin Turner sopped up some of those at-bats against southpaws in 2025 to varying degrees of effectiveness. With him now (likely) out of the picture, Cubs seem like a good fit for a right-handed bat who will be content playing on the short side of a platoon, but the opportunity to be creative is here if the Cubs want to upgrade in multiple areas. Note that we'll be using MLB Trade Rumors' expert predictions for each player's projected contract on this list. THE PERFECT FIT Paul Goldschmidt, Yankees: Projected contract of one-year, $8 million The 38-year-old veteran fits the lefty masher profile. He did, in fact, mash lefties last season to the tune of .336/.411/.570 line while a member of the Yankees. At his age, the market will not yield a major contract for him in years or dollars; he played last year on a one-year deal for just $12 million. After losing time to Ben Rice in New York, Goldschmidt reportedly wants a cleaner path to playing time in 2026 and is amenable to a short-term deal. The Cubs would be the perfect landing spot for him. There would be plenty of opportunities at the cold corner when Busch sits, as well as potential turns at DH from time to time. Goldschmidt would also be a perfect Justin Turner replacement in the clubhouse. All one has to do is Google the phrase "Paul Goldschmidt teammate" and page upon page of results pop up, all of them reflecting a positive impact. He would theoretically be the perfect fit for the Cubs roster on a one-year deal. Verdict: A perfect fit for what the Cubs would be looking for at this position in 2026. OTHER POSSIBLE FITS Kazuma Okamoto, Japan: Projected contract of four-years, $64 million Okamoto can play third or first and would be a theoretical fit that was already discussed on this fine website. His Cubs candidacy is tricky, especially because he'd be getting starter money for a utility or bench role. It's unclear is if he would be willing to come play in a non-full-time role; Matt Shaw seems established at third for now, and of course Busch is entrenched at first. Verdict: A great fit who would raise the talent in the lineup and add depth to the bench. Highly unlikely due to price tag and role questions. Josh Bell, Nationals: Projected contract of one-year, $5 million Bell is somewhat of a poor fit for the Cubs' needs. He only hit .151 against left-handed pitching this past season—at that number, Busch is a better option. Still only 33 years old, Bell may also be looking for a more consistent starting role like the one he had in Washington this year. If the Cubs are looking for Busch to get a breather and DH insurance for Moises Ballesteros, Bell could fit the bill. He's been known to have nuclear months at the plate as well. In September, for example, he slashed posted a 145 wRC+ with six home runs. He'd add another streaky layer to an already-streaky offense, but there's a lot of talent in his bat. Of course, streakiness can go both ways. In April 2025, Bell posted a .503 OPS. If such a stretch were to happen for the Cubs in, say, August of this year, the streak issue would be amplified. Defensively, Bell adds nothing of value. Verdict: Bell is the type of player Jed Hoyer signs only if the terms are in the Cubs' favor and other options fall flat. Not a likely player to target, but one that could fall to Chicago if the price is right. UNLIKELY OPTIONS Ryan O'Hearn, Padres: Projected contract of two-years, $26 million Historically a bat that is platooned against left-handed pitching, similar to Michael Busch. O'Hearn would be redundant, although he could fill in a corner outfield spot as well. Luis Arraez, Padres: Projected contract of two-years, $24 million Arraez simply doesn't fit the Cubs' analytic model on offense. It would be fun to watch him and Nico Hoerner in a home run derby though. THE SHOCKER Pete Alonso, Mets: Projected contract of four-years, $110 million Slugging from the right-hand side of the plate is a need. Extreme power is a need for every franchise. Pete Alonso fits both of these needs, but can only play first base. No, let's not start the Michael Busch to second base narrative again, but Alonso could make sense with some creativity. In 2025, Alonso hit for a higher average than the past two seasons, batting .278 after a few poor efforts prior seasons. The power has not fluctuated, though. Since 2021, he's totaled between 34 and 46 home runs every season. He's not a plate approach genius (53rd percentile walk rate), but not a whiff king either (40th percentile for strikeout rate). The Cubs do sorely need power, which Alonso would provide. The question is, of course, how they will value the profile of an aging first baseman. Alonso is represented by Scott Boras and is reported to be seeking a seven-year deal. With him entering his 30s, the question will be how hard the aging curve strikes. He's already a negative defender and baserunner; if the bat and power wanes over time, the decline phase would be a real burden at his proposed cost. It does not seem like the type of profile Hoyer tends to gamble on. Alonso would also make Michael Busch redundant and force one of them to DH more often than either would like, which is an issue with a roster that already has Seiya Suzuki and Moises Ballesteros. Verdict: Would be a fun, exciting signing, but unlikely given the risk and cost. Ultimately, Busch has earned the runway to start at first base. This front office, though, values optionality over pretty much anything else procedure wise. A veteran southpaw masher fits their needs. Anything more would be an interesting pivot for a team that has bigger holes to fill elsewhere on the roster. View the full article

The Twins’ farm system continued to show its strength in 2025, with several top names taking significant steps forward while others refined their games against tougher competition. Each of Minnesota’s top five prospects provided new clues about what kind of player they could become at the next level. Two of those players joined the organization during last season’s trade deadline sell-off, when Minnesota moved veteran pieces to restock a thinning prospect pool. Those deals, combined with strong player development and recent draft success, have helped the Twins build one of baseball’s highest-ranked farm systems. The group is now deep, balanced, and full of players who project to make an impact in the near future, with the five names at the top standing out as the foundation for that success. Walker Jenkins: He’s The Best Twins Prospect Since… Jenkins entered the season with enormous expectations, and he somehow managed to exceed them. After dominating at Double A (154 wRC+), Jenkins was promoted to Triple-A St. Paul before his 21st birthday, a rare feat even for baseball’s best prospects. The Twins have been aggressive with him, despite injuries causing him to miss time in his first two pro seasons. Scouts have compared his combination of bat speed, plate discipline, and raw power to the early days of Joe Mauer or Byron Buxton, two of the best prospects in Twins history. Minnesota hasn’t had a prospect this complete in years, and his ceiling looks every bit as high as advertised. Kaelen Culpepper: He Can Stick at Shortstop When the Twins selected Culpepper out of Kansas State, there were questions about whether he would eventually move to third base. This season, he silenced those doubts. His footwork, range, and arm strength all took visible steps forward; he handled every defensive challenge thrown his way. Offensively, his consistent contact and improving gap power (138 wRC+) make him a valuable piece for the organization’s future infield plans. Jenkins gets a lot of the prospect love, but Culpepper has a chance to be an All-Star. For a team looking to build around athletic, versatile players, Culpepper’s progress was a significant win. Eduardo Tait: He’s the Organization’s Catcher of the Future It’s been a while since the Twins have had a catching prospect who looked like a long-term answer behind the plate, but Tait is quickly changing that narrative. Minnesota acquired him as the headliner in the Jhoan Duran trade. The young Panamanian backstop made a name for himself in 2025 with strong defensive skills and advanced pitch-framing ability for his age. Even more encouraging was his offensive consistency, showing power to all fields with a 103 wRC+, despite being one of the youngest players in the Midwest League. If his development continues on this trajectory, he could become the everyday catcher by the time the next core of Twins prospects reaches Target Field. Emmanuel Rodriguez: His OBP Is Still High, Even Against Advanced Pitching Rodriguez’s on-base skills have always been elite, and that remained true in 2025 despite facing more advanced competition. His walk rate has stayed above 21% over the last two seasons at Triple-A, while being over four years younger than the average age of the competition. Pitchers continued to challenge him with breaking balls and elevated fastballs, but his strike-zone judgment held firm. Even when his batting average dipped (down 11 points compared to 2024), Rodriguez found ways to get on base and impact games. While he still needs to cut down on swing-and-miss tendencies, his approach gives him a high floor as a future regular who can provide power and patience in the middle of the order. Mick Abel: He Has the Chance to Be the Next Joe Ryan Acquired from Philadelphia (along with Tait), Abel joined the Twins organization with high expectations. His fastball played well up in the zone, and his curveball showed the kind of late movement that generates weak contact and strikeouts (39.1 Whiff%). There were some rough patches during his first taste of the big leagues, but even future All-Stars can struggle early in their careers. The Twins’ player development staff will get an entire offseason to work with him to refine his pitch mix, with a chance for him to take the next step in 2026. Much like Joe Ryan before him, Abel combines competitiveness with plus stuff, and if he establishes better control, he could be the next pitcher to thrive under Minnesota’s pitching development model. The Twins’ top five prospects each progressed in meaningful ways in 2025, from flashing elite hitting potential to steady defensive growth and emerging leadership. Four of these players could impact the big-league roster next season. For a team looking to put the last two seasons in the rearview mirror, that's exciting. As the organization looks to sustain success at the major-league level, this group constitutes a strong foundation for the next wave of talent ready to make its mark in Minnesota. What stands out about Minnesota’s top five prospects and their 2025 performances? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The last thing I expected to see this offseason was the Miami Marlins spending money on an old, left-handed-hitting outfielder. Although we are still many steps away from that coming to fruition, Mike Yastrzemski is "one possibility for them," Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports. Yastrzemski has been a consistently average-to-very-good player ever since he debuted in the majors in 2019. This past season was on track to be arguably the worst of his career, but a deadline deal sending Yaz to the Kansas City Royals rejuvenated his bat. In 146 total games in 2025, he slashed .233/.333/.403 with 17 home runs and seven stolen bases, accumulating 2.4 fWAR. He turned 35 in August. As Morosi noted in his report, Marlins general manager Gabe Kapler was the San Francisco Giants manager from 2020-2023. Yastrzemski was on the team throughout Kapler's tenure. It would still be a peculiar roster fit and use of resources. All-Star Kyle Stowers and standout rookie Jakob Marsee—both of whom also hit from the left side—are projected to be everyday starters for the Marlins. Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernández could theoretically platoon to adequately fill the remaining corner outfield spot. Yastrzemski has generally rated well defensively, but his glove wouldn't be a clear upgrade over any of those names, particularly at this stage of his career. Starting Yastrzemski primarily as Miami's designated hitter would add some value. However, that implies Agustín Ramírez will continue catching on a regular basis, and his struggles there would negate a lot of the offensive boost. Maybe the Marlins intend to convert somebody to first base? That is their most glaring hole entering 2026. Yaz has no professional experience at the position, for what it's worth. View the full article

It seems as though the second base position has been cursed for the Boston Red Sox ever since Manny Machado slid spikes up into Dustin Pedroia’s knee, effectively ending his career. In the ensuing years, the position has been a revolving door for the team. There was some hope that Kristian Campbell would be able to step in and become the second baseman of the future after he broke camp with the big league club for the 2025 season, but that experiment lasted around a month before major league pitching caught up with him and he finished his season in Triple-A Worcester. Even if there's hope that his bat will turn around, his defense was so putrid that it's hard to rely on him to run away with the job in 2026. There’s some hope that Marcelo Mayer could be the person to solidify the position, but he’s better suited for shortstop or third base, and his struggles to stay healthy give a bit of pause for concern. Trevor Story could slide to second to play Mayer at his natural position, but would the team do that to a veteran player coming off such a strong season? Probably not, unless Story himself advocated for the position switch. On top of that, President of Baseball Operations Craig Breslow confirmed that Story would be the shortstop moving forward. That leaves us scouring the free-agent market to see just who could plug into second base for at least the 2026 season and offer more than just a warm body to the Red Sox. Get ready, because the second base market is about as shallow as the wading section at your local pool. Gleyber Torres (29, 2.6 fWAR) Projected Contract Analyst Length AAV Total Jim Bowden 4-years $13 million $52 million Kiley McDaniel 3-years $19 million $57 million Torres had a rebound season in Detroit after signing a one-year, prove-it contract before the 2025 season. He slashed .256/.358/.387 with 16 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a 113 wRC+. He played 134 games at second this season while committing five errors with a .990 fielding percentage. He’s earned a longer-term contract than he had going into the 2025 season, but he leaves a lot to be desired from a consistency standpoint. He's streaky, just a year removed from the worst season of his career where he was almost a walking strikeout. If this is the best the team can do, they may be better off hoping an internal option presents itself during spring training instead. He also has a qualifying offer attached to him, and that could keep the Red Sox from being interested in the former Yankee. Jorge Polanco (32, 2.6 fWAR) Projected Contract Analyst Length AAV Total Jim Bowden 2-years $13 million $26 million Kiley McDaniel 2-years $13 million $26 million Ben Clemens 2-years $15 million $30 million Much like Torres above, Polanco had his best statistical season in ages in 2025. He slashed .265/.326/.495 with 26 home runs, 78 RBIs, and posted a 132 wRC+. He had the potential to be a playoff hero for the Mariners until a cold spell slowed him down in the ALCS. The biggest issue here is that Polanco is 32 and he saw more time at DH (88 games) than second base (38 games). He can’t be trusted to take on a full season at second anymore and still produce those kinds of offensive numbers. He’s likely in line for a two-year deal and paying someone who is a bat-first second baseman doesn’t make sense for the Red Sox. who can turn to Kristian Campbell for the same purpose. It’s telling that the Mariners opted to not extend a qualifying offer to Polanco, as his age and lack of positional versatility are working against him in a weak market. Ha-Seong Kim (30, 0.3 fWAR) Projected Contract Analyst Length AAV Total Jim Bowden 3-years $13 million $39 million Kiley McDaniel 1-year $16 million $16 million Tim Britton 3-years $16.7 million $50 million Kim only played in 48 games this season, so take his stats with a grain of salt. He slashed .234/.304/.345 with five home runs, 17 RBIs, six stolen bases, and posted an 82 wRC+. He’s a shortstop first, so we have to get a bit creative here, but if he would shift to second it would take strain off his him throwing arm and hopefully allow him to get back to where he was pre-injury. I’m struggling to see a multi-year deal for Kim, though, and I think he’s going to have to sign a one-year, prove-it deal. He declined a player option with the Braves for $16 million, so he will likely be looking to get above that, but he may end up settling for less when push comes to shove. That’s a pretty thin market if you ask me. There are other names out there like Luis Rengifo, who has all the tools to be a successful second baseman now that he’s moved there full time, but he’s been unable to put it together so far. Luis Arraez is another second baseman that technically checks the boxes for the Red Sox, and he could be a buy-low candidate after a tough season, but it’s hard to see the team handing him a multi-year contract at this point in his career when he played just 14 games out of 154 at second base in 2025. He profiles as a first baseman now, but one without pop. Given the state of the market, the Red Sox are likely going to have to hope that an internal name breaks out as their next second baseman, or make a trade that no one sees coming to fill the glaring hole up the middle. Can I interest anyone in Ketel Marte? View the full article

Speaking to DiamondCentric's John Bonnes at the GM Meetings on Wednesday, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said the Jays "definitely, definitely have interest" in extending Daulton Varsho, who is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility. "The interest is definitely there," said Atkins. "I can't say enough about Daulton, the player, the person, the teammate. He checks all the boxes we're looking for." The GM did not want to speak about any potential negotiations, but from his tone, it certainly seems like an extension for Varsho will be one of the team's priorities this winter. Varsho, widely considered one of the best defensive outfielders in the league, is coming off an injury-shortened but highly promising 2025 campaign. Tapping into his power like never before, he hit 20 home runs in 71 contests, with a career-best .833 OPS, .341 xwOBA, and 123 wRC+. He finished with 2.2 fWAR and 2.8 bWAR in less than half a season of games. Featured image courtesy of Kiyoshi Mio, Imagn Images. View the full article

John Bonnes, covering for Diamondcentric, was at the MLB GM meetings today and spoke with Kansas City Royals general manager JJ Picollo for a few minutes. Picollo, in his fourth season as head front office honcho in Kansas City, had some interesting things to say about their latest coaching and roster additions, as well as what they may be looking to do this offseason. Thus, let's take a look at four takeaways from Picollo's comments at the GM meetings with John. Thames and Dawson Should Fit With Zumwalt's Philosophy The Royals have filled out their hitting staff by hiring Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames, who come over from the Brewers and White Sox, respectively. That said, while they will bring fresh perspectives to the Royals coaching staff, they seem to align with the philosophy and approach of lead hitting coach Alec Zumwalt, who was retained for another season. Here's what Picollo said about their two new coaching additions. Picollo's comments about building the coaching staff like a team were interesting and give credence to the Royals' decision to acquire two different kinds of coaches: Dawson, a younger, analytical type, and Thames, a more seasoned hitting coach with Major League experience. The Royals took a step forward in 2024 by creating a roster with the right mix of youth and veterans. It seems like Picollo was keen on doing that with his hitting team this offseason. Regardless, the Royals seem to have confidence in Zumwalt and believe in his philosophy and his ability as hitting coach. However, it looks like Picollo feels that Zumwalt has better people around him in Dawson and Thames who can help the Royals produce results on the hitting side in 2026 and hopefully, beyond. Black Likely Pitching in the Bullpen Picollo talked a bit about Mason Black, who was acquired by the Royals yesterday from San Francisco in exchange for pitching prospect Logan Martin, who pitched primarily in High-A Quad Cities last season. The former third-round pick rotated between the rotation and bullpen during his brief time in San Francisco. However, it seems like Picollo and the Royals are more focused on him starting in relief for now, heading into Spring Training. It doesn't seem like Picollo is ruling out the rotation completely for Black. That said, their newest pitcher will likely have a better shot of making the Opening Day roster as a reliever. Thus, how his stuff plays up in relief this spring could determine if he can find a role in the Royals' bullpen. A velocity increase or repertoire modification could help him find a place in a Royals bullpen that is looking for help in terms of strikeouts (they ranked 29th in K/9 as a bullpen last year). Don't Expect Any Extensions Soon After Bobby Witt Jr. earned an extension after the 2023 season, many Royals fans have wondered if another young Royals player may be getting an extension this offseason. After all, Maikel Garcia made the All-Star team and posted a 5.6 fWAR. Vinnie Pasquantino led the team with 32 home runs. Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone both made the Major Leagues and showed flashes of promise in their rookie debuts. However, Picollo mentioned that an extension doesn't seem to be a priority just yet, based on Picollo's comments at the GM meetings. It was interesting that he mentioned Bubic as a higher priority because the lefty is in his last year of team control. Still, he didn't quite mention an extension specifically for him. Does that mean he's a trade candidate? Or is Picollo holding his cards close to the chest with a possible Bubic deal? There's still some time to go, but any Royals fan expecting a Garcia or Pasquantino extension this offseason may be in for a rude awakening this winter. Royals Look to Be Active in the Trade and Free Agent Markets Picollo was asked about the large number of arbitration-eligible candidates, and he didn't necessarily dismiss it as a bad thing. Thus, while some players like Jonathan India and Bailey Falter may command high salaries this offseason, Picollo didn't hint that they would be non-tender candidates (or not just yet, anyways). Furthermore, Picollo also mentioned that the Royals would need to pursue multiple bats this offseason to improve the offense. Hence, he seemed more in favor of utilizing the trade market this offseason (though he's not completely abandoning free agents who could be a good fit). Picollo will likely add to the offense through free agency and trades, as he has in each of his previous offseasons as GM. However, his comments suggest that if the Royals make a significant player acquisition this offseason, it will be via trade rather than free agency. Thus, those Royals fans hoping for a big signing like Alex Bregman or Cody Bellinger this offseason may be sorely disappointed. View the full article

It sounds like the back-and-forth between the Chicago Cubs and starting pitcher Shota Imanaga and Naga will continue. After the team declined their option to extend Inaga for a fifth year, he declined the player's option that was triggered after that. While most thought that was the end of it, it was somewhat surprising to learn that the Cubs then tendered him a qualifying offer. Now, Jon Heyman of the NY Post is reporting that Shota Imanaga is expected to decline that qualifying offer. However, all is not lost, according to 670 The Score's Bruce Levine. Despite the back-and-forth that has resulted in Imanaga becoming a free agent, he cites the president of baseball operations, Jed Hoyer, in saying that there is no disconnect between the two sides. He adds that "a two-year deal of some kind could be worked out." Limited to 25 starts in 2025, Imanaga posted a 3.73 ERA (4.86 FIP) and a 16.% K-BB rate due to a low strikeout rate. He walked opposing hitters at an impressive 4.6% clip. His fastball accrued a Run Value (RV) of -10 in 2025, after an RV of +4 in 2024. While opponents hit just .227 off the pitch, they slugged .567 and had a .356 wOBA against the offering, including an astonishing 24 home runs. This was coupled with less effective secondary offerings, particularly his split finger, whose RV was cut in half from 2024 to 2025. MLBTR predicts Imanaga to get $45 million over three years. Do you think the Cubs should look to bring him back or pursue a higher-end starter? Let us know your comments! View the full article

Earlier this week, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said the Boston Red Sox's primary focus was on a front-line number two starter and a middle-of-the-order power bat. However, one report suggests they are interested in a high-end reliever. Will Sammon of The Athletic is reporting that the Boston Red Sox are interested in former Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees closer Devin Williams. Williams struggled through 67 appearances for the Bronx Bombers, logging 62 innings pitched in relief. Though he posted a career-high 4.79 ERA, his 2.68 FIP suggests he was better than the surface stat indicates. On the other hand, his K-BB rate of 25.0%, which would be considered low for most pitchers, was below his career average. If we can point to one thing as the reason for his struggles, it would be his league-worst 55.2% strand rate—a number roughly 20 points below his career norm and typically not predictive from one season to another. MLBTR projects him to net $68 million over four years. Do you think the Red Sox should pursue Williams in hopes of a rebound? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

Every offseason, we offer our You’re The GM! tool to build your ideal Brewers roster. This year, we’ve updated and streamlined the tool a bit to improve the experience. The idea behind this feature is to give fans a chance to play the role of General Manager (or CBO or PoBO… you get the idea) for their favorite team, the Milwaukee Brewers. It’s meant to give fans the opportunity to discuss (and, let’s be honest, argue) how they would approach the long, dark MLB offseason. This tool is intended to be informal and fun, so we’ve left it as open as possible. There is a payroll “budget” that loosely resembles the Brewers' 2025 payroll, but there is no penalty for going over that number. It’s a guideline, nothing more. Second, you can submit as many blueprints as you like throughout the offseason. As the offseason landscape changes, users often return multiple times over the winter and create new blueprints. Before we get into the breakdown of the tool, you can save your blueprint and come back to it at any time. The only restriction is that you must register an account on the site to create a blueprint (so we can save a draft for you and also post the blueprint for others to discuss). Let’s get into the tool itself. It has four quadrants that work best if addressed in a counter-clockwise order (this tool works much better on a desktop due to its complexity, but it will work on mobile devices if need be). Top Left: The 26-Man Roster We have created a rough guideline for the Brewers' 26-man roster today. The roster is flexible; you can add or remove players as you see fit. We’ve also included either guaranteed salaries or, in the case of arbitration and contract options, the recommendations of MLB Trade Rumors. This section is where you build your roster and make changes based on the following two sections. As you make changes to players and salaries, the total payroll number (right side of the screen) will change, allowing you to track your budget on the fly. The bottom field in both columns is for any dead money you assume during the course of your offseason. Acquiring dead money should be uncommon, but we want to give users the option to take on dead salary if it suits their purposes. Bottom Left: Arbitration & Trade Decisions Here, you will find a selection of arbitration options and internal options (usually from the 40-man roster or minor leagues) to assist in building your offseason roster. On the right-hand side of this column, you will see Trade Candidates, a list of the 40 players most likely to be traded this offseason, per MLB Trade Rumors. To help you get up to speed with these candidates, we offer a direct link to the MLBTR write-up on trade candidates. Bottom Right: Free Agents Here, you will find the top 50 free agents, again per MLB Trade Rumors. These are sorted by position to facilitate quickly finding your desired free agent and include the recommended salary for that player. Because this is a blueprint for a single year, we only include their projected salary for the coming season, not the number of years or anything else. To help you get up to speed with these free agents, we offer a direct link to the MLBTR write-up on the best 50 free agents available this winter. Top Right: Dead Money, Your Total Payroll, & Commentary The only unalterable field on the page is Dead Money; it is players to whom the team has committed money but has no reasonable way to get out of the contract. Below that, you will see the recommended budget, your current total, and the percentage you are over or under that budget. Again, keep in mind the budget is only a guideline, and you can go above it as much as you like… But defend your choices, coward! The following field is Title, which gives other users an idea of what to expect with your blueprint (e.g., Be Unreasonable, Sign Kyle Tucker!). When your blueprint posts for other users, it will read “Your Username’s 2025 Payroll Blueprint: Be Unreasonable, Sign Kyle Tucker!”. The following field is Your Comments & Explanation, a long-form field meant to type out the rationale behind your decisions. Here is the place to fully explain your trades (including which players are leaving the Brewers to bring in new players), why you targeted specific free agents, and any promotions from the minors you advocate or any options you declined to extend to a specific player. This is often multiple paragraphs; you can write up as much detail as you desire. That’s it, you’re done! At this point, you can either publish your blueprint to the forums or save it for later if you feel it’s incomplete. Thank you for joining us at Brewer Fanatic. I hope you enjoy playing the role of general manager, at least for a moment! Start Your Payroll Blueprint Now View the full article

Byron Buxton has never wavered when it comes to his feelings about the Minnesota Twins. He was asked at the All-Star Game, following the trade deadline, and after the team struggled down the stretch. He told anyone who would listen that he was a Twin for life. He refused to entertain trade rumors, insisting that he wanted to win in Minnesota. Even after the club dealt 10 players at the trade deadline, including several teammates he had grown close to, Buxton publicly held firm. To him, the jersey matters as much as the name on the back. For the first time, that unshakable loyalty may be cracking. According to reporting from The Athletic’s Dan Hayes, a major-league source indicated that Buxton may be reconsidering his no-trade stance if the Twins continue breaking apart their core. “Buxton, who turns 32 next month, wants to play for a winner,” Hayes wrote, suggesting that even the two-time All-Star’s patience has limits. With three years and $45 million remaining on his contract, and full no-trade protection, the idea that he would even consider leaving speaks volumes about where the organization stands. Ironically, this moment of doubt comes just after Buxton turned in the best season of his career. After years of injuries and limited playing time, he finally stayed on the field long enough to remind everyone why he’s been considered one of the most dynamic players in baseball. In the last week, he won his first Silver Slugger, and on Thursday, he has a chance to receive down-ballot AL MVP consideration. With Buxton healthy and productive, his trade value may never be higher. There are front offices across baseball that would jump at the chance to add a player with his skill set and leadership qualities, especially if they believe his health has turned a corner. That makes the current situation even more complicated for Minnesota. Trading him now could bring back a significant return, but it would also signal that the Twins are ready to reset their identity completely. A Reflection of Ownership If Buxton is truly reconsidering his loyalty to the Twins, it is less an indictment of him and more a reflection on the organization that let things reach this point. The Twins have long marketed themselves as a team built on relationships, culture, and stability. But when ownership signals an unwillingness to sustain payroll or invest in a winning roster, even the most committed players begin to lose faith. Team president Derek Falvey recently spoke about his approach to communicating with players amid uncertainty. “My view is you always want to be transparent and open with your players about where you’re headed and what it looks like, just like we were after the deadline,” Falvey said. “I’ve talked to Byron and other players through this offseason already about ways we can get better as a team. With Shelty coming in, you can already tell there’s a little bit of fresh ideas brewing around how do we make the team the best it can be, no matter who’s on the roster at that moment in time? My focus will continue to be on ways we can put players around the players that are on our roster and not subtract from it.” It is a reassuring sentiment, but one that rings hollow after a summer defined by subtraction. The players who remain—especially veterans like Buxton—have seen firsthand how quickly things can change. When ownership decides that financial flexibility matters more than roster continuity, even the strongest bonds begin to fray. Buxton has spent his entire career representing what the Twins claim to value most: loyalty, effort, and belief in the team’s long-term vision. To make a player like that question his future says something profound about the current state of the franchise. It suggests that the front office’s decisions and ownership’s indifference have eroded the trust of their most loyal star. Buxton’s potential willingness to waive his no-trade clause is more than a transaction rumor. It is a warning sign. For years, he stood as the embodiment of what it meant to be a Minnesota Twin. If even Buxton is starting to look elsewhere for hope, then maybe the organization needs to take a hard look at what it has become and who it is pushing away in the process. Will the Twins consider trading Buxton this winter? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The Cubs enjoyed a major free-agent success in each department of their roster in 2025. They signed Matthew Boyd to a two-year deal in late November 2024, and watched him emerge as their co-ace for much of the season. They picked up Carson Kelly in mid-December, and enjoyed his best season as a big-leaguer. Crucially, though, they also hit on multiple minor pickups in the bullpen. Most important among those was righty Brad Keller, whom they signed to a minor-league deal as a starter and who ended the year as their de facto closer. Keller, 30, is a free agent again after earning $1.5 million in 2025. He'll get a much bigger payday this time, and as he enters the market, the big question is whether he'll land a two- or a three-year deal. FanGraphs, ESPN and MLB Trade Rumors agree that Keller is in line for an annual average value in the $11 million range, but whether that stretches for two years or three could make a big difference in the chances of a reunion between the Cubs and their unexpected relief ace. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is a hardliner when it comes to reliever contracts. He's willing to embrace a bit of risk, but that has to come in the form of a free-agent deal he feels is rational. Otherwise, he's equally happy to let that risk take the form of building a relief corps with some lower-cost bets and some upside plays. "We've offered some [long deals to free-agent relievers]." Hoyer said at the GM Meetings Wednesday in Las Vegas. "I haven't given one out. So, I mean, it's not my favorite thing to do. I think that I prefer, you know, shorter commitments in the bullpen. But I'd never say never, like I said, we offered some last year. We just didn't win the bidding. So it's not, it's not a hard and fast rule. But I think you can, you can guess that we're probably going to be more focused on shorter commitments." The big deals he alluded to offering last year were to Tanner Scott, on whom the Cubs were willing to go to four years and roughly $70 million; and Kirby Yates, on whom the Cubs were ready to offer a second year but who preferred the Dodgers even on a one-year pact. While even a two-year deal at an eight-figure salary for Keller would come with a bit of sticker shock, it would be a very palatable alternative to a Scott-level deal for someone like Robert Suarez, of the Padres. One source familiar with the Cubs' thinking said the team considers Keller a priority winter target, but that they're very unlikely to stretch beyond two guaranteed years. A mutual or vesting option could be a way to satisfy both sides, if Keller is open to coming back. By every indication, he enjoyed his season with the team and would be happy to return, but this is the best chance he's likely to get at a major payday, so money will be a major factor. It's possible the Cubs would go further on AAV to keep it to a two-year deal. They might guarantee $25 million over that term, but balk at $34-35 million over three years. Creative structures (like the aforementioned mutual option, which would come with a buyout) could keep the annual real cost of Keller down for them, and the team is unlikely to exceed the competitive-balance tax threshold in 2026, so his AAV doesn't matter as much as the real dollars. Spreading money across a longer term doesn't hold much appeal for the Cubs, when it comes to Keller. They would want to get a shorter-term deal done. If a team steps up with an offer that bakes in some hope for Keller returning to a starting role, the Cubs will surely be outbid. He does have five pitches, which worked in concert beautifully in 2025. He's started so much during his career that some faith in his ability to return to that role is rational. A brief survey of sources in other front offices, however, found no team currently considering Keller as a candidate for a conversion back to the rotation. He's likely to make about $12 million, over either two years or three. If it be the former, there's a good chance the Cubs will be the team who signs him. If not, the odds tilt toward the righty finding a new home—and Chicago being left to chase still more bullpen help. View the full article

We know that Joe Mack will be protected by the Miami Marlins prior to Tuesday's deadline for Rule 5 draft-eligible players. Nobody else in the organization should be considered a lock to receive the same treatment, but right-hander Josh White checks almost every box that a relief pitcher can. A fifth-round pick out of UC Berkeley in 2022, White has gradually gotten better and better and better. 2022 minor league stats (Rookie ball/Low-A): 6.55 ERA and 14.0 K-BB% in 11.0 IP 2023 MiLB stats (Low-A/High-A): 3.46 ERA and 11.2 K-BB% in 65.0 IP 2024 MiLB stats (High-A/Double-A): 3.02 ERA and 21.9 K-BB% in 59.2 IP 2025 MiLB stats (Double-A/Triple-A): 1.86 ERA and 32.1 K-BB% in 67.2 IP And those are only regular season stats—the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp won the Triple-A National Championship this year with the help of White's three scoreless innings in the playoffs. At various points during his professional career, White has struggled with his control and missing bats against left-handed opponents. In 2025, however, there were no holes in his game, as illustrated by Prospect Savant. White worked himself into favorable counts, induced chases outside the strike zone at an elite rate and rarely got barreled even when allowing contact. The 24-year-old dominated in all situations and was remarkably consistent—he recorded strikeouts in 42 of 45 appearances, and even on his worst days, he never allowed more than two runs. At 93.8 mph, White's four-seam fastball velocity is a couple ticks below the average for MLB righty relievers. He compensates for that with an outlier, over-the-top arm angle that would be higher than any other Marlins pitcher. About three-quarters of White's strikeouts in 2025 came via his slider. Due to his release point and the difficulty that batters have distinguishing it from his fastball, it was an ideal putaway pitch. According to the Marlins' propriety Stuff+ model, this slider was among the 20 best individual pitch types at any level of the organization. The Rule 5 draft was made for guys just like White who have demonstrated that they can pile up whiffs in the upper minors. Over the past three years, 80% of all selections during the draft's major league phase were pitchers, and most of them were deemed worthy of a pick despite being less effective and/or less durable than White. He has not been placed on the injured list since turning pro. I do not want to inflate expectations for Fish On First's No. 21 prospect. The correlation between MiLB reliever stats and MLB reliever stats isn't particularly strong. Also, big leaguers equipped with the most advanced technology and most experienced scouts may be able to quickly adjust to White's idiosyncrasies. He ought to get his feet wet in low-leverage situations and earn his manager's trust from there, just like a typical first-time call-up. But that's getting ahead of ourselves. The decision facing the Marlins next week is simply whether or not Josh White merits a 40-man roster spot. On a team with two current 40-man openings and the likes of Zach Brzykcy and Josh Simpson taking up space, White absolutely belongs. View the full article

With Kyle Tucker officially a free agent and little early indication that the Cubs intend to chase after him with $300 million in hand, the unrest has already begun to percolate. At the GM Meetings in Las Vegas, Jed Hoyer seemed to hint that his focus this winter would be on adding pitching—presumably, at the expense of signing a top-flight hitter like Tucker, Pete Alonso, or Bo Bichette. Understandably, some will view that as a needlessly cheap way to build upon a successful 2025 season. At some point, though, the Cubs need to put up or shut up, and not in financial terms. The story of their last half-decade has been a constant insistence that they are one of the top teams in the league at scouting and developing talent, in defiance of the balance of the evidence. They use that refrain, in part, as cover for a lack of appropriate investment from ownership, but they also seem to realize that they aren't as strong as they purport to be. Time after time, they put players in the way of ascending top prospects, and it's never a superstar who supersedes the youngster. Rather, Hoyer has repeatedly hedged. When the team was still building toward something (but not yet actually competitive), he signed Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer to stand in the way of Matt Mervis at first base. Last winter, he traded for Ryan Pressly, rather than entrust the closer's role to Porter Hodge. Hoyer was right not to think Mervis or Hodge were up to the task, but because he still believes that his administration excels at player development, he brought in players who could be easily pushed aside if they did turn out well. Rather than acquire higher-caliber talents who would be locked into their positions for multiple seasons, Hoyer has sought out short-term solutions, hoping that by the end of a one- or two-year deal, the farm system of which he so often boasts will yield the star he really needs. It hasn't happened, save in a few cases, because the Cubs aren't actually excellent at scouting and development. They're in the middle of the pack in that regard, and they're below-average when it comes to developing pitching, specifically. Because league rules give extra draft picks to rivals and penalize big-market teams like the Cubs more heavily for signing elite free agents (and because the Cubs didn't ruthlessly bottom out during their recent rebuild, amassing high-end first-round picks for multiple seasons), the team never has an above-average capacity for acquiring young talent, either. The result is a farm system that isn't good enough to build a World Series contender without greater investment, either in finding and retaining top staffers, improved technology and player resources, or a much higher big-league payroll. Now, though, the team does have three young stars under long-term, low-cost team control. Cade Horton rebounded from an injury-ruined 2024 with a breakout campaign and runner-up Rookie of the Year finish in 2025. Michael Busch, whom the Cubs wisely snatched up after the Dodgers had done the lion's share of the developmental work, is the best hitter on the team. Pete Crow-Armstrong remains an enigma at the plate, but his first full season in the majors provided a tantalizing glimpse of his upside. At the very least, he's one of the game's most valuable defensive players. The team also did well in free agency last year, when they landed Matthew Boyd and Carson Kelly on two-year deals that now look like bargains. Those two players join Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, Jameson Taillon and Colin Rea as an expensive but extremely competent supporting cast for the youngsters who have become the loci of value on the roster. The question, at the outset of the winter, is how best to supplement that group. Hoyer sounds much more dedicated to upgrading his pitching staff than to finding a replacement for the departing Tucker, even though the team was hardly an offensive juggernaut in the second half of 2025. The temptation is to read that as a failure by the Ricketts family (and by Hoyer, whose job is just as much to manage up and make the case for more robust spending as it is to manage down) to make enough money available for the team to be great. Suspicion of the Rickettses and their motives is well-founded, to be sure. Still, this is the right time for an approach Hoyer eschewed for too long. Perhaps his (not-quite-earned, but that's a separate issue) contract extension in July has emboldened him, or perhaps he's finally tucking into the hard and vital work of turning this team into what he's been begging fans to believe they already are. Either way, he's taking the right tack. The Cubs should stick with Seiya Suzuki (in right field and at DH, with a fair number of days off against right-handed pitchers), Moisés Ballesteros (as a DH who hardly ever starts against lefties and grabs perhaps 10 starts at catcher), Owen Caissie (right field, swinging over to left sometimes but rarely playing against left-handed starters), and Kevin Alcántara (a platoon partner for Crow-Armstrong in center field, picking up the occasional start in left or right, as well) to supplement their existing group for 2026. Ian Happ can remain the regular left fielder, but have his playing time reduced by roughly 10%. Crow-Armstrong and Suzuki can yield time against same-handed hurlers. Ballesteros, Caissie and Alcántara all appear ready to play in the majors. Caissie, who will turn 24 next July, has 982 plate appearances with the Iowa Cubs already. He's put up elite exit velocities in the minors, and his plate discipline is strong: he swings and strikes and doesn't expand the zone. He will strike out a lot in the big leagues, but the team needs to be willing to accept that tradeoff and embrace the power he can add to the lineup. The biggest missing ingredient for him, in that regard, is a high pulled fly ball rate, but pulled fly balls aren't the way lefties get to their power best at Wrigley Field, anyway. Caissie's bat speed, swing path and resulting batted-ball profile tell us he can slug plenty well by hitting vicious line drives and lofting the occasional 7-iron into the bleachers in left-center field, where the ball carries much better and the dimensions are friendlier. Though the team might wish him to get more playing time at catcher in Triple A, Ballesteros is similarly ripe, having taken nearly 800 plate appearances for the I-Cubs over the last two seasons. He also proved that his swing plays in the majors when called upon late in 2025. It's hit-over-power with him, but again, that's a fine approach for a lefty who calls Wrigley Field home. Alcántara is the most interesting of the set, though the lowest-probability future regular. He's the same age as Caissie, and a better athlete and defensive player. He has to learn to lift the ball to become a star, and that might never happen—but even without doing it, he might be able to carve out a very good career as a slightly matchup-protected outfield piece. He's played a bit less at Triple A than the other two, but he's still at nearly 600 plate appearances there. It's time to let him test his skills against the best pitchers in the world. It's unlikely that all three of them succeed, of course. That would be the case even if they all played for the Dodgers, and we could therefore be more confident that they were well-scouted from the jump and better-instructed on their way up the chain in the minor leagues. However, these are three legitimate, high-end offensive prospects, and the sustainable excellence that has eluded the Cubs since World War II—the decade-plus of being a winning team every year, as they should be in this division if competently run—can't come without giving them real chances to prove their mettle. Hedging time is over. As much as their 2025 playoff push might have led some fans to feel that the Cubs are ascendant in the NL Central, they're unlikely to beat the Brewers and win the division in 2026—let alone to overcome the mighty Dodgers. This team has much hard work left to do, to close the gap between what it is and what it should be. Spending big on pitching this winter makes a world of sense for them, and Hoyer should be applauded for sounding fairly intent on doing so. When it comes to the offense, it's time to let the kids play. If they don't, they're going to end up back in purgatory far too soon. View the full article

Charisma is timeless. Attractive personalities move mountains and change ballclubs. Of course, charisma is a subjective term. What charms one person can give another the ick. Yet, those who have that "it factor" (whatever “it” may be) tend to get what they strive for, regardless of controversy, affiliation, or moral compass (or lack thereof). Initially deemed an uninspiring hire by a stagnant front office, new Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton has shifted much of the fanbase's perception of him from negative or neutral to positive in less than two weeks since being hired as Rocco Baldelli's successor. The Twins' public relations team has played a role in maximizing Shelton's public appearances, assisting the former Pittsburgh Pirates skipper in building as much cultural cachet in Twins Territory as possible. Still, positive public perception can't be manufactured; it must be earned. Shelton has done just that, showcasing a sense of humor and personability that no Twins manager has possessed since Ron Gardenhire left the organization in 2014. Obviously, having a charismatic personality isn't an absolute prerequisite for finding success, especially as an MLB manager. Gardenhire's successor, Paul Molitor, led the club to the postseason in 2017. Baldelli and his milquetoast demeanor guided the club to three postseason appearances in seven seasons, ending the organization's 18-game postseason losing streak in 2023. However, despite their respective successes as managers, Molitor and (more specifically) Baldelli were never able to store much goodwill with large sections of Twins Territory. Molitor never earned it as a manager, as his tenure with the Twins was short-lived and largely unsuccessful. The driving factor behind Baldelli's inability to become a beloved figure was his being impersonal and unrelatable. Whether during times of success or despair, those who follow the Twins longed for Baldelli to exhibit any sense of personality. Unfortunately, the club's former skipper consistently failed to take advantage of opportunities to showcase his personality, even in controlled environments. Instead, he elected to act in a manner seemingly molded by a third-party organization's public relations department, rather than acting in a natural manner. The faults of Baldelli’s robotic demeanor reached a boiling point when he flubbed a farewell for Willi Castro (before being chastised by an enraged Griffin Jax) the day before this season’s trade deadline. It is vital to be honest with ourselves. Expecting corporate soldiers to display a profound sense of authenticity is a fool's errand. Still, if Baldelli possessed even an ounce of public-facing charm or allure, it should have oozed out at some point over his seven-year tenure as Twins manager. Unfortunately, it never did. The result of Baldelli failing to earn the affection of Twins Territory was a talented baseball mind (and overall good person) taking the brunt of anger from one of baseball's most disillusioned fan bases. He was the target of much of Twins fans' collective angst simply because he was an accessible figure whose face was seen during every game—unlike those of the Pohlad family. Still, he didn't do himself any favors by being a closed-off figure who answered questions as if he was managing a Facebook-operated multi-level marketing scheme, rather than a baseball club. Whether it be cracking jokes about Derek Falvey's job title, playfully bantering with Patrick Reusse about the color of his beard, or taking courtside photos with Falvey at a Minnesota Timberwolves game, Shelton has exuded more personality in his first two weeks as Twins manager than Baldelli did over seven seasons—seemingly without trying. Shelton is charismatic in a way that doesn’t feel manufactured. He's witty—a vital characteristic in hard, challenging times. Unfortunately, difficult times could be a common theme for the 2026 Twins. Still, given Shelton's disarming personality and strong sense of humor, Twins Territory could feel a sense of kinship to the club's manager it hasn't known since Gardenhire left the office. Hopefully, the same qualities that endear the fanbase to Shelton will resonate with the players, creating a sense of optimism about the club's on-field results that has been missing since the team's dramatic 2024 collapse. View the full article

Every offseason, we offer our You’re The GM! tool to build your ideal Red Sox roster. This year, we’ve updated and streamlined the tool a bit to improve the experience. The idea behind this feature is to give fans a chance to play the role of General Manager (or CBO or PoBO… you get the idea) for their favorite team, the Boston Red Sox. It’s meant to give fans the opportunity to discuss (and, let’s be honest, argue) how they would approach the long, dark MLB offseason. This tool is intended to be informal and fun, so we’ve left it as open as possible. There is a payroll “budget” that loosely resembles the Red Sox's 2025 payroll, but there is no penalty for going over that number. It’s a guideline, nothing more. Second, you can submit as many blueprints as you like throughout the offseason. As the offseason landscape changes, users often return multiple times over the winter and create new blueprints. Before we get into the breakdown of the tool, you can save your blueprint and come back to it at any time. The only restriction is that you must register an account on the site to create a blueprint (so we can save a draft for you and also post the blueprint for others to discuss). Let’s get into the tool itself. It has four quadrants that work best if addressed in a counter-clockwise order (this tool works much better on a desktop due to its complexity, but it will work on mobile devices if need be). Top Left: The 26-Man Roster We have created a rough guideline for the Red Sox's 26-man roster today. The roster is flexible; you can add or remove players as you see fit. We’ve also included either guaranteed salaries or, in the case of arbitration and contract options, the recommendations of MLB Trade Rumors. This section is where you build your roster and make changes based on the following two sections. As you make changes to players and salaries, the total payroll number (right side of the screen) will change, allowing you to track your budget on the fly. The bottom field in both columns is for any dead money you assume during the course of your offseason. Acquiring dead money should be uncommon, but we want to give users the option to take on dead salary if it suits their purposes. Bottom Left: Arbitration & Trade Decisions Here, you will find a selection of arbitration options and internal options (usually from the 40-man roster or minor leagues) to assist in building your offseason roster. On the right-hand side of this column, you will see Trade Candidates, a list of the 40 players most likely to be traded this offseason, per MLB Trade Rumors. To help you get up to speed with these candidates, we offer a direct link to the MLBTR write-up on trade candidates. Bottom Right: Free Agents Here, you will find the top 50 free agents, again per MLB Trade Rumors. These are sorted by position to facilitate quickly finding your desired free agent and include the recommended salary for that player. Because this is a blueprint for a single year, we only include their projected salary for the coming season, not the number of years or anything else. To help you get up to speed with these free agents, we offer a direct link to the MLBTR write-up on the best 50 free agents available this winter. Top Right: Dead Money, Your Total Payroll, & Commentary The only unalterable field on the page is Dead Money; it is players to whom the team has committed money but has no reasonable way to get out of the contract. Below that, you will see the recommended budget, your current total, and the percentage you are over or under that budget. Again, keep in mind the budget is only a guideline, and you can go above it as much as you like… But defend your choices, coward! The following field is Title, which gives other users an idea of what to expect with your blueprint (e.g., Be Unreasonable, Sign Kyle Tucker!). When your blueprint posts for other users, it will read “Your Username’s 2025 Payroll Blueprint: Be Unreasonable, Sign Kyle Tucker!”. The following field is Your Comments & Explanation, a long-form field meant to type out the rationale behind your decisions. Here is the place to fully explain your trades (including which players are leaving the Red Sox to bring in new players), why you targeted specific free agents, and any promotions from the minors you advocate or any options you declined to extend to a specific player. This is often multiple paragraphs; you can write up as much detail as you desire. That’s it, you’re done! At this point, you can either publish your blueprint to the forums or save it for later if you feel it’s incomplete. Thank you for joining us at Talk Sox. I hope you enjoy playing the role of general manager, at least for a moment! Start Your Payroll Blueprint Now View the full article

The most straightforward interpretation of the San Diego Padres' decision to hire Craig Stammen as manager is to focus on stability. Don't consider how MLB teams have traditionally hired managers; rather, think of the Padres' position today. They want to keep a high-value competitive window open by reducing organizational friction and maintaining the processes that led to back-to-back 90-win seasons. The proof for the hiring is quite simple: The team promoted a reliable, in-house operator who has deep connections with the players and the front office, with the intention of keeping the coaching continuity around him. What Stammen actually brings to the job The traditional criticism of Stammen is that he's a first-time manager. This is a fact when looking strictly at his track record, but it overlooks an important point: he already has a network of trust within the organization that can cut down the risk of turning front office plans into daily managerial decisions. In the capacity of a special assistant, Stammen performed three activities that contributed to the generation of operational capital: - He collaborated with minor league pitchers and player development staff. - He was a confidant for the present major league pitchers. - He took part in front-office decision-making meetings (such as draft and trade deadline conversations). Those functions produced two effects which can be quantified. First, there's an internalization of the Padres’ decision rules concerning pitcher workloads, roster flexibility and development priorities. Second, he's a noted communicator who can help harmonize the gaps between the analytics department and the clubhouse. The short-run volatility of new hires is one of the main differences between an outside hire and an internal one; internal hires manage to shorten feedback loops and reduce at least some of the costs of coordination during the first season of leadership. It is usually the case that with a roster built for immediate contention, stability and rapport are as important as any intangible an outside voice can bring to the fold. The Padres’ stated baseline was “maintain what’s working,” which makes short-run stability the dominant objective. How San Diego structurally mitigated the “inexperience” risk Promoting an insider without pre-existing managerial experience demands explicit risk-reduction strategies. The Padres have already suggested they would keep experienced pitching-room leadership in place. Pitching coach Ruben Niebla was a finalist for the position and is expected to remain as a prominent voice with pitchers, and Ben Fritz is being retained in the role of bullpen coach, so those jobs will be anchored by experienced deputies. This effectively minimizes the likelihood that Stammen's inexperience with the job will lead to catastrophic in-game mistakes. Stammen's previous job afforded him exposure to the decision-making processes that occur inside the front office (which metrics to use, how to weigh advanced metrics versus actual production, etc.). Since he already shares the front office's mental model, there shouldn't be too many periods of disagreement between himself and the team's top brass. The Padres may prefer continuity, but it's also important to remember that too much of it can lead to complacency and cause blind spots. Wins and losses are the ultimate judge of a manager, but there will be smaller, beyond-the-box-score hints at whether or not San Diego made the right call. Early indicators to watch in Stammen's Tenure If you want to test whether the Padres’ bet is paying off, watch a small set of high-signal metrics and decision behaviors rather than wins alone. First, early-season variance in pitcher usage relative to 2024–25 norms should prove fascinating. Will starters and relievers see abrupt changes to their workload? Or will Stammen, a former MLB pitcher in his own right, be willing to keep the status quo? In addition, the frequency and timing of front-office interventions (trade activity or clear mid-season role reassignment) will be a key tell. Preller likely didn't bring Stammen aboard just to steamroll him, but if the roster is constantly shuffling, that may point to so overcorrection for a rookie manager. Likewise, pay attention to in-game decision distributions (lineup stability, pinch-hitting frequency, bullpen leverage matching) relative to league medians; large deviations in either direction indicate whether Stammen is conservatively executing or over-correcting. These operational signals will reveal whether the hire reduced friction as intended, or whether it simply deferred hard choices until the club’s errors became more costly. Stammen’s value is not reducible to “he’s inexperienced” or “he’s a clubhouse leader”; it is the sum of his operational capital, the organization’s capacity to staff around him, and the need to maintain stability during a championship window. View the full article

The most straightforward interpretation of the San Diego Padres' decision to hire Craig Stammen as manager is to focus on stability. Don't consider how MLB teams have traditionally hired managers; rather, think of the Padres' position today. They want to keep a high-value competitive window open by reducing organizational friction and maintaining the processes that led to back-to-back 90-win seasons. The proof for the hiring is quite simple: The team promoted a reliable, in-house operator who has deep connections with the players and the front office, with the intention of keeping the coaching continuity around him. What Stammen actually brings to the job The traditional criticism of Stammen is that he's a first-time manager. This is a fact when looking strictly at his track record, but it overlooks an important point: he already has a network of trust within the organization that can cut down the risk of turning front office plans into daily managerial decisions. In the capacity of a special assistant, Stammen performed three activities that contributed to the generation of operational capital: - He collaborated with minor league pitchers and player development staff. - He was a confidant for the present major league pitchers. - He took part in front-office decision-making meetings (such as draft and trade deadline conversations). Those functions produced two effects which can be quantified. First, there's an internalization of the Padres’ decision rules concerning pitcher workloads, roster flexibility and development priorities. Second, he's a noted communicator who can help harmonize the gaps between the analytics department and the clubhouse. The short-run volatility of new hires is one of the main differences between an outside hire and an internal one; internal hires manage to shorten feedback loops and reduce at least some of the costs of coordination during the first season of leadership. It is usually the case that with a roster built for immediate contention, stability and rapport are as important as any intangible an outside voice can bring to the fold. The Padres’ stated baseline was “maintain what’s working,” which makes short-run stability the dominant objective. How San Diego structurally mitigated the “inexperience” risk Promoting an insider without pre-existing managerial experience demands explicit risk-reduction strategies. The Padres have already suggested they would keep experienced pitching-room leadership in place. Pitching coach Ruben Niebla was a finalist for the position and is expected to remain as a prominent voice with pitchers, and Ben Fritz is being retained in the role of bullpen coach, so those jobs will be anchored by experienced deputies. This effectively minimizes the likelihood that Stammen's inexperience with the job will lead to catastrophic in-game mistakes. Stammen's previous job afforded him exposure to the decision-making processes that occur inside the front office (which metrics to use, how to weigh advanced metrics versus actual production, etc.). Since he already shares the front office's mental model, there shouldn't be too many periods of disagreement between himself and the team's top brass. The Padres may prefer continuity, but it's also important to remember that too much of it can lead to complacency and cause blind spots. Wins and losses are the ultimate judge of a manager, but there will be smaller, beyond-the-box-score hints at whether or not San Diego made the right call. Early indicators to watch in Stammen's Tenure If you want to test whether the Padres’ bet is paying off, watch a small set of high-signal metrics and decision behaviors rather than wins alone. First, early-season variance in pitcher usage relative to 2024–25 norms should prove fascinating. Will starters and relievers see abrupt changes to their workload? Or will Stammen, a former MLB pitcher in his own right, be willing to keep the status quo? In addition, the frequency and timing of front-office interventions (trade activity or clear mid-season role reassignment) will be a key tell. Preller likely didn't bring Stammen aboard just to steamroll him, but if the roster is constantly shuffling, that may point to so overcorrection for a rookie manager. Likewise, pay attention to in-game decision distributions (lineup stability, pinch-hitting frequency, bullpen leverage matching) relative to league medians; large deviations in either direction indicate whether Stammen is conservatively executing or over-correcting. These operational signals will reveal whether the hire reduced friction as intended, or whether it simply deferred hard choices until the club’s errors became more costly. Stammen’s value is not reducible to “he’s inexperienced” or “he’s a clubhouse leader”; it is the sum of his operational capital, the organization’s capacity to staff around him, and the need to maintain stability during a championship window. View the full article

On Monday, another member of the Chicago Cubs’ 2016 championship team decided to hang it up. The Professor, Kyle Hendricks, will no longer be schooling hitters with his pinpoint accuracy and looping curveball. The 35-year-old pitched 12 seasons in the big leagues, 11 with the Cubs, accumulating 22.8 Career WAR, a 3.79 ERA, and 1373 strikeouts over 1,745.0 innings. In a generation where velocity is everything, Hendricks made quite the career by locating his pitches, pitching to contact, mixing up his repertoire, and attacking hitters head on. His career average speed on his fastball was approximately 87.7 mph, which is nearly seven miles per hour slower than the average fastball in 2025. Although his fastball lacked the whole “fast” aspect, he was still one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball throughout most of his career. Although he was never named to an All-Star team, he received Cy Young votes in two seasons (including a third-place finish in 2016) and was a staple in the front of the rotation for the Cubs from 2016-2020. Off the field, Hendricks made it known that he loved being a Cub, and his penchant for living up to big moments is the stuff of legend. Below are seven of the most memorable moments from Hendrick’s career, in no particular order. Sept. 28th, 2024- Hendrick's final start as a Cub at Wrigley Field Although he stuck around the league one more year with the Los Angeles Angels, this start marked the end of an era. Hendricks was the last remaining piece from the 2016 team, and he struggled mightily through most of the 2024 season. He accepted a brief demotion to the bullpen after a horrendous start to the season, but he still managed to pitch like his vintage self a few times. On his last start at Wrigley, he threw 7 1/3 shutout innings versus the Reds with only two strikeouts and two walks. July 24, 2020: Hendricks begins the Covid-shortened season with a shutout In a season in which we were lucky to even have 60 games of baseball, Hendricks started it off on an excellent note. He didn’t walk a single Brewer in a complete game shutout where he also struck out nine. He had a 2.88 ERA across 12 starts this season, and collected a few Cy Young votes along with teammate Yu Darvish. This marks the last time the Cubs won the division as well. May 3rd, 2019: Hendricks throws a Maddux against the Cardinals A Maddux is a complete game shutout achieved in fewer than 100 pitches thrown. Hendricks took it to a new level against the Cardinals, when he threw a complete game shutout on 81 pitches. Only a handful of players in MLB history have thrown a shutout on less pitches, including Greg Maddux himself. October 17th, 2017: Hendricks shuts down Nationals in Game 1 of the NLDS Hendricks fired seven shutout innings, striking out six in what feels like the last time the Cubs seemed like a “great” team in the playoffs. Hendricks accomplished this feat against one of the most powerful lineups in baseball that season. He used nothing but finesse to stifle a Nationals lineup featuring Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon and Daniel Murphy. May 21st, 2015: Hendricks throws his first career shutout Although this one wasn’t a Maddux, Hendricks only needed 108 pitches to shut out the Padres in what was only his 22nd career appearance. This was one of the early moments in 2015 that was a sign of things to come for the Cubs as a whole, as well as marking Hendricks’ ascension into Cubs lore. November 2nd, 2016: Hendricks starts Game 7 of the World Series This one is less about Hendricks’ individual performance, and more about him being the starting pitcher of the game that broke a 108-year curse. Hendricks held the Cubs’ lead through 4 2/3 innings, allowing only one run, before the real drama started in the bullpen. There's no use questioning the decision-making since the Cubs won the game, but Hendricks clearly could have gone further (and maybe have reduced the general heart rate in Chicago that night by about 20 bpm). October 22nd, 2016: Hendricks’ 7.1 shutout innings in Game 6 of the NLCS propel Cubs to World Series The offense got going early off Clayton Kershaw, scoring at least one run in four out of the five first innings of the game. Hendricks allowed only two hits to a stacked Dodgers lineup featuring up-and-coming superstars Joc Pederson and Corey Seager, as well as perennial All-Stars like Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Utley. Joe Maddon gave the ball to Aroldis Chapman immediately after Hendricks to close out the remainder of the game. The Dodgers were no match for these two pitchers with polar opposite repertoires. There's no guarantee the Cubs even win this series without The Professor. If you want an in-depth write-up of this heroic start, check out Matt Trueblood's piece here. What's your favorite start from this list? Do you have a favorite Kyle Hendricks memory that isn't here? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

The Arizona Fall League is reaching its annual conclusion, as the penultimate week was a shortened one. The Salt River Rafters played just four games as they began to wind their season down. While the season may not have ended in a championship (the Rafters being on the outside looking in at the playoffs at the time of this writing), there was still plenty to be proud of as the prospects sent by the Red Sox got plenty of work in. This was important, as most who were sent either missed a good portion of the season or the entire thing, giving them a chance to make up for lost time. In addition, two Red Sox prospects were named to the American League Fall-Stars team: Luis Perales and Stanley Tucker. The Rafters would go on to finish the week 1-3, good for fifth in the standings. But, as we’ve gotten used to hearing, you’re not here for that. Let's review how the Red Sox's prospects did. Perales made one start this week while also being named to the AFL Fall-Star team for the American League. While he didn’t get into the Fall-Star Game, he pitched sparingly in his lone start. Throwing just one inning, Perales allowed two runs on a walk and two hits while also striking out three batters. His fastball would top out at 100.4 mph in what was his final outing in Arizona. Jay Allmer managed to get into one game during the week, only going 1/3 of an inning as he was charged with a blown save. Allmer allowed the tying run to score in the sixth when he came on with two outs in the inning. Joining the list of pitchers who made one outing was Brandon Neely, the relief pitcher tossing 1 2/3 innings while allowing two runs on four hits and two walks. He also struck out a pair as he threw 48 pitches. Despite the four hits allowed, Neely managed to generate six whiffs in the outing. He was also charged with a blown save. Jojo Ingrassia managed to escape damage in his lone inning for the week. Making it through the outing without a run despite walking two batters, Ingrassia also got a strikeout as he threw 23 pitches but only eight for strikes. He generated two whiffs while struggling badly with his command. The final Red Sox pitcher in the AFL, Isaac Stebens, pitched well as he tossed one scoreless inning, needing just 14 pitches to get through the outing. Unfortunately, only six of them were for strikes as he got one groundout and two fly outs. Offensively, it was more of the same from the position players as Fall-Star Tucker went 4-for-15 as he continued to cool off after his scintillating start. Tucker also had three RBIs while striking out four times. He also had two more stolen bases bringing his total up to 12. Notably, he was the only player from the Red Sox to get into all four games this week, and he lso came in as a substitution in the Fall-Stars game, going 0-for-2 with a strikeout. Johanfran Garcia appeared in two games this week, getting a hit in both as he went 2-for 7 with a double, one walk, one RBI and two strikeouts. He split the two games between catcher and designated hitter as well. Garcia’s double came in the bottom of the second off of a 93.7 mph fastball at the top of the zone. Garcia drove it out to right with an exit velocity of 100.9 mph, bringing home the first run of that game. As has been the trend all season, Nelly Taylor appeared in just one game this week, playing center field and going 1-for-3 with two strikeouts. His lone hit came off of a 95.1 mph fastball right down the middle of the plate that he hit to right field. The ball had an exit velocity of 90.6 mph. Following the conclusion of this week, there are only three games remaining in the AFL regular season. As the last few games are played, it’ll be the end of organized professional baseball in the United States until February, when spring training arrives. View the full article

The San Diego Padres have made the playoffs in four of the past six seasons. In that time, they've finished no worse than third in the NL West, but also no better than second. They've firmly been the runner-up to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the division during that time, though that status is set to be called into question this offseason. Yes, the Dodgers won their second consecutive Commissioner's Trophy and have won every division title (besides 2022) since 2013. They are the favorites until proven otherwise. Instead, it's the Padres who need to defend their placement in the NL West hierarchy, as a shocking managerial change, significant personnel losses in the rotation, and an offense that went completely cold in the NL Wild Card Round do not portend another 90-win season in 2026. With ultra-agressive front office executive A.J. Preller leading the charge, the Friars are sure to add some talent to the roster this offseason, including a potential reunion with one of Dylan Cease or Michael King. No one can rule out another blockbuster trade, either, but after ransacking the farm system at the trade deadline, that could be difficult to pull off. Still, the Padres have the requisite talent to make another postseason push next year. Platinum Glover Fernando Tatis Jr. isn't going anywhere (no matter what the rumors say), and Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill round out a strong offensive core. With Nick Pivetta in the rotation and baseball's best bullpen (even sans closer Robert Suarez), there's room San Diego to make some ancillary moves and give the Dodgers a scare next season. Luckily, even if the team can't mount a serious challenge to the Dodgers' divisional supremacy, the rest of the NL West is in such a state of flux that the Padres will presumably be the second-best team heading into the 2026 campaign no matter what moves they make over the winter. Let's refresh where the "other" three teams in the division are at heading into the meat of the offseason. Colorado Rockies The Rockies have been irrelevant in the larger baseball picture for most of their existence, and they just had a franchise-worst season in 2025 when they lost 119 games. Thus, they finally cleaned house, dismissing manager Bud Black mid-season and firing general manager Bill Schmidt after the regular season came to a conclusion. They're still looking for a permanent replacement for Black, though they do have a new president of baseball operations: Paul DePodesta. Yes, you heard that right—Paul DePodesta of Moneyball fame is returning to Major League Baseball after a decade-long hiatus in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. Prior to jumping ship for football, DePodesta served as the Padres' special assistant for baseball operations from 2006-08 before being promoted to executive vice president; that came after a failed stint as the Dodgers' general manager. It's hard to find a word for what the Rockies are as a franchise other than directionless. Their farm system remains a joke, they have precious little major-league talent to speak of, and ownership just appointed the guy who went 56-100-1 and made one of the most lopsided deals in NFL history as their chief decision maker. They won't just be also-rans in the division in 2026—they'll occupy the bottom rung of the entire MLB ladder for the foreseeable future. Arizona Diamondbacks After a shocking run to the World Series in 2023, the Diamondbacks were on top of the world. Just two years later, and their empire-that-wasn't is already collapsing. They still possess a load of talent, highlighted by a trio of Silver Sluggers: outfielder Corbin Carroll, shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, and second basemen Ketel Marte. Those three superstars combined for 18.2 fWAR in 2025. The rest of the entire roster combined (pitchers excluded)? They accumulated just 8.7 fWAR, hence why the Diamondbacks finished below .500 and in fourth place in the division. That's not entirely their fault, as the expected three-headed monster of Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, and Merrill Kelly simply never got off the ground. Burnes needed Tommy John surgery just 11 starts into his new mega-contract, Gallen produced a career-worst campaign on his way to free agency, and Kelly was shipped to the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline. With a bloated payroll and aging core, the Diamondbacks simply don't have the pitching infrastructure in place to compete for much more than a third-place finish. If rumors are true that the team is "motivated" to move Marte, the longest-tenured player on the club, the Diamondbacks could be on the verge of a full-scale rebuild. San Francisco Giants The most imposing challenger to the Padres' status as the second-best team in the division, the Giants are engaging in a pretty comprehensive makeover this offseason. The team replaced experienced skipper Bob Melvin with college coach Tony Vitello, a shocking jump in level that tends not to happen too often in baseball. The coaching staff has experienced a ton of turnover since, including adding former Padres manager Jayce Tingler as one of Vitello's assistants. They're also parting ways with assistant hitting coach Damon Minor and bullpen coach Garvin Alston, while pitching coach J.P. Martinez has already found a new home with the Atlanta Braves. Hitting coach Pat Burrell's future remains uncertain at this juncture. That's the kind wholesale turnover you expect of a rebuilding squad, not one that intends to compete as soon as next year. Vitello will have his work cut out for him jumping from the NCAA to the big leagues, and it'll take a while for the new coaching staff to mesh together. As for the roster, the team is retaining a remarkable amount of personnel. Justin Verlander and Wilmer Flores are the only major free agents the team is set to lose this offseason. That would be great news if this core had shown any signs of real success, but since their magical 2021 season, the Giants haven't won more than 81 games in a single year. There's a strong core of well-compensated veterans in San Francisco -- Willy Adames, Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, and Logan Webb, to be specific -- but it could take a while before everything comes together in the Bay Area. What do you make of all the rumors and moves being made by the Padres' division rivals this offseason? Do you think San Diego can challenge Los Angeles for the division title in 2026? Let us know in the comments! View the full article