DiamondCentric

The Toronto Blue Jays aren't resting on their laurels after an exciting postseason run that saw them bring the superpower Los Angeles Dodgers to the brink. After Bo Bichette elected free agency and Shane Bieber opted in to a team-friendly deal, the Blue Jays are in a position to be aggressive this offseason. From the General Manager meetings in Las Vegas, NV, Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet are reporting that the Toronto Blue Jays are "in every market". Citing multiple player agents, it's expected for it to "be easier for them to get players", and that the organization is "hungry" and "acting like big boys". While no players are named in the report, the Blue Jays have already been linked to Bichette, Kyle Tucker, Munetaka Murakami, and Pete Fairbanks. Additionally, Chris Bassitt has expressed interest in returning to the club. Do you think the Blue Jays will be aggressive this offseason? Let us know what you think in the comments! View the full article

The Twins have introduced Derek Shelton as the 15th manager in franchise history. Jamie and Jeremy share their first impressions of Shelton's introduction to the fans and what they can expect from him before spring training. View the full article

Every offseason, we offer our You’re The GM! tool to build your ideal Royals 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 Kansas City Royals. 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 Royals' 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 Royals' 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 Royals 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 Royals Keep. 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 Minnesota Twins are starting to piece together their coaching staff under new manager Derek Shelton, and familiar faces will play key roles in the dugout next season. According to multiple reports, Pete Maki will return as the team’s pitching coach while LaTroy Hawkins steps into the bullpen coach role. Hawkins’ addition comes after nearly a decade of work in the organization’s player development system and regular appearances on Bally Sports North broadcasts. His move back to the field adds an experienced, respected voice to a staff tasked with helping Minnesota rebuild one of baseball’s most dominant pitching groups from just a year ago. Maki’s return provides continuity for a pitching unit that was expected to be a strength in 2024 but stumbled due to injuries and underperformance. Pablo López and Bailey Ober both took steps back, and by the trade deadline, the bullpen had been stripped down as the team dealt Jhoan Duran, Danny Coulombe, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, and Brock Stewart in a series of moves signaling a shift toward the future. One notable departure from the organization is longtime coach Tommy Watkins, who spent 27 years in the Twins system as a player, minor-league instructor, and coach. Watkins has accepted a position with the Atlanta Braves, closing a chapter that spanned nearly three decades in Minnesota baseball. With Maki and Hawkins in place, Shelton’s coaching staff is starting to form, though several other roles remain undecided as the Twins continue shaping the next phase of their clubhouse leadership. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs finished a once-promising 2025 season below expectations. While the team has mostly disappointed fans in previous offseasons, that may not be the case this year. In a recent column, Bob Nightengale of USA Today named the Chicago Cubs the "hot stove's biggest sleeper" this offseason. Nightengale goes on to say, "They want another corner outfielder [after losing Kyle Tucker to free agency], and will be shopping in the expensive aisle for starting pitching, with fellow GMs predicting they could land Framber Valdez and/or Dylan Cease." It's worth noting that they have tendered a qualifying offer to Shota Imanaga, as well. While Nightengale didn't name any potential outfield fits, top names include Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Kyle Schwarber (who's primarily a DH at this point and was tendered a qualifying offer), Teoscar Hernandez, and Michael Conforto. They could look at making a trade as rumors swirl around the Boston Red Sox Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu, as well as the Los Angeles Angels Taylor Ward and Jo Adell, though none of those names would really be considered "expensive". Looking at the pitching market, Cease, a free-agent modern-day iron man making 32 starts in five consecutive seasons, is predicted to get a seven-year, $189 million contract by MLBTR. His productivity has alternated each season he's been with the club, receiving Cy Young votes in 2022 and 2024 while sporting ERAs north of 4.00 in 2023 and 2025. The San Diego Padres tendered him a qualifying offer. Valdez, another durable pitcher, made 31 starts for the Houston Astros in 2025. Across 192 innings, he posted a FIP of 3.37, supported by a so-so 14.8% K-BB rate. His high groundball rate (58.6%) would fit well within the windy confines of Wrigley Field. Valdez was tendered a qualifying offer and is predicted to net $150 million over five years by MLBTR. Do you think the Cubs will be aggressive this offseason after landing Tucker last year? Let us know what you think in the comments! View the full article

The Toronto Blue Jays will have a busy offseason as they've already been linked to a few of the biggest names on the market, including a reunion with infielder Bo Bichette. Now, we can add one more name to the list. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is reporting that the Blue Jays are "expected to be suitors" for reliever Pete Fairbanks. Fairbanks appeared in 61 games for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025, logging 60 1/3 innings pitched. The reliever registered a 3.63 FIP and posted a 16.8% K-BB rate. Despite collecting 27 saves as the Rays' primary high-leverage reliever, he posted a miniscule WPA of 0.06. The Rays declined $11 million club option, paying him a $1 million buyout and making him a free agent. He's the 44th-ranked free agent according to MLBTR, and they predict he'll net $18 million over two years on the open market. Do you think the Blue Jays should pony up for a high-leverage reliever to bolster their bullpen? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

The Twins’ offseason outlook at catcher is more uncertain than it has been in recent years. Christian Vázquez is now a free agent, and Ryan Jeffers has been floated as a potential trade candidate. If both veterans are moved or one departs without a clear replacement, the front office will need to act quickly to find a reliable presence behind the plate. One name that makes a lot of sense is Victor Caratini. Caratini has spent the past two seasons with the Houston Astros, after signing a two-year, $12-million deal. He became a valuable part of Joe Espada’s roster, providing steady defense, switch-hitting versatility, and a dependable approach at the plate. He was often the first player called upon off the bench and started 103 games at catcher over the past two years. With Yainer Diaz locked in as the primary backstop for Houston, Caratini may look for a larger role elsewhere this winter. If that opportunity is what he’s seeking, Minnesota could be an ideal landing spot. Caratini has shown a willingness to move around the diamond, starting 32 games at designated hitter and 18 at first base over the last two seasons. That kind of flexibility would fit perfectly with the Twins' approach to mixing and matching. At the plate, he’s been quietly productive, posting a 105 OPS+ since the start of 2023. That’s the same mark Jeffers has produced over that stretch, making Caratini an intriguing option whether the Twins keep or trade their current catcher. Other offensive metrics also paint him in a positive light. He ranked in the 77th percentile or higher in strikeout, per-swing whiff and chase rates. His 30.6% rate of squaring up the ball on contact was in the 80th percentile. As a switch-hitter, the majority of his plate appearances came as a left-handed batter. In those, he posted a .726 OPS. His right-handed swing produced a .740 OPS in only 62 plate appearances. More regular at-bats (especially against righties) could help him prove he deserves to be a starter. From a defensive standpoint, Caratini is steady, if unspectacular. He manages pitching staffs well, controls the running game, and provides consistent framing and blocking. In 2024, Baseball Savant credited him with 5 catching runs (3 Framing, 2 Throwing/Blocking), but that total dipped to -3 in 2025. He also ranked in the 72nd percentile for Blocks Above Average. Last season saw the fewest innings he had caught since 2020, so sample size may have been a factor. For a team that values defensive reliability and game-calling, that combination has significant appeal. The Twins could utilize Caratini in several ways. If Jeffers stays, the two could form a natural timeshare, with Caratini giving Derek Shelton the added benefit of a switch-hitting option to balance lineups. If Jeffers is traded, Caratini could step in as the regular catcher, while also mentoring a younger option or keeping Jhonny Pereda in a backup role. Either way, he brings stability to a position that suddenly feels uncertain. With the market unlikely to be bullish for catchers this winter, a short-term deal in the same range as his last contract could make sense for both sides. However, there is no guarantee the Twins will have the payroll flexibility to add free agents without trading other pieces. From Caratini's perspective, the benefit of a deal would be more consistent playing time. For their part, the Twins would fill a significant need without a long-term commitment. As the offseason begins to take shape, Minnesota’s catching situation will be one of the most critical areas to monitor. Caratini may not be the flashiest name available. Still, his experience, switch-hitting ability, and steady play behind the plate could make him the perfect fit for the Twins heading into 2026. Should the Twins aggressively pursue Caratini? Would he be willing to come to the Twins for a more regular role than the Astros? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

On Tuesday afternoon, the Royals announced on Bluesky that they would be acquiring right-handed pitcher Mason Black from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for right-handed pitcher Logan Martin. The move comes in the wake of the Giants designating Black for assignment on November 6th to make room for outfielder Justin Dean (formerly of the Dodgers) and left-handed pitcher Reiver Sanmartin (formerly of the Reds). Before Black could be a free agent, the Royals were able to pull off a trade for the talented but inconsistent righty. The move now puts the Royals' 40-man roster at 40, according to Roster Resource as of November 11th. They have three open roster spots, but more should open up this offseason. Kansas City GM JJ Picollo will likely non-tender more players before the November 21st Non-Tender deadline, with some candidates being Jonathan India and Bailey Falter, who are estimated to command $7.4 million and $3.3 million this offseason, respectively. The acquisition of Black gives the Royals some flexible pitching depth, especially with Black still holding a Minor League option for 2026. In return, the Giants receive Logan Martin, who posted a 3.45 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 11.1% K-BB% in 22 starts and 91.1 IP for the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits. Martin has pitched in the Arizona Fall League with Surprise, but has struggled with the Saguaros, posting a 9.82 ERA and 2.18 WHIP. Based on his pitching summary data from TJ Stats (utilizing his October 25th outing as an example), the former Kentucky Wildcat has shown good stuff, but struggled to generate chases and whiffs in Arizona. Even though it's not an "earth-shattering" move, Black is an intriguing arm with long-term potential who was once a top prospect in the San Francisco Giants system. Thus, can Brian Sweeney and the Royals' pitching coaches (sans Zach Bove, who is now with the White Sox) help tap into Black's full potential in Kansas City in 2026? A Look at Black's Time in San Francisco Hopes were certainly high among Giants fans for Black, a third-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Lehigh University, a Patriot League school. Black had an excellent Minor League season in 2023, posting a 3.71 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 20.1% K-BB% in 29 starts and 123.2 IP between Double-A and Triple-A. As a result, MLB Pipeline ranked Black the Giants' No. 8 prospect entering the 2024 season. Here's what Pipeline said in their scouting report. The combination of Black's diverse repertoire, solid command, and atypical delivery made him one of the Giants' better pitching prospects in the upper Minors, as seen below in this highlight film of him pitching with the Sacramento Rivercats, the Giants' Triple-A affiliate, in 2024. Black finally made his MLB debut in May of that season, but the results weren't great in his initial exposure to Major League hitters. In nine outings (eight starts) and 36.1 IP with the Giants that season, the right-hander posted a 6.44 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, and 9.5% K-BB%. His FIP was only nominally better at 5.45, and his -0.2 fWAR illustrated how mediocre his San Francisco debut was a couple of seasons ago. While Black did flash some strikeout stuff, he didn't generate enough whiffs and chases, and he also struggled with giving up a lot of hard hits and barrels. When looking at his TJ Stats season pitching summary profile, Black showcased slightly below-average stuff, with a 97 overall TJ Stuaff+. As a result, he struggled to generate consistent chases (27.4%) and whiffs (16.4%), and he also gave up a lot of hard and productive contact, as illustrated by his .428 xwOBACON. His four-seamer was perhaps his most intriguing pitch in 2024, which he threw 31.5% of the time (his most used offering). Even though it sported a 95 Tj Stuff+ and 46 grade, he did produce a 30.6% chase rate and 23.1% whiff rate on the pitch, both above-average marks. The only problem was that he gave up a xwOBACON of .601 on the fastball, the worst mark in his six-pitch repertoire. Things didn't seem to get better for Black in 2025. His ERA in Sacramento ballooned to 5.81 in 119.1 IP, and his 21.5% K rate was 2.2% lower than his Triple-A mark in 2024 and 6.4% lower than his mark with the Rivercats in 2023. His TJ Stats pitcher summary profile from Sacramento last year didn't look hot either, on both the stuff and results ends. With the Rivercats last season, his overall TJ Stuff+ was 96, and he only posted a chase rate of 25.4%, a whiff rate of 24.8%, and an xwOBACON of .365. The latter two marks are around average to slightly below, but considering it was his third stint in Triple-A, he was expected to produce more dominant results. Black only made one appearance in 2025 with the Giants, a four-inning relief appearance on the Fourth of July against the Athletics. He gave up five runs on five hits, including two home runs. However, he struck out five, walked zero, and showcased some intriguing development with his pitches from 2024, especially with the sweeper. Against the A's, Black's sweeper sported a 103 TJ Stuff+ and produced a 47.8% zone rate and 41.7% chase rate. The 30.8% whiff rate and .373 xwOBACON weren't impressive, but were still serviceable, especially for a pitch that he threw 31.1% of the time. In addition, he showed growth with his sweeper in nearly every category from the previous season with the Giants. He saw a `13.5% increase in chase, 14.8% increase in whiff, and a 59-point decrease in xwOBACON. It's a small sample (one game after all). However, it showed that Black made the necessary adjustments to his pitch mix and quality, leading to improvement from his rookie season. Why the Royals Would Want Black The one thing that sticks out about Black's history is that he is not just a student of the game, but an intelligent individual in general. Not only did he attend college at Lehigh, a pretty intense academic university, but he was also on the verge of entering medical school before getting drafted. Black's story and scientific approach to pitching were profiled in a short video segment from the San Francisco Giants back in 2023, when he was still a prospect in the Giants' farm system. The Royals have seemed to thrive with pitchers who not only study their craft but are willing to make the necessary adjustments to their pitch grips and repertoires. Seth Lugo finished second in the AL Cy Young race in 2024 thanks to the changes he made with the Royals. Cole Ragans went from questionable arm in Texas to Opening Day ace for the Royals. Lastly, Kris Bubic has thrived the most under Sweeney and the Royals' pitching development team, going from a mediocre starter to an AL All-Star last season. Black certainly has the mindset to rebound in Kansas City, and his tools aren't bad, if they can be adequately developed. Last year, his 6'8 average extension ranked in the 80th percentile. It was 6'7 this year (yes, get your laughs in, Gen Z folks), but that still ranked above average. That extension can make up for lackluster velocity, which Black sported last year (92.7 MPH fastball velocity). An example? Bubic, who utilized his 85th percentile (6'9) extension to produce a 76th percentile whiff rate (28.8%), despite an 18th percentile fastball velocity (92.1 MPH). Bubic also had an average arm angle of 38 degrees, not tremendously different from the 29-degree arm angle that Black showcased last season with the Giants. Thus, it's in the realm of possibility that a few minor tweaks from Sweeney and the Royals' pitching coaches could help Black solidify the bottom of the Royals' rotation. If he doesn't have the length to be a starter, Black could thrive in the bullpen, especially with a four-seamer and sweeper combo that can be effective when utilized properly. That was on display in this strikeout of A's catcher Shea Langeliers in Black's lone outing last season. Now, is Black going to be the next Bubic? That may be a little rash, especially since Black has proven far less at the MLB level than the former Stanford product. At the same time, Royals fans shouldn't sleep on or completely dismiss Black and his potential. He has the intelligence, the tools, and the repertoire to become a serviceable starter or reliever for the Royals as soon as next season. Furthermore, there is some long-term upside with Black if everything clicks in Kansas City, especially since he will be only 26 when pitchers and catchers report in February. View the full article

Next Tuesday is the 2025 Rule 5 draft protection deadline. In my career covering the Miami Marlins, there has never been a more obvious candidate to be protected than Joe Mack. That isn't to say that Mack's development journey has gone perfectly—if that were the case, he would already be in the major leagues. The 2021 MLB Draft pick was sidelined for the majority of the 2022 campaign due to hamstring injuries, then didn't hit a lick the following year despite being fully available (.218/.295/.287 slash line in 120 games at High-A). He briefly slipped off the Fish On First Top 30 prospects list during the 2023-24 offseason. Some highly regarded amateurs never recover from that kind of early-career adversity. Just look at the players selected by the Fish with top-50 overall picks in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 drafts (Mack was the 31st overall pick in his class). As a prep prospect who signed for $2.5 million, Mack was most comparable to Dax Fulton and Nasim Nuñez, both of whom were true borderline cases entering their respective Rule 5 deadlines. Drafted by Marlins with Top-50 Overall Picks, 2018-2020 Name Pick # Draft Year Rule 5 Year Protected? Max Meyer 3 2020 2023 Yes JJ Bleday 4 2019 2022 Yes Connor Scott 13 2018 2022 No Kameron Misner 35 2019 2022 No Dax Fulton 40 2020 2024 Yes Nasim Nuñez 46 2019 2023 No However, Mack sprung himself to prominence by the midpoint of the 2024 season. He hit 10 home runs during the month of June alone while being a 21-year-old at Double-A, and paired that power with MiLB Gold Glove Award-worthy defense behind the plate. It was apparent then that he had a rare skill set and exceptionally high floor. Mack's breakout coincided with dramatic changes to the Marlins front office. Inheriting such a talented catcher did not deter new president of baseball operations Peter Bendix from acquiring more candidates to fill the position long term. Bendix added Agustín Ramírez at the 2024 trade deadline and Liam Hicks during last year's Rule 5 draft. As rookies in 2025, they combined to start 120 MLB games at catcher, producing well enough that Mack wasn't called up to Miami despite excelling against Triple-A competition. But as the season progressed, Ramírez's receiving struggles and Hicks' limited power largely negated their redeeming qualities. Although both can meaningfully contribute to the Marlins in 2026 and beyond, neither of them profile as the primary catcher for a contending team. There is ample room for Mack in Miami. As of this writing, the Marlins 40-man roster consists of 38 players, with Ramírez and Hicks being the only catchers (and there being serious doubt about Ramírez's future at the position). Even if the Marlins don't intend to carry Mack on their Opening Day active roster, every other team with open 40-man spots happily would as part of the Rule 5 requirements. Whenever a consensus Top 100 MLB prospect like Mack winds up in this situation, you need to protect the asset. It is premature to anoint Mack as the Marlins' franchise catcher. Maybe severe injuries derail him, he fails to hit at the highest level or somebody else in the organization improves enough to surpass him on the depth chart. At least in those improbable scenarios, he could still be traded for talent that addresses other areas of the organization. That's preferable to a one-time $100,000 payment, which is all you get as compensation for losing a player in the major league phase of the Rule 5. There is a sizable gap in value between Mack and the rest of the Marlins' Rule 5-eligible players. Keep an eye out for articles analyzing the others who are worth considering for 40-man selections—they'll all be housed in FOF's Fish on the Farm section. View the full article

It's not sexy to talk about rotation depth, but it often proves just as conducive to winning as having top-shelf talent. The Boston Red Sox enter the 2025-26 offseason in a fascinating position: They already have a ton of organizational depth for the rotation. Looking at the youth on the precipice of big-league readiness, they have left-handers we saw briefly in Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, and Kyle Harrison, as well as right-handers Hunter Dobbins and Richard Fitts. They also have Luis Perales and David Sandlin residing in Triple-A Worcester, both of whom were at least discussed as potential break-glass-in-case-of-emergency options at the tail-end of the 2025 season. Then, you get into the veterans this team has coming back. Right-hander Kutter Crawford, who made 56 starts between 2023 and 2024, missed all of 2025 and is set to return next season. There's also left-hander Patrick Sandoval, who looked like a potential All-Star with the Angels as recently as 2022. With all of that in mind, one can argue the Red Sox have enough depth, but not enough elite-level talent behind ace left-hander Garrett Crochet. And it's true to a degree—the front of the rotation needs to be a priority. However, ignoring the middle of the rotation would be irresponsible for third-year Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow. While depending on Early, Dobbins, or Tolle isn't a bad strategy (depending on health), having them as Plan B would make the organization stronger. Not only that, but for the Red Sox to add someone at the top of the rotation, they may have to dip into all of this depth to acquire an ace on the trade market. So, if the Red Sox do pursue a lesser starting pitcher in free agency, who should they target? 1. RHP Lucas Giolito The obvious candidate here is to re-sign the right-hander who just spent two years in the organization. While the finish to his season was sub-optimal, there was a lot to like about Giolito's 2025 campaign. For starters, he pitched deep into games. In his 26 starts, he got at least one out into the sixth inning 16 times, the seventh inning seven times, and the eighth inning three times (completing eight twice). His strikeout-to-walk numbers left a bit to be desired, as did his under-the-hood metrics, but it's hard to argue against a 3.41 ERA in 145 innings. There's logic to letting the 31-year-old be one-and-done in Boston, similar to when the organization decided to make Michael Wacha a one-and-done project after 2022. However, Wacha went on to maintain success for the San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals. While the logic was sound then, and would be now, that thought may linger on the minds of remaining Red Sox brass from that era. If they're going to add someone in this tier of starting pitcher, Giolito probably makes the most sense given the familiarity both parties have. 2. RHP Zach Eflin The Red Sox had Eflin on their radar ahead of the 2023 season, before he shockingly signed the richest free-agent contract in Tampa Bay Rays history. While the 2025 season was nothing short of disastrous for the right-hander, injuries played a major role. From 2023 to 2024, the 31-year-old posted a 3.54 ERA, a 3.37 FIP, and a 19.6% strikeout-minus-walk rate in 59 starts between the Rays and Baltimore Orioles. However, 2025 was a bad year for him; his ERA skyrocketed to 5.93 and his K/9 dropped to 6.31 across 14 starts before his season officially ended in August. He had a lumbar microdiscectomy in August, which people undergo to remove part, or all of, a bulging or herniated disc in the lower spine. According to reports, he expects to have a normal offseason after the standard eight to 12 weeks of recommended rest and rehab. Back injuries are no joke, though, especially for pitchers. It's hard to not at least expect that to linger more as he gets deeper into his 30s. That said, he's a talented arm and the injury and his 2025 performance should knock down the acquisition cost. Spotrac gives him a market value of $16.2 million, which is higher than I'd anticipate given early signs this market is showing, including Shane Bieber opting into his $16 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. Something in the range of $10 million over one year should feasibly get the job done. 3. RHP Chris Bassitt From one division rival to another, Bassitt is one of the highest floor guys in the sport. Since 2022, he's made at least 30 starts each year, pitched at least 170 innings, and posted at least 2.3 fWAR. He's not the same pitcher he was a half-decade ago for the Athletics, but he's the same pitcher in theory as Walker Buehler, except with less ceiling and a higher floor. In layman's terms: He's actively good at pitching, just nearing the end of his career. *ducks* Hear me out. He throws eight pitches, which is pretty darned impressive. While half of them registered at under six percent usage, all made up at least 2.7% of his total pitches. He also throws everything to both sides, even though there's a clear skew to one side of the platoon or the other. His cutter, curveball, four-seam, and splitter all kept hitters at bay in 2025, as all four had opponent batting averages of .220 or lower. He also comes in with a lot of institutional knowledge of the American League East, spending the last three years with Toronto, with whom he played a key role in getting them to a World Series Game 7. Bassitt isn't a big strikeout-getter, but he keeps the ball on the ground and generally avoids loud contact. His walks are also generally always in check, save for 2024 where his walk rate sat at a career-worst 9.2 percent. Now, adding him would make it even more imperative that Boston improve its infield defense, which should be a priority anyway, but they could do a lot worse on a one-year deal. 4. RHP Justin Verlander Despite being the ripe old age of 43 (in February), Verlander is coming off of a very solid season for the San Francisco Giants. In 29 starts, the right-hander posted a 3.85 ERA and 2.2 fWAR across 152 innings. After coming off the injured list in June, he was razor sharp to the tune of a 3.60 ERA and 3.34 FIP with 8.64 K/9. It feels like Verlander is becoming an Immaculate Grid legend by bouncing from team to team in the latter stages of his career, but he's still viable for a competitive rotation. While he gives up a lot of fly balls, he's fairly average at missing the barrel and above average at minimizing hard contact. Additionally, his changeup was a plus offering in 2025, while his slider performed worse than expected. His fastball is nowhere near the level it was in his Detroit days, but Andrew Bailey has no problem telling his starters to not throw the fastball (if it's ineffective). Lastly, one cannot overstate the institutional knowledge Verlander possesses. He's won rings, personal awards, and just about everything a MLB pitcher can achieve. He'd be the most decorated arm to don the Red Sox jersey since Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling, even if signing him would give major John Smoltz vibes. View the full article

With more Twins Coaching news (some coming to the Twins, several former Twins coaches heading elsewhere), Bob NIghtengale reported on Tuesday night from the GM Meetings that the Twins have hired Grady Sizemore to their coaching staff. It isn't official, but we have heard that he will be the team's first base coach and also the outfield and base running coach. Ramon Borrego will shift from first base to third base coach in 2026. Sizemore was a big-time prospect in high school, and in 2000, the Montreal Expos made him their third-round draft pick. he became a three-time All-Star centerfielder. He was part of a couple of big trades. He earned two Gold Glove Awards and a Silver Slugger. He was a great all-around player with Cleveland. Unfortunately, he started fighting injuries in 2009, was very limited in 2010 and 2011, and then he missed the entire 2012 and 2013 seasons. He played for three times between 2014 and 2015, but he just was unable to return to his All-Star form. In 2017, he was given a special advisory role in Cleveland but soon after returned home and spent time with his young family. In 2023, he took an internship under the Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen. In 2024, he went to the White Sox and joined their big-league coaching staff. When Pedro Grifol was fired, Sizemore became the interim manager to finish out the season. The White Sox went 13-32 with him leading the way. He remained with the White Sox in 2025 as the team's Offensive Coordinator. As you saw earlier, Pete Maki is returning to the Twins as their pitching coach. We still don't know about Derek Shelton's bench coach or the status of the team's three hitting coaches from 2024. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves sent out a press release on Tuesday night announcing their 2026 coaching staff. We had heard that former Twins bullpen coach Jeremy Hefner jumped into their pitching coach role and Tommy Watkins will be their third base coach. In addition, former Twins infield and bench coach Tony Diaz has joined the Braves coaching staff. Also, former Cedar Rapids Kernels pitching coach (and assistant minor league pitching coordinator) JP Martinez will be Atlanta's bullpen coach. He has been the Giants hitting coach for the past five or six years. View the full article

Game Results: Tuesday, 11/4 | Peoria 0, Glendale 7 Wednesday, 11/5 | Peoria 3, Salt River 4 Thursday, 11/6 | Glendale 11, Peoria 0 Friday, 11/7 | Mesa 0, Peoria 3 Sunday, 11/9 | Fall Stars Game: National League 4, American League 5 Minnesota Twins prospects and the Peoria Javelinas had a bit of a rough go in week 5, finishing 1-3 in their four games, and being shut out in two of them. That means they headed into the “Fall Stars” weekend with an 11-14 overall record, good for fourth in the standings. The all-star weekend in this circuit includes a home run derby, which Kala’i Rosario of the Twins has won in the past, as well as the NL vs. AL game for which the top prospects on lists get showcased along with some of the league’s best performers. Royce Lewis was also named the MVP of this game in the past, before taking home the same honor for the league as a whole all the way back in 2019. The Twins did have a participant in this year’s showcase game, but once again none of their players appeared amongst the top performers of the week. Twins prospects will have one more week to make their mark before the AFL playoffs commence next weekend. Unlike prior years, all six teams will be participating in the playoff tournament, with the top two teams receiving a first round bye week. OF Hendry Mendez Week (did not play) Overall: .300/.391/.500 (.891 OPS) Outfielder Hendry Mendez has not been playing in AFL games since week two due to a personal matter, and it is uncertain if he will be able to come back before the season is over. Mendez had appeared in five games for the Javelinas and had at least one hit in each of them, including a home run. IF Brandon Winokur Week (3 games): 1-for-9, 2B, RBI, BB, K, SB (2) Overall: .191/.273/.309 (.582 OPS) Winokur once again led the way for Twins prospects during the week, getting the start in three games. He played shortstop twice and third base once, batting seventh in the lineup each time. While being shutout by Glendale on Tuesday, Peoria managed just two hits and five walks as a team, finishing 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Winokur drew one of those walks after challenging a pitch, then also stole his second base of the season. A few batters later, he was forced out at home and the Javelinas wouldn’t get another chance the rest of the game. The lone hit of the week for the big right-hander came in Thursday’s second shutout of the Javelinas by the Desert Dogs on the week, as his double to lead off the fifth inning was his second of the season, and the last hit Peoria would muster on the day. Though he finished 0-for-4 on Friday, he drove in one of his team's runs with a groundout in the bottom of the sixth that made the 3-0 final in Peoria’s lone win. IF Billy Amick Week (1 game): 0-for-2, BB, 2 K Overall: .037/.316/.037 (.353 OPS) Amick served as the designated hitter in Thursday’s 11-0 loss to the Desert Dogs, batting ninth, and finished 0-for-2 with a pair of strikeouts. On the positive side, he drew one of the team’s four walks on the day after Winokur’s double in the sixth and would end up in scoring position, but got left stranded. RHP Miguelangel Boadas Week (1 appearance): 1 IP, BB, 2 K Overall: 1-0, 1.54 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, .158 BAA, 9 BB, 8 K (11 2/3 IP) Boadas’ lone appearance of the week came in the Fall Star’s game on Saturday. So while his outing won’t be included in his season long numbers shown above, he continued to perform admirably. With the score 4-1 in favor of the American League team, Boadas came on to pitch the top of the seventh inning. While he walked the leadoff man on just four pitches, he came right back and struck out the next hitter on a slider at the top of the zone. After four pitches were fouled back on the next hitter, including a 98.2 MPH fastball, he buried a slider away for a swing-and-miss and another strikeout. His catcher then threw a runner out a second to end the inning with a double-play. LHP Zander Sechrist Week (1 appearance): 1 IP, H, R (0 ER), BB, K Overall: 0-0, 2.57 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, .208 BAA, 4 BB, 6 K (7 IP) Sechrist got in one inning of work in Tuesday’s loss to Glendale, pitching the seventh inning in a game already out of reach for his team. An error from Winokur at shortstop put the leadoff man on base who would come around to score after a walk and a single. With two outs and runners on second and third, Sechrist got out of the inning without any further damage by picking up a swinging strikeout. RHP Dylan Questad Week (1 appearance): 2 IP, H, 3 BB, K Overall: 0-1, 15.19 ERA, 3.38 WHIP, .238 BAA, 13 BB, 5 K (5 1/3 IP) Questad was the first reliever summoned for the Javelinas in Friday’s 3-0 win over Mesa. He began the top of the third inning and worked around a two-out single and a walk for a scoreless inning. Back out for the fourth he again had a couple baserunners after issuing a pair of two-out walks, but recovered to finish his scoreless outing with a three-pitch strikeout. RHP Jakob Hall Week (1 appearance): 1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER Overall: 0-1, 8.53 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, .385 BAA, BB, 4 K (6 1/3 IP) After two scoreless innings from their starting pitching on Tuesday, Hall came on to start the third and ended up being charged with the loss as he gave up a pair of runs. His frame went groundout, single, single, double and also had a couple of wild pitches that lead to a 2-0 Desert Dogs lead. He got the final two hitters on a groundout and strikeout to end his appearance. RHP Hunter Hoopes Week (1 appearance): 1 IP, ER, 3 BB Overall: 0-2, 11.57 ERA, 2.43 WHIP, .300 BAA, 8 BB, 7 K (7 IP) Hoopes finished off the first of the Javelinas shutout losses on Tuesday, pitching the eighth inning. For Twins pitchers, it was again a “walks will haunt” scenario as his three free passes allowed a Glendale run to come home on a groundout to make the final score. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the Twins prospects playing in the AFL this week! View the full article

The Kansas City Royals are shifting titles and responsibilities in their front office. Brooks Sherman, formerly the president of business operations, is now president of real estate and development. His primary responsibility will be looking for a new ballpark location. In his place, Anne Rogers of MLB.com is reporting that the Kansas City Royals have named Cullen Maxey the President of Business Operations. In a statement, Royals chairman/CEO John Sherman said, "...this is a day that helps change our organization and prepares us for the future." Maxey was previously the Executive Vice President, Business Operations and Chief Revenue Officer with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 16 seasons. In Arizona, Maxey was part of the leadership team responsible for the planning and construction of the $200 million Salt River Fields Complex. He also led the team that transitioned the Diamondbacks' broadcast from the regional sports network model to a team-managed multi-platform distribution. Most notably for fans, he was one of the key figures behind "value item pricing" at the concession stand. His efforts led the D-backs to have the lowest Fan Cost Index in MLB for many consecutive years. While the impact of front office roles can be hard to measure, how do you think Maxey and Sherman's new roles will impact the Royals organization? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

While the Boston Red Sox will be extremely busy this offseason revamping their roster via free agency and the trade market, they'll also be monitoring the progress of injuries across the organization. On Monday, Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow provided offseason injury updates from the General Manager meetings in Las Vegas, NV. Roman Anthony, who finished 3rd in AL Rookie of the Year voting, is "completely asymptomatic" after missing the final 22 games of the season and playoffs with a left oblique strain. He added that it's business as usual for Anthony, who "should start swinging in a couple of weeks..." Triston Casas, who suffered a devastating knee injury in May, is rehabbing in Fort Myers, FL. Breslow was not willing to put a timeline on Casas, but added, "Triston is anticipating being ready for spring training." Injury aside, Casas has been the subject of trade speculation and was noncommittal when asked whether he would be the team's first baseman in 2026. This led Casas to make a very cryptic post on Instagram. Marcelo Mayer's "been making great progress to the point that he was pushing to get back in time if we had continued deeper into the postseason", said Breslow. Mayer had wrist surgery in August. He also provided updates on pitchers Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins. Fitts is throwing and is going into the offseason with no limitations", according to Breslow. Dobbins has begun a full throwing program after ACL surgery in August. He is expected to be ready by Spring Training. Mostly good news on the injury front for the Red Sox, but what do you think will happen with Casas? Do the Red Sox need a contingency plan in case he's not ready or is traded? Let us know in the comments! Note: this information was readily available across X, though most information was taken from Christopher Smith's article on MassLive. View the full article

During the GM Meetings in Las Vegas, Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix speaks with MLB Network's Brian Kenny about Gabe Kapler's promotion, Sandy Alcantara's future, Kyle Stowers' breakout and more.View the full article

Every offseason, we offer our You’re The GM! tool to build your ideal Twins 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 Minnesota Twins. 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 Twins' 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 Twins' 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 Twins 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 Twins Daily. I hope you enjoy playing the role of general manager, at least for a moment! Start Your Payroll Blueprint Now View the full article

Last week, the Brewers declined their team option on first baseman Rhys Hoskins. They now enter another offseason needing to carefully evaluate their options at the position. They've been looking for a new first baseman almost every offseason, for a long time. Ever since Prince Fielder signed a nine-year, $214-million deal with the Detroit Tigers in January 2012, it’s been a revolving door at first base in Milwaukee. The issue may be larger than most realize. The Brewers have not had the same first baseman for 100 or more games in back-to-back seasons since Fielder was on the team, from 2005 to 2011. Fielder filled the lineup card’s first-base slot in 930 of his 998 games with Milwaukee and was the most consistent bat in their lineup over that time. Fielder helped the team end a streak of playing at or below .500 for 14 consecutive seasons in 2007, when he stepped into league-wide stardom by hitting a career-high 50 home runs. The next season, he, CC Sabathia, J.J. Hardy, Ben Sheets, and the 2008 squad dominated down the stretch to get the Brewers to their first postseason in 26 years. All told, Fielder put together an impressive seven-year stretch in Milwaukee. He accumulated 16.8 bWAR, 230 home runs, and 656 RBI, and posted a .282/.390/.540 slash line, a 13.4% walk rate, and an 18.5% strikeout rate. Those are hard numbers to come by for first basemen today. Since the beginning of the 2012 season, the Brewers have tried 16 different players as regulars at first, and no one has seemed to stick. Hoskins is just the latest example. The Brewers had hoped he could cure what has ailed them at the cold corner, but Hoskins only played 94 games at first in 2024 and 82 this season. At the plate, things didn’t hum as well as Hoskins or the Brewers had hoped. He put up decent power numbers in 2024, with 26 home runs and 82 RBI, but saw his slash line drop to career-low marks in all three categories: .214/.303/.419 and a 99 OPS+ in 131 games. This year, Hoskins played in only 90 games, as he battled recurring discomfort in his left thumb during the second half of the year. His numbers were only somewhat better, and Andrew Vaughn rendered him virtually obsolete during his stint on the shelf. So what gives? Is this just the curse of Fielder’s departure to play for the team with whom his father made his name, or is there something more to it? The most games any player has played at first in a single season since Fielder’s departure was Chris Carter in 2016, with 155. The most games they’ve gotten from any player at first in multiple seasons over the last 15 years is the 269 played by Jesós Aguilar, from 2017-2019. Here’s the full list of players with a minimum of 45 games at first for the Brewers since 2012, broken down by season. Corey Hart, 2012, 103 games Yuniesky Betancourt, 2013 - 68 games Juan Francisco, 2013 - 67 games Mark Reynolds, 2014 - 91 games Lyle Overbay, 2014 - 83 games Adam Lind, 2015 - 138 games Chris Carter, 2016 - 155 games Eric Thames, 2017 - 108 games Jesus Aguilar, 2017 - 77 games Jesus Aguilar, 2018 - 132 games Eric Thames, 2019 - 105 games Jesus Aguilar, 2019 - 60 games Justin Smoak, 2020 - 31 games Jedd Gyrko, 2020 - 30 games Daniel Vogelbauch, 2021 - 59 games Keston Hirua, 2021 - 49 games Rowdy Tellez, 2021 - 46 games Rowdy Tellez, 2022 - 139 games Rowdy Tellez, 2023 - 76 games Carlos Santana, 2023 - 50 games Rhys Hoskins, 2024 - 94 games Jake Bauers, 2024 - 76 games Rhys Hoskins, 2025 - 82 games Andrew Vaughn, 2025 - 64 games Jake Bauers, 2025 - 40 games The Brewers have tried several things to fill the gap left by Fielder. They’ve moved fan favorites like Hart from their original position in the outfield to first. They brought in successful journeymen on one-year deals (Reynolds, Gyorko, and Carter), only to let them walk again in free agency the next offseason. Aguilar ended up as one of the best waiver claims by the Brewers in the last decade, only to be traded when Thames resurged from a down 2018 season. Hiura looked to be holding down second base for a long time, only to flame out quickly at the plate and at first base, making room for Tellez. The only thing the Brewers haven’t tried is to sign a free-agent first baseman to a long-term deal to lock the position down for several years at once. As the roster currently stands, Vaughn and Bauers look to be penciled in as the solutions for 2026, in a modified platoon that gives Vaughn a bigger share than a typical righty in such an arrangement After seeing their first attempt at a two-year deal to fix their issue at first base fail, the Brewers will be unlikely to sign any similar veteran to a long-term deal. Vaughn and Bauers will be free agents after the 2027 season, so there is still plenty of time left for one of them to be the first Brewers first baseman to play 100 or more games at the position since Fielder. There are also corner infield prospects who may make a case further down the road. Andrew Fischer, ranked as the Brewers' 6th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, joined the organization in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Luke Adams, a 12th-round pick from 2022, ranks as their 8th-best prospect on the same list. First base is a position where most major-league teams see a revolving door from year to year. For example, since the division rival Cubs traded away their longtime first baseman, Anthony Rizzo, to the Yankees in 2021, they only had four players play 45 or more games at first before handing Michael Busch the full-time role in 2024. The Boston Red Sox, a team more willing to spend big on first basemen in free agency, have only had 12 players play 45 or more games in a season for them since 2012, with Mike Napoli (2013-2014) and Mitch Moreland (2017-2018) both having 100 or more games for them in consecutive seasons at first base. But the Brewers are in a unique position since Fielder’s departure. To go from one of the most consistent players at one position for seven years, then 15 consecutive seasons with a new face playing the most games there is unheard of. Maybe the player to end this streak is already on the parent club, coming up through the farm system, or a free agent they’ll take a chance on after all. But for now, it looks as though the player who will get the most starting time at first over the next few years is in the organization right now, and it’s just a matter of someone playing well enough to keep the starting role. View the full article

Over the weekend, MLB announced the annual winners for their "Platinum Glove" award, which highlights the single best defensive player in each league. While the Chicago Cubs took home the MLB's team award, they did not have a winner for the individual award; instead, this award for the National League went to Fernando Tatis Jr., who plays right field on the San Diego Padres. I won't shame the guy—he was tied for the league lead in DRS, but Pete Crow-Armstrong probably has a bit of an argument for winning the award outright over Tatis and probably feels a little slighted. Not only did he tie with American League winner Bobby Witt Jr. in Statcast's Outs Above Average for the league lead (24), but he did so at a more defensively demanding position than Tatis. The Cubs' defender lead the world in terms of five-star catches as well. Regardless, this isn't a piece meant to bash the Padres' All-Star, but rather to celebrate the man they call PCA. So, come take ride with me through my five favorite catches on the season made by the Cubs' center fielder. June 4, 2025: Look out for the wall, Pete! TkE5TmJfWGw0TUFRPT1fQkZNSEFnWUVVUVlBQ0FNS1VRQUhCQUJYQUFBR1VWSUFCd0VCVVFwWEFBcGNCd2NB.mp4 I don't care what Statcast says, this is my favorite (and what I'd argue is the most impressive play) of the season that Pete Crow-Armstrong made. Sure, it's still considered a "Five-Star" catch (MLB defines these as catches that only 25% of fielders would make) and this catch had only a 10% catch probability, but Statcast would tell you he had tougher plays to make (and those plays will find their way into this article, so you can be the judge as well). Well, me and the probabilities are going to have a little beef because I think this catch was impossibly hard. First, this play takes Pete Crow-Armstrong a long way; this was his longest distance traveled that registered as a "five-star" catch on the season. But I don't think distance alone should matter, so other context needs to be added. Not every direction an outfielder travels is equal; it's a lot easier to come in than travel back for a ball. This play forces him to turn his back to the plate, and it's a lot harder to track over your shoulder. Lastly, this doesn't take place in a familiar ballpark Crow-Armstrong, as the Cubs make only one yearly trip to Washington. It's actually probably a good thing that it didn't take place in a familiar ballpark— this ball would have been a home run at Wrigley. Plus, he's got to contend with the impact of a padded wall, and still, despite all of that, comes down with the ball. When you add it all up; I think that's an incredible catch. Sorry, Statcast, we just won't agree here. June 17, 2025: Pete Crow-Armstrong saves the day against Milwaukee akQ5Z0FfWGw0TUFRPT1fVjFKV1VnQUhWMVlBV2xjRVh3QUhBRlVDQUFOUVV3TUFDMUlIVVFkVVYxWUVDQUlD.mp4 With the benefit of hindsight, we know that the Cubs didn't win the National League central, but on June 17, it was the Cubs who entered the night with a 5.5-game lead in the division. In a taught one run game, set-up man Caleb Thielbar is tasked with holding on to the lead. Despite a rocky first few appearances, the southpaw has had a great bounce-back season to date, and would need to handle the bottom of the Milwaukee order in the top of the eighth. With one out, Thielbar throws a 93mph heater that probably catches just a little too much of the strike zone, and Brewers' second baseman Brice Turang smokes a line drive to center field. Thankfully for the Cubs, Pete Crow-Armstrong is in center. According to Statcast, he had to cover 71 feet in just 3.8 seconds. So, despite the exit velocity and angle of the hit only scoring ax expected batting average of .280, the defensive positioning of the Cubs' defender added to the difficulty on the play. With only a 5% chance to complete the catch, the swift-footed Crow-Armstrong lays out and gets to the ball before it touches green. Thielbar clearly knows what he just saw, giving a grin of unbelievability. In the end, the Cubs would tack on a fifth run and would win by two, but this play was pivotal in stretching their division lead a little further. June 28, 2025: This is why Pete Crow-Armstrong is special: bmJNNkRfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1Z3bFRWd0VBQUFNQVhBUUdWd0FIQkFKU0FBQUJCMU1BVjFFTUNRVUdBd0pjQVFVSA==.mp4 When we think of spectacular defensive plays, I think the ones that we tend to gravitate towards and remember are the ones where a player goes all out and either makes a diving catch or runs into a wall; the play has to finish with something that really stands out. What we forget is that one of the reasons a player has to dive is because they couldn't complete the play standing up (speaking from experience, most of the diving plays I've made in my adult league is because I am objectively slow as hell). This is why this play is so good from Crow-Armstrong—he didn't need to go to ground. He made the play look routine. Be honest with yourself: You probably didn't realize that Statcast gave the Cubs' center fielder a 5% catch probability on this one. You probably don't remember this one from the 2025 season. To make this play happen, Pete Crow-Armstrong had under four seconds to travel 68 feet. Not only did he get there, he got there standing up and made it look easy. You'd never come away thinking this was one of his most difficult plays from the eye test. All of this is what makes this a special play, even if I like the play against the Nationals more from a personal standpoint. July 4, 2025: Pete Crow-Armstrong's July 4 Fireworks WU9rbDJfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1VsQlFWUUlFVkZBQUNRUUhWd0FIVTFkZkFBQUNBRmdBVmdZQkExQlRWQWNCVWd0VQ==.mp4 July Fourth is a day in which we celebrate many things; democracy, personal freedoms, hot dogs and, on this iteration of the national holiday, it was also a celebrate of great defense. The Cubs were still leading the division and their hated rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, were in town on a Friday afternoon. Frankly, this is the perfect setup for a July Fourth. The Cubs have the surprisingly-effective Colin Rea taking the mound at home. With one out, Cardinals' shortstop Mason Wynn smokes a 105mph line drive off the bat. With an expected batting average of .740 and with a 77th percentile sprint speed, Wynn had to feel like he would be standing on second base pretty easily. Not so fast, my friend. Covering 66 feet in just 3.7 seconds, the center fielder gets a great break on this one. Unlike the play against the Astros, this play is not taking Crow-Armstrong in, but to his glove side. This makes this play a bit trickier; he'll have to move laterally more than north-south. Despite Statcast giving him, yet again, only a 5% chance to make the play, it once again falls harmlessly in Crow-Armstrong's glove for an early out. The Cubs would end up winning 13-3, but taking away an early extra-base hit gave the Cubs a strong platform to explode offensively later. September 1, 2025: Pete Crow-Armstrong helps the Cubs come back TkE5TWJfWGw0TUFRPT1fQlFoVFZGd0ZYd1FBV1ZSUUFBQUhWQU5UQUFOUld3UUFWMVlDVkFzR0NWRlVCd0JR.mp4 The Cubs' young center fielder had an up-and-down year at the plate, looking like the likely NL MVP favorite through the first few months while also looking completely lost in the batter's box during stretches at the end of the season. Thankfully for the Cubs, Crow-Armstrong managed to find ways to impact the game even if he wasn't hitting, and on a chilly day in September he proved as much. The Cubs are down by two against the Braves as the game, and the day, turns to dusk. Aaron Civale, recently acquired off the scrapheap, has given the Cubs a platform to make a comeback; they were down as many as four but have found a few runs to make it tighter. Ozzie Albies, who has a bit of a history of being a Cub killer, steps to the plate, works a full count, and then blisters a 97mph line drive off the relief pitcher. Pete Crow-Armstrong shows off his wheels once again, traveling 92 feet in 4.2 seconds. With a Statcast catch probability of 10% and an expected batting average of .300, it's pretty likely that this ball lands in the gap and the Braves will have a runner in scoring position. Once again, the Cubs' defensive wizard defies probability and makes a wonderful sliding catch. While the play in Washington might be my favorite play of the year, Aaron Civale almost steals the show here for best reaction. The Cubs would eventually come back and win this game 7-6. Maybe the Cubs win regardless of Crow-Armstrong's heroics here—Albies could have been stranded at second and the game may not have changed. But it's plays like this that show what kind of an impact Crow-Armstrong can have in the outfield. Which catch was your favorite? Was there a play I chose not to highlight here? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

In the last couple of days, it's been reported that the Boston Red Sox could be looking to upgrade from outfielder Jarren Duran and will prioritize a frontline starter behind ace Garrett Crochet. Jon Morosi of MLB Network is reporting that sources have indicated that the Kansas City Royals are seeking outfield reinforcements and that the Boston Red Sox are potential trade partners. The Red Sox have been rumored to be looking for an upgrade over outfielder Duran, while MLBTR also identifies Wilyer Abreu as a trade candidate. Duran, who has an $8 million club option, carried an OPS of .774 with 16 home runs and 24 stolen bases across 696 plate appearances in 2025. Abreu, controllable through 2029, played in only 115 games, yet the 26-year-old still mashed 22 home runs to go along with six stolen bases. The Red Sox are looking to upgrade their pitching rotation, which makes a deal between the two even more sense. The Royals have solid options as rotation upgrades in Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic. Ragans appeared in 13 games in the 2025 season, pitching 61 2/3 innings for the Royals. He posted a 4.67 ERA (3.00 FIP) with a strong K-BB rate of 29.7%. Bubic was an All-Star in 2025, throwing 116 1/3 innings with a 2.89 FIP and a 16.2% K-BB rate. Do you think the Red Sox should trade for Ragans or Bubic? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

The Kansas City Royals have revamped their hitting staff, hiring Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames in recent days. Now, they're setting their sights on the lineup itself, specifically on the outfield. Jon Morosi of MLB Network is reporting that sources have indicated that the Royals are seeking outfield reinforcements. Morosi (and many others) add that the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels are potential trade partners. The Red Sox have been rumored to be looking for an upgrade over outfielder Jarren Duran, while MLBTR also identifies Wilyer Abreu as a trade candidate. Duran, who has an $8 million club option, carried an OPS of .774 with 16 home runs and 24 stolen bases across 696 plate appearances in 2025. Abreu, controllable through 2029, played in only 115 games, yet the 26-year-old still mashed 22 home runs to go along with six stolen bases. The Red Sox are looking to upgrade their pitching rotation, which makes a deal between the two even more sense. For the Angels, Taylor Ward and Jo Adell are two names that teams asked about at the trade deadline. Though there haven't been any rumors suggesting they're on the block, they could also be in the market for starting pitching help. Do you think the Royals should trade for Duran, Abreu, Ward, or Adell? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

We're looking for contributors to write Padres content over the offseason! First, feel free to reach out via email at brock.beauchamp@padresmission.com or reply to this article. Writing Articles If you’ve ever wanted an audience for your Jays takes, this is the perfect place. While we generally lean into analytics and analysis, we also take a “come as you are” approach to baseball and give writers a lot of leeway to write about the game in a way that interests them. That could manifest in historical pieces, previews, or regular series. It’s a matter of finding your niche in the fandom and carving out a space for it. Making Videos We're also looking for videographers! Most of our content is on the shorter side (3-7 minutes), though we have space for plenty of different formats and ideas. Like the writing side of the site, we usually lean into analytics, but it's not the only path we're open to exploring. It is also noteworthy that we pay our content creators. It’s certainly not enough to quit your day job. So don’t do that. However, it might be enough to show that we value your time, talent, and effort. If you know someone who might be interested in creating Padres content as a side job, please share this with them! View the full article

The Kansas City Royals made a minor trade to add pitching depth, acquiring Mason Black from the San Francisco Giants for minor league prospect Logan Martin. Black, a third-round pick in 2021, was designated for assignment by the Giants. He has yet to live up to his draft hype, but in the minors from 2022 to 2024, he posted a 3.77 ERA with 378 strikeouts in 320 innings, quickly advancing to Triple-A. Black, once seen as a top prospect, made his MLB debut on May 6, 2024. He pitched 14 1/3 innings before being sent down, then was later recalled to throw a first-season total of 36 1/3 innings, posting a 31:15 strikeout-to-walk ratio but allowing a .309 opponent batting average. This season, he pitched just four innings with a 6.75 ERA. Added to the Royals' 40-man roster, Black still has one remaining option year. The Royals can keep him in Triple-A Omaha, giving him time to work out his kinks. A new location may help the 25-year-old return to the strong production he showed early in his minor league career. The Royals might also test how Black performs in a relief role. Regardless, they paid a minimal price for a pitcher with MLB experience. View the full article

Since its inception in 2006, the World Baseball Classic has been one of my favorite events. Much like college baseball, it gives fans an exhilarating alternative to traditional MLB action, and it offers unique opportunities for some players who will never play in the American majors. Believe it or not, there are a few Twins who will probably be extended an invitation to participate in the 2026 WBC. Arms that can throw multiple innings are worth their weight in gold when it comes to off-season, tournament-style baseball. There are some notable injuries to the United States starting pitching pool (Zack Wheeler and Gerrit Cole certainly won't be suiting up, for instance) that I think will leave a window of opportunity for Joe Ryan to represent his country again, but this time in the World Baseball Classic. (For those who don't remember, Ryan pitched for the U.S. during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, winning a silver medal.) With Paul Skenes already penciled in as the ace, Team USA's best options thereafter are Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, Hunter Brown, Max Fried and Bryan Woo. In my eyes, the remaining names become a bit more of a toss-up, with Nick Pivetta, Andrew Abbott, and Nathan Eovaldi among a large group. Usually, there is a solid grouping of arms that just want to prepare for the grind of 162 games and elect not to participate in the WBC, so we could see Ryan get a well-deserved invitation. Next, we have Pablo López. He has proudly represented Team Venezuela in the past, with Twins legend Johan Santana also representing his country as the pitching coach. López is in position to be a staple on his national team. However, with three different injuries having broken up his 2025 campaign, López might need to focus on getting his body in a good place for the grind of the long season ahead. I would imagine he will get the invitation, at least, and whether he takes it will give us an early indication on his health heading into 2026. Lastly, Byron Buxton should have an opportunity to represent his country this spring. Pete Crow-Armstrong was the only American center fielder to record a higher WAR in 2025, and he had 31 more games in which to do so. This comes down to his health and his desire to represent. In terms of talent and production in the outfield, I want to see Corbin Carroll in left field, Aaron Judge in right field and Minnesota’s Buxton holding it down in center. Regardless of how the roster shakes out, I can’t wait for the WBC. The event always delivers, showcasing some of the game's best talents—and it produces some playoff-esque baseball. We will certainly see some Minnesota Twins represent their country to varying levels, and I will be sitting front and center to take in the action. View the full article

Major League Baseball's GM Meetings are underway in Las Vegas this week. Though it's rare for any moves to come to fruition during the week, it undoubtedly provides teams with an opportunity to start conversations around potential targets. Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow wasted no time stoking the hot stove. As has been speculated by baseball beat writers and reporters early in the offseason, Breslow identified a number two start and middle-of-the-order power bat as the team's top two priorities this offseason. On the pitching front, rumors have continued on Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan, whom the Red Sox made a last-ditch attempt on at the 2025 trade deadline. Though he's obviously better than a number two, they could swing bigger if the Detroit Tigers do, in fact, put Tarik Skubal on the block. Additionally, rumors have been swirling regarding Milwaukee Brewers starter Freddy Peralta, though Bob Nightengale recently refuted that he would be made available. On the free agent market, they could target players like Dylan Cease, Michael King, Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, Ranger Suarez, Zac Gallen, Brandon Woodruff, Shota Imanaga, and Chris Bassitt, among others. It's worth noting that King, Valdez, Suarez, Gallen, Woodruff, and Imanaga were tendered qualifying offers. On the offensive side of the ball, Kyle Tucker (who might be the "upgrade" the team is looking for over Jarren Duran), Kyle Schwarber, and Pete Alonso all represent potential options. Of course, they also look to bring back Alex Bregman and have been linked to Bo Bichette. There are many potential options to address the needs identified by Breslow. Who do you think the Red Sox should add? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

There are some extremely talented collegiate pitchers at the top of the 2026 draft class. We’re used to seeing teams lean into drafting college arms in the middle and late rounds, where the pitching talent outlasts the hitting talent. In recent seasons, though, we’ve seen a trend of elite college starters moving quickly to become major-league contributors, with Trey Yesavage being the best recent example. The Twins have roughly 60% odds to land a top-3 pick. At this stage, if they maintain that position, I’d guess drafting a college arm is unlikely. If they fall somewhere between 4 and 7, however, all bets are off. Below, you’ll find a profile for the three top college arms in the draft (each of whom I’d consider top-15 type prospects in this draft today). For each prospect, you’ll find their name, primary position, college, hitting and throwing hands, and their age on draft day 2026. You’ll find a summary of their 2025 performance. Pitchers are listed alphabetically by last name. Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara, 6’4", 185 lbs., R/R, 21 75 IP, 3.60 ERA, 3.16 FIP, 27.8 K%, 5.5 BB% Flora is a right-handed pitcher out of UCSB, whose combination of size, athleticism, and stuff could make him the first arm off the board next July. He’s an elite mover, with great flexibility, explosiveness, and an incredibly quick, whippy arm action. There is some inconsistency in his delivery, with a few too many moving parts. This hasn't impeded his ability to throw strikes, however. Flora has demonstrated good command of the fastball/slider combination that headlines his arsenal. Stuff-wise, there’s plenty to like, too. Flora’s fastball sits in the 95-98-mph range, with outstanding carry and a flat approach angle. If he locates it up in the zone, it’s a nightmare pitch to try and square up. Flora has two distinct slider shapes—one acting more as a cutter, and one a sweeper, on which he generates up to 20 inches of horizontal break. The warts here are landing on another effective pitch (he throws a changeup and curveball very sparingly, and neither is yet a reliable offering) and keeping the ball on the plate. If Flora shoves in 2026, he can cement his contention to be the first arm off the board. Cam Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina, 6’6", 205 lbs., R/R, 21 101.2 IP, 3.19 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 28.5 K%, 5.8 BB% Flukey has a strong case to make for the most improved arm in college baseball in 2025, spearheading Coastal Carolina’s run to the College World Series. It’s a great pitcher’s frame, with a ton of projection remaining. Flukey operates from a high three-quarters slot, with a long, deep arm action that seems to provide some deception in his delivery. The fastball has a chance to be outstanding, but has yet to produce the type of swing-and-miss you’d want to see from it. It sits at 95 mph, but has been up to 98 mph with 19 inches of induced vertical break, albeit from a steeper angle. Flukey also throws a 12-6 curveball in the high 70s, which generated a whiff percentage close to 50% in 2025. That pitch will need to add some firmness when he transitions to pro baseball. There’s a slider in the mix, too (which he threw for strikes over 70% of the time), and a split-change that generated plenty of misses. It feels like Flukey is just scratching the surface of how to leverage his arsenal. If he can thrive with a more balanced pitch mix in 2026, he has the polish and projectability to be a top-10 pick. Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida, 6’5", 200 lbs., R/R, 21 69.1 IP, 4.28 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 31.5 K%, 10.5 BB% Peterson was a top-three-rounds caliber prospect ahead of a loaded 2023 draft, but got to campus at Florida and now has a great chance to be a top-10 overall pick. It’s a big-league frame already,, with premium athleticism and good extension in a delivery that he has worked to make more compact since arriving in Gainesville. Peterson’s fastball is a weapon. It’s been up to 99 mph, flashing 20 inches of carry at the top of the zone. He made strides with his control of the pitch in 2025, and triple-digits velocity readings seem likely in 2026. It’s paired with a slider (with a ton of downward bite) that he throws for strikes over 60% of the time. Peterson also has a changeup, thrown almost exclusively to left-handed hitters, which averages around 15 inches of drop. Both Peterson’s secondary offerings generated miss rates north of 40% from hitters in 2025. There could be three plus pitches in this profile. The focus in 2026 will be throwing enough strikes. Peterson cut his walk rate by 4% in 2025, but at 10.5%, it could stand to come down a little more to cement him in consideration for a top pick in July. View the full article