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With just two relievers penciled in for Opening Day, the Minnesota Twins face a familiar offseason challenge: how do you rebuild a bullpen on a budget? Following the outrighting veteran relievers Michael Tonkin, Thomas Hatch, Génesis Cabrera, and Anthony Misiewicz off the 40-man roster, declining Justin Topa’s $2 million team option, and losing Cody Laweryson off waivers to the Los Angeles Angels, only two relievers can be penciled in as anticipated members of the club’s Opening Day bullpen: Cole Sands and Kody Funderburk. Young, inexperienced right-handed arms Travis Adams, Pierson Ohl, and Marco Raya are strong candidates to inherit three of the open spots entering next season. Still, with the bullpen thin on depth and experience, Twins decision-makers will need to acquire multiple veterans to fill out the eight-pitcher unit. What veterans could they bring in to help bolster first-time bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins’s group? Let’s take a look. Tyler Kinley Selected with the 13th pick of the 2017 Rule 5 Draft, Kinley pitched 3 ⅓ innings over four games for the 2018 Minnesota Twins, generating an uninspiring 24.30 ERA and 12.15 FIP over that stretch. Unsurprisingly, the then-27-year-old was returned to the Miami Marlins, where he spent one-and-a-half seasons before being traded to the Colorado Rockies. Given his home ballpark and the overall ineptitude of the organization he pitched for, the hard-tossing righty surprisingly mustered moderate success during his time in Denver, generating a 5.05 ERA, 4.26 FIP, and a 261-to-110 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 246 innings pitched over five seasons. The now 34-year-old was rewarded for his services by being traded to the Atlanta Braves during the 2025 trade deadline, where he generated an eye-popping 0.72 ERA, 2.74 FIP, and a 17% K-BB rate over 25 innings pitched. Atlanta declined Kinley’s $5.5 million team option earlier this month, making the wily veteran a free agent this winter. Throwing his plus slider 64% of the time while using his four-seam fastball as his primary secondary pitch (a combination Twins decision-makers often seek out in relievers), Kinley excelled with Atlanta last season by suppressing hard contact and missing bats. The former Twin likely won’t pitch like one of the best relievers in baseball next season as he did with Atlanta in 2025, yet he should be able to immediately insert himself as a high-leverage right-handed arm at a price tag hovering around $2-3 million. Given how thin Minnesota’s bullpen is currently constructed, Kinley would be the favorite to receive the bulk of save opportunities if he returned to the Twins. Hoby Milner Signed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract by the Texas Rangers last December, Milner performed admirably for the playoff-missing Rangers, posting a 3.84 ERA, 3.81 FIP, and a 58-to-21 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 70 ⅓ innings pitched. Interestingly, Minnesota was in on Milner before he signed with Texas last offseason, signaling that the Twins could again pursue the soft-tossing lefty this winter. As noted earlier, fellow southpaw Funderburk is slated to be part of Minnesota’s Opening Day bullpen, meaning Milner would be the club’s second left-handed option. Traditionally, Twins decision-makers have shied away from carrying two lefties in the bullpen, yet given Milner’s strong performance last season, the club would be pursuing the 34-year-old based on skill rather than handedness. Milner, like Kinley, would immediately step in as one of Minnesota’s most experienced relievers, likely receiving high-leverage opportunities early next season. Sporting a sweeper-sinker mix, the former Brewer is more effective against same-handed hitters, evidenced by allowing a .224 wOBA to left-handed hitters compared to a .353 wOBA to right-handed hitters in 2025. Still, the established veteran can hold his own against hitters from either side while generating a high number of ground balls, an archetype the current bullpen is missing. Milner should net another one-year deal in the $2-3 million range, a price tag even the salary-restricted Twins could afford. Shawn Armstrong Speaking of relievers who pitched for the 2025 Rangers, the final reliever on this list is Armstrong. Sporting three fastball variations (four-seam, sinker, and cutter) and a near-elite sweeper, Armstrong pitched like one of the AL’s most effective late-inning arms in 2025, recording a 2.31 ERA, 3.07 FIP, and a 74-to-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 74 innings pitched for Texas. The now-35-year-old broke out with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023, generating a 1.38 ERA over 52 innings pitched. Yet, his 2025 campaign, where he also netted nine saves, was arguably his most impressive. Given his strong performance last season, the veteran will be one of the more expensive relievers on the market, likely commanding a one-to-two-year deal worth $5-6 million annually. That being the case, he is the least likely of the listed candidates for Minnesota to pursue this offseason. Still, if Twins decision-makers were to take a modest, high-upside swing in the free-agent reliever market this winter, Armstrong is the most plausible candidate for them to invest in. If signed, Armstrong would step in as the club’s closer heading into 2026, potentially serving as a mentor for the aforementioned inexperienced right-handers Adams, Ohl, and Raya. Also, if Minnesota falls out of contention come the 2026 trade deadline, the front office could trade Armstrong, netting a return package similar to what they received for Brock Stewart or Danny Coulombe last July. Regardless, Minnesota needs to address the bullpen in some capacity this offseason. Signing elite late-inning arms like Edwin Díaz or Robert Suarez is an unrealistic proposition given the club’s current self-imposed spending limitations. Yet, there is reason to believe the front office could unearth strong value in veteran arms like Kinley, Milner, Armstrong, or others. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs have quite the shopping list this offseason if they want to remain contenders in 2026. They’re set to lose key contributors in the rotation (Shota Imanaga), bullpen (Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, and Andrew Kittredge), and the middle of the lineup (Kyle Tucker). The looming CBA negotiations will affect their approach to roster construction, and certainly, their payroll going beyond 2026. One area that was a cause for concern prior to the 2025 season was third base. The dominos started to fall at the 2024 trade deadline when the Cubs shipped third baseman Christopher Morel to the Rays for Isaac Paredes. After a subpar two months in Chicago, Parades was included in the package that also sent third base prospect Cam Smith to Houston for Kyle Tucker. This left a hole at third base that ended up being filled by 2023 first-round pick Matt Shaw. Although the team lazily pursued Alex Bregman, Shaw seemed to be Plan A without any solid fallback. Even at the time, handing the job to a rookie seemed risky for a team intent on competing. Shaw had a few hot streaks, but he looked largely overmatched in his first season. His .690 OPS is encouraging enough for his long-term outlook, but the Cubs cannot afford another year of growing pains for the 23=year-old. If Owen Caissie is the Cubs’ plan to fill Tucker’s spot in the outfield, they need a dependable bat to fill in somewhere else. If they choose to add another third base option, here are the most intriguing free agent options available:. Alex Bregman Last season, the Cubs were listed as one of the three finalists for Bregman alongside the Red Sox and the Tigers. Bregman opted to go with the short-term, high-AAV contract with Boston that included a few opt-outs. He spent some time on the IL in 2025, but outside of that, he was a key contributor on a playoff-bound Red Sox team. Bregman made his third All-Star team, and ended the year with 3.5 WAR and an .821 OPS across 114 games. The Boras client will be seeking long-term security this winter, and for the soon-to-be 32-year-old, the magic number seems to be six years and about $150 million. Even at 32, Bregman is the type of player that should age well. He has excellent knowledge of the strike zone, and has a lengthy track record of putting the ball in play with high exit velocities. Defensively, he won his first Gold Glove in 2024 and has put up above-average defensive numbers throughout his career. Why he makes sense for the Cubs: In a lineup that has a bit of swing and miss, Bregman is the type of hitter the Cubs desperately need. He likely won’t be leading the team in home runs, but he should be able to challenge Nico Hoerner for the team lead in batting average. Outside of his personal success, Bregman knows how to be part of a winning ballclub. The Astros have been a mainstay in the playoffs since Bregman’s first full-time season in 2017, and Boston made their first playoff appearance since 2021 after they signed him as a free agent. Depending on how you feel about Matt Shaw, this might be good news or bad news, but Bregman would likely make Shaw expendable. The Cubs can sign Bregman, and use Shaw as part of a package to get a high-end starter off the trade market. In an offseason where there are few impact free-agent starters after Dylan Cease and Framber Valdez, this might be a path worth exploring. Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs: Like I just mentioned, replacing former first-round pick and top prospect Matt Shaw after a subpar rookie year might be an overreaction. Bregman and Shaw had similar prospect profiles, so an optimistic Cubs fan or frugal ownership might believe that Shaw can replicate Bregman's production eventually. The CBA negotiations are also a knock against signing him. If the 2027 season is affected in any way, likely by a reduction in games, whoever signs Bregman could be paying him for a lost season. That would be a huge blow for a player in his age-33 season. Most of Bregman’s production will likely come in the front half of his contract, and with the uncertainty beyond 2026, it adds an extra layer of risk. Kazuma Okamoto It's official. The Yomiuri Giants of the NPB are posting their star corner infielder. Since becoming a mainstay in the Giants' lineup in 2018, Okamoto has shown a plus ability to hit for both power and average. From 2018-2023, he hit over 30 home runs each season (41 in 2023). His career batting average in the NPB is .277 with an OPS of .882. He has shown an ability to draw more walks and limit strikeouts as his career progressed overseas. His projected contract, according to Bleacher Report, is four years at $64 million. He has a chance to be an impact bat without breaking the bank. Why he makes sense for the Cubs: Since Hee-Seop Choi in 2002, the Cubs have always been a popular destination for Asian imports. Whether it be from the NPB or KBO, the Cubs do a decent job at turning these players into solid major leaguers. Okamoto’s ability to hit for average as well as power makes him a fit in a lineup that currently lacks in both of those departments. Some see him transitioning to the MLB as a first baseman rather than a third baseman, but even if first is his best defensive position, there will be playing time with the way the roster currently sits. He can rotate between DH, third base, and first base when Michael Busch needs a break. Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs: With so many question marks in the Cubs lineup, it would make more sense to target someone who has produced at a high level in the MLB before. When it comes to position players, the Asian market has a far less spectacular track record in the MLB than the pitchers do. FanGraphs' Eric Longenhagen notes that Okamoto struggles with fastballs above 93 mph. With the average MLB fastball sitting just over 94 mph, this is a glaring area of concern. We have seen some of these imports make the necessary adjustments to square up a MLB fastball, but it seems like there are more failures than success stories. Over the last decade, we have seen numerous flops coming over from Asia with a similar profile to Okamoto: Jung Ho Kang (PIT), Yoshi Tsutsugo (TB), and Hyun Soo Kim (PHI), to name a few. Okamoto would be quite the gamble, and the Cubs should probably stop gambling and sign a proven big leaguer. Munetaka Murakami The 25-year-old NPB slugger has been on the minds of MLB organizations and fans alike for a few years now. His 80-grade power from the left side draws comparisons to fellow countryman Shohei Ohtani and Cub-that-got-away Kyle Schwarber. Although the two-time NPB MVP has a triple crown to his name and 246 home runs, his strikeout concerns are on the same level as Adam Dunn and Joey Gallo. In his two MVP seasons, Murakami had a 21% strikeout percentage. Since then, it has increased to over 28%, a troubling trend since NPB players don’t usually tend to strikeout less after coming stateside. Why he makes sense for the Cubs: When it comes to a dependable left-handed power bat, the Cubs only have Michael Busch. Maybe Pete Crow-Armstrong reverts back to the player he was in the first half of 2025, but it's possible we won’t see those offensive numbers from him again. There are also few left-handed power bats on the market. Tucker, Schwarber, and Cody Bellinger likely won’t be pursued too aggressively by Chicago. First basemen Ryan O’Hearn and Josh Naylor don’t have a place on the current roster either. Nonetheless, Murakami has more raw power than all of those guys outside of Schwarber. One might think it doesn’t make sense for the Cubs to pay Murakami when Schwarber is on the market, but Schwarber has made it clear he would love to stay in Philadelphia, and is seven years older than Murakami. The Japanese phenom would be part of the long-term future, as his projected contract is eight years and $180 million. Would Jed Hoyer want to give one of the largest contracts in franchise history to a guy who has never played in the MLB before? I think we know the answer, which should temper fans' expectations. Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs: There are questions surrounding Murakami’s defense at third base, which is good news for Matt Shaw. If the Cubs do pursue him, he will likely get a bulk of his at bats at the DH position. He can also be the second-string first baseman after Busch. If the bat plays like many think it will, the Cubs have the flexibility to get him into the lineup. This is still a massive gamble, much more than Okamoto due to the length and value of the contract. When a player doesn’t have a real defensive home, the expectations for the bat are very high. If the Cubs had a rich lineup of established sluggers, they could afford to take a risk on a player like this, but they don’t have that kind of long-term stability. There will be immediate pressure on Murakami to lead the offense immediately. To put it into perspective, he could sit comfortably in the six-hole if he signs with Dodgers, but if he goes to Chicago, he will likely be hitting in the two or three spot on Opening Day. Eugenio Suarez After seeing the package Arizona received from Seattle at the trade deadline, it’s hard to believe that Hoyer even gave Mike Hazen and the Diamondbacks a call about Suarez. This should be considered another example of blatant malpractice, but the Cubs have another chance to acquire the slugging third baseman fresh off a 49 home run season. Although he hit only .189 in the regular season after the trade, he still bashed 13 home runs, and an additional three in the playoffs including an absurdly clutch grand slam. Why he makes sense for the Cubs: Suarez might be the cheapest way to get elite, bankable power on the free-agent market. Bleacher Report has his projected contract around three years and worth $63 million. Other plus power hitters like Schwarber, Pete Alonso, Cody Bellinger, and Tucker are all projected to earn at least double the money that Suarez is looking at. Suarez is turning 35 next July, and has seen his defensive ability decline over the past few seasons. However, if Suarez plays half his games at DH, Shaw will still get enough playing time to hopefully prove to fans that he is the long-term answer at third. Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs: Ample due diligence is required to hand out a multi-year deal to a player in his mid-30s. He strikes out a lot, and that is an understatement. In 2019, 2022, and 2023, he led the league in strikeouts. which could be a problem for a Cubs team that already struggles with giving up free outs. Since the end of the Joe Maddon days with the previous core, we have seen the Cubs' offense consistently live and die by the home run. It may make sense to target more of a table setter, but when you remove Tucker’s power from the lineup, it needs to be replaced somehow. Paul DeJong I truly hate to say it, but this seems like the most believable option here, considering the way the front office operates. DeJong only played in 57 games with the Nationals in 2025 due to injury, but he launched 24 home runs in 2024, mostly with the White Sox. At this point in his career, the 32-year-old is not an everyday player, but his pop and ability to play all four infield positions will make him an attractive bench piece. In 2025, his one-year deal with Washington was worth $1 million, and he did not exactly raise his stock, so a similar deal should be in play this season. Why he makes sense for the Cubs: DeJong will allow the Cubs to roll Shaw out there for the bulk of the season. He will assume a utility infielder role as well as the go-to right-handed pinch hitter job off the bench. Should Shaw struggle again, DeJong is a better fallback option offensively than the light-hitting backup options we saw in 2025. Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs: If the Cubs go out and sign an impact bat as well as DeJong, this would be a great fit, especially if Chicago can get him on a minor-league contract. If Plan A is Owen Caissie in right field, with DeJong and Shaw splitting time at third base, that will be quite the uninspiring attempt at filling the Tucker-sized hole in the lineup. DeJong would only be a poor addition for the Cubs if he is the only addition. Yoan Moncada Similar to DeJong, Moncada is best used as a part-time player. The 2025 campaign was his first season away from Chicago, and he posted a solid .783 OPS in 84 games. He hasn’t been too much of an offensive contributor outside of his 2019 season where he hit .315 with 25 home runs, but he has still shown an ability to hit at a decent clip a few times since then. Outside of his rookie season and 2022, his OPS has been above .700 every year. It's also never a bad thing to add another switch hitter to the lineup. Why he makes sense for the Cubs: Although he doesn’t have the power and defensive versatility as DeJong; he’s still a former generational prospect who is used to playing in Chicago. Maybe the Wrigley Field vibes help the 30-year-old turn back the clock and become a bit more like the player the White Sox thought they had. Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs: Moncada doesn’t move the needle much. He is another Plan B option behind Matt Shaw. If there is a bigger move made in conjunction, like signing a top free agent outfielder or DH, Moncada would be a fine depth signing. Counting on him for anything more would be a non-competitive move. View the full article

Shane Bieber's decision to opt in for the 2026 season with the Toronto Blue Jays strengthens the starting rotation. He'll rejoin Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and José Berríos, although Berríos's 2026 status remains uncertain. The righty missed the postseason after being shut down in September due to an elbow issue, leaving his availability for next year's Opening Day in question. If Berríos will be sidelined at the start, the Blue Jays absolutely need to find a free agent arm. But if he's healthy, could Eric Lauer, Bowden Francis, or Easton Lucas fit as the fifth starter? Lauer spent 2024 in the Korea Baseball Organization but returned to MLB this past season. The Blue Jays relied on him heavily, especially after Francis struggled and sustained a shoulder injury. Lauer pitched in 28 games (15 starts), with a 9-2 record, a 3.18 ERA, and a 102:26 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The lefty began the season as a long reliever before moving into the starting rotation to fill the gap left by Francis. This move placed a heavier burden on Brendon Little, who saw his workload jump to a career-high 79 games as the bullpen's sole reliable left-hander. Mason Fluharty and Justin Bruihl stepped in as extra left-handed bullpen arms during the regular season, but struggled. Fluharty had a 4.44 ERA in 52 2/3 innings, though he rebounded with 5 1/3 scoreless September innings before struggling again in October. Bruihl posted a 5.27 ERA in 13 2/3 regular season innings and gave up another two runs in one outing in the playoffs. Currently, FanGraphs has Lauer as the fifth starter. If Fluharty continues to struggle, will the Blue Jays risk another career-high workload for Little, or return Lauer to the bullpen and hope for a bounce-back from Francis or Lucas? Francis excelled in his 2023 debut (excluding his 2/3 innings in 2022). He pitched 36 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, posted a 1.73 ERA, and tallied a 35:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In 2024, he added another impressive campaign, posting a 3.30 ERA over 103 2/3 innings and recording a 92:22 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He started his last 10 appearances of the season, producing a 2.92 ERA in 77 innings and holding opponents to a .166 average as a starter. The Blue Jays rode this success into 2025, but Francis struggled. He posted a 6.05 ERA over 64 innings. Control caused significant issues for the 29-year-old, who produced a 54:27 strikeout-to-walk ratio and surrendered 19 home runs. Opponents hit .283 off him. The team placed Francis on the injured list on June 17 with a right shoulder impingement, causing him to miss the rest of the season. Lucas, with only 42 2/3 MLB innings and an 8.02 ERA over three years, must impress in spring training to make the 26-man roster. So, the Blue Jays' best option could be to test Francis in spring training, evaluating the impact of his past shoulder injury. If Francis rebounds, Lauer can remain in the bullpen, where he posted a 1.76 ERA over 30 2/3 innings in 2025. This roster alignment would support both rotation stability and bullpen depth. View the full article

Trevor Story opted into his final two seasons with the Boston Red Sox a month after finishing out the best season of his Beantown tenure. Story will receive $25MM per year in 2026 and 2027, along with a $25MM club option in 2028. It’s unlikely that Story would have gotten more than that in terms of AAV in free agency, but he very well could have signed a longer-term contract than the two years he will get, with a very unlikely-to-be-activated club option. Is his 2025 repeatable, and do the Red Sox need to make any changes regarding Story’s spot on the team? Trevor Story in 2025 Before we begin talking about the future, let’s think back on the year that was. Story blew expectations out of the water for the majority of Sox nation, putting together a .263/.308/.433 slash line, on top of his 25 HRs and 31 SBs. In MLB history, only three other shortstops have achieved at least a 25+ HR and 30+ SB season after age 30. Those three are Barry Larkin, Francisco Lindor, and Trea Turner, well regarded players to this day. This production came despite his performance—or lack thereof—in May of this past season. Story hit an ice-cold .158/.200/.232, striking out 35 times, and sporting a wRC+ of 14. That wRC+ figure was the 16th-worst month in 2025 for a player with at least 60 plate appearances. Talks of a DFA were ringing loudly across the Twittersphere as he continued to dig himself a deeper and deeper hole. That was until May 30 against the Atlanta Braves, when Story went 1-for-4 with a solo shot and followed up with a 2-for-4 day with three RBIs, accounting for all of the Sox's runs in a win. Once June hit, it was all gas and no brakes for TS10, with the shortstop dropping his strikeout rate month after month, finishing September/October at 21.8%. He also never had a month with a wRC+ below 117 or an OPS below .795 after his abysmal May. And, before an A’s game in mid-September, Story had not been caught stealing in 30 attempts. MnJPNXdfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0RnaFZVMUpTQUZBQUFWTURBQUFIQ0ZSU0FBQUdBUU1BVmx3QlZBc0hDRlpTQ1FaVg==.mp4 In the postseason, Story recorded at least one hit in each of the three games, including a two-run single and a clutch solo homer in Game 2 against the New York Yankees. Health Makes a Difference Arguably, the most important piece when talking about Story in 2025 was his clean bill of health. After not surpassing 100 games played in any season for the entirety of his Red Sox contract, Story went out and played in 157 games, 160 including postseason. There had always been talk that the Sox were a healthy Story season away from the playoffs, and that sentiment proved correct when he tied his career high in games originally set in 2018. Trevor Story’s, well, story of the 2025 season is one of a deep valley followed by a consistent peak that never trailed off. That momentum continued all the way through the playoffs, as he was one of the only consistent bats the team could count on as the weather got colder. Breaking Down the Numbers FanGraphs just recently dropped their Steamer projections for 2026, which are the first set of projections released as the offseason begins. The projection system factors in injury history and the natural age curve, and thus portends some serious regression in terms of HRs, SBs, and games played for Story. The projection came in as follows: 100G, 433 PA, .246/.297/.412, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 15 SB, 26.7% K%, 6% BB%, 1.2 WAR In short, Steamer expects regression but not a full collapse, a version of Story that’s still an above-average regular if healthy. These numbers are a steep drop from his previous season, but looking at his Baseball Savant page, it adds up. The page is ice-cold, especially in the contact stats. Story ended up 20th percentile or worse in Whiff% (20th, 29.3%), Chase% (12th, 35.3%), K% (12th, 26.9%), and BB% (10th, 5%). It’s hard to maintain a .263 average or provide $25MM of value if you can’t make contact the way Story struggled to last season. Despite these struggles, Story still tucked 25 balls into the seats, largely due to the highest average exit velocity of his career, 91.4 mph, and the highest HardHit% of his career, 47%. A 25+ SB/HR season is not an unrealistic goal for Story, depending on his health. He can easily be a 2.5-3 WAR player if he stays on the field. A Smart Move for 2026 and Beyond One way to potentially ensure clean health going forward is to move Story off shortstop. For every jump throw in the hole, there was another ball he simply couldn’t get to anymore. Story had -9 Outs Above Average (OAA) this year, fourth-worst in MLB for the shortstop position. OAA essentially measures the effective range relative to an average player, or what the expectation is for that play to be made. Fortunately for the Red Sox, they have a clear, albeit also injury-prone, replacement in Marcelo Mayer. If we assume that the Red Sox bring Alex Bregman back, which many in the industry surmise will happen, playing Mayer out of position will not help his development. Ever since Dustin Pedroia left the Sox, second base has been a black hole, and this season the Red Sox have led the majors in errors at that position. Story committed the third-most errors at shortstop in baseball, with the majority of those errors being throwing errors. A move to second would take the stress off of needing him to maximize his range, and the throws would be significantly easier to make from game to game. In his lone season at second for the Sox, Story committed six errors, 15th in MLB, and it was his healthiest season up until this one. It was also his best defensive season in Boston by a mile (10 OAA, six Defensive Runs Saved). Final Thoughts Ultimately, if we are talking dollars-to-WAR value, this can become a bad contract for the Red Sox and fast if Story can’t stay on the field. If he can, the Sox have secured a clubhouse leader whom Roman Anthony and Mayer have cited as a stable presence throughout the season, along with all the on-field production he’s shown he is capable of. The smart thing to do is move Story over to second base and try to keep him as healthy as possible for the next two seasons. Finally, I will leave you with a quote from the 310 to Left podcast from Story himself: “To me, it’s pretty simple. There’s not another organization I want to be a part of. I’m just in love with the place, and got some unfinished business.” “I came here for a reason, and we’re finally good. I’m not going to leave when it’s time to start skyrocketing.” “Also, just with the resources that we have being the Red Sox, we know that [the front office] and ownership are going to keep adding to the group. All things considered, it just feels like a rocket ship is about to take off.” I can’t imagine better words for fans to hear, coming off the season he and the Red Sox had. If 2025 was the redemption chapter, 2026 could be the season that defines Trevor Story’s legacy in Boston. The future feels bright in Beantown, and Story will be an essential piece of their next push for championship glory. View the full article

Byron Buxton has been one of the most talented players in baseball over the past decade, full stop. He has the hardware to prove it. On Thursday night, the Twins announced that Buxton received one of the league’s three Silver Slugger Awards given to American League outfielders, alongside MVP hopeful Aaron Judge and rising star Riley Greene. Buxton ranked fifth in home runs (35), sixth in batting average (.264), second in slugging (.551), third in runs (97), seventh in stolen bases (24 of 24), and most importantly, second in OPS (136 OPS+) among AL outfielders, trailing only Judge. It wasn’t a sure thing, but it was certainly deserved. Eight seasons ago, the two-time All-Star also brought home hardware, but instead of with his bat, it was with his glove. Buxton was awarded the Gold Glove in 2017, his first full year as a pro, as well as the even more exclusive Platinum Glove, awarded by Rawlings to the single top defender in each league regardless of position. Buxton’s 2017 defense registered 27 outs above average per Statcast, the most value accrued by an outfielder since its inception in 2016 and the third most at any position. Think about that for a moment. Buxton once had the ability to be the best defender in baseball, and now he’s among the league’s best hitters (his .878 OPS was the fourth-highest in the American League and ninth-highest in MLB). And he’s still playing an admirable center field, one of the toughest positions to cover in baseball. In total, 21 other players have won both a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove in seasons primarily playing center field. This includes those who, like Buxton, did not win both awards in the same season. Admittedly, most of them did; 12 of the 21 won their first center field Silver Slugger and Gold Glove in the same year. Buxton is tied for the longest drought between the two awards with Torii Hunter, who won his first Gold Glove in 2001 but had to wait until 2009 for that elusive Silver Slugger. Here’s the full list of players to win both awards as center fielders, in alphabetical order: Carlos Beltrán, Ellis Burks, Eric Davis, Andre Dawson, Jim Edmonds, Jacoby Ellsbury, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Torii Hunter, Adam Jones, Andruw Jones, Matt Kemp, Andrew McCutchen, Willie McGee, Dale Murphy, Kirby Puckett, Grady Sizemore, Ichiro Suzuki, Andy Van Slyke, Vernon Wells, Bernie Williams. It's a good mix of Hall of Famers and “that dude was cold.” Some takeaways from that group are below. Griffey leads the group in total awards with 17, tying Andruw Jones for the most with 10 Gold Gloves and leading the group in Silver Sluggers. Second in Silver Sluggers was Puckett with five. Other players who, like Buxton and Hunter, had to wait to obtain both were Edmonds and Andruw Jones (both seven years) and Williams (five). Buxton joins Burks, Ellsbury, Gwynn, and Suzuki as the only players with exactly one of each, though the other four won both of theirs in the same season. Also, Gwynn and Suzuki were not primarily center fielders, but both had one season in the middle of their primes during which they played primarily center field (Gwynn just 86 games, but we'll count it), and both took home both awards. Fun! There are a few extra players who have won both awards, but one was at a different position, such as Robin Yount winning a Silver Slugger in center field but a Gold Glove at shortstop, or Cody Bellinger winning a Gold Glove as a right fielder and a Silver Slugger as a center fielder. It should be noted that Silver Sluggers are awarded to outfielders generally, which puts center fielders at a disadvantage, given that the position is typically filled by players known more for their gloves. Winning the award means they outhit not just other center fielders but also the more offense-focused corner outfielders. Another aspect to keep in mind is that from 1961 to 2010, Gold Gloves were similarly given generally to outfielders, which often resulted in only center fielders receiving the award. There were seasons in which, if you were a starting center fielder, you had a 25% chance of winning a Gold Glove. Of the list given, only four received their award after center field was singled out in the voting (Ellsbury, Adam Jones, Kemp, McCutchen). But this accomplishment has a bit of a cloud over it. As noted, Buxton is tied with Hunter for the longest gap between first Gold Glove and first Silver Slugger. Hunter, though, won eight Gold Gloves in those eight years. Jones racked up seven during his seven-year wait, and Edmonds had six during his seven-year wait. Buxton still doesn’t have another Gold Glove. He won his Gold and Platinum Gloves in his first full season in the big leagues, but that was also his final full season in the big leagues until 2025—eight years later. It’s hard not to play the what-if game. Obviously, he wasn’t hitting enough at 23 to compete for a Silver Slugger, but his 136 OPS+ this season is quite close to the 131 OPS+ that he’s carried for the past seven seasons, since the start of 2019. That’s good enough to compete for a trophy, and his defense was elite for much of that stretch. But we know why that gap exists. Buxton averaged just 89 games between 2019 and 2024, even prorating 2020’s truncated season. And although he put up flashy rate stats, you can’t win a Silver Slugger with 19 homers and 32 RBI, even if a 1.005 OPS and 4.9 bWAR accompany it in 61 first-half games (can we please take a moment to marvel at Buxton's 2021?). Apparently, it wasn’t even worth an All-Star nod. It’s hard not to dream about what that gap could have contained had Buxton stayed healthy. At age 23, he was the best defender in baseball. At age 31, he was one of the handful of best hitters in baseball. And we saw flashes of both between them, but not enough to take home any hardware. From another point of view, though, it’s actually remarkable—in a positive way—that he’s been able to put together a rebound like this. Just two seasons ago, this player didn’t play a single inning in center field due to health reasons. From 2018 to 2023, 92 games was his high-water mark. He had hand, knee, hip, and brain injuries that kept him from the field for months at a time. And after all that, as a 31-year-old, he was still one of the top offensive assets in the game while playing an admirable center field at an age when even great center fielders get moved to a corner position. Heck, many fans just two years ago pleaded for him to retire for health reasons. Buxton is a marvel. If you can’t see that, I don’t know what to tell you. Congratulations, Buck. View the full article

The AL Silver Slugger Award winners were announced on Friday, with George Springer taking home the prize at DH. This is his third career Silver Slugger, after previously winning in 2017 and '19 with the Astros. Springer led the AL's primary designated hitters in home runs (32), runs scored (106), stolen bases (18), and FanGraphs WAR (5.2). His victory over fellow finalists Yandy Díaz and Brent Rooker comes as little surprise. Springer was also a finalist for a Silver Slugger as an outfielder but lost to Aaron Judge, Riley Greene, and Byron Buxton. Toronto's other two finalists, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, came up short as well, with Nick Kurtz claiming the honors at first base and Bobby Witt Jr. winning at shortstop. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays lost the Silver Slugger Team of the Year Award to the Yankees, who won for the second year in a row. Featured image courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images. View the full article

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Major League Baseball announced the National League Silver Slugger winners, and one San Diego Padres player will need to make room in his trophy case. Third baseman Manny Machado won his third career Silver Slugger and second in as many seasons. His first Silver Slugger came in 2020, his second season with the Friars. Machado finished the year with 27 home runs, 91 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. His final slash line was .275/.335/.460, resulting in an OPS of .795, a wOBA of .341, and a wRC+ of 123. He was especially effective with runners in scoring position, posting an .832 OPS and 16 extra-base hits. Additionally, his .663 OPS when in a two-strike count was 28th best in all of baseball. The Silver Slugger Award is an award that recognizes the best offensive player at each position in both leagues. It is voted on by managers and coaches around baseball. Will he earn the three-peat in 2026? Let us know what you think in the comments! View the full article

The power of friendship is worth millions, literally. Shane Bieber opted in to his $16 million player option with the Toronto Blue Jays for 2026 on Tuesday, and it’s actually a huge deal, and a surprisingly wholesome one, too. Everyone (and we mean everyone) is opting out This offseason, most stars are choosing chaos. Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, Edwin Díaz, and Cody Bellinger all decided to test free agency. Alonso made headlines for saying he would opt out minutes after the Mets lost their last game of the season to the Marlins, indirectly handing the Cincinnati Reds a spot in the Wild Card round. Bieber, on the other hand, is running it back with the boys in blue (the Canadian ones, of course). Why is this a surprise? Bieber could’ve declined the option, taken a $4 million buyout, and made more on the open market. The right-hander had a solid regular season in 2025 coming off Tommy John, posting a 3.57 ERA in 40.1 innings pitched with 37 strikeouts and a 1.02 WHIP. In the postseason, he delivered a 3.86 ERA over 18.2 innings while striking out 18 batters. Eli Ben-Porat of Baseball America projected Bieber would earn a $150 million contract, noting, “There’s an argument to be made that Bieber is the best available starting pitcher in this year’s class.” But instead, Bieber locked in $16 million to stay in Toronto. For a couple of reasons, it makes perfect sense: Health first. Bieber’s coming off Tommy John surgery. Taking the guaranteed money gives him another year to prove his arm’s fully back before chasing a long-term deal. The vibes are immaculate. This Blue Jays team isn’t just talented; they actually like each other. Each interview through the postseason proved this Jays team enjoyed playing together, and they clearly want to continue playing as a unit. Toronto benefits big-time. With Bieber locked in, the Jays have the majority of their starting rotation set. They can set their sights on big free agents, re-signing Bo Bichette, addressing gaps in the bullpen, and making another run at the World Series. So what does this mean for Toronto? It’s a signal. One that Toronto desperately needed. When a Cy Young winner says, “I’ll stay,” it tells the rest of the league that Toronto isn’t just a contender, it’s a place people want to play. One could even say it’s a place where people ‘finally’ want to play, given that just last year an anonymous player slipped that the Blue Jays organization is a "f*cking shitshow," That matters for recruiting free agents, keeping stars, and maintaining that culture everyone’s raving about. And if you’re a fan, you’ve got to love this: The Jays were two outs away from a championship, and now they keep one of their top arms and a good chunk of their core intact. That’s continuity. That’s chemistry. That’s… maybe finally the year? The takeaway Some players chase the biggest check. Shane Bieber chose stability, health, and the squad he clearly believes in. He left some cash on the table, but he gained something that’s apparently priceless in this game: a team that feels like a family. And for the Blue Jays? The friendship era continues. MegzMurr (@megsknowsball) • Instagram reel View the full article

With the World Series done and dusted, the offseason can finally begin. The first order of business for many teams is to make decisions on their arbitration-eligible players. For those who don’t know, arbitration is a salary negotiation for players with at least three years of playing time (but fewer than six) who are not yet free agents. If they and the team can’t reach an agreement, an impartial arbitrator hears both cases and decides which number is fairer. The Royals have a whopping 15 players eligible for arbitration; only the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays have more. The Royal originally had 16, although Lucas Erceg barely missed the cut due to Super Two arbitration rules. There’s a case to be made for keeping every player; some have better cases than others. Let’s go over them, shall we? Keep: Vinnie Pasquantino ($5.4M) Maikel Garcia ($4.8M) Kyle Isbel ($2.7M) Kris Bubic ($6M) Three of these players are no-brainers to keep around. The Pasquatch is coming off a career year, putting up his best numbers in terms of hits (164), home runs (32), RBIs (113), and slugging percentage (.475). Garcia also had a breakout campaign, finishing second on the team in WAR (5.8) and earning an All-Star nod. Both players are under consideration for extensions. Bubic was an All-Star and could've been in consideration for the AL Cy Young if it weren’t for a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season. I expect him to be back in the rotation for 2026, unless the Royals use him as trade bait. Isbel, on the other hand, should stick around, but I don’t plan on him being the starter in center field for much longer. His fielding value is one of the best in the league, as he was nominated for a Gold Glove, but his triple slash of .255/.301/.353 doesn’t raise too many eyebrows. If the Royals are serious about contending, President of Baseball Operations JJ Picollo might want to look for a better-hitting outfielder to fill that gap. On The Fence: Taylor Clarke ($1.9M) John Schreiber ($3.8M) Jonathan India ($7.4M) Kyle Wright ($1.8M) Daniel Lynch IV ($1.3M) Michael Massey ($2M) Angel Zerpa ($1.2M) Many of these players have valid reasons to stay with the team. However, most will likely end up either non-tendered or signed to one-year deals. Pitchers like Lynch IV and Clarke had good but uninspired seasons, with ERAs under 3.30. However, Clarke had a low walk rate (1.5), while Lynch IV had the best year of his career. The same goes for Schreiber and Zerpa, both of whom are really solid but didn’t set the world on fire. Both players should be back for 2026. Kyle Wright (who just got non-tendered as I'm writing this) could be a good bounce-back candidate if he manages to stay healthy; however, he hasn't pitched a single game for the Royals, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they let him go. Now to the tougher calls: Michael Massey and Jonathan India. Both are second basemen coming off underwhelming seasons. Massey had a strong 2024 and hoped to carry that momentum forward, but injuries and inconsistency derailed him. India, brought in via trade to help “set the table” for Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, and Pasquantino, failed to meet expectations. He put up one of the worst lines of his career (.233/.323/.346) and lost playing time to Adam Frazier down the stretch. That’s not great for a player making the most money of all arbitration-eligible Royals. I don’t expect the Royals to sign either to an extension, but whether they pick one, both, or neither is up to the front office. No Thanks: Bailey Falter ($3.3M) MJ Melendez ($2.65M) Sam Long ($950) James McArthur ($800K) It’s safe to say these players have overstayed their welcome. Falter and Long were among the worst pitchers on the staff, each recording a -0.7 WAR. Falter allowed 15 runs in just 12 innings (an 11.25 ERA), while Long had a disastrous start but recovered to post a 2.89 ERA after the All-Star break. McArthur was solid in 2023, but his 2024 season was a train wreck, and his 2025 campaign ended before it began due to an elbow injury. With better arms available both on the roster and in the minors, the Royals will likely move on from those three. There was a time I believed in Melendez. Sure, he was one of the most inconsistent players the Royals had, but he showed flashes of the player he could be. Unfortunately, that’s all they were, flashes. Melendez made the Opening Day roster but was promptly optioned to Omaha in April after a rough showing in the majors. He did rebound there, even hitting for the cycle, but the sun has likely set on his time in Kansas City. With Jac Caglianone being the starter for the near future, he will almost certainly be non-tendered. View the full article

The Milwaukee Brewers' offseason has already gotten off to a fast start. The organization has made or been informed of multiple option decisions, and yesterday tendered a qualifying offer to Brandon Woodruff. They also announced changes to the coaching staff and the organization. Per a post from their official X account, Rickie Weeks will transition to a Special Assistant - Baseball Operations and Domestic/International Scouting. He served as the team's associate manager over the last two seasons. In a statement, Brewers President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Matt Arnold said, "This new role is an opportunity for Rickie to advance his career and broaden his experience, building off what he has accomplished already as a player, coach, and baseball operations executive." Weeks will now adjust his focus to evaluating draft-eligible and international players. He will also work with the Ops team to assess and recommend changes that impact on-field competition. It is not expected that the now vacant associate manager role will be filled. How do you think Weeks will impact that scouting department? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

When the Minnesota Twins introduced Derek Shelton as their new manager on Tuesday, all the questions centered around roster construction, coaching hires, and other baseball ephemera. In another case of the media failing to ask the truly tough questions, at no point did anyone ask, “Derek, are you also the lead singer of The National?” Allegedly, Matt Berninger is the vocalist for the New York-based alt-rock band. But the resemblance between Berninger and Shelton demands answers, one that only an independent outlet like Twins Daily is brave enough to uncover. Here’s what we know so far: They both have graying hair and full beards. They both wear chunky black glasses, which really heightens the resemblance. Shelton appears burlier than Berninger, but with the rise of Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs, that's hardly negative proof. Shelton has never denied being in The National. Berninger has never denied being the former bench coach for the Minnesota Twins. They both, when dressed in street clothes, look like they have opinions on bourbon, cologne, and red wine. Shelton is a baseball lifer. Berninger writes his songs on baseballs. The National is known for Berninger’s dark, enigmatic lyrics, which have earned them the tag of “Sad Dad” music. Derek Shelton managed the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have made Pennsylvania dads incredibly sad for the last few decades. This last connection (or lack thereof) is why I think there’s something to the story. The National is perhaps best known for collaborating with Taylor Swift. Shelton has never made his opinion on Taylor Swift publicly known, which frankly raises more questions than it answers. Even people who don’t listen to music have an opinion on Taylor Swift, usually about how seeing her during a football game makes them upset for some reason. What is he hiding? I have a pretty good idea. In conclusion, if you notice the National only touring from November (ok, October) through early February, or Shelton taking a leave of absence during the season for “a personal matter at an upstate New York recording studio,” you’re not alone. You're not crazy. You might just be seeing through the lies. Image license here. View the full article

One of the big Twins-related storylines of this MLB postseason was the resounding success of the Toronto Blue Jays offense, and the widespread acclaim for their new hitting coach David Popkins and his role. It's obviously not a narrative that reflects especially well on the Twins, who scapegoated Popkins after the 2024 collapse only to see their offense further regress under Matt Borgschulte in 2025. But in some ways, it really does reflect well. Minnesota's front office saw something in Popkins when they fished him out of the Dodgers minor-league system years earlier. They knew the type of impact he could have, even if it never fully came to fruition here. That's been a long-running theme for the Twins since Derek Falvey came aboard. Back in the Terry Ryan era, it was almost stunning how rarely other teams tried to pillage the Minnesota staff, even when the Twins were darlings of the league in the oughts. During the Falvey era, this organization has become a recruiting hot spot. Among the names we've seen plucked away by other teams over the years: Jeremy Hefner (Mets), Tanner Swanson (Yankees), Pete Fatse (Red Sox), James Rowson (Marlins), Wes Johnson (LSU??). In fact, new manager Derek Shelton himself is a fine example, hired by Pittsburgh away from his bench role with the Twins after just two years. As is Borgschulte, who was pilfered from Minnesota's Triple-A affiliate by Baltimore in 2022. Popkins wasn't poached from the Twins by Toronto — rather, he landed there very quickly after his dismissal from Minnesota last year. A similar story played out for Jayce Tingler, who just got hired as bench coach by the Giants before his future with Minnesota was even officially addressed. (Writing was certainly on the wall.) And now we have yet another example to add to the pile: Corbin Day has been hired by the Marlins, joining their big-league staff as an assistant hitting coach. Previously, Day distinguished himself as a hitting coach in Single-A and Double-A for the Twins before serving as an MLB advance scout in 2025. Not all of these in-demand departures have experienced success at their next stop, but many did. Popkins is the most striking example. Swanson remains quality control coach and catching coordinator for the Yankees, six years after joining their staff. Rowson is now New York's hitting coach, contending for managerial positions. Fatse has survived coaching staff purges in three consecutive years with Boston. Hefner lasted six years as Mets hitting coach before exiting and quickly getting snapped up by the Braves. We'll see what the future holds for Day and Tingler (and Baldelli?!). But there's an unmistakable trend here: Coaches in the Twins organization, during Falvey's tenure, have repeatedly caught the attention of other teams. They've been recruited away, or snagged quickly after departing, and they've often enjoyed a lot of success elsewhere. It begs a critical question: What the heck is wrong with this Twins organization? Why are quality coaches being held back from getting sustained results and developing talented minor-leaguers into productive big-leaguers? That question looms large in my mind, and it's one of the main things that makes me highly skeptical a change in managers will do much to cure what ails this franchise, even if Shelton is indeed the man for the job. For too many of his forebears, the job has proven unmanageable. View the full article

Shota Imanaga is now a free agent after the Chicago Cubs declined his three-year, $57 million team option and Imanaga responded by declining a player option of his own. It's a rather shocking turn of events after the Japanese southpaw clearly took charge as the ace of the staff in 2024, but significant struggles down the stretch of the 2025 season swung the pendulum all the way in the other direction. His free-agent case will be a fascinating one, and not only because of the huge disparity between his performance in the first half (2.65 ERA) and second half (4.70 ERA) of this season. He's a 32-year-old that relies on movement and precision rather than raw stuff, hence why his fastball run value graded out as one of the worst in the majors while his secondary pitches were some of the best. Interested parties will have to believe in his approach to invest in him at his age. Could San Diego be one of those parties? They're set to lose one or both of Michael King and Dylan Cease in free agency this offseason, and Yu Darvish is now guaranteed to be out for all of 2026 after undergoing elbow surgery. Imanaga, who has made 54 starts and thrown 318.0 innings since arriving in the major leagues prior to the 2024 season, could prove to be a reliable presence in a rotation that needs one in the worst way. Of course, the Padres were one of the teams that most heavily scouted Imanaga when he was in Japan, as they are wont do with NPB stars. In a world where the Los Angeles Dodgers have become Japan's favorite MLB team — the presence of Shohei Ohtani alone would guarantee that — San Diego may have interest in getting Darvish a native teammate. Signing Imanaga wouldn't topple the Dodgers' Asian monopoly, but there'd at least be some competition in the NL West, and the hype surrounding starts featuring Imanaga and one of Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, or Roki Sasaki would be immeasurable. It's an easy way to grow the fanbase internationally, especially if the Padres can help the free-agent southpaw find his 2024 form. That season, Imanaga's first stateside, the left-handed starter logged a 2.91 ERA in 173 1/3 innings, finishing fifth in Cy Young Award voting as a "rookie". He gave up a bunch of home runs, but he also led the league in strikeout to walk ratio (6.21) that season and didn't walk more than three batters in any start all year long. In fact, he issued one or fewer free passes in 23 of his 29 starts that season. His command of the strike zone was immaculate, even if hitters took advantage of his mistakes. That mostly continued this year — outside of his first start of the year during the Tokyo Series in Japan, he limited his walks to three or fewer in each appearance once again — but his mistakes became more frequent, and opposing batters became far better at taking advantage of them. As I said on North Side Baseball (article linked above) once both sides opted out of his contract: "Over his final nine starts of the regular season, Imanaga allowed at least one home run in every appearance, including multi-homer efforts in five of his final six starts. That trend continued into the playoffs, as the lefty surrendered three home runs in just 6 2/3 frames, including two in less than three innings against the Brewers in Game 2 of the NLDS. The Cubs declined his option today, but they had made their decision on Imanaga weeks ago." That last sentence was in reference to the team's decision not to use him at all on full rest in the decisive Game 5 of the NLDS, as the Cubs opted for a bullpen game in the sudden-death affair. Other teams surely saw that decision and recognized that something within Imanaga's approach was deeply broken toward the end of the 2025 campaign. Still, Imanaga was brilliant just a few months ago, as he allowed a scant .299 slugging percentage and 2.65 ERA in August. The wheels didn't come off until the very end of the year, but once they were gone, there was no getting them back on. Year over year, Imanaga got worse across the board in his second MLB season, besides the fact that he upped his in-zone rate (i.e., pitches thrown in the strike zone) from 51.7% to 54.0%. Considering how much of an issue he had on limiting authoritative, damaging swings, his next team will likely focus on helping him play more to his already-elite chase rates (31.6% in 2025, 34.8% in 2024). One wrinkle in all of this is that the Cubs somewhat surprisingly gave Imanaga the qualifying offer, which is worth about $22 million this offseason. There's no guarantee he turns that down (the option he declined was worth $15 million), but even if he does, he'll now be attached to draft pick compensation as a free agent. I sincerely doubt that'll be enough to scare off A.J. Preller and the Padres, but it could dissuade them from outbidding other teams for his services. There's a lot of good and some very off-putting bad in Imanaga's profile, and the Padres may be wise to favor adding younger pitchers to their exceedingly older staff. There's a pitcher in him that could join Nick Pivetta in rounding out the top of San Diego's rotation, but as spectators saw during the final months of this past season, there's also a pitcher who serves up rather tasty meatballs to ravenous hitters. If Craig Stammen and Ruben Niebla think they can coax the former out more often that the latter, Imanaga could be a solid under-the-radar target to pursue for a team that tends to prefer louder, more bombastic acquisitions. View the full article

Major League Baseball announced the National League Silver Slugger winners, and one Chicago Cubs player will need to make room in his trophy case. Outfielder Kyle Tucker won his first career Silver Slugger in his first (and maybe only) season with the Cubs. He joins his outfield counterparts in bringing home some hardware (Ian Happ and Pete Crow-Armstrong won Gold Gloves). Tucker slashed .266/.377/.464 (.841 OPS) with 22 home runs and 22 stolen bases. It was his third 20-20 season in four years. He was most effective with runners on base, posting a .908 OPS, including a .865 OPS with runners in scoring position and 28 extra base hits. On another note, the Cubs tendered a qualifying offer to Tucker, and he could return if he agrees to a one-year, $22.025 million pact. The Silver Slugger Award is an award that recognizes the best offensive player at each position in both leagues. It is voted on by managers and coaches around baseball. Will he be back with the club in 2026? Let us know what you think in the comments! View the full article

The guys dive into the Brewers' option decisions, including why the team declined William Contreras' club option in favor of arbitration, what the departures of Rickie Weeks and Connor Dawson could mean for the coaching staff, and more. Meanwhile, Spencer offers prospect updates from winter ball and the AFL. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

The San Diego Padres continue to paint a picture of what the next four months may look like early on in the 2025-2026 off-season. They've lost five players to option decisions and one to injury (Yu Darvish) while getting assurance that Wandy Peralta and Ramon Laureano will return in 2026. Michael King, who declined his option, may not totally be out of the picture yet. Jeff Passan of ESPN is reporting that the Padres have tendered qualifying offers to King and Dylan Cease. The value of the qualifying offer in 2026 is $22.025 million. King, whose option was worth $15 million in 2026, had a bit of a lost season in 2025 due to injury. However, teams have his 2024 season fresh in their mind, where he threw 173 1/3 innings in his first full year as a starter. In that season, he posted an impressive 3.33 FIP and a 19.0% K-BB rate. That's why MLBTR predicts he'll earn a four-year, $80 million contract in free agency this year. It will be up to King if he wants the extra couple of million over long-term security he'll receive by becoming a free agent. Cease, who is a free agent, has been a modern-day iron man, making 32 starts in five consecutive seasons. 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. About to enter his age-30 season, MLBTR predicts Cease will get a seven-year, $189 million contract via free agency. Given the security and an extra $5 million in 2026, it's hard to imagine Cease will accept the qualifying offer. As a reminder, a team receives compensatory draft picks if its free agent rejects the qualifying offer and signs with a new club. Conversely, the team making the signing must forfeit draft picks, with the exact picks exchanged depending on the financial status of both organizations (e.g., whether they pay the Competitive Balance Tax or receive revenue sharing). Do you think either player will accept the qualifying offer? Let us know what you think in the comments! View the full article

Derek Shelton, hired earlier in the week, has made his first move as Minnesota Twins manager locking down the teams new bullpen coach. Dan Hayes of The Athletic is reporting that the teams are naming LaTroy Hawkins for the role. There may be no one more qualified for the role as Hawkins pitched across 21 major league seasons, accumulating 944 career relief appearances. Initially a starting pitcher with the Twins, he transitioned to the bullpen permanently in 2000. Hawkins recorded 127 career saves with 11 different teams in his career. Given his longevity, he filled many different bullpen roles in his career, most notably finding success in a setup role. Since retiring following the 2015 season, Hawkins is stayed busy in professional baseball. He served as a special assistant in the Twins' front office in 2016 and had maintained that role through the 2025 season. He has taken on coaching roles with USA Baseball, including serving as the pitching coach for the 18U National Team in 2023. Additionally, he has been a part-time analyst for Twins television broadcasts since 2017. What do you think of the hire? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

Let’s talk Cubs offseason! Will Shota Imanaga take his qualifying offer? Odds are, Kyle Tucker will be elsewhere in 2026, so where might Chicago go big game hunting in free agency? Could Dylan Cease be an option? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View the full article

The MLB offseason reached its first interesting phase on Thursday. Qualifying offers were made, National League Silver Sluggers were announced, contract options were picked up or declined, and free agency officially got underway, as players who qualify for that right can now negotiate with all 30 teams. For the Twins, that meant some roster moves—seven of them, in fact. Some of these were expected, but there was at least one small surprise. I'll look at these moves in groups. The Formality For starters, Alan Roden was activated off the 60-day IL This move is really just a formality, as the 60-day IL doesn’t exist during the offseason. Roden is expected to be a full go for the 2026 season. That’s good news, because while he didn’t perform well with the Twins in limited action, he is a legitimate prospect and should be (at the very least) in the fourth outfielder mix. Topa’s Slight Pay Cut The Twins declined Justin Topa’s 2026 option. It was worth $2 million, and had a $225,000 buyout. His contract is a bit unique, in that he’s still under team control, but will head to arbitration for the final time. The interesting part here is that MLB Trade Rumors estimated his arbitration amount at $1.7 million. Assuming that’s close to correct, that gets his 2026 salary to $1.925 million, for a $75,000 savings. It's possible the Twins will lean on him to accept a bit less than that figure, or non-tender him when the deadline to decide about arbitration-eligible players arrives later this month. Four Fungible Relievers Cut Michael Tonkin, Génesis Cabrera, Anthony Misiewicz, and Thomas Hatch were all outrighted and became free agents. There really aren’t any surprises here, as none of the four were impact arms, and all lack upside at this point in their careers. Tonkin was estimated to make $1.4 million in arbitration, and is not an impact reliever. He was worth exactly 0.0 fWAR in 2025; the Twins can find someone similar within their own system and save $600,000 or so. In the past, Tonkin had durability to recommend him, even when his skills didn't stand out. After an injury-plagued campaign, that's out the window. Cabrera did not perform well for the Twins, or the other three organizations he played for in 2025. He allowed five home runs in 14 2/3 innings; opposing hitters hit .298 off of him; and he also walked nearly a batter an inning. Similarly projected to earn $1.4 million, he is four years removed from an average or better performance. Misiewicz signed with the Twins on a minor-league deal and is out of options. With below-average stuff and a 9.64 ERA, he presumably wouldn’t have remained on the roster this long, but for getting injured shortly after his July callup and only returning for one appearance on September 28. Thomas Hatch is a tinkerer, but unfortunately, his tinkering didn’t get results. His strikeout and walk rates were much worse than average, he gave up too much hard contact, and as a soft tosser, he didn’t bring enough to the table to justify even a league-minimum salary. As the Twins enter at least a soft rebuild, it will make more sense for these four roster spots to go to younger pitchers with more upside. The Twins will almost certainly need to convert some starters to relievers this offseason, as they have a glut of pitchers presumably fighting for just a couple of rotation spots, with more prospect depth on the way. Former Top-100 Prospect Outrighted Jose Miranda’s time as a part of the Twins organization has come to an end. He was one of the Twins' biggest failures in prospect development in recent seasons, as he was unable to find consistency or stay healthy. With elite contact skills, he demonstrated the capability to tie the major-league record for consecutive hits, and at one point, he looked like a building block. However, the formerly ascendant hitter failed to do that with any regularity, and throughout the 2025 season, he looked overmatched—even after being sent down to Triple-A St. Paul. Lacking defensive chops even at the bottom of the defensive spectrum, and frequently making mental mistakes while fielding or on the basepaths, the writing was on the wall when he failed to receive a call-up after the deadline selloff. It’s impossible to say how much of his struggles are health-related, as he has dealt with frequent injuries to his shoulder, back, and arm. The most unfortunate aspect of him being cut at this point is that the Twins failed to capitalize on his value while he had some. The Slightly Curious Move The one surprise, at least to me, was the Twins waiving Cody Laweryson. With the team needing to fill out almost an entirely new bullpen for 2026 after trading away all of the non-mop-up options aside from Cole Sands, I would have expected them to give him a longer look, particularly since he had six full seasons of team control remaining, and three minor-league options. He looked decent down the stretch, and the data bears this out. He didn’t walk anyone in 7 2/3 innings, had a roughly average strikeout rate, and FanGraphs rated his Stuff+ at 96, where 100 is average and higher numbers are better. They had his Location+ and Pitching+ as well above average, and he had the look of someone who Derek Shelton could send out in the fifth inning when a starter doesn’t go deep. Obviously, the Twins disagreed. The Angels claimed him, and he will have a chance to develop into a bullpen weapon for them. His slider, in particular, makes him worth watching. With these moves, the Twins' 40-man roster sits at 33, giving some room to add players to the roster ahead of the November 18 deadline to protect prospects from the Rule 5 Draft. Best wishes to the six players departing the organization on the next legs of their journeys. View the full article

It has already been a busy offseason for the Brewers. After they recently declined options on William Contreras, Rhys Hoskins, and Jose Quintana, Brandon Woodruff declined his half of a $20 million mutual option, opting for a $10 million buyout and free agency. Not yet ready to let go (or at least not for free), though, Milwaukee decided to make a $22.025-million qualifying offer. Their desire to retain him is understandable. He has been on the team since 2017, longer than anyone else currently on the roster, and has been incredible over that span, pitching to a 3.10 ERA over his eight seasons. Recurring injuries threatened to derail his career, but despite a long layoff and seeing a meaningful decrease in fastball velocity upon his return this year, he still managed to make 12 starts and post a 3.20 ERA. His tangible pitching abilities aside, without him, Milwaukee has a severe shortage of veteran arms. Assuming no other additions to the rotation are made, Freddy Peralta is the only starter with more than 50 career games under his belt. The Brewers’ young pitching core undoubtedly has a bright future, with budding stars like Jacob Misiorowski and Quinn Priester, but Woodruff's experience and savvy are ingredients otherwise missing from the stew. This particular qualifying offer case is more nuanced than most. There’s a reason that, since this system was created in 2012, only 14 players have accepted qualifying offers. Because they represent opposite ends of the bargaining table, it’s rare that both players and organizations can agree upon a fixed value so easily. It’s the same reason mutual options are often declined, and why arbitration requires a neutral third party to be effective. Most of the time, a team won't extend a qualifying offer unless a player is worth markedly more than its value. Most of the time, a player won't accept such a deal once it's offered, because it's only for one year and their earning power is likely higher than that. In Woodruff’s case, if he had remained fully healthy for the past few years, he’d absolutely be in the running for a robust free-agent contract that would comfortably exceed the value of the one-year qualifying offer. But because his ability to stay on the field is so uncertain, taking the qualifying offer adds a guaranteed outcome to his future. For the Brewers, the risk behind the move is similar. They already accounted for injury risk when they signed him to a back-loaded two-year deal in 2024, acknowledging he would be recovering until some time in 2025 but betting on a strong return in the second half of the contract. In hindsight, 12 regular-season and zero postseason starts is hardly worth $17.5 million, but nonetheless, Milwaukee is ready to roll the dice again. After all, while his right lat strain sidelined him for the first two rounds of the playoffs, he’s projected to be fully healthy by Opening Day in 2026. If Woodruff declines the qualifying offer, the Brewers would receive a compensatory draft pick if he finds a way to maximize his earnings elsewhere. Should Woodruff get more than $50 million in guarantees from a new team, Milwaukee would collect a pick after the first round. If he signs with another team but for less than $50 million, they'll get a pick just before the start of the third round. Either way, for a team always looking to accumulate as much draft capital as possible, that would be a boost. If he accepts, Woodruff will be paid handsomely for at least the next year and has a chance to positively impact his stock heading into 2027. The Brewers, remember, are already due to pay him $10 million in 2026 (half in January and half in July), as the buyout on the mutual option Woodruff turned down. Another $22 million would hit their budget pretty hard, so even if he accepts the offer, he might become a trade candidate. Woodruff would have to approve any deal, in that circumstance, but he might be able to make more money by accepting the deal and signing an extension with a new team of his choosing than by heading into the market with the QO around his neck. Certainly, if he does accept the offer, the Brewers will look to move whichever of he and Peralta yields more value in return—be that in the form of young talent or added financial flexibility. Either way, this circumstance should give the front office some value to work with. Like many free agents who inevitably leave for bigger contracts and new horizons, Woodruff is by no means a must-have piece for next year’s roster—but he sure would make a dandy asset. View the full article

If there was one thing that the Toronto Blue Jays could learn from their trip to the World Series in 2025, it is that you can never have enough front-of-the-rotation starting pitching. The success the Los Angeles Dodgers had riding the backs of Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani and, of course, Yoshinobu Yamamoto to their championship title is the perfect reason why you should never underestimate the impact a strong starting rotation can have for any contender. The Blue Jays managed to experience some of that themselves with Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, rookie Trey Yesavage and even Max Scherzer playing a hand in helping the team almost go all the way. As a result, with Scherzer and fellow starter Chris Bassitt heading into free agency this winter, the Jays need to find a way to add back an elite arm or two to round out their starting five for 2026. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three free agent front-end starters that would be ideal fits in Toronto going forward. Ranger Suárez During the past season, the Jays reaped the rewards of having former Philadelphia Phillies stalwarts Jeff Hoffman and Seranthony Domínguez both playing major roles in their bullpen. For this offseason, the Blue Jays should turn to another Phillies player in Ranger Suárez to help bolster their pitching staff going forward. Suárez may not have a plethora of accolades associated with his portfolio to date. Still, he has been far more consistent and reliable than one might realize since he was converted into a starter during the 2021 MLB season. Sporting a sparkling 53-37 record with a stellar 3.38 ERA and 1.27 WHIP over 187 career games in the majors, the promising 30-year-old former All-Star put together a strong 2025 campaign. He tied his career high in wins with 12, along with posting a 3.20 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while striking out 151 batters in 157 1/3 innings. More significantly, with the current Jays rotation made up primarily of right-handed arms, Suárez would complement the group perfectly, being the elite southpaw that he is. With Hoffman also returning for 2026, Suárez will be guaranteed to have at least one of his former teammates around to help him transition smoothly into his new team environment. Michael King Perhaps one of the more underrated pitchers in recent years, Michael King has quietly emerged as a prime front-end option on this year’s free agent market. Beforehand, King was most known for being a part of the trade package that the San Diego Padres received when they dealt superstar Juan Soto to the New York Yankees during the 2023-24 offseason. Primarily a swingman for the Yankees in his five seasons in New York, King finally had the chance to mature as a dominant starter with the Padres during the past couple of seasons. During that time frame, the 30-year-old right-hander produced a solid 18-12 record with a 3.10 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, along with 277 strikeouts in just 247 total innings in 45 starts. King was impressive enough in 2024 that he even finished seventh in NL Cy Young voting. A sore right shoulder, along with a knee injury, held him back a bit in 2025, as his ailments ended up putting him out of action for over three months. But now likely returning to full health for 2026, he becomes an elite option once again. The Blue Jays were identified as an ideal landing spot for King by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. Framber Valdez To really significantly bring the Jays' rotation mix to another level, the prime free agent target they should pursue is long-time Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez. Since he took on a full-time starting role in 2020, there was no looking back for Valdez, as he quickly became one of the top starting pitchers in the league. Sporting a strong 77-49 record, together with a 3.37 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 1002 strikeouts in 1026 2/3 total innings pitched as a starter for the Astros, he has been a yearly contender for the AL Cy Young Award. He was also named an All-Star twice in the last four seasons. More importantly, if the Jays can sign Valdez away from Houston, it would weaken the Astros' chances of returning to the postseason (after just missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years), while further enhancing Toronto’s likelihood of making it back to the World Series going forward. With Bieber having opted in to keep his salary at $16 million for 2026, the Blue Jays should have enough financial flexibility to land the big fish from Houston. As a result, Toronto could have one of the scariest rotations in all of baseball by the time the free agency dust settles. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox’s rotation lacks a No. 2 starter. There are plenty of in-house candidates (Brayan Bello, Connelly Early, Kyle Harrison) to fill in at the back of the rotation, along with pitchers returning from injuries. Hunter Dobbins (torn ACL), Kutter Crawford (mysterious wrist injury), and Patrick Sandoval (torn UCL) are expected to pitch again at some point in the 2026 season. However, you can’t rely on recovering pitchers to immediately contribute like they would at full health. Effectively, the Red Sox need a pitcher to cement their rotation and fill the gap between Garrett Crochet and their backend starters. Fortunately, the team possesses the financial resources to allocate towards free-agent starters (or perhaps an expensive trade target). Which pitchers should they go after? Dylan Cease (30, 3.4 fWAR) Projected Contract Analyst Length AAV Total Jim Bowden 6-years $31.67 M $187.0 M Tim Britton 6-years $29.0 M $174.0 M Matthew Pouliot 7-years $30.0 M $210.0 M 2025 Stats IP ERA K-BB% HardHit% GB% FIP xFIP WAR 168.0 4.55 19.9% 37.4% 36.6% 3.56 3.56 3.4 Dylan Cease’s durability is his most valuable asset. Over the past four seasons, he’s pitched at least 150 innings, and the Red Sox’s rotation needs consistency behind Crochet. His slider is an authoritative pitch. In 2024, it posted the highest run value (25) among all pitch types. Cease’s 11.52 strikeouts per nine innings was the best in the majors this year. He's attached to a qualifying offer, so it'll be interesting to see where his market leads. In terms of complementing Crochet, it's hard to imagine Boston doing better than a right-hander with his raw stuff. Ranger Suárez (30, 4.0 fWAR) Projected Contract Analyst Length AAV Total Jim Bowden 6-years $27.33 M $164.0 M Tim Britton 6-years $25.5 M $153.0 M Matthew Pouliot 5-years $27.0 M $135.0 M 2025 Stats IP ERA K-BB% HardHit% GB% FIP xFIP WAR 157.1 3.20 17.4% 31.1% 46.8% 3.21 3.61 4.0 Ranger Suárez has been a cornerstone of the Phillies’ rotation over the past two seasons, but Zach Wheeler’s sheer dominance and the rise of Cristopher Sanchez pushed him down to the No. 3 spot. On any other team, he’d likely profile as a No. 2 starter. Read more about Ranger’s potential fit with the Red Sox in @Jordan Leandre's write-up. Zac Gallen (30, 1.1 fWAR) Projected Contract Analyst Length AAV Total Jim Bowden 5-years $27.0 M $135.0 M Tim Britton 2-years $21.0 M $42.0 M Matthew Pouliot 2-years $22.5 M $45.0 M 2025 Stats IP ERA K-BB% HardHit% GB% FIP xFIP WAR 192.0 4.83 13.4% 41.0% 43.6% 4.50 4.12 1.1 Going into the 2025 season, it seemed like Zac Gallen was primed to cash in on a large contract. Three years ago, Gallen finished third in the NL Cy Young race and has remained a consistent Cy Young candidate throughout his career. Unfortunately, for most of the 2025 season, Gallen appeared to be a shell of his former self. His performance was, as my fellow Gen Z-ers say, “mid”. With a 5.40 ERA in the first half, his potential trade value took a hit, and he remained with the Diamondbacks through the conclusion of the trade deadline. Gallen’s fastball is the staple of his arsenal. He’s thrown the pitch 47% of the time throughout his career. The pitch is the bridge to his secondaries (knuckle curve, cutter, changeup, slider, and sinker). When he paints his fastball on the outer edges of the strike zone, he creates a deadly combo with his secondaries. Between March and July, he struggled to command his fastball, and its velocity dropped (93.3 mph). Once the dog days of summer passed, he found better control and improved his velocity (94.0 mph). By the conclusion of the second half, he posted a 3.97 ERA. Like Dylan Cease, Gallen’s durability is a major asset, throwing an average of 183.5 innings per season since 2022. Given his subpar performance in his walk year, Gallen won’t fetch a lengthy, long-term contract. If Andrew Bailey’s pitching lab can help him rebound, he’s a high-ceiling reclamation project. Tatsuya Imai (28) Projected Contract Analyst Length AAV Total Jim Bowden 7-years $22.0 M $154.0 M Tim Britton 8-years $23.75 M $190.0 M 2025 Stats IP ERA K-BB% HardHit% GB% FIP xFIP 163.2 1.92 20.7% 16.5 48.3% 2.01 2.26 Freshly minted 2025 World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto has proved that smaller Japanese starters can succeed in MLB. Imai (5’11”) is the youngest free-agent starter this offseason, and I’d expect the Red Sox to be interested in him. For a deeper look into Imai, check out my piece from October. Improving the rotation is a priority for the Red Sox’s front office this offseason. A free-agent acquisition is a start (no pun intended), though this year's free agency class is weaker compared to previous seasons. That said, the organization boasts a strong pitching development program, and has a history of turning even questionable signings into consistent contributors (see: Aroldis Chapman). Through whatever means, expect the Sox to enter the 2026 season with another starter between Crochet and Bello in the pecking order. View the full article

As the MLB offseason truly begins, rumors have circulated about the Miami Marlins showing interest in top-of-the-market relievers and other positions of need. Although I foresee them missing out on the big-time names such as Devin Williams, Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor, there will still be opportunities to piece together solid solutions with low-risk, short-term deals. In this article, I will briefly describe five free agents who I believe make sense for the Marlins. RHP Brad Keller Projected contract: 2 YR/$15M The most expensive potential addition that I have in this free agent group is Brad Keller. In 2025, he had a breakout season with the Cubs after moving into a bullpen role. Keller posted a 2.07 ERA and 2.93 FIP. Doing what he historically has done, Keller generated groundballs. The major difference-maker for the 30-year-old this season was an extreme fastball velocity increase from 93 mph to 97 mph—that coincided with a jump in spin rate on all his pitches. Carrying those pitch characteristics into 2026 should yield similar results. N3lkamtfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0JGVlpVVlFBVUZjQVhBTUtBd0FIQ1E4RUFBQU1CVmNBVUFRQVZWVlJCZ05UVVFwVQ==.mp4 RHP Michael Kopech Projected contract: 1 YR/$1M $250k incentive for reaching 50 innings pitched Kopech has suffered a plethora of injuries since his debut in 2018 with the White Sox. His 2025 season was impacted by health issues as well. The former first-round pick got off to a delayed start due to right knee surgery, and his knee flared up again in September, preventing him from contributing to their World Series run. As always, Kopech showed an elite fastball, but struggled to find the zone, walking 24.5% of batters he faced in 2025. He would be a dart throw for the Marlins. If they luck into a healthy season from him and are able to get him to command his fastball and offspeed, the upside is tremendous for the right-handed flamethrower. eHk5dnpfWGw0TUFRPT1fQUZCWVZWWUJVUVVBQVZvRFZRQUhCMVZmQUZnQ0FBTUFCMWNFVTFCV1ZGWlJBUXNF.mp4 LHP Ryan Yarbrough Projected contract:1 YR/$2M $250k incentive for reaching 115 innings pitched Best known for being a "bulk guy" with the Tampa Bay Rays during his 20s, Yarbrough has had an under-the-radar past two seasons. He adds depth, a veteran presence, adaptability to be a starter or bulk reliever, and a funky look for hitters. He also limits walks. Peter Bendix would have familiarity with Yarbrough dating back to his days in Tampa. The soft-throwing southpaw could play a meaningful role for the Marlins in 2026. bGJlWm9fWGw0TUFRPT1fQWdFQ0JsSUdBQU1BWEFZREJBQUhVQUJTQUFNTVZGa0FDbFJUQndzTVVnVlhCZ0VE.mp4 INF Amed Rosario Projected contract: 1 YR/$5.2M It may be curious to add to a seemingly packed infield for the Marlins, but I believe Amed Rosario could serve as valuable insurance behind Connor Norby and Graham Pauley in 2026, while being enough of an offensive threat to play DH vs. lefties. Rosario in 2025 saw a 2 mph increase in his bat speed which led to a career-high hard-hit rate of 45%. Perhaps even more importantly, the soon-to-be 30-year-old infielder had the highest pulled-air rate of his career—up to 17.9% from a career norm of 10%. This is why Rosario had the highest slug (.436) and average exit velo (91.2 mph) of his career. Perhaps a mini breakout season is on the horizon for the journeyman infielder. ZzZ2b1FfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0IxSUhVMVVDWGdZQVdRRUxBQUFIQUFjSEFGa0ZVUWNBQ2xNTVVnUUVCRkJSVVFwVQ==.mp4 C James McCann Projected contract: 1 YR/$1.5M $150k incentive for 95 games played After what many thought was the finale of a solid MLB career in 2024, McCann was released by the Braves near the end of 2025 spring training and picked up by the Diamondbacks in June. McCann went on to put up 0.7 fWAR for the Diamondbacks and hit .260/.324/.431 with five home runs and a 110 wRC+ in 42 games. McCann would add a veteran presence that Marlins catchers and pitchers haven't had since trading away Nick Fortes. There's only a clear fit for him if the Marlins have determined that it's time to move Agustín Ramírez to first base or DH. cU82azFfWGw0TUFRPT1fVWdaWUFsTURWZ0lBV3dZR0J3QUhBUVJXQUZrRVVGWUFCVlFNQ0ZkV0JnVlFCd1Jl.mp4 View the full article

It may only be the start of MLB free agency season, but the Toronto Blue Jays have already begun to position themselves in preparation for the offseason ahead. On Thursday, the team executed a flurry of roster moves. The most notable being, of course, extending a qualifying offer to Bo Bichette. As for the slew of Jays players that saw significant time on the injured list this past season, Angel Bastardo, Bowden Francis, Yimi García and Nick Sandlin were all officially reinstated to the 40-man roster from the 60-day IL. Minor league catcher Brandon Valenzuela had his contract selected and added to the Jays' major league roster, while pitchers Ryan Burr, Dillon Tate and Robinson Piña all cleared waivers, with Burr and Tate electing free agency and Piña being sent outright to Triple-A Buffalo. Toronto had selected Bastardo in the Rule 5 draft this past winter due to his attractive strikeout ability. However, he missed the entire 2025 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. As for Francis, he was expected to be a key part of the back end of the Jays’ rotation this year after a sensational finish to his 2024 campaign with Toronto. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned, as Francis struggled with consistency and his command, leading to a miserable 2-8 record with a bloated 6.05 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 14 starts. Things went from bad to worse when he suffered a right shoulder impingement that ultimately ended his 2025 season. As for García, he was amidst another strong season with the Jays. He managed to hold the opposition to zero earned runs in his first 14 relief appearances, a streak that lasted to the start of May. However, bad injury luck would befall him in the subsequent months, as first he would suffer a right shoulder impingement that held him out of action for over a month. Then, after returning from the IL for one game in July, García would miss the rest of the season after experiencing right elbow ulnar nerve symptoms before undergoing season-ending surgery to clean up scar tissue in his elbow. Sandlin looked to be another vital bullpen piece for the Jays after coming over with Andrés Giménez in a surprising trade with the Cleveland Guardians last offseason. However, his brilliant debut season for Toronto was also marred by injuries throughout. Despite posting a strong 2.20 ERA and 1.16 WHIP, along with 16 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings of work, a right lat strain in late April and right elbow inflammation near the beginning of July would practically wipe out his first year with the Jays. Valenzuela was a trade deadline pickup by Toronto, acquired when the team sent rookie Will Wagner to the San Diego Padres to add valuable catching depth to the organization. Finally, Burr, Tate, and Piña all made brief appearances for the Blue Jays this season, with Burr having the most success, recording a win and three strikeouts over two innings of work. However, a right rotator cuff strain that required surgery would end his 2025 season and now his tenure with Toronto. As for Tate and Piña, their outings were less memorable, as they struggled to get outs for the Jays while up with the club. Jays fans can anticipate far more exciting moves as the offseason proceeds, as the front office aims to bolster the roster ahead of the 2026 season for a chance at another deep postseason run. View the full article