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Justin Wilson has had a long, successful career in Major League Baseball, authoring a 3.59 ERA over 562.0 innings in 13 seasons. He's pitched for seven teams in that time, though, save for the Chicago Cubs in 2017, none have even advanced as far as the League Championship Series. That includes the Boston Red Sox, who employed Wilson for the first time in 2025. They fell to the New York Yankees (another former stop in the veteran's career) in the AL Wild Card Round, where Wilson surrendered nary a baserunner in 1 2/3 innings. He was effective across the entire season in Beantown, tallying a 3.35 ERA, 2.95 FIP, and 27.5% strikeout rate as the most reliable southpaw in the bullpen not named Aroldis Chapman. That kind of success, even at age 37, was sure to guarantee Wilson another go-round in the majors, be it in Boston or elsewhere. Most anticipated a return to the Red Sox with fellow southpaw Steven Matz leaving for the Tampa Bay Rays in free agency, creating a big opening for a high-leverage southpaw among the late-inning relief corps. However, that entire train of thought has been thrown out the window following the latest report that Wilson is mulling retirement this offseason. Having turned 38 last August, it's understandable that he's debating hanging his cleats up more than 20 years since originally being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, he's more "grizzled vet" than "long in the tooth", and he can clearly still pitch with the best of 'em — he ranked in the 91st percentile in whiff rate (31.9%) and the 82nd percentile in strikeout rate last season. Hence, it's a bit jaw-dropping to hear Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic report that "It is unlikely Wilson, 38, pitches in 2026 unless it is on a fair deal with a legitimate World Series contender." The Red Sox certainly fit the bill of a "legitimate World Series contender" following the offseason acquisitions of Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray, and Johan Oviedo, and there should be more than enough room in the budget to offer Wilson a sizable raise over last year's $2.25 million salary. Then again, they've reportedly started scouring the free-agent market for a replacement — Danny Coulombe, Tim Mayza, and Cionel Perez have been connected to them directly — which offers some credence to the retirement rumors. Perhaps Boston was preparing for a reunion with Wilson and now must divert their attention elsewhere. The need for another high-leverage southpaw cannot be overstated. Chapman is a brilliant closer, but Jovani Morán is the only other lefty projected to crack the Opening Day bullpen. The latter has produced some strong metrics that portend a breakout season could be on the horizon, but he can't be relied upon to fill the shoes of both Wilson and Matz. The same can be said for Tyler Samaniego, the only other lefty reliever on the 40-man roster. Perhaps a move to the bullpen for Payton Tolle or Kyle Harrison could assuage some of these concerns, though that feels like a last resort considering both offer significantly more value (and upside) as starting pitchers. Signing one of the aforementioned free agents like Coulombe could also do the trick, but that'd require the Red Sox to actually go out and sign their first major-league free agent of the offseason. In truth, the best resolution to this is that the Red Sox offer Wilson whatever terms he's seeking (within reason) on a one-year deal, offering him one last chance to pursue that elusive World Series ring. Insofar as that's off the table, though, you can add one more agenda item to the front office's pile. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins enter 2026 walking a familiar line between patience and urgency. The big-league roster is far from a juggernaut, but the organization underneath it has quietly transformed into one of baseball’s strongest farm systems. After years of prospect droughts, Minnesota finally has waves of talent approaching readiness for the majors. That shift changes the conversation. Development matters as much as results. Decisions made in St. Paul, Wichita, Cedar Rapids, Fort Myers, and on draft day will ripple all the way to Target Field. These are the five prospect storylines that will shape the Twins organization throughout the 2026 season. The Walker Jenkins Debut Timeline Given a healthy spring, Walker Jenkins will open 2026 right where the Twins want him: playing in Triple-A St. Paul. Comfortable. Dominant. And still waiting. After finishing last season with the Saints, Jenkins still has something to prove against minor-league pitching, so Minnesota doesn’t need to rush him. He posted a 154 wRC+ at Double-A Wichita, but saw that drop to an 88 wRC+ in 23 Triple-A games. He is not on the 40-man roster, and the outfield depth chart has bodies in front of him, including Emmanuel Rodriguez, who remains one of the organization’s most polished bats. The Twins gain nothing by forcing the issue. Jenkins will be given time to settle in, refine his approach, and wait for the right opening. When that call finally comes, it will be one of the most anticipated prospect debuts in franchise history. The hype will feel familiar to fans who watched Royce Lewis and Byron Buxton arrive with massive expectations. A Rebuilt Farm System That Must Now Perform Last year’s trade deadline marked a turning point for the Twins organization. The sell-off injected talent, depth, and upside into a system that badly needed all three. Minnesota went from thin to loaded in a matter of weeks. Now comes the hard part—proving the evaluations were right. Players acquired at the deadline are no longer names on a transaction log. Eduardo Tait, Kendry Rojas, Mick Abel, Enrique Jimenez, Ryan Gallagher, Sam Armstrong, and Garrett Horn will all be watched closely in the coming year. These players are expected to form the backbone of the next competitive Twins roster. Adjusting to a new organization can be difficult, but by Opening Day, those growing pains should be a thing of the past. The Twins believe they now have one of the best farm systems in baseball. This season is about distinguishing true building blocks from organizational depth. Draft Day Pressure at Pick Number Three The 2026 MLB Draft could play a massive role in shaping the Twins' long-term outlook, with Minnesota selecting third overall. UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky has emerged as the consensus top prospect in the class and appears likely to go first overall. After that, the board opens quickly. College shortstop Justin Lebron and high school shortstops Grady Emerson and Jacob Lombard headline a talented and volatile next tier. If Lebron slides to number three, the Twins may find themselves staring at a player who could become the organization’s top prospect by this time next season. Draft boards will shift between now and July, but Minnesota is positioned to add another premium talent to an already crowded system. Another Trade Deadline Reset The Twins are not exactly gearing up for a 2026 playoff push. Josh Bell has been the team’s most significant addition, and while he fills a need, he does not change the broader trajectory. The bullpen remains thin, with Cole Sands and Justin Topa currently projected as late-inning options. It's easy to see Minnesota with a sub-.500 record at the trade deadline. If that happens, the front office may again lean into selling veterans. Joe Ryan, Pablo López, and impending free agents (led by Ryan Jeffers) all could be moved. The Connor Prielipp Role Decision Connor Prielipp finally enjoyed something that had eluded him since turning professional: a healthy season. Used as a starter, Prielipp showed real promise, but the Twins handled him cautiously. He reached five innings only twice and never surpassed 85 pitches. That workload tells you everything about how carefully the organization views his future. Derek Falvey has already mentioned the possibility of moving Prielipp to the bullpen, and it feels like the most logical path. His high-end stuff could make him a devastating late-inning weapon; his injury history makes him a risky proposition as a starter. In a system rich with starting pitching options, Prielipp’s role may end up being one of the most critical decisions the Twins make in 2026. A Franchise at a Crossroads The common thread tying all of these storylines together is timing. The Twins are no longer in a race to accumulate talent. They are waiting for the right moments to deploy their top prospects. That is a very different problem from the one the organization has faced in recent years. The coming season is about alignment. It's about balancing acquisition and development and keeping the future in mind while the present unfolds. If the Twins navigate these decisions correctly, the next competitive window will feel close to opening. If they get it wrong, the rebuild risks stretching longer than anyone wants to admit. Which of these storylines do you think will have the most significant impact on the Twins' future, and is there another prospect situation you are watching closely? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. View the full article

On Wednesday afternoon, the Cubs finally addressed their starting rotation, completing a trade with the Maimi Marlins for right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera. The Marlins and the Cubs have long been apparent bedfellows, with Chicago almost dealing for Jesús Luzardo last year and Cabrera last summer, and they finally consummated a deal. There will be plenty of discourse on the price, and losing Owen Caissie could come back and hurt the Cubs at some point, but what the Cubs are actually getting in Cabrera is just as important. Cabrera, 27, is a 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher who signed with the Marlins as an international free agent way in 2015. He gained significant prospect hype, making the Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB Pipeline Top 100 lists for three straight seasons from 2020-22. However, it took a while for him to stick in the Marlins rotation, due to a combination of control issues and injuries. That changed in 2025, when Cabrera and Marlins pitching coach Daniel Moskos (hired away from the Cubs in Nov. 2024) made a significant change in arm slot, which seemingly unlocked Cabrera's potential. By shifting his arm slot lower, Cabrera created a significant change in his movement profile, giving him significantly more horizontal movement than he had before—and tons of vertical movement on his curveball.. Here's Cabrera's new-look curveball in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers in July. On a 2-2 count, and after a (barely) too-low changeup, Cabrera used his hammer to get the punchout. The added depth and how the pitch plays off his changeup earned a chase on this pitch. FanGraphs's Stuff+ agrees the pitch has gotten better, shape-wise. While it was always strong, sitting at a career 109 on their scale, it jumped to a 119 last year. ZU44b25fWGw0TUFRPT1fVlFOVkJsTlZVbFFBQ1ZOUVVRQUhWQTVXQUZrQUJ3Y0FVVkFOQ1ZVQ0FGWlRWbGRX.mp4 While Cabrera's best pitch now is his curveball, his arm slot change also improved his changeup, taking the shape of that pitch from below-average to plus. Changeups are great for right-handed-pitchers to attack left-handed hitters, and it's always been a staple for him. Here, Cabrera used his changeup with strong arm-side run to strikeout the dangerous Lamonte Wade Jr. WEQyTTJfWGw0TUFRPT1fVUFSVUFGSU1Wd1FBWGxKV1ZRQUhBVklEQUFCVUFRSUFWbGNCVVFNQVVnY0dDRllF.mp4 The Marlins and Cabrera were effectively able to change his pitch mix last season to utilize his arm slot optimally, moving away from his 98-mph fastball and highlighting a sinker-slider combination that would better attack righties. The fireballer can now more effectively attack both sides of the plate, which sows doubt and creates deception. None of this matters if there isn't proof of real applicability attached to those adjustments, but there was plenty of that in 2025. Cabrera posted his best ERA (3.53), FIP (3.83) and xFIP (3.62). One thing that could be easy to miss: none of this resulted in a lower strikeout rate. While his per-inning strikeout rate decreased slightly, because his walk rate was so much lower (13.3% career prior, 8.3% last year), he faced fewer hitters per inning and his per-batter faced rate stayed pretty much the same. It was easily his best season. There are still places to improve. The batted-ball data against Cabrera isn't great. He gives up a lot of hard hit balls and isn't great at limiting barrels. With his stuff, one might hope for better chase rates on pitches outside the zone. The Cubs are a team who love cutting action on fastballs, and adding a cutter to Cabrera's arsenal might also continue to help against lefty batters, while allowing him to use his sinker (which he likely throws a little too often to lefties) less often against them. Cabrera is making progress, but is not a finished project. Beyond some cleanup work, there's another red flag in Cabrera's game: injuries. Cabrera has had a fairly lengthy injury record, and last year was no different, as he missed time twice with elbow-related issues. It's tempting to worry that he's on the verge of needing Tommy John surgery, but while any pitcher is seemingly one throw away from exploding, the risk might not be as severe as it seems. Remember, Cabrera significantly dropped his arm slot last year. Typically, that will result in more stress in the elbow versus the shoulder. We shouldn't ignore these, but it could also be that a new motion created some added soreness as the pitcher got used to the changes. Hopefully for his (and the Cubs') sake, this is a transition to a new mechanical signature, rather than something more serious. The Cubs reviewed his medicals before approving this trade, and they appear to believe he's healthier than Luzardo was a year ago. Moving forward, it's fair to be cautiously optimistic about what the Cubs have acquired. The team has clearly prioritized pitchers with lower arm slots, such as Phil Maton, Hoby Milner and Colin Snider this offseason, and Cabrera will fit that mold. He's young and has plenty of upside. There is clear risk here, because he's never fully established himself as a No. 2 in the rotation, but he has the hallmarks of someone capable of breaking out. He also adds much-needed swing-and-miss stuff, and could form a very fun 1-2 punch with Cade Horton atop the Cubs' rotation for the next three years. What do you think of the Edward Cabrera trade? Are you excited? Do you foresee him establishing himself as a top-of-the-rotation arm in Chicago? Sound off in the comments below! View the full article

On Wednesday afternoon, the Cubs finally addressed their starting rotation, completing a trade with the Maimi Marlins for right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera. The Marlins and the Cubs have long been apparent bedfellows, with Chicago almost dealing for Jesús Luzardo last year and Cabrera last summer, and they finally consummated a deal. There will be plenty of discourse on the price, and losing Owen Caissie could come back and hurt the Cubs at some point, but what the Cubs are actually getting in Cabrera is just as important. Cabrera, 27, is a 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher who signed with the Marlins as an international free agent way in 2015. He gained significant prospect hype, making the Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB Pipeline Top 100 lists for three straight seasons from 2020-22. However, it took a while for him to stick in the Marlins rotation, due to a combination of control issues and injuries. That changed in 2025, when Cabrera and Marlins pitching coach Daniel Moskos (hired away from the Cubs in Nov. 2024) made a significant change in arm slot, which seemingly unlocked Cabrera's potential. By shifting his arm slot lower, Cabrera created a significant change in his movement profile, giving him significantly more horizontal movement than he had before—and tons of vertical movement on his curveball.. Here's Cabrera's new-look curveball in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers in July. On a 2-2 count, and after a (barely) too-low changeup, Cabrera used his hammer to get the punchout. The added depth and how the pitch plays off his changeup earned a chase on this pitch. FanGraphs's Stuff+ agrees the pitch has gotten better, shape-wise. While it was always strong, sitting at a career 109 on their scale, it jumped to a 119 last year. ZU44b25fWGw0TUFRPT1fVlFOVkJsTlZVbFFBQ1ZOUVVRQUhWQTVXQUZrQUJ3Y0FVVkFOQ1ZVQ0FGWlRWbGRX.mp4 While Cabrera's best pitch now is his curveball, his arm slot change also improved his changeup, taking the shape of that pitch from below-average to plus. Changeups are great for right-handed-pitchers to attack left-handed hitters, and it's always been a staple for him. Here, Cabrera used his changeup with strong arm-side run to strikeout the dangerous Lamonte Wade Jr. WEQyTTJfWGw0TUFRPT1fVUFSVUFGSU1Wd1FBWGxKV1ZRQUhBVklEQUFCVUFRSUFWbGNCVVFNQVVnY0dDRllF.mp4 The Marlins and Cabrera were effectively able to change his pitch mix last season to utilize his arm slot optimally, moving away from his 98-mph fastball and highlighting a sinker-slider combination that would better attack righties. The fireballer can now more effectively attack both sides of the plate, which sows doubt and creates deception. None of this matters if there isn't proof of real applicability attached to those adjustments, but there was plenty of that in 2025. Cabrera posted his best ERA (3.53), FIP (3.83) and xFIP (3.62). One thing that could be easy to miss: none of this resulted in a lower strikeout rate. While his per-inning strikeout rate decreased slightly, because his walk rate was so much lower (13.3% career prior, 8.3% last year), he faced fewer hitters per inning and his per-batter faced rate stayed pretty much the same. It was easily his best season. There are still places to improve. The batted-ball data against Cabrera isn't great. He gives up a lot of hard hit balls and isn't great at limiting barrels. With his stuff, one might hope for better chase rates on pitches outside the zone. The Cubs are a team who love cutting action on fastballs, and adding a cutter to Cabrera's arsenal might also continue to help against lefty batters, while allowing him to use his sinker (which he likely throws a little too often to lefties) less often against them. Cabrera is making progress, but is not a finished project. Beyond some cleanup work, there's another red flag in Cabrera's game: injuries. Cabrera has had a fairly lengthy injury record, and last year was no different, as he missed time twice with elbow-related issues. It's tempting to worry that he's on the verge of needing Tommy John surgery, but while any pitcher is seemingly one throw away from exploding, the risk might not be as severe as it seems. Remember, Cabrera significantly dropped his arm slot last year. Typically, that will result in more stress in the elbow versus the shoulder. We shouldn't ignore these, but it could also be that a new motion created some added soreness as the pitcher got used to the changes. Hopefully for his (and the Cubs') sake, this is a transition to a new mechanical signature, rather than something more serious. The Cubs reviewed his medicals before approving this trade, and they appear to believe he's healthier than Luzardo was a year ago. Moving forward, it's fair to be cautiously optimistic about what the Cubs have acquired. The team has clearly prioritized pitchers with lower arm slots, such as Phil Maton, Hoby Milner and Colin Snider this offseason, and Cabrera will fit that mold. He's young and has plenty of upside. There is clear risk here, because he's never fully established himself as a No. 2 in the rotation, but he has the hallmarks of someone capable of breaking out. He also adds much-needed swing-and-miss stuff, and could form a very fun 1-2 punch with Cade Horton atop the Cubs' rotation for the next three years. What do you think of the Edward Cabrera trade? Are you excited? Do you foresee him establishing himself as a top-of-the-rotation arm in Chicago? Sound off in the comments below! View the full article

The Kansas City Royals have been involved in their fair share of rumors this offseason, though the temperature on the hot stove has remained low to medium. Now, for the third time this offseason, they have come to a minor league agreement with a utility backup. Having previously signed Jorge Alfaro and Abraham Toro, they have agreed to terms with Josh Rojas. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com is reporting that Rojas also received a non-roster invite to spring training. Rojas, 32, played 69 games for the Chicago White Sox last season. Across 211 plate appearances, he had a .511 OPS with two home runs and four stolen bases. He appeared at second base, third base, and left field. In seven seasons, Rojas has been a below-average hitter (88 wRC+) and has spent time at every position except center field and catcher. He'll look to compete with Alfaro and Toro for one of the last spots off the bench. Do you think the Royals have done enough this offseason to improve the roster? Let us know what you're thinking in the comments! View the full article

Trevor Story is hosting his informal “Story Camp” this week, and some familiar faces have joined the shortstop in Texas. Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Connor Wong, Jarren Duran, Triston Casas, and Mikey Romero appear in all of the social media posts surrounding the event. When the first Story Camp was announced a few seasons ago, it seemed like a way for the veteran shortstop to connect with and mentor younger players while he was rehabbing from injury. Now though, it seems to be transforming into something different. With Duran, Wong, and Casas all being present. it showcases them putting in the extra work to improve on down or lost seasons in 2025. It also gives them more opportunities to work with members of the young core in Anthony and Mayer. Romero is penciled in to be the starting shortstop for the WooSox this season and working with Story can only help him improve at the position. Should Story go down with an injury, it’s likely Romero will be one of the first names called up to the big-league roster. Story Camp is a way for Trevor Story to further mentor the up-and-coming talent in the system. We can all hope that this extra time together will translate to positive results on the field in 2026. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox have yet to sign a free agent to a major-league contract this offseason, but at least the team has remained engaged with several free agents. Currently,the team has a lack of left-handed relief options and with that in mind, the Red Sox have been linked to options such as Danny Coulombe, Tim Mayza, and Cionel Pérez as reported by MassLive's Chris Cotillo. The Red Sox currently have nine left-handed pitchers on the 40-man roster, but of them only three are currently viewed as relief options, and one is closer Aroldis Chapman. With just Jovani Morán and Tyler Samaniego as potential left-handed relievers for 2026 following the trades of Chris Murphy and Brennan Bernardino, it is only natural the team is looking to improve its reliever situation. Of the three relievers the team has been linked to, Coulombe is the most attractive option despite a late-season meltdown with the Texas Rangers. Coulombe split the 2025 season between Minnesota and Texas, appearing in 55 games and tossing 43 innings as he finished with a 2.30 ERA. To finish the season, Coulombe pitched in 15 games for Texas after being traded, but struggled as he walked nine batters in 12 innings while allowing three home runs. Should Coulombe pitch closer to how he did in Minnesota (and with Baltimore in 2023 and 2024: he struck out 90 batters in 81 innings while walking just 17) he would slot in immediately as a high-leverage weapon out of the bullpen. Both Mayza and Pérez had less successful seasons in 2025. Mayza pitched in just 15 games split between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, tossing 16 2/3 innings and striking out 15 batters. The lack of appearances was due to a lat strain that cost him a good portion of the season. While healthy, he had an 87th percentile extension at 6.9 feet, a trait that the Red Sox have been interested in the past couple seasons. He also is a ground ball pitcher and could do well if the Sox continue to improve their infield defense. Pérez struggled in 2025, appearing in 19 games with Baltimore while tossing 21 2/3 innings. In that span, he struggled with his command, allowing 18 walks. Pérez was designated for assignment in late May and spent the rest of the season with Triple-A Norfolk where his struggles continued. In 22 1/3 innings, he walked 19 batters and finished with a 6.85 ERA. While he had a 16.4% walk rate with Baltimore, he did manage to limit barrels as batters only barreled up his pitches 2.9% of the time. He also managed to get groundballs 60.9% of the time, something that could play well when paired with the Red Sox's infield. View the full article

The Miami Marlins are very close to trading right-handed starting pitcher Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs, as first reported by Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation on Wednesday. Outfield prospect Owen Caissie would be part of the deal if completed, a source tells Fish On First. The club has yet to announce the move. Cabrera, who the Marlins signed for $100,000 in 2015, finally broke out in 2025 after inconsistencies since his debut back in 2021. He posted a 3.53 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 9.81 K/9 and 3.14 BB/9 in a career-high 137 2/3 innings pitched. It marked the first time in Cabrera's career that he surpassed the 100 inning threshold. His walk rate was also the lowest of his career, after having struggled with command/control since coming up to the big leagues. The main concern are his injuries. Cabrera was placed on the injured list twice, first on Opening Day with a right middle finger blister and late into the season, he suffered a right elbow sprain, which many assumed would not only knock him out for the remainder of the 2025 season, but all of 2026. Cabrera did return on September 22, making two more starts, going four innings against the Philadelphia Phillies and five innings against the New York Mets to close out the season. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix is taking a gamble by moving Cabrera, who is capable of having an even better season in 2026, but the Marlins are also banking on their crop of talented, less experienced starters—including top prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling—to keep the team competitive. The Marlins also moved Cabrera because of the health concerns, the fact that it is hard to know what his 2026 will look like given years of inconsistency and the fact that he was the most movable pitcher with years of control remaining. Cabrera is projected to make $3.7M in 2026 via arbitration and will be under club control through 2028. With the trade, the Marlins Opening Day starting rotation now projects to be Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Ryan Weathers, Max Meyer and Janson Junk. A source has told Fish On First that the expectation is that the Marlins will go out and attempt to sign a starting pitcher, similar to what they did with bringing in Cal Quantrill last year. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a trade to acquire right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins, a source confirmed to North Side Baseball Wednesday. Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation had the news first, on Twitter. Owen Caissie will be part of the package going to the Marlins, who nearly acquired him from Chicago last winter in exchange for lefty starter Jesús Luzardo. Cabrera, who will turn 28 in April, comes with three years of team control, and is eligible for arbitration this winter. He made 26 starts and posted a 3.53 ERA in 2025, the best and healthiest season of his career. Long plagued by shoulder injuries, he lowered his arm slot, resulting not only in more durability (though he dealt with elbow issues, instead) but better control. Without missing fewer bats (his strikeout rate held steady at 25.8%), Cabrera used his altered delivery to reduce his walk rate from a career mark of 13.3% before 2025 to 8.3%. He boasts two fastballs that sit in the upper 90s, but is one of the least fastball-reliant starting pitchers in baseball. Instead, he leans heavily on his plus changeup and curveball, also mixing in a slider and an occasional sweeper. The changeup is famous for clocking in as high as 96 miles per hour, thrown with ferocity but achieving great fade and tumble. Given that profile, it's clear what Cabrera adds that the Cubs had previously lacked: a right-handed power arm at the front end of the rotation, to complement Cade Horton. He misses bats with multiple offerings and could still have more in the tank, as he finds a rhythm by staying healthy more consistently. The Cubs could have him throw the heater more than Miami did, but he's a different type of hurler than they have relied on over the last decade—and that's a good thing. For the Marlins, the key piece of the deal is Caissie, who had been slated to take over a significant role in the Cubs' lineup for 2026. Long on raw power and more athletic than his frame suggests, Caissie nonetheless comes with concerns about his ability to actualize that pop (he rarely pulled the ball in the air, for instance, even in a second tour of Triple A in 2025) and about strikeouts. His stock dipped slightly league-wide despite good numbers on the farm last year, and the Cubs entertained trading him in July, when the Marlins were also interested in acquiring him. A source indicated that there will be two other pieces going to Miami to complete the trade. More to come. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins have spent much of the offseason in a holding pattern, with Josh Bell standing as the lone notable addition. That quiet approach could change quickly if events on the East Coast continue to unfold, as the Twins have been connected to the Philadelphia Phillies in trade discussions centered on catcher Ryan Jeffers. According to The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, the Phillies are exploring backup plans in case they do not re-sign longtime catcher J.T. Realmuto. Realmuto has been a fixture in Philadelphia since 2019, earning three All-Star selections along the way. Now 35 years old and coming off his worst offensive season with the club, he has reached free agency with no resolution in sight. With pitchers and catchers set to report soon, Philadelphia’s sense of urgency is growing. As Gelb wrote, “The Phillies have explored contingencies because pitchers and catchers report to Florida in five weeks. It would be ideal to have a starting catcher report. The Phillies have talked trades for catchers, young and old; Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers is one potential target, league sources told The Athletic.” That urgency cuts both ways. Gelb also noted, “But the closer everyone gets to camps opening, the more reluctant teams are to trade away a catcher. Victor Caratini, who has never started more than 87 games in a season at catcher, is still on the free agent market and could wait until Realmuto decides to pick his own destination.” Jeffers is not Realmuto, but the comparison is closer than it might initially appear. In 2025, Jeffers slashed .266/.356/.397 with nine home runs and 47 RBI across 119 games. Realmuto posted a .257/.315/.384 line with 12 home runs and 52 RBI over 134 games. The larger body of work still favors Realmuto, who owns a .270/.328/.447 career line over 1,373 games, while Jeffers sits at .239/.321/.419 through 515 contests. Still, Jeffers has quietly established himself as an above-average offensive catcher, particularly over the past three seasons. From Minnesota’s perspective, the timing is complicated. Jeffers is projected to earn $6.5 million in his final year of arbitration in 2026 before reaching free agency. Trading him now could bring back meaningful value, especially if Philadelphia’s leverage erodes as camp approaches. At the same time, the Twins lack a clear replacement. Christian Vazquez is a free agent, and the current depth chart includes Alex Jackson and Jhonny Pereda, neither of whom profiles as a true starting catcher. The farm system offers little immediate relief. Eduardo Tait, acquired from Philadelphia in the Jhoan Duran trade, is just 19 years old and several years away despite being the organization’s number three prospect. Ricardo Olivar at Double A is the most advanced catching prospect, but he is not viewed as a near-term solution. Any Jeffers trade would almost certainly require Minnesota to add a replacement via trade or free agency. The free agent market includes names like Jonah Heim, Mitch Garver, Victor Caratini, Elias Diaz, Gary Sanchez, and Christian Vazquez, but each option represents some degree of downgrade for a team that still wants to contend in the AL Central. If Realmuto’s negotiations continue to stall, Minnesota may find itself holding the leverage. In that scenario, the Twins should be demanding rising young big leaguers and meaningful prospects. Trading Jeffers would hurt in the short term, but if the return is strong enough, it could be a calculated move that aligns with a longer view of the roster. For now, it remains a rumor. But it is one that neatly captures where both franchises stand, one searching for stability behind the plate and the other weighing whether its best option might be to cash in before the window quietly closes. View the full article

In our continuing series of ranking San Diego Padres player assets, it's time to take a look at Nos. 6 through 10. This list ranks the 25 Padres players and prospects with this in mind: Who are the most valuable in the organization's pursuit of building a champion? To do so, we considered age, upside, and contract. Each player's age and controlled-through years are based on his Baseball Reference age for the 2026 season and when B-R says he can become a free agent. For what we wrote in this series previously, check out Nos. 11-15, 16-20, and 21-25. 10. Randy Vasquez, RHP 2026 season age: 27 Controlled through: 2030 After an up-and-down first season in the Padres' organization, literally and figuratively, Vasquez became a dependable part of the starting rotation in 2025. One of the five players acquired from the New York Yankees in the Juan Soto trade two offseasons ago, Vazquez was constantly on the Triple-A El Paso shuttle in 2024, with multiple promotions and demotions. While not ideal, that could help account for his 4.74 FIP and 84 ERA+. But he did get 20 starts for a team that went to the postseason. Luckily, 2025 was much different. Vasquez started 26 of the 28 games he appeared in, putting up a 4.85 FIP and 111 ERA+ that belied his 3.84 ERA. His walk percentage was a little high at 9.1% and his strikeout rate was low at 13.7%. So, there is still work to be done there. There was one demotion, following the Padres' acquisition of left-hander Nestor Cortes from the Milwaukee Brewers at the trade deadline — and after a start in which he allowed five runs in four innings — but Vasquez was back up about a week later. Vasquez uses seven pitches, but none a majority of the time. His 90.2 mph cutter was he most-used pitch at 24.8%, with his 93.4 mph four-seamer next at 20.9%. He also has a sinker (19.2%), sweeper (13.6%) and curve (12.9%) in addition to a rarely-used changeup (6.9%) and slider (1.8%). Perhaps refining that repertoire could help in his effectiveness. Vasquez is entering his last pre-arb season. 9. Jeremiah Estrada, RHP 2026 season age: 27 Controlled through: 2029 Teams always hope to find a little success in waiver claims. The Padres have certainly cashed in with Estrada. An offseason waiver pickup from the Chicago Cubs two years ago, Estrada has flourished since joining the Padres' bullpen. After spending the first month of the 2024 season at Triple-A El Paso, Estrada has been a reliable reliever, posting a 2.07 FIP and 140 ERA+ in 2024 in 62 games (61 innings), then a 3.55 FIP and 124 ERA+ in 77 games (73 innings) in 2025. Estrada brings the heat, averaging 97.9 mph on his four-seamer in 2025, a pitch he used 56.8% of the time en route to a 35.5% strikeout rate against an 8.9% walk rate. He also has an 83.7 mph splitter that he used 23.2% and an 88.5 mph slider 20%. Due to his salary status, entering his final pre-arb year with a total of four years of control, Estrada has drawn trade interest. Estrada could also be in line for more saves should the Padres deal Mason Miller, with more late-inning appearances at the worst. Estrada notched three saves in 2025, and he tied for fifth in MLB with 30 holds. 8. Adrian Morejon, LHP 2026 season age: 27 Controlled through: 2026 Speaking of key bullpen arms, Morejon is coming off his best season. The left-hander vultured 13 wins while recording a 2.28 FIP and 206 ERA+ in 75 games covering 73⅔ innings. He was flat-out dominant, holding opposing hitters to a remarkable slash line of .186/.235/.236, walking 5.9% of batters and striking out 24.5%. Morejon keeps his infielders busy with a 51.3% grounder rate. Morejon does that with a terrific sinker-slider combo. He has a 97.7 mph sinker that he used 61.7% of the time in 2025, with his slider at 87.5 mph and 24.6%. On occasion, he will toss a changeup (6.6%), cutter (3.5%) or four-seamer (3.1%) into the mix. As the primary set-up man, the 2025 All-Star would be first in line for saves should Miller be moved. Otherwise, he provides a terrific back-end of the bullpen option to set up Miller. While the Padres tinkered with the thought of making him a starter this offseason, it would have been foolish to weaken the bullpen with trades still in play — even for Morejon, who is projected to earn just $3.6 million in his final trip through arbitration. 7. Joe Musgrove, RHP 2026 season age: 33 Controlled through: 2027 If not for a couple of major injuries over the last few years, Musgrove would probably be up a few notches on this list, perhaps in contention for the No. 1 spot. But the injuries did happen and they cost Musgrove serious time. The latest malady has been Tommy John surgery, which happened following the team's 2024 postseason elimination. That came after Musgrove's 2023 season in ended in July due to inflammation in his right shoulder capsule. He began 2024 in the rotation, but bone spurs in his right elbow led to a 5.36 FIP in 10 starts and a spot on the 60-day injured list. The good news is Musgrove appears to be on pace to be ready for spring training, although he will be in the initial stages of getting his arm back in shape, so the possibility exists of beginning 2026 on the injured list or a rehab assignment. His return will be a boon for the rotation, which already received an unexpected return with right-hander Michael King re-signing for three years and $75 million, If the rotation sticks as currently constructed, Musgrove will slot in after Nick Pivetta and King, giving the Padres a very good top three. Musgrove will always have a place in Padres history as the El Cajon native threw the first no-hitter in team history in 2021. While the competitor in Java Joe will want to return to the rotation ASAP, the business side of Musgrove might take a bit more of a cautious route. He will want to make sure nothing endangers his 2026 or 2027 seasons, which are the last years of Musgrove's current contract. 6. Manny Machado, 3B 2026 season age: 33 Controlled through: 2033 As he prepares to enter his eighth season in San Diego, there is no question that Machado remains the rock of the Padres' offense. That was proven with his third-best bWAR season of his Padres tenure with a 4.1 mark. That came through a .275/.335/.460 slash line with 27 homers and 95 RBIs. He still stings the ball, with an average exit velocity of 92.9 mph, which is in the 94th percentile of MLB hitters. Machado also continues to be one of the better third basemen defensively. The question for Machado, who is under contract through the 2033 season, is how long that continues. He is entering his age-33 season, so any signs of any downfall may start cropping up sooner rather than later. And yet, he earned down-ballot NL MVP votes each of the last two seasons. He provides all-around contributions while holding down the No. 3 spot in the lineup. There is no question the Padres need more power in their lineup, but that isn't necessarily coming from Machado, who is averaging 30 homers in full seasons in San Diego. His production could even go up slightly with more support in the lineup after him. Putting up typical numbers will be one of the key factors for the Padres to remain a contender. The Padres lost Luis Arraez to free agency, but someone such as left fielder Ramon Laureano, acquired at the trade deadline, could turn out to be a better overall contributor. How infielder Sung Mun Song, a free agent from South Korea, fits in will be interesting to watch. Machado is also a couple years from either being a full-time designated hitter or crossing the diamond for some time at first base, and he should remain entrenched at the hot corner in 2026. View the full article

The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey has verified that the Boston Red Sox have a contract offer on the table for Alex Bregman. She has reached out to the source that spoke to ESPN’s Buster Olney last week and confirmed that the offer is indeed “aggressive”. The full details of the offer are unknown at this point, and aggressive likely means different things to all parties involved. What this does show is that the Red Sox are still actively trying to improve the team and have at least some amount of comfort with handing out multi-year offers to free agents. The ball is in Bregman’s court, though, as the Red Sox are far from the only team currently vying for his services. Speculation all offseason has had him returning to Boston, but it’s far from a sure thing, even with this offer in hand. Bregman is represented by mega-agent Scott Boras, so this offer is likely being used to leverage other teams while attempting to gauge if this is actually the best offer Boston will make. Until we know more, we’re all playing the waiting game together. View the full article

By no means do the Milwaukee Brewers need to trim their payroll for 2026. In fact, they could and should spend even more than they're currently slated to, and more than they're likely to spend before the offseason is over. If they decide to trade Freddy Peralta, it won't be to save the $8 million they owe him in 2026; it will be solely because they get a haul of young talent too good to pass up. Still, they're likely to save money in any Peralta deal. They struck a nearly cash-neutral deal with the Yankees last winter when they traded Devin Williams, receiving Nestor Cortes as part of the package in return, but that was a rare case of being able to match need for need and dollar for dollar. Peralta is a much more valuable trade chip than Williams was, and any deal for him will bring back more than the package of Cortes and Caleb Durbin, so the Brewers are unlikely to take back a player with a substantial salary. How, then, should they spend whatever they save by moving their erstwhile ace, should they pull that trigger? First, let's assume (for the sake of argument) that no player acquired for Peralta fills any of the team's top needs for 2026. In reality, they're likely to get someone who can help immediately in such a deal, as they did with DL Hall and Joey Ortiz in the Corbin Burnes trade two offseasons ago and in the Williams trade last winter. It's very hard to predict who that might be, though, so let's sidestep the question by imagining a package that primarily makes them better in 2027 and beyond. Since they have superb pitching depth right now, trading Peralta without getting back an instant contributor isn't out of the question, if the prospects in question are strong enough. For somewhere between $7 million and $10 million in 2026 payroll, the team could fill an interesting potential need, after moving Peralta. The market has been slow to develop for Harrison Bader and Austin Hays, two athletic, right-hitting outfielders coming off solid but unspectacular seasons and hitting free agency for a second time in their early 30s. A competent right-handed bat for a corner outfield spot is one profile the Brewers could fit seamlessly into their 26-man roster for the coming season, especially in the wake of the trade that sent Isaac Collins to the Royals. If Blake Perkins and Garrett Mitchell are the right combination of healthy and good, they might keep Jackson Chourio primarily to left field, but it's much more likely that Chourio will spend at least a good chunk of 2026 in center. Sal Frelick has right field held down, but he's a lefty batter who could benefit tremendously from having a platoon partner to shield him from left-handed pitchers. If Chourio is in center, meanwhile, left field falls to some combination of Christian Yelich (when his back permits him to play the outfield), Jake Bauers and players expected to spend most of the season in the minors: Brandon Lockridge, Steward Berroa, and Akil Baddoo. Bader, 31, batted a stellar .277/.347/.449 in 501 plate appearances with the Twins and Phillies in 2025. He's lost a step in center field, but he's a markedly above-average left fielder and a lefty-masher who figured some things out last year. He'd posted ugly numbers in the previous two seasons, though, and given his age, he's not finding the eight-figure salaries or multi-year offers he'd hoped for this winter. He would fit gorgeously into the team's defensive plans and add some punch against southpaws. Hays, 30, has been more consistently competent than Bader at the plate. He batted .266/.315/.453 in 2025, taking 416 plate appearances for the Reds and cracking 16 home runs. He's not the same caliber of defender as Bader, though, and durability is an important question for him. Either of these players could help the Brewers in slightly less than a full-time role, but still a substantial one. They're likely to make something similar to what Peralta will in 2026, so if and when the Brewers get the offer they've been awaiting on their star hurler, they should turn their attention to signing a key complementary piece with the money the move frees up. View the full article

On Tuesday afternoon, Kazuma Okamoto was officially announced as a member of the Blue Jays. The press conference featured the usual suspects: Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins was present along with Okamoto’s translator, Gino Gordon, his agent, Scott Boras, and Okamoto himself. After a brief introduction and a flurry of photos taken as Okamoto donned the Blue Jays jersey for the first time, the standard question-and-answer period began. The presser included lots of fun information (which can be found here), including how Okamoto (with the help of his daughter) chose the Blue Jays, his affection for the city of Toronto, and lots more, but one question in particular stood out more than others, and it may be a hint into what's in store for the rest of the offseason. That question was addressed to Atkins, who was asked about the potential of more moves coming for this team. He gave his usual, “we're always looking to make the team better” response that Blue Jays fans have heard for years, but then added, “The one thing I’ll add is additions... will start to cut away playing time from players that are very good MLB players.” The quote itself could mean many things, and pinning down exactly what Atkins is trying to convey is no easy task. Perhaps he means that the Jays are content with their roster and no further moves are forthcoming, or maybe it indicates that a trade is being considered to move some MLB talent off the team. Alternatively, it could be a negotiation tactic to lower the demands of Kyle Tucker/Bo Bichette. Only Atkins truly knows. But regardless of what his motives were, there is a lot of truth to his statement. The Blue Jays are running into a problem that a lot of good teams have: too many players and not enough roster spots. If the Jays do decide to add another position player, then someone is going to be the odd man out. As things stand right now, the position player group seems full. George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk, and Daulton Varsho are no-doubt starters. Addison Barger, Ernie Clement, and Andrés Giménez were key contributors during the 2025 playoff run. While there are some question marks about Okamoto and Anthony Santander, both players have tremendous upside and deserve a shot to play regularly until they prove they can't. The Okamoto signing now moves the left-handed hitting Nathan Lukes into a pure bench role, with Myles Straw as the right-handed alternative. Both are strong defensive outfielders who did enough offensively in 2025. Davis Schneider also profiles as a bench piece, but he can hit left-handers and hold his own at second base or in the corner outfield. The other spot belongs to Tyler Heineman, who will serve as the backup catcher. This makes the roster crunch decision incredibly difficult, as all four players were above replacement level in 2025. Here are the fWAR totals for those players: Schneider - 1.3 Straw - 1.8 Lukes - 1.8 Heineman - 2.1 Only Schneider and Lukes still have minor league options. None of these players deserves to be taken off the roster, and I would hate to be in John Schneider's shoes if he has to tell one of them that they're no longer on the team. Now, the Blue Jays could turn this surplus into an advantage. They have a pool of depth that could be used to improve other areas of the roster. Not too long ago, the Blue Jays had three major league-calibre catchers, and they ended up trading one of them to acquire Varsho in 2022. Yet, turning the depth they have now into a trade may be harder than it first appears. Straw is still owed $7.4 million going into the season. Lukes will be 32, and he just played his first full big league season. Schneider may be the piece that other teams have the most interest in, but he was a key contributor in the clubhouse last year and has the most home run power of the bench pieces. The logjam exists not just on the 26-man roster but on the 40-man roster as well. Paxton Schultz was designated for assignment when the Okamoto signing became official, and he threw some quality innings for the team in 2025. He made 13 appearances with a 4.38 ERA and more strikeouts (28) than innings pitched (24.2). He’ll likely catch on with another team, but for now, he’s a victim of circumstance. As for who might be next off the 40-man roster, that's a dilemma in itself. Tommy Nance is a candidate, but like Schultz, he had his moments in ‘25. There are two Rule 5 hopefuls in Angel Bastardo and Spencer Miles who the Jays will likely try to carry into spring training. Bowden Francis had an ugly 2025 season, but a DFA would be surprising. After that, it's the largely unproven group of Adam Macko, Lazaro Estrada, Jake Bloss, Leo Jimenez, Jonatan Clase, and Joey Loperfido. While one of them may be next in line, losing any of them comes with real risk. All of these players have potential big league upside, and a case can be made that they can all help the major league team in 2026. There’s a cliché in baseball that these things always work themselves out, and that's likely to be true again. But the Kazuma Okamoto signing is already forcing the Blue Jays to confront a reality that all good teams face, and that's with depth, difficult decisions follow. Okamoto doesn't just add talent to the lineup; he compresses the roster. And as the offseason continues and more moves feel likely, the challenge for the Blue Jays won't only be who they add, but who they’re willing to let go. View the full article

After getting off to a hot start, the offseason hot stove has been idling over the holidays. As has been rumored for months now, the Chicago Cubs have their sights set on some of the best bats on the market. Ken Rosenthal of "The Athletic" is reporting that the Chicago Cubs remain "in the mix" for superstar free agents Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette. Jon Heyman initially reported the clubs interest in Bichette on New Years Day, and Bregman was first tied to the team by Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic over a month ago. Additionally, Mark Fieinsand of MLB.com recently reported that the Cubs aren't expected to be the highest bidder for Bregman. Despite the swirling rumors regarding infield help, the team has expressed confidence in third baseman Matt Shaw as a core part of the team. The 24 year old had a particularly strong 2nd half of the season sporting an .839 OPS with 11 home runs and six stolen bases. However, when a team has the opportunity to add superstars like Bichette or Bregman, you worry about the roster construction after the fact. Who do you think the Cub should prioritize? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

There are still many wondering what went wrong with Jose Miranda in 2025. He set a new MLB record just a year before, getting hits in 12 consecutive at-bats and putting up a respectable .284/.322/.441 slash line in 121 games. But in 2025, Miranda looked completely lost at the plate. He hit a measly 6-for-36 to start the season with the Minnesota Twins, and after he was sent down to Triple-A for the rest of the year, his numbers decreased to a .195/.272/.296 slash line with just seven home runs, and 28 RBI over 371 plate appearances with the St. Paul Saints. When I spoke with Miranda for an end-of-season feature in September, he didn’t pinpoint one exact thing or another as the cause of his numbers taking a drastic drop; rather, his whole swing was off since the start of spring training. “I felt like it was a challenge throughout the whole year,” Miranda said about his swing. “A mix of not feeling comfortable with my setup, my stance, my move at times, that’s kind of been the biggest battle. I feel like that started since I got to spring. So it’s been just a battle of not hitting the ball the way I want to.” So, how did Miranda plan to make adjustments and get back to form this offseason? His first step was reevaluating his whole body as a hitter and identifying the specific areas that felt off, which was much easier to do in the offseason, rather than halfway through the year. From there, he’d work with all of his people back home in Puerto Rico to help get him in better shape for the upcoming season. “I’m going to sit down with my people back home, the people that I always [work with], my trainers that I always work out with. All of those people, my trainer, my therapist, my nutritionist, and sit down and analyze and see some videos and start working. Start working from the get-go. Obviously, I always like to take time off, have a reset the first couple of weeks, and then start building off and get working the whole off-season,” Miranda said in September. Shortly after the MLB Postseason concluded, Miranda returned to game action, playing in the Puerto Rican Winter League for the first time since the 2020-21 offseason. His numbers there aren’t spectacular, but even in the small sample size of 99 plate appearances, there’s been a slight uptick in his numbers. All his slash line numbers have risen up from where they were in Triple-A this year, sitting at .230/.313/.333 with two home runs and eight RBI in 24 games for the Criollos de Caguas. Miranda PRWL Swing.mp4 Based on a video showing one of his two home runs hit in the PRWL this season, it appears Miranda is bringing his hand back a bit more before making his swing. He’s also not raising his front left foot before the swing as he was for much of 2025, and opting for a simple toe tap instead as his timing mechanism. These are looking like helpful improvements for Miranda’s approach to the plate, and may be one of many reasons why the Padres opted to give him a minor-league deal for 2026. Miranda is still young and won’t turn 28 until June 29. He may not be the budding cornerstone player he was projected to be when he first came up with the Twins in 2022, but if the Padres can help him keep improving on the changes to his swing he’s made this offseason, then he can turn into a valuable corner infielder on their bench. But Miranda will need to prove the effectiveness of his swing changes first, and will most likely start 2026 with Triple-A El Paso, barring no major injuries to the Padres' infielders currently on the 40-man roster. The Padres have already proven they can help a player with a broken swing in Gavin Sheets, as Peter Lubaza examined right before the holidays. Miranda getting the extra work in to show those changes sooner by playing in the PRWL should only benefit his chances of reemerging with the Friars. Miranda may never have a season as he did in 2024 again, but if he can come close to replicating the numbers he had as a rookie in 2022 (.268/.325/.426 slash line, 15 home runs, 66 RBI), then his big league career will likely continue beyond 2026 with a chance for a major-league deal after the lockout. Despite all the trials and tribulations Miranda went through with his swing in 2025, he never lost his confidence in his abilities. The short sample size in the PRWL has helped reinforce it a bit, and hopefully, his opportunity with the Padres can help him build up his confidence as a player suited for the highest level of competition. “My mind is always just keep grinding. Keep grinding no matter what happens. If I go 0-for-20, 0-for-50, I’ve just got to come the next day, put in the work, keep putting in the work, and trust the game. And trust that good things are going to come.” View the full article

Here at the start of 2026, we're taking stock of talent in the Twins organization by ranking their top 20 player assets. Went over the ground rules in our introductory post from Monday, but the short version is this: We're trying to answer the question, "Which current players in the organization are most indispensable to fulfilling the vision of building a champion?" Check out Monday's and Tuesday's posts for breakdowns of each player, but here's a quick glance at the list so far: 20. Marek Houston, SS 19. Ryan Jeffers, C 18. Brooks Lee, SS 17. Bailey Ober, RHP 16. Connor Prielipp, LHP 15. David Festa, RHP 14. Eduardo Tait, C 13. Royce Lewis, 3B 12. Matt Wallner, RF 11. Zebby Matthews, RHP Now we dive into the top 10 with an overview of my picks for the 6th through 10th most essential players to the outlook of the Minnesota Twins. The Top 20 Twins Player Assets of 2026: 6-10 10. Taj Bradley, RHP Age: 24 Controlled through: 2029 2025 Ranking: NR The Twins acquired Bradley at the trade deadline as a distressed asset. If a Tampa Bay Rays blogger were putting together a list similar to this one for their org, Bradley would've previously been near the very top of the rankings for many years in a row. He was one of the very best pitching prospects in baseball, and the fact that he has already made 73 major-league starts before turning 25 says a lot about how he's viewed. But, so does the fact he was demoted to Triple-A when Minnesota got him last July. Bradley just hasn't been good. The high-end stuff is there, the durability is there, and it's really not hard to envision him as a frontline starter, but the breakthrough hasn't come. Bradley has a career 85 ERA+ and a mediocre 4.38 FIP to match. He got knocked around for a 6.61 ERA in his first six starts as a Twin. With four more years of team control remaining, there's still plenty of time to figure it out, and he would seemingly have a pretty safe fallback as a quality reliever – likely a big part of the Twins' reasoning when they dealt two years of Griffin Jax for him. I had Jax ranked in the exact same spot last year (10th) some form that perspective its a very even value swap for the Twins. 9. Mick Abel, RHP Age: 24 Controlled through: 2031 2025 Ranking: NR Abel is altogether pretty similar to Bradley: promising young righty arm, acquired at the deadline in exchange for a top reliever, and valued for his upside and team control. On the latter front, Abel still has at least six full years remaining, as he has barely started his MLB service clock. Like Bradley, Abel has multiple plus pitches and the potential to pan out as a frontline starter, even if a mid-rotation or bullpen role is ultimately more likely. While his first foray into the majors in 2025 was rocky overall (6.23 ERA), he showed what he's capable of in his first start for Philly and his final start for Minnesota – 6 IP, 0 R, 9 K in each. Abel won't even reach arbitration until 2029 at the earliest. It's easy to see why the rebuilding Twins were swayed to trade Jhoan Duran when getting him alongside Eduardo Tait (ranked #14 on this list). 8. Byron Buxton, OF Age: 32 Controlled through: 2028 2025 Ranking: NR Once a mainstay at the top of these rankings, Buxton has struggled to crack the top 20 in recent years, with relentless injuries and a sizable (albeit reasonable) contract keeping his asset value in check. There are still factors weighing him down in this exercise: he just turned 32 as a player whose game is highly dependent on premium athleticism, and his history of unavailability remains. But Buxton is coming off a career-best season that offered more reason for optimism around his health outlook than we've ever really had. He's feeling good enough to join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic, which would've been an absurd proposition not long ago. In the short term, Buxton is without question one of the most important players to the Twins' fortunes, but they do have another star center fielder on the rise as Buck reaches his mid-30s. 7. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF Age: 22 Controlled thorough: 2031+ 2025 Ranking: 7 As I internally debated where to put players in these rankings, Buxton versus Rodriguez was a tricky dichotomy. Looking at the big picture for a semi-rebuilding team facing payroll constraints, how do you compare the proven All-Star, who's aging into his mid-30s and making $45 million over three more years, to the 22-year-old top-tier prospect on the verge of his major-league debut? In some ways, placing Rodriguez one spot higher feels like falling into the trap of "shiny new object" fixation. But that also undersells how special of a talent he is. (And, more practically, the value of three extra years of control at league minimum). Rodriguez has a unique, extreme skill-set that gives his MLB outlook a lot of variance. There's a fair chance of stardom, and a fair chance of not making enough contact to stick at all. His first exposure to Triple-A in 2025 was fairly underwhelming but he did post an OBP over .400, as he's done everywhere. Rodriguez needs to overcome the injury bug (sound familiar?) and has some aspects of his game to solve, but time is very much on his side. 6. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP Age: 25 Controlled through: 2030 2025 Ranking: 19 Woods Richardson is one of those guys who often gets talked about as underrated. Well I'm not going to underrate him anymore. This is a borderline top-five asset in the organization, and a case study in gradual, steady improvement. I've talked about the value of controllable young starting pitching, and how that element pushed names like Abel and Bradley into the top 10. Woods Richardson doesn't have the upper-90s fastball or gaudy strikeout rates of those two. The ceiling is not as high at a glance. What he does have is a well-established track record of consistently solid MLB performance over the past two years. The dude can just pitch. He was only picking up steam toward the end of 2025, posting a 2.33 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 27 September innings. There are hints of a #2 or #3 starter in there, especially if he can unlock just a bit more velocity. I think we'd all be talking more about last season as another major step forward for Woods Richardson if not for the unfortunate battle with a stomach issue that cost him much of the second half. We've almost reached the end of the list. Share your thoughts about the rankings so far in the comments and circle back tomorrow morning when we wrap up with the top five. View the full article

It's been a little over a month since our first 2026 roster projection for the Chicago Cubs, and there's been some notable changes since then. No major offensive additions have been made, but Jed Hoyer and Co. have made strong attempts to field another great bullpen next season. With all of the team's new additions accounted for, here is the second prediction at the Cubs' Opening Day roster. Pitchers (13) Shota Imanaga - SP Matthew Boyd - SP Cade Horton - SP Jameson Taillon - SP Colin Rea - SP Javier Assad - RP Phil Maton - RP Caleb Thielbar - RP Porter Hodge - RP Hoby Milner - RP Jacob Webb - RP Hunter Harvey - RP Daniel Palencia - RP The additions of Milner, Harvey and Webb all happened since our first projection. Those three likely signal that pitchers such as Luke Little, Ethan Roberts and others will begin the season with Triple-A Iowa. Also, not included on the list is Justin Steele. Steele is slated to return near the summer months of the season, and he will certainly be a factor down the stretch in the rotation. For now, the big question is who will win the No. 5 starter job in a fierce competition among Colin Rea, Javier Assad, Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, and top prospect Jaxon Wiggins. Catchers (2) Carson Kelly Miguel Amaya Nothing significant has changed at catcher. Chicago did sign Christian Bethancourt to a split contract, but he will likely be a non-factor on the major-league roster unless Amaya or Kelly is injured during the season. Infielders (5) Michael Busch - 1B Tyler Austin - 1B Nico Hoerner - 2B Dansby Swanson - SS Matt Shaw - 3B In our first prediction, we guessed that the Cubs would add utility man Luis Urias for the fifth infielder spot. That is no longer the case with the addition of 34-year-old Tyler Austin. Austin has spent the previous six seasons in Japan and will likely be the platoon option at first base with Busch. Outfielders (5) Ian Happ Pete Crow-Armstrong Seiya Suzuki Owen Caissie Kevin Alcantara We predicted Rob Refsnyder to be on the North Side in our first edition of the roster projection, but that can no longer be true as he headed out West to Seattle. There doesn't seem to be much traction surrounding the Cubs and available outfielders — save for some loose rumors connecting them back to Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker — so we're likely headed toward Caissie and Alcantara getting those two reserve outfield spots. Designated Hitter (1) Moises Ballesteros No change here, as it seems likely that Ballesteros and Suzuki will have some sort of platoon situation going at DH depending on the pitching matchups and what happens with Caissie in spring training. These predictions are always subject to change with major offseason acquisitions, but as of now, this is our best guess at what the team will look like come Opening Day against the Washington Nationals. Do you think we missed anybody? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

Smorgie’s: The Perfect Place to Warm Up After TwinsFest Located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis (508 N 1st Ave), Smorgie’s is already known as one of the best places for great food, great drinks, and great value before or after a big event, making it the ideal backdrop for a gathering of Twins fans of all kinds. We'll be taking over their enormous lower level. What to Expect at the Winter Meltdown As always, Winter Meltdown is the ultimate offseason celebration built by fans, for fans. Each ticket includes: Two complimentary craft beers An exclusive Winter Meltdown 2026 pint glass Entry into door prize raffles Premium hangouts and baseball conversations with the Twins Daily community Live on-stage interviews hosted by Aaron Gleeman & John Bonnes and special guests who mingle with the Twins Daily community Previous years have featured familiar Twins names and fan favorites, and it is shaping up to be another unforgettable night. When & Where Date: Saturday, January 24th Time: 4:00 – 9:00 PM Location: Smorgie’s, 508 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis Per usual, the Winter Meltdown is the same weekend as TwinsFest. That means you can soak up the full fan experience at Target Field, then stroll over to the Meltdown to top off the day with the ultimate afterparty with the Twins Daily community! TAKE MY MONEY! We would love to, but tickets are limited — only about 250 are available — and are expected to go quickly, especially through the Twins Daily Caretaker program. And they're only available to Caretakers, whose tickets are FREE, and who can buy three guests tickets for just $20 apiece. Can I Just Buy A Ticket if I'm not a Caretaker? Maybe? Later? If our Caretakers do not sell this thing out, we will offer general admission tickets the week of the event. The last two years, we could not. But if we can, they will be $60 apiece. (So becoming a Caretaker is a better deal anyway.) Become a Caretaker here! If you are already a Caretaker, THANK YOU. Just click on that link. But please do not delay in buying your ticket. We will likely sell out, even limiting them to Caretakers and their friends. So grab them now. The Caretakers take care of Twins Daily, and we want to take care of them, so to give them the best chance, we are limiting the tickets to them, at least for now. If you want to join Twins Daily's Caretakers, you can do so for as low as $4/month. You get exclusive content, other benefits, and support from our hard-working writers, moderators, and tech guys. We would LOVE to have you join us. Purchase tickets here. Why Smorgie’s is such a great fit for the Meltdown: It's just a short stroll from both Target Field (and Target Center), so fans can walk over from TwinsFest and keep the celebration going. Daily 2-for-1 drink specials from 3–5 PM, so don't be afraid to get there early! Everything on the menu is under $12, and Smorgie’s is known as the cheapest spot on the block for drinks and food. One of the best stops for value and fun before a game, concert, or night out. Home of the Smorgie’s Smash, voted one of the best burgers in the Twin Cities (a must-try while you are there). Wanna stay late? It's open seven days a week: 11 am – 1 am, with the kitchen open until 1 am, so you won’t miss a bite. Whether you are grabbing a Smorgie’s Smash, sharing cheese curds and pickle fries with friends, or enjoying one of the bar’s signature cocktails, Smorgie’s delivers the kind of relaxed, lively atmosphere that feels like a Meltdown should. It is known as one of the best stops for value and fun before a game, concert, or night out – and now it is this year’s home of Twins Daily’s biggest winter gathering. Whether you are planning to catch TwinsFest earlier in the day or just want a legendary winter meetup with fellow fans, Smorgie’s in downtown Minneapolis is where it's all happening this January 24th! In previous years, hundreds of people have sought to attend this exclusive event; however, this year, we have only 250 tickets available. You will likely need to become (or know) a Twins Daily Caretaker to get a ticket. Again, each caretaker gets a free ticket to the Meltdown, and caretakers can buy up to three additional tickets for just $20. Looking for more details? Great! We will reveal more about the Meltdown as it approaches, including our guests, special brewery, giveaways, and other sponsors. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Bluesky for more news as it is released. View the full article

In 2025, Jonathan India entered the season as the Royals’ primary leadoff hitter to set the table for Bobby Witt Jr. at the top of the lineup. By the end of the season, India found himself near the bottom of the order after continued offensive struggles. When Kansas City traded for India last offseason, he was coming off his strongest season since winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2021. In 2024, he slashed .248/.357/.392 with a 105 OPS+. In 2025, however, his production sharply regressed, and India posted career lows across the board, finishing with a .233/.323/.346 slash line with an 89 OPS+. At the beginning of the offseason, there were rumors that India could be a non-tender candidate entering his last year of arbitration. The Royals and India did eventually agree on an $8 million deal for 2026, keeping India in Kansas City for one last season before he hits free agency. Statcast data can provide insight on what may have caused India’s decline. Despite continuing to have excellent plate-discipline, ranking in the top 3% in chase rate, his walk rate dropped from 12.6% in 2024 to 9.5% in 2025. That drop significantly reduced his on-base value. A more concerning decline was in India's batted ball quality. In 2025, we were in the launch-angle sweet spot, with barrel rates dropping from the 92nd to the 29th percentile and from the 49th to the 22nd percentile, respectively. These changes had a major impact on his power production and slugging percentage. Another notable shift is that India’s pull rate increased in 2025 compared to his previous two seasons in Cincinnati. In 2025, he pulled the ball on 48% of his batted balls compared to 41.5% and 41.2% of the time in 2023 and 2024, respectively. This could be the result of no longer playing in the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park (GABP), one of the most hitter-friendly environments in baseball. The change in India’s pull rate can be seen in the hit spray charts from the last three seasons. Cincinnati’s ballpark features a shorter and lower right field wall than left field, giving right-handed hitters like India an incentive to drive the ball to the opposite field for power production. Kauffman Stadium, however, has a symmetrical outfield wall and one of the most spacious outfields in baseball, and suppresses home runs. Statcast data provides details on how the ballparks impact offensive production. GABP ranks 4th among the most hitter-friendly ballparks. It has the highest park factor for home runs, and it consistently ranks high in boosting offensive metrics like OBP and wOBA. Kauffman Stadium, by contrast, ranks close to average in overall park factor and is the 4th worst ballpark when it comes to home runs. Statcast’s expected home run by park metric, which accounts for wall distance, height, and environmental factors, provides additional context to the difference in these parks. By this metric, India would have 97 career home runs if all of his batted balls were hit at GABP, compared to just 48 home runs if they were all hit at Kauffman. Is there optimism for India going into 2026? Various projections on FanGraphs predict a rebound season for India, forecasting anywhere between 1.3 and 1.7 fWAR, placing him at slightly above league-average production. These projections could stem partly from the fact that India’s batting average, slugging percentage, and weighted on-base average were all lower than their expected counterparts. Despite the fact that the expected numbers are still below average, they do suggest that India ran into poor luck in 2025. BA SLG wOBA Actual .233 .346 .301 Expected .241 .373 .315 India’s other key metrics, such as hard hit rate, exit velocity, and bat speed, stayed relatively consistent in 2025 compared to previous years. Additionally, along with India’s still excellent plate discipline, his strikeout rate has declined in each season in MLB. With key additions in the outfield such as Lane Thomas and Isaac Collins, India will likely no longer be asked to play out of position in left field, which could provide stability in his day-to-day approach. The addition of Marcus Thames to the hitting staff could provide a change of approach for India. A refined approach that could help India recapture his production and on-base value that could help him return to the top of the order. Unless there is another significant addition to the Royals’ roster, all signs point to Jonathan India being the main baseman in Kansas City. If he does continue to struggle, Michael Massey or even Isaac Collins could spend time platooning with India at second base. However, a salary of $8 million is a lot of money to dedicate to a part-time player on the Royals’ payroll. View the full article

Additions to the roster just keep on coming for the Blue Jays this offseason. Kazuma Okamoto is the first position player the team has signed in free agency, joining from NPB's Yomiuri Giants on a four-year, $60 million contract (no opt-outs). Okamoto absolutely raked in Japan. He makes a lot of contact with some power upside, which makes it seem like he was born to play for a team like the Blue Jays became in 2025. He also hasn't automatically taken Toronto out of the running in the sweepstakes for Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette. The real intrigue with this acquisition is the impact it will have on the way this team sets up defensively for the upcoming season. The Blue Jays' socials introduced Okamoto as an infielder when confirming the signing. He spent about three-quarters of his time on the field manning the hot corner in 2025, with the remainder coming at first base. He has played left field on a sporadic basis in recent years as well. Obviously, he won't have to worry about playing first base every day with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. holding a seemingly infinite claim to that spot. He has a clearer pathway to consistent reps both at third and in left, but those are confusing situations in their own right. Ernie Clement finished top-five in Statcast's fielding run value at third base, his primary position, last year, though he also excelled at second base in both the regular season and the postseason. Addison Barger can play third as well and has a cannon for an arm, which can't be said for Clement, though Barger has inferior range and is also sometimes used in right field. Meanwhile, Nathan Lukes frequently patrolled left field, and Davis Schneider often took over when he didn't. Myles Straw saw some time there when John Schneider opted for a defense-first arrangement, and Anthony Santander even saw 58 innings in left, but that isn't as much time as he spent in right field or at DH. Don't even get me started on how this general logjam would intensify if Tucker or (and?) Bichette were added. Okamoto's Defensive Ability Since the Blue Jays got outstanding middle infield defense from Clement and Andrés Giménez in October, Okamoto's most logical fit seems to be at third for now. How that might go has been a mild source of disagreement amongst talent evaluators around the league. Baseball America's scouting report deemed him an above-average defender at third base, where he won two of NPB's equivalent to the Gold Glove. FanGraphs' Eric Longenhagen is a tad more skeptical, arguing he lacks range but still commending his lower body strength and arm accuracy. Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith says the consensus among MLB scouts he has talked to is that Okamoto profiles as average at third but would be a plus defender at first base. BA went so far as to call him 'plus-plus' at first, clearly the most optimistic of the bunch. Yakyu Cosmopolitan on X recently noted that Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) graded him as an average third baseman in Japan, with his unimpressive range holding him back a bit despite solid fundamentals. Potential Scenario #1 It wouldn't be surprising, then, if Okamoto's overall proficiency at third ended up somewhere in between Clement's and Barger's. He's bigger than Clement, listed as 6-foot-1 and 220 lbs on FanGraphs, but not as stocky as Barger. Either way, it'll be a priority to get his bat in the lineup. The what-if scenarios, depending on how the rest of the winter shakes out, are interesting to ponder. If Tucker comes north and Bichette walks, Giménez will likely take over at shortstop, clearing the way for Clement at second base and, therefore, Okamoto at third. Such a sequence of events would complicate things for Barger because Tucker primarily plays right field, and George Springer is still set to DH for the final year of his contract. In turn, the urgency to get Barger's bat in the lineup would theoretically hurt Santander's stock. Potential Scenario #2 Alternatively, if the Jays retain Bichette but fail to land Tucker, Okamoto figures to see more time in left and not as much at third as in scenario #1, because Clement won't be needed in the middle infield as much. Barger and Santander would have less competition for outfield reps. In both scenarios, Okamoto could shift between third and left depending on factors such as scheduled rest days, the opposing pitcher, and how John Schneider wants to position his lineup on the spectrum between the best possible run-scoring unit and the best possible run-saving unit. Okamoto will also take some pressure off Guerrero to play the field 145 games a year, though the latter has certainly shown the ability to do so. Versatility Is the Ultimate Benefit Amidst this daunting game of Blue Jays Lineup Tetris, it's hard to see the rest of the offseason playing out without a corresponding subtraction to the existing position player group. Later on in his report about Okamoto, Nicholson-Smith acknowledged that any further additions to the 40-man roster would necessitate a trade of someone whose playing time would be negatively impacted. Regardless, the coaching staff has a ton of options to work with. USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the Jays are interested in using Okamoto in a super-utility role, which makes a ton of sense – teaching him another position, or, at the very least, not assigning him a primary spot out of the gate would help accommodate the many different kinds of talent on this roster. In the postseason and especially the World Series, John Schneider and co. showed zero hesitancy to move players around in-game to adapt to the circumstances at hand, a sight that fans should probably get used to. When there are a lot of good players with overlapping strengths on the same team, everyone has to contribute in more ways than one. More clarity surrounding Okamoto's role will surface in the coming weeks, but the fact that he can assume more than one responsibility in the field makes it self-explanatory, to an extent, why the Blue Jays were pushing for him, even with Tucker and Bichette still out there. His propensity for contact and offensive well-roundedness are reminiscent of his new team's strengths, but so, too, is his defensive versatility. View the full article

Spring training is still a ways off — just about seven short weeks away — but we thought it was time we take a stab at a roster prediction here at Talk Sox. Boston Red Sox fans are the type of fan that likes to play the ‘what-if’ game and start building next season’s roster as soon as possible. Right now, there are still holes to be filled and a lot of rumors swirling around potential free-agent additions or trade candidates. While there's not telling what will happen in those pursuits, we wanted to take some time and think about what the roster on Opening Day could look like once the offseason dust settles. Starting Rotation (5) Garrett Crochet Sonny Gray Brayan Bello Johan Oviedo Connelly Early The ultimate goal for any franchise is that all of their starting rotation will make 30 starts and be lights out from top to bottom. Realistically, that won’t come to pass for any club. The good news, though, is that the Red Sox have quite a bit of starting depth stashed away at the upper levels of the minor leagues that will allow these five to get extra days off and, in the worst-case scenarios, be replaced due to injury. Obviously, Crochet isn’t going anywhere, and Gray can likely join him on that list unless the team has just completely fallen apart by the trade deadline. Bello took positive steps forward in 2025, but as I wrote previously, he’s the most under-the-radar trade chip the team possess right now, so he could potentially be calling a different city home in the near future. Oviedo comes with a ton of upside, but just as much injury risk. I gave Early the nod over fellow rookie Payton Tolle solely because Early has the secondary stuff that you can trust more earlier in the season, and I think the organization showed more trust in him during the postseason by letting him start game three of the Wild Card round while moving Tolle to the bullpen. Should any of these five come out of the gate slowly, you can expect Tolle to be the next man up along with Kutter Crawford, Kyle Harrison, and Patrick Sandoval. Behind them, there’s still a ton of depth floating around in Worcester, so there’s not a lot of concern about the arms they’ve traded away to bolster the major-league roster. Bullpen (8) Aroldis Chapman Garrett Whitlock Justin Slaten Ryan Watson Greg Weissert Jovani Moran Zack Kelly Jordan Hicks A lot has been made about the team’s need to acquire another starter and there’s a ton of validity to that, but the bullpen clearly needs some help still. Obviously, Chapman is going to close games out after his dominant 2025 and subsequent extension he signed at the end of the season. Whitlock proved just how dangerous he was out of the bullpen again last season. Slaten had his ups and downs, and injuries, but he proved to be a steady arm more often than not. Watson is a big question mark at the moment and has to stick on the 40-man roster or be returned to the A’s, but the Sox have proven with both Whitlock and Slaten that they have an eye for identifying talent who can contribute in big ways through the Rule 5 draft. After that group, though, there are question marks all over the place. Weissert pitched fine in 2025 but ran out of gas by the All-Star break. Kelly showed flashes of potential but hasn’t proven that he can be fully trusted yet. Moran is the only other lefty in the pen besides Chapman at the moment and doesn’t bring the strongest track record with him, Hicks is well… Hicks. Sure, he can hit triple digits, but your guess is as good as his as to where it’s going to actually go once it leaves his hand. There’s still work to be done in the bullpen, and guys like Crawford and Sandoval above could be utilized here if need be. Catchers (2) Carlos Narvaez Connor Wong As currently constructed, the Red Sox should return both catchers from last year. Narvaez has a firm grip on the starting job and likely won’t let it go unless something catastrophic happens. He’s young, talented, and exactly what the team needs behind the dish on a near-daily basis. Wong, on the other hand, has a ton to prove as a backup in 2026. His 2025 season was abysmal and he offered very little of value either behind the dish or with a bat in his hands. The team could stand to upgrade at backup catcher, but Wong’s value is the lowest it can be and there’s not much out there that would prove to be much better in a backup role. The team could shock everyone and bring in someone like JT Realmuto, but that’s likely not going to happen. Infielders (6) Willson Contreras (1B) Bo Bichette (2B) Marcelo Mayer (3B) Trevor Story (SS) Romy Gonzalez (INF) Nate Eaton (INF/OF) I’ve been stumping for the team to sign Bichette for a while now, so on this projection, I’m pretending they did. I’m not going to predict his contract or anything like that, but bringing him on means the team has moved on from Alex Bregman and trusts Mayer to man the hot corner until he can take over at shortstop after Story leaves in free agency in a couple of years. Contreras will see the lion’s share of time at first base to begin the season, but that conversation could get interesting if Triston Casas is tearing the cover off the ball with Worcester early on. Story remains the starting shortstop until his contract in Boston is over, or until he gets hurt again — whichever comes first. Obviously, super-infield utility man and lefty masher Gonzalez stays on the bench to get into games when his knack for getting on base is needed, or just to spell Contreras at first from time to time. I struggled with the last bench spot between Eaton and Nick Sogard but opted for Eaton since he plays more positions and likely will be the platoon partner for Wilyer Abreu in the outfield when necessary. Outfielders (5) Roman Anthony (LF) Ceddanne Rafaela (CF) Wilyer Abreu (RF) Jarren Duran (DH/LF/CF) Masataka Yoshida (DH) This was by far the hardest group to determine, solely because there’s still such a logjam in the outfield right now. As long as either Duran or Yoshida is on the roster, there’s no perfect answer for the outfield. Anthony is obviously going to be a day one starter with Rafaela, but then what does the team do with Duran? Abreu is a two-time Gold Glove winner in right field while in a platoon role. Alex Cora and Craig Breslow have both given him a huge vote of confidence to play more against left-handed pitchers, so he’s also locked into his position. Rafaela is a Gold Glove center fielder who should never move off that spot until he’s ready to retire, and Anthony is a superstar in the making right now. Yoshida is a DH-only at his point, and he’s not great there either unless you want a slap-hitting DH. Duran isn’t good enough against left-handed pitchers to warrant being used as a DH on a regular basis. There’s just such a logjam here that it’s hard to figure out exactly what the plan is. Ideally, someone will be moved in a trade for a number two starter, but that’s just a step too far for me to predict out right now. Is it the correct path forward? Probably, but I’m just not confident that’s going to happen right now. There’s still a ton of offseason left, and I fully expect the Red Sox to make at least one more major addition to the roster. How they navigate the bullpen additions and the outfield logjam is going to be something watch as we get closer to the start of spring training. Some national writers think the team has a big trade and a big free-agent signing left in them. If that’s true, this roster could look drastically different at any moment. View the full article

According to D.M. Fox of the Future Blue Jays Newsletter, the Toronto Blue Jays have been in touch with "most of their players and prospects in Venezuela." Thankfully, all the players they've been in contact with (and their families) are safe, though Fox adds that the organization is "still working on reaching a few players." On Tuesday, DiamondCentric's Seth Stohs wrote about how the strikes in Venezuela could affect the landscape of the 2026 MLB season and beyond. You can read what he wrote here. Featured image courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images. View the full article

According to The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon, the Blue Jays have “increased their efforts to recruit [Kyle] Tucker.” He adds that “Toronto’s interest in the 28-year-old is clear,” noting that the Jays have become “more aggressive” in their pursuit. To that point, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports that the team has had “recent dialogue” with Tucker regarding the “parameters” of a contract. While recent reports seem to suggest that the Blue Jays would prefer Tucker to Bo Bichette, Nicholson-Smith writes that dialogue also “remains open” between the Jays and their long-time shortstop. Asked about the possibility of re-signing Bichette today during Kazuma Okamoto's introductory press conference, general manager Ross Atkins had this to say: "If there’s an opportunity to think about improving the organization, we’re going to always lean into creative ways to do so" (per Nicholson-Smith). Featured image courtesy of Kyle Ross, Imagn Images. View the full article

By one metric, Royce Lewis was on time as often as any hitter in baseball in 2025. Only the Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll edged out Lewis in Statcast's Ideal Attack Angle rate, which gives the percentage of swings on which a hitter's barrel is moving uphill at their contact point, within the range (8° to 20°) that most often generates high-value batted balls. Attack Angle is one number meant to tell us whether a hitter is on time for the pitch they're swinging at. Every swing has to start downhill, to enter the hitting zone, and to hit anything more than a weak ground ball, they almost all have to begin working upward before making contact. If the timing of the swing is right, the barrel will be usually be moving at an angle that fits in that 8-20° range, generating fly balls and line drives with high exit velocities or high-trajectory, topspin grounders when slightly miscalibrating. In theory, the fact that Lewis trailed only Carroll should tell us that he was on time exceptionally often, leading to very dangerous contact. We know that's not really how things played out. Lewis not only batted a forgettable .237/.283/.388, but ran an unimpressive BABIP (.267) for the second year in a row, and saw his power decline sharply. He's actually quite good at hitting the ball in the air and pulling it, which is a product of his swing's timing signature, but those tendencies don't translate to high-value contact—despite his above-average bat speed. Part of the problem could be an approach that was pretty aggressive and unrefined in 2025, but the issue runs deeper. The ideal attack angle for a swing by Lewis doesn't range from 8° to 20°. It's a much smaller window than that. Consider these breakdowns of swing shape and performance based on attack angle, for Lewis and for another hitter with a very high Ideal Attack Angle rate, Alex Bregman. Royce Lewis Alex Bregman Attack Angle Attack Dir. Swing Speed Contact Point Whiff Rate Exit Vel. Launch RV/100 Attack Dir. Swing Speed Contact Point Whiff Rate Exit Vel. Launch RV/100 Below 0° 19° Opp. 64.7 11.5 36.2 89.2 -8° -7.3 13° Opp. 66.2 18.6 20.4 84.9 4° 1.1 0°-5° 6° Opp. 70.8 20 22.2 90.2 11° -3.1 17° Opp. 65.5 19.5 11.3 91.7 7° 10 5°-10° 2° Pull 72.6 24.8 19.2 90.6 21° -3.3 9° Opp. 68 24.4 16.3 89.5 13° -5.5 10°-15° 9° Pull 72.9 29.2 23.4 91.2 20° 4.8 2° Pull 69.5 29.9 9.2 90.4 23° -4.1 15°-20° 18° Pull 73.7 35.2 25.3 88.1 24° -5 11° Pull 71.9 35.2 9.3 91.7 22° 0.8 20°+ 28° Pull 69.1 42.9 55 80.4 4° -3.5 26° Pull 70.2 43.6 29.8 83.4 16° -1.4 Bregman doesn't actually benefit much from hitting what Statcast has mapped onto all hitters as the Ideal Attack Angle band, but he can create lots of positive outcomes when catching the ball unusually deep and with a very flat address of the ball—in essence, when he's late. He can't be consistently beaten by velocity, because he doesn't have to get the barrel out in front of him very far or get around on it to produce solid contact. Lewis, on the other hand, has to find the ball within one small window of Attack Angle. Even in that window, he whiffs on nearly a quarter of his swings, which is an issue; most hitters whiff at a much lower rate when they're on time. More importantly, though, his swing only truly works—he only delivers the barrel to the ball in a way that results in hard, lofted contact by getting a good piece of the ball—when he gets around the ball a bit and catches it out close to 30 inches in front of his frame. Indeed, one reason why Lewis's swing so often fell into the Ideal Attack Angle range is that pitchers learned that they could beat him with fastballs. They didn't spend much time manipulating his timing; he saw fastballs more often than in any previous big-league stint. Compare that chart to this one, showing the same pitch type distribution by year for Carroll, the other guy who topped the league in Ideal Attack Angle rate. Carroll can be dangerous within a much wider range of attack angles, so pitchers tried to mess with his timing more. Yet, he was just as good at overcoming that and being on time as Lewis was: equally accurate, despite a higher degree of difficulty and a greater margin for error had he needed it. That's why Carroll batted .259/.343/.541, while Lewis struggled so much despite meeting the same threshold for being on time as often as Carroll did. It's not that hard to see why Carroll is more adaptable than Lewis, and why this number thus tells us two different things about them. To grasp it best, let's fold in one other comparator, too. William Contreras is another right-handed batter, whose swing might be easier to contrast with Lewis's at a glance. His nominal swing plane (29°) is the same as Lewis's, and he, too, has a high Ideal Attack Angle rate. Here are the swings for all three players, as visualized in composite form and frozen at the frame closest to when each makes contact. Both Contreras and Carroll stay back better, partially because they see more soft stuff and have to. Lewis's weight has crashed forward more by the time he makes contact, such that he's catching the ball deeper in his own hitting zone than the other two, despite having the same nominal attack angle. Yet, he's also come around the ball more than either of them, signaling that despite hitting it deeper in the zone, he's closer to being too early to catch it squarely and keep it fair. Contreras and Carroll are not ideals against which Lewis must be measured, but studying the different ways their bodies and bats work in space as they attack the baseball lays bare the ways that their apparently similar swing stats can mislead us when evaluating them. Lewis's unusual stride locks him into some big problems at the plate. He's unique, with a step forward as the pitcher prepares to deliver the ball, then a second, separate one going in the same direction. It amounts to something very close to a lunge, but he stays stiffly upright during it, as you can see by comparing his posture at contact to those of Contreras and Carroll. This is part of why the window within which his swing can yield a cleanly struck ball is so small, relative to many other players, and in 2025, pitchers found that they could consistently get their fastball past that window and into his kitchen, such that they didn't need to change speeds, location or movement direction as much as they do against other, similarly fearsome swingers. Contreras and Carroll are long striders; it's not about the sheer distance covered as Lewis gets going in the box. Rather, his double-forward move brings his weight forward sooner, and makes it harder for him to rotate and flatten out through the ball, producing feel for the barrel throughout the swing. The dots between each player's feet in the grids below show the player's center of mass. Notice how much farther forward Lewis's is, within his starting (black) and ending (red) foot positions, relative to those of Contreras and Carroll. The more we learn about swing metrics, the more obvious it becomes that we need to study each player's physical and mental approach in and of themselves, rather than applying broad rules to large batches of players. There's still plenty to take away from things like Ideal Attack Angle rate, attack angle and direction, and swing speed and plane, but for most players, sorting leaderboards does little to elucidate what's really happening. Bregman, Carroll and Contreras are all more selective than Lewis, not only in terms of how often they expand the zone but in terms of what they swing at within it. Just as we needed to know that pitchers stopped throwing Lewis as many offspeed and breaking pitches to understand why he fooled Statcast into thinking he was always on time, we need to know what types of pitches each hitter should be swinging at (and in what areas of the zone) based on their swing characteristics, to discern whether they're really on time or on target as much as one-size-fits-all numbers might imply. Lewis, clearly, needs to adjust both his physical moves and his plan at the plate in 2026. That's a big job for new hitting coach Keith Beauregard, but armed with data like this (and superior, proprietary metrics teams can build without trying to create a single number digestible to fans), he and the rest of the coaching staff have a chance to turn Lewis around. They just need to avoid letting anyone imply that what Lewis did last season was ideal, or league-leading. View the full article