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Brewers fans can finally stop their hand-wringing about the hand of William Contreras, which caused frustration and worry at many points during his slightly underwhelming 2025 season. Contreras was slowed, especially early in the season, by a fracture in the middle finger on his left hand, which didn't heal well because of the daily beating of catching. He wanted badly to be out there, and the Brewers were better for having him, but the gap between how he played and how he's capable of playing caused distress for many onlookers. The initial report, via MLB.com Brewers beat writer Adam McCalvy, suggests Contreras will be barred from baseball activities for 5-6 weeks, but that he should be a full go for spring training. There is a difference, though, between being ready to put on the uniform and get to work come mid-February and being ready for high-level competition by early March. It sounds like Contreras will meet both thresholds, but how well could determine whether he's a part of Team Venezuela at next spring's World Baseball Classic. In 2023, Contreras had only partially announced himself as a good big-league catcher. He didn't crack the roster for his native nation in that year's WBC. Salvador Perez, Omar Narváez and Robinson Chirinos split the time at catcher for that edition of the Venezuelan side, and Miguel Cabrera and Gleyber Torres divided the time at designated hitter. Three years later, though, Contreras has emerged as a legitimate star. Perez is very much still around, but he's gotten old between then and now. Narváez and Chirinos are no longer considerations for the team, which will have ambitions of winning the tournament after finishing fifth in 2023. Though clearly one of the four biggest baseball powerhouses in the world (along with the United States, the Dominican Republic, and Japan), Venezuela has never finished higher than fourth in the tournament, and they only placed that well in 2009. There are other young catchers who will vie for playing time on next year's version of the team. Omar's cousin, the Red Sox's Carlos Narváez, had a strong rookie season in 2025. Freddy Fermin emerged from Perez's shadow in Kansas City and was traded to the Padres in July, where he burnished his reputation as an elite defender and a clutch hitter on a bigger stage. Pedro Pagés of the Cardinals is very good behind the plate, but not nearly as good a hitter as Narváez or (especially) Contreras. If the Brewers' backstop is healthy and willing, he'll be the team's first choice to play catcher for them as they try to announce themselves more forcefully on the international landscape. The scope of that opportunity for Contreras, personally, is not to be underestimated. The last two WBCs have been star-making events, and any player offered the chance to play is likely to be interested in doing so. Contreras and Jackson Chourio could see their celebrity magnified if they lead an always-loaded Team Venezuela deeper into the tournament than they've gotten in the past, and the Brewers are unlikely to bar them from participating. If Contreras recovers as well as expected from the operation he underwent, he could be spending a good chunk of spring training somewhere other than Maryvale—and that would probably be a good thing. View the full article

As the Twins head into the offseason, the catcher position is one of the biggest glaring needs. In Ryan Jeffers, they have a strong top option, but there's little else in the upper levels of the organization that inspires much hope. Mickey Gasper and Jhonny Pereda each stumbled in their month-long auditions at the end of this season, and the catchers at the higher levels of the minor leagues don’t seem to be knocking on the door. Jeffers could represent a good starting point as a bulk catcher, with Christian Vázquez hitting free agency (and the team giving away his jersey number to new skipper Derek Shelton). The Twins could look to complement Jeffers with another veteran option, likely on a cheap one-year deal. It could also behoove them to look into multi-year options, in the event that Jeffers is traded or leaves in free agency next year—but that feels unlikely at best, and might even be a better path to explore on the trade market. With that said, here are four free-agent options that could be in the Twins’ wheelhouse, based on the resources they have available and the fit on the depth chart. Victor Caratini The veteran backstop is coming off two solid years with the Houston Astros, wherein he hit a combined .263/.329/.406 and accrued 2.7 fWAR. Caratini’s bat was roughly eight percent better than league average, which is nearly identical to Jeffers’s production over the last two seasons. He’d fit as a solid option to split time with the incumbent, and he could certainly handle full-time duties in the event of an injury. Caratini is also a switch-hitter with relatively neutral splits against righties and lefties, making his fit as a platoon option with Jeffers even more enticing. The 32-year-old has had mixed results over the last few seasons when it comes to his defense, but he was a pretty strong blocker last year. He came up short when it came to pitch framing, though that may be less essential in 2026 with the automated strike zone coming into play. Caratini’s next contract could be the X-factor here. He just wrapped up a two-year deal with the Astros that paid him just over $12 million. But he’s also two years older now, and teams remain hesitant when it comes to giving out multi-year deals to backstops in their mid-30s. Could a one-year, incentive-laden contract with an option for a second season make sense for the Twins? Would Caratini accept it to come to a team that is coming off a 90-loss campaign? James McCann He’s been a popular target for the Twins over the last few years, and McCann once again finds himself on a list of free-agent targets for the club. He was limited to just 137 plate appearances at the big-league level in 2025, but held his own in those 42 games, with a .755 OPS and average defense for the Arizona Diamondbacks. McCann is a career .242/.294/.383 hitter who hasn’t been a starting-caliber catcher since 2020. Understandably, that isn’t going to excite Twins fans. But this list isn’t “which free agent catcher has the best chance to take the Twins to the next level”—as much as we all wish it would be. McCann makes the list as a target for the Twins due to his minimal contract requirement, as he squeezes the last bit of juice out of his nearly 11-year career. He would be a clear backup to Jeffers in this scenario, and that might be the appeal at this point. Look for the 35-year-old to get a contract worth $1 million or so over one year, whether it’s from the Twins or any other team looking for a backup catcher to start 35% of the team’s games. Danny Jansen The 30-year-old Jansen was coming off a lackluster 2024 campaign when he signed a one-year, $8.5-million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. He went on to hit a respectable (if unexciting) .204/.314/.389 across 73 games, before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers at the deadline. Jansen then went on to have a .779 OPS with the Brew Crew, catching 23 games down the stretch for the eventual NL Central Champions. His bat was 18 percent better than league average in that time, which could give him a boost as he explores free agency for the second consecutive year. Jansen is likely to seek a similar deal to the one he ended up signing last year, though he may try to hold out for a multiyear pact this time around. Who knows what the market will dictate for a soon-to-be 31-year-old veteran catcher with a high floor, but limited ceiling? His initial asking price, while still likely to be modest, might cause the Twins to move on as they pursue backup options. But there’s always the possibility that the club will try to sell somewhat high on Jeffers in a trade, meaning they’d have room and payroll capacity for a new primary option behind the dish. If the price tag is similar between the two, the Twins would most likely choose to stick with the guy they know. If his market doesn’t materialize as Jansen hopes, though, he could fall into the Twins preferred price range: a short-term deal for less than what they paid Vázquez. If the right trade opportunity arises for Jeffers, meanwhile, the team will have to seriously consider it. There are a few other interesting free agent names that many fans would love to see in a Twins uniform next year, but who will not be in the cards for the hometown nine. J.T. Realmuto is the cream of the crop, but his price tag will almost certainly be more than what the Twins could stomach. Old friend Mitch Garver once again finds himself exploring free agency, but he may prefer to stay away from his former club after they “picked their guy” in Jeffers and traded him to the Texas Rangers after the 2021 season. His performance has also cratered in the last two seasons with the Seattle Mariners. And as for Willians Astudillo? Well, let’s hope he’s having fun wherever he is, but it will not be with the Minnesota Twins in 2026. What do you think? Do these three do anything for you on relatively inexpensive deals? Who else makes sense for the Twins to pursue this offseason? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section, and as always, stay sweet. View the full article

Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran is sure to be one of the most discussed players this offseason as beat writers, reporters, and contributors stoke the hot stove. Despite avoiding arbitration and agreeing to a one-year deal yesterday, Jon Morosi of MLB Network speculated that Boston Duran could be traded to the Detroit Tigers this offseason. On an episode of Hot Stove, Morosi predicted Duran "would be a great fit with the Detroit Tigers … Do not be surprised if Jarren Duran is wearing the old English D by opening day." It's important to re-emphasize that this is just speculation and not anything supported by sources from within either organization. Duran, who is controllable through 2028, has been a polarizing figure throughout his career. From multiple controversial comments to up-and-down performances, the 29-year-old has been the subject of trade rumors in the past, and those rumors may continue this offseason. In 2025, he carried an OPS of .774 with 16 home runs and 24 stolen bases across 696 plate appearances. Do you think the Red Sox should move Duran before Opening Day 2025? Join the conversation in the comments! View the full article