Poll: Is Bo Bichette Or Jorge Polanco The Better Value For The Mets?
As part of their offseason overhaul, the Mets brought in Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco to bolster their infield. Polanco received a two-year, $40MM deal in December. Bichette, one of the top free agents, signed a three-year, $126MM pact in January with opt-outs after 2026 and 2027. Crucially, Bichette and Polanco will be playing new positions. The former will man the hot corner, while Polanco will split time between first base and DH.
Between the two, Bichette is the superior offensive talent. Apart from an injury-plagued 2024 season in which he only played 81 games, Bichette has been at least 20% better than average by wRC+ in every campaign since 2019. Last year, he tied for the 25th-lowest strikeout rate (14.5%) among 145 qualified hitters in the league. His overall line was .314/.357/.483, good for a 134 wRC+, the best full-season mark in his career.
Polanco is coming off his own career season. In 524 plate appearances with the Mariners, he hit .265/.326/.495 with a 132 wRC+ that nearly matched Bichette’s performance. Polanco also cut his strikeout rate in half, going from 29.2% in 2024 to 15.6% in 2025. His track record before 2025 was solid, if a step below Bichette. From 2019-24, Polanco could generally be counted on for 15-25% better-than-average offense, with 2020 (82 wRC+) and 2024 (93 wRC+) being exceptions.
Neither one of them is a strong defender. Bichette has exclusively played shortstop during the regular season, only venturing to second base during the 2025 World Series (and only because he was injured). His range graded out in just the first percentile in 2025, while Statcast took negative views of his arm strength and sprint speed as well. Overall, his glovework was valued at -12 Defensive Runs Saved and -13 Outs Above Average, the latter being a career-worst mark. It always seemed that he would move to a different position long-term, and now the Mets will slot him in at the hot corner. On the one hand, that makes sense given the acquisition of defensive stalwart Marcus Semien to man the keystone. However, it is questionable in that Bichette typically struggles on balls in play from right-handed hitters, which he will see in abundance at third base.
Meanwhile, Polanco began his career as a shortstop but has only played second and third base since the start of 2023. In 2024, he was worth -1 DRS and -10 OAA as a full-time second baseman. In 2025, he combined for -4 DRS and -4 OAA between second and third base, although he only played 330 1/3 defensive innings, with the Mariners deploying him as a DH in 88 out of 138 games. Like Bichette, Polanco is viewed negatively by Statcast for his range and arm strength, although the latter won’t matter as much at the cold corner. Furthermore, whereas Bichette struggles with balls in play from right-handed hitters, the opposite is true for Polanco. From 2024-25, he was worth -2 OAA on balls in play from righties, compared to -12 OAA on balls in play from lefties. Just as Bichette will be more exposed to right-handed contact at third, Polanco will be exposed to contact from lefties at the cold corner.
The question of which player is the better value to the Mets may come down to finances. While the Mets are well-positioned to take on expensive contracts, the current front office under president of baseball operations David Stearns shows a clear preference for short-term deals. Bichette can opt-out after 2026, so there’s a chance his deal turns into a one-year, $47MM pact ($42MM AAV plus a $5MM opt-out bonus). On the one hand, that gives the team long-term flexibility, but it could also be a lot for someone who is already not a strong defender and who is now learning a new position.
Polanco’s deal does not contain opt-outs, so the Mets are on the hook for $40MM in guaranteed money through 2027. He is half as expensive as Bichette, but his offense has more risk in that he ran a worse-than-average strikeout rate as recently as 2024. Should Polanco regress in that area, his overall output may not be up to par with the typical first baseman. His walk rate has also fallen year-over-year since 2022, whereas Bichette’s has stayed relatively constant (albeit below-average). In addition, Polanco is four years older than Bichette and more likely to decline as he plays into his 30s.
What do MLBTR readers think? Does Bichette’s offense justify his high AAV, even with the defensive questions at third base? Will Polanco repeat last year’s performance and take advantage of a less demanding position? Which one provides the better value at their current salary? Let us know in the poll.
Is Bo Bichette or Jorge Polanco the better value for the Mets?
Photo courtesy of Jim Rassol, Imagn Images
Poll: Who Will Play Second Base For The Angels?
2026 looks likely to be another year of the Angels more or less spinning their wheels. With minimal changes to the roster coming off a 90 loss season (even in spite of a relatively healthy season for Mike Trout), the Halos will need a lot to go their way if they’re going to have any hope of being competitive this year.
One of the first things that the team will need to decide is who’s going to play second base. Luis Rengifo walked in free agency, leaving a hole at the keystone. Rather than bring in a more surefire addition like Gleyber Torres or Brandon Lowe, the Angels settled on having a number of players battle for the job this spring. In all, there are half a dozen candidates for reps still in camp. The Halos are surely hoping that one of those names will rise above the pack and run with the job, but who might that be?
Christian Moore is a former top-10 pick in the draft and top-100 prospect in the sport. He made it to the majors last year after rocketing through the minors in a speedy fashion that’s become typical for Halos prospects in recent years. He seemed to hit a wall once he reached the big leagues. In 53 games as a major leaguer, he hit just .198/.284/.370 with a wRC+ of 82. That first stint in the majors was far from a disaster, especially for a player who played all of last year at 22 years old. But a 33.7% strikeout rate suggests he might not be quite ready for the show yet, and his difficult spring (.175/.233/.250 in 40 at-bats) certainly isn’t helping matters. While Moore undoubtedly remains a big part of the club’s plans, it would not be a shock if the team decided he needs more time to develop in the minors.
Pivoting away from Moore would open the door to a cadre of non-roster veterans and out of options pieces on the 40-man roster bubble. Oswald Peraza and Vaughn Grissom must either be carried on the roster or be designated for assignment and exposed to waivers. Peraza is regarded as a better defender than Grissom, capable of handling not only second base but also the hot corner and shortstop if needed. While Peraza hasn’t hit much in his career and is coming off a putrid .164/.223/.250 showing, Grissom has a below average hitter (82 wRC+) for his career and didn’t crack the majors last season as he posted middling numbers in Triple-A for the Red Sox. What’s more, Peraza is having a very strong camp with a .324/.378/.647 slash line in 37 trips to he plate. Grissom is carrying a .185/.333/.269 line across 33 plate appearances.
While Peraza appears to be a real threat to make the roster, it’s possible the Angels would prefer to keep him in a utility role given his ability to back up Zach Neto at shortstop and Yoan Moncada at third base. If that’s the case, they could turn towards their group of non-roster veterans. Nick Madrigal, Adam Frazier, and Chris Taylor all have ample experience at the keystone and are in camp on minor league deals. Taylor hasn’t hit much at all in either of the past two years, however, and while he’s had a solid camp (.241/.389/.483 in 36 plate appearances), he might be better suited for a bench role given his trademark versatility.
Frazier is in a similar boat as a player who has hit an excellent .353/.476/.412 in ten spring games. He could be an interesting choice if the team wants to add another lefty bat to their heavily right-handed lineup, but he could also be tapped to serve as a lefty bench bat with relative ease given his ability to play both second base and the outfield. As for Madrigal, he’s coming off a lost season due to injury. The former top prospect can play decent defense at either second or third base. While he’s a career .274/.323/.344 (88 wRC+) hitter in the majors, he brings an unique proclivity for contact to the table as evidenced by his career strikeout rate of just 9.0%. In 23 spring plate appearances, he’s hit a solid .333/.391/.429.
One wild card in the second base mix could be veteran infielder Jeimer Candelario. Candelario has played almost his whole career on the infield corners, with his pro experience at the keystone limited to just two innings of work in the Dominican Winter League over half a decade ago. That would make the 32-year-old an unorthodox choice to take over at second, especially given that he hit just .113/.198/.213 (10 wRC+) in 80 plate appearances with the Reds last year. Despite those question marks, Candelario’s solid camp (.267/.353/.567 in 32 plate appearances) has seemingly impressed Angels brass enough to give him a look at the position to see if he can be squeezed onto the roster. Whether the team will feel confident enough in Candelario’s ability to handle second base to actually give him regular reps at the position remains to be seen, however.
How do MLBTR readers think the Angels will settle their second base battle. Will they give the keys to Moore for another extended run right out of the gate? Or will they pivot to another option like Peraza, Frazier, or Madrigal? Could they roll the dice on Candelario despite his lack of experience? Have your say in the poll below:
Who will win the second base job for the Angels this year?
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Christian Moore 29% (682)
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Adam Frazier 23% (537)
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Vaughn Grissom 13% (296)
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Oswald Peraza 12% (290)
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Jeimer Candelario 9% (215)
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Nick Madrigal 9% (212)
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Chris Taylor 4% (103)
Total votes: 2,335
Poll: Who Will Be The Odd Man Out In The Twins’ Rotation?
The Twins traded 11 players at least year’s deadline, shipping out several rental veterans and a series of controllable relievers that left them with one of the game’s worst pitching staffs in the second half. That hit to the team’s more immediate competitiveness came with the upside of adding to an already impressive cache of starting pitching talent, however. Spring injuries to Pablo López and David Festa have thinned the herd, but the Twins have more viable starters than they can fit into a five-man rotation.
Righties Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober are locked into spots. Ryan has been one of the American League’s most consistent starters in recent seasons. Ober has been a solid third/fourth starter for the bulk of his career but saw his 2025 numbers tanked by a catastrophic June. Simeon Woods Richardson is a heavy favorite to land a rotation spot since he’s out of minor league options and pitched well down the stretch in 2025.
Looking at the team’s optionable starters, there are a few who seem unlikely to make the rotation at this point. Lefties Kendry Rojas and Connor Prielipp and righties John Klein and Andrew Morris have yet to make their MLB debuts. They’ll likely start off in Triple-A, though any of the bunch could fight his way into a rotation spot later in the year. Putting Woods Richardson in the rotation and eliminating the players who have yet to debut in the majors from the conversation leaves three arms — Taj Bradley, Mick Abel, and Zebby Matthews — for two spots.
Bradley, acquired last summer for Griffin Jax, is the most experienced at the big league level of the three. Once a consensus top-25 prospect in the sport, he made it to the majors with Tampa Bay in 2023 and has mostly stuck in their rotation since. He’s not yet enjoyed much in the way of results as a big leaguer, however, as demonstrated by his 4.86 ERA in 75 appearances (73 starts).
Bradley’s ERA+ peaked at 97 in 2024 and sits at just 85 for his career. His peripherals are better than his results, and his career 4.00 SIERA does offer some confidence about his ability to perform at the big league level. He won’t turn 25 until next month. Bradley is still young enough to be capable of breaking out in a big way, but he’s also young enough that spending time at Triple-A is hardly outlandish.
Matthews is about ten months older than Bradley but is less experienced in the majors. The right-hander has a similar resume in a smaller sample. He’s made just 25 big league starts, and while his 5.92 ERA is ugly, a 4.41 FIP and 3.80 SIERA both offer some reason for optimism.
Matthews has a career 24.7% strikeout rate against a 6.6% walk rate. That’s good for a K-BB% on par with high-end arms like Kevin Gausman and Freddy Peralta. Much of his struggles in terms of results surely has to do with an incredibly high .359 BABIP, which figures to come down across a larger sample. He also took a notable step forward in 2025 relative to 2024, as his barrel rate plummeted from 14% down to a more acceptable 9.9%, while his hard-hit rate dropped to 38.8%. Matthews’ struggles at the big league level might be enough to keep him out of the rotation to start the year, but the underlying metrics on the former top-100 prospect could warrant a longer look.
As for Abel, the right-hander is by far the least experienced in the majors. He made his MLB debut just last year and won’t turn 25 until August. He posted a 6.23 ERA in a 39 inning cup of coffee last year between the Phillies and Twins. That would make it easy to write Abel off for the Opening Day roster, but he has considerable pedigree as a recent top-100 prospect and has opened eyes this spring with a dominant performance. Abel has fired off ten scoreless innings in three starts with 13 strikeouts, good for a 39.4% clip. Bradley (seven runs in 14 innings, 19-to-5 K/BB) and Matthews (seven runs in six innings) haven’t been as sharp. Spring numbers only count for so much, of course, but Abel has made a stronger case for himself than his competition.
How do MLBTR readers expect the Twins to decide who gets left out of the Opening Day rotation? Will they leave off Abel due to his lack of experience, overlook Matthews’ strong peripherals, or not be swayed by Bradley’s experience? Have your say in the poll below:
Who will be the odd man out in the Twins' rotation?
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Zebby Matthews 54% (1,435)
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Mick Abel 35% (916)
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Taj Bradley 11% (288)
Total votes: 2,639
Poll: Who Will Be The Braves’ Fifth Starter?
The Atlanta rotation has had a rough go of it this spring. Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep both hit the injured list before Spring Training games even began, and now they’ve been followed by the loss of lefty Joey Wentz to a season-ending ACL tear. The timelines for Waldrep and Schwellenbach aren’t yet clear, but they figure to miss significant time following surgeries to remove loose bodies from their elbows. (Schwellenbach is already on the 60-day IL.) That leaves the Braves with a lot of uncertainty in the rotation. Grant Holmes and Reynaldo Lopez are coming off injury-marred 2025 seasons, but they’ll be relied on for mid-rotation innings behind Chris Sale and Spencer Strider.
There’s still one rotation spot open. Wentz was in position to make a play for that spot and had a decent spring showing: two runs, three hits, four walks, one hit batter, six punchouts in 5 2/3 innings (3.18 ERA). His injury opens the competition up to a larger group.
The on-paper favorite is likely to be right-hander Bryce Elder, who made 28 starts for the Braves last year. Elder is still just 27 years old and was an All-Star back in 2023 thanks to a big first half, but in his past 52 starts he’s posted a 5.63 ERA with a below-average 18.4% strikeout rate against an 8.3% walk rate. Metrics like SIERA (4.56) and FIP (4.76) have been a bit better kinder, but Elder is approaching 300 innings with an ERA north of 5.50 over the past two and a half calendar years.
Elder’s status as the presumptive favorite is more about incumbency, being on the 40-man roster and being out of minor league options. He hasn’t made a strong case this spring, turning in a lackluster 6.48 ERA in three starts. That leaves the door wide open for someone else to grab the job.
Left-hander José Suarez is also out of minor league options and on the 40-man roster. He has an uneven big league track record but pitched well between 61 2/3 minor league innings and 19 1/3 major league frames for Atlanta last winter. He’s allowed four runs in 6 2/3 spring innings. Suarez gave the Angels 207 1/3 innings of 3.86 ERA ball in 2021-22 before being tagged for a 6.91 ERA in 86 innings across a pair of injury-marred seasons in 2023-24.
The most prominent non-roster veteran in camp is southpaw Martín Pérez. The lefty has allowed only one run in five spring innings and is coming off a season where he posted decent numbers (3.54 ERA, 4.24 FIP) in 56 innings for the White Sox. Flexor and shoulder injuries shortened his 2025 season, and the days of Pérez’s blip of All-Star-caliber work with the Rangers (2.89 ERA, 3.9 fWAR in 2022) are likely behind him. Still, he has the potential to be an effective back-end starter.
Those aren’t the only options for the role. Veteran Carlos Carrasco is in camp, but after posting a 9.88 ERA in three starts for Atlanta last season and allowing nine runs on 11 hits in 6 1/3 spring innings this year, he seems unlikely to be the top choice. Didier Fuentes made his MLB debut last year and has tossed four scoreless innings this spring, but he won’t celebrate his 21st birthday until June and might be better served with more time in the minors. Top pitching prospect JR Ritchie enjoyed a strong season at Triple-A last year and has looked good so far this spring (3.38 ERA in eight innings). He’s not yet on the 40-man roster.
Another possibility that can’t be entirely ruled out is an external addition. Lucas Giolito remains available and seems like an obvious fit — despite an apparent lack of interest on Atlanta’s part thus far. Other veterans like Tyler Anderson and Patrick Corbin remain unsigned, too. Any of those pitchers could be added to the mix with the intent of them eventually taking over the fifth starter job, but the team would likely need to trade for a player that’s already been pitching for another club in order to add someone who will immediately be ready to join the rotation at the start of the season. A free agent like Giolito would surely need to get work in at extended Spring Training at this point.
How do MLBTR readers think the Braves will round out their rotation? Will they give the job to Elder and hope for better results than last year? Will they go with a young prospect like Fuentes or Ritchie, or perhaps a veteran like Pérez or Carrasco? Perhaps they’ll eschew all those options for an external addition? Vote now in the poll below:
Who will be the Braves' fifth starter this year?
Poll: Will The Astros Be Able To Add Another Outfielder Before Opening Day?
One of the biggest predicaments of the Astros’ offseason has been their as-of-yet unsuccessful efforts to reshape their outfield mix. After losing Kyle Tucker in a trade to the Cubs last winter, the team not only missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade but struggled to find production in the outfield. Their 88 wRC+ on the grass was the eighth-weakest in the majors, and while strong defense from Jake Meyers in center field helped to raise their ranking in terms of fWAR, the club’s outfield still ranked just 20th in baseball even by that measure.
Things have arguably gotten worse in the outfield for Houston this winter, depending on who you’d take between Jesus Sanchez and Joey Loperfido. As presently constructed, Meyers figures to handle center field with some combination of Loperfido, Cam Smith, Zach Cole, Brice Matthews, and Zach Dezenzo platooning in the corners. Smith is the only one with even 400 plate appearances at the big league level for his career of that group, and he’s a 23-year-old coming off a middling rookie season after getting just 32 games in the minors (and only five above High-A) before making his debut. It’s a very unproven group, and it’s been no secret that even after the calendar flipped to March with Opening Day just weeks away, the Astros are hoping to find a way to add some additional stability to their outfield.
For most of the offseason, the industry consensus was that they were most likely to accomplish that by dealing away Isaac Paredes. Paredes, at least on paper, was blocked all over the diamond after the team acquired Carlos Correa to play third base at last year’s trade deadline. With Correa at third, Christian Walker at first, and Yordan Alvarez at DH, there wasn’t much of anywhere for Paredes to play. Perhaps the team was still holding out hope that the right deal would come through at some point but a recent finger fracture suffered by Jeremy Pena perhaps changes that calculus. If Pena has to miss time, Correa could be thrust back into the role of everyday shortstop, which would leave the hot corner for Paredes to get regular at-bats to open the season.
That means a major trade for someone like Jarren Duran is extremely unlikely at this point. With that being said, though, there are certainly other ways the team could look to improve its outfield even as Opening Day creeps closer. Free agency (Jesse Winker, Jason Heyward) offers a couple of interesting if unexciting options who could likely be brought into camp on a minor league deal.
The best NRI candidates have been picked over by other clubs at this point, but if a player like Michael Conforto (who the Astros reportedly had interest in before he signed with the Cubs) or Mike Tauchman fails to make their current team out of camp, then it’s entirely possible they could opt out of their current deals and find a home in Houston.
It’s even possible that a deal involving a player on another team’s major league roster isn’t completely out of the question. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco explored a handful of little-discussed trade candidates who could make sense for the Astros last month. While there’s no guarantee any of those players are available, it’s fair to think a team like the Twins (who have all of Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Alan Roden, and James Outman vying for just a few spots in their outfield mix) could be willing to part with one of those pieces. That would be especially intriguing for Minnesota if the Astros were open to listening on some of their pitching depth, given that the Twins will be without Pablo Lopez this year and David Festa is also slated to start the year on the injured list.
What do MLBTR readers think of the Astros’ outfield situation? Will they be able to find some external help before the season begins? Or will they enter the year with some combination of their internal players handling the corners? Have your say in the poll below:
Will the Astros add another outfielder before Opening Day?
Poll: How Should The Blue Jays Manage Trey Yesavage’s Workload In 2026?
Trey Yesavage had a whirlwind season in 2025. After the Blue Jays drafted him in the first round in 2024, Yesavage opened 2025 at Single-A and immediately impressed with a 2.43 ERA in 33 1/3 innings. He continued that dominance in a brief stop at High-A and reached Double-A in mid-June, striking out 38.0% of hitters against a 9.0% walk rate at that level. Yesavage then held his own at Triple-A, not allowing a home run in 17 1/3 innings and continuing to post a high strikeout rate. His rapid ascent culminated in three appearances with the big-league club in September, followed by six more in the postseason, including two starts and a Game 7 relief appearance in the World Series.
Altogether, Yesavage threw 139 2/3 innings between the regular season and the playoffs, a marked increase over the 93 1/3 innings he threw at East Carolina University in 2024. Coming off his success last year, he will feature prominently in a rotation mix that also includes Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, Cody Ponce, Max Scherzer, and Shane Bieber (when he returns from an expected stint on the injured list). However, considering Yesavage’s youth and rapidly escalating workload, it is reasonable to expect some kind of innings limit in 2026.
At this point in Spring Training, Yesavage is built up to one inning and has not yet appeared in a game, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. That is hardly unexpected, as even established starters are built up gradually to a full workload by the end of camp. Manager John Schneider confirmed that Yesavage’s slow build-up is intentional, with the plan being for him to get one more live batting practice session before joining games. Notably, Schneider downplayed the possibility of Yesavage starting the season as a reliever to limit his innings.
“Right now we still view him as a starter,” Schneider said. “And we want to keep that pretty regular. Last year was a year of disrupting a young guy’s routine as much as we could, so we want to be pretty regular with him.” Schneider’s comments bode well for Yesavage’s chance of being a starter for the full season. That said, it would not be surprising for the club to manage the rookie’s workload conservatively in the early going, especially if Berrios, Ponce, and Scherzer start the year healthy behind Cease and Gausman.
Per Schneider’s comments, the club wants to keep Yesavage on a regular schedule. That would seemingly put him in the rotation for the entire season, though with the question of how many innings he’ll be able to handle. Yesavage averaged less than five innings per start during the regular season and just over five in the postseason. At five innings per start, a full season of 33 starts would put him around 165 innings – yet another big increase in workload. A target of 140 innings could make more sense.
In that scenario, Yesavage could piggyback off Berrios or Ponce for the first month or so. That would give him the benefit of making shorter appearances while sticking to a starter’s routine and gradually building up. Of Berrios and Ponce, the former makes more sense partnering with Yesavage in a piggyback role. Berrios made 32 starts per season from 2021-24 but seemed to run out of gas as the 2025 season went on. His first-half ERA of 3.75 was solid, but that rose to 5.15 in 50 2/3 innings in the second half. He was demoted to the bullpen in late September and ended up not appearing in the postseason.
Piggybacking Yesavage and Berrios could help manage the former’s innings while allowing the latter to re-establish himself after his poor conclusion to 2025. In contrast, Ponce came over this offseason on a three-year, $30MM deal after a successful stint in the Korea Baseball Organization. He pitched 180 2/3 innings over 29 starts for the Hanwha Eagles in 2025, posting an excellent 1.89 ERA, a 30.3% K-BB rate, and ultimately winning that league’s MVP award. That recent track record and the magnitude of his contract make a hybrid role unlikely, though Ponce made three relief appearances in Japan last year and was mostly a reliever in his last MLB experience in 2021.
If the team prefers to keep Yesavage as a traditional starter, they might consider having him skip a few starts in the middle of the season. While that would be at least a temporary disruption to his routine, it might make the most sense from a roster management perspective. Six-man rotations are becoming more common as a way to manage workloads throughout the season, but they come with the challenge of having one less reliever. In lieu of giving him five days of regular rest, skipping a few of Yesavage’s starts (ideally around scheduled off days) could be a good compromise that keeps him fresh for the stretch run.
Another (less likely) option is to keep him as a starter for the regular season, then transition him to the bullpen if Toronto makes the postseason. Cease and Gausman are guaranteed spots in a playoff rotation, while Bieber makes a solid No. 3 and Max Scherzer comes with a wealth of postseason experience. Though Yesavage performed admirably as a starter this postseason, using him in a fireman role out of the bullpen could help the team get the most out of him while protecting his long-term health.
How do MLBTR readers think the Blue Jays should manage Yesavage’s workload in 2026? Be sure to let us know in the poll below:
How should the Blue Jays manage Trey Yesavage's workload in 2026?
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Piggyback him with Berrios, Ponce, or Eric Lauer to start the season 50% (1,229)
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Have him skip a few starts in the middle of the season 39% (944)
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Starter for the regular season, reliever for the playoffs 11% (264)
Total votes: 2,437
Photo courtesy of Kevin Sousa, Imagn Images
Poll: Will Munetaka Murakami Or Tatsuya Imai Have The Better Rookie Year?
All around the baseball world, the offseason started with a great deal of hype for the two top talents coming over from Japan to play in MLB: slugger Munetaka Murakami and starter Tatsuya Imai. Both players seemed likely to follow in the footsteps of other recent stars to make the jump from NPB to the majors, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Seiya Suzuki, and be among the most coveted free agents on the market. Things did not pan out that way, however, as both players found surprisingly soft markets and wound up taking short-term deals with the hope of returning to the open market after establishing themselves as quality big leaguers.
As they prepare for their respective rookie seasons, Murakami as a member of the White Sox and Imai with the Astros, who is better positioned to do just that? When looking at the contracts the pair got, it’s easy to argue that Imai’s more lucrative deal indicates a greater level of confidence in his ability to succeed. He landed a three-year, $54MM contract with Houston back in January that provides him the opportunity to opt out after either the 2026 or ’27 season. That’s an extra year and $20MM relative to Murakami’s deal in Chicago, not to mention that Murakami doesn’t have an opt-out clause in his deal.
It’s easy to see why teams would’ve had a bit more confidence in Imai than Murakami. Murakami comes with multiple unique questions, including whether his defense will hold up in the majors at either first or third base and whether there’s room for improvement on his extremely low contact rates from his time overseas. Imai doesn’t really come with comparable concerns; his mid-90s velocity and four-pitch mix are strong bets to play in the majors in terms of floor, leaving the Astros less likely to come up completely empty on their investment than the White Sox.
What Murakami lacks in terms of floor, however, it can be argued that he makes up for with exceptional upside. Murakami’s contact rates might be among the lowest in the majors if translated over, but players like Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Kyle Schwarber, and Nick Kurtz are among the most productive hitters in the entire sport despite high strikeout rates and a proclivity for racking up whiffs. It’s easy to see why Murakami’s sensational exit velocities could allow him to compare to those elite sluggers, particularly given that he only just celebrated his 26th birthday.
It’s fair to wonder if Imai has that sort of elite upside to offer. While his velocity is impressive, scouts have suggested that his fastball lacks the movement necessary to be a high-end pitch. That in conjunction with the control issues he’s flashed at various points in his MLB career might cap his ceiling at something closer to the middle of a big league rotation. Murakami, by contrast, could find himself battling with the likes of Judge and Cal Raleigh at the top of the home run leaderboards if he manages to make enough contact to be productive and continues to grow as a player.
If Murakami breaks out the way some both in Japan and the United States have believed he’s capable of doing, it’s hard to imagine Imai being able to hold a candle to that production no matter how close to his own ceiling he gets. With that said, it could be difficult for either to make much noise in Rookie of the Year conversations. The AL figures to feature a stacked class including players like Kevin McGonigle, Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers, Trey Yesavage, and Carter Jensen. Even if Murakami or Imai outproduces those players, their status as foreign professionals already in their mid-20s could still hurt them in Rookie of the Year voting, especially against younger players like McGonigle and Basallo.
How to MLBTR readers view the pair headed into their rookie seasons? Who will have the more productive year? Will either one manage to force themselves into conversations for the AL Rookie of the Year award? Have your say in the polls below:
Who will have the better 2026 season?
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Tatsuya Imai 51% (557)
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Munetaka Murakami 49% (538)
Total votes: 1,095
Will Murakami and/or Imai receive Rookie of the Year votes?
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Both will receive Rookie of the Year votes. 57% (641)
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Neither will receive Rookie of the Year votes. 17% (193)
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Only Imai will receive Rookie of the Year votes. 16% (176)
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Only Murakami will receive Rookie of the Year votes. 10% (116)
Total votes: 1,126
Poll: Who Will Win The 2026 World Baseball Classic?
The 2026 edition of the World Baseball Classic kicks off tonight, technically Thursday locally in Japan but the time difference will make it late Wednesday night for those watching in the Western Hemisphere. Australia will face off against Chinese Taipei in the opening contest.
The 2023 version had memorable moments, both exhilarating and heartbreaking. The Dominican Republic squad was stunningly knocked out by Puerto Rico in the group stage, but the celebration for the latter club quickly turned sour when Edwin Díaz suffered a knee injury that ultimately wiped out his major league season. Puerto Rico was then knocked out in the quarterfinals when Mexico put up a three spot in the seventh inning, giving them a 5-4 win. Mexico then seemed on the verge of knocking out Japan in the semis but Munetaka Murakami hit a two-run double to walk it off.
The final then led to an exciting and memorable climax, with Japan leading the United States 3-2 going into the ninth. Japan sent Shohei Ohtani, their designated hitter, to the mound to get the final three outs. Ohtani walked Jeff McNeil but then got Mookie Betts to ground into a double play. Ohtani’s then-teammate with the Angels Mike Trout stepped to the plate with the title on the line. Trout worked a full count but was ultimately punched out by Ohtani, giving Japan the crown.
Japan has been the most successful club in WBC history, with that being their third title. They also won in 2006 and 2009. The Dominican Republic emerged victorious in 2013, followed by the United States in 2017. There was then a bigger gap than usual due to the pandemic, with the 2021 version getting pushed to 2023.
This year’s version will again feature a whole bunch of big names. Japan has Ohtani, Murakami, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Kazuma Okamoto, Seiya Suzuki and more. The Americans are loaded with stars like Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, Bryce Harper and more. The Dominicans have Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. The Venezuelans have brothers Willson Contreras and William Contreras. The Canadians have brothers Josh Naylor and Bo Naylor. Puerto Rico has Nolan Arenado, the Great Britain team has Jazz Chisholm Jr., Mexico has Jarren Duran, Italy has Vinnie Pasquantino and on and on. Full rosters can be viewed here.
Who do you think will take it all? Cast your vote in MLBTR’s poll.
Who will win the 2026 World Baseball Classic?
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images
Poll: Will Kevin McGonigle Break Camp With The Tigers?
All around the league this spring, teams are giving their top prospects opportunities to impress this spring. In many cases around the game this year, teams have left a wide open path for their top prospects to make a run at a roster spot with minimal established competition standing in their way. That’s true of everyone from Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter of the Phillies to JJ Wetherholt of the Cardinals and Carson Benge of the Mets. Top Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle has been afforded no such luxury.
While the Tigers didn’t add anyone who explicitly blocks McGonigle at shortstop this past winter (despite a run at signing Ha-Seong Kim before he re-signed in Atlanta), they haven’t exactly made the 21-year-old’s path to the big league shortstop job an easy one. By bringing Gleyber Torres back into the fold on the qualifying offer, they added an everyday player back to their infield who would push other potential second base options like Colt Keith and Zach McKinstry elsewhere on the diamond. Keith is expected to primarily handle third base for the Tigers this year after getting a look at the position last season.
That leaves shortstop to the platoon tandem of McKinstry and Javier Baez. Both were All-Stars for the Tigers last year, with McKinstry in particular putting forward a strong season where he posted a 114 wRC+ in 144 games with 3.1 fWAR. Baez saw his numbers fall off in the second half but still served as a strong option against lefties with a .318/.336/.434 slash line in 134 trips to the plate against them. With all that said, however, it’s worth remembering that both actually made the All-Star game at other positions last year; McKinstry primarily worked at the hot corner for the Tigers last year while Baez was used as a center fielder in the first half of the season.
So, where does that leave McGonigle? It would be fair to say that he has the smoothest path to the majors possible for a player blocked by multiple All-Stars thanks to the versatility of both McKinstry and Baez. Baez could just as easily be turned to as a platoon option in center field with Parker Meadows as he could be at shortstop. McKinstry played every position on the diamond except for center field and catcher last year. He could easily get regular playing time without being the team’s everyday shortstop by simply moving back into that super utility capacity he was used in last season.
Even so, if the Tigers are going to push McKinstry out of his expected everyday role (and a valuable bench piece like Matt Vierling off the roster) they’ll surely need a compelling reason to make that call. McGonigle is doing everything he can to make that argument. The consensus #2 prospect in the sport behind Konnor Griffin not only tore up Double-A last year to the tune of a 162 wRC+ despite getting unlucky on batted ball luck with a .230 BABIP, he’s come into camp on fire. In 17 plate appearances during Spring Training so far, McGonigle has slashed .400/471/.667 with two doubles and a triple.
That’s an eye-opening performance to be sure, even in a sample size that small. With that being said, however, it would be understandable if the Tigers decided that McGonigle was best served starting the season at Triple-A instead. He’s never made an appearance at the level in his career, and in fact has just 46 games at Double-A. While Griffin has gotten the most attention for his meteoric rise, knocking on the door of the majors after just 122 MiLB games (21 at Double-A), McGonigle’s 183 games played in the minors isn’t too much higher. Another factor for the Tigers is surely the consideration of both service time and the prospect promotion incentive. If McGonigle is held down in Triple-A for even a few weeks, Detroit would have the opportunity to gain an extra year of team control over the youngster. With that said, that could backfire if McGonigle were to break out as a Rookie of the Year contender. A top-two finish in AL Rookie of the Year voting this year would guarantee him a full year of service time even if he starts the year in the minors, and winning the award would net the Tigers a draft pick if he did earn a full year of service time the old-fashioned way.
How do MLBTR readers think the Tigers will handle the shortstop position to open the year? Will they give the keys to the position to McKinstry and Baez, or will McGonigle get the opportunity to establish himself as the franchise’s future at shortstop? Have your say in the poll below:
Will Kevin McGonigle make the Tigers' Opening Day roster this year?
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Yes 54% (1,827)
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No 46% (1,573)
Total votes: 3,400
Poll: Will Carson Benge Break Camp With The Mets?
The Mets overhauled their offense this past winter, and most of the players they shipped out have been swapped out for new faces. They weren’t traded for one another, but Marcus Semien is taking Jeff McNeil‘s spot at second base. Pete Alonso is an Oriole, and Jorge Polanco will take up plenty of the first base reps in his absence (although new third baseman Bo Bichette is arguably more of a direct replacement for Alonso’s big right-handed bat). One player who wasn’t directly replaced, however, is left fielder Brandon Nimmo.
After Nimmo was dealt to the Rangers to land Semien, the Mets seemed like the most logical landing spot for star outfielder Kyle Tucker. The Mets pursued him, but Tucker ended up going to the Dodgers. The Mets quickly pivoted to signing Bichette to fill out the middle of their lineup. A trade for Luis Robert Jr. patched up the existing hole the club had in center following Cedric Mullins‘ departure, but that still left a vacancy in an outfield corner. That position has more or less remained unfilled. Mike Tauchman (minor league deal) and MJ Melendez (split big league deal) signed as free agents, but the Mets are planning to give top prospect Carson Benge an opportunity to earn the big league job.
After Tucker and Cody Bellinger came off the market, there weren’t many surefire impact outfielders available. Benge could wind up being more productive than someone like Harrison Bader or Mike Yastrzemski, so it made little sense to block him by signing a player of that caliber to a multi-year deal. Benge is a consensus top-20 prospect in the sport who reached Triple-A near the end of his 2025 campaign. Plenty of other top prospects, including Konnor Griffin of the Pirates, JJ Wetherholt of the Cardinals, Justin Crawford of the Phillies, and Bryce Eldridge of the Giants stand a strong chance of making their organization’s big league roster out of Spring Training despite little to no MLB experience.
Does Benge fall into that category as well? There’s little doubt that the team views him as a long-term option, but he hasn’t exactly forced the issue with his minor league output. Benge played in 24 Triple-A games late last year but slashed only .178/.272/.311. It’s a sample of just 103 plate appearances, of course, and his work at both High-A (.302/.417/.480 in 271 plate appearances) and Double-A (.317/.407/.571 in 145 plate appearances) earlier in the year showed how electric his bat could be. Benge is out to a 4-for-14 start this spring.
There’s some competition in camp. The aforementioned Melendez never found his footing in the majors with Kansas City but long ranked as a top prospect. He’s a career .257/.340/.496 hitter with 35 home runs in 173 Triple-A games. He’s homered twice and added a double in 11 spring plate appearances.
Tauchman, a 35-year-old veteran, provides a low-cost alternative with a steady big league track record. He split time between right field and DH for the White Sox last year after spending two seasons as a part-time outfielder for the Cubs. Over the past three seasons, he’s slashed .255/.359/.381 with a wRC+ of 111, balancing a 21.3% strikeout rate against a strong 13.0% walk rate. Tauchman’s first nine plate appearances this spring have produced a double and a homer.
We’re still about three weeks out from Opening Day, which provides Benge with plenty of time to show himself to be MLB capable, or for Tauchman to cool off. There are plenty of aspects to consider with the Benge decision. Sending him to Triple-A could allow him more seasoning after struggling there late last year and could buy the Mets an extra year of club control. Breaking camp with Benge on the roster could open the Mets up to some future draft considerations via MLB’s prospect promotion incentives.
What do MLBTR readers think? Will the Mets commit to Benge as their opening day right fielder, or will they go for another option like Tauchman or Melendez? Have your say in the poll below: