Rangers Rumors

T.R. Sullivan: A Retrospective On The Harold Baines-Sammy Sosa Trade

By Darragh McDonald | February 8, 2026 at 7:15pm CDT

T.R. Sullivan was a legend on the Rangers beat. He retired in December 2020 after 32 years writing for the Denison Herald, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and MLB.com. T.R. is also a friend to MLBTR. A couple of months ago, he kindly offered up a retrospective on the Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas trade. “I just felt like writing it,” T.R. explained. More recently, Texas got shut down by a snowstorm, which T.R. took as an opportunity to explore the 1989 trade involving Harold Baines, Sammy Sosa and others. We’re proud to publish it!

Texas Gov. George W. Bush was in the middle of an ultimately successful run for the White House in 2000 when he made a guest appearance on Late Night with David Letterman.

At one point, they started talking about Bush’s biggest mistakes, the ones he really regretted.

“Well,” Bush said with a sly smile. “I once traded away Sammy Sosa.”

The line got big laughs from the audience – coming at the height of Sosa’s career as a power-hitting outfielder – but probably not as much from Rangers fans watching at home in Texas. Bush’s twin daughters Jenna and Barbara probably weren’t amused either considering the same trade also involved Rangers shortstop Scott Fletcher.

The veteran infielder just happened to be their favorite player. They named their dog “Spot” in his honor.

The reality is Bush did not make that trade. True, he was the Rangers co-managing general partner in 1989 when Sosa, Fletcher and pitcher Wilson Álvarez were traded to the White Sox for outfielder Harold Baines and infielder Fred Manrique.

But the guy who made the trade was general manager Tom Grieve, who many years later would confess, “The minute I made that trade I knew it was a mistake. We made the deal for all the wrong reasons.”

The guy on the other end of the deal was White Sox GM Larry Himes, who would later hold the same position with the Cubs. In both jobs, Himes pulled off a trade that involved acquiring Sosa for a veteran All-Star designated hitter.

The first trade was not a popular one with White Sox fans at the time.

“It’s an unpopular decision as far as the fans are concerned…it doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good decision,” Himes said in the Chicago Tribune.

The Rangers-White Sox trade came down on July 29, 1989. At the time, the Rangers were trying to stay alive in the A.L West race and the White Sox were in a rebuilding mode. It was a classic mid-season trade, just like hundreds of others that are made or at least talked about at the trade deadline down through the years.

But this trade turned out different. This is the trade that wouldn’t go away. Instead, as the years passed, it really did take on a life of its own with a bewildering number of twists and turns involving implications felt from the White House and halls of Congress to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

In short, the trade involved a future member of the Hall of Fame, but not the one everybody expected, the one who ended up having to testify in front of Congress on national television at the height of baseball’s steroids scandal.

It would be quite a stretch to say Harold Baines was ever considered a superstar at any point of his career. What is true is he was admired and respected, a consistently productive player popular among White Sox fans.

The story goes Baines was originally “discovered” by Bill Veeck while playing Little League baseball in his hometown of St. Michaels on Maryland’s Eastern Shore sometime around 1971. In December of 1975, Veeck led a syndicate that bought the White Sox and the club selected Baines with the first overall pick in 1977.

However it came down, it was an excellent pick. In 1980, Baines, at age 21, became a regular in the White Sox outfield. Three years later, he helped lead the White Sox to their first post-season appearance in 24 years when they won the A.L. West title.

They lost to the Orioles in the ALCS, but Baines had established himself at least as a star. Over a seven-year stretch from 1982-88, Baines hit .290/.343/.467 while averaging 21 home runs and 96 RBI per season.

During the 1988 season, Baines signed a two-year extension that kept him under contract through the 1990 season at a salary of $1.2 million. But the White Sox finished 71-90 in 1988 and went 8-16 in April to start the ’89 season.

Himes, with a deep background in scouting and player development, was eager to rebuild around young players but had little to offer. Baines was the best but had been relegated to designated hitter because of bad knees. In 1987-88, he started a total of 17 games in the outfield.

The Rangers went 70-91 in 1988, their second straight losing season after a surprising 87-75, second-place finish in 1986 under manager Bobby Valentine. The Rangers still had plenty of young talent and Grieve got aggressive at the 1988 Winter Meetings, trading for All-Star second baseman Julio Franco from the Indians and first baseman Rafael Palmeiro from the Cubs. They also signed free agent pitcher Nolan Ryan.

The changes paid off immediately as the Rangers began ’89 by going 17-5 in April, putting them in first place and on the cover of Sports Illustrated. They cooled off after that but were just 5 ½ games out at the All-Star break.

Grieve and Himes started talking early in the season and the discussions lasted for over two months. In June, the Rangers lineup took a hit when Buddy Bell, their best DH candidate, retired because of bad knees. Valentine made it clear he wanted a middle-of-lineup bat and there was no question Baines was the obvious target.

The White Sox wanted young players and the Rangers were loaded. In retrospect, they had one of the most talented farm systems ever assembled in baseball history. When the Rangers went to Spring Training, their system had no less than 10 players who would be selected All-Stars at some point in their careers.

Hall of Famer Iván Rodríguez was at the top of the list, along with pitchers Kevin Brown, Kenny Rogers, Roger Pavlik, Robb Nen and Álvarez, infielders Dean Palmer and José Hernández, and outfielders Juan González and Sosa. Pitcher Darren Oliver was never an All-Star but was on the Hall of Fame ballot for one year.

Himes wanted both González (19) and Sosa (20), who were playing at Double-A Tulsa. González was considered the best prospect with monster power potential. Sosa’s power wasn’t as pronounced yet, but he was 6-foot, 165 pounds and could run. In 1988, playing in the Florida State League, Sosa stole 42 bases and hit 12 triples, with the speed and the arm to be a dynamic defensive player.

Grieve balked at Himes’ price. He even told associates he wouldn’t trade either player for Baines.

Sosa, playing at Double-A Tulsa, got called up on June 16 when outfielder Pete Incaviglia was placed on the disabled list and went immediately into the lineup against the Yankees in New York. Sosa batted leadoff and played center field, going 2-for-4, in his first game.

He stayed up for a month, playing in 25 games and hitting .238/.238/.310, before being sent down on July 20.

While he was in Arlington, I asked Valentine what Sosa’s best season would look like. He said .280 with 20 home runs and 80 RBI.

Himes was more interested in Sosa’s speed. He was on record in the weeks leading up to the trade that the White Sox needed more speed. He professed his love for the 1959 Go-Go White Sox, a team that won the A.L. pennant on an offense built around speed.

“To win in (old Comiskey Park), you need speed on defense, speed on offense,” Himes told the Chicago Tribune. “We definitely need speed.”

Álvarez, at age 19, was called up by the Rangers on Monday July 24 to take a spot start against the Blue Jays. He had made just seven starts at Double-A Tulsa after a promotion from Class-A and went 2-2 with a 2.06 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.

He was clearly a top pitching prospect, and Himes was hardly deterred when Álvarez got knocked out of the first inning against the Blue Jays without retiring a batter. Valentine said the fastball was outstanding, but Álvarez was tipping his off-speed pitches.

The two sides continued to talk the rest of the week. The White Sox also tried to get speedy Gold Glove outfielder Gary Pettis from the Tigers later that week, but that deal fell though.

The Rangers and the White Sox finally agreed to include Fletcher, which balanced out the financial part of the deal. Fletcher had been the Rangers starting shortstop for the previous three seasons, and had signed a three-year, $3.8 million extension in the winter. But the Rangers were starting to see progress from Jeff Kunkel, their No. 1 pick from 1983 who appeared ready to become their full-time shortstop.

Fletcher replaced Steve Lyons as the White Sox second baseman. Lyons and Manrique had been sharing the position. The White Sox preferred Lyons, and Manrique went to Texas as the typical utility infielder who ached for a full-time role.

Valentine spoke to Jim Fregosi, the White Sox manager in 1986-88, and received a positive report on Manrique’s defensive abilities. But Manrique’s slash of .258/.301/.365 in 320 games with the White Sox with just 11 home runs and 96 RBI hardly suggested the offensive talent to be an everyday player.

Grieve finally blinked and the trade was announced on Saturday morning of July 29: Baines and Manrique to Texas for Fletcher, Sosa and Álvarez. In Texas, the Rangers were lauded for doing what it took to keep their team in contention.

“For the past couple of years, we’ve been trying to fill the DH spot,” Grieve said. “We think we’ve filled in with the best DH in baseball. We just didn’t do this for the last two months of this season. Harold Baines is only 30. There is no reason why he can’t be our DH for the next 4-6 years.”

As for Chicago…

“Sosa has a chance to be a five-tool player,” Himes said. “We added one outstanding athlete to the organization. And when we look at Álvarez, we see a guy who can be a No. 1 or 2 starter.”

Veteran White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk didn’t see it that way, according to Chicago Tribune reporter Alan Solomon.

“Harold and Freddy for one major league player?” Fisk said. “Two major-leaguers for one. And not just a major leaguer. Harold Baines. Harold Baines. You know what I mean? Harold Baines.”

Three weeks later, the Rangers went to Chicago for a four-game weekend series, and, on the fourth day, the White Sox announced they were retiring Baines’ No. 3 jersey in a brief ceremony before Sunday’s game.

It was an impromptu gesture from out of the blue, clearly done to mollify the negative reaction to the trade. Baines was told before the game. His wife Marla wasn’t even there. His brother represented the family.

“As you know, I am a man of few words,” Baines said. “But I am appreciative of all the great times in Chicago. Thank you very much.”

Less than two weeks after the trade, Kunkel suffered a hyper-extended right knee. Manrique was given a chance to play but did not distinguish himself, making 11 errors in 54 games.

When Kunkel started 14 of the last 15 games, Manrique knew where he stood and wasn’t happy about it. Two days after the season was over, Manrique was arrested by Arlington police for driving while intoxicated.

Grieve called Manrique to offer support. He asked the player if there was anything the club could do to help.

“Yeah,” Manrique said. “Get me the hell out of here.”

The Rangers did so next year at the end of Spring Training, trading Manrique to the Twins for a player to be named later.

The Rangers struggled even with Baines being in the lineup and went 28-33 after the trade. Baines hit .285/.333/.390 in 50 games for Texas, missing nine games because of a strained left hamstring. He had two RBI in his last 20 games, and the Rangers finished 16 games behind the world champion Athletics.

The Rangers weren’t dismayed. Grieve kept pointing out the trade was for the long-term and Baines was coming back in 1990. He was also eligible for free agency after the season, but a contract extension was possible.

Baines was better in 1990, but the Rangers were not. They crashed and burned early, going 19-28 through the first two months and were 15 games out of first place at the end of May.

It never got better and the Rangers decided a sore-legged designated hitter really didn’t fit in with their long-term plans. Baines was hitting .290/.377/.449 with 13 home runs and 44 RBI through 103 games, when the Rangers traded him to the first-place Athletics for Minor League pitchers Scott Chiamparino and Joe Bitker.

Grieve, in reviewing the Baines-Sosa deal, ever honest admitted, “The trade was not a success. What the final outcome will be, time will tell. But I’m not suggesting the players we’re getting are the equivalent of what we traded to get Harold.”

Chiamparino at least had a chance to make up for the loss of Álvarez. At the time, he was pitching at Triple-A Tacoma with a record of 13-9 and a 3.28 ERA. He made five starts for the Rangers in September and was 1-2 with a 2.63 ERA. But then he developed chronic elbow problems over the next few years, and his career was pretty much over at the age of 27. He ended up working for agent Scott Boras.

It took time but Álvarez ended up fulfilling expectations. In 1993, he went 15-8 with a 2.95 ERA in helping the White Sox win the A.L. West. The Rangers finished second, eight games back.

Grieve, who was fired after the 1994 season, always insisted losing Álvarez was worse than Sosa. He pointed to the 1993 season.

“You don’t think Alvarez’s 15 wins would have made a difference?” Grieve said.

Neither Himes nor Sosa were with the White Sox in 1993. Himes was fired at the end of the 1990 season even though the White Sox won 94 games that year. Sosa, closely fulfilling Valentine’s assessment, hit .233 with 15 home runs and 70 RBI although he did steal 32 bases.

He was worse in 1992, hitting .203 with 10 home runs and 33 RBI. He also struck out 98 times in 316 at-bats. Sosa had the speed and arm strength to be a plus defender, but his hitting was questionable.

Himes still loved him and traded for him again. Himes was hired as the Cubs GM after the 1991 season and the following Spring Training he acquired Sosa and pitcher Ken Patterson from the White Sox for veteran outfielder-turned-DH George Bell.

One year later, Sosa hit 33 home runs for the Cubs. He was 24 and his strength was no longer speed and defense. It was sheer power. The entire world saw that in 1998 when he hit 66 home runs and was the 1998 N.L. MVP.

That was the year Sosa and Mark McGwire electrified baseball with their pursuit of Roger Maris; single-season home run record. McGwire finished with 70 but Sosa was at the top of his game. In nine-year stretch between 1995-2003, he averaged 49.3 home runs per season.

He retired after the 2007 season – a year spent with the Rangers – with 609 home runs, which should have made him an automatic selection to the Hall of Fame.

Except, Sosa was prominent among players who were allegedly linked to steroid use. Although there was never a “smoking gun,” to prove the allegations, the fact that the kid who Larry Himes loved for his speed and defense ended up looking like an Olympic weightlifter did not help his cause. As the issue of steroids increasingly dominated baseball, there was open speculation about the source of Sosa’s power.

At his 2004 State of the Union address, President Bush said it was time to get steroids out of sports. He didn’t mention Sosa. But Sosa was among those players called upon to testify before a Congressional committee on March 17, 2005. Sosa insisted he was clean but was unconvincing to the committee, the national television audience and ultimately Hall of Fame voters.

Sosa was on the Hall of Fame ballot from 2013 to 2022. In the 10^th and final year of the ballot, he received 18.5 percent of the vote. A player needs 75 percent to be elected. It was the highest percentage he received during his 10 years – one year he received just 7 percent – and his time was up.

Baines stayed in the game until 2001, a hired bat traded from one team to another, including two more stints with the team that retired his uniform in 1989. In 1999, 10 years after the trade, he was selected to the A.L. All-Star Game while serving as the Orioles designated hitter.

Six weeks later, he was traded to the Indians. By the time he retired in 2001, Baines had been traded five times in his 22-year career on July 29 or later during the season.

Baines retired with a .289 career batting average, 2,866 hits and 384 home runs, an admirable career free of any hint or suspicion of performance-enhancing drug taint. But, like Sosa, he received little support from the BBWAA Hall of Fame voters, dropping off after five tries with just 4.8 percent of the vote.

Eight years later, Baines was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans’ Committee. Sosa is still waiting.

Photo courtesy of Jerry Lai, Imagn Images

Searching For A Fifth Starter In Texas

By Charlie Wright | February 7, 2026 at 10:56pm CDT

The Rangers solidified the top of their rotation when they landed left-hander MacKenzie Gore in a trade with the Nationals. Gore, Jacob deGrom, and Nathan Eovaldi will form what should be a dominant trio, as long as everyone stays healthy. Former top prospect Jack Leiter delivered a solid campaign in his first full-time look at the big league level, likely earning him the No. 4 spot. After that, it gets murky.

Texas’ starting pitchers led the league with a 3.41 ERA last season, but the club will have to replace a lot of reliable innings in 2026. Veteran Patrick Corbin matched deGrom for the most starts on the team at 30. He’s now a free agent. Tyler Mahle and trade deadline acquisition Merrill Kelly both departed in free agency.

Here’s a look at the remaining mix of options to round out the rotation.

Kumar Rocker

By pedigree, Rocker would be the favorite for the fifth starter job. The 26-year-old was the third overall pick in the 2022 draft. Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan of FanGraphs had Rocker behind only Sebastian Walcott among Rangers prospects midway through last season. That was even after the highly-touted righty was destroyed for 18 earned runs in 20 innings to open the year. He landed on the IL with a shoulder issue in late April.

Rocker made it back to the big leagues for nine starts across June and July. He posted a 4.67 ERA, though a 4.14 xFIP and a 4.34 SIERA suggest he was a bit better than that mark. Rocker found himself back in Triple-A by August. He’s yet to impress for an extended stretch at the highest level, but will likely get the chance to stick in the rotation this spring.

Jacob Latz

Texas used Latz in a Swiss Army Knife role last year, and he pitched well whenever called upon. The 29-year-old lefty made eight starts and 25 relief appearances this past season. Latz’s versatile gig included a quality start and a three-inning save in the span of a week. He compiled a 2.84 ERA in 85 2/3 innings. It came with an xERA and a SIERA above 4.00, so expectations should be tempered, but there might be enough here for Latz to be a full-fledged starter.

Latz relied on a three-pitch mix that featured a fastball, changeup, and slider. He also mixed in a curveball to right-handed hitters. Latz used each of his three main pitches more than 20% of the time, so the repertoire is deeper than that of a typical reliever. The fastball was dominant, holding hitters to a .193 batting average while recording a +11 Run Value. The changeup got whiffs at a more than 40% clip. Latz will have a role on this team one way or another.

Cal Quantrill, Austin Gomber, Nabil Crismatt

The Rangers brought in this group of veterans on minor league deals. They’ll serve as depth pieces if injuries pop up. One of them could find their way into the rotation if Rocker flops in the spring and the club prefers Latz out of the bullpen.

Quantrill spent 2025 with the Marlins and Braves, posting an ERA over 6.00 across 26 starts. He finished last season in the Rangers’ minor league system. Gomber was cut by the Rockies in August after scuffling through a dozen starts. He latched on with the Cubs on a minor league pact, but didn’t make it to the big-league club. Crismatt actually pitched decently last year, putting together a 2.70 ERA in his first six games with the Diamondbacks. He was crushed out of the bullpen in his final outing of the year, which sullies the final line.

Bring back Corbin

The veteran lefty revived his career in his lone season as a Ranger. After four brutal years to close his time in Washington, Corbin was one of the brightest surprises in the first half of 2025. He notched an ERA under 4.00 through July with the underlying metrics to back it up. Corbin’s performance fell off in the final two months of the season, but he still put up a respectable overall line. Whatever the Rangers did with him, it seemed to work, and he could likely be brought back for a minimal commitment.

Photo courtesy of Steven Bisig, Imagn Images

Rangers, Mason Thompson Agree To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | February 4, 2026 at 1:31pm CDT

The Rangers have agreed to a minor league contract with free agent righty Mason Thompson, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. It’s a homecoming for the Round Rock native, who’ll presumably be in big league camp with the club later this month.

A third-round pick by the Padres in 2016, Thompson has pitched in parts of four big league seasons between the Friars and the Nationals. The 6’6″, 240-pound righty has been tagged for a 5.21 ERA in 114 innings, with a gruesome 11.81 ERA (16 runs in 10 2/3 innings) this past season skewing that mark a bit. Though Thompson’s 2025 performance was rocky to say the least — he also posted an ERA over 6.00 in 16 minor league frames — it bears mentioning that this was his first time back on the mound following Tommy John surgery in spring of 2024.

Prior to his injury, Thompson pitched 103 1/3 major league frames with a more palatable 4.53 ERA. His 17.7% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate were both notably worse than league average, but his 51.1% ground-ball mark was excellent. The velocity on Thompson’s sinker was down a big in his return, but he still averaged a hearty 95 mph on the pitch, complementing it with a lesser-used four-seamer at the same velocity, a mid-80s slider and a very occasional upper-80s changeup.

Because they cobbled together their 2025 bullpen primarily via a series of low-cost, one-year contracts, the Rangers entered the 2025-26 offseason in need of nearly an entirely new relief corps. They’ve followed a similar path to the one they took last winter, adding veterans Chris Martin (who re-signed), Jakob Junis, Alexis Diaz and Tyler Alexander on one-year contracts and claiming righty Michel Otañez off waivers. Assuming he is indeed invited to camp, Thompson will be the most experienced bullpen arm among Texas’ collection of non-roster invitees.

Players Who Could Move To The 60-Day IL Once Spring Training Begins

By Darragh McDonald | February 2, 2026 at 3:12pm CDT

Most of the clubs in the league currently have a full 40-man roster, which means that just about every transaction requires a corresponding move. Some extra roster flexibility is on the way, however. The 60-day injured list goes away five days after the World Series but comes back when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

Most clubs have a slightly earlier report date this year due to the World Baseball Classic. Last year, the Cubs and Dodgers had earlier report dates because they were had an earlier Opening Day than everyone else as part of the Tokyo Series. Gavin Stone was the first player to land on the 60-day IL in 2025, landing there on February 11th. According to MLB.com, every club has a report date from February 10th to 13th this year.

It’s worth pointing out that the 60 days don’t start being counted until Opening Day. Although a team can transfer a player to the 60-day IL quite soon, they will likely only do so if they aren’t expecting the player back until late May or beyond. A team also must have a full 40-man roster in order to move a player to the 60-day IL.

There are still plenty of free agents still out there, including big names like Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Justin Verlander, Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito, and more. Perhaps the extra roster flexibility will spur some deals to come together. It could also increase the ability of some clubs to make waiver claims or small trades for players who have been designated for assignment. If a team wants to pass a player through waivers, perhaps they will try to do so in the near future before the extra roster flexibility opens up.

Here are some players who are expected to miss some significant time or who have uncertain recovery timelines from 2025 injuries.

Angels: Anthony Rendon, Ben Joyce

Rendon’s situation is unique. He underwent hip surgery a year ago and missed the entire 2025 season. He is still on the roster and signed through 2026. He and the club have agreed to a salary-deferment plan and he is not expected to be in spring training with the club. His recovery timeline is unclear, but general manager Perry Minasian said earlier this month that Rendon would be “rehabbing at home,” per Alden González of ESPN. If they were going to release him, they likely would have done so by now, so he seems destined for the injured list.

Joyce underwent shoulder surgery in May and missed the remainder of the 2025 season. His current status is unclear. In August, he told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he didn’t know if he would be ready for spring training. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the Halos don’t expect him back before the end of May.

Astros: Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco, Brandon Walter

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025. Wesneski was first, with his surgery taking place on May 23rd. Blanco followed shortly thereafter in early June. They will likely be targeting returns in the second half. Walter’s procedure was in September, meaning he will likely miss the entire season. All three should be on the 60-day IL as soon as Houston needs roster spots for other transactions.

Athletics: Zack Gelof

Gelof underwent surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder in September, with the expectation of him potentially being healthy for spring training. At the end of December, general manager David Forst told Martín Gallegos of MLB.com that Gelof would be “a little bit behind” in spring. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the A’s think he’ll be out through late May.

Blue Jays: Jake Bloss

Bloss underwent surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow in May. He was on optional assignment at the time and stayed in the minors for the rest of the season. Going into 2026, the Jays could keep him in the minors but they could also call him up and place him on the major league IL. Doing so would open up a roster spot but would also mean giving Bloss big league pay and service time.

Braves: Ha-Seong Kim, AJ Smith-Shawver, Danny Young, Joe Jiménez

Kim recently fell on some ice and injured his hand. He underwent surgery last week, and the expected recovery time is four to five months. The shorter end of that window only goes to mid-May, so perhaps Atlanta will hold off on making a decision until they watch his recovery, especially since they have other guys with clearer injury timelines.

Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery in June, so he shouldn’t be back until the second half and is therefore a lock for the 60-day IL once Atlanta needs a spot. Young underwent the same procedure in May, so he should also be bound for the IL.

Jimenez is more of a question mark. He missed the 2025 season due to left knee surgery. He required a “cleanup” procedure on that knee towards the end of the season. His timeline isn’t currently clear.

Brewers: None.

Cardinals: None.

Cubs: Justin Steele

Steele will probably be a bit of a borderline case. He underwent UCL surgery in April but it wasn’t a full Tommy John surgery. The Cubs described it as a “revision repair”. Steele had undergone Tommy John in 2017 as a minor leaguer.

Since Steele’s more recent procedure was a bit less serious than a full Tommy John, the club gave an estimated return timeline of about one year, putting him in line to potentially return fairly early in 2026. Given his importance to the Cubs, they would only put him on the 60-day IL if his timeline changes and he’s certain to be out through late May.

Diamondbacks: Corbin Burnes, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., A.J. Puk, Justin Martínez, Blake Walston, Tyler Locklear

The Snakes were hit hard by the injury bug in 2025. Burnes, Walston and Martínez all underwent Tommy John surgery. Burnes and Martínez had their procedures in June, so they should be targeting second-half returns and be easy calls for the 60-day IL. Walston would be a bit more borderline because his surgery was around Opening Day in late March last year. Puk had the slightly less significant internal brace procedure in June, so he could also be a borderline case.

Turning to the position players, Gurriel tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in September. He required surgery which came with a return timeline of nine to ten months, so he should be out until around the All-Star break.

Locklear should be back sooner. He underwent surgery in October to address a ligament tear in his elbow and a labrum injury in his shoulder. The hope at the time of that procedure was that he would be game ready to go on a rehab assignment around Opening Day and would therefore miss only about the first month. He would therefore only hit the 60-day IL if he doesn’t meet that timeline for some reason.

Dodgers: Brock Stewart

Stewart underwent shoulder debridement surgery in September. His timeline for 2026 isn’t especially clear. He will likely start the season on the IL but it’s unclear if he’ll be out long enough to warrant landing on the 60-day version.

Giants: Randy Rodríguez, Jason Foley

Rodríguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL and might even miss the entire 2026 campaign. Foley’s status is a bit more murky. He underwent shoulder surgery in May while with the Tigers. Detroit non-tendered him at season’s end, which allowed the Giants to sign him. He is expected back at some point mid-season. The Giants may want to get more clarity on his progress during camp before deciding on a move to the IL.

Guardians: Andrew Walters, David Fry

Neither of these guys is a lock for the 60-day IL. Walters had surgery to repair his right lat tendon in June with a recovery estimate of eight to ten months. Fry underwent surgery in October due to a deviated septum and a fractured nose suffered when a Tarik Skubal pitch hit him in the face. His timeline is unclear. It’s possible one or both could be healthy by Opening Day, so relevant updates may be forthcoming when camps open.

Mariners: Logan Evans

Evans required UCL surgery just last week and will miss the entire 2026 season. He was on optional assignment at the end of 2025, so the Mariners could keep him in the minors. Calling him up and putting him on the big league 60-day IL would open up a 40-man spot but would also involve Evans receiving big league pay and service time for the year.

Marlins: Ronny Henriquez

Henriquez underwent internal brace surgery in December and will miss the entire 2026 season, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL.

Mets: Tylor Megill, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Núñez

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery late in 2025 and are likely to miss the entire 2026 season, making them locks for the 60-day IL. Núñez went under the knife in July, followed by Megill in September and Garrett in October.

Nationals: Trevor Williams, DJ Herz

Williams underwent internal brace surgery in July. That’s a slightly less serious variation of Tommy John but still usually requires about a year of recovery. Herz underwent a full Tommy John procedure in April. Since that surgery usually requires 14 months or longer to come back, both pitchers are likely out until around the All-Star break and therefore bound for the 60-day IL once the Nats need some roster spots.

Orioles: Félix Bautista

Bautista underwent shoulder surgery in August, and the club announced his recovery timeline as 12 months. He’s a lock for the 60-day IL and may miss the entire season if his recovery doesn’t go smoothly.

Padres: Yu Darvish, Jhony Brito, Jason Adam

Darvish underwent UCL surgery in November and will miss the entire 2026 season. Instead of going on the IL, he may just retire, but it seems there are some contractual complications to be ironed out since he is signed through 2028.

Brito and Adam could be borderline cases. Brito underwent internal brace surgery in May of last year. Some pitchers can return from that procedure in about a year. Adam ruptured a tendon in his left quad in early September. In November, he seemed to acknowledge that he wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day. As of now, a trip to the 60-day IL seems unlikely unless he suffers a setback.

Pirates: Jared Jones

Jones required UCL surgery on May 21st of last year. The Bucs announced an expected return timeline of 10 to 12 months. The shorter end of that window would allow Jones to return fairly early in 2026. If it looks like he’ll be on the longer end of that time frame, he could wind up on the 60-day IL.

Phillies: Zack Wheeler

Wheeler underwent surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome in September, with a timeline of six to eight months. As of now, it seems unlikely Wheeler would require a trip to the 60-day IL, but it depends on how his ramp-up goes. He’s also approaching his 36th birthday, and the Phils could slow-play his recovery.

Rangers: Cody Bradford

Bradford required internal brace surgery in late June of last year. He recently said he’s targeting a return in May. That’s a pretty aggressive timeline, but perhaps the Rangers will delay moving him to the 60-day IL until that plan is strictly ruled out.

Rays: Manuel Rodríguez

Rodriguez underwent flexor tendon surgery in July of last year and is targeting a return in June of this year, so he should be a lock for the 60-day IL.

Reds: Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguiar

Both of these pitchers required Tommy John surgeries late in 2024, Williamson in September and Aguiar in October. They each missed the entire 2025 season. Presumably, they are recovered by now and could be healthy going into 2026, but there haven’t been any recent public updates.

Red Sox: Tanner Houck, Triston Casas

Houck is the most clear-cut case for Boston. He had Tommy John surgery in August of 2025 and will miss most or perhaps all of the 2026 season. Casas is more borderline. He’s still recovering from a ruptured left patellar tendon suffered in May of last year. It doesn’t seem like he will be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline apart from that is murky.

Rockies: Jeff Criswell, Kris Bryant

Criswell required Tommy John surgery in early March of last year. With the normal 14-month recovery timeline, he could be back in May. Anything slightly longer than that would make him a candidate for the 60-day IL. Bryant’s timeline is very difficult to discern. He has hardly played in recent years due to various injuries and is now dealing with chronic symptoms related to lumbar degenerative disc disease. Updates will likely be provided once camp opens.

Royals: Alec Marsh

Marsh missed 2025 due to shoulder problems and is slated to miss 2026 as well after undergoing labrum surgery in November.

Tigers: Jackson Jobe

Jobe required Tommy John surgery in June of last year. He will miss most or perhaps even all of the 2026 season.

Twins: None.

White Sox: Ky Bush, Drew Thorpe, Prelander Berroa

These three hurlers all required Tommy John surgery about a year ago, Bush in February, followed by Berroa and Thorpe in March. Given the normal 14-month recovery period, any of them could return early in 2026, but they could also end up on the 60-day IL if the timeline pushes slightly beyond that.

Yankees: Clarke Schmidt, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Anthony Volpe

Schmidt is the only lock of this group. He required UCL surgery in July of last year and should miss the first half of the 2026 season. Cole is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in March of last year. His target is expected to be late May/early June, so he has a decent chance to hit the 60-day. However, given his importance to the club, the Yankees probably won’t put him there until it’s certain he won’t be back by the middle of May.

Rodón had surgery in October to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He’s expected to be back with the big league club in late April or early May, so he would only hit the 60-day IL if his timeline is pushed. Volpe required shoulder surgery in October. He’s not expected to be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline beyond that doesn’t seem concrete.

Photo courtesy of Allan Henry, Imagn Images

David Robertson Announces Retirement

By Anthony Franco | January 30, 2026 at 4:30pm CDT

Veteran reliever David Robertson has decided to hang up his spikes. He announced the decision on his personal social media pages, issuing the following statement:

“I’ve decided it’s time for me to hang up my spikes and retire from the game I’ve loved for as long as I can remember. Baseball has given me more than I ever dreamed possible over the last 19 seasons. From winning a World Series, to pitching in an All-Star game, to representing the United States and bringing home a World Baseball Classic Gold and Olympic silver. I’ve had the privilege of playing alongside amazing teammates, learning from outstanding coaches, and being welcomed into organizations that felt like family. To the trainers, clubhouse staff, front offices, and everyone behind the scenes, thank you for all that you do. And to the fans who supported me, thank you, your passion fueled me every single day.

Most importantly, thank you to my wife and children. Your love, sacrifice, patience, and dedication made this career possible. As I step away from the game, I’m excited to be home with my family, to focus on our farms, and to continue growing High Socks for Hope. Helping families rebuild after disaster has been one of the most rewarding parts of my life outside baseball.

Saying goodbye isn’t easy, but I do so with deep gratitude for every opportunity, challenge, and memory. I’ll forever be thankful for the game and for everyone who made this journey extraordinary.”

Robertson retires after a two-decade run in professional baseball. He signed an overslot deal as a 17th-round pick of the Yankees in 2006. He was in the big leagues two years later. He began his career in middle relief but impressed with a 3.30 earned run average across 45 appearances in his first full season. Robertson added 5 1/3 scoreless innings and earned a pair of wins as the Yankees went on to win the World Series in 2009.

By the following season, the righty was a fixture in the Yankee bullpen in front of Mariano Rivera. He was exceptionally durable and consistently effective. Robertson reeled off a streak of 10 straight sub-4.00 ERA seasons between 2009-18. He surpassed 60 innings in the final nine of those years.

His most accomplished statistical season came in 2011, when he fired 66 2/3 frames with a career-low 1.08 ERA. Robertson picked up 34 holds against three blown leads. He earned his first and, somewhat surprisingly, only All-Star selection while receiving down-ballot Cy Young and MVP votes. He recorded a personal-best 100 strikeouts. He trailed only Craig Kimbrel and Tyler Clippard among relievers in punchouts, while Atlanta’s Eric O’Flaherty was the only pitcher with a lower earned run average.

Robertson remained in a setup role until Rivera ended his Hall of Fame career after the 2013 season. Robertson, an impending free agent, stepped seamlessly into the closer role. He recorded 39 saves with a 3.08 ERA in his walk year. He hit free agency at age 30 and rejected a qualifying offer before landing a four-year, $46MM deal from the White Sox.

He held up his end of the bargain, topping 30 saves in his two full seasons in Chicago. The Sox weren’t good overall, however, and they embarked on a teardown by 2017. They shipped Robertson back to the Bronx alongside Todd Frazier and Tommy Kahnle. Robertson played out the final season and a half of the contract and helped New York back to the postseason in both years. He was part of the 2017 national team that won the World Baseball Classic, tossing a scoreless inning to close an 8-0 win over Puerto Rico in the final.

A return trip to free agency was never going to be as lucrative as he entered his age-34 season. He signed a two-year, $23MM deal with the Phillies. That was a precursor to the first real setback of his entire career. Robertson’s elbow gave out seven appearances into his first season in Philadelphia. He missed most of the year rehabbing before it was revealed that he needed Tommy John surgery. Robertson lost all of 2020 and most of ’21 before making a comeback with the U.S. National Team at the Tokyo Olympics (which were held in ’21 because of the pandemic).

Robertson carved out an impressive final act after the surgery. He bounced around as a setup man, mostly on contending clubs. Robertson made the playoffs with the Rays in ’21 and returned to the World Series the following year. A $3.5MM free agent deal with the Cubs led to a midseason trade back to Philadelphia, and he wound up tossing 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball in October for the pennant winning Phils. Robertson split the ’23 season between the Mets and Marlins — Miami was a deadline buyer who snuck into the playoffs — and remained an excellent leverage arm with the Rangers in 2024. He worked a career-high 72 innings of 3.00 ERA ball with 99 punchouts for Texas in what would be his final full season in the big leagues.

Despite his continued strong performance, Robertson didn’t find the contract he was seeking last offseason. He waited until July before signing a one-year deal for his third stint with the Phillies. Robertson made 20 regular season appearances and one final playoff outing in the Division Series loss to the Dodgers.

Robertson finishes his playing days with a 2.93 ERA in just shy of 900 regular season innings. Only Kenley Jansen has pitched in more games than his 881 going back to his debut. Robertson recorded nearly 1200 strikeouts. He saved 179 games and recorded 206 holds, ranking top 20 in both stats over his career. He had a 2.88 ERA in his first 10-year peak and came back from elbow surgery to add 230 2/3 frames of 3.00 ERA ball with a 31% strikeout rate from ages 36-40.

It’s a remarkable run of consistency at a position that is generally viewed as the sport’s most volatile. Robertson only had four seasons in which he allowed more than four earned runs per nine: his first and last years and the ’19 and ’21 campaigns that were shortened by the one significant injury he incurred. That’s all before considering his postseason résumé — 47 2/3 innings of 3.47 ERA ball in 10 different trips to October.

Robertson spent the majority of his career in the Bronx. He’ll be best remembered as a Yankee but appeared for eight clubs overall. Although he’s not going to get much consideration for induction into Cooperstown, he’s a lock to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot five years from now and could see his name checked by a few voters who want to honor his longevity and reliability. MLBTR congratulates him on an excellent career and sends our best wishes in whatever comes next.

Image courtesy of Thomas Shea, USA Today Sports.

Rangers, Nick Pratto Agree To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | January 30, 2026 at 3:49pm CDT

The Rangers and first baseman Nick Pratto are in agreement on a minor league contract, MLBTR has confirmed. He’ll be a non-roster invitee in spring training next month. Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com first reported that Pratto, a Wasserman client, was expected to sign with Texas.

A first-round pick by the Royals back in 2017, Pratto struggled in his early minor league tenure and didn’t look like he’d emerge as a prospect of much note. That changed in 2021, four years after he was drafted. The 6’1″, 225-pound slugger erupted for a .265/.385/.602 batting line with 36 home runs and a massive 15.2% walk rate in 545 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A. His 28.8% strikeout rate was an obvious cause for concern, but Pratto had finally seen some of his prodigious raw power manifest in game settings, all while showing an ability to work deep counts and draw free passes, creating optimism that he could yet become a bat-first slugger at first base or DH.

That monster showing thrust Pratto onto several top-100 prospect rankings, but his path to regular at-bats in Kansas City was obfuscated somewhat by the fact that his breakout coincided with that of another young first baseman: Vinnie Pasquantino. Both players got looks in 2022, but it was Pasquantino who seized the opportunity and cemented himself as the Royals’ long-term first baseman. Pratto dabbled in the outfield and saw time at DH as well, but he also struggled to a .184/.271/.386 slash with a huge 36.3% strikeout rate in 182 plate appearances that year.

The Royals gave Pratto another chance in 2023, but the results didn’t improve. He came to the plate 345 times but mustered only a .232/.307/.353 slash while striking out in an even more alarming 40.4% of his plate appearances. Pratto appeared in only one big league game in 2024. He came to spring training out of minor league options in 2025 and was passed through waivers unclaimed. Pratto spent the ’25 season back in Triple-A Omaha — his fourth stint there — and turned in a career-worst .196/.289/.331 performance.

Now 27 years old, Pratto seems like a player who’ll benefit from a fresh start. The Rangers will provide that opportunity. Jake Burger and Joc Pederson are locked in at first base and designated hitter, respectively, but both players hit poorly in regular playing time with Texas last season — Pederson in particular. The Rangers traded first base prospect Abimelec Ortiz to the Nationals as part of the MacKenzie Gore swap earlier this month, removing some competition for Pratto.

Rangers, Cal Quantrill Agree To Minor League Deal

By Anthony Franco | January 29, 2026 at 8:15pm CDT

The Rangers are in agreement with starter Cal Quantrill on a minor league deal, reports Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. The Excel Sports Management client finished the 2025 season in the Texas organization and will be back in camp as a non-roster invitee.

Quantrill split his MLB work last season between the Braves and Marlins. Signed to a $3.5MM contract over the offseason, the former eighth overall pick made 24 starts for Miami. He ate 109 2/3 innings but struggled to a 5.50 earned run average with a 17.4% strikeout rate. Quantrill had a terrible April, and a solid three-month run thereafter wasn’t enough to drum up any trade interest. Things went back off the rails in August, as opponents tagged him for 15 runs in his first three starts of the month.

Miami released Quantrill at that point. Atlanta gave him a very brief look as they cycled through journeymen starters while their rotation was wrecked by injury. Quantrill gave up three runs in 4 2/3 frames against the Mets in his team debut. The Phillies put up a nine-spot five days later and the Braves moved on. Texas added him on a minor league contract. Quantrill started twice for Triple-A Round Rock, tossing 11 innings of four-run ball with 14 punchouts and one walk.

It was a solid enough first impression that Texas brings him back as a minor league free agent. The Rangers have as strong a top three in their rotation as any team in MLB with Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and MacKenzie Gore. They’re well set with Jack Leiter as the fourth starter. It falls off sharply from there. Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker are probably competing for the fifth starter role. Latz pitched well last year but was mostly a reliever. Rocker fought mechanical issues.

The Rangers are well served to stash veteran depth options in camp and potentially to begin the season with Round Rock. They’ve also brought in Nabil Crismatt and Austin Gomber on minor league deals.

MLBTR Podcast: Examining MLB’s Parity Situation – Also, Bellinger, Peralta, Robert, And Gore

By Darragh McDonald | January 28, 2026 at 11:30pm CDT

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Tim’s recent post looking at MLB’s economics and issues of parity (1:20)
The possibility of a salary cap coming into existence at some point in the future (5:25)
Comparing the salary cap path to alterations to the current revenue sharing system (8:40)
The public relations battle with fans knowing all about players and their salaries but not necessarily knowing so much about the owners and their finances (17:35)
Is there any hope of the owners working out some new revenue sharing arrangement? (20:45)
Are deferrals a massive problem or is the Shohei Ohtani deal just an extreme outlier that had led to increased angst? (26:50)
What kind of compromise are we likely to get in the next collective bargaining agreement? (32:45)
The Yankees re-signing Cody Bellinger (37:35)
The Mets acquiring Freddy Peralta from the Brewers and Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox (47:20)
The Brewers’ end of the Peralta trade (53:20)
The White Sox’ end of the Robert deal (56:15)
The Rangers sending five prospects to the Nationals to acquire MacKenzie Gore (1:02:00)

Check out our past episodes!

What The Tucker And Bichette Contracts Mean For Baseball – Also, Nolan Arenado And Ranger Suarez – listen here
The Cubs Land Cabrera And Bregman, Remaining Free Agents, And Skubal’s Arbitration Filing – listen here
Contracts For Imai And Okamoto, And Thoughts On The Pirates And Giants – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images

Yankees Claim Dom Hamel; Designate Marco Luciano, Jayvien Sandridge For Assignment

By Darragh McDonald | January 27, 2026 at 2:00pm CDT

The Yankees announced that they have claimed right-hander Dom Hamel off waivers from the Rangers. They also designated left-hander Jayvien Sandridge and outfielder Marco Luciano for assignment. The two DFAs open roster spots for Hamel and for Cody Bellinger, whose five-year deal was made official yesterday. Texas designated Hamel for assignment a week ago when they signed Jakob Junis.

Hamel, 27 in March, just made his major league debut not too long ago. He tossed a scoreless inning for the Mets on September 17th, which is still his only big league appearance. Shortly thereafter, the Mets put him on waivers, with the Orioles and Rangers claiming him in quick succession. Texas held him for a few months but put him back on the wire this week.

The righty came up through the Mets’ system as a starting pitcher but a lack of control pushed him to the bullpen in 2025. He logged 67 2/3 innings over 31 Triple-A appearances last year. 11 of those were officially starts but they were mostly in opener style. His 5.32 earned run average wasn’t great but he did strike out 25.2% of batters faced and showed improved control with a 7.4% walk rate. His four-seamer and sinker both averaged in the low 90s while he also mixed in a cutter, slider and changeup.

Hamel still has a couple of options, so the Yankees could keep him as depth in the minors. They could also try putting him back on waivers in the future. He doesn’t have a previous career outright and has less than three years of service time, which means he would not have the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency.

Speaking of players getting put back on waivers, that’s been the story of Luciano’s offseason. Once a top prospect, his stock has dropped as he has exhausted his option years. That has pushed him to a fringe roster position and it seems that there are several clubs hoping to be the one to pass him through waivers, at which point he could be kept in the minors as non-roster depth. He finished the 2025 season with the Giants but has subsequently gone to the Pirates, Orioles and Yankees via the waiver wire.

He has a rough career batting line of .217/.286/.304 in his big league career while striking out in 35.7% of his plate appearances. His Triple-A line of .227/.351/.401 is better but came in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League and still saw him strike out 29.6% of the time. He was moved from the middle infield to left field last year, which only put more pressure on him to produce offensively.

The numbers have not been great but Luciano is only 24 years old and was a top 100 prospect not too long ago. His service time is still under a year, meaning he can theoretically be retained for six full seasons by some club. It’s understandable that teams would hope to have that player on hand in case he does finally break out. Now that he’s in DFA limbo once more, he will be on the move again or outrighted in the next week.

Sandridge, 27 next month, got a major league roster spot for the first time with the Yankees last year. He made just one appearance, which came against the Mets on July 5th. He was given a rude awakening, as he walked Juan Soto and then allowed a home run to Pete Alonso. He settled down somewhat by striking out Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos, but then walked Luis Torrens and hit Jeff McNeil with a pitch before being removed.

That one appearance has some commonalities with his minor league track record, which has featured lots of strikeouts but a lack of control. He tossed 36 2/3 innings on the farm for the Yankees last year with a 4.66 ERA. He struck out 32.7% of batters faced but issued 19 walks, an 11.4% pace. He also hit three more batters and tossed six wild pitches. He averaged around 95 miles per hour with his four-seamer and sinker while also throwing a splitter and slider.

He will now be in DFA limbo for a week at most. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Yankees could take five days to field trade interest, but they could also put him on the wire sooner. Since he has a couple of options, he could have appeal if there’s a club that is both intrigued by the arsenal and looking for some extra relief depth.

Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images

Injury Notes: Eovaldi, Musgrove, Callihan

By Charlie Wright | January 25, 2026 at 10:44pm CDT

Nathan Eovaldi’s 2025 campaign ended in August when he went down with a rotator cuff strain. The veteran righty dealt with another health issue in October, undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia. Eovaldi said on the SportsDay Rangers podcast that he’s recovered from both issues and expects to be ready for the 2026 season.

“I don’t expect to have any limitations coming into Spring Training,” Eovaldi said. “I’ve been throwing multiple bullpens, and my arm feels great, body feels great, and I’m ready for the season to get going.”

Eovaldi was phenomenal when healthy last season. His 1.73 ERA over 22 starts would’ve led the league if he had thrown enough innings to qualify for the crown. Injuries have plagued Eovaldi for the majority of his career, but he’s stayed relatively healthy in his three seasons with Texas. The 35-year-old has averaged more than 25 starts a year as a Ranger. He’ll form an imposing trio at the top of the rotation with Jacob deGrom and the newly-acquired MacKenzie Gore.

Fellow veteran starter Joe Musgrove is also getting back on track after multiple injuries. He missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Musgrove hit the IL multiple times in 2024 with elbow inflammation. He made it back for nine starts down the stretch, plus a postseason appearance, but ended up going under the knife in October of that year. Musgrove is expected to be good to go for Spring Training, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Tribune. Acee adds that Musgrove was preparing to be available in the NLCS if the Padres made it that far.

“I feel really good right now,” Musgrove said. “I feel like I’m in a good position physically, mentally for the season.”

San Diego will need Musgrove to be a steady presence on a staff with minimal proven options beyond Michael King and Nick Pivetta. The 33-year-old righty hasn’t reached 100 innings or 20 starts since 2022. “We expect him to be a guy that can throw a lot innings for us this year,” president of baseball operations A.J. Preller told reporters back in December.

On the position player side, Reds utilityman Tyler Callihan said he’s a “full-go” for Spring Training. The 25-year-old missed much of the 2025 season after a brutal crash into the wall in Atlanta. He broke his left forearm and wrist while trying to reel in a Matt Olson drive. Callihan provided the update to reporters, including Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer, at Redsfest last week.

An injury to Jeimer Candelario in late April opened up a spot on the MLB squad for Callihan to make his debut. He played in just four games before getting hurt. Callihan had been torching Triple-A pitching prior to getting called up. Given his experience in both the infield and outfield, Callihan could play a versatile role for the Reds this season. “He’s going to come in and compete for a spot on the club,” president of baseball operations Nick Krall said. “That’s a testament to him and his rehab and our rehab staff and him just putting in the work.”

Photo courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images

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