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Report: Cardinals Ownership More Willing To Include Money In Trades

By Darragh McDonald | October 2, 2025 at 11:59pm CDT

Everything coming out of St. Louis suggests that the Cardinals are at a major pivot point for the franchise. They are entering what could be a multi-year rebuild period as they focus on player development more than short-term contention. That has been the case for about a year already but all signs suggest the club will be leaning harder in that direction. Katie Woo of The Athletic reports that the ownership will now be more willing to eat money in trades, in order to extract greater returns.

That reporting aligns with comments this week from Chaim Bloom, the new president of baseball operations. “As far as cash being a lever on the trade front, that should never be off the table,” he said, per Woo. “Obviously, you’d prefer not to do that, but you could end up in a situation where adding cash to make a preferred deal work just makes sense.”

Between Bloom’s comments and Woo’s reporting about ownership, it seems the franchise is aligned. That should only add to the sense that highly-paid players like Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray are more likely to be moved this offseason than they were last winter.

A year ago, the Cards made it clear that they were beginning this reset period. That initially made it seem likely that veteran players like Arenado, Gray and Willson Contreras could be logical trade candidates. However, Gray and Contreras quickly indicated that they wanted to stay in St. Louis. Arenado was a bit more open to a trade but had a narrow list of five clubs he considered acceptable landing spots and ultimately wasn’t traded.

The club’s rebuilding plans now seem to be more firmly in place and both Arenado and Gray have publicly expressed a greater willingness to waive their no-trade clauses this time around. Contreras seems less interested in leaving but didn’t completely discount the possibility.

That’s a good start for the Cardinals but eating money will be helpful to getting deals done. Gray is still a good pitcher and just wrapped a solid season, middling earned run average notwithstanding. Though he allowed 4.28 earned runs per nine over 180 2/3 innings, his .329 batting average on balls in play probably inflated that a bit. His 26.7% strikeout rate, 5% walk rate and 43.9% ground ball rate were all strong marks. ERA estimators like his 3.39 FIP and 3.29 SIERA suggest he was more his old self than the ERA itself would indicate.

Even if clubs are willing to overlook the ERA, the contract is an obstacle. His three-year, $75MM deal with the Cardinals was heavily backloaded. He made just $10MM in 2024 and $25MM this year. He’ll then make $35MM next year, followed by a $5MM buyout on a $30MM club option. If that option is picked up, Gray can then opt out.

At this point, there is just one more guaranteed season left on the deal but with $40MM still to be paid out. The option doesn’t really add any extra upside because of that opt-out. Despite Gray’s talents, $40MM for one year of a pitcher is a lot. That kind of average annual value has been reserved for ace-type pitchers. Even if it were a fair price for Gray’s services, eating more money to extract more prospect capital is a sensible tactic for a club focused on the long term.

Arenado is going to make $27MM next year, though the Rockies are going to pay $5MM of that and $6MM is deferred. He’ll then make $15MM in 2027. That works out to less than $20MM annually but his stock is down after some rough years at the plate. He hit just .237/.289/.377 for a wRC+ of 84 this year and was barely above league average in the prior two campaigns. He still gets good grades for his glovework but isn’t the MVP candidate he once was.

Other teams will have different valuations of what they expect from him going forward, but as mentioned with Gray, any money that the Cardinals are willing to eat should increase what teams are willing to give up.

With Contreras, as mentioned, a trade seems less likely before even considering the money but it could happen. He is still owed $41.5MM over the next two years. That’s an $18MM salary next year, $18.5MM in 2027, and then a $5MM buyout on a $17.5MM club option for 2028.

He has been moved from the catcher position to first base. He got decent grades for his glovework there this year, getting credit for six Outs Above Average, while Defensive Runs Saved had him just below par at -1. The bat is still strong, as he hit .257/.344/.447 this year for a 124 wRC+. Those numbers are all close to his career marks, where he has a .258/.352/.459 batting line and 122 wRC+.

Though he’s going into his age-34 season, the deal isn’t bad. Christian Walker just got $60MM over three years from the Astros going into his age-34 campaign. But even if the Contreras deal isn’t underwater, other teams may not give up much for it unless the Cards pay it down somewhat.

Last winter, the Cards seemed to be more motivated by salary relief. Arenado was still owed roughly $60MM over three years when they lined up a trade with the Astros. Arenado vetoed that deal but reporting indicated the Cards were only going to eat about $5MM per season, leaving the Astros on the hook for about $45MM. It’s unknown what the Cards were going to receive in that trade but is was likely going to be a salary dump deal. Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. later said they would have to find cuts elsewhere if they didn’t move Arenado, though that didn’t really end up happening.

Per RosterResource, the Cardinals had a $144MM payroll in 2025. Thanks to some trades and some expiring contracts, they are projected for just $75MM next year. Arbitration salaries for players like Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar could push that up but those players are themselves candidates to be traded this winter. Perhaps that lighter payroll is what opened the path for the Cards to worry less about cost savings this time, which could increase their chances of adding meaning young talent to their pipeline.

There will be non-payroll expenditures, however. Woo reports that the club is planning to make more investments in the fields of analytics, player development and scouting. There’s also some uncertainty with the club’s TV deal. The Cards reached a new agreement with Main Street Sports, formerly known as Diamond Sports Group, to be on the FanDuel Sports Network in 2025. Woo writes that the deal contains option provisions after each season. She says that no major shake-up is expected but that some renegotiations could take place.

Photo courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing, Imagn Images

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Notes St. Louis Cardinals Nolan Arenado Sonny Gray Willson Contreras

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The Marlins’ Catching Conundrum

By Charlie Wright | October 2, 2025 at 10:21pm CDT

Miami has struggled to find a viable option behind the plate since trading away J.T. Realmuto ahead of the 2019 season. After Jorge Alfaro, who returned in the Realmuto deal, failed to provide consistent results, the Marlins have shuffled through a mix of veterans and fringe MLBers over the past few seasons. Miami backstops finished 29th in OPS at the position in both 2023 and 2024.

Agustin Ramirez seems like the answer, at least on offense. Acquired in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade, the top prospect popped 21 homers and stole 16 bases in his first taste of MLB action. Ramirez paced the team in doubles and total bases. He was a fixture in the heart of the lineup since getting promoted in late April.

The problem with Ramirez as Miami’s solution at catcher was the catching part. He led the league with 19 passed balls, more than twice as many as the next-closest player (Shea Langeliers at nine). Ramirez also led all catchers with 10 errors, despite only making 71 starts at the position. The throwing aspect of the job didn’t go much better. Ramirez allowed 83 steals and threw out just 8 base runners, good for a paltry 8.8% caught stealing rate. He ranked dead last in Statcast’s CS Above Average metric, which compares the number of extra caught stealings to the expectation of an average catcher.

Ramirez made 61 starts at DH in his rookie season. While that may be his ultimate home, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix hasn’t given up on Ramirez in the field. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Bendix said Ramirez still has “the ability to be a major league catcher and also needs to improve a lot to be able to consistently achieve that level” (link via Kevin Barral of Fish on First). It isn’t the strongest endorsement, but it’s enough to keep the door ajar on Ramirez’s future at the position.

Liam Hicks functioned as Miami’s backup catcher for the majority of the 2025 season. He started 49 games behind the plate, while also making 23 starts at first base and 20 at DH. Hicks joined the team as a Rule 5 selection from Detroit. He posted a solid 98 wRC+ across 390 plate appearances, though the power was lacking. Hicks hit just a half dozen home runs and finished with a .099 ISO. He doesn’t have the type of thump typically associated with 1B/DH types, so sticking at catcher might be his only avenue to consistent playing time.

The main issue with Hicks as a long-term option is the same one that plagues Ramirez. Hicks allowed 51 stolen bases last season, while catching just six would-be thieves. He had the fifth-worst mark in Statcast’s CS Above Average metric.

The real answer at catcher might be waiting in the wings at Triple-A. Joe Mack is the organization’s fourth-ranked prospect according to MLB.com. FanGraphs ranked Mack third among Miami prospects in their midseason update. Mack was a first-round pick in 2021. He’s put up strong offensive numbers at each minor league stop, including a 129 wRC+ in 112 games at Double-A in 2024. Mack torched Double-A pitching once again to begin 2025 and was quickly bumped to Triple-A. He hit 18 home runs with a solid .250/.320/.459 slash line in 412 plate appearances with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The 22-year-old has an elite arm, which will provide some much-needed help in slowing down the run game. Mack has a shot to break camp with the team in 2026 after hitting .298/.382/.766 with six homers in 14 games in September.

Whether or not Mack is with the big-league club next season, the team could use a glove-first veteran option. Victor Caratini, Austin Hedges, and James McCann would be viable options that shouldn’t be overly expensive. Old friend Jacob Stallings could also be a candidate to soak up innings behind the plate for a low investment. Ironically, Nick Fortes would’ve fit the bill as a veteran caddy to Mack. Fortes led the Marlins in starts behind the plate in 2023 and 2024, but was shipped out at the trade deadline this past season.

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MLBTR Originals Miami Marlins Agustin Ramirez Joe Mack Liam Hicks

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David Ross Hoping For Another Managerial Opportunity

By Charlie Wright | October 2, 2025 at 8:30pm CDT

Former Cubs manager David Ross is interested in a return to managing, the ex-skipper told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. “It’s an itch that hasn’t gone away.” Ross has been out of baseball for the past two years after getting fired by Chicago following the 2023 campaign.

Ross spent four seasons at the helm in Chicago. He had no previous managing experience prior to taking over for Joe Maddon after the 2019 season. Ross led the Cubs to an NL Central title in the shortened 2020 season, but the squad was dispatched by the Marlins in the Wild Card round. Chicago failed to reach the playoffs for the final three years under Ross. After back-to-back seasons well below .500, Ross led the team to 83 wins in 2023, but they fell a game short of a Wild Card berth. The Cubs moved on that offseason, choosing to hand Craig Counsell a record five-year, $40MM deal.

The jump from player to manager without a previous coaching gig was a bit surprising, but Ross was a familiar face in Chicago. He spent his final two seasons as a player with the Cubs, winning a World Series in 2016. The photo of Ross being carried off the field by his teammates was an iconic image following the curse-breaking victory.

Ross relayed to Rosenthal that he was not interviewed by the Reds, Marlins, or White Sox during their managerial searches ahead of the 2025 season. He added that there were conversations about bench coach positions, but nothing came to fruition. The Athletic had previously reported that the Yankees and Orioles had shown interest in Ross for bench coach roles since he’d been fired by the Cubs, but the former catcher preferred a managerial position if he were to return to the dugout.

This offseason presents plenty of opportunities. With Brian Snitker stepping down this week, there are now a staggering eight managerial openings around the league. The Twins and Giants fired their managers at the end of the regular season. The Nationals, Orioles, and Rockies did so during the season (though none of those teams have firmly declared that their interim skipper won’t be back). The Rangers and Bruce Bochy are parting ways. The Angels chose not to retain Ron Washington, who stepped away midseason due to heart surgery. The team also announced that interim manager Ray Montgomery, who took over for Washington, will not be back.

Ross isn’t the only former manager in search of a new home. Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote last month that Brandon Hyde, Derek Shelton, Bud Black, and Davey Martinez are all looking to land skipper positions after getting fired during this past season. Rocco Baldelli, Bob Melvin, Bochy and Washington were all let go at the end of the year.

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Uncategorized Brandon Hyde Bud Black Dave Martinez David Ross Derek Shelton

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Orioles Re-Sign Jose Barrero To Minor League Deal

By Darragh McDonald | October 2, 2025 at 6:17pm CDT

Infielder Jose Barrero and the Orioles have reunited on a new minor league deal for 2026, according to Francys Romero of BeisbolFR. Barrero had signed a minor league deal with the club in July but this new deal reunites him with the O’s for 2026 and includes an invite to major league spring training.

Barrero, 27, has appeared in five major league seasons but with limited playing time in each. He has appeared in a total of 161 games with a .182/.238/.257 batting line. He has nine stolen bases and provided defensive versatility. He has big league experience at the three infield spots to the left of first base, as well as center and right field.

Picking up Barrero is a bet more on his past prospect pedigree. Baseball America ranked him as one of the top 100 prospects in the league in both 2021 and 2022, when he was with the Reds. He put up a .303/.380/.539 line in the minors in 2021, production which translated to a wRC+ of 142.

Things have been choppy since then. As mentioned, his big league looks haven’t led to much. His minor league numbers also tailed off. He exhausted his final option season in 2023. The Reds put him on waivers in March of 2024. He was claimed by the Rangers, though that club managed to pass him through waivers unclaimed shortly thereafter. He spent most of that year on the minor league injured list. He only got into 49 games and slashed .188/.277/.345 in those.

He signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals coming into 2025 and started the season in good form. He had a .299/.396/.517 line in Triple-A when the Cards called him up in late April, though they didn’t play him much. He was on the roster for about two months but only got 31 plate appearances, hitting .138/.194/.276 in that sporadic playing time.

He was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and elected free agency, which is when he signed his aforementioned minor league deal with the Orioles. He produced a rough .190/.261/.344 line for Triple-A Norfolk down the stretch. Despite those numbers, the O’s apparently like Barrero enough to bring him back in a non-roster capacity and see what happens next year. He’s had some ups and downs but is still just 27, so perhaps he can recapture some of previous form.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images

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Baltimore Orioles Transactions Jose Barrero

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Jarred Kelenic, Three Others Elect Free Agency

By Anthony Franco | October 2, 2025 at 5:05pm CDT

October 2nd: Kelenic, Díaz, Dunning and Williams have officially elected free agency, according to David O’Brien of The Athletic.

October 1st: The Braves have begun offseason roster housekeeping. Atlanta announced they’ve outrighted five players — outfielder Jarred Kelenic, right-handers Alexis Díaz and Dane Dunning, catcher Sandy León, and utility player Luke Williams — off the 40-man roster. They’ll all be minor league free agents in the next couple weeks.

Atlanta had 11 players finish the season on the 60-day injured list. They’ll all need to be activated or placed on waivers within five days of the end of the World Series. This clears five spots, and three more will open when Raisel Iglesias, Marcell Ozuna and Charlie Morton reach free agency. Ha-Seong Kim will need to decide on his $16MM player option. They’ll need to drop at least two more players (three if Kim doesn’t opt out) within the next few weeks.

These were all relatively easy cuts, though it marks an unceremonious end to Kelenic’s disappointing time in Atlanta. The Braves took a lot of dead money off Seattle’s books to acquire the former top prospect during the 2023-24 offseason. He hit .231/.286/.393 with a near-30% strikeout rate across 449 plate appearances in 2024.

Atlanta signed Jurickson Profar to replace him as the starting left fielder. With Ronald Acuña Jr. rehabbing ACL surgery and Profar getting suspended for a failed PED test, Kelenic had another shot early in the season. He batted .167 and played his way off the MLB roster by the third week of April. Kelenic’s only MLB appearance after that was as a pinch runner on July 30.

Things were equally bleak in Triple-A. The 25-year-old hit .213/.286/.309 with only four homers while striking out at a 27.6% clip with Gwinnett. Kelenic has never found sustained MLB success but had reliably hit Triple-A pitching until this year. As a former sixth overall pick, he’ll get minor league offers, but it’d be a surprise if he commands a major league contract.

The Braves grabbed Díaz off waivers from the Dodgers in early September. They had roster space to burn and wanted a look at a former All-Star closer who had recorded 28 saves with Cincinnati just last season. Díaz had an uphill path to a 2026 bullpen spot and certainly didn’t do much to convince the Braves to keep him around. He walked five batters and gave up five runs (four earned) in 2 2/3 innings. Díaz had a nightmare season between three teams, giving up 17 runs over 17 2/3 big league frames. He also struggled to a 5.61 ERA across 25 2/3 Triple-A innings.

Díaz made $4.5MM this year in his first trip through arbitration. He would’ve made something close to or matching that if he were tendered a contract. That’s an easy pass for the team coming off the season he had. Díaz has never had strong command, and his velocity and strikeouts have dipped since his excellent first two MLB campaigns. The 29-year-old could also be in minor league deal territory.

The Braves acquired Dunning from the Rangers in July. It was a salary dump for Texas and one of a number of buy-low fliers that Atlanta took as members of their pitching staff kept dropping to injuries. Dunning was an up-and-down reliever for the Braves and gave up 12 earned runs in 10 innings. León, a longtime third or fourth catcher, finished the season on the MLB roster after Sean Murphy underwent hip surgery. He appeared in five games and went 1-12. Williams got into 45 contests as the last man off the bench and designated position player pitcher in blowouts. He hit .129 and owns a career .212/.270/.280 slash over 349 plate appearances.

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Atlanta Braves Transactions Alexis Diaz Dane Dunning Jarred Kelenic Luke Williams Sandy Leon

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Mets Notes: Alonso, Marte, Manaea

By Darragh McDonald | October 2, 2025 at 5:05pm CDT

First baseman Pete Alonso has already said he will be opting out of his deal with the Mets and re-entering free agency, which could set up another will-they-won’t-they winter. A report from Will Sammon of The Athletic suggests that the Mets aren’t thrilled with Alonso’s defense and that spending more time at designated hitter may be necessary if the two sides do end up reuniting.

Alonso has been a mainstay at first base for the Mets for many years. He has started at least 134 games there in each of the past six full seasons, including at least 160 games in each of the past two campaigns.

While that reliable presence is valuable, the actual results have been less consistent. Defensive Runs Saved oscillated between giving Alonso positive and negative grades earlier in his career but has soured on him more recently. He was credited with a -3 score last year and -9 this season, bringing him down to -7 for his whole career. Outs Above Average has been more consistently down on him, as 2021 is the only year that metric had him above average. He’s at -33 for his career overall, including -8 in 2024 and -9 in 2025.

Alonso has only ever played for the Mets but the club seemed willing to let him go last winter. He reached free agency and lingered unsigned until February, when he and the Mets finally reunited on a two-year, $54MM deal which allowed him to opt out after the first season. Just prior to that reunion, Mets owner Steve Cohen publicly complained about the “exhausting” negotiations.

It was often speculated last offseason that the Mets were willing to let Alonso walk. At that point, the Mets would perhaps move Mark Vientos from third base to first base, leaving the hot corner open for someone like Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio or Luisangel Acuña. Now that Alonso is returning to free agency, that kind of speculation might return.

It’s unknown if Alonso is willing to spend more time in the DH slot or if he prides himself on continuing to be out there at first. If he is open to it, the Mets could accommodate him. Most of their DH at-bats went to Starling Marte this year, with Jesse Winker also in the mix before he got hurt. Both players are impending free agents, so the Mets could offer plenty of DH time to Alonso or someone else.

It’s also possible Alonso plays for a team other than the Mets for the first time. He didn’t get the long-term deal he was looking for last winter but his upcoming market could be stronger. He won’t be attached to a qualifying offer this time since players can only receive the QO once. He’s also coming off a better offensive platform, having increased his batting line from .240/.329/.459 in 2024 to .272/.347/.524 in 2025. But on the other hand, he’s about to turn 31 years old and other teams might be just as concerned about his glovework as the Mets.

Speaking of Marte, he spoke to Sammon this week, saying that he hopes to play for several more years and would be open to doing that as a Met. “Only God knows, but with continued good health, I’d love to have the opportunity to play at least three or four more years,” Marte said, “and continue to be part of this team and continue to help the young guys grow.”

Marte last reached free agency ahead of the 2022 season, when he was going into his age-33 campaign. He and the Mets agreed to a four-year, $78MM pact, which is now ending. The first year went well, as he slashed .292/.347/.468 for a 133 wRC+ and stole 18 bases.

However, he required groin surgery after that season and hasn’t been at that level since. He made multiple trips to the IL in 2023 and hit just .248/.301/.324 for a wRC+ of 75. He has bounced back somewhat in the two most recent seasons. He just hit .270/.335/.410 for a 112 wRC+ this year but, as mentioned, was mostly a DH. He only logged 65 innings in the outfield.

The bat is still decent but he’s about to turn 37 years old, so he’s probably ticketed for a part-time role somewhere. Based on Sammon’s piece, Marte seems to also provide intangibles as a clubhouse leader. That could help his market somewhat but he’ll have considerably less earning power than in his previous trip to free agency. As mentioned, the Mets have DH at-bats available, though they will probably wait to see how things go with Alonso and other free agents before they consider bringing back Marte.

Elsewhere on the roster, Andy Martino of SNY provides an update on left-hander Sean Manaea. Martino says Manaea finished the season with his elbow feeling good and may not need surgery, though the final decision will wait until after a cool-down period.

Manaea began the season on the injured list due to an oblique strain. He was working back from that injury in June when a loose body was found in his elbow. Despite that elbow issue, he made it back from the IL in July.

His results from there weren’t great, though there was less concern under the hood. A 5.64 earned run average is obviously not good but his 28.5% strikeout rate and 4.6% walk rate were both strong. He allowed 13 home runs in just 60 2/3 innings, with a home run to flyball rate of 19.4% in that small sample. His 3.08 SIERA, a measure that corrects for such abnormalities, suggested his ERA would have been much better with some normalization in a larger sample size.

The Mets signed the lefty to a three-year, $75MM deal coming into this season. They will obviously want him to be fully healthy and back to his usual self next year, especially with questions all throughout the rest of their rotation. The fact that he’s trending towards not needing surgery is encouraging, though further updates should be forthcoming in the future.

Photo courtesy of Brad Mills, Imagn Images

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New York Mets Notes Pete Alonso Sean Manaea Starling Marte

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Mariners Notes: Woo, ALDS Roster, Raleigh

By Mark Polishuk | October 2, 2025 at 2:31pm CDT

No, Ichiro Suzuki isn’t coming out of retirement to be part of the Mariners’ playoff roster.  The Hall-of-Famer played six innings in the outfield during a split-squad tune-up game yesterday at T-Mobile Park, adding some extra fun to the proceedings as the M’s got ready for the start of their ALDS matchup with either the Tigers or the Guardians on Saturday.

The final calls on the 26-man playoff roster won’t be announced until a few hours before Saturday’s game, and as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times notes, some of the Mariners’ decisions will likely depend on whether they’re facing Detroit or Cleveland.  Perhaps the biggest roster question revolves about Bryan Woo’s status, but manager Dan Wilson said Woo is set to toss a bullpen session today.

“It seems like things are going according to plan,” Wilson told Divish and other reporters.  “He’ll get off the mound on Thursday, and so getting a chance to hear how he comes back from that on Friday and whatnot….We’ll just a continue to take it day by day and assess.  And I do believe that we’re in a good spot with that.”

The bullpen session will mark Woo’s first time throwing off a mound since September 19, when pectoral tightness forced him out of a start after five innings.  The injury wasn’t severe enough to merit a placement on the 15-day injured list, though naturally the M’s are being as cautious as possible with a pitcher who has been Seattle’s most reliable starter in 2025.

No announcement has been made about the Mariners’ playoff rotation, as Wilson said those decisions will wait until they team knows their opponent and has more input on Woo’s availability.  Assuming Woo is able to pitch, however, Divish doesn’t think the right-hander will work in either of Seattle’s first two games of the series.  Based on mound work during Wednesday’s warm-ups, George Kirby and Logan Gilbert (in some order) could be the favorites to start Game 1 and Game 2.

The Mariners have long envisioned the idea of these two homegrown arms headlining a playoff series, ever since Kirby was drafted 20th overall in 2019 and Gilbert was the 14th overall pick of the 2018 draft.  As MLB.com’s Jim Callis writes, team scout Rob Mummau played a big role in convincing the M’s to select Gilbert, whose stock had somewhat dropped after an ill-timed bout of mononucleosis during the spring before the draft.

The focus of Callis’ piece is on Mummau’s real find of the 2018 draft, as the scout’s glowing reports led the Mariners to take Cal Raleigh with their third-round pick (90th overall).  Raleigh wasn’t a complete diamond in the rough, as the M’s had to pay Raleigh $221.3K over the slot value of the 90th overall pick to convince Raleigh to leave Florida State after his junior year.  However, while Raleigh was coming off a big season at FSU, his draft stock had fallen due to an unimpressive sophomore year.

Mummau (who had some past ties to Raleigh’s family) knew that Raleigh had been dealing with a thumb injury that season.  As a result, Mummau’s grades on Raleigh’s offensive and defensive tools were notably higher than other scouts, who projected Raleigh as a part-time starting catcher at best.  It was enough for the Mariners to make the pick and the rest has become history, as Raleigh has exceeded all expectations to become a superstar on both sides of the ball.

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Notes Seattle Mariners Bryan Woo Cal Raleigh

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Blue Jays Notes: Bichette, Bassitt, France, Berrios

By Mark Polishuk | October 2, 2025 at 12:38pm CDT

Winning the AL East allowed the Blue Jays to bypass the wild card round, and get some needed time off before the ALDS begins on Saturday.  The longer break created some hope that Bo Bichette (who hasn’t played since September 6 due to a left PCL sprain) could get healthy enough to be part of Toronto’s first postseason roster, yet at the moment it looks like the shortstop won’t be ready.

Jays manager John Schneider told The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon and other reporters that Bichette has yet to start running as part of his recovery process.  Schneider and GM Ross Atkins were both, as Bannon put it, ” vague and cautiously optimistic” about Bichette’s availability, yet it is hard to imagine Bichette being included on the roster if he isn’t yet able to run.  Such a lack of mobility would naturally rule out a return to shortstop duty, and even a DH-only or pinch-hitting role seems like a long shot.  Despite the importance of Bichette’s bat to Toronto’s lineup, it hurts the Jays’ overall flexibility by devoting a roster spot to someone playing under what would seemingly be severe limitations.

Schneider said that a decision on Bichette’s status won’t be made until tomorrow, and the Blue Jays don’t have to officially announce their ALDS roster until Saturday morning.  Some gamesmanship could be at play here just to not tip the Jays’ hand about Bichette to the Red Sox and Yankees’ advance scouts, but for now, the question might be if Bichette will even be available for the ALCS should the Jays advance.

Bichette’s bounce-back season was a huge part of the Blue Jays’ run to the division crown.  After an injury-marred down year in 2024, Bichette rebounded to hit .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs over 628 plate appearances this year, with a 134 wRC+ that ranked 20th among all qualified hitters in baseball.  Getting Bichette back even in a bat-only capacity as a DH would be welcome news for the Jays, but all this uncertainty over one of their top players is a cloud hanging over the club’s postseason chances.

In a more positive injury update, Chris Bassitt is slated to pitch multiple innings during an intrasquad game today, which will be the final checkpoint towards the right-hander’s availability for the ALDS roster.  Bassitt last pitched on September 18, and was then (retroactively) placed on the 15-day injured list the next day due to lower back inflammation.  The timing has worked out well enough that the 15-day minimum will expire just prior to Game 1 of the ALDS, and Bassitt is expected to be part of Toronto’s pitching mix.

How the Jays’ pitching plans will shake out is anyone’s guess, beyond the expectation of Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber acting in traditional starting roles.  A healthy Bassitt might be viewed as a favorite for another rotation spot, and the Blue Jays are also weighing both ends of the experience spectrum in future Hall-of-Famer Max Scherzer and rookie Trey Yesavage.

One pitcher who won’t be involved in at least the ALDS roster is Jose Berrios, who went on the 15-day IL on September 25 due to inflammation in his throwing elbow.  Initial scans didn’t indicate any structural damage, and Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith writes that this diagnosis was supported once Berrios got a second opinion.  Since Berrios hasn’t started throwing, it is hard to project whether or not he could be available if the Blue Jays make it deeper into October.  The Jays had already made the decision to move the longtime starter into a bullpen role a couple of weeks ago, and Berrios likely would’ve continued to work as a reliever during the postseason.

Atkins also had an update on first baseman Ty France, who is “feeling better” and “progressing at a level that he could be a factor for us” in the aftermath of an IL placement due to oblique inflammation.  France last played on September 21 and is expected to try and face some live pitching soon, but it remains to be seen if this will come in time for France to be included on the ALDS roster.  Acquired from the Twins at the trade deadline, France has hit .277/.320/.372 over 103 PA in a Jays uniform, and his right-handed bat could be a counter to Boston and New York’s left-handed pitchers.

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Notes Toronto Blue Jays Bo Bichette Chris Bassitt Jose Berrios Ty France

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Diamondbacks Notes: Gallen, Kelly, Rotation, First Base

By Mark Polishuk | October 2, 2025 at 11:12am CDT

Zac Gallen is one of the more intriguing pitchers on the free agent market this winter, as interested clubs will have to balance the right-hander’s solid track record up against his shaky 2025 season.  Theoretically, the situation could present an opening for Gallen to accept a qualifying offer from the Diamondbacks, though John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7FM Radio (multiple links) feels “there is no chance he accepts it.”

This winter’s qualifying offer is estimated to be worth roughly $22MM.  While a nice one-year payday, Gallen is undoubtedly looking for much more in a longer-term commitment as he tests the market for the first time.  Even if his struggles this year inevitably lower his asking price, baseball’s ever-present need for pitching means that Gallen should be able to land some kind of acceptable multi-year pact.

Scott Boras (Gallen’s agent) has a long history of finding such deals for his clients, though Boras has also explored relatively shorter-term contracts with opt-out clauses for players who are entering free agency on the heels of so-so platform years.  It isn’t hard to imagine Gallen signing such a deal, and then if he returns to form in 2026, enacting an opt-out clause to immediately return to free agency.  Obviously there’s some risk in betting on himself in such a fashion, plus next year’s market has the added uncertainty of labor unrest and a potential lockout as the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires.

Gallen posted a 4.83 ERA, 21.5% strikeout rate, and 8.1% walk rate over 192 innings in 2025, with the ERA and K% both standing out as career worsts.  Pretty much all of Gallen’s Statcast numbers were below the league average, and he was continually plagued by the home run ball — Gallen’s 31 homers allowed were the third-most of any pitcher in baseball.  The inflated number is related in part to the number of innings Gallen tossed, though his barrel rate and hard-hit ball rates didn’t surpass the 26th percentile of all pitchers.

The good news for Gallen is that he seemed to get on track over the season’s final two months.  After posting a 5.60 ERA over his first 127 innings, he improved to a 3.32 ERA over his last 65 frames and 11 starts.  Gallen’s turn-around came directly after the trade deadline, and had he started pitching better a little earlier, it is quite possible he already would’ve been gone from Arizona considering the Diamondbacks’ other deadline sells.

Ken Kendrick is a known fan of Gallen, and the D’Backs owner stated earlier this week that it isn’t “out of the realm of reality” that the righty could be re-signed.  Within that same interview, however, Kendrick said that “we will not be spending at the same level” as in 2025, though the Diamondbacks still plan to have a competitive payroll and are intent on winning next year.

Whether this adds up to a salary number that can work for both the D’Backs and Gallen’s camp remains to be seen.  If Gallen did reject the qualifying offer and sign elsewhere, Arizona would receive a compensatory draft pick just after the first round of the 2026 draft.  Landing an extra pick in the 31-36 overall range would be a decent consolation prize if Gallen did depart, especially if the Diamondbacks could add starting pitching elsewhere at a lower price.

For instance, a reunion with Merrill Kelly has been speculated on basically ever since Kelly was traded to the Rangers at the deadline.  Kelly was open about his desire to stay in Arizona both before and after the trade, and Kelly would be available at a lower price than Gallen given their ages (Kelly turns 37 in a couple of weeks, and Gallen turned 30 last month).  Gambadoro feels the Diamondbacks will pursue one of Gallen or Kelly but not both, leaving one rotation spot open for a younger pitcher until Corbin Burnes is ready to return from Tommy John surgery.

Between Arizona’s pitching needs and the team’s desire to lower payroll, some other areas of the roster might receive less focus.  For instance, Gambadoro thinks the D’Backs will probably stand pat at first base, with Pavin Smith getting the bulk of at-bats and Tim Tawa or Tyler Locklear facing as the right-handed hitting side of the platoon.  Bringing in a veteran bat for the first base/DH mix would also seem logical, even if such an acquisition isn’t likely to be as high profile as last offseason’s trade for Josh Naylor.

Smith appeared in only eight games after July 5, as an oblique strain and then a quad strain cost him essentially all of the back half of the season.  Smith hit .258/.362/.434 with eight home runs over 288 plate appearances in 2025, facing right-handers in all but 24 of those trips to the dish.  The result was a very solid 123 wRC+ for the season, yet almost all of Smith’s production came during a scorching-hot April, and his strikeout rate ballooned upwards to an ungainly 31.9%.  Getting more out of Tawa or Locklear would go a long way towards solidifying the Diamondbacks’ first base platoon, but the unproven duo has only 390 combined Major League PA between them.

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The Opener: Wild Cards, Rockies, Managerial Vacancies

By Nick Deeds | October 2, 2025 at 8:24am CDT

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Wild Card Series continues:

The Dodgers bested the Reds 8-4 yesterday to complete a two-game sweep of Cincinnati and advance to the NLDS against the Phillies. The other three Wild Card matchups all saw the team facing elimination force a Game 3, leaving us with plenty of baseball to enjoy today. Things will kick off in Cleveland, at 3:08pm local time, when Jack Flaherty and the Tigers face off against Slade Cecconi and the Guardians to decide who will represent the AL Central against the Mariners in the ALDS.

In Chicago, at 4:08pm local time, the Cubs take the field at Wrigley behind Jameson Taillon as they try to advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2017 against the Padres and former Cub Yu Darvish. Finally, the Wild Card series will wrap in the Bronx, at 8:08pm local time, when the Red Sox and Yankees conclude the latest chapter in their storied archrivalry. That game will feature two rookies, with Connelly Early taking the ball for Boston in light of Lucas Giolito’s recent injury. The Yankees will turn to right-hander Cam Schlittler.

2. Rockies searching for new leadership:

Bill Schmidt is out as Rockies GM after this year’s brutal 119-loss season. He was promoted from within the organization to take over for Jeff Bridich in May of 2021, who himself was promoted to the top job from within in organization back in 2014. For a franchise that has dealt with a lot of struggles and failure over the years, this stands out as a rare opportunity for the club to bring in an outside voice and see what that sort of breath of fresh air could do to rejuvenate the organization. Perhaps that could come in the form of someone with ties to the organization like Thad Levine, who is already rumored to be in the mix for the job. Of course, it’s at least possible that owner Dick Monfort could break with his past tendencies and look for a less familiar partner to help lead the Rockies back to the postseason for the first time since 2018.

3. Managerial vacancies continue to grow:

While the Rockies likely won’t have clarity on their managerial situation until they bring in Schmidt’s replacement, there’s still plenty of intrigue surrounding the various managerial vacancies that have been created around the game in the past few days. Yesterday, Atlanta joined the pile of teams searching for a new voice in the dugout after Brian Snitker opted to retire from the dugout, though he’ll remain in the organization for a landmark 50th season in an advisory role. The Braves have a talented core and could very feasibly be back in the playoffs as soon as next year, so they’ll be one of the more attractive managerial vacancies available for candidates to pursue.

Elsewhere, the rumor mill is buzzing over the possibility that Hall of Famer Albert Pujols could take a turn as manager. He’s a strong candidate to take over for Ron Washington and Ray Montgomery in Anaheim with the Angels. The Rangers, Giants, Twins, Nationals and Orioles are each in the market for a new manager as well, and there’s always the possibility that a playoff club will look to make a change following an earlier-than-hoped-for exit from the postseason field.

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The Opener

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    The Opener: Wild Cards, Rockies, Managerial Vacancies

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