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Yankees Sign Geoff Hartlieb To Minor League Deal

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The Yankees and right-hander Geoff Hartlieb are in agreement on a minor league deal, as noted in the transactions tracker on Hartlieb’s MLB.com profile page. The deal presumably includes an invite to big league Spring Training next year.

Hartlieb, 31 in December, got his start in pro ball as a 29th-round pick by the Pirates in the 2016 draft. The righty made a fairly speedy ascent up the minor league ladder in order to debut with the Pirates during the 2019 season. The then-25-year-old Hartlieb struggled badly in his first taste of big league action as he surrendered a 9.00 ERA in 35 innings of work during his rookie year, thanks primarily to a 10.5% walk rate and a whopping eight home runs surrendered during that time. Things seemed to turn around for the right-hander during the shortened 2020 campaign as he settled in at the big league level and posted a solid 3.63 ERA in 22 1/3 innings of work, but a look under the hood revealed that Hartlieb walked as many hitters (19) as he struck out that year.

In the years since then, Hartlieb hasn’t gotten very much playing time at the big league level. He’s appeared in the majors during the 2021, ’23, and ’24 seasons but has combined for a total of just 22 innings during that time, posting an 8.59 ERA with a 17.3% strikeout rate against a 16.4% walk rate across stints with the Pirates, Mets, Marlins, and Rockies. Colorado was his most recent stop, and he surrendered ten runs (nine earned) while striking out seven and walking four in nine innings of work for the club this year before being outrighted off the club’s roster back in June.

Despite his lackluster results in the majors, the right-hander has looked solid enough at Triple-A throughout his career with a 4.30 ERA and a 24.8% strikeout rate across 226 career innings at the level. His control leaves something to be desired even at that level, however, as he’s surrendered free passes to 10% of his Triple-A opponents over the years. For a Yankees club that’s currently playing in the World Series, the addition of Hartlieb is far from an obvious needle-mover. With that being said, however, the club’s bullpen has generated generally impressive results by utilizing players like Luke Weaver, Tim Hill, and Ian Hamilton who hadn’t been able to find consistent success at the big league level prior to joining the club.

Given the club’s solid track record of turning the castoffs of other organizations into quality big league contributors in recent years, it’s easy to see why the Yankees might think they could turn Hartlieb and his 97.3 mph heater into a legitimate big league weapon. Unearthing another hidden gem for the bullpen this winter could be extremely helpful for the club given the impending free agencies of Hill, Tommy Kahnle, and Clay Holmes. Each of those arms have been a major part of the club’s success this year, with Holmes in particular serving as the club’s closer in the early part of the season before being replaced in the role by Weaver down the stretch.

Doug Bird Passes Away

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11-year MLB veteran Doug Bird passed away late last month, according to an obituary from a North Carolina funeral home. The former Royals, Phillies, Yankees, Cubs, and Red Sox right-hander was 74 years old.

A California native in his early years, Bird was drafted by the Royals in the summer of 1969. He spent the next few years as a starter in the minor leagues before making his big league debut with Kansas City on April 29, 1973 as a reliever. His rookie season out of the bullpen was a strong one, as he pitched to an excellent 2.99 ERA in 102 1/3 innings of work. It was more of the same over the next two years, as Bird would go on to post a 3.01 ERA in 197 2/3 frames from 1974-75.

That strong resume in relief earned Bird a move into the rotation for the Royals’ 1976 season, though he still made 12 appearances out of the bullpen on top of his 27 starts that year. Bird was a solid back-of-the-rotation arm for the Royals that year, posting a 3.37 ERA that clocked in just above league average across his 197 2/3 innings of work. 1976 also saw Bird pitch in the first of three consecutive ALCS match-ups between the Royals and Yankees. He earned the win in Game 4 of the ’76 ALCS with 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball in relief of southpaw Larry Gura.

In 1977 and beyond, Bird moved back into a relief role. That change suited him just fine, as he told Norman L. Macht in a 2003 interview about his career that he preferred working out of the bullpen because starting pitchers were stuck “sitting around for four days doing nothing.” He took a bit of a step back in terms of productivity over his final two seasons with the Royals, as he surrendered a 4.52 ERA in 217 innings spread across 11 starts and 82 relief appearances before being traded to the Phillies in April of 1979. Bird’s stint with the Phillies was short-lived, however, as he struggled through one season with the club before being released by the club.

That led Bird to sign on with the Yankees, and he enjoyed something of a career renaissance with the club in the early 1980’s. While he donned pinstripes for just parts of two seasons, he was nothing short of excellent out of the Bronx bullpen during that time with a 2.68 ERA in 104 dominant innings of work. He was traded to Chicago partway through the 1981 season, however, and found himself moved back into a rotation role with the Cubs. The experiment went pretty well down the stretch that year, as Bird posted an above-average 3.58 ERA in 75 1/3 innings of work across 12 starts, but the 1982 season left much to be desired as he surrendered a 5.14 ERA in 191 innings before being traded to the Red Sox for the final season of his career. He pitched 67 2/3 frames for Boston before retiring that September at the age of 33.

Across his 11 seasons in the major leagues, the right-hander went 73-60 with a 3.99 ERA in 1213 2/3 innings of work. Those of us at MLBTR extend our condolences to Bird’s family, friends, and loved ones.

Braves Sign Zach Thompson To Minor League Deal

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The Braves signed right-hander Zach Thompson to a minor league deal earlier this week, according to the the transactions tracker on his MLB.com profile page. Thompson went on to confirm the signing on his personal Instagram account yesterday. Thompson, who celebrated his 31st birthday earlier this week, did not sign with a club in 2024 after undergoing surgery last October to repair a partially torn flexor tendon.

A fifth-round pick by the White Sox in the 2014 draft, Thompson made his big league debut as a member of the Marlins back in 2021. It was an impressive rookie campaign for the right-hander, as proved to be a pivotal swing man for Miami during his lone campaign with the club. He started 14 of the 26 games he appeared in and generally looked good over 75 innings of work with a 3.24 ERA and 3.69 FIP. He struck out 21% of opponents while walking 8.9%. That first season in the majors was attractive enough to the Pirates that Thompson was shipped to Pittsburgh as part of the trade that sent Jacob Stallings to the Marlins during the 2021-22 offseason.

Unfortunately, Thompson’s 2022 campaign in Pittsburgh did not go nearly as well as his rookie year with the Marlins did. The right-hander pitched 122 1/3 innings of work for the Pirates that year across 29 appearances (22 starts), but saw his results take a nosedive as he surrendered a 5.18 ERA with a 4.87 FIP. While Thompson’s walk rate held largely steady at 8.5%, his strikeout rate dipped to just 16.6% and his home run rate nearly doubled, taking him from a well-above average swing option to someone the Pirates were comfortable designating for assignment in January of 2023.

Thompson was dealt to the Blue Jays in a minor trade shortly thereafter but did not make the club’s roster out of camp and was ultimately DFA’d by Toronto in June. He spent virtually the entire 2023 season as a start at the Triple-A level for the Jays, and posted a fairly lackluster 4.61 ERA in 105 1/3 innings of work across 24 starts while striking out just 17.4% of his opponents before going under the knife in October and electing free agency shortly thereafter.

Now that Thompson appears to be recovered from his surgery last year, he’ll look tor re-establish himself as a credible big league option with the Braves. Atlanta has done well helping other arms who have struggled elsewhere find success with their club, including 2024 bullpen pieces Grant Holmes and Jesse Chavez. With Chavez and lefty A.J. Minter both ticketed for free agency, it’s possible that Thompson could earn a bullpen job out of camp this spring if the Braves prioritize other areas of the roster like the rotation, where the club figures to watch both Max Fried and Charlie Morton depart from this year’s staff.

AL Central Notes: Warren, White Sox, Manfred, Caglianone

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The Tigers had interest in right-hander Will Warren during their trade talks with the Yankees this past summer, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports.  The two clubs reportedly had a provisional agreement involving Jack Flaherty relatively close to being completed before New York backed out due to concerns over Flaherty’s medical records, though it should be noted that Heyman didn’t directly say that Warren was part of whatever trade package the Yankees were prepared to send to Detroit.  Flaherty instead was dealt to the Dodgers for two position players, one of whom (Trey Sweeney) ended up playing an important role in the Tigers’ surprising late-season surge to a wild card berth.

Ironically, Warren ended up making his MLB debut on the trade deadline day of July 30, and he posted a 10.32 ERA over his first 22 2/3 innings in the big leagues.  He also had a 5.91 ERA over 109 2/3 innings at Triple-A, though his minor league numbers were a little skewed by a nightmarish four-start stretch in May.  Scouts and evaluators generally view Warren as a back-end starter or perhaps a long reliever at the MLB level, and while the Yankees naturally want to keep pitching depth on hand, Warren could be a relatively expendable prospect in terms of future trade possibilities (with Detroit or any other teams).

More from around the AL Central…

  • Jerry Reinsdorf’s apparent willingness to discuss selling the White Sox has led to increased speculation that the team could be moved to a new city, though MLB commissioner Rob Manfred downplayed that idea in a recent appearance on FS1’s “Breakfast Ball” show.  (Hat tip to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times.)  “Chicago is an anchor city for us.  I think that the White Sox are in a difficult situation. I think the location of the stadium is tough, but I have confidence that things are going to work out in Chicago and that we’re going to continue to have two teams in Chicago,” Manfred said.  This allusion to Reinsdorf’s desire to get a new ballpark built is another factor in the situation, and Van Schouwen hears that Reinsdorf “has grown increasingly skeptical” about the chances of civic and state officials signing off on a deal to built a new stadium for the White Sox within Chicago’s South Loop area.  Of course, some gamesmanship could be at play here, Reinsdorf’s past threats to move the Sox to St. Petersburg in the late 1980’s helped get Guaranteed Rate Field built in the first place.
  • Jac Caglianone’s power bat as a first baseman at the University of Florida helped make him the sixth overall pick of the 2024 draft, but the Royals prospect hasn’t given up on the idea of being a two-way player.  “I’m the type of person where I get super driven and I get fixated on things,” Caglianone told The Athletic’s Noah Furtado.  “So if I have the opportunity to do it, I’m going to jump on it.  I won’t really accept failure.  I’ll keep pushing at it until it clicks.”  A Tommy John surgery in 2021 got Caglianone more focused on hitting and perhaps directed him towards Florida instead of entering the 2021 draft as a high schooler, and while Caglianone still showed premium velocity as a college pitcher, control is the big concern.  The Royals have thus far used him only as a first baseman and DH during his brief pro career (in high-A ball and in the Arizona Fall League), but the club hasn’t entirely closed the door on Caglianone as a pitcher.  As K.C. director of player development Mitch Maier put it, Caglianone’s potential is “a rare opportunity that has to be thought through.”

Trade Candidate: Josh Naylor

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Since Josh Naylor didn’t sign an extension with the Guardians during his pre-arbitration years, it has always seemed like there has been a ticking clock on the first baseman’s time in the Cleve.  With the exceptions of Jose Ramirez and Carlos Carrasco agreeing to below-market extensions to stay with the franchise, a look at Cleveland’s extension history over the last 17 years (hat tip to MLBTR’s Contract Tracker) reveals the simple truth that the Guards virtually never sign players to long-term extensions for significant salaries once they get within a year or two of free agency.

Naylor is now entering his final season of team control, and is projected by MLBTR’s Matt Swartz to land a $12MM salary in his last trip through the arbitration process.  It’s a nice raise from his $6.5MM salary in 2024, and since arbitration calculations tend to heavily weigh traditional counting stats, Naylor will handsomely cash in from posting a career-best 31 homers and 108 RBI.

A peek at the more advanced metrics is a little more troublesome, as Naylor’s 118 wRC+ (from a .243/.320/.456 slash line in 633 plate appearances) was solid but not quite elite, and a drop from his 127 wRC+ in 2023.  That prior season saw Naylor enjoy a .326 BABIP, while the batted-ball luck turned on him this season to the tune of a .246 BABIP.  Most of Naylor’s production also came in the first three months of the season, and it could be that the career-high 633 PA led to Naylor wearing down as the year progressed.  On the plus side, Naylor remained above-average in most Statcast categories, and he was a far more patient hitter than in years past, with a 9.2% walk rate that is also a career best.

All this being said, even “only” a repeat of his 2024 season should put Naylor (who turns 28 in June) in line for a lucrative free agent deal when he reaches the open market next winter.  It also very likely puts him out of Cleveland’s price range over the long term, and quite possibly even for the 2025 campaign.

The Guards had some increased attendance at Progressive Field during the regular season and they got a nice revenue boost from hosting six playoff games, yet the organization will also experience some level of dropoff in their broadcasting dollars.  MLB itself will now be handling the local distribution of Guardians games after the Diamond Sports Group backed out of its original contracts with the Guards and 10 other teams, which means that the Guardians will receive some but not all of the broadcast revenue they would’ve received under the terms of their previous deal.

In a world where the Guardians were still getting all of that TV money, odds are Naylor would still have been traded, just because that’s how the Guards have traditionally done business.  And of course, it isn’t an absolute guarantee that the first baseman will be on the move this offseason.  President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti might not find an offer to his liking, or ownership could approve a slightly higher payroll to make another run with what looks like a winning core.  Naylor could then be shopped at the deadline if the Guardians aren’t in contention, or kept through his last remaining season of team control and then very likely let go in free agency.  That latter scenario would at least put Cleveland in position to land a draft pick as compensation if Naylor rejected a qualifying offer and signed elsewhere.

Selling high on Naylor this winter might land more than just a draft pick, however.  Naylor’s name has already surfaced in past trade rumors, as the Cubs, Mariners, and Pirates all reportedly had talks with the Guardians about Naylor last winter.  Chicago’s subsequent acquisition of Michael Busch probably takes them out of the running, yet Seattle and Pittsburgh are both still targeting first base help, and offensive help in general.

While neither the M’s or Pirates are expected to be big spenders in free agency anyway, Naylor stands out as a major backup plan for any team that misses out on Pete Alonso or Christian Walker — the two biggest first basemen on the free agent market.  For one year and around $12MM, Naylor isn’t a huge splurge even for smaller-market clubs, or clubs like the Guardians who are facing broadcasting concerns.  Broadly looking at teams who have a clear or potential need at first base or DH, any of the Mets, Diamondbacks, Yankees, Astros, Brewers, Blue Jays, Reds, Nationals, Rays, Giants, or Padres (Naylor’s former team) could join the Pirates and Mariners as potential suitors.  The Tigers or Royals could also technically fit on this list but Cleveland is less likely to move Naylor to a division rival.

Since the Guardians have a lot of uncertainty in their starting rotation next year, teams that have pitching to offer might have a leg up in trade talks.  The Guards’ usual tactic of pursuing at least one prospect and at least one immediate MLB-ready player in trades could be limited by the fact that Naylor is only controlled for one season, since Naylor doesn’t have the ceiling that, say, Francisco Lindor did when Cleveland dealt the star shortstop to the Mets during the 2020-21 offseason.

There’s also the matter of how the Guardians will replace Naylor in their lineup.  Cleveland’s acquisition of prospect Kyle Manzardo from the Rays in 2023 was seen as a potential lead-in for Naylor’s departure, and Manzardo hit .234/.282/.421 (for a 98 wRC+) over his first 156 Major League PA this season.  The Guards might be confident enough in a combination of Manzardo, Jhonkensy Noel, and super-utilityman David Fry to take over first base in the event that Naylor is traded, or a lower-cost veteran could be acquired to provide more depth.  It can easily be argued that a Guardians team even with Naylor back is still in need of more offense, so trading Naylor could put Cleveland in need of finding an even bigger bat for the outfield.

The trade-and-replace routine has become familiar over the years in Cleveland, and the fanbase might grit their teeth at the idea of dealing away another prominent player for payroll-related reasons.  Moving Naylor in particular has a unique layer of potential awkwardness since his brother Bo will presumably remain on Cleveland’s roster, thus breaking up the fun idea of a family connection at the heart of the lineup.

Still, the Guardians’ tactic of trading players rather than just letting them walk in free agency has allowed the club to continually reload both the farm system and the active roster.  Antonetti doesn’t have a spotless track record with his deals, yet Antonetti’s high batting average on the trade market has helped the Guards post winning records in 10 of the last 12 seasons, with seven postseason trips in that span.  Finding the right match on a Naylor trade this winter might result in Cleveland getting back to the playoffs next fall.

2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series

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MLB Trade Rumors’ annual Offseason Outlook series is back, as we break down what all 30 teams could have in store for their roster machinations this winter.  Going forward, the Outlook series is exclusive to Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, and that link provides details on how to sign up for an annual membership.

This post acts as the landing page for all 30 entries, as the series is now complete.

AL West

AL Central

AL East

NL West

NL Central

NL East

AL East Notes: Berti, Leonsis, Orioles, Holliday, Rays

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Jon Berti was the lone member of the Yankees’ ALCS roster that wasn’t included on the club’s roster for the World Series, though beyond tactics, health was the key factor in Berti’s absence.  Manager Aaron Boone told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch and other media that Berti suffered a flexor strain in his right hip while running the bases in Game 4 of the ALCS.  Berti entered that game in the top of the ninth as a pinch-runner for Anthony Rizzo, came around to score what ended up as the game’s winning run, and then played second base in the bottom half of the frame.

“Unfortunately, time ran out for [Berti] to be ready,” Boone said.  “So that’s a blow for us.  I feel for him because he was playing a really important role for us, especially in those first two rounds.”

With Rizzo sidelined by two broken fingers until the ALCS, Berti found himself in the unlikely role of New York’s starting first baseman for two ALDS games against the Royals, and again for Game 3 of the ALCS (with Rizzo on the bench against Guardians left-hander Matthew Boyd).  Though Berti has carved out a niche as a super-utility player over his seven Major League seasons, he had never before played first base during his entire pro career before taking on the cold corner for this year’s playoffs.  Berti can only watch from the sidelines as his teammates will try to dig themselves out of an 0-1 hole in the Series after yesterday’s heartbreaking walkoff loss.

More from around the AL East…

  • Ted Leonsis looked into buying the Orioles when the Angelos family put the team up for sale, the Washington Post’s Rick Maese write as part of a long profile of the billionaire.  Already the owner of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and NBA’s Washington Wizards, Leonsis was heavily considered as the prime contender to buy the Nationals when the Lerner family announced they were looking into selling the team in April 2022, though the family reversed course last February and said the Nats were no longer for sale.  Leonsis reiterated earlier this year and within Maese’s piece that he remains interested in the Nationals if the Lerners do decide to sell, though it also makes sense that he would’ve at least checked into the Orioles once they came on the market.
  • Jackson Holliday had some success after adopting a toe tap into his swing late in the 2024 season, and the Orioles shortstop told Jacob Calvin Meyer of the Baltimore Sun that he’ll now look to continue using this adapted approach next season.  Though Holliday had used the toe-top technique on occasion during his high school days, he gave it another shot while “just messing around in the cage, trying to imitate [Shohei] Ohtani,” but Holliday then felt quite comfortable with his swing.  Holliday hit only .189/.255/.311 over his first 208 plate appearances in the big leagues, striking out 69 times as pitchers took advantage of the big leg kick Holliday used in his old swing.  Obviously it’s too soon to tell if this adjustment might truly unlock something for Holliday, but as he heads into his sophomore season, the sky is still the limit for the first overall pick of the 2022 draft.
  • MLBPA head Tony Clark told reporters (including The Athletic’s Evan Drellich and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale) that he and the union haven’t yet heard from the league about any plans for the Rays’ playing future, as Tropicana Field was heavily damaged by Hurricane Milton.  Assessment of that damage is still taking place, but since the Rays will surely have to spend at least the start of the 2025 season in a new home ballpark, plenty of options have already been floated as interim locales.  As Clark noted, the players’ union “do not have a hand in the facility.  We don’t have a hand in the move.  We have a hand in what’s called effects bargaining: How are players affected by the league’s decision?  At the end of the day, if the decision puts players in harm’s way, it depends on what harm’s way means.”  This would mean making sure everything involved in a new ballpark is up to Major League standards, as several minor league stadiums and Spring Training facilities are under consideration for the Rays.

Offseason Outlook: Pittsburgh Pirates

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The Pirates were 54-52 on August 3 before a ten-game losing streak tanked their hopes of contention, and the Bucs ultimately finished with the same 76-86 record as they had in 2023.  Amidst some larger questions about how well the rebuild is progressing, there will be a clear focus on upgrading the lineup this winter.

Guaranteed Contracts

  • Bryan Reynolds, OF: $88MM through 2030 (includes $2M buyout of $20MM club option for 2031)
  • Mitch Keller, SP: $69.5MM through 2028
  • Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B: $43MM through 2029 (includes $6MM buyout of $12MM club option for 2030)
  • Isiah Kiner-Falefa, IF: $7.5MM through 2025 (Blue Jays covering roughly $1.22MM as per the terms of their July 2024 trade)

2025 financial commitments: $41.5MM
Total future commitments: $208MM

Option Decisions

Arbitration-Eligible Players (projections from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Free Agents

Paul Skenes lived up to the hype, wowing the baseball world with a 1.99 ERA over 133 innings and looking all the world like a franchise player.  Though he was somewhat overshadowed by Skenes and spent almost eight weeks on the injured list due to a lat strain, Jared Jones also had an impressive rookie season.  Behind these two star rookies, Mitch Keller was his usual solid self, Bailey Falter pitched well in his first full season as a Pirate, and Luis Ortiz had a lot of success after moving from the bullpen back into the rotation at midseason.

Since Marco Gonzales' club option won't be exercised, this group stands as the Pirates' provisional starting five heading into Spring Training.  However, Johan Oviedo will also be healthy after missing all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery.  Down on the farm, top-100 prospects Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington, and Braxton Ashcraft are all knocking on the door for their MLB debuts, and other pitching prospects like Mike Burrows (who did toss his first 3 1/3 big league innings in 2024), Hunter Barco, and Anthony Solometo aren't far behind.

In short, Pittsburgh might soon become Pitch-burgh, with all of these young, controllable, and (except for Keller) inexpensive arms either in the majors or coming up the pipeline.  Developing this much promising starting pitching is no small thing, and with Skenes leading the way, general manager Ben Cherington can certainly point to the Pirates' rotation as the key to the team's rebuilding efforts.

However, this rebuild has now resulted in six straight losing seasons, with the last five coming under Cherington's watch.  While nobody expected Rome to be built in a day, the last two years have shown just enough promise to leave Pittsburgh fans disappointed when things fizzled out, and left wondering when exactly the Bucs will be turning the corner towards real contention.

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How The Dodgers Built Their World Series Roster

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As the World Series gets underway, we’ll take a look at how both teams’ rosters were constructed. In a battle of big-market behemoths, much of the heavy lifting was accomplished via free agency. The Yankees and Dodgers have each done a lot in trade and graduated some key homegrown contributors to complement their splashes on the open market.

A player drafted or acquired in trade who subsequently hit free agency and re-signed will be classified as a free agent acquisition. The player’s history with the organization is a key part of why they returned, of course, but the most recent transaction was nevertheless to sign them to a free agent deal.

After looking at the Yankees earlier this evening, we turn to the Dodgers in their quest for a second title in five years.

Trade (9)

The Yankees had massive trades for Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton. The Betts blockbuster may have been even more impactful. Los Angeles also landed Graterol from the Twins in that three-team deal. They dealt Kenta Maeda to Minnesota while sending Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong and Jeter Downs to Boston and taking on a chunk of the underwater David Price contract. L.A. immediately signed Betts to a $365MM extension. He has a trio of top five MVP finishes since donning Dodger blue. It’s one of the most impactful trades in MLB history.

Nothing quite matches up to the Betts deal, but L.A.’s World Series team is benefitting from a couple more big deadline trades. Game 1 starter Flaherty came over from the Tigers in a trade sending rookie infielder Trey Sweeney and catching prospect Thayron Liranzo to Detroit. That transaction, which dropped just minutes before the deadline, reportedly came within hours of the Yankees pulling out of a potential Flaherty trade because of concerns about his back.

For as well as Flaherty pitched down the stretch, the Dodgers’ bigger July move was another three-team trade. Los Angeles landed eventual NLCS MVP Edman from the Cardinals and future closer Kopech from the White Sox in a deal that cost them young infielder Miguel Vargas and prospects Alexander Albertus and Jeral Perez. Edman was recovering from wrist surgery and had yet to make his season debut at the time, while Kopech was sitting on a 4.74 ERA despite huge swing-and-miss numbers.

The oldest trade on this list happened a decade ago. The Dodgers and Marlins lined up on a seven-player deal that continues to have ripple effects. Los Angeles sent Dee Strange-Gordon, Miguel Rojas and Dan Haren to Miami for four players: Enrique Hernández, Andrew Heaney (immediately flipped to the Angels for Howie Kendrick), Chris Hatcher and Barnes. They’ve kept Barnes as a backup catcher ever since. Los Angeles would bring Rojas back nine years after moving him. The Dodgers acquired the veteran infielder in a one-for-one swap that sent infield prospect Jacob Amaya to the Fish. Amaya played four games for Miami before they waived him.

Los Angeles continues to benefit from another minor trade with the Marlins. In 2021, the Dodgers sent middle reliever Dylan Floro to Miami for Vesia and Kyle Hurt. Vesia has a 2.57 ERA over four seasons in Los Angeles. He is Dave Roberts’ top lefty bullpen arm. Vesia is backed up by Banda, a well-regarded prospect turned journeyman. The Dodgers acquired him in a cash trade with the Guardians in May.

MLB Free Agency (8)

Most of L.A.’s biggest free agent pickups came last winter. The Ohtani signing will go down as one of the biggest transactions in MLB history. The deferral-laden structure made it one of the most controversial sports contracts ever. After accounting for the deferred money, MLB values the $700MM as an approximate $461MM deal for luxury tax purposes. By any measure, it’s still the largest deal of all time — a record it’ll hold until Juan Soto signs this offseason. Ohtani became the first player in league history to go 50-50 and is going to win the NL MVP in year one.

Within weeks of landing Ohtani, the Dodgers signed Yamamoto to the biggest pitching contract ever. The 25-year-old righty signed for 12 years and $325MM before throwing his first pitch in MLB. A rotator cuff injury cost him a chunk of his first big league season, but he turned in an even 3.00 earned run average through 18 starts. Teoscar Hernández inked a one-year, $23.5MM pillow contract that was also deferred. The two-time All-Star was coming off a down year with the Mariners but rebounded with a 33-homer showing reminiscent of his best days with the Blue Jays.

Freeman was a big-ticket signee coming out of the lockout in 2022. He inked a six-year, $162MM deal (deferrals knocked the NPV closer to $140MM). The former MVP has picked up where he left off in Atlanta. He’s a .314/.399/.520 hitter in more than 2000 plate appearances across three seasons with Los Angeles.

Taylor, Brasier, Enrique Hernández and Treinen have all re-signed with the Dodgers in recent years. Los Angeles acquired Taylor from the Mariners in 2016 for righty Zach Lee. Taylor developed into a key super utility piece whom the Dodgers eventually re-signed for $60MM.

Treinen has signed successive short-term contracts and continues to pitch well at the back of Roberts’ bullpen when healthy. Enrique Hernández is a clubhouse favorite who has tended to elevate his game in October. The Dodgers reacquired him from the Red Sox at the 2023 deadline and brought him back on a $4MM free agent pact last winter. Los Angeles signed Brasier to a minor league deal midway through the 2023 season after he was released by the Red Sox. He dominated in Southern California and returned on a two-year, $9MM contract.

First-Year Player Draft (5)

Buehler, Lux and Smith are former first-round picks. Buehler fell to 24th overall coming out of Vanderbilt in 2015 because of concerns about his arm health. He underwent Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted but developed into an ace before going under the knife again in 2022. He has been a shell of his former self this year. The Dodgers grabbed both Lux and Smith the following year. L.A. took Lux 20th overall out of a Wisconsin high school before grabbing Smith, a Louisville product, 12 picks later.

He has three career MLB appearances. Knack was a senior sign out of East Tennessee State in 2020. He started 12 of 15 appearances with solid results, but he’s working in low-leverage relief in October. Casparius, a UCONN product, went in the fifth round in 2021.

Minor League Contracts (2)

Muncy was an excellent find. A career .195/.290/.321 hitter when he was waived by the A’s, he signed a minor league deal in April 2018. He has four 35-homer seasons and three years with appearances on MVP ballots in the seven years since then. Muncy has signed successive extensions and has a .230/.356/.487 line in nearly 3000 plate appearances in a Dodger uniform.

Hudson re-signed with L.A. on a minor league deal last offseason. There seemed to be a handshake agreement that the Dodgers would carry him on the Opening Day roster. Hudson was coming off consecutive seasons wrecked by knee injuries but stayed healthy and tossed 65 innings of 3.00 ERA ball this year.

International Amateur Signing (1)

The Dodgers signed Pages for $300K out of Cuba in 2018. The outfielder has improved his stock to become one of the organization’s top prospects. He debuted this season and hit .248/.305/.407 with 15 homers.

Waivers (1)

Los Angeles claimed Honeywell off waivers from the Pirates in June. They waived him themselves but called him back up at the end of August.

How The Yankees Constructed Their World Series Roster

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As the World Series gets underway, we’ll take a look at how both teams’ rosters were constructed. In a battle of big-market behemoths, much of the heavy lifting was accomplished via free agency. The Yankees and Dodgers have each done a lot in trade and graduated some key homegrown contributors to complement their splashes on the open market.

A player drafted or acquired in trade who subsequently hit free agency and re-signed will be classified as a free agent acquisition. The player’s history with the organization is a key part of why they returned, of course, but the most recent transaction was nevertheless to sign them to a free agent deal. There are three such players for the Yankees, headlined by the expected AL MVP.

Let’s begin with a breakdown of how the Yankees built their first pennant winner since 2009.

Trade (11)

Nearly half the Yankees’ World Series roster was built via trade. There was none bigger than last winter’s blockbuster bringing Soto and Grisham to the Bronx. Soto is in line for another top five MVP finish after hitting .288/.419/.569 with a career-best 41 homers during his first season with the Yanks. Grisham hasn’t produced much in a fourth outfield role. The Padres aren’t kicking themselves either. San Diego got ace-caliber production from Michael King, while Kyle Higashioka took over starting catching duties down the stretch. Prospect Drew Thorpe, the secondary piece of the Soto return, was subsequently flipped to the White Sox as the headliner of the Dylan Cease package.

The Stanton trade isn’t far behind the Soto deal as a headline transaction. New York acquired the slugger coming off a 59-homer season in which he’d won the NL MVP award for the Marlins. It was largely a salary dump for Miami, which offloaded Stanton just three seasons into a 13-year, $325MM extension. New York sent back Starlin Castro and prospects Jorge Guzmán and José Devers, both of whom barely played at the MLB level. Stanton’s tenure in the Bronx has been often maligned, but he has three 30-homer seasons as a Yankee and is on a heater for the ages this fall.

New York landed Verdugo in a rare trade of significance with the Red Sox. While Verdugo has been the Yankees’ everyday left fielder, Boston will probably come away with more long-term value. The Sox landed middle reliever Greg Weissert and prospect Richard Fitts in a three-player return.

Chisholm and Leiter were deadline acquisitions this summer. New York sent three minor leaguers, headlined by well-regarded prospect Agustín Ramírez, to Miami for Chisholm. They sent two prospects (Ben Cowles and Jack Neely) to the Cubs for Leiter, a deal they’d probably like back after the righty struggled down the stretch.

Holmes, Trevino and Cousins were all wins for the pro scouting staff. The Yankees stole Holmes from the Pirates in a 2021 deadline deal that didn’t get much fanfare. New York sent infielders Hoy Park and Diego Castillo, neither of whom stuck in Pittsburgh, to take a flier on Holmes as a ground-ball specialist. He developed into one of the game’s top relievers, this year’s shaky second half notwithstanding.

New York landed Trevino just after Opening Day in 2022 in a deal that sent middle reliever Albert Abreu to the Rangers. Trevino has become a Gold Glove catcher in the Bronx. Abreu pitched in seven games with Texas before they lost him on waivers. He’s now pitching in Japan. (Left-hander Robby Ahlstrom remains in the Rangers’ system but isn’t a prospect of note.) The Yankees gave up nothing for Cousins, who was on a minor league deal with the White Sox when New York acquired him for cash in March. He went on to throw 37 innings with a 2.38 ERA.

The Yankees acquired Torres and Gil before either player made his MLB debut. Torres was the headliner of the 2016 deadline deal sending Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs. Chicago won’t have any regrets after going on to win the World Series, but Torres was a top prospect who developed into an All-Star second baseman. That’s the kind of prospect teams essentially never trade for rentals anymore. Gil was a teenager pitching in the Dominican Summer League with the Twins in 2018. New York landed him in a Spring Training swap for upper level outfielder Jake Cave, who has had a journeyman career. That’s a clear win for the Yanks’ scouting and player development staffs.

MLB Free Agency (8)

Judge went from supplemental first-round pick in 2013 to homegrown MVP. He hit the market on the heels of his 62-homer season in 2022. Judge fielded offers from the Giants and Padres before returning to New York on a nine-year, $360MM deal. The largest free agent contract in MLB history at the time, it dropped to second on that list when Shohei Ohtani signed with Los Angeles. Judge is on track for his second MVP and seems as if he’ll spend his entire Hall of Fame career in the Bronx.

The Cole contract was also a record which the Dodgers topped last offseason. New York signed Cole to a nine-year, $324MM deal during the 2019-20 offseason. That stood as the largest pitching contract ever until Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed for $325MM — albeit over a much longer term — in December. The Cole deal has been one of the most successful massive free agent signings in history. He’s coming off a Cy Young award and gets the ball in Game 1 tonight.

Rodón was another big investment from GM Brian Cashman and his staff. The hard-throwing southpaw landed six years and $162MM during the 2022-23 offseason. The first season was a disaster but Rodón righted the ship with a solid 3.96 ERA in 32 starts this year. That same winter saw New York bring back Rizzo on a two-year, $40MM free agent deal. The Yanks had initially acquired Rizzo in a ’21 deadline trade with the Cubs. He had a strong first season and a half in the Bronx, but the most recent contract has not panned out. They have gotten similarly middling results from last winter’s two-year, $37MM investment in Stroman. He had a 4.31 ERA across 30 regular season appearances and is in long relief for the postseason.

A couple low-cost bullpen investments have turned out brilliantly. New York first claimed Weaver off waivers from Seattle in September. They brought him back in free agency on a $2MM deal with a cheap club option for 2025. The move was generally met with derision from fans, but Weaver has been a godsend in the late innings and will close games in the World Series.

New York invested a bit more in Kahnle, inking him to a two-year, $11.5MM pact on the heels of an injury-plagued 2022 season. Kahnle has continued to battle injuries but been effective during his most recent stint in the Bronx. Hill signed for the league minimum in June after being released by the White Sox. He turned in a 2.05 ERA in 44 innings after posting a near-6.00 ERA with Chicago.

First-Year Player Draft (3)

All three of these players were selected in the first round. The Yanks grabbed Schmidt 16th overall out of South Carolina in 2017. Volpe was the 30th pick out of a New Jersey high school in 2019. New York took Wells a year later, grabbing the University of Arizona product with the #28 selection in 2020.

International Amateur Signings (2)

Domínguez was one of the highest-profile amateur signees in recent memory. New York signed him for a $5.1MM bonus out of the Dominican Republic. Injuries have kept him from getting an extended MLB opportunity thus far, but he’s still an incredibly touted young talent at age 21. Cabrera signed with minimal attention out of Venezuela in 2015. He has played a utility role for the past two-plus seasons.

Minor League Contract (2)

Cortes started his career as a Yankee draftee. The Yanks dealt him to the Mariners over the 2019-20 offseason. Seattle waived him a year later and every team opted against putting him on the 40-man roster. Cortes elected minor league free agency and returned to his original organization on a minor league deal. He made the team again in 2021 and turned in a 2.90 ERA in 93 innings down the stretch. That secured his spot on the MLB roster even before he made an All-Star team and earned a top 10 Cy Young finish with a 2.44 ERA in 2022.

Mayza was a longtime member of the Blue Jays. Toronto cut him loose in July. He signed a minor league deal with New York a few days later and has been in Aaron Boone’s bullpen since the middle of August.

Waivers (0)

  • None

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