After a surprisingly busy Wednesday, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Extension season continues:
Extension season has bled into the regular season this year, and that’s never been more apparent than it was yesterday, when three long-term deals got hammered out: Jackson Merrill and the Padres hammered out a $135MM pact early yesterday morning, while the Red Sox and Kristian Campbell put the finishing touches on a $60MM deal that’s been anticipated since the weekend. The Diamondbacks also got in on the fun with their fourth extension of 2025, agreeing to a $116.5MM contract with franchise face Ketel Marte.
Given their proximity to Opening Day, each of these deals is in some ways more akin to a Spring Training extension, since the sides surely did the majority of the negotiating before the season began. Could other rumored possible extension targets be signed to deals in the coming days? The Phillies were known to have at least some interest in extensions with slugger Kyle Schwarber and catcher J.T. Realmuto, while the Blue Jays are of course hoping to sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to an extension despite the star’s public indications that he expects to test free agency.
2. Series Preview: Reds @ Brewers
The early days of the 2025 season have been tough on two expected potential contenders for the NL Central crown: the Brewers and Reds. Both clubs are 2-4 through their first six games of the season, with the Reds having suffered back-to-back 1-0 losses against the Rangers entering this series while the Brewers found themselves outscored bye an eye-popping 43-13 margin across three games against the Yankees and Royals from Saturday to Monday. Difficult as the start of the season has been for both clubs, however, one of the two clubs will make some progress the rest of the week as the two face off in a four-game set.
The series kicks off at 6:40pm local time in Milwaukee this evening, with southpaw Nestor Cortes (3.77 ERA in 2024) on the mound for the Brewers as he seeks redemption after surrendering five homers to the Yankees in just two innings during his first start of the year. He’ll be facing a fellow southpaw today, as the Reds are expected to go with Nick Lodolo (4.76 ERA in 2024) after a solid start against San Francisco his first time out. Tomorrow’s game will see veteran Nick Martinez (3.10 ERA in 2024) take the mound against an as-of-yet unannounced Brewers starter, while Saturday’s game will see Cincinnati’s Brady Singer (3.71 ERA in 2024) square off against Milwaukee’s Elvin Rodriguez (career 9.49 ERA in 37 MLB innings). On Sunday, the clubs will wrap things up as the Reds send swingman Carson Spiers (5.46 ERA in 2024) to the mound opposite Brewers rookie Chad Patrick, who has a 3.18 ERA in 5 2/3 innings of work so far this year.
3. DFA Resolutions expected:
When players are designated for assignment, clubs have one week to either trade the DFA’d player or attempt to pass them through waivers. That seven-day window is closing today for two players who have been in DFA limbo since the start of the season: catcher/outfielder Cooper Hummel, and infielder Eguy Rosario. Hummel, 30, is a career .159/.255/.275 hitter in the majors who has bounced between the Diamondbacks, Mariners, and Astros over the years. He was in contention for a spot on Houston’s bench this spring but ultimately lost out on the job when the club opted to promote top prospect Cam Smith to the majors.
As for Rosario, the 25-year-old has spent his entire pro career in the Padres organization this point. He’s gotten just 100 plate appearances over three seasons with the club, but a .245/.283/.500 slash line with five homers, a triple, and seven doubles during that time suggests the versatile infielder has intriguing pop. If Hummel and Rosario go unclaimed on waivers today, their clubs will have the opportunity to outright them to the minor leagues and keep them in the fold as non-roster depth going forward this year. With that being said, Hummel has a previous outright assignment in his career and can reject a second assignment in favor of free agency should he so choose.
Every nl central team has zero future. Except the cubs
How about that AL Central? 5-way tie for last.
Kc and Detroit and Chicago have good futures. Potential for great. Mil,pitt,cinc,etc all have 86 win plateaus
The Brewers have plenty of nice pieces. Chourio, Turang, Misiorowski, Yoho, Pratt, Made, Contreras, Ortiz. I’d be happy building around those guys any day
Al and NL central
Uh no. Skubal,jobe,Clark,Greene, carpenter, mcgonogal, Briceno,etc
kylegocougs;
Think that has anything to do with the fact that the money in America in on the 2 coasts and the deep south, and the only teams thjat aren’t small market in those 2 divisions are the Cubs (large market) and the Cardinals (medium market….lots of fans in surrounding states)?
This is nothing new. It’s been going on for decades. As long as there’s no real revenue sharing in MLB (as in the other 2 major sports) teams in those divisions will be fortunate to sign one or 2 quality players after their 6 years of team control. Players will continue to sign with the large and larger market teams unless the Central teams trade them before their 6 years are over.
This way guys like you that think they’re smart while AL and NL Central front offices are dumb and their owners are “cheap”, can make posts like yours here multiple times a week year-round. And then some business moron comes on and counters me by referencing:
Revenue – Player Payroll – Money In The Owners Pocket
Did you know that American schools have ranked in the bottom 10% of the free world for decades now, and recently were ranked #40 out of 40?
Sam, if we just get rid of the Education Department, that will surely improve. The IP has it under control, not to worry.
Yeah, the blob does a lot. You must be getting some of that usaid money
Did you know that American schools have ranked in the bottom 10% of the free world for decades now, and recently were ranked #40 out of 40?
Although Trump says so, this is not true.. According to actual data #8. statesman.com/story/news/politics/politifact/2025/…
Teacher’s unions hate students but love teachers
And auto workers unions hate drivers.
I picked the Cardinals to win the NL Central, Ivan Herrera with three homers yesterday, off to a good start. I have the Brewers in second and in the playoffs, Woodruff is going to be strong in his return and Misioroski will make it up this season.
I cant wait until Kyle Tucker signs with the Astros next season. They’ll have Jacob Melton, Kyle Tucker and Cam Smith for the next decade. Cubs will have Pete Crow Armstrong, Kevin Alcantara and Ian Happ.
Wesneski had a good start the other day too, so funny.
Wesneski also had a good start in July of 2023.
The only thing that can keepi STL out of last place will be the Pirates.
i wish Tucker would sign with the Astros. That’s wishful thinking though
I got a read on him in an interview he did with local Chicago sports radio, he seemed to be homesick for Houston. I dont know if they will pay him but they have some money coming off the books in ’26. They should trade Framber, hope Javier and McCullers make strong returns, and pay Tucker. Tucker is from Tampa, he might not like these cold days up north.
Cardinals are going to be good this year. Underrated. Andre Pallante is a good pitcher. Mikolas is a good pitcher. Quinn Matthews and Steven Matz give them good depth in the rotation, good bullpen. But there offense is going to be great. 6’6 250 Jordan Walker has big power, Herrera already has five homers, Victor Scott stole 90 bases in AA, JJ Weatherholt could plug in this season, Contreras should hit a little more without the fulltime catching duties. Excellent defense.
They take a lot of walks, dont strike out much. They are stacked in my opinion, really good team this year.
I think you’re right, I expect the Cardinals to win that division. The Pirates would have had a chance if they added a couple of pieces, but Nutting once again lost his wallet for the entire offseason.
Oh boy, I’m gonna need a crystal ball to keep up with this take! Cardinals winning the NL Central with Ivan Herrera turning into Babe Ruth after one hot day? I mean, three homers is cool, but let’s not crown him the division king just yet, those pitching woes aren’t fixing themselves with a catcher’s bat. And the Brewers snagging second with Woodruff back and Misiorowski zooming up? Woodruff’s arm might still be creaky from all that time off, and Misiorowski’s probably still practicing his ‘welcome to the bigs’ speech in the mirror.
As for Kyle Tucker re-signing with the Astros, did I miss the memo where he forgives them for trading him away? That’s some next-level fan fiction, Jacob Melton, Tucker, and Cam Smith as the decade-long trio sounds like a dream lineup for Houston fans still crying into their 2022 World Series hats. Meanwhile, the Cubs with PCA, Alcantara, and Happ? Sure, if ‘outfield depth’ means Happ grumbling about trade rumors while the kids fight over who gets the cooler locker.
Wesneski looking good, though? Okay, I’ll give you that one, he’s out there pitching like he’s auditioning for a buddy cop movie with Tucker. But this whole prediction? It’s wilder than a foul ball landing in your beer!
You said it best my friend. I still think Brewers win the division, although I’m skeptical on Woody
Manfred—bwmiller is a Cub troll. You don’t have to try to keep up with his take….there will be a new one tomorrow, then another the day after all the way until, well, forever.
I like Peralta and Woodruff but the Brewers have big pitching concerns, Elvin Rodriguez and Chad Patrick? They currently dont even have a fifth man up with both Civale and Ashby on the IR. Cortes got shelled in his first start. I had the Brewers finishing second with Woodruff and Misioroski plugging up the rotation but they are shaky in the pitching department. Cardinals pitching on the other hand is looking real good.
E Rod and Patrick will only be in the picture for a short time though. You don’t project a season based on the first two weeks
There’s absolutely no chance Tucker goes back to the Astros, I agree with you on that.
that take is mostly based on my trolling Cub fans, and how great it would be for the Astros to pull off a coupe like that, for Tucker to resign with the Astros and to have picked up Cam Smith, Parades and Wesneski in the one year rental, could be an all time coupe, and one that will fry Cubs fans noodles for the next five seasons.
Where is the world are all the Cardinals fans? I saw the highlight video of Herrera’s three home runs, but there was hardly anyone in the stands at the actual game.
You sure love posting awful, uninformed comments, don’t you harrisstan?
Struck a nerve? Probably a pirate fan
No, I just have a really hard time not calling out abject idiocy when I see it.
I have a 130+ iq
Same as last year. Pre season darlings…. Until the inevitable implosion.
Reds have gotten great starting pitching so far. Unfortunately, the failure of the front office to address the biggest problem, the offense, is biting them already. Losing one run games is raring it’s ugly head again.
Sad to see these kids narrow window wasted yet another year.
The cubs are Just a bump in the brewers road to another central title!
It’s literally April 3rd.
It’s literally the same issue we have seen for two years. It doesn’t take a genius to predict the same result.
Yes they should’ve hired another hitter, but steer being cold and Stephenson being injured isn’t helping.
I’d like the White Sox to claim Eguy from the Padres. He would be an improvement over Sosa, who has gotten run and still can’t hit…
Cross your fingers… and we’ll find out soon!
Now do Volpe! Buy low and at worst you have a mildly inconvenient contract a-la Cronenworth. At best you have an absolute steal if he’s an average defensive SS with 20/20 potential every year.
@wrian
volpe is definitely not average fielding wise.
He can do it
Reds did nothing of significance to address a gawd awful offense. It’s going to be another year of one 14 run game a week, followed by more shutouts than anyone can imagine in a ballpark designed for scoring runs.
Shutout twice with the wind blowing out? There? Pathetic! Might as well trade that starting pitching now. It’s being wasted.
It’s another year of no attendance followed by another year of no off-season improvements.
Reds look to be one or two seasons away from making a run. They need a few prospects to take a step forward. Rece Hinds and Noelve Marte. Both are off to good starts in AAA. I like Sal Stewart and Jay Allen to improve too.
It’ll take Tito a little bit of time to get comfortable with his new guys and where they should go and how to use them. I feel they already love him and trust him and that will only grow as the season(s) go on.
Tito’s teams always start slow and come together late. His 2013 Indians are the best example, they went 15-2 in their last 17 games to reach the playoffs. He was actually a pretty good manager with the Phillies too, it’s just that he had absolutely no relief pitching and only one good starter.
Hope to God he can do something with this beyond terrible offense.
Lol….enjoy another shut out, did you?
Since you don’t understand sarcasm, KID, this one isn’t.
I don’t think that I would put the Reds and Braves in the same sentence there. I feel like the slow start by the Braves is far more unexpected than the Reds. The Braves are supposed to have a good record this year (whether they should win a tough division is another story). But the Reds only have an outside chance of winning a weak NL Central division because it’s weak.The Reds being 2-4 doesn’t surprise me.
How bout them Braves? Yeah, we stink.
Who is the first mlb team to sign a fetus to a 42 year, back end loaded contract
You can only sign people
That’s a states rights issue
Time for the Cubs to extend Tucker.
The way he’s swinging the bat, price just keeps climbing. I would love for that to happen, Tucker is a stud, but I have no confidence in Hoyer/Ricketts…
And PCA, right? Different pay brackets but if you had to choose then I’m sure you’d take Tucker over PCA… right?
It should be both, Cubs should be extending both. If I had to choose it’d be PCA.
Tucker has made plenty in Arbitration, he is going to test free agency.
The Blue Jays are in first place so the IP response is tariffs.
I have the Blue Jays to win the AL East too. I had picked Boston but didnt like them moving Devers to DH and think its going to be an issue all season. Yankees pitching is shaky, offense has holes. Baltimore’s pitching is awful, and there offense isnt as stacked as one might think. Santander swung that pendulum into Toronto’s camp for me. The Gimenez signing was also a big add for the Blue Jays. A solid five man rotation. They are going to be there in September.
You are right about Baltimore. Zach Eflin is a good pitcher, but there’s no way he should be the Opening Day starter on a club with championship aspirations.
Everyone can calm the F down about the Brewers. We now have two straight under our belt, and oh yeah, we are SIX GAMEs into the freaking season.. Quintana will be up next week, and Myers and Woodruff not too far behind. Cortes will certainly not have the same problems in Milwaukee against the Reds that he had in Yankee stadium. We’ll bring up Miz and Logan Henderson if it comes to it to bridge the gap. The panic can subside.
The Yankees are cheaters so you can eliminate those losses from counting in assessing the season so far.
Zero proof accusation
What makes you think they are cheating? The rule says bats can be no more than 2.61 inches wide, but they’re well within their rights to make the bats as wide as the rule allows. Having a smart idea that no one else had is a lot different from cheating.
A series split will leave Reds and Brewers far behind Cubs and Cards, either should come 4-0 or 3-1 to keep it close from the top.
“far behind”…..it’s the first week of the season. WTF?
These extensions aren’t just about team control—they’re an indirect bet on inflation and MLB’s future revenue streams.
I don’t think it’s accurate to say the Phillies have interest in an extension with Realmuto. J.T. definitely wants to re-sign but I think the Phillies plan to play the season out and see how Marchan does.
Kyle Schwarber, though, should be extended, and the price goes up every day. You just cannot rotate players into the DH spot and replace 100 runs scored, 40 home runs, 100 RBI, and 100 walks a season. A full-time DH who gets on base with pop is very valuable. If they wait until the offseason, they run the risk of losing out on Guerrero and Tucker and by that time, Kyle already would have signed elsewhere.
”Difficult as the start of the season has been for both clubs” is NOT PROPER ENGLISH. You can’t just leave “as” out to begin the sentence. It’s not optional! Grammar is not optional when you’re being paid to write.