Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:
1. Arbitration filing deadline:
Today is a big day on MLB’s offseason calendar, as Thursday marks the deadline for teams and players to exchange figures ahead of salary arbitration. Most of those cases will end in the two parties settling on a salary to avoid arbitration, but any team that still has unsigned players after today will be scheduled for a hearing in front of a three-person arbitration panel. It’s a messy process that can cause discord between player and team. Arb hearings present a difficult balancing act for teams that simultaneously wish to avoid damaging the relationship they have with their players but also are incentivized to hold a firm line on arbitration-level salaries to avoid setting damaging future precedents. The official deadline to reach an agreement is scheduled for noon CT, but teams and players will continue negotiations until the more firm deadline to file figures at 7pm CT this evening. As always, MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz delivered projected arbitration salaries for every eligible player in the game at the outset of the offseason.
2. What’s next for the Cubs?
After what had been a quiet offseason focused mostly on retooling the team’s bullpen, the Cubs made their first big splash yesterday when they swung a trade for talented right-hander Edward Cabrera. Chicago surrendered top outfield prospect Owen Caissie (alongside younger infield prospects Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon) to the Marlins in exchange for Cabrera’s services. Cabrera is controlled via arbitration for the next three seasons and is projected for a salary of just $3.7MM in 2026. That should give Chicago ample space in the budget to get involved elsewhere in the free agent market. With a rotation that suddenly looks quite deep, that could mean a more aggressive pursuit of top free agent bats. The Cubs have been connected to Alex Bregman throughout the winter, and in recent days have also been tied to Bo Bichette and even old friend Cody Bellinger. A reunion with outgoing star Kyle Tucker still seems unlikely, but could a big free agent splash be in store for the Cubs before the season begins?
3. Will the rotation market keep moving?
Yesterday’s Cabrera trade took another big piece off of the trade market, leaving only a handful of starters left to pursue on that front. Brewers righty Freddy Peralta is perhaps the most talked-about player at this point and could be an impactful rental for an acquiring team, but other players (e.g. Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore, Mets righty Kodai Senga, Royals lefty Kris Bubic, Reds righty Brady Singer) could all theoretically be available in the right deal. Meanwhile, the lower tiers of the free agent market saw a bit of movement yesterday when the Rockies agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Michael Lorenzen. Less active has been the high-end rotation market in free agency, where arms like Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez still remain.
After this, teams will have a clearer idea of payroll and maybe the top free agents will start moving.
Reportedly rejected several offers, totaling nearly $400 million, from other teams to remain with the Toronto Blue Jays, prioritizing loyalty and fit.
Is IA making stuff up?
Bichette’s Loyalty: Chose a familiar environment and sense of identity over the highest dollar amount from other franchises in early 2026.
? Was it reported.here?
IA…just grabbing.info without confirming where the information came from?
Who is IA? Also, the total of the offers rejected is nearly meaningless. A bunch of low ball offers could still add up to a big total…
If it wasn’t verified, probably not reported here.
Problem with the Twitter world is they would rather be first than accurate, so sources aren’t checked before they put stuff out there.
I know some guys I used to play with in the minors laugh at some of the things put out about the teams they work for now.
The Boob and Arson effect.
Horace,
Bras on fire? How is that baseball related?
Im shocked Bassit is still a FA, I loved him as a Blue Jay and he was elite in the bullpen in the playoffs.
Bassitt probably won’t be signed until after Valdez and Suarez sign. He’s more of a plan B.
Ranger won’t sign until it is too late to get in shape for the season, then hurry up to be ready to pitch, have some arm or oblique injury, and be shelved for 3-4 months.
He’s a Scott Boras Corp repped player.
Too bad the signing team doesn’t get an opt-out on a bad contract.
I have always said opt outs should go both ways if they are going to be used.
In real life, if you aren’t doing the job, you get cut loose. Minor leagues have no guaranteed deals either, though bonus babies get a longer leash if they do not live up to it. Why should big leaguers be any different?
Big leagues are more talented.
Reds,
Big leagues players are in the big leagues for a reason. They already went through the minors and paid their dues. Now they get to profit from their success and hard work after years of not getting paid much.
There are team opt out, player opt out, and mutual opt outs. Both sides have to sign the contract.
“This one belongs to the Reds”, aside from constantly moaning about the ‘death of baseball between coasts’ and the Dodgers, loves mentioning his time playing as a career MINOR LEAGUE catcher so I’m not surprised by his ignorance.
If we were talking about the Phillies, Mets, Yankees, Dodgers or any other large market team in the Cub’s position, a major FA signing would be in the works. But we’re talking about Tom Ricketts here and if he actually gets off his wallet for a big time bat, I’ll be shocked.
Ricketts and Jed’s incompetence in securing a top FA starter because of incessant value seeking has now cost them their top prospect, leaving Suzuki in a walk year to man right field by his lonesome. Happy is also an impending FA, so there’s no outfielders going forward into 27 other than Ethan Conrad and Kevin Alcantara. Gross incompetence. Their window of contention is going to shut right on their fat stingy fingers. Nico, Suzuki, Happ, Taillon, Shota, Carson Kelly, Boyd all going into walk years. I highly doubt Jed has the cajones to go get a FA bat that actually costs money to replace King Tuck and his productivity. The Cubs sit about 26th in allocating revenue back into the on field product. Around 30 percent. Although there revenue is only behind LA and the Yankees Ricketts prefers letting his duplicitous little water boys Jed and Carter spin value like snake oil salesman in the old west. We’re like 30 million below the penalty and I’d be shocked if they are even gonna use it to improve the offense. Between incompetence and thriftiness lies an upcoming disaster of an 80-85 win team that might be eyeing a sale off at the deadline as opposed to actually going for it.
Pathetic that we had to lose Cassie. That’s a regret that’s going to sting for years to come as we watch the oft injured Cabrera toil in the Chicago winds.
King Tuck, I like it. Nice to see a Cub fan who realizes what a productive player he is. And I agree that the Cabrera trade isn’t the slam-dunk victory for the Cubs that a lot of people think it is.
Hi Nick. I enjoy your coverage. Thanks.
I need to point out something here. This is an incorrect statement about salary arbitration–“The official deadline to reach an agreement is scheduled for noon CT, but teams and players will continue negotiations until the more firm deadline to file figures at 7pm CT this evening.”
The accurate statement is some teams and players will continue to negotiate after the noon CT deadline, but other clubs won’t continue negotiations after the noon CT deadline, and then those players and clubs will indeed exchange figures later this evening and go to hearing unless they negotiate multiyear deals.
I’m glad your group keeps the community up to date with all of the signings. You do a great job there. Please just be a bit more precise about the arbitration process. Have a great day!