Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Top Free Agents still on the board:
The top of the free agent market picked up late last week with a frenzy of activity. Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Ranger Suarez, and J.T. Realmuto all came off the board over the course of just a couple of days. That series of moves took this offseason’s free agent class from still being rather deep in quality options to looking relatively barren at the very top. At this point, the best options still available are left-hander Framber Valdez and outfielder Cody Bellinger. Players like Zac Gallen and Eugenio Suarez also remain, but they lack the sort of surefire impact Valdez and Bellinger can provide.
Bellinger’s market has gotten plenty of attention of late thanks to the apparent impasse between his camp and the incumbent Yankees in negotiations. The team’s apparent willingness to include opt outs after the second and third seasons of their five-year offer in the $150MM to $160MM range has not motivated Bellinger to sign so far. The Blue Jays, Mets, and Cubs are among the other teams that have been connected to Bellinger and could be lurking as potential rivals. Valdez, meanwhile, has had a relatively quiet market but remains connected to the Orioles and Mets. The Blue Jays reportedly met with him back in November, but that was before the club brought in Dylan Cease. Where will the remaining stars on the market ultimately land?
2. Braves take a big hit to their infield:
Yesterday’s news that Ha-Seong Kim had suffered a hand injury that required surgery with a four-to-five month recovery timeline was a brutal blow for fans in Atlanta. After bringing Kim in with the hope of upgrading what was among the very worst production in the majors at shortstop in 2025, the team will now be without their marquee lineup addition for most of the first half next year. Coming off a disappointing 86-loss season last year and with just three years remaining before Ronald Acuna Jr. reaches free agency, Atlanta is surely hoping to make the most of the 2026 campaign. Will president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos find a way to patch the sudden hole in the team’s roster, even in spite of a payroll that’s already skyrocketed this offseason thanks to additions like Kim, Robert Suarez, and Mike Yastrzemski? Or will the team need to look towards internal options like Mauricio Dubon to keep the team on track while Kim recovers?
3. Appetite for catching help strong around the league:
Realmuto and Victor Caratini both signed over the weekend, leaving zero reliable regulars behind the plate available in free agency. That’s a particularly notable development given the number of teams that reportedly have interest in catching upgrades. Both the Rays and Red Sox were both reportedly involved in the markets for Realmuto and Caratini, respectively, before the pair signed elsewhere. The Padres have Freddy Fermin behind the plate but could certainly benefit from adding a reliable player to split time with him. The Astros are without a backup for Yainer Diaz after Caratini’s departure, as well. Those clubs will have to look towards the players left in free agency, like Jonah Heim and Gary Sanchez, as possible solutions or else turn to the trade market, where players like Yankees backup J.C. Escarra and Phillies backup Rafael Marchan are among the options that might be at least theoretically available.
How can the Braves have such bad luck with injuries even off the field!?!?
One month from tomorrow. Circle February 20th on your calendar. Spring training baseball!
Happy MLK day to all.
The day starts with Brian Cashman asking himself, “Do I really have a championship-quality team with Bellinger?” and then “Can I get it done with my present offer?” and then “Or, can I reallocate that money in a different direction and end up at the same level?” and finally, “the market is telling me don’t reach, can I discipline myself with the knowledge I haven’t won since 2009, and maybe one of these days I’m going to get called on that.”
I’d move in a different direction and away from Boras’ clients. When owners discuss it’s called collusion yet not only can agents discuss but some represent many players so it’s impossible for a team to “secretly” play one off another. I don’t know how but this needs to be fixed. Because other sports move fast, it doesn’t seem to be an issue other than for baseball.
Overburden everyone with endless rules and regulations? Tell teams they have to do certain things whether it works with their organization or not?
C’mon Jays or Mutts go sign Belli! Let’s just get this over with already! These free agents should be signed by now. Hopefully this non-sense stops after the strike in 2027.
“These free agents should be signed by now.”
Why? Because you are bored?
Free agent signings in February and even March have been historically fairly common. Bregman signed with Boston on Feb 15 last year.
Lots of others…
mlb.com/news/2024-25-mlb-free-agents-by-position
I really shouldn’t have to explain this to you. So I won’t. Go back to sleep; seriously. We’ll see what eventually happens though. 🙄
A typical mindless response.
Cashman has kept us competitive that entire time, missing the playoffs only 4 times and never with a losing record. What’s he getting called out on exactly? That track record wouldn’t get ANYONE fired, my man. That’s one of the best resumes in baseball.
2025: ALDS
2024: World Series
2023: Missed Playoffs (82-80)
2022: ALCS
2021: AL Wild Card
2020: ALDS
2019: ALCS
2018: ALDS
2017: ALCS
2016: Missed Playoffs (84-78)
2015: AL Wild Card
2014: Missed Playoffs (84-78)
2013: Missed Playoffs (85-77)
2012: ALCS
2011: ALDS
2010: ALCS
Yeah with the Yankees payroll he should have a way better track record than that. Anyone can do what hes done its not like hes brilliant with anything other than using the Yankees money in a bad way
Using it in a bad way? I mean compare that record over that time period with anyone else’s!
Compare win/$$ ratio
Well when you lose your 2 best starting pitchers kind of makes it tough to compete for a title, not a Yankees fan but if Cole and Rodon remained healthy season would have been different
I see 16 years of competence with Top 3, or 4, payroll resources. That would be the expectation, given that many mistakes can be “corrected” by effective use of those resources.
Final excellence is what he has proven unable to produce …and what people are critical of.
It’s a bit like climbing Everest and turning back when you are close enough to see the peak …maybe some of the money should be spent on oxygen tanks for the dugout and bullpen?
There are times when the moment demands change. Too many contracts that turn sour too soon. Too weak a farm system–the Dodgers, who have to deal with the same penalties, end up with a top-flight one. Start again with someone new. Leverage financial resources better. The Bellinger situation is akin to the one the Yankees often bungle–with the back seasons a black hole of injuries and under-performance, while roster spots must be kept, and extra players kept in reserve because you know your 30+ something is going to be on the bench…
So what’s that top flight system doing that the Yankees have not? Mind you we produced one of the best players in baseball in Aaron Judge and have not had a problem with trades.
But you know this Miken, because every time you troll them I’m there.
Glad to see you have someone’s back.
In my eyes they should be held to a higher standard than normal ball players. They have fallen so far behind LAD. He hasnt done the worst job, not by no means has he done what id consider a great job
I have a feeling the Yanks are bidding against themselves.
They might be….let’s see how Boras plays his poker hand.
Mike I love this post. And it’s likely at least 80% accurate.
Keibert Ruiz, you’re on the clock…
Can Dubon hold it down until Kim returns? I think we still need a starting pitcher. Too many what ifs atm.
I’m sure they’ll go with Dubon. He is still a big upgrade over Nick Allen at least offensively. The depth moves are already paying off.
Invite Chance Sisco for a workout ⚾
Dubo is an adequate replacement, even for several months, as long as you’re ok with below average hitting.
The Braves should reach out to Stearns who also be commended for outside the box thinking. No other team has previously tried a five-man rotation at 2nd base.
(www.five-manrotation@2nd base.com)
Could be a Sean Murphy trade coming unfortunately… but Braves got to shore up the middle infield…. Who has a SS that needs a catcher?
So create a hole at catcher to plug a short term hole in the middle infield? Atlanta has zero depth behind Baldwin and Murphy. Murphy might not even be ready in the early part of the season. Still rehabbing from hip surgery, so it’s doubtful that AA deals Murphy while his value’s low. We’re all going to hate to see the nothing the Braves have at catcher behind Baldwin catching 60 plus games this year if Murphy’s dealt. What if Baldwin gets injured too? No reason to turn a strength into a shaky weakness.
Baldwin and Murphy will both play quite a bit between catcher, DH, rest days, any potential IL time. Two catchers is really the minimum these days.
Just have Murphy play SS. Problem solved.
*goes to see if Anthopoulos mailed me a check, yet*
I wonder if the Braves would have been in on Bichette if Kim’s injury had happened just a few days earlier.
Haha I needed a good laugh after this depressing news 😁…I think Dubon was intended to be the starting SS anyways knowing AA was going to low ball Kim with a short term deal. It was just a plus he eventually accepted it. Doubt plans have changed that much.
I don’t think so rct. Bichette’s deal is almost twice what the Braves have ever paid a player on a yearly basis. Don’t think the Braves will consider pushing into the 3rd luxury tax (which a Bichette signing would have done.) AA has stated several times that they’re not concerned w/the luxury tax level “until it affects drafting and ifa signs.” AA’s mo is to rely on his depth options. Imo, Dubon’s the SS w/a probable cheap utility signing to shore up depth until Kim returns in late May/early June. Luke Williams or the like incoming……………
@NashvilleJeff: That’s pretty much what I was thinking. The AAV is quite high for a Braves team with an already high payroll. However, the structure of the deal he signed with the Mets could make it only a one or two year deal, which might have been enticing to the Braves. But you’re right, that’s still too high a price.
@rct: Yeah, you’re spot on here. AA loves some fairly high dollar short term deals, but that price is too rich for him.
The Braves wouldn’t have offered Bo Bichette half of what he got (3YRS/$126M $42M AAV) from the Mets! Their highest paid players are Austin Riley & Matt Olson at $22M AAV. I can only think of one higher AAV for a Braves player and that was Josh Donaldson way back in 2019 (1YR/$23M)! If they go higher than the $22M current players may want to get a raise by restructuring their contracts. Although, I heard rumors they offered Aaron Nola a higher AAV Contract, it never happened!
@AL: Olson signed three years ago and for an 8 year deal. Riley two years ago for a 10 year deal. Hence the relatively lower AAVs. Not really comparable to what could be a one year deal for Bichette.
No talk about an upcoming Astros-Red Sox blockbuster?
Go on…
Clarify please.
They’re gonna own a video store together?
The Pirates need to be heavily engaged in the catcher trade discussion and I’m sure they are. They have Endy, Davis, and Bart available and can honestly deal two of them (if the upside of the return is good enough) with Flores as a backup to any of these three.
I would think a package of Endy and Dotel for the Sox bullpen to come up midseason and a lower prospect would at least make them consider a return of someone like Duran (but it seems they’re holding him super close and expect a much bigger return). I’ll be interested to see if the catching market behaves a bit like the pitching market where the supply is so short that teams overpay a bit for this position.
So you think a package consisting of a a 25 year old depth catcher/utility player who can’t hit or stay healthy, a minor league pitcher who hasn’t gotten past AA and hasn’t pitched well there and a lesser prospect even worse than those two is enough for Jarren Duran, a guy who followed up an elite 8.7 bWAR 2024 with a solid 4.7 bWAR last season, and a three year average of 5.2 bWAR per season?
I’m not sure if that package is good enough to get you Duran’s jock strap.
Jarren Duran is a projected 2.1 fWAR guy who doesn’t even have a starting spot in a log-jammed outfield (unless they play around with Rafaela’s position). Right now he’s your starting DH which is honestly a waste of his talent but also shows how deep your outfield is. He’s also making $8M and if the Red Sox are actually concerned with the luxury tax as they seek another infielder, which they need, than getting rid of Duran is in their interest which they’ve seemed to be open to doing. The fact that they’ve not had any luck packaging him yet should be a sign that their asking price is too high.
Endy has more upside than Bart but if you’d rather have Bart, a guy who is only a year off of a 2.1 WAR season but still projected for 1.0 fWAR, then I’d absolutely take that (I’d rather keep Endy than Bart, anyways).
Admittedly, I’m pretty high on Dotel so I may be overvaluing him but the Red Sox need to strengthen their bullpen. He can hit triple digits on his fastball and has a killer splitter and he’s only 22. His upside is huge and I expect to see him in our bullpen in May/June, particularly since he made our 40-man this year. The rotation is crazy good and with a deep bullpen, they would be undoubtedly the favorite to win the AL East especially if they use some of the money saved from Duran’s contract to shore up the infield.
Throw in a low-level (by that I mean, A+ or below) like Sammy Stafura and I don’t think that’s a crazy proposal.
As a Pirates fan, no way that package gets Duran.
It all depends on how desperate teams are for a catcher. It was probably equally unlikely for the Pirates to get Duran for Keller at the trade deadline but that wasn’t a crazy notion in late July (mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/red-sox-interested-in-m…), a back end starter that’s only posted a +.500 W-L% in one season.
Jarren Duran has averaged 4.4 war over the last three seasons and that’s with missing 60 games in 2023. I’m willing to bet he’s a lot close to 4 than 2 War. They can do a lot better then your proposed trade and if Endy, Dotel, and low level prospect is the best that there offered they keep Duran and don’t even think twice about that offer. The Red Sox have plenty of right handed arms they would be looking for an established lefty arm for the pen they don’t need Dotel who’s a righty and in AA. They have a ton of minor league arms.
“just 3 years remaining before Acuna becomes a free agent.” What an out of nowhere/largely irrelevant statement. 3 years is a good while and Acuna has been hurt a lot of the time anyway while the team was very good regardless. (Including winning a WS without him playing a playoff game). It matters but it’s the kinda statement you could make about any team to some degree.
Yeah he could mention that Bichette just signed a 3 year deal (w/opt outs) for two and a half times the money Acuna’s owed over the same 3 years. Who wouldn’t want Acuna at his price ($51M)—injury worries or not— for the next 3 years?
We were just arguing about this yesterday lol…Acuna will be one the biggest free agents in recent history. At least Braves history. Need to start considering trading for a haul after this season b/c the Braves won’t resign him. Thats why its relevant to consider Kim’s injury affecting this seasons team success.
If you say so. But an Acuna trade wouldn’t necessarily equal less MLB talent anyway. They could get MLB ready players (assuming they would even trade him they likely would want big league ready players). Again Acuna is hurt half the time anyway.
I was laughing because the sentence should have read: “Coming off a disappointing 86-loss season last year and with just three years remaining before Ronald Acuna Jr. is signed by the Dodgers.”
Korey Lee is available from the white Sox. Shouldn’t cost too much. Just sayin
As long as it’s not Teel, yes.
Teel would cost you an arm and a leg. He is the white Sox future today
Gary Sanchez doesn’t fit the Astro’s defensive profile, but his power and tendency to pull the ball certainly fits the ballpark.
I would rather have that over trading Miguel Ullola and AJ Blubaugh for Sean Murphy (Sporting News).
Murphy and Waldrup to Arizona for Ketel Marte. Who says No ??
Arizona immediately. I’m a Braves fan btw. A catcher coming off hip surgery and a couple of down years w/an unproven arm in Waldrep (that I like) don’t have the trade value that the DBacks have been turning down all winter—imo.
That’s a terrible trade idea for both sides. Braves would be weakening their depth at catching and the Diamondbacks wouldn’t be getting the return that Marte would warrant.
You do realize that Waldrup has been on waivers twice this off season, so adds nothing of value to this deal.
@stymeedone: What????? Hurston Waldrep has NEVER been on waivers. The Braves have 6 years of control over him and he’s pre arb until 2029. Why would they put him on waivers—-especially after the excellent year he had after being brought up midway through the season. He was also their number 1 draft pick in 2023. He’s got a ton of trade value. I just realized that you’re confusing him w/Ken Waldichuk.
He got Waldrep confused with Woodchuck.
“Surefire impact”? Bellinger? Guy had a .715 OPS away from Yankee.
Agreed. As a Jays fan I will be plenty unhappy if the Jays sign him
He has been up and down in his career and has had some wild home and away splits – including last year, as you point out.
For the Jays (assuming Santader in LF and Varsho in CF) some combo of Springer/Lukes/Barger/Loperfido has a decent chance to match what Bellinger might do in RF in TOR.
I think the Yankees have it right here. They should be waiting him out. He is a fit in Yankee stadium and pretty iffy elsewhere. The Mets might come with a crazy offer but that is not the basis upon which any rational decisions are made.
That’s JJ Bleday territory
Reds should be shopping Stephenson, going to ARB over $250k after he laughed at our extension offer is nuts. Paying more for C platoon than our OF. It’s his walk year, send him somewhere. Per Locked on Reds – he was slated to be at RedsFest until about a week ago when the arbitration news broke, and then he wasn’t there and Trevino was front and center – and getting high praise from Tito about his baseball IQ and how he’ll be a coach someday in MLB. It seems like they’re ready to move on. Which team could give us a 20-30HR bat for Singer and Stephenson?
No one will do that Voice. No one
Stephenson plus prospects might get a good bat from the right team but I don’t see it happening
Singer is too valuable for the Reds to trade preseason.
He threw some good games late last season and posted a 3.62 ERA with a 1.077 WHIP in 69.2IP after the all-star break.
He has been a durable innings eater his entire career. ’26 will be his second season throwing the cutter and the pitch could be a difference maker. I think Singer is a high-end 3 and as the Reds 4, he solidifies their rotation.
Too many question marks with injuries to Abbott and Lowder, and Petty’s struggles early. Burns too, also hasn’t proven to be a reliable starter in the MLB rotation.
I’d say the Reds can’t afford to trade Singer until the deadline and only if they are out of contention by the end of June.
Surprised about Jonah Heim. Hes not a super star buts serviceable. Really good guy as well.
It doesn’t appear that teams find him serviceable.
The Angels would have had interest had he named his daughter Ana
We have options available. Nacho Alverez is an option no one mentions. AA has scrubs that play SS in the minors that will get a look. Too soon to panic!
The Braves have Luke Waddell and Jim Jarvis at AAA that play SS. Nacho hasn’t played SS in the last 2 years. He was played almost exclusively at 3B and some 2B in Gwinnett and Atlanta after his ugly initial callup in 2024. He did play a few games at SS in the Arizona Fall League in 2025. Probably being showcased by the Braves as a utility trade piece.
With Alonso and Mountcastle covering first the Os best move might be to see if Basallo could bring in a stud pitcher from somewhere.
Trade Adley first.
Rutschman for Pepiot, who says no?
Be wild to have Eflin, Baz, and Pepiot. The Rays really can scout pitching well. Im not ready to give up on the potential that is Adley nor would I want to count on Basallo as the #1 but it would be hard to pass from the Os side.
From Tampa’s side would they do it?
Yea, they have some great potential in guys but the best option would be a huge upgrade as #1 and their other options get more time for one to stand out and take over after Adley
So the Braves quickly sign Mateo as their stopgap for Kim. Better than a Luke Williams return.
JT and Victor were the only 2 “reliable” starting catchers in the free agent market – wow.
If Fermin’s stats translate to a full time role for the next 4 years then that trade of a 17 year old prospect looks pretty good.
The fact that Bellinger is not at all moved by either the Yankee offer of opt outs or the Mets high AAV, shorter term offer tells everyone what they need to know about the thinking of Cody and his agent.
This is a classic case of a player seeking the maximum amount of money. He and his agent realize this is the last real contract he will ever sign.
The player and the agent know that it’s likely his final years on the contract will be in semi retirement. The player could care less. Efforts by perspective teams to mitigate having Bellinger be an absolute albatross on the roster in the final years of his contract mean nothing to the agent.
Bellinger and Boris will wait until they are convinced they have extracted the most total dollars possible before signing. It’s likely that may even wait into spring training before signing. The hope being that an injury may create desperation on the part of a team that does not exist currently.
20 Million smoked, and for a always acting poor team. Wow !
Braves are always a MLB top 10 and higher payroll.
They rank 5th or 6th in payroll as of today. “Wow!”
Cardinals have some C. How many could be available probably won’t be known until deep into Spring Training, if even then. Next year Cards can move some/a catcher. I hope.
“Meanwhile” has to START the sentence, not come in the middle between commas. And “as well” should not have a comma before it.