Headlines

  • Pirates Sign Ryan O’Hearn
  • 2026 Arbitration Tracker
  • Cubs Acquire Edward Cabrera
  • Rockies To Sign Michael Lorenzen
  • Blue Jays Continuing To Pursue Kyle Tucker
  • Angels Sign Kirby Yates
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Athletics
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025-26 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

White Sox Claim Drew Romo, Designate Ben Cowles

By Steve Adams | January 8, 2026 at 1:52pm CDT

The White Sox have claimed catcher Drew Romo off waivers from the Mets, according to a club announcement. Chicago designated infielder Ben Cowles for assignment in order to open a spot for Romo on the 40-man roster.

The No. 35 overall pick by the Rockies back in 2020, Romo garnered some top-100 fanfare earlier in his prospect days but has seen his bat stall out after a nice 2023 season between High-A and Double-A. He’s still a quality defensive catcher with a rocket arm behind the plate, but Romo’s offensive output at Triple-A has declined in consecutive seasons. He hit .264/.329/.409 (75 wRC+) in an extremely hitter-friendly Triple-A Albuquerque setting in 2025 and saw his strikeout rate balloon from 17.8% in ’24 to 25.8%.

The Rockies gave Romo a couple brief looks in the majors, but he totaled only 56 plate appearances and logged a .167/.196/.222 slash with a sky-high 37.5% strikeout rate. He still has a pair of minor league option years remaining, so he’ll give the South Siders some defensive-minded depth behind the plate.

The Sox have Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero on the big league roster already. Both were top-100 prospects this time a year ago. Quero held his own in his 2025 MLB debut (.268/.333/.356 in 403 plate appearances), and Teel excelled at the plate. In 297 trips to the batter’s box, Teel slashed .273/.375/.411 (125 wRC+) with a big 12.5% walk rate. Given that he not only outproduced Quero but also grades out as a vastly better defender, Teel staked his claim to the starting job in 2026 and beyond. Twenty-seven-year-old Korey Lee, who’s out of minor league options, will also have to break camp with the team (if he’s not traded first) or else be designated for assignment.

Both Teel and Quero have drawn offseason trade interest, though that doesn’t mean a move will come to fruition. Other clubs have called the White Sox about that catching tandem — not vice versa — which is only natural, given the scarcity of quality catchers in the game and the ever-increasing emphasis on cultivating young, controllable talent. Claiming another catcher doesn’t indicate that the Sox are more seriously considering a trade of either Teel or Quero; it’s more likely a mere matter of adding some depth (particularly some optionable depth, as Lee’s hold on his roster spot figures to be a bit tenuous).

As for Cowles, who’ll turn 26 next month, he’s a former tenth-round pick by the Yankees who has already twice changed teams in his pro career. New York shipped him to the Cubs alongside Jack Neely in the 2024 Mark Leiter Jr. trade, and the White Sox claimed him off waivers about 13 months later.

Cowles has yet to take a plate appearance in the majors. He split the ’25 season between the Triple-A clubs for the two Chicago teams, slashing a combined .235/.300/.371 with nine homers, 18 steals, a 7.2% walk rate and a 28.8% strikeout rate. He’s viewed as a serviceable defender at shortstop who can also handle second base and third base, giving him a chance to carve out a role as a utility player.

Although his 2025 numbers were ugly, Cowles hit .286/.372/.457 with nine homers, 14 steals, a 10.4% walk rate and a 17.7% strikeout rate in 92 Double-A games during the 2024 season. Between that production, his solid glove/speed combination, and a pair of remaining minor league option years, there’s a chance he’ll be picked up by another club hoping to secure some optionable infield depth.

Share Repost Send via email

Chicago White Sox New York Mets Transactions Ben Cowles Drew Romo

12 comments

Pirates Sign Ryan O’Hearn

By Darragh McDonald | January 8, 2026 at 1:50pm CDT

January 8th, 2026: The Bucs officially announced the O’Hearn signing today but still haven’t announced a corresponding move.

December 23rd, 2025: The Pirates and first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn have reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with a $29MM guarantee. The ACES client can also earn an extra $500K each year via incentives: $100K for 450 plate appearances, another $100K for 475, then $150K for 500 and 525 plate appearances. Pittsburgh has a full 40-man roster and will need to make a corresponding move for this to become official.

O’Hearn, now 32, has been enjoying a late-career breakout over the past three seasons. He played parts of five seasons with the Royals from 2018 to 2022 with just a .219/.293/.390 line to show for it.

The Royals designated O’Hearn for assignment in December of 2022. The Orioles saw enough potential in him to acquire him by sending cash considerations to Kansas City. Baltimore designated him for assignment shortly thereafter and passed him through waivers.

If you’ve ever wondered why a team would acquire a player and put him on waivers a week or two later, O’Hearn provides the explanation. The O’s opened a roster spot for other moves while keeping O’Hearn in a non-roster capacity. He had a strong spring in 2023 but Baltimore still sent him to the minors to begin the season, maintaining depth.

By the middle of April 2023, O’Hearn was back in the big leagues and has been on an upward trajectory since then. He hit 14 homers for Baltimore that year and slashed .289/.322/.480 for a 118 wRC+. His 4.1% walk rate was quite poor and he benefited from a .340 batting average on balls in play but it was a fantastic upgrade over his previous work.

More improvements came in 2024. His .264/.334/.427 batting line again led to a 118 wRC+, an exact match for the year prior, but it felt more earned this time. His BABIP dropped to a below-average .282 while his walk rate more than doubled to 9.3%.

In 2025, a year he split between the O’s and Padres after a deadline trade, he increased his walk rate yet again to 10.7%. His 17 home runs were a career high. His batted-ball luck turned again, as he posted a .330 BABIP. That all led to a .281/.366/.437 line and 127 wRC+.

He also seemed to have less of a platoon split. Like many lefty hitters, he has often struggled against southpaws. But in 2025, he had a .278/.358/.474 line and 135 wRC+ against lefties. That was in just 109 plate appearances and he had a .358 BABIP in the split but it was an encouraging development nonetheless.

In addition to his work at the plate, O’Hearn provided some defensive versatility. He mostly played first base but also logged around 150 outfield innings in each of the past three seasons.

The entire package lined O’Hearn up for a nice payday, though he wasn’t quite at the level of guys like Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso or Josh Naylor. At the start of the offseason, MLBTR predicted O’Hearn to secure a two-year deal worth $26MM. He’s gone just a shade beyond that.

Few would have predicted the Pirates to be the club to pay O’Hearn. They have been one of the least active clubs in free agency in the past decade. They haven’t given any free agent a multi-year deal since Ivan Nova’s three-year pact back in 2016. Their last multi-year deal for a free agent hitter was two years and $8MM for John Jaso in 2015. The largest free agent guarantee in franchise history is still the three-year, $39MM deal for Francisco Liriano from 2014.

But they have clearly come into this offseason determined to overhaul their lineup. The past few seasons have seen them develop a big stockpile of pitching talent but they have had far less success with developing their position player prospects.

The Bucs flirted with contention in 2023 and 2024 but without making the postseason. The 2025 club sputtered and never really felt in it. The offense was a big part of the disappointment this year. The club had a collective .231/.305/.350 line and 82 wRC+, with the Rockies the only club with less offensive production. Spencer Horwitz was the only individual on the team with a wRC+ greater than 101.

Before the 2025 campaign was even over, it seemed likely that they would focus on adding offense this winter. The general expectation was that they would do that by trading from their deep supply of starting pitchers, which they have done, but they have been surprisingly active in free agency as well.

They reportedly offered Naylor a contract somewhere in the range of $80MM, before he returned to the Mariners on a deal paying him $92.5MM. They offered Schwarber around $120-125MM before the Phils brought him back with a $150MM deal.

Being a runner-up for a free agent is only worth so much but it has been clear that the Pirates are now more willing to spend than in other offseasons. They have also been connected to Jorge Polanco, before he signed with the Mets, Kazuma Okamoto, who is still a free agent, and some other hitters.

O’Hearn isn’t quite as exciting as Schwarber would have been. It’s also true that the club still has the embarrassing record of having never given a free agent $40MM. Still, O’Hearn is their biggest free agent splash in years and becomes one of their best hitters.

As mentioned, the Bucs have also used their pitching surplus to add more offense. They acquired Jhostynxon García in the trade sending Johan Oviedo to Boston. They sent Mike Burrows to Houston in a three-team trade that brought back Brandon Lowe and Jake Mangum from the Rays, alongside lefty reliever Mason Montgomery.

Time will tell if there’s more to come before Opening Day. For now, O’Hearn jumps into a position player that group which could develop in a few different ways.

The Pirates don’t really have a full-time designated hitter, with Andrew McCutchen currently unsigned. He has repeatedly re-signed with Pittsburgh in recent years but there have been some hints that the two sides are a bit less likely to reunite for 2026.

As of now, Lowe and Horwitz could be the regulars at second and first, respectively. Horwitz has a bit of second base experience but that was with the Blue Jays when the presence of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made it hard for him to get playing time at first. The Bucs kept him at first base in 2025.

Lowe isn’t a great defender, so perhaps he could see regular time in the DH spot, or Horwitz and O’Hearn could share first base and DH.

There’s also room for O’Hearn in the outfield. Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds should have two spots spoken for. Guys like García, Mangum, Jack Suwinski and Billy Cook are in the mix for playing time but O’Hearn playing the outfield could leave the DH spot open for Lowe.

That would then leave more second base playing time for guys like Nick Yorke, Jared Triolo and Nick Gonzales. Triolo and Gonzales could also be factors at third base and shortstop but prospect Konnor Griffin might charge forward and become the shortstop before long, though he’s only 19 years old and hasn’t played the Triple-A level yet.

It’s possible the Bucs make even more moves in the coming months but a lot will be determined by the health and performance of the various moving parts on the roster.

RosterResource, assuming the O’Hearn deal has equal salaries in the two years, projects the Bucs for a $96MM payroll next year. That’s tiny compared to the other clubs in the league but high for them. According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, they got to just under $100MM in 2016 but have been below $90MM since 2017.

The coming weeks and months will shed light on if there’s more to come. For now, the Bucs have made yet another move to upgrade the lineup in 2026. This wouldn’t be an especially noteworthy commitment for any other club but it’s the biggest deal for Pittsburgh in quite some time. For O’Hearn himself, it’s got to be an especially gratifying day for a guy who was passed through waivers about three years ago.

FanSided’s Robert Murray first reported the Pirates were signing O’Hearn to a two-year, $29MM with $500K in incentives. Colin Beazley of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the incentive structure. Photos courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, John Jones, Imagn Images

Share Repost Send via email

Newsstand Pittsburgh Pirates Transactions Ryan O'Hearn

407 comments

2026 Arbitration Tracker

By Darragh McDonald | January 8, 2026 at 1:35pm CDT

Today is the deadline for players and teams to exchange figures in arbitration — an annual deadline that leads to a slew of one-year deals and, typically, a handful of multi-year deals. Today should see upwards of 100 players agree to salaries for the 2026 season, although the majority of clubs and players now wait until the very last minute to agree.

Each player’s service time is in parentheses, and you can of course check back to see each player’s projected salary from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. We’ll keep this updated as deals come in — refresh for updates — and break off some of the larger, more prominent agreements in separate entries. All agreements are for one year unless otherwise noted.

Angels 

  • Brock Burke (5.045):
  • Jo Adell (4.085):
  • Reid Detmers (3.159):
  • José Soriano (3.121):
  • Logan O’Hoppe (3.008): $2.625MM agreement today (per Romero)
  • Zach Neto (2.170): $4.15MM agreement today (per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com)

Astros

  • Steven Okert (5.089): $2.325MM agreement today (via MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart)
  • Bryan Abreu (5.022):
  • Enyel De Los Santos (5.015): $1.6MM agreement reached in November
  • Isaac Paredes (4.160):
  • Jesús Sánchez (4.118): $6.8MM agreement today (per McTaggart)
  • Jake Meyers (4.044): $3.55MM agreement today (per McTaggart)
  • Jeremy Peña (4.000): $9.475MM agreement today (per McTaggart)
  • Hunter Brown (3.035): $5.71MM agreement today (per Chandler Rome of The Athletic)
  • Yainer Diaz (3.035):
  • Hayden Wesneski (2.170): $975K agreement today (per Full Seam Ahead)
  • Nick Allen (2.164):
  • Bennett Sousa (2.156): $910K agreement today (per McTaggart)
  • Taylor Trammell (2.144): Agreed to split deal in November, $900K in majors and $500K in minors, before being outrighted off the roster in December

Athletics

  • Austin Wynns (5.017): $1.1MM agreement reached in November
  • Shea Langeliers (3.051): $5.25MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Luis Medina (2.149): $835K agreement reached in November

Blue Jays

  • Daulton Varsho (5.128): $10.75MM agreement reached today
  • Eric Lauer (5.091):
  • Ernie Clement (3.168): $4.6MM agreement today (per Mitch Bannon of The Athletic)
  • Tyler Heineman (3.066): $1.2375MM agreement reached today (per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet)

Braves

  • Mauricio Dubon (5.162): $6.1MM agreement reached in November
  • José Suarez (4.064): $900K agreement reached in November
  • Dylan Lee (3.150):
  • Eli White (3.140): $900K agreement reached in November
  • Vidal Bruján (3.014): Agreed to split deal in November, $850K in majors and $500K in minors; designated for assignment today to open roster spot for claim of Waldichuk
  • Joey Wentz (2.166): $900K agreement reached in November
  • Ken Waldichuk (2.150): $825K agreement reached in November with the Athletics, claimed off waivers by Atlanta today

Brewers

  • Jake Bauers (5.084): $2.7MM agreement reached in November
  • Andrew Vaughn (4.142): $7.65MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • William Contreras (4.112):
  • Trevor Megill (4.002): $4.7MM agreement today (per Alexander)
  • Ángel Zerpa (3.082): $1.095MM agreement today (per Feinsand)
  • Garrett Mitchell (3.040):
  • Brice Turang (2.165): $4.15MM agreement today (per Murray)

Cardinals

  • JoJo Romero (5.045): $4.26MM agreement today (per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
  • Lars Nootbaar (4.076): $5.25MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Brendan Donovan (4.000): $5.8MM agreement today (per Goold)
  • Andre Pallante (3.145): $4MM agreement reached today (per FanSided’s Robert Murray)
  • Nolan Gorman (3.114): $2.655MM agreement today (per Woo)
  • Alec Burleson (3.029): $3.3MM agreement today (per Woo)
  • Matthew Liberatore (2.144): $2.26MM agreement today (per Goold)

Cubs

  • Justin Steele (4.143): $6.775MM agreement today (per Patrick Mooney of The Athletic)
  • Edward Cabrera (3.147):
  • Javier Assad (3.027):

Diamondbacks

  • A.J. Puk (5.124):
  • Ryan Thompson (5.095): $3.95MM agreement today (via Ari Alexander of 7News)
  • Kevin Ginkel (5.033):
  • Pavin Smith (4.015):
  • Alek Thomas (3.103): $1.9625MM agreement today (per Feinsand)
  • Jake McCarthy (3.074):
  • Gabriel Moreno (3.061): $2.55MM agreement today (per Romero)
  • Ryne Nelson (3.020):

Dodgers

  • Brusdar Graterol (5.167): $2.8MM agreement reached yesterday
  • Alex Vesia (5.078): Dodgers exercised $3.65MM club option in November
  • Anthony Banda (4.135):
  • Brock Stewart (4.093):
  • Alex Call (2.161):

Giants

  • JT Brubaker (5.162): $1.82MM agreement reached in November

Guardians

  • Steven Kwan (4.000): $7.725MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Nolan Jones (3.007): $2MM agreement reached in November
  • David Fry (2.154): $1.375MM agreement reached in November
  • Matt Festa (2.153): $1MM agreement reached in November

Marlins

  • Anthony Bender (4.153): $2.81MM agreement today (per Craig Mish of SportsGrid)
  • Braxton Garrett (3.168): $1.53MM agreement reached today (per Fish on First)
  • Ryan Weathers (3.066):
  • Andrew Nardi (3.053):
  • Max Meyer (2.166):
  • Calvin Faucher (2.156):

Mariners

  • Randy Arozarena (5.129): $15.65MM agreement reached today
  • Logan Gilbert (4.144):
  • Gabe Speier (4.000):
  • George Kirby (3.151): $6.55MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Matt Brash (3.121):
  • Luke Raley (3.106):
  • Bryce Miller (2.153):

Mets

  • Luis Torrens (5.105):
  • Tyrone Taylor (5.093): $3.8MM agreement reached in November
  • David Peterson (5.089): $8.1MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Tylor Megill (4.031): $2.5MM agreement today (per Ari Alexander of 7News)
  • Huascar Brazobán (2.170): $1.05MM agreement today (per Alexander)
  • Francisco Alvarez (2.164): $2.4MM agreement today (per Francys Romero of BeisbolFR)
  • Reed Garrett (2.143): $1.3MM agreement today (per Alexander)

Nationals

  • Luis García Jr. (4.142): Team announced agreement, salary unreported
  • Josiah Gray (4.075): $1.35MM agreement reached in December
  • MacKenzie Gore (4.000): $5.6MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Riley Adams (3.171): Agreed to split deal in November, $1MM in majors and $500K in minors
  • CJ Abrams (3.130): $4.2MM agreement today (per Andrew Golden of The Washington Post)
  • Jake Irvin (2.152): $2.8MM agreement today (per Golden)
  • Cade Cavalli (2.141):

Orioles

  • Taylor Ward (5.164): $12.175MM agreement reached today
  • Ryan Mountcastle (5.105): $6.787MM agreement today on a one-year deal with a $7.5MM club option for 2027
  • Keegan Akin (5.083):
  • Trevor Rogers (5.047):
  • Tyler Wells (4.132): $2.445MM agreement today (per Kostka)
  • Dean Kremer (4.112): $5.75MM agreement today (per Kostka)
  • Adley Rutschman (4.000): $7.25MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Félix Bautista (4.000): $2.25MM agreement reached in November
  • Kyle Bradish (3.160):
  • Shane Baz (3.158):
  • Yennier Cano (3.065):
  • Gunnar Henderson (3.036): $8.5MM agreement today (per Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner)

Padres

  • Adrián Morejón (5.140):
  • Jason Adam (5.132):
  • Gavin Sheets (4.076): $4.5MM agreement day (per Woo)
  • JP Sears (3.065):
  • Luis Campusano (3.003): $900K agreement reached in November
  • Mason Miller (2.166):
  • Freddy Fermin (2.165):

Phillies

  • Jesús Luzardo (5.165): $11MM agreement reached today
  • Edmundo Sosa (5.140): $4.4MM agreement today (per Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic)
  • Alec Bohm (5.106): $10.2MM agreement reached today
  • Garrett Stubbs (4.148): Agreed to split deal in November, $925K in majors and $575K in minors
  • Brandon Marsh (4.078): Team announced agreement, salary figures unreported
  • Jhoan Duran (4.000): $7.5MM agreement today (per Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer)
  • Bryson Stott (4.000): $5.9MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Tanner Banks (3.092): $1.2MM agreement today (per Bob Nightengale of USA Today)
  • Rafael Marchan (3.006): $860K agreement reached in November

Pirates

  • Dennis Santana (5.126): $3.5MM agreement today (via Alex Stumpf of MLB.com)
  • Joey Bart (4.020): $2.53MM agreement today (per Stumpf)
  • Justin Lawrence (3.167): $1.225MM agreement today (according to Stumpf)
  • Yohan Ramirez (3.135): $825K agreement reached in November
  • Oneil Cruz (3.110): $3.3MM agreement today (per Robert Murray of Fansided)
  • Jack Suwinski (2.170): $1.25MM agreement reached in November

Rangers

  • Sam Haggerty (5.007): $1.25MM agreement reached in November
  • Josh Smith (3.129):
  • Jake Burger (3.127):
  • Ezequiel Durán (3.050):
  • Josh Jung (3.023):

Rays

  • Shane McClanahan (4.158): $3.6MM agreement reached in December
  • Cole Sulser (4.096): $1.05MM agreement reached in November
  • Taylor Walls (4.092): Club exercised $2.45MM option in November and agreed to $3.1MM club option for 2027
  • Griffin Jax (4.091): $3.565MM agreement today (per Topkin)
  • Garrett Cleavinger (4.060): $2.4MM agreement today (per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times)
  • Steven Wilson (3.166): $1.52MM agreement today, (per Topkin)
  • Nick Fortes (3.149): $2.535MM agreement today (per Topkin)
  • Josh Lowe (3.093): $2.6MM agreement today (per Topkin)
  • Bryan Baker (3.049): $1.275MM agreement today (per Feinsand)
  • Ryan Pepiot (3.005): $3.025MM agreement today (per Topkin)
  • Kevin Kelly (2.156): $925K agreement today (per Topkin)
  • Richie Palacios (2.156): $945K agreement today (per Topkin)
  • Edwin Uceta (2.150): Did not reach agreement, will exchange figures (per Topkin)

Red Sox

  • Tanner Houck (4.100): $4.1MM agreement today (per Chris Cotillo of MassLive)
  • Johan Oviedo (4.078): $1.55MM agreement today (per Alexander)
  • Jarren Duran (3.155): $7.7MM agreement reached in November
  • Kutter Crawford (3.136): $2.75MM agreement reached earlier this week
  • Romy González (3.083): $1.6MM agreement today (per Cotillo)
  • Connor Wong (3.079): $1.375MM agreement reached in November
  • Triston Casas (3.032): $1.61MM agreement today (per Cotillo)

Reds

  • Brady Singer (5.156):
  • Gavin Lux (5.114): $5.525MM agreement today (per Joel Sherman of The New York Post)
  • Tyler Stephenson (5.056):
  • Sam Moll (4.023): $875K agreement reached in November
  • Nick Lodolo (4.000):
  • Ben Rortvedt (3.135): $1.25MM agreement reached with Dodgers in November before Reds claimed him off waivers
  • Graham Ashcraft (3.130):
  • TJ Friedl (3.112): $3.8MM agreement today (per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer)
  • Tony Santillan (3.099):
  • Spencer Steer (3.035): $4MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Will Benson (3.003): $1.725MM agreement today (per Wittenmyer)
  • Matt McLain (2.140):

Rockies

  • Jimmy Herget (4.069):
  • Mickey Moniak (4.027): $4MM agreement today (via 7News’ Ari Alexander)
  • Ryan Feltner (3.071): $2.45MM agreement today (per Alexander)
  • Tyler Freeman (3.046):
  • Brenton Doyle (2.161): $3.1MM agreement today (per Katie Woo of The Athletic)
  • Brennan Bernardino (2.150):

Royals

  • Kris Bubic (5.135):
  • John Schreiber (5.027): Agreement reached but salary unreported (per Feinsand)
  • Jonathan India (5.000): $8MM agreement reached in November
  • Kyle Isbel (4.043): $2.7MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Nick Mears (4.022):
  • Agreement reached but salary unreported (per Feinsand)
  • Bailey Falter (3.138): $3.6MM agreement today (per Murray)
  • Daniel Lynch IV (3.136): $1.025MM agreement today (per Anne Rogers of MLB.com)
  • Vinnie Pasquantino (3.101):
  • Michael Massey (3.068): $1.57MM agreement today (via Ari Alexander of 7News)
  • Maikel Garcia (2.168): Five-year, $57.5MM extension signed in December
  • James McArthur (2.150): $810K agreement reached in November

Tigers

  • Tarik Skubal (5.114):
  • Casey Mize (5.111): $6.15MM agreement today (per Petzold)
  • Jake Rogers (5.040): $3.05MM agreement reached in November
  • Will Vest (4.100): $3.95MM agreement today (per Petzold)
  • Zach McKinstry (4.099): $4.2MM agreement today (per Petzold)
  • Matt Vierling (4.026): $3.225MM agreement reached in November
  • Riley Greene (3.110): $5MM agreement today (per Petzold)
  • Spencer Torkelson (3.076): $4.075MM agreement today (per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press)
  • Kerry Carpenter (3.057): $3.275MM agreement today (per Petzold)
  • Beau Brieske (3.056): $1.1575 agreement reached in November
  • Tyler Holton (3.047):

Twins

  • Ryan Jeffers (5.089): $6.7MM agreement today (per Wolfson)
  • Justin Topa (5.044): $1.225MM agreement reached in November
  • Bailey Ober (4.093): $5.2MM agreement today (per Darren Wolfson of KSTP)
  • Joe Ryan (4.033):
  • Trevor Larnach (4.014): $4.475MM agreement today (per Wolfson)
  • Royce Lewis (3.142): $2.85MM agreement today (per Wolfson)
  • Alex Jackson (3.036):
  • Cole Sands (3.017):

White Sox

  • Derek Hill (3.040): $900K agreement reached in November

Yankees

  • Jazz Chisholm Jr. (5.075):
  • David Bednar (5.073):
  • Clarke Schmidt (4.148): $4.5MM agreement reached in November
  • Camilo Doval (4.071): $6.1MM agreement today (per Jorge Castillo of ESPN)
  • Luis Gil (3.073):
  • Jake Bird (3.051):
  • Oswaldo Cabrera (3.050): $1.2MM agreement reached in November
  • Fernando Cruz (3.035):
  • Anthony Volpe (3.000):
  • José Caballero (2.170):
Share Repost Send via email

Newsstand Transactions

19 comments

Phillies, Alec Bohm Avoid Arbitration

By Steve Adams | January 8, 2026 at 1:28pm CDT

The Phillies and third baseman Alec Bohm are in agreement on a $10.2MM salary for the upcoming 2026 season, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic. That lines up neatly with the $10.3MM projection from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz at the beginning of the offseason. Bohm is represented by the Boras Corporation.

Bohm, 29, will be playing out his final season of club control in 2026. The former No. 3 overall pick looked like a star early on, when he debuted with a sensational .338/.400/.481 slash in 44 games as a rookie back in 2020. He’s settled in as more of a league-average bat in the five years since that time, hitting a combined .275/.323/.411 (101 wRC+) in 2769 plate appearances dating back to 2021.

The Phillies figure to give Bohm everyday reps at the hot corner once again this season. He’s improved his glovework considerably since ranking as one of the worst third base defenders in the game back in 2021-22, although both Defensive Runs Saved (-3) and Outs Above Average (-2) had him a bit below par in 942 frames there in 2025. Bohm has also logged plenty of first base time over the years and could see time there in the event that Bryce Harper misses time due to injury.

Bohm has frequently been the subject of trade rumblings in the past. The Phillies seemed to more seriously consider moving him last offseason then this time around, however. He’s coming off a solid, if unspectacular .287/.331/.409 slash (105 wRC+) with 11 home runs in 504 turns at the plate in 2025. Historically, Bohm has carried pronounced platoon splits, but while he’s still been better against lefties than righties, he’s been closer to an average hitter against right-hander in 2024-25. Over the past three seasons, Bohm is an overall .280/.333/.430 hitter. With another season like that, he’ll position himself for a multi-year deal when he hits the open market next winter.

Share Repost Send via email

Philadelphia Phillies Transactions Alec Bohm

4 comments

Braves Claim Ken Waldichuk, Designate Vidal Brujan

By Mark Polishuk | January 8, 2026 at 1:13pm CDT

The Braves have claimed left-hander Ken Waldichuk off the Athletics’ waiver wire, as announced by both teams.  Infielder Vidal Brujan was designated for assignment to clear space on Atlanta’s 40-man roster.

The A’s designated Waldichuk for assignment on December 22 in a corresponding move for the Jeff McNeil trade, and Waldichuk then had an extended stay in DFA limbo through the unofficial holiday roster freeze.  The southpaw’s situation has now finally been resolved (by coincidence) on Waldichuk’s 28th birthday, and he’ll celebrate by heading to Atlanta looking for a fresh start to his career.

Once a top-100 ranked prospect, Waldichuk posted a 5.28 ERA over 175 2/3 innings for the then-Oakland team during the 2022-23 seasons.  While the results didn’t stand out, there was hope Waldichuk could continue to develop into a rotation piece for the Athletics, but a Tommy John surgery then interrupted the lefty’s career.  The May 2024 procedure kept Waldichuk from pitching at all in 2024, and he returned to toss 54 innings of minor league ball last season.  There was clearly still some rust, as Waldichuk had an 8.65 ERA and a 15.9% walk rate over 51 Triple-A frames.

Waldichuk is entering the first of four arbitration-eligible seasons as a Super Two player, and he had already agreed to a $825K salary for the 2026 season.  The Braves would therefore have plenty of control over Waldichuk if he can develop into a late bloomer as a starter or reliever on Atlanta’s pitching staff, and it makes for a low-cost risk on the team’s part.

Atlanta president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos is traditionally aggressive in taking fliers on former top prospects, and Waldichuk will take the roster space of another such player in Brujan.  The payroll impact is basically even, as Brujan had avoided arbitration (in the first of three arb years) by agreeing to a split contract worth $825K for time spent in the majors.

Brujan was a regular on top-100 lists during his time in the Rays’ farm system, but he simply hasn’t hit at the MLB level.  Over 645 plate appearances in the Show, Brujan has batted only .199/.267/.276 with five home runs, and his career has taken a journeyman’s path.  Since Tampa Bay dealt Brujan to Miami in November 2023, Brujan has suited up for four different teams — the Marlins in 2024, and then the Cubs, Orioles, and Braves all during the 2025 campaign.  Atlanta claimed him off Baltimore’s waiver wire in August, and Brujan’s .268/.362/.317 slash line over 47 PA for the Braves represents one of the better offensive stretches of his career.

Now entering his age-28 season, Brujan could still appeal to yet another team intrigued by his past blue-chip status, though is out of minor league options.  Initially a middle infielder, Brujan has experience at second base, shortstop, third base, and all three outfield positions as he has tried to increase his marketability by becoming a utilityman.  With over three years of MLB service time, Brujan would have the ability to reject an outright assignment if he clears waivers, though he would have to surrender his 2026 salary in re-entering free agency.

Share Repost Send via email

Athletics Atlanta Braves Transactions Ken Waldichuk Vidal Brujan

10 comments

Mariners, Randy Arozarena Avoid Arbitration

By Steve Adams | January 8, 2026 at 12:37pm CDT

The Mariners and slugging outfielder Randy Arozarena are in agreement on a one-year, $15.65MM contract, reports Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com. He’s entering his final season of arbitration control before becoming a free agent next winter.

Acquired from the Rays at the 2024 trade deadline, Arozarena has been an impactful source of power in the heart of Seattle’s lineup since that trade. He had a slow start to his Seattle tenure but in 2025 slashed .238/.334/.426 with a career-high 27 home runs and 31 steals (the second-highest mark of his career). By measure of wRC+, which weights for the pitcher-friendly confines in Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, Arozarena has been 22% better than average at the plate since landing in the Emerald City.

Heading into 2026, Arozarena will again play a key role near the top of manager Dan Wilson’s lineup. He’ll be joined by MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and the recently re-signed Josh Naylor atop what should be a quality Mariners lineup. The M’s have been continuing their search for more bats, looking particularly hard at adding another infielder to the mix. They’ve reportedly shown interest in trading for Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan and D-backs star Ketel Marte, and they haven’t yet closed the door on a reunion with slugger Eugenio Suarez.

Arozarena was the Mariners’ most expensive arb case this winter. They’ve also reportedly agreed to a deal with George Kirby ($6.65MM) and have pending cases with Logan Gilbert, Gabe Speier, Luke Raley, Matt Brash and Bryce Miller. Arozarena had been projected for a heartier $18.2MM salary by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. He’ll clock in about 14% lower than that mark, leaving the Mariners with more flexibility as they continue to look for additional help on the offensive side of things and in their bullpen.

Share Repost Send via email

Seattle Mariners Transactions Randy Arozarena

12 comments

Blue Jays, Daulton Varsho Avoid Arbitration

By Darragh McDonald | January 8, 2026 at 12:33pm CDT

The Blue Jays and outfielder Daulton Varsho have avoided arbitration, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post. Varsho will make $10.75MM this year in his final season of club control. He’s a free agent next winter. That tops the $9.7MM figure projected by the algorithm of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz by a margin of just under 11%. Varsho is repped by ISE Baseball.

The 29-year-old Varsho came to Toronto in the 2022-23 offseason via a trade sending then-top prospect Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. back to Arizona. A converted catcher, Varsho has been a premier defensive center fielder from the jump and has seen his offense improve on a year-over-year basis in Toronto. After a rough start in ’23 (.220/.285/.389), Varsho hit .214/.293/.407 in 2024.

It was the 2025 season, however, where his bat truly took off. Recovery from offseason surgery delayed his season debut until late April, and he missed nearly two month of the summer due to a hamstring strain. But despite being limited to only 71 games and 271 plate appearances, Varsho belted 20 home runs while batting .238/.284/.548. He chipped in 13 doubles and a pair of triples, and his glovework in center field remained elite. Varsho went on to pop three more round-trippers in 81 postseason plate appearances.

Varsho’s agreement pushes the Blue Jays to a payroll of about $281MM, per RosterResource. Their $309MM worth of luxury tax obligations put them into the top tier of penalization, though Toronto is still reportedly in pursuit of further free agents — including incumbent infielder Bo Bichette and top free agent Kyle Tucker. The Jays will pay a 110% tax on any subsequent additions to the payroll due to that $309MM figure, but franchise-record levels of spending don’t appear to be a deterrent on the heels of Toronto’s run to Game 7 of the World Series in 2025.

Share Repost Send via email

Toronto Blue Jays Transactions Daulton Varsho

14 comments

Orioles Avoid Arbitration With Ryan Mountcastle

By Mark Polishuk | January 8, 2026 at 12:22pm CDT

The Orioles and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a contract that gives the O’s control over Mountcastle’s first free agent year, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray.  Mountcastle will earn $6.787MM in 2026, and Baltimore holds a $7.5MM club option on the first baseman’s services for 2027.  Mountcastle is represented by Apex Baseball.

The $6.787MM salary is an exact match for Mountcastle’s 2025 earnings.  MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected a $7.8MM salary for Mountcastle in 2026, yet the first baseman has eschewed on even a modest raise while also agreeing to give up a year of free agency, meaning that he won’t be able to fully financially capitalize on a bounce-back season.

The deal may simply reflect the lack of leverage Mountcastle has over his future in Baltimore, as it was viewed as something of a surprise that the Orioles tendered the first baseman a contract in the wake of his lackluster 2025 campaign.  A solid 111 wRC+ hitter over the 2020-24 seasons, Mountcastle plummeted to an 81 wRC+ in 2025 after hitting .250/.286/.367 with seven home runs over 357 plate appearances.  A severe hamstring strain limited Mountcastle to 89 games, which president of baseball operations Mike Elias said in November was a factor in the decision to tender Mountcastle a contract.

Elias’ view is that a healthy Mountcastle can rebound to his pre-2025 self, and thus the team didn’t want to let that player go for nothing.  Keeping a veteran on hand as a complement to Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo made some sense if the Orioles weren’t fully ready to give the youngsters a full run at regular first-base duties, yet the picture suddenly got a lot more crowded when Baltimore signed Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155MM contract.

It could be that this agreement is a step towards making Mountcastle more of an attractive trade candidate for any interested suitors.  Beyond his lack of a raise on his 2025 salary, the club option would give a new team some additional control at a potential bargain price if Mountcastle can indeed regain his old form.  The Orioles could also pivot by moving Mayo in a trade, and thus Mountcastle becomes first base/DH insurance for 2026 and potentially beyond, giving the team a bit more time to evaluate Basallo.

Share Repost Send via email

Baltimore Orioles Transactions Ryan Mountcastle

19 comments

Orioles Avoid Arbitration With Taylor Ward

By Mark Polishuk | January 8, 2026 at 12:16pm CDT

The Orioles and outfielder Taylor Ward have agreed to a $12.175MM salary for the 2026 season, FanSided’s Robert Murray reports.  The two sides avoided arbitration with a figure that comes in lower than Ward’s $13.7MM projection from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, but it’s still a big raise over the $7.825MM Ward earned in 2025.  Ward is represented by Wasserman.

In what ended up as his final season with the Angels, Ward hit .228/.317/.475 over 663 plate appearances, with a career-high 36 home runs and 103 RBI.  Ward’s 117 wRC+ in 2025 wasn’t much higher than his 112 wRC+ in 2024, and his batting average and OBP actually declined from the previous year.  However, since arbitors tend to favor traditional counting stats over advanced metrics, Ward’s big increase in homers and RBI meant that he was in line for a hefty increase.

Since Ward is a Super Two player, he had four years of arbitration eligibility instead of the standard three.  With his 2026 figure now established, Ward will have made $27.5MM over his four arb years, which included winning an arbitration hearing with the Angels entering the 2024 season.  (The panel gave Ward his desired $4.8MM salary rather than the Angels’ price of $4.3MM.)

Ward will hit free agency next winter in advance of his age-33 season, and on the heels of what Ward hopes is a productive first season in Baltimore.  After years of trade rumors, the Angels finally dealt Ward in an intriguing one-for-one deal in November that sent Grayson Rodriguez to Anaheim.  The move to a more hitter-friendly ballpark may well boost Ward’s numbers in his platform year, and he’ll surely welcome the chance to play for a potential contender after never playing on a winning team over his eight years with the Angels.

Share Repost Send via email

Baltimore Orioles Transactions Taylor Ward

0 comments

Phillies Avoid Arbitration With Jesus Luzardo

By Mark Polishuk | January 8, 2026 at 11:52am CDT

The Phillies and left-hander Jesus Luzardo have avoided arbitration by agreeing to an $11MM salary for the 2026 season, 7News’ Ari Alexander reports.  This is Luzardo’s final year of arb eligibility, as he is slated to become a free agent next winter.

The $11MM agreement beats the $10.4MM salary projection from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, and it represents a sizeable raise over the $6.625MM that Luzardo earned in 2025 (via another arb-avoiding deal with the Phillies).  That agreement came just a couple of weeks after the Phils acquired Luzardo as part of a noteworthy four-player trade with the Marlins.

Philadelphia swung the deal in the hopes that Luzardo would rebound from an injury-marred 2024 season to deliver the type of frontline results he showed during Miami’s 2023 season.  It ended up being a canny move on the Phillies’ part, as Luzardo finished seventh in NL Cy Young Award voting.  The southpaw posted a 3.92 ERA, 28.5% strikeout rate, and 7.5% walk rate over a career-best 183 2/3 innings, with above-average showings in virtually every Statcast category.

Another season like this will line Luzardo up for a hefty multi-year free agent deal next winter.  Age is also on his side — Luzardo just turned 28 last September, so he’ll be hitting the open market in advance of his age-29 season.  The Phillies still have time to pursue a contract extension to make Luzardo a long-term piece of the rotation, yet since Luzardo is represented by Scott Boras, chances are much higher that Luzardo will test free agency rather than ink an extension.

Share Repost Send via email

Philadelphia Phillies Transactions Jesus Luzardo

9 comments
Load More Posts
    Top Stories

    Pirates Sign Ryan O’Hearn

    2026 Arbitration Tracker

    Cubs Acquire Edward Cabrera

    Rockies To Sign Michael Lorenzen

    Blue Jays Continuing To Pursue Kyle Tucker

    Angels Sign Kirby Yates

    Dodgers, Braves Among Teams To Show Interest In Freddy Peralta

    Join The Beta Test For The New Trade Rumors iPhone App

    Athletics Sign Tyler Soderstrom To Seven-Year Extension

    Giants Sign Tyler Mahle

    Royals Extend Matt Quatraro

    Blue Jays Sign Kazuma Okamoto

    Kona Takahashi To Return To NPB For 2026 Season

    Astros Sign Tatsuya Imai

    Yankees Have Reportedly Made Offer To Cody Bellinger

    Cubs Sign Hunter Harvey

    Angels, Anthony Rendon Restructure Contract; Rendon Will Not Return To Team

    Hazen: Ketel Marte Trade Talks Won’t Last All Offseason

    Orioles Re-Sign Zach Eflin

    Marlins Sign Pete Fairbanks

    Recent

    White Sox Claim Drew Romo, Designate Ben Cowles

    Pirates Sign Ryan O’Hearn

    2026 Arbitration Tracker

    Phillies, Alec Bohm Avoid Arbitration

    Braves Claim Ken Waldichuk, Designate Vidal Brujan

    Mariners, Randy Arozarena Avoid Arbitration

    Blue Jays, Daulton Varsho Avoid Arbitration

    Orioles Avoid Arbitration With Ryan Mountcastle

    Orioles Avoid Arbitration With Taylor Ward

    Phillies Avoid Arbitration With Jesus Luzardo

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • 2025-26 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Front Office Originals
    • Tim Dierkes' MLB Mailbag
    • 2025-26 Offseason Outlook Series
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version