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Astros Open To Moving Jake Meyers In Search For Rotation Help

By Steve Adams | December 1, 2025 at 10:14am CDT

The Astros don’t have a ton of breathing room between their current payroll figures and the first tier of the luxury tax threshold — a line owner Jim Crane is once again reportedly loath to cross. With a prominent need in the rotation, they’ve been exploring both the free agent and trade markets. One scenario in play, per Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome of The Athletic, is to trade center fielder Jake Meyers for pitching help. Meyers is drawing plenty trade interest, per the report, and Houston brass is open to moving him if it’d mean adding a starter with multiple years of club control remaining.

The 29-year-old Meyers (30 next June) isn’t necessarily a household name, but the defensive standout is coming off a strong all-around season. In 381 trips to the plate, Meyers hit .292/.354/.373 with a career-best 8.1% walk rate and career-low 17.6% strikeout rate. He hit three home runs, 15 doubles and two triples and added 16 steals in 21 attempts.

Meyers’ power output in 2025 was a career-low, but he didn’t experience an especially alarming dip in his quality of contact. He averaged 88.1 mph off the bat, which is south of the league average but right in line with the 88.2 mph he averaged in 2024, when he hit a career-high 13 homers in 513 plate appearances. His 38.9% hard-hit rate was actually higher than the 37% mark he posted in ’24. Meyers hit more line drives and grounders in 2025, however. His 28.4% fly-ball rate was his lowest since 2022, and his percentage of fly-balls that left the yard — just 3.8% — was a career-low mark. A .353 average on balls in play boosted his production but also feels ripe for regression.

Even if there’s some regression in store, though, Meyers is a potentially impactful player when considering the totality of his skill set. He’s never posted a below-average (or even average) season in center in the eyes of Statcast, Defensive Runs Saved or Ultimate Zone Rating. In nearly 3500 career innings in center, Meyers has posted 22 DRS and 41 Outs Above Average.

Meyers has had elite sprint speed in the past, sitting as high as the 92nd percentile of big league position players as recently as 2023. His sprint speed wilted in a 2025 season that saw him endure a pair of IL stints due to calf injuries, though it still sat well above average (71st percentile). It’s feasible that with better health in his legs, his speed and defensive grades could trend upward. Notably, he’d already swiped 14 bags by the end of June but stole only twice more the rest of the way; his first IL placement due to a calf strain came in early July.

It seems fair to infer that Meyers wasn’t operating at full speed at any point down the stretch. He was out from early July through early September and hit just .204/.271/.204 in 59 plate appearances following his return from the IL. He was sporting a .308/.369/.405 batting line (buoyed by a .374 BABIP) at the time of his injury.

Meyers is controllable for another two seasons via arbitration. He’s also quite affordable, projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn just $3.5MM in 2026. His availability comes at a time when the center field market is otherwise paper-thin. Trent Grisham accepted his qualifying offer from the Yankees. Cody Bellinger is a free agent but is more of a corner outfielder/first baseman and occasional center fielder than an everyday option in center. Harrison Bader is a free agent but has an inconsistent track record at the plate. Free agents Cedric Mullins and Lane Thomas are pure rebound candidates. The trade market offers names like Alek Thomas and Jarren Duran, but the former has never hit in the majors and the latter played primarily left field in 2025. Duran would also have a steeper acquisition cost than Meyers.

Of course, trading Meyers would create a center field void for the Astros themselves. They got some nice production out of 25-year-old Zach Cole in his 15-game debut late in the season, but it’s worth taking with a heavy grain of salt. Cole hit .255/.327/.553 with four homers in just 52 plate appearances, but he also fanned at a 38.5% clip. If that alarming strikeout rate were unique to his big league tenure, perhaps it could be chalked up to simple small-sample noise — but that’s not the case. Cole went down on strikes in a colossal 35.1% of his 416 minor league plate appearances in 2025 as well. He punched out in more than 38% of his Double-A plate appearances in 2024, too.

Impressive as Cole’s brief debut was, he’s not going to be able to cut it as a big league regular with such a glaringly deficient hit tool. Former top prospect Jacob Melton gives the ’Stros another potential option, but he was limited to just 67 games between Triple-A and the majors thanks to injuries this past season. He hit very well in 150 Triple-A plate appearances (.286/.389/.556) and quite poorly in 78 major league turns at the plate (.157/.234/.186, 37.7 K%). Taylor Trammell, an older and more traveled former top prospect, didn’t fare much better in 135 plate appearances (.197/.296/.333).

The Astros gave 2023 first-round pick Brice Matthews nine games in center field at the Triple-A level last season. He’s traditionally been a middle infielder, but with Carlos Correa joining an infield mix that also includes Jeremy Pena, Isaac Paredes and Jose Altuve, there’s no room in the middle infield. Matthews hit .260/.371/.458 (118 wRC+) in 498 Triple-A plate appearances last year but just .167/.222/.452 with a 42.6% strikeout rate in 47 MLB plate appearances.

If the Astros feel confident that some combination of Matthews, Melton and Cole can hold down the fort in center field next season, then trading Meyers becomes easier to stomach. However, it’s also fair to wonder what type of arm Houston could acquire in return for Meyers. He certainly has trade value, but two years of a slick-fielding, light-hitting center fielder isn’t likely to net a pitcher who can fill the shoes of the outgoing Framber Valdez. The Astros could likely bring in a back-of-the-rotation arm or perhaps some kind of rebound/upside play with multiple seasons of club control, but even if they deepen the rotation by way of a Meyers trade, they’ll be counting on Cristian Javier and/or Lance McCullers Jr. to return to their pre-injury form after shaky 2025 comebacks.

Free Agent Contest Leaderboard Now Available

By Tim Dierkes | December 1, 2025 at 9:47am CDT

4,604 people entered the MLB Trade Rumors Free Agent Prediction Contest this year. To date, eight of MLBTR’s top 50 free agents have signed, including four who accepted a qualifying offer.

MLBTR’s readership is off to a great start, particularly with those QO players. So far, three contestants have predicted seven of eight correctly, and many people have five or six correct. Click here to check out the contest leaderboard, which will be updated as more top 50 free agents sign.

You can search for a contestant name in the leaderboard, and clicking on a name shows you that person’s picks. There’s also a “view all” link next to “staff entry,” which allows you to see picks by the MLBTR writing staff. The contest closed on November 13th at 11pm central.

This leaderboard is accessible under the Tools menu for those on the desktop version of the website, and under the flame icon in the upper left for mobile web users.

To see the most popular choices for each player, click here.

The Opener: Imai, Orioles, Red Sox

By Nick Deeds | December 1, 2025 at 8:39am CDT

As the calendar flips to December here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world:

1. Imai heading stateside:

Right-hander Tatsuya Imai is coming over from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB this winter, and in doing so he’s made himself one of the top free agent starters available. The righty will be just 28 years old next season and is coming off a banner year in Japan, where he pitched to a 1.92 ERA across 163 2/3 innings of work. His combination of youth and a high-octane fastball should make him enticing to the majority of clubs hunting for rotation help this winter, and (as reported by Francys Romero of BeisbolFR) Imai is expected to come to the United States in the first few days of December to meet with MLB teams. An early-December deal can’t be entirely ruled out, though many NPB players wait until closer to the end of their posting window to make a decision; Imai’s posting window began on Nov. 19 and runs through Jan. 2.

2. What’s next for the Orioles after their first splash?

The Orioles will be without Felix Bautista next year, and as a result entered the offseason with a hole at the back of their bullpen. Baltimore wasted little time filling that vacancy, inking right-hander Ryan Helsley to a two-year, $28MM deal that gives Helsley an opt-out opportunity after the 2026 season. Helsley will slide into the closer role with his new club, joining righty Andrew Kittredge and lefty Keegan Akin as late-inning options. Helsley and outfielder Taylor Ward are both notable additions to the Orioles’ roster, but their biggest need remains unaddressed. The club floundered last year without Corbin Burnes leading the rotation, and at least one front-end arm to pair with Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers seems necessary if the O’s hope to get back into contention in 2026.

3. Red Sox facing a tight budget?

The Red Sox have been connected to a lot of free agency’s top bats after strengthening the rotation with their Sonny Gray acquisition. Reports have indicated that the club is not only in on the likes of Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, and Alex Bregman but also interested in signing multiple well-regarded free agent bats. Despite all of that buzz, however, financial realities could make that difficult. Reporting over the weekend suggests that the team might not be willing to spend much farther than the first luxury tax threshold this winter, which would leave them with a roughly similar payroll to 2025. Barring a change of heart from ownership, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow will either need to use the trade market to add some lower-cost bats and/or shed some salary via trade. Boston is currently about $21MM shy of the first tax threshold, per RosterResource.

KBO’s Samsung Lions Sign Matt Manning

By Mark Polishuk | November 30, 2025 at 10:12pm CDT

The Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization announced the signing of right-hander Matt Manning to a one-year, $1MM contract. Manning was outrighted off the Phillies roster in September, and he elected minor league free agency earlier this month.

Manning was once one of baseball’s top pitching prospects, and he was a fixture of top-100 prospect rankings in the years following his selection as the ninth overall pick of the 2016 draft. He posted solid numbers on his way up the Tigers’ minor league ladder until his MLB debut in June 2021, but the strikeout ability Manning displayed in the minors didn’t translate to his work in the Show. Over 254 innings and 50 starts with Detroit from 2021-24, Manning posted a 4.43 ERA, 7.8% walk rate, and only a 16.4% strikeout rate.

Some injuries hampered Manning during this time, but the Tigers eventually decided to move on entirely from the right-hander. Manning spent the entire 2025 season in the minors, first with Triple-A Toledo and then with the Phillies’ Double-A affiliate in Reading after the Tigers designated Manning for assignment and traded him to Philadelphia just before the trade deadline.

Manning turns 28 in January, so between his relative youth and his past pedigree as a top prospect, it is a little surprising that he didn’t draw interest from any MLB teams on a minor league contract. The fact that Manning inked his deal with the Lions relatively early in the offseason, however, perhaps suggests that he wasn’t interested in waiting perhaps several more weeks to land a non-guaranteed deal, and then going through the grind of another season in the minor leagues. Manning is also now out of minor league options, so even if he did make a big league roster, he might’ve been facing more DFAs and outrights, plus potential moves to other teams on waiver claims or trades.

Rather than ride this carousel, Manning will get a $1MM payday from the Lions. The KBO League is generally a hitter-friendly league, yet the lesser level of competition might help Manning get his career on track. There have been several instances of pitchers who have used stints in the KBO to rework their pitching repertoire, post some strong numbers, and get back onto the radar of big league teams, so chances are we haven’t seen the last of Manning in a Major League organization.

NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines Sign Jose Castillo

By Mark Polishuk | November 30, 2025 at 10:04pm CDT

The Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball announced the signing of left-hander Jose Castillo. The Mets chose to non-tender Castillo earlier this month, passing on the southpaw’s projected $1.7MM arbitration salary.

The move overseas to Japan may seem like small potatoes given the transactional maelstrom that was Castillo’s 2025 season. He saw big league action for four different teams (the Diamondbacks, Mets, Mariners, and Orioles) while compiling a 3.94 ERA over 32 innings. Beginning the season on a minor league deal with Arizona, Castillo was designated for assignment in May and then traded to the Mets, and he subsequently bounced around on a series of waiver claims. Castillo actually had three separate stints with the Mets, with the latest coming in early November when he was claimed off Baltimore’s waiver wire.

Castillo is out of minor league options, making him a necessary DFA candidate whenever a team wants to move him off its active roster. He would probably be facing another round of designations, outright assignments, and waiver wire visits if he’d signed a minor league deal with a Major League team this winter, so it perhaps isn’t surprising that Castillo has opted for the relative security (and a guaranteed salary) of this deal with the Marines.

Though Castillo has pitched in parts of five MLB seasons, that resume consists of his 32 innings in 2025, 38 1/3 innings with the Padres in his 2018 rookie season, and just two innings spread over a single game with the Padres in each of the 2019, 2022, and 2023 campaigns. Multiple injuries (including a Tommy John surgery) shelved Castillo for almost the entirety of the 2019-21 seasons, and he pitched primarily in the minors with the Padres, Marlins, and Diamondbacks from 2022-24.

While a small sample size of big league work, Castillo’s career 4.11 ERA, 27.1% strikeout rate, and 9.6% walk rate are all respectable for a pitcher with such a journeyman resume. He also has a 4.21 ERA over 130 1/3 career innings at the Triple-A level. Control has been an issue for Castillo, but he has always been able to rack up strikeouts and generate grounders. Castillo doesn’t turn 30 until January, so there’s still plenty of time for the left-hander to explore a future move back to North American baseball depending on how things work out during his Marines tenure.

Blue Jays Notes: Helsley, Berrios, Management Extensions

By Mark Polishuk | November 30, 2025 at 9:30pm CDT

The Blue Jays had “at least preliminary interest” in Ryan Helsley before the right-hander signed with the Orioles, The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon reports. Toronto has shown past interest (both last offseason and at the trade deadline) in trading for Helsley when he was still a member of the Cardinals, so it tracks that the Jays would’ve again considered Helsley in free agency. As it turned out, the Blue Jays will now have to deal with Helsley pitching for a division rival while Toronto’s own search for bullpen help continues.

Such pitchers as Helsley, Raisel Iglesias, Phil Maton, Edwin Diaz, and Pete Fairbanks have been linked to the Jays thus far, and the first three of those names have already come off the board. Given how Ross Atkins’ front office is known for casting a wide berth in its free agent explorations, it’s probably safe to guess that the Jays have called about most or all of the top relievers on the market, ranging from set-up men to proven closers like Diaz. Atkins said after the season that the team was open to the possibility of moving Jeff Hoffman into a set-up role, thus opening the door for Toronto to seek out another top saves candidate.

Of course, the Jays’ biggest winter moves to date have come in the rotation, not the bullpen. Shane Bieber made the first move himself when he decided against opting out of the final year of his contract, and then the Jays made the priciest free agent signing in franchise history by inking Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210MM contract. Within less than a month after the end of the World Series, the Blue Jays rotation suddenly went from a question mark to all but settled.

The projected starting five looks like Cease, Bieber, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and Jose Berrios, with Eric Lauer on hand as a swingman. Adam Macko, Ricky Tiedemann and Bowden Francis are further depth options. It’s a deeper group with a higher ceiling than the starting pitching mix that got the Jays to the World Series, though it’s possible another starter could still be added.

To make room in the rotation for a higher-caliber arm, the Jays could consider trading Berrios. Bannon (in a piece for the Athletic) and the Toronto Star’s Gregor Chisholm each floated the concept, as Berrios ended up being the odd man out of the starting mix even before a bout of elbow inflammation kept him sidelined for the Blue Jays’ entire playoff run. The Jays planned to transition Berrios to bullpen work prior to the postseason, and Berrios made all of one relief appearance before hitting the injured list.

Trading Berrios would be tricky for a few reasons — his eight-team no-trade clause, the three years and $66MM remaining on his contract, and the opt-out clause Berrios holds after the 2026 season. There’s also the fact that Berrios was pretty unspectacular in 2025, posting a 4.17 ERA and a set of below-average Statcast numbers across 166 innings. Any Berrios suitor would be counting on a bounce-back, naturally, but primarily might be interested in the veteran righty as a durable source of innings.

Berrios’ ability to eat innings makes him valuable to the Jays as well, considering how their pitchers added more mileage during an extended postseason run. Moving Berrios would open up some payroll space for Toronto as well, though in limited fashion. It’s pretty unlikely that the Jays would find a team willing to take the entirety of Berrios’ $66MM salary, plus spending capacity might not really be a concern for a Blue Jays club that already shown it is willing to stretch its payroll even further in search of a championship.

Turning to other topics from Chisholm’s mailbag piece, he believes the Blue Jays might’ve already finalized extensions for Atkins, team president Mark Shapiro, and manager John Schneider if the club hadn’t still been playing on November 1. Regardless, it just seems like a matter of time before the trio are all officially retained. Shapiro’s contract is already technically up, and Atkins and Schneider’s deals are up after the 2026 season (the Jays already exercised their club option on Schneider for 2026).

MLBTR Chat Transcript

By Mark Polishuk | November 30, 2025 at 7:25pm CDT

Mark P

It’s Sunday night and time to chat! We’ll launch things after the queue starts to fill up…

Anthony

Tucker and Imai for the Yanks?

Mark P

I’d be surprised to see New York spend to quite that level in bringing in two top-level guys. Bellinger and Imai seem like a more reasonable duo, if the Yankees make two big purchases

Rhett lowder

Am I eligible for rookie of the year? I am under the innings limit but have over a year of service time on the 60 day IL.

Mark P

Lowder is no longer considered a rookie

AstroFAN

Could Tyler Mahle go to Houston?

Mark P

Seems like a reasonable fit. Bringing in another guy with a recent injury history might not be entirely ideal for an Astros team that wants to cover innings, but Mahle on a one-year works with the budget

Chase

How can the Phillies be both prioritizing re-signing Schwarber AND be far apart on years and money? He’s seen this organization wildly overpay Trea Turner and Aaron Nola. Why shouldn’t he get the same? Pay the man.

Mark P

Todd Zolecki’s report from the other day didn’t say anything about Schwarber and the Phillies being “far apart” in anything, necessarily. He said that they’re “not close to a deal,’ which would relate to some kind of a gap in negotiations, or maybe just a timing issue.
Consider this scenario…..Dave Dombrowski says “Kyle, you know how much we want you back. Take your time looking around the market, and all we ask is that you give us a chance to match any offer.”

Jerry Dipoto

Could we re-sign Polanco and Geno? Which of the 2 is more likely

Mark P

Polanco seems a lot more likely, as a fit for what the Mariners want to achieve

Ms Fan

I read the MLBTR piece on internal infield options for the Mariners. Other than potentially reuniting with Suarez or Polanco, what realistic external options exist for the team?

Mark P

Interesting question, since haven’t heard much of anything about Seattle’s offseason targets apart from their own guys (i.e. Naylor and Polanco). Obviously Dipoto and his staff haven’t been idle in checking around for other options, but chances are Polanco is the top priority, and other infield adds won’t be explored more deeply until Polanco is off the board

Jeremy

Could the orioles extend Dylan beavers or Trevor Rogers?

Mark P

Beavers is probably the likelier candidate for an extension, since Rogers is close enough to free agency that he’d probably want to check out the open market. If he duplicates his 2025 numbers, he’ll be in for a big payday next winter

Brewers Fan

Was very surprised that a Miz extension would even be mentioned, what do you think an extension like that would look like? Seems a little risky for the Brewers no?

Mark P

Locking up a young potential ace is a very logical tactic for a lower-payroll team. If the Brewers feel as strongly about the Miz’s future as they did Chourio, they could explore another long-term deal that extends the team’s control over the hurler

fprex

What is the market for the Braves’ Sean Murphy? I’d imagine SD would be interested and Texas should be as well. Could the Braves get Seager to waive his no-trade clause and work a deal around Murphy?

Mark P

Despite Murphy’s recent numbers, he would get interest if Atlanta shopped him, just because the catching market is so thin. But having Murphy as any kind of a centerpiece of a potential Seager trade is a real reach.

Redbeard

Pirates actually gonna spend money or all bluster?

Mark P

I’ll believe it when I see it, but there has been enough smoke about the Pirates spending that I feel they’ll do something out of character. Not sign Schwarber anything, but they’ll sign a position player to a fairly pricey (for them) multi-year contract. Skenes has established himself as such a star that it seems like the Bucs really want to win something while he’s still in the organization.

Getz

Does the same agent representing multiple players impact the timing of signings? Like does an agent prioritize the “big fish” first and slow play negotiations for the secondary free agents they represent that play the same position?

Mark P

It makes for a fascinating question, but I doubt any agent would really go on the record about how they operate in any given offseason. No agent wants to even slightly give the impression that one client is more value than another.
Since each player is different, an agent has flexibility in how they deal with each situation, even in the bigger-picture context of an offseason where an agency has multiple clients.

Jorge Soler

Do the pirates make sense as a team considering they need to increase payroll?

Mark P

In theory, but I’d think (hope?) the Pirates would be aiming higher than an aging hitter coming off a subpar year

Guest

Why does mlb free agency take much longer for players than other major sports

Mark P

Other leagues have salary caps, and rigid caps in the case of the NFL and NHL. With only a certain amount of flexibility, players and teams want to get everything done quickly in order to move onto other business, which is why the first day of free agency in other sports is just an avalanche of moves

Phils Phan

Would it make any sense for the Phillies to say goodbye to Schwarber and Realmuto and to trade Casty for a bag of beans but eat half his salary? This way they could get younger. Target younger free agents. I’m I crazy or is thus feasible?

Mark P

If Realmuto leaves, that’s a big hole to fill at catcher. It is highly unlikely the Phillies find someone willing to take a quarter (let alone half) of Castellanos’ salary. Schwarber is replaceable in the sense that you can get another big bat at another position and it opens up the DH spot, but that’s a big loss to the clubhouse.
Your take that the Phillies should get younger isn’t inaccurate, but sticking with known quantities is the safer move for a team that wants to win now. Who knows, maybe Dombrowski will swing some clever trade for a catcher and Realmuto isn’t brought back, but that’s a less likely scenario.

Casey

What do you think of Buster Olney’s report that the Giants won’t spend on a top of the rotation arm and are really looking for value middle of the rotation guys? Giants seem to have money and a significant need for pitching.

Mark P

Robbie Ray is a free agent after next season, too. So signing another pitcher to a longer-term deal to pair with Webb atop the post-Ray rotation seems sound.
But, even though Farhan Zaidi is gone, the Giants are sticking with their reluctance to give any kind of significantly lengthy deal to a pitcher. Their logic isn’t unsound, yet sometimes if you need a pitcher, you have to throw caution to the wind

Alex

Diamondbacks need at LEAST three starters right? Do we think they make a splash? Or go mid range?

Mark P

Mid-range. They already made their big splash with the Burnes signing

The rumor is that Miami is trying to take on more salary to gain more favor in revenue sharing. As a Red Sox fan, I would selfishly love them to take on the Yoshida deal and maybe add Florida’s own Triston Casas to sweeten the deal. What other contracts do you see as potential fits if they struggle to attract free agents or their own?

Mark P

Since the A’s were in this same situation last winter, we can use them as something of a model for what Miami might do.
The A’s signed Severino, gave Leclerc $10MM, and extended Rooker and Butler to significant long-term deals. What they didn’t do (and I don’t think the Marlins will do) is become a way station for other teams’ unwanted contracts.

Your Red Sox hypothetical is also flawed on Boston’s end, since I think the Sox would want a lot more in a Casas trade than to just use him as salary relief.

HOF Hater

If Donny Baseball gets into the Hall, it would open the door for so many players with goodish careers. Look at Josh Donaldson’s numbers basically the same if not better then Mattingly. Would you support a Donaldson for the HOF push?

Mark P

Nope, nor would I vote for Mattingly if I had a spot on this year’s veterans committee. Mattingly had a fine career but his prime was so short that he doesn’t reach my personal HOF threshold.
Hey wait, is it too late for me to be part of the veterans committee? Who do I need to speak to at Cooperstown to make this happen?!

Blue Jays fan

Max Schrezer and Chris Bassitt both sounded like they wanted to come back to Toronto and try to win the World Series next year. Does the Cease signing close the door on this?

Mark P

Right now Toronto’s rotation is Gausman, Cease, Bieber, Yesavage, and Berrios. So technically there’s no room, unless perhaps Berrios is dealt or if Bassitt or Scherzer is willing to transition into a relief/swingman role. (Conceivably, Berrios might also take on such a role.)
While the door isn’t entirely closed, it makes it a lot less likely

Zane

Do you see CJ Abrams as a trade piece this offseason?

Mark P

Anthony Franco recently did a nice breakdown of a possible CJA trade market, so here’s the link to that post: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/looking-for-a-match-in-a-cj-abr…
I think Abrams is ultimately still in DC on Opening Day, but the Nationals won’t be married to the idea of keeping him if a good offer comes along

Rod

Could the Yankees possibly try and trade for the Twins Joe Ryan?

Mark P

Sure, that definitely seems like something the Yankees could or should attempt. Ryan is a good add for any team in baseball, but to that end, the Twins will require a ton before dealing him.

Guest

Would a Blue Jays’ package of Ernie Clement, King, and Tiedemann get a Marte deal done?

Mark P

Diamondbacks would want more. Plus, I doubt the Jays move Clement given his infield value and what he showed at the plate last year.
My friend Melanie is also hoping for a Clement jersey for Christmas, so if a trade does happen, hopefully it takes place before Mel’s partner plunks down a big chunk of change on suddenly outdated merch

confused

If the catcher market is thin, could you see the Brewers moving Contreras and his approx $11mill salary? What kind or return could he possibly bring?

Mark P

Same logic as the Phillies and Realmuto earlier….if you get a starting catcher go, what’s your plan to replace him? Trading Contreras is even less likely for the Brewers since he’s affordable for them even for that salary, since it’s still a bargain price for such a productive catcher
You’ll start to hear more trade buzz about Contreras next winter when he’s a year away from free agency. It will be interesting to see if Milwaukee is sold enough on Quero to trade Contreras, or if they’ll hang onto him to try and win in 2027, then let him walk in free agency

Al Kaline Battery

Verlander to the Tigers. Unfinished business and added motivation. Is it plausible?

Mark P

It’s certainly plausible. The Tigers don’t want to stretch payroll too much, but bringing back Verlander on a one-year deal would be both popular with the fanbase, and a logical baseball move given how JV was still a solid pitcher in 2025

Chaim Bloom

Should I bring in Scherzer on a one year deal?

Mark P

Scherzer wants to pitch for a contender, not a rebuilding team
Unless his market is completely barren, I don’t see Scherzer going to St. Louis

Mark P’s Long Lost Brother

Who’s an underrated free agent right now more people should be talking about?

Mark P

He’s not “underrated,” and maybe this is just because I’m higher on him than most. But there’s been a lack of public buzz about Ranger Suarez to date, which I find curious.

Are the Braves seriously shopping Sean Murphy or is this a case of just listening in case someone bowls them over with an offer? a

Mark P

There have been trade rumblings about Murphy basically since Drake Baldwin starting breaking out, but it’s more speculative than based on any concrete info. Of course, the Braves run such a tight ship that not much leaks from their front office anyway, but generally, the Murphy buzz is more speculative from Atlanta fans thinking of ways to free up payroll space and move a (possibly) redundant player

Adley Rutschman

Cal Raleigh signed a 6/$105MM prior to his 2025 MVP-runner-up season and now the deal suddenly looks like a bargain. What kind of extension should I accept, if offered?

Mark P

Rutschman isn’t an extension candidate, in my view. From his perspective, a contract he signs now will be too low, since Adley obviously feels he can top his 2024-25 numbers. From the Orioles’ perspective, why rush to extend a catcher whose numbers for the last season and a half have been so underwhelming? Especially when Baltimore already locked up Basallo?

fascinating

I don’t buy Olney’s report of the Giants not spending on big free agent pitchers. What is the logic in trading for Devers and then making a huge managerial change only to be tight with money? Is the looming CBA fight have any relevance?

Mark P

The Giants’ stance is that they’re reluctant to invest in long-term deals with pitchers. With position players, it’s a different story, as we’ve seen with Adames, Chapman, and the Devers trade

O’s Fan

Are you a Coby Mayo believer? I can’t figure out why the heck Baltimore tendered Mountcastle a contract.

Mark P

I was also surprised, but tendering Mountcastle was perhaps a middle ground between a) entrusting Mayo with the everyday 1B job, or b) going big on acquiring another starting first baseman.

Walter

Last year before the Josh Naylor trade, the Guardians were interested in Paul Goldschimdt before he decided on the Yankees. Since the Guardians still need a right hand bat would they consider him this off season.

Mark P

It’s a possible fit, but it’s also very possible Cleveland’s interest has cooled after Goldschmidt’s average season

Mike

Could you see the Marlins/Pirates making a trade purely to up the payroll, if they aren’t able to actually sign anyone they want and don’t want the grievance? Like take on Castellanos’ salary and get a prospect for it, then just DFA Castellanos? Neither org is well thought of so isn’t it possible that they can’t sign anybody and end up in a really bad spot payroll-wise and have to make a move?

Mark P

If the Marlins/Pirates offer enough money, they can definitely get people to sign. The price was right for Severino to join the A’s last year, as much as he might regret that decision in hindsight.
And, who’s to say a free agent wouldn’t have interest in either team. The Marlins were a decent team last year that seems to be on the way up, and they play in Florida. The Pirates have Skenes and a bunch of good pitchers, so a prominent free agent might be intrigued by the challenge of bringing winning baseball back to Pittsburgh

nick krall

could i potentially sign marcell ozuna as a cheaper alternative to kyle schwarber? and or ryan ohearn could work for this question too.

Mark P

O’Hearn would be my preference, as Ozuna is basically a DH-only guy but O’Hearn has defensive utility. Plus, a lefty bat is better fit for Cincy’s lineup.

Ca$hman

what do you think about a franchise player designation in the next cba that either discounts that players lux tax hit by a certain percentage for high spending teams, or the lux tax going to pay a certain percentage of a franchise players salary for revenue sharing recipients?

Mark P

Creative answers like this seem way more feasible to me than the idea of the players ever agreeing to a salary cap. The NBA version of your idea is somewhat akin to the “Larry Bird rule,” which allows a team to go over the cap in order to retain its own free agent.

Blue

How do you like Imai wanted to take down the Dodgers? I dont think he will be popular in Japan now.

Mark P

I don’t see his comments making too much of a stir. Seems like a perfectly logical thing a competitive person would say

WBC

Thoughts on the World Baseball Classic?

Mark P

Of all the hundreds of baseball games I’ve attended in person, the 2009 WBC tilt in Toronto remains one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had.

Oppo nacho

What’s the most plausible bat the reds sign or trade for

Mark P

The previous commenter’s suggestion of O’Hearn is pretty plausible, actually. I imagine ROH will get a lot of looks from teams in the medium payroll range who can’t afford the likes of a Schwarber or an Alonso

Funnyball

Any insight into what DePosesta may do to turn the Rockies around? What do you think of them taking on a bad contract in order to add a little talent to the org. Say Yoshida or Contreras plus prospects?

Mark P

Neither Contreras is a bad contract, but in general, your point makes sense. The Rockies are basically starting from scratch here and don’t really have anything on the books besides Tovar and Bryant. Who knows if ownership would sign off or not, but taking on Yoshida/Castellanos/etc. just to obtain much-needed prospects is a decent strategy for a team with a sparse farm system

MCM

Lots of new managers coming. Anyone you’re particularly excited about?

Mark P

Obvious answer here is Tony Vitello, just because he’s such a unique hire. It’ll be fascinating to see how his work at Tennessee can translate to working with big leaguers.

Joe

Do you think there’s more to the Ryan Helsley deal than what’s been reported? 2/28M with an opt out seems higher than expected; maybe because there’s a club option for 2028 if he opts in or it’s backloaded a bit?

Mark P

No reports yet on how the $28MM is allotted over the two seasons. No club option was reported so that’s not part of things.
I don’t think $28MM is too outlandish for Helsley. He had a brutal run with the Mets, but if that really was just due to tipping pitches, that’s a fixable problem.

kurt the hurt

How do you like the new Ball/Strike challange system coming next season ?

Mark P

I think it only benefits the game to have a backup against correctable mistakes. In the same way that replays and challenges have improved games, getting to fix a few ball/strike calls per game sounds like a good thing to me

Kyle

Do you think Gray ends up being Boston’s only SP addition this offseason, and if so how do you think they address the outfield surplus?

Mark P

I suspect they’re not done in the rotation.

Who Hangs Up?

Skenes to the Yankees for… The Martian, Austin Wells, Schlitter, Spencer Jones, George Lombard Jr.

Mark P

If the Yankees actually offered all that for Skenes, I think Pittsburgh says yes

John Son

Are the Reds going to have a competition for the 3b job, or have they already given it to Hayes? Where does Sal Stewart fit if Hayes is the 3b and Steer at 1b? Stewart just the DH?

Mark P

Hayes is an incredible defensive 3B, so he isn’t going anywhere. As recently noted in an Athletic piece, Stewart/Steer have enough positional flexibility that it allows the Reds to be open to several possibilities as they weigh new additions
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/reds-notes-lineup-free-agent-pu…

Chris Young

Do you think I sign one of the big name free agents?

Mark P

The Rangers seem to be cutting payroll, and not getting into position to make any splashy new signings

Guardians of the Galaxy

Who is going to play 2B for Cleveland in 2026? Do you think Bazzana can break camp with the team?

Mark P

Though Bazzana made it to Triple-A last year, I suspect the Guardians want to see more from him on the batting average and power fronts before giving him a look in the Show.
That being said, I’d be very surprised if Bazzana doesn’t get the call before 2026 is out. This might also be a situation where Bazzana is on the Opening Day roster if the Guardians can sign him to a pre-career extension

Robbie Baseball

Do you think Addison Barger is somewhat “untouchable” at this point (outside of something major)?

Mark P

Tend to agree. It would be a big surprise if Barger is dealt in the wake of his breakout year

Drew

Do you expect that Breslow and Toboni will line up on some trades?

Mark P

Boston fans started thinking of Gore trades the minute Toboni got hired. It’s certainly possible the Sox and Nats make some trades given Toboni’s knowledge of the Boston farm system, but not necessarily any big blockbuster-ish moves

Cubs

Tatsuya Imai and Cubs a good fit?

Mark P

Sure. Raises the ceiling of Chicago’s rotation, and provides long-term rotation help since Imanaga/Taillon/Boyd are all free agents after 2026

mark

Could cards balance a trade with M,s featuring Donovan & Sloan as principals

Mark P

If Polanco departs, trading for Donovan would be a very nice pivot for Seattle. Dealing Sloan for two years of Donovan is a risk, yet the M’s farm system is deep enough that Dipoto might be willing to take the plunge.

Mariners Fan

Do you think there is a market for Luis Castillo? Does it make sense to trade him? It would free up money, but create a hole in the pitching staff.

Mark P

There’s certainly a market for him. Ownership seems to be a little more willing to spend given how close the team came in 2025, so the idea of moving Castillo just to open up payroll space might not be as critical as it once seemed. And you’re right, trading Castillo does mean the M’s now need another starter to either step up from the minors, or they could acquire a low-cost vet.

Dana Brown 4 Advice

Should I sign Merrill Kelly?

Mark P

The “Dana Brown 4 Advice” poster sent in like a dozen questions all about various players, so I feel compelled to answer at least one. I chose an option that seemed most realistic, as Kelly fits within the Astros’ budget and he’d be a nice help for the rotation.
btw, I have my suspicions that the poster isn’t the actual Dana Brown

secret souse

Will White Sox convince OHearn with some money doing the talking? I could see him being unpopular with MLB analytic departments and maybe his price is 1y/15m plus buyout on a second year. He doesn’t have the long track record, though he’s ok with the bat data

Mark P

We had two years, $26MM for O’Hearn in the top 50 list. As noted earlier, he’ll get enough interest that ROH will probably find an acceptable offer with a team that has better chance of winning in 2026 than the White Sox

fascinating

favorite movie of 2025?

Mark P

“Sinners” is the best I’ve seen this year. Fantastic film!

Cards Fan

When will the 2026 mlb draft order be determined? Where will the cards pick??

Mark P

The lottery takes place on December 9

Guest

With this possibly being the last year for Skubal and Torres for the Tigers, do you see a chance the Tigers going all in this year and signing combination of Framber Valdéz or Ranger Suarez and either Bregman or Bichette. Skubal and Torres would come off the books the following year and they would already have their replacements on the team.

Mark P

This seems bolder than the Tigers are willing to be, even though I absolutely agree they should be making the most of Skubal’s (probable) last season in Detroit. Making at least one big-time signing seems more than reasonable for a team that has been in contention for two straight years now, but is still a few pieces away
We’re over two hours now, so time to wrap up the chat. Thanks for all your questions tonight, and next week, the Weekend Chat will probably be taking place during the day on Saturday. Sunday evening will likely be busy with the HOF veterans committee announcement and the start of the Winter Meetings, so Saturday it is.
if you’re interested in more baseball Q&A, one of the many benefits of our Trade Rumors Front Office subscription is the exclusive weekly live chats. The more limited field means you’re about 10 times more likely to get a question answered, as opposed to battling for space with hundreds of other questions in today’s chat. For more on our memberships, check out this link:
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Giants Focusing More On “Modestly Priced” Pitchers

By Mark Polishuk | November 30, 2025 at 4:17pm CDT

Giants team chairman Greg Johnson and general manager Zack Minasian have each downplayed the idea that the team will be pursuing long-term (and therefore more pricier) pitching signings this offseason, due to both the risk associated with such contracts and the number of lengthy and expensive contracts already on San Francisco’s books. As such, it probably isn’t a big surprise that “a lot of their market pitching inquiries have been for more modestly priced arms,” according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.

The context of Olney’s report comes in the context of speculation that the Giants could be a suitor for Tatsuya Imai, as it would seem the Giants might not be willing to meet Imai’s asking price. There is a widespread belief that Imai’s eventual contract will run deep into the nine figures — MLB Trade Rumors projects a six-year, $150MM deal for Imai, who ranked seventh on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents.

If the Giants were going to make a longer-term commitment to a pitcher, Imai might fit the bill given his relative youth (he doesn’t turn 28 until May) and naturally his excellent track record in Nippon Professional Baseball. Imai’s recent interview on the Hodo Station show also caught the attention of Giants fans, as Imai suggested that while he’d enjoy playing with the Dodgers, “winning against a team like that and becoming a world champion would be the most valuable thing in my life. If anything, I’d rather take them down.”

Still, Imai’s ability to carry his success over to Major League Baseball isn’t seen as a sure thing amongst evaluators. If San Francisco was going to splurge on a top-end starter, spending big on a pitcher who’s more proven against MLB hitters would seem to carry more appeal to a Giants organization that wants to minimize risk in its rotation investments (that is, if the Giants decided to spend big on any pitcher at all).

While there’s no such thing as having too much frontline pitching, the Giants are already ahead of a lot of teams by having a clearcut ace in Logan Webb. Robbie Ray also pitched well in 2025 after missing most of the 2023-24 seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery. This duo gives the Giants two starters they can count on to take the ball in a playoff series, plus homegrown starter Landen Roupp also pitched well in his first extended taste of big league action in 2025. However, there isn’t any proven depth beyond this group, making the rotation a priority for Buster Posey’s front office this winter.

If the Giants are primarily looking at second- or third-tier options, there’s still plenty of talent to be had amongst veteran arms who might be limited to shorter-term contracts based on their age alone. Signing Justin Verlander to a one-year, $15MM deal last offseason worked out for the team, so re-signing Verlander or perhaps seeking out this winter’s version of a “Verlander contract” with another pitcher is more the Giants’ speed. Inking at least one veteran to eat innings and stabilize at least one rotation spot would allow San Francisco’s younger pitchers some space to compete amongst themselves for a fifth starter’s role, and ideally one could emerge as Roupp did last year.

Though there’s some sound reasoning behind the Giants’ approach to starting pitching, the strategy probably isn’t going to sit well with Bay Area fans wondering why the team isn’t willing to spend at a higher level. The Giants have exceeded the luxury tax threshold just once in the last eight seasons, as after paying a minimal tax bill in 2024, the club ducked back under the line again in 2025. Johnson’s non-committal stance towards paying the tax or even exceeding $200MM in payroll space also doesn’t lend itself to the idea that San Francisco is planning anything truly substantial on the spending front this winter, and certainly not on the pitching side.

Kodai Senga Prefers To Remain With Mets In 2026

By Nick Deeds | November 30, 2025 at 2:33pm CDT

Mets right-hander Kodai Senga has indicated to the club that he would prefer to remain in Queens for next season rather than be traded elsewhere this winter, according to a report from Will Sammon of The Athletic. Sammon adds, however, that the Mets might still trade him this offseason. Senga’s contract includes a ten-team no-trade clause that gives him limited say over where he can be traded.

The news is noteworthy given the fact that Senga, 33 in January, is a known trade candidate who the Mets have indicated they’re open to offers on and has drawn interest from rival organizations. Sammon notes that some teams don’t view this year’s crop of free agent starters particularly highly, and that lukewarm interest in those arms has led some teams to view Senga as a buy-low candidate worth considering. The right-hander’s appeal is somewhat obvious; he has a career 3.00 ERA and 3.82 FIP across three seasons in this majors, and just this past season offered the Mets with a 3.02 ERA across 22 starts.

That’s solid production for a starter as it is, and the fact that Senga will make just $28MM over the next two years (with an affordable club option for the 2028 season) figures to make Senga all the more attractive given that last year’s free agent market saw one-year rolls of the dice on veterans with health or age question marks like Alex Cobb and Charlie Morton cost $15MM. Opportunities to add a potential front-of-the-rotation talent on that affordable of a deal are few and far between, and that’s sure to draw interest from plenty of suitors.

That shouldn’t be taken to mean there aren’t complicating factors at play, of course. After all, the Mets themselves are in need of top-of-the-rotation impact in their rotation. They wouldn’t consider dealing Senga at this juncture if there wasn’t some cause for concern. Talented and productive as the right-hander clearly is, Senga has been unreliable during his time in Queens. He’s made just 52 starts at the big league level across three seasons after he missed nearly the entire 2024 campaign due to shoulder and calf issues. 2025 saw him battle a hamstring strain that caused him to miss a month of playing time, and he posted a 5.90 ERA in nine starts following his return to the mound before he agreed to be optioned to Triple-A for the remainder of the 2025 season in early September.

That Senga was pulled from the rotation entirely when the Mets were fighting for their playoff lives suggests a lack of confidence in the righty from Mets personnel, and president of baseball operations David Stearns himself called it “foolish” to count on Senga to make a full slate of starts headed into 2025. There’s an argument to be made that Senga’s issues regarding injuries and inconsistencies are more likely to get worse than improve as he heads into his mid-30s, and a Mets rotation that’s deep in viable options but lacking in reliable impact talent might prefer to use that spot in the rotation on a more reliable free agent or trade acquisition.

The Mets have already shown this offseason they aren’t afraid to shake up the team’s status quo, shipping out long time Met Brandon Nimmo in a deal that brought back Marcus Semien. Other Mets stalwarts like Jeff McNeil are known to be on the trading block as well, and after the club’s disappointing 2025 season it seems as though the Mets clubhouse will look very different next year. Whether or not that includes Senga could depend on the specifics of his no-trade list. If the Mets are truly motivated to move on from Senga, they’d surely be able to do so to one of the league’s 20 teams that Senga can’t block a deal to.

Things might not be that simple, however, as Senga’s upside and value on the market would surely make them hesitant to deal him for an underwhelming return. The teams on Senga’s no-trade list aren’t presently known, so it’s entirely possible that the clubs most aggressively interested in his services are also ones he can block a deal to. While today’s news of Senga’s preference to stay in New York certainly shouldn’t lead anyone to rule out the possibility of him being dealt, it’s undeniable that it creates at least a possible obstacle to the Mets finding a deal they’re happy with.

If Senga does stay in Queens, that shouldn’t preclude the club from bringing in another top-of-the-rotation arm. Top prospect Nolan McLean, right-hander Clay Holmes, southpaw Sean Manaea, and lefty David Peterson figure to round out the Mets’ rotation alongside Senga as things stand. McLean has options remaining but figures to be a lock for the rotation given his results in 2025 and prospect pedigree. Manaea, Peterson, and Holmes all cannot be optioned to the minors but have experience pitching out of the bullpen, which could create some flexibility if necessary. Trading one of those three could be a plausible solution as well, though none would seem likely to bring back as strong of a return as Senga and Manaea in particular could be difficult to move given his hefty salary and difficult 2025 campaign.

Rays Interested In Zach Eflin, Adrian Houser

By Nick Deeds | November 30, 2025 at 1:14pm CDT

The Rays are known to be perusing the market for shorter-term starting pitching help as they look to fill out their 2026 rotation, and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that a pair of familiar names are being discussed by the team as potential targets: right-handers Zach Eflin and Adrian Houser.

Eflin, 32 in April, signed a three-year, $40MM deal with the Rays prior to the 2023 season. He made 50 starts for the Rays before being traded to the Orioles at the 2024 trade deadline. In that time, he posted a 3.72 ERA and a 3.26 FIP with a 23.5% strikeout rate against a 3.2% walk rate. His 2023 season in particular was very strong, as he finished 6th in AL Cy Young award voting with a 26.5% strikeout rate against a 3.4% walk rate with a 3.50 ERA and 3.01 FIP across 177 2/3 innings of work. His strikeout rate fell to 19.6% last year, however, and this past season the bottom completely fell out from Eflin’s performance. He was limited to just 14 starts for the Orioles by injuries, and when he was healthy enough to take the mound he struggled to a 5.93 ERA with a 5.64 FIP with a 16.2% strikeout rate.

Houser, 33 in February, was acquired by the Rays from the White Sox at this year’s trade deadline. He made ten starts with a 4.79 ERA and a 4.38 FIP, though his overall season was much stronger than that. In 125 innings between Chicago and Tampa, Houser posted a 3.31 ERA and a 3.81 FIP across 21 starts this past year despite a 17.8% strikeout rate and 7.3% walk rate. Despite those strong overall results, Houser’s weak ratios combine with a long history as a bottom of the rotation arm or fifth starter (99 ERA+ from 2019-24) to make the 2025 season look like an outlier in his career, and while the Rays are an organization known for maximizing their pitchers his ten starts in Tampa didn’t inspire much confidence.

Both pitchers have flashed mid-rotation ability in the past but head into free agency with significant question marks that could leave them limited to relatively affordable short-term deals. It shouldn’t be a shock that this would be appealing to the Rays, as the club perennially faces a payroll crunch. Topkin suggests the club’s payroll is likely to clock in around $85MM for 2025. RosterResource currently projects the club for a payroll of around $94MM, but that would include a $15.5MM salary for embattled shortstop Wander Franco, who hasn’t played since 2023 and was convicted of sexual abuse earlier this year. He’s been on the restricted list since July of 2024 and has not collected an MLB paycheck ever since. Without Franco’s money on the books, the team’s payroll falls to $78MM, meaning they have around $7MM in budget space for additions.

That should be enough to sign a low-end rotation arm like Eflin or Houser in free agency, but with other needs to fill (such as a hole at catcher and a desire to improve over Taylor Walls at shortstop) Topkin suggests the club could also turn to the trade market. That could be an attractive avenue to acquire cost-controlled talent while also shedding salary if the club parts with a player like Brandon Lowe, who is due $11.5MM in 2026 and has been considered a trade candidate for years. Topkin speculatively suggests a reunion with Twins right-hander Joe Ryan could be one avenue the Rays could pursue on the trade market. The 2025 All-Star’s projected $5.8MM salary in 2026 is certainly affordable, but the link between the Rays and Ryan seems to be largely speculative on Topkin’s part. Other possible trade candidates who would come on affordable salaries this year include Edward Cabrera of the Marlins and MacKenzie Gore of the Nationals.

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