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MLBTR Podcast: Offseason Preview Megapod: Top 50 Free Agents

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams and Anthony of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images

The Stats Behind Some Potential 2026 Hall Of Famers (Sponsored)

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The 2025 season concluded with one of the most thrilling endings in a very long time (unless you are a Blue Jays fan), but now we’re in the Baseball Offseason, with a very long and cold winter ahead of us before there’s more baseball to watch.

We’re also in Hall of Fame season! This winter, BBWAA voters will decide whether any new players will be elected into the Hall. While there’s some exciting first time players on the ballot, there are also some very interesting ones returning for another year.

We’ll use Stathead, the Internet’s #1 Baseball Stats Search Engine, to take a look at three candidates returning to this year’s ballot. Let’s see why, or why not, they deserve a spot in Cooperstown.

Want to do your own research into the players you think deserve a spot in the Hall of Fame? Sign up for Stathead! Your first month is on us!

Carlos Beltrán
Receiving over 70% of the vote in his third year on the ballot, Carlos Beltrán seems like the safest bet for induction in 2026. How did someone with just one top-10 MVP finish in his career become a Hall of Fame lock? Let’s dig into the numbers!

Beltrán provided elite offense at a premium defensive position. From age 21-33, years where his primary position was center field, Beltrán posted an .853 OPS. He had seven seasons with an OPS over .850 while primarily playing center field. In the last 50 years, only four other CFs had more .850 OPS seasons.

Then, there’s Beltrán work in the field. He had four seasons with at least 10 Rfield, the fielding component of WAR. Rfield is scaled to runs, meaning he contributed around 10 runs of value (equivalent to about one win) four separate times in his career. Since 1990, only 38 OFs have done that four times, most of whom don’t have anywhere near the offensive numbers that Beltrán has.

Putting it all together, Beltrán is one of eight OFs in the last 50 years to have three or more seasons with an OPS of .850 and at least 10 Rfield.

Chase Utley
Switching to the infield, Utley scored a respectable 39.8% in last year’s voting. He still has a ways to go to reach election, but the numbers show why his candidacy is growing.

From 2005-09, Utley posted a ridiculous 39.7 WAR. Individually, those were seasons of 7.3, 7.3, 7.8, 9.0, and 8.2. When your worst season in that span is equivalent to Cal Raleigh’s 2025, you must be doing something right.

How to put that in context? There’s a few ways of looking at Utley’s run here:

When you factor that those five seasons all had Utley as a top five player in WAR, something only six other 2B have done, it’s clear that he has a strong case for the Hall thanks to one of the 2000s’ most impressive peaks.

Félix Hernández
Speaking of peaks, Félix Hernández got 20.9% of the vote last year, as voters weighed whether or not his run as arguably the best pitcher in baseball was enough to counteract a career that was shorter than the average Hall of Fame pitcher.

King Félix won one Cy Young and finished in second two more times. In all three seasons, he had an ERA+ of 170 or better, meaning his ERA was 70% better than the average pitcher when you account for league and ballpark.

That, it turns out, is a very rare achievement. Only 11 pitchers in MLB history have had three or more seasons where they threw 200+ innings and posted a 170+ ERA+. Of the 11, six pitched before Integration. The other five? Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martínez, Greg Maddux, and Félix Hernández.

This is a sponsored post from Stathead Baseball.

Randy Jones Passes Away

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The Padres announced Wednesday that two-time All-Star and former National League Cy Young winner Randy Jones has passed away. He was 75 years old. The team issued the following statement:

“With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, the Padres mourn the passing of our beloved left-hander, Randy Jones. Randy was a cornerstone of our franchise for over five decades, highlighted by becoming the first Padres pitcher to win the Cy Young Award. Inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame in 1999, his impact and popularity only grew in his post-playing career, becoming a tremendous ambassador for the team and a true fan favorite. Crossing paths with RJ and talking baseball or life was a joy for everyone fortunate enough to spend time with him. Randy was committed to San Diego, the Padres, and his family. He was a giant in our lives and our franchise history. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife Marie and the entire Jones family during this difficult time. RJ will be greatly missed.”

Jones was the Padres’ fifth-round pick in the 1972 draft and was in the majors as a 23-year-old the following season. The Fullerton native, born just about 100 miles north of the city where he’d eventually star on the mound, appeared in 20 games during his rookie season and immediately impressed with a 3.16 earned run average in 139 2/3 innings.

From that point, Jones became a fixture in San Diego’s rotation. A tough 1974 season saw him lead the National League with 22 losses, but he flipped the script in 1975-76, reaching 20 wins in both seasons. Jones logged an NL-best 2.24 ERA in 285 innings during the ’75 season and finished second in Cy Young voting to the legendary Tom Seaver. A year later, it was Jones’ turn to take home the hardware. He tossed an MLB-best 315 1/3 innings, including an incredible 25 complete games (five shutouts) and notched a tidy 2.74 earned run average. Coupled with 22 wins, that performance helped him beat out runners up Jerry Koosman, Don Sutton and Steve Carlton for what would be the lone Cy Young Award of his decade-long career.

Jones spent another four seasons in the Friars’ rotation but never returned to those lofty heights. He averaged 204 frames per season from 1977-80, working to a collective 3.62 ERA along the way. The Padres traded him to the Mets following the 1980 season, and he’d go on to pitch two years in Queens with a 4.69 ERA in 167 innings before being released.

Though Jones’ peak was fairly brief, he was one of the faces of his team in the mid-70s and is fondly remembered by fans for that pair of stellar, Cy Young-caliber seasons in ’75-’76. He retired with exactly 100 wins and a 3.42 earned run average compiled over the course of 1933 innings in the majors. We at MLBTR offer our condolences to the family, friends and countless fans of Jones — and to the entire Padres organization.

Phillies, Liover Peguero Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Phillies have agreed to a minor league contract with former Pirates infielder Liover Peguero, reports Aram Leighton of Just Baseball. He’ll presumably be in major league camp as a non-roster invitee next spring.

Peguero was once a touted young infielder whom the Pirates acquired from the D-backs in exchange for Starling Marte. He’s a former top-100 prospect who was once viewed as a possible shortstop of the future in Pittsburgh. Peguero’s bat has never come around, however. He’s seen action in four big league seasons but has mustered only a .227/.278/.368 slash line in 315 turns at the plate.

Peguero has also looked overmatched at the top minor league level. Outside of a late-2023 cameo in Triple-A where he smacked a pair of homers in 30 promising plate appearances, he’s produced well below-average numbers with the Pirates’ top affiliate in Indianapolis. He’s a .253/.317/.403 hitter in 888 plate appearances there, including a career-worst .247/.313/.375 showing in 75 games with Indy this season. Baseball America and other outlets have lauded his quality defensive tools but also noted a penchant for slipping into poor mechanical stretches that lead to far too many throwing errors.

For the Phillies, Peguero is a simple depth add — a roll of the dice on a former top prospect who doesn’t have a clear path to playing time with the big league club. Peguero could vie for a bench job if he has a big showing in camp, but with Trea Turner and Bryson Stott in the middle infield and Edmundo Sosa in a key utility role, he’ll head to spring training a ways down the depth chart.

The Opener: Orioles, DFA Limbo, Top 50 FA Podcast

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Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on today:

1. What’s next for the Orioles?

Last night’s surprising trade between the Orioles and Angels saw Baltimore bring Taylor Ward into the outfield mix, while Anaheim added a high upside arm to their rotation in Grayson Rodriguez. There’s little reason to wonder why the Angels swapped a rental bat for a roll of the dice on a young pitcher under long-term control who was once among the very best pitching prospects in baseball.

Baltimore’s motivations aren’t quite so easy to parse, given that the club’s outfield was already somewhat crowded with Ward now joining Tyler O’Neill, Colton Cowser, Dylan Beavers, Leody Taveras, Heston Kjerstad and prospect Enrique Bradfield. The trade helps balance out a lefty-heavy Orioles lineup, but Baltimore was already in clear need of additional rotation help. Might the addition of Ward signal that the O’s are prepared to use some of their existing outfield depth to help land a starter? Will they simply turn to the free agent market to fill out their starting staff?

2. Several players in DFA limbo ahead of non-tender deadline:

A large number of players were designated for assignment ahead of yesterday’s deadline to protect prospects from the Rule 5 draft. JJ Bleday, Christopher Morel, Jake Fraley, Tayler Saucedo, Jason Foley, and Ramon Urias stand out among the most notable names to end up in limbo after yesterday’s moves, and now those players figure to be available to any team interested in trading for them at a minimal price before their current teams likely non-tender them this coming Friday. Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia and catcher Jonah Heim weren’t designated for assignment, but they’re being shopped ahead of Friday’s non-tender deadline. Will Texas line up on a deal for either of the two?

3. MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agent podcast:

A special episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast goes live today, as Darragh McDonald is joined by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco for a two-hour conversation covering MLBTR’s list of the Top 50 MLB Free Agents for the 2025-26 offseason with predictions. Whether it’s a discussion of Kyle Tucker and MLBTR’s $400MM prediction for the offseason’s top free agent, or the unpredictability of Dylan Cease’s market coming off a relative down season, the podcast provides insight into the discussions that went into this year’s Top 50 list. The episode is already live on both Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and will be posted here on MLBTR later this morning!

Orioles Trade Grayson Rodriguez To Angels For Taylor Ward

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The Orioles have traded right-hander Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward. The Angels have also announced the trade. Rodriguez missed the entire 2025 season due to multiple arm injuries. Ward will be a free agent after 2026.

On a day filled with minor deals and roster shuffling, Baltimore and Los Angeles saved the best for last. The Orioles are shipping out one of their most promising arms since the Dylan Bundy/Kevin Gausman era. Rodriguez was electric at times since his 2023 debut, but injuries have marred his career. The 26-year-old was sidelined with shoulder inflammation and a lat strain this past year. A shoulder injury cost him half of the 2024 campaign. Injuries in 2022 limited him to 75 2/3 minor league innings and potentially delayed his big-league debut.

Rodriguez is under team control through 2029. Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias told reporters back in September that the righty was expected to be ready for spring training. Last week, Elias told reporters, including Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner, that Rodriguez “provides a real wild card for us talent-wise.” Elias will now play that card, turning Rodriguez into a year of a dependable power bat.

Ward hit a career-high 36 home runs last season. Since becoming a regular in 2022, the 31-year-old has launched 98 homers with decent plate discipline and fine run production. Ward’s batting average slipped to .228 last season, but his slugging percentage jumped to a career-high .475. He drove in 100+ runs for the first time as a big leaguer, while scoring a career-best 86 times.

MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects Ward to earn $13.7MM in his final year of arbitration. He was a first-round pick by the Angels back in 2015. Ward tore up minor-league pitching at each level, reaching Triple-A by 2018. He slashed a robust .352/.442/.537 with Salt Lake, earning a big-league callup at the end of that season. Ward scuffled in 40 games with the Angels and found himself back with the Bees. He bounced between both levels for a couple of seasons before finally cementing his spot with the big-league club in 2022. Ward broke out with 23 home runs over 135 games with the Halos, finishing his first full MLB season with a .281/.360/.473 slash (136 wRC+).

Ward began his career as a catcher but moved to the corner infield spots as he advanced in the Angels’ system. He played mostly third base in his early MLB years before permanently transitioning to the outfield in 2022. Ward spent some time in center and right field, but he’s played exclusively left field since 2023. He’ll enter an unsettled outfield mix that includes Colton Cowser, Tyler O’Neill, and Leody Taveras. Youngsters Dylan Beavers and Heston Kjerstad will also be involved, though the Ward addition will be another roadblock to consistent at-bats for them.

Ward’s departure leaves the Angels with Jo Adell, Jorge Soler, and some question marks in the outfield. With Mike Trout penciled in at DH, the outfield alternatives include Gustavo Campero, Bryce Teodosio, and Matthew Lugo. Top prospect Nelson Rada could also push for a roster spot. The Angels will be on the lookout for some center field help this winter.

The trade marks a surprising end to Rodriguez’s tenure with the club that selected him 11th overall in 2018. He quickly rose through the minors, with massive strikeout numbers propelling him to the top of prospect lists. MLB.com ranked Rodriguez behind only Adley Rutschman in Baltimore’s system back in 2022, while slotting him at sixth among all prospects. He was the top-ranked pitcher on the board.

Rodriguez did not hit the ground running in the big leagues during his debut in 2023, recording an ugly 7.35 ERA over his first 10 starts. He was sent back to Triple-A to regroup, and returned with a vengeance. The right-hander put up a 2.58 ERA across 13 starts after getting recalled. He cleaned up the control issues that had caused problems in his first stint and did so while striking out nearly a batter per inning. Rodriguez was shelled by the Rangers in the ALDS, but the final three months of the regular season suggested Baltimore had their ace of the future.

The 2024 campaign saw Rodriguez push his strikeout rate to 26.5% while trimming his walk rate to 7.3%. He notched his first double-digit strikeout game in May, striking out 10 against Boston. Rodriguez piled up 13 wins through 20 starts and logged a 3.86 ERA before a shoulder issue ended his season in August. A quality start and victory over Toronto on the final day of July would end up being his last start with the team.

Baltimore’s rotation will be headlined by Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish heading into 2026. Dean Kremer has been a reliable source of innings, but the options are less stable beyond him. Tyler Wells is expected to return to a starting role after returning late last season from UCL surgery. Cade Povich has made 36 starts over the past two seasons, but his career ERA is over 5.00. Brandon Young and Chayce McDermott have also struggled in their limited big-league opportunities. The Orioles have added veterans like Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, and Kyle Gibson in the past two seasons to help eat innings. They could be dipping back into that pool of pitchers to fill out the rotation this offseason.

For the Halos, Rodriguez adds an upside arm to a rotation that’s headlined by Yusei Kikuchi and Jose Soriano but otherwise lacks certainty. Former top prospect Reid Detmers will likely get another look in the rotation, where he’s struggled in the past, after an excellent 2025 season in the bullpen. Caden Dana, Mitch Farris and Sam Aldegheri are options in the fifth spot for now, with prospect George Klassen also looming. As with the O’s, it seems likely that the Angels will add another arm from outside the organization between now and spring training.

From a payroll perspective, the swap gives Anaheim $13-14MM of spending power. Their projected $166MM payroll (via RosterResource) sits nearly $40MM shy of last year’s Opening Day mark. Baltimore’s projected $105MM payroll sits nearly $60MM shy of last year’s Opening Day mark, but the O’s now have an even more acute need for rotation help and fewer resources available to address that need.

Giants To Hire Justin Meccage As Pitching Coach

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The Giants are expected to add Justin Meccage as their pitching coach, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. Meccage has spent the majority of his coaching tenure in the Pirates’ organization. He was most recently a minor league coach in the Brewers’ system.

After a brief playing career, Meccage got his coaching start in the college ranks. After seven years spent between the University of Texas-Pan American and Arkansas State University from 2004 to 2010, Meccage headed to the pros. He became a minor league pitching coach for Pittsburgh in 2011. Meccage moved through multiple levels of the minors before taking over as minor league pitching coordinator in 2017.

Meccage got his first big-league gig in 2018 as assistant pitching coach for the Pirates. He transitioned to bullpen coach in 2020, a role he held through 2024. Meccage was a Triple-A pitching coach for Milwaukee this past season.

New manager Tony Vitello’s staff is slowly coming together. San Francisco added Hunter Mense as hitting coach last week. Meccage will replace pitching coach J.P. Martinez, who was hired by Atlanta to be their bullpen coach. Martinez had been on the Giants’ staff since 2021.

San Francisco ranked 10th in ERA last season. The staff will be headlined by Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, though the options beyond that tandem are uncertain. The bullpen lost closer Camilo Doval at the trade deadline, then saw replacement Randy Rodriguez go down with an injury that led to Tommy John surgery. General manager Zack Minasian said the offseason plan will involve adding pitching depth.

Photo courtesy Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images

Rangers Sign Declan Cronin To Minor League Deal

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The Rangers have signed right-hander Declan Cronin to a minor league deal with an invite to MLB Spring Training. Cronin was released by the Marlins in September. He’s set to miss the 2026 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Texas also added shortstop Richie Martin and right-handers Peyton Gray and Trey Supak on minor league pacts with spring invitations.

Cronin was a fixture in Miami’s bullpen in 2024, making 56 appearances. He had a middling 4.35 ERA with just over a strikeout per inning across 70 1/3 frames. Cronin hit the IL at the end of that season with a knee injury, then was sidelined to open the 2025 campaign with a hip issue. Cronin landed on the Triple-A injured list in August with an unspecified malady, likely related to the injury that led to the surgery.

The White Sox took Cronin in the 36th round of the 2019 draft. Operating almost strictly as a reliever, the righty reached Triple-A by 2022. Cronin debuted with Chicago in 2023, making nine appearances out of the bullpen. He gave up 11 earned runs in 11 innings with nearly as many walks as strikeouts. The White Sox designated Cronin for assignment at the end of the season, and he was scooped up by the Astros. He would spend less than a month with the organization, as Houston DFAed him in January, and he was grabbed by the Marlins.

The upcoming season will likely be a wash for Cronin, but he offered respectable results when healthy with Miami. Texas will take a flier on him with the hope of getting a usable bullpen option down the line.

Martin first came to the organization on a minor league deal in May. He’ll stick around after hitting .258 across 79 games at Triple-A Round Rock. Martin spent parts of 2019, 2021, and 2022 in the big leagues with Baltimore. He slashed .212/.261/.311 in 447 plate appearances as an Oriole.

The Athletics spent a first-round pick on Martin back in 2015. He delivered tepid offensive results over four minor league seasons with the club. Baltimore claimed him off waivers after the 2018 season. He made the big-league roster in 2019 and appeared in 120 games. A broken wrist cost him the entire 2020 season. Martin saw minimal MLB action in 2021 and 2022, totaling 50 appearances with the Orioles.

Texas initially added Gray on a minor league deal this past offseason. He made seven appearances with Double-A Frisco, then earned a promotion to Triple-A. Gray delivered a 3.84 ERA across 61 innings with Round Rock. The 30-year-old has strong strikeout numbers in his minor league career, but injuries have limited his volume.

Supak also joined the Texas minor league system ahead of the 2025 season and split his season between Frisco and Round Rock. The 29-year-old posted a solid 3.55 ERA in 12 starts with the Express to close his season. Supak was drafted by the Pirates in 2014. He’s spent time in the minors with the Brewers, Athletics, and Cubs.

Photo courtesy of Jesse Johnson, Imagn Images

Rays, White Sox Complete Four-Player Trade

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The Rays and White Sox announced a four-player trade sending middle reliever Steven Wilson and swingman Yoendrys Gómez to Tampa Bay for outfielder Everson Pereira and minor league infielder Tanner Murray.

Wilson is the most established of the group. The 31-year-old righty landed in Chicago as part of the Dylan Cease trade during the 2023-24 offseason. Wilson had posted a 3.48 ERA over his first two MLB seasons with the Padres. His numbers tanked during his first year with the Sox, leading them to run him through waivers last winter. Wilson pitched his way back to the big leagues by the middle of April and turned in a quietly solid year.

Over a career-high 55 1/3 innings, Wilson pitched to a 3.42 earned run average. He punched out 21.1% of opposing hitters against a personal-low 9.1% walk rate. Wilson leans heavily on his slider and sits in the 93-94 MPH range with his fastball. He came up just shy of four years of service and is under arbitration control for the next three seasons. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him for a $1.5MM salary. Wilson has a full slate of options, so the Rays could send him between Tampa Bay and Triple-A Durham for the foreseeable future.

Gómez, 26, got a late-season look in the Sox’s rotation. He started nine of 12 appearances overall and turned in a 4.84 ERA through 48 1/3 innings. A former Yankees prospect, Gómez has bounced around the league on waivers. He’s out of options, which spurred the roster shuffling. Gómez sits in the 93-94 MPH range and has a deep arsenal but has never had pristine control. He’ll compete for a rotation or long relief role and will either need to break camp or again be designated for assignment.

The Sox swap Gómez for one of his former teammates coming through the Yankees’ system. Pereira, a righty-hitting outfielder, was once a notable international signee and solid prospect. The 24-year-old native of Venezuela has a career .271/.362/.519 batting line over three Triple-A seasons. Pereira’s solid power-speed combination has been undercut by strikeout concerns, though. He punched out at a 29% clip in the minors this year and struck out 28 more times in 73 big league plate appearances after the Rays acquired him from the Yankees at the deadline for José Caballero.

Pereira is also out of options. He’ll need to crack Chicago’s Opening Day roster or be designated for assignment. The Sox parting with a useful middle reliever for him suggests they’re likely to carry him in the big leagues. Pereira would slot behind Luis Robert Jr., Mike Tauchman and Andrew Benintendi as a fourth outfielder if the Sox keep all three of those players over the winter.

Murray, a 26-year-old non-roster utility player, rounds out the return. A fourth-round pick in 2020, Murray has gone unselected in the Rule 5 draft a few times. He’ll be eligible again this offseason unless the White Sox put him on the 40-man roster. He hit 18 homers but struck out at a 24.1% clip this past season with Tampa Bay’s Triple-A affiliate. He hit a below-average .241/.299/.400 across 572 plate appearances overall. The Sox figure to have him open the year with their top farm team in Charlotte.

Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase first reported that Gómez was being traded to Tampa Bay in a deal sending Pereira to Chicago. James Fegan of Sox Machine had the two-for-two swap. Respective images courtesy of Gary Vasquez and Kim Klement, Imagn Images.

Dodgers Select Ronan Kopp

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The Dodgers selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Ronan Kopp. That’s their only move for Tuesday’s Rule 5 protection deadline. L.A. had two openings on the 40-man roster and didn’t need to make a corresponding move.

Kopp, 23, is a reliever who divided the 2025 season between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City. He turned in a combined 3.43 earned run average across 57 2/3 innings. Kopp fanned a massive 36% of opposing hitters but walked almost 17% of the opponents he faced. He has a mid-90s fastball and a cutter-slider that he used almost equally in Triple-A.

It’s plus stuff with obvious command woes from the left side. Neither left nor right-handed hitters could do much damage against Kopp, but they each reached base around a .350 clip by waiting out the free passes. While he’ll need to dial in the command, the Dodgers obviously feel he’s talented enough to factor in as bullpen depth in 2026. He joins Alex Vesia, Tanner Scott, Justin Wrobleski, Jack Dreyer and Anthony Banda as lefty relievers on the 40-man roster.

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