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Diamondbacks, Thomas Hatch Agree To Minor League Deal

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The D-backs and free agent righty Thomas Hatch are in agreement on a minor league contract, reports MLBTR’s Anthony Franco. Hatch, a client of Moye Sports Associates, will be in major league camp as a non-roster invitee this spring.

Hatch turned 31 just a couple days after the season ended. He’s pitched in parts of five big league seasons between the Blue Jays, Pirates, Royals and Twins, ending the 2025 campaign with the latter of that quartet. In 103 MLB frames, the former third-round pick (Cubs, 2016) has a 5.24 ERA, 18% strikeout rate, 10.8% walk rate and 46.3% ground-ball rate.

Though he hasn’t found much in the way of consistent big league success, Hatch has been a solid starter in four Triple-A campaigns. He’s pitched 334 innings at the top minor league level and logged a serviceable 4.42 earned run average while punching out 22.3% of his opponents against a tidy 7.5% walk rate. Hatch also has brief experience pitching overseas in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, though he only made five appearances for the Hiroshima Carp during that 2024 stint.

Hatch has split his time in pro ball fairly evenly between starting and relieving. He’ll compete for a job this spring but would presumably be ticketed for a swingman role even if he secured a roster spot. Arizona’s rotation currently includes Merrill Kelly, Ryne Nelson, Brandon Pfaadt, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka. Kelly and Soroka signed as free agents this winter. Depth options beyond that group include Yilber Diaz, Cristian Mena, Kohl Drake, Mitch Bratt and Dylan Ray. All five are 25 years old or younger, but no one from that quintet has proven himself in the big leagues yet; the latter three have yet to even make their major league debuts.

Phillies To Meet With Bo Bichette

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The Bo Bichette market apparently has a new entrant. Matt Gelb, Ken Rosenthal and Jayson Stark of The Athletic report that the Phillies have scheduled a meeting with the free agent infielder and his representatives at Vayner Sports that will take place within the next few days. Philadelphia’s interest “is legitimate,” per the report — borne out of Bichette’s willingness to move off of shortstop and a protracted stare-down between the Phils and free agent catcher J.T. Realmuto, who has yet to sign. Gelb and Stark note that a deal between the Phillies and Bichette would all but close the door on Realmuto’s time in Philly and could also lead to a trade of third baseman Alec Bohm.

Bichette, still just 27 (28 in March), not only enjoyed a rebound 2025 season after an injury-wrecked 2024 showing — he turned in what was arguably the best all-around season of his career. In 628 trips to the plate, he slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs. His 6.4% walk rate, while still a couple points below league-average, was the best of his career in a full season, as was his 14.5% strikeout rate.

Bichette’s summer, in particular, was something to behold. He got out to a decent but fairly pedestrian start before heating up in May and catching absolute fire midsummer. From July 6 through season’s end, Bichette went supernova with a .381/.437/.591 slash in 238 plate appearances. He homered seven times, piled up an outrageous 24 doubles, walked at an 8.8% clip and fanned in only 11.3% of his plate appearances. Push back to mid-June, and Bichette closed out his season with 330 plate appearances of .350/.395/.538 production.

Of course, “season’s end” is a relative term in Bichette’s case. He suffered a sprained posterior cruciate ligament on Sept. 6 and did not return for the final three weeks of the regular season. Bichette spent the early rounds of the playoffs resting and rehabbing that balky knee. He was cleared for a return in the World Series, and while he was clearly moving at nowhere close to 100%, his bat remained unfazed. Bichette went 8-for-23 in 27 plate appearances and crushed what had the makings of an iconic, go-ahead, three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series — a no-doubter blast that would’ve proven to be a game-winner had the bullpen held onto Toronto’s lead.

Critically, Bichette played second base when he took the field during the World Series. It was his first appearance at the position since his minor league days, but the willingness to defer to a superior defender at shortstop (Andres Gimenez) undoubtedly helps Bichette’s case in free agency. The primary knock on him for some time has been that he’s a well below-average defender at shortstop.

The Phillies, per The Athletic’s report, would likely use Bichette at third base. It’s fair to wonder whether he has the arm for the hot corner, given that Statcast pegged his arm strength in just the 36th percentile of big leaguers this past season. Bichette averaged 82.3 mph on his throws to first base, tying him with current Phillies shortstop Trea Turner in that regard. It’s a below-average mark but also not a death knell on his chances of playing a passable third base. That 82.3 mph average also ties fellow free agent Alex Bregman, and it’s actually a half-mile faster than Philadelphia’s incumbent third baseman, Bohm.

Most problematic for the Phillies would be how Bichette could fit into the payroll. RosterResource projects the Phils for a $266MM payroll. That’s down from their $284MM Opening Day mark from last year, but Bichette would push them beyond that point (barring some kind of backloaded or deferred contract). And while the actual cash payroll is down from last year, the team’s luxury tax payroll is not. The Phils have a projected $301MM of CBT obligations, per those same RosterResource estimates. That means they’d be taxed at a 95% rate for the first $3MM of Bichette’s average annual value and a 110% clip on the remainder.

In essence, Bichette would cost the Phillies close to double his annual salary — at least in year one of the contract. That number could decline in 2026, when Nick Castellanos, Taijuan Walker, Jesus Luzardo, Jose Alvarado, Adolis Garcia, Edmundo Sosa and Bohm (if he’s not traded) are all off the books. Philadelphia has “only” about $187MM of luxury tax obligations in 2027, but that’s before factoring in a notable arbitration class (headlined by Jhoan Duran and Bryson Stott) and before filling any of the vacancies created by that slate of departures. It’s easy to see that number ticking up in a hurry.

Still, the long-term payroll in Philadelphia is probably a bit cleaner than most would expect for a team with so many high-priced veterans. Zack Wheeler’s huge $42MM salary only runs through 2027. Harper’s annual salary is already relatively low for a player of his caliber, and it drops to $22MM in the final three seasons of his contract (2029-31). Harper, Turner, Cristopher Sanchez, Kyle Schwarber and Aaron Nola are the only players currently on long-term deals beyond the 2027 season, and Schwarber is the only member of that group who’ll be paid more than $27.5MM annually from 2028 onward. The Phillies have just over $117MM in guaranteed money on the books in 2028. Signing Bichette would really only inflate the 2026 payroll to problematic levels, and the Phils could backload or defer his contract to help offset some of that bloat.

Bichette landing with the Phillies would create a fascinating series of ripple effects. Teams that have been seeking help at third base (e.g. Pirates, D-backs, Mariners, Red Sox) might find a more willing trade partner in Philadelphia than they have in prior months, when Bichette was not under consideration by the Phillies’ front office. Bohm just agreed to a $10.2MM contract for the 2026 season and is a free agent next year.

Philadelphia would also need to make a catching acquisition. Rafael Marchan and Garrett Stubbs are the only others on the roster. Gelb and Stark report that Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers — a free agent following the 2026 season — has been of interest to the Phillies in the past. However, the Twins have signaled that they’re aiming to be competitive in 2026 and won’t trade stars like Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan and Byron Buxton. Would they truly make Jeffers available, in light of that decision? Time will tell.

If not Jeffers (or Realmuto), the options are few and far between. Victor Caratini is a free agent and could be the most straightforward solution. The Phillies could try to pry Hunter Goodman from the rebuilding Rockies. Luis Campusano looks like an odd man out in San Diego, though he’s yet to prove he can be a passable catcher in the majors. The White Sox have received interest in young backstops Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, but both would come with a high asking price, given their recent top prospect status and half decade of club control. The Reds have some depth with Tyler Stephenson, Jose Trevino and Ben Rortvedt all on the books and top prospect Alfredo Duno coming in a couple years. If the Phillies do go the trade route, then how does the other club pivot to fill its newfound catching need? And where does Realmuto land? The ramifications of a Bichette signing in Philly stretch further than most would expect at first glance.

White Sox Claim Drew Romo, Designate Ben Cowles

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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.

Pirates Sign Ryan O’Hearn

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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

2026 Arbitration Tracker

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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.

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Phillies, Alec Bohm Avoid Arbitration

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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.

Braves Claim Ken Waldichuk, Designate Vidal Brujan

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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.

Mariners, Randy Arozarena Avoid Arbitration

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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.

Blue Jays, Daulton Varsho Avoid Arbitration

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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.

Orioles Avoid Arbitration With Ryan Mountcastle

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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.

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