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Phillies, Mets, Padres, Pirates Interested In Luis Robert Jr.

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TODAY: The Phillies also had recent interest in Robert, as per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon, continuing Philadelphia’s explorations in a Robert deal back at the trade deadline. Robert’s right-handed bat would be a nice complement to lefty-swingers Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford in the Philadelphia outfield, and having an experienced center field option like Robert provides the Phillies cover if Crawford isn’t quite ready for prime time as he makes his MLB debut.

DECEMBER 13: Last month, the White Sox picked up their $20MM option on Luis Robert Jr. General manager Chris Getz signaled that the club planned on Robert being their starting center fielder in 2026. That has not stopped clubs from inquiring on his availability in trade talks, as Francys Romero of Beisbol FR reports that the Mets, Padres, and Pirates have expressed interest in acquiring Robert.

The 28-year-old batted .223/.297/.364 with an 84 wRC+ across 110 games for the White Sox this year. His first half was particularly brutal, as he only hit .185/.270/.313 with a 63 wRC+ in 70 games through June 25, when he incurred a left hamstring strain that would send him to the injured list a few days later. Robert was striking out in 30.9% of his plate appearances, only marginally improved from his 33.2% rate last year. He did have a 10.2% walk rate, but for the most part, he was continuing an offensive decline that started with an 84 wRC+ season in 2024.

His second half was a clear improvement. Robert returned from the IL on July 8 and batted .293/.349/.459 with a 124 wRC+ in his next 146 plate appearances. After experiencing poor batted ball luck in the first half of the season (.245 BABIP), he benefited from positive regression upon his return (.317 BABIP). He also dropped his strikeout rate to 16.4% in the second half, bringing that mark down to 26.0% on the season. His rebound was enough for the White Sox to hold onto Robert at the deadline, despite interest from several clubs. Unfortunately, he suffered another left hamstring strain and was placed on the IL in late August, which ultimately ended his season.

The end result was a season worth 1.3 WAR according to FanGraphs. Looking at the bigger picture, it’s clear that Robert has fallen from the height of his 2023 season, when he posted a 129 wRC+ and hit 38 home runs in a career-high 145 games while earning an All-Star nod. That was the fourth season of a six-year, $50MM extension that Robert had signed in January 2020, which was then a record for a player who had not yet debuted in the majors. Robert’s production from 2020-23 made it look like a good deal, but his drop-off in 2024-25 (second-half rebound notwithstanding) made the $20MM club option for 2026 look a lot more expensive.

In the end, the team picked up the option in lieu of paying Robert a $2MM buyout. On the surface, that $18MM net amount was a lot for an injury-prone player who had posted below-average offense for two years, especially for a rebuilding club. The move may have been motivated by the lack of standout center fielders in free agency. Trent Grisham had a strong year in 2025 but accepted the qualifying offer rather than test the market. Cody Bellinger is still available, but he is a corner outfielder at this stage of his career. Harrison Bader is an exceptional defender and will do well on a multi-year deal, although his career-best offensive showing in 2025 was partly the product of good batted ball fortune (.359).

The club is hoping that Robert will have a decent offensive showing in 2026, which would make him a solid trade candidate at next year’s deadline. Still, it’s not surprising to see teams doing their due diligence now, despite Getz’s earlier comments. Eight teams were interested in Robert at this year’s deadline, including the Mets and Padres. The Mets mostly used Tyrone Taylor in center in 2025, but he only posted a 70 wRC+ in 341 plate appearances. They attempted to upgrade by trading for Cedric Mullins, but he himself posted a 66 wRC+ in 143 plate appearances and departed for the Rays in free agency. The club has prospect Carson Benge knocking on the door. A trade for Robert would be affordable for a high-payroll club and would give them an everyday center fielder if they want to ease Benge into the majors.

The Padres and Pirates are more curious fits. The former has Jackson Merrill firmly entrenched in center. He is coming off a 3.0 fWAR season and signed an extension in April that will guarantee him $135MM through 2034. Robert could be an upgrade at DH, but that wouldn’t be the best use of him since he is still a solid defender, posting 7 OAA in center in 2025. RosterResource currently pegs San Diego for a $201MM payroll in 2026, compared to $211MM this year. Team chairman John Seidler recently indicated that the team will operate at around the same level of payroll. They would need the White Sox to cover at least half of Robert’s salary to facilitate an offseason trade, and that’s before leaving room for other additions.

Meanwhile, the Pirates have shown an increased willingness to spend this offseason. They made an $80MM offer to Josh Naylor and were willing to pay Kyle Schwarber $120-$125MM before he re-upped with the Phillies. That said, Robert is obviously not on the same level as Naylor or Schwarber. Pittsburgh also has Oneil Cruz under control through 2028. Like Robert, Cruz had a below-average offensive showing in 2025 (86 wRC+), but Cruz is much more affordable, with a projected $3.6MM salary in his first turn through arbitration compared to Robert’s guaranteed $20MM. Pittsburgh may just be doing their due diligence, though the likeliest outcome is that Robert stays put in Chicago through the offseason.

Photo courtesy of Matt Marton, Imagn Images

Mets Sign Daniel Duarte To Minor League Contract

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The Mets signed right-hander Daniel Duarte to a minor league deal, as first noted on Duarte’s MLB.com profile page earlier this week.  Duarte spent the 2025 season on a minors contract with the Twins but didn’t pitch while recovering from a May 2024 UCL revision surgery.

A veteran of three MLB seasons, the bulk of Duarte’s 38 1/3 career innings came as a member of the Reds bullpen in 2023, when he tossed 31 2/3 frames across 31 games.  Duarte has a respectable 3.99 ERA across his limited time in the Show, though with only a 17% strikeout rate and a troublingly comparable 14.5% walk rate.  An extreme groundball pitcher early in his minor league career, Duarte still has a 47.3% grounder rate in the majors, but batters have capitalized when they’ve been able to get the ball in the air — Duarte has given up seven homers across his 38 1/3 career innings.

It remains to be seen how Duarte will look after such a long absence, though his return to the mound in Mexican winter league play this offseason has resulted in 19 2/3 scoreless innings.  A 5.71 BB% and 21.43% strikeout rate are further steps in the right direction.

New York was impressed enough to extend a contract to the 29-year-old, and Duarte will get a chance to show the team his progress first-hand during Spring Training.  There’s no risk for the Mets in bringing Duarte and several other pitchers to camp on minors deals, and there figures to be plenty of opportunity given how the Mets so often cycle relievers up and down between Triple-A and the active roster.  Duarte has a minor league option year remaining, so this gives up some advantage over out-of-options players in the competition for roster spots.

Chris Martin Planning To Pitch In 2026

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In September 2024, Chris Martin said that he was “95%” sure that 2025 would be his final season before retirement.  It appears as that five percent chance of a return has now grown into a reality, as MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo reports that Martin is planning to return in 2026 for his 11th MLB season.  The Red Sox have interest in Martin for what would be a return engagement between the two sides, as Martin pitched for Boston during the 2023-24 seasons.

Martin spent the 2025 season with the Rangers on a one-year, $5.5MM deal, and the fact that the Arlington native turned down larger offers from the Red Sox and other teams to join the Rangers only added to the narrative of what seemed to be a farewell season.  The right-hander delivered yet another strong season, posting a 2.98 ERA, 24.7% strikeout rate, and an elite 4.6% walk rate over 42 1/3 innings out of the Texas bullpen.

For the second straight season, Martin made multiple trips to the injured list.  The righty missed time due to right shoulder fatigue, a left calf strain, and (most troublingly) thoracic outlet syndrome, with the TOS diagnosis emerging in September.  Since the assumption was that Martin was retiring, there wasn’t any word on whether or not Martin underwent TOS surgery, but it would appear he is foregoing the procedure or his diagnosis wasn’t serious enough to require surgery.

Between the TOS situation, Martin’s other recent injuries, or the simple fact that he turns 40 in June, there is certainly some question about whether Martin can continue to defy Father Time.  That said, Martin is still one of baseball’s best control pitchers and he is still getting strong results, so it makes sense that he would still want to keep playing as long as he still has gas in the tank.

Since he pitched for the Red Sox so recently, Boston has plenty of direct knowledge of Martin’s health, and the team is therefore ideally suited to perhaps manage Martin’s usage in order to keep him as healthy as possible in 2026.  A one-year deal for Martin on a modest salary wouldn’t represent much of a risk for the Red Sox, and the upside is high if Martin can stay off the IL and keep posting his usual numbers.  The Sox are known to be looking for experienced bullpen help, and Cotillo reported yesterday that other former Boston hurler Justin Wilson is another reunion candidate, plus left-hander Danny Coulombe drawing interest.

White Sox Sign Oliver Dunn, Tim Elko To Minor League Deals

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The White Sox have signed infielders Oliver Dunn and Tim Elko to minor league contracts (SoxMachine’s James Fegan was among the beat writers to report the news.)  Dunn’s deal contains an invitation to Chicago’s big league Spring Training camp, though Elko will presumably miss camp due to his ongoing recovery from ACL surgery in October.

Elko was a 10th-round pick for the White Sox in the 2022 draft, and he’ll continue his career with the organization after being non-tendered in November.  That move cleared a space on Chicago’s 40-man roster, and it is fair to guess that the two sides probably had a handshake deal to bring Elko back in relatively short order.  Elko’s surgery came with an eight-month recovery timeline, so he won’t be a factor for a potential return to the 26-man roster until at least July.

The torn right ACL was a sour end to Elko’s first big league season, as he made his debut in May.  Elko hit only .134/.194/.328 in 72 plate appearances over 23 games, while also spending four weeks on the injured list due to a right knee sprain that now seems like a precursor to his ACL problems.  The White Sox are expected to do something to address their first base position, but if they more or less stand pat, it could give Elko some more opportunity to see what he can do against MLB competition when he’s healthy.

Dunn’s MLB resume consists of 55 games with the Brewers over the last two seasons, and only a .206/.261/.290 slash line to show for 145 PA.  A large portion of Dunn’s 2024 rookie was spent on the injured list due to a back injury, but while Dunn was still in the mix for regular infield duty with Milwaukee going into this season, his lack of offensive made him an afterthought.  The Brewers designated Dunn for assignment and outrighted him off their 40-man roster in September, and Dunn elected minor league free agency at season’s end.

The 28-year-old Dunn has mostly played at second and third base during his pro career, but he has a handful of appearances as a left fielder, shortstop, and a couple of cameos at first base.  The White Sox will see what Dunn can do in competing for a bench job this spring, and he could be retained as minor league depth even if he doesn’t break camp.

Tyler Glasnow Does Not Expect To Be Traded

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Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow’s name reportedly “came up” in trade talks with other teams in recent days, but Glasnow made an appearance on MLB Network Radio’s Sunday Sliders program with Dani Wexelman of SiriusXM and made clear that he does not expect to be traded. Per Wexelman, Glasnow went on to noted that president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman had spoken to him directly and told him that he isn’t being traded.

That more or less puts to bed trade speculation regarding Glasnow this offseason. A California native, Glasnow was dealt from the Dodgers to the Rays two seasons ago and promptly signed on an extension with his new team that runs through the 2028 season. Glasnow is owed $30MM annually for each of the next two seasons, and in 2028 the Dodgers hold a $30MM club option on his services that converts into a $21,562,500 player option is declined. For a player headed into his age-32 campaign who has delivered a 3.37 ERA, 3.24 FIP, and a 30.9% strikeout rate across 40 starts as a Dodger (not to mention a 1.69 ERA and 2.95 FIP in six playoff outings), that contract is something of a bargain.

Given the relatively short-term commitment to Glasnow, the Dodgers’ surplus of elite pitching talent, and a market for free agent arms that some teams seem less than enthused to spend in, it’s easy to see why some clubs may have asked after Glasnow in trade talks. At the same time, however, the Dodgers’ deep group of rotation options comes with an equally lengthy injury history. The quantity of arms Los Angeles has in its stable is more important for them than the average team given the number of oft-injured players the team has in the fold. Considering that reality, it’s not exactly a surprise that the Dodgers seem to have no intention of trading Glasnow this winter.

Glasnow isn’t the only Dodgers player whose name has entered the rumor mill this winter. Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez similarly had his floated in trade conversations, and while Dodgers brass suggested that a deal involved Hernandez was unlikely that hasn’t stopped the Royals from expressing interest in him. Of course, that interest was before yesterday’s trade with the Brewers that sent Angel Zerpa to Milwaukee while bringing outfielder Isaac Collins and right-hander Nick Mears back to Kansas City. With Collins and Lane Thomas in the fold, it’s possible that the Royals are done with external additions on the grass and will rely on players like Kyle Isbel and Jac Caglianone to fill out the rest of the outfield mix.

While deals involving Glasnow and Hernandez don’t seem likely at this point, the fact that multiple veteran pieces of the Dodgers’ roster have come up in trade talks could suggest an openness to creativity on the part of the World Series champs this offseason. Friedman previously suggested that the club’s aging core of talent and finding ways to get younger players opportunities to contribute is something that the club has begun weighing this winter, and it’s not hard to see how a deal involving a veteran or two could allow MLB’s oldest team to get younger and clear the deck for the next wave of young talent in L.A.’s lauded farm system.

Latest On Michael King’s Free Agency

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1:35pm: The Boston Globe’s initial report has been clarified to note that, while the Red Sox, Yankees, and Orioles are among the teams King is considering, there are no finalists for his services at this point.

1:11pm: Right-hander Michael King has narrowed his search for a new team to three options, according to a report from Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. Those teams are the Red Sox, Yankees, and Orioles. Additionally, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that the Rhode Island native and Boston College alum has “strong interest” in playing for Boston. Abraham notes that King would like to make a decision on his destination soon.

King, 30 has been among the league’s most widely sought-after starters this winter. He’s been connected to the Mets, Cubs, Tigers, Marlins, Angels, and Blue Jays in addition to the three apparent finalists for his services, and it’s not hard to see why the right-hander would garner such widespread interest. The 30-year-old flashed significant upside during his 2024 season with the Padres, when he pitched to a 2.95 ERA in 173 2/3 innings of work with a 3.33 FIP and a 27.7% strikeout rate. That was a strong enough performance to earn him a seventh-place finish in NL Cy Young award voting that year, which was his first as a full-time starter.

The right-hander seemingly appeared to be lined up for a massive payday heading into his platform season of 2025, but injuries complicated things this past year. King was limited to just 15 starts by a nerve issue in his shoulder (as well as a less significant knee injury late in the year), and while he dominated to the tune of a 2.59 ERA, 3.26 FIP, and a 28.4% strikeout rate in ten appearances prior to the shoulder injury, he didn’t look quite the same after returning with a 6.11 ERA and a 14.5% strikeout rate a 10.8% walk rate across his final five appearances in the regular season.

King moved to the bullpen for San Diego’s Wild Card series against the Cubs and looked more like himself as he struck out the side on 19 pitches in a scoreless inning of work, but headed into the offseason his second half struggles and significant injury woes left cause for concern as he entered free agency. He received a qualifying offer from the Padres, a positive sign that the club didn’t see King’s injuries as too concerning for the 2026 campaign, and declined it in order to pursue a multi-year pact in free agency.

Looking at the three teams still in the running for King’s services, the Orioles stand out as the team with the biggest need in their rotation. The club is coming off a deeply disappointing 2025 campaign where their decision to eschew high-end arms in free agency came back to bite them, as rolls of the dice on Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano failed to bear fruit while Zach Eflin took a big step back from his previous work with the Rays. While Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers could plausibly form an exciting front-of-the-rotation duo for the Orioles next year, adding at least one proven, playoff-caliber starter to the mix has been the team’s clear priority this winter.

King would certainly fit that mold if healthy, and likely could do so without breaking the bank and requiring Baltimore to commit to a second nine-figure contract this winter after they signed Pete Alonso last week. MLBTR predicted King to land a four-year, $80MM contract as the #14 ranked free agent in this offseason. Of course, with top-of-the-rotation upside and an expected contract price tag and length that falls below that of your typical front-end starter, there’s plenty of room for a more opportunistic team to get involved.

That’s likely where the Red Sox come in, given that Boston is incredibly deep in pitching talent as it is. Garrett Crochet leads a rotation that figures to also include Sonny Gray and Brayan Bello at the front end, with players like Johan Oviedo, Patrick Sandoval, and Connelly Early in the mix for the final spots as things stand. Kutter Crawford, Payton Tolle, Kyle Harrison, and Hunter Dobbins are among the pitchers who figure to serve as depth for the Red Sox this year, an embarrassment of riches that make adding a starter in free agency more of a luxury than a necessity.

Even so, landing King on a deal that the Red Sox perceive as good value would still make sense, as it could free them up to more fully explore trades involving some of their young pitching talent. Boston has already been connected to Ketel Marte, Willson Contreras, and Isaac Paredes on the free agent market as they search for help on offense this winter, and perhaps signing King and trading from their pitching depth to land one of those big names could be more attractive as an option than taking a swing on one of the big bats still available in free agency.

As for the Yankees, a reunion with the team King spent the first five years of his MLB career with splits the difference between the extremes Baltimore and Boston represent. New York isn’t in desperate need of a front-of-the-rotation ace with Max Fried already in place and Gerrit Cole expected back from Tommy John surgery at some point next year, but their rotation could certainly use additional depth. Cole and Carlos Rodon are both not expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign, while Clarke Schmidt figures to miss most if not all of next year.

That leaves the Yankees with an Opening Day rotation of Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Will Warren, and Allan Winans. Given Winans’s lack of MLB experience and Gil’s significant injury history, there’s certainly room for another quality starter in the Yankees’ rotation mix even if they don’t necessarily need one with the same level of upside that King offers. Even so, King was a popular player during his time with the Bronx and well-liked within the organization. Between the potential value to be had on King’s contract and his past connection to the club, it’s hardly a surprise that New York would get involved in his market as they survey the offseason landscape for rotation help.

Brewers Trade Isaac Collins To Royals For Angel Zerpa

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December 14: Both teams have officially announced the trade.

December 13: The Brewers are sending outfielder Isaac Collins and right-hander Nick Mears to the Royals, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. Left-hander Angel Zerpa is heading to Milwaukee in the swap, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Kansas City entered the offseason with a plan to add outfielders. The club made good on those intentions this week. After signing Lane Thomas on Friday, the Royals now add the switch-hitting Collins to the outfield mix. The cost is a controllable lefty reliever, though they get a bullpen piece back in return. Milwaukee clears some of its outfield glut while adding a hard-throwing reliever who is just now hitting arbitration.

The 28-year-old Collins went from relative obscurity to an integral part of Milwaukee’s offense last season. He made the team out of Spring Training and emerged as the club’s primary left fielder. Collins delivered a 122 wRC+ across 130 games. He finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting, just behind teammate Caleb Durbin.

The Brewers were reportedly looking to move some of their outfield depth, with Collins and Blake Perkins mentioned as potential candidates. Jackson Chourio and Sal Frelick are entrenched as everyday options, with Christian Yelich factoring in when he isn’t DHing. Collins, Perkins, Garrett Mitchell, and Brandon Lockridge were in the mix behind that trio. Milwaukee also added Akil Baddoo on a split deal.

Zerpa popped up in trade discussions last offseason, but ultimately remained in Kansas City. He reached 60 appearances for the second straight season, posting a 4.18 ERA over 64 2/3 innings. Zerpa pushed his solid ground ball rate to league-leading levels in 2025. He’d always been more of a grounder-getter than a strikeout guy, but his 63.7% ground ball rate ranked in the 99th percentile last season.

The 26-year-old Zerpa’s 3.97 career ERA doesn’t jump off the page, though his underlying numbers paint a better picture. The lefty posted a career-best 3.38 SIERA in 2025, bringing his career mark down to 3.67. He had a solid 3.50 xFIP this past year. Zerpa has recorded a BABIP above .320 in back-to-back seasons. His ground ball approach can lead to some batted ball variance, but that number could regress in future seasons.

Mears came to Milwaukee in a trade from Colorado in July 2024. He struggled mightily in his first partial season with the team, but provided solid results as a middle relief option in 2025. Mears faltered down the stretch, allowing five earned runs in five September appearances. He also missed time with back tightness that month. Mears tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings in the NLDS but was left off the NLCS roster.

Kansas City has been linked to several outfielders in the trade market, including Teoscar Hernandez, Jake Meyers, and Brendan Donovan. They were connected to Jarren Duran earlier today. Harrison Bader and Austin Hays have been mentioned as free agent possibilities for the Royals. They entered the offseason with an unproven group of  Jac Caglianone, Kyle Isbel, and John Rave in the outfield, with Tyler Tolbert and Dairon Blanco as bench options.

Thomas and Collins aren’t Duran-level additions, but they’re improvements on the in-house choices. The former Brewer should help in particular against right-handed pitching. Collins slashed .280/.390/.415 over 295 plate appearances from the left side. He showed some power as a righty, but hit just .232 with a pedestrian .324 OBP. Thomas will likely grab playing time against lefty starters.

Zerpa is an intriguing fit in what projects to be a lefty-heavy bullpen. Milwaukee already has Jared Koenig and Aaron Ashby locked into leverage roles, with Rob Zastryzny in a middle relief gig and DL Hall as the long guy. Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe should soak up the majority of the save opportunities, with Koenig as the situational closer if multiple lefties are coming up. Zerpa might need one or two of those relievers to get dealt to factor into a late-inning job.

Photo courtesy of Benny Sieu, Imagn Images

Orioles Outright Ryan Noda

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The Orioles announced earlier this week that first baseman Ryan Noda has cleared outright waivers. Noda was designated for assignment by the Orioles last week.

Noda, 30 in March, was plucked from the Dodgers’ system by the Athletics in the 2022 Rule 5 draft. His rookie campaign in 2023 was a strong one, as he slashed .229/.364/.406 (122 wRC+) with a 15.6% walk rate and 39 extra-base hits in 128 games. With that being said, a 34.3% strikeout rate did not exactly bode well for Noda’s long-term ability to stick in the majors, especially given his relative lack of power. While his production was far above league average, it’s worth remembering that he required a massive .347 BABIP to garner those results.

All of those red flags have proved to be accurate in the years since. Noda had appeared in just 59 MLB games over the past two seasons with the A’s, Orioles, and White Sox. In that time, he’s hit a paltry .127/.262/.197. While his 14.7% walk rate in those games remains excellent, his 36.5% strikeout rate borders on completely unplayable and crosses over that line thanks to the complete lack of power Noda has offered. While Noda’s .205 BABIP in that time would surely tick up if given a full season of playing time, he’s unlikely to reach those unsustainable peaks he flashed in 2023 any time soon. His barrel rate dropped from 13.0% in his rookie season to just 6.1% the past two years, and his Hard-Hit rate also dropped more than ten points.

Overall, it’s a profile that’s become difficult to see succeeding in the majors. That’s becoming increasingly apparent as Noda has even struggled to hit at the Triple-A level in recent years, with a .188/.409/.361 slash line in 74 games between the Orioles, White Sox, Red Sox, and Angels organizations. Given his fall from grace even at the Triple-A level, it’s not necessarily a shock that Noda cleared waivers. Even so, his knack for drawing walks could make him a potentially valuable depth piece for the Orioles headed into next season. If the journeyman can manage to make a little more contact or get a little more power out of his swing, that disciplined approach at the plate provides a floor that could be built upon in a big way, as 2023 showed.

Now that he’s been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk, he’ll spend the 2026 season with the Orioles as a non-roster depth piece. After signing Pete Alonso last week to join players like Coby Mayo, Ryan Mountcastle, and even Samuel Basallo in the first base mix, Noda’s path to playing time at the big league level seems slim. With that said, injuries are always a risk, and it’s entirely possible one or both of Mayo and Mountcastle find themselves playing elsewhere by Opening Day in order to mroe fully clear the deck for Alonso’s arrival.

Diamondbacks To Sign Merrill Kelly

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The Diamondbacks are finalizing a contract with right-hander Merrill Kelly, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Rosenthal adds that it’s a two-year, $40MM pact. Jon Heyman of The New York Post adds that the deal is pending a physical. Arizona has a full 40-man roster, so a corresponding move will be necessary before Kelly’s deal can become official.

Kelly, 37, returns to the team with which he has spent nearly his entire major league career. Though initially drafted by the Rays in the eighth-round of the 2010 draft, Kelly made his big league debut with the Diamondbacks back in 2019 after a four-season stay in Korea as a member of the KBO’s SK Wyverns (now known as the SSG Landers). After a pedestrian rookie campaign in the majors where he pitched to a league-average ERA in 32 starts, Kelly managed to fashion a role for himself as one of the better mid-rotation arms in the majors.

Since the start of the 2022 campaign, Kelly has pitched to a 3.47 ERA (120 ERA+) in 108 starts. He’s struck out 23.1% of his opponents while walking 7.7% in that time, leaving him with a 3.81 FIP. While Kelly’s peripherals (including a 4.03 SIERA) cast him as a step down from your prototypical front-end starter, the veteran has managed to remain a quality rotation piece eating innings at a high level (with at least 175 innings of work in three of the last four seasons) and endeared himself to fans in Arizona when he delivered a brilliant 2.25 ERA during the club’s run to the World Series in 2023.

Amid a disappointing 2025 season where the Diamondbacks were ravaged by injuries to everyone from star closers Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk to newly-signed ace Corbin Burnes, the team engaged in a sell-off at this year’s trade deadline and shipped Kelly to the Rangers in exchange for a trio of pitching prospects. Kelly put up uninspiring numbers across ten starts with the Rangers, posting a 4.23 ERA and near-matching 4.18 FIP across 55 1/3 innings of work. Even while the veteran was in Texas, an offseason reunion with the Diamondbacks was already being speculated upon. “Definite” interest in a reunion with Kelly was reported on Arizona’s side shortly before last week’s Winter Meetings, and now the sides have come together on a deal.

Turning to the deal itself, Kelly’s $40MM guarantee clocks in just ahead of the two years and $36MM MLBTR predicted for the right-hander when ranking him as the #25 free agent in this offseason’s Top 50 MLB Free Agents list. Perhaps that slight premium the Diamondbacks paid for Kelly’s services was the cost of jumping the market; while the free agent market for position players and especially relievers has kicked into gear in a big way already, Kelly is just the third starting pitcher from MLBTR’s Top 50 to sign a contract this offseason. He joins Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, both of whom received guarantees that slightly eclipsed MLBTR’s prediction.

Now that he’s set to return to Arizona, Kelly stands as the favorite to start for the Diamondbacks on Opening Day this year. He’ll join a rotation that already added Michael Soroka earlier this offseason while reuniting with former teammates Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, and Ryne Nelson. Burnes could be a factor later in the season but is not expected to pitch until sometime in the second half of the season. While the team’s rotation certainly looks much more complete with Kelly back in the fold, bringing the right-hander back into the fold shouldn’t stop the team from pursuing other rotation additions after the club’s pitching staff finished 19th in the majors with a 4.29 ERA last year.

Of course, adding beyond this could prove to be easier said than done. The Diamondbacks are projected for a payroll just north of $171MM in 2026, according to RosterResource. That rises to north of $205MM for luxury tax purposes. GM Mike Hazen has suggested that, while Arizona’s payroll would likely be moving downward from its 2025 level, that would still leave the team with room to spend. The club spent $188MM on its payroll last season, however, meaning they currently sit less than $17MM from that mark.

Perhaps that leaves enough wiggle room to reunite with Paul Goldschmidt on an affordable one-year deal, a move the Diamondbacks have been said to be contemplating, but Kelly will surely go down as the team’s biggest expenditure unless an increase in payroll is approved or the team makes a trade that clears salary. To that latter point, the hot stove has been burning with Ketel Marte trade buzz in recent weeks. Moving Marte would certainly clear payroll off the books, though Hazen has consistently downplayed the likelihood of a deal surrounding Marte actually coming together.

Mariners, Giants “Front-Runners” For Brendan Donovan

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The Mariners and Giants have emerged as front-runners in the sweepstakes for super-utility man Brendan Donovan, according to a report from Katie Woo of The Athletic. Woo added that both clubs are also engaged with the Diamondbacks on Ketel Marte.

Both Seattle and San Francisco have previously been reported to have interest in Donovan’s services, which Woo notes the Cardinals are seeking multiple top prospects in exchange for. With that being said, they were often mentioned as just two of many teams interested in the versatile infielder; Donovan’s market has been said to encompass more than half the league, with the Pirates, Royals, Guardians, and Astros standing among the other teams that have been connected to him this winter.

That makes the Mariners’ and Giants’ “front-runner” status a notable shift in the status quo, and Woo goes as far as to mention specific prospect names being discussed with both clubs. In talks with Seattle, Woo reports that the Cardinals have discussed top pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje and outfielder Lazaro Montes. The pair are Seattle’s #7 and #3 prospects, respectively, according to MLB Pipeline. In talks with the Giants, Woo writes that the names of infielder Gavin Kilen and southpaw Carson Whisenhunt have come up. Kilen is San Francisco’s #2 prospect per Pipeline, while Whisenhunt ranks #7.

Cijntje has garnered some buzz around the baseball industry due to his status as a switch pitcher who throws from both the right and left sides. He’s a more well-regarded pitcher from the right-hand side, touching the upper 90s with his right arm but being relegated to the low 90s with his left. In his pro debut in 2025, Cijntje pitched to a 3.99 ERA overall across the High-A and Double-A levels but actually got better after his promotion. In seven starts at Double-A, Cijntje turned in a 2.67 ERA across 33 2/3 innings of work with a 25.5% strikeout rate and an 11.0% walk rate.

Montes entered the 2025 season as a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport but scuffled a bit after being promoted to the Double-A level. He hit a solid but unspectacular .213/.319/.433 in 64 games at the level with a 30.5% strikeout rate. That’s hardly exciting production, but some of those struggles can be forgiven considering he was one of just four hitters under the age of 21 to reach 200 plate appearances in the Texas League last year, joined by Sebastian Walcott, Walker Jenkins, and teammate Michael Arroyo.

Kilen was San Francisco’s first-round pick in the 2025 draft. As a result, he has just ten professional games under his belt where he hit a lackluster .205/.279/.282. With that said, the University of Tennessee product hit an incredible .357/.441/.671 in his final collegiate season and was roundly viewed as a plus contact hitter despite questions about his power potential and ability to handle shortstop at the big league level.

As for Whisenhunt, the 25-year-old already made his big league debut earlier this year with a 5.01 ERA across five starts. While it was hardly an exciting pro debut, Whisenhunt did manage to post a 4.41 ERA in 21 starts in Triple-A’s Pacific Coast League despite the extremely unfriendly environment for pitchers at that level. He profiles as a possible mid-rotation arm with a profile carried by a plus-plus changeup.

Of course, it’s possible that these are only a handful of prospects St. Louis is discussing with the two suitors. It should also be noted that Donovan is far from the only avenue either club is pursuing for their vacancy at second base. The Mariners had been in rather public pursuit of a reunion with Jorge Polanco until he signed with the Mets yesterday, but they’ve still be connected to Marte in addition to Donovan. Woo suggests that Polanco’s departure could leave the Mariners more motivated to make a deal in the coming days, and perhaps that could indicate that Seattle is the more aggressive suitor of the two.

Woo describes the Giants, by contrast, as “exploring all options” as they look to upgrade over Casey Schmitt and Tyler Fitzgerald at second base. In addition to Marte, Brandon Lowe is also known to be available on the trade market while teams have also inquired after Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner. The infield market in free agency is tilted more towards the left side, but Alex Bregman has expressed a willingness to play second base in the past, shortstop Ha-Seong Kim has experience at the position, and Bo Bichette has long been viewed as a potential candidate to move off shortstop at some point. San Francisco hasn’t been directly tied to any of those players, of course, but all stand out as at least plausible acquisitions to be made by a team searching for second base help.

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