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The Best Fits For Kyle Tucker

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Each offseason at MLBTR, we take a look at the potential markets for some of the top names in free agency. In 2025-26, there's no better place to start than with the man who held the top spot on our Free Agent Power Rankings all season and again took home the top spot on our annual Top 50 Free Agent rankings: outfielder Kyle Tucker.

Selected by the Astros with the No. 5 overall pick back in 2015, Tucker has been an impact hitter dating back to the 2019 season. He's slashed a combined .276/.361/.514 in that time (141 wRC+) and hasn't had any individual season that's seen him check in "worse" than 21% better than the average hitter. That came in 2019, his first partial season. Since 2021, Tucker has consistently shown enough pop to hit 30-plus homers. He's reached 25 steals three times along the way and continually upped his walk rate while also cutting his strikeout rate -- so much so that Tucker has walked more often than he's fanned over the past two seasons (15.3% to 15.2%).

Some weird, if not downright fluky injuries have hampered his reputation a bit. Tucker was playing at a full-fledged MVP level in 2024 before fouling a ball into his shin in mid-June. The Astros initially called it a contusion and then a bone bruise. Tucker's stay on the IL lingered for months, much to the chagrin of Houston fans who were perplexed by how the stated injury could take so long to mend. Finally, in September, the Astros revealed that Tucker had actually been diagnosed with a fracture somewhere along the way. It was the sort of vague, puzzling and frustrating injury absence that has become a recurring theme within the Astros organization.

A similar sequence played out in 2025, following Tucker's trade to the Cubs. He was a behemoth in the season's first three months, hitting .291/.396/.537 (157 wRC+) with 17 homers in his first 366 trips to the plate. Tucker fell into a deep slump, and after a couple months it was reported that he'd actually suffered a small fracture in his hand back in June. He played through it. Whether that injury was directly responsible or not, Tucker still "struggled" (by his standards) through July and August, batting a combined .232/.363/.345 (109 wRC+). He suffered a calf strain in early September and only made it back for the season's final three games. Tucker homered in the playoffs and generally hit well through 32 plate appearances.

It's not the sort of massive platform year a top free agent would want, but Tucker has been 43% better than average, by measure of wRC+, dating back to 2021. He's historically been an above-average right fielder. Tucker has made four All-Star teams, won two Silver Slugger Awards and also has a Gold Glove to his credit. When he's healthy, there's nothing he doesn't do well. He'll also hit the market ahead of his age-29 season.

A deal easily topping $400MM might've been the expectation had Tucker stayed healthy and maintained the production he posted through late June. The question now is more about whether he can reach the $400MM mark or whether he'll .... "only" ... come in with a deal in the mid-300s.

We know some of the teams that are going to be pursuing Tucker, but let's run through his likeliest landing spots, based on roster composition and payroll outlook, and see if there are any viable dark horse candidates to bring him aboard.

Known/Likely Suitors (listed alphabetically)

Blue Jays: The Blue Jays will probably prioritize retaining Bo Bichette first and foremost, not wanting to let a popular homegrown star escape when they have ample long-term payroll space. Executives, agents and pundits alike all expect an active winter from Toronto after the Jays came just two outs from winning their first World Series in more than three decades, however.

It sounds crazy, but the Jays probably have the payroll space to add both players long-term. Obviously, that's not a likely scenario, but it wouldn't be all that dissimilar from the Rangers' half-billion dollar spending spree four years ago, when Texas signed Corey Seager ($325MM), Marcus Semien ($175MM) and Jon Gray ($56MM) all in the same offseason.

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Nimmo, Stearns, Young Discuss Semien Trade

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The Mets and Rangers lined up on a surprising one-for-one swap over the weekend, with outfielder Brandon Nimmo heading to Texas and infielder Marcus Semien to Queens. Today, members of the media got to speak with many of the parties involved. Arguably, the most notable comment came from Nimmo himself, who waived his no-trade clause to become a Ranger. “I would not have waived that no-trade clause if I didn’t think I could come here and win,” Nimmo said, per Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News.

It has been fair to wonder about the direction of the Rangers recently, as they’ve clearly been trying to dial back their spending. They pushed their competitive balance tax a bit over the line in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, they hoped to duck under the line but may have gone over with in-season trades, such as acquiring Merrill Kelly from the Diamondbacks. Their 2025 status won’t be official until MLB releases the final calculations, likely in December, but it’s possible the Rangers will be tax payors for a third straight season.

Even if they did go over the line, it was surely by a narrow margin, so the tax bill won’t be huge. Regardless, it seems they are going to be extra motivated to pinch pennies in 2026. The club parted ways with manager Bruce Bochy at the end of the regular season. President of baseball operations Chris Young admitted that the club didn’t have a lot of financial certainty, which played a role in that separation. Esteemed pitching coach Mike Maddux also left, heading to the Angels, which prompted speculation that was financially motivated as well.

In terms of the roster construction, the Rangers were recently trying to trade outfielder Adolis García and catcher Jonah Heim, despite both players being part of the 2023 championship club. Each could have been retained via arbitration for 2026 but the Rangers clearly didn’t want to pay them at their projected prices. Ultimately, no trade came together. On Friday, the Rangers non-tendered both, along with relievers Jacob Webb and Josh Sborz.

Amid all of that, rumors have swirled that the Rangers could trade a more expensive franchise players such as Corey Seager or Semien as part of a larger step back. Now Semien has indeed been traded but the Rangers have taken on another sizable contract by getting Nimmo in return. The remaining contracts are somewhat analogous, with Nimmo making less annually, but signed for two extra years. The Rangers are therefore taking on more money overall but less per year.

It seems that Nimmo has been assured that the club is still planning to compete and isn’t doing a big teardown. That’s somewhat encouraging for fans in Texas but the club will probably still have some tight parameters to deal with. RosterResource estimates the club has a pure payroll of $169MM next year and a competitive balance tax figure of $187MM. Last year, those numbers were $224MM and $237MM.

Getting back up to those levels would give the Rangers roughly $50MM to work with but the signs are pointing to them setting a lower target. They have a number of things on the to-do list this winter. The rotation could use some shoring up. Almost the entire bullpen reached free agency, meaning there’s work to do there. Replacing Heim behind the plate and potentially Semien at second are other potential areas to target, though it’s possible the Rangers are happy with Willie MacIver as a backup to Kyle Higashioka behind the plate. It’s also possible they feel Josh Smith and/or Sebastian Walcott can take over at the keystone.

President of baseball operations Chris Young also spoke today and echoed Nimmo’s comments that the Rangers want to win. “I do think we are focused on winning moving forward,” Young said, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. “The last two years have been very difficult as we feel like we have not lived up to our expectations, and when you don’t meet expectations, you have to make tough calls, and that’s part of this.”

Young also said Nimmo will likely end up in right field, per McFarland, but there are still conversations to be had there. Nimmo has primarily been a left fielder in recent years, with Statcast ranking him as having 48th percentile arm strength. The Rangers could perhaps keep Nimmo in left while moving Wyatt Langford to right. Langford’s arm strength was slightly ahead of Nimmo in 2025, with Statcast giving him 59th percentile arm strength. However, Langford has no professional experience in right, while Nimmo has over 600 big league innings at that spot.

Turning to the other side of the trade, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns also spoke to the media today, complimenting his new second baseman. “It’s notable that this is a player that can contribute to winning baseball in a variety of different ways,” Stearns said, per Deesha Thosar of Fox Sports, “and the bat may not actually lead the way at this point in his career. We think there’s likely some bounce back in his offensive profile and his offensive game. But what we’re counting on at the top of his skillset is the contributions he can make for us defensively, how he can perform on the bases, and we think those are going to help us win games.” Stearns has highlighted a desire to improve the Mets’ run prevention, so it’s understandable he would focus on Semien’s defense.

Naturally, Stearns was asked about what’s next for the Mets. While the story in Texas might be scaled-back spending, that doesn’t appear to be a concern with the Mets. “Sure,” Stearns said, when asked if it’s possible for the Mets to re-sign Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz and a notable free agent outfielder. “I think anything would be realistic right now.”

Under owner Steve Cohen, the Mets have been one of the top-spending clubs in the majors. Per RosterResource, they had a $340MM payroll and $337MM CBT number in 2025. For 2026, those numbers are at $263MM and $264MM. That gives the Mets something like $70MM in wiggle room if they are willing to get to the same level and it’s entirely possible they could be willing to go even higher.

MLBTR predicted Díaz to secure an $82MM deal over four years. He is reportedly setting his sights higher than that, targeting a deal in the same range as his last one, which was a $102MM guarantee over five years. Either way, a deal worth roughly $20MM annually is probably likely. MLBTR predicted Alonso for $110MM over four years, which would be $27.5MM in terms of average annual value.

Put together, those two would likely eat up something near $50MM of next year’s payroll. If the Mets do have $70MM of space right now, that would leave them another $20MM to spend on an outfielder, though they also presumably want to make additions to the rotation as well. The Mets have already been connected to Cody Bellinger and the Nimmo deal opens a corner, raising immediate speculation about a run at Kyle Tucker. MLBTR predicted Bellinger for $140MM over five years and Tucker for $400MM over 11 years, respective AAVs of $28MM and $36.36MM.

There are other moving pieces at play. With Semien now at second base, it’s possible Jeff McNeil’s chances of getting traded have increased. He can play other positions, such as left or center field, but it’s possible the Mets would rather ship him out the way they did with Nimmo. Even before the Nimmo deal, McNeil’s name was in trade rumors. McNeil is owed $15.75MM next year, plus a $2MM buyout on a $15.75MM club option for 2027. There’s also a $500K assignment bonus if he’s traded. Then there’s also Kodai Senga, who is owed $14MM annually over the next two years and has been in trade rumors as well.

If the Mets can find a taker for McNeil and/or Senga, they could free up some more money for their other pursuits, or perhaps address another area of need by taking back another veteran player, like they did by grabbing Semien. Stearns also mentioned today that McNeil could also play some first base, expanding his versatility, per Mike Puma of The New York Post. McNeil has played every position on the diamond outside the battery but has just three innings of first base experience. If Alonso isn’t coming back, McNeil could be part of the solution there, alongside guys like Mark Vientos. Though it’s also possible the Mets aren’t done shaking up their roster by trading out long-time mainstays.

Photo courtesy of Kyle Ross, Imagn Images

Warren Schaeffer To Return As Rockies’ Manager In 2026

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The Rockies have a new president of baseball operations (Paul DePodesta), but they’ll welcome back the same dugout leader for the 2026 season. The club announced that Warren Schaeffer, who served as interim manager after Bud Black’s firing back in May, will return as the skipper for the 2026 campaign. Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports reported the news prior to the team announcement. Saunders adds that it’ll be a multi-year deal for Schaeffer, though it’s unclear exactly how many years he is signed for.

Though changes are coming to Colorado, the club is going for a bit of continuity by keeping Schaeffer around. The Rockies have been free falling lately. 2025 was their seventh straight losing season, fourth straight in last place in the National League West and third straight with at least 101 losses. In that time, they developed a reputation for being loyal and insular to a fault, as well as resistant to adapting to the modernization of the game.

It seems that the historically bad 2025 season, which led to 119 losses, has prompted a shake-up. As mentioned, Black was fired in May. The Rockies and general manager Bill Schmidt parted ways at the end of the season, with DePodesta later hired to take over the front office. Owner Dick Monfort appears to be ceding some of his duties to his son Walker, who is the club’s executive vice president.

Schaeffer is also a new manager, in a sense, but he has been with the Rockies for years. As a player, the Rockies drafted him back in 2007 and he played for them as a minor leaguer through 2012. When his playing career was done, he stuck with the Rockies as he pivoted to coaching. He managed High-A Ashville from 2015 to 2017, then Double-A Hartford in 2018 and 2019. He then got bumped to the manager’s chair at Triple-A Albuquerque. The 2020 season was canceled by the pandemic but Schaeffer held that job through the 2022 campaign.

He then got the bump to the major league coaching staff in 2023, becoming the third base and infield coach for Colorado. He held that job until Black was fired in May of 2025, when Schaeffer became the interim manager. The Rockies went 36-86 the rest of the way, a winning percentage of just .295, but no one really places that at Schaeffer’s feet. The manager doesn’t get to pick the players and the roster has obviously been flawed for a long time.

With the Rockies likely a few years away from contention, in-game decisions and results are probably not the focus right now. It would make sense to prioritize things like player relationships and development. Since the Rockies have a young roster and Schaeffer was climbing through the farm as a coach until a few years ago, he will have relationships with many of the players going back to their early minor league days. Per Saunders, many players complimented Schaeffer for his communication skills and attention to detail as interim manager last year.

Time will tell how aggressive DePodesta will be in making moves to send out current players and/or bring in external options. As he makes those decisions, Schaeffer will stick around as a throughline from the previous era to the new one. It’s the kind of insular move that has led to criticism being pointed at the Rockies in the past, though it’s understandable why they would want the stability of keeping Schaeffer around as they make other changes elsewhere.

For the near term, Schaeffer’s job will be focused on getting the most of young players who are still trying to reach their potential. Eventually, the target will turn towards winning. Time will tell whether Schaeffer will stick around beyond that inflection point, whenever it arrives.

Photo courtesy of Kelley L Cox, Isaiah J. Downing, Imagn Images

Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

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Steve Adams

  • Good afternoon, everyone! Offseason is officially underway and some weird/wildly unexpected things are already happening! (I don't think anyone had "Mets trade Nimmo" on their bingo card, but if you did, kudos to you)
  • We'll get going at 2pm CT, but feel free to send in your questions ahead of time!
  • Good afternoon! Let's get underway!

Texas two step

  • People are posting Texas is in a rebuild, I say no.

Steve Adams

  • No, they're not. Brandon Nimmo said publicly today (this'll be on the site soon) that he wouldn't have waived his no-trade clause to go to a rebuilding team. The Rangers expressly told him this isn't a rebuild and that they're aiming for a swift return to postseason play.

Th Big Hurt

  • If the White Sox do make one of their catchers available who's a team in need of catching and what would return be?

Steve Adams

  • Rays, Nationals, Guardians, Padres, Rangers all come to mind. If they're trading Edgar Quero or (especially) Kyle Teel, the return has to include controllable, MLB-ready starting pitching.I don't think a team is going to give up a ready-made midrotation arm for Quero, given his defensive struggles and the pedestrian output at the plate, though. And it would take a pretty impactful young pitcher for me to really consider parting with Teel.

    I'm not surprised we've seen reports on both young catchers drawing trade interest, but I lean toward it being likelier that the ChiSox just hang onto both.

AZ

  • I’ve noticed in MLBTR articles that when player acquisition is discussed, the front office executive referenced is sometimes the POBO and sometimes the GM. Does that reflect differing duties within each front office or is it more of a name recognition type reason?

Steve Adams

  • We just reference whatever title the team has given him. In most cases, the top decision-maker in a front office now is the president of baseball operations. But some teams still just have "GM" as the top spot (Yankees/Cashman, White Sox/Getz, Pirates/Cherington to name a few)
  • Also have the Red Sox, who are the only org where "chief baseball officer" is the top title. The Twins originally gave that title to Derek Falvey as well way back in 2016, but they retitled him the more conventional POBO title in conjunction with one of his recent extensions.

Redlegs

  • Andrew Abbott and Chase Petty enuf for Soderstrom?

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Cardinals Finalizing Deal To Re-Sign Yohel Pozo

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The Cardinals and catcher Yohel Pozo are in the final stages of agreeing to a new deal for the 2026 season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Pozo was non-tendered by St. Louis on Friday. It’ll presumably be a minor league deal between the two parties.

Pozo, 28, logged 67 games with the Cardinals in 2025 and tallied 188 plate appearances — both career-high marks at the MLB level. He hit just .231/.262/.375 in that time, however — well shy of league-average (even relative to other catchers, where offense is lighter than that of the average position). Pozo delivered a handful of clutch pinch-hits, endearing himself to many in the Cardinals fanbase. He’s now a .248/.278/.376 hitter with six home runs in 245 MLB plate appearances.

Pozo hit well with the Cardinals’ top minor league affiliate in Memphis, albeit in a sample of just five games. He’s a career .321/.343/.525 hitter in Triple-A, with a significant portion of his time spent in an extraordinarily hitter-friendly Las Vegas setting (with the Athletics’ Triple-A club). Pozo draws decent grades for his framing and has regularly posted strong caught-stealing rates in the minor leagues.

While Pozo isn’t going to jump to the top of the depth chart anytime soon, he’ll give the Cards some additional depth along with Jimmy Crooks, Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages. Pozo has a full slate of minor league options, so if the Cards do add him to the 40-man roster, he can be shuttled freely between St. Louis and Memphis without first needing to be exposed to waivers.

Yankees, Yerry Rodriguez Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Yankees have agreed to a minor league contract with right-handed reliever Yerry Rodriguez, as first indicated on the transaction log at MLB.com. It’s a two-year minor league pact, agent Kelvin Nova tells MLBTR. Rodriguez underwent Tommy John surgery back in spring training, when he was a non-roster invitee with the Pirates. He’s targeting a midseason return to the mound in 2026.

Rodriguez, a hard-throwing 28-year-old, has appeared in parts of three big league seasons between the Rangers and Blue Jays. He’s pitched only 36 1/3 innings in the majors and been tagged for 33 runs in that time (8.17 ERA). He’s been plagued by a bloated .345 average on balls in play, but a penchant for walks and home runs have been larger detriments to his big league work.

Though he hasn’t had much success in limited MLB work, Rodriguez touts a 3.56 ERA in parts of eight minor league seasons. He’s punched out 27.8% of his minor league opponents, including a 28.3% strikeout rate in parts of four Triple-A seasons. Rodriguez has walked nearly 11% of his big league opponents but just 8.8% of opponents in the minors (albeit 12% in Triple-A).

Rodriguez has averaged 96.7 mph on his heater in the big leagues, pairing the pitch with a slider that sits 84 mph and a lesser-used changeup that sits 86.3 mph. Just one-third of the batted balls against Rodriguez in the majors have been grounders, but in a much larger sample of minor league work he’s routinely posted above-average ground-ball rates (47.5% in Triple-A) and strong swinging-strike rates.

Because he’ll still be rehabbing next spring, Rodriguez won’t be in the mix to vie for an Opening Day roster spot. He could be a midseason addition to the bullpen if he avoids any setbacks and pitches well on a rehab stint. If not, he’ll be in big league camp during spring training 2027. Rodriguez is out of minor league options, so if the Yankees add him to the roster at any point, they won’t be able to send him back down without first exposing him to waivers.

Marlins Interested In Michael King

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The Marlins are among the teams that have shown interest in free-agent righty Michael King, per Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic. Miami has frequently been linked to prominent bullpen arms in the offseason’s early stages as well, and the Fish are apparently planning to spend more heavily in free agency than in recent years (although that’s a pretty low bar to clear).

Skeptics will presume that the Marlins, like the A’s last offseason, are wary of running into a grievance pertaining to their allocation of revenue-sharing funds. Optimists will look at Miami’s hot finish to the 2025 season and the steps forward from young core pieces like Kyle Stowers, Jakob Marsee and Edward Cabrera as the driving factor behind the ostensible spending push. In reality, some of both are likely to be true.

Rosenthal and Drellich write that the Marlins are believed to be pulling in around $70MM annually in revenue-sharing. Teams that allocate under 150% of the revenue-sharing funds they receive to the roster (in terms of CBT obligations) can draw the union’s ire and fall subject to a grievance. That’s not true in every instance. Miami’s CBT ledger in 2025 came in around $85MM, per RosterResource. The Fish are projected for about $70MM of CBT considerations right now, however.

It seems that falling shy of that 150% threshold in consecutive seasons is what truly triggers the risk of a grievance. The A’s were the only perennial payroll cellar-dweller who seemed to be subject to a potential grievance last offseason. (They responded by signing Luis Severino and Jose Leclerc and extending Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler.) None of the Pirates, Marlins or Rays seemed to face the same pressure.

However, each of Pittsburgh, Miami and Tampa Bay had been well over $100MM in CBT considerations in each of the preceding seasons. The A’s trotted out CBT numbers between $68MM and $84MM from 2022-24 before finally opening the wallet a bit to avoid that potential grievance. Rosenthal and Drellich also suggest that the Marlins may want to avoid any in-fighting with other clubs during the upcoming CBA talks, where luxury tax payors could argue that the Marlins aren’t using their funds properly. Readers are encouraged to check out the piece for full, more granular details on the matter and thoughts from other club officials and agents who weight in when chatting with The Athletic duo.

Regardless of the motivation, the fact that King is on Miami’s radar is notable. He’s a former Marlins draft pick, though that came under prior ownership and a different front office regime, so those ties are minimal at this point. King would step into a rotation that also includes the previously mentioned Cabrera, Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, Braxton Garrett and Ryan Weathers — with prospects Thomas White, Robby Snelling, Dax Fulton and Max Meyer (on the mend from surgery) all factoring in as possible options as well.

King, 30, has been excellent since moving from a swingman role with the Yankees — who acquired him in 2017’s Garrett Cooper swap — into the rotation late in the 2023 season. His 2025 campaign was shortened by a nerve injury in his shoulder and a knee injury late in the season, but King boasts a terrific 2.93 ERA (3.50 FIP, 3.66 SIERA) with a 27.4% strikeout rate and 8.3% walk rate in 53 starts since moving to a rotation role full-time.

Adding King would give Miami a playoff-caliber starter to pair with arms like Alcantara, Cabrera and Perez. He’d also make it easier for the Fish to entertain offers on young pitching, whether that be Cabrera, Weathers or some of those vaunted prospects (headlined by White). The Marlins could also give stronger consideration to dealing Alcantara if they add a veteran starter, but they’d still be selling somewhat low on him (and trading Alcantara would offset much of the payroll gains they’d obtain by signing King).

The Marlins are on the lookout for meaningful offensive upgrades, but the free agent market is generally thin on impact hitters this offseason. If the Fish instead choose to further deepen an organizational strength, they could use their stock of quality young arms to explore the trade market in search of more meaningful upgrades at the infield corners, designated hitter and/or in right field.

King rejected a $22.025MM qualifying offer from the Padres. The Marlins would pay the lightest of three penalty tiers for signing him, due to their status as a revenue-sharing recipient. Signing King would require Miami to its third-highest pick in the 2026 draft.

Legends Memorabilia – Mike Trout Signing OPEN! (Sponsored)

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This holiday season, Legends Memorabilia Collection (LMC) offers a gift lineup for the ultimate sports fan. From MLB autographs from Hall of Famers and All-Stars to iconic NFL and college football memorabilia from the biggest names in the game, this curated guide spotlights top items perfect for the holiday gift-giving season!

Right now, there is a special opportunity for MLB Trade Rumors readers. Using the discount code “TR10”, receive 10% off any purchase.

Now through December 1st, fans can send in items to be signed by Mike Trout.

How it works:

Go to ShopLegends.com and locate the Mike Trout signing page.

There will be several options for allowable products to send-in that include:

  • Send-in baseball
  • Sent in flat item (up to 16×20 in size)
  • Trading card
  • Equipment (jersey/bat/helmet, etc).
  • Game used item
  • Original artwork
  • Team signed item

Simply pick what you’ll be sending, add to cart, and pay – don’t forget to use “TR10” as a code!

After, send-in your item to the address on the website:

Legends Memorabilia Collection
ATTN: Send Ins (CUSTOMER NAME – ATHLETE NAME)
7100 Broadway, Building 6H
Denver, CO 80221

If the signing option isn’t the best fit – don’t worry! There are tons of other products available, that include other signatures from Roki Sasaki, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Derek Jeter, & more.

Plus, plenty of Mike Trout memorabilia available on the site too if you can’t wait for send-in items!

About Legends Memorabilia:

At Legends Memorabilia Collection, their mission is to honor the legacy of the game by preserving and showcasing iconic sports memorabilia—while giving back to the legends who made it all possible. They are committed to putting money back into the pockets of the players, ensuring they share in the value of the memories they helped create. By connecting fans with authentic, player-backed collectibles, they celebrate the past, empower the present, and invest in the future of sports history.

All items come with MLB Authentication. They are one of two companies that have access to MLB authentication, so everything is authentic from the signings.

Visit ShopLegends.com often or subscribe to their email list this offseason to stay up to date on all happenings, like their Mike Trout signing that ends on December 1st. Get your send-ins done now before the Holidays!

This is a sponsored post from Legends Memorabilia.

Rangers Trade Marcus Semien To Mets For Brandon Nimmo

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Nov. 24: The two teams have formally announced the swap.

Nov. 23: In an intriguing one-for-one swap of prominent veterans, the Mets and Rangers have agreed to a trade that will send second baseman Marcus Semien to Queens in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo.  New York is also sending $5MM to help Texas offset some of the difference between the two players’ remaining salaries.

Reports emerged earlier this week that the Mets were open to moving Nimmo, though as of Thursday, trade talks reportedly hadn’t developed to the point that the Mets had approached Nimmo about waiving his contract’s no-trade clause.  Mike Puma of the New York Post wrote today that the team raised the subject of the Texas trade with Nimmo on Friday.  After a day’s consideration and a chat with Rangers ace (and his former Mets teammate) Jacob deGrom, Nimmo agreed to approve the deal.

Given the trade buzz this week, it isn’t entirely shocking to see the veteran outfielder’s time in New York come to an end.  That said, a straight-up swap for Semien is eye-opening, given how Semien is coming off a dismal year at the plate and comes with a significant future price tag in his own right.

Semien has $72MM and three seasons remaining on the seven-year, $175MM free agent deal he signed with Texas during the 2021-22 offseason.  Nimmo is owed $101.25MM through the 2030 season, as he has completed three years of the eight-year, $162MM free agent he signed to remain with the Mets in December 2022.  Since luxury tax figures are re-calculated to account for just remaining money owed in the wake of trades, Semien’s tax number is $24MM, and Nimmo has a $19.25MM figure (when factoring in the $5MM Texas is getting from New York).

The Mets are therefore taking on a slightly bigger tax hit while reducing the amount of overall dollars owed, while the Rangers are reducing their tax number but adding more overall money to their books.  That adds an interesting wrinkle for a Texas club that was expected to reduce payroll this winter, though it is worth noting that the Rangers cleared a good chunk of money off the books (a projected $21.1MM) on Friday with four non-tenders.

While the financial elements can’t be overlooked, the trade is also something of an old-school, need-for-need “baseball deal” that allows both the Mets and Rangers to address needs.  Beginning with Texas, the team was prioritizing a different offensive approach based around contact hitting and getting on base.

Nimmo’s strikeout rates have been overall middling throughout his career, though his chase and whiff rates have been consistently above average.  His walk rates had also been strong before suddenly dropping to 7.7% in 2025, in a career-low for the outfielder over a full season.  Still, Nimmo hit .262/.324/.436 with 25 homers over 652 plate appearances, translating to a 114 wRC+ over 652 plate appearances as New York’s everyday left fielder.  Public defensive metrics have also looked a lot more fondly on Nimmo’s glovework since he moved to left field from center field.

Since Adolis Garcia has now been non-tendered, Nimmo can slide into the left field position in Arlington, with Evan Carter or (probably more likely) Wyatt Langford moving into Garcia’s old spot in right field.  Second base is now opened up for Josh Smith or Ezequiel Duran in the short term, and top prospect Sebastian Walcott could also potentially find a home at the keystone depending on how long Corey Seager remains at shortstop.  The Rangers could also now explore the market for trade or free agent options at second base, with Semien no longer in the picture.

Selected 13th overall by the Mets in the 2011 draft, Nimmo has spent his entire career with the Amazins, becoming a fan favorite due to his consistent offense.  Injuries were a major hindrance for Nimmo earlier in his career and he is entering his age-32 season, but he has played in at least 151 games in each of his last four seasons.

In short, it seems like the Rangers feel more comfortable about paying Nimmo a bit of extra money over a longer term than they were paying Semien over his age 35-37 seasons.  A picture of durability throughout his career, Semien suffered a rare serious injury in 2025, as he was limited to 127 games by a Lisfranc sprain and a small fracture in his left foot.  Beyond just the health issue, Texas was perhaps more concerned about Semien’s dropoff at the plate over the last three seasons.

2023 was Semien’s last year as a premium hitter, as he hit .276/.348/.478 with 29 homers over 753 PA for the Rangers’ World Series team.  Semien delivered a 128 wRC+ that year, and his key role in Texas’ first championship will forever make him a beloved figure in Arlington.  After that dream season, however, Semien dropped to a 101 wRC+ in 2024, and then a subpar 89 wRC+ in 2025.  A .251 BABIP over the last two seasons is a partial explanation, yet the bigger culprit is a sizeable decline in power.

A change of scenery could perhaps get Semien’s bat going, even if Citi Field is known as a pitcher-friendly ballpark.  Semien does bring a right-handed hitting element to a Mets lineup that leaned left, and has now subtracted an everyday lefty swinger in Nimmo.  Beyond just Semien’s offense and his reputation as a clubhouse leader, he remains an outstanding defensive second baseman who just won his second career Gold Glove.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns stated that run prevention was a chief area of improvement for his team, so installing Semien at second base is a big defensive upgrade.  Removing a solid defender like Nimmo from left field is a hit unto itself, yet Jeff McNeil could make up some of the difference since left field now looks to be McNeil’s primary position with Semien locked into second base.  McNeil could also get part-time work in center field, or it is possible he might also end up on another roster, as rival teams have been discussing McNeil in trade talks.

It is a little surprising to see New York make such a prominent move to address second base, given how first and third base were the far more unsettled infield positions heading into the winter.  Pete Alonso’s free agency leaves first base open, and Brett Baty now looks to be staying at third base with Semien on board.  Top prospect Jett Williams is expected to make his MLB debut in 2026, and the outfield could now be Williams’ future position since Semien and Francisco Lindor have accounted for the middle infield.  Semien’s addition also brings fresh questions about how the Mets will incorporate Mark Vientos, Luisangel Acuna, and Ronny Mauricio into the infield mix, or if any of these players (or Baty) could now be trade chips.

Nimmo’s departure also means that the Mets could make a larger move to address their outfield.  The club was already expected to be looking for center field help, and Juan Soto could possibly be shifted over to left field if the Mets wanted to acquire a new right fielder.  This will probably spark some inevitable Kyle Tucker speculation, but Cody Bellinger is already known to be a player on the Amazins’ radar.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report that the two teams were in the final stages of a deal involving Semien and Nimmo, and the New York Post’s Jon Heyman had the additional detail about the $5MM heading to Arlington.  The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported that Nimmo has agreed to waive his no-trade clause. 

Inset pictures courtesy of Jerome Miron (Semien) and Vincent Carchicetta (Nimmo) — Imagn Images

Most Popular Choices From MLBTR’s Free Agent Prediction Contest

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Entries for MLB Trade Rumors’ annual Free Agent Prediction Contest closed on November 13, with 4,604 different readers submitting their choice of landing spot for each of the offseason’s top 50 free agents. This year, we’re going to provide another fun resource for reference purposes — which teams were the most popular choices for each of the 50 players.

As you might expect, the bigger-spending teams got a lot of attention, though 21 of the 30 teams were the top choice for at least one free agent. (The Rockies, Cardinals, Pirates, Nationals, Astros, White Sox, Guardians, Royals, and Twins were the only teams not listed as a top choice.) Of the six players who have already signed, the plurality or majority of contestants correctly identified that Josh Naylor, Raisel Iglesias, and the qualifying offer-accepting quartet of Brandon Woodruff, Trent Grisham, Shota Imanaga, and Gleyber Torres would remain with their 2025 teams.

The most popular choice of all 50 players was Bo Bichette returning to the Blue Jays, with 81.5% of contestants predicting a reunion. This narrowly edged out Kyle Schwarber (79.9%) and J.T. Realmuto (76.1%) re-signing with Philadelphia, as readers are confident that the Phillies will retain those two veteran bats, but there is far less of a consensus about the chances of Ranger Suarez (13.2%) returning to Philly. Eight percent of readers predict Ryan Helsley to the Marlins, which represented the lowest top choice of any player in the top 50.

  1. Kyle Tucker: Dodgers (39.9%), Yankees (17.8%)
  2. Bo Bichette: Blue Jays (81.5%)
  3. Dylan Cease: Red Sox (20.9%), Cubs (17%), Mets (13.9%)
  4. Munetaka Murakami: Mets (20.3%), Mariners (17.4%), Dodgers (16.7%)
  5. Alex Bregman: Red Sox (37.3%), Tigers (30.3%)
  6. Framber Valdez: Giants (18.7%), Mets (14.2%), Orioles (10.2%), Cubs (9.8%)
  7. Tatsuya Imai: Dodgers (20.2%), Mets (13.7%), Giants (12.7%), Cubs (12.6%)
  8. Cody Bellinger: Yankees (61.2%)
  9. Kyle Schwarber: Phillies (79.9%)
  10. Ranger Suarez: Blue Jays (13.2%), Cubs (12.7%), Phillies (12.3%)
  11. Pete Alonso: Mets (35.8%), Red Sox (29.6%)
  12. Josh Naylor: Mariners (72.6%)
  13. Edwin Diaz: Mets (38.1%), Dodgers (23.2%), Yankees (10.2%)
  14. Michael King: Orioles (14.5%), Padres (12.3%), Yankees (11.8%)
  15. Zac Gallen: Diamondbacks (26.3%), Giants (10.4%), Angels (8.1%)
  16. Devin Williams: Dodgers (23.3%), Mets (9%)
  17. Brandon Woodruff: Brewers (30.3%), Mets (18.4%)
  18. Trent Grisham: Yankees (25.9%), Angels (13.2%)
  19. Kazuma Okamoto: Dodgers (11.6%), Padres (10.9%), Mariners (10%), Angels (9.9%),
  20. Eugenio Suarez: Mariners (18.7%), Reds (17.5%)
  21. Robert Suarez: Dodgers (15.7%), Mets (13.7%), Blue Jays (7%)
  22. Shota Imanaga: Cubs (22.1%), Angels (11.6%)
  23. Jorge Polanco: Mariners (37.7%), Royals (7.8%)
  24. Chris Bassitt: Blue Jays (30.8%), Braves (15.7%)
  25. Merrill Kelly: Diamondbacks (38.5%), Rangers (7.3%)
  26. Brad Keller: Cubs (15.6%), Braves (12.2%), Yankees (11.6%)
  27. Lucas Giolito: Red Sox (21.1%), Orioles (9.6%)
  28. Ha-Seong Kim: Braves (45.4%)
  29. J.T. Realmuto: Phillies (76.1%)
  30. Ryan O’Hearn: Marlins (18%), Padres (8.4%)
  31. Harrison Bader: Phillies (15.6%), Royals (11.9%), Guardians (8.8%)
  32. Raisel Iglesias: Braves (24.3%)
  33. Nick Martinez: Reds (9.6%), Padres (8.7%)
  34. Luis Arraez: Rangers (12.2%), Padres (9.1%), Angels (7.4%)
  35. Zack Littell: Angels (12.9%)
  36. Ryan Helsley: Marlins (8%)
  37. Gleyber Torres: Tigers (59.4%)
  38. Justin Verlander: Tigers (29.1%), Astros (18.2%), Giants (18.2%)
  39. Cody Ponce: Brewers (11%), Cardinals (10.1%)
  40. Kyle Finnegan: Tigers (28.1%)
  41. Luke Weaver: Yankees (17.4%), Cubs (9%)
  42. Tyler Rogers: Mets (16.1%), Orioles (13.2%), Giants (13.1%)
  43. Seranthony Dominguez: Blue Jays (25%)
  44. Pete Fairbanks: Dodgers (12.9%), Cubs (9.3%)
  45. Gregory Soto: Blue Jays (14.3%)
  46. Emilio Pagan: Reds (28.8%)
  47. Tyler Mahle: Athletics (8.9%), Rangers (8.5%)
  48. Max Scherzer: Blue Jays (33.2%), Giants (14.4%), Tigers (11.9%)
  49. Victor Caratini: Rays (22.3%), Astros (11.9%)
  50. Willi Castro: Padres (10.6%)

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