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Sandy Leon Remains Free Agent

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9:14 pm: The minor league transaction log entry showing Leon re-signing with the Braves is not accurate, MLBTR has learned. Leon remains a free agent.

7:23 pm: Catcher Sandy Leon has returned to the Braves on a minor league deal, according to the MLB.com transaction tracker. The veteran was assigned to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, where he’s spent the majority of the past two seasons. Leon appeared in five games with Atlanta over the final two months of the 2025 campaign.

The 36-year-old Leon joined Atlanta as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season. He played in 79 games with the Stripers that year, but didn’t make an appearance in the big leagues for the first time since 2011. Leon had two separate stints with the Braves this past season. He made his MLB return on July 22, coming on as a defensive replacement. Leon was sent back to Triple-A on August 15, only to come back up a few weeks later. Leon finished the year with just one hit in 12 at-bats, though he made it count, launching a three-run home run off Craig Kimbrel on September 14.

Leon made his debut with the Nationals in 2012. He’s spent parts of 13 MLB seasons with seven different teams. The backstop had his longest big-league stretch with one organization from 2015 to 2019 with Boston. He appeared in 358 regular-season games with the Red Sox. Leon was part of the World Series-winning squad in 2018.

The 2016 season was Leon’s only campaign as a viable hitter at the highest level. He posted a 124 wRC+ across 283 plate appearances. Leon popped seven home runs and drove in 35 while splitting time with Christian Vázquez. He would never post another season with better than a 66 wRC+. Leon is more known for his work behind the plate. He threw out at least 36% of would-be base stealers in each of his first three seasons in Boston. Statcast began tracking fielding run value in 2018, and Leon ranked fourth among catchers that season.

Leon will serve as a depth option for Atlanta behind Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy. The Braves ranked sixth in OPS at the position this past season. Baldwin is among the favorites for NL Rookie of the Year after slashing .274/.341/.469 in his first taste of MLB action. Murphy failed to hit .200 for the second straight year, but did pop 16 homers in just 337 plate appearances. Murphy has been banged up during his tenure in Atlanta, so Leon could assume backup duties behind Baldwin if injuries strike again.

Bo Bichette Resumes Light Jogging

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Bo Bichette took a small step forward on Wednesday in his recovery from a left PCL sprain. The star shortstop was seen jogging in the outfield at Yankee Stadium prior to Game 4 of the ALDS, reported Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. It’s the first we’ve heard of on-field running work for Bichette since he went down with the knee injury on September 6. Bannon added that Bichette jogged three times in the outfield for about 50 yards, but still had a noticeable limp when he walked back.

Bichette has been out for just over a month since injuring his knee on a slide against the Yankees. He’d been able to hit in the batting cage, but hadn’t progressed to any sort of running drills until today. Bichette was unsurprisingly left off of Toronto’s ALDS roster. Andres Gimenez has picked up the majority of the starts at shortstop in Bichette’s stead. He’s played short in each of the Blue Jays’ playoff games so far. Ernie Clement also picked up a couple of starts at shortstop in September.

While the progress is encouraging for Bichette, he still has multiple hurdles to clear before making his 2025 postseason debut. He’ll certainly need to shake off the limp before moving to more intense drills. Toronto will likely want to see him field ground balls at shortstop before considering adding him to the playoff roster. The ALCS starts on Sunday, so there isn’t much time for Bichette to get back into playing shape before the next round. The World Series, if the Blue Jays were to advance that far, might be a more reasonable goal for Bichette at this point.

Toronto’s DH situation is somewhat crowded, so the best route for Bichette to make an impact in the playoffs might be off the bench, similar to how the Dodgers used catcher Will Smith as he recovered from a hand fracture. Smith didn’t make an appearance against Cincinnati, but has been able to contribute as a sub in the NLDS against Philadelphia. He scored on Teoscar Hernandez’s go-ahead home run in Game 1, then knocked in a couple of runs with a single in Game 2. Smith will draw his first start of the postseason in Game 3 on Wednesday.

The knee injury cut short Bichette’s best full season at the plate. He posted a healthy 134 wRC+, his best mark since his brief 46-game stint as a rookie in 2019. Bichette’s .311 batting average ranked second in the league behind only Aaron Judge. The shortstop finished the regular season with 628 plate appearances, his most since 2022. While the power and speed tailed off, Bichette showed the best plate discipline of his career in 2025. He cut his strikeout rate to 14.5%, the first time he’d been below 19% in the big leagues. Bichette’s 6.4% walk rate, while still not great, was his best mark since 2019.

Toronto’s offense hasn’t felt the loss of Bichette so far in the postseason, piling up 29 runs against the Yankees. They lead the league with nine playoff home runs, which is especially impressive considering they’ve only played three games. On an individual level, the results haven’t been as inspiring. Gimenez has been fine, going 3-for-11 with a couple of runs batted in. Glove-first veteran Isiah Kiner-Falefa has seen time at second base with Gimenez sliding over to shortstop, but has gone hitless in six at-bats and made an error in Game 3. Addison Barger then had his own defensive miscue after replacing Kiner-Falefa in the eventual loss.

A return in the postseason might ease some concerns for potential Bichette suitors this offseason. He’ll be one of the top free agents on the market heading into 2026, but persistent injury issues might affect the length and dollar amount of his next contract. Calf and finger injuries wrecked Bichette’s 2024 season. He missed time with knee and quad issues in 2023. Getting back to action during this playoff run could be a boost to his value as he looks for a new deal.

 

Posey: Giants Focused On Pitching This Offseason

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Buster Posey’s most significant moves in his first season as president of baseball operations came on the hitting side, signing shortstop Willy Adames to a franchise-record seven-year, $182MM deal and landing third baseman Rafael Devers in a midseason trade. Posey will now turn his attention to pitching, the former catcher told Alex Pavlovic and Laura Britt of NBC Sports in an interview this week. “I think our focus is going to be on pitching, to try to fortify our starting staff. The same goes with the bullpen.”

San Francisco got solid contributions from the ever-reliable Logan Webb and a strong year from Robbie Ray in his first full season after Tommy John surgery. Behind Webb and Ray, the Giants’ rotation was largely a mess. Jordan Hicks opened the season as a starter, but posted a 6.55 ERA over nine starts and was bumped to the bullpen. He was then dealt to Boston in the Devers trade along with Kyle Harrison, a rotation mainstay in 2024.  Landen Roupp shook off a rough April to deliver decent results for a couple months, but missed the final six weeks of the season with a knee injury. Justin Verlander was the lone offseason addition, joining the team on a one-year, $15MM pact. He didn’t earn his first win as a Giant until mid-July, but ultimately delivered decent results, especially considering his advanced age. Hayden Birdsong seemed destined to lock down a rotation spot after beginning the season in the bullpen, but he found himself in Triple-A after struggling with control.

The Giants tried a handful of youngsters in the rotation, with varying results. Top prospect Carson Whisenhunt debuted in late July. He stumbled through five starts, posting a 5.01 ERA with an untenable 16:12 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Carson Seymour got the call in late June and made 16 appearances with the big-league club. He was tagged for nine home runs in just 36 innings. Seymour did earn his first MLB win in August, beating St. Louis in his second of three starts. Kai-Wei Teng was recalled in August and made eight big-league appearances. He notched a strong 28.1% strikeout rate over 29 2/3 innings, but was knocked around for 21 earned runs. Trevor McDonald was the last to arrive, though he offered the most intriguing results. The right-hander recorded a pair of quality starts in three outings, including a dominant 10-strikeout performance in the final series of the season.

Roupp should be healthy to begin the 2026 season. Verlander is a free agent, though Posey said he’s open to bringing him back. That still leaves at least one rotation spot up for grabs heading into the upcoming campaign. McDonald certainly made a solid case, though a 5.31 ERA at Triple-A last season casts doubt on his long-term outlook. Ray also struggled to close the season, allowing at least four earned runs in four of his final five appearances. His performance down the stretch, along with his injury history, could spur the Giants to add more depth.

Posey will have plenty of choices on the free agent market to fill out the rotation. Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez headline the 2026 starting pitching class. They’re likely to seek nine-figure deals. Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly represent durable alternatives with potentially less upside. Brandon Woodruff, Michael King, and Tyler Mahle performed well when healthy in 2025, but health remains a question. Jack Flaherty and Lucas Giolito could join the fray depending on how their current contract situations pan out. There is no shortage of veteran inning-eating types like Aaron Civale and Zack Littell. The Giants could also take a swing at reviving guys like Zach Eflin, Walker Buehler, Dustin May, and Michael Soroka.

The bullpen was actually a strength for San Francisco this past season, at least until the trade deadline. The Giants ranked second in bullpen ERA through July. They were third in xFIP and fifth in SIERA. The team then sent Camilo Doval to the Yankees and Tyler Rogers to the Mets. Randy Rodriguez entered the closer role with Doval gone, but his dominant season (1.78 ERA) was cut short due to an elbow injury that ultimately required Tommy John surgery. San Francisco’s bullpen slipped to 13th in ERA over the final two months of the season.

Ryan Walker is currently atop the closer depth chart, which might be why Posey is searching for bullpen help. After losing the job to Doval, Walker continued to scuffle as the stopper following Rodriguez’s injury, blowing two saves and losing another game in September.

There are several high-profile closers on the market, including Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, and Raisel Iglesias. Edwin Diaz and Robert Suarez could join them if they elect to opt out of their current deals. On the cheaper side, Kenley Jansen, Luke Weaver, Kirby Yates, Ryan Pressly, and Kyle Finnegan have plenty of closing experience. Emilio Pagan and Gregory Soto are coming off bounce-back seasons. Both of the Rogers brothers are available. It’s a robust group, giving Posey plenty of routes to reload on the reliever front.

Spending shouldn’t be an issue for the Giants in 2026. Devers’ megadeal is now on the books, and the team still has healthy commitments remaining to Adames, Ray, and Matt Chapman, but FanGraphs’ RosterResource tool has them at around $140MM for next year’s payroll. San Francisco only has a small handful of players heading to arbitration, so that payroll estimate shouldn’t budge much ahead of 2026. While they were at around $178MM in payroll last season, the Giants were up over $200MM as recently as 2024. There’s plenty of room to add multiple high-priced pitchers, whether in the starting rotation, the bullpen, or both.

Mets Make Major Coaching Changes

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After a historic collapse to close the season, the Mets are overhauling their coaching staff. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes will not retain their positions next season, reported Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. New York is also not bringing back infield coach Mike Sarbaugh, reported Andy Martino of SNY. Martino also noted bench coach John Gibbons is leaving the team and catching instructor Glenn Sherlock is retiring.

The significant coaching shakeup comes a few days after the Mets completed an epic late-season meltdown with a loss on Sunday to the Marlins. New York peaked at 45-24 in mid-June, the best record in the league. They were slowly tracked down by Philadelphia for the NL East divisional crown, and then by Cincinnati for the final Wild Card spot. The Mets won just 10 games in September and endured a brutal eight-game losing streak. They dropped series against Washington and Miami over the final two weeks of the regular season. New York could’ve still snared a playoff spot with a win over the Marlins and a loss by the Reds on the final day of the season, but they were shut out 4-0. Cincinnati earned the final playoff bid, only to be quickly dispatched by the Dodgers in the Wild Card round.

Hefner spent the past six seasons as the Mets’ pitching coach. The team ranked 22nd, ninth, seventh, 19th, 15th, and 18th in ERA during his tenure. The two standout seasons happened to coincide with Jacob deGrom’s final two years with the team. New York nursed competent stretches out of Clay Holmes and Sean Manaea this season, though both faded down the stretch. Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill each delivered promising results before going down with injuries. Kodai Senga put together two solid months, then went down with a hamstring injury. He scuffled to a 6.18 ERA in August and was booted out of the rotation.

Hefner was drafted by the Padres in 2007. He made his MLB debut with the Mets in 2012, then tossed 130 2/3 innings with the big-league club in 2013. The right-hander last pitched in 2016 in the Cardinals’ minor league system. He was previously the Twins’ assistant pitching coach before taking the pitching coach job in Queens.

Chavez had been on New York’s coaching staff for the past four seasons. He was initially hired as the hitting coach in 2022, then moved to a bench coach role in 2023. He’d been back in a hitting coach position for the past two years. After working in a player development role with the team, Barnes became assistant hitting coach in 2022. He got the head gig in 2023 but has since worked in tandem with Chavez.

New York was tied for ninth in scoring with Seattle this past season. It was the third time in four seasons under Chavez/Barnes that the team ranked top 10 in runs. Francisco Lindor has been the driving force of the offense since coming over via trade in 2021. Pete Alonso has been a consistent power threat since breaking in with 53 home runs as a rookie in 2019. The team landed Juan Soto in free agency this past offseason, and after a slow start, the outfielder put together one of his most dominant offensive seasons to date. Soto set career highs in home runs and stolen bases in his first season with the Mets.

Chavez enjoyed a 17-year big-league career. He spent 13 seasons with the Athletics before moving on to the Yankees and Diamondbacks. He won six Gold Gloves at third base for Oakland. Barnes was drafted by the Phillies in 2009. The infielder reached Triple-A in 2012, but never appeared in the majors.

Gibbons is the most high-profile name from a coaching perspective. He spent a total of 11 seasons as manager of the Blue Jays across two different stints. Gibbons was Toronto’s skipper from 2004–2008, and then again from 2013–2018. He had served as a bench coach with the Mets for the past two seasons. Gibbons is not retiring, Martino noted. His name could pop up as a candidate for one of the many available manager jobs.

Sherlock is calling it quits after more than two decades as a major league coach. He got his first big-league job in 1992 as the catching instructor for the Yankees. He reprised that role in 1994-1995. Sherlock then went to Arizona, where he functioned in various roles from 1998-2016. He was a base coach for the Mets from 2017-2019, then joined the Pirates’ coaching staff from 2020-21. Sherlock rejoined the Mets as a bench coach in 2022. He’d been the team’s catching coach for the past three seasons.

Sarbaugh served as the Mets’ third base coach for the past two seasons. He held the same role for Cleveland from 2014-2023. Sarbaugh was credited with helping Brett Baty improve on defense, Martino mentioned. Baty had 12 errors in 112 games in his first two big-league seasons. After Sarbaugh arrived in 2024, Baty has made 10 errors in 191 games.

The Marlins’ Catching Conundrum

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Miami has struggled to find a viable option behind the plate since trading away J.T. Realmuto ahead of the 2019 season. After Jorge Alfaro, who returned in the Realmuto deal, failed to provide consistent results, the Marlins have shuffled through a mix of veterans and fringe MLBers over the past few seasons. Miami backstops finished 29th in OPS at the position in both 2023 and 2024.

Agustin Ramirez seems like the answer, at least on offense. Acquired in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade, the top prospect popped 21 homers and stole 16 bases in his first taste of MLB action. Ramirez paced the team in doubles and total bases. He was a fixture in the heart of the lineup since getting promoted in late April.

The problem with Ramirez as Miami’s solution at catcher was the catching part. He led the league with 19 passed balls, more than twice as many as the next-closest player (Shea Langeliers at nine). Ramirez also led all catchers with 10 errors, despite only making 71 starts at the position. The throwing aspect of the job didn’t go much better. Ramirez allowed 83 steals and threw out just 8 base runners, good for a paltry 8.8% caught stealing rate. He ranked dead last in Statcast’s CS Above Average metric, which compares the number of extra caught stealings to the expectation of an average catcher.

Ramirez made 61 starts at DH in his rookie season. While that may be his ultimate home, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix hasn’t given up on Ramirez in the field. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Bendix said Ramirez still has “the ability to be a major league catcher and also needs to improve a lot to be able to consistently achieve that level” (link via Kevin Barral of Fish on First). It isn’t the strongest endorsement, but it’s enough to keep the door ajar on Ramirez’s future at the position.

Liam Hicks functioned as Miami’s backup catcher for the majority of the 2025 season. He started 49 games behind the plate, while also making 23 starts at first base and 20 at DH. Hicks joined the team as a Rule 5 selection from Detroit. He posted a solid 98 wRC+ across 390 plate appearances, though the power was lacking. Hicks hit just a half dozen home runs and finished with a .099 ISO. He doesn’t have the type of thump typically associated with 1B/DH types, so sticking at catcher might be his only avenue to consistent playing time.

The main issue with Hicks as a long-term option is the same one that plagues Ramirez. Hicks allowed 51 stolen bases last season, while catching just six would-be thieves. He had the fifth-worst mark in Statcast’s CS Above Average metric.

The real answer at catcher might be waiting in the wings at Triple-A. Joe Mack is the organization’s fourth-ranked prospect according to MLB.com. FanGraphs ranked Mack third among Miami prospects in their midseason update. Mack was a first-round pick in 2021. He’s put up strong offensive numbers at each minor league stop, including a 129 wRC+ in 112 games at Double-A in 2024. Mack torched Double-A pitching once again to begin 2025 and was quickly bumped to Triple-A. He hit 18 home runs with a solid .250/.320/.459 slash line in 412 plate appearances with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The 22-year-old has an elite arm, which will provide some much-needed help in slowing down the run game. Mack has a shot to break camp with the team in 2026 after hitting .298/.382/.766 with six homers in 14 games in September.

Whether or not Mack is with the big-league club next season, the team could use a glove-first veteran option. Victor Caratini, Austin Hedges, and James McCann would be viable options that shouldn’t be overly expensive. Old friend Jacob Stallings could also be a candidate to soak up innings behind the plate for a low investment. Ironically, Nick Fortes would’ve fit the bill as a veteran caddy to Mack. Fortes led the Marlins in starts behind the plate in 2023 and 2024, but was shipped out at the trade deadline this past season.

David Ross Hoping For Another Managerial Opportunity

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Former Cubs manager David Ross is interested in a return to managing, the ex-skipper told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. “It’s an itch that hasn’t gone away.” Ross has been out of baseball for the past two years after getting fired by Chicago following the 2023 campaign.

Ross spent four seasons at the helm in Chicago. He had no previous managing experience prior to taking over for Joe Maddon after the 2019 season. Ross led the Cubs to an NL Central title in the shortened 2020 season, but the squad was dispatched by the Marlins in the Wild Card round. Chicago failed to reach the playoffs for the final three years under Ross. After back-to-back seasons well below .500, Ross led the team to 83 wins in 2023, but they fell a game short of a Wild Card berth. The Cubs moved on that offseason, choosing to hand Craig Counsell a record five-year, $40MM deal.

The jump from player to manager without a previous coaching gig was a bit surprising, but Ross was a familiar face in Chicago. He spent his final two seasons as a player with the Cubs, winning a World Series in 2016. The photo of Ross being carried off the field by his teammates was an iconic image following the curse-breaking victory.

Ross relayed to Rosenthal that he was not interviewed by the Reds, Marlins, or White Sox during their managerial searches ahead of the 2025 season. He added that there were conversations about bench coach positions, but nothing came to fruition. The Athletic had previously reported that the Yankees and Orioles had shown interest in Ross for bench coach roles since he’d been fired by the Cubs, but the former catcher preferred a managerial position if he were to return to the dugout.

This offseason presents plenty of opportunities. With Brian Snitker stepping down this week, there are now a staggering eight managerial openings around the league. The Twins and Giants fired their managers at the end of the regular season. The Nationals, Orioles, and Rockies did so during the season (though none of those teams have firmly declared that their interim skipper won’t be back). The Rangers and Bruce Bochy are parting ways. The Angels chose not to retain Ron Washington, who stepped away midseason due to heart surgery. The team also announced that interim manager Ray Montgomery, who took over for Washington, will not be back.

Ross isn’t the only former manager in search of a new home. Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote last month that Brandon Hyde, Derek Shelton, Bud Black, and Davey Martinez are all looking to land skipper positions after getting fired during this past season. Rocco Baldelli, Bob Melvin, Bochy and Washington were all let go at the end of the year.

Lucas Giolito Unlikely To Pitch Again This Season

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9:02 pm: There is no structural damage to Giolito’s UCL, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. He is dealing with flexor irritation as well as a bone issue, which will require rest for a while.

3:51 pm: Right-hander Lucas Giolito is likely out for the year with an elbow injury, manager Alex Cora told reporters at today’s media session (link via Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic). The elbow issue had already kept Giolito off the Wild Card roster. It will now seemingly cost him the rest of 2025. Cora told reporters that rookie Connelly Early will likely draw the starting nod in Game 3 against the Yankees, if needed.

The elbow injury will bring an untimely end to a resurgent season for Giolito. The 31-year-old shuffled between three different MLB organizations in 2023, posting a 4.88 ERA across 33 starts with the White Sox, Angels, and Guardians. He then missed the entirety of the 2024 season following surgery to repair his UCL. Giolito bounced back with a 3.41 ERA over 26 starts with the Red Sox this season. His 4.59 xFIP and 4.65 SIERA suggest he performed above his head, but his contributions helped solidify a staff that dealt with injuries all year.

Boston inked Giolito to a two-year deal ahead of the 2024 season, with the second season being a player option. After missing the entire year, Giolito picked up the option. By triggering that player option, he gave the club a $14MM option for 2026, though with a vesting clause that would convert it to a $19MM mutual option if Giolito reached 140 innings pitched. He exceeded that mark in his second-to-last outing of the regular season. Giolito seemed destined to decline his end of the option and return to free agency, but the elbow injury could lead Boston to reject it on their end.

If either side balks at the mutual option, Giolito would enter free agency in a peculiar position. He’d be coming off his best season in terms of run prevention since his breakout 2019. While he fell short of the above-average strikeout numbers he posted during his White Sox tenure, Giolito cleaned up the home run issues that plagued him in his wayward 2023 season. On the other hand, this is the second elbow problem in two years for Giolito. Even if this specific injury is minor, anything elbow-related is a red flag, especially for a pitcher who will be 32 years old next summer.

Early starting a playoff game would’ve seemed like a long shot heading into the season, but he’s now the clear top candidate to fill Giolito’s vacated spot. The rookie has impressed in four big-league starts, allowing two earned runs or less in every outing. He burst onto the scene with 11 strikeouts against the Athletics in his debut and has continued to rack up punchouts at an above-average clip. After posting a strikeout rate above 30% at each minor league stop, he’s at 36.7% through 19 1/3 innings with the Red Sox.

The Yankees will present a challenging task for the young lefty, especially in what would be a series-deciding game. New York led the league in OPS and wOBA against left-handed pitching in the regular season. They slugged 70 home runs off southpaws, matching the Dodgers for the league lead. The Yankees elected to roll out a lineup with just three left-handed hitters against Garrett Crochet in Game 1. That starting nine does not feature Jazz Chisholm Jr. While a strict platoon between Chisholm and righty Amed Rosario seems unlikely, New York appears willing to play matchups in this series. It’s a tiny sample, but Early has struck out an absurd 13 of the 22 lefties he’s faced this season. He’s held left-handed hitters to a meager .150/.227/.150 slash line.

Kyle Harrison and Payton Tolle are also on hand as potential options to replace Giolito. Tolle also impressed in his MLB debut, striking out eight Pirates over 5 1/3 innings. He’s posted a 7.36 ERA since that outing and has been used in a relief role in recent outings. Harrison came over from San Francisco in the Rafael Devers trade. He spent the majority of the season with Triple-A Worcester, but did make three appearances for Boston in September. Harrison tossed a quality start against Tampa Bay in his penultimate outing and is likely the most stretched-out member of the bullpen.

Will Smith, Justin Dean Make Dodgers’ Wild Card Roster; Michael Conforto Left Off

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Catcher Will Smith and outfielder Justin Dean are on the Dodgers’ Wild Card roster for their series against Cincinnati. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported Smith is expected to be used as a pinch-hitter off the bench. Notable absences from Los Angeles’ 26-man squad include outfielder Michael Conforto and lefty reliever Anthony Banda. Clayton Kershaw will also be watching the Wild Card series from the sidelines.

Smith was placed on the injured list in early September after taking a foul ball off the hand. Follow-up testing revealed a hairline fracture that ultimately kept him out of game action for the rest of the regular season. Manager Dave Roberts said Smith would take live at-bats this week to determine his availability for the postseason. Apparently, Smith showed he was capable of contributing in the Wild Card round, at least as a hitter. The Dodgers are also carrying catchers Ben Rortvedt and Dalton Rushing.

Having Smith’s bat in the mix, even as just a pinch-hitter, should be a big boost for the Dodgers. The 30-year-old backstop put together a career year at the plate, slashing .296/.404/.497 with a 153 wRC+. Smith was hitting over .300 beyond the All-Star break until a sluggish August brought down his numbers. Rortvedt is a glove-first option, and Rushing hasn’t lived up to his prospect pedigree as a rookie, so both could cede at-bats to Smith if they come up in a big spot. It’s unclear when Smith will be able to return to the lineup in a defensive capacity.

Conforto put together a solid September to make a late bid for the Wild Card roster, but came up short. He finished the regular season with a .199 batting average and just 12 home runs. Conforto put together a strong season in San Francisco last year, earning him a 1-year, $17MM deal to stay in California with the rival Dodgers. He was signed to provide a left-handed complement to LA’s righty-heavy outfield group, but fell well short of expectations.

The Dodgers opted for a more dynamic player in their final outfield spot, with Dean making the team. The 28-year-old spent seven seasons in Atlanta’s minor league system before joining Los Angeles via minor league free agency. He made 18 appearances with the big-league club, all of which came as a pinch runner or defensive sub. Dean went 1-for-1 as a base stealer and showed plenty of prowess swiping bags in the minors. He’s posted three separate minor league seasons with 35+ steals, including a career-high 61 swipes across two levels in 2024.

Kershaw is the most prominent name to be left of the Dodgers’ Wild Card roster, but another lefty might be the biggest snub. Banda was a solid contributor in LA’s bullpen for a second consecutive year. He finished the regular season with a 3.18 ERA across a career-high 71 appearances. The Dodgers have coaxed an extra tick on the fastball out of Banda, and the results have been the best of his tumultuous MLB career. Banda’s handedness seems to be the main culprit for his exclusion from the roster. The Dodgers will carry four lefty relievers in the first round, with closer Tanner Scott joined by Jack Dreyer, Alex Vesia, and Justin Wrobleski. The bullpen has been a frequent talking point this season after the unit finished with an ugly 4.27 ERA.

One new face among the LA relievers will be Roki Sasaki. The right-hander rejoined the team last week after missing four months with a shoulder injury. He transitioned to a bullpen role near the end of his rehab assignment and made a pair of effective relief appearances following his return to the MLB squad. Sasaki’s fastball velocity was up considerably in his two relief outings. After sitting at 94.8 mph in his final start back in May, he averaged over 99 mph out of the ’pen. Sasaki could be a real weapon in shorter stints this postseason.

Jeremy Pena Dealing With Oblique Strain

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Imaging has revealed a left oblique strain for Jeremy Pena, the shortstop told reporters on Thursday. Chandler Rome of The Athletic was among those to relay the update. Pena had been out of the lineup for the past four games. He was initially in Sunday’s starting nine before being scratched due to the injury. Houston was swept at home by Seattle and has dropped the first two games of the series against the Athletics.

Just a few days after GM Dana Brown said Pena’s oblique injury “could be just a two-day thing,” Pena is now facing what could be an extended absence. While no roster move has been made regarding Pena, oblique injury timelines are typically measured in weeks, not days. It’s the second time this season that Pena has dealt with a left side issue, as he missed 27 games with a broken left rib.

It’s brutal news for a Houston team that just lost Yordan Alvarez to an ankle sprain. The Astros ceded their spot atop the AL West over the weekend and are now in danger of missing the postseason altogether. They entered Thursday’s action one game behind the Tigers for the final AL Wild Card spot. Given that the season is hanging by a thread, perhaps there would be some temptation to put Pena out there even when he’s not 100%. However, they are also doing that with Isaac Paredes, who was rushed back from a hamstring injury and is using the designated hitter spot at the moment.

The oblique injury could cut short a breakout 2025 campaign for Pena. The 28-year-old posted a healthy 135 wRC+ while slashing .304/.363/.477. He matched a career high with 20 steals. Pena’s 17 home runs fell short of the 22 he hit as a rookie, but he exceeded his total from 2024 in 107 fewer plate appearances. It was quite the bounce-back season after Pena put up below league-average offensive numbers the past two seasons. He equaled his career-best strikeout rate from 2024 at 17.1%, while pushing his hard-hit rate up over 40% for the first time, per Statcast. Pena was able to combine the improved plate discipline from 2024 with the power he showed in his debut MLB season, turning him into one of Houston’s most potent offensive threats.

The Astros have turned to Mauricio Dubon at shortstop for three of the four games without Pena. Carlos Correa slid over from third base to cover the spot on Wednesday. He certainly has plenty of experience playing up the middle for Houston. The versatile Ramon Urias is also an option at shortstop, though he hasn’t appeared in a big-league game at the position since 2022. It’s hard to imagine any of the potential replacements matching Pena’s offensive prowess, but Dubon is at least a viable defensive fit. While Pena had an excellent defensive season, ranking seventh among shortstops in Outs Above Average, Dubon is actually eighth on that list.

Braves Outright Connor Seabold, Jonathan Ornelas

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The Braves sent right-hander Connor Seabold outright to Triple-A Gwinnett, according to the MLB.com transaction tracker. Infielder Jonathan Ornelas was also outrighted to Triple-A Gwinnett after clearing waivers earlier this week, as relayed by 680 The Fan in Atlanta.

Seabold was designated for assignment after Atlanta claimed righty Joel Payamps off waivers from Milwaukee on Monday. He joined the organization as a waiver claim himself, as the Braves scooped him up after the Rays designated him for assignment in early August. Seabold had two separate stints with the big-league club, making a total of four appearances. The veteran logged an ugly 9.82 ERA across 3 2/3 innings. He failed to record an out in his final outing with Atlanta, allowing two hits and a walk before being relieved. Seabold will likely finish his 2025 campaign with a 4.35 ERA across seven games with Atlanta and Tampa Bay.

Seabold’s career ERA now sits at 7.79 in 119 innings, and his underlying metrics aren’t much better (5.00 SIERA, 5.62 xFIP). He did post a career-high 20.8% strikeout rate in 2025, though it came with an untenable 12.5% walk rate. Seabold leaned on his changeup more often this season, particularly since he joined the Braves (32.1% usage rate). He has a decent minor league track record and could contend for a long relief spot next season if the adjusted pitch mix produces better results.

Atlanta marks the fourth team in four major league seasons for the 29-year-old Seabold. He debuted with Boston in 2021, making a single start that season. He made five more starts with the club in 2022. Colorado acquired Seabold via trade after Boston designated him for assignment. Seabold’s tenure with the Rockies would represent his most extensive big-league action to date. He made 13 starts and 14 relief appearances with the team in 2023, posting a 7.52 ERA over 87 1/3 innings. Colorado let him go following that season, and Seabold latched on with the Samsung Lions of the KBO League. A solid 2024 season overseas (3.43 ERA, 11-6 record) earned Seabold a minor league deal with Tampa Bay this past offseason.

Seabold has seven minor league seasons on his resume, which means he can elect minor league free agency at the end of the season, if not added back to the 40-man roster.

Ornelas landed with the Braves after being designated for assignment by the Rangers back in May. He faced a similar fate in Atlanta last week, as the club needed a 40-man roster spot for the selection of right-hander Jhancarlos Lara. Ornelas started just one game with Atlanta, but chipped in a run scored and his first two hits of the campaign. He had been hitless over five at-bats with Texas. Ornelas spent the majority of 2025 with Triple-A Gwinnett. He hit just .193 across 85 games with the Stripers.

The 25-year-old Ornelas played parts of three seasons with the Rangers. He maxed out at 40 plate appearances with the big-league squad, which came in 2024. Ornelas has slashed a meager .208/.263/.245 with a 47 wRC+ during his time in the major leagues. His best attribute has been defensive versatility, as he’s made appearances at second base, third base, shortstop, and center field.

This was Ornelas’ final minor league option year, meaning he’ll be out of options going into next year. Ornelas has also appeared in seven minor league seasons, so he’ll be eligible for minor league free agency this offseason.

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