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Kohei Arihara Considering MLB Return

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Former Rangers right-hander Kohei Arihara is interested in returning to MLB, per a report from Yahoo Japan (h/t to Yakyu Cosmopolitan). Arihara is set to become a free agent on December 2. He’s been with the SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball for the past three seasons.

Arihara began his career in NPB, spending six seasons with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. His solid work at Japan’s highest level earned him a two-year, $6.2MM deal with the Rangers in December 2020. Arihara pitched in parts of two seasons for Texas from 2021 to 2022. He struggled to a 6.64 ERA across 10 starts with the Rangers in his first season. The results were even worse the following year, when Arihara posted a 9.45 ERA over five appearances. He was designated for assignment in September 2022 and elected free agency at the end of the year.

The righty’s stateside debut was marred by a serious injury early in the season. The team discovered an aneurysm in Arihara’s shoulder, leading to surgery that sidelined him until September. Arihara was crushed for nine earned runs over 12 innings after coming back from the injury.

Arihara excelled in his return to NPB, putting together three productive seasons with the Hawks. He posted a pristine 2.31 ERA in 17 starts with the team in 2023. Arihara nearly matched that mark across a longer sample the following season, recording a 2.36 ERA over 26 starts on his way to 14 wins. He won another 14 games this past season, though his ERA did creep over 3.00.

The 33-year-old Arihara seems to be past the health issues that plagued his previous MLB stint, tossing at least 175 innings in back-to-back seasons. He’s certainly built some momentum toward a possible return to the big leagues. The Yahoo Japan report noted that the Yomiuri Giants are also interested in Arihara’s services.

Photo courtesy of Eric Canha, Imagn Images

Sorting Out The Yankees’ Outfield

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The Yankees came up short against the Blue Jays in the ALDS, but the front office has already gotten to work retooling the team, specifically in the outfield. New York extended the qualifying offer to Trent Grisham, which he accepted. Cody Bellinger opted out of his contract, but the team is interested in bringing him back. The team has been linked to top free agent Kyle Tucker. With at most one spot available alongside Aaron Judge and Grisham, where does that leave Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones?

Dominguez delivered league-average results at the plate in his first full season of MLB action. He was widely regarded as New York’s top prospect before last season. Given his pedigree, Dominguez is likely overqualified as a fourth outfielder. Jones is probably due for a call-up after launching 35 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A last season, but adding him to the roster without a clear role could stunt his development.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com had the Yankees dealing Jones when he outlined one trade candidate for each team. Feinsand’s colleague Bryan Hoch mentioned Dominguez and Jones popping up in trade talks if the team secures one of Bellinger or Tucker. Let’s dig into those possibilities.

Trade Dominguez, Keep Jones

Dominguez debuted in 2023 and immediately made an impact, hitting four home runs in eight games. His season was cut short by a UCL injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery. Recovery from the procedure limited Dominguez to 76 games between the minors and majors in 2024. He was a regular for the Yankees this past season, patrolling left field for the majority of the year, while also spending time at DH. The results at the plate were … fine. Dominguez put up a 103 wRC+ as a 22-year-old, finishing with 10 home runs and 23 stolen bases.

The main concern with Dominguez was in the field. He recorded a miserable -10 Outs Above Average and -7 Defensive Runs Saved. Dominguez finished with a -9 Fielding Run Value, which ranked as the 16th-worst mark among all qualified fielders. New York was able to hide Dominguez at DH at times last season, but a healthy Giancarlo Stanton will make that difficult.

Even with the defensive shortcomings, Dominguez has shown enough at the plate to command a considerable return in a trade. He’d be the swing-for-the-fences move and could potentially bring back assets that could contribute on the big-league roster right away.

Trade Jones, Keep Dominguez

Jones has the type of profile that makes him both an enticing trade chip and a sell-high candidate. He was a first-rounder in 2022 and has piled up offensive production in every professional season. Jones reached Double-A by the end of 2023 and dominated the level when he repeated it in 2024. The big lefty mashed 17 home runs and stole 25 in 122 games with Somerset. Jones again found himself with the Patriots to begin this past season. He posted a silly 185 wRC+ to finally move to Triple-A, where he hit 19 home runs in 67 games.

While the minor league production is great, spending so much time at Double-A is a red flag, and it seems to be related to Jones’ contact challenges. He’s had at least a 28.2% strikeout rate at every stop since 2023. Jones struck out more than a third of the time in 2024. Even as he piled up home runs with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Jones carried a bloated 36.6% strikeout rate.

Trading Jones would allow the Yankees to cash in on his massive power season and avoid rolling the dice that he’ll make enough contact to succeed as a big leaguer. Of course, inquiring teams would be aware of Jones’ main flaw, but perhaps his pedigree and recent performance would be enough to overlook the swing-and-miss in his game. The return in a trade would be appealing, though it might require taking on assets with their own question marks.

Keep Dominguez and Jones

It’s hard to envision this scenario if New York ends up landing Bellinger or Tucker, but those players will have plenty of suitors. The Yankees could focus on bullpen upgrades in the free agent market instead of making additions on the offensive side. Jones has only played outfield and DH in his minor league career, so there aren’t many ways to fit both players in the lineup. Having Jones repeat Triple-A as a 25-year-old could be considered an admission of his lack of MLB viability, so it probably makes sense to let him fail at the big-league level.

Platooning the switch-hitting Dominguez and the lefty-swinging Jones jumps out as a potential option, but the issue is the former’s struggles from the right side. Dominguez hit just .204 against lefties last season. He was much more productive as a left-handed hitter. Stanton has battled injuries for much of his career, so he probably isn’t equipped to handle everyday DH at-bats at this stage. The Yankees can find enough reps in left field and DH for both Dominguez and Jones, though neither would be a full-time player.

Even if New York keeps both players this offseason, they could still make a move during the year. Finding a trade partner once teams are dealing with injuries and underperformance should be an easier task.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Fisher, Imagn Images

Jacob Misiorowski Extension Talks Reportedly Yet To Gain Traction

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Right-hander Jacob Misiorowski set the league on fire when he debuted in early June. The early returns for the lanky fireballer were so impressive that he earned an All-Star bid after just five games in the big leagues. Securing Misiorowski long-term is likely a priority for the Brewers, but those discussions haven’t gone too far at this point, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Hogg mentioned extension talks between the parties “have not occurred with any real momentum yet.”

Misiorowski tossed five hitless innings against St. Louis in his June 12 debut. He followed it up with a quality start against the Twins, and then five scoreless innings in a win over the Pirates. Misiorowski stumbled for the first time against the Mets (five earned runs in 3 2/3 innings), but bounced back by striking out 12 Dodgers. The 23-year-old pitched a scoreless inning in the All-Star game, earning a hold. A few rough appearances out of the All-Star break led to a 4.36 ERA for the season, though his 3.56 SIERA suggests he was more effective than that mark.

Extending Misiorowski is not without risk, considering his relatively light workload history and high-powered arsenal. The righty has accrued 233 2/3 innings in the minors since getting drafted in 2022. He added 66 innings in the majors this year. Misiorowski’s 129 1/3 innings between Triple-A and the big leagues in 2025 were a career high as a professional by more than 30 innings.

Misiorowski’s fastball averaged over 99 mph with the Brewers. His slider sat at a blistering 94.1 mph, while his changeup, if you can call it that, averaged 92.3 mph. The exceptional velocity on all of his offerings is part of the reason Misiorowski is effective, but busting the radar gun on every pitch can lead to a higher chance of injury.

Misiorowski won’t be arbitration-eligible until 2029. It’s tough to nail down what a potential extension would look like, given his lack of experience. The top contract handed out to a pre-arbitration pitcher is the six-year, $75MM deal Atlanta gave Spencer Strider back in 2023. Strider already had 134 big-league innings under his belt when he got the extension, including a dominant 2022 campaign that saw him post a 2.67 ERA with a 38.3% strikeout rate across 31 appearances. Eury Perez profiles similarly to Misiorowski from a talent and risk perspective, and he’s already had extension discussions with the Marlins. However, even at 22 years old, Perez has put up nearly three times as many MLB innings as Misiorowski.

With the Brewers reportedly worried about payroll, locking down Misiorowski at a discounted rate as soon as possible would be desirable. If he delivers a full season in the rotation with close to the results he had in 2025, the price is only going to go up. Hogg mentioned Milwaukee is “definitely willing to talk,” but that doesn’t mean they’ll be able to get on the same page with Misiorowski and his representatives.

Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee, Imagn Images

Connor Norby Could Be An Option At First Base

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The Marlins haven’t finished higher than third in the NL East over the past five seasons, but they come into next year with optimism in the starting lineup. Kyle Stowers broke out last year, while Jakob Marsee excelled in his first taste of big league action, solidifying the outfield group. Agustin Ramirez finished sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting and provided thump at catcher and DH. Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez formed a high-contact middle infield combo.

Finding production at the corners has been more of a challenge, particularly first base, but Kevin Barral and Isaac Azout of Fish on First provided a new candidate there. A source told the duo that Connor Norby could see time at first base moving forward. The infielder has mostly played third base in the big leagues, along with a handful of appearances at second base. Norby spent time in left field and right field while in Baltimore’s minor league system, but hasn’t played outfield in the majors.

Miami had seven different players get reps at the position in 2025. The group scuffled to a .663 OPS, which ranked 27th in the league. Eric Wagaman led the way with 392 plate appearances at first base. He managed an uninspiring 85 wRC+ last year. Troy Johnston was the most effective Marlin when playing first base, posting a .972 OPS in 42 plate appearances, but he was claimed off waivers by the Rockies earlier this month. The top options at the position are currently Wagaman and Graham Pauley, with Liam Hicks potentially factoring in when he isn’t catching.

Norby enters 2026 as the leading choice to play third base, where he made 77 starts last season, though defensive shortcomings could necessitate a move across the diamond. The 25-year-old managed grades of -5 Defensive Runs Saved and -4 Outs Above Average at the hot corner in 2025. He posted -6 OAA between second base and third base in 2024. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald previously reported Norby was likely to battle Pauley for the third base spot if the club didn’t make any free agent additions at the position. Pauley graded out much better defensively last year, with three DRS and six OAA.

Norby seemed like he would out-hit his defensive limitations after coming over from the Orioles in a midseason trade in 2024. He slashed a respectable .247/.315/.445 with seven home runs and three steals in 36 games with the Marlins. Norby struck out at a lofty rate (32.1%), but produced enough at the plate to stomach the struggles in the field.

The 2025 campaign did not go so well for Norby. While he did trim his strikeout rate to 26.7%, he failed to replicate the power he showed with both the Marlins and Orioles. Norby’s ISO tumbled to .138, and his SLG fell by 56 points. After hitting nine home runs in 45 games in 2024, he left the yard just eight times over 88 games last season. There’s a chance injuries could’ve sapped Norby’s power. He missed the start of the year with an oblique strain, dealt with a wrist issue in July, and hit the IL with a quad strain in September.

Stowers’ emergence as a big-time slugger has already made the Trevor Rogers trade worth it (though the left-hander had a nice resurgence himself), but getting something from Norby would make the deal a big win for Miami. The club could also opt for a more reliable option at first base through free agency. They’re unlikely to shop in the top tier of the position, but the bargain bin includes some reliable veterans. A reunion with Josh Bell or Donovan Solano could make sense.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Kucin Jr, Imagn Images

Yankees Re-Sign Michael Arias To Minor League Deal

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The Yankees are bringing back right-hander Michael Arias on a minor league deal, according to his MLB.com transactions log. New York acquired the reliever in a trade with the Cubs last offseason after Chicago designated him for assignment.

Arias put together a strong season across several minor league levels in the Yankees’ system, posting a 2.73 ERA with a 27.1% strikeout rate. While he began the year in the Florida Complex League, the righty didn’t pile up stats against overmatched competition. Arias did his best work at Double-A, pushing his strikeout rate over 30% and limiting hitters to a .205 batting average.

Control is always going to be the question with Arias. He compiled his “best” walk rate this past season, but it was still an unsatisfying 12.8% mark. Arias has racked up 152 walks over 211 2/3 professional innings. The struggles with walks make sense, given Arias was drafted as a shortstop and converted to pitching in 2021.

Toronto signed Arias as an international free agent in 2018. He was released before appearing with the team and latched on with the Cubs in 2021. Arias worked primarily as a starter through 2023, reaching High-A. He began the 2024 campaign as a reliever in Double-A. He recorded 24 innings with a solid 3.75 ERA at that level, then moved up to Triple-A. Arias scuffled to a 5.45 ERA over 33 appearances with Iowa. He walked 36 opposing hitters in 36 1/3 innings. Chicago DFAed Arias in January.

The infielder-turned-reliever is still only 24 years old. His relative lack of pitching experience suggests there’s still time to clean up the control problems. FanGraphs ranked Arias at 11th in the Cubs’ farm system at the end of the 2024 season. MLB.com had him at 14th in 2024. Arias’ strikeout numbers and three-pitch arsenal could allow him to function as an effective multi-inning reliever in the early Jonathan Loaisiga mold. He’ll have to take a big step forward in the command department to become a major-league asset, though.

Photo courtesy of Dave Nelson, Imagn Images

Elias: Orioles Looking For “Experienced Ninth-Inning Guy”

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Baltimore quickly went to work on its bullpen when the offseason got underway, adding Andrew Kittredge in a trade with the Cubs. The veteran righty would likely be the club’s closer if the season started today, but president of baseball operations Mike Elias still has plenty of time to add to the bullpen. Elias spoke to reporters last week, including Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports, and provided some insight on the plans for the bullpen.

“We’re trying to make an external addition there, so working on that right now,” Elias said. “I can’t say things with 100 percent certainty, but we’re making every effort to make external additions to the bullpen and in particular an experienced ninth-inning guy if we can.”

Elias specifically citing the need for a closer makes sense given the injury timeline for Felix Bautista. The 30-year-old had surgery in mid-August to repair a torn rotator cuff and a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. He’s expected to miss 12 months. If he sticks to that recovery outlook, Bautista would likely only be able to contribute in the final month of the season.

Bautista took over as Baltimore’s closer to finish the 2022 season. The Orioles dealt Jorge Lopez to the Twins for a package that included Yennier Cano and Cade Povich, who would both become big-league assets. Bautista recorded 15 saves that year, his first season at the MLB level. The big righty blossomed into an elite closer in 2023, securing 33 saves with a pristine 1.48 ERA to earn his first All-Star appearance.

Unfortunately, Elias has prior experience replacing Bautista after a major arm problem. The closer missed all of 2024 with a UCL injury. In that offseason, Elias chose to add a future Hall of Famer on a short deal. Baltimore’s lone major league signing ahead of the 2024 campaign was Craig Kimbrel on a one-year, $13MM pact.  The results were good, until they weren’t. Kimbrel notched 19 saves with a 2.37 ERA over the first three months of the season. An ugly five-outing stretch in July that saw Kimbrel allow seven earned runs and blow two saves ended up costing him the gig. Seranthony Dominguez served in the closer’s role from early August through the end of the season.

Elias was much more active in terms of big-league adds this past offseason, mostly for veterans on short deals. Baltimore fleshed out the backend of the rotation through one-year agreements with Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano. The club added part-time bats Gary Sánchez, Ramón Laureano, and Dylan Carlson for a year apiece. Tyler O’Neill was the only free agent to earn a multi-year agreement, signing for three years and $49.5MM.

And of course, there was Kittredge, who joined the team on a one-year, $10MM deal. Baltimore didn’t have pressing needs in the bullpen heading into 2025, with Bautista healthy and Dominguez, Cano, and 2024 trade deadline acquisition Gregory Soto behind him. The unit thinned out considerably as the season progressed and Baltimore fell out of contention. Kittredge, Dominguez, and Soto were shipped out at the trade deadline. Bryan Baker was traded to Tampa Bay in early July. Cionel Perez was designated for assignment in May. Cano and Keegan Akin were the only relievers from the Opening Day roster to end the season on the team.

The good news for Elias and company is that the free agent market is loaded with impactful options. Edwin Diaz, Devin Williams, Robert Suarez, and Ryan Helsley are the headliners. Pete Fairbanks, Luke Weaver, and Emilio Pagan have strong recent track records. Kirby Yates, Shawn Armstrong, and Kyle Finnegan are decent veteran choices. Baltimore could also reunite with Soto or Dominguez, who are back on the market.

If Elias wants to go the future Hall of Famer route again, Kenley Jansen would fit the bill. The righty didn’t miss many bats in his lone season with the Angels, but put up 29 saves with a 2.59 ERA. The 38-year-old could likely be had on a relatively inexpensive deal, and he’ll be a decent piece to move at the trade deadline if Baltimore’s season doesn’t go as planned.

Photo courtesy of Mitch Stringer, Imagn Images

Marlins Re-Sign Tyler Zuber To Minor League Deal

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Right-hander Tyler Zuber is heading back to the Marlins on a minor league deal, according to the transaction log on his MLB.com profile page. Zuber was outrighted off the 40-man roster in early November. Since he had been outrighted before in his career, he had the option to elect free agency, which he exercised.

Miami grabbed Zuber off waivers from the Mets in early July. He gave up two runs over two innings in his lone appearance with New York. Zuber spent a month at Triple-A when he first joined the Marlins organization. He was recalled in August, but struggled to an 11.70 ERA over nine appearances. As has been the case for much of his career, Zuber posted solid strikeout numbers while struggling with control. He also gave up three home runs in 10 innings, which is especially treacherous for a pitcher with walk issues.

Zuber made some arsenal tweaks in his limited MLB action this past season. He led with the sweeper for the first time in his career, while adding a sinker and changeup. The sweeper’s overall usage didn’t change much from 2024, rising from 32% to 34.3%, but it jumped ahead of the four-seamer as Zuber’s most-used pitch. The veteran had thrown his fastball at least 42.7% of the time in his previous three major league seasons, before using it just 27.8% of the time in 2025. Zuber’s strike rate reached a career-best 64.9%, so perhaps the adjusted mix helped him be in the zone more often.

Kansas City took Zuber in the sixth round of the 2017 draft. He ripped through the Royals’ minor league system, recording a strikeout rate above 30% in each of his first three professional seasons. Zuber worked in a late-inning role at the majority of his minor-league stops, earning 18 saves across two levels in 2018 and 21 saves between High-A and Double-A in 2019.

Zuber debuted with the Royals in the shortened 2020 season. He notched an elite 30.3% strikeout rate in his first taste of the highest level, but it came with a massive 20.2% walk rate. Opposing batters hit just .192 against Zuber, yet the frequent free passes led to a FIP and SIERA over 5.00. Zuber made a career-high 31 appearances out of the Kansas City bullpen in 2021. He scuffled to a 6.26 ERA with less than a strikeout per inning and a bloated 13.8% walk rate.

A shoulder injury cost Zuber the entire 2022 season. He was claimed off waivers by the Diamondbacks ahead of the 2023 campaign. After a season at Triple-A Reno, he landed with Cleveland on a minor league deal. The Guardians cut him loose before the season started, and Zuber ended up with Tampa Bay midway through the year. He pitched in two games with the Rays before heading to the Mets in a trade for reliever Paul Gervase.

Photo courtesy of Bob DeChiara, Imagn Images

The Opener: Brewers Payroll, Big Bats In Boston, Orioles Pitching

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As you pick through the Thanksgiving leftovers, here are a few things to monitor on Friday…

1. Financial constraints in Milwaukee

Will Sammon, Ken Rosenthal, and Katie Woo of The Athletic dropped a report yesterday about Milwaukee’s payroll concerns heading into next season. The trio wondered if financial challenges could lead to a Freddy Peralta deal. The right-hander is in the final year of his contract and is slated to make $8MM next season. Brandon Woodruff’s acceptance of the qualifying offer gives the Brewers another option in the rotation if they move Peralta, though both Brewers owner Mark Attanasio and president of baseball operations Matt Arnold described Woodruff’s return and a potential Peralta trade as “independent decisions.” There have been several instances of Milwaukee trading star players before they hit free agency, including  Josh Hader, Corbin Burnes, and Devin Williams.

2. Red Sox eyeing Alonso, Okamoto

We knew Boston was looking for more thump in the middle of the order, as chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said as much earlier this month. Jon Heyman of the New York Post linked the team to Pete Alonso and Kazuma Okamoto on Thursday. Alonso has been one of the premier home run hitters in the league since his 2019 debut, leaving the yard at least 34 times in each full season of his career (excluding the shortened 2020 campaign). Alonso signed a two-year deal to return to the Mets last offseason. He opted out of the second year of the pact in early November. Okamoto has delivered solid power contributions in the NPB since 2018. The Yomiuri Giants posted him last week. The addition of either Alonso or Okamoto, who are both corner infielders, could make a Triston Casas trade more likely.

3. Orioles looking at top starters

Heyman also reported that Baltimore is keeping tabs on Framber Valdez and Tatsuya Imai at the highest tier of the free agent starting pitching market. Dylan Cease was also on the list, but he signed with AL East rival Toronto. Heyman mentioned Michael King and Zac Gallen as fallback options for the Orioles. The club sent Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels for Taylor Ward, further thinning a starting rotation that already had depth concerns. Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish will headline the staff heading into 2026, but beyond innings-eater Dean Kremer, the unit has plenty of question marks. Some kind of addition, even in the Gallen range, seems like a decent possibility.

Photo courtesy of Jim Rassol, Imagn Images

Cubs Sign Phil Maton

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The Cubs’ first addition of the offseason will come in the bullpen, as Chicago has agreed to terms with right-hander Phil Maton on a two-year, $14.5MM contract with a club option for a third season. The Paragon Sports International client can pick up another $250K worth of incentives based on innings pitched in each of the two guaranteed seasons on the contract.

Maton receives a $5.5MM salary next season, $6MM in 2027, and is guaranteed a $3MM buyout on the ’28 option — which is valued at $8.5MM. He’d also receive a $250K assignment bonus in the event of a trade and would unlock $125K bonuses at 40 and 50 games apiece in the first two seasons of the deal. Those would climb to $250K at 40 and 50 appearances in 2028 if the option is exercised.

Maton split last season between the Cardinals and Rangers. He joined St. Louis on a one-year, $2MM deal and pitched well for the first half of the season. After 38 1/3 innings of a 2.35 ERA, the Cardinals shipped him to Texas at the trade deadline for minor league pitchers Mason Molina and Skylar Hales. Maton’s ERA rose to 3.52 with his new team, but he upped his strikeout rate to 36.7% and picked up three saves over 23 appearances.

Chicago will be Maton’s eighth team in 10 big-league seasons. He was drafted by the Padres in 2015. Eye-popping strikeout numbers helped the righty zoom through San Diego’s system, and he reached the big leagues by 2017. Maton delivered decent contributions with the Padres in his first two seasons, though he missed time with a lat strain in 2018. After a half-season spent bouncing between the Padres and Triple-A El Paso the following year, Maton was dealt to Cleveland for cash.

Maton flashed the swing-and-miss upside he had shown in the minors for the first time at the big-league level with Cleveland. He posted a 33.3% strikeout rate across 23 games in the shortened 2020 season, then pushed it to 34.3% in the first half of 2021. Maton was on the move again at the 2021 trade deadline, heading with Yainer Diaz to Houston for Myles Straw. The deal turned out to be a big win for the Astros, even before factoring in Diaz’s contributions. Maton compiled a 3.67 ERA across 157 innings with Houston through 2023. He was phenomenal during the 2021 playoffs, allowing just one earned run in 12 games. Maton secured three holds in the postseason that year, including two in the World Series.

Maton hit the open market following the 2023 season and landed in Tampa Bay on a one-year, $6.5MM deal. He struggled with the Rays and ended up getting dealt to the Mets in early July. Maton put together 28 2/3 innings of a 2.51 ERA in New York, but stumbled in the postseason. The veteran was knocked around for six earned runs in 6 1/3 innings in the playoffs, including four home runs.

Velocity isn’t Maton’s strong suit, as his fastball barely cracks 90 mph. The veteran has found success by leading with his curveball and mixing in cutters and sinkers. Maton has used the hook as his primary pitch in two of the last three seasons. He threw it 38.2% of the time last year, and it recorded a healthy +10 run value. Maton’s cutter, curveball, and sweeper all had whiff rates above 32% last season.

Maton has excelled at limiting hard contact at every stop. He’s limited hitters to a 29.9% hard-hit rate for his career. Maton ranked in the 98th percentile or better in hard-hit rate, barrel rate, and average exit velocity last season.

With Brad Keller hitting free agency and Andrew Kittredge traded to Baltimore, Chicago had a clear need for a righty at the backend of the bullpen. Daniel Palencia will likely resume closer duties after battling injuries at the end of last season, but Maton should factor into the late-inning mix alongside Porter Hodge. FanGraphs’ RosterResource tool has the Cubs’ payroll at around $177MM for 2026. The club has been above $200MM the past two seasons, so there could be more room to add in the bullpen. Luke Little and Jordan Wicks don’t have a ton of big-league experience between them, so pursuing a veteran southpaw might make sense.

Bleacher Nation’s Michael Cerami first reported that Maton was signing with the Cubs. Will Sammon of The Athletic reported the length of the deal, and the New York Post’s Jon Heyman first broke the financial terms. The Associated Press reported the salary structure.

Nationals Re-Sign Erick Mejia

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Infielder-turned-pitcher Erick Mejia is back with the Nationals on a minor league deal, reports Matt Eddy of Baseball America. The former shortstop converted to pitching last season and reached Triple-A by the end of the year.

After logging a single inning on the mound at Triple-A in 2024, Mejia truly began his pitching journey this past season. He opened the year in Single-A, posting an impressive 33.3% strikeout rate over 12 innings. Mejia earned a couple of saves and a win with Fredericksburg. He moved up to Double-A and delivered a 2.33 ERA across 24 appearances. Mejia’s strikeouts tailed off, while his walk rate spiked to 18.6%, but he limited hitters to a .174 batting average. He found himself back in Rochester by August, though he was knocked around for 12 earned runs in 10 innings. Mejia’s walk rate remained a bloated 18%.

Seattle signed Mejia as an international free agent in 2012. He was obviously still a shortstop back then. Mejia climbed through the Mariners’ system with a strong hitting profile and a bit of speed. He was dealt to the Dodgers in January 2016 for Joe Wieland. Mejia upped his base-stealing with the Dodgers, but reached Triple-A for just a game. He was dealt again in January 2018, this time to Kansas City in a three-team trade headlined by Joakim Soria. Mejia debuted with the Royals in 2019. He went 5-for-22 over nine games. Mejia got another brief shot with the big-league club during the shortened 2020 season, going 1-for-14 in eight appearances.

After a season at Triple-A with Seattle in 2022, Mejia landed with the Nationals. He struggled mightily at the plate in two seasons at Triple-A with the organization. A 61 wRC+ in 66 games with the Red Wings in 2024 prompted the position switch. Given Mejia’s intriguing strikeout numbers in the minors, along with Washington’s current trajectory, it’s not unthinkable that he could find himself on a big-league mound in 2026.

Photo courtesy of Jim Rassol, Imagn Images

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