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Braves Acquire Ryan Rolison

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The Braves have acquired left-hander Ryan Rolison from the Rockies, according to announcements from both clubs. The Rockies, who designated Rolison for assignment yesterday, receive cash considerations in return. Atlanta’s 40-man roster count climbs to 38.

It’s a buy-low move for Atlanta. Rolison was a first-round pick back in 2018, getting selected 22nd overall by the Rockies. He signed with a bonus just north of $2.9MM. He was one of the club’s top prospects in the years after that draft selection but hasn’t yet delivered on his potential.

His trajectory to the majors was thrown off in a few ways. The minor leagues were canceled in 2020 on account of the pandemic. The next few years were curtailed by various injuries, most notably shoulder problems. He was capped at 71 2/3 minor league innings in 2021, missed the entire 2022 season, threw 11 frames in 2023 and then 46 1/3 innings in 2024. He had initially been a starter but has been mostly working out of the bullpen more recently.

In 2025, he finally made it to the show but the results weren’t impressive. He tossed 42 1/3 innings for Colorado this year, allowing 33 earned runs for a 7.02 ERA. His 13% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate were both subpar figures.

If one wanted to look for signs of optimism, his minor league numbers are worth a glance. He tossed 29 2/3 Triple-A innings this year, in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. In that environment, he had a 3.34 ERA, 25.2% strikeout rate, 7.1% walk rate and 48.8% ground ball rate.

Rolison got nudged off the roster in Colorado but Atlanta had some space and will give him a shot. He still has an option year remaining, so his new club can keep him in the minors as left-handed depth, if they so choose. His service time count is at two years and 114 days, meaning he still hasn’t qualified for arbitration and can be controlled for four seasons. That could extend to five if he ends up spending a large amount of time on optional assignment.

Atlanta seems to have a fondness for getting relievers out of Colorado. In recent years, they have grabbed guys like Pierce Johnson, Brad Hand and Tyler Kinley to bolster their bullpen group. Now they’ll take a shot on Rolison. His overall track record isn’t great but he’s a former first-rounder who is optionable and controllable, while the cash they gave up is presumably minimal. They also won’t be relying on him as he’s probably seventh or eighth on the lefty relief depth chart behind Aaron Bummer, Dylan Lee, Dylan Dodd, José Suarez, Joey Wentz, Hayden Harris and/or Josh Walker.

Photo courtesy of David Frerker, Imagn Images

Blue Jays, Dodgers Interested In Cody Bellinger

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The Yankees are known to have interest in reuniting with Cody Bellinger, even after Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer yesterday, but they will have competition. Bellinger has already been connected to the Mets and Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that the Blue Jays and Dodgers have interest in him as well.

Passan notes that the Jays want a left-handed complement to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. They have a few lefties projected to be in next year’s lineup. That includes Addison Barger, Daulton Varsho and Nathan Lukes, but there’s room for improvement there. Barger has shown signs he could be a middle-of-the-order bat but his track record in the majors isn’t especially long yet. Varsho has some home run pop but isn’t an elite hitter overall. Lukes is a pesky, contact-oriented type.

The Jays have already been connected to Kyle Tucker, a lefty swinger who happens to be the top free agent available. Bellinger hasn’t been quite at Tucker’s level for most of the recent past but he is coming off a better platform season. Passan writes that the Jays view Bellinger as an acceptable fallback to Tucker.

Bellinger just had a strong 2025 campaign with the Yankees. He hit 29 home runs while only striking out 13.7% of the time. His .272/.334/.480 batting line translated to a wRC+ of 125. He stole 13 bases and got strong defensive grades, playing all three outfield spots as well as first base.

There were some concerning elements under the hood. None of Bellinger’s 29 home runs went to the opposite field. He had a .302/.365/.544 slash and 152 wRC+ when playing at Yankee Stadium with its short porch in right field. He had a .241/.301/.414 line and 97 wRC+ on the road.

In the past, the market hasn’t always jumped on Bellinger, even when he has put up good numbers. It’s possible that is related to his unimpressive batted ball metrics, which are still present. In 2025, his average exit velocity, hard hit rate and barrel rate were all in the 36th percentile or worse.

Coming off a strong season in 2023, Bellinger reportedly went out looking for $200MM and didn’t find it. He had to settle for a three-year, $80MM deal with opt-outs. His 2024 season was mediocre enough that he didn’t even trigger the first opt-out chance. The Cubs sent him to the Yanks in what was effectively a salary dump deal, though he bounced back enough to trigger his second opt-out.

Observant Jays fans will know that the club has been connected to Bellinger throughout his ups and downs, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that they have him on the radar again. The question will be if they make him a priority with Tucker and Bo Bichette still out there. MLBTR predicted Bellinger to secure $140MM over five years, significantly less than the predictions for Tucker and Bichette but still a hefty commitment.

The Jays have a number of incumbent outfield options but there’s some flexibility in it. In addition to the aforementioned Varsho and Lukes, George Springer and Anthony Santander are likely to be sharing one corner and the designated hitter spot. There’s also guys like Barger and Davis Schneider, though those two are capable of playing the infield. Myles Straw is around as a glove-first bench guy. Signing another outfielder would likely push Lukes to a part-time position and Barger and Schneider to more full-time infield roles.

RosterResource projects the Jays for a payroll of about $233MM next year. That’s more than $20MM shy of their year-end figure in 2025. Getting back to that level would leave room for a notable addition but they would likely have to increase spending to make more than one marquee move. With needs on the pitching side of things as well, they may have to divert some of their recent extra revenue from their playoff run into next year’s team. Perhaps they will put more of a focus on Bichette but Bellinger is a possible fallback and getting both isn’t entirely impossible.

As for the Dodgers, the outfield does stand out as a place for them to add. The roster is obviously in a good place, as they just won the World Series and didn’t lose any major contributors to free agency. But if you’re looking for a place to find weak spots, the grass is a bit patchy. The Michael Conforto signing was a bust. Teoscar Hernández had an uneven season. Andy Pages had a decent year but his bat disappeared in the playoffs. Tommy Edman can play the outfield but is now recovering from ankle surgery and might be needed at second base.

Despite the need, it would be surprising if Bellinger was the solution. He was drafted by the Dodgers and spent the first six seasons of his career there but didn’t seem to part on good terms. Scott Boras, Bellinger’s agent, publicly blamed the Dodgers for Bellinger’s struggles in 2021 and 2022 after shoulder surgery. That prompted Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to respond and defend the club. Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times was among those to relay the play-by-play of that saga back in 2023.

Given the tension there, perhaps a reunion isn’t especially likely. On the other hand, it’s not as though the situation has prevented the Dodgers and Boras from doing business. Since that spat, the Dodgers have signed Boras clients like Conforto, Blake Snell and James Paxton. If the Dodgers really want Bellinger and are willing to pay, that should win out over past squabbles.

On the other hand, it’s not clear if the Dodgers want to make a big splash in the outfield. They have also been connected to Tucker but with some reporting suggesting they might prefer to make a short-term addition as they wait for their outfield prospects to arrive. Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Mike Sirota and Eduardo Quintero are all outfielders in the system and all four have been on top 100 prospect lists. They aren’t immediate fixes since no one in the quartet has reached Triple-A yet, but the Dodgers might be inclined to wait, as opposed to signing an outfielder to a mega deal. Having just won a second straight title, perhaps there’s less pressure for them to win the offseason.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Sousa, Imagn Images

Rockies Designate Michael Toglia, Ryan Rolison For Assignment

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The Rockies announced that they have acquired left-hander Brennan Bernardino from the Red Sox, a move that was previously reported. They also selected the contracts of left-hander Welinton Herrera, right-hander Gabriel Hughes and outfielder Sterlin Thompson. They began the day with a 40-man count of 38, meaning they needed two spots for those four additions. They made space by designating first baseman Michael Toglia and left-hander Ryan Rolison for assignment.

The three selections were necessary in order to project those players from the Rule 5 draft. In order to open space for them, the Rockies have knocked off two former first-round picks. Toglia, now 27, was taken 23rd overall in 2019. He has shown some power potential in the big leagues but always with massive strikeout problems. He has 42 home runs in 1,057 plate appearances but has been punched out at a 35% clip. He has a .201/.278/.389 batting line and 70 wRC+.

He exhausted his final option season in 2025, meaning he will be out of options going forward. That would make it hard for him to hang onto a roster spot, so the club has bumped him off today. The Rockies can explore some trade interest but might non-tender Toglia on Friday.

Rolison, now 28, was taken 22nd overall in 2018. He had his development thrown off by multiple factors. The pandemic wiped out the minor leagues in 2020. After that, shoulder problems held Rolison back. He missed the entire 2022 season and then hardly pitched in 2023. He finally made it to the big leagues in 2025 but posted a 7.02 earned run average in his 42 1/3 innings. He only struck out 13% of opponents and also gave out walks at a 10.4% clip.

He still has an optioning remaining and was decent in Triple-A this year. He pitched 29 2/3 innings in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League with a 3.34 ERA, 25.2% strikeout rate, 7.1% walk rate and 48.8% ground ball rate. Perhaps that leads to some interest but it’s also possible he ends up non-tendered in a few days.

Herrera, 22 in April, was an international signing out of the Dominican Republic. He has been climbing the minor league ladder, working as a reliever. He split 2025 between High-A and Double-A, posting a 2.64 ERA. He struck out 36.4% of batters faced with a 9.2% walk rate. He hasn’t yet reached the Triple-A level yet but the Rockies understandably didn’t want him to get away with those kinds of numbers.

Hughes, 24, was the club’s first round pick in 2022. He was selected 10th overall and received a $4MM signing bonus. Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2024 but he got back on the mound this year. He made 24 starts across three different levels, logging 105 1/3 innings with a 4.19 ERA. His 19.9% strikeout rate wasn’t strong but his 8.6% walk rate was decent and he kept the ball on the ground at a 48.5% clip.

The Rockies are rebuilding and the rotation was historically bad in 2025. 14 of Hughes’ 24 starts came at the Triple-A level, so he could force his way to the majors at any point. However, he now has three option years, so the Rockies could also keep him in the minors until they feel he is ready.

Thompson, 24, was taken 31st overall in that same 2022 draft as Hughes. That was the compensation pick the Rockies received after Trevor Story rejected a qualifying offer and signed with the Red Sox.

The young outfielder has hit his way up the minor league ladder. He spent 2025 in Triple-A, stepping to the plate 513 times. His 10.3% walk rate and 20.9% strikeout rate were both decent figures. He hit 18 home runs and slashed .296/.392/.519 for a 117 wRC+, though that was buoyed by a .353 batting average on balls in play. FanGraphs ranked him as the #9 prospect in the system coming into the year.

The Rockies currently have an outfield mix consisting of Brenton Doyle, Mickey Moniak, Jordan Beck, Zac Veen and others. Thompson can jump into that mix and push for playing time immediately, though his full slate of options also means the Rockies don’t need to rush him.

Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images

Mariners Acquire Alex Hoppe, Designate Tayler Saucedo For Assignment

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The Mariners announced that they have acquired right-hander Alex Hoppe from the Red Sox in exchange for minor league catcher Luke Heyman. Hoppe has been selected to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. Left-hander Tayler Saucedo has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Chris Cotillo of MassLive first reported that Hoppe was heading to the Mariners. Tim Healey of The Boston Globe first reported that Heyman was heading to the Sox.

Hoppe, 27 in December, was a sixth-round pick of the Sox in 2022. Since then, he has been working as a pure reliever in the minors, with good amounts of strikeouts and ground balls but also some wildness.

Dating back to the start of 2024, Hoppe has thrown 127 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, allowing 5.01 earned runs per nine. His 12% walk rate in that time is quite high but he also punched out 23.6% of batters faced and got opponents to hit the ball into the dirt more than half the time.

Perhaps the Sox didn’t have much faith about Hoppe reining in his control going forward, or perhaps he was just the casualty of a roster squeeze. The Sox have been busy today, shuffling guys around to make space on Rule 5 deadline day. In addition to this deal, they also sent lefties Brennan Bernardino and Chris Murphy to the Rockies and White Sox respectively. Giving Hoppe a roster spot would have required opening another 40-man spot.

Instead, they have flipped him to the Mariners, getting back a non-roster prospect in exchange. Heyman, 22, was taken by the Mariners in the 14th round of the draft just a few months ago. He showed big power in his college career but hasn’t yet made his professional debut. He gives the Sox a long-term lottery ticket behind the plate while the M’s get more immediate pitching depth.

To make room for Hoppe, the Mariners have nudged off Saucedo. The 32-year-old lefty has some decent big league work on his track record but he spent most of 2025 on optional assignment, only making ten big league appearances. He exhausted his final option season in the process. Saucedo qualified for arbitration a year ago and made $937,500 in 2025. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected him for a small bump to $1.1MM next year. It seems the M’s weren’t planning to tender him a contract.

They will have some time to explore trade interest. Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the lefty posted a 3.54 ERA over 86 1/3 big league innings, with most of his success due to a strong 55% ground ball rate. With those numbers and three years of club control, he could entice some teams. However, given his out-of-options status, he’d be hard to roster. It’s possible he ends up non-tendered on Friday, which would send him to free agency.

Photo courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images

Pirates Designate Four Players For Assignment

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The Pirates announced that they have designated four players for assignment. That list includes outfielders Alexander Canario and Ronny Simón, as well as right-handers Colin Holderman and Dauri Moreta. Additionally, Cam Devanney was released to pursue opportunities overseas. It was reported a few days ago that Devanney would be signing with the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

The Bucs already had one open 40-man spot and those moves opened five more. That allowed them to select six players to the roster ahead of today’s Rule 5 deadline. Those six are first baseman/outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez, infielder Jack Brannigan, left-hander Tyler Samaniego and right-handers Wilber Dotel, Antwone Kelly and Brandan Bidois.

Canario, 26 in May, was once a notable prospect with the Cubs thanks to his huge power in the minors. However, that power also came with notable strikeout concerns. For instance, he hit 37 minor league home runs in 2022 but was punched out at a 27.5% clip. Going into 2025, he still wasn’t established in the majors but had exhausted his option years. He bounced to the Mets and then the Pirates via waivers. He received 234 plate appearances with the Bucs this year but was punched out in 34.2% of those while posting a .218/.274/.338 line.

Now that he’s in DFA limbo, the Bucs can try to explore trade interest but it should be minimal after that poor season. Perhaps a rebuilding club will give him a shot since he’s still young and controllable, but this theoretical club will probably wait for Canario to be on waivers or non-tendered.

Simón, 26 in April, was just claimed off waivers from the Marlins in June. He finished the season on the 60-day injured list due to a dislocated left shoulder. He has a .234/.299/.273 line in a small sample of 88 big league plate appearances. He has some speed and defensive versatility, as well as good offensive numbers in the minors, but his current health status is unknown.

Holderman, 30, lived up to his surname for the Bucs in recent years. He notched 27 holds in 2023 and another 21 in 2024. He posted a 3.52 earned run average over those two seasons. He struck out 24.6% of batters faced, gave out walks at a 9.7% rate and kept 45.8% of balls in play on the ground.

2025 was a nightmare, however. He made separate trips to the injured list due to a right knee sprain and right thumb inflammation. Around those IL stints, he tossed 25 2/3 innings with a 7.01 ERA, 14.4% strikeout rate and 12.8% walk rate. He is eligible for arbitration, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him for a $1.7MM salary next year. This move is effectively an early non-tender.

Perhaps there’s a club out there who thinks there’s a way to get Holderman back on track, and he is still optionable, so maybe the Bucs will get some trade calls. But he also might be non-tendered on Friday, which will make him a free agent.

Moreta, 30 in April, has shown some strikeout stuff in the big leagues but without strong control. He has 116 2/3 innings under his belt with a 4.17 ERA, 28.7% strikeout rate and 9.4% walk rate. He qualified for arbitration and his $800K projection is barely above next year’s $780K minimum salary but he is out of options and would have had a hard time hanging onto a roster spot going forward, regardless of his salary. If he lands somewhere else, he is controllable for three more seasons.

Valdez, 22 in January, was an international signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2021. He has since been climbing the ladder, showcasing a nice blend of power and on-base ability. Here in 2025, he got into 123 games between High-A and Double-A. In his 529 plate appearances, his 24.6% strikeout rate was a bit high but he also drew walks at a 10.6% clip and hit 26 home runs. His .286/.376/.520 combined line translated to a 156 wRC+. He then went to the Arizona Fall League for some extra work and hit eight homers in 19 games, leading to a ridiculous .368/.513/.842 line.

Defensively, Valdez isn’t considered especially strong. But for the Pirates, who have struggled to develop hitters, they have to be intrigued by his offensive numbers. Baseball America recently ranked him the #10 prospect in the system. He should be in Triple-A in 2026 and in the mix for a big league promotion. The Bucs currently project to have Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds in two outfield spots but with one spot fairly wide open, at least for now.

Brannigan, 25 in March, was a third-round pick in the 2022 draft. He has put up some good numbers but injuries have cut into the volume of his playing time, as he hasn’t appeared in more than 87 games in any year of his professional career. As a hitter, he has drawn a lot of walks but also been punched out quite a bit. Since being drafted, he has 1,071 plate appearances with a 12.5% walk rate, 27.4% strikeout rate, .245/.356/.454 line and 125 wRC+. That included a .225/.329/.358 line and 103 wRC+ in 59 Double-A games this year.

He likely needs some more time in the minors, on account of how much he has missed. But the Bucs didn’t want to take the chance of some other club grabbing him. He has spent time at all three infield positions to the left of first base. He has three option years and can be kept on the farm until he works his way into the club’s infield depth picture.

Samaniego, 27 in January, was a 15th-round pick back in 2021. He spent time at four different levels in 2025, working as a lefty reliever. Combined, he logged 38 1/3 innings with a 3.99 ERA, 27.8% strikeout rate, 7% walk rate and 48.4% ground ball rate. He hasn’t yet reached the Triple-A level but the Bucs didn’t want another club to grab him. Now that he’s on the roster, he can push for his major league debut in 2026. But since he has a full slate of options, he could be shuttled to the minors and back with some regularity, ever after he makes it to the show.

Dotel, 23, is a fairly obvious addition. Baseball America currently lists him as the #9 prospect in the system. An international signing out of the Dominican Republic, he has been stretched out as a starter in recent years. He made 27 Double-A starts in 2025, logging 125 2/3 innings with a 4.15 ERA, 24.5% strikeout rate and 8% walk rate. The Pirates have a strong rotation but he can be in Triple-A, providing them with depth in the event of an injury while simultaneously continuing his development.

Kelly, 22, is in a similar situation. Baseball America ranks him the #6 prospect in the system. An international signing out of Aruba, he made 25 starts this year, split between Single-A and Double-A. Combined, he tossed 107 1/3 innings with a 3.02 ERA, 27.2% strikeout rate and 7.7% walk rate.

Bidois, 24, is a straight reliever who happens to be from Australia. He threw 61 innings this year across four different levels with a 0.74 ERA. Some of that is due to a tiny .164 batting average on balls in play but he also struck out 30% of batters faced. There’s some wildness in there, as he walked 11.7% of batters faced this year, but the numbers are obviously appealing. He’ll give the club some immediate bullpen depth as he pushes for his big league debut.

Photo courtesy of James A. Pittman, Imagn Images

José Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports reported the Valdez move prior to the official announcement. Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reported the other five additions. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the guys being designated for assignment.

White Sox Select Duncan Davitt, Tanner McDougal

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The White Sox announced that they have selected right-handed pitchers Duncan Davitt and Tanner McDougal to their 40-man roster. That protects both of them from being selected in the Rule 5 draft. The Sox also noted that left-hander Fraser Ellard has been placed on the voluntarily retired list.

Davitt, 26, was an 18th-round pick of the Rays in 2022. He came over to the White Sox at this year’s deadline, as part of the deal sending Adrian Houser to the Rays. Davitt has thrown 373 minor league innings with a 4.32 earned run average, 25.1% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate.

That includes 152 innings here in 2025, split between the two different clubs as well as between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Put together, he had a 4.38 ERA, which doesn’t jump off the page. However, his 23.8% strikeout rate, 7.1% walk rate and 42.8% ground ball rate were all solid figures. He got an honorable mention from FanGraphs back in February on their list of top prospects in the Rays’ system. He can give the rebuilding White Sox some immediate rotation depth and should in line to make his big league debut at any point.

McDougal, 23 in April, is homegrown. The White Sox selected him in the fifth round of the 2021 draft. Baseball America ranked him in the teens of the Chicago system for the next few years but he fell off the map with a 6.04 ERA in 2024.

He bounced back this year. He made 28 starts between High-A and Double-A with a 3.26 ERA. His 10.2% walk rate was a bit high but he struck out 28.3% of batters faced and got grounders on 45.3% of balls in play. With those kinds of numbers, the Sox understandably didn’t want him to get away. He hasn’t yet reached Triple-A but he should be there in 2026 at some point.

Ellard, 28, was an eighth-round pick of the Sox in 2021. He climbed the ladder and was added to the 40-man roster in July of 2024. He tossed 24 innings for the Sox down the stretch last year, posting a 3.75 ERA.

2025 was a challenge for him. A strained right hamstring put him on the injured list a few weeks into the season. He was reinstated from the IL a couple of weeks later but then suffered a lat strain just a few days after that. That lat strain cost him about two months, from early May to early July. After he was reinstated from the IL, he was shuttled to Triple-A and back for the second half. He finished the season having tossed 17 innings. He walked 19 of the 74 batters he faced, a 25.7% clip. He also hit a batter and uncorked three wild pitches.

It seems Ellard has decided to hang up his spikes after that frustrating campaign. He retires with a 3.95 ERA in 41 innings. We at MLB Trade Rumors wish him all the best in his post-playing endeavors.

Photo courtesy of Joseph Cress, Imagn Images

White Sox Acquire Chris Murphy

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The Red Sox have traded left-hander Chris Murphy to the White Sox, according to announcements from both clubs. Catching prospect Ronny Hernandez headed to the Red Sox in return. Bob Nightengale of USA Today first reported that Murphy was headed to Chicago. Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic reported it would be for a catcher. Alex Speier of The Boston Globe specified that Hernandez would be that catcher.

Murphy, 28 in June, made his big league debut as a long reliever with Boston in 2023. He logged 47 2/3 innings over 20 appearances, allowing 4.91 earned runs per nine. His 23.1% strikeout rate, 8% walk rate and 44.7% ground ball rate were all pretty close to league averages. He couldn’t carry that over in 2024, as he required Tommy John surgery in April of that year.

He was on the injured list until midway through the 2025 season. He logged another 34 2/3 innings in the big leagues this year with a 3.12 ERA. His 20.3% strikeout rate was down a bit and his 13.5% walk rate was a notable jump, though perhaps some post-surgery rust was at play. His ground ball rate climbed to 54.3%.

Boston had a bit of a roster crunch today and needed to make some cuts. Both Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Winckowski were designated for assignment today and flipping Murphy also opens up a spot. They also traded lefty Brennan Bernardino to the Rockies.

For the White Sox, they are rebuilding and have more ability to see if Murphy finds another gear in 2026 and moving forward. He still has an option, meaning they could keep him in the majors or minors or shuttle him back and forth throughout the next season. He came up as a starter, so it’s possible they could try stretching him back out, or they could keep him in a relief role. He has a bit more than two years of service time, meaning he hasn’t yet qualified for arbitration and can still be controlled for another four seasons, maybe even five if he spends a long time on optional assignment.

For Boston, they clear out a roster spot and add some non-roster catching depth. Hernandez, 21, was an international signing out of Venezuela. He hasn’t yet climbed higher than the Single-A level. In his 1,060 minor league plate appearances, he has a 13.9% walk rate, 17.9% strikeout rate, .275/.379/.379 line and 115 wRC+. FanGraphs gave him an honorable mention on their list of top White Sox prospects back in April. He’s a long-term flier for Boston.

Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images

Gleyber Torres To Accept Qualifying Offer

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Infielder Gleyber Torres is going to accept the qualifying offer from the Tigers. Jon Heyman of The New York Post was among those to report the news. Torres will return to Detroit on a one-year deal worth $22.025MM.

Once Torres received the QO, it seemed like there was a decent chance of him accepting it, which is why we predicted he would do so as part of our Top 50 Free Agents list. Torres was a free agent a year ago. He reportedly received some kind of multi-year offer from the Angels but rejected it since he wanted to play for a contending club. The financial details of that offer from the Halos aren’t known. He eventually settled for a one-year, $15MM pact with Detroit.

He didn’t meaningfully increase his earning power during the 2025 season. He slashed .256/.358/.387 for a wRC+ of 113. That was better than his 2024 season, when he hit .257/.330/.378 for a 105 wRC+, but close to his career numbers. He now has a .264/.337/.433 line and 114 wRC+ for his career.

That 2025 production came in lopsided fashion. He had a .281/.387/.425 line in the first half but just a .223/.320/.339 showing in the second, leading to respective wRC+ figures of 131 and 88. He underwent sports hernia surgery after the season and said he had been playing through the injury for months, staying on the field because the club was in a playoff race. Presumably, that accounts for the reduced production.

Theoretically, getting back to full health could perhaps help him return to that first-half form when he was a substantially better hitter, but he’s also going into the offseason hurt. He isn’t expected to be hampered into next season and the Tigers felt good enough about his chances in 2026 to give him a bit of a raise. Perhaps some clubs out there were willing to pay him a bit more but they also would have been subject to penalties on account of the QO. We at MLBTR were considering predicting Torres for something like $40MM over three years before he received the QO.

Torres hasn’t played a position other than second base in over three years, so he’ll return to the keystone in Detroit for another year. Per RosterResource, they are now slated for a payroll of $146MM next year. That’s a bit shy of their year-end payroll in 2025, which was $155MM. It’s unknown how much they are willing to spend next year. They are a speculative fit for third baseman Alex Bregman but seem likely to focus on pitching pursuits.

Photo courtesy of Junfu Han, Imagn Images

Nationals Select Three Players To 40-Man Roster

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The Nationals announced that they have selected the contracts of three players. They are outfielder Christian Franklin, left-hander Jake Bennett and right-hander Riley Cornelio. All three are now protected from being selected in next month’s Rule 5 draft. The club’s 40-man roster count climbs from 34 to 37.

Franklin, 26 this month, was just acquired from the Cubs in the deadline deal which sent Michael Soroka to Chicago. A fourth-round pick from the 2021 draft, Franklin is generally considered good at a lot of things without a standout tool.

Between the Nats and Cubs, he spent all of 2025 at the Triple-A level, stepping to the plate 535 times in total. His 15% walk rate and 20.6% strikeout rate were both above average, though he hit only 12 home runs. His .272/.390/.427 batting line translated to a 118 wRC+, indicating he was 18% above league average. He played all three outfield spots and stole 19 bases. He’s not really considered a top prospect but he has shown enough to get a 40-man spot. He’ll look to work his way into the Washington outfield mix, a group that currently includes James Wood, Jacob Young, Robert Hassell III, Dylan Crews, Daylen Lile and others.

Bennett, 25 next month, was Washington’s second-round pick in 2022. He was taken 45th overall and secured a signing bonus of over $1.7MM. He has since been climbing the ladder, although Tommy John surgery in 2023 led to him missing the 2024 season. Here in 2025, he got back on track by logging 75 1/3 innings over 19 appearances, 18 of those officially being starts. He allowed just 2.27 earned runs per nine with a 21.5% strikeout rate, 6.4% walk rate and 47.3% ground ball rate. He just appeared in the Arizona Fall League and added another 20 innings.

Baseball America recently ranked Bennett the #6 prospect in Washington’s system. He hasn’t yet appeared at the Triple-A level but his final ten appearances in 2025 were at Double-A, so bumping up to the top minor league rung should be on the table next year. The Nats don’t have a ton of established arms in the rotation and might even subtract from the group by dealing MacKenzie Gore this offseason. Since they may be rebuilding for another year or two, Bennett could push his way into a major league audition at some point in the near future.

Cornelio, 26 in June, was a seventh-round pick from 2022. In 2025, he climbed from High-A to Double-A to Triple-A. In the process, he threw 134 1/3 innings with a 3.28 ERA, 24.8% strikeout rate, 10.1% walk rate and 37.6% ground ball rate. A few months ago, FanGraphs ranked him #36 in the system, projecting him to end up as a reliever in the long run. The Nats now have three option years, so they could keep trying him as a starter for a while or perhaps move him to the bullpen if they agree that’s where his future lies.

Photo courtesy of Lily Smith, Imagn Images.

Red Sox Designate Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Winckowski For Assignment

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The Red Sox announced that first baseman Nathaniel Lowe has been designated for assignment. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported the move shortly before the official announcement. That opens a 40-man spot for Tristan Gray, who has been acquired from the Rays. The Sox are also designating right-hander Josh Winckowski for assignment, reports Ari Alexander of 7 News. That will open another 40-man spot, presumably for Boston to add someone ahead of today’s Rule 5 protection deadline.

The moves are effectively early non-tenders. Friday afternoon is the deadline for teams to decide whether or not to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible and pre-arb players. But as mentioned, today is the deadline for adding players to the 40-man in order to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. By cutting these two players now, the Sox have made space for adding Gray and someone else in the coming hours.

Nathaniel Lowe | Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY SportsIt’s not a surprise that Boston isn’t bringing Lowe back. He was a midseason desperation addition. The Sox lost Triston Casas to injury early in the season, leaving a hole at first base. They had been patching that over with guys like Romy González and Abraham Toro. Lowe became available in August when the Nationals released him. He has a good overall track record but was having a bad season. The Sox were able to grab him for essentially nothing to bolster their first base group down the stretch.

The Sox also could have kept Lowe for 2026 via arbitration but it never seemed likely they would do so. He qualified for Super Two status going into 2023, giving him four arb passes instead of the usual three. He had already raised his salary to $10.3MM in 2025. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected him for a $13.5MM salary in 2026, which will be his age-30 season. The Sox presumably had no intention of paying that after Lowe hit .228/.307/.381 for a 91 wRC+ this year. They have Casas potentially coming back in 2026 and they could also pursue external additions.

Technically, Boston has some time to try to trade Lowe but other teams presumably aren’t keen on him at that $13.5MM price point either. He will likely stay in DFA limbo until Friday and then be non-tendered, becoming a free agent.

Once he’s officially on the open market, he will be an interesting bounceback candidate. As mentioned, his 2025 season wasn’t good, but he was a solid everyday first baseman for the Rangers for many years. From 2021 to 2024, he got into at least 140 games in four straight seasons, including at least 157 in the first three. He launched between 16 and 27 home runs in each of those. He also had a walk rate of 12.5% or higher in three of the four. He had a combined .274/.359/.432 slash line and 124 wRC+ for that span. FanGraphs credited him with 10.8 wins above replacement.

That strong performance helped the Rangers win the 2023 World Series and also pushed Lowe’s salary up into eight-figure territory. Those factors combined with his down year to make him a clear non-tender candidate.

Based on his track record, some club should give Lowe a big deal at some point, though at a lesser price point than his projected arbitration salary. He will jump into a first base market that has already seen Josh Naylor come off the board. Pete Alonso, Ryan O’Hearn, Luis Arráez and others are still out there, while Christian Walker and Willson Contreras are potential trade candidates.

Winckowski, 28 in June, has spent the past few years working in a swing role for the Sox. He has logged 242 1/3 innings over 21 starts and 100 relief appearances, allowing 4.20 earned runs per nine. His 18.2% strikeout rate is subpar but his his 8.3% walk rate is around average and his 51.6% ground ball rate quite strong.

He only logged 11 2/3 innings in the majors in 2025. He spent most of the first half on optional assignment in the minors. In June, the Sox called him up and put him on the big league 60-day injured list due to a a flexor strain in his right elbow. That allowed them to open a 40-man roster spot. Winckowski stayed on the IL for the rest of the year, collecting service time along the way. The IL goes away five days after the World Series, so he retook a 40-man spot at that time.

His current health status is unknown but he was going to be on the roster bubble regardless. He exhausted his final option season in 2025. He also pushed his service time just over the three-year mark, therefore qualifying for arbitration. He is projected for a salary of $800K next year. That’s barely above the league minimum, which will be $780K next year. But for a guy who was hurt for most of 2025 and can’t be easily sent to the minors anymore, the Sox aren’t keen to pay him at that level.

While he’s in DFA limbo, they could try to trade him elsewhere. He can be controlled for another three seasons and is relatively cheap. But it’s also possible he gets non-tendered alongside Lowe on Friday and ends up a free agent.

Photos courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck, Kevin Jairaj, Eric Canha, Imagn Images

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