Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors

Pirates Interested In Eugenio Suarez

By Mark Polishuk | January 4, 2026 at 8:35pm CDT

The Pirates have already added several new bats to their lineup, but the team isn’t done in its search for more offense. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Pirates are interested in Eugenio Suarez, though Mackey has doubts that the club will be able to win the bidding for the veteran slugger.

The fit is obvious, as Pittsburgh finished 30th of 30 teams in home runs (117), slugging percentage (.350), and isolated power (.119). Suarez finished fifth in the majors in both homers (49) and isolated power (.248), and his .526 SLG ranked 10th among all qualified batters. In terms of pure offensive production, Suarez was dragged down by a .228 batting average and .298 on-base percentage, and he continued to post one of the higher strikeout rates of any batter in the game.

Suarez’s 2025 production fell off drastically after the deadline trade that sent him from the Diamondbacks to the Mariners. Though he posted bigger numbers in a prior stint in Seattle and Suarez’s strikeouts have made him prone to streaky play, seeing Suarez decline so sharply after moving to a pitcher-friendly ballpark must be a concern for the Pirates about how Suarez might fare at PNC Park. Suarez is also 34 years old, so a steadier decline phase is a risk for signing a player of his age to a multi-year contract.

MLB Trade Rumors placed Suarez 20th on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents, and projected him to sign a three-year, $63MM free agent deal. While Suarez’s age, one-dimensional offense, and increasingly shaky third base defense were considered in the projection, the fact is that Suarez’s pure power is hard to find. Suarez’s well-regarded reputation as a clubhouse leader is another plus for a young Pirates team that can use some experience on and off the field.

As often mentioned when discussing the Pirates and any target on the open market, Francisco Liriano’s three-year, $39MM from December 2014 remains the largest contract the Bucs have ever given to a free agent. Ryan O’Hearn’s two-year, $29MM deal from a couple of weeks ago at least approached that dubious record, and the Pirates’ nine-figure bid on Kyle Schwarber from earlier this winter indicates that Pittsburgh is willing to stretch its limited budget to try and solve its offensive woes.

Between the O’Hearn signing and the trades that brought Brandon Lowe, Jhostynxon García, and Jake Mangum into the black-and-gold, the Bucs have already done quite a bit to bolster their league-worst offense. Installing Suarez at third base would be the biggest move yet, and the fact that Suarez’s market has seemed a little limited to date might work in the Pirates’ favor.

The Mariners, Red Sox, and Cubs are the only teams known to be interested in Suarez, though any number of other clubs might be on the periphery. Seattle has enough other third base candidates that it seemed their interest in hot corner help is limited to Suarez specifically, while the Sox and Cubs are two of Alex Bregman’s suitors. Kazuma Okamoto was known to be one of Pittsburgh’s prime targets, but the third baseman instead signed with the Blue Jays, leaving the Pirates perhaps more likely to make a run at Suarez.

Angels Sign Donovan Walton To Minors Deal

By Mark Polishuk | January 4, 2026 at 7:52pm CDT

The Angels signed infielder Donovan Walton to a minor league contract last month, according to Walton’s MLB.com profile page. Walton has been outrighted off 40-man rosters multiple times in his career, so he was eligible to elect minor league free agency and depart the Phillies organization once the season was over.

Walton has appeared in six of the last seven MLB seasons, though 49 of his 72 games in the Show came in 2021-22 with the Mariners and Giants. After signing a minors deal with the Mets last offseason, Walton was traded to the Phillies in July, and continued to toil away on the farm until his contact was selected to Philadelphia’s active roster in September. Walton made a pair of starts at second base while the Phils were dealing with a spate of infield injuries, but those two outings represented the entirety of Walton’s 2025 playing time in the majors.

The 31-year-old has hit just .172/.223/.298 over 214 career plate appearances in the bigs, but Walton’s ability to play both middle infield positions and also chip in at third base and in left field has helped him earn some looks at a bench player. He has hit pretty well in Triple-A ball (.281/.365/.435 over 1479 PA), but expecting those numbers to translate into MLB success this late into Walton’s career might be a tall order.

Having a veteran utility player as a depth option on either the 26-man roster or at Triple-A makes sense for an Angels team that is thin in the infield. While Vaughn Grissom was acquired in a trade from the Red Sox, the second and third base positions are still question marks in Los Angeles. The Angels figure to bring in at least one player as an everyday option at either the keystone or the hot corner, leaving Walton and company to battle it out for part-time duty or a bench role.

Cody Bellinger Rumors: Cubs Interested, Yankees Make Second Contract Offer

By Mark Polishuk | January 4, 2026 at 6:40pm CDT

A new but familiar team has joined the list of clubs publicly connected to Cody Bellinger’s market, as the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports that the Cubs “checked in on” the former NL MVP’s services. Bellinger played for the Cubs during the 2023-24 seasons, and Chicago’s involvement means that Bellinger’s market now consists of all three of his former teams (the Yankees, Cubs, and Dodgers), as well as the Giants, Mets, Angels, Blue Jays, and Phillies also showing interest at various points this offseason.

It isn’t known if the Cubs’ involvement is anything more than due diligence on an available player they’re quite familiar with, but Chicago’s offseason explorations have included such notable position players as Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, Eugenio Suarez, Pete Alonso, and Kazuma Okamoto, in addition to a number of starting pitchers. The Cubs have been very active in the bullpen market but have yet to make a truly big-ticket addition to a roster that reached the playoffs in 2025, but is expected to lose Kyle Tucker in free agency.

Bringing Bellinger back to Wrigleyville would be a fun pivot, as it was just over a year ago that the Cubs dealt the first baseman/outfielder to the Yankees. Initially coming to Chicago on a three-year, $80MM free agent deal that included two opt-out clauses, Bellinger passed on his first opt-out following the 2024 season, leaving the Cubs on the hook for $52.5MM over the remaining two seasons.

The Cubs got most of that money off their future books by sending Bellinger and $5MM to New York in exchange for right-hander Cody Poteet, who was designated for assignment and then traded to the Orioles at the end of March. In short, it was essentially a salary dump move for the Cubs, though they reinvested some of the money saved on Bellinger by acquiring Tucker in a blockbuster trade with the Astros.

In theory, re-acquiring Bellinger is a clean fit since he could slide directly into right field as Tucker’s replacement, with Seiya Suzuki remaining in a primary DH role. It does create a bit of a logjam since top prospects Moises Ballesteros, Owen Caissie, and Kevin Alcantara are all ready to show what they can do with some extended MLB playing time. Since Suzuki and Happ are free agents next winter, however, the Cubs could approach 2026 as something of an all-in push with their veteran core, and then give the kids a chance in 2027 once more roster space opens up.

MLB Trade Rumors projected Bellinger for a five-year, $140MM contract while ranking him eighth on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents. Dansby Swanson’s seven-year, $177MM deal from the 2022-23 offseason remains the biggest free agent investment of Jed Hoyer’s tenure as president of baseball operations, and something of an outlier as Hoyer’s only nine-figure contract of any kind.

The Cubs have been open to significant contracts and extensions for the likes of Suzuki, Happ, Jameson Taillon, and others, but adding Bellinger at his projected price tag would be a reach given Chicago’s recent approach to spending. That said, $140MM doesn’t seem like it should entirely be out of the Cubs’ price range, and the fact that Bellinger is a known quantity would make him a unique case. After all, if the Cubs were willing to commit $80MM in Bellinger in the wake of two injury-plagued down years with the Dodgers, investing something like $140MM when Bellinger is coming off three solid years and is still only 30 years old seems like a reasonable move for the team.

All this speculation, of course, comes against the backdrop of the Yankees’ pursuit, as it has been widely observed that re-signing Bellinger is New York’s chief offseason priority. If Bellinger is just one of multiple names on the Cubs’ radar but the top name on the Yankees’ wishlist, it would seem like the Bronx Bombers would be likelier to outbid the rest of the market for his services.

Heyman reported on Thursday that the Yankees made Bellinger a formal contract offer in late December, and Joel Sherman (also of the New York Post) adds the new detail that the Bombers have since made Bellinger a second offer. This apparent increase in the pace of negotiations could hint that the two sides are getting closer to a deal to bring Bellinger back for an encore in the pinstripes.

As with the Cubs, Bellinger’s return to the Yankees would lead to a bit of a crowded roster situation. With Aaron Judge in right field, Ben Rice at first base, Giancarlo Stanton at DH, and Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer to return in center field, that would leave left field as Bellinger’s only logical regular position. This leaves Jasson Dominguez without a spot in the lineup, plus top outfield prospect Spencer Jones is expected to make his MLB debut at some point in 2026.

Sherman speculates that if Bellinger might actually be nearing a deal with New York, it could tie into recent reports of talks between the Yankees and Marlins about Edward Cabrera. The Yankees are far from the only team trying to pry Cabrera away from the Fish, but New York has already made two prominent trades with Peter Bendix (including the Jazz Chisholm Jr. deal) during Bendix’s two-plus years in change of the Marlins’ front office. If the Bombers re-signed Bellinger, that could make the Yankees more open to offering Dominguez or Jones as the centerpiece of a Cabrera trade package.

Blue Jays Designate Paxton Schultz For Assignment

By Mark Polishuk | January 4, 2026 at 5:09pm CDT

The Blue Jays announced that right-hander Paxton Schultz has been designated for assignment. The transaction clears a 40-man roster spot for Kazuma Okamoto, whose four-year, $60MM deal with Toronto has now been officially announced.

A 14th-round pick for the Brewers in the 2019 draft, Schultz was traded to the Jays in 2021 and he has posted a 4.47 ERA over 203 1/3 innings of Triple-A ball. A good deal of that damage came when Schultz was being primarily used as a starter in 2023, but his numbers have improved since moving to more or less a full-time relief role. The move to the pen saw Schultz cut back on his walks and increase his strikeouts, as the Jays saw first-hand when Schultz made his MLB debut this past season.

The righty had a 4.38 ERA, 25.5% strikeout rate, and 7.3% walk rate over his first 24 2/3 innings in the Show, working mostly as a multi-inning reliever and making a pair of pseudo-starts during bullpen games. His 3.43 SIERA was markedly better than his 4.38 ERA, as Schultz was hampered by a .333 BABIP and four homers allowed during his small sample size of big league action.

It was an overall respectable debut for Schultz, yet he’ll now get the unwelcome gift of a DFA just a day before his 28th birthday. Despite his solid performance, the Blue Jays have enough other right-handed relief options that Schultz may have been a little expendable. Designating Schultz does run the risk for the Jays that another team could claim Schultz away on waivers, which is a distinct possibility given that Schultz has two minor league option years remaining and plenty of clubs are in need of bullpen help.

Braves Sign DaShawn Keirsey Jr. To Minors Deal

By Mark Polishuk | January 4, 2026 at 5:03pm CDT

The Braves signed DaShawn Keirsey Jr. to a minor league contract in December, according to the outfielder’s MLB.com profile page. Keirsey became a free agent after the Twins designated him for assignment and then non-tendered him in November.

After making his MLB debut in the form of six games with Minnesota in 2024, Keirsey got a longer look in the Show last year, appearing in 74 games. This still translated to only 88 plate appearances, as Keirsey was used almost exclusively as a late-game defensive substitute, or as a pinch-runner or pinch-hitter. Keirsey hit only .107/.138/.179 with two home runs over his 88 PA, and he stole 10 bases in 13 attempts.

The 28-year-old Keirsey has shown a lot more at the plate in the minors, including a .284/.363/.448 slash line, 19 homers, and 51 steals (in 58 attempts) over 186 games and 818 PA at the Triple-A level. Keirsey has also backed up this offense and speed with his ability to play all three outfield spots, with much of his minor league work coming in center field. Mitigating this skillset is the fact that Keirsey has been prone to strikeouts, and at age 28, he would be a late bloomer if he did emerge as a quality contributor to a big league roster.

A fourth-round pick for Minnesota in the 2018 draft, Keirsey will now change teams for the first time in his career and look to compete for a backup role on Atlanta’s Opening Day roster. There’s no downside for the Braves in taking a flier on Keirsey, even if the club is becoming increasingly deep in outfield options. Besides the regulars like Ronald Acuna Jr., Michael Harris II, Jurickson Profar, and the newly-signed Mike Yastrzemski, the Braves also have Eli White and utilityman Mauricio Dubon lined up for bench duty, and Ben Gamel and Brewer Hicklen will also be in camp on minors deals.

Blue Jays Sign Kazuma Okamoto

By Mark Polishuk | January 4, 2026 at 5:02pm CDT

TODAY: The Blue Jays officially announced Okamoto’s signing. Right-hander Paxton Schultz was designated for assignment to open up a 40-man roster spot for Okamoto.

JANUARY 3: The Blue Jays have finally made a big strike in the Japanese market, as Toronto has signed infielder Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60MM contract. It is a straight four-year deal without any opt-outs. The contract breaks down as a $5MM signing bonus and a $7MM salary for Okamoto in 2026, and then $16MM in each of the deal’s final three years. Okamoto is represented by the Boras Corporation.

Okamoto’s 45-day posting window was set to expire tomorrow at 4pm CT, so it was expected that the infielder would settle on his first Major League team today and finalize the agreement (i.e. complete a physical) before Sunday’s deadline. MLB Trade Rumors ranked Okamoto 19th on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents, and our projection of a four-year, $64MM deal was just slightly above what Okamoto landed from the Jays.

Matching financial expectations is no small feat, given how Tatsuya Imai (three years/$54MM guarantee from the Astros with two opt-out clauses) and Munetaka Murakami (two years, $34MM from the White Sox) both had to settle for shorter-term deals in their trips through the posting window this winter. Evaluators and scouts didn’t quite view Okamoto, Imai, and Murakami in the same tier as other big-ticket NPB arrivals from past seasons, though Okamoto perhaps had fewer red flags, resulting in his nice payday.

Okamoto’s contract also translates to a $10.875MM posting fee for the Yomiuri Giants, the infielder’s now-former NPB team. As per the terms of the NPB/MLB posting system, the NPB team’s fee is 20% of the first $25MM of a player’s guaranteed MLB contract, 17.5% of the next $25MM, and 15% of all further spending.

It was a little under a month ago that Toronto was first linked to Okamoto, and the 29-year-old now projects to be the Jays’ regular third baseman. Okamoto also has experience playing first base (making him an overqualified backup option to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) and in the outfield, so he joins Addison Barger and Davis Schneider as Blue Jays players who can contribute in both infield and outfield roles.

For Barger in particular, it now seems like he’ll platoon with Okamoto at third base, while playing in the corner outfield when he isn’t at the hot corner. This could bump Ernie Clement into primarily a second base role, with Andres Gimenez expected to move from second base to an everyday shortstop role. The right-handed hitting Clement can also spell the lefty-swinging Gimenez at shortstop when a southpaw is on the mound, with Schneider (another righty bat) moving to second base in those circumstances.

All of these moving pieces don’t even factor in the possibility that Bo Bichette could still re-sign with the Blue Jays, even with Okamoto now in the fold. If Bichette returns to an everyday role at either shortstop or (perhaps more likely) second base, Barger or Okamoto could see more time in the outfield. On the flip side, if the Blue Jays were to land another rumored target in outfielder Kyle Tucker, Toronto would then likely have to trade from a crowded outfield mix that would include Tucker, Daulton Varsho, George Springer and Anthony Santander splitting DH duty and one corner outfield slot, Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, Joey Loperfido, and Okamoto, Barger, and Schneider all available in a part-time outfield capacity.

However things play out, it adds to what has already been a fascinating offseason for a Blue Jays team that came within two outs of winning Game 7 of the World Series. The team’s efforts to add the final piece of the puzzle have mostly focused on pitching to date, with Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce signed to reinforce the rotation, and Tyler Rogers added to the relief corps.

Bichette and Tucker have naturally dominated the rumor mill when it came to possible lineup additions, and players like Cody Bellinger, Ketel Marte, Alex Bregman, and Yoan Moncada were also reportedly on Toronto’s radar. The Okamoto signing probably closes the door on Bregman and Moncada specifically since the two are third basemen, unless the Jays made the curious decision of using Okamoto primarily as a corner outfielder.

Okamoto’s third base defense was strong enough to earn Golden Glove awards when playing with Yomiuri Giants in 2021-22, though he has played an increased amount at first base in the last three years. Scouts generally view Okamoto as at least a decent defensive third baseman at the MLB level, and his ability to also capably handle first base and left field adds to his versatility around the diamond.

Moreso than his glovework, however, Okamoto’s biggest plus is his bat. One of the top hitters in Japan for most of the last decade, Okamoto has hit .277/.361/.521 with 248 home runs over 4494 plate appearances with the Giants. He had a run of six straight seasons of 30+ homers from 2018-23 before dropping to 27 long balls in 2024, and he hit 15 homers with a .322/.411/.581 slash line over 314 PA in 2025 in a season interrupted by an elbow injury that cost Okamoto roughly three months of the NPB campaign.

A six-time NPB All-Star and a member of Japan’s World Baseball Classic-winning team in 2023, Okamoto is known for his ability to generate power while still making a lot of hard contact without many strikeouts. This approach fits right into the offensive gameplan that worked so well for the Jays in 2025. Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins drew raves for his work in helping several Toronto hitters break out last season, and he could certainly aid Okamoto in making a smooth transition to MLB, perhaps particularly when it comes to adjusting to higher-velocity pitching. As noted by Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, Okamoto has been inconsistent against higher-velo (94mph+) pitches, but he already showed improvement in this department in 2025.

The signing also represents a breakthrough for the Jays in their efforts to land a high-profile Japanese star. The Blue Jays’ attempts to sign Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki during the previous two offseasons were all thwarted by the Dodgers, which added some extra sting when all three players (particularly World Series MVP Yamamoto) contributed heavily to Los Angeles’ narrow win over the Jays in the Fall Classic.

While the Dodgers weren’t publicly known to be in on Okamoto, such teams as the Red Sox, Pirates, Cubs, Angels, Mariners, and Padres were all linked to his market. Earlier this afternoon, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand indicated that San Diego “could be the frontrunner,” but instead it was Toronto who ended up sealing the deal.

Okamoto’s $60MM contract represents another big expenditure for a Blue Jays organization that has already taken spending to team-record heights in recent years, and now put the club in the upper echelons of league-wide spending. RosterResource estimates a $286MM payroll for the Jays in 2026, and a luxury tax number of around $308.8MM.

This puts Toronto over the highest tax threshold of $304MM, meaning the team will again see their first-round pick in the 2027 draft dropped back 10 places, plus they’ll face a 90% surcharge on any further spending. It’s clear that the Jays and Rogers Communications (the team’s ownership group) are ready to flex their financial muscle more than ever in pursuit of a World Series banner, so more splurges on Bichette or Tucker can’t be ruled out.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report the signing, and Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the contract’s length and value. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand added the details about the $5MM signing bonus and the lack of opt-outs, and the Associated Press had the annual salary breakdown.

Twins Sign Orlando Arcia To Minor League Deal

By Mark Polishuk | January 3, 2026 at 2:36pm CDT

The Twins have signed infielder Orlando Arcia to a minors contract, MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo reports. The deal presumably includes an invitation for Arcia to attend Minnesota’s Major League spring camp.

Arcia is now a veteran of 10 Major League seasons, after amassing 214 plate appearances over 76 games with the Braves and Rockies in 2025. The majority (62 games) of that work came in Colorado, after Atlanta released Arcia in May and the Rockies quickly moved in to bring Arcia aboard on a big league contract. While Arcia has never been known for his bat, he hit only .202/.238/.291 over those 214 PA. His 33 wRC+ was both a career low and the second-lowest of any player who took at least 200 trips to the plate in 2025.

Once an excellent defensive shortstop back in his time with the Brewers, Arcia’s glovework has declined to just passable levels, and he played at all four infield positions in Colorado (including his first bit of MLB work at first base). Becoming a full-fledged utilityman is probably Arcia’s best ticket to sticking in the majors as a versatile backup off the Twins’ bench.

For the shortstop job in particular, Arcia provides some cover if presumptive starter Brooks Lee struggles, but Minnesota is naturally going to give a former top prospect like Lee plenty of rope. If Arcia doesn’t break camp with the Twins and sticks around in the minors, he’ll be far and away the most veteran member of a farm system that is lacking in big league experience.

Kona Takahashi To Return To NPB For 2026 Season

By Mark Polishuk | January 3, 2026 at 2:20pm CDT

2:20PM: Feinsand reports that Takahashi had offers from three Major League clubs. 7 News Boston’s Ari Alexander heard during the Winter Meetings that the Astros were interested in Takahashi, but it isn’t known if Houston was one of the teams who made the righty a formal offer.

1:30PM: Kona Takahashi’s 45-day posting window for finding a contract with MLB teams closes tomorrow, but The Athletic’s Will Sammon reports that the right-hander will instead return to Japan and the Seibu Lions.

There wasn’t much buzz about Takahashi’s bid to join a big league team, and reports began to emerge a few days ago that returning to Nippon Professional Baseball was a distinct possibility for the 28-year-old. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand and Brian Murphy reported that Takahashi received just one offer from a Major League team, and it apparently wasn’t enticing enough for the righty to make the jump.

Takahashi doesn’t yet qualify for full international free agency. Feinsand and Murphy suggested that he could pursue a multi-year deal with the Lions that includes an opt-out clause next winter, so Takahashi could freely pursue another contract with a Major League team. Sammon writes that Takahashi and the Lions are indeed discussing such a contract — though the Lions still control Takahashi’s rights, the club was already willing to post him this offseason, so a longer-term deal with opt-outs somewhat formalizes the situation. It does mean that the Lions wouldn’t be able to receive a posting fee, which would’ve been 20% of any contract worth $25MM of less in guaranteed money.

The general expectation was that Takahashi’s foray into the posting system was going to result in a low-level guarantee at best, or perhaps even a contract without any guaranteed money. Takahashi has a solid 3.39 ERA over 1199 career innings with the Lions, and achieved success by inducing grounders at roughly a 50 percent rate and limiting walks. The big red flag for MLB scouts was undoubtedly Takahashi’s lackluster 17.17% career strikeout rate.

It might take a particularly strong 2026 NPB season for Takahashi to elevate his stock in the eyes of big league scouts, but he’ll still be relatively young (turning 30 in February 2027) in advance of what would be his first MLB campaign. With another year of good results and eating innings, Takahashi might draw more attention as a back-end rotation arm or perhaps as a multi-inning reliever next winter, should he end up opting out of his next contract.

MLBTR Chat Transcript

By Mark Polishuk | January 3, 2026 at 12:00pm CDT

Mark P

Earlier edition of The Weekend Chat this time, but hopefully with no shortage of questions and hot takes filing in from our readers. Let’s see what’s up….

Luca

Are the Rays still in on Ketel Marte? Anyone else there targeting?

Mark P

In all likelihood, the Rays are targeting players much less expensive than Marte. He’d be a huge help for their lineup, of course, but with a remaining price tag that wouldn’t seem to fit Tampa’s budget.
Hindsight being 50-50, if the Rays had exercised Fairbanks’ option, I wonder if he might’ve been part of a hypothetical Marte trade package — both as salary offset, and because Arizona needs ninth-inning help

Kwallington

Has the Cardinals trade stuff stalled? It’s been a while since any updates.

Mark P

Not surprising that things slowed down over the holidays. The Cards have already moved Gray and Contreras, leaving Arenado as the last big contract remaining, and Donovan/JoJo/maybe Gorman or Nootbaar as less-expensive but more sought-after trade chips.
The Cardinals certainly aren’t done with their swaps yet, and it feels like Donovan, Romero, and Arenado will all be elsewhere by Opening Day

Cj james

The Braves should worry about the bullpen more than the starters. Do you agree?

Mark P

Probably, though Suarez and the re-signed Iglesias solve a couple of big question marks.

Steve

Who is more likely to be in a different uniform next year, Duran or Casas?

Mark P

Casas

Read more

Curious George

Who signs first? Framber or Ranger?

Mark P

Who signs first?

Ranger Suarez (51.3% | 641 votes)

Framber Valdez (48.6% | 607 votes)

Total Votes: 1248

secret souse

What is the easiest path for Red Sox to dump money

Mark P

Their projected payroll is $191.1MM, and their tax number is around $240MM. Not huge figures considering this is the Red Sox we’re talking about, so my answer is “they don’t need to dump money to make any further notable moves.”
However, it seems ownership feels differently. The easiest path in terms of pure simplicity is to attach a prospect (either a pitcher or Casas) to Yoshida or Hicks, perhaps to a team like Colorado that needs all the young help it can get. But, clubs are increasingly loath to give away young talent as sweeteners in salary dumps.

RedsHopeful

What’s stopping the Reds from being in on Okamoto? Seems like a great fit at 1B/DH along with Sal Stewart and have Steer as super utility again?

Mark P

Good question. Maybe they are in on him, and this’ll be another outta-nowhere signing like Murakami to the ChiSox and Imai to Houston

Matt

Okamoto going to sign during the chat?

Mark P

Don’t jinx it!

Norbert

Are you concerned with Ranger Suarez’s loss of velocity, or do you think he has the type of command that will allow him to continue getting weak contact for a few more years?

Mark P

I think I’m higher on most on Suarez, since in my view, he was the clear choice as the best starter on this year’s FA market. He wasn’t exactly a high-velo guy to begin with, so a drop shouldn’t (in theory) impact his bread and butter abilities of generating grounders and soft contact.

Peralta

The rumor mill quieted on Peralta. You think that picks back up now that the holidays are over or do you think the Brewers are more likely to give the season a go with him?

Mark P

It always felt likelier that Milwaukee would just keep Peralta, since they’d need a ton in return to say yes to a trade. It could be things get rolling a bit now that Imai is off the board, though it’s interesting to remember that the Astros were one of the teams reportedly interested in Peralta. That may no longer be the case now that Imai and Burrows are on board.

Guest

Why is no one talking about Okamoto to the Yankees? He could platoon at 1st or 3rd and releve Domingues in rig,ht.

Mark P

Okamoto himself probably wants to be more than a short-side platoon guy

Josh

Do you see Ian Happ starting for the cubs this year?

Mark P

Yes. He had a no-trade clause, so he probably isn’t going anywhere.

NY Sports

Any chance that a potential lockout for next year lowered the projected salary for Imai, Murakami and potentially Okamoto?

Mark P

I don’t think it’s the looming lockout, necessarily, but more that this trio had more question marks than a lot of other premium players recently coming over from NPB.

Imai

What are your thoughts on the Astros signing Imai? Was it a good signing to help fortify their rotation?

Mark P

I like the deal a lot. Potentially it’s a great bargain for the Astros, and if Imai pitches well, it’s just a one-year commitment since he would likely opt out next winter.
Potentially, if Imai pitched well but not spectacularly well, he might also pass on his first opt-out just to avoid getting caught in limbo during a lockout

Ryan

Is Emerson plus a lottery ticket for Donovan possible. Donovan is what the Mariners would hope Emerson could be.

Mark P

Zero chance Emerson is traded. He’s a top-10 prospect in baseball.

Josh

Are the A’s contenders this year?

Mark P

They need to do a lot more with their rotation before I can take them seriously as playoff candidates

Kyle

Are you surprised that Gore hasn’t been traded? Will the Nats have to pair him with Abrams or Wood to get the sort of return they were hoping for?

Mark P

Not terribly surprised. This is another case where the Nationals don’t have to make a move right now, since Gore is controlled through 2028. If another team stepped up with a huge offer, the Nats wouldn’t hesitate to deal Gore, but only in that circumstance.
And Gore has more than enough value on his own that he wouldn’t need to be linked to another big trade chip. And, needless to say, Wood isn’t going anywhere.

Alex

Does Z Gallen fit into the braves “ace caliber” – final need?

Mark P

Gallen’s rough 2025 season dips him out of the ace category, though he has shown ace-type stuff in the past. That might be enough to get the Braves to roll the dice, especially if Gallen is open to a somewhat shorter-term deal to re-establish his market.
Two more obstacles…..Gallen would cost Atlanta a draft pick, since he rejected a qualifying offer. Gallen is also a Boras client, and Anthopoulos traditionally doesn’t do a lot of business with Boras.

Bob Nutting

Are the Pirates wild card contenders if they get Okamoto or Suarez for 3B with that rotation?

Mark P

I’d say so. Their lineup would be a lot better and the pitching is still strong, so that might be enough for Pittsburgh to get over the playoff line amidst a number of NL teams with comparable weaknesses

Polar Bear

The Mets are going to make some kind of move for a starting pitcher….right?

Mark P

Sure, except it is becoming increasingly unclear if it’ll be the kind of frontline arm they need.

Pat

Whether it be a trade forna player like Kwan or signing a big bat, do you think the Dodgers will add an OF before the season starts?

Mark P

A trade (though probably not for Kwan specifically) is more likely than a big signing, but maybe I shouldn’t write that while Tucker is still available.
Some level of longer-term outfield help might be less feasible since LA doesn’t want to block its younger outfielders on the way up.

Ateam

Dodgers have a lot of young arms coming back from injury. What are the next steps? Stash them in the minors or trades?

Mark P

Minor league stashing seems logical, as teams likely aren’t eager to give up a big return for pitchers just coming off long IL stints. The Dodgers themselves probably want time to monitor these hurlers to evaluate their health, and to further gauge which ones they want to keep and which ones they might want to shop.
Don’t forget, the Dodgers have needed all the rotation depth they can find over the last few years. The team can also just stand pat.

Hot trade

Gunnar Henderson for Joe Ryan.

Mark P

That would indeed be hot, but the O’s are never trading Henderson for two years of Ryan

Ken

Gore is only controlled through 2027.

Mark P

Correct, that was a typo on my part. But, two years of control is still a lot of time for Washington to explore trades.

Lance

Hi Mark. Thanks for doing the chat today.
Which free agent signed so far, do you believe, will have the most positive impact for their new team?

Mark P

Since you specified ’new’ team, does that mean you’re asking about just the free agents who went elsewhere? That narrows the field by quite a bit, given how many FAs stayed put.
Feels like Alonso will take to Camden Yards like a duck to water. But, as a Jays fan, I’m hoping the answer is that Cease helps lead Toronto to a championship

Frustrated Nats Fan

How long do we have to wait to become even a fringe contender?

Mark P

I wouldn’t have been surprised if the Nationals had been borderline contenders in 2025, yet things obviously went in the exact opposite direction.
Seems like it’ll be at least two more seasons in the wilderness, though stranger things have happened in terms of unexpected turn-arounds.

steve

Kristin Campbell was the minor league player of the year . If one looks at the list of players who have won previously –you see a very successful group. Why has everyone given up on campbell. Has Boston mismanaged him?

Mark P

The Sox certainly aren’t giving up on a player they’ve already signed to a hefty extension. Fans can be a little too fickle when top prospects struggle early, even though the majority of top prospects routinely look shaky in their first time at the MLB level. It would surprise nobody if Campbell suddenly broke out in 2026.

RoyalsCenter2026

The Royals have been super quiet after being involved in so many rumors? Will it heat back up and will they get a big of bat or are they done?

Mark P

Doubt they’re done, since they need another good hitter in that lineup

Brockmire

What’s your take on the looming CBA quagmire?

Mark P

I think it’s a shame that a lockout seems to be a foregone conclusion, and that the two sides seem fine with things reaching that point. In a perfect world, you’d have the two sides say “look, we’re both making a lot of money here, so let’s start figuring things out now to keep everyone happy.”

Carrie Halas

Were the Phillies genuinely in on Imai? If they wanted rotation depth that badly, why not pivot to Ranger?

Mark P

It’s possible they might indeed consider reuniting with Suarez now that Imai is off the board.
That said, it’s a little telling that there has been virtually no buzz about Suarez re-signing in Philly. The team was publicly open about their desire to being back Schwarber and Realmuto, yet it was little more than boilerplate stuff in regards to Suarez.

Brother

James Wood looks like a bust and the Nationals should sell while his value is still high, any thoughts?

Mark P

Wood strikes out way too much, and his bat really cooled off in the second half.
He also has a 125 wRC+ and 40 homers in his first 1025 PA in the majors. Wood isn’t going anywhere, and is still a huge building block for Washington

NY Sports

Would you say the off season has been quiet so far? It seems like there’s still a lot of players unsigned with roughly 6 weeks before catchers and pitchers report to spring training.

Mark P

Six weeks is a lot of time. Looking MLBTR’s top 50 as a guide, 29 of those 50 free agents have already signed, so there’s been a fair bit of movement even if a few of those guys were early-offseason qualifying offer accepting-types.

JeffyM

if the Jays are able to get Bo, Tucker or Bregman, do Straw or Lukes have any trade value or are they more DFA candidates?

Mark P

If they get Tucker specifically, Lukes is probably traded. Straw sticks around in any scenario as a backup OF.

CJ J

The Cubs seem to be sniffing around INFs. If they sign one, who is the odd man out? I have terrible feeling it’s Hoerner, even though he brings elite contact to a lineup that needs it. Any chance, if the Cubs sign a Bregman or whomever, that Shaw is the odd man out and they could trade him for pitching?

Mark P

Nico makes a ton of contact but it isn’t exactly quality contact. He is also a free agent after the season, so it would make sense that the Cubs are looking to deal him now if Nico isn’t part of their future plans.
That either opens up 2B for an acquisition, or perhaps they get Bregman and move Shaw to 2B

Cris E

Does COL burn things down this winter or get some front office stuff settled first and move the vets at the break?

Mark P

The Rockies don’t have many veterans left, and not much left in general for a fire sale. Hard to have a teardown when the house has already burned to the ground, as they say. (Or did I make that saying up?)
I suspect DePodesta is viewing 2026 as an evaluation year, though naturally he’ll be open to any and all trade offers in the name of bringing younger talent into the organization.

Guest

Is Carson Benge the real deal and should he start opening day in center?

Mark P

There’s a lot to like about Benge’s potential but breaking camp seems like a reach. He has only 24 Triple-A games on his resume and he didn’t hit well in Syracuse, so it feels like some more seasoning is required. However, he is a lock to make his MLB debut in 2026, and if he gets on an early tear in Triple-A, the Mets could make him a quick call-up

Daniel

Why do players wait so long to sign. If it was me I’d sign as soon as possible to get acclimated with my new squad.

Mark P

If the offers aren’t interesting, players aren’t just going to grab the least-uninteresting lowball offer just for the sake of signing

Dana Brown’s a rental

Yordan Alvarez has a 1.046 career OPS as a LF (896 PAs) and .919 as a DH. Why can’t the Astros just home Paredes the everyday DH and 1B/3B backup?

Mark P

The issue isn’t whether or not Alvarez can hit as an outfielder, it’s whether he can stay healthy in regular outfield duty. And, he isn’t a good defensive player.

Pete C

How do forecast the 2026 season for Rangers OF Evan Carter

Mark P

First things first, Carter has to stay healthy. That gives the Rangers a clear chance to evaluate a player who can still be a huge part of their future.

Radhippo

Okamoto and Gallen enough to get the Angels in the playoffs??

Mark P

I’d take a lot more than that

Mr Red Leg

What would the Reds have to give up for Yandy Diaz? Chase Petty?

Mark P

2026 is Diaz’s final guaranteed year, plus there’s a club option for 2027. So two seasons of Diaz for Petty probably isn’t something Cincinnati is open to doing, though these could be elements of a multi-player swap

Jake K

Rockies need to make some movements…Coby Mayo seems like a perfect fit considering the surplus of infielders on the O’s and the power upside….would love to see him in Coors

Mark P

That probably doesn’t happen outside of a three-team trade, since I don’t think the Orioles would be willing to move Mayo for anyone in the Rockies’ organization

Guest

Is boras the major problem to why the market is being held up?

Mark P

As much as Boras usually has his clients wait on the market, this isn’t an absolute rule. This winter alone, Cease was off the board very quickly.

Blue Heaven

Dodgers said Sasaki will be in rotation in 2026. But if Stone and/or River Ryan outperforms in ST, should they add one of them to rotation, and move Sasaki to BP at least for early in the season?

Mark P

As noted earlier, the Dodgers’ rotation has been constantly racked by injuries. So it’s possible a logjam just never really develops because at least one pitcher or another is on the IL.

Pizza pizza

Tigers look like they aren’t going to move the needle with the lineup with a signing/trade. McGonigle will be with the big club at some point this season. Why not look at signing him to a pre debut extension and then using what has the potential to be major savings if he turns out to be the player they hope on

Mark P

McGonigle seems like a decent candidate for a pre-career extension. We know these types of deals are in Scott Harris’ wheelhouse since Keith was already locked up before his first MLB game.

Mariners

What has surprised you most this off-season?

Mark P

About Seattle’s offseason specifically? I guess I thought they would’ve gotten more for dealing Harry Ford, but Ferrer is a nice bullpen add

Hello

How can the scouts all be so wrong about players like Jordan Walker, or Jo Adell since he HAS to be mentioned in every chat?

Mark P

Scouting players and identifying future stars is incredibly hard. Still plenty of time for Walker to get clicking at the MLB level, just as it took Adell several years to finally have a breakout

Philip rivers

Which player do you think could come back and put up reasonable numbers 5 years after retirement ?

Mark P

If Barry Bonds signed as a DH-only bat/pinch-hitting specialist, I think he’d hit at least 20 homers
Maybe he should do this just to restart his HOF clock!

Curious A’s Fan

When was the last time a team did a pre-career (or very early career) extension with a pitcher?

Mark P

These don’t happen too often. Ashby’s extension with Milwaukee is the most recent, after some brief checking on the MLB Contract Tracker

Maple

Why do teams non-tender payers only to have them sign for more money in free agency? Moreover, why do other teams not make an offer (cash considerations) for that player before they hit the market? There are alot of teams that would now love to have Pete Fairbanks for his projected arbitration salary that must be kicking themselves.

Mark P

The Rays surely tested the market for Fairbanks before non-tendering him, and the offers weren’t up to par. So if the Rays perceived that they would have difficulty trading Fairbanks at fair value, they opted to just cut him entirely by declining the option.

Spencer Jones

Is LF mine to lose if Belli signs elsewhere?

Mark P

Dominguez will get first dibs on the job

Cubs

Are the cubs involved for Okamoto?

Mark P

They were mentioned as one of the teams in the hunt. The depth of their interest isn’t known, however.

Phillies

Any chance to move Nola then circle back on Ranger?

Mark P

Nola’s trade value is pretty minimal considering his contract and his rough 2025

Spud

The Brewers have no depth at shortstop, and a marginal hitter at best manning the position. What are you hearing about the Kiner-Filefa market, and is there a chance he could fall to the Brewers?

Mark P

IKF should fall within the Brewers’ price range for bench depth

Baby Mets

Am I the only one who thinks the Mets will not sign any big name Free Agents and will go instead with their young and promising minor league players this year?

Mark P

Oops, I loaded that next question before finishing my point on the previous question.
IKF raises the talent floor on the roster, but I’m not sure he’s a realistic candidate to actually take over at SS or anything
Re: the Mets’ youth movement.
That would be an awfully bold move by a team that still has a mega-payroll and should be in win-now mode. Seems hard to believe that the Mets wouldn’t still have a big move in them before the winter is out.

Win Now

With the A’s offense, why wouldn’t a mature, win now pitcher, want to join the A’s?

Mark P

It’s a very hitter-friendly park, and the pitcher’s numbers may very well suffer
It is also a very hitter-friendly minor league park, and the pitcher may not want to deal with the extra complication of playing in such a facility

Overpay

Clearly the blue jays over paid for cease (and Santander last year). Will that have negative impact in the next few years?

Mark P

It’s only an overpay if they don’t play well, so Santander will have to pick it up in 2026. The Jays also have a good deal of money coming off the books after the 2026 season.
That’s almost two hours of chattin’, so it’s time to wrap things up. Thanks to everyone for their questions, and I’ll have more chatty goodness next weekend!
If you’re interested in more baseball Q&A, one of the many benefits of our Trade Rumors Front Office subscription is the exclusive weekly live chats. The more limited field means you’re about 10 times more likely to get a question answered, as opposed to battling for space with hundreds of other questions in today’s chat. For more on our memberships, check out this link:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/membership?ref=chat-1-3-26

Mariners Involved In Kazuma Okamoto’s Market

By Mark Polishuk | January 3, 2026 at 8:42am CDT

Kazuma Okamoto’s posting window closes at 4pm CT on Sunday, and there isn’t yet any sense where the Japanese star might sign even as his deadline nears. Such teams as the Cubs, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Angels, Pirates, and Padres have reportedly shown some interest in Okamoto’s services, and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand adds the Mariners to this list of clubs “connected to” the chase for the 29-year-old.

Signing Okamoto would represent an interesting pivot for Seattle, as the Mariners have been focusing more on second base as the target spot for an infield upgrade. The M’s want to see what they have in such third base candidates as top prospect Colt Emerson, or other youngsters like Cole Young and Ben Williamson.

Former Mariner Eugenio Suarez has been pretty much the only third baseman on Seattle’s radar, and even if Suarez did re-sign with the team, it seems likely that Suarez would get a healthy dose of usage as designated hitter rather than an everyday assignment at the hot corner. Trade target Brendan Donovan also has some experience as a third baseman, but Donovan’s versatility makes him a candidate to be used all over the diamond, and second base would probably be his most frequent position if the M’s did manage to pry him away from the Cardinals.

While Okamoto has spent a lot of his career at the hot corner, however, he is more of a corner infielder than a true third baseman. During his time with the Yomiuri Giants, Okamoto logged 662 games played at third base and 478 games at first base. He also made 77 appearances in the outfield, so a Major League team might be open to using Okamoto as an occasional left fielder, as The Athletic’s Will Sammon recently noted.

Seattle has Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena lined up for everyday work at first base and left field, respectively, but Okamoto could get some work at those positions if Naylor or Arozarena are receiving a DH day or a full off-day. Arozarena is also a free agent after the 2026 season, so any playing time for Okamoto in left field could be viewed as a potential audition to see if he could be a longer-term fit going forward.

If Okamoto can deliver anything close to his NPB numbers, he would be a terrific addition to the Mariners’ (or any team’s) lineup. Okamoto has a .277/.361/.521 slash line and 248 homers over 4494 plate appearances with the Giants, and his outstanding resume includes six NPB All-Star nods, two NPB Golden Gloves, and a gold medal as a member of Japan’s winning team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

MLB Trade Rumors ranked Okamoto 19th on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents, and predicted a four-year, $64MM contract. Given how Tatsuya Imai and Munetaka Murakami both had to settle for contracts far below ours and others’ projections, it certainly seems possible that Okamoto might also sign for a lower price tag than expected. This opens the door for the Mariners or any number of other suitors to get involved.

A “bet on yourself” type of short-term contract with opt-out clauses could appeal to the Mariners, with some extra financial outlay possibly being preferable to meeting a high demand for a player like Donovan or Ketel Marte. Seattle would seemingly have particular appeal to Okamoto, given how the M’s seem poised to contend again in 2026, and the Mariners’ long history of welcoming Japanese players.

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