Twins Sign John Brebbia To Minor League Deal
The Twins have signed right-hander John Brebbia to a minor league deal, according to a report from Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic.
Brebbia, 36 next month, is coming off back-to-back down seasons. The righty made his big league debut with the Cardinals back in 2017 and was a solid reliever for the club immediately, with a 3.14 ERA and 3.39 FIP across his first three seasons in the majors. He struck out 27.4% of his opponents in 175 innings of work while walking just 7.5%. Brebbia went under the knife for Tommy John surgery in 2020, and that caused him to not only miss the 2020 campaign but also be non-tendered by St. Louis, bringing his time with the Cardinals to an abrupt end despite his success on the mound.
The right-hander caught on with the Giants on a big league deal during the 2020-21 offseason. His 2021 season was lackluster as he worked his way back from surgery, and in his 18 appearances that year he struggled to a 5.89 ERA. He remained with the Giants despite that poor performance, however, and San Francisco was rewarded for its faith by a pair of much more successful relief seasons. Brebbia posted a 3.47 ERA and 3.54 FIP across 106 1/3 innings of work from 2022 to ’23, though his strikeout rate dipped to 22.5%.
Following his three-year stint with the Giants, Brebbia returned to free agency and eventually caught on with the White Sox. Chicago offered him a one-year, $5.5MM deal during the 2023-24 offseason, and Brebbia jumped at the healthy payday. Unfortunately, the deal didn’t work out well for either side. Brebbia struggled badly as the club’s top veteran reliever and was torched to the tune of a 6.29 ERA in 54 appearances for the White Sox. That’s in spite of a perfectly strong 26.9% strikeout rate and an acceptable 7.7% walk rate. Brebbia’s issues with the White Sox came down to the long ball, as he allowed a whopping nine homers in 48 2/3 innings of work. That’s nearly one home run per five innings pitched, and so it was hardly a shock when the White Sox opted to cut ties with the veteran.
Brebbia caught on with Atlanta to finish the 2024 season and pitched quite well for the down the stretch, but upon returning to free agency found a smaller one-year deal with the Tigers in February of last year. Unfortunately, Brebbia wound up appearing in just 18 games for the Tigers after being sidelined by a triceps strain and struggling to a 7.71 ERA when he did return to the mound. He once again was scooped up by Atlanta after being released, but this time his struggles continued and he finished the year with an identical 7.71 ERA to the one he had in Detroit.
That left Brebbia to settle for a minor league deal this winter, and he initially signed with the Rockies in free agency before failing to make their roster out of camp. His 7.00 ERA in nine innings of work during camp wasn’t exactly something to write home about, but the Twins are in need of bullpen depth after dealing away Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and Louis Varland last summer. Brebbia figures to head to Triple-A and attempt to break into a bullpen that currently relies on Taylor Rogers and Cole Sands in the late innings.
Orioles Acquire Jayvien Sandridge
The Orioles are acquiring left-hander Jayvien Sandridge from the Angels in exchange for cash, per an announcement from both teams. The Orioles had open space on their 40-man roster, so no corresponding move was necessary to complete the transaction. Sandridge was designated for assignment by the Halos just before Opening Day.
It’s the second cash trade of the year that Sandridge has been a part of, as the Angels acquired him from the Yankees back in January. This trade is actually something of a homecoming for Sandridge, as he was a 32nd-round pick by the Orioles back in 2018 and spent parts of two seasons in the Orioles organization. He was released during the pandemic-cancelled minor league season in 2020 and took a brief stint in college ball before signing with the Reds and returning to pro ball. He climbed the minor league ladder with the Reds, Padres, and Yankees over the years before finally making his big league debut in 2025.
Sandridge’s debut with New York saw him record just two outs while surrendering two runs. It’s not exactly an auspicious start to his big league career, although with such a small sample size it’s hard to draw any substantial conclusions about the lefty’s viability as a big league arm. His work at Triple-A with the Yankees last season was generally more middling than impressive, as he posted a 4.55 ERA despite a 33.1% strikeout rate. Those big strikeout totals clearly caught the eye of the Angels over the offseason, leading them to acquire him this offseason. Sandridge’s Spring Training performance did him few favors, however, as he was torched for five runs in just two innings of work during camp.
Now, he returns to the Orioles organization as an optionable depth arm for the club’s bullpen. Baltimore has Dietrich Enns and Grant Wolfram as their only lefties in the bullpen at the moment with Keegan Akin on the shelf, and Sandridge is now the only other lefty on the 40-man roster. That could put him in position to get a look in the majors at some point this year, particularly if he can his elevated walk rate (12.0% in Triple-A last year) under control more reliably. Josh Walker is the only other southpaw relief arm with big league experience in the organization, but he’s on a non-roster deal and would require a 40-man roster move to bring to the majors. That could put Sandridge ahead of him on the depth chart, though lefty starter Cade Povich could also pose a threat to Sandridge’s chances of making the majors if the Orioles are willing to use him in relief at some point.
Angels Select Shaun Anderson
The Angels announced this afternoon that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Shaun Anderson. In a corresponding move, right-hander Victor Mederos was designated for assignment.
Anderson, 31, is entering what will be his 7th season as a big leaguer. A third-round pick by the Red Sox in 2016, he didn’t make his big league debut until 2019, at which point he was a member of the Giants after being part of the return for the Eduardo Nunez trade. Anderson came up to the majors as a swing man and struggled somewhat, with a lackluster 5.44 ERA in 96 innings of work. He moved to the bullpen full-time after that, and while he pitched to a solid 3.52 ERA in 18 appearances during the abbreviated 2020 season, questionable peripherals left his role uncertain headed into 2021.
Ultimately, Anderson didn’t even make it onto the Giants roster that year. He was traded to the Twins in the LaMonte Wade Jr. deal and spent the rest of the year riding the waiver wire. Ultimately, he split time between the Twins, Orioles, and Padres during the 2021 campaign and pitched to a rough 8.49 ERA across 23 1/3 innings during that rollercoaster year. He’s pitched just 28 2/3 innings total at the big league level since then, splitting time between the Jays, Rangers, Angels, and Marlins to post a 9.42 ERA across 14 outings.
The right-hander doesn’t have the most exciting profile as a big leaguer, to say the least. His career 6.39 ERA in 163 1/3 innings of work is certainly lackluster, and a 4.35 ERA at the Triple-A level for his career doesn’t offer much reason for further excitement. A 14-game stint in the KBO did yield some interesting results, as he pitched to a 3.76 ERA in 14 starts, but that was three years ago now and it’s hard to see that as indicative of future stateside success at this point. Still, he could help contribute to an Angels pitching staff that will need help covering innings with Grayson Rodriguez, Alek Manoah, Kirby Yates, Robert Stephenson, and Ben Joyce all opening the season on the injured list.
Making room for Anderson on the 40-man roster is Mederos. A sixth-round pick by the Angels back in 2022, the club wasted no time in promoting him to the majors, allowing him to make his big league debut the following year. Despite his quick rise to the big leagues, Mederos was never quite able to stick at the level. He has just 25 1/3 innings across 12 appearances in the show, and during that time he’s looked completely over-matched with an 8.52 ERA and a 6.95 FIP. A career 3.96 ERA in 20 career starts at the Triple-A level offers a bit more room for optimism about his long-term prospects, and Mederos won’t turn 25 until June. That wasn’t enough to save his roster spot with the Angels, but perhaps another club will be intrigued enough by his profile to take him on as a more of a long-term project. if Mederos passes through waivers unclaimed, the Angels will have the opportunity to outright him to the minor leagues as non-roster depth for their pitching staff.
Alex Cora Discusses Red Sox’ Outfield Plans
The Red Sox have one of the most crowded outfield mixes in all of baseball. Jarren Duran is an All-Star who has averaged more than 5.0 WAR per season over the last two years. Wilyer Abreu has two Gold Glove awards on his mantle and a career 116 wRC+. Ceddanne Rafaela is the best defensive outfielder in the American League. Roman Anthony has a career .401 on-base percentage just 73 games into his major league career. A crowd of outfielders that impressive leaves little room for veteran DH Masataka Yoshida to fight his way into the starting lineup, and manager Alex Core spoke to reporters (including Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic) about the outfield situation yesterday.
“We’ll see how it plays out,” Cora said, as relayed by McCaffrey. “JD is gonna play center soon, the day Ceddanne doesn’t play, and we got Thursday off. It’s not easy. Whoever thinks this is easy to move them around, they’re wrong… It’s not easy, but I’ll make it work.”
Cora went on to note that Yoshida figures to play three of the club’s next five games, as the team feels comfortable having Yoshida play left field in Houston’s Daikin Park. Cora noted that while the club will “need” Yoshida to play some outfield in order to get him into the lineup, the team’s other defensive outfielders (Rafaela, Duran, Anthony, and Abreu) are all a cut above Yoshida defensively. That would seemingly indicate he’ll get most of his time at DH, though Cora did express concerns about taking one of the other four outfielders out of the lineup. From Cora’s comments, it seems as though Duran is least likely to sit on any given day this year. Cora indicated that getting each of Anthony, Abreu, and Rafaela days off could be beneficial, but made no such pronouncement about Duran.
It’s not especially hard to see why Duran would be the least likely to sit on any given day. Abreu and Anthony both suffered from injuries last year that limited their playing time, while Duran has appeared in 317 of Boston’s 324 regular season games over the past two years. Rafaela, meanwhile, is by far the least accomplished hitter in the team’s outfield mix, and Duran is the next-best option in center defensively. With the Red Sox likely looking to avoid injury for Abreu and Anthony and Duran being needed to cover center on any day’s Rafaela is out of the lineup (or, perhaps, covering the infield), Duran once again figures to be part of the lineup on almost an everyday basis to start the year.
Of course, those plans could change in a hurry depending on performance. Anthony looks to be one of the brightest young stars in the game, and there may come a point where his value is simply too high to ever sit when he’s healthy. Abreu is the only one of the team’s four primary outfielders who can’t play center, but he also showed more ability to hit left-handed pitching than Duran has to this point in 2025 and could be a preferable choice against lefties if that trend continues in 2026. Even Rafaela has shown the ability to be a well-above average hitter when he gets hot, and at just 25 years old could certainly take his game to another level this year.
Cora’s public acknowledgment of the difficulties that come with having more outfielders than he can play on a regular basis is sure to keep conversations about the Red Sox potentially trading from their outfield glut in the rumor mill. The club has been heavily rumored to be considering doing so for years now, but they’ve yet to pull that trigger. Perhaps that could change when the right offer comes along, but with the season now underway it would be a surprise if that happened until closer to this year’s trade deadline.
If the team’s outfield logjam reaches a breaking point without a trade taking place, that could spell the end of Yoshida’s time on the roster. Cutting ties with the veteran DH is another move that’s been long speculated about for the Red Sox. While 47% of MLBTR readers believed Yoshida would not make the club’s Opening Day roster in a poll conducted when camp opened up back in February, he was able to earn a spot on the team’s roster to begin the year.
Still, his hold on a roster spot could prove tenuous if he doesn’t perform in his current part-time role. Yoshida is limited to DH and left field defensively, and his bat doesn’t compare to that of Anthony, Abreu, or Duran even when at his best. Last season he was a below-average offensive player in 55 games, and if he can’t turn things around this season it might be tempting for the Red Sox to carry a younger, more versatile player like Kristian Campbell on the roster instead. Even someone like Triston Casas, who is currently on the injured list but could pitch in at first base and offers intriguing power off the bench, could be a viable alternative if Yoshida struggles this year.
Cubs Outright Jack Neely
The Cubs have outrighted right-hander Jack Neely to Triple-A, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Neely was designated for assignment by the club prior to Opening Day in a move that made room for Michael Conforto on the team’s 40-man roster.
Neely, 25, was acquired from the Yankees at the 2024 trade deadline in exchange for Mark Leiter Jr. alongside Ben Cowles. The right-hander made his big league debut with Chicago down the stretch that year but struggled with a 9.00 ERA in six appearances despite a respectable 25.0% strikeout rate. His work in the minors during the 2023 and ’24 seasons had the look of a future staple of a big league bullpen, as his strikeout rate pushed 40% at the Double-A level. Unfortunately, his numbers fell off in a big way during the 2025 season. Neely struggled badly at the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate in Iowa and surrendered a 5.94 ERA in 33 1/3 innings of work. His 27.7% strikeout rate was solid, but it was overshadowed by a loss of control that resulted in a massive 18.1% walk rate.
Those numbers were unplayable enough that the Cubs did not turn to Neely in the majors at any point during the 2025 campaign, but his youth and prior minor league success was enough to convince them to keep him on the 40-man roster throughout the offseason. He looked much better in camp than he had during the prior year at Triple-A. He struck out 46.7% of batters faced in four scoreless appearances. That ultimately wasn’t enough to break camp in a crowded Cubs’ bullpen picture, however. At first, he seemed likely to head back to Triple-A as a depth option like Jordan Wicks, Javier Assad, Ryan Rolison and others, but when the team’s 40-man roster was squeezed by the need to add an extra bench bat following Seiya Suzuki‘s knee injury, Neely was the victim.
Now that the right-hander has cleared waivers unclaimed, the Cubs have outrighted him back to Triple-A. He’ll likely remain there for the rest of the season as non-roster bullpen depth for the Cubs, unless he gets added back to the 40-man roster and called up. Perhaps the 25-year-old will be able to post numbers more like his 2023-24 self and do just that, but if he fails to make the 40-man roster before the end of the year he’ll have the opportunity to elect minor league free agency following the season and sign with any of the league’s 30 clubs.
Rangers Re-Sign Ryan Brasier To Minor League Deal
The Rangers have re-signed right-hander Ryan Brasier, according to the transactions tracker on Brasier’s MLB.com profile page. Brasier had previously signed with Rangers back in February but was released just prior to Opening Day.
He returns to the organization after having failed to make the club’s roster out of camp. A veteran of nine MLB seasons, Brasier made his debut with the Angels back in 2013 but spent most of his career as a member of the Red Sox. After struggling badly to open the year in Boston back in 2023, Brasier found himself released and caught on with L.A. on a minor league deal. He wound up turning things around in a big way with the Dodgers and turned in a sensational 0.70 ERA across 39 games with the club the rest of the way. That was enough to convince the Dodgers to bring Brasier back on a two-year deal in free agency.
Brasier’s second season with the Dodgers went fairly well, though he spent a good portion of it on the injured list due to calf strain that cost him around half the year. When he was able to pitch, he was effective with a 3.54 ERA despite a 22.7% strikeout rate that was down nearly four points from his previous work with Los Angeles. That dip in strikeout rate was enough to squeeze Brasier off the club’s 40-man roster the following offseason, and as a result they traded him to the Cubs prior to the start of Spring Training. In Chicago, Brasier was once again sidelined by injuries, as he made two trips to the injured list due to a left groin strain that wound up costing him three months in total. When healthy, Brasier’s strikeout rate dipped further to just 19.0% as his ERA ticked upwards to 4.50.
Once Brasier reached free agency this offseason, he found a quiet market. While his peripherals with the Cubs (including a 3.17 FIP) were fairly solid, his strikeout rate continuing to drop and his struggles to stay healthy were enough to convince teams not to look the other way on his below-average run prevention in 2025. That left Brasier to try and fight his way onto the big league roster with the Rangers after joining the organization on a minor league deal. Unfortunately, he surrendered seven runs (six earned) during eight Spring Training appearances this year and was unable to secure a spot on Texas’s Opening Day roster. Now that he’s back with the organization, he’ll report to Triple-A Round Rock to open the year and get work in there as he attempts to ready himself for a big league opportunity down the line.
Brewers To Recall Jeferson Quero For MLB Debut, Place Andrew Vaughn On IL
2:06pm: Vaughn has been diagnosed with a fractured hand and will miss four to six weeks due to the injury, as relayed by McCalvy. He figures to undergo hamate surgery in the coming days.
11:16am: The Brewers are set to recall catching prospect Jeferson Quero for his MLB debut, per Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. A corresponding active roster move has not been announced, though MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reports that first baseman Andrew Vaughn is headed for the injured list due to a hand injury.
Quero, 23, was signed out of Venezuela by the Brewers as an international amateur and made his pro debut in the Arizona Complex League back in 2021. Since then, he’s climbed the minor league ladder fairly steadily but enjoyed a breakout season in 2023 that put him on the map as a prospect to watch. That year, he hit a very impressive .262/.339/.440 across 90 games at the Double-A level as a 20 year old while showing the ability to handle the catcher position. That was enough to make him a consensus top-40 prospect in the sport.
Since then, Quero’s star has lost some of its shine thanks to injuries. He played in just one game during the 2024 season due to a significant shoulder injury that wound up requiring surgery. He returned to the field of play last year, but a hamstring injury helped limit him to just 68 games, only 59 of which were at the Triple-A level. In the 250 plate appearances he did receive at Triple-A, the then-22-year-old Quero hit just .255/.336/.412. His 10.0% walk rate and 14.0% strikeout rate show solid plate discipline and contact ability, but he didn’t hit for much power to speak of with just 21 extra-base hits and six homers in that time. That 101 wRC+ showing, in conjunction with injury woes and questions about his arm strength following shoulder surgery, was enough to knock Quero off most top-100 prospect lists this offseason.
Still, it’s fair to remember that Quero hasn’t really struggled much at the plate throughout his minor league career to this point and has shown the skills necessary to be a quality catcher. It would surprise no one if he becomes an impressive partner to William Contreras in the Milwaukee catching tandem in the fairly near future. With that being said, that end goal appears relatively far off given the presence of Gary Sanchez on the club’s 40-man roster. He serves as Contreras’s primary backup and, as a veteran who has been a roughly league average offensive player for several years now, he should have a considerable leash in that role.
For now, however, the Brewers are going with a three-catcher roster due to Vaughn’s injury. Though only a league average hitter for his career, Vaughn slashed a sensational .308/.375/.493 in 63 games with Milwaukee last year after being acquired from the White Sox midway through the year. That showing was enough for the Brewers to hand Vaughn the keys to the first base job, but after he left yesterday’s game due to a hand injury he’s evidently now ticketed for a trip to the shelf. It’s unclear just how long Vaughn will be out of commission at this point, and while he’s gone adding Quero to the roster should free Sanchez up for some starts at first base. Quero, as another right-handed hitter, also keeps a righty bat in the club’s bench mix.
Of course, Sanchez isn’t likely to be the only one in the first base mix while Vaughn is out. Switch-hitting Luis Rengifo could see some time there, creating an opportunity to get more playing time as he shares third base with David Hamilton. Another option would be to get lefty-swinging outfielder Jake Bauers in at first base, which would then open the door for one of Rengifo, switch-hitter Blake Perkins, or righty hitter Brandon Lockridge in the outfield mix. Bauers is the most experienced first baseman on the roster at this point, with over 2000 innings at the position in the majors throughout his career.
Christopher Morel Sidelined 4-6 Weeks By Oblique Strain
The Marlins are placing infielder/outfielder Christopher Morel on the 10-day injured list, with Deyvison De Los Santos set to be recalled in the corresponding move. Manager Clayton McCullough told reporters (including Kevin Barral of Fish On First) this afternoon that Morel is expected to be sidelined for between four and six weeks by the oblique strain he’s suffering from.
Morel, 26, was non-tendered by the Rays back in November but signed a major league deal with the Marlins during the offseason with the expectation that he would serve as Miami’s starting first baseman. Morel’s career kicked off with a bang in Chicago when he was promoted to the majors straight from Double-A back in 2022 due to injures on the club’s roster. Morel served in a utility role for the club that year, splitting time between center field, third base, second base, and shortstop as needed. He was below average defensively at all of those positions, but hit a solid .235/.304/.433 in 113 games.
Headed into the 2023 season, Morel returned to the minors to start the year at Triple-A but was quickly called up and made the team’s starting DH, with occasional stints in the outfield and at second base as well. Morel delivered a banner offseason year that season, posting a 120 wRC+ and clubbing 26 homers in just 107 games. Once Morel showed the ability to offer such big time power, the Cubs opted to give him the keys to third base headed into 2024. Unfortunately, things went sideways for Morel in more ways than one that year. He was atrocious defensively at the hot corner, and despite solid peripheral numbers his bat wasn’t enough to justify an everyday spot in the lineup. He hit just .199/.302/.372 in 103 games for the Cubs that year before being shipped to the Rays as part of the Isaac Paredes trade at the 2024 trade deadline.
Morel’s year-and-a-half stint with the Rays saw things devolve further. The Rays committed to playing him nearly exclusively in left field during his time in the organization, with only brief cameos at second base and in right field. That was in hopes that focusing on one position could help him rediscover his groove on offense and be more effective on defense, but neither of those hopes panned out. Morel slashed just .208/.277/.355 in 154 games as a Ray, and in 105 games with Tampa last year he struck out at a massive 35.7% clip. The failed experiment of bringing Morel into the fold came to an end for Tampa when he was non-tendered back in November, but that opened the door for the Marlins to take a shot on him.
The low-stakes environment of a dubiously competitive Marlins team seemed like a good place for Morel to try and turn his career around, and playing him at first base would keep the expectations for his glove to a manageable level. Unfortunately, Morel’s oblique injury leaves him sidelined before he even got to take the field for Miami this year. He’ll now miss at least the first month of the season and figures to be back in action at some point in May. While Morel is out of commission, Connor Norby, Graham Pauley, and Javier Sanoja could all see additional time on the infield to make up for his absence.
The primary beneficiary of Morel’s absence, however, is De Los Santos. A 22-year-old corner infielder who has yet to make his big league debut, De Los Santos was one of the prospects traded to the Marlins by the Diamondbacks in the A.J. Puk deal during a breakout 2024 season. De Los Santos hasn’t yet lived up to that strong performance after struggling to hit for power at Triple-A in 2025, but could still be a valuable right-handed bat for Miami down the line. For now, he’ll get his first taste of big league action a little earlier than expected and have the opportunity to get into the lineup against southpaws.
The Opener: Opening Day Part 3, Hoerner, Team Debuts
With the 2026 season now underway, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:
1. Opening Day Part 3:
Most teams have already had their first game of the season, but a handful of clubs are only just now getting the Opening Day experience. The season begins today for fans of the A’s, Blue Jays, Rockies, Marlins, Royals, and Braves. The game between Kansas City and Atlanta is particularly exciting, given the impressive pitching matchup between a pair of excellent left-handers: Kansas City’s Cole Ragans and Atlanta’s Chris Sale. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15pm local time in Atlanta. Both Ragans and Sale missed time last year to injury, but the former has a 3.52 ERA in his last 45 starts while Sale has been even more impressive with a 2.46 ERA in 50 appearances.
2. Hoerner extension details incoming:
The Cubs and second baseman Nico Hoerner got together on a six-year extension last night. It’s the second six-year extension they’ve signed this week after star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong agreed to a $115MM deal. The financial details of Hoerner’s contract aren’t yet known but should come to light in short order. Hoerner would’ve been among the top free agents in this year’s class had he tested the open market after this season. It does bring about questions about the future of Matt Shaw on the Cubs’ roster, as Hoerner and new third baseman Alex Bregman are now both locked into the Chicago infield for the foreseeable future, leaving Shaw without a position.
3. Starters suiting up for new teams:
A pair of starters will be making their debuts with their new teams Friday. Tigers fans will get their first look at southpaw Framber Valdez, who’ll take on right-hander Michael King and the Padres. King is coming off an injury-marred 2025 season but is one of the most effective arms in the sport when healthy, while Valdez posted a 3.66 ERA with a 3.37 FIP in 192 innings of work last year.
Fans of Valdez’s former club in Houston will be getting their first look at right-hander Mike Burrows, who came to the ‘Stros from the Pirates in the three-team trade that sent Jacob Melton to Tampa Bay and Brandon Lowe to Pittsburgh. Burrows, 26, made 23 appearances (19 starts) for the Pirates last year and posted a 3.94 ERA, 24.1% strikeout rate and 7.7% walk rate in 96 innings. He’s gearing up for his first full big league season and will get started with tonight’s game against Yusei Kikuchi and the Angels.
Poll: Who Will Win The NL East?
With the first game of the 2026 season already in the rearview mirror, the offseason is now complete for MLB’s 30 teams. Until the playoffs begin, teams will be focused on a smaller goal: winning their division. In the run-up to the start of the season, we have been conducting a series of polls to gauge who MLBTR readers believe is the favorite in each division. The Blue Jays came out on top in the AL East, and the Tigers did the same in our poll on the AL Central, and the Mariners were predicted to win the AL West. In the NL West, the Dodgers predictably came out on top, while the the Cubs won a plurality (42%) of the votes in the NL Central. Today, we’ll round out this series of polls with a look at the NL East. All teams are listed in order of their 2025 regular season record:
Philadelphia Phillies (96-66)
The Phillies won the NL East in dominant fashion last year, but repeating that feat figures to be a much taller order in 2026. That’s because Philadelphia’s biggest offseason moves were focused on the same core that they’ve used for the last several years. Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto re-signed. Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo signed extensions. But none of that meaningfully pushes the ball forward relative to 2025. There were some external additions of note, like Adolis Garcia and Brad Keller, but the Phillies seem very comfortable banking on youngsters like Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter to pick up the slack left by departing All-Stars Ranger Suarez and Nick Castellanos. Will that be enough to keep them at the top of the NL East?
New York Mets (83-79)
The Mets completely overhauled their entire organization this offseason after missing the playoffs by a hair in 2025. Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, and Jeff McNeil (among others) are gone. Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Bo Bichette, Devin Williams and Luis Robert Jr. (among others) have arrived to replace them. The result is a completely overhauled lineup that offers the potential for a very impressive offense on paper but comes with real defensive questions as Bichette and Polanco are set to be tasked with learning new positions. With that said, the team’s biggest addition of the winter is surely Freddy Peralta, who will lead a rotation that also stands to get a full season from Nolan McLean this year. It was an unorthodox retool of the roster in Queens this offseason, but this year’s team built around Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor certainly has a chance to be a lot stronger than the one they leaned on last season.
Miami Marlins (79-83)
The Marlins surprised baseball fans in 2025 by nearly making it all the way back to .500, but that wasn’t enough to convince president of baseball operations Peter Bendix to call off the rebuild early. Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers were shipped out the door, while the team’s additions were fairly modest. Owen Caissie joined the team as part of the Cabrera trade return and could be a 30-homer bat in right field, mirroring 2025 All-Star Kyle Stowers in left once the latter is healthy, but a team relying on Christopher Morel at first base and Chris Paddack to be your big free agent additions to the lineup and rotation doesn’t offer much reason for optimism about the club’s division chances. Pete Fairbanks was a strong addition to the bullpen, but Miami will need a big rebound from Sandy Alcantara plus significant steps forward from youngsters like Connor Norby, Max Meyer, and Agustin Ramirez if they’re going to compete for the East.
Atlanta Braves (76-86)
No team in baseball had a more disappointing season last year than the Braves. Virtually everything went wrong in Atlanta last season, as the entire roster struggled with injuries and under-performance outside of a few bright spots like Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson. The good news for Atlanta is, they still have a very talented core on paper. Ronald Acuna Jr. is a superstar with an MVP award on his mantle. Chris Sale is a future Hall of Famer. Spencer Strider and Austin Riley are certainly capable of bouncing back. Additions like Robert Suarez and Mike Yastrzemski should be helpful, though Ha-Seong Kim is starting the season on the injured list after signing on to be their starting shortstop. The bones of a great team are certainly present, but it’s anyone’s guess whether Atlanta can perform up to that level this year.
Washington Nationals (66-96)
The Nationals enter 2026 with little reason for hope in the short-term. James Wood looks like a budding superstar, but MacKenzie Gore has been traded and CJ Abrams could follow suit later this year. Offseason additions like Zack Littell and Miles Mikolas in the rotation should help to eat innings but neither offers substantial upside. Fans in D.C. could hope for big years from players like Wood, Abrams, Cade Cavalli and Brady House, but even with those things going right, the best case scenario would be convincing newly-minted president of baseball operations Paul Toboni to try and make a more substantial effort to compete next year. It would take a minor miracle to get the Nationals into the postseason for 2026, much less as the champions of the NL East.
How do MLBTR readers think the NL East will play out this year? Will the Phillies hang on to win it again despite running it back? Will the Mets’ massive retool work out? Or will a team like the Marlins or Braves surprise and take the crown for themselves? Have your say in the poll below:
Who will win the NL East in 2026?
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Philadelphia Phillies 40% (2,316)
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New York Mets 33% (1,894)
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Atlanta Braves 21% (1,198)
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Washington Nationals 4% (212)
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Miami Marlins 3% (152)
Total votes: 5,772