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Rays Sign Jake Woodford To Minor League Deal

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The Rays have signed right-hander Jake Woodford to a minor league deal with an invite to MLB spring training, as reported by MLBTR’s Steve Adams.

Woodford, 29, was a first-round pick by the Cardinals in the 2015 draft but didn’t make his MLB debut until the abbreviated 2020 season. He struggled to a 5.57 ERA as a long relief arm in his rookie year, but enjoyed better results come 2021 and ’22 with a respectable 3.26 ERA and 3.93 FIP in 116 total innings of work across those two campaigns. With that being said, his peripheral numbers weren’t quite so impressive. He struck out just 15.4% of his opponents while walking 7.5%. He did manage to make up for the lack of strikeouts by serving up grounders at a steady 45.8% clip, but the magic disappeared in 2023 as he was crushed to the tune of a 6.23 ERA before being non-tendered by the Cardinals that offseason.

Since departing St. Louis, Woodford has become a journeyman and hopped from team to team without sticking in any one organization for very long. In 2024 he split his time at the big league level between the White Sox and Pirates organizations but was torched to a 7.97 ERA in 35 innings of work despite a more manageable 4.94 FIP. After being DFA’d by Pittsburgh, he joined the Rockies last offseason but failed to break camp with the club and found himself on the market once again come Opening Day. From there, he caught on with the Yankees and Cubs organizations but did not make the majors with either club.

Woodford’s return to the big leagues came with the Diamondbacks this year, but he didn’t make the most of the opportunity. The right-hander made 22 appearances in Arizona but struggled badly, with a 6.44 ERA in 36 1/3 innings and a strikeout rate of just 13.5%. Arizona ultimately designated Woodford for assignment in late September, and he elected free agency shortly after the end of the 2025 campaign.

Now, Woodford is headed to one of the top teams in the league for pitching development as he looks to turn his career around. The Rays are known for their constant roster churn and their ability to turn otherwise unheralded pitchers into valuable pieces. It would hardly be a shock if they were able to unlock something with Woodford and help the right-hander get back on track, although Tampa has typically had more success unlocking arms with big strikeout potential like Edwin Uceta and Robert Stephenson. Either way, Woodford will enter the spring with a shot to compete for a long relief job in the bullpen with arms like Yoendrys Gomez and Joe Boyle.

Erik Swanson Announces Retirement

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Right-hander Erik Swanson announced his retirement yesterday on his personal Instagram account. Swanson, 32, pitched in parts of seven MLB seasons with the Blue Jays and Mariners.

The 32-year-old was an eighth-round pick by the Rangers back in 2014 and was a piece of two significant trades before he made his MLB debut. He was part of the package that Texas sent to the Yankees in exchange for the services of Carlos Beltran prior to the 2016 season, and then he was shipped to Seattle by the Yanks in the deal for James Paxton prior to the 2019 season. After pitching out of the bullpen in the Rangers’ system and starting during his time with the Yankees, Swanson made his big league debut with the Mariners in 2019 as a swing man.

That start to his career was a rocky one, as the right-hander posted a lackluster 5.74 ERA in 58 innings of work during his rookie season. Those innings were split between eight starts and 19 relief outings, He was back in the bullpen for the shortened 2020 season, but made just nine appearances and was lit up to the tune of 12 runs (11 earned) in just 7 2/3 innings of work despite a decent 24.3% strikeout rate. The Mariners stuck with Swanson headed into the 2021 season, however, and their commitment quickly began to pay dividends.

Swanson enjoyed the first truly successful season of his big league career in 2021. Though he only pitched 35 1/3 innings total, he looked great in doing so with a 3.31 ERA and a 24.8% strikeout rate across 33 appearances. He built on that solid performance the following year and enjoyed a breakout 2022 campaign. With a 1.68 ERA, 1.84 FIP, and 2.19 SIERA in 53 2/3 innings of work to go along with a 34.0% strikeout rate, Swanson was on the shortlist for the very best relievers in baseball that year. Among all pitchers with at least 50 innings of work that year, Swanson ranked in the top 10 by measure of SIERA (10th), K-BB% (10th), xERA (10th), ERA (9th), and FIP (3rd).

After that dominant season, the Mariners capitalized on Swanson’s value and made him a key piece of the trade that brought Teoscar Hernandez to Seattle. After being shipped to Toronto and suiting up for the Blue Jays, Swanson was unable to recreate his elite 2022 campaign but still enjoyed a strong 2023 as a quality late-inning arm. He pitched a career-high 66 2/3 innings across 69 appearances and turned in an impressive 2.97 ERA, though his strikeout rate dropped to 28.6% and his peripherals took a similar step back.

Unfortunately, things came off the rails for Swanson from there. In 2024, he struggled to a 5.03 ERA and had issues with his command across 45 appearances, surrendering 11 home runs in just 39 1/3 innings while his strikeout rate tumbled to 22.0%. The Jays held onto Swanson this year in hopes of a bounce back, but he dealt with nerve issues throughout the spring and had his season debut delayed until the start of June due to forearm soreness. He surrendered nine runs in six appearances before the Jays pulled the plug after just two weeks. He was released in late June and did not pitch professionally between then and his retirement announcement.

In all, Swanson posted a career 4.20 ERA in 246 games as a big leaguer. He struck out 281 batters across 266 innings of work and finishes his career with an 11-16 record and ten career saves. We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Swanson on a fine playing career and wish him all the best in his post-playing endeavors.

Twins Acquire Alex Jackson, Avoid Arbitration With Justin Topa

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9:57am: Darren Wolfson of KSTP reports that Topa will be guaranteed $1.225MM in 2026 by his new contract.

8:24am: The Twins have acquired catcher Alex Jackson from the Orioles in exchange for minor league infielder Payton Eeles, according to a report from Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. According to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic, Minnesota has designated outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. for assignment to make room for Jackson on the 40-man roster. The team has also avoided arbitration with right-hander Justin Topa on a one-year deal, per Gleeman.

Jackson, 30 next month, was a potential non-tender candidate ahead of this evening’s deadline. Projected for a $1.8MM salary in 2206 by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, Jackson was the Orioles’ third catcher behind Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo. While Baltimore could certainly consider a three-catcher roster in 2026 given the time Basallo is expected to spend at DH and first base next season, Maverick Handley remains on the 40-man roster as a potential third-string catcher behind the team’s primary tandem. That made Jackson somewhat expendable, and Baltimore has now decided to send him to Minnesota in order to shore up their upper-level infield depth in the minors.

As for the Twins, bringing Jackson into the fold gives the team a backup catcher behind Ryan Jeffers, replacing free agent veteran Christian Vazquez in the club’s catching tandem. Jackson was drafted sixth overall back in 2014 but hasn’t made much noise at the big league level despite his draft pedigree. He’s bounced between Atlanta, Miami, Milwaukee, Tampa, and Baltimore throughout his parts of six seasons in the majors and now seems poised to suit up for Minnesota in his seventh next year.

Jackson has typically been viewed as an adequate defender behind the plate, but his offensive numbers have typically left much to be desired. He entered the 2025 season with a career slash line of just .132/.224/.232 (29 wRC+), meaning he had been 71% worse than league average in his 340 trips to the plate at the big league level. A 37-game, 100-PA stint with the Orioles this year saw him show some signs of life offensively, as he hit a respectable .220/.290/.473 (111 wRC+) during that time.

Unfortunately, Jackson is unlikely to continue hitting at a 30-homer pace as he did in Baltimore this season, and his 37.0% strikeout rate against a walk rate of just 5.0% leaves much to be desired in terms of discipline. Jackson’s advanced metrics suggest his underlying performance remained below average this year, and in 2026 it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him take a significant step back with the bat. Still, he should provide the Twins with a cost-effective insurance option behind the plate in a market without much quality available behind the plate. Jackson joins Jeffers, Mickey Gasper, and Jhonny Pereda as catching options on the 40-man roster.

In exchange for Jackson, the Twins are surrendering Eeles. The infielder, who just celebrated his 26th birthday earlier this week, is listed at just 5’5” and hit just .253 with a .321 slugging percentage in 86 games at Triple-A this past year. What Eeles lacks in size and power potential is made up for by a strong understanding of the strike zone and speed on the basepaths, however. He posted an excellent 12.4% walk rate at Triple-A this past year while striking out at a solid 17.2% clip. He went 21-for-28 on the basepaths in just 378 plate appearances, suggesting he could be a threat to steal 30-to-40 bases over a full season.

Eeles has primarily played shortstop and second base throughout his time as a professional but has also made cameos at third base and all three outfield spots. That sort of versatile speedster is something the Orioles have long valued, as seen by the 408 games Jorge Mateo played for the Orioles over the past five seasons before becoming a free agent earlier this month. Given Eeles’s successful stint at the Triple-A level and Mateo’s departure, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him in the mix for a big league bench job in Baltimore at some point next season.

Turning back to Minnesota, the Twins are parting ways with Keirsey to make room for Jackson on the 40-man roster. Keirsey, 28, made his big league debut late in the 2024 season but made it into just six games, going 2-for-14 with a home run and a hit-by-pitch. He got a slightly longer audition in the majors this year, though he was mostly used as a defensive replacement and pinch runner across 74 games in the majors. In 88 trips to the plate this year, Keirsey hit just .107/.138/.179 while striking out at a 37.5% clip. He did manage to go 10-for-12 on the basepaths, but his lack of production with the bat makes him fairly expendable to a Twins club that has plenty of outfield talent already on the roster and in the upper levels of the minors.

In addition to this morning’s trade, the Twins also reached an agreement with Topa on a one-year deal to avoid arbitration. The exact figure isn’t known, but it’s worth noting that the right-hander’s projected arbitration salary sits at $1.7MM. Typically, pre-tender deals come in a bit below the player’s projected salary as the player looks to guarantee their 40-man roster spot. That may not necessarily be the case here, however, as Topa’s 3.90 ERA and 3.04 FIP in 60 innings cast him as a perfectly solid middle reliever. With that being said, Topa’s 18.3% strikeout rate leaves something to be desired even with a solid 47.7% ground ball rate. While Topa’s 2026 salary is not yet known, he’ll be a key part of Twins bullpen next year after Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and Louis Varland were all traded away at this summer’s deadline.

The Opener: Non-Tender Deadline, Trade Candidates, Posting Windows

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Non-tender deadline arrives:

This evening, teams around baseball will need to decide whether to offer contracts to their arbitration- and pre-arbitration level players. Those who are non-tendered will head directly into free agency without being placed on waivers. Earlier this week, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco made a comprehensive list of players who could at least theoretically be at risk of a non-tender today, although the majority of them likely will not actually head into free agency.

Many will simply be tendered a contract by their team and go through the normal arbitration process, landing a salary around what MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected for them last month. Others could sign at a discount right away on a “pre-tender” deal to avoid arbitration, like Connor Wong did with the Red Sox yesterday. Still others could be traded to another team more interested in paying their arbitration price tag, which we saw when the Astros and Braves swapped arbitration-level players by sending Mauricio Dubon to Atlanta in exchange for Nick Allen.

2. Trade candidates ahead of tonight’s deadline:

As teams look to get something out of players they’re considering a non-tender for, a number of trades could be possible today. The Rangers have already been shopping outfielder Adolis Garcia and catcher Jonah Heim for days as they look to shed payroll, and a non-tender could be in the cards for either or both if a trade isn’t worked out. Meanwhile, some players who were designated for assignment earlier this week could be traded in the coming hours before their team would otherwise cut them and send them into free agency. JJ Bleday of the A’s, Ramon Urias of the Astros, and Christopher Morel of the Rays are among the players DFA’d earlier this week who could theoretically still be dealt if a team was interested in picking them up at their arbitration price tag.

3. Posting windows opening:

For players coming over from Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan or South Korea’s Korean Baseball Organization, free agency can be a much more abbreviated affair. Players posted by their NPB clubs for MLB teams have just a 45-day window to sign, while that same window is only 30 days for KBO players. NPB right-hander Tatsuya Imai’s negotiating period began yesterday, and he’ll be followed today by both NPB infielder Kazuma Okamoto and righty Kona Takahashi according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Imai’s posting window will run through January 2, while Okamoto and Takahashi will both see their windows last through January 4. Top international power bat Munetaka Murakami’s negotiating window began two weeks ago, and KBO infielder Sung-mun Song figures to be officially posted this weekend to kick of his own window.

Poll: Should The White Sox Trade A Young Catcher?

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While they improved on their historically bad 2024 season this past year, the 2025 White Sox were still among the league’s bottom-feeders with little end in sight to the rebuild that GM Chris Getz is undertaking. The problem for Chicago is that they’re running out of notable pieces to dangle in trades if they hope to accelerate that rebuild. Andrew Benintendi has the capacity to be a decent corner bat, but he’s overpaid and could be difficult to move without eating almost all of his salary. Luis Robert Jr. has long been on the trade block, but the White Sox have never been able to extract the value they’re looking for.

That dearth of quality trade pieces could lead the Sox to look for more unorthodox trade candidates on their roster. For all of the team’s faults, Chicago does have one area of legitimate depth on its roster: young catching talent. Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel both turned in solid rookie seasons after entering the 2025 season as consensus top-100 prospects in the sport, and both players are controlled through the end of the 2031 season. Six full seasons of team control on a player who has already proved capable of hitting big league pitching from the toughest defensive position on the diamond is arguably one of the most attractive tradable assets in the entire game.

There’s also the current market conditions to consider. The free agent market is headlined by J.T. Realmuto but he’s expected to return to the Phillies. Even if he doesn’t, he’s about to turn 35 and some clubs would certainly prefer to find a younger franchise catcher like those currently on the White Sox. Apart from Realmuto, guys like Victor Caratini and Danny Jansen are the top guys available. Ryan Jeffers might be on the trade block but it’s not entirely confirmed that the Twins are going to continue the selloff they began at the deadline.

That could make it easy to dream on what sort of elite return the White Sox could get if they were willing to trade either Teel or Quero, both of whom they’ve received interest on. For a team with a need in the starting rotation, multiple holes in the lineup, and plenty of room to improve in the bullpen, a trade return with a number of players could help patch holes and quicken the team’s return to contention in an AL Central division that appeared a bit more vulnerable than expected by the end of the year. Teel or Quero would also not necessarily need to be replaced if traded given the presence of Korey Lee on the 40-man roster, though Lee’s track record in the majors is mixed at best.

An offer that included a controllable starter and help for the lineup could be hard to turn down, but Getz has indicated that he isn’t especially inclined to deal either Teel or Quero at this point. That’s understandable, given that the team has no reason to rush into a trade. Keeping both Teel and Quero in the fold would allow them to better evaluate which of the two is better suited to be a franchise cornerstone behind the plate and, if both players excel, wouldn’t substantially decrease their value on the market. Any loss in team control could be made up for or perhaps even exceeded by the value created by the youngster proving themselves more solidly at the big league level.

What’s more, waiting to trade could mean that the players acquired would be under control longer when the White Sox are earnestly trying to contend again. Acquiring a player with three years of team control in 2026 would likely only mean one or two years in the organization while its competitive, but acquiring a player with the same amount of control remaining a year or two from now could mean having that player’s services for a much larger portion of the team’s competitive window. Waiting would also allow the White Sox to better evaluate the rest of the talent in their system and more accurately identify which needs should be prioritized.

Of course, there’s risks in waiting as well. Injury or underperformance could diminish either player’s value. Given the inconsistencies that even high-end young catchers often face early in their time as big leaguers, the possibility of such a decline cannot be ignored. Perhaps future offseasons will have more catching talent available in free agency and/or trades.

Even if Teel and Quero both remain productive and command strong markets a year or two from now, there are drawbacks to waiting. For one, the clocks on the team’s existing young players are already ticking. Any time spent waiting out the market is time that acquired players and prospects won’t be able to spend alongside young up-and-comers like Shane Smith, Colson Montgomery, and whichever catcher does remain in Chicago long-term. Another concern would be that those players and prospects themselves may not yet be fully established at the big league level, and any additional development time necessary might be better done while the White Sox are still rebuilding rather than when they’re already trying to compete.

How do MLBTR readers think the White Sox should handle their catching surplus? Should the team be open to moving one of their top catching talents, or should they hold onto both players and continue evaluating them in 2026? Have your say in the poll below:

The Opener: Braves, Trade Market, Relief Market

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Braves getting down to business:

Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has long been known for his desire to move quickly during the offseason, and yesterday saw him kick off Atlanta’s offseason in a big way. The team re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias on a one-year deal worth $16MM and followed that move up by swinging a trade with the Astros for utilityman Mauricio Dubon. Iglesias helps to steady a bullpen mix that bid farewell to righties Tyler Kinley and Pierce Johnson when their club options were declined. Dubon gives the club a viable answer at shortstop should they fail to find an upgrade elsewhere and an excellent bench piece if he does wind up squeezed out of the starting lineup. In addition to further exploring the shortstop market, Atlanta will be on the hunt for rotation help and another reliever or two.

2. Trade market heating up?

The Dubon deal was the second notable trade in as many days, joining the surprise swap of Taylor Ward for Grayson Rodriguez between the Angels and Orioles. Neither Ward nor Rodriguez was a potential non-tender candidate, but Dubon and Nick Allen (whom the Astros acquired in exchange for Dubon) both might have been on their previous teams. MLBTR’s list of non-tender candidates released yesterday, and GMs around the league will surely be focused on trying to work out trades for any of their players who they don’t plan to tender a contract to tomorrow over the next day. Some notable trade candidates on that list include Jonah Heim, Adolis Garcia, Jonathan India, Alec Bohm, Jesus Sanchez, and Bailey Falter.

3. Could Iglesias spark more relief market movement?

Iglesias re-upping with the Braves wasn’t exactly a shocking move, given Atlanta’s proclivity towards familiar faces and a need for help at the back of a bullpen that lacked certainty outside of Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer. Even so, there have been indications this winter that the market for relief arms could move more quickly than other parts of free agency. Iglesias is far from the only interesting name available in a market led by Edwin Diaz. Robert Suarez, Ryan Helsley, and Devin Williams are all notable names who should get strong contracts this winter, while Brad Keller, Pete Fairbanks, and Luke Weaver might lack that star power but would still be exciting additions to the back of virtually any bullpen. Who will be the next to sign?

Poll: The Royals’ Second Base Decision

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Just under a year ago, the Royals and Reds made one of the first significant trades of the 2024-25 offseason when Kansas City acquired Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer in exchange for right-hander Brady Singer. The trade made plenty of sense at the time, as the Reds were in need of some reliability in their rotation while the Royals were desperate for offensive upgrades in the lineup. Singer fulfilled his role with the Reds for the most part, pitching to a solid 4.03 ERA in 32 starts. Things haven’t been quite so rosy on the Royals’ side of the equation, as Wiemer did not appear in an MLB game for the organization and India fell well short of expectations.

In 136 games this past year, the 28-year-old India split time between second base, third base, and left field while hitting .233/.323/.346 (89 wRC+). He was essentially a replacement level player, worth 0.4 WAR according Baseball Reference and -0.3 according to Fangraphs. That might sound surprising considering that India was within spitting distance of league average offensively and collected 567 plate appearances, but his defense was atrocious. His -14 Outs Above Average this year was in the first percentile among all qualified fielders, and he drew negative grades at every position he played. His -6 Defensive Runs Saved weren’t quite as ugly but still well below par.

Did India struggle enough that his first year in Kansas City will also be his last? He’s due to go through the arbitration process one final time in 2026, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him for a $7.4MM salary next year. That’s a hefty chunk of change to spend on a replacement level player, especially for a Royals club that doesn’t have much money to spend this winter without first making room in the budget. While Michael Massey’s 57 wRC+ in 77 games was even more disastrous than India’s 2025 campaign, Massey is projected for a salary of just $2MM next year and is controlled through the 2028 season.

It’s undeniable that India had the better numbers of the two and looking at his advanced metrics creates an argument that he could’ve easily been an average or better hitter with a little luck. His 18.7% strikeout rate was actually the lowest of his career, and while a 9.5% walk rate was below his career norms it was still above league average. The big problems for India were that his BABIP dropped twenty points below his career norms while he managed to slug just nine home runs after being consistently good for 15 to 20 homer power during his time with the Reds.

The good news is that India’s expected numbers were stronger than his actual production, so there’s at least some reason to believe he could bounce back a bit in his age-29 season. Some of that reduction in power figures to be due to the difference between Great American Ballpark and Kauffman Stadium, however, as the Reds play at one of the friendliest stadiums in the majors for homers while the Royals undeniably have a pitcher’s park. Meanwhile, Massey’s season offers little in the way of statistical signs that better days on the way, but it’s still worth noting he was a quality player as recently as last year and his 2025 season was marred by multiple injuries, including an ankle sprain and a broken wrist. Perhaps all Massey needs to turn things around for his age-28 season is better health.

If the Royals decided to stick with both players, they’d been committing nearly $10MM to what would essentially be a second base platoon that was below replacement level in 2025. That’s a big gamble given the club’s limited resources, but there aren’t really any safe options at the club’s disposal. Non-tendering both players would leave the team with a hole and a free agent class somewhat thin on mid-tier infield talent (Willi Castro, Miguel Rojas) isn’t likely to provide a substantial upgrade, leaving them to pursue possible trade candidates like Brendan Donovan and Nolan Gorman. Non-tendering India would free up the majority of that money while still keeping Massey in house as a potential upside option, but it’s unclear if someone who would be better than India would be available at his price tag anyway. Non-tendering Massey would save a modest amount of money but, given his years of control, would only make sense if the team doesn’t believe he’ll be able to rebound. The non-tender deadline is Friday, giving the Royals just a few more days to make a decision.

How do MLBTR readers think the Royals should address second base this winter? Should they go with India, go with Massey, keep both, or send both packing in search of a new answer? Have your say in the poll below:

The Opener: Orioles, DFA Limbo, Top 50 FA Podcast

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Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on today:

1. What’s next for the Orioles?

Last night’s surprising trade between the Orioles and Angels saw Baltimore bring Taylor Ward into the outfield mix, while Anaheim added a high upside arm to their rotation in Grayson Rodriguez. There’s little reason to wonder why the Angels swapped a rental bat for a roll of the dice on a young pitcher under long-term control who was once among the very best pitching prospects in baseball.

Baltimore’s motivations aren’t quite so easy to parse, given that the club’s outfield was already somewhat crowded with Ward now joining Tyler O’Neill, Colton Cowser, Dylan Beavers, Leody Taveras, Heston Kjerstad and prospect Enrique Bradfield. The trade helps balance out a lefty-heavy Orioles lineup, but Baltimore was already in clear need of additional rotation help. Might the addition of Ward signal that the O’s are prepared to use some of their existing outfield depth to help land a starter? Will they simply turn to the free agent market to fill out their starting staff?

2. Several players in DFA limbo ahead of non-tender deadline:

A large number of players were designated for assignment ahead of yesterday’s deadline to protect prospects from the Rule 5 draft. JJ Bleday, Christopher Morel, Jake Fraley, Tayler Saucedo, Jason Foley, and Ramon Urias stand out among the most notable names to end up in limbo after yesterday’s moves, and now those players figure to be available to any team interested in trading for them at a minimal price before their current teams likely non-tender them this coming Friday. Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia and catcher Jonah Heim weren’t designated for assignment, but they’re being shopped ahead of Friday’s non-tender deadline. Will Texas line up on a deal for either of the two?

3. MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agent podcast:

A special episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast goes live today, as Darragh McDonald is joined by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco for a two-hour conversation covering MLBTR’s list of the Top 50 MLB Free Agents for the 2025-26 offseason with predictions. Whether it’s a discussion of Kyle Tucker and MLBTR’s $400MM prediction for the offseason’s top free agent, or the unpredictability of Dylan Cease’s market coming off a relative down season, the podcast provides insight into the discussions that went into this year’s Top 50 list. The episode is already live on both Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and will be posted here on MLBTR later this morning!

Rangers Shopping Jonah Heim, Adolis Garcia

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The Rangers are shopping catcher Jonah Heim and outfielder Adolis Garcia ahead of the non-tender deadline on November 21st, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Passan adds that both players are candidates to be non-tendered if Texas is unable to work out trades for them.

Both longtime stalwarts of the Texas lineup were featured on MLBTR’s list of the Top 40 Trade Candidates for the 2025-26 offseason. While Heim and Garcia were both key parts of the core that won the 2023 World Series for the Rangers, neither has played especially well since then. Heim was a four-win player and an All-Star in 2023 but since then has slashed just .217/.269/.334 (71 wRC+) in 255 games with sharply declining defensive metrics behind the plate. Garcia has fallen from similar heights, as he garnered MVP votes and won a Gold Glove in 2023 but has hit just .225/.278/.397 (89 wRC+) in 289 games the past two seasons.

Given each player’s past success, it’s not impossible to imagine either one bouncing back to be quality players in 2026. With that being said, the Rangers are facing payroll constraints this winter that will make it difficult for them to roll the dice on either player. That makes the decision to shop them on the trade market an easy one, as they can look to potentially recoup some value for one or both players before they’re forced to either pay the pair hefty arbitration salaries or non-tender them, cutting them from the organization for no return whatsoever.

Of the two, Heim appears to be far more tradable. He’s projected for a salary of just $6MM by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz in 2026 as he heads into his age-31 campaign. That’s not a particularly onerous figure for even teams with real budgetary concerns, and between that light salary and the dearth of quality catching options around the league it would make sense if another club was interested in rolling the dice on Heim. Teams like the Rays, Padres, Astros, and Phillies all could be in the market for catching help this winter and could consider giving Heim a look.

Garcia, by contrast, seems harder to convince a team to take a chance on. He’s entering his age-33 season and is projected for a $12.1MM salary in 2026. While the market for right-handed outfielders is somewhat sparse this winter, players like Austin Hays, Miguel Andujar, and Rob Refsnyder all provided above-average offensive production from a corner outfield spot this past year and would likely be able to be had for much less than Garcia’s arbitration price tag. Teams might even see Garcia as more comparable to a roll of the dice on a player like Randal Grichuk, Lane Thomas, or Starling Marte, any of whom could be had in free agency much more affordably without having to trade anything away.

As for the Rangers, they’ll need to find another complement to Kyle Higashioka behind the plate if they wind up trading or non-tendering Heim. Garcia would be easier to replace internally given the presence of controllable outfielders like Alejandro Osuna and Michael Helman, though the team’s need for more offense could still lead them to peruse external additions to help Wyatt Langford, Josh Smith, and Evan Carter out on the grass as well.

Mets Making Brandon Nimmo, Kodai Senga Available In Trade Talks

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With Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz headed into free agency on the heels of a season where the Mets shockingly missed the postseason, it goes without saying that some significant changes will be coming to the Mets’ roster this winter. Much of the focus, naturally, has been on potential additions, whether that’s bringing back Alonso and Diaz or making a splash in the starting pitching market. There’s also been plenty of talk regarding players the Mets could look to part ways with on the trade market, however, and today Jeff Passan of ESPN made clear that two more names are available on the Mets’ roster: outfielder Brandon Nimmo and right-hander Kodai Senga.

Nimmo, 33 in March, is a somewhat surprising trade candidate due to the many complications surrounding a potential deal. The veteran has spent all ten seasons of his MLB career in Queens and has a no-trade clause. Nimmo would have to agree to any trade, which would naturally limit his suitors. While hardly an albatross, his contract isn’t exactly appealing, either. Nimmo has five years left on the eight-year, $162MM contract he signed with the Mets during the 2022-23 offseason. Just over $101MM of that money has yet to be paid out, and it’s hard to imagine Nimmo approaching five years and $101MM in free agency this winter if he was a free agent.

That would likely leave the Mets in a position where they would need to pay down a significant portion of Nimmo’s contract in order to facilitate a deal. Nimmo has been generally productive throughout his time in New York but has watched his numbers fall off a bit over the past two seasons. Since the start of the 2024 campaign, he’s slashed a combined .244/.326/.418 with 48 homers and 52 doubles, a 22.7% strikeout rate against a 9.8% walk rate, and a wRC+ of 111. He’s been worth 5.8 WAR according to Fangraphs and 5.1 WAR according to Baseball Reference over the past two years. While he was once a capable center fielder, his defense has dropped off enough that he’s more of a roughly average glove in a corner outfield spot, with -1 Outs Above Average and +3 Defensive Runs Saves in outfield this season with him starting 146 of his 147 games in the field out in left.

A two-to-three win corner outfielder is certainly something plenty of teams could use, and Nimmo does deserve acknowledgement for his reliability. Outside of his 32-game debut season in 2016, Nimmo has never posted a wRC+ below 108. Injury woes early in his career have subsided as well, and he’s played in at least 150 games with at least 650 plate appearances in each of the past four years. That four year stretch has seen him average 22 homers, 28 doubles, and a 10.2% walk rate against a 21.0% strikeout rate. With an above average track record in the outfield, he’ll surely be appealing to teams if the Mets were willing to pay down enough of his salary to make the inevitable decline as Nimmo enters his mid-to-late 30s easier to stomach.

Finding a fit for Nimmo’s services depends entirely on how much money the Mets would be willing to eat and where Nimmo would be willing to be traded. The Royals and Guardians are two of the teams most desperately in need of outfield help in the game, but they operate with small budgets and may not be the sort of consistent contender a veteran like Nimmo would surely prefer to play for. The Phillies have money to spend, a hole in the outfield, and recent success, but it would be a shock to see the Mets trade a franchise stalwart to one of their biggest rivals. Perhaps the Yankees would be a fit as they look for outfield help, though the club may simply prefer to re-sign Cody Bellinger or Trent Grisham rather than bring Nimmo into the fold.

As for Senga, the mercurial right-hander has already been known to be garnering interest on the market, though the Mets’ level of interest in moving hasn’t been clear. Passan reports that the righty is “extremely available,” however, and adds that multiple executives expect him to be traded this winter. The Orioles, Cubs, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Padres are on a long list of teams known to be looking for starting pitching help this winter, and any could make sense as trade partners for the Mets if they do decide to move Senga. The two years and $28MM guaranteed remaining on Senga’s contract could make him a particularly intriguing fit for teams hoping to fill a rotation spot on a budget like San Diego.

While the Mets are expected to add to their rotation rather than subtract this winter, room will need to be made in the rotation mix for external additions as well as up-and-coming youngsters like Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat.  That’s enough to make a Senga trade worth thinking about for the front office, especially given the highs that could make him enticing to suitors have been matched by equally distressing lows.

The righty sports a career 3.00 ERA and 3.82 FIP across three seasons in the majors to go with a 26.8% strikeout rate, but an 11.1% walk rate, struggles bouncing back from injuries, and the fact that he’ll turn 33 in January all raise questions about his future. Senga struggled badly enough in the second half this past year that he agreed to be optioned to the minor leagues in September and would only have been part of the Mets’ playoff picture if their rotation mix suffered multiple October injuries, suggesting that the organization had little faith in the righty at the end of this past season.

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