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Athletics Sign Mark Leiter Jr.

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December 17th: The A’s have officially announced their signing of Leiter.

December 11th: The Athletics have reportedly reached an agreement with right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. on a one-year, $2.85MM contract. The signing is still pending a physical. Leiter is a client of VC Sports Group.

Leiter, 35 in March, made his big league debut back in 2017 but didn’t fully establish himself at the big league level until joining the Cubs in 2022. He served as a swing man and long reliever for Chicago that year, with a 3.99 in 67 2/3 innings of work in that role, but moved to a short relief role full-time in 2023. In 100 2/3 innings of work for the Cubs over the next two seasons, Leiter pitched to a 3.75 ERA with a 3.12 FIP while striking out 30.9% of his opponents and walking 8.8%.

Those exciting peripherals were enough to convince the Yankees to swing a trade for the right-hander at the 2024 trade deadline, but he struggled in New York even as his peripheral numbers remained strong. In 70 innings of work for the Yankees over parts of two seasons with the club, Leiter posted a 4.89 ERA despite a 4.07 FIP. In 2025, Leiter struck out 24.7% against a 7.8% walk rate while generating grounders on 45.5% of his batted balls allowed. Unfortunately for the righty, the results weren’t there enough for the Yankees to tender him a contract last month, and he wound up reaching free agency a year earlier than anticipated.

Headed into 2026, the A’s can expect Leiter to be a solid middle relief arm at least. His 4.15 ERA over the past four seasons is exactly league average (100) by ERA+, and the right-hander’s impressive splitter actually makes him particularly effective against left-handed batters. In 104 2/3 innings of work against lefties the last three years, Leiter has posted a 2.49 ERA and 2.57 FIP with a 32.1% strikeout rate. With league average results overall and elite numbers against lefties, Leiter has a much higher floor than a typical non-tendered middle relief arm, which is surely why he was able to command a solid guarantee even coming off a tough year in New York.

Leiter hasn’t managed to play up to his peripherals throughout his career, but if he can do so he could wind up a valuable setup man for the A’s this year. The righty’s 3.13 SIERA over the past three seasons ranks 13th among relievers with at least 150 innings of work since the start of the 2023 season, and that puts him on a similar level to well-regarded late-inning arms like Luke Weaver. Leiter’s .359 BABIP and 66.5% strand rate over the past two years indicate extremely poor fortune when it comes to batted balls and sequencing; if those numbers experience enough positive regression to get within spitting distance of league average, Leiter’s a good bet to be impactful at the back of the A’s bullpen next year.

It’s been a quiet offseason for the A’s so far, though there’s certain reasons for optimism regarding the club’s future. Nick Kurtz emerged as a potential superstar this year, and he’s backed by a core of exciting positional talent like Brent Rooker, Shea Langeliers, Jacob Wilson, and Lawrence Butler. The club’s pitching staff needs plenty of work if the team is going to contend in 2026, but adding Leiter to a bullpen that already houses respectable arms like Hogan Harris and Michael Kelly should be a small step towards accomplishing that goal. Jeffrey Springs and Luis Severino remain in the fold as solid back-of-the-rotation veterans, though it remains to be seen how much A’s ownership is willing to spend in order to augment that group. Whether the A’s are facing significant budget constraints or not, however, bringing Leiter into the fold as a reliever with possible late-inning upside on a relative bargain can only be a good thing for the club.

Robbie Hyde of Foul Territory first reported the agreement. Janie McCauley of The Associated Press reported the $2.85MM guarantee, after ESPN’s Jesse Rogers first noted it would close to $3MM.

Poll: Should The Mets Trade Mark Vientos?

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After losing Pete Alonso to the Orioles in free agency and trading Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, the Mets will need to reconfigure their lineup in a big way this winter. They’ve already added some of the pieces with which they’ll try to do that, bringing in Marcus Semien as the return for Nimmo and following that up by signing Jorge Polanco, but there’s clearly more work to do. It’s with that backdrop that reporting yesterday indicated the Mets could look to trade infielder Mark Vientos this winter, perhaps while eyeing the addition of a big bat to the lineup.

Trading Vientos certainly has some merit. The 26-year-old was a merely league average hitter by the numbers this year, with a 97 wRC+ thanks to his 40 extra-base hits (including 17 homers) propping up a paltry .289 on-base percentage. That sort of production won’t cut it for a poor defensive third baseman who figures to get the majority of his playing time at first base or DH next year, but his youth and power potential could still be enough to catch the eye of some teams in need of right-handed pop in their lineup, with the Mets perhaps getting some pitching back in return.

With that being said, trading Vientos wouldn’t come without risk. Still in his mid-20s, Vientos has already demonstrated the ability to potentially be an All-Star caliber bat. In 2024, he slashed .266/.322/.516 (132 wRC+) with 27 homers in 111 games. It was a strong enough performance to play as a regular at first base or overlook his defensive deficiencies at the hot corner. If the youngster can rediscover that form, he would offer the Mets a major boost. After all, the Mets themselves need additional righty pop in the lineup after losing Alonso. Letting their veteran slugger walk was already tough for fans to stomach and it would surely get even worse if Alonso’s heir apparent was traded away and broke out somewhere else.

How likely is a return to form for Vientos? The underlying metrics are mixed. Vientos didn’t live up to his expected numbers last year, which could be a sign that some positive regression is on the way. He actually lowered his strikeout rate substantially, dropping from 29.7% in 2024 to just 24.8% this year. Those are good signs and his .277 BABIP this season seems likely to improve going forward. With all of that being said, however, there are certainly some red flags. While his BABIP is likely to improve from last year, it’s unlikely to reach the level of his .324 mark from 2024. While his strikeout rate dropped by nearly five points, his once-elite barrel rate dropped by nearly three. In all likelihood, his true talent level lies somewhere between his weak 2025 and his impressive 2024.

The question then becomes about which side of the spectrum Vientos is more likely to fall on. If he figures to offer a bat with a wRC+ of 120 or greater on a consistent basis going forward, that would be hard to part with for a team in need of right-handed power like the Mets. With that said, if Vientos is more likely to be just a touch better than league average this year, it would be fair to wonder if the Mets would be better off focusing on adding a more impactful player like Kazuma Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami to the first base/DH mix.

Perhaps going with a free agent hitter in Vientos’s place and turning Vientos into a trade chip for pitching would be a smart call. Despite his uneven performance, other clubs would surely be interested in him, especially since he’s cheap. He has not yet qualified for arbitration and can be controlled for four full seasons before he’s slated for free agency.

With that said, it’s also worth considering how a more expensive addition like Okamoto or Murakami could impact the Mets’ ability to pursue an impactful outfielder. Cody Bellinger has been tied to the Mets frequently this winter, and while the rumors connecting the club to Kyle Tucker haven’t been nearly as ubiquitous, the possibility of a deal there is worth considering given the club’s need for outfield help and the small numbers of teams that could realistically meet his rumored asking price. If sticking with Vientos gave the Mets a better shot to land a big outfield bat, then perhaps the club would be better off keeping Vientos in the fold and trying to deal other young players and prospects for pitching help.

How do MLBTR readers think the Mets should proceed with Vientos? Should they keep him, risking an underwhelming 2026 season in order to keep their focus on improving the outfield in free agency? Or should they trade him and risk a breakout elsewhere in order to add more certainty to the lineup? Have your say in the poll below:

The Opener: Giants, Lefty Relievers, Posting Windows

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

1. Giants 40-man roster moves incoming:

The Giants signed right-handers Adrian Houser and Jason Foley to major league deals yesterday, and in doing so created in a logjam on their 40-man roster. San Francisco’s roster was already at capacity before those signings, so they’ll need to make a pair of corresponding moves in order to finalize those additions. Those transactions could be simply designating two other players for assignment, but it’s also possible that the Giants could look to work out a trade of some kind that clears 40-man roster space.

2. Market for lefties heating up:

While the bullpen market has been buzzing virtually the entire offseason, the market for specifically left-handed relief pitching had been a bit quieter until recently. As of early last week, Gregory Soto was most notable lefty to sign, but that dam has broken. Hoby Milner and Tyler Alexander signed late last week, and things picked up further yesterday with a trio of agreements: Caleb Thielbar returned to the Cubs after a strong rebound season, Drew Pomeranz signed with the Angels, and the Reds landed Caleb Ferguson. With that group off the board, the most notable lefties still on the market include Sean Newcomb, Taylor Rogers, Justin Wilson and Danny Coulombe.

3. Posting windows for Song, Murakami nearing their end:

When international players are posted for MLB teams, they’re given a limited window during which to sign. That window lasts 30 days for players coming over from the KBO, while NPB players have 45 days. Two such players are having their windows draw to a close in the next few days: KBO infielder Sung Mun Song, who will need to sign by December 21 at 4pm CT, and NPB slugger Munetaka Murakami, who will need to sign by December 22 at 4pm CT.

Murakami is by far the more well-known player, heralded for his youth and prodigious power despite concerns about his contact ability. He should land a healthy multi-year deal in free agency, though his camp has kept things very quiet to this point. Song hasn’t garnered as much fanfare but is coming off a pair of terrific seasons, wherein he combined to his .327/.397/.524 with a 10.5% walk rate and just a 14.3% strikeout rate.

Diamondbacks To Sign Merrill Kelly

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Dec. 16: Kelly’s contract also contains a vesting option for a third year, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. If Kelly reaches 170 innings in 2027, he’ll lock in a $12MM salary for the 2028 season. If he reaches 185 innings in ’27, that ’28 guarantee will jump to $14MM.

Dec. 14: The Diamondbacks are in the final stages of completing a two-year, $40MM contract with right-hander Merrill Kelly, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.  The deal will be official once Kelly passes a physical (as per Jon Heyman of The New York Post). Arizona will need to clear a space on its currently full 40-man roster.  Kelly is represented by Apex Baseball.

The 37-year-old Kelly returns to the team with which he has spent nearly his entire major league career. Though initially drafted by the Rays in the eighth-round of the 2010 draft, Kelly made his big league debut with the Diamondbacks back in 2019 after a four-season stay in Korea as a member of the KBO’s SK Wyverns (now known as the SSG Landers). After a pedestrian rookie campaign in the majors where he pitched to a league-average ERA in 32 starts, Kelly managed to fashion a role for himself as one of the better mid-rotation arms in the majors.

Since the start of the 2022 campaign, Kelly has pitched to a 3.47 ERA in 108 starts. He’s struck out 23.1% of his opponents while walking 7.7% in that time, leaving him with a 3.81 FIP. Although a 4.03 SIERA and other so-so peripherals cast him as a step down from your prototypical front-end starter, the veteran has managed to remain a durable and productive rotation piece. Kelly particularly endeared himself to Arizona fans when he delivered a brilliant 2.25 ERA over 24 postseason innings during the club’s run to the World Series in 2023.

Amid a disappointing 2025 season where the Diamondbacks were ravaged by injuries to everyone from star closers Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk to newly-signed ace Corbin Burnes, the team engaged in a sell-off at trade deadline and shipped Kelly to the Rangers in exchange for a trio of pitching prospects. Kelly put up fairly pedestrian numbers across ten starts with the Rangers: a 4.23 ERA and near-matching 4.18 FIP across 55 1/3 innings of work.

Even while the veteran was in Texas, an offseason reunion with the Diamondbacks was already being speculated upon. Kelly spoke fondly of Arizona and expressed an openness to re-signing when asked about the possibility while the Rangers were visiting Chase Field in the season’s final few weeks. “Definite” interest in a reunion with Kelly was reported on Arizona’s side shortly before last week’s Winter Meetings, and now the sides have come together on a deal.

Turning to the deal itself, Kelly’s $40MM guarantee clocks in just ahead of the two years and $36MM MLBTR predicted for the right-hander when ranking him as the #25 free agent in this offseason’s Top 50 MLB Free Agents list. The Snakes were aggressive both in their offer and the timing of the deal; while the free agent market for position players and especially relievers has kicked into gear already, Kelly is just the third starting pitcher from MLBTR’s Top 50 to sign a contract this offseason. He joins Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, both of whom received guarantees that slightly eclipsed MLBTR’s predictions.

Now that he’s set to return to Arizona, Kelly stands as the favorite to start for the Diamondbacks on Opening Day this year. He’ll join a rotation that already added Michael Soroka and will reunite with former teammates Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, and Ryne Nelson. Burnes could be a factor later in the season but is not expected to pitch until sometime in the second half after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June. While the team’s rotation certainly looks much more complete with Kelly back in the fold, bringing the right-hander back shouldn’t stop the team from pursuing other rotation additions after the club’s pitching staff finished 19th in the majors with a 4.29 ERA last year.

Of course, adding beyond this could prove to be easier said than done. The Diamondbacks are projected for a payroll just north of $171MM in 2026, according to RosterResource. That rises to north of $205MM for luxury tax purposes. GM Mike Hazen has suggested that, while Arizona’s payroll would likely be moving downward from its 2025 level, that would still leave the team with room to spend. The club spent $188MM on its payroll last season, however, meaning they currently sit less than $17MM from that mark.

Perhaps that leaves enough wiggle room to reunite with Paul Goldschmidt on an affordable one-year deal, a move the Diamondbacks have been said to be contemplating, but Kelly will surely go down as the team’s biggest expenditure unless an increase in payroll is approved or the team makes a trade that clears salary. To that latter point, the hot stove has been burning with Ketel Marte trade buzz in recent weeks. Moving Marte would certainly clear payroll off the books (and simultaneously add some young rotation options as part of the return), though Hazen has consistently downplayed the likelihood of a deal surrounding Marte actually coming together.

Mutual Interest In Reunion Between Luke Weaver, Yankees

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The Yankees have expressed “genuine interest” in bringing right-hander Luke Weaver back into the fold, according to a report from The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner. Weaver has likewise expressed interest in a reunion, though Kirschner notes that the righty is weighing his options and is seeking a multi-year deal this winter. The report adds that “about 10 teams” have at least checked in on Weaver this offseason.

Weaver, 32, was a first-round pick by the Cardinals back in 2014 and struggled as a back-of-the-rotation starter in the majors for years before moving to the bullpen with the Yankees in 2024. He’s been excellent in that role over the past two years, with a 3.21 ERA and 3.58 FIP across 148 2/3 innings of work. He’s picked up 12 saves with the Yankees in that time, but struggled late in the 2025 season with a 5.35 ERA from the start of July onwards, including a 9.64 ERA in 12 September appearances. Worrying as that late-season meltdown might be, however, a 2.96 xERA and 3.44 SIERA both indicate that he’s still a quality reliever and remains among the best options available on the market.

That’s especially true after the run on high-end relievers that’s taken place in the early weeks of free agency. Edwin Diaz, Devin Williams, Tyler Rogers, Raisel Iglesias, Kyle Finnegan, and Emilio Pagan are just some of the names on an expansive list of late-innings arms who have already landed somewhere, while the Yankees have yet to add to their bullpen at all this winter. The summer’s additions of David Bednar and Camilo Doval help to reduce pressure to land a high-end relief arm, but the loss of Williams and the potential loss of Weaver still leave a hole towards the back of the Yankees’ bullpen. Weaver is joined by former Rays closer Pete Fairbanks and 2025 standout Brad Keller as the top remaining relief arms in free agency, and it would surely behoove New York to add at least one of those players.

Of course, that doesn’t mean a deal will necessarily come together. The Yankees, as Kirschner notes, have recently been hesitant to give out multi-year deals to relievers in free agency. With Weaver seeking a multi-year contract and garnering interest from as much as a third of the league, it’s entirely possible that he’ll find the offer he’s looking for elsewhere if the Yankees aren’t willing to meet that price tag. The Cubs, Marlins, and Mets are among the other teams known to be looking for late-inning relievers this winter. If the Yankees continue to be hesitant about adding a multi-year reliever, they could move down a tier in free agency and target arms like Pierce Johnson, Chris Martin, or perhaps even old friend David Robertson. The trade market could provide another alternative, where Cardinals lefty JoJo Romero is among those known to be available.

The Opener: Griffin, Rangers, Roster Moves

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

1. Griffin nearing deal?

Yesterday, it was reported that left-hander Foster Griffin has received major league offers, including at least one multi-year offer. A former first-round pick by the Royals, the southpaw has just eight innings of MLB experience but enjoyed a brilliant campaign in Japan this year, with a 1.62 ERA and a 25.1% strikeout rate in 78 innings of work for Nippon Professional Baseball’s Yomiuri Giants. MLBTR’s Steve Adams reported yesterday that Griffin has spoken to eight different teams with varying interest levels in his services, while MLBNetwork’s Jon Morosi added that a deal could come together soon for Griffin. Which team will land the intriguing lefty?

2. Rangers press conference today:

The Rangers made official a pair of previously reported free agent signings yesterday when they announced the additions of catcher Danny Jansen and left-hander Tyler Alexander. Jansen replaces Jonah Heim in Texas’s catching tandem alongside Kyle Higashioka, while Alexander adds another lefty to the club’s bullpen to complement setup man Robert Garcia. At 11am local time today, president of baseball operations Chris Young and GM Ross Fenstermaker will be holding a press conference over Zoom to discuss the club’s latest signings with reporters. Amid an offseason where the Rangers are known to be limited in their ability to spend, today’s press conference could offer some indication towards the club’s plans for the remainder of the offseason and how much flexibility remains in the team’s budget.

3. 40-man roster moves incoming:

The Tigers, Diamondbacks, and Cardinals worked out deals with free agent right-handers Kenley Jansen, Merrill Kelly, and Dustin May, respectively, over the weekend. All three of those clubs have 40-man rosters already at capacity, however, and as a result each club will need to make a corresponding move the clears space on the 40-man before it can bring its new player into the fold officially. Those corresponding moves could be as simple as designating a player for assignment, though it’s also possible that a trade could be worked out that creates additional breathing room on the roster by trading someone already on the 40-man for non-roster prospects. That could be a particularly realistic route for the Cardinals, who are known to be engaging in trade conversations regarding a number of players on their roster as they enter a rebuilding period.

The Opener: Rotation Market, Relief Market, Mets

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With one free agent move already in the books this morning, here are three more things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world:

1. Will the rotation market heat up?

After weeks of a relatively frozen rotation market, things finally started to pick up this weekend when the Cardinals signed Dustin May to a one-year deal while the Diamondbacks reunited with Kelly on a pact worth $40MM over two years. The top of the market is still largely untouched (aside from Dylan Cease), leaving plenty of viable options for interested teams like Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, and Ranger Suarez. The middle tier of this year’s market could be moving more quickly, by contrast, with Kelly having now signed and plenty of buzz surrounding other mid-market players like Zac Gallen and Michael King. Who could be the next domino to fall?

2. Relief market dwindling fast:

The market for relief pitching has been by far the fastest moving of the winter so far, and that didn’t change this weekend. Kenley Jansen and Tyler Rogers both came off the board as the former inked a one-year pact with the Tigers while the latter landed with Toronto on a three-year deal. Precious few high-end relief arms remain available at this point, with Brad Keller and Pete Fairbanks standing out as the best of the rest. There are still some very interesting candidates who could be had on one-year deals due to age. That’s a group that includes right-hander Chris Martin, who reportedly plans to pitch in 2026 in his age-40 season.

3. Mets fill first base in unorthodox fashion; what’s next?

Mets fans are still reeling from the loss of Pete Alonso to the Orioles at this year’s Winter Meetings, but president of baseball operations David Stearns wasted no time in getting a deal done with another veteran bat who’ll effectively take his spot in the lineup. Switch-hitter Jorge Polanco inked a two-year deal to come to Queens over the weekend, and despite spending most of his big league career as a second baseman, he’ll reportedly be used primarily at first base and DH with the Mets. Polanco’s a quality addition to the lineup, to be sure, but he lacks the power potential that Alonso brought to the table on such a consistent basis. Will the Mets look to supplement that lost power with a big bat in the outfield or at third base? Is there a big move in store on the pitching side of things?

Tyler Glasnow Does Not Expect To Be Traded

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Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow’s name reportedly “came up” in trade talks with other teams in recent days, but Glasnow made an appearance on MLB Network Radio’s Sunday Sliders program with Dani Wexelman of SiriusXM and made clear that he does not expect to be traded. Per Wexelman, Glasnow went on to note that president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman had spoken to him directly and told him that he isn’t being traded.

That more or less puts to bed trade speculation regarding Glasnow this offseason. A California native, Glasnow was dealt from the Dodgers to the Rays two seasons ago and promptly signed an extension with his new team that runs through the 2028 season. Glasnow is owed $30MM annually for each of the next two seasons, and in 2028 the Dodgers hold a $30MM club option on his services that converts into a $21,562,500 player option if declined. For a player headed into his age-32 campaign who has delivered a 3.37 ERA, 3.24 FIP, and a 30.9% strikeout rate across 40 starts as a Dodger (not to mention a 1.69 ERA and 2.95 FIP in six playoff outings), that contract is something of a bargain.

Given the relatively short-term commitment to Glasnow, the Dodgers’ surplus of elite pitching talent, and a market for free agent arms that some teams seem less than enthused to spend in, it’s easy to see why some clubs may have asked after Glasnow in trade talks. At the same time, however, the Dodgers’ deep group of rotation options comes with an equally lengthy injury history. The quantity of arms Los Angeles has in its stable is more important for them than the average team given the number of oft-injured players the team has in the fold. Considering that reality, it’s not exactly a surprise that the Dodgers seem to have no intention of trading Glasnow this winter.

Glasnow isn’t the only Dodgers player whose name has entered the rumor mill this winter. Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez similarly had his floated in trade conversations, and while Dodgers brass suggested that a deal involving Hernandez was unlikely that hasn’t stopped the Royals from expressing interest in him. Of course, that interest was before yesterday’s trade with the Brewers that sent Angel Zerpa to Milwaukee while bringing outfielder Isaac Collins and right-hander Nick Mears back to Kansas City. With Collins and Lane Thomas in the fold, it’s possible that the Royals are done with external additions on the grass and will rely on players like Kyle Isbel and Jac Caglianone to fill out the rest of the outfield mix.

While deals involving Glasnow and Hernandez don’t seem likely at this point, the fact that multiple veteran pieces of the Dodgers’ roster have come up in trade talks could suggest an openness to creativity on the part of the World Series champs this offseason. Friedman previously suggested that the club’s aging core of talent and finding ways to get younger players opportunities to contribute is something that the club has begun weighing this winter, and it’s not hard to see how a deal involving a veteran or two could allow MLB’s oldest team to get younger and clear the deck for the next wave of young talent in L.A.’s lauded farm system.

Latest On Michael King’s Free Agency

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1:35pm: The Boston Globe’s initial report has been clarified to note that, while the Red Sox, Yankees, and Orioles are among the teams King is considering, there are no finalists for his services at this point.

1:11pm: Right-hander Michael King has narrowed his search for a new team to three options, according to a report from Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. Those teams are the Red Sox, Yankees, and Orioles. Additionally, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that the Rhode Island native and Boston College alum has “strong interest” in playing for Boston. Abraham notes that King would like to make a decision on his destination soon.

King, 30 has been among the league’s most widely sought-after starters this winter. He’s been connected to the Mets, Cubs, Tigers, Marlins, Angels, and Blue Jays in addition to the three apparent finalists for his services, and it’s not hard to see why the right-hander would garner such widespread interest. The 30-year-old flashed significant upside during his 2024 season with the Padres, when he pitched to a 2.95 ERA in 173 2/3 innings of work with a 3.33 FIP and a 27.7% strikeout rate. That was a strong enough performance to earn him a seventh-place finish in NL Cy Young award voting that year, which was his first as a full-time starter.

The right-hander seemingly appeared to be lined up for a massive payday heading into his platform season of 2025, but injuries complicated things this past year. King was limited to just 15 starts by a nerve issue in his shoulder (as well as a less significant knee injury late in the year), and while he dominated to the tune of a 2.59 ERA, 3.26 FIP, and a 28.4% strikeout rate in ten appearances prior to the shoulder injury, he didn’t look quite the same after returning with a 6.11 ERA and a 14.5% strikeout rate a 10.8% walk rate across his final five appearances in the regular season.

King moved to the bullpen for San Diego’s Wild Card series against the Cubs and looked more like himself as he struck out the side on 19 pitches in a scoreless inning of work, but headed into the offseason his second half struggles and significant injury woes left cause for concern as he entered free agency. He received a qualifying offer from the Padres, a positive sign that the club didn’t see King’s injuries as too concerning for the 2026 campaign, and declined it in order to pursue a multi-year pact in free agency.

Looking at the three teams still in the running for King’s services, the Orioles stand out as the team with the biggest need in their rotation. The club is coming off a deeply disappointing 2025 campaign where their decision to eschew high-end arms in free agency came back to bite them, as rolls of the dice on Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano failed to bear fruit while Zach Eflin took a big step back from his previous work with the Rays. While Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers could plausibly form an exciting front-of-the-rotation duo for the Orioles next year, adding at least one proven, playoff-caliber starter to the mix has been the team’s clear priority this winter.

King would certainly fit that mold if healthy, and likely could do so without breaking the bank and requiring Baltimore to commit to a second nine-figure contract this winter after they signed Pete Alonso last week. MLBTR predicted King to land a four-year, $80MM contract as the #14 ranked free agent in this offseason. Of course, with top-of-the-rotation upside and an expected contract price tag and length that falls below that of your typical front-end starter, there’s plenty of room for a more opportunistic team to get involved.

That’s likely where the Red Sox come in, given that Boston is incredibly deep in pitching talent as it is. Garrett Crochet leads a rotation that figures to also include Sonny Gray and Brayan Bello at the front end, with players like Johan Oviedo, Patrick Sandoval, and Connelly Early in the mix for the final spots as things stand. Kutter Crawford, Payton Tolle, Kyle Harrison, and Hunter Dobbins are among the pitchers who figure to serve as depth for the Red Sox this year, an embarrassment of riches that make adding a starter in free agency more of a luxury than a necessity.

Even so, landing King on a deal that the Red Sox perceive as good value would still make sense, as it could free them up to more fully explore trades involving some of their young pitching talent. Boston has already been connected to Ketel Marte, Willson Contreras, and Isaac Paredes on the free agent market as they search for help on offense this winter, and perhaps signing King and trading from their pitching depth to land one of those big names could be more attractive as an option than taking a swing on one of the big bats still available in free agency.

As for the Yankees, a reunion with the team King spent the first five years of his MLB career with splits the difference between the extremes Baltimore and Boston represent. New York isn’t in desperate need of a front-of-the-rotation ace with Max Fried already in place and Gerrit Cole expected back from Tommy John surgery at some point next year, but their rotation could certainly use additional depth. Cole and Carlos Rodon are both not expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign, while Clarke Schmidt figures to miss most if not all of next year.

That leaves the Yankees with an Opening Day rotation of Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Will Warren, and Allan Winans. Given Winans’s lack of MLB experience and Gil’s significant injury history, there’s certainly room for another quality starter in the Yankees’ rotation mix even if they don’t necessarily need one with the same level of upside that King offers. Even so, King was a popular player during his time with the Bronx and well-liked within the organization. Between the potential value to be had on King’s contract and his past connection to the club, it’s hardly a surprise that New York would get involved in his market as they survey the offseason landscape for rotation help.

Orioles Outright Ryan Noda

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The Orioles announced earlier this week that first baseman Ryan Noda has cleared outright waivers. Noda was designated for assignment by the Orioles last week.

Noda, 30 in March, was plucked from the Dodgers’ system by the Athletics in the 2022 Rule 5 draft. His rookie campaign in 2023 was a strong one, as he slashed .229/.364/.406 (122 wRC+) with a 15.6% walk rate and 39 extra-base hits in 128 games. With that being said, a 34.3% strikeout rate did not exactly bode well for Noda’s long-term ability to stick in the majors, especially given his relative lack of power. While his production was far above league average, it’s worth remembering that he required a massive .347 BABIP to garner those results.

All of those red flags have proved to be accurate in the years since. Noda had appeared in just 59 MLB games over the past two seasons with the A’s, Orioles, and White Sox. In that time, he’s hit a paltry .127/.262/.197. While his 14.7% walk rate in those games remains excellent, his 36.5% strikeout rate borders on completely unplayable and crosses over that line thanks to the complete lack of power Noda has offered. While Noda’s .205 BABIP in that time would surely tick up if given a full season of playing time, he’s unlikely to reach those unsustainable peaks he flashed in 2023 any time soon. His barrel rate dropped from 13.0% in his rookie season to just 6.1% the past two years, and his Hard-Hit rate also dropped more than ten points.

Overall, it’s a profile that’s become difficult to see succeeding in the majors. That’s becoming increasingly apparent as Noda has even struggled to hit at the Triple-A level in recent years, with a .188/.409/.361 slash line in 74 games between the Orioles, White Sox, Red Sox, and Angels organizations. Given his fall from grace even at the Triple-A level, it’s not necessarily a shock that Noda cleared waivers. Even so, his knack for drawing walks could make him a potentially valuable depth piece for the Orioles headed into next season. If the journeyman can manage to make a little more contact or get a little more power out of his swing, that disciplined approach at the plate provides a floor that could be built upon in a big way, as 2023 showed.

Now that he’s been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk, he’ll spend the 2026 season with the Orioles as a non-roster depth piece. After signing Pete Alonso last week to join players like Coby Mayo, Ryan Mountcastle, and even Samuel Basallo in the first base mix, Noda’s path to playing time at the big league level seems slim. With that said, injuries are always a risk, and it’s entirely possible one or both of Mayo and Mountcastle find themselves playing elsewhere by Opening Day in order to mroe fully clear the deck for Alonso’s arrival.

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