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Shawn Armstrong Hoping To Return To Rangers

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Free agent reliever Shawn Armstrong is coming off a career-best season with the Rangers and is hopeful of returning to Texas this offseason, per Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Wilson adds that the 35-year-old Armstrong is “likely” seeking a two-year deal, which comes as little surprise given the quality of the season he just had.

The journeyman Armstrong has pitched for four teams in the past two seasons and eight in his big league career. Seeking out some more certainty and stability is understandable, particularly on the heels of a year in which he posted a career-high 74 innings with a sparkling 2.31 ERA. Armstrong punched out 26.1% of his opponents, though his 10.3% swinging-strike rate and 23.3% opponents’ chase rate don’t necessarily support a return to that level of bat-missing. The right-hander’s 7% walk rate was also strong, however, and opponents averaged just 88 mph off the bat against him with a paltry 34.2% hard-hit rate.

Armstrong has had a tumultuous career in terms of year-to-year results. He’s pitched at least eight MLB frames in each of the past 11 seasons but has had trouble sticking in one spot and repeating his best seasons. His ERA marks fluctuate wildly on a year-to-year basis, but in the aggregate, Armstrong has been a quality big league reliever. In 421 1/3 frames, the former 18th-round pick has turned in a 3.82 ERA with a 24.3% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate. That includes a 2.94 ERA over the past three seasons, though that’s broken down in the form of a 1.83 ERA in 2023, a 4.86 mark in 2024 and this past season’s 2.31 level.

In terms of velocity, Armstrong topped out with a 95.3 mph average fastball back in 2022. He was down to 93.5 mph in 2025, but that mark was slightly better than last year’s 93.3 mph mark. As with his run-prevention numbers, Armstrong’s velocity readings have oscillated over the years. He complements his four-seamer with a cutter, sinker and slider, using the four at similar clips (between 23.4% and 29.1%).

The Rangers entered the 2024-25 offseason in desperate need of a bullpen overhaul. They achieved that goal almost exclusively via one-year deals in free agency. Beyond trading Nathaniel Lowe for Robert Garcia, Texas signed Armstrong, Chris Martin, Hoby Milner, Luke Jackson and Jacob Webb to one-year contracts. All of those deals, other than Jackson, paid off handsomely. It was an impressive run of bargain-level success stories, but because Texas operated primarily in the one-year deal bin, the Rangers watched nearly their entire bullpen hit free agency this offseason. They’ll need to similarly restock the shelves this offseason, and replicating that level of success will be a tall order.

Whether Texas will shell out the type of money necessary to retain Armstrong at peak value is entirely unclear. The Rangers haven’t been shy about the fact that payroll is going down. They already traded the final three seasons of Marcus Semien’s contract for five years of Brandon Nimmo, who has a lighter annual luxury-tax hit. Nimmo said he only agreed to waive his no-trade clause with the Mets after talking to Rangers president of baseball ops Chris Young and being assured that Texas is not heading into a rebuild. Be that as it may, the Rangers are spending less.

Wilson speculates that if Armstrong is seeking a two-year deal similar to the one signed by former Rangers bullpen-mate Phil Maton — the Rangers added Maton and Danny Coulombe at the trade deadline — that might be too steep. Maton landed two years and a total of $14.5MM with the Cubs. He adds that both Milner and Coulombe live in the area and thus might be more amenable to signing back in Texas at slightly on affordable deals.

Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

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Steve Adams

  • Good afternoon! Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday. I'll get going at 3pm CT today, but as always, feel free to send in some questions in advance if you prefer!
  • Hey there! We'll get started a few minutes early today

JeDi Mind trick

  • Is Tatis really available? What kind of package from the M’s would it take?

Steve Adams

  • Tatis isn't going to be moved, no. The Padres have payroll concerns, but the idea of them trading Tatis isn't really rooted in much more than wishcasting.Plus, he still has nine years and $286MM to go on his contract. Moving a contract of that size and lining up on younger talent going back to San Diego would be an immense undertaking. And I don't know that the Mariners are looking to add another $250MM+ outfielder alongside Julio.

Next Rangers moves?

  • What are the chances of the Rangers signing Luis Arraez for 3B and getting either Yates or Robertson back to close?

Steve Adams

  • I have seen fans -- Rangers, in particular -- suggest Arraez at second base and third base. I cannot fathom a team playing him regularly at third base, and second is only moderately more likely. If you sign Arraez, just play him at first base.I also doubt Texas is spending that type of one-year money on a reliever, though I suppose maybe Robertson's price isn't all that high after a so-so run in his return to Philly

Cody Ponce should sign with...

  • Plenty of teams need pitching. Cody Ponce is a very interesting name for a variety of teams; especially those that would be more comfortable with handing out shorter term contracts to starters. Given that Ponce appears in line for a contract worth $10M to $14M a year over 3 or 4 years, which teams do you see as being the most aggressive/better fits for him?I could see the Brewers, Orioles, and Giants being the most aggressive for him due to need and cost.

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Latest On Cody Ponce

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Right-hander Cody Ponce left South Korea this past weekend to travel back to the United States, per a report from Bae Young-Uen of the Korea JoongAng Daily. Ponce and his wife welcomed a daughter in early November and had been planning to remain in South Korea through the end of the year as a result, but interest in the right-hander has picked up enough that he’s traveling back to North America earlier than anticipated (presumably for some in-person meetings).

Interest in the 6’6″ righty indeed appears strong. Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo of The Athletic reported this morning that Ponce could more than double the $15MM guarantee secured by Erick Fedde in his return to Major League Baseball from the Korea Baseball Organization two offseasons ago. Clubs are generally expecting Ponce to command a three-year contract, per The Athletic report. Fedde’s $15MM guarantee is the largest a North American pitcher has received upon returning from the KBO, so doubling that (or more) would establish a new precedent.

Topping $30MM would be fairly sizable risk on a 31-year-old (32 in April) who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2021 and has never had much big league success. Ponce, however, was recently named the KBO MVP after a historically dominant season. Pitching to a 1.89 ERA in 180 2/3 innings with the Hanwha Eagles, Ponce set the single-season strikeout record (252) and the single-game strikeout record (18) in South Korea’s top league. He fanned a comical 36.2% of his opponents with a mammoth 16.5% swinging-strike rate and just a 5.9% walk rate.

Back in 2020-21, Ponce threw 55 1/3 innings for the Pirates, who’d acquired him from the division-rival Brewers. The former second-round pick was roughed up for a 5.86 ERA in 55 1/3 innings and struck out only 19.6% of his opponents.

Things have changed for Ponce since that first MLB run. He’s spent three years pitching in Japan and a fourth (2025) in Korea. The 255-pound righty has added substantial velocity, jumping from a 93.2 mph average fastball with the Pirates to what The Athletic’s Eno Sarris suggests was a 95 mph average with the Eagles.

Evaluators who spoke to MLBTR last month ahead of our Top 50 Free Agent List (where Ponce ranked 39th) offered similar reviews, noting that he sat 94-96 mph and topped out at 98 mph. Ponce has also added a splitter and kick changeup that have missed bats. A scout who spoke to MLBTR brought Ponce up unprompted when discussing other free agents from Japan’s NPB and the KBO, opining that he might top $20MM. That was before free agency opened in earnest.

If there was any doubt about Ponce’s looming return to MLB, the Eagles’ actions since season’s end likely erase that. The JoongAng Daily report indicates that Hanwha has already effectively replaced Ponce by signing 26-year-old righty Wilkel Hernandez, who spent the past several seasons pitching with the Tigers’ Triple-A club. If the Eagles felt there was any chance of retaining their ace and reigning MVP, they’d surely have waited, as KBO teams are restricted on the number of foreign players they can roster.

Rays Hire Brandon Hyde As Senior Advisor To Baseball Operations

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Dec. 1: The Rays announced Monday that Hyde has joined the organization as a senior advisor to the baseball operations department.

Nov. 26: Former Orioles skipper Brandon Hyde is in talks with the Rays about taking a position within the organization, reports Robert Murray of Fansided. The two parties have been discussing a senior advisor role that would see Hyde work with both the major league club and various minor league affiliates, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times adds. Murray indicates that while an agreement has not yet been finalized, Hyde is expected to end up working for the Rays for the upcoming season.

Hyde, 52, managed the Orioles from 2019-25. In his seven seasons with Baltimore, his clubs produced a 421-491 record. Judging any manager based on wins and losses alone is a frivolous endeavor, though, and that’s especially true of Hyde, whose first season in Baltimore coincided with a complete teardown and rebuild of the organization. Following the 2018 season, the Orioles dismissed general manager Dan Duquette, hiring current president of baseball operations Mike Elias in his place. Elias installed Hyde as his new skipper but also gutted the roster and spent several seasons tanking while working to rebuild the farm system and modernize the infrastructure of the organization.

Hyde oversaw winning teams each season from 2022-24 and was named 2023 AL Manager of the Year after the O’s won the American League East and piled up 101 victories. The Orioles went to the postseason in both 2023 and 2024 but were swept out of the playoffs both times — first in the ALDS by the eventual World Series champion Rangers and next by the Royals in the 2024 Wild Card round of play.

The Orioles entered 2025 with big expectations but floundered out of the gates thanks to a clear lack of starting pitching and a lineup that wasn’t performing as expected. By mid-May, the 15-28 Orioles had seen their season already slip away. Hyde was dismissed from his managerial post and replaced by third base coach Tony Mansolino on an interim basis.

Prior to his time at the helm in Baltimore, Hyde was a bench coach and first base coach with the Cubs. Before that, he spent two seasons as the Marlins’ bench coach plus several years as a manager, hitting coach and field coordinator in Miami’s minor league ranks. A catcher and first baseman in his playing days, Hyde also spent four years playing in the White Sox’ system before moving onto the coaching and managerial phase of his career.

Tigers Interested In Re-Signing Kyle Finnegan

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Right-hander Kyle Finnegan was quick to say after the season that he enjoyed his time in Detroit after coming over in a deadline deal with the Nationals and that he’d be open to a return. Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg tells Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press that the interest is mutual, citing Finnegan’s open-mindedness to the adjustments the Tigers suggested as well as his strong results and his “impact” in the clubhouse.

A year ago at this time, Finnegan was coming off a brutal finish to his 2024 season and was actually non-tendered by the Nats. Petzold reports that the Tigers had interest in him last offseason, but Finnegan opted to return to Washington on a lesser guarantee ($6MM) than his projected arbitration price — particularly when factoring in some deferred money. Finnegan bounced back with a solid first four months in D.C., but it was the trade to the Tigers that really seemed to elevate his status. New coaching and a much heavier slate of data tailored to his strengths and weaknesses coaxed a new level of performance out of Finnegan. He’s always thrown hard but never missed bats like one might expect from someone sitting 97 mph with his heater.

The Tigers had Finnegan throw his splitter at career-high rates and slightly raised the horizontal release point on both his four-seamer and splitter. He rattled off 18 innings with a 1.50 ERA, 34.8% strikeout rate and 6.1% walk rate. Finnegan didn’t miss many bats in the postseason but was clearly one of A.J. Hinch’s most trusted relievers both in the regular season and in the playoffs.

Detroit’s bullpen is in dire need of upgrades. Will Vest, Tyler Holton, Brant Hurter and Brenan Hanifee all posted quality earned run averages, but Holton and Hanifee both logged well below-average strikeout rates. Neither Hanifee nor Hurter was used regularly in high-leverage spots. Meanwhile, veteran relievers Rafael Montero, Tommy Kahnle and Paul Sewald all hit free agency alongside Finnegan.

The Tigers have been linked to both Devin Williams and Ryan Helsley thus far in the offseason, though their interest in Helsley was reportedly as a starting pitcher and he’s since signed on as the Orioles’ new closer. President of baseball operations Scott Harris has spoken openly about a desire to improve the lineup’s contact rate, but Greenberg has publicly stated that pitching is the top priority early in the offseason. The Tigers are looking around the rotation market even after Jack Flaherty exercised his 2026 player option to return, and the GM has been frank in stating that he and Harris “certainly” need to add some quality relief arms.

Astros Open To Moving Jake Meyers In Search For Rotation Help

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The Astros don’t have a ton of breathing room between their current payroll figures and the first tier of the luxury tax threshold — a line owner Jim Crane is once again reportedly loath to cross. With a prominent need in the rotation, they’ve been exploring both the free agent and trade markets. One scenario in play, per Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome of The Athletic, is to trade center fielder Jake Meyers for pitching help. Meyers is drawing plenty trade interest, per the report, and Houston brass is open to moving him if it’d mean adding a starter with multiple years of club control remaining.

The 29-year-old Meyers (30 next June) isn’t necessarily a household name, but the defensive standout is coming off a strong all-around season. In 381 trips to the plate, Meyers hit .292/.354/.373 with a career-best 8.1% walk rate and career-low 17.6% strikeout rate. He hit three home runs, 15 doubles and two triples and added 16 steals in 21 attempts.

Meyers’ power output in 2025 was a career-low, but he didn’t experience an especially alarming dip in his quality of contact. He averaged 88.1 mph off the bat, which is south of the league average but right in line with the 88.2 mph he averaged in 2024, when he hit a career-high 13 homers in 513 plate appearances. His 38.9% hard-hit rate was actually higher than the 37% mark he posted in ’24. Meyers hit more line drives and grounders in 2025, however. His 28.4% fly-ball rate was his lowest since 2022, and his percentage of fly-balls that left the yard — just 3.8% — was a career-low mark. A .353 average on balls in play boosted his production but also feels ripe for regression.

Even if there’s some regression in store, though, Meyers is a potentially impactful player when considering the totality of his skill set. He’s never posted a below-average (or even average) season in center in the eyes of Statcast, Defensive Runs Saved or Ultimate Zone Rating. In nearly 3500 career innings in center, Meyers has posted 22 DRS and 41 Outs Above Average.

Meyers has had elite sprint speed in the past, sitting as high as the 92nd percentile of big league position players as recently as 2023. His sprint speed wilted in a 2025 season that saw him endure a pair of IL stints due to calf injuries, though it still sat well above average (71st percentile). It’s feasible that with better health in his legs, his speed and defensive grades could trend upward. Notably, he’d already swiped 14 bags by the end of June but stole only twice more the rest of the way; his first IL placement due to a calf strain came in early July.

It seems fair to infer that Meyers wasn’t operating at full speed at any point down the stretch. He was out from early July through early September and hit just .204/.271/.204 in 59 plate appearances following his return from the IL. He was sporting a .308/.369/.405 batting line (buoyed by a .374 BABIP) at the time of his injury.

Meyers is controllable for another two seasons via arbitration. He’s also quite affordable, projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn just $3.5MM in 2026. His availability comes at a time when the center field market is otherwise paper-thin. Trent Grisham accepted his qualifying offer from the Yankees. Cody Bellinger is a free agent but is more of a corner outfielder/first baseman and occasional center fielder than an everyday option in center. Harrison Bader is a free agent but has an inconsistent track record at the plate. Free agents Cedric Mullins and Lane Thomas are pure rebound candidates. The trade market offers names like Alek Thomas and Jarren Duran, but the former has never hit in the majors and the latter played primarily left field in 2025. Duran would also have a steeper acquisition cost than Meyers.

Of course, trading Meyers would create a center field void for the Astros themselves. They got some nice production out of 25-year-old Zach Cole in his 15-game debut late in the season, but it’s worth taking with a heavy grain of salt. Cole hit .255/.327/.553 with four homers in just 52 plate appearances, but he also fanned at a 38.5% clip. If that alarming strikeout rate were unique to his big league tenure, perhaps it could be chalked up to simple small-sample noise — but that’s not the case. Cole went down on strikes in a colossal 35.1% of his 416 minor league plate appearances in 2025 as well. He punched out in more than 38% of his Double-A plate appearances in 2024, too.

Impressive as Cole’s brief debut was, he’s not going to be able to cut it as a big league regular with such a glaringly deficient hit tool. Former top prospect Jacob Melton gives the ’Stros another potential option, but he was limited to just 67 games between Triple-A and the majors thanks to injuries this past season. He hit very well in 150 Triple-A plate appearances (.286/.389/.556) and quite poorly in 78 major league turns at the plate (.157/.234/.186, 37.7 K%). Taylor Trammell, an older and more traveled former top prospect, didn’t fare much better in 135 plate appearances (.197/.296/.333).

The Astros gave 2023 first-round pick Brice Matthews nine games in center field at the Triple-A level last season. He’s traditionally been a middle infielder, but with Carlos Correa joining an infield mix that also includes Jeremy Pena, Isaac Paredes and Jose Altuve, there’s no room in the middle infield. Matthews hit .260/.371/.458 (118 wRC+) in 498 Triple-A plate appearances last year but just .167/.222/.452 with a 42.6% strikeout rate in 47 MLB plate appearances.

If the Astros feel confident that some combination of Matthews, Melton and Cole can hold down the fort in center field next season, then trading Meyers becomes easier to stomach. However, it’s also fair to wonder what type of arm Houston could acquire in return for Meyers. He certainly has trade value, but two years of a slick-fielding, light-hitting center fielder isn’t likely to net a pitcher who can fill the shoes of the outgoing Framber Valdez. The Astros could likely bring in a back-of-the-rotation arm or perhaps some kind of rebound/upside play with multiple seasons of club control, but even if they deepen the rotation by way of a Meyers trade, they’ll be counting on Cristian Javier and/or Lance McCullers Jr. to return to their pre-injury form after shaky 2025 comebacks.

Caleb Boushley Signs With KBO’s KT Wiz

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The KT Wiz of the Korea Baseball Organization announced this week that they’ve signed former Brewers, Twins and Rangers righty Caleb Boushley to a one-year contract. He’ll be guaranteed $900K on the contract and can pick up an additional $100K via incentives.

Boushley, who turned 32 in October, has pitched in parts of three big league seasons, totaling 49 2/3 innings. He has an ugly 5.80 ERA to show for it despite generally solid rate stats. Boushley’s 21.1% strikeout rate is only about one percentage point shy of average, and his 8.1% walk rate is lower than the league average. He’s also yielded only 1.09 homers per nine innings pitched. However, Boushley has been dogged by a sky-high .367 average on balls in play, which has contributed to a 62% strand rate that’s more than 10 percentage points lower than the MLB average. Metrics like SIERA (3.95) and FIP (4.03) feel Boushley has pitched far better than his more rudimentary earned run average would suggest.

In parts of six Triple-A seasons, Boushley has totaled 512 innings with a 4.61 ERA. As in the majors, he’s displayed a lower-than-average strikeout rate but better-than-average command. Boushley has generally been a durable source of Triple-A innings. Though he spent most of the 2025 season in the Rangers’ bullpen, the lanky 6’3″, 190-pound Boushley averaged 25 starts and 130 innings per season from 2021-24, despite spending a portion of that time (2023-24) shuttling between the majors and minors.

This will be Boushley’s first work overseas and will easily be the largest guaranteed payday in what’ll be ten professional seasons. Boushley was a 33rd-round pick by the Padres out of Division-II University of Wisconsin La Crosse back in 2017. He signed for just $1,000 out of the draft. After years of middling minor league pay and shuffling back and forth between the majors and Triple-A, he’ll take home a salary that tops the MLB minimum by $120K and land a chance at the first seven-figure salary of his career (if he can max out his incentives package).

Rockies, Parker Mushinski Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Rockies have agreed to a minor league contract with left-handed reliever Parker Mushinski, reports Kevin Henry of the Denver Gazette. The Ballengee Group client will be in camp next spring as a non-roster invitee.

Mushinski, 30, has spent parts of three seasons in the majors — all of them as a member of the Astros. He’s pitched 33 big league frames and worked to a 5.45 ERA with a 17.4% strikeout rate, 8.1% walk rate and 45.2% ground-ball rate. Mushinski has done a nice job avoiding hard contact overall (average 88.4 mph exit velocity, 35.2% hard-hit rate), but much of the hard contact he’s allowed has been of the maximum-damage variety, especially against righties. He’s faced 83 right-handed opponents in the majors and served up five home runs.

Houston originally selected Mushinski out of Texas Tech in the seventh round of the 2017 draft. He spent his entire career in the Astros organization until this past season. Mushinski became a minor league free agent following the 2024 campaign and signed a minor league deal with the Guardians. The 6’0″, 225-pound southpaw spent last year in Triple-A Columbus, tossing 50 innings of 3.78 ERA ball. Mushinski fanned almost 30% of his opponents there but also walked nearly 15% of the batters he faced. In parts of five Triple-A seasons, Mushinski has a 3.71 ERA in 179 2/3 innings pitched.

Signing with the Rockies is a double-edged sword for any pitcher. On the one hand, the utter dearth of established big league arms on the staff creates plenty of opportunity, particularly for a non-roster player hoping to secure a bullpen spot. On the other hand, winning that roster spot means pitching home games at altitude and at the notoriously hitter-friendly Coors Field.

Mushinski becomes the second left-handed relief addition for Colorado in the past week. The Rox, under new president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, acquired lefty Brennan Bernardino from the Red Sox last week. Bernardino, unlike Mushinski, is already on the 40-man roster. However, he’s the only established lefty reliever the Rockies have on the 40-man roster. Luis Peralta and Welinton Herrera are both on the 40-man, but Peralta has a 6.03 ERA in 31 MLB frames and Herrera has yet to pitch above Double-A.

Orioles To Hire Mike Shildt In Player Development Role

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The Orioles are hiring former Cardinals and Padres manager Mike Shildt as their new coordinator of instruction in the upper levels of the minor league system, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. Samuel Vega, who had been the Orioles’ Latin American coordinator of instruction, will now be the organization’s coordinator of instruction in the lower levels of the system.

The 57-year-old Shildt surprisingly stepped down as Padres manager following the season, despite the fact that he had two years remaining on his contract. The decision was Shildt’s and did not come from the organization. In the wake of his decision, Shildt explained to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune that the daily grind of managing a 162-game season (plus playoff appearances) had “taken a severe toll mentally, physically and emotionally.” Subsequent reporting painted a somewhat strained relationship between Shildt and some members of the organization.

Shildt has publicly voiced a desire to remain involved in baseball — ideally in a less-demanding player development role. He’ll land just such an opportunity in Baltimore under president of baseball operations Mike Elias, with whom he overlapped during the pair’s early days as scouts (and, in Shildt’s case, a minor league coach) in the Cardinals organization.

Shildt’s ties to the Orioles organization run far deeper than that early overlap with the team’s front office leader now, however. As MLB.com’s Anne Rogers wrote back in 2020, Shildt grew up around the O’s. His mother worked for the team’s Double-A affiliate and frequently brought her son to the park. He eventually became a bat boy, scoreboard attendant and clubhouse attendant in the organization.

A 12-year-old Shildt was helping out in the Double-A clubhouse at the same time a top Orioles prospect named Cal Ripken Jr. made his way to that level, and a couple decades later Shildt was in attendance when Ripken both tied and broke the major league record for consecutive games played. Readers are highly encouraged to check out Rogers’ piece in full for a fascinating, detailed breakdown of Shildt essentially growing up in the Orioles’ system.

In many ways, the new role is a homecoming for Shildt — a return to the organization where he helped out during his formative years and a return to his player development roots. Specifics regarding his duties and his schedule aren’t yet clear, but he’ll play a notable role in helping to finish off the development of the next wave of O’s stars as they progress toward big league readiness in Triple-A (and presumably in Double-A as well).

Phillies, Blue Jays Among Teams To Inquire On Ketel Marte’s Availability

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Ketel Marte’s name continues to pop up on the offseason rumor mill as teams check in with the D-backs on the star second baseman. Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen has already plainly indicated that a trade is “unlikely,” and reports out of Arizona generally suggest that the Snakes are loath to part with Marte but will at least hear interested parties out as a matter of due diligence. About one-quarter of the league had already inquired as of two weeks ago.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, playing up the chances of a trade in a recent on-air segment, noted that the Phillies and Blue Jays are among the teams that have contacted the D-backs about Marte. That clearly doesn’t indicate anything is close, nor does it suggest that Marte specifically is a top target for either party. Nevertheless, it’s of modest note that they’ve at least gauged Marte’s availability and perhaps put out some feelers on the potential cost of acquisition.

The Phillies are largely set in the infield, with Bryce Harper at first base, Bryson Stott at second base, Trea Turner at shortstop and Alec Bohm at third base (though Bohm is once again an offseason trade candidate himself). Marte has plenty of experience in the outfield, which is a more prominent area of need for the Phils, but he graded poorly as a center fielder over 1292 innings there earlier in his career (-11 Defensive Runs Saved, -7 Outs Above Average).

It’s a stretch to think that Marte, whose average sprint speed has fallen to the 29th percentile of big leaguers, could handle a move back to center field ahead of his age-32 season. The Phils have little set in place in the outfield aside from Brandon Marsh, though, so perhaps they’d consider plugging Marte into left field. Right fielder Nick Castellanos is widely expected to be traded or released this winter.

The focus in adding Marte wouldn’t be on his glove anyhow, but rather on his bat. The switch-hitting, multi-time All-Star is perennially excellent at the dish, evidenced by a .279/.360/.498 batting line (133 wRC+) dating back to 2021. Marte has been particularly dominant in the batter’s box over the past two seasons, slashing a combined .288/.374/.549 with 64 home runs in 1139 plate appearances.

The fit with the Jays is even more interesting, due to their expected run at retaining franchise icon Bo Bichette. Toronto already moved Andres Gimenez to Bichette’s shortstop position during the playoffs, when Bichette was originally sidelined with a sprained PCL. Even when Bichette returned in the World Series, he did so as a second baseman. Gimenez is a vastly superior shortstop defender, so if the Jays do plan to re-sign Bichette, they could well do so with a permanent switch to second base in mind.

Marte is four years older than Bichette, but he’d also be markedly more affordable. He’s signed through 2031 for a total of $102.5MM, though the final season on his contract is an $11.5MM player option. Marte would be 37 for that 2031 season.

It bears emphasizing that the Jays doing a bit of groundwork on a potential second base alternative — one who may not even be truly “available” in trade talks, save for an overwhelming offer — in no way suggests a shift in priorities. Toronto brass has voiced a desire to keep Bichette, and the resources to do so would’ve been present even without a deep World Series run further filling the team’s coffers.

If the D-backs were to move Marte, the goal would surely be to acquire controllable, MLB-ready young pitching to plug into the rotation. That’s not exactly a core area of strength for either Philadelphia or Toronto.

The Phils, of course, have top prospect Andrew Painter on the cusp of MLB readiness, but they’ve been staunchly against trading him in any deal over the past few seasons, even while he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Righty Moises Chace, another touted righty in the system, underwent Tommy John surgery last June. Mick Abel was traded to the Twins in July’s Jhoan Duran deal.

In Toronto, there’s even less high-end pitching near the majors. Trey Yesavage obviously isn’t going anywhere. Ricky Tiedemann missed all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Like the Phils, the Jays traded one of their next-best young arms, Kendry Rojas, to Minnesota as part of a win-now push at the deadline (netting Louis Varland). Another, Khal Stephen, went to the Guardians in the Shane Bieber trade.

There’s at least some modest intrigue in the fact that a pair of World Series hopefuls of this magnitude has looked into Marte, but to this point there’s little in the way of smoke suggesting a trade is actually plausible. Even if the D-backs become more serious about trading Marte, the Phillies and Jays would face steep competition in bidding to acquire him — presumably from contending clubs with more controllable pitching to spare. For now, it’s worth revisiting what Hazen said when prompted on Marte earlier in the month, telling the Burns & Gambo Show on 98.7 FM:

“It’s what happens. Everyone checks in on your better players. They’re coming after your better players. … [Marte is] one of our best players. We have some of the top position players in all of baseball on our roster and we need those players to be good next year.”

Hazen doubled down when asked on 98.7’s Wolf & Luke Show:

“Ketel is one of, if not our best player. He’s a superstar in this league. You win with superstars in this league. Yes, I do know it’s a team game and putting a team together to win baseball games is also equally important. That’s on us to figure out what the right mix of players is.”

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