Which Team Will Sign Max Scherzer?
When we last saw Max Scherzer, he was walking off the mound in Game 7 of the World Series. The future Hall of Famer had held the Dodgers to one run on four hits across 4 1/3 innings and left the game holding a 3-1 lead. It may not have been a vintage performance, but the three-time Cy Young winner did his job. The bullpen just didn’t hold the lead.
While Scherzer ended the year on a high note, his lone season in Toronto was a frustrating one. The nerve issue that has led to soreness in his thumb over the past few seasons returned early in 2025. He landed on the injured list after his first start and was sidelined into late June. Scherzer was healthy enough after that but didn’t have a great season. He only managed six quality starts among his 17 appearances. His 5.19 earned run average over 85 innings was the highest of his career.
Scherzer’s strikeout and walk rates remain solid. He punched out 23% of opponents while walking around 6% for the second consecutive season. Both marks are a little better than the respective league averages for a starter. The issue is the damage hitters have done when they make contact. Scherzer allowed more than two home runs per nine innings for the first time in his career. It was the fourth-highest homer rate in MLB among pitchers who threw 70+ innings.
As the stuff has backed up with age and the injuries, Scherzer had a tougher time getting opponents to go after pitches outside the strike zone. He had to challenge them in the heart of the plate more often to compensate, and he’s doing so without the overpowering arsenal he had in his prime. That’s going to lead to some home run trouble.
All that said, Scherzer still attacks the strike zone with a four-pitch mix. His four-seam fastball averaged 93.6 mph last season, well below peak but a tick above where it sat when he posted a 3.95 ERA over eight starts for the Rangers in 2024. He finished the year healthy, would bring a wealth of experience to younger members of a pitching staff, and has a 3.78 ERA over 33 career playoff appearances. There’s still a role for Scherzer in an MLB rotation somewhere.
The 41-year-old has already said he’s not retiring. He hasn’t fully committed to signing before Opening Day, however. In late January, Scherzer told Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic that while he’s open to signing at any time, he was willing to wait into the regular season to sign with one of the teams he prefers. It seems safe to assume he’s going to pick a team he views as a legitimate World Series contender.
Where might Scherzer end up? A return to the Blue Jays could make sense with Shane Bieber opening the season on the injured list. Toronto still has a five-man rotation of Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, José Berríos and Cody Ponce with Eric Lauer around in long relief. Adding to the rotation isn’t a necessity, but bringing Scherzer back would allow them to use a six-man rotation to monitor Yesavage’s workload in the early going.
The Braves entered the spring with lackluster rotation depth and have been hit with injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep since camp got underway. The Phillies will be without Zack Wheeler to begin the year and are likely counting on both Taijuan Walker and prospect Andrew Painter for season-opening roles.
The Twins are probably losing Pablo López for the season; are they competitive enough for Scherzer to consider signing there? Texas has Kumar Rocker and Jacob Latz competing for the fifth starter role, but Scherzer’s probably out of the price range. The Yankees are awaiting the returns of Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole. Projected fourth and fifth starters Ryan Weathers and Luis Gil have minor league options remaining and concerning injury histories.
Where do MLBTR readers expect Scherzer to land?
Where will Max Scherzer sign?
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Braves 14% (831)
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Blue Jays 14% (803)
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Giants 7% (426)
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Tigers 6% (373)
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Phillies 5% (310)
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Yankees 5% (290)
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Cardinals 4% (243)
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Orioles 4% (227)
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Padres 3% (184)
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Rockies 3% (182)
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Cubs 3% (175)
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Twins 3% (157)
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Dodgers 2% (140)
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Mets 2% (139)
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Angels 2% (126)
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Pirates 2% (124)
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Red Sox 2% (122)
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Brewers 2% (116)
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Nationals 2% (112)
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White Sox 2% (90)
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Mariners 2% (90)
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A's 1% (86)
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Diamondbacks 1% (82)
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Astros 1% (80)
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Rangers 1% (73)
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Guardians 1% (69)
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Reds 1% (59)
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Royals 1% (43)
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Rays 1% (41)
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Marlins 0% (16)
Total votes: 5,809
Poll: Which Team Had The Best Offseason?
The offseason has more or less come to a close at this point. While a handful of players remain available in free agency and there’s always a chance of a surprise trade or two throughout Spring Training, the vast majority of the heavy lifting has been done. As Spring Training begins, it’s worth checking in on what teams around the league did this winter to see which club had the strongest offseason. A look at a few of the candidates:
Baltimore Orioles
After a disastrous 2025 season that saw the club fall to the basement of the American League, the Orioles have been very busy in their efforts to turn things around. A rotation that struggled to stay above water last year saw the return of Zach Eflin as well as the additions of both Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt. Those additions may not have included the front-of-the-rotation ace the Orioles were widely expected to pursue, but the club was aggressive elsewhere on the roster. Ryan Helsley was brought in to close while Felix Bautista is injured, and the club swung a deal for Taylor Ward to help round out their outfield. By far the biggest addition of the winter, however, was slugger Pete Alonso, who signed a five-year, $155MM contract. Alonso adds a legitimate 40-homer threat to the middle of a lineup that struggled to generate much offense outside of Gunnar Henderson last year and was heavily slanted toward lefty hitters.
Chicago Cubs
It’s rare that a team would be in this conversation after losing the offseason’s top-ranked free agent, but there’s a lot to like about the 2026 Cubs even after bidding farewell to Kyle Tucker. Alex Bregman, signed to a five-year, $175MM deal, can’t be expected to be the same offensive force as peak-level Tucker, but he makes up for that by helping to complete what’s arguably become the best defensive infield in baseball alongside Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, and Michael Busch. The move pushes Matt Shaw into a utility role, where he can serve as protection against injury for the club while also potentially sharing time with fellow youngster Moises Ballesteros at DH. The addition of Bregman was complemented by the decision to swing a trade for high-upside righty Edward Cabrera in the rotation. That likely pushes swingman Colin Rea back into a bullpen that’s been rebuilt with Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, and Hoby Milner after losing Brad Keller, Andrew Kittredge, and Drew Pomeranz back in November.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers’ offseason hasn’t been an exceptionally busy one, but the few moves they wound up making could prove to be the most impactful of any team this winter. They kicked off their offseason by poaching star closer Edwin Diaz away from the Mets, but their biggest splash was the addition of Tucker to their outfield. Diaz and Tucker are both All-Stars with among the highest ceilings in the game at their respective positions. Adding both to an already star-studded roster, the Dodgers managed to address the 2025 team’s biggest weaknesses: a lackluster outfield and a leaky bullpen. They also extended Max Muncy on an affordable one-year deal and reunited with Kiké Hernandez and Evan Phillips. After back-to-back World Series championships, the Dodgers look even better headed into 2026 despite their relatively low volume of transactions.
New York Mets
While the Dodgers mostly kept their 2025 team intact for 2026 with just a few additions, the Mets went in the opposite direction with a complete roster overhaul. Out went Alonso, Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil. Replacing them is a host of talent ranging from new staff ace Freddy Peralta to relievers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver on the pitching side, and a cluster of position players headlined by star infielder Bo Bichette. In addition to Bichette, who’ll move to third base alongside shortstop Francisco Lindor, the team brought in Marcus Semien to handle the keystone, Jorge Polanco to cover first base, and Luis Robert Jr. to work in center field. It’s a busy offseason that completely changed the look of the team that failed to make the playoffs last year, though it remains to be seen if this team will better support Lindor and Juan Soto in their pursuit of a World Series championship.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays finished just shy of a World Series championship last year, and this winter they acted like a team that wanted to leave no stone unturned in their efforts to close the gap. A new-look rotation added Dylan Cease at the front and Cody Ponce at the back. A lineup that lost Bichette in free agency looked to make up for it by bringing in Kazuma Okamoto and Jesus Sanchez. Meanwhile, the team’s shaky bullpen upgraded from hard-throwing righty Seranthony Dominguez by bringing in ever-reliable soft-tosser Tyler Rogers. Missing out on both Bichette and Tucker takes some of the punch out of Toronto’s offseason, but adding Cease to a rotation that already includes Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and Trey Yesavage should make the Jays significantly more threatening than they already were last year.
Other Options
Plenty of teams had offseasons worthy of praise aside from the five listed above. The Tigers managed to snag arguably the top pitcher available in lefty Framber Valdez on a short-term deal while also reuniting with future Hall of Famer and Detroit legend Justin Verlander, though failing to upgrade the lineup is surely disappointing for fans hoping to see the team make the most of Tarik Skubal‘s likely last year in town.
The Red Sox were very busy this winter as they brought in Sonny Gray, Johan Oviedo, Willson Contreras, and Caleb Durbin via the trade market while signing Ranger Suarez and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in free agency, but the team’s failure to reunite with Bregman casts a shadow over their busy winter.
The Astros got the rotation depth they coveted, signing NPB star Tatsuya Imai to a three-year deal with multiple opt-outs and acquiring righty Mike Burrows in a three-team trade that sent outfielder Jacob Melton to the Rays. They’re still too right-handed and have a glut of infielders that could still lead to one more big spring trade.
The Pirates were very active by their usual standards, overhauling the lineup to bring in Ryan O’Hearn, Marcell Ozuna, and Brandon Lowe among others. The Rangers came into the winter without much room to add but managed to come away with a solid bat (Nimmo) for the lineup and a big arm (MacKenzie Gore) for the rotation nonetheless. The Mariners kept Josh Naylor and added Brendan Donovan to the infield. The A’s added only complementary pieces (McNeil, Aaron Civale) in terms of external additions but deserve praise for their franchise-altering extensions of Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson.
On the flipside, the rebuilding Cardinals managed to shed significant portions of the Contreras, Gray and Nolan Arenado contracts and pulled in a nice return from the Mariners (and Rays) in the three-team Donovan trade.
What team do MLBTR’s readers think had the best offseason this winter? Have your say in the poll below:
Which team had the best offseason?
Poll: Will Masataka Yoshida Make The Red Sox’ Roster?
As Spring Training gets underway, players on the roster bubble all around the league are vying for the handful of vacant spots on their clubs’ respective depth charts. In most cases, the players who find themselves in that situation are either up-and-coming youngsters or veterans on minor league deals trying to play their way back into the majors. It’s a lot less common to find a veteran player on a significant contract who could be in danger of losing his roster spot entering camp, but that’s the exact situation Red Sox DH Masataka Yoshida could find himself in this spring.
Yoshida, 32, has two years and $36MM remaining on the contract he signed with Boston when coming over to MLB from Japan. Despite that big investment the Red Sox made in Yoshida, however, things haven’t gone especially well. After a rookie season where he graded out as an exceptionally weak left fielder defensively while posting a 111 wRC+, Yoshida was used in a pure DH role for 2024 as he played through a shoulder injury that hampered his ability to throw. His wRC+ ticked up slightly to 116 that year, though he made it into just 108 games. His role shrunk further in 2025, as he spent most of the season on the injured list and was used only sparingly even upon his return to action. He appeared in just 55 games overall and was far less productive than he had been in the past, slashing just .266/.307/.388 (88 wRC+) in 205 trips to the plate.
One down season where Yoshida played just a third of the campaign wouldn’t normally be cause to cut a player, especially one making that much money. The Red Sox find themselves in a bit of a bind in terms of roster-building headed into the year, however. Despite years of speculation, Boston has declined so far to trade one of Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu, leaving them both in the everyday lineup alongside Ceddanne Rafaela and Roman Anthony. Rafaela is a capable defender on the infield, but would be wasted on the dirt given his status as one of the top defensive center fielders in the sport. That leaves Duran, Abreu, and Anthony to handle the two outfield corners, and the logical choice rather than benching one of the team’s best bats is to simply play whoever isn’t on the grass that day at DH.
That leaves Yoshida without a clear way to force his way into the lineup. It’s unclear if the 5’8” Yoshida would be able to handle first base even if called upon to do so, and he has no experience at the position to speak of. Even if he could, Willson Contreras figures to get everyday reps after being acquired from the Cardinals this offseason. Even if an injury occurred in the outfield, it’s unclear if Yoshida would be the team’s first choice to fill the gap. Triston Casas may not be ready to return from injury to start the year, but figures to be back at some point in the first half and at the very least could be a more credible back up to Contreras at first base than Yoshida. Kristian Campbell struggled in his first year as a big leaguer, but the Red Sox reportedly plan to use him primarily in the outfield.
Yoshida has been in trade rumors for a while but remains on the roster. It’s not hard to see him having a larger role on another roster, as even with his lackluster defense he remains a career 109 wRC+ hitter who has struck out in just 13.0% of his big league at-bats. He can be productive at the plate with a very high-contact approach which could be very valuable to teams with swing and miss concerns or a preference for contact hitters, though the contract remains an obstacle.
The question, then, becomes whether the Red Sox would be willing to cut loose a player who figures to be productive if given an opportunity because that opportunity doesn’t exist with the club as presently constructed. It’s hard to see Yoshida as the best use of one of the team’s limited bench spots. Connor Wong (or another backup catcher) figures to take one spot, while Isiah Kiner-Falefa was brought in to be a utility infielder and will surely take another. Romy Gonzalez was very productive last year and would be a worthwhile platoon partner for Marcelo Mayer or Abreu in a heavily left-handed Red Sox lineup, and that leaves just one spot on the bench available. Bringing in another right-handed bat like Campbell, Nate Eaton, Andruw Monasterio, or non-roster invitee Brendan Rodgers would make a lot of sense given the heavily left-handed Red Sox lineup. Even a more versatile lefty like Tsung-Che Cheng would arguably be a better use of the roster spot than a largely DH-only player like Yoshida. And if the Red Sox ever wanted a big lefty bat for their bench, they could simply turn to the optionable Casas.
How do MLBTR readers think the Red Sox will handle Yoshida this spring, barring injuries? Will they look to move on from him to create more flexibility on the bench, or will they stick with him in hopes they can find him enough playing time to allow him to rebuild value? Have your say in the poll below:
Will Masataka Yoshida be with the Red Sox on Opening Day?
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Yes, he'll be a member of the Red Sox organization to start the season. 53% (994)
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No, he'll either be traded or cut from the roster during Spring Training. 47% (898)
Total votes: 1,892
Poll: Will Six-Man Rotations Be More Common This Year?
In MLB, the five-man rotation has been the standard for more than 50 years. Things have slowly begun to shift in that regard, however. Several teams have experimented with a six-man rotation over the years, and it’s virtually a requirement for the Dodgers thanks to the presence of Shohei Ohtani and his unique needs as a two-way player. It’s become increasingly common for teams aside from the one that employs Ohtani, however. MLB.com’s Mike Petriello wrote prior to the 2025 campaign that starts on five days of rest have become more common than the traditional four days of rest associated with a standard five-man rotation.
Of course, a start can happen on five days of rest for more reasons than the use of a six-man rotation. A team’s off-days, the deployment of bullpen games, and even something like a starter returning from the IL or being promoted from the minors can push a pitcher’s regularly scheduled start back organically without there being a long-term plan to use a six-man rotation. Regardless of how it’s done, extra rest for pitchers can generally only be a good thing.
The vast majority of pitchers perform better and have an easier time pitching deeper into games when they get extra rest. For teams carrying pitchers used to the schedule used in Nippon Professional Baseball, a six-man rotation comes with the added benefit of keeping those players on a schedule they’re familiar with. That extra rest could also help prevent against injury and late-season fatigue, helping teams confident in their chances of making it to October enter the playoffs in tip-top shape.
The main arguments against using a six-man rotation in the past have mainly been about volume. The greater the size of the rotation, the less often your best pitchers are out there. It’s difficult for some teams to find even five quality starters, much less six. Even those that do have six decent starters would have to be willing to cut into their bullpen, due to the 13-pitcher roster limit. Despite the drawbacks, the tide may be turning regardless.
The 2025 campaign saw teams like the Red Sox and Mets enter the season with more starters than they could fit into the rotation on paper, though injuries left those teams to use six-man rotations only sparingly throughout the year. They have just as much (if not more) starting depth this year, however, and other teams have begun to follow suit. Looking at the depth charts of certain teams, some would struggle not to use a six-man rotation if everyone is healthy concurrently. The Cubs and Orioles both added more starters to their roster this offseason than will fit into a fully-healthy rotation, while the aforementioned Red Sox have an on-paper starting five that fails to include two consensus top-50 prospects in the sport (Payton Tolle and Connelly Early) plus two starters expected to return from injuries early in the year (Patrick Sandoval and Kutter Crawford).
These aren’t the only teams facing a potential surplus of arms. Even with Shane Bieber set to start the year on the injured list, the Blue Jays will be pushing one of Jose Berrios or Eric Lauer to the bullpen—and that’s before considering longtime top prospect Ricky Tiedemann. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon could push impressive young arms like Will Warren and Luis Gil out of the Yankees’ rotation before the end of the first half if the injury bug doesn’t do so before then. The Mets currently figure to use a six-man rotation even with Tobias Myers in a relief role and Jonah Tong at Triple-A. Even a team like the Astros that struggled to field a healthy rotation at all last year currently has upwards of ten arms in the conversation for starts headed into Opening Day, with reinforcements from the injured list likely at some point.
Of course, it should be remembered that pitching injuries have always been inevitable and have only become increasingly common over the years. Some of these teams will struggle to field even a five-man rotation at one point or another this year, and a few will likely never have enough healthy starting depth that a six-man rotation becomes a realistic possibility for more than a couple of weeks at a time. With so many clubs loaded in pitching depth, however, it becomes easier and easier to see rival front offices looking towards the example of the reigning back-to-back World Series champions and adopting some of their tactics.
If the Dodgers open the season with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Ohtani, Emmet Sheehan, and Roki Sasaki all ready to start games, that group of six will be backed up by an incredibly deep group that also includes Ben Casparius, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt, Justin Wrobleski, Gavin Stone, Landon Knack, and Bobby Miller (not to mention non-roster invitees like Cole Irvin and Nick Frasso). That’s the sort of depth that would make it easy to field a six-man rotation all throughout the year even in spite of injuries, and while no team quite matches that level of depth, teams like those in Boston, Queens, and on the north side of Chicago do come close.
For those clubs, the biggest hangup might end up being the risk of wearing out their bullpens. While the Dodgers have three spots available in their projected bullpen for optionable relievers, the Mets and Cubs both only have two (one of which, in the case of Chicago, belongs to closer Daniel Palencia). Teams with such minimal flexibility in the bullpen can struggle to keep their relief corps fresh throughout the season, and that would surely only get harder with seven spots instead of eight.
How do MLBTR readers think the six-man rotation will fare around the league in 2026? Will we see more teams than just the Dodgers utilize one for most or all of the season? Or will it be more of the same where teams prefer to find other ways to get their starters extra rest, such as occasional spot starts and bullpen games? Have your say in the poll below:
Will more teams use six-man rotations this year?
Poll: Do The Cardinals Have Another Trade In Them This Offseason?
The Cardinals have been one of the winter’s busiest teams. Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, and Nolan Arenado were all shipped elsewhere to clear salary and add some young talent. The crown jewel on the team’s offseason was the three-team trade that sent Brendan Donovan to Seattle in exchange for two Competitive Balance draft picks and a package of prospects headlined by top pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje.
It wouldn’t be a shock if all that activity was the end of their involvement in the trade market. At this point, the majority of their roster is controlled for multiple seasons, and the team has generally cleared the deck to give its up-and-coming youngsters more playing time.
Even so, additional trades can’t be ruled out. There is still one more rental player on the team’s roster who has garnered interest from teams: southpaw JoJo Romero. Romero has been connected to several teams this winter, including the Mariners, Orioles, and Yankees. Given how quickly the bullpen market moved in free agency this offseason, Romero could have particular value to a team like the Yankees or Twins that was known to be in the market for relief help but didn’t end up landing a coveted high leverage arm. The lefty is coming off a nice 2025 campaign where he posted a 2.07 ERA in 61 innings. He’d surely net some prospect value if dealt.
The Cardinals could prefer to put Romero in the ninth inning throughout the first half, let him accumulate experience in the closer role, and market him as such at the trade deadline, when virtually every contender will be on the prowl for bullpen help. There’s certainly some merit to that option, but it’s possible a bullpen-needy team would pay more for a full year of Romero now than over the summer. That figures to be especially true if his run prevention regresses towards his solid but unspectacular peripherals from 2025. Romero pitched to a 4.10 SIERA with a hefty 11.4% walk rate against a 21.6% strikeout rate last year.
Romero is the most likely player left on the Cardinals roster to move before Opening Day, but there are other options. Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman were among the players who had their names floated as possible trade chips this winter. Nootbaar, in particular, would make sense given that he has just two years of team control remaining, but any attempts at trade talks have surely been complicated by him undergoing surgery that could land him on the injured list when the 2026 campaign begins.
Gorman, 25, is coming off back-to-back down seasons that saw him strike out more than 35% of the time, but in 2023 he flashed an impressive 118 wRC+ with 27 homers in just 119 games. That kind of power is enticing, and with a dearth of infield talent currently available, teams still looking for help on the dirt might be willing to offer a decent return despite the warts. While Gorman would surely have a lot more value if he turns in a big season in 2026, another lackluster campaign would likely leave him with little to no trade value. His departure would also create a path for the Cardinals to get both Thomas Saggese and top prospect JJ Wetherholt regular at-bats. Wetherholt figures to have an everyday job once he’s ready to debut regardless of Gorman’s presence, but Saggese might be relegated to a platoon or bench role without a trade.
How do MLBTR readers view the Cardinals’ situation? With a handful of theoretical trade candidates still on the roster, will they get another deal done before the regular season begins? Or will the players currently on the roster stick around until trade talks pick back up closer to the trade deadline? Have your say in the poll below:
Will the Cardinals make another trade before Opening Day?
Poll: Who Will Sign Zac Gallen?
The impact position players are off the market for the most part at this point, and yesterday the top starter remaining followed suit as Framber Valdez landed with the Tigers on a three-year, $115MM deal. That leaves right-hander Zac Gallen as both the final remaining qualified free agent and the best starting pitcher still available. Gallen’s market has been a bit deflated coming off the weakest season of his career, though with a lifetime 3.58 ERA and 3.65 FIP across 1007 1/3 big league innings there’s no doubt that he could still impact a rotation-needy team if he can get back on track. Which teams would the right-hander be the best fit for, and where will he ultimately land? A few of the most likely options:
Arizona Diamondbacks
For a qualified free agent who lingers on the market, sometimes a homecoming simply makes the most sense. The Diamondbacks are the only team in the majors that wouldn’t forfeit a draft pick in order to bring Gallen into the fold, and that alone makes them a sensible fit. Beyond that, the Arizona pitching staff is in serious need of help. Adding Gallen would be prudent, given the team’s lack of experienced rotation depth and a fifth starter (Michael Soroka) who has had durability concerns. His addition could push some of those depth starters into the mix for a bullpen that lacks impact options with Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk both set to open the season on the injured list. The biggest obstacle for a reunion between Arizona and Gallen is money; ownership hasn’t been shy about their desire to bring down a payroll that has sat in the $190MM range over the past two years, and unless ownership makes an exception for a beloved longtime D-back, the Snakes are more or less at their limit.
Baltimore Orioles
The O’s entered the season with a need to upgrade the rotation. They’ve acquired Shane Baz and re-upped with Zach Eflin, but neither is a surefire front-of-the-rotation arm. That’s also true of Gallen after that shaky 2025 showing, but at his peak he’s been the type of arm Baltimore seeks. Adding Gallen to a rotation including Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Baz, Eflin and Dean Kremer would be a more aggressive approach than the O’s took last winter when signing back-end veterans like Tomoyuki Sugano and Charlie Morton to one-year deals. Baltimore’s payroll is still nearly $20MM shy of last year’s Opening Day mark, so there shouldn’t be any major financial hurdles.
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs have already had a big offseason, headlined by their Alex Bregman signing and a trade for Marlins righty Edward Cabrera. The Cabrera trade has given the Cubs a deep cache of starting pitching options that’s pushed Colin Rea and Javier Assad into depth roles, and even more help figures to be on the way when rehabbing southpaw Justin Steele returns at some point in the first half. Even so, the team’s starting pitching options all have worrisome injury histories. That includes Cabrera, who briefly went on the IL with an elbow issue back in September. Adding a healthy workhorse like Gallen could make plenty of sense to raise the floor, and with talented arms like Steele, Cabrera, and Cade Horton in the mix Gallen might be under less pressure to deliver the ace-level results he’s flashed in the past.
San Diego Padres
The Padres have been clear about their desire to add another starter, and Gallen could be just the sort of high-upside arm the team needs to credibly replace Dylan Cease. It wouldn’t be the first time president of baseball operations A.J. Preller pulled off a major move in the final months before Opening Day. Cease was acquired in March of 2024, while righty Nick Pivetta signed with San Diego last February. The biggest obstacle to Gallen following in their footsteps could be financial, as it’s unclear just how much wiggle room the Padres have left. Perhaps the team working out the details of veteran righty Yu Darvish‘s possible exit from the club could create the budget space necessary to land Gallen.
Other Options
While the aforementioned quartet of clubs are perhaps the most likely destinations for Gallen, they aren’t the only ones. Detroit could have made sense as a Gallen suitor, but their agreement with Valdez surely takes them out of the starting pitching market at this point. The Angels have been connected to the right-hander recently, but they’re viewed as a bit of a long-shot and are by far the least competitive team among this group. Atlanta is known to be shopping for a veteran starter, but it’s unclear if the team has the stomach for the sort of $20MM+ annual salary for which Gallen figures to be searching. The Blue Jays were connected to Valdez shortly before he signed, suggesting a willingness to continue adding to their rotation, but Gallen might not be viewed as impactful enough to justify pushing Cody Ponce and Jose Berrios out of the fifth starter job. The Giants were also connected to Gallen earlier in the winter but have since signed Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle. President of baseball ops Buster Posey downplayed the idea of adding another starter last week, but the San Francisco rotation has both injury and workload concerns behind ace Logan Webb.
Where do MLBTR readers think Gallen will ultimately land? Have your say in the poll below:
Who will sign Zac Gallen?
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Arizona Diamondbacks 24% (3,339)
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Baltimore Orioles 22% (3,053)
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Chicago Cubs 17% (2,315)
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San Diego Padres 9% (1,221)
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Other (Specify In Comments) 7% (990)
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San Francisco Giants 6% (862)
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Atlanta Braves 6% (808)
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Los Angeles Angels 5% (716)
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Toronto Blue Jays 3% (463)
Total votes: 13,767
Poll: Who Will Sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa?
The shortstop market was fairly barren all offseason, with Bo Bichette as the top option available despite him being widely viewed as a player unlikely to stick at the position. Now that pitchers and catchers are just two weeks from reporting, Isiah Kiner-Falefa stands more or less alone on the shortstop market. A glove-first infielder, Kiner-Falefa has a career slash line of just .262/.311/.349 across eight seasons in the majors but has been a consistently valuable asset in spite of that thanks to a quality glove.
He’s coming off a down season with Pittsburgh and Toronto in 2025, hitting .262/.297/.334 (75 wRC+) while his defensive metrics dipped to slightly below average. As spring training approaches, he’s sure to start receiving more interest from contenders with holes in their bench mix and smaller market clubs with holes in their infield. Who’s the best fit for the former Gold Glover? A look at some of the options:
Athletics
The A’s reportedly pursued Nolan Arenado to fill out their infield before backing off when it seemed as though Arenado might wield his no-trade protection to block a deal. Kiner-Falefa’s .279 wOBA last year is just eight points lower than Arenado’s, and FanGraphs rates them as comparably valuable on defense last year. Kiner-Falefa could serve as a veteran anchor to help fill out the infield alongside Jeff McNeil and Jacob Wilson, while also being a player that’s comfortable moving to a utility role if Max Muncy, Max Schuemann, or Darell Hernaiz breaks out to force the issue.
Atlanta Braves
Ha-Seong Kim is sidelined through at least May, which has changed the outlook of the Braves’ infield mix. Now the team figures to rely on Mauricio Dubon and Jorge Mateo at shortstop to open the season, while also crossing their fingers for rebounds from Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley at second and third base respectively. There’s plenty of upside in that infield, especially if Kim can return healthy and effective later in the year. Kiner-Falefa can provide some stability. If added to the mix, he’d allow Dubon to see more time in the outfield (where he could complement Michael Harris II in center field) and allow the team to lean less heavily on Mateo’s services coming off a 33 wRC+ in 43 games last year. Once Kim returns, Kiner-Falefa could be used as valuable injury insurance given that Riley, Albies, and Kim himself have all contended with plenty of injuries in recent years.
Boston Red Sox
Kiner-Falefa suiting up for the Red Sox would surely come as a disappointment to fans in Boston, as he’d be (at least nominally) replacing Alex Bregman on the infield. The Red Sox have indicated that they might prioritize defense over offense when filling out their infield mix, and being able to mix and match between Marcelo Mayer, David Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez, and Kiner-Falefa on the dirt as needed alongside Trevor Story and Willson Contreras would be a decent budget option if the team fails to land a more notable upgrade. Kiner-Falefa’s ability to play either second or third base could also benefit Mayer, who is a natural shortstop blocked by Story and hasn’t yet been committed to a particular position on the infield for 2026.
Cleveland Guardians
The Guardians could do with an upgrade over Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias up the middle. Rocchio, in particular, posted just 0.4 fWAR last year due to a lackluster 77 wRC+ and below-average defensive metrics at shortstop. Kiner-Falefa wouldn’t be a slam-dunk upgrade but could provide some depth without blocking Travis Bazzana or any of the team’s other young infielders. For a team in need of some serious offensive help, however, Kiner-Falefa wouldn’t really move the needle.
Other Options
The Mariners have flirted with the idea of adding an infielder to keep the seats that will eventually go to Colt Emerson and Cole Young warm, though it should be noted that internal options like Ben Williamson and Leo Rivas may be preferred over adding a more established veteran. The Angels currently have Yoan Moncada, Vaughn Grissom, and Oswald Peraza penciled into their infield. Kiner-Falefa would likely offer a higher floor than any of those players, but Anaheim remains at least theoretically focused on getting Mike Trout back to the postseason and will need to prioritize upside in order to make that happen. The Nationals could view Kiner-Falefa as a worthwhile veteran to add to their infield but may not want to cut playing time away from their young players unless a CJ Abrams deal opens up a spot on the dirt.
Where do MLBTR readers think Kiner-Falefa will eventually land? Could he serve as an affordable starter for a team like the Guardians, A’s, or Nationals? Or would he be better served in a part-time role with a bigger market club like the Braves or Red Sox? Have your say in the poll below:
Where Will Isiah Kiner-Falefa Sign In 2026?
Poll: Will The A’s Add To Their Rotation This Winter?
The A’s made significant (at least by their standards) efforts to field a more competitive team last year. With talented youngsters in the majors and coming up from the minors, the club augmented the pitching staff with moves to add players like Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, and Jose Leclerc to the fold. Those moves, generally speaking, did not work out especially well and a brutal first half helped lead to the team trading Mason Miller to San Diego. Losing Miller from the team’s core is a massive blow, but that didn’t stop the team’s young hitters (particularly Nick Kurtz, Tyler Soderstrom, and Jacob Wilson) from joining Brent Rooker to fill out the bones of a legitimate lineup down the stretch and keep the Athletics relevant ahead of their second year in Sacramento.
That’s led to an offseason that’s seen a bit more action, highlighted by the team’s successful trade for Jeff McNeil and a failed pursuit of Nolan Arenado. That the front office was willing to not only trade for Arenado, but take on more of his remaining contract than the Diamondbacks did, suggests at least some financial flexibility to make further additions. They’ve also remained active on the extension front, signing Soderstrom and Wilson to the two largest contracts in franchise history.
With the lineup looking as strong as it is, that would make the starting rotation a logical place to add. A’s starters were bottom four in the majors last year in terms of ERA, and their 4.93 FIP bested only Colorado. Their 808 1/3 innings from the rotation was also the sixth-fewest among MLB teams. Without Miller to help shoulder the load in the bullpen, improving the rotation seems like an obvious call for the team as they look to fight their way back into competitive relevance.
With that said, adding to the rotation could be easier said than done. Players have been generally hesitant to join the A’s given their ballpark situation. Sutter Health Park isn’t exactly major league caliber in the eyes of many MLB players, and if given the choice many would surely prefer playing elsewhere. What’s more, pitchers in particular might be hesitant to play there given how hitter-friendly the park played last year. Sutter Health’s Park Factor, according to Statcast, made it the second-most hitter friendly park in MLB last year behind Coors Field, with a substantial lead over third place (Comerica Park in Detroit). Between those challenges, lesser amenities as compared to most MLB ballparks, and the team’s uncertain ability to compete in a crowded AL West, pitchers might be hesitant about heading to Sacramento.
Fortunately, the A’s do have one thing benefiting them up their sleeve, and that’s the volume of starters still looking for teams. Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Lucas Giolito, Chris Bassitt, Justin Verlander, and Nick Martinez are among the biggest names left on the market, but there’s plenty of depth behind that group. Tomoyuki Sugano, Tyler Anderson, Jose Quintana, Marcus Stroman, and Patrick Corbin could be solid (if unspectacular) veteran innings eaters, while players like Walker Buehler, Jordan Montgomery, and German Marquez have shown real upside in the past and will be looking for the opportunity to bounce back this winter. (Montgomery is probably out until midseason after undergoing Tommy John surgery last March.) While some of those players might balk at the idea of pitching for the A’s, Spring Training is just a couple of weeks away and at least some of those players are surely hoping to avoid being caught without a team when pitchers and catchers report.
The A’s have not been publicly connected to the starting pitching market much this season. They’ve long been known to focus on trades rather than free agency due to the difficulties associated with selling free agents on joining the team, and most reporting about their trade pursuits has focused on the positional side of things. It’s possible the A’s are high enough on internal starting pitching options like Gunnar Hoglund, Henry Baez, Jacob Lopez, and Luis Medina that they aren’t willing to sacrifice the opportunity to give those young players a shot in order to bring in more proven talents with less upside. While adding to the rotation would surely help the team better contend in 2026, it’s not exactly a secret that the A’s main priority at this point is positioning themselves to do as well as they possibly can upon arriving in Las Vegas in 2028. Perhaps giving time to younger arms is the best way to accomplish that goal.
What do MLBTR readers think the A’s will end up doing? Will they manage to pull off a meaningful rotation addition? Or will they mostly head into Opening Day with the same group of young arms (plus Severino and Springs) that they have now? Have your say in the poll blow:
Will the A's sign a starter before Opening Day?
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Yes, they'll add a starting pitcher before the season begins. 63% (1,305)
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No, they'll go into the season with their internal group. 37% (757)
Total votes: 2,062
Poll: Will The Yankees Trade From Their Outfield?
After a winter-long staring contest between the Yankees and Cody Bellinger‘s camp, the sides have finally reunited on a five-year pact. It’s great news for a Yankees lineup that benefited greatly from Bellinger’s production (125 wRC+, 4.9 fWAR) in 2025, but that news isn’t quite as exciting for the Yankees’ young outfielders. With Trent Grisham (129 wRC+, 3.2 fWAR) back in town via the qualifying offer, Bellinger’s return means it will be tough for former top prospect Jasson Dominguez and current top prospect Spencer Jones to push their way into the lineup.
That might not seem like a significant concern at first glance. After all, the Yankees have only returned the same group of outfielders they worked with last year, and playing time wasn’t a substantial concern for either Jones or Dominguez then. That’s an incomplete look at the situation, however. Slugging DH Giancarlo Stanton missed the first half of the season last year due to an injury impacting both of his elbows, which created ample playing time in the first half of the season for Dominguez. Jones, meanwhile, opened the year at Double-A and wasn’t realistically on the big league radar until near the end of 2025. By the time the trade deadline had passed (Aaron Judge‘s brief trip to the injured list notwithstanding), New York was forced to get creative and use Ben Rice behind the plate on occasion just to fit all their players into the lineup.
While that’s not entirely a bad problem to have, it can be challenging for a young player to develop and succeed at the big league level without consistent playing time. That could spell trouble for Dominguez, whose 2025 campaign saw him post a 103 wRC+ with ten homers, 23 steals, and 0.6 fWAR due to lackluster defense in the outfield. That’s decent enough production for a rookie, but not exactly the sort of five-tool superstar he was once lauded as. Getting closer to that ceiling will surely require plenty of in-game reps, and it’s fair to wonder if the team will have enough of those to offer him at this point without an injury occurring. That’s before even considering Jones, who slugged 19 homers in 67 games at Triple-A last year and will certainly be ready for his first taste of big league action sometime this year (if he isn’t already).
With Bellinger, Judge, and Stanton all locked into the outfield/DH mix for years to come while Grisham figures to continue getting regular reps this season, the argument for a trade is fairly clear. If the Yankees could find substantial value on the trade market, it could make plenty of sense to upgrade the infield (where Jose Caballero and Ryan McMahon figure to kick off the season as regulars on the left side), a bullpen that lost both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to the Mets across town, or even a starting rotation that will be without Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon to open the year.
With that said, it’s unclear just how available many interesting players are at this point. The Yankees missed out on Freddy Peralta and Edward Cabrera already. Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan are not expected to be moved as the Twins work towards competing this year. Someone like Brady Singer could still be available, but it seems unlikely that the Yankees would give up five seasons of Dominguez (never mind six of Jones) for a rental innings eater. Brendan Donovan is available, but he’s been pursued by many teams at this point. Unless the Yankees win the bidding war for Donovan or a shock trade of someone like Tarik Skubal happens, it’s unclear where the Yankees could look to move Dominguez or Jones without selling low.
Perhaps the Yankees would be best off holding onto both youngsters, at least for the time being. After all, it’s not impossible to imagine playing time opening up in the team’s outfield. Stanton, Judge, and even Bellinger have substantial injury histories, while Grisham was a bench player as recently as 2024. Bellinger is also capable of handling first base, so there are ways to squeeze another outfielder into the lineup even without sitting anyone from that group. Keeping both Jones and Dominguez in order to utilize them as trade chips come July could make sense, as more acute needs could pop up throughout the season due to injuries or other issues. On the other hand, if the team keeps both players in the fold throughout the first half, Grisham would then be only a couple of months away from free agency. At that point, the team might be best served simply holding both players for the whole season.
How do MLBTR readers think the Yankees will handle their glut of outfielders? Should they try and pull off a trade to make sure neither Jones nor Dominguez has their development stunted by a lack of MLB playing time? Or should they hold onto their depth to protect against injuries, at least until the deadline this summer? Have your say in the poll below:
Will the Yankees trade Jasson Dominguez or Spencer Jones?
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No, both Dominguez and Jones will remain in the organization through the end of the 2026 season. 44% (3,755)
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The Yankees will trade Dominguez or Jones, but not until the summer. 30% (2,540)
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Yes, the Yankees will trade Dominguez or Jones before Opening Day. 27% (2,279)
Total votes: 8,574
Which Team Will Sign Framber Valdez?
Framber Valdez stands atop the pitching class and is arguably the offseason’s last marquee free agent. He and Zac Gallen are the two remaining players who declined qualifying offers. Those two pitchers and Eugenio Suárez are the three unsigned players who ranked among MLBTR’s Top 20 free agents entering the winter.
Suárez was always going to be capped to two or three years by his age. Gallen is coming off a down season and is a candidate for a pillow contract with an opt-out. On the other hand, Valdez came into the winter as arguably the best available pitcher. His age and middling second half performance — plus the bizarre cross up incident with catcher César Salazar that could lead to some questions from teams — meant he hit the market on a bit of a down note himself. Valdez is nevertheless coming off a 3.66 ERA showing with an above-average 23.3% strikeout rate and massive 58.6% grounder percentage across 192 innings. It’s his fourth straight full season and sixth year in a row with a sub-4.00 earned run average.
Valdez’s age (32) made a six-year deal a stretch. A five-year contract seemed more plausible, with a strong four-year pact appearing to be the floor. There hasn’t been much about Valdez’s market or whether his camp would target a shorter deal with opt-outs as Spring Training approaches. Valdez clearly hasn’t found a deal to his liking, yet he’s probably the last top-of-the-rotation starter who’ll change teams this offseason.
A Tarik Skubal trade has always felt like a long shot. Freddy Peralta, MacKenzie Gore, Edward Cabrera and Shane Baz are off the trade market. Dylan Cease landed with the Blue Jays on a seven-year deal within the first couple weeks of the offseason. The market didn’t value NPB righty Tatsuya Imai as a top-of-the-rotation arm. Valdez has higher upside than any of the other remaining starters in free agency (e.g. Gallen, Lucas Giolito, Chris Bassitt, Justin Verlander).
Valdez has most frequently been linked to the Orioles. They entered the offseason needing a top-end starter, and president of baseball operations Mike Elias has ties to the southpaw from his days in the Houston front office. The O’s acquired Baz in a trade to address the rotation and signed Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155MM free agent deal. There’s reportedly still room in the budget, but another $30MM+ annual salary for Valdez would cap a much bigger offseason than usual for the Orioles.
The Mets, Blue Jays and Red Sox are all known to have met with Valdez around the Winter Meetings. They’ve each added a different marquee pitcher (Peralta, Cease and Ranger Suárez, respectively). The Astros have never seemed inclined to bring Valdez back. The Giants also met with the two-time All-Star, but they’ve consistently downplayed their desire to sign anyone long term.
Where does that leave Valdez? Will Baltimore or San Francisco get aggressive, or does the long wait open up the opportunity for a mystery team?
Which Team Will Sign Framber Valdez?
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Orioles 30% (5,117)
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Mets 10% (1,781)
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Giants 8% (1,437)
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Yankees 5% (827)
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Braves 5% (782)
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Blue Jays 5% (778)
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Padres 4% (680)
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Phillies 4% (610)
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Astros 3% (587)
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Angels 3% (549)
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Cubs 3% (494)
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Tigers 3% (462)
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Dodgers 3% (433)
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Red Sox 2% (351)
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White Sox 2% (288)
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Athletics 2% (279)
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Pirates 1% (252)
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Diamondbacks 1% (177)
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Rockies 1% (170)
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Rangers 1% (131)
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Cardinals 1% (126)
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Brewers 1% (124)
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Mariners 1% (112)
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Reds 1% (110)
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Guardians 1% (109)
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Twins 1% (107)
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Rays 0% (56)
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Royals 0% (55)
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Nationals 0% (53)
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Marlins 0% (48)
Total votes: 17,085