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The Opener: Blue Jays, Dodgers, World Series

By Nick Deeds | October 24, 2025 at 8:37am CDT

Here are three things to keep an eye on headed into Game 1 later today:

1. Blue Jays roster decisions:

As the Blue Jays finalize their World Series roster, the biggest question for the club is what will happen with star shortstop Bo Bichette. Bichette has been out since the regular season due to a PCL strain, but appears close to a dramatic return. Bichette himself indicated following the ALCS that he’ll be ready to play tonight, and manager John Schneider suggested during yesterday’s media availability that a return is a distinct possibility. Of course, it’s up to the Toronto medical staff to clear him for play following yesterday’s workouts.

If Bichette does make the roster, it’s possible that rather than leaning on him at shortstop or forcing George Springer into the field at DH, Bichette could make some starts at second base to ease his move back into defensive work in games. Andres Gimenez is a superior defender at shortstop anyhow and has filled in nicely in his absence.

2. Dodgers roster decisions:

The Dodgers have already announced one major roster decision ahead of today’s full-roster announcement: Clayton Kershaw will make the club’s World Series roster. That decision comes after Kershaw struggled in the NLDS, was left off the Wild Card roster, and did not make an appearance in the NLCS. Given that this World Series will be the final games of Kershaw’s career, it will be worth tracking if the Dodgers can find the right opportunity to give their franchise face and future Hall of Famer a proper sendoff amid their fight to become the first repeat World Series champions since the 2000 Yankees.

Outside of Kershaw, there’s the question of whether Tanner Scott will be available for the club’s World Series roster after a minor procedure on his lower body removed him from the NLDS roster and left him ineligible for the NLCS roster. Scott had a tough year in 2025 but isn’t far removed from being one of the game’s most dominant relievers.

3. Games 1 and 2 Preview:

The first two games of the World Series will happen in Toronto this weekend. First pitch in both games is scheduled for 8pm local time. Game 1 tonight will feature Trey Yesavage (3.21 ERA) on the mound for the Blue Jays opposite Dodgers lefty Blake Snell (2.35 ERA). Snell has dominated this postseason with a 0.86 ERA and 28 strikeouts in three starts, but Yesavage has impressed far more than his 4.20 postseason ERA would suggest. He struck out 11 Yankees in 5 1/3 n0-hit innings during the ALDS, and while the Mariners chased him from a tough Game 2 start in the ALCS, he rebounded in Game 6 to offer 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball while striking out seven.

In Game 2, the Dodgers will send Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.49 ERA) to the mound opposite a yet-to-be-named Blue Jays starter. Kevin Gausman would most likely be in line for the start after his relief appearance in Game 7 of the ALCS. Whoever he ultimately faces, Yamamoto will be coming off a dominant complete game against the Brewers where he allowed just one run on three hits and a walk while striking out seven.

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The Opener

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Brewers Promote Matt Arnold To President Of Baseball Operations

By AJ Eustace | October 23, 2025 at 10:55pm CDT

The Brewers have promoted general manager Matt Arnold to president of baseball operations, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. “Since joining our organization in 2015, Matt Arnold has been instrumental in developing a culture and process that has led to seven postseason appearances over the past eight seasons,” said Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, adding, “We are proud of what Matt has accomplished and even more excited for what the future holds under his leadership.” McCalvy notes that Arnold’s responsibilities atop the front office will not change, though he will now hold both the president of baseball operations and GM titles.

Arnold was hired in October 2015 by then-president of baseball operations David Stearns and was promoted to GM in November 2020. Stearns would step down from his role after the 2022 season, leading to Arnold being put in charge of the front office, but still with the GM title. Clearly, the club is impressed with his results in the years since for him to receive this promotion. Since the start of 2023, the Brewers have posted a record of 282-204 (.580) and finished in first place in the NL Central in every year. This year’s 97-65 (.599) record was the best in the majors. The club lost in the Wild Card Series in 2023 and 2024 but made it to the NLCS in 2025, though they were swept by the Dodgers in four games.

While Arnold’s responsibilities with the Brewers are unchanged, he will presumably get a raise to go with his new title. More importantly, his promotion also prevents other clubs from offering the president title to hire him away from Milwaukee. Teams generally allow their executives to interview with other teams if they are offered a promotion. By promoting Arnold themselves, the Brewers are signaling their confidence in his leadership and securing their front office as they look to continue their recent dominance in the NL Central.

This year, the Brewers finished ninth in the majors with a 107 team wRC+ while scoring 806 runs, which ranked third. As a group, the team succeeded by avoiding strikeouts and getting on base, with a 20.3% strikeout rate that was tied for fourth-lowest in the majors and a 9.1% walk rate that was tied for fifth-best. The team saw five qualified hitters – Brice Turang, Christian Yelich, Sal Frelick, William Contreras, and Jackson Chourio – finish with a wRC+ of at least 110. The last of them, Chourio, was signed to an eight-year, $82MM extension before he debuted in the big leagues, which was the largest pre-debut extension at that time. Chourio has rewarded the team’s faith with a 115 wRC+ and a combined 6.9 fWAR from 2024-25, and the contract looks like it will be a highlight of Arnold’s tenure atop the baseball ops department.

Of course, the Brewers are also known as a strong pitching team, and that strength was on full display in 2025. The team pitched to a collective 3.59 ERA, a mark only bested by the Rangers (3.49), while striking out opposing hitters at a rate of 23.7%, which was tied for sixth in the majors. In addition to missing bats, Brewers pitchers also excelled by limiting hard contact. The team allowed hard hits at a rate of just 38.6%, which was second-best behind the Reds, while opponents hit for an average exit velocity of just 88.9 mph, which tied for fourth-best. The rotation was led by ace Freddy Peralta, who posted a 2.70 ERA and struck out an above average 28.2% of hitters in 176 2/3 innings. Quinn Priester, Jose Quintana, and Chad Patrick all posted ERAs under 4.00, while Jacob Misiorowski showed promise in 15 appearances (14 starts). The bullpen also excelled in 2025. Headlined by Abner Uribe, Trevor Megill, and Aaron Ashby, Brewers relievers tied for sixth in the majors with an ERA of 3.63 and posted the ninth-best strikeout rate at 23.3%. Peralta, Uribe, and others had been in the organization before Arnold took over as head of baseball ops, but Priester, Quintana, and Megill (acquired in 2023) stand out as solid additions under his tenure.

Ultimately, the club’s sustained performance over 2023-25 was enough for the club to give Arnold his promotion. The team will surely be looking for more of the same in 2026. Yelich and Contreras are under club control through at least 2027, while Chourio, Turang, and Frelick are under control through at least 2029. The club should fare well offensively next year with those five in the lineup. The pitching is a little less certain. The team holds mutual options on Quintana and Brandon Woodruff, who did well upon his return from injury but is expected to depart this winter. Mutual options are almost never picked up anyway, though the club may look to retain Quintana for the back of the rotation on another one-year deal.

The Brewers have historically run a low payroll compared to other teams. RosterResource has them at $123MM in payroll in 2025, which ranks 22nd in the league. The club holds an $8MM club option on Peralta. That’s practically a bargain for a player of his caliber, but he has been floated as a trade candidate recently. For his part, Arnold downplayed the possibility of a Peralta trade in the club’s end-of-season presser. “To be honest, it’s not at the front of my mind,” he said during the conference. The club will also see the departures of Woodruff, Rhys Hoskins (assuming his own mutual option is not picked up), and Shelby Miller, who combined for $24MM in payroll in 2025. If Arnold retains Peralta and reinforces the rotation through trades or low-cost signings, the Brewers will look to win the NL Central and make another deep postseason run in 2026.

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Angels To Make Significant Coaching Changes

By Charlie Wright | October 23, 2025 at 10:47pm CDT

Manager Kurt Suzuki won’t be the only fresh face in the Angels’ dugout next season. Sam Blum of The Athletic reports that Los Angeles is expected to have an almost entirely new coaching staff in 2026. It’s unclear whether any coaches will return. Hitting coach Johnny Washington and pitching coach Barry Enright are among the coaches not being brought back.

The Angels’ managerial search has earned plenty of headlines in recent weeks after the team decided neither Ron Washington nor Ray Montgomery would return in 2026. Albert Pujols seemed to be next in line, but the sides couldn’t come to terms on a contract. Torii Hunter was seen as the fallback if Pujols didn’t work out, but he was also removed from consideration. Suzuki was announced as the new skipper on Tuesday.

Suzuki received a one-year contract. As Blum noted, the length of the deal could make it more difficult to put together a coaching staff. Candidates would likely be looking for more stability than a manager on a one-year deal (though it does have multiple option years).

After a few years as a minor league pitching coach in Arizona, Enright worked as the Diamondbacks’ assistant pitching coach in 2022. He held that role through 2023. He became the pitching coach of the Angels in 2024. Los Angeles ranked 26th in ERA in Enright’s first season. The pitching staff had the second-lowest strikeout rate and the second-highest walk rate. The Angels weren’t much better this past season, finishing 28th in ERA. They had the fourth-lowest strikeout rate and the highest walk rate.

Enright pitched in parts of four big-league seasons. He played for the Angels in his final two seasons, though he totaled just 12 innings.

Washington received his first big-league coaching gig with San Diego, serving as the first base coach in 2017. He became the team’s hitting coach in 2018, holding that role through 2019. After two years as an assistant with the Cubs, he was hired as the Angels’ hitting coach in 2024

The Angels ranked 28th in scoring in Washington’s first season. Only the Mariners and White Sox had a lower batting average. Los Angeles improved to 25th in scoring this past season. They jumped to fourth in home runs, though it came with a league-leading 27.1% strikeout rate.

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Red Sox Promote John Soteropulos to Assistant Hitting Coach

By Charlie Wright | October 23, 2025 at 9:53pm CDT

The Red Sox have made John Soteropulos an assistant hitting coach, reports Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Soteropulos had been a minor-league hitting coordinator since 2023. Before joining Boston’s organization, Soteropulos was a trainer at Driveline Baseball.

McCaffrey adds that Soteropulos worked with minor leaguers on boosting bat speed and exit velocity during his time as a hitting coordinator. That group included top prospects Kristian Campbell, Roman Anthony, and Marcelo Mayer. The trio debuted in 2025, with varying results.

Campbell made the team out of camp. He hit .301 through April, then fell off a cliff in May, batting .134. He continued to scuffle into June and found himself back in the minors. Mayer got the call at the end of May. He showed big power, though it came with strikeout issues. A wrist injury ended his season in July. Anthony had by far the most success of the bunch. He joined the big-league club a few weeks after Mayer. Anthony shook off a slow June to put up a massive July and August. He posted a .920 OPS and a 156 wRC+ from the beginning of July through the first week of September, when he injured his oblique. The strain would end his season.

Boston’s hitting coach is Pete Fatse. He joined the team as an assistant hitting coach in 2020, before being promoted to the head job in 2022. Dillon Lawson is also joining the staff as an assistant hitting coach. He served as hitting coach for the Yankees from 2022 until midway through 2023.

Add Soteropulos to the growing list of employees to make the jump from Driveline to big-league organizations. Driveline founder Kyle Boddy spent time with multiple teams, including as a consultant with the Red Sox. Eric Jagers, the company’s former Manager of Technical Development, is currently the Vice President of Pitching for the Mets. Sam Briend, who led Driveline’s pitching development program in Seattle, has been the Yankees’ Senior Director of Pitching since 2019.

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Blue Jays Notes: Bichette’s Role, Game 1 Starter, Gausman’s Usage

By Charlie Wright | October 23, 2025 at 8:45pm CDT

Bo Bichette is doing everything he can to help the team in the World Series, even if it means playing a position for the first time at the MLB level. The star shortstop has been taking reps at second base, reports Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, among others, as he works his way back from a PCL sprain suffered in early September. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help this team win in whatever role it is – it doesn’t matter,” Bichette told reporters, including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.

Manager John Schneider said before Game 7 of the ALCS that Bichette had been making strides in his recovery. The shortstop resumed on-field running work ahead of the series against Seattle, but was ultimately left off the ALCS roster. Regarding Bichette’s role if he’s cleared to return, Schneider said he “could” appear at second base, shortstop, or DH, relayed Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.

All 716 of Bichette’s MLB appearances in the field have been at shortstop. He’s made 31 appearances at DH. Bichette does have professional experience at second base, but it’s been quite some time since he played there. He made a single appearance at the position for Triple-A Buffalo in 2019. Bichette logged 29 starts at second base in the minors from 2016 to 2018.

Bichette’s playing time in the infield, whether at second base or shortstop, will likely come at the expense of Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The utilityman started the final four games of the ALCS at second base. While he did go 5-for-15 against Seattle, Kiner-Falefa is known much more for his glove, and Bichette’s bat would be preferred in the lineup. Andres Gimenez moved over from second base to shortstop when Bichette went down. He could slide back to his original position if Bichette can handle shortstop, or remain there if Bichette heads to second.

The middle of the infield will shuffle depending on Bichette’s status, but one lineup spot that isn’t up for debate is the starting pitcher for Game 1. Right-hander Trey Yesavage will get the ball on Friday, reports Bill Shaiken of the Los Angeles Times, among others. He’ll be opposed by lefty Blake Snell.

Yesavage’s ascent up the Blue Jays’ system has been one of the more fascinating stories of the postseason. He was taken in the first round of the 2024 draft and made his professional debut with Single-A Dunedin in April of this year. Huge strikeout numbers propelled Yesavage to High-A Vancouver and then to Double-A New Hampshire. By August, he had reached Triple-A Buffalo. Yesavage piled up 26 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings with the Bisons, earning an MLB callup in mid-September. He dazzled in his big-league debut against Tampa Bay, striking out nine over five innings. Yesavage earned his first MLB win in his third and final start of the regular season, shutting down the Rays again over five scoreless innings.

Yesavage saved his best for the postseason. In his playoff debut, he fired 5 1/3 hitless innings against the Yankees in the ALDS. He took the loss in Game 2 of the ALCS, but came back with a strong start in Game 6, earning a win to even the series. Yesavage will have a tough test on Friday, facing a Los Angeles lineup that has posted a 113 wRC+ so far in the postseason. He’d be in line to start Game 5, if necessary.

Kevin Gausman would’ve been the top candidate to start Game 1 of the World Series, but he was needed in relief in Game 7 of the ALCS on Monday. Toronto’s ace tossed a scoreless seventh inning and ended up with the win after George Springer launched a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the inning. Gausman told reporters, including Davidi, that he knew pitching on Monday would likely cost him the start on Friday. “That was hard for me to swallow, to be honest … [but] I would hate to go out there not knowing exactly what I’m going to get out of myself. That played a big part in the last couple days.“

Davidi mentioned that Gausman’s side session on Thursday likely sets him up to start Game 2 on Saturday. He’s posted a 2.00 ERA across four appearances in the postseason. Gausman earned the win in Toronto’s blowout victory over New York in Game 1 of the ALDS. He was outdueled by Bryce Miller in Game 1 of the ALCS, but was in line for the win in Game 5 until the bullpen ceded five runs in the eighth inning. If Gausman does start on Saturday, he’d be on track to start again in Game 6, if necessary.

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Brewers Announce Injury Updates: William Contreras, Caleb Durbin, Sal Frelick

By Charlie Wright | October 23, 2025 at 7:12pm CDT

Milwaukee announced health news for several players on Thursday. Catcher William Contreras may be facing a corrective procedure for his finger, while infielder Caleb Durbin is expected to have elbow surgery, reports Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, among others. Outfielder Sal Frelick was cleared of any concern, as were pitchers Trevor Megill, DL Hall, and Logan Henderson.

Contreras played through a fractured left middle finger for the majority of the season. The injury was announced in early May, but it was believed to have occurred during the 2024 season. Contreras is meeting with a hand specialist next week for a “potential correction,” noted McCalvy.

The 27-year-old backstop endured his worst season in his three-year tenure in Milwaukee. Contreras slashed .260/.355/.399 with a 113 wRC+. Those would be solid marks for most catchers, but Contreras had set quite the standard since coming over from Atlanta. He posted back-to-back seasons with a batting average above .280 and a slugging percentage over .450. Contreras didn’t miss any time with the finger injury, but it seemed to inhibit his power. He totaled 35 extra-base hits this past season after exceeding that mark in doubles alone in both 2023 and 2024.

Durbin is slated for arthroscopic elbow surgery next week. The infielder dealt with elbow irritation near the end of the season, reports Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He’s expected to be healthy for the 2026 campaign.

Durbin came to the Brewers this past offseason in the trade that sent closer Devin Williams to the Yankees. He opened the season at Triple-A Nashville, but was promoted to the big-league club a few weeks into the season.  Durbin hit well enough to hold down the third base job for the rest of the year. He also made appearances at second base and shortstop. Durbin slashed a respectable .256/.334/.387 while recording double-digit home runs and stolen bases. He hit safely in six of Milwaukee’s nine postseason games, including two doubles and a triple.

Frelick battled knee soreness over the final months of the regular season. He missed a handful of games in early August, but never went to the IL. Offseason imaging on the knee came back clean, with the team describing the findings as “unremarkable.” Frelick is expected to have a normal offseason.

Megill and Hall both returned from injuries just in time for the playoffs. Megill’s flexor strain and Hall’s oblique issue were deemed fully recovered. Henderson’s season was cut short by a flexor strain of his own, but he’s also good to go now.

Quinn Priester is expected to have a normal offseason after dealing with wrist soreness. He never went to the IL with the injury and was available for a pair of postseason appearances. The issue will be managed with treatment and rehab heading into the 2026 season.

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Milwaukee Brewers Caleb Durbin DL Hall Logan Henderson Quinn Priester Sal Frelick Trevor Megill William Contreras

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Poll: Will The White Sox Trade Andrew Benintendi This Winter?

By Nick Deeds | October 23, 2025 at 5:23pm CDT

After winning 19 more times in 2025 than they did last season, the White Sox are showing some signs of life for the first time in a while. The beginnings of a young core centered around top prospects Colson Montgomery and Kyle Teel, both of whom impressed in their MLB debuts this year, as well as Rule 5 pick Shane Smith, appear to be forming. Controllable pieces like Miguel Vargas, Davis Martin, Sean Burke, and Wikelman Gonzalez have the look of what could be a solid supporting cast, as well.

Even with those steps forward acknowledged, however, it must be understood that the White Sox remain a long way from contention. Even with all of that improvement over a historically disastrous 2024 campaign, they still lost more than 100 games for the third consecutive season. They finished the season a whopping 28 games back of the Guardians for the division lead and a 2-2 record in March is the only thing preventing them from having lost more games than they won in every month of this year’s campaign. A 28-37 record after the All-Star break was certainly an improvement over a 32-65 first half, but even that second half record was a 92-loss pace. They allowed the 10th most runs in the majors this year while scoring the fourth fewest.

In other words, contention in 2026 remains a pipe dream on the south side of Chicago even after this season’s improvements. That surely means another year of prioritizing a farm system that has fallen into the middle of the pack on both ESPN and MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings after the graduations of Montgomery, Teel, and Edgar Quero. Unfortunately for the White Sox, they’re running out of tradable assets. A Luis Robert Jr. trade has been speculated upon for years now, but appears to be just as much of a non-starter now as it was over the summer. Mike Tauchman’s impressive 2025 campaign could make him an attractive target for a team in need of outfield help on the cheap, but no journeyman outfielder headed into his age-35 season should be expected to bring back a big return. Players like Vargas and Lenyn Sosa won’t be free agents until after the 2029 season, a point by which the Sox are surely hoping to be back in contention.

With so few resources through which they can upgrade their farm system on the trade market, might outfielder Andrew Benintendi actually prove to be their best asset on the trade market? Benintendi is coming off his best season in a White Sox uniform, though that bar is quite low. He hit .240/.307/.431 (103 wRC+) in 116 games this year with 20 home runs, an 8.5% walk rate, and a 17.4% strikeout rate. Poor defense in left field limited Benintendi’s overall value, but he was still worth 1.0 bWAR in less than a full season of work. Heading into his age-31 season, it’s not completely impossible to imagine Benintendi building on last year’s performance and getting back into the 110 wRC+ range he sat comfortably in for his career prior to arriving in Chicago.

If Benintendi were a free agent this winter, an outfield-needy team without much money to spend surely would have interest in his services for 2025. The problem, then, is Benintendi’s contract. $31MM guaranteed over the next two seasons is hardly the most onerous contract out there, but it’s still far more money than the veteran’s production has been worth, and no team is likely to be eager to take that deal of Chicago’s hands, much less surrender significant prospect talent for it.

With that being said, the White Sox have reportedly expressed willingness as recently as this summer to pay down some of Benintendi’s salary in order to facilitate a deal. To get a meaningful return for him, the Sox would surely need to cover the vast majority of his salary for the next two years. That might not be as unreasonable as it would seem, given that RosterResource projects the club for a payroll of just $45MM next year as things stand. That figure doesn’t include the $20MM club option on Luis Robert Jr.’s services next year, but even so, the White Sox should have plenty of money to work with this winter. Essentially buying a better prospect return from a club acquiring Benintendi by paying down his salary could be the best use of those resources.

With that said, there are some obstacles to that plan. For one thing, the White Sox have shown a reluctance to sell low on their players, as shown in their handling of Robert. Another problem could be that the best fits for Benintendi might be the team’s division rivals. Small-market clubs in significant need of outfield help would be the perfect trade partners for a deal like this, but both the Royals and Guardians reside in the AL Central alongside the White Sox, and it’s unclear if the the team would be willing to pay Benintendi to play for their direct opponents for the next two seasons.

The Pirates and Rockies are two other clubs that could be at least plausible fits for a Benintendi trade, but the market would surely be much softer if Cleveland and Kansas City aren’t involved. Another option could be to simply accept little to no return for Benintendi and try to offload as much of his salary as possible, though that wouldn’t do much for the team’s long-term outlook given their existing financial flexibility.

How do MLBTR readers think the White Sox offseason will play out with regards to Benintendi? Will they be able to leverage his decent 2025 season in order to get some type of return for him this winter? Will they resort to trading him in a salary dump to get a portion of his deal off the books while they can? Or will they hold onto him and hope for improvement in 2026? Have your say in the poll below:

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Offseason Outlook: Minnesota Twins

By Steve Adams | October 23, 2025 at 4:27pm CDT

The Twins gutted their roster at the trade deadline, fired their manager after the season and still haven't divulged any information on their new limited partners who bought a heavy share of the club. To call morale "low" among fans would be an egregious understatement, and the looming offseason doesn't offer much reason for optimism.

Guaranteed Contracts

  • Byron Buxton, OF: $45MM through 2028
  • Pablo Lopez, RHP: $43MM through 2027

Other Financial Commitments

  • $30MM owed to Astros through 2028 as part of Carlos Correa trade ($10MM annually)

Total 2026 commitments: $46.5MM
Total long-term commitments: $118MM through 2028

Option Decisions

  • Justin Topa, RHP: $2MM club option with $225K buyout (Topa remains under control via arbitration if Twins decline)

Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; salary projections via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

  • Genesis Cabrera (5.149): $1.4MM
  • Ryan Jeffers (5.089): $6.6MM
  • Justin Topa (5.044): $1.7MM (Twins hold a $2MM club option with a $225K buyout)
  • Michael Tonkin (5.044): $1.4MM
  • Bailey Ober (4.093): $4.6MM
  • Joe Ryan (4.033): $5.8MM
  • Trevor Larnach (4.014): $4.7MM
  • Royce Lewis (3.142): $3MM
  • Anthony Misiewicz (3.082): $1.1MM
  • Cole Sands (3.017): $1.3MM

Non-tender candidates: Cabrera, Tonkin, Larnach, Misiewicz

Free Agents

  • Christian Vazquez

The Twins were in contention for much of the season's first half, even rattling off a 13-game winning streak from early May into the middle portion of the month. When things went south and the club fell below .500 with the deadline approaching, Minnesota emerged as a clear seller. It was originally expected to be a minor sale of pending free agents like Willi Castro, Chris Paddack and Harrison Bader. Instead, Minnesota traded a staggering 11 players, including several who were controlled beyond the current season -- in some instances (e.g. Louis Varland) as far out as 2030.

Whether that was due to the front office acting opportunistically in a market that lacked many pure sellers or (more likely) because ownership mandated further payroll cuts after being unable to find a buyer for the team due to a reported $400MM+ in outstanding debt, Minnesota's stunning deadline fire sale set the stage for what feels like a notable step back that will continue into the forthcoming offseason.

The large-scale changes didn't stop at the deadline. Manager Rocco Baldelli was the sacrificial lamb at season's end, getting fired with a year to go on his contract. Baldelli's tenure was far from perfect, as the Twins have had their share of disappointing seasons (including 2024's September collapse), but no manager could have succeeded in the wake of such a dramatic teardown, which included shipping out the five best relievers in what had been an excellent bullpen.

The Twins' offseason, accordingly, commences with a managerial search that has already seen them tied to names like former Mariners skipper Scott Servais, Red Sox bench coach Ramon Vazquez, and old friends Derek Shelton, James Rowson and (stretching much further back) Nick Punto. Change is coming in the Twins' dugout, but there's also still a fair bit of turnover possible on the roster itself.

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Fielding Bible Award Winners Announced

By Darragh McDonald | October 23, 2025 at 2:17pm CDT

Sports Info Solutions announced the winners of the 2025 Fielding Bible Awards today, the 20th year the awards have been given out. The awards are voted on by a panel of experts who consider statistical analysis, the eye test, and any other factors that they wish to utilize.

This year’s winners are:

  • Catcher: Patrick Bailey, Giants
  • First base: Matt Olson, Braves
  • Second base: Nico Hoerner, Cubs
  • Third base: Ke’Bryan Hayes, Reds
  • Shortstop: Mookie Betts, Dodgers
  • Left field: Steven Kwan, Guardians
  • Center field: Ceddanne Rafaela, Red Sox
  • Right field: Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres
  • Pitcher: Max Fried, Yankees
  • Multi-position: Ernie Clement, Blue Jays
  • Player of the year: Patrick Bailey, Giants
  • Team of the Year: Cubs

Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images

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Uncategorized Ceddanne Rafaela Ernie Clement Fernando Tatis Jr. Ke'Bryan Hayes Matt Olson Max Fried Mookie Betts Nico Hoerner Patrick Bailey Steven Kwan

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Previewing The 2025-26 Free Agent Class: Right-Handed Relief

By Darragh McDonald | October 23, 2025 at 12:56pm CDT

A number of teams (and their fanbases) have already turned their attention towards the offseason. Identifying free agent targets is a big part of that prep work, so it’s worth taking a look at the players who’ll be available at each position.

The group of right-handed relievers is a real mixed bag, as usual. There are established closers, guys looking for bouncebacks and plenty of other wildcards. Ages listed are for the 2026 season.

Previous entries in this series: catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, center field, corner outfield, designated hitter

Closers Expected To Opt Out

  • Edwin Díaz (32)

Díaz has the ability to opt out of his deal and he should do so. He would be walking away from $38MM over two years but he should be able to beat that, even after rejecting a qualifying offer. The best relievers generally get around $20MM on multi-year deals. Díaz himself got $102MM over five years on his current deal, plus the opt-out. Josh Hader got $95MM over five. Tanner Scott got $72MM over four. Liam Hendriks got $54MM over three.

While Díaz isn’t quite as good as he was a few years ago, he’s still one of the best relievers around. He struck out 50.2% of batters faced in 2022 just before getting his last deal. He then missed the entire 2023 season due to right knee surgery. His 2024 and 2025 seasons have seen his strikeout rate down a bit below 40%, a big drop from 2022, but still with excellent results overall.

Over the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Díaz tossed 120 innings with a 2.48 earned run average, 38.4% strikeout rate, 8.6% walk rate and 46.4% ground ball rate. He earned 48 saves in that span. Among pitchers with at least ten innings pitched over those two years, only Mason Miller had a higher strikeout rate. Díaz allowed fewer walks and got more grounders than Miller. He missed time in 2024 due to a shoulder impingement and a sticky stuff suspension but he stayed on the roster throughout 2025 and posted a 1.63 ERA on the year. He’s a few years older than last time but still young enough to get a strong multi-year deal.

  • Robert Suarez (35)

Suarez can also walk away from two guaranteed years and has a strong case to do so. He tossed 69 2/3 innings for the Padres this year with a 2.97 ERA. He struck out 27.9% of batters faced and only gave out walks at a 5.9% clip. He racked up 40 saves, his second straight year with at least 36.

His deal only pays him $8MM annually for the next two seasons, meaning he would be walking away from just $16MM by opting out. He should be able to beat that guarantee but might still be limited to two years offers on account of his age. It’s possible that the Padres won’t issue him a qualifying offer. $22.025MM on a one-year deal would be a lot for a closer who is pretty good but not elite. That’s especially true for the Friars, given their perennially tight payroll. Assuming he doesn’t get tagged with a QO, that will help his market.

Big Helium Guy

  • Brad Keller (30)

Keller spent a bunch of years as a decent groundball starter for the Royals. Some of those years were okay. Others were not. He had surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome late in 2023. He didn’t do much in 2024 and had to settle for a minor league deal with the Cubs coming into 2025.

That deal worked out tremendously for both sides. Keller was used as a reliever and was able to average about 97 miles per hour on his fastball, up a few ticks from his time as a starter. He gave the Cubs 69 2/3 innings with a 2.07 ERA. His 27.2% strikeout rate was about 10 points higher than his earlier rotation work. He didn’t sacrifice any of the ground balls, as his 56.1% rate this year was actually a career high. His 8% walk rate was around average. He worked his way into a leverage role with the Cubs, earning three saves and 25 holds.

This is just one season after some time in the injury wilderness and with some mediocre results prior to that. However, pitchers have been able to ride this kind of momentum to nice multi-year deals before. Jeff Hoffman and Robert Stephenson are some recent examples of guys who didn’t pan out as starters before reinventing themselves as relievers. Both signed deals worth $33MM over three years.

Hoffman had two strong relief years, compared to Keller having just one. Stephenson was only good for about half a year before his deal but his level of dominance in that span was more extreme. The Stephenson deal has blown up on the Angels since he’s been hurt since signing, but Hoffman became Toronto’s closer and has just helped them to the World Series.

They are not perfect analogies but the point is Keller could have big earning power, even with just one really strong season. It’s also possible some clubs want to stretch him back out. Clay Holmes got $38MM over three years, with the Mets hoping his ground balls could help him eat some rotation innings. That bet largely worked out after one year, with Holmes posting a 3.53 ERA in 2025.
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Veteran Closers

  • Kyle Finnegan (34)

Finnegan has racked up 112 saves over the past five seasons, mostly with the Nationals, but he also notched a few with the Tigers this year after a deadline deal. His rate stats have been more good than great. From 2021 to 2024, he had a 3.62 ERA, 23.3% strikeout rate, 9.3% walk rate and 47.2% ground ball rate. Ahead of the 2025 season, the Nationals non-tendered him instead of paying him a projected $8.6MM salary for his final year of club control.

After lingering on the market for a while, Finnegan returned to the Nats in early March, a $6MM guarantee with some deferrals. He pitched okay and got flipped to Detroit at the deadline, when his results ticked up. The Tigers had him throw his splitter way more, at the expense of his fastball. In 18 innings after the deal, he had a 1.50 ERA, 34.8% strikeout rate and 6.1% walk rate. He also made six postseason appearances but without the same level of dominance.

The track record of being a passable closer is already pretty good. Last time he was a free agent, he didn’t have a ton of juice, but perhaps some clubs will be intrigued by the extra gear he showed down the stretch with the different pitch mix. That could get him into multi-year deal territory.

  • Raisel Iglesias (36)

Iglesias has a pretty lengthy track record of reliability in the closer’s role. He racked up 28 saves with the Reds back in 2017 and has reached double digits in each full season since then. He was a free agent four years ago and secured a four-year, $58MM deal from the Angels, though he was traded to Atlanta in the first season of that pact.

He’s now older and coming off an uneven year. He had a 4.42 ERA but settled down with a 1.76 ERA in the second half. Altogether, he tossed 67 1/3 innings with a 3.21 ERA, 27.4% strikeout rate and 6% walk rate. His age could limit him to one-year offers but a second year isn’t totally out of the question. In recent years, pitchers like Blake Treinen, Chris Martin, Adam Ottavino and Mark Melancon have received two-year deals worth $14MM or more for their age-37 seasons. Iglesias will be one year younger than that.

  • Kenley Jansen (38)

Jansen is one of most successful closers in baseball history. He now has 476 saves, fourth on the all-time list. He’s still miles away from Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman but he’s only two saves away from tying Lee Smith in the number three spot.

Due to his age, he’s been signing short-term deals lately. He got a one-year pact with Atlanta in 2022, two years with the Red Sox for 2023-24, then one with the Angels for 2025. He just wrapped up another good season. He gave the Halos 59 innings with a 2.59 ERA, 24.4% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate. He’s not as dominant as he once was but still racked up 29 saves. Another solid one-year deal should be out there for him somewhere.

  • Emilio Pagán (35)

Pagán has been in the big leagues for years with a pretty consistent profile. His strikeout and walk rates are good but he gives up too many home runs. Despite the flaws, he was a free agent two years ago and secured a two-year, $16MM guarantee with an opt-out.

That deal was with the Reds, a club with one of the most homer-friendly ballparks in the majors. Predictably, the first year didn’t go well. Pagán missed a couple of months with a lat strain and posted a 4.50 ERA. He decided not to trigger his opt out, staying in Cincinnati for 2025.

Surprisingly, that worked out. Pagán logged 68 2/3 innings this year with a 2.88 ERA, 30% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate. He seemingly had a bit of help from a .200 batting average on balls in play and 76.5% strand rate. Regardless, his 3.72 FIP and 3.18 SIERA suggest he would have done okay even with less luck from the baseball gods. He took over the closer’s role and racked up 32 saves.

The under-the-hood numbers will give clubs some pause but Pagán had enough interest to get a nice multi-year deal the last time he was out there. He’s obviously older now but is perhaps heading back to the market with some nice juice after some success in the ninth inning.

Notable Bounceback Candidates

  • Hunter Harvey (31)

The injury bug has been on Harvey for the past year-plus. The Royals acquired him from the Nationals in July of 2024. Unfortunately, mid-back tightness put him on the injured list for most of the remainder of that season. In 2025, a teres major strain and a right adductor strain wiped out most of the season. He only made 18 appearances for the Royals despite being with them for about a year and a half.

There will be some natural uncertainty with Harvey after those absences but the numbers are good. Dating back to the start of 2022, he has thrown 161 1/3 innings with a 3.07 ERA, 27.4% strikeout rate, 6.5% walk rate and 43.1% ground ball rate. He earned 11 saves and 58 holds in that time. There’s some health risk but Harvey makes for an intriguing buy-low opportunity, likely on a one-year deal.

  • Ryan Helsley (31)

One year ago, Helsley seemed on track to be one of the top relievers of this winter’s class. That is no longer the case. He finished 2025 with a 4.50 ERA. He was particularly bad after being traded to the Mets at the deadline, with a 7.20 ERA after that swap.

That performance obviously cuts into his earning power, but some clubs may be able to find some glimmers of hope. The pre-2025 track record is great. From 2022 to 2024, he logged 167 2/3 innings with a 1.83 ERA while striking out 34.6% of batters faced. It’s been suggested that his struggles this year were the result of him tipping his pitches, so his results could come back with a minor adjustment. His velocity is mostly still there, as he averaged 99.3 mph this year, only a slight drop from his 99.7 mph peak.

The more pessimistic perspective is that Helsley has been trending in the wrong direction for a while now. His strikeout rate peaked at 39.3% in 2022 but has been dropping since. It was 35.6% in 2023 and 29.7% last year. Here in 2025, he dropped to 26.1% with Cards and then to 23.2% after being traded to the Mets. There are likely clubs who can see a way to reverse the trends but he might be limited to one-year pillow offers. It’s possible the velocity gets enough interest that he commands a two-year deal with an opt-out.

  • Liam Hendriks (36)

Hendriks was one of the top closers in baseball from 2019 to 2022 but he’s mostly been in the wilderness since. He missed time early in 2023 while getting treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was able to beat cancer and get back on the mound that summer but then required Tommy John surgery in August.

He signed a two-year deal with the Red Sox for 2024 and 2025 but missed all of 2024 while recovering. The Sox were surely hoping for a fully healthy season from Hendriks in 2025 but didn’t get it. He was on and off the IL all year due to elbow/forearm issues, making 14 appearances for the big league club. He underwent a right elbow ulnar nerve transposition surgery at the end of September. His health status for next season isn’t clear.

  • Michael Kopech (30)

Kopech never really made it as a starter but a bullpen move in 2024 seemed to be the right path for him. Between the White Sox and Dodgers that year, he tossed 67 2/3 innings with a 3.46 ERA. His 12.2% walk rate was high but he punched out 31.5% of batters faced. He racked up 15 saves and nine holds on the year.

2025 was mostly a lost season, however, as he only logged 11 innings. Reports of forearm inflammation popped up way back in January. He started the season on the IL due to a shoulder impingement, reportedly due to him trying to quickly ramp up for the Tokyo Series after the forearm stuff. He was off the IL in early June but was back on the shelf later than month due to right knee inflammation. He underwent surgery to address a torn meniscus in July. He came off the IL at the start of September but inflammation in that knee put him back on the IL a few weeks later. Even as the Dodgers have pushed into the World Series, there’s been no suggestion that Kopech is getting close to rejoining the roster. The injuries probably limit Kopech to a one-year deal but there’s perhaps some intriguing upside based on his 2024 breakout.

  • Jose Leclerc (32)

Leclerc spent the 2016 to 2024 seasons with the Rangers. He tossed 360 1/3 innings with a 3.27 ERA. His 13.2% walk rate was high but he also punched out 31.2% of batters faced. He was a key part of the club’s 2023 World Series run.

The Athletics gave him a one-year, $10MM deal for the 2025 season, but that investment turned into a bust. Leclerc only tossed nine innings for the A’s before requiring season-ending shoulder surgery. It’s unclear if he’s expected to be healthy by the start of next season.

  • Jordan Romano (33)

Romano had a three-year run as the Blue Jays closer. From 2021 to 2023, he racked up 95 saves while posting a 2.37 ERA with a 30.3% strikeout rate, 9.2% walk rate and 42.3% ground ball rate. But in 2024, he was on and off the IL with elbow issues and only tossed 13 2/3 innings. The Jays non-tendered him instead of paying a projected $7.75MM salary for his final arbitration season.

The Phils tried for a bounceback, giving Romano $8.5MM. It didn’t pan out. Romano posted an 8.23 ERA across 42 2/3 innings this year. It surely wasn’t quite as bad as that ERA makes it seem. His 49% strand rate in 2025 was tiny. His 25.1% strikeout rate wasn’t as high as his peak but was still pretty good. His 3.66 SIERA would suggest he was extremely unlucky.

Even if luck played a notable role, Romano should have less earning power than a year ago. His 95.5 mph fastball velocity was a couple of ticks below his peak and even below the 96.4 he managed in his injury-marred 2024 campaign.

  • Paul Sewald (36)

Sewald racked up double digit saves in each season from 2021 to 2024. In that span, he tossed 229 innings with a 3.18 ERA, 32.5% strikeout rate and 8.2% walk rate. The final year of that stretch wasn’t his best. He battled some injuries and lost the closer’s role in Arizona.

Though he went into free agency on a bit of a down note, the Guardians still gave him a $7MM guarantee on a one-year deal. He technically has a mutual option for 2026 but those provisions are almost never picked up by both sides. The Guards twice put him on the IL due to a shoulder strain. He was still on the IL at the deadline when he was flipped to the Tigers, with Detroit absorbing the roughly $2.6MM still to be paid out. He made four appearances for the Tigers late in the year but didn’t crack the playoff roster.

Sewald finished this year with a 4.58 ERA, 24.7% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate. Those aren’t disastrous numbers and it’s perhaps notable that the Guards and Tigers were both willing to spend money on him this year. However, his fastball velocity was down to 90.4 mph this year around the shoulder issues.

  • Devin Williams (31)

Williams came into this year as one of the best relievers alive. From 2020 to 2024, he tossed 222 innings with a minuscule 1.70 ERA. His 12% walk rate was high but he counteracted that by striking out 40.8% of batters faced and keeping 48.9% of balls in play on the ground. After Josh Hader was traded, Williams took over the closer’s role in Milwaukee. He earned 36 saves in 2023, though back issues limited him to just 14 in 2024.

He was traded to the Yankees ahead of the 2025 season and went on to post a 4.79 ERA, eventually losing his grip on the closer’s role. However, most of his underlying stats were still strong. His 34.7% strikeout rate and 44.6% ground ball rate moved in the wrong direction but were both still well above average. His 9.7% walk rate was actually his best in years.

The main reason for his ERA spike seems to be bad luck. His 55.2% strand rate was well below the 72.3% league average and his career rate of 75.8%. ERA estimators like his 2.68 FIP and 2.67 SIERA suggest he was almost as dominant as before.

There will perhaps be some talk that Williams couldn’t handle the bright lights of New York City but some may ignore that. For any team overlooking the fluky-looking ERA spike, it’s a chance to grab one of the best pitchers in baseball, perhaps with a soft market. A two-year deal with an opt-out could be possible but it’s also feasible that there’s enough faith in his stuff to get him a strong three- or four-year deal.

  • Kirby Yates (39)

Yates has been really up and down lately. He had a massive breakout a few years back, including a 41-save season with a 1.19 ERA in the juiced-ball campaign of 2019. Then he was in the injury wilderness for a while but gradually got back on track. He racked up 33 saves for the Rangers in 2024 while posting a 1.17 ERA with a 35.9% strikeout rate and 11.8% walk rate.

The Dodgers gave him a one-year, $13MM deal for 2025. He spent time on the IL with hamstring and back injuries. Around those, he tossed 41 1/3 innings with a 5.23 ERA. His 29.2% strikeout rate was actually quite good and his 9.6% walk rate acceptable, but 17% of his fly balls left the yard. He finished the season on the shelf with a hamstring strain and hasn’t appeared in the postseason for the Dodgers.

Some ERA estimators consider home runs to be the fault of the pitcher while others consider them to be more random. That perhaps explains the difference between Yates’s 4.76 FIP and 3.33 SIERA this year. Regardless, it wasn’t an ideal season. But he’s shown an elite ceiling in the past, including as recently as last year, so another decent one-year deal could be out there for him.

Veteran Setup Guys

  • Shawn Armstrong (35)

Armstrong has 421 1/3 career innings under his belt with a 3.82 ERA, 24.3% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate. The Rangers scooped him up for $1.25MM on a one-year deal for 2025. He gave them 74 innings with a 2.31 ERA, 26.1% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate. He earned nine saves and 12 holds. He should get another one-year deal from some club looking to bolster the setup group.

  • Seranthony Domínguez (31)

Domínguez has long been a power arm in the big leagues, combining good strikeout and ground ball numbers with some wildness. He has thrown 306 innings with a 3.50 ERA, 27.9% strikeout rate, 10.5% walk rate and 45.3% ground ball rate. He does have 40 career saves but has never topped 16 in a season. He’s been deployed more as a setup guy, with 78 holds in his career.

The Blue Jays acquired him from the Orioles at the trade deadline. The move came as the two clubs were playing a doubleheader against each other, which allowed Domínguez to swap clubhouses between the two games. He’s been a key part of Toronto’s playoff bullpen, having already made seven appearances.

He’s not the best reliever in this post but there’s a lot to like. His fastball averages almost 98 mph, helping him get those strikeouts and grounders. He added a splitter this year to try to even out his platoon splits, though he still struggled with lefties in 2025. A decent multi-year deal is a possibility.

  • Chris Martin (40)

Martin said a year ago that 2025 would likely be his final season. He hasn’t yet confirmed that, but it’s possible he’s now going to retire. If he wants to come back for one more, he should have interest. He got a one-year, $5.5MM deal from the Rangers for 2025 and delivered solid results. He posted a 2.98 ERA over 42 1/3 innings. He struck out 24.7% of batters faced and continued to show his elite control with a 4.6% walk rate.

  • Phil Maton (33)

Maton always puts up good numbers but the market never really seems to value him, likely due to his middling velocity. He got $6.5MM from the Rays two offseasons ago and just $2MM from the Cards last winter. Between the Cards and Rangers this year, he logged 61 1/3 innings with a 2.79 ERA, 32.7% strikeout rate, 9.3% walk rate and 44.4% ground ball rate. Based on precedent, another one-year deal should be a bargain for some club out there.

  • Tyler Rogers (35)

Rogers has even less velocity than Maton, as his fastballs average in the low-to-mid-80s. However, there’s not really another pitcher like him in the majors. His submariner delivery is incredibly unique. He’s very durable, having never gone on the big league injured list, which has allowed him to toss at least 70 innings in each of the last five seasons. Over those five seasons, he has a 2.71 ERA. His 17% strikeout rate isn’t impressive but his 4.4% walk rate is tiny and his 56.3% ground ball rate is huge. He’s one of the best in the league at staying off barrels and limiting hard contact.

Teams generally prefer to have power pitchers in their setup roles but Rogers appears to be a special case. He reached 30 holds in four of the last five seasons. The Mets made him a key deadline pickup, sending a notable package of talent to the Giants. They then had him in a high leverage role down the stretch. That’s partly due to the struggles of Helsley and others but Rogers also held his own with a 2.30 ERA for the Mets.

It’s one of the harder markets to predict. Will teams overlook the nonexistent velocity and tiny strikeout numbers, focusing more on the control and weak contact? Or will clubs scoff at the profile like with Maton?

  • Luke Weaver (32)

Weaver’s career as a starter went through many ups and downs but he finally settled in as a solid reliever in recent years. Going into 2024, the Yankees signed him to a one-year, $2MM deal with a $2.5MM club option for 2025 and performance bonuses. That turned into a bargain for them. Weaver tossed 148 2/3 innings over the course of that pact with a 3.21 ERA, 29.5% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate. He earned 12 saves and 43 holds.

The deal ended on a sour note, as Weaver allowed five runs over three postseason appearances, recording just one out. But from a wider viewpoint, it was two years of solid setup man results. Those kinds of guys can often find solid multi-year pacts, with recent examples including Jordan Hicks, Clay Holmes, Rafael Montero, Taylor Rogers and Reynaldo López. Some of those guys were signed to be stretched out as starters, something that Weaver hasn’t closed the door on.

Swing Types

  • Jakob Junis (33)

Junis has worked as both as a starter and a reliever throughout most of his career, though he was exclusively used as a reliever in 2025. The Guardians gave him a one-year, $4.5MM deal coming into the season. He gave them 66 2/3 innings with a 2.97 ERA. His 20.1% strikeout rate was subpar but he limited walks to a 6.6% clip. It was mostly low leverage work, as he earned only six holds and no saves. He should be able to secure another one-year pact for a low-leverage relief role or a gig as a swingman.

  • Nick Martinez (35)

Martinez has shown a decent ability to be shuttled back and forth between the rotation and bullpen. His relief work is better but his starting work is passable and teams seem to value that flexibility. The Reds surprisingly made him a $21.05MM qualifying offer a year ago, which he accepted. He gave them 165 2/3 innings over 26 starts and 14 relief appearances. His 4.45 ERA wasn’t amazing, nor was his 17% strikeout rate, but he only walked 6.1% of batters faced and did a good job limiting hard contact. He had a 2.61 ERA in his relief outings this year, though while only striking out 11.1% of opponents.

Prior to accepting this QO, he was able to secure multi-year deals with opt-outs, seeming to have a strong willingness to bet on himself and repeatedly return to the market. He’s getting older now but it wouldn’t be a shock to see him get another multi-year pact.

  • Michael Soroka (28)

Is Soroka a starter? The question seems to always go unanswered. After many years in the injury wilderness, he had an intriguing 2024 season with the White Sox. He didn’t pan out as a starter but finished the year strong as a multi-inning reliever. He logged 36 frames over his final 16 appearances with a 2.75 ERA and 39% strikeout rate, though the 13% walk rate was ugly.

The Nats gave him a one-year, $9MM deal and an opportunity to start again. He started for them 16 times with a 4.87 ERA, 25.4% strikeout rate, 7% walk rate and 42.6% ground ball rate. Those are decent numbers but it’s still not clear if he should be facing hitters multiple times. He held opponents to a .193/.250/.329 line when facing them the first time but gave up a .218/.302/.395 line the second time through. Hitters facing him a third time slashed .319/.467/.574.

He was traded to the Cubs ahead of the deadline but made just one more start before a shoulder strain sent him to the IL. He was able to come off the shelf late in the year but was kept in the bullpen. If he wants another shot at starting, he should be able to find one since a relief role is a decent fallback, though there’s enough uncertainty that he’ll likely still be limited to another one-year deal.

Options/Opt-Outs

  • Scott Barlow (33)

The Reds signed Barlow to a one-year, $2.5MM deal last offseason. That came in the form of a $1.5MM salary and a $1MM buyout on a $6.5MM club option. He gave them 68 1/3 innings with a 4.21 ERA, basically in line with the 4.25 ERA he had with Cleveland the year prior. However, his strikeout rate dropped from 28.2% to 24.8%, his walk rate climbed from 12.9% to 14.9% and his grounder rate fell from 47.1% to 42.9%. With the needles moving in the wrong direction, the Reds should cut their losses, which would leave Barlow looking for another one-year deal.

  • Pete Fairbanks (32)

Fairbanks can be retained via an $11MM club option with a $1MM buyout. His strikeout rate isn’t quite what it once was, but he’s still getting decent results. He just gave the Rays 60 1/3 innings with a 2.83 ERA, 24.2% strikeout rate, 7.4% walk rate and 45.1% ground ball rate. He recorded 27 saves, his third straight season with at least 23. The net $10MM decision is justifiable enough for the Rays to pick it up, though they will probably trade Fairbanks to a club with a bigger payroll.

  • Pierce Johnson (35)

Johnson’s deal contains a $7MM club option with a $250K buyout. His strikeout rate dropped to 24.8% in 2025, after being around 30% in prior seasons. On the other hand, his control improved. His walk rate landed at 8% this year after being in the 10-13% range for many seasons before that. The result was a 3.05 ERA, 16 holds and one save. He’s not elite but Atlanta has plenty of bullpen questions and probably picks this up.

  • Tyler Kinley (35)

Despite being out of contention at the deadline, Atlanta acquired Kinley from the Rockies, presumably because they wanted to bolster their 2026 bullpen without having to wait for the offseason. Kinley’s contains a $5.5MM club option with a $750K buyout. After getting away from Coors Field, he gave Atlanta 25 innings with 0.72 ERA, 23.4% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate. It would be a surprise if he’s not back in the Atlanta bullpen next year.

  • Andrew Kittredge (36)

Kittredge signed a one-year, $10MM pact with the Orioles last winter. That came in the form of a $9MM salary and $1MM buyout on a $9MM club option for 2026. A left knee injury kept him out of action until mid-May but he got back on track and was dealt to the Cubs at the deadline. Between those two teams, he tossed 53 innings with a 3.40 ERA, 30.8% strikeout rate, 5.3% walk rate and 49.2% ground ball rate. He made Chicago’s playoff roster and made five more appearances in the postseason.

Given his continued strong results, $8MM feels like a fair price to keep Kittredge around. That’s especially true for the Cubs, who seem to prefer to avoid lengthy and expensive investments in the relief corps.

  • Jonathan Loáisiga (31)

Loáisiga has some talent but hasn’t been able to stay healthy for a lengthy period of time lately. He started this season on the injured list, recovering from UCL surgery. He came off the IL but had to head back there due to back tightness. While on the IL, he suffered a flexor strain that ended his season. Even when on the mound, his 18.5% strikeout rate was well below the mid-20s rates he had in his earlier seasons. There’s a $5MM club option, with no buyout, but the Yanks should be able to walk away. Even if they want to give him another shot, they should be able to get him back for less than that.

  • Andrés Muñoz (27)

Muñoz is one of the best closers in baseball. The club option is only for $7MM and there are two affordable club options for 2027 and 2028. This is definitely getting picked up.

  • Drew Smith (32)

Smith required UCL surgery in July of 2024, just a few months before reaching free agency. The Mets signed him to a one-year deal with a $1MM salary in 2025 with a $2MM club option for 2026. He didn’t pitch at all in 2025 but the $2MM price point is fair if the Mets expect him to be ready for a full healthy season in 2026. From 2021 to 2024, he tossed 161 1/3 innings with a 3.35 ERA, 26.2% strikeout rate and 10.2% walk rate.

Established Japanese Arms

  • Takahiro Norimoto (35)

Norimoto had a long run as a successful starter for the Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He moved to the bullpen in 2024, his age-33 season, and has spent the past two seasons as the Eagles’ closer. A 3.23 ERA and 48 saves in 53 tries through 108 2/3 frames as closer looks solid enough, but Norimoto’s strikeout rate has fallen to around 18%. His fastball was still touching 98 mph in 2024, but MLBTR spoke to a scout who clocked him 92-94 mph during the current season. Norimoto’s track record might get him a big league deal, but it’d probably be a cheap deal along the lines of those signed by countrymen Yoshihisa Hirano (two years, $6MM) and Hirokazu Sawamura (two years, $3MM) when they jumped to the majors in their mid-30s. A non-roster deal is also possible, and Norimoto could probably earn decent money staying in Japan if MLB offers aren’t enticing.

  • Kona Takahashi (29)

The Seibu Lions are expected to post Takahashi this offseason. The right-hander has a 3.39 ERA in nearly 1200 innings at Japan’s top level. He’s coming off a 3.04 mark over 148 innings. While the run prevention is solid, Takahashi doesn’t have the bat-missing stuff that’d generate huge big league interest. He struck out just 14% of opponents this past season. An MLB deal is possible, but he’s unlikely to command more than a couple million dollars. There are some similarities between Takahshi and Shinnosuke Ogasawara, who signed a two-year, $3.5MM deal and pitched in a swing role for the Nationals.

Depth Types

  • Scott Blewett (30)
  • Ryan Brasier (38)
  • John Brebbia (36)
  • Nabil Crismatt (31)
  • Chris Devenski (35)
  • Alexis Díaz (29)
  • Dane Dunning (31)
  • Chris Flexen (31)
  • Luis García (39)
  • Kendall Graveman (35)
  • Chad Green (35)
  • Carlos Hernández (29)
  • Luke Jackson (34)
  • Tommy Kahnle (36)
  • Jorge López (33)
  • Shelby Miller (35)
  • Rafael Montero (35)
  • Héctor Neris (37)
  • Adam Ottavino (40)
  • Ryan Pressly (37)
  • Tanner Rainey (33)
  • Erasmo Ramírez (36)
  • Joe Ross (33)
  • Tayler Scott (34)
  • Lucas Sims (32)
  • Ryne Stanek (34)
  • Chris Stratton (35)
  • Hunter Strickland (37)
  • Erik Swanson (32)
  • Lou Trivino (34)
  • José Ureña (34)
  • Bryse Wilson (28)
  • Jake Woodford (29)

Photo courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images

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