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Blue Jays Notes: Springer, Bassitt, Yesavage

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The World Series continues with Game 4 tonight after last night’s 18-inning marathon that ended with the Dodgers winning 6-5. However, veteran George Springer will not be in the starting lineup for the Blue Jays, though he will seemingly remain on the roster (link via Shi Davidi of Sportsnet). The 36-year-old left last night’s game with what was called “right side discomfort” and underwent an MRI today. “MRI showed that he’s hour-to-hour, day-to-day,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider, “so just see how he kind of navigates the next couple hours.” With Springer out of the lineup, Bo Bichette will serve as DH and bat third.

Toronto will certainly hope that Springer can continue to appear in the World Series, even if in a diminished role. He enjoyed a resurgent season in 2025, as he batted .309/.399/.560 with a 166 wRC+ in 140 games as Toronto’s DH. After posting a roughly league-average output over 2023-24, he increased his walk rate from 9.8% to 11.8% and, more importantly, struck the ball with much more authority on his way to a career-high 46.7% hard-hit rate. The result was a season worth 5.2 fWAR, which stands as Springer’s highest total since his 2019 season with the Astros and the best season of his Blue Jays tenure.

Moving to the pitching side of things, Schneider said that right-hander Chris Bassitt will be available out of the bullpen tonight (link via Mitch Bannon of the Athletic). If he pitches, it would be the first time in his career that he has pitched on consecutive days. Bassitt, 36, started all but one of his 32 appearances for Toronto this year. Though he posted a solid 3.96 ERA along with a respectable 22.6% strikeout rate and a 7.1% walk rate in 170 1/3 regular-season innings, the team has used him as a reliever in the postseason. Bassitt was the fourth pitcher out of Toronto’s bullpen in Game 3, throwing just eight pitches. Indeed, Schneider noted that every one of his relievers is available for tonight’s game except for Eric Lauer, who pitched 4 2/3 innings last night (link via Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet).

Looking ahead slightly, rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage is lined up to start Game 5 tomorrow night (link via Davidi). The 22-year-old began the season at the Single-A level but rode an outstanding strikeout rate to reach the big-league rotation by the end of the year, making three regular-season starts plus four more so far in the postseason. He most recently started Game 1 of the World Series, allowing two earned runs in four innings in an eventual Blue Jays victory, and would be on normal rest for a Game 5 start.

Sherman Johnson, Tommy Joseph Won’t Return To Orioles’ Coaching Staff

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Orioles assistant hitting coach Sherman Johnson is moving to the White Sox as a minor league hitting coordinator, reports Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Kostka also reports that Tommy Joseph, another assistant hitting coach, won’t be returning to the O’s next year. Those may not be the only changes for the Baltimore coaching staff, as Andy Martino of SNY reports that first base coach Anthony Sanders has been given permission to talk to other clubs.

The Orioles will have a new manager in 2026. Brandon Hyde was fired during the 2025 season. Third base coach Tony Mansolino took over as interim manager for the remainder of the campaign. It was announced yesterday that Craig Albernaz will now skipper the club. It’s common for managerial hirings to lead to coaching staff shake-ups, as the new bench boss will sometimes bring in his own guys or simply just have different ideas about the best way to move forward.

Johnson, 35, was just hired in November of last year. The 2025 season was his first on a big league staff. He had a brief playing career, with ten big league games for the Angels back in 2018. He played in the minors and independent ball through 2022 before transitioning into coaching. The O’s hired him to work as hitting coach for Double-A Bowie in 2023. He was a minor league hitting coordinator in 2024 before getting bumped up to the big leagues. He’ll now return to the minors in a role with the White Sox.

Joseph, 34, played for the Phillies in 2016 and 2017. He then transitioned to coaching, working in the minors with the Mets and Giants. He got a big league job with the Mariners in 2024, getting hired as an assistant hitting coach. He was hired away by the Orioles for the 2025 season but will be moving on after just one season in Baltimore.

Sanders, 51, played in the majors from 1999 to 2001. He later transitioned to coaching, working with the Rockies in the minor leagues. He worked his way up to the majors and then jumped to the Orioles as first base coach for the 2020 season. It’s not a foregone conclusion that he’ll be leaving the O’s but it seems he is at least exploring the possibility.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images

Looking For A Match In A Brendan Donovan Trade

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With the Cardinals now embarking on a full rebuild period, it might be surprising if Brendan Donovan is still on the St. Louis roster by Opening Day.  With two years of arbitration control remaining over Donovan, the Cards don’t necessarily have to move him this winter, as they could wait until the trade deadline or even next offseason if the offers just aren’t up to par over the next four months.  But, it’s hard to imagine that Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom will be short on intriguing trade offers for Donovan considering how many boxes the former All-Star checks off for potential suitors.

Age?  Donovan turns 29 in January.  Salary?  Donovan is projected to earn $5.4MM in his second trip through the arbitration process, so his total cost over his two remaining arb years should fall within the $14MM-$15MM range at most.  Offense?  Donovan has a career 119 wRC+ from his .282/.361/.411 slash line and 40 home runs, and he has been one of the game’s most difficult players to strike out during his four MLB seasons.  Defense?  He won the NL Gold Glove for utility players in 2022, and Donovan has been at least serviceable at multiple positions (all four infield spots and the two corner outfield spots) while playing primarily at second base and left field.

There are a couple of downsides to acknowledge, such as Donovan’s career splits (.812 OPS against right-handed pitching, .651 OPS against left-handed pitching).  Some teams may view the left-handed hitting Donovan primarily as a strong-side platoon player more than a true everyday player.  Even the Cardinals limited his exposure to southpaws, both as a function of these splits and because the Cards also wanted to get some playing time to their right-handed bats.

Donovan’s injury history includes a UCL brace procedure that cost him the last two months of the 2023 season and a sports hernia surgery just from earlier this month, as Donovan spent some time on the injured list this season with some groin problems.  While sports hernia procedures are usually pretty straight-forward and Donovan is expected to be fine for the start of Spring Training, rival clubs might be more inclined to wait until a bit later into the offseason (or at least past the Winter Meetings) just to ensure that Donovan is fully ready to go.  This means that some teams might acquire other players in the interim that will take them out of the market for Donovan’s services.

Rebuilding teams like the White Sox, Rockies, Nationals, and Twins can be reasonably ruled out, as none have any pressing reason to try and win the bidding war for Donovan’s services.  Beyond this group, just about every other team in baseball is at least a somewhat plausible fit for Donovan, so let’s break this down team by team…

If Only They Were In Another Division…

Since the start of the 2004 season, St. Louis has made six total trades with the Brewers, Reds, Pirates, and Cubs.  Three of those deals were low-level player-for-cash transactions.  None of these trades happened on Bloom’s watch, and he’s not going to hang up the phone if any of these NL Central teams made a very compelling offer.  But, history suggests that Donovan won’t be shipped to one of the Cardinals’ division opponents, even though he’d fit in with any of this quartet.  The Pirates and Reds in particular have big offensive needs and young pitching on offer, Donovan would nicely bolster Milwaukee’s infield picture, and even the Cubs could deploy Donovan at third base or in the outfield.

Less Likely Suitors

Some readers may be surprised to see the Marlins outside of the list of rebuilding teams, but Miami isn’t quite in that category following a 79-win season.  It’s still hard to see the Fish making a bolder move like a Donovan trade even if they are nearing the end of their capital-R Rebuild period, since the Marlins probably still aren’t at the stage where they’d trade away prospects for more experienced talent.

The Red Sox, Orioles, Tigers, and Mets all have some questions to answer with their position-player mix, but these teams are already pretty heavy on left-handed hitters.  Other trades could potentially alter the equation, but chances are these four teams will seek out right-handed bats before looking to add another prominent lefty-swinger.  The Diamondbacks are mostly in the same boat, though there’s a sliver of a chance Donovan could be acquired to play third base, if Arizona wanted to give Jordan Lawlar more seasoning or if Lawlar was perhaps himself dealt to address other needs (i.e. pitching).

The Astros are badly in need of left-handed hitters and had interest in Donovan at this past trade deadline, but that was before Houston further crowded its lineup picture by reuniting with Carlos Correa.  Between Correa, Jeremy Pena, Jose Altuve, Isaac Paredes, Christian Walker, Cam Smith in right field, Yordan Alvarez as the primary DH, there isn’t really anywhere for Donovan to get regular at-bats, unless the Astros perhaps dealt Paredes or Walker to make room.

Maybe, After Another Trade Is Made?

Nick Allen is a superb defender who can’t hit, so the Braves are another team that could give Donovan a longer look at shortstop.  Right field is also a plausible part-time position for Donovan in Atlanta, as he can spell Ronald Acuna Jr. once in a while when Acuna gets a DH day.  The most intriguing position would be second base and Donovan is an upgrade over Ozzie Albies, yet the Braves would first have to trade Albies to clear out the keystone.  Some of the teams interested in Donovan would also probably have interest in Albies, but it would be harder for the Braves to pull off the two-step of first moving Albies and then convincing the Cardinals to send Donovan their way before any other suitors pounced.

The Rays are in a bit of a similar situation with Brandon Lowe, another trade candidate owed $11.5MM in his final year of team control.  Tampa Bay would probably prefer to first deal Lowe to open up second base as Donovan’s primary spot, but the Rays could also use Donovan at shortstop and in the outfield (or even at first base if Yandy Diaz is traded).

The Guardians’ biggest priority this winter should be finding hitting of any kind, and Donovan is also the kind of versatile contact hitter that the Guards love.  The issue is that the Guards already have a lot of left-handed or switch-hitters.  Cleveland could attempt multiple trades by dealing from its left-handed or infield depth for a righty hitter and then shooting for Donovan, but just obtaining a couple of right-handed bats full stop seems like a smoother fit.

Donovan’s Past Trade Suitors

Since we’ve mentioned Houston’s past interest in Donovan, let’s devote this space to five other teams who have been linked to the All-Star over the years.  Obviously many more teams than just this group have checked in with the Cardinals about Donovan, but these are the teams who have been specifically named as interested parties.

The Yankees have been linked to Donovan multiple times, as recently as this past trade deadline and as far back as the 2023-24 offseason.  This track record of interest means that New York can’t be ruled out of Donovan’s market, yet some other moves have left the Yankees pretty heavy on left-handed hitting infielders — Ryan McMahon, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ben Rice all swing from the left side.  That said, New York could use Donovan in left field if Jasson Dominguez isn’t viewed as ready for regular time, or Donovan could get some work at shortstop while Anthony Volpe recovers from shoulder surgery.  Of all the positions Donovan has played at the MLB level, he has the least time at shortstop, with just 106 innings logged.

The Phillies and Dodgers were both reportedly interested in Donovan prior to this summer’s trade deadline.  Donovan could slot in for Philadelphia at third base if Alec Bohm is moved or in either corner outfield spot, as some room will become open in the Phils’ outfield once Nick Castellanos is gone.  Left field is the most logical space for Donovan in the Dodgers’ loaded lineup, but L.A. will probably be eager to bounce Donovan around to multiple positions for platoon or timeshare purposes.

The Blue Jays and Athletics each had some talks with the Cardinals about Donovan as far back at the 2022-23 offseason, when Donovan was just coming off his third-place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting.  Fast forward to this winter and each team still has a need.  Toronto can slot Donovan into its multi-player platoon system at second base, third base, and the corner outfield spots.  If Bo Bichette left in free agency, Donovan would likely become the Jays’ primary second baseman, with Andres Gimenez shifting over to take on the shortstop role.

The A’s have big lineup holes at second and third base, plus Donovan’s salary is a fit within the club’s limited budget.  Perhaps the question here is whether or not the A’s would make this kind of “win-now” trade before the team moves to Las Vegas, and for a player like Donovan whose arbitration control doesn’t extend beyond the Athletics’ time in Sacramento.

The Cleanest Fits

The Angels had the highest team strikeout rate in baseball in 2025, were one of the league’s worst-hitting teams in general, their lineup is overloaded with right-handed hitters, and there are no clear candidates for either second or third base.  All things considered, Donovan might fit better on the Angels than on any other club, though that probably isn’t surprising given how the Halos are struggling in so many departments.  Unfortunately, the farm system is another of those thin departments, so Los Angeles will be hard-pressed to outbid other teams if it comes down to a prospect bidding war.

The Giants could make Donovan their new starting second baseman, while still using Casey Schmitt as a right-handed complement to shield Donovan against some southpaws.  Heliot Ramos is another right-handed bat who is still San Francisco’s top choice in left field, but Donovan could easily get some time in both left and in the Giants’ wide-open right-field vacancy.

Highly-touted prospects Cole Young and Colt Emerson may be the future of the Mariners infield, and both are left-handed hitters like Donovan.  However, a Seattle team in win-now mode might prefer to add Donovan to address its second base and third base needs in the present.  Donovan’s two remaining arb years leaves the door open for Young and Emerson as longer-term options, and Donovan’s ability to play both infield spots would allow the Mariners to also give Young, Emerson (who has yet to make his MLB debut) or Ben Williamson some at-bats at the keystone or the hot corner.

With Luis Arraez entering free agency, the Padres will be looking for a new first baseman, or they could move Jake Cronenworth to from second base to first base.  A Donovan trade would line up with that latter scenario, and while the Padres might not use Donovan’s versatility as much as other teams, he could still be shifted around the diamond when any of Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., or (the likely to be retained) Ramon Laureano gets an off-day or a DH day.

The Rangers could use more lefty balance in the lineup, will be working on more of a limited budget this offseason, and will be focusing on better situational hitting and contact hitting, so Donovan is a strong fit on all counts.  Marcus Semien still has second base spoken for in Arlington, but Donovan can be used at third base (if Josh Jung is traded) or in the outfield (Adolis Garcia is expected to be traded or non-tendered).

Since mentioned the Cardinals’ trade histories with their NL Central rivals earlier, it’s worth noting that the Cards also don’t often swing deals with the Royals, their fellow Missouri team.  If geography isn’t a huge obstacle, Donovan would be a great help to a Royals club in dire need of outfielders, and second base could also be a need if Kansas City decided to move on from Jonathan India and/or Michael Massey.

MLB Mailbag: Alonso, Skubal, Nationals

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This week's mailbag gets into Pete Alonso alternatives for the Mets, why many assume the Tigers won't sign Tarik Skubal, whether the Nationals will try to make a leap forward in 2026, and more.

Steve asks:

How long will the Mets give Boras and Pete Alonso to decide if they want to re-sign before shifting their focus to other first basemen, whether it be through a trade or signing?

The Mets have to make a series of decisions:

  • Do they want Alonso at all?  The answer would have to be yes, even accounting for being locked into some poor defense in 2026 at either first base or right field, since Alonso and Juan Soto can't both DH.  And perhaps Soto can improve his defense.
  • If yes, what's the maximum term?  Last winter, the Mets seemed to prefer three years, but there was probably an amount/opt-out combo where they would've done four years.  If David Stearns tells Boras, "There is no scenario where the Mets sign Pete for four-plus years," then perhaps both parties can have an early answer as to whether the fit is viable.
  • If Alonso and the Mets are both willing to do a three or four-year deal, where do opt-outs fit in?  These are obviously not great for the team, because if Alonso's production tanks in the course of the deal, they're stuck with him.

On October 1st, I wrote that Alonso will be seeking at least five years, and therefore the Mets should just let him walk.  I still feel that way, but if there are three or four-year scenarios, the Mets should at least entertain those early on.

On October 14th, I ran through the four different 30+ home run first basemen Stearns found in his seven-year tenure with the Brewers.  But let's look at that differently and see where the Brewers ranked in first baseman WAR while Stearns was in charge:

  • 2016: 10th
  • 2017: 6th
  • 2018: 7th
  • 2019: 14th
  • 2020: 14th
  • 2021: 27th
  • 2022: 18th

Now consider that with Alonso as the Mets' first baseman under Stearns, the team ranked 12th in 2024 and 7th this year.

The difference is that the Mets expect more certainty than the Brewers, because as Brewers GM Stearns was not given a budget that allowed for signing a $30MM-ish first baseman.

So while it's easy to say that Stearns should just go find the next Jesus Aguilar, he can't (or perhaps shouldn't) really run the risk of something like 2021, where the Brewers had some of the worst first base production in the game with Daniel Vogelbach, Keston Hiura, and Rowdy Tellez.

What are the Alonso alternatives?

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2025-26 Offseason Outlook Series

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MLB Trade Rumors’ annual Offseason Outlook series is back, as we break down what all 30 teams could have in store for their roster machinations this winter.  Going forward, the Outlook series is exclusive to Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, and that link provides details on how to sign up for an annual membership.

This post will be updated as more Outlooks are published.

AL West

AL Central

AL East

NL West

NL Central

NL East

The Case For The Reds To Sign A Big Bat

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The Reds’ immediate exit from the playoffs makes it easy to forget the successes of the regular season. Cincinnati snapped a four-year postseason drought in manager Terry Francona’s first season. They won 83 games for just the second time since 2013. This team has something to build on heading into 2026, and now is the time to make a splash in free agency.

As MLBTR’s Anthony Franco explored in Cincinnati’s Offseason Outlook for Front Office subscribers, improving the offense will be key this offseason. The club did not have the depth or high-end talent to compete with the best of the National League. Cincinnati could make smaller moves around the margins, as they’ve done in recent seasons, but why not take a bigger swing?

Financially, the team is in a decent spot. FanGraphs’ RosterResource tool has the Reds with an estimated payroll of around $94MM heading into next season. They were close to $120MM this past season, and have been above $130MM in each season from 2020 to 2022. The biggest current commitment for 2026 is the $13MM owed to Jeimer Candelario. While it stings to be shelling out that amount to a player no longer in the organization, Candelario is the only one on the books for eight figures right now, assuming the team declines Austin Hays’ $12MM mutual option. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz has Brady Singer projected to earn $11.9MM in arbitration, but the righty will likely be the only significant commitment coming from the arbitration process.

Cincinnati’s largest free agent contract by total value is a tie between Nick Castellanos and Mike Moustakas at $64MM over four years in 2020, as shown on MLBTR’s Contract Tracker. The club will have to go well beyond a $16MM average annual value to entice Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso, but maybe combining the outlay on Castellanos and Moustakas would be enough to make an interesting offer.

Part of the reason for the offense being the offseason focus is that the pitching staff was excellent in 2025. Hunter Greene looked like an ace when healthy. Andrew Abbott delivered a breakout season. Singer and Nick Lodolo provided stable innings. Chase Burns posted electrifying strikeout numbers upon getting called up. Cincinnati ranked ninth in starting pitcher ERA. Only six other starting staffs had more strikeouts.

The success on the mound is made more impressive by Cincinnati’s home venue. Great American Ball Park ranks third in StatCast’s Park Factor metric. It’s the second-highest rated park for home runs. The strides made by the starting pitching unit make the shortcomings of the offense harder to swallow, especially given the favorable hitting environment.

Though they snuck into the playoffs after chasing down the Mets, the Reds finished third in the NL Central. They haven’t been better than third in the division since winning it in 2012. This might be the perfect time to buck that trend.

Pittsburgh and St. Louis are in rebuilding mode, making this a three-horse race heading into next season. Milwaukee and Chicago both won 90+ games in 2025, but could be facing significant losses. Kyle Tucker is a free agent. He would fit the bill as a significant splash for Cincinnati, though he’s likely out of their price range. The more likely impact is removing a key contributor from the middle of the Cubs’ lineup. Speaking of important losses, Milwaukee could be considering a Freddy Peralta trade. It would be a massive loss for a rotation without much proven depth and some health questions.

The Brewers and Cubs are still likely the favorites to win the NL Central next season, but the Reds can close the gap. Their finances make a big move possible, and their pitching staff deserves better support. Schwarber said it would be “cool” to suit up for his hometown team. The Reds might as well try to make that happen.

The Opener: World Series, Springer, Coaching Staffs

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As the Fall Classic continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. World Series goes long in Game 3:

The Blue Jays fell to the Dodgers in heartbreaking fashion last night as Freddie Freeman hit a walk off homer in the 18th inning to end the game in a 6-5 with for Los Angeles. The game is now tied for the longest game in World Series history with the 18-inning affair in 2018 between the Red Sox and Dodgers, which also ended on a walk-off homer at Dodger Stadium. As the teams get ready for a pivotal Game 4 at 5pm local time this evening, the starting pitchers will be more important than ever after a game where both bullpens emptied the tank.

Shohei Ohtani (2.87 ERA) is set to take the mound for L.A. tonight for his first start since the ten-strikeout, three-homer game to clinch against the Brewers that has widely been called the greatest individual performance during a postseason game in MLB history. His opponent will be right-hander Shane Bieber (3.57 ERA), who surrendered four runs in 9 2/3 innings of work across two starts during the ALCS.

2. Jays, Springer await MRI results:

A shadow looming over last night’s game from Toronto’s perspective, even prior to the devastating loss, was the status of veteran slugger George Springer. One of the most impactful hitters in postseason history, Springer exited last night’s game due to what the team is currently describing as “right side discomfort.” The diagnosis immediately brings to mind concerns over an oblique injury, which would surely bring Springer’s season to an abrupt end if confirmed by an MRI. Springer had already gone for testing before the end of last night’s game, and we should know more about his status ahead of Game 4 later today. If Springer were to be sidelined, one silver lining would be that putting Bo Bichette at DH could allow the Jays to use him a bit more aggressively than they have so far by avoiding the toll taken by fielding.

3. Coaching staff changes around the game:

While the Dodgers and Blue Jays continue their fight for the commissioner’s trophy, other teams around the league are already in offseason mode. While much of the focus to this point has been on managerial searches and subsequent hirings, there have been a number of coaching moves made around the league as well. Just yesterday, the Mets brought in a new hitting coach while parting ways with their first base coach, and the Pirates hired their next pitching coach. There’s a number of other coaching vacancies around the league, but one team in particular to keep an eye on would be the Guardians after they lost associate manager Craig Albernaz to the Orioles when he took over their managerial gig and major league field coordinator Kai Correa when he departed to become the Mets’ next bench coach.

George Springer Undergoes MRI For Right Side Discomfort

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George Springer left the Blue Jays’ crushing Game 3 loss with what appeared to be a right side injury. Toronto’s leadoff man was leading off the seventh inning and fouled off the first pitch from Justin Wrobleski, then winced and grabbed for his lower right side. After unsuccessfully trying to walk it off, he called for the trainer and was immediately lifted from the game. Manager John Schneider provided details to reporters (including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet) following the 18-inning epic about Springer’s status, revealing he was suffering from “right side discomfort” and had already been sent for an MRI, which the club was awaiting results on.

The possibility of a side injury raises fears about an oblique strain that would certainly put an end to Springer’s series. Even minor oblique strains are an almost automatic injured list stint — usually requiring upwards of a month on the shelf. Springer was able to play through knee discomfort after being hit with a pitch in Game 5 of the ALCS. An oblique injury would be essentially impossible to overcome, as they inhibit a hitter’s ability to rotate through their swing.

Losing Springer would be a massive blow to Toronto’s chances of coming back to pull off an upset in the series. He has four homers and six doubles across 14 postseason contests. None was bigger than the go-ahead, three-run shot off Eduard Bazardo to knock off the Mariners in Game 7 of the Championship Series. Springer is hitting .246/.323/.561 in October. That follows up a resurgent regular season in which he hit .309/.399/.560 with 32 home runs, his best year since 2019.

Ty France came off the bench to work as the designated hitter for last night’s game. It’s unlikely that’d be the plan for the remainder of the Series if Springer is sidelined. Bo Bichette would presumably move to the DH spot for the final few games, which would draw Isiah Kiner-Falefa back in at second base for defensive purposes. Bichette has been limited in his first game action since spraining his knee in early September. He did not start Game 2 and was lifted for Kiner-Falefa as a pinch-runner/defensive substitute in the seventh inning. Bichette has picked up where he’d left off at the plate, though, going 3-7 with a walk and a strikeout in the series.

If Springer cannot return, the Jays would petition MLB to replace him on the roster. Joey Loperfido, who replaced the injured Anthony Santander on the ALCS roster, was dropped from the World Series roster with Bichette and France activated from injury. He’d be the obvious choice to return to the roster in Springer’s place.

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

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All but two teams have already turned their attention toward 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 2025-26 class of left-handed relievers is thin on high-leverage arms but has plenty of solid, serviceable veterans — plus a few wild cards who could pursue a big league return after pitching overseas. 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, starting pitching, right-handed relief

Veteran Setup Arms

Jalen Beeks (32)

Beeks took a minor league deal with the Astros last offseason but opted out late in spring and signed a major league contract with the D-backs. It panned out well. He pitched 57 1/3 innings, logged 14 holds and a save, and fanned 20.3% of his opponents against an 8.7% walk rate — all en route to a 3.77 ERA. Beeks sits 94.4 mph with his four-seamer, posted an above-average swinging-strike rate in 2025, and has pitched primarily in medium to high-leverage spots over the past four years. He won’t break the bank but should get a modest one-year deal.

Danny Coulombe (36)

Coulombe, who just turned 36 yesterday, was terrific in 31 innings with the Twins (1.16 ERA, 25.4 K%, 7.4 BB%) but struggled in 12 innings after being traded to the Rangers (5.25 ERA, 22.2 K%, 16.7 BB%). An IL trip due to shoulder fatigue didn’t help his time with the Rangers, and Coulombe also had a three-week IL stint due to a forearm strain with Minnesota in May. Coulombe’s average four-seamer and sinker barely crack 90 mph, but he has a 2.60 ERA with strong strikeout and walk rates in 173 1/3 innings dating back to 2020. He made $3MM this year, and another affordable one-year deal seems likely.

Caleb Ferguson (29)

Ferguson’s one-year, $3MM deal proved to be a sound investment for the frugal Pirates, who flipped him to the Mariners at the deadline after a solid four-month run. Ferguson was effective with both clubs, pitching to a combined 3.58 ERA. His 18.9% strikeout rate was below average, but Ferguson’s 8.1% walk rate was solid and no reliever in baseball limits hard contact as well as he does. His 27.7% opponents’ hard-hit rate was the best in baseball, and he sat in the 99th percentile in average exit velocity and barrel rate. Ferguson doesn’t have plus command or generate whiffs at a plus rate, but he’s young, durable and relatively consistent. He could be a candidate for a multi-year deal with a low average annual value.

Hoby Milner (35)

Milner topped 64 innings for a fourth straight season, tossing 70 1/3 innings with a 3.84 ERA for the Rangers. He’s a soft-tossing lefty with a below-average strikeout rate, good command and a plus ground-ball rate. He’s worked a lot of middle relief in the past, but the Rangers used him as one of their go-to setup options for much of the ’25 season and he logged a career-high 18 holds (topping his previous best of 17 with the ’23 Brewers). Milner signed a one-year, $2.5MM deal with Texas last winter and should land in that general vicinity again.

Drew Pomeranz (37)

Welcome back, Drew Pomeranz. The 36-year-old lefty signed a minor league deal with the Mariners and was flipped to the Cubs for cash in April. With Chicago, he made his first big league appearance since 2021 — but it was far more than a quick cameo. The former No. 5 overall draft pick dominated with a 2.17 ERA, 28.1% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate in 49 2/3 frames. Pomeranz was one of Craig Counsell’s most trusted relief arms in the playoffs. He’ll be 37 in November, so he’s not likely to snag a multi-year deal, but a big league contract should be waiting for Pomeranz this winter.

Taylor Rogers (35)

Though his All-Star days are behind him, Rogers has been a solid middle reliever for three years running. His teams haven’t used him regularly in high-leverage spots, but he has a 3.16 ERA, 26.4% strikeout rate and 10.2% walk rate since 2023. Rogers’ 92.7 mph average sinker is down a full three miles from its 2021 peak, but his results and track record should get him a big league contract.

Gregory Soto (31)

Soto might have the most earning power among this winter’s crop of lefties due to both his age and his power repertoire. He’s one of the game’s hardest-throwing lefties but doesn’t generate the whiffs one would expect despite that fact. Soto is serviceable every year but has never broken through despite plus velo and a plus swinging-strike rate. Soto has had command troubles in the past but has posted nice walk rates in two of the past three seasons. A two-year deal at market value setup money seems possible.

Caleb Thielbar (39)

Thielbar’s first season with any team other than his hometown Twins was a success. He pitched 58 innings of 2.64 ERA ball for the Cubs and tied Brad Keller for the team lead with 25 holds. Thielbar’s 2024 season was ugly, but he’s posted an ERA of 3.49 or better every other year since 2020. He has average velocity, good command and an above-average strikeout rate, but he’ll be 39 in January, so a one-year deal is the strong likelihood.

Justin Wilson (38)

Wilson missed nearly all of 2022-23 due to Tommy John surgery, struggled with the Reds in 2024, and bounced all the way back in Boston this year. The Red Sox got him on a one-year, $2.25MM deal last winter, and Wilson responded with 48 1/3 innings, a 3.35 earned run average, a 27.5% strikeout rate, a 9.7% walk rate and 18 holds. He should get another one-year deal this winter, probably with nice little bump in salary.

Swingmen/Multi-Inning Arms

Sean Newcomb (33)

“Sean Newcomb, multi-year deal candidate” probably wasn’t on too many bingo cards back in March, but the 2025 season was excellent for the former top prospect and starter-turned-reliever. Newcomb tossed 92 1/3 innings with a 2.73 ERA for the Red Sox and A’s. He started five games and frequently worked multiple innings — sometimes as a bulk reliever after an opener. The 2014 first-rounder punched out 23.3% of his opponents versus a 7.9% walk rate — both slightly better than average. Newcomb has easily earned himself a major league deal, and a modest two-year deal seems plausible.

Ryan Yarbrough (34)

Yarbrough’s 2025 season was par for the course by his standards: eight starts, 11 relief outings, a mid-4.00s ERA, below-average strikeout rate and solid command. That’s what Yarbrough brings to the table most years, and while it’s not a skill set that’s going to get him paid all that highly, it keeps him on big league rosters as a sixth starter/long man in the bullpen on a yearly basis. Yarbrough averages 87-88 mph but induces heaps of weak contact.

Possible NPB Returnees

Foster Griffin (30)

Griffin is a former first-round pick of the Royals who made seven MLB appearances between 2020-22. He has spent the past three seasons in Japan, combining for a 2.57 ERA across 315 2/3 innings. Griffin missed time this past season with what MLBTR has learned was a bone bruise in his lower half. He’s expected to have a normal offseason and intends to pursue an MLB return. Griffin didn’t have overpowering stuff during his initial run in affiliated ball, but he’s coming off a 1.62 ERA while striking out a quarter of opponents. He could command a big league deal to compete for a back-of-the-rotation spot.

Anthony Kay (31)

A former first-round pick, Kay has spent the past two seasons with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He’s worked out of their rotation, logging a 3.42 ERA in ’24 and a 1.74 mark in ’25. Kay isn’t missing bats at a particularly high level (20.8 K%), but he had good command and a nice ground-ball rate overseas. Big league scouts have been watching him, and while he might get the chance to start somewhere, other clubs will probably be interested in bringing him aboard in a swingman capacity. Either way, he’s at least a candidate for a major league deal.

Options/Opt-Outs

An 80-game PED suspension cast a cloud over Alvarado’s 2025 season, but the hard-throwing southpaw has been one of the Phillies’ best relievers for several years. Dating back to 2022, Alvarado touts a 3.25 ERA and has fanned 31.7% of his opponents while averaging 98.7 mph on his sinker and 93.1 mph on his cutter. He’d easily top that net $8.5MM in free agency, so the Phils should pick this up.

  • Tim Hill (36) – $3MM club option with a $350K buyout

Hill, 36 in February, is a ground-ball specialist who misses almost no bats but rarely walks opponents. He’s logged a 2.68 ERA and kept about two-thirds of the batted balls against him on the ground in 111 innings since joining the Yankees in 2024. This feels like a nice value for the Yankees, even with their luxury tax status.

Minter underwent lat surgery back in May after pitching only 11 innings. The recovery timetable for him is still a bit murky, but he seems likely to pick up that $11MM option, return to the Mets and aim for better health next year.

  • Wandy Peralta (34) – $4.45MM player option (contract also contains $4.45MM player option for 2027)

Peralta posted a 3.14 ERA in a career-high 71 2/3 innings with a career-best 59.7% ground-ball rate in 2025. His 20.1% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate were worse than average. Peralta still averages better than 95 mph on his sinker, but he’ll be 35 in July and was used largely in low-leverage spots. It’s likelier than not that he picks up his player option.

  • Brooks Raley (38) – $4.75MM club option with a $750K buyout

Raley returned from Tommy John surgery to toss 25 2/3 innings with a 2.45 ERA, a 25.3% strikeout rate and a 6.1% walk rate. His sinker’s average velocity had dipped to 88-89 mph in 2023-24, but he was back up to 90.7 mph this year, right in line with his 2021-22 levels in Houston and Tampa Bay. This option is likely to be picked up.

  • Brent Suter (36) – $3MM club option with a $250K buyout

Suter posted a career-high 4.52 ERA in 67 2/3 innings this season, snapping a streak of six straight years with a sub-4.00 earned run average. He’s a soft tosser who specializes in weak contact over missing bats. This will probably get bought out, but Suter is a Cincinnati native who’s clearly enjoyed pitching for his hometown club, so perhaps he’d be amenable to returning on a smaller pact.

Depth Arms

Pirates To Hire Bill Murphy As Pitching Coach

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The Pirates are expected to hire Astros pitching coach Bill Murphy for the same position, reports Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Pittsburgh had a vacancy after former pitching coach Oscar Marin did not have his contract renewed. Assistant pitching coach Brent Strom is also not returning to the team.

Murphy has been a coach in Houston’s organization since 2016. He was first hired as a pitching coach for Rookie-level Greeneville. Murphy moved up to Single-A Tri-City in 2017, then to Double-A Corpus Christi the following season. He became an assistant pitching coach with the big league club in 2021, coincidentally working underneath Strom (then Houston’s pitching coach) in his first season. Strom stepped down at the end of that year, so Houston elevated Murphy and Josh Miller to co-pitching coach positions.

Houston’s pitching staff hadn’t missed a beat after Strom’s departure. They lead MLB with a 3.61 earned run average over the past four seasons. Only the Braves have a higher strikeout rate over that stretch. They dropped to 11th in ERA this year but led MLB with a 24.9% strikeout percentage. No team got more swinging strikes.

The Astros already had an excellent pitching staff by the time that Murphy and Miller took the lead positions. Hunter Brown’s emergence as an ace has come under their tutelage, however. The Astros navigated various injuries on the pitching staff over the past few years, with the likes of J.P. France, Ronel Blanco and Jason Alexander each turning in a solid or better season in that time.

Murphy gets to work with an arguably even more talented group of arms in Pittsburgh. Paul Skenes is one of the few pitchers in baseball who is better than Brown. Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft and Mike Burrows might all be in the Opening Day rotation, while Jared Jones could be back from elbow surgery in the second half. Mitch Keller has tailed off late after stellar first halves in three straight years. He’s unlikely to turn into an ace at age 30, but it’d be a boon for the Bucs if they can get him to sustain his #2/3 caliber production for an entire season.

The Astros will now need to decide whether to turn the full-time job to Miller or hire a new co-pitching coach. They’re already revamping their offensive instruction after moving on from co-hitting coaches Alex Cintrón and Troy Snitker.

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