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Rocco Baldelli Interested In Managing Again

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After getting fired by the Twins at the end of the season, Rocco Baldelli didn’t have to wait long for more opportunities to come his way. Baldelli told Dan Hayes of The Athletic that as many as 10 teams reached out after he was let go by Minnesota. The former manager didn’t specify the roles, but it’s clear there’s interest around the league in hiring him. While he might not jump back into coaching right away, Baldelli said he’d be open to returning to a managerial role. “If (the situation) matches, I’ll do it again someday. I’d love to be able to do it again. But I owe my family a little time.”

Baldelli took over as Minnesota’s skipper in 2019. He was the youngest manager in the league when he was hired. He led the club to immediate success, winning 101 games in his first season. It was a 23-win improvement on the previous season and the first time the Twins had won 100+ games since 1965. Minnesota won the AL Central for the first time since 2010, though they were swept in the ALDS by the Yankees. The standout 2019 campaign earned Baldelli AL Manager of the Year honors.

Minnesota won the AL Central again in the shortened 2020 season, but was bounced in the Wild Card round by Houston. The club struggled in 2021 and 2022, finishing well below .500. Baldelli got the team back on track in 2023, leading them back to the postseason. The skipper would earn his first playoff series victory that year, sweeping Toronto in the Wild Card round. The Twins would then be dispatched by the Astros in the ALDS.

The Twins finished with a winning record in 2024, but fell short of a playoff bid. This past season was the worst in Baldelli’s tenure. The club managed just 70 wins, finishing fourth in the AL Central for the second straight season. The disappointing result ultimately cost Baldelli his job.

After his playing days ended following the 2010 season, Baldelli signed on with the Rays as a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations. He worked in the front office until 2015, when he became Tampa Bay’s first base coach. After three seasons manning the first base box, Baldelli spent a year as the team’s Major League Field Coordinator.

With the Padres now in the market for a new manager, we could have as many as eight teams looking to fill the role. Skip Schumaker landed the Rangers’ gig, but the Giants, Angels, and Braves all have vacancies, in addition to Baldelli’s former spot in Minnesota. The Nationals, Orioles, and Rockies closed the 2025 season with interim managers, and none have stated whether the fill-ins will return. Baldelli’s name will likely be floated for all of those gigs. Even if he doesn’t get a head job, he plans to work for a team in some capacity for 2026. “It’s possible I may not manage this year, but I fully expect to stay active.“

Devin Williams: Open To Reunion With Yankees

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Devin Williams endured a tumultuous season in the Bronx, but the free agent has expressed interest in returning to New York.  Williams told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com he’d “definitely be open” to rejoining the Yankees in free agency. “I really enjoyed my experience here. … There’s a lot to like about this city, but it took me some time to adjust.”

New York acquired Williams from Milwaukee this past offseason. The Yankees gave up left-hander Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin for a year of the elite closer’s services. The team’s previous stopper, Clay Holmes, bolted in free agency for a starting opportunity with the Mets. New York was able to replace Holmes with one of the premier relievers of the decade, though the move didn’t pan out as expected.

Williams earned a save against his former team on opening night. He gave up three base runners and needed 36 pitches to get three outs, but got the job done. Williams had a couple of uneven performances in the ensuing weeks, including an extra-inning loss against Pittsburgh, though none came in save situations. He locked down all four of his initial save chances. Williams coughed up a four-run lead on April 19 against Tampa Bay, leading to another extra-inning defeat. In his next appearance, Williams gave up three runs and recorded zero outs to blow his first save. The rough outing cost him the closing gig.

The next few months saw Williams work himself back into the late-inning mix after initially working in low-leverage spots. Luke Weaver earned six saves in May, but a hamstring strain cost him most of June. Williams returned to the closer role and went 12-for-13 on save chances from June through July. New York added a slew of relievers at the trade deadline, including a pair of closers in Camilo Doval and David Bednar. It was Bednar who would assume the role for New York, picking up 10 saves over the final two months of the season. He added two more saves in the playoffs.

Williams’ 4.79 ERA stands out as easily the worst of his seven-year MLB career, but he looked more or less like himself after regaining the closer’s role. Williams posted a 3.92 ERA with an elite 38.6% strikeout rate from June through the end of the regular season. He ripped off nine straight scoreless outings heading into the playoffs, then put up four more zeroes in the postseason. Williams averaged 94.1 mph on his fastball this year, which was down slightly from 2024 (94.7 mph), but right in line with 2023 (94.2 mph) and 2022 (94.1 mph).

The most encouraging sign for Williams, and maybe the biggest factor as he enters free agency, was durability. He made it through 2025 unscathed in the health department, leading to career highs in innings (62) and appearances (67). Williams missed the first four months of his final season in Milwaukee with stress fractures in his back. He was his usual dominant self when he returned, but the 21 2/3 innings he totaled were his fewest in a season since his rookie year.

Williams is entering a crowded reliever market. Proven closers Ryan Helsley and Raisel Iglesias are the headliners, along with Williams. Edwin Díaz and Robert Suarez could join them if they opt out of their current contracts. Emilio Pagan and Shawn Armstrong are coming off career years as fill-in closers. Veterans like Kenley Jansen, Kirby Yates, and Kyle Finnegan have plenty of late-inning experience. Weaver might’ve earned himself a look as a closer after two strong seasons in New York.

Age is certainly on Williams’ side compared to the other available bullpen options. He’s now entering his age-31 season, making him one of the youngest notable free agent relievers. Williams is well-positioned to earn one of the longest and most lucrative contracts of the group, despite the hiccup to begin his New York tenure.

The Yankees will have Bednar and Doval under team control for next season, so they don’t have a strong need to reunite with Williams. Bednar’s ascension to the closer role after joining the team may also be a factor. Williams said it “depends on the scenario” regarding whether being the closer would impact his free agency decision.

With both Williams and Weaver potentially on the move, New York likely needs another piece or two to solidify the backend of the bullpen. The Yankees ranked just 23rd in bullpen ERA in 2025. They slipped to 26th after the trade deadline. Given their history of spending, the franchise will likely be in the mix for every notable name on the market.

Nine Players Elect Free Agency

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Now that the season is over, we’ll start seeing several players choose to become minor league free agents. Major League free agents (i.e. players with six-plus years of big league service time) will hit the open market five days after the end of the World Series, but eligible minor leaguers can already start electing free agency.

To qualify, these players must have been all outrighted off their team’s 40-man rosters during the 2025 season without being added back. These players also must have multiple career outrights on their resume, and/or at least three years of Major League service time.

We’ll offer periodic updates over the coming weeks about many other players hitting the market in this fashion. Unless otherwise credited, these free agent decisions are all listed on the official MLB.com or MILB.com transactions pages, for further reference.

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Photo courtesy of Jonathan Hui, Imagn Images

Twins Claim Ryan Kreidler

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The Twins announced that utilityman Ryan Kreidler has been claimed off waivers from the Pirates. Pittsburgh designated Kreidler for assignment two days ago. Minnesota’s 40-man roster count jumps from 38 to 39.

Kreidler, 28 next month, is a multi-positional player who hasn’t yet hit in limited chances the big leagues. He has appeared in the past four big league seasons but with a total of just 211 plate appearances over those four years. He struck out in 31.8% of those trips to the plate and produced a dismal .138/.208/.176 line.

His minor league numbers are naturally greater in quality and quantity. He has a .236/.342/.401 line and 106 wRC+ in 1,963 plate appearances in his minor league career. That includes a .238/.363/.389 line and 109 wRC+ in 401 plate appearances in 2025. If he could bring some more of that offense up to the majors, he could become a useful utility guy. He has experience at the three infield spots to the left of first base, as well as center and left field.

However, his grip on a roster spot with the Tigers was slipping. 2025 was his final option year, meaning he will be out of options going forward. The Tigers designated him for assignment in August when they selected left-hander Drew Sommers. The Pirates claimed him but put him back on the wire this week when they claimed outfielder Will Robertson.

The Twins have loads of questions about their roster going into the offseason. They underwent a big sell-off at the deadline, trading away many pieces, including infielder Carlos Correa and outfielder Harrison Bader. It’s possible they do some more rebuild-type moves this winter, which could include trading guys like Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner or Royce Lewis.

With so much uncertainty, it’s possible there will be a path for guys like Kreidler to fill in some of the open playing time. It’s also possible that the Twins put him back on waivers in the winter and hope that he clears so that they can keep him as non-roster depth.

Photo courtesy of Steven Bisig, Imagn Images

Twins To Interview Nick Punto About Managerial Vacancy

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The Twins’ search for a new manager has taken them to a familiar name, as The Athletic’s Dan Hayes and Dennis Lin report that the club will be speaking with former utilityman Nick Punto.  The Padres currently employ Punto as a coach on their big league staff, and granted the Twins permission for an interview with the 14-year MLB veteran.

Seven of Punto’s seasons (2004-10) were spent in a Twins uniform, and his nickname of “the Shredder” sums up Punto’s style of play.  Despite below-average hitting numbers for his entire career, Punto enjoyed a long career based on defensive versatility, speed, and a focus on solid fundamentals.  As Hayes/Lin note, Minnesota team president Derek Falvey stressed that the next version of the Twins is “going to be a really good base running team, we’re going to be on the details, we’re going to be leaning into the fundamentals.”

On paper, this would seemingly make Punto an ideal match, plus his past ties to the Twins organization certainly help.  What Punto (who turns 48 next month) lacks in comparison to other candidates is a lot of coaching or managerial experience, certainly at the big league level.  Punto was a manager in MLB’s Prospect Development Pipeline League in 2021 and he coached at the high school level in 2023-24 before taking the job on San Diego’s staff.  Punto didn’t have a defined role with the Padres, but Hayes and Lin wrote that his duties included “working with the team’s infielders.”

Punto is the fourth candidate publicly linked to the Twins’ search for Rocco Baldelli’s successor.  Former Pirates skipper Derek Shelton is the only known candidate with MLB managerial experience, as Punto, Yankees hitting coach James Rowson, and Red Sox bench coach Ramon Vazquez would all be first-time managers (apart from Vazquez’s single game as a fill-in for Alex Cora when Cora was attending his daughter’s graduation this past May).

“Another hot name internally” for the Twins is Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty, according to Hayes and Lin, but it isn’t known if the Twins have yet been given permission to speak with Flaherty.  Already a popular name amidst the many managerial vacancies around baseball this fall, Flaherty has been cited as a likely candidate for the Padres and Orioles jobs.  Flaherty has bench coaching experience with the Cubs and Padres but would be another first-time skipper at the MLB level.

NPB’s Rakuten Eagles Re-Sign Luke Voit

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After an outstanding start to his career in Japan, Luke Voit is sticking around for another year, as the Rakuten Eagles announced that they have re-signed the first baseman to a new contract for the 2026 Nippon Professional Baseball season. (Hat tip to Yakyu Cosmopolitan.)

Voit signed with the Eagles in June and made a quick impact with his new team.  Over 276 plate appearances and 67 games as a DH and first baseman, Voit hit .300/.384/.498 with 13 home runs.  Despite his late entry to the 2025 campaign, Voit still led the Eagles in homers, and had the second-most RBI (39) on the team.  Retaining Voit was a logical move for the power-starved Eagles, whose 70 homers were the fewest of NPB’s 12 clubs.

A veteran of seven Major League seasons, Voit last appeared in the Show in May 2023 playing with the Brewers.  He has spent the last two seasons outside of affiliated ball entirely with stints in the Mexican League and Nippon Professional Baseball, and that sojourn now looks to extend into 2026.

Voit led the majors with 22 home runs during the shortened 2020 season, and hit a very impressive .271/.363/.520 with 68 homers over 1133 PA with the Yankees from 2018-21.  An injury-plagued down year for Voit in 2021 led New York to deal him to the Padres that offseason.  The slugger’s last bit of real notoriety in the majors came when San Diego included him as the only experienced piece of the prospect-heavy trade package sent to the Nationals for Juan Soto at the 2022 trade deadline.

Poll: Will The Phillies Trade Alec Bohm This Winter?

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Philadelphia’s season came to an abrupt end when they were trounced by the Dodgers in four games during the NLDS, and now they’re facing down a crucial offseason where a number of key players are headed for free agency. With Kyle Schwarber, Ranger Suarez, and J.T. Realmuto all already headed to the open market, it seems likely that big changes are coming to the Phillies one way or another. The club’s pending free agents aren’t the only places where the possibility of change can be seen, however.

Last winter, the Phillies floated the possibility of more substantial change and made regulars like Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos available. Neither ultimately ended up getting traded last year, but perhaps that could change this winter. Given that Castellanos endured a career-worst season and lost playing time down the stretch this year, the question surrounding his trade candidacy seems less to be about whether the Phillies would like to move on from him and more about what team might be interested in adding him and how much of his salary Philadelphia would need to pay down to facilitate a move.

Bohm, on the other hand, is a more intriguing trade candidate. The Phillies apparently set an extremely high asking price in trade talks regarding the infielder last winter, as they reportedly sought either Logan Gilbert or George Kirby from the Mariners and Mason Miller from the Athletics in exchange for his services. That asking price, naturally, was not met, and the teams that passed on Bohm are surely glad they did so based on his performance in 2025. After a 2024 campaign where Bohm posted a 113 wRC+ with solid defense at third base en route to his first career All-Star appearance, he took a clear step backwards this year as he slashed just .287/.331/.409 (105 wRC+) with 11 homers, a 5.8% walk rate, a 16.3% strikeout rate, and less robust defensive metrics.

In other words, he regressed in virtually every aspect of his game. After his middling 2025 campaign and the club’s inability to find a trade partner for Bohm last winter coming off a career year, it goes without saying that the Phillies would need to massively lower their expectations for a return in order to work out a deal involving Bohm. That might be reason enough for the Phillies to pass on the idea of trading him this winter, if they believe a bounce back is coming next season. If the club is risking the loss of Schwarber from the lineup already, any possibility of downgrading offensively at the hot corner would surely be looked at with skepticism.

On the other hand, Bohm is entering his final year before free agency, so it stands to reason that the Phillies might have an easier time accepting a less-than-elite return for the 29-year-old infielder at this point. Perhaps more importantly, Bohm’s departure could clear the way for the Phillies to upgrade the third base position, either immediately or in the long-term. Alex Bregman figures to be one of the winter’s top free agents and would be a big upgrade over Bohm if acquired, and Bo Bichette is another intriguing option even if he’d have to be convinced to move off shortstop. Going after one of those players could be an especially sensible decision if Schwarber ends up signing elsewhere this winter.

Even if the Phillies aren’t interested in adding a big-ticket free agent, it must be remembered that internal help is on the way. Aidan Miller is a consensus top-30 prospect in the sport and got promoted to Triple-A shortly before the end of the regular season. He looked quite comfortable in eight games at the level, going 9-for-27 (.333) with two doubles, a home run, and more walks (9) than strikeouts (7) in 34 trips to the plate. It should be expected that he’ll be ready for the big leagues at some point next year, and the possibility of Bohm blocking him at third base doesn’t seem especially appealing. Utility man Edmundo Sosa remains in the organization as a potential bridge to Miller if he isn’t ready for the majors out of Spring Training, as well.

Of course, much of whether or not it would make sense for the Phillies to deal Bohm will come down to what they can get in return for his services. Fortunately, an offseason with this much uncertainty baked in also comes with plenty of flexibility in terms of what the Phillies can look for in a return package. Suarez’s potential departure will leave a hole in the rotation the club would do well to fill, but there’s also room for improvement in the outfield, where Harrison Bader and Max Kepler are both scheduled to hit free agency, and in a bullpen that figures to lose David Robertson and might also lose Jose Alvarado if the Phillies don’t exercise his club option. Perhaps Bohm can be packaged with prospect capital in order to bring back a starter, or he could be swapped with a similarly-controllable outfield bat if there’s a team with surplus in the outfield in need of infield help.

How do MLBTR readers think the Phillies will handle Bohm headed into this winter? Will he be placed on the trade block in order to clear the way for someone else at third base, be it Miller or a free agent addition? Or will they hold onto him and hope for better results in 2026? Have your say in the poll below:

Orioles Interview Luis Rojas In Managerial Search

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The Orioles have interviewed Yankees third base coach and former Mets manager Luis Rojas amidst their ongoing managerial search, according to SNY’s Andy Martino.  Rojas is the first candidate known to have formally interviewed for the position.  Baltimore interim skipper Tony Mansolino also remains in the running, while Jon Heyman of The New York Post suggested that former O’s infielder and current Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty could be in the mix.

Rojas, 44, has served as the Yankees’ third base coach for the last four seasons.  Beginning his coaching career with the Nationals’ Dominican League team in 2006, he joined the Mets organization the following year and began a long stint as a coach and manager at various levels of the organization.  A promotion to the big league staff as the Mets’ quality control coach came in 2019, and Rojas was then unexpectedly elevated to the top job in January 2020.  Carlos Beltran had been hired as the Amazins’ manager just over two months earlier, yet after the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal broke, Beltran stepped down from the post before he’d ever managed a single regular-season game.

This sudden promotion for Rojas came right before the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, making for quite a trial by fire for the first-time skipper.  The Mets finished with just a 26-34 record in Rojas’ first year, yet he was retained for a second year in 2021.  New York was in first place for a big chunk of that season but collapsed down the stretch, going just 29-45 after the All-Star break to finish with a 77-85 record.

Rojas’ club option for 2022 wasn’t picked up by the Mets, and he then stayed in the Big Apple by joining the Yankees’ coaching staff in November 2021.  Before heading to the Yankees, Rojas interviewed with the Padres about their managerial vacancy that autumn, and he also interviewed with the Marlins in 2022 before Skip Schumaker was hired.

With so few public candidates identified in Baltimore’s search, it isn’t yet clear if the team is primarily focused on people with big league managerial experience (like Rojas or Mansolino) or if the O’s are more partial to Flaherty or another first-timer being elevated to the job.  Whomever the choice may be, they’ll face a challenge in trying to get the Orioles and their young core back on track after a very disappointing 2025 campaign.  The Orioles followed up consecutive playoff appearances with a 75-87 setback this year, though Mansolino did post a 60-59 record after he took over from Brandon Hyde in May.

Guardians Re-Sign Austin Hedges

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The Guardians announced Wednesday morning that they’ve re-signed catcher Austin Hedges to a one-year deal. The Boras Corporation client reportedly receives a $4MM guarantee and the deal includes another $500K in performance bonuses: $125K each for 70, 75, 80 and 85 starts behind the plate.

Hedges returns to Cleveland on the same contract he has signed in each of the last two offseasons. It’s his third straight one-year deal to serve as the Guardians’ backup catcher. Cleveland continues to place enough emphasis on his receiving and game-calling ability to live with a complete dearth of offense out of that position.

Over parts of 11 seasons, Hedges is a .185/.244/.313 hitter. That includes a .157/.229/.251 mark in 326 plate appearances over the last two years. The 33-year-old isn’t going to provide anything offensively, yet he remains an elite defensive catcher. Statcast routinely grades him as one of the sport’s best pitch framers. He typically rates as high-end blocker, though this past season’s metrics were average in that regard. Hedges also cut down a third of the 45 runners who attempted to steal against him, well north of the 22.3% league mark.

While Hedges already grades very well by the quantifiable aspects of catcher defense, he’s probably even more highly-regarded for the intangibles. He has earned a fantastic reputation as a game-caller and for his rapport with pitchers. The Guardians aren’t pricing in any drop in his value with the forthcoming introduction of the challenge system to supplement the home plate umpire on balls and strikes.

There’d been speculation about the ABS being a potentially bad rule change for defense-only catchers. The Guardians seemingly don’t think that deals a hit to Hedges’ value. Catcher framing will still be a part of the game since teams are limited to two unsuccessful challenges until extra innings. The ABS obviously also doesn’t take away from a catcher’s game-calling acumen.

Cleveland catchers hit .187/.269/.344 on the season. That was almost entirely split between Bo Naylor and Hedges, with Dom Nuñez picking up the final seven plate appearances. Naylor didn’t hit at all through the end of August, though he did finish with a strong September. Unless they include Naylor in a trade package for a bigger bat behind the plate, they’ll stick with that tandem for a third straight season.

Hedges was one of three impending free agents for the Guardians. Reliever Jakob Junis and outfielder Lane Thomas are set to hit the market in a few weeks. The Guards also have a $6MM club option on lefty John Means. Hedges is their fifth player under contract for 2026, though that includes a $6MM salary for Emmanuel Clase. The former star closer is currently on administrative leave as MLB conducts a gambling investigation.

José Ramírez ($21MM), Tanner Bibee ($4MM) and outrighted reliever Trevor Stephan ($3.5MM) are the only other players on guaranteed salaries. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects the team’s arbitration class to make around $20MM, nearly half of which is in Steven Kwan’s $8.8MM projection. Non-tenders of Ben Lively, Will Brennan, Nolan Jones, Matt Festa, Kolby Allard and/or Sam Hentges could knock the arb class down by $5-10MM.

The Guardians have opened the past two seasons with a player payroll right around $100MM, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Cleveland isn’t likely to be huge spenders in free agency, but they could make a couple mid-level acquisitions similar to last winter’s deals to bring back Carlos Santana and Shane Bieber. The Guardians will be in the outfield market and could also look for an innings eater to complement a young rotation nucleus.

Jon Heyman of The New York Post first reported that Hedges had agreed to a $4MM deal with Cleveland that contained $500K in incentives. The Associated Press reported the bonus structure. Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images.

Anthony Volpe Undergoes Shoulder Surgery

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Anthony Volpe spent much of the 2025 season playing through a partially torn left labrum, and the Yankees shortstop addressed the problem in the form of a surgical procedure yesterday, according to Joel Sherman and Greg Joyce of the New York Post.  The exact timeline for Volpe’s recovery isn’t yet clear, but if everything goes normally, a source tells Sherman/Joyce that Volpe would be ready for the start of the 2026 season.

The injury to Volpe’s non-throwing shoulder occurred in early May, when Volpe said he heard “a pop” in his shoulder after diving to try and snag a grounder.  What seemed like a minor issue at the time ended up being a lingering source of discomfort throughout the season, and Volpe received two cortisone shots (one at the All-Star break, one in September) to try and manage the pain.  The Yankees never placed Volpe on the injured list, but he didn’t play for the week following his second shot in September.

It is impossible to think that the injury didn’t contribute to Volpe’s tough season.  He hit .212/.272/.391 with 19 home runs over 596 plate appearances, resulting in just an 83 wRC+.  While these numbers weren’t far off what Volpe produced when healthy in 2023-24, it is worth noting that April (prior to the shoulder issue) was far and away Volpe’s best offensive month of 2025.  The bigger impact may have come defensively, as Volpe dropped to -7 Outs Above Average and +2 Defensive Runs Saved — middling metrics for a shortstop who was a Gold Glove winner in 2023 and a finalist for the award again in 2024.

Volpe’s struggles made him a particular target for fan criticism in the Bronx, and something of an avatar for the fanbase’s frustrations towards GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone.  There has yet to be any sign that Volpe’s starting job might be in danger, though Jose Caballero provided a big spark to the lineup after being acquired at the trade deadline, and getting a good dose of time at shortstop while Volpe was sidelined in September.

More will be known about Volpe’s recovery process in the coming weeks, but if he has any kind of setback, the Yankees could be encouraged to pursue at least a depth option at shortstop this winter if Caballero isn’t entrusted with the starting job.  There will certainly be more speculation about whether or not the Yankees could land a bigger-name shortstop in a larger shake-up for the position, but it doesn’t feel like the Yankees would be inclined to move on entirely from Volpe, due to his former top-prospect status and the team’s three remaining years of control over his services.  Volpe is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, and projected to earn $3.9MM in 2026.

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