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Rangers Focused On Pitching, Unlikely To Pursue Additional Bats

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It’s been a relatively active offseason for the Rangers. That’s not true to the same extent as their infamous half-billion dollar offseason that saw them sign Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Jon Gray, but Texas has still swung one major trade (Semien for Brandon Nimmo), signed four free agents to major league deals (Danny Jansen, Chris Martin, Alexis Diaz, Tyler Alexander) and made multiple waiver claims (Michel Otañez, Willie MacIver, Zak Kent).

Reshaping the team’s offense has been a focal point, but president of baseball operations Chris Young strongly suggested over the weekend that his club is unlikely to add further to its position player group. Meeting with the Texas beat, Young said that “pitching is the main focus” and that the Rangers “feel pretty good” about their group of bats heading into the season (link via Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News). Young didn’t expressly rule out another addition and noted that he’d continue to be “opportunistic” as the late stages of the market come together, but it was a pretty clear and candid description of where his baseball operations group’s focus currently rests.

On the one hand, it’s not entirely a shock. Texas has effectively plugged Nimmo into the non-tendered Adolis Garcia’s spot in the lineup, resolving one position the team sought to upgrade. The aforementioned Jansen will get the bulk of the reps behind the plate, stepping in for another non-tendered veteran, Jonah Heim. Texas already signaled after trading Semien to the Mets that second base was likely to be filled internally; Josh Smith has been the favorite for reps there since that point.

Much of the remaining lineup is set. Seager and Wyatt Langford were the team’s two best hitters last year and will be back in the heart of the order in 2026. Evan Carter hasn’t replicated his brilliant 2023 rookie numbers but has been a solid hitter when healthy (a major caveat the past couple seasons). Young third baseman Josh Jung could’ve been a change-of-scenery candidate alongside sluggers Jake Burger and Joc Pederson, but it seems all three will get the chance to rebound. In Pederson’s case, there was likely little choice; he’s owed $18.5MM in 2026, and no team was going to pick up much of that salary after Pederson hit just .181/.285/.328 last season.

Given the struggles at the infield corners last year and the suspect composition of the current bench group, the Rangers very arguably could use at least one more bat in the infield/designated hitter mix. Anyone who could play some combination of first base, second base and third base would seemingly fit the bill. At the same time, it’s also been clear throughout the winter that the Rangers are working to scale back the payroll. RosterResource currently projects a roughly $176MM payroll, which puts Texas about $40MM south of the $216MM at which they opened the 2025 season.

[Related: The Rangers’ Wide Open Infield Mix]

It’s not clear exactly how much ownership is willing to spend on the 2026 group, but a major acquisition on either side of the ball certainly doesn’t seem likely. It’s plausible that teams missing out on free agents like Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette and others might check in on the Rangers’ willingness to sell low on Jung — perhaps in exchange for a former top pitching prospect in a similar change-of-scenery setup — but to this point, that seemingly hasn’t happened. Texas was said to be seeking a right-handed bat and some rotation help in mid-December after signing Jansen, Diaz and Alexander. That righty bat may still be on the wishlist but doesn’t appear to be a top priority at the moment.

It’s not all that hard to see why. The Rangers’ rotation features an impressive top three, with Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and Jack Leiter claiming those positions. Left-hander Cody Bradford will be sidelined into the second half following June UCL surgery. As things currently stand, the Rangers would need two of Kumar Rocker, Jacob Latz, Jose Corniell and non-roster invitee Nabil Crismatt to step up in the rotation.

Rocker is a notable prospect but has yet to put things together in the majors. Latz pitched well in both a relief and starting role last year, but his 2.84 ERA isn’t supported by the rest of his profile (21.8 K%, 10.6 BB%, 4.37 SIERA). Both deGrom and Eovaldi, of course, have notable injury histories. The former bounced all the way back with 172 2/3 innings after making only nine MLB starts from 2023-24. The latter was limited to 22 starts thanks to elbow and shoulder troubles; he also underwent sports hernia surgery in the offseason.

It’s a top-heavy group with questionable depth. One injury to any of deGrom, Eovaldi or Leiter would leave the Rangers reeling. Two would put them on the verge of fielding an almost entirely untested rotation. Even reuniting with Patrick Corbin or a similar back-of-the-rotation veteran on a one-year deal (e.g. Chris Paddack, Aaron Civale) would give the Rangers some more stability.

Another reliever certainly wouldn’t hurt, either. Holdovers Robert Garcia and Cole Winn will be joined by free agent additions like Diaz, Alexander and Martin (who re-signed on a second one-year deal with the Rangers, his hometown club). Diaz and Alexander were signed as rebound candidates. Winn’s rate stats suggest his sub-2.00 ERA is due for some notable regression. The Rangers currently have two unsettled spots and arguably three, if you don’t assume that Rule 5 pick Carter Baumler has a spot locked down. There should be several seasoned arms looking for low-cost, one-year deals late in free agency.

Twins Have Shown Interest In Seranthony Domínguez

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The Twins have shown interest in free agent right-hander Seranthony Domínguez, reports Darren Wolfson of KSTP. However, Wolfson also notes that this was last month and brief. Domínguez remains unsigned, so it’s possible the Twins circle back to him as the offseason progresses.

Minnesota certainly has to do something about its bullpen. The 2025 club fell back in the standings in the summer, which prompted the front office to get into seller mode. They leaned hard into selling from the relief corps. Controllable arms Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland and Brock Stewart were all sent packing, alongside rental arm Danny Coulombe.

That left the Twins with a hodgepodge bullpen for the stretch run, consisting of waiver claimees and veteran journeymen. Minnesota’s relievers had a collective 4.93 earned run average over August and September, which was better than just three other clubs in the majors.

Coming into the offseason, it was expected that Minnesota would continue as sellers, perhaps trading big leaguers like Joe Ryan or maybe even Byron Buxton. Instead, the club is planning to hold those guys and will attempt to return to contention this year.

That’s admirable but there’s work to be done to improve a club that finished 70-92 last year. Internal improvements would go a long way but external additions will also be necessary. The bullpen is largely unchanged from the end of 2025. Their most notable pick-up of the offseason so far has been to acquire Eric Orze, who has just 43 1/3 innings of big league experience, from the Rays.

Domínguez, 31, has had a fairly quiet offseason in terms of public rumors. The only other club connected to him so far is the Red Sox, who reportedly had interest in him over a month ago. It’s possible that his market picks up soon. Pitchers and catchers will be reporting to spring training in less than a month in some cases, depending on the team and if players are participating in the World Baseball Classic.

Also, many of the top relievers have come off the board. Edwin Díaz, Devin Williams, Robert Suarez, Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, Tyler Rogers, Brad Keller, Pete Fairbanks, Kyle Finnegan, Kenley Jansen and many others have been signed. Domínguez is one of the better arms still out there, alongside David Robertson, Liam Hendriks, Justin Wilson, Michael Kopech and others.

Domínguez has been able to get decent amounts of strikeouts and grounders in his career but also with some control issues. He averages in the upper 90s with his four-seamer and sinker while also throwing a slider, sweeper and changeup. He added a splitter and a curveball last year and threw the split 16.6% of the time, scrapping the change and the slider, according to Statcast.

He divided 2025 between the Orioles and Blue Jays, logging 62 2/3 innings with a 3.16 ERA. He struck out 30.3% of batters faced and kept the ball on the ground at a 43.1% pace but also gave out free passes to 13.8% of opponents. He then made 12 appearances for the Jays in the postseason with a 3.18 ERA, though with more walks than strikeouts.

The Twins are dropping the payroll a bit relative to 2025 but seem to have some powder dry, thanks to the money they saved by trading those aforementioned relievers as well as Carlos Correa at the deadline. RosterResource estimates the Twins for a payroll just north of $100MM this year, well below last year’s $142MM Opening Day figure, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

Some reporting has suggested the Twins could look to end up in the $115MM range by the end of this offseason. That would likely leave enough to sign Domínguez in a vacuum but they presumably will want to add multiple relievers, while the righty should have interest from other clubs.

Photo courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images

Dave Giusti Passes Away

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Former big league right-hander Dave Giusti has passed away, the Pirates announced this morning. He was 86 years old.

“We are saddened by the loss of such a beloved member of the Pirates family,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in this morning’s press release. “He was a vital member of our World Series winning team in 1971 and spent seven of his 15 big-league seasons with the Pirates before eventually making Pittsburgh his home. We extend our sincere condolences to his wife, Ginny, his daughters, Laura and Cynthia, and the entire Giusti family.”

Giusti made his major league debut in 1962 — his age-22 campaign — with the Houston Colt .45s and posted an inauspicious 5.62 earned run average through his first 73 2/3 innings. He didn’t pitch in the majors in ’63 and logged only 25 2/3 MLB frames in ’64. In 1965, he established himself as a member of Houston’s staff, tossing 131 1/3 innings with a 4.32 ERA. That was a ways higher than the 3.50 league average at that time (77 ERA+, 125 ERA-), but it kicked off a run of four seasons that saw Giusti log regular work as a starter in Houston. From 1965-68, he pitched a combined 814 innings with a 3.90 ERA.

Houston traded Giusti to the Cardinals in the 1968-69 offseason. The Cardinals lost him to the Padres in October 1968’s expansion draft, only to reacquire him two months later. He spent one season with the Cards (3.61 ERA, 99 2/3 innings) before being traded to the Pirates, with whom he’d make his lone All-Star team, tally three separate top-10 finishes in National League Cy Young voting, and win a World Series.

Giusti had been almost exclusively a starting pitcher over his final seasons in Houston, but he made only one start with Pittsburgh in 1970 and only three over his seven seasons in black and gold. Giusti transitioned near seamlessly to relief at a time when doing so wasn’t nearly as common as it is in today’s game. He saved 26 games for the Pirates in 1970, pitching 103 innings with a 3.61 ERA along the way.

Over the next several years, Giusti was a pivotal endgame arm for the Bucs. He saved a career-high 30 games in 1971, pitching to a 2.93 ERA in 86 regular-season frames before tossing 10 1/3 shutout innings during the playoffs as the Pirates went on to win the World Series. Overall, Giusti pitched 618 regular-season innings with the Pirates from 1970-76, piling up 133 saves and a recording a tidy 2.94 earned run average along the way.

The Pirates traded Giusti to the A’s in the 1976-77 offseason — part of a nine-player swap that included notable names like Phil Garner, Rick Langford and Tony Armas. Giusti pitched 85 2/3 innings between the A’s and Cubs, working to a 3.89 ERA in the 15th and final season of his major league career.

Giusti retired with a career 100-93 record, 145 saves, a 3.60 ERA and 1103 strikeouts in 1716 2/3 innings pitched. He won a World Series with the Pirates in ’71, made the All-Star team in ’73, garnered MVP votes in ’70 (sixth) and ’71 (14th), and drew Cy Young votes in ’70 (fourth), ’73 (seventh) and ’74 (ninth).

Fans of Giusti will want to check out Jason Mackey’s tribute to him over at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, wherein former teammates Milt May and Steve Blass discuss the right-hander’s transition to the bullpen, the efficacy of his signature palmball, and the never-give-in mentality that made him such a natural fit for high-leverage spots late in the game. We at MLBTR extend our condolences to Giusti’s family, friends, former teammates and the countless fans he amassed over a lengthy and successful big league career.

Twins Hire Michael A. Taylor As Outfield Instructor

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The Twins have hired recently retired outfielder Michael A. Taylor as an outfield instructor, per Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He won’t be a member of the big league coaching staff but will be in camp for several weeks this spring and will visit the Twins’ minor league affiliates to work with their up-and-coming outfielders throughout the 2026 season.

Taylor, 34, retired following the 2025 season. He played in parts of 12 major league seasons and spent the 2023 season as a member of the Twins, hitting .220/.278/.442 with a career-high 21 home runs. Taylor spent his final season in 2025 with the White Sox and also played with the Nationals, Royals and Pirates (under new Twins skipper Derek Shelton). He retired as a career .232/.288/.379 hitter with 109 home runs, 128 steals, 156 doubles and 15 triples in 3801 major league plate appearances.

It was below-average production on the whole, but Taylor’s calling card was always his defense and baserunning. He played 7473 innings of center field in his major league career and logged outstanding marks in both Defensive Runs Saved (83) and Outs Above Average (58). His work in the corners was more limited but also above-average, per both metrics. Overall, Taylor finished his playing days with 97 DRS and 61 OAA in just under 9000 defensive innings. He chipped in 128 steals in 163 tries — a 79% success rate.

Taylor “only” won one Gold Glove in his big league career, although that’s due to his frequent status as a fourth outfielder. His penchant for strikeouts (and thus batting average/on-base percentage marks) kept him from picking up enough innings in the outfield to garner consideration in most seasons. On a rate basis, however, Taylor is one of the elite defenders of this generation — at any position. From the time of his 2014 debut through his final game late this season, only six players amassed more DRS than his 97: Kevin Kiermaier, Nolan Arenado, Andrelton Simmons, Mookie Betts, Jason Heyward and Matt Chapman. His 61 OAA tie him for 12th among all big leaguers in that same window.

Though the role with the Twins is a relatively limited one, Nightengale suggests that the intent is to give Taylor some experience working with younger players as he gauges whether he wants to pursue a second act in baseball as a coach. For the time being, a Twins organization that has a long lineage of plus defenders in center field — Taylor briefly among them — will have one of the better outfield defenders in recent memory working with its young players in an effort to continue that hallmark.

Reds To Sign Pierce Johnson

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Jan. 12: Johnson is guaranteed $6.5MM, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

Jan. 11: Right-hander Pierce Johnson is headed to the Reds, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The details of the contract are not yet known. Johnson is represented by John Boggs & Associates.

Johnson, 34, was a first-round pick all the way back in 2012. He made his big league debut in 2017 but didn’t stick in the majors right away and eventually headed to Japan in 2019 to pitch for the Hanshin Tigers. The result was a dominant 1.38 ERA over 58 2/3 innings of work in NPB, and Johnson then returned to the majors in 2020 and posted strong numbers overall across three seasons with the Padres.

Missing most of the 2022 campaign due to injury, however, put Johnson in an awkward position entering free agency following the year. He caught on with the Rockies and struggled badly, posting a 6.00 ERA during his time in Colorado, but was still an attractive enough target to be dealt to the Braves at the trade deadline. Upon arriving in Atlanta, he looked like a different pitcher, turning in a a 0.76 ERA, 36% strikeout rate, and 5.4% walk rate across 24 appearances down the stretch for the Braves.

It was a performance so impressive that Atlanta chose to extend Johnson on a fresh two-year deal that guaranteed him $14.25MM, including a $250K buyout on a $7MM club option for the 2026 season. Johnson posted a 3.36 ERA and 3.77 FIP overall across 115 1/3 innings in the next two seasons, but he was unable to carry over the pinpoint command he had flashed down the stretch in 2023. His peripherals declined, culminating in the righty striking out a diminished (but still strong) 24.8% of his opponents this past year, and the Braves ultimately chose to buy out his 2026 option.

Now headed into his age-35 season, Johnson will join a Reds team that managed to squeak into the playoffs last year and has its sights set on returning in 2026. After re-signing Emilio Pagan to serve as the club’s closer, Cincinnati has continued to retool its bullpen by adding Caleb Ferguson and now Johnson. That trio should be joined by Tony Santillan to make a formidable late inning relief corps for the Reds, while former starters like Graham Ashcraft and Connor Phillips provide some upside but likely slide into lower-leverage roles. With a stacked rotation led by Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott, Terry Francona’s pitching staff looks solid headed into the season.

The question for the Reds headed into 2026 is mostly focused around the club’s lineup. While Elly De La Cruz is a budding superstar and players like TJ Friedl and Spencer Steer have proven themselves to be quality role players, it’s hard to know if the Reds’ lineup will produce enough on offense to carry them back to October. Players like Noelvi Marte and Matt McLain have shown great promise in the past but have also struggled badly at times. The same can be said for reclamation projects JJ Bleday and Ke’Bryan Hayes. If the Reds have more planned this offseason after adding Johnson, adding more to the lineup would be the best way to improve the roster, whether that’s through free agency or perhaps a trade of someone like right-hander Brady Singer, who’ll be a free agent next winter.

The Opener: Bichette, Phillies, Red Sox, Bellinger, Yankees

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Bichette meeting with the Phillies:

The Phillies are reportedly scheduled to meet with infielder Bo Bichette today. The fit between Bichette and Philadelphia is a complicated one, however. Reporting has indicated that the club would need to not only forgo their pursuit of a reunion with J.T. Realmuto in order to land Bichette, but also trade third baseman Alec Bohm. Perhaps that would all be worthwhile in order to land another impact player to join Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Trea Turner in the middle of the team’s lineup, but it’s not the most straightforward fit.

The meeting comes on the heels of Toronto’s recent signing of third baseman Kazuma Okamoto. The Blue Jays’ decision to bring in another infielder doesn’t explicitly rule out a reunion with Bichette, who has long expressed a desire to remain in Toronto, but it arguably made outfielder Kyle Tucker a cleaner fit for them at this point. The meeting between Bichette and the Phillies dovetails nicely into the next item here…

2. What’s next for the Red Sox after missing on Bregman?

The Cubs made a big splash this weekend by inking third baseman Alex Bregman to a five-year deal worth $175MM. Deferred money brings that contract value down to the $150-155MM range, but that was still enough to outbid the Red Sox in their efforts to retain Bregman. Boston reportedly topped out at an offer of $165MM over five years — also with significant deferred money but lacking the no-trade provision the Cubs included.

With Bregman now ticketed for Chicago, the Red Sox will have to pivot. That could mean stepping up their pursuit of Bichette, with whom they reportedly met with over Zoom last month. Bichette was of interest to both the Cubs and Red Sox, so while it hurts him to lose one possible landing spot in Chicago, it also intensifies the need/urgency of another suitor up in Boston. The Red Sox could also look for a shorter-term addition like Eugenio Suarez, and a trade for an established infielder (e.g. Houston’s Isaac Paredes) can’t be ruled out either. One way or another, the Sox ought to have at least one more notable splash in store this winter.

3. Can Yankees, Bellinger bridge the gap?

Elsewhere in the AL East, the Yankees and Cody Bellinger have reportedly reached an impasse in contract negotiations. New York is said to be sticking to its guns with a five-year offer that guarantees Bellinger more than $150MM, while Bellinger’s camp remains steadfast in their desire for a longer-term contract — perhaps as many as seven years. In the meantime, Bellinger figures to draw interest from the Mets and Dodgers. He’s also been connected to the Cubs, though their recent addition of Bregman likely takes them out of that market. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently took a look at some other potential landing spots. As for the Yankees, the team has been loosely connected to other high-end players like Bichette and Tucker as potential backup plans to Bellinger, and the trade market could always present alternatives.

Cardinals Sign Bruce Zimmermann To Minors Contract

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The Cardinals signed Bruce Zimmermann to a minor league deal, as per the southpaw’s MLB.com profile page.  He was outrighted off the Brewers’ 40-man roster at the end of the season and then elected minor league free agency.

Zimmermann spent all of 2024 in the Orioles’ minor league system, and then just about all of 2025 with Milwaukee’s Triple-A affiliate before his contract was selected in the final week of the season.  With the Brewers looking to cover innings and generally save its pitchers heading into the playoffs, Zimmermann ate up six innings in a start on Sept. 23, allowing five earned runs in his lone MLB appearance of the year.

The left-hander’s previous big league resume consists of 158 1/3 innings with the Orioles from 2020-23, starting 27 of 38 games and posting a 5.57 ERA, 18.1% strikeout rate, and 5.2% walk rate.  Zimmermann was tagged for 40 home runs during his time in Baltimore, and he hasn’t had much success against either left-handed or right-handed batters at the Major League level.

The Brewers were deep enough in rotation options that Zimmermann was something of an afterthought for the team, even though he posted decent numbers as a starter and reliever at Triple-A Nashville.  St. Louis might not necessarily offer Zimmermann more chances at MLB playing time since the rebuilding Cardinals are prioritizing their younger arms, but he could fill a similar role as a Triple-A depth option, with spot start opportunities available if any of the youngsters struggle or if injuries arise.

Zimmermann is out of minor league options, so if he is selected to the Cards’ 26-man roster, they’d first have to expose him to waivers before outrighting him off the 40-man and sending him back to Triple-A.  Since Zimmermann has previously been outrighted, he’d also have the right to elect free agency rather than accept another outright assignment.  Depending on whether or not the Cardinals bring him up to the Show at all, Zimmermann might be in for a busy year on the transaction front.

Quick Hits: Davis, Kranick, Collins

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Former Giants and Red Sox outfielder Jaylin Davis announced his retirement in a post on his Instagram page, choosing to end his pro career at age 31 after four MLB seasons.  “This game has been a blessing, and while this chapter closes, I’m excited for what’s next,” Davis wrote.  MLB Trade Rumors congratulates Davis on his career, and we wish him all the best in the upcoming chapter of his life.

Davis faced a long road just to get to the majors as a 24th-round pick for the Twins in the 2015 draft, but his inclusion in the 2019 deadline trade that brought Sam Dyson from Minnesota to San Francisco allowed Davis to get his first taste of the Show.  The outfielder played in 17 games that season, and then made nine more appearances for the Giants over parts of the 2020-21 seasons before a Boston waiver claim resulted in 12 games with the Sox in 2022.  Davis finishes his career with a .207/.274/.299 slash line over 95 plate appearances in the majors, as well as a respectable .832 OPS over 1178 at the Triple-A level.  His final three pro seasons were spent in the Mets’ farm system, and with the independent American Association and Atlantic League.

More from around baseball as we wrap up the weekend…

  • Max Kranick will throw on Monday for the first time since undergoing flexor tendon surgery in July, according to the Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon.  Kranick is aiming to be ready for action for the second half of the 2026 season, fitting the usual 12-month estimate for flexor tendon procedures.  The Mets non-tendered Kranick in November, so any teams interested in the right-hander could look to sign him to a two-year free agent deal, with the idea of locking up Kranick for 2027 when he’ll presumably be fully recovered.  Kranick’s MLB resume consists of 43 2/3 innings of 5.56 ball with the Pirates in 2021-22, and a more impressive 3.65 ERA and a tiny 3.4% walk rate over 37 innings with New York last season (albeit with only a 16.9% strikeout rate).
  • Left-hander Tim Collins is attempting a comeback, and will throw for scouts this Wednesday, The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli reports.  Collins posted a 3.60 ERA over 242 1/3 relief innings with the Royals, Nationals, and Cubs from 2011-19, and didn’t see any big league work from 2015-17 due to a pair of Tommy John surgeries.  His nine games with Chicago in 2019 was seemingly it for Collins as a pitcher, as he opted out of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and then stepped away from playing, becoming a minor league coach for the Phillies over the last two years.  The 36-year-old Collins has now caught the pitching bug again, and it will be interesting to see if he can resume his career after this second large gap in his career.

Blue Jays Re-Sign Eloy Jimenez To Minor League Deal

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The Blue Jays have signed Eloy Jimenez to a minor league contract, according to reporter Mike Rodriguez.  Jimenez’s latest deal with the Jays includes an invitation to Toronto’s Major League spring camp.

After signing a minors deal with Toronto right at the end of August, Jimenez only got into six games with Triple-A Buffalo, and he had a .508 OPS over 21 trips to the plate.  This gave Jimenez an overall .247/.326/.347 slash line in 215 plate appearances in the Jays’ and Rays’ farm systems, without any games played at the Major League level.

Once a feared power bat who signed a six-year, $43MM deal with the White Sox before ever appearing in a big league game, Jimenez somewhat lived up to that potential by hitting .275/.324/.487 with 89 homers over 1777 PA during the 2019-23 seasons.  However, Jimenez was set back by a laundry list of injuries, and his 122 games played in 2019 remains his highest game total in a regulation-length season.  The 2024 season was a total calamity for Jimenez, as he hit .238/.289/.336 over 349 PA while missing time with an adductor strain and a hamstring strain.

The White Sox gave up on Jimenez by dealing him to the Orioles at the 2024 trade deadline, and Baltimore unsurprisingly declined a $16.5MM club option on the former slugger for the 2025 season.  Jimenez then landed in Tampa Bay last winter on a minors deal, but between more injury woes and his uninspiring numbers, the Rays released him last July.

Jimenez is still only 29 years old, and is still posting decent hard-hit ball numbers and exit velocities.  Considering his past history, there’s no risk for the Blue Jays in taking a more extended look at Jimenez in camp to see if a late-career turn-around is possible, even if it doesn’t seem likely Jimenez will be able to crack Toronto’s crowded roster.  His best-case scenario might be a big Spring Training performance, and then heading to another interested team via trade or an opt-out in his contract at the end of camp.

Pirates Sign Noah Davis To Minor League Deal

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The Pirates signed Noah Davis to a minor league deal earlier this week, as per Davis’ MLB.com profile page.  The right-hander elected minor league free agency in October, qualifying for the status due to multiple career outright assignments and not being added back to the Twins’ 40-man roster after being outrighted in September.

After making his MLB debut in the form of a single inning of work for the Rockies during the 2022 season, Davis has now played in each of the last four Major League seasons, albeit with not a ton more playing time than that initial cup-of-coffee appearance.  Davis has 27 games and 62 1/3 innings under his belt, with a 9.53 ERA, 18.5% strikeout rate, and 9.2% walk rate.

A lot of the damage has come from the long ball, as Davis has given up a whopping 17 home runs in his 62 1/3 IP.  Ten of those 17 homers came during Davis’ three seasons in Colorado, and he then allowed seven more runs over 11 innings with the Dodgers and Twins in 2025.  The right-hander actually began the 2025 season with the Red Sox on a minor league contract, but Los Angeles swung a trade for Davis in late March, and then designated him for assignment in July.  Minnesota then claimed Davis off waivers but things didn’t do any better for the righty in Minnesota, and he finished his 2025 campaign an 18.00 ERA.

Now entering his age-29 season, Davis also doesn’t have great numbers in Triple-A or even in Double-A, though 2025 marked the first time he’d been utilized almost exclusively as a reliever.  The results were better, with Davis posting a 3.88 ERA, 26K%, and 11.5BB% across 48 2/3 innings and 35 appearances with the Dodgers’ and Twins’ Triple-A affiliates.

While this improvement hasn’t translated to success against big league batters, Davis’ possible upside as a reliever was enough to get the Pirates interested in a look during Spring Training.  Between Pittsburgh’s recent success in producing arms and new pitching coach Bill Murphy’s track record with the Astros, there’s some reason to believe Davis might be a late bloomer with some help from the Buccos’ pitching development team.

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