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Poll: Who Will Sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa?

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The shortstop market was fairly barren all offseason, with Bo Bichette as the top option available despite him being widely viewed as a player unlikely to stick at the position. Now that pitchers and catchers are just two weeks from reporting, Isiah Kiner-Falefa stands more or less alone on the shortstop market. A glove-first infielder, Kiner-Falefa has a career slash line of just .262/.311/.349 across eight seasons in the majors but has been a consistently valuable asset in spite of that thanks to a quality glove.

He’s coming off a down season with Pittsburgh and Toronto in 2025, hitting .262/.297/.334 (75 wRC+) while his defensive metrics dipped to slightly below average. As spring training approaches, he’s sure to start receiving more interest from contenders with holes in their bench mix and smaller market clubs with holes in their infield. Who’s the best fit for the former Gold Glover? A look at some of the options:

Athletics

The A’s reportedly pursued Nolan Arenado to fill out their infield before backing off when it seemed as though Arenado might wield his no-trade protection to block a deal. Kiner-Falefa’s .279 wOBA last year is just eight points lower than Arenado’s, and FanGraphs rates them as comparably valuable on defense last year. Kiner-Falefa could serve as a veteran anchor to help fill out the infield alongside Jeff McNeil and Jacob Wilson, while also being a player that’s comfortable moving to a utility role if  Max Muncy, Max Schuemann, or Darell Hernaiz breaks out to force the issue.

Atlanta Braves

Ha-Seong Kim is sidelined through at least May, which has changed the outlook of the Braves’ infield mix. Now the team figures to rely on Mauricio Dubon and Jorge Mateo at shortstop to open the season, while also crossing their fingers for rebounds from Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley at second and third base respectively. There’s plenty of upside in that infield, especially if Kim can return healthy and effective later in the year. Kiner-Falefa can provide some stability. If added to the mix, he’d allow Dubon to see more time in the outfield (where he could complement Michael Harris II in center field) and allow the team to lean less heavily on Mateo’s services coming off a 33 wRC+ in 43 games last year. Once Kim returns, Kiner-Falefa could be used as valuable injury insurance given that Riley, Albies, and Kim himself have all contended with plenty of injuries in recent years.

Boston Red Sox

Kiner-Falefa suiting up for the Red Sox would surely come as a disappointment to fans in Boston, as he’d be (at least nominally) replacing Alex Bregman on the infield. The Red Sox have indicated that they might prioritize defense over offense when filling out their infield mix, and being able to mix and match between Marcelo Mayer, David Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez, and Kiner-Falefa on the dirt as needed alongside Trevor Story and Willson Contreras would be a decent budget option if the team fails to land a more notable upgrade. Kiner-Falefa’s ability to play either second or third base could also benefit Mayer, who is a natural shortstop blocked by Story and hasn’t yet been committed to a particular position on the infield for 2026.

Cleveland Guardians

The Guardians could do with an upgrade over Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias up the middle. Rocchio, in particular, posted just 0.4 fWAR last year due to a lackluster 77 wRC+ and below-average defensive metrics at shortstop. Kiner-Falefa wouldn’t be a slam-dunk upgrade but could provide some depth without blocking Travis Bazzana or any of the team’s other young infielders. For a team in need of some serious offensive help, however, Kiner-Falefa wouldn’t really move the needle.

Other Options

The Mariners have flirted with the idea of adding an infielder to keep the seats that will eventually go to Colt Emerson and Cole Young warm, though it should be noted that internal options like Ben Williamson and Leo Rivas may be preferred over adding a more established veteran. The Angels currently have Yoan Moncada, Vaughn Grissom, and Oswald Peraza penciled into their infield. Kiner-Falefa would likely offer a higher floor than any of those players, but Anaheim remains at least theoretically focused on getting Mike Trout back to the postseason and will need to prioritize upside in order to make that happen. The Nationals could view Kiner-Falefa as a worthwhile veteran to add to their infield but may not want to cut playing time away from their young players unless a CJ Abrams deal opens up a spot on the dirt.

Where do MLBTR readers think Kiner-Falefa will eventually land? Could he serve as an affordable starter for a team like the Guardians, A’s, or Nationals? Or would he be better served in a part-time role with a bigger market club like the Braves or Red Sox? Have your say in the poll below:

Red Sox, Vinny Nittoli Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Red Sox have a minor league deal with reliever Vinny Nittoli, reports Ari Alexander of Boston 7 News. The Gaeta Sports Management client receives a non-roster invitation to MLB Spring Training.

Nittoli is now on the 12th organization of a decade-long professional career. The 35-year-old righty has gotten to the major league level with five of those clubs. His career high in MLB appearances with one team is seven, as he threw eight innings for the Athletics in 2024. Nittoli has had cups of coffee with the Mariners, Phillies, Mets and Orioles as well. He has logged 18 2/3 major league innings, striking out 13 against five walks while allowing five runs.

A former 25th round pick, Nittoli has spent six seasons at the Triple-A level. He owns a 4.76 earned run average in 223 innings despite a strong 28.3% strikeout rate. Nittoli combined for a 4.58 ERA with a 26% strikeout percentage and 8% walk rate between Baltimore’s and Milwaukee’s top affiliates last year. He worked primarily with a cutter that averaged 89 MPH while mixing in a low-90s sinker and low-80s curveball.

Nittoli is out of options, so he’d need to stick on the MLB roster or be exposed to waivers if the Red Sox call him up. He joins Seth Martinez, Hobie Harris, Devin Sweet and Tayron Guerrero as non-roster invites who have MLB experience.

Avisail Garcia Announces Retirement

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Avisail Garcia announced his retirement on Monday afternoon. That concludes a career which spanned parts of 13 MLB seasons and included an All-Star appearance in 2017.

“Today I formally announce the end of my career in Major League Baseball after 12 seasons of dedication and hard work. Thank you to God for the blessing of fulfilling my childhood dream—of playing baseball at its highest level,” the 34-year-old outfielder wrote on social media. He goes on to thank his family, representation at Mato Sports Management, and former teammates and coaches.

Garcia began his career with the Tigers. An under-the-radar signee out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old, he developed into one of the better offensive prospects in the game by the time he reached the big leagues in 2012. Comparisons to teammate and Hall of Fame countryman Miguel Cabrera were always ill-advised, but the 6’4″ Garcia had the physique and power potential to fit in the middle of a lineup.

Although Garcia made a brief MLB debut and factored into a 2012 pennant run in Detroit, he didn’t get a regular look until he was traded to White Sox the following year. He was the headliner for Chicago in the three-team trade that sent Jake Peavy to the Red Sox. Detroit picked up Jose Iglesias from Boston on their end. Garcia took over as Chicago’s everyday right fielder, a job he would hold for most of the next five seasons.

Avisail Garcia | Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

Garcia lost most of the ’14 season to a labrum injury. He kicked off a run of five consecutive double digit homer seasons the following year. The aforementioned All-Star campaign was the best of his career, as Garcia batted .330/.380/.506 with 18 longballs across 561 plate appearances. Only Jose Altuve’s MVP season stood in his way of winning the AL batting title.

That was the lone above-average season of Garcia’s tenure with the Sox. He otherwise hit between .236 and .257 with an on-base percentage between .281 and .309 over his full seasons there. Garcia’s free-swinging approach would be an issue throughout his career, though it didn’t stop him from turning in two solid years after the White Sox non-tendered him at the end of the 2018 season.

One of those came with the Rays, who signed Garcia to a $3.5MM contract after the Sox cut him. He managed a 20-homer campaign while batting .282/.332/.464 in the regular season. The Rays secured a Wild Card berth, and Garcia hit .300 with a homer in five playoff games in his first October action since his rookie year. He returned to free agency in a much better position that offseason, leading to a two-year deal with Milwaukee that guaranteed $20MM.

Garcia’s first year with the Brewers was a disappointment, as he hit .238 with only two homers during the shortened season. He made up for it by popping a career-best 29 longballs a year later, slashing .262/.330/.490 and driving in 86 runs. He helped Milwaukee to a 95-win campaign and an NL Central title. Garcia hit the market at age 31. The Marlins bought into his power production and strong batted ball metrics and signed him to a four-year, $53MM deal.

That was a strong deal for the player but a big misfire for the team. Garcia’s production immediately tanked and he’d only play out a little more than half the contract. He hit .217/.260/.322 with 13 homers in 549 plate appearances in a Miami uniform. The Marlins released him in June 2024. Garcia underwent postseason surgery to address a fracture and a disc injury in his lower back. That sidelined him for the entire ’25 campaign and ultimately ended his career. He would have been limited to minor league offers even if he came back fully healthy, so it doesn’t come as a huge surprise that he decided to move on to his post-playing days.

Garcia played in a little over 1100 big league games divided among five clubs. He topped 1000 hits and 500 RBI while connecting on 140 home runs. He was a lifetime .263/.316/.417 hitter. While it came with plenty of peaks and valleys, that amounts to league average offense overall. FanGraphs and Baseball Reference credited him around 8-9 wins above replacement, with both outlets valuing his 2017 season above 4 WAR. According to Baseball Reference, he earned more than $84MM and logged more than 11 years of major league service time. MLBTR congratulates Garcia on his career and wishes him the best in retirement.

Image courtesy of Imagn Images.

Guardians Re-Sign Kolby Allard To Minor League Deal

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The Guardians announced today that they have re-signed left-hander Kolby Allard to a minor league deal. The Excel Sports Management client also receives an invite to big league camp.

Allard, 28, is a soft-tossing swingman. He hasn’t always been effective, with a 5.34 earned run average in his career, but he’s coming off a good season in Cleveland. The Guards signed him to a minor league deal almost exactly one year ago today. He bounced on and off the roster a couple of times throughout the season. He gave the club 65 innings over 33 appearances with a 2.63 ERA while averaging just over 90 miles per hour with his four-seamer and sinker.

That ERA figure was surely at least slightly misleading. His 5.3% walk rate was really strong but he only struck out 15.8% of batters faced and his 38% ground ball rate was also a bit below par. He seemed to benefit from a high strand rate of 79.2%. His 3.54 FIP and 4.41 SIERA were notably less optimistic than his ERA.

The Guards seemingly agreed more with those advanced metrics. They could have retained Allard for 2026 via arbitration, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting a $1.9MM salary. Instead, the Guards outrighted him off the roster at season’s end and he elected free agency. He’s now been brought back but without taking up a roster spot.

Cleveland used Allard almost exclusively in relief a year ago. He made a pair of spot starts but didn’t go beyond four innings in either appearance. He’ll likely battle for another low-leverage bullpen job in camp. Cleveland has Rule 5 pick Peyton Pallette and out-of-options middle reliever Connor Brogdon competing for spots during Spring Training. They’d each need to make the team or be dropped from the 40-man roster — and in Pallette’s case, offered back to the White Sox if he clears waivers. Allard has over five years of MLB service and would be able to refuse future minor league assignments if the Guardians call him up at any point.

Photo courtesy of Steven Bisig, Imagn Images

MLB To Take Over Broadcasts For Six Additional Teams

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4:37pm: Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal reports that the Tigers, Angels and Braves are all moving on from Main Street Sports as well. Friend writes that it’s likely that the Detroit and Los Angeles clubs will also turn their broadcasts over to MLB, although they haven’t closed the door on working out some kind of independent streaming deal on a different platform than MLB.tv.

Friend’s reporting is most interesting regarding the Braves. He writes that the team could launch its own network rather than turning distribution to the league. The Rangers went that route when their deal with Diamond collapsed last offseason. The Texas franchise created its own network that negotiated directly with distributors to set up cable, satellite and streaming deals on different platforms.

The Braves haven’t made anything official, though they’ve more or less confirmed they won’t be returning to Main Street. “The Atlanta Braves are aware of the reports regarding Main Street Sports Group,” the team said in a statement. “While disappointed with this development, we have been actively preparing for this outcome and are well on our way towards launching a new era in Braves broadcasting. … We look forward to sharing our path forward in the coming weeks.”

1:10pm: Major League Baseball will take over the broadcasts of six new teams in 2026, reports John Ourand of Puck. The six clubs are the Brewers, Marlins, Rays, Royals, Cardinals and Reds. That represents six of the nine clubs who terminated deals with Main Street Sports last month. That leaves the Braves, Tigers and Angels as the three clubs from that group of nine who still need to formalize broadcast plans for this year.

The company has seemingly been hanging by a thread for a long time. Cord cutting and streaming have been eroding the regional sports network (RSN) model for years. Previously known as Diamond Sports Group and operating under the Bally Sports logo, the company was in bankruptcy for most of 2023 and 2024. When they emerged from bankruptcy late in 2024, they changed the company name and switched to the FanDuel Sports branding. More trouble emerged recently as they reportedly missed payments to several teams, which is what prompted the nine teams to walk away last month.

In recent years, MLB has handled the broadcasts of several other clubs who saw RSN deals collapse. The Padres, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Twins and Guardians were with the league in 2025. In those instances, the league largely kept TV broadcasts the same, retaining most of the personnel. For fans, this arrangement worked better as it did not involve local blackouts. Customers without cable packages could buy streaming packages directly from the league.

For teams, this expanded viewership but the financial situation wasn’t as good. Instead of a guaranteed fee from the RSN, they instead got a fungible amount of money based on streaming numbers. Clear numbers haven’t been made available but the industry consensus is that teams bring in less money via this model than they did via the previous RSN system. Travis Sawchik of MLB.com says the new model only brings in about 50% of the previous RSN set-up.

This often has on-field implications. Some of those teams, particularly the Padres and Twins, saw their player payrolls decrease in recent years. The lower spending capacity seemingly had an impact on Juan Soto being traded from the Padres to the Yankees a couple of years ago and Carlos Correa getting traded from the Twins to the Astros last summer, among other moves.

It was reported in September that ESPN would be acquiring the local rights for those five teams for the next three years. It’s unclear how that will impact local customers who have been paying the league directly to stream games. Also in September, it was reported that the Mariners would also be moving to the league. Last month, the Nationals announced that they would be moving to the MLB model.

Assuming the league will still be selling streaming packages for the five teams it was handling last year, then the league will have at least 13 teams in its portfolio in the coming season. With three clubs still outstanding, it’s possible MLB could get to more than half the league.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has previously spoken of his desire to market a streaming package like MLB.TV but without local blackouts. Controlling the rights for roughly half the league will make that more viable. Expanding the portfolio even further will be challenging. Most of the larger-market clubs still have pretty healthy RSN situations and would have less interest in jumping into a pooled system with these clubs.

That is part of a broader league strategy that will come into play in the next few years. A large number of the league’s broadcast deals expire after 2028. Manfred’s hope is to maintain as much flexibility as possible until then, at which point he could try to sell companies packages of combined rights. As an example of how this might play out, ESPN’s deal recently fell apart but then MLB pivoted to split it up and sell it to various companies. ESPN bought back some bits and acquired some new ones, while Netflix and NBC/Peacock acquired other components.

It will take a few years to see how that all plays out. In the shorter term, it could impact the upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations. The current CBA expires December 1st of this year. Presumably, MLB doesn’t want those talks to lead to canceled games in 2027. Ratings and attendance have been up lately, with the faster pace of the pitch clock a possible explanation. Missed games due to a lockout would hurt that momentum, which wouldn’t help the league in selling rights the following year.

For fans of the teams involved in today’s news, new information about broadcast options should be forthcoming. The Cardinals already announced their streaming prices, which are $19.99 monthly or $99.99 for the full season. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald outlined the situation for Marlins fans today, with some more details still to be determined.

This could also impact player payroll for some clubs. Though the streaming model is a less certain source of revenue, these teams now at least have some clarity on what kind of money should be coming in this year. As of less than two weeks ago, the Reds were reportedly interested in players like Eugenio Suárez but reluctant to make more moves until they figured out the broadcast puzzle. They reportedly reached an agreement with Suárez yesterday.

Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images

Players Who Could Move To The 60-Day IL Once Spring Training Begins

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Most of the clubs in the league currently have a full 40-man roster, which means that just about every transaction requires a corresponding move. Some extra roster flexibility is on the way, however. The 60-day injured list goes away five days after the World Series but comes back when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

Most clubs have a slightly earlier report date this year due to the World Baseball Classic. Last year, the Cubs and Dodgers had earlier report dates because they were had an earlier Opening Day than everyone else as part of the Tokyo Series. Gavin Stone was the first player to land on the 60-day IL in 2025, landing there on February 11th. According to MLB.com, every club has a report date from February 10th to 13th this year.

It’s worth pointing out that the 60 days don’t start being counted until Opening Day. Although a team can transfer a player to the 60-day IL quite soon, they will likely only do so if they aren’t expecting the player back until late May or beyond. A team also must have a full 40-man roster in order to move a player to the 60-day IL.

There are still plenty of free agents still out there, including big names like Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Justin Verlander, Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito, and more. Perhaps the extra roster flexibility will spur some deals to come together. It could also increase the ability of some clubs to make waiver claims or small trades for players who have been designated for assignment. If a team wants to pass a player through waivers, perhaps they will try to do so in the near future before the extra roster flexibility opens up.

Here are some players who are expected to miss some significant time or who have uncertain recovery timelines from 2025 injuries.

Angels: Anthony Rendon, Ben Joyce

Rendon’s situation is unique. He underwent hip surgery a year ago and missed the entire 2025 season. He is still on the roster and signed through 2026. He and the club have agreed to a salary-deferment plan and he is not expected to be in spring training with the club. His recovery timeline is unclear, but general manager Perry Minasian said earlier this month that Rendon would be “rehabbing at home,” per Alden González of ESPN. If they were going to release him, they likely would have done so by now, so he seems destined for the injured list.

Joyce underwent shoulder surgery in May and missed the remainder of the 2025 season. His current status is unclear. In August, he told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he didn’t know if he would be ready for spring training. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the Halos don’t expect him back before the end of May.

Astros: Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco, Brandon Walter

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025. Wesneski was first, with his surgery taking place on May 23rd. Blanco followed shortly thereafter in early June. They will likely be targeting returns in the second half. Walter’s procedure was in September, meaning he will likely miss the entire season. All three should be on the 60-day IL as soon as Houston needs roster spots for other transactions.

Athletics: Zack Gelof

Gelof underwent surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder in September, with the expectation of him potentially being healthy for spring training. At the end of December, general manager David Forst told Martín Gallegos of MLB.com that Gelof would be “a little bit behind” in spring. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the A’s think he’ll be out through late May.

Blue Jays: Jake Bloss

Bloss underwent surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow in May. He was on optional assignment at the time and stayed in the minors for the rest of the season. Going into 2026, the Jays could keep him in the minors but they could also call him up and place him on the major league IL. Doing so would open up a roster spot but would also mean giving Bloss big league pay and service time.

Braves: Ha-Seong Kim, AJ Smith-Shawver, Danny Young, Joe Jiménez

Kim recently fell on some ice and injured his hand. He underwent surgery last week, and the expected recovery time is four to five months. The shorter end of that window only goes to mid-May, so perhaps Atlanta will hold off on making a decision until they watch his recovery, especially since they have other guys with clearer injury timelines.

Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery in June, so he shouldn’t be back until the second half and is therefore a lock for the 60-day IL once Atlanta needs a spot. Young underwent the same procedure in May, so he should also be bound for the IL.

Jimenez is more of a question mark. He missed the 2025 season due to left knee surgery. He required a “cleanup” procedure on that knee towards the end of the season. His timeline isn’t currently clear.

Brewers: None.

Cardinals: None.

Cubs: Justin Steele

Steele will probably be a bit of a borderline case. He underwent UCL surgery in April but it wasn’t a full Tommy John surgery. The Cubs described it as a “revision repair”. Steele had undergone Tommy John in 2017 as a minor leaguer.

Since Steele’s more recent procedure was a bit less serious than a full Tommy John, the club gave an estimated return timeline of about one year, putting him in line to potentially return fairly early in 2026. Given his importance to the Cubs, they would only put him on the 60-day IL if his timeline changes and he’s certain to be out through late May.

Diamondbacks: Corbin Burnes, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., A.J. Puk, Justin Martínez, Blake Walston, Tyler Locklear

The Snakes were hit hard by the injury bug in 2025. Burnes, Walston and Martínez all underwent Tommy John surgery. Burnes and Martínez had their procedures in June, so they should be targeting second-half returns and be easy calls for the 60-day IL. Walston would be a bit more borderline because his surgery was around Opening Day in late March last year. Puk had the slightly less significant internal brace procedure in June, so he could also be a borderline case.

Turning to the position players, Gurriel tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in September. He required surgery which came with a return timeline of nine to ten months, so he should be out until around the All-Star break.

Locklear should be back sooner. He underwent surgery in October to address a ligament tear in his elbow and a labrum injury in his shoulder. The hope at the time of that procedure was that he would be game ready to go on a rehab assignment around Opening Day and would therefore miss only about the first month. He would therefore only hit the 60-day IL if he doesn’t meet that timeline for some reason.

Dodgers: Brock Stewart

Stewart underwent shoulder debridement surgery in September. His timeline for 2026 isn’t especially clear. He will likely start the season on the IL but it’s unclear if he’ll be out long enough to warrant landing on the 60-day version.

Giants: Randy Rodríguez, Jason Foley

Rodríguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL and might even miss the entire 2026 campaign. Foley’s status is a bit more murky. He underwent shoulder surgery in May while with the Tigers. Detroit non-tendered him at season’s end, which allowed the Giants to sign him. He is expected back at some point mid-season. The Giants may want to get more clarity on his progress during camp before deciding on a move to the IL.

Guardians: Andrew Walters, David Fry

Neither of these guys is a lock for the 60-day IL. Walters had surgery to repair his right lat tendon in June with a recovery estimate of eight to ten months. Fry underwent surgery in October due to a deviated septum and a fractured nose suffered when a Tarik Skubal pitch hit him in the face. His timeline is unclear. It’s possible one or both could be healthy by Opening Day, so relevant updates may be forthcoming when camps open.

Mariners: Logan Evans

Evans required UCL surgery just last week and will miss the entire 2026 season. He was on optional assignment at the end of 2025, so the Mariners could keep him in the minors. Calling him up and putting him on the big league 60-day IL would open up a 40-man spot but would also involve Evans receiving big league pay and service time for the year.

Marlins: Ronny Henriquez

Henriquez underwent internal brace surgery in December and will miss the entire 2026 season, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL.

Mets: Tylor Megill, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Núñez

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery late in 2025 and are likely to miss the entire 2026 season, making them locks for the 60-day IL. Núñez went under the knife in July, followed by Megill in September and Garrett in October.

Nationals: Trevor Williams, DJ Herz

Williams underwent internal brace surgery in July. That’s a slightly less serious variation of Tommy John but still usually requires about a year of recovery. Herz underwent a full Tommy John procedure in April. Since that surgery usually requires 14 months or longer to come back, both pitchers are likely out until around the All-Star break and therefore bound for the 60-day IL once the Nats need some roster spots.

Orioles: Félix Bautista

Bautista underwent shoulder surgery in August, and the club announced his recovery timeline as 12 months. He’s a lock for the 60-day IL and may miss the entire season if his recovery doesn’t go smoothly.

Padres: Yu Darvish, Jhony Brito, Jason Adam

Darvish underwent UCL surgery in November and will miss the entire 2026 season. Instead of going on the IL, he may just retire, but it seems there are some contractual complications to be ironed out since he is signed through 2028.

Brito and Adam could be borderline cases. Brito underwent internal brace surgery in May of last year. Some pitchers can return from that procedure in about a year. Adam ruptured a tendon in his left quad in early September. In November, he seemed to acknowledge that he wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day. As of now, a trip to the 60-day IL seems unlikely unless he suffers a setback.

Pirates: Jared Jones

Jones required UCL surgery on May 21st of last year. The Bucs announced an expected return timeline of 10 to 12 months. The shorter end of that window would allow Jones to return fairly early in 2026. If it looks like he’ll be on the longer end of that time frame, he could wind up on the 60-day IL.

Phillies: Zack Wheeler

Wheeler underwent surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome in September, with a timeline of six to eight months. As of now, it seems unlikely Wheeler would require a trip to the 60-day IL, but it depends on how his ramp-up goes. He’s also approaching his 36th birthday, and the Phils could slow-play his recovery.

Rangers: Cody Bradford

Bradford required internal brace surgery in late June of last year. He recently said he’s targeting a return in May. That’s a pretty aggressive timeline, but perhaps the Rangers will delay moving him to the 60-day IL until that plan is strictly ruled out.

Rays: Manuel Rodríguez

Rodriguez underwent flexor tendon surgery in July of last year and is targeting a return in June of this year, so he should be a lock for the 60-day IL.

Reds: Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguiar

Both of these pitchers required Tommy John surgeries late in 2024, Williamson in September and Aguiar in October. They each missed the entire 2025 season. Presumably, they are recovered by now and could be healthy going into 2026, but there haven’t been any recent public updates.

Red Sox: Tanner Houck, Triston Casas

Houck is the most clear-cut case for Boston. He had Tommy John surgery in August of 2025 and will miss most or perhaps all of the 2026 season. Casas is more borderline. He’s still recovering from a ruptured left patellar tendon suffered in May of last year. It doesn’t seem like he will be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline apart from that is murky.

Rockies: Jeff Criswell, Kris Bryant

Criswell required Tommy John surgery in early March of last year. With the normal 14-month recovery timeline, he could be back in May. Anything slightly longer than that would make him a candidate for the 60-day IL. Bryant’s timeline is very difficult to discern. He has hardly played in recent years due to various injuries and is now dealing with chronic symptoms related to lumbar degenerative disc disease. Updates will likely be provided once camp opens.

Royals: Alec Marsh

Marsh missed 2025 due to shoulder problems and is slated to miss 2026 as well after undergoing labrum surgery in November.

Tigers: Jackson Jobe

Jobe required Tommy John surgery in June of last year. He will miss most or perhaps even all of the 2026 season.

Twins: None.

White Sox: Ky Bush, Drew Thorpe, Prelander Berroa

These three hurlers all required Tommy John surgery about a year ago, Bush in February, followed by Berroa and Thorpe in March. Given the normal 14-month recovery period, any of them could return early in 2026, but they could also end up on the 60-day IL if the timeline pushes slightly beyond that.

Yankees: Clarke Schmidt, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Anthony Volpe

Schmidt is the only lock of this group. He required UCL surgery in July of last year and should miss the first half of the 2026 season. Cole is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in March of last year. His target is expected to be late May/early June, so he has a decent chance to hit the 60-day. However, given his importance to the club, the Yankees probably won’t put him there until it’s certain he won’t be back by the middle of May.

Rodón had surgery in October to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He’s expected to be back with the big league club in late April or early May, so he would only hit the 60-day IL if his timeline is pushed. Volpe required shoulder surgery in October. He’s not expected to be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline beyond that doesn’t seem concrete.

Photo courtesy of Allan Henry, Imagn Images

Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

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Steve Adams

  • Good morning! We'll get going at 2pm CT today, but feel free to ask questions ahead of time, as always!

Philly A's

  • Leo de Vries is slipping in the baseball america rankings, where all other outlets still have him as a top 5.  Does BA have a different matrix that they rank than others?

Steve Adams

  • Hello! Let's get going
  • I wouldn't say "falling" to No. 12 is a slip. The gap between the No. 5 and No. 12 prospect is more or less negligible. Maybe a half scouting grade. In this instance, you can look at the FV grades and see that's not even really the case.

Arthur Dent

  • With Logan Evans out for the season, can the Mariners afford to move any established pitching, like Bryce Miller for example, to upgrade the offense?

Steve Adams

  • The Mariners weren't ever keen on dealing one of their big league starters, and I would imagine that losing Evans only furthers reduces those chances.

John B

  • What do you think of the Giant's moves and do they push the team into contender status?

Steve Adams

  • I find them underwhelming as a whole. If they were going to spend $60-70MM in free agency, I'd have preferred they pursue some impact rather than just make a volume play to address a bunch of holes.The rotation still feels quite wobbly behind Webb. Arraez is a good value at 1/12 in a vacuum, but he's a poor fit for this roster if they're really going to play him at 2B every day.

    I'd love the Bader deal if they'd acquired a more impactful bat somewhere else, but adding him and Arraez to a lineup that already looked a bit light isn't all that encouraging.

wiseoldfool

  • Outlook on Drake Baldwin. Will Braves trade S. Murphy?

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Angels Designate Cody Laweryson For Assignment

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The Angels announced Monday that they’ve designated right-hander Cody Laweryson for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster goes to infielder Yoan Moncada, whose previously reported one-year deal to return to the Halos is now official.

Laweryson was a November waiver claim out of the Twins organization. The 27-year-old (28 in May) made his big league debut this past season when he tossed 7 2/3 innings and held opponents to just one run. The 2019 14th-round pick set down seven of the 26 opponents he faced on strikes (26.9%) and didn’t issue a walk. Laweryson’s fastball sits at an average of 93.2 mph, and he rounds out his repertoire with a cutter and changeup.

That ascension to the majors capped off a strong overall year for the 6’4″ righty. Laweryson split the bulk of the season between Double-A and Triple-A, where he combined for 44 innings of 2.86 ERA ball. He posted better-than-average marks in strikeout rate (24.6%), walk rate (7.7%) and grounder rate (46.3%) in the minors.

Since Laweryson was only selected to the 40-man roster for the first time this past season, he has a full slate of three minor league option years remaining. He can be controlled for at least six full seasons. All of that could make him appealing to clubs looking for some flexible bullpen depth, though it bears mentioning that 2025 was a rebound campaign. Laweryson was tagged for a 4.80 ERA in 50 2/3 innings of Triple-A ball in 2023 and hit even harder (6.52 ERA) in 33 innings of Double-A relief in 2024.

The Angels can trade Laweryson or place him on waivers at any point in the next five days. If they go the waiver route, that’ll be another 48-hour process. His DFA will be resolved in a maximum of one week.

Angels Outright Wade Meckler

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The Angels announced Monday that outfielder Wade Meckler, who’d been designated for assignment last week, went unclaimed on outright waivers and has been assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake. He has neither the three years of MLB service time nor the prior outright needed to elect free agency, so Meckler remain with the club as non-roster depth and presumably be invited to major league camp later this month.

Meckler, 26 in April, was a January waiver claim out of the Giants organization. He has just 20 big league games under his belt, all coming in 2023, when he hit .232/.328/.250 in 64 plate appearances. That cup of coffee came barely a year after he’d been taken in the eighth round of the 2022 draft, so some struggles at the plate weren’t exactly a surprise.

Since that brief 2023 audition, Meckler has spent the bulk of his time in Triple-A, where he’s a .296/.392/.429 hitter in 699 turns at the plate. He’s hit only 11 home runs but is a plus runner with high contact rates and a good eye at the plate. He’s fanned in only 16.7% of his plate appearances in Triple-A — a mark that’s well below the league average and not much higher than his gaudy 13.5% walk rate.

Meckler has played all three outfield spots, and the Giants gave him eight minor league games at second base this past season. He’ll stick with the Halos as a versatile bit of outfield depth. The Angels still don’t have a true center fielder. Jo Adell played there extensively last year but graded very poorly. Jorge Soler is sub-par even in a corner and isn’t an option in center. Trade acquisition Josh Lowe could get some run in center but has been below-average there in the past. The Angels might even try Mike Trout back in center at times this year, but his injury history and defensive decline are well known. Meckler could eventually resurface as an option to bring some speed and a truer center field presence to the roster.

Dipoto: Mariners Working On Another Addition

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Mariners fans holding out hope for a reunion with Eugenio Suárez finally got resolution on that front yesterday when the slugger agreed to a return to a different one of his former homes: Cincinnati. Suárez’s one-year, $15MM deal with the Reds takes another infield option off the board for a Seattle club that has reportedly spent the bulk of the offseason exploring options at both third base and second base. An addition could yet be on the horizon, however. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto hinted strongly on Seattle Sports’ Mariners Hot Stove Show this weekend that another move could yet be in the offing, telling host Shannon Drayer:

“There’s one more move that’s in us, that we want to make, and we’ve been grinding hard for the last handful of days to see if we can bring it through, and hopefully we do. … Our lineup took a huge step forward last year. Obviously we’ll be short a couple of bats that were there with us in Toronto to finish the season, but we get a full year of Josh Naylor. We get the upswing of our players as they get more exposure, especially Cole Young, who I think is going to break out for us this year. And I do hope there’s one more player coming along for the ride that might not be in a Mariners uniform just yet.”

General manager Justin Hollander similarly suggested that it’s “certainly” possible his club makes a move to add a hitter this week, per Adam Jude of the Seattle Times. Jude writes that Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan still feels to be the likeliest target for the M’s, but Hollander stressed that the Mariners are being “open-minded” about ways to improve their lineup.

The fit between Donovan and the Mariners has been explored at length both here and elsewhere, for more than a year. Seattle’s interest into the versatile infielder/outfielder dates back to last offseason. The lefty-swinging Donovan is 29 years old, controllable for two seasons (earning $5.8MM in 2026), can play multiple positions capably (second base, third base, left field) and is a .282/.361/.411 hitter in four big league seasons. Donovan is one of MLB’s toughest strikeouts and is a quality defender who can bounce around depending on which of the Mariners’ young hitters breaks through.

That said, it also bears emphasizing that the Mariners have various spots at which they could pursue an upgrade if they’re indeed “open-minded” to other possibilities, as Hollander indicated. Young is the favorite for at-bats at second base but hit only .211/.302/.305 in 257 plate appearances as a rookie. He’s a former first-round pick and top prospect who’s still only 22, so there’s plenty of reason to be bullish. At the hot corner, Ben Williamson played good defense but hit only .253/.294/.310 in 295 plate appearances. Colt Emerson, one of the top 10 to 20 prospects in the entire sport, looms in the upper minors but only turned 20 last summer. He topped out with six games in Triple-A late last year and could be a third base option later this season.

At the moment, the DH spot will primarily be occupied by a combination of Dominic Canzone, Luke Raley and (on days when he’s not catching) MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh. Canzone was excellent with the M’s in 82 games last year (.300/.358/.481) but needed a .354 average on balls in play to get there and has no prior big league track record. Raley struggled through injuries and a downturn in performance but was a quality platoon slugger for Tampa Bay and Seattle in 2023-24.

There’s also some uncertainty in right field. Victor Robles was terrific down the stretch for the Mariners in 2024 but missed most of last year due to a shoulder injury and hit just .245/.281/.330 in 114 plate appearances when healthy. Canzone and Raley can also factor in out there, as can free agent pickup Rob Refsnyder, but there’s room for an addition there as well, be it via trade or a largely-picked over free agent class.

The flexibility to bring in someone at multiple infield positions or as part of the DH/right field mix creates a wide range of possibilities. Notable names who’ve yet to sign for the upcoming season include Miguel Andujar, Rhys Hoskins, Nathaniel Lowe and Marcell Ozuna (to name a few). Donovan is the most prominent name on the trade market, but the Nationals (CJ Abrams), Red Sox (Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu) and Mets (Mark Vientos, Brett Baty) are among the clubs who have had some prominent players’ names surface on the rumor circuit throughout the winter.

Currently, RosterResource projects a roughly $157MM for the Mariners’ Opening Day payroll. That’s north of last year’s mark by about $10MM but shy of where Seattle ended the season, following deadline pickups of Suárez, Naylor and Caleb Ferguson. Seattle’s franchise-record Opening Day mark was about $158MM back in 2018. Given this past season’s deep playoff run and the clear win-now mode in which they find themselves, ownership will presumably be comfortable with a new record mark for Opening Day, though there’s no firm indication yet as to how far past the current $158MM record they’re willing to push.

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