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The Opener: ALDS, NLDS, Phillies

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

1. ALDS to conclude:

The ALDS will wrap up tonight as the Tigers and Mariners head back to Seattle for a decisive Game 5. The game is scheduled for 5:08pm local time and will see the Tigers send ace Tarik Skubal (2.21 ERA) to the mound opposite righty George Kirby (4.21 ERA). Skubal is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and likely to win it again this season after another dominant campaign. That excellence has extended into the postseason, as he’s posted a 1.84 ERA with an eye-popping 41.8% strikeout rate in two starts so far.

Elite as Skubal has been, he’s not completely unbeatable. The Mariners themselves managed put together a win in Game 2 of the ALDS when Skubal threw seven innings of two-run ball thanks to a slip by the Tigers bullpen. Kirby, meanwhile, surrendered two runs in five innings while striking out eight when he faced Detroit in Game 1 of this series. The winner of tonight’s game will go on to face the Blue Jays in ALCS, which kicks off Sunday. Toronto would have home field advantage over either club for the series.

2. NLDS wrapping up in Milwaukee:

Though the Brewers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the NLDS, the Cubs battled back and won two straight elimination games at Wrigley Field to take the series back to Milwaukee. The decisive Game 5 is scheduled for Saturday at 7:08pm local time. Neither team has announced their starter, though the Cubs would have southpaw Shota Imanaga (3.73 ERA) on regular rest while the Brewers figure to have both Jacob Misiorowski (4.36 ERA) and Quinn Priester (3.32 ERA) available for what’s sure to be an all-hands-on-deck game for both teams. The winner of the series will head into the NLCS, where they’ll face the Dodgers with Game 1 scheduled for Monday. The Brewers would hold home field advantage in the NLCS if they advance, while the Dodgers would have it over the Cubs.

3. Phillies head into the offseason:

The Phillies’ season ended last night on a heartbreaking walk-off error by Orion Kerkering, and with the end of the season comes the start of the club’s offseason. It would be a surprise to see the Phillies move on from the generally successful partnership of Rob Thomson and Dave Dombrowski, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some real potential for change this winter. Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, and Ranger Suarez are all ticketed for free agency. Reuniting with or replacing those players, and Schwarber in particular, figures to be the main storyline of Philadelphia’s offseason. Between Suarez’s free agency, Zack Wheeler’s thoracic outlet surgery and Aaron Nola’s 2025 struggles, the Philadelphia rotation is facing some uncharacteristic uncertainty this winter, too. Like most clubs, the Phillies should be expected to hold an end-of-season presser at some point in the coming days that could provide hints to their offseason plans.

Mike Greenwell Passes Away

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Former big leaguer and member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame Mike Greenwell has passed away at the age of 62, according to multiple sources. It was revealed in August that he had been diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer, per Emma Healy of The Boston Globe.

Greenwell was born in Kentucky but raised in Florida. In the latter state, he did some alligator wrestling, which eventually led to his nickname Gator. He was drafted by the Red Sox in 1982 and spent his entire career with that franchise, apart from a late jaunt to Japan. He got called up to the big leagues in 1985 for a brief cup of coffee and then got another cup the season after.

Though he only played 31 regular season games in 1986, he was a part of Boston’s playoff run. The Sox beat the Angels in the ALCS, sending them to the World Series against the Mets, though they eventually lost in seven games. Greenwell got six postseason plate appearances that year, going one for five with a single, a walk and two strikeouts.

He finally got a more proper debut in 1987, when he got into 125 games playing both outfield corners. He hit 19 home runs and slashed .328/.386/.570. He finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting, behind Mark McGwire, Kevin Seitzer and Matt Nokes.

He was even better in 1988. He settled in as the club’s everyday left fielder and slashed .325/.416/.531 while hitting 22 home runs and stealing 16 bases. He made his first All-Star team. He finished second in A.L. Most Valuable Player voting, trailing only José Canseco, who had just engineered the first ever 40/40 season. The Sox won the A.L. East that year but Canseco and the Athletics swept them out of the ALCS. Greenwell would later express frustration about the MVP vote when it was revealed that Canseco was using steroids during his playing career.

That year was essentially Greenwell’s peak, but he continued to be a solid player for the Sox for many years after that. When healthy, he was usually good for 10-15 home runs, almost as many steals and a batting average near .300.

Injuries cut into his performance and his playing time throughout the ’90s. He signed with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball for the 1997 season but injured himself again after just seven games and retired for good.

He appeared in 1,269 regular season games for the Red Sox and stepped to the plate 5,166 times. He tallied 1400 hits, including 275 doubles, 38 triples and 130 home runs. He scored 657 runs and drove in 726. He stole 80 bases. His career batting line was .303/.368/.463. He made two All-Star teams and won a Silver Slugger award.

In his post-playing days, he did some minor league coaching, some stock car racing, operated a construction company and an amusement park, and also served as a county commissioner in Florida. We at MLB Trade Rumors join the rest of the baseball world in sending our condolences to all of Greenwell’s family, friends, loved ones and fans.

Nick Burdi Elects Free Agency

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Right-hander Nick Burdi has elected free agency, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The reliever had been removed from the 40-man roster in July when he hit the 60-day IL with a hip injury. The Red Sox sent him outright to Triple-A Worcester in mid-August, and he was not added back to the 40-man roster before the end of the season. Since Burdi has more than three years of Major League service time, he was able to choose minor league free agency.

Burdi appeared in four games with the Red Sox in 2025. He tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings from late May into early June, but went down with a foot injury. Burdi then picked up the hip issue on his rehab assignment and was transferred to the 60-day IL. Masataka Yoshida took his spot on the 40-man roster when he returned from a shoulder injury.

Burdi has pitched for four teams in parts of six big-league seasons. He debuted with Pittsburgh in 2018. Burdi made 16 appearances across three seasons with the Pirates. He was designated for assignment following the 2020 season and landed with San Diego on a minor league deal. Burdi spent 2021 and 2022 in the Padres’ minor league system. He made his MLB return in 2023 with the Cubs after coming over in the offseason via waiver claim, though he made just three appearances in Chicago. Burdi headed to the Yankees on a minor league pact in 2024. His tenure in New York was his most successful as a big leaguer, as he posted a 1.86 ERA over 12 outings. Hip inflammation ultimately ended his season early.

Injuries have been the story of Burdi’s career. In addition to the aforementioned hip and foot injuries, he’s had Tommy John surgery twice (2017, 2020) and thoracic outlet surgery (2019). Burdi also missed a huge chunk of the 2023 season with appendicitis.

Burdi will be 33 next season. He’s been able to parlay minor league deals into big-league work in each of the past three seasons, so there’s a chance he can find his way onto an MLB roster in 2026.

Padres Expected To Retain Mike Shildt and A.J. Preller

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San Diego was bumped from the postseason by the Cubs in the Wild Card round. Despite the early exit, the club is not looking to make major leadership changes on the field or in the front office. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that both manager Mike Shildt and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller are expected to maintain their roles heading into the 2026 season. Shildt has two years remaining on his contract after signing an extension last offseason. Preller is entering the final year of his deal.

The Padres have reached the playoffs in both seasons under Shildt. They beat the Braves in the Wild Card round last year before falling to the Dodgers in the NLDS. San Diego had earned a postseason berth just twice in the 21st century heading into the shortened 2020 season. They’ve now done it in four of the past six seasons.

Shildt took over in 2024 after Bob Melvin jumped ship to manage the Giants. He’s piled up 183 wins with the team. Shildt had previously helmed the Cardinals from 2018 to 2021. He first took over in an interim capacity after Mike Matheny was fired midway through the 2018 campaign. Shildt guided St. Louis to a 41-28 record and shed the interim label before the season ended. He took the Cardinals to the playoffs in the next three seasons, but was fired after 2022. He latched on with San Diego as a player development consultant and interim third base coach in 2023.

Preller has been with the team since 2014, first signing on as general manager. He was handed a contract extension ahead of the 2021 season and given the title of president of baseball operations. That previous extension came when Preller was entering the final year of his contract, which is the situation he finds himself in once again. Acee mentioned that some of the same sources that said Shildt and Preller would be back in 2026 also expect an extension for the latter to be announced soon.

Preller made waves immediately after taking over as the lead decision maker in San Diego. In his first offseason, he completely retooled the Padres’ outfield through trades for Matt Kemp, Wil Myers, and Justin Upton. Preller then secured an elite closer by dealing for Craig Kimbrel. While the transaction-heavy winter didn’t translate to positive on-field results, as the Padres scuffled to a 74-88, it set the tone for Preller’s tenure. He’s been one of the more active executives over the past decade, both in the trade market and in free agency.

San Diego had its first winning season under Preller in 2020. The Padres received a Wild Card bid after going 37-23 in the shortened season. They dispatched the Cardinals (and Shildt) in the first round, their first postseason series win since 1998. Preller was back at it that offseason, revamping the pitching staff by trading for Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, and Joe Musgrove.

Preller has inked some of the biggest contracts in history, including Manny Machado’s 10-year, $300MM deal and Xander Bogaerts’ 11-year, $280MM pact. San Diego’s payroll exceeded $250MM in 2023, though the club has trimmed down expenses in recent seasons. After coming in at around $211MM this past season, FanGraphs’ RosterResource tool estimates the Padres’ payroll at roughly $194MM for 2026.

San Diego is set to lose some key contributors this offseason. Luis Arraez and Dylan Cease are free agents, which will subtract from the top of the order and the top of the rotation. Robert Suarez is expected to opt out of the remaining two years on his contract. Preller already acquired a replacement for Suarez when he landed Mason Miller at the 2025 trade deadline, but he’ll need to find fill-ins for Arraez and Cease. The potential loss of Michael King, if either side declines their end of his mutual option, will press Preller to find multiple rotation options behind Nick Pivetta, Darvish, and eventually Musgrove (recovering from Tommy John surgery).

Yankees Notes: Judge, Bellinger, Volpe

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Aaron Judge’s massive postseason performance made it easy to forget he’s been dealing with a flexor strain in his right elbow since July. The slugger had multiple hits in all but one game across the first two rounds of the playoffs. Judge engineered a defining postseason moment in Game 3 against Toronto, smashing a game-tying homer off Louis Varland.

With the Yankees now headed into the offseason, Judge was asked about the plan for his ailing elbow. “We’ll definitely do some work on it and get it right,” Judge told reporters, including Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. When asked about surgery specifically, Judge remained noncommittal. “I’m not a doctor. I don’t know.”

The flexor strain forced Judge to the IL in late July. It was a minimum stint on the IL, but he was unable to play the field upon returning. Judge spent all of August at DH. He made it back to his familiar home in right field on September 5. Judge bounced between right field and DH for the final month of the season. In the playoffs, he played exclusively in the field, with Giancarlo Stanton manning the DH spot in all seven games.

Initial tests did not reveal any ulnar collateral ligament damage for Judge. His recovery from surgery to address the flexor strain, if he were to go that route, would not be as long as for a more serious elbow injury like a UCL tear.

Anthony Volpe was similarly tight-lipped about offseason surgery for his shoulder injury. “I anticipated playing another month and then reassessing then. So nothing’s [decided] … we’re going to figure it out,” Volpe told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

Volpe partially tore the labrum in his shoulder back in May. He didn’t go on the IL with the injury, but his performance suffered. Volpe slashed a solid .237/.328/.456 through April. His numbers tumbled to .205/.255/.374 over the final five months of the season. Volpe got off to a strong start in the postseason, going 4-for-11 with a home run in the Wild Card round against Boston. He collapsed in the ALDS, managing just one hit in 15 at-bats. Volpe struck out 11 times in the four games against Toronto.

Depending on the severity of the tear, Volpe could elect surgery and still be ready for the 2026 season. Shohei Ohtani tore the labrum in his non-throwing shoulder during the World Series in 2024. He made it back in time for spring training this year.

While Volpe never hit the IL with the shoulder issue, he did miss time in mid-September after receiving a cortisone injection. Midseason acquisition Jose Caballero started six straight games at shortstop from September 10-15. Caballero receded to a bench role once Volpe was deemed healthy, but he did endear himself to Yankees fans with a walk-off single to clinch a postseason bid in the final week of the season. Caballero is under team control through 2029 and could factor into New York’s middle infield plans depending on the health of Volpe.

No matter what Judge and Volpe decide on the surgery front, they’ll definitely be back with the team next season. The same can’t be said for Cody Bellinger, who is facing a decision of his own. Bellinger can opt out of the final year of his current contract with the Yankees. He’d be leaving $20MM on the table ($25MM salary next year but with a $5MM buyout) in pursuit of a longer, potentially more lucrative deal in free agency.

Hoch passed along comments from Bellinger about the pending opt-out decision. As has been the theme with these Yankees, Bellinger didn’t say much. “Obviously, things to discuss with family and the agent and the business side of it all. But tonight, I’m just going to soak it all in and just be a part of the group one more time.”

Bellinger signed his current three-year, $80MM contract with the Cubs ahead of the 2024 season. He could’ve opted out of the deal this past offseason, but declined. Bellinger was then dealt to the Yankees. He slugged 29 home runs in his first year in pinstripes, his most since his 2019 NL MVP season. Bellinger also stayed healthy, topping 600 plate appearances for just the third time in his career. He’s widely expected to opt out of the final year of his deal.

Paul Goldschmidt Plans To Play In 2026

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Paul Goldschmidt is not ready to hang up his spikes yet. In speaking to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the first baseman simply stated, “I love playing,” indicating that he intends to return for what would be his 16th major league season in 2026.

Goldschmidt, who turned 38 in September, is a seven-time All Star and one of the best first basemen of his generation. He has batted .288/.378/.504 in his career, good for a 137 wRC+ and a 63.8 bWAR which ranks seventh among all active players. His 372 home runs and 1,232 RBI rank third and second among active hitters, respectively. Goldschmidt shined in his eight years with the Diamondbacks before being traded to the Cardinals prior to the 2019 season. He continued to perform well in St. Louis, winning the NL MVP Award in 2022 after posting a .317/.404/578 batting line with 35 home runs and 115 RBI in 151 games in his age-34 season.

His offensive numbers have declined since then. After posting a 175 wRC+ in his MVP season, that number fell to 122 in 2023 and 100 in 2024 – essentially league average. The Cardinals did not re-sign him in free agency, and he ultimately landed with the Yankees on a one-year, $12.5MM pact. In 534 plate appearances spanning 146 games, Goldschmidt batted .274/.328/.403 and again graded out as league average with a 103 wRC+. Interestingly, after seeing his power numbers decline in his last two years with the Cardinals, Goldschmidt adopted a more contact-heavy approach at the plate in 2025. He cut his strikeout rate from 26.5% to 18.7% and made contact on 86.0% of pitches in the strike zone, up from 79.8% in 2024.

This new approach led to some initial success, as Goldschmidt batted .338 in 232 plate appearances through the end of May and posting a 148 wRC+. However, he then hit just .143 in 94 plate appearances in June. While he recovered to hit .261 from July through the end of the year, that was good for just an 87 wRC+. As the year went on, Goldschmidt ceded more playing time to Ben Rice, and he ultimately started just two of his six games played in the postseason before the Yankees were eliminated by the Blue Jays. All told, Goldschmidt was worth a career-low 0.8 fWAR in 2025.

His offensive decline notwithstanding, Goldschmidt’s defense this year was serviceable. In 1,029 innings at first base, he was valued at -1 Defensive Runs Saved, tied for ninth among qualified first basemen, as well as -3 Outs Above Average, which ranked 13th. Statcast viewed his contributions more negatively, giving him a 33rd-percentile Fielding Run Value. Defensive metrics are notoriously tricky, of course, and indeed, the numbers on Goldschmidt have fluctuated throughout his career. At the very least, he provided a stable presence for the Yankees at the cold corner after witnessing Anthony Rizzo’s concussion- and age-related decline in the prior two seasons.

In all, Goldschmidt projects to have a tougher time on the market than he did last offseason. His age will limit him to another one-year deal, and it is questionable whether teams will continue to view him as a starter given his now middling offense. First basemen tend to be strong hitters, and in 2025, they posted a collective 109 wRC+, whereas Goldschmidt was valued at 103 wRC+. His increased contact might offer some optimism, but it is also likely that he is simply declining due to age. However, he could find success in a platoon role. In 168 plate appearances against southpaws this year, Goldschmidt batted .336/.411/.570 with a strikeout rate of just 11.3%, good for a 169 wRC+. If a team could minimize his exposure to same-handed pitchers, he might see more sustained success over the course of a season.

As it stands, the free agent class of first basemen is headlined by Pete Alonso and Josh Naylor, with names like Ryan O’Hearn, Luis Arraez, and Josh Bell making up the second tier. Alonso is the best option on offense, while O’Hearn is arguably the best defender of the bunch, as he was valued at 4 DRS and 6 OAA as a first baseman during the regular season. Goldschmidt would represent a solid platoon bat and a serviceable defender for those who miss out on Alonso and Naylor, so he might command a one-year deal with a lower guarantee than his deal with the Yankees.

Reed Garrett Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

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The Mets announced that right-hander Reed Garrett underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery, better known as Tommy John surgery, yesterday. He will miss the entire 2026 season. Jorge Castillo of ESPN was among those to relay the message.

The news does not come as a surprise. Elbow issues put him on the injured list multiple times this year and he finished the season on the IL. It was reported in September that he had been recommended for Tommy John surgery but he was still exploring other options. It seems he exhausted the non-surgical alternatives and eventually succumbed to his fate.

It’s an unfortunate blow for the righty, who was previously engineering a nice late-bloomer breakout. With the Mets last year, in his age-31 season, he tossed 57 1/3 innings with a 3.77 earned run average. His 12.1% walk rate was on the high side but he struck out 33.6% of batters faced and got grounders on 44.3% of balls in play. He earned four saves and 14 holds. His results this year were somewhat comparable. He logged 55 1/3 innings with a 3.90 ERA, 26.9% strikeout rate, 10.9% walk rate, 40.4% ground ball rate, three saves and 20 holds.

The Mets could stash him on the 60-day injured list next year but they would have to keep him on the 40-man roster throughout the winter, as there’s no injured list between the World Series and the start of spring training. Garrett is also highly likely to qualify for arbitration as a Super Two player. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects Garrett for a bump to $1.4MM next year. The Mets obviously wouldn’t get anything out of that investment with Garrett set to miss the season, but he would still be under club control for three seasons after that.

Despite the potential long-term control, Garrett is 32 now and would be going into his age-34 season by the time he’s healthy. That means it’s also possible he gets non-tendered and re-signed via a minor league deal, though other clubs would have a chance to talk to him in that scenario.

The Mets will likely be looking to undergo a major bullpen overhaul before next season. Edwin Díaz has a chance to opt out of his contract and will almost certainly do so unless the Mets extend him. Ryne Stanek, Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto are all impending free agents. Brooks Raley could be retained via club option, if the Mets so choose. Guys like Max Kranick, Frankie Montas, Dedniel Núñez and Danny Young are going to miss the start of next season due to major surgeries and now Garrett’s name is added to the list.

Photo courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images

Tanner Scott Removed From Dodgers’ NLDS Roster

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Lefty reliever Tanner Scott has been removed from the Dodgers’ NLDS active roster, MLB announced today. As a result, he will be ineligible for the NLCS should the Dodgers advance. Fellow lefty Justin Wrobleski will take Scott’s place on the roster for the remainder of the series against the Phillies.

Manager Dave Roberts told Sonja Chen of MLB.com that Scott had a lower body abscess excision after noticing something during a team workout. “Some type of lower body, minor procedure,” Roberts said (link via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register), “But I do know that he’s recovering well.” The team was unsure of the severity of his injury and accordingly made no roster move before yesterday’s game against the Phillies. Scott did not pitch in that game, which the Dodgers lost 8-2. It was originally reported that Scott was away from the team due to a personal matter, though this update from Roberts indicates that the injury also factored into his absence.

Scott, 30, signed a four-year, $72MM deal with the Dodgers after a dominant 2024 season in which he pitched to a 1.75 ERA in 72 innings between the Marlins and Padres. While his 12.2% walk rate was high and a significant increase over his 2023 numbers (7.8%), Scott posted a well above-average 28.6% strikeout rate along with a 99th percentile hard-hit rate. Much of that success was due to his four-seam fastball. The pitch averaged 97.0 mph in 2024, with opposing hitters slashing just .134 and slugging just .179 against the pitch.

Unfortunately, his first year with the Dodgers has not gone as hoped. While his walk rate has improved to 7.6% and his strikeout rate is still above average at 25.2%, hitters now feasted on his fastball to the tune of a .520 slugging percentage. His hard-hit rate on the fastball has also increased to 46.9% after sitting at just 28.9% last year. The result was a 4.74 ERA and a career-high 11 home runs allowed in 57 innings during the regular season, with his advanced metrics, including a 4.25 xERA and a 4.70 FIP, largely supporting that performance.

All the same, given his success last year and his still above average velocity, the Dodgers would love to have Scott back as a leverage option for their postseason run. If his recovery continues to go well, he might be activated for the World Series roster, should the team advance that far. The Dodgers are currently up two games to one in the NLDS, with Tyler Glasnow set to start Game 4 tonight opposite the Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez. They would need to win this series and then dispatch either the Brewers or the Cubs in the best-of-seven NLCS for Scott to be eligible to rejoin the roster.

Astros Make Several Changes To Coaching Staff, Front Office

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GM Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada are sticking around, but that doesn’t mean the Astros aren’t making big changes. The team is parting ways with hitting coaches Alex Cintrón and Troy Snitker, catching coach Michael Collins, head athletic trainer Jeremiah Randall, and assistant GM Andrew Ball, as relayed by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com and Chandler Rome of The Athletic.

It’s no shock that the Astros are looking for new blood. They missed the playoffs this year for the first time since 2016, after a season marred by injuries and offensive inconsistency. McTaggart confirmed yesterday that both Brown and Espada would return in 2026, but it appears that Cintrón, Snitker, Collins, Randall, and Ball aren’t so lucky.

Cintrón first joined the Astros as an interpreter and soon became the first base coach. He and Snitker, previously a minor league hitting coach, took over as Houston’s co-hitting coaches in 2019, and they filled the role together for the next seven years. There is no question that they inherited a highly talented group, but all the same, Cintrón and Snitker deserve their fair share of credit for guiding an offense that led the AL in all three triple-slash categories from 2019-24. Unfortunately, the Astros finished with just a 100 wRC+ in 2025, indicating league-average levels of offensive production. The hitting coaches can’t be blamed for the departure of Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman or injuries to Yordan Alvarez and Isaac Paredes, but nonetheless, it’s not surprising that the organization decided to head in a new direction.

Speaking of injuries, Alvarez and Paredes were far from the only Astros to miss significant time, and that likely explains why Randall is out of a job after 10 seasons as Houston’s head athletic trainer. According to the Baseball Prospectus Injured List Ledger, no team lost more value to the IL than the Astros in 2025. And while some of those injuries might have been unpredictable and unpreventable, the club dealt with some particular scrutiny for how it handled injuries to Alvarez and Jake Meyers.

Collins grew up playing cricket in Australia (per Leah Vann of Chron) before learning to play baseball and quickly generating interest from MLB scouts. After a long minor league career, he moved into minor league coaching and eventually joined the Astros as a bullpen catcher in 2018. He took over catching coach duties the following season.

Ball previously worked in the Rays and Angels front offices before he joined the Astros as an assistant GM prior to the 2022 season. He was part of the team that temporarily took over Houston’s front office the following winter in the interim period between the end of James Click’s time as GM and the beginning of Brown’s tenure. According to the Astros’ website, Ball’s duties included overseeing the team’s research & development and sports medicine & performance departments.

Nathan Eovaldi Undergoes Surgery For Sports Hernia

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Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi has undergone surgery to repair a sports hernia, reports Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. GM Ross Fenstermaker revealed earlier this month that the righty would be meeting with a specialist to determine the best course of treatment, and evidently, surgery was the conclusion they came to. Willson suggests that the Rangers expect Eovaldi to be fully recovered from the hernia surgery (and the strained rotator cuff that ended his season in August) by the time spring training rolls around, presuming he suffers no setbacks.

In addition to the rotator cuff strain, Eovaldi also missed a month earlier in the season with what was originally labelled a triceps issue and later diagnosed as posterior elbow inflammation. When he took the mound, however, the 35-year-old looked better than ever in his 14th big league season. He finished with a 1.73 ERA in 22 starts. Like his ERA, his xERA and SIERA were also career-bests. His velocity was down, but he compensated with pristine command, walking just 4.2% of the batters he faced, and he still did a phenomenal job of missing bats and inducing soft contact. If it weren’t for the time he missed, Eovaldi likely would have been a strong contender for the AL Cy Young, and even so, there’s a good chance he’ll earn some votes for just the second time in his career.

Eovaldi’s health will be paramount for the Rangers in 2026. RosterResource estimates that the team has about $45MM coming off the books this winter, but it doesn’t seem like ownership is ready to foot the bill for a high-spending offseason. When Bruce Bochy stepped down as manager, president of baseball operations Chris Young explained that the team would be focusing on youth moving forward, citing financial uncertainty. That certainly suggests that Texas won’t be making many major additions in the coming months. So, if the Rangers want any hope of improving upon a second straight mediocre finish and contending in 2026, the stars who are already under contract will need to put the team on their back. A full, healthy season from Eovaldi – especially the version of Eovaldi on display in 2025 – would go a long way for this team in 2026.

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