Dave Giusti Passes Away
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
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.
The Opener: Bichette, Phillies, Red Sox, Bellinger, Yankees
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
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
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
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
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.
MLBTR Live Chat
Mark P
- The Weekend Chat has been launched! Let’s open up the queue to see what’s what…
Charkip
- Who says no, Jordan Lawlar to the Guardians and Chase DeLauter to the DBacks
Mark P
- Probably both teams, but Cleveland moreso.
Tigers Fan
- Why haven’t we heard any talk about the Tigers trying to extend Casey Mize?
Mark P
- It could be that these talks are happening and both sides are staying quiet, but Mize is something of a tricky player to evaluate for extension purposes. He’s only had a couple of (mostly) healthy seasons and pitched well, but not necessarily front-of-the-rotation well.
I’m sure Mize feels like he can hit another level, and hitting that level in 2026 lines him up nicely in free agency next winter. So he might not want to lock himself down to an extension now.
Guest
- Bellinger will get more or less than Bregman?
Mark P
- I probably shouldn’t doubt Boras’ ability to work his magic, but I think it’ll be less
Squints
- As a Brewers fan, is there any rebuttal to the Cubs recent moves?
Mark P
- The Brewers aren’t ever going to outspend the Cubs, but that hasn’t stopped Milwaukee from beating them in the past. I’m not sure I’d necessarily even pick Chicago for first in the Central right now.
Scott S
- What type of package should the Brewers receive from a Freddy Peralta trade? Which teams seem to be most interested?
Mark P
- Peralta is so inexpensive that pretty much any contender in the league would or should want him.
The most popular comp for a Peralta trade package is the Corbin Burnes package: a MLB-ready position player, an MLB-ready pitcher, and a draft pick (or another minor leaguer, if the Brewers are dealing with a team that doesn’t have a tradeable Competitive Balance Pick).
- Given how Peralta is also making a little more than half of Burnes’ salary in his final arb-eligible season, the Brewers may well ask for more in a trade return.
Bregman
- Think the Cubs will do the Red Sox a solid and trade Hoerner to Boston?
Mark P
- The Bregman signing makes a Nico trade slightly more likely, but if I’m the Cubs, I keep everyone for the sake of depth. Injuries are inevitable, and there are worse ideas than having Moises/Shaw/Alcantara as the all-younger bench core.
I got friends in Lowe places
- Any thoughts on where Nathanial Lowe lands?
hiflew
- Any rumblings about the Rockies plans at 1B? Is the plan to hope for Charlie Condon to win the job in the spring? They only have Blaine Crim otherwise.
Mark P
- Hey, two questions in one fell swoop! Lowe’s list of potential landing spots is pretty thin, but a one-year deal in Colorado seems like as decent a spot as any. Condon has only 55 Double-A games under his belt, so an Opening Day job seems a little unlikely. The Rockies should be as patient as possible with Condon.
Marlins Re-Sign Jesus Tinoco To Minor League Contract
The Marlins signed Jesus Tinoco to a minor league deal earlier this week, according to the right-hander’s MLB.com profile page. Tinoco returns after electing free agency following an outright assignment off Miami’s roster in early November.
The length of the contract isn’t known, which is a key element since Tinoco isn’t expected to pitch in 2026 after undergoing flexor surgery last September. It is possible the Marlins inked him to a two-year pact with an eye towards having Tinoco healthy and available for 2027, and giving him the 2026 season to rehab in a familiar environment.
This is now the third time Tinoco has joined the Marlins over his 14-pro career, which includes six seasons in the majors (from 2019-25 with the Marlins, Cubs, Rangers, and Rockies) and the 2023 season spent in Japan with the Seibu Lions. Tinoco first arrived in South Beach after being dealt from Colorado in August 2020, and Miami then claimed Tinoco off waivers from the Cubs in July 2024.
Fifty-one of Tinoco’s 126 2/3 career Major League innings have come in a Marlins uniform, and he has a 3.00 ERA over his time with the Fish. The numbers were even better before Tinoco posted a 5.12 ERA over 19 1/3 frames last year, and is fair to assume that he was never himself following an IL stint due to a back injury, and then a forearm strain that shut him down at the start of June.
Tinoco has a 3.98 ERA, 19.7% strikeout rate, and 11.3% walk rate over his big league career. His 2024 campaign was his most promising performance, as he had a 3.32 ERA, 25.9K%, and 7.4BB% in 40 2/3 innings despite bouncing around to three different teams over the course of the season. The drop in walk rate was a particularly good development, as Tinoco had previously struggled with his control in the majors and at times during his minor league career.
Tinoco relies on his slider and sinker as his primary offerings, and doesn’t make much use of his traditional four-seam fastball (which has mid-90s velocity). It is an open question how Tinoco’s repertoire might develop once he returns to the mound in what will be his age-32 season, as Tinoco turns 31 this coming April.
Reds Sign Garrett Hampson, Josh Staumont, Brandon Leibrandt To Minors Contracts
The Reds signed utilityman Garrett Hampson, right-hander Josh Staumont, and left-hander Brandon Leibrandt to minor league deals in December, as per each player’s official MLB.com profile page. Hampson’s deal was also announced today on the Reds’ official X feed, with the added detail that Hampson has been invited to the club’s big league Spring Training camp.
This is Hampson’s second go-around in Cincinnati, after appearing in nine games for the team in 2025. Hampson began the season on a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks and made the Opening Day roster, but was then released in May. Cincinnati inked Hampson to a MLB deal a few days later but designated the utilityman near the end of June, with the Cardinals then claiming Hampson away on waivers. Hampson has been a free agent since he was DFA’ed again and then released by St. Louis in September.
Over 62 games and 91 plate appearances spread out over his three teams, Hampson hit just .143/.250/.169. It was a tough showing even for a player who carried a modest .240/.301/.362 career slash line into the 2025 season, though Hampson’s versatility has been far more important than his bat in carving out an eight-year MLB career. Hampson has played at least eight games at every position on the diamond besides catcher, with the bulk of his coming as a second baseman and center fielder. Even over just those nine previous games with the Reds, Hampson appeared at second base, third base, shortstop, and center field.
Cincinnati already has a number of multi-position players on the roster, so Hampson may have a tricky time winning a spot on the Reds’ roster. Hampson is also out of minor league options, while Staumont has one option year remaining and Leibrandt has two.
Staumont is back for what is technically his second season with the Reds, though a preseason injury kept Staumont from getting any game action in either the majors or minors. Staumont had pitched in each of the previous six big league seasons, posting a 3.97 ERA over 192 2/3 innings with the Royals and Twins. Once a key leverage reliever and potential future closer for Kansas City, Staumont’s production started to drop off in 2022 as injuries impacted his career, culminating in a thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in 2023.
After averaging 98 mph on his fastball in 2020, Staumont’s velo dropped to 94.3mph by the 2024 season, and his strikeout numbers also sharply dropped off. Control had been an issue for Staumont even in his best years, so it is anyone’s guess as to how he’ll now look entering his age-32 season and after a full year away from pitching. The Reds already have first-hand knowledge of Staumont’s health situation, however, and a minors deals represents no risk for the team in bringing Staumont to camp and seeing what can still contribute.
Leibrandt is yet another former Red, as he posted a 9.95 ERA over 6 1/3 innings (two appearances) for the team in 2024. This brief stint and five games (nine IP) with the Marlins in 2020 represent Leibrandt’s entire MLB resume, and the rest of his career has seen the southpaw pitch in the minors, with independent league teams, and with the Chinese Professional Baseball League’s CTBC Brothers in 2025.
Leibrandt had good results over approximately half a season in the CPBL, posting a 1.94 ERA and 5.37% walk rate over 83 1/3 innings with the Brothers, albeit with a 16.45% strikeout rate. This was enough to get Cincinnati’s attention for another contract, and Leibrandt figures to act as Triple-A rotation depth.