The Opener

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

1. Will the Nationals sell off more pieces?

The big news around baseball yesterday was the Nationals swinging a trade that sent star lefty MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers in exchange for a package of five prospects headlined by Texas’s 2025 first-rounder, infielder Gavin Fien. President of baseball operations Paul Toboni hasn’t been shy about the fact that the team remains in a rebuilding period after five years near the bottom of the standings under GM Mike Rizzo, and the deal indicates Toboni doesn’t see things turning around in the next two years. Reporting has indicated that the team has also fielded offers for infielder CJ Abrams and center fielder Jacob Young. Abrams has three years of team control remaining, while Young has four. Nats fans will surely be watching the trade market for those players with significant interest in the run-up to Opening Day, as Toboni’s decision on whether or not to hold a player like Young could serve as a sign for just how long he expects the team to remain out of contention.

2. Who’s left on the trade market?

Gore was one of the most obvious trade candidates of the offseason, and with both him and Freddy Peralta off the board the pickings are starting to get slim when it comes to pitchers teams can look to trade for. The Royals could make someone like Kris Bubic available and perhaps the Red Sox would listen on some of their depth options like Patrick Sandoval, but the majority of the smoke on the trade market figures to center around position players at this point. Brendan Donovan has been the big name on that front, and the Cardinals still seem more likely than not to move him before Spring Training given persistent interest from teams like the Giants and Mariners. Whispers of the fit between Isaac Paredes and the Red Sox don’t seem likely to go away until Boston resolves the hole in their infield, and the possibility the Cubs trade a player from their infield like Nico Hoerner or Matt Shaw after Alex Bregman’s arrival created a logjam remains very intriguing as well. Meanwhile, Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu have seen their names in the Boston rumor mill for years at this point. Who will be the next to move?

3. Fan events this weekend:

While Spring Training is still a few weeks away, teams around the game have started holding their annual offseason events to hype fans up for the upcoming season. The Twins, Astros, Rockies, and Pirates are all hosting fan events this weekend, with details on the linked pages courtesy of MLB.com. The Rangers were set to host one as well, but the team announced that the event will be cancelled in light of the weekend’s inclement weather forecast. The Orioles, meanwhile, announced that Saturday’s events will be cancelled while today’s events will be limited in scope as a result of the coming weather. Fans planning to attend any of these events should keep a close eye on the team’s respective event pages (and club social media accounts) in the run-up to the event to stay updated in case inclement weather causes further cancellations.

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

1. Mets land their top-end starter:

A busy week for the Mets got even better last night when the team swung a deal with the Brewers to acquire right-hander Freddy Peralta. New York surrendered two top prospects (Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat) in order to land Peralta (and righty Tobias Myers), but in doing so they’ve finally addressed their long-discussed need for a top-of-the-rotation talent. Peralta finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting this past year and is a two-time All-Star.

That pedigree is enough to make him a great choice to pair with Nolan McLean at the top of the rotation, but questions remain about what’s next for the Mets. Could the team look to make another addition, perhaps to add some insurance behind Carson Benge and Luis Robert Jr. in the outfield? New York still has a glut of starting pitching talent to dangle in subsequent trades. McLean’s dominant 2025 debut makes him a lock for the rotation. Veteran options include Peralta, David Peterson, Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, and Sean Manaea. Myers, top prospect Jonah Tong and former top prospect Christian Scott, who’s returning from 2024 Tommy John surgery, could all pitch in a big league rotation as well, though every member of that trio has at least one minor league option remaining.

2. Yankees land Bellinger:

The Yankees finally reunited with Cody Bellinger yesterday when he agreed to a five-year, $162.5MM deal that affords him the opportunity to opt out after the 2027 and ’28 seasons. The move helps to solidify the team’s outfield, setting the Yanks up to once again rely primarily on a trio of Bellinger, Aaron Judge, and Trent Grisham on the grass. That begs the question of what happens with young outfielder Jasson Dominguez and top prospect Spencer Jones, though both could certainly be kept as depth given that Grisham is on a one-year deal. It’s unclear at this point if the Yankees are done; Bellinger was the big fish the club was looking for, but they were also involved in the Peralta market prior to Milwaukee’s deal with the Mets. It’s possible they pivot elsewhere, though the Yanks have already deepened the rotation by acquiring lefty Ryan Weathers from the Marlins.

3. Post-Peralta rotation market:

Peralta’s trade to the Mets not only takes the top starting pitcher off the trade market, it also takes the most obvious suitor for high-end pitching off the table. That’s an interesting state of affairs given that the rotation market still boasts two starters with front-of-the-rotation pedigree: lefty Framber Valdez and, to a lesser extent given his down season in 2025, righty Zac Gallen. The Orioles have been known to be in the market for a front-end starter this winter, and while swinging a deal for Shane Baz added some upside, they haven’t landed a more established arm. The same can be said for the Cubs, who made a deal for promising righty Edward Cabrera earlier this month. Atlanta could use another arm but doesn’t typically spend at Valdez levels in free agency. The D-backs may not have payroll space. The Angels saved significant money with Anthony Rendon’s contract restructure but haven’t yet been prominent players in free agency.

On the heels of an early morning trade, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Mets press conference later today:

The Mets are holding a press conference at 1pm local time to introduce star infielder Bo Bichette after his three-year deal with the club became official yesterday. Bichette himself and president of baseball operations David Stearns are both slated to be in attendance for today’s presser. Stearns surely will also wind up fielding questions regarding yesterday’s late-night acquisition of Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox in exchange for a package headlined by former top infield prospect Luisangel Acuña. With Bichette and Robert both in the fold, it will be interesting to hear from Stearns regarding whether he sees the team adding more to the lineup or if he now plans to turn his attention towards a starting rotation the club has been looking to upgrade with a front-end arm.

2. Red Sox presser later today:

In addition to the Mets, the Red Sox will also be hosting a press conference later today. The reason for the presser has not yet been stated, but after this morning’s Tristan Gray trade cleared a 40-man roster spot for Boston it seems likely that the club is poised to make the signing of southpaw Ranger Suarez official. The press conference is scheduled for 11am local time and could also provide an opportunity for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to offer some insight into the team’s plans for the rest of the offseason. Presumably, the club’s top priority at this point is replacing Alex Bregman on the infield, though Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell could at least theoretically be called upon to take up third base and second base, respectively, if the club relies exclusively on internal options.

3. Dodgers 40-man move incoming:

While Bichette’s deal was made official last night and the Suarez deal figures to be made official later this morning, the Dodgers’ deal with star outfielder Kyle Tucker has not yet been finalized. That will surely happen in the coming days, but before then Los Angeles will need to make a 40-man roster move. That can be achieved by simply designating a player for assignment, but a minor trade similar to the Gray swap Boston made this morning is another possibility.

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

1. Hall of Fame ballot reveal:

The results of this year’s Hall of Fame vote will be announced at 5pm CT this evening. Anyone who receives 75% of the vote or more will join second baseman Jeff Kent as part of the 2026 Hall of Fame class. This year’s class of newcomers to the ballot is headlined by southpaw Cole Hamels, though the lefty won’t be inducted on his first ballot. Outfielder Manny Ramirez is entering his final year on the ballot and will surely miss out on induction due to PED usage during his career, as steroid era legends like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have before him. Ryan Thibodaux’s BBHOF Tracker records all publicly revealed ballots and estimates that 54% of the total ballots are currently publicly available. If the rest of the votes were to perfectly mirror the publicly revealed ballot outfielders Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones would both be elected this cycle.

2. Rays stadium update incoming:

While the Rays are now under new ownership, that hasn’t stopped the team’s efforts to move out of Tropicana Field and build a new stadium in the area. As noted by Lucy Marques, Colleen Wright, Nina Moske, and Nicolas Villamil of the Tampa Bay Times, the board of trustees for Hillsborough College are scheduled to vote at 4pm local time this afternoon on a memorandum of understanding with the Rays regarding a stadium plan at the college’s Dale Mabry campus. The team’s proposal would see a stadium built at that campus and also upgrades to the school’s facilities on the campus. This is only the first in what would need to be a series of votes and negotiations in order to make a stadium on the campus into a reality, but it would nonetheless be a major step to signal where the Rays might play when their days at the Trop finally come to an end.

3. Phillies media availability:

The Phillies have made their reunion with catcher J.T. Realmuto official, and as they did so the club announced that Realmuto, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, and manager Rob Thomson will all be available to the media over Zoom starting at 10am local time this morning. That virtual presser could provide an insight into the team’s plans for the remainder of the offseason on the heels of not only signing Realmuto, but also narrowly missing out on a deal with star infielder Bo Bichette just hours before the Realmuto deal became official. It’s possible that bringing back Realmuto is the capstone on an offseason that’s largely seen the Phillies focus on retaining their own players rather than make big external additions, though their pursuit of Bichette did suggest that the team is (or at least was) open to retooling the roster in a more significant way this winter.

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

1. Top Free Agents still on the board:

The top of the free agent market picked up late last week with a frenzy of activity. Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Ranger Suarez, and J.T. Realmuto all came off the board over the course of just a couple of days. That series of moves took this offseason’s free agent class from still being rather deep in quality options to looking relatively barren at the very top. At this point, the best options still available are left-hander Framber Valdez and outfielder Cody Bellinger. Players like Zac Gallen and Eugenio Suarez also remain, but they lack the sort of surefire impact Valdez and Bellinger can provide.

Bellinger’s market has gotten plenty of attention of late thanks to the apparent impasse between his camp and the incumbent Yankees in negotiations. The team’s apparent willingness to include opt outs after the second and third seasons of their five-year offer in the $150MM to $160MM range has not motivated Bellinger to sign so far. The Blue Jays, Mets, and Cubs are among the other teams that have been connected to Bellinger and could be lurking as potential rivals. Valdez, meanwhile, has had a relatively quiet market but remains connected to the Orioles and Mets. The Blue Jays reportedly met with him back in November, but that was before the club brought in Dylan Cease. Where will the remaining stars on the market ultimately land?

2. Braves take a big hit to their infield:

Yesterday’s news that Ha-Seong Kim had suffered a hand injury that required surgery with a four-to-five month recovery timeline was a brutal blow for fans in Atlanta. After bringing Kim in with the hope of upgrading what was among the very worst production in the majors at shortstop in 2025, the team will now be without their marquee lineup addition for most of the first half next year. Coming off a disappointing 86-loss season last year and with just three years remaining before Ronald Acuna Jr. reaches free agency, Atlanta is surely hoping to make the most of the 2026 campaign. Will president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos find a way to patch the sudden hole in the team’s roster, even in spite of a payroll that’s already skyrocketed this offseason thanks to additions like Kim, Robert Suarez, and Mike Yastrzemski? Or will the team need to look towards internal options like Mauricio Dubon to keep the team on track while Kim recovers?

3. Appetite for catching help strong around the league:

Realmuto and Victor Caratini both signed over the weekend, leaving zero reliable regulars behind the plate available in free agency. That’s a particularly notable development given the number of teams that reportedly have interest in catching upgrades. Both the Rays and Red Sox were both reportedly involved in the markets for Realmuto and Caratini, respectively, before the pair signed elsewhere. The Padres have Freddy Fermin behind the plate but could certainly benefit from adding a reliable player to split time with him. The Astros are without a backup for Yainer Diaz after Caratini’s departure, as well. Those clubs will have to look towards the players left in free agency, like Jonah Heim and Gary Sanchez, as possible solutions or else turn to the trade market, where players like Yankees backup J.C. Escarra and Phillies backup Rafael Marchan are among the options that might be at least theoretically available.

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

1. Tucker aftermath:

The Dodgers made waves last night when they landed star outfielder Kyle Tucker on a four-year, $240MM deal that shattered AAV records and affords him opt-out opportunities after the second and third seasons. Though the Dodgers were commonly listed as one of Tucker’s three potential landing spots in his final days on the open market, the deal is still an upset of sorts, given that both the Mets and Blue Jays were more heavily linked to him over the past couple weeks. It remains to be seen how Toronto and New York will pivot after missing out. Perhaps the Blue Jays could look to ramp talks with star infielder Bo Bichette back up. Either team could feasibly try to pivot towards the No. 2 outfielder on this year’s market, Cody Bellinger.

As for the Dodgers, it’s worth wondering whether there will be any subsequent moves. They could deal from what’s now an even more crowded and star-studded big league roster — Teoscar Hernandez’s name has already popped up in rumors a bit this winter, even before the Tucker deal — and they also have several top-tier outfield prospects (e.g. Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope) whose path to the majors is further obfuscated by the latest blockbuster acquisition.

2. Incoming roster moves:

The Rockies, Red Sox, and Dodgers are all going to need to make 40-man roster moves in the coming days as their respective recent signings of Willi Castro, Ranger Suarez, and Tucker become official. The most likely way for those clubs to clear up that 40-man roster space is by simply designating a player for assignment, though it’s also possible that any of those teams could look to work out a trade that creates space on their 40-man roster by acquiring non-roster players. The Dodgers already went down that road not too long ago when they traded outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the Marlins.

3. Cubs, Reds hosting fan events:

With spring training less than a month away, teams around the league are hosting fan events to get their fan bases excited for the upcoming season. This weekend, two clubs are hosting events: the annual Cubs Convention in Chicago is scheduled to take place today, tomorrow, and Sunday, while today and tomorrow will also play host to Redsfest in Cincinnati. Cubs Con will be highlighted by a ten-year reunion for the World Series-winning 2016 team, while both events will both have a number of current and former players involved. Events like this can often (but not always) produce quotes of note from team owners, front offices and/or managers that provide some insight into the remainder of the offseason and the outlook for the upcoming campaign. Full schedules and ticketing details for the Cubs’ and Reds’ respective fan events can be found at these links, courtesy of MLB.com.

On the heels of an update to the market for this winter’s top free agent, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Tucker nearing decision?:

The market for star outfielder Kyle Tucker seems to be moving toward a conclusion. Earlier this morning, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported that Tucker could land somewhere as soon as today. The Mets, Blue Jays, and Dodgers have generally been viewed as the favorites for his services, and Heyman suggests it would be a “major upset” for Tucker to sign elsewhere at this point. The Blue Jays are the only team known to have extended Tucker a long-term offer, although the specifics aren’t known. The Mets have been reported at varying times over the past few days as having a $50MM AAV on the table for Tucker and also having offered a four-year deal. The Dodgers, for their part, appear to be the wild card in the Tucker bidding. Playing in L.A. surely holds its own appeal as the Dodgers head into 2026 in search of a three-peat, but it’s unclear what sort of offer the club has on the table for Tucker, if a formal one has been presented at all.

2. Bregman presser today:

The Cubs are hosting an introductory press conference for newly-signed third baseman Alex Bregman this morning at 10:30am CT. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras, figure to be in attendance. The presser could offer some insight into how the Cubs plan to handle their newly-crowded infield. Bregman will presumably push Matt Shaw off of third base and into a utility role barring a trade involving either Shaw himself or second baseman Nico Hoerner. Hoerner, in particular, has seen his name come up in trade rumblings this winter, even as reports have indicated the Cubs aren’t inclined to move him and would need to be overwhelmed with an offer in order to do so.

3. 2026 international signing period opens:

The 2026 signing period for international amateurs has begun and will remain open until December 15. Teams have set bonus pools ranging from $8,034,900 to $5,440,000 for the upcoming period that they can allocate however they see fit — including trading bonus allotments in $250K increments. (A team can only acquire a maximum of 60% of its originally allotted pool, however.) Many of the most highly-regarded prospects in the class have had handshake agreements in place with MLB clubs for years before they were old enough to sign, so for plenty players at the top of the class their destination is already known. Among the top prospects available are Venezuelan shortstop Luis Hernandez (tied to the Giants), Venezuelan outfielder Francisco Renteria (tied to the Phillies), and Dominican shortstop Wandy Asigen (tied to the Mets). There’s excellent coverage of international amateur free agency at Baseball America, MLB.com, and BeisbolFR.com (among others), and we’ll aim to have a roundup of some of the top signings on MLBTR later today as well.

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

1. Tucker market accelerating:

Kyle Tucker’s market finally appears to be picking up steam. The Mets have reportedly made a short-term offer with an average annual value as high as $50MM, while the Blue Jays have put forth a long-term offer — the details of which remain unclear. If Tucker is genuinely considering shorter-term offers, the Dodgers will surely be interested as well. Other teams like the Yankees seem to be hanging around the periphery of Tucker’s market, too, although fellow lefty-swinging outfielder Cody Bellinger appears to remain the priority over in the Bronx. With some reports suggesting that Tucker could agree to a deal before the end of the week, where will he land?

2. Cardinals move into post-Arenado era:

The Cardinals finally pulled off their long-awaited trade of likely future Hall of Famer Nolan Arenado yesterday, and in shipping him to the Diamondbacks (and paying down all but $11MM of his contract to do so) they’ll enter the 2026 season without any of the veteran All-Stars they carried in previous years on their roster. For a rebuilding club like St. Louis, that means an opportunity to give significant run to younger players like Nolan Gorman, Thomas Saggese, and top prospect JJ Wetherholt. The question for the Cardinals at this point is whether (or when) some of the club’s arbitration-eligible players, like infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan or lefty reliever JoJo Romero, will follow Arenado out the door.

3. What’s next in the Bronx and Miami?:

The Yankees pulled off a surprising trade last night when they nabbed hard-throwing lefty Ryan Weathers from the Marlins in exchange for four lower-minors prospects led by outfielder Dillon Lewis. The deal seemingly brings to a close the Yankees’ pursuit of starting pitching help this offseason. Weathers should fortify the rotation with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt all opening the season on the injured list.

With Weathers now in the fold, perhaps the Yankees can more fully focus on addressing their lineup, whether that’s with a Bellinger reunion, a pivot toward Tucker or Bo Bichette, or a pursuit of an unexpected target. As for the Marlins, they were already considering adding an innings-eating veteran starter after trading Edward Cabrera to the Cubs last week. That only figures to be become more important now that they’ve taken another valuable arm out of their rotation mix. Zack Littell, Tyler Anderson, Patrick Corbin, Jose Quintana, Tomoyuki Sugano and Chris Paddack are among the many yet-unsigned free agent starters.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day:

1. Bellinger, Yankees negotiations continue:

The Yankees and outfielder Cody Bellinger were recently reported to be at an impasse in contract negotiations. Both sides are interested in a reunion, but Bellinger has interest from other clubs, including the Mets and Dodgers. (The Angels, Phillies and Giants all at least checked in earlier in the offseason as well.) The Yankees have reportedly explored alternatives to Bellinger ranging from free agents like Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker to trade candidates like Luis Robert Jr. and Nico Hoerner.

While contract length seems to be a sticking point, with Bellinger seeking a longer deal than the Yankees’ five-year offer, New York is reportedly open to bridging the gap by including opt-outs. If structured favorably, that could allow Bellinger to bank significant money over the next couple of years before returning to free agency at a later date. That’s the tactic he ended up taking during his last trip through free agency, when he sought a massive contract but ultimately settled for three years and $80MM from the Cubs.

2. What’s left on the relief market?

The Reds’ weekend deal with right-hander Pierce Johnson took yet another name off the board on a dwindling relief market. For other teams looking to bolster their bullpen, the options are waning. Seranthony Dominguez is among the top names still on the market, and he’s garnered some recent interest from the Twins. Michael Kopech, Jorge Lopez, Jose Leclerc, Paul Sewald, and Tommy Kahnle all remain available as well, but each comes with warts due to some combination of recent injury history and poor results. Lefties Taylor Rogers and Danny Coulombe remain available as interesting options and could be particularly valuable to a team without a quality southpaw for the late innings. Virtually every team could stand to improve its bullpen, but the Twins are joined by the Nationals, Diamondbacks, and Rangers as teams that appear to have a particularly significant need in their relief corps at this point.

3. MLBTR chat today:

Pitchers and catchers will begin reporting in mid-February, but plenty of questions about this offseason remain. Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, and Framber Valdez are among the top-flight free agents still available, while the trade market holds intriguing talents like Freddy Peralta and Brendan Donovan who could still be moved. If you’re wondering what’s left for your favorite team to do before pitchers and catchers report or simply looking for the latest hot stove buzz, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered with a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. Readers can use this link to ask a question in advance, follow along when the chat begins, and read the transcript after the chat concludes.

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.