The Opener

With Spring Training now underway for all 30 teams, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Full-squad workouts begin:

With pitchers and catchers all around the league having already reported to camp, the Cubs are set to kick off the first full-squad workout of the year today as the club’s position players report to camp. That’s followed by the first full-squad workout of the spring for the Dodgers this weekend. While the report date for position players isn’t attached to a notable roster change like the return of the 60-day injured list, it still gives fans a first chance to get a glimpse of the hitters their club added during the offseason. In Chicago’s case, the highlight is star outfielder Kyle Tucker. L.A. doesn’t have a new star hitter on that level, but Hyeseong Kim and Michael Conforto are both notable offseason additions.

2. Lowe arbitration hearing:

The final arbitration hearing of the winter is set to begin today, with new Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe requesting an $11.1MM salary while the Nats counter with $10.3MM. A decision figures to be announced over the weekend, and that decision will serve as a tiebreaker between teams and players for this cycle of arbitration after an even 4-4 split between the sides across the first eight decisions. Pirates right-handers Johan Oviedo and Dennis Santana, Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan, and Yankees righty Mark Leiter Jr. all lost their cases against their clubs, while Angels infielder Luis Rengifo, Angels outfielder Mickey Moniak, Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar, and Cardinals right-hander Andre Pallante all emerged victorious from their own hearings.

3. Veterans accepting minor league deals?

With camp underway for all 30 clubs, some veterans still lingering in free agency have begun to accept minor league deals in order to get into camp with a club and get to work. Slugger Joey Gallo signed a non-roster deal with the White Sox yesterday, while veteran reliever Luis Garcia reportedly signed a minor league pact with the Dodgers. Those veterans, as Article XX(B) free agents under the current collective bargaining agreements, will have uniform opt-out opportunities headed into Opening Day and throughout the first half of the season. That makes it a bit easier for players in their situation to find big league playing time even after accepting a minor league deal. It’s likely we’ll see some of the other lingering free agents on the market begin to follow suit in the coming days, though there are still a handful of players who’ll surely command major league contracts as well (e.g. David Robertson, Kyle Gibson, Andrew Heaney). You can check out an up-to-date list of the remaining unsigned free agents here.

After a busy day where the winter’s best remaining hitter and pitcher came off the board in free agency, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Pitchers and catchers continue reporting:

After today, all 30 clubs’ pitchers and catchers will have reported for their first official team workout. The Guardians, Rockies, Brewers, and Mariners in the Cactus League as well as the Grapefruit League’s Orioles, Astros, Twins, and Blue Jays are all set to kick things off today. Those teams all unlock access to the 60-day injured list today, meaning any of them with a player suffering a long-term injury will have more 40-man roster flexibility going forward. Team officials figure to be in camp answering questions from the media as well, and as always it’s possible that previously-unreported injuries could crop up as players trickle into camp.

2. What’s next for Arenado?

The trade market for Nolan Arenado has long appeared unlikely to develop until after top infield free agent Alex Bregman signed somewhere. He finally did so last night, however, agreeing to a three-year deal with the Red Sox worth $40MM annually before factoring in deferred money. That’s bad news for Arenado and the Cardinals, as Boston was widely expected to pivot toward Arenado in the event that they came up short in the Bregman bidding. The other failed suitors for Bregman seem to be unlikely destinations. Arenado already blocked a trade to the Astros. A trade between the Cardinals and their archrival Cubs is all but impossible to imagine, and it’s unclear if Arenado would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to approve a deal to the Tigers or the Blue Jays.

3. Lower levels of free agency moving:

While most of the attention was on the major deals signed by Bregman and Nick Pivetta yesterday, they were just two of the seven players who signed big league free agent deals yesterday. All corners of the market have begun to move, with relievers like right-hander John Brebbia, starters like righty Cal Quantrill, and position players like center fielder Michael A. Taylor all agreeing to deals. A number of noteworthy free agents still remain on the market, including Justin Turner, Anthony Rizzo, Alex Verdugo, Paul DeJong, Andrew Heaney, Jose Quintana, and David Robertson. Who will be the next one to land a contract?

As Spring Training gets underway, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Pitchers and catchers continue reporting:

The Cubs and Dodgers have already gotten started on Spring Training ahead of next month’s early start to the regular season in Tokyo, but the rest of the league is beginning to catch up to them today with many clubs hosting their first workout for pitchers and catchers. In Florida’s Grapefruit League, the Braves, Red Sox, Tigers, Marlins, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Pirates, Cardinals, Rays, and Nationals all host their first official workout today. The same is true for the Diamondbacks, Athletics, White Sox, Reds, Royals, Angels, Padres, Giants, and Rangers in Arizona’s Cactus League. With the start of Spring Training, these clubs also unlock access to the 60-day injured list for roster maneuvering purposes, while club officials figure to offer health updates on players as they begin to trickle into camp.

2. Cardinals arbitration results expected:

As noted by the Associated Press, utilityman Brendan Donovan went to an arbitration hearing against the Cardinals yesterday, asking for a $3.3MM salary while St. Louis countered at $2.85MM. Decisions on the cases of both Donovan and his teammate Lars Nootbaar, who went to a hearing against the Cards last week, are expected today. Nootbaar filed at $2.95MM and the club countered with $2.45MM. Teams have won a slim majority of cases to this point in the process, taking home victories against right-handers Johan Oviedo, Dennis Santana, and Mark Leiter Jr. while outfielder Mickey Moniak and infielder Luis Rengifo emerged victorious. Nathaniel Lowe of the Nationals and Andre Pallante of the Cardinals are expected to go to hearings later this week, though it’s theoretically possible an agreement could be reached before then to avoid arbitration.

3. Kershaw move to be made official?

The Dodgers finally reached their long-awaited agreement with future Hall of Famer and franchise face Clayton Kershaw yesterday, though the deal is pending a physical. Notably, Kershaw was already in camp with the club yesterday, which suggests that the southpaw’s physical could be squared away in relatively short order to make way for an official announcement of the deal. Terms of the agreement should come to light soon. The physical isn’t a completely meaningless step in the process given the soon-to-be 37-year-old’s injury history, but considering the longstanding expectation of a deal, it’s reasonable to expect the sides will work out some sort of agreement regardless of what the physical may reveal.

As Spring Training starts to get underway, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Dodger pitchers and catchers report:

Today is the report date for Dodgers pitchers and catchers, making them the second team to officially kick off spring training after the Cubs did so on Sunday. A number of notable new faces will be in Dodgers camp after a busy offseason, including Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, and Kirby Yates. Aside from the Dodgers’ preseason activities officially getting underway, the start of camp also means that the 60-day IL will open for the Dodgers today. That opens the door for the club to finalize Enrique Hernandez’s one-year deal and hammer something out with veteran southpaw Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers started to suffer from a major 40-man roster crunch late in the offseason, but they have a whopping five 60-day IL candidates with each of Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Emmet Sheehan, Kyle Hurt and Brusdar Graterol on the mend from elbow surgery (Ryan, Sheehan, Hurt) or shoulder surgery (Stone, Graterol).

2. DFA resolutions expected today:

Cubs southpaw Rob Zastryzny and Blue Jays right-hander Michael Petersen were both designated for assignment last week as their clubs made room on the 40-man roster for the additions of Ryan Brasier and Max Scherzer, respectively. Both players’ seven-day DFA windows expire this afternoon, so we should find out today what’s next for both players.

Zastryzny, 33 in March, has a 4.30 ERA in 67 MLB innings across parts of six seasons since he debuted with Chicago in 2016. Petersen, meanwhile, made his big league debut for the Dodgers back in June and pitched to a 5.95 ERA in 16 appearances between L.A. and Miami. If Zastryzny clears waivers, he’ll have the opportunity to elect free agency rather than be outrighted to the minors by Chicago. The same cannot be said for Petersen, who has never cleared outright waivers before in his career and would be available to Toronto as non-roster depth should he go unclaimed.

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

Spring training is now officially underway, though seven of MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents remain unsigned and plenty of clubs still have more work to do before the start of the season. Whether you have a trade proposal in the back of your mind or questions about an upcoming camp battle this spring, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be here to answer your questions during a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

Baseball is back! Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into spring training:

1. Pitchers and catchers begin reporting:

The Cubs kicked off spring training officially yesterday when their pitchers and catchers reported to camp. With yesterday’s report date came a number of interesting comments from club officials, including president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and manager Craig Counsell, about the state of the roster headed into the season and whether or not there may be more left to do as spring training begins. As the rest of the league begins to filter into camp throughout the week, starting with the Dodgers tomorrow, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more illuminating comments from other teams’ officials that help set the tone for the coming spring.

2. Extension season begins?

With the start of spring training also begins the start of extension season around baseball. While extensions can and do happen at any point in the calendar, spring training is generally regarded as the most natural time for those negotiations to occur and is frequently utilized as a window to hammer out those deals where club budgets are mostly set and players have not yet turned their attention fully to the day-to-day grind of the regular season. Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will get the most attention over the coming days after he set a deadline for contract talks with Toronto that is now just over a week away. The Rockies are reportedly weighing the possibility of extending center fielder Brenton Doyle, and the Phillies and J.T. Realmuto could discuss an extension sometime this spring as well. There will be dozens of negotiations around the league, and at least a few extensions are completed every spring. Last February/March brought long-term deals for Bobby Witt Jr., Jose Altuve, Mitch Keller, Zack Wheeler, Brayan Bello, Ezequiel Tovar, Will Smith and Ceddanne Rafaela, as shown in MLBTR’s Contract Tracker.

3. 60-Day injured list opens:

When each team’s pitchers and catchers first report to spring training, their club will also unlock access to the 60-day injured list. That “60-day” term is relative to Opening Day, not the point at which the player is placed on the IL (though teams can backdate the initial placement up the to maximum three days  allowed by league rules). Players on the 60-day injured list do not count toward a 40-man roster. That’s a hugely valuable roster construction tool for teams with full 40-man rosters. In the days/weeks ahead, several teams will move a player to the 60-day IL to finalize agreed-upon deals that have not yet become official (e.g. the Dodgers’ reunion with Enrique Hernandez). The presence of some 60-day IL candidates on a team’s roster can also allow that club to get more aggressive with waiver claims or signing remaining free agents. MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald recently laid out a comprehensive list of likely 60-day IL candidates for each team, though of course it’s always possible more long-term injuries could pop up as players filter back into camp for the start of spring training.

With the first report date for pitchers and catchers just two days away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Arbitration hearings continue:

According to the Associated Press, the Angels and Luis Rengifo had their arbitration hearing yesterday, with a decision expected to be handed down today. Rengifo filed at $5.95MM while the Angels countered at $5.8MM. Rengifo is coming off a strong but injury shortened season in 2024 where he slashed .300/.347/.417 in 78 games. The Cardinals and outfielder Lars Nootbaar have also had their hearing, with Nootbaar filing at $2.95MM and the Cardinals countering at $2.45MM. That decision is being withheld until Nootbaar’s teammate Brendan Donovan’s arbitration case is either settled or decided, however (as is common for comparable players in the same service class whose hearing results could be relevant to one another). So far, teams have won three out of four arbitration decisions with Angels outfielder Mickey Moniak being the only player to win his case this year.

2. Positional market continues to thin:

Both the outfield and infield markets thinned a bit further yesterday when the Pirates reached an agreement with veteran Tommy Pham while the Angels landed third baseman Yoan Moncada. Both came to terms on one-year deals.

Alex Bregman is the only top-tier free agent remaining on the positional market, but even the market for depth options and second-division starters has been begun to dry up. First base has a handful of notable veterans still available like Justin Turner, Anthony Rizzo, and Mark Canha, but the rest of the infield market is more dire. Paul DeJong is perhaps the best option remaining, with Luis Urias, Jose Iglesias, and Brendan Rodgers also available. In the outfield, Canha is capable of handling a corner alongside Alex Verdugo, David Peralta, Eddie Rosario, and Jason Heyward while Kevin Pillar and Michael A. Taylor are the best options available in center.

3. Marlins FanFest:

The Marlins are the latest team to host their annual FanFest, which is scheduled for tomorrow at loanDepot Park. The event will run from 4pm to 8pm and the festivities will include meet and greets with players, tours of the Marlins clubhouse, as well as live interviews with players in both English and Spanish. Newly hired Marlins manager Clayton McCullough figures to be in attendance for one of his first major events as the team’s skipper. The club is also expected to announce their new City Connect uniforms for the 2025 season at tomorrow’s event. Last year’s event saw president of baseball operations Peter Bendix field questions, though there’s no formal indication he’ll do so in 2025. The FanFest is a free, ticketed event, and interested fans can both claim a free ticket and find more information about the the event on the event’s MLB.com page here.

One free-agent deal is already in the books this morning. Here are three more things to keep an eye out for today:

1. Bregman stands alone:

After slugger Pete Alonso finally agreed to return to the Mets last night, third baseman Alex Bregman stands as the lone top tier bat in free agency. With the start of spring training looming, Bregman’s market has been fairly quiet in recent days. The Tigers reportedly remain in on him even after their deal to re-sign righty Jack Flaherty. The Cubs, Blue Jays, Astros, and Red Sox are all involved in Bregman’s market on at least some level. It seems possible that at least a couple of those suitors have eased off their pursuits of Bregman, however. MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart relayed yesterday that, per GM Dana Brown, the Astros have not recently spoken to Bregman’s camp and that their discussions about a reunion with him “remain internal.” Meanwhile, the Red Sox continued their ongoing talks with the Cardinals about third baseman Nolan Arenado. A Bregman decision could be a catalyst for resolution on the Arenado front, or vice versa.

2. Could a Twins trade be on the horizon?

All winter long, it’s been clear that the Twins were operating at or near their maximum capacity for payroll and wouldn’t be able to make significant additions on the free agent market without clearing payroll via trade. Despite that long-anticipated reality, however, the Twins have made multiple free agent signings in recent days. The additions of center fielder Harrison Bader and southpaw reliever Danny Coulombe are set to cost the Twins $9.25MM, and according to RosterResource that puts them around $18MM over their 2024 payroll. While it’s possible that the front office has simply been provided more financial flexibility than initially believed, it’s worth noting that Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey recently acknowledged an uptick in trade discussions. Could a deal or two that clears payroll space be coming? Minnesota needs to open two 40-man roster spots to finalize their deals with Bader and Coulombe.

3. Several 40-man moves pending:

In addition to that pair of 40-man moves pending for the Twins, there are several other clubs who need to open 40-man spots to finalize agreements of their own. Last night’s Alonso reunion in Queens will force the Mets to open a spot on their 40-man roster that features a number of depth arms on the bubble (e.g. Austin Warren, Tyler Zuber, Max Kranick, Kevin Herget). This morning’s Tommy Pham deal will require the Pirates to jettison someone else from their 40-man, which could prove problematic for offseason DFA pickups like Brett de Geus, Peter Strzelecki or Chase Shugart. The Yankees still need to make roster space for their reunion with southpaw Tim Hill, which could lead to a quick DFA turnaround for recent waiver claims Braden Shewmake or Owen White. Over in Detroit, the Tigers still haven’t announced their deal to re-sign Jack Flaherty, which will prompt a 40-man subtraction in the Motor City as well.

With the start of spring training now just a few days away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Arenado talks picking back up?

After weeks of radio silence on Nolan Arenado’s trade market, it appears there may be renewed movement on that Cardinals’ top offseason priority. Reporting indicated yesterday that St. Louis has had “recent communication” with the Red Sox regarding Arenado after talks had stalled last month. The Cardinals would surely prefer to move him in the next two weeks and avoid a potentially distracting storyline as the club opens camp. Of course, it remains possible (and perhaps even likely) that Arenado’s market will remain fairly stagnant until Alex Bregman signs somewhere in free agency.

2. Lefty relievers coming off the board:

Yesterday saw two of the top remaining lefty relief arms land contracts as the Twins brought in Danny Coulombe while the Yankees re-signed Tim Hill. For teams looking to add a southpaw to the bullpen, the market is becoming increasingly barren. Veteran lefty Andrew Chafin is the best option still on the board with Colin Poche, Drew Smyly, Jalen Beeks, and Ryan Yarbrough highlighting the remaining depth options. One other notable name on the market is veteran Brooks Raley, who has generally pitched quite well as a late-inning arm since returning to the majors from the KBO in 2020 but will not be ready for Opening Day after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer.

3. DFA resolution expected today:

One week ago today, the Reds designated right-hander Owen White for assignment to make room for southpaw Taylor Rogers on the 40-man roster after acquiring him from the Giants. The one-week window for a player who’s been designated for assignment to either be moved or clear waivers is closing today, so a resolution can be expected this afternoon. White was placed on waivers by the Rangers earlier this offseason, leading to his claim by the Reds, but has not previously been outrighted in his career. That means that if the right-hander clears waivers, Cincinnati will have the opportunity to outright him to the minors as a non-roster depth option headed into the season.

With spring training just days away, and one free agent deal already in the books this morning, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye out for today:

1. Will Brasier be traded?

Veteran right-hander Ryan Brasier pitched quite well for the Dodgers last year when healthy, with a 3.54 ERA and 3.31 FIP in 28 innings of work. He was squeezed off the club’s roster due to the addition of Kirby Yates, however, and as such was designated for assignment last week. Brasier’s DFA doesn’t need to be resolved for another two days, but given his solid work out of the bullpen last year and affordable contract it would hardly be surprising if a trade was worked out. Brasier would have to be placed on waivers 48 hours before the end of his DFA window, however, so if he’s going to be traded it’ll very likely have to come together today. Will a deal get done?

2. Blue Jays 40-man move incoming:

Yesterday saw three signings get finalized: Ha-Seong Kim’s two-year deal with the Rays, Jorge Polanco’s one-year pact with the Mariners, and Tim Mayza’s one-year agreement with the Pirates. All three of those moves required a 40-man roster move, and those clubs made space for their new additions by designating Osleivis Basabe, Cade Marlowe, and Alika Williams for assignment, respectively. One other as-of-yet not finalized addition that’s been reported is Max Scherzer’s one-year contract with the Blue Jays.

Toronto’s 40-man roster is full, meaning the club would need to clear a spot in order to officially add Scherzer to the mix. Perhaps that would come in the form of a DFA like the aforementioned trio of corresponding moves did, or maybe the Jays will be able to work out a trade involving a 40-man roster player in the coming days. One other alternative at the club’s disposal would be to wait out the nine days remaining until Toronto’s pitchers and catchers are set to report for spring training, at which point the 60-day IL opens. The Blue Jays are among a number of teams with likely 60-day IL candidates, and they could theoretically take advantage of that status in order to avoid losing a player from their 40-man roster to accommodate Scherzer.

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

With spring training creeping ever closer, we’re nearing the point where the baseball offseason starts to give way to preseason excitement even as major free agents remain unsigned and team needs remain unfulfilled. Whether you have questions about what’s left for your team to do before Opening Day or a trade proposal in the back of your mind, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be here to answer your questions during a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

With the calendar now flipped to February, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. What’s next for the Tigers?

After catching fire down the stretch in order to win 86 games, make the playoffs, and fight their way to Game 5 of the ALDS against the Guardians, the Tigers have been fairly active this winter as they’ve added Alex Cobb, Gleyber Torres, and Tommy Kahnle. Yesterday they made their biggest splash yet by bringing Jack Flaherty back into the fold on a $35MM guarantee. Flaherty, whom the club traded to the Dodgers ahead of last year’s deadline, will earn $25MM in 2025 and have the opportunity to opt out of one year and $10MM after the season.

With the right-hander rejoining Tarik Skubal at the top of the Tigers’ rotation, is there more in store for Detroit this winter? The Tigers have been one of the teams most frequently connected to third baseman Alex Bregman in free agency this winter, though recent reporting has suggested that talks between the sides are at a “standstill.” Looking beyond Bregman, first baseman Spencer Torkelson appears to be a plausible trade chip given the fact that signing Torres kicked incumbent sec0nd baseman Colt Keith over to first base for the 2025 campaign. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco took a look at plausible landing spots for Torkelson, should the Tigers decide to move him, last week.

2. Will Pivetta’s market begin to move?

Right-hander Nick Pivetta declined a qualifying offer from the Red Sox at the outset of the offseason, but since then there’s been little to say about his market. The Blue Jays were connected to him earlier this offseason, and there’s been some reporting that’s suggested the Padres could have interest if they end up trading Dylan Cease and creating additional budget space. The soon-to-be 32-year-old has hardly been a part of the offseason rumor mill despite being one of the best pitchers remaining on the market since the rush of starting pitching signings during the Winter Meetings. Now that Flaherty has signed and Pivetta is the highest-ranked free agent starter still available on MLBTR’s Top 50 MLB Free Agents list, could his market begin to show signs of life?

3. More arbitration deals on the horizon?

Johan Oviedo and Dennis Santana of the Pirates, Mickey Moniak of the Angels, and Mark Leiter Jr. of the Yankees are the four players to have already gone to an arbitration hearing against their clubs this winter. Of that quartet, only Moniak has emerged victorious. Five players players are still scheduled to face their team in a hearing over the next two weeks: Lars Nootbaar, Brendan Donovan, and Andre Pallante of the Cardinals as well as Nathaniel Lowe of the Nationals and Luis Rengifo of the Angels.

It’s possible, however, that some of those players could agree to deals with their clubs in order to avoid the hearing entirely. Kyle Tucker, Michael King, and William Contreras are among the notable players to avoid arbitration with their clubs in recent weeks, all coming to terms on one-year guarantees after initially exchanging figures with their teams. (King and Contreras have a mutual and club option, respectively.) Will the final five players make it to a hearing, or reach an agreement before then?