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Red Sox Sign Patrick Sandoval

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The Red Sox announced the signing of lefty Patrick Sandoval to a two-year free agent deal. The Wasserman client is reportedly guaranteed $18.25MM. He’ll make $5.5MM in 2025 and $12.75MMM in 2026. Boston’s 40-man roster is now full. Sandoval is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery, performed in June. He’ll miss at least the first half of the 2025 season, if not a bit more, but could be a late-season option in Boston and should be a member of their 2026 rotation.

Sandoval’s two-year guarantee makes the Angels’ decision to non-tender him and his $5.9MM projected salary (via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz) look all the more dubious. Even if Sandoval had missed all of the 2025 season, he’d have been in line to merely repeat that $5.9MM salary — a total of $11.8MM. There’s no way he would’ve secured a nearly $6.5MM raise on that projected 2025 salary heading into the 2026 season.

The Angels presumably shopped Sandoval around prior to cutting him loose, and market circumstances have changed since that time. Still, recent two-year deals for Tommy John rehabbers on similar timelines (e.g. Tyler Mahle, German Marquez) show that there could eventually have been trade interest in the lefty, but the Halos instead opted for immediate salary flexibility. Perhaps that made it easier for them to sign Yusei Kikuchi on a three-year pact, but Sandoval’s deal with the Red Sox shows that he’d very likely have had at least modest trade value had the Halos tendered him a contract and continued to explore the market for his services.

Though his exact timetable for a return to a big league mound can’t be known this far along in the rehab process, Sandoval is a quality arm who’ll slot into the middle of the Boston rotation whenever he’s cleared. Just days prior to his injury, I took a look at the statistical similarities between Sandoval and another lefty — popular trade target Jesus Luzardo. Dating back to 2021, Sandoval carries a 3.80 ERA with roughly average strikeout numbers (22.6%) and somewhat heavy 10.2% walk rate.

Sandoval’s command isn’t great and never has been, but that number is skewed a bit by an 11.3% mark from 2023 that looks like a clear outlier. Sandoval posted a 9.3% walk rate in 2021, 2022 and 2024. It’s still not good, but it’s only about one percentage point north of league average. He sits 93-94 mph with his four-seamer and sinker alike, complementing those fastballs with a slider that misses bats and a changeup that helps him keep righties at bay. He does still carry a notable platoon split, but right-handed hitters haven’t exactly crushed him (.263/.344/.391) and lefties practically shouldn’t bother swinging (.195/.274/.324).

Sandoval isn’t a star but has proven himself to be a capable third or fourth starter, even in a contending rotation. He’ll obviously open the season on the injured list but will eventually give Boston another arm to join a starting mix that includes Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Brayan Bello and, at some point, Lucas Giolito. Like Sandoval, Giolito is on the mend from UCL surgery, but his was performed last March so he should be back a few months sooner. Garrett Whitlock gives the Sox another potential rotation arm who’s on the mend from a Tommy John procedure, though he could factor into either the ’pen or the rotation.

The Red Sox could very well add another starting pitcher. They’ve been tied to Corbin Burnes on the free agent market and have also reportedly looked into the availability of Mariners righty Luis Castillo and Padres righty Dylan Cease. With several arms on the mend from surgery and a number of starters with only one full season of rotation experience under their belts (Crochet, Houck, Crawford, Bello), another arm feels prudent — even if it’s not a front-of-the-rotation type.

With Sandoval now in tow, RosterResource projects the Red Sox for a $155MM payroll and about $191MM worth of luxury tax obligations. They’re nowhere close to the $241MM tax threshold, thanks in no small part to going the trade route for their first impactful rotation addition of the winter (Crochet). That leaves ample opportunity for the Sox to bring in another arm and continue to poke around the markets for Alex Bregman, Teoscar Hernandez and other high-profile targets.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the Red Sox and Sandoval had agreed to a two-year, $18.25MM contract. The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier had the salary breakdown.

Tigers Sign Jordan Balazovic To Minors Contract

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The Tigers have signed right-hander Jordan Balazovic to a minor league deal, according to Just Baseball Media’s Aram Leighton.  Balazovic returns to North American baseball after a brief stint with the Doosan Bears of the KBO League, as Balazovic signed with the Bears after he was released by the Twins last July.

A fifth-round pick for Minnesota in the 2016 draft, Balazovic earned some looks at the back of top-100 prospect lists during his climb up the ladder of the Twins’ farm system.  However, most of his success happened in the lower rungs of the ladder, as Balazovic has a 6.35 ERA in 151 2/3 career innings of Triple-A ball.  Despite those struggles, the Twins gave him a look at the big league level in 2023, and Balazovic posted a 4.44 ERA, 15.7% strikeout rate, and 11.1% walk rate across his first 24 1/3 innings in the Show.

The Twins opted to designate Balazovic for assignment last February and then released him, though he was quickly re-signed to another minor league contract.  More struggles at Triple-A led to Balazovic being released again so he could pursue his opportunity in South Korea, and Balazovic had a 4.26 ERA and a strong 27.6% strikeout rate in 57 innings with the Bears, starting 11 of his 12 games.

Balazovic still had an 11.2% walk rate with the Bears, which is a bit higher than his 9.01% career walk rate in the minors.  His control worsened as Balazovic faced higher levels of competition in the minors, while his strikeout and grounder rates were generally pretty solid, albeit with some variance within the small sample sizes of bouncing to different minor league levels.

Balazovic is only 26, so there’s logic in the Tigers taking a flier on a former notable prospect to see if another change of scenery helps the right-hander unlock any potential.  Detroit has also signed the likes of Matt Gage, Brendan White, and Ryan Miller to minors deals in recent days, as the Tigers are lining up some depth arms to evaluate in spring camp.  These types of signings are common practice for any team, of course, and won’t preclude Detroit from taking a run at bigger-name bullpen options like reported target Kirby Yates.

Nationals Acquire Nathaniel Lowe

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The Nationals and Rangers have swung a one-for-one trade that will see first baseman Nathaniel Lowe head to Washington in exchange for left-hander Robert Garcia.  ESPN’s Jeff Passan (multiple links) was the first to report the deal, which has now been officially announced by both teams.

Lowe will change teams via trade for the second time in his career, as it was just over four years ago that Lowe was dealt from the Rays to the Rangers as part of a six-player swap.  The Rays’ first base depth had left Lowe struggling for playing time in his first two MLB seasons, but he immediately found a regular job once Texas installed him as its everyday first baseman.  Lowe has played in 615 of a possible 648 regular-season games in his four seasons with the Rangers, while hitting .274/.359/.432 with 78 homers in 2576 plate appearances.

Between his 123 wRC+ over those four seasons and increasingly strong defensive metrics, Lowe has been worth 10.6 fWAR during his Rangers tenure.  It isn’t superstar production and the left-handed hitting Lowe has naturally been more consistent against right-handed pitching, but he has at worst been a steady regular, with hints of a higher ceiling of production.  Lowe hit .302/.358/.492 with 27 homers over 645 PA in 2022, though a .363 BABIP may have helped contribute to that career year.

Despite Lowe’s very solid play, there had been some whispers that the Rangers could be looking to clear some room at first base.  The recently-acquired Jake Burger figures to get a good chunk of the first base at-bats now that Lowe is off the roster, with Josh Smith, Justin Foscue, or Ezequiel Duran also in the running for playing time depending on how the Rangers opt to arrange their infield.  Josh Jung is slated to be the regular third baseman but Burger, Smith, or Duran could also be used at the hot corner based on matchups.

Lowe’s increasing arbitration price tag was also surely a factor in the Rangers’ decision.  Now entering his second arb-eligible year, Lowe was projected to earn $10.7MM for the 2025 season.  It is hardly an ungainly sum for a Gold Glove-winning first baseman with Lowe’s offensive production, but since Lowe turns 30 in July, Texas might’ve been considering the longer-term question of whether or not Lowe was a candidate for a contract extension.

Today’s trade answers that question, and gaining more flexibility at a premium position allows the Rangers to both see what they have in internal options, or to potentially keep first base open for a bigger free agent or trade target down the road.  Or, such a bat could still come this offseason, as Texas now has an even greater need for left-handed hitting depth after dealing Lowe.

It was no secret that the Nationals were looking to upgrade at first base this winter, as such free agents as Christian Walker and Paul Goldschmidt were on Washington’s radar.  Walker signed with the Astros and Goldschmidt joined the Yankees just within the last week, which quite possibly prompted the Nats to complete this trade as the first-base market continues to quickly thin out.

The Lowe deal is the clearest sign yet that the Nationals are ready to end their rebuild after five straight losing seasons.  The Nats’ youth movement has led to CJ Abrams, James Wood, Dylan Crews, and Luis Garcia Jr. becoming parts of the everyday lineup, but plenty more offensive help was still required for a team that finished near the back of the pack in several major offensive categories.

In adding Lowe, the Nationals now have a player still in his prime who can bring a veteran voice and championship experience to the clubhouse, in addition to what Lowe can provide on the field.  There is even a slightly hometown-hero aspect to the trade, as Lowe was born a few hours’ down the road from D.C. in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Nats have plenty of payroll space available, so Lowe’s salaries aren’t any kind of concern for the team.  Addressing first base by trading for Lowe instead of, say, spending much more in salary and draft capital to sign a Walker or a Pete Alonso allows president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo to still keep his financial powder dry for other big moves this winter or (perhaps more likely) next offseason or potentially at the trade deadline.  Rizzo and team ownership might prefer to give it one more season to see what they really have in their young core before really putting the pedal down in a full-fledged run towards contention.  In this scenario, Lowe is already under control if 2026 is really the Nationals “go for it” kind of year.

Garcia’s role in the deal shouldn’t be overlooked, as the Nationals now have an even greater need for relief pitching after dealing away a southpaw who showed plenty of promise in his first two Major League seasons.  Washington claimed Garcia off waivers from the Marlins in August 2023, and the lefty has a 4.03 ERA, 28.6% strikeout rate, 46.6% grounder rate, and 7.4% walk rate over 91 2/3 career relief innings.

Fifty-nine and two-thirds of those frames came last season, as Garcia posted a misleading 4.22 ERA that was inflated by some bad luck.  Garcia had a .329 BABIP and a very low 57.2% strand rate, and his 2.71 SIERA is perhaps a better reflection of just how solid Garcia’s performance was in 2024.  The left-hander doesn’t bring much in the way of velocity, but his fastball is used primarily to set up his excellent changeup, which was quietly one of the more effective changeups thrown by any pitcher in baseball.

With a swath of above-average Statcast metrics, Garcia will provide a huge boost to the Texas bullpen if he can replicate those numbers on his new club.  Garcia joins Jacob Webb and Hoby Milner as recent new additions to a relief corps that was destined to undergo an overhaul with Kirby Yates, Jose Leclerc, and David Robertson all entering free agency.  Since this trio is still unsigned, the Rangers could seek out reunions with any of their own free agents, but naturally it makes sense to fortify the pen with other longer-term arms like Garcia.  The left-hander turns 29 in June but is arb-controlled through the 2029 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Red Sox Sign Austin Adams To Minors Contract

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The Red Sox have signed right-hander Austin Adams to a minor league deal, KPRC’s Ari Alexander reports.  Adams will receive an invite to Boston’s big league spring camp, and his contract contains over $1.5MM in bonuses based on appearances at the MLB level.

Should Adams indeed cash in on those bonuses, it should bring his salary fairly close to the $1.7MM that MLBTR projected as his arbitration salary in 2025, though the Athletics outrighted him at season’s end in what was essentially an early non-tender.  Though $1.7MM isn’t a big sum even for the A’s, Adams’ 12% walk rate was on the high side, even though he had a 3.92 ERA and 27.7% strikeout rate over 41 1/3 innings out of the Athletics’ bullpen.

These numbers are pretty close to a match to the 4.10 ERA, 31.6% strikeout rate, and 13.9% walk rate Adams has posted in his 155 2/3 innings in the Show.  His control problems also manifested themselves in a league-leading 24 batters hit by pitches in 2021.

Adams has appeared in each of the last eight Major League seasons, ranging from cups of coffee (two appearances in each of the 2018 and 2022) to larger workloads, like this past season in Oakland or his career high of 52 2/3 innings with the 2021 Padres.  Adams has seen action with five different teams at the big league level, including a three-year stint in San Diego from 2020-22 that was shortened by a flexor tendon surgery that cost him almost all of the 2022 campaign.

The Sox will become the latest team to see if they can fix the 33-year-old’s control and get his slider-heavy arsenal to deliver more consistent results at the big league level.  Adams’ strikeout potential is clearly evident, and even beyond the hidden-gem potential, he can bring some value to Boston’s bullpen even if he only replicates his overall decent 2024 results.  At the cost of just a minor league contract, there’s no risk for the Red Sox in letting Adams compete for a job in spring camp.

Cubs Sign Carlos Pérez To Minor League Deal

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The Cubs have signed veteran catcher Carlos Pérez to a minor league deal, according to the transactions tracker on Pérez’s MLB.com profile page. The deal presumably includes an invite to MLB Spring Training.

Pérez, 34, should not be confused with his younger brother and fellow catcher Carlos Pérez, who is currently a free agent but played parts of two MLB seasons with the White Sox. The elder Pérez signed with the Blue Jays out of Venezuela before making his pro debut in 2008 and has spent parts of five seasons in the majors since then. A well-regarded defensive catcher, Pérez made his big league debut with the Angels back in 2015 but slashed just .224/.267/.332 (64 wRC+) in 595 plate appearances across 184 games and three seasons in Anaheim. Pérez split the 2018 season between the Braves and Rangers but made it into just 28 games while posting a ghastly -4 wRC+ in 75 trips to the plate.

After that lackluster showing in 2018, Pérez shuffled between the Orioles, A’s, and Rockies systems over the years before finally resurfacing in the majors last year at the age of 32. The 2023 campaign was arguably the best of Pérez’s career as he served as Oakland’s primary backup behind Shea Langeliers. His .226/.293/.357 slash line in 68 games for the A’s was well below league average (83 wRC+) overall but roughly on par with the expectations associated with a typical big league backup. Pérez returned to the A’s on a minor league deal last winter but did not ultimately crack the club’s big league roster this year despite hitting quite well at Triple-A. In 112 games with the club’s Las Vegas affiliate, Pérez slashed a strong .260/.344/.544 with 27 homers and 27 doubles. Those numbers are inflated by the offense-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League, but even when adjusted for that environment are still good for a 114 wRC+ at the level.

Pérez elected minor league free agency last month in search of greener pastures, which he seems to have found in Chicago. The Cubs appear mostly set at the big league level with a catching tandem of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya, but it’s possible that Pérez could be the next man up in the event of an injury, earning a big league opportunity similar to the ones Christian Bethancourt and Tomás Nido got with the club last year. From Chicago’s perspective, meanwhile, Pérez offers a non-roster depth option behind the plate who can also serve as a mentor to young pitchers at the Triple-A level like Cade Horton as well as the club’s top catching prospect, Moisés Ballesteros. Ballesteros reached Triple-A at just 20 years old last year on the power of his exciting bat, but his defensive skills are questionable and it’s not yet clear whether he’ll be able to stick behind the plate in the majors.

A’s Sign Ben Bowden To Minor League Deal

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The A’s have signed left-hander Ben Bowden to a minor league deal, according to the transactions tracker on Bowden’s MLB.com profile page.

Bowden, 30, was a second-round pick by the Rockies in the 2016 draft. A pure relief prospect dating back to his days in the SEC, the lefty missed the 2017 due to shoulder injuries but was a fast riser in the club’s minor league system once he got going. He reached Triple-A by the end of his second full professional season after dominating the Double-A level to the tune of a 1.05 ERA with a 46.2% strikeout rate in 26 appearances. The cancelled minor league season in 2020 further delayed Bowden’s ascent to the majors, but after posting 11 2/3 scoreless frames at the Triple-A level in 2021 he was promoted to the big leagues.

In the majors, unfortunately, Bowden struggled badly. His 23.7% strikeout rate was a far cry from the gaudy numbers he posted in the minors, and his 11.9% walk rate left much to be desired. In all, Bowden posted a 6.56 ERA in 35 2/3 innings of work for the Rockies during his rookie season. His 4.85 FIP indicated that he had pitched better than his results might indicate, but even that more charitable figure was below league average. Given his 6.19 ERA away from Coors Field, it’s also difficult to blame Bowden’s struggles on his offense-inflating home ballpark.

Those lackluster results led the Rockies to leave Bowden off their Opening Day roster in 2022. The southpaw struggled badly at Triple-A Albuquerque with an 8.22 ERA in 7 2/3 innings of work before the Rockies decided to expose the lefty to waivers in hopes of outrighting him off the 40-man roster. Instead, Bowden found himself claimed off waivers by the Rays who themselves later outrighted him off of their 40-man. The lefty’s stint in Tampa went quite well despite him not making it to the majors with the club. In 22 innings of work at Triple-A for the Rays, Bowden pitched to a 2.45 ERA with a 24.7% strikeout rate, though his 14.4% walk rate left much to be desired. Tampa eventually flipped Bowden to the Giants ahead of the 2022 trade deadline in a minor deal, though Bowden struggled in his return to the Pacific Coast League and elected free agency when the season concluded.

Since reaching free agency during the 2022-23 offseason, Bowden has pitched for the Phillies and Braves for stints at Triple-A without cracking the big league roster of either club. He’s posted a 30.4% strikeout rate in 81 1/3 innings of work across the last two seasons but posted an ERA north of 4.00 in both seasons. Now, he’ll hope to make it back to the big leagues with an Athletics club that has a much less crowded bullpen than either the 2023 Phillies or the 2024 Braves, though in order to do so he’ll likely need to get past his long-standing struggles performing in the PCL’s inflated offensive environment.

A’s Sign Gio Urshela

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The Athletics announced a one-year contract with infielder Gio Urshela. The Rep 1 Baseball client is reportedly guaranteed $2.15MM and can earn another $450K in incentives. He’d unlock $100K apiece at 300, 350, 400 and 450 plate appearances and receive another $50K for his 500th trip to the plate.

Urshela could get first crack at the third base job. A’s general manager David Forst has said on a few occasions that the front office was looking for answers at the hot corner. They explored at least one trade possibility, touching base with the Phillies regarding Alec Bohm, but balked at Philadelphia’s reported ask for star closer Mason Miller.

The free agent options at the position were limited. Alex Bregman is the only clear regular. He’d almost certainly be outside the club’s price range even if he were willing to play in Sacramento for the next three seasons. It’s not clear if Gleyber Torres is willing to sign as a third baseman. Yoán Moncada, Josh Rojas, Jorge Polanco and Urshela were among the rebound candidates who could be had for an affordable one-year deal.

Urshela, 33, is coming off a second consecutive middling season. He split the year between the Tigers and Braves. He combined for 461 plate appearances and hit .250/.286/.361 with nine home runs. Urshela’s plus contact skills remain intact, but his power has dropped off sharply in recent years. His slugging percentage has trended down in two straight seasons. The veteran has never taken many walks, so the dip in power leaves him with something of an empty batting average. Since the start of 2023, the righty-hitting infielder carries a .266/.300/.365 line with 11 longballs in nearly 700 trips to the plate.

While the bat has tailed off, Urshela remains a capable defender. Defensive Runs Saved gave him exactly league average marks in a little over 900 innings this past season. Statcast credited him with two runs above average. Although DRS has historically taken a more favorable view of Urshela’s glove than Statcast has, both metrics feel he’s been a little bit above par over the past two seasons.

Assuming Urshela cracks the big league roster, the A’s could deploy him at either corner infield position. Third base remains his primary spot, but he has topped 100 innings at first base in each of the last two years. Tyler Soderstrom should get the majority of the playing time there. Urshela could move across the diamond against left-handed pitching if the A’s want to shield Soderstrom from unfavorable platoon matchups. That could draw righty Darell Hernaiz into the lineup at third.

Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic first reported the A’s and Urshela had a deal. Martín Gallegos of MLB.com reported the one-year term. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman had the $2.15MM base salary, while The Associated Press reported the incentive specifics.

Image courtesy of Imagn.

Phillies Designate Tyler Gilbert For Assignment

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The Phillies have designated left-hander Tyler Gilbert for assignment, per a team announcement. Gilbert’s 40-man roster spot will go to fellow southpaw Jesús Luzardo, who was acquired by the Phillies in a trade with the Marlins earlier today.

The news is an unwelcome birthday present for Gilbert, who turned 31 today. The lefty pitched just 8 1/3 innings for the Phillies this year after signing a minor league deal with the Reds last winter and being traded to Philadelphia back in May. He was selected to the active roster for the stretch run and pitched decently with a 3.24 ERA despite a 4.85 FIP. That brief stint with Philadelphia was actually something of a reunion, as the Phillies actually drafted Gilbert in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. He was surrendered to the Diamondbacks in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft, however, and spent parts of three seasons in Arizona after making his debut with the club back in 2021.

Gilbert’s 2021 campaign is actually what the lefty is best known for. After being added to the club’s roster in early August and making a handful of relief appearances, the lefty actually tossed a no-hitter against the Padres in his first career start. The lefty struck out five and walked three across those nine hitless innings of work and remained in the club’s rotation down the stretch. He struggled to a 4.61 ERA in his final five starts of the year, however, and did not crack the club’s Opening Day rotation in 2022. The southpaw pitched to a lackluster 5.23 ERA and 5.10 FIP over his final two years with the Diamondbacks before being outrighted off the club’s 40-man roster last November.

Traditionally, the Phillies would have one week to either work out a trade involving Gilbert or attempt to pass him through waivers. With that said, that clock has put on pause over the holidays in previous seasons, so it’s possible that a resolution for Gilbert won’t ultimately be announced until the new year. Should he clear waivers successfully, Gilbert would have the opportunity to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency after previously been outrighted in his career. Should he elect free agency, he’d be an interesting depth option from the left side for clubs in need of pitching depth but would likely be limited to minor league deals due to his limited track record of success at the big league level.

Phillies Acquire Jesus Luzardo

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The Phillies made a big acquisition to their rotation, announcing they’ve acquired Jesús Luzardo from the Marlins. It’s a two-for-two trade sending Luzardo and minor league catcher Paul McIntosh to Philadelphia for shortstop prospect Starlyn Caba and outfield prospect Emaarion Boyd.

Luzardo, 27, is coming off something of a lost season but was among the most coveted starters available on the trade market as recently as last winter. The southpaw made just 12 starts in 2024 due to a lumbar stress reaction and struggled when he was healthy enough to take the mound with a 5.00 ERA (91 ERA+) in 66 2/3 innings of work. While Luzardo maintained a solid 8% walk rate, his 21.2% strikeout rate was far below his career norms and his fastball velocity was more than a tick below where it was in 2023.

Even with those warts, however, it’s easy to see why Luzardo would be an attractive addition to the rotation for the Phillies. In 279 innings of work for the Marlins between 2022 and ’23, Luzardo dominated to the tune of a 3.48 ERA (129 ERA+) with a 3.40 FIP. His 96.7 mph average fastball velocity was near the top of the scale for left-handed starting pitchers, and his 28.7% strikeout rate ranked eighth among starters with at least 250 innings of work in that time, sandwiched between Dylan Cease and Shane McClanahan.

While there’s no guarantee Luzardo will be able to recapture that ace-level production he flashed prior to his injured 2024 season, the Phillies won’t need to rely on him for front-end production. Instead, Luzardo joins an incredibly deep Phillies rotation that already features Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez. Even a fully healthy and effective Luzardo would slot in as the #2 starter in that rotation between Wheeler and Nola, and even if the southpaw merely pitches to the peripherals (4.23 FIP, 4.33 SIERA) he posted during his injury-marred 2024 campaign he’d be a noticeable upgrade over Taijuan Walker, who pitched to an ugly 7.10 ERA in 83 2/3 innings of work this past season.

The Phillies have been known to have interest in adding rotation help this winter, though that was generally expected to come in the form of a depth piece who could pitch out of the bullpen or give Walker competition for the fifth starter spot, not unlike the club’s signing of right-hander Spencer Turnbull last winter. The acquisition of a player with Luzardo’s talent and pedigree obviously goes well beyond that, however, and surely pushes Walker into a long relief role to open the season assuming the rest of the rotation is healthy.

Adding Luzardo also eases the club’s long-term need for rotation help, as he’s under team control for the next two seasons. With Suarez scheduled to hit free agency following the 2025 season, it’s possible that the addition of Luzardo allows the Phillies to rely on some combination of Walker and top prospect Andrew Painter to round out their 2026 rotation. That would push the need for an additional starter off to the 2026-27 offseason, at which point both Walker and Luzardo himself will be eligible for free agency.

For now, though, Luzardo is a cost-controlled addition to the Phillies’ rotation who figures to raise the group’s already impressive ceiling considerably. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects Luzardo for an arbitration salary of just $6MM in 2025, a figure that pushes the Phillies’ payroll to the $285MM range and their luxury tax payroll up to $304MM per RosterResource. Notably, that pushes them past the highest $301MM tax threshold for next season, at which point the club is taxed at a 110% rate on any overages beyond $301MM in addition to their highest pick in the 2026 draft being pushed back ten spots.

In terms of the actual financial cost, then, bringing Luzardo into the fold figures to cost the Phillies something closer to $10.5MM between the southpaw’s salary and the tax bill that comes with it. It’s an unprecedented level of spending for the Phillies, and it’s not clear how much more room the club will have to manuever as it seeks to make further upgrades. Perhaps that’s why president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski suggested the club was unlikely to make further major additions earlier this week, with a swingman for the pitching staff and a bench piece for the lineup highlighted as the club’s remaining priorities. The addition of Luzardo likely eliminates the need for a swingman by pushing Walker into that role, of course.

For the Marlins, the prize in this deal is Caba. Ranked as MLB Pipeline’s #81 prospect in the game and #54 at Baseball America, Caba just celebrated his 19th birthday earlier this month and looked solid in complex league play this year with a .254/.427/.335 slash line. While he offered little power, he walked more than he struck out and stole 37 bases in 45 attempts across 225 plate appearances at the level. Caba was promoted to Single-A down the stretch and struggled badly with a .179/.304/.190 slash line in 115 trips to the plate, though he still recorded more walks (16) than strikeouts (15). While he’s roundly projected for below-average power by prospecting services, he’s regarded as having the potential to be a special defender at shortstop and his impressive knack for plate discipline should give him a solid offensive floor.

Boyd, meanwhile, was the Phillies’ 11th-round pick in the 2022 draft. The 21-year-old hit just .239/.317/.331 in 400 trips to the plate at the High-A level in 2024, though he’s stolen 83 bases over the past two seasons due to elite speed and is regarded as a potentially plus defender in center field due to his wheels. That was enough to make him the #23 prospect in the Phillies organization, according to Pipeline. That said, Boyd currently offers minimal power and has a below average hit tool, though his contact-heavy approach and potential to grow into a little more power as he physically matures is enough to keep him on the radar as a potential big league contributor.

Also in the deal is McIntosh, who joins Luzardo in heading from Miami to Philadelphia. The 26-year-old isn’t considered to be much of a prospect, having been selected by the Marlins in the 34th round of the 2018 draft. He slashed .246/.340/.385 in 117 games with the Marlins’ Double-A affiliate in Pensacola this past season. For the Phillies, McIntosh should offer a solid glove-first option behind the plate to help guide the club’s young pitchers in the upper minors and perhaps provide some depth behind the club’s big league catching corps.

Robert Murray of FanSided first reported the Phillies were acquiring Luzardo. Craig Mish of the Miami Herald was first to report that Miami was acquiring Caba and Boyd. Matt Gelb of the Athletic had McIntosh’s inclusion.

Tigers Re-Sign Brendan White To Minor League Deal

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The Tigers have re-signed right-hander Brendan White to a minor league deal, according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. White, who was non-tendered by Detroit last month, receives a non-roster invitation to big league Spring Training as part of the deal and will earn $765K when in the majors.

White, 26, got his start in the Tigers organization as a 26th-round pick in the 2019 draft. After making his pro debut shortly after being drafted, White didn’t pitch during the cancelled minor league season in 2020 but returned to the mound in 2021 for the club’s High-A affiliate. In 26 appearances (18 starts) at the level, White posted a solid enough 4.17 ERA in 101 1/3 innings of work with a 23.9% strikeout rate against a 6% walk rate. Despite those solid results, White was moved to the bullpen upon his arrival in Double-A the following year. That change in role came with excellent results as he dominated opposing hitters to the tune of a 2.67 ERA in 67 1/3 innings of work. His walk rate held steady at 6.3%, but his strikeout rate ticked up to 27.1% in the new role.

That not only earned him a promotion to Triple-A Toledo in 2023, but also opened the door for White to make his big league debut. The right-hander split his time between the majors and Triple-A in 2023 and totaled 77 2/3 innings of work between the two levels. At Triple-A, White posted an excellent 30.9% strikeout rate while walking 6.8% of opponents despite a rather pedestrian 4.14 ERA. In the majors, White struggled to a 5.09 ERA (86 ERA+) despite excellent peripherals. He punched out 24.9% of opponents against an 8.5% walk rate. On top of that, White also floated an impressive 51.9% groundball rate in the majors.

The right-hander’s strong peripherals seemed likely to earn him a spot in the Tigers’ bullpen mix for the 2024 season, but elbow inflammation kept him off the mound for almost the entirety of 2024. He pitched just 7 1/3 innings total last year across four levels of the minors before being placed on the 60-day IL in the majors back in August. Following White’s lost season, the Tigers opted to designate him for assignment and subsequently non-tender him last month. That made him a free agent eligible to sign with any of the league’s 30 organizations, but he ultimately will return to Detroit on a non-roster pact and attempt to work his way back to the majors.

The first step in that process figures to be getting healthy, a box which Petzold reports is already checked. He notes that the right-hander underwent a procedure to address a right radial nerve injury back in August and was back throwing off a mound the following month, allowing him to participate in a normal offseason throwing program. Assuming he stays healthy going forward, it’s not at all difficult to imagine White pitching his way back onto the Tigers’ roster at some point in 2025, and perhaps even in time for Opening Day 2025.

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