Boston, MA - July 20: Boston Red Sox shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng celebrates scoring a run. The Boston Red Sox played the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on July 20, 2026. (Photo by Christian Kantosky/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Well look at that, the Detroit Tigers have already made a trade. Andrew Parker of Sox Prospects reports, and Chris Cotillo confirms, that the Tigers have acquired infielder Tsung-Che Cheng from the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations. Cheng will join fellow Taiwanese infielder Hao-Yu Lee in Detroit. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter is a solid shortstop with a little bit of major league experience.
The Red Sox 40-man roster was getting a bit crowded, so this clears a spot for them. Of course, the Tigers 40-man roster is also a little crowded with eight players due to be added back to the 40-man roster off the 60-day injured list. The point here appears to be developing some other options at the shortstop position beyond Kevin McGonigle. John Peck gives them a right-handed bat, and Cheng a left-handed one. If this spells trouble for anyone on the Tigers it’s probably Trey Sweeney.
Cheng signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a 19-year-old international free agent for $380,000 back in 2019. The Pirates finally released him last offseason and he was picked up by the Washington Nationals and then placed on waivers, where the Red Sox acquired him.
Cheng has some tools. He’s fast, he can play an average major league shortstop, and he has experience at second base, and a little at third as well. The problem is that he strikes out quite a bit, and his power is just fringe average. He struck out 23.8 percent of the time in Triple-A last year, though he does walk a good amount, 13.5 percent in 2026 at Triple-A, and posts solid chase rates. Still, he does swing a miss more than you’d like, and needs to trim that down to be a regular platoon player. More likely the Tigers want to work with him and stash him in Toledo with Trei Cruz gone, Sweeney lost and not recovering from a major shoulder surgery, and few other shortstop options beyond McGonigle and Peck.
Obviously the offseason just began, and for all we know, Cheng will end up getting waived by the Tigers before the offseason finally ends. He’s out of options and not a particularly notable player. For now this is a depth pickup. Perhaps they see something to unlock in his bat, and it doesn’t hurt that Hao-Yu Lee and Cheng are familar with one another as former teammates for Chinese Taipei’s 2019 U-18 World Champion team. Sometimes a little more comfort factor for international players can help.
Another trade:
Red Sox are trading IF Tsung-Che Cheng to the Tigers for cash, I’m told.
Bo Bichette’s decision to opt into a second year with the Mets was not a surprise to anyone in the organization. He had one of the worst statistical seasons of his career offensively – not exactly the kind of year players try to ride into free agency. He spoke glowingly of new manager Andy Green. And he seemed to find comfort in the clubhouse and on the New York stage – as if he had arrived with something to prove and finally remembered he was capable of proving it.
But while the Mets have expected for several weeks now that Bichette would be back, his return nevertheless qualifies as crucial to their offseason. With Bichette, the Mets lineup in 2027 will include all the key components of a group that posted the fifth-best OPS in the majors after August 1… even with Juan Soto injured for part of that time.
The top of the order looked versatile and energetic when Francisco Lindor was healthy and leading off and Soto was healthy and hitting second and Bichette was behind them, putting the ball in play with Carson Benge there to drive everyone in. Bichette’s return means the Mets can build on the offense they unearthed late last year, rather than having to reconfigure it.
But because Bichette’s decision was not a surprise, expectations for the Mets season should not pivot because of it. They still need, and plan to pursue, starting pitching. They will still explore options to upgrade offensively at first base, though exactly how high they will aim – and how much money or prospect capital they are willing to spend there – remains unclear.
And they still seem likely to give one of their infield prospects a chance somewhere in the majors next season. With Bichette back, the most obvious place for a prospect to elbow in would be second, though because Bichette has also played second base, the Mets could make room for a prospect at third.
Still, Stearns’s affinity for defensive versatility does not necessarily mean the Mets could not acquire a third baseman not yet imagined. The surest thing for the Mets next year would be to pencil Bichette in at third, then find a proven offensive producer at second base instead of relying on some combination of Marcus Semien, Brett Baty, and/or a prospect. But if the market yielded a proven third baseman, the Mets could theoretically also acquire one of those, move Bichette to second and figure out what to do with Semien and Baty later. Internally, the Mets felt their defense did improve last year, even with Bichette, Baty, and others at new positions.
At this moment, however, the Mets seem perfectly willing to believe in their in-house options at second base: After watching what Benge and A.J. Ewing did after being called up last year, one can forgive the Mets' optimism about what Jefferson Rojas, Emilien Petre, or Mitch Voit could do upon arrival.
Speaking of Benge and Ewing, Bichette’s return will impact the Mets’ lineup through them as well: Bichette, their de facto older brother and alleged batting practice fashion inspiration, will be back to help them navigate the toughest thing they have had to navigate so far: Year two.
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 31: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies looks on from the bench in a game against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on May 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A lot happened with the 2026 Colorado Rockies.
They were certainly less bad than they were in 2025. (Let us never speak of that wretched year again.) But they were still pretty bad.
Back on Opening Day when we were so much younger, we all made predictions, which you may read here and here.
So as we sum up the year that was and look to the one that will come, here’s tonight’s question for all you Purple Row Night Owls: What did you get wrong about 2026?
Me, I thought Michael Lorenzen would be a positive addition to the rotation, and if you’d told me in March that he would be DFA’d I wouldn’t have believed you.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres heads to the dugout prior to game two of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Padres star RHP Michael King declined his player option today and will be a free agent. Will be one of the most coveted players on market.
As was expected throughout all of baseball, San Diego Padres ace starter Michael King has opted out of his contract with the team. King signed a three-year deal before this season and had $58 million remaining over the next two years. By opting out, he receives a $5 million buyout for 2027, effectively giving him a 2026 salary of $22 million.
No quick contract agreement
His opt-out indicates that there was no quick resolution to the wish on both sides for King to remain a Padre. Widely considered the second-best pitcher to enter the free agent market, after Tarik Skubal, King figures to command a multi-year, high-value deal.
In a recent article in The Athletic, Jim Bowden estimated a four-year, $118 million deal. If that is close to accurate, it is only somewhat more than the right-hander would have gotten with his Padres deal, but with the addition of two more years. At 31 years of age, King is still in his prime and could easily fulfill a four-year deal with that value.
What will free agency bring for King
After a less-than-enjoyable turn through free agency last year (King expressed his dissatisfaction with the process at his signing press conference), the process will most likely prove to be a more lucrative experience this time around. King had just come off an injury-plagued season in 2025 when he re-signed with the Padres during the last offseason. His performance this year, a 2.59 ERA over 100 2/3 innings, showed he is fully back from those injuries and is a staff ace.
Padres are short starters
His value to the Padres is probably higher than with any other team that can make offers to the New York native.
The Padres have Randy Vasquez as the only reliable starter on the roster.
Joe Musgrove returned to the team with three postseason innings out of the bullpen, but his presence in the rotation next season is not assured.
Nick Pivetta has a $14 million team option after missing much of the season with a strained flexor tendon. This is the second season in a row that Pivetta has missed significant time with the same injury. His reliability and health are in question, and that large of an option has to be a major source of anxiety for the organization.
JP Sears is not an effective major league starter for the Padres. At best, he provides emergency depth in the minor leagues. Jhony Brito is unproven and recently completed rehab for his Tommy John surgery, certainly not a reliable option either.
All other pitchers who started for the Friars in 2026 are free agents as of Thursday morning.
Will anything change in the next five days?
There is a five-day window of exclusive negotiations for the team and the free agent. After that, the player is free to talk to any other organization.
If King wants a home prior to the uncertainty of the labor situation, he will have until Dec. 1 to make a decision.
The resources of the Padres are unknown at this point. In his season-ending media availability, general manager A.J. Preller alluded to the meetings that would be taking place within the organization to decide a budget and a plan for the offseason. No results from those discussions have been shared with the public.
It remains to be seen what financial flexibility the team will have for signing players before the new CBA is active. Preller hinted that there was some money to spend, but no one knows how much that will be.
With the MLB offseason officially underway, the Mets kicked things by claiming infielder/outfielder Kyren Paris off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels.
To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, New York designated outfielder Cristian Pache, who played in 15 games for the Mets last season, for assignment.
Paris played in just eight games with the Halos in 2026 after appearing in 44 games the year before where he hit six home runs in 126 at-bats. The youngster also added four doubles, one triple, seven steals and 20 runs scored to give him a 0.8 WAR as a reserve player.
About to turn 25 years old in November, Paris has spent his entire four-year career in Los Angeles where he's slashed .147/.238/.272 in a super utility role. In 88 career games (72 starts), Paris has played second base, shortstop and all three outfield positions, although the infield is where he's the best defensively.
Paris has spent the majority of his career in the minors, splitting time last season between Double-A and Triple-A. Despite a lackluster performance in Double-A, Paris shined in 62 games for Triple-A where he slashed .307/.427/.554 and showed off his power and speed with 31 extra-base hits, a .981 OPS and 16 steals.
In 455 career games in the minors, Paris has hit .243 with a .779 OPS and 150 steals.
As for Pache, he joined the Mets last offseason on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training before eventually signing a one-year deal worth $850,000. The soon-to-be-28-year-old fought for the club's fourth outfield spot in spring training and despite a solid showing, Pache began the season in the minors.
After making his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves in 2020, Pache has been a journeyman and has played for six different organizations. He's never been able to produce consistently at the plate and even struggled across 93 games with Triple-A Syracuse this season.
The outfielder was called up by the Mets in early August for depth and went 1-for-8 at the plate.
Aug 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (left) and Detroit Tigers center fielder Max Clark (middle) and third baseman Kevin McGonigle (right) pose for a photo before their game at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This really shouldn’t be that surprising. The Tigers have one of the better core groups in baseball now, and while their rotation has question marks due to injury and inexperience, it’s certainly a pretty talented group with Framber Valdez as the veteran, and Jackson Jobe, Troy Melton, Keider Montero, River Ryan, and Reese Olson lined up behind the veteran lefty. Obviously they need to build a much better bullpen, but this shouldn’t really be that hard. We’ll see how hard the front office decides to make it.
The Tigers were 14th in run scoring, and 11th in team wRC+ in 2026, despite getting gutted for a good six weeks by a huge wave of injuries from mid-April through May. Max Clark has only just arrived, while Hao-Yu Lee and Eduardo Valencia broke out with the bats in the second half. They still have plenty of young hitting talent coming behind them as well. They were also 6th best in team ERA and 10th best in team fielding independent pitching (FIP). The defense got better as Clark and other young outfielders were added to the mix. It would really help that cause if John Peck can insert himself into the mix next year.
The Brewers are number one on the power rankings, as you’d expect. The Dodgers and Yankees check in second and third. The Rays, Red Sox, and Braves round out the 4-6 slots, with the Tigers in seventh.
1. Their plus-71 run differential was fourth in the AL, not that far behind the Rays (plus-86) or Red Sox (plus-78), and that’s a positive indicator for the following season.
2. They have key young players to build around in Kevin McGonigle (7.1 WAR as a rookie) and Max Clark (1.2 WAR in 51 games), plus several rookies ready to contribute in 2027, including Ryan, who came over in the Tarik Skubal trade.
3. Troy Melton (2.76 ERA in 20 starts), Jackson Jobe (3.91 ERA in nine starts) and Ryan are ready to fill the spots of Skubal and Casey Mize.
Yes, Detroit will need to address the bullpen, but this is still a deep roster that underperformed in 2026.
The Tigers have Max Anderson, Zyhir Hope, and Josue Briceño all close to pushing their way to the major leagues. The big question remains having enough pitching to be able to construct a better bullpen. We certainly wouldn’t hate the addition of a good all around position player into the mix, but that doesn’t seem very likely right now. Maybe the picture will look a little different once the CBA is complete.
Ask the Guardians how they feel about this and they’ll say it doesn’t matter. They’re right, but there is a good argument for the Tigers if they can clean up their weaknesses this offseason. How do you feel about the Tigers getting ranked seventh overall heading into the offseason after a very underachieving sort of season in 2026?
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Kyle Hart #68 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on September 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our series grading every member of the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster. The roster being evaluated is current as of Oct. 18, prior to the end of the World Series. Because of that, it will include players who will be free agents once the postseason concludes. Each player will be graded on their performance in the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted based on how much time the player spent with the team (availability is the best ability).
A Reliever Who’s Hard to Pin Down
Kyle Hart is a tough nut to crack. Prior to 2025, his big-league career was limited to just four games (three starts) with the Boston Red Sox. He spent the remainder of his career in the minor leagues with a short stint in the KBO. That year with the NC Dinos revitalized his career. Hart won the Choi Dong-won Award in 2024 (KBO’s equivalent of the Cy Young award) with a 2.69 ERA over 157 innings. That led to the Padres signing him to a one-year deal in 2025. He was mostly solid but couldn’t hack it as a full-fledged starting pitcher, eventually becoming a bulk reliever for the club.
Overall Grade: D
His solid production as a bulk reliever in 2025 led to San Diego re-signing Hart ahead of the 2026 season. That includes a $2.5 million club option for 2027 that the Friars seem likely to exercise. If nothing else, Hart covers innings well. He’s not elite by any means, but he can eat innings and has shown flashes of dominance throughout his tenure with San Diego.
Hart did improve markedly on his 2025 season. In 21 more innings, he lowered his ERA by almost a full run. None of his marks were particularly incredible (4.92 ERA, 1.20 WHIP), but he still showed improvement. Command was his biggest problem. Hart walked a career-high 26 batters despite a .218 opponent batting average. If he could find the zone a little more often, Hart could develop into a better relief weapon in the San Diego ‘pen.
That being said, Hart underperformed in 2025 and ‘26. In both years, his expected ERA was more than a full run lower than his actual ERA. That gap was more noticeable in 2026 since he threw more innings, with Hart’s serviceable 3.65 xERA compared to a 4.92 actual ERA. This could be due to a handful of things (defense, environmental factors, etc.), but Hart’s stuff could finally prove up to snuff in 2027 if the Padres give him a chance.
Well, that was quick. It feels like almost before it started, the World Series was over. But the good news is, we can now start looking forward to the 2026 campaign, because the wheels are in motion. The bad news? Nobody known when or in what form that’ll take place. But below, you’ll find an overview of some of the important dates on the calendar, and what they mean for the Diamondbacks. I’ll pin this just off the front page for reference over the winter.
October 29: Free Agents File
Eligible players file for free agency today, the day after the World Series ends. It begins a five-day “quiet period” where teams can negotiate with their own free agents, but the players are unable to sign anywhere else. They also come off the 40-man roster at that point. Those in question are:
Taylor Clarke
Zac Gallen
Kevin Ginkel
Jonathan Loaisiga
James McCann
Dennis Santana
Michael Soroka
Ildemaro Vargas
In addition, Ryan Thompson and A.J. Puk will become free agents, but are currently on the 60-day Injured List, so do not free up 40-man spots. That’ll take our 40-man roster, currently at 39, down to 31 spots.
Teams must decide whether to extend one-year Qualifying Offers to any free agents. To be eligible for a QO, a player must have spent the entire 2025 season with his team and never previously received one. There’s only one potential candidate for Arizona, in Soroka. But as we’ll see below, that seems unlikely. Any player that does get one will have 10 days to accept or decline it. If a player declines and signs with a new team, then his old team will receive draft pick compensation. I trust we all remember what happened last winter with Gallen.
November 1: Rawlings Gold Glove Winners announced
As discussed, Arizona have four candidates among the final nominees. Gabriel Moreno at catcher; Geraldo Perdomo at shortstop; Corbin Carroll in right field; and Ildemaro Vargas as a utility player. I think we’ll end up with just one, Moreno and Carroll probably being the most likely.
November 3: Free Agency Opens
Free agency begins and players are free to sign with clubs. This is also the last day that teams can issue Qualifying Offers to eligible free agents.
November 3: 60-day injured list reinstatement
Players that are currently on the 60-day Injured List must also be added back to the 40-man roster five days after the World Series ends. In addition to Puk and Thompson, mentioned above but departing as free agents, we have Andrew Saalfrank, Cristian Mena and Tyler Lockler on the 60-day IL. Adding that trio back in, brings the roster up to 34. At least it’s less of an issue than the D-backs had last winter, when we had nine players for whom room needed to be found.
November 3: Contract options deadline
The same day is also the deadline for clubs and players to execute or decline any options built into their current contracts. This means the mutual option on Soroka, and Corbin Burnes deciding whether or not to opt out. Odds seem very high that neither of those will be executed. Soroka will want to test free agency after an impressive 2025 campaign, while after ten innings of less than whelming baseball, Burnes isn’t going anywhere. And while not formally official, Bob Nightengale confirmed today that Corbin will be staying.
November 9-12: GM Meetings in Las Vegas
November 9-12: Awards Week
This is when the bulk of the honors get handed out, with the Rookie + Manager of the Year, Cy Young and MVP in each league announced over these four days. Though the Silver Slugger Awards are announced on November 17, and the Heart & Hustle Awards are November 6. Be interesting to see where any D-backs end up. Though I wouldn’t expect any winners, I would not be surprised to see Gabriel Moreno and Eduardo Rodriguez get some down-ballot mentions for the MVP and Cy Young respectively. At least it seems we will be spared another Ohtani love-fest this year.
November 17: Rule 5 Draft Protection deadline
The team will need to make decisions on which prospects they need to add to the 40-man roster, to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. However, there is a real question as to whether there will be a Rule 5 draft this year, as it is scheduled to take place after the expiration of the CBA. Last time it happened, the entire event was simply wiped from existence, so that’s a very real possibility this winter too.
November 17: Qualifying offer deadline
This is the day when players have formally to accept or reject their qualifying offers. Any player not accepting by this date will be considered to have declined, therefore granting his former team draft pick compensation, if they change teams in the off-season. The precise nature of the pick will depend on the value of the contract he signs, and where the team stands in regard to things like revenue sharing and whether they pay Competitive Balance Tax. But this winter, it’s not likely to be of much relevance to the Diamondbacks.
November 20: Tender deadlines
This is the deadline for teams to offer the pre-arbitration and arbitration eligible players a contract for the 2026 season (whatever and whenever that might be!). Players who don’t receive an offer are considered non-tendered and become free agents. Just four D-backs fall into the category this winter. Here’s who Arizona will have to decide on, with their service time and projected salaries for 2026.
Lars Nootbaar (5.076): $6.3m
Pavin Smith (4.144): $2.5m
Gabriel Moreno (4.061): $6.1m
Ryne Nelson (4.020): $3.4m
There’s probably just one candidate to be non-tendered, in Pavin Smith. But he may yet stick around. I kinda hope he does, purely to see the incandescent rage which results from the Twitteratti.
TBD: Hall of Fame Ballot released
None of the returning names reached even sixty percent on last year’s ballot. Chase Utley did jump from 40% to 59%, so if that’s repeated this time, he could be going to Cooperstown. Otherwise, the focus might be more on the new names joining the ballot. They’re likely headed by Buster Posey, with Jon Lester, Brett Gardiner and Ryan Zimmerman also in the 40+ bWAR club. Former D-backs who might be mentioned are mostly a “What, they played for us?” Gambo’s favorite catcher Alex Avila is eligible, as are Will Harris, Jon Jay and Joachim Soria. And a Cy Young winner, in the shape of some guy called Trevor Bauer. No possibility for controversy there…
December 1: CBA expires
Yep, at the end of the first day in December, everything seems to indicate that we will be heading for a lockout, as the players and owners butt heads, about who gets to stick their heads deeper into the trough of MLB revenue. I really don’t care about that. I just want a landscape on the far side, where teams do not need a $400 million payroll to have a chance of competing in the NL West. If the price for that is a summer where I get through my Tubi queue instead, I am fine with it.
Therefore, everything below is potentially likely to be rescheduled and/or canceled.
December 7-9: Winter Meetings in Orlando
December 8: MLB Draft Lottery
With Arizona having had the best record of the teams who did not qualify for the postseason (as well as a better record than some who did, grumble grumble), their odds of a good pick in the draft are slight. According to Tankathon, the Diamondbacks have a 2.3% chance of moving up for a pick in the top six, but only a 0.23% of getting the #1 overall choice. Hey, weirder things have happened. It’s better than no chance at all, which would have been the odds before the draft lottery. The Rockies (surprise!), Angels and Athletics are the favorites for the top pick each having about a 19% chance.
December 9: Rule 5 Draft
Minor League players not on a team’s 40-man roster who have been in professional baseball for four (for college players) or five (for high school players) are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft. During the Major League portion of the draft, any player selected must remain on that team’s active roster for the entire season or be offered back to their original club (with some stipulations around time spent on an Injured List). This has been a point of pain for Arizona in the past, losing Dan Uggla. We haven’t picked anyone in the major-league portion since Zach Pop in 2020, and he was immediately traded to the Marlins. If you’re asking “Who?” though, that’s kinda the point…
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 15: Bo Bichette #19 of the New York Mets looks on during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Citi Field on September 15, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In a move that should hardly come as a surprise to anyone who watched the 2026 Mets, Bo Bichette is expected to exercised his player option and return to New York in 2027, according to sources cited by Will Sammon. Bichette will earn $42 million next season, and also carries a player option for the same amount for 2028.
The Mets signed Bichette within 24 hours of whiffing in their pursuit of Kyle Tucker (Tucker eventually signed with the Dodgers). Bichette joined the Mets shortly after the team let Pete Alonso go and traded Brandon Nimmo away, so the move was, in part a measure of appeasing the fans who wanted the team to make a splash and in part a move to fortify a lineup that needed someone to protect Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto. Bichette was coming off a 2025 season in which he posted a 134 wRC+, a career best in a full season, and 3.8 fWAR while leading the Blue Jays to the American League pennant.
Bichette hit the market presumably seeking a long-term deal as he prepared to enter his age-28 season, he failed in that endeavor. As a result, he landed a short-term contract with the Mets, with the expectation that he would perform close to his career norms and exercise the opt out to get that long-term deal the following offseason. That scenario did not play out as expected.
Bichette started out slow, slashing .213/.271/.229 with five homers and a 61 wRC+ through June 2, but he picked it up after that point, hitting .289/.337/.447 with 13 home runs and a 117 wRC+ over the final 99 games of the season. He finished the year hitting .260/.312/.390 with 18 home runs, 76 runs scored, 78 runs batted in, a 96 wRC+, and 1.9 fWAR in 160 games.
Mets fans got a glimpse of the player Bichette could be from June 3 onward, but the surge following the slow start and overall numbers made opting out a foolish move for Bichette. With the lockout looming and an uncertain 2027 season ahead, taking $42 million guaranteed is a no-brainer. Combine that with his final stat line, and you have a recipe for a second year in New York. That doesn’t mean Bichette can’t rebound, and doing so would give the Mets another solid weapon in a lineup that already includes Lindor and Soto—both hoping to bounce back from injury-plagued seasons—and youngsters like Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing (as well as a couple of impressive prospects waiting in the wings).
Bichette exercising the option is the first domino to fall in what is expected to be a frenetic offseason leading up to the anticipated lockout on December 2. With a flurry of activity expected between now and then, you can expect many more moves to follow before all transactions and activity are shut down.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 7: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres walks off the field at the end of the fourth inning during Game Four of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park on October 7, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts signed an 11-year, $280 million contract with the San Diego Padres prior to the 2023 season. After a decade with the Boston Red Sox, Bogaerts hit the free-agent market. He rejected an initial four-year, $90 million offer, followed by a six-year, $162 million offer from the Red Sox. By turning down offers of $22.5 million a year for four years and $27 million a year for six years, Bogaerts made it clear that a long-term deal was the only option for a team wanting to sign him.
Gaslamp Ball’s Lincoln Zudnick began his Padres roster review after the Friars were eliminated from the playoffs. His grade for Bogaerts, a C+, reflected the shortstop’s decidedly mediocre performance in a Padres uniform. It would be hard to argue with the grade. Bogaerts arrived in San Diego and has never resembled the player he was in Boston. Taking into account injuries that significantly affected his performance in the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the past season was basically injury-free, yet it was his worst offensive season yet.
A look at the underlying numbers shows a career-low effectiveness against offspeed pitches. After hitting .318 versus offspeed in 2025, Bogaerts had a .138 batting average in 2026. Looking back over past seasons, offspeed and breaking pitches have challenged Bogaerts in the past but never to the extent as in this past season.
After being unable to bring his average above .212 for any month following April, Bogaerts and the Padres’ hitting coaches brought the split grip into Bogaerts’ approach. For the month of September, Bogaerts hit .315 with a .479 slugging percentage.
He carried that over into the postseason, hitting .286/.348/.476 in the six games.
The big question remains: what happened to Bogaerts’ power after arriving in San Diego?
His bat speed and exit velocity remain consistent. His launch angle and sweet spot numbers have taken the biggest drop over the past three seasons, but his hard-hit percentage also remains consistent.
The defense is still good
With average to below-average arm strength, Bogaerts is still an above-average shortstop. Over his four seasons with the Padres, his Outs Above Average have always been three or above, even during the two seasons when injuries curtailed his effectiveness. He will be in his age 34 season in 2027, past his prime and having to work much harder to stay in his position. No doubt that will change at some point before the end of the contract, and his position will need to change.
One thing seems clear: he is not an option for DH with his offensive struggles. First base would be a likely spot for the future, a subject not yet publicly addressed.
Getting the most out of the investment
Per Fangraphs, which places a dollar value on players in their stats pages, Bogaerts was worth $36.8 million in his first season with the Padres (2023). Since then, his value has been $16.3 million (2024), $25.9 million (2025), and $21.1 million for the past season. The average annual value for his contract is $25.45 million.
Most of his value has been placed on the defensive side since his 2023 season.
Manager Craig Stammen obviously recognized the need to move the veteran down in the batting order as his struggles went on for most of the season. At the bottom third of the batting order, Bogaerts can be more effective as he has consistently had an on-base average over .300 and mostly above .320 as a Padre. His strikeout rate is consistent, and he had his highest walk rate this past season.
Minimizing the damage
There is no arguing that the Padres have a payroll weighed down by two aging veterans with crippling contracts. Both Manny Machado and Bogaerts will be well past their productive years by the time the two contracts expire in 2033.
Making the most of that investment will be the challenge the organization has to deal with in the coming seasons. Machado is still highly productive, despite having his worst season offensively. Bogaerts will need to be open to change in order for the team to minimize the damage done by signing a player who has not been able to repeat his previous success.
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 27: Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) is seen after the eighth inning of an MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Toronto Blue Jays on September 27, 2026, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Jays have eight players who declared free agency today: Shane Bieber, Patrick Corbin, Yimi Garcia, Max Scherzer, Paul Sewald, George Springer, Jameson Taillon, and Luis Urias.
Only six teams have more free agents:
The Braves have ten free agents. Including our old friends Rowdy Tellez and Lane Thomas.
The Yankees also have ten free agents: David Bednar, Paul Blackburn, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Michael Fulmer, Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham, Tim Hill, Amed Rosario, John Schreiber, Ryan Yarbrough.
The Dodgers have nine free agents: Kris Bubic, Brusdar Graterol, Enrique Hernandez, Eric Lauer, Evan Phillips, Miguel Rojas, Tarik Skubal, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia.
The Padres have nine: Old friends Ty France and Robbie Ray are among them.
The Cubs have nine: Old friend Kevin Gausman and Trent Thornton are on their list. Seiya Suzuki is an interesting name on the list.
The Diamondbacks have nine: Taylor Clarke, Zac Gallen, Kevin Ginkel, Jonathan Loaisiga, James McCann, A.J. Puk, Dennis Santana, Ryan Thompson, Ildemaro Vargas
Other old friends becoming free agents: Chris Bassitt, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Randal Grichuk,Trevor Richards, Jordan Romano, Jacob Waguespack, Daulton Varsho, Luke Maile, and Travis d’Arnaud.
Another old friend, Bo Bichette has decided to stay with the Mets, keeping his $42 million option. I was pretty sure he would.
You can see the whole list of free agents here. If there is someone you think the Jays should chase, tell us about it.
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 01: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates scoring during the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on August 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves, who won 94 games, the NL East Division title and the NL Wild Card Series over the Phillies, made the no-brainer decision of all no-brainer decisions today.
The #Braves today exercised options for OF Ronald Acuña Jr. and INF Ozzie Albies for the 2027 season. Atlanta also reinstated RHPs Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider and Hurston Waldrep, as well as LHP Joey Wentz, from the 60-day injured list.
The Braves signed Ronald Acuña Jr to a very hometown-friendly contract that allows Atlanta to retain 2023 NL Most Valuable Player. They will pay him 17 million dollars (eh, in theory if all 162 games are played) for the 2027 season. Ozzie Albies signed a much more team-friendly contract. The Braves will pay Ozzie Albies a lockout-pending 7 million dollars.
Some portions of Braves Country were certain Ronald would not be back. I believe most of those don’t watch the regular season games, believe things on social media, or both. But he’s due to make 6 million fewer dollars than MLB qualifying offers. When healthy, he’s amazing. When not healthy, he hears about it. Much the same goes for Ozzie Albies. The Braves have paid him 38 million for 23 WAR over the last 10 years. He did have a career low in wRC+ this season. But it appears they’ll keep the good vibes going one more season. It would probably prove more trouble to replace Albies this season than to keep him, and should serve as the bridge for prospects waiting in Double-A.
The Braves did some bookkeeping as well today as the postseason kicked off. They reinstated Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz from the 60-day Injured List. Alex Anthopoulos has already told us that we should not expect Spencer Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider to just pick up where they left off. Joey Wentz’s injury is at least a lower body one, blowing out his right ACL fielding a meaningless Spring Training bunt attempt. But hey, at least it’s not his arm (whistles past Joe Jimenez).
Welcome back, Ronnie and Ozzie. Let’s get this silly labor spat decided and watch some dingers, shall we?
Oct 11, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros major league coach Jason Kanzler (41) fist bumps designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) during player introductions before game one of the ALDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs against the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
Over the past couple of weeks, the Mariners’ search for a Dan Wilson replacement has heated up. A couple of names with connections to the division-rival Astros, Joe Espada and Jason Kanzler, have been at the forefront of the conversation. With rumors continuing to swirl on Tuesday morning, the LL staff Slack channel discussed their thoughts on the most recent developments. Join the discussion down in the comments! (And keep an eye out for added context in italicized parentheticals like this one -JJ). [Or Ed. notes like this one. -KP]
Grant Bronsdon: Adam Jude makes it sound like it’s just Espada and Kanzler in the mix as the two finalists.
(Grant posted a link to a Seattle Times report from Jude in which Espada and Kanzler are described as the two finalists for the job, having been scheduled for in-person interviews with the team.)
Ryan Blake: I like Espada fine enough.
Ben Thoen: I assume his 54% winning percentages in his two seasons prior to last have been referenced. But yeah, I agree, two division titles in three years, familiarity with our rival, and Spanish-speaking are all major pluses.
Zach Mason: Two AL West titles, though.
ZAM(referencing an excerpt from the report that states the Mariners could still talk to candidates with the Rays or Brewers after the World Series): Oh, shit! That’s Daniel Vogelbach’s music!
(At the time of the discussion, Vogelbach was still over 24 hours from becoming a World Series champion with the Brewers.)
Connor Donovan: I forget who wrote it (Chandler Rome?) but I read a profile on Espada after he was let go and came away thinking that he’d be another Dan re: managing the clubhouse and we all saw how that went this past year. Would just be pretty uninspiring, in my opinion.
[Ed. note: I think this is the piece Connor is referring to; Rome also did some radio hits and podcast appearances talking about Espada after he was let go.]
Evan James: Sure feels like they wanted Baldelli and outside of that they’ll have to settle. Shame, he was the only candidate with the native experience to communicate with Dom Canzone.
Ryan: I think Dan managed the clubhouse well and he shouldn’t have been fired, so Dan 2.0 is good with me, re: Espada.
Connor: I think the hands off approach worked fine in 2025 but this past year with guys playing hurt all the time among other things has convinced me that the team needs someone that can put their foot down a bit. I was also a bit of a Dan apologist but it clearly just wasn’t working. Besides, the minute a reliever gives up a run or a pinch hitter strikes out the usual voices will be screaming “fire Espada/Kanzler.”
Evan: Agreed, it’s Kanzler. Younger than me. He also sounds like a Pokemon, which is fun.
John Trupin: Kate, your point about [Nationals manager Blake] Butera that you expanded upon in the blurb is a big question mark here. The Nats seemed to have success with a roster that is super young and had no expectations. That’s not to say Kanzler couldn’t succeed here but it’s a distinct challenge.
Ryan: Every answer I’ve seen him give is a really long nothing-burger. To lead people we need to be people then lead ourselves first. Coding hobbyist is what I used to say when I didn’t know how to code. First meeting he better be asked to speak some Spanish.
Connor:
Kate Preusser: I would read the Athletic profile of Butera linked in the piece. I didn’t know a lot about Butera and I came away pretty impressed and confident in his ability to lead despite his age. It’s a different situation for sure but I don’t think youth is necessarily a problem. I actually think some enthusiastic cringe energy might be good. I also think there’s a chance there’s a secret candidate or two not being leaked but Kramer’s report citing internal sources felt pretty deflating about that.
Ryan: Arthur suggests Espada and Kanzler might both get hired and I don’t hate sticking Kanzler as bench coach assuming we have the vet as manager.
John: Ryan, I’m sorry I think you have explained somewhat but would you mind elucidating your scammer fears comprehensively?
ZAM: We call this management move PIOTS-baiting, and it’s not a tactic we should fall for. [Ed. note 1: “PIOTS” is shorthand for “Put It On The Site” i.e. move these discussions to where people can see them; Ed. note 2: haha.]
Ryan: The few quotes I’ve seen from him have been very long, jargonny, nothingness — he talks like Dipoto. Everything I can find about him screams stereotype millenial ladder climber. I just don’t think the players will respect it. I also think forgetting to scrub socials is a big deal. That’s a massive red flag for a job that’s like 90% image/media management. Maybe he winds up being fine but this is not a good start if it is indeed the Kanzler era.
Connor: It’s one thing if his posting was like, racist or problematic in other ways but it just seemed kinda cringe more than anything. Which yeah, it’s easy to poke fun at but ultimately it doesn’t matter if he’s cringe or not; what matters is that the players buy in. Which, to be fair, is no guarantee.
Kate: I think after Wilson being an energy vortex I am ready for the opposite, even if that energy is cringe millennial-hustle culture, that at least is a vision? And I could see a room full of very Baseball Player Dudes buying into that. That being said, I am writing up some under-the-radar candidates and I want Billy Boyer in this organization like yesterday.
Ryan: That is a fair take, Kate. I don’t know, I could see them laughing in his face or being like “whoa finally my people.”
Isabelle Minasian: Let the record show I am 100% with Ryan on Kanzler who, among other things, seems like a guy who has had raw milk at least once.
ZAM: I know it’s inarticulate to discuss vibes and point to expertise rather than arguing, but I have spent 14 years as a consumer protection lawyer, and Kanzler just really tingles my grifter Spidey sense. But that doesn’t mean it’s not what will work for the players whose jerseys we buy.
ZAM: But I am also just very dispirited that our two choices are both Astros people.
“At Buffalo, Kanzler became best friends and roommates with catcher Tom Murphy, now a prospect with the Colorado Rockies. Murphy and Kanzler became favorites of Buffalo coach Ron Torgalski.”
The discussion ended on a high note with Isabelle pointing out Kanzler’s connection to Murphy, the now-former Mariner. So, LL community, give us your thoughts! Are you satisfied with the Mariners’ managerial finalists? Do you prefer one to the other? Let us know in the comments below!
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 19: Osleivis Basabe #39 and Jason Foley #64 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on August 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It wasn’t long into September before we all noticed that the San Francisco Giants had a looming numbers bomb waiting for them five days after the conclusion of the World Series. While the team wound up using a record 71 players this season, they had 55 players for 40 spots thanks to those still on the roster via in the injured list. We are now about 15 hours since the conclusion of the World Series (congrats, Brewers!) and the number is down to 52, thanks to the following moves:
LHP Matt Gage was waived, cleared waivers, and outrighted to Triple-A.
IF Osleivis Basabe was waived, cleared waivers, and outrighted to Triple-A.
RHP Jason Foley was waived, cleared waivers, and outrighted to Triple-A.
Mariners claimed OF Grant McCray off waivers.
Nationals claimed RHP Braxton Roxby off waivers.
A month and a half ago, I attempted to clear the brush as a thought exercise and just tracking that, I missed out on two of these: Foley and Roxby. Pretty easy guys to lose, even in the moment, but I thought Foley’s remaining MLB option and Roxby being a recent acquisition might be factors for keeping them. Not so.
As Andrew Baggarly points out in his writeup, Foley’s stuff just wasn’t there in his 26 innings — just 15 strikeouts. If the Giants are committed to adding more stuff to their pitching staff, then yeah, phasing out these pitch to contact relievers supercharges the process. Foley’s career K/9 is just 6.58. Roxby’s has been 11+ per 9 in his MiLB career, but losing a 27-year old reliever with just 5.1 MLB innings to waivers is just the cost of doing business. He’d have been good enough to keep around if they could hold on to him, but they couldn’t and so that just creates a new opportunity for the next guy.
Speaking of, it seems like Grant McCray has been “the next guy” for the last few years. He just hasn’t been able to take advantage. But, he’ll be just 26 next season and he still has an MiLB option. Plenty of dudes have figured it out at this phase of their lives/careers.
The Giants need to deal with at least 12 more players in the next four and a half days. They’ll have a little more time after (November 17th) to figure out who to add to the 40-man to protect in the Rule 5. Right now, we can figure these following players are locks through these next four and a half days: Logan Webb, Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, Daniel Susac, Randy Rodriguez, Adrian Houser, Jung Hoo Lee, Harrison Bader, Bryce Eldridge, Marcelo Mayer, Bo Davidson, Matt Wilkinson, Cesar Perdomo, Jonah Cox, Victor Bericoto, Drew Gilbert, Anthony Molina, and Landen Roupp.
19 players for 40 spots. So, really, the choices involve this soup of 33 players:
Catchers
Drew Cavanaugh Andrew Knizner Zach Morgan Jesus Rodriguez
Infielders
Nate Furman Brett Harris Christian Koss Shay Whitcomb
Outfielders
Scott Bandura Turner Hill
Pitchers
Tristan Beck Hayden Birdsong Jose Butto Duncan Davitt Camilo Doval Trent Harris Sam Hentges Joel Kuhnel Seth Lonsway Yunior Marte Trevor McDonald Miguel Mendez Joel Peguero Reiver Sanmartin Carson Seymour Dylan Smith Blade Tidwell Ryan Walker Carson Whisenhunt Rowan Wick Keaton Winn
The Milwaukee Brewers are the World Series champions, and the MLB offseason has begun. But it’s unclear when the next game will be played.
The league’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1, and MLB owners are expected to initiate a lockout the very next day. The last labor stoppage in 2022 minimally disrupted the schedule, merely pushing back Opening Day a week and keeping all games intact. The 1994 strike, on the other hand, cost baseball 1,200 games across two seasons and resulted in the cancellation of the World Series.
The cavernous divide between MLB and its union signals there’s a long road ahead, and Opening Night on March 24, 2027, will come quickly. Here are the key dates to follow on baseball’s calendar.
Oct. 29
Free agency began the day after the World Series, and trading resumed. After a five-day exclusivity window, players can talk to and sign with other clubs.
Teams’ moves this stretch may indicate what they’re anticipating in the next CBA. For example, if a salary floor was to be implemented in tandem with a cap, that would leave a bevy of low-spending teams scrambling to bring their payrolls up. Doing so before the lockout would, in theory, allow them to spend that money with more optionality. MLB’s proposal does call for a phased-in approach, though, so clubs may have some leeway in sorting their rosters.
A similar phenomenon could play out on the other side as well, as players could rush to lock in the best possible deal while salaries are still uncapped. Existing contracts are expected to be honored under the next labor agreement.
Nov. 1
The posting window for players from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league begins. The annual window runs through Dec. 5, and MLB teams have 45 days after a player is posted to negotiate a contract. A lockout-induced free agency freeze would apply to NPB signings as well. The biggest name expected to be posted this offseason is infield slugger Teruaki Sato.
Nov. 10-12
The clubs’ general managers will meet in Las Vegas to discuss league matters and lay the groundwork for future deals. With just a few weeks to get anything done, that could either kickstart or slow down the process.
Nov. 17-19
MLB owners will get together in New York City the following week. The expectation is that gathering would focus on strategies for the labor fight and protocols for the lockout once it’s officially in place.
Dec. 1
The CBA officially expires. Clubs can no longer talk to players. Players can no longer use team facilities. Transactions cannot occur. Of course, this only applies to the major leaguers. The minor leaguers are governed by their own CBA.
Dec. 7-9
Winter Meetings, held this year in San Diego, tend to build on the previous get-together of executives and yield significant offseason moves. Also, the draft lottery is slated for Dec. 8 and the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 9. A lockout could postpone, or cancel, all three.
January
The new year brings procedural tasks. Arbitration figures are exchanged and settled. The international amateur signing period opens. MLB clubs can still make moves not tied to their 40-man rosters. But anything governing those players will likely get put off until after the labor dispute is resolved.
February
No specific date has been announced for pitchers and catchers to report, but traditionally, it happens around early-to-mid-February. The official start of Spring Training comes shortly after.
Players generally need around four to six weeks to ramp up for the season, so if a deal hasn’t been reached by this point, canceling games comes closer to reality.
March 24-25
The 2027 MLB season is scheduled to begin with a Wednesday night game on Netflix on March 24, followed by a full slate of games on Opening Day on Thursday, March 25. This is the earliest date MLB has ever picked to start its season, short of international accommodations. The previous record for the start was March 26. If the lockout bleeds into March, Opening Day will almost certainly be pushed back or games would be canceled.
May
If MLB loses about 60 games, which means a season wouldn’t start until around late May or later, it could reportedly have major broadcast implications. In that scenario, many of the league’s broadcast contracts would extend another season, according to anonymous sources cited by The Athletic.
July 13
Chicago’s Wrigley Field is set to host the All-Star game in July, but if a significant number of games are lost, it would not be unprecedented for MLB to cut the exhibition. There is reportedly a contingency in place where the Cubs would host the game in 2029 if it is, in fact, canceled, according to USA Today.
Sept. 26
The postseason is set to pick up after the end of the regular season on Sept. 26. Any changes at this point could be a doomsday scenario for the sport, conjuring memories of what baseball lost in 1994.
