Category: Baseball

You don’t want to trade from your talented core of position players. You only have so much money to throw around to free agents who don’t exactly list West Sacramento as their first choice. Starting pitching is at a premium.

So how exactly does a smaller budget team add to a position player core with a SP while roughly 37 other teams are aiming to do the same?

Some names have come up repeatedly, such as Clay Holmes, whose extreme ground ball tendencies would be a terrific fit. We’ll see how much the A’s are willing to open their pocketbooks for a desirable free agent SP — they did it once with Luis Severino and got mixed results. Perhaps more likely is a trade for a SP whose warts make him attainable but whose stuff makes him a potential steal.

Here are a couple “out of the box” possibilities for how Smith and the A’s could “zag” in their quest to compete in 2027…

Brayan Bello

One of the reasons his name tops the list is that he is on the Red Sox and Smith has a working relationship with his former club. This has already been evidenced in Smith’s first deal, a relatively minor one to acquire the versatile defender and speedster Nate Eaton.

Bello’s 2026 season started rougher than even a Jeffrey Springs outing in West Sacramento. Bello pitched himself right out of the rotation with a first half that produced a 6.06 ERA with 11 HR amongst a ghastly 80 hits in 65.1 IP.

However, in the second half Bello righted the ship and then some, albeit out of the bullpen. Not only did he post a stellar 2.12 ERA in 51 IP, he surrendered just 1 HR.

Why might Bello be a “hidden treasure” for the A’s to target?

1. With a career fastball velocity of 95.7 MPH (95.8 MPH in 2026), a slider, and a plus changeup, Bello’s stuff has always been in the “front of the rotation” category when he can harness it.

2. Bello has a heavy sinker that gets a lot of ground balls (52.6% career), which is a great fit for the A’s right now and probably in Las Vegas.

3. Due to his recent struggles, questions around his suitability to start rather than relieve, and his contract ($49.5M over 4 years from 2026-29 with a $1M buyout for 2030), the prospect/player capital required to acquire Bello should be low.

4. If Bello is a solid mid-rotation SP he’s a steal at around $12M/year and gives the A’s a quality pitcher for 4 seasons. Even as a key “plus reliever” he would be valuable.

Drew Rasmussen

Hey, aim high. Rasmussen is a true #1 SP when he’s healthy, just the kind of pitcher the A’s would love to add. Normally he would be completely out of the question, but circumstances put him into the conversation for a team like the A’s.

1. There has been considerable buzz that the Rays will move Rasmussen because his 2027 salary rose to $20M when several incentives kicked in and he is only under contract for one more season. The Rays, like Billy Beane’s A’s, tend to make decisions less on emotion and more on good business, and moving Rasmussen to cash in on his value appears to be the way the Rays are thinking — at least according to pundits who claim to be in the know.

2. The A’s don’t have to play “red-headed step child” in a sweepstakes for Rasmussen like they do with free agents. The two teams have a trading history, recently with Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez coming to the A’s, and if the A’s are the team making the offer which makes the most sense to Tampa Bay there’s no reason a deal can’t be made. Tampa Bay also happens to be the other team with whom Smith has a history.

3. Because he has only one year left on his contract, and because he is now owed $20M, the haul needed to acquire him is not quite what his stats might suggest off the cuff. That being said, he’s good enough that the return won’t exactly be cheap.

Are there win-win deals for either of those potential trades and if so what might a swap look like? Or are there other targets more likely to come to pass you want to put out there for consideration?

It’s hard to dabble in the free agent market for a top end SP because they tend to be prohibitively expensive, looking for destinations and World Series aspirations the A’s just can’t boast along side their peers right now. So I’m more expecting a trade to bolster the rotation. The question is, can the A’s find a worthy SP going that route? Perhaps soon we’ll learn what Smith thinks the answer is.

As the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate their World Series championship, Andrew Friedman and Co. are gearing up for an offseason that carries a lot of uncertainty for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

LA fell short in its bid for a historic three-peat and, despite the ongoing federal investigations surrounding Dodgers owner Mark Walter that has led to the sale of several of the Guggenheim majority partner's pro sports franchises (such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Chelsea FC), Friedman has said he's under no impression that he'll have any less resources.

"It's been business as usual for us," Friedman said at the Dodgers' end of year press conference.

But "business as usual" can only mean so much entering an offseason that could potentially reshape the business of baseball.

The league's collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Dec. 1. The 30 MLB and the MLB Players Association haven't gotten any closer to agreeing to terms before that deadline, with the owners' push to implement a salary cap a major point of contention, making a lockout seem all but certain.

If a cap were to be introduced in 2027, the Dodgers and their $384.7 million luxury tax payroll would be among the clubs most affected. But regardless of where the chips may fall a month from now, Friedman plans to be aggressive in improving the roster to prepare for another run in 2027.

"It's about us being as prepared as we can be, depending on what opportunities pop up and when, to be able to pounce," he said. "But we feel good about our jumping off point of where we are."

Here's what that may look like this winter:

Dodgers pending free agents

The Dodgers have eight players set to hit free agency, not counting the now-retired Miguel Rojas. Several fee agents have been stalwarts through the team's World Series runs this decade, such as Alex Vesia, Kiké Hernández, Blake Treinen and Evan Phillips. There is no bigger name available this winter, however, than Tarik Skubal. The Dodgers paid a steep price to acquire the back-to-back Cy Young winner from the Detroit Tigers at this year's trade deadline, but his future in LA is up in the air.

Skubal is expected to become one of the highest-paid pitchers of all time on the open market. The Dodgers have shown a willingness to let rentals, such as Yu Darvish, Max Scherzer and Manny Machado, walk over the years, and Skubal might not be an exception.

"I can't say enough good things about the impact he made in such a short period of time," Friedman said. "We have a tremendous amount of respect for him on and off the field and for us, he's put himself in this position to go out and be a free agent. ... He and his family get to make a choice over where they want to spend the next X number of years and, obviously, we wish them nothing but the best."

Outside of Skubal, the other top arms available in free agency include Freddy Peralta, Michael King and maybe Sonny Gray if the Red Sox decline his $30 million option. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Luis Arraez, Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki headline the position player side, but none appear to be clear fits within the Dodgers' lineup.

Here's a full list of every Dodgers free agent:

• Tarik Skubal, LHP
• Evan Phillips, RHP
• Kiké Hernández, UTIL
• Alex Vesia, LHP
• Kris Bubic, LHP
• Blake Treinen, RHP
• Brusdar Graterol, RHP
• Eric Lauer, LHP

Dodgers trade candidates

The other biggest question facing the Dodgers this offseason is where Josue De Paula fits. The 21-year-old thrived in his two weeks in the big leagues filling in for Shohei Ohtani at DH, enough so that he earned a spot on the postseason roster as a lefty bat off the bench. His poise, confidence and command of the strike zone have shown to be MLB-ready, in a small sample size, but his glove still has room for improvement.

Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes applauded De Paula's jump defensively from 2025 to '26, and they fully expect him to take a similar leap entering 2027.

"We've all seen what he's capable of in the box, which is incredibly exciting," Gomes said. "With that being said, we already have a very talented core group already here. So, it's finding those opportunities but also making sure that throughout this offseason and coming into spring that he continues to improve and gets to that bar and gets to be an above average defender."

If De Paula does take that next step over the winter, Teoscar Hernández could be a candidate to be moved entering the final year of his contract.

And don't discount the Dodgers' willingness to trade some of their top prospects for more firepower that can help them right now. While Friedman acknowledged the importance of the farm system in helping the Dodgers transition from an aging roster, many of those top prospects play the same position, which might lead to limited opportunities for development. Four of their six prospects ranked in MLB Pipeline's Top 100 − De Paula, Eduardo Quintero, Mike Sirota and Charles Davalan − are all outfielders.

Friedman isn't too worried about that. He's noticed things usually "sort themselves out" when it comes to the farm system. Guys change positions, get injured, fall off − or get traded − all the time in the minor leagues.

There's some sorting around the front office will have to do, but this wave of young talent is what keeps Friedman hopeful the Dodgers will be able to avoid "falling off a cliff," the way most veteran teams eventually do.

"That is why we have poured so much energy and focus into our farm system," he said. "… We couldn't feel more bullish on the position player core group, from A-ball through Triple-A that are coming, and obviously we've traded away a lot of really talented players also.

"… We feel really good about our future outlook."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles Dodgers offseason outlook: Free agents, trade candidates

HOUSTON — The Houston Astros hired St. Louis Cardinals executive Randy Flores as general manager Friday.

Flores replaces Dana Brown, who was let go in August with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. The Astros also need to hire a manager this offseason — Joe Espada’s contract was not renewed after the AL West champions were swept by the Chicago White Sox in their wild-card series.

The 51-year-old Flores becomes the 15th general manager in franchise history. He had been serving as St. Louis’ assistant general manager of amateur and pro acquisition.

The former major league pitcher joined the Cardinals’ front office as director of scouting in 2015 and spent eight seasons (2019-26) as an assistant GM with the club.

“Randy has had a huge impact on the Cardinals over the last 10 seasons,” Astros owner Jim Crane said in a statement. “Throughout the entire interview process we’ve been thoroughly impressed with Randy and his background in scouting and player acquisition. We’re happy to welcome Randy and his family to the Astros and we can’t wait to get to work on bringing another championship to Houston.”

Flores will be formally introduced by the Astros in a news conference Monday morning at Daikin Park.

“I am excited and grateful for this amazing opportunity,” Flores said. “The Astros have a long winning tradition under Jim Crane and I look forward to contributing to the success. I want to thank the Cardinals organization for the opportunities and support that made this next chapter possible. My family and I are excited to make Houston home.”

The Astros cut ties with Brown on Aug. 24. Three assistant general managers and Hall of Famer and special adviser Jeff Bagwell took over his responsibilities for the remainder of the season while Crane sought a replacement.

Houston went 81-81 to win the AL West for the fifth time in six years, becoming the first big league club without a winning record to reach the playoffs in a non-shortened season.

Flores pitched in the majors for eight seasons from 2002-10, going 11-5 with a 4.61 ERA and four saves. The left-hander made 347 relief appearances and three starts for Texas, Colorado, St. Louis and Minnesota.

Randy Flores found Tommy Edman in the sixth round and Lars Nootbaar in the eighth for the St. Louis Cardinals. The Houston Astros are hoping he can find them a manager and another championship.

On Friday, the Astros announced that they hired Flores, a former big leaguer and the Cardinals' current assistant general manager and scouting director, as their new GM. That ends a search that started in August when Dana Brown was pushed out.

The first job on Flores' desk is filling the hole in the dugout. Houston let manager Joe Espada go on Oct. 14.

Flores, 51, takes over a team that won the American League West at 81-81. No team had ever reached the postseason in a full season with a lower winning percentage. Then the Chicago White Sox swept the Astros out of the wild-card round at Daikin Park, their ninth straight home playoff loss.

Like Brown, Flores came up on the scouting side of the game. He has run the Cardinals' drafts since 2025 and became assistant GM in 2018. Nolan Gorman, Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn, Dylan Carlson and Brendan Donovan were all his picks. So was Zac Gallen, who turned into an All-Star after St. Louis traded him.

Flores wasn't the name everyone expected. Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine was reported as Houston's top target, but he had just signed an extension in Milwaukee. Former Nationals GM Mike Rizzo interviewed last week. White Sox assistant GM Josh Barfield and Houston's assistant GMs Charles Cook and Gavin Dickey were also in the mix.

Who is Randy Flores?

Flores is a former big-league lefty.

The New York Yankees drafted him in 1997 out of USC, where he won 42 games, a school record. He pitched parts of eight seasons for the Rangers, Rockies, Cardinals and Twins and finished with a 4.61 ERA over 250 innings.

The Guardians have declined their option on relievers Shawn Armstrong and Trevor Stephan for 2027, and selected the contract of shortstop Milan Tolentino.

Armstrong had a 1.04 ERA in 8.2 innings in the playoffs, but a 4.58 ERA during an injury-plagued 2026. I guess it wasn’t worth the extra $6.5M to keep him for 2027 (they owe him a $1.5M payment in any case). Stephan has yet to be able to find his former relief excellence since he had Tommy John, putting up an ERA of 10.44 in the minors last season.

Tolentino is 24 years old and put up only a 102 wRC+ in Columbus for 2026 but he did have an .806 OPS vs RHP and he has a sensational glove. I think he could be a better utility infield option than Daniel Schneemann or Gabriel Arias. He’s a depth piece and this prevents him from becoming a minor-league free agent.

Next up is making decisions on whom to protect from the Rule-5 draft by November 17th and who gets tendered contracts among arbitration-eligible players by November 20th. And, we will see if the Guardians do anything before then.

The Diamondbacks parted ways with pitching coach Brian Kaplan quickly at the end of the season, ending his tenure in the position just shy of two years. But they appear to have wasted no time in getting a replacement, with reports this afternoon that they will be hiring the bullpen coach of the San Diego Padres, Ben Fritz. Dennis Lin of The Athletic first reported the news. Fritz has been with the Padres’ organization since 2015, and took over as bullpen coach in 2020. This has been his seventh season, with some occasional temporary stints as the team’s overall pitching coach.

He was a first-round pick (30th overall) of the Oakland A’s in the 2002 draft, out of California State University, Fresno. However, his progress through their system was derailed by Tommy John surgery which cost him basically the entire 2005 season. He was never quite the same after, his career peaking in 2006 with 17 starts for Triple-A Sacramento, going 6-6 with a 5.83 ERA. Fritz had a brief stint in the Tigers farm system, and a couple of years in indy ball, before hanging up his cleats after the 2010 season, and eventually moving to the coaching side of the game.

It’s reported that he was also considering a job in the Rockies’ major-league staff. Though being a pitching coach at Coors probably ranks alongside snake milker, in terms of overall appeal. It’ll be interesting to see how his experience with the Padres’ bullpen shifts over to Chase Field. Whole the D-backs’ relief corps was much improved over previous seasons, by most metrics beyond Win Probability, they were no better than middle of the pack. The Padres had a bullpen ERA of 3.53, fifth in the majors and more than half a run better than ours. They were better still by other numbers; second in FIP and xFIP, first in xERA, and San Diego’s fWAR of 8.0 was twice that of Arizona.

Of course, a lot depends on what you have to work with. Having Mason Miller in any bullpen is going to be a bit of a help, to put it mildly. But there is definitely room for improvement in Arizona. We could do simply with missing more bats. The D-backs’ relief strikeout rate this year was ahead of only a handful of teams, at 7.85 K/9 IP. The Padres’ bullpen were again in the top quarter, fanning 1.5 more batters per game than us. Fritz will be working with assistant pitching coach Owen Dew and bullpen coach Wellington Cepeda, whom Steve Gilbert reports will be returning in 2027, who also notes this is likely to be the only change to the staff.

It’s interesting to note that, while Torey Lovullo is now among the longest-tenured managers in the majors (behind only Dave Roberts of the Dodgers and Kevin Cash in Tampa Bay), the team has gone through a slew of pitching coaches since Lovullo took over in 2017. Fritz will be the fifth man to occupy the role in that time, with nobody lasting longer than three seasons:

• Mike Butcher: 2017–2019
• Matt Herges: 2020–2021
• Brent Strom: 2022–2024
• Brian Kaplan: 2025–2026
• Ben Fritz: 2026–present

We’ll see if Fritz can work some magic. His “to-do” list will included fixing Merrill Kelly, getting Corbin Burnes back to his old form, and maintaining the bullpen improvements, despite the loss of a number of arms. Then there’s completing the development of prospects such as Mitch Bratt and Kohl Drake. All of which suggest Ben is going to be a busy man.

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 Dwindling Keystone Player

Jake Cronenworth was drafted in the seventh round of the 2015 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. He ended up being traded to the Padres in the deal that sent Hunter Renfroe and Xavier Edwards to Tampa Bay. Cronenworth made his MLB debut during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign and impressed. He took it to another level in 2021 with 21 homers and a .266/.340/.460 slash line. He hasn’t quite been the same since then.

Overall Grade: D-

Cronenworth’s production has steadily declined since 2021. He was solid in ‘22, batting .239 with 17 home runs and a .722 OPS, but the following year was tough. Cronenworth hit just .229 with a .690 OPS in 2023. His power returned a bit in 2024 (17 homers) before regressing again in 2025 and ‘26. That’s made him a solid defensive option but a relatively impotent bat.

He has certainly proven his value as a defensive player. Although his metrics might not suggest it (-3 Fielding Run Value, -5 Outs Above Average), Cronenworth owns an extremely valuable glove. His ability to serve as a utility infielder makes him a wonderful addition on the roster. He could serve a role as a bench player in the future if San Diego is willing to spend on a new second baseman.

The problem is that Cronenworth’s bat is absolutely anemic. Last season was a true down year with a .225 batting average and a .629 OPS. Part of that problem was due to multiple health problems throughout the year. Cronenworth spent a large portion of the season on the IL due to a concussion he sustained early in the year. That still doesn’t quite explain his .144 batting average prior to the injury.

Daniel Vogelbach has got it going on.

The Brewers’ hitting coach might not have starred on the field as the team won its first World Series, but he certainly starred on stage at the team’s championship rally after the parade.

Presumably after several hours of drinking, Vogelbach, 33, grabbed the mic for a bit of karaoke. He rolled his eyes after hearing the opening chords to “Stacy’s Mom,” the 2003 classic by Fountains of Wayne, which is beloved by millions of millennials.

“All right, if you guys really want this, we’re going to do it,” Vogelbach said with a hoarse, cracking voice.

With a microphone in one hand and Miller Lite in the other, Vogelbach hilariously slurred his way through the first verse while pacing back and forth in front of thousands of fans shown smiling, clapping and dancing along to his off-key rendition.

As it turns out, this may not have been an impromptu karaoke session. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Vogelbach was following through on a pledge he made to sing “Stacy’s Mom” during the Game 5 celebration once the Brewers left the stadium.

In addition to being a good clubhouse personality, something he was lauded for during his playing career that included a stop with the Mets, Vogelbach coached the Brewers to one of the top offenses in the league. Despite finishing 28th in baseball in home runs, Milwaukee was second in runs scored and third in OPS.

Their hitting mantra this year was similar to how Vogelbach found success during his eight-year career. His career .340 OBP — including a stunning .363 in two abbreviated seasons with the Brewers — was well above league average, and, outside of a 30-homer 2019, he never hit for much power but found other ways to get on base.

The rally took place at a lakeside park in Milwaukee following the Brewers’ World Series parade through the city. According to ace Jacob Misiorowski, the team has slept “probably two, three hours.” since winning the title in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Wednesday.

Among other parade-day escapades, Misiorowski chugged a beer tossed from the sidewalk by a fan, and outfielder Garrett Mitchell grabbed a baby from the crowd and posed for a photo. Robin Yount, the 71-year-old Hall of Famer, rode onto the stage on a Harley.

Kaima Taira, Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) ERA leader for the 2026 season, is set to be posted by his former team.

The Saitama Seibu Lions announced Friday that they will approve Taira's posting, and once that happens, MLB teams will be able to negotiate with the right-hander. 

Taira owns a 1.78 ERA and a 9.4 K/9 across his eight NPB seasons, but really broke out this past season. The soon-to-be 27-year-old pitched to a 1.36 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP across 23 games this season as a starter. The Yankees have reportedly scouted the 5-foot-8 pitcher and could use Taira on their roster after a few departures in the bullpen.

David Bednar, Paul Blackburn, Tim Hill, Ryan Yarbrough, along with Michael Fulmer and John Schreiber (both mid-season additions), are set to hit free agency. And while Bednar and Blackburn could be back, the others may not, which is where Taira's ability to pitch out of the bullpen comes in. Taira pitched briefly out of the 'pen in 2024, but was used more as a reliever in 2025, converting 31 saves and pitching to a 1.71 ERA across 54 games (52.2 IP). 

Whether Taira hopes to be a starter or closer is not yet known, but once Seibu makes their posting official, MLB teams have a 45-day window to negotiate with him. 

With the World Series drawing to a close and the baseball off-season officially beginning, it’s time for the annual list of dates that help us scratch tally marks into the walls as we wait for baseball to return. It promises to be an even longer wait this year, with a lockout looming in early December, meaning this calendar is subject to shift; we’ll pin this article on the front page and update it both with links to the relevant stories and the latest updates.

November:

1: Gold Gloves announced (Mariners’ Cole Young a finalist); Contemporary HOF ballot for managers, execs, umpires

2: Free agency officially opens at 5 PM ET; last day to issue Qualifying Offer (QO); players reinstated from 60-day Injured List; contract options deadline (Mariners did this the day after the World Series ended); Silver Slugger finalists announced; BBWAA Award finalists announced

6: Heart and Hustle Award announced

9: Rookie of the Year Award announced

9-12: GM Meetings in Las Vegas

10: Manager of the Year announced

11: MLB Awards Show

12: MVPs announced

17: Silver Sluggers announced; deadline for players to accept QO; 40-man roster finalized (deadline by which prospects must be prospected from Rule 5 Draft)

20: Non-tenders deadline

December:

1: LOCKOUT if new contract is not reached

6: HOF announcement

7-9: Winter Meetings (San Diego)

8: Draft Lottery (subject to cancellation)

9: Rule 5 draft (subject to cancellation)

February:

9: Pitchers and catchers report (subject to change)

19: First spring training game (subject to change)

March 25: Opening Day (scheduled)

As a long-time Keider Montero enthusiast, I might have a little bias here, but there’s a pretty good argument that the Detroit Tigers are better off with him in their starting rotation. The 26-year-old Venezuelan has been with the Tigers for a decade, and we’ve watched him grow up in the system. Montero possesses those two most defining yet elusive traits of a major league starting pitcher. He’s durable and he throws a ton of strikes.

At the end of the season press conference, Scott Harris emphasized that improving the Tigers bullpen was going to have to come from within, particularly via an “overflow” of starting pitching. That’s a concept that brings to mind the phrase “famous last words.” There also isn’t much choice but to strive for it, as many of the top bullpens around the game feature converted starters and various reclamation projects. It has to be at least part of the Tigers solution.

If the Tigers are serious about this, there really has to be a surplus of starting pitching. Right now, they have Framber Valdez, Jackson Jobe, Troy Melton, River Ryan, Reese Olson, Keider Montero, and, I expect Drew Anderson’s club option will be picked up. They have myriad other options to spot start, and possibly some help coming from the farm system as the year progresses. That’s pretty good. There are numerous talented but unproven pitchers in that mix, but Olson’s status is a big wild card and it’s not exactly an overwhelming group with arms to spare either.

If the Tigers are expecting to significantly upgrade a bullpen that was too often a disaster when it mattered most this offseason, they’re going to have to develop more options in the rotation, rather than just pursuing pure relievers. Then they may actually be able to count on some kind of surplus.

The basic case for converting Montero is that he had a 29.2 percent K-rate in relief, vs. a 15.6 percent K-rate as a starting pitcher. When he’s free to air out his fastball, he averages an extra tick and can sit 95-97 mph. His breaking stuff and change all play up as a result. As a starter, the unimpressive whiff rates on his slider, knuckle curve, and split-change mean there are more balls in play against him than a true frontline starter allows. The knuckle curve in particular is a bit baffling as on paper it’s a really nasty pitch with high spin and a lot of depth. He just hasn’t been able to make it a consistent weapon yet. The change is good when it’s right, but it’s just as inconsistent as the curve. While he’s done a nice job limiting hard contact, that’s a hard road to follow year after year. Eventually that much contact is going to bite you. As a reliever he should be able to punch out more hitters while continuing to pound the zone and get weak contact as well.

The case for keeping him in a starting role is even stronger, however. Montero’s best traits as a pitcher are his durability and strike throwing. He’s a little more efficient than the average starter these days, averaging 5.5 innings per start. The Tigers have other guys, like Troy Melton and River Ryan, who have more spectacular stuff when they’re going 100 percent. Neither has proven to be particularly durable, and that’s an understatement in Ryan’s case. Melton doesn’t strike out many more hitters than Montero does, either. Ryan has a better track record in that regard, but it still hasn’t been tested much at the major league level. Montero’s most outstanding quality is also the one that can only be taken advantage of in a starting role.

Take a look at Montero’s innings totals over the last six seasons, going back to his age 21 season. No injury history. Just consistent work and improvement.

2022: 103.2 innings

2023: 127.1 innings

2024: 146.2 innings

2025: 133.1 innings

2026: 159.0 innings

Overall, Montero posted a 3.48 ERA with a 3.98 FIP in 2026 and was worth 2.5 fWAR, and those good marks continue his three year trend of improvement, despite the fact that he’s never been a priority and has bounced back and forth between roles. He holds a total 3.81 ERA across 53 major league starts against a 5.00 ERA in 63 innings of relief work. Starting just seems to suit him better, and he does a nice job doing the extra things a starter needs to do well, like holding runners and fielding his position. Stop trying to move him around, and just let Montero cook and keep developing as a starting pitcher. He’s built for this.

As talented as both Ryan and Melton are, one of them has barely pitched in three years, and the other threw 114.1 excellent innings but had elbow trouble in spring camp and forearm tightness and fatigue late in the season. Neither of them is necessarily going to be equipped to throw a full slate of starts next year. If Melton is really healthy, sure you want him to start. He doesn’t strike out many more batters in a starting role than Montero does, but it was his rookie season and he’s obviously got the talent and pitch mix to be a really good starting pitcher. Still, his 4.09 FIP is probably a better measure of where he’s at right now than his 2.75 ERA on the year.

The Tigers probably won’t make any pronouncements on the subject this offseason, and may well wait to decide on all this until the end of spring camp. For now, I hope they really have this question on the brain. Pitchers injuries often make the decisions in the end, but planning on Montero starting opens up some fresh options for a bullpen that seems unlikely to see a top arm added in trade or free agency this offseason.

Melton and Ryan may eventually both be starters, but right now their durability is in question, especially in Ryan’s case. Finally entrusting Montero to the job he’s best suited for on a full-time basis, and moving one of Ryan or Melton to the pen, or both if the Tigers add another short term starter, feels like the best way to use them all to their best advantage. Either could be converted back to starting later in the year if more relief options emerge, but in the meantime the Tigers would limit their innings totals to a degree.

The Tigers badly need some bigger, nastier arms in their bullpen. Using Montero to his strengths also adds at least one high velo arm with nasty breaking stuff to a relief corps that really needs the help if the Tigers are going to avoid wasting another season.

While major league baseball awaits a potentially lengthy lockout, it’s not stopping some top Japanese players from making the leap this offseason.

Right-hander Kaima Taira is set to be posted by the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball, the team announced Friday.

The Yankees are among the teams that have scouted the 5-foot-8 (yup, 5-foot-8) Taira, who has been both a starter and a reliever in his career.

Taira turns 27 in November and throws in the mid-to-high 90s, and if he were to fit into the Yankees’ plans, it would have to be out of the bullpen.

Several scouts who saw him this past season believe that’s where he’s best suited, although Taira did excel in the rotation this past year.

Complicating matters for Taira — and any other Japanese player that wants to come to the majors next season — is the impending work stoppage.

With Taira, third baseman Teruaki Sato and right-hander Hiromi Itoh expected to be posted in early November, it would open a 45-day window for them to sign with an MLB team.

But the collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Dec. 1, which is expected to trigger a lockout.

If those players don’t sign by Dec. 1, the 45-day window would freeze and pick up whenever the lockout ends, but the process is expected to be hastened by the looming work stoppage.

While the Yankees rotation appears to be set with expected AL Cy Young award winner Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón and perhaps a combination of lefty Ryan Weathers and right-handers Will Warren and Clarke Schmidt — barring trades — they have plenty of questions in the bullpen.

Closer David Bednar is a free agent, although the Yankees could give him the $23.15 qualifying offer. Still, there’s no guarantee of his return.

Lefties Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough will hit the open market, as will midseason acquisitions Michael Fulmer and John Schreiber.

And right-hander Fernando Cruz dealt with a partially torn UCL that could cost him all of next year, while Brent Headrick showed the effects of pitching in a team-high 81 games last season by faltering down the stretch.

Carlos Lagrange, the hard-throwing right-handed prospect, was expected to contribute at some point, but he was unable to come back from a shoulder strain in time for a call-up. The Yankees still view him as a potential starter.

Taira, despite his size, has a repertoire that is suited to being a starter, but there are teams that question his durability. He had a 1.36 ERA in 146 NPB innings last season.

The 2026 season has just ended, but the Atlanta Braves have already gotten a start on moves – though this move isn’t likely to help the big league club for a few years. The signing by the Braves is Cuban catching prospect Anthony Calderon, a 17-year-old who will be a part of this current international class, rather than the upcoming one. His reported signing bonus was $350k, which ties him for the fifth most expensive signing in the current Braves class – the same amount breakout catching prospect Jorwin Pulido received last winter.

Calderon is a bigger catcher at 6’4, with a physically strong and well developed frame for his age. He’s got some power to work with, but the reports of his strong defense and intangibles are what drew teams in, as the Braves had to beat out the Marlins, Rangers, and Royals to sign Calderon.

According to what’s been reported the Braves still have $533,700 remaining in their 2026 international bonus pool after this signing.

Marco Scutaroturns 51 today. Several of my favorite Blue Jays players celebrate their birthdays in October.

We acquired Scutaro in a trade with the A’s in November 2007. In the post about the trade, achnegy wrote:

I’m not surprised by the trade partner—once again, it’s the Oakland A’s, JP Ricciardi’s former boss.

Scutaro is a light-hitting shortstop, often compared to John McDonald. Still, he does have some power—he hit 7 home runs last season and has a career batting average of .259. Scutaro is arbitration-eligible and is expected to earn around $2 million. He has a good chance of starting, as he represents a slight upgrade with the bat at shortstop. He can also provide rest days for others. Together, he and McDonald make a strong platoon option, with McDonald excelling against lefties in 49 games, posting a .818 OPS and a .329 batting average. Over his career (.257/.306/.645), McDonald has been considerably better against southpaws.

The prospects we gave up never appeared in my top 20. Kristian Bell and Graham Godfrey were both 23-year-old pitchers in A-ball.

Kristian Bell seemed expendable—he struggled with control and was a bit too hittable, posting a career WHIP of 1.43 in A-ball.

Godfrey posted a 3.98 ERA for Lansing and didn’t exactly impress in his professional debut. His numbers were solid, but his hit and strikeout rates were nothing special.

Overall, I’d call this another decent move by Ricciardi. Scutaro was a cheap option (though I was hoping for a Crosby trade) and was slightly better than McDonald offensively. The players we gave up were expendable—each had question marks and were still in A-ball. Their chances of making it to the majors were slim. This was a salary dump for Oakland, and utility players like these aren’t hard to find among minor leaguers.

Kristian Bell never made it to the majors (but terrific in The Good Place). Godfrey appeared in 10 games over two seasons with the A’s.

It was a good trade, but JP oversold it by claiming Marco was our 2008 MVP a year later. I politely disagreed:

JP said Scutaro was our team MVP. That alone should be added to the reasons for firing JP. If you think a player with an OPS+ of 86 is your MVP, you probably shouldn’t be running a team. Putting aside that Doc was the real MVP. On offense, who was ahead of Scutaro? Wells, Rios, Overbay, Inglett, Rolen, Lind, Barajas.

Marco hit .267/.341/.356 in 145 games, mostly at shortstop, in his first season with the Jays. While JP may have been wrong about him being MVP, I was wrong about Marco, too.

And if he ends up hitting at the top of the order more than a few times next year, well, then you’ll know we haven’t learned anything from this season.

In 2009, he hit .282/.379/.409. He was excellent at shortstop and as our leadoff hitter, and he became one of my favorite players.

Marco was a lot of fun to watch. I remember him, upon noticing the camera was on him, kissing his bat after a home run.

And there was this:

A few years later, Jose Bautista pulled off the same trick.

He played only two seasons for the Jays before signing with the Red Sox after the 2009 season. Afterwards, he joined the Rockies and then the Giants, eventually picking up a World Series ring (there’s a terrific GIF of him standing in the rain after the win):

Marco enjoyed a 13-season MLB career, hitting .277/.341/.388 over 1,391 games. His two best seasons came with the Jays, posting bWARs of 4.5 and 5.5, and he finished with a career bWAR of 22.1.

Happy birthday, Marco. Hope it’s a great one.

Also celebrating today is former Jays pitcher Joe Johnson, who turns 65.

Joe arrived in a trade from the Braves in July 1986, with Jim Acker going to Atlanta. He finished the 1986 season, going 7-2 with a 3ERA .89 ERA in 16 games, 15 starts) for us. Unfortunately, 1987 wasn’t as successful—he posted a 5.13 ERA in 14 starts before being sent to the minors.

After the season, we lost him in the Rule 5 draft, and he never pitched in the majors again.

Happy birthday, Joe.

Joe Panik turns 36 today.

Joe spent the 2020 season and the first half of 2021 with the Blue Jays. He played 83 games, hitting .235/.318/.325 with 3 home runs.

But the best thing he did for us was bring Adam Cimber (who had a couple of good seasons with us) and Corey Dickerson when we traded him to the Marlins. It seemed like a significant return for an aging utility player.

He’s now retired.

Happy birthday, Joe.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are getting ready for the offseason after the conclusion of the World Series earlier this week.

The team has an intriguing free agency period upcoming, as an impending lockout could stall progress during the offseason for weeks and possibly months. When free agency does get going, the Pirates will have a big decision to make regarding second baseman Brandon Lowe, who is one of the top free agent bats in the league, according to Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report.

“It’s difficult to project how owner Bob Nutting will act, but the right move for the Pirates would be to extend the one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer to Lowe. If he accepts it, you get a really good player for another season. If he declines it, his market could be suppressed enough that you re-sign him, or you’ll get draft-pick compensation if he leaves in free agency,” Kelly wrote.

“Given he’s 32 and has dealt with injuries before, Lowe should decline the QO if the Pirates extend him and take the best long-term deal he can get. He’s not going to have a better contract year than he did in 2026.”

The only players ranked higher on Kelly’s list are New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette, Teruaki Sato, Seiya Suzuki, and Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners.

The Pirates retaining Lowe would be a major boost to their playoff momentum that they’ve built over the last couple of years. If they don’t bring him back, there will be a massive hole in the lineup. If they replace Lowe with someone of equal or similar caliber, it might save things, but bringing him back in particular would be the best possible route for a team that wants to keep continuity moving forward.

BD community, how do you feel about Lowe in free agency this offseason? Let us know in the comments section below.