It’s hard to believe that the Red Sox are about one quarter as many years removed from the 2004 World Series as the total length of the curse that was broken that year. A huge difference, of course, was the addition of three more trophies. With the announcement of Jon Lester being enshrined the the Red Sox and Cubs’ respective Halls of Fame and his pending addition to the Hall of Fame ballot that will come out later this year for the Class of 2027, let’s look back at the ‘06 and ‘16 teams before 2026 begins.
2006
The 2005 season ended tumultuously. The Red Sox backed into a tie with the ascendant New York Yankees and were quickly bumped from the postseason. The Chicago White Sox would win the World Series with the dominance of a team using trash cans and buzzers. Theo Epstein would flee Fenway Park in a gorilla suit for a short sabbatical.
While he was gone, the Red Sox would trade Hanley Ramirez an Anibal Sanchez for Josh Beckett. Big free agent signing Edgar Renteria would be traded for Atlanta Braves third base prospect Andy Marte. Peter Gammons would declare that the offseason would be remembered for Marte and not Beckett. So it was then a surprise when Marte would be shipped off to Cleveland for Coco Crisp.
Jonathan Papelbon, who made his major league debut in 2005, would miss out on a rotation spot in Spring Training but find a home in the bullpen. Given his career to follow, that sure worked out!
Johnny Damon would become a New York Yankee. But hopes were high. Fresh off 95 wins and adding a new center fielder and slick-fielding shortstop Álex González – plus the return of Theo Epstein – things felt good. And they looked good. For a while.
Boston headed into the All-Star Break with a .616 winning percentage and a 53-33 record. The 19-inning walkoff loss to the Chicago White Sox should have been a warning of things to come but who is really that superstitious about baseball?
Boston would suffer injuries to Jason Varitek and Trot Nixon its rapid succession. Jon Lester would make his debut and then also hit the IL with a sore back. He would later add a cancer diagnosis to his medical woes.
Then there was the five game sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees.
All-in-all it would be a 33-43 second half that would see Boston finish in 3rd place behind even the Toronto Blue Jays. The first time since 1997 that Boston did not finish second in the AL East, 86-76.
David Ortiz would hit a career-high 54 home runs, taking the Red Sox record from Jimmie Foxx who hit 50 homers for Boston back in 1938.
As a coda, Alex Cora would play in 96 games and hit .238/.312/.298
2016
If the 2006 Red Sox had some recent history to live up to, the 2016 club most certainly did not. After the 2011 collapse, 2012 dismantling (the Punto Trade), 2013 World Series out of nowhere, there were suddenly back-to-back last place seasons. Behind the Blue Jays, behind the Rays, and behind the Orioles. Ben Charington? More like Ben-barrassment.
Dave Dombrowski technically came in August of 2015 but that season was settled before his hiring. The offseason would be his first chance to really begin.
And begin he did.
Dealin’ Dave would trade for Craig Kimbrel and sign Chris Young (the centerfielder not the pitcher). Then he did what Dombrowski does: hand out a massive deal. Welcome to Boston, David Price!
In the draft that summer he’d acquire legendary Boston Red Sox Bobby Dalbec.
And Dave’s first year was a smashing success.
The Sox would once again go from worst to first and took over the AL East once more.
They’d go 49-38 (.563) in the first half and 44-31 (.587) in the second.
He’d add Aaron Hill, Brad Ziegler, and Drew Pomeranz before the trade deadline.
Mookie Betts would have a 9.8 bWAR season.
Xander Bogaerts would solidify shortstop while hitting .294/.356/.446 with 21 homers and 13 steals.
Jackie Bradley Jr. hit 26 home runs!
Big Papi would slash .315/.401/.620 on his retirement tour.
The magic would stop when they got to October, however. Cleveland, helmed by Terry Franconia, would sweep them out of the ALDS in three games.
2026
Craig Breslow and Alex Cora, teammates on that 2006 team, are still finishing the roster and lineup as January has more days behind it than ahead.
Ranger Suárez is, kinda, their David Price of 2016.
Roman Anthony is their Mookie Betts – for the story if not quite the on field production.
Can they top 2016 or will the season, like so many recently, sputter out like 2006?
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
Ernie in the Hall, The Penguin comes to Chicago, Dexter Fowler* arrives,and other storiesfor the discerning reader. RIP Don Sutton.
2016 – In settling a class action lawsuit filed by fans, Major League Baseball announces changes to its policy regarding the streaming of live games over the internet on MLB.TV. Fans will now be able to buy a package that covers their favorite team and that allows them to circumvent local blackouts, while the cost of the league-wide full package will be reduced by 15 percent. However, the settlement does not cover certain regional networks not owned by DirecTV, MLB’s principal broadcasting partner. The suit was filed because, while MLB.TV promised subscribers that they could watch all MLB games lives, local blackouts meant that in reality, fans who bought the package were often unable to follow the games of their local teams, a frustrating situation in markets where the local cable sports network is either not made available by every provider or is part of an expensive premium package. (2)
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! I hope you had a nice weekend. It was another quiet weekend for the Orioles. MLB has had a busy past week overall, as the last big free agents are starting to find homes. Ranger Suárez going to the Red Sox is bad news for the Orioles, but the other signings have come outside the division. I appreciate that.
The Blue Jays were rumored to be going after both Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette, but failed to land either. The Blue Jays reportedly offered Tucker ten years and $350 million before he opted to take a shorter contract with the Dodgers. And Bichette signed with the Mets after spending seven seasons with the Jays. It’ll be nice to have him out of the division.
The Yankees have been pretty quiet this offseason, but they have been trying to lock down Cody Bellinger for weeks. Unlike the Orioles, where we don’t hear anything about a deal until it’s done, I have been seeing regular updates. The latest update from today is that they are now willing to include opt-outs in a five-year contract. Bellinger returning to the Yankees feels inevitable, but it sure would be fun if it didn’t work out.
Just four of the MLB Trade Rumors top 25 free agents are still looking for homes: Bellinger, Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, and Eugeni Suárez. Of course, one name on there is more important to Orioles fans than the rest. It seems likely that Valdez will sign soon enough. I know, we’ve been talking about that non-stop for months.
2026 ZiPS Projections: Baltimore Orioles – FanGraphs In case you missed this from a few days ago. I’d like to see Jackson Holliday a bit higher, but overall, that infield looks pretty good to me. But Dan Szymborski’s assessment that they still need a dude in the rotation is right on.
Birthday and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies. Rick Krivda, who pitched in 45 games with the Orioles from 1995-1997, is 56 years old today. Chris Sabo is 64. He played 64 games with the Orioles in 1994 after six seasons with the Reds. And Fred Valentine (b. 1935, d. 2022) was with the Orioles in 1959, 1963, and 1968 for a total of 85 games.
On this day in 1995, with the players’ strike ongoing, Orioles owner Peter Angelos announced that his team would not use replacement players if the strike went into the regular season. The strike was ended just days before the scheduled start of the season, and the season began late.
In 2013, legendary manager Earl Weaver passed away at age 82. He died of a heart attack while on an Orioles cruise.
In 2017, the Orioles signed Mark Trumbo to a three-year contract. It was not a good idea.
The Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Mets are set to play against each other opening day at Citi Field. They are going to be a part of a Primetime Opening Day doubleheader on March 26 on NBC and Peacock. This marks the network’s return to Major League Baseball, as the Mets will host the Pirates at 1 p.m. ET.
NBC’s 2026 MLB schedule is the result of a new broadcast deal. This is going to be the network’s first full season of baseball coverage in more than two decades. The night game will feature the two-time World Series defending champion Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles.
Pittsburgh’s Opening Day starter is anticipated to be reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes. The ace is coming off of a 10-win season and a dominant 1.97 ERA.
It is less of an obvious pick for New York for who their starter should be. Top candidates include young arms like Nolan McLean, who showed a lot of potential in 2025, and the returning Christian Scott. Scott is coming off Tommy John surgery but is expected to be a top guy this season for their rotation. Other options are Framber Valdez and veterans Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea.
Both teams missed out on the playoffs in the 2025 season. The Mets made a monster move bringing in Juan Soto in the offseason but that was not enough.
While the Bucs went 71-91 this past season finishing in last place in the NL Central. With moves like Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn the Pirates are improving their batting lineup going into the new season.
With Jared Jones coming back from injury and already having Mitch Keller and Paul Skenes the Pirates are looking to have a deadly pitching rotation this season.
This is an exciting matchup to have on Opening Day for a network like NBC who is getting back into broadcasting baseball. The Pirates are a team that has a lot of potential this season. If the top guys in the rotation can stay healthy and the offense can give them run support, we could see the Bucs make a playoff run, something they haven’t done since 2015.
CBS Sports | R.J. Anderson: With Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette having inked deals with the Dodgers and Mets, respectively, the free agent rumor mill turns to the player that the Yankees rumor mill has been focused on all winter: Cody Bellinger. According to reports, the Mets are among the teams that have checked in on Belli, with the belief around the industry that the Mets are interested in him on a short-term, high-AAV deal with opt outs similar to the ones Bichette and Tucker signed.
Since that was the deal Bellinger signed with the Cubs two winters ago, however, it remains unclear whether the outfielder will be interested in doing that again, as this may be his final real opportunity to get a long-term deal. For what it’s worth, the Yankees do not appear interested in getting into a bidding war on Bellinger, believing that the offer they currently have on the table — five years, $160 million, with two opt outs — represents fair market value.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: (subscription required) Kuty engages in some similar speculation about Bellinger’s market as Anderson does above. He confirms, though, that while other teams have expressed interest, the only confirmed formal offer that Bellinger has received has been the deal offered by the Yankees.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. announced his intention to play for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic this March, bringing the number of Yankees in the international tournament to three (Aaron Judge and David Bednar are currently committed to Team USA). Between this trio, the Francisco Cervelli/Jorge Posada duo running Italy’s squad, and the number of other Yankees who are eligible for the tournament, Yankees fans will be able to see a number of familiar faces during the competition.
The Athletic | Tyler Kepner: (subscription required) Tomorrow, the 2026 Hall of Fame class will be announced. In these last few days prior to the announcement, the last reporters who plan to make their ballots public have been writing articles explaining their decisions. The former Yankees beat writer Kepner makes his case for the six players he submitted a vote for this year: Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones, Andy Pettitte, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and David Wright.
The 14th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Pierce is a preternatural defender at short stop, with a top flight glove that could rival any player in the organization. Early reports say he’s already started building muscle as a professional, which is helpful for his projection on offense. His hit tool carries, with a swing similar to Bobby Witt Jr. — out of the draft he received comps of a “faster Dansby Swanson.” A coach’s son, he has the good face, and should get the starting role in the Holy City and have plenty of time to develop into or above his projection of an above average regular.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
N/A
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
N/A
We were back to majority consensus with 2025’s top draft selection slotting it at No. 6 overall. The Rays organization is now stacked with several top draft choices from last season, thanks to various trades, and I’m interested to see if Pierce’s nomination leads to a run on recent draftees. Also, in honor of Danny Pierce’s nomination, please enjoy this mic’d up video from earlier in the off-season:
Acquired in return for Danny Jansen at the 2025 trade deadline, Arienamo was promoted straight to Double-A by the Rays, and his success at that level carried over into the Venezuealan winter league, where his 1.112 OPS and 13 HR were each the second highest marks in the league. He’s considered to have a high baseball IQ, strong motor, excellent bat control, and defensive flexibility, any one of which could earn him an entertaining major league debut.
Caden Bodine, C 22 | S/R| 5’10” | 200 A (BAL) | .326/.408/.349 (133 wRC+) 49 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 8 K
Drafted 30th overall in 2025, Bodine was acquired in the Shane Baz trade. He profiles as a relatively safe prospect thanks to near-70 grade bat-to-ball skills, and comfortably-plus blocking and receiving behind the plate. There is some concern that his smaller frame limits him to fringe power, but those concerns are off-set by solid plate discipline from both sides of the plate; his sweeter swing is left handed. All catching prospects will see their value proposition shift with the challenge system, but his defensive actions, leadership, and receiving give him real value, projecting him as a solid major league contributor.
Acquired in the Brandon Lowe trade, Brito has three plus pitches with a fastball that touches 100 with cut-ride, and two breakers in a mid-80s curveball with surprising depth and a mid-80s slider he commands best. He also mixes in a developing low-90s cutter and a scattershot but intriguing mid-80s changeup with strong velocity and movement separation, with some added deception from his smaller frame helping limit hard contact. The concern is control, as he’s posted below-average strike rates in A-ball across 2024–25 and lacks consistent feel outside the slider, leaving him to project as a slightly wild, high-leverage reliever for now. Still, with multiple plus pitches, improved durability, and meaningful command gains, he has mid-rotation starter upside, giving him possibly the widest range of outcomes on this list.
Slater de Brun, OF 18 | L/L | 5’10” | 187
Drafted 37th overall in 2025, through a draft pick traded by the Rays, de Brun was essentially re-acquired in the Shane Baz trade. Like many Rays outfield prospects he’s not expected to develop much power, but compensates with an ability to hit to all fields, and has the benefit of years to develop. His hit tool rates plus thanks to a quick, compact swing, and his double-plus speed elevates both his baserunning and range in center; he has a solid arm and can stick long term. The key to his development will be improving pitch selection to maximize his power potential. Despite not yet playing in a pro game, he’s a good bet to skip the complex league and debut in Charleston this season.
Michael Forret, RHP 22 | 6’3” | 190 A+ (BAL) | 1.51 ERA, 2.45 FIP, 59.2 IP (16 G, 15 GS), 33.5% K, 7.5% BB AA (BAL) | 1.88 ERA, 2.03 FIP, 14.1 IP (3 GS), 15 K, 3 BB
A product of the State College of Florida Manatee – Sarasota (formerly Manatee Junior College), Forret was a well above slot ($450k) 14th round draft choice in 2023 and arrives via the Shane Baz trade. Despite missing some time to a back injury in 2025, his array of fastballs and breaking balls already look major league ready. He seems adept at trying new things, as he picked up a whiff-worthy kick change in 2024, and is already tinkering with a Rays-like sweeper, both through his offseason program at Tread Athletics. He has a low release point (below 6 feet) but a rising fastball, and has — to quote Eric Longenhagen — “sensational feel.” He pitches with efficiency and variety, and could climb the ladder quickly in 2026.
Isaac had his season cut short large-in-part due to the discovery of a brain tumor, disrupting an otherwise great start to the season that duplicated his cup of coffee in Double-A as a 20-year old, despite some minor arm injuries along the way. He has the best power projection in the system, and if he can hold his own for a full season in 2026 — particularly against southpaws, which is somewhat of a concern — the former first round pick (29th overall, 2021) could see his status restored near the top of the Rays prospect rankings.
Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a great discouragement for some evaluators, but his present 50-grade hit tool and feel for the zone allow a major league projection. He continued his improved, quieter two-strike approach in 2025 that built on his success retooling his swing in the AFL last year. The Rays gave Morgan 14 starts in Left Field last season, and Baseball America called the defense “playable,” but his value is tied to his plus-plus defense at First.
A sixth rounder from 2023, Nichols entered the Rays organization with low mileage and control issues, a match made in development heaven. Fast forward to 2025, and his 68% strike percentage ranked 10th best among all minor league pitchers with 100 innings, according to Baseball America. His breaking ball is a big fish in a little pond thanks to its two-plane movement. By my eye, he has a mid-90’s dead zone-ish fastball with easy, over the top heat, and a classic but inconsistent change up. Despite all his gains in control it’s his command that might hold him back, but he fills the zone and might be able to eat innings, which is enough for a back end starter floor. If you’re buying stock, he’s Kimberly-Clark.
Santiago Suarez, RHP 21 | 6’2” | ? A+ | 2.88 ERA, 2.07 FIP, 40.2 IP (10 GS), 26.9% K, 3.6% BB AAA | 5 ER (9 H, 2 BB, 3 HR) 11.0 IP (2 GS), 9 K
Suarez climbed the ladder to Triple-A to finish a short season, as some triceps/shoulder issues hampered his 2025, but when called upon this Venezuelan strike-thrower has earned the trust of his managers to go out there and pitch. He has two plus fastballs, with easy heat but average ride on the 4-seam, and a hard cutter with tight bite. His only complimentary pitch thus far is a 12-6 curve, which makes it a fairly vertical arsenal. He gets good extension, although I’d be remiss to not mention the double pump in his plant leg that on first glance looks like noise, but has led to evident repeatability. What Suarez boasts in control he might lack in command. Right now it’s a supinator’s profile with an average arm slot. To progress he either needs to add some east-west depth to his arsenal (à la Chris Bassitt), or find ways to unlock the spin rates a touch more (Shane Baz). I’d expect him to slot into Montgomery’s rotation as one of the younger starters for his level.
Brendan Summerhill, OF 22 | L/R | 6’3” | 200 A | .333/.429/.444 (160 wRC+) 42 PA, 0 HR, 5 SB, 6 BB, 5 K
Following an All-Star performance at the Cape Cod summer league, Summerhill exhibited some of the best bat-to-ball skills in NCAA as a junior at Arizona. His draft stock took a minor hit due to injury (broken hand from from punching a cooler) and was drafted 42nd overall, but Summerhill rebounded well with a dominant stop at Charleston to finish the year. Summerhill has plus barrel control, allowing for a high-contact approach for his long swing. He has plus speed as well, which provides a chance to stick in center. Evaluators would like to see more power to complete a five-tool profile. Even if the power doesn’t materialize, it’s an above average contributor’s projection.
The decision was finally made to pull Ketel Marte off the trade market. Was this the right move?
James: If the right price was not met, then there is no reason to trade him. I have no particular desire for the team to trade Ketel Marte. By the same token, if they were able to land good, controllable starting pitching in exchange for Marte, there is a strong case to be made that moving Marte would have been the right call. However, yes, it was time to stop with the insanity. Clearly no teams were willing to meet the price. It was time to pull him off the market and prepare to move forward with Marte as the team’s starting second baseman for 2026.
Spencer: Right move? I don’t know. We don’t know what type of offers were coming in. Nor do we know what type of offer Hazen was willing to accept. Marte is one of my all time favorite players. I’d rather have him than not (even though there were certainly players I’d have been happy to have in his place as well). But trading a star from Arizona is near impossible. No fanbase will ever be pleased with a star’s trade return, but in Arizona especially, there’s a lot of unnecessary animosity because the Goldy situation was so misunderstood. Which in turn makes every deal he makes poorly analyzed and “negative” online.
DBacksEurope: I really never understood the trade-off between trading Marte, his relatively low AAV and All-Star production, getting some stuff in return and then adding an expensive, for this team, Alex Bregman, if at all. After the Nick Piecoro piece this summer and the whole Marte shopping, I wonder if the relationship between him and the team has soured and it’ll affect his production. So, to be fair, I think the Diamondbacks should have traded him because of that although I prefer seeing him play in Sedona red.
Jim: Yeah, I think so. It’s reasonable to listen to offers for any player, especially when the return could allow you to fill multiple holes. But there’s a point beyond which waiting isn’t going to make the price increase any further, and it feels like there was a significant gap between what Hazen wanted, and what he was being offered. You can’t have a player with a ‘For Sale’ hanging over them permanently, and it’s only fair to Marte to have certainty in this matter. I hope it doesn’t impact Marte’s performance, especially since he’ll now have full 10/5 trade protection.
Ben: The fan in me would have been extremely upset with a Marte trade and I found the entire saga to be somewhat tiresome too. He’s an excellent player, he’s signed to an incredibly team-friendly contract, and he’s been an incredible leader off and on the field to a still-young team. But if I switch to my hypothetical GM hat, trading Marte now made a lot of sense and might have been the better call on a longer time horizon. This is probably Marte’s sell-high point. At 32, he’s likely going to start seeing some signs of decline, he’ll soon reach his 10/5 rights which will make it more difficult to trade him, and the team still desperately needs some long-term answers on the pitching side. Clearly Hazen didn’t get the kind of offer he wanted and I don’t envy him for even having to entertain the idea.
Makakilo: In general, the Diamondbacks seem to do better in trades than they do in signing free agents. My take is that for some unknown reasons, GM Mike Hazen has great wisdom when trading players. I trust that the Diamondbacks’ lack of execution of any Marte trade reflects that wisdom.
ISH95: I never understood shopping him in the first place. It always felt like there was a piece of information that was missing as to why they were being so aggressive about it. Glad to see it over.
Nolan Arenado is now a Diamondback, completing furthering the Diamondbacks acquisition of the late 2010 Card’s infield. How much do you think he has left in the tank?
James: If he can stay above 1.0 bWAR for each of the next two seasons, I will be impressed. I do think that the move to Chase Field for his home games might have a small impact on his terrible 2025 batting numbers. Hopefully, Arenado takes a few more seasons before he is well and truly gassed. I think expecting him to be anything more than league average is probably wishful thinking. But, if it solidifies the defense and lights a fire under other potential third basemen in the system, I’ll take it.
Spencer: I was a notorious hater on Longo for too long. My initial reaction (and continuing one) for this move is not good. However, at the price point, it’s perfectly fine. I would rather have invested that money into the bullpen personally but the team disagreed. I’m sure the team is hoping his third base defensive ability can be taught to one of the young names we all know, but I suspect his real value is to Marte; both players have expectations of being clubhouse leaders from small(er) NL West clubs but aren’t that type of personality. We kept Marte; Colorado traded Arenado. Maybe, just maybe, he can instill some words of wisdom into Marte and the team on how best to move past a messy offseason.
DBacksEurope: For the 11MM that Arenado will cost the next two years, it is a perfectly fine addition. He should still showcase some good defence at third base. I believe he is a better option there than a full season of either Blaze or Lawlar at that corner. I don’t think it is odd to expect a 2 WAR season of Arenado, which would be league average. Last season he was a bit unlucky, says BABIP.
Jim: Enough? As I noted before, the price here is very favorable, compared to what free agents with not much better projections have been getting on the open market. I don’t expect him to be All-Star level. But it does seem that the pool at Chase Field has acted like a fountain of youth the past few years, working its magic on the likes of Evan Longoia and Eugenio Suarez. But I do think his talents will be equally as valuable, if not more so, outside games. The team still needs a long-term solution at third, and whether it ends up being Blaze, Jordan or another prospect, you can’t have a much better mentor than Arenado.
Ben: If he can produce somewhere between his 2025 (1.3 bWAR) and 2024 (2.5 bWAR), it will be well worth the extremely reasonable price the team paid for him. Almost all of Eugenio Suarez’s value last year came from his incredible slugging year he had last season. Obviously, Arenado won’t provide the same kind of offensive threat, but he’s still one of the best active defensive third-basemen and he could be an invaluable mentor for the team’s young infielders.
Makakilo: He has a lot in the tank, both offensively and defensively. For more details, see my article which is scheduled to post on 20 January.
ISH95: Someone has to play third base, I guess, and the cost is basically nil if Arenado is the one who does it. He does still provide value with his glove, with curtails with the team’s stated goals for next season. Offensively, I’ll be happy for a tick below league average. Part of me also wants to read too much into this and try to glean information about what the team thinks about the Blazes, Lawlers, et al of the world, but I’ll resist the urge
Which of these moves were the most surprising to you?
James: Acquiring Nolan Arenado. Despite Jack’s article back in November, I honestly didn’t see Arenado agreeing to come to AZ. Also, with all the other needs the team has, I simply wasn’t focused on the team picking up yet another aging veteran star.
Spencer: Bringing back Merrill Kelly at market value. I never really doubted he’d be back (something was different about the way he discussed the desire to return compared to other players who do so with their first/most important teams), but I did expect a discount to help put a winner around him. That was not to be. Good for Merrill and good on the team. But man I do wonder how many games the bullpen and outfield are going to cost Merrill as a result.
If this was meant to just be between Nolan and Ketel, Nolan surprised me more.
DBacksEurope: I was surprised Nolan Arenado had included the Diamondbacks as one of the teams he would approve a move to.
Jim: I think the lack of moves to address the bullpen surprises me most, given how problematic it was last year. At time of writing, the only guaranteed MLB contract to a reliever is the return of Mr. Taylor Clarke. Still time though, and Jack’s semi-cryptic Tweet seems to indicate there will be further moves coming, somewhere. I’ll adopt my parental stance and say nothing more prophetic than “We’ll see.”
Ben: I’m not sure which moves this question is specifically referencing, but Arenado is much more surprising to me. He makes a lot of sense positionally for the team, but I’m with everyone else in my (pleasant) surprise that he agreed to a trade with them. There are plenty of contending teams making moves who would have benefitted from a short- or medium-term solution at third like Arenado including the Reds and the Mets.
Kyle Tucker and the Dodgers broke more records. Does this add fuel to the fire of Labor Strife or was it already maxed out?
James: I think the likes of the A’s, Marlins, and the Pirates will have as much to do with the ongoing labour strife as the Dodgers. Noticeably, the Pirates and A’s have both been spending beyond their norms this winter. But I do think that Kyle Tucker landing in at $60 million per year is going to create yet more waves. Yes, many teams that are complaining about the Dodgers could help themselves by spending more. On the other hand, the Dodgers will be deferring more payroll than the entire net worth of many of the smaller ownerships, like Kendrick and Castellini. That sort of disparity is not sustainable, at least, not if MLB wants to continue to thrive. Something is going to need to be done to narrow the gap. Eliminating deferred payments will do precious little to help unless other changes are also made. Since even the deferred money still needs to be funded each year.
Spencer: For fans I think this pushes them to the brink. I work with a Dodgers fan who thinks this move cost the league the entire 2027 season (he’s not as upset by that as we are). I work with Reds fans who are actively advocating for 2028 to be reduced as well for massive change.
I don’t know what change will work or is the best middle ground. A true salary cap/floor isn’t the answer. But I’m sure some fans would be fine eliminating deferred payments for teams above the luxury tax would be amenable. And I’m not sure anyone is against adding a “poverty” tax line that would see Miami/Pittsburgh/Las Vegas pay into revenue sharing for coming in below [insert amount here] the way the Dodgers and Mets do. Forcing a sale of the Dodgers would be interesting. Options exist. But I’ve watched this league fumble many significant opportunities in my 32 years on the planet, so I expect we get next to no meaningful change and the sport as a whole continues to die the slow painful death they’ve been pushing for this millennium.
DBacksEurope: A salary cap will only hurt players. More concerning are all the deferrals. Ohtani’s deferrals are death for competition in baseball. Besides, in a healthy business model, kicking forward that much money is not sustainable since you are banking on the future to be still as bright as it is now (in the Dodgers case). The league should not allow that. The problem with these huge contracts is that players are trying to make up for all the money they missed because of that communist arbitration process. Alex Bregman won’t be the star he was six years ago nor the productive guy he was 3 years ago. Yet he is earning more money than in those years. Isn’t that the whole problem in baseball? That said, I don’t know why we force baseball players to play into their 40s. Maybe some age well, but the majority don’t. The Pujols I remember is the one from the 2015 season and on (before that I had pretty much forgotten about baseball) and though he wasn’t horrible, I think it is safe to say that he played for that long because he had a contract to fulfill.
Jim: My MLB interest has been a veritable roller-coaster of emotions over the past few years. After crashing during COVID and immediately after, it rebounded to an almost high during the 2023 run to the World Series. But since then, the realization the regular season is going to be a procession for the foreseeable future has all but killed enthusiasm, realizing the D-backs’ only hope of a division title lies in re-alignment. I don’t particularly blame the Dodgers. I blame Manfred for sitting back and letting them do it without any effective action. The fact that, including tax, the Dodgers’ payroll this year will now be $115 million more than anyone else is almost as ludicrous as Dodger fans bleating, “Any owner could do this!” If they could lock-out the 2026 season, I’d not mind.
Ben: It probably adds a little more fuel to the fire, but only marginally. I think it’s fascinating that Tucker turned down a much longer contract with the Blue Jays for a shorter one with a higher AAV. I understand fan frustration with the seemingly endless ability for the Dodgers to sign anyone, but I’m still unconvinced that a salary cap will adequately address those frustrations. I also don’t think it will address any lingering parity concerns either as I’ve detailed before. Makakilo: The best resolutions to the labor strife will be the ones that contribute the most to the growth of baseball fans. While fans cheer for their favorite teams, they also like competitive/(evenly matched) teams playing so that underdog teams have chances. As I wrote my answer, an idea reached my awareness. If, instead of all teams starting at zero wins, maybe the teams at the bottom could start the season with ghost wins. That idea has the potential to add teams to the competition for the playoffs. And in the playoffs, sometimes a surprise team can play surprisingly well.
ISH95: This is just the two parties in the divorce fighting as they walk up the court steps. The decision to divorce/lockout has already been made, they’re just filling time now.
Former big league knuckleballer Wilbur Wood died on Saturday at the age of 84.
Wood led the major leagues in games pitched twice and games started four times during the course of his 17-year MLB career, which included time with the Red Sox, Pirates and a 12-year stint with the White Sox.
Pitcher Wilbur Wood of the Chicago White Sox in 1973. Getty Images
In 1972, Wood set the record for most innings thrown by a pitcher since 1917, when he threw 376 ⅔ innings that season for the White Sox and made 49 starts that year – the most since 1908 – two marks that have not been matched since.
Wood, who was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, had been a star player for Belmont High School growing up.
During his professional career, he was a three-time American League All-Star and recorded four 20-win seasons.
His career spanned from 1961 to 1978, and he finished with a 164-156 record.
Wood made his major league debut at the age of 19 in 1961 with the Red Sox.
“He was a real hot-shot pitcher,” Roland Hemond, the former Sox executive who then was a minor-league director for the Milwaukee Braves, told the Chicago Tribune.
“I first met Wilbur in 1960 when our scout Jeff Jones sent him to Milwaukee for a tryout right after he had graduated from high school. He was a fuzzy-faced, chubby little guy who didn’t throw very hard. I watched him throw batting practice but I couldn’t get very excited about him.
Wilbur Wood pitches for the Chicago White Sox circa 1970. Getty Images
“After his workout, I brought him up to the press room in County Stadium with my wife, and we fed him hot dogs. We did discover he had a good appetite. He was such a likable little guy, it was tough to tell him he didn’t throw hard enough and we weren’t interested.”
Wood had become known for his knuckleball, which he had thrown from time to time early in his career, but he started working on it with Hoyt Wilhelm when Wood arrived in Chicago.
“I was lucky because when I came to the Sox, Hoyt Wilhelm was still with them — probably the greatest knuckleball pitcher of all,” Wood said, per the Tribune. “He told me if I was going to throw the knuckleball, I should junk the rest of my pitches. I wasn’t doing any good with them anyway, so I took his advice. I had nothing to lose.”
Following the end of his baseball career, he went on to work at a pharmaceutical company.
The Arizona Diamondbacks entered the International Signing period with $8,034,900 in international bonus pool money, tied for the most in the league with Baltimore, Cleveland, Colorado, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Market size, revenue, free agents turning down the qualifying offer, and trades all impact the size of a team’s bonus pool. There’s not a ton of information available on some of these prospects, but I’ve done my best to provide a summarized version of what I could find.
Headlining the Diamondbacks 2026 international signees is SS Ruben Gallego, who ranked #17 by Baseball America, #31 by Fangraphs, and #42 according to MLB Pipeline. Gallego signed for $1.75M as reported by Baseball America, although MLB Pipeline has him at $1.8m. Gallego is of no relation to Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego
The @Dbacks have signed 17-year-old Cuban shortstop Ruben Gallego, No. 42 on the Top 50 International Prospects list, for a reported $1.8 million.
As a player in the top 50, MLB Pipeline conveniently has a scouting report that isn’t stuck behind a paywall, which I’ve quoted below, but you can also view here.
“Gallego has been known to hammer the ball at a high frequency, particularly from the left side of the dish. A switch-hitter, he understandably gets fewer reps against southpaws, but his lefty swing shows much more feel for loft and the ability to drive the ball for extra-base power. He’ll need to add weight and muscle as he faces advanced pitching in the pros but his bat-to-ball skills rate as above average, while he can also generate a good bit of thump from a well-timed leg kick.
A gifted defender, Gallego has the smooth actions to stay at the premium position for the foreseeable future. His arm slots can vary, hampering its overall strength, but he has the quick first step and lateral movement that often portends to success. His long legs allow him to cover ground quickly on the basepaths, seamlessly taking extra bases. If he can improve his physicality, Gallego has the look of a big league infielder.”
The D’Backs signed a second switch hitting Cuban shortstop, Leonardo Sevilla for ($750,000 per Baseball America) Although Sevilla is older (18) and took less money than Gallego, that’s not a reflection of him as a prospect, but instead largely a result of coming over later in the process, after many teams have already committed nearly all of their bonus pool money. Sevilla is actually a fairly advanced hitter, especially tor his age. He has a compact swing and great bat to ball skills from both sides of the plate, on the athleticism and the tools to stick at shortstop. Based on the scouting reports I’ve read, Sevilla is a great sleeper pick for a breakout Dbacks prospect in 2026.
Dominican shortstop Brayan Figueroa isn’t nearly as polished, but he has two stand out tools in raw power (especially for his age) and a cannon for an arm. A righthanded hitter, Figueroa will need to make adjustments to make more frequent contact if he’s going to succeed as a hitter, right now his approach trades contact for power. He has a plus arm and will likely slide over to third base in the near future.
Landing right outside the Top 50 list is Yohendi Hernandez ($547,500), a lefthanded center fielder from the Dominican Republic. Hernandez has a hit over power profile offensively, but considering he’s only a 16 year old, there’s a lot of physical projection left.
Venezuelan catcher Jhosep Villarroel could end up being one of the better value signings of the class for the D-backs. He has the tools and the baseball IQ to stick at catcher, but he is somewhat undersized for a catcher at just 5ft’9in. He’s got a short simple swing and already shown great contact ability, while hitting the ball with surprising authority.
Cuban outfielder Loidel Amaya ($560,000) is a 6-foot-1 righthanded hitter with a quick stroke, a simple lower half move to the ball and fast bat speed to drive the ball with impact. An average runner, Amaya likely projects to end up as a corner outfielder long term.
Outfielder Joscar Hernandez from Venezuela is a plus runner who defends his position well in center field, but has a lot of development left as a hitter.
White Sox legend and chronically-underrated starting pitcher in the 1970s, Wilbur Wood, died on Saturday at age 84.
The 17-year veteran came into his own after arriving on the South Side in 1966, first as a bullpen specialist and later as a throwback innings-eater. In the process, he was named to three All-Star Games and finished among the Top 5 in Cy Young voting in three consecutive years.
The key to Wood’s excellence was the knuckleball, which allowed him to throw an extraordinary 1,070 innings over his three Cy Young-contention seasons. Those seasons yielded a 70-50 record, 2.64 ERA/2.94 FIP, 142 games, 63 complete games, 19 shutouts and even a save — all adding up to a 30.0 WAR. To put that value in perspective, only nine other pitchers in White Sox history have more than 30.0 career WAR.
Wood’s 376 2/3 innings in 1972 rank 274th all-time (all but a handful of bigger workloads were from the 1800s, however) and most since Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1917. Wood started 49 games that year, which works out to more than 30% of the club’s starts, and his innings pitched added up to more than 27% of the team’s total innings load.
Legend has it that Hall-of-Famer Hoyt Wilhelm and fellow pitching star Eddie Fisher welcomed Wood to the White Sox in 1966 with a career-changing gift — teaching the lefty the knuckleball. But while Wood struggled over parts of four seasons in Boston and Pittsburgh (1-8, 4.13 ERA) and suddenly became a bullpen force in Chicago due to the pitch, the two veterans were more mentors who guided Wood than teachers who made him.
“I just decided to junk my curve and everything else and go 100% with the knuckleball,” Wood told our Mark Liptak back in 2005. “I had actually thrown that pitch for a long time; I started using it back in high school and semipro ball.”
After a “modest” 51-game debut (41 in relief) in 1967 that yielded a 2.45 ERA, the “new knuckleballer” led the AL in appearances in each of the next three seasons. In two of those years (1968 and 1970) Wood led the AL in games finished, and compiled 52 saves from 1968-70.
In 1971, new White Sox manager Chuck Tanner and pitching coach Johnny Sain opted to shift Wood to the starting rotation, and the southpaw thrived, with an MLB-best 11.7 WAR and 1.91 ERA.
In Wood’s five starring years as a starter (1971-75), he averaged 336 1/3 innings per season. He led the majors in starts in four seasons and the AL in starts in all five. Amazingly, nearly 30% of his starts during that stretch came on two days’ or less rest. The southpaw shrugged that off, however, with 99 complete games in that stretch.
What stopped Wood’s career was not the wear-and-tear of the heavy workload, but a line drive off the bat of Ron LeFlore in Detroit on May 9, 1976. The smash shattered Wood’s kneecap and ended his season. True to form, though, Wood had completed five of his six starts to that point, with a 2.24 ERA.
Wood returned in 1977 and 1978, starting 45 games total — but his ERA ballooned to 5.11 in the two seasons. He was granted free agency after the 1978 season, and when no teams called on him to eat some innings in 1979, Wood’s career was over, at 37.
After his baseball career, Wood worked in various sales positions. At the turn of the century, he was named to the White Sox’s All-Century Team.
By JAWS calculations measuring peak value, Wood stands as the 106th-best starting pitcher in baseball history. His 51.7 career WAR with the White Sox places him as the fourth-best pitcher and seventh-best player in team history. His 50.0 career WAR overall ranks 320th in baseball history, tied with Roy Oswalt. Yet Wood never received more than 7% support for Hall of Fame election.
The Braves will be without a key infielder for a significant portion of the 2026 season.
Ha-seong Kim, who was expected to be Atlanta’s starting shortstop, will miss four to five months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger, the team announced Sunday.
Kim sustained the injury in his native Korea after slipping and falling on ice, per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.
Ha-Seong Kim re-signed with the Braves in December for one-year, $20 million. AP
The 30-year-old joined the Braves last September as a waiver pickup from the Rays following another injury-plagued season.
After recovering from shoulder surgery to open 2025, Kim appeared in just 24 games with Tampa Bay before landing on the injured list again with a back issue.
Atlanta claimed him in early September with plans for him to man shortstop down the stretch.
“I think if I had stayed healthy, I would’ve played more games every day,” Kim said through an interpreter after joining Atlanta, per MLB.com. “Obviously, the season didn’t really pan out to how I had planned it.
“I’m obviously excited to play alongside a talented group of players, and I’m obviously very excited to finish the season on a high note, in a healthy way.”
After hitting .253/.316/.368 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in September, Kim opted out of the second year of the two-year, $29 million deal he signed the previous offseason.
Kim re-signed with the Braves on a one-year, $20 million contract to serve as the team’s full-time shortstop in 2026.
“I can tell you it helped on our end, just from a comfort standpoint,” Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said of having Kim for the last month of 2025. “I feel like even though he wasn’t here that long, a month was pretty significant. He fit in quickly.”
Ha-Seong Kim reacts after scoring on a RBI double by Michael Harris II #23 in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on September 22, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images
A former Gold Glove winner as a utility player, Kim has flashed a dynamic blend of speed, power and defense across five MLB seasons, though injuries have followed him.
He underwent shoulder surgery in October 2024 for a “small tear” in the labrum in his right shoulder, an injury he suffered in late August of that season.
Both the Rays and Braves have hoped to recapture Kim’s 2023 form, when he slashed .260/.351/.398 with 17 homers, 60 RBIs and 38 stolen bases for the Padres.
A three-time Gold Glove winner in the Korea Baseball Organization, Kim joined the majors after signing a four-year, $28 million deal with the Padres for the 2021 campaign.
Fellow Gold Glove winner Mauricio Dubón, acquired by Atlanta this offseason, figures to see significant time at shortstop to open 2026.
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is expected to miss four to five months following surgery on Sunday to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger.
The Braves said Kim was injured in his native South Korea. Sunday’s announcement from the team came about one month after Kim agreed to a $20 million, one-year contract with Atlanta.
The signing was expected to address a major offseason need, and the loss of Kim for at least part of the season leaves the team again needing to recast its plan for a starting shortstop. A recovery period of up to five months could keep Kim out until late June.
The Braves said Sunday’s surgery was performed in Atlanta by Dr. Gary Lourie.
With Kim facing a lengthy rehabilitation, the Braves may have to rely on Mauricio Dubón, acquired from the Houston Astros for Nick Allen in an exchange of infielders on Nov. 19, at shortstop. With a healthy Kim, Dubón could have served a utility role.
Expected to enter the 2026 season as the Atlanta Braves' starting shortstop, Ha-Seong Kim will instead be sidelined four to five months due to an offseason injury to his hand.
The Braves announced Sunday that Kim suffered a torn tendon in his right ring finger while in his homeland of Korea. He underwent surgery Jan. 18 in Atlanta.
Kim, 30, was acquired by the Braves from the Tampa Bay Rays at last season's trade deadline. He hit .253 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 24 games for Atlanta, and was re-signed to a one-year, $20 million contract this offseason.
Kim won a Gold Glove as a utilityman with the San Diego Padres in 2023 and was the favorite to start at shortstop this season in Atlanta. Instead, the Braves will likely have two-time Gold Glove utilityman Mauricio Dubon starting there on opening day.
In five major league seasons since signing with the Padres in 2021 after years in the KBO, Kim has hit .242/.324/.377 with 52 homers and 84 stolen bases.
The Atlanta Braves have announced that starting shortstop Ha-Seong Kim sustained an injury in Korea and had surgery to repair a torn tendon on his middle finger. The surgery took place today and is expected to miss four to five months.
INF Ha-Seong Kim sustained a hand injury while in Korea and underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger. The procedure was performed by Dr. Gary Lourie today in Atlanta, and the expected recovery time is 4-5 months.
Kim was signed this off-season on a one-year, $20M contract after the Braves claimed him off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays in September 2025. Kim opted out of his player option but ended up back with Atlanta.
Atlanta swapped last year’s starting shortstop Nick Allen for super-utilityman Mauricio Dubon who will likely no be the team’s starting shortstop unless the Braves make a move prior to Spring Training.
Atlanta doesn’t proven big league options at shortstop behind Dubon. Look for the Braves to make a move to add a player with at least some shortstop experience to provide depth in the organization. Nacho Alvarez, Jr. has played shortstop in the minors but would not be a full-time options. The team has minor leaguers Luke Waddell and Jim Jarvis at Triple-A who both have extensive experience at shortstop.
Former Brave Luke Williams is a free agent. The team recently parted with Vidal Brujan and Brett Wisely who were both utility depth options.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa is the most experienced shortstop on the free agent market.
The mood was somber and frankly sad when speaking with Artemi Panarin after the Rangers’ 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon to discuss his future.
It had been just over 24 hours since Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury issued a letter to fans emphasizing the organization's plan to retool the roster, which could mean saying “goodbye to players that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years.”
As part of the firestorm of news that followed Drury’s letter, it was reported that had an individual meeting with Panarin and informed him that he will not be offered a contract extension, while the team is prepared to work with him and agent Paul Theofanous to trade him anywhere he wishes to go.
Panarin is a player who since signing a seven-year, $81.5 million contract with the Rangers in 2019, has embraced and loved playing in New York under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.
While he was still able to muster up a smile for the reporters talking with him after the game as he usually does during interviews, the sadness and discomfort were evident in his tone given that his tenure with the Rangers could be over within a matter of weeks if not days.
“It's hard to say how I feel, still confused, but yeah, (the) team decided to go in a different direction,” Panarin said. “I'm ok with that. I'm a Rangers player right now so I gotta play every game 100%.”
Upon addressing the difficult reality at hand, Panarin shifted the conversation back to hockey since in his words he “say (said) everything, what I want to say about this situation.”
On Saturday afternoon, Panarin managed to record one goal, two assists, and three points, but it felt meaningless with the veteran forward essentially confirming that by the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline, he won’t be a member of the Rangers.
“I obviously think the world of him, he's an elite player,” Mike Sullivan said of Panarin. “He's one of the best Rangers of his generation. I think his body of work speaks for itself, and what he's accomplished in the league.
“I think to have a game he had today, after the last couple of days, is, once again, he's one of the guys that I'm talking about when I talk about the types of people that we have in the room, their character, and how much they care. I think his game today was representative of that. He's a great person. He's an elite player. He drives offense in so many ways, and he continues to do that for us.”
His inevitable exit from The Big Apple is still one that hasn’t fully set in and is difficult to fathom for Panarin, but he’s accepted that he’ll have to embark somewhere else for what may be the final chapter of his career.
