Category: MLB

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been busy this offseason in both free agency and the trade market.

The team signed designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and traded for Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brandon Lowe, improving their offense. However, they have been slated for another big trade. Bleacher Report writer Kerry Miller suggested a trade that would send right-handed pitcher Jared Jones to the Houston Astros for infielder Isaac Paredes.

“Jones was electric when he first arrived in the majors in 2024, but he missed all of 2025 following UCL surgery. Would the Pirates be willing to give up his future in order to add another quality bat today? Paredes could be the final piece that actually makes Pittsburgh’s lineup reasonably formidable,” Miller wrote.

Paredes could play third base for the Pirates, filling in a hole that was occupied by Ke’Bryan Hayes last season before he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. As of now, it looks like Jared Triolo will spend most of the time at the hot corner, but the team could use an upgrade when it comes to a bat at the position.

Paredes played in 102 games for the Astros last season, batting .254 and hitting 20 home runs en route to his second consecutive All-Star appearance. The Astros may look to trade him because they have a surplus of infielders and a need for starting pitching. It’s why they made a trade earlier in the offseason with the Pirates to get Mike Burrows to add to their rotation.

The Astros could look for another piece in Jones while the Pirates get a necessary offensive addition in Paredes.

BD community, what do you think of this potential trade? Chime off in the comments section below.

It’s really, really hard to think about spring as everyone in the tri-state area continues to dig out from massive amounts of snow, but the Phillies equipment trucks will be setting out for Clearwater on Tuesday. Soon enough we’ll have some real news to share and discuss rather than whatever passes for news in this dead zone.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• FanGraphs has published their rankings of the Phillies farm system, and they are slightly more optimistic than most.
• Justin Crawford, one of the stars of that farm system, seems to be as MLB-ready as he can get.
• The automated ball-strike system is officially coming to MLB this year, and here’s how the Phillies are planning to adapt to it.

MLB News:

• The Astros’ Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa will not be participating in the World Baseball Classic due to not being able to receive insurance on their contracts for the exhibition tournament.
• The Rockies made a pair of trades yesterday, sending reliever Angel Chivilli to the Yankees and acquiring infielder Edouard Julien and reliever Pierson Ohl in a deal with the Twins.
• Even more prospect rankings, this time with the players who just missed Keith Law’s Top 100. ($)

Hello, friends.

There are now 56 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day, which is to say, real baseball will be back exactly eight weeks from today. That’s fun! Or will it be fun? I guess that’s up to the team that disappointed us last year. Only eleven days remain before WBC-participating pitchers and catchers are in camp.

We are close enough to the start of spring training that it’s getting increasingly weird that the top remaining free agent starting pitcher, Framber Valdez, has not signed. We can only guess what the holdup is. My suspicion is teams are refusing to budge beyond four-year offers, perhaps even three-year offers, and he’s hoping somebody will blink before camps open up.

Teams are probably waiting for him to blink as well. Lately, these sorts of situations have had a tendency to resolve with the player getting a shorter, high-AAV contract that allows for an opt-out by the player after only a year, or maybe two years. That doesn’t mean that’s what will happen with Valdez, but that’s the pattern. Something like a three-year, $100 million contract where he can dip out after this season and look for another guaranteed year or two, now removed from having a qualifying offer attached to signing him and perhaps, in his mind, having proven he’s still a high-end pitcher even though he’s headed for his mid-30s.

Other starting pitchers remain out there as well. Zac Gallen is another free agent who will cost a draft pick to sign. That might be a big problem for a guy who had a 4.86 ERA in 2025. If I was Gallen, I might have taken the QO offered by Arizona in a year and tried again for 2027. Guys like Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito are also still out there. You can never have enough starting pitching, and yet all of these people haven’t found teams yet. There are various questions around each player that probably answer why they haven’t gotten the money or years they hoped to get yet.

Unless there’s some injury to an Orioles starting pitcher that we don’t know about – which isn’t impossible – I don’t really think it makes much sense to commit an eight-figure annual salary like Gallen, Bassitt, or Giolito will command in order to shore up the back end of the rotation. Maybe Zach Eflin is going to be a month delayed or something. That’s fine. I’ll take my chances with Tyler Wells for that long and then with Dean Kremer as the #5. Pay the money for Valdez at the top or don’t bother. We got enough of those bad mid-tier signings in the Dan Duquette era.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

With new outlook, Henderson eager for new season with new faces (Orioles.com)
Gunnar Henderson getting himself back into 7+ win territory is as much a part of the 2026 Orioles formula for success as anything else. He’s feeling good for now, which probably doesn’t mean anything but at least is nice to hear.

Orioles are confident top prospect Samuel Basallo can continue developing in the majors (The Baltimore Banner)
And you know they mean it because they already gave him the eight-year extension.

MLB prospects who just missed Keith Law’s top 100 ranking, including Dylan Beavers (The Athletic)
Keith Law remains positive about Beavers even without having put him on the top 100.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

There are a pair of former Orioles with birthdays today. They are: 2013 two-game pitcher Jair Jurrjens, and 1985-88 pitcher John Habyan. Today is Habyan’s 62nd birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: Revolutionary pamphlet writer Thomas Paine (1737), 25th president William McKinley (1843), playwright Anton Chekhov (1860), Ramones drummer Tommy Ramone (1949), and TV personality Oprah Winfrey (1954).

On this day in history…

In 1845, Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” was first published in a New York newspaper.

In 1907, Charles Curtis took office as a US Senator from Kansas. In the process, he became the first Native American to hold any Senate seat. (This also happened on the 46th anniversary of Kansas’s admission as a state.)

In 1936, the first Baseball Hall of Fame class was announced. The first five Hall of Famers were: Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth, and Honus Wagner.

A random Orioles trivia question

I received a book of Orioles trivia for Christmas. I’ll ask a question in this space each time it’s my turn until I run out of questions or forget. The book has multiple choice answers, but I’m not giving you those because for most questions it would be too easy. Today’s question:

Who was the first opponent that the Orioles played at Memorial Stadium in 1954?

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on January 29. Have a safe Thursday.

There’s a reason why midterm winter grades are a foolish exercise in Major League Baseball: Simply, some teams do not yet begin to cook until well after the New Year.

With just one of the top 10 consensus free agents still available, and two of the best arms on the trade market changing hands, the heavy lifting is all but over. Certainly, we’ll see some end-of-roster and depth moves, and perhaps more trades during the course of spring training.

But with most of that tranasactional hay in the proverbial barn, USA TODAY Sports issues grades for all 30 teams this offseason:

American League

By Gabe Lacques

Athletics: C+

They locked down another piece of their ostensibly Vegas-bound core, signing slugger Tyler Soderstrom to a seven-year deal, and acquired Jeff McNeil to add some seasoning to their talented young infield. Yet serious competition doesn’t seem to be reality in the second of these three Yolo County years.

Baltimore Orioles: B+

This becomes an easy A if left-hander Framber Valdez falls to them in free agency, giving them admirable pitching depth. As it is, trades for right-hander Shane Baz and power-hitting outfielder Taylor Ward and the signing of Pete Alonso brings significant improvement. Ryan Helsley capably locking down the ninth would make this a fine winter.

Boston Red Sox: C

Picking apart the remains of the Cardinals organization for Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras was wise. Yet Alex Bregman was the guy they had to have and they let him slip away to Wrigley Field. Nice of them to pivot to Ranger Suárez to buff out the rotation, but too many potential holes and injury history in the everyday lineup.

Chicago White Sox: C-

Hey, it’s movement. The White Sox will more closely resemble a big league team this year, their fortunes largely hinging on seeing something in Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami that apparently everyone else missed.

Cleveland Guardians: C

Fairly standard winter here: A Jose Ramírez extension some onramp granted to young players like Chase DeLauter and little material external gains. At least Steven Kwan is still a Guardian.

Detroit Tigers: C

They held onto Tarik Skubal, thank goodness, and buffed out their late-inning look by re-signing Kyle Finnegan and adding Kenley Jansen. A really good team, one that should be prohibitive favorites to win the Central again. Just a bummer the activity wasn’t commensurate with the opportunity Skubal’s final year offers.

Houston Astros: B-

They finished 87-75 and three games out of the division race, and essentially swapped lefty Framber Valdez for Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, while Mike Burrows was a nice low-key rotation add from Pittsburgh. Carlos Correa’s acquisition in August crowded the roster, with Isaac Paredes and prospect Zach Cole ticketed for part-time roles.

Kansas City Royals: B

Does moving the fences in count toward the grade? There were a few tucks around the edges, too, most notably a contract extension for Maikel Garcia and acquiring Isaac Collins and Nick Mears from Milwaukee, and reuniting with lefty reliever Matt Strahm.

Los Angeles Angels: C-

Just a little more snipping around the edges: A flyer on Grayson Rodriguez. Reuniting with Yoan Moncada. Vaughn Grissom is here. You get the idea.

Minnesota Twins: D+

The roster thoroughly flattened by the 2025 trade deadline added Josh Bell along with the more cost-effective Rogers relief twin. At least Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan are still here.

New York Yankees: C

Trent Grisham: Back. Cody Bellinger: Back. Ryan Weathers: Aiming to hold down the fort for the injured starters. A dynamic winter, this was not, but still an all right ballclub.

Seattle Mariners: B+

Something tells us they may not be done yet but it’s been a nice offseason anyway. Locking up productive glue guy Josh Naylor early on was huge and they probably hopped off the Jorge Polanco train at the right time. Probably one infielder short still.

Tampa Bay Rays: C+

A real classic Rays winter – Shane Baz, Brandon Lowe, Josh Lowe and Pete Fairbanks are out, Gavin Lux, Cedric Mullins and Steven Matz are in. They received an impressive haul for Baz, but it’s tough to ascertain how much more they improved for 2026.

Texas Rangers: A-

They needed a fairly big reset and got it, exchanging Marcus Semien for Brandon Nimmo and trading for coveted lefty MacKenzie Gore to immediately rebrand them as contenders. Winning that trade – and any shot at the West – must involve unlocking greater consistency from Gore.

Toronto Blue Jays: A

That’s not to say we’re thrilled with an endgame that includes no Bo Bichette. But the early strikes for Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce solidify a very good rotation beyond 2026, and the price for Kazuma Okamoto was not exorbitant. They may miss the elites like Bichette and Kyle Tucker not so much in topline production, but overall depth.

The offseason weeks continue to blow by as we’re nearly done with January already, and spring training is officially around the corner. The Yankees’ retooling appears all but over barring a last-minute deal falling into place, and while Brian Cashman has done his best to defend against the impression that they’re just running back last year’s team, there’s not a lot of evidence to the contrary. That’s not unreasonable — they were the best offense in baseball and their rotation simply didn’t perform outside of Cam Schlittler in October after being a solid unit all year! But the hope of pulling in a significant improvement to the roster wasn’t an unreasonable one, and it looks like it’ll go unanswered at least to start the year.

Relievers past and present are on the lineup today, beginning with Andrés looking at Jake Bird’s potential to bounceback in 2026 after one of the rockiest Yankees debuts we’ve seen in a while. Then, Nick wishes a happy birthday to onetime Yankee closer John Habyan, and Jeremy takes us back to the Yankees signing one of their iconic 2009 retooling stars in Mark Teixeira.

Questions/Prompts:

1. Do you think Angel Chivilli will thrive under Matt Blake’s tutelage, or is this one a stretch?

2. What are your thoughts on Cody Bellinger opting to not join Team USA for the WBC to instead focus on getting ready for the season?

The Braves were linked specifically to Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito as targets for their starting pitching pursuit, which apparently remains active at this stage in the offseason. While those are by no means sexy options, they likely wouldn’t require eye-watering contracts and would preserve the Braves’ 2026 draft capital, as compared to Framber Valdez or Zac Gallen. Bassitt has been quite durable and consistent in the ~2.5 fWAR per (regular length) season range for seven seasons now, but hasn’t had a peak much higher than that and will be 37 this season. Giolito had a higher peak than Bassitt from 2019-2021, but hasn’t been the same pitcher since, That said, he posted a solid back-end starter year in 2025, albeit with highly diminished strikeout stuff. Either would be solid depth options, but wouldn’t bring much upside with them beyond that, though Giolito is only 31, so perhaps a renaissance could still be in the cards for him.

Braves News

The Braves’ interest in adding starting pitching was reiterated, even at this stage in the offseason, by Jon Heyman, listing Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito as potential options.

MLB News

The Twins and Rockies made a minor depth trade involving three players and cash.

The Rockies traded a reliever to the Yankees for a fringe prospect.

Owen Murphy landed on Kiley McDaniel’s 101-200 prospects list over at ESPN.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: After spending most of the offseason re-signing members of the 2025 team, Brian Cashman is pushing back on the narrative that this year’s team will be much the same as last year’s. “I disagree that it’s the same team, running it back,” the Yankees’ GM said. “It’s going to be some differences, and the competition is going to be different, too.”

For Cody Bellinger, whose recent re-signing fed the flames of the “running it back” angle, that doesn’t sound like a problem. “I really do love the group that we had,” Bellinger said. “We had a special, special unit. We had great chemistry that I don’t think can be understood unless you’re inside the clubhouse.”

Another effect of Bellinger’s signing is potentially reduced roles for fellow outfielders Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones. The team’s manager still sees a potential role for both, however. “Belli is that true, versatile player that can go be really successful all over the diamond,” Aaron Boone said. “So we’ll see how everything plays out. The reality is, we have a lot of really good players. And Jasson and Spencer are part of that.”

Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: Aaron Judge is faring well in his recovery from a right elbow flexor strain that impacted him last season, per Boone. “Actually, because he has ramped up his throwing program a little bit more because he’s getting ready for the (World Baseball Classic), he’s ahead of the game more so than he even normally is from a throwing standpoint,” the Yankees manager said Wednesday.

Unlike his captain, the recently re-signed Cody Bellinger has decided to sit out the WBC this year. “Don’t think this year’s going to be the year,” he said Wednesday. “Especially getting the free-agent [deal] and going into spring, you kind of just want to focus on what’s at hand here and the task at hand. I owe it to the Steinbrenner family and the Yankee organization to go and give my best foot forward and try and win a championship.”

Anthony Volpe’s recovery from a partial shoulder labrum tear is going well, too. Though he’s not expected to be ready for Opening Day, Cashman said he expects him back “sooner than later.” Ailing hurlers Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are on track in their recoveries as well.

MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: The Yankees and Rockies finalized a trade that will send reliever Angel Chivilli to New York, per Jack Curry. Chivilli is a hard-throwing right-hander who’s struggled with the long ball in limited big-league action but has demonstrated the stuff to miss bats. The 23-year-old allowed 49 runs in 58.2 innings last year, though some of that may be attributable to struggles at Denver’s Coors Field. In exchange, the Yankees are shipping off T.J. Rumfield. The 25-year-old was the starting first baseman at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season, slashing .285/.378/.447 with 16 homers.

For more on Chivilli, check out Josh’s post for Pinstripe Alley yesterday shortly after the news was announced.

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: Bellinger’s five-year, $162.5 million contract will come with a larger luxury tax hit than the norm. That’s because of an arcane clause in the league’s collective bargaining agreement called the “Valley Charge.” Without getting too in the weeds, because the outfielder’s compact comes with a $20 million signing bonus and includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons, it will be treated as worth $44.75 million in average annual value (instead of $32.5 million) over the first two years of the deal. Should Bellinger choose not to opt out, the added luxury tax hit would essentially be credited back to the Yankees on the back end of the deal. This new wrinkle brings the Yankees’ tax number for 2026 above $330 million after they ended the season at $320 million last year.

CBS Sports | Dayn Perry: In a report that will only stoke the fires of the “running it back” narrative, the Yankees have reportedly expressed interest in a reunion with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, per YES Network’s Jack Curry. The right-handed Goldschmidt could once again provide insurance for the lefty Ben Rice, who is expected to see the lion’s share of playing time at first base. Re-signing Goldschmidt would theoretically also free Rice up to play some catcher, where Austin Wells struggled at times offensively last year.

Goldschmidt was one of the Yankees’ most consistent hitters in the first half last year but trailed off down the stretch of his age-37 season. And while he had a .981 OPS against southpaws, much of that came during his hot first couple months. As beat writer Gary Phillips noted, that figure fell to .676 from June 1st onward.

The Athletic | Keith Law: ($) The Yankees had two players — George Lombard Jr. and Carlos Lagrange — on Law’s top 100 prospect list published on Monday. They very nearly had a third. Dax Kilby was the last player left off the list, slotting in at 101. The shortstop, who was taken 39th overall in last year’s draft, slashed .353/.457/.441 in 18 games at Low-A, an impressive showing for a player coming straight from high school to pro ball. Looking under the hood, his hard-hit rate and chase rate suggest a player with the tools to rise through the minor-league ranks. Law expects him to move off shortstop due to a below-average arm, but still sees him as a viable enough bat to stick at second base.

Awful Announcing | Sam Neumann: Yankees legend Willie Randolph will be joining YES for the 2026 season, the network has announced. The former team co-captain will join studio coverage alongside Bob Lorenz in a role similar to the one that the departed John Flaherty, Jeff Nelson, and Dave Valle would often tackle at points. It doesn’t sound like he’ll be in color commentary rotation though, as that will remain the primary domain of David Cone and Paul O’Neill, plus some Joe Girardi and Todd Frazier. Randolph was a World Series champion as the second baseman for the 1977-78 Yankees and earned four more rings serving as a coach with the team from 1994-2004.

Yankees GM pushes back on “run it back” narrative; injury updates on several key contributors; righty reliever acquired from Rockies; a bigger tax hit for Belli; Dax Kilby just misses top 100 list; Yankees legend joins the booth.

The New York Rangers’ 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Wednesday night was overshadowed by news that proceeded to come out before the game even starting.

Just about an hour before puck drop at UBS Arena, word came out that Artemi Panarin would be held out of the lineup due to roster management, and he won’t play in any games before the Olympic break, beginning on Feb. 5.

Everybody has known that it was just a matter of time before Panarin gets traded, as Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury reportedly held an individual meeting with Panarin shortly before releasing a letter outlining the team’s intentions to retool, and informed him that the Rangers do not plan to re-sign him past this season and will look to trade him to anywhere he wishes to go. 

However, Panarin had remained in the lineup leading up to Wednesday, and it appears as if the decision to hold him out was made just hours before the game, to the surprise of many of the players.

“Yeah it was a little weird, with how it happened later in the day and he’s not here,” Vincent Trocheck said of Panarin’s absence. “It’s a weird feeling. Obviously, like I said before, we know what a situation like this brings, and for me personally, it being a guy like Bread, who I’ve become extremely close with over the last four years and was lucky enough to play with, it's been a huge blessing for me. I've learned a ton from him. Yeah, it's tough whether it's a game day or not a game day.”

Although Panarin hasn’t officially been traded yet, Wednesday night felt like the closing of a chapter for the Rangers organization, a chapter that started in 2019 when the Rangers signed Panarin to a 7-year, $81 million contract. 

In all likelihood, the 34-year-old has played his last game in a Blueshirts sweater. 

In 482 games with the Rangers, Panarin has recorded 205 goals, 402 assists, and 607 points, while also helping lead the team to the Eastern Conference Final twice.

“Bread is a terrific player and a great teammate,” Mike Sullivan said. “He's one of the best Rangers of his generation. He's not an easy guy to replace when he’s not in the lineup, but everybody understands it, and we're going to control what we can.”

Panarin was not the first and likely won’t be the last player to be yanked out of the lineup due to roster management. 

Just 48 hours ago, Carson Soucy was scratched from Monday’s matchup against the Boston Bruins, and by the end of the night, he was traded to the Islanders. 

Over the past year and a half, we’ve seen the dismantling of the Rangers’ core. Now up until the March 6th NHL Trade Deadline, we’ll see the continuation of this teardown, with players falling like dominoes, getting taken away piece by piece in an effort to go through with the retool plan outlined by Drury in his Jan. 16th letter. 

Artemi Panarin Will Be Held Out Of Lineup As Rangers Seek Trade According to multiple reports, Artemi Panarin will be held out of the lineup on Wednesday night for the New York Rangers’ matchup against the New York Islanders due to roster management. 

Drury’s warning to fans that they may have to say “goodbye to players that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years”  is being put into action. 

The reality of the situation is staring every player directly in the face and looming over the team like a dark cloud. 

“You can't look at it like that,” Trocheck said about whether he’s trying to savor every moment with this team before being broken up. “You can't go about your day being scared of what's going to happen next. You got to, like you said, embrace every moment that you have together, and love everybody in this locker room and cherish every second that we have together, every time we're on the ice together.”

The Colorado Rockies made a number of roster moves on Wednesday within the span of two hours, and Skyler Timmins did a marvelous job of keeping up with them:

• First, they traded RHP Angel Chivilli to the Yankees for 1B T.J. Rumfield
• Then, they designated OF Yanquiel Fernández for assignment
• Finally, they traded RHP Jace Kaminska and cash considerations to the Twins for INF Edouard Julien and RHP Pierson Ohl

At 2pm, Paul DePodesta hopped on Zoom with the media to answer questions about the moves and what they mean for the future of the organization.

On the decision to trade Angel Chivilli

I wouldn’t say we necessarily wanted to [trade Chivilli], because he obviously has a terrific arm, he’s still very young, he did miss a lot of bats. I think there are a lot of things about Angel that are really attractive. We weren’t anxious to move him, but we did feel like our bullpen is a real area of depth, and there have been clubs asking about a number of our bullpen arms throughout the course of the last couple months. And ultimately, this was a deal that seemed to fit and seemed to come together for us. It wasn’t a situation where we were looking to move him by any stretch, there was just enough interest, and I found a deal that ultimately made sense. But we were dealing from an area of strength where we could then bolster our position player club going forward.

On TJ Rumfield

We think he’s a solid defender at first base to go along with the bat. He’s been a very productive hitter the last two years in Triple-A as a 24 and 25-year-old. I think he’s got really good bat-to-ball skills. He has some emerging power. But he’s a guy that can manipulate the barrel pretty well, and as a consequence, has hit for average along with some of that juice. So we think he’s a nice combination of skills and is very capable at first base.

On the decision to DFA Yanquiel Fernández

It’s hard, to be honest with you. We’re now certainly at a point where we feel like every time we make a move, we’re losing someone we like or potentially losing someone we like. And that was certainly the case with Yanquiel. He’s been a good prospect and got a chance to get his feet we at the major league level last year. He has some power, so it’s hard.

I think at this point we felt like we did have some depth outfield-wise, especially with the left-hand hitting outfielders. We now have a group in the big leagues that we feel pretty good about. We also have a handful of guys on the 40-man who maybe haven’t yet gotten a lot of time in the big leagues, or even any time at all with, like, Sterlin Thompson. So it really came do to that where, if we lose someone, in what part of the roster can we afford that? And right now, I think that left hand-hitting outfielder spot was where we were just a little heavy.

On Edouard Julien

I think we’re certainly intrigued by the bat. I think he had a really, really good track record, even going back to the time when he was in High-A, Double-A, Triple-A into his rookie season. He’s produced at the major league level at different times. The last couple of years, he hasn’t had as consistent of opportunities that he had that rookie year, but we like the versatility. He can play first, he can play second, and we like that left-handed bat against right-handed pitching. So we think there are probably some different ways that we can use it.

On Pierson Ohl

I think he could do a little bit of both (opening and relieving). He’s also started in the minor league, and his mix is a little different, depending on whether or not he was starting or relieving. But he’s a very, very good strike thrower. He does have some good pitches in his arsenal to keep hitters off balance. Principally, he has the changeup but he also has a feel for a handful of other pitches. So I think philosophically, he fits with us really well and could pitch in a multitude of roles for us.

On the left-handedness of the recent trades

I think there were some struggles last year against right-handed pitching in general. And obviously, you’re going to see more right-handers than left-handers, so I think it certainly was a focus for us as we went through the offseason to make sure we had a few more weapons from the left side, if possible.

On creating roster competition and positional flexibility

I think what we’re really trying to do is create, I think, really healthy competition on our roster [with these moves]. Now, most of the players we have acquired do have a good amount of versatility. I think there are lots of different ways that the pieces can fit, and I think that’s really what we’re looking for.

And I think we’re also going into the idea that the roster is going to be fluid through the course of the year. We all know that we’ll have injuries, we’ll have players that maybe don’t perform the way you expected them to, etc. and I think these players having versatility just makes our roster a little bit more robust. So we may not be done adding — we’ll see — but we did want to make sure that we had healthy competition at a handful of these different spots and then different ways to put the puzzle together.

I don’t think we’re going to be taking positions away from any guys who are capable of playing. In fact, it may actually be the opposite. This spring, you may see some guys playing some positions that maybe they haven’t played as much in the past, just to see if we can’t increase their versatility.”

On a common thread

There are certain things we want to be able to do as a team. I think we know it’s really hard to get all of those attributes in a single player. But as a team collectively, we want to be able to do a lot of different things. We know we need to get on base more; we know we need to chase less; we’d like to hit for some more power; we want to be able to run the bases more effectively and have that be more of a weapon on our team.

So trying to accomplish all these things at once, again, is really hard to do with just one player. But I think each of the players that we’ve acquired have pieces that have elements of those goals, and we’ll bring those to our team as a whole.

On continued player development

Last week, we had our summit in Denver with all of our baseball personnel. And one of the real themes of that was that development never stops, and I think Schaeff and his entire staff at the major-league level are committed to continue to develop guys, even at the major-league level. That’s something that we’re going to be focused on, not just this year, but I think going forward in the organization and really sort of bring that into the development that the players have already had in the minor leagues. But there’s not doubt we think that there are heights yet to be reached for all these players, not just the ones we’ve just acquired, but even for the players we’ve already had on our roster.

On acquiring another starting pitcher

We continue to engage on finding even more pitching, largely starters, because we feel like we’ve got pretty good depth in our bullpen, but we’re looking at all different avenues. So far this offseason, we’ve traded for folks, we’ve claimed players, we’ve signed free agents, and I think we’re still actively looking through all of those avenues for additional starting pitching.

On Charlie Condon and the future

We love Charlie, and I think we’re very excited to have him. With all these moves, I think back to probably 25 years ago or so when I was with Oakland and we were in spring training and we were adding one more player, and there was some concern about how he was going to fit. And I remember Billy [Beane] at one point saying, ‘Do we finally have too many good players? Is that the point we’ve reached? We have too many?’

Obviously, we’re not there yet. We’re going to keep adding talent to this roster, but in no way are we not believing in the young guys we have. We have a lot of really good young players that are in Double-A and Triple-A, and there’s no doubt in my mind that they’re going to earn their opportunities on this team. And once they do, they’ll have long runways with us.

As we keep saying, the Rockies have a vision. They seem to have a clear idea of how they want to construct their roster and the things they’re looking for in players.

It’s also a breath of fresh air to hear from Paul DePodesta as often as he’s been available.

What are your thoughts on the Rockies’ roster moves? Do you think they’ll make more? Let us know in the comments!

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It’s Wednesday night here at BCB After Dark: the most happening hangout for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re so glad you decided to stop by. Come in out of the cold. We can check your coat for you. We’ve got a fire going and the show will start soon. There’s no cover charge tonight. Bring your own beverage.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

Last night, I asked you where the Cubs were most vulnerable heading into the season. Thirty-five percent of you thought the biggest issue was the bullpen, and that makes a lot of sense. Another 31 percent of you said “outfield depth,” and that makes a lot of sense too. I wonder about the two percent of you who said “infield depth.” I guess if you don’t believe in Matt Shaw that could be a problem, but is that the biggest potential problem on the team?

Here’s the part where we listen to music and talk movies. The BCB Winter Science Fiction Classic starts the third round tonight. But you’re free to skip all that. You won’t hurt my feelings.

My adage when I can’t think of anything to play is to just play the hits. So tonight, we have a classic from Count Basie and his Orchestra on the BBC in 1965. This is “April in Paris,” which you’ve probably heard many times, even if only in Blazing Saddles.

You voted in the BCB Winter Science Fiction Classic and you decided to send Back to the Future to the final eight over The Matrix. A lot of you noted that I probably would have voted for The Matrix (I don’t vote except to break ties) but were it up to me, this round would have been Gattaca against 12 Monkeys, so I’m not going to get too worked up.

With that, we close out the second round and move on to the third. We also move back to the “Classic” period where we have a battle of two heavyweights: The Day the Earth Stood Still and Godzilla (Gojira). I put the Japanese title in the matchup to make clear that were voting on the Japanese original. The English-language version is called Godzilla: King of the Monsters. I’ve mentioned that version with Raymond Burr is a lot of fun but it is definitely the inferior version.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). Directed by Robert Wise. Starring Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal and Hugh Marlowe.

Here’s what I wrote last time about The Day the Earth Stood Still.

The key clip from The Day the Earth Stood Still is Patricia Neal saying “Klaatu Barada Nikto” to Gort, but I used that one last time. But it’s just a magnificent piece of filmmaking from director Wise. You can see how he would go on to win two Oscars for directing.

This clip of Klaatu (Rennie) emerging from the saucer is also good.

Godzilla (1954). Directed by Ishirō Honda. Starring Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata and Takashi Shimura.

Here’s what I wrote last time about Godzilla.

Here’s Godzilla emerging out of Tokyo Bay.

Both of these films are dealing with the anxieties of the nuclear age from different sides of the Pacific. For Americans, the destruction of nuclear weapons was only theoretical and in The Day the Earth Stood Still, Klaatu comes as a Christ-like savior to lead us to the path of peace. No one gets hurt other than Klaatu. Even he (sort of, thanks the Production Code) comes back to life.

Of course for the Japanese, the terror of nuclear weapons was all too real and Godzilla wrecks major havoc to the country. Tens or hundreds of thousands are likely dead in Godzilla’s wake. The message isn’t so much “live in peace with nuclear weapons” as it is “get rid of them because someone is going to use one again eventually.”

Both films are fantastic. Tough choice tonight. But now is your time to make it.

You have until Monday to make your vote. Next up is the finals in our “New Hollywood” bracket between 2001: A Space Odyssey and Planet of the Apes (1968).

Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.

Earlier this decade, the Cubs were lining up all of their big contracts to run out at the end of this year. That’s gone a bit by the wayside with the signings of Dansby Swanson, Alex Bregman and Phil Maton, but for the most part, the Cubs are going to have a few free agents at the end of 2026 if they don’t sign them to extensions before that.

Both Cubs starting corner outfielders, Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki, are going to be free agents at the end of the season unless they agree to extensions or accept a qualifying offer. Both of them are very good players, but neither one is a superstar. It’s hard to tell what Suzuki is thinking with the language barrier and all, but I’ve got no reason to think he isn’t happy in Chicago. There was a little grumbling from his camp last year when he was moved to DH after the trade for Kyle Tucker, but Tucker is gone now and Suzuki is penciled back in right field for 2026.

Happ has made it clear that he loves Chicago and the Cubs and would like to be a Cub for life.

So should the Cubs make a move now to sign either outfielder to an extension? Or both?

Al wrote an article earlier this winter arguing for Happ to be signed to a three-year extension. I actually think that his contract proposal was a little low on money. I think Happ can get significantly more than three years, $48 million on the open market. Jorge Polanco is a year older than Happ, is a bad defender who is moving to first base and is a similar hitter. He got two years and $40 million from the Mets on the open market.

So I’m going to propose a three-year extension for Happ for $60 million. That’s basically what he signed in his last extension. Yes, Happ is older now than he was then, but salaries have gone up since then too.

Suzuki is a better hitter than Happ but a much worse fielder. The two were born six days apart from each other, so age isn’t a factor. I think Suzuki’s defense is going to be a bigger problem as he ages, so he may be destined to be a full-time DH with only an occasional game as a corner outfielder. So I’m going to put Suzuki’s extension at a slight discount from Happ at three years and $54 million.

So would you sign either of these outfielders to an extension before Opening Day? Or both of them? The Cubs are definitely going to need two corner outfielders in 2027. Even if you think that Kevin Alcántara is ready to take over one of those spots, there really isn’t another reasonable candidate in the minor leagues to fill the other one. The free agent market for outfielders next winter isn’t great. There’s George Springer, who is going to be 37 years old and then there are guys who I’d argue aren’t as good as Happ and Suzuki—Randy Arozarena, Adolis García and Trent Grisham. That may make signing either one to an extension harder because they know that teams looking for outfielders next winter aren’t going to have a ton of options.

There is one wildcard in the Cubs minor league system that would argue against signing both is last year’s first-round pick Ethan Conrad. Conrad hasn’t made his professional debut yet because of injuries and it seems highly unlikely that he’d be ready to start the 2027 season in the majors. However, if he’s as good as the Cubs think he is, Conrad will definitely be ready by 2028, if not sooner. But can you really count on a player who hasn’t taken a professional at-bat yet?

You can make your own estimates on what the extension would go for, but make it realistic. Neither one is signing for two years and $20 million. You don’t have to give either one no-trade options, although Happ wouldn’t need one because he would become a 10-5 player some time in the 2027 season.

So what would you do? Would you lock up one of these outfielders by Opening Day? Both? Neither?

Thank you for stopping in tonight. We know you have a lot of fake online baseball and jazz-themed nightclubs to choose from, so we’re happy you chose us. Please get home safely. Stay warm out there. Don’t forget anything. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again next week for more BCB After Dark.

The Yankees won 94 games — and nearly the AL East — last season without any contribution from ace Gerrit Cole.

What nearly derailed 2025 in The Bronx, rather, was the right elbow flexor strain that Aaron Judge suffered in late July.

So the fact Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Judge was “doing really well” in his throwing program as he prepares to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic may have been the most important news that came out of Wednesday’s Zoom call with Yankees hierarchy.

“He has ramped up his throwing program a little bit more because he’s ready for the WBC,” Boone said. “He’s ahead of the game, more so than he normally is, from a throwing standpoint. … He feels ready to go right away in camp.”

Asked if there was any concern Judge could be at risk, Boone said, “No, he looks great.”

As the Yankees know all too well, it was Judge’s toe injury in 2023 that played a huge factor in them missing the postseason for the only time in Judge’s career.

With the elbow injury a year ago, Judge returned to the lineup after a brief IL stint, but wasn’t able to play right field regularly until mid-September and then was a force the rest of the way, including in the postseason.

Anthony Volpe’s rehab from the partially torn labrum in his left shoulder is “going well” according to general manager Brian Cashman, although he declined to place a timeline on the shortstop’s return.

Earlier in the offseason, Cashman said Volpe could begin hitting by mid-February and be back in April or May at the latest, with the expectation that José Caballero would fill in at short until Volpe returns.

“He’s here [in Tampa], working his tail off with a smile on his face, fully committed,’’ Cashman said. “We look forward to him rejoining us at some point at shortstop, sooner than later.”

Whenever Volpe does get back, he’ll be under the microscope again, coming off an inconsistent season in which he had another subpar season at the plate — although that could have been attributed in some part to the shoulder, which Volpe initially injured in May.

And his defense has also gone backward after Volpe won a Gold Glove as a rookie in 2024.

Cody Bellinger said he would be interested in representing Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, but not this year, just coming out of free agency.

Now that the Yankees have just about the whole band back together — the one that got knocked around in an ALDS loss to the Blue Jays — exactly why will this version have a better ending than the 2025 version?

That’s what Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone and the player that was at the center of the Yankees reunion, Cody Bellinger, tried to explain Wednesday.

The answer lies in the development of some young players — Cam Schlittler for one — a full season with their trade deadline acquisitions from last summer and, most of all, the expected return of Gerrit Cole in the first half of the season.

Cole didn’t throw a pitch last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the spring. 

His rehab, as well as the rehab of Carlos Rodón, is going as expected, which is positive news in The Bronx.

Will it be enough, though, to get the Yankees past the Blue Jays — not to mention the improved Orioles and up-and-coming Red Sox — to win the AL East and then have a chance to upend the mighty Dodgers in the World Series?

“One series, make or break, is not gonna define what we think our capabilities are,” Cashman said of the ALDS loss on a Zoom call from Tampa. “We all understand in [the] postseason, you’ve got to bring your best baseball every series and if you don’t, you’re going home. It doesn’t mean we weren’t capable of great things. We just didn’t get the job done in that time frame against the Toronto Blue Jays, the defending American League champs.”

Boone was similarly confident.

“At the end of last year, in so many ways, it’s as good as I felt about our team heading into the postseason in the years I’ve been here,” Boone said. “Obviously, we got beat up in the division round. It didn’t go our way. That doesn’t mean it’s not gonna go our way the next time. We think we’re really good. That doesn’t mean we’re gonna win 94 games again. It doesn’t mean we’re gonna win 88. But we think we have the pieces.”

A source also told The Post’s Jon Heyman the Yankees have stayed in contact with Paul Goldschmidt as a right-handed bat to give the lefty-swinging Ben Rice some protection at first, but only if the price is right. They also continue to be interested in adding more pitching, as well as possibly a right-handed outfield bat, with Randal Grichuk and Austin Slater potential candidates, according to Heyman.

And then there’s Bellinger, who signed a five-year, $162.5 million deal with a pair of opt outs to return to The Bronx after a successful first season with the Yankees following his trade from the Cubs last offseason.

“I feel really good with that,” Bellinger said of going into this year with a similar squad as a year ago. “That might not be what everyone wants to hear, but I love the group we had. We had great chemistry. I don’t think that can be understood unless you’re inside the clubhouse. We all played for each other.”

Cashman, the architect, noted that there have been some alterations from a year ago, with some new arms, in particular.

“It’s not the same roster,” Cashman said. “We have some players at some point returning from the IL that are important players. Gerrit Cole is one of them.”

They traded for another young reliever Wednesday, acquiring 23-year-old right-hander Angel Chivilli from Colorado in exchange for minor league first baseman T.J. Rumfield.

There’s also internal optimism that the upgrades they made at the deadline, with bullpen arms like David Bednar and Camilo Doval, in particular, as well as potential improved defense at third base from Ryan McMahon and more depth with Amed Rosario and José Caballero will pay dividends.

“I’ve been openly willing to challenge anybody that we don’t have a championship caliber roster [and] team,’’ Cashman said. “And it’s our job to try to make it better along the way.” 

In yet another incredibly tight vote, it was Big Sugar who emerged victorious!

With 36 votes out of 124 responses in this round, big right-hander Zach Maxwell claimed the plurality, narrowly topping the likes of Leo Balcazar (34 votes) and Aaron Watson (29 votes) – with the latter two holding slim leads of their own at various points during the open voting window.

Maxwell – who throws 102 mph, created the Mississippi River by dragging his axe, and dug the Great Lakes with his footprints – made it to the actual Cincinnati Reds during the 2025 season, the 25 year old product of Georgia Tech tossing 10.0 innings and allowing 5 ER with 13 K in that time. He’s the owner of an impressive 13.1 K/9 across 143 appearances at the minor league level, and will enter spring camp in Goodyear, Arizona vying for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Congrats to Zach!

The Yankees' everyday lineup is basically complete with the re-signing of Cody Bellinger, but that leaves the fate of youngsters Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones up in the air.

Before Bellinger's signing, manager Aaron Boone and GM Brian Cashman talked up the possibility of either Dominguez or Jones fighting for a spot in left field, but that has now changed. 

During a Zoom news conference with the media on Wednesday, Boone was asked about the outlook of Dominguez and Jones after the signing of Bellinger, and the Yankees skipper was blunt.

"The reality is that [the outlook] does change," Boone said. "We got Cody right back in the center of the mix and [Trent Grisham] back. That maybe complicates some things for them, but we also know what potentially outstanding players they are going to be in this league."

Aaron Judge is the stalwart in right field and after Grisham accepted the qualifying offer earlier this offseason, center field is locked up. Bellinger was the last piece of the puzzle for the starting outfield, and now that it's filled, playing time for Dominguez or Jones will be limited. However, Boone made sure to point out there are a lot of days between Wednesday and Opening Day, and things can change. 

Injuries and performance during spring training could change a team's calculations, especially with what each youngster brings to the table. Dominguez spent the season on the roster and appeared in 123 games where he had his ups and downs. He slashed .257/.331/.388 with an OPS of .719 to go along with his 10 home runs and 47 RBI, and 23 stolen bases. 

Boone praised Dominguez's major league experience as well as Jones' 2025 minor league season. The young slugger had his best season as a pro. Between Double-A and Triple-A, Jones slashed .274/.362/.571 with an OPS of .932. His 35 home runs and 80 RBI across 116 games opened the eyes of the Yankees organization.

Even Cashman, earlier this offseason, praised Jones and said he had a chance to make the Opening Day roster. 

And while that doesn't seem to be the case anymore, there will always be a chance in the future.

"You start predicting the future too early and things change in a hurry," Boone said. "One of the things why we love Belli so much, too, is the versatility he brings. Whether it’s early on in the season, next year, wherever they may be, someone carves out an opportunity for themselves, Belli is that true versatile player that could be really successful all over the diamond. We’ll see how everything plays out. The reality is that we have a lot of great players and Jasson and Spencer are a part of that." 

The longest-tenured voice of Seattle Mariners baseball almost wasn’t.

In 1983, Rick Rizzs was serving as the play-by-play announcer for the Columbus Clippers, at the time the Yankees’ Triple-A team. He’d been in the minor leagues for nine years, still waiting on a chance at a big-league job. It seemed like his opportunity had arrived; he was one of two finalists for a job with the Seattle Mariners to serve as the great Dave Niehaus’s number two. He was set to fly to Southern California the next day to meet with team owner George Argyros before the latter shipped out on a three-week cruise to Greece.

But first, Rizzs had agreed to help the Columbus Girl Scouts with their annual cookie sale kick-off. He showed up at a Columbus mall the night before he was slated to fly out to participate in a cookie-eating contest. Never one to do things in half-measures, Rizzs ate 33 cookies in three minutes.

The next morning, Rizzs woke up with chest pains so bad he thought he was having a heart attack. He went to Columbus’s team doctor, who ordered blood tests and eventually diagnosed him with a strained sternum from overconsumption. He had to miss his flight.

“I thought my big league dream was going to be shattered,” said Rizzs, recounting the story during a press conference on Wednesday. “Dumbest thing I ever did, besides trying to follow a legend in Detroit. That’s another story.”

With the help of Mariners personnel, Rizzs was able to re-schedule his flight and make it to the meeting with Argyros, who handed Rizzs the job on the spot after Rizzs explained the reason for his delay.

“He said, ‘anybody willing to sacrifice his life for the Girl Scouts is my kind of guy.’”

Argyros—whom Rizzs would outlast in the Mariners organization—might not have known how deep that statement would cut. Over the next forty years, Rick Rizzs would become an integral part of the Mariners community, and not just behind the mic. While there haven’t been any more cookie-eating contests, Rizzs has built a legacy of giving in the Northwest that extends beyond the four-plus hours he’s on the radio every night, from his annual Toys for Kids drive that has delivered over 360,000 toys to Northwest kids over its 30 years of existence as well as other forms of year-round support for families and children, to his full-throated support of Mariners charity events, where he serves as emcee and auctioneer.

Beyond the park and his official charity exploits, Rizzs also gives to the fanbase. He’s a regular fixture at things like FanFest, the Mariners Caravan, and more informal opportunities around town, where he’s always happy to stop and chat with fans.

Part of the reason Rizzs feels so called to give is to pass on a gift he was given as a child. Growing up in Chicago, Rizzs idolized legendary Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse, practicing calling his own Cubs games in the family basement. A 12-year-old Rizzs eventually wrote Brickhouse a letter asking for advice on becoming a broadcaster, and Brickhouse wrote back, encouraging him in his dreams. “That was like, my holy grail,” said Rizzs, who aims to offer his own advice and encouragement to people who come to him seeking the same—or even just a moment of his time, understanding as he is of the special relationship between broadcasters and fanbases.

“As a broadcaster, you get to know the fans, they get to know you, and that’s the beautiful part of this. I felt like I knew Jack Brickhouse long before I met him. We’re in your homes every day, or your car, or out on the beach, or in the backyard, or in the sandlot. That’s the beauty of radio. You can take us wherever you want to go. And so they feel a connection.

So when it comes time to meet [the fans], say hello. Give them a smile. Shake their hand, spend some time with them. At spring training, I like to take little walks and visit with the fans, because you’ve gotta make a fan one at a time, because they’re going to talk about it…and that connection just keeps growing and growing.“

But all that giving – the big things, and the daily grind of baseball, and one fan at a time – has taken a lot out of the 72-year-old Rizzs, who plans to retire after this season, his 52nd in baseball and 41st with the Mariners.

“I’ve missed a lot,” Rizzs said. “I love what I do. I love baseball and I love broadcasting. But let’s face it. Everybody in the game – players, managers – we make sacrifices because we’re not home. As you know, I lost my son two years ago, and I want to spend more time with my grandkids now.”

Beyond spending time with his family, Rizzs wants to spend more time with friends, having watched several of his closest friends – his broadcast partner Dave Niehaus, Dave Henderson, Julio Cruz, Joe Wingen from the Joker Pub in Issaquah – pass away over the past 20 years. He’s had his own health scares too, most notably the serious ATV accident two years ago that fractured vertebrae in his neck and back. That came after a prostate cancer diagnosis in the 2023 off-season. And then there was the freak accident last spring when he got hit in the head with a foul ball while broadcasting one of the Mariners’ spring training games.

“At 72, you start to think, okay, what do I want to do with the rest of my life? What is the next chapter going to look like?”

Rizzs still plans to be highly involved in the Mariners organization, speaking as part of the alumni group, visiting the park and the players. You don’t just walk away from a home you’ve had for four decades.

But after years of giving, it’s time for Rizzs to take.

“I want to get on a plane that I want to get on, that’s going a place where I want to go,” he said, jabbing his finger into his chest. “I want to go to Italy and eat my brains out, just eat all the pasta that’s made in Italy and drink wine. I want to see the world. I’ve seen enough of…Toronto.”

Eating his beloved Italian cuisine while traveling the world is a well-earned pivot from cramming down three dozen Girl Scout cookies at a local mall. Whatever his next chapter has in store for Rick Rizzs, we all hope it has as much to give him as he has given all of us in the Mariners community.