It’s far from a blockbuster — neither player has ever made an All-Star team — but the swap is compelling nonetheless, in part for what it portends as these clubs move forward with their offseasons.
What kind of player is Taylor Ward?
The soon-to-be 32-year-old is coming off a career year in which he clocked 36 homers across 157 games, drove in 103 runs and finished with a .792 OPS. By most offensive metrics, he was easily a top-20 outfielder in the sport. Defensively, the former first-round draft pick is more solid than spectacular.
Ward will hit free agency after the 2026 season and is set to command around $13.5 million in arbitration salary this upcoming season. In a free-agent market relatively devoid of right-handed outfielders with power, Ward stood out as a potential trade chip. Now he’s an Oriole before Thanksgiving.
What kind of player is Grayson Rodriguez?
Taken 11th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft, “G-Rod” gradually blossomed into one of the most hyped pitching prospects in the sport. He debuted in 2023 with a heater that averaged an impressive 97.4 mph. Yet the offering’s suboptimal shape and Rodriguez’s middling command of the pitch meant that his fastball was absolutely clobbered.
He seemed to be taking a small step forward in 2024, but a lat issue in August shut him down for the remainder of the season. Things got worse in 2025 as Rodriguez, shelved with a cavalcade of ailments that included elbow inflammation, shoulder soreness and more lat pain, didn’t once climb a big league mound. He just turned 26 years old and is under contract for four more seasons, but the sheen has most certainly worn off as a result of his injury avalanche.
Why did the Orioles do this?
Mike Elias, Baltimore’s president of baseball operations, during last week’s general managers meetings told reporters that Rodriguez was not a lock for the club’s rotation, describing him as a “wild card.” That framing and the subsequent trade means the Orioles held significant doubts about whether Rodriguez will ever stay healthy enough for long enough to be an impact arm at the big league level. It’s another example of Elias, considered one of the league’s most calculating execs, taking emotion out of the equation in building a roster.
How Ward fits into the team’s outfield mix remains an open question, but he’s still a nice boost, particularly for a lineup that was quite bad against lefties last year. Before the deal, Baltimore’s Opening Day outfield would have likely featured Colton Cowser in center field, with last season’s free agent add Tyler O’Neill and rookie Dylan Beavers in the corners. Jeremiah Jackson, a post-hype prospect who showed very well in a small sample down the stretch in ‘25, also figures to be in the mix. Ward and O’Neill will play every day against southpaws if they’re healthy.
It’s quite obvious the O’s didn’t believe in Rodriguez anymore and were willing to pull the plug too soon as opposed to too late. The Angels were an eager dance partner and Ward was their most interesting trade chip.
Why did the Angels do this?
Because they need all the pitching help they can get.
For as bad as the O’s were on the mound last year, Los Angeles’ starters were even worse. The Angels finished 28th in ERA and strikeout rate, 29th in opposing OPS and dead last in walk rate. At this point, given his injuries, Rodriguez is far from a sure thing, but for the Angels his upside makes him a chance worth taking. That’s particularly true considering G-Rod still has four more years of control left. Players with his level of talent are difficult to acquire. The Halos saw an opening and acted.
Ward’s departure also helps to simplify the team’s outfield alignment. Mike Trout was almost exclusively a DH last year, which forced Jorge Soler into the grass and pushed Jo Adell, who enjoyed a splendid breakout in 2025, into center. Expect Adell to move back to a corner, where he fits better. Bryce Teodosio, a light-hitting speedster, is borderline transcendent in center and he could make an impact there if he hits just enough.
What does it mean for the Orioles moving forward?
Baltimore was going to refurbish its starting rotation via free agency or trade before this deal. Shipping G-Rod out only increases that chance. For the first time in his tenure, Elias has expressed a willingness to sign a free agent with a qualifying offer attached, which would necessitate the forfeiting of a high draft pick. That puts Ranger Suárez, Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen on the board. With a projected Opening Day rotation of Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells and Cade Povich the O’s probably need to add at least two more starters.
Adding Ward doesn’t completely forbid the addition of another bat, it just means said bat won’t be an outfielder. A first base/DH type like Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber or Ryan O’Hearn would make sense if the team is open to moving on from Ryan Mountcastle.
What does it mean for the Angels moving forward?
Offloading Ward’s $13.5 million contract gives GM Perry Minasian more flexibility in the free-agent market this winter. It’s unlikely the Halos go swimming in the deep end, even though Cody Bellinger would be a really nice fit in center field. The rotation could use a few more arms and the lineup has something of a black hole at third base, courtesy of Anthony Rendon’s descent into irrelevance.
Major League Baseball has finalized its national broadcasting details for 2026, 2027 and 2028.
On Wednesday, MLB announced a new partnership with NBC, Netflix and ESPN — in addition to its existing deals with FOX and Turner Sports.
“Our new media rights agreements with ESPN, NBCUniversal and Netflix provide us with a great opportunity to expand our reach to fans through three powerful destinations for live sports, entertainment, and marquee events,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
Here’s when and where you can watch national MLB games under the new deal:
Next season: July 13, 2026, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia
“Field of Dreams” game (taking over from FOX)
Next season: Aug. 13, 2026, in Dyersville, Iowa, Philadelphia Phillies vs. Minnesota Twins
ESPN
Fans will now purchase MLB.TV through ESPN to watch their favorite teams outside their home market. ESPN is incorporating a service to its streaming platform, with in-market games for the select MLB teams.
ESPN will also have a national midweek game package throughout the season.
Major League Baseball has finalized its national broadcasting details for 2026, 2027 and 2028.
On Wednesday, MLB announced a new partnership with NBC, Netflix and ESPN — in addition to its existing deals with FOX and Turner Sports.
“Our new media rights agreements with ESPN, NBCUniversal and Netflix provide us with a great opportunity to expand our reach to fans through three powerful destinations for live sports, entertainment, and marquee events,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
Here’s when and where you can watch national MLB games under the new deal:
Next season: July 13, 2026, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia
“Field of Dreams” game (taking over from FOX)
Next season: Aug. 13, 2026, in Dyersville, Iowa, Philadelphia Phillies vs. Minnesota Twins
ESPN
Fans will now purchase MLB.TV through ESPN to watch their favorite teams outside their home market. ESPN is incorporating a service to its streaming platform, with in-market games for the select MLB teams.
ESPN will also have a national midweek game package throughout the season.
Texans running back Joe Mixon hasn't played at all this season because of a foot injury. Six weeks ago, Texans General Manager Nick Caserio said he expected to know more about Mixon's status in a few weeks. It's been more than a few weeks, and the Texans still don't know when Mixon will be able to go.
Caserio said on Sports Radio 610 that the team still doesn't have any update about Mixon's recovery.
“It's not that I'm trying to be evasive, it’s just a very gray situation," Caserio said. "Joe’s worked at it. There were times where he’s made progress and other times when the progress is kind of stalled. Players in his situation are on the reserve list until they're not. Joe's doing everything he can. Obviously we’re getting pretty late in the game here, so I don’t want to establish any sort of expectations. A month ago or whatever it was, I mentioned we'd have a better idea in three or four weeks, or whatever it was. I don’t think we have any more clarity at this point. I think at this point he’s out until he’s not. It's a very gray, a lot of ambiguity, there's not a lot of clarity, it's nobody's fault, it's just the reality of the situation."
Mixon was placed on the non-football injury list at the start of training camp, and the Texans haven't explained how he hurt his foot in the first place. Last year Mixon was the Texans' leading rusher, with 1,016 yards, while this year they've turned to Nick Chubb, who has 419 yards through 10 games.
There was a flurry of moves across Major League Baseball on Tuesday as teams had to lock in their 40-man rosters before the Rule 5 Draft. However, the biggest move of the day came when many people were sleeping, as the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels pulled off a surprising trade that featured one of baseball's previous top pitching prospects.
Trade news: Taylor Ward is going to Baltimore and Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels. The Orioles get the power-hitting outfielder they've been seeking, and the Angels get back a young arm. Quite a trade. https://t.co/F8UqbbH7d8
On the surface, this seems like a confusing trade since we know the Orioles need top-end pitching and, for a time, that's exactly what we expected Grayson Rodriguez to be. So let's try to make sense of this deal both from a real-life and a fantasy standpoint.
Why would the Orioles make this trade?
I'm not sure. You tell me.
OK, well, any discussion about this trade has to start with Grayson Rodriguez's health. The 26-year-old has yet to pitch over 122 innings in any professional season and has battled myriad arm injuries since the second half of 2024. Since August of 2024, Rodriguez has dealt with right lat discomfort, right tricep soreness, right shoulder soreness, right elbow discomfort, and then right elbow surgery to remove damaged cartilage and bone spurs. That's a CVS receipt of injuries to his pitching arm, and you have to think that the Orioles would not have made this trade if they felt confident in his ability to return to his previous levels of production.
We also know that the Orioles felt they needed a power-hitting right-handed outfielder to complement left-handed hitters like Colton Cowser, Gunnar Henderson, Samuel Basallo, Jackson Holliday, Dylan Beavers, and switch-hitting Adley Rutschman. The Orioles do have Tyler O'Neill, who is a power-hitting right-handed outfielder, but they are potentially too worried about his health to rely on him as a full-time starter. Acquiring Ward means one of O'Neill and Beavers has to be pushed to the bench, or the two of them will be a platoon in right field.
In a vacuum, Ward is certainly a hitter any team would want to add. He hit 36 home runs and drove in 103 runs last season and has hit at least 23 home runs in all of his fully healthy MLB seasons. Of course, health is a bit of an issue for him as well. Ward only has two seasons with over 135 games played (his last two), but his significant injuries have been less consistent than O'Neill's. In 2023, Ward missed a large chunk of the season after being hit in the face and suffering a facial fracture. The last two seasons, he has battled lat discomfort, elbow inflammation, more lat discomfort, and a facial laceration, but he played through most of that. However, he also had neck, hamstring, and adductor injuries before 2023, so there are some valid durability concerns.
While his batting average has also fallen in every season since 2022, he's a .247/.327/.439 hitting for his career with a .192 ISO and 11.5% barrel rate, and that has value in the middle of a lineup. He has a solid understanding of the strike zone, not chasing much off the plate, and posting a career 9.1% swinging strike rate, so there aren't too many holes in his game from an offensive standpoint, even if the batting average will never be super high.
Defensively, he has been at least league average or better in left field in each of the last three seasons and was an above-average right fielder back in 2022, so the Orioles can use him in either corner outfield spot. With Cowser patrolling centerfield and Beavers/O'Neill in the other corner outfield spot, that's a pretty solid four-outfielder group for Baltimore. However, giving up four more years of Grayson Rodriguez for one season of Ward, who will be a free agent at the end of the year, is super risky, and the Orioles better hope they land one of the top starting pitchers on the market to help lead this rotation.
Why would the Angels make this trade?
In short, Grayson Rodriguez is only 26 years old and was once the top pitching prospect in all of baseball.
I know that all seems like a long time ago, but Rodriguez was MLB Pipeline's 6th overall prospect entering the 2022 season, which ranked him ahead of other pitching prospects like Hunter Greene, George Kirby, Jackson Jobe, Eury Perez, Shane Baz, and Nick Lodolo. That ranking was warranted too. In his 333.1 minor league innings, Rodriguez posted a 2.40 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and had 475 strikeouts to just 117 walks. He was dominant.
After some inconsistent production in his first 11 MLB starts as a 23-year-old, Rodriguez seemed to figure things out. He posted a 2.58 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 73/21 K/BB ratio in 76.2 innings to end the season. He then carried that into 2024, where he registered a 3.86 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 130/36 K/BB ratio in 116.2 innings before a lat strain sidelined him for the season.
While there have been some concerns about the amount of hard contact he gives up and the consistency of his execution of his secondary pitches, Rodriguez's ace upside is unquestioned. If he's healthy. He posted 259 strikeouts in 238.2 MLB innings while showcasing a changeup that eats up both righties and lefties, an upper-90s four-seam fastball, and a slider that registered a 21.7% swinging strike rate against righties in 2024.
Rodriguez is also under contract through the 2029 season, so he could be a big-time addition to this Angels rotation if he remains healthy. As of now, he would slot in as the team's ace alongside Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Soriano, Reid Detmers, and one of Caden Dana, Sam Aldegheri, George Klassen, or Jack Kochanowicz.
While the Angels may have hated to part with Ward, who has been in their organization for his entire career, moving him allows them to shift Jo Adell back to a corner outfield spot where he is more comfortable and then play one of Mike Trout or Jorge Soler at the other corner spot. We should expect them to go out and add a center fielder this offseason as well.
What’s the fantasy baseball impact?
This is a nice boost for Taylor Ward just because of the improved lineup around him. He's now going to be hitting somewhere in the middle of an order that includes Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Adley Rutschman, and Colton Cowser. That should improve his RBI and runs totals; however, he might see a dip in power production. Angel Stadium is the third-best park for right-handed hitters, according to Statcast Park Factors, and is specifically fourth for right-handed power. Meanwhile, Oriole Park at Camden Yards is 22nd overall for right-handed hitters and is 23rd for right-handed power.
Oriole Park ranks better for base hits, due to its more spacious outfield, so we could see a batting average and counting stats boost for Ward with some home run regression. Maybe that puts him closer to the .246/.323/.426 line from 2024 with 25 home runs; however, if you also give him about 80-90 runs scored and 100 RBI, that's a pretty solid overall season and one you're happy to get from your OF3 in fantasy baseball.
Grayson Rodriguez's value is harder to quantify because it's so contingent on his health.
For starters, the Angels have not proven to be an organization that can develop pitching or get the most out of its pitchers, so this is not a great landing spot for him in hopes of unlocking the ace upside and fixing some of the command issues with his secondaries. I wouldn't bank on him taking a major leap here in terms of skills development. He also gets a team context hit since the Angels are likely to produce fewer wins than the Orioles in 2026.
Perhaps that means a season that's closer to Rodriguez's current career averages than a step forward. That would be an ERA around 4.00 with an elevated 1.25 WHIP, and a 25-26% strikeout rate. Getting 130-140 innings out of him would be a major win for the Angels after his last two seasons, so that overall line sounds a lot like what Brady Singer did this year on the Reds. We can give Rodriguez more strikeouts, but Singer also had 14 wins, which Rodriguez isn't likely to duplicate, so it could even out. Singer finished as the SP47 on FanGraph's Player Rater, and given Rodriguez's extensive injury history, it would be hard to rank him much higher than that heading into 2026.
Amid the joyous scenes at Hampden on Tuesday night, John Souttar joined in the on-pitch celebrations with his Scotland team-mates, but his withdrawal from the starting line-up moments before kick-off will have caused concern for his new club manager Danny Rohl.
Souttar is not a faultless defender but in a troubled team he has been one of the most reliable performers and Rohl will hope his absence is not an extended one as he seeks to get Rangers back on track.
They return with three home games - Livingston and Falkirk in the league with Braga visiting in the Europa League in between.
The European campaign is as good as dead and Rohl has to put everything into rescuing a league title tilt, with Celtic still not firing on all cylinders and Hearts' ability to maintain a wonderful start unknown.
Clearly six points from the two league games against the promoted sides are an absolute must but few supporters will see them as a given, particularly as Rangers needed an injury-time Max Aarons winner to beat Livi earlier in the season while the draw with Falkirk was the final nail in Russell Martin's coffin.
But there were positive signs just before the international break as Rangers swept Dundee aside at Dens Park and you imagine Rohl will have been using the last couple of weeks on the training ground with those players not involved with their countries to instill his ideas a little more firmly.
The Rangers support will be looking forward to seeing how that translates on to the pitch on Saturday.
One of the Mets' biggest goals this offseason should be seriously bolstering a starting rotation that was the main reason their 2025 season went haywire.
And as they go about adding to the starting staff, they should leave no stone unturned.
The Mets should be aggressive players in the trade market, where top-of-the-rotation options like Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Joe Ryan, and Sandy Alcantara could be available.
As far as free agency, this year's crop of starting pitchers does not have a slam dunk option like it did last offseason (Max Fried) or the offseason before (Yoshinobu Yamamoto).
However, there are plenty of quality, high-upside arms the Mets should have their eyes on.
Here's who New York should be targeting, ranked...
5. Ranger Suarez
Suarez, who turned 30 in August, might be the safest bet -- but he's also the least imposing. He has allowed 8.6 hits per nine during his eight-year career, is not a big strikeout guy, and has never thrown 158 innings or more in a season.
He has been one of the most reliable and effective pitchers in baseball over the last five seasons, though, posting a 3.25 ERA (3.44 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP in 694.1 innings over 143 games (116 starts). For the Phillies this past season, he had a 3.20 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while tossing 157.1 innings across 26 starts.
Suarez has also been an elite postseason performer: In 42.2 innings spanning seven playoff series from 2022 to 2025, he has a 1.48 ERA and 1.05 WHIP.
While Suarez's fastball velocity is well below league average (his four-seamer averaged 91.3 mph in 2025 while his sinker averaged 90.1 mph), his secondary pitches grade out as elite -- Suarez's breaking run value was in the 87th percentile this past season, while his offspeed run value was in the 90th percentile.
Suarez's effectiveness is backed up by most of his advanced stats, but it's fair to wonder how much longer he'll be above average. One of the reasons why is the aforementioned fastball velocity, which has been steadily declining. Suarez's fastball velo was in the 33rd percentile in 2023 (an average of 93.0 mph), the 11th percentile in 2024 (91.2 mph), and the seventh percentile in 2025 (90.5 mph).
No matter how good Suarez's other offerings are, it's very likely going to be hard for him to maintain what he's doing if the fastball velocity continues to dip -- especially when you consider that he threw a fastball (four-seamer or sinker) roughly 43 percent of the time this past season.
4. Framber Valdez
Valdez, who turns 32 in November, has been a workhorse over the last four seasons, posting a 3.21 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across 767.2 innings.
After leading the American League in innings pitched in 2022 (201.1 IP), Valdez hasn't really slowed down. He fired 198.0 innings in 2023, 176.1 innings in 2024, and 192.0 innings this past season.
His ERA in 2025 was 3.66 -- the highest its been since 2019, when Valdez was working mostly in relief. But while the ERA was a tick high, there wasn't much cause for concern elsewhere, as Valdez's WHIP, hit rate, walk rate, home run rate, and strikeout rate were all right around his career averages.
It's also worth noting that Valdez has excelled over the course of his career despite never being an advanced stats darling. Part of the reason why he's able to perform so well while not blowing hitters away is his elite ground ball rate, which was in the 97th percentile in 2025.
On the negative side, there was a troubling moment in September, when Valdez seemingly intentionally crossed up his catcher in order to hit him with a pitch -- and showed no remorse after. For his part, Valdez claimed it was unintentional.
3. Michael King
King, who will be entering his age-31 season in 2026, was tremendous for the Padres in 2024 as he transitioned from relieving to being a full-time starter. Over 173.2 innings in 2024 -- which was nearly 70 innings more than the career-high he tossed in 2023 -- King had a 2.95 ERA (3.33 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP while striking out 201.
King was still effective in 2025, but his season was interrupted twice due to injuries -- he dealt with a nerve injury in his throwing shoulder, and also lost time due to a knee injury.
Michael King / Imagn Images/Envato Elements/SNY Treated Image
Looking at King's stuff, while he has a legitimate four-pitch mix (sinker, four-seam fastball, changeup, and sweeper) and also tosses in a slider every now and then, his sinker and four-seamer are noticeably down in velocity.
In 2022, King's sinker averaged 95.5 mph. In 2025, it averaged 92.7 mph.
In 2022, King's four-seamer averaged 96.4 mph. In 2025, it averaged 93.7 mph.
Meanwhile, after King's xERA, chase percentage, whiff percentage, and barrel percentage were all elite in 2024, he was below average in each of those metrics in 2025.
While King has the ability to pitch near the top of the rotation when healthy, questions about his durability could result in the contract he signs this offseason being short. That could mean a three-year contract. Or perhaps King bets on himself and takes a one-year deal with an eye on hitting the market again next offseason and cashing in.
If the Mets think King's stuff will bounce back, he could be a good low-risk, high-reward option.
2. Tatsuya Imai
Imai, 27, was posted by the Seibu Lions on Tuesday, meaning he has until Jan. 2 to reach a deal with an MLB club.
Imai is coming off a huge season for the Lions. In 163.2 innings over 24 starts, the right-hander had a 1.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP while allowing just 101 hits and striking out 178 -- a strikeout rate of 9.8 per nine.
Over eight seasons pitching for Nippon Professional Baseball, Imai has a 3.15 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. But he has reached another level over the last four seasons, posting earned run averages of 2.04, 2.45, 2.34, and 1.92.
Imai's stuff is considered plus. It includes a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can reach 99 mph. He also has a splitter, slider, and cutter.
While he isn't viewed by evaluators as the kind of can't-miss ace Yamamoto has become since making the transition from Japan to the majors, Imai is nevertheless expected to get a relatively massive payday.
Jul 25, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease (84) reacts after the final out of the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
1. Dylan Cease
If paired with a legitimate top-of-the-rotation starter who is acquired via trade, Cease would be a perfect fit -- bringing the floor of a solid innings-eater and the upside of a Cy Young candidate.
Cease, who is entering his age-30 season, has finished top-four in Cy Young voting two of the last four seasons. However, he's coming off a campaign where he had a 4.55 ERA, and has been an every-other-year performer lately.
The good easily outweighs the bad, though.
Since his first full season in the majors in 2021, Cease has been one of the most reliable pitchers in the sport when it comes to taking the ball. He has made at least 32 starts each of the last five seasons, and has exceeded 165.0 innings in all of them. He tossed 165.2 innings in 2021, 184.0 in 2022, 177.0 in 2023, 189.1 in 2024, and 168.0 in 2025.
Regarding his stuff, Cease relies mainly on a four-seam fastball and slider (he threw the two pitches a combined 82 percent of the time last season), and also mixes in a curve, sinker, and sweeper. How that stuff has graded out has oscillated from season to season, though, which helps explain the variance in Cease's performance.
Cease has a career ERA of 3.88 and a WHIP of 1.26, but his upside is sky high -- and part of the reason for that is his ability to miss bats. He has struck out 214 batters or more in each of the last five seasons and has a career strikeout per nine rate of 10.9. This past season, his 11.5 strikeouts per nine led all qualified starting pitchers.
If Cease's market stays relatively sane -- think a three-or four-year deal -- the Mets should be all over it. Even if it gets pushed to five, it can be argued that it's a risk worth taking.
Major League Baseball has finalized its national broadcasting details for 2026, 2027 and 2028.
On Wednesday, MLB announced a new partnership with NBC, Netflix and ESPN — in addition to its existing deals with FOX and Turner Sports.
“Our new media rights agreements with ESPN, NBCUniversal and Netflix provide us with a great opportunity to expand our reach to fans through three powerful destinations for live sports, entertainment, and marquee events,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
Here’s when and where you can watch national MLB games under the new deal:
Next season: July 13, 2026, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia
“Field of Dreams” game (taking over from FOX)
Next season: Aug. 13, 2026, in Dyersville, Iowa, Philadelphia Phillies vs. Minnesota Twins
ESPN
Fans will now purchase MLB.TV through ESPN to watch their favorite teams outside their home market. ESPN is incorporating a service to its streaming platform, with in-market games for the select MLB teams.
ESPN will also have a national midweek game package throughout the season.
SAN FRANCISCO — When they finally pulled the trigger on a Camilo Doval trade, the Giants opted to take several shots at finding help instead of pushing for one higher-ranked prospect. At the time, catcher Jesus Rodriguez was the clear centerpiece of the four-player package, but in this year’s Arizona Fall League another player emerged as a potential contributor from that trade.
Infielder Parks Harber didn’t garner much attention at the deadline, which wasn’t surprising. He was undrafted out of North Carolina, and while he put up good numbers in the New York Yankees farm system before the trade, he was a bit on the older side for A-ball.
The Giants sent Harber to the Fall League to get some more reps, and he ended up representing them in the Fall Stars Game. In 17 AFL appearances, he had a .383/.513/.683 slash line with three homers, nine doubles and 14 walks. Harber’s 1.196 OPS was fourth in the league, which is filled with some of the game’s top prospects.
“For him not maybe getting a lot of attention nationally or in the media, he surely got a lot of attention in our room,” general manager Zack Minasian said on the “Giants Talk” podcast. “It’s a credit to Hadi Raad, our pro [scouting] director, Josh Zimmerman, our director of player procurement, [VP of analytics] Paul Bien [and] a lot of our scouts who were on Parks.
“I think what he has shown in the Fall League is just a continuation of what he did all last year in A-ball and High-A, and that’s just hit. He can hit, he impacts the baseball, he has shown decently at third base, maybe even better than what we expected. There’s maybe a chance to move him on the field and see where else he’s comfortable defensively, but I think the bat is real and it’s been fun to watch.”
Harber primarily has played first and third in the minors, but those two spots might be spoken for at Oracle Park for the rest of the decade. He made four appearances in right field in the Fall League, and that figures to be part of the plan moving forward.
Harber was injured at the time of the trade, but he hit the ground running as a member of the Giants organization. In 25 games with High-A Eugene, Harber hit .333 with a 1.097 OPS and seven homers. The Giants were slow in promoting prospects last year, but given Harber’s background — including four seasons at big colleges — the 24-year-old should see Double-A early in the 2026 season. He might not have been a well-known prospect when the Giants acquired him, but they’re thrilled that he was part of the deal.
“Right-handed power in our ballpark seems to fit pretty well,” Minasian said. “It’s always going to be a welcome addition.”
No Action
An offseason deadline came and went Tuesday without any moves from the Giants. They elected not to add any minor leaguers to their 40-man roster to protect them from next month’s Rule 5 Draft, which wasn’t a huge surprise.
The Giants had several potential relief pitching candidates, but none who had done enough to force the front office into removing someone else from the 40-man, which currently is full.
Will Bednar, the organization’s first-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, was one potential option after his velocity ticked up in the bullpen this year. But he also had a 5.85 ERA in Double-A and Triple-A with 6.7 walks per nine innings. The Giants also elected not to protect 2022 first-rounder Reggie Crawford, betting that 29 other teams will pass on the left-handed reliever, who just had his second shoulder operation in as many years. Another club could draft Crawford and stash him on the 60-day IL, but he isn’t likely to be ready until the middle of next season at the earliest.
The Rule 5 Draft will take place on the final day of the Winter Meetings next month in Orlando. To protect a player, the Giants would have had to DFA someone, and while there are several candidates for that on the 40-man at the moment, they’ll need those spots for offseason additions.
Coaching Tree
The 2021 season will always be a remarkable outlier in a decade of otherwise mediocre Giants baseball, and years from now people will still be trying to figure out exactly how it happened. One thing the Giants knew at the time was that their coaching staff was firing on all cylinders, and it’s more apparent than ever that there was a lot of talent in that room.
With Mark Hallberg departing to become bench coach for the Minnesota Twins, there are now three members of that staff who are MLB bench coaches. Kai Correa is No. 2 with the New York Mets and Donnie Ecker is the next man up to Craig Albernaz, who was hired as Baltimore Orioles manager a few years after he coached the catchers for Gabe Kapler.
Kapler himself is now the general manager in Miami, and he certainly can brag about his coaching tree. There were 13 coaches on that young and inexperienced staff, and just about all of them are now in notable spots elsewhere. Dustin Lind, the director of hitting on that staff, is another one who got an offseason promotion; he’s now Albernaz’s hitting coach.
The Mets need starting pitching, and there are options this offseason, whether it's in the free agent or trade market.
However, the Brewers are making it known that ace Freddy Peralta being dealt isn't inevitable.
After Brandon Woodruff was one of just four players to accept the $22 million qualifying offer to return to Milwaukee, many believed it was a precursor to the Brewers trading Peralta -- who is on an expiring contract -- to recoup assets. ESPN's Jeff Passan cited executives with interest who believed the chance for a Peralta trade would "drastically increase" if Woodruff took the qualifying offer.
Brewers owner Mark Attanasio and president of baseball operations Matt Arnoldcommented to The Athletic late Tuesday that one decision doesn't impact the other.
“Independent decisions Matt and his group will make,” Attanasio told The Athletic. “We’re certainly excited about our rotation now.”
Peralta is set to make just $8 million in 2026, a very team-friendly deal that the Brewers could afford, but with the threat of losing their best pitcher to free agency at the end of the season, it could be the best chance to get the most back in a deal, especially after the year the 29-year-old just had. The 2025 season was arguably Peralta's best as a pro. In 33 starts, he pitched to a 17-6 record and a 2.70 ERA. He made his second All-Star team and was fifth in Cy Young voting.
Currently, the Mets' starting rotation is in a state of uncertainty. Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga and Nolan McLean are expected to be a part of the mix while Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns looks to add and remake the rotation this offseason.
What pitcher or pitchers he can obtain is not yet known as Stearns navigates the ever-evolving offseason.
"There are teams that are still feeling out where they're heading this offseason," Stearns told SNY's Andy Martino at the GM Meetings. "I have experience and recognize that positions at the GM Meetings may not always be the position a club takes at the Winter Meetings and may not be the position a club takes at the end of January. These things can evolve at the end of the offseason and be really challenging for me to predict at this point...what we try to do is stay involved in the conversations and make sure we're informed as much as possible and that allows us to make the best decisions."
Aside from Peralta, the Mets could try and pry other top-line starters like Tarik Skubal from their respective clubs. They have the young talent like Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat that they can use as trade chips, but it's not the only avenue Stearns has to add to the Mets rotation.
Other arms like Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez and Michael King are available via free agency.
That’s why, in the latest episode of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast,” Yahoo Sports’ Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz divided all 30 teams into nine different tiers based on how they plan to approach free agency, from the biggest spenders (Funny Money) to the most frugal franchises (Broke Boys).
Tier 1: Funny Money
Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets
These two teams are willing and able to spend with essentially no limit, luxury tax be damned. For the Dodgers, the strategy has already paid off massively with back-to-back World Series titles. Their enormous payroll has sparked conversations about the spending gap in baseball and could lead to heated collective bargaining negotiations and a potential lockout in 2027.
"I'm interested in how evil do they get, right?” Mintz said of the Dodgers. “They have now won two in a row. The lockout is approaching. We could be operating under a new financial system in, you know, a year's time. Does that impact the way the Dodgers approach this winter where they're like, 'This is our last chance to really go nut nut, and maybe Kyle Tucker's contract is grandfathered in, let's get him on our roster.'"
Is a trilogy next for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and superstar Shohei Ohtani? (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Daniel Shirey via Getty Images
The Mets, on the other hand, have spent big without much to show for it so far.
"I'm most interested in which of the two guys do they bring back: [Pete] Alonso and [Edwin] Díaz?” Mintz asked. “And beyond that, how do they seek to supplement the roster? They have some money coming off the books, but if they try and keep Alonso and Díaz, it's less money than you think.”
Tier 2: Rich Men North of Richmond
New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays
While this group isn’t afraid to open up the checkbook, they’re a tier behind the Dodgers and Mets. For now.
“Let's not pretend like the Yankees are not still capable of spending more than everybody but the Dodgers and Mets, and maybe even outspend the Dodgers and Mets in some circumstances,” Shusterman said.
If the Yankees want to sign a big name in free agency, they might have to compete with a Blue Jays team that came within one win of a World Series title.
“Do they act like a behemoth?” Mintz asked of Toronto.
The Phillies, meanwhile, may have to spend all their money just to keep the band together.
“Because of the state of the roster and kind of the direction of their franchise, [the Phillies] arrive at an interesting point here where [Kyle] Schwarber is, of course, the top priority. [J.T.] Realmuto as well,” Shusterman said. “Is there another move? Is there a move on top of that other than just keeping this group together? Is it a Kyle Tucker?”
Tier 3: Have Employed or Do Employ Rafael Devers
San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox
By executing a massive midseason trade in June to acquire Rafael Devers from the Red Sox, the Giants showed they’re willing to make aggressive moves to get better. Yet San Francisco missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season anyway, while Boston surged to the postseason.
“The Red Sox, from a roster standpoint and a free agency standpoint, I think is more compelling because the guys they need to try and keep,” Shusterman said. “And the Giants, it's just like, what are you going to do to move this forward?”
Tier 4: You Have Spent But Where Are You?
San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels
This collection of clubs have handed out huge commitments to big-time players, with varying results, including San Diego’s Fernando Tatis, Texas’ Corey Seager, several extensions to Braves players or even the Angels’ deal with Anthony Rendon. But for multiple reasons, Shusterman said he’s confused and intrigued about where these teams are at.
The team in this tier that feels like it should be a notch higher? The Cubs.
“This team should be a real behemoth with the amount of money they bring in,” Mintz said. “And until they start acting that way, they will be here grouped together with the Padres, Astros, Braves, Rangers, Angels.”
Tier 5: Why Don’t You Just Meet Me in the Middle
Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies
As we mentioned, the Mariners already signed Naylor to a sizable deal. But if they don’t make any other big moves beyond that this offseason, they’re still firmly in baseball’s middle class. Despite these teams slotting into roughly the same spending tier, there’s clearly a wide range of on-field performance here.
“These clubs, five of them actually are in relatively similar points where they're trying to contend and one team is the Rockies,” Mintz said. “But we feel like the Rockies had to be grouped here because if [newly hired president of baseball operations] Paul DePodesta went out and signed Dylan Cease, I would be both surprised and I would be like, ‘that's the Rockies.’”
Tier 6: Too Smart To Spend
Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians
They draft well, develop well and know how to get the most out of inexpensive rosters. But how do they get over the hump to succeed in the playoffs?
“They have earned both the benefit of the doubt and also kind of the collective frustration of, ‘Hey, you're doing a lot of these other things really well, what if you just spent some more money on, like, really good baseball players?’” Shusterman said.
Tier 7: The Reds
Cincinnati Reds
They were good enough to make the playoffs, but it ended quickly with a lopsided series sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.
“They at least have more good things going on that you can be like, ‘Maybe you are just a couple players away.’ I think that's maybe the most complimentary way I can phrase the Reds’ situation,” Shusterman said. “But also, maybe they don't want to spend any money because they're the Reds and that also happens often.”
Tier 8: Wrong Place, Wrong Time
Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals
These are teams that have spent real money at various points in their histories, but that won’t be the case this winter as they all embrace some degree of rebuilding.
“There's not going to be a whole lot of sexy stuff at the big league level this year,” Mintz said of the trio of teams. “There'll probably be some trades of veteran players away for prospects and as for that reason, anything beyond a one-year deal would surprise me.”
Tier 9: Broke Boys
Miami Marlins, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Athletics
“Until they prove us wrong the way that the A's sort of did last year with Severino, to some degree, we have to expect them to not spend money. … history tells us that they are not going to spend real money in free agency. So if they, if they want to change that, we'll talk about it,” Shusterman.
CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox acquired left-hander Chris Murphy in a trade with the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.
Murphy went 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA in 23 relief appearances over three stints with the Red Sox this year. He also made five starts and 13 relief appearances in the minors, going 1-0 with a 2.93 ERA.
The 27-year-old Murphy was selected by Boston in the sixth round of the 2019 amateur draft. He missed the 2024 season after he had Tommy John surgery.
Boston acquired minor league catcher Ronny Hernández in the deal. The 21-year-old Hernández hit .251 with four homers and 34 RBIs in 82 games with Class A Kannapolis this year.
The Red Sox also traded right-hander Alex Hoppe to Seattle and left-hander Brennan Bernardino to Colorado. They got minor league catcher Luke Heyman from the Mariners and outfielder Braiden Ward from the Rockies.
The 33-year-old Bernardino went 4-3 with a 3.14 ERA in 55 appearances with the Red Sox this past season.
The Yankees protected a trio of top prospects from the Rule 5 Draft on Tuesday, officially adding outfielder Spencer Jones and right-handers Chase Hampton and Elmer Rodríguez to the 40-man roster.
All major league clubs had until Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET deadline to set their rosters, and Jones was among five prospects inside MLB Pipeline's Top 100 rankings list who would've been exposed to the draft process and eligible to be poached.
New York's decisions were no-brainers, as Jones (No. 4), Hampton (No. 8), and Rodríguez (No. 3) are consensus Top 10 prospects within the organization. Their big league debuts are projected to arrive between the 2026 and 2027 seasons, according to MLB Pipeline.
As one of the best minor league hitters in 2025, Jones slashed .274/.362/.571 (403 at-bats) with 35 home runs, 23 doubles, 80 RBI, 102 runs, and 29 stolen bases in 116 combined games with Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 25-year-old also placed second among all qualified minor leaguers in home runs and fifth in slugging.
Hampton, who underwent Tommy John surgery in February and missed the entire 2025 campaign, has produced a 3.45 ERA with 161 strikeouts over 125.1 innings (27 starts) across three different levels, reaching as high as Double-A in 2023 and 2024. The 24-year-old was a sixth-round pick in 2022.
Rodríguez, named the Yankees' top minor league player by Baseball America this season, produced a sharp 2.58 ERA with 176 strikeouts across 27 appearances (26 starts) between Triple-A, Double-A, and High-A Hudson Valley. The 22-year-old's strikeouts mark ranked second among all minor league pitchers.
The Yankees finally made it to the World Series in 2024 after a 15-year absence and then they were ousted -- convincingly -- by the Blue Jays in the ALDS a year later.
It was a disappointing end for a team that had high hopes despite the loss of Juan Soto. The additions of Cody Bellinger, Max Fried, Paul Goldschmidt,and others helped the Yanks get out to a hot start before their usual summer swoon cost them the AL East. Even though the Yankees ended the 2025 regular season on a heater, and bounced the rival Red Sox in the Wild Card round, they weren't able to get past the eventual AL champions.
So, how can New York finally get over the hump? That's a question principal owner Hal Steinbrenner and GM Brian Cashman have to answer, and it won't be easy.
Although the starting rotation is set -- once the injured arms return -- the Yankees need to rebuild the back end of the bullpen and the lineup needs some tweaks to surround Aaron Judge with quality bats.
As the offseason chugs along, here's a look at the team's payroll situation for the upcoming season and beyond...
SALARY COMMITTED FOR 2026
The last two seasons, the Yankees' payroll eclipsed the top luxury tax (competitive balance tax) and they will be close to doing so again in 2026.
The first luxury tax threshold is set for $244 million this upcoming season, so it's hard to imagine a world where the Yankees will not exceed the top threshold (set for $304 million in 2026) again, despite how ownership may feel.
After Grisham's qualifying offer, the Yankees have approximately $190.25 million committed for 2026, coming from seven contracts: Judge ($40 million), Gerrit Cole ($36 million),Fried ($27.25 million), Carlos Rodón ($27 million), Giancarlo Stanton ($22 million), Grisham ($22 million) and Ryan McMahon ($16 million).
Sep 26, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) watches his two run home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Yankee Stadium / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Then there's the dead money.
Aaron Hicks and his $10 million will be off the books this season (after a $1 million buyout) and give the Yanks more flexibility. Unfortunately, it's offset by the contract of DJ LeMahieu. The Yankees released the utility man midseason, but he will still be owed $15 million in 2026. LeMahieu's contract was destined to be bad, but it was compounded by how New York tried to utilize the former batting champion in 2025, when his skills were clearly diminished.
The team eventually made the right decision to release him, but he'll still be owed money this coming season. Luckily, it's just for one season. That pushes the committed payroll to $183.25 million.
Aside from Hicks' contract, here are the Yankees' free agents and what they earned in 2025 after Grisham and Yarbrough's return:
Cody Bellinger ($27.5 million)
Paul Goldschmidt ($12.5 million)
Devin Williams ($8.6 million)
Luke Weaver ($2.5 million)
Amed Rosario ($688,200)
Austin Slater ($573,900)
Paul Blackburn ($159,400)
With Hicks' $10 million gone, that brings the total to around $61 million off the books. That's a nice chunk of change, but there are serious decisions to be made about which players the Yanks should think about bringing back. Bellinger was arguably the team's second-best hitter this season and brought elite defense.
Cashman said at the GM Meetings this offseason that the possibility of Grisham accepting the qualifying offer wouldn't change their pursuit of Bellinger, but we'll see if that is true, now that it has happened.
The potential losses of Williams and Weaver put the bullpen in a tough spot, but Yarbrough gives the Yankees flexibility to have a longman out of the bullpen while also having a potential starter to fill in spots left open by injured starters Cole and Rodón.
The Yankees' bench is also in need of some additions. Rosario was a great right-handed bat that gave manager Aaron Boone some flexibility and should be a player the organization considers bringing back.
The Yankees had two players with options, and they accepted one and declined the other. Jonathan Loaisiga ($5 million) will not return under that contract, while Tim Hill ($3 million) will.
Sep 3, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) runs to first base on a single during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
WHAT WILL THE ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE AND 0-TO-3 PLAYERS MAKE?
The Yankees have 14 players who are eligible for arbitration. Those players, along with their expected 2026 salary via Cot's Baseball Contracts, are:
Jazz Chisholm Jr. ($10.25 million)
David Bednar ($8.5 million)
Camilo Doval ($6 million)
Clarke Schmidt ($5.25 million)
Anthony Volpe ($3.525 million)
Mark Leiter Jr. ($2.75 million)
Jose Caballero ($2.325 million)
Luis Gil ($1.9 million)
Fernando Cruz ($1.2 million)
Ian Hamilton ($1.1 million)
Jake Bird ($1 million)
Oswaldo Cabrera ($1 million)
Jake Cousins ($841,050)
Scott Effross ($800,000)
The combined salary of the arbitration players is approximately $46.45 million, and that's if the Yanks don't non-tender certain players. And out of this list of 14(!), there are a few candidates who may not get offered arbitration -- they come out of the bullpen.
Leiter has been mercurial since arriving at the deadline in 2024, and this is his final arbitration-eligible season. Hamilton and Bird finished 2025 in the minors due to poor performance, but both have two more years of arbitration, so the Yankees may want to keep them around. The same goes for Cousins -- who underwent Tommy John surgery in mid-2025 and will likely be out for 2026 -- while Effross has one more year of team control after 2026 and wasn't effective when he returned from injury in the middle of the season.
Adding in all the arbitration players, the Yankees' payroll in 2026 would be at $229.7 million.
This list doesn't include players who are not eligible for arbitration and will make the league minimum ($780,000). Those players include Austin Wells, Jasson Dominguez, Ben Rice, Will Warren and Cam Schlittler.
Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with the media before the game between the Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta - USA TODAY Sports
HOW MUCH MONEY IS THERE TO ADD PLAYERS THIS OFFSEASON?
With committed salaries and estimated arbitration salaries and raises, the Yankees currently have approximately $271.4 million on the books for their 40-man roster in 2026, already going over the first tax threshold, and threatening the top threshold.
It's unlikely the Yankees remain below $300 million as ownership would like, but it'll be interesting to see how Cashman approaches the offseason with the recent additions.
The Yankees still need to add to their outfield with Bellinger gone. While the Yanks have made it clear they want to bring back Bellinger, they won't be the only team looking for the former NL MVP's services.
Kyle Tucker is now a free agent and should be a target for the Yankees, who can use a consistent bat to go alongside Judge. Going after Tucker would be a longer-term commitment than one the Yanks would give to Bellinger. It'll likely come down to money and how much Steinbrenner is willing to spend. However, it's very likely that Grisham's QO will limit the money the Yankees could offer Tucker in 2026, so we'll see what happens on that front.
Although the Yankees' starting rotation is pretty much set once Cole and Rodon return, opportunities to add are possible. The Yankees could want to bring in a stop-gap arm to go alongside Fried, Gil, Warren, and Schlittler. There's also the trade market the Yankees could explore. Tarik Skubal is a name the hot stove has thrown out there, and he would fit in a rotation that is already one of the best in the majors.
And then there's the bullpen. It's unlikely that both Weaver and Williams will be back, but re-signing Weaver -- who will likely be cheaper -- and then adding arms to fill out the rest of the bullpen, like with Yarbrough and bringing back Hill, could make sense.
The Yankees also need to add to their bench. Luckily, Cabrera will return to be Boone's Swiss-Army Knife alongside Caballero. However, a right-handed hitting first baseman option to platoon with Rice may be needed this offseason.
And what about Volpe? Will the Yankees stay patient with their former prospect, or try to look outside the organization? Bo Bichette is a free agent, but it's highly unlikely the Yankees will spend the big money to acquire him.
Will the Yankees go over the $304 million top threshold? With what they need, it looks likely.
WHAT ABOUT EXTENSIONS FOR UNDER-CONTROL PLAYERS?
In previous years, you could have listed names like Volpe or Wells, but after subpar 2025 seasons -- and with so many years of arbitration still left -- the Yankees will likely let their play dictate whether an extension is in the cards.
There is one player who could be receiving an extension, and that's Chisholm. The talented infielder is in the final year of arbitration and will be a free agent after the 2026 season. The organization clearly likes Chisholm for his athleticism, versatility, power, and locker room presence. He made his second career All-Star Game this season and became just the third player in Yankees history to record a 30-30 season.
There's a world where the Yanks extend Chisholm (entering his age-28 season), buying out his final year of arbitration and keeping him in pinstripes for the foreseeable future.
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) scores on an hits an RBI single from New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) (not pictured) during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
THE PAYROLL SITUATION IN 2027 AND BEYOND
Here are the Yankees' projected 40-man roster salary obligations from 2027 to 2030, via Cot's:
2027: $166.33 million 2028: $125.33 million 2029: $71.5 million 2030: $71.5 million
After 2027, it gets interesting.
Stanton has a club option that the Yankees will most likely not exercise after that year, freeing up $15 million. McMahon will also be a free agent, adding another $16 million to the Yankees' coffers. However, by then, Chisholm and Bednar will be free agents, unless they are extended. There will be big holes to fill -- as per usual with this team -- so that money will need to be used to shore up the infield and the closer's role.
Looking past 2028, only Judge and Fried have guaranteed contracts -- Cole and Rodon are free agents after 2028 -- so it'll be interesting to see where Cashman puts the money.
The Yankees do have young arms who are major league ready, like Gil, Warren, and Schlittler, who could eventually replace Cole and Rodon for much cheaper. Meanwhile, prospects like Carlos Lagrange, Elmer Rodríguez and Chase Hampton are close to the majors. The Yankees' pipeline of pitchers is rich and its future is seemingly bright.
The same might not be said about the Yankees' infield situation. Outside of George Lombard Jr., who is close to the majors and could realistically usurp Volpe sooner rather than later, there isn't much developed. The same can kind of be said about the outfield.
This season will be big for Dominguez, as it'll show the Yankees whether he can be an everyday outfielder for them.
There's also Spencer Jones, who skyrocketed up to Triple-A this past season and could be an option in the outfield in 2026. But outside of Judge, there's a lot of unknowns in the outfield, which won't change in the near future, even with Grisham returning next season.
So while the Yanks would love to stay below the top tax threshold, it's not realistic for the next few seasons. And it won't be realistic unless these prospects start to develop and prove they can perform at the big league level.
Until then, expect more big contracts from the Bronx, and that's OK. The Yankees, despite the guaranteed bucks, can work in that realm and remain flexible.
After the Yankees extended the qualifying offer to the outfielder, the 28-year-old accepted the $22.025 million deal for the 2026 season on Tuesday.
It was an interesting decision for Grisham. The veteran outfielder has been a solid player in his MLB career, but broke out in 2025 with the Yankees. His 34 homers this season were twice as many as his previous career high (2022 with the Padres) and his 74 RBI were 12 more than his previous high in 2021. It wasn't just his homers and RBI. Grisham set career marks in slugging (.464), hits (116), walks (82) and OPS (.811).
Many believed that Grisham would parlay that performance into a more lucrative deal, but he's choosing to stay with the Yankees.
Now, how does this affect the Yankees' offseason? GM Brian Cashman said that at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas earlier this month that he was "comfortable" extending the qualifying offer to Grisham and paying him the $22 million for one season, but that doesn't preclude him from trying to bring back Cody Bellinger -- who opted out of his Yankees deal after the 2025 season -- or filling the rest of the team's outfield.
"We’re comfortable [extending the qualifying offer to Grisham]. This is a very thin outfield market. If he turns it down, that means the market is flush with teams that have the need," Cashman said at the time. "He had a hell of a year for us, was one of the big reasons we had the level of success we did, and we’d be happy if he accepted and came back."
Grisham's return takes some of the pressure off Cashman to fill out his roster. Aaron Judge is the only everyday outfielder he can trust, but now he can pair the AL MVP with Grisham for 2026.
As for the other outfielder, Cashman will look to bring back Bellinger, but there are also internal options available (Jasson Dominguez/Spencer Jones).
