San Diego, CA - November 10, 2025: San Diego Padres new manager Craig Stammen speaks at a news conference as President of baseball operations and General Manager A.J. Preller looks on at Petco Park on November 10, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
The finances of the San Diego Padres have been scrutinized since at least 2023 and each of the past two offseasons have been clouded with speculation about the lack of financial flexibility for the club. Padres president of baseball operation and general manager A.J. Preller has been able to walk the monetary tightrope the last couple of seasons and produced back-to-back postseason rosters. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball looks at what the financial picture is for San Diego in 2026 and what it will look like in the years ahead and if Preller or another general manager will have the ability to spend money to address roster needs.
Padres News:
The Padres added Miguel Andujar earlier this week and his ability to hit left-handed pitching and play multiple positions on the field makes him a valuable addition to the roster. AJ Cassavell of Padres.com looks at how manager Craig Stammen will use his players to put a competitive team on the field game after game.
The strength of the Padres in 2026 will be their bullpen. According to experts and fans alike, the Padres have the best bullpen in the sport. Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune looks at what fans can expect from the group this season.
In recent days the Padres have reportedly been interested in signing free agent pitcher Framber Valdez and most recently free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Of course, neither player will play for San Diego in 2026, but it shows San Diego is trying to shore up the roster holes.
The New York Yankees and veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt are finalizing a one-year contract, according to ESPN.com.
No financial terms were disclosed, but the New York Post reports the deal is worth $4 million and Goldschmidt can earn an extra $2 million based on plate appearances.
In Goldschmidt's first season in pinstripes, the seven-time All-Star hit.274 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI in 146 games.
For the 2026 season, the 38-year-old Goldschmidt is expected to back up Ben Rice at first base and get spot starts, especially against left-handed pitchers.
The Yankees were especially quiet during the free agent period, resigning a half-dozen players from last year's squad, instead making a splash by bringing in a big name from another team.
Goldschmidt, the 2022 National League MVP and a four-time Gold Glove winner, has also played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals during his career. He has 372 home runs and 1232 RBI in 15 major league seasons.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: River Ryan of the Los Angeles Dodgers is interviewed at Dodger Stadium on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Baseball America rated the Dodgers to have the 13th-best farm system in baseball. Not only is that lower than some other publications ranked Los Angeles this year — second at The Athletic, fourth at ESPN — that’s also rare in recent BA history. It’s the first time the Dodgers’ haven’t been ranked in the top 10 farm systems since 2014, thanks in part to some injuries and also a pitching prospect corps relatively light compared to years past.
“If that seems like an anomaly, it’s because it is,” Josh Norris wrote. “The 2026 season marks the first time since 2001 that BA’s preseason Top 100 has not included a Dodgers pitching prospect.”
“He’s turned himself into a pretty good shortstop, can play all over the infield, and should be around an average hitter,” Jeffrey Paternostro wrote. “It’s not exciting, but it is effective.”
Freeland was also ranked the 87th-best prospect at The Athletic, and was ranked 103rd by ESPN.
“if you are the kind of person whose knees shake every time you see a hitting prospect’s z-contact drop below 83% in the minors, this is not going to be the system for you,” Paternostro wrote. “But just about every prospect here hits the ball very hard, and enough of them will keep doing it that the decade-plus of success might just stretch into two.”
May 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages (43) tags out Philadelphia Phillies second base Bryson Stott (5) at home plate during the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The season is just around the corner with pitchers and catchers reporting this week and we’ve seen a few changes to the Phillies’ roster. For some, the changes have been too few; for some, the changes are just right. Everyone harbors opinions about the direction of the franchise, or else you wouldn’t be here talking about them. However, sometimes there are things that cannot be conveyed to anyone but the still, small voice in our heads. There might be an opinion we agree with, but we just don’t want anyone to know about it.
We’re all friends here, so let’s get it out. What is the one thing you are afraid to say out loud about the Phillies? Maybe there is a bit of positivity inside that is bursting to be set free. Maybe there is a negative take on a player that would put you in the very small minority. Let us all hear that one thing.
I’ll start: not only should the Phillies be retaining Bryson Stott this year, they should be extending him for the foreseeable future.
Mar 24, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) looks on from inside the dugout against the New York Yankees during the third inning at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 12: JR Ritchie #24 of the Atlanta Braves takes the field during player introductions prior to the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s been a minute since we have had real, actual Braves baseball news to talk about. Oh sure, we’ve covered the nearly interminable Braves TV partner saga. At least it looks as if we are going to have a happy ending there.
Braves released their non-roster invitee list. This is the deep cut. These are prospects that are not on the 40-man roster and older players that are just on the outside of staying on an active roster. As we shared on Wednesday:
Non-Roster Invitees (24)
Pitchers (10): RH Garrett Baumann, RH Carlos Carrasco, RH Javy Guerra, RH Elieser Hernández, RH James Karinchak, RH Owen Murphy, LH Martín Pérez, RH Austin Pope, RH JR Ritchie, RH Tayler Scott
Infielders(7): Tristin English, John Gil, Jim Jarvis, Alex Lodise, Aaron Schunk, Luke Waddell, Luke Williams
Outfielders (4): José Azócar, Ben Gamel, Brewer Hicklen, DaShawn Keirsey Jr.
So who you got for your favorite NRI this spring? JR Ritchie might be the best prospect in that list, but Battery Power’s #4, #9 and #12 are there too. There are guys that are trying to grab that last guy on the bench role like Luke Williams. Martin Perez and James Karinchak will be pitchers to watch. Backup catcher for Opening Day is up for grabs, and we’ve got three options there. And in the “this guy here is dead” portion of the NRIs, Carlos Carrasco is hanging around.
I have my favorites but I’ll hand the mic to y’all as usual.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 30: Gavin Williams #32 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates a strikeout during the sixth inning in Game One of the American League Wildcard Series against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field on September 30, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Today, let’s talk about the Guardians’ young rotation.
From July to the end of the season, Gavin Williams had a 2.48 ERA and a 3.80 xFIP with a 9.68/3.49 K/BB/9.
From July to the end of the season, Joey Cantillo had a 2.96 ERA and a 3.78 xFIP with a 9.67/3.76 K/BB/9.
From August 15th to the end of the season, Tanner Bibee had a 3.35 ERA and a 3.91 xFIP with a 7.49/2.17 K/BB/9.
In September, Slade Cecconi had a 3.90 ERA and a 3.75 xFIP with a 7.80/1.80 K/BB/9.
Parker Messick had a 2.72 ERA with a 3.15 xFIP and a 8.62/1.36 K/BB/9.
Logan Allen also pitched.
Overall in 2025, the Guardians’ starters ranked 10th in ERA at 3.86. From July to the end of the season, they were 6th with a 3.69 ERA.
Where will they find themselves at the end of 2026? Look into your crystal orbs and let us know!
Sep 25, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) stretches on the field before the game against the Minnesota Twins at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Lenyn Sosa looks to have more time perfecting his bubble-blowing on the bench in 2026.
With Spring Training about to spring up, several sites have predicted a probable White Sox starting lineup for 2026, from the major sports outfits to blogs like our own. On none of them (at least none I’ve seen) is the Sox leading homer-hitter of 2025 anywhere to be seen. Well, anywhere except as a possible sub.
Whither indeed, Lenyn Sosa?
Such an omission would have been expected in any prior year, since until 2025 Sosa compensated for terrible fielding by not hitting a lick, either. Back then, it would have been no surprise if he was just dumped altogether. But this past season he not only led the Sox in dingers with 22 but he even hit .264, nearly 20 points higher than the MLB average and his own career level.
Those batting improvements, incidentally, came at the expense of right-handed pitchers. Prior to 2025, Sosa’s splits were a typical .637 OPS vs. righties and .732 vs. lefties. Last year, though, he hit southpaws about the same (.740) but took a big jump up to a .723 OPS vs. northpaws.
So why is he probably the odd man out in the infield with the addition of Munetaka Murakami to play first, given Lenyn played a lot more at second — 99 games to 42? Horrible defense is the primary reason, which is a quandary.
Way back in 2020, when Sosa was the No. 30 ranked prospect in the White Sox system according to MLB, the scouting report on his D said his “instincts should help him make plays and his hands are very reliable.” Huh?
You get the feeling whoever wrote that report had never seen Sosa play. Watch him a few times and you’ll inevitably come to the conclusion you’ve never seen a professional infielder, major or minor, with less in the way of baseball instincts. Heck, he seldom seems to know where to be or what to do. Hope that scout got a nice retirement package on his way to the home.
Murakami has a reputation as a lousy defender himself (so much for Chris Getz’s vow for improved defense). But if it turns out Murakami really can hit pitches faster than 92 mph, his potentially amazing offense will more than atone for any lapses while in the field.
Sosa has no such upside.
BUT IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT DEFENSE
Definitely not. Otherwise Sosa would be written into the DH slot ahead of whichever catcher isn’t behind the plate and such fellow fielding embarrassments as Andrew Benintendi. No, there’s also the small matter of getting on base.
In previous seasons, Lenyn was hard-pressed hit the ball very often, but in 2025 he did better at that — especially at taking balls off the plate outside to right field. The problem is accepting called balls at all.
Last season, Sosa drew 18 walks in 544 plate appearances. Yep, fewer than one every 30 trips to the plate, second-worst in all of MLB to Michael Harris of Atlanta (who had the compensation of being an excellent center fielder and stealing a bunch of bases when he did get on.) That rate wasn’t an anomaly, either, but right in line with Lenyn’s 36 career walks in 1,122 trips to the plate.
Much of that was because of poor plate discipline, but not all. His 40.9% chase rate in 2025 was bad, in the worst 3% of all MLB batters, but not as amazingly bad as the next-to-worst-of-all walk rate. And Sosa only struck out 23.3% of the time, so he was hitting some of those balls he chased.
GOTTA HAVE HIM IN THE CLUTCH, THOUGH, RIGHT?
Well, er, uh, no.
Baseball-Reference has a category to measure clutch hitting, and it shows Sosa has been clutch-ing. In the “Late & Close” line, he has career slash of .156/.193/.225 and even fewer walks than in other situations, four in 184 times up. That would indicate you not only don’t want Sosa as a pinch-hitter, you want to pinch-hit for him when the going is tough.
Contrast that godawful .419 OPS to a hefty .799 when the Sox are ahead. Lenyn thrives on non-adversity.
Now, in fairness, in late and close situations you’re more likely to face the other team’s best relievers. But still …
WHAT NOW?
Sosa is out of options, so parking him in Charlotte to wait for injuries may not work. Some team who sees the HR numbers from 2025 might want to gamble a waiver claim.
MLB Trade Rumors included a paragraph on Sosa as part of a longer piece on the Sox Thursday, and quoted Getz as saying, “There’s a little redundancy with the right-handed corner bats.” Apparently Getz, observant as always, hasn’t noticed Murakami hits lefty. Still, that’s not much of a plug for Sosa, and MLBTR doubts he has much trade value.
Thus, it looks like a lot of bench time. And that time could get even longer if the Rangers and Mets were right that Luisangel Acuña is as bad as an outfielder as he is excellent as an infielder and he moves in to second base ahead of Chase Meidroth, who himself is fun to watch there but very inconsistent.
SO?
So Sosa, so-so. But probably not “so-long.” At least so far.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Kyle Farmer #6 of the Colorado Rockies is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a home run against the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning at Petco Park on September 12, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this week, the Atlanta Braves announced 24 non-roster invites to spring training. On Friday, that number increased, as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reported that Kyle Farmer will also be at camp as a non-roster invite.
The Braves added Marist and UGA product Kyle Farmer to their list of NRIs . Seems to be a good fit for an Opening Day roster spot. Dubon will move from SS to LF on nights when Yaz is pinch hit for against LHPs. Mateo and Farmer would be backup INF options
Farmer spent 2025 with the Colorado Rockies, where he hit .227 and spent time all around the infield. He’s not the flashiest name in camp, but he is someone to keep an eye on this spring.
More Braves News: The television saga continues, as it was reported that the Braves are looking into connecting with the Hawks.
The New York Yankees re-signed 1B Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year deal. The financials have not been reported, but his contract is expected to be around $5M.
Los Angeles, CA - January 31: Los Angeles Dodgers fans take photos of Shohei Ohtani while he speaks the press during Dodgerfest at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Here are a few more Dodgers-related stories for your Saturday morning.
Baseball historian Adam Darowski is part of the design team at Sports Reference. On Wednesday he offered this historical nugget about a 1940s Dodgers target for integration before Jackie Robinson — Silvio Garcia. Darowski also chronicled Garcia’s nearly three-decade playing career that included both playing shortstop and pitching.
Vince Velasquez is the latest MiLB signing for our Cubs, it has been reported. This is in addition to Owen Miller, who has officially adorned the dotted line. The Cubs are filling up around the edges.
I used to love Javy Báez. I still do, but I used to, too. Isiah Kiner-Falefa has filled Boston’s infield hole and so it is more likely that Matt Shaw will remain with the Cubs, at least for now.
Former Cub Michael Hermosillo has joined the Dodgers as a coach, sources reveal. Ryan Brasier is rumored to be heading to Texas. Zac Gallen is said by many to still be on the table. Others say it’s just his agent operating.
And so it goes.
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 31, 2025: Mike Elias Executive vice president and General Manager for the Baltimore Orioles talks with Jim Palmer prior to a game against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park on March 31, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
Spring training starts in just a few days, and there is work to be done on the Orioles roster. They need bullpen improvements. They might still be in search of a starting pitcher. And odds are that Mike Elias makes a few more waiver claims because why not.
The trio of Zac Gallen, Justin Verlander, and Lucas Giolito are the guys that most people in the fanbase are holding out hope for at this point. Gallen has the most upside, but perhaps the most risk as well. He will certainly be the most expensive, including a draft pick. Verlander and Giolito have less of a chance to raise the ceiling for the Orioles, but they would solidify things, and that has value.
What’s unclear is how another signing will impact the Orioles in-season maneuvering. If the Orioles are in the playoff mix, we should expect Elias to make some trade deadline additions. Since they haven’t added a “frontline” starter in the offseason, that would likely be their top priority come July. Those sorts of players are expensive, both in terms of prospects and salary. The front office will want to leave some space to add.
According to the latest report from MLB Trade Rumors, the Orioles are at a luxury tax number of $189 million. That is $10 million higher than where they ended the 2025 season, but that was after they had sold off a bunch of players. And it’s not as if they are anywhere close to the luxury tax penalties. Those don’t kick in until $244 million. David Rubenstein said at Pete Alonso’s introductory press conference in December that there was no firm budget for assembling the roster. So, in theory, there is plenty of room to spend.
At the moment, there is no one to spend that money on that makes sense and will make the 2026 Orioles better. That will need to wait until the summer at the earliest.
Unless the Orioles are cooking up another player extension? But even that wouldn’t really impact the 2026 luxury tax number anyway. We can dream.
Cardinals Claim Bryan Ramos | MLB Trade Rumors It seems the Orioles wanted to get at least one of Wilson or Ramos through waivers to keep them in the organization. It worked with Wilson. Right now he seems ticketed for Triple-A Norfolk. Ramos will head to St. Louis for now, but he could always end up back with the Orioles. We know Elias keeps a close eye on the waiver wire.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Scott Feldman turns 43 today. He, along with Steve Clevenger, was the return the Orioles got from the Cubs when trading away Jake Arrieta (and Pedro Strop). Feldman had a 4.27 ERA over 15 starts for the Orioles in 2013. Arrieta was…better.
Jon Leicester celebrates his 47th birthday. He pitched in 10 games for the 2007 Orioles.
Dave Borkowski turns 49. He had a 17-game stint with the Orioles during the 2004 campaign.
Benny Ayala is 75. His stay with the Orioles went from 1979 through ‘84. During that time he appeared in two World Series, including a key pinch-hit single in Game 3 of the ‘83 Series.
The late Al Smith (b. 1928, d. 2002) was born on this day. He spent one season in Baltimore, 1963. He posted a 111 OPS+ with 10 home runs that year.
This day in O’s history
2012 – The KBO files a protest against the Orioles for their signing of 17-year-old pitcher Seong-min Kim. The protest alleges that the O’s failed to inform the KBO of its negotiations with Kim, which they are required to do. In the days to come, MLB will void Kim’s contract to maintain a positive relationship with Korea and the KBO.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 27: A view of the San Francisco Giants Clubhouse Store before a MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs on August 27, 2025 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
As we approach Spring Training and the beginning of the season, we’re going to be doing some questions for y’all about your thoughts about the San Francisco Giants and baseball in general!
Today, we have less of a question and more of a prompt: What grievances do you have with the team going into the 2026 season?
That’s right, it’s a vent-thread. The people have grievances and we want to hear them. Anything from the on-field performance expectations and ownership priorities, down to sections of the ballpark that have cruddy views and food you want to see at Oracle Park.
As a semi-professional airer of grievances, I get the opportunity to complain on a near-daily basis and force you all to hear about it. So now it’s your turn!
What grievances do you have with the team going into the 2026 season?
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 25: A general view of Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 25, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Alright, we did it! Baseball starts on Thursday!
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eagerly awaiting the start of spring training to see how the 2026 Rockies will shape up. But in the meantime, it’s been an incredibly busy week on Purple Row, and here’s what our staff (and a few guests) had to say:
Which storylines are you most interested in watching during spring training? Who do you think is a sleeper to make the Opening Day roster? Let us know in the comments!
