Category: Baseball

(All photos courtesy Houston Astros)

The Astros hosted a successful 2026 FanFest on Saturday, Jan. 24 at Daikin Park. The 2026 FanFest wraps up a great week of Astros Caravan stops throughout the Texas community and represents the official launch of baseball season for Astros fans.

The official kickoff of the 2026 season saw 10,420 fans participate in autograph sessions, photo opportunities, games, Fan Forums, Q&As, play catch on the field, take swings in the batting cages, and more.

“We were thrilled to welcome the greatest fans in baseball back to Daikin Park to kick off the 2026 season, and we’re grateful to our players and coaches for spending the day with them,” said Anita Sehgal, Astros Executive Vice President, Marketing and Communications.  “Fan Fest is such a special tradition, and we love creating unforgettable moments and memories for all our fans.”

Astros Manager Joe Espada participated in FanFest along with all the members of his coaching and support staff: Omar López (bench coach), Josh Miller (pitching coach), Ethan Katz (assistant pitching coach), Victor Rodriguez (hitting coach), Anthony Iapoce (assistant hitting coach), Dave Clark (first base coach), Tony Perezchica (third base coach), Jason Bell (Major League field coordinator/outfield coach), Tommy Kawamura (game planning coach), Tim Cossins (catching instructor) and Dan Hennigan (director of hitting and offensive coordinator), as well as bullpen catchers Javier Bracamonte and Caleb Nunes.

Astros General Manager Dana Brown also took part in FanFest.

The Astros had 22 players at FanFest, including IF/OF Jose Altuve, OF Yordan Alvarez, RHP Spencer Arrighetti, RHP Hunter Brown, 3B Carlos Correa, RHP Lance McCullers Jr., and OF Cam Smith. The player group also included RHP Jason Alexander, IF Nick Allen, RHP AJ Blubaugh, OF Zach Cole, IF Zach Dezenzo, LHP Colton Gordon, LHP Bryan King, IF Brice Mathews, RHP Jayden Murray, LHP Bennett Sousa, RHP Logan VanWey, LHP Brandon Walter, RHP Ryan Weiss, RHP Hayden Wesneski and IF Shay Whitcomb.

Several Astros alumni were also in attendance, including Astros Hall of Famers José Cruz, Larry Dierker, Terry Puhl, and Shane Reynolds, as well as Alan Ashby, Brandon Backe, Michael Bourn, Jason Castro, Jarred Cozart, J.C. Hartman, Art Howe, Phil Garner, and Chris Sampson.

Many members of the broadcast teams on Astros TV and Astros radio also had a presence. This group included Todd Kalas, Geoff Blum, Julia Morales, Robert Ford, Francisco Romero, Alex Treviño, Brian Bogusevic and Kevin Eschenfelder.

FanFest is also the culmination of a successful Astros Caravan from January 21-23, which gave fans the opportunity to connect with players, manager, alumni, broadcasters and front office personnel at various locations as the club approaches the start of Spring Training. This year’s caravan made visits to Tomball, The Woodlands, Corpus Christi, Central Houston, Austin, Baytown, Port Neches, Beaumont, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Ingram and San Antonio.

Craig Kimbrel agreed to a minor league deal with the Mets, which includes an invite to big league spring training, The Post’s Jon Heyman reported Saturday.

The 37-year-old Kimbrel, whose 440 career saves rank fifth all time, spent last year bouncing between Triple-A and the majors in the Rangers, Braves and Astros organizations.

In 14 big league appearances (13 with the Astros), he posted a 2.25 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 12 innings. He last closed in 2024, when he had a 5.33 ERA and 23 saves with the Orioles.

Kimbrel will have a shot this spring to win a job in a remade Mets bullpen, which lost All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to the Dodgers but added ex-Yankees Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to help replace him in the late innings.

They also signed veteran reliever Luis Garcia to a major league deal earlier this week — part of a flurry of activity in which they acquired infielder Bo Bichette, right-hander Freddy Peralta, swingman Tobias Myers and outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

Among the reported non-roster invite relievers who will join Kimbrel in big league spring training are Carl Edwards Jr., Nick Burdi, Joe Jacques, Anderson Severino and Kevin Herget.

The Mets are adding another veteran reliever to the system.

Right-hander Craig Kimbrel has agreed to a minor league deal with an MLB camp invite, according to a report from The New York Post's Jon Heyman on Saturday.

If Kimbrel, 37, appears with the Mets in the big leagues next year, it will be his 17th season in professional baseball. He appeared in just 14 big league games last year, allowing four runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 12 innings pitched, after signing a minor league deal and spending the majority of his time at Triple-A. The right-hander did strike out 17 of the 49 batters he faced with seven walks while pitching for Atlanta (once) and Houston (13 times).

He pitched to a 3.00 ERA and 1.051 WHIP across 39 innings over 42 minor league appearances last season. He tallied 51 strikeouts to 21 walks. 

Kimbrel's last full major league season came in 2024 with Baltimore, and it did not go well for him as he was designated for assignment in late September after losing his spot as the closer. In 57 appearances with the Orioles, he pitched to a 5.33 ERA and 1.357 WHIP over 52.1 innings with 73 strikeouts to 31 walks. He had 23 saves in 29 opportunities. 

The Mets will hope Kimbrel can return to the form that made him a surprise All-Star for Philadelphia during the 2023 campaign. He had a 3.26 ERA and 1.043 WHIP across 69 innings and 71 appearances out of the bullpen, with 94 strikeouts to 28 walks. 

However, after four good appearances to start the 2023 postseason, he had two blowups in save situations that cost the Phillies Games 3 and 4 of the NLCS. Kimbrel allowed four runs on six hits over six innings with five strikeouts and five walks in seven outings.

Overall, he has 440 saves to his name over his big league career, with a 2.58 ERA over 821.2 innings and 851 games.

Aaron Judge was still in uniform after the Yankees were bounced by the Blue Jays in the ALDS in October when he was asked about Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham heading to free agency.

“I hope we can run them back and see what happens,” the captain said.

Judge did not know it then, but he more or less offered up a tagline for the Yankees’ offseason to come.

Of course, it is not actually that simple, but with just over two weeks until pitchers and catchers report to Tampa for spring training, the Yankees are poised to bring back almost the same roster that ultimately came up short in the playoffs last fall, with a few notable asterisks.

Bellinger’s five-year, $162.5 million deal to remain in pinstripes last week was essentially the last big piece to the Yankees winter puzzle, barring a late surprise.

It followed Grisham accepting the $22.025 million qualifying offer; the club picking up Tim Hill’s $3 million option; Ryan Yarbrough, Amed Rosario and Paul Blackburn re-signing on one-year deals worth a combined $7 million; and the lone sizable external addition, acquiring hard-throwing lefty starter Ryan Weathers in a trade with the Marlins.

The Yankees could still use some reinforcements to solidify the bullpen and a right-handed hitting catcher, as they have not done much to change their admission that they are too left-handed.

Jasson Domínguez, whose role became much less defined with Bellinger back in the fold, could be used as trade bait to address one of those needs.

But for a team that won 94 games during the regular season last year, tied with the Blue Jays for the most in the American League, the Yankees are doubling down on the idea that they can be the best version of that team, not the one that endured another summer swoon and then got clobbered by those Blue Jays in the ALDS.

“Look, obviously the end of our season [last] year was, frankly, as hard a one for me [as we’ve had] — because I felt like we were really good, and really good and healthy and peaking at the right time and got beat in a series against a team that we obviously struggled with last year with the Blue Jays,” manager Aaron Boone said last month at the winter meetings. “So you want to take stock in that. Again, you’re always trying to improve your club and improve your team, but also pause and say, ‘Hey, we’re pretty good here.’ And we’ve got a lot of really good players and a lot of really good young core players that emerged on different levels last year that we need to continue to grow in their big league journey.”

The biggest potential change from 2025 to 2026 is that the Yankees expect to get Gerrit Cole back early in the season after not throwing a single inning last year because of Tommy John surgery. Exactly what version the former Cy Young winner comes back as, though, remains to be seen.

But they are also banking on getting a full season with Cam Schlittler in their rotation after his dazzling 14-start cameo last year. They believe there is even more in the tank for Ben Rice, who established himself as a middle-of-the-order bat last season and is now set to take on the challenge of facing lefties more often. They are betting that Grisham’s breakout season was real. And they are hoping that their 2025 trade deadline additions — David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Ryan McMahon, José Caballero, Rosario and Jake Bird — can continue to make an impact over the long haul instead of just a two-month boost.

Will it pay off, or will trying the same — or, at least, very similar — thing over and expecting a different result remind them of the definition of insanity? The Yankees are only a few weeks away from beginning the journey to find out.

The New York Rangers have now lost three consecutive games, while suffering defeats in nine out of their past ten matchups. 

Frustrations are beginning to mount, specifically from Rangers captain J.T. Miller, who voiced his frustration following the Blueshirts’ 3-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Friday night. 

“We're not getting the results,” Miller said. “I'm not at all happy with where we're at. This f–ing sucks. Sorry about my language, but this really sucks. Losing every night, it's really hard to stay positive. I mean, it's really hard. This is nobody's standard or what we're willing to accept within each other, is losing every game it feels like right now. I think it’s just constant mistakes and shooting ourselves (in the) the foot. Everybody’s really trying hard. That’s what really sucks.”

When Miller was traded to the Rangers last season from the Vancouver Canucks, the expectation was that he could be the piece to help propel the Rangers into a playoff contender. 

Instead, Miller finds himself in the midst of a retool, and as the captain, it’s on him to keep a calm and steady composure through these losing times. 

The letter issued by Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury outlining the team’s plan to retool the roster was not in Miller's mind when he waived his no-move clause to come to New York about one year ago.

“The emotions have been going on for longer than the last two days,” Miller said after Drury’s letter was released. “It's unfortunately part of the game. It's disappointing, for sure. I don't think four or five months ago this is where we thought we'd be, but we’ve got a job to do, and we need to start moving forward towards the next chapter.”

Yu Darvish is hanging up his cleats — or is he?

The Japanese right-hander reportedly told the Padres that he was retiring after 13 big league seasons, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The news came as a bit of shock, considering that he would be leaving the game with three years and $43 million left on the six-year, $108 million extension he signed with San Diego in 2023.

The Union-Tribune’s report was quickly refuted by Darvish’s agent, Joel Wolfe, who told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand that his client’s days in the majors might not actually be over. 

“Yu has not made a final decision yet,” Wolfe said, per Feinsand. “This is a complicated matter we are still working through.”

Not long after, Darvish shot down the retirement talk himself, taking to X to set his story straight.

“You may have seen an article, and although I am leaning towards voiding the contract, there’s still a lot that has to be talked over with the Padres so the finer details are yet to be decided,” he wrote. “Also I will not be announcing my retirement yet.

“Right now I am fully focused on my rehab for my elbow, and if I get to a point where I can throw again, I will start from scratch again to compete. If once I get to that point I feel I can’t do that, I will announce my retirement.”

Darvish appeared to tell the Union-Tribune that he was OK with walking away from the $43 million he’s still owed by the Padres. 

“As far as leaving lots of money,” Darvish said, according to the outlet, “I look at it as that was never mine to begin with, especially considering the money I haven’t physically earned yet.”

In December, Darvish appeared uncertain if he would pitch again in the majors. 

“I’m not necessarily thinking about really pitching, as I go through this rehab process right now,” Darvish said, per MLB.com. “I don’t have that in my mind. I’m just trying to just rehab my arm right now. If I get the urge to come back, if I feel that I can stand on the mound and come back, then I will go for that. But I’ll just leave it there for now.”

Retirement or not, baseball fans won’t be seeing Darvish in 2026 after the 39-year-old underwent UCL brace surgery on his throwing arm in November, sidelining him for the entire season.

If Darvish does retire — or at stop pitching in MLB at the very least — it would mark the end of one of the most iconic Japanese-born pitchers there’s ever been to pitch stateside.

Since debuting in 2012 with the Rangers, Darvish has made five All-Star teams and received Cy Young votes in four different seasons, finishing as high as second twice, including his second season in the majors when he led all of baseball with 277 strikeouts in 2013.

He’s registered 115 career wins in stints with the Rangers, Dodgers, Cubs and Padres, and has the most strikeouts by a Japanese-born pitcher in MLB history.

Darvish was limited by injuries in 2025 and didn’t debut until early July after dealing with elbow inflammation during the first half.

In 72 innings for San Diego, Darvish went 5-5 with a 5.38 ERA and 68 strikeouts across 15 starts. 

In the series-deciding Game 3 of the wild-card round against the Cubs, Darvish started and tossed just one frame, giving up four hits and two runs during the 3-1 loss.

Japanese star Yu Darvish signed a six-year, $126 million deal with the Cubs before the 2018 season, with escalators that could have brought that deal to $150 million. You all likely remember the “Daily Darvish” posts I made here in early 2018 in anticipation of Darvish’s signing.

Injuries and ineffectiveness ruined his first year with the Cubs. After a slow start in 2019 he went on an 11-start run with a 2.44 ERA and 0.784 WHIP and in that span he walked six (!) and struck out 93. Then the Cubs pen failed him in his last two starts, where he walked one and struck out 25 in 15.1 innings, and the Cubs collapsed out of a playoff spot. In the pandemic season, Darvish was great. He posted a 2.01 ERA in 12 starts, striking out 93 and walking just 14 in 76 innings, and finished second in Cy Young voting.

Then, as you know, the Cubs salary-dumped Darvish to the Padres (along with Victor Caratini, insisted on by the Padres as Darvish’s personal catcher) for four prospects, only one of whom, Owen Caissie, ever played in the major leagues. (Zach Davies was also included in the deal coming to the Cubs, but he had an awful season, one of the worst ever by a Cubs starter.)

Today, Darvish told the San Diego Union-Tribune that he is walking away from three years and $43 million remaining on his deal, after having elbow surgery in October:

“The way my rehab is going now, I am focused on getting right, not on coming back,” he said late last month. “Right now I’m not really thinking too much about the future. Just knowing the way I think, I’m sure I will one day want to throw again. All I’ve thought about in my life is baseball.”

Darvish missed half of the 2024 season due to elbow issues and a personal matter but came back to pitch exceptionally well in the playoffs. When he and Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller spoke after that season, it was with the understanding that Darvish would likely need elbow surgery at some point. Darvish said he made it clear at that time he was considering “getting rid of” his contract.

“As far as leaving lots of money,” Darvish said in a recent interview, “I look at it as that was never mine to begin with, especially considering the money I haven’t physically earned yet.”

Darvish had one really good year in San Diego in 2022, posting a 3.10 ERA and 0.950 WHIP and finishing eighth in Cy Young voting. Overall in five years with the Padres, he posted a 3.97 ERA and 1.100 WHIP in 115 starts. He made 51 starts with the Cubs in three years in blue pinstripes with a 3.60 ERA and 1.106 WHIP.

As you might recall, the Cubs were in on the bidding when Darvish was posted prior to the 2012 season, but the Texas Rangers won that bid and he played five years there, along with half a season with the Dodgers in 2017, where he stymied the Cubs in Game 3 of the NLCS.

Presuming this is it for Darvish, his final MLB game will be Game 3 of the 2025 Wild Card Series against the Cubs last October at Wrigley Field, where he threw a scoreless first inning, then the Cubs had four straight batters reach against him in the second. The last batter he faced was Pete Crow-Armstrong, who hit an RBI single [VIDEO].

I know many of you will note the salary dump of Darvish by the Cubs as a key moment in that part of Cubs history, and you’re certainly right about that. I’ll also note that with the trade of Caissie to the Marlins for Edward Cabrera, the Cubs still have a chance to get something out of that trade tree. Here’s hoping.

Overall, Darvish made 297 MLB starts and posted 33.6 bWAR. He had a 3.65 ERA, 1.138 WHIP, 2,075 strikeouts and 115 wins. Add to that 93 wins and a 1.99 ERA in 167 games (164 starts) with 1,250 strikeouts in seven years with the Nippon Ham Fighters in NPB and there’s a borderline Hall of Fame argument for Darvish.

Yu Darvish was a fun player to have on the Cubs while he was a member of the team. It’s unfortunate he spent much of that time injured, and was salary-dumped when he still could have helped the club. I wish him well in retirement.

UPDATE: After the article in the San Diego Union-Tribune was published, Darvish put this on social media. So we’ll see.

Yu Darvish, amazing, magical pitcher who Rangers fans were fortunate enough to watch during his best years, is retiring, per multiple reports. A buyout is being negotiated between Darvish and the San Diego Padres in regards to the final three years of his deal, but reports indicate that he will be forfeiting the bulk of what he is owed by the Padres.

It is an unfortunate end to the career of one of the best pitchers I’ve ever seen, and one of the best pitchers to wear a Texas Rangers uniform. Watching him retire 26 batters in a row at Minute Maid Park with a bevy of LSB-ers is one of the most memorable moments in my Rangers fandom.

(ed. note — Yu Darvish has released a statement saying that he hasn’t decided yet whether he is retiring.)

I could recite his stats and try to describe to you his greatness, but instead, I’m going to just drop this here:

Brendan Donovan was considered one of the hottest trade commodities before the offseason began, so why haven’t the St. Louis Cardinals dealt him yet? While only Chaim Bloom knows why for sure, I speculate that two very unlikely trades from other teams might make the Cardinals trade of Brendan Donovan less likely.

St. Louis Cardinals President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom has said from the beginning that the team will not trade Brendan Donovan unless they are blown away by an offer. That was true as the offseason began and remains true now. It’s obvious that the Cardinals have still not received an offer that has compelled them to move Donovan, but why since he fits the needs of so many contending teams? I have a theory that two players who are being quietly discussed might be holding up progress on Brendan’s market.

The first unexpected infield trade candidate that emerged was a rumor that the Chicago Cubs were listening on offers for Nico Hoerner. It’s been reported that he was definitely a player of interest for the San Francisco Giants who are also considered a top landing spot for Brendan Donovan. Recent reports indicate the Cubs are less likely to move Hoerner after they signed free agent Alex Bregman, but they have not completely ruled that option out. I’ve heard rumors that the Seattle Mariners were also interested in Hoerner if the Cardinals asking price for Donovan is too high.

In the past day, we’ve also learned that the Washington Nationals have been quietly listening on offers for infielder CJ Abrams according to MLB Trade Rumors. Talk Nats has confirmed the “listening” rumors, but say there’s a difference between shopping and listening. Nationals GM Paul Toboni says it’s highly unlikely, but he also won’t rule anything out.

I think many of us thought that Brendan Donovan’s market would become more crystal clear after Bo Bichette signed with a team. Now that the Bichette drama is done, there is no report that I can confirm that Brendan Donovan’s trade is any closer which means Chaim Bloom still does not have the prospect haul offer he wants. I have to wonder if teams like the Giants and Mariners are holding out for the possibility that the Cubs will really make Hoerner available or the Nationals would trade Abrams. I can only speculate since I have not yet developed the ability to read minds (but I’m working on it) if the Giants and Mariners specifically are less likely to offer the breakthrough prospects for Donovan because of uncertainty about Hoerner and Abrams availability.

As I said 3 weeks ago, I would have no problem if the St. Louis Cardinals decide to keep Brendan and continue their rebuild around him instead of trading him. There is no reason to trade him if the prospects on offer aren’t a knockout. It is a gamble, though, to keep Donovan thinking he’ll be a valuable trade deadline candidate. You run the risk of him suffering an injury and there’s also a half year less of team control available. The general consensus was that Brendan Donovan’s trade value will never be higher than it is this offseason. As of today, we’re only about 3 weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training (yay!) so there’s still time that the Cardinals will pull together an epic Brendan Donovan trade. I think the potential trade of CJ Abrams and/or Nico Hoerner is nothing more than a mirage. Once those possibilities disappear, I hope Chaim Bloom gets the return he’s held out for.

While the main theme of the Tiger farm system is the group of top shelf prospects leading the way, the other big story in the system is a pretty disastrous run of pitcher injuries over the last two years. They’ve invested pretty heavily in prep pitching over the last three drafts, and right now they don’t necessarily have much to show for it. It’s going to be a major problem if the organization isn’t able to produce a whole lot of major league caliber pitching in a few years. Left-hander Ethan Schiefelbein got a big bonus as their competitive balance round B (72nd overall) pick in 2024, and like the other big prep signings in 2023 and 2024, he was barely on the mound at all in 2025.

The Tigers have always had a penchant for power right-handers, though that’s not unusual, so Schiefelbein was a fairly anomalous selection for the organization. An advanced high school lefty with four solid offerings and good control for his age, but without the high velocity fastball that often gets prep pitchers big bonuses, was a bet more on physical projection than anything else. His mechanics and stable, easy delivery spoke to a high likelihood of developing into a plus command guy in time.

At his best, the California native out of Corona High School looked like his just needed to grow into major league caliber stuff without requiring the huge development in command and pitch shapes that most pitchers, especially prep pitchers, need to make to reach the major leagues. His upside wasn’t necessarily on the level of harder throwing prep picks with similar big bonuses like Owen Hall and Paul Wilson, but for a prep pitcher Schiefelbein had a distinctly high floor as well. That was augmented by the fact that he only turned 18 in April of his draft year, whereas many prep players in the draft are already 19 or close to it on draft day.

Now 19 years old, Schiefelbein suffered the same fate as most of the Tigers’ young pitchers in 2025. After extended spring camp, he made three short appearances in the Complex League, looking little changed from draft day, and then missed the rest of the season with an injury that was reportedly a shoulder strain that didn’t require surgery, but did take the rest of the summer to rehab. In Schiefelbein’s case, this isn’t too concerning, at least compared to the other major injuries plaguing the Tigers’ pitching ranks. Rather than pushing him back on the mound at Single-A ball late in the year, the young left-hander just spent his time building up his body and trying to add overall strength before embarking on what will hopefully be a successful full season debut in 2026.

Point being, while 2023 second rounder Paul Wilson won’t likely be on the mound until late this season and will turn 22 years old next December, and the Tigers other top 2024 prep picks, Owen Hall and Zach Swanson most notably, aren’t going to throw a full season until they’re 21 in 2027, Schiefelbein is still on track to get on the mound and pitch his way through the Complex and Single-A levels this season as a 20-year-old. The Tigers will be hoping it plays out that way as their prep pitcher heavy strategy in the draft is looking pretty rough at the moment.

Schiefelbein is a pretty prototypical lefty with a balanced delivery throwing from a high three-quarters arm slot. He was well known to scouts as a high school senior after pitching for Team USA, and he was pretty much unhittable in his final year of school posting a 0.27 ERA with 83 strikeouts to just 11 walks over 52 innings of work. He used a twoseam fastball, slider, knuckle curveball, circle changeup mix as of the last time we saw him on a mound and showed the ability to locate all four pitches pretty effectively. His fastball typically sat 90-91 mph though he touched 94-95 mph on multiple occasions in high school.

He looks like more of a supinator than a guy who is going to turn over nasty, horizontally breaking sinkers and changeups, so I would guess the Tigers will have him moving more to the fourseamer and perhaps try and develop a cutter as he moves through pro ball. His curve was the best secondary pitch for him as a senior, and he has good though not crazy spin rates on the breaking stuff. The slider and changeup were more crude, but he wasn’t afraid to throw them in the zone, and already spotted them well for his age.

Unfortunately, there just isn’t much more to add to his scouting report yet. Guys like Hall, Wilson, and Swanson are expected to get back on the mound this year, but only Hall is on track to start his 2026 season on time. Schiefelbein will have the stage to himself to a degree early on, and while the Tigers won’t be pushing him beyond 100 innings this early in his career, he should be ready to throw a full season by now, assuming no further injury trouble emerges.

Prep pitchers take time. Even Jackson Jobe, widely regarded as one of the most advanced and talented prep pitchers of the past decade, struggled through most of his first two seasons and dealt with a host of minor injuries before suddenly breaking out in a big way two years out from his draft day. Schiefelbein is going to be a longer term project, so this season we’ll just be looking for more muscle on his slender 6’2” frame, and for him to stay healthy and start refining his craft. That would be very welcome progress in his age 20 season. The upside here is something like Cole Hamels as the absolute best case scenario, but the more realistic hope is that Schiefelbein stays healthy as he builds himself up over the next few seasons, and hits his likeliest positive outcome as a solid 3-4 level starting pitcher.

Jose Ramirez isn’t leaving Cleveland any time soon. 

The star third baseman signed a seven-year, $175 million extension to keep him with the Guardians through the 2032 season, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. 

The deal includes $70 million in deferred compensation, per Passan.

In 2022, Ramirez signed a seven-year, $141 million contract with Cleveland — his second long-term extension with the franchise. 

His new contract adds an additional four years and $106 million to the three years, $69 million he was already owed from the 2022 extension. 

Ramirez, 33, has become an icon in Cleveland since debuting in 2013, and now appears set to play his entire career with the franchise. 

The Dominican Republic product first joined the team all the way back in 2009 at 17.

After a slow-ish start to his big league career, Ramirez broke out during Cleveland’s American League pennant-winning 2016 season, hitting .312/.363/.462 with 11 home runs and 22 stolen bases while receiving a few down-ballot MVP votes. 

In 13 seasons, Ramirez has made seven All-Star teams and won six Silver Slugger awards. 

He’s finished in the top five in the AL MVP voting five times. 

Last season, Ramirez showed no signs of slowing down, slashing .283/.360/.503 with 30 long balls and a career-high 44 stolen bags.

With 15 more home runs and 13 more swipes, Ramirez will become the ninth player in MLB history to reach 300 homers and 300 stolen bases. 

While they haven’t gotten over the World Series hump, the Guardians have enjoyed one of the best stretches in franchise history since Ramirez’s debut, making the playoffs in eight out of 13 seasons.

Shortly after I wrote about the potential of a CJ Abrams trade, a report came out that the Giants seriously pursued the Nats shortstop, but were unable to reach a deal. The fact that this leaked out right after the Gore trade is very interesting and makes me wonder about the timing. It also makes me wonder about whether the Nats will make a late offseason deal.

The report came from Andrew Baggarly, the Giants beat reporter for the Athletic. This makes me think the leak came from the Giants side. It is clearly a strategic leak and has me wondering if this deal is dead yet. The piece reads like the Giants are telling their fanbase that we tried, but the Nats asking price was just too much.

The thing that stood out the most to me was the reporting that the Giants were willing to offer Josuar Gonzalez. Despite being 18 and never having appeared in a stateside game, Gonzalez is a top 50 prospect in baseball. In their new top 100, MLB Pipeline ranked him as the 44th best prospect, while Baseball America had him at number 30. 

Gonzalez was the top player in his IFA class, and had a strong showing in the DSL. He is a potential five tool player, who stands out for his elite defensive ability at shortstop. However, the bat is also very advanced. Pipeline said he has the ceiling of a .280 hitter with 25+ homer pop. If that is the case, he could be the closest thing we have seen to Francisco Lindor. 

The biggest drawback to Gonzalez is obviously his age and lack of experience. He has never played above the DSL level, so there is some serious volatility. However, he has a truly massive ceiling. The fact the Giants were open to offering Gonzalez in a deal, and Toboni turned it down says a lot.

The report also stated that prospects Bo Davidson, Jhonny Level, Carson Whisenhunt and Jacob Bresnahan were discussed. These are all prospects with big upside. Davidson and Level are top 100 guys according to Baseball America. This report fired up Giants fans, who seemed stunned at these names all being discussed.

There is one line that intrigued me though. The report said that even if the Giants offered all five players, it would be unclear if the Nats would have accepted. That feels like spin to me. If Toboni was offered all five, he would be a fool to turn it down.

While the report mentioned plenty of names that were being discussed, there was no leaked offer. If Gonzalez was in the deal, I would imagine the secondary pieces were not very strong. The fact there is no actual deal leaked tells me the Giants are trying to make the price sound higher than it actually was.

However, I do have no doubt that Toboni was asking for a lot. There is less incentive to move Abrams now than there was with Gore. Abrams has three years of team control compared to Gore’s two and is also not represented by infamous super agent Scott Boras. 

Toboni also seems excited to get his hands on Abrams from a development standpoint. On 106.7, he talked about how Abrams is one of the most athletic players in the league, but has not fully been able to translate that athleticism to production. While Abrams has been a quality player the last few years, Toboni sees more upside.

That upside could lead to Abrams being a long term piece, or it could lead to enhanced trade value. If Abrams has a hot start to the season, he would be a very hot commodity at the Trade Deadline. Another thing Abrams could do to boost his stock is prove that he is a true shortstop. I think Toboni was mostly referring to Abrams’ defense when he was talking about his athleticism not translating into production.

The Nats shortstop has all of the twitch and movement skills to be a quality shortstop, but has not put it together yet. Toboni seems like he is on a mission to change that. Right now, most teams looking to trade for Abrams see him as more of a second baseman. The Giants certainly see it that way, with Willy Adames firmly entrenched at shortstop.

All of this leads me to believe a deal is more likely to happen at the deadline, but this leak raised my eyebrows. This could be interpreted as the Giants saying we are done with this or a challenge to Toboni to come back to the table. Either way, the Giants let this get out for a reason.

Over the next few months, I have a feeling that we will be talking about CJ Abrams trade rumors some more. He is a very exciting player, but given the Nats timeline and their glut of young infield talent, a trade seems like a possibility.

When a standout player who has been with your organization his entire career wants to stay with you, you listen. That’s what Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did when Jorge Posada became a free agent after the 2007 campaign.

A five-time All-Star and switch-hitting Silver Slugger, Posada would’ve been a boon for any team on the market. He still stands as one of the best-hitting catchers of the past 50 years, and his bat was elite in 2007. The Yankees had been able to extend him during the 2001-02 offseason for five years and $51 million with club option, but despite expressing interest in staying with the team he had been with his whole career, there was also major interest from the crosstown New York Mets — making the chase for the decorated, switch-hitting backstop all the more interesting.

The Yankees ended up making the deal, paying Posada the most average annual salary for a catcher at the time—$13.1 million—and thus stopped a rival team from compelling him to remain in the City, in a different borough. Although the final result being a positive one for the Yankees, it certainly wasn’t without its fireworks.

Jorge Posada
Signing Date: November 13, 2007
Contract: Four years, $52.4 million

Posada was already an established star by this the fall of 2007, and it had been a remarkable ascent from near-complete anonymity during the early part of the 1990s. We chronicled his history in greater detail during our Top 100 Yankees series, but we’ll present a shorter version. The Santurce, Puerto Rico native starred in high school and was able to cut his teeth some more at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, AL. He landed on the Yankees’ radar, and after a couple draft attempts, they signed him out of the 24th round in the 1990 edition — two rounds behind the Yanks’ selection of a young high school lefty from Texas named Andy Pettitte.

Originally a second baseman, Posada was convinced to give catching a try in 1991, when he made 11 appearances behind the plate for short-season Oneonta. By the next year, he was a full-time backstop, and over the next couple seasons, he shot up through the minor leagues, playing 92 games with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 1994 and officially debuting with the Yankees in September of ’95. Blocked at the big-league level across ’95 and ’96 by Mike Stanley, Jim Leyritz, and Joe Girardi, Posada played just nine games in The Show during that span, and only traveled with the team as they won it all in October 1996. But even though he would never be confused for a defensive stalwart at catcher, his time would soon come.

Prior to the start of ’97, the Yankees traded Leyritz to the Angels despite his World Series heroics. They wanted to open the door for Posada to get big-league reps as Girardi’s backup and were confident that the up-and-comer could earn his keep. Following a 101 OPS+ in 60 games of action in ’97 though, the Yankees did float Posada as a possible trade option with the Montreal Expos for Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez. That obviously did not work out, as Pedro was traded to the rival Boston Red Sox, and the next handful of years would live in infamy between those two teams (and the two players in particular).

Posada finally started over 100 games in the record-breaking ’98 season for the Yankees, slashing .268/.350/.475 with 17 homers for an OPS+ of 115, and his numbers only continued to climb from there. He was eventually trusted with the everyday job as Girardi aged out of the role and departed in December of ’99. The 2000 campaign was the first where Posada really shined, making his first All-Star team and hitting .287/.417/.527 with 28 homers and a 139 OPS+, earning his first Silver Slugger as well.

It was an important time for Posada to make his mark, as other members of the Yankees’ core like Paul O’Neill and Tino Martinez were nearing the ends of their days in pinstripes. And thanks in part to Posada’s tenacious at-bat against a dominant Al Leiter with two outs in the ninth inning of 2000 World Series Game 5, the Yankees rallied to secure the three-peat, Posada scoring the go-ahead run on Luis Sojo’s single.

Although it would be a few years before the Yankees again won it all, Posada was an essential part of the contending operation alongside pal Derek Jeter (the best man in his wedding). Posada earned four consecutive All-Star nods and Silver Sluggers from 2000-03, and he really shined in the last of those years. He became the first Yankees catcher to hit 30 homers in a season since no less than Yogi Berra, and thanks in part to a 144 OPS+ and 5.9 rWAR in 142 games, he finished third for AL MVP, trailing only Alex Rodriguez and Carlos Delgado. And while his 2004-06 seasons weren’t as decorated, he still played a vital role, remaining a pillar of health with 422 games started out of the possible 486, notching a 121 OPS+.

Entering 2007, Posada had one year left on his deal before he would hit free agency, and in spring training, the Yankees were uninterested in opening up talks on a second extension. He timed his best campaign since ’03 quite well, and his bat would’ve received even more attention had A-Rod not turned in an MVP season for the ages. Posada finished sixth in the voting with career-highs in all the rate stats, batting .338/.426/.543 with a 153 OPS+ and 5.4 rWAR to claim his fifth All-Star selection and Silver Slugger. That made him a valuable commodity for teams, despite approaching his late thirties at the most physically demanding position in the sport.

The Yankees fell to Cleveland in the ALDS that October, and a decision was on the horizon for Posada. He really wanted a four-year deal in wake of that superb season. The Yankees weren’t particularly enthused about handing that long a commitment to a catcher who had just turned 37 that August; they were hoping to get Posada on a three-year contract for around $40 million.

So Posada was willing to hear out some of his other options, especially since A-Rod had opted out and longtime manager Torre was on his way to the Dodgers. Most notably, the folks across town were very interested. The 2007 season had ended in disaster for the Mets, and catcher Paul Lo Duca took a serious dip after leading the NL East champs in 2006. He was a free agent as well, but GM Omar Minaya had his eyes on Posada, as did his former third-base coach, Mets manager Willie Randolph.

As such, it was easy for Posada to not-so-subtly get the Yankees’ full attention by meeting with the Mets the day before other clubs could officially submut offers, per the New York Times:

Posada and his agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, had lunch Monday with Minaya and [Mets] vice president Tony Bernazard. The Yankees initially offered the 36-year-old Posada a three-year contract but upped their proposal to four years on Monday evening.

While Posada briefly played hard to get for the Yankees, his intentions were clear from the start. He felt it would be easier to stay with the team that he had been with since his mid-twenties, and that’s exactly what happened. The Yankees acquiesced to his request and ultimately signed him to a four-year, $52.4 million deal.

In those final four seasons, Posada played in 397 games and slashed .258/.349/.454 for an above-average OPS+ of 110. A shoulder injury curtailed both his and the Yankees’ hopes for 2008 success under his old teammate-turned-skipper Girardi, but in 2009, it all came together. Posada hit 22 homers in 438 PA, good for an .885 OPS and 125 OPS+, and he had a productive October as well. Jeter might’ve been the captain, but Posada unofficially led the clubhouse and was willing to be the guy who held teammates accountable when necessary.

The Bombers won it all, and Posada had his fifth ring. It would be the last one.

Posada’s bat remained strong in 2010 but his oft-uneven defense had made him a liability behind the plate, and he was a concussion risk as well. The Yankees found a bargain in the more well-balanced Russell Martin that offseason, so they signed him and planned to have Posada DH in 2011. The 40-year-old was unhappy in the role and dipped to a below-average showing at the plate, too. Although it was an awkward swan song for Posada, the hard feelings faded in time (and he was actually one of the few consistent bats during their five-game ALDS loss to Detroit). He retired in January 2012 and the Yankees retired his No. 20 in August 2015, honoring him with a plaque in Monument Park.

So yes, the Yankees had reason to be uneasy about that fourth year. But the overall contract still led to a 2009 World Series crown and the Yankees were able to pivot to a new catcher anyway during that last season. Losing Posada to the Mets would’ve been a true shame; thankfully, they didn’t let it happen.

See more of the “50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years” series here.

As Phillies fans hope that the team has another big move left in them (Don’t hold your breath!), I decided to take a look at recent offseasons to see how many big moves they’ve made closer to the start of camp. Then, as one does, I decided to make the exercise into an interactive March Madness-style tournament.

From 2010 to 2025, I identified the last free agent the team signed before the season began. To qualify for the list, the player:

• Had to be an outside signing. Re-signings like J.T. Realmuto in 2021 do not count, but former Phillies who were on a different team in between (Cliff Lee) do qualify.
• The player had to appear in at least one game the season he was signed.

Here’s the field, seeded by WAR in their first season with the team:

1. Cliff Lee 2011
2. Bryce Harper 2019
3. Jake Arrieta 2018
4. Jeff Hoffman 2023
5. Jose Contreras 2010
6. Brad Miller 2021
7. Luis Garcia 2013
8. Joe Ross 2025
9. Nick Castellanos 2022
10. David Lough 2016
11. Neil Walker 2020
12. Ronny Cedeño 2014
13. Chad Qualls 2012
14. Ricardo Pinto 2024
15. Dustin McGowan 2015
16. Michael Saunders 2017

Some of those names you’ll recognize (even if you wish you didn’t), and some you’ll probably need a refresher on.

Twice a week, I’ll present a matchup, and the readers will get to vote for which player should advance. You can choose to vote for the player who had the best initial season, the player who has had the best Phillies career, a player you have a soft spot for (Where my Qualls-heads at?), or simply vote for chaos and let Nick Castellanos win it all as a farewell(?) present.

We’ll start things off with our 8-9 matchup. Here’s a quick summary:

8. Joe Ross, 2025

Stats with the Phillies: 37 games, 51 IP, 2-1, 5.12 ERA, 39 K, 18 BB, 0.0 WAR

After a solid season as a swingman for the Brewers in 2024, the Phillies signed Joe Ross hoping he could provide both rotation depth as well as solid middle relief. As it turned out, Taijuan Walker filled the rotation depth role, so Ross was kept in the bullpen all year. However, he wasn’t very good there, putting up an ERA over 5, and he was eventually released in August.

9. Nick Castellanos 2022

Stats with the Phillies: 602 games, .260/.306/.426, 82 HR, 326 RBI, 1.3 WAR

After the lockout ended in 2022, it appeared that Kyle Schwarber was going to be the Phillies’ big free agent signing of the year. But with Nick Castellanos lingering on the free agent market, the Phillies decided to splurge and add him to their outfield.

Coming off a career best year, Castellanos struggled mightily in his first season for the Phillies. Things improved after that, but not nearly enough to justify his contract. While there were some highlights during his tenure, it’s been a mostly disappointing four years, and it’s only a matter of time before he’s released by the team.