SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 12: RJ Petit #58 of the Colorado Rockies plays catch during a spring training workout at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 12, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images)
Good morning, Purple Row!
Here’s what’s going on with the Colorado Rockies and the rest of Major League Baseball.
In case you missed it, 2025 Rule 5 pick RJ Petit was returned to the Detroit Tigers. Petit underwent Tommy John surgery in spring training and missed the entirety of the 2026 season. He had begun throwing in August, but the nature of the injury and the need for more roster space made it an easy decision to send him back to his original organization, where he can hopefully make his debut finally at some point.
The rumors of trading Hunter Goodman will again be a hot topic over the next few weeks. The team needs pitching, and Goodman is still the most valuable piece they have that could net them a couple of arms as needed. Whether or not they give in to that temptation remains to be seen, though.
On this week’s episode, Evan Lang and I discuss the Milwaukee Brewers’ World Series victory before breaking down the 40-man roster heading into the offseason activity. (This was recorded before moves were announced on Monday and Tuesday).
DNVR’s Christian Saez heard Alon Leichman’s side of the story as to why he was fired and heard the Rockies’ front office corroborate bits of the story. A lot of interesting stuff you can hear in the podcast episode below. To make a long story short, it came down to dysfunction.
MLB made another CBA proposal centered around a salary cap. This time, they offered to implement the system in 2028 with a floor of $180.2 million and a cap set at $258.2 million that year. This comes along with all the other proposals included in other offers. Needless to say, the players didn’t like the idea.
Our pals at our sister site, Lookout Landing, break down the news of the Seattle Mariners’ new manager, Jason Kanzler. It’s definitely an interesting hire that could also be a risky one for the Mariners.
Jim Callis runs through the rookies who graduated from the Top 100 prospects lists this year and assesses what their long-term value could be in MLB. There are a lot of talented rookies from that list, with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konner Griffin expected to have the best long-term value.
The Home Run Derby for the Arizona Fall League will happen on Saturday and it includes a handful of intriguing power-hitting prospects, including Jack O’Dowd (HM PuRP) of the Rockies.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: Coach Jason Kanzler of the Houston Astros poses for photo during Photo Day at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on March 16, 2022 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday, everyone. Two big things will be guiding our news roundups over the coming weeks: free agency, which should begin to heat up soon, and also the looming labor dispute between MLB and MLBPA, which was dealt an interesting blow today that we’ll delve into more shortly.
We’ll also take a look at the new choice for the Mariners’ manager, potential trade targets, and why the heck is Pat Murphy apologizing?
All that and more below, so let’s just jump right into it.
With free agency already underway, and recognizing that Clubs will need a full offseason to operate within the cap and floor system, MLB is proposing to phase in the salary cap and floor in 2028
The projected cap and floor payrolls for 2028 would make 12 clubs increase payroll… pic.twitter.com/EfMErTa1Jo
The MLBPA already has something to say about the new cap proposal.
In response to the league's revised salary cap proposal, the MLBPA says "MLB owners continue to propose blowing up the current system and replacing it with one designed to line their pockets and increase their franchise values." pic.twitter.com/D8sIgMuFcR
Happy birthday to a World Series winner but an utterly hopeless infielder, five-year South Siders Skeeter Webb.
1909 Skeeter Webb was born, in Meridian, Miss. The five-year White Sox player has the distinction of being one of the worst second basemen of all time, ranking as the 1,513th-best at the position per JAWS as of 2026. Aside from a one-game debut in 1932 for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1932, every season Webb played in the majors was a negative-WAR effort, including five years in Chicago that amassed -2.5 WAR.
1959 White Sox pitching standout and central Black Sox World Series fixer Lefty Williams died in Laguna Beach, Calif.
Williams had just six games under his belt (1913-14) with the Detroit Tigers when the White Sox bought him out of the Pacific Coast League, where he’d spent 1915 killing it with the Salt Lake City Bees (33-12, 2.84 ERA in 418 2⁄3 innings pitched). Almost immediately he took on a regular load with the White Sox, averaging 287 2⁄3 innings pitched in his four full White Sox seasons (discounting 1918, part of which was spent in the shipyards as World War I service).
His numbers, though amazing by today’s standards, were average in pre-Live Ball times (for example, his career 3.13 ERA is actually just a 99 ERA+, a step below average). Still, in his two true, full-time starter seasons (1919 and 1920), Williams ran up 9.0 WAR, on the brink of All-Star level play — and at 27 years old, several peak seasons could still have been on the board for Lefty.
However, that all changed, as Williams lost a record three World Series games in 1919 and was unquestionably the player with the biggest impact on the thrown Series. While Williams had a -0.58 WPA for the series that was matched by Swede Risberg, his -24.38% cWPA far outpaced anyone else on the roster; in traditional numbers, the starter went 0-3 with a 6.61 ERA and eight walks against four Ks.
After his suspension by Charles Comiskey and subsequent banishment from baseball in 1921, Williams barnstormed and drank, often at the same time. He we worked in landscaping, and unlike co-conspirator Chick Gandil, never spoke of or professed his innocence over the Black Sox scandal.
1965 “El Señor,” manager Al Lopez, resigned his position with the White Sox for health reasons. Perhaps the greatest manager in franchise history, Lopez had nine winning seasons in his nine full-time years as Sox manager. He won the 1959 American League pennant, and was coming off of back-to-back-to-back 90 plus-win seasons in 1963, 1964 and 1965. The Sox averaged 96 wins per season during that time span, and those seasons remain the best three-season stretch in team history. Lopez’s 840 wins are second-most all-time for the White Sox. His 11 years managing in Chicago combined with six in Cleveland earned him induction into the Hall of Fame as a manager in 1977.
Lopez had expressed a desire to retire from managing after each of those stellar mid-60s seasons. He moved into the front office as a team vice president, helping steer the manager search along with GM Ed Short and owner Art Allyn.
Yankees scout Mayo Smith and Sox coach Charlie Metro were early favorites to replace Lopez, the club had amassed a list of nearly two dozen possible replacements. Eddie Stanky would be named to replace Lopez on December 14, but Lopez would come back to manage the White Sox in 1968 … replacing Stanky.
2012 Legendary Chicago Bulls announcer and Chicago native Jim Durham passed away in Tomball, Texas. Durham broadcasted play-by-play for the White Sox in 1988-89 and was a national baseball voice for ESPN Radio from 1998 to 2012.
Durham’s most memorable broadcasting call was for “The Shot” by Michael Jordan that upset the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs in 1989:
The inbounds pass comes in to Jordan. Here’s Michael at the foul line, the shot on Ehlo … GOOD!
(Johnny Kerr: THE BULLS WIN! THEY WIN!)
They upset the Cleveland Cavaliers! Michael Jordan hits it at the foul line!
(Kerr: WOOOH!)
101-100! 20,273 in stunned silence here in the [Richfield] Coliseum. Michael Jordan with 44 points in the game hit the shot over Craig Ehlo. What tremendous heroics we have had in Game 5, from both teams, what a spectacular series this has been. In my days in the NBA, 16 years, this is the greatest series I’ve ever seen!
2023 After an utterly dismal 2023 season of -2.0 WAR that ranked in a tie for third-worst ever in White Sox history among position players, Tim Anderson was released. The club bought him out for $1 million rather than commit to Tim’s $14 million option for 2024.
Anderson left the White Sox with 16.2 WAR for his career, ranking 39th all-time among hitters and as the ninth-best shortstop in club history. He was Chicago’s first round choice in 2013, and matriculated to the majors just three years later. His natural shyness quickly gave way to a motormouth personality that tended to get under the skin of opponents. Anderson was a two-time All-Star, won one Silver Slugger, and finished seventh in 2020 MVP voting while in Chicago.
The gamble taken by the White Sox did pay off, as Anderson signed a one-year deal with Miami and had an even worse season in 2024, sucking -1.5 WAR from the Marlins in just 63 games played.
As it stands — it seems unlikely that Anderson will see the major leagues again — Anderson’s closest career comp, with a 93.7% similarity score, is Alexei Ramírez, who Anderson replaced at shortstop for the White Sox.
Dec 7, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; MLB commissioner Rob Manfred looks on during the presentation of the Allan H. Selling Award for philanthropic excellence during the 2022 MLB Winter Meetings at Manchester Grand Hyatt. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Good morning Birdland,
November is usually a “paperwork” type of month in baseball. Options getting accepted or declined. Qualifying offers and arbitration decisions going out. 40-man roster shuffling. The bigger stuff tends to happen later. But whether or not we can even get to those marquee moves all depends on if/when a new CBA can be agreed to. At the moment, it’s all up in the air. But we do have some news there.
Major League Baseball has delivered a proposal that makes a couple of headline changes from their last offer. First, the salary cap and floor system they wish to implement remains, but they have increased the threshold for both. Second, implementaion for those requirements would be delayed until 2028, giving teams one full season to become compliant.
The floor in this latest proposal has been lifted from $171.2 million to $180.2 million, while the cap has gone from $245.3 million up to $258.2 million. All of these numbers refer to the Competitive Balance Tax numbers. The Orioles CBT for 2026 was about $220 million. The Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays, Padres, Red Sox, and Cubs would have some cutting to do. Twelve other teams would need to spend, at least a little, to reach the necessary payroll, including both the Brewers and Rays.
In addition, there were several other changes or agreements from the prior proposal:
The period to hit free agency would be reduced from six years to five years for 30-year-old players
The qualifying offer system would be eliminated, so no more draft pick compensation attached to free agents.
Minimum salaries would increase from $780,000 to $1 million for players with at least two years of service, and up to $900,000 for players with less than two years.
The Pre-Arbitration Bonus Pool will increase by 30% from $50 million in ‘26 to $65 million in ‘27, and then eventually to $75 million by the end of the CBA.
The Prospect Promotion Incentive program will be expanded to allow prospects to earn their team up to two selections in their career (one domestic and one international)
The number of times a player can be optioned in a season would be reduced from five to four and there would be no more fourth option years
Weekly rosters would be implemented, preventing players from being optioned or outrighted during the “playing week”
Changes to Rule 5 draft that would require players to be protected one year sooner, and would allow claiming clubs to option players to the minors.
None of this has been finalized, and it is entirely possible that much of this changes before an agreement is actually made. Many of these things are quite good for the players, but the continued presence of a cap is going to be a sticking point. Players do not want it. The owners clearly do. That single reason is why a lockout feels inevitable.
With that understood, it’s fair to say that this proposal feels more like public relations than it does a real offer from the league at this point. The changes read as very conciliatory and player friendly. And yes, there is certainly some good stuff in here. But it will be interesting to see if all of these stick should the proposed salary cap eventually be removed. Ultimately, that is the whole ball game.
Notes on arbitration eligibles, Kjerstad’s exit and latest free agent projections | Roch Kubatko It’s a shame how things worked out for Heston Kjerstad here in Baltimore. There is clearly offensive talent in him, but his health just would never cooperate for long enough to show it. Hopefully he gets a chance somewhere that can give him some extended big league at-bats to prove himself.
5 big-swing trade ideas for the Orioles to consider | The Banner The headline is no joke! Some of these ideas would be a massive trades. Reid Detmers is mentioned, and he does feel like “The Guy” that Mike Elias would covet this offseason. Young, left-handed, under team control for a long time. It would be great. But he’s also coming off of a career-best season, and every other team sees the same thing. A deal would be expensive.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Johnathan Rodríguez turns 27 today. The outfielder played in seven games for the Orioles this past season, including several starts as the team’s clean-up hitter. It was a weird season.
Larry Bigbie is 49 years old. The O’s first-round pick in 1999, Bigbie would play parts of five seasons in Baltimore from 2001 through ‘05. Then he was traded to the Rockies in a swap for Eric Byrnes.
Doug Corbett is 74 today. The right-handed reliever appeared in 11 games out of the Orioles bullpen in 1987.
The late Tito Francona (b. 1933, d. 2018) was born on this day. His MLB career began with the Orioles from 1956-57. After the ‘57 season he was part of a seven-player trade with the Chicago White Sox.
This day in O’s history
1975 – Jim Palmer wins his second Cy Young Award, coming off a season in which he led the AL in wins, shutouts, and ERA.
2002 – Orioles pitcher Rodrigo López finishes second in the voting for AL Rookie of the Year. He had a 3.57 ERA over 196.2 innings. Blue Jays slugger Eric Hinske finishes first.
2014 – J.J. Hardy, Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis are named Gold Glove winners at their respective positions. It’s the third straight year for Hardy and Jones, but it’s Markakis’ first win since 2011.
Happy birthday to John Grabow, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1959 – Ernie Banks wins his second National League MVP Award in a row on the strength of his 45 home runs and 143 RBI for the Chicago Cubs. Eddie Mathews finishes second, and 2016 – Five million fans turn out for the Cubs’World Series victory parade in downtown Chicago, IL, 108 years in the making. The Chicago River is dyed in blue to celebrate the long-awaited title, and other stories as well.
1973 – NHL Chicago Black Hawks center Stan Mikita registers his 1,000 NHL career point in 5-3 loss to the Minnesota North Stars at the Met Centre, Bloomington, Minnesota.
1979 – 500 Iranian students loyal to Ayatollah Khomeini seize the US Embassy in Tehran, taking 90 hostages for 444 days.
1989 – Alexanderplatz demonstrations for political reforms draw over half a million people in East Berlin, significant event that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
1884 – Grover Cleveland (D) beats James G. Blaine (R) for his 1st presidential term, later becoming first US President to serve 2 non-consecutive terms.
1924 – Calvin Coolidge is elected to a full term as President of the United States, defeating Democrat candidate John W. Davis.
1980 – Republican candidate Ronald Reagan is elected President of the United States, defeating incumbent Democrat US President Jimmy Carter by a landslide.
2008 – Barack Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected President of the United States, defeating Republican candidate John McCain.
Today in music history:
1961 – American folk singer-songwriter Bob Dylan makes his Carnegie Hall (NYC) debut; tickets priced at $2.00.
1967 – British rock band Pink Floyd make US live debut, sharing the bill with Big Brother & The Holding Company, and singer-songwriter Richie Havens, at the Winterland Auditorium, San Francisco, California.
1968 – Capitol Records releases “Wichita Lineman,” the 12th album by Glen Campbell (Billboard Album of the Year, 1969).
1984 – Funk-rocker Prince opens his “Purple Rain” tour featuring his new band ‘The Revolution’ with the 1st of seven shows at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
1996 – British girl group the Spice Girls release their debut album “Spice,” it goes on to sell 23 million copies.
1997 – Mercury Nashville Records releases “Come On Over,” the third studio album by country music singer Shania Twain (Billboard Album of the Year, 1999).
2003 – “Shock’n Y’all,” the eighth studio album by Toby Keith is released (Billboard Album of the Year 2004).
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 14: Aidan Miller #4 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a warm up toss during a game between the Peoria Javelinas and Surprise Saguaros at Surprise Stadium on October 14, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Election season is over, which means no more political commercials on TV. Now, we just get to hear about the politics of baseball via negotiations.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 11: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after pitching in the first inning during Game One of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
ESPN | Riley McDaniel: The Yankees are reportedly weighing making a play for Tarik Skubal, the top free agent on the market. Considering their depth at starting pitcher, the move would likely come with corresponding offloading of others at the position. The Dodgers and Mets are still considered the frontrunners for the two-time Cy Young Award winner, with the Angels, White Sox, and Padres looming as dark horses. In this roundup of free agency, former Yankees David Bednar, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Trent Grisham rank among the top 40 options as well.
ESPN: On the heels of his team’s championship, Brewers manager Pat Murphy has expressed regret for a Yankees gibe that has gained headlines. After the Game 5 clincher, Murphy invoked “that horses— Yankees team” where “you guys were all playing for yourself” to former Bomber and NLCS MVP Jake Bauers. “I called Brian Cashman right away when I heard [my comments] got out,” said Murphy, who added the remark was geared more towards big-market teams as a whole and less towards the 2026 Yankees in particular. The hot-mic moment struck a nerve for many as an echo of the Dodgers’ deriding of New York after toppling them in the 2024 Fall Classic.
New York Post | Christian Arnold: After the Yankees elected not to extend the qualifying offer to Chisholm Monday, his departure from New York appears a fait accompli. While the second baseman excelled in his first year and a half in pinstripes, he faltered this season, underperforming while drawing ire for playing with a lollipop in his mouth and making mental errors in the field. At 28, Chisholm is a fascinating free agency case who may draw interest for his talent despite a difficult walk year.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks fields a ball during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What is the biggest offseason priority for the Diamondbacks?
James Attwood: Pitching. They are losing Soroka, Gallen, Ginkel, Puk, Loaisiga, and Thompson just to start with. Is Ryne Nelson going to stay healthy? How about Rodriguez and Kelly? Oh yeah, then there is whether or not Corbin Burnes will ever be an effective starter again. So the answer is pitching n general, but starting pitching in particular.
Spencer: Avoid a lockout.
1AZFan1: I see the three biggest priorities as filling in the bullpen, adding one more starting pitcher, and adding a lefty bat who could also play 1B. Of those, the biggest priority to me is finding one more starter. Right now, our starting rotation is Burnes, ERod, Pfaadt, Merrill and Ryne(?). Questions abound in that group and the MLB-ready depth behind them in case of injury or ineffectiveness is suspect.
At first base, worst case you can run Tim Tawa out there and I think you could get reasonable production from him. He had a 98 wRC+ from July 1st on (102 wRC+ against righties) which was better than Freddie Freeman, Josh Naylor, Christian Walker and Nathaniel Lowe among 1B over the same time period. Then the bullpen, while a glaring weakness considering all the arms who are moving on via free agency, was always going to be a throw-stuff-at-the-wall solution to see what sticks.
Makakilo: Perhaps the biggest priority is to develop the performance of the current players, who have exceptional potential.
Ben: It’s a tossup between the starting rotation and first base in my opinion. In 2026, those were two standout weaknesses for the team by wins above average (WAA), ranking 15th in the NL by WAA for first base and left field while ranking 11th for their starting pitching. That last number also includes shocking bounceback seasons from both Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka. I don’t think you can necessarily count on both of those pitchers re-creating those remarkable seasons two years in a row – assuming the team was able to re-sign Soroka.
Sam Bradfield: A serviceable first baseman/DH — whether that’s moving Arenado to first, or going out and getting someone else (Paul Goldschmidt reunion, perhaps?)
Who is your most optimistic, but still realistic, get for the Diamondbacks?
James Attwood: Michael Soroka. There is still the chance he appreciates the treatment he received in AZ and that he likes the atmosphere where he was given a mile of leash. He also took a massive hit to his free agent value when he went to the IL for more than just a game late in the season. Of the starting caliber players on the free agent market, he may actually be obtainable by Arizona, assuming no one else offers him a Merrill Kelly or better contract.
Spencer: The third baseman from Japan. Sato? He’s probably going to be out of the price range, but maybe.
1AZFan1: I think Michael Soroka fits the bill here. I’m not sold that he’ll be worth the money just because I’m worried that injuries will be a regular part of his career moving forward, but if we pay up for a starting pitcher it might as well be him.
Makakilo: Ty France, who would play at first base.
Ben: I think they could realistically target someone like Ty France. He was one of the most valuable defensive first basemen last year with 0.9 defensive WAR from Baseball Reference to go along with a 139 OPS+ in 2026. At 32 years old, he could be a good candidate for a medium-long contract to allow someone else to bubble up from the farm system like LuJames Groover. Spotrac estimates a 3 year/$49 million contract for him, but everything is up in the air given the potential labor unrest this offseason.
Sam Bradfield: If they decide to move Nolan Arenado to first, perhaps they could go after Ryan McMahon from the Yankees? He could be another former intra-division reclamation project, and he’d be a good left-handed platoon for when Nolan needs a day off from third.
Does Ketel Marte get traded? Should Ketel Marte get traded?
James Attwood: I honestly don’t think he’ll be traded, even though Arizona might be better off without his attitude in the clubhouse. Ketel Marte apparently loves it in Arizona, at least as far as living and for his family. It is also fairly common knowledge he dislikes Florida and Texas, which eliminate four teams off the bat. Add in teams like Colorado, Pittsburgh, and a handful of others, and there are maybe 8-10 teams in all of MLB that would be an eligible fit. Except, if Marte doesn’t want to go, he doesn’t have to go. If Arizona is going to trade him, it is almost a certainty that they will have to incentivize Marte to accept a trade. Those sort of incentives are usually monetary in nature, meaning that any money saved by moving Marte is probably eaten by the incentive.
Would Arizona be better off trading him? Should they trade him? If they can get a deal in the same tier as the trade offer put up by Boston last winter, they should probably ask Marte to accept the move. Boston isn’t even going to have a lick of interest though, so chalk off another potential trade target. Because of all the complications, and because the Snakes don’t have a real alternative available right now, it seems unlikely to me he gets traded.
Spencer: Yes. And no. There’s no iteration of this team that’s better without Ketel. But if he’s as big a clubhouse cancer as twitter would have us believe, the long term health of the franchise might depend on him being elsewhere for the rest of his career.
1AZFan1: Yes. I think ownership is done with Ketel and they will pressure Hazen to move on from him. I don’t think Ketel should be traded, at least not for what we will likely get back for him.
Makakilo: Early last season, two AZ Snake PIt articles discussed Ketel Marte’s batting. Despite concerns, the positives were improved squared up percentages for five pitch types, and the average exit velocity was better than 2025.
In October, the following AZ Snake Pit article discussed reasons that next season Marte’s performance could improve or dwindle.
https://www.azsnakepit.com/arizona-diamondbacks-analysis/98356/which-direction-marte As far as predictors for next season, my take (perhaps a too-quick conclusion) from a FanGraphs article (link follows) was that exit velocity and hard-hit percentage are somewhat good predictors of next season’s performance. From that viewpoint, I’m optimistic about Marte’s performance because among qualified Diamondback batters, his 101.5 MPH EV50 tied for best, and although his 43.0% hard-hit percentage was third best, his 18.9% percent of hard-hit swings was the best. Data from Baseball Savant.
In conclusion, his performance will likely bounce back, and his hitting fundamentals are among the best players on the Diamondbacks, and therefore he should remain a Diamondback.
Ben: I don’t think Marte gets traded. It wouldn’t shock me if a team inquired and even put together an offer for him, but I would be surprised if he actually accepted waiving his 10-5 rights for such a trade to actually take place. Whether or not Ketel should get traded is a separate question I don’t quite know how to answer. His behavior clearly has been a distraction the past two seasons, but he’s also been the face of this current contention window and one of the emotional centers of the team. I’m not convinced his behavior can’t be improved and he can return to form.
Sam Bradfield: I don’t think he will be traded, but it all depends on what they’re able to get for him in return.
Does Ken Kendrick do his thing and blow the budget for one entirely unexpected player, and if so, who?
James Attwood: Almost certainly not. For one thing, outside of potentially Tarik Skubal, there isn’t anyone on the free agent market that is even remotely worth spending for, especially once ages are taken into consideration and the fact that 2027 if probably going to be abbreviated. Ken Kendrick in his wildest dreams is not in the running for Tarik Skubal, no matter how badly he might want him. There simply is no path forward for Arizona to even be allowed to sit at the negotiating table.
Spencer: Not this year. But Skubal if he does….. and it’ll be bad.
1AZFan1: I doubt it. He’s been burned each time he’s done it (I suppose we could give the Burnes signing an Incomplete, though). I really do think that he’s trying to trim the budget and given his track record in last minute splurges, he’ll exercise self control and let Hazen do his thing.
Makakilo: If I could predict the player, it would no longer be entirely unexpected.
Ben: Ian Happ feels like the kind of player that Ken would like to sign randomly. He’d be a relatively expensive (2 years/$40 million per Spotrac) addition who could be valuable as a veteran voice on the team. Of course, at 32, he’s a prime candidate for regression and the outfield is one area that has some excellent depth on the roster and in the farm system.
Sam Bradfield: I don’t think so — I think the lockout means a lot of owners will play things closer to the vest this year, unfortunately.
Thoughts on Ben Fritz joining the team?
James Attwood: Meh.
Spencer: Never heard of him. He sounds perfect
1AZFan1: Obvious caveat that I have no idea how impactful a bullpen coach is, but Fritz has overseen one of the best bullpens in baseball over the last several years. The thing I like most about the signing is that we’re taking a good coach away from one of our direct competitors in the NL West which hopefully doubles the impact of this move.
Makakilo: The best candidates get chosen early in the offseason. Check! The best candidates are currently in a similar job. Check! For the Diamondbacks, injury prevention is essential to prevent a repeat of last season. The following two quotes show that Ben Fritz has that skill. Check!
“He’s very good at reading body language. He knows when a guy needs a day or a second day. That’s kind of helped us keep most of these guys healthy.” — Craig Stammen, July 2026 https://www.si.com/mlb/padres/onsi/padres-lose-key-pitching-coach-nl-west-rival-diamondbacks
“He knows deliveries, he knows pitching, he knows analytics. He’s been a coordinator, he’s been a pitching coach, he’s been a rehab coordinator, and he’s been in the Major Leagues these past two years.” — Jayce Tingler, August 2021 https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/who-is-ben-fritz-get-to-know-the-padres-new-pitching-coach/2700294/
Ben: I mean, Fritz clearly did a good job handling an excellent San Diego bullpen so that gives me some optimism that he could re-create that somewhat here in Arizona. Of course, it helps that he was working with some of the best relievers in the sport. It’s the third pitching coach over the last five years with mixed results. What exactly will Fritz do to change that dynamic?
Sam Bradfield: I think he’s a good hire. The Padres’ bullpen was nails last year. Granted, they had some excellent arms with Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon, which I’m sure helped. But overall, I’m optimistic.
Place Your Bets, Offseason edition: What date does the season start?
James Attwood: At some point in 2028
Spencer: July 15
1AZFan1: May 1st. I think ownership caves once games start getting missed. I don’t think I’ll be satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations, either. Probably a salary floor gets introduced, but no meaningful salary cap will get through and the deep-pocketed teams will continue to soak up every small market’s favorite player, forcing the small markets to spend their money on locking up players super early or on mid-tier free agents to meet the minimum spend requirements.
Makakilo: How about 2 July because it would add to the celebration of the fourth of July?
Ben: May 30th. As worried as I am about missing the entire season, I’m optimistic there will be enough pressure from the inside and outside that after missing around six weeks of the regular season will be enough for the sides to compromise somehow.
Sam Bradfield: I’m predicting May — after both sides lose a month of salary, they’ll be ready to come back and get things going.
With a new owner who has a history of being ready to sign a blank check, the organization finds itself handcuffed as they enter free agency.
MLB Insider of The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal, made his per usual regular appearance on “Foul Territory” on Tuesday and spoke about the complications that linger in the Angels offseason.
Could new Angels ownership look to make a SPLASH by signing Tarik Skubal? @Ken_Rosenthal explains why it's a little more complex than you'd think… pic.twitter.com/jNNouNBmts
“Ownership is not expected to be approved until at least December. So they can’t really act, even to hire a president of baseball operations, much less sign a Tarik Skubal,” Rosenthal said. “And will Skubal’s agent, Scott Boras, be willing to wait if, before the lockout starts on December 1. they can get the deal they want.”
When the Angels announced the sale, they added that they don’t expect it to be approved by MLB until the end of the first quarter of 2027.
Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke on the sideline at an NFL game. Getty Images
OFFICIAL: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment ("KSE") announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling interest in the Los Angeles Angels Baseball Club from the Moreno Family.
While landing the most highly coveted in free agency might be a pipe dream for the Angels, they will have a long way to go before they start signing free agents.
As Rosenthal mentioned, the priority for the Angels during November will be to find a new president of baseball operations. From there, they will have to sign a new general manager and manager.
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Los Angeles Angels slugger Mike Trout hitting a home run against the New York Yankees. Robert Sabo for NY PostLos Angeles Angels middle infielders Zach Neto and Christian Moore during an MLB game. JASON SZENES/NY POST
On October, 21. the Angels announced that they would be relieving Kurt Suzuki of his duties as manager after they endured their first 100-loss season in franchise history.
Mozeliak was originally hired as baseball operations consultant while doing the roles as interim general manager after team president Molly Jolly fired Perry Minasian of his duties as general manager.
“I think it’s best that I just honor the role I signed up for and then ultimately turn that over to people that are going to be committed to this for the long term,” Mozeliak said to Fletcher.
Skubal is predicted to sign a deal that will make him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball, but it begs the question of what the figure will look like and for how many years.
ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney appeared on “Baseball Tonight” on Tuesday and said he’s heard from “multiple agents” that Skubal’s future contract could be more similar to Kyle Tucker’s instead of Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s — both of whom are on the Dodgers.
.@Buster_ESPN says one agent predicted Tarik Skubal's deal will look more like Kyle Tucker's than Yamamoto's: "6 time 60."
That would be a shorter, higher-AAV deal than ESPN's 8-year, $352M projection and would, in Buster's words, "set a record for pitchers by far." #Dodgers… pic.twitter.com/lsdxsiNEgk
“I had one agent predict to me that they are gonna kind of do. … It’s going to be more Kyle Tucker-type structure, like six times 60,” Olney said. “Which would set a record by far.”
A year ago, the Dodgers were the kings of the offseason when they signed Edwin Diaz and Tucker to contracts that pay them high annual figures.
Tucker signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers. The Dodgers adjusted his contract and paid him $33 million last season and will have him making $81 million this season.
The current record contract for a pitcher who isn’t Shohei Ohtani (two-way player) in baseball belongs to Zack Wheeler, who signed a three-year, $126 million contract with the Phillies before the 2025 season — paying him an annual salary of $42 million.
ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney suggests Tarik Skubal could sign a deal similar to Kyle Tucker. Caroline Brehman/UPI/Shutterstock
Skubal is the crown jewel of the offseason this year, and the Dodgers know it.
After they acquired him during the trade deadline this season, the Dodgers saw firsthand how good Skubal is. He made 10 starts for LA and finished with a 5-2 record, 2.61 ERA and 70 strikeouts.
Last week, Jack Harris of the California Post had an exclusive with Dodgers owner Mark Walter and was told the team is committed to doing everything it can to continue winning for at least the next 10 years.
ESPN MLB Insider says Tarik Skubal is expected to sign a deal similar to Kyle Tucker. Wally Skalij for CA Post
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Austin Hays #15 of the San Diego Padres bats during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on September 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our series grading every member of the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster. The roster being evaluated is current as of Oct. 18, prior to the end of the World Series. Because of that, it will include players who will be free agents once the postseason concludes. Each player will be graded on their performance in the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted based on how much time the player spent with the team (availability is the best ability).
Another Bargain DH
Austin Hays was signed to a one-year, $6 million deal by the Chicago White Sox ahead of the 2026 season. After a calf strain put Hays on the 10-day injured list, he dealt with recurring soreness that halted his rehab assignment. That led to him being placed on the 60-day IL, and Hays played in just 12 games before being designated for assignment and released by the organization. He produced modest results during that time, slashing .233/.250/.326.
Overall Grade: B+
After that, he was released on Aug. 7. Hays almost immediately signed a big-league deal with the Padres, just two days later. He delivered in his very first at-bat, hitting a pinch-hit two-run homer against the Houston Astros. After that, he didn’t produce very much for some time. His slug went down quite a bit, but his contact hitting improved.
In 26 games with the Friars, Hays batted .316/.344/.456. It was a small sample, but it was light years ahead of what he was able to do with Chicago. In his final 15 games of the season, Hays batted .414 with a 1.005 OPS. His only problem was an inability to walk, with just three walks during his San Diego tenure.
His lack of playoff success with San Diego hurt his image with the Friar Faithful. He didn’t record a single hit and reached base only once. Hays is now an unrestricted free agent heading into 2027 and could be re-signed by the Friars to fill out bench depth. His calf injury derailed his 2026 season but he could still be a viable option for teams trying to improve their bench picture.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Adrian Morejon #50 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Petco Park on September 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the most-talked about late-night spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the fall chill. There’s no cover charge. We still have a few tables available. We can check your coat. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
On Tuesday night. I don’t normally do any movie stuff. But I want our evenings to be lively, so that means we need some music. That time is now.
I’ve often said that there is a lot of great jazz that serves as theme songs to television shows. Here’s one you may not know unless you’re an old school anime fan. This is composer Yoko Kanno and her orchestra “The Seatbelts” playing “Tank!,” the opening credits song to Cowboy Bebop.
Welcome back to those who skip all that jazz.
The Cubs obviously need to rebuild their bullpen. While it isn’t in team president Jed Hoyer’s DNA to spend a lot of money on a relief pitcher, there is some reason to believe that he might make an exception this year. And as it would have it, there are two elite relief pitchers available in the free agent market: left-hander Adrián Morejón and right-hander David Bednar.
As luck would have it, Kiley McDaniel has an article up today that has contract estimates up for all the top free agents, including Morejón and Bednar. Now these are just estimates and could be very wrong, but we’re going to use them for the purposes of voting tonight. Taking into account both the player and the contract, would you rather the Cubs sign Morejón or Bednar.
Morejón has been the Padres setup man behind Mason Miller the past few years, but he’d be a closer on pretty much any other team. The 27-year-old (28 by Opening Day) left-hander from Cuba went 9-3 with a 2.83 ERA and three saves. He’s spent his entire career in the Padres organization and has been an excellent reliever over the past three years, posting ERAs of 2.83 in 2024 and a 2.08 ERA in 2025. His four-seam fastball averaged 99 miles per hour this past season, but that’s not even his go-to pitch. That’s his sinker, which also comes in at 99 mph with movement.
Morejón has excellent strikeout, walk and ground ball numbers. He struck out 30 percent of batters he faced last year while walking just eight percent. When batters do put the ball in play, 58 percent of the time it was on the ground last year. That ground ball number is a bit of a outlier in his career, but his career ground ball number is a still very good 50 percent.
Unlike Bednar, Morejón has never been an everyday closer because of Robert Suarez and Mason Miller. So if you believe there is something special about pitching the ninth, then Morejón is a bit of a risk.
McDaniel expects that Morejón will command a four-year, $88 million deal.
The other option is 31-year-old right-hander David Bednar. You’re probably familiar with Bednar’s from his time as a closer for the Pirates. He was an all-star closer for Pittsburgh in 2022 and 2023 before things kind of fell apart for him in 2024. Things got so bad that he was actually demoted to Triple-A for a few weeks in 2025.
But since his return from the minors, Bedar has been lights out. He did well enough the first half of 2025, with 17 saves, for him to be a deadline deal trade to the Yankees. He served all of 2026 as the Yankees closer, garnering 35 saves.
Bednar doesn’t have the same kind of velocity as Morejón, but his four-seamer is still a very good 96 mph on average. But his go-to pitch is his 91-mph splitter, which McDaniel called the best splitter in baseball. He also has a good curveball, giving hitters a third look.
Bednar doesn’t strike out as many batters as Morejón with 27 percent. But he also walks a bit fewer at seven percent. His ground ball rate of 51 percent was also a career-high for Bednar, over his career numbers of 41 percent.
If you care about saves, Bednar has 146 career saves compared to eight for Morejón.
Comparing their respective WAR numbers, both Morejón and Bednar had a bWAR of 1.9 last season. Fangraphs liked Morejón better, 2.8 to 1.9.
Both Morejón and Bednar have qualifying offers, so they will both cost the Cubs a draft pick should they sign one of them.
So, Morejón at four years, $88 million or Bednar at three years, $60 million? Which deal would you jump at if you were Jed Hoyer?
Thank you for stopping by tonight. Please get home safely. Tell your friends about us. Let us get your coat. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomrorrow night for more BCB After Dark.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 02: General Manager Randy Flores and owner Jim Crane of the Houston Astros answer questions from the media at an introductory press conference after Flores signed a contract with the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on November 02, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While the Astros have hired Randy Flores to be the team’s new general manager, it seems that the manager search had already started without him.
According to Jon Morosi on MLB Network, the team has already interviewed multiple managerial candidates, including former catcher Brad Ausmus and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.
“The search is already well underway…”@jonmorosi shares insight into the Astros’ managerial search and mentions two names in consideration for the position 👀 pic.twitter.com/c0qipWXVa1
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 26: Members of the Arizona Diamondbacks line up along the base path during the national anthem prior to a 2026 Mexico City Series game between the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu on Sunday, April 26, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Latest updates
Two sets of scheduled transactions have taken place since we closed the books on the 2025/26 roster at the end of the regular season. Firstly, free agents have come off the roster. That includes the likes of Zac Gallen, Ildemaro Vargas and Kevin Ginkel, plus Michael Soroka after he declined his side of the mutual option for 2027. Five days after the World Series, the 60-day Injured List also ceased to be a thing, so that meant Tyler Locklear, Andrew Saalfrank and Cristian Mena have been added back in. Additionally, as noted elsewhere, Pavin Smith was outrighted to Reno, then looks to have declined the move, since he is now a minor-league free agent. Interesting times!
As before we’ll be tracking the 40-man roster and logging all the transactions affecting it, over the course of the season – whatever and whenever that might be!
It’s early in the abbreviated Hot Stove season before team owners and Major League Baseball will likely lockout players while they try to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. But if any teams want to sign players before the terms of the next CBA are set they’ll need to get those deals done before 11:59 PM Eastern Time on December 1. That should signal a flurry of activity in the next few weeks and the Cubs are already in on the action, signing last year’s sometimes closer Jacob Webb to a one year, $2 million deal with a $4 million option (or a $500,000 buyout) in 2028.
I guess it’s not technically a free agent signing since Webb had a $2.5 million team option for 2027 already, but it’s still worth diving into the numbers that inspired the Cubs to keep Webb in the fold for at least one more season and potentially more.
The Stats
It’s not an exaggeration to say Webb helped save the Cubs season. Given the injuries to their pitchers, there were times the Cubs were basically running a continuous shuttle to Iowa in order to fill up a roster. Jacob Webb did more than fill a roster spot or throw some innings. In 67 total innings with the Cubs in 2026 he had a 3.36 ERA off a 4.03 FIP and a 3.57 xFIP. The 33-year-old righty also posted the best strikeout rate of his career with a 25.7% mark. Those aren’t traditionally closer numbers, but Webb locked down a team leading nine saves in 2026 regardless.
You can get a sense of how much value he added to the team on the below table showing all Cubs pitchers who threw at least 30 innings sorted by K-BB%:
Name
K/9
BB/9
K/BB
HR/9
K%
BB%
K-BB%
AVG
WHIP
BABIP
LOB%
ERA-
FIP-
xFIP-
ERA
FIP
E-F
xFIP
SIERA
Kevin Gausman
10.19
1.97
5.18
1.97
27.14%
5.24%
21.90%
.256
1.232
.305
72.96%
118
105
72
4.83
4.33
0.50
3.02
3.21
Caleb Thielbar
10.80
3.24
3.33
1.98
28.30%
8.49%
19.81%
.244
1.300
.295
71.15%
118
113
92
4.86
4.70
0.16
3.86
3.27
Shota Imanaga
8.98
1.91
4.70
1.81
24.65%
5.24%
19.41%
.233
1.096
.263
82.55%
92
108
89
3.77
4.47
-0.70
3.74
3.60
Ben Brown
8.60
2.51
3.42
0.26
24.53%
7.17%
17.36%
.184
.941
.243
79.11%
45
60
82
1.85
2.50
-0.64
3.47
3.55
Jacob Webb
9.81
3.36
2.92
1.34
25.70%
8.80%
16.90%
.229
1.254
.280
80.28%
82
97
85
3.36
4.03
-0.67
3.57
3.43
Aaron Civale
8.10
2.95
2.75
0.49
21.71%
7.89%
13.82%
.197
1.064
.245
84.18%
42
78
98
1.72
3.24
-1.52
4.13
3.79
Jameson Taillon
8.05
3.20
2.52
2.96
20.86%
8.28%
12.58%
.256
1.355
.250
77.14%
144
163
113
5.92
6.73
-0.81
4.78
4.50
David Peterson
8.29
3.92
2.11
1.01
21.51%
10.17%
11.34%
.244
1.369
.293
77.24%
90
98
91
3.70
4.06
-0.36
3.84
4.28
Matthew Boyd
6.82
2.77
2.46
1.07
18.46%
7.50%
10.96%
.241
1.208
.273
72.66%
95
102
103
3.91
4.21
-0.30
4.32
4.48
Ryan Rolison
7.86
4.00
1.96
0.86
21.48%
10.94%
10.55%
.232
1.286
.281
78.51%
77
95
101
3.14
3.93
-0.78
4.24
4.21
Edward Cabrera
7.99
4.05
1.97
1.80
20.29%
10.29%
10.00%
.266
1.488
.298
63.89%
145
129
102
5.96
5.35
0.61
4.28
4.56
Javier Assad
6.01
2.58
2.33
1.53
16.67%
7.14%
9.52%
.233
1.145
.242
81.26%
88
119
104
3.63
4.92
-1.30
4.37
4.46
Colin Rea
6.64
3.09
2.15
1.38
17.21%
8.01%
9.20%
.253
1.328
.277
75.81%
106
116
111
4.34
4.80
-0.46
4.68
4.62
Trent Thornton
5.77
3.17
1.82
1.49
15.82%
8.67%
7.14%
.233
1.200
.241
80.32%
82
126
116
3.35
5.21
-1.86
4.87
4.59
Hoby Milner
4.54
2.27
2.00
1.01
12.08%
6.04%
6.04%
.248
1.206
.261
79.21%
86
110
114
3.53
4.56
-1.02
4.79
4.69
Clay Holmes
6.10
4.44
1.38
0.55
16.18%
11.76%
4.41%
.218
1.295
.252
65.22%
104
99
98
4.25
4.09
0.17
4.12
4.50
Minimum 30 innings pitched
Comparing starters and relievers is difficult because their jobs are so different. However, K-BB% provides us a pretty good proxy for effectiveness. Webb’s K-BB% of 16.9% was fifth among all Cubs pitchers last season. To be clear, that’s not a great mark relative to the rest of the league. This is certainly an area of improvement for the Cubs, whose only pitcher in the top 30 in the National League was trade deadline acquisition Kevin Gausman. But it’s a perfectly acceptable mark for a member of a competitive bullpen. That 16.9% K-BB% would have slotted Webb eighth on the Brewers staff, right between setup man Abner Uribe (18.4%) and swingman Shane Drohan (15.3%). Both Uribe and Drohan saw action during the World Series.
The arsenal
Webb also stands out among relievers for his pitch mix, which is primarily four seam fastball (42.9%) and changeup (38.8%), with hefty doses of slider (8.6%) curveball (7.4%) and a 2.3% dash of sweepers for good measure. Put it all together and it looks something like this:
The slider and curveball usage jump out as functional replacements for the sweeper Webb used to throw more frequently. For whatever reason, that sweeper was substantially less effective in 2026 for Webb as hitters hit .500 and slugged 1.000 on 26 sweepers thrown last season. As you’ve probably guessed the four seam and changeup are most effective both at suppressing power (batters slugged just .360 and .319 on those pitches respectively) and at generating whiffs (26.5% and 41.5% whiff rates respectively).
Takeaways
This is a solid initial move from Jed Hoyer and company, albeit a small move on a roster that demands so much more. Webb may have faltered down the stretch as the Cubs closer, but he never should have been the closer in 2026. He’s a perfectly acceptable middle of the bullpen option. He may even be a solid higher leverage arm if he has another season like 2026. Now it’s on the front office to add enough players around him to ensure he’s pitching more sixth innings than ninth innings for future Cubs teams.
