ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 05: Joc Pederson #3 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after hitting a home run during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field on September 05, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026-27 MLB free agent class has hit the market, and so we have the various rankings of the free agents and predictions as to what they will get in the market.
This is a particularly weak free agent class. There’s one guy, Tarik Skubal, who is far and away the top guy in the class. After that, there’s not anyone in his tier, or really, in the tier below him, or even really a clear consensus as to the top player, or players, after him.
Fangraphs has their top 50 free agent list up, with Ben Clemens’ contract predictions, as well as the crowdsourced predictions. Seiya Suzuki, who appears to be the consensus top position player on the free agent market, is #2 on their list, followed by starting pitchers Trevor Rogers and Michael King and NPB third baseman Teruaki Sato. No one outside of the top five is projected to get more than $100M, and the non-Skubal guys barely hit that mark.
Baseball America also has a list of their top 50 free agents, which looks markedly different from Fangraphs’ list. Jazz Chisholm, Suzuki, Randy Arozarena and Freddy Peralta round out their top 5 by Skubal. They have their top 6 free agents — which includes Rogers at #6 — hitting the $100M mark.
Kiley McDaniel’s free agent predictions have Sato, Peralta, Arozarena and Suzuki behind Skubal in the top 5, with only Skubal and Sato reaching nine figures.
MLB Trade Rumors slots Rogers, Peralta, Suzuki and Arozarena behind Skubal, with only the top five reaching the $100M mark.
TJStats offers up rankings without contract predictions. Suzuki and Rogers are #2 and #3 behind Skubal, followed by Adrian Morejon and Chisholm at #4 and #5.
Keith Law also has rankings without definitive predictions, though he does reference in some instances the range where he thinks players should land, contract-wise. He is position-player heavy behind Skubal, with Sato, Brandon Lowe, Suzuki and Arraez going 2 through 5.
The variety in the lists is a reflection, I think, of the class not being strong — the free agents behind Skubal are more above-average than star caliber players, which results in there being more ordinal variation than normal. The lack of nine-figure projections is also an indicator of the weakness of the class — last year, nine players received nine figure contracts, with Kyle Tucker and Dylan Cease both cracking the $200 million mark. Framber Valdez received the ninth-largest contract, at $115 million — if the projections are accurate, no one other than Skubal might get that much this year.
And as a side note, I used the top Rangers’ free agent, Joc Pederson, in the header picture as a nod to Chuck, because I know he enjoys the Joc photos.
Oct 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia (51) reacts during the eighth inning of game one of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Alex Vesia was a fixture in the Dodgers bullpen for the last six seasons, after getting acquired from the Miami Marlins ahead of the 2021 season. So much so that his 367 games pitched are 13th-most in Dodgers history, and seventh-most among relievers in franchise history.
Now, Vesia is one of nine Dodgers free agents, out on the open market for the first time in his career, heading into his age-31 season.
Vesia during this three years eligible for salary arbitration made a totalof $6.9 million, including $3.65 million in 2026. He’s bound to top that three-year total annually with whatever new deal he signs in free agency. Here are some projections for Vesia from various outlets:
But Vesia is arguably the second-best left-handed relief pitcher on the market, behind only Adrián Morejón, who received a qualifying offer from the San Diego Padres. There will definitely be a market for Vesia.
“Vesia peppers the top of the zone with his 90-94 mph fastball that has huge ride, created by his high arm slot, the most vertical arm slot in baseball,” Kiley McDaniel wrote at ESPN. “That unique combination of traits leads to odd angles and more whiffs than you’d expect, as well as pop-ups, but also a number of fly balls and walks. It all adds up to a setup-type reliever who should land a two- or even three-year deal.”
In 2026, Vesia led the Dodgers with 72 appearances and posted a 2.64 ERA, 2.68 xERA, and 31.2-percent strikeout rate, the fifth time his strikeout rate has exceeded 31 percent in six years with the Dodgers. His 13.5-percent walk rate was his highest since 2021.
“The concern here is that Vesia’s fastball velocity has dropped slightly each season, going from a peak of 94.4 mph in 2023 to 92.1 mph in 2026,” Matthew Pouliot wrote at NBC Sports. “It hasn’t been a problem yet, but it eventually will become one if it continues. Still, he’d be a nice fit everywhere.”
Today’s question is twofold: What contract (years and guaranteed money) will Alex Vesia sign this offseason, and with what team will he sign?
If you blinked, you may have missed Ian Hamilton pitching for the Atlanta Braves in 2026. To the extent anyone remembers him, it’s probably for his three seasons with the Yankees (one of which was very good), but he did have a few cups of coffee with the Braves this season.
How Acquired
In the 2025-2026 offseason, the Yankees non-tendered Hamilton, leading to the Braves scooping him up on a non-guaranteed MLB contract in mid-December.
What were the expectations?
Considering the Yankees non-tendered him, there had to be a reason why. That reason wasn’t very complicated: Hamilton was a replacement level relief arm in 2025, with a 104 ERA-, 103 FIP-, and 105 xFIP-.
Hamilton made just 15 MLB appearances from 2018-2022, but busted out with a 1.1 fWAR season in his first year with the Yankees in 2023. Unfortunately, he took a step back in 2024, and by 2025, wasn’t particularly helpful to a big league team’s cause. Stuff like his xERA also trended downward.
The Braves likely gambled on the idea that even if Hamilton couldn’t get back to 2023 form, even his 2024 form (95 ERA-, 72 FIP-, 90 xFIP-) would suit them quite well, perhaps as a lower-leverage bullpen piece.
2026 Results
Hamilton ended up functioning as a yo-yo piece as the Braves got through the 2026 season. He was cut part of the way through Spring Training and outrighted to the minors, recalled in mid-April, designated for assignment (and eventually outrighted again) six days later, then recalled-DFAed-outrighted again in a two-week stretch in late June and early July.
He threw just an inning in his first stint with the club, and stuck around for three appearances in his second stint. He didn’t really give the team much of a reason to keep him around: he was awful in his one-inning appearance in his first stint (1/2 K/BB ratio in a blowout) and then a mixed bag in his second stint (one great outing, one poor outing, one so-so outing).
All in all, Hamilton completed 4 2/3 big league innings in 2026, his lowest total since 2022. He put up a 184 ERA-, 80 FIP-, and 94 xFIP-, “earning” 0.0 fWAR in the process. He pitched okay, got charged with a bunch of runs, and spent most of his season toiling in Gwinnett.
What went right?
His second stint went pretty well, with a 58 ERA-, 55 FIP-, and 64 xFIP-. You’d think the Braves would have been interested in keeping him around a bit longer after some success against the Padres and Cardinals, but nope. Nor did they see much of a reason to call him back up down the stretch.
His best outing by WPA was a scoreless frame while the Braves were down three runs to the Cardinals. His best outing in terms of pitching was a 14-pitch, strikeout-strikeout-groundout frame against the Padres, also with the Braves down three runs.
What went wrong?
Beyond the above, there isn’t too much to say. His command was terrible (tiny sample). His pitch shapes were bad (tiny sample). His xERA was awful (tiny sample), though that’s not necessarily reflective of pitching performance. His slider had spin deflection marks so insane that it almost feels like a small-sample data error, but those didn’t help him succeed in any fashion. He actually got a fair bit of chase and whiffs when batters chased, but he also struggled to hit the zone or miss bats within it.
And, his first outing of the season, where he came in with a two-run deficit and left with a five-run deficit, didn’t help anything and possibly soured the Braves on him before he could even manage to get going.
On top of that, he didn’t really distinguish himself while waiting for another callup at Gwinnett — the 3.25 FIP is nice-ish, but the above-4.00 xFIP for a 31-year-old in his seventh stint at the Triple-A level, not so much.
2027 Outlook
Hamilton finished out the year at Gwinnett and is now a free agent. Given that he’s been trending down since 2023, and now projects somewhere between straight-up replacement level and below average reliever (if one figures the ghost of 2024 can be evoked once more), he’s squarely in minor league deal territory at this point.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 02: Alex Lange #56 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins at Kauffman Stadium on September 02, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Twelve Royals farmhands became minor league free agents, including reliever Alex Lange, who had been outrighted off the 40-man roster last week. The other minor league free agents include Scott Alexander, Christian Chamberlain, Grant Gambrell, Isaiah Jackson, Connor Kaiser, Luke Little, Alejo López, Elih Marrero, Matt Moore, Abraham Toro, and Vince Velasquez. Players become eligible for minor league free agency after six seasons if they have not been added to a 40-man roster. A total of 504 players around baseball became minor league free agents this offseason, free to sign a minor league or Major League contract with any team.
Scott Alexander is a familiar name to Royals fans. The 37-year-old left-hander was originally drafted by the Royals in the sixth round in 2010 and made his MLB debut with Kansas City in 2015. He was traded to the Dodgers in 2018 and has pitched for the Dodgers, Giants, and Rockies since then. He has a career 3.36 ERA in 349 big-league appearances over 11 seasons. He returned to the Royals organization in July after pitching in the independent Atlantic League and had a 2.08 ERA in 14 games for Omaha.
Christian Chamberlain was a fourth-round pick by the Royals in 2020 out of Oregon State. The 27-year-old left-hander has spent his entire professional career in the organization, making 130 appearances with a 4.90 ERA. He was pitched in just seven games at Northwest Arkansas this year due to injury.
Grant Gambrell was a third-round pick by the Royals in 2019 out of Oregon State. He was traded to the Red Sox in the Andrew Benintendi trade, but was signed this year after pitching for the Kansas City Monarchs in the American Association. The 28-year-old had a 6.13 ERA in 39.2 innings at Double-A this season.
Isaiah Jackson is a 25-year-old right-hander who signed with the Royals in February 2025 after previously pitching in the Brewers organization. He has had difficulty staying healthy, spending much of the 2025 and 2026 seasons on the injured list. The former undrafted free agent has appeared in just 14 minor league games in his career, with a 7.53 ERA.
Connor Kaiser is a 29-year-old shortstop who signed with the Royals last November. The Blue Valley West grad has appeared in 22 MLB games with Colorado and Arizona in his career. He appeared in just 26 games for Omaha this season, hitting .118 before injuries ended his season.
Alex Lange appeared in 59 games for the Royals in 2026, posting a 6.75 ERA. He has pitched in six MLB seasons, and had 26 saves with the Tigers in 2023, before suffering injuries in 2024 and 2025. He has a career 4.45 ERA in 244.2 MLB innings, with 10.4 strikeouts-per-nine innings.
Luke Little is a 26-year-old left-hander who was drafted by the Cubs in the fourth round in 2020 out of San Jacinto College. He made his MLB debut in 2023 and has appeared in 40 big-league games, posting a 2.97 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. He was claimed by the Royals organization this summer, and gave up 21 runs in 11.2 innings for Omaha.
Alejo López is a 30-year-old infielder who has appeared in 54 big-league games, hitting .265/.309/.329 with one home run. The Royals acquired him this summer after the Mariners released him, and he hit .307/.375/.404 in 38 games for Omaha.
Elih Marrero is a 29-year-old catcher originally drafted by the Red Sox, and the son of former Royals outfielder Eli Marrero. He was invited to spring training with the Royals, and hit .240/.275/.376 in 41 games for Omaha.
Matt Moore is a 37-year-old left-hander with 13 years of Major League experience with the Rays, Giants, Rangers, Tigers, Phillies, Rangers, Angels, Guardians, and Marlins. He was once the top prospect in baseball and made the American League All-Star team with the Rays in 2013. He has a career 4.39 ERA in 483 big-league appearances and signed a minor league deal with the Royals in June. He appeared in 16 game for Omaha with a 5.00 ERA.
Abraham Toro is a 29-year-old infielder who appeared in 449 big-league games with the Astros, Mariners, Brewers, and Athletics, hitting .223/.285/.356 with 41 home runs. After appearing in the World Baseball Classic for Team Canada, he hit .270/.351/.478 with 19 home runs in 123 games for Omaha.
Vince Velasquez is a 34-year-old right-hander who spent ten years in the big leagues with the Astros, Phillies, Padres, White Sox, and Pirates, making 144 starts and posting a 4.86 ERA in 193 career appearances. The Royals signed him after he was released by the Cubs, and he had a 6.36 ERA in 52.1 innings with Omaha.
Other notable minor league free agents include CJ Alexander, Kolby Allard, Orlando Arcia, Tyler Austin, Cavan Biggio, Will Brennan, Chandler Champlain, Daz Cameron, Tucker Davidson, Clay Dungan, Dane Dunning, Scott Effross, Alex Faedo, Stuart Fairchild, Dominic Fletcher, Carson Fulmer, Garrett Hampson, Robert Hassell, Jon Heasley, Tink Hence, Andy Ibáñez, Edouard Julien, Jarred Kelenic, Dallas Keuchel, Heston Kjerstad, Jackson Kowar, Anthony Misiewicz, Eli Morgan, James Outman, Zach Pop, Jakson Reetz, Sebastián Rivero, Jesús Sánchez, Yolmer Sánchez, Austin Slater, Pavin Smith, Collin Snider, Lou Trivino, Joey Wiemer, Bryse Wilson, Patrick Wisdom, Simeon Woods Richardson
The Mets continue to add to their major league coaching staff, adding another former player.
SNY's Chelsea Janes confirmsthat New York is hiring A.J. Ellis as the team's strategy coordinator.
Ellis, who played 11 seasons as a catcher with the Dodgers, Phillies, Marlins and Padres, will join Andy Green's staff days after the team promoted Mariano Duncan, who was the bench coach for Double-A Binghamton.
The 45-year-old former backstop previously worked as a special assistant for the Padres front office. He also played 66 games behind the plate for San Diego in 2018 when Green managed.
The Athletic's Will Sammon first reported the hiring and notes that Green and the Mets are looking to fill one more coaching position.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Hitting coach Tim Hyers #80 of the Atlanta Braves before the MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Kansas City Royals on March 27, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Heading into this offseason, there was some light speculation when it came to whether or not the Atlanta Braves would change up their coaching staff a bit. In his press conference following Atlanta’s elimination from the Postseason, it didn’t seem like Alex Anthopoulos had any plans of shaking things up with the coaching staff — though there was always the possibility of that being “GM speak.”
Sure enough, it ended up being for real. Jesús Cano of The Athletic is reporting that the Braves are indeed bringing back the entire coaching staff for the 2027 season.
The Atlanta Braves will retain their entire coaching staff for the upcoming season, sources tell me.
Here’s the relevant part about Tim Hyers, where it was actually confirmed that Hyers had signed a two-year deal to be the hitting coach for the Braves. It’s now confirmed that he’ll be back for a third season.
The most significant holdover is hitting coach Tim Hyers, who joined the Braves on a two-year contract before the 2025 season and shepherded a group that scored the eighth-most runs in MLB in 2026. Hyers, who was formerly on the Texas Rangers’ coaching staff that won the 2023 World Series, will continue working alongside assistant hitting coach Darnell Coles.
Overall, it’s clear that the Braves as an organization really do value continuity — they went with an internal managerial hire ahead of the 2026 season and now they’re keeping the same coaching staff together for the next season. It’s also clear that they think that this coaching staff still has a lot to offer moving forward.
I’d imagine that we’re going to hear zero complaints about Jeremy Hefner returning as pitching coach and it’ll also be interesting to see how first base coach Antoan Richardson and third base coach Tommy Watkins continue to go about figuring out ways to improve the running game alongside Walt Weiss. Tim Hyers will certainly be the one with the microscope focused on him, as the offense still has yet to even come close to returning to the lofty heights that they reached back when Kevin Seitzer was the hitting coach.
Either way, everybody’s got something to prove and hopefully it’ll lead to some improvements across the board. We’ll see what happens going forward.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 23: Brad Keller #40 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians at Citizens Bank Park on May 23, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Guardians 3-0. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phillies signed Brad Keller before the 2026 season with the vision of the breakout reliever being the set-up man for All-Star closer Jhoan Duran. The two-year, $22M deal the Phillies gave Keller was by far their biggest signing of an offseason that otherwise was met with something between tepid skepticism or outright hostility from the fanbase. It was the only move Dave Dombrowski made in the last year that was widely met with approval, as Keller was one of the top relievers on the market after turning in a career season with the Cubs. The then 29-year-old moved to the bullpen and became an elite reliever, featuring strong surface numbers and underlying indicators that not only was his performance real, but it should also be sustainable.
However, sometimes you just get unlucky. Now 30, Keller was very uneven in his first year in Philadelphia before suffering a torn UCL that required Tommy John surgery, likely ending his Phillies tenure just as soon as it started in a way that was eerily reminiscent of David Robertson’s first tenure with the Phillies in 2019.
It is admittedly quite difficult to find something that went right for Keller in 2026. He regressed in just about every category before suffering the injury that ended his season. With all of that said, one can squint and see that he was at least a serviceable reliever when he was on the field even if he wasn’t the lock down back of the bullpen option the Phillies thought they were getting. That is something the Phillies desperately could have used later in the season when their bullpen was falling apart. If you want a number to feel good about, Keller at least mostly held his increased velocity he found once being converted to the bullpen, as he averaged 96.9 MPH on his fastball in 2026 after averaging 97.1 in 2025.
What went right
Again, Keller regressed in practically every major category. His strikeout rate dropped from 27.2% to 23.7%, his walk rate increased to 9.6% from 8%, and his WHIP ballooned to 1.34 from 0.96. Keller’s whiff rate fell back to around his career norms (22.5%) of when he was a mediocre starting pitcher rather than when he was an elite reliever in 2025 (27%). As a result, Keller gave up more base hits, with his opponents’ batting average climbing to .242 from .181. He was likely victimized a bit by the Phillies poor defense, but Keller’s elevated FIP and expected numbers show that he did not pitch all that well regardless of the defense behind him. The most glaring evidence of this was his groundball rate plummeting to 44.3% from 56.6% while his flyball rate jumped to 35.2% from 29.8%.
Keller’s disappointing season started to go fully off the rails on June 16th when he was first placed on the injured list with right forearm tendinitis. He didn’t return to the Phillies until July 8th, but he didn’t stay with them long, as Keller was once again placed on the IL eight days later. This time however he would not return, as it was revealed that Keller had suffered a UCL tear in his right elbow and required Tommy John surgery, thus costing him the rest of 2026 and very likely all of 2027.
Final grade: F
Perhaps an F is too harsh of a grade considering that neither Keller nor the Phillies can be blamed for not foreseeing the injury that effectively ended his time in Philadelphia after just 32 appearances. However, it’s hard to argue that the signing and therefore Keller’s season wasn’t a total disaster considering the results. Keller underperformed and then was lost, leaving the Phillies with a hole in their bullpen that they were never able to fill despite a revolving door of relievers that were used in setup roles throughout the season.
That hole in the bullpen is still very much waiting to be filled, as the Phillies and Dave Dombrowski enter another offseason in search of a bridge to Jhoan Duran. Dombrowski went outside of his usual M.O. of offering only single year contracts to veteran relievers in order to get a coveted one in Keller and was burned for it. It will need to be determined if the Phillies president of baseball operations falls back into old habits or opts to take another riskier swing in order to replace Keller. Regardless, the Phillies once again need to rebuild much of their bullpen.
Plenty to shout about: Munetaka Murakami gave Sox fans some loud swings worth revisiting this offseason. | (Getty Images)
The offseason has arrived, but there’s no rule against watching a few White Sox highlights to get us through it. Each week, I’ll pick a player and revisit five plays worth another look. No homework, no deep dive. Just a little baseball to fill the void.
Another week without White Sox baseball, another excuse to watch some highlights. Last time, Chase Meidroth handled the glove work. This week, Munetaka Murakami gets to handle the property damage.
From his first big league homer to a pair against the Cubs, Mune gave us plenty of reasons to stop what we were doing and watch the baseball leave the yard.
Grab your morning cup of joe and settle in. The outfielders can watch these with us.
Here are five favorites listed in chronological order:
1. Hello, Major League Baseball March 26 at Brewers
Opening Day came with a souvenir. Murakami introduced himself with his first big league home run, giving Sox fans a swing worth remembering from his debut. Welcome aboard, Mune. We’ll take more of those.
2. Make yourself at home April 4 vs. Blue Jays
The home crowd deserved an introduction, too. Mune’s first homer at Rate Field traveled 431 feet to center at 111.1 mph off the bat — a two-run blast and a pretty convincing way to settle into the neighborhood.
3. The batter’s eye had a front-row seat April 17 at Athletics
Bases loaded? Might as well clear them all. Murakami’s first big league grand slam sailed 431 feet over the batter’s eye in center, leaving his bat at 114.1 mph. Somewhere between contact and landing, checking the distance became mandatory.
4. One for each side of the family May 16 vs. Cubs
One bomb against the Cubs is a treat. Two is being considerate of everyone who needs something to bring up at the next family gathering. Mune went deep twice in an 8-3 Sox win. Sorry, Cubby hubby. This one deserves another watch. It was also his first career mult-homer game.
5. Bring out the brooms August 16 at Tigers
A tie game in the seventh needed a little Mune intervention. His two-run homer put the Sox ahead, 6-4, and Chicago finished off a 7-5 win to sweep Detroit. A go-ahead blast and a division rival sent home unhappy? That’ll do nicely.
Those are my five, but Mune gave us plenty of baseballs to track. Which homer was your favorite? Did another blast deserve a spot? Drop yours in the comments, and let me know who should get the replay treatment next.
25 Feb 2000: Outfielder Ryan Thompson #33 of the New York Yankees poses for a studio portrait during Spring Training Photo Day in Tampa, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart/Allsport | Getty Images
I genuinely mean this as no slight to today’s birthday honoree, but he’s not the most famous person we’ve looked back on this year. At least for me, when you Google the name “Ryan Thompson,” you do get a baseball player. However, it appears to be the reliever who spent this past season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Just in sports alone, there’s two baseball players, a basketball player, and a soccer player all named Ryan Thompson who are notable enough to have gotten their own Wikipedia page.
However, none of them were Yankees, so today, we look back on the nine-year MLB veteran who did don the pinstripes.
Ryan Orlando Thompson Born: November 4, 1967 (Chestertown, MD) Yankees Tenure: 2000
Thompson was born in 1967 in Chestertown, MD, which is in the Eastern Shore region of the state. He was raised in the area by his grandparents and attended Kent County High School. He was a standout on the baseball field there, later being inducted into both his high school’s and the Eastern Shore Baseball Foundation Hall of Fames.
Thompson’s career there led to him being selected in the 13th round of the 1987 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He went just 11 picks after fellow future Yankee Mike Stanton. Thompson signed with Toronto, working his was up to Triple-A by 1992. However, later that year he was sent to the Mets as a player to be named later in a trade from a couple weeks earlier. It was a notable trade though, as it sent David Cone to Toronto, who he then helped win the 1992 and ‘93 World Series championships.
The Mets quickly brought Thompson to the big leagues, giving him his MLB debut on September 1, 1992. Thompson would become a regular for the Mets over the next couple seasons, appearing in 283 games from 1992-95. He was solid, but never quite lit the world on fire in that stint, accumulating 3.4 rWAR over those four seasons. Ahead of the 1996 season, he was then traded to Cleveland.
With Cleveland, Thompson hit well, albeit in just eight games in the 1996 season, spending most of the season in the minors. He couldn’t crack the big leagues in 1997 either, even getting traded back to Toronto. For 1998, he went overseas, playing for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks of NPB, where his manager was the legendary Sadaharu Oh.
Thompson returned back to the states for 1999, joining the Astros’ organization. He again spent most of the season in the minors, appearing in 12 games for Houston. For 2000, he signed with the Yankees. While he was briefly released in April, he ended up spending the year in New York or with their minor league affiliates.
Thompson had a couple different stints for the Yankees in 2000, going up and down between the minors. His most memorable moment in the big leagues that season probably came on July 14th, when he hit a three-run homer to break open a game against the Marlins.
In total, Thompson hit pretty well in his stint with the Yankees, putting up a .260/.339/.500 slash line in 33 games. He didn’t appear in any postseason round, but was awarded a championship ring after the Yankees beat the Mets in the 2000 World Series.
After that, Thompson journeyed around several more organizations. He played in the big leagues with the 2001 Marlins and the 2002 Brewers and kept on in the minors through the 2004 season. He left baseball after that.
Not every player who makes the big leagues is going to have a memorable career, never mind reach something like Hall of Fame status. Ryan Thompson appeared in parts of nine major league seasons, and that is something to be proud of.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
It’s that time of year again, with the 2026 season in the books. Free agent season!
Only this year, it’s different, because only a few weeks from now, MLB owners are likely going to lock out MLB players and all transactions, along with everything else in MLB, will stop. This could lead to a lot of signings over the next few weeks, as I noted in this article last month.
In this series I’m going to look at some players who the Cubs could target in free agency, guys who could be useful to the team in different areas. I’ve already done that for the Cubs’ own free agents in this series from last month. For this series I’m going to be working off of MLB Trade Rumors’ Top 50 free agent list, though I won’t write about absolutely everyone on the list.
So, Tarik Skubal. Clearly the top free-agent pitcher, clearly one of the best pitchers in baseball. He turns 30 in a couple of weeks and has had three outstanding seasons in a row, after missing some of the 2023 season with elbow issues. (He also had some of those this year, but came back from a “loose bodies” elbow procedure with no apparent ill effects.)
Various sources have projected him to get a contract between eight and 10 years with a total value of $350 million to $500 million. MLBTR says nine years, $425 million, or an AAV of $47.2 million.
Let’s stop right here. You know the Cubs aren’t going to do that. I know the Cubs aren’t going to do that.
I’m here to argue that the Cubs shouldn’t do that, even if they could.
Well, that’s provocative. Let me explain.
All five of the pitchers in the Cubs’ rotation at the end of the 2026 season — Shōta Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Matthew Boyd — are free agents. Beyond that, the next-up group, Ben Brown, Cade Horton and Justin Steele, all had various forms of injuries in 2026 and what they can contribute in 2027 is uncertain.
So that leaves… Javier Assad and what army?
With Skubal expected to get an AAV of at least $40 million and perhaps $50 million, what would that leave for the Cubs to sign other pitchers? Skubal can’t pitch every game.
Should the Cubs spend that much on free-agent pitchers (or on those they acquire by trade)? Absolutely, positively yes. They need to invest in pitching infrastructure and stop trying to patch the sinking ship, as they did this year. And in my view, the best way to do that — if they’re going to invest $50 million in that infrastructure this winter — would be to use it on multiple pitchers. Guys who might not be Cy Young candidates, but maybe No. 2 guys. I’ll talk about some of those guys in upcoming installments in this series.
The Chicago Cubs badly want Skubal. They also are skeptical that they will be willing to compete at the sort of dollars Skubal is expected to get — well in excess of $300 million, potentially in the $400 million-plus range.
And that’s exactly my point. The Cubs don’t have to sign the guy who makes the most money to succeed. In fact, they did spend quite a bit of money last offseason on Alex Bregman, and after a slow start for the third baseman, that worked out just fine.
If the Cubs do want to compete, spread out that money over multiple pitchers. Don’t put it all on one guy.
I’m sure you’ll tell me why I’m wrong, so have at it. But my stance is: Pass on Skubal. Spend the money? Absolutely. Just do it elsewhere.
It’s been about a week since the Brewers hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy at Tropicana Field, and some bettors are already sprinting to bet on the 2027 World Series winner as free agency gets started.
Personally? I’m in no rush to let a sportsbook hold onto my money for a year, especially with free agency and trades set to reshape rosters and a potential lockout hanging over everything.. But lines are live, so let’s break down the top favorites on the board and see where things stand heading into the winter.
2027 World Series Lookahead
Bullpen
Nobody should be surprised to see the Dodgers at the top of the odds board once again. They won 100 games in 2026 despite their rotation racking up injuries. Shohei Ohtani battled through shoulder/arm and knee injuries as his three-year MVP run was snapped. LA’s lineup began showing its age. Andy Pages and Kyle Tucker were their only lineup regulars under the age of 30. It didn’t help that Tucker didn’t begin hitting until the postseason. Top prospect Josue De Paula did make his debut. The 21-year-old should inject speed and pop, while looking at an everyday role in 2027.
It’s safe to expect the Dodgers to spend in free agency or at least be a part of the Skubal suitors. Even without the two-time Cy Young award winner, the Dodgers will have the best rotation in baseball once again.
With a fully healthy Ohtani, it’s tough to talk you out of betting LAD at any point, given this might be the best number we get. However, you’re not going to be profitable often betting the chalk a year in advance and having your money sit there in hopes of a little CLV.
Milwaukee Brewers (+650)
2026 Record: 103-59
Notable Free Agents
Jake Bauers, Dustin May, JoJo Romero
Biggest Needs
Replacing Jake Bauers
The defending World Series champs should return with most of their roster intact. They won’t be big free agent spenders, as it’s unlikely they will join the bidding on their former first baseman Jake Bauers. 19-year-old Jesús Made is the top prospect in baseball and is likely to join the Show in 2027. 3B Andrew Fischer should also make his MLB debut, as he hit 48 home runs in AA for Milwaukee. The Brewers will continue down the path of developing their own talent.
While their pitching staff should lead the way again, upgrading the backend of the rotation would give them a boost. Aaron Ashby anchored the pen, dominating for 107 innings including the postseason. I’m curious if they give him another shot at the rotation and maybe have DL Hall take over his fireman role.
It will also be interesting to see if their offense can stay near the top of the BABIP leaderboard next season. I have a hard time betting on Milwaukee’s offense to lead the majors in runs per game again in 2027, making a repeat bet tough to justify at the current number.
New York Yankees (+800)
2026 Record: 93-68
Notable Free Agents
David Bednar, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham
Biggest Needs
Bullpen, Lineup Depth
Do the Yankees deserve the third-shortest odds on the board? Maybe, but their starting rotation is doing all the heavy lifting. The current lineup looks nothing like a true contender. Outside of 27-year-old breakout Ben Rice pacing the offense, New York found few answers in a year where Aaron Judge was limited to just 66 games in his age-34 season.
Their pitching will clearly remain their calling card, they have a number of bullpen arms to replace but that’s never been a challenge. New York can’t afford to enter next season with another top-heavy lineup. Unless Brian Cashman signs a big bat, they’ll be gambling on year-two leaps from Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr.
Boston Red Sox (+1600)
2026 Record: 87-75
Notable Free Agents
Sonny Gray
Biggest Needs
Bats
I’m not entirely sold on this run of AL East teams sitting near the top of the board, especially one that hasn’t shown success in luring high-end free agents. Boston finished 23rd in runs per game at 4.21 and desperately needs offensive punch at several spots across the diamond. Promising 20-year-old shortstop Franklin Arias, who slashed .331/.388/.506 in AAA, should get the call at some point in 2027.
Their rotation will clearly be their anchor with Payton Tolle and Garrett Crochet leading the way, but the bullpen shouldn’t be far behind. Boston’s relief corps led the majors in ERA and FIP while ranking top five in both SIERA and K-BB% in 2026. A dominant run that was boosted by Brayan Bello’s bulk-inning efforts out of the pen.
We’ll see if the Red Sox end up regretting buying high as they extended Craig Breslow and Chad Tracy thanks in large part to a 30-5 run. I’m not sold on the duo.
Tampa Bay Rays (+2000)
2026 Record: 98-64
Notable Free Agents
Nick Martinez, Freddy Peralta
Biggest Needs
Bats, Bullpen Depth
Tampa Bay’s 98-win campaign led a weak American League, standing as one of only two AL clubs to cross the 90-win mark. However, Kevin Cash’s lack of trust in his relievers was glaring in the postseason; expect them to patch up the bullpen via trades and bargain signings. Getting Ryan Pepiot back healthy should soften the blow when Nick Martinez, who led them in innings thrown, walks, but the offense still desperately needs real pop in the bottom half of the order.
I don’t hate the Rays at 20/1, but you’re paying a premium tax on their 2026 pennant run. Tampa should bring back a similar roster but not many teams entered last season with longer World Series odds than the Rays, as they were around 50/1.
Starting Pitching, High-Leverage Bullpen arm
Atlanta is once again projected to field one of the most explosive lineups in baseball. I’d bite on 20/1 in a heartbeat if you guaranteed Ronald Acuña Jr. plays 130-plus games, but the 28-year-old superstar has been limited to just 251 games over the last three seasons.
They had a deal in place at the deadline to acquire Jacob deGrom, but the righty used his no-trade clause to nix the deal. Which makes me think they could make a run at Tarik Skubal, but either way they desperately need arms to lead the rotation with Chris Sale. I’m not sure how many innings they can pencil Spencer Strider in for. They certainly can’t keep Grant Holmes in the rotation, who features a career FIP over six when facing a lineup for a second time. I could see Atlanta bringing back Mahle and maybe a back end of the rotation arm to eat some innings, like a Martín Pérez. It’s probably safe to expect Didier Fuentes to take the closer’s role and sure-up the back end of the bullpen But the Braves could try him in the rotation if they’re able to bring back Iglesias.
Alex Anthopoulos’ top priority has to be adding a top-of-the-rotation arm. I assume teams that miss out on Tarik Skubal will shift their attention to Trevor Rogers; maybe Atlanta is where Rogers ends up?
2027 World Series Best Bet
I don’t bet many futures, however my editor threatened me into making a bet here. I’m not running to bet on flawed teams or an early long-shot with limited information we have. The Braves are probably the team that I would bet on if I had to. However, shop around if you’re going to fire.
Bet the Braves if you’re itching to have a position in this market. I’m saving my click until free agency reshapes the board.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate with Trevor Megill #29 after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 28, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Alright, now I get to write the fun version of Monday’s article. Let’s reflect on some of the best games of a magical season.
The other four entries on this list are all playoff games, which is to be expected in a season that ended with the first World Series championship in franchise history. Still, this blowout earns its spot because it matched the modern-era MLB record (since 1901) for the largest margin of victory in a shutout. The only other 22-0 wins were by Pittsburgh (against the Cubs on Sept. 16, 1975) and Cleveland (against the Yankees on Aug. 31, 2004).
A three-run homer from Christian Yelich made it 6-0 in the fifth, but the Brewers were far from done. In the sixth, David Hamilton hit a three-run shot of his own to make it 9-0, and Jake Bauers followed with a homer to make it 11-0. Milwaukee added two runs in the seventh, then nine more in the eighth off Mariners’ infielder Leo Rivas, for a final score of 22-0. The highlight of the game was probably Luis Lara hitting the first home run of his career off Rivas, then looking mildly disappointed as he rounded the bases.
After two straight one-run victories, this game was expected to be a dogfight. Up 2-0, Milwaukee was in good shape, but the series was far from over.
Ultimately, the Brewers wouldn’t let Tampa Bay claw its way back into the series. With Milwaukee up 2-0 and two outs in the fifth, William Contreras grounded a ball to Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, who threw to second for the force out on Yelich. It initially looked like starter Freddy Peralta and the Rays had escaped the inning, but Brewers manager Pat Murphy successfully challenged the call, loading the bases and forcing Peralta out of the game.
Milwaukee then hung eight straight runs on relievers Cam Booser and Cole Sulser, all with two outs, and never looked back en route to a 10-1 win and a commanding 3-0 series lead.
After being swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS the year before, the Brewers expected a tough series. In many ways, it was, but Milwaukee eked out come-from-behind wins in the first two games and took a 2-0 lead to Dodger Stadium.
Milwaukee once again fell behind early, entering the seventh inning down 2-1. Aside from a leadoff home run by Jackson Chourio, the offense couldn’t get much going against Dodgers starter Blake Snell, who came back out for the seventh. Andrew Vaughn started the inning with a walk, Yelich pinch-ran for him, then Bauers battled through an incredible 11-pitch at-bat that ended with a deep drive over the right-field fence for a go-ahead home run. The next batter, Garrett Mitchell, homered too, and Milwaukee was on its way to a 6-2 win and a 3-0 series lead.
Every pitch from Jake Bauers’ masterful 11 pitch at-bat vs. Blake Snell…
Milwaukee won the first game of the series, but San Diego carried a one-run lead into the ninth inning of Game 2. With flamethrowing closer Mason Miller in for a six-out save, things looked dire for Milwaukee, but with one out in the ninth, Miller lost the zone. Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick both walked to put runners on first and second. Murphy went to his bench for Andrew Vaughn, who flew out to center, then Gary Sánchez, who worked a third walk to load the bases for Jackson Chourio. Chourio capped an incredible at-bat with a two-run single up the middle for a walk-off win, sending the series to San Diego with the Brewers up 2-0.
I can’t pick any other game. On its own, this game wasn’t quite as exciting as a couple of the others on this list, but it ended with Milwaukee winning the first World Series championship in franchise history.
Despite not racking up the strikeouts like he usually does, ace Jacob Misiorowski put together his best outing of the playoffs, throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings before calf cramps cut his night short. Meanwhile, the Brewers scored a run in the second (a Cooper Pratt RBI single), a run in the fifth (a David Hamilton RBI single), and two in the sixth on a William Contreras double and a Pratt sacrifice fly. That was all the run support Misiorowski and the bullpen would need.
Although the Rays managed a run in the ninth, Trevor Megill recorded the final out, setting off a celebration 57 years in the making, and Contreras was named World Series MVP.
September 11, 2026: Milwaukee clinched a postseason berth with a 20-0 rout of the Reds.
October 7, 2026 (NLDS Game 4): Garrett Mitchell robbed Manny Machado of a potential game-tying home run in the eighth as the Brewers moved on to face the Dodgers in the NLCS.
October 15, 2026 (NLCS Game 4): The Brewers came back from a 4-0 deficit to win 6-4, becoming the first team ever to sweep an opponent that had swept them the previous postseason, and the first to sweep a best-of-seven postseason series while trailing in every game. Jake Bauers was named NLCS MVP.
So, what do you think? Were there any games I missed? Let me know in the comments.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 23: Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred (L) and principal owner John Fisher of the Athletics shake hands after participating in a ceremonial groundbreaking for the USD 1.75 billion, 33,000-seat domed stadium for MLB's Athletics on June 23, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The ballpark is being built on nine acres of the 35-acre former site of the Tropicana Las Vegas, which was imploded in October 2024. The A's expect to have the ballpark ready for Opening Day in 2028. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday A’s fans!
It’s been six days since the end of the World Series. You know what that means. Free agency is officially open!
Players and their agents can begin negotiating with teams, deciding whether to stay with their current clubs or embark on a new adventure with a different franchise.
Next week’s MLB General Manager Meetings in Las Vegas will set the stage for what’s to come. All 30 teams will conduct preliminary trade talks and initiate discussions with free agent representatives as they look to improve their roster for next season. This meetings will provide the first opportunity for the Athletics’ new president of baseball operations, Taylor Smith, to network with his counterparts as he looks to mold the Green and Gold into a perennial American League contender.
While Smith will aim to improve the A’s league-worst pitching staff through offseason additions, the team’s owner, John Fisher, will have other responsibilities this winter. He is among a group of owners pushing for a salary cap and floor system, something the MLB Players Association adamantly opposes.
If no deal is reached before the current labor agreement expires Dec. 1, the owners will lockout the players until both parties reach a compromise on a new collective bargaining agreement. Given how divided the two sides currently are over the league’s economic structure, a worst case scenario would involve the lockout delaying the start of the 2027 season or cancelling it entirely.
Knowing how brutal the 1994-1995 strike was for the players and the sport’s popularity, another extended work stoppage could be the nail in the coffin, potentially ruining all the good vibes generated by the Milwaukee Brewers proving that small-market teams can win championships. Additionally, it would be a shame if a lockout deprived A’s fans of the opportunity to watch the historic franchise play its final season in California before moving to Las Vegas in 2028.
The rebuilding Athletics need to be smart in navigating this offseason’s free-agent and trade markets. Which players are the best fits for the team? Also, how long do you think a potential lockout will last?
This is a cool simulator tool. Check it out and post your final roster in the comments.
A HUGE thank you to everyone who used our GM Simulator tool on day 1! We are blown away by the support for the site, and we can't wait to keep it going throughout the offseason and the lockout!
What do you think about MLB’s new labor proposals to the MLBPA? If approved, they could be beneficial for the Athletics, as they would require owner John Fisher to invest more resources into the team, potentially increasing the likelihood that the Green and Gold will be annual contenders in the American League.
MLB’s new proposals to the MLBPA:
– Salary Cap of $258.2M (Would start 2028) – Salary Floor of $180.2M – Min salary of $1M – Players enter free agency after 5 years (instead of 6)
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
Of all the available free-agent pitchers, whom should the Athletics pursue most aggressively to strengthen their rotation?
A’s have loads of young LHP talent. Really hope they try to add some impact RHPs before the move to Vegas in 2028…maybe a Casey Mize signing? If possible, Michael King?
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 30: Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals throws to first during the sixth inning after forcing out Jo Adell #7 of the Cleveland Guardians at second at Progressive Field on August 30, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bobby Witt Jr. is the best defensive shortstop in baseball. Last year’s Platinum Glove Award winner, Witt has the speed, arm strength, and refined technique to make the unthinkable plays and send everyone’s jaws dropping to the floor. Everyone expected Witt to pick up another Gold Glove this year, and maybe a second consecutive Platinum Glove. He’s that good.
But Witt did not win. This year, the winner of the American League Gold Glove Award at shortstop was Tampa Bay Rays defensive whiz Taylor Walls. Now, Walls is a good defender; otherwise, he probably wouldn’t have a big league job because he doesn’t hit at all. Fortunately for Walls, you shouldn’t have to be able to hit to win a Gold Glove. It’s not the 90s anymore.
Unfortunately for Witt, Walls winning wasn’t a case of the better player winning. Witt was robbed.
Defense is famously one of the more difficult things to measure in baseball. Still, the industry has gotten better at it, and there are two widely-respected publicly available metrics that attempt to measure overall defensive contributions. One is Defensive Runs Saved, which is calculated by Sports Info Solutions. The other is Fielding Run Value, which is a Statcast-based statistic calculated by league itself. Both stats are presented as runs saved above or below average.
Sometimes, the two metrics grade players very differently because, again, measuring defense is hard. That’s true for Walls, who is a DRS darling but not seen particularly well by FRV. Which should you value, though? I think players should get credit if a stat thinks they are doing well. And so if you’ve read some of my writing about defensive stats, you know that I like to use a little house stat of mine; I call it AVGDEF. This simply averages DRS and FRV. I also like to prorate it over 1,000 innings—not unlike ERA—which I call AVGDEF/1000.
Overall, there were a dozen players with at least 600 innings. And lo and behold, Witt ranks the highest at AVGDEF and AVGDEF/1000. He was also the only player who had at least +8 DRS and FRV.
Name
Team
Inn
DRS
FRV
AVGDEF
AVGDEF/1000
Bobby Witt Jr.
KCR
1209
8
17
12.5
10.3
Taylor Walls
TBR
1036.2
21
-2
9.5
9.2
Andrés Giménez
TOR
1179
2
16
9
7.6
Corey Seager
TEX
827.2
6
-1
2.5
3.0
Colson Montgomery
CHW
979
-4
9
2.5
2.6
Brayan Rocchio
CLE
1253.2
-4
10
3
2.4
Zach Neto
LAA
1340.1
9
-4
2.5
1.9
Jacob Wilson
ATH
637.1
-6
8
1
1.6
Kevin McGonigle
DET
675.2
2
0
1
1.5
Gunnar Henderson
BAL
1311.1
-2
0
-1
-0.8
Jeremy Peña
HOU
904.1
-5
-5
-5
-5.5
J.P. Crawford
SEA
720
-12
-10
-11
-15.3
Walls had a great year. But Walls didn’t play as much as Witt did at short, and it’s at least a yellow flag that FRV thought that Walls was a below average fielder. Witt is consistently great by any metric, and by these metrics he was the best, because of course he is.
But Witt’s defensive stats only go so far. Per Rawlings themselves, defensive stats only account for a quarter of the overall vote. The other 75% of the vote comes from 210 total voters—the manager and six coaches from every team. You can’t win the Gold Glove if those voters don’t think that you’re better.
So how on earth did Walls draw so much of that vote? I think part of it is simply that the Rays were great and the Royals stunk. I know that team success isn’t supposed to be a part of votes like this, but I just can’t help that it was a contributing factor in a situation like this when you have two good candidates. Royals pitching gave up so many runs and the team itself lost so many games, and when you compare that to a Rays team that won their division (and then the pennant) while allowing fewer runs than Kansas City, well, maybe some biases creep in.
In any case, a Witt win would not have changed anything about the Royals’ 2026 fortunes or 2027 fortunes. But it would have helped Royals fans to feel a little better.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 17: Foster Griffin #22 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches during Game Four of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, October 17, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to the offseason!
Tuesday marked the day that free agency is officially open after teams became 40-man roster compliant. Now, teams begin the process of wheeling and dealing because the collective bargaining agreement expires in less than a month, and a lockout is looming, freezing the market.
The hope is that the Colorado Rockies are going to be busy shaping the roster and trying to plug holes through trades and free agency. The obvious area of need is starting pitching. After a league-worst 5.59 ERA as a team last season and a 6.28 ERA in the rotation, the Rockies are clearly in need of some pitching help. Due to injuries, shifting of roles, and free agency, the Rockies really only have two presumed locks in the rotation to start the year: Mason Adams and Gabriel Hughes. Even then, those aren’t necessarily the headliners of a rotation at this point in their careers.
The job of the front office and new pitching coach Ethan Katz is to fortify the starting rotation with experience and talent, as they tried to do last offseason. While a superstar like Tarik Skubal is well out of the question, there could still be some intriguing free agents that could be helpful for the coming season.
Today, let’s take a look at a couple of arms that I find could be helpful.
Foster Griffin
With the departures of José Quintana and Kyle Freeland in free agency, the Rockies are lacking left-handed starting pitching options. So, why not take a shot at a southpaw who had a fantastic 2026 season?
After a lack of opportunity and success at the big-league level, Foster Griffin headed to Japan, where he spent three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants. While in the NPB, Griffin posted a 2.57 ERA with 318 strikeouts against 70 walks in 315.2 innings of work. That success finally landed him another MLB opportunity, and he signed with the Washington Nationals on a one-year $5.5 million contract.
Over 22 starts with the Nationals, the 31-year-old logged a 3.06 ERA with 116 strikeouts and 30 walks over 129.1 innings and was named an All-Star. The Nationals then traded him to the Cleveland Guardians for a four-player package, where he struggled a little bit more down the stretch, posting a 5.19 ERA in 43.1 innings across nine starts with 42 strikeouts against 15 walks. His ERA was a little skewed, however, because of one bad start in which he allowed eight runs in only 2.1 innings. He was effective in the postseason, where he pitched 10.1 innings and gave up four runs on 11 hits with no walks and 15 punchouts.
By the end of the season, Griffin pitched 183 innings (playoffs included) with a 3.59 ERA, a 22.6% strikeout rate, a 5.9% walk rate, a 44% ground-ball rate and 1.13 HR/9.
Those numbers are enough to make the Rockies interested, but it’s also the fact that Griffin has a deep arsenal of pitches. Statcast recorded seven different pitches used in 2026, with heavy emphasis on the use of his cutter (32.5%).
Griffin lacks a power arsenal, averaging 91-92 mph on his fastball, but he has a deep arsenal, can throw strikes and pitch to contact for groundballs, and has a league-average strikeout rate. Those traits are worth exploring if the Rockies want to help stabilize the rotation. The hard part is figuring out a contract, as sites like MLB Trade Rumors predict a three-year, $39 million deal for Griffin. If the Rockies want better pitching, they are going to have to pay for it, but is one great year worth that kind of commitment to pitch in one of the hardest venues in baseball?
Colin Rea
The Rockies are going to likely add some experienced starters to the roster, much like they did last offseason. One name that immediately stuck out to me was 36-year-old right-hander Colin Rea.
A former 12th-round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2011, Rea was an okay backend starter across two MLB seasons in 2015-16. He then had to get Tommy John Surgery and missed the entire 2017 season and wouldn’t make a return to the big leagues until a nine-game stint with the Chicago Cubs during the 2020 season. He spent most of the 2021 season in Japan before returning to the big leagues, where he made one appearance with the Milwaukee Brewers.
He then returned to Japan for the 2022 season, where he fared much better this time around and secured a deal with the Brewers again for the 2023 season. He proved to be a decent depth piece over two seasons with the Brewers in the rotation, which led him to sign with the Chicago Cubs in 2025 and again in 2026.
Rea was originally slated to serve as a long reliever for the Cubs this season, but the role was short-lived as injuries ravaged the Cubs’ rotation. He returned to the bullpen after the Cubs made reinforcement trades later in the season, and he ended up compiling a 4.34 ERA across 137 innings, making 19 starts and 15 relief appearances.
In those 19 starts, Rea posted a 4.47 ERA in 100.2 innings with 75 strikeouts against 37 walks. He generally falls in line with other starting pitchers the Rockies have had over the years. He doesn’t strike out many batters (17.2% in 2026) but also doesn’t walk a ton (7.3% in his career) and had a 42.8% groundball rate in 2026.
Much like Griffin, he has a deep arsenal that includes seven pitches. He primarily workes off a 94 mph fastball, but compliments that with a heavy mix of sliders, sweepers, and changeups. Overall, he has shown both command and control of his arsenal. Plus, the added advantage of his swing role capabilities would give the Rockies some flexibility in game planning and how they want to attack Coors Field with the pitching staff.
Rea could be had on a deal close to Tomoyuki Sugano. A one-year deal in the $5-6 million range is well within the realm of possibility for his services, something the Rockies could easily afford. The main area of concern would be limiting how much damage is done from the abundance of contact he can tend to give up.
More to come
We’ll have plenty of time to revisit this topic with other arms, but it’s quite clear that the free agent market is quite as robust as in year’s past. There are definitely pieces worth the Rockies time, but won’t exactly tip the scales towards contention. Once again, it’s a lot of filling holes until a better path forward is established for success.
I like the idea of Griffin and Rea, but there are a lot of unknown risks with both when it comes to Coors Field like any other pitcher. Are the Rockies willing to take those risks or will they look in other, cheaper directions?
