Category: Sports News

January is drawing to a close, which means there will be a mad scramble for remaining free agents that have been left to twist in the wind. At some point, their demands for that extra year, those few million dollars, will fall by the wayside, tossed aside in the hopes of finding employment for the 2026 season. We can have a separate conversation about how the CBA has increasingly killed the middle class of free agents, but the way the market sets itself up these days, those players that are in that 1.5-3 WAR area are usually squeezed out of the game of finding long term deals. What we’ll start to see is more players start agreeing to deals that are one year if they’re lucky, a minor league deal with a spring invitation if they’re willing and able. The Phillies were already able to do that Friday night when they signed Dylan Moore to a minor league deal.

That makes it an appropriate time to see which players that are still on the market that might be attractive to the Phillies. This isn’t a comprehensive list, rather a smaller one of players that might fit a very specific need the team might have from the outside looking in.

Miguel Andujar

Michael Baumann over at Fangraphs wrote a great piece looking for players that might hold a platoon advantage that can be of use for teams looking to fill out their roster. One quote that kind of stuck out to me was this:

A short-side platoon bat — even an incredible one, like Refsnyder — is a bit of a luxury player. That goes double when the player in question is stuck on the lower end of the defensive spectrum. It’s not always easy to carry a guy like that, let alone invest in a good player for that role.

If the Phillies were looking at someone like Andujar, it would be specifically for that role, the one of platoon player with Brandon Marsh or Justin Crawford (or both). Andujar would be one that slides into the position of being a lefty killer from the right side, creating some kind of Frankenstein player with either of the two lefties that could raise the floor of the outfield as a whole. That might cut down on his playing time quite a bit, something he may not be interested in if he’s still harboring ideas of being a starter on a team, but it would give the team a serious weapon against southpaws.

Defensively, Andujar is a butcher. His -5 OAA in left field would be a significant downgrade for a team that looks to be making sure their outfield defense is at least average in the corners, if not something more. Putting Andujar there with either Marsh or Crawford in center would be inviting potentially disastrous results, which might also be the reason he remains a free agent.

Tommy Pham

Now, listen first before making your fantasy football jokes.

One of the bigger factors here is going to be age. Pham is 37 years old right now, but will play the 2026 season as a 38 year old as his birthday is in March. No team is going to be handing him a starting job, so it’s probably safe to say he’ll be open to a platoon position. In order to do that job, though, he needs to be good at it. He needs to be someone who is still hitting left handed pitching well.

Well, how does an 82 wRC+ against left handed pitching in 2025 sound?

That is going to be the issue with Pham. If he’s not able to produce against left handed pitching better than what he did in 2025, he’s going to be a liability with the team. Career against lefties, he’s got a 121 wRC+, so there is hope that he can repeat his past successes. His under the hood metrics suggest that perhaps last year was a bit of blip, so extending a minor league deal his way could give the team some depth.

Justin Verlander/Max Scherzer/Chris Bassitt

If you had to convince me that the team could use another starting pitcher, the argument from me would be minimal. As good as I think Andrew Painter is going to be, simply handing him a starting spot in the rotation might be a bit foolhardy. At the very least, he should have to win a competition to win a job, something he is projected to do considering the current candidates to do battle with him.

But what if the team brought in a veteran like this trio to actually pose a threat to his and Taijuan Walker’s spot?

Consider: neither of these three veteran pitchers would likely sign with the Phillies had they not been guaranteed a spot in the rotation. Even as they are in the twilight of their respective careers, there is enough pride in each one that they would not want to risk being cut and having to ride buses in the minor leagues, not to mention some milestones that are at least theoretically in reach that they would want to continue marching towards. They likely would not even want a minor league deal, something the Phillies would probably only be willing to offer to continue maintaining some flexibility in their roster.

However, these are at least some enticing names to look into to see if there is a fit.

You might not think this photo has enough evidence or clues to figure out the date and situation.

After all the sleuthing photos I’ve posted here, though… you should not doubt me.

This photo is another from BCB reader Joe Coney.

What do we know about this photo at first glance? Pete Rose is playing first base for the Phillies at Wrigley Field, and Ryne Sandberg is the baserunner. Sandberg has clearly grounded a ball somewhere in the infield, and… is he safe or out? Looks like it’s going to be a close play!

That seems pretty random, but we can narrow this down. Rose played for the Phillies from 1979-83, but Sandberg didn’t debut for the Cubs until 1982, so this has to be 1982 or 1983. Rose played in 16 games at Wrigley Field in those two years. We can eliminate three of those games because Rose didn’t play first base until late in those games (started in RF in two of them and pinch-hit in the other) and Sandberg was not involved in any plays at first base in the innings Rose was at first.

So we’re down to 13 games.

I eliminated two games of these 13 in which Sandberg did not play. That leaves 11.

There are two other recognizable people in this photo. One is Marla Collins, who served as the Cubs “ball girl” for several years in the 1980s. The other is the first base umpire. We can’t see exactly who he is, but I know who he is NOT. I eliminated a game where Doug Harvey was the 1B umpire — that’s not Harvey. I eliminated another where Eric Gregg was the 1B umpire — that’s not Gregg.

Now we’re down to nine games, and it’s time to go methodically go through all of them to see if we can find a matching play.

The throw appears to be coming from the left side of the infield, so we can eliminate any ground ball to second base.

Seven plays remain after that. One of the six was in the second game of a doubleheader, and given the shadows and the fact that fans on the third base side are in full sun, it can’t be that one. Now we’re down to six, and one of those was in the ninth inning of a game in September, and fans in that area wouldn’t have been in sunshine that late in a September game.

Five plays now remain. Only one of these games had weather conditions listed in the boxscore, and those do match what we see here — 84 degrees and sunny. But I figured it was worth checking the other four.

I eliminated a game in May 1983 because the forecast high was 48.

Then I looked at the inning for the remaining games. Because we see the fans on the third-base side in full sun, this has to be early in a game — otherwise those fans would have been in the shade. I’m sure you’ve noticed this at games during the summer.

That leaves us with only one possibility. On Sunday, Aug. 8, 1982, Sandberg grounded to short in the bottom of the first inning. That’s the play we are looking at.

Sandberg batted leadoff that day and went 2-for-4 with two RBI. The Cubs trailed 4-0 going into the sixth, but Jay Johnstone hit a three-run homer in that inning and Sandberg’s two-run triple keyed a four-run eighth, and the Cubs won the game 8-5.

Just another little slice of Cubs history, featuring one of our favorite Cubs Hall of Famers.

One more time. With feeling.

If you follow our blog, you know that I have written probably a dozen articles this offseason outlining small upgrades the Guardians could make to their roster. From being told by Cardinals fans that St. Louis wouldn’t trade Willson Contreras to pointing out that Harrison Bader would fill a clear need on the roster and had to be affordable given that it was January, I have been foiled every time. Contreras went to Boston because they were willing to cover most of his contract and give decent prospects for the part they weren’t covering and Bader went to the Giants because God forbid Cleveland commit ANY money for 2027 because revenues won’t be a sure thing given the lockout so if a shortened season starts the Dolans/Blitzer want to have as little money committed as possible. I even wrote an article last week accepting the fact that there really isn’t a clear fit who would upgrade what they have now who is definitely available in trade or free agency.

However, I think there are two clear exceptions that I would like the Guardians to pursue fervently until the season opens: Ketel Marte of the Diamondbacks and Nico Hoerner of the Cubs.

As you may have heard, the Diamondbacks pulled Marte off of the trade market after not getting any offers they liked enough to move their best player before his 10/5 rights vest. It is very possible they do not intend to revisit talks. However, I also think it’s possible they will listen before the season opens. This would be the opportunity for Cleveland to unload their prospect arsenal for a player who instantly transforms their lineup with consistent production. And, there is a very simple way to do it – offer the Diamondbacks Travis Bazzana and their choice of any pitcher not named Gavin Williams or Cade Smith.

I guarantee that deal would be done today if that offer was made. For his career, Marte is a good second baseman defensively with a 112 wRC+ against RHP and a 140 wRC+ against LHP as a switch-hitter. He is under team control through 2030 with a player option for 2031, his age 38 season. His average annual value for the deal is only $14.64M, so he would not be paid more than Jose Ramirez during that time period. He would give the Guardians two legitimate superstars finishing their respective careers in Cleveland. Additionally, Marte has been rumored to be amenable to come to Cleveland in a trade. That’s why you give up your top prospect and a good pitcher to get him if you can. (I love Bazzana and will not be disappointed to see him stay; Marte is one of like three players I would trade Bazzana for).

For folks concerned about Marte’s clubhouse presence, the entire kerfuffle about his taking more time off than some of his teammates liked said more about his teammates than it did about Marte. He has been a star in Arizona for his entire career and a leader on a World Series team in 2023.

In Hoerner’s case, he has a 120 wRC+ against LHP and a 98 wRC+ against RHP for his career. He is an excellent defender at second and at shortstop. The Cubs have his replacement in Matt Shaw. I would offer the Cubs their choice of reliever not named Cade Smith and negotiate from there, not going beyond a return of C.J. Kayfus. Hoerner is only under control through 2026, so, if you’re trading Kayfus, you need to pursue an extension with Hoerner (a good idea!). Landing Hoerner enables the Guardians to move Rocchio to second base and see how he performs there until Bazzana is hopefully ready to supplant him there in June, allowing Rocchio to become the utility infielder, hopefully upgrading that spot from whatever Daniel Schneemann and Gabriel Arias offer in that spot.

As a note, from everything the Athletic’s Guardians reporter, Zack Meisel, has said on his podcast, the Guardians are simply not interested in adding another left-handed hitters, so I am not examining the possibility of adding Boston’s Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu or Philadelphia’s Brandon Marsh.

Either a Marte or Hoerner move would be a clear upgrade for a team serious about making a World Series run. However, I don’t expect the Guardians to do anything until June-July, and, when they do so, I expect it to be acquiring a player on an expiring contract so, again, they have as little money committed in 2027 as possible.

As we enter the spring, just about everyone on the Washington Nationals roster has a lot to prove. This team is very short on proven commodities. However, there are three players fans should be paying close attention to. Cade Cavalli, Dylan Crews and Luis Perales have a ton to prove in 2025, and I will be watching them closely this spring.

Can Cavalli Put it Together:

Cade Cavalli is the player I am most fascinated by. After the MacKenzie Gore trade, he seems like the de facto ace. He had a bumpy road back from Tommy John Surgery, but showed flashes of elite potential last season. In his 10 MLB starts, Cavalli posted a respectable 4.25 ERA. 

I think he can get much better. His stuff is front of the rotation caliber and he throws plenty of strikes. However, his execution and command are not great. With the new pitching development team and a fully healthy offseason, Cavalli could improve that though. As the season progressed in 2025, he made some adjustments that helped him become an effective MLB pitcher.

There is room for a lot more though. His fastball averages 97 MPH and he pairs it with an awesome power curveball. The curve averaged 86 MPH and generated whiffs at a 40% clip. He used the curve over 30% of the time, which makes the high whiff number even more impressive.

Despite being in the 72nd percentile for whiffs, Cavalli only struck out 18.3% of hitters. That ranked in the 18th percentile. There is no way a pitcher with Cavalli’s stuff should be striking out under 20% of hitters. This spring, fans should be watching Cavalli’s execution with two strikes. If new pitching coach Simon Mathews can improve Cavalli’s ability to put hitters away, he will have a big season.

If I had to guess, Cade Cavalli will be the Nats Opening Day starter. The fact a pitcher with 11 MLB outings is the Nats Opening Day starter says a lot about the state of the rotation. However, Cavalli has a chance to be great, he is just unproven.

Can Dylan Crews Live Up to the Hype:

Coming out of LSU, Dylan Crews was one of the most hyped up college baseball players in the last decade. Along with his teammate Paul Skenes, Crews helped the LSU Tigers win the National Championship. Since leaving LSU, Skenes and Crews have been on very different paths.

While Skenes was winning his first Cy Young award in 2025, Crews was struggling to find his footing. Crews hit just .208 with a .632 OPS last year. There were long stretches where the former Golden Spikes winner looked lost at the plate. 

Coming out of college, Crews was supposed to be a can’t miss prospect. Skenes and Wyatt Langford may have had more upside, but Crews was the one that had no chance of being a bust. So far, that has not been the case. Crews, who is one of the most decorated college baseball players ever, has not been the same player in the MLB.

Even in the minors, Crews did not dominate the way he was expected to. He was good, but never elite. Crews did not torch the minor leagues the way Wyatt Langford did. In the MLB, he got exposed even more. His suboptimal angles have been a problem. Crews is hitting the ball on the ground too much and is not tapping into his power.

In 2025, Crews was also whiffing way too much. His issues against spin have been present for a while, but he was even whiffing against fastballs. Crews was an elite fastball hitter, even in his up and down MLB stint in 2024. That was not the case last year.

While Crews’ season was interrupted by injury, his performance was still concerning. He needs to get back to crushing fastballs. Hopefully the new coaching staff can help Crews rebuild his confidence. This is the first time Crews has ever failed, so I am curious to see how he bounces back. Spring Training will be our first chance to see what kind of adjustments Crews has made.

Can Luis Perales Throw Enough Strikes:

The prospect I am most curious about this spring is Luis Perales, who the Nats acquired from the Red Sox this offseason. Paul Toboni swung a rare prospect for prospect trade with his old club back in December. He sent the high floor Jake Bennett to the Red Sox for Perales, who is riskier but comes with a much higher ceiling.

Perales blew out his elbow in the middle of his breakout 2024 season. He had to undergo Tommy John Surgery, missing the rest of 2024 and most of 2025. Perales came back at the end of 2025, where he made a few appearances in the minors.

However, most of his action came in the Arizona Fall League. The results were interesting. His velocity was actually better than ever, sitting at nearly 99 MPH. Perales had a hard time finding the strike zone though. In 11.1 innings, he struck out 19 batters but walked 11.

It is not uncommon for pitchers coming back from TJ to struggle with command at first. They have not pitched in competitive games for over a year, so there is some rust. These pitchers are also adjusting to their new elbow as well. As pitchers get further removed from surgery, the command usually improves.

Perales showed much improved command in his breakout 2024 season, but had some control questions before then. Command will always be a question mark for the flamethrower, but as long as he is around the strike zone, the stuff will play.

I will be watching Perales very closely to see what that control looks like. If it is back to those 2024 levels, he can be a front of the rotation starter. However, he has the chance to be a nasty reliever. His injury history, smaller build and control point to a bullpen role, but he also has a chance to start.

It will be interesting to see what the Nats do with him. If they move him to the bullpen, he could be in the big leagues very soon. However, if they want to continue developing him as a starter, things will take longer. Either way, Perales should start next season at Triple-A. If Toboni wants to let him rip in the bullpen, Luis Perales could be the Nats closer by the end of the season.

There are more players we could highlight, but these are the three that stand out to me. All three have so much to prove this year, but also have great upside. 2026 will be a year where these young players will have to prove themselves. With Paul Toboni improving the farm system, these guys could be replaced if they do not perform.

Meet the Mets

Despite being previously named the captain of Team Puerto Rico, Francisco Lindor will not be playing in the World Baseball Classic this year due to the elbow procedure he underwent at the beginning of the offseason.

With Freddy Peralta now in the fold, what is the state of the Mets’ rotation heading into 2026?

The Mets’ surplus of talent in the upper levels of the minor leagues gives the major league team plenty of depth this year.

Around the National League East

The Phillies have added some positional depth by inking Dylan Moore to a minor league deal.

Philadelphia’s rotation has some question marks heading into 2026.

The Braves have signed veteran left-hander Martin Pérez to a minor league deal.

Federal Baseball examined what the state of the Nationals’ farm system could be after another season of development.

Around Major League Baseball

After a strong rookie campaign, shortstop Jacob Wilson has agreed to a long-term extension with the Athletics.

After nine seasons with the Twins, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey is departing the club in what is being presented as a mutual decision.

Veteran reliever and former Met David Robertston has announced his retirement from baseball.

After making his major league debut in 2025, Mariners right-hander Logan Evans will now miss the entire 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery.

Another free agent outfielder is off the board, as the White Sox have inked Austin Hays to a one-year deal.

While Driveline is often viewed as an apparatus for improving pitching performance, many hitters are now taking advantage of its offerings as well.

Royals first baseman and noted New York Jets fan Vinnie Pasquantino has agreed to a two-year contract to avoid arbitration.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Allison McCague was worried that we had forgotten just how abysmal Cedric Mullins was as a Met, so she offered us a reminder.

Prior to being traded to the Brewers, the Amazin’ Avenue minor league crew had ranked Jett Williams as the team’s fourth best prospect entering 2026.

While many of us have been focused on Freddy Peralta, Grace Carbone provided us with an introduction to Tobias Myers, the other player acquired from Milwaukee in the trade.

This Date in Mets History

Ralph Kiner signed on to join the Mets’ broadcast booth for their inaugural season on this date in 1962.

Giants star Willy Adames eager to bounce back after ‘challenging' 2025 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Willy Adames made his mark in his first season with the Giants, but he knows there’s always room for improvement.

Adames was a key offensive contributor for San Francisco, becoming the first Giants player with 30 home runs in a single season since Barry Bonds. He also hit .225 with 87 RBI.

When he caught fire, he couldn’t cool down. When he was slumping, it was bad. But Adames is finding the silver linings in the up-and-down season.

“It was a challenging year,” Adames told reporters Saturday at Giants FanFest in Sacramento. “Adapting to everything, the fans, the organization, the city, new stadium. But it was great. Obviously at the end of the year, we didn’t achieve what we wanted to, but I think we learned a lot from last year. And now we know we need to get better in some areas, and I think we’re doing a really good job to start creating a different culture and to be better on the field.

“For me, personally, I’ll just try to be more consistent and be better every day.”

Off the field, it was no secret that Adames quickly became the team’s energizer.

His infectious spirit and good vibes were contagious around the Giants’ clubhouse, despite how San Francisco was performing on the field.

But the Giants need more than just good vibes to compete in the NL West and get back to winning baseball.

Adames is up for the challenge.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

MLB Rumors: Austin Hays and the Chicago White Sox are in agreement on a one year, $6 million deal, per reports.

The Rangers were among a number of teams that were in on Hays, per Jon Heyman, and we talked about him earlier in the week in our write-up on available righthanded platoon DH/bench bat options. The 30 year old Hays is going to a team that is not expected to be a contender in 2026, but which gives him an opportunity to play every day. If he performs well, he most likely will get traded to a contender at the deadline anyway.

So the Rangers’ hunt for a platoon DH and righty bench bat continues. While Hays was a popular choice among folks here — and was apparently pursued by a number of teams — there are still players out there who could fit the bill, and with camps opening soon, guys who have been waiting to see if a full-time opportunity comes available will have to make some decisions.

Good morning, LSB.

The Rangers added another bat yesterday in the form of former first round pick Nick Pratto.

Former Rangers reliever David Robertson has decided to hang em up.

MLB dot com has a list of 13 “eye-popping” predictions for 2026 which includes one for Jacob deGrom.

And The Athletic has a Q&A with Team USA manager and former Ranger Mark DeRosa on how the roster is shaping up before the World Baseball Classic.

That’s all for this morning. Have a good weekend!