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Robert Eckl Sr. and Robert Eckl Jr., Jack Wenninger’s grandfather and uncle, respectively, both played baseball at the University of Wisconsin, but Jack decided to not follow in their footsteps, instead committing to Murray State University after graduating from Cary-Grove Community High School in 2020. Wenninger’s numbers in his freshman season were only pedestrian, posting a 5.26 ERA 51.1 innings over 16 games with 46 hits allowed, 27 walks, and 42 strikeouts. He entered the transfer portal after the season and transferred to the University of Illinois, where head coach Dan Hartleb saw promise in his size, increasing fastball velocity, and improving secondary pitches.

The right-hander appeared in 15 games in his first season with the Fightin Ilini in 2022 and posted a 5.71 ERA in 34.2 innings over 15 appearances, allowing 30 hits, walking 21, and striking out 30. That summer, he pitched for the Wausau Woodchucks of the Northwoods League and posted a 2.54 ERA in 46.0 innings over 10 games- all starts- allowing 37 hits, walking 21, and striking out 42. He returned to Illinois for the 2023 season and became a mainstay the team’s weekend rotation. The right-hander appeared in 15 games, starting 14 of them, and posted a 4.59 ERA in 80.1 innings, allowing 69 hits, walking 28, and striking out 76.

Following the conclusion of the season, he pitched some supplementary innings with the Williamsport Crosscutters of the MLB Draft League. The right-hander made three starts there and allowed 6 earned runs over 11.0 innings while allowing 9 hits, walking 7, and striking out 19. In early July, the Mets drafted Wenninger in the 6th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, the 186th player selected overall, and signed him to a $225,000 signing bonus, below the MLB-assigned slot value of $299,800. Wenninger appeared in two combined games with the FCL Mets and the St. Lucie Mets to finish out his year and allowed 2 earned runs in 2.1 innings, giving up 1 hit, walking 2, and striking out 4.

Wenninger was assigned to the Single-A St. Lucie Mets to begin the 2024 season and struggled early on. The 22-year-old hurler appeared in 15 games for them, making 10 starts, and posted a 5.02 ERA in 71.2 innings, allowing 67 hits, walking 23, and striking out 89. He was promoted to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones in mid-July and finished out the season in Coney Island, having a much better go at it, assisted by the pitching friendly confines of Maimonides Park. Appearing in 10 games and making 9 starts, he posted a 3.12 ERA in 43.1 innings, allowing 40 hits, walking 17, and striking out 51. Altogether, he posted a combined 4.30 ERA in 115.0 innings in his first professional season, allowing 107 total hits, walking 40, and striking out 140; his 140 strikeouts were second-most in the entire Mets minor league system, trailing Jonah Tong and his 160 punchouts.

Promoted to Double-A Binghamton for the 2025 season, Wenninger was even better. Pitching in the shadows of more noteworthy prospects such as Nolan McLean, Joan Tong, and Brandon Sproat, Jack Wenninger was just as good, appearing in 26 games for the Rumble Ponies and posting a 2.92 ERA in 135.2 innings, allowing 114 hits, walking 42, and striking out 147. For a second consecutive year, his strikeout total was the second most in the system (tied with R.J. Gordon), behind Jonah Tong once again. The right-hander ended his season on as high a note as possible, shoving in the Eastern League Championship winner, throwing five innings and allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out a whopping eleven.

The 6’4”, 215-pound Wenninger has a high-waisted frame, throwing from a high-three-quarters arm slot with a simple delivery that utilizes a leg kick and a long arm action through the back. He gets good extension off the mound and keeps his upper and lower halves in sync. His arm is clean, loose, and repeatable, allowing him to consistently throw strikes and keep unintentional walks to a minimum.

The right-hander throws both a four-seam and two-seam fastball, the latter used moreso against right-handed hitters to keep them honest with an offering that breaks towards them. Both fastballs sit in the low-to-mid-90s, with his four-seam fastball velocity up in 2025, topping out at 98 MPH on occasion but comfortably averaging 94 MPH. Thanks to his tall frame, extension, and high arm slot and release point, the pitch gets above-average ride up in the zone.

Wenninger’s main secondary offering is an extremely effective split change. The pitch is a plus offering, sitting in the low-to-mid-80s with a low spin rate that causes it to absolutely drop off the table. He can throw it in all four quadrants of the zone, throwing it up and letting it drop in for strikes and throwing it low and letting it drop out of the zone for chases and whiffs. He is comfortable throwing the pitch against left-handed and right-handed batters, the pitch’s horizontal movement breaking in on right-handed hitters in addition to its downward dive.

Coming into the 2025 season, Wenninger supplemented his fastball-changeup combo with a cutter, curveball, and slider that were all get-me-over offerings that flashed average, but he has refined his arsenal since. His cutter and slider, already brothers on the pitch spectrum, have melded into a single pitch, a tight mid-80s gyro slider. Using a different grip, his curveball now has more bite to it. Both breaking pitches are now average offerings, their effectiveness amplified by his ability to command them and throw them for strikes.

The improvements made to his arsenal have helped minimalize the reverse platoon splits that he was beginning to show. In 2024, right-handed hitters averaged a .262/.336/.409 batting line against him in 254 plate appearances, while left-handed hitters averaged .213/.275/.324 against him in 248 plate appearances, a difference of roughly .150 OPS points. In 2025, right-handed hitters averaged a .237/.280/.381 batting line against him in 321 plate appearances while left-handed hitters averaged .208/.294/.338 against him, a difference of roughly .030 OPS points. His batted ball data also has marginally improved, with his groundball and flyball rates both improving slightly.

The quest of the Cincinnati Reds to never again be last while feigning interest in actually being first continued over the last week whether they liked it, or not.

Off the board came Kyle Tucker, first, whose signature with the Los Angeles Dodgers further solidified their modern Evil Empire status. The New York Mets, meanwhile, had been heavy on Tucker all winter, and losing out on him caused a domino effect where they pivoted to Bo Bichette on a big AAV deal to further crowd their infield mix. That threw the Philadelphia Phillies into flux, as they’d been big on Bichette all winter, and they subsequently pivoted back to their old friend JT Realmuto, inking the backstop to another deal to once again solidify that part of their roster.

Bichette, an infielder, caused a bit of a logjam on the Mets roster, and they responded by unloading former top prospect Luisangel Acuña to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for mercurial outfielder Luis Robert, Jr., in whom the very Reds once reportedly had kicked tires.

During this flurry, the New York Yankees finally struck terms with Cody Bellinger for a long-term return, while the Los Angeles Angels chimed in with their own rendition of ‘reunion’ by signing Yoan Moncada to a 1-year, $4 million contract that, in theory, would’ve suited the Reds perfectly had they not chosen to take on the some $30 million due to Ke’Bryan Hayes at the hot corner. Then, last night, the Mets struck again by landing Freddy Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers, who themselves seem committed to attempts at winning in 2026 with one hand tied behind their back.

(They’ll probably still find a way.)

The flurry of moves gives two clear indications. First, obviously, is that pitchers and catchers begin to report to spring camps in only three-ish weeks and rosters need to be finalized. Second, though, is that the Cincinnati Reds are once again going to play the patience card and wait around to see which remaining free agents are left in the bargain bin.

They still need middle infield help. They could still really use an established outfielder given that TJ Friedl – who missed a ton of time in 2024 – is the only guy they’ve got on-roster who’s recently filed away a full year of good production out there. They likely could use someone who can play all over the place and hit left-handed after the trade of Gavin Lux, who was going to make $5 million, hit left-handed, and not really be able to play anywhere.

The Reds were never going to be in on any of these players because each of these players actually requires being paid market rate for their services. But, now that they’re flying off the board quickly, the rosters of the competition of the Reds are beginning to be solidified, reducing the number of places the remaining names on the market might otherwise have sought out – and that gives us a bit clearer picture of who is realistically on their radar.

Old friend Eugenio Suarez is out there and would be incredibly fun to have back…if the Reds were willing to use Spencer Steer a lot in LF and if Geno’s real with the idea of not ever really playing 3B again. Austin Hays and Harrison Bader are still out there looking for work, too, though it doesn’t appear the Reds have a ton of interest in retaining either of their services for a second time. The same seemingly goes for Miguel Andujar, though the Reds have at least had their name pop up a time or three in connection with him during his otherwise slow winter.

There’s also the curious case of Luis Arraez, who can hit whenever and play nowhere despite his batted-ball profile being more or less exactly what this current iteration of Reds front office slash managerial staff wants out of each of their players. I’m not saying I love the fit, I’m just saying he’s exactly what the Reds seem to want from a bat and at this juncture his dried-up market might well push him into we’ll spend it territory for an otherwise frugal Reds ownership group.

It’s been a pretty rapidly developing free agent tumble the last week even if the Reds themselves haven’t yet dived in.

The Mets' ZiPS projections for the 2026 season -- via Dan Szymborski -- are out at FanGraphs.

Here are the key highlights...

OFFENSE

First, the newcomers.

Bo Bichette is projected to slash .294/.339/.445 (121 OPS+), while Jorge Polanco is projected to hit .253/.327/.446 (118 OPS+).

As far as Marcus Semien, who is coming off two down seasons, he is projected to bounce back a bit and be literally a league average hitter (100 OPS+).

The projections are bullish on Juan Soto, with him slashing .271/.408/.524 (163 OPS+) with 37 home runs, 103 RBI, and 109 runs scored.

Francisco Lindor (123 OPS+) and Francisco Alvarez (112 OPS+) are also projected to have strong offensive campaigns. 

STARTING ROTATION

Traditionally, the ZiPS projections for innings totals and ERA for starting pitchers can skew conservative, and that's reflected a bit in the Mets' numbers.

Freddy Peralta (3.87 ERA/9.7 K/9), Clay Holmes (3.90 ERA), and Nolan McLean (3.94 ERA) are all projected to have sub-4 ERAs.

A bounce back is projected for Kodai Senga (3.82 ERA) but not Sean Manaea (4.51 ERA).

Top prospect Jonah Tong is projected to have a 4.07 ERA while striking out 10.1 per nine. 

BULLPEN

A big season is projected for closer Devin Williams, with a 3.14 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 57.1 innings (a rate of 12.4 per nine).

Luke Weaver is projected to have a 4.30 ERA, with solid seasons in the cards for A.J. Minter (3.53 ERA) and Brooks Raley (3.79 ERA).

We will keep track of every Brewers roster move here.

Last updated 1/22/25

If you are on a mobile device, this table is best viewed in landscape mode.

*Denotes player not on active roster

**Denotes player on non-60-day IL

***Players on 60-day IL are not counted toward 40-man roster but are included in this table

Transactions

1/21/26 – Brewers traded RHP Freddy Peralta and RHP Tobias Myers to the New York Mets for RHP Brandon Sproat and SS/2B/OF Jett Williams

12/13/25 – Brewers traded RHP Nick Mears and OF Isaac Collins to the Kansas City Royals for LHP Ángel Zerpa

12/11/25 – Brewers signed free agent OF Akil Baddoo

11/18/25 – RHP Brandon Woodruff accepts qualifying offer

11/4/25 – Brewers decline mutual options on 1B Rhys Hoskins and LHP Jose Quintana; both players become free agents; Brewers decline club option for C William Contreras; Contreras remains with team as he enters his second arbitration year this offseason

11/3/25 – C Danny Jansen’s mutual option declined by Brewers, RHP Brandon Woodruff’s mutual option declined by Woodruff; both players become free agents; RHP Freddy Peralta’s club option for 2026 picked up by Brewers; RHP Coleman Crow added to 40-man roster

11/2/25 – RHP Shelby Miller, LHP Jordan Montgomery, and RHP Erick Fedde elected free agency

9/28/25 – Brewers activated LHP DL Hall and RHP Trevor Megill from 15-day injured list; RHP Erick Fedde designated for assignment; RHP Carlos Rodriguez optioned to ACL Brewers

9/24/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Carlos Rodriguez from Triple-A Nashville; LHP Bruce Zimmermann designated for assignment

9/21/25 – Brewers recalled LHP Robert Gasser from Triple-A Nashville; RHP Brandon Woodruff placed on 15-day injured list (right lat strain)

9/20/25 – Brewers selected LHP Bruce Zimmermann from Triple-A Nashville; RHP Joel Payamps designated for assignment

9/17/25 – Brewers activated RHP Nick Mears from 15-day injured list; LHP Jose Quintana placed on 15-day injured list (calf strain)

9/9/25 – Brewers activated 1B Rhys Hoskins from 10-day injured list; RHP Chad Patrick recalled from Triple-A Nashville; RHP Carlos Rodriguez and IF Anthony Seigler optioned to Triple-A Nashville

9/8/25 – Brewers activated RHP Grant Anderson from 15-day injured list; RHP Craig Yoho optioned to Triple-A Nashville

9/5/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Carlos Rodriguez from Triple-A Nashville; RHP Nick Mears placed on 15-day injured list (back tightness)

9/3/25 – Brewers selected the contract of RHP Joel Payamps from Triple-A Nashville; RHP Shelby Miller placed on 60-day injured list (right elbow UCL sprain)

9/1/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Craig Yoho from Triple-A Nashville; IF Joey Ortiz activated from 10-day injured list

8/30/25 – Brewers activated LHP Robert Gasser from the 60-day injured list; activated OF Jackson Chourio from the 10-day injured list; optioned LHP Robert Gasser and OF Brandon Lockridge to Triple-A Nashville; IF Oliver Dunn designated for assignment

8/29/25 – Brewers activated LHP Rob Zastryzny from the 15-day injured list; RHP Easton McGee optioned to Triple-A Nashville

8/27/25 – Brewers transferred RHP Logan Henderson from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list; RHP Erick Fedde signed as a free agent; RHP Trevor Megill placed on the 15-day injured list (right flexor strain)

8/25/25 – Brewers placed RHP Grant Anderson on the 15-day injured list (right ankle tendonitis); RHP Chad Patrick optioned, RHPs Tobias Myers and Easton McGee recalled from Triple-A Nashville

8/24/25 – Brewers optioned RHP Carlos Rodriguez, RHP Chad Patrick recalled from Triple-A Nashville

8/22/25 – Brewers placed SS Joey Ortiz on the 10-day injured list (strained left hamstring); 1B/OF Jake Bauers activated from the 10-day injured list

8/20/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Carlos Rodriguez from Triple-A Nashville; RHP Tobias Myers optioned to Triple-A Nashville; RHP Chad Patrick returned to Triple-A Nashville after doubleheader

8/18/25 – Brewers reinstated OF Isaac Collins from the paternity list; IF Tyler Black optioned to Triple-A Nashville; RHP Chad Patrick designated as 27th man for doubleheader

8/17/25 – Brewers reinstated OF Blake Perkins from the bereavement list; OF Steward Berroa optioned to Triple-A Nashville

8/16/25 – Brewers placed LHP DL Hall on the 15-day injured list (oblique strain); RHP Grant Anderson recalled from Triple-A Nashville

8/15/25 – Brewers placed OF Isaac Collins on the paternity list, OF Blake Perkins on the bereavement list, and optioned RHP Grant Anderson to Triple-A Nashville; RHP Jacob Misiorowski activated from the 15-day injured list, OF Steward Berroa and UTIL Tyler Black recalled from Triple-A Nashville

8/8/25 – Brewers placed RHP Logan Henderson on the 15-day injured list (right elbow inflammation); RHP Shelby Miller activated from the 15-day injured list; RHP Tobias Myers recalled from Triple-A Nashville

8/7/25 – RHP Easton McGee optioned to Triple-A Nashville

8/3/25 – Brewers placed RHP Jacob Misiorowski on the 15-day injured list (left tibia contusion); RHP Logan Henderson recalled from Triple-A Nashville

8/1/25 – Brewers placed OF Jackson Chourio on the 10-day injured list (hamstring strain); OF Brandon Lockridge activated

7/31/25 – Brewers designated RHP Elvis Peguero and LHP Bryan Hudson for assignment

7/31/25 – Brewers traded a PTBNL and cash considerations to the Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Shelby Miller and LHP Jordan Montgomery

7/31/25 – Brewers traded LHP Nestor Cortes, SS prospect Jorge Quintana, and cash to the San Diego Padres for OF Brandon Lockridge

7/29/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Easton McGee, optioned RHP Craig Yoho to Triple-A Nashville

7/28/25 – Brewers traded IF prospect Jadher Areinamo to the Tampa Bay Rays for C Danny Jansen; Jansen added to active roster and C Eric Haase designated for assignment

7/28/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Craig Yoho, optioned RHP Tobias Myers to Triple-A Nashville; LHP Rob Zastryzny returned from rehab assignment at Triple-A Nashville (remains on IL)

7/26/25 – Brewers activated OF Sal Frelick from the 10-day injured list, optioned 1B/3B Tyler Black to Triple-A Nashville.

7/20/25 – Brewers placed 1B/OF Jake Bauers on the 10-day injured list (left shoulder impingement), retroactive to July 19; UTIL Tyler Black recalled from Triple-A Nashville

7/18/25 – Brewers activated LHP Aaron Ashby from the paternity list, recalled OF Blake Perkins from Triple-A Nashville; OF Sal Frelick placed on the 10-day injured list (left hamstring strain), retroactive to July 15

7/13/25 – Brewers optioned RHP Easton McGee to Triple-A Nashville, reinstated OF Blake Perkins from 60-day IL and optioned to Triple-A Nashville; OF Drew Avans designated for assignment

7/11/25 – Brewers placed LHP Aaron Ashby on the paternity list, recalled RHP Tobias Myers from Triple-A Nashville

7/9/25 – Brewers traded cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers for OF Steward Berroa; Berroa optioned to Triple-A Nashville and RHP Elvin Rodriguez designated for assignment

7/7/25 – Brewers placed 1B Rhys Hoskins on the 10-day injured list (sprained left thumb), recalled 1B Andrew Vaughn from Triple-A Nashville

7/6/25 – Brewers activated RHP Brandon Woodruff from the 60-day injured list, optioned RHP Chad Patrick to Triple-A Nashville, and moved OF Garrett Mitchell to the 60-day injured list (left shoulder surgery)

7/1/25 – Brewers designated OF Daz Cameron for assignment, placed LHP Rob Zastryzny on the 15-day injured list (rib stress reaction); 2B Anthony Seigler selected, RHP Easton McGee recalled from Triple-A Nashville

6/16/25 – Brewers activated OF Daz Cameron from the paternity list, optioned OF Drew Avans to Triple-A Nashville

6/13/25 – Brewers placed OF Daz Cameron on the paternity list, recalled OF Drew Avans and RHP Grant Anderson from Triple-A Nashville

6/13/25 – Brewers traded RHP Aaron Civale to the Chicago White Sox for 1B/OF Andrew Vaughn; Vaughn optioned to Triple-A Nashville

6/12/25 – Brewers selected RHP Jacob Misiorowski, optioned RHP Easton McGee to Triple-A Nashville, and moved RHP Brandon Woodruff to the 60-day injured list (right shoulder surgery)

6/10/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Easton McGee, optioned RHP Grant Anderson to Triple-A Nashville

6/8/25 – Brewers claimed OF Drew Avans off waivers from Athletics, optioned Avans to Triple-A Nashville

6/1/25 – Brewers reinstated LHP Jose Quintana from 15-day IL, designated LHP Tyler Alexander for assignment

5/26/25 – Brewers reinstated LHP DL Hall from 60-day IL, optioned RHP Logan Henderson to Triple-A Nashville

5/23/25 – Brewers reinstated LHP Aaron Ashby from 15-day IL, optioned RHP Carlos Rodriguez to Triple-A Nashville

5/22/25 – Brewers reinstated RHP Aaron Civale from 15-day IL, recalled RHP Carlos Rodriguez from Triple-A Nashville; RHP Joel Payamps designated for assignment, RHP Easton McGee optioned to Triple-A Nashville

5/18/25 – Brewers selected RHP Easton McGee, optioned RHP Tobias Myers to Triple-A Nashville; LHP Connor Thomas moved to the 60-day injured list (left elbow arthritis)

5/16/25 – Brewers traded cash to the New York Yankees for LHP Rob Zastryzny, optioned RHP Elvis Peguero to Triple-A Nashville

5/14/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Tobias Myers & RHP Logan Henderson, optioned LHP Bryan Hudson to Triple-A Nashville; placed LHP Jose Quintana on 15-day injured list, retroactive to 5/11 (left shoulder impingement).

5/11/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Elvis Peguero, optioned RHP Tobias Myers to Triple-A Nashville

5/9/25 – Brewers recalled LHP Bryan Hudson and 3B Andruw Monasterio from Triple-A Nashville; 3B Vinny Capra designated for assignment

5/8/25 – Brewers optioned RHP Elvin Rodriguez to Triple-A Nashville

5/3/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Elvin Rodriguez, optioned RHP Craig Yoho to Triple-A Nashville

4/26/25 – Brewers selected the contract of OF Daz Cameron, placed OF Garrett Mitchell on the 10-day IL (left oblique strain); OF Blake Perkins moved to the 60-day injured list (right shin)

4/24/25 – Brewers reinstated RHP Tobias Myers from IL, optioned LHP Bryan Hudson to Triple-A Nashville

4/21/25 – Brewers selected RHP Craig Yoho, optioned RHP Logan Henderson to Triple-A Nashville; LHP Nestor Cortes moved to the 60-day injured list (left elbow strain)

4/17/25 – Brewers recalled 3B Caleb Durbin, optioned 3B Oliver Dunn to Triple-A Nashville

4/15/25 – Brewers recalled RHP Logan Henderson, optioned RHP Elvin Rodriguez to Triple-A Nashville

4/11/25 – Brewers recalled LHP Jose Quintana, optioned RHP Elvis Peguero to Triple-A Nashville

4/8/25 – Brewers reinstated RHP Nick Mears from IL, added RHP Quinn Priester to active roster; LHP Connor Thomas placed on 15-day injured list (left elbow arthritis)

4/7/25 – Brewers traded LHP Grant Wolfram to the Baltimore Orioles for OF Daz Cameron and cash considerations

4/7/25 – Brewers traded OF Yophery Rodriguez, draft pick, and PTBNL to Boston Red Sox for RHP Quinn Priester; LHP Grant Wolfram designated for assignment

4/6/25 – Brewers placed LHP Nestor Cortes on the 15-day injured list (left elbow flexor strain); LHP Grant Wolfram recalled from Triple-A Nashville

3/31/25 – Brewers placed RHP Aaron Civale on 15-day IL (strained left hamstring); RHP Grant Anderson recalled from Triple-A Nashville

3/28/25 – Brewers traded OF Brewer Hicklen to the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations

3/27/25 – Brewers announced Opening Day roster: Place seven players on IL, DFA OF Brewer Hicklen, and select RHP Chad Patrick

3/10/25 – Brewers optioned RHP Grant Anderson, RHP Logan Henderson, RHP Carlos Rodriguez, RHP Chad Patrick, LHP Grant Wolfram, and C Jeferson Quero to Triple-A Nashville

3/5/25 – Brewers signed free agent LHP Jose Quintana; LHP DL Hall moved to the 60-day injured list (left lat strain) to open a 40-man roster spot

2/12/25 – Brewers signed free agent LHP Tyler Alexander; LHP Robert Gasser moved to the 60-day injured list (Tommy John surgery) to open a 40-man roster spot

1/17/25 – Brewers signed free agent RHP Elvin Rodríguez; RHP J.B. Bukauskas DFA’d to open a 40-man roster spot

1/2/25 – Brewers traded LHP Mason Molina to the Texas Rangers for RHP Grant Anderson; LHP Tyler Jay DFA’d to open a 40-man roster spot

12/13/24 – Brewers traded RHP Devin Williams to New York Yankees for LHP Nestor Cortes and IF Caleb Durbin

12/12/24 – Brewers signed free agent LHP Grant Wolfram

12/11/24 – Brewers purchased contract of LHP Connor Thomas from St. Louis Cardinals in the Rule 5 Draft

11/22/24 – LHP Hoby Milner non-tendered, elected free agency

11/19/24 – RHP Logan Henderson and RHP Chad Patrick selected from Triple-A Nashville, added to 40-man roster

11/4/24 – 1B Jake Bauers and RHP Bryse Wilson cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Nashville; they both elected free agency

11/4/24 – RHP Frankie Montas declined his mutual option, electing free agency

11/4/24 – C Gary Sánchez’s mutual option declined by the Brewers, making him a free agent

11/4/24 – RHP Colin Rea cleared waivers and the team declined their club option on his contract, making him a free agent

11/4/24 – Chicago Cubs claimed LHP Rob Zastryzny off waivers

11/4/24 – New York Mets claimed RHP Kevin Herget off waivers

10/31/24 – RHP Joe Ross, LHP Wade Miley, and SS Willy Adames elected free agency

It feels increasingly likely that MacKenzie Gore will be on the Nationals Opening Day roster. Those odds only went up when the Mets swung a trade for Brewers ace Freddy Peralta. The teams desperate to make a move for a starting pitcher are decreasing by the day. With that in mind, it really feels like MacKenzie Gore will be getting the ball on Opening Day.

This offseason I have been mostly operating under the assumption that Gore would be dealt. The southpaw only has two years of team control remaining, and the Nats seem unlikely to be true contenders in the next two years. Gore is also a Scott Boras client, making an extension unlikely. 

When you consider these factors, not trading Gore feels like a risk. Pitchers come with more injury risk than ever these days. Tommy John Surgery looms like a dark cloud for pitchers. If Gore suffers a major injury, his value would be gone. However, Paul Toboni appears willing to run that risk.

There is some payoff to keeping Gore. If he has a strong first half, his trade value could increase at the deadline. It is also possible that the Nats surprise some folks, though I do not think Toboni is counting on that. For me, holding on to Gore just feels like a big risk.

Teams have had a clear appetite for starting pitchers on the trade market this offseason. Shane Baz, Edward Cabrera and Freddy Peralta have all gotten impressive returns. Peralta is the best pitcher of the group, but only has one year of control. That did not stop the Mets from giving up multiple top 100 prospects.

One of my favorite analysts Lance Brozdowski wondered if that package would have been enough to get Gore. A package of Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat certainly would have excited me. Sproat is a high floor arm that should be a middle of the rotation piece. Williams is a potential spark plug at the top of a lineup.

Most baseball fans, including myself, see Peralta as a much better pitcher than Gore. He is certainly more proven, with multiple All-Star appearances and a top 5 finish in NL Cy Young voting last year. Brozdowski actually said he thinks they project similarly in 2026, which really surprised me. 

If you look at some of the advanced numbers, you start to see his point though. Over the last two seasons, Gore has a FIP of 3.64, while Peralta’s FIP sits at 3.90. Peralta had a 2.70 ERA with a 3.64 FIP last year, while Gore had a 4.17 ERA with a 3.74 FIP. It sure seems like Peralta is a regression candidate. I would take Peralta next year, but it is closer than I first thought.

With the Mets out of the Gore sweepstakes and February approaching, it sure feels like MacKenzie Gore will remain a Nat. There have been multiple reports that the asking price for Gore is sky high. Yankees reporter Jack Curry said the Bronx Bombers have discussed Gore, but have been turned off by the asking price.

This report came out a couple days ago, which is interesting. The Yankees traded for Marlins lefty Ryan Weathers about a week ago. I thought that trade would take them out of the mix for Gore. However, this does not appear to be true. Gore has proven to be much more durable than Weathers, so it seems like the Yankees want more of a sure thing.

The Yankees were also rumored to be in on Peralta, so Gore could be the fallback option. However, they don’t have that much incentive to move off their demands, given the fact they have Weathers already.

Other potential suitors include teams like the Giants and the A’s. Prying first baseman Bryce Eldridge away from the Giants would be a dream scenario. The Nats desperately need first base help and Eldridge is a local product. It does not seem like the Giants have put him on the table though because that deal would have probably happened already if he was.

The A’s are a team that has intrigued me for a while. They have a playoff caliber lineup, but a weak rotation. Gore would give them an arm with top of the rotation upside, something they do not currently have. He also fits within their budget as well. They have plenty of young talent for the Nats to choose from as well.

However, I don’t think we will see a Gore trade this winter anymore. I was confident it would happen, but as we get closer to Spring Training without a deal, it feels less likely. Personally, I think the Nats should trade him, but I understand not wanting to settle. Paul Toboni is taking a risk here, but it is one that could pay off.

Hopefully David Stearns and his wife had an early anniversary dinner Wednesday night.

Brewers president Matt Arnold claimed the two pals completed their blockbuster Freddy Peralta trade on the day of the Mets president of baseball operations’ wedding anniversary to his wife, Whitney Ann Lee.

“He knows the players well. He and I have worked very well together for many years. Obviously care about him a lot,” Arnold said, according to the Journal Sentinel. “(Wednesday)’s his anniversary and I was at his wedding. We go back a long way. I think I might have ruined his anniversary dinner. He’s a dear friend and hopefully these are the types of trades that work out for both sides.”

The life of a baseball partner can be difficult due to the long hours and the never-ending season and offseason, with holidays, anniversaries and birthdays sometimes coming second.

Stearns and Lee married in 2017, when he was the Brewers’ general manager, and they have at least one child together, daughter Nora, born in 2018.

We assume that Arnold and Stearns had made plenty of progress before finally pushing this trade past the finish line Wednesday night.

The Mets needed a frontline pitcher and acquired Peralta, who posted a career-best 2.70 ERA spanning 33 starts last year.

#Brewers GM David Stearns traded in the single life this weekend. Congrats, David & Whitney! pic.twitter.com/PzZfLTJmah

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) January 23, 2017

Peralta has one year left on his contract, and the Mets capitalized on Milwaukee’s small-market operation that largely prevents them from signing star players to nine-figure contract extensions.

That’s not to say Peralta came cheap.

The Mets parted ways with MLB.com’s No. 30 prospect in infielder Jett Williams and starter Brandon Sproat, whom Baseball America ranked No. 81.

Milwaukee also sent swingman Tobias Meyers to the Mets.

“The reality is we have one year left with Freddy Peralta. He’s a free agent at the end of the season. That’s always going to be a challenge for us,” Arnold said. “We’ve had to make these tough decisions. To add two players that we like and have them as a part of this group this season and well beyond that is something that we felt is very good for the Milwaukee Brewers.”

For the Mets, this move likely puts a bow on their offseason after a January flurry including Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr. and now Peralta.

“Acquiring Freddy adds another established starter to help lead our rotation,” Stearns said in a statement. “Throughout the off season, we sought to complement our rotation with another front-end pitcher, and we’re thrilled we are able to bring Freddy to the Mets.”

Just five days ago, one of the hottest rumors making the rounds involved the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox having discussions involving Astros 3B Isaac Paredes and Red Sox OF Jarren Duran.

As typical to baseball offseason talks, however, that could all be a thing of the past just as fast as it was the hot rumor.

In her article today at The Athletic, Red Sox reporter Jen McCaffrey laid out a different path forward for the Red Sox this offseason:

Though Breslow wouldn’t commit to (Marcelo) Mayer at second or third base, a source with the team recently noted a preference for Mayer at third. After Bregman’s injury last season, Mayer played well at the position, but there’s also an idea of keeping him on the same side of the field as his natural shortstop position. He’s likely the heir to the shortstop spot after Story’s contract is up following the 2027 season.

With that in mind, it appears the Red Sox are seeking a strong defensive second baseman.

“It’s really important that we improve our defense, particularly our infield defense,” Breslow said. “Any additions that we may make, we’ll be very mindful of the defensive skillset.”

That would seem to rule out Houston’s Isaac Paredes, who has struggled defensively at third base.

You can see the whole article here (subscription required):

While this doesn’t mean a deal between the two teams doesn’t eventually happen anyway, as trade talks ebb and flow all offseason and pivots/re-pivots happen all the time, it does change the outlook and perception of a deal that could possibly involve Isaac Paredes and the Red Sox to a less likely scenario.

In true Chris Getz fashion, the White Sox are once again in a position that warrants more questions than answers. On a cold and random late January night, the Sox dealt Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets for prospects Luisangel Acuña and Truman Pauley. This trade is anything but straightforward, so let’s dive into it.

Financials

The Sox set themselves up for plenty of economic flexibility. With New York footing the bill for Robert’s $20 million option exercised in November, Chicago won’t risk overpaying a player who slashed .223/.288/.372 in 210 games over the last two seasons. In most circumstances, this financial relief would be welcome. But the Sox aren’t like most teams. 

Although Getz hinted that the Sox will spend their freed-up $20 million on players, fans know better than to set their expectations too high. Realistically, rather than pursuing qualified free agents, Jerry Reinsdorf will put roughly $17 million toward Munetaka Murakami’s contract this year — one that required a hard sell from Getz and Brooks Boyer — and likely spend the remaining $3 million on a pair of one-year relievers.

While dealing Robert makes economic sense, money shouldn’t be the sole driver of trades.

Return

Acuña headlines a lackluster trade package that doesn’t immediately remedy the South Siders’ needs. Acuña, MLB’s No. 66 overall prospect in 2024, is best known for his glove and quickness on the base paths. He paired 60-grade speed with impact defense, generating four baserunning runs in 2025 and posting a +2 fielding run value and three Outs Above Average in 2024. For him to stay in The Show, Chicago must help Acuña improve the quality of his contact, which dropped significantly last season to under 5% for solid and barrel events. Though he didn’t blow anyone out of the water in 2025 with his production (.234/.293/.274 in 95 games), Acuña has proven he can be a faster version of Brooks Baldwin. 

Pauley has more unknowns but leaves fans with plenty of wishful thinking. His stats shouldn’t be heavily weighed in his evaluation, as he has tallied fewer than 50 games between two years of summer and college ball, plus half a season in Single-A. However, the 20 inches of vertical break on his fastball puts the pitch’s dominance in the conversation with hurlers like Chris Sale and Logan Webb, which may be a strong sign of future success if he can keep it in the zone.

Acuña and Pauley both bring plenty of unlocked potential to a team that still needs to prove it can successfully develop players.

Short-Term

It’s hard to see how the Sox took a strong step in their rebuild with this trade. Although no one expected them to get an All-Star after Robert’s career-low production, they also didn’t acquire a dependable player that can slot in right field for over 100 games. Another concern with bringing in an inexperienced utility player like Acuña is that it will be hard to guarantee him enough playing time to justify trading away a starter. While Robert’s various injuries sidelined him for 62 games, it will be much harder to carve out a spot for Acuña with several other qualified bench players chomping at the bit for a starting job. In terms of immediate impact, Acuña and Pauley won’t increase the win total dramatically if at all.

Long-Term

The best way to spin this trade is that the Sox are preparing to be in their prime by 2028, which is earlier than many expected. Chicago added depth to a team whose shallow end of the pool is overcrowded, but they’re starting to push their young guys closer to the deep end with every at-bat. With a surplus of prospects and an abundance of infielders, the Sox can quickly make a few trades to propel them from a fringe playoff contender to a dominant division threat in the next two years, especially if the Chicago takes Roch Cholowsky 1/1 in the 2026 draft.

Overall

For the first time in nearly a decade, the White Sox are straddling the immediate and long-term future rather than past and present. While this is refreshing, patience is still key for a team whose payroll always sits in the bottom third of the league. 

Grade: B

26. Cole Messina (86 points, 14 ballots)

Cole Messina is the only catcher we’ve got on this Purple Row Prospects list, so it’s a good thing the Rockies have All-Star Hunter Goodman manning the position right now. As a prospect, Messina combines decent plate discipline with good power potential and leadership qualities behind the dish.

The 22-year-old 6’0”, 230-pound righty, who signed for a slot bonus of just over $1 million after getting picked 77th overall in 2024, came to the Rockies after two-straight successful years in the toughest conference in NCAA baseball at South Carolina. He wasn’t the only Messina selected in the 2024 draft — his brother Carson, a pitcher, was picked in the 12th round by the Toronto Blue Jays.

After barely playing as a freshman in 2022, Messina was impressive in the college wood bat Northwoods summer league (.893 OPS). He came back to Columbia his sophomore year and took hold of the starting catcher job. In 2023 he had 17 HR among his 36 XBH in 285 PA with a .307/.428/.615 line for the Gamecocks to earn first team All-SEC honors. Though he had to settle for second team All-SEC in 2024, Messina’s .326/.465/.701 line with 21 HR in 286 PA was an improvement across the board offensively.

The Rockies assigned Messina to High-A Spokane, where he was 1.5 years younger than league average. There he formed a battery with Colorado’s 2023 third rounder (and HM PuRP) Jack Mahoney, who was also drafted from South Carolina. Messina had a mess of a debut season offensively, hitting just .140/.232/.220 with a homer and a double in 56 plate appearances, which is an anemic 33 wRC+.

In 2025, Messina was sent back to Spokane as a league average aged player. He had more success offensively a second time around, hitting .259/.358/.382 with seven homers among his 31 extra-base hits in 374 plate appearances while walking in 12% of PA, good for a near league average 96 wRC+. He caught 83 games, committing 11 errors with 12 passed balls while throwing out 39% of would-be base thieves. In the final week of the year, Messina moved up to Double-A Hartford for a three game cameo, adding two singles in ten plate appearances.

There isn’t a whole lot of recent video on Messina out there, so enjoy this game-tying ninth-inning homer in the 2024 NCAA regionals:

MLB.com ranks Messina 25th in the system as a 40 FV prospect (he was 100th overall on their draft board):

Messina is a strong right-handed hitter who put up those good power numbers despite struggling with his approach during his junior season. There was a lot more swing-and-miss overall compared to his 2023 campaign, with higher whiff rates against fastballs than previously, and he’s always had a hard time with softer stuff. There’s plenty of power for him to tap into, especially to the pull side, and he may always have a power-over-hit approach with some walks thrown in.

With a take-charge attitude behind the plate, Messina has the right mentality to catch at the next level. He’s a solid receiver with an average arm and shows enough agility to block well even though he’s not fleet afoot.

Keith Law of the Athletic ranked Messina 19th in the system last February:

Colorado’s third-round pick in 2024 has plus power and a big body already, so catching is going to require some body maintenance going forward. I don’t love the setup at the plate, as his hands are high and his bat is behind his body, so his path to the ball is longer and uses up too much time; he could benefit from dropping his hands the way Condon and Thomas did in their draft years. His defense behind the plate is already fringy, and if he gets any bigger he’ll have to move to first.

Baseball Prospectus listed Messina as a “person of interest” last January:

A bat-first college catcher who mashed for the Gamecocks the last two seasons, Messina made some defensive improvements last season, but the setup and swing is very reminiscent of Kevin Parada’s and Messina has struggled against non-fastballs at times. His poor post-draft showing in the Northwest League didn’t assuage the offensive concerns, but as third-round college catchers go, he was a reasonable pick.

Messina was listed as a prospect of note by Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs last January:

Messina got a shade over $1 million as Colorado’s third rounder in 2024. He has above-average power, but I was bearish on his hit tool and defensive fit prior to the draft, and Messina didn’t do anything in pro ball to dissuade me from that notion.

First of all, if this isn’t Messina’s MLB walk-up song, I’m going to be disappointed. Messina has a path to a big league role ahead of him given the dearth of catching prospects in the upper minors for the Rockies (though I prefer Bryant Betancourt).

Messina could be a strong offensive player given his plate discipline and power potential, though because he hasn’t gotten that power into games it won’t work as a profile if Messina can’t stay behind the plate. The scouts seem to think the work ethic is there to do it though and the other intangibles are lauded as well. I’m not yet a believer and he wasn’t particularly close to making my list as a 35 FV player. If Messina can hit well against Double-A pitching in 2026, I’ll re-evaluate.

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Hello folks! It’s been a busy few days in the baseball world. Let’s recap all of the latest happenings as you get your day started.

In Mariners news…

• David Adler outlined what makes Gabe Speier such an important piece of the Team USA roster.

Around the league…

• The Mets made their second major move in a 24-hour span, acquiring right-hander Freddy Peralta from the Brewers for infielder Jett Williams and righties Brandon Sproat and Tobias Myers.
• Cody Bellinger re-signed with the Yankees on a five-year, $162.5M deal that includes a pair of opt-outs.
• The Angels re-upped with third baseman Yoán Moncada on a one-year, $4M deal.
• In a minor swap, the Twins acquired infielder Tristan Gray from the Red Sox for catching prospect Nate Baez.
• The Cardinals hired franchise legend Yadier Molina as a special assistant to the president of baseball operations.
• Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee was held in (and released from) detainment at Los Angeles International Airport due to an immigration issue.
• Baseball America unveiled its ranking of the top 100 prospects in the sport heading into the 2026 season. ($)
• Zach Crizer gave his very measured take on the state of labor in baseball right now with a lockout looming next winter.