Hello friends and happy Saturday! Let’s get to the latest from around the league with the weekend now underway.

In Mariners news…

• Lou Piniella is on the upcoming Eras Committee ballot for the Hall of Fame. Isabelle Minasian made the case for his induction this year.
• Adam Jude at The Seattle Times highlighted potential infield options for the Mariners as they seek upgrades this winter.

Around the league…

• Jake Bauers turned his breakout season into a major payday, inking a four-year, $58M deal with the Red Sox.
• Rob Manfred says the A’s new Las Vegas ballpark is coming along nicely with gates still on track to open in 2028.
• Dodgers executive Farhan Zaidi became the latest person to speak out about Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander’s comments against the Muslim community.

Anders’ picks…

• Nick Berardini at The New Yorker told the harrowing tale of how Jontay Porter lost his NBA dreams to a gambling addiction.

Heading into the 2026 season, all eyes were focused squarely on Nolan McLean as the Mets’ best young arm with the brightest future. Following his brief but eye-catching stint with the club in 2025, he was seen as the de facto future ace of the rotation and the team’s top pitching prospect. Furthermore, Jonah Tong had rocketed up the prospect rankings and debuted himself in 2025, and names like Jack Wenninger, Jonathan Santucci, and Zac Thornton had Mets fans excited about the team’s future.

As a result, Christian Scott flew under the radar. It’s not necessarily surprising: He last suited up for the team in 2024 and missed all of 2025 after undergoing a combined Tommy John surgery and internal brace procedure. Memories are short in the sports world, and it’s easy to forget Scott was the team’s fifth-best prospect (by Amazin’ Avenue’s rankings) heading into the 2024 season. That’s the year he got the call to the show, and while his numbers weren’t anything to write home about—a 4.56 ERA, a 4.60 FIP, and a 1.24 WHIP in 47 1/3 innings across nine starts—he enjoyed some really great starts (including his debut, which saw him allow one earned run over 6 2/3 innings) and did enough to warrant some anticipation and buzz.

Fast forward 18 months, and Scott was finally ready for his big comeback. Pitchers returning from Tommy John Surgery is always unpredictable, so it’s hard to know if the glimpses Scott showed in 2024 would still be there again. Scott, unsurprisingly, did not break camp with the club, but it didn’t take long for the right-hander to get his chance. Scott got the call to start on April 23 and stuck with the team throughout the remainder of the year, establishing himself as one of the Mets’ more reliable rotation options.

His first game back was a modest one, as he went 1 1/3 innings against the Twins as he allowed one run, walked five and struck out one. After that, however, he performed well, making 23 starts and posting a 3.85 ERA, a 3.61 FIP, a 1.27 WHIP, 134 strikeouts, 47 walks, and 1.7 bWAR in 110 innings of work. Across the board, he was a much better pitch and improved in some key areas of his game that he struggled with in 2024.

If there’s one thing you could point to as an area for improvement for the right-hander moving forward, it was the walks, which was noticeable from that very first start. Among 120 major league starting pitchers with at least 100 innings under their belt in 2026, Scott had the 18th-highest BB/9 (3.85) and the 19th-highest BB% (9.9%). In his 23 starts, he walked at least three batters six times, and at least four batters four times. Contrast that with 2024 (albeit in a much smaller sample size) when he posted a 2.28 BB/9 and a 6.1% BB%.

Walks aside, he had a really solid year. He worked around trouble a lot and saw a lot of traffic on the basepaths, which is something to work on moving forward, but he was generally great about run prevention (someone alert David Stearns) and kept damage to a minimum. In fact, he did not allow more than four runs in any of his nine 2024 starts, and he kept that streak going throughout his comeback season. He allowed exactly four runs in three of his 23 starts, three runs in eight of his starts, and two runs or fewer in the other 12. When all was said and done, he set a franchise record for most consecutive starts allowing four runs or fewer to begin a major league career, an ongoing mark which now sits at 32 games. Scott also, importantly, stayed relatively healthy after losing almost two full seasons, though his season did end early due to knee inflammation. Beyond that, he stuck around and pitched every five or six days as expected, setting a new benchmark by throwing 110 innings.

Another area where we saw a big improvement from Scott was his ability to limit home runs. In total, surrendered 12 homers across his 23 starts, and finished the year with a 0.98 HR/9. That mark is 40th among the 120 starters with at least 100 innings, and it’s an especially big improvement from his 1.52 HR/9 from 2024. In fact, he surrendered eight home runs in just nine starts, and 18 long balls combined between 18 major league and Triple-A starts. That’s something you love to see from a guy who struggled with surrendering home runs in the past, and is a trend you hope to see continue.

And that brings us to the last eye-catching number from Scott’s 2026 season: the strikeouts. Scott struck out 14 across his first two major league starts in 2024, but sat between two and five punch outs in each of his next seven. He finished that year with a 7.42 K/9 and a 19.8% K%, which is fairly respectable. However, he saw a huge improvement in his ability to strike out batters, finishing 2026 with a 10.96 K/9 and a 28.3% K%. Going back to our trusty rankings of major league starters with over 100 innings in 2026, he was eighth overall in K/9 and 15th in K%. He matched his single-game high with eight strikeouts twice and struck out at least six batters in 16 of his 23 outings.

Scott’s four seam fastball remained his primary pitch, and he utilized it quite effectively this season. He utilized it 47.1% of the time in 2026 while posting a 27.6% Whiff% and 21.6% PutAway% on the four seamer (comparatively, he threw the four seamer 52.9% of the time in 2024, with a 22.0% Whiff% and a 20.5% PutAway%. The pitch was especially effective against right-handers, though slightly less so than in 2024. This year, his four seamer carried a Pitch Run Value of +2, compared to +4 in 2024, and it remained a -1 both years against lefties. One of his best weapons was his sweeper, which he selectively used 22.8% of the time (an increase from 18.8% of the time in 2024) but was one of his deadliest pitches. He posted a 30.9% Whiff% with his sweeper, the best among all his pitches, to go along with a 23.6% PutAway% (compared to a 23.5% Whiff% and 12.0% PutAway% in 2024.

Where Scott really excelled was with a pitch he hardly used in 2024: his cutter. He only threw the cutter a total of two times at the major league level in 2024, but it became an extremely effective tool for the right-hander. Scott tossed his cutter 23% of the time against lefties (+6 pitch run value) and 12% of the time against righties (+1 pitch run value). He used it 18.9% of the time overall and had a 25.0% Whiff%. However, it was his best put away pitch, as he finished the year with a 25.7% PutAway% with the cutter. His Cutter had his best Run Value among any of his pitches at 8. He also introduced a Curveball for the first time, though it was one of his less effective pitches, with a -3 Run Value, a 14.8% Whiff% and a 12.5% PutAway%, his lowest among his 2026 pitches.

Overall, Scott demonstrated marketable improvement in several areas, including Whiff% (21.7% in 2024 to 27.0% in 2026, Barrel% (10.5% in 2024 to 6.1% in 2026), and average exit velo (89.2% to 86.8%). In each of these areas, he went from poor/average to great, and his Baseball Savant page showcased him jumping to much more elite metrics across the board.

Scott has certainly positioned himself for a spot on the team’s 2027 rotation alongside McLean and some of the team’s other young arms, like Zac Thornton. There are a couple of areas you’d like to see him improve upon, including the walks and his ability to pitch deep into games. Because he ran such high pitch counts, he ended up only pitching into the sixth in seven of his 23 outings, and he failed to complete five innings of work in 12 of his 23 appearances. You’d certainly like to see him get beyond the fifth inning a lot more frequently, but beyond that, there’s a ton of positives to take away from Scott’s season, and if he can remain healthy and build upon his success, Mets fans should get used to seeing a lot more of him on the mound in the future.

Jesse Rogers talks to J.J. Picollo about team needs.

The Royals want to balance their lineup after finishing in the bottom third of the league against left-handed pitching last year. A right-handed-hitting outfielder would be a nice acquisition.

“Right-handed stands out,” GM J.J. Picollo said. “We have a lot of left-handed hitters, particularly in the outfield, so a right-handed-hitting outfielder would be really helpful, especially if they can play center field a little bit.”

Lane Thomas didn’t finish the year for Kansas City, yet he led the Royals in home runs from right-handed-hitting outfielders. Pairing another dangerous hitter from the right side with Bobby Witt Jr. can only help balance things for the Royals.

Seiya Suzuki and Randy Arozarena are the top hitters in free agency, but might price themselves out of Kansas City. 

Sam McDowell writes the Royals need to produce a team worthy of their MVP candidate, Bobby Witt Jr.

“I think when I’m at my best is whenever we’re winning,” Witt said in a Zoom call this week, answering a question about the team after being asked about himself. “… And so I think the next step is just getting back to doing that.

“I think we need to do that sooner rather than later.”

This is the flip side of the trade deadline conversation, or even difference of opinion, that we had over the summer. The Royals held tight to their starting pitching staff at the trade deadline, all but telling teams not to call. They instead determined their window absolutely is now, because that player is here now.

Well, then the time better be now.

It would be a shame to waste, right? That has been a driving force, maybe even the driving force, behind big-picture strategy for an organization that declined an opportunity for a reset and instead marched ahead. Look, it’s not as though that belief defies logic — in Witt, the Royals have the general to follow.

But the team needs to follow.

David Lesky writes about the left-handed free agent reliever market.

Looking at all these stats in one, I come back to the same conclusion I had when I was writing the free agent version of JJ for a Day. I think the best options that fit cost and need are Minter, Soto, and Okert. I suppose you can add in Vesia, but I just sort of assume he’s going back to the Dodgers. Alvarado is a pretty decent upside play, but I would pay him a lot closer to the 5.86 ERA he had than the peripherals. That’s both because he doesn’t have the best past as a teammate with his PED suspension, but also because a near-6.00 ERA isn’t worth paying for, even if the data shows it probably shouldn’t have been so bad.

I totally get if Okert gives too many Matt Strahm vibes, getting whiffs and chases with less than elite velocity. He also really only has the one plus pitch in terms of stuff, and that’s his slider. But if they signed Minter, Okert, or Soto, I’d be a happy camper, and I think the Royals would be too.

Pete Grathoff reports on Royals game times for 2027.

The Royals announce their weekday home games (Monday to Thursday) in 2027 will begin at 6:40 p.m. Ditto for the Friday night games in April, May and September. In June and July the Friday games will start at 7:10.

— Pete Grathoff (@pgrathoff) November 9, 2026

The Missouri Supreme Court rejects a challenge of the Royals stadium deal by some lawmakers.

The Red Sox sign free agent first baseman Jake Bauers to a four-year, $58 million deal.

Atlanta signs reliever Evan Phillips to a three-year, $35 million contract.

Ranking the top ten free agent hitters available.

MLB Pipeline writes about prospects on each team that could be protected from the Rule 5 draft.

The White Sox are moving Grant Taylor to the starting rotation.

The Nationals are receiving trade interest in Dylan Crews.

The Rangers are in the mix for Japanese free agent Teruaki Sato.

The Padres signed former Royals farmhand Ryan Weiss to a one-year deal.

The Cardinals aren’t interested in trading Masyn Winn or Alec Burleson.

MLB Advanced Media employees vote to unionize.

The Blue Jays will meet with free agent Tarik Skubal.

The Cubs, White Sox, and Padres are interested in Japanese free agent Kaima Taira.

Where do the Yankees go from here?

MLB players could dissolve their union and file an antitrust lawsuit under a “nuclear option.” [$]

North Carolina State football hires Phillip Rivers as their head coach.

The Eagles grant Hollywood Brown his request and release him.

James Gunn’s DC Universe will be dismantled after his firing.

Mike Myers is writing a fourth Austin Powers movie.

The FAA grounds all planes in the U.S. over nationwide communications issues.

Your song of the day is Rush with New World Man.

The Colorado Rockies have plenty of work to do this offseason, and their most pressing need is hardly a secret. Starting pitching should be at the top of the front office’s shopping list. In fact, it would be absolutely forgivable, reasonable and perhaps even commendable if all the Rockies focused on this offseason was pitching.

But what about the position-player side of the roster?

The Rockies made significant strides on the offensive side of the ball in 2026, and much of their position-player group appears fairly well established heading into next season. Still, a closer look at the numbers reveals some interesting opportunities.

A look around the diamond

Colorado Rockies positional production, 2026

Position	fWAR	wRC+	MLB fWAR rank
Catcher	+2.9	103	12th
First Base	+2.2	117	15th
Second Base	+1.5	96	18th
Shortstop	0.0	66	30th
Third Base	+1.8	94	20th
Left Field	+0.3	85	27th
Center Field	+1.4	90	21st
Right Field	-1.0	84	29th
Designated Hitter	-0.6	89	22nd

FanGraphs team batting leaderboards, using production accumulated while playing each position.

Shortstop, designated hitter and the corner outfield stand out, but not every position necessarily needs an outside addition.

Ezequiel Tovar is signed long-term and finished 2026 on an encouraging note, hitting .285/.323/.447 with a 98 wRC+ over his final 45 games.

Connor Norby and Adael Amador provided excellent production down the stretch, posting 123 and 119 wRC+, respectively, from August through September. Both should get plenty of run at second base and also figure into the designated hitter rotation.

But what about the corner outfield?

Trouble in the corners

Jake McCarthy certainly didn’t look like a player contributing to the 27th-ranked left field in baseball. He hit .292/.333/.462 with a 104 wRC+ and accumulated 1.2 fWAR in 278 plate appearances while playing the position.

Mickey Moniak was even more productive offensively, posting a 118 wRC+ and 0.8 fWAR in 163 plate appearances in left field.

McCarthy also contributed 0.6 fWAR in just 56 plate appearances while playing right field.

Yet Colorado finished with just 0.3 fWAR in left field and -1.0 in right, ranking 27th and 29th, respectively.

So what was dragging down the overall production?

The right-handed disparity

Separating the corner-outfield results by batting side reveals a pretty striking difference.

Rockies corner-outfield production by batting side, 2026

Position	Batting side	PA	wRC+	fWAR	MLB fWAR rank
Left field	Left-handed	587	99	+1.4	10th
Left field	Right-handed	73	-10	-0.9	29th
Right field	Left-handed	360	93	+0.2	22nd
Right field	Right-handed	302	71	-1.1	29th

FanGraphs positional splits. Excludes 11 left-field plate appearances by Willi Castro and two right-field plate appearances by Cole Carrigg, both switch-hitters. Rankings reflect total fWAR rather than playing-time-adjusted rates.

Colorado’s left-handed hitters actually ranked 10th in left-field fWAR. Meanwhile, Jordan Beck accounted for all 73 right-handed plate appearances there, hitting just .134/.192/.179.

In right field, Beck and Tyler Freeman combined for -1.1 fWAR in 302 plate appearances.

And the right-handed struggles weren’t limited to the corners.

Across all three outfield positions, Colorado’s right-handed hitters combined for just four home runs, a 54 wRC+ and -2.5 fWAR in 499 plate appearances. Both the wRC+ and fWAR ranked dead last in MLB.

Of course, handedness doesn’t tell the whole story. McCarthy, a left-handed hitter, batted .319/.372/.524 with a 133 wRC+ against lefties in 182 plate appearances. But the rest of Colorado’s left-handed outfield options struggled in smaller samples, with Moniak, Troy Johnston and Zac Veen posting wRC+ marks of 39, 43 and -60, respectively, against left-handed pitching.

Some of that poor right-handed production is already off the roster. Freeman and Brenton Doyle have both departed, with Cole Carrigg taking over in center field.

Carrigg produced 1.1 fWAR while playing center and another 0.7 in limited opportunities at shortstop. His value at those premium positions makes a full-time move to a corner seem counterintuitive, at least without another dependable center fielder.

That leaves Beck as the Rockies’ most obvious remaining right-handed outfield option. He’s still young and hit 16 home runs in 2025, but his 2026 performance hardly makes a compelling case for handing him another starting job. Even against left-handed pitching, he managed just a 98 wRC+ with a 34% strikeout rate and an unusually high .455 BABIP.

Keeping Beck around is defensible. Relying on him simply because there aren’t many alternatives is another matter.

The left-handed tilt extends beyond the outfield. Colorado had just 12 plate appearances from right-handed hitters while playing first base in 2026.

The more you look at this roster, the more it seems like there’s a player down in Triple-A who might fit rather nicely.

A Condon-sized hole

Charlie Condon (No. 2 PuRP) certainly looks capable of helping.

The former No. 3 overall pick hit .273/.390/.514 with 27 home runs, 98 RBI and 79 walks in 130 games at Triple-A Albuquerque in 2026.

Condon also happens to be a right-handed hitter with experience in the corner outfield and at first base, with designated hitter offering another possible fit.

It’s a pretty tantalizing combination given Colorado’s current roster.

I expect we’ll see Condon in the majors sometime in 2027, and there’s plenty of reason to be excited about what he could contribute. But he’s yet to make his MLB debut and isn’t currently on the 40-man roster.

And while an impressive spring could change the equation, I’m not convinced beginning the season in Colorado would necessarily be the best move unless the Rockies are prepared to give him regular playing time.

That uncertainty makes exploring the free-agent market worthwhile.

Finding the right fit

The Rockies aren’t likely to pursue an established outfield star like Randy Arozarena, but there are more modest options worth exploring.

One approach would be adding a right-handed corner outfielder who can punish left-handed pitching.

Austin Hays fits that description. Over the past two seasons, he’s produced a .952 OPS in 158 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, compared to .672 against righties. Injuries remain a concern, but his experience in both outfield corners and strong throwing arm make him an interesting, potentially inexpensive option.

Another approach would be improving the outfield through contact, speed and defense while creating more flexibility for Carrigg.

Myles Straw hit just .241/.304/.342 in 2026, but struck out only 13.3% of the time and ranked in the 97th percentile in sprint speed. He also recorded four Outs Above Average after posting 10 in 2025.

Straw’s offensive limitations are obvious, but his range could be particularly valuable at Coors Field. A dependable center fielder would also allow Carrigg to play right field or elsewhere without sacrificing defense in center.

Jake Meyers offers a similar possibility, recording 13 Outs Above Average in 2024 and nine in 2025. His offense declined in 2026, and injuries complicate his outlook, but he could be worth a look on a minor-league deal with a spring-training invitation.

Neither Straw nor Meyers would solve Colorado’s offensive shortcomings on his own. But defense, baserunning and roster flexibility offer other ways to improve the outfield beyond simply adding another power hitter.

What happens next?

These are just a few names I find interesting, and there are certainly other possibilities worth exploring.

Maybe the Rockies stick with Beck until Condon is ready. Maybe they make a trade, or perhaps they’re comfortable moving forward with a predominantly left-handed outfield and Carrigg providing some balance.

There are plenty of ways this could play out.

But given just how little value Colorado received from its right-handed outfielders in 2026, I’d like to see the Rockies bring in some competition. It doesn’t have to be an expensive signing or a long-term commitment. Just someone capable of raising the floor while the younger players work to earn their opportunities.

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The General Manager’s Meetings held yearly for MLB executives, agents and players usually kicks off the free agent and trading season between baseball’s end and baseball beginning for the next year. This year is a bit different with an expected labor stoppage and lockout beginning late Dec. 1.

This might be the only chance for all the interested parties to meet before Spring Training begins in 2027, whenever that may be. Super agent Scott Boras even moved up his yearly address to the media that features his puns and stories. Normally, the GM Meetings is a lot of baseball business for the executives. Reviewing rule changes, assessing goals, discussing plans but not a lot of action with players.

As it turns out, this one looked very similar. The thought that lots of free agency business would be carried out turned out to be a myth. But there was some progress made for the San Diego Padres.

A.J. Preller adds some spice

We all know not to expect any details or specifics from anything Preller says during any of his media sessions. He is usually vague and talks in circles for the most part. This time he did a lot more of the same but was willing to be specific about wanting to re-sign Michael King. He will have no definite timeline for Yu Darvish but trusts him to do what is right for the team. Darvish will let them know if he is pitching next year at an appropriate time and is putting his family first.

Preller is in consistent contact with Joe Musgrove and they will have a plan in place for him in the next couple of weeks.

He detailed the decision to pass on Nick Pivetta’s option, saying they are still interested in a reunion but with a different contract. The unspoken message is that Pivetta is not necessarily healthy, and the team needs protections.

Most importantly, Preller said that the team payroll plan will be set after returning from the meetings. They were feeling out the market, talking to all players and agents about the parameters and where contracts will fall, numbers-wise.

Preller, Vice President Josh Stein, CEO Erik Greupner, and owners Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano will set the payroll and budget for 2027 based on the needs and players on the wish list. 

Preller was asked if he wanted three or four starters for the roster and he replied, “keep going.” He also specified a need to add a bat and to shore up the bullpen that has lost Jason Adam and Adrian Morejon to free agency.

The rumors continue to fly regarding the Padres being interested in Tarik Skubal. It was even leaked that Skubal will meet with Padres owners and executives next week in Orange County. Scott Boras is the agent for the ace starter and would not schedule a meeting if he didn’t think the team was serious. It seems a stretch, considering all the needs the team has, that Skubal would be a fit.

More wiggle room

The Padres have a little money coming off the books this year and even more the next two years. The new owners have signalled to baseball their willingness to invest in winning. The word flexibility was used by Preller when describing his payroll situation this offseason. 

Assuming the Spotrac numbers to be correct, the Padres have approximately $208.6 million committed, using estimates for the arb and pre-arb players. The 2026 payroll settled at $260.7 million by the end. If they are just aiming to keep the payroll level for 2027, that gives the front office $52 million to add in salary. If they are willing to go above last year, there is even more wiggle room.

Those numbers include Darvish and all three catchers. There remains a stubborn rumor going around that one of the three catchers will be part of a trade package. Preller even mentioned the popularity of his catchers when discussing how nice it was to have three on the roster.

Japanese players are on the list

The Padres are said to be heavily involved in the free agent Japanese players heading to MLB. The rules are a bit different regarding free agency for Teruaki Sato, Kaima Taira, and Hiromi Itoh. They must sign before the Dec. 1 deadline if they want to play in 2027.

To me, Itoh seems particulary attractive and is considered the safest bet of the two pitchers available. He is a workhorse who throws strikes and could fit directly into a rotation without a lot of adjustments.

Limited trade options

The Padres have some talent in the minors but most have not come into their own yet, if they ever do. Preller always manages to find someone who wants some of his minor leaguers, but it’s getting harder the more he trades away. The major league roster leaves little that is tempting that the team can spare. The two most mentioned names are Jake Cronenworth and one of their two backup catchers, Luis Campusano and Freddie Fermin. That might be enough to get a back-end starter or some relief help. The idea of trading Mason Miller for a starter seems ridiculous if the team really is trying to win.

Preller on the Prowl

The next three weeks could be wild or disappointing. Depends on which way the market decides to fall when it comes to gambling on the new CBA terms. But the Padres seemed to be signaling a willingness to be busy and fill out at least part of their roster before everything comes to a screeching halt. Given the budget to work with, Preller could get a lot of players marked off that wish list.

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Padres News:

• Some would say Manny Machado had a down year. Others would say it was another season with 30 home runs and an example of his consistency. Lincoln Zdunich has a position in that debate and that is reflected in his grade for Machado’s 2026 season.

• AJ Cassavell of Padres.com recaps what was learned about the Padres’ approach to the offseason during the GM Meetings.

• The Padres have one returning starter and nothing to bring up from the minor leagues to address their rotation needs, so they will have to spend.

• The Padres, Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs have all shown interest in adding the same Japanese starter according to MLB Trade Rumors.

Baseball News:

• Here are the latest rumors from around MLB.

• Jake Bauers departs Milwaukee and heads to the Boston Red Sox on a four-year deal.

• The Los Angeles Angels re-signed catcher Tyler Heineman to a one-year deal.

• Ja-Wook Koo is looking to make the move from the KBO to MLB.

It’s a mere formality Tarik Skubal will reset the standard for highest-paid pitcher in Major League Baseball. And deservedly so.

Skubal posted two of the most dominant seasons in recent baseball history in winning consecutive Cy Young Awards in 2024 and 2025. The left-hander doesn’t turn 30 until next week. Viable starting pitchers are running shorter in supply every year, and the cost for the highest-end talent continues rising.

Topping Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325 million pact (and Gerrit Cole’s nine-year, $324 million record for a player drafted and developed in the USA) will happen soon, almost certainly before Major League Baseball shuts down the industry Dec. 1. Skubal is slated for meetings with a handful of teams next week, most notably the Los Angeles Dodgers, who acquired him at the August trade deadline for a championship run that ended in the National League Championship Series.

But Skubal will join the $300 million ($400 million?) pitcher’s club toting an injury history a little more extensive than the average mega-ace. He famously had Tommy John surgery in April 2016 while pitching at Seattle Pacific, recovered and was shrewdly drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the ninth round in 2018.

Just as he was evolving into a potential ace in August 2022, Skubal’s second full season in the majors was disrupted by flexor tendon surgery, which limited him to 15 starts in 2023.

And his bid for a third consecutive Cy Young Award was derailed in May, when he underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his throwing elbow, undergoing an innovative nanoscope procedure that enabled his mound return in just 32 days – and maintain his value heading into free agency.

A team could regard Skubal’s health history in multiple fashions.

On the positive side: He’s had his Tommy John surgery, albeit a decade ago, and has cleared his other hurdles and remained dominant.

A more negative orientation would revive the bromide that past injury is the greatest predictor of future injury.

Yet what can the 10 largest pitching contracts in major league history teach us about how healthy these elite arms were when they signed life-changing pacts, and how they held up after?

We know this much: Four of the 10 highest-paid starters ever won World Series with the teams that signed them. Two more reached the World Series in the life of their contracts.

And the jury is still out on three contracts just getting started – including one ace waylaid by a major injury.

 A look at the 10 largest contracts signed by starting pitchers, and how these deals aged for team and player:

1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers: 12 years, $325 million

Signed: December 2023, age 25

Résumé at time of signing: Three-time Ejii Sawamura winner (Japan’s Cy Young equivalent) and three-time NPB MVP

Pre-contract health flags: Reportedly pitched through elbow pain in renowned high school tournament, dropping him to fourth round of NPB draft. Revised training methods apparently quelled the pain. Dodgers contract contains opt outs after 2029 and 2031 but are pushed back to 2031 and 2033 if Yamamoto undergoes Tommy John surgery or is on the injured list for 134 consecutive service days due to right elbow injury.

Post-contract health: Missed three months in June 2024 due to strained rotator cuff.

Post-contract performance: After 2024 IL stint, he’s been one of the game’s greatest pitchers and a crucial and selfless piece of the Dodgers’ consecutive World Series titles in 2024 and 2025. Two-time All-Star, World Series MVP, 2.61 ERA in 76 starts.

Outlook: The World Series trophies make this deal worth every penny already, with plenty more in the offing. Take his three-year sample into account and Yamamoto has a strong case as the best pitcher in baseball.

2. Gerrit Cole, Yankees: Nine years, $324 million

Signed: December 2019, age 29

Résumé: 2019 AL Cy Young runner-up, major league-leading 326 strikeouts, three top 10 Cy Young finishes, career 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings

Pre-contract health flags: IL stints in 2014 (right shoulder fatigue, right lat fatigue) and 2016 (triceps muscle strain, posterior elbow inflammation)

Post-contract health: Underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2025, a year after missing three months of 2024 season with elbow inflammation. Returned to rotation in May.

Post-contract performance: Won 2023 AL Cy Young Award and finished second in balloting in 2021 while making three consecutive All-Star trips. Has struck out 10.6 batters per nine innings, with a 3.19 ERA and 1.04 WHIP and was Game 1 starter for club that reached 2024 World Series.

Outlook: A nine-year deal for a pitcher is almost guaranteed to invite health woes, but Cole was superb before Tommy John surgery and looked crisp in his get-the-lead-out half-season this year. On balance, deal has been and should continue to be great.

3. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals: Seven years, $245 million

Signed: December 2019, age 31

Résumé: 2019 World Series MVP, three-time All-Star, career 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings, 30-8 record in 2016-2017.

Pre-contract health flags: September 2010 Tommy John surgery, eight IL stints between 2013-2018 (neck, back, elbow, oblique, lat, shoulder, cervical nerve)

Post-contract health: Underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in August 2021, a malady that essentially ended his career.

Post-contract performance: Strasburg made just eight starts from 2020-2022 as he battled direct and indirect effects of TOS. He officially retired in April 2024.

Outlook: An up-and-down health saga for Strasburg reached a sad conclusion, just as he’d reached the apex of the sport with a dominant World Series-winning performance. His talent was so overwhelming and ceiling so limitless that the Nationals re-upped him twice, first a $175 million extension and then the $245 million pact after he exercised an opt-out.

4. Max Fried, Yankees: Eight years, $218 million

Signed: December 2024, age 30

Résumé: Three-time All-Star, 3.07 ERA in eight years with Atlanta, World Series champion

Pre-contract health flags: August 2014 Tommy John surgery, IL stints in 2023 and 2024 for left forearm strain, left forearm neuritis

Post-contract health: Spent two stints on IL, totaling 10 weeks, in 2026 for left elbow bone bruise

Post-contract performance: Other than his bone bruise, Fried has been excellent for the Yankees, posting a 2.83 ERA in 52 starts over two seasons and winning 19 games, earning an All-Star nod, in 2025.

Outlook: He’s been about as good as the Yankees envisioned, and while there’s still six more years remaining, the contract length has more to do with knocking down the average annual value ($27.3 million) for luxury tax purposes.

5. David Price, Red Sox: Seven years, $217 million

Signed: December 2015, age 30

Résumé: Cy Young Award winner, two-time Cy Young runner-up, five-time All-Star, 104 wins, 29.3 WAR in first seven seasons

Pre-contract health flags: One IL trip (strained left triceps) in 2013.

Post-contract health: Missed three months in 2017 due to elbow strain, inflammation. IL trips for wrist (twice) and hamstring.

Post-contract performance: Price was initially the workhorse Boston envisioned, leading the major leagues in starts (35) and innings (230) in winning 17 games in 2016. He was a significant figure on their 2018 World Series championship club, winning 16 games with a 1.14 WHIP and then three more in the playoffs, two in the World Series. He never pitched more than 107 innings in a year again, getting shipped to L.A. in a salary dump tied to the Mookie Betts trade with the Dodgers.

Outlook: Overall, a solid sign that lent credibility and length to the rotation, eventually netting a championship in the second season Chris Sale joined forces in the rotation.

6. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers: Seven years, $215 million

Signed: January 2014, age 25

Résumé: Two Cy Young Awards and a runner-up finish the previous three seasons, 77 wins, 1,206 strikeouts and a 2.60 ERA by age 25.

Pre-contract health flags: Did not appear on injured list in first six major league seasons.

Post-contract health: Amazingly, Kershaw’s first start under his new deal resulted in his first IL appearance – though the fact it involved a long trip to Australia might have contributed to the inflamed muscle in his back, forcing a five-week absence. That would be a bit of a harbinger: A herniated disc in his back sidelined him 10 weeks in 2016 and a lower back strain cost him six weeks in 2017. He’d hit the IL for back issues in 2018 and 2020, as well.

Post-contract performance: Kershaw put up arguably the greatest season of his career in the first year of the deal, winning 21 games with a 1.77 ERA, throwing a no-hitter and winning his third Cy Young Award. The Dodgers won their first World Series since 1988 in the final year of his deal, the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign. His numbers over the life of the contract: 98-30, a 2.26 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Outlook: The deal made Kershaw a Dodger for life, in a sense, and remarkably, he had virtually zero arm problems in that span – brief IL stints for shoulder inflammation and biceps tendinitis. His aching back cost him dozens of starts, but never enough to shut him down for a season nor slow down a career that ended with Kershaw as one of the greatest left-handed pitchers of all time.

7. Corbin Burnes, Diamondbacks: Six years, $210 million

Signed: December 2024, age 30

Résumé: 2021 NL Cy Young winner, five top 10 Cy Young finishes, four-time All-Star, averaged 208 strikeouts, 197 innings his last three seasons before free agency.

Pre-contract health flags: One IL appearance for a strained oblique.

Post-contract health: Underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2025, sidelining him 15 months.

Post-contract performance: Still waiting on that after Burnes headed to the operating table just two months into this deal. He returned this past September and made three starts, and should be poised for a relatively normal 2027.

Outlook: Definitely not what you want. But the dark pragmatist might note that Burnes got his TJ out of the way, and there’s still four years remaining on this deal.

8. Max Scherzer, Nationals: Seven years, $210 million

Signed: January 2015, age 30

Résumé: 2013 Cy Young Award winner, two-time All-Star, 39-8 record, 3.02 ERA, 10.2 strikeouts per nine in final two years before free agency.

Pre-contract health flags: Two very brief absences in 2009, 2012 due to right shoulder strains.

Post-contract health: Four IL stints of one to three weeks in 2017 (neck inflammation), 2019 (back, rhomboid strains) and 2021 (groin inflammation).

Post-contract performance: Consecutive Cy Young Awards in 2016 and 2017, followed by second- and third-place finishes. Posted a 2.75 ERA in 200 starts, striking out 11.8 batters per nine over 1,297 innings. Won World Series championship in 2019.

Outlook: Wow, what a deal. Strasburg’s injury and other breakdowns ended Washington’s run of playoff appearances and Scherzer was traded to the Dodgers in 2021; he eventually ran into back and other problems as he reached his 38^th birthday in 2023. But he was virtually perfect for the life of this contract and the Nationals got a World Series title out of it.

9. Dylan Cease, Blue Jays: Seven years, $210 million

Signed: November 2025, age 29

Résumé: Two top five Cy Young finishes, including AL runner-up in 2022, when he led the league in WAR. Led AL in strikeouts per nine innings in 2021 (12.3) and the major leagues in 2025 (11.5).

Pre-contract health flags: No major league IL stints since July 2019 debut.

Post-contract health: Landed on IL for first time in May, missing two weeks with a hamstring strain. Placed on IL in late September with shoulder inflammation.  

Post-contract performance: A fine first season in Toronto for Cease, who finished runner-up to Cam Schlittler in AL Cy Young voting after posting a 2.40 ERA, leading the AL in FIP (2.56) and strikeouts per nine (12.7). Walks remain an occasional thorn, as he’s yet to throw a 200-inning season, but Cease has so far been the ace the Blue Jays hoped for.

10. Zack Greinke, Diamondbacks: Six years, $206.5 million

Signed: December 2015, age 32

Résumé: 2009 AL Cy Young winner, 2015 NL Cy Young runner-up, six 200-inning seasons, 48.9 WAR, 3.35 ERA in first 12 seasons. A 19-3 record and 1.47 ERA with the Dodgers in final season before opting out.

Pre-contract health flags: No arm trouble from pitching, but Greinke was sent to the IL with a broken collarbone after taking on Carlos Quentin in a 2013 bench-clearing brawl.

Post-contract health: Greinke maintained his rubber arm rep through the life of the contract, with just an oblique strain in 2016 and a neck strain in 2021 sending him to the IL.

Post-contract performance: Greinke wasn’t as dominant as his brief Dodger stint but remained precise, posting a 1.10 WHIP and walking just 1.8 batters per nine over the life of the contract. The Diamondbacks reached the playoffs in his first year and he started in their wild-card game victory. Two years later, they dealt him to Houston, where he made five playoff starts, including a World Series Game 7 duel against Scherzer. Greinke was a member of the Astros’ playoff rotation in 2020 and during another World Series run in 2021.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tarik Skubal will smash big-money record. What does history say about the risks?

I was one of those fans surprised (yet not surprised) with the Evan Phillips signing. I can squint and see it working out, but it was probably one year and/or $2 MM AAV too much. With one reliever signed, the focus shifts to whether or not Raisel Iglesias returns. There is probably a number there that would make me comfortable with that. But another thought brings me to two pitchers that are recovering from injuries. Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach could serve anywhere from starters to swingmen to multiple inning guys to high leverage. That is, assuming they can pitch at all in 2027.

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Alex Anthopoulos has already told us that he’s not counting on either to start the year in the rotation. But there is a lot of room between being a starter out of Spring Training and pitching at all. Spencer Strider has a career 3.45/2.83/2.72 in the first time through the order. That will definitely play and will play up in a one to two inning outing. Schwellenbach’s numbers are a juicy 2.04/2.79/2.91, which honestly sounds like a lot of fun in high leverage. Of course, if these guys can’t start, the rotation options after Chris Sale are young Didier Fuentes, the Grant Holmes Experience, Bryce Elder, AJ Smith-Shawver, Joey Wentz, JR Ritchie, and Owen Murphy. This is assuming Tyler Mahle doesn’t return.

So how many relief innings will the Braves get from Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach? Will the Braves put them in a position to pitch fewer than three innings at a time? Will injury force their hand? See, this is why I wasn’t super excited for the offseason this year. Too many questions and too much time.

Once again, awards season has come and gone without a Phillies player being named a victor. Cristopher Sanchez was the closest, finishing second in NL Cy Young voting, though even that was close as Chris Sale finished hair’s breadth to him in third. In NL MVP voting, the team had three players on the ballot with Sanchez finishing 8th, Kyle Schwarber finishing 11th and Bryce Harper a distant 15th in voting.

The question for today is: who is the next player from the Phillies that will win a major award? When it comes to the big ones of Cy Young and MVP, those feel difficult for the anyone on the team to attain considering the great players that populate the National League right now. My eyes would be looking at the Rookie of the Year award, focusing on Aidan Miller and Francisco Renteria. Those seem like the two players that might actually have a shot at doing something with that award.

Meet the Mets

The Athletic listed the options the Mets have for filling their first base hole this offseason.

Zac Thornton’s somewhat unusual pitch arsenal helped him achieve major league success this season.

Around the National League East

Battery Power analyzed the Evan Phillips signing and the state of the Braves’ bullpen.

Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh underwent wrist surgery in October and is now ready to resume baseball activities.

The Marlins are reportedly showing interest in free agent lefty pitcher Patrick Sandoval.

Federal Baseball argued that the Nationals should sign Raisel Iglesias to fill a hole in the team’s bullpen.

Around Major League Baseball

One of the first prominent free agent signings has come from the Red Sox, who have inked first baseman Jake Bauers to a four-year, $58 million deal.

ESPN broke down the latest free agency news for all thirty MLB teams.

MLB.com contemplated which players will have the chance to be a first-time winner of either the Cy Young or MVP awards next season.

Another international player is looking to make the jump to the majors, as Korean outfielder Ja-Wook Koo has hired representation to help him explore a move.

Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander issued an apology for his anti-Muslim social media posts from last week.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Thomas Henderson recapped the 2026 season for now-former Met A.J. Minter.

This Date in Mets History

Bing Devine—who would go on to add several of the players who would go on to play major roles on the 1969 Miracle Mets—was hired as president of the Mets on this date in 1966.