Around Baseball 2025

[Spanky__99]

3 hours ago, mphenhef said:

It wouldn't be that hard to train an agent using his history of posts....

Pardon?

[mphenhef]

8 minutes ago, Spanky__99 said:

Pardon?

That's just to say for any poster with a large history of posts, you could train a generative AI to have an agent that imitates that person without much effort.

[BTS]

Just now, mphenhef said:

That's just to say for any poster with a large history of posts, you could train a generative AI to have an agent that imitates that person without much effort.

Someone should do this, and then not tell Spanky. The fights between Spanky and AI Spanky would be legendary, 

[Alejandro Murphy]

Jon Heyman with the MLB Central trio this morning followed up his NY post 10/29/25 article by mentioning again about Detroit and Skubal being far apart with contract negotiations.   Wanting more than Crochet or Cole’s deal.

Is Detroit willing to trade the current game’s No.1 Pitcher?

lots of moving parts this summer for sure.

 

[Pendleton]

 

[G-Snarls]

7 minutes ago, Pendleton said:

 

Actual last shot for Bonds and Clemens?

[Jimcanuck]

Bregman officially opts out.  I don't think Boston tries to resign him, they will go with Mayer at 3B and use the money for other needs.

[SeranthonySantander]

Rockies GM is maybe interested in Tarik Skubal

Maybe they make a run at Bo because of the sentiment factor, Dante having played there

Then 3-4 more good SP and a handful of bullpen arms and they got themselves a team 

 

[Jimcanuck]

Makes sense for the Rockies to pursue Skubal given where they are on the won curve.

Always get pitching first, then the bats.

[Brownie19]

Yu Darvish said Tuesday that he underwent internal brace and flexor tendon surgery last week and will miss the 2026 season.

[Terminator]

On 11/3/2025 at 12:36 PM, Jimcanuck said:

Bregman officially opts out.  I don't think Boston tries to resign him, they will go with Mayer at 3B and use the money for other needs.

I'd rather bring Bo back but if Bregman is signing short term deals again I think you'd have to keep tabs on him.

[L54]

On 11/3/2025 at 1:36 PM, Jimcanuck said:

Bregman officially opts out.  I don't think Boston tries to resign him, they will go with Mayer at 3B and use the money for other needs.

Really? Opting out is just a formality it seems, I bet he’s back in Boston 

[Brownie19]

Cubs trade Andrew Kittredge to the O's for cash considerations.  He has a $9M option.  He was really good with the Cubs late last year.  Cubs seems to be slashing payroll - presumably to be active in free agency?

[Stangstag]

12 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

Yu Darvish said Tuesday that he underwent internal brace and flexor tendon surgery last week and will miss the 2026 season.

GG

[bronson44]

I feel like Skubal might wind up in Boston. They still have a pretty good farm no? Skubal and Crochet would be pretty scary.

[G-Snarls]

6 minutes ago, bronson44 said:

I feel like Skubal might wind up in Boston. They still have a pretty good farm no? Skubal and Crochet would be pretty scary.

Yeah that would suck 

Please trade to an NL team 

[BTS]

1 hour ago, Brownie19 said:

Yu Darvish said Tuesday that he underwent internal brace and flexor tendon surgery last week and will miss the 2026 season.

Damn, that's sad. Probably it for him. Hell of a career. 

[BTS]

Anyone else surprised by this?

 

[L54]

1 hour ago, BTS said:

Anyone else surprised by this?

 

Strange move. Almost every player in this situation just opts out to secure more cash at a reduced AAV like Bregman will 

[SeranthonySantander]

10 minutes ago, L54 said:

Strange move. Almost every player in this situation just opts out to secure more cash at a reduced AAV like Bregman will 

He thinks he is going to improve and get a better deal I guess.  It's a risk you can take when you already have tens of millions I guess.

[G-Snarls]

Royals new deal with Sal Perez 2 years 

$25MM guarantee, though the deal includes some deferrals. The guarantee includes a $7MM signing bonus.

[Spanky__99]

10 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

Yu Darvish said Tuesday that he underwent internal brace and flexor tendon surgery last week and will miss the 2026 season.

He's going to rehab and come back in '27, that surprised me, dude's 39.

[jaysblue]

5 hours ago, Spanky__99 said:

He's going to rehab and come back in '27, that surprised me, dude's 39.

He probably will pitch until he's 42 here as long as a team offers him a rotation spot. 

I could see him going back to Japan after he retires in the MLB, if he still wants to pitch into his late 40's. 

[Spanky__99]

1 minute ago, jaysblue said:

He probably will pitch until he's 42 here as long as a team offers him a rotation spot. 

I could see him going to Japan after he retires in the MLB, if he still wants to pitch into his late 40's. 

He's already said he would for his hometown team or something.

[mphenhef]

8 hours ago, G-Snarls said:

Royals new deal with Sal Perez 2 years 

$25MM guarantee, though the deal includes some deferrals. The guarantee includes a $7MM signing bonus.

Expect to see a lot of deals include signing bonuses this offseason.  It's just ripe for a team that just pulled in a ton of revenue to take advantage.

[Brownie19]

2 hours ago, jaysblue said:

He probably will pitch until he's 42 here as long as a team offers him a rotation spot. 

I could see him going back to Japan after he retires in the MLB, if he still wants to pitch into his late 40's. 

I agree.  It just feels like he's so good that he'll be able to pitch well into his 40's.  I hope surgery goes well and he's able to - I love seeing stuff like that.

[Brownie19]

11 hours ago, G-Snarls said:

Royals new deal with Sal Perez 2 years 

$25MM guarantee, though the deal includes some deferrals. The guarantee includes a $7MM signing bonus.

Sal is the Tony Batista of catchers.  Counting stats for days.  I do enjoy seeing a leader like that spend his whole career with one team though.  So rare these days.

[Olerud363.354]

22 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

Sal is the Tony Batista of catchers.  Counting stats for days.  I do enjoy seeing a leader like that spend his whole career with one team though.  So rare these days.

Tony Batista was next level with a career 89 wRC+ but lots of 30 homer 100 rbi seasons.  

The only advanced thing Gord Ash ever did was put Batista on waivers when he tried to send him down to the minors in 2001 (after a 41 110 season).   Crazy stuff.  Baltimore claimed him, but Ash and his team correctly assessed Batista's skill level (after failing to do it for similar players 'cough' old Joe Carter 'cough' for several years).

Speaking of which Joe Carter and Salvadore Perez according to fangraphs have the same life time WAR and same wRC+. 

How that works out is a bit hard to figure.   Joe Carter at catcher should be better than Joe Carter in left field.  I guess Joe Carter played more games so got a bit more WAR, and Perez does not get any defense love from fangraphs.   Plus to be accurate Perez is 2 WAR ahead...

One would figure in a couple years Perez will build his lead over Carter... but this type of player can put up negative WAR over their last seasons so maybe Perez will tie Carter yet. 

[Orgfiller]

8 hours ago, Spanky__99 said:

He's going to rehab and come back in '27, that surprised me, dude's 39.

He's under contract until end of 2028 because Preller gave him a 6 year deal entering his age 36 season. I'm sure he would consider retiring from the MLB otherwise.

[Brownie19]

Lots of notes:

- The Padres are hiring Craig Stammen as their new manager.

- Kenta Maeda announced that he will return to Japan for the 2026 season.

- Cubs agreed to terms with RHP Colin Rea on a one-year contract with a club option for 2027. Rea is guaranteed $6.5 million and will make $13 million if the option is exercised.

- The Braves are turning down Tyler Kinley’s $5.5 million option, according to Jon Heyman.

- The Rays are exercising Brandon Lowe’s $11.5 million option, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

- Justin Turner has become a free agent after his $10 million mutual option was declined.

- Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the Orioles are signing Leody Taveras to a one-year contract. It’s a $2 million deal, per Heyman. 

- Phillies exercised their $9 million club option on LHP José Alvarado for 2026.

- Reds declined their $3 million club option on LHP Brent Suter for 2026.

- Reds declined their $4.5 million club option on RHP Scott Barlow for 2026.

- Reds declined their $12 million mutual option on OF Austin Hays for 2026.

- Rangers claimed RHP Michel Otañez off waivers from the Athletics.

- Jorge Polanco has declined a player option to return to the Mariners in 2026.

- Yankees exercised their $3 million club option on LHP Tim Hill for 2026.

- Yankees declined their $5 million club option on RHP Jonathan Loáisiga for the 2026 season.

- Jon Heyman reports that the Braves are picking up their $18 million club option for LHP Chris Sale.

- Phillies OF Harrison Bader declined his $10 million mutual option for 2026.