Around Baseball 2025

[Orgfiller]

9 minutes ago, BTS said:

This signing seems kind of stupid. They already have Profar/Harris II/Acuna Jr. every day in the OF. Murphy/Baldwin eating most DH days. 20M for a 4th OF who can't really play CF is just an odd use of resources. 

AA is washed

[Laika]

41 minutes ago, BTS said:

This signing seems kind of stupid. They already have Profar/Harris II/Acuna Jr. every day in the OF. Murphy/Baldwin eating most DH days. 20M for a 4th OF who can't really play CF is just an odd use of resources. 

After $16M for Raisel Iglesias, 36 year old with a 97 Stuff+ and 0.8 WAR projection 

[Orgfiller]

6 minutes ago, Laika said:

After $16M for Raisel Iglesias, 36 year old with a 97 Stuff+ and 0.8 WAR projection 

Higher AAV than Devin Williams when you factor in the deferrals.

[Pendleton]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/nico-hoerner-drawing-trade-interest.html

 

Often these rumors are carry little to no weight, but Hoerner is an interesting name to see out there simply because he's such a Blue Jays style player. We could sign Tucker for added punch and then fill the entire INF with gold glovers. I'm not sure why or if the Cubs even consider moving him but they haven't been the brightest org of late. 

[Brownie19]

2 years $23M for a guy with 102 wRC+ and 0.8 WAR projections as a platoon player?  AA - you OK bruh?

[L54]

 

[BTS]

So 40M in CBT hit for two relievers and a 4th OF this offseason for Atlanta.

[Jays24]

1 hour ago, Orgfiller said:

AA is washed

And he just took away the only real closer left in free agency :(

[Orgfiller]

12 minutes ago, L54 said:

 

Too bad, I would've been okay with him at that price, but I also don't know what kind of budget we're playing with, especially if we're still in on Bo/Tucker. Likely couldn't have done the big bats and added a Suarez.

[L54]

Jays don’t need a “closer” 

Just get another arm that you can realistically expect to pitch in 7/8/9th inning 

[L54]

2 minutes ago, Orgfiller said:

Too bad, I would've been okay with him at that price, but I also don't know what kind of budget we're playing with, especially if we're still in on Bo/Tucker. Likely couldn't have done the big bats and added a Suarez.

Ya thought the same I don’t think 3/45 would’ve been too bad. I’m not crazy about going higher than that personally for any reliever really 

[Orgfiller]

All these deals for relievers makes it seem like either Devin Williams left a lot of money on the table, or certainly Edwin Diaz did.

After deferrals, Williams basically ended up getting what age 34 Robert Suarez did. Maybe the elevated ERA did actually affect his market, it's just that this is the going rate for pretty good relievers.

[glory]

12 minutes ago, Orgfiller said:

Too bad, I would've been okay with him at that price, but I also don't know what kind of budget we're playing with, especially if we're still in on Bo/Tucker. Likely couldn't have done the big bats and added a Suarez.

I think that's what it is. If the Jays are going to sign Tucker (for example), then they probably don't have $15-20M AAV left for a reliever. I'm sure the Jays are willing to get into Cohen Tax territory but Atkins likely still has a level that he doesn't want to (or can't) cross. 

Removing emotion out of it (Game 7), I think you can make a reasonable argument that Hoffman as closer again might be a fine scenario. He projects reasonably well for 2026 and it's possible the unusually high HR rate could normalize next season. I think adding a RP who can pitch the 9th inning but doesn't have to be the "closer" might be the best way to go from a cost standpoint. Someone like Luke Weaver might make sense in that regard. 

[R.O.]

 

[Funky]

Quickly, it’s December 11. How much time do they need to figure things out?

[L54]

Just now, Funky said:

Quickly, it’s December 11. How much time do they need to figure things out?

They've added two starters and will presumably land another bat. Things are going just fine 

[Jimcanuck]

1 hour ago, Pendleton said:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/nico-hoerner-drawing-trade-interest.html

 

Often these rumors are carry little to no weight, but Hoerner is an interesting name to see out there simply because he's such a Blue Jays style player. We could sign Tucker for added punch and then fill the entire INF with gold glovers. I'm not sure why or if the Cubs even consider moving him but they haven't been the brightest org of late. 

If Hoerner is actually available he'd be a fantastic addition.  Allows Gimenez to sit against LHP.

[BTS]

Hoerner probably wouldn't be that expensive trade-value wise, as he's glove-first and a year from free agency. The team would definitely have the resources to acquire him, and then could recoup a comp pick after the season. 

[Orgfiller]

26 minutes ago, L54 said:

They've added two starters and will presumably land another bat. Things are going just fine 

Can't believe we signed the top starter on the market and some people can still act like Ross Atkins is just sitting on his ass lol.

[Funky]

37 minutes ago, L54 said:

They've added two starters and will presumably land another bat. Things are going just fine 

sorey, I didn’t mean it that way.  I am happy.  Just thought it was a funny statement weeks into free agency.  

 Would love a top end closer as much as the next, but relievers are so volatile 

would rather lengthen the lineup with a big bat. 

[Bob_Gratton]

1 hour ago, Jays24 said:

And he just took away the only real closer left in free agency :(

15-20 m annually is now the price for a premium closer. Atkins should have paid that price for a #1 closer. It's more easy find reliever like Varland, Anthony, Garcia at trade deadline, but very difficult get guys like Suarez, Diaz. If the Dodgers agreed pay 69m for Diaz it's because they understand that. Atkins probably value quantity over premium reliever, so he will probably sign Fairbanks (Hoffman2.0) or another arm like Rodgers or bring back Ser Anthony. Better sign Imai ( 99.99% sure Bieber will end up on injury list before allstar game in 2026) with that money, instead of a below average reliever. They are rumor about Jays signing Tucker and keep Bichette, so we will have guys and prospect to trade for a good reliever in such case.

[L54]

51 minutes ago, Funky said:

sorey, I didn’t mean it that way.  I am happy.  Just thought it was a funny statement weeks into free agency.  

 Would love a top end closer as much as the next, but relievers are so volatile 

would rather lengthen the lineup with a big bat. 

Me too 

I’m cool with a decent reliever and one of Bo/Tucker 

Really couldn’t ask for more than that

[max silver]

18 hours ago, Jonn said:

It’s been a long time actually. And the thing about Varsho he adds value in multiple areas of the game. Yes he’s frustrating at the plate. But often makes it up with his glove.

Anthony Santander is as one dimensional as they come. Please stop glazing a 1 WAR player or ever compare him to a player that put up 3 WAR in his sleep.

Come on now it's far from a given that a healthy Santander is a 1 win player in 2026.

[max silver]

18 hours ago, Jonn said:

Everyone wanted Springer gone lol. Even our media wanted him released in Spring. What he did last Season was incredible. And credit to him for the work he put in and not abandoning that plan when he didn’t get results during Spring.

Moving Santander hinges more on if they sign Tucker. Where does he play if RF and DH is occupied. Do they put him in LF or would they rather play Lukes and Scheneider. It’s just something to think about. He would be an expensive bench bat.

I really don't think that Schneider and Lukes would stand to be playing ahead of Santander if the bat bounces back with better health. 

[max silver]

2 hours ago, L54 said:

They've added two starters and will presumably land another bat. Things are going just fine 

You can add in the Bieber opt in to his contract option as well as another piece of offseason work being done really early. The team has essentially rebuilt the rotation in early December and that's a tidy piece of work for this point of the offseason.

[jaysblue]

19 hours ago, Perfect Game said:

 

Yeah I don't get this one either by the Braves. They already have Acuna, Harris and Profar, so Yastrzemski doesn't really fit in as a platoon anywhere and he can't play CF. Likely a one-year deal would have sufficed for a platoon/4th outfielder. How did he post a 2.4 WAR season last year?

Yastrzemski has had a decent career, but he's nothing special. Always has posted 1.5+ WAR each season. 

[jaysblue]

3 hours ago, L54 said:

Jays don’t need a “closer” 

Just get another arm that you can realistically expect to pitch in 7/8/9th inning 

Yeah an arm like Keller or Fairbanks would be nice. 

[L54]

3 minutes ago, jaysblue said:

Yeah an arm like Keller or Fairbanks would be nice. 

Even Thielbar or Rogers or Weaver 

[jaysblue]

3 hours ago, BTS said:

So 40M in CBT hit for two relievers and a 4th OF this offseason for Atlanta.

They need to add a shortstop, otherwise, not sure what else they really need to add? Bench and bullpen depth, which they have already added. They're probably content at rotating Baldwin and Murphy between C and DH. Rest of the lineup outside of shortstop is fine. They just need their big bats like Acuna, Olson, Riley to stay healthy and they need their top arms to stay healthy as well. 

They probably need another starter, someone like a Bassitt or someone durable who can eat innings. Not sure they're in the market for any of the top SP arms remaining, but we'll see after spending $40M between Iglesias, Suarez and Y, makes it unlikely. 

[Bob_Gratton]

1 hour ago, L54 said:

Me too 

I’m cool with a decent reliever and one of Bo/Tucker 

Really couldn’t ask for more than that

A decent reliever like Fairbanks will cost around 10m annualy, a premium like Suarez 15m. So do this worth it to save 5m to sign someone like Brad Keller? The problem jays have is the 9 inning, no 6-8. We have the guys to pitch the 6-8 innings, but to close the game, we don't have someone 100% reliable.