Around Baseball 2026

[Jays24]

9 hours ago, G-Snarls said:

Thinking about it 

 

Those numbers need to reflect deferrals

[G-Snarls]

25 minutes ago, Jays24 said:

Those numbers need to reflect deferrals

Good point

I'd like to see a source comparing current value AAV

[Laika]

The Fangraphs tracker uses the present value. But we don't know what the deferrals are yet for Framber's deal. No matter how you chop it up, Cease's AAV looks great in comparison to others. The only real wrinkle with his deal is the 7th year. 

Framber Valdez

SP

R

L

HOU

32

6.163

4.0

3.6

5

$140.0M

$28.0M

❌$22.0M

DET

3

$115.00M

$38.33M

📝

Dylan Cease

SP

R

R

SDP

30

6.089

3.4

3.8

5

$130.0M

$26.0M

❌$22.0M

TOR

7

$210.00M

$27.02M

📝

Ranger Suárez

SP

L

L

PHI

30

6.112

4.0

3.4

5

$125.0M

$25.0M

❌$22.0M

BOS

5

$130.00M

$26.00M

📝

Michael King

SP

R

R

SDP

31

6.004

0.8

3.1

4

$88.0M

$22.0M

❌$22.0M

SDP

3

$75.00M

$25.00M

📝

Brandon Woodruff

SP

L

R

MIL

33

7.161

1.8

2.9

3

$66.0M

$22.0M

✅$22.0M

MIL

1

$22.03M

$22.03M

📝

Shota Imanaga

SP

L

L

CHC

32

2.000

0.9

1.8

2

$38.0M

$19.0M

✅$22.0M

CHC

1

$22.03M

$22.03M

[Terminator]

You would think Framber’s deal includes deferrals.

But if it doesn’t, then we’re effectively paying Cease an extra 4 years and $75M on top of Framber’s deal, which covers Cease’s age 33 to 36 seasons.

That Cease contract is looking pretty good.

[G-Snarls]

Weird that we still don't know the deferrals or the outcome of Skubal's arbitration case

[G-Snarls]

35 minutes ago, Terminator said:

You would think Framber’s deal includes deferrals.

But if it doesn’t, then we’re effectively paying Cease an extra 4 years and $75M on top of Framber’s deal, which covers Cease’s age 33 to 36 seasons.

That Cease contract is looking pretty good.

Even more so when you factor in durability

[rydermike]

Skubal wins arbitration case, will make record $32M in 2026

https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/article/skubal-wins-arb-case-will-make-record-32m-in-2026/

 

[Terminator]

Tigers fumbled that so bad. No idea why they went so low.

[G-Snarls]

All they had to do was offer low-mid 20s and they almost certainly win 

[sliderguy35]

wow, good for him, he's obviously earned it.

it sounds like from passan's piece on ESPN that the special exception clause which allowed him to compare his value to other free agents instead of just other arb cases was what pushed it over the edge in his favour. it probably won't have as much of an impact on future arb cases as what people might think b/c of that.

[mphenhef]

4 minutes ago, sliderguy35 said:

wow, good for him, he's obviously earned it.

it sounds like from passan's piece on ESPN that the special exception clause which allowed him to compare his value to other free agents instead of just other arb cases was what pushed it over the edge in his favour. it probably won't have as much of an impact on future arb cases as what people might think b/c of that.

Very true, but it will impact Skenes if he makes it to his last year of arb.  Other than that, I'm not sure we are likely to see a comparable anytime soon.

[Jimcanuck]

1 hour ago, mphenhef said:

Very true, but it will impact Skenes if he makes it to his last year of arb.  Other than that, I'm not sure we are likely to see a comparable anytime soon.

Sure we will...  Yesavage!

[G-Snarls]

32 minutes ago, Jimcanuck said:

Sure we will...  Yesavage!

I almost posted the same thing LOL

[jaysblue]

Tigers okay with giving Framber $38M but not even $25-30M for Skubal. What a joke of an organization. 

[Terminator]

I wonder if they are going to trade Skubal now. 

Seems like it's inevitable that he's going to leave for either the Dodgers or Mets next offseason and with Framber in the fold they've got a frontline pitcher to "replace" him.

Not sure how much they could get for him though now that he's making $32 million for just one season.

[Jonn]

Honestly happy the Tigers are choosing to compete. Would have been so easy for them to take an insane offer for Skubal from the Dodgers and justify it. He probably still goes there in the off-season but oh well.

[G-Snarls]

1 hour ago, Terminator said:

I wonder if they are going to trade Skubal now. 

Seems like it's inevitable that he's going to leave for either the Dodgers or Mets next offseason and with Framber in the fold they've got a frontline pitcher to "replace" him.

Not sure how much they could get for him though now that he's making $32 million for just one season.

100% they keep him and go for it this year

If they make the postseason again and he walks for a draft pick so be it 

OTOH if they're out of contention at the trade deadline then they move him for sure 

 

[Terminator]

13 minutes ago, G-Snarls said:

100% they keep him and go for it this year

If they make the postseason again and he walks for a draft pick so be it 

OTOH if they're out of contention at the trade deadline then they move him for sure 

 

You are probably right.

They are a good bet to win that sorry ass division and no other player increases your odds of winning in the postseason like Skubal does. 

On the other hand, you could trade him and get a haul and still win that sorry ass division. And then increase your odds of winning it again year after year. And once you're in you have a chance.

[BatFlip]

2 hours ago, G-Snarls said:

100% they keep him and go for it this year

If they make the postseason again and he walks for a draft pick so be it 

OTOH if they're out of contention at the trade deadline then they move him for sure 

 

It makes sense. 

The Royals have just tinkered around the edges of their roster and the division is full of mediocre teams.  If things end up going sideways for the Tigers they'll get a massive haul for Skubal at the deadline.  If the season goes well, they have some high-end talent in their farm that would allow them to compete with anyone at the deadline for trade deadline upgrades.

I'm just happy the O's didn't get Framber.  

[Pendleton]

 

[Laika]

[Laika]

Decent turnout. That's Matt Davidson in the DH spot. Maybe Black gets those PAs though. 

Sucks to not see Freeman, Brash, Pivetta, Cade Smith, Sabrowski and I guess even Romano. Jonah Tong was a long shot.

The bullpen looks very weak. 

[mphenhef]

3 hours ago, Laika said:

Can they just put Clarke and Young in the outfield and use a 5 player infield instead?

 

Also, wouldn't this lineup look way better with Freddie at DH?

[sliderguy35]

i can't believe matt davidson is only 34 years old, he looks like he could be caissie's grandfather in that photo. also TIL he has 82 HRs across his last 2 years in the KBO, good for you matt davidson.

it's also immensely confusing that there's 2 different left handed pitchers that have time on the guardians named logan allen that are pitching in the wbc, but only 1 of them is good. i have to imagine that we have the one that's out of MLB considering james paxton is starting over him in the rotation.

[Terminator]

2 hours ago, mphenhef said:

Can they just put Clarke and Young in the outfield and use a 5 player infield instead?

 

Also, wouldn't this lineup look way better with Freddie at DH?

That's a pretty good team. Would have been REALLY good if they could have gotten Cade Smith, Freddie Freeman and Nick Pivetta. Then imagine if they got those 3 along with Vlad.

[Stangstag]

2 minutes ago, Terminator said:

That's a pretty good team. Would have been REALLY good if they could have gotten Cade Smith, Freddie Freeman and Nick Pivetta. Then imagine if they got those 3 along with Vlad.

Vlad playing 3B on this team with Freeman at DH would’ve been tight AF

[G-Snarls]

 

 

[Jonn]

1 hour ago, G-Snarls said:

 

 

A lot of people wanted him go back to the Dbacks. Interesting that it didn't happen. Yankees are trotting out mostly the same team as last year.

[G-Snarls]

1 hour ago, Jonn said:

A lot of people wanted him go back to the Dbacks. Interesting that it didn't happen. Yankees are trotting out mostly the same team as last year.

And their lineup just doesn't scare me at all 

[Pendleton]

Heyman and others have speculated that Jasson Dominguez will start the season in AAA 

 

https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/jasson-dominguez-role-for-yankees-entering-2026.html