Matrix Reloaded: January 16, 2026

Lastly, the celebrities aligned to get us again on the Friday Matrix Reloaded schedule, and boy did they align! Nos. 1, 2, 8, and 9 on Ben Clemens’ Prime 50 Free Brokers checklist signed since we final checked in, leaving simply two of the highest 10 remaining. We additionally noticed a three-team commerce reported a couple of minute after our prime free agent signed, and a few two-teamers of significance, too.

As at all times, yow will discover the colourful Offseason Matrices spreadsheet right here. Let’s get into the occasions of the final 11 days.

Important Signings

Dodgers Signal Kyle Tucker for 4 Years, $240 Million (Current Worth of Roughly $228.4 Million With Deferrals)

Impact on the Dodgers

I discover “the wealthy get richer” to be significantly annoying even amongst annoying turns of phrase, however what else will be stated in regards to the Dodgers at this level? They gained the World Sequence, misplaced no one of significance to free company, and added Edwin Díaz to anchor their bullpen. They might’ve appeared like clearly the very best staff in baseball with out Tucker. With him, they could be the very best iteration of those Dodgers but.

Assuming Tucker sticks in his accustomed proper discipline and Teoscar Hernández slides again over to left, the place he performed in 2024, the membership’s beginning 9, right down to the positions, seems set. The one query is that if Tommy Edman, who’s projected to start out at second base, will likely be prepared in time for Opening Day after his offseason ankle debridement surgical procedure. If not, Hyeseong Kim and Miguel Rojas can cut up time on the keystone.

If there’s a nit I can decide with the Dodgers, it’s the relative age of their roster. That doesn’t imply we should always anticipate a bunch of age-related regression to tug down the staff, however it’s notable that Tucker and heart fielder Andy Pages are the one regulars beneath 30. Within the projected six-man rotation, solely Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki are of their 20s. The Dodgers are nonetheless arrange in addition to any staff in baseball to proceed to win, clearly, and star gamers have farther to fall as they age. However they’re not infallible. It’s baseball; no staff is. They play the video games for a motive.

Impact on Different Groups

The presumed last three groups for Tucker have been the Dodgers, Mets, and Blue Jays. Of the three, the Dodgers after all wanted Tucker the least, however whenever you’re the richest staff in baseball you’ll be able to YOLO your manner into Kyle Tucker anyway.

However whereas shedding Tucker stings for the Blue Jays and Mets, the cascading results both gained’t occur or already did. An Anthony Santander bounce-back would go a great distance for the Blue Jays and make their lineup full. (At the same time as it’s now, Nathan Lukes, who had a stable 12 months and hit second towards righties throughout Toronto’s playoff run, is projected to be on the bench.) The Mets in a short time signed Bo Bichette to an enormous deal (way more ink spilled on him under). They’re not the Dodgers, however these are two good groups that also have time to get higher.

Impact on Related Gamers

He’s Kyle Tucker. He simply acquired the largest AAV in main league historical past. There wasn’t anybody just like him on this offseason’s market.

Cubs Signal Alex Bregman for 5 Years, $175 Million (Current Worth of Roughly $155 Million With Deferrals)

Impact on the Cubs

I’ll be sincere, I didn’t have the Cubs signing a contract of this magnitude on my radar as a definite risk. However now that they’ve, they’ve acquired two elements to contemplate: the pure on-field baseball ingredient, and the payroll facet.

On the baseball facet, the Cubs first have to determine find out how to allocate taking part in time. Third base wasn’t an apparent place of want for them with Matt Shaw coming off a stable — albeit extraordinarily uneven — rookie marketing campaign. However with Bregman within the fold and set to play day by day at third (save for maybe some occasional DH obligation), Shaw should bounce round to search out taking part in time. Luckily for Shaw, he can play different positions. He was a main shortstop in faculty earlier than shifting to taking part in largely third base within the execs, and he’s additionally acquired expertise at second base and within the nook outfield.

With Shaw filling in everywhere in the discipline and sure getting some DH reps towards lefties rather than lefty-swinging Moisés Ballesteros, the Chicago offense appears to be like set. It’ll be Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Seiya Suzuki from left to proper within the outfield; Bregman, Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, and Michael Busch on the 4 infield spots; and Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya behind the plate. Ballesteros, Shaw, and Tyler Austin ought to all get DH reps, and Austin might platoon with Busch at first base, too.

Now for the nitty-gritty Beckerdom that’s payroll evaluation. As you’ll be able to see on the payroll web page linked above, we presently have the Cubs at juuuuuuuust under the primary $244 million luxurious tax line, and that features placeholder cash for gamers who’re known as up through the season to cowl for guys on the injured checklist. Nevertheless, being brief by beneath $1 million as a contending staff means it’s possible you’ll as nicely be over it. The Cubs will wish to add on the deadline barring disaster, they usually can also be on the hook to pay efficiency incentives to Matthew Boyd, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, and Hunter Harvey. Assuming well being, a lot of these incentives will likely be attained. For all intents and functions, the Cubs are over the CBT line, even when they’re not fairly there proper now.

However being simply barely over the CBT line isn’t a sensible plan of action. The Cubs don’t obtain income sharing cash, so the worth of their draft compensation picks would swing wildly relying on in the event that they exceed or don’t attain the tax threshold. In the event that they’re beneath the road and considered one of their free brokers who will get a qualifying provide indicators elsewhere, the Cubs would get a draft decide between Aggressive Steadiness Spherical B and the third spherical of the draft. In the event that they’re over the CBT threshold, the compensation decide would come after the fourth spherical. That distinction of about 60 draft slots is big, and the draft slot change happens whether or not a staff is over by $1 or $1 million or $10 million. Understanding that, and understanding that the Cubs are clearly in win-now mode, they need to decide a lane somewhat than straddling the road and never understanding for sure in the event that they’ll be barely over or barely beneath it. With three pending free brokers who should be into account for QOs — Happ, Hoerner, and Suzuki — that inflection level is all of the extra essential.

If the Cubs wish to be beneath the tax line, they’ve solely two practical choices: Commerce both second baseman Hoerner (incomes $12 million this 12 months) or projected fifth starter Jameson Taillon ($18 million). Signing Bregman to maneuver Hoerner makes the Cubs the ill-advised combo of “perhaps barely higher and positively far more costly,” however as I’ll clarify extra within the Edward Cabrera part down under, Chicago has sufficient pitching depth to cowl for a Taillon commerce.

As for including extra participant payroll to go manner over the tax threshold, it is a fairly full roster proper now, so it’s doable the Cubs might simply wait till the commerce deadline and never care in regards to the measurement of contracts they’re absorbing (inside motive). Alternatively, they may try to signal pre-arbitration gamers like Crow-Armstrong and Cade Horton to extensions, understanding that their real-cash payroll wouldn’t go up a lot, however the common annual worth of these contracts (affecting the posh tax calculation) would kick in instantly.

Impact on Different Groups

It was extra than simply the Cubs vs. the Purple Sox for Bregman (the Diamondbacks and Blue Jays popped up), however the aftermath of his signing targeted nearly fully on these two groups. So now that the Cubs have Bregman, the place do the Purple Sox go from right here with out him?

Boston’s collective displeasure with Bregman’s leaving is palpable, and I’m not one to inform followers find out how to really feel. What I’ll do, although, is remind Purple Sox followers that there are different stable choices each in free company and on the commerce market.

On the Free Agent Matrix, you’ll see the Sox linked to an impression bat in Eugenio Suárez, they usually’ve reportedly expressed curiosity in buying and selling for the Astros’ Isaac Paredes, too. Both of these two would characterize what the Purple Sox must take their offseason from “fairly good, however with a bitter style” to “they didn’t actually depart any mission unaccomplished.” I get it, neither of them is Bregman, and it’s little question irritating for Purple Sox followers. However that doesn’t imply all is misplaced, particularly when the Ranger Suárez signing (way more on him and the aftereffects of his deal under) opens up much more commerce potentialities.

If a profitable Purple Sox offseason could be very narrowly outlined as one during which they introduced again Bregman, then yeah, nothing I simply stated within the prior paragraph goes to fulfill you. But when a profitable Purple Sox offseason is outlined as “enhancing upon the staff that made the playoffs final 12 months,” there are nonetheless paths aplenty for that to occur, if it hasn’t already with the additions of Suárez, Sonny Grey, Willson Contreras, and Johan Oviedo, to not point out a full season of Roman Anthony coming down the pike.

Impact on Related Gamers

No matter contract Suárez will get gained’t be affected by the signings of Bregman and Bichette, until it forces the Purple Sox to get determined and pay above market fee for him. Suárez is older and way more flawed; the one instrument of his that’s higher than considered one of Bregman’s is uncooked energy, and it’s doable he’s a worse defender at third than Bichette will ever show to be. The Bregman and Bichette signings, although, ought to get his market transferring.

Mets Signal Bo Bichette for Three Years, $142 Million

Impact on the Mets

Whereas David Stearns preached the necessity for higher “run prevention” (pitching and protection) by the Mets heading into this season after their 2025 collapse, the actions his entrance workplace has taken this offseason haven’t precisely backed that up.

Bichette is anticipated to play third base for the Mets, his first publicity to the recent nook in his profession. The person catching a lot of his throws throughout the diamond will likely be Jorge Polanco, additionally taking part in away from his career-long positions of brief and second. “New place” doesn’t equal “unhealthy protection” by any means, and Bichette and Polanco could have ample time to acclimate. However half of your beginning infield being represented by gamers at new spots clearly comes with threat. As such, I didn’t have Bichette being an apparent Tucker pivot for the Mets on my radar.

The offense, although, is simple. The Mets lineup now boasts robust depth past the highest 4 of Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Bichette, and Polanco; Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez have been quietly superb final 12 months, and Mark Vientos completed stronger than he began. And spending “solely” cash on Bichette as a substitute of prospects retains the youth pipeline intact. Carson Benge continues to be the projected starter in left discipline for now, and Jacob Reimer, Jett Williams, and A.J. Ewing might be up in some unspecified time in the future this 12 months, too.

The Mets’ consideration now ought to show to the opposite half of run prevention: the pitching. A significant wrongdoer of their second-half swoon was the collapse of their beginning pitching, which was a shock vivid spot early within the season however ran out of steam by the top of the 12 months. The necessity for beginning pitching doesn’t imply the Mets don’t have inner choices, and Nolan McLean particularly appears to be like like he has the stuff to anchor a rotation. Maybe they assume that constructive regression and a full season of McLean will likely be sufficient to repair the beginning pitching with out doing something; maybe they’ll determine to spend massive on Framber Valdez. Because the Bichette deal exhibits, making an attempt to guess a staff’s subsequent plan of action can generally show fruitless.

Impact on Different Groups

Dropping out on Bichette due to the division-rival Mets is the worst-case state of affairs for the Phillies, who reportedly thought they had a deal with Bichette on Thursday night earlier than the Mets introduced the hammer down. Seven years and $200 million is a wonderfully affordable long-term provide, however the Mets’ deal is much better. It permits Bichette the power to decide out after every season, and even when he stays for the total three years, he’ll solely should beat 4 years and $58 million on his subsequent contract to prime what he would’ve earned as a Phillie.

Phillies followers don’t appear to be taking nicely to J.T. Realmuto’s return being the counter transfer to Bichette’s heading to Queens, and I don’t blame them. Realmuto (extra on him under) is a recognized amount and completely good catcher, however working again a really comparable staff for the fourth consecutive 12 months and hoping that that is the 12 months that issues lastly break their manner doesn’t seem to be the way in which to go. Possibly that may work within the AL Central, however not within the NL East.

Impact on Related Gamers

That is just like Bregman. There’s no one fairly like (actually, no one even remotely near) Bichette left to be signed, but it surely might get Eugenio Suárez’s market percolating much more.

Purple Sox Signal Ranger Suárez for 5 Years, $130 Million

Impact on the Purple Sox

The Purple Sox didn’t get their man in Alex Bregman, however they actually acquired A Dude in Ranger Suárez. The previous Phillies ace is one thing of a throwback, hovering round 90-92 mph and counting on guile/pitchability/instinct/[insert any other pithy word for Guys Who Know How To Pitch here] to get batters out. His stroll fee reached a brand new low in 2025 at a glowing 5.8%, and he additionally allowed the bottom fee of laborious contact amongst pitchers who threw at the least 100 innings. That makes Suárez seem to be a pitcher who should be a lot sturdy, however an extended checklist of accidents — recently, his again has been the primary wrongdoer — has prevented him from ever throwing sufficient innings to qualify for fee stat leaderboards. A lot for a throwback.

No matter precisely what number of innings he throws this 12 months, Suárez provides Boston a humiliation of riches within the rotation, with Garrett Crochet, Sonny Grey, Suárez, and Brayan Bello because the entrance 4. Boston then has a potpourri of arms from which to decide on for the ultimate spot: commerce acquisition Johan Oviedo, harm returnees Patrick Sandoval and Kutter Crawford, and extremely touted prospects Payton Tolle and Connelly Early. That is the place we decide up the thread about what the Sox ought to do now that Bregman has gone elsewhere.

Any of the above-listed contenders for the fifth spot and even Bello might hypothetically be on the transfer in a commerce for a hitter. Whether or not it is going to line up in the way in which the Purple Sox hope stays to be seen, however the commerce market isn’t with out choices. I discussed the Isaac Paredes connection within the Bregman capsule, however he’s not the one impression infielder who might be out there. It will be an fascinating coincidence if Boston have been to amass both Nico Hoerner or Matt Shaw from the Cubs, two gamers who might be moved now that Chicago has Bregman. Spencer Steer of the Reds may also be a great participant to focus on, as his place on the Cincinnati roster could be redundant with Sal Stewart round. I believe Paredes is fairly clearly the very best of the names listed since you don’t should mission an uptick in efficiency, however as talked about within the Bregman part, Eugenio Suárez is a pleasant third base choice on the free agent market. Or, the Purple Sox might be higher off taking the other strategy and holding onto all of their high quality pitchers at the least into spring coaching, in order that the staff can take inventory of everybody earlier than dangling depth forward of the deadline.

Impact on Different Groups

Suárez’s market was pretty quiet publicly, uncommon for a Scott Boras shopper. Within the aftermath, nonetheless, it was reported that the division rival Orioles have been very excited by Suárez earlier than he shipped as much as Boston. With Suárez off the board, Framber Valdez is the one free agent starter remaining who’s an enormous improve over Baltimore’s projected fifth starter Dean Kremer, until the Orioles assume they know the particular sauce to get Zac Gallen again on monitor. Including one other starter would permit the O’s to be extra cautious with Zach Eflin’s return from again surgical procedure.

Impact on Related Gamers

Talking of Valdez, he’s acquired to be licking his chops after he noticed what Suárez acquired this late within the offseason. Usually, the later gamers signal, the more serious their contracts are relative to expectations. That’s not the case for Suárez. On the Whole Spending Projection web page, you’ll see the median contract prediction for him was 5 years and $125 million, slightly below what he finally acquired. For what it’s price, should you had requested me what Suárez would signal for a number of days in the past, I’d have ballparked one thing like 4 years and $90 million or 5 years and $100 million. I at all times recalibrate downward because the offseason drags on.

Valdez is, after all, not Suárez. He’s higher, however he’s two years older and had the much-maligned cross-up (or “cross-up” should you favor) with catcher César Salazar final season. However the willingness for groups to signal massive offers is clearly nonetheless on the market, as evidenced by these late megadeals for Tucker, Bregman, Bichette, and Suárez. If the urge for food for a long-term deal isn’t on the market for Valdez, he might at all times shift to a shorter-term take care of a excessive AAV and decide outs, as Tucker and Bichette did.

Phillies Signal J.T. Realmuto for Three Years, $45 Million

Impact on the Phillies

Whether or not it was Realmuto or someone else, the Phillies wanted a catcher. That it took this lengthy was in all probability a operate of two issues: the Phillies’ specializing in their profitable pursuit of Kyle Schwarber and unsuccessful pursuit of Bichette, and Realmuto’s understanding that he was far and away the very best catcher in the marketplace. The nice ol’ “You want me greater than I want you” argument.

The Phillies might nicely have tried to name Realmuto’s bluff so long as doable (was anybody else actually going to supply him three years at a wholesome AAV, one that features one other $5 million in out there incentives annually?), however shedding him would have left Victor Caratini as the one starting-caliber catcher in the marketplace for the Phillies to signal. Caratini is ok, however he’s no Realmuto.

Bringing Realmuto again units the beginning 9 for the Phillies, and it’ll be largely the identical because it was to finish 2025. The one adjustments will likely be Justin Crawford (assuming he doesn’t fall flat on his face in spring coaching) taking up for Harrison Bader (nonetheless a free agent) in heart, with Brandon Marsh staying in left discipline, and Adolis García in proper. The Phillies signed García to take over for Nick Castellanos, who’s nonetheless on the roster however gained’t be when Opening Day rolls round. The beginning infield of Alec Bohm, Trea Turner, Bryson Stott, and Bryce Harper stays unchanged.

Impact on Different Groups

Realmuto’s market was fairly quiet earlier than he signed, therefore my speculation that there was a bluff that the Phillies tried to name for so long as doable. The Purple Sox have been reportedly , however that in all probability would’ve been extra of a timeshare with Carlos Narváez than a real beginning job. So, too, have been the Rangers, however they rapidly shifted to Danny Jansen after realizing they wouldn’t have payroll room for Realmuto.

Impact on Related Gamers

With Realmuto and Victor Caratini (extra on him under) signed, we’re rapidly right down to zero catchers positive to get a serious league deal. Jonah Heim, Elias Díaz, Reese McGuire, and Christian Vázquez might discover jobs quickly now that each Realmuto and Caratini have signed.

Twins Signal Victor Caratini for Two Years, $14 Million

Impact on the Twins

The Twins already had a beginning catcher in Ryan Jeffers and an out-of-options backup in Alex Jackson, in order that they weren’t on my radar as a possible match for Caratini. Jeffers shared time with Christian Vázquez through the latter’s three-year contract with the Twins and needs to be in the same association with Caratini, who additionally has expertise at first base. A switch-hitter, Caratini produces nicely sufficient on the plate to see a while at DH, too. He’s a lot stronger from the left facet, which provides the Twins the power to take a seat Jeffers towards particularly robust righties.

Impact on Different Groups

For those who’re a staff in want of a catcher, your state of affairs went from OK with the choices in the marketplace to fairly dire in in the future, as Realmuto and Caratini each got here off the board on Friday. The commerce market doesn’t have a lot to supply, both, although Jackson is now extra expendable.

Impact on Related Gamers

Similar deal because the Realmuto aftereffects: The catching market dried up in a rush, so there aren’t comparable gamers left.

Rockies Signal Willi Castro for Two Years, $12.8 Million

Impact on the Rockies

That the Rockies would signal a free agent for a number of years with a brand new entrance workplace in place initially of what might be an arduous rebuild registers as one thing of a shock. In fact, there’s nothing stopping the membership from buying and selling the superutilityman at any level within the deal.

Castro’s attraction is his versatility. Sure, he was horrid for the Cubs after the commerce deadline, however he nonetheless stuffed in at 5 totally different positions. In signing him, the Rockies don’t should decide to closing themselves off from additional additions at another place. That’s nice information for me, as a result of I can proceed to wishcast a Luis Arraez signing.

Impact on Different Groups

The switch-hitting Castro was singular in his versatility each within the discipline and on the plate, however there are nonetheless multi-positional bats out there on the free agent market. Major infielders Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Luis Rengifo each have outfield expertise in any respect three spots; Adam Frazier is primarily a second baseman however can play the outfield corners and third base; and Miguel Andujar is thought way more for his bat, however he can at the least stand in any respect 4 corners.

Impact on Related Gamers

Apart from Andujar, who might earn a multi-year contract on the heels of a robust season on the dish, I don’t anticipate any of the names listed above to signal for greater than the upcoming season. Like Castro, Rengifo can be coming into his age-29 season and at occasions has been a succesful switch-hitting utilityman. He was pacing for his finest season but in 2024 (118 wRC+ and 1.5 WAR in simply 78 video games) earlier than wrist irritation and finally surgical procedure despatched him to the IL for a lot of the second half and finally ended his 12 months prematurely. Rengifo made it again for Opening Day final 12 months, however his manufacturing cratered to precisely alternative degree and a 73 wRC+ over 147 video games. It’s fairly doable that some staff might blame his dreadful efficiency on the lingering results of the wrist harm and provides him a wholesome one-year deal hoping for a bounce-back.

Speedy-Hearth One-12 months Offers

Rockies Signal Michael Lorenzen for $8 Million

Lorenzen has executed nothing however signal one-year offers within the 5 offseasons since he initially hit free company on the conclusion of the 2021 season — with 5 groups, no much less! Coors Area is, after all, a problem for any pitcher, and it might show to be particularly troublesome on a pitcher like Lorenzen, who doesn’t throw significantly laborious or from any funky arm angles. Nevertheless, he does throw a bevy of pitches, which might assist him maintain hitters off steadiness.

He’ll slot behind Kyle Freeland within the rotation, with the opposite three spots open season for Chase Dollander, Tanner Gordon, Ryan Feltner, McCade Brown, Antonio Senzatela, and others. With Lorenzen’s beginning spot secured, that leaves only one query about his position: Will he be allowed to hit?

Reds Signal Pierce Johnson for $6.5 Million

The curveball-spamming Johnson (he threw the hook a ridiculous 72% of the time final 12 months) is the third free agent reliever to signal with the Reds this offseason, together with lefty soft-contact specialist Caleb Ferguson and final 12 months’s nearer Emilio Pagán, who re-signed with them in early December.

The 34-year-old Johnson has carved out a pleasant profession for himself since getting back from NPB after dominating in his lone season there in 2019, bouncing from the Padres to the Rockies to the Braves and now the Reds. He’s struck out only a hair beneath 30% of batters confronted in these six seasons. He’ll get key center reduction and setup innings in a Cincinnati bullpen that appears deeper now than it did to finish the season, with Johnson, Ferguson, Tony Santillan, Graham Ashcraft, and Connor Phillips all constructing the bridge to Pagán.

Braves Signal Tyler Kinley for $4.25 Million

Kinley turned his season round after being traded from the Rockies to the Braves on the deadline, enhancing from a 5.66 ERA/4.18 FIP/3.82 xERA to a glowing 0.72 ERA/2.74 FIP/2.71 xERA. Regardless of that stark enchancment, Atlanta declined his $5.5 million choice, paying him a $750,000 buyout earlier than bringing him again for lower than the preliminary choice’s worth.

The 35-year-old righty’s new deal comes with one other membership choice for 2027, valued once more at $5.5 million. If he’s something like he was down the stretch, that’ll be a no brainer for the Braves.

Cardinals Signal Ryne Stanek for $3.5 Million

The St. Louis native heads to the Midwest for the primary time in his profession, coming off three seasons during which he’s been barely above alternative degree. However he continues to get main league offers (and this one has a membership choice for $6 million for 2027) due to his tantalizing stuff. His 116 Stuff+ in 2025 was his finest mark because the metric’s start in 2020, together with his splitter and slider each registering scores above 130. It could be smart for him to extend the utilization of each of these pitches and deemphasize his high-90s fastball.

Stanek is amongst a menage of relievers competing for saves behind the Cardinals bullpen, together with JoJo Romero (who could be traded, as he’s a free agent after the season), Riley O’Brien, and Matt Svanson.

Diamondbacks Signal Taylor Clarke for $1.55 Million

Clarke returns to the place the place his profession started after three years in Kansas Metropolis, capped off by a pleasant 2025 marketing campaign during which he had a 3.25 ERA and three.97 FIP in 55 1/3 innings. That wasn’t sufficient to stave off a non-tender, but it surely did earn him a assured contract. He joins a wide-open competitors for the Diamondbacks nearer’s position, a battle that also needs to embody Andrew Saalfrank, Ryan Thompson, Kevin Ginkel, and veteran non-roster invitee Jonathan Loáisiga.

Dodgers Signal Andy Ibáñez for $1.2 Million

Ibáñez was a invaluable destroyer of lefties for the Tigers in each 2023 and 2024, posting a 118 wRC+ towards southpaws within the former and 129 within the latter, however he regressed to 1% under league common with the platoon benefit in 2025, resulting in his non-tender. The Dodgers are hoping he can bounce again in the same position this 12 months, and with two different righty platoon bats in Miguel Rojas and Alex Name on the roster, they will decide their spots with Ibáñez much more rigorously to set him up for fulfillment. He’s out of choices and has two extra years of arbitration eligibility.

Trades

Cubs Purchase Edward Cabrera from Marlins for Owen Caissie, Cristian Hernandez, and Edgardo De Leon

Impact on the Cubs

It’s no secret that the Cubs have been chasing upside for his or her rotation because the commerce deadline. Once they couldn’t shut the deal there in July — Michael Soroka, a rental, was the one notable add — they spent a lot of this offseason tied to any and each fascinating starter. Cabrera is precisely the kind of pitcher the Cubs have coveted: three years of membership management, elite offspeed and breaking stuff, and loads of room for progress with the fastball, which has gotten hit about as laborious as he throws it.

The righty isn’t with out threat past the poor fastball efficiency. Final 12 months was his finest season by innings pitched and stroll fee, and people numbers have been simply 137 2/3 and eight.3%, respectively. Whereas he was largely wholesome, the latest harm was essentially the most important: an elbow sprain that the Cubs evidently assume is minor sufficient as to not be a serious concern for the trio of years earlier than he hits free company.

And if that harm (or others) pop up, the Cubs have a whole lot of rotation depth even when they could lack a real top-of-the-rotation arm (although I guess they assume Cabrera or Cade Horton might turn out to be that). Cabrera, Horton, Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, and Jameson Taillon needs to be Chicago’s beginning 5, with Justin Steele hopefully getting back from elbow surgical procedure round midseason. The Cubs have additionally acquired two swingmen in Colin Rea and Javier Assad, depth arms in Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks, and a top-100 prospect in Jaxon Wiggins.

Impact on the Marlins

If the Cubs have been telegraphing their want for a rotation arm, the Marlins have been doing the inverse: expressing a transparent willingness to maneuver anybody from their rotation not named Eury Pérez. Within the Cubs, they discovered a pure commerce accomplice, particularly with Caissie on the desk.

Caissie isn’t precisely like Kyle Stowers, who went from Trevor Rogers commerce return to All-Star in beneath a 12 months, however there are parallels. Each are lefty-swinging nook outfielders with massive pop and call issues, although Caissie is basically the extra excessive model with a greater energy instrument and worse hit instrument than Stowers. Caissie will get the possibility to displace fellow power-over-hit lefty Griffin Conine (paradoxically, an much more excessive model of Caissie, based mostly on their most up-to-date scouting grades), however he’s not going to be assured a roster spot out of camp. Christopher Morel, one other offseason acquisition, might find yourself again within the outfield, although the Marlins are additionally going to strive him at first base. Hernandez’s prospect star has pale after a middling 2025 spent repeating Excessive-A; in the meantime, De Leon doesn’t flip 19 till subsequent month and carried out nicely within the Complicated League, albeit as a primary baseman with a lot of strikeouts.

Even with Cabrera and Ryan Weathers (extra on him under) gone from the rotation, the Marlins have a panoply of choices behind Sandy Alcantara and Pérez. Braxton Garrett, Max Meyer, and Janson Junk are the arms most strongly within the combine for the ultimate three massive league rotation spots, however prime prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling also needs to consider in some unspecified time in the future this season. They’ve additionally acquired depth choices like Ryan Gusto and Adam Mazur.

Diamondbacks Purchase Nolan Arenado and Money from Cardinals for Jack Martinez

Impact on the Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks have had a bizarre offseason. It began innocently sufficient with their re-signing of catcher James McCann, the addition of Michael Soroka, and the boomeranging of Merrill Kelly again to Phoenix after buying and selling him to the Rangers on the deadline. From there, nicely, it was a bunch of “Will they, or gained’t they?” as a substitute of really doing.

Would they transfer Ketel Marte to restock a farm system gentle on upper-level pitching? Would making such a transfer permit them to clear sufficient payroll to signal Bregman? Would they are saying screw it and determine to maintain Marte and add Bregman? Seems the reply to all three of these questions was a convincing no. Marte has been at the least ostensibly pulled off the commerce market, and Bregman is, after all, a Cub. Enter Arenado, actually a far much less impressed choice than Bregman, however a far cheaper one. (The Cardinals are masking $31 million of the $42 million owed to Arenado over the following two years.)

The eight-time All-Star’s profession has been on an unrelenting decline since he completed third within the MVP voting in 2022, when he amassed 7.2 WAR and posted a 149 wRC+. Since then, he’s worsened annually, with wRC+ numbers of 107, 103, and 84. For $5 million this 12 months and $6 million subsequent 12 months, the Diamondbacks don’t must get a lot manufacturing in any respect to make Arenado “price it,” however they’re actually hoping he’s a lot nearer to his 2023-24 self than the place he was final 12 months as he takes over on the scorching nook.

Arenado’s signing places prime prospect Jordan Lawlar in a tricky spot, however he’s at the least forward of the curve with getting reps within the outfield. With Arenado, Geraldo Perdomo, and Marte entrenched at third, brief, and second, respectively, there will likely be way more plate appearances out there on the grass (particularly with Jake McCarthy getting traded) than on the grime. However no matter the place Lawlar is taking part in, he has to hit, and it’s one thing he’s but to do within the slightest on the main league degree.

Impact on the Cardinals

The impact on the Cardinals is identical because the impact of their trades of Sonny Grey and Willson Contreras: Delivery the veterans out of city affords them the possibility to try youthful expertise.

The Cardinals are actually the one staff within the majors with a projected lineup on RosterResource fully comprised of homegrown expertise, and Arenado’s departure provides extra taking part in time to Nolan Gorman, Thomas Saggese (not homegrown, however younger!), and JJ Wetherholt. It’s not about chopping money (although they’re actually completely happy to at the least get some reduction from the Diamondbacks), and it’s not something towards Arenado’s physique of labor as a Cardinal, both. However having Arenado round would have lower into the event of gamers who truly will likely be round for the following good Cardinals staff, whether or not that’s in 2027 or 2028 or past. (I’ll cowl my bases right here by saying it might even be in 2026!)

There’s no one left that the Playing cards ought to really feel like they should commerce — Arenado was actually the one one; it was by no means a assure that Grey and Contreras could be gone — however Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar have been common in commerce rumors all offseason, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see both or each of them transfer. JoJo Romero is the staff’s one holdover from 2025. He’s a pending free agent, and as such, might be the only likeliest to maneuver.

Yankees Purchase Ryan Weathers from Marlins for Dillon Lewis, Brendan Jones, Dylan Jasso, and Juan Matheus

Impact on the Yankees
Previous to the Weathers acquisition, the Yankees’ offseason was outlined by getting the band again collectively. Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying provide, and Amed Rosario, Ryan Yarbrough, and Paul Blackburn have been all introduced again to The Bronx on modest one-year offers. Rule 5 decide Cade Winquest and waiver declare Kaleb Ort have been the one exterior additions till this week’s commerce with Miami.

In Weathers, the Yankees are getting a southpaw lengthy on potential however brief on expertise. Since making his common season debut in 2021 (he’s a member of the unique membership of gamers who debuted within the postseason), he’s thrown simply 281 main league innings due to a mix of ineffectiveness and accidents, with the previous giving technique to the latter lately. He’s been a preferred breakout decide since he upped his common fastball velocity from 93.5 mph in 2022 to 95.1 mph in 2023, and the heater is tougher nonetheless; it averaged a career-best 96.9 mph in his eight main league begins final 12 months.

Whereas the Yankees aren’t going to let Weathers’ addition preclude them from aiming increased and focusing on an much more notable beginning pitching addition like Brewers righty Freddy Peralta or Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore, the rotation does look to be set. Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole will begin the 12 months on the IL, however the staff nonetheless has a quintet of succesful starters in Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Weathers, Will Warren, and Luis Gil. And, contemplating all however Fried will be optioned to the minors, the Yankees have loads of choices for what to do when the 2 frontline starters return from harm.

Impact on the Marlins

The whole lot I stated in regards to the Marlins rotation within the Cabrera part applies right here, too.

As for the prospects, none of them is kind of as extremely considered Caissie, nor will any of them be anticipated to make a lot of an impression — if any — in 2026. Not one of the 4 has even reached Triple-A, although Jones, essentially the most notable of the quartet, might nicely begin the 12 months in Jacksonville after a robust second half in Double-A.

It’s price noting that within the Cabrera and Weathers trades, the Marlins got here away with seven hitters and no pitchers. It’s unknown whether or not that was intentional or simply circumstance when contemplating the very best packages out there, but it surely is sensible for a Marlins system with loads of pitching and a weaker offensive pipeline previous to the trades.

Rays Purchase Gavin Lux from Reds and Chris Clark from Angels; Angels Purchase Josh Lowe from Rays; Reds Purchase Brock Burke from Angels

Impact on the Rays

There have been two three-team trades this offseason, and naturally each concerned the Rays, the league’s preeminent wheelers and sellers. After signing Jake Fraley ($3 million) and Cedric Mullins ($7.5 million) to one-year contracts, the Rays had a glut of lefty-swinging outfielders, with these two, Lowe, and Chandler Simpson. They’re nonetheless loaded in that division, however not overly redundant, and Lux is a much better roster match for the Rays with Brandon Lowe now in Pittsburgh.

Lux had an odd 2025 season, his sole as a Purple. He was completely tremendous on the plate, with a wRC+ of 102 (111 towards righties), however was price simply 0.3 WAR as a result of he was completely horrid within the discipline. When he performed the sphere (he DH’d 59 video games), he was largely in left, the place he put up a putrid -5 FRV in simply 54 video games. Luckily for him, the Rays can defend him from lefty pitching fully and maintain him off the outfield grass, taking part in him as their second baseman towards righties. He was under common on the keystone in restricted motion in 2025, too, however he’s been roughly common or higher in prior years.

Clark was the Angels’ fifth-round decide in 2023 out of Harvard and pitched to a 4.73 ERA and 4.33 FIP in 144 2/3 innings throughout three ranges final 12 months. He figures to start out his 2026 in Excessive-A or Double-A.

Impact on the Angels

Maybe no staff making an attempt to contend (nicely, to the extent the Angels try to contend) had a extra apparent want within the outfield than the Halos did after they traded Taylor Ward to Baltimore. Regardless of Cody Bellinger and a far cheaper choice in Bader languishing on the free agent market, the membership elected to fill their emptiness with Lowe.

The lefty swinger appeared like a possible long-term, core piece for the Rays in 2023, when he put up 3.4 WAR in 135 video games with 20 homers and 32 steals. However since then, he’s been price simply 0.9 WAR in 214 video games, putting out 28% of the time. His protection has graded out poorly, too, and it stays to be seen how the Angels will align their outfield. Will Mike Trout be wholesome sufficient to play proper discipline and even return to heart every so often? In any other case, he’ll be caught at DH whereas the Angels run out an outfield that includes defensive liabilities Jo Adell, who was price -13 FRV between proper and heart in 2025, and Jorge Soler. Regardless of the association of our bodies, issues might get ugly.

Impact on the Reds

Burke offers one other totally different search for the rebuilt Reds bullpen, giving the membership a hard-throwing southpaw to go together with soft-contact king Caleb Ferguson. Burke’s strikeout fee plummeted from 2024 to 2025, however so too did his stroll fee, and famend Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson will certainly attempt to work his magic to convey again bat-missing whereas holding the strike-throwing positive aspects.

The removing of Lux from the roster opens up taking part in time for prime prospect Sal Stewart, who confirmed oodles of potential in his first 18 main league video games final 12 months. For a staff that’s lacked an enormous bopper because the days of Joey Votto and Eugenio Suárez, if Stewart might proceed to indicate that in-game pop, it might go a great distance towards solidifying the Reds as true contenders as a substitute of peripheral pretenders.

Rockies Purchase Jake McCarthy from Diamondbacks for Josh Grosz

Impact on the Rockies

Watching McCarthy and his 99th-percentile dash velocity run across the expansive outfield at Chase Area was a lot enjoyable, and he now will get to degree up that have by roaming the huge areas of Coors Area. The lefty-swinger fell flat on his face after a breakout 3-WAR 2024, together with his wRC+ almost halving from 110 to 60. Getting on base so little (his OBP was .247) meant he solely stole six bases in 67 video games, too.

Barring any additional strikes, Jordan Beck and Brenton Doyle needs to be set as Colorado’s beginning left and heart fielders, respectively. That leaves McCarthy vying for time in proper with a slew of choices; Mickey Moniak (who graded out horribly defensively however might DH), Tyler Freeman, Zac Veen, Yanquiel Fernández, and Sterlin Thompson are among the many potentialities. McCarthy can’t be optioned to the minors, and is beneath management by way of arbitration by means of 2028.

Impact on the Diamondbacks

The non-Corbin Carroll outfield wasn’t precisely a place of power for the Diamondbacks earlier than the commerce, but it surely was a spot with redundancy from the left facet. Together with Carroll, Arizona additionally has lefty Alek Thomas as its finest defensive heart fielder and one other out-of-options outfielder, switch-hitter Jorge Barrosa. (Barrosa is listed at 5’6” however could be shorter, making him the one main league participant who might nicely be my peak of 5’4”.)

Infielder Blaze Alexander acquired seven video games of a trial run within the outfield final 12 months and will see extra time there in 2026. Jordan Lawlar (coated in additional depth within the Arenado part) now has a clearer lane to outfield time than infield time. The Diamondbacks even have outfield-capable utilityman Tim Tawa from the proper facet, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ought to return from his torn ACL in some unspecified time in the future through the season.

Earlier than flipping him to Arizona, the Rockies had acquired Grosz eventually 12 months’s commerce deadline within the take care of the Yankees for Ryan McMahon, and acquired a 5.87 ERA out of him in seven Excessive-A begins. On the time of the McMahon commerce, our prospect staff gave Grosz a 35+ FV.