Category: Baseball

Let the revelry begin, Chicago. 

As the Bears were staging their comeback win over the Packers in the NFC Wild Card game on Saturday, news broke that the Cubs had signed Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract, giving them one of the top free agent hitters on the market just days after bolstering the rotation by trading for starter Edward Cabrera. 

Bregman opted out after the first season of a three-year, $120 million contract he signed in Boston, hoping to find the longer-term pact that he was unable to secure one year ago. Many expected a return to the Red Sox, given what he meant to the team during his brief stay and how the Rafael Devers saga ended. 

Instead, it was the Cubs who provided Bregman with what he sought. 

It’s a hefty sum for a player who will turn 32 in March and is coming off a year in which he was limited to 114 games due to injury, but it also demonstrates the value Bregman possesses as an unquestioned leader who still brings a keen eye at the plate and plus defense at third base. He’ll now help balance out the top of a lineup that features lefties Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong as well as switch-hitter Ian Happ. 

Notably, that lineup no longer includes top free agent slugger Kyle Tucker, which made adding another middle-of-the-order bat a necessity for a Cubs team coming off its first playoff appearance in five years. 

Bregman has been an above-average hitter every year of his career. Last year’s All-Star season was no exception. He had a .938 OPS before suffering a quad injury that forced him out for nearly two months. Though his power was not the same after his return, he still ended the year hitting 28% above league average with an .821 OPS that represented his highest mark since 2019. 

What’s Next for the Cubs

The Cubs showed interest in Bregman last offseason before he signed with the Red Sox. This time, they weren’t going to get outbid (and won’t lose a pick, the way they would have last winter when he had the qualifying offer attached). 

Bregman will be playing next to the Cubs’ only other long-term expenditure, shortstop Dansby Swanson, who signed a seven-year, $177 million deal before the 2023 season, adding further to what should be one of the best defensive groups in baseball next season. 

They should be a formidable offensive unit, too. 

On the surface, the Cubs’ offense was among the best in the National League last season. They ranked fifth in MLB in runs and top 10 in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS and home runs. However, the lineup spiraled in the second half as Tucker dealt with injury and Crow-Armstrong dropped off a cliff at the plate following an MVP-caliber start to the year. After the break, the White Sox (.727 OPS) had a better OPS than their North Side counterparts (.721). 

The Cubs still made the playoffs, but they were defeated in the NLDS by a Brewers team that had won the division each of the last three years. The Cubs lost the series 3-2, scoring a total of seven runs in their three defeats, and entered this winter well below the luxury-tax threshold with a bevy of contracts set to come off the books in 2027. They simply had to find a way to add an impact bat. They paid a steep price for it, but they got it done. 

With third base locked down, it’s possible that the Cubs could trade Nico Hoerner or Matt Shaw given the infield surplus. They could use more outfield depth to avoid having to play Seiya Suzuki in the field, but even if they don’t do any more roster maneuvering, they’re now positioned to contend for something even greater than their first division title since the shortened 2020 season. 

What’s Next for the Red Sox 

It’s almost unfathomable that less than a year after signing Bregman to play alongside Devers, the Red Sox now have neither. 

They bungled the Devers situation by failing to communicate effectively with their longtime third baseman, who was under contract through 2033. Boston stunningly traded its face of the franchise – all for one year of the player who was brought in to replace him? 

Bregman immediately made himself a valued leader in the Boston clubhouse, and his pull-side power worked masterfully at Fenway Park. When healthy, he was a force, one that helped get the Red Sox to the playoffs for the first time in four years. His production was especially important given the Devers friction (and eventual departure) and the understandable growing pains of young infield prospects Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer. 

And just like that, he’s gone. 

For all the trading the Red Sox have done this winter, they still haven’t signed a free agent. Acquiring Willson Contreras will help add some needed pop to a Boston lineup that ranked 15th in home runs last year, but it won’t erase the sting of Bregman’s departure or the fanbase’s resulting displeasure. 

If they don’t sign free agent infielder Bo Bichette or find a way to deal from their outfield surplus to swing a significant move, good luck trying to justify that loss. 

What’s Next for the Free Agent Market

Bichette, Tucker, and fellow top free-agent Cody Belliger must be salivating. 

If Kyle Schwarber (entering his age-33 season) and Bregman (entering his age-32 season) can each get five years and between $30-35 million per season, it’s hard to imagine that the asking prices for the top trio of position players left on the board will be dropping anytime soon. 

Bichette will be entering his age-28 season coming off a bounceback year with the Blue Jays that saw him earn down-ballot MVP votes. Tucker is about to turn 29 and already figured to be the top earner in this year’s free-agent class. Bellinger’s defensive versatility makes him a fit for a number of teams as he enters his age-30 season coming off three straight above-average seasons at the plate. 

With the number of premier bats dwindling, perhaps Bregman’s signing ignites more action at the top of the market. It appeared Bichette’s market was already gaining traction — the Phillies are reportedly getting set to meet with him soon — and Bregman’s signing should only help it pick up steam. 

Teams looking for a slugger on a shorter-term deal than what those three are seeking — or pivoting at third base after whiffing on Bregman — could turn to 34-year-old Eugenio Suárez, who led all third basemen with 49 home runs last year. 

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Third baseman Alex Bregman has signed with the Chicago Cubs, according to reports on Saturday.

Bregman has signed a five-year contract worth $175 million, according to the New York Post. Bregman opted out of a three-year deal with the Red Sox after just one season. That deal was worth $120 million.

Bregman, an MLB All-Star in 2025, played 114 games for the Red Sox last season and hit .273 with an .821 OPS. He led the Red Sox to the playoffs, although they lost in a wild-card series to the Yankees.

Prior to joining the Red Sox in February, Bregman spent nine years with the Houston Astros, the team he won two World Series titles with and was named an All-Star twice, including in 2018 when he won All-Star MVP. The following year, Bregman was named a Silver Slugger Award-winner at third base, and in 2024, he was named the Golden Glove winner in the American League.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Free agent outfielder Max Kepler was suspended for 80 games on Friday following a positive test for a banned performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball‘s drug program.

Kepler tested positive for Epitrenbolone, a substance that led to a suspension in 2018 for boxer Manuel Charr and caused the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to announce the following year it had disqualified 90-year-old cyclist Carl Grove from a world record he had set at the 2018 Masters Track National Championship.

Epitrenbolone is a metabolite of Trenbolone, which is contained in some products used in body-building stores and has been used in products to promote cattle growth.

Kepler, who turns 33 next month, is an 11-year major-league veteran, who spent last season with the Philadelphia Phillies after playing his first 10 seasons with the Minnesota Twins.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Before Tarik Skubal embarks on his final season under team control in Detroit, prepare for a salary showdown unlike any other since Major League Baseball’s arbitration system began more than 50 years ago.

Skubal is seeking $32 million in arbitration. The Tigers countered at $19 million. The $13 million chasm between the team and their two-time Cy Young ace is a record. So is the figure that Skubal is pursuing.

No pitcher has ever made even $20 million in arbitration. The record for a starter belongs to David Price, who, coincidentally, avoided arbitration with the Tigers when the two sides agreed to a $19.75 million deal. That was 11 years ago. 

Since then, the one-year contracts for the top arbitration-eligible position players have skyrocketed. Juan Soto holds the record at $31 million, a number he and the Yankees settled at in 2024. Shohei Ohtani also reached the $30 million mark in his final year of arbitration with the Angels in 2023. 

But on the pitching side, the figures haven’t jumped nearly as substantially. Price’s number still stands as the zenith. That fact surely isn’t lost on Skubal, who’s one of the eight members of the MLBPA’s executive subcommittee. He is setting the bar high, and attempting to create a new highwater mark for pitchers of his ilk, a year before what will likely be a contentious labor battle. 

If Skubal were to win his case, it would not only benefit arbitration-eligible aces to come but would also represent a monumental moment in the current system’s history. 

The Risk of Arbitration: What It Means

The most that any player has been awarded at an arbitration hearing is $19.9 million, a request won by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. before the 2024 season. Clearly, that process didn’t impact his future in Toronto. The two sides avoided another hearing a year later when they settled at $28.5 million before the 2025 season. Three months later, the Blue Jays and the superstar first baseman agreed to a $500 million extension. 

But arbitration hearings, during which a player has to listen to his team pick apart his flaws, carry inherent risk. They can get contentious and don’t always end amicably. 

​​In 2023, Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes and the Brewers went to a hearing over a difference of less than $1 million. The Brewers won the hearing — Burnes made $10.01 million instead of the $10.75 million he was seeking — but lost the relationship. Afterward, Burnes let it be known he was hurt by what his team had to say about him during the process. One year later, ahead of his final season under team control, he was traded to the Orioles. 

Similarly, questions continue to linger about Skubal’s future in Detroit as he prepares for his final season before free agency. The more the two sides squabble over money, the more questions and trade rumors will intensify.

This isn’t the same as Burnes’ situation. Given the ask, it’s at least understandable why the Tigers don’t want to acquiesce. 

MLB Trade Rumors’ model projected Skubal to make around $17.8 million in arbitration based on comparable players and their service time, which is less than the Tigers’ request. The highest year-over-year jump for a pitcher in arbitration was $9.6 million, when Jacob deGrom and the Mets agreed on a $17 million salary before the 2019 season. Skubal is seeking a $21.85 million raise from the $10.15 million contract he received last year. 

It’s a staggering sum, but he’s a staggering talent with a compelling case. 

Is Skubal Worth the Hefty Salary?

When deGrom received his raise coming off his first Cy Young season, he was entering his second year of arbitration eligibility. This is Skubal’s third, and he’s coming off back-to-back Cy Young seasons in which he threw more than 190 innings, made more than 30 starts, racked up more than 225 strikeouts and led the American League in ERA. He was also exceptional in the 2025 postseason, registering a 1.74 ERA with 36 strikeouts over three starts. 

It’s worth noting that, as ESPN pointed out, players with more than five years of service time like Skubal are also allowed to compare their salary to other comparable players — not just those who are arbitration eligible. But Skubal is still seeking less than what other pitching standouts will make in 2026, from Zack Wheeler ($42 million) to Gerrit Cole ($36 million). In recent years, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander also received more than $40 million a year from the Mets. 

Still, we haven’t seen a player receive even $20 million at a hearing before. 

The $13 million gap between Skubal and his team is an enormous figure, especially if the Tigers are hoping to use that money to attract another difference-making piece. Keep in mind, too, if this process deteriorates the relationship between Skubal and the Tigers, or the Tigers don’t think they can keep Skubal long term, or they simply want to recoup as much value as possible from a player of his caliber while they still can, a $19 million salary is likely to add more potential trade suitors for Skubal this year than a $32 million figure would.  

What’s Ahead? 

The Tigers operate as a “file-and-trial” team, meaning they treat the date to exchange arbitration figures as a hard deadline. If no deal is in place at that point, there’s a general understanding that a one-year contract won’t be agreed upon and an arbitration hearing is on the horizon. 

Once that hearing takes place in late January or early February, there’s no meeting in the middle; either Skubal wins or the Tigers do. If it gets to that point, as it is tracking toward, the Tigers will have to nitpick their ace’s blemishes to a three-person panel in a hearing unlike any before it. With the best pitcher on the planet involved, it will be tough to find those faults. 

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.
 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Could MLB follow the path of the NBA with an in-season tournament? Or perhaps split the 162-game campaign into two? What about expansion and realignment?

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said those ideas have been floated among the league’s offices. 

“We’ve talked about split seasons. We’ve talked about in-season tournaments,” Manfred said Thursday in a radio interview with WFAN. “We do understand that 162 games is a long pull. I think the difficulty to accomplishing those sorts of in-season events, you almost inevitably start talking about fewer regular-season games.”

Manfred also addressed the issue of adding two more teams, which would raise the total to 32. If so, that could create the need to realign the current structure of six five-team divisions across the two leagues. 

Read more: What MLB Could Look Like After Expansion

But would that possibly place teams in the same region or even in the same city – like the New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles teams — into the same division? 

“I think you would try to keep the two-team cities separate,” Manfred said. “That would be my thinking.”

Read more: MLB Expansion? The Case For 9 Cities in 3 Countries

That shift would alleviate teams’ traveling during the season and create a more favorable postseason path. 

Manfred also said he’d like the expansion and realignment issue settled before his contract ends in 2029. He reiterated that he will not seek to stay in charge after that. 

“I’m done at the end of this contract,” Manfred said. “I’ve told (the owners) that, and I’m going to stick to it. I’ll be 70. It is enough.”

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal asked for a record $32 million in salary arbitration on Thursday while the Detroit Tigers offered the left-hander $19 million.

Skubal was the most prominent of the 166 players eligible for arbitration at the start of the day and was among 18 who swapped figures with their teams. Those without agreements face hearings before three-person panels from Jan. 26 to Feb. 13 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has the highest salary in an arbitration case decided by a panel, winning at $19.9 million in 2024. Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado submitted a record request of $30 million in 2019, then agreed to a $260 million, eight-year contract.

Juan Soto’s $31 million contract with the New York Yankees in 2024 is the largest one-year deal for an arbitration-eligible player. David Price has the highest negotiated salary in a one-year contract for an arbitration-eligible pitcher, a $19.75 million agreement with Detroit in 2015.

A two-time All-Star, the 29-year-old Skubal will be eligible for free agency after the World Series. He is 54-37 with a 3.08 ERA in six major league seasons.

Skubal was 13-6 with an AL-best 2.21 ERA in 31 starts last year, striking out 241 and walking 33 in 195 1/3 innings while earning $10.5 million. His 0.891 WHIP topped qualified pitchers.

Catcher William Contreras exchanged with Milwaukee, asking for $9.9 million as the Brewers offered $8.55 million.

Washington right-hander Cade Cavalli has the smallest gap: $900,000 vs. $825,000.

Among the 148 striking deals were Seattle outfielder Randy Arozarena ($15.65 million), Cincinnati right-hander Brady Singer ($12.75 million), Baltimore outfielder Taylor Ward ($12,175,000), Philadelphia left-hander Jesus Luzardo ($11 million), Seattle right-hander Logan Gilbert ($10,927,000), Toronto outfielder Daulton Varsho ($10.75 million), and New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Philadelphia third baseman Alec Bohm (both $10.2 million).

Teams went 5-4 in hearings last winter, leaving clubs with a 358-270 advantage since arbitration started in 1974.

All agreements for arbitration-eligible players are guaranteed but deals that go to panel decisions are not.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

It took some time for John Schneider to decompress after the end of a 2025 season that came two outs, one Will Smith cleat and one bulldozing Andy Pages catch from Toronto celebrating its first World Series title in 32 years. 

The Blue Jays manager isn’t sure he’ll ever fully process or digest what unfolded in the final moments of a Fall Classic for the ages that ended with the Dodgers emptying onto the field at Rogers Centre after a stunning finish.  

“I think I’ll think about it until the day I leave this earth, you know what I mean?” Schneider said at the MLB Winter Meetings in December. “Unless you get another opportunity to kind of squash that one.” 

So far this offseason, the Blue Jays are operating like a team intent on making that a possibility for their manager in 2026. 

Coming off their first division title since 2015 and their first trip to the World Series since 1993, the Blue Jays have responded to last season’s crushing conclusion by spending more on free agency than any team thus far. 

At a time when most of the top arms on the market remain unsigned, Toronto daringly made the first major move of free agency when they committed seven years and $210 million to starting pitcher Dylan Cease at the start of December. One month later, that contract remains the largest free-agent deal handed out by any team this winter. No other starting pitcher has signed for even nine figures yet. 

It was also only the beginning. 

The Blue Jays continued on, further bolstering their rotation by adding Cody Ponce – who won MVP last season in South Korea’s KBO league – for three years and $30 million, and strengthening their bullpen by signing Tyler Rogers for three years and $37 million. 

And then came their latest move over the weekend, perhaps the most surprising of all. 

After failed pursuits of some of Japan’s most talented baseball exports in recent years, and with posting windows for NPB’s top talents reaching their endpoints, Toronto emerged as the unexpected destination for corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto, who signed for four years and $60 million. 

Okamoto doesn’t possess the power potential or ceiling of fellow NPB standout Munetaka Murakami, who is four years younger. But Okamoto has a higher floor, carries less risk and could end up being the better all-around MLB player, which is why he got nearly twice as much money as Murakami did from the White Sox. It was the latest example of how far the Blue Jays have come as one of MLB’s premier destinations since inking Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a $500 million extension early last season. 

“I feel like in years past with some high-profile players, it’s kind of been us selling us to them,” Schneider said, “whereas [now] I think the players know what they’re getting into as soon as they start talking to us.”

Read more: How the Blue Jays Logo Sealed Okamoto’s $60M Deal

The reasons for that are multiple. 

The Blue Jays have strong financial backing from their ownership group, state-of-the-art facilities, a clubhouse culture touted by players, one of the league’s budding stars in Guerrero now signed through 2039 and proof of concept that the pieces they have in place are championship caliber. 

“You can definitely feel a difference this offseason going back to last year and the year before,” Schneider said. 

And they might not be done as they try to turn the page from last year’s gut-wrenching finish. 

Okamoto is among a handful of Toronto players capable of playing in multiple spots. Where he ends up will ultimately depend on how much further the Blue Jays go this winter in adding more star talent to their position player group. They could still bring back Bo Bichette, and they’re considered among the top suitors for four-time All-Star slugger Kyle Tucker. 

Every marquee signing is another step toward healing the wounds that opened on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Rogers Centre. Game 6 of the World Series ended with Toronto’s tying run getting doubled off at second base on a soft liner into left field. Game 7 ended more agonizingly, with a plethora of opportunities squandered late. 

A month after the World Series ended, Schneider still hadn’t watched the final game back in its entirety. He couldn’t get himself to do it. Every time he went down one rabbit hole thinking back to what transpired, he found himself going down another. 

Read more: MLB’s Top Moments from 2025

“There’s so many things that happened, I try not to just pin it down on one thing,” Schneider said. 

Still, there’s one play in particular that continues to be scrutinized and lingers as a burning image of the Blue Jays’ defeat.  

With one out, the bases loaded and the winning run at third base in the ninth, Daulton Varsho pulled a grounder to second baseman Miguel Rojas, who stumbled before throwing home. The throw, even after catcher Will Smith’s cleat lifted briefly off the ground before retreating to the plate just in time, beat a sliding Isiah Kiner-Falefa by mere inches. 

“It stings. It hurts,” Schneider said. “I’ve seen that video 3,000 times, and 1,500 of them it looks like Will’s off the plate. In the other half, it looks like he’s on. That’s how close it was. That’s why details matter.” 

In the wake of Toronto’s loss, everything about that play was dissected and debated, from Kiner-Falefa’s short lead at third — the Blue Jays expressed concern about the potential for Smith to back-pick or getting doubled off on a line drive — to his decision to slide feet-first instead of headfirst or running through the base. 

Read more: MLB Way-Too-Early Power Rankings

“I feel so bad for Izzy getting all the blame,” Schneider said. “Izzy is an unbelievable baseball player. I think peeling back a couple layers, now that I have the platform to talk about it, could we have done a better job of getting him off a little bit? Yeah, another step or two.” 

Now, though, there’s nothing the Blue Jays can do but move forward. 

Each new signing helps quell the pain, demonstrates Toronto’s staying power and moves the Blue Jays one step closer to getting another shot to squash last season’s bitter ending. 

“I think I’m finally at the point where you can kind of peel back and reflect on the good and not just the ‘Wow, what just happened’ of Game 7,” Schneider said. “It took a little bit of time.”

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

The mask came off of the red monster with googly eyes, and the Hall of Fame slugger revealed himself. The crowd roared, the judges clapped, and David “Big Papi” Ortiz cracked a smile from ear to ear.

“No way!” Ortiz said. 

Ortiz performed a rendition of “Turn Down for What” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon, under the guise of a big red costume on Wednesday’s episode of The Masked Singer on FOX. 

After his performance, while still in character, Ortiz’s voice was altered to a high pitch as the fans got a hint of who he was. 

“I got eyes everywhere,” the high-pitch voice said. “I can see everything. I love it.

“It’s giving Puerto Rican Papi,” Jenny McCarthy said. She was onto something. 

Later, when it was revealed the googly-eyed performer was indeed Ortiz, he stepped out form underneath his disguise and relived his song and dance.

“That was a straight-up work out there,” Ortiz said. “I don’t need to go to the gym for about a month.”

Ortiz wasn’t exaggerating as host Nick Cannon described his costume as the “biggest we’ve ever had.” Ortiz played 20 seasons in MLB, 14 with the Boston Red Sox and six with the Minnesota Twins. He hit 541 home runs, good for 17th on the all-time list, and slashed .286/.380/.552 for his career. He made 10 All-Star appearances, and won three World Series rings with the Red Sox, in 2004, 2007 and 2013. 

Ten years after he played for the Red Sox, he still represents the team, and did so on Wednesday. 

“The Yankees lose,” he said. Judge Ken Jeong loved it. 

Ortiz knows how to make his presence felt. He did so throughout his illustrious MLB career, continues to as an MLB studio analyst on FOX, and provided that spark with his performance on The Masked Singer on Wednesday. 

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

The Cubs‘ pitching rotation got a boost, even if it came at a high cost.

Starting pitcher Edward Cabrera will reportedly head to Chicago from the Marlins in exchange for a package that includes three prospects, headlined by outfielder Owen Caissie. 

The Northsiders entered the offseason with the stated goal of adding at least two established arms to the rotation. After left-hander Shota Imanaga somewhat surprisingly accepted the one-year, $22 million qualifying offer to stay with the Cubs, that could have disrupted the team’s plans and pushed president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to prioritize the trade market. That’s a good thing, because the addition of Cabrera makes for a deep Cubs rotation that, when fully healthy, features a stack of quality arms. 

ESPN reported that the two other prospects in the deal are infielders Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon. The Marlins have reportedly targeted Caissie, the Cubs’ No. 1 overall prospect, for a while now. Cabrera was expected to be green-lit at a hefty price, given his age and remaining years of team control, and it couldn’t have been an easy decision for the Cubs to part ways with Caissie. The 23-year-old slugger, who made his major-league debut in 2025 but is still rookie-eligible, figures to immediately slot into the Marlins lineup, adding another high-powered bat to complement breakout slugger Kyle Stowers. Caissie is a huge get for Miami, who will have him under team control for the next six full seasons. 

Here’s what’s next for the Cubs, other top contenders trying to improve their rotations this offseason, and how this deal impacts the rest of the starting-pitching market. 

What’s next for the Cubs

The Cubs’ pursuit for a top-flight starter dates back to last offseason. In the winter of 2024, Chicago almost struck a deal with former Marlins southpaw Jesus Luzardo before hesitating due to his medical report. Ahead of the 2025 season, Luzardo was traded to the Phillies, where he excelled across 32 starts, pitched to a 3.92 ERA and received down-ballot National League Cy Young votes. So, this time around, the Cubs didn’t want to miss their opportunity to trade for an impact starter, even if they held similar concerns about his medical history. 

Cabrera was placed on the injured list multiple times last season, with two of those stints related to right elbow issues. As much as the words “MRI” and “elbow” in the same sentence were worrisome for interested teams, Cabrera did rebound from his time on the IL to deliver his best season for the Marlins. The right-hander finished the year with a 3.53 ERA and career-highs in strikeouts (150), innings (137.2) and starts (26). Notably, his walk rate dipped to a career-low 8.3%, which was the eighth-best mark among all NL starters. 

The Cubs are getting a 27-year-old starter with three remaining years of team control. It’s a valuable deal that could end up looking even better than their push for Luzardo, who becomes a free agent after this season. Cabrera figures to jump right to the top of the Cubs rotation, which will feature some combination of Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, Colin Rea, Javier Assad and Justin Steele throughout the 2026 season. As far as what’s left on the team’s offseason to-do list, Chicago is still aiming to add a top-tier impact bat (Alex Bregman? Bo Bichette?) before Opening Day.

What’s next for teams eyeing an impact starter

The Cubs winning the Cabrera sweepstakes, which picked up in earnest earlier this week, escalates the pressure for other top contenders looking to upgrade their rotations without spending in free agency. 

The Yankees were among the teams interested in trading for Cabrera, according to a recent report from The Athletic. Multiple reports indicated that New York wasn’t close to acquiring the Marlins right-hander, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman’s seat is only getting hotter to do something this offseason. While a lot of the team’s focus has centered on re-signing Cody Bellinger, the rotation also needs legitimate help to begin the year.

Gerrit Cole (rehab from Tommy John surgery), Carlos Rodon (left elbow surgery to remove bone spur), and Clarke Schmidt (rehab from Tommy John) will all begin the season on the IL. The timelines for each starter to return are varied, and recovery from elbow surgery is tricky. The Yankees need rotation depth to help starting pitchers Max Fried, Will Warren, Luis Gil and Cam Schlittler at the onset of the season, at least. The club has had a lethargic offseason thus far, with its only moves including re-signing infielder Amed Rosario and bringing back outfielder Trent Grisham on a one-year, $22 million qualifying offer.

Other teams under heightened stress to add an impact starter, either through trade or free agency, include the Mets, Orioles, Padres, Braves, and the Athletics. 

What’s next for the starting-pitching market

There are a number of teams that are more likely to bolster their rotations through the trade market, and the club with 2025’s second-highest payroll appears to be one of them.

Read more: Top 5 Free Agent Starting Pitchers

While the Mets have the financial might to land one of the top free-agent arms, including Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez, their president of baseball operations, David Stearns, is said to prefer trading for a lower-cost starter. The top pitchers who could be traded this offseason include Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta (who’s owed a paltry $8 million in 2026) and reigning Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal, who is in his walk year and unlikely to be dealt by the Tigers without receiving a ridiculous haul.

Other arms who could be on the trade block, either this offseason or ahead of July’s trade deadline, include Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (free agent in 2029), Twins right-handers Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez (both FA in 2028), and Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (FA in 2028). There are still quality options out there, but they are thinning with spring training just around the corner. 

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Before he moved from Japan to the big leagues, Kazuma Okamoto put the logos of all 30 MLB teams in front of his daughter and asked which one she liked most.

Her choice, just like his, was the Toronto Blue Jays.

The defending AL champion Blue Jays introduced their newest signing at a press conference Tuesday, two days after finalizing a four-year, $60 million contract with the 29-year-old corner infielder.

“The acquisition of Kazuma Okamoto is another significant step for this organization,” Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said. “We definitely got better today.”

After coming within two outs of their first World Series title since 1993, the Blue Jays have made significant additions this offseason. Before adding Okamoto, Toronto signed three pitchers, starting with a $210 million, seven-year contract for right-hander Dylan Cease. The Blue Jays also signed right-hander Cody Ponce to a $30 million, three-year contract and reached a $37 million, three-year deal with reliever Tyler Rogers.

Okamoto spoke mostly in Japanese Tuesday but opened with a few lines in English.

“Thank you very much for this opportunity,” he said. “I am very happy to join the Blue Jays. I will work hard every day and do my best for the team. Thank you for your support. Nice to meet you. Go Blue Jays.”

Okamoto hit .327 with 15 homers and 49 RBIs in 69 games last year for the Central League’s Yomiuri Giants. He injured his left elbow while trying to catch a throw at first base on May 6 when he collided with the Hanshin Tigers’ Takumu Nakano, an injury that sidelined Okamoto until Aug. 16.

Okamoto had a .277 average with 248 homers and 717 RBIs in 11 Japanese big league seasons. The six-time All-Star led the Central League in home runs in 2020, 2021 and 2023.

“It’s been exciting to watch him over the years,” Atkins said. “He’s had an incredible career thus far. The impact on both sides of the ball, the offensive abilities (are) as dynamic as it comes. It fits us very well.”

Atkins didn’t commit to a defensive position for Okamoto, saying the Blue Jays value his versatility to play both corner spots and the outfield.

“He could impact our organization from a defensive standpoint in several ways,” Atkins said. “We’ll continue to have that dialogue with him.”

Atkins didn’t rule out further moves but said there’d be roster implications with any new additions.

“We do feel good about our team,” he said. “The one thing that I would add is additions at this point will start to cut away at playing time from players that we feel are very good major league pieces, so we have to factor that in.”

Among the remaining free agents is two-time All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette, who hit .311 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs for the Blue Jays in 2025. Bichette also homered off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series.

Okamoto connected off Colorado’s Kyle Freeland to help Japan beat the U.S. 3-2 in the 2023 World Baseball Classic final. Now a big leaguer, he said he hopes to represent his country again in the 2026 tournament this March.

While the Blue Jays logo was appealing to Okamoto’s daughter, the infielder acknowledged having a different reaction to seeing his new manager, John Schneider, on TV during last year’s World Series.

“His face is scary but he seems like a really nice guy,” Okamoto said through a translator, adding that he’d since met Schneider on a video call.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!

 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports