2025-26 Offseason Around the League Thread

[markedman5]

 

[Frisbee Slider]

2 hours ago, wallus said:

Cubs sign Hoby Milner

I look forward to Hoby coming at our left handed batters with the lowest arm angle in baseball.

[Roderick]

20 hours ago, Frisbee Slider said:

I look forward to Hoby coming at our left handed batters with the lowest arm angle in baseball.

Hoby Milner has agreed to a one-year, $3.75 million deal with the Cubs, per source. The deal also includes incentives.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 11, 2025

[Lloyd330]

We need to see what the Royals just gave Maikel Garcia - Thats the type of deal we need to give Turang

[Brian]

2 hours ago, Lloyd330 said:

We need to see what the Royals just gave Maikel Garcia - Thats the type of deal we need to give Turang

Maikel Garcia seems to be a bit better at the plate but not defensively. The Royals have locked down the left side of their infield. Having already signed shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to a long-term deal, they have now signed third baseman Maikel Garcia to a five-year contract with a club option on a sixth year, according to ESPN reporter Jeff Passan.

Update at 1:54 p.m.: The deal is for five years, and $57.5 million, according to MLB.com reporter Anne Rogers.

https://www.mlb.com/player/maikel-garcia-672580

 

[Lloyd330]

38 minutes ago, Brian said:

Maikel Garcia seems to be a bit better at the plate but not defensively. The Royals have locked down the left side of their infield. Having already signed shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to a long-term deal, they have now signed third baseman Maikel Garcia to a five-year contract with a club option on a sixth year, according to ESPN reporter Jeff Passan.

Update at 1:54 p.m.: The deal is for five years, and $57.5 million, according to MLB.com reporter Anne Rogers.

https://www.mlb.com/player/maikel-garcia-672580

 

Yep - Get it done

 

I say 6/70 - That takes away 1 yr of FA

[sveumrules]

21 minutes ago, Lloyd330 said:

Yep - Get it done

 

I say 6/70 - That takes away 1 yr of FA

Turang has four years of Arby's left then hits FA after 2029 according to Cots.

They have a $4.75M estimate for him this year, MLBTR says $4.4M.

Let's say next four years of Arby's might go something like $4.5M, $7.5M, $10.5M, $13.5M. That would be $36M for his Arby's, then buying out two FA years for $17M each to get to 6/70.

Think Turang and his camp would be looking more towards Andres Gimenez and his 7/106.5 extension from a couple years ago as their primary comp.

 

[Lloyd330]

33 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

Turang has four years of Arby's left then hits FA after 2029 according to Cots.

They have a $4.75M estimate for him this year, MLBTR says $4.4M.

Let's say next four years of Arby's might go something like $4.5M, $7.5M, $10.5M, $13.5M. That would be $36M for his Arby's, then buying out two FA years for $17M each to get to 6/70.

Think Turang and his camp would be looking more towards Andres Gimenez and his 7/106.5 extension from a couple years ago as their primary comp.

 

Would be cool with that too - Him being named to the US team just add more $$$ to his value and more expensive come Arbitration

[wallus]

Danny J to the Rangers

[owbc]

Jorge Polanco to the Mets for 2/40. Might be the most ridiculous overpay of the winter so far. 

[KCBrewerfan34]

Polanco to replace Alonso. That might finish off the Mets base Lol 

[Simba2020]

1 hour ago, owbc said:

Jorge Polanco to the Mets for 2/40. Might be the most ridiculous overpay of the winter so far. 

I actually kind of laughed when I first read news of that signing. Wouldn't surprise me if he fails to hit .240 or 20 homers next year.

[wallus]

The Mets probably think he will be much better defensively at first. I still wouldn't have given him that much money. 

[JosephC]

I guess I don't see how Polanco is a ridiculous overpay.  You guys have lost all perspective on Met dollars versus Brewer dollars.  The Mets have been running a 320 million dollar payroll.  So 20 million per year is roughly 6.25% of their payroll.  If running a Brewers payroll of 110 million, the equivalent financial obligation for the Brewers would be a 2 year, 13.75 million dollar contract.  I doubt too many Brewer fans would be complaining about that type of a deal since Polanco had a .800+ OPS last year, gives some defensive versatility, is an average to above-average baserunner and projects to be a 1.9 WAR player next year by Steamer.

Now back to the reason I came to this thread in the first place, have the Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker yet?  That was going to be my post until I saw the Polanco stuff.  If anything, I think Stearns may have screwed up this off-season, not by swapping Polanco for Alonso, not by swapping Williams for Diaz...but by making these cost-cutting moves to allow him to sign Tucker.  I have this feeling that the Dodgers are just going to throw the 3 year, 180 million dollar deal out there and just destroy the hopes of all non-Dodger fans out there.

[sveumrules]

9 minutes ago, JosephC said:

I guess I don't see how Polanco is a ridiculous overpay.  You guys have lost all perspective on Met dollars versus Brewer dollars.  The Mets have been running a 320 million dollar payroll.  So 20 million per year is roughly 6.25% of their payroll.  If running a Brewers payroll of 110 million, the equivalent financial obligation for the Brewers would be a 2 year, 13.75 million dollar contract.  I doubt too many Brewer fans would be complaining about that type of a deal since Polanco had a .800+ OPS last year, gives some defensive versatility, is an average to above-average baserunner and projects to be a 1.9 WAR player next year by Steamer.

Defensive versatility? He's -2 DRS | -20 FRV at 2B for his career. Last year he played 89 games at DH. Mets are planning to use him primarily at 1B per reports.

Steamer projects 1.9 WAR with only a -4.3 DEF, he hasn't had a DEF that low since 2021, and playing 1B/DH it will probably a lot closer to the -12.3 DEF he registered last year. That drops him down to 1.1 WAR.

If he gives them 1000 PA of 120 wRC+ it's a perfectly cromulent deal, but there is a lot more downside risk given Polanco's track record (he hit for a 108 wRC+ | 3.4 WAR over 1,257 PA from 2022-24), and even in a best case scenario of him repeating his 132 wRC+ | 2.6 WAR from 2025 for two more years they got five wins for $40M, big whoop.

[JosephC]

As you said, Mets are planning to use Polanco at 1B.  So he's the likely short-term replacement for Alonso.  In comparison to Alonso, yes, he bring some defensive versatility.  In a pinch, he could be bounced to 2B or 3B and provide below average defense.  There is nothing you can do with Alonso except have him play 1B (where by DRS, his -9 was the worst in baseball last year among qualifying 1B) or DH.

[TURBO]

The Padres and Mets have been discussing a potential trade centered around a combination of Mason Miller, Nick Pivetta, Adrian Morejon, Ramón Laureano and Jeremiah Estrada, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Dennis Lin and Will Sammon.

 

Rosenthal, Lin and Sammon add the Padres have expressed interest in the Mets’ trio of elite pitching prospects — Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat — while noting that franchise cornerstones Francisco Lindor and Fernando Tatis Jr. have not surfaced in trade discussions. Any deal involving those prospects would qualify as a blockbuster, though McLean’s inclusion would be especially surprising given that he’s been viewed as virtually untouchable since making his major-league debut late last season. New York remains in the market for an established front-line starter and an additional high-leverage reliever to pair with newly acquired stopper Devin Williams following Edwin Díaz’s departure to Los Angeles. While The Athletic notes that nothing appears imminent, this is a situation worth monitoring.

 

 

Source: The Athletic

[BrewerFan]

55 minutes ago, JosephC said:

I guess I don't see how Polanco is a ridiculous overpay.  You guys have lost all perspective on Met dollars versus Brewer dollars.  The Mets have been running a 320 million dollar payroll.  So 20 million per year is roughly 6.25% of their payroll. 

It's not two different industries, it's the same league. 

He's a ridiculous overpay... because he's a 1B who doesn't hit well enough to justify 20M a year. 

 

22 hours ago, sveumrules said:

Turang has four years of Arby's left then hits FA after 2029 according to Cots.

They have a $4.75M estimate for him this year, MLBTR says $4.4M.

Let's say next four years of Arby's might go something like $4.5M, $7.5M, $10.5M, $13.5M. That would be $36M for his Arby's, then buying out two FA years for $17M each to get to 6/70.

Think Turang and his camp would be looking more towards Andres Gimenez and his 7/106.5 extension from a couple years ago as their primary comp.

 

He signed that deal in 2023 coming off a 7.4 WAR season and it didn't start until the following year.

He was also earlier on, pre-arbitration but a GG winner with a .297/.373/.466 line.

I'd off 6/70 and a TO for ~22. Make it 10M SB to entice him.

I hope they follow suit with Misiorowski... and that's probably it this year. Frelick... I love the way the guy plays, but not enough to commit more than 6/50 1 Team Option for ~18M.

I'd also be down for an Uribe extension. 8/45M. Doesn't mean you have to keep him for 8 years, but we see how valuable relievers are. I also seem to have a higher tolerance for extensions for pitchers than others sinice many said they wouldn't give Mis more than Ashby or Peralta(I assume that would be adjusted for MLB salary inflation, but basically as a reliever). 

[BrewerFan]

18 minutes ago, JosephC said:

As you said, Mets are planning to use Polanco at 1B.  So he's the likely short-term replacement for Alonso.  In comparison to Alonso, yes, he bring some defensive versatility.  In a pinch, he could be bounced to 2B or 3B and provide below average defense.  There is nothing you can do with Alonso except have him play 1B (where by DRS, his -9 was the worst in baseball last year among qualifying 1B) or DH.

Yes, that's how the Mets will be using him. That wasn't the point you were making however. You projected him onto the Brewers and suggested we'd be happy(albeit for 35% of what he ACTUALLY got) with him citing his defensive versatility as a reason. 
 

These are two very different arguments. 

2 hours ago, JosephC said:

If running a Brewers payroll of 110 million, the equivalent financial obligation for the Brewers would be a 2 year, 13.75 million dollar contract.  I doubt too many Brewer fans would be complaining about that type of a deal since Polanco had a .800+ OPS last year, gives some defensive versatility, is an average to above-average baserunner and projects to be a 1.9 WAR player next year by Steamer.

We're not running a 110M payroll, but that's beside the point. 

The point is... it's just not a good value. 

2 years 13.75 on the Brewers, yeah, that'd be a pretty good deal. But another team that plays in the same league the Brewers do, they gave him 2/40M... to DH and play 1B. There's no way to argue that's a good contract. Now add on top the actual cost of the contract due to the Mets payroll and it's even worse. 

[markedman5]

 

[markedman5]

 

[BrewerFan]

On 12/9/2025 at 9:15 PM, brewmann04 said:

The only way you stop it get a Salary Cap done

That or...even more punitive "luxury taxes?"

You'll also need a floor. It'd be extremely helpful to see the books. Forbes estimates the Brewers at 21M net revenue in 2024. I'd just love to see say... the last 10 years. I don't believe the Brewers are raking it in, but it'd help to get a clearer picture.

Back in 2007 the Pirates books were leaked and it showed they were making ~15M a year while spending ~45M and getting 70M in revenue sharing from the league.

2025 the estimate on the revenue sharing is "at least 230M," but there's SO much overhead that doesn't really tell you much.

There are rumors... not a clue if there's anything behind them, but the Dodgers are looking to trade for Skubal and then extend him. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see them go 10 years 450M for Skubal and in the same off-season giving Tucker 10 and 275. 

I'm half rooting for it at this point. Just to hammer home how outrageous it is. 

 

Take pieces from the NBA and the NFL. We're too far down the road for an NFL type revenue sharing deal.. I think. So maybe you set the luxury tax at 280M, the floor at 140 and teams that are over that 280M, make it like the 2nd apron in the NBA. You make it harder to make trades, you can't sign FA's, you can only sign players already in the system(the "Bird rule). 

In reality, you'll probably have to make that number higher, more like 320... but SOMETHING has to be done. The Dodgers are going to be outspending the Brewers 6 to 1 with the luxury tax in the near future if MLB doesn't do something. 

 

Finally, if we could find a more...equitable way to divide revenue, it'd be nice to be able to go out and sign Bo Bichette or someone like that. Kyle Schwarber if we wanted, Peta Alanso. I don't think we'll be seeing a 200M payroll in 2028, but 150, 160 for a team consistently in the playoffs(and making ~20M a year if that's true) should be the goal.

I don't think I would sign anyone this year, I'd focus any additional money on locking up our own players, but I'd be willing to bet all the people who act like 30 years old in Baseball is the same as being a 30 year old RB would be a little more open to signing players through age 33 or 34 and we wouldn't see arguments arguing we should trade Megill because he's 32 or that an extension buying out 3 years of Contreras would be SO bad because he'd be in his early 30s at the end of it. 

[AdvantageSchneider]

On 12/9/2025 at 4:05 PM, TURBO said:

How so?

You ever go into a sports car dealership and loudly proclaim you are willing to pay $15k for their best car?  I think you'd get laughed out of the place.  That's what the pirates just did.

[markedman5]

 

[duewizard]

On 12/12/2025 at 12:03 PM, Roderick said:

Hoby Milner has agreed to a one-year, $3.75 million deal with the Cubs, per source. The deal also includes incentives.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 11, 2025

Good for Hoby. Sucks that its with the Cubbies.