2025-26 Offseason Around the League Thread

[TURBO]

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reports the Blue Jays have made a long-term contract offer to Kyle Tucker.

 

No word on the exact financial terms. Tucker’s market is beginning to crystallize, as he’s reportedly weighing a short-term offer from the Mets that would pay roughly $50 million annually, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray, against the long-term security of a deal with the Blue Jays. The defending World Series champion Dodgers remain the true wild card in the Tucker sweepstakes. He’s the kind of hitter whose production travels — park, lineup, and league factors tend to bend around him rather than the other way around. The real decision here isn’t about fit so much as timing: whether it makes sense to circle back to free agency again in the near future or lock in the certainty of a long-term deal now, knowing his bat will almost certainly age well enough to justify either path.

 

Source: ESPN.com

[umphrey]

How should I feel about the Arenado trade 

[Jake McKibbin]

48 minutes ago, umphrey said:

How should I feel about the Arenado trade 

The man seemed to consistently crush Trevor Megill, I was fairly scared of him in any save situation those two faced off

[Roderick]

1 hour ago, umphrey said:

How should I feel about the Arenado trade 

I know nothing about what they got back, but I assume this makes them worse for 2026, but better all future years.  Re-allocate the money to the future and get a jump start on seeing who can play 3B.

[umphrey]

I didn't have time to read into it that close but it looked like they did a pure salary dump but only saved $11M out of $42M which seemed like a pretty bad deal for the Cardinals, not sure if i was missing something though. Arenado goes to Arizona on a 2 year deal worth $11M, looks solid for Arizona. 

[Jopal78]

12 minutes ago, Roderick said:

I know nothing about what they got back, but I assume this makes them worse for 2026, but better all future years.  Re-allocate the money to the future and get a jump start on seeing who can play 3B.

Received the D’Backs 8th round selection for last summer’s draft. A pitcher who projects as a reliever. 
 

So much for the anti-tanking measures in baseball. Cardinals are going to fight to avoid losing 100 games

[mudbutt]

He was awful last year so you aren’t missing anything. Cardinals open up a position for development is the only real piece for them. The 11 mil over two years they save is a big whatever especially since their payroll is absolutely anemic compared to where it has been.

[Jopal78]

3 minutes ago, mudbutt said:

He was awful last year so you aren’t missing anything. Cardinals open up a position for development is the only real piece for them. The 11 mil over two years they save is a big whatever especially since their payroll is absolutely anemic compared to where it has been.

His offense is going but still a solid defender at third, which is why they had to pay to move Arenado, but boy the cupboards are bare in St, Louis now.

[SeaBass]

Cardinals are tanking/doing a reset. They are reportedly shopping around Brendan Donovan as well. Pirates won't finish last in the division this season.

[Jopal78]

I’m actually disappointed they traded Arenado. I thought it would be good karma for Arenado (who had no problem taking Colorado’s money only to  complain almost immediately after about winning, then blocks a trade to Houston when the Cards tried to move him when he was still a decent player) to finish up his career in irrelevance.

[SeaBass]

6 minutes ago, Jopal78 said:

I’m actually disappointed they traded Arenado. I thought it would be good karma for Arenado (who had no problem taking Colorado’s money only to  complain almost immediately after about winning, then blocks a trade to Houston when the Cards tried to move him when he was still a decent player) to finish up his career in irrelevance.

A glance into Alex Bregman's Cubs future perhaps? Arenado had 7.9 bWAR in his age 31 season, Bregman is coming off of a 3.5 bWAR in his age 31 season.

[nate82]

Ranger Suárez to the Red Sox

That eliminates Boston as a Peralta trade destination.  Down to the Mets, Dodgers, Padres and mystery teams now.

[SeaBass]

36 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Ranger Suárez to the Red Sox

That eliminates Boston as a Peralta trade destination.  Down to the Mets, Dodgers, Padres and mystery teams now.

I'm not buying that the Yankees are out just because they traded for Ryan Weathers. Weathers and his 1.4 career bWAR and Peralta aren't comparable talents and Freddy is still only making $8 million.

[Jake McKibbin]

Developing Baseball (@developingbaseball) • Instagram photos and videos

WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM

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55 likes, 3 comments - developingbaseball on January 14, 2026: "The facilities we work with have some absolute flame throwers. Here’s...

DL Hall 🔥

[sveumrules]

6 hours ago, Jake McKibbin said:

Developing Baseball (@developingbaseball) • Instagram photos and videos

WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM

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55 likes, 3 comments - developingbaseball on January 14, 2026: "The facilities we work with have some absolute flame throwers. Here’s...

DL Hall 🔥

Would be nice if DL could rediscover some of that fastball juice for sure.

2022-23 with BAL his four seamer had 95.8 MPH average velo | 111 Stuff+ | +3.5 runs
2024-25 with MIL his four seamer had 93.6 MPH average velo | 85 Stuff+ | -6.4 runs

Pretty wild swing.

Bryce Meccage pops up on the third slide too at 96.77 MPH.

[Jake McKibbin]

3 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

Would be nice if DL could rediscover some of that fastball juice for sure.

2022-23 with BAL his four seamer had 95.8 MPH average velo | 111 Stuff+ | +3.5 runs
2024-25 with MIL his four seamer had 93.6 MPH average velo | 85 Stuff+ | -6.4 runs

Pretty wild swing.

Bryce Meccage pops up on the third slide too at 96.77 MPH.

Having done a lot of research this offseason, I'm still of the opinion that rediscovering that weird, rising action he had on his changeup with Baltimore is key for him, both in how it masks his fastball and generates whiffs of its own.

Looking back to 2022, before injuries started really kicking in, he had a solitary game in triple A vs Charlotte Knights where he was repeatedly 98-99 mph and with a slider 88-89 mph on average.

You can have a look below sure! (PS ignore some of the xWOBA stuff, it doesn't really tell the full story in a small sample for 2022)

[jay87shot]

If DL Hall can even average like 96, I would expect a huge jump from him. I am telling you all 8 man double piggy would be revolutionary.

[Tedaldtada]

8 man double 🐖 LOL

I agree we will continue to see the lines blurred within the pitching staff. High effort extended outings every 5-6 days make as little sense as high effort short outings multiple days in a row. The sweet spot in performance, and likely health, is probably something more like 6-12 out stints every 2-4 days.

[markedman5]

 

[markedman5]

Of course 

 

[Bulldogboy]

Let the lockout begin. Enough already. 

[markedman5]

What’s another 240 million ?

 

[brewmann04]

This is a joke enough here to a lockout 

[markedman5]

Dodgers just daring the other owners to do it at this point……..I love baseball but this is ridiculous.

Every NFL team can retain their best players and usually do………ditto for the NBA……

[markedman5]