Mega Thread 2025-2026 MLB Hot Stove

[Dixie Flatline]

The Red Sox have added 1B Willson Contreras in exchange for RHP Hunter Dobbins and two minor league right-handed pitchers, Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita. According to ESPN, Contreras will receive a $1 million bonus as a sweetener for waiving his no-trade clause to make the deal happen.

The Cardinals are also contributing $8 million to help cover part of the $41.5 million amount owed to Contreras over the rest of his contract. Contreras will be paid $18 million in 2026 and $18.5 million in 2027. The Red Sox inherit a club option over him for 2028 that is worth $20 million and comes with a $7.5 million buyout, although The Athletic notes that the Cardinals held a $17.5 million option for 2028 that came with a $5 million buyout. Contreras is owed $44 million in guaranteed money between now and the end of 2027, including the buyout on the option. Taking into account the amount the Cardinals are paying to the Red Sox, Boston will owe $36 million to Contreras.

Contreras turns 34 in May 2026. He ends his time in St Louis with a .261/.358/.459 slash line and 55 home runs across 1,416 plate appearances from 2023 and 2025. The Cardinals envisaged Contreras as the heir-apparent to Yadier Molina when they signed Contreras to a free agent contract in December 2022, but in reality, Contreras spent more time as DH in the first two years of his time in St Louis than expected, and converted into a first baseman in 2025.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Athletics have acquired 2B/OF Jeff McNeil from the New York Mets, together with cash considerations, in exchange for RHP prospect Yordan Rodriguez. The Athletics announced that they have designed LHP Ken Waldichuk for assignment to create an opening on the 40-man roster for McNeil.

The Mets reportedly will cover $5.75 million of McNeil's $15.75 million salary in 2026, and also will pick up the $2 million buyout on McNeil's $15.75 million club option for 2027 if the Athletics decline it.

Up until the trade, McNeil was the longest-tenured Met after the trade of OF Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, and the free agent departures of RHP Edwin Diaz and 1B Pete Alonso to the Dodgers and Orioles respectively. It is clear that president of baseball operations, David Stearns, is embarking on a significant overhaul to the Mets roster by trading away Nimmo and McNeil, allowing Diaz and Alonso to depart for other sides, and bringing in Marcus Semien from the Rangers (who made McNiel expendable) as well as Jorge Polanco (who previously played second base with the Mariners and Twins, but appears to be the Mets' new 1B moving forward).

McNeil made his MLB debut for the Mets back in 2018 and played in eight different seasons with the Mets. Between 2018 and 2022, McNeil hit .307/.370/.458 for 130 wRC+. The Mets and McNeil agreed on a four-year, $50 million extension heading into the 2023 season, just ahead of his age-31 season. While the deal has not been a disaster, McNeil's production has declined, with a slash line of .253/.326/.389 and a 102 wRC+ (suggesting that McNeil has been only 2% better than league average with the stick). McNeil's value has been propped up by his defence.

McNeil underwent a thoracic outlet procedure at the end of the 2025 season, but McNeil's agent said that the procedure was minor and that McNeil should be fully ready for 2026 spring training, which will now be with the Athletics. The Athletics have a strong core of young hitters, headlined by AL Rookie of the Year, 1B Nick Kurtz, as well as All-Stars Jacob Wilson and Brent Rooker. However, they were often let down in 2025 by their revolving carousel of second basemen, with the Athletics trying to find production out of the likes of Zack Gelof and Max Muncy at that position. Gelof showed power when he made his MLB debut in 2023, but his strikeout rate has climbed since his promising debut, and he was injured for much of 2025. The Athletics also have tried veterans such as Luis Arias and Aledmys Diaz, with less than stellar outcomes.

McNeil almost certainly will be the starting second baseman to open the 2026 season for the Athletics, but could be moved around the diamond as other players continue their development. Wilson is not particularly strong at shortstop, and could be moved to another position in the infield if the Athletics decide to aggressively promote top prospect Leodalis de Vries, acquired from the Padres in the Mason Miller trade at the 2025 deadline.

To acquire McNeil, the Athletics gave up Cuban pitching prospect Yordan Rodriguez. The Athletics signed Rodriguez earlier this year for a $400,000 bonus. He pitched 15 1/3 innings in the Dominican Summer League, collecting 20 strikeouts but also walking eight batters. He turns 18 in January, and is not yet on the prospect radar at the moment, although Baseball America indicated that he would fall outside the top 30 of the Athletics prospects.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Seattle Mariners announced that they have signed OF Rob Refsnyder to a one-year contract. It is reportedly for $6.25 million, with another $250,000 available in incentives for Refsnyder. He takes the 40th spot on the 40-man roster.

At this stage of his career, Refsnyder profiles entirely as a bench bat. He tees off against left-handed pitching, with a slash line of .317/.407/.516 with 19 home runs, 28 doubles and 1 triple across 509 plate appearances against southpaws in the last four seasons, but only a .235/.315/.355 batting line in 435 plate appearances against right-handed pitching in the same time frame. Going back to 2022, only Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt have a better on-base percentage against left-handed pitching than Refsnyder, while Refsnyder is sixth in batting average and 16th in slugging percentage.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Philadelphia Phillies announced that they have signed RHP Zach Pop to a major league contract. He becomes the 39th player on the Phillies 40-man roster with the deal. Salary figures are not immediately known.

Pop started the 2025 season as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays but was released shortly after opening day. He made four appearances for the Mariners and one for the Mets this year. Across 6 2/3 innings, he allowed 11 earned runs, pushing his career ERA up to 4.88 across 162 1/3 innings in five seasons.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Chicago Cubs have signed catcher Christian Bethancourt to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Bethancourt would make $1.6 million if he is selected to the majors. Bethancourt previously played for the Cubs in 2024, which was the last time he was in the majors. He had 59 plate appearances in 24 games for a .281/.305/.509 batting line.

The Cubs non-tendered Bethancourt at the end of the 2024 season and he signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays last winter. He spent all of 2025 in Triple-A without a call-up, thanks to the health of the Blue Jays catchers in the major leagues and the fact he hit only .173/.219/.332 for Buffalo in Triple-A this year.

 

[revo333]

Hot stove now gone cold

 

[satty]

Hot stove now gone cold

Yea this free agency has been interesting to say the least.

Looks like the potential lockout is making teams hesitate to hand out large contracts.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Hot stove now gone cold

Stuff has happened, but i haven't been near a computer to update it.

 

[RPCB]