Mega Thread 2024-2025 MLB Hot Stove

[Dixie Flatline]

The Yankees have suffered another injury to an important member of their squad, with RHP Luis Gil shut down from pitching for at least six weeks after suffering a "high grade lat strain" according to manager Aaron Boone. This will delay Gil's first outing of the season until at least late May, given that he will need to go through a mini-Spring Training once he is cleared to throw. It was reported last week that Gil experienced tightness in his throwing shoulder during a bullpen session, and was sent for an MRI. It appears that the results of the MRI suggests that Gil has suffered a significant strain in the muscle. The full extent of the injury is yet to be confirmed, but being shut down from throwing for six weeks is confirmed.

Gil won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2024 after making 29 starts for the Yankees and throwing a total of 151 2/3 innings, with a 3.50 ERA, 12.1% walk rate and 26.8% strikeout rate. Gil made his MLB debut in 2021, but missed most of 2022 and 2023 with recovery from Tommy John surgery.

After spending most of the off-season trying to trade RHP Marcus Stroman, it looks like the Yankees will need to rely on Stroman, at least for part of the season, to fill a spot in the starting rotation behind LHP Max Fried, RHP Gerrit Cole, LHP Carlos Rodon and RHP Clarke Schmidt.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

According to the President of the MLB Players Association, Tony Clark, the players are bracing for a lockout after the end of the 2026 season (the current CBA expires on 1 December 2026). Clark's comments were in response to comments made by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in early February where Manred noted that "there is leverage associated with an offseason lockout and the process of collective bargaining under the National Labor Relations Act works based on leverage. The great thing about offseason lockouts is the leverage that exists gets applied between the bargaining parties". Manfred also indicated that a lockout was preferable to in-season negotiations, saying that it's "like using a .22, as opposed to a shotgun or a nuclear weapon".

The previous CBA expired on 1 December 2021 and the MLB implemented a lockout that night. The negotiations over the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement continued through the winter and were finally concluded on 10 March 2022, which led to a rushed ramp-up to the 2022 season, though a full slate of 162 regular season games were played through scheduled double-headers.

One of the big issues is whether a salary cap and a salary floor will be implemented in the next CBA, though the MLBPA opposes the introduction of a salary cap. Some owners have publicly supported the introduction of a salary cap, including the principal owner of the Baltimore Orioles in comments made in January 2025. However, Tony Clark indicated that the MLBPA would remain opposed to a salary cap.

MLB Union Fully Expects a Lockout in Next Contract Negotiations

MLBPA director Tony Clark addressed ongoing discussion about a salary cap, calling it a nonstarter for players.

www.sportico.com

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred reflects on decade spent putting ‘my mark on the game’

Manfred, 66, is looking ahead to his final years in the job. Could he already be the most consequential commissioner ever?

www.nytimes.com

Orioles’ David Rubenstein wants a salary cap. MLBPA’s Tony Clark isn’t budging.

Orioles owner David Rubenstein, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark disagree on what a salary cap would do for “competitive balance” in MLB.

www.baltimoresun.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Recent managers of the Houston Astros, such as Carlos Espada, Dusty Baker and AJ Hinch, have basically written Jose Altuve's name at second base in pen, but it appears that Altuve is no longer a lock to play second base for the Astros. It was floated that Altuve would move from second base (where his defence has declined) to left field in order to accommodate a re-signed Alex Bregman and Isaac Paredes (acquired from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade). Obviously, that did not eventuate with Bregman signing with the Red Sox.

However, Espada spoke with reporters at the Astros' Spring Training and indicated that while Altuve might still play some second base, it is no longer his primary position: "Right now, the plan is for [Altuve] to play the majority of his games in left field. The days that he plays second base opens the door for [Yordan Alvarez] maybe getting a start in left field, someone getting a DH day. So this move allows us to be creative and do stuff like that".

Espada noted that he would try to avoid switching Altuve's position too regularly, and while he did not specifically confirm that Altuve would be the every-day left fielder, it seems like that this will be his new primary position for 2025.

Altuve has won Gold Gloves for his defence at second base, but Defensive Runs Saved indicated that he measured -13 or worse in each of the last three seasons at that position. Outs Above Average is less pessimistic about his defence, but even then, still recorded him at -8 in 2024.

With Altuve spending more time in left field, it is likely that the Astros will pencil in Mauricio Dubon at second base. Across 1,154 innings at that position, Dubon has been credited with +12 DRS and +8 OAA. The Astros also have former Rockies second baseman, Brendan Rodgers, in Spring Training on a minor league contract.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Milwaukee Brewers are in agreement with LHP Jose Quintana on a one-year contract with a guarantee of between $4-$5 milllion, with incentives available. The Brewers have a full 40-man roster, so must make a move in order to make the signing official. Quintana most recently pitched for the New York Mets, signing a two-year, $26 million deal in the 2022-2023 off-season.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Atlanta Braves will be without catcher Sean Murphy for up to six weeks as he recovers from a cracked rib that he suffered when he was hit by a pitch during a Spring Training game on Saturday (Australian time). This opens up the possibility that the Braves will give an MLB debut on Opening Day to top prospect Drake Baldwin, though Baldwin is not yet on the Braves' 40 man roster and will need to earn the role with a good performance during Spring Training.

The Braves currently have Chadwick Tromp on their 40-man roster as backup to Murphy, while Curt Casali and Sandy Leon are veteran catchers on minor league deals with the Braves.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Atlanta Braves have signed RHP Hector Neris to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Neris has already reported to the Spring Training site. Neris has previously pitched with the Phillies, the Astros and the Cubs in his major league career.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Washington Nationals have announced that OF Stone Garrett has cleared waivers and been outrighted to the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate, Rochester. Garrett remains with the Nationals but will not take a spot on their 40-man roster because Garrett has less than three years service time and has not previously been outrighted.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Texas Rangers were playing the Athletics in a Spring Training game earlier today, and scratched OF Adolis Garcia from the game after Garcia reported some discomfort in his left oblique. The Rangers will send Garcia to get an MRI, according to reports. Manager Bruce Bochy told reporters that Garcia will "miss a little bit of time", but that the Rangers are hopeful that Garcia (and fellow outfielder Wyatt Langford who has not played in a Spring Training game thanks to his own oblique injury he suffered 11 days ago) will be ready for Opening Day.

Texas Rangers OF Adolis García scratched from lineup, will undergo MRI

Texas Rangers OF Adolis García was diagnosed with a left oblique injury in spring training.

www.dallasnews.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

According to reports, the Royals and Mets have held discussions earlier in the off-season regarding a trade involving OF Starling Marte from the Mets to Royals. Obviously the deal did not progress, but it appears that the Royals remain interested in the possibility of adding Marte. Marte is entering the last season of a four-year, $78 million contract and is owed $19.5 million in 2025. Marte's production with the bat has fallen off to the point that any team that acquires him would be highly unlikely to take on the full cost of his contract, and the Mets have reportedly recognised this, given that they have been reported as being prepared to pay down a portion of that $19.5 million.

Marte has also missed time with injuries over the last two seasons. He was not available for the last seven weeks of the 2023 season with a groin strain and missed almost two months last year thanks to a bone bruise in his right knee, which is continuing to cause him discomfort.

The Royals have been looking to add an outfielder for most of the offseason and have not been able to find one to their liking. They reportedly made offers to free agent outfielders Anthony Santander and Jurickson Profar, but they chose to sign with the Blue Jays and Braves respectively. The Royals intend to give Jonathan India and Michael Massey some innings in left field.

Starling Marte remains intriguing trade option for AL contender

Starling Marte, who is closing in on playing in spring (knee), has had his Mets role reduced to basically righty part of a DH platoon.

nypost.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Washington Nationals are in the marketplace for a new naming rights sponsor for their home ballpark, together with a sponsor for jersey patches, with a plan to signing deals on these issues by the middle of the year. According to reports that came out last year during the season, the Nationals were the only team without a stadium rights deal or jersey sponsorships. If agreed, the Nationals could derive up to $20 million a year in additional revenue, some of which could flow through to payroll.

The Washington Nationals Are Finally Selling Stadium Naming Rights And Jersey Sponsorships

Baseball’s only team without a deal in either partnership category hopes to have both by year’s end, potentially adding more than $20 million in annual revenue.

www.forbes.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Kansas City Royals announced that they will hold a retirement ceremony for former first baseman and World Champion Mike Moustakas on 31 May. Presumably, Moustakas will sign a one-day contract with the Royals to retire.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Was interstate on work for the back end of last week, then long weekend, so a bit of news to catch up.

5 March 2025

The Brewers made their signing of LHP Jose Quintana official, announcing that the starter has been signed to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2026. To make room on their 40-man roster, the Brewers put DL Hall on the 60-day IL after Hall suffered a lat strain during Spring Training.

According to reports, Quintana signed a contract that guarantees him a $2 million salary for 2025, with a deferred $2 million buyout on a $15 mutual option for 2026 and a $250,000 roster bonus. Quintana can also earn incentives of $125,000 each for 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 games started as well as $100,000 for 110, 120, 130 and 140 innings pitched.



1B Bryce Harper told The Athletic that he is prepared to go back to the outfield in case the Phillies find someone they like to play first base. According to reports, the Phillies did take a look at 1B Pete Alonso (who ended up re-signing with the Mets) and Harper was prepared to shift back to the outfield and play there for the first time since he tore his UCL in May 2022. This might have implications for the Phillies in case they are interested in signing upcoming free agent Vladimir Guerrero Jr, who (despite suggesting that he could play third base) is a first baseman only.

Entering his 14th season, Bryce Harper says there is still so much left to accomplish

Over his 13 years in the big leagues, Harper has won multiple MVPs and starred in several postseason series. He's nowhere close to finished.

www.nytimes.com

6 March 2025

The Yankees will be without infielder DJ LeMahieu for a few weeks after he was diagnosed with a calf strain. As of last week, he had not formally been ruled out of playing on Opening Day by the Yankees, but given the severity of the strain and the timetable expected from equivalent injuries, it is unlikely that LeMahieu will be available to the Yankees until at some point early in the season.



The Tampa Bay Rays have been trying out Jose Caballero and Richie Palacios in centre field during Spring Training, hoping to increase their versatility on defence. Caballero played above average defence in 2024 at shortstop, second base and third base, and has been playing all three outfield positions during Spring Training after playing two innings in the majors at left field in 2024. Palacios already has major league experience at five different positions in 2024, and has played some centre field during Spring Training. According to reports, it is likely that Palacios will be the backup to presumptive starter Jonny DeLuca (with Jose Siri now with the Mets).

Neither Caballero nor Palacios do much with the bat, although Palacios drew walks at 14.2% rate in 2024, with a 22.3% chase rate. DeLuca hit only .217/.278/.331 in 362 plate appearances in 2024, and is probably a better right fielder than a centre fielder (at least according to advanced metrics).

Rays could be seeing double with a pair of Ben Zobrist-like players

Richie Palacios has played five different positions and is working on a sixth; Jose Caballero could offer even more flexibility.

www.tampabay.com

The Athletics announce Marc Badain as their new President last week, after former president Dave Kaval resigned in December 2024. Badain is most notable as holding the same role with the Raiders, and Badain oversaw the Raiders' relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas during his time.

Athletics name former Raiders executive team president

Marc Badain, who worked for the Raiders for 30 years and led the charge to relocate the team to Las Vegas, was named the president of the Athletics on Thursday.

www.reviewjournal.com

The Cleveland Guardians announced that they have signed RHP Tyler Naquin to a minor league contract. Naquin is making the transition from the outfield to pitching relatively late in his career (he turns 34 in April), and has played in the majors between 2016-2023 with the Guardians, Reds, Mets and White Sox. Naquin played in 562 games, hitting 61 home runs and slashing .263/.316/.445 for a 101 wRC+. He was out of baseball in 2024. When Naquin was playing in the outfield in the majors, he was assessed as having arm strength in the 99th percentile in 2020, suggesting that he has a decent shot at turning into a pitcher (although his arm strength dropped down to 94th percentile by the end of 2022).



The New York Mets put RHP Sean Reid-Foley on outright waivers and announced that he has been outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse, suggesting that he successfully cleared waivers. Reid-Foley no longer occupies a 40-man roster spot. Reid-Foley has played in the majors in each of the last seven seasons, but has never thrown more than 34 innings in one particular season, and has not exceeded 30 innings in a season since 2019. Reid-Foley underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2022 and did not pitch again until late in the 2023 season.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Atlanta Braves have lost their starting catcher Sean Murphy for the first six weeks of the season after he broke a rib when being hit by a pitch during Spring Training. Murphy and Chadwick Tromp are the only catchers on the 40-man roster at the moment, and they are looking to add a veteran catcher for depth prior to Opening Day. According to reports, the Braves are looking at signing Yasmani Grandal or James McCann to add depth. Tromp is out of options so a catcher would likely need to be released once Murphy is healthy.

Yankees-J.D. Martinez marriage unlikely as search for Giancarlo Stanton fill-in drags on

The Yankees did reach out on J.D. Martinez, but the sides don’t seem close, as the Yankees don’t want to spend any/much more.

nypost.com

Vladimir Guerrero Jr was not signed by the Blue Jays to an extension prior to the expiry of Guerrero's deadline before the start of Spring Training. Guerrero Jr spoke to reporters on the negotiations to ESPN. Notably, Guerrero Jr indicated that his final offer to the Blue Jays was under $600 million, though he did not specify the actual offer. He resisted the notion that Guerrero Jr was looking for a contract in the vicinity of the deal secured by OF Juan Soto from the Mets during the first part of the off-season. However, Guerrero Jr said that he was looking at a contract that was 14 or 15 years in length, matching the deals signed by Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. Even if the extension proposal bought out the final arbitration year, a deal of 14-plus years would run through at least Guerrero Jr's age-39 season.

Guerrero Jr. asegura que pidió "menos de 600 millones" en negociaciones con Toronto

El estelar inicialista dijo en exclusiva para ESPN Digital que la propuesta de extensión que sus representantes le presentaron a los Blue Jays es económicamente inferior a lo que logró Juan Soto con los Mets.

www.espn.com.do

Vlad Jr. reveals sub-$600M ask in Blue Jays talks

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. revealed that the Toronto Blue Jays' rejected contract extension proposal was less than $600 million for 14 years.

www.espn.com

The Chicago White Sox announced that RHP Prelander Berroa and RHP Juan Carela will each undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entirety of the 2025 season, and possibly part of the 2026 season.



The Seattle Mariners will miss RHP George Kirby for the first part of the season, according to their general manager. Kirby has suffered shoulder inflammation and will likely start the season on the 15-day IL. He has escaped structural damage, and it appears that the Mariners want Kirby to rest in order to reduce the inflammation rather than risk worsening the situation.



Juan Soto apparently has given an interview to Spanish-language Abriendo Sports, which has released a teaser for the full interview. According to the information given out in the teaser (as translated), Soto said that the field was narrowed to the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Blue Jays and Red Sox and that the Mets did not offer the most money, with multiple other teams offering more money.



The Houston Astros have agreed to a minor league contract with LHP Jalen Beeks. Beeks spent 2024 pitching with the Rockies and Pirates.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Detroit Tigers have signed RHP Jose Urquidy to a one year, $1 million contract, with a $4 million team option for 2026. The team option also includes escalators that could increase his 2026 salary by up to $3 million. Urquidy will earn an additional $150,000 for reaching each of four and seven starts, $300,000 for reaching each of 10, 13, 16 and 19 starts, and $500,000 for reaching each of 22, 25 and 28 starts.

The Tigers put RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long on the 60-day IL in order to open a roster spot for Urquidy. Gipson-Long is dealing with a left hip labral repair and Tommy John rehabilitation. Urquidy was then also placed on the 60-day IL as he is still recovering from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in June. Urquidy will not be ready to resume pitching until around the All-Star break at the earliest.





The Yankees will be without DH Giancarlo Stanton indefinitely. According to Stanton himself, the problems in his elbow are "considered severe" and that if he needs to undergo surgery, that will cost him the entirety of the 2025 season. According to GM Brian Cashman, surgery is currently considered to be the "last resort". Stanton has received two rounds of PRP injections in both elbows and will go for a third round this week.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Baltimore Orioles will have a relatively thin group of pitchers to start the season, with RHP Grayson Rodriguez and RHP Andrew Kittredge both set to miss the start of the season. Rodriguez felt discomfort in his elbow/triceps area and has received a cortisone shot to deal with the issue. He will be shut down for between 7-10 days in order to allow the shot to take effect, and he will then start a throwing program. Kittredge underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last week and is out for several months.





The Chicago Cubs assigned infielder Nicky Lopez to their minor league camp last last week in a move that effectively removes him from consideration for the club's roster for the Tokyo Series that begins this week. Lopez has an opt-out opportunity under the terms of his contract with the Cubs if he is not added to the 40-man roster by the end of Spring Training, and he is expected to look for opportunities with other clubs, unless something drastic happens between now and the end of Spring Training.

Utility player Nicky Lopez off Cubs' travel roster for Tokyo trip as team makes series of camp cuts

Other notable cuts included outfielder Travis Jankowski and left-handed reliever Brandon Hughes.

chicago.suntimes.com

The Boston Red Sox acquired LHP Garrett Crochet via trade from the White Sox earlier in the off-season, and it appears that the two sides have been having discussions about extending Crochet's contract since he joined the Red Sox. It is now reported that Crochet has set a deadline of Opening Day for the parties to come to an agreement on a contract extension. Crochet told the Boston Globe that he was not interested in continuing extension discussions into the regular season since he does not want it to be a distraction for either himself or his teammates.

Garrett Crochet is open to a long-term deal with the Red Sox — but only if it’s wrapped up by Opening Day - The Boston Globe

Crochet, who is due to make $3.8 million this season, is under two years of team control and would be eligible for free agency after the 2026 season.

www.bostonglobe.com

The Dodgers have already lost one pitcher for the season, with RHP Michael Grove undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder last week. His final appearance of the 2024 season was in game 2 of the NLDS, and he was removed from the Dodgers' playoff roster after he reported an issue with his throwing shoulder. The Dodgers decided to book Grove in for surgery after his shoulder did not respond well to an offseason of rest.





Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez will miss up to two months due to surgery to repair his left hamate bone. He suffered the injury while taking a swing during live batting practice over the weekend. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that he expects Alvarez to miss the full eight weeks due to the added wear-and-tear that catching duties would place on his left hand.

Francisco Alvarez to miss significant time with hand fracture in latest Mets injury crusher

He sustained the fracture on a swing during live batting practice on Saturday.

nypost.com

The Athletics have signed OF Lawrence Butler to a seven-year, $65.5 million extension with a club option for an eighth season. The contract buys out at least two free agent seasons, while the option would cover the third year of free agency. It starts immediately, with Butler being paid $3 million signing bonus, a salary of $2.25 million in 2025, $3.25 million in 2026, followed by $5 million, $8 million, $10 million, $14 million and $16 million from 2026-2031. The contract also contains escalators that could push the value of the option to $26 million, so Butler could earn up to $87.5 million over eight years if he hits all the escalators and the Athletics exercise the option.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Toronto Blue Jays are in agreement with RHP Dillon Tate on a major league contract, pending a physical. The details of the contract have not yet been publicly reported. The Blue Jays need to make room for Tate on their 40-man roster, but could put either Alek Manoah or Angel Bastardo on the 60-day IL.

Tate played briefly for the Blue Jays at the back end of the 2024 season after being claimed by Toronto off waivers from the Orioles on 1 September 2024. He initially was optioned to Triple-A, but was recalled on 18 September, and made four appearances for Toronto before the season ended. The Blue Jays elected to non-tender Tate rather than arbitrate for a salary in 2025, but will now have Tate available to start the season.



The Los Angeles Dodgers and Dave Roberts are in agreement on a contract extension that will keep him in Dodger blue until the end of the 2029 season. Roberts was entering the final year of his previous contract, but will now be guaranteed $32.4 million on his new contract which starts next season (AAV of $8.1 million, eclipsing the AAV of $8 million given by the Chicago Cubs to Craig Counsell).







As we near first pitch in the Tokyo Series and Opening Day for the other 28 clubs, some teams are still kicking the tyres on whether they should add veteran pitching depth. According to reports, the Chicago Cubs and the Baltimore Orioles are weighing up adding to their starting rotation. The Cubs reportedly were in discussions with LHP Andrew Heaney before he committed to Pittsburgh, and are looking at RHP Kyle Gibson and RHP Lance Lynn as options, notwithstanding their rotation looks relatively healthy as they prepare to fly to Tokyo to play the Dodgers. RHP Javier Assad has been dealing with some soreness in his oblique and is likely to open the season on the IL, but he is not expected to miss significant time.

Flurry of pitching injuries creates new possibilities for trade discussions and free agents

Injuries to Luis Gil and Gerrit Cole of the Yankees, Grayson Rodriguez of the Orioles and George Kirby of the Mariners are shifting talks.

www.nytimes.com

One club that might be in the market to add a veteran starter is the New York Yankees. They announced earlier today that their staff ace, RHP Gerrit Cole, will miss all of the 2025 season as he must undergo Tommy John surgery to fix his torn UCL in his pitching elbow. Cole obtained two opinions on his elbow from two different surgeons, including Dr Neal ElAttrache, and both surgeons recommended that Cole undergo the procedure.

The Yankees will also miss reigning AL Rookie of the Year, RHP Luis Gil, to start the season, so will look at a starting rotation headlined by free agent signing LHP Max Fried, LHP Carlos Rodon and RHP Clarke Schmidt. It now seems almost inevitable that RHP Marcus Stroman (whom the Yankees tried to trade earlier in the off-season) will be part of the rotation with Gil expected to be unavailable to pitch until May at the earliest. Non-roster invitee, RHP Carlos Carrasco, might also play a part in the rotation.

The Yankees will not be able to easily replace Cole at the top of their lineup. The free agent market is now thin on starting pitchers, with Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn and Spencer Turnbull the top three remaining free agents. The Yankees might look to trade for a starting pitcher, with Sandy Alcantara, Luis Castillo, Dylan Cease and Michael King (formerly of the Yankees, albeit as a reliever) the potential trade targets, but the Yankees' prospect depth is not deep and each of the Marlins, Mariners and Padres might sense an opportunity to squeeze the Yankees for some more of their prized prospects in exchange for their respective ace.

 

[MatthewB]

The Toronto Blue Jays are in agreement with RHP Dillon Tate on a major league contract, pending a physical. The details of the contract have not yet been publicly reported. The Blue Jays need to make room for Tate on their 40-man roster, but could put either Alek Manoah or Angel Bastardo on the 60-day IL.

Tate played briefly for the Blue Jays at the back end of the 2024 season after being claimed by Toronto off waivers from the Orioles on 1 September 2024. He initially was optioned to Triple-A, but was recalled on 18 September, and made four appearances for Toronto before the season ended. The Blue Jays elected to non-tender Tate rather than arbitrate for a salary in 2025, but will now have Tate available to start the season.



The Los Angeles Dodgers and Dave Roberts are in agreement on a contract extension that will keep him in Dodger blue until the end of the 2029 season. Roberts was entering the final year of his previous contract, but will now be guaranteed $32.4 million on his new contract which starts next season (AAV of $8.1 million, eclipsing the AAV of $8 million given by the Chicago Cubs to Craig Counsell).







As we near first pitch in the Tokyo Series and Opening Day for the other 28 clubs, some teams are still kicking the tyres on whether they should add veteran pitching depth. According to reports, the Chicago Cubs and the Baltimore Orioles are weighing up adding to their starting rotation. The Cubs reportedly were in discussions with LHP Andrew Heaney before he committed to Pittsburgh, and are looking at RHP Kyle Gibson and RHP Lance Lynn as options, notwithstanding their rotation looks relatively healthy as they prepare to fly to Tokyo to play the Dodgers. RHP Javier Assad has been dealing with some soreness in his oblique and is likely to open the season on the IL, but he is not expected to miss significant time.

Flurry of pitching injuries creates new possibilities for trade discussions and free agents

Injuries to Luis Gil and Gerrit Cole of the Yankees, Grayson Rodriguez of the Orioles and George Kirby of the Mariners are shifting talks.

www.nytimes.com

One club that might be in the market to add a veteran starter is the New York Yankees. They announced earlier today that their staff ace, RHP Gerrit Cole, will miss all of the 2025 season as he must undergo Tommy John surgery to fix his torn UCL in his pitching elbow. Cole obtained two opinions on his elbow from two different surgeons, including Dr Neal ElAttrache, and both surgeons recommended that Cole undergo the procedure.

The Yankees will also miss reigning AL Rookie of the Year, RHP Luis Gil, to start the season, so will look at a starting rotation headlined by free agent signing LHP Max Fried, LHP Carlos Rodon and RHP Clarke Schmidt. It now seems almost inevitable that RHP Marcus Stroman (whom the Yankees tried to trade earlier in the off-season) will be part of the rotation with Gil expected to be unavailable to pitch until May at the earliest. Non-roster invitee, RHP Carlos Carrasco, might also play a part in the rotation.

The Yankees will not be able to easily replace Cole at the top of their lineup. The free agent market is now thin on starting pitchers, with Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn and Spencer Turnbull the top three remaining free agents. The Yankees might look to trade for a starting pitcher, with Sandy Alcantara, Luis Castillo, Dylan Cease and Michael King (formerly of the Yankees, albeit as a reliever) the potential trade targets, but the Yankees' prospect depth is not deep and each of the Marlins, Mariners and Padres might sense an opportunity to squeeze the Yankees for some more of their prized prospects in exchange for their respective ace.

When I saw the news about Cole yesterday, it left me flat, on the top of losing Gill and Stanton, makes for a interesting year, come on down Stroman

 

[Jatz]

Oh missed that news on Cole. That's a huge out.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The MLB has reportedly set the trade deadline for the 2025 season as 6pm Eastern Daylight Time on 31 July 2025, which is a day later than the 2024 deadline.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Yankees are still reeling from the news that RHP Gerrit Cole will miss the entirety of the 2025 season and possibly part of the 2026 season with Tommy John rehabilitation. However, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters that it was unlikely that the Yankees would look to add from outside the club to replace the injured players. Cashman told reporters that "very little" is available on the pitching market at this point in the year, and that the Yankees would "rely on what we have". He noted that the tax penalties that would be imposed on the Yankees for any new acquisition make it "less likely" that they would seek external reinforcements.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Texas Rangers are in agreement with LHP Patrick Corbin on a one-year, major league contract. The exact guarantee is not publicly known, but it has been reported that Corbin will be paid slightly more than $1 million for the season, and is able to earn up to another $1 million in incentives. The Rangers put RHP Jon Gray on the 60-day IL to create a roster spot for Corbin.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The San Francisco Giants have sold a minority stake (about 10%) to private equity firm Sixth Street this week. The Giants did not confirm the sale of the stake to Sixth Street, but did announce a "strategic partnership" with Sixth Street. The terms of the deal have not been made public, and Team President/CEO Larry Baer downplayed the possibility that the sale would have an impact on player payroll, telling the New York Times that "this is about improvements to the ballpark, making big bets on San Francisco and the community around us, and having the firepower to take us into the next generation".

San Francisco Giants Sells Stake to Private Equity Firm Sixth Street

One of Major League Baseball’s biggest franchises sells 10 percent of the team to Sixth Street Partners.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Los Angeles Dodgers, fresh off defeating the Cubs in the first of a two-game series being played in Tokyo, announced that they have selected reliever Matt Sauer into their big league roster before tonight's game. The Dodgers optioned LHP Justin Wrobleski in a corresponding move and put LHP Clayton Kershaw on the 60-day IL to open a spot for Sauer on the 40-man roster.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Atlanta Braves are in agreement with RHP Craig Kimbrel on a minor league contract. Kimbrel will earn $2 million if he is promoted to the majors. He needs time to build up physically before he reports to Triple-A Gwinnett.

Kimbrel turns 37 in May and pitched for the Braves between 2010-2014, with a 1.43 ERA across 289 innings. He earned 185 saves in four years between 2011-2014, before going to the Padres and Red Sox. Kimbrel rejected a qualifying offer from the Red Sox after the 2018 season and went unsigned until after the draft, before agreeing a three-year, $43 million contract with the Cubs in June 2019. Kimbrel pitched 23 times for Chicago in the second half of the 2019 season and put up a poor 6.53 ERA. He didn't do much better in 2020, with a 5.28 ERA, but in 2021 he roared back, pitching 39 times for the Cubs with a 0.49 ERA.

The Cubs traded Kimbrel to the White Sox by the trade deadline in 2021, and he fell apart again, with a 5.09 ERA for the White Sox across the rest of the season. Undeterred, the White Sox picked up his club option, but then traded him to the Dodgers just before the start of the 2022 season. The Dodgers eventually demoted Kimbrel from the closer role in September 2022 and omitted him from their playoff roster. He signed with the Phillies on a one-year, $10 million contract before the 2023 season, and put up a 3.26 ERA in 71 appearances, then signed with the Orioles for 2024, without anywhere near the same success - a 5.33 ERA led the Orioles to designating him for assignment and releasing him in September 2024.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Atlanta Braves will return Rule 5 pick Andeson Pilar to the Miami Marlins. Neither club has made an official announcement concerning Pilar. He signed with the Marlins prior to the 2024 season. He pitched in the Marlins' minor league system, pitching a total of 58 innings with a 2.64 ERA, a 30.6% strikeout rate and a 5.6% walk rate. The Braves selected him in the 2024 Rule 5 draft, but he did not look impressive in Spring Training, with 12 strikeouts against six walks, 10 hits and nine earned runs in six appearances.

Under the rules of the Rule 5 draft, the Braves could not send Pilar to the minor leagues for the entirety of the 2025 season, and must be put on waivers if the drafting club decides to relinquish the player. Any claiming club would need to operate under the same parameters, not sending Pilar to the minors. If he clears waivers, he loses the Rule 5 status and could be offered back to the Marlins, who can retain him as non-roster depth.

The Braves opened their Spring Training camp with two Rule 5 picks. The second selection is infielder Christian Cairo, whom the Braves drafted from the Guardians. He is hitting just .179/.294/.250 in Spring Training, which puts his chances of staying with the Braves in jeopardy.