What is the story about?
Good
morning.
- We’ve got some pre-Winter Meetings Hot Stove action already. The Pirates traded right-hander Johan Oviedo to the Red Sox in a five-player deal. The big name going back to Pittsburgh, both literally and figuratively, is outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia, a consensus top 100 prospect.
- Davy Andrews examines what the BoSox can expect out of recently-acquired right-hander Sonny Gray.
- The Dodgers re-signed infielder and World Series hero Miguel Rojas to a one-year, $5.5 million deal. Rojas also said he would retire after the 2026 season. Sonja Chen reports.
- Left-hander Anthony Kay signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the White Sox. Kay has pitched the last two seasons with the Yokohama Bay Stars of NPB. I also totally forgot Kay pitched for the Cubs before heading to Japan. My memory isn’t what it used to be.
- Michael Baumann thinks the Pale Hose did OK taking a chance on Kay.
- Baumann also analyzes the deal that sent KBO refugee Cody Ponce to Toronto on a three-year deal.
- The Reds re-signed closer Emilio Pagán to a two-year, $20 million deal.
- Ben Clemens thinks the Reds overpaid for Pagán, but then again, what else were they going to do with the money? So he was fine with the deal to sign Pagán.
- Free agent outfielder Cedric Mullins signed a one-year deal with the Rays.
- MLB dot com writers have one burning question for each team at the Winter Meetings.
- The ESPN dot com writers propose some huge trade possibilities for the Winter Meetings.
- Mark Feinsand has the top five free agent starting pitchers still available.
- Kiley McDaniel has free agents he thinks teams should invest in and others he thinks teams should stay away from. Brad Keller is one of his “buy” suggestions.
- Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney have more on the market for posted NPB right-hander Tatsuya Imai (The Athletic sub. req.) as well as the possibility the Dodgers trade outfielder Teoscar Hernández.
- Mike Axisa has ten bold predictions for the Winter Meetings.
- Will Leitch has some ideas for how the six worst MLB teams could improve in 2026.
- Todd Zolecki outlines the market for free agent DH Kyle Schwarber.
- Keegan Matheson reports that free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker visited the Blue Jays training facilities in Dunedin. Tucker is from the Tampa Bay area.
- Russell Dorsey argues that teams have become too risk-adverse in the trade market and how things got that way.
- Matthew Leach looks at all the players the Twins might trade away at the Winter Meetings.
- Former Diamondbacks and Padres general manager Josh Byrnes is the new GM for the Rockies. However with title inflation, Byrnes is the number-two guy behind Paul DePodesta in Colorado. Thomas Harding reports.
- Devin Williams clapped back at Yankees fans who were upset he signed with the Mets. Manny Randhawa with the story.
- Sam Dykstra and Jesse Borek have one Rule 5 candidate for each team.
- Ken Rosenthal argues that Hall of Fame standards need to change as the new players are elected. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- Jake Mintz, Jordan Schusterman and Russell Dorsey make the Hall of Fame cases for Carlos Delgado, Fernando Valenzuela and Dale Murphy.
- Bill Shaikin argues that it’s past time to induct Valenzuela into Cooperstown.
- Mike Axisa has the current list of players who have agreed to play for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Two Cubs are on the list—Pete Crow-Armstrong and now Matthew Boyd.
- The Athletics insist that their Las Vegas ballpark is on schedule for a 2028 opening.
- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he would be “all right” with a salary cap in baseball. Would he be OK for a salary cap for managers?
- Union head Tony Clark talks to Bob Nightengale about what he’s thinking ahead of collective bargaining talks.
- Ben Clemens thinks the pre-arbitration bonus pool, instituted in the last CBA, is a big success.
- Eno Sarris and Chandler Rome have the issue of how teams evaluate a player’s “makeup.” (The Athletic sub. req.)
- Michael Clair has the story of 18-year-old A’s two-way player prospect Shotaro Morii, who returned to his native Japan for the MLB Cup, a tournament that the team he played for won eight years ago. Now he hopes to encourage young kids in Japan to chase their MLB dreams.
- The Brewers are bringing back their powder blue uniforms as their primary road uniform. Adam McCalvy reports.
- And finally, Jayson Stark examines the issue of where the doubles and triples have gone? (The Athletic sub. req.) Between improved positioning and just better outfielders, doubles and triples are way down in the game.
