Tampa is clearly the weakest team in the division after a quintessential Rays offseason that involved letting several marquee players go. They traded long-time second baseman-and known Blue Jays killer-Brandon Lowe to the Pittsburgh Pirates and watched closer Pete Fairbanks sign a one-year deal in Miami, among other moves.
Athletics general manager David Forst and his staff have reached long-term deals with outfielder Lawrence Butler (seven years, $65.5MM), shortstop Jacob Wilson (seven years, $70MM), outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (seven years, $86MM) and designated hitter Brent Rooker (five years, $60MM).
Among the many intriguing Henderson props, this stands out as one of the better-priced options. In addition to the Orioles having strengthened their lineup with the additions of Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward, they should also get better performances from several of their offensive regulars. That includes Henderson, as much of his 2025 downturn could be traced to the intercostal strain that delayed the start to his year.
Griffin Canning is still recovering from last year's ruptured left Achilles tendon and will start the 2026 season on the injured list. He is already throwing just fine but isn't yet ready to field his position. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune says that a return in late April is possible but that May or June would be more likely.
Tom Seaver's 1969 World Series ring was sold at auction last weekend for $854,122, according to Dallas-based Heritage Auctions. Seaver, known as "The Franchise" to Mets fans, passed away in 2020 at the age of 75. His family put up 188 items from the Hall of Famer's collection.
It almost seems unfair to include Ohtani on this list. At times, it feels as if he belongs in a category all his own. He has claimed four MVPs in the past five seasons, all of them unanimously. And now, somehow, the thought is that Ohtani can elevate to an even higher level.
Roki Sasaki threw 23 pitches in the first inning before being pulled from the game after he gave up four runs, with three walks and two hits. His command was awful, throwing only eight strikes. He used four fastballs, seven cutters, and five splitters, showing his new third pitch, but he could not find the strike zone.
Promoted shortly after the All-Star Break, he logged 45 2/3 innings. He started four of his 16 appearances and pitched to a 2.76 earned run average. Melton fanned 20% of batters faced against a league average 8.3% walk rate. He performed well enough to earn a spot on Detroit's playoff roster, though he surrendered five runs across 8 1/3 frames.
The right-hander reported some discomfort on his left side on Thursday, and a subsequent MRI revealed inflammation. Miller received a PRP shot and will be fully re-evaluated in about a week, though he could begin playing catch in a few days.
MLB is the only one of the four major American sports without a minimum and maximum limit to spending, and some owners may be looking to change that. According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the early projections from the league suggest a salary cap of around $260-280 million, along with a salary floor of around $140-160 million.
The Tigers hired Scott Harris as president of baseball operations in September of 2022. The team was in a rut at that point, having not made the playoffs since 2014. They finally pulled out of rebuilding mode by making the playoffs in 2024 and 2025.
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 draft has made good on that lofty slot since entering pro ball. After a solid cup of coffee at Single-A in his draft year, Wetherholt's performance exploded in 2025 when he slashed .306/.421/.510 across 109 games split between the Double-A and Triple-A level. That would be impressive for virtually any prospect, but it's especially so for Wetherholt, who is just 22 years old and adds strong infield defense and impressive baserunning to his well-rounded game.
What will Raleigh do for an encore after his historic 60-homer season? Here's one way to look at it: 34 players have hit at least 50 home runs in a season, with 23 of those doing it just once. Let's assume Raleigh's true talent level isn't hitting 60 home runs, or even 50, but something less. We don't know that yet, but you probably don't want to bet on a 50-homer season.
The A's have been busy on the extension front in recent years. It appears there is a dual motivation at play, connected to their ongoing move from Oakland to Las Vegas, with a stop in West Sacramento in between. Reportedly, they wanted to increase their spending in order to avoid a grievance from the MLBPA, so as to not risk losing their revenue-sharing status during the move.
This game is a business. Sometimes you learn that the hard way. Sometimes you learn that the easy way. I think it's important to understand that. It does put a little bit of a chip on your shoulder. All 30 teams had a chance to grab me. Luckily, the Dodgers held on to me to this point.
