Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Kim was a revelation during the regular season for the Dodgers, injecting a much needed spark when the team needed it through quality contact hitting and stellar base running. He started the year on the minor league roster, so he could adjust his mechanics and swing to the States. His work paid dividends early on, but a shoulder injury and slump following his hot start relegated him to a platoon role when he returned.

The Rockies announced the hiring of former MLB first baseman Brett Pill as their hitting coach. The 41-year-old joins Warren Schaeffer's staff after six seasons with the Dodgers. Pill had spent three years as a Double-A hitting coach in the L.A. system before getting a promotion to minor league hitting coordinator in 2023. Pill is best known for his three-year stint playing in MLB for the Giants. He appeared in 111 games between 2011-13.

A couple of Toronto Blue Jays have taken to social media in an attempt to try and recruit a superstar to come north. First, Myles Straw sent Tucker a funny message about baby sitting his child, after Tucker and his wife announced they were expecting. Now, it's Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s turn to get the rumor mill rolling again after he posted on Tucker's feed a few days ago. The post, an emoji and not an actual message, was more than enough to cause some excitement.

Joey Wentz might be the most interesting man on the roster going into 2026 Spring Training. Well, that's not really true. It's probably the new free agent acquisitions. But, with a Braves rotation returning from injury, and a potential cure for his location worries accounted for, he could put himself right in the mix as a swingman. As one of the prospects that the mid-2010s Braves fans pinned their hopes upon, it's good to see him back and performing well for once.

This time, the club agreed to a three-year, $45M contract with closer Robert Suarez. He will make $13M in 2026 and $16M in each of his remaining years. Previously with the San Diego Padres, 34-year-old Suarez put together what was arguably the best season of his career. In 2025, he managed a 2.97 ERA through 69.2 frames. He turned in 40 saves in 45 chances and recorded 9.69 strikeouts per nine innings. He's got 77 career saves to accompany his 219 strikeouts.

Shapiro, 58, was named president and CEO of the Blue Jays after the 2015 season, succeeding the retiring Paul Beeston. Shapiro had spent 24 seasons with the Cleveland Guardians, including the last five years as team president. Ross Atkins, who worked under Shapiro in Cleveland, was hired as Blue Jays general manager in December 2015. Atkins is signed through the 2026 campaign.

Rodriguez, 27, spent the 2023-24 seasons with the Yakult Swallows in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, parlaying that into a big league deal with the Brewers last winter. He wound up pitching 19 2/3 innings in the majors between Milwaukee and Baltimore but was tagged for 20 runs in that time. The 2025 season was Rodriguez's second with at least some MLB work.

If there's one team willing and able to give outfielder Kyle Tucker the $400 million he seeks in free agency, it's the Toronto Blue Jays, according to many of the agents, executives and managers at baseball's annual winter meetings this week. And if there's one team with the capability to both trade for and extend Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, according to insiders, it's the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Schwarber's case is obvious, given that he's coming off a career year where he bashed 56 home runs and finished second in NL MVP voting. Schwarber turned in a brilliant .240/.365/.563 (152 wRC+) slash line for the Phillies this year while playing in all 162 games. In addition to his massive home run total, the slugger added 23 doubles, 2 triples, and even managed to chip in ten stolen bases.

The Dodgers announced that they have claimed outfielder Michael Siani off waivers from the Braves.

Infielder Orelvis Martinez will attend spring training as a non-roster invitee with the Washington Nationals in 2026, per the club's announcement on Friday. The former Toronto Blue Jays top prospect, who agreed to a minor-league deal for '26 with the Nats back in September, was one of three non-roster players - ones who aren't already on the 40-man roster - to receive an invitation to major-league camp for next spring.

Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports that conversations with the Rays have kicked around a framework that would send both Ryan Pepiot and to the desert. Piecoro writes that nothing is believed to be close on that front and the Rays are not necessarily any kind of frontrunner. Indeed, he adds that the Diamondbacks have had conversations with another team interested in Marte that would be built around a bigger-name starting pitcher.

Veteran slugger Kyle Schwarber chose to return to the Philadelphia Phillies on a five-year deal in the first major splash of the meetings. The Los Angeles Dodgers added to an already star-studded roster by signing closer Edwin Diaz to a three-year, $69 million contract that sets a record in AAV for a reliever. The Baltimore Orioles then joined the fun by adding a veteran slugger on a five-year deal of their own in Pete Alonso.

"Without naming anyone, we've made offers," Forst said. "We're having conversations here. I'm hopeful we'll make progress."

"He's one of the best players in baseball, is a two-time Platinum (Glove) winner,"

The Rockies announced the hiring of Tommy Tanous as assistant general manager today. Tanous has spent the past 15 years in the Mets' scouting department. He will focus on scouting and player development with Colorado. Thomas Harding of MLB.com was first to report the hiring. Tanous was most recently vice president of player evaluation and special advisor to the president of baseball operations in New York. He'd been with the club since 2010.