The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don't use Spotify or Apple for podcasts. This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss... Plus, we answer your questions, including...
Second baseman underwent surgery after dislocating his left shoulder with two weeks remaining in the regular season. Meanwhile, the team announced last week that third baseman Brett Harris underwent surgery to repair the UCL in his left thumb (link via Jason Burke of Sports Illustrated). The injuries cloud what were already the two weakest positions in the lineup heading into the winter.
Coming into the year, Didier Fuentes was mostly on potential breakout prospect lists, appearing near the back of a top ten or two, but he wasn't terribly well-known nationally. By the end of the year, he had made it through three minor league levels and made his major league debut. Those four big league appearances ... didn't go very well. But did I tell you that he just turned 20 in June?
That's a lesson attorney Shannon Kobylarczyk is learning the hard way. Kobylarczyk *was* the associate general counsel at ManpowerGroup, a staffing agency. But that changed after she attended Game 2 of the National League Championship Series. Kobylarczyk, a Brewers fan bedecked in all the gear, was upset when the Dodgers took a 3-1 lead and took that anger out on a Dodgers fan in the stadium.
While Scherzer may have put up some of the worst numbers of his Hall of Fame career during the regular season with the Blue Jays, he was an integral part of this teams success. A two-time World Series champion, Scherzer came into Spring Training with the Blue Jays and it felt like he set the tone right away.
Shortly after they were swept out of the NLCS by the dominant Los Angeles Dodgers, it came out that the Milwaukee Brewers were going to listen to trade offers regarding their ace, Freddy Peralta. Draw up the immediate links to the Mets. The 29-year-old right-hander's value could not be much higher ahead of a 2026 season in which he has a club option worth $8 million before hitting free agency the following winter.
It is easy to see why the Fighters wanted to lock Reyes up, as he has provided some big pop over his two NPB seasons. Reyes has hit .282/.347/.535 with 57 home runs over 899 plate appearances with the Kitahiroshima-based club, helping carry the Fighters to second-place finishes in the Pacific League in each of the last two seasons. The Fighters' 240 home runs over the last two seasons is the most of any NPB team, with Reyes' power bat leading the way.
Scott Servais is the latest name to surface in the Orioles' search for a new manager. The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the O's have interest in the former Mariners skipper, but it isn't known if Servais has been formally interviewed by the team. Reports also emerged yesterday that the Twins were considering Servais for their own managerial opening.
There's never been any indication Skubal and the Tigers were close on a contract extension, nor is there a sign the team's willingness to trade him has changed. Steve Adams and I differ on the likelihood of an offseason trade happening. In a discussion last week, Steve pegged the chances of a Skubal trade this winter at 0.25%. I'm more in the range of 5-10%.
The 46-year-old Esposito is the first candidate known to have an interview in the books with the Padres, though the team may have already sat down with other internal candidates like pitching coach Ruben Niebla or special assistant Mark Loretta. As far as external candidates, Albert Pujols is set to interview with San Diego on Wednesday, as the future Hall-of-Famer continues to explore his first foray into managing at the MLB level.
"It popped up probably, Game 1 [of the NLDS], I started feeling something," Scott said. "And then the off-day [between Games 2 and 3 of that series], I noticed something was really off. By the time we got back from Philly, it was just like, 'Hey, we need to get this taken care of.'"
Tucker isn't going into free agency with the ideal amount of momentum. His 2024 season was truncated by a shin fracture. His 2025 campaign was dragged down by a finger fracture and a calf strain. He missed some time and didn't perform up to expectations in the last few months before hitting the open market. Regardless, he's head and shoulders above everyone else listed here.
Albert Pujols is no longer a candidate to be the manager of the Los Angeles Angels, a source confirmed to ESPN on Monday. Pujols, though, is scheduled to interview for the San Diego Padres' managerial vacancy on Wednesday, a source told ESPN. The Baltimore Orioles have also previously reached out with interest, though an interview has not been scheduled, a source said.
Caracas - Jesús Montero, a Venezuelan who once played for the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, died Sunday following a traffic accident in his country two weeks ago, the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League said. He was 35. The former catcher's motorcycle reportedly crashed into a truck on Oct. 4 and he had been hospitalized ever since in critical condition. He was unable to recover from multiple injuries, authorities said.