#rule-5-draft

#rule-5-draft

The Dodgers have 40 players under team control for the 2026 season and seven who are currently free agents. The Dodgers recently added prospects Robinson Ortiz and Ryan Ward to their 40-man roster in order to protect them from the upcoming MLB Rule 5 Draft. To make room for those additions, the Dodgers outrighted Justin Dean and Michael Grove to Triple-A Oklahoma City while designating Tony Gonsolin for assignment.

The 27-year-old backstop was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2017. He hit the ground running as a professional, putting up above-average offensive performances in each of his three minor league seasons in the Pirates' system. Sabol reached Triple-A in 2022, slashing .296/.426/.543 over a brief 25-game sample. Sabol was selected by Cincinnati in the Rule 5 draft following the 2022 season.

Ward was the Pacific Coast League (PCL) Most Valuable Player after slashing .290/.380/.557 with 36 homers and 122 RBI for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets. Ward is the second OKC player to win PCL MVP, joining former Dodgers prospect Michael Busch (2023). Ward led Minor League Baseball in home runs, RBI, 73 extra-base hits and 315 total bases, and among PCL leaders, he ranked second with 113 runs scored, third in both slugging percentage (.557) and OPS (.937) and fourth with 164 hits.

Starting with Bichette, the infielder was always going to receive a qualifying offer, given what he's done throughout his career. Last season, the 27-year-old slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs in 628 plate appearances for a 134 wRC+. He'll surely decline his qualifying offer to become a free agent. If he signs elsewhere, the Blue Jays will receive a draft pick after the fourth round.

The first major event is from November 10 to 13, as the annual general manager meetings take place. This isn't to be confused with the Winter Meetings, which happen in December. On November 11, the Manager of the Year will be announced; hopefully, it'll be Toronto Blue Jays' manager John Schneider. On November 18, players have to decide whether or not to accept the qualifying offer. The only Blue Jay likely to get a qualifying offer is Bo Bichette, and he'll surely decline it.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss... Plus, we answer your questions, including... If the Blue Jays were to extend Addison Barger, would the Lawrence Butler deal be a good comp? (40:35) If a veteran signs a minor league deal, are they eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 draft? (44:50) Will the Red Sox trade Jarren Duran? (46:25)

With this week being the last we'll see of several of this year's minor league mainstays, it's understandable to hear me say "five scoreless, great final showing" a few times and think it redundant. But this is a team - nay, a farm - stocked with rotation arms who have all raised their stock over the course of the season.

Sauer, 26, was a second-round pick by the Yankees back in 2017 but didn't make his major league debut until last year as a member of the Royals after being plucked from the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft. He made 14 appearances for Kansas City last year but struggled to a 7.71 ERA in that time. He walked (11) more opponents than he struck out (9) and surrendered three homers in just 16 1/3 innings of work.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote earlier in the week that it's "more likely" the 20-year-old will finish out the season in Triple-A and hope for his first call to the majors in 2026. President of baseball operations Buster Posey removed further doubt the following day when telling John Shea of the San Francisco Standard that his team would "most likely not" promote Eldridge for his big league debut before season's end.