After yesterday’s exciting Hall of Fame announcement, here are three things we’ll be watching around baseball this Wednesday:
1. More clarity about Yates’s potential deal with the Dodgers?
When USA Today’s Bob Nightengale first reported the potential deal between the Dodgers and Kirby Yates, he described it as a “tentative agreement.” From that wording, it wasn’t clear if anything other than a standard physical was holding things up. However, further reporting suggested a deal wasn’t quite that close. For instance, Jack Harris of the L.A. Times wrote the two sides were merely “working toward a deal,” with the Dodgers “trying to make [Yates] yet another impact addition to their pitching staff.”
Presumably, more details will come out soon, and barring any previously unknown injury issues, it seems likely Yates will be a Dodger in 2025. Two key details that have yet to be revealed are the length and dollar value of the “tentative agreement.” MLBTR predicted a one-year, $14 million contract for the All-Star reliever on our Top 50 Free Agents list earlier this offseason.
Speaking of Dodgers bullpen signings, the team has also yet to finalize Tanner Scott’s four-year, $72 million contract. They have one open spot on the 40-man roster, so they will be able to formally announce one new contract without making an additional transaction but will need to make a corresponding move before finalizing another.
2. Mets to announce Minter?
It has now been five days since the Mets reportedly agreed to terms with free agent reliever A.J. Minter on a two-year, $22 million contract. However, they have not yet officially announced him as the newest member of the club. The Mets already have an open spot on the 40-man roster, so they do not need to figure out a corresponding move. Thus, they are presumably just waiting for the results of his physical to come back clean.
The deal will likely be finalized any day now, although it’s worth remembering the 31-year-old Minter is coming off of left hip surgery that ended his 2024 season in mid-August, lending some extra importance to that physical exam. Minter was one of the most reliable relievers in the game from 2020-23, and the fact that he landed a $22MM guarantee ($6MM higher than MLBTR’s prediction) shows how highly the Mets value his skill set.
3. What’s next for the Diamondbacks?
The Diamondbacks confirmed they’re all in for 2025 when they signed star pitcher Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million deal. Yet, they have been quiet ever since, with their only additions in January being utility infielder Grae Kessinger and backup catcher René Pinto. Considering how little the Padres have accomplished this offseason, the D-backs are in a great position to leapfrog their division rivals. At the same time, considering how much the Dodgers have done this winter, the D-backs need to keep adding if they want any chance to compete for the NL West crown. For example, the team could use another back-end reliever to replace Paul Sewald and at least one more bat to make up for the losses of Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk.
However, it’s possible that GM Mike Hazen might not have much left to spend. While owner Ken Kendrick has declared that “every dollar” of revenue will be reinvested in “ballplayers and not in the ownership,” he also claims his team is “stretching the budget” as is with the Burnes contract. Perhaps the next move for the Diamondbacks is to try to offload some of Jordan Montgomery’s $22.5MM salary so they can use those savings to bolster the lineup or the bullpen.
Definitely think that they should offload Montgomery and use the money to try and nab Jurickson Profar.
I think the Jays would be an ideal landing spot for Montgomery and Suarez
Yes they should. However, I feel like they will either need to eat part of his contract or receive another underwater deal in return, thus limiting the financial freedom Arizona will gain.
I don’t understand the fascination with Profar. It seems no one looks beyond last year. The guy is barely replacement level. Does your favorite team really not have someone in their system with a higher ceiling? Any team that pays him like last year is typical and not the outlier will regret it.
Great point, because a year earlier, he fell down dead statistically despite playing half his games at Coors Field. He’s oy worth a one-year contract to me, at a max of about $10 million. Not a believer.
I don’t know how exciting it was Leo. (Yawn) Ahahahahaha!
I think Leo made a mistake. Surely Minter signed with the Dodgers, not the Mets.
Despite all their signings, I don’t think the Dodgers are a lock to win the NLW. After all, they can’t play all of them all at once. The only addition to their starting lineup is Kim. (OK, they’re a lock to win the division.)
They are as close to a lock as you can get.
Theyre a lock to win the West and nearly a lock to earn the bye. But the playoffs are a crapshoot and any hot team can knock them off
IMHO, their weakness is still pitching like most, even with the additions of Roki/Snell. The member of the rotation that had the most IP in ’24 was Glasnow (!) with a career-high 134 IP. Snell averages that over his 7 full MLB seasons. Should expect more from Yamamoto now in his 2nd full season, but he only threw 90 IP getting acclimated, which should be an expectation from Roki in his 1st. Those depths pieces (May, Ryan, Sheehan, Gonsolin, etc.) will be big. They were able to win the WS with pitching injuries, so maybe they’re just comfortable with the strategy.
Run – I have my doubts about Ohtani’s ability to be a 3-ERA pitcher again, but even without him their rotation on paper is the best I can remember in my lifetime.
And people forget Kershaw had a 2.37 ERA in 258 IP during 2022-2023.
It will take a LOT of key injuries to stop this Dodgers team.
Absolutely on Ohtani/Kershaw. Is Kershaw signed, btw? I know it’s a given that he reconnects, but is it? ATL can’t be the only one ok with letting legends leave not on their own terms. lol
I’d be more fearful of their pitching had they signed Burnes or even Fried rather than Snell.
Run – A lot of the less reputable websites are implying there’s no room for Kershaw. I’m not buying it though, without Ohtani they need Kershaw and with Ohtani they will likely go to a 6-man rotation so either way the need is there. I’d be very surprised if they don’t sign him.
I’m a Snell guy, the other two can’t dominate at the same level Snell can.
I picture Fried as Burnett II with the Yanks, I don’t think that contract will age well.
FP — The reason Fried/Burnes over Snell is not because of the ceiling, but a much higher floor, which was what I was trying to get at with having so many high-end SP pieces. Snell will most likely go 4-5 IP and unless your strength is a long RP (which most likely their depth pieces would be), they need some strong 2-3 IP to get to Phillips/Scott/Yates (?)
Except Burnett has nothing close to the #’s Fried has put up AND Fried doesn’t rely on velo like Burnett did. Weird take especially noting the Yankees aren’t even mentioned in the article.
Weird take? The convo shifted from the article. Transcripts there for you to follow. I think FP meant their respective impacts while on NYY being a FA signing, and thus, how their contracts are valued with hindsight. Fried comes off successive seasons missing time with forearm injuries (and a recurring blister), which is its own red flag on an 8-year deal and someone that doesn’t really have consistent velo as a weapon.
Run – I’m thinking Snell will go longer in games since he’s starting fewer games as part of a 6-man.
He did go at least 6 IP in 10 of his 13 starts last year (including 4 games of at least 7 IP) after ramping up from the lack of ST.
Strongest Avenger
Um, also Conforto
Hye Seong Kim replaces Gavin Lux
Conforto replaces Pages
Full year of Edman
Snell and Roki
Tanner, Kirby and full year of Kopech (unless injured)
Return of Teoscar, Blake and Clayton
They have five starters of which one can comfortably pick to start game one of a playoffs series. Then there’s the odd man out of the rotation who can be a multi-inning reliever. They were also second in runs scored behind the DBacks with 5.26 runs per game in 2024. Both Kim and Conforto should be upgrades on the offense.
For once I wish Hoyer had the nads to swoop in and grab Yates.
Me too rondon. How you can trade for one year of Tucker and not get a closer boggles my mind. It serves as nothing more than window dressing for the fans. “Oh hey we got Tucker so we’re going for it! ” Um, no we’re not.
coop – I totally agree. Acquiring a stud closer when one is needed, that is the true sign a team is GFIN.
Jed will sign Craig Kimbrel and call it a day…sigh.
Giants, Diamondbacks, Padres, and Dodgers will all compete. Whoever stays motivated and healthy will be in playoffs. More money for athletes often leads to less motivation to perform.
Did ChatGPT write this?
“More money for athletes often leads to less motivation to perform.”
This part for sure. The bots are trying to warp our brains.
I agree. But see them in 3 distinct tiers at present. Dodgers will be competing for best record in baseball (history possibly). Padres and Diamondbacks should be competing for the top two Wild Card spots. Giants an underdog for the final Wild Card. And I would expect that once all the games are actually played, only 2/4 of them make the postseason. I’m biased (Diamondbacks), but right now I expect the two lucky ones are LAD and AZ with CHC, ATL, NYM rounding out the rest of the Wild Card spots in some fashion.
I doubt the D’Backs can trade Montgomery and use saved salary to sign someone. It takes two to tango. Even adding a prospect I don’t see anyone that would want him at this point.. He has a lot to prove this coming season and so do several of the others.. We’ll see how things go.
Lawler, Del Castillo, Alexander, Barrosa, Smith, and Thomas
Maybe the Dbacks are scoffing at offers being made and are waiting to see once injuries round out during spring training, a team might be more likely to engage in trade talks. 22.5 mil is a pretty hefty price tag coming off a negative 1.4 WAR season.