MLB Offseason Notes: โฃPirates Trade Potential,Padres Reunion,and Front Office Moves
Severalโ teams are navigating the early stages of the MLB offseason,wiht โpotential trades,free agent decisions,and front office restructuring taking shape.
Pirates Considering Pitching Moves: The โpittsburgh Pirates โmay be willing to moveโฃ starting pitcher Johan Oviedo, despiteโค his appeal to the institution. Oviedo has reportedly โคimproved his fastball shapes during rehabilitation, creating better โseparation between โhis four-seamer โand two-seamer. While โฃhe missed significant time, he remains relatively affordable with a projected $2 millionโข salaryโ for theโ 2026 season, according toโ MLBTradeRumors.com. Oviedo’s size (6-foot-5,โข 245 pounds) and velocity (touching 98 โmph) also make him โขan intriguing prospect for otherโค teams.โ Though, the Pirates are unlikely to trade multiple starting pitchers and would need to secure replacements if they move onโ from any โrotation โคmembers. Right-handedโ pitcher Mitch Keller, owed $54.5 million over the next three seasons, is considered the most likely starter to โbe traded.
Padresโค Benefit from Familiarity: the San Diego Padres saw a boostโ inโ free agency thanks to the influence of new manager Craig Stammen and the return of pitching coach Ruben Niebla. These hires were instrumentalโ in bringing back left-handed pitcher Kyle Hart. Stammenโ and โHartโฃ developed a relationship last season while Stammen worked in the Padres’ front โขoffice, and the โคtwo reside near each other in Ohio. Hart, who โwill turn โ33, signed a one-year contract with a club option for 2027, guaranteeing him โฃ$1.2โ million. Despite aโ 5.86 ERA in 43 innings last season, his 3.56 expected ERA suggests potentialโ for improvement, and he anticipatesโ a similar role in the rotation/bullpen mix next season.
front Office and Player โMovement Rumors:
* Colorado Rockies: As Paul DePodesta builds his front office, two names have surfaced as potential hires: Ianโฃ Levin and Chad MacDonald. Levin previously worked with โDePodestaโฃ in the New york Mets organization, rising to assistant โGM beforeโฃ departing at theโ endโ of 2024. MacDonald, a veteran scout, also overlapped with DePodesta at the Mets.
* Chicago White Sox: Teams have inquired about โWhite Sox catcher kyle Teel, a left-handed hitterโฃ who impressed more than fellow catcher Edgar quero duringโฃ his โคdebut season. Though, the white Sox are currently not actively seekingโฃ to trade โคeither catcher, prioritizing depth at โฃtheโข position.
* Qualifying Offers & Tender Deadlines: Tuesday marks the deadline โfor 13 free agents to accept โor reject their qualifying offers (4 p.m.ET). Teams must file their reserve โขlists for all โขmajor- and minor-league โขlevels by 6 โขp.m. Tuesday,and the tender deadline for players is 5 p.m. Friday.
