2025-26 Off-season (non-Nats)

[IdahoNat]

Craig Stammen is the new Padres manager.

Easily the sexiest Manager in Baseball now

[imref]

Janes notes the irony in the age of our team / coaching staff and that we're sponsored by AARP.

[imref]

Passan says the Mariners and Josh Naylor are close to finalizing a five year deal for him to remain in Seattle.

[imref]

Passan says the Pirates are pursuing Schwarber.

[Smithian]

Passan says the Pirates are pursuing Schwarber.

Feels like posturing on eve of a baseball labor dispute. "What do you mean we never try for big free agents?"

[Count Walewski]

Four guys just accepted a QO. 10% of all the QO acceptances in human history have taken place today.

Perhaps most notably, 2019 Nats postseason hero Trent Grisham is back on the Yankees for a cool $22 million. Yankees fans online seem livid and fear this will hamstring the team for big FAs. After a career year in the Bronx he seems like a top candidate for regression.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Four guys just accepted a QO. 10% of all the QO acceptances in human history have taken place today.

Perhaps most notably, 2019 Nats postseason hero Trent Grisham is back on the Yankees for a cool $22 million. Yankees fans online seem livid and fear this will hamstring the team for big FAs. After a career year in the Bronx he seems like a top candidate for regression.

also Imanaga, Gleyber, and Woodruff. So these guys would rather be FAs in 2027?

[HalfSmokes]

also Imanaga, Gleyber, and Woodruff. So these guys would rather be FAs in 2027?

Conversely, those are the kind of guys who teams won’t want on long term deal if there is a possibility of a salary cap. The qualifying offer may be the best they can get this offseason

[Slateman]

Orioles traded Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels for Taylor Ward

Elias is definitely on the hot seat.

[imref]

Seems like a pretty even trade. Rodriguez was dominant but has had a history of elbow/shoulder issues. Ward is a one-year rental but mashed last year.

I don't see them moving Rutschman if they are going all-in next year.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

The value of Rodriguez has tumbled. A caution on Gore? Gore has had better health but worse performance

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6817594/2025/11/18/tatsuya-imai-mlb-free-agent


Imai posted

27-year-old Tatsuya Imai, who is currently ranked as the No. 10 free agent on The Athletic’s Big Board, has officially been posted for MLB teams, which will be able to negotiate to sign the righty starter beginning Wednesday morning with a window that ends on Jan. 2, 2026.

The 5-foot-11 Imai, who had a 1.92 ERA in 24 starts last season with the Saitama Seibu Lions, doesn’t have fellow countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s high-level stuff or dominance in Nippon Professional Baseball, but Imai is still expected to receive a nine-figure contract from a MLB team this offseason. The Athletic’s Tim Britton projects that Imai will receive an eight-year, $190 million deal, noting that “Imai’s ERA and strikeout rate align well with those of Senga, Yusei Kikuchi, and Hiroki Kuroda before they debuted in MLB. He’s as hard a thrower as anyone who’s made that jump, complementing a fastball in the mid- to upper 90s with a slider, splitter and changeup.”

[JCA-CrystalCity]

non-tenders:  JJ Bleday, Adolis Garcia . . .

Jonah Heim.


Heim and Garcia are the equivalent of the Oneders.  They'll always have 2023

[blue911]

non-tenders:  JJ Bleday, Adolis Garcia . . .

Jonah Heim.


Heim and Garcia are the equivalent of the Oneders.  They'll always have 2023

Isn’t one of the Nats new hires a former coach of Heim?

[Count Walewski]

I've seen a lot of fans of various offense-challenged teams on Twitter coveting Adolis Garcia the last few days but looking at the stats, him and Heim seem truly washed up. The kinds of guys late-career Rizzo would sign in the hopes of trading for a lotto ticket at midseason.

[HalfSmokes]

I've seen a lot of fans of various offense-challenged teams on Twitter coveting Adolis Garcia the last few days but looking at the stats, him and Heim seem truly washed up. The kinds of guys late-career Rizzo would sign in the hopes of trading for a lotto ticket at midseason.

Sounds like guts in our price range. No use coveting a Mercedes when you knowing heading you’re shopping at the buy here pay here used car lot

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Heim is interesting. Not only did he hit 2 years ago, but he also won a golden glove. Up to last year, he was a plus defensive catcher with maybe a below average caught stealing %. Last year, it all fell apart. Curious if he was hiding an injury or something. He might be a good gambler if we don't trade for somebody like Ford or sign a Caratini

[aspenbubba]

OK, this is not in my wheelhouse of usual commentary but I was intrigued by Ryan Mountcastles' possibility of being non-tendered. I know he has declined dramatically since his rookie season in both average and HR's. But he still has Gold Glove defense and he seems to be a candidate for a change of scenery. Yes, it is a Rizzo move screaming FAILURE but more upside than Gallo and Lowe. We could trade him for prospects or even offer up Garcia Jr. even up.

[OfftheBat]

Seems like a pretty even trade. Rodriguez was dominant but has had a history of elbow/shoulder issues. Ward is a one-year rental but mashed last year.

I don't see them moving Rutschman if they are going all-in next year.

FWIW, Rubinstein mentioned that he has funds available for major FAs this Winter.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'm not sure that the Os are looking to deal Mountcastle after just offering arb. There should be some playing time when Basallo or Rutschman rests.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Isn’t one of the Nats new hires a former coach of Heim?

not sure. I tried to gather the posts about the new coaches into one thread in the clubhouse because I've lost track.  Are you thinking of one of the Driveline guys?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Isn’t one of the Nats new hires a former coach of Heim?

Bobby  Wilson?

Nats hire Bobby Wilson as catching coordinator. Had the same role with the Rangers since 2020. Old dude at age 42.

[blue911]

Bobby  Wilson?

Maybe, just knew I had read it somewhere.

[imref]

Passan:

BREAKING: The New York Mets and Texas Rangers are finalizing a trade that would send second baseman Marcus Semien to the Mets and outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, sources tell ESPN

[Count Walewski]

You'll never guess who the Padres just hired as their hitting coach

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/padres-to-hire-steven-souza-jr-as-hitting-coach.html