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The Rockies have a new president of baseball operations (Paul DePodesta), but they’ll welcome back the same dugout leader for the 2026 season. The club announced that Warren Schaeffer, who served as interim manager after Bud Black’s firing back in May, will return as the skipper for the 2026 campaign.Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports reported the news prior to the team announcement.

Though changes are coming to Colorado, the club is going for a bit of continuity by keeping Schaeffer around. The Rockies have been free falling lately. 2025 was their seventh straight losing season, fourth straight in last place in the National League West and third straight with at least 101 losses. In that time, they developed a reputation for being loyal and insular to a fault, as well as resistant to adapting to the modernization of the game.

It seems that the historically bad 2025 season, which led to 119 losses, has prompted a shake-up. As mentioned, Black was fired in May. The Rockies and general manager Bill Schmidt parted ways at the end of the season, with DePodesta later hired to take over the front office. Owner Dick Monfortappears to be ceding some of his duties to his son Walker, who is the club’s executive vice president.

Schaeffer is also a new manager, in a sense, but he has been with the Rockies for years. As a player, the Rockies drafted him back in 2007 and he played for them as a minor leaguer through 2012. When his playing career was done, he stuck with the Rockies as he pivoted to coaching. He managed High-A Ashville from 2015 to 2017, then Double-A Hartford in 2018 and 2019. He then got bumped to the manager’s chair at Triple-A Albuquerque. The 2020 season was canceled by the pandemic but Schaeffer held that job through the 2022 campaign.

He then got the bump to the major league coaching staff in 2023, becoming the third base and infield coach for Colorado. He held that job until Black was fired in May of 2025, when Schaeffer became the interim manager. The Rockies went 36-86 the rest of the way, a winning percentage of just .295, but no one really places that at Schaeffer’s feet. The manager doesn’t get to pick the players and the roster has obviously been flawed for a long time.

With the Rockies likely a few years away from contention, in-game decisions and results are probably not the focus right now. It would make sense to prioritize things like player relationships and development. Since the Rockies have a young roster and Schaeffer was climbing through the farm as a coach until a few years ago, he will have relationships with many of the players going back to their early minor league days. Per Saunders, many players complimented Schaeffer for his communication skills and attention to detail as interim manager last year.

Time will tell how aggressive DePodesta will be in making moves to send out current players and/or bring in external options. As he makes those decisions, Schaeffer will stick around as a throughline from the previous era to the new one. It’s the kind of insular move that has led to criticism being pointed at the Rockies in the past, though it’s understandable why they would want the stability of keeping Schaeffer around as they make other changes elsewhere.

For the near term, Schaeffer’s job will be focused on getting the most of young players who are still trying to reach their potential. Eventually, the target will turn towards winning. Time will tell whether Schaeffer will stick around beyond that inflection point, whenever it arrives.

Photo courtesy of Kelley L Cox, Isaiah J. Downing, Imagn Images

The Yankees have agreed to a minor league contract with right-handed relieverYerry Rodriguez,as first indicated on the transaction log at MLB.com. It’s a two-year minor league pact, agent Kelvin Nova tells MLBTR. Rodriguez underwent Tommy John surgery back in spring training, when he was a non-roster invitee with the Pirates. He’s targeting a midseason return to the mound.

Rodriguez, a hard-throwing 28-year-old, has appeared in parts of three big league seasons between the Rangers and Blue Jays. He’s pitched only 36 1/3 innings in the majors and been tagged for 33 runs in that time (8.17 ERA). He’s been plagued by a bloated .345 average on balls in play, but a penchant for walks and home runs have been larger detriments to his big league work.

Though he hasn’t had much success in limited MLB work, Rodriguez touts a 3.56 ERA in parts of eight minor league seasons. He’s punched out 27.8% of his minor league opponents, including a 28.3% strikeout rate in parts of four Triple-A seasons. Rodriguez has walked nearly 11% of his big league opponents but just 8.8% of opponents in the minors (albeit 12% in Triple-A).

Rodriguez has averaged 96.7 mph on his heater in the big leagues, pairing the pitch with a slider that sits 84 mph and a lesser-used changeup that sits 86.3 mph. Just one-third of the batted balls against Rodriguez in the majors have been grounders, but in a much larger sample of minor league work he’s routinely posted above-average ground-ball rates (47.5% in Triple-A) and strong swinging-strike rates.

Because he’ll still be rehabbing next spring, Rodriguez won’t be in the mix to vie for an Opening Day roster spot. He could be a midseason addition to the bullpen if he avoids any setbacks and pitches well on a rehab stint. If not, he’ll be in big league camp during spring training 2027. Rodriguez is out of minor league options, so if the Yankees add him to the roster at any point, they won’t be able to send him back down without first exposing him to waivers.

The Marlins are among the teams that have shown interest in free-agent rightyMichael King,per Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic. Miami has frequently been linked to prominent bullpen arms in the offseason’s early stages as well, and the Fish areapparently planning to spend more heavily in free agency than in recent years (although that’s a pretty low bar to clear).

Skeptics will presume that the Marlins, like the A’s last offseason, are wary of running into a grievance pertaining to their allocation of revenue-sharing funds. Optimists will look at Miami’s hot finish to the 2025 season and the steps forward from young core pieces likeKyle Stowers,Jakob Marsee andEdward Cabrera as the driving factor behind the ostensible spending push. In reality, some of both are likely to be true.

Rosenthal and Drellich write that the Marlins are believed to be pulling in around $70MM annually in revenue-sharing. Teams that allocate under 150% of the revenue-sharing funds they receive to the roster (in terms of CBT obligations) can draw the union’s ire and fall subject to a grievance. That’s not true in every instance. Miami’s CBT ledger in 2025 came in around $85MM,per RosterResource. The Fish are projected for about $70MM of CBT considerations right now, however.

It seems that falling shy of that 150% threshold in consecutive seasons is what truly triggers the risk of a grievance. The A’s were the only perennial payroll cellar-dweller who seemed to be subject to a potential grievance last offseason. (They responded by signingLuis Severino andJose Leclerc and extendingBrent Rooker andLawrence Butler.) None of the Pirates, Marlins or Rays seemed to face the same pressure.

However, each of Pittsburgh, Miami and Tampa Bay had been well over $100MM in CBT considerations in each of the preceding seasons. The A’s trotted out CBT numbers between $68MM and $84MM from 2022-24 before finally opening the wallet a bit to avoid that potential grievance. Rosenthal and Drellich also suggest that the Marlins may want to avoid any in-fighting with other clubs during the upcoming CBA talks, where luxury tax payors could argue that the Marlins aren’t using their funds properly. Readers are encouraged to check out the piece for full, more granular details on the matter and thoughts from other club officials and agents who weight in when chatting with The Athletic duo.

Regardless of the motivation, the fact that King is on Miami’s radar is notable. He’s a former Marlins draft pick, though that came under prior ownership and a different front office regime, so those ties are minimal at this point. King would step into a rotation that also includes the previously mentioned Cabrera,Sandy Alcantara,Eury Perez,Braxton Garrett andRyan Weathers — with prospectsThomas White,Robby Snelling,Dax Fulton andMax Meyer (on the mend from surgery) all factoring in as possible options as well.

King, 30, has been excellent since moving from a swingman role with the Yankees — who acquired him in 2017’sGarrett Cooper swap — into the rotation late in the 2023 season. His 2025 campaign was shortened by a nerve injury in his shoulder and a knee injury late in the season, but King boasts a terrific 2.93 ERA (3.50 FIP, 3.66 SIERA) with a 27.4% strikeout rate and 8.3% walk rate in 53 starts since moving to a rotation role full-time.

Adding King would give Miami a playoff-caliber starter to pair with arms like Alcantara, Cabrera and Perez. He’d also make it easier for the Fish to entertain offers on young pitching, whether that be Cabrera, Weathers or some of those vaunted prospects (headlined by White). The Marlins could also give stronger consideration to dealing Alcantara if they add a veteran starter, but they’d still be selling somewhat low on him (and trading Alcantara would offset much of the payroll gains they’d obtain by signing King).

The Marlins are on the lookout for meaningful offensive upgrades, but the free agent market is generally thin on impact hitters this offseason. If the Fish instead choose to further deepen an organizational strength, they could use their stock of quality young arms to explore the trade market in search of more meaningful upgrades at the infield corners, designated hitter and/or in right field.

King rejected a $22.025MM qualifying offer from the Padres. The Marlins would pay the lightest of three penalty tiers for signing him, due to their status as a revenue-sharing recipient. Signing King would require Miami to its third-highest pick in the 2026 draft.

This holiday season,Legends Memorabilia Collection (LMC) offers a gift lineup for the ultimate sports fan. From MLB autographs from Hall of Famers and All-Stars to iconic NFL and college football memorabilia from the biggest names in the game, this curated guide spotlights top items perfect for the holiday gift-giving season!

Right now, there is a special opportunity for MLB Trade Rumors readers. Using the discount code “TR10”, receive 10% off any purchase.

Now through December 1st, fans can send in items to be signed by Mike Trout.

How it works:

Go toShopLegends.com and locate the Mike Troutsigning page.

There will be several options for allowable products to send-in that include:

• Send-in baseball
• Sent in flat item (up to 16×20 in size)
• Trading card
• Equipment (jersey/bat/helmet, etc).
• Game used item
• Original artwork
• Team signed item

Simply pick what you’ll be sending, add to cart, and pay – don’t forget to use “TR10” as a code!

After, send-in your item to the address on thewebsite:

Legends Memorabilia Collection
ATTN: Send Ins (CUSTOMER NAME – ATHLETE NAME)
7100 Broadway, Building 6H
Denver, CO 80221

If the signing option isn’t the best fit – don’t worry! There are tons of other products available, that include other signatures from Roki Sasaki, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Derek Jeter, & more.

Plus, plenty of Mike Trout memorabilia available on the site too if you can’t wait for send-in items!

About Legends Memorabilia:

At Legends Memorabilia Collection, their mission is to honor the legacy of the game by preserving and showcasing iconic sports memorabilia—while giving back to the legends who made it all possible. They are committed to putting money back into the pockets of the players, ensuring they share in the value of the memories they helped create. By connecting fans with authentic, player-backed collectibles, they celebrate the past, empower the present, and invest in the future of sports history.

All items come with MLB Authentication. They are one of two companies that have access to MLB authentication, so everything is authentic from the signings.

VisitShopLegends.com often or subscribe to their email list this offseason to stay up to date on all happenings, like their Mike Trout signing that ends on December 1st. Get your send-ins done now before the Holidays!

This is a sponsored post from Legends Memorabilia.

Nov. 24: The two teams have formally announced the swap.

Nov. 23: In an intriguing one-for-one swap of prominent veterans, the Mets and Rangers have agreed to a trade that will send second basemanMarcus Semien to Queens in exchange for outfielderBrandon Nimmo.  New York is also sending $5MM to help Texas offset some of the difference between the two players’ remaining salaries.

Reports emerged earlier this week that the Metswere open to moving Nimmo, though asof Thursday, trade talks reportedly hadn’t developed to the point that the Mets had approached Nimmo about waiving his contract’s no-trade clause.  Mike Puma of the New York Post wrote today that the team raised the subject of the Texas trade with Nimmo on Friday.  After a day’s consideration and a chat with Rangers ace (and his former Mets teammate)Jacob deGrom, Nimmo agreed to approve the deal.

Given the trade buzz this week, it isn’t entirely shocking to see the veteran outfielder’s time in New York come to an end.  That said, a straight-up swap for Semien is eye-opening, given how Semien is coming off a dismal year at the plate and comes with a significant future price tag in his own right.

Semien has $72MM and three seasons remaining on the seven-year, $175MM free agent deal he signed with Texas during the 2021-22 offseason.  Nimmo is owed $101.25MM through the 2030 season, as he has completed three years of the eight-year, $162MM free agent he signed to remain with the Mets in December 2022.  Since luxury tax figures are re-calculated to account for just remaining money owed in the wake of trades, Semien’s tax number is $24MM, and Nimmo has a $19.25MM figure (when factoring in the $5MM Texas is getting from New York).

The Mets are therefore taking on a slightly bigger tax hit while reducing the amount of overall dollars owed, while the Rangers are reducing their tax number but adding more overall money to their books.  That adds an interesting wrinkle for a Texas club that was expected to reduce payroll this winter, though it is worth noting that the Rangers cleared a good chunk of money off the books (a projected $21.1MM) on Fridaywith four non-tenders.

While the financial elements can’t be overlooked, the trade is also something of an old-school, need-for-need “baseball deal” that allows both the Mets and Rangers to address needs.  Beginning with Texas, the team was prioritizing a different offensive approach based around contact hitting and getting on base.

Nimmo’s strikeout rates have been overall middling throughout his career, though his chase and whiff rates have been consistently above average.  His walk rates had also been strong before suddenly dropping to 7.7% in 2025, in a career-low for the outfielder over a full season.  Still, Nimmo hit .262/.324/.436 with 25 homers over 652 plate appearances, translating to a 114 wRC+ over 652 plate appearances as New York’s everyday left fielder.  Public defensive metrics have also looked a lot more fondly on Nimmo’s glovework since he moved to left field from center field.

SinceAdolis Garcia has now been non-tendered, Nimmo can slide into the left field position in Arlington, withEvan Carter or (probably more likely)Wyatt Langford moving into Garcia’s old spot in right field.  Second base is now opened up forJosh Smith orEzequiel Duran in the short term, and top prospectSebastian Walcott could also potentially find a home at the keystone depending on how longCorey Seager remains at shortstop.  The Rangers could also now explore the market for trade or free agent options at second base, with Semien no longer in the picture.

Selected 13th overall by the Mets in the 2011 draft, Nimmo has spent his entire career with the Amazins, becoming a fan favorite due to his consistent offense.  Injuries were a major hindrance for Nimmo earlier in his career and he is entering his age-32 season, but he has played in at least 151 games in each of his last four seasons.

In short, it seems like the Rangers feel more comfortable about paying Nimmo a bit of extra money over a longer term than they were paying Semien over his age 35-37 seasons.  A picture of durability throughout his career, Semien suffered a rare serious injury in 2025, as he was limited to 127 games by a Lisfranc sprain and a small fracture in his left foot.  Beyond just the health issue, Texas was perhaps more concerned about Semien’s dropoff at the plate over the last three seasons.

2023 was Semien’s last year as a premium hitter, as he hit .276/.348/.478 with 29 homers over 753 PA for the Rangers’ World Series team.  Semien delivered a 128 wRC+ that year, and his key role in Texas’ first championship will forever make him a beloved figure in Arlington.  After that dream season, however, Semien dropped to a 101 wRC+ in 2024, and then a subpar 89 wRC+ in 2025.  A .251 BABIP over the last two seasons is a partial explanation, yet the bigger culprit is a sizeable decline in power.

A change of scenery could perhaps get Semien’s bat going, even if Citi Field is known as a pitcher-friendly ballpark.  Semien does bring a right-handed hitting element to a Mets lineup that leaned left, and has now subtracted an everyday lefty swinger in Nimmo.  Beyond just Semien’s offense and his reputation as a clubhouse leader, he remains an outstanding defensive second baseman who just won his second career Gold Glove.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns stated that run prevention was a chief area of improvement for his team, so installing Semien at second base is a big defensive upgrade.  Removing a solid defender like Nimmo from left field is a hit unto itself, yetJeff McNeil could make up some of the difference since left field now looks to be McNeil’s primary position with Semien locked into second base.  McNeil could also get part-time work in center field, or it is possible he might also end up on another roster, as rival teamshave been discussing McNeil in trade talks.

It is a little surprising to see New York make such a prominent move to address second base, given how first and third base were the far more unsettled infield positions heading into the winter. Pete Alonso’s free agency leaves first base open, andBrett Baty now looks to be staying at third base with Semien on board.  Top prospectJett Williams is expected to make his MLB debut in 2026, and the outfield could now be Williams’ future position since Semien andFrancisco Lindor have accounted for the middle infield.  Semien’s addition also brings fresh questions about how the Mets will incorporateMark Vientos,Luisangel Acuna, andRonny Mauricio into the infield mix, or if any of these players (or Baty) could now be trade chips.

Nimmo’s departure also means that the Mets could make a larger move to address their outfield.  The club was already expected to be looking for center field help, andJuan Soto could possibly be shifted over to left field if the Mets wanted to acquire a new right fielder.  This will probably spark some inevitableKyle Tucker speculation, butCody Bellingeris already known to be a player on the Amazins’ radar.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report that the two teams were in the final stages of a deal involving Semien and Nimmo, andthe New York Post’s Jon Heyman had the additional detail about the $5MM heading to Arlington.  The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported that Nimmo has agreed to waive his no-trade clause. 

Inset pictures courtesy of Jerome Miron (Semien) and Vincent Carchicetta (Nimmo) — Imagn Images

Entries for MLB Trade Rumors’ annualFree Agent Prediction Contest closed on November 13, with 4,604 different readers submitting their choice of landing spot for each ofthe offseason’s top 50 free agents. This year, we’re going to provide another fun resource for reference purposes — which teams were the most popular choices for each of the 50 players.

As you might expect, the bigger-spending teams got a lot of attention, though 21 of the 30 teams were the top choice for at least one free agent. (The Rockies, Cardinals, Pirates, Nationals, Astros, White Sox, Guardians, Royals, and Twins were the only teams not listed as a top choice.) Of the six players who have already signed, the plurality or majority of contestants correctly identified that Josh Naylor, Raisel Iglesias, and the qualifying offer-accepting quartet of Brandon Woodruff, Trent Grisham, Shota Imanaga, and Gleyber Torres would remain with their 2025 teams.

The most popular choice of all 50 players was Bo Bichette returning to the Blue Jays, with 81.5% of contestants predicting a reunion. This narrowly edged out Kyle Schwarber (79.9%) and J.T. Realmuto (76.1%) re-signing with Philadelphia, as readers are confident that the Phillies will retain those two veteran bats, but there is far less of a consensus about the chances of Ranger Suarez (13.2%) returning to Philly. Eight percent of readers predict Ryan Helsley to the Marlins, which represented the lowest top choice of any player in the top 50.

1. Kyle Tucker: Dodgers (39.9%), Yankees (17.8%)
2. Bo Bichette: Blue Jays (81.5%)
3. Dylan Cease: Red Sox (20.9%), Cubs (17%), Mets (13.9%)
4. Munetaka Murakami: Mets (20.3%), Mariners (17.4%), Dodgers (16.7%)
5. Alex Bregman: Red Sox (37.3%), Tigers (30.3%)
6. Framber Valdez: Giants (18.7%), Mets (14.2%), Orioles (10.2%), Cubs (9.8%)
7. Tatsuya Imai: Dodgers (20.2%), Mets (13.7%), Giants (12.7%), Cubs (12.6%)
8. Cody Bellinger: Yankees (61.2%)
9. Kyle Schwarber: Phillies (79.9%)
10. Ranger Suarez: Blue Jays (13.2%), Cubs (12.7%), Phillies (12.3%)
11. Pete Alonso: Mets (35.8%), Red Sox (29.6%)
12. Josh Naylor: Mariners (72.6%)
13. Edwin Diaz: Mets (38.1%), Dodgers (23.2%), Yankees (10.2%)
14. Michael King: Orioles (14.5%), Padres (12.3%), Yankees (11.8%)
15. Zac Gallen: Diamondbacks (26.3%), Giants (10.4%), Angels (8.1%)
16. Devin Williams: Dodgers (23.3%), Mets (9%)
17. Brandon Woodruff: Brewers (30.3%), Mets (18.4%)
18. Trent Grisham: Yankees (25.9%), Angels (13.2%)
19. Kazuma Okamoto: Dodgers (11.6%), Padres (10.9%), Mariners (10%), Angels (9.9%),
20. Eugenio Suarez: Mariners (18.7%), Reds (17.5%)
21. Robert Suarez: Dodgers (15.7%), Mets (13.7%), Blue Jays (7%)
22. Shota Imanaga: Cubs (22.1%), Angels (11.6%)
23. Jorge Polanco: Mariners (37.7%), Royals (7.8%)
24. Chris Bassitt: Blue Jays (30.8%), Braves (15.7%)
25. Merrill Kelly: Diamondbacks (38.5%), Rangers (7.3%)
26. Brad Keller: Cubs (15.6%), Braves (12.2%), Yankees (11.6%)
27. Lucas Giolito: Red Sox (21.1%), Orioles (9.6%)
28. Ha-Seong Kim: Braves (45.4%)
29. J.T. Realmuto: Phillies (76.1%)
30. Ryan O’Hearn: Marlins (18%), Padres (8.4%)
31. Harrison Bader: Phillies (15.6%), Royals (11.9%), Guardians (8.8%)
32. Raisel Iglesias: Braves (24.3%)
33. Nick Martinez: Reds (9.6%), Padres (8.7%)
34. Luis Arraez: Rangers (12.2%), Padres (9.1%), Angels (7.4%)
35. Zack Littell: Angels (12.9%)
36. Ryan Helsley: Marlins (8%)
37. Gleyber Torres: Tigers (59.4%)
38. Justin Verlander: Tigers (29.1%), Astros (18.2%), Giants (18.2%)
39. Cody Ponce: Brewers (11%), Cardinals (10.1%)
40. Kyle Finnegan: Tigers (28.1%)
41. Luke Weaver: Yankees (17.4%), Cubs (9%)
42. Tyler Rogers: Mets (16.1%), Orioles (13.2%), Giants (13.1%)
43. Seranthony Dominguez: Blue Jays (25%)
44. Pete Fairbanks: Dodgers (12.9%), Cubs (9.3%)
45. Gregory Soto: Blue Jays (14.3%)
46. Emilio Pagan: Reds (28.8%)
47. Tyler Mahle: Athletics (8.9%), Rangers (8.5%)
48. Max Scherzer: Blue Jays (33.2%), Giants (14.4%), Tigers (11.9%)
49. Victor Caratini: Rays (22.3%), Astros (11.9%)
50. Willi Castro: Padres (10.6%)

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world as we head into the week:

1. What’s next for the Rangers?

A surprising swap of big names on large contracts happened yesterday, as the Rangers sent second basemanMarcus Semien to the Mets in exchange forBrandon Nimmo. From the Rangers’ perspective, the deal allows them to re-imagine their lineup and replace non-tendered corner outfielderAdolis Garcia while still staying in line with their goals to cut payroll this year. While Nimmo is on the books for five years as opposed to Semien’s three, he’ll actually cost about $4.75MM less per year for luxury tax purposes after factoring in the cash New York sent alongside Texas’ new left fielder. With a luxury tax payroll thatRosterResource now projects to land around just $191MM andJosh Smith free to take over at second base, the Rangers come out of this trade with the flexibility to perhaps even make another addition to the lineup or sign some bullpen help while still cutting payroll substantially from last year. It’s unclear what exact level ownership is comfortable spending to this year.

2. Mets’ infield logjam grows bigger:

The Semien-Nimmo trade is a bit more complicated from the Mets’ end. With Nimmo headed to the Rangers, the Mets now haveJuan Soto as their only locked in regular in the outfield for the 2026 season. By contrast, they’re flush with infield options after adding Semien to a group that already includedBrett Baty,Mark Vientos,Luisangel Acuna, andRonny Mauricio. Semien andFrancisco Lindor figure to handle regular reps up the middle, which would leave just two spots on the infield for those four youngsters. A Pete Alonso reunion would further cut into those opportunities. Also displaced by the deal isJeff McNeil, who could move into the outfield if necessary but wasalready the subject of trade rumors even before this deal.

The Mets could move any of those infielders as they look for help in the rotation or bullpen. It’s also worth noting that one of the game’s perennial top spenders now has a corner outfield vacancy and less money on the long-term books when the market’s top free agent is corner outfielderKyle Tucker.

3. Maton signing not yet official:

The Cubsagreed to terms with right-handerPhil Maton on a two-year deal Friday night, though that signing has not yet been finalized. Maton’s deal is pending a physical, and financial specifics are not yet known. The Cubs have been reluctant to commit to relievers on multi-year deals in recent years, making the signing all the more notable. Chicago’s last multi-year free agent signing for a relief arm was theCraig Kimbrel contract all the way back in June of 2019. (They did make a strong offer toTanner Scott last winter, though.) Is this a change in philosophy or merely a one-off? The Cubs have plenty of space on the 40-man roster, so a corresponding move will not be necessary when the Maton deal becomes official.

The Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball announced that left-handerSam Long has been signed to a contract for the 2026 season.  Long heads to Japan after five MLB seasons, and after posting a 5.36 ERA over 40 1/3 relief innings for the Royals in 2025.

Long’s top big league campaign was in 2024, when he had a career-best 3.16 ERA and 25% strikeout rate over 42 2/3 innings out of the K.C. bullpen.  Generally a low-strikeout pitcher with pretty ordinary walk rates, Long’s results have tended to ebb and flow along with his batted-ball luck, and he has a 4.65 ERA to show for his 211 career innings in the majors with the Giants, Athletics, and Royals.

Injuries could partially explains his underwhelming results this year, as Long missed over two months of action due to elbow inflammation.  He started to find his form closer to the end of the season, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Royals from outrighting him off their 40-man roster in November, and Long then elected minor league free agency.

The 30-year-old almost surely would’ve had to settle for a minor league contract this winter if he’d stuck to courting MLB teams, so the move to Japan will earn Long some extra money on a guaranteed deal.  He’ll now look for a fresh start to his career and a role with a Marines team that has made the playoffs four times in the last six years, thought they have been unable to advance to the Japan Series.

While the Mets remain engaged withEdwin Diaz about a new contract, the club is keeping its bases covered by also checking in with other major free agent closers.  Reports fromearlier this week cited the Mets as one of the many teams involved inDevin Williams’ market, andThe Athletic’s Will Sammon reports that New York has been in touch “multiple times recently” with the reps for both Williams andRobert Suarez.

This makes the Mets the first club publicly linked to Suarez this winter, though it is probably safe to assume that most or all of the clubs in on Williams are similarly exploring Suarez’s asking price.  MLB Trade Rumors ranked Williams 16th on our list ofthe offseason’s top 50 free agents and projected him for a four-year, $68MM contract, while Suarez ranked 21st and got a three-year, $48MM projection.  (Diaz was the top closer in our list, ranked 13th with a projection of four years and $82MM.)

Diaz and Williams are both entering their age-32 seasons, whereas Suarez is turning 35 in March.  The age gap will alone put some limitations on Suarez’s market, even if teams should still be open to giving him a high average annual salary within a shorter-term contract. Raisel Iglesias (who turns 36 in January) took a one-year, $16MM deal to return to the Braves, though Iglesias’ fairly quick departure from the market could indicate that he simply preferred to return to Atlanta over more fully waiting around to see if he could land at least one more guaranteed year.

Indeed, Suarez’s age might even be something of a selling point in regards to how teams are approaching the bullpen market.  Diaz isreportedly looking for a contract akin to his previous five-year, $102MM deal with New York, and while the Amazins have interest in bringing Diaz back, Sammon writes that the team would prefer a shorter-term pact.  If Suarez’s age might naturally leave him looking at something like a three-year contract as a ceiling, that might work out just fine for the Mets or other teams who are wary about lengthy commitments to relief pitchers.

Suarez felt comfortable enough about his chances in free agency that he chose to opt out of the final two years (and $16MM) on his contract with the Padres.  There’s certainly no indication that Suarez is slowing down, either in the figurative or literal sense.  Suarez’s 98.6mph fastball is still among the highest velocities in the game, and he posted a 2.97 ERA, 27.9% strikeout rate, and a 5.9% walk rate over 69 2/3 innings in 2025.  Over his two seasons as San Diego’s closer, Suarez has closed out 76 of 87 chances and twice been named to the NL All-Star team.  He has also carried his strong performance into October, with a 2.45 ERA over 14 2/3 career postseason innings.