Spring coaching is imminent. Subsequent week is when pitchers and catchers report for almost all of the groups, however the necessary report date for the Dodgers is Feb. 9 (all dates right here). Plus, a great variety of gamers report earlier than the necessary dates, that means there are many exercises already happening in Florida and Arizona proper now.
Nonetheless, a respectable listing of free brokers stay, so the sizzling range will stay, um, tepid, within the coming weeks.
So long as that is occurring, we’ll spherical up the day by day rumors right here.
Rangers conform to take care of postseason hero
The World Collection champion Rangers and proper fielder Adolis García have been set to have an arbitration listening to on Thursday. As a substitute, the 2 sides not solely prevented arbitration however agreed to a two-year contract, the workforce introduced. The deal is for $14 million with “a ton of escalators,” per Jon Heyman of the New York Submit.
The language can get difficult right here, as it’s technically a contract extension, however García wasn’t set to hit free company till after the 2026 season anyway. The 2-year deal buys value certainty for each side and so they haven’t got to fret about hitting the arbitration desk once more subsequent yr.
García, 30, hit .245/.328/.508 (123 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 39 homers, 107 RBI, 108 runs, 9 steals and 4.2 WAR final season. He began the All-Star Sport and received the Gold Glove. He additionally got here by way of with a number of clutch dwelling runs within the playoffs, together with a walk-off homer in Sport 1 of the World Collection. He was ALCS MVP after hitting 5 dwelling runs with 15 RBI within the seven-game collection. In his 15 playoff video games, he hit .323/.382/.726 with eight homers and 22 RBI.
Astros will make extension supply to Bregman
Within the wake of Astros second baseman Jose Altuve‘s five-year contract extension, would possibly third baseman Alex Bregman be the following in line as an “Astro for all times?” Our Mike Axisa already explored what a deal would possibly appear to be right here and Astros normal supervisor Dana Brown mentioned Thursday that “sooner or later, we’ll make a suggestion.” (through The Athletic)
Bregman has one yr left on his five-year, $100 million deal, which was initially an extension reached earlier than he ever hit free company. If he and the Astros agree to a different extension, it is fully doable that each Altuve and Bregman will retire with out having ever hit the market.
Bregman, 29, hit .262/.363/.441 (122 OPS+) with 28 doubles, 4 triples, 25 homers, 98 RBI, 103 runs and 4.9 WAR final season. The 2-time All-Star has twice completed within the high 5 of MVP voting and has been — together with Altuve — a fixture on this Astros group that has gone to the ALCS seven straight years, a stretch that features 4 pennants and two championships.
Rays lengthen president, supervisor
President of baseball operations Erik Neander and supervisor Kevin Money have agreed to contract extensions with the Rays. Full story right here.
The Purple Sox have signed right-handed reliever Michael Fulmer to a two-year deal, experiences Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Fulmer is coming off elbow surgical procedure (UCL revision, a couple of years after Tommy John) and is unlikely to pitch in 2024, therefore the two-year deal.
New Purple Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow labored with the Cubs final season and that is the place Fulmer pitched, so there’s some familiarity there.
In 58 appearances for the Cubs, Fulmer pitched to a 4.42 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 65 strikeouts towards 28 walks in 57 innings. The 2025 season might be Fulmer’s age-32 marketing campaign.
