Nolan Arenado (thumb) expected back in lineup

The 33-year-old left-hander had another terrific season for the Cubs in 2026, going 11-10 with a 3.77 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and a 174/37 K/BB ratio over 174 1/3 innings in his 32 starts. He also served up a career-high 35 home runs, an issue that could be minimized by moving from Wrigley Field to the spacious confines of Fifth Third Park in Detroit.

With Ethan Salas ready to take over behind the dish in San Diego, it’s not surprising that the Padres are getting calls on their other depth pieces behind the plate. What remains unclear is whether or not the Padres have any interest in dealing from that point of strength, or if perhaps they plan on keeping three catchers and rotating Salas and Campusano through the designated hitter spot in the lineup when they aren’t catching, which they did in the NLDS against the Brewers.

Like Pete-Crow Armstrong in the National League, Alvarez was a unanimous choice, getting all 30 first-place votes in the American League. Rays’ third baseman Junior Caminero finished as the runner-up with Royals’ shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. finishing third in the balloting. Alvarez, 29, avoided the injured list during the 2026 season and delivered unbelievable production in the middle of the Astros’ lineup, slashing .316/.432/.601 — marks that paced the American League in every category. He also slugged 42 homers, drove in 106 runs and scored 105 times while stealing one base in one attempt. It’s the first MVP award for Alvarez who finished third in the voting back in 2022.

It’s the first time that the dynamic 24-year-old has received the honor. Crow-Armstrong was a unanimous selection, garnering all 30 first-place votes. Dodgers’ two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani finished second in the voting while Brewers’ second baseman Brice Turang finishing third. He was certainly deserving of the award, as his 45 home runs tied with Kyle Schwarber for the tops in all of baseball. He also swiped 41 bases, making him the only player in baseball this season — and one of just seven in MLB history — to have a 40/40 season. Crow-Armstrong slashed a scintillating .280/.372/.570 with 119 runs scored and 107 RBI while playing Gold Glove defense in center field.

The Mets have a glaring hole at first base at the moment, so it’s not surprising that they would be scouring the open market to see what’s available. Bohm, 30, had a down season offensively in 2026, slashing an underwhelming .249/.315/.383 with 15 long balls and 88 RBI in 629 plate appearances. The Yankees have also expressed interest in Bohm in the early days of free agency.

Rowson spent the previous three seasons as the hitting coach for the Yankees. As offensive coordinator, Rowson will have a hitting coach working under him with the Giants and will also be in charge of baserunning. He’ll attempt to turn around a Giants’ offense that finished with a .306 on-base percentage in 2026, the second-worst mark in MLB ahead of only the Reds (.305).

The 27-year-old had a disastrous season for the Jays in 2026, slashing a cringe-inducing .145/.310/.315 with five homers, 16 RBI and a 51/29 K/BB ratio over 156 plate appearances. It’s unclear if the Jays actually have any interest in dealing Schneider, who is arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason and is under team control through the 2030 season.

While no specific injury was noted during the season, Gelb says that Marsh played through the nagging injury for months, which could have played a role in his offensive struggles during the second half. It’s something that fantasy managers should take note of, as it could lead to a nice buying opportunity if the market is down on him heading into 2027.

The 32-year-old hit the open market after the Cubs’ declined his $7.5 million mutual option at the start of November. Heyman also said it’s very likely that the Yankees play it cool during the pre-lockout period, so don’t expect the Bombers to make any major splash signings over the next couple of weeks.

The first domino in the closer landscape has fallen. The Braves inking Phillips to a deal would seem to indicate that free agent Raisel Iglesias will be on a new team in 2027. Phillips returned from Tommy John surgery in 2026 and posted a 3.46 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 33/6 K/BB ratio in 26 innings. Before getting hurt in 2025, he had saved 24 and 18 games in back-to-back seasons with the Dodgers. He’ll be another late-inning option in Atlanta alongside Robert Suarez.