Xavier Edwards (thumb) still not ready to return

After spending most of the previous four years serving as the Nationals’ backup catcher, Adams, 30, was stuck in Triple-A for the duration of the 2026 season, hitting .273/.389/.506 with 16 homers in 82 games while Drew Millas and then Harry Ford played behind Keibert Ruiz. His bat has always been intriguing — he was literally fourth in the majors in average bat speed in 2025 behind Giancarlo Stanton, Oneil Cruz and Junior Caminero — but he’s produced only a modest .211/.287/.354 line in 849 career plate appearances in the majors, and his defense behind the plate has typically graded out quite poorly. He’ll likely enter the spring third or fourth on the depth chart at catcher for the Red Sox.

Woodruff, out since June after a shoulder setback, resumed facing hitters on Tuesday. The Brewers are concerned that Woodruff would likely be unable to be replaced on the World Series roster if he aggravates something while pitching. He’d probably be limited to one- or two-inning appearances if he does make the cut for the roster.

He’ll be ready for spring training, but this obviously takes winter ball out of the mix for him. The 23-year-old Watson made his major league debut this year, hitting .239/.264/.341 with a 32/3 K/BB and nine steals in 91 plate appearances in June and July. He finished up at .247/.361/.455 with 19 homers and 24 steals in 98 games in Triple-A.

The Dodgers expect that it’ll be about nine months before Rushing is ready to return as a catcher, putting him in play for the second half of next season. He’ll be able to hit well before that, but unless something goes wrong for Shohei Ohtani, it seems unlikely that the Dodgers will bring him back as a bench bat before he’s ready to catch.

Klein is expected to be ready for spring training after having a bone chip removed and a spur shaved down. The 26-year-old righty had a 3.67 ERA in 41 2/3 innings before missing the final two months of the season.

So, the new GM will get his own choice of manager following the dismissal of Kurt Suzuki. Mozeliak will apparently be stepping aside when a new GM is in place. The former Cardinals GM was hired in June after Perry Minasian was let go, signing a contract for the remainder of the 2026 season.

Avoiding the full Tommy John would likely allow Rushing to resume hitting in spring training and catching during the first half of the season. The Dodgers can plug in Hunter Feduccia as Will Smith’s backup while Rushing rehabs, but they might want to try to do better.

He’ll be pitching on 11 days’ rest after throwing 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball in Game 1 of the NLCS. The Brewers have won each of Misiorowski’s last 11 starts, including the final nine of the regular season and his Game 1 outings against the Padres and Dodgers.

Ohtani is slated to resume pitching next year, though Friedman acknowledged that the Dodgers might try something a little different in an effort to get him through the year as a two-way player. Ohtani had a 1.79 ERA in 85 2/3 innings over 14 starts in the first half of this year before knee and biceps injuries limited him to DHing the rest of the way.

Also on the list is Jason Kanzler, who is currently the Cubs’ farm director after previously serving as a hitting coach for the Astros. It doesn’t sound like the Mariners have finished bringing in new candidates quite yet.