MLB Player News

Walker gave up a hit, but he kept the runner from scoring to lower his ERA to a very strong 1.86 ERA. He’s had no issue transitioning to the closer role, as he’s now up to six saves on the season, and he hasn’t blown one since taking over the gig in the middle of August.

Rogers came out of nowhere in 2025 to post a 1.81 ERA and 103 strikeouts over 109 2/3 innings with the Orioles. Even if he will undoubtedly regress from there, he should be counted on for solid production in the Baltimore rotation next year. They’ll need him to because, as of now, he and Kyle Bradish are the team’s top two starting pitchers heading into 2026.

After several false starts to his career, Morejón has been terrific as a reliever the last two years, finishing with a 2.83 ERA in 63 2/3 innings in 2024 and a 2.08 ERA in 73 2/3 innings last season. Although he’s just 26 — 27 in February — he’s only one year away from free agency, having spent considerable time on the injured list earlier in the decade. That’s resulted in him coming up in trade discussions this winter.

This means that the two sides will go to an arbitration hearing. Each side will present the amount they are requesting/offering and why, and an independent hearing will determine which side ultimately wins. That will be the deal Skubal plays under, if he chooses, in 2026.

Bender doubles his 2025 salary of $1.4 million, with an extra $10,000 cherry on top. This makes him the Marlins’ third highest paid player behind Sandy Alcantara ($17.3 million) and Pete Fairbanks ($13 million). Bender had a 2.16 ERA in 50 innings last season and is at 3.04 over 183 2/3 innings since debuting in 2021. He’ll contend for the eighth-inning role if he isn’t dealt.

That’s the same salary he made in 2025, which he wound up missing after undergoing elbow surgery. He’s supposed to be healthy this spring, and if so, he’ll probably have a rotation spot. He might have to battle Max Meyer, Adam Mazur and Ryan Gusto if the Marlins bring in a starter to replace Edward Cabrera.

Mitchell was eligible for arbitration for the first time despite being limited to 443 major league plate appearances to date. Just 78 of those came last season, as he opened up with a strained oblique and then injured his shoulder after returning, necessitating shoulder surgery. The Brewers can’t have much idea what they’ll get out of him at this point, but since they traded Isaac Collins and they don’t seem overly eager to bring in outfielders, an opportunity should be there for him if he can stay healthy. He’s hit .254/.333/.433 thus far in his career and racked up 3.3 fWAR in less than one full season of playing time.

Thompson, 33, was limited to 41 1/3 innings last season and his 3.92 ERA was his worst mark since his rookie year in 2020, making him a non-tender candidate. Still, the D-backs though it was worth about $4 million to bring him back for his last season before free agency. There’s very little in front of him in the Arizona pen, so though he’s never been thought of as a closer, he could be in position to earn some saves this year.

Moreno has been bitten by the injury bug in consecutive seasons, but he did take a clear step forward offensively by hitting .285/.353/.433 last year. He seems well on his way to establishing himself as a top-notch catcher if the durability is there.

Thomas stayed healthy last season, but he managed only a .249/.289/.370 line with his strikeout rate taking a big jump to 26%. He’s also already showing signs of decline on defense at age 25. This is probably a make-or-break season for him if he wants to be taken seriously as a starting outfielder. He’s looked more like a reserve of late.

Schreiber ate innings for the Royals out of the bullpen in 2025, posting a 3.80 ERA and 62/19 K/BB ratio in 64 innings. He has thrown over 50 innings in three of the last four seasons out of the bullpen, which gives him added value.