MLB Player News

Even with Freddy Fermin entrenched as the starter, the Padres will roster both Luis Campusano and Martín Maldonado as backups for this series. It remains to be seen who will catch Game 2.

Many seem to think the Mets, facing big pressure to improve after finishing in last place in the NL East, are the favorites to sign Skubal. Of course, it’s still very early there, but Skubal, who is seeking the biggest contract ever for a pitcher, might have more incentive than other free agents to sign before a new CBA perhaps changes the landscape.

It’d be a surprise if the Jays don’t walk away with one of the winter’s top position player free agents, and it works out especially well for them that most of the best players in the class are corner outfielders and second basemen, which rate as the Jays’ biggest needs at the moment. The Jays are plenty familiar with Lowe from all of his time with the Rays, and he’s hit .280/.363/.550 at Rogers Center in his career.

Taillon is aiming to return late in the 2027 season, though he definitely won’t have much margin for error there. It’s his third UCL surgery, as he previously had Tommy John in 2014 and a revision surgery in 2019.

The Jays picked Stephan up along with Josh Smith when they sent Adam Macko to the Rangers at the trade deadline, and Stephan went on to post a 6.64 ERA in seven Triple-A starts. The 25-year-old has a 5.59 ERA and a 137/46 K/BB in 148 career innings in Triple-A.

The 23-year-old Arias, who began his pro career with the Blue Jays in 2021, hit .226/.277/.379 in 87 games in Double-A last season. He’s currently off to a nice start in Venezuela, having hit .329/.404/.494 with three homers and six steals in 23 games.

Brown had both his 2024 and ’26 seasons cut short by neck issues, and the hope is that the procedure will take care of things. He won’t be a candidate for the Opening Day rotation following surgery, but he could be back by June or July. Brown was outstanding last season before landing on the IL in June. He opened up with a 2.10 ERA in 25 2/3 innings out of the pen and then had a 1.70 ERA and a 41/11 K/BB over 42 1/3 innings in his eight starts.

Martinez has been dominant in the D.R. thus far, striking out eight and walking none in six scoreless innings. He topped out at 104.2 mph last night. Martinez would seem to be very much in position to enter next year as Arizona’s closer, assuming that the team doesn’t decide to spend money to fill that slot.

Bernal is tied with Kevin Alcantara, José Marmolejos and Noelvi Marte for the Dominican Winter League lead with four homers, though he has just four other hits in 16 games, leaving him with a .160 average.

The 39-year-old García decided to finish 2026 at home after being released by the Mets in April and again by the Twins in May, but now he’s pitching in winter ball for the first time in 10 years and he’s thriving with a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings. Maybe he’ll give MLB one more try at age 40.

After one season with the Yomiuri Giants and four with the Chiba Lotte Marines, Polanco is a free agent this winter. The now 35-year-old former Pirate hit 73 homers in his first three years in Japan, but he’s faded some since and spent much of last year in the minors. He’ll probably look for another starting opportunity in Asia, but if it doesn’t come around, he could sign a minor league deal with an MLB team. Polanco hit .241/.309/.409 with 96 homers in 823 games for Pittsburgh from 2014-21.