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2 days ago
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Ben Cherington Silences Paul Skenes Trade Rumors: 'Not Part of the Conversation'
With the Pittsburgh Pirates continuing to dive into a downward spiral, rumors have surrounded superstar pitcher and reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes as he embarks on yet another strong season. Baseball fans have salivated at the possibility of Skenes going to a contender and playing an ace-level role on a playoff team. Advertisement One National League executive, in a report by Mark Feinsand, said that a Skenes trade would "likely be as significant a trade return as we've ever seen." In a press briefing, however, Ben Cherington, the general manager of the Pirates, poured cold water on any rumors around their ace. Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the third inning at Citizens Bank Ross - Imagn Images "No. It's not at all part of the conversation," Cherington said, per Alex Stumpf, who reports on the Pirates. Any rumors around Skenes, who has six controllable seasons ahead of him, seemed to always be a pipe dream. Even despite any concrete evidence of any trade talks, Bleacher Report simulated trades for Skenes this year. Advertisement A trade to the beleaguered Baltimore Orioles revolved around Grayson Rodriguez, and a trade to the Boston Red Sox centered around No. 1 overall prospect Roman Anthony. Despite the possibility that a Skenes trade could significantly bolster the Pirates' roster without necessarily beefing up their already emaciated payroll, the Pirates are clearly holding firm. The Pirates seem to be playing a game where they refuse to surround Skenes with a competitive roster, but won't pony up the money to extend him, in what has to be one of the most frustrating strategies in recent history. One can only feel bad for Pirates fans. Related: Yankees Announcer Rips Pirates for Failing Paul Skenes Related: Blockbuster Paul Skenes Trade Takes 'Depressing' New Turn Related: Paul Skenes Makes Huge WBC Announcement After Latest Loss Ben Cherington Silences Paul Skenes Trade Rumors: 'Not Part of the Conversation' first appeared on Athlon Sports on May 22, 2025
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06-02-2025
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MLB free agency: Pete Alonso returning to Mets; Jack Flaherty returning to the Tigers
MLB free agency is nearing its conclusion, with many of the big names off the board and spring training right around the corner. But some impact players are still available. Here's a look at where things stand so far this offseason: First baseman Pete Alonso is right back where he belongs: with the New York Mets. According to Mark Feinsand, Alonso and the Mets agreed on Wednesday to a two-year, $54 million contract. The deal reportedly includes a $10 million signing bonus and an opt-out after the first year, which will pay him a salary of $20 million. Jack Flaherty is reportedly headed back to Detroit. The Tigers struck a two-year, $35 million deal with their former right-hander on Sunday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The move will bring Flaherty back to Detroit after he was traded from the Tigers to the Dodgers last summer ahead of their World Series run. Flaherty held a 13-7 record with a 3.17 ERA over 28 games last season, his eighth in the major leagues. He was No. 12 on Yahoo Sports' list of this winter's top 50 free agents. Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer will spend his 18th MLB season in Toronto. Scherzer and the Blue Jays have agreed on a one-year, $15.5 million deal, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Scherzer was No. 42 on Yahoo Sports' list of this winter's top 50 free agents. He was injured for much of 2024, pitching just 43 1/3 innings with a 3.95 ERA, but the season prior, he helped the Texas Rangers win the World Series. After a relatively quiet offseason, the Braves added 2024 All-Star Jurickson Profar on a three-year, $42 million contract. Profar spent the previous season and a half with the San Diego Padres, hitting .280/.380/459 in 2024 and earning a Silver Slugger Award. He will make $12 million in 2025 and $15 million in each of the following two seasons. Since winning the World Series in 2021, the Braves have struggled to get back to the top of the sport. They've reached the playoffs in the past three seasons but haven't made it past the division series. Required reading: Grading every team's winter, from an A+ for the Dodgers to Fs for the Mariners and Padres 2025 All-Injury team: 20 players whose return could alter the season 5 predictions for the 2025 MLB season Follow along with Yahoo Sports as we track all the rumors, signings and more during MLB free agency: First baseman Pete Alonso is right back where he belongs: with the New York Mets. According to Mark Feinsand, Alonso and the Mets agreed on Wednesday to a two-year, $54 million contract. The deal reportedly includes a $10 million signing bonus and an opt-out after the first year, which will pay him a salary of $20 million. For more, read here. Ben Gamel got a major-league deal to return to the Astros after joining them at midseason last year. Outfielder Ben Gamel and the Houston Astros are in agreement on a one-year, $1.2 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Gamel's deal is a major league contract that includes a $200,000 signing bonus, and the remaining $1 million is non-guaranteed. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 6, 2025 The Los Angeles Dodgers are sending Ryan Brasier to the Chicago Cubs after designating him for assignment to make room on the roster for newly acquired relief ace Kirby Yates. The move gives the Cubs a reliever who recorded a 3.54 ERA last season, and it saves the Dodgers Brasier's $4.5 million salary for 2025, which works out to a savings of $9.45 million when factoring in the competitive balance tax surcharge they would've had to pay if they'd just eaten Brasier's salary. The Chicago Cubs are acquiring right-handed reliever Ryan Brasier in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources tell ESPN. Brasier, 37, was DFA'd last week but should get leverage innings for Chicago. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 5, 2025 The Arizona Diamondbacks are running it back with a player who was one of their pleasant surprises of 2024. Outfielder Randal Grichuk has agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal with the club after hitting .291/.348/.528 in platoon-heavy duty last season, according to Mark Feinsand. Randal Grichuk has agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal with the D-backs, per source. The deal includes incentives that can bring it to $5.5 million. — Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 4, 2025 Trade news: The Tampa Bay Rays are acquiring right-hander Alex Faedo from the Detroit Tigers for minor league catcher Enderson Delgado and cash, sources tell ESPN. Faedo was a solid contributor for Detroit last year but was DFA'd after the Tigers signed Tommy Kahnle. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 3, 2025 The 37-year-old Carrasco was 3-10 with a 5.64 ERA in 103 2/3 innings with the Guardians last season. Carlos Carrasco has signed a minor league deal with the Yankees as @JackCurryYES reported. The major league base is $1.5M with a chance to make $2.5 in performance bonuses. — Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) February 3, 2025 Jack Flaherty is headed back to Detroit. The Tigers struck a two-year, $35 million deal with the right-hander on Sunday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Flaherty, who was traded from the Tigers to the Dodgers last July ahead of their World Series run, held a 3.17 ERA and a 13-7 record in 28 games throughout the season. The 29-year-old has an opt-out clause in his new deal after the first season. — Jack Flaherty (@jflare_) February 3, 2025 King's deal includes a $1 million salary for 2025 plus a $3 million signing bonus. There is also a mutual option for 2026 that is worth $15 million. The 2025 contract includes incentives that could push his total earnings to $8 million. The 29-year-old King came to San Diego in the Juan Soto trade in December 2023. He made 30 starts last season and recorded a 2.95 ERA with 201 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings. We have reached an agreement with RHP Michael King on a one-year contract for the 2025 season with a mutual option for 2026. — San Diego Padres (@Padres) January 31, 2025 Free-agent infielder Jorge Polanco in agreement with Mariners, pending physical, sources tell me and @Chandler_Rome. Had been Astros target. Mariners acquired him from Twins last January. — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 31, 2025 Polanco deal guarantees him $7.75 million, per source. $7 million base salary for 2025 plus a $750K buyout on the player/mutual option. @Ken_Rosenthal was on it. — Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 31, 2025 Here is the state of the Los Angeles Dodgers: They just DFA'd Ryan Brasier, who has a 1.89 ERA in 68 appearances across two seasons with the team, because he is their sixth-best right-handed reliever. Brasier, who is due $4.5 million for this season, will almost certainly draw trade interest, but the Dodgers now have Kirby Yates (officially), Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol and Even Phillips on the right-handed side alone. The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to terms with RHP Kirby Yates on a one-year contract for $13 million. The Dodgers designated RHP Ryan Brasier for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) January 31, 2025 It wasn't much of a mystery what kind of contract Scherzer would command after fellow veteran right-handers Alex Cobb, Charlie Morton and Justin Verlander all inked one-year, $15M pacts earlier this winter, but it took a while for Scherzer's potential landing spots to crystalize. Ultimately, the Blue Jays emerged as the strongest candidates to secure the future Hall of Famer's services, and a deal came together less than two weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Having already addressed their needs for power and bullpen help with Anthony Santander and Jeff Hoffman, Toronto has now tabbed Scherzer as their salve for a rotation that also needed reinforcing. Add the December acquisition of second baseman Andrés Giménez to vastly improve the club's infield defense, and the Jays have upgraded nearly every facet of their club this winter. Extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remains the most consequential decision facing Toronto this offseason, but the club has unquestionably gotten better across the board this winter. Have the Jays improved enough to warrant consideration as legitimate postseason contenders coming off a last-place finish in 2024? If Scherzer can stay healthy for a full season, there's a good bit to be excited about in the rotation, which features three other highly accomplished right-handers in Kevin Gausman, José Berríos and Chris Bassitt. If Bowden Francis' surprising second-half breakout from last season was legit, this could end up being one of the stronger units in the American League. However, those are some pretty big "ifs." Scherzer, who turns 41 in June, made only nine starts in 2023 and has navigated myriad ailments in recent years. Toronto will still need a lot to go right on both sides of the ball to compete in the unforgiving AL East, but credit to them for pushing aggressively to improve the roster, even after several failed free-agent pursuits earlier in the offseason. — Shusterman Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer will spend his 18th MLB season in Toronto. Scherzer and the Blue Jays have reportedly agreed on a one-year, $15.5 million deal, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Scherzer was No. 42 on Yahoo Sports' list of this winter's top 50 free agents. He was injured for much of 2024, pitching just 43 1/3 innings with a 3.95 ERA, but the season prior, he helped the Texas Rangers win the World Series. Read more here. Reliever Carlos Estévez has reportedly agreed to join the Kansas City Royals on a two-year, $22 million deal with a $13 million club option, per multiple sources. Estévez spent last year with the Angels and Phillies, pitching to a 2.45 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 55 innings. In the postseason with Philadelphia, Estévez made three appearances, pitching 2 2/3 innings and surrendering two runs while recording four strikeouts. He was No. 28 on Yahoo Sports' list of this winter's top 50 free agents. Rogers has spent the past two seasons with San Francisco, posting a 3.06 ERA and throwing 128 strikeouts in 111 2/3 relief innings. The Cincinnati Reds are finalizing a trade to acquire left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers from the San Francisco Giants, sources tell me and @kileymcd. Rogers, 34, is owed $12 million this season and adds a late-inning arm to Cincinnati's bullpen. On the news: @ByRobertMurray. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 29, 2025 Amid an offseason of uncertainty for the franchise due to the damage done to Tropicana Field by Hurricane Milton, the Rays have quietly gone about their business in hopes of upgrading a roster coming off the franchise's worst finish since 2017. This deal addresses an obvious short-term need in a similar fashion to the one-year pact with backstop Danny Jansen inked earlier this offseason. While Junior Caminero appears primed to seize the third-base job, shortstop projected as a position of weakness for the Rays. Taylor Walls is a tremendous defender but an abysmal hitter, and Jose Caballero profiles better in a utility role than as an every-day shortstop. The 21-year-old Carson Williams is one of baseball's top overall prospects and spent all of 2024 at Double-A, but his strikeout issues suggest he might still be a year or two away from being ready to contribute in the big leagues. Kim represents an ideal bridge to Williams, whether he ends up opting out after 2025 or sticks around for both years of his deal. A fantastic glove in his own right, Kim offers similar defensive upside to Walls and far greater upside with the bat. The unknown with Kim — and surely the reason the 29-year-old had to settle for a deal much lower than what many projected — is how he'll bounce back from shoulder surgery, which cut his 2024 season short. Walls and Caballero will likely continue to cover short to open the season, but the hope is that Kim can return in May and upgrade the position in a meaningful way. It's a sensible landing spot for Kim and a nice upside play for a Rays franchise whose limited budget generally precludes them pursuing free agents capable of 4-plus WAR seasons. Infielder Ha-Seong Kim is heading to the Tampa Bay Rays, agreeing to a two-year, $29 million contract with the team, per multiple reports. The deal reportedly includes an opt-out after the first season. Kim, who spent the past four seasons with the San Diego Padres, is recovering from shoulder surgery but is reportedly expected to return to play in May. He is expected to take over at shortstop in Tampa. The Detroit Tigers and right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle are in agreement on a one-year, $7.75 million deal, per multiple reports. Kahnle spent the previous two seasons with the New York Yankees, posting a 2.38 ERA with 94 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings pitched. Source confirms: Tommy Kahnle in agreement with Tigers on one-year, $7.75M contract. First with terms: @ByRobertMurray — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 29, 2025 The former Texas Rangers closer has agreed to a one-year, $13 million contract with an additional $1 million in incentives for games played, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Dodgers are now on track for a $379 million payroll, per Fangraphs' estimate, which would be the largest payroll in MLB history. The 110% CBT surcharge would mean this deal is more like a $27.3 million deal for them. Yates is coming off one of the best seasons by a reliever in 2024, with a 1.17 ERA that ranked behind only Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase for the best mark among relievers. First baseman Pete Alonso is right back where he belongs: with the New York Mets. According to Mark Feinsand, Alonso and the Mets agreed on Wednesday to a two-year, $54 million contract. The deal reportedly includes a $10 million signing bonus and an opt-out after the first year, which will pay him a salary of $20 million. For more, read here. Ben Gamel got a major-league deal to return to the Astros after joining them at midseason last year. Outfielder Ben Gamel and the Houston Astros are in agreement on a one-year, $1.2 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Gamel's deal is a major league contract that includes a $200,000 signing bonus, and the remaining $1 million is non-guaranteed. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 6, 2025 The Los Angeles Dodgers are sending Ryan Brasier to the Chicago Cubs after designating him for assignment to make room on the roster for newly acquired relief ace Kirby Yates. The move gives the Cubs a reliever who recorded a 3.54 ERA last season, and it saves the Dodgers Brasier's $4.5 million salary for 2025, which works out to a savings of $9.45 million when factoring in the competitive balance tax surcharge they would've had to pay if they'd just eaten Brasier's salary. The Chicago Cubs are acquiring right-handed reliever Ryan Brasier in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources tell ESPN. Brasier, 37, was DFA'd last week but should get leverage innings for Chicago. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 5, 2025 The Arizona Diamondbacks are running it back with a player who was one of their pleasant surprises of 2024. Outfielder Randal Grichuk has agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal with the club after hitting .291/.348/.528 in platoon-heavy duty last season, according to Mark Feinsand. Randal Grichuk has agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal with the D-backs, per source. The deal includes incentives that can bring it to $5.5 million. — Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 4, 2025 Trade news: The Tampa Bay Rays are acquiring right-hander Alex Faedo from the Detroit Tigers for minor league catcher Enderson Delgado and cash, sources tell ESPN. Faedo was a solid contributor for Detroit last year but was DFA'd after the Tigers signed Tommy Kahnle. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 3, 2025 The 37-year-old Carrasco was 3-10 with a 5.64 ERA in 103 2/3 innings with the Guardians last season. Carlos Carrasco has signed a minor league deal with the Yankees as @JackCurryYES reported. The major league base is $1.5M with a chance to make $2.5 in performance bonuses. — Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) February 3, 2025 Jack Flaherty is headed back to Detroit. The Tigers struck a two-year, $35 million deal with the right-hander on Sunday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Flaherty, who was traded from the Tigers to the Dodgers last July ahead of their World Series run, held a 3.17 ERA and a 13-7 record in 28 games throughout the season. The 29-year-old has an opt-out clause in his new deal after the first season. — Jack Flaherty (@jflare_) February 3, 2025 King's deal includes a $1 million salary for 2025 plus a $3 million signing bonus. There is also a mutual option for 2026 that is worth $15 million. The 2025 contract includes incentives that could push his total earnings to $8 million. The 29-year-old King came to San Diego in the Juan Soto trade in December 2023. He made 30 starts last season and recorded a 2.95 ERA with 201 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings. We have reached an agreement with RHP Michael King on a one-year contract for the 2025 season with a mutual option for 2026. — San Diego Padres (@Padres) January 31, 2025 Free-agent infielder Jorge Polanco in agreement with Mariners, pending physical, sources tell me and @Chandler_Rome. Had been Astros target. Mariners acquired him from Twins last January. — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 31, 2025 Polanco deal guarantees him $7.75 million, per source. $7 million base salary for 2025 plus a $750K buyout on the player/mutual option. @Ken_Rosenthal was on it. — Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 31, 2025 Here is the state of the Los Angeles Dodgers: They just DFA'd Ryan Brasier, who has a 1.89 ERA in 68 appearances across two seasons with the team, because he is their sixth-best right-handed reliever. Brasier, who is due $4.5 million for this season, will almost certainly draw trade interest, but the Dodgers now have Kirby Yates (officially), Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol and Even Phillips on the right-handed side alone. The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to terms with RHP Kirby Yates on a one-year contract for $13 million. The Dodgers designated RHP Ryan Brasier for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) January 31, 2025 It wasn't much of a mystery what kind of contract Scherzer would command after fellow veteran right-handers Alex Cobb, Charlie Morton and Justin Verlander all inked one-year, $15M pacts earlier this winter, but it took a while for Scherzer's potential landing spots to crystalize. Ultimately, the Blue Jays emerged as the strongest candidates to secure the future Hall of Famer's services, and a deal came together less than two weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Having already addressed their needs for power and bullpen help with Anthony Santander and Jeff Hoffman, Toronto has now tabbed Scherzer as their salve for a rotation that also needed reinforcing. Add the December acquisition of second baseman Andrés Giménez to vastly improve the club's infield defense, and the Jays have upgraded nearly every facet of their club this winter. Extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remains the most consequential decision facing Toronto this offseason, but the club has unquestionably gotten better across the board this winter. Have the Jays improved enough to warrant consideration as legitimate postseason contenders coming off a last-place finish in 2024? If Scherzer can stay healthy for a full season, there's a good bit to be excited about in the rotation, which features three other highly accomplished right-handers in Kevin Gausman, José Berríos and Chris Bassitt. If Bowden Francis' surprising second-half breakout from last season was legit, this could end up being one of the stronger units in the American League. However, those are some pretty big "ifs." Scherzer, who turns 41 in June, made only nine starts in 2023 and has navigated myriad ailments in recent years. Toronto will still need a lot to go right on both sides of the ball to compete in the unforgiving AL East, but credit to them for pushing aggressively to improve the roster, even after several failed free-agent pursuits earlier in the offseason. — Shusterman Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer will spend his 18th MLB season in Toronto. Scherzer and the Blue Jays have reportedly agreed on a one-year, $15.5 million deal, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Scherzer was No. 42 on Yahoo Sports' list of this winter's top 50 free agents. He was injured for much of 2024, pitching just 43 1/3 innings with a 3.95 ERA, but the season prior, he helped the Texas Rangers win the World Series. Read more here. Reliever Carlos Estévez has reportedly agreed to join the Kansas City Royals on a two-year, $22 million deal with a $13 million club option, per multiple sources. Estévez spent last year with the Angels and Phillies, pitching to a 2.45 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 55 innings. In the postseason with Philadelphia, Estévez made three appearances, pitching 2 2/3 innings and surrendering two runs while recording four strikeouts. He was No. 28 on Yahoo Sports' list of this winter's top 50 free agents. Rogers has spent the past two seasons with San Francisco, posting a 3.06 ERA and throwing 128 strikeouts in 111 2/3 relief innings. The Cincinnati Reds are finalizing a trade to acquire left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers from the San Francisco Giants, sources tell me and @kileymcd. Rogers, 34, is owed $12 million this season and adds a late-inning arm to Cincinnati's bullpen. On the news: @ByRobertMurray. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 29, 2025 Amid an offseason of uncertainty for the franchise due to the damage done to Tropicana Field by Hurricane Milton, the Rays have quietly gone about their business in hopes of upgrading a roster coming off the franchise's worst finish since 2017. This deal addresses an obvious short-term need in a similar fashion to the one-year pact with backstop Danny Jansen inked earlier this offseason. While Junior Caminero appears primed to seize the third-base job, shortstop projected as a position of weakness for the Rays. Taylor Walls is a tremendous defender but an abysmal hitter, and Jose Caballero profiles better in a utility role than as an every-day shortstop. The 21-year-old Carson Williams is one of baseball's top overall prospects and spent all of 2024 at Double-A, but his strikeout issues suggest he might still be a year or two away from being ready to contribute in the big leagues. Kim represents an ideal bridge to Williams, whether he ends up opting out after 2025 or sticks around for both years of his deal. A fantastic glove in his own right, Kim offers similar defensive upside to Walls and far greater upside with the bat. The unknown with Kim — and surely the reason the 29-year-old had to settle for a deal much lower than what many projected — is how he'll bounce back from shoulder surgery, which cut his 2024 season short. Walls and Caballero will likely continue to cover short to open the season, but the hope is that Kim can return in May and upgrade the position in a meaningful way. It's a sensible landing spot for Kim and a nice upside play for a Rays franchise whose limited budget generally precludes them pursuing free agents capable of 4-plus WAR seasons. Infielder Ha-Seong Kim is heading to the Tampa Bay Rays, agreeing to a two-year, $29 million contract with the team, per multiple reports. The deal reportedly includes an opt-out after the first season. Kim, who spent the past four seasons with the San Diego Padres, is recovering from shoulder surgery but is reportedly expected to return to play in May. He is expected to take over at shortstop in Tampa. The Detroit Tigers and right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle are in agreement on a one-year, $7.75 million deal, per multiple reports. Kahnle spent the previous two seasons with the New York Yankees, posting a 2.38 ERA with 94 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings pitched. Source confirms: Tommy Kahnle in agreement with Tigers on one-year, $7.75M contract. First with terms: @ByRobertMurray — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 29, 2025 The former Texas Rangers closer has agreed to a one-year, $13 million contract with an additional $1 million in incentives for games played, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Dodgers are now on track for a $379 million payroll, per Fangraphs' estimate, which would be the largest payroll in MLB history. The 110% CBT surcharge would mean this deal is more like a $27.3 million deal for them. Yates is coming off one of the best seasons by a reliever in 2024, with a 1.17 ERA that ranked behind only Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase for the best mark among relievers.
