RosterResource Chat – 12/12/25

Jason Martinez: Welcome to the RosterResource Live Chat. We are back from the Winter Meetings, which was kind of quiet despite a couple big names signing. I think we deserve a big trade or two before Xmas. Here we go …

Nick: How do you anticipate Paul Toboni and co. handling Keibert Ruiz from this point out with Ford seemingly ready?

Jon Becker: My guess is that nobody’s assured of anything (besides Keibert of a roster spot, probably) until they get a good look at everyone in Spring Training. Riley Adams is out of options and already agreed to an arb-avoiding contract for $1M ($500K guaranteed) so they’ll have to see how he looks, too. Since Ford is the only one who can be optioned, we’ve got him in the minors to start until someone gets hurt or plays himself out of a job.

joeesav: What other moves to u expect from my Tigers? Bregman a pipedream?

Jason Martinez: As much as Bregman would take them to another level, I think Kevin McGonigle has the potential to make the biggest impact of any rookie in 2026. And, unless the Tigers think he can handle SS, his easiest path might be as the starting 3B. And the rumor that they have interest in Ha-Seong Kim indicates that maybe they don’t think McGonigle will be their SS. Trading Skubal would bring back a huge haul but I’m guessing they add another free agent SP and/or RP either way.

Dan S.: Do you see any demand for Ryan Mountcastle if the Orioles ate a couple million of his arb salary? Horrid year but a track record of above average hitting and solid D at 1B, could at least platoon?

Jon Becker: I do, and I’m not sure the Orioles would have to eat any money (plus, they can’t send money in a trade until they agree to a contract with him, I’m pretty sure). The estimated $7.8M isn’t outlandish for a 29-year-old who had been above average every year until 2025, and if he had been non-tendered I could’ve seen him come close to that. Marlins would’ve been a good fit before they added Morel an hour or so ago to help out at 1B. Mets, maybe, ironically?

Guest: Who has the best shot at extended playing time amongst 4th OF types like Osuna, Canzone & Loperfido?

Jason Martinez: I have Canzone as the starting DH right now. Might have gone a bit under the radar but he had a 150 wRC+ and 10 HR in 200 PA vs RHP. And he was pretty good vs LHP, too. Even if they added another OF/DH type to the roster, I’d start Canzone and move Victor Robles to the bench as 4th OF/platoon vs LHP.

Barring a trade to a team with a better opportunity, I don’t think Loperfido or Osuna have a clear path to playing time in 2026. Both have MiLB options, too.

Dk: dont you think Benge is likely to start over Taylor?

NYisOrange&Blue: Is Carson Benge actually ready to compete? Are we talking 150AB 4th OF or 300AB starter?

Jon Becker: I think they’re going to give Benge every opportunity to win the CF job with how the roster is currently constructed, but he’s still gotta earn it. Even if he doesn’t win the job out of Spring Training I’m taking the hard over on 300 AB next year, assuming he’s healthy. They’re definitely not going to roster him just to use him as a fourth outfielder at any point.

Devin W.: Christopher Morel breakout season with the Marlins?

Jason Martinez: It’s baseball so you never know. But even when he had that huge season with the Cubs back in ’23 (.821 OPS, 26 HR in 429 PA), he had a 31% K rate so there was still huge concern over whether his success was sustainable. K rate improved the next season but the overall production dropped quite a bit. I’m sure that leaves a player feeling lost at the plate. Makes adjustments to fix a flaw and it makes him a worse hitter. Another change of scenery (and apparently a new position — 1B) and a new hitting coach could unlock something. It’s not a bad flyer to take for the Marlins. They gave more than 500 PA to Eric Wagaman last season and he had an 85 wRC+.

Rayball10: Cousin of the 4th OF question above — who do we like best of Kjerstad, Will Robertson & Zach Cole?

Jon Becker: Cole, by a lot. There’s a massive strikeout concern with he seems kinda like the best version of Sam Hilliard, a guy who won’t ever stop striking out but could run into 20+ homers while playing a good enough CF. Robertson is already 28 and while he’s done really well in Triple-A, I think part of that is because he’s repeated it so many times. As for Kjerstad, he’s had some undisclosed health issues so I don’t really know what to make of him.

diadem: Is the talk about the Cubs interest in Bregman a vote of no confidence for Shaw?

Jason Martinez: Not really. Shaw has the ability to take a step forward in 2026 and be a very good MLB player. But Shaw in his 2nd season and Ballesteros/Caissie as rookies aren’t going to replace Kyle Tucker’s impact in the lineup. They need to add an impact bat and that’s likely going to come from a corner OF/DH or 3B. So I assume they’re reaching out to all the biggest names.

Armchair GM: Rafalea at 2b and Duran in Cf?  That’s not right, I think.

Jon Becker: I’ve seen a lot of feedback on this and this is more a function of having four outfielders who are starting-caliber plus Yoshida starting at DH than it is any belief that Rafaela is actually going to start at 2B on Opening Day. I think Jason and I both fully expect Duran or Abreu to be traded by Opening Day and this is just a “how would they align it if Opening Day was right now?” projection. The only other option is DHing Anthony and putting Yoshida on the bench but a DH-only on the bench doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, either.

Jason Martinez: Correct. The other “projected Opening Day lineup” options would have someone like Romy Gonzalez or Nick Sogard playing 2B, Rafaela in CF, and Yoshida on the bench. Either way, I think it’s clear that a trade is coming.

Phil: I don’t understand the reporting that the Red Sox “missed out on Alonso.” Don’t they have too many DH types as it is? Would signing Alonso have required them to trade Casas or Yoshida, or were they never serious about it?

Jason Martinez: A trade seems likely, regardless, that ensures that Rafaela is in CF as often as possible. But Casas is also a trade candidate. Signing Alonso would’ve given teams the perception that they could buy low on Casas but he has options remaining and the Red Sox could also just ease him back slowly after last season’s injury. So they do have some leverage in his case. Alonso would have been a great fit. Not sure if there’s another FA option that would make Casas an obvious trade candidate, although the latest rumor is that they could be interested in trading for Willson Contreras.

Bryan: Any guesses on the Jays next move? Sounds like they are in on Tucker and Bo and want a RP as well.

Jon Becker: Always hard to try to guess the order of things but I’ll say that an RP is probably most pressing for them after they were in on Díaz and Suarez and they both went elsewhere. They’ve got reported interest in Keller, Weaver, and Fairbanks, all of whom would make sense.

Christina: Is there a path to playing time for Jonathon Long in Chicago or does he need a trade? It seems like his only path at this point is if Ballesteros flames out

Jason Martinez: Really depends on what other moves they make. My guess is that he makes his MLB debut at some point in 2026 but it’s difficult to have a rookie on the roster who isn’t getting regular playing time. Even someone like Long with a .400 OBP in AAA would struggle without consistent at-bats. Could probably hold his own as a part-time player more than other rookies. He’s also a versatile defender (1B/3B/LF/RF) and a right-handed bat with some pop. He’s definitely in the mix. I just think the Cubs will add multiple MLB players prior to Spring Training and Long will wait for his opportunity.

Mets holes: Is there actually fire behind the smoke of Nootbaar/Contreras: STL —> NYM? The move seems like it makes tons of sense for the Mets (Contreras especially with his 1B defense and bat) but idk what the return is looking like

Jon Becker: I would think there is, because Contreras is such a great fit for them and Nootbaar’s ability to play all three OF positions lets them be responsive to Benge’s readiness/other moves they make for the rest of the offseason. Rosenthal said on Foul Territory today that he doesn’t expect that a Contreras trade would require Tong or Sproat (he also mentioned McLean, but that’s a given), but I’d guess that if Nootbaar was also in there it might get into Sproat+ territory in terms of cost.

br0wnpants: Which of Leo Rivas, Samad Taylor, and Ryan Bliss do you think will have the biggest impact on the 2026 Mariners?

Jason Martinez: I like Taylor because he can play infield and outfield and has put up big numbers in AAA. But he’s also out of options so M’s would have less roster flexibility. Bliss needs to work on playing other positions. He’s mainly a 2B and he’s probably not going to have much of an opportunity to play regularly once the Mariners add to the roster.

So I’ll just go with Rivas. Had some big hits down the stretch and most likely to stick on the roster the entire season.

Chris: I guess it fits into “we’ll talk about anything” but why would the Yanks discuss Jazz? 30/30 good defending lefty 2B dont grow on trees.  Is it if they dont think they can extend him?  If it comes to that I expect Volpe to move to 2B by 2027 anyway (if hes even hitting)

Jon Becker: I think you basically answered your own question: it’s kinda their job to listen on/at least idly discuss players if somebody asks. Would be pretty shocking if they moved a top five (and probably top three) 2B in baseball unless it was some weird three-teamer where they’re also getting Ketel, something like that.

Worm Turner: Do you think Orelvis will get a chance with WAS? If so, do you think there’s any chance of value here, he’s still quite young.

Jason Martinez: Yep. He’s the type of player who can put up huge numbers in Spring Training and during the season in AAA, which is going to force the Nationals’ hand at some point. How much of an opportunity will depend on several factors. He could look terrible for 3 games, for example, and not get another shot because they want to give someone else a look. But if things are going terribly for the Nats, they could be more patient with him. He’s also out of options so the Nats probably won’t add him to the roster unless they’re willing to give him a long look. Depending on how the rest of the offseason shakes out for them, I think there could be a path for playing time at 2B.

Mets OF: Who is even left that makes sense? At minimum they need a 4th/5th outfielder type (Ji Hwan Bae is not a viable major leaguer), the top of the market with Bellinger/Tucker are either horrible roster fits or have massive question marks (Bellinger in particular feels very fraudulent with his home road splits), and a lot of the more solid depth options are coming off the board quickly. Does Max Kepler make sense here?

Jon Becker: I don’t think Tucker’s a horrible roster fit if he’s simply willing to slide to LF. But if we’re putting him and Bellinger aside, there are still possibilities. Bader, Kepler, Austin Hays, Adolis García, Tauchman, trade options like Adell, Duran/Abreu, Robert Jr. That’s a wide range of risk/excitement/name value but it’s not as if there’s nowhere to turn now.

Armchair GM: You guys do awesome work and thanks for chatting.  Roman at DH and romy/sogard in the IF is exactly what they’d do if they had to play a game tomorrow.

Jason Martinez: Appreciate it! Yoshida was a lineup regular to finish the season. Over his final 100 PA, he slashed .304/.340/.424. But even more importantly, he makes $18MM+ for the next 2 seasons. He’s always going to get a good chance to show why he got that contract at the beginning of each season. The lineup will change a lot, though. We’re talking about 1 day.

Farhandrew Zaidman: Dodgers look ready to run if not the oldest lineup in the league, certainly top 3. Do you see them going external for the LF opening? If so, doesn’t that make the options/flexibility situation worse?

Jon Becker: Assuming your question presumes an LF opening because of Pages in CF and Edman at 2B, I don’t think so. Kim/Call is a perfectly fine 2B/LF platoon and they’ll want to work Rojas/maybe Freeland into the infield mix, too. So having another everyday OF-only would worsen that flexibility, for sure.

Pat: If you were The Tigers, what would you do with Skubal? Go “all in” for 1 shot this year with knowing he is likely gone in 2026? Trade him for a haul of prospects? I’ll admit I don’t get why they would want Glasnow, which is rumored. He’s never stsarted more than 22 games. He makes $10+M more than Skubal this year & his contract doesn’t align with getting a bunch of prospects for 2-4 years down the road.

Jason Martinez: I’d be tempted if I could get a haul from a team like the Dodgers, who have the best mix of MLB-ready young players and elite prospects. HOWEVER, the Tigers already have a very good team with solid depth, and a lot of help on the way. And they really should have the resources to add 2 more impact players to the current roster and more.

If healthy, a pitcher like Skubal can almost single-handedly carry a team thru the playoffs when (as we all witness every post-season) most pitching staffs have been decimated due to injuries and many of the pitchers still on the roster are exhausted. No Skubal and the Tigers’ chances of winning a championship likely go down quite a bit. And that’s partly because his new team’s chances will have increased so much.

Farhandrew Zaidman: Who’s trade value has decreased more – Jasson Dominguez or Dalton Rushing? Both have the high pedigree and struggled mightily to the point that neither were playing in October, and look to be at least somewhat blocked.

Jon Becker: I think Dominguez’s has. He still has five years of club control left but just had a large sample of being barely above replacement level while being awful from the right side of the plate and in the field. Rushing was worse on a rate basis but graded out as slightly below average behind the plate so it wouldn’t take a lot to make him useful back there, and considering how few good catchers there are, he’s got a lot of value still.

Farhandrew Zaidman: I really, really doubt that Edman gets OF reps this year, at least not to begin with. He just had ankle surgery, is in a boot/walker. Just had an interview where he was asked if he’d be ready for Spring Training and he said “we’ll see….” so idk.

Jason Martinez: This is another situation where I’m just kind of waiting for the anticipated roster addition. So showing Edman in CF has more to do with Hyeseong Kim at 2B rather than Ryan Ward/Alex Call in LF. But I’ll take a closer look at the situation. If it sounds like Edman’s time in the OF will decrease by a lot, I might change it up.

Jason Martinez: That will do it for today. Thanks for joining us! We’ll be back next Thursday. Have a great weekend.