MLB 2026

[MoeFOH]

This may be a little early but we have the WBC in March this year, and it's Truck Day in Boston... (I wish it was "we finally signed a freakin' infielder to replace Bregman day"  ) which means Pitchers & Catchers report soon. 

How's the off-season played out for your team? Predictions for the season? What's your level of interest in the WBC? What do you see happening with this lockout, CBA, etc? 

Discuss the above, discuss whatever you wish MLB related... 

[Ford2112]

Giants got Harrison Bader and Luis Arraez. Should help a bit offensively and defensively.  We still need a starter and ace closer. I am cautious.

[Capn_Jackson]

I’m excited to see Mackenzie Gore pitch with the rest of that rotation. Eovaldi, deGrom, and Gore? Crazy. As for the rest of the team, going to need some standout performances from Carter, Langford, and Burger. Going to need Seager, Jung, and Smith to stay healthy for most of the season, and deGrom too for that matter. We’ll see. 

[MoeFOH]

2 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

Giants got Harrison Bader and Luis Arraez. Should help a bit offensively and defensively.  We still need a starter and ace closer. I am cautious.

Your good friends in LA continue to add. Bonkers roster. 

We just got rid of Jordan Hicks from the Devers trade. Still eating 8m. Given we still haven't replaced Bregman, that trade looks more amazingly sickening for us each day. We really know how to trade away franchise stars in Boston. 🤦‍♂️

We need a solid infield defender/rh bat pretty badly, given we've bolstered the rotation significantly and need a good defence to back that up. And a lefty reliever. If we do those two things and the kids come up big this year I don't mind where we're at. 

[Ford2112]

41 minutes ago, MoeFOH said:

Your good friends in LA continue to add. Bonkers roster. 

We just got rid of Jordan Hicks from the Devers trade. Still eating 8m. Given we still haven't replaced Bregman, that trade looks more amazingly sickening for us each day. We can really know how to trade away franchise stars in Boston. 🤦‍♂️

We need a solid infield defender/rh bat pretty badly, given we've bolstered the rotation significantly and need a good defence to back that up. And a lefty reliever. If we do those two things and the kids come up big this year I don't mind where we're at. 

The Dodgers will be better than they were last year. I wouldn't sweat it Mike 😂

[BigGuns]

Ooooooooohhhhhhhh….I love this annual thread more and more each year!!!!

 

[Ford2112]

Yeah yeah yeah

[Capn_Jackson]

28 minutes ago, Ford2112 said:

The Dodgers will be better than they were last year. I wouldn't sweat it Mike 😂

Unless they’re worse, that is 😄

[ElLoboLoco]

Truck Day baby! Spring is around the corner. 

[KCCubano]

The KC Royals didnt add much. I am predicting a 79-83 record and that's being generous. Anyone else want to predict their teams record then revisit the beginning of this thread in October? And no Mike the LAD will not go 162-0.

[zacca]

Phils are basically running it back…which is genius considering they’ve gotten worse every season since 22. Lazy front office. 

[JohnS]

You never know how your team will fare, but the Mets have done plenty of transactions this offseason in a bid to actually make the postseason. If not, I suspect that 'there will be blood'...

[zacca]

13 hours ago, JohnS said:

You never know how your team will fare, but the Mets have done plenty of transactions this offseason in a bid to actually make the postseason. If not, I suspect that 'there will be blood'...

Im saddened to hear you are a Mets fan @JohnS. It doesn’t get much lower than that! 

[gormag38]

Well my Tigers are going into a historic arbitration tomorrow; the biggest difference in price, I believe, ever. Skubal (ala Boras) asking for 32mil and the Tigers offering up a measly 19mil. I know there's a reason for the low ball offer but if I'm Skubal I view that as a slap in the face. 

Anyone who's from Detroit will tell you, that after Mike Ilitch died (Red Wings and Tigers owner) and his son, Chris Ilitch, took over the teams have been unserious about winning. If Mike were around we would've had Skubal signed up a long time ago, knowing that we were likely overpaying but also getting a bona fide star in Detroit for the next 10 years. Chris Ilitch celebrates savvy business moves, saving money, farm system players and not having boisterous pay rolls with the teams now. His dad knew when they had 'a team' that he'd have to spend to try and get them over the top with free agents/other signings. Anymore we're just satisfied with making the ALDS and no further. 

So I look forward to the one more year (maybe) I get to see Skubal put on the Tigers uniform. The team will likely have to move him at some point before the trade deadline or else risk losing him for nothing. 

[Ford2112]

6 hours ago, zacca said:

Im saddened to hear you are a Mets fan @JohnS. It doesn’t get much lower than that! 

Unless you're Astros Fan.

[Lucas Buck]

My Pirates will scrape the bottom of the barrel as per usual. 

[JohnS]

6 hours ago, zacca said:

Im saddened to hear you are a Mets fan @JohnS. It doesn’t get much lower than that! 

I admit, it's not always easy.

[Goldeneye]

As a Jays fan i still haven't gotten over games 6 and 7 of the World Series, a real tough loss.  I am happy with the offseason pitching moves, i suspect their rotation will be one of the strongest in MLB and the bull pen should be ok, still need a dominant closer.  Losing Bichette is big hole and I really do not know what to expect from the Okamoto signing.  A lot of things went really well for the Jays with players outperforming expectations I believe.  Defensively they are very good and If the core players have similar seasons at the plate they should challenge for the AL East.  I expect them to be in the hunt all season for the playoffs.  I have three "special" cigars in my collection, one saved for my retirement, one for my son's wedding and I was planning on smoking the third one if the Jays won last year...maybe it will get turned to ash this fall.

[ElLoboLoco]

Happy with the Red Sox starting pitching. Need an infielder……I think one more deal is coming. Let’s get it done Craig!

[MoeFOH]

3 minutes ago, ElLoboLoco said:

Happy with the Red Sox starting pitching. Need an infielder……I think one more deal is coming. Let’s get it done Craig!

100%. I really like the rotation. Touch wood they stay healthy for the most part. 🤞

Infielder: Not a lot of options left now, unless we get very creative with something no one saw coming. 

Isaac Paredes, Matt Shaw, or Nico Hoerner seem to be the most mentioned. Hoerner's great but seems like you'd have to give up way too much for a 1yr rental. Shaw seems a decent option but hasn't proven himself consistently at the top level yet. And a Paredes deal, while it's nothing electric but is a good fit, seems like it should've been done by now if it was going to happen. 

My big hope is they can pry open the door to Ketel Marte talks again. D'backs have taken him off the lot, but I think a deal could be revived with the right pieces. He's the only one worth getting uncomfortable for. But again, getting late in the day for these sort of shenanigans and you open yourself up to being the desperate party and getting badly fleeced in the deal. 

Whatever they do, for the love of god, don't start the season with a Gonzalez/Hamilton platoon at 2nd. Dogsh!t support for the rotation. Romy is ok, but Hamilton blows.