It has been seven weeks since the World Series ended and so far only three of our top 10 free agents have signed and two of our top 25 trade candidates have been moved. A slow offseason, this has been, though we did get a three-team trade Friday. Perhaps that’s a sign the hot stove is about to heat up. Here now are Saturday’s rumors.
Pirates hope to add another bat
Even after picking up Brandon Lowe, the Pirates hope to add what GM Ben Cherington called a “proven bat,” according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Third base and DH could use an upgrade, possibly left field as well. Really, everything should be on the table after the Pirates scored the fewest runs and hit the fewest home runs in baseball in 2025.
FanGraphs estimates the club’s 2026 payroll at $82 million, including arbitration projections. It was $87 million in 2025. If they hold steady at the same payroll level next year, there’s not much room to spend. The Pirates have signaled a willingness to spend big this offseason (their Kyle Schwarber pursuit, etc.), so perhaps Cherington & Co. still have plenty of financial wiggle room.
Phillies pursuing catcher trades
As talks with free agent J.T. Realmuto have failed to progress, the Phillies have begun to explore the trade market for a catcher, reports The Athletic. Philadelphia is said to have an offer on the table for Realmuto. Ultimately, a reunion makes sense for both sides, but a deal hasn’t come together yet, so the Phillies are exploring their options.
The best free agent catcher behind Realmuto is Victor Caratini, who plays first base and DH as much as he catches these days. As for the trade market, Twins backstop Ryan Jeffers is an obvious candidate to be moved. He’s a year away from free agency and the Twins sold hard at this summer’s trade deadline. We ranked Realmuto as the 13th best free agent available this offseason.
Orioles interested in Romero
The Orioles are among the teams with interest in Cardinals lefty reliever JoJo Romero, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Romero is a year away from free agency and thus an obvious trade candidate with the Cardinals not prioritizing contention in 2026. The O’s have already added righties Ryan Helsley and Andrew Kittredge to their bullpen this offseason.
Romero, 29, is a sinker specialist with a knack for limiting homers. Baltimore has two lefties, Keegan Akin and Dietrich Enns, in their bullpen, though neither is a late-inning matchup specialist. A quality lefty reliever is a necessity in the AL East, which houses quality lefty bats Roman Anthony, Jonathan Aranda, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jarren Duran, Ben Rice, Daulton Varsho, and others.