Friday is the Offseason Solstice. We’re precisely as many days away from Recreation 7 of the World Collection as we’re to the primary official spring coaching video games in Arizona and Florida. Solely a handful of the absolute best free brokers have signed and even fewer huge names have been traded. That simply means it will be a busy few weeks main into spring coaching. Right here now are Friday’s sizzling range rumors.
Marlins wish to maintain Alcantara
Regardless of heavy curiosity courting again to the commerce deadline, the Marlins wish to maintain ace Sandy Alcantara, stories the Miami Herald. They would want an enormous provide simply to contemplate a commerce. Miami will pay attention on righty Edward Cabrera, although the Astros and Orioles usually are not longer pursuing him given their current rotation pickups. Houston added Mike Burrows, the O’s Shane Baz.
Alcantara, 30, had a tough 2025 general, his first 12 months again from Tommy John surgical procedure. He pitched a lot better late within the season, nevertheless, and the curiosity on the deadline exhibits groups nonetheless imagine in his upside and are not scared away by poor efficiency. Alcantara is owed $17 million in 2026 with a $21 million membership possibility for 2027, so there is not any urgency to commerce him this offseason.
The Marlins signed nearer Pete Fairbanks to a one-year, $13 million contract earlier this week. That got here quickly after it was reported right-hander Ronny Henriquez, Miami’s finest reliever in 2025, will miss 2026 following UCL surgical procedure. Even with the Fairbanks signing, the group’s projected 2026 payroll is barely barely above their 2025 payroll ($73 million vs. $70 million), per FanGraphs.
Cardinals need a righty outfield bat
After buying and selling Willson Contreras to the Crimson Sox, the Cardinals wish to add a right-handed bat, POBO Chaim Bloom instructed reporters (by way of MLB.com). Ideally, that righty bat would play the outfield, the place St. Louis has two lefty hitters lined up (Lars Nootbaar and Victor Scott II). Listed below are the highest accessible righty hitting free agent outfielders in response to FanGraphs’ projected 2026 WAR:
- Harrison Bader: +1.5 WAR
- Miguel Andujar: +1.2 WAR
- Randal Grichuk: +0.6 WAR
- Austin Hays: +0.4 WAR
- Tommy Pham: +0.4 WAR
Not probably the most thrilling group. Bader figures to command greater than the Cardinals wish to spend. Andujar is a DH greater than an outfielder. Grichuk and Pham are into their decline phases. Hays has a surprisingly robust market and will signal with a contender relatively than a Cardinals group that’s prioritizing long-term stability over short-term competition.
St. Louis has already traded away Contreras and Sonny Grey this offseason. Brendan Donovan appears more likely to be moved sooner or later, ditto Nolan Arenado, although his declining manufacturing and no-trade clause will not make it straightforward. After going 78-84 in 2025, the Cardinals are in peril of posting shedding information in back-to-back non-strike, non-pandemic seasons for the primary time since 1958-59.
