January 1:
Signed Japanese OF Kimitada Nakayama to a minor league contract. One of the pro international free agents in the class, he has 60 MLB power with 40-45 ratings in the other offensive categories and is a 55/60 corner OF. In other words, a decent 4th OF with a chance to do a little more. He's a lefty hitter with the guys ahead of him on the depth chart (Rosa, Lora) both righties.
Also six years after it happened in real life, the Mariners dealt OF Jarred Kelenic to Atlanta. Better late than never.
January 2: Another of our free agents finds a new home as Jack Perkins joined Seattle for 3/41 which tells me they're going to use him as a starter, something I considered several times but never did.
January 3: The Mets sign OF Bryan Reynolds for 4/52.
January 9: The Hall of Fame voting is in:
Verlander was a first-year no-brainer and A-Rod finally gets in after the voters making him wait 9 years. C.C. ended up oh-so-close as did Yadi.
January 10: Two more longtime members of our bullpen signed new free agent deals with Hayden Juenger heading to Philly on a 1-year, $1.7M deal while Jovani Moran is off to the Angels for 1/1.3. Maybe I should have tried a little harder to re-sign these guys.
January 19: Camilo Doval, who closed for us back in 2027, is now a Cardinal for 3/21.
March 4: Still another of our free agents has a new uniform to wear as Shane McClanahan signed a one-year, $7.9M prove-it deal with Texas while he recovers for a torn UCL. He should be ready to pitch in the bigs around June after a rehab. Meanwhile former Ray Nathaniel Lowe joins Cleveland for $4.6M and Anthony Santander signs with Atlanta for $7.1M.
March 6: 39-year-old Anthony Rendon prolongs his MLB career with the Mets for $6M.
March 7: Who says you can't go home again? 35-year-old Matt Olson, who spent 8 years with Atlanta after his first 7 in Oakland, is an Athletic again for $5.3M as he looks to get HR #400 (he's 7 shy).
We made it through Spring Training injury-free!