MLB 2026 News & Discussion

[shaggy]

It was last week before the Suarez signing and the Donovan trade but at that point the ZiPS projections had the Cardinals being just 1 game worse then the Reds this season. I am not sure I would start cheering their demise just yet.

[Sea Ray]

When I look at the Cardinals projected line-up, they have 5 guys who project for 2 or more WAR. Not sure the reds can top that. EDLC, Friedl, Suarez (though not as certain if he's a DH only), maybe Marte and Stewart. The rest are doubtful IMO.

Of course the Reds pitching staff is far superior.

If Ty Steve can stay relatively healthy he should be a 2 WAR guy. God bless us if Trevino again plays more games that Ty Steve

[redsmetz]

Angels Sign Jeimer Candelario To Minor League Deal

The Angels have signed infielder Jeimer Candelario to a minor league deal, according to a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Candelario’s deal comes with an invite to big league Spring Training.

Of course the Reds are paying him $13MM this year, less the MLB minimum ($780,000 this season).

[Sea Ray]

It was last week before the Suarez signing and the Donovan trade but at that point the ZiPS projections had the Cardinals being just 1 game worse then the Reds this season. I am not sure I would start cheering their demise just yet.

The Cardinals are like the Steelers in football. Never take them lightly...but I will say that this is the first time I've ever seen them purge payroll like this

[WildcatFan]

Every time I see JJ Wetherholt, Connor Griffin, or Nick Kurtz, I think, "There's one that got away." Then I think of Chase Burns, and I don't feel so bad.

Glad they didn't end up with Bazzana, Condon, Smith, or Caglione, though. Woof. (And to be clear, there's a not insignificant chance that most of those guys work out fine. But they are well behind the top three in terms of development and helping the parent club.) In retrospect, Burns was among the better picks in that draft.

I have nothing to back this up really, but Wetherholt feels a bit Senzellian to me.

[mth123]

If Ty Steve can stay relatively healthy he should be a 2 WAR guy. God bless us if Trevino again plays more games that Ty Steve

He's projected for a lot more PT than last year (438 PAs) with 1.1 WAR. They show a .711 OPS and a 94 wRC+. I think those projections are low but I'm not sure he makes it all the way to 2 WAR even if he beats them handily.

For the Record, Fangraphs only projects Friedl (2.0), McLain (2.4) and EDLC (4.7) for more than 2 WAR in the Reds line-up.

Suarez (1.6), Hayes (1.5) and Stewart (1.5) are the next closest. Steer, Marte, Bleday, Benson and Myers are projected below 1 WAR.

They have 5 Cardinals line-up guys over 2 WAR (Wynn, Herrera, Wetherholdt, Nootbar and Burleson) but the entire rotation is projected for under 2, while all 5 of the Reds starters project to more than 2 WAR. (Greene 3.8, Abbott 2.7, Burns 2.6, Lodolo 2.4 and Singer 2.3)

[Sea Ray]

He's projected for a lot more PT than last year (438 PAs) with 1.1 WAR. They show a .711 OPS and a 94 wRC+. I think those projections are low but I'm not sure he makes it all the way to 2 WAR even if he beats them handily.

For the Record, Fangraphs only projects Friedl (2.0), McLain (2.4) and EDLC (4.7) for more than 2 WAR in the Reds line-up.

Suarez (1.6), Hayes (1.5) and Stewart (1.5) are the next closest. Steer, Marte, Bleday, Benson and Myers are projected below 1 WAR.

They have 5 Cardinals line-up guys over 2 WAR (Wynn, Herrera, Wetherholdt, Nootbar and Burleson) but the entire rotation is projected for under 2, while all 5 of the Reds starters project to more than 2 WAR. (Greene 3.8, Abbott 2.7, Burns 2.6, Lodolo 2.4 and Singer 2.3)

Wow. That TySteve projection makes no sense to me. He only played in 88 games last yr and his WAR was 1.3br. He's in a contract year. Seems to me that if he plays in 120 games he'll hit 2.0 WAR

[Mitri]

The offense will beat a lot of projections with Suarez in the lineup, Sal as an everyday guy and Elly back to full health. Stephenson in his walk year is interesting too. Last year it was too easy to pitch around the hot bat. 2026 lineups will be much more problematic for pitchers to get through.

This is a case where common sense beats analytics, at least in my view.

[757690]

It was last week before the Suarez signing and the Donovan trade but at that point the ZiPS projections had the Cardinals being just 1 game worse then the Reds this season. I am not sure I would start cheering their demise just yet.

ZIPS had the Reds at around 75 wins last year.

These projections are fun, but rather meaningless. They are notoriously inaccurate. If you were to project every team to win 81 games, that would be as accurate as ZIPS’s projections have been.

[shaggy]

ZIPS had the Reds at around 75 wins last year.

These projections are fun, but rather meaningless. They are notoriously inaccurate. If you were to project every team to win 81 games, that would be as accurate as ZIPS’s projections have been.

On March 27th last year Zips had the Reds and Cardinals both at 79 wins.

I am not saying that they are the end all and will be perfect but they get thrown around on this board all the time both team projections and also player projections. So I think it is fair to put it out there. I didn't say that they were accurate or that they would both end up tied. I was just showing that in the conversation about the Cardinals being bad that maybe they aren't going to be as bad as some people want to think.

[TRF]

Yankees designate Don Hamel to clear room for claiming Yanquiel Fernández.

I think Hamel could be good asset to a bullpen. He lowered his BB rate last year and had 20 non start appearances. Excellent K/9.

[klw]

Framber to Detroit on 3 year deal fo 115 mil

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/...year-deal.html

[kaldaniels]

Framber to Detroit on 3 year deal fo 115 mil

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/...year-deal.html

I mean it’s beating a horse 6 feet into the ground at this point but it’s mind-boggling to compare the Reds “surprise” 1 year 15 million dollar deal with Suarez and how we should all be impressed (it was a good signing!) and then seeing Detroit handing out a contract like this.

[Cyclone792]

Framber to Detroit on 3 year deal fo 115 mil

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/...year-deal.html

Dillon Dingler may need to beef up his catcher's gear.

[RedTeamGo!]

Does that mean Detroit is going to trade Skubal?