In case you missed it, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, meaning there’s going to be six more weeks of winter.
Luckily, that isn’t going to stop the hot stove from staying hot, nor is it going to prevent pitchers and catchers from reporting as soon as next week!
As we continue to wait for updates on Alex Bregman, let’s recap the biggest deals in baseball this week, including an unsatisfying conclusion to Pete Alonso’s free agency.
Pete Alonso signs shockingly cheap deal with New York Mets
Pete Alonso’s free agency saga is finally, mercifully at an end after a long, winding saga that never really got off the ground.
His offseason journey ended right where it began, as he’ll be strapping up his cleats for New York Mets once again in 2025.
In total, Pete Alonso’s deal will guarantee him $54 million over two years, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 6, 2025
Expect Alonso to utilize that opt-out next offseason as he looks to re-enter the free agent market without the qualifying offer attached to his profile. Though he’ll be 31 at the time, he remains one of the game’s premier sluggers.
Still, getting just $54 million ($30 million in 2025) qualifies as an outright failure for one of the best hitters on this year’s market. He’ll have to produce something akin to his stunning rookie season in 2019 (.941 OPS, 53 home runs) to really maximize his earnings next year.
Cubs solidify back-end of bullpen with Ryan Brasier trade
Give the Cubs credit: they’re committed to their team-building philosophy.
The Chicago Cubs are acquiring right-handed reliever Ryan Brasier in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources tell ESPN. Brasier, 37, was DFA’d last week but should get leverage innings for Chicago.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 5, 2025
While many Cubs fans, myself included, continue to clamor for the team to spend more money on less players (rather than a medium amount of money on a bunch of slightly above-average players), they’ve had an impressive offseason to this point.
Obviously, trading for Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly were the highlight moves, but low-key signings like Matthew Boyd, Caleb Thielbar, Carson Kelly, and this Brasier trade are the kinds of roster-insulating moves that the best teams are constantly making.
Are the Cubs better than the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, or Atlanta Braves on paper? Absolutely not, but they’re clearly the best team in the NL Central right now, and they should be able to secure the No. 3 seed in the playoffs with their new-look depth chart.
MLB News Lightning Round
Yoan Moncada signs with Los Angeles Angels
It’s kind of funny that the Angels are ostensibly signing the oft-injured Moncado to be insurance for the always-injured Anthony Rendon, but he’s still a former top prospect who was worth 10 WAR in a three-season stretch from 2019-21.
Yoan Moncada to Angels. $5M. Could be good spot for Moncada under Ron Washington
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 7, 2025
Minnesota Twins land Byron Buxton’s backup for 2025
Harrison Bader, long one of the best outfield defenders in baseball, is joing the Twins on a one-year deal. He’ll slot in as the primary backup to Byron Buxton in center field this seaosn, though he also offers a light-hitting, right-handed complement to the corner outfield duo of Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach.
Harrison Bader to Twins. 1 year deal plus mutual option for 2026
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 5, 2025
Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter sentenced to prison
Sorry to wrap up our weekly news update with a bit of a downer story, but it’s still prevalent in the game’s current landscape. Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, was officially sentenced to 57 months in prison for his defrauding of Ohtani and illegal gambling.
News: Ippei Mizuhara was sentenced to 57 months in prison. Beginning on March 24.
He will have three years of supervised release and is ordered to pay restitution of nearly $17 million to Shohei a Ohtani.
Gov’t got the sentence they requested. Mizuhara asked for 18 months.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) February 6, 2025
His lawyer, Michael G. Freedman, stated that “it is virtually certain” Mizuhara will be deported to his home country of Japan after his incarceration, per Brittny Mejia of the Los Angeles Times.
