Mining the News (10/26/26)

• Shoki Oda is meeting with teams.

A Japanese report says the Dodgers may hold an early advantage in the pursuit of Shoki Oda, although approximately 10 Major League teams are expected to meet with the 18-year-old right-hander.

Chunichi Sports MLB reporter Taro Abe views the Dodgers as the favorites for Oda, citing the organization’s longstanding interest, Oda’s admiration for Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the possibility that he recently made contact with Dodgers officials during a trip to the United States.
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Oda reportedly traveled quietly to the United States after negotiations were permitted to begin on Oct. 7 and before meeting with teams from Nippon Professional Baseball. He attended Division Series baseball during the visit and may have had contact with Dodgers officials, according to the report.

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Meetings with MLB organizations are expected to begin this week, with the Dodgers, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates specifically identified among the interested clubs. One source told the Japanese outlet that Oda will likely meet with approximately 10 teams.

American League

Angels

• The podcast addresses some of the changes Ryan Johnson made mid-season, especially while pitching out of the stretch.

Johnson performed great over his last 10 starts with a 2.83 ERA, but with a 4.29 botERA and 5.17 xFIP. I feel he’s a trap going into next season.

Guardians

• The team will likely move on from Austin Hedges, with Kody Huff getting a shot at being the backup catcher.

Antonetti said there are scenarios where a reunion “would make a lot of sense for both of us [Austin Hedges], but there are scenarios where it might not make the most sense.” Catching prospects Cooper Ingle and Kody Huff are ready for a big-league opportunity. Huff traveled with the Guardians on their playoff taxi squad.

The 25-year-old Huff was solid in AAA by hitting .264/.375/.513 with 23 HR and 12 SB.

• Daniel Espino’s role next season is still unknown.

They plan to solicit input from their medical team, their pitching coaches and Espino to determine whether it’s better for his shoulder to have a starter routine and pitch every five or six days but have a greater workload on his start day, or to have a more unpredictable relief assignment with less time for recovery but with a lighter workload when he does pitch.

“There’s no clear answer,” general manager Mike Chernoff said. “That’s the conversation we need to have internally with our group and with Daniel.

• Ralphy Velazquez will get a shot to be the team’s first baseman.

Hoskins, Lowe and Manzardo combined for minus-0.4 fWAR, the third-lowest total among first base groups in the majors. Their 92 wRC+ was fourth from the bottom. The Guardians are going to need more from the position in 2027, and Antonetti made it “abundantly clear” that big-hitting prospect Ralphy Velazquez will have a chance to earn a spot, according to Joe Noga of cleveland.com.

“Ralphy’s made himself an option for us to consider next year,” Antonetti said. “He put together really an extraordinary year.”

Here are some similarly talented AAA players and how they performed in the majors.

A few interesting names, but most were disappointments.

Red Sox

• At season’s end, Johan Oviedo was nearing a return to the team.

Oviedo had been ramping up at the team’s spring training facilities in Florida and was throwing multiple innings. So, the team has some depth, but given how many of their pitchers have dealt with significant injuries, Breslow will likely add another starter or two.

Twins

• Pablo López expects to be ready by Spring Training.

Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez is working his way back from a February elbow procedure. He returned to playing catch in August and is targeting a return in Spring Training. His current outlook would make starting the year on the Opening Day roster a possibility.

Lopez didn’t need full Tommy John surgery. Instead, he had an internal brace procedure, which carries a shorter recovery timeline. A 12-month rehab process would put him back in a Twins uniform for spring action.

“In my case, chronologically speaking, I’m going to go straight into spring training, straight into the fire,” Lopez told Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune.

• Royce Lewis plans to work on his pitch selection this offseason.

Lewis points to pitch selection as a primary focus as he looks to take the next step, from available and sometimes impactful to regaining his status as an all-around star.

“I was feeling good and seeing the ball good and unfortunately I chased,” Lewis said. “My adjustment needs to be to not chase as much. That’s what happened the last month and a half. It’s an easier-said-than-done thing, but these are the adjustments you need to make throughout a season.”

White Sox

• Down the stretch, Davis Martin dealt with a calf injury.

In fact, Martin was one of the game’s best starters during the first two months of the season, with a 2.00 ERA on May 28, but was hampered by right calf discomfort down the stretch.

“It did affect him,” said White Sox general manager Chris Getz of Martin. “I appreciate just his pursuit to go out there and try to give us productive innings, but it was very clear that he was hindered.”

• Caleb Bonemer took center field reps at season’s end and in the Arizona Fall League.

Caleb Bonemer is a different story. The No. 2 White Sox prospect, and No. 27 overall, moved from his infield locale to the outfield during the end of his ’26 campaign with Double-A Birmingham and has worked exclusively in the outfield for Glendale during the Arizona Fall League. The 21-year-old has handled every professional challenge thrown his way, along with 37 home runs overall this past season, and could accelerate his Major League promotion with the outfield move.

“Obviously looking at just the big league roster, the success they’ve had, they have a lot of great infielders and a lot of great outfielders,” said Bonemer during a Zoom last week. “Being able to play as many positions as possible can only accelerate the process and help me out.

“Wherever they want to put me next year, Opening Day, that’s up to them. I just try to stick to my routine, play every game, and wherever they decide to put me is where they decide.”

He seems to be getting groomed to be on the MLB team early in the season.

National League

Cardinals

• Andre Pallante wants to work on his kick change and throw it more next season.

Dodgers

• Alanna Rizzo, Katie Woo, and Clint Pasillas discuss Shohei Ohtani wanting to pitch next season. He may not bat the day he pitches and possibly the day after.

Marlins

• While he’s been an outfielder in the past, Brandon Compton was told to get reps at first base.

Also from Jackson, Marlins prospect Brandon Compton has been asked to keep working out as a first baseman this offseason. The second-round pick from the 2025 draft has been an outfielder for almost all of his two pro seasons, though he got into six games at first base this past year. MLB Pipeline ranks Compton 13th in Miami’s farm system, with a scouting report that predicted a move to first base due to questions about Compton’s range and throwing arm as a left fielder.

I’m intrigued by Compton because his comps are more interesting than Ralphy Velazquez. The biggest difference is that Compton hits for more power.

Nationals

• After playing third base last season, Yohandy Morales will prepare to start at third base.

“I was actually drafted as a third baseman,” Morales said. “I’ve only played a year or two at first base, so I feel confident and comfortable at third base. … No matter where they put me, I’ll try to do my best.”

From 2023-26, Morales logged 1,502 1/3 innings at first and 1,091 innings at third in the Nationals’ Minor League system. In the final two months of the season, the Nationals backed up starting third baseman Brady House with Jorbit Vivas and Chaparro.

“It’s obviously good being able to play multiple positions so you have a spot to play in and help the team out,” Morales said. “So it feels good that they want to open up some spots.”

Padres

• Yu Darvish could be part of the team next season

• Ethan Salas will not be guaranteed playing time next season.

Understandably, the 20-year-old Salas will still need to earn his playing time, as president of baseball operations A.J. Preller implied during the team’s end-of-season presser that Salas will be competing with Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin.

“I don’t think anybody’s going to be guaranteed anything,” Preller told reporters, including the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Jeff Sanders. “I think it’s going to be, for Ethan, for example, a competition-type situation for him.” It’s unsurprising that Salas will still need to prove himself given Preller’s other remarks from the presser, in which he reiterated the Padres’ goal of competing for a championship in 2027.

Phillies

• J.T. Realmuto will not start as often next season.

Speaking at the team’s year-end press conference on Thursday, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters, including Cole Weintraub of NBC Sports Philadelphia, that Realmuto will not be catching as frequently in 2027.

“I said, ‘I don’t know if I can accomplish this, but I don’t want you to hear about it from the press conference,” Dombrowski said of his conversation with Realmuto. “’My goal is to try to reduce the number of games you catch.’” Per Dombrowski, Realmuto physically feels fine but is open to having more days off behind the plate, perhaps by slotting in more at first base.

• Again, Justin Crawford and Derek Hill will form a center field platoon.

At the very least, Dombrowski will be in the market for a corner outfielder. (Again.) It might be two, if the Phillies trade Brandon Marsh, which is a real possibility. They could try Justin Crawford and Derek Hill as a platoon in center field again.

“I don’t think we have an outfielder internally,” Dombrowski said, “that’s ready to fill (in) on a full-time basis.”

Reds

• Management doesn’t think Noelvi Marte will contribute next season.

A .550 OPS last season did not help Marte’s cause.