The Baseball Buffet for 1/11/2026

Cubs sign 3B Alex Bregman. According to an article by Jordan Bastian at MLB, the Cubs are signing 3B Alex Bregman to a 5-year deal for $175 million. Bregman was the #2 overall pick in 2015 by the Astros. He was up in the majors in 2016, and in his ten years so far has hit 20+ HR five times, including in his best season in 2019 when he had career highs with a .296 average, 41 HR, 112 RBI, 122 runs, and an AL-leading 119 walks. A three-time All-Star, and winner of a Gold Glove Award for his 3B defense in 2024, he hasn’t approach those offensive numbers since 2019, but that has been partly due to injuries. That was true in 2025, when he was limited to 114 games but had a .273 average, .360 OBP, 18 HR, and 28 doubles.

Bregman, who will turn 32 in late March, completes a solid infield for the Cubs in 2026, which also features Michael Busch at 1B, Nico Hoerner at 2B, and Dansby Swanson at SS. This also means that Matt Shaw can continue to develop with less pressure on him, presumably as a backup at 3B and 2B, while also getting some at-bats at DH.

Rockies trade for OF Jake McCarthy. According to an article by Thomas Harding at MLB, the Rockies have acquired outfielder Jake McCarthy from the Diamondbacks in exchange for minor-league right-handed pitcher Josh Grosz. The 28-year old McCarthy has played parts of five seasons for the Diamondbacks, and had 20+ SB each year from 2022-2024. He had a down year in 2025, batting only .204 with 6 SB in 67 games, and so spent some time back at AAA (where he not surprisingly did better, with a .314 average and 12 SB in 49 games).

Spring Training will determine what role McCarthy has to start the season for the Rockies. I would assume Jordan Beck will start in LF and Brenton Doyle will play CF, which means McCarthy will compete with Mickey Moniak, Tyler Freeman, and others for the RF starting spot (though McCarthy can also backup Beck and Doyle as he can play all three OF spots). As for RHP Josh Grosz, he is 23 years old and has mostly pitched at A+ level in the minors the past two seasons.

Yankees claim reliever Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Astros. According to an article by Bryan Hoch at MLB, the Yankees have added an arm to their bullpen by claiming RHP Kaleb Ort off waivers. Ort turns 34 in February and has pitched parts of five years in the majors for the Red Sox and Astros. In 2025 he had a 4.89 ERA with 49 K in 46 IP over 49 appearances.

My assumption going into Spring Training is that David Bednar is the Yankees’ presumed closer, with Camilo Doval as an experience second option, and Fernando Cruz as a high-strikeout option if necessary too. Ort will compete with many others for the other bullpen roles for the Yankees.

SP Madison Bumgarner - Giants (2009-19), Diamondbacks (2020-23)

SP Bartolo Colón - Indians (1997-2002) and ten other clubs

SP Rick Sutcliffe - Cubs (1984-91), Orioles (1992-93), Cardinals (1994)

SP Frank Tanana - Angels (1973-80), Red Sox (1981)

RP Troy Percival - Angels (1995-20024) and three other clubs

SP Andy Benes - Padres (1989-95) and three other clubs

C/1B Willson Contreras - Cubs (2016-22), Cardinals (2023-25)

1960: The Phillies trade long-time OF Richie Ashburn. “The Philadelphia Phillies send outfielder Richie Ashburn to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for infielders Alvin Dark and Jim Woods, and pitcher John Buzhardt.”

1969: Reliever Ted Abernathy returns to the Cubs. “The Chicago Cubs acquire veteran reliever Ted Abernathy from the Cincinnati Reds for three minor league players. The trade marks the return of the side-arming Abernathy to Chicago, where he led the National League with 31 saves in 1965.”

1971: Reliever John Hiller suffers a heart attack. “27-year-old Detroit Tigers reliever John Hiller suffers chest pains that doctors will later diagnose as a heart attack. Hiller will miss the entire 1971 season but will make an incredible comeback in 1973, saving a then major league record 38 games.”

1973: MLB owners approve the DH, to start in the AL. “Major League owners approve one of the game's most controversial rules: the designated hitter. The owners decide to allow American League teams to implement the rule on an experimental three-year basis, but the rule will become a permanent addition to the AL while the National League will not adopt it until 2022.”

1977: A five-player deal involves the Dodgers trading Bill Buckner and Ivan DeJesus to the Cubs for Rick Monday. “The Chicago Cubs trade outfielder Rick Monday to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a five-man deal that brings Bill Buckner and Ivan DeJesus to the Windy City. In 1976, Monday gained national fame when he saved an American flag from being burned during a game in Los Angeles. The trade solidifies the Cubs infield for the next five years, and Buckner will hit .300 for the team over the next seven seasons, but the Dodgers will win three National League pennants in that span, with Monday a major contributor.”

2000: Fisk and Perez are elected to the Hall of Fame. “Carlton Fisk, in his second year of eligibility, and Tony Perez, on his ninth try, are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America.”

2005: The Big Unit is traded to the Yankees. “The Arizona Diamondbacks trade five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson to the New York Yankees in a three-team deal that includes the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shawn Green, Javier Vazquez and Dioner Navarro also move in the transaction. Arizona receives Vazquez, Navarro and Brad Halsey from the Yankees, and later sends Navarro and three minor league prospects to Los Angeles for Green.”

2010: The Reds sign Cuban fireballer Aroldis Chapman. “21-year-old Cuban lefthanded pitching star Aroldis Chapman signs a six-year, $30.25 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds after weeks of auditioning for a number of interested teams. Chapman defected in July, before taking part in the 2009 World Port Tournament and established residency in Andorra, making him a free agent. The package offered by the Reds is comparable to that given by the Washington Nationals to Stephen Strasburg, the top pick in the 2009 amateur draft.”

Hall of Famer

20-year major league career, spanning from 1910-1929, mostly with the Pirates

Was considered one of the best defensive CF of the first half of the 20th century, frequently leading the NL in various CF fielding stats

Led the NL in stolen bases an impressive ten times, and had a career high of 63 SB in 1916.

Didn't have much HR power, with a career-high of 10 HR in 1922, but had 10+ triples nine times, including an NL-leading 17 triples in 1914 and 19 triples in 1923

Scored 100+ runs five times, including a high of 140 in 1922

Overall had 738 SB, 1,545 runs, 159 triples, a .285/.361/.386 slash line, and a 108 OPS+

Hall of Famer

13-year major league career, spanning from 1898-1910, mostly as a RF with the Phillies and Indians

Had 30+ SB seven times, leading the AL with 38 SB in 1904 and 39 SB in 1906

Led the NL with 110 RBI in 1900, and the AL in triples three years in a row from 1905-1907, with totals of 18, 22, and 18

Won the AL batting title in 1905 with a modest .308 average

Overall had 330 SB, 164 triples, 950 runs, a .313/.389/.445 slash line, and 148 OPS+

10-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1886-1897, playing for seven different clubs

Pitched 400+ IP four times, including a high of 584.2 IP in 1888 when he led the AA in wins with a 45-20 record

Led the AA with a 1.63 ERA in 1888, and the Player's League with a 2.69 ERA in 1890

Overall had a 203-152 (.572) record, a 3.18 ERA, and a 121 ERA+

15-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1933-1949, mostly with the Tigers and Phillies

In his first full season in 1934, posted a 24-8 record and 3.45 ERA, coming in 4th in the MVP vote

Three-time All-Star, including his 19-win seasons in both 1935 and 1936

Was a good hitter for a pitcher, batting .300+ three times, and overall having a .263 average and 18 HR in 1,023 plate appearances

Overall had a 158-101 (.610) record, a 3.87 ERA, and a 110 ERA+

Born Lynwood Thomas Rowe, there are varying accounts as to the origin of the nickname Schoolboy. As described at his SABR Bio: "According to one report, he acquired the sobriquet Schoolboy from local sportswriter John Erp when he was a 14-year-old pitching in an adult church league. According to other reports, the name originated from opponents and fans who yelled, “Don’t let that schoolboy beat you.” Yet another account claimed that the moniker derived from the youngster's job hawking newspapers on street corners."

11-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1926-1936, with the Senators, Browns, and Tigers.

Posted a 21-5 record and 3.69 ERA in 1928 for the Browns, then led the AL in wins while with the Senators with a 26-13 record in 1932 and a 24-15 mark in 1933.

Born Alvin Floyd Crowder, his nickname General came from the fact that he had served almost three years in the army in World War I (though he never reached the rank of General)

Overall had a 167-115 (.592) record, a 4.12 ERA, and a 105 ERA+

So far has played three years in the majors as a SS with the Reds

All-Star in 2024 when he led the NL with 67 SB, and had 25 HR, 10 triples, and 105 runs

All-Star again in 2025, with 37 SB, 22 HR, 86 RBI, and 102 runs.

Led the NL in strikeouts in 2024 with 218, then had a lower (but still high) total of 181 K in 2025

10-year major league career, spanning from 1884-1893, mostly as a 3B with Brooklyn of the American Association

Had 30+ SB six times, including a high of 59 SB in 1887

Scored 100+ runs five times, including leading the AA with 134 SB in 1888

Overall had 296 SB, 874 runs, a .263/.345/.338 slash line, and a 103 OPS+

9-year major league career, spanning from 1996-2004, mostly with the Mets

Was a defense-first SS with three Gold Glove Awards from 1997-99

Very light hitter with a career .246 average, a .289 OBP, and only 12 HR in 3,407 plate appearances

5 free agents who might be better than you think, by MLB writers, 1/10/2026

Here are 5 Yankees pitching prospects we could see in the Bronx in '26, by Rob Terranova at MLB, 1/10/2026

Here are 7 Dodgers prospects who could reach the bigs in '26, by Brendan Samson at MLB, 1/10/2026

DH rule extended these Hall of Fame careers, by Thomas Harrigan at MLB, 1/10/2025