Issue #533
The goal with The Baseball Buffet series is to provide the best daily dose of relevant baseball info in a smart-brevity format (mostly short bullets, getting to the point, with quick analysis/insights.) Think of it like what baseball fans of a certain age would look forward to in their morning newspaper’s sports section each day!
⚾ Welcome! ⚾
Yesterday had a variety of offseason news items, including some transactions, a retirement, and more.
Braves sign LHP Martín Pérez. According to an article by Theo DeRosa and Mark Bowman at MLB, the Braves are signing veteran lefty Martín Pérez to Minor League deal that includes an invite to Spring Training. He will turn 35 in early April, and has pitched 14 years in the majors, including nine years with the Rangers and the rest spread around with five different clubs. In 2025 he had a 3.54 ERA over 11 games and 56 IP for the White Sox.
The Braves rotation would seem to feature Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo López as the first four. They already had Hurston Waldrep, Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes, and Bryce Elder as candidates for the fifth spot, so Pérez will presumably join that competition. As a lefty, and because he has some experience in his career coming out of the bullpen, that could be another way for Pérez to make the staff this spring.
White Sox sign 1B/OF LaMonte Wade Jr. The Chicago White Sox are signing 1B/OF LaMonte Wade Jr. to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training. He did not do well in 2025, batting only .167 with 2 HR over 80 games with the Giants and Angels. But earlier with the Giants he had 17 HR in 2023 and 18 HR in 2021. So the White Sox will give him a look in Spring Training, and see if he could be a useful left-handed batting 1B/OF/DH reserve.
Astros acquire RHP Kai-Wei Teng from Giants in exchange for Minor League catcher Jancel Villarroel. According to an article by Brian McTaggart and Jared Greenspan, the Astros have traded 21-year old, A-level catcher Jancel Villarroel (and some international bonus pool money) to the Giants in exchange for 27-year old right-handed pitcher Kai-Wei Teng. Although born in Taiwan, Teng’s professional baseball career has been entirely in the US, starting at Rookie-level ball during his age 19 season in 2018. He rose up through the minors but has struggled in two brief stints in the majors with the Giants in 2024-25 with a 7.30 ERA over 12 games (7 starts) with 46 K over 40.2 IP.
The Astros at this point have quite the stable of arms to figure out roles for during Spring Training. So presumably this move was about adding depth: they will give Teng a look, and he could make the team as either a starter or reliever, or he could begin the year at AAA to await opportunities later in the season.
Veteran reliever David Robertson retires
As noted in an article by Sweeny Murti at MLB, 17-year veteran reliever David Robertson has announced his retirement. He began his career with the Yankees, and was a very effective setup man for closer Mariano Rivera. This included making the All-Star team in 2011 when he finished the season with an impressive 1.08 ERA and 100 K in 66.2 IP.
He became the Yankees’ closer in 2014 and posted 39 saves with a 3.08 ERA and 96 K in 64.1 IP, but after that season signed as a free agent with the White Sox. He posted 34 saves in 2015 and 37 saves in 2016, but then was traded back to the Yankees in July of 2017. For the rest of his career since, and playing for seven different clubs, he has variously been a closer and effective setup man, depending on the bullpen makeup of each team he’s been with.
Overall for his career Robertson retired with 179 saves, a 2.93 ERA, a 143 ERA+, and an impressive 1,176 K in 894.1 IP. Mostly due to his time with the Yankees, he also played a lot in the postseason, where he ended up with a 3.40 ERA and 57 K over 47.2 IP from 43 appearances.
José Ramírez signs a seven-year extension to stay in Cleveland
My offseason focus has been on players changing teams, whether through trades or free agent signings. I’ve also mentioned when major active free agents re-sign with their 2025 club, such as in the case with Cody Bellinger and the Yankees.
But several readers wrote to me and said I was missing out on one of the bigger stories of the offseason by not mentioning the contract extension that superstar 3B José Ramírez has recently signed with the Cleveland Guardians. While it took a few days to go from rumor/source to being finalized, that did happy a couple of days ago, and I agree with readers who have noted this is a big deal.
First off, as reported in an article by Tim Stebbins at MLB, the 33-year old Ramírez’ contract extension is for seven years and $175 million, and so barring a trade that will keep him in Cleveland until 2032, his age-39 season. That makes it seem likely he’ll retire having played his entire career with the Indians/Guardians, something that is more and more rare across MLB these days.
Although Ramírez is a seven-time All-Star, he is regularly noted as being under-rated compared to the numbers he has consistently produced. He came in second in the AL MVP vote in the shortened 2020 season, and has come in third in the voting three times. He has a great combination of power and speed, with 25+ HR six times and 25+ SB five times. If anything, those numbers have only inched higher in recent years, with a 39/41 season in 2024 and a 30/44 campaign in 2025. Overall for his career so far he has 285 HR, 287 SB, a .279/.353/.504 slash line, and a 131 OPS+, all of which, barring major injuries, puts him on a pretty clear path towards being a Hall of Famer (see article by Tim Stebbins and Brian Murphy at MLB).
Jacob Wilson signs a seven-year extension with the Athletics
If I’m going to share news of consequential contract extensions, then I also need to mention that yesterday 23-year old SS Jacob Wilson, after just one full season in the majors, is signing a seven-year deal with the Athletics. According to an article by Martín Gallegos and Theo DeRosa at MLB, the contract is for seven years and $70 million, and includes a club option for the 2033 season.
Wilson was the Athletics’ first-round draft pick (6th overall) in 2023 after batting .411 over 192 AB in college that year. He had little trouble making contact across three levels of the minors in 2024, hitting an impressive .433 with 7 HR in 208 AB. He was called up to the Athletics and had some growing pains, but still managed a .250 average over 28 games.
Then in 2025 he took the AL by storm, hitting .329 over the first half of the year, and according to Gallegos and DeRosa, became the first fan-elected rookie shortstop to start an All-Star Game. A left forearm fracture slowed him the rest of the year, but he still ended with a .311 average which was tied for second in the AL, along with 13 HR, 63 RBI, and 62 runs in 125 games.
Today’s Trivia Question
Which two players dominate the single-season HR leaderboard for shortstops? Between them, they have 11 of the top 12 single season HR totals for players who played 51% or more of their games at SS each year. For bonus points, who is the only other SS to appear in the top-12 for HR in a single season by a SS?
Countdown to Spring Training!
Continuing with this fun series… Spring Training games are now just 20 days away, so here are some top players who had uniform #20 for extended periods of time (and the teams they wore it with):
OF Frank Robinson - Reds (1956-65), Orioles (1966-71), Angels (1973-74), Indians (1974-76)
3B Mike Schmidt - Phillies (1973-89)
SP Don Sutton - Dodgers (1966-80, 88) and four other clubs
OF Lou Brock - Cardinals (1964-79)
C Jorge Posada - Yankees (1997-2011)
2B Frank White - Royals (1974-90)
OF Luis Gonzalez - Diamondbacks (1999-2006)
3B Josh Donaldson - Athletics (2012-14), Blue Jays (2015-18) and two other clubs
1B Pete Alonso - Mets (2019-25)
1B/3B Kevin Youkilis - Red Sox (2004-12), White Sox (2012)
On this day in baseball history…
Here is what stands out to me for this day in baseball history. All quoted descriptions are from baseball-reference.com.
📅 On January 31…
1952: Harry Heilmann and Paul Waner are elected to the Hall of Fame. “The Hall of Fame elects two new members: Harry Heilmann, with 203 votes, and Paul Waner with 195. Waner, a .333 career hitter, rapped out 3,152 hits and struck out just 376 times in 9,459 career at-bats. Heilmann was similarly skilled with the bat, winning four batting titles with the Detroit Tigers and finishing his career with a .342 average.”
1962: Willie Mays signs the largest contract in baseball. “San Francisco Giants star Willie Mays signs the largest contract in major league baseball, reportedly $90,000 for the upcoming season. Mays will earn every penny in 1962, when he bats .304 with 49 home runs and 141 RBI and helps the Giants to the National League pennant.”
1962: Ralph Kiner joins the Mets’ booth. “The Mets sign former slugger Ralph Kiner, who joins Lindsey Nelson and Bob Murphy in the announcing booth.”
1965: Pud Galvin is selected for the Hall of Fame. “Pitcher Pud Galvin is chosen for Hall of Fame induction by the Special Veterans Committee. Galvin had 20 victories in ten out of 14 seasons and won 46 games in both 1883 and 1884 for the Buffalo Bisons of the National League.”
1977: Joe Sewell, Amos Rusie, and Al Lopez are selected for the Hall of Fame. “Joe Sewell, Amos Rusie, and Al Lopez are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee. Sewell batted .312 over 14 seasons with the Indians and Yankees. Rusie won 246 games over nine seasons from 1889 to 1898. Lopez won four fielding titles in 19 years as a catcher, but it is his .584 winning percentage in 17 seasons as a manager that gets him into Cooperstown.”
1980: Joe Morgan returns to Houston for the 1980 season. “The Houston Astros sign free agent second baseman Joe Morgan. Houston was the first major league team the two-time National League MVP played with before he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds and became a force in the Big Red Machine.”
1996: Ken Griffey Jr. becomes the highest paid player. “Ken Griffey, Jr. becomes the highest-paid major league player by signing a four-year, $34 million contract with Seattle.”
🎂 Today’s Birthday Boys 🎉
Row 1: Nolan Ryan, Ernie Banks, Jackie Robinson
Row 2: George Burns, Josh Johnson, Hank Aguirre
Nolan Ryan (1947)
Hall of Famer
27-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1966-1993, with the Mets, Angels, Astros, and Rangers
Eight-time All-Star
Led the NL with a 1.69 ERA in 1981 and with a 2.76 ERA in 1987
Was best known as a high-strikeout pitcher, leading his league an amazing eleven times, including a modern-era single-season record of 383 K in 1973
Was intimidating on the mound, both because of his strong fastball and strikeout skills, but also because he was wild, especially early in his career, leading his league in walks eight times
He is the all-time leader in strikeouts with 5,714 and walks with 2,795
He is also the all-time leader with only 6.6 hits allowed per nine IP. He had a record seven no-hitters, and is tied with Bob Feller for the record of 12 one-hitters.
Overall had a 324-292 record, a 3.19 ERA, and a 112 ERA+
Ernie Banks (1931-2015)
Hall of Famer
19-year major league career, spanning from 1953-1971, all with the Chicago Cubs
All-star in 11 seasons
Won a Gold Glove Award at SS in 1960, before later shifting to mostly playing 1B in the second half of his career
Was NL MVP in 1958 after batting .313 and leading the NL with 47 HR and 129 RBI, and then was NL MVP again in 1959 after batting .304 with 45 HR and a league-high 143 RBI
Had 25+ HR ten times, and 40+ HR five times
Had 100+ RBI eight times and 100+ runs twice
Overall had 512 HR, 1,305 runs, 1,636 RBI, a .274/.330/.500 slash line, and a 122 OPS+
Jackie Robinson (1919-1972)
Hall of Famer
11-year major league career, spanning from 1945-1956
Served in the military from 1942-1944, then played one season with the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro American League in 1945. After that season he signed as a free agent with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and excelled at AAA Montreal in 1946 with a .349 average, 113 runs, and 40 SB in 124 games.
Broke the baseball color barrier in 1947 and won the NL Rookie of the Year Award after batting .297 with 125 runs, and a NL-leading 29 SB
Seven-time All-Star, and was NL MVP in 1949 after hitting 16 HR with 124 RBI and 122 runs, while leading the NL with a .342 average and 37 SB
Played 1B during his rookie season, then shifted to 2B for several years, but finished his career playing most 3B and LF
Overall had 141 HR, 200 SB, a .313/.410/.477 slash line, and a 133 OPS+
George Burns (1893-1978)
16-year major league career, spanning from 1914-1929, mostly as a 1B with the Indians, Tigers, Athletics, and Red Sox
Hit .352 and led the AL with a modest 178 hits in 1918
Received down-ballot MVP votes three times and then won the AL MVP Award in 1926 after batting .358 with 115 RBI and a league-leading 216 hits and 64 doubles, which is tied for the second highest single-season doubles total ever
Overall had 444 doubles, 154 SB, a .307/.354/.429 slash line, and a 113 OPS+
Josh Johnson (1984)
9-year major league pitching career, spanning from 2005-2013, mostly with the Marlins
Had a strong rookie season in 2006 with a 12-7 record, a 3.10 ERA, and 133 K in 157 IP
Missed large parts of the 2007 and 2008 seasons due to needing Tommy John Surgery
Was an All-Star in 2009 with a 15-5 record, 3.23 ERA, and 191 K, then was an All-Star again in 2010 with an 11-6 record, 186 K, and an NL-leading 2.30 ERA
Unfortunately, ongoing injuries, and the need for Tommy John Surgery two more times led to a premature end to his career after his age-29 season in 2013
Overall had a 58-45 record, a 3.40 ERA, and a 124 ERA+
Hank Aguirre (1931-1994)
16-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1955-1970, mostly with the Tigers, but with time spent with the Indians, Dodgers, and Cubs
Started his career as a reliever, then switched to starting for five seasons, then ended as a reliever for his last four seasons
Had his best season as an All-Star in 1962 and finished the year with a 16-8 record and AL-leading 2.21 ERA
Overall had a 75-72 record, a 3.25 ERA, and a 117 ERA+
Currently active players who were born on January 31 include LAA Zach Neto, STL Matt Svanson, ATL Tyler Kinley, PHI Kyle Backhus, and CHC Caleb Thielbar.
Baseball Quote of the Day
One of today's Birthday Boys (see above) was the great Nolan Ryan, so here a few quotes from him:
"It helps if the hitter thinks you're a little crazy."
"One of the beautiful things about baseball is that every once in a while you come into a situation where you want to, and where you have to, reach down and prove something."
"Everyone has limits. You just have to learn what your own limits are and deal with them accordingly."
"A successful pitcher keeps the leadoff hitter from reaching first base and puts the first pitch over for a strike – the two most important rules of pitching."
"Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent."
"I can honestly say it took two full years for me to get over the fact that I was no longer a baseball player."
Today’s Trivia Answer
Here is the all-time single-season HR leaderboard for SS, that is players who played 51% or more of their games at SS in each of these years:
57 - Álex Rodriguez (2002)
52 - Álex Rodriguez (2001)
47 - Ernie Banks (1958)
47 - Álex Rodriguez (2003)
45 - Ernie Banks (1959)
44 - Ernie Banks (1955)
43 - Ernie Banks (1957)
42 - Álex Rodriguez (1998)
42 - Álex Rodriguez (1999)
42 - Fernando Tatis Jr. (2021)
41 - Ernie Banks (1960)
41 - Álex Rodriguez (2000)
Good Reads
Here I am providing one or more links to baseball articles I’ve enjoyed recently, whether by writers at MLB.com or elsewhere.
13 eye-popping player projections for 2026, by David Adler at MLB, 1/30/2026
The top 10 center fielders in baseball are ..., by Brian Murphy at MLB, 1/30/2026
Top five starting pitchers in Baltimore Orioles history, by Mark Kolier at Almost Cooperstown, 1/30/2026
See recent issues of The Baseball Buffet for more recent good reads!
How did you like this edition of Now Taking the Field?
Did you know? I wrote a 600+ page book with the same title as this newsletter/blog? Now Taking the Field: Baseball’s All-Time Dream Teams for All 30 Franchises was published in early 2019, by ACTA Sports. It is available at Amazon and most other major booksellers.
This newsletter was produced with beehiiv.
New to Now Taking the Field? Become a subscriber and get each article in your email inbox so that you don’t miss anything!