The Baseball Buffet for 12/28/2025

CIN signs OF JJ Bleday. According to an article by Mark Sheldon at MLB, the Reds are signing OF JJ Bleday to a 1-year, $1.4 million deal (plus performance incentives). Bleday was the Marlins’ first-round draft pick (4th overall) in 2019, and has played parts of four seasons in the majors, the most recent three for the Athletics. Now 28 years old, he had his best year in 2024 when he played the full season and had 20 HR, 43 doubles, and a .243 average. Last year he fell back to only 14 HR with a .212 average in 98 games, so is looking to bounce back in 2026.

Like Myers, Bleday has mostly played CF but has seen action in all three OF spots. So it will be interesting to see how the Reds configure their OF in 2026 between Bleday, Myers, and returning guys TJ Friedl, Noelvi Marte, and Will Benson.

CHC signs RP Hunter Harvey. According to an article by Jason Foster at MLB, the Cubs are signing right-handed reliever Hunter Harvey. He was a first-round draft pick (22nd overall) by the Orioles in 2013, and has pitched seven years in the majors for Baltimore, Washington, and Kansas City. He had a 2.52 ERA over 39.1 IP for the Nationals in 2022, and then posted 10 saves with a 2.82 for them in 2023. He was less effective in 2024, and was traded in mid-July to the Royals. Two injuries dramatically limited his playing time in 2025, but he had a 0.00 ERA across 12 relief appearances.

The son of former major league reliever Bryan Harvey, 31-year old Hunter will join a Cubs’ bullpen in flux. They have lost Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, and Andrew Kittredge, but have now gained Harvey, Jacob Webb, Hoby Milner, and Phil Maton, with Caleb Thielbar re-signing too.

1B Lou Gehrig - Yankees (1929-39)

OF Mel Ott - Giants (1933-47)

SS Luke Appling - White Sox (1933-43, 45-50)

3B/2B/DH Paul Molitor - Brewers (1978-92), Twins (1996-98)

OF Duke Snider - Dodgers (1947-62), Mets (1963)

SS Joe Cronin - Senators (1931-34), Red Sox (1935, 37-45)

OF Ralph Kiner - Pirates (1947-53), Cubs (1953-54)

2B Bobby Grich - Angels (1977-86)

OF George Springer - Astros (2014-20), Blue Jays (2021-25)

C Yadier Molina - Cardinals (2006-22)

SS Miguel Tejada - Athletics (1997-2003)

OF Lenny Dykstra - Mets (1985-89), Phillies (1989-96)

2B Ketel Marte - Mariners (2015-16), Diamondbacks (2017-25)

OF Alex Gordon - Royals (2008-20)

OF Bob Allison - Twins (1961-70)

SS Marty Marion - Cardinals (1940-50), Browns (1952-53)

1953: The Pirates and Braves do a 6-for-1 trade. “The Pittsburgh Pirates send flashy 2B Danny O'Connell to the Milwaukee Braves for 3B Sid Gordon, OF Sam Jethroe, P Max Surkont, and three minor league pitchers. Pittsburgh also get $100,000 from the Braves. This is the only six-for-one trade in major league history and will be surpassed only by the seven-for-one deal that will send Vida Blue from the Oakland A's to the SF Giants in 1978.”

1957: The Pirates and Reds exchange 1B. “The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds exchange well-known first basemen. The Pirates acquire slugger Ted Kluszewski, known for wearing cut-off sleeves to accommodate his bulging biceps. In exchange, Pittsburgh surrenders Dee Fondy, who batted .313 last season while splitting the season between the Pirates and the Chicago Cubs.”

1983: Outfielder Warren Cromartie goes to Japan. “Free agent Warren Cromartie signs a reported three-year, $2.5 million contract to play for the Yomiuri Giants of the Pacific League. The 30-year-old Cromartie, who hit .278 as a mainstay in the Montreal Expos' outfield last season, is arguably the best American player to jump to Nippon Pro Baseball while still in his prime. He will play in Japan for seven seasons before returning for one more season in the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals in 1991.”

1994: The Astros and Padres make a 12-player trade. “The Houston Astros and San Diego Padres swing a mammoth twelve-player trade. Houston obtains OF Derek Bell, IF Ricky Gutierrez, P Pedro Martinez, OF Phil Plantier, and IF Craig Shipley from San Diego in exchange for 3B Ken Caminiti, SS Andújar Cedeño, OF Steve Finley, 1B Roberto Petagine, P Brian Williams, and a player to be named. P Sean Fesh will go to the Padres next May to complete the biggest deal in the major leagues since 1957.”

Hall of Famer

21-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1923-1946 (missing 1943-45 for military service late in his career), all with the Chicago White Sox

Received down-ballot MVP votes in ten seasons

Won 20+ games three times, including leading the AL in wins with a 21-11 record in 1925 and a 22-14 record in 1927

Also led the AL with a 2.10 ERA in 1942

Was an above average hitter for a pitcher, with a career .233 average and managed to hit .311 in 122 AB in 1930

Overall had a 260-230 (.531) record, a 3.67 ERA, and a 118 ERA+

16-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1930-1946 (missing 1944 for military service), all with the Detroit Tigers

Six-time All-Star

Posted a 22-11 record in 1934, 21-10 in 1935, and then led the AL in wins with a 23-11 mark in 1936

Also led the AL in strikeouts with modest totals of 163 in 1935 and 175 in 1936

Overall had a 194-138 (.584) record, a 3.57 ERA, and a 126 ERA+

So far has had a 7-year major league pitching career, with five seasons for the White Sox, the past two with the Padres, and now signing as a free agent with the Blue Jays for 2026 and beyond

A high-strikeout pitcher, Cease is the only hurler with 200+ strikeouts in each of the past five seasons (no one else even has 200+ K in four of the past five years).

While durable and consistent in starting 32-33 games in each of the past five years, his ERA has fluctuated from a low of 2.20 in 2022 to highs of 4.58 in 2023 and 4.55 in 2025. (His FIP each year has only fluctuated between 3.10 and 3.72, suggesting he has had a mix of both good and bad luck in various years.)

Overall so far has a 65-58 (.528) record, 1,231 strikeouts in 1,015.1 IP, a 3.88 ERA, and a 110 ERA+

14-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1969-1982, mostly with the Red Sox and then his final four seasons with the Expos

All-Star season in 1973 finishing that year with a 17-11 record and a 2.75 ERA

Also won 17 games the next two seasons, and then posted a 16-10 record with a 3.04 ERA in 1979

Overall had a 119-90 (.569) record, a 3.62 ERA, and a 108 ERA+

As described at Wikipedia, "Lee's personality earned him popularity as well as the nickname ‘Spaceman’, given to him by former Red Sox infielder John Kennedy."

Lee is also the author of four books: "The Wrong Stuff"; "Have Glove, Will Travel"; "The Little Red (Sox) Book: A Revisionist Red Sox History"; and "Baseball Eccentrics: The Most Entertaining, Outrageous, and Unforgettable Characters in the Game."

11-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1999-2009, mostly with the Orioles and Blue Jays

A lefty setup man for several years, he had a strong season in 2004 with a 2.28 ERA and 122 K in 87 IP

Was the Orioles' closer in 2005 with 36 saves, a 2.43 ERA, and 100 K in 70.1 IP

Signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent for 2006 and had 38 saves with a tidy 1.37 ERA, and then posted 32 saves with a 2.95 ERA in 2008, his final full season

Overall had 117 saves, a 3.37 ERA, and a 133 ERA+

So far has pitched 9 years in the majors, starting with six seasons for the Rockies, then pitching for the Angels and Phillies in 2023/2024, and finally the Royals in 2025

Was an All-Star with 31 saves for the Angels in 2023, then had 26 saves and a 2.45 ERA for the Angels and Phillies in 2024

Was an All-Star again in 2025 with a 2.45 ERA and an AL-leading 42 saves

Overall so far has 124 saves, a 3.97 ERA, and a 118 ERA+

13-year major league career, spanning from 1974-1988, mostly with the Reds, Astros, and Mets

Two-time All-Star

Mostly played 3B, with some time spent at 1B

Was a capable batsman with 10-14 HR four times and a .290+ average four times

Was World Series MVP for the Mets in 1986 after going 9-23 (.391) with a HR, a double, and 5 RBI

Managed the Reds in 1996 and 1997

Overall had a .271/.321/.390 slash line and a 99 OPS+

17-year major league career, spanning from 1967-1983, mostly with the Angels and Tigers

Was a strong defensive 3B, winning a Gold Glove Award in 1976. (He might have won more if he hadn't been in the same league as Brooks Robinson for the first half of his career.)

Was a low-average hitter, but had some pop with career highs of 19 HR and 83 RBI, and also 15 SB, in 1970

Overall had 124 HR and a .237 average

292 - Roger Clemens (1997)

271 - Roger Clemens (1998)

248 - Robbie Ray (2021)

237 - Kevin Gausman (2023)

231 - A.J. Burnett (2008)

A 2026 bounce-back candidate for each team, by MLB writers, 12/27/2025

10 players who hit key milestones in 2025, by Sarah Langs at MLB, 12/27/2025

Is Judge having the greatest peak for a righty hitter ... ever?, by Anthony Castrovince at MLB, 12/27/2025