The Baseball Buffet for 2/10/2026

The Red Sox continue to build up their infield options. 25-year old Caleb Durbin came in third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting after batting .256 with 11 HR and 18 SB in 136 games. In 2024, across three minor league levels, he had 10 HR, 31 SB, and a .275 average.

28-year old Andruw Monasterio played all four infield positions for the Brewers in 2025, with a .270 average, 4 HR, and 2 SB in 68 games. And 26-year old Anthony Seigler played in 34 games as a rookie for Milwaukee in 2025, mostly at 3B.

Outlook for Boston: While Boston gave up one infielder in David Hamilton, they acquired three and Durbin is an upgrade as the leading candidate to start at 2B in 2026. While he mostly played 3B for the Brewers last year, he can play either position, so assuming Marcelo Mayer does well in Spring Training and wins the 3B job, Durbin would slot at the keystone. Monasterio and Seigler will compete at camp as well, but might not make the roster on Opening Day.

For the Brewers, David Hamilton brings speed having had 33 SB in 98 games in 2024 and 22 SB in 91 games in 2025. He saw his average drop from .248 to .198, so the Brewers are hoping for a rebound to get him on base more often.

Kyle Harrison is a former 3rd-round draft pick of the Giants in 2020. He had a 4.15 ERA over 7 starts in 2023, then had a 4.56 ERA over 124.1 IP and 24 starts in 2024. He was traded to the Red Sox last year as part of the package that sent Rafael Devers to San Francisco, but on the season he spent more time at AAA than in Boston. Overall in the majors he had a 4.04 ERA with 38 H in 35.2 IP.

Outlook for Milwaukee: The Brewers’ rotation seems likely to have Brandon Woodruff, Quinn Priester, Chad Patrick, and Jacob Misiorowski in the first four spots (in some order). So presumably Harrison will compete during Spring Training for the fifth spot with Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser, and Brandon Sproat. David Hamilton seems likely to make the Opening Day roster as a utility infield backup and pinch-running option.

The 35-year old Ozuna had a relatively down-year for the Braves in 2025, with a .232 average, 21 HR, and 68 RBI. One bright spot was a career-high 94 walks, which produced a more impressive .355 OBP.

In 2024 he was an All-Star for the third time in his career, with 39 HR, 104 RBI, and a .302 average. That followed a 40-HR and 100-RBI campaign in 2023. Overall in his 13-year career he has 296 HR, 948 RBI, a .269/.336/.469 slash line, and a 119 OPS+.

Although a good fielder earlier in his career, initially playing CF and then winning a Gold Glove as a LF in 2017, he has almost exclusively been a DH the past three seasons.

Outlook: This is the third addition of power to the Pirates this offseason, following 1B/OF Ryan O’Hearn and 2B Brandon Lowe. Ozuna will presumably be the near-everyday DH, with O’Hearn getting his ABs at 1B and LF, where he’ll share time with Spencer Horwitz and Jake Mangum, respectively. This acquisition also allows Jhostnyxon García, who can play all three OF positions, to develop with less pressure.

The 35-year old Martinez has pitched eight years in the majors, for the Rangers from 2014-2017 and then the Padres and Reds the past four years. From 2018-2021 he pitched in Japan.

He has usually been a mixed starter and reliever, with 129 starts out of his 280 total MLB appearances. In 2025 he had an 11-14 record and 4.45 ERA over 165.2 IP, making 26 starts but 40 total appearances.

Outlook: Assuming they are ready to go by Opening Day, Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen would seem to be the Rays solid 1-2 punch. Martinez would then be competing with Ryan Pepiot and Steven Matz to slot in rotation somewhere after them, with the ability to shift to the bullpen if he struggles at some point or someone else emerges as a strong starter (Joe Boyle and Ian Seymour are likely next in line).

Paddack was the Marlins 8th round draft pick in 2015. But he never pitched for the Marlins, as he was traded while still in the minors to the Padres.

Now 30-years old, he has pitched seven years in the majors, starting with an impressive rookie season in 2019 with a 3.33 ERA and 153 K in 140.2 IP. Injuries, including the need for a second Tommy John surgery in 2022, have limited his success.

In 2025, splitting his time between the Twins and Tigers, he had a 5.35 ERA with 112 K in 158 IP over 33 appearances (28 starts).

Outlook: The Marlins traded away Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers, so signing Paddack helps fill a gap and brings a veteran into their rotation mix. They will have Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez for sure, and it looks like Max Meyer and Braxton Garrett are ready to go for Spring Training too. So that leaves Paddack as perhaps the front-runner for the fifth rotation spot, but he will be pushed by Janson Junk, prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling, and others.

Fedde was the Nationals’ first-round draft pick (18th overall) in 2014. He pitched for them from 2017-22, then had an exceptional year in Korea with a 20-6 record, 2.00 ERA, and 209 K in 180.1 IP. That earned him a return to MLB, with the White Sox signing him for 2024. He did well in Chicago, but they traded him to the Cardinals at the deadline that year.

He will turn 33 later this month, and struggled in 2025 spending time with the Cardinals, Braves, and Brewers, with a cumulative 5.49 ERA and only 83 K in 141 IP.

Outlook: While Fedde struggled as a starter for the Cardinals and Braves last year, he had a 3.38 ERA as a reliever over 16 IP for the Brewers. I assume the White Sox have signed him to be a starter, and a veteran presence on the pitching staff in general. It seems likely that Shane Smith, Davis Martin, and Sean Burke will be in some order for the first three rotation spots. So Fedde will be in the mix with Anthony Kay, Jonathan Cannon, prospects Drew Thorpe and Noah Schultz, and others for the other two spots and bullpen roles.

SP Lefty Grove - Athletics (1931-33), Red Sox (1934-41)

3B Chipper Jones - Braves (1995-2012)

1B Johnny Mize - Cardinals (1936-1941)

3B Ron Santo - Cubs (1960-73), White Sox (1974)

OF Andre Dawson - Expos (1977-86), Red Sox (1993-94)

3B/OF Gary Sheffield - Padres (1992-93), Marlins (1993-98), Dodgers (1998-2001), Mets (2009)

3B Ron Cey - Dodgers (1971-82)

SP Tommy Bridges - Tigers (1933-46)

SS Miguel Tejada - Orioles (2004-07) and three other clubs

OF Rusty Staub - Astros (1963-68), Expos (1969-71), Mets (1975, 81-85), Tigers (1976-79)

SS Phil Rizzuto - Yankees (1941-56)

OF Lloyd Waner - Pirates (1932-41)

C Jim Sundberg - Rangers (1974-89)

SS/2B Marcus Semien - Athletics (2015-20), Blue Jays (2021)

C J.T. Realmuto - Phillies (2019-25)

3B Justin Turner - Dodgers (2014-22)

1B Edwin Encarnacion - Blue Jays (2011-16), Indians (2017-18), Mariners (2019)

OF Adam Jones - Mariners (2007), Orioles (2008-18), Diamondbacks (2019)

OF Justin Upton - Diamondbacks (2007-12)

C Sherm Lollar - White Sox (1953-63)

OF Vernon Wells - Blue Jays (2000-10), Angels (2011-12)

1B Chris Chambliss - Yankees (1974-79), Braves (1980-86)

1B Frank McCormick - Reds (1934, 39-45), Phillies (1947)

2B/1B Billy Goodman - Red Sox (1947-57), Orioles (1957)

SS/2B/3B Michael Young - Rangers (2002-12) and two other clubs

C Darren Daulton - Phillies (1983, 85-97)

SS Larry Bowa - Phillies (1970-81)

SS Tony Kubek - Yankees (1958-65)

1925: World Series schedule changes adopted. “At an American League meeting, a plan is adopted to alternate the site of future World Series openers by league rather than deciding it by a coin toss, with Games One, Two, Six, and Seven in one park and Three, Four, Five in the other, unless a ban on Sunday baseball interferes in one city.”

1971: Bill White becomes the first Black play-by-play MLB broadcaster. “Former player Bill White becomes the first black play-by-play broadcaster in major league history. WPIX-TV hires White to team with Phil Rizzuto and Frank Messer on New York Yankees broadcasts.”

1971: The Dodgers trade for Al Downing. “The Los Angeles Dodgers acquire left-handed pitcher Al Downing from the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Andy Kosco. Downing will win 20 games for the Dodgers this season. He will gain notoriety for a much different reason in 1974, when he surrenders Hank Aaron's record-breaking 715th home run.”

1975: Judy Johnson is elected to the Hall of Fame. “Former Negro Leagues player Judy Johnson wins election to the Hall of Fame. A third baseman in the 1920s and 1930s, Johnson batted .309 over a 17-year professional career.”

2000: The Mariners trade Ken Griffey Jr. to the Reds. “The Mariners trade future Hall of Famer and fan favorite Ken Griffey Jr. to the Reds for Mike Cameron and three prospects - Brett Tomko, Antonio Perez and Jake Meyer.”

Hall of Famer

22-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1912-1934, with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Athletics

Began his career with limited success with the Philadelphia Athletics until the Red Sox selected him off waivers in June of 1915. Served in the military in 1918, and then had four full seasons for Boston through 2022.

Had most of his best seasons for the Yankees, including six straight seasons with 16+ wins, with a 21-9 record and 2.83 ERA in 1924, and then a 23-11 record and 3.62 ERA in 1926. Went 19-8 with a 3.00 ERA for the famed 1927 Yankees.

Performed well in the World Series, with a 5-0 record in 10 appearances (5 starts), with a 1.95 ERA over 55.1 IP

Overall had a 241-162 (.598) record, a 3.60 ERA, and a 106 ERA+ (though he had a more solid 120 ERA+ during his ten-year peak)

13-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1942-1954, with the Yankees and Indians

Had a 2.99 ERA and led the AL with 151 K in his rookie season in 1943 for the Indians

Five-time All-Star

Had 16+ wins in six consecutive seasons for the Yankees, including a 19-8 record in 1947, and then a 20-8 mark in 1952 when he led the AL with a 2.06 ERA and 160 strikeouts

Had mixed results in the World Series, but did particularly well in 1952 with a 1.77 ERA over 20.1 IP in four appearances, notching a save in game 6 and the win in game 7. Similarly earned the save in game 5 in 1953 and earned the win in the decisive game 6 in 1953.

Overall had a 182-107 (.630) record, a 3.30 ERA, and a 109 ERA+

First-round draft pick (16th overall) in 1997 by the Astros

15-year major league career, spanning from 1999-2013, mostly with the Astros, but with some time spent towards the end with the Yankees, Cardinals, and Rangers

Six-time All-Star and played a mix of 1B and all three OF positions

Had 25+ HR nine times, with highs of 42 HR in 2002 and 45 HR in 2006

Had 100+ RBI six times, including leading the NL with 128 RBI in 2002, and then posting a career-high 136 RBI in 2006

Led the NL with 55 doubles in 2001 and 46 doubles in 2008

Was generally a good postseason performer, with a .317/.417/.532 slash line and 9 HR in 52 games

Overall had 366 HR, 1,234 RBI, a .293/.406/.537 slash line, and a 144 OPS+

12-year major league career, spanning from 1985-1996, with the Mets and Phillies

Three-time All-Star as a CF

Had 25+ SB seven times

Hit .325 and led the NL with 192 hits in 1990

Came in second in the NL MVP vote in 1993 after batting .305 with a .420 OBP, 19 HR, 37 SB, and leading the NL with 129 BB, 194 hits, and 143 runs

Was a strong postseason performer, with a .321/.433/.661 slash line, 10 HR, and 5 SB in 32 games

Overall had 285 SB, a .285/.375/.419 slash line, and a 120 OPS+

First-round draft pick (2nd overall) in 2005 by the Royals

14-year major league career, spanning from 2007-2020, all with the Royals

Three-time All-Star, and won eight Gold Gloves for his outstanding defense in LF

Had some power and some speed, with 15+ HR six times, and 10+ SB six times

Led the AL with 51 doubles in 2012

Overall had 190 HR, 113 SB, a .257/.338/.410 slash line, and a 102 OPS+

12-year major league career in the Negro Leagues, spanning from 1937-1948, mostly with the Washington/Baltimore Elite Giants

Was an All-Star in five seasons

Mostly played CF, and led his league in runs four times, hits once, doubles once, triples once, RBI once, SB once, and batting average once with a .385 mark in 64 games in 1947

Overall had a .300/.394/.434 slash line and a 127 OPS+

10-year major league career, spanning from 1884-1893, playing mostly CF for six different clubs in the AA and NL

Had a lot of speed on the bases, with 50+ SB six times and highs of 89 SB in 1887 and 95 SB in 1888

Scored 100+ runs five times, with a high of 134 runs in 1889

Overall had 453 SB (not counting his first two seasons where we lack data), a .263/.345/.353 slash line, and a 108 OPS+

Sadly, Welch was a heavy drinker and poor health, and died at the early age of 34.

47 - Jeff Bagwell, 2000

45 - Lance Berkman, 2006

44 - Richard Hidalgo, 2000

43 - Jeff Bagwell, 1997

42 - Jeff Bagwell, 1999

42 - Lance Berkman, 2002

41 - Alex Bregman, 2019

Every team's projected Opening Day lineup and rotation, by MLB writers, 2/9/2026

13 must-watch pitchers in Spring Training, by David Adler at MLB, 2/9/2026

Freeman tops list of best first basemen, with young star hot on his heels at No. 2, by Brian Murphy at MLB, 2/9/2026