The Baseball Buffet for 2/11/2026

The Tigers drafted Verlander with their first-round pick (second overall) in 2004, and he went on to win the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2006, and both the AL Cy Young Award and AL MVP Award for the Tigers in 2011.

He later won two more Cy Young Awards with the Astros, and has been an All-Star nine times.

A future Hall of Famer, Verlander will turn 43 later this month. and pitched last year with the Giants, posting a 3.85 ERA over 152 IP and 29 starts.

Outlook: The Tigers announced that Reese Olson is out for the entire season due to shoulder surgery, so Verlander will take his spot in the rotation, joining Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize.

Heim has played six years in the majors, mostly with the Rangers. He was an All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner in 2023, hitting .258 with 18 HR and 95 RBI as the primary catcher for the Rangers’ World Series Championship team that year.

His production dipped in 2024 with a .220 average and 13 HR, and then dipped further in 2025 with a .213 average and 11 HR.

Outlook: Now 30 years old, it is unclear what long-term role Heim might have with the Braves. Early in the year he will presumably be the backup catcher to Drake Baldwin, and allow Baldwin to rest his legs some as the DH at times. But at some point catcher Sean Murphy will return from his rehab after hip surgery. If they can all get enough playing time between C and DH, it could workout to have all three on the roster. But there is also Jurickson Profar as a likely DH, since the Braves have three other OF in Ronald Acuña Jr., Michael Harris II, and Mike Yastrzemski.

Quintana is a 37-year old lefty who has pitched 14 years in the majors, mostly with the White Sox and Cubs before spending shorter stints with six other clubs. He was an All-Star back in 2016, and overall has a 113-110 record and 3.76 ERA for his career.

In 2025 Quintana posted an 11-7 record and 3.96 ERA over 131.2 IP and 24 starts.

Sugano is a 36-year old RHP who had a 12-year career in his native Japan, with an impressive 136-75 record and 2.45 ERA.

In 2025 Sugano came over to MLB with the Orioles, and started 30 games putting up a 10-10 record and 4.64 ERA with 106 K in 157 IP.

Outlook: The additions of these two veterans are in addition to the Rockies previously adding starter Michael Lorenzen as well. There will be some competition in Spring Training for the rotation, but it would seem the Rockies are looking at some order of Kyle Freeland, Lorenzen, Quintana, Sugano, and second-year, 2023 first-round draft pick Chase Dollander, with Ryan Feltner, Tanner Gordon, and a few others also in the mix.

Civale is a 30-year old RHP who has pitched seven years in the majors, spending four and a half years with Cleveland and then the rest since with four other clubs.

In 2025 he jumped around with the Brewers, White Sox, and Cubs, and overall had a 4.85 ERA with 88 K in 102 IP over 23 appearances (18 starts).

Outlook: The Athletics look to have Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs as their 1-2 in the rotation, so Civale will presumably slot along with Jacob Lopez and Luis Morales somewhere in the 3-5 spots.

Hudson, a 28-year old lefty, had an outstanding season in 2024 with the Brewers, recording a 1.73 ERA and 62 K with only 28 hits allowed in 62.1 IP.

In 2025 he struggled in the majors for the Brewers and White Sox, with a 4.80 ERA over 15 IP and 16 appearances, and even at AAA too with a 5.97 ERA over 31.2 IP and 30 appearances.

Outlook: Hudson will need to have a good spring and display some of what he showed in 2024. But if he does he will join A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley as important southpaws in the Mets bullpen.

OF Ted Williams - Red Sox (1939-42, 46-60)

OF Reggie Jackson - Athletics (1968-75), Orioles (1976)

3B Graig Nettles - Yankees (1973-83), Padres (84-86), Expos (1988)

1B John Olerud - Blue Jays (1989-96)

1B/3B/C Joe Torre - Cardinals (1969-74), Mets (1975-77)

OF Enos Slaughter - Cardinals (1938-42, 46-53)

OF Minnie Miñoso - White Sox (1951-57, 60-61, 64, 76, 80) and three other clubs

3B Matt Williams - Giants (1989-96), Indians (97), Diamondbacks (1998-2003)

OF Roger Maris - Yankees (1960-66), Cardinals (1967-68)

OF Charlier Keller - Yankees (1939-43, 45, 49)

2B Bill Mazeroski - Pirates (1956-72)

1B Joe Adcock - Braves (1953-62)

OF Brady Anderson - Orioles (1989-2001), Indians (2002)

1B Brandon Belt - Giants (2011-22)

OF Marquis Grissom - Expos (1989-94) and four other clubs

3B Terry Pendleton - Cardinals (1984-90), Braves (1991-94), and two other clubs

OF Hank Bauer - Yankees (1952-59), Athletics (1960-61)

1911: Boston in the NL trade for Big Jeff Pfeffer… again. “The Chicago Cubs acquire second baseman Dave Shean from the Boston Rustlers for third baseman Scotty Ingerton and pitcher Big Jeff Pfeffer. This is the second time that Boston has traded with the Cubs for Big Jeff.”

1937: Connie Mack is interviewed on television. “Philadelphia Athletics owner and manager Connie Mack is interviewed by Boake Carter, one of the most famous journalists of the period, in a television demonstration by the Philco company to display its new technology. It is the first-ever baseball interview on television, although the audience consists only of selected guests at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, a few miles away from Philco's studio.”

1974: The beginning of the arbitration system. “A total of 48 players exercise their rights to settle their contracts through the new arbitration procedure. Pitcher Dick Woodson will become the first player to go through arbitration, winning his case against the Minnesota Twins.”

1977: The Giants trade Bobby Murcer to the Cubs for Bill Madlock. “The Chicago Cubs trade two-time National League batting champion Bill Madlock and infielder Rob Sperring to the San Francisco Giants for outfielder Bobby Murcer, third baseman Steve Ontiveros, and a minor league pitcher. In 1976, Madlock led the NL with a .339 mark, while Murcer hit 23 home runs and 90 RBI. Madlock leaves Chicago having hit .336 for them, which ties him with Riggs Stephenson for the top career average in team history.”

1994: Robin Yount announces his retirement. “Long-time Milwaukee Brewers star Robin Yount announces his retirement. The 38-year-old Yount leaves the game with 3,142 hits, 251 home runs, and two American League MVP Awards in 21 seasons. Yount will gain election to the Hall of Fame in 1999, his first year of eligibility.

2010: Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas each announce their retirement. “Two long-time baseball icons officially hang their spikes today, although neither played last season. Pitcher Tom Glavine, after 305 wins and two Cy Young Awards, accepts a position in the Atlanta Braves' front office as a special assistant to team President John Schuerholz, putting an end to any desire for a comeback attempt, which would have required undergoing another arm surgery. For his part, 1B/DH Frank Thomas, nicknamed "The Big Hurt", veteran of 19 seasons during which he hit .301 with 521 homers and 1,704 RBI, announces he will not attempt a comeback either. He last played for the Oakland Athletics in 2008 but could find no takers for his services last season. Both will be elected to the Hall of Fame in short order.”

18-year major league career, spanning from 1885-1903, playing all three OF positions, mostly with the Cubs

A good hitter with highs of a .357 average in 1894, .340 in 1890, and .332 in 1888, when he also led the NL with 182 hits and 16 HR

Had 10+ triples nine times, 100+ runs eight times, and 25+ SB nine times, including highs of 140 runs in 1889 and 60 SB in 1888

Overall had 419 SB, 1,643 runs, 157 triples, a .308/.375/.444 slash line, and a 124 OPS+

16-year major league career, spanning from 1971-1986, as a LF and RF for the Red Sox, Tigers, and Brewers

Three-time All-Star

Developed significant power in the second half of his career, with 20+ HR four times, including an AL-leading 41 HR for the Brewers in 1980

Hit over .300 twice, and had 10+ SB five times

Overall had 235 HR, 901 RBI, a .273/.336/.450 slash line, and a 118 OPS+

First-overall draft pick in 2015, taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks, but was traded later that year to the Atlanta Braves

So far has had a 10-year major league career with the Braves and Cubs

Two-time All-Star, while also earning two Gold Glove Awards at SS

Has had 20+ HR four times, and 15+ SB three times

Overall so far has 164 HR, 106 SB, and a .251/.318/.414 slash line

7-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1909-1915, all with the Red Sox

Had a 1.62 ERA over 244.2 IP in his first full season in 1910

Had a 19-8 record and 2.63 ERA in 1913, then a 20-13 record and 2.51 ERA in 1914

Overall had a 84-62 (.575) record, a 2.51 ERA, and a 115 ERA+

50 - Prince Fielder (2007)

46 - Prince Fielder (2009)

45 - Richie Sexson (2001)

45 - Richie Sexson (2003)

45 - Gorman Thomas (1979)

44 - Christian Yelich (2019)

Which top 20 prospects are headed for Opening Day rosters?, by Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo, and Ben Weinrib at MLB, 2/10/2026

5 key questions from the release of the PECOTA standings, by Thomas Harrigan at MLB, 2/10/2026

Relievers close out MLB Network's ranking of the Top 10 right now at every position, by Brian Murphy at MLB, 2/10/2026

Meet the 'young pups': Yanks arms who could make waves in '26, by Bryan Hoch at MLB, 2/10/2026