Non-White Sox Off-Season Hot Stove

[WestEddy]

Source: The #Cubs and RHP Tyler Beede have agreed to a minor league deal.

Beede pitched in the Twins system in 2025. pic.twitter.com/Py5i0ZRe77

— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) January 11, 2026

[WestEddy]

The #Braves have traded LHP Ken Waldichuk and INF Brett Wisely to the Tampa Bay #Rays in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later.#MLB

— 6ixDiamondClub (@6ixDiamondClub) January 12, 2026

[greg775]

As far as the Cub ... Bregman's stats from last year (18 homers?? That's all?) make me think he's way overpaid by the Cub.

[Snopek]

7 hours ago, greg775 said:

As far as the Cub ... Bregman's stats from last year (18 homers?? That's all?) make me think he's way overpaid by the Cub.

He missed almost 50 games last year.

It’s still an overpay, but if you’re a contending team and your main focus is to not overpay for a good player, well, you’re not gonna be signing any good players.

[southsider2k5]

Honestly? The Bregman deal is going to age horribly.   They should have just manned up for Tucker after trading valuable assets for him.

[PaleAleSox]

20 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Honestly? The Bregman deal is going to age horribly.   They should have just manned up for Tucker after trading valuable assets for him.

Yeah he is giving them 1.5 good years at most. 

[WhiteSox2023]

1 hour ago, PaleAleSox said:

Yeah he is giving them 1.5 good years at most. 

I’d go over on that,  but probably 3 of the 5.

[DirtySox]

 

[WhiteSox2023]

13 minutes ago, DirtySox said:

 

I’d probably jump all over this if I was the Cubs but they are trying to win now, so they probably won’t move Hoerner.  But he’s a FA after 2026 and I would damn sure take advantage of Hoerner’s 6.2 bWAR from last season that I would be shocked if he ever matches again.  Then they could just start SoxTalk’s favorite player at 2B.

[Bob Sacamano]

7 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

I’d probably jump all over this if I was the Cubs but they are trying to win now, so they probably won’t move Hoerner.  But he’s a FA after 2026 and I would damn sure take advantage of Hoerner’s 6.2 bWAR from last season that I would be shocked if he ever matches again.  Then they could just start SoxTalk’s favorite player at 2B.

They could, at the very least, offer a QO at the end of the 2026 season if they hold onto him so there is still value in keeping him. Guy is still a good player even if he doesn’t replicate 6.2 WAR season.

[WhiteSox2023]

25 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

They could, at the very least, offer a QO at the end of the 2026 season if they hold onto him so there is still value in keeping him. Guy is still a good player even if he doesn’t replicate 6.2 WAR season.

I would have a hard time giving Hoerner a qualifying offer of $22+ million dollars for 2027.  I’m sure some team would give him a long-term deal but I would be sweating it.

[Bob Sacamano]

6 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

I would have a hard time giving Hoerner a qualifying offer of $22+ million dollars for 2027.  I’m sure some team would give him a long-term deal but I would be sweating it.

His WAR in order since 2022: 4.2, 5.5, 3.7, 6.2.

I wouldn’t worry about it.

Edited 1 hour ago by Bob Sacamano

[Bob Sacamano]

Giants: May we interest you in a lightly used Lenyn Sosa?

[WestEddy]

TRADE NEWS: The Arizona Diamondbacks are in serious discussions to acquire third baseman Nolan Arenado from the St. Louis Cardinals, multiple sources tell The Athletic.

— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) January 13, 2026

[Buehrle>Wood]

13 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

37 mil owed still by the Cardinals. Interesting to see return and what money they send. 

[Bob Sacamano]

6 minutes ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

37 mil owed still by the Cardinals. Interesting to see return and what money they send. 

Cards are sending $26M over (DBacks pay $5M in ‘26 and $6M in ‘27) and getting back an 8th round pick from last year.

Edited 1 hour ago by Bob Sacamano

[WhiteSox2023]

Arenado has been on the decline since the 2022 season.  Crazy that these old vets can still get acquired, even if their bloated salaries are mostly covered.  He’s not going to improve in his age 35 season.

Edited 1 hour ago by WhiteSox2023

[Bob Sacamano]

3 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Arenado has been on the decline since the 2022 season.  Crazy that these old vets can still get acquired, even if their bloated salaries are mostly covered.  He’s not going to improve in his age 35 season.

He’s still good defensively. For the price, I think he’s fine. I still feel like they need to add another bat somewhere though so he’s at least hitting in the bottom third of the order.

[Capn12]

 

 

[WestEddy]

This was the point of my post in the old hot stove string. Nobody's sending "prospects" to get a team to take on bad contracts. they sent money and even got a minor league arm back. 

 

[Buehrle>Wood]

Yeah that stuff just doesnt happen in MLB. That is a NBA and NFL move due to cap manipulation. 

[WestEddy]

1 minute ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

Yeah that stuff just doesnt happen in MLB. That is a NBA and NFL move due to cap manipulation. 

Every Twitter string has somebody suggesting the White Sox take on a bad contract to pick up "one or two prospects", like that's a thing that happens regularly. 

[chitownsportsfan]

1 minute ago, WestEddy said:

Every Twitter string has somebody suggesting the White Sox take on a bad contract to pick up "one or two prospects", like that's a thing that happens regularly. 

At best they'd get a back end top 100 guy to take on like 20-30 million of salary. Not sure that's a great use of resources. 

[southsider2k5]

11 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Every Twitter string has somebody suggesting the White Sox take on a bad contract to pick up "one or two prospects", like that's a thing that happens regularly. 

If the Sox (or Dbacks in this case) would have taken on the full deal, the returns would have been much different.

[WhiteSox2023]

26 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

This was the point of my post in the old hot stove string. Nobody's sending "prospects" to get a team to take on bad contracts. they sent money and even got a minor league arm back. 

 

Besides the fact that the Sox already have one bloated LF/DH salary in Benintendi for two more years that they don’t want, and another $20 million dollar salary in Robert that they have been looking to trade.