Free Agent Rumor - Baseball Wiretap

Industry sources now view a shorter-term contract with opt-outs as a more likely outcome for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal following his recent elbow surgery, according to reporting from ESPN. The procedure has shifted expectations around what had projected to be one of the largest pitching contracts in MLB history.

Earlier this month, Skubal underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. The operation adds to an extensive surgical history that includes Tommy John surgery in 2016 and flexor tendon surgery in August 2022.

Before the latest procedure was announced, an industry straw poll of executives, scouts and agents projected Skubal's free agent value at an average of 7.7 years and $357 million, roughly $46 million per year. Those figures would have surpassed Max Scherzer's record average annual value of $43.3 million and Yoshinobu Yamamoto's guaranteed money mark of $325 million.

The elbow surgery has introduced fresh durability concerns that could reduce Skubal's open-market value. His agent, Scott Boras, has indicated the 29-year-old could return to the mound relatively soon this season.

Sources cautioned that predicting Skubal's performance upon return, the state of his free agent market, and the potential impact of MLB's labor situation remains difficult. The consensus view, however, is that a shorter deal structured with opt-outs now represents a more realistic path to keeping Skubal in Detroit than it did prior to this injury.

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal could return to the rotation significantly earlier than initially expected following elbow surgery, according to his agent Scott Boras. The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner had a loose bone chip removed, with early optimism pointing to a return sometime in early June.

When the Tigers first announced the procedure, speculation centered on a return after the All-Star break. But Boras told ESPN's Baseball Tonight podcast that the minimally invasive nature of the surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache should shorten the rehabilitation timeline considerably.

"We think that's going to be a much shorter period of rehabilitation," Boras said. "And he'll be able to return to performance at just a much, much earlier stage."

The key factor is the surgical instrument used. Rather than a standard arthroscopic procedure, which typically carries a two-to-three month recovery, ElAttrache used a NanoScope device that Boras described as far less invasive.

"This is really almost like receiving a shot," Boras said of the instrument, which he referred to as "a Skubal scope."

Because the procedure was less disruptive, Skubal will not need to rebuild arm strength from scratch, preserving the conditioning he developed through his offseason program, spring training and seven regular-season starts.

A swift return would benefit both the injury-depleted Tigers and Skubal himself, who is eligible for free agency this fall. He posted a 2.70 ERA before elbow discomfort following his April 29 start prompted the decision to have the chip removed.

Skubal is projected to sign a free agent contract between $400 million and $500 million.

The Philadelphia Phillies released veteran right-hander Taijuan Walker on Thursday morning, absorbing roughly $15 million in remaining salary. Walker's 9.13 ERA in 22⅔ innings this season made his roster spot unsustainable.

"He has tried everything he possibly can, just has not been able to be effective for us this past year," said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.

Walker surrendered eight home runs across his 2026 appearances, finishing his Philadelphia tenure with a 5.12 ERA over 89 outings. Only four pitchers in franchise history have logged more than 70 starts with an ERA above 5.00. He was in the final year of a four-year, $72 million contract.

Manager Rob Thomson spoke warmly of Walker despite the struggles.

"He's one of the best teammates and best people I've ever been around," Thomson said. "This guy always took the ball, never refused it, always answered questions after the game. This guy's a pro, and I'm going to miss him."

The move leaves Philadelphia's rotation depth thin. Dombrowski and Thomson pointed to Alan Rangel as one potential option, though he was optioned to Triple-A Thursday to maintain his turn. Prospect Jean Cabrera carries a 9.00 ERA in 16 innings at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

The Phillies have now committed $19.2 million to released outfielder Nick Castellanos and $15 million to Walker — a combined $34.2 million in dead money this season.

Walker is the ninth free-agent signing Dombrowski has released during a season or spring training since joining Philadelphia in December 2020.

The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres are monitoring free agent right-hander Lucas Giolito as injuries continue to thin both clubs' pitching staffs, league sources told The Athletic on Tuesday.

Chicago's rotation has already taken significant hits as Cade Horton was advised to undergo season-ending elbow surgery, while Matthew Boyd is nearing a return from a strained left biceps. High-leverage relievers Phil Maton and Hunter Harvey are also sidelined, straining the entire pitching staff.

San Diego's need for pitching may be equally urgent. Nick Pivetta exited Sunday's start with right elbow stiffness and is likely headed to the injured list. Pivetta finished sixth in NL Cy Young Award voting last season after posting a 2.87 ERA across 181 innings. His contract includes a provision converting to a $14 million club option for 2027 if he spends at least 130 consecutive days on the injured list due to a specified injury.

The Padres' pursuit of Giolito could be complicated by the final stages of the franchise's ongoing sale process, which may limit financial flexibility in baseball operations.

Giolito, 31, went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts for the Boston Red Sox last season before declining a $19 million mutual option to test free agency. The Cubs project him as a back-of-rotation option. His absence through spring training and into April tempers expectations, though he has maintained his workload with bullpen sessions of approximately 75 pitches.

"The last few months have been very strange," Giolito said on the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast. "Talks seem like they're heating up, and then it's like, 'Oh, OK, never mind.' I just want to play for close to what my value is."

A realistic timeline for Giolito's availability in a major league game appears to be sometime in May. Chicago projects him as a rotation addition that could push an existing starter to the bullpen, adding roster flexibility as the season develops.

The New York Yankees have designated Cade Winquest for assignment without him appearing for the team in a game. The Yankees selected Winquest from the St. Louis Cardinals during the Rule 5 draft in December. 

The Yankees needed to create a roster spot for Luis Gil, who was recalled from Triple-A. 

Winquest went 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA during spring training.

Konnor Griffin, MLB's top-ranked prospect, has signed a nine-year, $140 million extension with the Pittsburgh Pirates less than a week after his major-league debut, league sources confirmed to The Athletic. The deal, which carries no deferrals, opt-outs or options, can reach $150 million through performance incentives.

The contract is the largest in Pirates history, surpassing Bryan Reynolds' previous club-record $106.75 million extension. Pittsburgh has historically used early extensions with homegrown players, including Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte and Ke'Bryan Hayes, as a core competitive strategy.

"All I'm going to say is, I want to be a Pirate for a long time," Griffin said last week. "This is a special place, and I'm thankful to be here."

Griffin, who turns 20 on April 24, became the youngest Pirates player to record a hit in his debut since Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski in 1956. Through five games, he is batting 3-for-17, though his exceptional speed and polished defense at shortstop have drawn immediate praise.

The timing of the extension carries strategic significance. By waiting until after Griffin's debut to formalize the agreement, Pittsburgh preserved eligibility for MLB's Prospect Promotion Incentive. The program awards a draft pick to clubs whose early-promoted prospects finish in the top three of NL MVP voting or win NL Rookie of the Year.

Griffin's deal follows a growing trend of pre-prime extensions for elite prospects. The Seattle Mariners recently signed shortstop Colt Emerson to an eight-year, $95 million deal before his MLB debut, while the Milwaukee Brewers committed eight years and $51 million to minor-league shortstop Cooper Pratt.

The Pirates have reached the postseason just three times since 1992. Griffin represents the franchise's most significant homegrown investment in decades.

Trevor Bauer has signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, the club announced Thursday. The former NL Cy Young Award winner is projected to start on Opening Day when the Ducks begin their season April 21 in Central Islip, N.Y.

The signing marks Bauer's first appearance with a U.S.-based team since June 2021. MLB suspended him in 2022 for violating its joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, the longest suspension levied under that policy since its 2015 implementation, originally set at 324 games before an arbitration panel reduced it to 194.

"We are excited to welcome Trevor to Long Island," said Ducks president/CBO Michael Pfaff. "His talent and knowledge will be important additions to our ballclub, and we are happy to offer him this opportunity to showcase his talents to MLB clubs while giving fans unprecedented access to Ducks baseball."

Bauer, 35, spent 2025 with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan, going 4-10 with a 4.41 ERA across 21 outings. His first BayStars stint in 2023 was considerably stronger, a 11-4 record with a 2.59 ERA in 24 starts. In between, he went 10-0 with a 2.48 ERA for Diablos Rojos del Mexico in 2024.

The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Bauer third overall out of UCLA in 2011. He earned an All-Star selection with Cleveland in 2018 and captured the NL Cy Young during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, posting a 1.73 ERA with 100 strikeouts over 73 innings for Cincinnati. He subsequently signed a three-year, $102 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who released him in January 2023.

The Atlantic League serves as a professional partner league with MLB, offering veteran players a path back to the majors. Bauer joins a notable list of former big leaguers who have pursued comebacks with the Ducks, including Rich Hill, Dontrelle Willis and Daniel Murphy.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are engaged in active contract negotiations with shortstop Konnor Griffin, ESPN's top-ranked prospect for 2026, sources told ESPN. Talks have been ongoing since early spring training, with the two sides apart on overall value.

Pittsburgh's proposals are structured closer to the eight-year, $111 million deal Corbin Carroll signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023. Griffin's representatives are seeking terms nearer to the eight-year, $130 million agreement Roman Anthony reached with the Boston Red Sox last August, sources told ESPN.

Griffin, who turns 20 later this month, was the ninth overall pick in the 2024 draft. The 6-foot-3, 222-pound shortstop batted .333 with a .941 OPS across the minor leagues last season and hit four home runs in 16 spring training games. Pittsburgh assigned him to Triple-A Indianapolis, where he has collected six hits in his first 13 at-bats.

The Pirates enter this period with genuine competitive aspirations. Staff ace Paul Skenes anchors the rotation, and Pittsburgh bolstered its offense this offseason by trading for Brandon Lowe and signing free agents Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna.

A long-term commitment to Griffin would likely resonate with a fan base that has grown impatient with the franchise's modest payrolls and sustained struggles over the past decade.

The negotiations unfold amid a wave of pre-service-time signings leaguewide. The Seattle Mariners recently signed prospect Colt Emerson to an eight-year, $95 million deal, while the Milwaukee Brewers signed Cooper Pratt to an eight-year, $50.75 million contract this week.

Seattle Mariners shortstop prospect Colt Emerson has agreed to an eight-year, $95 million extension, the largest contract in MLB history for a player with zero major league service time, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday. The deal can reach a maximum value of $130 million and includes a ninth-year team option and a full no-trade clause.

Emerson, 20, remains at Triple-A Tacoma, where he is hitting .357 with a home run through his first three games. He is ESPN's sixth-ranked prospect heading into 2026.

The left-handed hitter was Seattle's 22nd overall selection in the 2023 draft out of an Ohio high school. Last season he slashed .285/.383/.458 with 16 home runs and 78 RBIs across three minor league levels.

Scouts project Emerson as a 20-home run threat with an above-average on-base profile and reliable shortstop defense. A strong spring training, .268/.340/.488 with two home runs, accelerated confidence in his defensive capabilities at the position.

Emerson is widely expected to replace J.P. Crawford as Seattle's everyday shortstop in 2027, when Crawford enters free agency.

The extension adds Emerson to a growing core of players under long-term agreements. Julio Rodriguez is signed through 2034, Cal Raleigh through 2030, and Josh Naylor through 2030.

The agreement arrives one day after the Milwaukee Brewers reportedly locked up shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt to an eight-year, $50.75 million deal.

The Milwaukee Brewers are finalizing an eight-year, $51 million contract extension with shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt, sources confirmed to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. The deal includes two club options with escalators and would be signed before Pratt has appeared in a single major league game.

Pratt, 21, has played just three Triple-A games this season and ranked 99th on The Athletic's top 100 prospect list entering the year. He is regarded as an elite defensive shortstop with strong contact skills and plate discipline, though analysts note he needs to develop more consistent power to become an above-average regular at the position.

Last season at Double-A Biloxi, Pratt batted .238 with eight home runs, 31 stolen bases and a .691 OPS.

The commitment mirrors a move Milwaukee made in 2023, when the organization signed outfield prospect Jackson Chourio to an eight-year, $82 million extension before his big-league debut. The Brewers have demonstrated a willingness to lock up high-ceiling prospects early, absorbing pre-arbitration and free-agent years in exchange for cost certainty on potential cornerstones.