Live Updates on Every Trade, Signing, and Roster Move
Last Updated: January 16, 2026 - 11:00 AM ET
The Chicago Cubs have landed their franchise third baseman, signing Alex Bregman to a 5-year, $175 million contract with $70 million in deferrals. Bregman, a two-time All-Star with a career 133 wRC+, gives Chicago the lineup protection they've been missing.
Cubs win total has moved from 87.5 to 89.5 wins. NL Central odds improved from +320 to +260. The lineup protection effect is real. Bregman's patient approach forces pitchers to attack the zone against the hitters in front of him. Chicago is now a legitimate division contender.
The Polar Bear heads to Baltimore. Pete Alonso has signed a 5-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles, adding massive power to an already potent lineup. Alonso hit 35 HR and drove in 88 RBI in 2025 despite a down year by his standards.
Orioles win total climbed from 87.5 to 91.5 wins. Their World Series odds improved to +850. Combined with Helsley, Ward, and Baz additions, Baltimore is all-in for 2026. The AL East is now a four-team gauntlet.
The Toronto Blue Jays have landed the top starting pitcher on the market, signing Dylan Cease to a massive $210 million contract. Cease has been one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball, eclipsing 200 strikeouts and making 32+ starts in each of the past five seasons.
This is a franchise-altering move. Cease gives Toronto a true ace they've been missing since the Robbie Ray days. Expect Blue Jays World Series odds to improve from +2200 to around +1400. AL East futures become more interesting with Toronto now a legitimate contender alongside the Yankees and Orioles.
Josh Naylor has agreed to a 5-year, $92.5 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and no deferrals. Naylor gives Seattle the power bat they've desperately needed in the middle of their lineup.
Seattle finally addresses their offensive woes. Naylor's power (30+ HR upside) and run production should boost their win total from 84.5 to around 88.5 wins. The AL West just got more competitive. Target Mariners OVER on win totals.
In a blockbuster trade, the Baltimore Orioles have acquired outfielder Taylor Ward from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez. This is a clear win-now move for Baltimore.
Orioles: Ward adds a proven bat (.280+ hitter with 20+ HR power) to an already potent lineup. Combined with their Helsley signing, Baltimore is all-in for 2026. World Series odds should improve to around +900.
Angels: Rodriguez has ace upside but command issues. This signals LA is rebuilding around their young core. Fade Angels futures.
The Boston Red Sox have acquired veteran starter Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals are covering $20 million of the $41 million Gray is owed over the next two seasons.
Red Sox: Gray gives them a veteran innings-eater as they rebuild their rotation. Good value with the Cardinals eating salary. Boston still needs more moves to contend.
Cardinals: Clear salary dump as St. Louis enters a retooling phase. Their window may be closing.
Two major closer signings: Ryan Helsley has agreed to a deal with the Baltimore Orioles, while Raisel Iglesias returns to the Atlanta Braves on a 1-year, $16 million contract.
Both teams address bullpen needs. Helsley gives Baltimore an elite closer to lock down late leads. Iglesias provides stability for Atlanta's ninth inning. Both teams become more reliable for run line betting.
The New York Mets have signed elite reliever Devin Williams, who saved 18 games for the Yankees in 2025 after being traded from the Brewers. Williams adds late-inning dominance to an already improving Mets bullpen.
Steve Cohen continues to spend. Williams' devastating changeup makes the Mets a legitimate threat in close games. Combined with potential Edwin DÃaz return, the Mets bullpen could be elite. NL East is shaping up to be a dogfight.
Four notable players accepted their $22.025 million qualifying offers: Trent Grisham (Yankees), Gleyber Torres (Tigers), Brandon Woodruff (Brewers), and Shota Imanaga (Cubs). All return to their respective teams for 2026.
The Woodruff and Imanaga acceptances are the biggest stories. Milwaukee keeps their ace, and Chicago retains their electric lefty. Both teams get rotation stability that should be factored into win total projections.
The New York Yankees have re-signed former MVP Cody Bellinger to a 5-year, $162.5 million contract after his excellent 2025 campaign (131 wRC+). Combined with the Max Fried signing, the Yankees made massive moves this offseason.
The Yankees have become serious AL pennant contenders. Bellinger's left-handed power plays perfectly to Yankee Stadium's short porch. Combined with Max Fried (8yr/$218M), the Yankees are all-in on 2026. Expect their World Series odds to shorten significantly.
In a blockbuster deal, the Tampa Bay Rays have traded ace Tyler Glasnow to the New York Yankees in exchange for their #2 prospect SS Jasson Dominguez, RHP Drew Thorpe, and OF Everson Pereira. The Yankees also received cash considerations to offset Glasnow's $25M salary.
Yankees: Adding Glasnow to pair with Gerrit Cole creates arguably the best 1-2 punch in the American League. Their World Series odds should move from +650 to around +475. This signals they're all-in for 2026.
Rays: Classic Tampa move - selling high on a pitcher entering his age-32 season. They're clearly punting on 2026 to reload their farm system. Win total will likely drop from 86.5 to around 79.5.
The defending World Series champion Texas Rangers have brought back veteran ace Nathan Eovaldi on a 3-year, $75 million deal. Eovaldi was dominant in their playoff run and the Rangers made retaining him a top priority.
Smart move by Texas to keep their championship window open. Eovaldi gives them stability at the top of the rotation alongside Jacob deGrom (when healthy). The Rangers remain legitimate World Series contenders at around +850. Their AL West odds stay competitive at +240.
The New York Yankees landed elite left-hander Max Fried with the largest guarantee ever for a left-handed pitcher: 8 years, $218 million. Fried brings postseason pedigree (1.52 career playoff ERA) and elite ground-ball rates to anchor the Yankees rotation.
The Yankees now have a bonafide ace at the top of their rotation. Combined with the Cody Bellinger signing, New York has spent over $380 million this offseason. Their World Series odds have shortened dramatically. This is the kind of bold move that wins championships.
Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout underwent successful knee surgery and is expected to miss the first 6-8 weeks of the 2026 season. This is another setback for the perennial MVP candidate who has battled injuries in recent years.
Brutal news for Angels bettors. Their win total was already sitting at a modest 78.5, and losing Trout for 2 months could push it down to 73.5 wins. The Angels were long shots for the AL West (+1800) and this essentially ends any playoff hopes before the season even starts. Fade the Angels early season until Trout returns.
In a complex three-team trade, the Cincinnati Reds have sent ace Luis Castillo to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers sent prospects to both Cincinnati and Cleveland, while Cleveland sent veteran OF Tyler Naquin to Cincinnati to complete the deal.
Dodgers: Already the NL favorites, adding Castillo makes them absolutely loaded. World Series odds drop from +350 to around +275. They're building an All-Star rotation.
Reds: Full rebuild mode. They're punting on 2026-2027 to stockpile prospects. Win total could fall below 70.
The Seattle Mariners addressed their biggest weakness by signing elite closer Jordan Romano to a 3-year, $48 million contract. Romano brings a proven track record and stabilizes the back end of Seattle's bullpen.
Smart signing for a team that lost countless close games last year. Adding Romano should be worth 4-6 additional wins just by converting saves they blew in 2025. Seattle's win total moves from 84.5 to around 87.5. They're legitimate AL West contenders at +320.