The Athletics are in agreement with free agent relief pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. on a one-year deal worth around $3 million, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Leiter Jr. will turn 35 years old in March 2026. Across 48 1/3 innings (59 games) with the New York Yankees last season, Leiter Jr. pitched to a 6-7 record with a 4.84 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts. Leiter Jr.'s 3.72 xERA and inflated .374 opponent batting average on balls in play could be indicators of poor luck and better results going forward. Still, Leiter Jr. also saw his strikeout rate drop from an excellent 33.6% in 2024 to 24.7% in 2025, his lowest mark since the 2018 season. Leiter Jr. has a tiny bit of closing experience, recording seven saves across two seasons with the Chicago Cubs in 2022 and 2023. With the Athletics, Leiter Jr. could have an outside chance at the closer role, but is more likely ticketed for middle relief.

San Diego Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller recently shut down any possible trade speculation surrounding outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr., telling Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune that Tatis is "somebody that we're not talking about." Preller has been known for making big moves in the trade market during his time in charge in San Diego, but it does not appear that the team is interested in trading away its superstar. Across 691 plate appearances for the Padres in 2025, Tatis Jr. slashed .268/.368/.446 with 25 home runs, 71 RBI, 111 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases. He upped his walk rate to a career high 12.9% while also slashing his strikeout rate to a career low 18.7%. San Diego has Tatis Jr. locked up under contract through 2034, so there is little impetus for the team to move him other than to save money or get back a monstrous haul of talent.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reports that the Detroit Tigers "surprised teams by engaging in serious talks" around the possibility of trading starting pitcher Tarik Skubal at the winter meetings this week. Nightengale goes on to predict that Detroit will hang on to Skubal, but it's still noteworthy that the team is apparently willing to listen to offers for its star pitcher. The 29-year-old has won back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards. Across 195 1/3 innings (31 starts) in 2025, Skubal pitched to a 13-6 record with a 2.21 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 241 strikeouts. While the Tigers presumably expect to contend, Skubal can be a free agent at the end of the 2026 season. If the team is unwilling to shell out a monster contract, it could decide that getting a trade return for Skubal is better than watching him leave for nothing.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he views second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. as "currently part of the solution," but that the team will be "open-minded" when asked about a possible trade, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. While it doesn't appear that the Yankees are actively shopping Chisholm Jr., it seems that the team may listen to the right offer. Across 531 plate appearances in the Bronx last season, Chisholm Jr. slashed .242/.332/.481 with 31 home runs, 80 RBI, 75 runs scored, and 31 stolen bases. He will play the entire 2026 season, his final year under club control, at 28 years old. If the Yankees don't view Chisholm Jr. as part of their long-term plans, they could look to move on. However, a Chisholm Jr. trade would leave what is presumably a win-now team with a hole at second base. Depending on how the rest of New York's offseason progresses, Chisholm Jr. could be a name to monitor.