Blue Jays Meet Kyle Tucker?! Pirates’ Next Move, Cubs–Bregman Buzz & Joe Ryan’s Future

Blue Jays Meet Kyle Tucker?! Pirates’ Next Move, Cubs–Bregman Buzz & Joe Ryan’s Future

All right, everybody. Welcome back to the Baseball Insiders. As you can see, I am doing a solo pod today, which is always a good good time. I wish Adam the best as he is currently, I believe, on vacation, which honestly, good for him. He deserves it. This is a pretty crazy time of year, but we are only a matter of days away before I hit the winter meetings. And let me tell you, it is going to be absolutely chaotic. I expect to get very little sleep. My sleep schedule’s already kind of screwed up, which is which is always fun. Always. Well, not the most fun thing in the entire world, but the Dallas Cowboys lost yesterday, which I mean, that makes it that much easier for me. But I’m anxious to talk some baseball because oh boy, do we got a lot to talk about because I I dropped a pretty fun one the other day about Kyle Tucker and the Blue Jays. We’ll be diving into that here in a little bit. Um, but before further ado, just want to make sure everybody reads our stuff on fans.com because we’re going to be having a ton of insight there from the winter meetings. Obviously have the podcast here. Please join the Discord because especially at the winter meetings, I’m going to be dropping plenty of information in there and kind of giving people a behind thes scenes look into what that looks like for me and what I’m hearing. So, let’s dive into it cuz I think everybody here is going to be wanting to talk about Kyle Tucker and the Blue Jays cuz I dropped a report that Tucker was spotted visiting the Blue Jays and touring their facilities there in Deneden, which let me tell you like that facility is one of the best in baseball. Like, it’s a huge selling point for so many different players and something that the Blue Jays are eager to do and are eager to like show players because it’s like a as I said, it’s a huge selling point. This does not mean a deal is close. I want to make that abundantly clear like this is still we’re early in the process here is kind of my feel on this entire thing. Uh but the Blue Jays by having Tucker there in their facility absolutely shows that they’re interested in the Slugger and honestly how could they not be. He’s one of the best players in baseball. He can hit, he can play defense, he can steal bases. Obviously health is a question there for sure, but he’s a player that I would have absolutely no problems whatsoever building my team around. Also, Andrew Lee, this is a live show. I am like this is actually a live show. So this is ask as many questions as you guys want to uh because I will be answering plenty of questions throughout the show and even towards the end of the show. But as far as Tucker goes, he is someone who obviously the Jays are interested, but there’s plenty of other interests as well. Do I expect a return to the Cubs? No. Uh but he’s going to do very well in free agency even if it does take a little bit of time because contracts of that magnitude are um they’re pretty difficult to facilitate and there’s going to be a bunch of different suitors involved and and if he’s taking a visit with the Jays that to me like this is not sourced by any means but it wouldn’t surprise me whatsoever if he ends up taking other visits as well. So that’s something to keep in mind here. Um but clearly the Jays are a player here on this front. Um, let’s talk about the big trade that ended up happening yesterday between the Pirates and and the Red Sox. Five player deal. Sent Johan Oedo to the Red Sox in exchange for the password which and other players as well. I remember that trade got sent to me and it legitimately felt like like alphabet soup. There was a bunch a bunch of different names in there uh that were kind of difficult to pronounce. But overall, I really like this trade from a pirates perspective. They they obviously they got a a young bat in that line now with Password who has upside. They’re really happy about him. Those talks were happening for quite a while and they landed a player in him that they really wanted. The Red Sox got more pitching depth which to me is pretty interesting here. Um because they have I mean they’ve already made the Sunny Gay trade. They had plenty of other pitching depth as well, but they got Johan Odo in this trade who um I I I think it’s a smart move by them. it adds to their pitching depth and knowing how the Red Sox prioritize pitching. You can never really rule them out from adding from adding more on the pitching front there as well. But obviously the Red Sox are going to be heavily connected to bats going forward. I know I’ve linked them to Kyle Schwarber on this show. Pete Alonzo’s been connected to them in other reports. I mean obviously Bregman, I mean there’s a bunch of different people uh being connected to the Red Sox at this at this point. But this trade was a long time coming, at least in my eyes. And the Pirates are far from done here. Like this is something that the Pirates like we’ve been talking about it all off season basically since the start. And Ben Cherington seemingly threw a bunch of different like threw like like gas on that fire u by saying that they had a bunch of payroll flexibility that they really haven’t had in previous seasons. And this move was a really good start for them, but they are far from done. and we’ve already heard them connected to Kyle Schwarber. I I don’t think that’s the most likely thing uh in the entire world. I I will just be honest with that. But I do expect the Pittsburgh Pirates to be active in looking for additional bats. And when I say bats, I do mean plural. Like they will be continuing to look for offense there because their offense last year was unacceptable. And with that pitching staff, there’s really no um there’s no excuse to not go after more more hitting there. And you can look at a Ryan O’Harn type. You can look at a Jorge Palco type. You can look at a bunch of different guys on offense. And if you can add at least one of them, but also add some other pieces around them that are maybe like even league average. We’re talking about a team that can absolutely contend for a playoff spot. But I give the Pirates a lot of credit because they have gotten like praise around the league for this trade with the Boston Red Sox. Like that was a good move for them. It’s just the start, but I like to see the the Pirates and specifically Pen Cherington making moves and backing up that talk because talk is cheap. Uh we’ve we’ve said that before on this show and um I I think Cherington is actually like he’s the right guy to to write the ship for them. And so far, like he’s he’s doing it, but it’s also up to Bob Nutting for supplying that front office with the resources needed to actually meaningfully upgrade that offense. And so far I am optimistic about that happening. So always a good thing to see there for the Pirates because I have a lot of Pirates fans. Also a lot of Pirates fans in the Discord who are just always asking for the Pirates to make moves or what what what or what Ben Sherington is up to. And I can tell you he’s definitely active. So that’s nice to see. Um now switching gears a little bit but we’re staying in the NL Central. The Chicago Cubs and Alex Bregman. they have now been recently linked back to or back again with each other and not necessarily a surprise and he’s not going to take as much as it does to sign um like a Kyle Tucker type by any means. So it absolutely makes sense. I’m curious to see exactly when Bregman ends up signing. how like how much money does it take because or how many how much money and also years because that was a big sticking point for him last year and he had a very strong season in Boston and he ended up making a very strong impression there with the Red Sox. So does he end up using this platform from this year or from this past season ended up vaultting it into a long-term deal now? I think it’s absolutely possible. Uh and the Cubs make sense and but the one question that I immediately have is what does this mean possibly for a guy like Matt Shaw? obviously remains to be seen, but Shaw is a big part of the future there for the Cubs. He has been a highly rated prospect for them for ages. They obviously traded Cam Smith before the season last year, their other top prospect. So, I I can’t see them being in a hurry to move a guy like Shaw, but the interest in Bregman makes total sense because it absolutely is. Um he’s an impact player and he’s someone that uh like that’s exactly what the Cubs need because they can’t be going into this off season and possibly losing a Tucker or a Brad Keller or any of these other guys. Like they need to continue adding to try to catch the Brewers because the Brewers are ahead of the Cubs at this point. There’s no ifs, ends, or buts about that despite the payroll disparities there. Um but I hope the Cubs are active, but I don’t know. We’ll we’ll we’ll see there for sure. Um the the other one that I wanted to talk about and then we are gonna have let me tell you guys plenty of time for Q&A. So make sure to absolutely throw as many questions as you possibly can into this because I want to turn this show into just I don’t know big Q&A session because that’s always a fun time for me. But what are the Twins going to do with a guy like Joe Ryan? Or I could even extend this now to a guy like Byron Buckton. And with as far as Joe Ryan goes, I don’t get the sense that the Twins are in any hurry whatsoever to move a guy like Ryan and nor should they. Like they never got close to trading him last year at the deadline despite their epic selloff. I know there’s a bunch of rumors about the Red Sox, but that never I mean, yeah, maybe the Red Sox tried for sure, but I never got the indication there whatsoever that it was close. So, um, my read on it is yes, the the Twins are absolutely going to listen. And even Derek Faly said so at the GM games when I asked him. He was like, “Yeah, like we’re in a position where we have to listen, but it doesn’t mean we’re going to be moving him.” And if they end up holding on to a guy like Joe Ryan, that to me would seem to indicate that a guy like Byron Buckston probably stays because if you trade one, that might end up upsetting Buckston. And I just can’t I can’t see them being in a hurry to move Ryan, who is just a frontline starting pitcher, but also Buckton, who’s the face of the franchise. But if they ever did move a guy like Byron Buckton, let me tell you, the interest would be massive. And as Jeff pass in a ESPN first reported, which good job by Jeff, uh they like Buckston would be willing to wave his no trade clause to go to Atlanta. I mean maybe some other teams as well. Um but as far as that goes, I just can’t see either moving, but all it takes is one call. All it takes is one offer to change their minds in Minnesota, but I at this point I don’t necessarily get the feeling um that they’re in a hurry to move either player. So without further ado, let’s let’s let’s get weird. All right, let’s start looking at some of the comments here. Uh, the Pete Fairbanks market. Let’s Yeah, I’m telling you, ask as many questions as you want because this is this is exactly what we’re here for and I want you guys to have as many of your questions answered as possible. Pete Fairbanks interest there is absolutely like it’s it’s massive. There’s a lot of interest in him and we’ve seen obviously the Blue Jays connected. We’ve seen uh the Marlins connected, the Tigers connected. There’s other teams in that market as well. I think he will do very well in free agency. Does he end up getting a guy like like a contract similar to Ryan Hley where he ended up getting two years for 28 million with an opt out? I like I think in an ideal world he would get that but as of this point I think that kind of remains to be seen but he it would not surprise me whatsoever if he was an ex reliever to come off of the board because the interest in him and also I would even say guy like Kyle Finnegan which I know Passin was all over that as well which yeah it’s it’s annoying how good Jeff Passin is but he’s he’s he’s the king for a reason. So, shout out to Jeff. But those are the two guys that I’m watching the most as of this point. Any news on the Padres’s as of this point? No. And I don’t expect them to end up making necessarily a big move. Um I mean, it’s always possible they can end up having a situation where a Nick Pavetto where they end up doing that last last year. Uh that falls into their lap and they can get creative with the structure and doing it for 1 million in the first year. Uh, but as of this point, I mean, this is early in the offseason, there’s nothing really like an opportunistic point uh where I can see them doing that. So, we’ll see, but I don’t expect anything too big. Um, are the Dodgers actually listening on Tioscar Hernandez? Yes. So, that is something that is like they are listening, but let me Okay, I’m going to This is my annual rant. I I honestly I do this probably five or six times a year. Listening does not mean shopping. Uh listening is what all teams do and probably 99.9% of players with the exception honestly being show Otani because there’s there’s no way Otani would ever go anywhere but anybody else around baseball teams ask about and they most of the teams listen on these guys. Tioscar like teams are like checking in there for sure but I would categorize it as a a potential deal as unlikely. um he’s a great fit in LA and he’s somebody who um is like honestly tailor made for the Dodgers. He wants to be there and I just can’t see the Dodgers doing that unless an opportunity like this is the only scenario where I could ever see this play out is let’s say a guy like Kyle Tucker falls into their lap and there’s an opportunity to bring him in then maybe a guy like Tioskar could end up being moved but I just I don’t see the Dodgers necessarily being overly active. um in into the Tio Oscar market or the trade market necessarily and I don’t see them spending huge dollars on a guy like Kyle Tucker either. So um yeah, I would kind of not expect that one to happen. I did see a TK school question earlier which I feel bad for my producer Hunter trying to find that question. So um I don’t know if we’re going to be able to find that one to put it up at the bottom there. But but anyways, he is someone obviously there’s going to be interest in Scooble. Like every team is going to check on him because when the the best player, this is why Hunter’s the best in the game right there. He ended up he ended up finding it real quick there. So shout out to Hunter. Um there’s going to be always interesting guy like Scooble and the Tigers. I have never gotten the sense here that they’re eager to move him, that they want to move him. Like I in an ideal world, I think he stays with the Tigers through this season. I don’t expect him to end up having a new extension there in Detroit because I just it would not be very wise of him to sign an extension now without testing the market. Also, his agent is Scott Boris and Boris always prefers his players to establish their values in the open market. So, I can’t see him signing an extension. I can’t see him signing or I can’t see him see him being traded either. So my guess is he starts the season in Detroit, they’ll see exactly where they’re at come the deadline. And if they’re still in contention, they hold on to him. If they’re out of contention, then that trade buzz is going to grow louder. So I’m kind of in wait and see mode as far as that one goes. Um, but I don’t expect him to be moved. Um, is Eldridge being shopped? Uh, not that I am aware of. Uh, I would not expect the Giants to move Bryce Eldridge. I don’t think that’d be very smart. I see him being a pretty big part of of their future there. And these these two questions here are going to kind of go hand inand is what am I hearing about the Angels, but also where do I expect uh Chris Basset to end up? And Basset is a player like of interest for the Angels like they’ve checked in as John Haymon mentioned first and they are the Angels are absolutely involved in the pitching market as of this point. Like we’ve basset, we’ve seen him connected to Zack Allen. I can say confidently they are being connected to other players behind the scenes. I can’t say their names at this point, but they are being very active in the pitching front. I would expect them um to add a starting pitcher at some point this off seasonason. But also the thing we got to keep in mind with the Angels is that Ari Marino, he loves offense and does he pursue a guy like Bellinger? I don’t think Bette is going to end up being a fit there. I mean, although that being said, things can change pretty quickly, especially with the Angels, but my thought is that the Angels are going to be really deep into the into the pitching market there. So, um, I would expect Perry in that front office there to be pretty aggressive there. Um, let’s see, what else do we have now? Thoughts on the Mets? They have a lot of work to do. Yeah, Devin Williams is far from the the end here for the Mets, and I expect them to be after Edwin Diaz because he’s still an option for them in the ninth inning. they really want him back. Um, obviously deal has not gotten done yet and he’s able to talk to a bunch of other teams, but his reported asking price, I believe I wanted to say I saw I think it was Bob Nangel mentioned like 100 million. It was his was his ask if I’m wrong on that. See, this is why I wish Adam was here right now is I could fact he could fact check it for me. Um, but I that limits the amount of suitors for him almost immediately. And Steve Cohen’s got a pretty deep pocketbook. And if you can have Diaz in the ninth and you can have Williams in the eighth, that’s a pretty that’s a pretty darn good thing there. Um, so I expect um the Mets to be pretty active. Also, you got Pete Allonzo there. You have also a bunch of other areas as well. I saw the buzz or the connection from Buster only this morning with Schwarber and the Mets. Cannot say that’s something that I’ve heard there. Um, but I’m I’m curious what Buster has heard on that front. Do I expect Jay Cronorth to be moved? Um, no. I don’t expect him to be moved. I’ I’ve seen a bunch of different trade buzz about him throughout the all these years. I still don’t expect him um I don’t expect him to get moved, but who knows? Um who I sorry Angels fans, I teased you guys pretty good with that one. What about the Cardinals? Um they that that’s a that’s a pretty interesting team there. that as far as they go, um, obviously they’re going to be asked about like a guy like Brendan Donovan a lot and he’s drawing a lot of interest and I wouldn’t be surprised if him or one of their other hitters ends up getting moved. Uh, Wilson Contreras has been mentioned in trade rumors and I believe Katie Woo of the Athletics says he’s kind of open to a trade uh more so than uh than previously which if okay, let’s say they move a guy like Contraras where exactly do they pivot after that? They have organizational depth of catcher for sure, but do they go in free for agency for for a catcher? Um, another guy that I think is going to be asked about on the trade market too is is a guy like Joey Bart with the Pirates. Like I don’t get the impression they’re in any hurry whatsoever to move a guy like Bart. Um, but that being said, like teams are going to ask about him and you never know. It takes it takes two to tango, but he’s a player with enough upside where I fully expect teams to check in there. Um, if the Tigers miss on Bregman, do they go after another bat? I think I definitely think they’re going to end up going after another bat for sure. I think they have to. But also, uh, we even saw Ryan Hley say the other day like they were aggressively in they being the Tigers, uh, after going after Helley and specifically they viewed him as a starting pitcher. So, if it’s not Hley, how exactly do they pivot on the on the pitching front? Do they go after a guy like Brad Keller who has also drawn interest as a starting pitcher? He’s also a reliever as well, so there’s that versatility there for sure. Um, but no, I know they’ve been active in the pitching front for a couple years now, so I’m curious to see exactly who they target, but I would expect adding another bat, but also getting pitching there is something that makes a lot of sense there. Uh, for the Tigers, uh, Pirates updates, go to the beginning of the show because that is there was a lot of good stuff there about the Pirates. Um, what about multiple oral splashes? That’s an interesting question. I think so. The Orioles are open to both adding a pitcher, but also uh they’re open open to adding a bat as well. And I I don’t know, like for me, if they’re going to end up adding a pitcher, to me, it needs to be needs to be a frontline starter. And that’s even something that Michael said at the GM meetings is he wanted to add an impact starter to that rotation. And like he hasn’t been able to do that yet. But the other areas where he wanted to add an option in the ninth inning, but also add an impact bat to the lineup, he’s done so with Hley and Taylor Ward. So, he’s still got to add an impact pitcher, but let’s say an opportunity presents itself where they can end up adding a guy like Kyle Schwarber who they have been connected to according to John Aean. Um, so if they could have Schwarber or if they could add a different type of impact bat on the market, whether it’s through trade or for agency, that to me is something that I wouldn’t rule out with for the Orioles at all, which honestly would be really good for them because they have that such a strong of a core in that team where it makes total sense for them to just go all in and try to end up maximizing that young core while they’re still signed cheap through arbitration or even pre-arb. I I I hope they do it because I think that’d be a really good thing uh for the Orioles and just for baseball in general. Next reliever to sign, um I think it’ll be Pete Fairbanks. Uh Pete Alonzo to the Red Sox. Um I don’t think it’s I don’t think it’s impossible. I I think it’s absolutely something that they should consider. Um I think it’s something that makes a lot of sense for them. And I even I want to say it’s I saw Jared Kuraba say yesterday that um he’s someone who makes just a like a ton of sense for them even even over a guy like Kyle Schwarber. I still think Schwarber if you have a chance to sign Schwarber especially with his connection there um to Boston. I I I think he makes so much sense. But if you go after Schwarber, you go after Alonzo, whoever else, I don’t think you necessarily go wrong there at all. Um let’s see. When is Edwin Diaz market going to take off? I think it’s going to take some time for that market to really kind of end up accelerating here. He’s someone who obviously his price tag is a lot, but we have so many other guys like Robert Suarez, Pete Fairbanks, Brad Keller, like you have a bunch of different guys too where I think it’s going to end up taking some time for Diaz’s market to really to to take shape and for it to accelerate. So, I wouldn’t expect the signing sooner rather than later. I mean, watch watch him sign in the next five minutes and make me look like a total idiot. Wouldn’t that be something? Um, Reds, as far as that goes, uh, hopefully that doesn’t happen. I don’t want to look like a total idiot. U, but the Reds, that’s it’s a very interesting one because they’ve been connected to Kyle Schwarber lately and they just signed Ailio Pagan back for two years for 20 million with an opt out. And he is someone who I look I that’s a team that I think is really worth watching here. Schwarber’s obviously got the connections there to Cincinnati. He’s someone who he he wants to like I think winning is a pretty big thing for him and if you can end up having a team that’s I would say the Reds are close especially with having Terry Francona there as their manager. They have a lot of talent there as well. You add him there you can maybe add some other pieces then to me you’re talking about a playoff team there for sure. But Nick Crawl said before the season started that or not this before like or during the offseason I should say that he expected payroll to remain about the same. So they signed Pagan back. They had about before that I want to say they had about 20 million bucks to add to the payroll this year. So if they they did that, that to me is I don’t know. I have I have a hard time seeing them pulling it off. But for a player like Schwarber, that’s exactly where you need to like I think that’s worth having a conversation there to stretch it out. So we’ll see. Um I’ll answer one more before we sign off. Um, how confident are you that the Red Sox get one of the three big bats? Oh, I this is I don’t of all the questions I read off. Um, I I think they have a fair chance is what I’ll say about that. Like they are absolutely like looking in that market. They are having conversations there plenty. I I hate handicapping the odds because I think that’s a dangerous game to play and the last thing I want to do is mislead the Red Sox fans or just any fan base in general. Um, but they are definitely having conversations. Am I close to breaking anything? No. Um, as of this point, I have nothing in the drafts. So, stay tuned there. But I want to thank everybody for who tuned in for this because this was an absolute treat. This was a lot of fun and answering as many questions as I possibly could. I appreciate you all immensely. But we will be back here from the winter meetings. The next time I’m we do this show, I’ll be here with Adam, but I’ll also be at the winter meetings. We’re doing shows Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. So, stay tuned for all those. But I appreciate you guys all and I will be talking to you guys on Monday. Take care everybody.

Robert Murray takes the reins solo for today’s Baseball Insider! He breaks down everything from Kyle Tucker’s visit with the Blue Jays to the Red Sox–Pirates trade and what it signals for Pittsburgh’s next steps. Plus: the Cubs’ connection to Alex Bregman, what the Twins plan to do with Joe Ryan, and a fan-powered Q&A to wrap it all up. Packed show, tons of insight—don’t miss it.

Who’s preparing to make a splash? Which teams are lurking on big trades? Which free agents might go off the board first? And how aggressive should we expect contenders — and pretenders — to be once the doors open in Orlando?

Subscribe for daily Winter Meetings coverage, MLB rumors, and insider intel from The Baseball Insiders. ⚾

00:00 – Solo Show + Winter Meetings Preview
01:17 – Kyle Tucker Tours Blue Jays Facility
02:35 – What Tucker’s Visit Really Means
03:44 – Tucker Market: Who Else Is Interested?
04:04 – Pirates–Red Sox Five-Player Trade Breakdown
04:46 – Why the Pirates Won This Deal
05:24 – Red Sox Pitching Strategy After Adding Oviedo
06:08 – Pirates’ Offseason Plan: More Bats Coming
07:15 – Cubs Linked Again to Alex Bregman
08:17 – What Bregman Means for Cubs Prospects like Matt Shaw
09:04 – Twins Trade Rumors: Joe Ryan & Byron Buxton
10:29 – Why Minnesota Is Likely to Keep Both Stars
10:48 – Q&A Begins: Pete Fairbanks Market Heats Up
12:06 – Padres Outlook: Opportunistic, Not Aggressive
12:25 – Dodgers Listening on Teoscar (What “Listening” Really Means)
13:43 – Tigers’ Plans: Skubal, Extensions & Pitching Targets
15:17 – Angels’ Pitching Market + Interest in Chris Bassitt
16:17 – Mets’ Offseason: Devin Williams, Edwin Díaz, Alonso
17:47 – Cardinals Trade Chips: Donovan, Contreras & Catcher Depth
18:49 – Tigers & Orioles: Potential Additions and Big Bat Targets
21:05 – Red Sox Pursuing Big Bats? (Tucker, Alonso, Schwarber)
23:41 – Final Thoughts + Next Episode from the Winter Meetings

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