Baseball's offseason opens with new managers, a trade and free-agency shopping lists
Seattle and Houston changed leadership, Boston and St. Louis swapped pitchers, and several clubs laid out what they want from the free-agent market.
- The Mariners hired Jason Kanzler, 36, as their new manager; he previously served as the Chicago Cubs' director of player development for three seasons and was chosen over fellow finalist Joe Espada. m:…5106
- The Astros named Flores as general manager; owner Jim Crane hired him because of his comprehensive experience in every area of baseball, and Flores spent the last eight seasons as assistant general manager with the St. Louis Cardinals. m:…6788
- Boston traded left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rivera to St. Louis for right-handed pitcher Juan García in a trade effective November 3, 2026. m:…3528
- The Rays exercised Rasmussen's $20 million club option for the 2027 season and intend to have Rasmussen lead their 2027 rotation. m:…2364
- The Phillies did not extend a qualifying offer to Bohm, who recorded a .273 batting average, .735 OPS and 4.9 bWAR during his seven-year Phillies career. m:…6154
- The five potential fits named for the Red Sox are Randy Arozarena, Seiya Suzuki, Sonny Gray, Shota Imanaga and Kaima Taira. m:…8269
New voices in charge
The Seattle Mariners hired Jason Kanzler as their new manager, selecting the 36-year-old who previously served as the Chicago Cubs' director of player development for three seasons and worked as a Major League hitting coach for the Houston Astros from 2022-23. Kanzler was chosen over fellow finalist Joe Espada for the role. Jerry Dipoto stated that prior managerial experience was preferred but not a prerequisite for the Mariners manager role. Kanzler is the 22nd manager in Mariners franchise history and the second-youngest manager in Major League Baseball. m:…5106
The Houston Astros named Flores as their new general manager. Flores spent the last eight seasons as assistant general manager with the St. Louis Cardinals and appeared in 350 career Major League games as a pitcher. Owner Jim Crane hired Flores because of his comprehensive experience in every area of baseball. Flores is the first former player to become general manager of the Astros since Bob Watson, and will be responsible for finding a manager and upgrading the Astros' roster. m:…6788
Pitchers on the move
On the transaction wire, the Boston Red Sox traded left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rivera to the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Cardinals traded right-handed pitcher Juan García to Boston, in a trade effective November 3, 2026. The Detroit Tigers reclaimed right-handed pitcher RJ Petit from the Colorado Rockies, paying half of the $100,000 fee the Rockies paid to draft Petit in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft. Petit underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2026 and is not expected to be ready to pitch until late spring or early summer 2027. m:…3528 m:…8981
Free agency takes shape
The Rays exercised Rasmussen's $20 million club option for the 2027 season and intend to have Rasmussen lead their 2027 rotation. Erik Neander believes the Rays can accommodate Rasmussen's salary while maintaining a contending team. Martinez is a free agent after the Rays declined his mutual option for 2027. Drew Rasmussen and Shane McClanahan are trade candidates for the Rays, and the Rays reached the World Series in 2026. m:…2364 m:…9487
The Baltimore Orioles are looking for rotation upgrades, with Mike Elias confirming that rotation upgrades are absolutely on the menu and that starting pitching is near the top of the offseason wish list. The Orioles are exploring potential trades to add at least one top-of-the-rotation arm and could use prospects acquired in 2026 as trade chips to bolster their rotation. The organization extended a qualifying offer to Trevor Rogers, who has expressed interest in returning to the Orioles and has a 3.16 ERA in 48 starts over the past two seasons. m:…7968
Michael King is a free agent, Nick Pivetta is a free agent, and the Padres declined Pivetta's 2027 option. Randy Vásquez is the only surefire returning rotation arm, with Joe Musgrove returning from Tommy John surgery. Adrian Morejon was extended a qualifying offer while Ty France was not, and Dustin Harris and Samad Taylor are set to platoon in left field. m:…1083
The Philadelphia Phillies did not extend a qualifying offer to Bohm. The Phillies declined the qualifying offer to prioritize upgrades in the infield, outfield and bullpen. Bryson Stott is a candidate to play third base for the Phillies in 2027, Aidan Miller is a potential candidate if he remains healthy, and Teruaki Sato has been made available to the Phillies via the posting process. m:…6154
The Boston Red Sox's chief baseball officer Craig Breslow aims to improve the club's postseason performance by avoiding the Wild Card round or advancing further. The Red Sox's primary offensive need is a right-handed-hitting power hitter to complement Willson Contreras. The five potential fits named are Randy Arozarena, Seiya Suzuki, Sonny Gray, Shota Imanaga and Kaima Taira. m:…8269
The Pittsburgh Pirates are looking to end an 11-year postseason drought. Among the names under consideration are Tyrone Taylor, who recorded a .921 OPS against left-handed pitching in 2026, and Bryan Abreu, who tallied 100-plus strikeouts in three consecutive seasons from 2023-25. The Pirates are considering Murf Gray as a future everyday third baseman. The Pirates set a franchise single-season home run record of 186 in 2026. m:…9319
The Fall League showcase
The Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby is returning for its fourth year, scheduled for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET at Salt River Fields. The derby will feature eight participants in a single-elimination head-to-head bracket, seeded according to the number of home runs hit in the Arizona Fall League through Friday. Each hitter has nine outs per round to accumulate the highest score possible, and the first round consists of four head-to-head matches. m:…8521
Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect Barriera was selected as the 23rd pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. Barriera suffered elbow, shoulder and biceps issues in 2023, underwent Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure in 2024, and suffered a fractured forearm in 2025. He worked 38 2/3 innings across three levels in the 2026 regular season and has made five appearances in the Fall League, all in relief. Barriera has removed the changeup from his pitching arsenal. m:…3856
Braves prospect Isaiah Drake is currently hitting .326 in the Fall League and is ranked as the No. 29 prospect for the Braves. Drake was selected by the Braves as a fifth-round pick in 2023 and recorded 19 stolen bases and 12 home runs during the 2025 season, which ended in late June due to a sprained thumb. In the Fall League he hit a 403-foot home run with a 102.4 mph exit velocity. m:…0985
What is still unresolved
- Who the Phillies choose at third base for 2027
- Whether the Red Sox sign any of the five targets they are considering
- Who the Astros hire as manager
- The winner of the Fall League Home Run Derby
Provenance by Synorb. Every claim links to its source. This story was written by an agent from the Manifests listed below. Read the methodology and limitations, or send a correction.
Free to reuse, including commercially. Credit “Hanging Context, with provenance by Synorb” and link to this story. Keep the cited Manifest ids. Reuse terms v1.