NL Central

If you've ever wondered why the Pittsburgh Pirates have been mostly forgettable in the 17 years since Bob Nutting took over as principal owner of the franchise, there's a very good explanation for it.

Speaking to The Athletic's Stephen J. Nesbitt and Ken Rosenthal, one former Pirates player said Nutting is comfortable with his team "being mediocre."

One former instructor described a situation where Nutting waited one day to execute a trade because it would save the team a small amount of money relative to a professional sports franchise.

"I've been in some meetings where my jaw dropped because we had to wait a day to trade a guy because it was going to save us $30,000," the former instructor said. "I was like, 'Oh my God, I can't believe I'm hearing this.' This is a $10 billion industry."

This doesn't seem to be something unique to the Pirates. It's not a secret that there are several teams across Major League Baseball that are owned by someone who doesn't seem interested in investing in the product.

CBS Sports' Dayn Perry wrote an article in 2019 breaking down the ways small-market teams drum up excuses not to spend money, despite evidence that their reasons don't hold up to scrutiny.

It's even happening with big-market clubs that should have no problem spending like the Los Angeles Dodgers are right now. Rafael Devers seemed to take a shot at the front office for the Boston Red Sox for their inactivity this offseason.

"They need to make an adjustment to help us players to be in a better position to win," he said through an interpreter Tuesday. "Everybody in this organization wants to win. We, as [players], want to win. I think they need to make an adjustment to help us win. I'm not saying that the team is not OK right now, but they need to be conscious of what are the [weaknesses] and what we need.

Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts lamented his team's lack of revenue as the reason they haven't spent more to improve the roster this offseason. They had the fifth-highest operating income in MLB ($57.2 million) from the 2022 season.

The Pirates are a special case because they had been largely irrelevant even before Nutting bought the franchise.

Since Barry Bonds left Pittsburgh to sign with the San Francisco Giants after the 1992 season, the Pirates have had four winning seasons. They made the playoffs in three consecutive years from 2013 to '15.

Those Pirates teams had a core group that included Andrew McCutchen, Gerrit Cole, Starling Marte, Francisco Liriano, J.A. Happ, A.J. Burnett and Charlie Morton.

Rather than double down by investing in talent around that roster, the Pirates traded Morton and allowed Happ and Burnett to leave as free agents. Pedro Álvarez, who led the team with 27 homers in 2015, was non-tendered.

The 2016 team won 20 fewer games (78) than the 2015 squad. They haven't finished higher than fourth in the NL Central since 2017. The Pirates have yet to run a $100 million payroll in a season, with 2015 being the closest they came to hitting that mark ($99.95 million).

The Pirates' $67.6 million payroll going into this season is ahead of only the Oakland Athletics ($45.5 million). No other team in MLB has a payroll under $80 million.

There probably aren't many Spring Training pitches that Hunter Greene has regretted throwing more than the one he did Tuesday.

As Sam Greene of the Cincinnati Enquirer shared, Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz fouled a pitch off Greene during Tuesday's practice. In an incredibly unfortunate twist for the pitcher, it ended up hitting and breaking his car window:

Hunter Greene’s pitch fouled off by Elly De La Cruz, breaks Greene’s window in the player parking lot. @Enquirer pic.twitter.com/1vteV3P404

— Sam Greene (@SGdoesit) February 20, 2024

This is hard to believe. This Elly De La Cruz foul ball during live BP off Hunter Greene smashed the rear driver’s side window of Greene’s luxury SUV. “You’re paying for it” Greene said. EDLC’s answer? “You make more than me.” pic.twitter.com/JlCI8wxPsL

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) February 20, 2024

Elly De La Cruz smashed one of Hunter Greene's pitches foul... and right into his car 😂 #oops #reds pic.twitter.com/gwy3kJWLCN

— Cincinnati 💔 (@CincyProblems) February 20, 2024

Greene might think twice about parking in the same spot in the players' lot in the future.

This happened as the Reds prepare for the upcoming season with high expectations in part because of the presence of young players such as De La Cruz and Greene. Cincinnati improved from 62-100 in 2022 to 82-80 in 2023 and surely has postseason-or-bust thoughts heading into 2024.

De La Cruz's ability to build on his rookie season that saw him slash .235/.300/.410 with 13 home runs, 44 RBI and 35 stolen bases will be key in those efforts, as will Greene's ability to improve on his 4.82 ERA from last year.

In a perfect world for the Reds, they will still be laughing about Tuesday's foul ball as they prepare for October baseball.

Free-agent outfielder David Peralta agreed to a contract with the Chicago Cubs on Monday, per FanSided's Robert Murray. ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported that it's a minor league deal.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported that the Cubs are also picking up first baseman Dominic Smith on a minor league deal and have extended him an MLB camp invite.

Peralta, an 11-year veteran, spent last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting .259 and notching 102 hits and seven home runs.

Smith, who spent last season with the Washington Nationals, hit .254, recording 134 hits and 12 home runs.

Peralta underwent offseason forearm surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon, so he will likely rehab in the minors and join the major league roster once he makes a full recovery.

The deal comes amid the Cubs' interest in resigning free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger. Team owner Tom Ricketts said, per Rogers, that they are "waiting" for the star's side to engage in talks.

"I'm like everyone else," Ricketts said. "We're just waiting. Waiting for whenever he and his agent are going to engage. It could be any time now or it could be in a few weeks. We'll see where it goes."

In his first year with the Cubs last season, Bellinger hit a career-high .307, notching 153 hits and 26 home runs on his way to earning the league's Comeback Player of the Year Award. Following the end of the season, Bellinger declined a $25 million option for 2024 to test the market, and the seventh-year player is still waiting as spring training nears.

The Cubs are coming off an 83-79 campaign that saw them miss the postseason for a third straight year, though they hope to end that streak in 2024.

Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts told reporters on Monday that the team hasn't moved past the talking stage with free-agent star Cody Bellinger, who had a fantastic season with the Cubbies in 2023.

"There's been some discussions but it hasn't become a negotiation yet," he said.

In regards to Cody Bellinger, Ricketts says the Cubs are waiting for him and agent Scott Boras to engage. He does not planned to get involved personally with discussions, calling that a signature move of Boras to get ownership directly involved.

"We'll just see where it goes."

— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) February 19, 2024

Ricketts told reporters that negotiations could commence "anytime now, or it could be a few weeks."

He added that he won't get involved in talks with Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras, because it has the potential to "undermine the credibility of your general manager. And so inserting yourself into that negotiation, I don't think that helps. So I don't talk to him."

Instead, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer will handle any potential negotiations.

An eventual reunion between the two sides makes sense. Bellinger, 28, hit .307 with 26 homers, 97 RBI, 95 runs, 20 stolen bases and a .881 OPS. It was his most homers, RBI and runs—and his best OPS—since he won the NL MVP in 2019. It was also the most stolen bases and the best batting average of his career.

He was absurd in the second half of the season, hitting 19 homers between July and September.

The Cubs haven't rested on their laurels this offseason, bringing aboard manager Craig Counsell in a $40 million signing. But it's been a quieter winter for the roster, with the signings of starting pitcher Shota Imanaga and reliever Hector Neris the only major player additions thus far.

That has hinted at a roster plan built on promoting from within, given the team's talented farm system. It could even affect Bellinger's chances of getting a huge deal in Chicago, as Pete Crow-Armstrong is probably the team's long-term plan for centerfield.

"We have a lot of young players and some young veteran players that I think have a chance to take real steps forward," Hoyer told reporters earlier in February. "The most exciting thing for me is I think we have a deep roster. And we have a deep roster of players that have a chance to continue to get better. I think that gives me a lot of hope that we can accomplish this year what we couldn't last year."

Still, Bellinger was the centerpiece of the team's offense last season, and getting him back would be huge in the short term for a Cubs team that came oh-so-close to reaching the postseason in 2023.

For now, however, the two sides seem content to play the waiting game.

The Milwaukee Brewers and starter Brandon Woodruff reportedly agreed to a two-year contract Monday.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the news, though financial terms were not disclosed. Woodruff spent his first seven seasons with the Brewers before hitting free agency.

The 31-year-old is expected to miss the entire 2024 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in October. He was limited to just 11 starts last season, posting a 5-1 record with a 2.28 ERA and 0.82 WHIP while striking out 74 batters in 67 innings pitched.

When healthy, Woodruff has the talent to be one of the National League's best arms. He made All-Star appearances in 2019 and 2021 and has not posted an ERA above 3.62 since his rookie campaign in 2017. Overall, Woodruff is 46-26 with a 3.10 ERA over the course of his career.

The Brewers are seemingly willing to take the lumps on eating Woodruff's salary while he rehabs in order to deploy him fully healthy in 2025. Milwaukee has made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons and is coming off its second NL Central crown in three seasons in 2023.

Woodruff was originally scheduled to start Game 2 of the Brewers' Wild Card series against the Arizona Diamondbacks but was scratched due to the shoulder injury.

The benefit for Woodruff re-signing is obvious. He gets to collect a salary this season while rehabbing with an organization where he already has familiarity before returning a year from now. Should Woodruff return to form in 2025, he'll be able to re-enter the free-agent pool that winter with his value—and his arm—fully rehabbed.

The Milwaukee Brewers have a pair of coveted trade pieces, but it sounds like they are in no rush to move either of them.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, "The Brewers are unpredictable, but for now they are not shopping star closer Devin Williams or shortstop Willy Adames, who are both free agents after the year."

Williams has been a mainstay in Milwaukee's bullpen since he made his MLB debut in 2019. He quickly established himself as one of the top relief pitchers in the game, winning NL Rookie of the Year and NL Reliever of the Year in 2020 after recording a 0.33 ERA, a 0.63 WHIP and 53 strikeouts in 27.0 innings of work. His ERA was the lowest in a single season with at least 21 innings pitched since earned runs became an official statistic in 1913.

The 29-year-old transitioned to the Brewers' full-time closer this season and continued to dominate, tying for fifth in the majors with 36 saves while recording a 1.53 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP and 87 strikeouts in 58.2 innings pitched. He was named NL Reliever of the Year for the second time in his career and earned his second straight trip to the All-Star Game.

The Brewers acquired Adames from the Tampa Bay Rays in May 2021. He appeared in a team-high 149 games last season and led Milwaukee with 24 home runs and 80 RBI while hitting .217/.310/.407.

The Brewers went 92-70 last season and won their second NL Central in the last three years, so it's understandable that they wouldn't be interested in moving two of their top players. Milwaukee will surely be motivated to make a deeper postseason run next season after being eliminated in the NL Wild Card Round by the Arizona Diamondbacks last year.

The Cincinnati Reds and infielder Jonathan India agreed to a two-year, $8.8 million contract to avoid arbitration this offseason, and any rumors the team was planning on moving him instead were apparently exaggerated.

Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported "trade rumors surrounding India were overblown all offseason. No player is untouchable, but the Reds wanted India to continue to set the tone in the lineup and in the clubhouse for the team in 2024."

India is signed with the Reds through the 2026 campaign, but there were plenty of trade rumors throughout the winter.

That there were rumors wasn't particularly surprising considering Matt McLain is someone who could take over as the starting second baseman, but president of baseball operations Nick Krall told him, "We don't want to trade you. That's just talk."

Even if he isn't the everyday second baseman, India is versatile enough to play first base, third base, left field or even designated hitter. That makes him valuable in a lineup that will have a crowded infield with Elly De La Cruz, McLain, Noelvi Marte, Jeimer Candelario and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, among others.

"I'm open to this," India said. "I'll train for it and do the best I can at those positions. Some of those are new. I've always been an infielder. We'll see how the outfield goes, but I'm up for the challenge. I just want to be on the field every day.

"That's all I can ask for. I want to play this game every way. It's my passion. I want to help this team win every day. I love competing and I love winning. That's my nature. I'm going to do everything I can to help."

Cincinnati is entering the 2024 season with playoff expectations.

It finished in third place in the National League Central at 82-80 last year, but the division as a whole may not be as difficult this year. The reigning-champion Milwaukee Brewers lost manager Craig Counsell to the Chicago Cubs and traded ace Corbin Burnes, among other moves.

Chicago got Counsell but hasn't made any other significant additions and may lose Cody Bellinger, who anchored its lineup in 2023 but remains a free agent well into February.

The opportunity is there for the Reds to make a jump and win the division, and India's ability to return to his form as the 2021 National League Rookie of the Year could play a big part in that. He slashed .244/.338/.407 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI last season while dealing with some inconsistency.

At least he doesn't have to worry about being traded as he looks to help lead Cincinnati to the postseason.

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Don Gullett, who played for both the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees, died Wednesday. He was 73.

"Don dedicated 24 years to this franchise as a player, coach and minor league instructor," Reds CEO Bob Castellini said in a statement. "An anchor on the pitching staff of one of the greatest baseball teams in history, his contributions to our rich tradition, our city and his community will never be forgotten."

We are saddened to hear about the death of one of our Hall of Famers, Don Gullett. Inducted in 2002, he was a key component of the Reds' pitching staff in the 70's, helping lead the club to back to back World Championships. He later served as a pitching coach and, in total, was… pic.twitter.com/pZnXd8xPRD

— RedsMuseum (@RedsMuseum) February 14, 2024

Gullett was selected by the Reds in the first round of the 1969 draft out of McKell High School in South Shore, Kentucky.

The left-hander debuted in 1970 and spent seven seasons in Cincinnati from 1970 to 1976. In 236 games (156 starts) for the Reds, he posted a 91-44 record, 3.03 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 777 strikeouts in 1,187 innings.

Gullett signed with the Yankees ahead of the 1977 season and made only eight starts during the 1978 campaign before a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder put an end to his career.

In 30 starts for the Yankees between 1977 and 1978, Gullett posted an 18-6 record, 3.59 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 144 strikeouts in 203 innings.

Between the Reds and Yankees, Gullett pitched in six league championship series and four World Series. He won three straight World Series titles from 1975 to '77, two of which came with Cincinnati.

After his playing career ended, Gullett returned to the Reds as a coach in 1990. He was the franchise's pitching coach from 1993 to 2005.

Gullett was elected to the Reds Hall of Fame in 2002.

Gary Sánchez has found a new home.

The veteran catcher has agreed to a one-year, $7 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers in free agency following his stint with the San Diego Padres, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

Sánchez spent most of the 2023 season with the Padres after the franchise claimed him off waivers from the New York Mets in May.

The 31-year-old struggled mightily with the Mets. In just three games and seven plate appearances, he hit .167 with one RBI.

Sánchez revitalized his season with the Padres, hitting .218/.292/.500 with 19 home runs and 46 RBI in 72 games.

The Friars had been in discussions with Sánchez on a new contract this winter, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported in December. However, they didn't necessarily have a need to retain him after acquiring Kyle Higashioka in the deal that sent Juan Soto to the New York Yankees.

San Diego enters 2024 with Higashioka, Luis Campusano and Brett Sullivan at the catcher position.

The Brewers, meanwhile, head into the 2024 campaign expected to enter a rebuild after trading ace Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles last week.

Sánchez joins a Brewers catching rotation that is headlined by William Contreras and also includes Eric Haase. He could be catching the likes of Freddy Peralta, Wade Miley, Joe Ross and Colin Rea.

The Dominican native put together some of the best seasons of his career as a member of the Yankees, earning two All-Star selections and a Silver Slugger award. His best season came in 2017 when he slashed .278/.345/.531 with 33 home runs and 90 RBI in 122 games.

In addition to the Yankees, Mets and Padres, Sánchez also spent time with the Minnesota Twins in 2022.

After trading away starting pitcher Corbin Burnes on Thursday, Milwaukee Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said the team could be open to making more moves, per MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.

The Brewers dealt Burnes to the Baltimore Oriels for infielder Joey Ortiz, who is the No. 90 player on Bleacher Report's Top 100 MLB Prospects. According to McCalvy, Arnold said there could be more deals coming before the end of the offseason.

"I'm certainly open to more conversations," Arnold said. "I certainly wouldn't shut any conversations down at this point in the offseason."

The Brewers are coming off a 92-70 season where they were eliminated from the postseason in the Wild Card Series by the Arizona Diamondbacks. With Spring Training less than two weeks away, it seems Arnold is looking for some late-offseason deals to yield better results in 2024.

One trade that Arnold might be willing to make could involve Devin Williams. Per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the Brewers could be open to a trade for the right-handed closer, who has two years of club control remaining before he enters free agency. Feinsand also reported that shortstop Willy Adames could be another player Milwaukee is interested in dealing.

Last season, the 29-year-old Williams had 61 appearances, picking up 36 saves behind 87 strikeouts and a 1.53 ERA. Adames, who is 28, hit at a .217 clip, notching 24 home runs and 80 RBIs.

It's not clear whether Arnold has any particular trades in mind, but it won't be a surprise to see the Brewers making a few more deals before the end of the offseason.