January 10, 2026

60 thoughts on “Jon Heyman: Paul Blackburn goes back to Yankees. Blackburn deal: $2M guaranteed plus 100k for each of 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 IP. $2.5M possible”

  1. Munetaka Murakami ends up taking a bit of a “prove it” deal with the White Sox, so that he can re-enter free agency at age 28, presumably having proven he can actually hit Major League pitching.

    When people found out that his performance against fastballs over 93 MPH was ABYSYMAL, suddenly no one wanted the guy. But at the same time, few pitchers in his league THROW fastballs over 93 MPH, so it could just be a case of him not having the chance to really learn how to adjust.

    OR, of course, it could be that he can’t hit a MLB fastball (this also goes to show just how advanced MLB is, when other leagues can’t even hit the average MLB fastball as their PEAK).

  2. How bad was Jasson in winter ball? Just read an article that he was terrible. Have the Yankees already ruined him? Gary Sanchez was on a HOF track his first two seasons; something happened and I don’t know what. Something similar here (though Jasson only looked like a HOFer for a month.)

    1. He was also bad the time he played in Arizona after a couple of strong AA playoff series. Maybe it’s like a kid in summer school.

  3. The White Sox are in agreement with infielder Munetaka Murakami on a two-year deal worth $34MM, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Passan adds that Murakami is expected to play first base in Chicago.

  4. Someone asked Dallas Braden if he thinks that Juan Soto is regretting his deal with the Mets, and he made an excellent point, which is to say that, based on the specific contract demands that he made that the Mets gave in on, he can’t possibly regret it.

    In other words, he was looking for only monetary rewards, so how could he possibly regret getting all of those rewards met? His decision to give up hitting in front of Judge certainly suggested that winning wasn’t his main motivator, so he probably regrets nothing.

    1. If that logic worked, regret wouldn’t even exist.
      It happens all the time that you get what you asked for and then realize you should have gone for the other thing. That’s what regret is.
      That having been said, I agree with you that I don’t think he regrets that – or really much of anything. He doesn’t seem like a very reflective kind of guy.

    3. Oh, fair point, WP, I really meant more that Braden was suggesting that very point, that Soto ISN’T a reflective guy. He just wanted X perks, and he got X perks, so he’s happy.

    1. I don’t get this. There is no way I would have wanted the Yankees to trade for Contreras, so what does it matter?

      The Yankees are just waiting on dudes who are in no hurry to sign. The Red Sox acquiring Contreras doesn’t really change much, ESPECIALLY if they lose Bregman now.

    2. I’d prefer a hitter averaging 128 OPS+ over the last four years not go to Boston and fill an offensive need at first base/DH.

    3. He was a 2.5 win player last week in his age 33 season. He’ll be 34 this season. It’s not a BAD move, but if it is paired with them letting Bregman sign elsewhere, I don’t know that it moves the needle much on the Red Sox either way.

      If they bring Bregman back, then fair enough, it helps.

  6. MLBTR: The Red Sox have acquired first baseman Willson Contreras from the Cardinals for right-hander Hunter Dobbins and multiple minor league pitchers, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports (multiple links). Right-handers Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita are the prospects in question, as per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reports that Contreras will get a $1MM bonus as a sweetener for waiving his no-trade clause.

    MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo writes that the Cardinals will be including $8MM to help cover part of the $41.5MM still owed to Contreras over the remainder of his contract. Contreras is owed $18MM in 2026, $18.5MM in 2027, and the Red Sox hold a $20MM club option on his services in 2028,

  11. MLB The Yankees’ No. 4 prospect and No. 99 overall according to MLB Pipeline, the 6-foot-7 slugger projects to enter this spring as a legitimate candidate to break camp with the club. Though the picture can change, he’s currently set to compete against Jasson Domínguez for a starting role in the Bronx Bombers’ outfield.
    He’s this untapped potential situation that’s done everything he needs to do thus far to put himself in the position to get into a Major League ballpark and say, ‘This spot is mine,’” general manager Brian Cashman recently told MLB Network Radio.

    It’s that time of the year where the BS flows easily.

    1. Building him up to trade him before they ruin him?
      About the best strategy this team could adopt, if so.

  15. Remember Rob Refsnyder? He crushes lefty pitching…might have been worth a flyer as a part timer but I guess at $6m which is what he got from Seattle that was too much.

  16. Yankees and Royals are interested in Hays also. If they sign Cody or Kyle how much PT does that leave the Martian? Hays can always platoon with Trent who is also pretty bad against LHPs 182/652. It seems to me that bring hack Grish certainly limits Cash’s flexibility.

  17. Will Sammon Reliever Pete Fairbanks and the Miami Marlins are in agreement on a deal, pending physical, league source tells The Athletic.

    Kirschner This basically concludes the top of the reliever market in free agency.
    The Yankees will have to meaningfully upgrade the bullpen through trade at this point.
    I wrote about how precarious of a spot the bullpen is in a few days ago.

    Time to go to the damaged aisle at Walmart.

    1. If the owner doesn’t care and the GM doesn’t care while sitting around doing nothing including keeping a negative WAR manager, how much can I really care?!

  18. According to a report from one of New York’s most in the know insiders — Jack Curry of the YES Network — not only are the Yankees not expected to sign Imai, but the connection between the two sides “does not exist.”

    Despite Imai being repeatedly linked to the Bronx, it does not sound like New York is willing to go out on the limb it would take to land the 27-year-old. Curry’s report comes on the heels of Yankees manager Aaron Boone just last week pouring cold water on the possibility.

    https://www.si.com/mlb/cubs/onsi/news/cubs-get-another-tatsuya-imai-boost-after-latest-yankees-insider-report

    2. Mike Axisa reported that he has apparebtly not yet met with a single team or even come to the US. It sounds very weird.

  19. Yhoiker Watch Day 3: Cashman please bring me a Yhoiker for Christmas

    Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and a belated Happy Hannukah. We did the traditional brisket and latkes

    2. I’ve often wondered where they got the Chinese food from back in the days of the second temple. And if it wasn’t available (the delivery charges would have been astronomical!) How did they celebrate Chanukah? Latkes must have been the backup plan.

      Now let’s apply that to the 2026 Yankees. Cost for some really good players is astronomical so instead our back up plan is some ground up potato player who’s fried.

    3. What do you mean? There was surely a Dynasty on the corner just to the left of the Second Temple.

    4. The real story of Chanukah is that there wasn’t enough oil left in the Temple for even one night, but then the Macabees ordered the scallion noodles.

  24. Tyler Soderstrom received a gift on Christmas — but it was one that he earned. Following a breakout season in 2025, Soderstrom agreed to a seven-year, $86 million extension with the A’s, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.

    The deal, which has not been confirmed by the club, constitutes the largest guarantee in franchise history, and it contains a club option for an eighth year and escalators that can bring the total value of the contract to $131 million.

    https://www.mlb.com/news/tyler-soderstrom-extension-with-a-s

  25. Enjoying a Cohiba Siglo II which has been in my collection for many years. Nearly perfect condition, just a slight ‘crunch’ to it, a perfect draw. With an Old Fashioned made with Knob Creek 100 proof bourbon (end of the bottle, just enough for the drink). Cheers to all! Even to OTF, if he still is around somewhere. 🥃 🎅🏻 🎄

  27. Merry Christmas to all.

    OK, to most.

    Fine, to some.

    Let’s be honest: Merry Christmas to me, to Jidge, and, as always, to my future wife Christina Hendricks. I sat half a dozen rows in front of her at a show almost 20 years ago, and she’s been playing hard to get since. But she’ll come around, in the spirit of the season.

  29. Pinstripe Alley: New York Post | Jon Heyman: Heyman reports that the Yankees are feeling “confident” about their chances of re-signing the outfielder, and that they don’t sense that he’ll defect across town like Juan Soto did just one year ago. Heyman also notes that Aaron Judge has strongly supported bringing Bellinger back. Bellinger’s market has simmered for some time, with a number of high-profile teams reportedly in the mix but nothing concrete emerging.

    2. I don’t love Judge’s front office instincts. Not that I have more confidence in the front office without him, but I’d kind of like him to stick to playing baseball.

    3. Me too, Pete. I’ve been skeptical about Judge’s approach to roster-building since before he pushed to sign Alex Verdugo. In fact that skepticism goes back to when he decided to marry someone who saw fit to drive with a BAC rivaling his 2016 cup-of-coffee batting average. Though I suppose with $360M you can hire a designated driver…

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