Now that we're entering the first week of the 2026 calendar that's free of holidays, pretty much all of the world is back to work.
Perhaps that sentiment will also apply to the baseball world, which took the holidays lightly. Aside from the San Francisco Giants signing Tyler Mahle for one year and $10 million plus incentives, the transactions of note were limited to Japanese players who were operating under signing deadlines determined by their posting dates. Tatsuya Imai signed with the Astros on a three-year deal with opt-outs abound, while Kazuma Okamoto signed a largely straightforward four-year, $60 milllion contract with the Blue Jays. (Kona Takahashi reportedly received three offers from MLB clubs, but is returning to NPB.)
Mahle aside, the middle tier of pitching the White Sox were reportedly browsing remains untouched, and seven top free agents -- Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette, Cody Bellinger among position players, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez and Zac Gallen for pitchers -- have yet to find homes. With barely more than a month until World Baseball Classic participants are required to report to spring training, you'd think the dominoes would start to fall in short order.
Spare Parts
Scott Merkin checked in with Fraser Ellard after the lefty's abrupt retirement at the non-tender deadline in November. Ellard, who is preparing with his wife for the birth of their first child shortly before spring training, said his priorities started taking shape after going on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic a month earlier.
The international signing period opens in 10 days, and Baseball America's expanded board still has the same two top-50 prospects tied to the White Sox, Venezuelan catcher Fernando Graterol (No. 27) and Venezuelan outfielder Sebastian Romero (31).
Andrew Vaughn went from being an inevitable non-tender with the White Sox to an easy tender with the Brewers, although the unevenness of his 2025 season, even after the trade to Milwaukee, lends some uncertainty to the forecast.
Matt Quatraro survived a 106-loss rookie season to earn a second contract, so Will Venable knows what he has to do (a 30-win improvement between his first and second year, namely).
I often forget that Phil Nevin works for the White Sox. Chuck Garfien talks to Nevin about his role in White Sox player development, which carries a special assistant title that farm director Paul Janish once quipped was “purposely vague.” I'm mostly fascinated by the room Nevin is Zooming from, which seems to be a man cave, gym and office all in one.
