The Month That Was in Baseball: February 2025

Saturday, February 1

Johnny Cueto is not dead yet. The 38-year-old pitcher throws six shutout innings for the Albert Pujols-managed Leones de Escogido, representing the Dominican Republic at the Caribbean Series in Mexicali, Mexico. But a grain of salt is needed here, as Cueto is facing the Japan Breeze, a mishmash of independent minor leaguers and industrial league players from Japan. (And why any team from Japan would be playing in the Caribbean Series is a head scratcher, but never mind.) Cueto appeared in the majors last summer with the Angels, losing his lone two starts with a 7.15 ERA. Maybe he’ll get another look this year, but any MLB team considering such a move would likely want to see him take on a team with a higher talent level. 

Sunday, February 2

Pitcher Jack Flaherty is returning to the Detroit Tigers, signing a two-year, $35 million contract with the team he began the 2024 season with before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers late in the year. The deal includes an opt-out after the first year. The 29-year-old right-hander easily had his best campaign since breaking out late in the 2019 season, finishing with a 13-7 record and 3.17 ERA over 162 innings. Between 2020-23, Flaherty struggled through injury and inconsistency, posting a lackluster 4.42 ERA despite a good-looking 23-15 record. 

Fay Vincent, baseball’s last, truly independent baseball commissioner, passes away at the age of 86. Schooled as a lawyer, Vincent eventually found himself running a movie studio (Columbia) before being named commissioner late in 1989 after A. Bartlett Giamatti died of a heart attack. Hardly one to liven up a party with a quiet, dour-looking demeanor, Vincent made more enemies than friends among MLB owners, breaking up a 1990 lockout of players, suspending Yankee owner George Steinbrenner, and attempting a realignment of NL teams to make more geographical sense. (The Chicago Cubs, in particular, were incensed with the idea of moving to the NL West.) By 1992, the tipping point was reached as MLB owners voted to oust Vincent and replace him with one of their own, Milwaukee’s Bud Selig—who would have their best interests, and not those of baseball, at heart. With Selig at the helm, owners went full bore into their attempt to implement a salary cap, resulting in the devastating work stoppage of 1994-95. 

Monday, February 3

About a year ago, Major League Baseball quietly barred umpire Pat Hoberg from his job during Spring Training without explanation. Then, in June, it was said that the leave of absence was due to some sort of gambling activity. Now we have the full story: Hoberg has been fired by MLB for sharing an online gambling account with a professional poker player, allegedly betting over $700,000 over a three-year period on football, basketball, hockey and golf—but no baseball. However, his friend sharing the account bet eight times on baseball games in which Hoberg was a member of the officiating crew (including video review). Hoberg can apply for reinstatement in 2026, but this once again exposes the risk of pro sports fully embracing legal gambling as both participant and sponsor. 

Rich Dauer, a second baseman over a 10-year major league career that included two trips to the World Series as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, has passed away at the age of 72. No cause of death is given, though Dauer underwent surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain following the 2017 season in which he coached first base for the world champion Houston Astros; more recently, he suffered a serious stroke. Dauer was not an All-Star-level player with the Orioles—batting .257 with only 43 career home runs—but he was a reliable everyday player who ultimately was named to the Orioles’ Hall of Fame; he’s also in the College Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of two NCAA champion teams at USC. 

Tuesday, February 4

Veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk, who batted .291 with 20 doubles, 12 home runs and 46 RBIs over 254 at-bats last year with Arizona, is returning to the Diamondbacks on a one-year deal worth $5 million. Of that amount, $3 million will go toward a buyout should he and/or the DBacks decline a mutual option in 2026; if both agree to activate that second year, Grichuk will receive another $5 million. Performance bonuses could push the amount up even higher. 

Wednesday, February 5

Returning to the Mets is what slugger Pete Alonso always imagined—but not on a contract like this. Two-years and $54 million is the best deal he can snag, as he seemed intent on returning to the Mets regardless of what other teams were offering. The 30-year-old first baseman will be back at Citi Field after hitting 34 home runs with a career-low .788 OPS—but now he’ll be in a lineup with Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto both likely batting in front of him. Because his agent is Scott Boras, Alonso will have the opportunity to opt out after the first year, meaning he may go through all of this once more this coming fall. 

Speedy outfielder Harrison Bader, who appeared in all but 19 games last year with the Mets, is moving on to the Minnesota Twins in a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2026. The 30-year-old Bader stole 17 bases and provided modest-at-best punch with 12 home runs in 2024, but he also batted .236—just below his career .242 figure.  

Thursday, February 6

Former Shohei Ohtani interpreter Ippei Mizuhara is sentenced to 57 months in prison and must pay back $17 million to Ohtani, along with an additional $1.1 million to the IRS. The verdict ends a one-year public scandal in which Mizuhara stole money from Ohtani’s bank account to feed a gambling addiction. He also faces deportation from the U.S. upon his release from jail. U.S. District Judge John Holcomb, presiding over the trial, is skeptical that Ohtani will never get back the money Mizuhara stole. “I hope that Mr. Mizuhara will be able to repay that sum,” Holcomb says. “That remains to be seen.” 

Baseball Prospectus’ annual PECOTA projections, a purely analytics-based prediction of the season to come, is released with some surprises. Among them: First-place finishes in the AL for Baltimore (East), Minnesota (Central) and Texas (West), with the Yankees just a hair back of the Orioles, and a return of the Atlanta Braves to the top of the NL East despite the presence of defending divisional titlist Philadelphia and the Mets, who now feature Juan Soto. What’s also a little surprising is that the typically conservative PECOTA projections have three teams slated for 100+ losses: Colorado (107), the Chicago White Sox (101) and Miami (100). Not surprisingly, the Dodgers have the best forecasted record at 104-58; the Braves have the second-highest projected win total, with 92. 

Veteran outfielder Tommy Pham signs a one-year, $4 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, his 10th team in 12 seasons. The 36-year-old Pham, whose outspoken, sometimes confrontational nature has perhaps led to his transitory nature within the majors, played for three different teams last year (Chicago White Sox, Kansas City and St. Louis), batting .255 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs over 372 at-bats. 

The Los Angeles Angels continue an offseason theme of hiring reclamation projects, bringing on third baseman Yoan Moncada on a one-year deal worth $5 million. Though still only 29, the Cuban-born Moncada has seen his game wither away since a peak 2019 season in which he batted .315 with 29 homers; he missed virtually all of last season with the White Sox after suffering an abductor strain in April. 

Meanwhile, the Angels extend their lease at Angel Stadium through the 2032 season, perhaps a sign that the team will delay their aspirations of building a new ballpark next door, as a potential deal fell through in 2022 due to corruption charges against Anaheim mayor Harry Sidhu. Angel Stadium remains the fourth oldest ballpark in the majors, having gone through several major renovations since its 1966 opening. 

Friday, February 7

The San Diego Padres fill in the left-field column of their depth chart by signing not one but two veterans who are expected to platoon. The bigger name among the pair is Jason Heyward, the former Gold Glover entering his 16th season after splitting the 2024 campaign with the Dodgers and Astros, batting .211 with 10 home runs over 87 games. The other guy is Connor Joe, whose baseball card value has never been above that of “common player” and holds a lifetime .242 batting average; he’s spent the last two seasons with Pittsburgh. 

Saturday, February 8

The Toronto Blue Jays announce the hiring of retired Gold Glove outfielder Kevin Kiermaier as a special assistant to the club. The 34-year-old Kiermaier, who played for the Jays over the past two seasons, gives a little more insight about his new position, stating that he will also be a “slash outfield specialist and…whisperer.” 

Sunday, February 9

Kiké Hernandez, the utility guy who never goes away, is sticking around Los Angeles as the Dodgers sign him for the 2025 season. The 33-year-old Hernandez played every position but catcher and right field for the Dodgers last year, even making four pitching appearances—allowing two runs over 4.1 innings. At the plate, he batted .229 over 362 at-bats with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs; in the team’s postseason run to the world title, Hernandez hit .294 over 51 at-bats with a triple and pair of homers. 

Monday, February 10

The Hall of Fame wields its power in deciding the team cap for the five newly inducted members, making the right choices in each case. Perhaps the closest call is for that of CC Sabathia, who had equally-weighted tenures with Cleveland and the New York Yankees—but even though he won his lone Cy Young Award while playing for the Indians, he won more games—leading the league twice—and struck out more batters wearing Yankee pinstripes. The other team selections are relative no-brainers. Obviously, Ichiro Suzuki will wear a Seattle cap as he played far more seasons and was in his prime with the Mariners. Billy Wagner pitched most of his career with Houston, so he gets an Astros cap. And among the two Veterans Committee choices, Dave Parker (Pirates) and Dick Allen (Phillies) will be shown on their plaques wearing the teams they featured most and best for. 

Tuesday, February 11

Clayton Kershaw is returning to the Dodgers for his 18th season, signing a one-year deal with the team he’s called home since his 2008 rookie campaign for “somewhere between $5 million and $10 million,” according to sources. Numerous performance bonuses could raise his salary even further. The southpaw, who turns 37 next month, has a stellar career 212-94 record that puts him firmly in position for the Hall of Fame; his goal for 2025 is to avoid injury, as he made only seven starts last season and hasn’t appeared in 30 or more games since 2015. 

After two years with the Boston Red Sox, closer Kenley Jansen is joining the Los Angeles Angels on a one-year, $10 million contract. The burly 37-year-old is fourth on the all-time saves list with 447; he needs 32 more to knock Lee Smith from the #3 spot. Jansen’s arrival likely will mean that supersonic reliever Ben Joyce, who threw the majors’ fastest pitch last year at 105.5 MPH, will not be the Angels’ closer in 2025. 

Former All-Star first baseman Ty France has agreed to a one-year pact with Minnesota, one season after batting .234 with 13 home runs and 51 RBIs split between Seattle and Cincinnati. The 30-year-old France has seen his output depreciate since 2022, when he earned All-Star status with a .274 average, 20 homers and 83 RBIs. 

Wednesday, February 12

The last remaining star free agent is off the market as Alex Bregman signs with the Red Sox for three years and $120 million; he’ll have opt-outs after each of his first two seasons. The 30-year-old right-handed hitter brings solid defense to Boston after earning his first Gold Glove last year at third base for Houston, but where will he fit in with the Red Sox? All-Star hitter Rafael Devers is supposedly settled in at third, and rumor has it that Bregman may move to second—or Devers may see more action from the DH spot. The latter move may crowd out Masataka Yoshida, who served as the Sox’ primary DH last season. 

It’s interesting to note: Bregman was drafted out of high school by the Red Sox in the 29th round of the 2012 draft, but opted to go to Louisiana State before being taken in the first round by the Astros three years later. 

While the Red Sox gain a solid asset, they lose another as Nick Pivetta agrees on a four-year deal worth $55 million with San Diego. It’s the first major acquisition of the offseason for the Padres, who had been very aggressive in each of the past two years. The 32-year-old Canadian compiled a 37-41 record and 4.29 ERA over the past five years with the Red Sox—and while those numbers hardly shout “ace,” Pivetta did emerge as one of the Red Sox’ more reliable arms, used as both a starter and long reliever. 

Another Canadian pitcher has a new home as Cal Quantrill signs with the Miami Marlins for one year and $3.5 million. The 30-year-old right-hander looked to have a promising future with Cleveland, producing a 23-8 record and 3.16 ERA from 2021-22; but he’s been far shakier in the past two seasons, finishing with an 8-11 record, 4.98 ERA and NL-leading 69 walks last year at Colorado. 

No MLB season would be complete without Anthony Rendon making news for the wrong reason. This year apparently will be no exception; the oft-injured third baseman, in his sixth year of a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Angels, will be absent “long-term” after undergoing hip surgery. Over the past four years, Rendon has missed nearly 70% of all games due to a cavalcade of injuries, and his output when healthy has suffered greatly from his previous tenure at Washington. 

Also going on the shelf for Opening Day is recently acquired Detroit pitcher Alex Cobb, whose own hip has been bothering him. This is nothing new; hip issues have dragged the veteran right-hander, who signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Tigers after making only five appearances (two of those in the playoffs) last year with Cleveland. 

Thursday, February 13

A day after making their first sizeable offseason signing of the year by nabbing Nick Pivetta, the Padres quietly add another arm that may prove intriguing. Kyle Hart has only four games of MLB experience, bombing for the 2020 Red Sox with a 15.55 ERA, 24 hits and 10 walks allowed over 11 innings. Last year, Hart escaped to Korea, where he looked to turn things around with a 13-3 record and 2.69 ERA over 157 innings for the NC Dinos. People will say that Korea (and Japan) isn’t quite MLB in terms of quality, but it resurrected the careers of pitchers like Miles Mikolas and Merrill Kelly. Can the 32-year-old Hart be next? 

Friday, February 14

Cole Ragans, on the threshold of becoming an ace with the Kansas City Royals, is extended three years for $13.25 million. The 27-year-old southpaw with a fiery fastball has looked dominant since being traded from Texas midway through the 2023 season; last year, he led the AL with 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings, totaling 223—second only to Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. The Royals already had team control over Ragans over the length of the new contract—and he’ll remain under their control for another year after the pact expires, becoming eligible for free agency in 2029. 

Veteran right-hander Kendall Graveman, who’s been solid since being converted to a reliever in 2020—but missed all of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery—signs a one-year deal worth $1.35 million with Arizona. Since going to the bullpen, Graveman has authored a 2.74 ERA with 24 saves performing back-up closer work. 

Saturday, February 15

The ninth and final arbitration case of the offseason is decided as former Texas first baseman Nathaniel Lowe will earn the $10.3 million the Washington Nationals requested, as opposed to the $11.1 million he had asked for. This gives teams a 5-4 edge in arbitration this winter, a year after players won nine of 15 cases. Overall, teams hold a 358-270 advantage over the players since arbitration became a thing in 1974. 

Sunday, February 16

Infielder Paul DeJong, still trying to get his career fully on track, signs a one-year contract for just $1 million with the Washington Nationals. The 31-year-old DeJong smacked 24 home runs between the White Sox and Cardinals last season, his most since hitting a career-high 30 in 2019 when he made his lone All-Star appearance. But his batting average still sat at a subpar .227, and his walk/strikeout ratio (23/156) wasn’t ideal. 

Monday, February 17

The Red Sox’ acquisition of third baseman Alex Bregman is not sitting well with the man who’s that position in Boston over the last seven years: Rafael Devers, the team’s hitting star in the midst of a $313 million contract. When the Bregman signing was announced, people wondered: Which one will play third, and where will the other be asked to play? Devers, arriving at spring camp, makes his opinion loud and clear: He’s the third baseman, and won’t accept a switch to the DH spot. He cites a promise Red Sox management made to him when he signed the 10-year extension before the 2023 season. In response, Red Sox manager Alex Cora shrugs at the guarantee, stating, “There is a different leader here. (Fired GM Chaim Bloom) is in St. Louis now.” The Red Sox are itching to start Bregman at third base, for good reason. His defense is a superior asset to his game, while Devers has led all AL third basemen in errors over each of the last seven seasons. Someone asks Devers whether he would consider a trade if things don’t work out in his favor. “That’s a tough answer to give,” he replies.

Arizona shortstop Geraldo Perdomo has been given a four-year extension worth $45 million, covering his first two years of free agency with a club option for 2030. The 25-year-old Dominican native is still a work in progress, but did make the All-Star team in 2023; he’s weak on power and holds a career .235 batting average, but runs well and is solid on defense. The Diamondbacks are clearly betting on his continued improvement. 

Eddie Fisher, a top reliever from the 1960s who authored a 3.41 ERA over 690 career appearances, passes away at the age of 88. The right-hander from Shreveport, Louisiana peaked in 1965 while playing for his second team, the Chicago White Sox, finishing 15-7 over a then AL-record 82 games, all of them in relief; his 165.1 innings were enough to qualify for the AL ERA title, with his 2.40 figure second in the league to Sam McDowell. A year later, Fisher was traded two months into the season to Baltimore, producing a 2.64 ERA and 5-3 record over 44 relief appearances in helping the Orioles to their first-ever Baltimore-era pennant; he didn’t participate in the team’s World Series sweep of the Dodgers to follow, as starters threw three complete games with the only bullpen appearance being a mesmerizing effort from Moe Drabowsky in Game One. Fisher pitched on through 1973 with four more teams, including a return to the White Sox. 

Tuesday, February 18

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. says that his window has shut on the Toronto Blue Jays to give him a lucrative extension, refusing to negotiate any further until after the approaching season—when he becomes a free agent. Guerrero sets a 9:00 p.m. deadline for an offer from the Jays, but they get back to him an hour and a half later—and the 25-year-old first baseman wasn’t impressed with what they bid. “They have their numbers; I have my numbers,” he says, adding that his numbers are much higher than what the Blue Jays have in mind. 

Baring a catastrophic injury, it’s widely expected that Guerrero will be able to fetch a minimum of $500 million with a new contract this coming fall. 

Justin Turner keeps on ticking. The 40-year-old infielder is hooking up with his seventh MLB team, agreeing to a one-year, $6 million deal with the Cubs. Turner played a full season split between Boston and Seattle in 2024, batting .259 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs; he’s two homers short of 200 for a career that began in 2009. 

Wednesday, February 19

Veteran reliever Scott Alexander is being brought in to endure the mile-high insanity of Coors Field, signing a one-year, $2 million deal with the Colorado Rockies. In Oakland last season, the 35-year-old Alexander furnished a nice 2.56 ERA over 45 appearances. 

Thursday, February 20

The Spring Training schedule opens with the Cubs downing the defending champion Dodgers in Cactus League action, 12-4. Bobby Miller, the Dodgers’ third pitcher on the day and hoping for a fresh start after a miserable 2024 campaign that earned him our dishonor for the NL’s Worst Pitcher of the Year, walks the first batter (Vidal Brujan) he faces, then next takes a 105-MPH comebacker from Michael Busch off his forehead. Miller walks off under his own power, but is later listed as undergoing a concussion protocol. 

The game is also noted for the inclusion of challenges on balls and strikes, as Cubs pitcher Cody Poteet asks for a review of a slider called a ball in the top of the first inning; a look at MLB’s automatic strike zone shows that the pitch does indeed nick the bottom of the zone, overturning home plate umpire Tony Randazzo’s initial call. The balls/strikes challenge system is being used at some ballparks for exhibition games, testing the waters to see if it warrants permanent use down the line. Teams can call for as many challenges as they want, up until their second unsuccessful challenge. 

The Dodgers and Cubs begin Spring Training play a day or two before all other MLB teams as they’ll need early prep for a two-game series in Tokyo in less than four weeks that will count in the regular season standings. 

ESPN’s 36-year partnership with MLB will likely come to an end after this season as the two sides mutually agree not to extend their existing pact for another three years. For the sports network, this will mean the end of its marquee Sunday Night Baseball telecasts as we know it; ESPN has dwindled its overall coverage over the years, while MLB is spreading the wealth on broadcasting rights with Apple and Roku having entered the picture. 

After agreeing to a one-year extension just last November, The Yankees and Aaron Boone agree to add yet two more years to the manager’s contract, taking him through a 10th season at New York in 2027. 

Friday, February 21

The Yankees open up the Grapefruit League schedule at Tampa with a 4-0 victory over the Rays, but the real news comes via a statement from the team that it will loosen its 50-year policy forbidding long and/or facial hair. New York players will be allowed to have “well-groomed beards,” but the statement doesn’t say anything about shoulder-length hair or fully grown, lumberjack-style beards—leading one to believe that those bans will remain in place. 

Saturday, February 22

So far, so good for the newest New York Met, one Juan Soto. The $765 million slugger pounds a 426-foot home run in his first spring at-bat with the team at their home base in Port St. Lucie, Florida; in his second (and last) appearance at the plate, he’ll hit into a fielder’s choice as the Mets log a 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros. 

Sunday, February 23

Another top free agent catch has a superb first spring game for his new team as Alex Bregman collects a single, home run and double in three at-bats in the Red Sox’ 8-7 loss to the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Bregman plays at third base while Rafael Devers, the Sox’ incumbent at that position, has yet to play as Boston manager Alex Cora states he’s not “100% healthy.” 

Monday, February 24

Larry Dolan, owner of the Cleveland Indians/Guardians since 2000, passes away at the age of 94. Under both his watch and that of his son Paul Dolan (who took control of everyday decisions in 2013), Dolan oversaw a team that spent more frugally that previous owner Richard Jacobs but still overachieved as low-budget winners, making nine postseason appearances and winning one pennant in 2016 before blowing a 3-1 game lead in the World Series against the Cubs. During Dolan’s reign, Cleveland has never finished last in the AL Central. 

Veteran outfielder/first baseman and human strike zone Mark Canha receives a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, hoping to extend a 10-year career that saw him participate in 125 games last season between the Tigers and Giants, batting .242 with seven home runs. Only one other currently signed ballplayer (Starling Marte) has been hit by more pitches than Canha, who’s been plunked 138 times—including 27 and 28 in back-to-back seasons, 2021-22. (Anthony Rizzo, who’s been 222 times, remains an unsigned free agent.) 

Tuesday, February 25

In the spring debut for his new team, the Toronto Blue Jays, Max Scherzer proves once again that he remains one of baseball’s biggest grouches. In a two-inning effort in which he gives up one run and strikes out four, the 40-year-old Scherzer has two strike calls overruled as MLB continues to test out balls-and-strikes reviews. Afterward, he spouts his displeasure of the trial system, telling The Athletic that he’s skeptical about the process. “Can we just play baseball?” he asks. “We’re humans. Can we just be judged by humans? Do we really need to disrupt the game?” 

Closer Brandon Finnegan is returning to the Washington Nationals, signing a one-year deal for $5.1 million after being let go by the Nats at the end of last season. The 33-year-old right-hander saved 38 games for the Nationals in 2024 to go along with a pedestrian 3.68 ERA, but still made the All-Star team as one of two Washington players represented. By releasing Finnegan last fall and thus avoiding arbitration, the Nationals end up saving money on the deal. 

Thursday, February 27

Wins and losses don’t mean much during the exhibition season—it’s usually just making sure that everyone is healthy and ready for the regular season, when the games start to count. Still, it didn’t seem lost to anyone checking out the Spring Training standings at the start of the day and finding out that the only team yet to win a game after one week is…the Chicago White Sox, hoping to rebound from a modern-record 121 losses last season. For all it’s worth—for the White Sox’ psyche, it certainly is worth something—Chicago finally wins its first spring contest, holding off the Cleveland Guardians by a 4-2 count in Glendale, Arizona before 2,966 fans. The win reduces the Sox’ run differential after one week of spring ball down to -24, which is by far the worst among all MLB teams. 

Chicago probably would trade the win for a healthy Andrew Beninetndi. The veteran outfielder, who batted .229 for the Sox last season but did match a career high with 20 home runs, has his hand fractured after being struck by a pitch in his first at-bat. It’s said that Benintendi will miss up to six weeks, meaning he’s more than likely to be a spectator on Opening Day. 

Remember the minor league catcher who pitch-tipped his way out of a baseball career last September? Against the advice of his agents (who have since dropped him), Derek Bender speaks to The Athletic and insists that he wasn’t tipping pitches while behind the plate for the Class-A Fort Myers Mussels, an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, and claims to be the victim—receiving death threats, being shunned by teammates, and now facing permanent expulsion from organized ball should MLB conclude that he was telling opposing hitters what pitches were coming. Bender says he did apologize to the team, but didn’t say what for. Even with his career on the line, he apparently doesn’t think the incident was that a big a deal—telling The Athletic, “It’s not like I’m getting accused of committing a crime.” 

Friday, February 28

Shohei Ohtani says hello to this year’s Spring Training action and goodbye to the sixth pitch he sees, hammering a pitch from the Angels’ Yusei Kikuchi to left field in his first at-bat since winning the NL MVP last season. Batting leadoff as the DH as he did for much of the 2024 season, Ohtani will later pop out and strike out to finish his night as the Dodgers win in come-from-behind fashion after his departure, 6-5.