Most acquisitions are pretty straight-forward. If you don’t know what’s for dinner and then your spouse comes home with a pizza, boom: That’s dinner.
But some acquisitions create more questions. If your spouse comes home with a Himalayan salt rock, it might lead you to wonder: What is a Himalayan salt rock? How much was this Himalayan salt rock? Where does one store a Himalayan salt rock? And anyway, what’s for dinner?
It’s the same way in the Hot Stove season, when teams make moves that might answer one question but create another.
Let’s explore 10 teams that have made us go “Hmmm.”
Cubs
The Cubs’ acquisition of young starter Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Marlins marked the first real sizzle of the offseason on the North Side. But just as interesting was the inclusion in the deal of outfielder Owen Caissie, who was the Cubs’ No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline. The departure of Caissie's potential 2026 upside only increases the already-existent incentive for the Cubs, who have stayed away from top-of-the-market contracts of late, to act like the big-market ballclub they are and land one of the available impact bats.
For much of the offseason, there has been an assumption that Kyle Tucker will wind up elsewhere. Does Caissie’s inclusion in the Cabrera trade change that equation, especially if Tucker winds up available on a shorter-term, higher-AAV deal? Or would old pal Cody Bellinger or last winter’s free-agent target, Alex Bregman, be more to their liking?
Hmmm.
Mets
Speaking of teams seemingly leery of long-term commitments, you have the Mets. Now, obviously, they’ve made long-term commitments in the recent past, including, notably, the BIGGEST PACT OF ALL-TIME with Juan Soto.
But this winter, they weren’t willing to go beyond three years with Pete Alonso and got slightly outbid by the Dodgers for Edwin Díaz. The deals with Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver were all three years or fewer. So there is some bit of David Stearns’ Milwaukee mentality seeping in here. While the Mets will go all-in on generational talents, they’re clearly trying to not be too top-heavy long-term.
Trading for a short-term solution like Freddy Peralta would sure qualify within those parameters and address their starting need. But with the Mets linked to Cody Bellinger, could we still see them do one of those mega-deals we had become accustomed to in Queens?
Hmmm.
Orioles
It was fun to see the Orioles finally jump in the deep end of the free-agent pool with the Pete Alonso signing, but, unless we’ve missed some pertinent news about his offseason, he did not meaningfully improve the top end of their rotation. And while Shane Baz has loads of potential, he’s not the established, frontline starter that fans are clamoring for. (Alonso also creates a first-base logjam that would figure to be addressed with a trade of Ryan Mountcastle or Coby Mayo.)
So now we’re all wondering what comes next, because you don’t make a splash of that magnitude without serious World Series aspirations, and any sober evaluation of the O’s starting stash would suggest that it still falls shy of stellar. Did they leave any dry powder aside for one of the remaining top arms in a starting market still stocked with the likes of Zac Gallen, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez?
Hmmm.
Pirates
It’s been nice to see the Buccos take meaningful steps to improve their offense around a potentially elite pitching staff fronted by Paul Skenes. They’ve made trades for second baseman Brandon Lowe and outfielders Jake Mangum and Jhostynxon Garcia. The free-agent market has been less fruitful for them, though they were able to complete a pact with Ryan O’Hearn.
The question here isn’t complicated: How far is Pittsburgh willing to take its most ambitious offseason in years? Can the Pirates pull off yet another swap for a hitter, or might the price tags in the remaining free-agent market become palatable for them?
Hmmm.
Angels
You can pedal all day on a stationary bike without getting anywhere, and maybe that’s what the Halos’ busy offseason amounts to. They’ve taken on a few reclamation projects, hoping the likes of Grayson Rodriguez, Vaughn Grissom, Jordan Romano, Kirby Yates and Alek Manoah can reach or return to their potential. Whether that’s enough for a team that’s lost 85 or more games in each of the past five seasons to make any meaningful rise in the win column remains to be seen.
But you’ve got to give the Angels an A for effort, and maybe their most interesting move of all was the reported restructuring of the final year of the disastrous deal with the absent Anthony Rendon, whose $38 million owed in 2026 will instead be paid out over several years. Will that restructuring aid the aggressiveness of the Angels? Could they continue their active offseason by using some of that cash to make more tangible improvements to the roster?
Hmmm.
Brewers
The Brewers didn’t win three straight division titles by fronting the free-agent market but by maximizing their resources. That includes their trade chips, as we’ve seen with the shipping off of stars Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader and Devin Williams in recent years.
All winter, we’ve been wondering if Freddy Peralta might be next. While the Brewers can ably afford his $8 million salary in his final season before free-agent eligibility, that low price tag also augments his trade value. And the Brewers have a nice stash of starters even if they do decide to move their ace.
Does the surprising trade for lefty Angel Zerpa, who reportedly might get the chance to stretch out as a starter, further the possibility of a Peralta trade?
Hmmm.
Blue Jays
The defending American League champs have been so active and aggressive in an otherwise slow-moving offseason that there is temptation to just give them a 10 out of 10 with no notes.
But the recent signing of Japanese star Kazuma Okamoto presents a lot of variables both now and in Spring Training. The Jays weren’t necessarily an obvious fit for the services of this 29-year-old with contact and power, but he does fit the style of their lineup well. The question is where he himself will line up, and whether his arrival ensures that Bo Bichette heads elsewhere. As it stands, Okamoto could conceivably be an everyday third baseman, allowing Addison Barger to serve full-time in right and Ernie Clement at second with Andrés Giménez at short. But if Okamoto instead bounces around at third, first, outfield and DH, then maybe there’s still a way to bring back Bo, in which case Clement is primarily an overqualified bench player. Or could Okamoto’s arrival be a surer sign that the nonstop Jays are going to invest in the outfield next with Kyle Tucker?
Hmmm.
Padres
Fielding a top-heavy roster amid an exploration of selling the team, there was an expectation that the Padres would not be uber-aggressive in the free-agent market this winter, and they haven’t been. But that doesn’t mean they’ve been quiet, either. They signed Korea Baseball Organization infielder Sung-Mun Song to a reasonable sum and were able to bring back Michael King on a flexible pact that includes deferred money and an opt-out after one year.
Padres general manager A.J. Preller always makes us go “Hmmm,” and this offseason is no different. The King contract is evidence that the Padres aren’t retreating in spite of spending limitations. As San Diego, per usual, checks in on various trade candidates and considers offers for the likes of Jake Cronenworth and Nick Pivetta, what more surprises might be in store?
Hmmm.
Mariners
Seattle’s No. 1 priority was bringing back Josh Naylor, and that deal came together quickly. The Mariners also targeted young lefty Jose A. Ferrer in a trade.
But losing the popular (in the clubhouse and elsewhere) Jorge Polanco to the Mets was also interesting, because it left the M’s with a clear need for an impact infield bat. Does Polanco’s departure increase the chances of Eugenio Suárez coming back, despite his subpar performance after a midseason trade? If a trade for the Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte is now off the table, as many suspect, could a deal for the Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan still come together? Or could the Mariners commit to their kids (Cole Young, Ben Williamson and Colt Emerson) in the infield and deploy any remaining financial resources elsewhere?
Hmmm.
Tigers
The Tigers have been extremely bullpen-oriented in their run to consecutive playoff appearances, and the bullpen has been a focus of a winter in which they’ve added Kenley Jansen and brought back Kyle Finnegan. Other than that, there was Gleyber Torres’ acceptance of the qualifying offer and minor adjustments.
Nothing wrong with any of that, but the Tigers’ activity so far doesn’t push them to another level or indicate they are “all-in” on Tarik Skubal’s final season of control, and they haven’t exactly shut down the external dialogue about the possibility of Skubal being dealt. Are more aggressive moves coming, or does the Tigers’ offseason so far indicate that their biggest move will be trading Skubal for young and ready pieces?
Hmmm.