10 Teams That Have Been Busy Raising Eyebrows
- - 10 Teams That Have Been Busy Raising Eyebrows
Owen ChaseJanuary 22, 2026 at 8:59 AM
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The Hot Stove is supposed to bring clarity. If a team has a hole, it patches up, fans exhale, and everyone moves on. But there are always those moves that feel like someone bought an expensive gadget and forgot to check if it fits. The 2025-2026 offseason delivered plenty of action, but also created what some will call blunders. These are the MLB teams signing players who look questionable.
Cubs
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Chicago spent prospect capital and then opened the vault. First came the Edward Cabrera trade that shipped out top prospect Owen Caissie. Then the Cubs topped it with a five-year, $175 million deal for Alex Bregman. That's loud, but also oddly specific. If Bregman locks down third, where does that leave the rest of the infield plan? And did they just trade a future star to chase right now today?
Orioles
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Baltimore finally acted like a big spender by landing Pete Alonso on a five-year, $155 million contract. Pete fixes power, not pitching, and Camden Yards doesn't hand out October wins for home runs alone. Then the Orioles traded for Shane Baz, a high-upside arm still trying to stay on the field. The roster screams contender, but the rotation douses that expectation. The disconnect has critics wondering what Mike Elias was thinking.
Yankees
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New York grabbed lefty Ryan Weathers from Miami, betting that a pitcher with a recent lat strain can hold down meaningful innings. While their rotation need is real, the move feels like patching a leaky roof with duct tape. Ryan has talent and pedigree, but his record proves he's injury-prone. If he stays healthy, great. If not, the Yankees may have paid four prospects for a question mark.
Angels
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First, the Angels pulled off the rarest trick in baseball by making bookkeeping feel like a roster move. By stretching Anthony Rendon's remaining $38 million over multiple years, they created breathing room without adding a single win. Then they leaned into reclamation arms, the kind that make spring training exciting and September painful. Optimists call it depth, while skeptics think it's another treadmill season with better PR, but only time will tell.
Dodgers
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The bullpen already had late-inning firepower, and now it has a closer who can make the quickest fastball look casual. The eyebrow-raiser is the stacking. Relievers can turn volatile in a hurry, and Edwin has endured injuries before. The Dodgers don't mind buying insurance for a World Series three-peat.
Mets
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Juan Soto got the mega contract, and the Mets started acting like they suddenly discovered budgeting apps. They didn't push long years for Pete Alonso, and Edwin Díaz slipped away, too. The shift aligns with David Stearns' cautious, value-driven DNA, but it still jars Queens fans who are used to reckless winter shopping. The big question remains if this restraint is permanent or a pause before another headline signing drops.
Padres
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A.J. Preller ran the Padres' offseason like a magician doing card tricks during a fire drill. With the franchise exploring a sale, San Diego avoided the flashiest spending but still managed curveballs. KBO infielder Sung-Mun Song arrived, then Michael King returned on a contract filled with flexibility and an opt-out. The skepticism is the mixed signal it sends. Rebuilding teams don't do this, but strapped contenders usually can't either.
Blue Jays
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Kazuma Okamoto offers a dangerous bat and also brings Toronto a headache. The Blue Jays weren't screaming for another infield piece, but they signed a slugger whose best roles overlap with multiple players on the roster. That turns spring training into a chessboard. Third base? First base? DH? It also puts a spotlight on Bo Bichette’s long-term future, since he’s approaching the point where extension talks or trade whispers start getting louder.
Mariners
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Seattle brought back Josh Naylor quickly and watched Jorge Polanco leave for New York, reopening the infield headache. The Mariners clearly want to win now, but the roster still looks one big bat short. That's why trade rumors keep circling, from Eugenio Suárez reunion chatter to other infield targets. Critics get skeptical when a team 'almost' solves a problem. In baseball, 'almost' usually equals fourth place at best.
Tigers
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Detroit has treated bullpen arms like the hottest commodity on earth, adding Kenley Jansen and retaining Kyle Finnegan. That's a serious late-inning plan, but it doesn't answer the question of how far the team is actually willing to go. Tarik Skubal's window keeps narrowing, and the trade chatter refuses to die. These moves feel like a contender's polish, but without the punch. Critics see activity, then ask, "Where's the swing?"
Source: “AOL Sports”
