A little more than two weeks into the MLB season, there is already plenty happening behind the scenes. There are injury-ravaged front offices desperate for solutions and over-performing front offices attempting to drown out the noise to determine the best path forward.

From future nine-figure signings to a prized free agent still on the market and major injury news, here are the latest MLB rumors to keep you in the loop:

Padres’ Nick Pivetta expected to opt out of contract

• Nick Pivetta is expected to opt out of $55 million Padres contract after two years
• He will become ‘one of the most prized starters’ in 2027 free agency

Nick Pivetta inked a four-year, $55 million contract with the San Diego Padres ahead of the 2025 campaign. He more than delivered, logging 181.2 innings with a 2.87 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. He finished sixth in NL Cy Young voting.

While he’s off to a bumpier start in 2026 — 5.54 ERA across 13.0 innings in three starts — the turnaround is coming, and MLB executives still expect Pivetta to test the open market come next winter. He has an opt-out clause and rivals believe exercising it is a “no-brainer,” per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.

Pivetta should command significant money as one of the best non-Tarik Skubal free agents on the market. The Padres were able to re-sign Michael King a few months ago, but ownership’s dealt and a looming sale could complicate their ability to keep Pivetta on a long-term deal. It does not help that GM A.J. Preller’s future with the team remains murky at best.

Given the Padres’ poor farm system, replacing Pivetta would be a fearsome challenge. San Diego has an aging core and very little flexibility these days, which is not a great position to be in. They burned Leo De Vries — a future superstar and their former top asset — on the Mason Miller trade, which could have diminishing returns, despite his historic domiance in the closer spot.

Lucus Giolito believes he is worth more than teams are offering in free agency

• Lucas Giolito remains unsigned after rejecting his $19 million mutual option with Red Sox
• He wants a contract ‘close’ to his value, but teams are skeptical

Lucas Giolito made 26 starts and put up a 3.41 ERA across 145.0 innings for the Boston Red Sox last season, which led him to reject a $19 million mutual option with expectations of a healthy payday in free agency. Well, almost three weeks into the season he remains unsigned.

“I just want to play for close to what my value is,” Giolito told WEEI (h/t USA Today). “My agent says I’m worth more than anyone is willing to pay me and even if it’s detrimental to my career I’ll hold out”.

Giolito says his agency uses the same models front offices do to calculate value and that he’s worth more than the offers he has received to date. Moreover, he’s willing to drag this out, even if it compromises his career. The worrisome track record for pitchers who miss spring training has led teams to question is value, per Bob Nightengale.

While Giolito was an important innings-eater for the Red Sox last season, he outperformed his metrics — meaning he was due for regression even before this protracted holdout. While he’s still the clear best arm available, it’s unclear if any team will reach the number Giolito has in his head. That means he will either be unsigned for a while or he will need to bite the bullet and accept what he perceives as a discount.

Giolito’s best bet at this point is to wait for a team to get desperate enough in the face of injuries. The Padres, Astros and Braves are commonly theorized as Giolito landing spots, but if those organizations can find cheaper options, either via trade or internal promotion, the 31-year-old righty may end up with the short end of the stick.

Spencer Strider is progressing toward Braves return

• Spencer Strider will make his first Minor League rehab start for the Braves on Thursday
• Atlanta hopes to get Strider back in early May

Spencer Strider will start for a to-be-determined Minor League affiliate this coming Thursday, his first rehab appearance since suffering oblique discomfort in spring training, per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. He will throw 40-45 pitches.

“He’s on the right path,” Braves manager Walt Weiss told MLB.com. “But with starters, it takes time. We’ve got to build him back up now. So, that’s probably going to take the rest of the month.”

Braves president Alex Anthopoulos expects Strider to ramp up quickly, with no further setbacks:

“I think it will be sooner rather than later that you see him back.”

Strider struggled in his return from Tommy John surgery last season, posting a 4.45 ERA and 1.39 WHIP across 23 starts and 125.1 innings. His fastball shape and velocity never fully recovered. It was a problem again in spring training before the Braves shut him down.

The 27-year-old righty was an All-Star in 2023, when he finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting. He looked the part of a franchise cornerstone before missing all but two starts in 2024 due to his UCL injury.

The Braves’ staff has held up remarkably well early in the new season, despite Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep all landing on the IL. Bryce Elder has reworked his approach with stellar results, while Reynaldo López looks like the All-Star of yore. If Strider can get back quickly and regain pre-injury form (or something close to it), the Braves will be in a great spot. It’s clear Atlanta has the bats to meaningfully contend in the NL East this season.

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