tony&rodney’s 2026 Payroll Blueprint: The Middle Path

[tony&rodney]

Goal is to improve defense, speed, athleticism, and offense on budget beneath $120M. Moves are all speculative of unknown possibilities.

1. Bailey Ober, Kyle DeBarge for Jordan Lawler. 

2. Matt Wallner, Edouard Julien, Jose Olivares for for Jared Jones.                                              

3. Emmanuel Rodriguez for Harry Ford.             

4. Sign Josh Naylor FA-3/$78M.                           

5. Joe Ryan, Alan Roden, Charlee Soto for Tyler Soderstrom or Max Clark

Willing to spend $15M on relief pitching if $115M is possible. Two relievers are needed.

Think I need to push forward a bare bones plan and a $125M plan.

• C: Ryan Jeffers ($6.60M)
• 1B: Josh Naylor ($26.00M)
• 2B: Luke Keaschall ($0.80M)
• 3B: Royce Lewis ($3.00M)
• SS: Jordan Lawler ($0.80M)
• LF: Tyler Soderstrom ($0.80M)
• CF: Byron Buxton ($15.15M)
• RF: Walker Jenkins ($0.80M)
• DH: Gabriel Gonzalez ($0.80M)
• 4th OF: Austin Martin ($0.80M)
• Utility: Kyler Fedko ($0.80M)
• Utility: Brooks Lee ($0.80M)
• Backup C: Harry Ford ($0.80M)
• SP1: Pablo Lopez ($21.75M)
• SP2: Zebby Matthews ($0.80M)
• SP3: Taj Bradley ($0.80M)
• SP4: Simeon Woods Richardson ($0.80M)
• SP5: Mick Abel ($0.80M)
• RP: David Fest ($0.80M)
• RP: Jared Jones ($0.80M)
• RP: Travis Adams ($0.80M)
• RP: Cole Sands ($1.30M)
• RP: Pierson Ohl ($0.80M)
• RP: Marco Raya ($0.80M)
• RP: Connor Prielipp ($0.80M)
• RP: Kody Funderburk ($0.80M)

Payroll is 18.36% under budget