The Opener: Venable, Murphy, Pagan
MLB Trade Rumors • • sports
Key Points:
- Will Venable of the Chicago White Sox was named AL Manager of the Year after leading the team to an 84-78 record and an AL Wild Card berth, marking a significant turnaround from previous seasons.
- Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers won NL Manager of the Year for the third consecutive season, guiding the team to a 103-win regular season and their first World Series title.
- The Detroit Tigers signed veteran right-handed pitcher Emilio Pagan as their new closer, filling the bullpen vacancy left by Kenley Jansen's free agency departure.
- Pagan had a strong 2025 season with Cincinnati, saving a career-best 32 games, but missed nearly two months in 2026 due to a hamstring injury; he declined a $10 million option to join Detroit for an additional $1 million.
