 |
Tablesetters: A Baseball PodcastAuthor: Tablesetters: A Baseball Podcast
Welcome to Tablesetters, the podcast where Devin and Steve bring you everything you need to know about Major League Baseball (MLB) and then some! Join these two baseball enthusiasts as they break down the latest games, analyze player performances, and serve up spicy commentary on all the MLB drama. With their witty banter and deep dive into the sport, Devin and Steve are here to satisfy your baseball cravings, whether youre a die-hard fan or just tuning in. So grab your peanuts and Cracker Jacks, and join the conversation at Tablesetters Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
LIVE Special!: Winter Meetings Preview, Mets Add Devin Williams & Orioles Strengthen Bullpen with Helsley | 122
Episode 122
Wednesday, 3 December, 2025
The league is not easing into the Winter Meetings. Everything is already moving. Episode 122 opens with a full preview of the Winter Meetings in Orlando, where front offices, agents, and scouts spend four days accelerating conversations that normally take weeks. We lay out what the schedule looks like, why teams such as Seattle, the Mets, the Dodgers, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Boston are positioned to act, and note that the Rule 5 Draft is on deck as part of the week’s business. It’s the annual checkpoint that pushes stalled talks forward, and this year the trade market is already hinting at a few possible flashpoints. From there, we break down the Mets’ big bullpen addition. New York lands Devin Williams on a 3-year, $51 million deal, giving them a late-inning anchor regardless of what happens with Edwin Díaz. We look at why the Mets felt comfortable betting on the underlying metrics, what Williams still does at an elite level, and how his arrival gives the front office multiple paths through the rest of the winter. It’s a stabilizing move before the Meetings even begin. We also get into Baltimore’s signing of Ryan Helsley, who might be one of the most interesting rebound bets of the offseason. The Orioles see fixable issues — pitch tipping, sequencing predictability, fastball shape — and believe their pitching infrastructure can get him back to All-Star form. With Félix Bautista recovering, Baltimore needed a legitimate ninth-inning option, and Helsley arrives with both the stuff and the track record to fill that role immediately. Two international signings hit the board as well: Anthony Kay to the White Sox and Cody Ponce to the Blue Jays. Both reinvented themselves overseas, both return with new arsenals, and both deals reflect MLB’s growing willingness to invest in pitchers who rebuild their value in the KBO and NPB. Kay gives Chicago a stabilizing piece in a flexible rotation, while Ponce becomes another power arm in what might be the deepest starting group in baseball. We also look at Sonny Gray, who hasn’t thrown a pitch for Boston yet but already leaned into the rivalry by taking a swipe at the Yankees. His comments added instant juice to a tense dynamic between the two clubs, and Boston paid real prospect capital to get him. We walk through the rotation fit, the motivation behind the deal, and the early messaging coming out of Fenway. To close things out, we propose one trade that feels realistic heading into the Meetings — a move that fits the market, the needs on both sides, and the competitive timelines without getting speculative. Think of it as the early favorite to become this year’s headline move once executives settle into Orlando. Steve and Devin walk through each signing, the market context, the roster ripple effects, and the trade to watch as the Meetings begin. Two major reliever signings. Two international additions. One rivalry story. One trade prediction going into baseball’s busiest week. Follow @TablesettersPod on Instagram and X for full Winter Meetings coverage with updates, reactions, and everything happening out of Orlando.
