In our 127th episode, Mike Couillard and Jeremy Brewer discuss the latest MLB transactions and baseball card news before previewing the NL Central with Derek VanRiper of The Athletic and the Rates & Barrels podcast.

You can find us on bluesky at @cardscategories.bsky.social, @mcouill7.bsky.social, and @jbrewer17.bsky.social. Email the pod at [email protected].

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Links to things discussed in the pod:

• Red Sox and Brewers link up for six-player swap including Caleb Durbin and Kyle Harrison
• Justin Verlander re-joins the Tigers
• Orioles add Chris Bassitt
• Pirates ink Marcell Ozuna to one-year pact
• Yankees re-sign Paul Goldschmidt
• Miguel Andujar joins the Padres
• Injuries galore from reporting to camp:
  • Corbin Carroll undergoing surgery on right hamate bone
  • Francisco Lindor having hamate surgery
  • Jackson Holliday suffers broken right hamate, also set for surgery
  • Banged up Blue Jays (Santander out 5-6 months with shoulder surgery, Bowden Francis out for season with UCL reconstruction, Bieber has forearm fatigue)
  • Spencer Schwellenbach to open season on 60-day IL with elbow inflammation
  • Reese Olson out for season with shoulder surgery
• Redemption for a 1952 Mantle is buried in Series 1

Upcoming baseball card release schedule:

• 2/11: 2025 Topps MLB MVP Collection
• 2/11: 2026 Topps Series 1
• 2/12: 2025 Topps Pristine
• 2/18: 2025 Panini Prospect Edition
• 2/18: 2025 Topps Stadium Club
• 2/20: 2025 Topps Gilded
• TBD: 2025 Bowman’s Best
• TBD: 2025 Topps Chrome Platinum ‘55

NL Central Preview (33:00)

• Chicago Cubs
  • Buy: Ian Happ, Alex Bregman
  • Sell: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Nico Hoerner, Cade Horton
• Cincinnati Reds
  • Buy: Matt McLain, Will Benson, Elly De La Cruz
  • Sell: Emilio Pagan, Noelvi Marte
• Milwaukee Brewers
  • Buy: Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, Andrew Vaughn
  • Sell: Abner Uribe, Trevor Megill
• Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Buy: Braxton Ashcraft, Bryan Reynolds
  • Sell: Dennis Santana, Konnor Griffin
• St. Louis Cardinals
  • Buy: Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, Kyle Leahy
  • Sell: Victor Scott II, Riley O’Brien