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Bo Bichette encountered the New York skyline for the first time knowing this wasn't just a stopover — it was now his professional home, for 2026 and maybe the next three years.

And while Bichette is a pretty worldly dude — his mother is Brazilian, his father played a dozen years in the big leagues and he spent his first six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays — he admitted a new sensation upon this descent.

"When I landed," Bichette told reporters on Jan. 21, "I looked around and saw the city and it hit a little bit different than it does when you come as a road player. As a road player, you try to ignore all of it.

"When I landed, I kind of soaked it in and realized, ‘This is something. This is massive.’ It’s pretty cool."

The New York Mets think Bichette joining their rotating cadre of superstars is pretty cool, too.

The club introduced Bichette, signed to a three-year, $126 million contract, to the New York media one day after they solved an outfield problem by acquiring center fielder Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox. In just five days, they created a nightmare 1-2-3 atop the lineup with Bichette following Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, while edging toward the elite defensive alignment club president David Stearns sought in sticking Robert in the middle of the outfield.

Now, an 83-win disappointment won't be followed by a desultory and failed winter. Now, the Mets look an awful lot like the Steve Cohen Mets again.

"Mr. Cohen and David," says Bichette, "have put together an organization that wants to win every year, a chance to win the World Series every year. And a roster that backs that up."

Almost.

While integrating Bichette's 181 hits, 14.5% strikeout rate and career .330 batting average with runners in scoring position, there's just one major hole in the roster — and Stearns knows it.

Cody Bellinger, the last offensive free agent of note this winter, has agreed to a deal with the Yankees. Per Jon Heyman, the deal is for $162.5 million over five years, with $85 million coming in the first two years and an opt out after the 2027 season. That’s significantly more than the 5/$135 Fangraphs had projected him for at the beginning of the winter, and the front loading and opt out further increase the value from his point of view. It’s been a good winter for hitters, with Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette opting for short deals that blew their expected AAVs out of the water, and Alex Bregman, Bellinger, Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso getting big deals with totals that exceeded expectations.
Bellinger had his best, and healthiest, season in years in New York last season. He played in 152 games, posting a .272/.334/.480 slash line that was 25% better than league average while going 13 for 15 stealing bases and playing very good corner outfield defence with some passable work in centre as well.
His return completes the reunion of last year’s Yankees outfield after fellow free agent centre fielder Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer earlier this winter. They and right fielder Aaron Judge will form probably the strongest offensive outfield in the game.
The move signals that the team doesn’t think former uber-prosepect Jasson Dominguez is quite ready for prime time. Dominguez got into 123 games in New York in his age 22 season last year and hit well enough for his age (103 wRC+), but stats and scouts graded his left field defence as atrocious in spite of his plus speed. It also pushes Spencer Jones out of the big league outfield picture as long as all of the starters are healthy. Jones grabbed attention by clubbing 35 home runs in just 116 games across AA and AAA last season, but also struck out 35% of the time with just a 60% contact rate, and evaluators doubt that his swing and approach would survive MLB pitching.
The free agent market is now looking pretty thin, with Eugenio Suarez the only batter left who looks likely to receive a significant multi-year deal. There’s a little more on the pitching side, with Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen yet to find landing spots. Although the Jays missed out on the major MLB bats, their plan of locking in their free agents early in the offseason looks good given how high prices have landed

The San Diego Padres’ main focus has been revamping the starting rotation this offseason. But the start of Spring Training is less than a month away, and their efforts should turn to upgrading the backup catcher position.

Campusano is not the answer

Currently, Luis Campusano is the lone option behind starter Freddy Fermin. The Padres have little confidence in him, as Campusano has always been a lazy defender behind the dish, and his minor league hitting prowess has never translated at the major league level. 

But the clock is ticking on Campusano’s time with the organization, as the Friars have no more minor league options remaining for him. So, he either begins the 2026 season on the big league roster, or Campusano must be designated for assignment.

It was not too long ago that he was the top prospect of the Padres’ minor league system. But his production in the majors (0-21 in 2025) has been disappointing. However, it is not impossible to see him reach his potential this season. Late bloomers are a common thread in baseball today.

Who is available on the backup catcher’s market

With the Friars turning their attention to upgrading the backup catcher position, no one should expect that player to supplant Fermin as the starter. He has been outstanding since the Friars acquired him from the Kansas City Royals at last summer’s trade deadline.

In 42 games with the Brown & Gold, Fermin batted .244 with two home runs and 14 RBI, while quickly becoming a calming presence for the pitching staff. He learned what each pitcher does best and allowed them to succeed in their moment on the mound. 

If the Padres add another experienced catcher to the mix, it is because they want to keep Fermin fresh for an entire season. Giving him a lighter workload allows Fermin to remain an effective contributor deep into the dog days of summer. The Friars cannot afford a fall-off in production. 

You would expect the organization to bring other backup candidates to Peoria on minor league deals. However, finding a suitable replacement has not been easy. Still, the Friars have been linked to several catchers, notably Christian Vasquez, Reese McGuire, and Gary Sanchez. 

Each adds a veteran presence to the clubhouse. Vasquez and McGuire are known as defensive specialists who call a good game. Sanchez may not have the glove, but he does offer a proven power-hitting commodity off the bench.

The front office will not consider top catching prospect Ethan Salas to start the season in the backup role. Injuries have caused him to miss significant time since signing with the Padres. Salas needs more seasoning in the minors before any thought of him receiving a major league promotion.

The Friars need to upgrade their depth at the catcher’s position. However, the market is currently thin, as no one is willing to commit to one another.

However, that could change heading into the final weeks before the start of Spring Training. Expect the Padres to make a move soon.

Last night, two players were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Center Fielders Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones got the call to Cooperstown. However, the night was not as successful for former Nationals. Daniel Murphy, Howie Kendrick and Gio Gonzalez were all on the ballot for the first time, but did not get any votes.

First off, congratulations to Beltran and Jones. Both had wonderful careers that were Hall of Fame worthy. Jones was the best defensive center fielder of his generation, while also being a prolific power threat. He hit 434 home runs and also won 10 Gold Gloves. 

Beltran was also an elite power/speed guy in center field. He was not as good in the field as Jones, but was a better hitter and had a longer peak. Beltran would have gotten inducted sooner, if not for his connection to the Astros cheating scandal. Despite that blemish, it was not enough to keep him out of the Hall of Fame.

On the other side of the spectrum were the three Nationals players. Daniel Murphy, Howie Kendrick and Gio Gonzalez were the only three players on the ballot not to get any votes. These guys were never going to make the cut, but not getting any votes is interesting.

Players like Rick Porcello, Hunter Pence, Alex Gordon and Shin-Soo Choo all got votes. I would say the trio of former Nats are on the same level as those players. It does not matter that much, but it is a shame they were the only ones to get totally shut out.

Given the fact they did not meet the 5% threshold, Murphy, Kendrick and Gonzalez will be off the ballot. However, next year will be the first year we see Ryan Zimmerman on the ballot. I would be shocked if Zimmerman were totally shut out and think he will meet the 5% threshold. Jordan Zimmermann will also be on the ballot in 2027.

Back to the Nats trio, all of them had very exciting peaks, but did not do enough to get in obviously. Kendrick had the highest WAR of the trio, with 35 wins above replacement. Most of that came with the Angels, but his most memorable moments came in DC. He hit arguably the two biggest home runs in franchise history during the Nats 2019 World Series run.

Kendrick had a really nice career, with a .294 average and an All-Star appearance. He was just never a star player, even if he was a key part to the Nats World Series run. It is a shame he got totally shut out though.

Daniel Murphy had the least amount of WAR, but probably hit the highest peak. He was second in NL MVP voting in his magical 2016 season. Murphy was a hitting machine that year, with a .347 average and 25 homers. He followed it up with another All-Star caliber 2017 season.

Those two years, as well as his 2015 playoff run were the extent of Murphy’s peak, but what a peak it was. He had a nice run on the Mets, but never hit the heights he did in DC. Injuries started to catch up to Murphy after 2017, and he was never the same. He was an elite player, but only for two seasons.

Gio Gonzalez had the longest tenure in DC of the trio and he was very good. He finished third in Cy Young voting in 2012, his first year as a Nat. That was his best season in DC, but he was a solid number 2 or number 3 starter for a long time.

His inconsistent command made him frustrating to watch at times, but he was still a very effective pitcher. Gio posted a 3.62 ERA in 6.5 seasons as a Nat. Obviously, that is not Hall of Fame worthy, but it is still very good.

None of these guys are Hall of Famers, but they were all high end players. Nationals fans will remember all three of these players very fondly. Just getting onto the ballot is very impressive in its own right.

MLB Rumors: Cody Bellinger and the New York Yankees have agreed to terms on a 5 year, $162.5 million deal, per multiple reports. The deal includes opt outs for Bellinger after 2027 and 2028, as well as a full no-trade clause.

Bellinger, 30, has been a curious free agent case in two of the past three seasons. The 2017 Rookie of the Year and 2019 Most Valuable Player was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 2022 season, having put up a 542 OPS in 2021 and a 654 OPS in 2022. Bellinger signed a one year deal with the Cubs for 2023 that guaranteed him $17.5 million.

Bellinger had a terrific bounceback season, putting up an 881 OPS and 4.8 bWAR. A tepid free agent market for Bellinger after the 2023 season resulted in him not signing until after the 2024 spring training camps had opened up, ultimately entering into a three year, $80 million deal with the Cubs at the end of February that featured opt-outs after years one and two.

Bellinger disappointed in 2024 for Chicago, slashing .266/.325/.426, and the Cubs traded him to the New York Yankees after the season and subsidized some of his salary, ultimately paying $5 million for him to go away in return for pitcher Cody Poteet.

Bellinger excelled once again in 2025, slashing .272/.334/.480 in 152 games while putting up a 5.1 bWAR. Bellinger’s lefty swing benefitted from playing half his games in Yankee Stadium — he put up a 909 OPS at home, compared to a 715 OPS on the road.

Because of that split, a return to New York always seemed to make the most sense for Bellinger. Meanwhile, Bellinger’s good fit in their home park, as well as his defensive versatility, meant that bringing him back made sense for New York, as well. This move technically puts Jasson Dominguez out of the starting lineup, but given the injury histories of Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, as well as Trent Grisham and Ben Rice not having a long history of hitting well in the majors, Bellinger’s ability to play quality defense at all three outfield spots as well as first base provides the Yankees with valuable defensive flexibility.

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers finalized their four-year, $240 million contract for Kyle Tucker on Wednesday, introducing the All-Star outfielder in a press conference at Dodger Stadium. But they needed to make space on the 40-man roster for the addition of Tucker, so Los Angeles designated outfielder Michael Siani for assignment.

Siani was claimed off waivers on December 12 from the Atlanta Braves, who had claimed the outfielder from the St. Louis Cardinals in November.

A defense-first center fielder, Siani has played parts of the last four seasons in the majors with the Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds. He hit .221/.277/.270 with a 58 wRC+ in 160 career games and 383 plate appearances. He played in 19 games in 2025, none of them starts, with four singles in 17 at-bats plus two walks.

Siani in Triple-A Memphis last season hit .209/.307/.329 with a 71 wRC+ and 24 extra-base hits in 101 games. Between the majors and minors, 641 of Siani’s 673 career defensive starts have come in center field.

This is similar to another recent waiver claim by the Dodgers. Utility man Ryan Fitzgerald was claimed off waivers on January 9, designated for assignment on January 13 with the signing of infielder Andy Ibáñez, then after he cleared waivers on Monday was sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City, still in the organization as depth but now off the 40-man roster.

We’ll find out in the next week or so what fate awaits Siani, either claimed or traded elsewhere or possibly sticking around if he clears waivers. With one year, 63 days of service time and as someone who has not previously been sent outright to the minors, Siani wouldn’t be able to refuse an outright assignment should it come to that.

The New York Yankees got their man, and yes, at their price, too.

The Yankees signed free-agent outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million contract Wednesday morning, two officials with direct knowledge told USA TODAY Sports. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal won’t become official until Bellinger passes his physical.

The deal includes opt-outs after the second and third years of the contract, a full no-trade clause and a $20 million signing bonus. If Bellinger opts out after the second year of the contract, he will have earned a nifty $85 million the first two years.

The average $42.5 million salary the first two years is $500,000 higher than Bo Bichette’s three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets, that includes an opt-out after each season.

It was actually during Bichette’s news conference in New York that the Yankees and agent Scott Boras agreed to Bellinger’s deal, setting off a frenzy in New York.

The Yankees, who refused to budge off their five-year proposal, insisted they would not get into a bidding war. They believed all along that no one would outbid them and provide Bellinger the seven-year deal he was seeking.

They proved to be right.

The Los Angeles Dodgers made another big splash by signing Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240-million contract, and have also been linked to Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta on the trade front.

Consider that the reigning World Series champs also signed closer Edwin Diaz and may not be done improving their roster this offseason.

This has resulted in their 2026 World Series odds reaching one of the shortest preseason numbers in recent history. Below, we'll look at those odds and compare them to similar teams that breathed the same rarefied air.

2026 World Series odds

Crown the Dodgers, already

The Los Angeles Dodgers opened the offseason at +350 to win the 2026 World Series, according to Sports Odds History. The New York Yankees were closest at +800, and every other team was +1200 or longer.

Things haven't changed drastically since then, for the most part. The Yankees are +850, and the Seattle Mariners are now third on the board at +1200.

However, the Dodgers' odds have shrunk to between +240 (DraftKings, bet365) and +220 (FanDuel), giving them an implied probability of around 29-31% to win a third consecutive Fall Classic. While this is rare, it's not unheard of, and even Los Angeles itself has been here before. Just last winter, the Dodgers went from +400 after winning the 2024 World Series to +350 in December and later +240 by the end of March.

Roki Sasaki and Tanner Scott were their belwether free-agent acquisitions, and this offseason's crop certainly outclasses that, so another trip to the World Series certainly seems a given, particularly for L.A. fans and the "Dodgers are ruining baseball" contingent.

Hold your horses!

While it's true the Dodgers won the World Series, they were pushed to the brink by the Toronto Blue Jays over seven games and even needed a comeback victory to take Game 7.

The Dodgers also saw their World Series odds drop to +350 in September and +500 at the onset of the postseason. The supposed behemoths went 35-30 in the second half, and players like Mookie Betts played below their usual standard. The rotation battled injuries, the bullpen was a real weakness into October, and the outfield was a revolving door. The Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker additions shore some of those areas up, but is it premature to consider the World Series all wrapped up in January?

It should. Despite the Dodgers ultimately going wire-to-wire despite some concerns popping up along the way, it's been a minute since we've seen a preseason favorite at +300 or shorter.

The 2005 and 2007 Yankees each peaked at +300 before Opening Day. Neither won the World Series.

And to those decrying the Dodgers' practices as detrimental to the sheer fabric of America's Pastime, the Yankees were +260 or shorter every preseason from 1999 through 2004. While New York won the first two, it didn't claim another title until 2009.

The Yankees did win the 1998 World Series, but they were +600 to do so on April 1. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves were +200 and lost to the San Diego Padres in the NLCS. 

The Braves were also shorter than +300 in the 1993 preseason, but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS.

Ultimately, dating back to 1990, 14 teams have had preseason odds at +300 or shorter, and three have gone on to win the World Series. So while itmay be frustrating as a non-Dodgers fan to watch Los Angeles pluck up even more top names while flexing financial fortitude, it doesn't always work out. In fact, it may be more likely that it doesn't. 

That's not to say I'd suggest wagering against them! Until a different team can rise and prove it's got what it takes, the Dodgers are clearly the class of MLB entering the 2026 regular season.

World Series winners' preseason odds

Let's look back at where World Series winners were in the odds board during the preseason.

Year	Winning team	Preseason odds
2025	Dodgers	+240
2024	Dodgers	+350
2023	Rangers	+5000
2022	Astros	+1000
2021	Braves	+1000
2020	Dodgers	+385
2019	Nationals	+1600
2018	Red Sox	+1150
2017	Astros	+1175
2016	Cubs	+660
2015	Royals	+3300
2014	Giants	+2500
2013	Red Sox	+2800
2012	Giants	+2000
2011	Cardinals	+2500
2010	Giants	+2500
2009	Yankees	+500
2008	Phillies	+2000
2007	Red Sox	+700
2006	Cardinals	+700
2005	White Sox	+2200
2004	Red Sox	+400
2003	Marlins	+7500
2002	Angels	+4000
2001	Diamondbacks	+1000
2000	Yankees	+250
1999	Yankees	+200
1998	Yankees	+600
1997	Marlins	+1000
1996	Yankees	+700
1995	Braves	+400
1993	Blue Jays	+600
1992	Blue Jays	+700
1991	Twins	+8000
1990	Reds	+1600

Odds courtesy Sports Odds History

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Mets have signed reliever Luis García to a one-year deal, according to Joel Sherman. The deal is pending a physical and is reportedly worth $1.75 million, with the right-hander able to earn $1.25 million in incentives.

García, who turns 39 later this month, split last season between the Dodgers, Nationals, and Angels and pitched to a 3.42 ERA, a 3.28 FIP, and a 1.46 WHIP, with 48 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings. He finished the year with a 0.8 bWAR and posted a career-best 0.3 HR/9 while striking out 8.7 batters and walking 4.2 batters per nine innings. For his career, he owns a 4.07 ERA, a 3.92 FIP, and a 1.42 WHIP, and has struck out 547 batters in 583 1/3 innings. The Mets will be his ninth team, as he has previously suited up for the Phillies, Padres, Cardinals, Red Sox, and Rangers, in addition to the three clubs that he played for last season.

García is the latest addition to a revamped relief corps for the Mets, joining Luke Weaver and Devin Williams. In addition, A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley will be returning following injury-shortened seasons in 2025, which gives Carlos Mendoza a pretty good group of relievers to rely upon. The remaining spots, pending any additional bullpen moves this winter, will belong to guys like Huascar Brazobán, Richard Lovelady, and a prospects like Dylan Ross.

The St. Louis Cardinals are bringing back a legend, but not in the way that many thought it might happen. The team has announced they have hired Yadier Molina as a Special Assistant to President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom.

Here’s the statement shared by the St. Louis Cardinals today about Yadi’s return to the team:

“We are happy to welcome Yadi back to the Cardinals organization,” stated Bloom. “He is an elite competitor, a consistent winner, and one of the greatest ever at his position, and we look forward to many contributions during his visits with us in this new role, both in and out of uniform. Yadi will provide input on our catching program, will advise our staff on catching and game planning strategy, and will give me and our front office valuable perspective from his unique vantage point. Perhaps most important, he will help us nurture in our players the high standards, attention to detail, and championship mindset that are so critical to winning.”

There’s no need to document Yadi Molina’s many career accomplishments. As St. Louis Cardinals fans, most of us can recite them by memory without Google. The big question that immediately comes to my mind is how involved will Yadi really be with the Cardinals. You likely recall back in December of 2023, Yadi was hired by then President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak as a special assistant, but few of us really saw much of Yadi or his involvement. Based on the behavior of the new St. Louis Cardinals front office, I have confidence that we’ll see a more tangible result from Yadi Molina being a part of the team again. Or, at least that is my huge hope.

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He was a left-handed hitting outfielder.
They were a Bronx-based baseball team.
Can I make it any more obvious?

The offseason began with Cody Bellinger exercising his opt-out and hitting the free agent market a year early, eager to take advantage of arguably his best season since he won the 2019 National League MVP. From the beginning, though, it seemed inevitable that he would return to the Bronx and continue to don the same uniform his father wore. Bellinger hyped up the organization. The front office hyped up the player. Like two high school students who broke up due to circumstances but still clearly had a thing for each other, it seemed inevitable that the two would get back together once the dust cleared.

Well, it took long enough. After three months of Scott Boras looking at Cashman, and Cashman looking at Bellinger, the outfielder finally blinked, signing a still-generous, five-year deal worth $162.5 million. And the crowd went wild.

Oh, yeah, the crowd didn’t go wild because it’s Bellinger. Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy, think he’s a solid player, and am glad he’s back. But, much like these two commenters (and many others), I’m simply happy that I won’t be writing up any more Around the Empire posts trying to come up with yet another pun saying that the Yankees are still daring Bellinger to accept their contract.

When it came to the deal itself, our lovely PSA comments’ section could be broken down into three categories. First up, we have the “We’re a better team with him, so I’m happy he’s back” group, who mostly expressed satisfaction — but perhaps not the overenthusiastic excitement that would have followed, say, a Kyle Tucker signing.

Others, however, were not quite as thrilled with the contract, arguing that he does not move the needle enough in what is expected to be a viciously tight American League East in 2026.

Still others, in classic Pinstripe Alley fashion, have already put Bellinger in the rearview mirror and have begun to ask the Bartletian question, “What’s next?”

Oh, and one commenter directly expressed joy that Scott Boras failed to get his client a seven-year deal, although I argue with their notion that Boras rarely loses these days. See, for example: Gerrit Cole’s opt-out last winter, Jordan Montgomery’s failed free agent market, Alex Bregman’s free agency last year, Carlos Correa’s free agency a few years back; basically, anybody not at the extreme top of the market has had a more difficult free agency that they anticipated.

And so, after all this, I return the question to you, dear readers. What are your thoughts on the Yankees’ decision to finally get down on one knee and ask Bellinger to be their left fielder for 2026 — or perhaps, more accurately, on Bellinger finally saying yes?

Vote in our poll, and let us know your thoughts in the comments’ section below!