Despite the unsavory finish to the 2025 MLB season, the Giants’ roster has talent for new manager Tony Vitello to work with.
Vitello, speaking with The San Francisco Standard’s John Shea at the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas, pinpointed San Francisco roster’s strengths.
“I like the leadership factor,” Vitello said. “I wasn’t a part of last year’s team, so I don’t know if I’m speaking out of turn, but the impression I get is there are some guys who fully have the capability to lead and want to lead.”
There is no clear-cut “best player” on the Giants, but there are plenty of all-star caliber players. Logan Webb, Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers have a combined six all-star appearances.
“That core group of guys that was on the field last year and on the mound are guys that have been successful, and I think are more on a trajectory moving forward as opposed to fizzling out in their career,” Vitello mentioned.
Aside from the proven core, the Giants have prospects to get up to speed as well. In Vitello’s eyes, getting the younger players on the right track is key.
“The big X factor, as I’ve dived deep into the roster: There’s some young guys that could explode onto the scene if things click for them the right way, or at the very least, could be household names in San Francisco by being legitimate everyday guys on the mound or the field.”
If Vitello and company can unlock the potential of prospects like Bryce Eldridge, that can provide an added boost for San Francisco.
In the next few months, Vitello and the Giants might acquire new strengths via MLB free agency.
Anthony Volpe was supposed to be the answer at shortstop for the Yankees, but after three seasons of poor results, that may no longer be the case.
Volpe's offense and, surprisingly, his defense have regressed each season as the everyday shortstop, and now that he's undergone shoulder surgery this offseason, his effectiveness in 2026 and beyond is up for debate. The injury clearly affected his on-field performance in 2025. GM Brian Cashman said as much in his end-of-season news conference, but also said he "believed" in Volpe.
But belief can only go so far when you're vying for championships. And if the Yanks hope to get back to the October Classic sooner rather than later, an upgrade at the position may be needed.
Enter Bo Bichette.
The Blue Jays infielder has tormented the Yankees in the AL East for years, but now hits free agency for the first time. Should New York take the big swing and sign Bichette?
Here are the pros and cons...
PROS
Bichette had a massive bounce back season in 2025.
After playing in just 81 games in 2024, Bichette was on the field for 139 games and slashed .311/.357/.483 with an OPS of .840. He had career bests in average, OBP and OPS -- taking away his 46-game rookie season and the shortened 2020 year. His 18 home runs may be down, but that's due to the knee injury that wiped out most of his September. Otherwise, he would have hit the 20-homer mark for the fourth time in five seasons.
He also would have flirted with his career-best mark in RBI after driving in 94 in his 139 games. His previous best was 102 back in 2021. So the production is there, but Bichette also added plate discipline to his repertoire this season.
He walked 40 times, which is just one fewer than his best back in 2022. If Bichette hadn't gotten injured, he would have shattered his personal record.
He also struck out 91 times this season. Sure, he would have likely eclipsed the 100-K mark for the fourth time in five seasons, but he was also pacing to have a career low of 115 (in seasons where he played 100-plus games).
Apr 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) tags out New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) on a steal attempt at second base during the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
According to Baseball Savant, Bichette was in the 86th percentile in strikeout percentage this past season (14.5) and had a whiff percentage of 18.4, which is in the 83rd percentile. Compare that to Volpe, who had a strikeout percentage of 25.2 and was ranked in the 24th percentile. His whiff percentage was 25.1 and in the 43rd percentile.
The Yanks need to cut down on the strikeouts, and Bichette is an upgrade over Volpe in that department.
And then we have the defense. While Bichette isn't going to win a Gold Glove any time soon, he's serviceable at shortstop and proved he can even play second base when he shifted there in the World Series, of all times.
Also, Bichette is a tough, gritty player. He returned from his severe knee sprain in the World Series and could have earned MVP honors if the Blue Jays won. In the seven-game series, Bichette went 8-for-23 (.348) with a home run and six RBI in limited playing time.
For his career, Bichette is a .311 hitter in the postseason, albeit in just 13 games, but he has proven he can hit.
CONS
The biggest con would be the money the Yankees would have to spend.
It's being reported that the Yanks want to operate under $300 million, and signing Bichette would mean other high-priced free agents like Cody Bellinger could be off the table. With the needs at outfield outweighing shortstop, the Yankees may not have an appetite for what the 27-year-old will likely get paid.
Money aside, New York would also have to be wary of Bichette's recent injury history. He missed about a month due to a knee injury in 2025 and missed half the year in 2024 due to various injuries. Bichette's age is on his side, but New York may have pause to pull the trigger since they already have an injured shortstop on the roster.
Bichette's defense also leaves a lot to be desired. The shortstop was a -13 in OAA in 2025 and has been a negative in the field in every season aside from 2020 (1) and 2024 (1), and in both years, he didn't play more than 81 games. Despite Volpe's flaws at the plate, he is a Gold Glove winner and is just one year removed from being worth 13 OAA.
VERDICT
The Yankees should swing big for Bichette this offseason. They've let other high-profile free agent shortstops go in the past (Corey Seager, Trea Turner) in favor of their farm, and it hasn't worked out.
It's not necessarily too late for Volpe in the Bronx, but if the Yanks are serious about winning, they need an upgrade -- and Bichette provides that.
I don't have faith the team will do what's needed to acquire Bichette and Bellinger, who they need more, this offseason. It's likelier the team will roll with Volpe when he returns from injury and use their one big expenditure on the outfield.
I hope I'm wrong, because Bichette makes too much sense.
As the Mets' offseason shakes out, the huge domino that will fall regarding the offense isPete Alonso.
With Alonso a free agent for the second consecutive year, it can be argued that he is the best fit to fill the Mets' power need and that Alonso's most logical landing spot is right back in Queens
But with Alonso reportedly seeking a seven-year deal and with his free agency potentially dragging out, New York could be forced to move on without him in order to remove the risk of losing other quality options.
No matter what happens with Alonso, though, the Mets should be looking to add more offense.
If Alonso leaves, New York's goal should be adding two impact bats.
If Alonso stays, the goal should be adding one other legitimate bat in addition to him.
Here are the pros and cons of signing the infielder...
Alex Bregman / Imagn Images/Envato Elements/SNY Treated Image
PROS
Bregman would bring three important elements to the Mets: a plus bat, plus defense, and leadership.
Offensively, while Bregman might not get back to the heights he experienced with the Astros earlier in his career, he remains an above average hitter.
In 114 games last season for the Red Sox, Bregman slashed .273/.360/.462 with 18 homers and 28 doubles -- in a year that was interrupted by a quad strain. The 128 OPS+ he put up was his best since 2022, and he continued to be elite when it came to making contact.
Bregman struck out just 70 times in 495 plate appearances in 2025, and has never fanned more than 97 times in a season.
A look at his advanced numbers show that Bregman was in the 79th percentile in batting run value. And he was near the top of the league in squared-up percentage (97th percentile), chase percentage (95th percentile), whiff percentage (92nd percentile), and strikeout rate (88th percentile).
Defensively, Bregman was strong at third base, where he was in the 83rd percentile and worth 3 OAA (Outs Above Average).
Bregman will be entering his age-32 season in 2026, so it's fair to believe there could be some serious regression on the back end of the contract he signs.
About that contract...
Despite Bregman being older, most projections have him getting a deal between five-and-seven years.
It's hard to see any team going to seven years for Bregman and it's difficult to envision the Mets going to six -- or even five. So he could be out of the Mets' comfort range if a team guarantees him more than four years.
Bregman also doesn't hit for a ton of power, which could make him a less than ideal fit in a world where the Mets are trying to replace Alonso's bat.
There's also the Mets' glut of infielders to consider.
As of now, Brett Baty is penciled in for significant playing time at third base. There's also the presence of Jeff McNeil (who could be a trade candidate) and Ronny Mauricio. Looking down the line a bit, Jett Williams -- who could profile best at second base -- could be an option early in 2026.
VERDICT
Along with Bo Bichette, I would rank Bregman near the top of the list of the free agent position players the Mets should pursue.
While Bregman's best fit is third base, he could potentially be used at second base in a scenario where New York trades McNeil and/or Williams.
Ideally, a Bregman signing would be paired with the return of Alonso, which would make New York's lineup truly fearsome.
Tony Vitello is still adjusting to his first MLB gig with the Giants, and he has the perfect mentors to help him maneuver this new avenue in San Francisco.
With former Giants managers and franchise icons Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker in advisory roles with the team now, Vitello has leaned on them and their lessons already have struck him like a Hollywood movie.
“There’s times with this job where you feel you’re almost lost in the forest and you’re going to have to find your way. And then you talk to those guys, and you feel like you’re in a Marvel movie and you’ve got a force field or a Captain America shield that can help you with anything,” Vitello said in an exclusive interview with The San Francisco Standard‘s John Shea. “If it’s about the game, anything those guys say, you can fully take it to the bank.
“It’s very helpful and comforting and builds confidence in the back of your mind.”
The one concern for some on the outside is Vitello’s inexperience at the major league level.
Vitello, who became the first manager in MLB history hired directly from the college ranks with no professional baseball experience, spent more than the last two decades working in college baseball. He had stints as an assistant at Missouri (2003-10), TCU (2011-13) and Arkansas (2014-17) before being hired as Tennessee’s coach in June 2017.
In eight seasons with the Volunteers, Vitello led the program to a 341-131 record with two SEC regular-season and tournament titles. He also led them to their first national championship during the 2024 season.
But perhaps “inexperience” goes out the window when you have Bochy and Baker’s brains to pick.
Bochy managed the Giants for 13 seasons from 2007 to 2019, leading the Giants to three World Series wins.
After retiring as a player, Baker served as the manager of the Giants from 1993 to 2002. Baker was named NL Manager of the Year three times with the Giants and won the 2022 World Series with the Houston Astros.
The Giants parted ways with Bob Melvin after a disappointing 2025 campaign.
Now, all eyes will be on Vitello as the Giants hope he can help bring winning baseball back to the Bay.
The somewhat shocking news was released on Thursday morning, when the Seidler family announced it is starting the process of looking for a potential new ownership group. They’ve even gone so far as to bring on BDT & MSD Partners, a group specializing in these types of transactions, to guide the process. Padres controlling partner John Seidler issued a statement about their decision:
“To our Faithful Fans, I want to share with you that the family has decided to begin a process of evaluating our future with the Padres, including a potential sale of the franchise. We will undertake this process with integrity and professionalism in a way that honors Peter’s legacy and love for the Padres and lays the foundation for the franchise’s long-term success. During the process and as we prepare for the 2026 season, the Padres will continue to focus on putting every resource into winning a World Series championship.
We remain fully committed to you, this team, and the San Diego community.We’re also committed to finding a new steward for the franchise who shares Peter’s vision: continue to field a consistently competitive team and win a World Series championship for San Diego. We have every expectation that the new owner will build on the momentum we have built together and operate the franchise and ballpark in a first-class manner, the way our current leadership team does.
I want to thank you for your faithful support of the Padres. We are fortunate and grateful to have such amazing fans.”
In 2012, Peter Seidler was part of a group that purchased the Padres organization, that was fronted by Ron Fowler. In 2020, Peter rose to managing partner and, until his passing in 2023, turned what was long considered a “small market” team into a club that competes at the highest level. Seidler raised payroll to never-before-seen heights and led the team to its longest sustained run of success.
With that commitment, the Padres fan base responded by packing Petco Park every night, setting multiple attendance records and finishing in the top five in MLB in annual attendance. Before his passing, Peter said he wanted to have the team in the Seidler family’s hands for generations to come.
A Padres spokesperson told NBC San Diego that the club does not want to comment further but says it’s a very safe assumption/assurance that there would be a provision in the sale that prohibits a new owner from relocating the team. The club also has a lease with Petco Park that runs through 2033 that would be prohibitive in any kind of move.
The last Major League Baseball team sale was completed in 2020 when Steve Cohen bought the New York Mets for $2.4 billion, a record for a baseball club. A 2025 CNBC analysis of MLB team values estimated the Padres to be worth $2.1 billion and would certainly not sell for less than that.
The timing of this announcement is a bit curious. MLB free agency started a week ago and, historically, players have had trepidations about teams with ownership instability. Industry experts also expect a lockout to come after the 2026 season as a new collective bargaining agreement is negotiated. That process is expected to have an impact on baseball’s financial landscape and could prompt any potential buyers to wait until they know exactly what kind of situation they’re buying into.
Tony Vitello is taking any criticism regarding his historic MLB hire in stride.
The new Giants manager spoke with The San Francisco Standard’s John Shea at the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas, and was asked about the viral comments former manager Joe Maddon made on KNBR 680 earlier this week, where he stated he was “insulted” by Vitello, with no major-league coaching experience, landing San Francisco’s managerial position.
“I get it. I just wonder if he’ll still take my call, because he was on my list of people that I wanted to call and seek out advice,” Vitello said of Maddon’s remarks. “There’s a couple of very specific reasons for that with his history. So I wonder if he’ll still take that call. I’ve used him as an example often in recruiting. One thing we did at Tennessee was really try to allow guys to be who they are. That kind of became our brand name, and that’s something that he did with the Cubs in particular.”
Vitello then was asked if he was offended by Maddon’s comments.
“Not at the moment,” Vitello said. “Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. For me as I sit here, if it truly is an insult, then that is a segue to saying it’s not going to work. So if it doesn’t work, the Giants will be just fine. I’ll be the one that suffers in that situation.
“You start with, “What is going on in college baseball that can help in pro baseball?” And then you go back to college with, “Hey, this is what I learned in pro baseball.” Regardless, it’s a beneficial situation for some people in baseball, and you’re talking about a guy who’s done an enormous amount in baseball in Joe.”
Maddon, in explaining why he was “insulted” by the Giants hiring Vitello, also wished the first-time MLB manager well and admitted he understood what made Vitello such an intriguing candidate.
Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper also weighed in on Maddon’s remarks, slyly stating that he was insulted by Maddon being insulted.
While others are insulted, it doesn’t appear Vitello is one bit. And perhaps that’s all that matters.
LAS VEGAS — For much of Buster Posey’s first season as the Giants’ president of baseball operations, the focus was on simply watching and listening.
Posey was a regular in the Giants’ dugout during batting practice, often sitting on a folding chair in the back corner and observing workouts as he chatted with any coach or team leader who would stop by. Despite having four young children, he was a presence on road trips. The entire front office gathered in the same city multiple times, giving Posey a chance to listen to not just those who work at Oracle Park, but also the player development staffers from Arizona, international scouts based in Latin America, and members of the amateur scouting group.
Posey learned that there’s value in pushing a rival exec to complete a surprise trade in June, and also that there’s danger in extending a contract before you’re 100 percent certain. He saw how deadline plans can go up in smoke over the course of a bad homestand. He watched the lineup complete thrilling comebacks, but also go into slumps that were hard to watch.
But mostly, Posey discovered the same lesson as everyone else who has ever led a baseball operations department.
“It was definitely a learning experience for me to learn that that old adage — you never can have enough pitching — is definitely true,” Posey said last month.
Giants officials felt their rotation depth went nearly into double-digits last spring, but by September, they were scraping the bottom of the 40-man roster and turning to bullpen games. Their relievers were as good as anybody in the first half, but by the end of the year, the pen was made up mostly of inconsistent young pitchers and veterans who had been added over the course of the season.
During every media appearance this offseason, Posey has said pitching is the priority. He reiterated that on Tuesday during his time with reporters at the annual General Managers Meetings, and the exact same conversation is happening every day in internal meetings and Zoom calls.
One Giants official recently put it this way to some others: Every time there’s a conversation about spending on another position or using trade capital to upgrade at second base or right field or backup catcher, everyone needs to take a step back and ask whether those resources would be better spent on more pitching.
The Giants enter the offseason with three locked-in starters in Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Landen Roupp. You could make the argument that they need to add at least three more, given the lack of experienced depth behind those three, Roupp’s elbow scare in 2025, and the fact that Ray has just one year left on his deal. You could also argue that they need just one starter, leaving the fifth spot to a competition between guys like Carson Whisenhunt, Blade Tidwell, Trevor McDonald and Hayden Birdsong.
Realistically, it seems Posey needs to sign or trade for two, but during an appearance on Thursday’s Giants Talk podcast, he said it’s hard to pinpoint an exact number right now.
“It would depend on what’s available on the open market for us to say whether it’s one or two (additions),” Posey said. “The hope is that one or two or three of these (young) guys are really going to grab the bull by the horns and take hold of some of those spots at the back end of the rotation. Hopefully their (mindset) is like, no, I don’t want to be considered a back-end guy. I want to be a frontline guy.”
While this is not considered a particularly strong free agent class overall, there are plenty of pitching options. Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez are expected to get nine-figure deals and Michael King, Zac Gallen and Brandon Woodruff lead a large group of veterans in line for healthy multi-year contracts.
There will be future Hall-of-Famers (Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, one of Tony Vitello’s closest friends) likely looking for one-year deals, and interesting flyers like former Dodgers right-handers Walker Buehler and Dustin May.
The trade market is expected to be active, and Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta will likely see their names on MLB Trade Rumors often. There are also quite a few international options, led by Japanese star Tatsuya Imai, who could go well over $100 million after he’s posted. The Giants want to be more active in that market, and Posey and general manager Zack Minasian saw Imai pitch when they made a trip to Japan early in the season.
Posey will have choices, although a few might not be discussed too much. Giants chairman Greg Johnson recently told The San Francisco Standard that the Giants would be “very cautious” about pursuing pitchers looking for $100 million deals. Asked by NBC Sports Bay Area about those comments and how he views long-term deals as opposed to shorter multi-year deals and one-year contracts like Verlander’s, Posey said he wasn’t sure how much he could say publicly about the market.
“I’ll plead the fifth a little bit on that and just say that we all have our thoughts and opinions and there’s examples of good and bad in all of those scenarios,” he said. “So I think you just have to keep an open mind.”
You can say the same about closer contracts, and that’s another glaring roster hole as the Giants enter the offseason. Camilo Doval was traded, Randy Rodriguez had Tommy John surgery and Ryan Walker had a difficult season, so the Giants could be looking for two or three new late-inning arms ahead of next spring.
On that front, the front office is currently more focused on minor league free agents and adding depth. Posey noted that relievers are “volatile” and hinted the Giants will stay away from the higher end of the closer market.
“It’s probably more likely to come down to a competition is the way that it’ll play out,” he said of the closer role. “But again, we’ll look and see what’s available, either something via trade or another route.”
Posey was behind the plate when Mark Melancon’s implosion started, but even if he stays away from closers looking for three- or four-year deals, the Giants still could add intriguing arms for the ninth. This market has plenty of former closers who might be available on lesser deals, like Pete Fairbanks and Ryan Helsley.
The bullpen is where Posey will see the biggest difference from his first offseason to this one. He inherited a good and experienced group, but trades and injuries have changed that in a hurry.
Posey signed Verlander to a one-year deal last winter but otherwise pretty much left the pitching staff alone. He talked often in the spring about how much young depth there was, but that evaporated pretty quickly, with Kyle Harrison getting traded and others struggling.
The Giants were surprised that they ran out of pitching, and the goal is to make sure that doesn’t happen to Vitello in his first year in charge. This might be more of a quantity-over-quality effort, though. It’s a good offseason to be looking for a high-end starter, but the Giants have massive future commitments to a position player core led by Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Jung Hoo Lee. Webb and Ray are due a combined $48 million next year, too, and after that, there’s labor uncertainty for the entire industry.
Posey said there’s “no question” that those payroll commitments impact how the Giants will view this offseason. The young pitching dried up last season, but given that lack of long-term payroll flexibility, it’ll be crucial that the Giants find some new contributors from their farm system. There’s nothing more valuable than cost-controlled young pitching, and Posey still sees plenty of young Giants who can help solve the organization’s pitching shortage.
“We want to put the best product on the field and we’re going to consider every angle to do that, but you also have to look to the future … we’re going to have to have players from our minor league system be impact players,” he said on Giants Talk. “I got to see it when I was playing and I feel like we’re kind of creeping our way there to having some guys that can do that.
“I always think, too, whether it’s right or wrong, obviously talent is going to win out but sometimes when you have that player in your system that comes up and makes a drastic impact, it profoundly affects the rest of your system. They’re looking and saying, ‘This guy was just my teammate and I played alongside him and he’s not that much different than me’ and confidence grows. It’s a long-winded way of saying we’re going to do everything we can to put the best and most entertaining team on the field.”
A .304 average, 179 hits, 94 runs and 36 stolen bases. The shortstop earned his second career batting title — as the only hitting in the National League to eclipse .300 — and reminded everyone why he’s one of baseball’s best shortstops.
He was just as sharp in the field — arguably as sharp as he’s ever been. Turner posted 17 Outs Above Average in 2025 which was tied for third among all shortstops and in the 99th percentile leaguewide.
This was easily his best season since joining Philadelphia.
Now comes the challenge.
Set to earn $27.2 million, Turner enters his age-33 season in 2026, and the question is whether he can keep producing at that level.
Based on history and his profile, there’s reason to believe the 32-year-old, who turns 33 on June 30, can.
Since 2000, 27 shortstops have recorded at least 500 plate appearances at age 32, and 19 have done so at 33. The drop-off between the two age groups has been mild. The average slash line at 32 is .277/.337/.422; at 33, it’s .266/.331/.404.
If Turner followed that trend, a projected .293/.349/.439 line (.788 OPS) would still rank among the top National League shortstops — second, in fact, based on 2025 OPS marks.
Still, some of Turner’s underlying data points toward regression. According to Baseball Savant, his 42.1% hard-hit rate ranked in the 44th percentile — his lowest qualified mark of his career — and his 5.8% barrel rate (22nd percentile) tied a career low.
Turner’s hitting profile is unconventional. His chase, whiff and walk rates all sit below league average, yet he consistently produces. The approach isn’t built for power — and that’s fine with the Phillies.
“I don’t care about home runs,” manager Rob Thomson told On Pattison back in May. “We’ve got plenty of guys that can do that. I want you to get on base.”
Turner did exactly that, and there’s little reason to expect it to change.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski even echoed that sentiment during the end-of-season press conference when asked about Turner potentially trying to incorporate more power. “We don’t need more pop. His numbers were phenomenal,” he said. “He’s tough on himself; that’s great. But he doesn’t have to give us any more offense than he did.”
Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea – Imagn Images
Defensively, his turnaround was dramatic.
In his first two seasons with the Phils, he tallied -9 OAA with 40 errors. Disappointing numbers from a $300 million shortstop.
In 2025, Turner’s +11 fielding run value was tied for 18th among all defenders in baseball.
His improvement can be attributed to and coincided with a closer relationship and more work with infield coach Bobby Dickerson during Spring Training, as detailed by The Athletic’s Matt Gelb in March.
Whatever adjustments he made, they stuck — a positive sign as he ages at one of the game’s most demanding positions.
The only real concern is health. Turner has dealt with hamstring strains in both legs the past two years. His speed remains elite — 100th percentile sprint speed this past season — but that makes lower-body maintenance essential. Hamstrings tend to linger, and the Phillies will likely manage his workload carefully.
While his contract outlook may not be pretty, as he’s signed through his age-40 campaign in 2033, Turner’s outlook for 2026 is simple: stay healthy and stay consistent. If he does both, another batting title — and maybe his first career Gold Glove — could be within reach.
LAS VEGAS — The GM Meetings are usually the official start of offseason activity in baseball but no offseason has really begun until baseball’s most prominent agent, Scott Boras, starts delivering his signature, yet lame puns.
Lack of comedy aside, Boras again represents a few of this offseason’s biggest free-agent targets including first baseman Pete Alonso, third baseman Alex Bregman, right-hander Dylan Cease and left-hander Ranger Suárez.
Things are likely going to be a bit easier for Alonso and Bregman in this year’s market compared to last winter when both were free agents but received qualifying offers that meant the team signing them had to give up draft compensation.
Bregman showed how good he could be after a down 2024 season. In his first year with the Boston Red Sox, he carried a .273/.360/.462 slashline with 18 home runs, 28 doubles and 62 RBI, and continued to be an above-average third baseman. He was limited to 114 games due to a right quad injury that cost him almost two months.
Outside of the Red Sox, teams like the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs could use the three-time All-Star. Those clubs were finalists for Bregman last offseason before he signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox that he opted out of earlier this month.
“Prior to 2025, Boston has been the kind of club that has Dunkin’ well below the playoff line. I think it was a bad roast in Beantown,” Boras quipped Wednesday. “Give the owners credit in ’25, they went out and spent some Star-bucks to bring in a Bregman blend that led them to the playoffs. I’m sure the Boston fans don’t want this to be a cup of coffee and no one wants a Breg-xit."
Alonso had arguably his best season since 2022 this past season, hitting .272 with 38 homers and 126 RBI. He set career highs with 170 hits and 41 doubles.
Since 2019, Alonso’s 264 home runs are the third-most in MLB, behind only New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge and fellow free-agent slugger Kyle Schwarber.
The team that stands out on the Alonso market is coincidentally the Red Sox. Boston could use right-handed power and the power-hitting first baseman could thrive at Fenway Park.
“A playoff parched plethora will pounce,” Boras said, “to participate in the Polar Plunge."
Japanese star Tatsuya Imai to post next week
One of Boras’ clients sure to garner interest is Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai. Boras confirmed that the Japanese phenom will be posted Nov. 19, officially opening Imai’s 45-day window to negotiate with MLB teams. Imai, 27, is considered one of the best arms available in this year’s market and he has age on his side to potentially break the bank.
The right-hander went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA in 24 starts for the Saitama Seibu Lions of the NPB. Imai, who has played in Japan since 2017, has been one of the best pitchers in the world the past few seasons with an arsenal featuring a triple-digits fastball and slider.
One of the biggest advantages for Imai in this year’s market is that for teams looking to add starting pitching, there’s no qualifying offer attached. Several of the market’s best starters, including Cease, Suárez, Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Michael King, Shota Imanaga and Brandon Woodruff all have QOs attached.
Boras on betting in baseball
Boras struck a more serious tone as it related to the continuing investigations across sports as it relates to sports betting. On Sunday, the Cleveland Guardian pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted in federal court on sports betting and money laundering conspiracy charges, which included “rigging pitches” for co-conspirators.
Ortiz pleaded not guilty in federal court Wednesday and Clase is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday. MLB announced Monday that its betting partners agreed to limit pitch prop bets to a $200 betting limit.
Boras said more needs to be done to protect the integrity not only for the players, but the sport itself.
"You have to remove those prop bets to make sure that the integrity of the players is not questioned,” Boras said. “Because there's going to be all forms of performance questions given now to pitchers and such when they throw certain pitches to the back of the screen, or situationally, and really, we don't want any part of it. We want the players' integrity never to be questioned."
UCLA baseball coach John Savage doesn't care where you come from, as long as you have grades, skills and character. That's why he had no problem Wednesday signing a junior college player from Switzerland, right-handed pitcher Fabio Bundi, who has a 95-mph fastball. He was one of nine players to sign to grant-in-aids.
Bundi, 22, is in his second season playing for Monterey Peninsula College. In Switzerland, he said he got bored playing tennis and soccer, so he turned to baseball when he was 7.
"My life is baseball," he said.
The sport is so little known in Switzerland that Bundi said people ask, "What sport? Do you hit or do you throw?'"
He's 6 feet 2, 200 pounds and has been gaining velocity as he grew in his teenage years. Last season as a freshman, he was 8-2 with a 2.20 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 86 innings. Savage saw him pitch in a Northern California showcase.
Now the question is how good Bundi becomes as a pitcher. With his signing with UCLA, he's certain to attract additional interest from pro baseball scouts this spring. A good season will give him options.
He's been accepted as a student at UCLA but still needs to pass an English test. He's fluent in English, so that shouldn't be a problem.
He said he admires Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
No one would guess he's from Switzerland because his baseball knowledge is high. He does have a little bit of an accent. But when people see his fastball and 12-to-6 curveball, they can only conclude he's a pitcher to watch.
The Mets are getting a pitcher back without making a deal this offseason.
The Tampa Bay Rays DFA'd Nate Lavender earlier this month and since he was outrighted off the team's 40-man roster, he will return to the Mets' Triple-A roster.
Lavender was acquired via the Rule 5 Draft last winter, but he suffered an elbow injury that required an internal brace procedure.
The 25-year-old made five Triple-A appearances (one start) with Syracuse in 2024 before he suffered an injury. In that time, he pitched to a 3.86 ERA. Before that, however, Lavender had some buzz heading into the 2024 season after pitching to a 1.74 ERA in seven Double-A appearances and a 3.27 ERA in 35 Triple-A appearances in 2023.
It's unclear how far along Lavender is in his rehab, but he could pitch for a spot in the bullpen as a depth piece this spring.
On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo react to all the offseason noise coming out of the GM Meetings in Las Vegas.
Connor and Joe react to quotes from Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns about Carson Benge having a chance to make the team, the possible returns of Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz, the future for Kodai Senga, and the search for a “Number One” starting pitcher.
The guys go Down on the Farm to decode what Stearns said about Jett Williams, and also answer Mailbag questions about free agents Shota Imanaga, DustinMay, Alek Manoah, and Trent Grisham.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal won his second straight American League Cy Young Award on Wednesday, joining elite company after another spectacular season in which the left-hander helped propel Detroit to a playoff berth.
The 28-year-old Skubal became the 12th player to win baseball’s top pitching honor in consecutive years, joining a group that includes Hall of Famers Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez.
Jacob deGrom was the previous pitcher to win consecutive Cy Youngs, pulling off the feat with the New York Mets in 2018 and 2019. Martinez was the last American League pitcher to do it, in 1999 and 2000.
Skubal posted a 13-6 record with an American League-leading 2.21 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 195 1/3 innings for the Tigers during the regular season, then went 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three playoff starts for Detroit, which was eliminated by Seattle in the Division Series.
Skubal received 26 of 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The other four went to runner-up Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox. Crochet led the American League in innings (205 1/3) and strikeouts (255). Hunter Brown of the Houston Astros came in third.
A year after taking a massive step forward by winning the pitching Triple Crown in the American League on his way to being a unanimous Cy Young Award winner, Skubal backed it up by serving as the anchor for the Tigers during a volatile season in which Detroit squandered a 15 1/2-game lead in the AL Central and was caught by Cleveland down the stretch.
The Tigers got a bit of revenge in the wild-card round, beating the division-champion Guardians in three games thanks in large part to a 14-strikeout gem by Skubal in the series opener.
Skubal’s historic run comes with him set to enter free agency after the 2026 season. Considering the massive contract Skubal could command on the open market, it’s uncertain whether he’ll stay with the Tigers beyond next season.
The NL Cy Young Award winner will be announced later Wednesday, with Pittsburgh star Paul Skenes — whose 1.97 ERA was tops in baseball — heavily expected to become the first pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year one season and a Cy Young Award the next since Dwight Gooden did it with the New York Mets 40 years ago.
Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sanchez and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers are the other two finalists in the National League.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman was not in Las Vegas for the GM Meetings this year, but did speak with the media over Zoom on Wednesday to speak on a number of topics.
The hottest topic was the departures in the Yankees outfield. Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham are exploring free agency and Cashman was asked how that impacts his offseason.
"We're very interested in bringing him back," Cashman said of Bellinger. "He's going to have a lot of choices because he can do a lot of different things. He was a terrific addition for us last year...certainly would love to have him come back to us. We'd be better served if we could retain him. But if not, we'll have to look at alternative ways to fill it and see where that takes us."
On the subject of Grisham, the team extended the qualifying offer, and whether he accepts it or not may change how Cashman and the Yankees pursue Bellinger or other outfield options. Cashman fielded the question and broke down the scenarios.
"We’re comfortable [extending the qualifying offer to Grisham]. This is a very thin outfield market. If he turns it down, that means the market is flush with teams that have the need," Cashman said. "He had a helluva year for us, was one of the big reasons we had the level of success we did, and we’d be happy if he accepted and came back."
Cashman said that if Grisham rejects the offer, he will still be in contact with both his and Bellinger's camp on potential deals while also keeping an eye on internal options. Jasson Dominguez is set to play in Winter Ball ahead of spring training to give him more reps, while prospect Spencer Jones is working out at Yankee Stadium before heading down to Tampa.
Both youngsters are potentially in play for an outfield spot if Cashman is unable to land one or both free agents, but he acknowledges how early in the offseason it is to predict what will happen.
"We know what Grisham and Bellinger are capable of," Cashman said. "It’s very early in the process. We can lose both Grish and Bellinger to free agency, so that puts more pressure on internal options. Maybe it creates trade flexibility. I guess stay tuned."
Jazz extension talks?
One position the Yankees don't have questions about is at second base. Jazz Chisholm Jr. will man the position in 2026 but is on the final year of his contract.
Chisholm has expressed his desire to stay with the Yankees beyond 2026 and Cashman was asked if he or Chisholm's camp had broached the idea of discussing an extension.
"Haven’t yet. Not sure how that will play out," Cashman said. "[Agent] Brodie Van Wagenen and I spoke as early as today. [Chisholm's] been a great addition. He’s approaching free agency, which puts pressure on whether you make a decision or wait...With his service time, he’s one year away from free agency. He’s one of the best second basemen in the game. An All-Star last year and another one that had a big reason for our success."
Brian Cashman says the Yankees have not discussed a possible extension with Jazz Chisholm Jr. yet pic.twitter.com/bhC3GJ2nZM
Aside from the outfield, Cashman will look to fill vacancies to his bullpen. Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are free agents and Cashman said he will talk to their agents this offseason to try and bring them back, but he is happy with the arms that are already on the roster.
"We have [David] Bednar,[Camilo] Doval,[Fernando] Cruz,[Scott] Effross just off the top of my head. We have a lot of good strong arms that are pushing their way up from the system," Cashman said. "We have quality down there that we have to improve upon. We have a few guys that left us in free agency and we’ll talk to them."
This offseason has a flush closer market, headlined by Edwin Diaz and Robert Suarez. Cashman was asked if he will be in the market for a closer, and the veteran GM said that part of the market isn't a need for the Yankees.
"We have a closer in Bednar, which is a good thing for us. It’s not a pressure point for us," Cashman said. "It’s hard to find people to navigate that ninth inning…it’s a very hard job, only a few people can do, that’s why they get paid significantly more...Thankfully, we acquired a guy last year we feel comfortable with... so it lessens that role for us but it doesn’t prevent us from dipping our toe into the water to add to our bullpen. So we will be touching base with everyone on the marketplace to make sure what their costs are."
Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott will be entering the second year of his four-year, $72-million contract after posting a 4.74 ERA and converting only 23 of 33 save opportunities. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
After largely striking out, however, they might now have to decide if they’re comfortable doing it again.
The Dodgers don’t have glaring needs this winter, but the back end of the bullpen is one area they will look to upgrade. Although the team has ample relief depth, it has no clear-cut closer as it enters 2026.
The main reason why: Tanner Scott’s struggles after landing a lucrative four-year, $72-million pact last winter.
Scott’s signing represented the second-largest contract, by guaranteed money, the Dodgers had ever given to a relief pitcher (only behind the five-year, $80 million deal closer Kenley Jansen got in 2017). It was a high-risk, high-reward move that, at least in Year 1, quickly felt like a bust.
Scott posted a 4.74 ERA in the regular season, converted only 23 of his 33 save opportunities, and did not pitch in the postseason (in part because of an abscess incision procedure he underwent in the National League Division Series).
The Dodgers’ other big reliever acquisition last winter, Kirby Yates, suffered a similar fate, posting a 5.23 ERA on a one-year, $13-million deal before injuries also knocked him out of postseason contention.
Scott will be back next year, and is one of several veteran relief arms the club is hopeful will make improvements. Still, for a team vying for a third straight World Series title, adding a more established closer remains of interest.
The question now: Will they be willing to do so on another long-term deal? Or will last year’s failed signings make them more hesitant to traverse that same path again?
It might not take long to start finding out.
Already at this week’s general managers' meetings at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, the Dodgers have expressed interest in two-time All-Star Devin Williams, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.
The 31-year-old right-hander had a down year with the New York Yankees (4.79 ERA, albeit with 18 saves in 22 opportunities), but his underlying metrics remain strong, and the Dodgers’ interest in him dates to last offseason when he was a trade target of the club before ultimately landing in the Bronx.
With a mid-90s mph fastball and signature “Airbender” changeup that has made him one of the most prolific strikeout threats in all the majors over his seven-year career (in which he has a 2.45 ERA and averages more than 14 strikeouts per nine innings), he would significantly improve their ninth-inning outlook.
But the Dodgers’ pursuit of him, which was first reported by The Athletic, could come with a tricky decision.
Williams is expected to have several serious suitors this offseason. And, though some outlets projected him to sign only a one-year deal upward of $20 million, others have him pegged to land a three- or four-year contract.
By nature, the Dodgers typically prefer shorter-term deals, particularly in a role as volatile as relief pitching. If Williams does receive longer-term offers from other clubs, it’s unclear if the Dodgers would be willing to match.
The team could face similar dynamics if it goes after other top relievers on the market, including three-time All-Star and top free-agent closer Edwin Díaz (who also comes with the added complication of a qualifying offer that would cost them a draft pick).
They could wind up having to once again weigh a high-risk, high-reward move.
And on Tuesday, general manager Brandon Gomes struck a decidedly risk-averse tone in the wake of last year’s failed signings.
“It’s one of those things that, I don’t think it’s a ‘need,’” Gomes said of the team’s interest in making another splashy reliever acquisition. “But it could be a nice-to-have, depending on how it all plays out.”
There are other alternatives, of course.
Former Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Pete Fairbanks is one potentially shorter-term target some in the industry see as a fit in Los Angeles, after racking up 75 saves with a 2.98 ERA over the last three seasons.
Former Angels and Atlanta Braves right-hander Raisel Iglesias is potentially another, after amassing 96 saves with a 2.62 ERA over the last three years, thanks to a mid-90s mph fastball and swing-and-miss changeup that have kept him productive even at age 35.
There are other familiar free-agent relievers available this winter, too, from former San Diego Padres closer Robert Suarez to former St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets right-hander Ryan Helsley (who has also been linked to the Dodgers in trade rumors in the past).
The Dodgers could also explore the offseason's trade market, or roll the dice with a current relief corps that still includes Scott (whose 2025 issues had more to do with execution than quality of stuff), Alex Vesia (who has established himself as one of the top left-handed relievers in the sport) and Blake Treinen (another reliever the team sees as a bounce-back candidate after he struggled with injuries last season in the first season of a two-year, $22 million deal). They will also be getting Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips back from injuries, with Graterol on track to be ready for the start of 2026 after missing last year with a shoulder problem, and Phillips expected to return at some point in next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June.
For now, however, the team’s search could depend on how the markets for Williams, Díaz and others develop — and whether it’s willing to take another big bullpen swing on a longer-term deal.
“We have so many guys that are capable of closing and have done it in the past,” Gomes said, highlighting the team’s current returning bullpen arms. “But it’s one of the areas we’ll look to potentially add to the team.”
Skenes wins NL Cy Young Award, Yamamoto third in voting
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will always be remembered for his historic performance in the Dodgers’ postseason this past October.
On Wednesday, his regular-season performance received some deserved recognition, too.
While Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes won the National League Cy Young Award as expected, after leading the majors with a 1.97 ERA in just his second MLB season, Yamamoto finished third for a campaign in which he went 12-8, posted a 2.49 ERA over 30 starts, and anchored a Dodgers rotation that was ravaged by injuries for much of the season.
Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez was the NL’s other Cy Young finalist, and was runner-up. Skenes garnered all 30 first-place votes while Sánchez received all 30 second-place votes. Yamamoto collected 16 third-place votes.
Yamamoto’s finish was the highest by a Dodgers pitcher since Julio Urías came in third in 2022.
It caps a year in which the 27-year-old Japanese star made significant strides from his debut rookie MLB season (when he had a 3.00 ERA and was limited to 18 starts because of a shoulder injury) and helped carry the Dodgers to a World Series with a 1.45 ERA in six playoff outings and a grueling 37 1/3 October innings — including back-to-back complete games in the NL Championship Series and World Series, before back-to-back victorious appearances in Games 6 and 7 of the Fall Classic.
