SAN DIEGO — Moments after Craig Stammen was introduced as manager of the San Diego Padres, general manager A.J. Preller turned to the former reliever and light-heartedly said, “How’d we get here?”
That’s something Padres fans and many people around baseball have wondered, as the Padres made the surprising announcement that Stammen replaced Mike Shildt. Citing burnout, Shildt retired on Oct. 13 after just two seasons on the job, less than two weeks after the Padres were eliminated in the wild card round by the Chicago Cubs.
The 41-year-old Stammen, just three seasons removed from throwing his last big league pitch, has been with the Padres organization since 2017. Preller felt he had enough good qualities and knowledge of the team to make him skipper despite having no previous coaching or managing experience at any level.
Stammen went from helping interview candidates for the job to becoming a candidate to getting the job. He’ll lead a team that’s made four playoff appearances in six seasons and is led by stars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.
He retired in August 2023 after it became clear he wouldn’t bounce back from a shoulder injury sustained during spring training. He became an assistant to the major league coaching staff and the baseball operations department, and he said Preller often asked if he wanted more responsibilities in the organization while understanding Stammen was balancing his job with his home life with his wife, Audrey, and their four young children back in Ohio.
“He was very coy about it at the beginning.” Stammen said. “We kind of got through the interview process, the beginning of it, and then he put the sales kibosh on me and said, ’I really want you to be a part of the process; I want you to think about being the manager of the Padres.’”
Stammen wasn’t sure about moving his family to California. He had numerous conversations with his wife and others and cited Preller’s continued belief in him, without which “I probably would have not gone down the path as strongly as we did.
“Eventually it got to the point where it was a yes for us. We made some family decisions to make that happen. Once we made that decision there was a peace and a joy that came with it and an opportunity that there’s no way I could say no to. That’s where we said yes and luckily enough and thankful enough, I was offered the job and here we are today, ready to make something happen.”
This is the third time Preller has hired a manager with little or no previous managerial experience. Stammen is the Padres’ sixth manager since 2015, not counting interim skippers.
Preller harkened back to what he’s seen of Stammen since his first season with the Padres in 2017, when he was coming off an arm injury and had joined San Diego as a free agent.
“He’s an elite competitor, incredibly hard worker, very prepared and a natural leader and somebody that as a pitcher was able to touch different elements of our clubhouse and be able to bond and connect with different players in that clubhouse over the course of a seven- or eight-year period here in San Diego.” Preller said.
“Craig has a unique seat, a unique lens. He was part of those building teams and then he’s been able to see it through to the playoff teams and the teams that have won 90-plus games here the last two years. He’s part of some really high highs … Craig starting a playoff game, which is definitely a career highlight, and he also had a front-row seat to some of the disappointments of the last few years, and I think he’s going to carry those experiences with him here in this chair.”
Stammen is best known for starting the deciding Game 3 of the 2020 Wild Card Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, who at the time were managed by Shildt. He pitched 1 2/3 innings as the first of nine pitchers the Padres used in the 4-0 win, which clinched their first postseason series victory since 1998.
Stammen said it will be a “challenge for sure. I’ve got a big learning curve ahead of me.” But he said he has a great relationship with pitching coach Ruben Niebla — was interviewed for the manager’s job — as well as with many of the players who were once his teammates.
“One of the advantages of being a relief pitcher and viewing the game from that lens is you’re always monitoring when the pitching changes are coming,” Stammen said. “Especially in the role I had, I had to be ready from pitch one until the end of the game.”
He said he and Niebla will “be a lethal combo” in making pitching decisions.
There have been no splashy free agent signings in the early days of MLB’s Hot Stove season, but that doesn’t stop media speculation on potential fits for different teams.
One “perfect” transaction for the Giants would be to sign free-agent relief pitcher Devin Williams, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
“As many live arms as the Giants have in their bullpen, Randy Rodriguez’s Tommy John surgery leaves them thin enough at the back end that prioritizing a dependable ninth-inning option makes sense,” Passan wrote in a recent column. “And even if the best non-Díaz reliever in free agency struggled at times this past season, [Williams’] stuff did not tick backward, and the underlying numbers continue to say he’s elite.”
San Francisco’s bullpen looked elite early in the 2025 MLB season. But, with surgery knocking out the All-Star Rodriguez, trading away Camilo Doval and Ryan Walker struggling in the closer role, any back-end bullpen additions make sense for the Giants.
The Giants could prove to be a desirable location for free-agent pitchers.
“The Giants have plenty of options. They’ve got money to spend, and while their lineup is mostly set, their rotation and bullpen are in flux,” Passan wrote. “San Francisco is among the most attractive pitchers’ parks in baseball, which is the sort of thing that plays at the top and bottom of markets.”
As Passan noted, Williams did not have a statistically great 2025 season with the New York Yankees. In 67 appearances, the two-time MLB All Star posted a 4.79 ERA, a career high in his seven-year career.
Williams, however, boasts one of the league’s deadliest changeups. His knockout pitch helped him earn the closing role with the Milwaukee Brewers.
In his best season, Williams finished the 2023 campaign with 36 saves in 40 opportunities along with a 1.53 ERA.
“I can tell you this, he knows the game, man. He’s smart,” Bochy said. “He’s worn a lot of hats. He’s been a coach. He’s been a pitching coach. It wasn’t an easy road to get to being the head coach of Tennessee. I mean, he grinded his way up to where he got there, and he’s earned this, I think, when you look at the success that he’s had.”
Bochy said he recently met with Vitello in Nashville, Tennessee. Despite the two having just a few conversations, Bochy is thoroughly impressed with the Giants’ new skipper.
“And just to me, he’s got a great way about him,” Bochy explained. “You know, [he] speaks well. He’s got a great feel for people, and to me, that’s the most important job that he’ll have is managing his people, and he’s so good at that. And so, I really think he’s going to have a lot of success in the major leagues.”
Vitello’s interpersonal skills were a part of what stood about to president of baseball operations Buster Posey when conducting the search for the new Giants manager. Bochy seems to agree that Vitello has what it takes to lead the group.
Nevertheless, Vitello’s jump to MLB surely will provide its challenges. Bochy was asked what the biggest challenge will be in that jump from college baseball.
“I’d say more than anything, it’s just the number of games. You’re talking 162 games, and hopefully more,” Bochy said.
The former Giants manager was known for his bullpen management, leading San Francisco to three World Series titles. Bochy highlighted that as a large focus in the longer seasons.
“In college, I’m sure you got your horses out there and every game you’re doing all you can to win every game, similar to what the [MLB] postseason is once you get there,” Bochy noted. “But during a regular season, you got to remember, man, it’s a long season. It’s a grind. You got to watch your horses. You got to take care of them so they’re fresh down the stretch.”
With advisors such as Bochy on his side, Vitello is making the jump to MLB with an exceptional supporting cast.
The Giants are taking a risk with their historic hire of Tony Vitello as their next manager, and not everyone loves the move.
Specifically, former MLB manager Joe Maddon, who joined KNBR 680’s “Murph & Markus” on Tuesday and explained why he was insulted by San Francisco’s decision to hire a manager straight from the collegiate level.
“Quite frankly, I’m using the word ‘insulting’ only from the perspective that you don’t have to have any kind of experience on a professional level to do this job anymore,” Maddon said. “Because when I was coming up, you had to have all that, you had to go through the minor leagues, you had to ride your buses. I was a scout, I started in 1981, I finally get a managerial job in 2006. There was a rite of passage, a method to get to that point. So to think somebody can just do what you took 20-some years to be considered qualified to, it is kind of insulting.”
Maddon then proceeded to wish Vitello well while oddly comparing the new Giants manager’s lack of MLB experience to other high-profile jobs around the country that are being filled by candidates who might not have the traditional experience in their respective fields, including New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.
“Now, having said that, the next part is, I wish him nothing but the best, because I watch videos of the guy and I can actually understand why it’s perceived that he’s ready to do something like this,” Maddon added. “I guess the overarching point is, in today’s world, prerequisites to get jobs of this caliber, even jobs like the Mayor job of New York City now, it doesn’t require the years of experience that you may have had to have gone through in the past.
“I think communication skills, perceived leadership skills, those are the kind of things that become more valid or important and not necessarily having kind of like, internal knowledge, working knowledge of the craft at hand, which would be Major League Baseball or running a city. It’s not just baseball, it permeates throughout the entire world right now.”
Maddon then was asked if Vitello’s hire is a good or bad thing for baseball moving forward.
“I don’t think it’s either, I just think it’s baseball,” Maddon explained. “It’s going to be a good thing for the Giants if it works out well, which honestly, I am rooting for him. I didn’t know of him until he was hired and then I started looking at videos and then I said ‘Oh, I get it. I understand why.'”
Does he?
It’s safe to assume neither Vitello nor the Giants care.
The easiest and cleanest way for the Mets to add a top-of-the-rotation starter to their staff this offseason is to turn to the free agent market, where the headliners are Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, Michael King, and Ranger Suarez.
Ahead of his age-32 season, Valdez is the oldest of the available top starters. And he'll be seeking a huge deal.
King, who will be entering his age-31 season in 2026, was tremendous for the Padres in 2024 as he transitioned from relieving to starting. But he made just 15 starts in 2025 as he dealt with a nerve injury in his throwing shoulder and also lost time due to a knee injury.
Suarez, who turned 30 in August, might be the safest bet -- but he's also the least imposing. He has allowed 8.6 hits per nine during his eight-year career, is not a big strikeout guy, and has never thrown 158 innings or more in a season.
Then there's Cease, whose upside is sky high.
Entering his age-30 season, Cease has finished in the top-four in Cy Young voting two of the last four seasons. And he eats tons of innings. However, he's coming off a campaign where he had a 4.55 ERA, and has been maddeningly inconsistent.
And if so, should Brewers ace Freddy Peralta be near the top of New York's list?
Here are the pros and cons of dealing for Peralta...
Oct 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the second inning of game one of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. / Michael McLoone - Imagn Images
PROS
Peralta is coming off a phenomenal 2025 season, where he had a career-best 2.70 ERA in 176.2 innings. He posted a 1.07 WHIP, allowed just 124 hits, and struck out 204 batters -- a rate of 10.4 per nine.
Since transitioning in 2021 from mainly a relief option to the starting rotation, Peralta has been one of the best pitchers in baseball.
In 139 starts over the last five years, Peralta has a 3.30 ERA and 1.09 WHIP and has fanned 895 batters in 738.1 innings while allowing just 536 hits. He has also been reliable when it comes to taking the ball, tossing 165.2 innings or more reach of the last three seasons..
His ability to miss bats and limit hits is elite, as is his stuff.
Peralta relies mainly on a four-seam fastball (which he threw 53 percent of the time this past season), a changeup, and a curve. He'll also mix in a slider.
In 2025, his pitching run value graded out in the 97th percentile, via Baseball Savant. And all of his individual pitches were tremendous -- the fastball was in the 84th percentile, the breaking balls were in the 88th percentile, and the changeup was in the 96th percentile.
Looking at Peralta's advanced metrics, he was near the top of the league in xERA, xBA, average exit velocity, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage, hard hit percentage, and extension.
Peralta is also almost unbelievably inexpensive, set to make just $8 million in 2026 in what is his final year before free agency.
Sep 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts after striking out Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (not pictured) with the bases loaded in the fourth inning at American Family Field. / Benny Sieu - Imagn Images
CONS
There is no guarantee the Brewers will trade Peralta, so the Mets hitching their wagon to that possibility could be fruitless.
But the Brewers have often dealt players who are entering their walk year, and in some cases have traded key players with more team control than that.
They traded pending free agent Corbin Burnes during the 2023-24 offseason and pending free agent Devin Williams last offseason. At the 2022 trade deadline, the Brewers dealt Josh Hader to the Padres when he still had a year and change of team control remaining.
If Milwaukee makes Peralta available, though, it could cost a ton to acquire him.
It's very rare to be able to get a pitcher of Peralta's caliber on such a team-friendly contract, meaning it will likely require the Mets parting with a package of players it would pain them to surrender.
There's also the risk of giving up a huge package for what could amount to just one year of Peralta's services.
Looking at Peralta the pitcher, there really aren't many red flags.
His walk rate is a tick high and he doesn't induce many ground balls. But that's pretty much it.
VERDICT
David Stearns is obviously very familiar with Peralta from his time with Milwaukee, which can't hurt.
And if the Mets are unable to pry Tarik Skubal from the Tigers, Peralta -- or Joe Ryan of the Twins, or Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins -- should be the fallback plan.
LAS VEGAS — The annual General Managers Meetings mostly are about laying the groundwork for moves that might happen later in the offseason, but the Giants made a minor trade Tuesday on the first full day of the event in Las Vegas.
San Francisco acquired right-handed pitching prospect Logan Martin from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right-hander Mason Black, who had been designated for assignment last week after a couple of waiver claims. Black will get an opportunity to try and contribute in the American League, while the Giants get a 24-year-old who does not have to take up a spot on their 40-man roster and potentially can help down the line.
“We had to make a decision on Mason and we’re fortunate to get an arm-strength starter back in the system,” general manager Zack Minasian said Tuesday morning.
Martin, a 12th-rounder out of Kentucky in 2023, pitched in High-A last season, posting a 3.45 ERA across 22 starts. He has a 3.49 ERA in three minor-league seasons, although his strikeout rate has dipped in Single-A. Martin, who relies primarily on a mid-90s four-seamer and a cutter, currently is pitching in the Arizona Fall League.
The Giants have tried to add young pitching in every deal over the past year and plan to be aggressive in adding depth at all levels this offseason. At the same time as they DFA’d Black, who struggled in his big-league stints, they acquired lefty reliever Reiver Sanmartin from the Cincinnati Reds and outfielder Justin Dean from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Those two waiver claims were the first for the organization since before the 2025 season. Minasian said the front office liked Sanmartin’s versatility and noted he has big-league experience. Dean joins a crowded outfield group on the 40-man roster, but the Giants consider him to be the best defender of the group and the fastest baserunner. Minasian said adding a lefty relief option and potential bench outfielder “felt like two things that fit the roster at this time.”
“We’re happy to have him on,” he said of Dean, who appeared in the World Series with the Dodgers. “We’ll see what he can do in Arizona (next spring).”
Angels star Mike Trout, right, speaks with Torii Hunter, center, and Jered Weaver, left, before the Angels' 2024 home opener against the Boston Red Sox. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)
Trout National does not formally open until April. But, when you’re Mike Trout, you can invite your friends to play a couple rounds on the course that carries your name.
And so it was that Trout, the best player in Angels history, last week welcomed Torii Hunter, one of the most popular and respected players in Angels history. The course, designed by Tiger Woods and his team, is located in Trout’s hometown of Millville, N.J., and includes a refueling stop in “a concrete bunker tucked behind the 14th tee and styled like a classic baseball dugout.”
Said Hunter: “It’s a great course.”
Hunter could have managed his former teammate next season, had the Angels chosen him to replace Ron Washington. However, for the second time in three years, the Angels interviewed Hunter for their managerial vacancy and then hired someone else — this time, former Angels catcher Kurt Suzuki.
Hunter, speaking Monday at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast before a fundraiser for Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy in Compton, said he interviewed with Angels general manager Perry Minasian.
Hunter said he believed Suzuki would do well in the position and had no hard feelings about the process.
“It was a great interview,” Hunter said. “We had a good talk. It just didn’t work out.
“The opportunity presented itself. They were looking for a manager, and they decided to interview me for the job. They told me to.
“I still love the Angels. That’s why I did it. That's why I wanted to do it.”
He felt the same way about his original team, the Minnesota Twins. He said he “put my name in the hat” for the Twins’ managerial vacancy and had informal discussions with the team, but no formal interview.
Hunter declined to discuss details of his interview with Minasian.
The Angels have baseball’s longest playoff drought, now at 11 years, and have finished in last place in back-to-back seasons. Hunter said prospects need to get to Anaheim and start playing with the young players already there.
“I think those guys have got a couple of years under their belts,” he said. “It’s time to go out there and really compete.”
The Angels’ minor league system is widely regarded as one of baseball's thinnest. Hunter, who worked as a special assistant to Minasian last season, said he sees a fair amount of talent at the lower levels of the system.
“Maybe they don’t win the World Series next year,” Hunter said. “Maybe they don't go to the playoffs.
“A shift in the team dynamic depends on the pieces that they add. But, in the next two years, you’re going to see these guys, and they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”
Hunter said he is unsure yet whether his business interests — he owns five restaurants and two coffee shops, in addition to commercial real estate investments — will allow him to continue as an Angels special assistant. He hopes to do so.
“I love Kurt Suzuki,” Hunter said. “I played with him with the Twins in 2015, and I played against him forever. I love everything about him. I would love to be there to help him along the way if I can.”
Suzuki agreed to a one-year contract, which puts him in the uncomfortable position of being a lame duck before he manages his first game.
“I think he’ll be fine,” Hunter said. “You’ve got to give him time, and a chance to get to know the fellas. The guy is smart, he’s intelligent, he’s got great relationship skills. So, be patient.”
Running it back. Three words Phillies fans are tired of hearing.
The Phils have reached the postseason for four straight years, and for four straight years, they’ve come up short. They shocked everyone with a run to the 2022 World Series, only to fall to the Astros in six games. When a core stays together that long – and produces a similar ending each October – change becomes expected.
Yet 15 players on the 2025 Opening Day roster were also on the 2022 team. It’s a battle-tested group, but the results are stale.
Even after a 96-win season, urgency hangs over the franchise because of one unavoidable obstacle in the National League:
The Dodgers.
Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell – their star power feels endless, especially after winning back-to-back World Series titles.
In 2024, their rotation fell apart with injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Emmett Sheehan. It didn’t matter. They slugged their way to a championship.
In 2025, the script flipped. This time, the Dodgers were healthy but their bats went cold. Again, it didn’t matter. Yamamoto carried them. He made five postseason starts, threw two complete games – the first pitcher to do that since 2001 – and posted a 1.45 ERA. After throwing 96 pitches in Game 6, he still came out of the bullpen in the Game 7 finale and tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings. World Series MVP was an automatic for the second-year right-hander.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski put it bluntly when asked about L.A. at the end-of-season presser:
“The Dodgers have a really good club … We battled them, and I think we’re in the same neighborhood – but we didn’t beat them and we have work to do in order to do that.”
Now, it’s clear. If the Phillies want to win a championship, the path runs directly through Los Angeles – the team that eliminated them in the NLDS this past season.
So how do they change their identity? It’s challenging to pinpoint, but there are a number of options the Phillies could pick from.
Starpower: Ketel Marte
Credit: Denis Poroy – Imagn Images
On Monday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Diamondbacks are “motivated” to trade three-time All-Star Ketel Marte.
He’s coming off another elite year in Arizona, slashing .283/.376/.517 with 28 doubles and 28 homers in 126 games. It marked his third straight season with at least 25 home runs, 60 walks and 70 RBIs. The 32-year-old has cemented himself as the best at his position.
The switch-hitting Marte is the kind of hitter who changes a lineup overnight. In 2025, he posted an .891 OPS vs. lefties and .893 vs. righties, offering zero platoon vulnerability. His contract is just as appealing: six years left (player option in 2031), roughly $19 million AAV and only $28 million over the next two seasons.
Trading for him wouldn’t prevent the Phillies from spending elsewhere – including a potential Kyle Schwarber reunion.
He’s performed against the team that matters. Marte has a career .290 average and .804 OPS versus the Dodgers. And over the last two seasons, he’s slashed .321/.418/.560.
He’s also been a standout performer in October. In 21 postseason games, he’s hit .344 with a .974 OPS and 13 extra-base hits.
Acquiring Marte would take real capital. The deal starts with one of Aidan Miller or Andrew Painter plus infielder Bryson Stott, who is under control through 2027. It would be uncomfortable, but it’s a move that could change everything for the Phils.
Shuffle the pieces and add
Credit: Bill Streicher – Imagn Images
Bryce Harper has been at the center of conversation this offseason – both for production and for where he plays. Dombrowski made one thing clear after questioning Harper’s “elite” status during his media session: he views Harper as the first baseman going forward.
But if Harper moved back to right field, everything opens up. And if defense is the concern for a 33-year-old Harper in the outfield, the Phillies just played 33-year-old Nick Castellanos out there – who posted a league-low -12 outs above average.
Returning Harper to the outfield gives the Phillies the freedom to chase a middle-of-the-order bat at first base.
Pete Alonso should be the first call.
Alonso tallied 264 homers and 712 RBIs in seven seasons with the Mets. Drop that kind of production behind Harper and pitchers have no escape route. And if the Phillies brought back Schwarber too?
A top four of Trea Turner, Schwarber, Harper and Alonso truly gives you a solid chance against Los Angeles in a playoff series.
The championship window isn’t closed – but it’s not open forever. If the Phillies want to win with this core, adding another star or two to Harper and Turner is how you do it.
Lean into the youth
Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel – Imagn Images
Miller, Justin Crawford and Painter could push their way to the majors in 2026 and the Phillies might just open the door.
Dombrowski hinted that they could force their way onto the roster. “There will be some people we’re open-minded to being with our big-league club next year coming out of spring training,” he said. “Justin Crawford is one of them. Painter’s another one… I wouldn’t even preclude Aidan Miller from being that type of guy.”
Miller, 21, put together an .864 OPS with 43 extra-base hits and 59 steals in 2025. He’s only played shortstop in the minors, but if the Phillies view him as an option at second or third, it gives them flexibility to move either Stott or Alec Bohm – who enters his final year of arbitration.
Crawford brings contact and speed the Phillies haven’t had in their outfield. He hit .334 with 46 steals last season. The Crawford-Miller combination introduces something this core could use more of: true athleticism.
Painter remains the biggest wild card. After missing two full seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery, he returned in 2025 with command issues. But his stuff hasn’t gone anywhere. A fastball that touches triple digits with that size and extension isn’t common, and the Phillies know it.
There’s another arm quickly rising: Gage Wood. Their 2025 first-round pick threw a no-hitter in the College World Series and struck out 69 batters in 37 2/3 innings in his final year at Arkansas. He could make his way to the majors.
Leaning into youth could also mean acquiring young, controllable talent at a position of need – like catcher. That could include Baltimore’s All-Star Adley Rutschman, Seattle’s top catching prospect Harry Ford or prospects Carter Jensen and Blake Mitchell in Kansas City.
New blood doesn’t eliminate offseason splash moves. It complements them. And it could force evolution in Philadelphia.
Dombrowski summed it up best. “We have a good club with a lot of good players, but you don’t have unlimited [funds] … We will be open-minded to get better and make moves.”
The Dodgers aren’t slowing down and the Phillies can’t either.
Whether it’s starpower, restructuring the roster or giving the youth a chance to start, standing still isn’t an option — not when the team you’re chasing keeps hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy.
Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz was a unanimous choice for American League Rookie of the Year, and Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin won the National League award.
The 22-year-old Kurtz batted .290 with 36 homers, 86 RBIs and a 1.002 OPS in 117 games this year. The first baseman became the eighth rookie since 1901 to finish with an OPS over 1.000 while making at least 400 plate appearances.
A’s teammate Jacob Wilson was second in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America that was announced on Monday night. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony was third.
Baldwin, 24, stepped up for Atlanta after No. 1 catcher Sean Murphy was sidelined by a cracked rib in spring training. While Murphy was limited by injuries for much of the year, Baldwin hit .274 with 19 homers, 80 RBIs and an .810 OPS in 124 games.
Baldwin’s win secured an extra selection for Atlanta after the first round in next year’s amateur draft under the collective bargaining agreement’s prospect promotion incentive.
Baldwin received 21 of 30 first-place votes. Cubs right-hander Cade Horton was second, and Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin finished third. The balloting was conducted before the postseason.
Kurtz and Baldwin each get $750,000 from a pre-arbitration bonus pool, and runners-up Wilson and Horton each receive $500,000.
The Manager of the Year for each league will be announced on Tuesday, followed by the Cy Young Award winners on Wednesday.
Kurtz, 22, starred at Wake Forest University before he was selected by the A’s with the No. 4 pick in the 2024 amateur draft. The 6-foot-5 slugger began this season in the minors, but he hit an RBI single in his first big league at-bat on April 23 against Texas.
It was a sign of things to come.
He hit a solo drive off Dodgers reliever J.P. Feyereisen for his first big league homer on May 13. He belted four more homers in a span of four days that same month, including his first career multihomer game on May 21 against the Angels.
He had his signature performance on July 25 at Houston, becoming the youngest player in major league history and the first rookie to hit four home runs in one game. He went 6 for 6 with eight RBIs while matching an MLB record with 19 total bases.
Kurtz is the 14th unanimous selection for AL Rookie of the Year and the second from the A’s franchise, joining Mark McGwire in 1987. He is the ninth winner for the A's overall, sending most in the AL behind the Yankees' 10.
Baldwin was a third-round pick in the 2022 draft out of Missouri State University. He started on opening day for Atlanta and got his first major league hit on March 29 at San Diego.
Baldwin had one of his biggest days of the season on July 21, driving in six runs in a 9-5 victory over San Francisco. He went deep twice and finished with five RBIs in his first career multihomer game on Aug. 7, an 8-6 win over Miami.
Baldwin is the seventh catcher to win the NL honor and the second from the Braves, joining Earl Williams in 1971. He is the 10th winner from the Braves franchise overall, trailing only the Dodgers with a record 18.
AL rookies who shined in 2025, from top left going clockwise: LHP Noah Cameron, SS Jacob Wilson, OF Roman Anthony, 1B Nick Kurtz (the unanimous ROY), White Sox SS Colson Montgomery and C Carlos Narváez. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)
This year’s Rookie of the Year ballot came with a new wrinkle, as it was expanded from three to five spots, affording voters the opportunity to recognize a few more rookies from the season that was. (For reference, MVP ballots have long featured 10 spots, and Cy Young ballots expanded from three to five in 2010).
Each award’s electorate is made up of two representatives from each of the 15 chapters of the Baseball Writers Association of America coinciding with the 15 markets in each league, amounting to a total of 30 voters. This year, two of the 30 voters for AL Rookie of the Year were members of our MLB team: Russell Dorsey from the Chicago chapter and Jordan Shusterman from the Cleveland chapter.
While Kurtz’s unanimous award came as no surprise, considering how dominant he was at the plate, there were several other intriguing storylines among AL rookies that made the remainder of the ballot a challenge to fill out. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how Dorsey and Shusterman voted, and what motivated their support for the five players included on their ballots.
Jordan Shusterman’s ballot
1. Athletics 1B Nick Kurtz
2. Athletics SS Jacob Wilson
3. Red Sox OF Roman Anthony
4. Red Sox C Carlos Narváez
5. Royals LHP Noah Cameron
Russ Dorsey’s ballot
1. Athletics 1B Nick Kurtz
2. Red Sox OF Roman Anthony
3. Athletics SS Jacob Wilson
4. Royals LHP Noah Cameron
5. White Sox SS Colson Montgomery
Wow, Nick Kurtz is amazing
It wasn’t just that Nick Kurtz was the best rookie in the 2025 class, which he was. The A’s young first baseman was one of baseball’s best hitters. And while he burst onto the scene with his four-homer game against the Houston Astros on July 25, it was only the tip of the iceberg for the 22-year-old slugger. If you need to know just how absurd Kurtz’s season was, take a look at any advanced metric, including his eye-popping 170 wRC+ in 489 plate appearances. Kurtz joined MVPs Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge as the only players in MLB with an OPS over 1.000 this past season and got additional hardware for his outstanding season in the form of the AL Silver Slugger Award for first base. The A’s slugger showed that debuting in the big leagues less than a year after being the No. 4 overall draft pick was no problem for him. Kurtz capped off his stellar rookie campaign leading all rookies in home runs, runs scored, RBI, walks and OPS. — Dorsey
Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage might have rightfully stolen headlines as the most remarkable story from the 2024 draft class, but what Kurtz did at the plate in his debut season just a year after being drafted deserves ample acknowledgement as historic in its own right. Kurtz’s 1.002 OPS was the sixth-highest ever for a rookie with at least 450 plate appearances in a season, and he finished tied for fifth in the AL in home runs with 36, despite playing only 117 games. Kurtz’s peak came midsummer, when he hit an outrageous .395/.480/.953 across 23 games in July, headlined, of course, by his six-hit, four-homer game on July 25.
And while that epic showing was the apex of his rookie campaign, Kurtz hardly fell off afterward, demonstrating that his red-hot July wasn’t much of an outlier. From his four-homer game through the end of the season, Kurtz hit .271/.394/.530, good for a 154 wRC+ that ranked 11th in MLB over that span. While his sky-high strikeout rate and struggles against southpaws represent moderate red flags, this version of Kurtz is doing more than enough damage to warrant the whiffs and platoon splits. And considering he’ll turn just 23 before Opening Day next year, it’s entirely reasonable to think Kurtz will improve upon his current weaknesses and unlock an even higher offensive ceiling in short order, establishing himself as one of the game’s most feared sluggers for years to come. — Shusterman
The Red Sox missed Roman Anthony's presence late in the season and in October. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
G Fiume via Getty Images
Jacob Wilson vs. Roman Anthony for second
After a dreadful first half, the Red Sox surged to the second AL wild-card spot after Roman Anthony arrived on June 9, going 57-38 from then on. And with Boston looking for offensive consistency, baseball’s No. 1 prospect provided that spark. Anthony’s .396 on-base percentage jumps off the page, but the rookie phenom’s well-rounded game was impossible to deny, as he sported a .292 batting average and .463 slugging percentage before his season ended early due to an oblique strain.
What was tough about my second-place vote is that it was impact vs. body of work. Jacob Wilson was as consistent as any player in this season’s rookie class, and there was a time before Kurtz’s arrival when he was likely going to claim the Rookie of the Year Award. But what ultimately led me to vote for Anthony second and Wilson third is that I don’t believe the Red Sox make the postseason without Anthony’s spark and instant impact in the lineup. You could see that in the fact that the Red Sox weren’t the same after his injury. Wilson had a phenomenal campaign, but he didn’t raise the level of play for the A’s like Anthony did for the Sox. — Dorsey
The Red Sox indisputably played their best baseball with Anthony in the lineup, and they sorely missed him down the stretch and into October. And if we’re choosing which American League rookie I’d want on my team for the long haul, I’d take Anthony over Wilson, considering his significant offensive upside, and I’d even consider choosing him over Kurtz.
Ultimately, this award is about which players had the most outstanding rookie seasons, and I considered the playing time and positional difference to be a wide enough gap to give Wilson the edge over Anthony on my ballot. Wilson started 124 games at shortstop, while Anthony started 32 games in right field, 17 games in left and another 17 at DH. Even if Wilson’s glove didn’t grade out especially well and might eventually fit best at second base, that pure workload as a rookie at a premium position was meaningful, especially with Wilson also boasting a fairly compelling offensive résumé.
He finished tied with Bo Bichette for second in the American League with a .311 batting average, and his 13 home runs far outpaced both my and many evaluators’ expectations for his slugging output. Wilson might not hit the ball hard, but he has already demonstrated a knack for translating his elite contact ability into extra-base hits in a way that lends optimism that he can be an all-around offensive threat in the majors. Given their wildly different skill sets, Wilson and Kurtz are a tremendously fun duo for the Athletics to build their lineup around. — Shusterman
Don’t forget about Noah Cameron
In a down year for rookie starting pitchers, Royals rookie left-hander Noah Cameron separated himself from the rest of the pack this season. Cameron got an opportunity to pitch every fifth day in a Kansas City rotation that was beat up for most of 2025, and he made the most of his chances. In his first 13 starts, Cameron allowed more than three earned runs just three times, showing that he was more than capable of sticking in the rotation. While Cade Horton got much more love on the National League side for his contributions to the Cubs’ success, Cameron, who finished fourth in the ROY race with three second-place votes, deserves similar love for his body of work in ‘25. — Dorsey
In the wild-card era, before 2025, 18 pitchers threw at least 130 innings in their rookie season while recording an ERA under 3.00, including just four in the American League. All 18 received Rookie of the Year votes, with five winning the award outright and another seven finishing runner-up. Enter Cameron, whose 2.99 ERA in 138⅓ innings across 24 starts helped stabilize an injury-ravaged Royals rotation all summer — a large enough sample of stellar run prevention to warrant inclusion on my ballot.
Cameron was a delight to watch do his thing in 2025, a crafty lefty with two distinct breaking balls that graded out as elite pitches per run value, including a curveball that rated as one of the best of its kind across the league. While his modest peripherals and velocity indicate he might not have much more upside than what he demonstrated, Cameron still showed enough to suggest that the Royals could feature a terrific trio of left-handers in 2026 if Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic can return fully healthy. — Shusterman
Russ’ final pick: Colson Montgomery
The fifth spot on my ballot came down to two players who both deserved recognition. One was Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez, and the other was White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery. Narváez had the body of work on his side, and while being the starting catcher for a playoff team is one hell of an argument, Montgomery’s power production was hard to deny. The White Sox rookie hit 21 homers in just 255 at-bats and finished the season with a very respectable .841 OPS.
Montgomery’s season is in many ways similar to Gary Sánchez’s 2016 rookie campaign, in which he burst on the scene with 20 homers in 53 games. Sánchez owned a ridiculous 1.032 OPS and did it over the last two months of the season. Sánchez finished as ROY runner-up that season, and while that was too high for Montgomery in this year’s class, there’s precedent for a similar body of work being recognized. Also, while not known for his defense, Montgomery finished the season as a well-above-average defender at shortstop, with plus-seven defensive runs saved and plus-six outs above average putting him top-10 among shortstops in both categories. — Dorsey
Jordan’s final pick: Carlos Narváez
Montgomery’s power production, plus his surprisingly stout defense at shortstop, were difficult to overlook, and yes, he played the same number of games as Anthony (71), so the sample size on its own was not necessarily disqualifying. But in the end, I opted to vote for a catcher in Narváez who made an impact on a playoff team, emerging as one of Boston’s more unlikely key contributors after he arrived via a rare trade with the rival Yankees last winter.
Russ rightly pointed out how much better Boston played once Anthony joined the lineup, and Narváez had a similar effect over the entirety of the season: The Red Sox went 67-40 — a .626 winning percentage — in Narváez’s 107 starts behind the dish and just 22-33 otherwise. That’s mostly a reflection of his work as a defender, with Narváez rating as a plus blocker, plus framer and nearly unrivaled at controlling the running game while regularly receiving praise from his pitching staff as a worthy field general and game-caller.
And while his second-half decline at the plate resulted in a mediocre 99 wRC+ (.241/.306/.419) by the end of the season, even league-average production with a plus glove at catcher amounts to an immensely valuable player. In a season that began with substantial hype surrounding Boston’s top three prospects in Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, it was Narváez who emerged as Boston’s second-best rookie in 2025 and snagged a spot on my ballot in turn. — Shusterman
Here's the latest Mets free agency and trade buzz during the 2025-26 MLB offseason...
Nov. 20, 5:53 p.m.
While the Mets are undoubtedly looking to rebuild their starting rotation, it doesn't seem like free agent Framber Valdez is near the top of their wish list.
Appearing on Wednesday's Mets Hot Stove, SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino reported that the Mets were not among the teams that met with the southpaw at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas.
Martino notes that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns prefers to develop his own ace-level pitchers in-house and does not typically spend huge money for top-of-the-rotation starters, though Stearns could be flexible on that point. At 32, Valdez is likely looking for a lucrative multiyear contract.
Valdez is a two-time All-Star with the Astros and has pitched to a career 3.36 ERA, but he also seemed to intentionally cross up his catcher in September to hit him with a pitch, which raised some red flags.
Nov. 10, 4:26 p.m.
While the Mets are expected to be aggressive in their pursuit of starting pitching this offseason, one of their current rotation arms is already receiving some outside interest.
According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, right-hander Kodai Senga is considered a buy-low trade target among some teams, although it's unclear if the Mets are legitimately open to moving him.
The report also notes that Senga's contract no longer includes a full no-trade clause -- he can now block deals to only 10 clubs.
The 2025 season was a confounding tale of two halves for Senga, who resembled an ace for the Mets through June and ultimately lost a big-league roster spot by September. In between his peaks and valleys was a summer hamstring injury that required rehab starts and caused mechanical headaches.
Still, he posted a solid 3.02 ERA with 109 strikeouts across 22 outings (113.1 innings).
There's reason to believe that Senga can re-channel that Cy Young-caliber version of himself, and his contract is by no means an albatross to the reported suitors. The 32-year-old is set to make just $28 million combined over the next two seasons, with a club option for 2028.
Since joining the majors from Japan in 2023, Senga owns a career 3.00 ERA with 209 strikeouts over 52 starts (285 innings). He also placed top 10 in NL Cy Young voting as a Rookie of the Year runner-up.
Bruce Bochy and the San Francisco Giants are reuniting after all, with the club’s beloved former manager taking on a special advisor role on both the baseball and business sides following 28 seasons on the dugout’s top step.
President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey is turning to his old skipper to help guide a new regime and direction for the club following a fourth straight season without a playoff berth. The club announced Bochy’s hiring.
Posey hired Tennessee coach Tony Vitello for his first job in professional baseball. Bochy should provide a strong sounding board for the first-time manager.
The 70-year-old Bochy guided the Giants to World Series championships in 2010 — the franchise’s first title since moving West in 1958 — ‘12 and ’14. He recently parted with the Texas Rangers following three seasons as manager, including their first championship in 2023.
“I couldn’t be more excited to reconnect with the Giants organization and so many familiar faces,” Bochy said. “This organization and city mean a lot to me and my family, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute in any way I can.”
From the beginning, Posey ruled out Bochy as a candidate to become San Francisco’s manager to replace Bob Melvin. The Giants fired Melvin after two seasons.
“Having Boch back in the organization means a great deal to all of us,” Posey said in a statement. “His experience, leadership, and feel for the game are unmatched, and his perspective will be invaluable as we continue building towards sustained success.”
Bochy left the rival San Diego Padres to become Giants manager in 2007, the year home run king Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s all-time record, and stayed with the club through 2019. He then worked as a special advisor for the Giants from 2020-2022 before taking the Rangers job.
This past season, the Giants finished 81-81 for one more victory than in Melvin’s first year. They haven’t reached the postseason since winning the NL West with a franchise-record 107 victories to edge the rival Dodgers by one game in 2021 under then-skipper Gabe Kapler.
Bochy’s 2,252 career managerial wins rank sixth in baseball history, while his 4,518 games managed put him at fourth. He notched 951 victories with San Diego and another 1,052 for the Giants, second-most by a Giants manager behind Hall of Famer John McGraw. Those totals make him the only manager in MLB history with 900 or more wins with multiple franchises.
“We are thrilled to welcome Boch back to the Giants family as a Special Advisor to Baseball Operations,” Giants President and CEO Larry Baer said. “Few people in baseball have his depth of knowledge, insight, and lived experience of the game. He shares a rich history with our organization and fans, and it’s special to have him back in orange and black.”
LAS VEGAS — If you are a Mets fan, wherever you stand on the notion of a new contract for Pete Alonso, you almost certainly find yourself wondering if the Polar Bear has indeed played his final home game in Queens.
Guess what? You have company.
Here are two other parties who have no idea how this will play out: The team and the player.
In the early days of the offseason, a perception has seemed to congeal that Alonso is a goner, and that Mets president of baseball operation David Stearns does not want him.
The former is inaccurate because it is way premature. The latter is inaccurate because … well, it just is.
There seems to be, among many fans, a perception of Stearns as a cold technocrat who can’t understand the emotional connection fans feel toward a player. That is not true. This same supposed technocrat spent his childhood sneaking a radio into his bed to listen to Gary Cohen and Bob Murphy on school nights.
In terms of attachment to the Mets, Stearns is one of you. And like you, he knows Alonso delivered an outstanding offensive season in 2025, and a subpar defensive campaign. Unlike you, Stearns’ job — an element of his dream job, by the way — is to decide how many years and dollars that is worth to the franchise, and to avoid a contract that will end up hurting the team he loves.
Another oft-repeated inaccuracy is that Stearns did not want to sign Alonso last winter, and that Steve Cohen did. My information was always that the two were aligned on wanting the player but fearing the downside of a long commitment.
They were both happy to have Alonso on team in 2025 — which, in fairness, he almost certainly would not have been had any other club offered a four- or five-year contract. Alonso re-signed with the Mets on a two-year deal that included an inevitable opt-out after year one.
My hunch is that both Stearns and Cohen would be happy to welcome Alonso back in 2026, albeit with a significant increase in at-bats as designated hitter. They like the person and the ballplayer.
The complications begin when we talk about the term. It’s hard to imagine an increased willingness to offer Alonso four or five years, now that he is 12 months older.
But it’s also hard — no, it’s impossible — to predict how Alonso’s second shot at free agency will proceed. And therefore it is simply too early to say with any confidence or accuracy that a Boston or a Tampa Bay or whoever else will offer five years, and that Alonso will leave town.
Interest in Imai, but how much?
The Mets will be in on free agent pitcher Tatsuya Imai, whose NPB team, the Seibu Lions, will post this offseason. But I don’t expect the team to mount a Yoshinobu Yamamoto-style, full-tilt pursuit.
Why? Evaluators like Imai but suggest that he is no sure thing to succeed as an MLB starter. His mid-to-high ‘90s fastball might or might not play here; industry opinion on that is mixed.
Imai is an interesting option and should prompt conversations with any club in search of pitching, the Mets included. But the early word at the GM Meetings is that he will not captivate the industry on quite the same level that Yamamoto did two winters ago, when he spurned the Mets and Yankees to sign a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers.
We covered Pete Alonso’s free agent situation last week, but now it’s time look at the Mets’ other big-name free agent in Edwin Díaz.
The three-time All-Star closer is coming off another excellent season, but what sort of long-term commitment will teams be willing to give to a relief pitcher who turns 32 before Opening Day? Can anyone outbid the Mets for his services?
Stars like Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, and Cody Bellinger join headliners Kyle Tucker, Dylan Cease, and Bo Bichette in a 2025–26 MLB free agent class loaded with impact bats and arms.
Don’t forget: Check out theRotoworld player news feed for all the latest news, rumors, and transactions as MLB’s Hot Stove gets underway!
Díaz in Review
Díaz signed a record-breaking five-year, $102 million extension with the Mets in November of 2022 before tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee while celebrating a win for Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic in March of 2023. While he navigated an up-and-down year upon his return in 2024, he regained his top-tier closer form this past season while posing a 1.63 ERA with 28 saves.
2025 (ranks among all pitchers min. 60 IP)
ERA
1.63
2nd
BAA
.162
5th (tied)
K%
38%
3rd
SwStr%
18%
4th
Diaz was hurt by the home run ball at times in 2024, surrendering seven of them in just 53 2/3 innings, but he gave up just four homers in 66 1/3 innings in 2025. A big key was getting opposing batters to put the ball on the ground more often. His ground ball rate of 48.4 percent was the highest of his career, surpassing the 46.9 percent mark he posted during his otherworldly season in 2022.
It’s no slight on the current version of Díaz to say that the aforementioned 2022 season is likely to be the peak of his career. Striking out half of the batters you face is an incredibly difficult feat to replicate. Still, Diaz has proven himself as an elite closer, with no clear signs of slowing down.
Díaz recently opted out of the final two years and $38 million in his contract with the Mets in order to try his luck in free agency. Not surprisingly, the Mets extended him a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer, which will secure them draft pick compensation if Díaz decides to sign with another team.
This was an opportune time for Díaz to utilize his opt-out, as he’s the clear top closer during an offseason where a number of high-spending teams have questions in the role. Even if Díaz ends up staying put, his favorable position in this market will force the Mets to pay up.
In looking at contracts to relievers since Diaz’s five-year, $102 million deal in November of 2022, Josh Hader signed a five-year, $95 million contract ($19M AAV) with the Astros in January of 2024 before Tanner Scott landed a four-year, $72 million contract ($18M AAV) with the Dodgers last January.
It’s unlikely that Díaz will get another five-year contract, but four years with superior AAVs to Hader and Scott sounds like a reasonable expectation.
As for alternatives in the market, Pete Fairbanks hit free agency last week after the Rays declined a very reasonable $11 million club option on him for 2026. He joins a group of free agent closers which also includes Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Robert Suarez, Raisel Iglesias, Kenley Jansen, and Kyle Finnegan.
Best Fits
Mets: The bidding will probably go higher than the Mets would like, but look for them to do everything they can to retain Díaz. They are going to have to do a lot more than re-sign Díaz to improve upon a disappointing 2025 season, but he was the least of their problems this year. No need to mess with what’s working.
Dodgers: Can the rich keep getting richer? Díaz is a logical fit for a team who didn’t get quite what they were hoping for in Tanner Scott, but would they really make major financial commitments to relievers in back-to-back offseasons?
Blue Jays: The chatter has already begun about Jeff Hoffman’s place as the Blue Jays’ closer, so exploring Díaz makes a lot of sense. Of course, the club has other priorities, including their efforts to retain their homegrown shortstop.
Cubs: The Cubs might not be able to hang around in the bidding for Kyle Tucker, so they could pivot to address multiple areas of need. The hard-throwing Daniel Palencia established himself as a late-inning weapon for Chicago this past season, but adding Díaz would make this a dynamic and dominant duo to finish off games.
Yankees:Devin Williams wasn’t the lockdown closer the Yankees expected this past season, but their acquisition of David Bednar was an unquestioned success, as he posted a 2.19 ERA with 10 saves in 22 regular season appearances before notching two more saves with a 1.50 ERA over five postseason appearances. Bednar remains under team control for 2026. Outbidding the crosstown Mets would be a bonus, but a potential pursuit of Díaz could be more of a luxury.
Giants: The Giants traded Camilo Doval to the Yankees at the deadline this year and 2025 breakout Randy Rodriguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September, leaving Ryan Walker at the top of the depth chart. How do Buster Posey and company feel about that after Walker saw declines across the board this past season?
Contract Prediction
As stated above, five years could be a stretch for Díaz given his age. If he gets that sort of offer, he’ll likely jump at it, whether it’s with the Mets or someone else. The most logical scenario, though, is that he’ll get two years tacked on to the two years he opted out on with the Mets. He should also beat the $20.4 million AAV from his previous deal. As opposed to the Alonso situation, it’s hard to believe the deep-pocketed Mets will let Díaz get away.
The New York Rangers have had an incredibly strange start to the season.
They're excellent on the road, with a 7-1-1 record and a league-low 1.89 goals against per game away from home. Yet, they have struggled immensely at home, with a 0-6-1 record at Madison Square Garden so far this season. They have also been shut out in five of their seven home games, which is historically bad.
If the Rangers continue to struggle, GM Chris Drury could very well look to shake up the roster again. Over the past year, he's traded away Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider, K'Andre Miller and Filip Chytil while bringing in J.T. Miller.
If Drury does decide to make moves, these three Rangers should be watched very closely as trade candidates.
Artemi Panarin, LW
We start with someone the Rangers almost certainly don't want to lose but may be better off trading if a certain situation arises.
Panarin, a 34-year-old star left winger, is a pending UFA, and the team is in no rush to get into more serious contract negotiations with the player, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.
Ultimately, if the Rangers are out of a playoff spot and Panarin still does not have a contract extension as the trade deadline approaches, the Rangers may have no choice but to deal him.
At a cap hit of about $11.64 million, contenders that accrue cap space up to the trade deadline could have enough space to acquire him. Otherwise, they'll have to offer the Rangers even more to have them retain cap space.
He's only been traded once in his 11-year NHL career, when the Chicago Blackhawks moved him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in June 2017. Panarin ended up posting 82 points in 81 games in 2017-18.
Carson Soucy, D
Soucy will be another pending UFA to watch if the Rangers end up being sellers this season. He's finishing a three-year contract worth $3.25 million annually.
It is no secret that contenders love to add defensemen with size at the deadline, so the 6-foot-4 Soucy has the potential to generate some interest.
Soucy would be a good addition for a playoff team seeking to bolster its defensive depth. The 2013 fifth-round pick would probably work best in a bottom-pairing role on a contender, but he can also move up to the top four if needed.
In 12 games so far this season with the Rangers, Soucy has posted one goal, one assist, 13 blocks, 15 hits and a plus-1 rating.
Othmann has been the subject of trade rumors early this season, so he is certainly a player to keep an eye on as the campaign continues.
The 2021 first-round pick has had trouble finding his fit with the Rangers and could be a nice trade chip for them to dangle to improve their roster elsewhere.
Othmann has spent most of this season with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, where he has recorded two assists in six games. He has also played in one game for the Rangers this season, where he had one shot and a minus-1 rating on Oct. 26 against the Calgary Flames.
While Othmann has yet to cement himself as a full-time NHL player, there undoubtedly could be some interest in the intriguing prospect. He is a former first-rounder and still just 22 years old, after all.
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Matthew Pouliot
