The Mets are making a blockbuster trade early in the offseason, trading outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for infielder Marcus Semien, per SNY's Andy Martino.
The trade is a one for one swap.
Nimmo, 32, has spent his entire 10-year career in New York and signed an eight-year, $162 million contract extension in 2022, which included a full no-trade clause meaning he approved the move to Texas.
Semien, 35, is under contract through the 2028 season after he and the Rangers agreed on a seven-year, $175 million deal ahead of the 2022 season.
The second baseman who can also play shortstop and third base had a triple slash line of .230/.305/.364 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI in 127 games last season. His season ended in late August with a left foot contusion.
Semien's .669 OPS last year was the lowest of his career, but the Mets are hoping for bounce-back seasons from the veteran who helped the Rangers win their first-ever World Series in 2023.
Meanwhile, Nimmo enjoyed career-highs in home runs (25), RBI (92) and games played (155) in 2025 and saw his average climb back to .262 after an uncharacteristic 2024 in which he hit .224, his lowest average since 2019.
In 10 seasons with the Mets, the one time center fielder who was moved over to left field due in recent years totaled 135 home runs, 188 doubles and 463 RBI while slashing .262/.364/.438 for a .802 OPS.
Early in his career, Nimmo, drafted 13th overall in the 2011 MLB Draft, was known for his incredible eye and plate discipline which led to some great on-base percentages.
Later on, he found his power stroke and became a run producer for New York, often hitting in the three-hole or cleanup for manager Carlos Mendoza in 2025. Nimmo also became much more active on the base paths, stealing 28 bases over the last two seasons (more than half of his 54 career steals) and getting caught just once.
As for the trade, while the Mets added a veteran infielder to their roster they do not have another deal with a free agent outfielder close, per Martino. However, the move does allow New York more flexibility and room to make one if they choose.
The Mets also have a number of young outfield prospects that figure to be ready soon, including players like Carson Benge and Jett Williams (who can also play the infield).
In 13 seasons between the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays and Rangers, Semien has hit 253 home runs to go along with a .253/.321/.435 triple slash line.
Name the former Rangers defenseman who later became an Islander and made a foolish statement before an Isles-Rangers game that got him traded? (Don't sneak a look at the answer.)
HIS QUOTE: "The Rangers will probably beat us. But there's no great shame attached to losing to those guys." Then, a pause: "The league is laughing at us, the fans are laughing at us. But they created us and they're laughing at themselves."
ANSWER: The statement was made in early February 1973 by Arnie Brown. Within days he was traded to Atlanta for Ernie Hicke and "future considerations."
P.S. Brown – obtained in the big Toronto deal – lost his effectiveness in his last year with the Rangers.
Three games and three losses for the New York Rangers on their most recent road trip.
On Saturday night, the Rangers capped off their three-game road trip with a 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth, marking their fourth consecutive loss.
J.T. Miller suffered an upper-body injury in the Rangers’ previous game against the Colorado Avalanche, and his presence was clearly missed.
Miller’s absence elevated Jonny Brodzinski into a top-six role on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Will Cuylle, while Sullivan put Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafrenière back on a line together.
When Vincent Trocheck missed time with an injury, the lineup’s overall offensive depth took a major hit, and it was no different without Miler.
The Rangers struggled to generate consistent scoring chances and maintain quality offensive-zone time.
Mike Sullivan feels that Miller’s absence should not be used as an excuse for their struggles over the course of the night.
“It's going to provide opportunities for others to step up and make an impact,” Sullivan said of the fallout from Miller’s injury. “Every team goes through it, we’re not the only ones. We've got to find a way to bring more of a collective effort.”
New York has been outshot in all three of their games on this road trip and has notably failed to even record more than 22 shots.
Once again, the Rangers are going through an offensive rut as the frustrations continue to mount.
“I feel like we’re disconnected. I think we’re too far away from each other,” Zibanejad said. “It’s a lot of one-and-dones in the O-zone, try to get on the forecheck, it’s one guy, one guy, one guy. We don’t come up with five together and I just feel like we’re a bit late everywhere.”
The Mammoth are known to play a fast and up-tempo game, which the Rangers simply couldn’t keep up with.
This loss for the Blueshirts stems from an overall lack of intensity, shown by all of the high danger chances they were giving up and struggles to maintain consistent offensive pressure.
“I didn't think, for whatever reason, we had the juice, the energy. If you don't bring a certain amount of energy to the game, it's hard,” Sullivan said. “I just didn't think we won a whole lot of foot races. I didn't think we won a lot of puck battles. When you don't win foot races or puck battles, you don't tend to have the puck. I felt like that was the case for a lot of the night.”
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and the Rangers find themselves at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division standings. It’s not a good position to be in 23 games into the season.
The Rangers will have an opportunity to flip the switch on Monday night when they face off against the St. Louis Blues.
Dodgers catcher Will Smith hits a pivotal home run in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the World Series between the Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Roger Centre on Nov. 1, 2025. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Talk about easing the blow. The Canadian father-son duo that secured not one, but both home run balls that doomed the Toronto Blue Jays team they root for in Game 7 of the World Series turned the evidence into some serious U.S. currency Saturday night.
Dodgers fans will never forget those baseballs hit by Miguel Rojas in the ninth inning and Will Smith in the 11th flying over the left-field wall and into the first row of seats beyond the Blue Jays' bullpen.
John and Matthew Bains — sitting side-by-side — will never forget the balls ending up in their hands. John, 61, caught Rojas' 387-foot home run in his glove on the fly. Two innings later, Matthew, seated next to his dad, saw Smith's blast land in the bullpen and bounce directly into his hands.
Novices they were not. John has been a Blue Jays fan since the team's inception in 1977 and purposely sits where he does for proximity to home runs. In fact, he caught one during the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees a few weeks earlier.
Both men brought baseballs into the stadium that they threw back onto the field, giving the Blue Jays faithful the impression the Bains did the honorable thing when, in fact, they did the smart thing for their bank accounts.
On Saturday night, the balls were sold at auction. Smith's homer, which provided the Dodgers with the winning run, sold for $168,000 while Rojas' blast that sent the game into extra innings fetched $156,000.
A third unforgettable Dodgers home run ball from the 2025 postseason eclipsed the Game 7 balls. The second of Shohei Ohtani's three home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series sold for $270,000 in the same SCP Auction.
It was the longest of the his three, landing on the Dodger Stadium right-field roof 469 feet from home plate. And it was a key element in what is considered perhaps the greatest single performance in baseball history. Ohtani struck out 10 in six innings on the mound in addition to his offensive exploits, sending the Dodgers to the World Series.
Carlo Mendoza's story of how he ended up with Ohtani's ball is no less head-shaking than that of the Bains boys. The 26-year-old Los Angeles man said he was eating nachos in a food court behind the right-field pavilion and saw Ohtani hit the home run on a television monitor. He heard the ball hit the roof, dashed toward the sound and retrieved the ball from under a bush.
All three balls were authenticated by SCP Auctions through notarized affidavits and lie detector tests. SCP owner David Kohler said Mendoza was so apprehensive about handing over the ball that he insisted meeting Kohler in the parking lot of the Long Beach Police Dept.
"We authenticated through polygraph and eyewitnesses due diligence," Kohler said. "From the time we announced we had these baseballs until now, no one else has come forward and said they have the balls. There's been no contention."
The baseballs got top billing in the wide-ranging auction that included 579 items, but a Lou Gehrig game-worn jersey sold for well more than the three balls combined. The Hall of Fame Yankee first baseman hit his last World Series home run in 1937 wearing the jersey, for which a collector paid more than $2.5 million.
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs added Phil Maton to their bullpen on Friday, agreeing to a two-year contract with the veteran right-hander.
The deal includes a club option, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical.
Maton played for St. Louis and Texas last season, going 4-5 with a 2.79 ERA and five saves in 63 games. He was traded from the Cardinals to the Rangers on July 31.
The 32-year-old Maton could become the first of baseball's 175 XXB free agents to switch teams. All nine thus far have re-signed.
Chicago made the playoffs this year for the first time since 2020. The Cubs eliminated San Diego in the first round before losing to Milwaukee in a five-game NL Division Series.
Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz and Caleb Thielbar - three key relievers for Chicago this season - are free agents.
Maton was selected by San Diego in the 20th round of the 2015 amateur draft out of Louisiana Tech University. He made his big league debut with the Padres in 2017.
He is 23-20 with a 3.98 ERA in 478 major league games, also playing for Cleveland, Houston, Tampa Bay and the New York Mets.
Also Friday, Chicago offered 2026 contracts to left-hander Justin Steele and right-hander Javier Assad. The 30-year-old Steele, who went 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA in 2023, is coming back from elbow surgery.
The Cubs non-tendered catcher Reese McGuire and right-hander Eli Morgan, making them free agents. McGuire, 30, batted .226 with nine homers and 24 RBIs in 45 games this year.
Mets infielder Luisangel Acuña left his Venezuelan Winter League game on Friday in the fourth inning after being hit by a pitch in the forearm.
Acuña, playing for the Cardenales de Lara, was plunked by Tiburones de La Guaira RHP Eduardo Paredes with runners at first and second base to load them. The 23-year-old fell to the ground after getting hit by the 88-mph pitch and tried to shake it off before getting help from trainers.
The Cardenales went on to score two more runs in the inning, capping off a four-run frame to take a 6-5 lead. They scored again in the seventh and then piled on four runs in the ninth inning, winning the game, 11-5.
There has not been an update on his injury yet.
Acuña is slashing .208/.391/.396 over 17 games so far this Winter League season. He's hit two home runs and has four doubles with 10 RBI.
Of course, Acuña's future in New York is a bit murky after a rough 2025 season. He played in just 95 major league games, hitting .234 with seven doubles, and was optioned down to Triple-A in August before finishing the season back in Queens.
Overall, Acuña owns a .248 batting average with three home runs, nine doubles, and a triple in 109 career games.
With a surplus of infielders on the roster, including Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Jeff McNeil, it's very possible Acuña could be involved in a potential offseason trade. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has made it clear the team is willing to shake up its core, as they are reportedly fielding trade inquiries on McNeil and have made Brandon Nimmo available for trade.
¡Dramático momento! 🥵
Luisangel Acuña recibió un pelotazo del lanzador Eduardo Paredes. El pelotero de Cardenales abandonó el juego y su lugar lo ocupó Jecksson Flores.
Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips delivers against the New York Mets in Game 6 of the 2024 NLCS. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Ahead of his final season under club control, and with his 2026 salary expected to top more than $6 million through arbitration, reliever Evan Phillips was not tendered a contract for next year by the Dodgers on Friday, but president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the team is still interested in re-signing him as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
“We had a number of back and forth discussions with Evan and his agent,” Friedman said via text. “It is challenging with him coming off surgery, so he is going to take some time and look to sign after he throws off the mound when his rehab allows. Evan has been a big part of our past success and we will continue the conversation about bringing him back. We respect that he is taking this time to decide what is best for him and his family.”
Friday’s decision — which will make Phillips a free agent — reflects the uncertainty around the pitcher’s status for next season, following the Tommy John procedure he had last June.
Phillips’ recovery process is expected to stretch at least into the early part of next year. How much he will be able to pitch in 2026 remains unclear.
Because of that, the Dodgers faced a decision ahead of MLB’s non-tender deadline Friday: Keep Phillips on the roster and pay him the $6.1 million or so that MLB Trade Rumors projected he would receive through the arbitration process. Or cut him loose and attempt to re-sign him (likely to a lesser salary) this offseason.
The club picked the latter. Now, only time will tell whether Phillips’ productive tenure in Los Angeles will continue.
Phillips, 31, has been a key part of the Dodgers' bullpen since the team plucked him off waivers near the end of the 2021 season.
In 2022, he was one of the top relievers in baseball, posting a 1.14 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 63 innings. He had a 2.05 ERA and 24 saves the following season, before regressing to a 3.62 mark in 2024.
Despite that decline, the right-hander still played a crucial role in the club’s 2024 World Series run, pitching 6⅔ scoreless innings that postseason before missing the World Series with a shoulder injury.
That injury, which Phillips later said included a tear in the back of his rotator cuff, caused him to miss the early weeks of this past season.
Phillips eventually made his 2025 season debut on April 19, but logged only seven appearances (all of them scoreless) before going on the injured list in early May with forearm discomfort. At the time, Phillips’ hope was that the IL stint was only a “precautionary” measure and that he would be able to return later in the season.
Instead, his forearm pain lingered. And by the end of May, the full severity of his injury had become frustratingly clear.
Phillips underwent his Tommy John procedure, which typically comes with a 12-18 month recovery timeline, on June 3.
“[His arm] wasn’t really responding,” general manager Brandon Gomes said at the time. “We felt like this could be a possibility. So as he got deeper into the process and it wasn’t really getting better, the decision to do it was pretty much evident with our information.”
Phillips did begin throwing again on Nov. 5, he announced on Instagram. The Dodgers would still like for him to be part of the mix in their bid for a World Series three-peat in 2026.
Now, however, it will take a new contract to get that done.
In addition to Phillips, the Dodgers also decided not to tender a contract to 27-year-old pitcher Nick Frasso on Friday. Frasso, a former top prospect who struggled in triple-A in his return from a shoulder surgery this past season, had yet to make his MLB debut.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Brady Anderson will be the Los Angeles Angels' hitting coach next season, and John Mabry will be the club's assistant hitting coach.
The Angels on Friday confirmed the hiring of Anderson, the longtime Baltimore Orioles slugger, for his first major league coaching job under rookie manager Kurt Suzuki.
Anderson played baseball at UC Irvine in Orange County before his 15-year major league career, which included parts of 14 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles.
He was a three-time All-Star who hit 210 homers, including 50 in 1996, and drove in 761 runs. Anderson worked in the Orioles' front office for several seasons in the 2010s after his playing retirement.
He will attempt to help an Angels lineup that led the majors in strikeouts and had the lowest batting average at .225, improbably finishing 25th in runs despite being fourth in homers. Los Angeles has 10 straight losing seasons and 11 straight non-playoff seasons, both the longest active streaks in the majors, after finishing 72-90 and in last place in the AL West this year.
Mabry is leaving the Orioles, where he was a senior adviser last season. He spent several years as the Cardinals' hitting coach before additional coaching roles with Kansas City and Miami.
The Angels already hired Mike Maddux to be their new pitching coach. While Suzuki and Anderson have no experience in their jobs, Maddux will begin his 24th consecutive season as a pitching coach for five teams.
Friday is MLB's arbitration deadline and the Yankees have quite a few players who are eligible.
There are 14 players whom the Yankees have to either tender or non-tender, which includes some big names, and pieces in the bullpen and bench. What GM Brian Cashman and the organization decide on Friday will determine who will become a free agent and who will be staying for 2026. Also, those who do get tendered could go to arbitration to determine their salary for the upcoming season.
Of course, the Yankees could do away with the arbitration process if they and the player agree to a deal.
Here's all the arbitration and tender news from the Yankees...
Nov. 21, 5:55 p.m.
The Yankees non-tendered five players, most from the bullpen. Mark Leiter Jr., Ian Hamilton, Scott Effross and Jake Cousins were not given contracts for the 2026 season. Of course, the team could negotiate with the relievers to bring them back, but all four are now unrestricted free agents.
The other name is Michael Arias.
Arias was traded to the Yankees from the Cubs back in January for cash considerations. He made 17 appearances with Double-A Somerset, where he pitched to a 2.57 ERA.
In addition, the Yankees have tendered contracts to other eligible players, which includes: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jose Caballero, Anthony Volpe, Luis Gil, Jake Bird, David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Fernando Cruz.
Nov. 21, 5:00 p.m.
The Yankees and starter Clarke Schmidt have agreed on a one-year deal worth $4.5 million, according to multiple reports. Schmidt and the Yankees avoid arbitration.
Schmidt had a solid 2025 for the Yanks, pitching to a 3.32 ERA across 14 starts. But after starting the season on the IL, the right-hander's year ended in July after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the second of his career.
Nov. 21, 4:45 p.m.
The Yankees and utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera have agreed to a $1.2 million contract, avoiding arbitration, according to multiple reports.
Cabrera, who missed most of 2025 after suffering a season-ending foot injury sliding into home plate, played just 34 games this past season. During that time, he slashed .243/.322..308 with an OPS of .631. He was the team's everyday third baseman, but could also play the outfield and around the infield.
The move makes sense, giving manager Aaron Boone a versatile bench piece for next year.
The Mets announced a flurry of roster moves prior to Friday's arbitration deadline. Here's all of the arbitration and tender news from Queens...
Nov. 21, 5:16 p.m.
Of the nine players eligible in the process, the Mets have signed or tendered 2026 contracts to the following: LHP David Peterson, C Francisco Alavrez, RHP Tylor Megill, C Luis Torrens, RHP Huascar Brazobán, and RHP Reed Garrett.
The Mets and outfielder Tyrone Taylor have agreed to a $3.8 million contract for the 2026 season to avoid arbitration, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
Taylor, who was acquired by the Mets via trade with the Brewers in December 2023, didn't deliver desired results this past season. While the 31-year-old appeared in 113 games and provided well-above-average defense, he slashed .223/.279/.319 overall and spent time on the injured list due to a late-summer hamstring strain.
There's still positional value with Taylor, even though the Mets are searching for a player who offers greater production in the center-field role. If the club's offseason goes according to plan, Taylor -- entering his age-32 season -- will serve as a fourth outfielder next spring.
In seven big-league campaigns, Taylor has hit .238 with 93 doubles, 50 home runs, 13 triples, and 198 RBI (574 games).
Stolen base are one of the most exciting plays in baseball. The anticipation of a speedster reaching first, the murmur of a crowd knowing they're going to run, and the bang-bang play at second to try and catch them is intoxicating.
Sadly, they’d faded over the years until rule changes after the 2022 season brought them back in a big way.
This was another banner year for base stealers and I’m going to tell you all about who ran wild. Also, we’re going to walk through some disappointing base stealers – be it due to inefficiency or lack of desire – plus some interesting trends to watch league-wide.
Stay up to date with the MLB free agent market this offseason, including player signings, contract details, and team fits as the 2025-26 Hot Stove heats up.
D.J. Short
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2025 MLB Stolen Base Leaders
Here is the stolen base leaderboard from the regular season.
Player
SB
CS
José Caballero
49
11
José Ramírez
44
7
Chandler Simpson
44
12
Juan Soto
38
4
Bobby Witt Jr.
38
9
Oneil Cruz
38
5
Elly De La Cruz
37
8
Trea Turner
36
7
Pete Crow-Armstrong
35
8
Victor Scott II
34
4
A surprising league-leader, José Caballero took the stolen base crown despite having just 370 plate appearances. Only Elly De La Cruz stole more than his 93 bases over the past two seasons, and Caballero got there with 542 fewer PA. When he plays, he will run.
How does José Ramírez keep doing it? He just completed his second straight 40-steal season. These were the first times he reached that milestone in his career and he waited until turning 31 to do so. He is a marvel.
Chandler Simpson was tied for second-most steals despite being called up three weeks into the season and then getting sent down again for most of June. He was also caught more than anyone in the league. His defense and offense are both questionable traits, so it’s anyone’s guess as to if he’ll go into next season as a starter in Tampa Bay.
Next, here’s the stolen base leaderboard for just the second-half.
Player
SB
CS
Juan Soto
27
3
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
21
4
Corbin Carroll
21
2
Gunnar Henderson
20
2
Josh Naylor
19
0
Jose Caballero
18
4
Chandler Simpson
18
6
Francisco Lindor
16
4
Trevor Story
15
1
Jose Ramirez
15
2
Randy Arozarena
15
4
Agustín Ramírez
15
1
Juan Soto, man. For him to have stolen 27 bases in 64 games after the All-Star break and wind up with the fourth-most in the league was astounding.
One of the key questions heading into next season is how many bags to expect as an encore. Soto gave most of the credit for this newfound abilityto now former Mets’ first base coach Antoan Richardson, who will have that same role with the Braves this coming season.
Can Soto hold the skills Richardson helped him develop? Should we expect some of the Braves players to run more? Both could wind up being true or untrue and it will be a hot-button topic during draft season.
Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson each stole far more bases in the second half compared to the first when they were dealing with injuries.
Josh Naylor stole 26 consecutive bases successfully from May onward and 19 of which came after being traded to the Mariners in late July. He is still quite slow, so there’s a question as to whether this will sustain next season despite his return to Seattle.
Agustín Ramírez has a chance to be a true unicorn with 30-30 potential from the catcher position. He also could find himself on the razor’s edge of everyday playing time given his atrocious defense behind the plate and poor on-base skills.
Lastly, here’s a list of players who either ran far less than we’d have hoped or were inefficient when doing so.
Player
SB
CS
Jonathan India
0
4
Jackson Merrill
1
2
Bryan Reynolds
3
2
Lars Nootbaar
4
5
Bo Bichette
4
3
Ernie Clement
6
5
Daylen Lile
8
6
Masyn Winn
9
5
Jose Altuve
10
6
Jacob Young
15
11
Jackson Holliday
17
11
Anthony Volpe
18
8
Shohei Ohtani
20
6
Brice Turang
24
8
Shohei Ohtani shouldn’t be considered over Aaron Judge for the first overall pick in any weekly set line-up leagues if he’s a 20-steal player like he’s been most of his career compared to the 56 he swiped in 2024 when he wasn’t pitching.
Jackson Merrill got a concussion on a stolen base attempt in June and did run again for the rest of the season. There could be sneaky upside on his projections heading into next season if he chooses to run again.
Masyn Winn offers next to no fantasy value if he can’t hit and doesn’t run, like last season.
Similarly, Jackson Holliday and Anthony Volpe couple poor seasons at the plate with woeful efficiency on the base paths. They need to take steps forward in some areas to be considered viable options heading into 2026.
It’s funny that Brice Turang’s steals fell by more than 50% and he was still the top second baseman in most leagues. He could approach first round value if he pairs this newfound 20-homer power with the 50 bases he stole in 2024. There’s also a chance he’s a colossal bust if he reverts to the slap hitter he was last season with this year’s low stolen base total.
2025 League Wide Stolen Base Trends
This was the third season of MLB’s new rules meant to put stolen bases back into the game and it’s clear that they’ve done that. Yet, it seems pitchers and catchers are beginning to better understand this new frontier.
Year
SB
CS
CS%
SBA
% Change
2025
3440
989
28.8%
4429
-3.3%
2024
3617
961
26.6%
4578
+4.8%
2023
3503
866
24.7%
4369
+32.5%
2022
2486
811
32.6%
3297
N/A
Obviously, stolen bases boomed in 2023 when the new rules were implemented. Runners were successful far more often and in turn, that led to far more stolen bases being attempted. From the league’s perspective, this was both the hope and the goal.
Realizing the greater chance of success, teams pushed the envelope even further the following season. They were caught more often though. It’s possible that teams got a little cocky in deciding who should get the green light.
Then, this season, runners were caught more often and fewer stolen bases were attempted. While the difference is relatively small, that could signify a slight strategic shift with another full season of data.
Part of that may be the defense catching up. Jerry Weinstein is a baseball lifer who’s been coaching in some capacity since 1966. For reference, that’s 30 years before I was born. His current role is with the Cubs as a Special Assistant to the General Manager and his bio reads “professional baseball coach.”
He recently shared some interesting data from the legendary Tom Tango about throwing accuracy data when catching a would-be base stealer.
This tells us that catchers are now intending to throw more towards the first base side of second for a tag higher up on the base stealer's body rather than the old school adage of throwing directly to the base so the runner slides into it.
Part of this is the increased rate of head-first slides and ability of a runner to dodge a tag being placed directly next to the bag. Also, this could be a subtle strategic shift as stolen bases became easier to come by and teams try to fight back.
Correlation doesn’t lead to causation, but it’s interesting to note and feels like more and more tags at second base are being made higher up on runners’ bodies when watching games. That’s why baseball is the best, there’s always a solution to a problem. It will be fun to track these trends heading into the 2026 season.
Friday sure comes around in a hurry; and that's a good thing because it's Ask The Maven time. Today's question comes via Charlie Yokofsky of Ardsley. Take it away, Charlie:
NOW THAT PROSPECTS GABE PERREAULT AND BRENNAN OTHMANN HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO HARTFORD, WHO IMPRESSES IN THE RANGERS FARM SYSTEM?
The Maven Replies: At the moment, the best bet is 6-7 forward Nathan Aspinall of the OHL Flint Firebirds. The Markham, Ontario product was a low 2024 fifth round draft pick.
The Maven's superscout Jess Rubenstein has submitted this report:
"Aspinall is the current best prospect. He was just named the Cogeco OHL Player Of The Week award, recording four goals, three assists and seven points over three wins.
Dodgers executives Farhan Zaidi, left, and Andrew Friedman will be advising the Lakers moving forward during an ownership transition from the Buss family to new majority owner Mark Walter. (Richard Vogel / Associated Press)
The executives that Mark Walter and his Guggenheim Baseball Management trusted to turn around the Dodgers and make them World Series winners, Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman, now have been enlisted to take on advisory roles with the Lakers, people not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to The Times on Friday.
Walter, the controlling owner of the Dodgers, purchased majority ownership of the Lakers for a $10-billion evaluation and has started the transition from the Buss family ownership by having Zaidi and Friedman become more involved. Friedman is the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations and has overseen a team that won three World Series titles in the last six years. Zaidi was the Dodgers’ general manager under Friedman from 2014 to 2018 before becoming president of baseball operations with the San Francisco Giants. He returned this year as an advisor with Guggenheim and also has been consulting with the Sparks, another team Walter now owns.
Both executives are known in the baseball world for relying on analytics. The Lakers have been known to have a weak analytics department, so Zaidi and Friedman will play a role in improving that. Friedman already has been talking with Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, according to people with knowledge of the situation.
The Lakers began making changes in their front office Thursday when they fired Joey and Jesse Buss as well as some scouts. Joey Buss was an alternate governor and vice president of research and development, while Jesse was the assistant general manager and head of the scouting department.
Fresh off winning a World Series with the Dodgers, Walter, who had been a minority owner of the Lakers since he bought 27% of the franchise with Todd Boehly in 2021, promptly sat courtside for the next Lakers home game on Nov. 2. He looked on when the Lakers honored the Dodgers at a home game on Nov. 5.
Walter was part of the group that purchased the Dodgers for $2 billion in 2012. Since then the team has won three World Series titles in five appearances with 13 consecutive playoff berths.
Kranick was a great story early in 2025, posting a 2.55 ERA in 17.2 innings through the end of April while becoming one of the Mets' most reliable relievers.
But he struggled after that, allowing runs in seven of his next 12 appearances (between May 1 and June 15).
After his outing on June 15, Kranick was diagnosed with a minor flexor strain and was initially shut down for three-to-four weeks.
However, he underwent Tommy John surgery over the summer and is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season.
The Mets have lots of work to do this offseason when it comes to putting the bullpen together.
Aside from A.J. Minter (who exercised his player option for 2026) and Brooks Raley (whose club option for 2026 was picked up on Tuesday) there are no 2025 bullpen members who are a lock to be back. And Minter's start to the season will likely be delayed by a few weeks as he works his way back from the lat surgery that ended his 2025 campaign.
Trade deadline acquisitions Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto are all free agents.
Members of the Mets' 40-man roster who could be relief options next season include Huascar Brazoban (who is arbitration-eligible), Jonathan Pintaro, and Dylan Ross.
Reed Garrett, who has been a mainstay the last two seasons, is expected to miss the entire 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery.
In what suddenly looms as a tantalizing opportunity for the Mets, Corey Seager apparently can be had in a trade with the Texas Rangers. If so, David Stearns should be first in line to make it happen.
Yes, Seager is an All-Star shortstop, same as Francisco Lindor. But he could easily slide to third base, where he’d be an above-average defender, and more significantly, give the Mets another elite hitter who could take their offense to a championship level.
If they re-sign Pete Alonso as well, that is.
Consider the idea of…Lindor, Juan Soto, Alonso, and Seager? Now that’s a Big Four, one to match the firepower of any lineup in baseball, including the big, bad Dodgers.
With such a move, suddenly all the talk about the need to change the Mets’ core could be dismissed, especially with high-ceiling prospects Jett Williams and Carson Benge expected to force their way to the big leagues at some point during the 2026 season.
In fact, if Williams proves to be the leadoff hitter that scouts project, with his high walk totals and noted plate discipline, he would lengthen the lineup and allow Brandon Nimmo to slot in at the No. 6 spot, or perhaps even lower, where he’d have plenty of value.
I’d also make the case that with Seager on board, the Mets could live with Tyrone Taylor as their primary center fielder until Benge is ready.
Likewise, Jeff McNeil could stay at second base as a placeholder for Williams, while Brett Baty could transition to playing first base in partnership with Alonso. After Baty proved more athletic than expected at both third and second base, there’s no reason to think he couldn’t be an above-average first baseman as the Mets ease Alonso into a part-time DH role.
With all of that in mind, re-signing Alonso and trading for Seager obviously would solve a lot of potential problems for the Mets.
Aug 4, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) in action during the game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees at Globe Life Field. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
They’d still have to upgrade the starting pitching, of course, and re-sign Edwin Diaz as well if they’re serious about winning it all in 2026, but Steve Cohen’s billions and the Mets’ highly-ranked farm system give Stearns plenty of ammunition on that front.
As for Seager, the lefty hitter who turns 32 in April, he’s only available because the Rangers are trying to shed payroll, according to the Dallas Morning News, and he has six years and $189 million remaining on his contract.
"That’s the most obvious move to make if they’re under orders to cut payroll," one team executive told me. "I’m sure they wouldn’t want to trade him otherwise. He’s a star player but if Texas needs to get out from under his contract, the price to get him won’t be prohibitive for a team willing to take on all the money."
That might appeal to the Yankees as well, as he could replace Anthony Volpe at shortstop. But if re-signing Cody Bellinger is their top priority, it’s hard to see Hal Steinbrenner also taking on Seager’s contract.
In any case, the Mets should seize the opportunity here, presuming they’re not one of the eight teams on Seager’s no-trade list. And since the Dallas Morning News reported that neither the Yankees nor the Boston Red Sox were on that list, the Mets wouldn’t figure to be, either (although the Atlanta Braves are reportedly on the list, so it remains to be seen).
Seager has consistently put up big offensive numbers and he’s a two-time World Series MVP, with the Dodgers in 2020 and the Rangers in 2023, which says something about his ability to deliver on the big stage.
The one knock on him is he has missed considerable time due to injury in recent years. Last season, Seager played only 102 games, missing a few weeks due to a hamstring pull and then all of September due to an emergency appendectomy.
Still, he’s worth the gamble because, as a high-average hitter with power, Seager could be the ideal bat to add consistency to a Mets’ offense that has been maddeningly inconsistent in recent years.
His career slash line of .289/.362/.509/.871 reflects that consistency, and last season his .860 OPS was the highest among all shortstops, though he didn’t have enough at-bats to qualify for official stats. His 151 OPS+ number was among the best in baseball.
Aug 2, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) waits for a pitch against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Seager’s underlying numbers have been consistently elite as well. Last year, according to Baseball Savant, he ranked in the 90th percentile or higher among all major league hitters in hard-hit percentage, average exit velocity, and expected batting average, on-base, and slugging.
“He puts up superstar numbers,” one scout said. “He probably wouldn’t be thrilled at the idea of changing positions if the Mets were to get him, but they could make the case that playing third would be a little easier on his legs, which could matter for a guy who has had his share of injuries. And he’s probably going to have to move to third at some point anyway as he gets deeper into his 30s.
“He’d be a finishing piece for the Mets. You add Seager to what they already have, assuming they work out a deal with Alonso, and that lineup would be a nightmare for pitchers.”
What would it take to get him? If the Rangers do need to trade Seager for financial reasons, the Mets probably could put together a package without including the likes of Williams, Benge, Brandon Sproat, or Jonah Tong.
“They have enough depth in their farm system to give them that kind of leverage,” the scout said.
And that’s significant because they might well need to move a couple of those top-of-the-system prospects for starting pitching, whether it’s the dream trade for Tarik Skubal or a deal for the likes of Joe Ryan, Freddy Peralta, or Sandy Alcantara.
After all, acquiring front-of-the-rotation pitching has to be the priority of the Mets’ offseason. But they have the resources and the need to take advantage of other opportunities as well, which is why they should make every effort to go get Seager.
D.J. Short
