Category: Baseball

Will Venable was nameD AL Manager of the Year. Stephen Vogt finished 4th.

Pat Murphy was named NL Manager of the Year for the third year in a row./

The Dodgers hired Pedro Guerrero to be their hitting coach. Which means the Guardians should have hired Pedro Guerrero to be their hitting coach.

The Mets are going to meet with FA LHP Tarik Skubal next week.

The ChiSox are planning to move Grant Taylor, but not hagen Smith, into their rotation.

After midnight on Tuesday, Jon Heyman reported that the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a one-year contract worth $11.5 million with veteran closer Emilio Pagán. The 35-year-old has been with the Cincinnati Reds for the last three seasons, but declined a $10 million player option to come to Detroit instead for an extra million and a half. That assumes there are no potential bonuses available. We’ll wait for the full details to emerge and the physical to be completed before we’re sure on all the details.

The theory here is reasonably sound. Pagán consistently posts good strikeout and walk numbers, and he has a reputation as a bullpen leader. His one fatal weakness is his vulnerability to home runs. Obviously the Tigers are banking on getting him out of Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati to drive down the home run rates. That’s a predictable bit of reasoning, but after watching the Tigers high leverage relievers perform well in the overall stats columns in 2026, but blow a ton of games by giving up a homer at the worst possible time, it’s hard to love trying another older veteran reliever with home run issues next year.

Pagán racked up 25 saves in 45 appearances last year for the Reds. He posted a reasonably solid 3.38 ERA with a 4.18 FIP. His 25.9 percent strikeout rate is pretty good, and we like his low 6.3 percent walk rate. The fly in the ointment is a home run rate of 1.48 per nine innings.

The profile here is extremely fly ball heavy. He had a 59.3 fly ball rate in 2026. If he can keep the ball in the park a little more the Tigers outfield will collect a ton of routine outs, but it’s certainly a very volatile profile. His HR/9 for each of the last three seasons is 1.42, 1.31, and 1.48 in 2026. Pagán has always had home run problems everywhere he’s been, including San Diego, Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Oakland, and Seattle earlier in his career. It’s not just a Great American Ballpark issue. Here’s hoping the Tigers are right about Comerica suppressing home runs much more than the Reds fairly notorious ballpark.

Pagán relies heavily on his fourseam fastball, throwing it 62.8 percent of the time in 2026. He has a cutter and a splitter and uses them equally, deploying the splitter mainly to deal with lefties. He generally keeps balanced splits with those two secondary offerings, and that flexibility appeals to the Tigers and was one of the features Scott Harris mentioned looking for at the GM Meetings on Tuesday.

Pagán has plus extension, which helps as the fastball averaged 94.9 mph last year, down a tick from 2025. It does have some hop to it however, averaging 18 inches of induced vertical break. His whiff rates are generally average across the three pitches, but he does manage to minimize hard contact. It’s just that when the hard contact arrives, it tends to leave the park. He helps himself there by posting better than average walk rates, at least.

This is a perfectly fine acquisition, but it feels very Kenley Jansen 2.0 to be honest. Pagán is a little younger at 35, so we’ll hope the little downtick in velocity last season was just a blip. He also is much better than Jansen at locating the zone even when not at his best, so at least walks shouldn’t be an issue. Pagán is only a part-time closer as well, so the Tigers won’t be guaranteeing him save chances, which helps in terms of flexibility. If the Tigers go add a better reliever elsewhere, we’ll be thrilled. If not, we’ll cross our fingers again and hope for the best in terms of home runs allowed in unfortunate moments.

To no one’s surprise, Scott Harris identified high leverage relief help as his primary focus this offseason during interviews with the media at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas on Tuesday. This was always going to be a priority for a Tigers club that woefully underperformed in 2026, largely due to the bullpen’s performance in high leverage situations holding leads or ties in the late innings. The simplest way to improve the situation is to go out and add a really good reliever who generates a lot of whiffs. Longtime Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips may fit the bill perfectly.

The 32-year-old Phillips is a free agent for the first time this season. He was the 17th round pick of the Atlanta Braves back in 2015, and broke into the big leagues with them in 2018. Phillips was traded that year to Baltimore, and spent the next few years bouncing back and forth between the minor and major leagues. He struck out a ton of hitters, but his control was still a work in progress and the walks got him returned to Triple-A again and again. After a brief stop as a waiver claim with the Tampa Bay Rays, he was DFA’d again and claimed by the Dodgers in 2021. For the next three seasons he was one of the better setup men in the game as the Dodgers got him throwing strikes with a lot more consistency.

In June of 2025, Phillips blew out his UCL and didn’t return to action until July of 2026. When he got back on the mound, his velocity returned to peak form and he was throwing plenty of strikes. He was bit by too many home runs, but the strikeout and walk rates were outstanding. Phillips is a prime target for me this offseason, but he’ll be aggressively pursued as teams love a stuff guy who returns from Tommy John looking strong.

The 31.1 percent K-rate and 5.7 percent BB-rate stand out as the primary appeal here, but the stuff under the hood is really good to back up the numbers. Phillips will mix in a cutter or sinker here and there, but he’s primarily a fourseam-sweeper pitcher. He averaged 96.9 mph on the fourseamer in 2026 with a very good 26.3 percent whiff rate. The pitch has pretty pedestrian movement, but the velocity and command help it to play up. His 86.2 mph sweeper racked up a 34.3 percent whiff rate and remains an outstanding weapon. Hitters batted .059 against it in 2026, and while it will get smacked if he hangs one occasionally, that was a rare occurrence in 2026 and even more rare from 2023-2025.

The one problem appears somewhat glaring but was really more of a fluke. Phillips has never had notable home run trouble, but his 1.73 HR/9 mark this season is a bit grizzly. This doesn’t bother me. He’s never had home run trouble before, and the stuff was better after the surgery than in the two years prior. He only threw 26 innings, and he gave up five homers. Four of them came in a two week span in July right as he returned, and he only allowed one more home run from late July until the end of the season. This is a very small sample of work and shouldn’t be an issue next year.

Ben Clemens at FanGraphs estimates Phillips will get two years, $20 million total on a free agent deal. I tend to think the number will be a little higher than that, but he’s worth it. Add Phillips to a group including Drew Sommers, Will Vest, and one of the Tigers current starters, and you have a pretty strong backend of a bullpen.

It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the hippest hangout for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the fall air. The vibe is warm in here. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. We still have a few tables available. Bring your own beverage.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

Last night I asked you if the Cubs should try to sign free agent left-hander Adrián Morejón as a starting pitcher? Now earlier today, The Athletic reported that contrary to some earlier reports, Morejón wants to stay a relief pitcher. So maybe I asked a dumb question. (Did you know that “dumb” is spelled with a “b”? Most people don’t know that.) But in any case, 56 percent of you thought it was worth it to offer Morejón a role as a starting pitcher to get him to sign with the Cubs.

On Tuesday nights, I don’t normally do any movie stuff. But I always have time for music, so please join us around the piano.

Tonight we have a performance from guitarist John Scofield, backed up by the Danish Radio Big Band. This is “Boogie Stupid” from 2019. This performance should appeal to those who like blues and funk as much as jazz heads.

Welcome back from the piano. And the guitar and the brass section.

Sahadev Sharma in The Athletic has reported a lot of things that have gotten people upset, but I want to focus on things that won’t raise everyone’s blood pressure around here. One thing Sharma wrote in his most recent piece is that the Cubs haven’t ruled out a return of Carson Kelly, but are prepared to go into 2027 with Miguel Amaya and rookie Owen Ayers as their catching team. (shared link)

That’s a lot of faith in Ayers, who still has yet to make his major league debut. The Cubs did bring him to Chicago after Iowa’s season concluded, but that was because they wanted him to get a feel for what the job of a major league catcher is like first hand. They wanted Ayers to sit in on the meetings with the coaching staff, Kelly and Amaya and pick their brains. I suppose that Ayers would have been activated if Kelly or Amaya had gotten hurt, but the primary reason he was with the Cubs for the end of the season and the playoffs was to prepare him to take over major league catching duties sometime next year.

Now I agree that Ayers is a fine prospect. Baseball America just ranked him as the Cubs’ number-two prospect (behind Josiah Hartshorn) and I happen to agree with that ranking. He’s got a great arm and made huge strides in the rest of his defensive game last season. He’s got some power as he hit 25 home runs last year and he has a good eye at the plate with a .403 on-base percentage.

However, there are some caveats to those numbers. (Not the arm. The arm is plus anywhere.) For one, most of those huge offensive numbers were put up in High-A South Bend and Double-A Knoxville. Last year, the minor league baseball was a rabbit ball, with offensive totals up everywhere. When Ayers got to Triple-A Iowa, where they use the less-lively major league baseball, Ayers’ offensive totals were more ordinary. Over 49 games in Triple-A, Ayers only hit .247/.365/.356 with only three home runs. That doesn’t translate into great major league numbers. Looking at the early Steamer projections from Fangraphs, Ayers is only projected to hit a below-average .224/.299/.370 at the major league level, although they do project a plus Wins Above Replacement because of Ayers’ defensive chops.

So tonight I’m going to give you three options on what to do behind the plate. One, the Cubs could stick with the status quo and go with Amaya and Ayers sharing the catching duties.

Option two would be re-signing Kelly, which would probably keep Ayers down in Iowa until one of the two major league catchers got hurt or Ayers simply forced his way onto the roster with a strong season in Triple-A. Or, less desirably, that Kelly or Amaya played their ways off the roster.

Finally, the third option is to get a disposable veteran catcher in free agency or trade such as Austin Hedges or Kyle Higashioka and go with the new guy and Amaya until Ayers has proven that he’s too good for Iowa.

Which route would you choose?

Thanks for everyone who stopped by tonight. We enjoyed hosting you. Get home safely. Stay warm. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.

The Big Lead | Lou Landers: It was always going to be a long shot the other way, but Brian Cashman confirmed yesterday that the team will not be releasing DH Giancarlo Stanton ahead of his final year under contract. The Yankees are on the hook for another $15 million, while the Marlins will pay the remaining $10 million for 2027 (as well as the $10 million owed for the 2028 buy-out). While Cashman did leave room for himself to make a move midseason, the expectation is for Stanton to be in Tampa for spring training…whenever that is.

Some other rapid-fire notes from Cashman’s session with the media at the GM meetings:

• As Jake wrote yesterday, Max Fried had surgery to remove a bone spur in his throwing elbow. He is expected to recover in time for spring training (again, whenever that is).
• Coaching staff news: infield coaches Luis Rojas and Dan Fiorito will be back, as will the already-confirmed-to-return Matt Blake’s assistants, Desi Druschel and Preston Claiborne. James Rowson is considered a free agent and the Yankees have not yet decided how they’ll handle the hitting coach staff in 2027. They need to figure out a bench coach too, as Brad Ausmus’ deal is over and he might take a job with the Astros anyway.
• Cashman said that they will aim to give Aaron Judge more DH time in 2027, even if Judge himself is not particularly enthusiastic about that. That doesn’t mean he’ll be the primary DH, just that they know they can’t expect to put him in the outfield every day at this point and keep him healthy for a full 162.

New York Post | Mark W. Sanchez: The AL Cy Young Award will be handed out tonight, and the odds on favorite is of course Cam Schlittler. The Yankee right-hander led the Junior Circuit in fWAR, ERA, xERA, and placed second in both FIP and xFIP, and only Michael Wacha threw more innings. Dylan Cease had an excellent year for himself but it really should be Cam atop most of the voters’ ballots, and indeed his best contemporaries in Yankee history are among the best hurlers to ever put on pinstripes. It was a disappointing 2026 for many reasons, but Schlittler sure wasn’t one of them.

Baseball Prospectus | Smith Brickner ($): It’s prospect time, as BP updates their organizational lists now that the season is complete. Former PSAer Smith is on the assignment, noting that the Yankees boast a pitching rich system, and while they don’t seem to have much in terms of high-ceiling future stars, but there are plenty of high-floor future contributors. The team also has a habit of turning prospects into trade deadline acquisitions, which is itself a form of value.

FanGraphs | Matthew Roberson: Speaking of the successes of the past season, Brent Headrick. The Yankees found yet another stellar reliever from a pile of stuff, with the reliever and his devastating splitter one of Aaron Boone’s best weapons in a strong bullpen. Headrick was ridden hard for 81 appearances, and relievers are never to be counted on season over season, but if can come close to repeating 2026 he’ll be one of the most valuable relievers in the sport.

BBWAA: Will Venable of the White Sox was named the AL Manager of the Year last night, joining three-peat NL Manager of the Year Pat Murphy of the Brewers in the honors. Yankees manager Aaron Boone finished fifth, garnering one second-place vote and one third-place vote.

Sports Illustrated | JP Hoornstra: A melancholy happy trails to Bob Boone, the middle man in the Boone family baseball dynasty, who passed away Monday night at the age of 78. Boone played more than 2,200 games in the majors, winning seven Gold Gloves for his work behind the plate and capturing a World Series ring with the 1980 Phillies. He remains the Angels’ all-time leader in postseason average. He later managed for the Royals and Reds, where he got to be his son’s skipper, and won a second ring in the front office for the 2019 Nationals. Bob is of course the father of Aaron Boone and former MLBer Bret Boone (as well as the son of All-Star Ray Boone). Our best goes out to the Boone family and loved ones.

Carson Jacobs
Right-Handed Relief Pitcher
6´9´´
215 pounds
Age: 26
2025 South Side Sox Top 100 Prospect Ranking71
2026 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 86
2026 High Level Birmingham (AA)
Age relative to high level -0.6 years
SSS rank among all right-handed relievers in the system 15
Overall 2026 season stats 2-2 ⚾️ 32 games (7 finishes) ⚾️ 43 2/3 IP ⚾️ 3.71.ERA ⚾️ 62 K ⚾️ 43 BB ⚾️ 1.695 WHIP ⚾️ 0.7 WAR

If you’re jumping center against 6´9´´behemoth Carson Jacobs, you know what you’re in for. Facing him in the batter’s box, against a reach that releases the ball close enough to tickle your chin, is another matter entirely.

Jacobs has used his height to great advantage in his year-and-change in the White Sox system. The White Sox ignored his stats at the baseball hotbed of North Dakota State University in 2023 (2-5, 34 innings, 6.62 ERA) and snapped him up immediately after the draft as a UDFA. With no inhibitions, the club put the tall righty right to work, and its confidence paid off handsomely, as Jacobs busted out 6 1⁄3 innings while allowing just one earned run.

Despite that small sample size greatness, it’s only fair the White Sox packed Jacobs back up for a repeat ACL tour to start 2024 — and it was only fair Jacobs murdered ACL batters once more (3.22 ERA in 22 1⁄3 innings, plus his first pro save). From there, Jacobs did time in both Kannapolis and Winston-Salem, ending the year with a sparkling 2.37 ERA over 31 games. With 19 of those games being finishes, it’s clear the White Sox want to slot Jacobs in as a setup/closer short man.

While Jacobs had been killing it through his first two summers with the Sox, 2025 turned out to be another matter entirely. The righty’s peripherals held steady, except for one key spot: Hitters caught up to him, with a dramatic increase in hits per nine (5.7 H/9 in 2024, up to 8.4). That’s a worrying sign, as Jacobs was age-appropriate for High-A, where he pitched all but two of his games.

One bright spot for the reliever is that the White Sox thought highly enough of him in spite of a rough 2025 to send him on an audition to the Arizona Fall League. There, Jacobs saw action in eight games to a 4.50 ERA — and he was lucky to get away with just that, having walked 11 batters for a 16.5 BB/9.

Jacobs tasted Double-A for two games in 2025, and jumped right back to Double-A for 2026. And, back with the Barons, he was used somewhat sparingly. He never spent time on the IL, at least officially, but didn’t even make his season debut until the end of April. And in spite of relieving all year, his rest between appearances often more closely resembled a rotation arm, sitting for upwards of a week between games.

When he was on the mound, Jacobs was stingier with contact, but offset that with a wild streak that raised his overall WHIP. Bottom line, though, Jacobs improved his ERA, with run prevention that should see him get time in Charlotte in 2027, if not when camp breaks then soon after.

Full 2027 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox ProspectsStorystream

LAS VEGAS — Marcus Semien’s self-motivation is his biggest asset in trying to improve on his underwhelming first season in Queens.

That was the assessment of president of baseball operations David Stearns on Tuesday when asked about the Mets’ plans at second base for next season.

The 36-year-old Semien will have an opportunity to play “a lot of” second base next season, according to Stearns.

“This is an extremely motivated player,” Stearns said at the general managers meetings. “This is someone who works as hard as anyone, who believes in his own ability, and who I know is going to get everything out of what he has.”

Brett Baty remains an option at the position, but the Mets also have prospects such as Jefferson Rojas, Émilien Pitre and Mitch Voit who could be ready at some point next season.

Semien posted a .620 OPS and struggled defensively, finishing at minus-9 outs above average, according to Statcast, which ranked in MLB’s fifth percentile.

He still has $46 million remaining on his contract over the next two seasons.

“[Semien] didn’t have the type of year that he wanted to last year,” Stearns said. “He didn’t have the type of year we believe he’s capable of. We also think we have got a lot of options, both guys who played in the big leagues last year for us and guys who are knocking on the door of the big leagues that we feel good about that position.”

Though Bo Bichette has flexibility to play other infield positions, Stearns said the plan is to keep him at third base. Bichette switched to the position from shortstop last season upon joining the Mets.

Bichette is returning after opting in to a contract that will pay him $42 million next season.

“I was happy about it,” Stearns said. “We expect Bo to have a really good year next year. We saw what he’s capable of doing over the last three or four months of the season, and I think he is excited to come back. He’s comfortable with our group, he’s emerging as a leader in our clubhouse. I am very excited to have him back.”

Last year at the general managers meetings, Stearns placed Carson Benge in the conversation for a starting job by saying the top prospect would head to spring training with an opportunity to win a major league job.

Stearns isn’t prepared this offseason to make such a pronouncement on a prospect.

“That could change by the time we get to spring training or Opening Day,” Stearns said. “But sitting here right now there’s not a name that I am going to put out there like that.”

LAS VEGAS — After a season plagued by elbow issues, Max Fried has gotten an offseason cleanup.

The left-hander underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his left elbow, Brian Cashman said Tuesday, though it should not affect his readiness for the 2027 season — whenever it actually begins, with a lockout looming.

The procedure — which was not originally on the docket when Cashman and Aaron Boone last spoke to reporters in late October — comes with six weeks of rest and rehab before Fried can begin a throwing program around the second week of December.

“He should be ready for spring training,” Cashman said during the general managers meetings at the Aria Resort and Casino.

In the second year of an eight-year, $218 million contract, Fried missed two-plus months with a left elbow bone bruise and then went back on the injured list for two weeks in August with the same issue.

In the 20 starts he did make, he was mostly terrific, pitching to a 2.80 ERA across 112 ²/₃ innings.

Aaron Judge recently had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Gregory Pearl — the specialist with whom the Yankees consulted on theircaptain’s broken rib last season — which essentially cleared him moving forward.

“He’s currently in a good place,” Cashman said. “So no new added features to his circumstance outside of, take the winter to continue to rest up and he’ll be ready to go. But there’s no new procedures or anything there with Aaron Judge.”

While pitching coach Matt Blake’s contract extension was previously reported, Cashman revealed that assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel and bullpen coach Preston Claiborne are also coming back, as are third base coach Luis Rojas and first base coach Dan Fiorito.

Bench coach Brad Ausmus, meanwhile, is still waiting to hear back from the Astros after he interviewed for both their GM job (which went to Randy Flores) and manager job (which remains open).

Cashman on the Yankees not renewing the contracts of special advisers and former GMs Brian Sabean and Omar Minaya: “I was thankful that ownership allowed me to onboard those guys four years ago. As costs continue to stretch here, I had to make some tough decisions. We’re not going to replace or not going to duplicate those positions or replace them as we move forward. Unfortunately, there was some give that had to take place. They’re really excellent baseball people that I think will add value somewhere if somebody’s got an opportunity.”

LAS VEGAS — During an offseason in which many former players and coaches have beaten up on the Yankees, Brian Cashman has tried to speak with all of them to hear them out. 

That now includes Jorge Posada, who recently said on The Post’s baseball podcast, “The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman,” that he does not believe the Yankees want him around and he does not “feel welcome.” 

Cashman said Tuesday he was surprised to hear those comments but that he has since spoken with Posada, the four-time World Series-winning catcher. 

“He is welcome,” Cashman said during the general managers meetings at the Aria Resort and Casino. “I did obviously have those conversations with him. But I think also in the world we live in today, which is a different world than obviously when Jorge played, everybody’s got a platform. There’s a lot more podcasts, social media, a lot of things are existing now in this world that didn’t exist then. So, a lot more opinions can be projected. That comes with the territory. 

“Jorge wants us to be great. We want us to be great. Unfortunately, we have been good but we haven’t been great, and that’s the trick of trying to figure out how to get from good to great.” 

Posada was the latest ex-Yankee to pile on in the aftermath of the club’s ALDS loss to the Rays, marking another year gone by since its last championship in 2009 (which Posada was a part of). The criticism also came from CC Sabathia, Anthony Rizzo and Joe Girardi, ranging from citing a lack of accountability to the current players no longer understanding what the standard of the Yankees is. 

Cashman previously indicated that none of the issues Sabathia, Rizzo or Girardi brought up were the main reason for their early playoff exit. 

“Winning is hard,” Cashman said. “I try to also remind people how difficult it is. There are a lot of great teams we have put together that we were all a part of that fell short. I remind any of the former players who are looking at when we are letting our fans down by not playing up to our capabilities or falling short of our dream or our hopes, it might not look good or it might look like we’re not checking all the boxes. That’s what losing looks like. It’s as simple as that. It’s not because the care factor isn’t there or because the work’s not going on behind the scenes.” 

“If somebody has got some good, constructive suggestions of how to get there, then I’m open minded. I’m not shy.” 

Aaron Boone has consistently invited Posada and other former players to camp every spring, but when the former catcher was asked about potentially helping the Yankees, that is when he brought up not feeling wanted. 

“We value our present, but we also value our past,” Cashman said. “That’s why, in Jorge’s case, he’s invited every spring. He’s invited to Old-Timers’ Day. He did my daughter’s show … ‘Story of My Number,’ which I appreciated him doing.”

LAS VEGAS – The Los Angeles Dodgers shrug their shoulders hearing that the New York Mets have a meeting scheduled next week in California with prized free-agent starter Tarik Skubal.

They are amused that the San Diego Padres are flirting with the idea of adding Skubal to give them three players earning in excess of $300 million.

They smirk when mystery teams are floated in the air for Skubal at the GM meetings.

They also know the bottom line: If the Dodgers want Skubal, they can have him, providing no one absolutely blows them out of the water with an offer they don’t want to match.

And, let’s face it, nobody has done that in nearly a decade.

The Dodgers wanted Shohei Ohtani three years ago, they got him at the same 10-year, $700 million price offered to the Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants.

The Dodgers wanted Yoshiobu Yamamoto, they got him at $325 million, even though the Mets and Philadelphia Phillies were willing to go higher.

They got closer Edwin Diaz with a three-year, $69 million contract last winter, not even giving the Mets a chance to counter.

They signed first baseman Freddie Freeman away from Atlanta in 2022 with a six-year, $162 million contract.

They made sure Mookie Betts wasn’t returning to Boston in 2020 with a 12-year, $365 million extension.

Whatever the Dodgers want, they always get.

Now, despite the federal investigation into owner Mark Walter’s insurance empire, there is zero indication the Dodgers don’t want him back.

Oh sure, they’d love to dump a salary or two to make it more feasible.

They’ve got outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and his remaining $21 million salary on the trade block. If someone asks, Tyler Glasnow can be theirs, too, freeing up the $30 million he’s owed in 2027 with a $21.5 million player option in 2028. Just like that, $72.5 million could be coming off the books, plenty to squeeze in the two-time Cy Young winner who’ll command at least $350 million in the free-agent market.

So, when Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes was asked Tuesday if they had a meeting set up with Skubal, too, he said, “at some point soon.’’

“We know we love the player, we love the human,’’ Gomes said. “And you kind of have to let things play out to understand what that looks like, and if it’s something that we’re going to ultimately execute.”

Why wouldn’t they?

Skubal fit in perfectly after joining the Dodgers in August after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers. He was their co-ace with Yamamoto. He went 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA, and was exactly the pitcher they envisioned, and more.

“He was awesome to get to know,’’ Gomes said. “He fit in great into the clubhouse. Obviously, we know what kind of pitcher he is.

“So, for us, it’s understanding what this all looks like, as far as what does our team need? What does the contract look like? Where does he end up? I don’t know.’’

Well, considering Skubal is a native of Kingman, Arizona, a 318-mile drive to Dodger Stadium, with his parents and entire family living in Arizona, his wife’s family living in Arizona, and the Dodgers’ spring training complex a 25-minute drive from their Scottsdale, Arizona, home, there’s no reason in the world he won’t end up back in Los Angeles.

Money hasn’t stopped the Dodgers from getting everything they’ve desired since their championship run in 2020.

Why let a little investigation into finances stop them now?

“It is always easy to say, at this point in time, what is best for the team,” Gomes said. “But then as you look at the construction of your roster, it’s about making sure you’re balancing and not setting yourself up to potentially hit a slow point, or making sure you’re not doing things that disrupt what could potentially be.

“We want a very long window, and making sure that stays open.”

The Dodgers, with or without Skubal, still have a rotation featuring Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Glasnow and depth in Roki Sasaki, Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan and Gavin Stone.

“We do,’’ Gomes said, “have a good amount of depth in our pitching.’’

Why not make it unstoppable, making sure that the Dodgers’ early postseason departure, being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, never happens again in the near future? It made no difference to them that they were eliminated by the eventual World Series champions. The pain was so unbearable that Gomes couldn’t even watch the entire World Series with the Brewers beating the Tampa Bay Rays in five games.

“No, it doesn’t take any sting away,’’ Gomes said. “You just don’t feel good if you don’t win. So, you’re in this stage of like, 'Man, that kind of stinks.'

“I tried to watch the first couple of games, and then after that, I was like, 'This is painful. It’s too painful. I think I’ll just check the box score for it.'"

The Dodgers haven’t endured the pain of losing a free agent they coveted since making a last-ditch bid for Bryce Harper in 2019. They offered a four-year, $180 million contract before being out-bid by the Phillies with a 13-year, $330 million deal.

There’s no reason to believe it will happen again.

The Dodgers want the man.

Skubal wants to return to the Dodgers.

When the flirting ends, and the bids stop, Skubal should be in a Dodgers uniform.

Right where he belongs.

Follow Bob Nightengale on X @Bnightengale.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers want Tarik Skubal. Skubal wants the Dodgers. So why won't it happen?

Standing outside of a packed conference room, half a day into General Managers meetings, Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes said none of his conversations leading up to or since arriving in Las Vegas had painted a clear picture of how the free agent or trade markets would play out over this month.

The Dodgers are going to take a “business as usual” approach to the offseason, prepared to react whenever those markets reveal themselves. But even if Gomes and president of baseball operations Andrew Freidman aren’t ready to predict how threat of a lockout — expected to go into effect when the current CBA expires on Dec. 1 — will affect their offseason, it will surely color this transaction window.

The Dodgers don’t have any gaping holes to fill this winter, but they still need to fortify their roster if they hope to reclaim their spot at the top of the league.

The Dodgers have already hired former Marlins hitting coach Pedro Guerrero to fill the only opening on their coaching staff, and made their first offseason acquisition, claiming infielder Christian Cairo off waivers from the Mets on Monday.

Read more:Dodgers hire former Marlins coach Pedro Guerrero as new hitting instructor

Their most pressing needs are their bullpen and bench, areas that often draw less fanfare. But the Dodgers also have a track record of splashy offseason moves.

Here are takeaways from Gomes’ media availability Tuesday:

Dodgers engaged with Tarik Skubal’s camp

As Freidman said they would, the Dodgers have remained in contact with southpaw Tarik Skubal’s camp, Gomes confirmed Tuesday. And they expect to have a meeting “at some point,” Gomes said.

Skubal is the top free agent available this offseason and is sure to garner interest from all the heavy hitters. The Mets have a meeting scheduled with him next week, according to multiple reports.

The Dodgers’ pitch started when they acquired him at the trade deadline this year. But it’s unclear just how aggressive they will be in pursuit of a reunion.

“I think a lot of it is continuing to see what this all looks like,” Gomes said. “He was awesome getting to know. He fit in great into the clubhouse. Obviously, we know what kind of pitcher he is. So for us, it’s understanding what this all looks like, as far as what does our team need? What does the contract look like? Where does he end up? I don’t know.

“We know we love the player, we love the human, and you kind of have to let things play out to understand what that looks like, and if it’s something that we’re gonna ultimately execute.”

Japanese phenom Shoki Oda on the Dodgers’ radar

Oda, 18, plans to go straight from high school baseball to the United States, foregoing a stint in Nippon Professional Baseball. He’s begun meeting with major-league teams.

“He’s super talented, really projectable, fun to watch him throw,” Gomes said. “I know our international guys have watched him closely, and you know, I’m not sure how that all shakes out exactly. But we think really highly of him.”

Asked if he’d had a visit with the Dodgers, Gomes said with a smile: “Potentially.”

Dodgers looking for Miguel Rojas replacement

Rojas has already begun the transition into his player development role with the Dodgers, working with Dodgers prospects in the Arizona Fall League. But now the Dodgers have to fill the hole his retirement left on the roster.

New-addition Cairo adds depth to the infield group and like Rojas is a right-handed hitter.

“He has really good bat-to-ball (skills), good defensively in a bunch of different spots,” Gomes said. “Our scouts have flagged him as somebody that they really liked, and makeup was really strong.”

Veteran utility player Kiké Hernández also entered free agency. But in a similar situation last year, the Dodgers brought him back on a one-year deal.

“Kiké’s been such a huge part of what we’ve done in the past, and we’ll continue to have those conversations,” Gomes said. “But what that looks like right now, I have no idea.”

At the beginning of the season, with switch-hitting utility player Tommy Edman on the IL, the Dodgers had two young second basemen competing for the left-handed-hitting side of the platoon. Alex Freeland won the job, and Hyeseong Kim, in his second year of a three-year contract worth $12.5 million, made nearly three quarters of his plate appearances in Triple-A.

“Comet did not have the year that he was expecting offensively, but he has so many skills that fit us well,” Gomes said. “Diving in this offseason, to continue to chip away at the potential swing changes, and he worked on some stuff at the end of the year that he felt pretty good about after presenting a plan. He’ll continue to work through those things and hopefully he’ll take a step forward on the swing mechanics and get him into a really good place offensively.”

Important offseason for Josue De Paula

De Paula not only proved that his offensive skills were major-league ready last season, but also earned a spot on the postseason roster with a mature approach in high-pressure situations.

For him to claim a regular role next year, however, he’ll have to continue to progress on defense.

“He is dead set on proving that he’s going to be a really good defender,” Gomes said. “And he has a good setup in the off season with people around him that he’s going to go out and you know really get after it. And we have full confidence that he’s going to put the work in to really continue to take those steps forward and be the complete player that we all know he can be.”

The lockout will add another wrinkle. Because he’s on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers won’t be able to communicate with him during the lockout, as he works through his offseason program.

“We’re going to make sure that we’re set up in a way over this next month to continue to communicate with guys like we we normally do,” Gomes said. “And if things shake out in a way that we can’t, we’ll make sure that those conversations on the front end are had to kind of everybody put everybody on the same page moving forward.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

LAS VEGAS — The Mets’ checkbook is wide open as they seek roster improvements this offseason.

Even following a brutal 74-win season with MLB’s second-highest payroll, president of baseball operations David Stearns indicated Tuesday that the Mets’ modus operandi remains the same in the pursuit of a championship.

“Steve [Cohen] has demonstrated repeatedly throughout his ownership tenure that he’s going to support baseball operations and baseball operations needs,” Stearns said at the general managers meetings. “I expect that to be the case this offseason as well.”

As The Post’s Jon Heyman first reported, Tarik Skubal — the top free agent on the market — will meet with Mets officials next week. Stearns declined to address the pursuit of the two-time Cy Young Award winner, but remained resolute that improving the rotation remains a top priority.

It’s a rotation with potential pieces that include Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, Zac Thornton, Sean Manaea and Tylor Megill (who is returning from Tommy John surgery rehab). In addition, Stearns said Kodai Senga (who is a potential trade candidate) will head to spring training as a starter after spending most of last season in the bullpen.

A horse or horses that can carry a playoff rotation are more than a luxury for a franchise seeking to end a 40-year World Series title drought.

“Having a complete rotation is really important, and that includes having pitchers that successfully can get you through a playoff series,” Stearns said. “We have seen over and over again in the playoffs that it can be constructed in a variety of different ways and so we’re open to doing it any way possible.”

Stearns, during his tenure overseeing Milwaukee’s front office and in his first three seasons with the Mets, has not embraced long-term contracts for free agent pitchers. A rare exception was the Mets’ pursuit three years ago of Japanese free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who ultimately landed with the Dodgers on the richest contract for a pitcher in MLB history at $325 million over 12 years.

Skubal, who is about to turn 30, will be in position to surpass that contract. Stearns downplayed the idea that he is against long-term contracts for pitchers.

“Every situation is unique,” Stearns said. “It’s been also well-publicized that ever since I have been here, we’ve engaged in extremely long-term negotiations for pitchers and we will do so again.

“But the situation matters. The specific circumstance matters, and we do have to look at every individual pitcher on a case-by-case basis.”

MLB’s owners are pursuing a salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement, but even with a lack of clarity on the rules and a lockout looming, Stearns said he’s treating this as a normal offseason.

“I really do think we have to go into this preparing for a season — a season that is highly consequential, and that is what we’re going to do,” Stearns said. “We’re here preparing for a business-as-usual offseason, a business-as-usual season, and that is how we’re going to operate.”

The tier of free agent pitchers beneath Skubal includes names such as Kevin Gausman, Michael King, Nick Martinez and Clay Holmes.

Stearns was asked how the Mets could fill their rotation need if they don’t land a top-of-the-market arm.

“We have a lot of confidence in the arms we have in-house and a good segment of that group showed over the second half of the year that they can compete at a high level in the major leagues,” Stearns said. “We’re going to add to that group. There is no question we’re going to add to that group. I firmly believe we have got some really talented arms that can pitch at the top of the rotation.”

Beyond the rotation, Stearns acknowledged the need for bullpen arms and possibly another bat, either as a complement to Jared Young at first base or as somebody who can receive the majority of playing time at the position.

“We think Jared Young has the ability to really be part of the solution there,” Stearns said. “I do think we’re going to look to supplement that, whether it’s someone who takes regular at-bats, someone who splits time with JY, we’ll see.”

Pat Murphy might just be really built different.

The Brewers skipper took home his third straight National League Manager of the Year Award after guiding Milwaukee to its first-ever World Series crown.

Murphy, 67, learned of his win on Tuesday from a hospital bed as he revealed he had gotten his hip replaced.

“I had the hip replaced, feel good and, yeah, very grateful,” Murphy told MLB Network after he was jokingly asked if his recent conversation with Bruce Springsteen had put him in the hospital.

Murphy became the first manager to win the award three times in a row. If he were to get one more, he’d tie Bobby Cox, Buck Showalter and Tony La Russa for the most in MLB history.

The skipper was asked about his own long, winding baseball journey and if he’s had time to reflect on his success in Milwaukee, a place where he took over as manager in 2024 after Craig Counsell left for the rival Cubs.

Murphy’s career took him through the college ranks at Notre Dame and Arizona State, the Netherlands national team and the Padres minor league system (and a brief stint as the team’s interim manager in 2015) before he coached on the Brewers’ staff for seven years.

The Brewers, since Murphy took over as manager, have won the NL Central all three seasons. He’s been a fan favorite for his style, from pocket pancakes to holding players accountable for their actions on the field.

What followed has been 293 regular-season wins and the end of a 57-year World Series drought.

“You just have to trust that you’re doing the right thing. You have to be committed to growth. And you have to be around the right people,” Murphy said. “I think of it as we’re all under construction and as long as we can keep ourselves under construction and maybe we can impact somebody. And then these types of things happen, and sometimes they don’t. “I don’t necessarily think I’m deserving, to be quite honest with you. But it’s more a matter of just keeping everything in perspective.

“But I am just super, super, super, super grateful.”

The General Managers Meetings continue to be a quiet affair.

After last night’s breaking news that the Colorado Rockies team of general manager Josh Byrnes and assistant general manager Ian Levin had won the pickleball tournament, things have been mostly quiet. However, Kevin Henry did post these two snippets today:

And this:

So, there’s not much news.

That said, Purple Row Night Owls, what’s on your mind?

Let us know in the comments.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

LAS VEGAS — New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman hears the sharp criticisms, reads the vitriol-filled attacks, and cringes knowing that much of it is coming from hallowed members of his own organization.

It’s four-time World Series champion catcher Jorge Posada blasting his former employers one day, and Hall of Fame closer Goose Gossage the next. It’s Hall of Famer Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez ridiculing the Yankees one day, it’s Paul O’Neill the next. It’s Hall of Famer CC Sabathia taking his shots one day, and Milwaukee Brewers World Series champion manager Pat Murphy the next.

Cashman knows the Yankees haven’t won a World Series championship since 2009, and after being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in the postseason this year, it's 17 years without a title. That feels like a century when it comes to Yankees’ lore.

But, man, is it getting rough out there in the New York streets.

“The Yankees mean a lot to (people), whether it's the people that are throwing complaints, or throwing allegations, or our fans who are upset,’’ Cashman said. “We know we have a history of success that we're always trying to live up to. We're having a lot of things that we're always trying to do the best of our abilities, and the most important one is to deliver a championship.

“So, I kind of recognize that we need to do better always. So, do I get upset initially? Yeah. Do I get motivated? Absolutely, always. I don't need anything to motivate me anymore. I feel like our fans and our (media) keep us motivated enough.’’

Oh, do the tabloids ever.

“I mean, got a cattle prod constantly stuck right where you don't want it,’’ Cashman said, “nonstop with electrodes going. So that keeps you alive. But you also, when you take a step back, you got to channel and recognize it's coming from a place of hope and love of wanting things to be better than they currently are, and so that's where we're constantly trying to push to get to.

“And even though we've been there before, it hasn't been as timely as it needs to be, so I get it. And the longer it goes, the louder it gets.’’

Oh, it has been deafening this winter.

“It can make you angry,’’ Cashman said. “It can make you re-evaluate things. It can make you question things, question the individuals, like 'What do you mean by that?'"

Cashman is well-aware that Jeter and Rodriguez are paid to be critical on TV. Gossage is no longer welcome as a spring-training instructor or at Yankees events because of his bitterness towards Cashman and Yankees principal owner Hal Steinbrenner. But Cashman was confused by Posada saying he no longer feels part of the organization. And he was taken aback by Murphy’s private comments ridiculing the Yankees in his World Series championship celebration with Jake Bauers, which was picked up by a hot mic.

But, hey, Murphy is the only one who apologized.

“I can tell you it meant a lot,’’ Cashman said. “They just won the World Series the night before, and then the next morning I get a phone call from him, walking through, apologizing for the comment, not realizing there was a live mic, explaining how he kind of uses anything he can to motivate his players.

“But my biggest takeaway was the fact that he took the time on the greatest, within 12 hours, arguably some of the greatest times that he's had walking this planet Earth − outside of the birth of his kids − to realize that he said something that he regretted. He wanted to take the time to track us down over here at the lowly New York Yankees to apologize for that. So that meant a lot to me.’’

Murphy, who on Tuesday won his third consecutive NL Manager of the Year award, had just received the game ball from the last out of the World Series from Bauers. Murphy hugged Bauers, and said:

“You're going to be a rich (expletive). Just remember when you were on that horse (expletive) Yankees team and you guys were all playing for yourself? Just remember, say, 'This is the way we used to do it.'"

Murphy insisted it was said simply as a motivational tactic, knowing that Bauers once played for the Yankees, and became a star player with the Brewers.

Posada, on the other hand, said he no longer feels welcomed by the Yankees, and stopped going to spring training as a guest instructor because he felt like they didn’t want him around.

Posada’s views stunned Cashman, who said he never heard those sentiments from Posada, and that he was free to call him or Steinbrenner at any time.

“We value our present, but we also value our past,’’ Cashman said. “In Jorge's case, he's invited every spring. He's invited to Old Timers’ Day. … I mean, Jorge wants us to be great. We want us to be great. And unfortunately, you know, we haven't been. We've been good, but we haven't been great.

“That's the trick of trying to figure out how to get from good to great. … I try to remind people how difficult it is. There's a lot of great teams that we've put together that fell short. We’re disappointed, and I remind any of the former players when we are letting our fans down by not playing up to our capabilities, or falling short of our dream, or our hopes, that it might not look good. Or it might look like we're checking all the boxes. That's what losing looks like.

“It's not because the care factor is not there or the work's not going on behind the scenes. … We're going to keep pushing at it. And if somebody's got some good, constructive suggestions of how to get there, I'm open-minded, not shy.’’

Hey, when you’re the Yankees and have 27 World Series championships, been to the postseason 26 times in the last 31 years, and haven’t had a losing record since 1992, you set a lofty gold standard.

And when you don’t get there, well, anyone is free to take shots.

“Listen, the Marlins beat us in the (2003) World Series,’’ Cashman said, “I remember they put our logo on their World Series ring. They beat the Yankees.’’

The only way to shut up the critics now, Cashman realizes, is by getting back to the big dance and being the last man standing, perhaps doing it with a payroll that’s similar to the one they had a year ago.

They’re not in the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, but they need to find a third baseman, come up with a second baseman, need to re-sign All-Star closer David Bednar and several other relievers, get a backup catcher and must have Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton stay healthy.

They plan to bring Stanton back for one last season, hoping he can finally stay healthy and provide an impact bat. They plan to bring back third baseman Ryan McMahon, who's looking to bounce back, infielder Anthony Volpe to secure second base, and shortstop George Lombard Jr., who they need to play like a veteran. They need a left fielder to emerge from within or via free agency.

They also must do it within a budget that Steinbrenner is setting, likely close to the $300 million payroll from a year ago, which could rule out some free agents like outfielder Randy Arozarena or infielder Luis Arraez .

“I've been given a budget by Hal and we're trying to now connect with teams and agents,’’ Cashman said. “You know, the winter has just started, so we’ll see what is feasible and what isn't feasible.’’

When asked what the budget will be in 2027, Cashman declined to tip his hand.

“I would just say,’’ Cashman said, “business as usual.’’

Cashman did insist that they aren’t giving up on Stanton, who is owed $25 million in the final year of his contract, with the Miami Marlins kicking in $10 million. Stanton will be coming to spring training despite playing in just 24 games last season and 77 games in 2025.

“He’s not going anywhere,’’ Cashman said, “he’ll be in spring training without a doubt and hopefully healthy and ready to go. … There's never been a time when he's healthy that he's not been impactful. So, if he’s healthy, I know he can impact. Always has been. So, hopefully, we'll get a healthy Stanton. He's a big presence in our clubhouse. A great leader. He's wired right. He's doing everything (he) possibly can (to) impact us in a positive way.

“So yeah, he's not going anywhere.’’

Time will tell whether the Yankees are going anywhere, either, with Cashman saying he has no clue whether a salary cap will be implemented into the sport as Steinbrenner desires, which could impact just how they treat the rest of this winter. If a cap comes into play, the payroll will be reduced, but the question is how quickly.

“That would be a commissioner’s office question to ask,’’ Cashman says. “I'm just a lowly general manager.’’

And a GM who’s desperately trying to win as quickly as possible, and at least soften that vicious criticism ringing in his ears.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brian Cashman hits back at criticisms from Yankees legends, fans, media