Category: MLB

MLB.com | David Adler: All Rise, for the unveiling of the 2026 MLB The Show cover. Aaron Judge is this year’s cover athlete for the video game, appearing in both his Yankees pinstripes and his Team USA uniform. It’s the second time Judge has appeared on the cover of The Show, as he was chosen for the 2018 edition of the game following his superb Rookie of the Year campaign in 2017.

New York Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees have named 44-year-old Mario Garza their new international scouting director. Garza will succeed longtime director Danny Rowland, whom the Yankees let go back in November after a string of poor showings on the IFA market. Garza has been with the Yankees for 16 years, most recently working as director of baseball development.

MLB Trade Rumors | Darragh McDonald: A new pitcher is on the Yankees roster, as New York claimed righty Dom Hamel off waivers from the Rangers. A third-round pick by the Mets out of Dallas Baptist in 2021, Hamel debuted in September 2025 but that stands as his lone career game thus far. The Orioles grabbed him off waivers shortly afterward and the Rangers were soon to follow with a waiver claim of their own. Hamel had a high ERA at Triple-A Syracuse in 2025, but the 26-year-old did fan over a batter per inning, so perhaps there’s something for the Yankees to work with there. To make room on the 40-man, they designated the recently-claimed Marco Luciano for assignment, as well as lefty Jayvien Sandridge, who cameoed in the 2025 Yankees bullpen.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: The Yankees signed 18-year-old pitcher Tijn Fredrikze as an international prospect at the end of 2025, the first time they’d signed a European-born player in 13 years. Phillips spoke to Fredrikze and Troy Williams, the scout who covers Europe, Africa, and the Middle East for the Yankees and uncovered Fredrikze. With so few prospects emerging from those areas, Williams was thrilled to secure Fredrikze, a player from the Netherlands that led the Dutch Major League in strikeouts last year. Fredrikze faces a long climb to the majors, but he sounds confident he can overcome the odds. “I want to be a Hall of Famer,” he said. “That’s my goal. My first goal was signing, and when I got close to that, my goals changed really fast. I just want to be the best out there.”

Newsweek | Jon Paul Hoornstra: Zach Monroe, a pitcher who played for the 1958 and 1959 Yankees, passed away at the age of 94 in his native Peoria, Illinois. He made 24 appearances in the majors in his career, all for the Yankees, posting a 3.38 ERA in the process. Monroe was part of the team that defeated the Milwaukee Braves in seven games in the 1958 World Series. He’s survived by four daughters, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. With Monroe’s passing, only four members of the 1958 champions remain: Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson, Johnny James, and now-centenarian pitcher Bobby Shantz.

Rockies Fest must have been weird for Jake McCarthy.

Just over two weeks ago, the Colorado Rockies traded for him, and last Saturday, he found himself in a Rockies jersey answering questions from a very Rockies crowd on a very cold day in Denver.

Still, McCarthy, like any good baseball player, showed up and did his job.

First, he appeared on a panel with other positions players during afternoon. In that panel, he was funny and shared that his walk-up song had been Kurt Angle’s WWE song; that at least it’s easy for him to turn right rather than left at the Salt River Fields Training Facility; and that he’s eager to start playing with the Rockies.

After Rockies Fest ended, he along with Hunter Goodman and Kyle Freeland met with media.

Here’s a clip from that session courtesy of Guerilla Sports:

Below are some highlights of McCarthy’s conversation with media.

On playing at Coors Field

I was initially very excited. I’m so excited. I always loved coming to play here. Obviously, it’s a beautiful park. The fans are good. But, you know, when you talk about the big outfield, the elevation, I do think that plays to my game pretty well. And I think this team, especially, too, it’s very athletic team. . . . So I’m just excited to be a part of it. Whatever that role looks like, I just want to make an impact offensively, defensively, on the base paths, and put my game on display.

On changes the Rockies are making

It’s super exciting to be a part of something new. . . . I just think a lot of people in this building are hungry, and I have a lot of respect for this organization. I’ve been here, played against the Rockies at all the levels of the minor leagues up to this point, so I’ve got a lot of respect for the coaches and players that I played against for so long. And again, I’m really excited to be a part of it, really, really happy to be a part of what’s ascending here.

On making adjustments

I honestly can’t tell you what the adjustment of life is going to be so far because I’m just going to the same building in a different door. . . . I just go a little further to go into a different gate in the building. So that’s pretty convenient spring training part of it. But I think this team has played against me a lot, so I’m sure they have a lot of evaluations, but they traded for me, and I’m really grateful for that, and I want to make them really look good in this trade. And again, I’m just grateful for an opportunity here to sort of go out and [get a] fresh start just making my own impact here and helping this team. So I keep repeating myself, but I’m just really excited.

On what he worked on during the offseason

I think getting back to what makes me go as a player, and I think it could be dynamic, and I think that means getting on base for guys like this guy to the left of me [Goodman] and playing good defense, especially in a field like this. So, I think there were parts of last season that maybe I got away from that a little bit. So again, just eager to kind of get back on track.

On getting comfortable at Coors Field

I’ll say I’ve always sort of bounced around all three outfield positions, and there’s been no communication of like, exactly what the role will be, but I’m totally okay with doing that, and I’ve always done it. I take pride in playing all three outfield positions, and then, yeah, it’s a big outfield, whether it’s left, right, center, it’s a lot of lot of room to cover. So I’m looking forward to the challenge, and I’m excited to play alongside other good defensive outfielders, and I’m excited to sort of make that a reputation of us playing the outfield really well.

On Warren Schaeffer

I just met him for the first time in person five minutes before this. But he seems like a go-getter. Seems like the right guy to put this organization going in the right direction. And, you know, I love it. I love a straightforward manager, a guy who’s just going to shoot you straight and try to win some ball games. So I think that’s the type of guy we need, and I’m excited for it.

After the session ended, McCarthy found himself surrounded by Denver media introducing themselves to him. He smiled, shook everyone’s hand, and said, “Sorry, but I’m not going to remember your names.”

It was a drinking-from-a-fire-hose kind of day, but McCarthy handled it with grace.

Now to see how it plays on the field.

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

It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest hangout for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the cold. We’re so glad to see you. There’s no cover charge. We can check your coat for you. 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 which recent deal for a starting pitcher do you wish the Cubs had made? Most of y0u thought the Cubs made the right move as 55 percent of you picked Edward Cabrera. The deal the Mets made for Freddy Peralta finished in second with 34 percent.

On Tuesday nights/Wednesday morning, I don’t normally write about movies. But you still have time to vote in the BCB Winter Science Fiction Classicmatchup between The Matrix and Back to the Future. But I always have time for jazz. I guess that time is now.

Tonight we’re featuring some funky rock fusion from Snarky Puppy, the supergroup led by bassist Michael League. This is from 2022 and is an original composition from League called “Bet.”

Welcome back to everyone who skips the music.

Some of you may disagree with me, but I think the Cubs are a very good team this year without any real weaknesses. I go through the projected starting lineup, starting rotation and bullpen and there isn’t one guy on the team whom I think “He needs to be replaced.” This is a team that can make the National League Championship Series and beyond.

But “can” is a very different word than “will.” The Cubs have a good plan for 2026, but as Mike Tyson famously said “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” And trust me, the Cubs are going to get punched in the mouth. Metaphorically, of course.

Last year, Justin Steele going down with elbow surgery was a punch in the mouth. Then the Cubs got another punch in the mouth with Shōta Imanaga went down with a hamstring injury. The Cubs managed to cover that over with a combination of Colin Rea and eventually Cade Horton, but come September, Horton was injured, Imanaga was not as effective after his injury and he really seemed to lose it by October. The Cubs ran out of starting pitching by the Division Series with the Brewers and that brought the 2025 season down.

So what I’m asking you to do is stress test the Cubs 2026 season. What’s most likely to go wrong? Where does the front office need to add extra redundancies to prevent disasters? Where, if something goes wrong, are the Cubs most screwed?

Obviously the starting pitching rotation is one place to worry about and yes, pitchers are going to get hurt. But the Cubs traded for Edward Cabrera and Justin Steele’s return is ahead of schedule. Javier Assad and Jordan Wicks are waiting in the wings and top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins should make his major league debut sometime this season. Is that enough?

Then there is the bullpen, which was a source of strength last season but has almost been completely rebuilt after most of the relievers left as free agents. Daniel Palencia and Caleb Thielbar are back. We hope Porter Hodge is healthy. Almost everyone else is new. Relievers are also very volatile from year to year. Have the Cubs done enough to make sure that they have the arms to get the final 9-to-12 outs every game?

Catching was a source of strength last year, but that was almost entirely because Carson Kelly had a career year. Can he do that again at 31? The Cubs suffered a huge blow last year when Miguel Amaya missed most of the season with two injuries. They lucked out when Reese McGuire stepped in and served as a solid backup to Kelly. Will the Cubs be as lucky again? Or maybe they’ll be luckier and Kelly and Amaya will be healthy all season and Moisés Ballesteros can fill in when necessary.

The infield looks pretty solid to me with the Alex Bregman signing and Matt Shaw moving to a utility role. I suppose there is the issue of how Michael Busch will do against left-handed pitching, but that’s what Tyler Austin is for. But maybe you see infield problems where I don’t.

Finally, the starting outfield is set with Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki. But what if one of them gets hurt? The Cubs traded away Owen Caissie, so he won’t be there for depth. He couldn’t play center field anyways, although I suppose Happ could in a pinch. There’s top prospect Kevin Alcántara, but the Cubs might prefer he gat at-bats in Iowa to sitting on the bench in Chicago. Are Dylan Carlson or Chas McCormick enough cover is something happens?

So what I’m asking you is what do you want keeping team president Jed Hoyer up nights worrying about. Where is the Cubs 2026 season most likely to break? What part of the team needs added reinforcements? Where are they most vulnerable?

Thank you for stopping by tonight. Please don’t forget your coat or anything else you may have checked. Get home safely. Stay warm. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow for more BCB After Dark.

Bo Bichette’s focus this spring appears to rest solely with his new team.

On the heels of his lucrative three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets, the infielder will not suit up for Team Brazil in this year’s World Baseball Classic, according to ESPN Brasil.

The 27-year-old expressed his desire to suit up for Brazil in this year’s tournament alongside older brother Dante Bichette Jr., a first-round pick by the Yankees in 2011.

Their mother, Mariana, is a native of Porto Alegre, Brazil, which made them both eligible.

“I hope that I can bring some attention to baseball in Brazil,” Bichette told MLB.com last May. “There’s amazing and talented athletes in there. The WBC is a big opportunity for us.”

Bo and Dante, sons of former MLB slugger Dante Bichette, both suited up for Brazil during the 2016 WBC qualifiers at Maimonides Park in Brooklyn.

A prospect in the Blue Jays system at the time, Bichette recorded two hits in those games, though Brazil failed to qualify for the WBC.

Bichette would have been the lone MLB representative for Brazil in the tournament, as his brother never played above Double-A. The last Brazilian-born players to appear at the MLB level were catcher Yan Gomes and pitcher Thyago Vieira in 2024.

While Bichette would also be eligible to play for Team USA in the WBC, it seems he will enter spring training looking to acclimate to his new club and new position.

After spending his first seven major league seasons with the Blue Jays, the two-time All-Star officially joined the Mets as the team’s new third baseman last week.

He slashed a strong .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs last season, finishing second to Aaron Judge (.331) for the American League batting title.

Outside of last year’s postseason, when he played at second base after returning from a knee injury, Bichette spent his entire big league career at shortstop — where several defensive metrics rated him among the worst defenders at the position.

Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza told The Post’s Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman during Monday’s edition of  “The Show” podcast that early indicators on Bichette’s new position are encouraging.

“He’s an athlete,” Mendoza said. “We’re looking at a guy that has played shortstop pretty much his whole career. And just watching him today, moving around third base, taking ground balls, creating angles and then the throws to first base, I was telling him, ‘It looks like you played there before.’”

The 2026 Spring Training report date for pitchers and catchers is two weeks from today. Joe Musgrove is again hosting his Camp 44 before the new season begins. San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish will almost definitely be participating with the team in one capacity or another. After having his third elbow surgery following last season, Darvish is three months removed and heading into the necessary rehabilitation required to get normal function back in his elbow.

The big question regarding Darvish is what role he will take going forward. As far back as last season, it was clear that Darvish had already started contemplating ending his professional career. While rehabbing and trying to get back on the field, he said: “I did seriously consider potentially not coming back – with the injury as well as with my performance the last couple years not being up to standard. But I thought to myself to go all out and treat it as if it was my last time.”

After the surgery, Darvish stated his goal was to rehab in order to be able to have normal function again. Many thought the 39-year-old veteran was implying that he was seriously considering retirement.

Now we jump forward to January of 2026 and the month leading up to Spring Training. Darvish again implied, while appearing at an event for Ronald McDonald House in December, that his goal was health and pitching again was not in his sights at that point.

The Padres are budget constrained, the free agent and trade markets have been outrageously expensive, and Padres fans are clamoring for additions to be made to the roster to round out the team.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune published an article stating the Darvish retirement was around the corner and he would be walking away from the remainder of his contract. His exact words:

“Yu Darvish does not plan to pitch again in the major leagues.”

Acee quoted Darvish (from the Ronald McDonald House event) – “The way my rehab is going now, I am focused on getting right, not coming back. Right now, I’m not really thinking too much about the future. Just knowing the way I think, I’m sure I will one day want to throw again. All I’ve thought about in my life is baseball.”

After writing in his article that Darvish was done, there was a swift response on social media from both Darvish and his agent, Joel Wolfe.

Darvish stated via his X (Twitter) account:

“You may have seen an article, and although I am leaning towards voiding the contract, there’s still a lot that has to be talked over with the Padres so the finer details are yet to be decided. Also I will not be announcing my retirement yet. Right now I am fully focused on my rehab for my elbow, and if I get to a point where I can throw again, I will start from scratch again to compete. If once I get to that point I feel I can’t do that, I will announce my retirement.”

Later in the day, after the initial reporting (Saturday, Jan. 25), Darvish elaborated further:

“Since there are reports about my retirement, I’ll explain briefly,” he posted. “I’ve been discussing with the Padres since last year about terminating the contract, but I haven’t decided to retire yet. My own intention has been consistent since the start of the offseason, but at this point, discussions with the Padres, the players’ association, and my agent haven’t been finalized.

“As for me, if I can thoroughly complete my rehab and feel confident that I can pitch in games both mentally and physically, I’d like to start over and compete from scratch again. As for this year, I plan to go to Petco Park for rehab as well, and also attend a bit of Spring Training.”

Two things are true as you read what Darvish stated. He intends to walk away from his contract with the Padres and, if he decides to pitch again, it will be starting over from scratch and earning a spot on a roster. The details of the first fact are complicated and involve legal and financial issues for both the player and his representatives.

The second point is that he must complete his rehab before even thinking about pitching again. Darvish will be 40 when that process is completed. This is his third elbow surgery and his second UCL surgery. His intention appears clear. He does not want to take any more money from the Padres as a professional pitcher. There will be a negotiation that settles on an agreement for all parties but it seems clear Darvish would prefer to walk away.

Any announcement of a retirement is not immediately forthcoming. If he voids his contract he will owe no one anything and can take his time deciding about his professional future. If he stayed under contract he would have to proceed as the team required but on his own he can do it his way.

Acee was interviewed on Monday, Jan. 26, on San Diego Sports 760 radio with Jon Schaeffer clarifying his reporting. He acknowledged that using the word “retired” or “retirement” was a mistake. Although he stands by his statement that Darvish is fully intending on walking away from his Padres contract, the end of his professional career has not necessarily arrived and that is a call only Darvish can make.

Despite the premature jump that Acee took in announcing this development, it should be noted that Padres fans have probably seen the last of Darvish in a Padres uniform in a professional game. Even if his contract is converted into a personal services agreement or a front office job, Darvish as a Padres starter is probably a done deal.

As is his tendency, Darvish will refuse to take money he didn’t earn. The same as when he had to walk away in 2024 to deal with family issues, the team will not have to pay him money that he hasn’t worked for. He was quoted in December – “As far as leaving lots of money, I look at it as that was never mine to begin with. Especially considering the money I haven’t physically earned yet.”

A man of high principles and honor, Darvish will hopefully remain a part of this organization even after his playing days are over. He has already begun the transition into another role as he sat in on talks with free agents and was present during the negotiations for Michael King’s re-signing. He also attended the news conference after that signing.

Darvish is known to be close to Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller and it would make sense that a special assistant role would be a good fit for him. No matter the final deal that is struck, Darvish should be admired for the ethics and principles that he brings to his career. All Padres fans should appreciate what he has meant to this team professionally and as a rolemodel for his teammates.

Like Musgrove, who stayed with the team as a mentor and cheerleader all through his rehab time last season, Darvish intends to spend time with the team during Spring Training. There is no doubt he will do what he can to support the rest of the team and the pitching staff as they prepare for the new season.

At an event on Saturday, Jan. 25, for the new Miracle League field, Musgrove was quoted:

“I know Darvish, I know his passion for the game, about his desire to help people around him get better, but I have no expectation as far as what we’re going to get out of him this year. I don’t say that in a negative way, I say that as this is a decision for Yu. He’s got his reasons why he’s doing it; I think it is extremely admirable what he’s doing, but I don’t want to put any of my opinions out there. It’s his decision to make 100 percent and I don’t feel a certain way about it.”

Staying out of the controversy is a wise choice for Musgrove but it seems clear that his teammates know what Darvish is intending and appreciate him for who he is.

Padres fans should do the same.

Even though this is likely to take some time to finalize, don’t become so wrapped up in the money side that we forget to appreciate the man who is doing it. Yes, the extra payroll flexibility will go far to helping with the roster this year and in coming years. No doubt, that is exactly what Darvish intended.

But with the unprecedented contracts we are seeing in professional sports, it is refreshing to be in the company of an athlete who puts his team, his adopted city and his fans ahead of himself.

The Mets have reached an agreement with Grae Kessinger on a minor league deal, according to Mike Puma of the NY Post. 

The pact includes an invitation to spring training. 

Kessinger is a former second-round pick of the Houston Astros. 

He spent most of his time with the organization in the minors, but appeared in 48 MLB games in 2023 and 2024. 

The 28-year-old was flipped to the Diamondbacks last offseason after being DFA'd in December. 

Kessinger ended up being optioned to Triple-A prior to Opening Day, and he would appear in just 11 games with Reno before being released in April.

Now he lands a new pact with the Mets, and he'll serve as veteran depth in the minors. 

Kessinger's played all four infield positions and has a .335 on-base percentage in his minor league career. 

Freddy Peralta is itching to get started with the Mets and feed off the high expectations and pressure that comes with pitching in New York.

Whether or not he will call it home beyond this year, though, remains to be seen.

Peralta, the new anchor in the Mets rotation after he was acquired in a trade with the Brewers last week, arrives in Queens with one year left before free agency.

But when asked about the potential of signing a contract extension, the right-hander pitched around it.

“I just got here,” he said Tuesday on an introductory Zoom call with reporters. “I think that I got to see around, I have to share time with my teammates and think about different ideas, learn about everybody, coaches, the organization in general and then we can see.”

David Stearns last week declined to comment on whether an extension has been discussed with Peralta, but the president of baseball operations indicated the trade was made with the understanding that it could just be a short-term relationship.

Still, this is now the second time Stearns has traded for Peralta — the first when he was a 19-year-old acquired by the Brewers — which the now 29-year-old right-hander acknowledged “says a lot.”

This time Stearns is adding Peralta to the rotation as an established, high-end pitcher — costing the Mets prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat — who should elevate their chances heading into 2026.

“I’m really happy to be here in New York and represent the New York Mets organization,” Peralta said. “It’s a different market [than Milwaukee], a different city, there’s a lot more fans, a lot more people watching. Being honest, I like the competition that we’re going to face here. I’ve been around, watching for years what it is to be part of that big-market team. I’m excited to be part of the team and I can’t wait.”

Peralta, a two-time All-Star, pitched to a 2.70 ERA across 33 starts with 204 strikeouts in a career-high 176 ²/₃ innings last season.

It marked the third straight season in which he has made 30-plus starts, demonstrating a durability that he said was the “most important thing” to him.

And while pitching in Milwaukee and the NL Central is not the same as pitching in Queens and the NL East, Peralta has also made nine playoff appearances, which he believes should prepare him for his new opportunity.

“I think it’s going to help a lot, because the game during the playoffs, it’s on a different level,” he said. “I think probably New York is the same level — every game feels like that. I remember Opening Day in 2025 against the Yankees, it’s how it felt. I felt the same and it was crazy, the vibes and all that, the energy of the fans. Even being the first day, I felt that. I think that’s going to feel [like it] every five days in New York.”

The Dominican Republic native — who said he was still unsure if he would participate in the WBC this spring because of “personal reasons” — said he was looking forward to pitching in front of a strong Latin community that New York offers.

“There’s a huge challenge for me because I know how we are, the Latinos,’ he said. “I know that we have that inside of us, that hunger to win every time. I think I’m going to take that as a challenge to get better, to feel better, to get better every five days, to give my best and to make adjustments quicker. I know the people there are thinking the same way that I’m thinking: we just want to win. That’s what I’m going to work for, to get better and be ready for that.”

The Mets and Yankees front offices now know when they have to put their pens down on any midseason trades.

According to multiple reports, Major League Baseball has informed teams that the 2026 trade deadline is set for Monday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m.

MLB Trade Rumors notes that this year's date is notable in that it's the first time since the flexible deadline was implemented -- a feature included in the 2022 collective bargaining agreement -- that the league has pushed the date this late. Many baseball fans recognize July 31 as the usual trade deadline, but the flexible deadline feature allows MLB to set the deadline on any date between July 28 and Aug. 3. 

On Aug. 3, all eight games start no later than 6:40 p.m. ET. The Mets are off while the Yankees host the St. Louis Cardinals on 7:05 p.m.

Last season, the Mets and Yankees had busy trade deadlines. The Mets dealt for OF Cedric Mullins along with relievers Tyler Rogers, Gregory Soto and Ryan Helsley. 

The Yankees had a more impactful trade deadline. They acquired INFO/OF Jose Caballero, 3B Ryan McMahon, utility man Amed Rosario, and relievers Greg Bird, Camilo Doval and David Bednar. 

Hot on the heels of adding to their pitching depth with Cooper Criswell entering the fold, the Mariners have made a small move to bolster their options on the other end of the battery.

Pereda, 30 in mid-April, has played in affiliated ball since 2013 after being signed by the Cubs out of Venezuela. After bouncing around the Red Sox, Giants, and Reds orgs, he made his long-awaited big league debut in 2024 with the Marlins the day before his 28th birthday. Although he slashed .231/.250/.231 over 40 scattered plate appearances, he made a strong first impression behind the plate, throwing out four of eight would-be base stealers. That was enough to draw interest from the A’s, who claimed him from Miami last January and opened the season with him backing up Shea Langeliers. His production at the plate remained lackluster, though, and Oakland Sacramento designated him for assignment in June before he was snapped up by the Twins. Minnesota kept him in Triple-A until September, giving him ample opportunities was they played out the string. While Pereda finished the year on a high note, slashing a sturdy .345/.387/.483 over 32 plate appearances, it wasn’t enough to save his roster spot after the Twins signed fellow catcher Victor Caratini.

Pereda has never been one to show much pop; still searching for his first big league homer, he’s only popped 33 over 3033 career minor league plate appearances. He does, however, bring solid bat-to-ball skills to the table, being punched out in just 15.1% of the time across the minors, and an accompanying 11.8% walk rate suggests he’s no mere hacker. On the defensive side, he brought a sub-two second pop time in MLB in 2025 – good for the 68th percentile – and showed some heads-up decisions, but graded out as an average receiver overall.

And hey, he did strike out Shohei Ohtani once.

Crucially, Pereda has one minor league option remaining – doubtlessly a key factor in his acquisition. Cal Raleigh is coming off of one of the best single-seasons in franchise history, and the M’s brought in Andrew Knizner to serve as backup after trading Harry Ford to the Nationals. Before Pereda came aboard, they were the only two catchers on the 40-man roster – not exactly ideal for depth purposes. It’s unlikely that he will see much time in Seattle, but he should slot in as Tacoma’s starting catcher, and would be the first man up if needed.

To make room for Pereda, the M’s designated righty Jackson Kowar for assignment. It was a long road back for Kowar after undergoing Tommy John in March 2024, but he made his Mariners debut on May 28th, tossing 17 mostly low-leverage innings. While Kowar showed flashes of what made him such a promising prospect with the Royals, a lack of minor league options combined with a pedestrian strikeout rate of 21.1% had him on the bubble, especially with the aforementioned Criswell being brought on. There’s still a chance Seattle could outright him and keep him in the org, though, so don’t pronounce the Robinson Canó/Edwin Díaz trade tree dead just yet.

It is hard to imagine that San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth is entering his seventh season with the franchise. A feat that should not be dismissed, as his versatility to play multiple infield positions could be key to the Padres’ success in 2026.

Cronenworth’s glove sets the standard for infield defense

Too often, we value hitting metrics more than fielding stats in determining a player’s importance to a team’s success. Cronenworth’s bottom-of-the-order run production, paired with his outstanding glove work, earned him a full-time starting role with the Padres since arriving in 2020. 

He came to San Diego in the Hunter Renfroe trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Padres highly valued his versatility, as he could effectively play first base, second base and shortstop.

The intangible is his career fielding percentage (.991), as Cronenworth’s attention to detail allows him to take a challenge and usually excel in a position change. His defense does not suffer because he has maintained a utility player’s mentality, despite being the starting second baseman.

Cronenworth is exceptional at fielding balls hit directly at him. Other middle infielders may have more range, but it is not a guarantee that they will field each ball hit in their direction. 

Obviously, the front office prefers to keep Cronenworth at second base, but circumstances may force him to play more at first base this season. The Friars are hoping to add another bat before opening Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz. on Feb. 11. 

Padres need more bottom-of-the-order production

At the plate, Cronenworth’s value is his ability to move runners along the base paths and drive in those who are in scoring position. His standout season came in 2021, Cronenworth hit .266 (career best) with 21 HR (61 extra-base hits) and 71 RBI. He achieved a career-high 122 OPS+, which earned him his first All-Star Game appearance.

Last season, Cronenworth struggled with consistency at the plate after missing time with fractured ribs. The injury limited him to a .246 batting average with 11 HR and 59 RBI in 135 games. The concern was his lack of power from the left side of the plate, as just 32 of his 103 hits were for extra-base hits.

The Padres hope Cronenworth returns to his former power-hitting, run-producing self, as this would add considerable length to the batting order.

Spring Training should have the same feel for Cronenworth, as he will take fielding reps at first and second base. However, he has no clue where he will start in the regular season. Some time at first base could be in his future, especially with the uncertainty of free agent Luis Arraez possibly returning to the fold. 

Thankfully, Cronenworth is the type of player who comes to the ballpark ready to compete. It does not matter where he plays as long as his name is in the lineup.

To get back to the postseason, the Friars must excel at using Cronenworth’s versatility to their advantage. 

The New York Rangers secured an emotional 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday night, but lo and behold, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury was working behind the scenes to send Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders. 

Soucy was notably absent from the lineup, as it was reported earlier in the day that he would be scratched due to roster management, with a trade between the Rangers and Islanders brewing. 

Drury’s letter, issued on Jan. 16, outlining the team’s plans to retool the roster, sent a message that change is coming, and part of this core is bound to be broken up in the coming weeks and months. 

Since then, Rangers players have preached a business-as-usual mentality, while saying all the right things regarding the direction and future of the team. 

However, it feels like the calm before the storm, and a major shakeup to the team’s core is inevitable. 

After the Rangers’ Monday night win, J.T. Miller was asked point blank if he is trying to savor these potential last few days with this group currently in place. 

“To be honest with you, I try not to think about it,” Miller said. “It is what it is at this point. We have a close group in here. This isn’t the position that any of us thought we were going to be in at the start of the season, but it’s a business and we’re just trying to treat it like normal days. We have a lot of fun together in this room, so I don't think we're very worried about that.”

Mike Sullivan Says Carson Soucy Trade Took Place Due To ‘Reality Of Where We’re At’The New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> completed their first trade of this suppressive retool on Monday night, sending Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a third-round pick.&nbsp;

There’s a certain element of calmness coming from within the Rangers’ locker room right now with everything out in the open after Drury’s letter was released. 

The reality is clear to everybody in the organization, and it’s just about waiting for what is ultimately to come.

Soucy is just the first domino to fall in what should be a flurry of moves made by Drury. 

For the most part, the Dodgers know what they have.

In Shohei Ohtani, they have the best player in baseball. In Mookie Betts, they have a capable shortstop who might or might not be declining offensively. In Freddie Freeman, they have a professional hitter whose short swing should slow down the effects of age.

Nothing is guaranteed in sports, but the Dodgers can estimate the range of potential outcomes this season for most of their players.

One notable exception: Roki Sasaki.

Pitchers and catchers will report to the Dodgers’ spring training home in Arizona on Feb. 13, and Sasaki will once again show up as one of the greatest mysteries in camp.

The Dodgers have invested heavily in the 24-year-old Sasaki, as they basically sacrificed two classes of international amateur players in their quest to sign him. Even after an up-and-down rookie season last year, they remain committed to him. Sasaki is committed to them as well, as plans are for him to stay in spring training rather than join the Japanese national team at the World Baseball Classic.

“We’re gonna give him every chance to be the fifth starter or the sixth starter,” manager Dave Roberts said.

Sasaki is the most naturally gifted pitcher Japan has produced. In his homeland’s domestic league, he dominated with only two-plus pitches, a 100-mph fastball and Wiffle ball-like forkball.

His transition to the major leagues last year was rough. His body looked undeveloped compared with other players. His command was lacking. His fastball velocity declined. By mid-May, he was on the injured list with a shoulder impingement. He didn’t return to the majors until the final week of the regular season.

When Sasaki returned, it was as a reliever, agreeing to a test run out of the bullpen on the condition that he be granted a chance to start next season. With the back of the Dodgers’ bullpen in shambles, Sasaki inherited the role of closer almost by default and thrived. In four postseason games, he registered three saves and a 0.84 ERA.

His unexpected October heroics restored his phenom status, but Roberts cautioned that for his success as a reliever to translate into success as a starter, he will have to make adjustments.

“For me,” Roberts said, “he needs to develop a third pitch.”

Perhaps a slider, perhaps a curveball.

“It’s going to need to be something that goes left,” Roberts said.

A fastball-forkball mix could work for a reliever who comes in and throws as hard as he can for an inning. But Roberts reasons that as good as Sasaki’s primary pitches are, the right-hander will need another offering to keep hitters guessing in his second or third time through the order.

Some evaluators wonder if Sasaki has a delivery that could prevent him from effectively throwing another pitch, but Roberts believes the obstacle is more mental than physical.

“It’s always hard for a young player who’s had success doing something one way – great success – to now be vulnerable and open to something the game hasn’t told you that you needed to do,” Roberts said.

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The Dodgers have encountered trouble reaching Sasaki, who is known for his strong individual streak. When he emerged as a bullpen savior, the organization scrambled to share stories of how it helped him recover his fastball velocity. Sasaki offered an entirely different retelling of events that minimized the role played by the team. He said he discovered the problems with his delivery when he watched old videos of himself.

Roberts said he was conscientious about striking a balance in dealing with Sasaki. He wants Sasaki to have the humility to be open to ideas. But he also wants him to retain the brashness that made him stare down hitters in the ninth inning. Roberts said the game should lead him to his destination.

“I like the phrase, ‘The game tells you,’” Roberts said.

The game once told Ohtani to abandon the leg kick he used in Japan. The game told Clayton Kershaw to develop a slider. Now, Roberts expects the game to tell Sasaki that he has to add a weapon to his arsenal. Sasaki’s future as a starter could depend on it.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

It’s not the news San Diego Padres fans wanted necessarily, but it’s the news we got, and it allows us a moment to step away from prognostications and hypotheticals about potential trades or free agent signings to think about something we, as fans, can control. 

The Padres released their 2026 promotional schedule with the items being unveiled on Ben & Woods on 97.3 The Fan Monday morning, and across all San Diego social media platforms as well as emails to subscribers. There is no doubt you have at least heard of the giveaways if not seen them by now.

There is something for everyone on the giveaway schedule this year. The items range from scarves and crossbody bags to T-shirts and lunchboxes. But some of the most sought-after giveaways in recent years have been bobbleheads. The Padres announced six regular game bobblehead giveaways and three theme game bobblehead giveaways.

Manny Machado, Mason Miller, Xander Bogaerts, Trevor Hoffman, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. each will be featured in the regular season bobbleheads, while Jeremiah Estrada, Merrill and Don Orsillo and Mark “Mud” Grant will have theme game bobbleheads.  

Of course, the idea is the giveaways will bring fans to Petco Park, which has not been a problem the past few seasons, but the bobbleheads have become quite the collector’s item especially for fans of the Padres or a specific player. The first 40,000 fans in attendance will receive a bobblehead for the regular games and only fans with a theme game ticket will receive one of the Estrada – Lowrider, Merrill – Star Wars or Don and Mud – Mini Yacht bobbleheads.

Gaslamp Ball wants to know which bobblehead would entice you to make sure you’re at the game. There are plenty of choices and something for everyone. Undoubtably there will be fans who collect them all, but if you could get just one, which bobblehead would you want?

Results of the poll will be posted later in the week.

The Dodgers hear the noise.

About how their $400 million payroll is bad for baseball. About the financial and competitive disparities that their spending is exposing. About how they’re pushing the salary cap-less sport to an existential crisis.

It’s just that, after back-to-back World Series championships and more splashy acquisitions this offseason, team officials have essentially just shrugged at the conversation.

And, barring a significant change to the league’s economic structure in the next CBA, they certainly have no plans to alter their approach anytime soon.

“The expectation always has been, and should continue to be, that we expect to contend every year,” team president Stan Kasten reiterated in a recent interview with the California Post. “We’re the DODGERS. All caps. It’s the kind of franchise we are. Historically, it’s what our fans expect and what they deserve. And we will always be trying to deliver that.”

Indeed, from the Dodgers’ point of view, the club has been blessed with opportunity. They have big-market revenue streams, the most lucrative local TV in baseball, and most importantly a one-of-a-kind partnership with two-way star Shohei Ohtani –– enabling a level of spending the sport has never before seen.

“We are in a really strong position right now, financially,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said at last month’s Winter Meetings. “And our ownership group has been incredibly supportive of pouring that back into our team and that partnership with our fans.”

In Los Angeles, it’s the kind of aggressive approach Dodgers fans have long been waiting to see.

Ever since the team’s Mark Walter-led Guggenheim ownership group dragged the franchise out of the dark (and bankruptcy-riddled) days of Frank McCourt’s chaotic stewardship, the Dodgers had been primed to go on this sort of spending spree. 

They’ve long been near the top of MLB in attendance and revenue. They’ve always been an attractive destination for big-name players. And they’re now more than a decade into the 25-year, $8.35 billion television contract* they signed with Charter Communications (Time Warner Cable at the time of the deal) that set the industry standard for local broadcast deals.

*An aside on that television deal: While there has been much recent speculation about a supposed “secret deal” the team and league had when the contract was first struck, which would’ve limited how much of the Dodgers’ TV money would be subject to the league’s revenue-sharing system, the reality is more complicated.

That initial agreement, which MLB made with McCourt during the club’s 2011 bankruptcy, was later modified to make the Dodgers’ new owners commit up to $1 billion more in revenue-sharing over the life of the deal, as the New York Post reported in 2013.

The real advantage now is the stability the contract has provided the team amid an era of cable cord-cutting that has upended much of the industry. As Sports Business Journal detailed in 2023: “Charter will pay the Dodgers’ rights fee in full, regardless of how many subscribers it loses with SportsNet LA.”

Despite that, the Dodgers operated with a level of fiscal constraint for much of their early years under Guggenheim and Friedman. They twice ducked under the luxury tax in 2018 and 2019. Before the Mookie Betts trade and $365 million extension in 2020, it’d been a half-decade since their last $100 million player acquisition.

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The real change over the last several years has had all to do with Ohtani –– and his decision to insist on deferring all but $2 million per year in his record-breaking $700 million signing.

That unprecedented contract structure supercharged the Dodgers’ economic capabilities. Sportico estimated the team’s revenue jumped by more than $200 million during Ohtani’s first season in 2024, making the Dodgers the first MLB franchise to eclipse the $1 billion revenue threshold. The club’s sponsorship business alone is now believed to make as much money as roughly half of the league’s other 30 teams do overall.

As a result, the Dodgers were able to do exactly what Ohtani had hoped when he signed: Add layers upon layers of star talent around him –– from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell, to this winter’s signings of Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz –– and build the closest thing modern-day baseball has seen to a super team.

And now, the team finds itself in an almost self-fulfilling financial cycle that does’t seem likely to end: Invest in a World Series-caliber roster, with the belief it will only make revenues stronger, which in turn will allow for more payroll spending and star-studded teams.

“The strength of our marketplace provides us with tools that not every market has,” Kasten said. “That’s well known. We’ve never shied away from it. In fact, we’ve done the opposite. We said, ‘We have a market that will produce for us and reward us if we do our job and do things correctly.’ … And that has been what has kept us going.”

All the outside noise be damned.