Dodgers manager Dave Roberts bumps fists with Shohei Ohtani in the dugout before Game 7 of the World Series in Toronto. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
When the Dodgers are on the field, Shohei Ohtani dominates the headlines with his base running, his slugging and his pitching. But off the field, his actions also resonate.
In a recent interview with Japanese media, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told a story of when the two-time World Series champion helped relief pitcher Gus Varland’s mother get cancer treatment by making a “very, very big contribution.”
“Shohei does a lot of great things, but a lot of what he does is on the down low, quiet, so people don’t talk about it,” he said.
Varland made seven relief appearances with the Dodgers during the 2024 season — including pitching in the season-opening series in South Korea against the San Diego Padres — and posted a 4.50 earned run average in six innings of work before he was designated for assignment in July of that year.
Roberts said he ran into Varland’s mother during the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays because his brother, Louis, pitched for them. Roberts said the mother told him she was cancer free.
Ohtani helped the Dodgers win their second consecutive World Series title after hitting 55 homers with a batting average of .282 and an ERA of 2.87 in 2025.
With Edwin Diaz leaving the Mets to sign a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, right-hander Robert Suarez appeared to be a prime target to pair with Devin Williams at the back end of the bullpen.
But that possibility ended on Thursday, with Suarez signing with the NL East rival Atlanta Braves.
Per multiple reports, the two-time All-Star, who has the most saves in the majors over the past two seasons, is joining the Braves on a three-year, $45 million deal.
The Braves also re-signed Raisel Iglesias earlier this offseason, giving them a formidable one-two punch to close out games.
The 34-year-old Suarez, who didn't make his major league debut until he was 31, has been an All-Star in each of the last two seasons, pitching to a 2.87 ERA with 76 saves and a 0.973 WHIP since the start of 2024.
Suarez features three-pitch mix, including a fastball that averaged 98.6 miles per hour last season, which was in the 97th percentile via Baseball Savant. Suarez also has a nasty changeup that had opposing batters whiffing 32.8 percent of the time in 2025, and a sinker that held opposing hitters to a .102 batting average.
With Suarez off the board, names like Pete Fairbanks, Kenley Jansen, and Kirby Yates remain as back-end options for the Mets.
NEW YORK — Brandon Nimmo went first. Then it was Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso on back-to-back days at baseball’s winter meetings.
Three fan favorites headed out the door in 2 1/2 weeks — a powerful gut punch to angry New York Mets fans wondering what on earth the front office is thinking.
As the club embarks on a major makeover, suffice to say owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns are not the most popular couple in Queens right now.
“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,” Stearns said in Florida, before news of Alonso’s signing with Baltimore. “We certainly have work to do, but there are many good players out there. I’m confident we’ll like where our team is once we get to opening day.”
What a difference a year makes, though.
Cohen and Stearns were the toast of the town last December, beating out the crosstown New York Yankees for prized free agent Juan Soto with a record $765 million contract.
That came on the heels of an unanticipated thrill ride to the 2024 National League Championship Series, after Stearns scored big with several unheralded acquisitions during his first year in charge: Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, Jose Iglesias and Tyrone Taylor.
Surely with Cohen’s bankroll and Stearns’ brain, the Mets were poised to take a large bite out of the Big Apple for years to come.
Yankees, be damned. Dodgers, on notice. Phillies, fuhgeddaboudit!
But as their top rivals continued to flourish this year, the Mets finished 83-79 and missed the playoffs. Baseball’s second-biggest spenders, at $429 million in payroll and projected luxury tax, went 38-55 in a stunning collapse after building the best record in the majors (45-24) through June 12.
The day after the season ended, Stearns took the blame for failing at the trade deadline and Cohen apologized to fans on social media. The coaching staff under manager Carlos Mendoza soon was overhauled.
Many figured Cohen, one of the wealthiest owners in sports, would quickly reach into his robust wallet this winter — at least to keep Díaz and Alonso from leaving in free agency. But that hasn’t really happened.
“Steve gives us everything we need,” Stearns said. “We have a lot of resources. No team has unending resources.”
After the Mets signed two-time All-Star reliever Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract, Díaz agreed to a three-year, $69 million deal with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, subject to a successful physical.
Media reports indicated New York was outbid by only about $3 million for Díaz, who arrived in 2019 and ranks third in franchise history with 144 saves.
Then, news broke that Alonso agreed to a five-year, $155 million contract with Baltimore, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical.
The person said the Mets expressed interest in again retaining the slugging first baseman, which they did last offseason, but decided to wait and see what happened between Alonso and other teams rather than press a pursuit themselves.
“I’m flabbergasted,” Mets broadcast analyst and former pitcher Ron Darling said on MLB Network.
“Maybe they get in the Kyle Tucker race now, for a legit bat in the outfield. But it’s just, these last two days have to really be hard on Mets fans.”
All this after Nimmo, the ebullient outfielder who was the longest-tenured player on the team, waived the no-trade provision in his contract and accepted a deal to Texas for Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien.
“That’s three unbelievably great players, beloved by the fan base, have proven that they can pitch or play in New York. That’s not an easy thing, right?” Darling said. “And now, all gone.”
Alonso and Nimmo combined for 63 homers and 218 RBIs last season.
“They’ve now paid Soto ($765) million to walk 150 times next year,” Darling said.
Stearns grew up in Manhattan rooting for the Mets, and Cohen was a fervent fan even before buying the club five years ago. But they’ve shown little sentimentality when it comes to valuing core players, and Stearns said after trading Nimmo that “running back the exact same group wasn’t the right thing to do.”
Reports of clubhouse tension emerged in recent weeks, though Mendoza challenged that notion.
Alonso holds the franchise record with 264 home runs. He and Nimmo join a notable list of homegrown Mets stalwarts who eventually went elsewhere — from Tug McGraw, Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman and Jon Matlack to Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, José Reyes and Jacob deGrom.
David Wright remains one of the few star position players to spend his entire career in blue and orange.
The pressure on Stearns, a small-market success in Milwaukee, now increases exponentially to plug several big holes and rebuild a contender. Third baseman Mark Vientos could shift to first as Alonso’s replacement, but New York’s particular plans are unclear. And the more quality players who leave, the harder it becomes to convince free agents the Mets are currently equipped to win.
These things are certain:
Defense and baserunning are priorities for Stearns.
He seems very reluctant to give players in their 30s contracts longer than three years.
And he believes in putting youth on the field, seeking roster flexibility and space at positions that will provide playing opportunities for the promising hitters in a highly rated farm system such as Carson Benge, Jett Williams and Ryan Clifford.
“Our resources that we have here are an enormous advantage,” Stearns said. “And as long as we allocate those resources intelligently, they’re going to continue to be an enormous advantage.”
Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto celebrate after Japan won the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship game over the U.S. in Miami. (Rob Tringali / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins in less than three months.
Between now and then, the Dodgers will have to have some “delicate” conversations with their star trio of Japanese pitchers.
As of now, Dodgers front-office officials said at this week’s winter meetings, no final decisions have been made about whether Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki will participate in the tournament, nor if Shohei Ohtani (who has already confirmed his participation) will pitch in addition to hitting.
“We’re still working through that,” said president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who met with Team Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata at the Signia by Hilton Orlando this week.
“We’re very supportive of Samurai Japan and all that they’re trying to accomplish, and they’re very supportive of us,” Friedman added. “It was about just keeping open the lines of communication, the mutual respect and working together to help all sides.”
What would be most helpful to the Dodgers, of course, is if none of their three Japanese stars pitch in next spring’s international tournament.
Each of them could also benefit from extra rest going into the 2026 campaign. Sasaki will be returning to the starting rotation after missing most of last year’s regular season because of a shoulder injury. Ohtani will be embarking on his first full season of two-way duties since 2023. Yamamoto is coming off what was already an unprecedented workload even before last season's playoffs, having set a new career high (either in MLB or Japan) with 30 starts in the regular season.
Already, it appears several other Dodgers players will, or are likely, to skip the event. While Team Canada general manager Greg Hamilton said Freddie Freeman would like to participate, the first baseman is dealing with some lingering health issues after playing through an ankle injury for much of last season. Teoscar Hernández said in an interview that he will not play for the Dominican Republic in order to focus on next season. Tommy Edman, who previously represented Team Korea, is also not expected to play as he recovers from an offseason ankle surgery.
To this point, the only Dodgers player other than Ohtani to confirm his WBC participation is catcher Will Smith for Team USA.
More could follow, from Mookie Betts (who has yet to announce any WBC decision) to Hyeseong Kim (who told Korean media he has requested permission from the Dodgers to participate) to Alex Vesia (who is under consideration for a Team USA spot, according to American general manager Michael Hill).
In Japan, however, the WBC is held to a higher standard of importance than most other countries around the world (and, to its fans, an even more significant level than the World Series itself). The nation has won the event a record three times, including in the most recent 2023 edition. And having star players sit out, or even be restricted, in the tournament can threaten to become a culturally controversial development.
Manager Dave Roberts this week described the dynamic with the Japanese players as “very delicate,” and said neither he nor the organization “want to be dismissive of what it means to them representing their country.”
“You can't debate the emotion,” he added, “what a player might feel of this potential opportunity.”
That doesn’t mean, however, the Dodgers aren’t concerned about the cost the tournament can incur, especially for starting pitchers given its place on the calendar.
Next year’s event will take place March 5-17, requiring pitchers to be built up for live-game action nearly a month earlier than they would otherwise. Team Japan will also have to travel from Tokyo (where they will play their group stage games) to Miami (where the knockout round will be held) during that two-week window, assuming they advance through the preliminary round as expected.
Because of that, Roberts acknowledged he was hoping Ohtani (who will still be managed carefully as a pitcher next season, potentially with a week or more of rest between outings) would only hit in the event — and seemed to hint that would be the likely outcome for the reigning MVP.
“The pitching side of things is challenging and gives us a little bit of pause,” general manager Brandon Gomes added. “But yeah, we'll obviously continue to have those conversations and figure it out."
The Dodgers will also face a decision with Sasaki, whom they can block from participating in the WBC since he missed the majority of last season on the 60-day injured list, though they haven’t given an indication yet on whether they would do so.
“We just need to sit down and talk through it as an organization,” Gomes said generally of the team’s process for WBC players. “Once we get more info on the players, we’ll have those conversations.”
While the Dodgers can’t prevent Yamamoto from participating, Roberts indicated they could lobby for Team Japan to keep him (and Ohtani or Sasaki, if they wind up on the Japanese staff, as well) on a more restricted workload for the tournament.
“I would like to think that it's going to be a dialogue as far as restrictions and limitations,” Roberts said. “In the sense of just trying to give them the opportunity, but also understand they've come off some stuff, some long seasons.”
There should be more clarity in the coming month, with Team Japan hoping to have its roster finalized by the new year. Next week, Friedman said, clubs and national teams will also submit forms to MLB regarding players’ potential participation, which allows for a period of feedback between all parties.
“I do think that the conversations need to be had [and] will be had, as far as what each individual is taking on and whatever role that they might be taking on,” Roberts said. “And what potential costs there might be.”
For now, however, when it comes to one of the more delicate situations the Dodgers will have to navigate this offseason, “there's no more clarity than we had before,” Roberts added.
That those two departures came just a few weeks after Brandon Nimmo was traded to the Rangers means that in an incredibly short span, the Mets have lost not only three of their most popular players of recent vintage, but three of their most popular 15 or so players ever.
At the same time, it's important to look at the situations with Alonso, Diaz, and Nimmo separately.
In the case of Alonso, while it might not have been totally nuts for the Mets to extend to four or five years for him (especially if he was willing to DH a lot more), they clearly had no intention of ever doing so. You can be furious about it, but that's the deal. Stearns stuck to his plan. As an aside, that they didn't officially offer Alonso a contract is of no consequence. Doing so would've been performative once they realized his market was beyond where they were willing to go.
When it comes to Diaz, it seems that something went haywire. There is no indication that Diaz did not want to return to the Mets, and that he bolted over a difference of $3 million suggests the Mets botched the negotiation.
As far as Nimmo, dealing him for Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien was understandable -- if you realize that Semien is not replacing Nimmo. Yes, Nimmo was still an above average offensive player. But he has been slipping at the plate over the last two seasons, while his defense in left field has regressed significantly. And there were five years left on his deal.
With the dust starting to settle, here are the two most important things to consider:
The first is that the Mets are much worse off right now than they were at the end of the season. And it will not be easy to replace the production they've lost, especially when it comes to the power Alonso provided.
The second is Stearns' overall philosophy.
David Stearns / USA TODAY Sports/SNY Treated Image
Anger from fans who simply want Stearns to hand blank checks to players is understandable. And Stearns' cold, calculating way of operating -- especially given the resources at his disposal -- is questionable.
But it's not that Stearns won't spend lavishly. It's that he seemingly won't spend big -- especially in terms of years -- on players whose contracts he thinks could imperil his long-term Mets vision.
With that as a backdrop, here's how the Mets can reload without Alonso, Diaz, and Nimmo, and how they can address their other areas of need...
Replacing Alonso
To swipe a line from Moneyball, this will likely be about replacing Alonso in the aggregate, because there is no other first baseman or designated hitter available who has Alonso's blend of power and on-base ability.
There were multiple reports on Wednesday night about the Mets engaging the Cardinals on a potential trade for first baseman Willson Contreras, who has two years and $36.5 million remaining on his contract -- plus a club option for 2028. Contreras, who is entering his age-34 season, was a plus offensive player (123 OPS+) and above average defender (90th percentile, 6 OAA) in 2025. So he certainly fits the mold of what Stearns is looking for.
As far as what the rebuilding Cardinals would want, it's fair to believe that they would be seeking a controllable big league player and/or prospects.
If not Contreras, other options New York could pursue include Japanese first baseman/third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, who is a strong defender. There's also fellow Japanese free agent Munetaka Murakami, who has otherworldly power. But Murakami strikes out a ton and is viewed as a poor defender.
As far as internal candidates, unless the Mets go huge elsewhere on the roster, it's hard to justify using Mark Vientos regularly at first base. He is coming off a down offensive year, and has very little experience at the position.
Beyond the "who will play first base" question is the one about where the Mets will find more right-handed power.
The best answer could be free agent Eugenio Suarez, if he's willing to be a DH. Suarez hits bombs (he smacked 49 in 2025), but strikes out at an alarming rate and doesn't get on base much.
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) and relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) slap hands after their game against the Washington Nationals during the top of the ninth inning at Citi Field / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images
Replacing Diaz
The Mets already have Devin Williams, who is penciled in as the closer. And despite a relatively down 2025, Williams' stuff remains elite. And it's fair to believe he'll be very good in 2026.
But New York's desire to retain Diaz (and their failure to close the deal) means there's a massive hole in the back end of the bullpen that they're open to filling.
Pete Fairbanks is a free agents, and signing him would be the simplest way to react to losing Diaz.
There's also the trade market, with Brewers fireballer Trevor Megill available.
Megill has been great over the last three seasons, posting a 2.88 ERA (2.62 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP while striking out 162 batters in 128 innings.
He is set to earn roughly $6.5 million in 2026, and is arbitration-eligible in 2026 and 2027 -- making him incredibly valuable.
Replacing Nimmo
There are two obvious fits on the free agent market: Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger.
In the case of Tucker, it's difficult to envision the Mets giving him a massive deal in terms of years. And while he's a special offensive player, his defense has been slipping.
Bellinger, while an above average defender at multiple positions, is an erratic offensive performer. He also had stark home/road splits last season, with a .909 OPS in the tiny confines of Yankee Stadium and a .715 OPS on the road.
While Tucker or Bellinger could make a lot of sense if they can be had on deals that aren't crazy in terms of years, the Mets' best bet could be the trade market.
Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) runs out of the dugout before the start of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park. / Eric Canha - Imagn Images
One very intriguing option is Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran.
Duran, who is entering his age-29 season and is under team control through 2028, had a .774 OPS last season for Boston while leading the AL with 13 triples, hitting 16 homers, and smacking 41 doubles. He also swiped 24 bases.
His defense has been kind of all over the place (95th percentile in 2024, 18th percentile in 2025). But he has elite speed.
In addition to left field, the Mets have a hole in center field. But it would be wise to keep one spot open for top prospect Carson Benge, who could be ready early during the 2026 season.
Addressing the rotation
Lost in the shuffle a bit in the madness of the last couple of days is that the Mets still have a ton of work to do in the rotation.
It was the starting staff that was most responsible for torpedoing the 2025 season, and it's the pitching just as much as the defense that Stearns is referring to when he discusses "run prevention."
Stearns' apparent unwillingness to go long on the top free agent starting pitchers on the market is also understandable.
Framber Valdez is 32 years old, Ranger Suarez's fastball velocity is steadily declining, and Tatsuya Imai is a largely unknown entity.
If Valdez winds up taking a deal for four years or so, perhaps the Mets swoop in. If not, someone like Michael King could make a lot of sense, though New York would be taking a big risk given King's injury history.
In a world where the Mets sign King, they would ideally also need to find a reliable starter with upside -- possibly via trade.
As things currently stand with the Mets' roster, it's hard to make an argument for them trading serious assets for a one-year rental like Freddy Peralta. But if they've already properly addressed their other needs before swinging a trade like that (or have faith they'll fill those needs afterward), going for it will make sense.
Could a third straight AL MVP Award be in the cards for Aaron Judge? FanGraphs projects Judge’s numbers to take a bit of a step backwards from his 53-homer, 215 OPS+ campaign he put together this past year, but they still see a great year for the slugger with 42 home runs, 115 RBI, a 181 OPS+, and a 7.7 WAR.
For the purposes of this exercise, FanGraphs included free agent Cody Bellinger among the Yankees hitters, and the former NL MVP is projected to have another strong season with a 112 OPS+ to go along with 22 home runs and 90 RBI.
The Yanks are projected to have six 20-plus home-run hitters, including, interestingly enough, top prospect Spencer Jones. It’s yet to be seen if Jones will have a big league role with the Bombers this coming season, but he’s projected to hit 22 home runs in 525 plate appearances. Strikeouts have been an issue for Jones in the minors, and the projection sees him striking out a team-high 200 times in 2026.
Starting Rotation
The biggest question for the rotation revolves around how former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole will bounce back from last spring’s Tommy John surgery. Cole is projected to make just 19 starts but pitch relatively well with a 3.91 ERA.
Carlos Rodon is in a similar situation after having October elbow surgery to clean up loose bodies and a bone spur, and he’s projected to pitch to a 4.04 ERA over 129.3 innings.
With those big names having some health issues, the rotation could be led by Max Fried and Cam Schlittler. Fried is projected to lead all Yankees starters with a 3.37 ERA, while Schlittler is projected to rack up 131 strikeouts in 128.7 innings, posing a 4.06 ERA
Bullpen
David Bednar, acquired at last season’s trade deadline, could see a strong first full season in pinstripes, with projections giving him a 3.23 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 61.1 innings.
Another trade deadline add, Camilo Doval, could also be in a for a nice season with a 3.64 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Fernando Cruz, Luke Weaver, and Tim Hill are also projected to be key pieces in Aaron Boone's bullpen.
Some of the league's biggest stars made headlines at this year's edition of the MLB Winter Meetings and there were plenty more minor transactions that you may have missed. So, I'm going to recap all the action from the past week right here.
Keep a close eye on theRotoworld Player News page so you don’t miss any of the action and let’s take a trip around the league.
Stay up to date with the MLB free agent market this offseason, including player signings, contract details, and team fits as the 2025-26 Hot Stove heats up.
D.J. Short
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The Mets Tear Down Their Roster
The MLB Winter Meetings were not kind to Mets fans. One day after Edwin Díaz fled Flushing to join the Dodgers, Pete Alonso took a monster five-year, $155 million contract with the Orioles.
BREAKING: First baseman Pete Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a five-year, $155 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Alonso leaves the Mets to make a loaded AL East even better.
Without these two and Brandon Nimmo, who was traded to the Rangers last month, the longest tenured Met is Jeff McNeil – who’s been involved in his fair share of trade rumors too.
After McNeil? The longest tenured Met is Francisco Lindor. At this moment, he and Juan Soto are the only players on this roster with a non-rookie contract that runs past 2028.
Clearly Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns wanted to completely transform their roster after a disappointing season that ended with 83 wins after having the league’s best record in mid-May.
So, what comes next?
Devin Williams was brought in on a three-year deal and is their presumptive closer and is likely due for a bounceback. With little competition, he could easily vault himself back into being a top-five closer this coming season.
Desperate for a new first baseman and power hitter, Willson Contreras is a worthwhile target. After allegedly being unwilling to waive his no-trade clause when the offseason began, he’s since softened on that stance and it’s been reported he’d specifically do so for the Mets. Perhaps he could even spell Francisco Alvarez behind the plate to regain that all-powerful catcher eligibility.
Apart from him and Alonso, the first base market is a bit weak. The wound is still fresh, so the Mets have not been heavily connected to other replacements yet. Mark Vientos is an internal option, albeit more likely a fit at designated hitter.
Before this mass exodus, starting pitching was supposed to be the Mets’ greatest need this winter. The only one they’ve been connected with Michael King. Otherwise, it’s anyone’s guess as to what direction they’ll turn.
Maybe this turnover means they’ll be more willing to give their young players opportunities to play.
Nolan McLean is likely to start on opening day and is enjoying some top-30 starting pitcher helium. Stearns has explicitly stated that Carson Benge has a shot to break camp with the club. Brett Baty has full runway at third base. Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat, and Christian Scott will mix into the rotation depth (if they aren’t traded for more proven pieces). Young flamethrowers Ryan Lambert and Dylan Ross could be in the mix for holds if anyone out there needs a deep dynasty relief pitcher spec.
However, these are still Steve Cohen’s Mets. A spending spree that includes Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, Cody Bellinger and other marquee free agents is never off the table.
Regardless, their path forward will be fascinating to track.
Regardless, Schwarber is a good bet to remain an elite power hitter longer than most players who are entering their age-33 season.
Two years ago, he hit below the Mendoza Line and made a serious swing change in response. Schwarber shortened his swing from 7.9 feet in 2023 to 7.5 feet this past year and somehow did so without sacrificing any bat speed.
Of players with the 10 fastest bats last season (minimum 200 swings), Schwarber has the shortest swing.
Even if the effects of aging take two ticks off his bat speed over the next few years, it’d be exactly where Alonso’s is today. He is a great bet to continue putting up monster seasons in Philadelphia.
◆ Alonso's presence on the Orioles leaves huge question marks about both Ryan Mountcastle and Coby Mayo's roles with the club.
Mountcastle is less of a pressing concern on the final year of his rookie deal, but Mayo was recently considered one of the best power hitting corner infield prospects in the game, just turned 24, and only has a half season of consistent playing time under his belt.
Could one or both be dangled in a trade for starting pitching? They probably should be at this point unless Baltimore wants to maintain the best fleet of first basemen in the league.
After coming over from the Nationals at the trade deadline last season, Finnegan had a 38.8% strikeout rate in August, didn’t allow an earned run, and converted all four of his save chances.
Then, he suffered a right adductor strain while warming up one game, spent three weeks on the shelf, struggled to close the season, and didn’t have his same strikeout stuff through the playoffs.
Still, it’s fair to bet on some of that strikeout stuff returning. While it was far out of line with his career 23.0% strikeout rate as a National, Finnegan made a big adjustment with the Tigers to throw far more splitters than he had before.
That pitch had a better than 50% whiff rate last August and gives Finnegan a chance to beat his strikeout projections while being a safe bet for some saves with a great home park to boot.
Also, it casts light on the Blue Jays jumping the starting pitcher market for a frontline guy in Dylan Cease and a depth piece in Cody Ponce.
Alarm bells are ringing loud and clear with Bieber who just returned from Tommy John surgery this past August and has only put together one season with more than 130 innings since 2019. He’s someone to avoid in early drafts.
◆ Vaughn Grissom is joining the litany of former top prospects on the Angels. He’s never shown the tools to be a big league regular, but will only be 25 this season. The worst case scenario would be him and Christian Moore taking reps from one another, but there should be enough playing time to go around in Anaheim.
◆ The Rule 5 Draft was on Wednesday and there are a few players to watch from it.
RJ Petit is a 6-foot, 8-inch, 300 pound behemoth that could work his way into the high leverage mix for the Rockies. Daniel Susac is a catcher with pop that was a first round pick in 2022 and has a chance to take some reps from the offensively challenged Patick Bailey in San Francisco. Peyton Pallette has serious strikeout stuff and joins a Guardians’ club that’s known for developing relievers.
As a reminder, Rule 5 Draft players are required to spend the entire season on the major league team that drafted them or be returned to their original club.
◆ The stove is still hot and there’s going to be a lot of action over the coming weeks. Make sure to keep up theRotoworld Player News page so you don’t miss any of the action plus live stream and video content here all next week!
ORLANDO — The Giants headed to the Winter Meetings with two open spots in their rotation and left with two open spots in their rotation. But internally, they don’t want to view it as that straightforward.
If you ask members of the front office how many starters they need, they likely will give some variation of “as many as we can get.”
“We used 15 starters last year,” general manager Zack Minasian said this week. “To think we’re going to use five would be fooling ourselves. The more the merrier is kind of how I look at it right now.”
Buster Posey and Minasian are confident they will be able to add veterans through free agency, trades or both, but they also still feel good about the young depth that’s around. Some of it might be needed in deals — everyone is looking for young, cost-controlled pitching — but in Hayden Birdsong, Blade Tidwell, Trevor McDonald, Kai-Wei Teng, Carson Whisenhunt and others, they feel they have plenty of young pitchers who can fill cracks in the rotation or bullpen down the line, or even in the spring.
A year ago, Posey spoke often about the organization’s collection of young pitchers. Landen Roupp broke through as the No. 3 starter and Kyle Harrison brought Rafael Devers to town, but overall, the group disappointed.
How many can be part of the solution in 2026?
“I’d say that’s up to them. It’s up to them with how they perform,” Posey said on Thursday’s “Giants Talk” podcast. “We certainly hope that there’s a handful of them that we’re saying ‘we need this guy in the rotation or we need him in the pen,’ but ultimately it’s going to boil down to how they perform.”
The group underwhelmed in the second half last year, but there’s hope internally that a new coaching staff can find the right adjustments. There will be three new faces on the pitching front — Frank Anderson, Justin Meccage, Christian Wonders — and during their interviews they were asked about ways they could help specific pitchers in that group.
Birdsong has the highest ceiling and Tidwell pitched for Tony Vitello and Anderson at Tennessee, but it might be Trevor McDonald who leads that pack at the moment after two eye-opening starts at the end of the season. The right-hander allowed just three earned runs in 15 innings in September and had an eye-opening start at Dodger Stadium.
Posey asked about McDonald often last season in his conversations with player development leaders Randy Winn and Kyle Haines and Triple-A manager Dave Brundage.
“He really settled in to hone in on his sinker and slider late and said this is going to be my bread and butter,” Posey said at the Winter Meetings. “Early on it seemed like the feedback was he was being a little too cute with trying to get his usage to look a certain way instead of just attacking with the top end of his arsenal. I’m excited for him. He’s got to feel confident going into the offseason.”
Honors For Everyone
Brad Grems (home clubhouse) and Gavin Cuddie (visiting) were named the Clubhouse Manager of the Year in their respective categories. It marked the first time that one organization took home the awards on both sides.
Grems took over for the legendary Mike Murphy, who got an even bigger honor in November. “Murph” was part of the initial six-man class for the MLB Clubhouse Managers Hall of Fame, along with longtime Athletics clubhouse manager Steve Vucinich and Eddie Logan, who worked for the New York and San Francisco Giants and ran the home clubhouse at Candlestick Park before Murphy. Murphy and Vucinich flew to Cooperstown earlier this offseason to see their plaque.
Also, this week, executive assistant Karen Sweeney won the Katy Feeney Leadership Award, which honors exceptional female employees in the industry. When it came to awards — a big part of the Winter Meetings for behind-the-scenes employees — the Giants just about came away with a clean sweep. Earlier in the week, Matt Chisholm was honored for excellence in media relations. There was also Jeff Kent’s induction into the Hall of Fame, of course.
Who Wins Out?
The trade for Rule 5 pick Daniel Susac gave the Giants a second young right-handed catcher to compete for the job behind Patrick Bailey. Susac, a former first-rounder, likely will enter camp with an edge over Jesus Rodriguez, since he has to make the Opening Day roster or else be offered back to the A’s, but there still will be a competition in the spring.
The organization is extremely high on Rodriguez, who came over in the Camilo Doval trade with the New York Yankees. He hit .322 in Sacramento and is a .309 hitter in the minors, and while Susac has much more power, Rodriguez might be better suited to hit big-league pitching right now. The main concern heading into the spring is the lack of reps he has gotten defensively.
“We’re really excited about his future,” Posey said. “I think what excites me is when I hear our manager or a coach on the staff in Triple-A talk about his makeup and how well he has worked with the pitchers and his desire to get better defensively. At least from the games that I’ve watched, he’s a guy that’s going to encourage a pitcher throughout the game. If he needs to tell a pitcher, like, ‘Hey, you need to get that breaking ball further outside,’ he’s going to be willing to do that.
“But having said that, we have to look and see what other options might be out there because he has been pretty limited in the amount of games he has caught so far.”
The Giants will at some point need both the 24-year-old Susac and the 23-year-old Rodriguez. It’s also possible they go with three catchers at times if the two are playing well and there’s a roster need; Rodriguez has a lot of first base and DH experience in the minors and Wilmer Flores, a key right-handed bench bat, won’t be back.
The Athletics bolstered their bullpen with a veteran arm.
Right-handed relief pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. agreed to a contract with the Green and Gold, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Thursday, citing a source.
Free-agent reliever Mark Leiter Jr. in agreement with Athletics, source tells @TheAthletic.
The contract is for one year and around $3 million, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported shortly after, citing sources.
As others have reported, free agent pitcher Mark Leiter Jr is in agreement with the A's on a contract. It's for 1-year at around $3 mil, sources tell ESPN.
The 34-year-old Leiter, whose uncle is former MLB All-Star pitcher Al Leiter, is a six-year veteran who pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees from 2017-2025.
In 270 career appearances (15 starts), Leiter Jr. posted a 4.60 ERA with 396 strikeouts and 131 walks in 352 1/3 innings pitched.
Now he joins an Athletics bullpen that ranked 24th with a 4.53 ERA last season.
ORLANDO — The large conference room on the second floor of the Signia by Hilton hotel was filled with smiles on Tuesday afternoon. Podiums were set up for every country participating in next spring’s World Baseball Classic, with flags behind the managers and general managers who talked about the rosters they hope to put together.
The emotions are a bit different for many of the 30 teams providing the players, though, and that includes the Giants.
Basically their entire core is on the initial lists — about 50 players for most WBC teams — that have been put together. While Jung Hoo Lee (South Korea) is considered a lock to play and Heliot Ramos (Puerto Rico) is a likely choice, the fates of guys like Rafael Devers (Dominican Republic), Willy Adames (Dominican Republic) and Matt Chapman are to be decided.
The biggest question for the Giants, however, is what they will allow with ace Logan Webb. President of baseball operations Buster Posey chose his words carefully when asked about the possibility of his most important pitcher participating, noting that “it’s a great event” but adding that the industry has seen “that it can derail some pitchers, just because there’s no way to replicate getting yourself ready for what’s essentially a playoff baseball atmosphere in early March.”
The Giants are in an interesting spot with Webb. Team USA wants him on the staff and he has expressed interest in pitching alongside Paul Skenes and other stars. He is in the middle of a long-term contract, which mostly takes away the concerns that some agents have about letting their pitchers participate. Posey himself participated in 2017 and has fond memories of winning that tournament and getting to play with stars from other teams.
At the same time, there’s little doubt that Webb is the Giants’ most indispensable player. It has become automatic that he’ll give them 200 innings and Cy Young-caliber stats. If something goes wrong in the WBC and he’s forced to miss significant time in 2026, you can forget about any hopes of making noise in October.
Posey has had discussions with Team USA manager Mark DeRosa, and while the two are former teammates, this is one area where they don’t agree. Asked about Webb on Tuesday, DeRosa deferred to former MLB executive Michael Hill, who is putting Team USA together. Hill has finalized most of his lineup but said the staff is a work in progress.
“Logan Webb is obviously one of those names under consideration,” he said. “We want our best on Team USA, hopefully.”
Posey brought up that Clayton Kershaw and Adam Wainwright participated later in their careers and said he thinks that’s a great way to go when it comes to getting marquee pitching on the WBC rosters. What would he tell Webb, who recently turned 29 and could get other opportunities?
“You just have a thoughtful conversation with them around it and present the upside and potential downside, as well,” he said. “Look, I got to play in it. It’s a great event. The way I see it, there’s definitely more risk for a pitcher than a position player.”
Posey noted it’s hard for pitchers to dial it back at all in those games, especially in the big-time atmospheres against teams like Japan or the Dominican Republic. For position players, all of whom are just looking for at-bats in the spring, it’s easier to go at the right pace.
Devers and Adames are on the initial list for the Dominican Republic, but Nelson Cruz, their GM, mentioned that he has a lot of shortstop options. Some Giants officials felt during the season that Devers might skip this one, but Cruz said he remains an option. Other Giants are much likelier.
Lee will be the star for South Korea, although that delegation said their officials have not had conversations with the Giants yet. Kai-Wei Teng (Chinese Taipei) will likely participate for a second time. His country’s manager smiled and said Teng is their best MLB-ready pitcher. Jose Butto (Venezuela) also is a strong bet.
Chapman is on the initial list for Team USA and Carlos Beltran said “of course, of course” when asked if he wants Ramos in his outfield. Because there is a lot of flexibility with rosters, others might become eligible for teams and choose to participate. Tristan Beck, for example, might end up pitching for Great Britain.
Regardless of how many players participate, there will be some level of disruption for Tony Vitello’s first big-league camp. He figures to lose at least two or three key players to the WBC, and many others in the organization will be joining behind the scenes, like trainer Dave Groeschner (USA) and multiple members of the PR staff.
Vitello, though, isn’t concerned. It’s a long season and he will have plenty of time to get to know everyone in the organization and on his roster. He’s also a huge fan of the event in general.
“Any time you’ve got something going on, there’s pros and cons. I think there’s certainly cons to it,” he said. “I just think the event is phenomenal. So the guys that choose to or the guys in a quality enough position with their body and arm to try to compete in that, I’m all for it. I think the fallout is kind of worth the squeeze.”
ORLANDO – The $150 million no doubt played a big part in keeping Kyle Schwarber with the Philadelphia Phillies. But the community, those who run the organization, his teammates and the Phillies faithful played as much a part in him inking a five-year deal to stay with the two-time defending National League East champions.
Schwarber met with the media via zoom on Tuesday from his home in Ohio, sitting in front of a beautiful stone wall with high-end liquor bottles placed on various shelves. He is back there after making a one-day sprint to Philadelphia to get his physical and tie up some other loose ends before signing his new monster contract. The quick trip was because his wife is expecting the couple’s third child, a daughter.
“Right after the season was over with, I was able to sit down with Dave (Dombrowski, president of baseball operations) and we had a really good conversation,” Schwarber said. “Then right before we went home, (owner) Mr. (John) Middleton was able to come over to our house and we were able to spend a really good amount of time just sitting down and talking about the Phillies and his family and about what’s the future looking like for us here.
“Those were conversations that I just never forgot. You go through a season, you start having different conversations with different teams. I took notes. And once I had everything all said and done I could really sit down and make the decision. John is committed to winning and Dave wants our organization to keep pushing for a World Championship. We want to continue to win the East. What else for a player can you ask for? We have such a great fan base that on a Wednesday get away day there can be 40-some thousand there. Those are things that I don’t take lightly.
“There are others in the league that I wish could experience that. Those are things that are driving factors on a daily basis. Nothing is given, everything is earned in this game. You earn a fan base’s respect, you earn people’s respect in the game. When you get that, it’s awesome. It’s a decision that I’m not going to regret by any means and it’s going to be a great investment for both sides.”
His signing was the obvious first order of business for the Phillies, who seem to be light on power after Schwarber. Following his 56-home run, 132 RBI National League MVP runner-up season, the designated hitter doesn’t want that season to be an outlier.
“Come to four years in Philadelphia and you really feel like you’ve hit your stride and got the identity of who I wanted to be in the big leagues,” Schwarber said. “And there’s still things to improve on. The nature of having experience and that you can come out on the other side of things. I think it’s given me a whole new perspective on baseball. And it’s way more enjoyable. You could be in that slump, and you know what you have to do to get out of it. Being able to look myself in the mirror and undress yourself from top to bottom and realizing that these are things I didn’t do well and just because 2025 was a great statistical season for me it doesn’t mean this offseason I’m going to go out and do the same thing. I have to go from top to bottom and undress everything and be able to find things to get better at and keep evolving, because the game keeps evolving.
“There’s always going to be more information out there on how to get a player out. It’s my job to make sure that I’m the most prepared person to attack it and not be surprised by anything. That’s how I try to continue to play the game and that’s what I’m going to do on a year-to-year basis. I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder. I want to play this game for a long time and I want to continue to be great and help the Phillies win a World Series and multiple World Series throughout my time here.”
While the decision to stay will make sense 150 million times with fans, it was so much more that played into Schwarber’s decision to wear the red, white and blue. It’s the love of the fans. It’s the fact that a piece of paper was sent around the park and signed by thousands begging for his return.
“Resonating with an organization and resonating with a fan base is a huge part of why you do it,” he said. “You want people, you want young kids, you want anyone to be at a game and look up and see them wearing your jersey or look up at their mom and dad and say ‘Hey, I want to be like Kyle.’ Whatever it is, those are things you don’t take lightly, and those moments are awesome. I know the whole constitution thing that went around Citizen’s Bank Park, I’ve got that. I have that in my possession. Those are things that you truly do respect as a fan base.
“You hope at the end of the day as a player that you leave your mark on an organization and a fan base and I’m glad that I’m gonna have five more years to do that here in Philadelphia.”
Dombrowski and company still have plenty of work to do moving forward for the 2026 season and beyond. J.T. Realmuto has now become the top subject for the team. There are holes to fill and young players to groom, which is another place where Schwarber is so valuable.
“We’ve all been in constant communication throughout the offseason, not just J.T. We all have great relationships with each other,” said Schwarber when asked if he’s communicated with Realmuto. “I think that’s a great thing we’ve had here in Philadelphia, that we’ve all really come together and that we’re all going to have some really good friendships through our days here. I sent him a text. I would not be lying if I said I sent one to J.T. that said trying to see where he’s at.
“At the end of the day I know the process he’s going through, and I want to be respectful of that. You want him to feel like he’s making the best decision for himself and his family. Selfishly we would all like to have J.T. back because we know what he brings to the table and how important he is to not only the clubhouse and the team but what he means to Philadelphia and how he carries himself and how he cares. How he makes sure he’s going to be available to catch as many games as he can. The catching position is such a difficult position and how he’s done it for years, he should be highly sought after and I’m hoping that at the end of the day he’s back in Philadelphia. But I know that there could be a lot of different circumstances that could come in.
“We have some really exciting talent that is going to be coming up, and you want to make them feel welcomed right away. We need them performing to their best abilities. We don’t need them worrying about how does Kyle Schwarber, how does Trea Turner, how does Bryce Harper, whoever, think about what I’m doing right now. No, we’re all here together. We’re all pulling on the same rope. We need everyone pulling just the same. This is a whole collective effort. We’ve made a clubhouse that is welcoming.”
Just like Philadelphia has made it a welcoming place for Schwarber. And that will now continue for five more years.
The Mets are looking for a right-handed bat in the wake of Pete Alonso departing for Baltimore, and they've reportedly talked to one National League team about potentially doing just that.
According to multiple reports, the Mets and Cardinals have had discussions involving a trade for Willson Contreras.
The Cardinals are looking to move their veteran pieces like Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan and Contreras, but president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has yet to make a deal. MLB.com's John Denton reports that the Cardinals have fielded several calls already for Donovan and LHP JoJo Romero, with the Mets showing interest in Contreras.
Denton added that Contreras is expected to waive his no-trade clause to play in New York.
Contreras, who is entering his age-34 season, has two guaranteed years left worth $36.5 million, according to Spotrac. There is also a club option for the 2028 season, which is worth $17.5 million.
The three-time All-Star is coming off his third season in St. Louis, where he slashed .257/.344/.447 with an OPS of .791 to go along with 20 home runs and 80 RBI in 135 games.
He also offers versatility in the field. Contreras played 120 games at first base with the Cardinals last year, but has been the Cardinals' catcher in past seasons, as recent as starting behind the plate 50 times in 2024. He also has 39 games of experience in the outfield in his career, his last being during the 2021 season, but that's not expected to be a part of any plan involving Contreras.
On an emergency episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo break down the facts and emotions surrounding the news that Pete Alonso is no longer with the New York Mets.
Connor and Joe look at what happened, why it happened, and what could possibly come next for the Mets as the Polar Bear agrees to a 5-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles.
The guys hope to see a plan come together from David Stearns and Steve Cohen to make the Mets contenders, as right now for the fans, it’s one of the “bad times.”
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
D.J. Short
