After the Yankees extended the qualifying offer to the outfielder, the 28-year-old accepted the $22.025 million deal for the 2026 season on Tuesday.
It was an interesting decision for Grisham. The veteran outfielder has been a solid player in his MLB career, but broke out in 2025 with the Yankees. His 34 homers this season were twice as many as his previous career high (2022 with the Padres) and his 74 RBI were 12 more than his previous high in 2021. It wasn't just his homers and RBI. Grisham set career marks in slugging (.464), hits (116), walks (82) and OPS (.811).
Many believed that Grisham would parlay that performance into a more lucrative deal, but he's choosing to stay with the Yankees.
Now, how does this affect the Yankees' offseason? GM Brian Cashman said that at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas earlier this month that he was "comfortable" extending the qualifying offer to Grisham and paying him the $22 million for one season, but that doesn't preclude him from trying to bring back Cody Bellinger -- who opted out of his Yankees deal after the 2025 season -- or filling the rest of the team's outfield.
"We’re comfortable [extending the qualifying offer to Grisham]. This is a very thin outfield market. If he turns it down, that means the market is flush with teams that have the need," Cashman said at the time. "He had a hell of a year for us, was one of the big reasons we had the level of success we did, and we’d be happy if he accepted and came back."
Grisham's return takes some of the pressure off Cashman to fill out his roster. Aaron Judge is the only everyday outfielder he can trust, but now he can pair the AL MVP with Grisham for 2026.
As for the other outfielder, Cashman will look to bring back Bellinger, but there are also internal options available (Jasson Dominguez/Spencer Jones).
The move allows them to add outfield prospect Nick Morabito to the 40-man roster, thus protecting him from the upcoming Rule 5 draft. Teams have until Tuesday at 6 p.m. to protect players from the Rule 5 draft, which will take place on Dec. 10.
The veteran Montas, who exercised his $17 million option for the 2026 season, is expected to miss the entire season following elbow surgery.
Montas’ one-year tenure in Queens proved to be disastrous. After signing a two-year, $34 million contract early last offseason, Montas’ season got off to a delayed start following a lat strain at the start of spring training. He finally made his debut in late June, but was largely ineffective when he was able to pitch, posting a 6.28 ERA and 1.603 WHIP in nine appearances, including two out of the bullpen.
Morabito, a second-round pick of the Mets in 2022, spent the entire 2025 season with Double-A Binghamton, posting a .733 OPS with six home runs and 59 RBI. He was also excellent in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .362/.450/.464 with 16 stolen bases in 17 games.
On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo keep talking Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, and also dive into a new Mets Top 30 Prospects list.
First up, the guys look at the deal that Josh Naylor signed in Seattle to stay with the Mariners, and discuss whether or not that contract truly affects the free agent market for Alonso.
Then, Connor and Joe react to comments from Diaz about the odds for his Mets return being "50/50."
Later, the guys get into Joe’s new prospects list, and open the Mailbag to take on questions about Ketel Marte, Alex Bregman, Tatsuya Imai, Nate Lavender, and the potential of David Stearns hiring a GM.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
And while most fans and media members have pointed to the names involved in the Mets’ surplus of infielders when it comes to potential trades – players like Mark Vientos, Luisangel Acuña, Jeff McNeil, and BrettBaty – perhaps a core member of the outfielder could be on the block as well.
After the Mets’ season came to an end, SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino also brought up the possibility of the Mets exploring the trade market for stars like Nimmo and Francisco Lindor.
As Passan points out, Nimmo has a full no-trade clause as part of the eight-year, $162 million contract he signed after the 2022 season, and he is still owed $20.5 million per season through 2030.
Nimmo had another consistent season in 2025, slashing .262/.324/.436 with 25 homers, 92 RBI and 81 runs scored. His average exit velocity (91.9 MPH) and hard-hit percentage (50.2 percent) both ranked in the 88th percentile, according to Baseball Savant.
His advanced defensive numbers tell a different story, though, as both his range (42nd percentile) and his arm strength (48th percentile) rank him below league average.
The left-handed-hitting Nimmo has seen his power numbers on the rise over the course of the past few years as well, hitting at least 23 big flies in each of the last three seasons, including his career-best of 25 this past year.
While trading Nimmo would certainly come as a bit of a surprise, it could perhaps open up a corner outfield spot for free agents like Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker.
CHICAGO — Kyle Hendricks, the right-hander who helped the Chicago Cubs win the 2016 World Series and end a 108-year championship drought, is retiring, the team announced.
The 35-year-old went 105-91 with a 3.79 ERA over 11 seasons with the Cubs and one with the Los Angeles Angels. He was an All-Star in 2016, going 16-8 with a major league-best 2.13 ERA. He pitched 4 1/3 shutout innings as the Cubs lost World Series Game 3 to Cleveland 1-0 and 4 2/3 innings in Chicago’s 8-7, 10-inning win in Game 7.
“He was one of the best all-time Cubs pitchers,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement. “We would not have won the World Series without his incredible 2016 season where he won the major league ERA title and started Game 7 of the World Series. The Professor was always calm, cool and collected on the mound but his great performances excited millions of Cubs fans. From his outstanding playoff starts in 2016 to his memorable final appearance at Wrigley Field in 2024, he gave our fans sweet emotions.”
Hendricks attended Dartmouth and was nicknamed “The Professor” because of his college background and reliance on hitting spots with a changeup and sinker in an era dominated by hard throwers.
The Cubs acquired Hendricks from Texas for Ryan Dempster at the 2012 trade deadline. He made his major league debut two years later and went 97-81 with a 3.68 ERA in 270 starts and six relief appearances for Chicago with 2014-24.
He signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Angels last November and was 8-10 with a 4.76 ERA in 31 starts, including a loss to the Cubs at home in August.
It’s not impossible, with the Dodgers believed to have Bellinger on their radar as they evaluate their options in free agency.
In an offseason of wide possibilities, but thus far tempered expectations from the Dodgers’ front office, Bellinger represents something of a wild card in the team’s potential winter plans.
He is not the top outfielder on this year’s market, which is headlined by former Chicago Cubs slugger Kyle Tucker and the $400 million-plus bidding war he is expected to trigger.
But, for a team like the Dodgers, Bellinger could be a better (and more familiar) fit, providing the kind of positional versatility and financial flexibility someone like Tucker wouldn’t.
Granted, the seriousness of the Dodgers’ interest in Bellinger, which was first reported by ESPN, remains unclear. But the mere possibility will make it one of the more intriguing early subplots of the winter, representing one potentially splashier option for the club to consider in pursuit of 2026 roster upgrades.
To this point of the offseason, of course, the Dodgers have signaled a reluctance to add more lucrative, long-term, free-agent contracts to their steadily aging core. It’s shown up in their pursuit of relievers, with their preference seemingly being a shorter-term deal after being burned by big bullpen spending last year. It has also influenced the way they’ve viewed the outfield market, cooling summer-long expectations that they would be leading contenders in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes.
After all, the Dodgers have two starting outfielders currently on their roster in Teoscar Hernández (who is entering the second of his three-year, $66 million deal) and Andy Pages (who is coming off a 27-homer campaign in his second MLB season). They have plenty of depth options at the position, from Alex Call to Ryan Ward to the versatility provided by utility players Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim (and maybe even backup catcher Dalton Rushing, who could experiment in the outfield again in 2026).
Cody Bellinger was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2017 and the NL MVP in 2019, but struggled in his last few seasons with the Dodgers. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
They also, importantly, have a promising wave of outfield prospects expected to reach the majors in the next 2-3 years, a group headlined by Josue De Paula (the top prospect in their farm system); Eduardo Quintero (their 2025 minor-league hitter of the year); Zyhir Hope, Mike Sirota, James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard (promising talents acquired in trades over the last two years); and Charles Davalan and Kendall George (recent first-round draft picks).
The team would still like to add another outfielder, likely of the left-handed-hitting variety, to the mix in 2026. It is hopeful of finding an improved replacement for Michael Conforto, after his woeful performance on a one-year, $17 million deal last season.
At the same time, though, the Dodgers want to preserve their longer-term flexibility at the position — making their odds of giving someone like Tucker the 10-year contract he is expected to receive appear dubious at best.
Bellinger, however, provides a different free-agent proposition.
He is a couple of years older than Tucker, set to turn 31 next season, but is also likely to receive a contract of roughly half the length and much less guaranteed money; pegged by most projections to be in the 5-6 year and $150-$175 million range (though he could reasonably surpass those figures if his market materializes well).
Crucially, Bellinger also offers positional flexibility. At present, he can play all three outfield spots, and remains a plus-defender in the corners. Down the line, he could eventually shift to first base, making him (for a team like the Dodgers) a potential future successor to Freddie Freeman.
Another key factor: Bellinger is a much different player than he was when the Dodgers declined to tender him a contract at the end of the 2022 season.
Back then, Bellinger was coming off two straight years of subpar performance in the wake of a shoulder surgery following the 2020 World Series. Between 2021 and 2022, he hit .193, struck out more than 27% of the time, and had an OPS+ of 66 (an advanced metric in which 100 is considered league average).
The last three years, on the other hand, have seen the former MVP winner stage a mid-career revival. While playing for the Chicago Cubs (who signed Bellinger ahead of the 2023 season) and New York Yankees (who traded for him last offseason), he hit .281, struck out just 15% of the time, and had an OPS+ of 125. Last season, he also hit 29 home runs, his most since collecting 47 in his 2019 MVP season.
Granted, Bellinger did benefit from the hitter-friendly environment at Yankee Stadium, where he had 18 of his long balls last year. He also does not hit the ball as routinely hard as in his peak years with the Dodgers. Yet, he has improved his approach, honed more consistent swing mechanics, and balanced out his platoon splits, batting .353 against left-handed pitching in 2025.
Those strides served as a reminder of Bellinger’s tantalizing talent, as well as a sign of his growing maturation as he enters his 10th year in the majors.
The question now: Whether it will all be enough for the Dodgers to make a legitimate run at bringing him back.
The nature of free agency, of course, means Bellinger is still likely to land elsewhere this winter. He is expected to field wide interest on the open market, starting with the incumbent Yankees (especially if their other free-agent outfielder, Trent Grisham, turns down a qualifying offer). The Dodgers, meanwhile, remain better positioned to explore the trade market for an outfield addition, possessing the kind of highly-rated farm system that could make them a factor for everyone from Steven Kwan to Brandon Donovan to Jarren Duran.
If Bellinger were to attract his own bidding war, the Dodgers would likely be reluctant to overpay (at least in their view) for his services.
But for now, the possibility of a reunion does at least seemingly exist — thanks to Bellinger’s versatile fit, recent resurgence and lingering familiarity with the franchise.
Years removed from his breakout, then flame-out, during his first tenure with the Dodgers, he could wind up in their winter plans again this offseason.
Passan notes that the Mets are "mulling the opportunity" to sign both Williams and Edwin Diaz, who is expected to reject the team's one-year qualifying offer ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
In addition to the Mets, reports have linked Williams to the Dodgers and Blue Jays.
Williams, 31, had a down year for the Yankees in 2025 after being acquired from the Brewers in an offseason trade.
Over 62.0 innings spanning 67 appearances, Williams -- who bounced in and out of the closer's role due to his inconsistencies -- had a 4.79 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while striking out 90 batters.
But there are reasons to believe Williams' relatively poor season was an aberration.
For one, his 2.68 FIP was in line with his career FIP of 2.45 -- suggesting he was unusually unlucky on balls that were put in play.
Meanwhile, his walk rate (3.6 per nine) was down, his home run rate (0.7 per nine) was around his career average, his ability to miss bats was among the best in baseball, and his famous "airbender" changeup again graded out as one of the best pitches in the sport.
The Mets have lots of work to do this offseason when it comes to putting the bullpen together.
Aside from A.J. Minter (who exercised his player option for 2026) and Brooks Raley (whose club option for 2026 was picked up on Tuesday) there are no 2025 bullpen members who are a lock to be back. And Minter's start to the season will likely be delayed by a few weeks as he works his way back from the lat surgery that ended his 2025 campaign.
Trade deadline acquisitions Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto are all free agents.
Members of the Mets' 40-man roster who could be relief options next season include Huascar Brazoban (who is arbitration-eligible), Jonathan Pintaro, and Dylan Ross.
Reed Garrett, who has been a mainstay the last two seasons, is expected to miss the entire 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery.
The Boston Red Sox added an infielder Tuesday. No, his name isn’t Pete Alonso.
The Red Sox acquired Tristan Gray from the Rays in a trade that sent minor-league pitcher Luis Guerrero to Tampa Bay. Boston designed first baseman Nathaniel Lowe for assignment to make room for Gray on the 40-man roster.
Gray isn’t exactly a household name — he’s spent time with four teams over the last two years since making his major league debut in 2023. The 29-year-old appeared in 30 games for the Rays last season, however, posting a .231 batting average with a .693 OPS to go along with three home runs, nine RBI and five doubles.
Gray has positional versatility, as well: He made nine starts at second base, seven starts at shortstop, three starts at second base and one start at first base last season. At the moment, he projects as an infield depth option who can make the occasional spot start if needed.
That begs the question: What could Boston’s starting infield look like in 2026? The answer is complicated, as the Red Sox are rumored to be interested in several prominent infield free agents while awaiting the decision of starting third baseman Alex Bregman.
Here’s a position-by-position rundown of Boston’s infield:
You’d have to think the Red Sox will add a power-hitting first baseman this offseason, especially after DFA’ing Lowe. Casas has All-Star potential when healthy but has played just 92 games total over the past two seasons.
Murakami and Okamoto are two of the best hitters in Japan who are both coming stateside this winter. Both are third basemen but can play first base, so perhaps the Red Sox would explore adding them as well.
Second base
Current depth chart: Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, Romy Gonzalez, David Hamilton, Tyler Sogard, Tristan Gray
Potential free-agent targets: Bo Bichette
Here’s where things get complicated.
If Alex Bregman re-signs in Boston after opting out of his contract, Mayer likely would be the starting second baseman, with Bregman playing third and Trevor Story at shortstop. If Bregman signs elsewhere, Mayer likely would slide to third, where he played 39 games last season.
Campbell was Boston’s opening day starter in 2025 but was in the minors by June. If the Red Sox believe he’s ready for the big leagues, he could get first crack at second base in the Mayer-at-third-base scenario. If not, perhaps they’d look to free agency; Audacy’s Rob Bradford reports the Red Sox have interest in Bo Bichette, who is primarily a shortstop but played second base during the World Series.
Ceddanne Rafaela also had a brief stint at second base last season but just won a Gold Glove in center field, so the Red Sox would be wise to keep him there.
Shortstop
Current depth chart: Trevor Story, Marcelo Mayer, David Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez, Tristan Gray
Potential free-agent targets: Bo Bichette
Story opting in to stay in Boston solves at least one piece of the infield puzzle. But if Bregman signs elsewhere and the Red Sox want to get creative, they could sign Bichette to play shortstop, move Story to second base and start Mayer at third base.
Even if Bregman returns, Boston could benefit from having an extra starting-caliber infielder in the mix, as the team was very thin at first base last season following Casas’ injury.
Potential free-agent targets: Alex Bregman, Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto
As stated above, this comes down to whether Bregman re-signs with Boston or seeks greener pastures. The latter scenario might motivate the Red Sox to pursue either Murakami or Okamoto to bolster the corner of the infield. But Mayer figures to be the incumbent — assuming he can stay healthy.
As the Mets' offseason shakes out, the huge domino that will fall regarding the offense isPete Alonso.
With Alonso a free agent for the second consecutive year, it can be argued that he is the best fit to fill the Mets' power need and that Alonso's most logical landing spot is right back in Queens
But with Alonso reportedly seeking a seven-year deal and his free agency potentially dragging out, New York could be forced to move on without him in order to remove the risk of losing other quality options.
No matter what happens with Alonso, though, the Mets should be looking to add more offense.
If Alonso leaves, New York's goal should be adding two impact bats.
If Alonso stays, the goal should be adding one other legitimate bat in addition to him.
Should the versatile Cody Bellinger be near the top of the list?
Here are the pros and cons of signing the outfielder/first baseman...
Jul 29, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Cody Bellinger (35) tosses his bat as he watches his three run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
PROS
In his age-29 season, Bellinger had his second-best campaign since winning the MVP award in 2019.
Over 656 plate appearances spanning 152 games for the Yankees, Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 (125 OPS+) with 29 home runs, 25 doubles, five triples, 98 RBI, and 89 runs scored.
Bellinger also didn't strike out much. The left-hander fanned only 90 times, continuing a career trend that has spanned from 2019 to now, which was interrupted only during the 2022 season.
And Bellinger continued to show his versatility in 2025 as he started 115 games in right field, 36 games at first base, and 25 in center field. He was a plus defensively while moving all over the field, rating in the 93rd percentile when it comes to Outs Above Average and possessing an elite throwing arm.
Bellinger's aforementioned strikeout rate was among the best in the majors, while his other advanced offensive stats were a mixed bag. However, with his MVP season being an exception, he has rarely been above average when it comes to hitting the ball hard -- and has succeeded at the plate in spite of it.
Meanwhile, Bellinger has repeatedly proven that he can handle playing in a big market.
His MVP season came in Los Angeles with the Dodgers, he had an .881 OPS for the Cubs in 2023, and excelled in 2025 in his first season with the Yanks.
Bellinger has also been a lineup mainstay for most of his career. He played in a career-low 95 games for the Dodgers in 2021 as he battled a bunch of different injuries, but has played between 132 and 162 games in every other season of his nine-year career.
Mar 29, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) hits an RBI single in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
CONS
The Mets signing Bellinger would almost certainly be contingent on one of two things happening -- the departure of Alonso or the trade of Brandon Nimmo.
If Alonso returns -- and he should be at the top of the Mets' list of priorities -- there could still be room for Bellinger if Nimmo is traded. But there are a few issues there.
The first is that Nimmo has a full no-trade clause, which means he would have to approve any deal. The second is that while Nimmo is still an above average offensive player, his contract (five years remaining at $20.5 million per season) and age (he'll be 33 years old in March) might mean New York having to pay down some of his deal in a potential trade.
The simplest scenario could be the Mets signing Bellinger to replace Alonso at first base if the latter signs elsewhere, but that would make New York's lineup even more left-handed and not adequately fill the power void Alonso's departure would create.
Then there's the question of how much it will take to sign Bellinger, with a reasonable belief being that his contract will be between five and seven years long.
As someone who is a plus offensive player, a plus defender, and a plus on the bases, it's hard to argue against that length of contract being fair for Bellinger. But while his struggles in 2021 and 2022 seem like an aberration, there are some underlying concerns regarding Bellinger's offensive production.
One of those concerns? Bellinger slashed .302/.365/.544 (.909 OPS) at the hitter's haven that is Yankee Stadium in 2025. On the road, he hit just .241/.301/.414 (.715 OPS).
VERDICT
Even though Bellinger is a good offensive player who would help when it comes to the Mets' desire to improve their defense, he isn't a smooth fit.
Perhaps that could change if Bellinger lingers on the market deep into the offseason and/or Alonso departs.
But as of now, the Mets' top offensive targets should be Alonso, Alex Bregman, and Bo Bichette.
Just over a month ago, Dave Dombrowski sat in the media room at Citizens Bank Park across from reporters following the Phillies’ fourth straight postseason exit.
The president of baseball operations kept things honest — maybe a little too honest.
Arguably the biggest takeaway from his 54-minute end-of-season press conference was about Bryce Harper. Dombrowski was blunt about the two-time MVP’s 2025 campaign and his outlook moving forward.
“He’s still an All-Star-caliber player. He didn’t have an elite season like he has had in the past. And I guess we only find out if he becomes elite or he continues to be good,” he said. “Can he rise to the next level again? I don’t really know that answer. He’s the one that will dictate that more than anything else.”
Dombrowski continued: “I don’t think he’s content with the year that he had. And again, it wasn’t a bad year. But when you think of Bryce Harper, you think of elite, right? You think of one of the top 10 players in baseball, and I don’t think it fit into that category.”
In 2025, the 32-year-old Harper slashed .261/.357/.487 with 27 home runs and 75 RBIs. His .844 OPS was his lowest in a season since joining the Phillies and his lowest overall since his age-23 year in 2016. He also played through nagging injuries.
He spent just over three weeks on the injured list in June with right wrist inflammation — an issue he’d felt earlier in the season.
A week after the press conference, with Harper trade chatter swirling, Dombrowski went on Foul Territory and tried to pull things back.
"I've been reading that the Phillies may trade Bryce Harper. That couldn't be further from the truth."
Dave Dombrowski says Bryce Harper is an elite talent, and his comments weren't meant to be criticism. pic.twitter.com/HMJY6TjPsv
“First of all, to me, Bryce Harper is one of the best players in the game of baseball,” Dombrowski said. “Now I’ve been reading that, oh, the Phillies may trade Bryce Harper. That couldn’t be further from the truth. We love him.”
Still, Harper didn’t take Dombrowski’s initial comments lightly. In an interview with Matt Gelb of The Athletic, he said, “I have given my all to Philly from the start. Now there is trade talk? I made every effort to avoid this … It makes me feel uncomfortable.” He later added, “It’s disappointing to hear me being questioned about my contribution to the team. Just really hurt by that notion because I love Philly so much.”
Harper, who has no opt-out and a full no-trade clause, pointed out why the whole thing stung. “I wanted these fans to know Philly is my home, so from the start, I made the commitment to stay here for the rest of my career. No opt-out, even though I was advised otherwise,” he expressed. “From changing positions to coming back early from injury, I show total commitment for my team. And yet there is still trade talk.”
So now that his “elite” status is under the microscope, what can the Phillies expect from Harper in 2026?
Protect him.
Credit: Eric Hartline – Imagn Images
It all begins with lineup help.
Harper has lived in the 3-hole since arriving in 2019. In 2025, he rarely had consistent protection behind him. The cleanup spot produced a .720 OPS — 20th in MLB — a steep drop from his best years in Philadelphia.
Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto carried most of those at-bats this past season. Castellanos, 33, posted a .651 OPS in 214 plate appearances out of the four-spot; Realmuto, 34, had a .683 mark in 180 trips there.
Both of those names have offered real protection for Harper before.
His best two seasons as a Phillie came in 2021 and 2023.
In 2021, Harper put up a league-leading 1.044 OPS on his way to a second MVP. As a team, the Phillies had an .819 OPS — fifth-best in the National League. Realmuto did most of the cleanup work that year and hit .287 with an .832 OPS in that role.
In 2023, Harper slashed .293/.401/.499 (.900 OPS). The Phillies’ overall OPS jumped to .822, helped by Castellanos’ 15 homers and .300/.339/.514 line in the four-hole.
The pattern is obvious: when the cleanup spot is a threat, Harper’s numbers jump off the page.
In 2025, that wasn’t the case. The Phillies need a steady right-handed hitter behind him.
The Alonso question and a first-base pivot
Credit: Rick Osentoski – Imagn Images
One way to get there is the scenario that keeps coming up: Harper moving back to right field.
Dombrowski has publicly pushed back on that this offseason, saying the front office views Harper as its first baseman. But if Harper returned to the outfield, it would open the door to pursue a true middle-of-the-order bat at first — someone like Pete Alonso.
Alonso hit 38 homers and drove in 126 runs in 2025, while also leading the league in doubles. Even with some swing-and-miss, that kind of production behind Harper would change how pitchers game-plan entirely.
His market could be shaped by fellow free-agent first baseman Josh Naylor. On Monday, the 30-year-old signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal after a year in which he hit .295 with 20 homers, 92 RBIs and 30 steals. Naylor is two-and-a-half years younger than Alonso, and his $18.5 million AAV could keep Alonso’s asking price from getting out of control.
Josh Naylor’s contract with the Mariners is for five years, $92.5M, source tells @TheAthletic.
If the Phillies want to push Harper back toward “elite,” adding a legitimate right-handed bat behind him is the clearest path.
The analytics point up, a tad
For as much as Dombrowski’s comments have been dissected, Harper’s underlying metrics in 2025 actually trended the right way compared with his 30-homer, .898 OPS season in 2024.
His barrel rate, hard-hit percentage and bat speed all ticked up. His walk rate improved. His strikeout rate went down. The line on the back of the baseball card may have dipped, but the advanced numbers did not scream decline.
The lack of pitches to hit was real, too. Todd Zolecki of MLB.com noted that among hitters who saw at least 200 pitches, Harper saw strikes only 43 percent of the time — the lowest rate of any of the 532 qualified players. That’s what happens when there is a lack of protection.
It’s fair for the Phillies’ front office to ask whether he’ll be “elite” again at 33 and beyond. It’s also fair to point out that a .844 OPS during an injury-riddled season is still star-level production.
What to expect in 2026
Regardless of how you interpret the comments, there’s no question about Harper’s dedication — or his importance to the Phillies. He has a no-trade clause, chose no opt-out when he signed and has been vocal about wanting to finish his career in Philadelphia.
The front office’s responsibility now is straightforward: build a lineup that gives Harper a chance to produce at a higher level. That starts with real protection behind him.
If Harper is healthy, it’s not hard to envision a return closer to his 2021 and 2023 production than what he posted in 2025.
The word “elite” is going to hover around Harper all season. Dombrowski and the Phils will expect star-level production from the eight-time All-Star — and Harper has made it clear he’ll do everything he can to make that happen.
Even after a trade deadline when the Mets parted with 10 prospects to make a run in 2025, their farm system still ranks among the best in the sport. Notably, ESPN notably ranks the Mets first.
It is a good blend of high-end, close-to-major-league-ready talent and players at the lower levels with real upside -- especially on the pitching side. Nine of the top 10 prospects below finished the season in either Double-A, Triple-A or the majors while still maintaining prospect eligibility.
The 2026 season is a big year for the organization. There should be a real expectation to get impact from the farm system. Mets fans saw some of the top pitchers debut in 2025, and there should be a 2026 expectation to see more pitching -- as well as some position-player impact.
As tough as 2025 was for the Mets, they are still set up well for near-term success with young talent and payroll flexibility with potential for long-term stability.
Here are the Mets’ top 30 prospects for the 2025-26 offseason:
1. RHP Nolan McLean
Nolan McLean is a prospect I was high on entering the 2025 season when I ranked him third in the system, and it turns out I was not high enough. He had a breakout 2025, rising to the big leagues and posting a 2.06 ERA in 48 innings, just staying under the threshold to remain prospect eligible.
McLean can spin a baseball as well and efficiently as anyone in baseball, and he made significant strides in 2025 against left-handed hitters. He emphasized his sinker and curveball, the latter being a pitch he hardly threw before 2025. The next step in his development is improving his control and command -- not that it was a big issue, but there’s always room to grow.
McLean should be lined up to pitch at or near the top of the Mets’ rotation in 2026. He should be considered one of the early favorites to win the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year, which, if he did, would net the Mets a pick just after the first round in the 2027 MLB Draft.
MLB ETA: Already made it
2. OF Carson Benge
It was close between McLean and Carson Benge for who would top this list. Both are likely to be considered among the top 20 prospects in baseball when national outlets re-rank their top 100 lists.
After being selected with the No. 19 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Benge had a meteoric rise from a prospect who appeared on only one top 100 list (Baseball Prospectus) before 2025 to one of the best outfield prospects in baseball. Benge will get the chance to compete to be the Mets’ Opening Day center fielder in 2026, David Stearns said.
Benge played at three levels, finishing the season at Triple-A. He posted a .281/.385/.472 slash line with 25 doubles, 15 home runs and 73 RBI in 116 games.
He has an above-average offensive profile across the board. His power coming into pro ball was more naturally to left-center field and the opposite way. There are some moving parts to his swing, but he showed the hand quickness to pull the ball more as the season went on.
Defensively is where the questions arise. In talking to evaluators, the ideal outcome would be Benge in a corner outfield spot because he is more of an average or slightly above-average athlete with a plus arm. However, his defense in center field improved throughout 2025. He could have a defensive center field profile like Trent Grisham, who makes it work on reads, reaction and jumps rather than pure athleticism. Benge has a chance to be a core member of the Mets’ offense.
MLB ETA: 2026
3. INF/CF Jett Williams
Jett Williams had a bounce-back season in 2025 after he missed all but 33 games in 2024.
In 96 games in 2025 with Double-A Binghamton, Williams hit .281/.390/.477 with 29 doubles, 10 home runs, 37 RBI and 32 stolen bases. Like Benge, Williams had an adjustment period in Triple-A but did hit seven home runs in just 34 Triple-A games.
He has an above-average hit tool and plate discipline with some sneaky power. Despite his smaller stature, he posted an above-average 104.4 mph 90th percentile exit velocity in Triple-A, which is right in line with Benge’s number. At times, there is some over-swinging in his game. But when Williams is at his best, he smacks line drives to all fields. He is capable of jumping on a mistake pitch and doing some damage.
Defensively, he has played all three up-the-middle spots with second base likely being his best long-term home. He is a plus runner who has flashed some potential in center field but is clearly more natural in the dirt.
Williams projects as a top-of-the-order, everyday player who should get on base at a good clip with 30-plus-stolen-base potential. He may not be as likely for an Opening Day role, but he should push for a job in the big leagues in 2026.
MLB ETA: 2026
4. RHP Jonah Tong
Jonah Tong had an uneven first seven starts to his big-league career, but that debut came on the heels of one of the best minor league seasons in recent memory. In 22 minor league starts, 20 of which came with Double-A Binghamton, Tong posted video game-like numbers with a 1.43 ERA in 113.2 innings. He allowed only 58 hits and led minor league baseball with 179 strikeouts.
He comes with two plus pitches in a fastball that averaged 95 mph in the big leagues and will get up to 98 mph. What makes that pitch special is not just the velocity, but the induced vertical break or “ride” on it. Tong’s 19.8-inch IVB was tied for fourth best of any pitcher in baseball.
Tong has tinkered with different changeup grips since turning pro, and before 2025 he settled on a Vulcan changeup grip, which was a menace to minor league hitters.
At the major league level, he needs to develop a third pitch he can rely on. Tong has the old-school, slow, 12-6 curve that flashes but must land it for strikes more often than he has. He has tinkered with slider/cutter grips but yet to find one that he can land consistently.
He comes from an extreme over-the-top arm angle, which adds deception and borderline elite extension that makes pitches feel as if they are jumping at hitters. Tong could use a little more minor league time, but with improvement in command and refinement of a third and maybe fourth pitch, the sky’s the limit. Without that development, there is a non-zero chance for some reliever risk.
MLB ETA: Already made it
5. RHP Brandon Sproat
Brandon Sproat is the third prospect on this list to have already made his major league debut. He was the last of the three starting pitchers to get called up, but the Mets were impressed by his growth in 2025.
Entering the 2025 season, Sproat was the consensus No. 1 prospect in the Mets’ system despite struggling in his first taste of Triple-A action in 2024. That struggle carried over into the early part of 2025, then there were a couple of changes. Sproat had not been the aggressive pitcher he was in college and early in his pro career.
He began to throw more sinkers and sweepers, which were pitches he learned in 2024 but took time to perfect and trust in-game. He also had a mental shift where he was just going to let it loose and pitch.
Everything ticked up velocity-wise, and he had a 30% strikeout rate, which was double his number from earlier in the season.
This led to Sproat’s call-up, where his poise stood out. He has to continue to work on his control and command and continue to refine his pitches to try to miss bats at closer to his rate at the end of his run in Triple-A than he did in his short stint in the majors.
He threw six different pitches, according to Statcast, headlined by his mid-to-upper-90s sinker and four-seam fastball. He had an uptick in curveball usage, similar to McLean, as a way to combat left-handed hitters. Sproat may be more floor than upside at this stage, but he appears big-league ready now. It will come down to whether the opportunity is available for him.
A.J. Ewing was the biggest riser in the Mets’ 2025 system. He began the season outside the top 30 and climbed all the way to No. 6.
The 20-year-old played across three levels, ending the season with Double-A Binghamton. In 124 games, he hit .315/.401/.429 with 26 doubles, 10 triples, three home runs and 70 stolen bases.
Ewing’s game is based primarily on bat-to-ball skills, limiting swing-and-miss and spraying line drives while using his legs. He can turn on a mistake to the pull side, but home run power is not likely to be a big part of his game. He showed growth by increasing his line-drive percentage from 20.1% in 2024 to 29.3% in 2025, which is a good sign.
Defensively, he has played all three outfield spots as well as second base. He is an electric athlete with true plus speed and a tick-above-average arm. The Mets feel comfortable that he will handle center field at the next level but have the versatility to play anywhere in the outfield.
His strikeout rate ticked up in Double-A, so that will be something to watch in 2026. If he can add strength to hit the ball harder, that will elevate his upside. Either way, Ewing profiles as a center fielder who projects to hit for average, get on base and be impactful on the basepaths. The Mets’ scouting department may have found something in the 2023 fourth-round pick. One scout who saw him play said Ewing looks like a Pete Crow-Armstrong-lite type of player.
MLB ETA: 2027
7. 3B/1B Jacob Reimer
After missing nearly all of the 2024 season because of a torn hamstring, Jacob Reimer put together a complete 2025.
He made mechanical adjustments to his swing and opened his stance slightly. He increased his bat speed, and those changes showed in the results.
In 122 games, evenly split between High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton, Reimer hit .282/.379/.491 (.870 OPS) with 32 doubles, 17 home runs and 77 RBI.
Reimer has always been considered to have raw power, and he displayed it in batting practice, but 2025 was the first time it translated into game action and graded out as above average, borderline plus. He has an advanced plan at the plate and probably an average to slightly above-average hit tool.
Reimer is a below-average athlete with plenty of arm for third base, but he may profile best across the diamond at first, which will put more pressure on the bat to continue to grow. Reimer’s 2025 season is a feather in the cap for the Mets’ player development department, helping him turn raw tools into game action across a full season. He could be a future 25-home-run corner bat.
MLB ETA: 2027
8. 1B Ryan Clifford
Ryan Clifford unquestionably has the best power tool in the Mets’ system, grading out at least plus.
In 139 games, most of which were with Double-A Binghamton, Clifford hit .237/.356/.470 with 23 doubles, 29 home runs (fifth in all of minor league baseball) and 71 RBI.
His hit tool is below average, with a strong lean toward fly balls that will make it unlikely for Clifford to sustain a high batting average. To his credit, Clifford decreased his strikeout rate from 29.6% in 2024 to 25.6% in 2025.
Clifford’s profile is likely to be based on on-base ability and power. He will take his walks, posting a 15% walk rate in 2025. At the Triple-A level, he showed elite exit velocity and hard-hit rate numbers.
Defensively, he has played some corner outfield with plenty of arm strength to handle it. But his athletic profile fits better at first base, where he could be above average defensively.
The 2026 season will be big for Clifford. If he can continue to trim his strikeout rate, he could become an impactful middle-of-the-order bat with the potential for 30-plus home runs. It will come down to making enough contact to maximize that tool.
MLB ETA: 2026
9. SS Elian Peña
Elian Peña signed with the Mets this past January for $5 million, a franchise-record bonus for an international amateur.
Peña started his professional career in the Dominican Summer League by going 0-for-26. However, in the remaining 46 games, Peña hit .342/.463/.618 (1.081 OPS) with 13 doubles, nine home runs, 32 RBIs and 18 stolen bases while walking more (33) than he struck out (29).
The 18-year-old, while still incredibly raw, possesses strong bat-to-ball skills with a compact, quick swing and plus plate discipline. As he physically matures, he should develop at least above-average power. There are 25-plus home runs in the bat, scouts believe, and his raw power showed with two separate three-home-run games in 2025.
Defensively, he is playing shortstop. However, as he matures, he is most likely to end up at third base long term, scouts believe.
Peña has the type of potential that a year from now he could top this list. It will be a good challenge for him to come stateside in 2026.
MLB ETA: 2029
10. LHP Jonathan Santucci
Jonathan Santucci entered the 2024 season, his last at Duke, looking like a potential mid-first-round pick. He dealt with injuries that led to him falling to the second round, where the Mets felt fortunate to land him.
Santucci struggled to begin his professional career (8.14 ERA in his first six starts), but he performed like one of the best pitchers in the minors the rest of the season.
In his next 17 starts across 96.2 innings, Santucci posted a 1.96 ERA with 117 strikeouts. Opposing batters hit only .180 against him, and he walked three batters per nine innings.
Santucci starts with a clean, athletic delivery and two plus pitches: a mid-90s fastball that touches 97 and an upper-80s power slider that he leaned on. He also has a changeup and dabbled with a curveball, but those pitches need work.
There is reliever risk if he cannot fine-tune his command and develop that third pitch. If Santucci can turn in average command and an average third offering with a fourth he can sprinkle in, there is mid-rotation upside.
MLB ETA: 2026
11. RHP Jack Wenninger
Jake Wenninger had an excellent campaign with Double-A Binghamton, posting a 2.92 ERA in 135.2 innings and ranking within the top 20 in minor league baseball with 147 strikeouts. He also played a pivotal role in Binghamton’s Eastern League championship run.
Wenninger has a four-pitch mix with a fastball that ticked up in velocity, touching 97 this year. His best pitch is his plus splitter, which he uses as a swing-and-miss offering. He also has a slider and curveball. He projects as a potential No. 4 starter.
MLB ETA: 2026
12. RHP Will Watson
The 2024 seventh-round pick pitched across three levels in 2025, reaching Double-A and posting a 2.60 ERA in 121.1 innings, allowing only 88 hits and striking out 142. Will Watson has a four-pitch mix headed by a four-seam fastball that ticked up in pro ball, up to 97 mph from a low three-quarter slot with ride. He also throws a slider, changeup and cutter.
Watson needs to refine his command, but he could be a future big-league starter. If Watson does not take that step, he has previous relief experience and could fit as a power reliever.
Nick Morabito had a solid season with Double-A Binghamton, slashing .273/.348/.385 with 27 doubles, six home runs, 59 RBI and 49 stolen bases. He needs to impact the baseball more and hit it less on the ground, scouts said. He had a huge Arizona Fall League, slashing .362/.450/.464 in 17 games with 16 stolen bases. Importantly, he flashed plus exit velocities with a 108.6 mph 90th percentile EV and 111.8 mph max EV. Morabito is an excellent athlete who can play center field at the next level.
The impact of the bat will determine whether he becomes an everyday player or more of a fourth outfielder. The Mets will need to add him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
MLB ETA: 2027
14. 2B Mitch Voit
Mitch Voit was the No. 38 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of Michigan, where he had a breakout year for the Wolverines with a 1.140 OPS in 56 games. The former two-way player will focus exclusively on offense in pro ball, and he got a taste with Low-A St. Lucie, where he posted a .638 OPS in 22 games with 20 stolen bases.
Offensively, Voit has excellent bat speed and in-zone contact rates. His swing naturally lofts the ball in the air, and he posts above-average, at times plus, exit velocities.
He is a good athlete who thrived at second base despite never playing it before this season, making multiple highlight-reel plays in his first pro stint. He projects more as a high-floor player than a high-ceiling one.
MLB ETA: 2028
15. C/1B/OF Chris Suero
Chris Suero followed up a season split between High-A and Double-A, where he posted a .786 OPS with 16 home runs in 115 games and an excellent Arizona Fall League. He slashed .283/.353/.567 with five home runs (tied for second in the AFL) in 15 games.
Suero lacks a true standout tool but is average across the board with the chance for more power. In Scottsdale, he posted a max 112.5 mph exit velocity and a 60.5% hard-hit rate. His versatility could carry him to the big leagues, even in a reserve role, where his ability to catch adds value.
MLB ETA: 2027
16. OF Eli Serrano III
Eli Serrano III had a strong start to his pro career in 2025, then suffered an ankle injury and never performed offensively like he did early on. There is belief that he will take a step forward when he gets out of the confines of Brooklyn. Serrano hit .189 with a .635 OPS at home and .255 with a .743 OPS on the road.
He added weight to his 6-foot-5 frame and has above-average raw power and a solid plan at the plate. Serrano played all three outfield spots with right field being the best fit for his plus throwing arm.
MLB ETA: 2027
17. RHP Dylan Ross
Dylan Ross was called up to the majors for the last weekend of the 2025 season but will have to wait until 2026 to make his MLB debut. The 24-year-old pitched at three levels, primarily Triple-A. He posted a 2.17 ERA in 54 innings, allowing only 29 hits and striking out 80. It’s a pure power-reliever profile with a fastball that averages 97 mph and touches triple digits. He generated big swing-and-miss numbers on both his low-90s splitter (48.3% whiff rate) and upper-80s slider (67.7% whiff rate).
Ross will need to work through command issues (5.5 walks per nine), but there is belief that being another year removed from Tommy John surgery could help. Ross will compete for a spot in the Mets’ Opening Day bullpen.
MLB ETA: Already made it
18. SS Antonio Jimenez
The Mets selected Antonio Jimenez in the third round of the 2025 draft after he posted a .982 OPS with 11 home runs in 55 games for UCF. He possesses above-average bat speed, and in college he punished velocity to the pull side. Jimenez has work to do on recognizing spin, but Hitting 101 starts with hitting the fastball.
In a small sample with Low-A St. Lucie, he posted strong zone-contact numbers and avoided swing-and-miss issues. Defensively, je has a plus arm but may lack the range for shortstop long term. Jimenez may project best as a utility infielder.
MLB ETA: 2028
19. RHP Ryan Lambert
Ryan Lambert is a pure reliever who posted a 1.62 ERA in 46 games (39 at Double-A), allowing only 31 hits in 50 innings while striking out 81. He is a prototype reliever prospect with two pitches: a plus fastball that sits 96-97 mph and touches 100 mph, and a power mid-to-upper-80s slider.
Lambert currently has below-average command, but if the Mets can extract a little more, he has the stuff and bulldog mentality to be a high-leverage reliever. Expect him to make his MLB debut in 2026.
MLB ETA: 2026
20. LHP Zach Thornton
Zach Thornton was pitching as well as anyone in the Mets’ organization before an oblique injury at the end of June ended his season. He posted a 1.98 ERA in 14 starts across 72.2 innings, striking out 78 and walking only 11 batters.
He can control a four-pitch mix with a fastball that sits in the 91-94 mph range, supplemented by a slider, curveball and changeup. He projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter.
MLB ETA: 2027
21. RHP R.J. Gordon
R.J. Gordon starred at Oregon and was a 13th-round pick in the 2024 draft. He was mostly a reliever his first two seasons with the Ducks, then had internal brace surgery and returned as a starter in 2024, struggling to a 5.13 ERA. His first pro season was a success, posting a 3.36 ERA in 128.2 innings with 147 strikeouts.
His stuff has ticked up, with his fastball now touching 95 mph, and there is belief that he has more in the tank. He added a “kick change” this year, which was a source of swings and misses. Gordon has two solid breaking balls in a slider and curveball. He could be a back-end starter or a multi-inning reliever.
MLB ETA: 2027
22. RHP Peter Kussow
Peter Kussow was the Mets’ fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft out of high school in Wisconsin. The Mets signed him for $897,500, which is second-round money. He is already well built at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds with broad shoulders and natural stuff.
Kussow is raw, as is usual for cold-weather pitchers, but has a fastball that will touch 97 mph and a power slider that reaches the upper 80s. He has a changeup, but it needs work as he didn’t need it in high school. Kussow is a name to watch entering 2026.
MLB ETA: 2030
23. RHP Jonathan Pintaro
Jonathan Pintaro briefly appeared at the big-league level in 2025 after being signed out of independent ball just more than a year ago.
He converted from starter to reliever but still manages a five-pitch mix with a four-seam fastball up to 97 mph, plus a cutter, sweeper, changeup and slider. He projects best as a potential multi-inning relief option.
MLB ETA: Already made it
24. INF Boston Baro
Boston Baro was a hyped prospect entering the 2025 season and even homered in the Spring Breakout game. Baro didn’t have that type of season, hitting only .224 with a .602 OPS.
He is still only 21 years old, puts the ball in play and is a good athlete with a strong throwing arm. He will need to find a way to impact the baseball to climb back up this list.
MLB ETA: 2028
25. INF Marco Vargas
Marco Vargas was once the headlining piece in the trade that sent David Robertson to Miami.
The hit tool hasn’t translated as expected, but Vargas still has excellent plate discipline and avoids strikeouts. He is a quality defender up the middle, but it’s hard to see anything more than a utility-infielder ceiling.
MLB ETA: 2027
Yovanny Rodriguez / Courtesy of Klutch Sports Group/SNY treated image
26. C Yovanny Rodriguez
Yovanny Rodriguez was the Mets’ top international signing in the 2024 class. After a tough first pro season, the 18-year-old hit .336/.446/.493 (.939 OPS) in 44 games while repeating the Dominican Summer League. He is a hit-over-power profile with above-average plate discipline. Defensively, he has grown as a receiver, but his strength is his plus arm. He threw out 29% of baserunners this year.
MLB ETA: 2029
27. INF Jeremy Rodriguez
Jeremy Rodriguez struggled with a .540 OPS as an 18-year-old for Low-A St. Lucie. Now 19, Rodriguez needs to physically mature. His average and 90th percentile exit velocities were well below average. His max EV of 109.4 mph was above average, so there is something there.
He ranked near the best in the league in whiff rate and in-zone contact percentage. He is an average athlete who can play both second base and shortstop. Rodriguez should repeat Low-A in 2026.
MLB ETA: 2028
28. C Daiverson Gutiérrez
Daiverson Gutiérrez’s best trait is putting the bat on the ball and avoiding strikeouts. In 91 games with Low-A St. Lucie, he had almost as many walks (53) as strikeouts (58). Gutiérrez shows the natural ability to loft the baseball, but he needs to hit it harder more consistently.
Defensively, Gutiérrez is an average receiver with above-average arm strength, but suboptimal pop times have led to stolen base issues. He threw out only 17% of runners in 2025.
MLB ETA: 2029
29. RHP Camden Lohman
Camden Lohman was the Mets’ eighth-round pick in the 2025 draft out of high school in Missouri. He signed for $797,500, which is third-round money. Lohman is a projectable 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds with room to grow.
He was a late bloomer with his fastball up to 95 mph and shows the ability to spin the ball with a slider and curveball. Lohman is a fun developmental project for the Mets’ player development group. Don’t be surprised if he takes a big step forward in his first pro season.
MLB ETA: 2030
30. RHP Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall was the Mets’ sixth-round pick out of Division II Central Missouri. After four starts in 2025, he underwent internal brace elbow surgery. When healthy, he features a mid-90s fastball that touches 98 mph, a mid-80s sweeper and a curveball.
Hall could have gone in the second or third round if not for his injury, MLB.com’s Jim Callis said at the time of the draft. The expectation is that Hall should be ready not long into the 2026 season and for the Mets to deploy him as a starter.
Yoshimobu Yamamoto celebrates after beating the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Centre. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
In a series of photos filled with cuteness coming from his fur baby, the Dodgers pitcher showed off his best friend, Carlos, on Instagram during the weekend.
“He’s gentle and loves a slow life,” Yamamoto wrote in his post. “He loves naps, walks, and eating good food.”
In the series of wholesome photos of Carlos in his dad’s arm, wearing sunglasses and resting, the pitcher included a video of when he first met his future K9 in August.
“I’m really happy mi Carlitos is with me now,” he added.
The two-time World Series winner adopted him from Best Friends LA, which replied to his post saying Carlos was a fan favorite in their location — loved by staff and volunteers.
“We’re so happy Carlos has found such a happy home with you,” Best Friends LA's Instagram account commented on Yamamoto’s post.
Yamamoto joined the Dodgers in 2023 after signing a 12-year, $325-million deal. Since joining them, he’s won back-to-back championships.
Nationals manager Blake Butera, left, and president of baseball operations Paul Toboni meet the media Monday in Butera's formal introduction as the franchise's top man in the dugout. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
His age, or lack thereof, was a main character at Nationals Park on Monday afternoon as the eighth skipper in franchise history was formally introduced. The stadium’s subterranean press conference room, adorned with red, white and blue roses, was packed to the gills for the occasion. Members of the club’s elusive ownership group, the Lerner family, peppered the front few rows. A large throng of front-office officials, clad in a department store’s worth of obligatory quarter-zips, crammed themselves into the back of the room.
Up on the podium sat just two placards; one for Butera and one for his new boss, Paul Toboni, the team’s recently hired president of baseball operations.
“As you've heard me say many times over the course of the last six weeks, I'm a strong believer that you win with people,” Toboni, 35, offered during his opening statement. “And Blake's character and ability to connect with everyone across the baseball spectrum is second to none.”
The two men then shook hands before Butera, 33, curved a red cap onto his head and pulled a crisp white uniform over his 5-foot-9 frame. He and Toboni, formerly an assistant general manager for the Boston Red Sox, briefly posed for a few pictures before the skipper, still too young to run for president, settled in to introduce himself.
“As we move forward, our identity is going to start with character,” Butera proclaimed. “I believe true leadership is built on real relationships, relationships that create unity, clarity and a shared purpose.”
Since raising the World Series trophy in 2019, the Nationals have slogged to baseball’s second-worst record, better than only the catastrophically discombobulated Colorado Rockies. The trades conducted in the teardown of that core have borne some fruit, most notably the Juan Soto deal that brought young All-Star outfielder James Wood to D.C.
But in the main, Washington has been a draft-and-development disasterclass, an organization distinctly unskilled at making players better. That half-decade run of ineptitude reached a turning point this past July, when a pair of title-winning stalwarts, GM Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, were simultaneously fired.
And now, into that void, charge Toboni and Butera, a pair of unwrinkled, clean-shaven 30-somethings. Together, they come armed with fresh perspectives, cathedral expectations of themselves and almost zero big league experience. Butera, in fact, has never spent a day in a Major League dugout.
Drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 35th round of the 2015 MLB Draft after a plucky four years at Boston College, the infielder’s playing career petered out after two minor league seasons. But Butera quickly and successfully made the transition to coaching. In 2018, still just 25 years old, he was named manager of Tampa’s short-season Hudson Valley affiliate. After two strong years there, Tampa pushed him to Low-A Charleston, where he won back-to-back league championships and a Manager of the Year award. That eventually earned him a big new gig as the Rays’ senior director of player development, a role that he served in until his hiring a few weeks ago. Butera was also the bench coach for Team Italy under manager Mike Piazza during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
It’s an impressive résumé, but not necessarily one that would have pointed to a big league head job, at least not in such short order. In fact, Butera admitted that he entered this winter not expecting to be a part of the managerial carousel. His biggest concern was much closer to home: Butera’s wife Caroline was set to have the couple’s first child around the last week of October, right as the Nats were trying to finalize the hiring.
To simplify things, Toboni flew down to Raleigh, where the Buteras live, so that Blake could stay close to home just in case Caroline went into labor. It all came together on the same day, with Blake receiving the job offer before the birth of their newborn Blair and accepting it later that day after having become a father. It has been a whirlwind, to say the least.
But Butera, ever-youthful, did not appear worn down by the taxing, early days of parenthood. That is, by all accounts, par for the course. Despite being “young for the level” at every turn, the new skipper has thrived. Butera draws rave reviews for a special ability to communicate with players, empowering them to get the most out of their skills. In that sense, his lack of trips around the sun have proved helpful, allowing him to relate better to players close to him in age.
That will remain an important dynamic in D.C., as a young Nats roster attempts to author a pivot back to contention. A whopping 60 percent of the team’s plate appearances last season were taken by players aged 25 or younger. After a brilliant first half, Wood scuffled down the stretch. Consistency from the spindly slugger is key. So is developing the other kids on the roster, players like Dylan Crews, Brady House, CJ Abrams and Daylen Lile, into needle-moving pieces.
The pitching staff presents an even more formidable task. Only the Rockies, in their launching pad of a ballpark in the sky, had a higher ERA last season. Improvement on that front will largely be the responsibility of new pitching coach Simon Mathews, formerly an assistant with the Cincinnati Reds. Mathews, whose hiring was first reported by Yahoo Sports, is even younger than his skipper, having turned 30 just two months ago.
His hiring was yet another data point that Toboni and Co. plan to chart a new path. That dynamic was further reinforced at Butera’s news conference Monday. For better or worse, this era of Nats baseball will not unfurl with a strategy of half-measures. Over the last half decade, the Nationals have been an emblem of regressive, archaic baseball thinking. Unwilling and unable to adapt, the game passed them by, leaving them playing catch-up.
The shift under Toboni will be significant, comprehensive and immediate. Big swings will be taken. Character will be prioritized over experience. They will dream big. It is risky and refreshing. Butera may well be too young, too green for such a big job. He might be great at the gig and the players fall short anyway. Perhaps he’ll manage here for decades and oversee the glory years of D.C. baseball. Time will tell. But on Monday afternoon, he certainly looked the part and said all the right things in the right way.
For Nats fans, it is, at the very least, a plan to believe in.
Coming off their first trip to the World Series in over 30 years, the Toronto Blue Jays have plenty of reasons to keep the momentum going into 2026. Not only did Toronto have a strong showing in the World Series despite the defeat, but they now have a roster with postseason experience and a superstar in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who showed he can carry a team in October.
The Blue Jays’ run in 2025 left a mark on an entire country, and the team’s front office is now tasked with putting the Blue Jays back into a position to make another postseason run.
This is why Toronto is the biggest wild card in baseball this season.
Toronto has been a suitor for some of the biggest free agents, finishing as the runner-up for Shohei Ohtani before he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and ending as a finalist for Juan Soto before he signed with the New York Mets.
The Blue Jays have been looking to swim in the deep end of MLB’s payroll pool by signing a major free agent, but with no success. Even without landing Soto or Ohtani, they finished last season fifth in payroll. And fresh off their World Series run, they’re looking like one of the most attractive destinations in baseball, both economically and on the field.
“I think Mark [Shapiro] and Ross [Atkins] have done a tremendous job,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said of Toronto’s top player personnel executives. “And I think going back for us [is] one big thing — probably our largest kind of focal point and biggest goal was to try to create a destination spot where our own players didn't want to leave and where players from other teams wanted to come.
“And I think invariably we find ourselves going up against the Blue Jays a lot in different ways, and they have created that as well. I think they have done a really good job with their facilities, the way they communicate, and how they help get the most out of players.”
High-leverage arms, high priority for the Blue Jays
One of the biggest areas of need for the Blue Jays this offseason is getting help in the back end of their bullpen. Just a year after they signed reliever Jeff Hoffman to a three-year, $33 million deal, Toronto is back on the market for high-leverage arms.
Sources tell Yahoo Sports that the Blue Jays have been one of the more aggressive teams on the market for the offseason’s top relievers, including Devin Williams, Edwin Díaz and Pete Fairbanks. Toronto has already had initial conversations with each of the free agents.
You could understand why the Blue Jays think additional bullpen reinforcements are necessary. Despite an amazing World Series run, a lasting image from it will be Hoffman surrendering the game-tying homer to Miguel Rojas in the ninth inning of Game 7, leading to Toronto’s eventual extra-innings defeat. But even before that, the Blue Jays right-hander was having a year to forget. The Toronto closer went 9-7 with a 4.37 ERA with an AL-leading seven blown saves.
Adding Williams, Fairbanks or Díaz would make the Blue Jays’ bullpen stronger. It remains to be seen if Hoffman would remain Toronto’s closer, move to an eighth-inning role or if the team would go closer by committee.
What to do with Bo Bichette?
While the bullpen is the area the Blue Jays have started to dive into right away, their biggest question is whether they’ll bring back former shortstop and now second baseman Bo Bichette.
He is a homegrown star and came up the same year as Guerrero in 2019. While Vladdy is locked in on a 10-year, $500 million extension, Bichette will have a chance to hit the open market and test his value.
The Blue Jays infielder has been one of the most consistent bats in the American League over the past five years, leading the AL in hits twice to go along with two All-Star appearances. Bichette bounced back last season after a down 2024, hitting .311 with 18 homers, 94 RBI and 181 hits before missing the final three weeks of the season with a knee injury.
And while the knee injury kept him out most of the postseason, he showed up when it mattered in the World Series, hitting .348 with a homer and a .923 OPS.
Bichette has a strong market this winter as both a second baseman and a shortstop in a weak class for shortstops. And after showing he has the ability to play second base, where he would likely be a stronger defender, his flexibility only helps him.
Could Kyle Tucker make sense as Plan B for Bichette?
When a player is a free agent, that means there’s always a 50% chance of them signing elsewhere. And while having Bichette return to play second base and running it back in 2026 is Toronto’s Plan A, Plan B could also be tantalizing.
Tucker could play either corner in Toronto’s outfield, giving the Jays a strong outfield with Gold Glove winner Daulton Varsho in center field. Addison Barger could play the other corner with Nathan Lukes or shift back to the infield at third base, where he spent a majority of his time in 2025. Ernie Clement showed he could be an elite defender at both third base and second base, so a move wouldn’t be a problem for him either.
The one thing standing in the way of Tucker being the perfect fit for the Blue Jays is outfielder Anthony Santander, who signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal last winter. Santander did not have an inaugural season to remember in Toronto, playing in just 54 games in 2025 due to injury. And when he played, he didn’t play well, hitting a paltry .175 with six homers and 61 strikeouts in 194 at-bats.
Moving Santander is likely impossible at this point for the Blue Jays. And unless they eat a majority of his deal, which teams generally don’t do this early into contracts, he’s going to be on the roster one way or another in 2026.
But if Tucker wants to be a Blue Jay, they have to find a way to make it work. Because there’s no doubt adding that caliber of player to a team that just made a World Series appearance puts Toronto back into a position to be the favorite in the American League next season.
Shohei Ohtani, left, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki have won a World Series together with the Dodgers. But will they attempt to win another World Baseball Classic next March while representing Japan, which won the 2023 tournament? (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Just weeks into the offseason, the Dodgers are already thinking 11 months ahead.
Having just finished yet another grueling October campaign, they are bracing for the long road required to get back.
The team’s central focus right now, of course, is on bolstering its roster and supplementing its star-studded core coming out of last week’s annual MLB general managers’ meetings in Las Vegas.
But as they go for a World Series three-peat in 2026, one of their primary challenges will be managing the returning talent — and ensuring the burdensome toll from their previous two title treks doesn’t become a roadblock in their pursuit of another ring.
That thinking was present last week, when general manager Brandon Gomes announced that utilityman Tommy Edman will undergo surgery to address an ankle injury that nagged him for the second half of this past season.
When asked about Edman’s recovery timeline, Gomes said the “goal” is to have him ready for spring training — but that the team was also “gonna be smart” about making sure he isn’t rushed back.
“Obviously, he hasn’t had [the surgery] yet. So we’ll look into that as we get into the rehab process,” Gomes said. “And like we do with everything, let’s keep the big picture in mind, with the goal of playing through October.”
Taking such a long view has become an annual practice for the Dodgers. Their collection of star talent and organizational depth means they are almost always in position to make the playoffs. It has afforded them leeway to manage players’ regular-season workloads and recovery from injuries with an eye toward having them at full strength come the fall.
It was a balance the team struck well this past season, navigating a wave of regular-season pitching injuries to have their rotation fully healthy to spearhead their postseason run.
Next season, however, the difficulty of that task could be significantly amplified.
Their already aging roster will be another year older. The after-effects of playing 33 extra games the past two Octobers will be acutely felt. And while it’s a price the Dodgers have been happy to pay, it will make next year an ultimate test of endurance that the club is already accounting for now.
“That's an extra month to a month and a half that you don't get to rest and recover, and that you're pushing beyond what you normally do,” third baseman Max Muncy said during this year’s playoffs about the challenges that come with deep October runs. “One postseason game is the equivalent of playing three extra-inning games, all at one time. The stress — both mental, physical, emotional — it's just on a whole ‘nother level.”
The big question in 2026 will be how the Dodgers’ pitching bounces back from this October’s heavy workload. All four of their top starters (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani) threw more than 20 postseason innings and worked either out of the bullpen and/or on short rest. Yamamoto logged a whopping 37 ⅓ innings between his two complete games and heroic back-to-back performances in Games 6 and 7 of the World Series.
Typically, that kind of mileage can have adverse effects the following season.
The good news is that the Dodgers have depth. They could run a six-man rotation of Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow, Ohtani, Roki Sasaki (who will return to starting pitching duties after his stint as a reliever at the end of last year) and Emmet Sheehan. They have other young arms capable of providing innings as well, from Ben Casparius and Justin Wrobleski to the return of Gavin Stone and River Ryan from injury.
“Playing this deep, guys did things that most people don’t do in the World Series, so it’s just making sure we’re being prudent on the front end and saying, ‘If we need extra rest here, we can do it,’” Gomes said. “We have ways to navigate it.”
Still, complications loom — starting with the triennial World Baseball Classic scheduled for next March.
Nine current Dodgers participated in the event’s 2023 edition, and several more could be candidates for next spring’s tournament. The most intriguing names on that list are the club’s Japanese trio of Yamamoto, Ohtani and Sasaki, who will be expected to star for their home country as it tries to defend its 2023 title in the international event.
Some pitchers in their situations might sit out the WBC, or pitch with strict workload limitations coming off the kind of strenuous stretch they experienced in the playoffs — not to mention the shoulder injury that sidelined Sasaki for much of the year. But the tournament’s significance in Japan (where it is held in even higher standing than the World Series) would make any sort of limitations on their availability a culturally controversial development — and leave the Dodgers in a potentially tricky position if they were to try to push for any of them to prioritize extra rest.
“We haven’t gotten into WBC stuff yet,” Gomes said. “I’m sure we’ll be getting those asks in soon.”
Ohtani himself presents another question for next regular season, as he embarks on what will be his first full-time season as a two-way player since 2023.
Though Gomes said Ohtani’s pitching plan will “probably look more like a normal schedule than last year” — when he slowly built up in his return from a second career Tommy John surgery, and didn’t make full-length starts until the end of the season — he also said Ohtani’s usage could be somewhat “fluid,” leaving the door open to some flexibility with his schedule as he also balances his designated hitting duties.
“Everything we’ll do is with a big-picture mindset,” Gomes reiterated. “So those are conversations we’ll have as we get closer [to next season].”
There could be similar conversations with some of the club’s older stars. By the end of next October, Freddie Freeman will be 37, Muncy will be 36, Teoscar Hernández and Mookie Betts both 34, Ohtani 32, and Will Smith and Edman 31. Most of them have nursed injuries over the past couple of seasons. Keeping them healthy and fresh for the long haul next year could require some more strategic load management — and insurance from a wide range of other options in the organization (plus whoever they add this offseason) to provide steady depth.
“I feel like our guys take really good care of themselves, so they might not be quite the same aging curve as everyone just with their level of hunger and their commitment in the offseason,” Gomes said. “But I think there's the give and take of … making sure we maintain a good group of young guys that are ready to come up and fill holes when necessary. [It’s] also balancing, as we get into the season, are we making sure we're having conversations with our guys of, ‘Maybe a day [off] here and there isn't the worst thing,’ and trying to work those in more.”
It all underscores the difficult road ahead for the Dodgers in their push for three straight titles: inevitable speed bumps that will only further complicate their quest.
“It's a balancing act,” Gomes said.
One that the team is already factoring in as the winter progresses.
