Category: MLB

Another day, another major move for the Mets. 

After acquiring a pair of pitchers in Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers in a trade with Milwaukee late Wednesday night, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns met with the media via a video call on Thursday afternoon to talk about the trade, which sent top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to the Brewers, the possibility of a Peralta extension, and much more.

Here's what Stearns had to say...

How the Peralta trade came to be

"Similar to a lot of discussions that can happen over the course of the offseason, these began in November when the offseason started, and they took a lot of twists and turns, and involved a lot of different names at different points, different constructs, different sizes of deals. I think talks probably accelerated over the last few days and ultimately we were able to get it across the line for both sides last night."

Is a Peralta extension in the works?

"I’m not going to speculate on that on day one here. We’ll let Freddy get acclimated to the organization. Any conversations that we may have or have in the future, I think we’ll do our best to keep private and not talk about publicly."

With recent moves, where do Mets fit in NL East picture?

"We’ve got a really tough division. We’ve got some really good teams and some teams that are getting better. Until we win a division, we can’t claim that we’re at the top. So, we’ve got to keep going and we’ve got to keep working."

On giving up major prospects

"We recognize that we’ve parted with some very good young players here, players who are going to have good major league careers, and that’s part of it when you’re acquiring a very good player in return. Brandon [Sproat] is going to be a good player, it was very tough for us to give him up, and I do not think we would have given him up in a deal where there was not a starting pitcher coming back."

...

"It's always tough to give up good players, and those are two really good players. It’s also the reality of what it costs to acquire good players coming back. We’re acquiring one of the better starting pitchers in baseball, a guy who has been really consistent. It was going to hurt and it does hurt, giving up good players hurts. Those guys are going to be playing in Milwaukee for a long time. We’re going to be competing against them. We’re also really excited to get Freddy and Tobias here, and I think both of those guys are going to help us."

The plan for Tobias Myers

"I think Tobias, first and foremost when you look at him, he fills up the zone. He goes right after people, he can zone up pretty much his entire arsenal. He’s not afraid. He’s pitched well in very big moments, as we saw firsthand a couple of years ago. And it’s also the versatility and being able to have success in both the rotation and the bullpen. We like his ability to give us multiple innings out of the pen when needed, and also flex into the rotation if that’s the way it goes."

J.T. returns as Phils navigate turbulent free agency, catcher felt ‘undervalued' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

J.T. Realmuto pulled into third base, stared at the Phillies’ dugout, covered his eyes and held up three fingers. Citizens Bank Park was rocking.

He had just delivered a bases-clearing triple in Game 1 of the National League Division Series off the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani. Phillies up 2-0.

It was Realmuto’s hardest-hit ball since 2020 — 111.5 mph.

But who remembers that now?

The Phillies went on to lose the NLDS in gut-wrenching fashion, and the hit that opened the scoring and jolted the city faded into the abyss.

At the end-of-season press conference, however, manager Rob Thomson couldn’t stop praising the then–free-agent catcher.

“I’ve had a lot of great catchers [that] I’ve been around. [Jorge] Posada, [Iván] Rodríguez, for a short period of time. It goes on and on and on,” Thomson said. “This guy, to me, is the most prepared guy I’ve ever been around, as a catcher.

“He will spend hours watching video, making up his own game plan, and then matching it up with Caleb, and talking with the pitchers,” the skipper continued. “He’s got a great feel for in-game adjustments, when to go to the mound, when to change the pitch, when to change location… He’s just that good.”

The offseason opened quietly. The Phillies re-signed Kyle Schwarber, bought low on Adolis García and added relievers — including Brad Keller — through free agency and trades. There were tweaks, but not sweeping changes.

For weeks, the club had a three-year offer on the table for Realmuto.

Then came Bo Bichette.

Philadelphia’s pursuit of the infielder shifted the feel of the offseason. Had the Phillies landed Bichette, a reunion with Realmuto would have been unlikely.

Bichette ultimately signed with the Mets. Less than an hour later, the Phillies finalized Realmuto’s return on a three-year, $45 million deal.

For many, the emotional swing of those 24 hours reshaped the offseason narrative — from the excitement of chasing Bichette to the underwhelming feeling of turning over a familiar roster.

When the Realmuto deal became official and the club addressed the media, the tone wasn’t celebratory. It was candid.

“I know how the game works and I know there’s certain values on players and at the end of the day, I just value myself in what I do for the team and the clubhouse differently than what the Phillies did for a while,” Realmuto said. “So that’s why it took longer than it, maybe, should have.”

Realmuto’s clubhouse value and impact on the pitching staff is, in many ways, immeasurable.

Since being acquired in 2019, he has caught more innings than any catcher in baseball — 6,699.2 — nearly 1,200 more than the next closest. Over that span, Phillies starting pitchers have posted the highest WAR in the majors (103.5) according to FanGraphs, forced the softest contact (88.1 mph average exit velocity) and ranked top 10 in both strikeout and walk rate.

According to FanGraphs’ defensive run value, Realmuto ranks third at the position with 91.2 — a difficult number to sustain over seven seasons of heavy usage.

That influence shows up daily. It showed up again when Cristopher Sánchez learned his catcher was coming back.

“I got goosebumps,” Sánchez said through an interpreter. “I just know the pivotal part that he is of the team, and me personally, I just wanted him back so bad.

“To me, he’s one of the best catchers in baseball,” he continued. “Obviously, he’s had a huge impact on me… every time I walk in, J.T.’s already in the kitchen, he has a laptop in his hands, he’s looking at the opposing team, going over the [scouting] report, helping us out, and I just think that’s a testament to him and the preparation he puts in for us to go out there and be able to thrive.”

The praise has never been the issue. The challenge, as Thomson noted back in October, is “putting a dollar sign” on that underlying value.

Realmuto acknowledged his offensive production has dipped — but bristled at how the rest of his impact is weighed in negotiations.

“Yeah, it’s definitely frustrating… I know that I haven’t had my best years the last couple years, but I do believe that it’s not like age or physically related. It’s something that I can improve on and work on and be better for the years to come.”

From a peripheral standpoint, 2025 was one of the least productive offensive seasons of Realmuto’s career. Among qualified catchers, he posted the lowest slugging percentage (.384) and OPS (.700) at the position — the lowest and second-lowest marks, respectively, of his 12 big-league seasons.

October has told a different story.

Realmuto hit .353 with a 1.118 OPS in the NLDS and has collected 11 extra-base hits since the start of the 2023 postseason, posting an .816 OPS across his last 21 playoff games.

Realmuto, who once held the highest average annual value ever for a catcher after signing a five-year, $115.5 million deal, still believes the position remains undervalued.

“For me, it sucks that like the catchers, in my opinion, are just undervalued in this game, as far as contracts and dollars go,” he said. “I truly believe it’s one of, if not, the most important position on the field. So like, I just enjoy fighting for that.”

Left-hander Tanner Banks echoed the sentiment — with a smile.

“From a pitching standpoint, I know he’s got a great rapport with the starting pitching and the relievers that are coming back and I collectively think I could speak for us all and say we’re excited,” Banks said Tuesday.

He also acknowledged the difficulty in quantifying Realmuto’s value.

“It’s hard to put a number on, but a catcher’s in every play of every game. So there’s an extreme value there. You think about a starting pitcher — how good is a starting pitcher if you don’t have your counterpart there, helping you call shots and navigate a lineup three times?”

As with his 2021 free agency, Realmuto again found himself at a negotiating crossroads. This time, though, the leverage shifted.

When Bichette went elsewhere, the Phillies moved quickly — and decisively.

“The dollars looked different and luckily, you know, after the Phillies missed out on an opportunity there at the end, they called back and were able to make something happen, and improve their offer and get to a place that we were happy with.”

Either way, the Phillies have their leader behind the plate.

With Ranger Suárez now gone in free agency, Realmuto’s role as the voice and backbone of the pitching staff becomes even more critical — especially with top prospect Andrew Painter entering the picture.

In the end, both sides landed where they wanted to be.

“We always wanted to bring J.T. back. That was always a priority for us,” Dave Dombrowski said. “We’re thrilled that [he’s] back.”

“The whole time, this is where we wanted to be,” Realmuto added. “I’m glad we’re back here and this is where we want to be the whole time. So really, my focus was just on my legacy here and being able to finish my career with the Phillies.”

Just after I wrote that a MacKenzie Gore trade seemed unlikely, Paul Toboni pulled the trigger. He sent Gore to the Texas Rangers for a five prospect haul. While the Nats did not get Sebastian Walcott, they got five quality pieces from Texas. The return consists of SS/3B Gavin Fien, RHP Alejandro Rosario, 2B Devin Fitz-Gerald, 1B Abimelec Ortiz and OF Yeremy Cabrera.

Full trade, per ESPN sources:

Rangers get: LHP MacKenzie Gore

Nationals get: 3B Gavin Fien, SS Devin Fitz-Gerald, RHP Alejandro Rosario, 1B Abimelec Ortiz and and OF Yeremy Cabrera

A big return for the Nationals. Fien was the 12th pick last year. Evaluators love Fitz-Gerald.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 22, 2026

The headliner of the return is Fien, who was selected 12th overall by the Rangers last year. He was a shortstop in high school, but is likely to move to third base. Fien was one of the most impressive hitters in last year’s class with a really nice blend of hitting ability and power.

Analytically inclined scouts loved Fien’s bat speed and plate discipline. While his swing is not the most traditional, he made plenty of contact on the showcase circuit. He may not be a top 100 prospect yet, but with a strong year, he can surge on to the list.

What you need to know about new Nats prospect Gavin Fien
-12th overall pick in 2025 MLB Draft
-Demolished top prep arms in summer before senior year, posting a 1.262 OPS
-Analytics people love him for his strong plate discipline and bat speedpic.twitter.com/SOKv6ECNmV

— Paul Cubbage (@PaulCubbage23) January 22, 2026

Admittedly, this is a bit of an underwhelming headliner for Gore. However, that is the reason the Nats were able to get five interesting pieces in this deal. Toboni had a choice, he could swing big for one top 50 type prospect or get a grab bag of solid pieces. He chose the latter option, and only time will tell if he is right. 

Most of my trade suggestions had the Nats going after a big name headliner, but only getting one or two other pieces. Toboni decided to do something different, which is a bit of a gamble. However, it is one that could pay off in a big way.

There is a world where Fien and Fitz-Gerald are top 100 prospects. As Jeff Passan noted, evaluators loved Fitz-Gerald. He is a switch hitter with a really nice blend of contact and power. Fitz-Gerald is not much of a defender, but scouts think he could be serviceable at second base.

Alejandro Rosario is an interesting case. He was a top 100 prospect in 2024, but went down with a torn UCL in 2025, missing the whole season. However, it has been reported that he did not get his Tommy John Surgery until a couple weeks ago and will miss all of 2026 as well. A weird situation, but if the 2024 version of Rosario returns, his upside is massive.

The squatty 5’10 230 pound Abimelec Ortiz is the fourth prospect in the deal. The 23 year old slugger hit 25 homers in the minors last year and has very good bat to ball data. He should have a chance to compete for reps at 1B or DH. 

Abimelec Ortiz finished 2025 with 25 HR and a 124 wRC+ across AA and AAA. In 165 PA at AAA, he put up a .953 OPS w/ a 53.8% Hard-Hit%, .377 xwOBA, & an 88.6% Z-Contact%. He's raked in his professional career & put up a 33 HR campaign back in 2023 in just 109 games. pic.twitter.com/MMPJ6zCv8X

— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) January 6, 2026

The last piece is 20 year old outfielder Yeremy Cabrera. He is a speedster who also has some power upside. It is more of a throw in, but he is better than your average throw in. 

Prospect rankings in Rangers' top 30 per MLB Pipeline/Baseball America:

SS Gavin Fien: 2/3
RHP Alejandro Rosario: 6/13
INF Devin Fitz-Gerald: 12/8
OF Yeremy Cabrera: 16/14
1B Abimelec Ortiz: 18/NR https://t.co/yji1lbdfon

— Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) January 22, 2026

Overall, the package is solid, but unexpected. It is pretty similar to the Shane Baz deal that went down between the Rays and the Orioles. The Nats needed to add more depth to their farm system and they did that here. Only time will tell if this is the right move, but I am intrigued.

We’re now less than three weeks from pitchers and catchers reporting to Salt River Fields, and it feels like the D-backs’ off-season remains a work in progress. With all respect to Taylor Clarke, the bullpen has barely been touched. We don’t know who will be replacing Lourdes Gurriel in left field on Opening Day. Arizona is still waiting to find out what will happen with regard to the bonus draft pick connected to Zac Gallen [despite a report in December the Cubs were “close to finalizing an agreement” with him]. But perhaps no topic, outside of the Ketel Marte trade rumors, has been more discussed than a potential reunion with Paul Goldschmidt.

Goldy remains the best position player in franchise history, putting up an average of almost five bWAR across his eight seasons with the team. That included six All-Star appearances, and a trio of top three finishes in MVP voting, as well as likely the best value extension in franchise history. But, with one season left to go on that contract, Mike Hazen dealt Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals, for Carson Kelly, Luke Weaver, Andrew Young and a competitive balance pick, which became Dominic Fletcher. Even though none of those panned out long-term, given it was in exchange for just one year of Goldy, you’d be hard pushed to call it a bad trade.

It is fair, however, to ask why the team did not work out a contract extension with Goldschmidt. The Cardinals certainly did, agreeing a five-year, $130 million deal before the following Opening Day. After a shaky first season in St. Louis, the deal turned out a good price for St. Louis. Goldschmidt posted 20.9 bWAR over the 2020-2024 period included in the extension. It included Goldschmidt finally snaring the NL MVP honor in 2022, which had eluded him with the D-backs. However, the Cardinals failed to get past the wild-card round in three successive years, Goldscbmidt hitting just .174 (4-for-23) in the postseason over that contract.

When it expired, he went to the Bronx, signing a one-year deal worth $12.5 million with the New York Yankees. Aged 38 by the time the Yankees exited in the AL Division Series against the Blue Jays, it seems that Father Time might finally be catching up to him. Paul struggled significantly against right-hand pitching in 2024 and 2025. Across a total of 853 plate-appearances there, he hit only .237/.284/.367 for a .651 OPS. Goldschmidt was still solid against left-handed pitchers, albeit in a smaller sample (335 PA). He hit .315/.389/.522 for a .911 OPS there over the last two seasons. Goldschmidt hit the open market again this winter.

The case for Goldschmidt

Right now, the plan for the D-backs would involve a platoon of left-hander Pavin Smith and right-hander Tyler Locklear. However, Locklear ended up missing the end of the season with injury, after a collision at first with Boston’s Connor Wong, when trying to field and an errant throw from Jordan Lawlar. Whether due to that, or a pre-existing condition, subsequent evaluation determined Lockler needed surgery both on his ulnar collateral ligament (elbow) and labrum (shoulder). While there’s been no news since, Paul Gambadoro said at the time that Locklear could return late in spring, but would potentially miss the first month of the season before being 100%.

There’s also the question of how good he will be. Locklear came over from the Mariners in the Suarez trade, but did not impress before the injury. Across 31 games as a Diamondback, he hit just .175, with a .529 OPS and 43 strikeouts over 116 PA. It is true that Tyler only turned 25 in November, and has less than fifty games of experience at the major-league level. Which is fine, if the team is punting on 2026, and thinking about Locklear as a long-term solution. Let him take his licks this year, and hopefully, he’ll become capable of taking over full-time down the road.

But if the team is committed to competing in 2026 – and, at least publicly, that seems to be the approach Hazen is advocating – Locklear might not be good enough, even after he has fully recovered from those surgical processes. Signing Goldschmidt as a one-year platoon partner, to face left-handed pitching, while Smith gets the bulk of the at-bats against righties (where he has a career .772 OPS), might not be the worst thing in the world. There’s also a lot of residual love in the fanbase for Goldschmidt, understandably so. Bringing him back and allowing him to finish his career where it started could perhaps end up in Goldy entering Cooperstown as a Diamondback.

The case against Goldschmidt

The biggest obstacle to Paul returning to the desert, might well be Paul himself. On the latest edition of Snakes Territory, Jack Sommers reports [around ninety seconds in] that Goldschmidt still thinks he’s worth an everyday spot in the line-up, rather than having a roster spot and getting fewer starts on the weak side of a platoon. The D-backs are not willing to pay the obviously increased salary due to an everyday player – Jack reckoned they are more or less capped at around a $5 million salary for the spot. He also mentioned the Padres as a possible alternative landing spot, who could be willing to give Goldschmidt that everyday job and the matching price.

There hasn’t been much chatter otherwise regarding where Goldschmidt might go. The fact, again, we are less than one month away from spring training, and Paul is still unemployed, suggests there may be a gap between what he wants, and what teams are looking for – both in role and cost. There’s also the question of how much Goldschmidt wants to return – to the same team and GM which wouldn’t extend him, and traded him instead. According to Nick Piecoro, writing at the time of the trade to St. Louis, “Sources indicated that preliminary conversations with Goldschmidt’s camp left the Diamondbacks less than confident they would be able to reach an agreement.”

Does he hold a grudge? It doesn’t seem that the laid-back Paul we knew would be the kind to do so, instead accepting that it was (to misquote The Godfather) “not personal, Goldy – it’s strictly business.” But it doesn’t appear he is (yet) willing to bend on his demands for the season, and give a home-town discount in financial or other areas. As the trade of Goldschmidt shows, Mike Hazen makes decisions with his head, not his heart, even when these are unpopular with the fans. I don’t expect this to change: if Goldschmidt is going to be a D-back in 2026, I think it’ll be on the team’s terms. Otherwise, expect an alternative – perhaps someone like Ty France.

What do you reckon? Should the team sign Goldschmidt or not? That’s what the comments are for…

MacKenzie Gore scored the Nationals a haul.

Washington traded the lefty hurler to the Rangers on Thursday, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman.

The Rangers shipped minor leaguers Gavin Fien, Alejandro Rosario, Abimelec Ortiz, Devin Fitz-Gerald and Yeremy Cabrera. FanSided reported.

Fien, a prized shortstop and the first-round pick of the Rangers last year, was the franchise’s No. 2 prospect, according to MLB.com.

Gore, 26, went 5-15 for the woeful Nationals last season, with a 4.17 ERA over 30 starts with 185 strikes over 159 2/3 innings. He led all Nats pitchers with a 3.0 WAR.

He now joins a rotation that includes Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi.

The Yankees were among the teams reported to be interested in Gore’s services this offseason as they prepare to open the season without aces Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt.

All three hurlers are working their way back from various injuries.

The Texas Rangers landed the most coveted arm remaining on the trade market when they acquired MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals in exchange for five prospects, the clubs announced Jan. 22.

Gore, 26, earned his first All-Star nod in 2025, and while he faded a bit in the second half, still possesses one of the most dominant left-handed arms in the game. He established career highs in strikeouts (185) and strikeouts per inning (10.4) last season for Washington.

Part of the return package includes shortstop Gavin Fien, as the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 draft joins the No. 1 overall, Eli Willits, in Washington's system. 

The Rangers finished last season 81-81, their second consecutive non-winning season since taking the 2023 World Series. They traded second baseman Marcus Semien to the New York Mets, non-tendered slugger Adolis Garcia and have been relatively quiet this offseason otherwise. 

Now, they can slot Gore between the right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom atop the rotation, giving them a potentially dominant starting pitching look. 

That's assuming Gore, whose fastball reaches 98 mph, cleans up some of his peripherals. He posted a 1.35 WHIP last season and walked 3.6 batters per nine innings. Yet after the trade of Freddy Peralta from Milwaukee to the New York Mets Jan. 21, Gore was the clear-cut best remaining arm on the trade market - and he comes with two years of club control before becoming eligible for free agency.

Gore joined Washington as one of the centerpieces of the blockbuster 2022 deal that sent Juan Soto to San Diego. While the trade worked out splendidly for the Nationals, with Gore, shortstop CJ Abrams and slugger James Wood emerging as foundational pieces, the Nationals lost 91, 91 and 96 games in the three full seasons since that deal. 

Their most recent struggles preceded the firing of manager Dave Martinez and longtime GM Mike Rizzo. Now, the original rebuilding structure is getting torn down as new GM Paul Toboni tries to construct a winner anew. 

In addition to Fien, a high school draftee from Temecula, Calif., the Nationals will receive right-hander Alejandro Rosario, a 24-year-old who sat out all of last season due to Tommy John surgery. Abimelec Ortiz (Class AAA outfielder, 23), Devin Fitz-Gerald (Class A infielder, 20) and Yeremy Cabrera (Class A outfielder, 20) are also headed to Washington. 

MacKenzie Gore trade details

Texas Rangers receive:

• LHP MacKenzie Gore

Washington Nationals receive:

• SS Gavin Fien
• RHP Alejandro Rosario
• 1B/OF Abimelec Ortiz
• INF Devin Fitz-Gerald
• OF Yeremy Cabrera

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MacKenzie Gore trade to Rangers details as Washington deals All-Star

MLB Trade Rumors: The Texas Rangers have acquired starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals, per reports. Texas is sending five prospects, including 2025 first rounder Gavin Fein.

Well, we have been saying that the Rangers needed to add another starting pitcher. It appears they have done so.

Gore, who turns 27 next month, is a lefthander who was picked third overall in the 2017 draft out of Whiteville High School in North Carolina. He was a consensus top-10 prospect heading into both 2020 and 2021, but a disappointing 2021 season that saw him start poorly at AAA, miss time due to blisters and general ineffectiveness, and ultimately make just 12 starts in affiliated ball (half of them below AAA) before struggling in three Arizona Fall League starts saw him plummet in the rankings.

He started 2022 in the minors, but ended up making 13 starts and three relief appearances in the bigs for the Padres before being traded to the Washington Nationals in the Juan Soto deal while on the injured list with elbow issues.

From 2023-25, Gore has posted a 4.15 ERA in 89 starts covering 469.1 IP, with 517 Ks against 186 walks and 62 homers. Last season he threw 159.2 innings in 30 starts, with a 4.17 ERA, a 3.74 FIP and a 4.33 xERA.

We will update as more information becomes available.

UPDATE — According to Evan Grant, along with Fein, the Nats are getting Abi Ortiz, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Alejandro Rosario, and one other prospect. The unknown prospect is not, he says, Sebastian Walcott or Caden Scarborough.

UPDATE II — The fifth prospect is reportedly Yeremy Cabrera.

Fein is the guy in the deal who you feel like could make the Rangers regret the deal.

Ortiz had a strong final couple of months of 2025, but he’s a bat-only guy who wasn’t a lock to be added to the 40 man roster this offseason. He was, of course, ultimately added, which means that Gore will replace Ortiz on the 40 man.

Rosario was a super-exciting prospect at the end of 2024, a guy who was on most top 100 lists. He then was diagnosed with a torn UCL in the spring, needed Tommy John surgery, didn’t actually have Tommy John surgery for a while, and it isn’t clear whether he actually has had it or not (ed. note — he had it on January 13, so nine days ago). He was not going to be pitching again until 2027, so you see why the Rangers would be willing to part with him, given his injury situation.

Fitz-Gerald was the Rangers’ 5th round pick in 2024. He performed well in the ACL in 2025, and earned a promotion to Hickory to finish out the season.

Cabrera was a $10,000 international signee who turned heads in 2024. He spent the 2025 season at Hickory, slashing .256/.364/.366 with 43 stolen bases.

Their ranks on the Rangers’ BA list:

Fein — #3

Fitz-Gerald — #8

Rosario — #13

Cabrera — #14

Ortiz — N/R

I will offer more extensive thoughts on Gore later on tonight.

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers outfield production in 2025 was lacking, making it a clear need this offseason. They compensated for that by adding Kyle Tucker, who was the consensus top free agent available, rated the No. 1 free agent at the beginning of the offseason by ESPN, FanGraphs, The Athletic, MLB Trade Rumors, Baseball Prospectus, Yahoo Sports, MLB.com, and CBS Sports.

The cost was heavy, guaranteeing $240 million on a four-year contract, and even adding two chances for Tucker to opt out of the deal, such was the demand for his services on the market. But the Dodgers have the money, and they’ve been more than willing to spend it, with record-setting competitive balance tax paymentsthe last two seasons. They also have the prospect depth to absorb the loss of draft picks for signing Tucker (and for signing Edwin Díaz, too).

They thought Tucker was worth that kind of investment.

“Anytime you can add a guy to your lineup that is arguably better against same-side pitching — there’s really no holes in what he does offensively. Really balanced splits, versus right, versus left, incredible decision making, really good bat-to-ball skills,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Wednesday. “Just the way that will kind of complement and help further round out our offense, something we thought that would be significant in terms of the odds increasing on our championship quest.”

Dodgers outfielders as a group in 2025 hit .240/.299/.415, with a 98 wRC+ that ranked 17th among 30 MLB teams. Tucker is a career .273/.358/.507 hitter with a 138 wRC+, and has posted a 130 wRC+ or better in each of the last five seasons. Dodgers outfielders last year totaled 4.3 fWAR as a group (Andy Pages accounted for 4.1 fWAR himself), while Tucker has tallied 4.2 fWAR or higher five years in a row, averaging 4.7.

Since the start of 2021, Tucker is one of only four major league hitters with an isolated power — slugging percentage minus batting average — .200 or above combined with a strikeout rate of 16 percent or lower, along with fellow star players Mookie Betts, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and José Ramírez.

The Dodgers in 2025 had a 21.9-percent strikeout rate as a team, 12th-lowest in the majors. Adding Tucker should help that.

But where does he fit in the Dodgers lineup? Last week, I asked this question on The Feed here at True Blue LA, and got various responses, ranging between Tucker batting as high as second or as low as fifth. But either way, he’ll be in a prime spot in a suddenly more-loaded lineup with him on board.

“I was talking with Gomer [general manager Brandon Gomes] and Andrew [Friedman] recently, and it’s just fun to think about where Kyle is going to hit in the lineup,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. “He’ll be in the top third. I don’t want you guys to hold me to it right now, but [hitting] second or third seems to make sense.”

It’s still only January 22, still a month from spring training games starting and nine weeks from opening day. A lot can happen between now and then. But let’s unpack what Roberts said on Wednesday.

For the last two seasons, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman have been the Dodgers’ big three atop the lineup. If Tucker hits second or third, one of those other three is moving. It won’t be Ohtani, who seems entrenched in the leadoff spot. Betts is coming off his worst offensive season, but the Dodgers have been loath to move him down in the lineup. It took until Game 5 of the World Series for Betts to shift down in the lineup to third, his first start outside of the top two since 2021. Betts hit third in Games 5 and 6, and hit fourth in Game 7.

Freeman in four years with the Dodgers has hit mostly second or third. He batted cleanup four times in September 2024, but those were only against left-handed pitchers to help split up the left-handed hitters in the lineup. That continued into 2025, but Freeman also hit cleanup sometimes against right-handed pitchers, and hit fourth a total of 47 times in the regular season, and batted cleanup eight times in 17 postseason games.

I think Freeman is the most likely of the Big Three to move down in the lineup. Putting Tucker second or third would mean at least two of the Dodgers’ first three hitters batting lefty, but they happen to be two of the best lefty-on-lefty hitters in the game.

Over the last five seasons Tucker hit .270/.340/.511 against southpaws, with his 136 wRC+ against same-handed pitchers third-best in the majors among batters with at least 300 such plate appearances, trailing only Yordan Alvarez (166 wRC+) and Ohtani (140).

Freeman hitting cleanup would mean three lefties in the first four hitters, which is generally fine, but can cause problems later in the game, either with an opposing manager bringing in a left-handed pitcher to handle a run of lefty batters or if trying to extend a southpaw starting pitcher a little bit deeper into the game. Last year the Dodgers occasionally countered the latter by inserting a right-handed batter before Freeman, usually Teoscar Hernández or Will Smith.

Roberts before last year’s opener mentioned making a lefty pitcher pay the “Teoscar tax” to get through that portion of the lineup, which worked out swimmingly when Hernández hit a game-winning three-run home run off Tigers ace Tarik Skubal to turn the game around.

But whether Freeman bats fourth or fifth still highlights the depth of the Dodgers lineup now with Tucker on board. After Freeman, there will be one or both of Smith or Hernández, and that’s before considering Max Muncy, Tommy Edman, and Andy Pages.

No matter how you slice it, that’s a formidable lineup top to bottom.

NEW YORK – By agreeing with Cody Bellinger on a new contract Wednesday, the Yankees’ top offseason task was completed.

But that doesn’t end the winter work for GM Brian Cashman and company.

Three weeks away from the start of spring training, the Yankees are still exploring upgrades to the pitching staff, along with right-handed hitting depth.

And the potential for a significant trade exists, now that Bellinger is secured on a five-year, $162.5 million free agent deal that includes opt-outs after years two and three.

This is now a crowded outfield, with Bellinger in left field, Trent Grisham in center and Aaron Judge in right, which impacts the playing time of switch-hitter Jasson Dominguez and lefty-hitting prospect Spencer Jones.

Let’s examine where the Yankees might be exploring additional options for 2026:

Yankees' potential rotation targets

Current rotation: LHP Max Fried, RHP Cam Schlittler, RHP Luis Gil, RHP Will Warren, LHP Ryan Weathers.

On the injured list: RHP Gerrit Cole (June ETA), LHP Carlos Rodon (May), RHP Clarke Schmidt (September).

Current depth: RHP Paul Blackburn, LHP Ryan Yarbrough.

Summary: Several contenders, including the Yanks, had been tied to interest in Milwaukee Brewers’ right-hander Freddy Peralta, the subject of trade discussion for months.

But late Wednesday night, as first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Mets closed out a stunning deal to land Peralta, earning a relative-bargain $8 million in 2026, his free agent walk year.

Washington Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore is under team control through the 2028 season, but he’s already set to earn $5.6 million this season with some expensive arbitration years ahead.

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds have some notable starting depth including right-hander Brady Singer, though he’s earning $12.75 million in 2026, his free agent walk year.

The current Grand Canyon-sized arbitration gap between Tarik Skubal and the Tigers makes things interesting, but you’d anticipate Detroit going into 2026 with the game’s best starter and re-evaluating at the trade deadline.

Though the Yanks are questionable to add a pricey free agent starter at this point, even on a one-year deal, the versatile Nick Martinez and Cooperstown-bound veterans Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are intriguing options.

Yankees' potential bullpen targets

Current bullpen: LHPs Tim Hill, Brent Headrick; RHPs David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz, Kaleb Ort, Cade Winquest.

Current depth: RHPs Jake Bird, Yerry de los Santos, Paul Blackburn; LHP Ryan Yarbrough.

Summary: St. Louis lefty JoJo Romero was linked to Yankees’ interest earlier this winter, with the re-tooling Cardinals likely to remain active on the trade front.

Entering his free agent walk year, Romero posted a 200 ERA-plus last season and is due to earn $4.26 million in 2026.

Though the Yanks aren't heavily into this free agent market, a patient strategy might get them to take an inexpensive flyer here, with some interesting names such as right-hander Michael Kopech and lefty Danny Coulombe available.

In recent years, the Yankees have been adept at making under-the-radar deals for relievers - especially power right-handers with swing-and-miss ability that have yet to reach their potential.

And if the Yanks are seeking to move payroll here in a bigger trade, Doval is making over $6 million this season.

Yankees' potential right-handed hitting targets

Current position players: 1B/C Ben Rice, 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr., 3B Ryan McMahon, IF Jose Caballero, Amed Rosario, Oswaldo Cabrera; OF Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Jasson Dominguez; DH/OF Giancarlo Stanton; C Austin Wells, J.C. Escarra.

On the injured list: SS Anthony Volpe (ETA May).

Current depth: IF Paul DeJong, Braden Shewmake, Jorbit Vivas; OF Seth Brown, Spencer Jones; C Ben Rice.

Summary: There's room to add a right-handed hitting first baseman, a corner outfielder and possibly a catcher (to better complement the lefty-hitting Wells).

Free agent outfielders Austin Hays and Harrison Bader could see their markets accelerating now that the major free agents are off the board and Luis Robert Jr. is a Met, traded by the White Sox this week.

Paul Goldschmidt has designs on playing in 2026 and the 2025 Yankee remains in free agency, as does veteran Rhys Hoskins, whose career since 2023 has been hampered by injuries.

With their recent free agent signing of Victor Caratini, the Minnesota Twins might have a catching surplus.

Switch-hitting former All-Star catcher Jonah Heim remains in free agency, as does catcher Gary Sanchez and outfielder Miguel Andujar (who mashes lefty pitching) though the defensive shortcomings of both ex-Yankees is notable.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New York Yankees MLB trade rumors after Cody Bellinger contract

At the trade deadline in 2025, the Jays traded for Shane Bieber, who hadn’t pitched in the majors to that point in 2025, coming off Tommy John surgery in 2024. The Guardians received Khal Stephens (who I mentioned was named by his Kryptonian parents).

Shane didn’t pitch for the Jays until August 22nd (my wife’s birthday). He was pretty good, in seven starts, with a 3.57 ERA, batters hit .225/.264/.417 in his 40.1 regular season innings.

The Jays picked him up, planning for the playoffs (we have very hopeful people running our team). He did work out; he made five starts and one relief appearance in the playoffs, with a 3.86 ERA. Unfortunately, what we will remember is the relief appearance (such is the life of a pitcher).

Shane had a player’s option for the 2026 season, which we were pretty sure he would decline, but he didn’t, so he is a Jay going into 2026.

There may be a reason, the team says he is dealing with ‘arm fatigue’ and may not be ready to start the season on the active roster. I’m sure I’m not the only one who reads the words arm fatigue and thinks there may be more going on than they are telling.

Bieber turns 31 in May and is 8 seasons into a very good career. He’s won a Cy Young, received votes to other seasons, got MVP votes once, made two All-Star teams and won a Gold Glove. And he also had the pitcher’s Triple Crown, leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts in the strike-shortened 2020 season.

He has a 66-34 record, a 3.24 ERA in 141 starts, 883.1 innings and an 18.5 bWAR. A good run in his 30s, and he would have a shot at the Hall of Fame. But then, that depends on him having good health in his 30s, and that’s the question for the team at the moment. In the Berrios post, I talked about how Berrios might not have a path to the rotation, but there are always things that happen with a pitching staff, there is never enough depth.

Shane throws five different pitches:

• A Four Seamer (that averaged 92.6 mph last year).
• Slider
• Knuckle Curve
• Change up
• Cutter

Steamer figures him to make 24 starts, throw 143 innings with a 3.87 ERA.

It was a good year for Phillies on the Hall of Fame ballot.

As expected, Chase Utley did not get elected in this, his third year on the ballot. Neither did Jimmy Rollins, Bobby Abreu, or newcomer Cole Hamels. Again, no surprises there. However, Utley’s stock increased greatly in 2026, seeing a 19.3% increase from last year’s vote, up to 59.1% (75% is needed for induction). He appears to be on a glide path to eventual enshrinement.

Hamels received a surprisingly encouraging 23.8% in his inaugural appearance on the ballot, a good sign for his future candidacy. Rollins improved to 25.4%, up from 18% a year ago, and Abreu bumped up from 19.5% last year to 30.8% in ‘26. It’s likely Rollins and Abreu will garner enough support to stay on the ballot all 10 seasons, but their induction is far less certain that Utley’s at this point.

All in all, a solid showing, especially for Utley and Hamels, the two most important pieces of the 2008 world champions, and it got me thinking how many of this generation’s Phillies could eventually be Hall of Famers.

How many all-time greats are we watching right now? I believe there are six contenders:

• Bryce Harper
• Kyle Schwarber
• J.T. Realmuto
• Trea Turner
• Zack Wheeler
• Aaron Nola

Sure, players like Cristopher Sanchez and Jhoan Duran are among the very best at their respective positions at the moment, but they’re too early in their careers to even discuss the possibility, so let’s focus on the six veterans who have built up a body of work that allows us to compare them to previous inductees and project what their accomplishments may ultimately look like.

Bryce Harper

Harper may not finish with some of the counting numbers that usually guarantee induction, but as one of the game’s marquee stars and recognized best players for the entirety of his 14-year career, and the fact he’s still just 33 years old, he seems like a shoo-in.

So far, he has compiled 54.0 WAR, ranking him 29th among all-time outfielders. Granted, Harper will play the rest of his career at first base, so a position-to-position comparison won’t really apply for him moving forward. Still, his WAR total is not far behind Vladimir Guerreros’ 59.5 or Ichiro Suzuki’s 60.0, both of whom are already in, and he will surpass those totals over the next two seasons if he averages 3.0 WAR.

In terms of counting stats, Harper is at 1,801 hits, 401 career doubles and 363 homers. He is 137 away from 500, so if he averages 27 bombs a season over the next five seasons, he’ll hit that magic milestone, ensuring enshrinement. Even still, with two MVP Awards, a Rookie of the Year, eight All-Star Game appearances, four Silver Slugger Awards and numerous postseason moments to remember, Harper is the most obvious current Hall of Fame candidate on the roster, provided his career doesn’t collapse in on itself as he hits his mid-30s.

Kyle Schwarber

While Harper put some of his best seasons together in his early-to-mid 20s, Schwarber seems to be saving his best for his 30s. Since joining the Phillies for his age-29 season in 2022, he has slugged a ridiculous 187 homers in four seasons, twice leading the National League in that category, and finishing as the NL MVP runner-up in 2025. He’s only made three All Star Games and last season was the first time he’d cracked the top 15 in MVP voting, but with a career-best 4.7 WAR a season ago, Schwarber’s ability to hit left-handers has turned him into the most feared slugger in baseball.

Schwarber enters his age-33 season with 340 career bombs. With a new five-year contract under his belt, Schwarber is 160 dingers away from 500. He would need to average 32 home runs a season over the life of his contract to get to 500, a task that seems very doable given he’s averaged 46.7 homers a season as a Phillie. Even if his production drops a bit, 32 homers per year feels like a lock.

It’s simple. If he gets to 500 home runs, he’s a lock. If he falls short, he’ll have to have some other kinds of data to warrant inclusion. I’d say the odds are better than not he gets in, based on his recent trajectory.

J.T. Realmuto

With the ink still drying on his new 3-year deal with the Phils, Realmuto can no longer make the claim of being the BCIB (Best Catcher In Baseball) anymore. But for a long stretch, he was.

From 2017 (his penultimate season in Miami) to 2022, Realmuto was worth 24.8 WAR, the most, by far, of any catcher in baseball. Willson Contreras was second (18.8), with Salvador Perez third (14.8). He was named to three All Star teams and took home three Silver Sluggers over that stretch. While catchers have been largely underrepresented in the Hall because they don’t pile up the counting stats the way other position players do, Realmuto’s career 38.7 WAR ranks 27th among all-time catchers. He’ll never reach the heights of the upper-tier catchers in the Hall (Johnny Bench, Gary Carter, Ivan Rodriguez, Carlton Fisk, Mike Piazza and Yogi Berra), but it isn’t crazy to think he could be productive enough over these final three seasons in Philadelphia to warrant real consideration.

Compare his numbers to long-time Cardinals backstop Yadier Molina, who most believe will one day be enshrined. Molina has a career 41.7 WAR, just 3.0 WAR more than Realmuto. J.T. will probably pass him in 2027, if not this year. He’s just 4.0 WAR behind Jorge Posada (who is not in the Hall) and 6.3 WAR behind Buster Posey, who will be on the ballot for the first time in 2027 and is seen as a likely inductee.

Right now, I’d put the odds at 50/50 he becomes a Hall of Famer, but it’s a real conversation that will become even more realistic if he can get his WAR total into the upper 40s with another few 2-3-win seasons in Philadelphia. It’ll be close.

Trea Turner

First, the pros. At 33, Turner is coming off his best season since 2021 with the Nationals and Dodgers, posting a 5+ win season (5.4 WAR) for the first time in four years. He won his second career batting title (albeit hitting just .304), and finished 5th in the MVP voting. He has three All Star nods, two top-five MVP finishes and a Silver Slugger (2022) in his back pocket, 1,531 career hits, 282 doubles, 48 triples and 315 stolen bases. In 11 seasons, he’s been worth 41.9 WAR, for a 162-game average of 5.4 WAR per season.

He’s been a really, really good shortstop for the majority of his career.

Now, the cons. Like with Utley, Turner didn’t play more than 100 games in a season until his age-25 season with the Nationals in 2018. So, he got a late start. He also plays a position in which the demand for greatness is tremendous. His 41.9 WAR ranks just 44th all-time among shortstops, currently 0.1 WAR behind Xander Bogaerts and 1.9 behind Corey Seager, the player who beat him out for NL Rookie of the Year in 2016. Rollins, who piled up 47.9 WAR in his career, is eight full wins better than Turner at this point.

The average WAR for Hall of Fame shortstops is 67.7. Can Turner span the 25.8 WAR needed to hit that number over the final eight years of his contract? He would need to average 3.2 WAR per season through his age-40 season in 2033, likely with some bigger WAR numbers over the next couple seasons to compensate for what will almost certainly be a notable drop as he moves through his 30s.

There are a slew of Hall of Famers who managed to earn enshrinement as much for longevity as a tremendous peak. If Turner averages 184 hits per season over his final eight years, he’ll get to 3,000 and guarantee inclusion. If he averages 121 hits, he’ll reach 2,500. Would that be enough?

Zack Wheeler

The case for starting pitchers is in the process of recalibrating itself before our very eyes. Starters are no longer throwing 250-300 innings a season, they’re not staying in games long enough to earn “wins” and teams are no longer going with four-man rotations, all of which was routine through the 1980s.

Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are the last of a dying breed. Pitchers are now likely to be based on shorter peaks of greatness rather than a 20+ year career of throwing 220 innings and piling up counting stats. That’s why Felix Hernandez, Cole Hamels, Mark Buehrle and others are finding Hall voters more receptive to their candidacies over the last couple years.

That said, despite being perhaps the most effective starting pitcher since his arrival in Philly in 2020, he likely got too late of a start.

His first good season was in 2014 for the Mets, when he made 32 starts and put up a 3.54 ERA. He then missed all of 2015 and 2016 with Tommy John surgery and pitched in just 17 games in 2017. That ate up his age 25, 26 and 27 seasons. Finally, in 2018, he emerged as a 3-win starting pitcher with New York, earning him a five-year free agent deal with the Phils.

Obviously, he’s blossomed with the Phillies, finishing runner-up in the Cy Young voting twice and earning three All Star nods. He led the NL in WAR in ‘21 (7.5), has three 200+ strikeout seasons and would have had a fourth last year if he hadn’t suffered thoracic outlet syndrome. He’s already turned himself into one of the best starters in franchise history, with a 2.91 ERA in six years and is one of the greatest postseason pitchers in baseball history.

He’s been phenomenal, but unless voters are swayed by his 2020-2025 peak, his 113 career wins and 1,820 strikeouts probably isn’t enough, even with his postseason accolades and Cy Young runners-up finishes. If he’d won both of those awards, we may be singing a different tune.

There’s obviously still a chance for Wheeler to add to his legacy over the next few years, but entering his age-36 season and coming off a concerning injury, he doesn’t have a lot of time left.

Aaron Nola

Unlike Wheeler, the 33-year-old Nola has never been as dominant a starter. He had one season (2018) in which he was an All Star, leading the league with an insane 9.7 WAR and finishing third in the NL Cy Young voting, but he’s never led the league in strikeouts or, really, any pitching category. He has one other top-five Cy Young season (4th in 2022), and is coming off the worst season of his career, an injury plagued 17-start campaign that saw him post a 6.01 ERA and -0.3 WAR.

His 35.3 career WAR is far below where it needs to be, especially when compared to Hamels, who sits at 59.0. He’s signed for another five years, through his age-37 season, and the only way Nola makes Cooperstown is if he somehow finds the form to make a few more All Star teams and increase his strikeout total, which currently sits at 1,876. He’d need to average 225 strikeouts a season over his final five seasons to get to 3,000, a number he routinely reached in his prime but it unlikely to see again in his mid-to-late 30s. A number around 2,500 is more likely.

Nola is a first-ballot Phillies Wall of Famer, but it’s difficult to see how he can pile up enough counting stats on the back end of his career to make a push for Cooperstown.

Almost exactly four years after trading him to the Padres, the Twins agreed to a one year contract with left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. The pact will pay Rogers $2M in 2026.

Rogers has been bouncing around National League contenders since leaving the Twin Cities. He split 2022 between the Padres and Brewers when he was dealt to Milwaukee as part of the infamous Josh Hader trade. Rogers then signed a three year, $30M deal with the Giants prior to the 2023 season and split the final year of that contract between the Reds and Cubs where he had a 3.38 ERA/4.38 FIP in 50.2 innings. Unfortunately for those teams, after putting up at least 1.5 fWAR every season from 2018-2022 (COVID-shortened 2020 season excluded), Rogers maxed out at 0.3 fWAR in 2023.

It’s fair to question what Rogers can provide at this state of his career, but the same could have been said of the Danny Coulombe signing last year and the Twins were able to squeeze a bit more usefulness out of him in 2025. Rogers’ signature sweeper is still a well above-average pitch and a Griffin Jax-esque approach could benefit him greatly. In 2025, opposing hitters hit .168 with a .337 SLG against his sweeper while his sinker allowed a .326 BA and .537 SLG. As a two pitch pitcher, seems like an obvious solution when one of your pitches turns opposing hitters in to Aaron Judge and the other turns them into James Outman.

At this stage in his career, I would expect Rogers to be deployed as more of a lefty specialist than a true late game option. The Twins could still bring in another closing option like Seranthony Dominguez, but even as it stands he slots in firmly behind Justin Topa, Cole Sands, and Kody Funderburk (who quietly had an excellent second half). And that’s before getting into the Twins’ plethora of SP options, some of which will have to transition to the bullpen due to the sheer depth in the system.

With nearly all of the big relief names off the free agency board, the Twins will likely employ a Rays-style mix and match system at the end of games. Pete Maki’s bullpen wizardry will be put to the test early in 2026.

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

Yo yo yo…spring training isn’t far away. Pitchers and catchers will be reporting soon. Hope springs eternal.

Opening Day is still a little over two months away, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t start prognosticating about what 2026 might bring for Your Texas Rangers.

So we want to know…where do you think the Rangers will finish in the A.L. West this year?

Cast your vote below…

Earlier this week, baseball writers voted Carlos Beltrán into the Baseball Hall of Fame. On his fourth year of the ballot, Beltrán garnered 84.2% of the votes cast, well more than the 75% required to gain induction. He finished his career in 2017 as a member of the World Series champion Houston Astros.

Of course, he began it in Kansas City as a young star with the Royals. Quickly, he morphed into a superstar.

In 1999, his first full season in the Majors, Beltrán posted the first of several career 20-20 seasons. At the young age of 22, he corked 22 home runs while swiping 27 stolen bases. For the year, he slashed .293/.337/.454. He led the Royals in runs scored while placing or tying for second in other major offensive categories such as bWAR (4.7), hits (194), home runs, RBIs (108), and stolen bases. He took home the American League Rookie of the Year Award in a landslide, collecting 26 of the 28 first-place votes, finishing 88 points ahead of the runner-up, pitcher Freddy Garcia.

The Royals finished 64-97.

That was pretty much the story for Beltrán’s tenure in Kansas City: great individual numbers while the team struggled. In his third season, he had, by bWAR, his best year with the Royals, finishing 6.5 wins-above-replacement while posting a slash line of .306/.362/.514 for an OPS 23% above league-average. For the first of just two times in his career—both with the Royals—he finished with at least 10 triples. As evidenced by the slugging percentage, the power jumped, as he added another 76 extra-base hits to go with his triples.

He was 24.

The Royals finished 65-97.

The following season, when the Royals finished 62-100, Beltrán came up a home run shy of a 30-30 season, finishing with 29 homers and 35 stolen bases. For the only time in his career, he played in all 162 games.

In 2003, the Royals actually competed but fell short of the playoffs with a record of 83-79. Beltrán finally received some MVP consideration, finishing 9th in a year in which he finished with 5.8 bWAR, 10 triples, 26 home runs, 41 stolen bases, 102 runs scored, 100 RBIs, and an OPS of .911. He turned 26 in the season’s first month and looked to be the centerpiece of a Royals team that would finally start consistently competing.

None of that happened.

As Max wrote about in 2017, in 2003, Beltrán and the front office appeared to have a deal that would’ve kept Beltrán in Kansas City through 2005. Beltrán, his agent Scott Boras, and the Royals brass had hashed out a three-year deal worth $25 million. That’s $25 million total, mind you, which comes out to just over $8 million per season.

But Dan Glass, son of the late and former Royals owner David Glass, pushed back on the deal, wanting it cut by $1 million. Again, that’s total, not per season. The new offer peeved Beltrán and Boras, who broke off negotiations.

In June of 2004, after another stellar 69 games that would earn Beltrán his first All-Star nod, as part of a three-team deal, the Royals traded him to the Houston Astros in a three-team trade for Mark Teahen, John Buck, Mike Wood, and cash.

Almost immediately, Beltrán experienced something with Houston that he never did with the Royals—the playoffs. Before that, though, Beltrán played 90 regular-season games with the Astros, and elevated his slugging to another level, going off for 17 doubles, seven triples, and 23 home runs. He remained a menace on the bases, too, going a perfect 28-for-28 in stolen base attempts.

When Houston reached the postseason, somehow, Beltran further upped his game. Check out these ridiculous stats from his 2004 postseason, which ended with a Game 7 NLCS loss to the Cardinals – .435/.536/1.022/1.557, 21 runs, three doubles, eight home runs, 14 RBIs, eight-for-eight in stolen bases, nine walks plus one intentional walk to eight strikeouts.

Absolutely insane.

Once free agency hit, Beltrán left the Astros for the New York Mets in a massive deal for the time: seven years, $119 million. Once his career ended, Beltrán would’ve played more games for the Mets than for any of his seven teams, including the Royals. In Queens, Beltrán would make seven All-Star games, finish as high as fourth in MVP voting (in 2006), earn three Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers.

Mirroring his time in Kansas City, though, he made the playoffs only once, and it ended in an iconically disastrous way.

Also similar to his days with the Royals, Beltrán’s career with the Mets ended in a trade during the last year of his contract, this time heading to San Francisco for a short spell with the Giants.

He spent his next two seasons back in Missouri, but with the Cardinals, reaching the World Series for the first time in his career in 2013, but falling to the Red Sox.

Once more hitting the open market, he returned to New York as a Yankee. Years removed from his graceful defending of centerfield, Beltrán primarily patrolled right field while occasionally DH’ing. He posted decent numbers for the Yankees before once again getting traded in 2016 to the Rangers.

His last season came in 2017 as he returned to the Astros, and, well, you may have heard about the 2017 Houston Astros before today. On the field, Beltrán posted by far the worst numbers of his career. He also became embroiled in a cheating scandal that would later cost him a managerial gig and forced him to wait until his fourth year on the ballot to get into the Hall of Fame.

Yet, he is now a Hall of Famer as it appears a majority of voters appear to have forgiven—or least moved past—those trashcan days.

Now the question becomes, what cap will he don in Cooperstown?

My bet is the Mets. He played more there than any other stop and also reached heights he’d yet to achieve while in Kansas City and wouldn’t again reach after leaving for the Bay.

That shouldn’t stop Royals fans from celebrating his career.

It was one of the finest, and it all started here.

Bravo, Carlos Beltrán 👏

Welcome to Cooperstown! pic.twitter.com/JW6FjaUG2J

— MLB (@MLB) January 20, 2026