Category: MLB

Here is the latest news and buzz surrounding free agent outfielder/first basemanCody Bellinger and his chances of returning to New York with the Yankees or Mets...

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Jan. 4, 7:09 p.m.

After making a formal offer to the outfielder earlier this week, the Yankees have reportedly made a second offer to the 30-year-old, per NY Post's Joel Sherman.

The offer comes on the heels of the news that New York is eying starting pitcher Edward Cabrera in a possible trade with the Miami Marlins which connects to the Yankees' offer to Bellinger because if he were to stay in New York he would likely play left field, alongside Aaron Judge in right and Trent Grisham in center.

With that outfield configuration, the Yanks could afford trading away a player like OF Jasson Dominguez to a team, like the Marlins, for a different area of need such as starting pitching, although Sherman writes that that is merely speculation. 

However, it does help that both teams have been trade partners in the past which shows a willingness on both sides to get a potential deal done.

Jan. 2, 5:22 p.m.

As the offseason continues, it seems the Yankees have formally made an offer to Bellinger earlier this week, per the NY Post's Jon Heyman.

It's no surprise the Yankees did so, as Bellinger is the team's No. 1 target this offseason, but Heyman added that with both sides in a weekslong standoff, the Mets can't be ruled out. 

Other teams linked to Bellinger are the Dodgers, where the outfielder started his career, and the Giants. Heyman also adds the Blue Jays as a potential landing spot if Toronto does not land Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette. 

Dec. 26, 9:50 a.m.

While the holiday season has lowered the hot stove temperature, it appears the Yankees' hopes of re-signing Cody Bellinger remain high enough.

A reunion with the star outfielder is still a priority in the Bronx, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, and the club feels "pretty confident" he won't move boroughs for a deal over in Queens.

The pursuit of Bellinger is also endorsed by the Yankees' captain. Heyman reports Aaron Judge is "a big advocate" for a long-term commitment with the former MVP, who hit .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI as a one-year rental in pinstripes last season.

It's unclear when Bellinger will take himself off the free-agent market, but with high demand from championship contenders, some projections have him earning around $30 million annually on a six-year contract. The Yankees may have to sweeten the pot in order to convince him to stay.

Dec. 14, 7:35 p.m.

While reports indicated that the San Francisco Giants "do not anticipate making the nine-figure investment" required to sign free agents this offseason, they aren't checked out of the marketplace altogether.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reported recently that the Giants “have checked in on” Cody Bellinger, the Yankees' No. 1 target.

Bellinger proved to be a big part of the Yanks' last season, contributing well on both sides of the ball with 29 home runs, 98 RBI, and a .272/.334/.480 slash line for an .813 OPS (125 OPS+ and wRC+) while ranking in the 93rd percentile in outs above average (seven) and with 12 defensive runs saved.

Dec. 4, 11:42 a.m.

While other suitors are certainly in the mix, Cody Bellinger remains the Yankees' No. 1 target, and the club is making a "big effort" to bring him back, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Heyman lists the Mets, Phillies, Angels, and Dodgers as other possibilities.

ESPN's Jeff Passan has previously reported that signing Bellinger would be a "multipart move" for the Yankees, as the club would almost certainly need to move one of their other outfield pieces --potentially Jasson Dominguez or up-and-coming prospect Spencer Jones.

With Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer, the Yanks would have a surplus of outfielders if Bellinger was to re-sign.

• Celtic are winless in their past four league games against Rangers (D2 L2); they had only failed to win four of their previous 12 Old Firm derbies in the Scottish Premiership beforehand (W8 D3 L1).
• Both of the past two league Old Firm derbies have been drawn; Celtic and Rangers haven't played out three successive league draws since October 2002.
• Celtic are winless in the past three occasions that their first league game of a calendar year has come against Rangers (D1 L2), although each were at Ibrox. When playing their league opener of a year at home to Rangers, Celtic are unbeaten in four (W2 D2) since a 4-2 defeat in 1994.
• Rangers have only lost their opening league match in one of the past 14 calendar years (W11 D2), going down 2-1 away to Kilmarnock in 2019.
• The last league meeting between Celtic and Rangers in August featured just nine shots and 0.34 expected goals. Since Opta have this data in the competition (from 2019-20), it's the lowest xG on record in a Scottish Premiership match, and also the second-lowest shot tally in this time, ahead of only St Johnstone v Livingston in May 2021 (seven).
• Celtic have lost five of their 19 league games so far this season. It's already their most defeats in a single campaign since 2020-21 (also five), while they last suffered more defeats in 2012-13 (seven).
• Rangers have won four of their past five league games (L1), just one fewer than they had in their first 14 this term (W5 D8 L1). Both of their defeats so far have been against league leaders Heart of Midlothian.
• This will be the first league Old Firm derby for both Celtic's Wilfried Nancy and Rangers' Danny Röhl.

The strange offseason sweepstakes for Tatsuya Imai has finally come to a close, as the Japanese right-hander is joining the Astros on a three-year contract, per multiple reports.

According to The Athletic's Chandler Rome, the deal maxes out at $63 million with yearly opt-outs. 

With a salary of $18 million that can reach $21 million, based on innings logged, Imai is receiving the third-highest AAV of any Japanese-born pitcher.

Imai's window for a major league contract was closing fast. His deadline to officially sign with a club was Jan. 2, and The Athletic reported earlier this week that the 27-year-old was still taking meetings with interested suitors. 

While it's unclear how serious the Mets were in talks with Imai, SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino noted earlier this winter that a "full-tilt pursuit" for the former Nippon League star was never anticipated. 

This was also the case with Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto -- who currently owns the record AAV mark for a Japanese arm -- two offseasons ago. 

There wasn't much noise from the Mets' crosstown rival, either. Jack Curry of YES mentioned last week that the Yankees weren't expected to sign Imai, who happened to be outspoken about his desire to beat the reigning champion Dodgers.

Imai was terrific in 24 starts for the Seibu Lions this past season, registering a sharp 1.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP across 163.2 innings. He also allowed only 101 hits and struck out 178, producing a strikeout rate of 9.8 per nine.

In eight NPB seasons, Imai logged a 3.15 ERA and 1.26 WHIP, but his last four years on the mound grabbed MLB's attention. With an above-average four-pitch mix that includes a fastball sitting in the mid-90s, he posted ERAs of 2.04, 2.45, 2.34, and 1.92, respectively.

Tatsuya Imai signs with Astros after being linked to Phils originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai has agreed to terms on a three-year deal with the Houston Astros, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

This closes the door on a potential Phillies addition that had gained traction recently.

Imai, 27, spent eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Seibu Lions, compiling a 3.15 ERA across 159 appearances. He was coming off a breakout 2025 season, posting a 1.92 ERA in 24 starts with 178 strikeouts over 163 2/3 innings, while significantly improving his command. His WHIP was a career-best at 0.89.

His contract with Houston includes opt-outs after each season with an average annual value of $18 million, with a number of incentives.

The Phillies were among the teams linked to Imai as his posting window neared its Friday deadline, but Philadelphia ultimately did not land the right-hander.

Missing out on Imai keeps the club’s rotation picture largely unchanged — and places added emphasis on its internal decisions.

The Phillies already have significant money, just over $102 million, committed to starting pitching, with Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker and Cristopher Sánchez all on multi-year deals, plus Jesús Luzardo in his final year of arbitration.

This move, though, keeps the door open for a reunion with southpaw Ranger Suárez.

Suárez, who will also carry a hefty price tag in free agency, remains an option for Philadelphia to reinforce its rotation without adding an external arm. The club’s top pitching prospect, Andrew Painter, will have the opportunity to compete for a rotation spot in spring training.

With Wheeler’s availability uncertain early next season and the club already pushing luxury-tax thresholds, a reunion with Suárez may still be unlikely, but it would provide continuity to one of the best rotations in the game.

For now, the Phillies will continue monitoring the starting pitching market. Whether that results in renewed talks with Suárez or they stand pat, Imai’s decision elsewhere narrows the options.

Starter Tyler Mahle, Giants reportedly agree to one-year MLB free-agent contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants are adding additional arms to the starting rotation.

San Francisco agreed to a one-year free-agent contract with right-handed starting pitcher Tyler Mahle, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported Wednesday, citing a source, after the San Francisco Chronicle’s Shayna Rubin was first to report that the two sides were nearing an agreement.

Tyler Mahle has agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants, per source. Physical is complete and the deal is done. @ShaynaRubin was on it.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 31, 2025

Mahle, 31, posted a 6-4 record with 66 strikeouts, 29 walks and a 2.18 ERA in 86 2/3 innings pitched for the Texas Rangers last season.

A seventh-round pick by the Reds in 2013, Mahle debuted with Cincinnati in 2017, and spent five-plus seasons with the team before the Reds traded him to the Minnesota Twins ahead of the 2022 MLB trade deadline.

Mahle spent an additional season with Minnesota before signing a two-year, $22 million contract with the Texas Rangers in Dec. 2023.

After a strong 2025 season with Texas, Mahle now appears close to joining a Giants starting rotation that needed multiple arms at the start of the offseason, and already has added veteran Adrian Houser.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Starter Tyler Mahle, Giants reportedly close on one-year MLB free-agent contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants appear to be adding additional arms to the starting rotation.

San Francisco is close to signing right-handed starting pitcher Tyler Mahle to a one-year contract, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Shayna Rubin reported Wednesday, citing a source.

Source: The Giants are close to signing right-handed starter Tyler Mahle to a one-year deal.

— Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) December 31, 2025

Mahle, 31, posted a 6-4 record with 66 strikeouts, 29 walks and a 2.18 ERA in 86 2/3 innings pitched for the Texas Rangers last season.

A seventh-round pick by the Reds in 2013, Mahle debuted with Cincinnati in 2017, and spent five-plus seasons with the team before the Reds traded him to the Minnesota Twins before the 2022 MLB trade deadline.

Mahle spent an additional season with Minnesota before signing a two-year, $22 million contract with the Texas Rangers in Dec. 2023.

After a strong 2025 season with Texas, Mahle now appears close to joining a Giants starting rotation that was in need of multiple arms at the start of the offseason, and already has added veteran Adrian Houser.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

D'backs GM casts doubt on potential Ketel Marte-to-Red Sox trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Ketel Marte trade rumors have cooled since the MLB Winter Meetings, and now it appears the Arizona Diamondbacks plan to hold on to their All-Star second baseman.

D’backs general manager Mike Hazen spoke to reporters Tuesday about Marte’s availability in trade talks. Although the club continues to engage with teams about a possible deal, Hazen is ready to move on.

“We’re very likely to put an end to this shortly,” Hazen said. … “This isn’t going to continue to linger. We need to focus our offseason.

“Again, my gut this whole time was that (a trade of Marte) wasn’t going to happen, and I think it seems likely that that’s the case and we want to focus on other things we need to do.”

The Red Sox have been the club most prominently linked to Marte in recent weeks. Arizona has reportedly asked for young pitching in return, and Boston has two top pitching prospects in left-handers Payton Tolle and Connelly Early.

That price may be too steep for Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, and understandably so. Tolle has top-of-the-rotation upside as Boston’s No. 1 prospect, and Early showcased his intriguing potential in his first taste of the big leagues last season. Trading them for a 32-year-old middle infielder — even one as talented as Marte — is risky business.

That said, the Red Sox still need to add a big bat or two to their lineup this offseason, even after acquiring first baseman Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals. Re-signing Alex Bregman remains a possibility, and they’ve also been linked to sluggers Bo Bichette and Eugenio Suarez on the free-agent market. If the Marte trade talks indeed fall through, Boston could pivot to Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan or Houston Astros infielder Isaac Paredes.

In 2025, the switch-hitting Marte slashed .283/.376/.517 with 28 homers and 72 RBI in 126 games. He has also been a solid defender at second base with +10 Outs Above Average over the past three seasons (+8 OAA in ’24).

To refer to the Mets' offseason to this point as polarizing would be a huge understatement. 

With New York trading Brandon Nimmo, letting Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso walk via free agency, and dealing Jeff McNeil, the core has been stripped down to the beams. Never before in the history of the franchise has something this drastic happened in one offseason with core players who were not only still effective, but beloved by the fans. 

The Diaz and Alonso departures happening in a 24-hour span resulted in most of the fan base being disoriented, and the slow pace of the offseason since then -- not just for the Mets, but nearly every team -- has left the mystery of what's to come hanging in the air. In other words, it has been uncomfortable.

But that doesn't mean David Stearns doesn't have a plan.

Before exploring what that plan might entail, it's important to dissect each of the above moves separately instead of attempting to lump them all together.

Dealing Nimmo to the Rangers ahead of his age-33 season and with five years left on his contract made baseball sense, especially with his offense and outfield defense declining. That the player coming back (second baseman Marcus Semien) wasn't a Nimmo replacement means the trade is impossible to grade until the next outfield move comes. 

Alonso signing with the Orioles on a five-year contract for $155 million was a gut punch for many fans. But it's hard to argue that the Mets extending that far on Alonso would've been a smart move. There is a serious issue without Alonso, though, and it's the tough task of replacing his power.

McNeil departing was something you could see coming since the end of the 2025 season. And once New York added Semien, there was no longer a regular role for him.

I saved the Diaz departure for last because it's the only one that left me flummoxed. 

You can say that Diaz leaving to sign with the Dodgers was proof that he simply wanted to go there. But I reject that belief. Most of the time, players go where the most money is, and that's what happened in this case. Anything Diaz said at his introductory news conference in Los Angeles is a waste to analyze, unless you were expecting him to put his new cap and jersey on and say he wished he was still a Met.

The Mets being willing to extend to three years and $66 million for Diaz tells you they wanted to retain him, unless they were playing some weird game of chicken while daring him to leave. So that they lost him for relative pennies suggests that something went haywire communication-wise at the end of the negotiation or that the Mets balked at his ultimate price.

Pair the above with the fact that the signings of Jorge Polanco (who might be asked to play lots of first base)and Luke Weaver are the only big moves New York has made over the last month or so, and the result is this weird, uncomfortable limbo where much more has to be coming -- but with it being fair for people to not totally trust the process until the end product is visible.

So, what should the plan be?

Find a top of the rotation starting pitcher

This was the Mets' biggest need when the offseason started, and the rotation has still not been upgraded with the offseason two months old.

To get this out of the way: The Mets don't need an "ace," which is a label thrown around too lightly. There are only a handful of true aces in the sport, and they are incredibly difficult to procure. If New York somehow lands Tarik Skubal from the Tigers? Great. If not, there are plenty of top of the rotation starters (someone who could slide into the No. 1 or No. 2 spot in a rotation) out there.

Via the trade market, the Mets could target someone like Nick Pivetta of the Padres, Freddy Peralta of the Brewers, or Joe Ryan of the Twins. New York has the prospect capital to get it done, but it takes two to tango. 

In free agency, the Mets have recently been linked to Framber Valdez, who has been one of the best and most reliable pitchers in baseball over the last half decade.

If Valdez can be had on a three- or four-year deal, it will be difficult to make a case against the Mets going out and getting him.

The Mets' 2025 season was torpedoed due in large part to the rotation failing and Stearns not being decisive enough in addressing it (something he admitted after the season). The starting staff must be significantly bolstered this time around.

Add one legitimate starting outfielder

As things currently stand, New York's outfield is Juan Soto in right field and question marks in both center and left.

With top prospect Carson Benge expected to contribute in a serious way this season, it's fair to believe that only one legitimate outfielder should be added -- with the other spot going to either Benge from the jump or to a placeholder until Benge is ready.

Most of the focus has been on free agents Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger. Perhaps Tucker becomes a fit if no team is willing to give him the long-term deal he wants. And maybe Bellinger switches boroughs if the Yankees aren't aggressive enough.

But if Tucker and Bellinger get enormous paydays, the trade market should be where the Mets turn to try to fill their outfield need.

It's possible that the Red Sox will trade Jarren Duran, and the White Sox -- barring something truly strange happening -- will finally part with Luis Robert Jr.

Other options could include San Diego's Ramon Laureano and an outside-the-box option like Arizona infielder Ketel Marte, who could theoretically slide to left field.

Find a second serious bat

After the Mets downgraded the offense by dealing Nimmo and letting Alonso go as a free agent, they were left needing three legit bats.

They found one of them by signing Polanco, and will likely get another with whoever they bring in as a starting outfielder.

As far as that third bat?

The Mets could add a first baseman and make Polanco the regular DH.

They could sign someone like Eugenio Suarez and have him be the DH.

They could also get creative and do something like sign Alex Bregman to play third base and shift Brett Baty to first.

Bolster the bullpen

Along with Weaver and Williams, the Mets' bullpen in 2026 is expected to include left-handers A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley -- though the start of Minter's season could be a bit delayed following lat surgery this past May.

Huascar Brazoban also figures to be in the bullpen mix, as do hard-throwing prospects Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert.

Other relievers who could compete for roles include Jonathan Pintaro (who made his big league debut last season) and Adbert Alzolay (who is on a two-year minor league deal and missed the 2025 season).

But while there are plenty of possible options, the Mets need more certainty -- especially at the back end.

Among the intriguing relievers available are Trevor Megill of the Brewers and Jeremiah Estrada of the Padres.

• Rangers are winless in their last four league meetings with St Mirren (D2 L2); only in November 1904 and August 1984 have they ever gone five without a win over the Buddies.
• St Mirren won their last league visit to Rangers 2-0 in February last season, but have never won successive such trips, with this their 126th in league competition.
• Rangers have only lost their final league game once in the last eight calendar years (W5 D2), going down 2-1 to Celtic in 2023. When facing a side other than Old Firm rivals Celtic to round off a year, the Gers have only lost their final league game once in the last 31 years (W26 D4), losing 4-0 to Hibernian in the Scottish Championship in 2014.
• St Mirren have only won their final league game in one of the last five calendar years (D1 L3), beating Aberdeen 1-0 in 2023.
• Only Alexandros Kyziridis (45) has created more chances in the Scottish Premiership this season than both Rangers' James Tavernier (36) and St Mirren's Declan John (30).

Jeff McNeil’s time in the Big Apple officially came to an end earlier this week. 

McNeil joined the Mets as a 12th-round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft out of Long Beach State University. 

After grinding through the minors, he finally received his shot in the bigs during the 2018 campaign. 

He would establish himself as a regular in New York’s lineup with his versatile glove and slap-hitting ways. 

McNeil finished his Mets tenure with a .286 average, 193 doubles, 80 homers, 367 RBI, and a .779 OPS in 923 games. 

He also racked up a pair of All-Star appearances, a Silver Slugger, and a batting title. 

The 33-year-old took to social media to say goodbye to the organization on Saturday night.

“New York will always be part of my story,” McNeil wrote. “The Mets organization is all I've ever known since being drafted, and it has been an incredible run. I'm incredibly thankful for every moment, every lesson, and every memory along the way.

“I'm especially grateful for the fans who welcomed me and my family and made New York feel like home for so long. Thank you to Steve and Alex Cohen, the coaching staff, and my teammates who made this journey so meaningful," he continued. 

"With so much gratitude, it’s time to turn the page and embrace the next chapter in green and gold."

The Yankees can now say they’ve added another veteran MVP to their roster – well, sort of.

The club has seemingly agreed to a contract with reigning Mexican League MVP and outfielder Nick Torres. While a deal hasn’t been confirmed by the club, Algodoneros Unión Laguna , Torres' Mexican League team, bid farewell to their star in a social media post on Saturday, wishing the 32-year-old luck and to “keep growing and fulfill one more dream” as a member of the Yankees.

Torres, a California native selected by the Padres in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, hasn’t played in an MiLB-affiliated game since 2018. 

The righty-swinger climbed the minor-league ranks between 2014-18, but never received a promotion to the majors. Working as a corner outfielder and first baseman in the Padres and Rangers systems, he played in 212 Double-A games and 71 Triple-A games, hitting a combined .267.

Torres joined the Mexican League in 2019, and in his most recent campaign, he slashed a robust .347/.425/.730 with 27 home runs and 79 RBI across 86 games for Unión Laguna.

Since 2021, he's hit .343 with a 1.025 OPS for the Mexican League club.

Gracias, Nick Torres, por cada juego, cada entrega y cada emoción que nos regalaste.
Por la forma en que has conectado con la afición, por convertirte en referente, en ídolo y en uno de los jugadores más queridos de esta casa.
Tu paso por el Revolución deja huella en el diamante,… pic.twitter.com/B8SQTZznOz

— Algodoneros Unión Laguna (@AlgodonerosUL) December 27, 2025