Category: MLB

The Yankees added some infield depth on Sunday morning, agreeing to a deal with veteran Paul DeJong.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, DeJong is joining the Yankees on a minor league deal that includes an invite to major league spring training. 

DeJong, 32, began his career by playing seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, earning his lone All-Star appearance in 2019. Since 2023, the infielder has bounced around to a handful of teams, including 57 games with the Washington Nationals in 2025. 

Over the course of nine major league seasons, DeJong has a career slash line of .229/.294/.416 with 146 home runs and 423 RBI. And while he came up as a shortstop, DeJong has played all over the infield, so he'd provide some versatility for a Yankees team that knows shortstop Anthony Volpe likely won't be ready to start the 2026 regular season.

On paper, Tatsuya Imai certainly seemed like a potential fit for the Mets. 

He’s still just 27 years old, brings a ton of potential upside coming over from Japan, and wasn’t commanding too much in free agency with his market not developing as hoped. 

However, the team reportedly was never serious about pursuing the right-hander before he reached an agreement on a three-year pact with the Astros on Thursday. 

According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, that’s because the Mets weren’t sold on Imai as an impact starter. 

With the way his contract with Houston is set up -- including incentives based on innings pitched and opt-outs after every year -- it seems other clubs may have felt the same way. 

Imai pitched to a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts over 162.2 innings last year for the Saitama Seibu Lions. 

There are, however, some concerns about the righty making the transition to the States. 

So now, the Mets will have to turn their attention elsewhere if they hope to add to their rotation this offseason. 

Feinsand again connected them to Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez, two of the best available in free agency.

It remains to be seen if David Stearns will shell out the money and years the top arms are seeking, though. 

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. 6, 1:13 p.m.

There is "clearly a gap" between Bellinger and the Yankees, Jack Curry of YES reported on Monday during an appearance on Yankees Hot Stove.

According to multiple reports, Bellinger has been seeking a six- or seven-year contract.

In addition to the Yankees, the Mets have been heavily linked to Bellinger.

Bellinger's ability to play all three outfield spots and first base is appealing, and sets him apart from fellow free agent Kyle Tucker.

However,  Bellinger's career OPS+ of 120 is dwarfed by Tucker's career OPS+ of 140.

When it comes to the last three seasons, Tucker has an .892 OPS (150 OPS+), while Bellinger's is .815 (125 OPS+).

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 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

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

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).