Category: MLB

A block away from the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday morning, a once-overlooked Dodgers star embraced his own newfound notoriety.

Four days after slugging the game-winning home run in Game 7 of the World Series, Will Smith was serenaded by hundreds of fans at a Raising Cane’s promotional event at the intersection of Sunset and Highland, taking a makeshift stage to chants of “We want Will!” from a crowd of Dodgers faithful forever indebted to his championship-clinching swing.

“To feel the love from all the fans, it’s just cool,” Smith said. “It’s fun celebrating with these people, to see what the Dodgers mean to them.”

For years, Smith has largely felt that love from the shadows of the Dodgers’ star-studded roster — a three-time All-Star, a generational talent at his position, but also an outshined member of the team’s big-name core.

Read more:The Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series had record-setting ratings. Here's what it means

That officially changed this week, after he hit the first game-winning, extra-inning home run in the seventh game of a Fall Classic.

His name has now joined the realm of October legends. His place in Dodger history, elevated to virtually immortal status.

“That’s crazy,” Smith said, when informed Wednesday of the history his 11th-inning swing made. “I never would have thought that [would happen]. But yeah, just glad I was able to get it done for the guys, and for the city … The passion that these fans have, that’s what motivates me most.”

That kind of answer, of course, exemplifies Smith’s default mode. Quiet and reserved by nature. Averse to the public spotlight. Happy to simply show up at the ballpark, handle his taxing job as the starting catcher on baseball’s best team, and sidestep the attention a player of his talent would typically command.

Such had been the reality of Smith’s existence with these Dodgers. Sharing a clubhouse with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Clayton Kershaw, it’s been easy for him to blend into the background for much of his seven-year career.

But then, last Saturday night, Shane Bieber hung him a slider in a tied game with a World Series on the line. Smith put a thunderous swing on it, pleading for the ball to clear the fence. And once it did, his standing in the sport had instantly been altered. The Dodgers cemented a dynasty. He was the face of one of its most defining moments.

“Yes and no,” Smith said when asked if it felt like his life had changed this week. “That’s a moment that will always be special. A very positive memory. In the first couple [World Series], had some big hits and stuff. But the game-winner is cool. So hopefully next year, going for a three-peat, we do something similar.”

Nothing, of course, will be as transformational as this past week was for the 30-year-old backstop.

Read more:'Work to do': Four questions the World Series champion Dodgers face this offseason

Had it not been for the heroic efforts of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Smith very easily could have won World Series MVP, having led the Dodgers with six RBIs, trailed only Ohtani with a .267 average, and caught all 74 innings of the marathon series in another Fall Classic record.

He wasn’t coaxed into speaking at the team’s championship parade, but still received some of the day’s loudest ovations, the fan base recognizing the herculean contributions he provided both at and behind the plate.

“He was the silent assassin,” Freeman said.

“He’s an absolute animal,” third baseman Max Muncy echoed.

Smith did show some of his dry humor during a Tuesday night appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, reeling off a few laugh lines alongside manager Dave Roberts and a few other teammates.

Then, on Wednesday morning, he got his hero’s welcome at the Raising Cane’s event, with fans lining up along Sunset two hours before his appearance with signs and posters ready in hand.

“It’s felt like a dream,” Smith said.

One he won’t be waking up from anytime soon.

Moving forward, Smith figures to be at the center of the team’s future success, having signed a 10-year, $140 million contract extension with the Dodgers in March 2024.

“This is pretty much home now for us,” the Louisville native and father of two said. “We love it here.”

As one of the younger members of the club’s All-Star core, his importance to the lineup will also continue to grow, with Smith trying to build off a 2025 campaign in which he set full-season career-highs in batting average (.296) and OPS (.901) despite missing most of September, and the first week of the playoffs, with a broken hand.

“To me, he kind of epitomizes a lot of the success that we've had looking back, in terms of our scouting process, our player development process, how well they work together, and then him coming through and having the impact he's had at the Major League level,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said of Smith, who was originally a first-round draft pick of the team in 2016.

“Make no mistake, there's going to be a lot of those moments for him,” Muncy added. “He’s going to be here for a long time. I’m exciting to see what he’s going to do for this organization.”

And to think, how disastrously different this week could have been if not for the other key play Smith made in Game 7, getting his toe back on home plate after it had popped off as he went to catch a throw from Miguel Rojas with the bases loaded in bottom of the ninth inning.

“I still don’t like seeing it,” Smith joked as the video of that moment replayed on Kimmel. “They were replaying it [in the stadium], and I was like, ‘Oh crap, this is not good. We’re gonna lose right here because I can’t hold home plate with my foot.’”

Read more:Money helped Dodgers win the World Series. But they say culture got them through Game 7

“That,” Smith added as Kimmel pondered the alternative reality, “would’ve stung.”

Instead, two innings later, Smith delivered a swing that will change his legacy forever — thrusting him onto a pedestal both overdue and long-warranted.

“For me, I’ve always tried not to do too much,” he said. “Just happened to get it in the air, get it over the wall.”

Another modest answer, from a player unlikely to go overlooked again.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Former Rangers player and manager Ally McCoist on TNT Sports

Forget one transfer window for Rangers, it might be three. It's a big job. A big, big job.

Former Rangers player Alan Hutton on TNT Sports

We're too used to seeing this now. For me, I look at Rangers at this moment in time and they are crying out for help. January is massive.

Former Scotland defender Robbie Neilson on the BBC's Scottish Football podcast

Rangers were kind of outclassed by Roma, which top end of the Serie A is to be expected, but I just felt they had a couple of gears to go.

This little period is difficult. I think getting through the game at the weekend, it gives them that international break.

I think the recruitment has been done. Danny Rohl has to make the best he can out of what they've got at the moment. And it's about getting to January in the best condition he can.

Former Rangers forward Rory Loy on the BBC's Scottish Football podcast

If Dundee can turn up [on Sunday], play their stuff on the big occasion like they have done when it's been on the telly before, then Rangers will be in for a game.

And it's not ideal for Rangers coming off the back of Thursday. I think Rangers will probably just have enough, but I would definitely have thought Celtic would have had enough.

• Rangers have lost seven consecutive European games (including qualifiers) for the first time in their history. The Ibrox side have lost 10 European games in 2025, only the fourth time a team has ever done so in one year and one of the other three was Rangers in 2022 (10); the others are Sheriff Tiraspol in 2023 and Qarabag in 2024.
• Rangers have lost their past five games in the Europa League, their longest losing streak in the competition (since at least 2005/2006).
• Danny Rohl has become the first permanent Rangers boss to lose as many as three of his first five games in charge (W2).
• Rangers have kept a clean sheet in just five of their 23 matches in all competitions, their lowest percentage (22%) of games with a shutout in a season since 1957-58 (11 in 54, 20%).
• James Tavernier made his 61st Europa League appearance for Rangers, equalling the record for a single club (2009-10 onwards); he draws level with Andreas Ulmer's 61 games for RB Salzburg.
• Rangers have failed to score in three of their four games, no team has failed to do so more often in the 2025-2026 Europa League.
• Rangers have conceded the opening goal in five consecutive major European matches for the first time since doing so between September 1962 and October 1963.

The 2025 National League Silver Slugger Awards were announced on Thursday night, and both Juan Soto and Pete Alonso came away victorious. 

Francisco Lindor, the other Mets star up for a Silver Slugger, did not win, as the award for shortstop instead went to Arizona's Geraldo Perdomo.

For Soto, this Silver Slugger is the sixth of his illustrious career. Despite somehow being snubbed from the NL All-Star team, Soto put up MVP-caliber numbers during his first season in Queens, posting a .921 OPS while setting a new career best with 43 home runs. One of three NL MVP finalists, Soto also stole a career-best 38 bases in 2025.

Meanwhile, Alonso takes home his first Silver Slugger Award following a 2025 season that saw him belt 38 home runs while slashing .272/.347/.524. He also became the Mets' all-time home run leader, passing Darryl Strawberry. 

For Alonso, taking home the Silver Slugger should certainly help his cause as he hits free agency for a second straight offseason.

The Mets added to their roster on Thursday, claiming INF/OF Ji Hwan Bae off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates and LHP Jose Castillo off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles.

Bae, 26, originally signed with the Pirates as an international free agent infielder in March 2018. 

Once considered a Top-15 prospect for Pittsburgh, Bae never really capitalized on his chances in the majors during his time with the Pirates.

After debuting and playing a handful of games in 2022, Bae played 11 games in 2023, posting a .608 OPS with two home runs, 17 doubles, 32 RBI, and 24 stolen bases. He then played just 20 games in 2024 and 13 games at the major league level in 2025, appearing solely as an outfielder when taking the field. 

Bae, whose sprint speed ranks in the 82nd percentile, according to Baseball Savant, has put up good numbers in the minors, though. In 2024, Bae had a .945 OPS with 86 hits in 67 games, and he posted an .800 OPS with 82 hits in 73 games this past season. 

Castillo returns to the Mets after appearing in 16 games with the club in 2025. Castillo pitched well during his time in Queens, posting a 2.35 ERA, but he was eventually placed on waivers and claimed by the Seattle Mariners before making his way to the Orioles. 

Additionally, infielder Nick Madrigal has elected free agency. 

The veteran infielder was fighting for a spot on the Mets' Opening Day roster last spring before suffering a fractured left shoulder.

 

In a semi-surprising move, the Yankees have extended the qualifying offer to outfielderTrent Grishamon Thursday, according to multiple reports.

This year’s qualifying offer is set at $22.025 million, and Grisham can accept the terms and return on a one-year contract. However, if Grisham rejects the qualifying offer and signs with a new team, the Yankees receive draft compensation. 

Of course, this could be a double-edged sword for the Yankees. With Cody Bellinger opting out and testing free agency, two of their three starting outfielders from this past season are now free agents. The qualifying offer allows the Yankees to recoup draft capital if Grisham signs with another team. However, the qualifying offer could hamper Grisham's prospects for a deal, as new teams may not want to give up a draft pick to sign him.

Grisham could also accept the one-year deal and the Yankees will be paying a hefty price for the 28-year-old. But, perhaps, that's not the worst-case scenario as Grisham had a career season with the Yankees in 2025. His 34 homers are twice as many as his previous career high (2022 with the Padres) and his 74 RBI are 12 more than his previous high in 2021. It wasn't just his homers and RBI. Grisham set career marks in slugging (.464), hits (116), walks (82) and OPS (.811).

Not bad for what many considered a throw-in when the Yankees acquired Juan Soto in a trade with the San Diego Padres before the 2024 season.

All players who receive the qualifying offer this offseason have until Nov. 18 to decide whether or not to accept it.

In addition, the Yankees added RHP Kervin Castro to the 40-man roster. The right-hander last pitched in the majors back in 2022 with the Giants and Cubs. In his career, he's pitched to a 4.91 ERA but is still just 26 years old.

In an expected move, the Mets have extended a qualifying offer to free agent closer Edwin Diaz. 

This year’s qualifying offer is set at $22.025 million, and any player who accepts the offer would return to their 2025 team on a one-year deal worth that much. If a player rejects the qualifying offer and signs with a new team, his original team would receive draft compensation. 

Also of note, players can only receive a qualifying offer once, meaning Pete Alonso (who was extended the QO last offseason) is not eligible for one this time around. 

Diaz, who opted out of his contract earlier this offseason, will surely decline the QO, as he’s likely to land a lucrative multi-year deal, either with the Mets or elsewhere. Diaz made $21.155 million last season, and he’ll be in for a decent raise on whatever his next contract turns out to be.

Originally acquired by the Mets in a trade with Seattle ahead of the 2019 season, Diaz’s Mets tenure got off to a rocky start, as he posted a 5.59 ERA in 2019, but he’s developed into one of the most dominating relievers in baseball ever since. 

An All-Star in 2022 and 2025, Diaz has a 2.93 overall ERA as a Met, and his 144 saves are the third most in team history. 

Coming off another strong season in which he pitched to a 1.63 ERA, Diaz said after the season finale that if he did indeed opt out of his contract, he’d love to stay with the Mets on a new deal.

"Yeah, of course,” Diaz responded when asked if he’d want to return to the Mets. "I love this organization. They treat me really, really good. My family, everything. If I decide to opt out, I would love to come back." 

All players who receive the qualifying offer this offseason have until Nov. 18 to decide whether or not to accept it.

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• Soule heads in from close range after corner & Pellegrini rolls in classy second
• Rangers looking for first Europa League points
• Aarons, Barron, Moore & Gassama come in as Tavernier equals Europa League appearance record
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Europa League: Classy Roma with comfortable two-goal lead over chastened Rangers

Rockies hiring Paul DePodesta of ‘Moneyball' fame to run baseball ops, AP source says originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Colorado Rockies are hiring Paul DePodesta of “Moneyball” fame from the NFL‘s Cleveland Browns to run baseball operations, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the move has not been announced by the team.

DePodesta, who inspired Jonah Hill’s character in the movie “Moneyball,” returns to baseball after nearly 10 years with the Browns. He was named Cleveland’s chief strategy officer in 2016.

During his nearly 20 seasons in MLB, he was the only executive to win divisional titles with five different organizations — the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland.

He takes over for Bill Schmidt, who stepped down following a 43-119 season that flirted with the worst all-time mark in MLB history. The Rockies are in need of a transformation after becoming the first team with three straight 100-loss seasons since Houston in 2011-13.

In his nearly 10 seasons with the Browns, DePodesta did not make personnel decisions but worked with the front office and coaching staff on targeting players during free agency in March and the NFL draft in April.

The Browns were 57-101-1 during DePodesta’s tenure, including the playoffs, and their .362 winning percentage was fourth lowest in the league. There were two playoff appearances, but also a 1-31 stretch in 2016 and ’17. The 2017 squad was 0-16, the third winless franchise in NFL history since 1976.

In 2020, he headed the search that led to the hirings of general manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski. The duo made the playoffs in 2020, including the franchise’s first postseason win since 1994, and again in ’23.

While DePodesta’s processes helped in the selection of Myles Garrett in 2017 and Baker Mayfield one year later, he was also involved in the 2022 trade with Houston for quarterback Deshaun Watson that resulted in the Browns sending three first-round picks to the Texans.

DePodesta continued to live in La Jolla, California, and would commute occasionally to Cleveland.

DePodesta played baseball and football at Harvard, then began his baseball career in 1996 in Cleveland as an intern in player development. He was a major league advance scout in 1997-98 and later special assistant to the general manager.

In 1999, he joined the Athletics as assistant general manager to Billy Beane. He was a key figure in the 2003 book “Moneyball” about the A’s 2001 wild-card run, with author Michael Lewis writing, “Paul was a Harvard graduate. Paul looked and sounded more like a Harvard graduate than a baseball man.” In the 2014 movie by the same name, Hill played a fictional character, Peter Brand, who shared DePodesta’s analytical background but not his athletic one.

DePodesta parlayed his experience with the Athletics into a two-year stint as the Dodgers’ general manager. He then went to San Diego from 2006 through ’10, where he rose to executive vice president.

DePodesta came to the Browns from the Mets, where he was the vice president of player development and amateur scouting from 2011 through ’15. The Mets made the World Series in 2015 before losing to the Kansas City Royals.

Walker Monfort, the Rockies executive vice president, vowed at the end of the season to bring in a new voice from outside the organization and give them autonomy to take an updated look at how to turn around a franchise that finished 50 games behind the World Series-champion Dodgers in the NL West. The Rockies have never won a division title.

The move also comes before MLB’s general manager meetings begin on Monday in Las Vegas.

The first order of business for DePodesta will be deciding on a manager. The Rockies fired Bud Black in May after a 7-33 start and promoted Warren Schaeffer to take his place. Schaeffer went 36-86 the rest of the way as the Rockies narrowly avoided the worst mark in baseball’s modern era. Their 119 losses were tied with the 2003 Detroit Tigers for the third-most in a single season since 1901, slightly in front of the 2024 Chicago White Sox (41-121) and the 1962 Mets (40-120).

One positive about a season gone sideways is that Colorado’s youth gained some experience. There were a franchise-record 13 players that made their major league debut.

Another big decision will be what to do with slugger Kris Bryant, who was limited to 11 games this season as he dealt with a back ailment. Bryant has played in only 170 games with Colorado because of an assortment of injuries since signing a $182 million, seven-year contract before the 2022 season.

DePodesta may need to find creative ways to turn Coors Field into a home-field advantage. The Rockies were 24-56 in the Mile High City, the most losses in franchise history. Their 4.56 runs per game at home were their fewest in franchise history, edging last season’s mark of 4.89.

The Rockies posted a minus-424 run differential, surpassing the minus-349 mark held by the 1932 Boston Red Sox for the the the worst mark in the modern era.

AP sports writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this story.

The now two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers made their first moves of the offseason on Thursday.

The biggest one will ensure will ensure a familiar face is back for their pursuit of a three-peat next year.

The team picked up its $10-million club option for third baseman Max Muncy, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly, bringing the now longest-tenured member of the roster back for what will be his ninth season in Los Angeles.

The Dodgers also picked up a $3.55-million club option for reliever Alex Vesia (keeping him out of arbitration), according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly. Additionally, they shook up the 40-man roster with a series of maneuvers that included Tony Gonsolin being designated for assignment.

None of the moves were overly surprising, starting with the option the Dodgers exercised at the end of a two-year, $24-million deal Muncy signed in the 2023 offseason.

Even at 35 years old, Muncy was a relative bargain at $10 million next season for a player who, prior to second-half injuries, had shaken off a slow start to the year by being one of the hottest hitters in the majors in May and June.

His return will also help keep a key part of the club’s veteran core intact, bringing back a player who — in the wake of Clayton Kershaw’s retirement — has been with the Dodgers longer than anybody else.

Muncy’s 2025 season did not start well. After an offseason in which trade rumors involving Nolan Arenado swirled, and a spring training spent working through the lingering after-effects of an oblique and rib injury that limited him in 2024, Muncy hit .176 through his first 34 games, and had only one home run.

In early May, however, he started wearing glasses to address an astigmatism in his right eye. Around that same time, he also found a breakthrough with his swing, one that helped him begin punishing fastballs up the zone. From May 7 to the end of June, he hit .315 with 12 home runs and a 1.039 OPS, one of the best stretches of his 10-year, two-time All-Star career.

Read more:The Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series had record-setting ratings. Here's what it means

That streak was derailed on July 2, when Muncy suffered his knee injury after being slid into at third base. His return a month later was cut short, too, when his oblique began bothering him during a batting practice session in August.

Those IL stints preceded a September slump that carried into the postseason, when Muncy hit just .173 entering Game 7 of the World Series.

But that night, he collected three hits, had the pivotal eighth-inning home run off Trey Yesavage that got the Dodgers back within a run, and became one of six players to contribute to all three of the Dodgers’ recent World Series titles.

“It’s starting to get a little bit comfortable up here,” he joked from atop the stage at the Dodgers’ World Series celebration on Monday. “Let’s keep it going.”

Vesia will also be part of that three-peat pursuit, and had his $3.55-million club option picked up on Thursday as well. Vesia had that option negotiated into the contract he signed last offseason to avoid arbitration. Next year will be his last under team control before free agency.

Vesia was one of the few consistent performers in the Dodgers’ bullpen this year, posting a 3.02 ERA in a career-high 68 appearances. He was also one of their most trusted relief arms in the playoffs, bouncing back from a two-run outing in the wild-card series opener with 4 ⅓ scoreless innings the rest of the way.

Read more:'Work to do': Four questions the World Series champion Dodgers face this offseason

He was not available for the World Series as he and his wife dealt with what the team described as a “deeply personal family matter.” But he figures to be a key cog in their bullpen again next season, having established himself as one of the sport’s best left-handed leverage relievers.

The one notable roster subtraction Thursday came in the news of Gonsolin’s DFA. The right-hander was an All-Star in 2022, but has made just 27 starts since then because of two elbow surgeries (Tommy John in 2023 and an internal brace this past year). The latter procedure was likely to keep him sidelined into next season, his last under team control.

Gonsolin was one of three cuts made to the 40-man roster Thursday, as outfielder Justin Dean (a member of the Dodgers’ postseason roster) and injured pitcher Michael Grove (also coming off a season lost to surgery) were both outrighted to the minors. The open spots made way for outfielder Ryan Ward (the 2025 Pacific Coast League MVP in triple-A) and left-handed pitcher Robinson Ortiz (a 25-year-old who went from high-A to triple-A last year) to be added to the 40-man group.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Giants claim former Dodgers outfielder Justin Dean as part of roster shuffle originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Justin Dean started his week riding in a parade in Los Angeles. He’ll end it on the 40-man roster for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ longtime rival.

The outfielder was one of two players claimed by the Giants on Thursday, along with Cincinnati Reds lefty Reiver Sanmartin. To clear a necessary roster spot, the organization DFA’d right-hander Mason Black, who appeared in the big leagues each of the past two seasons. 

Dean, 28, is the most well-known of the three after being right in the middle of a controversial moment in the World Series. When a line drive got wedged into the bottom of the outfield wall at Rogers Centre in the ninth inning of Game 6, Dean alertly raised both hands and got a ground-rule double call as the play was ruled dead.

Dean, a strong defender who can play all three spots, didn’t get a plate appearance during the postseason but entered 13 games as a defensive replacement. He made 18 appearances for the Dodgers during the regular season, almost all of which were for defense. He was 0-for-2 with a stolen base, but he did post a .378 on-base percentage in Triple-A. 

The Giants have a large collection of young outfielders on their 40-man roster but figure to part with multiple players during the offseason. Marco Luciano, Luis Matos and Wade Meckler are all out of minor league options, and Jerar Encarnacion, Grant McCray and Drew Gilbert are also on the 40-man. Jung Hoo Lee and Heliot Ramos are locked in as starters, but the front office will likely be looking for an everyday option in right field this winter. 

Sanmartin, 29, is the type of player who likely will be targeted often this offseason by Buster Posey, Zack Minasian and the rest of the front office. The Giants need to rebuild just about an entire bullpen, and they don’t have a lot of depth from the left side. Erik Miller came off the 60-day IL at the end of the postseason and is healthy after missing the entire second half with elbow discomfort. Joey Lucchesi is arb-eligible, but the organization is generally short on left-handed depth. 

Sanmartin has a 5.66 ERA in 62 big league appearances, but only one of those has come in the past two years. He had elbow surgery in 2023, but posted a 3.34 ERA in Triple-A last season. 

The Giants need starting pitching help this offseason, but Black had fallen far down the depth chart and finished his season as a reliever. A third-round pick in 2021, Black had a 6.47 ERA in 10 big league appearances for the Giants and a 5.81 ERA in Triple-A this season. 

The 40-man roster is again full after Thursday’s moves. Justin Verlander, Wilmer Flores, Dominic Smith and Tom Murphy are free agents, but the Giants also had to bring Miller and Randy Rodriguez off the 60-day IL.

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