Category: MLB

Kyle Tucker knows what’s being said about him.

About how he lacks enthusiasm for baseball.

About how he doesn’t have the heart to play through injuries.

About how his $240-million contract was an overpay for a player with only one top-five finish in MVP voting.

Introduced as the Dodgers’ latest addition in a Wednesday morning news conference, the 29-year-old outfielder said his understated personality shouldn’t be mistaken for absence of passion.

“I know what I try and do on the field and what I bring in the clubhouse,” Tucker said.

Which would make sense.

Players without internal drives usually don’t develop the kind of well-rounded game that made Tucker the grand prize of this free-agent market. They might have their moments, but they don’t maintain their performance levels for enough time to become four-time All-Stars, as Tucker has.

An absence of passion is alarming for a region in which Dwight Howard failed the Lakers, Anthony Rendon destroyed the Angels and Chip Kelly obliterated UCLA football, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was certain Tucker has the fortitude that belongs on a high-character team.

“There’s an inner fire I’ve seen,” manager Dave Roberts said.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said he picked up on that in his conversations with Tucker.

Friedman said Tucker showed he valued the details of the game. He said Tucker was interested in how the Dodgers could assist him in becoming a better player, whether it be in the batter’s box, in the outfield, or on the basepaths.

“Having a guy who has achieved what he has, but still has that mentality of, ‘How do I get better?’” Friedman said. “Those are the guys that make it easier to bet on.”

Friedman wondered how much the public perception of Tucker has been hurt because he doesn’t have an “outward, exuberant personality.”

Judging by his introductory news conference, Tucker is Shohei Ohtani without his disarming smile.

His delivery was monotone. He registered no emotion as he relayed a light-hearted story about Freddie Freeman FaceTiming him to tell him to not do “anything stupid.”

About the only time Tucker became animated was when he leaped to the defense of Roberts when I teased the manager for not relinquishing his No. 30 jersey to him. (Roberts wears the number in honor of late mentor Maury Wills.)

There were traces of his emotional investment, however.

“I try and do my best out there, regardless of how I feel or what the situation is,” he said.

Tucker was slowed by injuries over the last two years.

He spoke about what he could contribute to the team when he was slumping — by moving runners over, by making pitchers work, by drawing walks.

“Little things like that can add up to a lot of wins throughout the season,” he said.

Tucker played in the postseason in each of the last seven years and said he was looking forward to returning with the Dodgers.

“I’m fired up,” he said.

Perhaps Tucker’s personality will emerge in time. Los Angeles can have that effect on players.

Tucker will wear No. 23 with the Dodgers, inheriting a number once worn by Adrian Gonzalez.

Gonzalez was known as an introvert when he was acquired by the Dodgers in a blockbuster trade in 2012. By his second season with him, he was raising his hands to the sides of his helmet as if they were Mickey Mouse ears. He quickly became one of the most popular Dodgers of his generation.

And, remember, it was only a couple of years ago that Mookie Betts’ focus was being questioned. Two more World Series championships and a successful move to shortstop have dispelled any misgivings about Betts’ dedication. 

As were the cases with Gonzalez and Betts, the Dodgers believe there’s more in Tucker than he has shown. 

“I do think that Kyle’s mindset on the micro, the day-to-day, just winning a baseball game, that’s in line with what we do,” Roberts said.

The manager continued, “Do I think [he could be] an MVP candidate? Absolutely. Do I think he can win a Gold Glove? Absolutely.”

Tucker does that, and he could be in line for another contract with the Dodgers. Tucker’s deal is for four years, with opt-outs after the second and third years.

“In two or three years, we’ll know a lot more about things than we do now,” Friedman said. 

More specifically, they’ll know more about how seriously Tucker takes the game. They’ll know if he can be more than a reinforcement on an already-loaded roster. They’ll know if he is the caliber of player, and person, around which a championship team can be built.

LOS ANGELES — To say that Dave Roberts and Maury Wills were close is an understatement. Wills, the Dodgers’ all-time stolen base leader and six-time National League steals leader, took the base-stealing Roberts under his wing when Roberts was playing, and became a confidant for two decades, until Wills died in 2022.

“He was a friend, a father, a mentor, all of the above for me. This one is a tough one,” Roberts said after Wills’ death three and a half years ago. “He showed me to appreciate my craft, and what it is to be a big leaguer. He just loved to teach. A lot of where I get my excitement, my passion, my love for players is from him.”

Twenty-three different Dodgers players have worn number 30 since Wills last donned the uniform in 1972, including Roberts from 2002-04 when he was playing for the Dodgers. Roberts resumed wearing number 30 when he took over as manager in Los Angeles for the 2016 season.

So it was going to be a tall order for Kyle Tucker, who wore number 30 in his last five seasons with the Houston Astros, and also in 2025 with the Chicago Cubs, to keep wearing that same number with the Dodgers. But he had to at least try.

“I kind of knew the reasoning behind having the number 30, but I was like, I’m just gonna take a shot in the dark here and see what happens,” Tucker said during his introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. “I wasn’t necessarily expecting it.”

“It was a fun conversation Tuck and I had, and it was more — you know, Maury and I just had a great relationship,” Roberts said Wednesday. “One of the things that he was like, ‘Gosh, when I die I hope no one else wears that number.’ It’s really near and dear to me, so we talked about it.”

The Dodgers typically only retire uniform numbers of Hall of Famers who go into Cooperstown representing the team, with only two exceptions to date — Jim Gilliam and Fernando Valenzuela. Roberts is well on his way down the Hall of Fame path, having won three championships and five pennants in his 10 years on the job.

Roberts is one of only 11 managers to win the World Series at least three times. Nine of the other 10 are in the Hall of Fame, and Bruce Bochy will likely join them as early as 2027, depending on whether he decides to keep managing. Same for the 16 National League/American League managers with at least five pennants under their belt — 14 already in Cooperstown, plus Bochy and Roberts.

In other words, Roberts will likely have a plaque of his own in the Hall of Fame one day, and the number 30 will be retired at Dodger Stadium. He’ll be the last one to wear it.

Another connection to Wills is that in 2003, the middle year of Roberts’ three seasons playing in Los Angeles, he was teammates with utility man Jason Romano, who is now Tucker’s agent at Excel Sports.

With 30 unavailable, Tucker chose to wear number 23 with the Dodgers. That was the number worn by Michael Conforto, who’s one year with the Dodgers last season did not work out as either side planned. Though Tucker is going to play right field — with Teoscar Hernández shifting to left field, which both Roberts and Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman confirmed on Wednesday — he’s essentially directly replacing Conforto, who played left field last season. So perhaps it’s fitting that he’s wearing the same number.

But Tucker had a different reason for choosing it. That was the number worn by Michael Brantley, the longtime Guardians outfielder who played the final five seasons of his career (2019-23) in Houston, alongside Tucker’s rise to a full-time player and eventual four-time All-Star.

“With me going to 23 — I mean, [Roberts] looking up to Maury Wills and kind of being his mentor and everything coming up, and him wanting to wear that for him — kind of the same thing with me, with 23 and Michael Brantley,” Tucker explained. “He’s the guy I hung out with a lot coming up in Houston, and he was a phenomenal ballplayer and one of my close friends. That played a big part into my choice going with that.”

Mets acquire ace pitcher Freddy Peralta from Brewers in trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The active New York Mets acquired ace pitcher Freddy Peralta and right-hander Tobias Myers from Milwaukee on Wednesday night in a trade that sent two top prospects to the Brewers.

Milwaukee received pitcher Brandon Sproat and minor league infielder/outfielder Jett Williams.

We have acquired RHP Freddy Peralta and RHP Tobias Myers from Milwaukee in exchange for RHP Brandon Sproat and minor league INF Jett Williams.

Welcome to New York, Freddy and Tobias! pic.twitter.com/2svOj1XtbY

— New York Mets (@Mets) January 22, 2026

Peralta gives the Mets a frontline starter after their rotation faltered in the second half of a disappointing 2025 season. The move came hours after the Mets formally introduced free agent addition Bo Bichette at Citi Field, and one night after they obtained talented center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox.

Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA last season, when he led the National League in wins and finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting. He earned his second All-Star selection after getting his first nod in 2021.

The 29-year-old right-hander is set to make $8 million this year and can become a free agent following the World Series. He becomes the latest former Brewers player acquired by Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who ran Milwaukee’s front office from 2015-23.

Myers, 27, was 9-6 with a 3.00 ERA as a rookie in 2024 before going 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA in 22 appearances last year.

AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee in Milwaukee and AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

Mets acquire ace pitcher Freddy Peralta from Brewers in trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The active New York Mets acquired ace pitcher Freddy Peralta and right-hander Tobias Myers from Milwaukee on Wednesday night in a trade that sent two top prospects to the Brewers.

Milwaukee received pitcher Brandon Sproat and minor league infielder/outfielder Jett Williams.

We have acquired RHP Freddy Peralta and RHP Tobias Myers from Milwaukee in exchange for RHP Brandon Sproat and minor league INF Jett Williams.

Welcome to New York, Freddy and Tobias! pic.twitter.com/2svOj1XtbY

— New York Mets (@Mets) January 22, 2026

Peralta gives the Mets a frontline starter after their rotation faltered in the second half of a disappointing 2025 season. The move came hours after the Mets formally introduced free agent addition Bo Bichette at Citi Field, and one night after they obtained talented center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox.

Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA last season, when he led the National League in wins and finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting. He earned his second All-Star selection after getting his first nod in 2021.

The 29-year-old right-hander is set to make $8 million this year and can become a free agent following the World Series. He becomes the latest former Brewers player acquired by Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who ran Milwaukee’s front office from 2015-23.

Myers, 27, was 9-6 with a 3.00 ERA as a rookie in 2024 before going 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA in 22 appearances last year.

AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee in Milwaukee and AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

This was pretty audacious, even by the Dodgers’ standard. Their $17-million left fielder flopped last year, so they threw $240 million at another corner outfielder to supplement the three most valuable players already in their lineup.

Still, as Kyle Tucker smiled for the cameras at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, it was hard to imagine this one man could sign here and take down the 2027 season.

On Tuesday the Athletic quoted one ownership source that portrayed the Tucker signing as a tipping point that made it “a 100 percent certainty” owners would push for a salary cap when the collective bargaining agreement expires this fall. Owners have been complaining about the Dodgers’ signings of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell and Tanner Scott, and on and on, and it sounds silly that the signing of one Kyle Daniel Tucker would turn the owners in a direction many of them already indicated they want to go.

“I agree,” said the man who signed him, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.

Read more:Plaschke: Dodgers' ruination of baseball continues with Kyle Tucker, and it’s a beautiful thing

If baseball comes up with new rules next year, the Dodgers will abide by them. Until then, Friedman said, their “only focus” is on delivering the best possible product to the fans who pack Dodger Stadium every night and shop the team store like crazy. In return, he said, the Dodgers can sell themselves to stars like Tucker.

“A destination spot is where players and their families feel incredibly well taken care of,” Friedman said. “If they're playing in front of 7,000 people, they don’t feel that as much.

“Playing in front of 50,000 people, and seeing the passion and how much people live and die for the Dodgers each summer and each October, I think, adds to the experience and allure of playing here.”

He also said this, which might infuriate some fans and perhaps some owners outside Los Angeles: “This isn’t just about, let’s spend a lot of money.”

If the Dodgers’ spending habits border on satire to you, well, the Onion got there first. Two decades ago, when fake news actually meant fake, the Onion ran this headline: “Yankees Ensure 2003 Pennant By Signing Every Player In Baseball.”

The Yankees led the major leagues in payroll that year and for the next 10 years. They won the World Series once in that span, in 2009. They have not won since.

So, when the Dodgers splurged last winter, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner offered a measured response.

"It's difficult for most of us owners to be able to do the kind of things that they're doing," Steinbrenner told YES Network. "We'll see if it pays off."

Read more:Dodgers' scorching offseason continues by landing star outfielder Kyle Tucker

It did. The Dodgers won their second consecutive World Series. They made more money on ticket sales alone in 2024 than roughly half the 30 teams made in total revenue. Same for their local television revenue.

There’s more: an estimated $200 million in sponsorship revenue last year — thank you, Shohei. In all they took in an estimated $1 billion last year — an MLB record — meaning they spent close to $600 million in player payroll and luxury taxes and still made money.

At that level the cries that owners of other teams should just spend more start to ring a bit hollow. They should spend more, of course. But the issue is how to persuade owners to spend another $100 million when the Dodgers still might outspend them by $300 million.

The Yankees can do the kind of things the Dodgers do, and the San Diego Padres have shown how fans in a small market turn out when an owner is more concerned with winning than profit. However, the implosion of cable and satellite television means that local media revenues have cratered for teams outside large markets.

More than half of MLB teams never have paid anyone the $240 million the Dodgers committed to Tucker. The Dodgers committed even more to Ohtani, Yamamoto and Mookie Betts.

The owners could agree that teams should share more revenue, with luxury tax penalties not just in cash but also in restrictions that would hamper the ability to compete, something more significant than the loss of a couple of draft picks.

But that Tucker deal: The Dodgers committed $64 million in a signing bonus — never mind the salary! — to a player they arguably did not need. Owners will be very happy to argue the luxury tax has failed and only a salary cap will stop the Dodgers and New York Mets.

This was part of that Onion satire in 2003: “Yankees manager Joe Torre, whose pitching rotation prior to the mass signing lacked a clear seventh ace, now has the luxury of starting each of his hurlers twice a season.

“ ‘As they say, you can never have enough pitching in this league,’ Torre said.”

Let’s see: Yamamoto, Ohtani, Snell, Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan. That might be six aces. And, since you never can have enough pitching: Ben Casparius, Kyle Hurt, Landon Knack, River Ryan, Gavin Stone, Justin Wrobleski. There might be a seventh ace in there, or on the trade market during their coming walk year: Freddy Peralta of the Milwaukee Brewers, or even Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers.

A salary cap would provide cost certainty that likely would enable owners to sell teams for more money. Whether a salary cap would solve the issue of competitive balance is questionable — in the capped NFL, the AFC championship game has included either the New England Patriots or Kansas City Chiefs for 15 consecutive years — but that would be the owners’ pitch.

So would this: You could compete with the Yankees for the first two decades of this century, but you just can’t compete with these Dodgers, even if that reflects less on payroll and more on management, a dash of October randomness, and that horrendousfifth inning of Game 5 of the 2024 World Series.

In 1994, when owners called off the World Series rather than surrender their pursuit of a salary cap, the following season started a month late, and even then the owners did not get a cap. If they really want a cap, baseball insiders say, the owners will have to vow to stick together and support doing what the NHL owners did to secure one: calling off an entire season.

For the Dodgers and their fans, that is someone else’s problem, at least for this year. In Los Angeles, the prevailing question is not “Salary cap?” but “Three-peat?”

Tucker likely will bat “second or third” in the Dodgers’ lineup, manager Dave Roberts said. He’ll better the defense by playing right field, allowing Teoscar Hernández to move to left field.

Of all the potential offseason acquisitions the Dodgers discussed, Friedman said, “There was really nobody that moved our World Series odds for 2026 more than Kyle Tucker.”

I asked Tucker how he felt about supposedly having so much power that his signing could shut down what owners say is a troubled sport.

“I think baseball is in a good spot,” Tucker said. “We have phenomenal attendance around the world. … Fans are being very supportive of their teams and their players and their organizations. I think it’s a good thing having that interaction with everyone, and I think it’s just going to grow the game from there, as long as we can — as a league and as players — continue growing the fan base.”

Read more:Shaikin: Make starting pitchers great again? MLB isn't. This independent league will try

Ohtani and the Dodgers are rock stars, as evidenced by the team selling out of $253 seats next to the on-field stage at the annual fan festival next week.

The players will not be playing. They will appear for short interviews with team broadcasters.

Seats in the stands are available from $28 to $153, for an event that was free three years ago. While fans and owners of other teams complain, the Dodgers shake it off and find ways to make even more money.

Life is good when you’re the champions. Enjoy it this year, Dodgers fans. If a lockout is happening next January, as it likely will be, the fan festival will not be happening.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Yasiel Puig's name conjures indelible images to Dodgers fans. Mammoth home runs. Laser-like throws from the outfield. Distributing goodie bags during visits to Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Also, tardiness to games, impulsive base-running mistakes and — more recent and egregious — charges of lying to federal investigators about his suspected involvement in illegal sports betting.

Puig, 35, is on trial this week in Los Angeles federal court, charged with obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements to investigators. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

In August in his most recent public comment, Puig posted a statement on X that included: "This story isn't over yet, and you weren't told the full story the first time.''

A timeline of Puig's tenure with the Dodgers, his admitted illegal gambling and his interactions with federal investigators that led to the criminal charges:

The "Wild Horse"

Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully began calling Puig the "Wild Horse" for his prodigious, untamed talent soon after the player was called up to the big leagues in 2013 at age 22, less than a year after he arrived from Cuba.

Puig's multiple thwarted attempts at escaping his home country and the successful journey in 2012 that included a cigarette boat, smugglers, extortion, death threats and a staged kidnapping in Mexico by members of a drug cartel were revealed in a 2014 L.A. Magazine feature.

Puig quickly cemented himself in the Dodgers lineup and endeared himself to fans, hitting four home runs in his first five games and batting .436 with 44 hits in his debut month, ranking second all-time behind Joe DiMaggio's 48 hits. Puig finished the season with 19 home runs and a .319 batting average in 104 games, finishing second in rookie-of-the-year voting.

He remained a fearsome presence in the lineup for six years and was fearless in the playoffs, hitting five homers and driving in 18 runs in the 2017 and 2018 postseasons. His three-run homer in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers vaulted the Dodgers to the World Series.

Yet his unpredictable behavior and off-the-field antics prompted Times columnist Bill Plaschke to welcome a trade: "Puig captured the hearts of Dodger fans, but lost the trust of his team. He won moments, but cost games. He was their biggest star, but also their biggest clubhouse burden."

Puig was traded after the 2018 season to the Cincinnati Reds, who then traded him midway through the 2019 season to Cleveland. He never played again in the major leagues, disappearing into the relative anonymity of pro ball in Korea, Venezuela, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Federal gambling probe leads to Puig

An investigation into a sprawling, illegal gambling business run by ex-minor league pitcher Wayne Nix of Newport Coast led to Puig, who allegedly frequently placed bets through Nix and an intermediary, prosecutors said in court filings.

Puig allegedly placed 899 bets on football and basketball games and tennis matches through a Costa Rica-based website associated with Nix from July to September 2019. Puig soon owed Nix $282,900 for sports gambling losses, according to court documents.

Meanwhile, Puig became a U.S. citizen. Prosecutors allege that he lied to the government as part of his naturalization process in 2019, denying on an application and an in-person interview that he had ever gambled illegally or received income from illegal gambling.

During his last month as a Major League Baseball player, Puig rented a helicopter for a 45-minute ride to the Catskill Mountains to visit a summer camp for children with cancer and other often terminal diseases. He danced and sang with kids and crowd-surfed through the room. He tossed batting practice, visited kids in the infirmary and signed autographs.

“Today,” Puig tweeted, “was one of the best days of my life.”

Puig charged with lying to investigators

In January 2022, federal investigators interviewed Puig on a video conference with his lawyer present for 90 minutes. Puig denied knowledge of the Nix gambling business. He was warned by investigators that lying to them was a crime.

"The government privately advised defendant's then-counsel that defendant's statements were contrary to evidence the government had already obtained during the Nix Gambling Business investigation,'' prosecutors wrote in the trial memorandum. "Counsel conferred with his client outside the presence of the government, but defendant did not change his prior statements.''

In a recorded message to a friend two months later, Puig allegedly described his interview with investigators, saying in English: "I no said nothing, I not talking." The recording was entered into evidence by prosecutors.

Nix and associates Edon Yoshida Kagasoff and Howard Miller pleaded guilty in April 2022 to charges of conspiracy to operate an illegal sports gambling business. Nix, who also pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return, is awaiting sentencing. Kagasoff, an Agoura Hills accountant, was sentenced to six months of probation and ordered to forfeit $3,164,563 in illicit gains.

Puig was charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles in August 2022 with one count each of making false statements and obstruction of justice. He quickly agreed to plead guilty to one count of lying to federal authorities and pay a $55,000 fine. He would serve no jail time and be placed on probation.

Weeks later, however, he decided he wanted to back out of the agreement, and a judge ruled that he could do so because he had not yet entered his guilty plea in court.

"I want to clear my name,'' Puig said in a statement at the time. "I never should have agreed to plead guilty to a crime I did not commit.''

Keri Axel, one of Puig's lawyers, discovered numerous messages that a person named "Agent 1" in court documents had sent to her client. Agent 1 — who was revealed in court Wednesday as Donny Kadokawa — asked Puig several times to speak about the federal investigation, but he declined, she said.

Until Axel saw the messages, she said in court, she did not realize how often Agent 1 and an associate contacted Puig for information on the investigation, how often Puig refused to tell them about the investigation, and the potential that her client was entrapped.

Of the video interview in which Puig is alleged to have lied to investigators, Axel said: “Mr. Puig, who has a third-grade education, had untreated mental-health issues, and did not have his own interpreter or criminal legal counsel with him.”

Puig made his feelings known on social media.

"I don’t know why people like to say bad things about me and believe it," he wrote on Twitter on Nov. 20, 2022. "They like makings me look like a monster because of way I looks maybe. All my life’s I been told to be quiet and do what I was told. No mores."

The trial is underway

Prosecutors responded to Puig reneging on the plea agreement by charging him with one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements to federal officials.

Jury selection concluded Tuesday. Testimony began Wednesday with the prosecution calling Kadokawa, who became friends with Puig in 2019 at Kadokawa's youth baseball camp in Hawaii.

Kadokawa is "Agent 1" in court documents. He placed and accepted bets from others and helped Nix by demanding and collecting money owed to Nix by bettors, prosecutors said in a court filing.

Kadokawa testified that he placed numerous bets on behalf of Puig, who soon owed thousands of dollars. The trial is expected to last several days.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Cody Bellinger is back in pinstripes. 

Insert your joke about how the Yankees’ offseason can officially start now.

We’re kidding -- we know Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer, they traded for Ryan Weathers, and kept some other important players from last year’s roster. But Bellinger really was the linchpin, tipping point or whatever of what’s been a relatively quiet Yankee winter. 

Now that the most important addition has agreed to return, perhaps the Yankees can explore further moves using some of the players whose potential playing time just shrunk. 

Met target Freddy Peralta would sure be a good rotation add in the Bronx, too, right? More on that in a sec.

First, though, let’s acknowledge the obvious: Bellinger is a natural fit as a Yankee, and his return seemed obvious despite how long it took and reported interest from the Mets and Blue Jays, among others.

In 2025, his first year playing for his dad’s old team, Bellinger looked like he’d grown up in the system. He’s a very good player who hits for power and contact, can play all three outfield positions, and is an asset running the bases. He could be their starting left fielder and even play the other spots as load management demands. 

His swing fits the ballpark -- his OPS at home was nearly 200 points higher than his road number last year and he slugged 18 of his 29 home runs at Yankee Stadium. Another year playing there could only help him figure out more ways to exploit his advantages there. 

Last year, he recorded 5.1 WAR, according to Baseball Reference, his highest since he was NL MVP with the Dodgers in 2019.

Great signing, especially since they held firm at five years for a player who is already 30. Bellinger reportedly will be paid $162.5 million over that span, unless he triggers one of his opt-outs. Good player in place, good news for the Yankees. 

But what’s next? The Yankees have a sudden surplus of outfielders. The two young players, Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones, who likely would have gotten playing time in left field had Bellinger gone elsewhere, now don’t have regular lineup duty. 

Could they use either to upgrade another spot? Hmmm. 

We say that at least one of them should be used that way. 

The Yankees have multiple starters on the roster, but they have a rotation need. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are both coming back late as they complete recovery from surgery. They added Weathers to a group that includes last year’s ace, Max Fried, wunderkind Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Luis Gil. 

But the fickle nature of pitching and all the possible health pitfalls that come with that job, it probably would serve the Yankees to add someone like Peralta, the Brewers’ ace, who has one more year remaining at $8 million before he hits free agency. He’s the prize of the trade market, unless Detroit swaps Tarik Skubal.

If Domínguez or Jones has no spot in the majors going forward, why not make one part of a young-player package for Peralta, who was fourth in the NL in ERA (2.70), led the circuit with 17 wins and had his third consecutive 200-strikeout season?

The Yankees were baseball’s most prolific offense last year, averaging 5.24 runs. They led in homers, too -- their 274 was 30 more than the Dodgers, but maybe more run prevention could help them push deeper into October in 2026. 

Prime AL East rivals Toronto and Boston have already made major additions this offseason, so the division is souped up. The Yankees, as of right this minute, aren’t hugely different from last year, unless you count Devin Williams and Luke Weaver departing from the bullpen. 

They still could use more contact hitting. Yes, Bellinger does contact. But he was on the team last year when they still needed more of it. More bullpen help could serve, too. 

But the Yanks have a chance to make a rotation splash and they should, drawing from their cache of promising outfielders. Would either Domínguez or Jones, plus a young pitcher from the top end of their highly-regarded set of prospect arms, do it? 

Time to find out. The Yankee offseason is still going, even after they brought Bellinger back.

The White Sox are thrilled with their return for Luis Robert Jr.

Less than 24 hours after dealing the All-Star centerfielder to the Mets in exchange for infielder Luisangel Acuña and pitching prospect Truman Pauley, White Sox general manager Chris Getz gushed about acquiring a player “the industry has been really high on.”

“It’s really about being able to bring in Acuña, get access to him,” Getz told reporters about the trade Wednesday. “We’re talking about a player with five-plus years of control, one of the younger, exciting players in our game who hasn’t really gotten a runway at the major league level.”

Acuña, 23, joined the Mets at the 2023 trade deadline as the centerpiece of the deal that sent legendary pitcher Max Scherzer to the Rangers.

MLB.com ranked the speedster as New York’s third-best prospect in 2024, and he impressed in his brief major league debut that year, slashing .308/.325/.641 with three homers and six RBIs in 14 games.

He got off to a strong start in 2025, earning NL Rookie of the Month honors for April before falling into a deep slump and being demoted to Triple-A.

The Mets shuttled Acuña between the majors and minors the rest of the year as he hit a paltry .234 with no home runs and eight RBIs over 95 games.

Still, Getz believes Acuña’s speed and versatility – with experience at second base, third base, shortstop and in the outfield – make him a prime breakout candidate with consistent playing time.

“We’re talking about a player with five-plus years of control, one of the younger, exciting players in our game who hasn’t really gotten a runway at the major league level."

Chris Getz on Luisangel Acuña: pic.twitter.com/SImwSPbNHD

— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) January 21, 2026

He already flashed some of that potential earlier this month with a historic Venezuelan winter league performance, hitting four home runs.

“I know [the Mets] didn’t want to get rid of him,” Getz said. “I know that. That’s because of how valuable he can be to the team.

“Now, he was on a roster that didn’t really allow him to let him go out there and show what he could do regularly. We’ll be able to provide that.”

Getz’s faith in Acuña echoed that of Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns during the GM Meetings in November.

“Acuña is such a unique player because the floor is so high of what he can provide,” Stearns said. “He’s such a good defender, a gifted defender at multiple positions, and an elite baserunner. So the offensive contribution doesn’t need to be elite for him to solidify an everyday role on a major league team.

“I still have very high hopes for him. We need to see a little bit more offensive contribution than we’ve probably seen previously, but he is a very, very good defensive player and there’s a real role for that on a good team.”

In a Wednesday Instagram post, Acuña bid farewell to the Mets, expressing gratitude for his time with the organization before addressing his “new chapter.”

“Today, I begin a new chapter,” the post read. “Chicago, I’m ready to take on this challenge on the South Side. I’m thankful to the Chicago White Sox organization for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I arrive with excitement, commitment, and a strong desire to continue growing both as a player and as a person.”

The Mets’ signing of Bo Bichette, who was officially introduced at Citi Field on Wednesday, tacked on to New York’s existing surplus of infielders, thus making Acuna expendable.

In what’s been a busy offseason for the White Sox – highlighted by the signing of Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami – Acuña also became the club’s latest acquisition of a former top Mets prospect.

Chicago has already signed left-hander Anthony Kay, the Mets’ 2016 first-round pick, to a two-year deal after his stint in Japan, and also took a flier on outfielder Jarred Kelenic.

As Eric Stephen covered on January 20, the Dodgers have a bevy of promising outfielder prospects in their minor league system. On Wednesday, Baseball America dropped its Top 100 prospect list, listing the following farmhands:

• 20. Eduardo Quintero, CF/OF
• 24. Josue De Paula, RF/OF
• 45. Mike Sirota, CF
• 63. Zyhir Hope, CF

In comparison, there have been changes, especially when compared to last year’s list, which was headlined by Roki Sasaki. In addition to Sasaki, Dalton Rushing, Alex Freeland, and Jackson Ferris dropped off the list due to major league promotion or being supplanted by other talent.

While these four outfield prospects are quite promising, they are at least a couple of years away from playing in The Show in Los Angeles, even with an aggressive promotion schedule, which would be unlikely with the signing of Kyle Tucker, announced and introduced on Wednesday.

Quintero is now the Dodgers’ #1 prospect per BA, making the jump from #7 in 2025. Quintero was previously unranked in BA’s previous Top 100 list. Quintero played at both Low-A Rancho Cucamonga and High-A Great Lakes in 2025, hitting .293/.415/.508 with 19 home runs and a 152 wRC+ in 113 games.

De Paula is now the Dodgers’ #2 prospect per BA, making the jump from #4 in 2025. De Paula is no stranger to Baseball America’s overall rankings, as he was ranked eighteenth overall in 2025 and thirty-third overall in 2024. De Paula primarily played in High-A Great Lakes in 2025, hitting .263/.406/.421 with 12 home runs in 98 games, before promotion to Double-A Tulsa.

Sirota, who was acquired in the Gavin Lux trade, is now the Dodgers’ #3 prospect per BA, making the jump from #25 in 2025. Josh Norris of BA identified Sirota as one of his candidates to rise within the top 100, blaming his knee injury for his current rank:

The Northeastern-bred outfielder was off to a scalding start in the Midwest League before his season ended. Still, the reviews were clear: He has the toolset and polish to jump to the head of Los Angeles’ cluster of talented outfielders.

As previously mentioned, Sirota was working on a monster season after being promoted to Double-A with a slash line of .333/.452/.616 with 32 extra-base hits in 59 games in A-ball before his injury.

Hope, who was acquired in the Michael Busch trade, is now the Dodgers’ #4 prospect per BA, making the slight jump from #5 in 2025. Hope primarily played in High-A with a .265/.377/.428 slash line, 13 home runs, and 27 doubles before also being promoted to Double-A Tulsa.

As it stands, these four outfielder prospects should be quite entertaining to watch develop over the next couple of seasons in Tulsa and, eventually, barring major setbacks, Triple-A Oklahoma City before donning the pantone of Dodger blue.

Bo Bichette encountered the New York skyline for the first time knowing this wasn't just a stopover — it was now his professional home, for 2026 and maybe the next three years.

And while Bichette is a pretty worldly dude — his mother is Brazilian, his father played a dozen years in the big leagues and he spent his first six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays — he admitted a new sensation upon this descent.

"When I landed," Bichette told reporters on Jan. 21, "I looked around and saw the city and it hit a little bit different than it does when you come as a road player. As a road player, you try to ignore all of it.

"When I landed, I kind of soaked it in and realized, ‘This is something. This is massive.’ It’s pretty cool."

The New York Mets think Bichette joining their rotating cadre of superstars is pretty cool, too.

The club introduced Bichette, signed to a three-year, $126 million contract, to the New York media one day after they solved an outfield problem by acquiring center fielder Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox. In just five days, they created a nightmare 1-2-3 atop the lineup with Bichette following Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, while edging toward the elite defensive alignment club president David Stearns sought in sticking Robert in the middle of the outfield.

Now, an 83-win disappointment won't be followed by a desultory and failed winter. Now, the Mets look an awful lot like the Steve Cohen Mets again.

"Mr. Cohen and David," says Bichette, "have put together an organization that wants to win every year, a chance to win the World Series every year. And a roster that backs that up."

Almost.

While integrating Bichette's 181 hits, 14.5% strikeout rate and career .330 batting average with runners in scoring position, there's just one major hole in the roster — and Stearns knows it.

Mets' next target: Starting pitcher

The marriage of hedge fund kingpin Cohen and Stearns, who made his bones running an efficient shop in Milwaukee, has been largely successful. Stearns got out of the way when Cohen wanted to lavish $765 million on Juan Soto, while Cohen has abided by Stearns' desire to avoid big-dollar commitments to starting pitchers.

Yeah, about that.

The Mets are coming up on the opening of spring camp with a rotation pocked with youngsters (Nolan McLean, perhaps Jonah Tong) and a gaggle of whose ability to deliver significant innings might be in some question (Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, David Peterson).

The cherry on top of what's already expected to be a $500 million outlay for salary and luxury taxes? A serviceable, if not dominant, starting pitcher.

Stearns knows this. And expects to fulfill it.

"My preference is to add a starting pitcher," Stearns told SNY following Bichette's press conference. "I’ve been open and honest about that through the entirety of the offseason.

"I can’t say with certainty we’ll be able to do that, but we remain engaged on a number of different fronts in that market. We’ve still got plenty of time to go in the offseason, plenty of time before Opening Day, so we’ll see where it heads."

This is a pretty rosy statement if you're a Mets fan. Fishing in multiple markets is an interesting concept, which suggests the Mets would be engaged in the short-term veteran pool (such as reuniting with Chris Bassitt, Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer) yet perhaps keeping an eye on if bigger prizes fall to them (Framber Valdez, most notably, and to a lesser degree Zac Gallen).

Perhaps that means a medium-term commitment to a Lucas Giolito type, or a swingman situation with a Zack Littell or Nick Martinez. The Mets could also try to trade for Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta or Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore, but in dealing for those reasonably priced arms, the Mets lose their biggest advantage: Financial might. Either way, Stearns is on it, and a medium to major addition would make the entire Mets starting group look much better.

Chemistry test

Something went foul in the Mets' mix at the end of last season, when their four-month freefall coalesced in a final-day elimination. Not that there weren't logistical reasons to change the team's complexion, most notably by shipping out Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, and moving on from Pete Alonso.

Yet if it's impossible to measure what the Mets gain through subtraction, they can be sure the infield additions of Bichette and Marcus Semien are significant.

Those dudes are dawgs.

"One of the most competitive right-handed hitters in our sport," Stearns says of Bichette. "Incredible baseball aptitude. Anyone who’s watched him sees that very, very clearly.

"He intensely wants to win. Throughout that (negotiating) process it’s that intense desire to win that came through loud and clear."

For his part, Bichette is thrilled to reunite with Semien, who spent one year as Bichette's double-play partner in Toronto, hit 45 home runs and moved on to a $175 million contract — and a 2023 World Series championship — in Texas.

"I have a special relationship with him," says Bichette, who was 23 and in his first full major league season in 2021. "That was someone who taught me the ropes, showed me how to be a professional, someone who I respect a ton. It definitely adds to the excitement to get to play with him again."

Better yet, the Mets' Louis Vuitton lineup ensures that Semien, now 35, can lurk in its bottom third, not a bad piece of real estate for a guy whose adjusted OPS fell below league average last year, but still produced 3.3 WAR.

A winter less nuclear

To be certain, this was not a happily-ever-after kind of day in Queens.

Bichette has opt-out clauses after each of the first two seasons of this deal and, since he doesn't turn 28 until March, will be in prime position to cash in even more significantly next winter. Robert is a free agent after this season.

And perhaps the pitcher Stearns ultimately lands will be on a one-year deal, too.

That's OK. Cohen plays this market like a craps player spreads his chips around the board, seeing some vanish and re-loading for the next roll. Just a week ago, it looked like Cohen and Stearns crapped out.

Now they have Bichette and Robert in hand, a pitcher on the way and a winter narrative, shifted.

Now, they have a chance.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bo Bichette introduced by Mets: day after Luis Robert Jr. trade

Cody Bellinger, the last offensive free agent of note this winter, has agreed to a deal with the Yankees. Per Jon Heyman, the deal is for $162.5 million over five years, with $85 million coming in the first two years and an opt out after the 2027 season. That’s significantly more than the 5/$135 Fangraphs had projected him for at the beginning of the winter, and the front loading and opt out further increase the value from his point of view. It’s been a good winter for hitters, with Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette opting for short deals that blew their expected AAVs out of the water, and Alex Bregman, Bellinger, Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso getting big deals with totals that exceeded expectations.
Bellinger had his best, and healthiest, season in years in New York last season. He played in 152 games, posting a .272/.334/.480 slash line that was 25% better than league average while going 13 for 15 stealing bases and playing very good corner outfield defence with some passable work in centre as well.
His return completes the reunion of last year’s Yankees outfield after fellow free agent centre fielder Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer earlier this winter. They and right fielder Aaron Judge will form probably the strongest offensive outfield in the game.
The move signals that the team doesn’t think former uber-prosepect Jasson Dominguez is quite ready for prime time. Dominguez got into 123 games in New York in his age 22 season last year and hit well enough for his age (103 wRC+), but stats and scouts graded his left field defence as atrocious in spite of his plus speed. It also pushes Spencer Jones out of the big league outfield picture as long as all of the starters are healthy. Jones grabbed attention by clubbing 35 home runs in just 116 games across AA and AAA last season, but also struck out 35% of the time with just a 60% contact rate, and evaluators doubt that his swing and approach would survive MLB pitching.
The free agent market is now looking pretty thin, with Eugenio Suarez the only batter left who looks likely to receive a significant multi-year deal. There’s a little more on the pitching side, with Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen yet to find landing spots. Although the Jays missed out on the major MLB bats, their plan of locking in their free agents early in the offseason looks good given how high prices have landed

The San Diego Padres’ main focus has been revamping the starting rotation this offseason. But the start of Spring Training is less than a month away, and their efforts should turn to upgrading the backup catcher position.

Campusano is not the answer

Currently, Luis Campusano is the lone option behind starter Freddy Fermin. The Padres have little confidence in him, as Campusano has always been a lazy defender behind the dish, and his minor league hitting prowess has never translated at the major league level. 

But the clock is ticking on Campusano’s time with the organization, as the Friars have no more minor league options remaining for him. So, he either begins the 2026 season on the big league roster, or Campusano must be designated for assignment.

It was not too long ago that he was the top prospect of the Padres’ minor league system. But his production in the majors (0-21 in 2025) has been disappointing. However, it is not impossible to see him reach his potential this season. Late bloomers are a common thread in baseball today.

Who is available on the backup catcher’s market

With the Friars turning their attention to upgrading the backup catcher position, no one should expect that player to supplant Fermin as the starter. He has been outstanding since the Friars acquired him from the Kansas City Royals at last summer’s trade deadline.

In 42 games with the Brown & Gold, Fermin batted .244 with two home runs and 14 RBI, while quickly becoming a calming presence for the pitching staff. He learned what each pitcher does best and allowed them to succeed in their moment on the mound. 

If the Padres add another experienced catcher to the mix, it is because they want to keep Fermin fresh for an entire season. Giving him a lighter workload allows Fermin to remain an effective contributor deep into the dog days of summer. The Friars cannot afford a fall-off in production. 

You would expect the organization to bring other backup candidates to Peoria on minor league deals. However, finding a suitable replacement has not been easy. Still, the Friars have been linked to several catchers, notably Christian Vasquez, Reese McGuire, and Gary Sanchez. 

Each adds a veteran presence to the clubhouse. Vasquez and McGuire are known as defensive specialists who call a good game. Sanchez may not have the glove, but he does offer a proven power-hitting commodity off the bench.

The front office will not consider top catching prospect Ethan Salas to start the season in the backup role. Injuries have caused him to miss significant time since signing with the Padres. Salas needs more seasoning in the minors before any thought of him receiving a major league promotion.

The Friars need to upgrade their depth at the catcher’s position. However, the market is currently thin, as no one is willing to commit to one another.

However, that could change heading into the final weeks before the start of Spring Training. Expect the Padres to make a move soon.

Last night, two players were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Center Fielders Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones got the call to Cooperstown. However, the night was not as successful for former Nationals. Daniel Murphy, Howie Kendrick and Gio Gonzalez were all on the ballot for the first time, but did not get any votes.

Center fielders Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame today.

Since 1981, only two other center fielders had been elected: Ken Griffey Jr. and Kirby Puckett. Rightful due for one of the most vital positions and two incredible players.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 20, 2026

First off, congratulations to Beltran and Jones. Both had wonderful careers that were Hall of Fame worthy. Jones was the best defensive center fielder of his generation, while also being a prolific power threat. He hit 434 home runs and also won 10 Gold Gloves. 

Beltran was also an elite power/speed guy in center field. He was not as good in the field as Jones, but was a better hitter and had a longer peak. Beltran would have gotten inducted sooner, if not for his connection to the Astros cheating scandal. Despite that blemish, it was not enough to keep him out of the Hall of Fame.

On the other side of the spectrum were the three Nationals players. Daniel Murphy, Howie Kendrick and Gio Gonzalez were the only three players on the ballot not to get any votes. These guys were never going to make the cut, but not getting any votes is interesting.

Final Hall of Fame election results.

59 percent for Utley and almost a 26 percent jump for Felix! pic.twitter.com/cv854pnvBg

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) January 20, 2026

Players like Rick Porcello, Hunter Pence, Alex Gordon and Shin-Soo Choo all got votes. I would say the trio of former Nats are on the same level as those players. It does not matter that much, but it is a shame they were the only ones to get totally shut out.

Given the fact they did not meet the 5% threshold, Murphy, Kendrick and Gonzalez will be off the ballot. However, next year will be the first year we see Ryan Zimmerman on the ballot. I would be shocked if Zimmerman were totally shut out and think he will meet the 5% threshold. Jordan Zimmermann will also be on the ballot in 2027.

A first look at the potential first-timers on the 2027 @BaseballHall ballot 👀 pic.twitter.com/Y5y6f9K7aY

— MLB (@MLB) January 21, 2026

Back to the Nats trio, all of them had very exciting peaks, but did not do enough to get in obviously. Kendrick had the highest WAR of the trio, with 35 wins above replacement. Most of that came with the Angels, but his most memorable moments came in DC. He hit arguably the two biggest home runs in franchise history during the Nats 2019 World Series run.

Kendrick had a really nice career, with a .294 average and an All-Star appearance. He was just never a star player, even if he was a key part to the Nats World Series run. It is a shame he got totally shut out though.

Daniel Murphy had the least amount of WAR, but probably hit the highest peak. He was second in NL MVP voting in his magical 2016 season. Murphy was a hitting machine that year, with a .347 average and 25 homers. He followed it up with another All-Star caliber 2017 season.

Those two years, as well as his 2015 playoff run were the extent of Murphy’s peak, but what a peak it was. He had a nice run on the Mets, but never hit the heights he did in DC. Injuries started to catch up to Murphy after 2017, and he was never the same. He was an elite player, but only for two seasons.

Gio Gonzalez had the longest tenure in DC of the trio and he was very good. He finished third in Cy Young voting in 2012, his first year as a Nat. That was his best season in DC, but he was a solid number 2 or number 3 starter for a long time.

His inconsistent command made him frustrating to watch at times, but he was still a very effective pitcher. Gio posted a 3.62 ERA in 6.5 seasons as a Nat. Obviously, that is not Hall of Fame worthy, but it is still very good.

None of these guys are Hall of Famers, but they were all high end players. Nationals fans will remember all three of these players very fondly. Just getting onto the ballot is very impressive in its own right.

MLB Rumors: Cody Bellinger and the New York Yankees have agreed to terms on a 5 year, $162.5 million deal, per multiple reports. The deal includes opt outs for Bellinger after 2027 and 2028, as well as a full no-trade clause.

Bellinger, 30, has been a curious free agent case in two of the past three seasons. The 2017 Rookie of the Year and 2019 Most Valuable Player was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 2022 season, having put up a 542 OPS in 2021 and a 654 OPS in 2022. Bellinger signed a one year deal with the Cubs for 2023 that guaranteed him $17.5 million.

Bellinger had a terrific bounceback season, putting up an 881 OPS and 4.8 bWAR. A tepid free agent market for Bellinger after the 2023 season resulted in him not signing until after the 2024 spring training camps had opened up, ultimately entering into a three year, $80 million deal with the Cubs at the end of February that featured opt-outs after years one and two.

Bellinger disappointed in 2024 for Chicago, slashing .266/.325/.426, and the Cubs traded him to the New York Yankees after the season and subsidized some of his salary, ultimately paying $5 million for him to go away in return for pitcher Cody Poteet.

Bellinger excelled once again in 2025, slashing .272/.334/.480 in 152 games while putting up a 5.1 bWAR. Bellinger’s lefty swing benefitted from playing half his games in Yankee Stadium — he put up a 909 OPS at home, compared to a 715 OPS on the road.

Because of that split, a return to New York always seemed to make the most sense for Bellinger. Meanwhile, Bellinger’s good fit in their home park, as well as his defensive versatility, meant that bringing him back made sense for New York, as well. This move technically puts Jasson Dominguez out of the starting lineup, but given the injury histories of Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, as well as Trent Grisham and Ben Rice not having a long history of hitting well in the majors, Bellinger’s ability to play quality defense at all three outfield spots as well as first base provides the Yankees with valuable defensive flexibility.

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers finalized their four-year, $240 million contract for Kyle Tucker on Wednesday, introducing the All-Star outfielder in a press conference at Dodger Stadium. But they needed to make space on the 40-man roster for the addition of Tucker, so Los Angeles designated outfielder Michael Siani for assignment.

Siani was claimed off waivers on December 12 from the Atlanta Braves, who had claimed the outfielder from the St. Louis Cardinals in November.

A defense-first center fielder, Siani has played parts of the last four seasons in the majors with the Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds. He hit .221/.277/.270 with a 58 wRC+ in 160 career games and 383 plate appearances. He played in 19 games in 2025, none of them starts, with four singles in 17 at-bats plus two walks.

Siani in Triple-A Memphis last season hit .209/.307/.329 with a 71 wRC+ and 24 extra-base hits in 101 games. Between the majors and minors, 641 of Siani’s 673 career defensive starts have come in center field.

This is similar to another recent waiver claim by the Dodgers. Utility man Ryan Fitzgerald was claimed off waivers on January 9, designated for assignment on January 13 with the signing of infielder Andy Ibáñez, then after he cleared waivers on Monday was sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City, still in the organization as depth but now off the 40-man roster.

We’ll find out in the next week or so what fate awaits Siani, either claimed or traded elsewhere or possibly sticking around if he clears waivers. With one year, 63 days of service time and as someone who has not previously been sent outright to the minors, Siani wouldn’t be able to refuse an outright assignment should it come to that.