Category: MLB

It was jarring on Sunday night to see the news that the Mets were trading Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien.

However, if you recalled what David Stearns said during his end-of-season news conference -- when he signaled a willingness to break up New York's offensive core -- that Nimmo has been dealt could not have possibly come as a surprise.

Back to that jarring part for a bit...

What makes this feel a bit like a bucket of cold water has been dumped on your head is the fact that Nimmo and the Mets had been synonymous ever since he made his MLB debut in 2016.

Nimmo wasn't just a damn good player. He was a tireless worker, a true leader, and a Met who truly loved being a Met. For those reasons and more, this one stings.

At the same time, it can easily be argued that with Nimmo's defense having regressed significantly (he was a negative in the outfield in 2025), his offense dipping from the height he was at between 2021 and 2023, and with five years remaining on his contract, that it was wise to move on now.

While it might be hard to do this with the trade of a beloved franchise player so fresh, it's important to understand that this isn't really about Nimmo for Semien -- even though Semien provides Gold Glove defense at second base. 

Rather, this is about clearing an outfield spot and lineup spot, which opens up a world of possibilities for the Mets that didn't really exist before Sunday night.

Prior to the Nimmo trade, Kyle Tucker -- the crown jewel of free agency -- wasn't really a Mets fit. Now, he is. The same can be said for Cody Bellinger. But the Nimmo deal won't be a failure if the Mets don't land one of the aforementioned players. Not when there's so many other options out there.  

And there's lots more intriguing players beyond the two mentioned above.

So, what's next?

Perusing X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday night, there were plenty of Mets fans who were up in arms over the deal and predicting that the team would just go defense-heavy at every open position instead of doing anything big. That's not how this is going to go.

Yes, Stearns values defense. But he also knows the team needs serious offensive reinforcements. And guess what? There are players out there who are strong all-around players, too.

The most obvious thing would be for the Mets to swoop in and land a big outfielder. Tucker, who will be entering his age-29 season in 2026, looms as a pretty perfect fit. In a relatively down year for the Cubs in 2025, he still had an .841 OPS. This is a complete hitter who -- like Juan Soto -- does a tremendous job controlling the strike zone.

Tucker's defense has slipped a bit, though, and his contract in terms of both years and dollars is expected to be massive.

If not Tucker, Bellinger would be a sensible option.

Beyond free agency, it all of a sudden makes a ton of sense for New York to explore what it would take to pry Jarren Duran from the Red Sox.

The 29-year-old Duran's name was out there ahead of last season's trade deadline. And with the Sox potentially in need at third base and/or second base -- and the Mets flush with infielders -- perhaps there's a fit.

Twins star Byron Buxton could also potentially be snagged via trade. It's also possible Fernando Tatis Jr. is available with the Padres for sale and possibly needing to trim payroll.

Meanwhile, the Mets could view top prospect Carson Benge as a left field option now and instead focus on adding a center fielder. They could also go internal in the outfield and train their efforts on the infield, where Pete Alonso's defense would be less of an issue now that they have Semien's range to help cover for it. There's also free agents Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette, who could be third base fits.

With Nimmo gone, Kyle Schwarber all of a sudden makes a lot more sense as a serious target -- especially in a world where Alonso signs elsewhere.

Looking internal, the addition of Semien would seem to make the already possible trade of Jeff McNeil something that's probable.

McNeil, who is entering the final year of his contract, could provide serious value as a super utility player capable of playing every infield spot but shortstop and all three outfield spots. But if the Mets don't view that as his role, it's unclear what his role would be.

McNeil does not have the defensive profile to be an everyday center fielder, and does not have the offensive profile to be an everyday left fielder, third baseman, or first baseman.

The Nimmo trade could also have ramifications in the farm system.

With the exception of Nolan McLean, it seems possible that New York could trade basically any of their young players, perhaps as part of a package for a top-of-the-rotation starter -- Tarik Skubal or otherwise.

And with second base now taken for the foreseeable future, it's fair to wonder if Jett Williams -- whose best fit is at second and not center field -- could be on the move.

So again, this was not simply about Nimmo for Semien. It's about what's next.

On an emergency episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo react to a shocking trade by the Mets, as David Stearnsstrikes a deal with the Texas Rangers, swapping Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien.

The guys break down the what and the why of the trade, examine what the Mets are getting in Semien both offensively and defensively, and look ahead to the possible moves that might come next if this deal truly is a “first domino” of the offseason. 

Connor and Joe also discuss what this trade means for prospect Jett Williams, and look back at the legacy of Nimmo in New York, including a story from Joe about his time in Brooklyn.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

David Stearns could have tried to convince himself – and Mets’ fans – that upgrading the pitching staff this offseason would have guaranteed a return to contention in 2026, presuming he re-signed Pete Alonso. But it’s clear now that he knows better.

By trading Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien on Sunday, Stearns essentially acknowledged that he needed to do something dramatic to shake up the core of a ballclub that has underachieved, or simply failed at critical moments in three of the last four seasons for reasons that weren’t always obvious. 

It’s not as if he traded Nimmo for a difference-maker. Semien is a good defensive second baseman whose offense has slipped significantly the last two years at age 33 and 34. No, this was about the opportunity to create change by trading a foundational piece and a major clubhouse presence, with the expectation of bigger moves to come. 

So kudos to Stearns for not taking the easy way out. That is, as long as he can execute whatever plan he has in mind as a follow-up to the Nimmo trade. 

The obvious need now is to add a big bat to the outfield. The only two free agents who fill that need are Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, and if the Mets don’t get one of them, then trading Nimmo may not be such a great idea after all. 

Unless Stearns has another trade up his sleeve. It’s hard to imagine he’d take on Fernando Tatis’ contract, which has another nine years remaining, but Tatis is still only 26, turning 27 in January, and Stearns has made his preference for youth pretty well known. 

In any case, Alonso has to be part of this equation as well. Nimmo still had value as an offensive player, and without him, Alonso’s middle-of-the-lineup production is now more vital than ever. 

It seems Alonso is open to being a part-time DH, judging by Scott Boras’ comments at the GM meetings recently, and in that case, there really is no reason for the Mets not going the extra mile to bring him back. 

As an aside, because it has become such a talking point, I don’t think Alonso is terrible overall defensively. I just think his throwing has become such an issue, whether to other bases or to pitchers covering first, that it could and likely will prove costly at any moment in big games. 

That said, for as much as Stearns has talked about run prevention, the lack of offensive consistency has been a major problem for them for years, other than their late-season run in 2024.

Last year, in particular, the numbers from the likes of Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Alonso, and to some extent Nimmo were all very good individually, yet if you watched, you know that as a team the Mets only excelled as a team in August, when the pitching was at rock bottom.

So, barring a trade that maybe only Stearns is envisioning, it’s hard to see how the Mets can be better offensively in 2026 without re-signing Alonso and adding either Bellinger or Tucker. 

And with the need to spend on pitching, either via trade or free agency, even Steve Cohen may find Tucker too pricey if it’s going to take somewhere around $400 million to sign him. 

Bellinger won’t cost that much, but he’s also not in Tucker’s class as a hitter. Bellinger has made himself into a good two-strike hitter, and he can hit lefties too, yet much of his appeal is his all-around game, including his above-average defense, his positional versatility, and his baserunning. 

In short, he seems to be a glue guy of sorts, which may be exactly the intangible the Mets lacked last season, as exemplified by their inability to win a game all season in which they trailed after eight innings.

Of course, that may be a big reason Brian Cashmanhas said openly that he wants Bellinger back, while the player himself was vocal about how much he enjoyed his season in the Bronx. So the Mets likely would have to overpay significantly to convince him to follow the Soto path over to Queens, and for a president of baseball operations like Stearns, that could go against his value-seeking instincts.

But there isn’t another free-agent outfielder that could be viewed as impactful, which is what makes the Nimmo trade fascinating in itself. Stearns wouldn’t have done it if he weren’t relatively sure that he could upgrade that left field spot, right?

The only other benefit of the trade is that it saves the Mets some money – Semien is owed $72 million over three years, compared to Nimmo’s five years for $102.5 million. 

But that can’t be a primary factor for a franchise trying to win a championship right now. 

Semien’s defense at second base does play into Stearns’ run-prevention theme. And the Mets could be significantly better overall defensively if they add Bellinger to play left field and perhaps some first base as well, while Brett Baty becomes the everyday third baseman and Tyrone Taylor gets most of the time in center field until Carson Benge is ready. 

That and the upgrades Stearns finds for the starting rotation could make the Mets a more well-rounded team. 

Meanwhile, you’d have to think Jeff McNeill will be traded as well, if indeed the need for change is at the root of Stearns’ thinking. And who knows what it means for top prospect, Jett Williams, who loomed as the next everyday second baseman.

Whatever the ramifications, at least for the moment, it’s hard not to like Stearns’ willingness to admit that something wasn’t quite right with his ballclub. But that’s only if he was thinking two or three moves ahead as he agreed to deal Nimmo.

And he has the wherewithal to execute them.

What could be a seismic offseason for the Mets had its first really loud moment late Sunday afternoon when the news broke that the club had tradedBrandon Nimmo, a drafted-and-developed cog in their core, to the Texas Rangers in exchange for second baseman Marcus Semien, a three-time All-Star. 

If you did not believe David Stearns’ end-of-season proclamation about the Mets improving their run prevention, well, this should convince you and the rest of baseball, too. Semien, who won the AL Gold Glove at second last season, instantly improves the Mets’ defense, a big weakness in 2025. 

It’s a one-for-one trade, sure, but no move like this is made in a vacuum, and the real read on this deal will come once we see what’s next. The club’s core, which probably needed refreshing this winter, is officially shaken up now, and all kinds of other roster reverberations are looming going forward.

After the crushing disappointment of last season, that’s probably not a bad thing.

Left field is now open for the Mets to acquire a better defensive player and, potentially, a bigger hitter than Nimmo. Free agent Kyle Tucker, the best position player on this year’s market, comes to mind. Let’s see if the Mets go there, or perhaps try to sign Cody Bellinger and take an outfield star from the Yankees for a second straight winter. 

The Mets also have so many other second base possibilities on their roster – Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio – that Semien’s presence probably means some of those will be traded, too. And the Mets now seem at least likely to part with some of their highly-regarded prospects as they seek to add an ace and fill gaping divots in the rotation and bullpen. 

Semien, 35, has had two ordinary – at best – years on offense the past two seasons. In 2025, he hit 15 homers, batted .230 and had a .669 OPS. His OPS-plus was 97, below league average. Semien hit 45 homers in 2021 and 29 two years later, so he’s shown pop in the past. The Mets better hope there’s some left.

Semien has $72 million and three years left on his contract, which means the Mets cleared two years of commitment. Nimmo, who will play next season at 33, has five years and more than $100 million left on the eight-year, $162-million contract he signed after the 2022 season. 

For all the benefits the Mets could reap from this deal, there’s a bittersweet quality to it, too. Has to be, considering Nimmo’s significance as a Met since he was taken with the 13th overall pick in the 2011 draft. He bloomed into a great Met, if probably not for as long as he once thought.

Nimmo played the game with evident joy, all smiles, and delivered energy and hustle to the Mets and not just on his trademark sprint to first on walks. He was a reliable, respected voice in the Mets clubhouse, willing to dissect the highs and lows of 162 games – and beyond – and was always accountable, even as seasons spiraled.

The early part of Nimmo’s career was stalled by injury, but he has been ultra-reliable the past four seasons, never playing fewer than 151 games. He had an .802 OPS and a .364 on-base percentage and slugged 135 homers in 1,066 games for the Mets.

In a career-best 155 games in 2025, Nimmo had personal highs in home runs (25) and RBI (92). His offensive profile changed over the years as his power developed and his on-base percentage dropped as more balls sailed over the fence. Still, he was one of the Mets’ best offensive players for years.

He was so much a part of the club’s fabric that Mets owner Steve Cohen included Nimmo when he dubbed his top players the “Fab Four,” a play on the Beatles’ nickname last season. Nimmo, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Juan Soto once seemed likely to be core Mets for years to come. When Nimmo signed his big contract, he talked about the idea of being a Met for life, about how it felt good to put the jersey on and “know it’s not coming off.” 

But big changes wallop teams that fail, especially when there were such high expectations for the 2025 Mets. Stearns vowed to upgrade the run prevention. Nimmo-for-Semien is the first step in that quest. Won’t be the last.

A part of the Mets' core is gone, and an offseason of change in Queens, some of it uncomfortable, is on. 

The Mets are making a blockbuster trade early in the offseason, trading outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for infielder Marcus Semien, per SNY's Andy Martino.

The trade is a one for one swap.

Nimmo, 32, has spent his entire 10-year career in New York and signed an eight-year, $162 million contract extension in 2022, which included a full no-trade clause meaning he approved the move to Texas.

Semien, 35, is under contract through the 2028 season after he and the Rangers agreed on a seven-year, $175 million deal ahead of the 2022 season.

The second baseman who can also play shortstop and third base had a triple slash line of .230/.305/.364 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI in 127 games last season. His season ended in late August with a left foot contusion.

Semien's .669 OPS last year was the lowest of his career, but the Mets are hoping for bounce-back seasons from the veteran who helped the Rangers win their first-ever World Series in 2023.

Meanwhile, Nimmo enjoyed career-highs in home runs (25), RBI (92) and games played (155) in 2025 and saw his average climb back to .262 after an uncharacteristic 2024 in which he hit .224, his lowest average since 2019.

In 10 seasons with the Mets, the one time center fielder who was moved over to left field due in recent years totaled 135 home runs, 188 doubles and 463 RBI while slashing .262/.364/.438 for a .802 OPS. 

Early in his career, Nimmo, drafted 13th overall in the 2011 MLB Draft, was known for his incredible eye and plate discipline which led to some great on-base percentages. 

Later on, he found his power stroke and became a run producer for New York, often hitting in the three-hole or cleanup for manager Carlos Mendoza in 2025. Nimmo also became much more active on the base paths, stealing 28 bases over the last two seasons (more than half of his 54 career steals) and getting caught just once. 

As for the trade, while the Mets added a veteran infielder to their roster they do not have another deal with a free agent outfielder close, per Martino. However, the move does allow New York more flexibility and room to make one if they choose.

The Mets also have a number of young outfield prospects that figure to be ready soon, including players like Carson Benge and Jett Williams (who can also play the infield). 

In 13 seasons between the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays and Rangers, Semien has hit 253 home runs to go along with a .253/.321/.435 triple slash line. 

Name the former Rangers defenseman who later became an Islander and made a foolish statement before an Isles-Rangers game that got him traded? (Don't sneak a look at the answer.)

HIS  QUOTE: "The Rangers will probably beat us. But there's no great shame attached to losing to those guys." Then, a pause: "The league is laughing at us, the fans are laughing at us. But they created us and they're laughing at themselves." 

New York Rangers • News and CommunityNew York Rangers news, video, analysis and community on The Hockey News Follow all Rangers news at https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers

ANSWER: The statement was made in early February 1973 by Arnie Brown. Within days he was traded to Atlanta for Ernie Hicke and "future considerations."

P.S. Brown – obtained in the big Toronto deal – lost his effectiveness in his last year with the Rangers.

Three games and three losses for the New York Rangers on their most recent road trip. 

On Saturday night, the Rangers capped off their three-game road trip with a 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth, marking their fourth consecutive loss. 

J.T. Miller suffered an upper-body injury in the Rangers’ previous game against the Colorado Avalanche, and his presence was clearly missed. 

Miller’s absence elevated Jonny Brodzinski into a top-six role on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Will Cuylle, while Sullivan put Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafrenière back on a line together. 

When Vincent Trocheck missed time with an injury, the lineup’s overall offensive depth took a major hit, and it was no different without Miler. 

The Rangers struggled to generate consistent scoring chances and maintain quality offensive-zone time. 

Mike Sullivan feels that Miller’s absence should not be used as an excuse for their struggles over the course of the night.

“It's going to provide opportunities for others to step up and make an impact,” Sullivan said of the fallout from Miller’s injury. “Every team goes through it, we’re not the only ones. We've got to find a way to bring more of a collective effort.”

New York has been outshot in all three of their games on this road trip and has notably failed to even record more than 22 shots. 

Once again, the Rangers are going through an offensive rut as the frustrations continue to mount. 

“I feel like we’re disconnected. I think we’re too far away from each other,” Zibanejad said. “It’s a lot of one-and-dones in the O-zone, try to get on the forecheck, it’s one guy, one guy, one guy. We don’t come up with five together and I just feel like we’re a bit late everywhere.”

The Mammoth are known to play a fast and up-tempo game, which the Rangers simply couldn’t keep up with. 

J.T. Miller Day-To-Day With Upper-Body Injury Suffered Against Avalanche J.T. Miller is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will miss the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a>’ Saturday night matchup against the Utah Mammoth.

This loss for the Blueshirts stems from an overall lack of intensity, shown by all of the high danger chances they were giving up and struggles to maintain consistent offensive pressure. 

“I didn't think, for whatever reason, we had the juice, the energy. If you don't bring a certain amount of energy to the game, it's hard,” Sullivan said. “I just didn't think we won a whole lot of foot races. I didn't think we won a lot of puck battles. When you don't win foot races or puck battles, you don't tend to have the puck. I felt like that was the case for a lot of the night.”

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and the Rangers find themselves at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division standings. It’s not a good position to be in 23 games into the season. 

The Rangers will have an opportunity to flip the switch on Monday night when they face off against the St. Louis Blues.

Talk about easing the blow. The Canadian father-son duo that secured not one, but both home run balls that doomed the Toronto Blue Jays team they root for in Game 7 of the World Series turned the evidence into some serious U.S. currency Saturday night.

Dodgers fans will never forget those baseballs hit by Miguel Rojas in the ninth inning and Will Smith in the 11th flying over the left-field wall and into the first row of seats beyond the Blue Jays' bullpen.

John and Matthew Bains — sitting side-by-side — will never forget the balls ending up in their hands. John, 61, caught Rojas' 387-foot home run in his glove on the fly. Two innings later, Matthew, seated next to his dad, saw Smith's blast land in the bullpen and bounce directly into his hands.

Novices they were not. John has been a Blue Jays fan since the team's inception in 1977 and purposely sits where he does for proximity to home runs. In fact, he caught one during the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees a few weeks earlier.

Read more:Kid thought he was going to dentist. Dad took him to World Series and he caught Freddie Freeman's grand slam

Both men brought baseballs into the stadium that they threw back onto the field, giving the Blue Jays faithful the impression the Bains did the honorable thing when, in fact, they did the smart thing for their bank accounts.

On Saturday night, the balls were sold at auction. Smith's homer, which provided the Dodgers with the winning run, sold for $168,000 while Rojas' blast that sent the game into extra innings fetched $156,000.

A third unforgettable Dodgers home run ball from the 2025 postseason eclipsed the Game 7 balls. The second of Shohei Ohtani's three home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series sold for $270,000 in the same SCP Auction.

It was the longest of the his three, landing on the Dodger Stadium right-field roof 469 feet from home plate. And it was a key element in what is considered perhaps the greatest single performance in baseball history. Ohtani struck out 10 in six innings on the mound in addition to his offensive exploits, sending the Dodgers to the World Series.

Carlo Mendoza's story of how he ended up with Ohtani's ball is no less head-shaking than that of the Bains boys. The 26-year-old Los Angeles man said he was eating nachos in a food court behind the right-field pavilion and saw Ohtani hit the home run on a television monitor. He heard the ball hit the roof, dashed toward the sound and retrieved the ball from under a bush.

All three balls were authenticated by SCP Auctions through notarized affidavits and lie detector tests. SCP owner David Kohler said Mendoza was so apprehensive about handing over the ball that he insisted meeting Kohler in the parking lot of the Long Beach Police Dept.

Read more:In a World Series finale for the ages, Dodgers cement their dynasty in win over Blue Jays

"We authenticated through polygraph and eyewitnesses due diligence," Kohler said. "From the time we announced we had these baseballs until now, no one else has come forward and said they have the balls. There's been no contention."

The baseballs got top billing in the wide-ranging auction that included 579 items, but a Lou Gehrig game-worn jersey sold for well more than the three balls combined. The Hall of Fame Yankee first baseman hit his last World Series home run in 1937 wearing the jersey, for which a collector paid more than $2.5 million.

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.

Mets infielder Luisangel Acuña left his Venezuelan Winter League game on Friday in the fourth inning after being hit by a pitch in the forearm.

Acuña, playing for the Cardenales de Lara, was plunked by Tiburones de La Guaira RHP Eduardo Paredes with runners at first and second base to load them. The 23-year-old fell to the ground after getting hit by the 88-mph pitch and tried to shake it off before getting help from trainers.

The Cardenales went on to score two more runs in the inning, capping off a four-run frame to take a 6-5 lead. They scored again in the seventh and then piled on four runs in the ninth inning, winning the game, 11-5.

There has not been an update on his injury yet.

Acuña is slashing .208/.391/.396 over 17 games so far this Winter League season. He's hit two home runs and has four doubles with 10 RBI.

Of course, Acuña's future in New York is a bit murky after a rough 2025 season. He played in just 95 major league games, hitting .234 with seven doubles, and was optioned down to Triple-A in August before finishing the season back in Queens.

Overall, Acuña owns a .248 batting average with three home runs, nine doubles, and a triple in 109 career games.

With a surplus of infielders on the roster, including Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Jeff McNeil, it's very possible Acuña could be involved in a potential offseason trade. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has made it clear the team is willing to shake up its core, as they are reportedly fielding trade inquiries on McNeil and have made Brandon Nimmo available for trade.

¡Dramático momento! 🥵

Luisangel Acuña recibió un pelotazo del lanzador Eduardo Paredes. El pelotero de Cardenales abandonó el juego y su lugar lo ocupó Jecksson Flores.

🆑#LAR 3-5 #LAG🦈 | 4to inning ⬆️

Cortesía: 1Baseball

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Ahead of his final season under club control, and with his 2026 salary expected to top more than $6 million through arbitration, reliever Evan Phillips was not tendered a contract for next year by the Dodgers on Friday, but president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the team is still interested in re-signing him as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

“We had a number of back and forth discussions with Evan and his agent,” Friedman said via text. “It is challenging with him coming off surgery, so he is going to take some time and look to sign after he throws off the mound when his rehab allows. Evan has been a big part of our past success and we will continue the conversation about bringing him back. We respect that he is taking this time to decide what is best for him and his family.”

Friday’s decision — which will make Phillips a free agent — reflects the uncertainty around the pitcher’s status for next season, following the Tommy John procedure he had last June.

Read more:Dodgers boss Andrew Friedman part of team to advise Lakers in ownership transition

Phillips’ recovery process is expected to stretch at least into the early part of next year. How much he will be able to pitch in 2026 remains unclear.

Because of that, the Dodgers faced a decision ahead of MLB’s non-tender deadline Friday: Keep Phillips on the roster and pay him the $6.1 million or so that MLB Trade Rumors projected he would receive through the arbitration process. Or cut him loose and attempt to re-sign him (likely to a lesser salary) this offseason.

The club picked the latter. Now, only time will tell whether Phillips’ productive tenure in Los Angeles will continue.

Phillips, 31, has been a key part of the Dodgers' bullpen since the team plucked him off waivers near the end of the 2021 season.

In 2022, he was one of the top relievers in baseball, posting a 1.14 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 63 innings. He had a 2.05 ERA and 24 saves the following season, before regressing to a 3.62 mark in 2024.

Despite that decline, the right-hander still played a crucial role in the club’s 2024 World Series run, pitching 6⅔ scoreless innings that postseason before missing the World Series with a shoulder injury.

Read more:Shaikin: Mayor's take on Dodger Stadium gondola project? We didn't get it in her 21 seconds

That injury, which Phillips later said included a tear in the back of his rotator cuff, caused him to miss the early weeks of this past season.

Phillips eventually made his 2025 season debut on April 19, but logged only seven appearances (all of them scoreless) before going on the injured list in early May with forearm discomfort. At the time, Phillips’ hope was that the IL stint was only a “precautionary” measure and that he would be able to return later in the season.

Instead, his forearm pain lingered. And by the end of May, the full severity of his injury had become frustratingly clear.

Phillips underwent his Tommy John procedure, which typically comes with a 12-18 month recovery timeline, on June 3.

“[His arm] wasn’t really responding,” general manager Brandon Gomes said at the time. “We felt like this could be a possibility. So as he got deeper into the process and it wasn’t really getting better, the decision to do it was pretty much evident with our information.”

Read more:Dodgers need an outfielder. Cody Bellinger is a free agent. Could a reunion be possible?

Phillips did begin throwing again on Nov. 5, he announced on Instagram. The Dodgers would still like for him to be part of the mix in their bid for a World Series three-peat in 2026.

Now, however, it will take a new contract to get that done.

In addition to Phillips, the Dodgers also decided not to tender a contract to 27-year-old pitcher Nick Frasso on Friday. Frasso, a former top prospect who struggled in triple-A in his return from a shoulder surgery this past season, had yet to make his MLB debut.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Friday is MLB's arbitration deadline and the Yankees have quite a few players who are eligible.

There are 14 players whom the Yankees have to either tender or non-tender, which includes some big names, and pieces in the bullpen and bench. What GM Brian Cashman and the organization decide on Friday will determine who will become a free agent and who will be staying for 2026. Also, those who do get tendered could go to arbitration to determine their salary for the upcoming season.

Of course, the Yankees could do away with the arbitration process if they and the player agree to a deal. 

Here's all the arbitration and tender news from the Yankees...

Nov. 21, 5:55 p.m.

The Yankees non-tendered five players, most from the bullpen. Mark Leiter Jr., Ian Hamilton, Scott Effross and Jake Cousins were not given contracts for the 2026 season. Of course, the team could negotiate with the relievers to bring them back, but all four are now unrestricted free agents.

The other name is Michael Arias. 

Arias was traded to the Yankees from the Cubs back in January for cash considerations. He made 17 appearances with Double-A Somerset, where he pitched to a 2.57 ERA.

In addition, the Yankees have tendered contracts to other eligible players, which includes: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jose Caballero, Anthony Volpe, Luis Gil, Jake Bird, David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Fernando Cruz.

Nov. 21, 5:00 p.m.

The Yankees and starter Clarke Schmidt have agreed on a one-year deal worth $4.5 million, according to multiple reports. Schmidt and the Yankees avoid arbitration.

Schmidt had a solid 2025 for the Yanks, pitching to a 3.32 ERA across 14 starts. But after starting the season on the IL, the right-hander's year ended in July after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the second of his career.

Nov. 21, 4:45 p.m.

The Yankees and utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera have agreed to a $1.2 million contract, avoiding arbitration, according to multiple reports.

Cabrera, who missed most of 2025 after suffering a season-ending foot injury sliding into home plate, played just 34 games this past season. During that time, he slashed .243/.322..308 with an OPS of .631. He was the team's everyday third baseman, but could also play the outfield and around the infield. 

The move makes sense, giving manager Aaron Boone a versatile bench piece for next year.