Category: MLB

The Edwin Diaz news even caught Devin Williams by surprise. 

The newly signed reliever expected the Mets to be able to retain their star closer in free agency, pairing them to form a dynamic one-two punch at the backend of the bullpen. 

However, as things have played out, Diaz ended up taking slightly more money to join the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers on a three-year pact on Tuesday. 

Williams will now instead be handed the mighty tall task of filling the huge void left behind in the backend of New York’s bullpen following Diaz’s departure. 

While the 31-year-old is coming off a bit of an up-and-down campaign with the Yankees, David Stearnsvoiced his confidence in him taking over the role. 

“We’re very comfortable with that,” Stearns said. “I’ve seen Devin perform at a very high level for a long time. I have full confidence that he can be one of the best relievers in baseball. I think he’s very motivated to do that, and I’m looking forward to watching that.”

Though Williams is receiving the first shot with not many other experienced options on the roster as currently constructed, he knows he’ll still have to go out and earn the role. 

Whether he ends up with the ball in the eighth or ninth, he’s taking the same approach. 

“I’ve always looked at it as it’s the same job,” Williams said on SNY’s Mets Hot Stove from the Winter Meetings on Tuesday. “You’re going out there to get three outs, five outs, whatever it may be -- just whatever the team needs you to do.”

Stearns wouldn’t reveal if the team was still in the market for another backend bullpen piece, but he did say they’ll continue to build the bullpen in numerous ways. 

Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks are two of the top relievers remaining on the market. 

David Stearns had plenty to say on the second day of the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, and while he couldn't comment on Edwin Diaz's reported signing with the Dodgers, the Mets president of baseball operations did offer a message to fans, his optimism for the 2026 season, an outlook on the outfield market, and other insights on the offseason.

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Message to Mets fans

“As we look at our organization, we are very optimistic and confident about where we are headed,” Stearns said during a conversation on Tuesday's episode of SNY’s Mets Hot Stove. “We have tremendous ownership support, we’ve got really good top-end talent at the major league level, and we’ve got one of the best farm systems in all of baseball. 

“And when you add all of that up, we are headed in an outstanding direction.”

But Stearns, the boyhood Mets fans, understands the fans’ displeasure, something he shares.

“I certainly understand that our fanbase is frustrated with how our season ended last year; we’re frustrated with how our season ended last year,” he said. “We didn’t meet our expectations, and we gotta do better than that.”

With the offseason bringing changes, Stearns admitted he also understands fans’ attachment to some long-tenured players who will be moving on to other clubs either through trades or free agency. 

“I also understand that our fans naturally have an attachment, as we do as well have an attachment, to players who have been here and have performed here for a long time. And we do take that into account, and it is part of the decisions that we have made,” he said. “We also have to be very cognizant of making the decisions that are going to allow us to compete now and also fit in with the future years when we want to consistently be a World Series-caliber team and World Series-caliber organization.

“And sometimes that leads to really tough, uncomfortable decisions. And we’ve had to make a couple of those over the course of this offseason.”

‘Always urgency’

On the second day of the meetings, is the Mets’ top baseball decision-maker facing a greater sense of urgency?

“I think there’s always urgency,” Stearns said. “I think we’re always trying to improve the team to the best of our ability, trying to make the decisions that are best for the organization. So I think we always feel a sense of urgency.”

On the Mets’ resources

With Steve Cohen showing he is more than willing to outlay money for players, Stearns was asked if that commitment from ownership makes it tough to stay disciplined when negotiating. 

"Our resources that we have here are an enormous advantage. As long as we allocate those resources intelligently, they're going to continue to be an enormous advantage,” Stearns said. “Steve gives us everything we need to have not only a great roster, but a competitive organization in every single respect. I think our players and coaches recognize that. 

“I have no doubt that we're going to continue to have the resources we need to compete at a very high level."

He added later: “I think we’re always weighing how certain transactions fit into the larger puzzle of the resources we have. We have a lot of resources; no team has unending resources, and I’ve said that before. 

“We’ve got all the resources we need, all of the payroll space we need to put a really good team on the field. That doesn’t mean it’s infinite, nor should it be. And so, every decision point – whether it’s a trade, whether it’s free agency – has constraints on it and we do our best to work with them in the context of what is a very heavily resourced and well-supported team.”

On roster continuity

With two long tenured Mets departing already this offseason – Brandon Nimmo in a trade and the Diaz's reported signing – Stearns was asked if he views it as a challenge to balance the need to improve with a desire to keep the continuity going.

“That is something, broadly, that we talk about a lot,” Stearns said. “We have a lot of those conversations; we’ve had them throughout this offseason, we had them throughout last offseason, as well, when we were faced with some decisions. And it is part of it.

“I’ve said this before, I can’t tell you I know exactly how to weigh that. I think we do our best to weigh the full impact of any player on our team, on our organization. And we make the best decision we can.”

On coaching turnover

The biggest spot of turnover so far this offseason came with Carlos Mendoza’s coaching staff. And Stearns was asked if he believed the departures could make the Mets a less desirable place for free agents to come to after a report indicated that Diaz was displeased with the departure of pitching coach Jeremy Hefner.

“From the feedback I have heard from players, is they are very excited to work with our coaching staff this year,” Stearns said. “We’ve brought in a number of very highly respected, well-thought-of coaches throughout the league. I think we’re gonna have a group that’s very excited to work with our coaching staff.”

On ‘robust’ outfield market

After the Nimmo trade, the Mets have a spot open in left field without an obvious choice, but several internal candidates, including Jeff McNeil and possibly prospect Carson Benge. With that being said, Stearns does see the outfield market as a robust one.

“Between what’s available in free agency and some of the names that are being talked about in the trade market, there’s a pretty robust group out there, there’s a pretty robust market,” he said. “And we’re gonna continue to explore that. And I also think we’ve got some really good internal candidates, as well.”

On what's down on the farm

Speaking of prospects down on the farm like Benge, Stearns said that "one of the exciting parts of our system" is that it isn't top-heavy.

"It's not just that top echelon of player, the guy that's on the cover of a magazine and talked about," he said. "We like those guys, as well, but then we look at Jett Williams, who's also a Top 100 prospect, [Ryan] Clifford, who's gonna be in Triple-A next year [and] a step away, A.J. Ewing, who has emerged as one of the top, dynamic prospects in all of baseball. 

"Not even to get into the arms that we have, that we're very excited about, who we began to see impact our major league team last year, and we think will continue to impact our major league team. We've got as deep a system as exists in baseball. We think we've got tremendous upside at the top of that system, and we're gonna begin to see those players really impact our major league team this year."

The Mets now know where they stand in next year's draft.

MLB had its annual draft lottery on Tuesday night and the Mets will pick No. 27 in the 2026 MLB Draft.

Despite their record, the Mets are picking that low because they exceeded the second CBT threshold, which docked the organization 10 spots. However, it may not affect much for the Mets, who have had some fast-rising prospects in recent years.

This past draft, the Mets selected second baseman Mitch Voit out of the University of Michigan with the No. 38 overall pick. Voit played 22 games in Low-A this past summer, where the 21-year-old slashed .235/.343/.294 with an OPS of .637 and one home run. 

The year prior, Carson Benge was selected with the No. 19 overall pick. The outfielder took a big step in the minors this season and could feasibly make the Opening Day roster in 2026. And then two years back, the Mets selected catcher Kevin Parada with the No. 11 pick and shortstop Jett Williams with the No. 14 pick. 

While Parada has not developed as fast as other prospects, he just put together his best minor league season, hitting 11 homers and driving in 57 runs while ending the year in Triple-A. As for Williams, he's thought of by many as one of the Mets' top prospects, including our own Joe DeMayo, who has the shortstop as the No. 3 prospect in New York's system. 

Williams hit 17 home runs and slashed .261/.363/.465 with an OPS of .828 between Double-A and Triple-A. 

The 2026 MLB Draft is set for July 11-12 in Philadelphia.

Speaking from the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns couldn’t comment on Edwin Diaz reportedly agreeing to a three-year deal with the Dodgers.

But Stearns did express his confidence in Devin Williams’ ability to step into the closer’s role.

“Yeah, and we’re very comfortable with that,” Stearns replied when asked if Williams would be the team’s closer at this very moment. “I’ve certainly seen Devin perform at a very high level for a long time. I have full confidence that he can be one of the best relievers in baseball. I think he’s very motivated to do that, and I’m looking forward to watching that.”

Williams, who signed a three-year deal with the Mets earlier this month, has plenty of history with Stearns, as the pair were together in Milwaukee before Stearns left to join the Mets, with Williams going on to pitch one season with the Yankees. 

As a member of the Brewers, Williams quickly established himself as one of the best relievers in baseball. The NL Rookie of the Year in 2020, Williams went on to win two NL Reliever of the Year Awards and made two All-Star teams, pitching to a 1.83 ERA with 68 saves over six seasons with the Brewers.

When Stearns and Mets signed Williams, they did so with options. Williams could be one of, if not the premier setup men in all of baseball behind Diaz, or – the option that has turned out to be the case – Williams could step into the closer’s role to take over for the now-Dodger Diaz. 

“I think when we go into an offseason, we have lots of different paths that an offseason can take,” Stearns explained. “We thought it important to bring in a reliever of really high quality. We’re really excited that we were able to do that with Devin Williams. We think he’s going to fit our club really well. I’m also confident we’re going to continue to add to the pen and have a very good one when we get to the regular season.”

“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,” Stearns added. “We’ve got, certainly, work to do, but there are a lot of good players out there, and I am confident that we’re really going to like where our team is when we get to opening day.”

While Stearns noted that the Mets obviously still need to add to their bullpen, he wouldn’t say specifically if the club was still in the market for a backend bullpen piece, with options like Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks among the most notable free agent options. 

“I think we’re having plenty of conversations,” he said. “I think there are different ways to build a bullpen, and we’re going to continue to explore all of them.”

Williams, of course, comes to the Mets with experience when it comes to playing in New York. And while his one season with the Yankees was forgettable, as he pitched to a 4.79 ERA and lost his closer’s role at one point, the 31-year-old is ready to take things to a new level in Queens. 

“He got pretty unlucky. The underlying ingredients were still really good,” Stearns said. “This can happen at times with relievers, where there’s an anomalous period of time, or an anomalous season. I think what excites me about Devin is, he’s not just saying, ‘Oh, I got unlucky last year.’ He’s saying, ‘I want to get better, and there’s another gear, and yes, I know my stuff last year was really good and the results didn’t necessarily reflect how good I was, but I can actually get better, and I can manipulate the ball a little bit differently.’

“And so, I think Devin is looking for another level, which is pretty cool.”

Even if Edwin Diazsimply chose to chase a ring in Los Angeles rather than stay the course in a quest to bring down the mighty Dodgers — and certainly the evidence points in that direction — the fallout is the fallout for the Mets and especially their president of baseball operations. 

That is, the pressure has never been higher on David Stearns to prove he’s more than a value-driven analyst whose moves can give the impression he tries to be too smart for his own good at times. 

That’s certainly the way a segment of the fan base views him these days anyway. Social media isn’t always the best way to measure the scope of such sentiment, but it would also be silly to ignore some of the anti-Stearns commentary on public platforms for the last few months. 

I’ve mostly defended Stearns during his time in Queens, willing to give him the benefit of the doubt after his prudent decision-making set the stage for the ’24 Mets surprising everyone by reaching the NLCS and taking the Dodgers to six games. 

But after his methodology failed him last season — partly because of injuries, to be fair — and he seemingly remains committed to not overspending, especially on starting pitching, I think it’s now fair to question Stearns’ process. 

Obviously there is a long way to go in this offseason, and indeed as I wrote last week, his first two big moves, trading Brandon Nimmo and signing Devin Williams, can only be judged on the follow-ups to each of them. 

In one case that meant re-signing Diaz to put Williams in a set-up role, which would have eased the burden of expectations as the closer that seemed to affect him mentally last season with the Yankees. 

So Stearns is 0-for-1 on that count. 

In the other case it means replacing Nimmo with some combination of moves to construct a better, more consistent offense than the one that exasperated Mets’ fans with its feast-or-famine nature in recent years. 

Whether that happens remains to be seen, but hearing Stearns at the Winter Meetings say that Jeff McNeil could play a lot of left field next season is not exactly the makings of an offensive juggernaut.

Maybe that was just press conference-speak. Stearns is not going to lay out his plans publicly, and McNeil is still on the roster, at least for now. So maybe he’s just playing the Bubba Crosby card, for anyone who recalls the winter Brian Cashman kept insisting the journeyman outfielder would play center field for the Yankees the following season… until he finally signed free agent Johnny Damon, as everyone expected all along.

Of course, that was a time, two decades ago, when the Yankees outspent everybody in baseball, and by a wide margin. 

To that point, though, Steve Cohen was believed to bring that level of win-at-all-costs philosophy to the Mets, and obviously he has spent a ton of money during his time as owner, most notably the $765 million to lure Juan Soto from the Bronx. 

Furthermore, who knows, maybe Stearns and Cohen will pull off a similar heist of Cody Bellinger in the coming weeks. Certainly that would go a long way toward making the team better in all facets of the game. 

But for the moment, the loss of Diaz makes the Mets worse, no way around it. And Cohen isn’t supposed to lose the best closer in baseball over a matter of a few million dollars here and there. 

Again, it could be that Diaz simply wanted to take the Kevin Durant path, if you will, choosing a championship team for three years and $69 million when the Mets were offering three for $66 million while conveying a willingness to go higher. 

Going much higher than that for a closer in his 30s would not have been a good business decision, but again, the priority under Cohen is supposed to be doing whatever it takes. After all, from Day One he declared he wanted to be like the Dodgers, not lose one of his best players to them. 

Still, this is mostly on Stearns now to prove he’ll make the right moves: at the very least, add another dependable late-inning arm to the bullpen, acquire a front-of-the-rotation starter, and, last but not least, re-sign Pete Alonso.

To that end, the Kyle Schwarber pipe dream ended on Tuesday as well, as the Philadelphia Phillies locked up their slugging DH for five years and $150 million.

Meanwhile, there is no indication the Mets are pushing to get a deal done with Alonso. And, hey, the strategy worked for them a year ago, as Stearns wound up waiting out his first baseman to get him at the short-term price he wanted.

Patience isn’t necessarily a bad thing in negotiations, but it just seems the Mets are in a position where they can’t take the same gamble as last year, when Alonso was coming off a down season of sorts and the fan base was ecstatic over the Soto signing.

How can the Mets possibly be better offensively in 2026 without Alonso? Even if they sign Bellinger, he doesn’t come close to supplying the same power production.

Meanwhile, Stearns apparently is committed to avoiding long-term contracts for free-agent starting pitchers this winter, and if that is partly with an eye on going all-out for Tarik Skubal a year from now, it’s hard to argue.

But the Mets aren’t winning a title in 2026 without upgrading their starting pitching. So will he take a chance on Michael King’s high ceiling, which won’t take such a long-term deal because of his history of injuries?

Will he pull off a trade for Freddy Peralta? Hey, if Stearns comes away with Peralta and Trevor Megill, as has been rumored, and does so without giving away his best prospects, Mets fans will love him.

We’ll see about all of that. More than ever, it’s about trusting that Stearns has a plan he can execute to make the Mets a team that can beat the Dodgers in 2026.

Diaz and all.

When you think about the Mets' offseason and what the team will look like at the start of the 2026 campaign, there are a few things that immediately come to mind.

One is the future of the offensive core, which was broken up when Brandon Nimmo was traded to the Rangers for Marcus Semien.

Another is the free agency of Pete Alonso, who could return but whose power would have to be replaced externally if he signs elsewhere -- with the Red Sox and Orioles among the teams in pursuit.

Then there's the starting rotation, which will very likely be bolstered in a big way -- with a trade for a top-of-the-rotation arm seeming likely.

Regarding the bullpen? 

The relief corps will look a lot different in 2026 -- and the team will feel a lot different -- withEdwin Diazleaving to sign a three-year deal with the Dodgers.

The hope when the Mets signed Devin Williams was that his addition was part one, with the return of Diaz being part two.

With that possibility out the window, New York has serious work to do.

As the Mets go about that, here's how things are shaking out...

The Locks

Williams, Brooks Raley, and A.J. Minter. 

And Minter, who missed most of last season after surgery to repair a torn lat, could be a few weeks behind to start the season.

Ryan Helsley signed with the Orioles, while Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto -- acquired, like Helsley, at last season's trade deadline -- are free agents.

Ryne Stanek is also a free agent, and Drew Smith's option for 2026 was declined. Smith had been working his way back from Tommy John surgery.

Meanwhile, Reed Garrett and Dedniel Núñez are both expected to miss the entire season after undergoing TJS.

Williams is penciled in as the closer, while Raley and Minter are both legitimate late-game weapons.

Raley was tremendous in 2025 after returning from his own Tommy John surgery. In 30 appearances over 25.2 innings, he posted a 2.45 ERA (2.12 FIP) and 0.77 WHIP.

The Internal Candidates

Huascar Brazoban figures to be in the mix again, and hard-throwing prospects Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert could also be a factor.

Other relievers who could compete for roles include Jonathan Pintaro (who made his big league debut last season), Adbert Alzolay (who is on a two-year minor league deal and missed the 2025 season), Justin Hagenman, Brandon Waddell, Richard Lovelady, Alex Carrillo, and Joey Gerber.

But in an eight-man bullpen that has only three locks as of now (and perhaps just two if Minter is delayed), it's fair to believe the Mets will only rely on one or perhaps two of the aforementioned internal candidates out of the gate.

That means there is more work to do.

The External Candidates

Everything is on the table now that Diaz is gone.

Re-signing him should've been the easiest move the Mets made all offseason. But here we are. 

That they not only lost Diaz, but saw him leave on a three-year deal to the team they'll almost have to certainly go through in the National League playoffs was stunning.

No matter what happened at the end of the Diaz negotiations, it's very difficult to square it.

In effect, the Mets lost a player who said over and over that he wanted to be in New York over a matter of $3 million. 

With Diaz gone, the top option to fill the vacant late-inning role could be Robert Suarez, who is entering his age-35 season and has a scintillating fastball. The Mets have shown interest in Suarez, and it's fair to wonder if he can possibly be had on a two-year at a higher average annual value than the one he just opted out of. 

There's also Pete Fairbanks, who is entering his age-32 season and has been one of the best relievers in baseball since 2020. He's on the market after his option was declined by the cost-conscious Rays. 

Other intriguing free agent relief arms include Kenley Jansen, Emilio Pagan, Luke Weaver, and Kyle Finnegan. In the case of Jansen, it's possible he would want to close since he's chasing the 500-save mark. 

In an ideal world, the Mets will land Suarez on a two-year deal and have him be the setup man for Williams, with the hope that Williams' stuff will shine through after a relatively down 2025.

What kind of team would commit $141 million to two closers?

The one that won last year. The one that won this year. The one that plans to win again next year.

“All I have to say to you,” Dodgers owner Mark Walter told fans at the team’s World Series championship celebration last month, “is we’ll be back next year.”

The Dodgers handed Tanner Scott $72 million last winter. It hasn’t worked out. So, on Tuesday, the Dodgers handed Edwin Díaz $69 million.

Read more:Dodgers and Edwin Díaz agree to terms in blockbuster move to shore up bullpen

If the Dodgers are going to be Exhibit A for Walter’s rival owners to cry about how desperately they need a salary cap, bring it on. If Walter’s rival owners demand that players be locked out next winter and not be allowed back until they relent and accept a salary cap, well, bring that on too.

There is a sentence players are taught to utter: “I can’t worry about what I can’t control.” The Díaz signing is basically the Dodgers’ ownership saying the same thing: “We can’t worry about other owners pointing their fingers at us. We’re here to win. If the rules change, then we’ll worry about that.”

Or maybe not.

“Honestly, I think that we have an organization that, whatever rules or regulations or constructs are put in front of us,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Monday, “we're going to dominate.”

In what they call their golden age, the Dodgers are chasing history. No team had won back-to-back championships in 25 years. Next up: tying the major league record of 14 consecutive postseason appearances, and becoming the first National League team to win the World Series in three consecutive years.

“What’s better than two?” Roberts hollered at the World Series celebration. “Three! Three-peat! Three-peat! Let’s go!”

It ain’t bragging if you can back it up. For the first time in what will be his third season with the Dodgers — and after winning consecutive most valuable player awards — Shohei Ohtani should be available to pitch and hit for the entire season.

“I’m ready to get another ring next year,” Ohtani said at the celebration.

Mookie Betts, the only active player to win four championships, will come off a Gold Glove-nominated year in his first full season at shortstop and, presumably, will not have to fight off an illness like the one that derailed his strength and hampered his offense at the start of last season.

“I got four,” Betts told the celebration crowd. “Now it’s time to fill the hand all the way up, baby. ‘Three-peat’ ain’t never sounded so sweet. Somebody make that a T-shirt.”

Roberts stirred some conversation last week when he told the Amazon Prime show “Good Sports” that he would support a salary cap.

“You know what? I’m all right with that,” Roberts said. “I think the NBA has done a nice job of revenue sharing with the players and the owners. But if you’re going to suppress spending at the top, I think that you’ve got to raise the floor, to make those bottom-feeders spend money, too.”

The owners of those bottom-feeders ought to be aware of that, because they would have to spend, and they would not be able to point their finger at the Dodgers. The owners, after all, are pitching a salary cap to the public as a cure for competitive balance.

The Dodgers would welcome that challenge. A salary cap would limit salaries, but it would not limit spending on coaching, analytics, biometrics, facilities, nutrition, team planes, and other areas in which the Dodgers’ owners have earned championship rewards for their significant investments.

For now, though, the Dodgers needed a closer. The Dodgers got the best one available in free agency, a guy who has struck out at least one-third of opposing batters in each of his past seven seasons and has limited opponents to a batting average under .200 in each of his past five seasons.

Would the Dodgers like to get younger? Yes. Did they field the oldest group of position players in the majors last year? Yes. Do the Dodgers now have Díaz and Scott for the next three years, and do both turn 32 next year? Also yes.

Read more:Dodgers downplay Teoscar Hernández rumors, continue assessing bullpen options

But, given where both the Dodgers and Major League Baseball are right now, this might be the more pertinent question for the Dodgers: Can Díaz become the first Dodgers reliever to close out a World Series clincher since Steve Howe in 1981? (Orel Hershiser did the honors in 1988, followed by Julio Urias in 2020, Walker Buehler in 2024 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in 2025.)

If you believed the Dodgers were ruining baseball, then the signing of Díaz will only intensify that. After all, 11 teams did not open last season with a payroll of $141 million — the combined value of the Díaz and Scott contracts.

And, if enough owners believe the Dodgers are ruining baseball, then those owners can find a solution short of a salary cap — or they can set fire to the game, and to the momentum generated by a global superstar leading an internationally popular team, and an internationally popular World Series.

The Dodgers cannot resolve that by themselves. They can act in their best interest, and on Tuesday they did.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

White Sox win MLB Draft Lottery, will pick first overall in 2026 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Chicago White Sox will own the top pick in the 2026 MLB Draft after winning the draft lottery on Tuesday.

The White Sox finished the 2025 MLB season with the second-worst record in baseball, going 60-102 a year after setting an MLB record for most losses in a single season.

After the 2025 season the White Sox were ineligible to participate in the draft lottery because they had won a slot in the 2024 draft, but this time around they had the best odds of capturing the top pick, with a more than 27% chance of earning that selection.

That is exactly what happened during the MLB Draft Lottery at the winter meetings on Tuesday, meaning that the White Sox will have the chance to add an explosive player to their farm system.

The Tampa Bay Rays vaulted up to the second slot in the draft order, with the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates rounding out the top-five.

The official 2026 #MLBDraft order 👏

(MLB x @Nike) pic.twitter.com/wqtWP8yBEE

— MLB (@MLB) December 9, 2025

The Kansas City Royals will pick six, meaning that three of the top-six picks are owned by American League Central clubs.

According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline, the 2026 draft class is loaded with college positional players, headlined by UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, and Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress.

High school shortstops Grady Emerson and Jacob Lombard are also at the top of the projected draft list, along with LSU outfielder Derek Curiel.

The 2026 MLB Draft will take place July 12-13, 2026 in Philadelphia as part of the league’s All-Star weekend.

White Sox win MLB Draft Lottery, will pick first overall in 2026 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Chicago White Sox will own the top pick in the 2026 MLB Draft after winning the draft lottery on Tuesday.

The White Sox finished the 2025 MLB season with the second-worst record in baseball, going 60-102 a year after setting an MLB record for most losses in a single season.

After the 2025 season the White Sox were ineligible to participate in the draft lottery because they had won a slot in the 2024 draft, but this time around they had the best odds of capturing the top pick, with a more than 27% chance of earning that selection.

That is exactly what happened during the MLB Draft Lottery at the winter meetings on Tuesday, meaning that the White Sox will have the chance to add an explosive player to their farm system.

The Tampa Bay Rays vaulted up to the second slot in the draft order, with the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates rounding out the top-five.

The official 2026 #MLBDraft order 👏

(MLB x @Nike) pic.twitter.com/wqtWP8yBEE

— MLB (@MLB) December 9, 2025

The Kansas City Royals will pick six, meaning that three of the top-six picks are owned by American League Central clubs.

According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline, the 2026 draft class is loaded with college positional players, headlined by UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, and Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress.

High school shortstops Grady Emerson and Jacob Lombard are also at the top of the projected draft list, along with LSU outfielder Derek Curiel.

The 2026 MLB Draft will take place July 12-13, 2026 in Philadelphia as part of the league’s All-Star weekend.

‘We've always wanted him back': Rob Thomson boasts about Kyle Schwarber's return originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

ORLANDO – He’s back. That’s designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

He’s extended. That’s manager Rob Thomson.

The slugger and the skipper of the Phillies were rewarded early Tuesday morning, Schwarber with a 5-year, $150 million deal and Thomson with an extension through the 2027 season.

Expected to be the first big signing of the MLB Winter Meetings, Schwarber indeed was and now will be with the Phillies through the 3030 season. In his four years in Philadelphia, this year’s National League runner-up has averaged close to 47 home runs and 109 RBI. Schwarber played in all 162 games this past season and posted career-highs with 56 home runs and 132 RBI.

An unquestionable leader in the clubhouse, Schwarber was offered a reported four-year, close to $120 million deal by the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier in the week. The Baltimore Orioles reportedly offered the same deal as the Phillies, but Schwarber decided to stay put. Others that appeared to want the services of the soon-to-be 33-year-old were the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and his hometown Cincinnati Reds.

Aside from the home runs and RBI, Schwarber has improved in each of his seasons with the team as an overall hitter. Consider that during his first two campaigns, Schwarber combined for 40 doubles, 241 hits, struck out 415 times and had a .207 batting average. The past two seasons, those numbers have improved to 45 doubles, 287 hits, 394 strikeouts and a .244 average.

“We’ve always wanted him back,” said Thomson. “He’s so different than most of the guys I’ve ever been around because he’s a great player, one, and he knows how to bring the heartbeat of the clubhouse down when things are going rough. Not only the clubhouse but individuals as well. He’s just a huge part of our ball club. (The fans) love him and I really think that he loves playing in Philadelphia. I really do. He does so much in the community, so much in the clubhouse. There’s more to him than there are a lot of guys cause he just brings a lot to a lot of different people.”

 And Schwarber will continue to be until he plays out the last year of this contract at the age of 37. Despite the advanced age, the manager believes that the player who just signed the largest contract for a designated hitter will still be of value.

“I think just his work ethic,” Thomson said. “The body has gotten better over time. He’s in the best shape of his life right now. I don’t think that that’s going to change. He’s so intelligent. He sees the game a little bit different than a lot of other guys. He works at it, watches a lot of film. I think there’s a really good chance that he’s going to maintain this level. This was a really good year for him. I don’t think we can expect this every year. But I still think he’s going to be a high-level performer.”

After a couple of seasons at the leadoff spot, Thomson switched his power-hitter to the two spot, behind leadoff hitter Trea Turner and ahead of Bryce Harper, and it produced the best offensive season for Schwarber. Turner won the National League batting title with a .304 average and 179 hits, while Harper waded through an injury-riddled season posting a .261 average with 27 home runs and 75 RBI.

So, the top third of the lineup is back. Does that mean that Thomson is set on having them in the same spots in the order for the 2026 year? And what if they bring back J.T. Realmuto?

“I’ve got some ideas but I haven’t talked to the players yet, so I don’t want to talk much more about that,” Thomson said. “But I’ve thought long and hard about it.

“There’s going to be some changes even if we sign both those guys back. There’s still going to be some changes. And there might be some change within the lineup as far as the order, which could infuse a little bit of energy. We won 96 games last year, so it’s not like we’re not doing well. We’ve got a good club and no matter what happens we’re still going to have a good club.”

And that is part of the reason Thomson decided to stick around for at least a couple of more seasons. He is only the fourth manager in Major League history to take a team to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons and since taking over in early June of 2022, he has led the team to the second most wins in MLB (346) and second best winning percentage (.580).

“It always comes back, for me, are you having fun, are you enjoying it? Are you getting in somebody’s way? Are you getting in the way of winning? I’m still enjoying it,” said Thomson. “I love the organization. This is the only place I want to go. I don’t want to go anyplace else whenever I’m done because I love the people. And I love the organization from the owner (John Middleton) to Dave (Dombrowski), all our player development people. It’s just a group of people that really come together and want to win baseball games and want to win a championship. And that’s what I love.”

The wheels are still spinning for Dombrowski, Thomson and general manager Preston Mattingly as they not only keep an eye on a potential Realmuto signing, but look for other ways to improve the club. The outfield is of particular interest to the manager.

“I think it can be better, yeah,” said Thomson of the outfield. “We’ve got some ideas and obviously you have to execute those ideas and plans, but I think there’s some good plans in place. Hopefully we can execute it. We can be more productive, but I think the opportunity is there.”

So many plans in place to make sure that somber, tear-filled clubhouse after the season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Divisional Playoff last season doesn’t return.

“Guys were probably a little bit frustrated that we’ve been there and close and haven’t gotten it done and I think that’s great motivation going into next year,” Thomson said. “I think there’s some frustration there. It was a hard-fought battle. Everybody in that clubhouse felt like last year was the year. So, it was heartbreaking, to tell you the truth.”

Tuesday had to further Thomson a bit from that somber memory with the signing of his foundational player and an extension of his own.

“So far, it’s pretty good. It’s been good,” said Thomson of his Tuesday. “Doing a lot of work in the room up there and trying to figure out where we’re at. It’s one of those things where if you sign this guy, ok, we go this way. If you don’t sign this guy, we’ve got to go that way. As long as you have those plans in place you have to execute it, obviously. But so far, so good.”

NOTES

• Thomson said that he has not spoken to reliever Jose Alvarado, who is back home in Venezuela, but expects the lefty to return to spring training in great shape, as he did last year.
• Thomson said he knows that Harper went through an EBOO procedure to help improve circulation, reduce inflammation, fight infections, support immune function and remove toxins and increase energy, but doesn’t know anything about the procedure.
• Asked about Nick Castellanos, Thomson said: “I haven’t talked to him. I still respect Nick. At the end of the day what he wants to do is play every day and you can’t dog a guy for wanting to play every day.”

Could the Mets be looking to move starter David Peterson?

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the left-hander is “generating interest,” and the Mets could look to move him in a “need-for-need” trade, similar to the deal that sent Brandon Nimmo to Texas for Marcus Semien. 

Th 30-year-old Peterson was an All-Star in 2025, but his Mets career has been a story of ups and downs. At his best, Peterson has been a top-of-the-rotation-type pitcher, posting a 2.90 ERA in 2024 while proving to be a strong playoff performer. In five postseason appearances that year, Peterson pitched to a 2.92 ERA while appearing out of the bullpen when needed.

At other times, though, Peterson can lose the strike zone and fail to find consistency on the mound, resulting in a 5.54 ERA in 2021 and a 5.03 ERA in 2023. 

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has said that the Mets would like to add starting pitching this offseason, which makes it logical to believe trading Peterson would only happen to fill another need on the roster with proven major league talent. 

The club, of course, also has a crop of young pitching prospects like Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Jonah Tong, among others, who have already had a taste of big league experience and will be expected to contribute in 2026.

Peterson, who is in his final year of arbitration eligibility, earned $4.6 million last season.