BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 19, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have been doing this for a few years now: looking at the top free agents, using the contract Ben Clemens suggests he’ll get, and asking whether you would like the Jays to give him that contract. This year, the lockout makes it a little more complicated. Keith Law’s list is here. Ben Clemens’ is here.
Number three on Clemens’ list is Trevor Rogers, which seems higher up than I’d put him, and higher than Keith Law has him (13th), but lets consider him now.
Trevor Rogers (whose Baseball Reference page doesn’t list him as Tyler’s brother, but Tyler’s does list him as Trevor’s brother) turns 29 Friday. A lefty, he’s pitched seven seasons in the MLB, making 132 starts, with a 34-48 record and a 3.88 ERA.
But he is coming in free agency off his best two seasons, with a 7.5 bWAR in 48 games. Most of that is from his 18 starts in 2025. In 2026, he was 10-11, with a 4.03 ERA in 30 starts. FanGraphs, on the other hand, has him at a 4.0 WAR in 2026 and a 3.3 in 2025.
He’s really only been effective in the last couple of seasons, and he has a worrying injury history. I don’t think he’d be the first guy I’d be offering a contract to, but the Jays have some pitchers in the upper minors who could fill in if he misses time.
Clemens writes:
Rogers has what teams want in a free agent starter. He’s currently effective – by fWAR, he was the second-best pitcher in this class in 2026, and a whole alphabet full of advanced ERA estimators agree. He has plus stuff and plus command, and he’s currently doing it with a ton of four-seamers, which means that any number of pitch design teams will think they can kick things up a notch. And he’ll be entering his age-29 season next year, which makes him one of the youngest free agents on the board in addition to being one of the best.
Law:
He still doesn’t have a clear identity as a pitcher; his changeup, once his best offspeed pitch and still effective in 2025, was awful this past year, worth minus-12 runs by Statcast’s pitch metrics, enough to make it one of the 20 worst pitches in MLB. As a result, right-handers smoked him for 18 homers in 169 2/3 innings, versus just one allowed to lefties. He’s had big platoon splits before, but in bad years, not good ones. Can a new team help him regain the tumble on that changeup to make him a real three-pitch starter who has plus control? And maybe mix in more sinkers and fewer four-seamers to make him less of the flyball-oriented pitcher he was in 2026? There’s a lot of potential here, and he can at least offer some reliability after three years without any arm injuries.
Clemens figures him to get 4 years at $26 million per, for a $104 million total. Free agent pitchers are risky, and Rogers seems riskier than most.
Mount Vernon native, and New York Yankee batting coach, James Rowson offers batting instruction to young baseball players as he is honored by The City of Mount Vernon for his outstanding achievements and contributions to the world of professional baseball at Brush Park in Mount Vernon on Thursday, August 29, 2024. As a youth, Coach Rowson participated in local baseball programs in Mount Vernon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Jon Heyman (careful! Facebook!), Chris Kirschner, and Fansided’s Robert Murray have reported that the Giants are expected to hire Yankees hitting coach James Rowson to join their hitting group. The wrinkle is that it will be for the role of “offensive coordinator.” What is an offensive coordinator in MLB terms?
There are about five of these positions in the sport right now, and the general job description is to scheme a baseball offense: hitting, baserunning, and situations. This is the job that Donnie Ecker held when he left the Giants for the Rangers. Grady Sizemore assumed this role for the White Sox in 2025. Hunter Mense, who left the Giants to live closer to his family, is joining a Kansas City staff where Connor Dawson is the offensive coordinator.
So, it’s a catch-all offensive coaching position for the major league team. You can figure there’s a degree of instruction involved, too, and that fits Rowson’s skill set. Before serving as the Yankees’ hitting coach from 2024-2026, he was their minor league hitting coordinator for six total seasons, with stints as an MLB hitting coach for the Cubs (2012-2013), Twins (2017-2019), and Detroit (2023). From 2020-2022, he was the Marlins’ bench coach.
Hal Steinbrenner was pretty critical of the Yankees’ hitting group this past season, when — notably — Aaron Judge was unavailable for a good chunk of it. In their end of the year presser, he and Aaron Boone spotlighted this:
Steinbrenner said he would look at the coaching staff, and that he’s “definitely focused on the offense and hitting,” noting, “It was certainly a significant part of why we didn’t achieve what we wanted to.” Asked about hitting coach James Rowson, Boone said he has “been really impressed with the culture that he’s created.”
Steinbrenner said he would look at the coaching staff, and that he’s “definitely focused on the offense and hitting,” noting, “It was certainly a significant part of why we didn’t achieve what we wanted to.” Asked about hitting coach James Rowson, Boone said he has “been really impressed with the culture that he’s created.”
This new position seems to parallel what’s going on with the pitching group, where Buster Posey and Zack Minasian have mentioned that a lack of coordination and clean lines of communication probably worked against pitcher development at the MLB level. I don’t think it’s as valuable going through what happened to teams when Rowson was a hitting coach, because I think those results are, largely, personnel-based. But, the Yankees were 2nd in MLB in OPS (.757) and wRC+ (112), and over his three years they led the majors in walk rate (10.2%) and ISO (.187) while ranking just 15th in batting average. Again, that’s probably got a lot to do with Aaron Judge, and his absence this season hurt the team enough that the owner decided to weigh in on the coaching staff, barely acknowledging that Ben Rice had a great, breakout season for the Yankees. It wasn’t Rowson’s decision to re-sign Trent Grisham or count on Ryan McMahon or Giancarlo Stanton to provide offense.
Anyway, the Giants ranked 23rd in wRC+ (97), 26th in runs scored (669), 29th in on base percentage (.306), 15th in batting average (.245), 16th in Isolated Power (.155), 18th in slug (.400), 18th in strikeout rate (22.1%), 27th in baserunning (-5.6 Baserunning Runs Above Average), and 30th in walk rate (7.4%). There’s nowhere to go but up.
James Rowson has a lot of work ahead of him. It’s entirely possible that outgoing senior Yankees advisor Brian Sabean put in a good word for him with his former team knowing that he was the man for the job.
LAS VEGAS –– The Dodgers have made a habit over the years of capitalizing on market inefficiencies during MLB’s offseason.
And this winter, they have the kind of commodity that could be in short supply elsewhere.
Just like last year, there is high demand around the league for cost-effective right-handed-hitting outfielders, but precious few impact options available in free agency.
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández hits a single against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, October 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Trade speculation, of course, is nothing new for the two-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger. After the 2022 season, he was dealt from Toronto to Seattle ahead of his final year before free agency. Last winter, he was shopped again by the Dodgers during another offseason in which right-handed outfield bats were hard to find.
“As far as due diligence, we’ll always listen,” general manager Brandon Gomes said during the league’s annual GM Meetings on Tuesday, when asked if the Dodgers would explore trading in-demand pieces from their current MLB roster (that group could also include Alex Call, another right-handed-hitting outfielder who was squeezed out of playing time in the second half last year).
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández looks on before Game 3 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Wednesday, October 14, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
However, Gomes also made clear that a trade is no fait accompli.
“We feel really good about our team as is,” he insisted, “and certainly don’t feel compelled to do anything along those lines.”
Indeed, for all the speculation that has already begun to swirl around Hernández this winter, it’s far from a guarantee he will be playing elsewhere in 2027.
While he remains an intriguing trade chip for the Dodgers to consider, there are also plenty of reasons to bring him back for a fourth season with the club.
That’s why the Dodgers haven’t committed to playing De Paula regularly in left field next year.
Long term, they are still bullish on his ability to eventually develop into at least a passable option at the big-league level (so much so, Gomes said there hasn’t been any consideration of moving him to another position, such as first base, up to this point).
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Josue De Paula sits with teammates in the dugout during a game against the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles, Friday, September 18, 2026. Wally Skalij for CA Post
They could always redistribute more of utilityman Tommy Edman’s playing time from second base to the outfield, and find other ways this winter to bolster their depth on the infield dirt (where they are already looking to replace the newly retired Miguel Rojas).
Still, Hernández provides value in other ways too. Over the last three postseasons, he has led the club in playoff RBIs (28) and trails only Shohei Ohtani for October home runs (nine). Last year, he overcame a midseason slump following a hamstring injury to finish the campaign as one of the club’s hottest hitters over the final month (posting an above-league-average .267/.334/.425 slash line on the year overall).
Behind the scenes, he also remains an important mentor to some of the roster’s younger talent, most notably Andy Pages, but also De Paula himself late last year.
Thus, while it would be no surprise to see the Dodgers trade Hernández this winter, it might not be a shock if they kept him around for the final guaranteed season of his contract either.
“We feel really good about the core of this team, what our guys have done, and even looking forward coming in, knowing guys are hungry after the way things ended [last year],” Gomes reiterated. “So, as far as due diligence, sure. But actively looking to do anything, we feel really good about this group.”
From Dodger Stadium to Intuit Dome and now SoFi Stadium, founder Adam Derry is building a collectibles business around the places where sports history is made, connecting a growing marketplace with the culture, commerce and experiences that give its objects meaning.
At Dodger Stadium, collectors stepped away from rows of trading cards and memorabilia to throw pitches inside the same bullpen used by Major League players.
The Dodgers were approaching another postseason following back-to-back World Series championships, and baseball was still very much in season. Nearby, pitcher Will Klein practiced during his rehabilitation as children and longtime fans took turns throwing pitches in a part of the ballpark ordinarily reserved for professional athletes.
For LA Card Show founder Adam Derry, that proximity between the game and the collectibles marketplace has become the foundation of a growing business. After bringing collectors onto the Clippers’ court at Intuit Dome and into the Dodgers’ bullpen, his next stop is SoFi Stadium, where more than 750 vendor tables are scheduled for December 12 and 13, ahead of Super Bowl LXI.
The two-day event will include an on-field mini-camp for VIP attendees, extending a model built around access to the sporting environments where athletes compete and history is made.
At Dodger Stadium in September, more than 650 vendor tables filled the ballpark with sports cards, Pokémon, memorabilia and other collectibles. Beckett offered grading services, music filled the venue, and the Dodgers’ road game against the Miami Marlins played on DodgerVision. Fans explored the dugouts and walked the infield, trading their familiar view from the stands for the perspective of the players.
“Am I supposed to be here?” Derry recalled thinking during an interview at the event.
For Derry, the connection between the collectibles marketplace and the places where sporting history unfolds is fundamental to the experience.
“Sports cards are a relic. They’re an echo of moments that matter,” he said.
For an industry long associated with hotel ballrooms and convention floors, LA Card Show represents a different approach to the business of collecting. Derry is bringing the marketplace into professional sporting environments, making their history and cultural significance part of the experience itself.
The Business Behind the Game
Before establishing LA Card Show, Derry built his career in fashion, creative direction and brand development. Through his Los Angeles agency, ADBD, he worked on projects connecting consumer products with the communities and cultural identities surrounding them.
“We weren’t just creating a show,” Derry explained. “We were creating a platform with a branded purpose.”
That philosophy has shaped an expanding operation built around professional sporting venues, where the surroundings contribute something beyond exhibition capacity.
LA Card Show’s April 2025 edition at Intuit Dome advertised more than 250 vendors. That September, approximately 350 vendors participated at Dodger Stadium, followed by more than 500 at Intuit Dome in March 2026.
The company expanded again at the Los Angeles Convention Center in June, where more than 700 vendor tables shared the event with fashion brands, entertainment and sports activations. By September, LA Card Show returned to Dodger Stadium with nearly 700 participating vendors, according to DodgerBlue.
SoFi represents its next major expansion, taking the marketplace into professional football with more than 750 advertised vendor tables across two days.
The progression reflects more than an increase in exhibitors. Derry has paired the marketplace’s growth with increasingly ambitious access to the venues themselves.
“Dodger Stadium was top of our list, a place that we wanted to go and make sure that we built a relationship with,” he said.
At Intuit Dome, attendees could walk through the Clippers’ player tunnel and shoot on the NBA court beneath the Halo Board. At Dodger Stadium, the bullpen, dugouts and infield became part of the experience. The activities took place during the respective sports seasons, bringing collectors into facilities still actively associated with professional competition.
For Derry, access has become part of the commercial offering, alongside premium admission, exclusive merchandise and venue-specific programming.
“They trust us. They trust our community. They trust our structure that we’ve set up,” he said of the Dodgers.
The partnership illustrates a different approach to event production. Conventional exhibition venues accommodate the marketplace. Professional stadiums can contribute the sporting history, physical experiences and cultural identity surrounding the objects being traded.
“Even watching the games has changed,” Derry said, describing how entering the dugouts and bullpen affected his relationship with the ballpark.
The experience connects personal memories with the sporting history that collectors preserve through cards and memorabilia.
Where Performance Becomes Value, and Culture Becomes Commerce
The sports-card market has always moved in conversation with the games themselves. A breakout season can ignite demand for a rookie card. Championships and career milestones can renew interest in memorabilia tied to a player or franchise. Scarcity, condition and collector sentiment shape prices, but sporting performance remains a powerful source of attention.
That relationship now operates within an increasingly sophisticated commercial infrastructure. Auction houses, grading companies, authentication services, pricing platforms and independent dealers support a marketplace where objects are tracked, evaluated and exchanged with growing financial precision.
During the interview, Mantel contributor and SOMOS Index founder Sam Goodman pointed to platforms such as Card Ladder and the increasing availability of historical sales data.
“I think it’s become a bit of the backbone, to be honest,” Derry said of the technology supporting the market.
Comparable sales and historical pricing have introduced the language of financial markets into collecting, changing how buyers and sellers evaluate the cards they own.
“They’re basically trading like stocks,” Derry said.
Yet for all its financial sophistication, the culture surrounding collecting has never been confined to cardboard.
Sports fandom extends through jerseys, sneakers, music, food, fashion and the merchandise people wear, display and preserve. These interests share audiences and cultural references, often shaping what people consider worth owning.
At Dodger Stadium, hip-hop artist Westside Gunn joined the September event for a meet-and-greet presented by R&G Records and Producer Plug, with a performance also reported in post-event coverage. Producer Large Professor was among the musical talent Derry highlighted, while memorabilia partner Legends’ Attic brought former Dodgers All-Star Shawn Green and seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry for autograph appearances.
Westside Gunn’s presence was especially fitting. Beyond Griselda Records, the Buffalo rapper has built ventures spanning fashion, contemporary art and professional wrestling through Fourth Rope, reflecting a culture where creative identity, sports fandom and collectible merchandise frequently intersect.
That same sensibility appeared at LA Card Show’s June edition at the Los Angeles Convention Center, where brands including HYPLAND, Holiday, Vandy The Pink and Research Vintage participated alongside collectibles vendors and professional sports activations.
For Derry, these connections reflect the way people already participate in culture, rather than separate interests being assembled for an event.
“I think these things are intrinsically already together,” he said.
Derry recalled artist David Choe visiting an earlier show and designer Dr. Romanelli attending the September event. Contemporary artists have also explored the trading-card format as a smaller creative canvas, bringing artwork into a market built around physical ownership, authentication and resale.
Goodman also pointed to the different ways artwork circulates through traditional galleries and the trading-card market.
“Instead of being hung up in a museum or in someone’s living room, they can change hands at a higher volume and speed,” Goodman observed.
The same curatorial logic extends to the dealers assembling display cases. Each selects inventory around athletes, historical moments, aesthetics and rarity, presenting a personal interpretation of what deserves attention.
“That’s what it takes until you can come here and see a whole bunch of curators at once,” Derry said.
For all the attention paid to comparable sales and financial performance, he remains interested in the relationship between an object and its owner.
“This is art. Full stop. You’re buying art. Do you love it? Does it connect with you?”
The value of a collectible is not exhausted by its latest transaction price. LA Card Show reflects a marketplace where cultural appreciation and commercial exchange operate together, bringing athletes, artists, musicians, creative brands and independent dealers into the same environment.
The Marketplace Behind the Experience
A Dodgers fan might attend for the bullpen. A Clippers supporter might arrive for a chance to shoot on the team’s court. Someone following an artist or designer may discover the collecting marketplace through an interest that began elsewhere.
For an industry whose specialized vocabulary can intimidate newcomers, those experiences provide familiar points of entry.
“There’s got to be bridges or no one can enter,” Derry said, describing the complexity of pricing, comparable sales and market terminology.
Beyond the spectacle is a substantial marketplace of independent businesses, many built by entrepreneurs balancing collecting with other careers.
“We’re creating these massive entrepreneurial moments,” Derry said.
He described vendors maintaining full-time employment while sourcing inventory, preparing for shows and developing collecting businesses during evenings and weekends.
The event brings those sellers into direct contact with buyers who can examine inventory, negotiate transactions and build relationships with specialists across different collecting categories. Stadium access and cultural programming create opportunities to reach audiences beyond established hobbyists.
The demand to participate extends beyond the available exhibition space. Derry reported approximately 4,200 prospective exhibitors on a waiting list for future events, reflecting interest from independent sellers seeking access to the company’s growing marketplace.
That demand indicates exhibitor interest rather than independently verified transaction volume or profitability. The commercial opportunity lies in connecting established collectors and independent dealers with audiences drawn by professional sports and cultural programming.
The range of participation remains broad. Experienced collectors pursue scarce inventory using increasingly sophisticated market information, while others acquire objects tied to childhood memories, favorite players or cultural interests.
Derry sees a parallel with the identity surrounding professional sports teams.
“I think you could argue that we’re literally doing the same thing,” he said when asked how LA Card Show fits into the broader fan experience.
Fans wear team jerseys as an expression of belonging. Derry wants the LA Card Show identity to carry a similar connection, supported by merchandise, recurring events and a community that extends beyond any single transaction.
SoFi Stadium and the Next Evolution of the Card Show
LA Card Show’s upcoming SoFi Stadium edition brings its largest announced marketplace into professional football during the NFL regular season, two months before the venue hosts Super Bowl LXI.
Scheduled for December 12 and 13, the event will feature more than 750 vendor tables spanning sports cards, memorabilia, trading card games, fashion, toys and other collectibles. Programming includes music, special appearances, grading services and limited-edition releases, alongside an exclusive VIP on-field mini-camp.
The setting carries significance beyond its scale.
In February 2022, the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium to win Super Bowl LVI on their home field. Five years later, the stadium will host another championship, bringing the NFL’s biggest game back to Inglewood.
LA Card Show’s December event arrives between those moments, placing collectors on a field that has already produced a championship and is preparing to host another.
The move also completes a progression across three professional sports. Baseball offers the bullpen and infield. Basketball opens the court and player tunnel. Football brings participants onto the playing surface itself.
Each venue contributes its own sporting identity, while the business remains anchored in independent commerce, cultural programming and access to experiences normally associated with professional athletes.
Derry intends to carry that model beyond Los Angeles.
“We’re trying to be away game versions of our show, but as LACS,” he explained.
His ambition reflects a background in brand development rather than conventional event promotion. LA Card Show is building an identity intended to travel through partnerships with sporting venues, regional collecting communities and creative collaborators.
He also envisions larger multiday festivals incorporating fashion, food, music and entertainment, developing an experience that reaches beyond any single collecting category without abandoning the dealers and collectors at its center.
For Derry, that ambition remains grounded in the motivations that brought collectors into the market long before pricing platforms and portfolio tracking became commonplace.
“It’s about the love of the game,” he said, describing how financial analysis and personal attachment can coexist within the same collecting culture.
Collectors can search for rare inventory, negotiate trades and meet dealers at shows throughout the year. Far fewer opportunities allow them to throw pitches inside the Dodgers’ bullpen, shoot on the Clippers’ court or step onto an NFL field preparing to host the Super Bowl.
A card show brings collectors closer to the objects they want to own. LA Card Show is bringing them closer to the places that made those objects worth collecting.
HOUSTON (AP) — Brad Ausmus was named manager of the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
New general manager Randy Flores made the announcement, which brings the former catcher back to the place where he spent 10 years of his playing career.
“We are thrilled to welcome Brad back to the Astros organization,” Flores said in a news release. “Brad impressed us throughout the interview process, demonstrating the leadership, energy, and expertise critical to driving a winning culture both on and off the field. I am excited to work alongside Brad and happy to have him back in an Astros uniform.”
Ausmus said he is excited to return to Houston.
“The Astros and the city of Houston have been a huge part of my life, and I’m thrilled to create a new chapter as the team’s manager,” he said. “I’d like to thank Randy and the entire Astros organization for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to get to work.”
He replaces Joe Espada, whose contract wasn’t renewed after the Astros were swept by the Chicago White Sox in a Wild Card series. Ausmus is the 21st manager in franchise history.
Former St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols, former Astros player Morgan Ensberg and Texas Rangers bench coach Luis Urueta were among other candidates Houston considered before landing on Ausmus.
His hiring leaves the Angels as the only team without a manager after they fired Kurt Suzuki following just one season. The Mariners hired Jason Kanzler last week to fill the role from which Dan Wilson stepped down at season’s end.
This is the third different managerial job for Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 and spent 2014-17 leading the Tigers. He most recently worked as the bench coach for the Yankees from 2024 through last season.
The 57-year-old Ausmus went 72-90 in his one season with the Angels and was 314-332 in four seasons in Detroit. His best season came in his first with the Tigers when they went 90-72 to win the AL Central before being swept by the Orioles in the AL Division Series.
He has also worked in MLB front offices, spending 2011-13 as a special assistant to baseball operations for the Padres and 2018 as a special assistant to the GM for the Angels.
Ausmus spent 18 years as a major league catcher. He played for the Astros from 1997-98 and 2001-08. He won three Gold Gloves while with the Astros and was named to the All-Star team in 1999 with the Tigers. He also played for the Padres and the Dodgers before retiring after the 2010 season.
He played 1,971 MLB games, including 1,259 with the Astros, the most by a catcher in franchise history.
Ausmus played in 35 career postseasons games, all of them with the Astros. He was the team’s catcher when the Astros reached the World Series in 2005 for the first time. He had a big home run earlier in that playoff run when his shot tied the game with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the NLDS against the Braves that the Astros went on to win 7-6 in 18 innings.
He was a 48th round pick of the Yankees in 1987. He attended Dartmouth while playing in the minors for the Yankees, graduating in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in government.
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 14: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) is greeted by Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona (77) and Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (52) as he leaves the field following the fifth inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians on July 14, 2019, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In lieu of hurling statcast metrics at you at 100 mph and without enough medical expertise to break down the intricacies of recovering from Tommy John surgery and right teres major inflammation, let us merely take a large step back and view the state of the Cincinnati Reds as of today, November 11th.
Their manager, Terry Francona, is a future Hall of Famer thanks to his previous tenures with the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Guardians, the latter being where he resided in the dugout fom 2013 through the end of the 2023 season.
Their hitting coach, Chris Valaika, was hired by Cleveland when Francona was manager there in 2021, and he served as the Guardians hitting coach until October 2024 – at which point he was hired to coach hitting for the Reds.
Assistant bench coach Mike Napoli played for Francona with Cleveland during the 2016 season, during which time he was teammates with current Reds 1B coach Collin Cowgill.
The most recent hire to Cincinnati’s coaching staff is one Joe Torres, who came to the Reds after a long history coaching within the ranks of the Guardians farm. He was a coach and coordinator in their minor league system from 2017 through 2021, and then served as assistant pitching coach at the big league level from 2022 until being hired last week by the Reds.
It is impossible not to notice the overwhelming thread that is the tie between Tito’s Cleveland years and what he, and the Reds front office, are building in Cincinnati at the moment. It obviously remains to be seen if it’s going to pan out in any form or fashion after 2026’s debacle, but it’s no accident that there has been this level of cohesive adding from the relationships established during Francona’s decade-long run in Cleveland.
As for the Reds heading into 2027, we know several things as basic, inalienable tenets.
We know they’ll be looking to be cheap. That’s simply who they are, and who they’ll continue to be under this current ownership group. That doesn’t mean they won’t try to address serious issues, however, they’ll just attempt to do so as cheaply and without long commitment as possible. That often means trying to sign players at low points in their careers, players coming back from injuries, players looking for a soft landing spot to rebuild their value – potentially players who could be persuaded to join a situation around things they see as comfortable instead of chasing every last penny they could potentially find elsewhere.
We also know they’re going to need pitching. They’ll need relievers, no doubt, but they know they absolutely need to augment their starting pitching staff. They lost staff workhorse Brady Singer to free agency, Hunter Greene’s second Tommy John surgery will keep him out for all of 2027, and starting options like Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, Rhett Lowder, and Chase Petty are all coming off disappointing 2026 campaigns.
We also presumably know that they are going to try to prioritize winning during 2027 in lieu of rebuilding, what with Elly De La Cruz still rostered and the clock ticking furiously until the time will come to trade him for whatever they can get before he walks into free agency. They have Chase Burns, and few teams can boast a hitter/pitcher combination capable of each posting 6 WAR campaigns like that, and you’d like to think you could cobble together a roster around those two that’s at least capable of being competitive.
Given all those knowns, it’s hard to ignore that there’s a former Cy Young Award winner who, at age 31, is a free agent after a series of disappointing years surrounding a Tommy John surgery that set him back, especially given his glory days came during a 7-year stint as a Cleveland Guardian where Francona was his manager and Torres his assistant pitching coach for most of it. It’s hard not to notice that he may be in precisely the kind of situation where he’d like a one-year ‘show me’ contract to re-establish his value before potentially re-entering free agency on a much stronger platform, a guy whose numbers in 2026 were ugly – but much uglier than many of his underlying metrics would suggest they should have been.
It sure seems like Shane Bieber is precisely the pitcher the Reds need to be calling this winter, even though his brief time with the Toronto Blue Jays didn’t go as either had planned. It actually seems like Shane Bieber is precisely the pitcher most of the team’s entire coaching staff probably has had in a group text for years already.
Patterns like this are impossible to ignore. Because of that, it’s hard to ignore that lining up Bieber to help bolster the 2027 Reds rotation seems like more of an inevitability than a shot in the dark at this juncture.
I’m not sure the Reds would be very good poker players.
New York Yankees hitting coach James Rowson leans on the batting cage during spring training workouts at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The 50-year-old replaces Hunter Mense as the highest-ranking offensive coach on manager Tony Vitello’s staff, assuming a title never held before in the Giants organization.
Mense left San Francisco after one season to become the assistant hitting coach for the Royals, closer to his home near Kansas City. His one-year stint followed Pat Burrell’s in 2024.
With Rowson taking on the title of offensive coordinator, it’s unclear if the Giants still plan to fill the role of hitting coach. Posey confirmed on Tuesday that Oscar Bernard, the assistant hitting coach last season, will be back in 2027 but didn’t specify his title.
San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey stands on the field before a game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday, April 25, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Certainly,” Posey said, “these coaching roles are bigger jobs than when I first started.”
Rowson has a wealth of experience that he brings to the role. Before joining the Yankees in 2024, he previously spent time as the Twins’ hitting coach, the Marlins’ bench coach and as an assistant hitting coach for the Tigers after getting his start as the Cubs’ minor-league coordinator.
While Posey wasn’t able to get into specifics about Rowson, he said that he hoped to find a coach who could tailor his approach to different hitters’ styles.
“Ideally you want someone that’s going to be able to read the room, read the players, get the most out of them and help them form that identity, whatever that may be,” Posey said. “I think some of the best coaches are guys that are culture builders that have a way to rally the guys through the good and bad times.”
Tony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants looks on before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. Getty Images
The Yankees last season were the eighth-best run-producing team in the majors, with an average of 4.59 per game, but their offense took a step back during Aaron Judge’s absence.
Rowson’s name did come up during the league-wide media session Tuesday inside the ARIA Resort and Casino, only during New York’s scrum with Brian Cashman.
The Yankees general manager described Rowson as a “free agent.”
“He’s talking to other clubs at the same time,” Cashman said, “and we’re also engaged in the marketplace and also internally, determining what’s next and best for us.”
Just a day later, Rowson’s talks with other clubs came to fruition.
The Giants found their new hitting coach, and the Yankees will continue their search for his replacement.
LAS VEGAS — Buster Posey did not spend any time on the casino floor this week, but as the Giants prepared to wrap up their business at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas, he pushed some chips into the center of a table.
“If I were a betting man, I’d bet Willy (Adames) has a pretty good bounce-back year,” Posey said Wednesday. “I just think he’s motivated. I think he’s motivated and I think he was pretty frustrated with the way the year went, not only for the team but for himself personally, I think he’s motivated.”
Adames posted a career-low OPS last season and his 121 appearances were his fewest in a 162-game season since he became a full-time starter in the big leagues. After being worth 4.1 fWAR in the first year of a long-term deal, he was at just 0.4 last year and ranked as one of the worst defenders in the big leagues.
Then there are the vibes, and with Adames, that’s always part of the equation, usually in a positive way. He became a team leader the second he walked through the door, and the Giants handed out a bobblehead this season that depicted Adames doing his patented Powerade splash. But 2027 wasn’t fun for anyone, and much of the discourse around Adames over the summer centered on potential trades and why the Giants were okay with him playing through a back injury.
Posey is confident that it will all swing back, starting with the health. He said Adames is “in a good spot” with his back and will train differently this offseason. One of many meetings the front office had this week was with Adames’ agent, and Posey said that discussion, along with his own talks with his shortstop, was in part about the offseason plan.
“I think there’s an emphasis (for Adames) to really structure his workouts to increase his athletic movements,” Posey said. “The way I’m thinking is less bulky muscle mass and a little bit more — still explosive — but twitchy and helping with the range.
“I felt it (as a player). Once you hit 30, you kind of have to modify your workouts. You can’t just go in and throw around the heaviest weight all the time and expect to keep your mobility the same. So (it’s) probably a lot of mobility work (for him), as well.”
The timing of Posey’s comments was interesting, because The Athletic reported on Tuesday that the Toronto Blue Jays have at least discussed an Adames pursuit internally. That’s the type of rumor that teams brush off this time of year — front offices discuss just about every possibility in October and November — but it’s a reminder that a lot has changed since Adames was given the biggest free agent contract in franchise history shortly after Posey took over.
The Giants were willing to listen on Adames, Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers before the deadline and they plan to continue to be open-minded. They have to be, given their record and how much money is committed long-term.
“You’ve got to listen on pretty much anyone,” Posey said.
Rival executives were split this week when asked whether Posey could even move one of his big contracts. The best case, most say, would be to take on another huge deal or pay down the majority of the contract they’re hoping to trade. In Adames’ case, there’s $140 million remaining over the next five years.
The hope, instead, is that the offseason changes can lead to better production, but there will be an adjustment during the season, too. Adames was perhaps the best example of Tony Vitello’s struggles with finding days off for veterans as he learned how to manage at the big-league level.
The shortstop wants to play 162, and Vitello went along with that, even on days when it looked like he could use a breather. Adames twice missed half a week with the back injury but didn’t go on the IL until he hurt his elbow in late August, an injury that cost him the final 32 games.
Posey and Vitello have spent the past month having plenty of conversations about everything that went wrong and what fixes might look like. They are in agreement that the veterans need to get more days off, and Vitello is planning to be stricter next season and use more platoons.
Posey said there’s no set number for how many games Adames should play. The medical group plans to study shortstops who have had similar profiles, but a lot of this will just be about being proactive and getting veterans off their feet more often.
Posey himself is a good example of how that can help. Then-manager Gabe Kapler stuck to a strict two games on, one game off schedule with Posey in 2021 before the two decided it was time to let it rip in late September. Posey can point to that experience, or he can simply point to what happened to so many of the team’s veterans in 2026.
Adames turned 31 in September. When he returns to the field next year, the hope is that less ends up being more.
“He won’t like it, but I think we have to do it to put him in the best spot to be successful,” Posey said. “He can be mad at me if he wants to be mad at me, but it’s coming from a good place because we want him to be as productive as possible.”
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 26: Manager Brad Ausmus of the Detroit Tigers looks on prior to playing the Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park on April 26th, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Astros have reportedly found their next manager and it’s a familiar name to AL West fans (and baseball fans in general): Brad Ausmus.
Ausmus comes with plenty of experience, having spent the last three seasons as the Yankees’ bench coach, but before that managed the Tigers for three years (2014-2017). He’s also spent time in the AL West, including two years with the Angels as a special assistant and later manager (2019-19) and a bench coach gig for the A’s in 2022 before leaving for the Yankees.
There will be significantly less coaching turnover in Houston than the Mariners had, as the Astros retained their pitching coach, first base coach, field coordinator, hitting coach and bullpen catcher, giving Ausmus a plug-and-play staff.
The only other major vacancy for the Astros was filled two weeks ago, when Houston announced the hire of GM Randy Flores to replace Dana Brown, who was let go at the end of 2026. Flores, 51, was with the Cardinals for a decade previously, serving as first director of scouting and then assistant general manager for the past eight years. With a strong background in scouting and player development, the Astros will look to rebuild a farm that’s been one of MLB’s thinnest over the past few seasons. Flores also comes out of the same Cardinals group as former longtime Astros GM Jeff Luhnow, who oversaw the team during some of its greatest successes but left baseball to buy a Mexican soccer team after being suspended for his part in the sign-stealing scandal in 2020.
Flores was hired on October 31 and Ausmus was reportedly interviewing with the Astros on November 2nd, sopresumedly Astros owner Jim Crane and senior advisor Jeff Bagwell exerted significant influence in the selection of Ausmus – especially considering Bagwell and Ausmus are close, having been Astros teammates for five years, including the 2005 World Series-winning club.
It’s an off-season of change in the AL West, baseball’s messiest division in 2026. The Mariners, Astros, and Angels all entered the off-season needing to do significant restructuring, and even the Rangers have shaken up their coaching staff. While the Angels strategy is yet to reveal itself, the Mariners and Astros have already made significant hires that illustrate each organization’s diverging philosophies. The Mariners have embraced a youth movement, going with a riskier managerial hire in Jason Kanzler, who has never managed at the big-league level; flanking him are hitting coach CJ Gillman and bench coach Tanner Swanson, who are 37 and 44 years old, respectively.
The Astros, meanwhile, seem to have prided experience above all as they navigate their next steps, although Crane has said he doesn’t plan on a “complete teardown.” However, some fans are unhappy with the Ausmus hiring, bemoaning the influence of Bagwell – notoriously anti-analytics – on the front office and Crane specifically. Ausmus has a reputation for being smart – he’s a Dartmouth grad – and dealt with data during his playing career as a catcher while writing scouting reports; his role with the Yankees was largely to provide that kind of information to the manager.
(There is, I guess, this.)
Segue alert! That actually brings us back to the other AL West team riding the coaching carousel, the Angels, who are still looking for a GM and manager and probably some other positions too. John Mozeliak, who served as interim manager after the dismissal of Perry Minasian in June, has stayed on to help conduct the search, specifically because the new ownership group, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, “isn’t as familiar with baseball operations.” So Astros fans who are unhappy with the direction of the team currently can at least be soothed by there being…a direction, which is more than can be said for Angels fans currently.
Hockey: NHL Stadium Series: View of gold glove trophies won by several Los Angeles Dodgers players in case during practice the day before Los Angeles Kings vs Anaheim Ducks game at Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles, CA 1/24/2014 CREDIT: John W. McDonough (Photo by John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X157539 TK1 R3 F20 )
No Dodger is going to win any of the five annual awards from the Baseball Writers Association of America this year, but let’s think about the next few seasons.
This is all due respect to Shohei Ohtani, who will finish in the top three in National League MVP voting this year, but that really means second or third because Pete Crow-Armstrong is going to win that award handily. For our purposes, I’m removing the four-time MVP Ohtani from this discussion as even in a down year with almost nothing over the final six weeks of the season he’s still a top-3 MVP player.
But which Dodger is the most likely to win a BBWAA award? Here are the five such honors:
Rookie of the Year
Manager of the Year
Reliever of the Year (this is a new award this season)
Cy Young Award
Most Valuable Player
Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been the Dodgers ace the last two seasons, and finished third in NL CY Young Award voting in 2025. This year he’ll finish outside of the top three and we’ll find out what votes he received, if any, later on Wednesday.
Dave Roberts won Manager of the Year in 2016, his first season on the job, and finished second in 2017. This is the hardest BBWAA award to gauge, as a manager’s job is hard to define given how much of the duties are behind the scenes. Usually, this award goes to managers whose teams exceeded expectations, or perhaps a team having a turnaround in a manager’s first season on the job.
Roberts won in his first year, finished second in 2017 (his second year), and since then has finished higher than fourth only once, and that took 111 wins in 2022 to finish second. Given the Dodgers payroll and expectations, Roberts doesn’t usually get much support for the award. He finished fifth this year.
Josue De Paula could win NL Rookie of the Year in 2027, but that would require the Dodgers committing playing time to him in the outfield (barring an injury to Ohtani opening a spot at designated hitter). We’ll find out some level of that investment this offseason, as the team currently has three starting outfielders on the 40-man roster.
If Edwin Díaz is healthier in 2027 and puts up a season like the bulk of his 2020-25 with the Mets (strikeout rates 38 percent or higher, low 2s to sub-2 ERAs) with a bunch of saves, he could be in the mix for Reliever of the Year. Same goes for Tanner Scott if he racks up saves and pitches like 2023-24.
As Major League Baseball's GM meetings got underway in Las Vegas on Tuesday, the congregation of baseball leaders came in front of the backdrop of a looming lockout on Dec. 1.
While the club's owners and Major League Baseball Players Association aim to negotiate a new labor agreement that will not lead to spring training or the regular season being interrupted, there is less than a month of runway for front offices to begin to craft a vision for their roster for 2027.
For Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, the plan is to stay the course in the face of uncertainty about the framework within teams might have to operate in the future.
"From my perspective, I look at this as a business-as-usual offseason until they tell us otherwise, so we're going through this as though we're going to have a full complete offseason, and I think that's the best way to operate," Stearns told reporters on Tuesday.
The first step is approaching the top free agent in this offseason's marketplace. The Mets will meet with two-time Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal next week, according to multiple reports. The New York Post's Jon Heyman was the first to report the meeting.
Stearns offered some more clues about the approach that the Mets could take for building their team this offseason. As the GM meetings kicked off, here are three takeaways from what Stearns told the media:
How do the Mets plan to address the starting rotation?
With a combined 43 wins, 2.42 ERA and 655 strikeouts in the last three seasons, Skubal is the obvious crown jewel available this offseason.
The 29-year-old left-hander could come at a record cost for a starting pitchers. Despite Stearns' history of not handing out long-term deals to starting pitchers, there are always exceptions.
"Every situation is unique," It's been also well-publicized that even since I've been here, we've engaged in extremely long-term negotiations for pitchers and we will do so again. But situation matters, he specific circumstance matters, and we do have to look at every individual pitcher on a case-by-case basis."
The Mets' unit is incomplete despite boasting Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Zac Thornton. Stearns said that Kodai Senga has made his preference to be a starting pitcher known. He'll build up that way this offseason before proving his worth there during spring.
One way or another, the Mets will address their starting rotation this offseason. After Skubal, the top names include Sonny Gray, Clay Holmes and Michael King, and Stearns would not rule out a trade.
"Having a complete rotation is really important and that includes having pitchers who can successfully get you through a postseason, get you through a playoff series," Stearns said. "We've seen over and over again in the playoffs that can be done in a variety of different ways, so we're open to doing it in any way possible."
How will the Mets look to pad their starting lineup heading to 2027?
When it comes to the construction of the Mets' lineup, Stearns was clear that they will add another first baseman alongside Jared Young before the 2027 season begins.
In a career-high 103 games, Jared Young proved he belonged in the major leagues, slashing .266/.330/.429 with nine home runs, 17 doubles, 39 RBI and 46 runs. But the left-handed-hitting Young hit far better against right-handers (.793 OPS) than left-handers (.606 OPS)
"We think Jared Young has the ability to really be a part of a solution there," Stearns said. "I do think we're going to look to supplement that, whether it's someone who takes regular at-bats, someone who splits time with (Young), we'll see. But I do expect us to supplement that position."
Stearns said that the Mets would even consider adding another left-handed hitter at the position if it was "the right fit."
Some notable right-handed hitting first baseman free agents include Ty France, Paul Goldschmidt and Alec Bohm.
Will Marcus Semien be the starting second baseman in the new year?
Despite the underperformance of Marcus Semien in his first season in New York, second base is not a specific position where the Mets will be looking to add. But Stearns would not close the door to anything.
"Marcus is going to come in with an opportunity to play a lot of second base," Stearns said. "He didn't have the type of year that he wanted to last year, didn't have the type of year we believe he's capable of. We also think we've got a lot of other options, both guys who played in the big leagues last year for us and guys who are knocking on the door of the big leagues that we feel good about that position."
Semien slashed .215/.280/.340 with 15 home runs, 49 RBI and 55 runs in 139 games. His average and OPS (.620) were career lows. He also committed six errors. The Mets believe that Semien has bought into some adjustments to regain his past form.
The Mets might have a plethora of other options at the position by the end of 2027. It begins with Brett Baty, who posted a .838 OPS. The club's top prospect, Jefferson Rojas, debuted at Triple A late in the 2026 season, as did No. 10 prospect Emilien Pitre. The duo was acquired at the trade deadline.
Mitch Voit, the club's 2025 first-round pick who has played both middle infield positions, surged to Double A last season and claimed the organization's Minor League Player of the Year nod after posting a .802 OPS between his two stops.
DETROIT, MI - MAY 06: Manager Brad Ausmus #7 of the Detroit Tigers talks on the dugout phone during the game against the Houston Astros at Comerica Park on May 6, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Astros 11-4. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX — Longtime Astros catcher Brad Ausmus has been named as the 21st manager in Astros franchise history. The announcement was made by Astros General Manager Randy Flores.
The press conference is scheduled for Friday at 10 AM, and will be live streamed on Astros.com, on the Astros Facebook page, the Astros YouTube channel and on the Astros X account.
Ausmus, 57, has spent four of the last five seasons as a Major League bench coach for the New York Yankees (2024-26) and Oakland A’s (2022). Prior to those stints, Ausmus twice managed in the Major Leagues, for the 2019 Angels and the 2014-17 Tigers. Ausmus also has experience working in the front office, first as a special assistant to baseball operations for the Padres (2011-13) and later as a special assistant to the GM for the Angels in 2018.
“We are thrilled to welcome Brad back to the Astros organization,” Flores said. “Brad impressed us throughout the interview process, demonstrating the leadership, energy, and expertise critical to driving a winning culture both on and off the field. I am excited to work alongside Brad and happy to have him back in an Astros uniform.”
“I am very excited to be back in Houston,” Ausmus said. “The Astros and the City of Houston have been a huge part of my life, and I’m thrilled to create a new chapter as the team’s manager. I’d like to thank Randy and the entire Astros organization for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to get to work.”
Prior to joining the front office and coaching ranks, Ausmus had an 18-year Major League playing career (1993-2010), including parts of 10 seasons as an Astro (1997-98, 2001-08). A defensive-minded catcher, Ausmus was a three-time Gold Glove recipient (all with Houston) and was an American League All-Star with the Tigers in 1999. Ausmus combined to play in 1,971 career Major League games, including 1,259 as an Astro. Ausmus is widely regarded as one of the best catchers in franchise history and leads the club in games played behind the dish.
Ausmus also has extensive postseason experience as a player, coach and manager. He played in 35 career postseason games, all coming with the Astros, in their playoff runs in 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2005. Ausmus was the Astros starting catcher in their 2005 World Series run, and hit one of the most-memorable homers in Astros postseason history, a game-tying shot with two outs in the 9th inning of Game 4 of the NLDS vs. ATL, in the Astros eventual 7-6 win in 18 innings. As a manager, Ausmus led the 2014 Tigers to a 90-72 record and an appearance in the postseason. He also coached in the postseason the last three seasons with the Yankees, including an appearance in the 2024 World Series.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman accepted Pat Murphy’s apology after the Milwaukee manager criticized New York’s 2023 team for a selfish culture minutes after the Brewers won the World Series last month.
When first baseman Jake Bauers gave Murphy the ball from the last out of the Game 5 win over Tampa Bay on Oct. 28, the manager used a profanity while referring to the Yankees.
Murphy made a reference to Bauers’ likely big-money free agent contract this offseason and implored him to recall his time on the 2023 Yankees, who went 82-80 and failed to make the playoffs, and compare it with his success this year.
“You guys were all playing for yourself. Just remember, say, `This is the way we used to do it,’” Murphy said during the on-field celebration, a remark recorded in a video posted by Spectrum News 1 Wisconsin.
“He took the time on the greatest — within 12 hours, arguably some of the greatest times that he’s had walking this planet Earth outside of the birth of his kids — to realize that he said something that he regretted, that he’s caught on a live mike,” Cashman said Tuesday at the general managers meetings. “He wanted to take the time, track us down over here at the lowly New York Yankees to make sure he would apologize for that, so that meant a lot to me.”
Cashman said Murphy explained “how he kind of utilizes things — anything he can to motivate his players.”
“I didn’t mean to specifically talk about the Yankees necessarily,” Murphy said. “It was kind of like this big-market team that signs a lot of long-term deals and guys that are established. ... I could have used anybody’s name. I could have said the Dodgers or the Giants or whoever.”
“The Marlins beat us in the World Series and I remember they put our logo on the World Series ring, that they beat the Yankees,” Cashman said. “We have a history of success that we’re always trying to live up to.”
Cashman said he understands the anger of the team’s fan base at the end of each season without a title.
“Do I get upset? Initially, yeah. Do I get motivated? Absolutely, always,” he said, surrounded by reporters. “I don’t need anything to motivate me. I feel like our fans and you guys and girls keep us motivated enough. If that doesn’t, I mean, we’ve got a cattle prod constantly stuck right where you don’t want it non-stop with electrodes going. So that keeps you alive. But also when you take a step back, you’ve got to channel and recognize it’s coming from a place of hope and love of wanting things to be better than they currently are.”
Cashman, entering his 30th season in charge of baseball operations with the Yankees, said his new contract had been finalized but didn’t reveal its length.
“Even though we’ve been there before, it hasn’t been as timely as it needs to be, so I get it,” he said of the title drought. “And the longer it goes, the louder it gets.”
Fried has elbow surgery
Yankees left-hander Max Fried had surgery to remove a bone spur from his pitching elbow.
“That was a late surgery added,” Cashman said. “Six weeks of rest and rehab and then a throwing program starting sometime I think second week of December. Should be ready for spring training.”
Fried, a three-time All-Star who turns 33 in January, was 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA in 20 starts. Because of what the team said was a left elbow bone bruise, he didn’t pitch for the Yankees between May 15 and July 22, and between Aug. 13 and 29.
Cashman speaks with Posada
Cashman said he was surprised former All-Star catcher Jorge Posada said on a podcast with New York Post reporters that the team made him felt unwelcome.
“If any of our former guys want to engage, they know where to find us,” Cashman said. “He is welcome. I obviously did have those conversations with him. ... Jorge wants us to be great. We want us to be great. And unfortunately we haven’t been — we’ve been good but we haven’t been great.”
LAS VEGAS — As the Yankees considered moving on from James Rowson, the hitting coach moved on first.
Rowson, who had an expiring contract with the Yankees, is leaving to join the Giants’ coaching staff as their offensive coordinator, The Post’s Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman reported Wednesday.
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Brian Cashman was non-committal on Rowson while speaking to reporters Tuesday, describing the coach as a “free agent” who was speaking to other teams while the Yankees were “engaged in the marketplace and also internally, determining what’s next and best for us.”
Either way, Rowson’s departure had appeared likely since Hal Steinbrenner blamed the offense for another season gone by without a championship — describing it as an issue for the last two years.
It remains to be seen what the Yankees will do with assistant hitting coaches Casey Dykes and Jake Hirst.
Yankees hitting coach James Rowson stands behind the batting cage during a workout at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, February 15, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Rowson had been the Yankees’ hitting coach since 2024, after they fired Dillon Lawson midseason in 2023 and used Sean Casey as an interim hitting coach for the rest of that season.
The Mount Vernon native, who previously spent time as the Yankees’ minor league hitting coordinator before working with the Cubs, Twins, Marlins and Tigers, had plenty of fans in the clubhouse, most notably Aaron Judge.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 12: Luke Williams #37 of the Atlanta Braves stands ready in the ninth inning during the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park on April 12, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since making his MLB debut in 2021, veteran Luke Williams appeared in the big leagues in a career-low two games in 2026, amassing one PA in which he drew a walk. He spent nearly his entire year at Gwinnett, where he had another nondescript season.
How Acquired
The Braves first selected Williams off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 5, 2023. Since then, he’s elected free agency time each time he was designated for assignment by Atlanta, and returned to the organization via minor league contract afterwards. That same song-and-dance included a preseason instance on January 18, 2026 and then again during the season on April 16.
What were the expectations?
Williams had become a regular on the end of Atlanta’s bench in recent seasons, primarily serving as a pinch-runner, defensive replacement or extreme mop-up reliever. With the team trading for super-utilityman Mauricio Dubon and bringing back infielder Ha-Seong Kim on a free agent contract, Williams headed into Spring Training as a longshot to break camp with the team, especially with Jorge Mateo and Kyle Farmer as utility options. Infielder Brett Wisely, who’d been picked up by Atlanta toward the end of the 2025 regular season, was also brought back on a minor league deal adding another option for Atlanta’s deep reserves. For the first time since arriving in Atlanta, Williams was no sure thing to see time at the big league level.
Performance-wise, well, there’s not much to talk about. Coming into 2026, Williams had received 349 major league PAs and posted a 53 wRC+ and -0.8 fWAR, while outhitting his xwOBA (so it would be worse if he hadn’t). He managed to be slightly above replacement level in 2021-2022, but careened well under that since. Basically, the expectation was that he wouldn’t play much, and that he wouldn’t be useful except as a warm body when he did.
2026 Results
With Mateo and Farmer making the team out of Spring Training, Williams began the season in Gwinnett. But, when Michael Harris II went on the paternity list on April 11, the organization brought Williams up to the big league club. His stay was likely to be short, and it was, with Williams being designated for assignment when Harris II returned on April 13.
While up, Williams appeared in two games, walking in his only plate appearance on April 12 after appearing as a defensive replacement in left field the night before.
Upon re-upping with the Braves, he spent the rest of the season at Triple-A Gwinnett, playing in more than 100 games while appearing at every infield position, left field and pitching in three contests. He had an 81 wRC+ for the Stripers that came with a massive xwOBA overperformance, but he did steal 37 bases.
What went right?
Three days on the major league roster is better than none. On top of that, the utility that Williams provided, pun intended, showed up when the Braves opted to add him to the Wild Card Series roster, although he did not appear in a game and was not rostered for the Division Series.
During the 2026 regular season with Gwinnett, he continued to showcase his defensive versatility and speed — and in the same vein as three days in the bigs being better than none, outhitting your xwOBA in the minors is better than… not doing that, I guess.
Oh, and if you don’t notice that he one PA this season, he has a cool .698 wOBA, .698 xwOBA, and 355 wRC+ to show for it.
What went wrong?
After the three-game soiree with Atlanta in April, Williams didn’t crack Atlanta’s roster for the rest of the season as Farmer assumed the role Williams had filled the prior two years as the last “position player” (really, non-player) on the bench.
Williams’ overall offensive performance with the Stripers was below his career minor league standard despite getting semi-regular playing time, and although offense is not his calling card, the continued decline limited his viability, as seen when the team opted to promote rookie Jim Jarvis when the team needed an infielder in July. There hasn’t really been any “development” in terms of Williams’ skillset, and he’s really moving from “generic replacement level filler” to “guy who no one’s going to roster because there are better literal replacement level players out there.”
2027 outlook
Williams turned 30 in August and his specific skillset is probably best suited for a team like Atlanta, that is, one that plays its regulars the majority of the time and doesn’t mind a no-hit option that can kinda-sorta play shortstop while being proficient enough glove-wise at other positions. He’s baserunning is his biggest asset: he’s been a perfect 11-for-11 on stolen base tries with the Braves during the regular season.
Williams appeared with four different teams before coming to Atlanta in 2023 and since, he’s appeared with the Braves in four consecutive seasons. He’s almost surely headed to another minor league contract. With questions about Atlanta’s infield depth, a reunion with the Braves is possible, even if it is only to stash Williams at Triple-A should the need arise. The Braves obviously like Williams in terms of having him in the organization and another long run on the big-league roster isn’t out of the question as a little used regular should the team add a full-time starter at shortstop for 2027.
Still, he’s probably sub-replacement at this point, so they could also look to find “Luke Williams, but a little better” for no real investment or commitment, either.
The two-day event will include an on-field mini-camp for VIP attendees, extending a model built around access to the sporting environments where athletes compete and history is made.
