The hot stove had been safe to touch for a few days, but that may be starting to change.
The first big domino in the market for first basemen fell on Sunday night as Josh Naylor and the Seattle Mariners reached an agreement on a five-year contract, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Naylor, acquired at the trade deadline from the Arizona Diamondbacks, batted .299 with an .831 OPS in 54 games after being dealt. He was even better during Seattle's run to the ALCS, with five extra-base hits (three home runs) and five RBI while batting .340 with a .967 OPS in 12 postseason games. This made re-signing the first baseman one of Seattle's highest priorities this offseason.
Naylor, who turned 28 in June, now becomes the first big-name signing of baseball's offseason a year after hitting 29 doubles, 20 home runs, driving in 92 runs, and slashing .295/.353/.462 for an .816 OPS (128 OPS+) across 147 games. He was also 30-for-32 stealing bases, despite being one of the slowest players in MLB.
Naylor's quick exit from the market means Pete Alonsois the lone top-notch free-agent first baseman on the market and will have very little competition for that claim. Entering the offseason, the class was thin after Alonso and Naylor, with a big drop to other domestic options, including Ryan O'Hearn, Carlos Santana, Luis Arraez, Paul Goldschmidt, and Rhys Hoskins.
A great bounce-back season with the Mets that saw him win a Silver Slugger, in which he slashed .272/.347/.524 with 41 doubles, 38 home runs, and 126 RBI while playing in all 162 games, Alonso is hoping to turn that into a long-term deal. And after opting out of the deal he signed with New York last offseason, Alonso is reportedly seeking a contract of at least seven years. This could be tough as Alonso will soon turn 31, over two years older than Naylor, who took only a five-year deal.
Of course, the Mets and the slugger were able to work through their differences as he sought a long-term deal last offseason. And all indications are that Alonso's free agency will last quite a bit longer than Naylor's,
And after the Alonso and Juan Soto, 1-2 punch worked combined for 81 homers last year, Soto made it known that he would like to run it back.
“I hope nothing but the best, and I’m excited to see where he’s going to end up," Soto told the media this past week. "He’s one of the best power hitters in this generation. I really enjoyed my moment with him in a Mets uniform and I hope we can have more times to come. We can have fun together.”
Carlos Beltran agrees.
“Pete Alonso is another guy that is going to be on the market, I hope we can bring those guys back," Beltran said on Saturday, referring to closer Edwin Diaz, another free agent. "The front office and the team upstairs are going to do the best we can to make that happen.”
LOS ANGELES — Kiké Hernández said Saturday he underwent surgery for a left elbow injury that bothered him for much of this past season and he will miss next year’s World Baseball Classic for his native Puerto Rico.
The free agent infielder and outfielder did not provide a timetable for his return.
Hernández wrote on Instagram that he’d been playing hurt for about a month with the Los Angeles Dodgers when he went on the injured list with left elbow inflammation July 7. He returned on Aug. 26 but was limited to 93 games.
He had 16 postseason hits in helping the Dodgers win their second consecutive World Series title and his third with the club. He hit .203 with 10 homers and 35 RBIs during the regular season.
There seems to be a good chance that Giants ace Logan Webb will toe the rubber for Team USA during the 2026 World Baseball Classic in March.
The right-handed star is “close” to joining the Red, White and Blue, The San Francisco Standard’s John Shea reported in an article published Friday, and has full support from Team USA manager Mark DeRosa.
“Logan Webb’s participation is definitely something we are interested in,” DeRosa said. “We want him 100 percent. He would be a great addition if everything lined up.”
A two-time MLB All-Star, Webb undoubtedly would be impactful. Shea, though, reiterated that the anticipated partnership remains unofficial.
“Before any official announcement is made, procedural hurdles would need to be cleared, as is the case with any player that Team USA takes on from a Major League Baseball team,” Shea wrote.
Webb, who finished the 2025 MLB season fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting, intended to pitch during the 2023 WBC.
Shea added that Webb ultimately passed on the initial opportunity to “help change” the Giants’ culture during spring training. Webb also signed a five-year, $90 million contract extension with San Francisco that April.
But as the next WBC nears, Webb is better positioned to pitch for his country, especially as new Giants manager Tony Vitello seems to be handling the team’s culture-changing duties.
Plus, Team USA simply could benefit from the seven-year veteran’s experienced arm.
Webb finished 2025 with a 15-11 record — tying his career-high in wins — and a 3.22 ERA. And in his third consecutive season of 200-plus innings pitched, Webb led MLB with 207 innings tossed and 34 starts.
He clearly can help Team USA return to glory after its loss to Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan in the 2023 WBC Final.
His game may not be flashy, but Vladislav Gavrikov has provided the New York Rangers with exactly what they brought him in for.
During the offseason, the Rangers signed Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract with the hopes he can blossom into the team’s defensive anchor.
Through 18 games, Gavrikov’s presence has been valuable for the Rangers.
The 29-year-old defenseman does so many of the little things that go unnoticed to the casual eye.
In his own zone, Gavrikov is defensively sound, always in the right positions while he plays a physical brand of hockey.
Mike Sullivan has also given Gavrikov important responsibilities. With Sullivan attempting to take a defensive load off of Adam Fox, more of that work goes onto Gavrikov’s plate.
He’s been playing a critical shorthanded role and he continues to take the defensive burden off of Fox, which allows him to engage more offensively.
Gavrikov is averaging 22:34 minutes, ranking second amongst all Ranger players in that category and he leads the team in plus/minus rating at +6.
If a player wants to get to Igor Shesterkin, they’ll have to get through Gavrikov. During the Rangers’ 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday afternoon, Scott Sabourin took a whack at Shesterkin and Gavrikov threw him to the ice in retaliation.
It’s those kinds of plays that catch the attention of Sullivan.
“For sure it does,” Sullivan said on if Gavrikov’s defending of Shesterkin caught his attention. “He's a team guy, and he'll do whatever it takes to help his teammates. I think that goes a long way with his teammates. It certainly goes a long way with his coaching staff.”
The Rangers added a defensive anchor with the addition of Gavrikov and his contributions to the team should surely not go unnoticed.
Carlos Beltran received the call earlier this week.
The Mets announced on Thursday evening that the outfielder will be inducted into the team Hall of Fame next season, along with Bobby Valentine and Lee Mazzilli as part of their first class since 2023.
SNY’s Chelsea Sherrod met up with Beltran in an exclusive one-on-one interview to discuss the honor prior to Saturday night's Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico Showdown at Citi Field.
“First of all, I’m super,” he said. “I feel that it’s a confirmation of all the effort that you put in as a player. In the seven years that I was here, there’s no doubt I went through ups and down, but at the end of the day, when I look at the numbers, I feel proud.
“Being able to be accepted into any team Hall of Fame is a beautiful thing, so I’m super happy and grateful for the opportunity.”
Beltran doesn’t know what to expect as far as his emotions when the big day comes, but he’s hoping to be able to keep things in check so he can deliver a good speech for the fans, his family, and his teammates.
The slugger had many memorable moments during his seven-year stint in orange and blue, but some of his favorites came during the 2006 campaign, which was one of his best with the club.
“Going to the playoffs was a beautiful moment,” he said. “I was also able to win my first Gold Glove with the Mets; being able to receive that call was an incredible thing because I worked so hard in Kansas City to try to win and never won it -- I got to experience that and a lot of other good things with the Mets.”
Some of those good things include five All-Star appearances, two more Gold Gloves, and a pair of Silver Sluggers.
Beltran also slashed .280/.369/.500 with 149 home runs, 208 doubles, 559 RBI, 551 runs scored, and 100 stolen bases during his time with the Mets.
The Mets had seven prospects participate in the Arizona Fall League this year.
That group helped the Scottsdale Scorpions, who were managed by former Mets catcher Rene Rivera, finish with an 18-10 record which was good enough for first place in the AFL.
The Scorpions were, however, eliminated in the first round of the playoffs on Thursday night.
While they didn't take home the championship, there were plenty of positives to take from the exhibition meetings.
Two of the biggest Mets standouts were Nick Morabito and Chris Suero.
Both youngsters were able to continue their strong showings from the minor league season, and they performed well enough to land a spot in the Fall League All-Star game.
Suero once again showcased his dynamic two-way game, going eight-for-eight on stolen base attempts and finishing tied for second in the league with five homers.
He also hit an impressive .283 and had a .353 OBP to help him finish with a .920 OPS.
The versatile 21-year-old Bronx-native saw playing time at all three of his positions (C, 1B, LF) during the 15 Fall League games he appeared in.
Chris Suero belts his 5th homer of the Arizona Fall League!
Morabito also put together a strong showing in what is a big offseason for him.
The former second-round pick is Rule 5 eligible for the first time, so the Mets will have to decide soon if they want to leave him exposed or add him to the 40 Man roster.
Morabito certainly used this as a strong showcase for New York, or the other 29 organizations.
He reached base at a terrific clip of .450 and continued showing off his game-changing speed on the bases, racking up the third-most stolen bases in the AFL (16 in 19 attempts).
Morabito also hit an impressive .362 with a .914 OPS, two doubles, a triple, and a homer.
It’ll be interesting to see what David Stearns and the Mets decide to do with the outfielder ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Outfielder Nick Morabito has had a big Arizona Fall League
Tonight he hit his first home run in the AFL. 109.4 mph off the bat and 442 feet pic.twitter.com/La5m37e6Zv
Having failed to find the long-term deal he wanted last time around, Alex Bregman is back on the market for the second year in a row, this time without a qualifying offer hanging over his head. The three-time All-Star and two-time world champion opted out of a three-year, $120 million deal with Boston to get here and will take a lesser annual salary to receive the kind of rest-of-his-career contract he desires as he enters his age-32 campaign.
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Stay up to date with the MLB free agent market this offseason, including player signings, contract details, and team fits as the 2025-26 Hot Stove heats up.
D.J. Short
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▶ Bregman in Review
Bregman’s first and perhaps lone season in Boston couldn’t have started much better. After a first-week slump, he had a four-game span in early April in which he had two homers, five doubles and 10 RBI. He was batting .299/.385/.553 over 51 games when he suffered a strained quad on May 23. Back just before the All-Star break, his production held up initially before waning in late August. He wound up hitting .180/.273/.262 in his final 31 games, lowering his OPS from .933 to .821.
That .821 OPS was good for a 128 OPS+ just below Bregman’s career mark of 132. He peaked an MVP-type performer in 2018 and ’19, finishing with a 157 OPS+ those two seasons. He suffered a big drop off immediately afterwards, but that’s still left him as one of the league’s steadiest hitters these last six seasons. He has a 123 OPS+ during the span, never finishing a season below 112.
Bregman’s defense at third is similarly steadily above average. He no longer has the range to play shortstop, as he could have done for the Astros in his mid-20s had he not been shifted off the position in favor of Carlos Correa, but he should last at the position for at least a few more years before perhaps becoming a liability towards the end of the decade.
▶ Market Outlook
Bregman is really the one player in free agency who projects as a long-term third baseman. Maybe Bo Bichette could end up there, but he seems better suited for second base after moving off short. Most teams view Japanese imports Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto as first basemen. 34-year-old Eugenio Suárez will probably stick at third for another year or two, but he’s below average there these days.
So, that’s nice for Bregman. It probably also doesn’t hurt his case that Nolan Arenado, the most prominent third baseman on the trade market, seems very clearly in decline at this point. Last winter, Arenado was put forth as a viable alternative to Bregman before ultimately declining to waive his no-trade with the Cardinals. No one will be looking at them similarly this winter, though.
Bregman’s closest recent free agency comp would seem to be Matt Chapman two years ago. Chapman, though, had to deal with the qualifying offer and overplayed his hand some in a weaker market. He signed a deal set up like Bregman’s, but with a guarantee of $54 million over three years rather than Bregman’s $120 million. He made $18 million in 2024 and then, before he could opt out, signed a six-year, $151 million extension to stay with the Giants.
▶ Best Fits
Red Sox: Boston seemed to love Bregman’s clubhouse presence and would undoubtedly like to have him back for 2026. The problem is that Bregman will want at least a five-year deal, and the Red Sox aren’t going to think that’s any better of an idea now than it was last winter, even if the exit of Rafael Devers did free up a bunch of money and end the third base controversy.
Tigers: Detroit seemed like the perfect fit for Bregman last winter, but the Tigers’ longer offer -- reportedly for six years -- didn’t come with a high enough salary to land him. There’s still a pretty obvious match here for now, but it’d be much more difficult to imagine something coming together if Gleyber Torres accepts a $22.025 million qualifying offer.
Mets: Swapping in Bregman for Pete Alonso would hopefully result in a significant defensive upgrade at two infield spots for the Mets, assuming that Mark Vientos and/or Brett Baty proves adept at first base. Still, it wouldn’t help the offense, and Bregman will probably wind up landing a bigger contract than Alonso, if only by a bit. Also, the Mets have an abundance of quality infield prospects and might be better off with a short-term solution.
Yankees: The Bombers didn’t really solve third base in trading for Ryan McMahon, who hit just .208/.308/.333 after arriving at the deadline. If they miss out on Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, trying for Bregman or Bichette might be their best avenue to improve their lineup.
Cubs: The Cubs wouldn’t need to replace Tucker with an outfielder if they lose him; they’d probably just move Seiya Suzuki back to right, and they’d have a couple of very good outfield prospects in reserve. In fact, they don’t really have any holes at all in their lineup. Still, Matt Shaw’s weak exit velocity numbers as a rookie were pretty discouraging, and if they were going to upgrade anywhere in free agency, third base would seem to be the best option.
Mariners: Seattle knows that contact was an issue in the postseason, and Bregman’s 13.4% career strikeout rate would help out a bunch there. However, it’s hard to see the Mariners coming up with the $30 million or so per season that it would take to land him.
Contract Prediction
It’s pretty great for Bregman that a bunch of contenders are currently in flux at third base. Even the Blue Jays could make room for him if Bichette leaves. Or perhaps the Phillies could trade Alec Bohm to open up the hot corner, though they have their own free agents to deal with. Bregman’s floor would seem to be $140 million for five years, with his annual salaries potentially decreasing some if he holds out for a longer deal.
Another year, another unanimous MVP award for Shohei Ohtani. Baseball’s unicorn added another major accolade to his already crowded mantel, winning his fourth MVP award Thursday. Ohtani continues his reign as the best player on the planet with the latest MVP honors, but this one puts him in a different conversation.
Barry Bonds has always stood alone when it comes to MVPs. MLB’s all-time home run leader holds the record with seven MVP trophies and was the only player in history with more than three. Those days are no more as Ohtani notched his fourth, and is well on his way to doing what many believed impossible — catching Bonds.
When Bonds was in his prime, it was a challenge to pry the award away from him. And as the feared slugger was hitting well over. 300 every season with over 40 homers, stolen bases and Gold Glove defense, you could see why. But unlike Bonds, Ohtani has a skill set that makes him one of a kind, and makes his quest to catch Bonds’ seven MVPs more probable than any player in history. Not only is he one of the two most feared hitters in baseball, he’s also an ace on the mound, giving him a huge edge over other MVP candidates every season.
(Dillon Minshall/Yahoo Sports)
This past season, the Dodgers’ $700 million man hit .282 with a career-high 55 home runs and an NL-leading 1.014 OPS. An offensive season like that would usually launch a player into being a frontrunner for MVP, but it’s only half the résumé for Ohtani. He made his much-anticipated return to the mound in 2025 after his second UCL surgery and showed that he’s not only one of the game’s best hitters, but one of its best pitchers too.
Ohtani returned to the mound, going 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 14 starts. While many of his outings were abbreviated as L.A. worked him back into its rotation, it didn’t take long for him to look like an ace again and become another weapon on the team’s starting staff.
Now that Ohtani is well over a year removed from elbow surgery and has a full offseason without rehab to prepare for 2026, it’s not foolish to think he could hit another level as a pitcher over a full season.
Let’s be very clear: When Ohtani has a normal year for him, he will win MVP.
The one thing you’d worry about that could prevent Ohtani from catching Bonds outside of injury would be fatigue. But the BBWAA writers who vote haven't let Ohtani’s greatness work against him. Not only did he receive all 30 first-place votes in this year‘s NL MVP balloting, he’s won unanimously all four times he’s taken home the award.
Ohtani, the AL MVP winner in 2023, is the first to win three consecutive MVPs since Bonds won four straight with the San Francisco Giants from 2001-04. The Dodgers’ superstar is also the first back-to-back winner in the National League since Albert Pujols did it in 2008-09 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
For some time now, Ohtani has been firmly entrenched as the world’s best player and after another remarkable season, the Dodgers’ two-way superstar is adding to an already mind-blowing legacy. In two years since signing his 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers, Ohtani has won two league MVPs and two World Series championships. The five-time All-Star also has three Silver Slugger Awards and the 2018 AL Rookie of the year on his résumé with plenty of hardware before he hangs it up.
When it’s all said and done, Ohtani may not only be the best player ever, but also one of the most decorated.
Ohtani’s excellence shouldn’t be taken for granted. When he came to the States from Japan, many believed his two-way ability was a gimmick that wouldn’t last. Now sitting on four MVPs and finally winning championships, Ohtani is better than anybody could have ever envisioned or imagined.
As Ohtani enters his prime already more than halfway to Bonds’ seven MVPs, the chase is not only on, but well within reach.
Rosenthal adds that the Jays are "signaling a willingness" to "spend big and lose draft picks if necessary" this offseason.
Losing picks is something that will happen to any team that signs Diaz (other than the Mets), since he is attached to the qualifying offer, which he will reject.
As it pertains to Toronto and Diaz, Rosenthal reports that the rotation is a bigger priority than the bullpen, where Jeff Hoffman is the current closer.
Nov. 13, 8:15 p.m.
The Mets and Diaz have had discussions about a new deal, but nothing concrete has been talked about yet.
Diaz, who was at the MLB Awards on Thursday night, reiterated that he would "love" to remain a Met.
"I love New York. I would love to stay in New York, but if I have to go another place, I would be happy," Diaz told reporters, including Newsday's Laura Albanese. "I want to win a ring, so wherever I go, I want to win a ring and enjoy the time.
"I like the organization. You know, if they came with the best deal for me, I’d enjoy to stay with them, but at the end of the day, I don’t know what they’re thinking."
Nov. 12, 8:44 a.m.
With Diaz a free agent and the Dodgers searching for a high-end reliever, it seemed they might be a big threat to lure him away from the Mets.
Maybe not.
While the Dodgers are indeed seeking a jolt for their bullpen, they could be deterred by the fact that Diaz has a qualifying offer attached to him, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Per Ardaya, with the Dodgers already owing draft penalties due to exceeding the luxury tax, it could "dissuade" them and other teams in similar situations from making a run at Diaz.
According to The Athletic, Los Angeles has made free agent reliever Devin Williams a target. Williams, who spent last season with the Yankees after being acquired from the Brewers via trade, was eyed by the Dodgers before that deal.
Rosenthal adds that the Jays are "signaling a willingness" to "spend big and lose draft picks if necessary" this offseason.
Losing picks is something that will happen to any team that signs Diaz (other than the Mets), since he is attached to the qualifying offer, which he will reject.
As it pertains to Toronto and Diaz, Rosenthal reports that the rotation is a bigger priority than the bullpen, where Jeff Hoffman is the current closer.
Nov. 13, 8:15 p.m.
The Mets and Diaz have had discussions about a new deal, but nothing concrete has been talked about yet.
Diaz, who was at the MLB Awards on Thursday night, reiterated that he would "love" to remain a Met.
"I love New York. I would love to stay in New York, but if I have to go another place, I would be happy," Diaz told reporters, including Newsday's Laura Albanese. "I want to win a ring, so wherever I go, I want to win a ring and enjoy the time.
"I like the organization. You know, if they came with the best deal for me, I’d enjoy to stay with them, but at the end of the day, I don’t know what they’re thinking."
Nov. 12, 8:44 a.m.
With Diaz a free agent and the Dodgers searching for a high-end reliever, it seemed they might be a big threat to lure him away from the Mets.
Maybe not.
While the Dodgers are indeed seeking a jolt for their bullpen, they could be deterred by the fact that Diaz has a qualifying offer attached to him, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Per Ardaya, with the Dodgers already owing draft penalties due to exceeding the luxury tax, it could "dissuade" them and other teams in similar situations from making a run at Diaz.
According to The Athletic, Los Angeles has made free agent reliever Devin Williams a target. Williams, who spent last season with the Yankees after being acquired from the Brewers via trade, was eyed by the Dodgers before that deal.
This offseason’s message from the Mets has been largely built around run prevention.
And since David Stearns has been with the organization, center field has been the spot that he's prioritized defense the most.
In 2024, he acquired Tyrone Taylor from the Brewers and signed Harrison Bader as a free agent -- that worked out well as the Mets made a run to the NLCS.
In 2025, Bader left as a free agent and the Mets attempted to acquire a similar defense-first type of player in Jose Siri from Tampa Bay. That did not work out. He was injured for most of the year and ended up getting DFA'd before the season ended.
Now, there is another opportunity to pursue run prevention in center -- a potential trade for 28-year old White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr.
If you look him up on Baseball Reference, the stat line will leave plenty to be desired. He slashed .223/.297/.364 (.661 OPS) with 14 home runs, 53 RBI and 33 stolen bases in 2025. However, there is more under the hood that has Robert as a very intriguing buy-low option.
From a contractual standpoint, Robert is owed $20 million in 2026 with a $20 million club option for 2027. He would be a true year-to-year proposition.
Here are the pros and cons of trading for Robert…
Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Rate Field / Kamil Krzaczynski - Imagn Images
PROS
Robert is an excellent athlete and has all the tools to be a special player.
In 2023 at 25-years old, Robert posted an .857 OPS with 38 home runs and looked the part of a future MVP candidate.
While he has not replicated that offensive success since, there were some intriguing things in the advanced statistics that suggest there are better offensive days ahead for the still-in-his-prime center fielder.
His 2025 season began to take a turn offensively when the calendar flipped to July, and that led to him being considered a prime trade deadline candidate. The Mets were among the teams in conversations with the White Sox, but they ultimately decided to keep Robert.
Robert hit .293/.349/.459 (.808 OPS) with six home runs, 21 RBI and 11 stolen bases from July 8 until his season ended in late-August due to a hamstring strain
Robert has the raw power you are looking for, with a max exit velocity of 115.8 mph in 2025. He also possesses elite bat speed in the 92nd percentile. His 26 percent strikeout rate is certainly below average, but he trimmed it significantly from 33 percent in 2024. Robert also posted a career best 9.3 walk percentage, which is an above average number in the 62nd percentile.
What's clear is Robert had a better approach at the plate in 2025 with perhaps some bad luck mixed in, as evidenced by a .250 expected batting average. It just did not end up showing in his end of season numbers.
Robert’s defense and speed help raise his floor as a player. He is a plus defender in center, rating at +7 OAA in range, which ranked in the 93rd percentile. His arm is more above average than plus, but it plays in center field.
From a speed standpoint, his sprint speed has made incremental growth each of the last four seasons, with his career best of 29 feet per second in 2025, which ranked in the 90th percentile.
Jul 18, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) hits a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
CONS
While the advanced numbers suggest some bad luck for Robert, the reality is that he has OPS' of .661 and .657 the last two seasons. Even if there is belief in a bounce back, that's two consecutive seasons of offensive numbers that would not be ideal in an everyday lineup for a contender.
Another issue that Robert has missed significant time with injury every season of his big league career except for his breakout 2023, when he played 145 games.
Over the last two seasons he played in just 210 of 324 possible games. He also played under 100 games in both 2021 and 2022. Is he a player the Mets can rely on to take the field every day?
Robert also might block a prospect like Carson Benge or Jett Williams from getting an opportunity in center in 2026.
If the Mets were to acquire someone like Robert, it would be with the idea that he is their center fielder if he is healthy. That does go against Stearns' idea that they must leave room for young players to make an impact on the big league roster.
VERDICT
Since July, I have been openly in favor of acquiring Robert. The price won’t be cheap, but it also won’t be exorbitant. I don’t think the Mets would have to part with any of their very top prospects in a deal.
The White Sox could have interest in one of the Mets' potentially surplus major league infielders such as Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio or Luisangel Acuña. If the Mets could land Robert for one of those and a mid-level prospect, that could be considered a risk worth taking.
He said at his end-of-season news conference that he needed to be more aggressive. At the time, that was considered to be talking about calling up young pitchers like Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat or Jonah Tong earlier than he did.
He may have meant being more aggressive with prospects in general, which has become more of the norm in baseball over the last couple of years.
Benge was on the fast track, making it to Triple-A in his first professional season after being a first round pick. If the Mets are planning to have Benge compete for center field out of camp, getting Robert -- or really any other full-time locked-in center fielder -- does not make a lot of sense. They’d be better suited using their assets to acquire pitching or help at a different position on the diamond.
LAS VEGAS — On Monday, the Giants announced that Bruce Bochy has returned to the organization as a special advisor to the baseball operations department. That means that technically, Buster Posey is now his former manager’s boss.
Of course, the president of baseball operations doesn’t view it that way. When he thinks of their relationship these days, the main thing that stands out is something else.
“When I was a player I never looked at Boch as a friend, because we kind of had that clean line of, ‘I’m the player, you’re the manager, you’re making the decisions and I’m going to go run through a wall for you,'” Posey said on Thursday’s “Giants Talk.” “I think post-playing, I consider Boch a friend. He’s somebody that I could pick up the phone and ask (about) any baseball-related issues.”
At the start of his second year in charge, Posey already has made that call a couple of times. Bochy was consulted as the Giants went through the process of hiring new manager Tony Vitello, and as that was being settled, Posey had another question. When Bochy parted ways with the Texas Rangers after three seasons — and a championship — he was never in consideration to take over for Bob Melvin. But Posey made it clear from the start of the offseason that he wanted Bochy back with the organization.
At the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas this week, Posey said he didn’t have to sell Bochy on a new job with the Giants. He knew his former manager was already excited about the possibility of returning.
“I said, ‘I’m not speaking for you — you’re a Giant,'” Posey recalled. “He had some other options so I wanted to give him space to think about those and work through those.”
This is Bochy’s second stint as a special advisor. He had a similar role after retiring in 2019 and helped in various ways until taking the Rangers job. Posey said he’s looking forward to having Bochy around and “talking shop.”
“He’s mentioned if we want him to go see a certain player, he would do that,” Posey said. “We certainly want him in spring training and I think spending time around Tony. They’ve already spent a little time together. It would be really good. I’m fired up that we have Boch. He’s a fun guy to be around.”
As an executive, Posey has surrounded himself with people from his playing days that he trusts, hiring former Giants GM Bobby Evans and his agent, Jeff Berry, as advisors. Bochy will join Dusty Baker as advisors, which should be valuable to Vitello as he goes through his first season in professional baseball. Ron Wotus will remain in his role as an advisor to Posey and helper for the big league staff.
Posey is also now leaning on former teammate Javier Lopez, who was in Las Vegas to sit in on meetings and help out. The Giants haven’t officially announced a title for Lopez — who will remain on the broadcast team — but that could be coming soon.
Travis Ishikawa, Dan Runzler, Ryan Vogelsong and Joe Panik are among the former Posey teammates who were helping in the minors even before he returned, and Posey has said he’s hopeful that more members of the championship teams get involved in some way. Brandon Crawford is an obvious choice, although he planned to take a full year off after retiring following the 2024 MLB season. There has even been some talk of getting Madison Bumgarner involved in some way, but for the moment, Lopez appears to be the only newcomer.
“I’ve talked to some of them,” Posey said of his former teammates. “It seems like they’re pretty content with what they have going on right now and I get it. When you have kids at home there’s certain things you don’t want to miss. It’s a big commitment. For me, our decision to move back to the Bay Area, I think, made this possible for me to do this.
“I don’t know if it would have been something I would do if we had not moved back to the Bay Area, so I certainly understand where they’re coming from.”
Shohei Ohtani hit 55 home runs for the Dodgers this year [Reuters]
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has been named one of baseball's Most Valuable Players for the third year in a row, and the fourth time overall.
The 31-year-old played a key role in the Dodgers winning the World Series for a second straight year as they overcame the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this month.
Ohtani is a rare "two-way" player, operating both as a pitcher and a hitter at the elite level, and was named the best player in the National League.
He is second on the all-time list, after Barry Bonds who won seven between 1990 and 2004. He has won all four of his MVPs in unanimous fashion with all 30 first-place votes.
"If I'm playing well as an individual that means I'm helping the team win, so in that sense, hopefully I can end up with a couple more MVPs," Ohtani said through an interpreter. "But it's all about winning games."
Ohtani is the first player to win the honour in both of Major League Baseball's two leagues after becoming the American League (AL) MVP in 2021 and 2023 while playing for the Los Angeles Angels.
In the AL, outfielder Aaron Judge became the New York Yankees' fourth three-time winner.
Judge, who won the AL award in 2022 and 2024, joined Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle as three-time MVPs with the Yankees.
"It's tough for me to wrap my head around," Judge said. "It's mind blowing from my side of things, because I play this game to win, I play this game for my team-mates, my family, all the fans in New York.
"You've got to pinch yourself every single day. It's truly an incredible honour."
D.J. Short
