Category: Baseball

In losing Gavin Lux to the Tampa Bay Rays in last night’s three-team deal (that looped in the Los Angeles Angels), the Cincinnati Reds did not really lose an infielder. They did not really lose an outfielder, either.

They lost a left-handed bat.

That’s what Lux had become on this particular Reds roster – no more, no less. His decline defensively was readily evident when given time at 3B and 2B, and the idea of trying to hide him in LF showed he simply didn’t have the instincts required there. It’s impossible to blame him for that, of course, since he’d simply never played out there before, but the reality became that the one (and only) thing he provided to club with was a left-handed bat against right-handed pitching.

A DH who only hit right-handed pitching.

His move to Tampa is the latest in a pretty decent overhaul of the position-player corps on the roster since last July’s trade deadline. Ke’Bryan Hayes came in to claim 3B, and Noelvi Marte was shifted to RF where he’ll presumably get a pretty long leash there. Lux is out, as is Jake Fraley, subtracting a pair of left-handed platoon bats. Santiago Espinal, too, was jettisoned when he simply became far too expensive for his niche role, while lefty JJ Bleday and righty Dane Myers were brought into the outfield mix on the very same day.

Despite all that moving and shaking, up until yesterday it was Lux who at least – on paper – profiled as the guy who’d play a little 2B on days when a right-handed pitcher was on the mound and when Matt McLain would shift over to play SS to give Elly De La Cruz a break. The Reds clearly didn’t really want him in that role – they just traded him, after all – but if the roster froze and that’s who they had, that’s the role he’d have been forced to play. Bleday, though, is a pure outfielder only, as is lefty Will Benson, and while both seem to be the benficiaries offensively from Lux’s move, there appears to still be two clear and obvious voids on Cincinnati’s roster now.

There is no left-handed hitting infielder (aside from Elly, their switch-hitter). There is also no other clear-cut middle infield option, as each of Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and even Sal Stewart (despite his 2B experience in the minors) look the part of 1B/3B only guys.

The ‘backup’ shortstop is the everyday 2B, and there is no backup 2B. All that after the Reds said publicly earlier in the offseason how much they want to bake in more rest for Elly after he was ground to a pulp in 2025.

They never actually backfilled the role Espinal had been tasked with last year, and now they have another ‘infield’ void without Lux. The question, though, is whether they can find one guy who can do both, or if they’re still on the hunt for two separate players this late in the offseason.

In house options aren’t exactly the most obvious. They’ve got both Garrett Hampson and Michael Chavis around on minor league deals, though it’s been years since either was really trusted with 2B/SS duties at any level, let alone the big leagues. Edwin Arroyo has the chops for it defensively right this minute, but everyone’s still waiting for the power in his bat to return after a lost 2024 due to shoulder surgery – and he’s still not yet had a single PA at AAA yet. He might be the most logical candidate for that role as early as mid-year, but it would be foolhardy to expect that role to just be etched in stone for him come Opening Day.

So, the Reds have some serious shopping to do, and as we all know they’re going to have to do it with the slightest of budgets.

Luis Rengifo ticks some of the boxes as a free agent, though he’s two years removed from legitimate offensive production (and he, a switch hitter, typically hits lefties from the right side much better than righties from the left side). Luis Arraez is available and a much more known quantity, but he’s years removed from being a legit option on the left side of the infield and will come at a much, much steeper cost. Beyond those two, there’s what remains of Adam Frazier and literally nobody else in free agency who hits from the left side and plays SS/2B.

The trade market, however, opens up a ton more doors for the Reds, and I’m beginning to wonder if the latest series of free agent dominos might have lined one up for them perfectly. Late last night – while the Reds, Angels, and Rays were striking their deal – the Los Angeles Dodgers swooped in to sign star free agent Kyle Tucker away from the New York Mets, who were the presumptive favorites for his signature. The Mets pivoted almost immediately, though, and landed Bo Bichette on his own gargantuan deal this morning. The shift still means the Mets got a star, but the move off Tucker (an outfielder) to Bichette (a shortstop who’ll now play 3B) means New York’s already existing logjam of infielders just got even jammier.

Each of Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, and Luisangel Acuña just watched their paths to playing time get a lot less clear, though none profiles perfectly for what I’ve laid out as a Reds need already. Baty is a 3B primarily with some 2B chops (and none at SS), while both Acuña and Vientos hit from only the right side. It’s former top prospect Ronny Mauricio, though, who now looks like he’d fit on the Reds quite perfectly.

Mauricio will turn 25 in April and hit just .226/.293/.369 in 184 PA with the Mets last year, one year after missing the entire 2024 season at all levels after tearing his ACL in Dominican Winter League action after the end of the 2023 season. He did hit .323/.384/.508 in a small 19 game sample across the minors in 2025 as he worked his way back into form, but irregular playing time never really saw him take off at the big league level despite a swing from the left-side, in particular, that often wows you.

(Technically he’s a switch-hitter, though it’s become pretty clear he’s a guy who should only be leaned on hitting lefty against righties.)

Ronny came up as a shortstop, but with Francisco Lindor entrenched as New York’s future Hall of Famer at the position, the Mets began to move him all over the place. He’s got extensive experience at 3B and 2B, and even logged 26 starts in LF at the AAA level with Syracuse prior to his knee injury. And, most importantly, he’s still cheap as a pre-arb guy (who even has an option remaining if need be). And if the Mets aren’t going to play him, they run the risk of depleting his value even further by simply parking him at AAA once again, leading one to wonder if this winter – especially now that Bichette is around – will be the time they finally deal him elsewhere in exchange for something that fits their roster better.

The question, as it always is, would be just how much it would cost off the Reds farm – or off their active roster. In many ways there is a decent parallel between Mauricio and Arroyo – both ranked routinely on Top 100 overall prospect lists, both with a 2024 totally lost to injury, both still hoping to show a lot more as they move beyond said injuries – and it’s a decent thought process to consider what kind of return would be needed for you to want to deal away Edwin. Mauricio should, in theory, be a little cheaper given that he’s already burned two options and not exactly established himself as a big leaguer, but that’s the same realm of value we’re talking here.

Cincinnati may simply hedge in a cheaper way that’s less impactful to their own roster. That seems like something they’d do, after all, leaning into one of Hampson/Chavis and simply hoping there’s no significant imbalance created. Still, it seems like they’ve got a chance to pounce on someone else’s disjointed roster to directly benefit their own, and it sure would be nice to see them be that aggressive.

Since the 2015 World Series Championship team, the Kansas City Royals have been shut out from claiming another division title. Outside of the 2024 season, where the Royals claimed a Wild Card spot, before being ousted in the ALDS by longtime rival, the Yankees, the Royals haven’t really been in the division title race.

I truly do believe that the Royals win the AL Central crown in 2024 if Lucas Erceg and Vinnie Pasquantino don’t get hurt on the same play, on a night game, in late August in Houston, Texas. (Sorry for upsetting you about reminding you of that.) However, with those injuries the Royals struggled in September and barely hung onto a playoff berth, but they slowly faded out of a divisional crown hunt.

Coming off a somewhat disappointing 2025 season, a winning season, but not reaching their goals, the Royals have been aggressive in the offseason. To me, that reflects why the Kansas City Royals will take the AL Central crown in 2026.

First, let’s talk about what the Royals have done. They have let go of some players who were seemingly never going to figure it out and break through. While I think they still have some moves to improve the team, notably another outfield bat, the Royals have also shored up some weaknesses that have troubled them the last two seasons.

They traded for Kameron Misner, an outfielder with upside potential, while not giving much anything. They signed Alex Lange, a reliever who has back-end-of-the-bullpen experience and could potentially be a bridge guy to Erceg and Carlos Estévez. They traded for Isaac Collins and Nick Mears, while only giving away Angel Zerpa. Collins, a switch-hitting outfielder, can play everywhere and is solid offensively. Mears, another good reliever, can bridge the game to Erceg or Estevez.

They signed Lane Thomas, who albeit wasn’t good last season, mainly because of injuries, but is a right-handed outfielder that mashes lefties and plays a good centerfield. Finally, they acquired Matt Strahm for Jonathan Bowlan from Philadelphia. Strahm, who started with the Royals, is a good reliever. He’s a reliable left-hander that the Royals have needed and can be an 8th or 9th inning guy.

That is just what they have done so far, but I don’t think they are necessarily done. I would like to see them, and I think they’d agree, acquire another veteran left-handed reliever and another outfield bat.

They are being proactive in filling the holes in their roster that have plagued them the last two seasons. Poor outfield production and relying on relievers to do stuff they haven’t before. Getting veterans, especially toward the back of the bullpen, should exponentially benefit the Royals this season.

The other big reason that I think the Royals will break through and take the division this season is because of the lack of productivity from the other four AL Central teams.

Let’s start with the Detroit Tigers. They resigned Gleyber Torres, who has been good for them, and signed future Hall of Fame closer Kenley Jansen. But at this stage, I don’t know how effective Jansen can be this season. They also resigned their big deadline addition from last summer, reliever Kyle Finnegan. The Tigers will still be solid and probably the earlier frontrunner, but they blew a historic 15.5-game division lead to the Guardians. I think that mentally could hurt them, and the Royals can take advantage of that.

Next, the two-time reigning champions, and winners of 3 of the last 4 division titles, the Cleveland Guardians. They haven’t made any notable moves, but they also haven’t lost anyone notable. The team is just really gritty and finds ways to win. Outside of Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan, they don’t have any star talent, but they have a lot of solid dudes. With that being said, the Royals have been right there each of the last two seasons with Cleveland, and I think they finally overtake them this season.

The Minnesota Twins won the division title in 2023, and they seemed poised to be really good for the foreseeable future. In 2024, they were right in the middle of the divisional race with the Royals and Guardians, but then fell off a cliff and missed the postseason altogether. And then last July, they completely blew up everything, trading away almost all of their talent. And now they are in rebuild mode for the foreseeable future. Just shows how quickly a championship window can close.

Lastly, the laughingstock of the MLB the last couple of years, the Chicago White Sox. They signed international infielder Munetaka Murakami and starter Sean Newcomb. But, while this team showed some flashes last season of potential with their youth, they are still very far away and shouldn’t be a concern for the Royals.

What concerns do you have that might hold the Royals back from winning the division? What team might I have undervalued? Because I think this is finally the year that the Boys in Blue are back on top.

On an emergency episode of The Mets Pod recorded live, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo are joined by SNY's Steve Gelbs for real-time reaction to the news that the Mets signed free agent infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year contract. 

The guys break down the deal, and the quick pivot the Mets made after Kyle Tucker chose the Dodgers, plus discuss the positives of Bichette, how he will fit the team, and what it all means for Brett Baty. They also look ahead to what's next, including potential pitching additions and more outfield help.

Later, Connor and Joe go Down on the Farm to cover the official signing of top international prospect Wandy Asigen, and answer Mailbag questions about LarsNootbaar, Austin Hays, and a possible trade match with the Minnesota Twins.

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

So much for the Dodgers being old. 

So much for the concerns about how their offensive firepower could diminish further.

The Dodgers have agreed to a four-year, $240-million deal with Kyle Tucker, and everything suddenly feels different.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman could have started the upcoming season waiting to see if veterans such as Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez could continue producing at championship levels. Instead, Friedman chose to be proactive, taking out his interest-free Shohei Ohtani credit card and purchasing the best hitter on the free-agent market.

This won’t be the Last Dance for these Dodgers.

This has turned into a never-ending party that only a lockout and salary cap can stop.

The Dodgers very easily could have done nothing this winter. They won their second consecutive World Series in October, earning their players the right to challenge for a third. Their fans wouldn’t have minded this either, as Mookie and Freddie and Teo have become civic heroes who are on first-name bases with Los Angeles.

An unchanged roster would have presented risks, however. The Dodgers were second in the majors in runs scored last season, but their aging and injury-prone lineup made them susceptible to extended slumps. 

The downside of their dependency on old players was particularly obvious in the World Series. Looking gassed after their 18-inning victory in Game 3, they were crushed in each of the next two games.

The lineup was shaping up to be even older this year.

By the start of the next World Series, Freeman will be 37, Max Muncy 36, and Betts and Hernandez 34.

That doesn’t change.

But the addition of Tucker will improve the team’s roster balance, as he will join a group of players in the primes of their careers including Ohtani (31 years old), Will Smith (30) and Tommy Edman (29).

Tucker will celebrate his 29th birthday on Saturday.

The worst-case scenario for the Dodgers is that Tucker will be a vehicle that helps them extract the most out of Freeman’s and Betts’ post-prime years. In that case, he plays for them for a couple of seasons, voids the remainder of his four-year contract and returns to the free-agent market.

The more desirable outcome is for Tucker to become part of the lasting bridge that links Freeman’s and Betts’ generation of Dodgers to the one that comes next.

The reported opt-out provisions after the second and third years of the deal make Tucker a potential flight risk if he rebounds from two injury-riddled seasons and returns to being a 30-homer, 100-RBI player. If or when Tucker is in that position, the Dodgers should already know what they have in him, not just as a player but as a locker-room presence.

Provided the Dodgers view him as a worthy long-term investment, who would be the favorites to sign Tucker then? The guess here would be the Dodgers.

This winter has underscored how much Ohtani has changed their financial reality.

Ohtani proposed the Dodgers defer all but $2 million of his $70-million annual salary, saving them money in the short term and creating opportunities for them to generate additional revenue by investing the money owed to him. 

The structure of Ohtani’s contract has positioned the Dodgers to take calculated gambles no other team can take.

Reliever performance is notoriously unpredictable, but the Dodgers wagered $72 million last winter on Tanner Scott. The left-hander stunk in his first year with them, a development that would have financially hamstrung any other team. But the Dodgers responded by doubling down and staking another $69 million on Edwin Diaz.

Tucker was also no sure thing, as he was slowed by injuries in each of the last two years. The Dodgers didn’t want Tucker on a long-term deal but positioned themselves to strike if he was willing to settle for a shorter contract with a higher average annual value. That’s what happened. The Mets offered Tucker $220 million, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The Dodgers offered him $20 million more.

Teams heavily reliant on free-agent signings are in danger of crumbling inelegantly. When the cores of their rosters age, they are stuck with old and expensive players who are difficult to move, which impedes the rebuilding process.

The Dodgers don’t have to concern themselves with any of that. Ohtani has handed them a stack of blank checks, and they aren’t afraid to use them.

Once again, the Dodgers stunned the baseball world.

Once again, they spent big money to land one of the top players in the game.

On Thursday night, the team agreed to a four-year, $240 million blockbuster signing of outfielder Kyle Tucker, adding the four-time All-Star and consensus top free-agent hitter to their already star-studded roster and dynastic core.

The move sent shockwaves through New York (where the Mets saw their own $220 million offer for Tucker spurned), Toronto (where the Blue Jays had offered Tucker a longer-term alternative, to no avail) and much of the rest of the baseball world –– sending a resounding reminder that, even in the wake of back-to-back World Series titles, the Dodgers are showing no signs of complacency with a three-peat now in their sights.

A day later, here are four takeaways from Tucker’s stunning signing, and what it means for the two-time defending champion Dodgers entering 2026:

Dodgers are in their own financial universe

To a large extent, this has been clear for some time. Last year, the Dodgers set an MLB record with their $415 million payroll. Their $169 million luxury tax bill was larger than 12 teams’ entire payroll. 

The Tucker signing, however, was a financial flex of a different caliber.

It ensures the Dodgers will once again surpass $400 million in payroll, threatening to set an MLB record for a second-straight year. It now gives them the two highest annual salary earners in the sport, with Tucker’s $60 million AAV trailing only that of Ohtani. And it came in the kind of bidding war that, despite their interest in Tucker on a shorter-term deal, the Dodgers didn’t always seem likely to win.

After all, for as good as Tucker’s all-around skill set is, he ranks only 11th among hitters in fWAR since 2020 (his breakout MLB season). He has only one career top-five MVP finish, and has not garnered any votes for the award the last two years.

He’s a great player –– but not necessarily a transcendent one.

Which, for the Dodgers, usually tempers how much they’re willing to spend.

But now, with their seemingly endless financial resources and unquenchable thirst to keep stacking championships, the club is discarding old norms and shattering previous expectations. If there’s a hole to fill, and a superstar target open to a shorter-term deal that preserves the club’s long-term flexibility, it hardly seems like there’s any limit they’re not willing and able to exceed.

Their offense was a bigger concern than they let on

What Tucker will bring to the Dodgers is exactly what their potent, but inconsistent, offense will need.

All winter, the team had publicly voiced its confidence in the lineup it was bringing back, a group that scored the second-most runs in baseball last year despite some prolonged slumps. But behind the scenes, the desire to balance the group with a steady and impactful bat like Tucker’s ultimately carried the day.

In Tucker, the team landed one of the most disciplined hitters in the sport, a 28-year-old who has never recorded a 100-strikeout season and possesses some of the lowest chase and whiff rates in the majors. And even in what was a down season last year, Tucker’s .377 on-base percentage was still better than all but two qualified Dodgers hitters. Thus, he should help bolster a Dodgers’ lineup that had been too top-heavy, and too prone to swing-and-miss, at times last year. 

He should be the perfect antidote to their offensive issues in 2025, all while also addressing their last true roster hole in the outfield.

Tucker won’t have to be a leading star

For the notoriously laid-back and spotlight-wary Tucker, the Dodgers also offered a seemingly perfect fit for his easygoing personality.

On the field, he won’t need to carry his new club, likely to slot in behind Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith in the batting order. Off the field, he won’t have to be a franchise face, either, becoming just the latest big-name player to populate the team’s star-studded clubhouse.

Tucker’s impact could prove to be more profound, of course. He has the capability to be a 30-homer/30-steal player; to rank among the league leaders in everything from batting average, to OPS, to WAR; to be a legitimate MVP contender in his own right, elevating his game to a higher level.

But even if he doesn’t, his consistent production (he has recorded at least 4.2 WAR each of the last five years) is all the Dodgers really need, providing valuable insurance to an offense that could have been in danger of seeing some of its older stars suffer drop-offs over the next couple years.

The offseason is now done — largely

The Dodgers won’t have any big boxes left to check off their winter to-do list now. Short of the Tigers making Tarik Skubal more available for a trade, the team is likely done making major acquisitions.

However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be more transactions ahead.

It’s possible the Dodgers could look to trade a piece from their current roster, either to open space on the 40-man (where they still have a surplus of young pitching and left-handed bullpen depth) or offload some salary to account for Tucker’s massive payday (they held trade talks regarding Teoscar Hernández earlier this offseason, though previously downplayed the possibility of moving him).

They could still pursue more marginal touch-ups, too, having maintained interest in bringing back both utilityman Kiké Hernández and reliever Evan Phillips (who will likely both be out until somepoint later this summer recovering from injuries).

But now, the team has addressed its two biggest needs with two of the biggest signings of the winter, following up its surprise addition of closer Edwin Díaz last month with an even more eye-popping move Thursday that makes Tucker the final significant piece in its three-peat plans.

That sound you heard – besides the “cha-ching” of Kyle Tucker’s bank account – was owners across the league further digging their heels in for a lockout in 2027.

It is not Tucker’s fault, of course, or even the Dodgers’ fault for landing the top free agent hitter on the market with a wild four-year, $240 million contract on Thursday night.

But the latest splashy deal handed out by the back-to-back World Series champions will only intensify the calls for a salary cap, which is at the root of the expected labor battle that looms next winter with the current Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire in December.

The presumption around the league – even before Tucker agreed to the Dodgers deal – was that there would be a lockout next year, it was just a matter of how long it would last. Owners are expected to push for a salary cap while the union will argue vehemently against it, making for what might be a prolonged dispute that could potentially end up costing the league games.

With the addition of Tucker – whose contract comes with $30 million in deferred money, still giving him a record present-day average annual value of $57.1 million – the Dodgers now have a projected luxury tax payroll of $402.5 million for 2026, per Cot’s Contracts. That figure is more than the bottom-four teams combined in terms of luxury tax payroll, surpassing the sum of the Marlins ($79.3 million), Rays ($93.9M), Guardians ($103.5M) and White Sox ($105.1M).

The Dodgers’ payroll is also nearly $100 million above the highest luxury tax threshold for 2026 ($304 million), with the financial penalties associated with it doing little to deter their spending – which is why many owners will fight for a salary cap, as MLB is currently the only major sport without out one. Even Hal Steinbrenner, whose Yankees currently have a projected luxury tax payroll of $287.8 million, has said he would be in favor of a cap as long as it came with a salary floor.

Ironically, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts – who joked that his team was ruining baseball on the way to a second straight title last October – is actually also among those who would be in favor of a salary cap and floor, despite the institution of one theoretically taking away one of his club’s biggest strengths over the rest of the league.

“Honestly, I think that we have an organization that whatever rules or regulations, constructs are put in front of us, we’re going to dominate,” Roberts said at the winter meetings. “And so just give us the rules, let us know the landscape and then I’ll bet on our organization. So that’s kind of the way I feel.”

The Pittsburgh Pirates are counting down the days before Opening Day, when they will face off against the New York Mets at Citi Field.

However, the Pirates’ job to beat the Mets in the first game of the season may have gotten a little more challenging after the team signed Toronto Blue Jays star Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract.

“The Mets have agreed to a three-year, $126 million deal with infielder Bo Bichette, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Friday. The club has not confirmed. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported that the deal includes two opt-outs and is pending a physical,“ MLB.com contributor Manny Randhawa wrote.

“After trading for second baseman Marcus Semien in the offseason, the Mets plan on starting Bichette at third, according to MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi. The incumbent third baseman is Brett Baty, who delivered career highs in homers (18) and RBIs (50) in 130 games. Baty missed the last week of the regular season with a right oblique injury.“

Bichette won’t have things easier either because he will likely match up with Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes in his first game with the Mets. Skenes is coming off a Cy Young season and he still has the potential to get even better.

After large contracts were fleshed out to Bichette and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker, it’s beginning to feel a lot like baseball season.

BD community, what do you think of Bichette and the Mets? Chime off in the comments section below.

First the Mets pivoted, then the Phillies did.

The Phillies are re-signing veteran catcher JT Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million deal, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.

It comes after the Mets swooped in and signed Bo Bichette away from their division rival Friday.

The Phillies had been targeting Bichette, and according to USA Today were closing in on a seven-year, $200 million deal, before the Mets signed him for three years and $126 million.

The Mets had been trying to sign Kyle Tucker before the Dodgers inked him to a four-year, $240 million deal Thursday night.

For now, Philadelphia will settle for bringing back Realmuto’s steadying presence behind the plate.

Realmuto, who has been with the Phillies for the past seven seasons, hit .257 last year with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs in 134 games.

The Phillies have re-signed slugger Kyle Schwarber, signed outfielder Adolis Garcia and brought in versatile reliever Brad Keller so far this offseason.

They lost starter Ranger Suarez to the Red Sox.

The Phillies finished 96-66 last season, winning the NL East by 13 games over the Mets before going out in four games to the eventual champion Dodgers in the NLDS.

The long wintertime staring contest between J.T. Realmuto and the Philadelphia Phillies is finally over.

Realmuto, the three-time All-Star catcher and highly respected handler of the Phillies' pitching staff, agreed to terms on a three-year, $45 million contract Jan. 16, according to a person with direct knowledge of the agreement.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal, first reported by The Athletic, has not yet been finalized.

Realmuto turns 35 in March and while he has been worth between 2.5 and 6.5 WAR in the six full seasons since the Phillies acquired him in 2019, his advancing age gave the club some pause entering the offseason. Multiple reports indicated the club preferred a two-year term and while both desired a reunion, the team scheduled a Zoom meeting with free agent infielder Bo Bichette on Jan. 12.

Acquiring Bichette would have all but ensured Realmuto's exit, but Bichette reached agreement with the New York Metsearlier in the day, and Realmuto's agreement with the Phillies - which includes incentives worth up to $5 million per season - came together shortly thereafter.

Realmuto was acquired from Miami before the 2019 season and led the major leagues in games caught in 2022, 2023 and 2025. Despite that workload he has largely produced well above league average offensively, with his finest season coming in 2022, when he hit 22 homers with an .870 OPS and a 130 adjusted OPS.

But that mark dwindled to 91 this past season when he hit a career-low 12 homers in 133 games.

Contributing: Bob Nightengale

It's been a whirlwind 24 hours for the Mets after the first two-plus months of their offseason saw them say goodbye to a large chunk of the offensive core.

After a spirited effort to bring Kyle Tucker to New York, which came with a four-year offer for $220 million, Tucker chose the Dodgers over the Mets and Blue Jays on Thursday night.

Then came the Mets' response.

Early Friday afternoon, New York agreed to a three-year deal with Bo Bichette worth $126 million -- with the expectation that Bichette will play third base.

The deal has been met with mostly excitement, but also with some wondering how Bichette fits given David Stearns' emphasis on improving the club's run prevention.

While that question is fair, there are two things to point out.

First, run prevention is not just defense. It's also pitching. And most people seem to be focusing only on the defensive aspect. Of course, the Mets still need to add significantly to their starting rotation this offseason.

Second, while Bichette has rated poorly at shortstop when it comes to his range, he should be better suited for third base -- and should be helped additionally by the rangy Francisco Lindor being to his left. 

With Bichette now in tow, there are a number of ways the Mets can go with their infield alignment.

Let's break it down, in no particular order...

Brett Baty to first base

The possible alignment:

Brett Baty, 1B
Marcus Semien, 2B
Francisco Lindor, SS
Bo Bichette, 3B

With Bichette taking over at third base, sliding Baty to first could make sense.

In that scenario, Jorge Polanco would be the regular DH.

Aside from one inning in left field in 2023, Baty has spent his entire major league career on the dirt. And the fact that he transitioned well to second base duty last season suggests that it isn't crazy to ask him to pick up a first base glove.

There are a lot of intricate things to learn at first base that you don't have to learn at second base, though. So it's easier said than done.

But with months to prepare, it's fair to believe Baty would be able to handle it.

Jorge Polanco at first base

The possible alignment:

Jorge Polanco, 1B Marcus Semien, 2B Francisco Lindor, SS Bo Bichette, 3B

The plan after the Mets signed Polanco was for him to spend plenty of time at first base -- a position he hasn't yet played in the majors.

Polanco, a natural middle infielder, started getting acclimated to first base during workouts last season while still with the Mariners.

In this scenario, Baty and Mark Vientos could conceivably get at-bats at DH, with Baty getting additional time around the diamond.

Mark Vientos to first base

The possible alignment:

Mark Vientos, 1B Marcus Semien, 2B Francisco Lindor, SS Bo Bichette, 3B

The probability might not be high, but the Mets exploring the trade market for Baty -- especially if it helps them land a difference-making outfielder or starting pitcher -- shouldn't be ruled out.

In a world where Baty is dealt, it could open up first base for Vientos (with Polanco at DH). Vientos has gotten time at first each of the last three seasons.

Vientos has been a poor defender at third base, though, so it's fair to wonder how he'd look at first base in a regular role.

The makeshift 2021 Cubs, after a bad run for most of August, won 10 of 13 late that month and early September, then went on another long losing jag, losing 10 of 13 entering a doubleheader date with the Cardinals on Sept. 24.

In 2021, as was the case in 2020, doubleheader games were limited to seven innings (unless tied after seven). The Cubs dropped the first game 8-5 and in the second game, David Ross sent Zach Davies, Scott Effross, Rex Brothers, Trevor Megill and Adam Morgan to the mound and they got pounded for 16 hits and 12 runs in 6.2 innings. Ross had wanted Morgan to finish off the game, with the Cubs trailing 9-4 entering the seventh, but Morgan allowed four hits and three runs, including a pair of homers while recording only two outs.

After Paul Goldschmidt hit an RBI double off Morgan, Ross had seen enough and sent infielder Sergio Alcántara in to pitch to Tyler O’Neill.

Alcántara ran a 1-2 count on O’Neill, then got him to fly to right [VIDEO].

As noted in the clip, that pitch was thrown at 91 miles per hour. In fact, all these pitches look pretty decent:

Maybe the Cubs should have tried Alcántara as a pitcher. After he left the Cubs, he spent time with the Diamondbacks and Padres, and played one game for the Giants in 2025. He’s currently a free agent.

Note: Today is nomination day! Head to the comment section to nominate the next group of Giants prospects.

Spring Training is less than a month away, and the smell of baseball is almost in the air. To prepare ourselves, we’re continuing with the Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List, which will see us work together to rank the top 44 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization. And we almost have a top 30!

The last chapter was a very close one, and it narrowly featured a winner who we might see in the Major Leagues this year: right-handed reliever Trent Harris, who has been voted as the No. 29 prospect in the system. That’s a drop of nine spots for Harris, who was No. 20 a year ago, and that speaks more to the improved strength of the system than his talent.

2025 was a tale of two stories for Harris. It was just his second full season of Minor League Baseball, as he joined the organization in the summer of 2023 as an undrafted free agent (remarkably, the Giants have three UDFAs in their top 30). Harris, who is 6’2 and well built, began the year with AA Richmond, where he was utterly dynamic. He posted a 1.69 ERA and a 1.73 FIP in 13 relief appearances, while striking out 25 batters in just 16 innings … and only walking four. Everything was going brilliantly, and he received an early promotion to AAA Sacramento.

That’s where the struggles began, as they do for so many pitchers entering the Pacific Coast League. Harris struggled mightily out of the gates, and never really covered over his few months with the River Cats. In all, he made 30 appearances in AAA, and finished with a 5.44 ERA and a 4.69 FIP. The strikeout stuff came down dramatically (8.71 per nine innings), though he did a good job of limiting walks (3.27 per nine).

On a recent podcast with Roger Munter, Harris attributed some of his struggles to shelving his curveball — largely viewed as his best pitch — after it got shellacked in the early going by more advanced hitters. And indeed, the numbers bore that out: Harris’ most used pitch in AAA was his cutter, which he threw nearly half the time, with quite poor results: a .313 expected batting average, a .492 expected slugging percentage, and an 18.4% whiff rate. His curve (which he threw 16.4% of the time), despite those early struggles, had an xBA of .242, an xSLG of .392, and a whiff rate of 30.3%, while his sweeper, which he threw roughly a third of the time, carried a .216 xBA, a .288 xSLG, and a 33.0% whiff rate. He also has a splitter, which was statistically speaking his best pitch, though in part because he so rarely used it.

So it would seem that the goal for Harris would be to get his pitch mix sorted a little better … and perhaps he can turn to teammate Trevor McDonald for some inspiration and optimism. McDonald put up poor numbers in AAA last year, but with a defensive savant calling his games and a talented infield defense behind him, wowed during his 2025 MLB stint. That could help Harris, as could adding a little velo to his heater, which averaged just 94.1 mph in Sacramento.

Needless to say, 2026 will be a critical year for Harris, in part because he’s no spring chicken (by prospect standards, at least) — he turns 27 next week. He’ll certainly be a non-roster invitee when pitchers and catchers report to Scottsdale in mid-February, and don’t be surprised if he’s coming out of the bullpen and taking the ball from Tony Vitello at some point this year.

Now let’s add to the list, and don’t forget that it’s nomination day. Nominations and prospect voting both take place in the comment section now.

The list so far

1. Bryce Eldridge — 1B
2. Josuar González — SS
3. Jhonny Level — SS
4. Bo Davidson — CF
5. Dakota Jordan — CF
6. Luis Hernandez — SS
7. Gavin Kilen — SS
8. Carson Whisenhunt — LHP
9. Blade Tidwell — RHP
10. Keyner Martinez — RHP
11. Jacob Bresnahan — LHP
12. Trevor McDonald — RHP
13. Argenis Cayama — RHP
14. Luis De La Torre — LHP
15. Trevor Cohen — OF
16. Jesús Rodríguez — C
17. Parks Harber — OF/3B
18. Carlos Gutierrez — OF
19. Drew Cavanaugh — C
20. Daniel Susac — C
21. Gerelmi Maldonado — RHP
22. Josh Bostick — RHP
23. Lorenzo Meola — SS/2B
24. Will Bednar — RHP
25. Yunior Marte — RHP
26. Joe Whitman — LHP
27. Joel Peguero — RHP
28. Alberto Laroche — RHP
29. Trent Harris — RHP

Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.

No. 30 prospect nominees

Rayner Arias — 19.8-year old OF — .173 OPS/-42 wRC+ in Low-A (30 PA); .699 OPS/87 wRC+ in ACL (178 PA)

Carlos De La Rosa — 18.1-year old LHP — 4.73 ERA/2.30 FIP in DSL (32.1 IP)

Lisbel Diaz — 20.5-year old OF — .725 OPS/96 wRC+ in Low-A (561 PA)

Diego Velasquez — 22.3-year old 2B — .677 OPS/107 wRC+ in AA (566 PA)

Note: Each player’s first name links to their Baseball-Reference page, and their last name links to their Fangraphs page. All stats are from the 2025 season.

Major League Baseball's annual game of musical chairs was accompanied by a waltz-like soundtrack for two months - then somebody suddenly flipped it over to speed metal.

The wham-bang contract agreements forged by Kyle Tucker with the Los Angeles Dodgers and brand new New York Met Bo Bichette in the span of roughly 15 hours suddenly swept the board clean of franchise players younger than 30 - and curtailed the destinations of a few players still out there.

Bichette's three-year, $126 million agreement resets the perception of the offseason for multiple teams, players and fan bases. With that, let's take a look at the winners and losers from Bichette's Citi Field foray:

Winners

Bo Bichette

Nah, it wasn't the $300 million deal one might have envisioned for Bichette both earlier in his career and as he put together an outstanding platform season in lifting the Blue Jays to the AL East title. But lest we forget, Bichette produced a .225/.277.322 line over 81 games just one year ago, worth -0.1 WAR. He finished this regular season with an injured knee, but a gallant World Series return reminded the world how impactful a player he can be.

At second base. Yeah, Bichette had to swallow some pride and will now likely be a second or third baseman the rest of his career, his defensive metrics being what they are. Yet with all that, he will command a $42 million salary - and be able to opt out next winter, when he's just 28.

Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman showed how swimmingly that can work out. And Bichette is both younger and more positionally diverse than both of them. He may yet near a $300 million total guarantee once he signs his next deal.

New York Mets

Had 'em all the way, eh, David Stearns?

The Mets' unflappable president, empowered by bottomless-pocketed owner Steve Cohen's megabucks, nearly fumbled it all away this winter - letting Alonso walk without so much as a courtesy offer, declaring he'd pass on the elite starting pitching market, losing peerless closer Edwin Diaz by just a few bucks, the eh acquisitions of infielder Jorge Polanco, second baseman Marcus Semien and closer Devin Williams.

Bichette does not cure all. There's still a gaping hole in left field where Brandon Nimmo once stood, and there's tons of ambiguity surrounding how much trust and how many plate appearances the Mets will invest in several young players.

Still, Cody Bellinger remains on the market if they want to go big in left, and tweak the Yankees at the same time. Stearns' notion of going economy on the rotation looks wise - a glut of fairly trusty veteran starters remain on the market.

And Bichette's ability to "flat-out hit," as they say - he's twice led the AL in hits and is in the 86th percentile in K rate - will create a suffocating 1-2-3 atop the lineup with Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.

Still not ideal. But far from the cataclysmic winter hyperventilating Mets observers envisioned.

The AL East

Whew.

For a minute there, the Blue Jays and their Rogers Communications arsenal were starting to look like George Steinbrenner North. They struck quickly for ace Dylan Cease, and the notion of adding Tucker and retaining Bichette didn't seem so farfetched at the outset of the season.

Under those circumstances, would the Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles and Rays be playing for second? Not quite, eh, but it would have been far less optimal.

Yet 2026 will bring no Tucker and no Bichette to the Blue Jays - or anyone else in the AL. The competitive balance of both division and league suddenly got a lot flatter.

J.T. Realmuto

The venerable Phillies catcher had been locked in a staring contest with his club, which just so happened to schedule a Zoom call with Bichette four days ago. Signing Bichette would have required moving several pieces around - and moving on from Realmuto.

Yet just hours after Bichette's Mets agreement, team and club found common ground on a three-year, $45 million deal, ensuring their ironman backstop who turns 35 in March is back in the fold.

Previous Winner

Ty Johnson, RHP
24 | 6’6” | 205
AA | 2.61 ERA, 2.33 FIP, 110.1 IP (26 G, 20 GS), 34.7% K, 8.8% BB

A dip-and-drive pitcher with a quick arm action and a limited arsenal with a flat plane have given Johnson a reliever projection most of his minor league career, but his success speaks for itself. Johnson has a fastball that continues to be difficult for batters to see. It sits around 94 as a starter and can ramp up to 98, but talking about the fastball buries the lede. Johnson’s slider passed the test of Double-A in part because he was able to throw it fast and slow to keep hitters off balance. Accordingly, he hasn’t really needed a third pitch just yet, but there’s a change up in development for problematic lefties.

Ty Johnson is the first significant variation from the national lists, who appears destined for a 20-30 range ranking at other sites. Our commentariat believes in the results, though, and has vaulted him into the Top-5. Daniel Pierce was a close second with 8 votes, while Jadher Areinamo, Anderson Brito, Slater de Brun, Michael Forret, and TJ Nichols all got votes. Up next we add a personal favorite, Brendan Summerhill.

Candidates

Jadher Areinamo, INF
22 | R/R | 5’8” | 160
A+ (MIL) | .255/.316/.397 (126 wRC+) 415 PA, 11 HR, 15 SB, 8.2% BB, 11.6% K
AA (TB) | .255/.316/.697 (111 wRC+) 159 PA, 4 HR, 6 SB, 7.5% BB, 11.9% K
VEN | .364/.420/.692 162 PA, 13 HR, 5 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.3% K

Acquired in return for Danny Jansen at the 2025 trade deadline, Arienamo was promoted straight to Double-A by the Rays, and his success at that level carried over into the Venezuealan winter league, where his 1.112 OPS and 13 HR were each the second highest marks in the league. He’s considered to have a high baseball IQ, strong motor, excellent bat control, and defensive flexibility, any one of which could earn him an entertaining major league debut.

Caden Bodine, C
22 | S/R| 5’10” | 200
A (BAL) | .326/.408/.349 (133 wRC+) 49 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 8 K

Drafted 30th overall in 2025, Bodine was acquired in the Shane Baz trade. He profiles as a relatively safe prospect thanks to near-70 grade bat-to-ball skills, and comfortably-plus blocking and receiving behind the plate. There is some concern that his smaller frame limits him to fringe power, but those concerns are off-set by solid plate discipline from both sides of the plate; his sweeter swing is left handed. All catching prospects will see their value proposition shift with the challenge system, but his defensive actions, leadership, and receiving give him real value, projecting him as a solid major league contributor.

Anderson Brito, RHP
21 | 5’10” | 155
A+ (HOU) | 3.28 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 49.1 IP (12 GS), 31.1% K, 13.4% BB

Acquired in the Brandon Lowe trade, Brito has three plus pitches with a fastball that touches 100 with cut-ride, and two breakers in a mid-80s curveball with surprising depth and a mid-80s slider he commands best. He also mixes in a developing low-90s cutter and a scattershot but intriguing mid-80s changeup with strong velocity and movement separation, with some added deception from his smaller frame helping limit hard contact. The concern is control, as he’s posted below-average strike rates in A-ball across 2024–25 and lacks consistent feel outside the slider, leaving him to project as a slightly wild, high-leverage reliever for now. Still, with multiple plus pitches, improved durability, and meaningful command gains, he has mid-rotation starter upside, giving him possibly the widest range of outcomes on this list.

Slater de Brun, OF
18 | L/L | 5’10” | 187

Drafted 37th overall in 2025, through a draft pick traded by the Rays, de Brun was essentially re-acquired in the Shane Baz trade. Like many Rays outfield prospects he’s not expected to develop much power, but compensates with an ability to hit to all fields, and has the benefit of years to develop. His hit tool rates plus thanks to a quick, compact swing, and his double-plus speed elevates both his baserunning and range in center; he has a solid arm and can stick long term. The key to his development will be improving pitch selection to maximize his power potential. Despite not yet playing in a pro game, he’s a good bet to skip the complex league and debut in Charleston this season.

Michael Forret, RHP
22 | 6’3” | 190
A+ (BAL) | 1.51 ERA, 2.45 FIP, 59.2 IP (16 G, 15 GS), 33.5% K, 7.5% BB
AA (BAL) | 1.88 ERA, 2.03 FIP, 14.1 IP (3 GS), 15 K, 3 BB

A product of the State College of Florida Manatee – Sarasota (formerly Manatee Junior College), Forret was a well above slot ($450k) 14th round draft choice in 2023 and arrives via the Shane Baz trade. Despite missing some time to a back injury in 2025, his array of fastballs and breaking balls already look major league ready. He seems adept at trying new things, as he picked up a whiff-worthy kick change in 2024, and is already tinkering with a Rays-like sweeper, both through his offseason program at Tread Athletics. He has a low release point (below 6 feet) but a rising fastball, and has — to quote Eric Longenhagen — “sensational feel.” He pitches with efficiency and variety, and could climb the ladder quickly in 2026.

Xavier Isaac, 1B
22 | L/L | 6’3” | 240
AA | .201/.366/.446 (144 wRC+) 175 PA, 9 HR, 1 SB, 19.4% BB, 29.7% K

Isaac had his season cut short large-in-part due to the discovery of a brain tumor, disrupting an otherwise great start to the season that duplicated his cup of coffee in Double-A as a 20-year old, despite some minor arm injuries along the way. He has the best power projection in the system, and if he can hold his own for a full season in 2026 — particularly against southpaws, which is somewhat of a concern — the former first round pick (29th overall, 2021) could see his status restored near the top of the Rays prospect rankings.

TJ Nichols, RHP
24 | 6’5” | 190
A+ | 3.63 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 96.2 IP (19 G, 18 GS), 30.4% K, 5.4% BB
AA | 0.97 ERA, 2.27 FIP, 37.0 IP (6 GS), 28.0% K, 6.8% BB

A sixth rounder from 2023, Nichols entered the Rays organization with low mileage and control issues, a match made in development heaven. Fast forward to 2025, and his 68% strike percentage ranked 10th best among all minor league pitchers with 100 innings, according to Baseball America. His breaking ball is a big fish in a little pond thanks to its two-plane movement. By my eye, he has a mid-90’s dead zone-ish fastball with easy, over the top heat, and a classic but inconsistent change up. Despite all his gains in control it’s his command that might hold him back, but he fills the zone and might be able to eat innings, which is enough for a back end starter floor. If you’re buying stock, he’s Kimberly-Clark.

Daniel Pierce, SS
19 | R/R | 6’0” | 185

The 14th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Pierce is a preternatural defender at short stop, with a top flight glove that could rival any player in the organization. Early reports say he’s already started building muscle as a professional, which is helpful for his projection on offense. His hit tool carries, with a swing similar to Bobby Witt Jr. — out of the draft he received comps of a “faster Dansby Swanson.” A coach’s son, he has the good face, and should get the starting role in the Holy City and have plenty of time to develop into or above his projection of an above average regular.

Santiago Suarez, RHP
21 | 6’2” | ?
A+ | 2.88 ERA, 2.07 FIP, 40.2 IP (10 GS), 26.9% K, 3.6% BB
AAA | 5 ER (9 H, 2 BB, 3 HR) 11.0 IP (2 GS), 9 K

Suarez climbed the ladder to Triple-A to finish a short season, as some triceps/shoulder issues hampered his 2025, but when called upon this Venezuelan strike-thrower has earned the trust of his managers to go out there and pitch. He has two plus fastballs, with easy heat but average ride on the 4-seam, and a hard cutter with tight bite. His only complimentary pitch thus far is a 12-6 curve, which makes it a fairly vertical arsenal. He gets good extension, although I’d be remiss to not mention the double pump in his plant leg that on first glance looks like noise, but has led to evident repeatability. What Suarez boasts in control he might lack in command. Right now it’s a supinator’s profile with an average arm slot. To progress he either needs to add some east-west depth to his arsenal (à la Chris Bassitt), or find ways to unlock the spin rates a touch more (Shane Baz). I’d expect him to slot into Montgomery’s rotation as one of the younger starters for his level.

Brendan Summerhill, OF
22 | L/R | 6’3” | 200
A | .333/.429/.444 (160 wRC+) 42 PA, 0 HR, 5 SB, 14.3% BB, 11.9% K

Following an All-Star performance at the Cape Cod summer league, Summerhill exhibited some of the best bat-to-ball skills in NCAA as a junior at Arizona. His draft stock took a minor hit due to injury (broken hand from from punching a cooler), and was drafted 42nd overall ($2m signing bonus), but Summerhill rebounded well with a dominant stop at Charleston to finish the year. Summerhill has plus barrel control, allowing for a high-contact approach for his long swing. He has plus speed as well, which provides a chance to stick in center. Evaluators would like to see more power to complete a five-tool profile. If he does in his first professional season, it’s an above average contributor’s projection.