Category: Baseball

Dec. 16, 12:16 p.m.

The Mets are "very in" on Cody Bellinger, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

In addition to the Mets, Bellinger has also been heavily linked to the Yankees.

Most projections have Bellinger getting a deal for five or six years.

For the Mets, Bellinger could fit in left field, center field, or at first base -- where the newly-acquired Jorge Polanco could be in the mix. 

Bellinger had a strong season for the Yanks in 2025, slashing .272/.334/.480 with 28 homers, 25 doubles, 98 RBI, and 89 runs scored in 152 games.

His defense is viewed as above average in left field -- something that would be welcomed following the trade of Brandon Nimmo, whose defense had been regressing. 

Dec. 14, 10:25 a.m.

Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras has been a hot name in Mets rumors of late, but it sounds like the club's interest in Contreras may not have been as strong as previously thought. 

According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, while the Mets did in fact inquire about the catcher-turned-first-baseman, "their interest was secondary," with the Jorge Polanco signing reinforcing that point. 

The expectation for the Mets is that Polanco will get most of his at-bats as a first baseman or as a DH, though he has the ability to play every position along the infield. With Polanco's versatile background, the Mets could still look to add a full-time first baseman.

Dec. 12, 3:19 p.m.

The Red Sox, who recently missed out on both Kyle Schwarber in Pete Alonso, have interest in Mets trade target Willson Contreras, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive.

Per Cotillo, the Sox also remain interested in free agent Alex Bregman as well as potential trades for Ketel Marte and Isaac Paredes. 

Contreras, who is entering his age-34 season, has two years and $36.5 million remaining on his contract -- plus a club option for 2028. 

He was a plus offensive player (123 OPS+) and above average defender at first base (90th percentile, 6 OAA) in 2025. So he certainly fits the mold of what David Stearns is looking for.

As far as what the rebuilding Cardinals would want, it's fair to believe that they would be seeking a controllable big league player and/or prospects.

Dec. 11, 9:21 p.m.

The Mets have inquired about Chicago White Sox centerfielder Luis Robert Jr. this offseason, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

However, a deal for Robert to join New York would require sending prospects to Chicago and for the Mets to surrender prospects, they want money in return to offset Robert's $20 million salary, per Heyman. 

That could pose a problem, as White Sox owner, Jerry Reinsdorf isn't seen as a likely candidate to send money to Steve Cohen and the Mets.

After this season, Robert has a club option for the 2027 season worth $20 million before he becomes a free agent. 

The 28-year-old finished the 2025 season with a .223/.297/.364 slash line with 14 home runs and 53 RBI in 110 games. He also added a career-high 33 steals in 41 attempts.

After a phenomenal 2023 season in which he had a .857 OPS and a career-high 38 home runs in 145 games, Robert has had back-to-back underwhelming seasons. Still, in his career, he owns a .259/.313/.455 slash line and is an above-average defender in center, a position of need for New York.

Dec. 10, 3:37 p.m.

The Mets are interested in a reunion with free agent right-hander Tyler Rogers, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

Rogers, 34, performed well for New York late last season after being acquired from the Giants via trade.

In 27.1 innings over 28 games, Rogers had a 2.30 ERA (3.32 FIP) and 1.09 WHIP.

Over seven big league seasons, Rogers -- whose funky delivery throws hitters off -- has a 2.76 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 420 games.

Dec. 10, 8:24 a.m.

After losing Edwin Diaz to the Dodgers, the Mets remain in need of a reliever who can pitch in the late innings.

To that end, they are one of the "most aggressive suitors" for hard-throwing free agent right-hander Robert Suarez, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, who notes that the Blue Jays and Braves are also after Suarez.

Per Feinsand, Suarez's market started to heat up after Diaz signed with Los Angeles.

Suarez, who is entering his age-35 season, seems likely to receive a two-or three-year deal.

He had a terrific season in 2025 for San Diego, posting a 2.97 ERA and 0.90 WHIP while striking out 75 batters in 69.2 innings. 

An All-Star the last two years, Suarez's 40 saves led the National League last season.

Dec. 9, 8:55 p.m.

The Miami Marlins are "progressing" in their efforts to find a trade partner for right-hander Edward Cabrera, The Athletic's Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, the Marlins are talking with the Baltimore Orioles and other clubs.

Cabrera, who turns 28 in April, pitched to a 3.53 ERA and 1.228 WHIP with 150 strikeouts and 48 walks in 137.2 innings over 26 starts last year. He has a career 4.07 ERA over 89 outings (87 starts) after breaking into the league during the 2021 season. 

The big selling point for the Mets and other interested clubs: He is under team control for three more seasons and is expected to earn a modest salary for the 2026 campaign. That means, of course, that Miami's asking price is likely going to be so high that a trade may not come to fruition.

Dec. 8, 8:45 p.m.

As the Mets and Yankees continue to look to revamp their bullpen this offseason, they've both called the Brewers about reliever Trevor Megill, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post.

Megill, of course, is the older brother of Mets starter Tylor Megill.

The 32-year-old would be a tremendous boost at the backend for either club, as he has developed into one of the top relievers in baseball over the past few seasons. 

Megill missed time to injury last year, but pitched to a stellar 2.49 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while locking down 30 saves.

Dec. 8, 6:55 p.m.

While baseball's movers and shakers spend a few days in Orlando at the MLB Winter Meetings, the Mets were still taking meetings with people in absentia. 

The New York Post's Joel Sherman reported that the club held a "video meeting" with free-agent starter Michael King. 

Sherman added that the Mets were not the only team the right-hander spoke with, but the meeting with the representatives from Queens exemplifies a level of seriousness between the parties."

King, 30, enters the market after two seasons in San Diego. After a stellar 2024 campaign, last season was marked by two stints on the injured list and some solid pitching when healthy: a 3.44 ERA and 1.200 WHIP across 73.1 innings and 15 starts. King also struck out 76 batters to 26 walks, good for 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Dec. 8, 8:51 a.m.

The Mets are "reluctant to hand out long-term offers" to the top free agent starting pitchers left on the market, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic. 

The consensus top starting pitcher remaining is Framber Valdez, who is entering his age-32 season. 

Other free agent starters include Michael King, Ranger Suarez, Zac Gallen, and Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai.

Imai, whom the Mets have been connected to, is 27 years old, putting him in a different tier than the other available free agents. 

King is coming off an injury-riddled season and seems unlikely to get a long-term deal.

As far as Suarez, his fastball velocity has been steadily declining the last three seasons, making him a risky proposition.

If the Mets don't add a potential impact starter via free agency, they could turn to a trade market that might include Freddy Peralta, Tarik Skubal, and Edward Cabrera. 

Dec. 5, 5:57 p.m.

The Marlins are reportedly in the market to trade one of their starting pitchers.

Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report that there's a "strong possibility" the Marlins end up moving one of their starters, and that Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera continue to attract "serious attention" from other teams. 

While the report doesn't name teams, the Mets are obviously in the market for front-line starting pitching and have the major league ready arms and bats to facilitate a potential deal with Miami. Cabrera has three years of club control remaining, while Alcantara has a club option (worth $21 million) for 2027. 

The Athletic also reports that young lefty Ryan Weathers has received interest from multiple teams. Weathers, 25, was having a breakout year in 2025 before he missed most of the year with a lat strain. He returned in September and finished with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP across eight starts. The report adds that the Marlins are at least listening in on each of their starters not named Eury Perez.

Dec. 5, 3:10 p.m.

It appears you can scratch three potential Mets trade targets off the board. 

The Twins don’t anticipate trading star CF Byron Buxton, ace Joe Ryan, or right-hander Pablo Lopez this offseason, according to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. 

Minnesota intends to hang on to and build around all three, as club officials believe that the team is talented enough to compete in the weak American League Central.

Ryan is someone whom the Mets have shown interest in, according to Jon Heyman of the NY Post, and Minnesota is said to like young right-hander Jonah Tong. 

Rosenthal indicated that the rebuilding Twins would obviously listen if teams continue calling about the trio, however, they'd likely have to be overwhelmed to accept a deal. 

Dec. 5, 11:33 a.m.

The Mets are among the teams "in the mix" for free agent left-hander Ranger Suarez, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

Feinsand lists the Astros, Cubs, and Orioles as the "most serious" threats to sign Suarez. 

Suarez has been one of the most reliable and effective pitchers in baseball over the last five seasons, posting a 3.25 ERA (3.44 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP in 694.1 innings over 143 games (116 starts).

For the Phillies this past season, he had a 3.20 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while tossing 157.1 innings across 26 starts.

Dec. 1, 7:05 p.m.

Tatsuya Imai, the 27-year-old Japanese right-hander, has reportedly lost at least one potential suitor.

The San Francisco Giants "do not anticipate making the nine-figure investment" required to sign the free-agent pitcher, according to a report Monday from The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly. 

The NL West club, which made big-money commitments to shortstop Willy Adames last year and took on the big contract of Rafael Devers in a June trade, is going to pass over getting involved in the market for big-money starters because of a "number of financial considerations" as they look at more "modestly priced alternatives," Baggarly reported.

Imai, who was posted by his club (the Seibu Lions) in November, is seen as perhaps having the highest ceiling of the free-agent starters on the market. However, despite his fine season last year (1.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with 178 strikeouts in 163.2 innings over 24 starts), he isn't seen as the same kind of can't-miss prospect as Yoshinobu Yamamoto was a few years back.

SNY's MLB Insider Andy Martino reported on Nov. 10 that the Mets "will be in on" the starter, but did not expect it to be a "full-tilt pursuit" as was the case with Yamamoto. 

"Why? Evaluators like Imai but suggest that he is no sure thing to succeed as an MLB starter. His mid-to-high ‘90s fastball might or might not play here; industry opinion on that is mixed," Martino wrote at the time. "Imai is an interesting option and should prompt conversations with any club in search of pitching, the Mets included."

Nov. 30, 2:44 p.m.

Kodai Senga, who has had his name come up in trade talks this offseason, has recently informed the Mets that he would prefer to stay with the ballclub, according to a report Sunday from The Athletic's Will Sammon.

Earlier in November, SNY's MLB Insider Andy Martino said there was "interest" in the right-hander "around the league right now because of his upside and because of what we've seen when he's at his best." 

"There's certainly a rational line of thinking that would point to a change of scenery after the last two years being the best for player and team," Martino said on Mets Hot Stove on Nov. 19. "It is not a definite he's going to be traded, but there's going to be so many moving parts coming into the Mets' rotation, they hope and they plan, that Kodai Senga leaving could be a part of the overall overhaul, and I don't think there's going to be a problem finding a trade."

Senga is coming off an uneven season with the Mets, pitching to a 1.39 ERA in his first 14 outings over 77.2 innings, with 74 strikeouts to 33 walks, only to post a 6.56 ERA in his next eight outings over 35.2 innings with 35 strikeouts to 22 walks. That second-half swoon, which came after missing time with a hamstring strain, saw him demoted to Triple-A for the season's final weeks.

Nov. 29, 11:30 p.m.

The Phillies certainly would love to retain Kyle Schwarber in free agency this offseason; however, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com the two sides are currently not close on a deal. 

Unsurprisingly, Zolecki notes that Schwarber's agents are looking to capitalize on his stellar campaign in which he only finished behind Shohei Ohtani in NL MVP voting. 

The expectation is that the 32-year-old will ultimately land back in the City of Brotherly Love, but we'll see how things play out. 

The Pirates, Reds, and Red Sox are among the teams that have reportedly shown interest in Schwarber. 

Nov. 29, 3:30 p.m.

Former Mets reliever Ryan Helsley and the Baltimore Orioles are in agreement on a two-year contract, pending a physical, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal has an opt-out after the first season.

Helsley will be the Orioles' ninth-inning option despite the right-hander fielding interest from numerous teams this offseason to be converted into a starter.

After six and a half seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, the 31-year-old was traded to New York at last season's trade deadline to help fortify the Mets' bullpen. A closer for the Cards who got to New York with a 3.00 ERA and 21 saves, Helsley was slotted as the Mets' setup man in front of Edwin Diaz.

However, his time in New York did not go well, pitching to a 7.20 ERA in 22 games and ultimately losing the eighth-inning job.

Still, in 297 career games, Helsley owns a 2.96 ERA and 105 saves.

Nov. 26, 7:45 p.m.

While the Mets look to re-sign Edwin Diaz this winter, the team is reportedly checking in on other back-end bullpen pieces.

According to the NY Post, the Mets have talked with representatives for Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks.

Suarez, of course, was the Padres' closer the last two seasons, including a 40-save effort in 2025. He's a back-to-back All-Star and pitched to a 2.97 ERA across 70 appearances this past season.

Fairbanks pitched to a 2.83 ERA and converted 27 saves in 61 games with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025.

Nov. 26, 6:25 p.m.

The Mets have one less potential starting pitching target on the board after Dylan Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to multiple reports.

Cease is coming off a relatively down year, pitching to an 8-12 record and a 4.55 ERA across 32 starts. His strikeout rate was still very high (11.5) but the right-hander will look to help Toronto get back to the World Series.

As for the Mets, there are still plenty of free agent and trade targets for the team to target. While Framber Valdez doesn't seem to be on their radar, Michael King, Ranger Suarez and Japanese star Tatsuya Imai are still available. 

Nov. 20, 5:53 p.m.

While the Mets are undoubtedly looking to rebuild their starting rotation, it doesn't seem like free agent Framber Valdez is near the top of their wish list.

Appearing on Wednesday's Mets Hot Stove, SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino reported that the Mets were not among the teams that met with the southpaw at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas.

Martino notes that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns prefers to develop his own ace-level pitchers in-house and does not typically spend huge money for top-of-the-rotation starters, though Stearns could be flexible on that point. At 32, Valdez is likely looking for a lucrative multiyear contract.

Valdez is a two-time All-Star with the Astros and has pitched to a career 3.36 ERA, but he also seemed to intentionally cross up his catcher in September to hit him with a pitch, which raised some red flags.

While the Mets are expected to be aggressive in their pursuit of starting pitching this offseason, one of their current rotation arms is already receiving some outside interest.

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, right-hander Kodai Senga is considered a buy-low trade target among some teams, although it's unclear if the Mets are legitimately open to moving him. 

The report also notes that Senga's contract no longer includes a full no-trade clause -- he can now block deals to only 10 clubs.

The 2025 season was a confounding tale of two halves for Senga, who resembled an ace for the Mets through June and ultimately lost a big-league roster spot by September. In between his peaks and valleys was a summer hamstring injury that required rehab starts and caused mechanical headaches. 

Still, he posted a solid 3.02 ERA with 109 strikeouts across 22 outings (113.1 innings).

There's reason to believe that Senga can re-channel that Cy Young-caliber version of himself, and his contract is by no means an albatross to the reported suitors. The 32-year-old is set to make just $28 million combined over the next two seasons, with a club option for 2028.

Since joining the majors from Japan in 2023, Senga owns a career 3.00 ERA with 209 strikeouts over 52 starts (285 innings). He also placed top 10 in NL Cy Young voting as a Rookie of the Year runner-up.

LAS VEGAS — If you are a Mets fan, wherever you stand on the notion of a new contract for Pete Alonso, you almost certainly find yourself wondering if the Polar Bear has indeed played his final home game in Queens.

Guess what? You have company.

Here are two other parties who have no idea how this will play out: The team and the player.

In the early days of the offseason, a perception has seemed to congeal that Alonso is a goner, and that Mets president of baseball operation David Stearns does not want him.

The former is inaccurate because it is way premature. The latter is inaccurate because … well, it just is.

There seems to be, among many fans, a perception of Stearns as a cold technocrat who can’t understand the emotional connection fans feel toward a player. That is not true. This same supposed technocrat spent his childhood sneaking a radio into his bed to listen to Gary Cohen and Bob Murphy on school nights.

In terms of attachment to the Mets, Stearns is one of you. And like you, he knows Alonso delivered an outstanding offensive season in 2025, and a subpar defensive campaign. Unlike you, Stearns’ job — an element of his dream job, by the way —  is to decide how many years and dollars that is worth to the franchise, and to avoid a contract that will end up hurting the team he loves.

Another oft-repeated inaccuracy is that Stearns did not want to sign Alonso last winter, and that Steve Cohen did. My information was always that the two were aligned on wanting the player but fearing the downside of a long commitment.

They were both happy to have Alonso on team in 2025 — which, in fairness, he almost certainly would not have been had any other club offered a four- or five-year contract. Alonso re-signed with the Mets on a two-year deal that included an inevitable opt-out after year one.

My hunch is that both Stearns and Cohen would be happy to welcome Alonso back in 2026, albeit with a significant increase in at-bats as designated hitter. They like the person and the ballplayer.

The complications begin when we talk about the term. It’s hard to imagine an increased willingness to offer Alonso four or five years, now that he is 12 months older.

But it’s also hard — no, it’s impossible — to predict how Alonso’s second shot at free agency will proceed. And therefore it is simply too early to say with any confidence or accuracy that a Boston or a Tampa Bay or whoever else will offer five years, and that Alonso will leave town.

Interest in Imai, but how much?

The Mets will be in on free agent pitcher Tatsuya Imai, whose NPB team, the Seibu Lions, will post this offseason. But I don’t expect the team to mount a Yoshinobu Yamamoto-style, full-tilt pursuit.

Why? Evaluators like Imai but suggest that he is no sure thing to succeed as an MLB starter. His mid-to-high ‘90s fastball might or might not play here; industry opinion on that is mixed.

Imai is an interesting option and should prompt conversations with any club in search of pitching, the Mets included. But the early word at the GM Meetings is that he will not captivate the industry on quite the same level that Yamamoto did two winters ago, when he spurned the Mets and Yankees to sign a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers.

The New York Rangers have had an incredibly strange start to the season. 

They're excellent on the road, with a 7-1-1 record and a league-low 1.89 goals against per game away from home. Yet, they have struggled immensely at home, with a 0-6-1 record at Madison Square Garden so far this season. They have also been shut out in five of their seven home games, which is historically bad.

If the Rangers continue to struggle, GM Chris Drury could very well look to shake up the roster again. Over the past year, he's traded away Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider, K'Andre Miller and Filip Chytil while bringing in J.T. Miller.

If Drury does decide to make moves, these three Rangers should be watched very closely as trade candidates. 

Artemi Panarin, LW

We start with someone the Rangers almost certainly don't want to lose but may be better off trading if a certain situation arises.

Panarin, a 34-year-old star left winger, is a pending UFA, and the team is in no rush to get into more serious contract negotiations with the player, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

Panarin has had a tough start to the season by his standards, posting three goals and 10 points in 16 games. Yet, he undoubtedly has the potential to bounce back, as he produced over a point per game in each of the last eight seasons.

Ultimately, if the Rangers are out of a playoff spot and Panarin still does not have a contract extension as the trade deadline approaches, the Rangers may have no choice but to deal him.

At a cap hit of about $11.64 million, contenders that accrue cap space up to the trade deadline could have enough space to acquire him. Otherwise, they'll have to offer the Rangers even more to have them retain cap space.

He's only been traded once in his 11-year NHL career, when the Chicago Blackhawks moved him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in June 2017. Panarin ended up posting 82 points in 81 games in 2017-18.

Carson Soucy, D 

Soucy will be another pending UFA to watch if the Rangers end up being sellers this season. He's finishing a three-year contract worth $3.25 million annually.

It is no secret that contenders love to add defensemen with size at the deadline, so the 6-foot-4 Soucy has the potential to generate some interest.

Soucy would be a good addition for a playoff team seeking to bolster its defensive depth. The 2013 fifth-round pick would probably work best in a bottom-pairing role on a contender, but he can also move up to the top four if needed.

In 12 games so far this season with the Rangers, Soucy has posted one goal, one assist, 13 blocks, 15 hits and a plus-1 rating.

When Is The Right Time For Chris Drury To Shake Up The New York Rangers Roster?Disappointing losses are continuing to mount for the New York Rangers. Is a blockbuster Artemi Panarin trade the only solution to shake up a struggling Blueshirts team?

Brennan Othmann, LW

Othmann has been the subject of trade rumors early this season, so he is certainly a player to keep an eye on as the campaign continues.

The 2021 first-round pick has had trouble finding his fit with the Rangers and could be a nice trade chip for them to dangle to improve their roster elsewhere. 

Othmann has spent most of this season with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, where he has recorded two assists in six games. He has also played in one game for the Rangers this season, where he had one shot and a minus-1 rating on Oct. 26 against the Calgary Flames. 

While Othmann has yet to cement himself as a full-time NHL player, there undoubtedly could be some interest in the intriguing prospect. He is a former first-rounder and still just 22 years old, after all.

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The Mets added some depth on Monday, signing INF/OF Jose Rojas to a minor league contract, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. 

Rojas, who turns 33 this offseason, has played in 83 big league games with the Los Angeles Angles. In 61 games in 2021, Rojas had a .676 OPS with six home runs, 15 RBI, 14 doubles, and 26 runs scored.

He played 22 games in the majors in 2022 for the Angels, and has bounced around a bit since then, including a stint with the Doosan Bears of the KBO in 2023. 

Rojas also spent a couple of stints in the Yankees’ minor league system, including this past season, when he slashed .287/.379/.599 with 32 home runs and 105 RBI in 124 games. 

Rojas has eclipsed the 20 home run mark four times in the minor leagues and has 145 career minor league round-trippers.

Athletics star first baseman Nick Kurtz wins 2025 AL Rookie of the Year Award originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Take a bow, Big Amish.

Star Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz won the 2025 AL Rookie of the Year award in a unanimous decision, MLB announced Monday.

Kurtz, the ninth Rookie of the Year in Athletics franchise history and first since pitcher Andrew Bailey in 2009, beat out his A’s teammate, shortstop Jacob Wilson, and Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony for the award.

Kurtz, whom the Athletics selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, absolutely raked over his first 117 big-league games after being the sixth-fastest player to reach the majors in franchise history following his promotion from Triple-A Las Vegas on April 23.

The Lancaster, Pennsylvania native and Wake Forest product led all rookies with 36 home runs, 86 RBI and a 5.4 WAR while slashing .290/.383/.619 with a 1.002 OPS and 63 walks. Kurtz, too, led all first basemen in OPS while joining Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge as the lone players with at least 400 plate appearances to finish with an OPS over 1.000.

Kurtz hit several monster homers this year, including a 493-foot grand slam and some walk-offs. But the performance that solidified the 22-year-old’s rookie-of-the-year status came on July 25 in the A’s 15-3 win over the Houston Astros at Dalkin Park.

Then, he became the first rookie to hit four homers in one game en route to finishing with 19 total bases, eight RBI and six hits.

The only true competition Kurtz faced for AL Rookie of the Year was, ironically, his own A’s teammate: shortstop Jacob Wilson.

Wilson led all rookies with 174 hits and slashed .301/.348/.424 over 153 games. He tied with Bo Bichette for MLB’s second-best batting average in baseball behind Judge (.331). 

Kurtz, meanwhile, earned other rookie-of-the-year nods from Baseball America and The Sporting News. He also earned the AL Silver Slugger Award for his position and was named the AL’s “Most Outstanding Rookie” by the MLB Players Association.

But the actual AL Rookie of the Year award? That is the formal bow on Kurtz’s stellar introduction to the majors.

‘Some in the industry' expect Giants as Max Scherzer's free agency destination originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There is one MLB free agent that has strong ties to the Giants, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if he landed in San Francisco this winter.

Veteran starting pitcher Max Scherzer will become a free agent after his one season with the Toronto Blue Jays, and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported in his latest column that some anticipate the 41-year-old signing with San Francisco.

“Some in the industry expect Scherzer to land with the San Francisco Giants, reuniting with new manager Tony Vitello, his pitching coach at Missouri in the mid-2000s,” Rosenthal wrote. “A return to Toronto also might be an option. Scherzer, like virtually all of the Blue Jays, speaks with great fondness about the unique bonds the players and their families forged last season.”

In 17 starts for the American League pennant-winning Blue Jays, Scherzer posted a 5.19 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 23 walks in 85 innings pitched. The three-time Cy Young Award winner then played a key role in Toronto’s rotation throughout the MLB playoffs, posting a 3.77 ERA in 14 1/3 innings pitched.

Scherzer, similar to fellow future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander, who the Giants signed to a one-year contract last offseason, likely will command another one-year deal this winter.

If the Giants once again are looking to add another veteran presence to their rotation, perhaps Scherzer makes the most sense.

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Signing Bo Bichette as a pricey free agent doesn’t exactly jibe with David Stearns’ run prevention vision for the Mets' offseason. But adding the elite hitter to play second base certainly would enhance the club’s run production – wait until you see Bichette’s numbers with runners in scoring position – and jolt the core, if such a thing is top of mind in Queens. 

So should the Mets look at bringing in Bichette, who turns just 28 in March, as a big-splash move? Or are there too many complications in what already needs to be a hyper-busy winter?

After all, there is much pitching work to be done, both in the rotation and the depleted bullpen, as well as finding more offense, figuring out center field, and retaining (or not) Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz. 

Let’s look at the pros and cons of signing Bichette…

PROS

Plain and simple, Bichette, who has spent his entire career with the Blue Jays, is a hitter. His .294 career average is fifth among active players and he batted .311 in 2025, second in the AL to Aaron Judge. He was one of only seven qualified MLB hitters to bat .300 or better. Bichette played in 139 games and had 181 hits, which was also second in the league. He’s led the AL in hits twice and finished in the top six in batting three times. 

He’s got extra-base pop, too – he had 44 doubles (second in the AL) and 18 homers last season and has hit as many as 29 home runs in a season. 

Bichette also appears to be evolving as a hitter, trimming his strikeout rate while increasing his walk rate. He had a down year in 2024, but got his strikeout rate down to 19 percent, at the time the lowest of his career. As he soared in 2025, he got his K-rate to 14.5 percent, by far the best of his career and well below the MLB average of 22.2 percent.

He’s below-average at walking, but his 6.4 percent rate in 2025 was the best of his career. 

Whatever you believe about the clutch gene, Bichette seems to have it. Had Game 7 of the World Series ended differently, they’d be writing songs in Canada about Bichette’s early three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani. 

In 2025, Bichette led all qualified MLB hitters in average with runners in scoring position (.381) and had a 1.053 OPS in those situations, which was third-best. Lifetime, Bichette has batted .330 with a .904 OPS -- a long track record of production. 

For all the handwringing last year over the Mets and RISP, they batted .260 (eighth in MLB) with an .805 OPS (third). Adding Bichette, obviously, would figure to be a boost in that department, as well as the offense overall.

Bichette was on a two-month heater when he hurt his knee in September, which kept him out of the postseason until the Fall Classic. He was hobbled in the World Series, but still produced, going 8-for-23 (.348) with six RBI. Give him points for clutch, give him points for grit.

He also showed a willingness to switch positions. With Andrés Giménez starting at shortstop, the only defensive position Bichette has ever played in the majors, Bichette played second base five times. He looked comfortable there, perhaps foreshadowing his next role.

CONS

Is second base really a need for the Mets? They seem to have plenty of options, including Jeff McNeil, who had 79 appearances there last season. Luisangel Acuña, Ronny Mauricio, and Brett Baty could figure into the position as well. Plus, one of the Mets’ best prospects, infielder Jett Williams, would fit nicely there, too.

Signing Bichette likely blocks the advancement of those players. But who knows what chain reactions could follow, should the Mets add Bichette.

If the Mets do want to change their core and they signed Bichette, they could move McNeil in a trade. But they could also switch up the core by letting Alonso depart as a free agent, which, theoretically, would also help run prevention, assuming their new first baseman is a better defender than Alonso.

Bichette got the $22.025 million qualifying offer from Toronto, which he is sure to reject, meaning the Mets would lose their second-and fifth-highest selections in the 2026 MLB Draft if they sign him (or another player who rejects the QO). Bichette has also said he wants to remain in Toronto and, while that could be the typical free agent-speak, he and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. --two homegrown stars taking another run at a World Series title -- is a narrative with a nice, ahem, ring to it, no?

Then there’s the cost. Bichette should get a big contract and the Mets have to spend first on pitching, don’t they? MLB Trade Rumors estimated Bichette would get $208 million over eight years, and ESPN predicted a five-year, $130-million deal. Both would be for $26 million per year.

VERDICT

Signing Bichette would be a bold stroke of roster construction by the Mets and also trigger other moves that would significantly reshape the team. That could be just what the Mets need after the crushing disappointment of the 2025 season.

Bichette’s mega-hits profile would add significant depth to a lineup that sometimes struggled beyond the "Fab Four" last year. That sounds pretty appealing, too.

Maybe it’s just fun to think about. But it’d be fun to see if the Mets could make it jell with run prevention.

Add another intriguing name to the list of high-end starting pitchers who will be available this offseason as the Mets seek to fortify their rotation.

Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai, 27, will be posted by the Seibu Lions, and his posting paves the way for him to ink a deal with an MLB club in December.

Imai is coming off a huge season for the Lions.

In 163.2 innings over 24 starts, the right-hander had a 1.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP while allowing just 101 hits and striking out 178 -- a strikeout rate of 9.8 per nine.

Over eight seasons pitching for Nippon Professional Baseball, Imai has a 3.15 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. But he has reached another level over the last four seasons, posting earned run averages of 2.04, 2.45, 2.34, and 1.92.

Imai's stuff is considered plus. It includes a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can reach 99 mph. He also has a splitter, slider, and cutter. 

While he isn't viewed by evaluators as the kind of can't-miss ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto has become since making the transition from Japan to the majors, Imai is nevertheless expected to get a relatively massive payday. 

While the Mets have the prospect quality and depth to secure a top-of-the-rotation starter this offseason via trade, it's possible they'll also look to the free agent market for impact.

Imai will be the crown jewel when it comes to pitchers coming from Japan. As far as the MLB free agents, they include Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, Ranger Suarez, and Michael King. 

Of those four pitchers, Cease -- a 29-year-old with swing-and-miss stuff who eats innings -- could be the best fit. 

As New York decides which way to go this offseason as the rotation is bolstered, it's fair to believe they have three pitchers penciled into their rotation at the moment -- Sean Manaea, Nolan McLean, and Clay Holmes. 

Other options include Kodai Senga (who could be a trade candidate), David Peterson (entering his final season of arbitration), Brandon Sproat, and Jonah Tong.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman will head to the annual MLB GM Meetings, taking place in Las Vegas this week and speak to reporters for the first time since New York was ousted in the ALDS by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Many could see the 2025 season as a failure for the Yanks, after making it to the World Series a year prior, so Cashman and his front office will have plenty of questions to answer about how he plans to get New York its first championship since 2009. 

It won't be easy, of course, as the Blue Jays and other American League upstarts like the Red Sox and Mariners are waiting to take their shots this offseason and in 2026.

Don't expect Cashman to lay his cards on the table at the GM Meetings. But we can glean something from when he speaks, whether it's about the needs of the team or where current players are on the depth chart.

Here are five questions Cashman should be asked this week...

Has his stance on Anthony Volpe changed?

One of the many questions Cashman received during his end-of-season news conference was about shortstop Volpe. 

The third-year infielder had a difficult 2025, which -- whether manager Aaron Boone admits it or not -- was impacted by his injured shoulder. Volpe has since undergone surgery and will look to man the shortstop position when he returns sometime during the season. However, is Volpe's role as the starting shortstop in hand? 

Cashman didn't commit to the shortstop position back in October, but he said he believes in Volpe and that there is still growing to do.

“I believe in the player, still. I think we believe in the player,” Cashman said. “It doesn’t mean that we don’t play with, on any level, all aspects of roster assessments. He’s 24 years old. I don’t think New York’s stage is too big for him, I just think he’s still finding his way. The age is something that there’s a lot of value to reminding yourself about.”

Jose Caballero is on the roster and probably has an inside track to break camp as the starting shortstop, but there are some intriguing options like Bo Bichette available. 

Is there interest in extending Jazz Chisholm Jr.?

Cashman has had some great trade deadline deals the last few seasons, and the addition of Chisholm in 2024 helped the team make it to the World Series. In Chisholm's first full season in pinstripes, he was even better, having arguably his best offensive season en route to an All-Star selection and a Silver Slugger. 

But does that mean Cashman has the stomach to have extension talks with his infielder?

Chisholm will enter the final year of his contract in 2026, but an extension could buy out his final year of arbitration and keep the 27-year-old in the Bronx for a long time. 

Cashman, however, is not one to give out extensions. But he should be asked if Chisholm is an exception, especially after the production he's provided and how selfless he's been, playing third base whenever asked.

What's the plan for the outfield?

Aaron Judge is the only name Boone can write in as a starting outfielder next season. Cody Bellinger opted out of his contract and will explore free agency, and Trent Grisham's contract also expired -- though the Yankees extended him the qualifying offer. 

Cashman needs to fill out left field and center field, so what is his plan for them this offseason? The qualifying offer shows the Yanks are willing to bring Grisham back, but it doesn't guarantee his return. And then, how hard are they going to try and re-sign Bellinger? The former NL MVP had a great first season in the Bronx and said he'd welcome a return.

There's also the bevy of free agent outfielders, like Kyle Tucker, who are available. We don't expect Cashman to give away which of the outfielders he wants the most, but perhaps a hint of where he's leaning could be gleaned.

Where do Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones fit?

Speaking of the outfield, the Yankees have two youngsters who could fill one -- or both? -- spots to start the 2026 season. Dominguez made the team out of spring training in 2025, but the young switch-hitter had growing pains at the plate and in the outfield. Once a highly-touted prospect, Dominguez's first full season in the bigs did not go the way the team had hoped.

It also didn't help that Grisham simply outplayed the youngster, taking away precious at-bats while New York was in the midst of maintaining a playoff spot. 

Cashman should be asked if Dominguez is a part of their plans and whether he has the stomach to deal him. 

And then there's Jones. The young slugger burst out in the minors last season, going on a power tear through Double-A and Triple-A. Cashman said that Jones "put himself in the conversation" of making the Opening Day roster, but how true is that? Also, is Jones a trade candidate if the outfield spots are filled up with external signings?

This could be the best time to trade Jones, whose stock has never been higher. 

Do the Yankees have enough pitching to withstand injuries?

The Yanks will be without Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt and Carlos Rodon to start the 2026 season. While the team has viable arms, do they have enough to get through a 162-game season?

Max Fried will anchor a starting rotation that will likely include Luis Gil, Will Warren, and Cam Schlittler. That's a lot of question marks that need to be answered. 

The Yankees can sign a free agent starter like Dylan Cease, Michael King or Zac Gallen to help their bludgeoned rotation, which would possibly clear the way for them to trade some of their young arms. 

Cashman is always candid when it comes to pitching, in that he can never have enough of it. Perhaps that's the case this offseason, and Cashman should answer that.

With the annual MLB GM Meetings taking place in Las Vegas this week, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns will be speaking to reporters for the first time since New York's end-of-season news conference.

Back then, Stearns was blunt about how the Mets handled their in-season pitching woes (he said they should've done more) and repeatedly stressed the need for the club to improve its run prevention.

Stearns obviously won't lay out an exact blueprint regarding what the team plans to do this offseason, but his availabilities are generally candid and forthcoming, which makes his upcoming comments at the GM Meetings something to keep an eye on.

Here are five questions Stearns should be asked as things start to percolate...

Has there been contact with Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz?

Alonso and Diaz opted out of their contracts last week. And with free agency now open, they can sign with any team. In the case of Diaz, the Mets extended a qualifying offer that he will almost certainly reject. 

The negotiation with Alonso last offseason was drawn out and didn't end until early February, when he agreed to a two-year deal worth $54 million that contained an opt-out after the first year of the deal.

It can be argued that Alonso is the best fit for New York's opening at first base and that the Mets are the best fit for Alonso. But with one report saying his early asking price could be seven years, it's fair to wonder how long the Mets might let this play out before going in a different direction.

First base options on the free agent market include Cody Bellinger, Josh Naylor, and Japanese stars Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto. 

When it comes to Diaz, who opted out of the final two years and roughly $40 million on his deal, it's possible he can be brought back by in effect tacking two years onto that contract at a similar average annual value.

With the Mets not having an in-house closer option, bringing Diaz back makes all the sense in the world. 

What is the team's appetite for trading top prospects?

In Stearns' first year at the helm, which began during the 2023-24 offseason, he made it clear that the Mets trading any of their most prized prospects at that point was unlikely.

Last offseason, Stearns' public comments regarding his comfortability with dealing top prospects softened -- which made sense since the team was coming off a trip to the NLCS and had World Series expectations.

As this offseason unfolds, with New York possibly engaging teams on potential trades for a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, the question surrounding the future of top prospects such as Brandon Sproat, Jett Williams, and Jonah Tong could grow louder.

In a scenario where the Tigers seriously explore dealing Tarik Skubal, the Mets would have to give up a package of prospects it hurts badly to part with. Are they prepared to do it?

Is the third base job open?

After struggling while getting sporadic playing time over his first two full seasons in the majors, Brett Baty got a long look at third base this past season. And he excelled.

In 432 plate appearances over 130 games, Baty slashed .254/.313/.435 with 18 home runs, 13 doubles, and two triples.

Meanwhile, his defense was smooth and above average, with him in the 69th percentile in OAA.

If Mark Vientos remains with the Mets for 2026, it's safe to believe he would be viewed as mainly a designated hitter option. That would seemingly leave Baty as the starter at the hot corner. But are the Mets prepared to hand him the job?

Stearns spoke a bit during his end-of-season news conference about the possibility that the offensive core could be shaken up. If Alonso leaves, perhaps that shakeup comes at first base. If Alonso stays, the easiest way to jolt the offensive core could be by making a big addition at either second base (Bo Bichette?) or third base.

When it comes to third, free agent Alex Bregman could be a nice fit, with him able to bring a plus bat, plus defense, and leadership.

What's the plan in center field?

The Mets had serious issues in center last season.

Jose Siri suffered an early injury that kept him out for most of the year (and was DFA'd shortly after returning), Tyrone Taylor was strong defensively but had the worst offensive year of his career (70 OPS+), and trade deadline acquisition Cedric Mullins hit .182 with an OPS+ of 62.

Taylor is arbitration-eligible in 2026 and slated to make roughly $3.6 million, so it's safe to think he'll be back. But he's better suited as a backup.

If the Mets view Carson Benge or Williams -- who both ended the 2025 season with Triple-A Syracuse -- as the future in center, it's possible that future will arrive at some point during the first half of the 2026 season.

If the Mets decide to go the free agent route for a short-term answer, options they could explore include Harrison Bader.

Will the Mets consider free agents who have qualifying offers attached?

As a team that exceeded the luxury tax in 2025, the Mets' penalty for signing a player attached to the QO would be relatively severe, with them losing their second- and fifth-highest picks in the 2026 MLB Draft as well as $1 million from their international bonus pool.

Bichette, Dylan Cease, Kyle Schwarber, Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, and Ranger Suarez were all tagged with -- and will reject -- the QO.

Of those players, the ones who make the most sense for the Mets are arguably Cease, Bichette, and Schwarber.

And it's hard to make a case against the Mets chasing any of those players, even with the associated penalties.

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Giants officially hire Bruce Bochy as special advisor to baseball operations originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants brought in their second manager this offseason.

San Francisco officially named former manager Bruce Bochy a special advisor to the baseball operations department, the team announced in a statement on Monday. Bochy will perform duties on both the baseball and business side.

“Having Boch back in the organization means a great deal to all of us,” Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey wrote in the statement. “His experience, leadership, and feel for the game are unmatched, and his perspective will be invaluable as we continue building towards sustained success.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to reconnect with the Giants organization and so many familiar faces,” Bochy added. “This organization and city mean a lot to me and my family, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute in any way I can.”

Bochy managed the Giants for 13 seasons from 2007-2019, winning three World Series championships in 2010, 2012 and 2014 before retiring after the 2019 MLB season.

He then served as a special advisor for the Giants from 2020-2022 before coming out of retirement to serve as the Texas Rangers’ manager, where he won his fourth championship in 2023.

Bochy and the Rangers mutually agreed to part ways shortly after the 2025 season, and while there was brief speculation about him potentially returning to manage the Giants in 2026 after the team fired Bob Melvin, Posey made it clear the team would not go in that direction.

However, Bochy will return to the organization in a different role, and could serve as an important advisor for first-time MLB manager Tony Vitello.

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For the past four months, as Major League Baseball carried its momentum from an exciting second half into a wildly entertaining and invigorating postseason, a dark cloud has hung over the league in the form of a sports betting investigation that featured a host of troubling unknowns. Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers — Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase — had been placed on administrative leave in July as the league investigated unusual gambling activity concentrated on individual pitches thrown by Ortiz and Clase, and the harrowing possibility that the pitchers were directly connected to wagers placed on the outcome of said pitches.

Once the initial shock of the pitchers’ respective removals from Cleveland’s roster passed during the summer, the story faded somewhat into the background as an ominous to-be-determined outcome, with outside observers left to wildly speculate about the best- and worst-case scenarios for what exactly had transpired. The league’s investigation unfolded behind the scenes with minimal substantive updates provided along the way beyond the repeated extensions of each pitcher’s leave.

Finally, a clearer picture of the situation has been revealed via federal indictment from the Department of Justice offering a detailed and troubling account of Clase and Ortiz’s alleged misdeeds. The 23-page document describes a picture of events that closely resembles what was presumed by many based on the initial round of reporting regarding what exactly was being investigated: That, according to federal authorities, on multiple occasions, Clase and Ortiz were throwing certain pitches nowhere near the strike zone with the express purpose of ensuring bettors — individuals with whom they had direct connections with — win wagers predicated on the pitches being balls, not strikes. 

“MLB contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process," MLB said in a statement on Sunday in response to the DOJ’s charges. "We are aware of the indictment and today's arrest [of Ortiz], and our investigation is ongoing.”

In addition to the basic premise of the alleged scheme, several other key takeaways can be gathered from the details within the indictment, beginning with the timeline of events itself. Upon the initial round of reporting regarding Clase and Ortiz, the focus seemed to be on a series of suspicious pitches thrown during the 2025 season. But the indictment describes three instances of bettors winning large sums of money by wagering on pitches thrown by Clase all the way back in May and June of 2023, with over $100,000 won on just those three pitches alone. 

Diamond Images via Getty Images

Why exactly Clase did not resume such alleged activity again — or at least, to our current knowledge — until April of 2025 is one of the biggest unknowns left looming as the story continues to unfold. But the fact the investigation uncovered these three examples from two seasons ago — long before Clase was even teammates with Ortiz — highlights that Clase, not Ortiz, was the individual most frequently and explicitly involved in carrying out the alleged improper actions on the mound. This is a crucial distinction considering it was Ortiz who was first placed on the restricted list in early July, suggesting he was the main character in the investigation until Clase joined him on administrative leave later that month. But there are direct references to eight instances of Clase throwing balls on purpose compared to just two from Ortiz, which did not occur until after Clase had seemingly successfully executed the scheme on several occasions over multiple seasons, according to the indictment.

It appears, however, based on the timing, that Ortiz’s two offerings in question — which both took place in June, and resulted in over $60,000 in winnings for the group of connected bettors — raised the requisite suspicion to warrant the investigation in the first place, which ballooned into something bigger.

In total, the bettors allegedly won over $450,000 from these wagers. The indictment details several instances in which a portion of the winnings were transferred to the pitchers’ associates in their home country of the Dominican Republic, although it remains unclear exactly how much of the winnings ended up with the pitchers relative to the individuals placing the bets.

What is clear in the report that features multiple examples of Clase communicating and interacting directly with bettors — including, shockingly, during the very games in which he was engaging in the illicit activity and by obtaining tickets for one of the bettors to attend said games in Cleveland — is that Clase was the driving force behind this alleged scheme. This is a stunningly poor reflection of character for a pitcher who already had one major misstep earlier in his career when he was suspended 80 games in 2020 for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug. Clase had seemingly righted the ship since establishing himself in the majors in 2021, signing a $20 million extension in 2022 and blossoming into one of the most dominant relievers we’ve ever seen. Clase did not seem to be in the kind of position to need to turn to illegal affairs to find some extra fast cash, and yet it was him who allegedly engaged in this gambling scheme for an extended stretch before Ortiz, a far less established, notably less compensated pitcher who had far more to lose, “joined the criminal scheme,” according to the indictment.  

It is this apparent context that could help Ortiz as he begins to battle these charges in court after being arrested Sunday, and his lawyer has already released a strongly-worded statement defending his client and declaring the indictment as insufficient in proving Ortiz’s knowing involvement. Clase, meanwhile, is reportedly not currently in custody, at least for now, but will certainly have a lot of explaining to do once he is detained.

Lachlan Cunningham via Getty Images

On the surface, it’s an understandable instinct to lump this latest piece of bad news as merely the latest chapter in an ever-expanding trend, as the proliferation of legalized sports betting and the increased ease of access to online sports wagering has unsurprisingly opened the door for a new era of scandals across various professional sports. But while two of baseball’s most infamous storylines involved gambling — from the crooked White Sox in the 1919 World Series to an all-time great player in Pete Rose betting on his own team while managing the Reds in the 1980s — it is not a category of scandal that had resurfaced much at all in the sport until recently. The hallowed and repeatedly reinforced Rule 21 — which threatens permanent ineligibility for any player, umpire, league or club official involved in any form of wagering on baseball — had long held up as a sufficient scare tactic. 

But as legalized betting — and as the ways to wager on baseball have expanded exponentially in the form of “prop bets” to allow for wagers on hyperspecific events within a game beyond strictly its final outcome — has entered the mainstream, a wave of gambling-related scandals have surrounded MLB to various degrees in recent years. 

This alleged nefarious activity involving Clase and Ortiz, however, achieves an entirely new level of alarming. Other than featuring “MLB” and “gambling” in the headlines, this latest explosive addition to the genre should not be held as remotely equal to the other recent betting-adjacent scandals in and around baseball. This is not Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stealing and losing millions of dollars gambling illegally on a litany of sports that didn’t even include baseball, according to prosecutors. This is not umpire Pat Hoberg naively sharing a gambling account with a friend who was placing bets on baseball. This is not a group of minor-leaguers placing small wagers on major-league games from a distance, or even Tucupita Marcano betting on games involving his team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he was on the major-league injured list.

All of these instances are disturbing and problematic in their own right, and featured varying degrees of league and legal punishment as a result. But what has allegedly taken place with Clase and Ortiz is infinitely worse. It is two individuals choosing to blatantly alter the specific outcome within a game with the express purpose of cashing in themselves, in turn completely disregarding the premise of fair and honest competition. It is an explicit and brazen attack on the integrity of the sport as we know it, which at its core, is what Rule 21 intends to uphold first and foremost.

It is this unfortunate reality — the worst-case scenario that what is happening on the field could be directly influenced by outside gambling activity — that MLB must grapple with moving forward, even once its internal investigation into Ortiz and Clase concludes. Having embraced various gambling companies as sponsors and welcomed a wave of advertising on broadcasts promoting in-game betting, the league is already fully engaged in the challenge of overcoming the optics of a drastic uptick in betting-related content coinciding with the rise in these betting-related scandals. But far more important than how any of it looks is finding a way to rebuild a more concrete boundary between betting activity and those who make up the sport itself is paramount as the league progresses into an era where gambling is unlikely to suddenly become any less prevalent.