Category: Baseball

Speaking to reporters via Zoom following the Mets' franchise-altering trade of Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien, president of baseball operationsDavid Stearns discussed what could be next.

After thanking Nimmo for all he did in his 15 years in the organization, Stearns first talked about what the deal could mean for the outfield in 2026.

"We think this opens up possibilities and flexibility for us going forward -- both from a near-term perspective and also allowing space for a number of very young outfielders who are coming, who are talented, and will deserve spots at the major league level," Stearns said. "And to play at the major league level. And this transaction also provides room for that to happen as we move forward."

While Juan Soto is entrenched in right field, left field and center field are wide open.

New York recently avoided arbitration with Tyrone Taylor, who will be back next season. And while it's possible Taylor begins the year as the regular center fielder, it's also possible top prospect Carson Benge claims that job. Or that an external option (or two) is added.

Stearns also mentioned Jeff McNeil as someone who could be a contributor in the outfield in 2026, but seemed to be discussing it as more of a part-time thing.

"I think it would be too early for me to really determine how our outfield alignment is gonna shape up," Stearns added. "Clearly we've got Juan. Tyrone Taylor's back with us, we're very excited. We've got a number of young outfielders, including Carson Benge, who we think are gonna contribute at the major league level over the course of next year. 

"As I mentioned, we think Jeff is a contributor at the major league level in the outfield next year. Jett Williams has seen some outfield time, and we believe can play well there. And we've seen that in the minor leagues. And then there is the opportunity for external acquisitions, and we've got a lot of offseason left to continue to be active in a variety of spaces to bring players in here. And I think we'll have a better feel for what all of that looks like as we get much farther into the winter and ultimately into the spring."

Regarding Williams and other second base options currently on the team, Stearns said he didn't believe the Semien acquisition blocks their development, explaining that all of those players offer positional versatility.

Stearns also touched on the futures of free agents Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz, reiterating that he would "love" for both of them to be back. And while he declined to discuss specifics when it comes to any negotiations the club is having with either player, Stearns was clear about New York's ability and willingness to spend what it takes this offseason. 

Asked whether retaining both Alonso and Diaz and adding a "top flight" outfielder was possible, Stearns noted:

"I think our ownership group and Steve [Cohen] is very consistent that they're willing to support what we think is right from a baseball perspective. Payroll space is not unending, but I'm also very confident that we're gonna have the support we need and certainly the resources we need to put a very good team on the field."

Pressed further on the potential that the Mets could sign Alonso, Diaz, and add a "top flight" outfielder, Stearns said yes.

"Sure. I think anything would be realistic right now."

Legendary graffiti artist Daniel "Chaka" Ramos once claimed he had tagged more than 40,000 locations around Los Angeles.

He can now add seven more. And unlike decades ago — when Ramos had to sneak around in darkness to spray-paint his nickname in large, block letters all over the city and surrounding areas — this time it was fully permissible.

Earlier this month, Nike recruited Ramos to add his signature style to seven murals celebrating the Dodgers' back-to-back World Series titles, which the team clinched Nov. 1 with a dramatic Game 7 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Ramos, an L.A. native and Dodgers fan, was more than happy to participate, adding his name and slogans crafted by Nike to each piece. He told The Times in an email that it was his "first major project with a corporate giant like Nike."

"They’re one of the most prolific creative forces in the world, and collaborating with them was a milestone for me," the 53-year-old artist said. "The rush of graffiti can’t really be compared to commissioned or gallery work, but this experience came close."

The Nike murals, which are scheduled to remain up through Nov. 30, are among the pieces included in a new and quickly expanding online map detailing the locations of Dodgers murals in and around L.A. The map was created by and is curated by Mike Asner, the mastermind behind a similar website that documents the locations of hundreds of Kobe and Gianna Bryant murals around the world.

Asner already has a full-time job as a marketing director in sports and entertainment, as well as maintaining the Bryant mural site. Still, the morning after the Dodgers clinched their second straight championship, Asner knew it was time to get to start tracking more murals.

Read more:North Hollywood mural lauds Dodgers' Kiké Hernández 'for standing up for what is right'

“I think the reception from the fans and the artists I got to know from the Kobe mural project was very positive," Asner, who also has an Instagram page highlighting Dodgers murals, said. "And the main thing I realized was it was helping people and providing a service to them and making things easier. ... After the Dodgers won back-to-back championships, we started to see murals going up immediately, so I felt it would be the right thing to do again.”

The map currently includes 54 murals, located as far north as Van Nuys and all the way down to Lake Elsinore. One of the standouts for Asner is a sprawling painting by artist Royyal Dog in the Florence-Graham neighborhood in South Los Angeles (2619 Firestone Blvd.). It features portraits of many all-time Dodgers greats, including Tommy Lasorda, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani.

Another of his favorites is one by artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr. on the Eat Fantastic building in Redondo Beach (701 N. Pacific Coast Highway). A tribute to the 2024 World Series championship, the mural features Betts, Freeman and Ohtani but is highlighted by a larger-than-life image of Lakers legend Bryant wearing a basketball jersey with Dodgers colors and lettering.

Read more:'We wanted to throw a twist on it': Why an iconic Kobe Bryant image was altered for a Dodger-themed mural

The Nike-Chaka collaborations represent some of the newer artwork documented on Asner's map. A Nike spokesperson said the idea was to give Ramos approved spaces in local neighborhoods to express the pride that Dodgers fans are feeling after back-to-back championships.

Two of the murals were painted directly on the walls by L.A.-based artists, with Ramos adding the slogans and his tag afterward. Artist Swank One painted the one at 2844 1st St. in Boyle Heights. It features relief pitcher Roki Sasaki and Smith embracing after the Dodgers clinched the National League pennant, with the slogan "On the Double."

Artists Enkone and Keorock painted at 4560 Whittier Blvd. in East L.A. The mural features pitcher Blake Snell, whose postseason included a one-hit, eighth-inning gem in Game 1 of the NLCS, with the slogan "Twice as Nice." That mural has since been removed.

For four of the others, Nike licensed game photos from Getty Images, overlaid tag designs from Ramos and then had the images blown up and printed as murals.

Those include "Twice in a Blue Moon" in Silverlake (at Hollywood Boulevard and Hillhurst Avenue), featuring Max Muncy and Hyesong Kim; "Repeat Heroes" in Echo Park (at West Temple Street and North Boylston Street), featuring Smith and Sasaki; "Turn Two, Earn Two" in Echo Park (atSunset Boulevard and Marion Avenue), featuring Muncy; and "Dodgers Rule" — a play on Ramos' longtime slogan "Chaka Rules" — in Westlake/Echo Park (at Beverly Boulevard and Commonwealth Avenue), featuring Sasaki.

The last mural features a photo of Yamamoto letting out a roar. The photo was blown up several stories high and installed several stories higher in downtown L.A. at 213 S. Broadway. Ramos then boarded a suspended scaffold and was lifted high above his hometown, where he spent four to five hours adding his tag and the slogan "Back 2 Back."

It may not have been as daring as some of the stunts he pulled in the past, but Ramos definitely felt the rush.

"I’ve done graffiti at daredevil heights without a harness before, but nothing at this scale. This time I actually had to gear up with a harness — haha," he wrote. "It was intense, but a lot of fun."

Read more:Here are 11 Fernando Valenzuela murals to visit in L.A.: 'He did so much for the Mexican community'

The Nike-Chaka murals will be coming down soon, but Asner says he's excited to see what other new creations might fill out the map in the aftermath of the latest championship run.

"We're gonna see really amazing artwork going up, and we're gonna see artwork of Dodgers that haven't necessarily been on murals. like Will Smith and Yoshinobu Yamamoto," Asner said. "There's a lot of really big stars from this series that deserve to get credit for their amazing job. ...

“You know, Ohtani was incredible, obviously, Friedman was incredible. But there were a lot of big players that stepped up — Miggy Rojas, right? Huge, huge reason they won. So it's gonna be great to see what these artists do, and I'm looking forward to seeing it myself.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Will Phils finally land a star from Asia this winter? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies have long been as aggressive as anyone in baseball when it comes to free agency.

The same hasn’t been true on the international side, though. Their history with signing top talent out of Asia has been almost non-existent, and it hasn’t been for a lack of effort.

“Sometimes there’s a little bit more of an obstacle we’re facing,” Dave Dombrowski told The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Scott Lauber recently. “Maybe [Philly] is not the No. 1 place, first and foremost. But you don’t give in to that. You try to create an atmosphere that people want to join, and you’re hopeful that at some time it works out for you.”

This offseason might finally present that opportunity. Unlike recent winters, the combination of posted players from Japan’s NPB, Korea’s KBO and Taiwan’s CPBL aligns directly with several needs up and down the Phillies’ roster.

An instant match is corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto of the Yomiuri Giants. Before injuries interrupted his 2025 season, the 29-year-old logged seven straight years with a .250 or better average, 27+ homers, 80+ RBIs, 240+ total bases and an OPS of .805 or higher.

His offensive profile in NPB mirrors what Seiya Suzuki brought from Japan — and the Cubs outfielder has produced an .818 OPS with 87 home runs across his first four MLB seasons.

Okamoto would provide the right-handed power presence the Phillies have lacked the last two years and give Bryce Harper consistent protection in the middle of the order.

MLB Trade Rumors projected a four-year, $64 million deal — a range the Phillies can operate in, whether that means missing out on the Kyle Schwarber sweepstakes or moving Alec Bohm via trade.

The pitching side is less certain. The team isn’t expected to pursue high-end starters, but Ranger Suárez’s expected departure and uncertainty around Zack Wheeler’s recovery leave room for rotation upgrades.

The most coveted starter available is right-hander Tatsuya Imai. He debuted back in 2017 and has made his mark with the Seibu Lions of the NPB. Over his last four seasons, he averaged a 2.19 ERA, and this past year was his best.

In 2025, he posted a 1.92 ERA and a league-best 0.89 WHIP across 163 2/3 innings, allowing only 101 hits and 45 walks.

A contract in the $20 million AAV range over five or six years is expected for the 27-year-old — whose fastball nears triple digits — which may exceed what the Phillies are willing to do.

A more realistic target is in Taiwan. Wei Chuan Dragons right-hander Jo Hsi Hsu was posted Sunday, and Yahoo Sports Taiwan linked the Phillies to the 25-year-old as early as April.

Hsu just put together his best full season — a 2.05 ERA and 0.81 WHIP over 19 starts in 2025.

FanGraphs evaluators Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan noted a late-season dip in velocity that could point to a bullpen future in the MLB, and it is not yet certain whether Hsu will choose a major-league deal or sign in Japan. But the Phillies’ interest predates his posting — and the cost would be nowhere near Imai’s.

If the Phillies don’t go the international route to add pitching, they could enhance their depth offensively. Left-handed hitting is not an organizational priority, but two KBO standouts fit the profile of affordable upside.

Samsung slugger Lewin Díaz just authored one of the greatest offensive seasons in league history: a .314 average, 50 home runs and 158 RBIs — capturing the KBO Triple Crown while setting league records for a foreign player in home runs and runs batted in.

Díaz played three MLB seasons (2020–22) before moving to the KBO. His arc resembles Eric Thames, who came back from Korea and delivered an .825 OPS and 114 OPS+ over four MLB seasons. Whether Díaz returns to the big leagues remains unknown, but his 2025 output makes him a legitimate candidate.

Kiwoom infielder Sung-mun Song also fits the Phillies’ roster structure — albeit in a different way. After seven inconsistent KBO seasons, Song has hit .327 over the last two years and totaled 109 extra-base hits with OPS marks of .927 and .917.

The 29-year-old’s athleticism allows him to play first, second and third, and while his defense has been up and down, his versatility makes him a complement to Edmundo Sosa as the Phillies shore up their bench.

Although NPB star Munetaka Murakami is the biggest name on the international market, the Phillies’ push to improve — and their willingness to pursue talent across the Pacific — puts them in position to compete for at least one of these players.

It was jarring on Sunday night to see the news that the Mets were trading Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien.

However, if you recalled what David Stearns said during his end-of-season news conference -- when he signaled a willingness to break up New York's offensive core -- that Nimmo has been dealt could not have possibly come as a surprise.

Back to that jarring part for a bit...

What makes this feel a bit like a bucket of cold water has been dumped on your head is the fact that Nimmo and the Mets had been synonymous ever since he made his MLB debut in 2016.

Nimmo wasn't just a damn good player. He was a tireless worker, a true leader, and a Met who truly loved being a Met. For those reasons and more, this one stings.

At the same time, it can easily be argued that with Nimmo's defense having regressed significantly (he was a negative in the outfield in 2025), his offense dipping from the height he was at between 2021 and 2023, and with five years remaining on his contract, that it was wise to move on now.

While it might be hard to do this with the trade of a beloved franchise player so fresh, it's important to understand that this isn't really about Nimmo for Semien -- even though Semien provides Gold Glove defense at second base. 

Rather, this is about clearing an outfield spot and lineup spot, which opens up a world of possibilities for the Mets that didn't really exist before Sunday night.

Prior to the Nimmo trade, Kyle Tucker -- the crown jewel of free agency -- wasn't really a Mets fit. Now, he is. The same can be said for Cody Bellinger. But the Nimmo deal won't be a failure if the Mets don't land one of the aforementioned players. Not when there's so many other options out there.  

And there's lots more intriguing players beyond the two mentioned above.

So, what's next?

Perusing X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday night, there were plenty of Mets fans who were up in arms over the deal and predicting that the team would just go defense-heavy at every open position instead of doing anything big. That's not how this is going to go.

Yes, Stearns values defense. But he also knows the team needs serious offensive reinforcements. And guess what? There are players out there who are strong all-around players, too.

The most obvious thing would be for the Mets to swoop in and land a big outfielder. Tucker, who will be entering his age-29 season in 2026, looms as a pretty perfect fit. In a relatively down year for the Cubs in 2025, he still had an .841 OPS. This is a complete hitter who -- like Juan Soto -- does a tremendous job controlling the strike zone.

Tucker's defense has slipped a bit, though, and his contract in terms of both years and dollars is expected to be massive.

If not Tucker, Bellinger would be a sensible option.

Beyond free agency, it all of a sudden makes a ton of sense for New York to explore what it would take to pry Jarren Duran from the Red Sox.

The 29-year-old Duran's name was out there ahead of last season's trade deadline. And with the Sox potentially in need at third base and/or second base -- and the Mets flush with infielders -- perhaps there's a fit.

Twins star Byron Buxton could also potentially be snagged via trade. It's also possible Fernando Tatis Jr. is available with the Padres for sale and possibly needing to trim payroll.

Meanwhile, the Mets could view top prospect Carson Benge as a left field option now and instead focus on adding a center fielder. They could also go internal in the outfield and train their efforts on the infield, where Pete Alonso's defense would be less of an issue now that they have Semien's range to help cover for it. There's also free agents Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette, who could be third base fits.

With Nimmo gone, Kyle Schwarber all of a sudden makes a lot more sense as a serious target -- especially in a world where Alonso signs elsewhere.

Looking internal, the addition of Semien would seem to make the already possible trade of Jeff McNeil something that's probable.

McNeil, who is entering the final year of his contract, could provide serious value as a super utility player capable of playing every infield spot but shortstop and all three outfield spots. But if the Mets don't view that as his role, it's unclear what his role would be.

McNeil does not have the defensive profile to be an everyday center fielder, and does not have the offensive profile to be an everyday left fielder, third baseman, or first baseman.

The Nimmo trade could also have ramifications in the farm system.

With the exception of Nolan McLean, it seems possible that New York could trade basically any of their young players, perhaps as part of a package for a top-of-the-rotation starter -- Tarik Skubal or otherwise.

And with second base now taken for the foreseeable future, it's fair to wonder if Jett Williams -- whose best fit is at second and not center field -- could be on the move.

So again, this was not simply about Nimmo for Semien. It's about what's next.

On an emergency episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo react to a shocking trade by the Mets, as David Stearnsstrikes a deal with the Texas Rangers, swapping Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien.

The guys break down the what and the why of the trade, examine what the Mets are getting in Semien both offensively and defensively, and look ahead to the possible moves that might come next if this deal truly is a “first domino” of the offseason. 

Connor and Joe also discuss what this trade means for prospect Jett Williams, and look back at the legacy of Nimmo in New York, including a story from Joe about his time in Brooklyn.

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

David Stearns could have tried to convince himself – and Mets’ fans – that upgrading the pitching staff this offseason would have guaranteed a return to contention in 2026, presuming he re-signed Pete Alonso. But it’s clear now that he knows better.

By trading Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien on Sunday, Stearns essentially acknowledged that he needed to do something dramatic to shake up the core of a ballclub that has underachieved, or simply failed at critical moments in three of the last four seasons for reasons that weren’t always obvious. 

It’s not as if he traded Nimmo for a difference-maker. Semien is a good defensive second baseman whose offense has slipped significantly the last two years at age 33 and 34. No, this was about the opportunity to create change by trading a foundational piece and a major clubhouse presence, with the expectation of bigger moves to come. 

So kudos to Stearns for not taking the easy way out. That is, as long as he can execute whatever plan he has in mind as a follow-up to the Nimmo trade. 

The obvious need now is to add a big bat to the outfield. The only two free agents who fill that need are Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, and if the Mets don’t get one of them, then trading Nimmo may not be such a great idea after all. 

Unless Stearns has another trade up his sleeve. It’s hard to imagine he’d take on Fernando Tatis’ contract, which has another nine years remaining, but Tatis is still only 26, turning 27 in January, and Stearns has made his preference for youth pretty well known. 

In any case, Alonso has to be part of this equation as well. Nimmo still had value as an offensive player, and without him, Alonso’s middle-of-the-lineup production is now more vital than ever. 

It seems Alonso is open to being a part-time DH, judging by Scott Boras’ comments at the GM meetings recently, and in that case, there really is no reason for the Mets not going the extra mile to bring him back. 

As an aside, because it has become such a talking point, I don’t think Alonso is terrible overall defensively. I just think his throwing has become such an issue, whether to other bases or to pitchers covering first, that it could and likely will prove costly at any moment in big games. 

That said, for as much as Stearns has talked about run prevention, the lack of offensive consistency has been a major problem for them for years, other than their late-season run in 2024.

Last year, in particular, the numbers from the likes of Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Alonso, and to some extent Nimmo were all very good individually, yet if you watched, you know that as a team the Mets only excelled as a team in August, when the pitching was at rock bottom.

So, barring a trade that maybe only Stearns is envisioning, it’s hard to see how the Mets can be better offensively in 2026 without re-signing Alonso and adding either Bellinger or Tucker. 

And with the need to spend on pitching, either via trade or free agency, even Steve Cohen may find Tucker too pricey if it’s going to take somewhere around $400 million to sign him. 

Bellinger won’t cost that much, but he’s also not in Tucker’s class as a hitter. Bellinger has made himself into a good two-strike hitter, and he can hit lefties too, yet much of his appeal is his all-around game, including his above-average defense, his positional versatility, and his baserunning. 

In short, he seems to be a glue guy of sorts, which may be exactly the intangible the Mets lacked last season, as exemplified by their inability to win a game all season in which they trailed after eight innings.

Of course, that may be a big reason Brian Cashmanhas said openly that he wants Bellinger back, while the player himself was vocal about how much he enjoyed his season in the Bronx. So the Mets likely would have to overpay significantly to convince him to follow the Soto path over to Queens, and for a president of baseball operations like Stearns, that could go against his value-seeking instincts.

But there isn’t another free-agent outfielder that could be viewed as impactful, which is what makes the Nimmo trade fascinating in itself. Stearns wouldn’t have done it if he weren’t relatively sure that he could upgrade that left field spot, right?

The only other benefit of the trade is that it saves the Mets some money – Semien is owed $72 million over three years, compared to Nimmo’s five years for $102.5 million. 

But that can’t be a primary factor for a franchise trying to win a championship right now. 

Semien’s defense at second base does play into Stearns’ run-prevention theme. And the Mets could be significantly better overall defensively if they add Bellinger to play left field and perhaps some first base as well, while Brett Baty becomes the everyday third baseman and Tyrone Taylor gets most of the time in center field until Carson Benge is ready. 

That and the upgrades Stearns finds for the starting rotation could make the Mets a more well-rounded team. 

Meanwhile, you’d have to think Jeff McNeill will be traded as well, if indeed the need for change is at the root of Stearns’ thinking. And who knows what it means for top prospect, Jett Williams, who loomed as the next everyday second baseman.

Whatever the ramifications, at least for the moment, it’s hard not to like Stearns’ willingness to admit that something wasn’t quite right with his ballclub. But that’s only if he was thinking two or three moves ahead as he agreed to deal Nimmo.

And he has the wherewithal to execute them.

What could be a seismic offseason for the Mets had its first really loud moment late Sunday afternoon when the news broke that the club had tradedBrandon Nimmo, a drafted-and-developed cog in their core, to the Texas Rangers in exchange for second baseman Marcus Semien, a three-time All-Star. 

If you did not believe David Stearns’ end-of-season proclamation about the Mets improving their run prevention, well, this should convince you and the rest of baseball, too. Semien, who won the AL Gold Glove at second last season, instantly improves the Mets’ defense, a big weakness in 2025. 

It’s a one-for-one trade, sure, but no move like this is made in a vacuum, and the real read on this deal will come once we see what’s next. The club’s core, which probably needed refreshing this winter, is officially shaken up now, and all kinds of other roster reverberations are looming going forward.

After the crushing disappointment of last season, that’s probably not a bad thing.

Left field is now open for the Mets to acquire a better defensive player and, potentially, a bigger hitter than Nimmo. Free agent Kyle Tucker, the best position player on this year’s market, comes to mind. Let’s see if the Mets go there, or perhaps try to sign Cody Bellinger and take an outfield star from the Yankees for a second straight winter. 

The Mets also have so many other second base possibilities on their roster – Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio – that Semien’s presence probably means some of those will be traded, too. And the Mets now seem at least likely to part with some of their highly-regarded prospects as they seek to add an ace and fill gaping divots in the rotation and bullpen. 

Semien, 35, has had two ordinary – at best – years on offense the past two seasons. In 2025, he hit 15 homers, batted .230 and had a .669 OPS. His OPS-plus was 97, below league average. Semien hit 45 homers in 2021 and 29 two years later, so he’s shown pop in the past. The Mets better hope there’s some left.

Semien has $72 million and three years left on his contract, which means the Mets cleared two years of commitment. Nimmo, who will play next season at 33, has five years and more than $100 million left on the eight-year, $162-million contract he signed after the 2022 season. 

For all the benefits the Mets could reap from this deal, there’s a bittersweet quality to it, too. Has to be, considering Nimmo’s significance as a Met since he was taken with the 13th overall pick in the 2011 draft. He bloomed into a great Met, if probably not for as long as he once thought.

Nimmo played the game with evident joy, all smiles, and delivered energy and hustle to the Mets and not just on his trademark sprint to first on walks. He was a reliable, respected voice in the Mets clubhouse, willing to dissect the highs and lows of 162 games – and beyond – and was always accountable, even as seasons spiraled.

The early part of Nimmo’s career was stalled by injury, but he has been ultra-reliable the past four seasons, never playing fewer than 151 games. He had an .802 OPS and a .364 on-base percentage and slugged 135 homers in 1,066 games for the Mets.

In a career-best 155 games in 2025, Nimmo had personal highs in home runs (25) and RBI (92). His offensive profile changed over the years as his power developed and his on-base percentage dropped as more balls sailed over the fence. Still, he was one of the Mets’ best offensive players for years.

He was so much a part of the club’s fabric that Mets owner Steve Cohen included Nimmo when he dubbed his top players the “Fab Four,” a play on the Beatles’ nickname last season. Nimmo, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Juan Soto once seemed likely to be core Mets for years to come. When Nimmo signed his big contract, he talked about the idea of being a Met for life, about how it felt good to put the jersey on and “know it’s not coming off.” 

But big changes wallop teams that fail, especially when there were such high expectations for the 2025 Mets. Stearns vowed to upgrade the run prevention. Nimmo-for-Semien is the first step in that quest. Won’t be the last.

A part of the Mets' core is gone, and an offseason of change in Queens, some of it uncomfortable, is on. 

The Mets are making a blockbuster trade early in the offseason, trading outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for infielder Marcus Semien, per SNY's Andy Martino.

The trade is a one for one swap.

Nimmo, 32, has spent his entire 10-year career in New York and signed an eight-year, $162 million contract extension in 2022, which included a full no-trade clause meaning he approved the move to Texas.

Semien, 35, is under contract through the 2028 season after he and the Rangers agreed on a seven-year, $175 million deal ahead of the 2022 season.

The second baseman who can also play shortstop and third base had a triple slash line of .230/.305/.364 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI in 127 games last season. His season ended in late August with a left foot contusion.

Semien's .669 OPS last year was the lowest of his career, but the Mets are hoping for bounce-back seasons from the veteran who helped the Rangers win their first-ever World Series in 2023.

Meanwhile, Nimmo enjoyed career-highs in home runs (25), RBI (92) and games played (155) in 2025 and saw his average climb back to .262 after an uncharacteristic 2024 in which he hit .224, his lowest average since 2019.

In 10 seasons with the Mets, the one time center fielder who was moved over to left field due in recent years totaled 135 home runs, 188 doubles and 463 RBI while slashing .262/.364/.438 for a .802 OPS. 

Early in his career, Nimmo, drafted 13th overall in the 2011 MLB Draft, was known for his incredible eye and plate discipline which led to some great on-base percentages. 

Later on, he found his power stroke and became a run producer for New York, often hitting in the three-hole or cleanup for manager Carlos Mendoza in 2025. Nimmo also became much more active on the base paths, stealing 28 bases over the last two seasons (more than half of his 54 career steals) and getting caught just once. 

As for the trade, while the Mets added a veteran infielder to their roster they do not have another deal with a free agent outfielder close, per Martino. However, the move does allow New York more flexibility and room to make one if they choose.

The Mets also have a number of young outfield prospects that figure to be ready soon, including players like Carson Benge and Jett Williams (who can also play the infield). 

In 13 seasons between the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays and Rangers, Semien has hit 253 home runs to go along with a .253/.321/.435 triple slash line. 

Name the former Rangers defenseman who later became an Islander and made a foolish statement before an Isles-Rangers game that got him traded? (Don't sneak a look at the answer.)

HIS  QUOTE: "The Rangers will probably beat us. But there's no great shame attached to losing to those guys." Then, a pause: "The league is laughing at us, the fans are laughing at us. But they created us and they're laughing at themselves." 

New York Rangers • News and CommunityNew York Rangers news, video, analysis and community on The Hockey News Follow all Rangers news at https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers

ANSWER: The statement was made in early February 1973 by Arnie Brown. Within days he was traded to Atlanta for Ernie Hicke and "future considerations."

P.S. Brown – obtained in the big Toronto deal – lost his effectiveness in his last year with the Rangers.

Three games and three losses for the New York Rangers on their most recent road trip. 

On Saturday night, the Rangers capped off their three-game road trip with a 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth, marking their fourth consecutive loss. 

J.T. Miller suffered an upper-body injury in the Rangers’ previous game against the Colorado Avalanche, and his presence was clearly missed. 

Miller’s absence elevated Jonny Brodzinski into a top-six role on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Will Cuylle, while Sullivan put Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafrenière back on a line together. 

When Vincent Trocheck missed time with an injury, the lineup’s overall offensive depth took a major hit, and it was no different without Miler. 

The Rangers struggled to generate consistent scoring chances and maintain quality offensive-zone time. 

Mike Sullivan feels that Miller’s absence should not be used as an excuse for their struggles over the course of the night.

“It's going to provide opportunities for others to step up and make an impact,” Sullivan said of the fallout from Miller’s injury. “Every team goes through it, we’re not the only ones. We've got to find a way to bring more of a collective effort.”

New York has been outshot in all three of their games on this road trip and has notably failed to even record more than 22 shots. 

Once again, the Rangers are going through an offensive rut as the frustrations continue to mount. 

“I feel like we’re disconnected. I think we’re too far away from each other,” Zibanejad said. “It’s a lot of one-and-dones in the O-zone, try to get on the forecheck, it’s one guy, one guy, one guy. We don’t come up with five together and I just feel like we’re a bit late everywhere.”

The Mammoth are known to play a fast and up-tempo game, which the Rangers simply couldn’t keep up with. 

J.T. Miller Day-To-Day With Upper-Body Injury Suffered Against Avalanche J.T. Miller is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will miss the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a>’ Saturday night matchup against the Utah Mammoth.

This loss for the Blueshirts stems from an overall lack of intensity, shown by all of the high danger chances they were giving up and struggles to maintain consistent offensive pressure. 

“I didn't think, for whatever reason, we had the juice, the energy. If you don't bring a certain amount of energy to the game, it's hard,” Sullivan said. “I just didn't think we won a whole lot of foot races. I didn't think we won a lot of puck battles. When you don't win foot races or puck battles, you don't tend to have the puck. I felt like that was the case for a lot of the night.”

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and the Rangers find themselves at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division standings. It’s not a good position to be in 23 games into the season. 

The Rangers will have an opportunity to flip the switch on Monday night when they face off against the St. Louis Blues.

Talk about easing the blow. The Canadian father-son duo that secured not one, but both home run balls that doomed the Toronto Blue Jays team they root for in Game 7 of the World Series turned the evidence into some serious U.S. currency Saturday night.

Dodgers fans will never forget those baseballs hit by Miguel Rojas in the ninth inning and Will Smith in the 11th flying over the left-field wall and into the first row of seats beyond the Blue Jays' bullpen.

John and Matthew Bains — sitting side-by-side — will never forget the balls ending up in their hands. John, 61, caught Rojas' 387-foot home run in his glove on the fly. Two innings later, Matthew, seated next to his dad, saw Smith's blast land in the bullpen and bounce directly into his hands.

Novices they were not. John has been a Blue Jays fan since the team's inception in 1977 and purposely sits where he does for proximity to home runs. In fact, he caught one during the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees a few weeks earlier.

Read more:Kid thought he was going to dentist. Dad took him to World Series and he caught Freddie Freeman's grand slam

Both men brought baseballs into the stadium that they threw back onto the field, giving the Blue Jays faithful the impression the Bains did the honorable thing when, in fact, they did the smart thing for their bank accounts.

On Saturday night, the balls were sold at auction. Smith's homer, which provided the Dodgers with the winning run, sold for $168,000 while Rojas' blast that sent the game into extra innings fetched $156,000.

A third unforgettable Dodgers home run ball from the 2025 postseason eclipsed the Game 7 balls. The second of Shohei Ohtani's three home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series sold for $270,000 in the same SCP Auction.

It was the longest of the his three, landing on the Dodger Stadium right-field roof 469 feet from home plate. And it was a key element in what is considered perhaps the greatest single performance in baseball history. Ohtani struck out 10 in six innings on the mound in addition to his offensive exploits, sending the Dodgers to the World Series.

Carlo Mendoza's story of how he ended up with Ohtani's ball is no less head-shaking than that of the Bains boys. The 26-year-old Los Angeles man said he was eating nachos in a food court behind the right-field pavilion and saw Ohtani hit the home run on a television monitor. He heard the ball hit the roof, dashed toward the sound and retrieved the ball from under a bush.

All three balls were authenticated by SCP Auctions through notarized affidavits and lie detector tests. SCP owner David Kohler said Mendoza was so apprehensive about handing over the ball that he insisted meeting Kohler in the parking lot of the Long Beach Police Dept.

Read more:In a World Series finale for the ages, Dodgers cement their dynasty in win over Blue Jays

"We authenticated through polygraph and eyewitnesses due diligence," Kohler said. "From the time we announced we had these baseballs until now, no one else has come forward and said they have the balls. There's been no contention."

The baseballs got top billing in the wide-ranging auction that included 579 items, but a Lou Gehrig game-worn jersey sold for well more than the three balls combined. The Hall of Fame Yankee first baseman hit his last World Series home run in 1937 wearing the jersey, for which a collector paid more than $2.5 million.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Mets infielder Luisangel Acuña left his Venezuelan Winter League game on Friday in the fourth inning after being hit by a pitch in the forearm.

Acuña, playing for the Cardenales de Lara, was plunked by Tiburones de La Guaira RHP Eduardo Paredes with runners at first and second base to load them. The 23-year-old fell to the ground after getting hit by the 88-mph pitch and tried to shake it off before getting help from trainers.

The Cardenales went on to score two more runs in the inning, capping off a four-run frame to take a 6-5 lead. They scored again in the seventh and then piled on four runs in the ninth inning, winning the game, 11-5.

There has not been an update on his injury yet.

Acuña is slashing .208/.391/.396 over 17 games so far this Winter League season. He's hit two home runs and has four doubles with 10 RBI.

Of course, Acuña's future in New York is a bit murky after a rough 2025 season. He played in just 95 major league games, hitting .234 with seven doubles, and was optioned down to Triple-A in August before finishing the season back in Queens.

Overall, Acuña owns a .248 batting average with three home runs, nine doubles, and a triple in 109 career games.

With a surplus of infielders on the roster, including Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Jeff McNeil, it's very possible Acuña could be involved in a potential offseason trade. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has made it clear the team is willing to shake up its core, as they are reportedly fielding trade inquiries on McNeil and have made Brandon Nimmo available for trade.

¡Dramático momento! 🥵

Luisangel Acuña recibió un pelotazo del lanzador Eduardo Paredes. El pelotero de Cardenales abandonó el juego y su lugar lo ocupó Jecksson Flores.

🆑#LAR 3-5 #LAG🦈 | 4to inning ⬆️

Cortesía: 1Baseball

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