Category: Baseball

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Wednesday, in case you missed it...

• The day after Edwin Diaz signed with the Dodgers, Pete Alonso left the Mets to sign a five-year deal with the Orioles
• Steve Cohenweighed in after the losses of Diaz and Alonso
• The Mets are showing interest in Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras
• New York has checked in on free agent Kyle Tucker
• The Mets are interested in a reunion with Tyler Rogers
• There are lots of ways for David Stearns to change the offseason narrative, but a long road lies ahead
• On an emergency episode of The Mets Pod, Connor and Joe reacted to Alonso's departure and what's next
• WATCH: Gary Cohen discussed Alonso's exit 
• WATCH: Keith Hernandez talked about the "profound" changes that are happening

Where young Giants pitchers fit into the team's plan for 2026 MLB season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

ORLANDO — The Giants headed to the Winter Meetings with two open spots in their rotation and left with two open spots in their rotation. But internally, they don’t want to view it as that straightforward. 

If you ask members of the front office how many starters they need, they likely will give some variation of “as many as we can get.”

“We used 15 starters last year,” general manager Zack Minasian said this week. “To think we’re going to use five would be fooling ourselves. The more the merrier is kind of how I look at it right now.”

Buster Posey and Minasian are confident they will be able to add veterans through free agency, trades or both, but they also still feel good about the young depth that’s around. Some of it might be needed in deals — everyone is looking for young, cost-controlled pitching — but in Hayden Birdsong, Blade Tidwell, Trevor McDonald, Kai-Wei Teng, Carson Whisenhunt and others, they feel they have plenty of young pitchers who can fill cracks in the rotation or bullpen down the line, or even in the spring.

A year ago, Posey spoke often about the organization’s collection of young pitchers. Landen Roupp broke through as the No. 3 starter and Kyle Harrison brought Rafael Devers to town, but overall, the group disappointed. 

How many can be part of the solution in 2026? 

“I’d say that’s up to them. It’s up to them with how they perform,” Posey said on Thursday’s “Giants Talk” podcast. “We certainly hope that there’s a handful of them that we’re saying ‘we need this guy in the rotation or we need him in the pen,’ but ultimately it’s going to boil down to how they perform.”

The group underwhelmed in the second half last year, but there’s hope internally that a new coaching staff can find the right adjustments. There will be three new faces on the pitching front — Frank Anderson, Justin Meccage, Christian Wonders — and during their interviews they were asked about ways they could help specific pitchers in that group. 

Birdsong has the highest ceiling and Tidwell pitched for Tony Vitello and Anderson at Tennessee, but it might be Trevor McDonald who leads that pack at the moment after two eye-opening starts at the end of the season. The right-hander allowed just three earned runs in 15 innings in September and had an eye-opening start at Dodger Stadium. 

Posey asked about McDonald often last season in his conversations with player development leaders Randy Winn and Kyle Haines and Triple-A manager Dave Brundage. 

“He really settled in to hone in on his sinker and slider late and said this is going to be my bread and butter,” Posey said at the Winter Meetings. “Early on it seemed like the feedback was he was being a little too cute with trying to get his usage to look a certain way instead of just attacking with the top end of his arsenal. I’m excited for him. He’s got to feel confident going into the offseason.” 

Honors For Everyone

Brad Grems (home clubhouse) and Gavin Cuddie (visiting) were named the Clubhouse Manager of the Year in their respective categories. It marked the first time that one organization took home the awards on both sides. 

Grems took over for the legendary Mike Murphy, who got an even bigger honor in November. “Murph” was part of the initial six-man class for the MLB Clubhouse Managers Hall of Fame, along with longtime Athletics clubhouse manager Steve Vucinich and Eddie Logan, who worked for the New York and San Francisco Giants and ran the home clubhouse at Candlestick Park before Murphy. Murphy and Vucinich flew to Cooperstown earlier this offseason to see their plaque. 

Also, this week, executive assistant Karen Sweeney won the Katy Feeney Leadership Award, which honors exceptional female employees in the industry. When it came to awards — a big part of the Winter Meetings for behind-the-scenes employees — the Giants just about came away with a clean sweep. Earlier in the week, Matt Chisholm was honored for excellence in media relations. There was also Jeff Kent’s induction into the Hall of Fame, of course. 

Who Wins Out?

The trade for Rule 5 pick Daniel Susac gave the Giants a second young right-handed catcher to compete for the job behind Patrick Bailey. Susac, a former first-rounder, likely will enter camp with an edge over Jesus Rodriguez, since he has to make the Opening Day roster or else be offered back to the A’s, but there still will be a competition in the spring. 

The organization is extremely high on Rodriguez, who came over in the Camilo Doval trade with the New York Yankees. He hit .322 in Sacramento and is a .309 hitter in the minors, and while Susac has much more power, Rodriguez might be better suited to hit big-league pitching right now. The main concern heading into the spring is the lack of reps he has gotten defensively. 

“We’re really excited about his future,” Posey said. “I think what excites me is when I hear our manager or a coach on the staff in Triple-A talk about his makeup and how well he has worked with the pitchers and his desire to get better defensively. At least from the games that I’ve watched, he’s a guy that’s going to encourage a pitcher throughout the game. If he needs to tell a pitcher, like, ‘Hey, you need to get that breaking ball further outside,’ he’s going to be willing to do that. 

“But having said that, we have to look and see what other options might be out there because he has been pretty limited in the amount of games he has caught so far.”

The Giants will at some point need both the 24-year-old Susac and the 23-year-old Rodriguez. It’s also possible they go with three catchers at times if the two are playing well and there’s a roster need; Rodriguez has a lot of first base and DH experience in the minors and Wilmer Flores, a key right-handed bench bat, won’t be back. 

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Reliever Mark Leiter Jr., Athletics reportedly agree to one-year contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Athletics bolstered their bullpen with a veteran arm.

Right-handed relief pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. agreed to a contract with the Green and Gold, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Thursday, citing a source.

The contract is for one year and around $3 million, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported shortly after, citing sources.

The 34-year-old Leiter, whose uncle is former MLB All-Star pitcher Al Leiter, is a six-year veteran who pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees from 2017-2025.

In 270 career appearances (15 starts), Leiter Jr. posted a 4.60 ERA with 396 strikeouts and 131 walks in 352 1/3 innings pitched.

Now he joins an Athletics bullpen that ranked 24th with a 4.53 ERA last season.

Where foreign, domestic Giants stars stand with upcoming World Baseball Classic originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

ORLANDO — The large conference room on the second floor of the Signia by Hilton hotel was filled with smiles on Tuesday afternoon. Podiums were set up for every country participating in next spring’s World Baseball Classic, with flags behind the managers and general managers who talked about the rosters they hope to put together. 

The emotions are a bit different for many of the 30 teams providing the players, though, and that includes the Giants. 

Basically their entire core is on the initial lists — about 50 players for most WBC teams — that have been put together. While Jung Hoo Lee (South Korea) is considered a lock to play and Heliot Ramos (Puerto Rico) is a likely choice, the fates of guys like Rafael Devers (Dominican Republic), Willy Adames (Dominican Republic) and Matt Chapman are to be decided. 

The biggest question for the Giants, however, is what they will allow with ace Logan Webb. President of baseball operations Buster Posey chose his words carefully when asked about the possibility of his most important pitcher participating, noting that “it’s a great event” but adding that the industry has seen “that it can derail some pitchers, just because there’s no way to replicate getting yourself ready for what’s essentially a playoff baseball atmosphere in early March.”

The Giants are in an interesting spot with Webb. Team USA wants him on the staff and he has expressed interest in pitching alongside Paul Skenes and other stars. He is in the middle of a long-term contract, which mostly takes away the concerns that some agents have about letting their pitchers participate. Posey himself participated in 2017 and has fond memories of winning that tournament and getting to play with stars from other teams. 

At the same time, there’s little doubt that Webb is the Giants’ most indispensable player. It has become automatic that he’ll give them 200 innings and Cy Young-caliber stats. If something goes wrong in the WBC and he’s forced to miss significant time in 2026, you can forget about any hopes of making noise in October. 

Posey has had discussions with Team USA manager Mark DeRosa, and while the two are former teammates, this is one area where they don’t agree. Asked about Webb on Tuesday, DeRosa deferred to former MLB executive Michael Hill, who is putting Team USA together. Hill has finalized most of his lineup but said the staff is a work in progress.

“Logan Webb is obviously one of those names under consideration,” he said. “We want our best on Team USA, hopefully.”

Posey brought up that Clayton Kershaw and Adam Wainwright participated later in their careers and said he thinks that’s a great way to go when it comes to getting marquee pitching on the WBC rosters. What would he tell Webb, who recently turned 29 and could get other opportunities?

“You just have a thoughtful conversation with them around it and present the upside and potential downside, as well,” he said. “Look, I got to play in it. It’s a great event. The way I see it, there’s definitely more risk for a pitcher than a position player.”

Posey noted it’s hard for pitchers to dial it back at all in those games, especially in the big-time atmospheres against teams like Japan or the Dominican Republic. For position players, all of whom are just looking for at-bats in the spring, it’s easier to go at the right pace. 

Devers and Adames are on the initial list for the Dominican Republic, but Nelson Cruz, their GM, mentioned that he has a lot of shortstop options. Some Giants officials felt during the season that Devers might skip this one, but Cruz said he remains an option. Other Giants are much likelier. 

Lee will be the star for South Korea, although that delegation said their officials have not had conversations with the Giants yet. Kai-Wei Teng (Chinese Taipei) will likely participate for a second time. His country’s manager smiled and said Teng is their best MLB-ready pitcher. Jose Butto (Venezuela) also is a strong bet. 

Chapman is on the initial list for Team USA and Carlos Beltran said “of course, of course” when asked if he wants Ramos in his outfield. Because there is a lot of flexibility with rosters, others might become eligible for teams and choose to participate. Tristan Beck, for example, might end up pitching for Great Britain. 

Regardless of how many players participate, there will be some level of disruption for Tony Vitello’s first big-league camp. He figures to lose at least two or three key players to the WBC, and many others in the organization will be joining behind the scenes, like trainer Dave Groeschner (USA) and multiple members of the PR staff. 

Vitello, though, isn’t concerned. It’s a long season and he will have plenty of time to get to know everyone in the organization and on his roster. He’s also a huge fan of the event in general.

“Any time you’ve got something going on, there’s pros and cons. I think there’s certainly cons to it,” he said. “I just think the event is phenomenal. So the guys that choose to or the guys in a quality enough position with their body and arm to try to compete in that, I’m all for it. I think the fallout is kind of worth the squeeze.”

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Kyle Schwarber glad to have five more years to leave his mark on Phillies, fans originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

ORLANDO – The $150 million no doubt played a big part in keeping Kyle Schwarber with the Philadelphia Phillies. But the community, those who run the organization, his teammates and the Phillies faithful played as much a part in him inking a five-year deal to stay with the two-time defending National League East champions.

Schwarber met with the media via zoom on Tuesday from his home in Ohio, sitting in front of a beautiful stone wall with high-end liquor bottles placed on various shelves. He is back there after making a one-day sprint to Philadelphia to get his physical and tie up some other loose ends before signing his new monster contract. The quick trip was because his wife is expecting the couple’s third child, a daughter.

“Right after the season was over with, I was able to sit down with Dave (Dombrowski, president of baseball operations) and we had a really good conversation,” Schwarber said. “Then right before we went home, (owner) Mr. (John) Middleton was able to come over to our house and we were able to spend a really good amount of time just sitting down and talking about the Phillies and his family and about what’s the future looking like for us here.

“Those were conversations that I just never forgot. You go through a season, you start having different conversations with different teams. I took notes. And once I had everything all said and done I could really sit down and make the decision. John is committed to winning and Dave wants our organization to keep pushing for a World Championship. We want to continue to win the East. What else for a player can you ask for? We have such a great fan base that on a Wednesday get away day there can be 40-some thousand there. Those are things that I don’t take lightly.

“There are others in the league that I wish could experience that. Those are things that are driving factors on a daily basis. Nothing is given, everything is earned in this game. You earn a fan base’s respect, you earn people’s respect in the game. When you get that, it’s awesome. It’s a decision that I’m not going to regret by any means and it’s going to be a great investment for both sides.”

His signing was the obvious first order of business for the Phillies, who seem to be light on power after Schwarber. Following his 56-home run, 132 RBI National League MVP runner-up season, the designated hitter doesn’t want that season to be an outlier.

“Come to four years in Philadelphia and you really feel like you’ve hit your stride and got the identity of who I wanted to be in the big leagues,” Schwarber said. “And there’s still things to improve on. The nature of having experience and that you can come out on the other side of things. I think it’s given me a whole new perspective on baseball. And it’s way more enjoyable. You could be in that slump, and you know what you have to do to get out of it. Being able to look myself in the mirror and undress yourself from top to bottom and realizing that these are things I didn’t do well and just because 2025 was a great statistical season for me it doesn’t mean this offseason I’m going to go out and do the same thing. I have to go from top to bottom and undress everything and be able to find things to get better at and keep evolving, because the game keeps evolving.

“There’s always going to be more information out there on how to get a player out. It’s my job to make sure that I’m the most prepared person to attack it and not be surprised by anything. That’s how I try to continue to play the game and that’s what I’m going to do on a year-to-year basis. I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder. I want to play this game for a long time and I want to continue to be great and help the Phillies win a World Series and multiple World Series throughout my time here.”

While the decision to stay will make sense 150 million times with fans, it was so much more that played into Schwarber’s decision to wear the red, white and blue. It’s the love of the fans. It’s the fact that a piece of paper was sent around the park and signed by thousands begging for his return.

“Resonating with an organization and resonating with a fan base is a huge part of why you do it,” he said. “You want people, you want young kids, you want anyone to be at a game and look up and see them wearing your jersey or look up at their mom and dad and say ‘Hey, I want to be like Kyle.’ Whatever it is, those are things you don’t take lightly, and those moments are awesome. I know the whole constitution thing that went around Citizen’s Bank Park, I’ve got that. I have that in my possession. Those are things that you truly do respect as a fan base.

“You hope at the end of the day as a player that you leave your mark on an organization and a fan base and I’m glad that I’m gonna have five more years to do that here in Philadelphia.”

Dombrowski and company still have plenty of work to do moving forward for the 2026 season and beyond. J.T. Realmuto has now become the top subject for the team. There are holes to fill and young players to groom, which is another place where Schwarber is so valuable.

“We’ve all been in constant communication throughout the offseason, not just J.T.  We all have great relationships with each other,” said Schwarber when asked if he’s communicated with Realmuto. “I think that’s a great thing we’ve had here in Philadelphia, that we’ve all really come together and that we’re all going to have some really good friendships through our days here. I sent him a text. I would not be lying if I said I sent one to J.T. that said trying to see where he’s at.

“At the end of the day I know the process he’s going through, and I want to be respectful of that. You want him to feel like he’s making the best decision for himself and his family. Selfishly we would all like to have J.T. back because we know what he brings to the table and how important he is to not only the clubhouse and the team but what he means to Philadelphia and how he carries himself and how he cares. How he makes sure he’s going to be available to catch as many games as he can. The catching position is such a difficult position and how he’s done it for years, he should be highly sought after and I’m hoping that at the end of the day he’s back in Philadelphia. But I know that there could be a lot of different circumstances that could come in.

“We have some really exciting talent that is going to be coming up, and you want to make them feel welcomed right away. We need them performing to their best abilities. We don’t need them worrying about how does Kyle Schwarber, how does Trea Turner, how does Bryce Harper, whoever, think about what I’m doing right now. No, we’re all here together. We’re all pulling on the same rope. We need everyone pulling just the same. This is a whole collective effort. We’ve made a clubhouse that is welcoming.”

Just like Philadelphia has made it a welcoming place for Schwarber. And that will now continue for five more years.

The Mets are looking for a right-handed bat in the wake of Pete Alonso departing for Baltimore, and they've reportedly talked to one National League team about potentially doing just that.

According to multiple reports, the Mets and Cardinals have had discussions involving a trade for Willson Contreras. 

The Cardinals are looking to move their veteran pieces like Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan and Contreras, but president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has yet to make a deal. MLB.com's John Denton reports that the Cardinals have fielded several calls already for Donovan and LHP JoJo Romero, with the Mets showing interest in Contreras.

Denton added that Contreras is expected to waive his no-trade clause to play in New York.

Contreras, who is entering his age-34 season, has two guaranteed years left worth $36.5 million, according to Spotrac. There is also a club option for the 2028 season, which is worth $17.5 million. 

The three-time All-Star is coming off his third season in St. Louis, where he slashed .257/.344/.447 with an OPS of .791 to go along with 20 home runs and 80 RBI in 135 games. 

He also offers versatility in the field. Contreras played 120 games at first base with the Cardinals last year, but has been the Cardinals' catcher in past seasons, as recent as starting behind the plate 50 times in 2024. He also has 39 games of experience in the outfield in his career, his last being during the 2021 season, but that's not expected to be a part of any plan involving Contreras. 

On an emergency episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo break down the facts and emotions surrounding the news that Pete Alonso is no longer with the New York Mets. 

Connor and Joe look at what happened, why it happened, and what could possibly come next for the Mets as the Polar Bear agrees to a 5-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. 

The guys hope to see a plan come together from David Stearns and Steve Cohen to make the Mets contenders, as right now for the fans, it’s one of the “bad times.”

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It’s been a rough start to the offseason for Mets fans.

They’ve now seen three of their favorites leave town after last season’s ugly collapse that ended with the club falling short of the playoffs for the second time in three years. 

The first blow came when Brandon Nimmo was dealt to the Rangers. 

Edwin Diaz then decided to depart for the two-time defending champion Dodgers, and just one day later, Pete Alonso left for Baltimore on a big-money five-year pact. 

As expected, the moves have drawn emotional reactions from fans all over social media. 

Mets owner Steve Cohen is empathetic, but he stressed in a text to Jon Heyman of the NY Post that the winter is just getting started. 

“I totally understand the fans’ reaction,” Cohen wrote. “There is lots of offseason left to put a playoff team on the field.”

Cohen is right, it is early, and there’s plenty of talent remaining in both the trade and free agent markets, but this team has holes to fill over the next few months. 

New York still needs a top-tier starting pitching after injuries and underperformance came back to bite them during their devastating second-half collapse last season. 

Devin Williams, the team's biggest free agent signing so far, adds a legit bullpen arm, but without Diaz, president of baseball operations David Stearns will need to find another reliever or two.

And now with Alonso joining the Orioles, they’ll need someone to reciprocate that production in the middle of this lineup at first base or elsewhere. 

Certainly a tall task for Cohen and co. as they look to make their way back to the postseason. 

You can trace the trail of bread crumbs back to David Stearns making run-prevention his primary talking point in the aftermath of the Mets’ implosion last season. Actually, farther than that, considering Pete Alonso only played in Queens last season because he was treated like an outcast on the free agent market. 

No, unlike the Edwin Diaz departure a day earlier, there was no mistaking the Mets’ intentions regarding Alonso after he agreed to five-year, $150 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. 

They didn’t even make an offer. 

Stearns clearly thinks the Mets are better off without his most prolific slugger, and now the burden of proof is on the team’s president of baseball operations to demonstrate why that is the case. 

It’s one thing to break up a core that has underachieved or failed when it mattered most in three of the last four seasons, and Stearns does deserve some credit for having the guts to do that. But it’s quite another to have a plan in place to replace that core and make the team better. 

From the outside looking in it’s hard to see how the Mets won’t miss Alonso’s power and productivity, at least in the short term over the next couple of years, which should be a priority for a team that is supposed to be trying to win a championship in that same window of opportunity. 

And while I thought it was vital that Alonso agreed to DH at least part-time, due to whatever yips caused him to make every throw he made an adventure, let’s be real: He was their best clutch hitter last season on a team that was wildly inconsistent with the bats, especially when it counted most. 

Offering protection for Juan Soto in the lineup was no small matter in itself. Who might that responsibility fall to next season? Right now there’s no obvious choice, and even signing Cody Bellinger wouldn’t necessarily be the answer. 

So how can the Mets be better without Alonso, especially after Scott Boras made it clear weeks ago that Alonso indeed was willing to be that part-time DH? 

That’s the question at the heart of what is currently The David Stearns Winter of Discontent, if you will.  He has to know most Mets fans are convinced he wants to operate with the small-market mentality that was a necessity for him as GM of the Milwaukee Brewers. 

And that can’t be a comfortable feeling, especially for a native New Yorker. So Stearns must be truly convinced he can make the right moves to put a winning team on the field next season, knowing he would have to take the slings and arrows that come with being committed to moving on from players like Alonso, Diaz, and Brandon Nimmo. 

Whether that proves to be the self-confidence of a smart baseball man or the misplaced confidence of a value-driven analyst is context of sorts for what now becomes the most fascinating of offseasons for the Mets. 

Whatever you think of Stearns at the moment, he still has to have a plan, right? Surely he wouldn’t subject himself to such unpopularity without one. He also has Steve Cohen’s billions and a highly-regarded farm system, which means he has the resources to be bold and creative. 

I know, I know, he has done nothing to indicate he’ll act in that matter, but he has also never been in this position while running the Mets, with essentially a blank slate in front of him. 

Is he truly consumed with finding exceptional value in every acquisition, as it seems to this point? Or can he pivot when needed to spending Cohen’s money for the best talent, even if it feels like an overpay?

From Day One, Cohen essentially has talked about making the Mets a Dodgers West of sorts. Is it possible Stearns is actually determined to build something of a Brewers East, winning with a scrappy, pitching-and-defense ballclub?

That philosophy worked in Milwaukee, at least to a point. The Brewers’ lack of success in the postseason for the last several years is more than the crapshoot nature of October: It’s also a reminder that it’s harder to win at that time of year without stars in the lineup and on the mound as well. 

Just last season the Dodgers dominated the Brewers like it was the varsity against the JV. 

All of this is a way of saying Stearns needs to re-discover and embrace his inner New York, if that’s possible. Run-prevention is a nice catch-phrase and there’s no disputing the Mets’ defense hurt them down the stretch last season, but I’d make the case the offensive failures were at least as costly, if not more so, in September, and, most notably, the lack of quality pitching was the biggest issue of all.

With that in mind, I believe this could still be the type of eventful offseason that at least gets Stearns back in the favor of Mets fans.

There are a lot of ways he could go now. Bellinger brings the type of all-around game that Stearns seems to prioritize, with his defense and base-running and solid hitting.

Alex Bregman would provide defense and a productive right-handed bat at third base, and he is hailed for his leadership as well, which may or may not be something Mets’ management feels the need to address. Brett Baty likely could slide over to first base if necessary, having proven to be versatile enough to play well at third and second.

Kyle Tucker could be the thumper the Mets need now, though his desire for a long-term contract seems to be exactly what Stearns wants to avoid.

You know the names on the pitching front as well: Michael King is uber-talented and available on a relatively short-term deal due to his injury history, if indeed Stearns wants no part of longer deals for Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez.

I still don’t think the Detroit Tigers are trading Tarik Skubal, but he has the pieces to go get Freddy Peralta, Joe Ryan, or Eury Perez.

And if he signs Robert Suarez for the back of the bullpen, it’s possible the Mets won’t miss Diaz all that much.

Finally, as one scout told me on Wednesday, “I guarantee you Stearns has two or three guys in mind as trade targets that nobody sees coming yet. I think everybody in baseball is curious to see what he does from here.”

In short, there are still plenty of ways Stearns can change the narrative of this offseason in the coming weeks.

But he has a long way to go to earn the trust of the fans again.

As the hotel lobby at the Signia by Hilton Orlando filled at MLB’s winter meetings on Tuesday morning, an unexpected prize was falling into the Dodgers’ lap.

Edwin Díaz, the top reliever on this year’s free-agent market, was suddenly slipping away from the incumbent New York Mets, who reportedly made the fan favorite closer only a three-year offer that did little to entice him to re-sign with the team.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, were swooping in late to snatch away the hard-throwing right-hander, submitting a more lucrative three-year bid that would pay Díaz a relief-pitcher-record $23 million per season.

Just like that, the Dodgers had gone from a perfectly content, but unremarkably quiet winter, to one in which they’d once again flexed their financial muscles and stunned the baseball industry.

Read more:Shaikin: Dodgers signing of Edwin Díaz shows they aren't going to worry about a potential salary cap

“There were a lot of scenarios [that could have potentially played out this winter] where we didn't necessarily end up with a top-end reliever,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Tuesday night, while declining to comment on Díaz directly since the transaction wasn’t finalized. “But we just kind of prepared on a bunch of different fronts. And being aggressive, if something lined up, we've known all along [it is something we would do].”

The Díaz signing was an affirmation of the team’s operating procedure on the free-agent market. They always at least target top talent. They always at least stay around the proverbial blackboard, as Friedman calls it, in case a player’s market doesn’t develop as expected. And now, they are armed with the kind of endless resources that can make them a threat to scoop up any rebound.

As they leave Orlando this week and embark on the rest of this offseason, it serves as a reminder:

The Dodgers might not need to make another big move, in the same way they downplayed the need for any big acquisition coming into the winter.

But they’ll certainly be ready to pounce if another opportunity materializes.

"I would say we definitely can,” Friedman hinted when asked if another big move this offseason could be possible. “Whether that makes the most sense within the timing of our roster — there's so many factors that go into it, and any decision you make has a future cost. It’s just weighing that. So, yes, we can. How likely it is, is probably another question."

Start with the top overall available free agent, Kyle Tucker.

The Dodgers are not expected to entertain a long-term contract for the soon-to-be 29-year-old and four-time All-Star. If his bidding war, as projected, results in offers upwards of 8-10 years and $400 million, the club is unlikely to engage; given the glut of long-term contracts already on their books, and the crop of young outfield prospects expected to reach the majors in the next several seasons.

But what if Tucker’s market cools? What if, like Díaz, he is left to consider relatively shorter-term deals with higher annual salaries? Granted, that’s unlikely to happen, considering the wide interest Tucker is reportedly attracting, including from the Toronto Blue Jays and their suddenly big-spending front office. If it does, however, the Dodgers could once again become candidates for a blockbuster, still needing to fill out their outfield as they embark on a quest for a World Series three-peat.

Read more:Dodgers and Edwin Díaz agree to terms in blockbuster move to shore up bullpen

The same dynamic could be in play with other top free agents. The Dodgers have already shown interest in familiar face Cody Bellinger, who could bring both positional versatility and a more refined hitting approach than he had during his first stint with the club. Bo Bichette also presents the kind of balanced offensive profile the Dodgers are believed to seeking, as they try to shore up a lineup that too often was boom-or-bust last year.

Like Tucker, both players are unlikely to fit the Dodgers’ bigger-picture plans if their free agencies develop as expected (with Bellinger pegged for roughly five years and $150 million, and Bichette perhaps eight years and more than $200 million).

But thanks to the team’s flush financial outlook — and the fact that a salary cap could be coming next year, potentially incentivizing extra spending right now — all it could take is a slight cooling in either player’s market to make them more realistic targets for the two-time defending champions.

As long as there isn’t an overburdensome long-term risk, the Dodgers don’t seem afraid of lucrative shorter-term commitments to sustain their newly cemented dynasty.

“We have not only a really talented group of players, but an extremely driven group of players, who want to take care of their legacy and create a dynasty and be part of something really special,” Friedman said. “Because of that mindset, it makes it easier to invest. And do everything we can to help support that and be a part of helping bring that to fruition.”

The Dodgers could alternatively get aggressive on the trade market. Brandon Donovan and Lars Nootbaar of the St. Louis Cardinals are seen internally as fits. Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians would be an even bigger-name addition, albeit is less likely to be dealt this winter.

Then there is the real white whale: Two-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers.

For now, it’s uncertain at best that Skubal, who will be a free agent after next season and is unlikely to sign a contract extension with the Tigers (or any other team that trades for him) before then, gets moved this winter.

Read more:Dodgers downplay Teoscar Hernández rumors, continue assessing bullpen options

If he does, it figures to come at an extremely steep cost for a starting pitcher with one year remaining of team control.

If there’s any team that has the ammunition to pull it off, however, it’s the Dodgers, with their ample pitching depth and top-ranked farm system. Like with their free-agent pursuits, there is likely to be a limit for how much they’d part with. But if the Tigers seriously consider a trade, it would be no surprise to see the Dodgers be seriously involved.

There are less splashy routes for this offseason to go down, of course. If the Dodgers don’t make another marquee addition, they still feel confident with the roster core they have in place.

Then again, that’s the tone they were striking coming into these Winter Meetings, before swiping away Díaz in the surprise move of the week.

Thus, the baseball world has been put on alert again: The Dodgers won’t be reckless. They want to maintain longer-term flexibility. But if they see value in a top-talent target in the short-term, they won’t be afraid to once again spend big.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

With free agency in full swing this week during the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings, Yankees fans are waiting for Brian Cashman to make a big move.

Although, as the team is potentially looking to cut payroll below $300 million for the 2026 season, Cashman may not be making the same types of moves that people are used to seeing from the club.

"Fans don't really care about those details. They want what they want," Cashman told reporters Wednesday. "Ultimately, what we both want is to have a team that's going to rack up the win totals to push themselves into the postseason and win it all. But it's just the nature of the beast where you get into the frenzy of the winter times. 'Anything at all cost, doesn't matter,' but in reality, it does matter.

"Everything adds up. Everything counts. We're an aggressive franchise, but while being aggressive, we already have some very large commitments, and the more of those you have, the more impact it affects you in other areas. And so everything's tied together. Our ownership has obviously demonstrated year in and year out how massively committed they are. But at the same time, that's not an open blank checkbook either."

The longtime GM went on to discuss the current state of the free agent market, saying it's moving at "glacial speed," but the Yanks are confident in their group and still searching for ways to make a splash.

“We have a strong team," Cashman said. "The job is to make it better and make it stronger. (Saying) it and doing it are two different things. We’re trying to pull that off, and it takes time. There's a lot of time on the board still, and there's a lot of inventory still there, so there's a lot of possibilities in play.”

Cashman added that current talks with free agents have "been tough so far" and any trade proposals haven't made much progress.

“We’re just staying engaged, trying to match up with some things. But it's been tough so far," Cashman added. "Don't like the asks coming our way, and I guess the opposing teams don’t like what I'm trying to pull from them on the trade stuff. We do have some conversations that possibly could lead somewhere.”

Among the "inventory" still out there includes Cody Bellinger, who opted out of his deal with New York to become a free agent this offseason. Cashman said earlier in the week that the Yanks have had dialogue with Bellinger's agent Scott Boras and a reunion with the OF is "still in play." 

He was asked Wednesday if the Yankees can "afford to wait" on resigning Bellinger because they already have youngsters Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones as replacement options, explaining they're taking an "opportunistic" approach when it comes to signings.

"I don't know if it's ‘afford’ to wait. I think we're opportunistic. We like our players. That is a fact," Cashman said. "But there's players outside of our current control system that we also like, and may very well like more and better because there's a lot more certainty there, which comes with cost, whether it's a trade acquisition or free agent dollars. So it's my job to play on that stuff and try to figure that out, and if we come to an area that this makes a lot of sense, then we're ready to pounce and kind of change the equation. 

"But if not, we like what we have, too, at the same time. Jasson Domínguez is on his journey, and Spencer Jones is just beginning his journey. Those are two names, but I got no idea how this is going to play out."

The Yankees selected right-handed pitcher Cade Winquest from the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the 2025 Rule 5 Draft.

The selection came as a bit of a surprise, as the Yankees had not made a Rule 5 selection since 2011.

Winquest, 25, was originally drafted by the Cardinals in the eighth round of the 2022 MLB Draft.

Over the course of 58 minor league games (38 starts), Winquest has pitched to a 4.19 ERA with 219 strikeouts in 212.2 innings. 

Winquest finished the 2025 season at the Double-A level, appearing in eight games for Springfield with a 3.19 ERA in 42.1 innings. 

By rule, Winquest must remain on the Yankees’ 26-man active roster (unless he gets placed on the IL) for the entire 2026 season. If the Yankees elect to waive him and he clears waivers, Winquest must be offered back to the Cardinals.