The Mets had seven prospects participate in the Arizona Fall League this year.
That group helped the Scottsdale Scorpions, who were managed by former Mets catcher Rene Rivera, finish with an 18-10 record which was good enough for first place in the AFL.
The Scorpions were, however, eliminated in the first round of the playoffs on Thursday night.
While they didn't take home the championship, there were plenty of positives to take from the exhibition meetings.
Two of the biggest Mets standouts were Nick Morabito and Chris Suero.
Both youngsters were able to continue their strong showings from the minor league season, and they performed well enough to land a spot in the Fall League All-Star game.
Suero once again showcased his dynamic two-way game, going eight-for-eight on stolen base attempts and finishing tied for second in the league with five homers.
He also hit an impressive .283 and had a .353 OBP to help him finish with a .920 OPS.
The versatile 21-year-old Bronx-native saw playing time at all three of his positions (C, 1B, LF) during the 15 Fall League games he appeared in.
Chris Suero belts his 5th homer of the Arizona Fall League!
Morabito also put together a strong showing in what is a big offseason for him.
The former second-round pick is Rule 5 eligible for the first time, so the Mets will have to decide soon if they want to leave him exposed or add him to the 40 Man roster.
Morabito certainly used this as a strong showcase for New York, or the other 29 organizations.
He reached base at a terrific clip of .450 and continued showing off his game-changing speed on the bases, racking up the third-most stolen bases in the AFL (16 in 19 attempts).
Morabito also hit an impressive .362 with a .914 OPS, two doubles, a triple, and a homer.
It’ll be interesting to see what David Stearns and the Mets decide to do with the outfielder ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Outfielder Nick Morabito has had a big Arizona Fall League
Tonight he hit his first home run in the AFL. 109.4 mph off the bat and 442 feet pic.twitter.com/La5m37e6Zv
Having failed to find the long-term deal he wanted last time around, Alex Bregman is back on the market for the second year in a row, this time without a qualifying offer hanging over his head. The three-time All-Star and two-time world champion opted out of a three-year, $120 million deal with Boston to get here and will take a lesser annual salary to receive the kind of rest-of-his-career contract he desires as he enters his age-32 campaign.
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Stay up to date with the MLB free agent market this offseason, including player signings, contract details, and team fits as the 2025-26 Hot Stove heats up.
D.J. Short
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▶ Bregman in Review
Bregman’s first and perhaps lone season in Boston couldn’t have started much better. After a first-week slump, he had a four-game span in early April in which he had two homers, five doubles and 10 RBI. He was batting .299/.385/.553 over 51 games when he suffered a strained quad on May 23. Back just before the All-Star break, his production held up initially before waning in late August. He wound up hitting .180/.273/.262 in his final 31 games, lowering his OPS from .933 to .821.
That .821 OPS was good for a 128 OPS+ just below Bregman’s career mark of 132. He peaked an MVP-type performer in 2018 and ’19, finishing with a 157 OPS+ those two seasons. He suffered a big drop off immediately afterwards, but that’s still left him as one of the league’s steadiest hitters these last six seasons. He has a 123 OPS+ during the span, never finishing a season below 112.
Bregman’s defense at third is similarly steadily above average. He no longer has the range to play shortstop, as he could have done for the Astros in his mid-20s had he not been shifted off the position in favor of Carlos Correa, but he should last at the position for at least a few more years before perhaps becoming a liability towards the end of the decade.
▶ Market Outlook
Bregman is really the one player in free agency who projects as a long-term third baseman. Maybe Bo Bichette could end up there, but he seems better suited for second base after moving off short. Most teams view Japanese imports Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto as first basemen. 34-year-old Eugenio Suárez will probably stick at third for another year or two, but he’s below average there these days.
So, that’s nice for Bregman. It probably also doesn’t hurt his case that Nolan Arenado, the most prominent third baseman on the trade market, seems very clearly in decline at this point. Last winter, Arenado was put forth as a viable alternative to Bregman before ultimately declining to waive his no-trade with the Cardinals. No one will be looking at them similarly this winter, though.
Bregman’s closest recent free agency comp would seem to be Matt Chapman two years ago. Chapman, though, had to deal with the qualifying offer and overplayed his hand some in a weaker market. He signed a deal set up like Bregman’s, but with a guarantee of $54 million over three years rather than Bregman’s $120 million. He made $18 million in 2024 and then, before he could opt out, signed a six-year, $151 million extension to stay with the Giants.
▶ Best Fits
Red Sox: Boston seemed to love Bregman’s clubhouse presence and would undoubtedly like to have him back for 2026. The problem is that Bregman will want at least a five-year deal, and the Red Sox aren’t going to think that’s any better of an idea now than it was last winter, even if the exit of Rafael Devers did free up a bunch of money and end the third base controversy.
Tigers: Detroit seemed like the perfect fit for Bregman last winter, but the Tigers’ longer offer -- reportedly for six years -- didn’t come with a high enough salary to land him. There’s still a pretty obvious match here for now, but it’d be much more difficult to imagine something coming together if Gleyber Torres accepts a $22.025 million qualifying offer.
Mets: Swapping in Bregman for Pete Alonso would hopefully result in a significant defensive upgrade at two infield spots for the Mets, assuming that Mark Vientos and/or Brett Baty proves adept at first base. Still, it wouldn’t help the offense, and Bregman will probably wind up landing a bigger contract than Alonso, if only by a bit. Also, the Mets have an abundance of quality infield prospects and might be better off with a short-term solution.
Yankees: The Bombers didn’t really solve third base in trading for Ryan McMahon, who hit just .208/.308/.333 after arriving at the deadline. If they miss out on Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, trying for Bregman or Bichette might be their best avenue to improve their lineup.
Cubs: The Cubs wouldn’t need to replace Tucker with an outfielder if they lose him; they’d probably just move Seiya Suzuki back to right, and they’d have a couple of very good outfield prospects in reserve. In fact, they don’t really have any holes at all in their lineup. Still, Matt Shaw’s weak exit velocity numbers as a rookie were pretty discouraging, and if they were going to upgrade anywhere in free agency, third base would seem to be the best option.
Mariners: Seattle knows that contact was an issue in the postseason, and Bregman’s 13.4% career strikeout rate would help out a bunch there. However, it’s hard to see the Mariners coming up with the $30 million or so per season that it would take to land him.
Contract Prediction
It’s pretty great for Bregman that a bunch of contenders are currently in flux at third base. Even the Blue Jays could make room for him if Bichette leaves. Or perhaps the Phillies could trade Alec Bohm to open up the hot corner, though they have their own free agents to deal with. Bregman’s floor would seem to be $140 million for five years, with his annual salaries potentially decreasing some if he holds out for a longer deal.
Another year, another unanimous MVP award for Shohei Ohtani. Baseball’s unicorn added another major accolade to his already crowded mantel, winning his fourth MVP award Thursday. Ohtani continues his reign as the best player on the planet with the latest MVP honors, but this one puts him in a different conversation.
Barry Bonds has always stood alone when it comes to MVPs. MLB’s all-time home run leader holds the record with seven MVP trophies and was the only player in history with more than three. Those days are no more as Ohtani notched his fourth, and is well on his way to doing what many believed impossible — catching Bonds.
When Bonds was in his prime, it was a challenge to pry the award away from him. And as the feared slugger was hitting well over. 300 every season with over 40 homers, stolen bases and Gold Glove defense, you could see why. But unlike Bonds, Ohtani has a skill set that makes him one of a kind, and makes his quest to catch Bonds’ seven MVPs more probable than any player in history. Not only is he one of the two most feared hitters in baseball, he’s also an ace on the mound, giving him a huge edge over other MVP candidates every season.
(Dillon Minshall/Yahoo Sports)
This past season, the Dodgers’ $700 million man hit .282 with a career-high 55 home runs and an NL-leading 1.014 OPS. An offensive season like that would usually launch a player into being a frontrunner for MVP, but it’s only half the résumé for Ohtani. He made his much-anticipated return to the mound in 2025 after his second UCL surgery and showed that he’s not only one of the game’s best hitters, but one of its best pitchers too.
Ohtani returned to the mound, going 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 14 starts. While many of his outings were abbreviated as L.A. worked him back into its rotation, it didn’t take long for him to look like an ace again and become another weapon on the team’s starting staff.
Now that Ohtani is well over a year removed from elbow surgery and has a full offseason without rehab to prepare for 2026, it’s not foolish to think he could hit another level as a pitcher over a full season.
Let’s be very clear: When Ohtani has a normal year for him, he will win MVP.
The one thing you’d worry about that could prevent Ohtani from catching Bonds outside of injury would be fatigue. But the BBWAA writers who vote haven't let Ohtani’s greatness work against him. Not only did he receive all 30 first-place votes in this year‘s NL MVP balloting, he’s won unanimously all four times he’s taken home the award.
Ohtani, the AL MVP winner in 2023, is the first to win three consecutive MVPs since Bonds won four straight with the San Francisco Giants from 2001-04. The Dodgers’ superstar is also the first back-to-back winner in the National League since Albert Pujols did it in 2008-09 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
For some time now, Ohtani has been firmly entrenched as the world’s best player and after another remarkable season, the Dodgers’ two-way superstar is adding to an already mind-blowing legacy. In two years since signing his 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers, Ohtani has won two league MVPs and two World Series championships. The five-time All-Star also has three Silver Slugger Awards and the 2018 AL Rookie of the year on his résumé with plenty of hardware before he hangs it up.
When it’s all said and done, Ohtani may not only be the best player ever, but also one of the most decorated.
Ohtani’s excellence shouldn’t be taken for granted. When he came to the States from Japan, many believed his two-way ability was a gimmick that wouldn’t last. Now sitting on four MVPs and finally winning championships, Ohtani is better than anybody could have ever envisioned or imagined.
As Ohtani enters his prime already more than halfway to Bonds’ seven MVPs, the chase is not only on, but well within reach.
Rosenthal adds that the Jays are "signaling a willingness" to "spend big and lose draft picks if necessary" this offseason.
Losing picks is something that will happen to any team that signs Diaz (other than the Mets), since he is attached to the qualifying offer, which he will reject.
As it pertains to Toronto and Diaz, Rosenthal reports that the rotation is a bigger priority than the bullpen, where Jeff Hoffman is the current closer.
Nov. 13, 8:15 p.m.
The Mets and Diaz have had discussions about a new deal, but nothing concrete has been talked about yet.
Diaz, who was at the MLB Awards on Thursday night, reiterated that he would "love" to remain a Met.
"I love New York. I would love to stay in New York, but if I have to go another place, I would be happy," Diaz told reporters, including Newsday's Laura Albanese. "I want to win a ring, so wherever I go, I want to win a ring and enjoy the time.
"I like the organization. You know, if they came with the best deal for me, I’d enjoy to stay with them, but at the end of the day, I don’t know what they’re thinking."
Nov. 12, 8:44 a.m.
With Diaz a free agent and the Dodgers searching for a high-end reliever, it seemed they might be a big threat to lure him away from the Mets.
Maybe not.
While the Dodgers are indeed seeking a jolt for their bullpen, they could be deterred by the fact that Diaz has a qualifying offer attached to him, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Per Ardaya, with the Dodgers already owing draft penalties due to exceeding the luxury tax, it could "dissuade" them and other teams in similar situations from making a run at Diaz.
According to The Athletic, Los Angeles has made free agent reliever Devin Williams a target. Williams, who spent last season with the Yankees after being acquired from the Brewers via trade, was eyed by the Dodgers before that deal.
Rosenthal adds that the Jays are "signaling a willingness" to "spend big and lose draft picks if necessary" this offseason.
Losing picks is something that will happen to any team that signs Diaz (other than the Mets), since he is attached to the qualifying offer, which he will reject.
As it pertains to Toronto and Diaz, Rosenthal reports that the rotation is a bigger priority than the bullpen, where Jeff Hoffman is the current closer.
Nov. 13, 8:15 p.m.
The Mets and Diaz have had discussions about a new deal, but nothing concrete has been talked about yet.
Diaz, who was at the MLB Awards on Thursday night, reiterated that he would "love" to remain a Met.
"I love New York. I would love to stay in New York, but if I have to go another place, I would be happy," Diaz told reporters, including Newsday's Laura Albanese. "I want to win a ring, so wherever I go, I want to win a ring and enjoy the time.
"I like the organization. You know, if they came with the best deal for me, I’d enjoy to stay with them, but at the end of the day, I don’t know what they’re thinking."
Nov. 12, 8:44 a.m.
With Diaz a free agent and the Dodgers searching for a high-end reliever, it seemed they might be a big threat to lure him away from the Mets.
Maybe not.
While the Dodgers are indeed seeking a jolt for their bullpen, they could be deterred by the fact that Diaz has a qualifying offer attached to him, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Per Ardaya, with the Dodgers already owing draft penalties due to exceeding the luxury tax, it could "dissuade" them and other teams in similar situations from making a run at Diaz.
According to The Athletic, Los Angeles has made free agent reliever Devin Williams a target. Williams, who spent last season with the Yankees after being acquired from the Brewers via trade, was eyed by the Dodgers before that deal.
This offseason’s message from the Mets has been largely built around run prevention.
And since David Stearns has been with the organization, center field has been the spot that he's prioritized defense the most.
In 2024, he acquired Tyrone Taylor from the Brewers and signed Harrison Bader as a free agent -- that worked out well as the Mets made a run to the NLCS.
In 2025, Bader left as a free agent and the Mets attempted to acquire a similar defense-first type of player in Jose Siri from Tampa Bay. That did not work out. He was injured for most of the year and ended up getting DFA'd before the season ended.
Now, there is another opportunity to pursue run prevention in center -- a potential trade for 28-year old White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr.
If you look him up on Baseball Reference, the stat line will leave plenty to be desired. He slashed .223/.297/.364 (.661 OPS) with 14 home runs, 53 RBI and 33 stolen bases in 2025. However, there is more under the hood that has Robert as a very intriguing buy-low option.
From a contractual standpoint, Robert is owed $20 million in 2026 with a $20 million club option for 2027. He would be a true year-to-year proposition.
Here are the pros and cons of trading for Robert…
Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Rate Field / Kamil Krzaczynski - Imagn Images
PROS
Robert is an excellent athlete and has all the tools to be a special player.
In 2023 at 25-years old, Robert posted an .857 OPS with 38 home runs and looked the part of a future MVP candidate.
While he has not replicated that offensive success since, there were some intriguing things in the advanced statistics that suggest there are better offensive days ahead for the still-in-his-prime center fielder.
His 2025 season began to take a turn offensively when the calendar flipped to July, and that led to him being considered a prime trade deadline candidate. The Mets were among the teams in conversations with the White Sox, but they ultimately decided to keep Robert.
Robert hit .293/.349/.459 (.808 OPS) with six home runs, 21 RBI and 11 stolen bases from July 8 until his season ended in late-August due to a hamstring strain
Robert has the raw power you are looking for, with a max exit velocity of 115.8 mph in 2025. He also possesses elite bat speed in the 92nd percentile. His 26 percent strikeout rate is certainly below average, but he trimmed it significantly from 33 percent in 2024. Robert also posted a career best 9.3 walk percentage, which is an above average number in the 62nd percentile.
What's clear is Robert had a better approach at the plate in 2025 with perhaps some bad luck mixed in, as evidenced by a .250 expected batting average. It just did not end up showing in his end of season numbers.
Robert’s defense and speed help raise his floor as a player. He is a plus defender in center, rating at +7 OAA in range, which ranked in the 93rd percentile. His arm is more above average than plus, but it plays in center field.
From a speed standpoint, his sprint speed has made incremental growth each of the last four seasons, with his career best of 29 feet per second in 2025, which ranked in the 90th percentile.
Jul 18, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) hits a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
CONS
While the advanced numbers suggest some bad luck for Robert, the reality is that he has OPS' of .661 and .657 the last two seasons. Even if there is belief in a bounce back, that's two consecutive seasons of offensive numbers that would not be ideal in an everyday lineup for a contender.
Another issue that Robert has missed significant time with injury every season of his big league career except for his breakout 2023, when he played 145 games.
Over the last two seasons he played in just 210 of 324 possible games. He also played under 100 games in both 2021 and 2022. Is he a player the Mets can rely on to take the field every day?
Robert also might block a prospect like Carson Benge or Jett Williams from getting an opportunity in center in 2026.
If the Mets were to acquire someone like Robert, it would be with the idea that he is their center fielder if he is healthy. That does go against Stearns' idea that they must leave room for young players to make an impact on the big league roster.
VERDICT
Since July, I have been openly in favor of acquiring Robert. The price won’t be cheap, but it also won’t be exorbitant. I don’t think the Mets would have to part with any of their very top prospects in a deal.
The White Sox could have interest in one of the Mets' potentially surplus major league infielders such as Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio or Luisangel Acuña. If the Mets could land Robert for one of those and a mid-level prospect, that could be considered a risk worth taking.
He said at his end-of-season news conference that he needed to be more aggressive. At the time, that was considered to be talking about calling up young pitchers like Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat or Jonah Tong earlier than he did.
He may have meant being more aggressive with prospects in general, which has become more of the norm in baseball over the last couple of years.
Benge was on the fast track, making it to Triple-A in his first professional season after being a first round pick. If the Mets are planning to have Benge compete for center field out of camp, getting Robert -- or really any other full-time locked-in center fielder -- does not make a lot of sense. They’d be better suited using their assets to acquire pitching or help at a different position on the diamond.
LAS VEGAS — On Monday, the Giants announced that Bruce Bochy has returned to the organization as a special advisor to the baseball operations department. That means that technically, Buster Posey is now his former manager’s boss.
Of course, the president of baseball operations doesn’t view it that way. When he thinks of their relationship these days, the main thing that stands out is something else.
“When I was a player I never looked at Boch as a friend, because we kind of had that clean line of, ‘I’m the player, you’re the manager, you’re making the decisions and I’m going to go run through a wall for you,'” Posey said on Thursday’s “Giants Talk.” “I think post-playing, I consider Boch a friend. He’s somebody that I could pick up the phone and ask (about) any baseball-related issues.”
At the start of his second year in charge, Posey already has made that call a couple of times. Bochy was consulted as the Giants went through the process of hiring new manager Tony Vitello, and as that was being settled, Posey had another question. When Bochy parted ways with the Texas Rangers after three seasons — and a championship — he was never in consideration to take over for Bob Melvin. But Posey made it clear from the start of the offseason that he wanted Bochy back with the organization.
At the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas this week, Posey said he didn’t have to sell Bochy on a new job with the Giants. He knew his former manager was already excited about the possibility of returning.
“I said, ‘I’m not speaking for you — you’re a Giant,'” Posey recalled. “He had some other options so I wanted to give him space to think about those and work through those.”
This is Bochy’s second stint as a special advisor. He had a similar role after retiring in 2019 and helped in various ways until taking the Rangers job. Posey said he’s looking forward to having Bochy around and “talking shop.”
“He’s mentioned if we want him to go see a certain player, he would do that,” Posey said. “We certainly want him in spring training and I think spending time around Tony. They’ve already spent a little time together. It would be really good. I’m fired up that we have Boch. He’s a fun guy to be around.”
As an executive, Posey has surrounded himself with people from his playing days that he trusts, hiring former Giants GM Bobby Evans and his agent, Jeff Berry, as advisors. Bochy will join Dusty Baker as advisors, which should be valuable to Vitello as he goes through his first season in professional baseball. Ron Wotus will remain in his role as an advisor to Posey and helper for the big league staff.
Posey is also now leaning on former teammate Javier Lopez, who was in Las Vegas to sit in on meetings and help out. The Giants haven’t officially announced a title for Lopez — who will remain on the broadcast team — but that could be coming soon.
Travis Ishikawa, Dan Runzler, Ryan Vogelsong and Joe Panik are among the former Posey teammates who were helping in the minors even before he returned, and Posey has said he’s hopeful that more members of the championship teams get involved in some way. Brandon Crawford is an obvious choice, although he planned to take a full year off after retiring following the 2024 MLB season. There has even been some talk of getting Madison Bumgarner involved in some way, but for the moment, Lopez appears to be the only newcomer.
“I’ve talked to some of them,” Posey said of his former teammates. “It seems like they’re pretty content with what they have going on right now and I get it. When you have kids at home there’s certain things you don’t want to miss. It’s a big commitment. For me, our decision to move back to the Bay Area, I think, made this possible for me to do this.
“I don’t know if it would have been something I would do if we had not moved back to the Bay Area, so I certainly understand where they’re coming from.”
Shohei Ohtani hit 55 home runs for the Dodgers this year [Reuters]
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has been named one of baseball's Most Valuable Players for the third year in a row, and the fourth time overall.
The 31-year-old played a key role in the Dodgers winning the World Series for a second straight year as they overcame the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this month.
Ohtani is a rare "two-way" player, operating both as a pitcher and a hitter at the elite level, and was named the best player in the National League.
He is second on the all-time list, after Barry Bonds who won seven between 1990 and 2004. He has won all four of his MVPs in unanimous fashion with all 30 first-place votes.
"If I'm playing well as an individual that means I'm helping the team win, so in that sense, hopefully I can end up with a couple more MVPs," Ohtani said through an interpreter. "But it's all about winning games."
Ohtani is the first player to win the honour in both of Major League Baseball's two leagues after becoming the American League (AL) MVP in 2021 and 2023 while playing for the Los Angeles Angels.
In the AL, outfielder Aaron Judge became the New York Yankees' fourth three-time winner.
Judge, who won the AL award in 2022 and 2024, joined Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle as three-time MVPs with the Yankees.
"It's tough for me to wrap my head around," Judge said. "It's mind blowing from my side of things, because I play this game to win, I play this game for my team-mates, my family, all the fans in New York.
"You've got to pinch yourself every single day. It's truly an incredible honour."
At this point, it would be more surprising not to hear about the Phillies’ outfield, Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber’s market. Those three topics have dominated headlines, and they were front and center again at the MLB GM Meetings in Las Vegas.
“PHILLY BABY … Two and a half months was not nearly enough … To the ones who made it happen — THANK YOU. To every screaming fan — I LOVE YOU and THANK YOU. To a clubhouse I’m humbled to have been a part of — especially, THANK YOU.”
To some, it read like a farewell. But 94WIP’s Devan Kaney reported that a source said the message “does not mean he’s not returning in the slightest.” It was gratitude, not a signal.
The Phillies remain interested in bringing him back. Dave Dombrowski told The Athletic that Bader’s camp “knows we have interest” and understands the club would like him to return, while also acknowledging Bader plans to explore the market after one of the best seasons of his career.
Phillies likely to move on, but ‘open-minded’ on Castellanos
Nick Castellanos’ outlook for 2026 remains unsettled.
Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Dombrowski has already met multiple times with Castellanos since the season ended, and in those discussions noted that “a change of scenery” can sometimes benefit a player coming off a difficult year.
Nothing is imminent, but the Inquirer also noted the Phillies could evaluate potential trade frameworks — including the idea of a bad-contract swap. Castellanos, 33, is owed $20 million and enters the final season of his five-year, $100 million deal.
Justin Crawford will factor into the outfield picture
One of the clearest takeaways from the GM Meetings came from Matt Gelb of The Athletic, who reported that Justin Crawford is firmly in the mix for the Opening Day roster.
“In my mind, Crawford has a real strong chance to be with our club,” Dombrowski told Gelb. “We think he can play center field.”
Crawford’s speed gives him the range the position demands, and the Phillies sound confident in the 21-year-old. If he earns a starting role, Brandon Marsh — potentially part of a platoon — may be the only other outfield certainty.
Harper, Dombrowski had a ‘nice conversation’
Harper’s name also surfaced after his reaction to Dombrowski’s end-of-season remarks circulated last month. MLB.com‘s Todd Zolecki noted that the two spoke before the GM Meetings and reportedly cleared the air.
Dombrowski also highlighted where he views Harper defensively. The two-time MVP has said he would return to the outfield if the Phillies added a significant bat at first base, but the president of baseball operations reiterated that the club still views him as its everyday first baseman.
“We really appreciate that aspect of it, but we really look at him as a first baseman at this time,” Dombrowski told Zolecki. “He’s a good first baseman and he continues to get better. We really like our club with him there, so I think he is more of our first baseman.”
Schwarber drawing early interest, including from Boston
Kyle Schwarber’s free-agent market is already in motion.
MLB Network’s JonMorosi projected him as one of the earliest major free agents to sign, noting that the designated hitter’s market is “more defined” than others.
FanSided’s Robert Murray added that the Red Sox have interest, a logical fit given Schwarber’s impactful two-month stint in Boston in 2021 and their need for left-handed power.
The Phillies want him back, but the competition is very real.
Boras weighs in on Ranger Suárez’s market
Ranger Suárez hasn’t been a major topic early in free agency, but his agent Scott Boras made sure his name surfaced in Las Vegas.
“There’s no doubt that anyone that looks at the playoffs, the last three, four years,” he said. “If you’re interested in acquiring a postseason pitcher that has proven himself, I would suggest you don’t want to miss the Suarez postseason soiree.”
“Proven” might undersell it. Suárez owns a dominant 1.48 ERA across 42 2/3 postseason innings — one of the best playoff track records of any active starter.
A new name enters the trade landscape
A fresh wrinkle emerged when Dan Hayes of The Athletic shared that Byron Buxton may reconsider his no-trade clause if the Twins continue dismantling their roster.
There’s no direct Phillies link in the reporting, but in an offseason where right-handed outfield help is a priority, Buxton’s name adds another potential path.
The 32-year-old is coming off a career season: 35 homers, 83 RBIs, a .264/.327/.551 slash line, a perfect 24-for-24 on stolen bases and a Silver Slugger Award.
He’s owed just over $15 million annually for the next three seasons — a team-friendly structure that would fit many clubs, including the Phillies.
Mets closer Edwin Diaz earned himself some hardware at Thursday’s MLB Awards.
Diaz took home the 2025 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year award for the second time in his career and was named to the All-MLB Second Team.
He joins Josh Hader and Kenley Jansen as the only pitchers to win multiple NL Reliever of the Year awards.
This certainly doesn’t come as a surprise after the right-hander's spectacular season.
After a bit of a rocky return from injury, Diaz regained his dominant form and was once again one of the most trusted late-inning arms for Carlos Mendoza this season.
He finished fifth in the NL, locking down 28 of his 31 save opportunities.
The 31-year-old also pitched to a stellar 1.63 ERA and 0.87 WHIP while averaging 13.3 K/9.
Juan Soto grew close with Mets 1B coach Antoan Richardson last season.
From early in his first spring training with the club, Richardson made it a point of working with Soto to improve some of the weakest areas of his game -- outfield defense and baserunning.
All of that hard work the two put in certainly paid off.
Soto has long been one of MLB’s most prolific hitters, but with the help of Richardson, he added a new element to his game, finishing tied atop the National League with 38 stolen bases.
That more than doubled his career-high, which he tied two years ago in San Diego (12).
“We’ve put in a lot of work,” Soto said after joining the 30-30 club. “Antoan did an unbelievable job. He’s been helping me since Day 1, so I give all of the credit to him -- he’s the one who put me in this situation and in this spot to do what I’ve done.”
And it wasn’t just Soto who Richardson helped, as the Mets stole the fifth-most bases in baseball as a team (147) and were caught the second-fewest times (18).
But the two grew particularly close over the course of Soto's first season in orange and blue, so he was sad to see Richardson leave the organization for the division rival Braves last week.
“It was really sad,” he told reporters, including Newsday's Laura Albanese at the MLB Awards. “But you’ve got to understand it’s a business at the end of the day -- still the business of the game and you’ve got to take it like a man and move forward.”
New York still hasn’t filled Richardson’s spot on the coaching staff.
The Mets have a number of high-profile free agents they are looking to bring back, and Juan Soto is hoping New York brings back Pete Alonso and Starling Marte.
Speaking at the MLB Awards in Las Vegas on Thursday, Soto was asked about Alonso's free agency. The slugger is testing the open market for the second time in as many years. He eventually re-signed with the Mets this past February but opted out after putting together a bounce-back 2025, where he became the franchise's all-time leader in home runs.
The Alonso-Soto, 1-2 punch worked out for both players -- they combined to hit 81 home runs -- and Soto wants to run it back.
“I hope nothing but the best and I’m excited to see where he’s going to end up," Soto told the media, including The Post's Mike Puma. "He’s one of the best power hitters in this generation. I really enjoyed my moment with him in a Mets uniform and I hope we can have more times to come. We can have fun together.”
Marte may not get the headlines of Alonso or even Edwin Diaz, but the veteran outfielder is a free agent after four seasons in Flushing. Although his Mets tenure was marred by injuries, he was an All-Star in his first season with New York (2022) and was a solid player for them in 2025 as a bench hitter.
In 98 games, Marte slashed .270/.335/.410 with an OPS of .745 to go along with nine home runs and 34 RBI.
However, Soto cites Marte's leadership and presence in the locker room as big reasons the Mets should try and bring him back.
“You need a guy that helped you the most through those tough times and tried to bring the team back to where it’s supposed to be,” Soto said of Marte.
Whether or not the Mets have an appetite to sign the 37-year-old is unclear, but having an endorsement from your highest-paid player certainly doesn't hurt.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates as he runs for first on an RBI single in the sixth inning of the MLB National League Wild Card Game 2 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025.
Sam Greene/The Enquirer/Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Shohei Ohtani likes winning Most Valuable Player awards. He loves winning the World Series even more.
The two-way Japenese star did both for a second season in a row for the Los Angeles Dodgers, earning his fourth career MVP on Thursday night while unanimously earning the National League honor. He’s just the second to win four MVPs after Barry Bonds with seven and the only player to win unanimously more than once.
Considering Ohtani is 31, overtaking Bonds doesn’t seem out of the question. Especially if it leads to more Fall Classic opportunities.
“If I’m playing well as an individual that means I’m helping the team win, so in that sense, hopefully I can end up with a couple more MVPs,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “But at the end of the day, it’s all about winning games.”
In the American League, Aaron Judge became the New York Yankees’ fourth three-time winner, edging Seattle’s Cal Raleigh with 17 first-place votes to 13 for the switch-hitting catcher. The vote was the closest for an MVP since the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout topped Houston’s Alex Bregman by 17-13 in 2019.
Judge, who won the AL award in 2022 and 2024, joined Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle as three-time MVPs with the Yankees. The 33-year-old outfielder led the majors with a .331 batting average and 1.144 OPS while hitting 53 homers.
When asked about his place in MLB and Yankees lore, Judge acknowledged he’s in rare company.
“It’s tough for me to wrap my head around,” Judge said. “It’s mind blowing from my side of things, because I play this game to win, I play this game for my teammates, my family, all the fans in New York.”
Later he added: “You’ve got to pinch yourself every single day. It’s truly an incredible honor.”
Ohtani won a MVP for the third straight year, his second in the NL with the Dodgers after two in the AL with the Angels. He became the first to win in each league twice after getting the AL honor in 2021 and 2023. Ohtani signed with the crosstown Dodgers the following offseason and won NL MVP in 2024 during his first season in Chavez Ravine. He’s also won the World Series in both his seasons with the Dodgers.
Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber finished second in the NL with 23 second-place votes and New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto was third with four.
Ohtani hit .282 and led the NL with a 1.014 OPS. He also had 55 homers, 102 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.
The right-hander returned to pitching in June after missing 1 1/2 seasons on the mound because of an elbow injury. He struck out 62 batters over 47 innings, slowly increasing his workload while preparing for the postseason.
Ohtani continued to shine in October with arguably the greatest single game in MLB history. He hit three homers while striking out 10 over six dominant innings on Oct. 17, leading the Dodgers over Milwaukee to finish an NL Championship Series sweep.
Schwarber, who earned a $50,000 bonus for finishing second, hit an NL-best 56 homers and led the big leagues with 132 RBIs for Philadelphia.
Soto overcame a slow start to the season to have his typically stellar offensive output. The four-time All-Star — who signed a $765 million, 15-year deal last December — had 43 homers, 105 RBIs and an NL-best 38 stolen bases. He received a $150,000 bonus for finishing third in the MVP voting.
Judge is the first AL player to win back-to-back MVPs since Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera it in 2012 and 2013.
Raleigh, nicknamed “Big Dumper,” led the big leagues with 60 homers, the most for a player primarily a catcher. He started 119 games behind the plate and another 38 at designated hitter.
The 28-year-old also had a career-high 125 RBIs, leading the Mariners to one of their best seasons in franchise history. Judge said he got to know Raleigh a little during the All-Star break and the catcher asked for some leadership tips.
“Cal’s a special player,” Judge said. “I could sit here and talk all night about the player he is, but really the kind of leader and person he is really stuck out to me at the All-Star Game.”
Cleveland’s José Ramírez finished third in the AL.
Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo was fourth in the NL voting, earning him $2.5 million annual salary increases in 2028 and 2029 along with the price of Arizona’s 2030 club option.
The Mets are looking to retool their roster ahead of the 2026 season and that could mean moving one of their veteran players.
Jon Heyman of the NY Post reports Thursday that the Mets are "fielding trade inquiries" on Jeff McNeil.
McNeil, who underwent a procedure for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome earlier this offseason, is in the final guaranteed year of his contract. McNeil is reportedly expected to be ready for spring training, so his recent procedure may not deter teams looking to add in the trade market. The utility infielder -- and sometimes outfielder -- is owed $15.75 million in 2026.
This isn't the first time the Mets have been listening to potential trades for McNeil. SNY's Andy Martino reported in late July ahead of the trade deadline that the Mets were listening on several players, including McNeil.
With an expiring contract and at 33 years old, McNeil has value for a team looking for a versatile veteran. McNeil had a solid 2025 in various roles for the Mets. He played 122 games and slashed .243/.335/.411 with an OPS of .746 -- his highest since his batting title season in 2022.
But where McNeil flourished for New York was his versatility. He played five different positions this past season, giving manager Carlos Mendoza flexibility to play his younger players while also giving others a break, especially when injuries arose. He manned second base 79 times while playing center field in 34 games in 2025.
However, president of baseball operations David Stearns has already come out and said he expects McNeil to play less center field in the upcoming season.
As for the infield, the Mets are stocked with them. Although Pete Alonso is a free agent, and could still return, the Mets have Brett Baty likely to start at third base with Francisco Lindor playing shortstop.
That leaves Mark Vientos, Luisangel Acuna and Ronny Mauricio fighting for playing time in the infield. And that's not to mention prospects like Jett Williams, who could break through this spring or during the season.
D.J. Short
