The Chicago White Sox will own the top pick in the 2026 MLB Draft after winning the draft lottery on Tuesday.
The White Sox finished the 2025 MLB season with the second-worst record in baseball, going 60-102 a year after setting an MLB record for most losses in a single season.
After the 2025 season the White Sox were ineligible to participate in the draft lottery because they had won a slot in the 2024 draft, but this time around they had the best odds of capturing the top pick, with a more than 27% chance of earning that selection.
That is exactly what happened during the MLB Draft Lottery at the winter meetings on Tuesday, meaning that the White Sox will have the chance to add an explosive player to their farm system.
The Tampa Bay Rays vaulted up to the second slot in the draft order, with the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates rounding out the top-five.
The Kansas City Royals will pick six, meaning that three of the top-six picks are owned by American League Central clubs.
According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline, the 2026 draft class is loaded with college positional players, headlined by UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, and Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress.
High school shortstops Grady Emerson and Jacob Lombard are also at the top of the projected draft list, along with LSU outfielder Derek Curiel.
The 2026 MLB Draft will take place July 12-13, 2026 in Philadelphia as part of the league’s All-Star weekend.
The average annual value of $23 million is a new record for MLB relievers, Passan added.
Diaz, 31, has been one of the game’s best closers since making his first All-Star appearance in 2018. The three-time Reliever of the Year (2018, 2022, 2025) has 253 career saves, which is tied for fourth among active players.
Bullpen was the Dodgers’ biggest weakness in 2025, but the issue was solved during the postseason — largely thanks to rookie Roki Sasaki. The Japanese sensation could move back to the starting rotation in 2026 with Diaz now able to handle closing duties.
As for the Mets, the team signed reliever Devin Williams away from the New York Yankees last week. The right-hander is now expected to fill Diaz’s role as the Mets’ closer in 2026.
The designated hitter is returning to the Phillies on a five-year, $150 million deal, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The 32-year-old slugger is coming off a season that ranks among the best in franchise history. He hit .240 with a league-leading 56 home runs and 132 RBIs in 2025, posting a .928 OPS. Since joining the Phillies in 2022, Schwarber has launched 187 homers, the most in the National League during that stretch.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski called re-signing Schwarber “a priority” at the club’s end-of-season press conference, noting, “We’d love to bring Kyle Schwarber back … He’s a huge part of what we do.”
Manager Rob Thomson echoed the sentiment, praising Schwarber’s leadership and professionalism: “He brings a lot — his calmness, his experience, how he talks to younger players when they’re scuffling. He’s a huge piece in that clubhouse.”
Beyond the numbers, Schwarber has become the heartbeat of the Phillies’ lineup. His power and steady presence have helped define the club’s four consecutive postseason runs.
He’s also left an imprint off the field — his “Neighborhood Heroes” foundation continues to support first responders and military families across the Philadelphia region.
Originally signed to a four-year, $79 million contract before the 2022 season, Schwarber will remain the team’s primary designated hitter as the Phillies look to extend their playoff window into 2026 and beyond.
ORLANDO — Before a teamwide slump led to a trade deadline sale, the Giants were quietly looking at potentially adding help at second base. Months later, they announced that incumbent Casey Schmitt underwent left wrist surgery, but president of baseball operations Buster Posey doesn’t sound like he feels adding at that position is still necessary.
The Giants anticipate Schmitt being only about a week to 10 days behind at the start of camp, and they also have plenty of faith in Christian Koss. Tyler Fitzgerald, who entered last season as the starter, also still is on the 40-man roster.
“We feel really good about the strides that Casey made last year, and I think Koss, too, had some big moments for us and for me is a guy that’s just kind of an all-around baseball player and can impact the game in multiple ways,” Posey said. “We’re very optimistic with both of those guys having a solid year under their belt and we know that there’s room for growth. I’ll just leave it at that.”
There are multiple potential options on the trade market, including St. Louis’ Brendan Donovan and Tampa Bay’s Brandon Lowe. But the Giants also have more pressing needs, particularly in their rotation and at the back end of their bullpen. They also could use more help in the outfield.
Schmitt entered last season in a utility role off the bench and even learned first base as a way to get on the field. He finished the year with 12 homers and a wRC+ of 98, putting him roughly at league-average as a hitter. At the end of the season, Schmitt said he planned to drop some weight this offseason to allow him to cover more ground at second base.
General manager Zack Minasian described the injury as a form of carpal tunnel that needed to be operated on, but there are no long-term concerns.
“We don’t think he’ll be slowed during spring training at all. He should be fine,” Minasian said on Tuesday’s “Giants Talk” podcast. “I thought Casey made a lot of positive strides last year: At-bat quality, learning a new position, there’s still some upside there, and I’m excited to see what he can do going forward.”
The Marco Move
One player who won’t be involved in that outfield competition is Marco Luciano. The former top prospect was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates last week, with the Giants getting nothing in return for a 24-year-old who once looked like a future star in San Francisco, or at least the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade.
Internally, the Giants have in recent months revisited Luciano’s development path to see what they might have done differently. The main takeaway is not surprising: They know they should have moved him off of shortstop years ago, allowing him to play an easier position and focus on his development at the plate.
“I don’t think it went how anyone would have hoped it would have gone,” Minasian said. “I think you replay some of what position he should have been at and things of that nature. For me, personally, I saw Luci as a 15-year-old in the Dominican, and as much as we talk about the position, there’s still a tremendous amount of bat upside there.
“It’s tough to walk away from someone with that type of ability. It just hadn’t shown up to this point and we’re limited in our roster spots and unfortunately it was the route we had to go.”
For all of the attention that was paid to his defensive struggles, Luciano also had an OPS below .600 in his big-league appearances. In Triple-A last year, he hit 23 homers but struck out 170 times and posted a .749 OPS in a hitter-friendly league.
Minasian said the timing of the move was “just to create roster space.” If the Giants do not sign someone or complete a trade by Wednesday, they’ll have an open roster spot heading into the Rule 5 Draft.
Congrats, Chis!
Giants VP of media relations Matt Chisholm received the Robert O. Fishel Award during a reception on Monday night in Orlando. The award honors excellence in public relations, and Chisholm became the second Giants employee to win it, joining his former boss, Staci Slaughter.
Chisholm, a Northern California native who graduated from Sonoma State, first joined the Giants as an intern in 2004. He worked for the Colorado Rockies for three seasons before returning to his hometown team. Last season was his 18th overall with the organization.
The ceremony was attended by just about every Giants employee who made the trip to Orlando, including Posey, Minasian, manager Tony Vitello and Bruce Bochy, who worked closely with Chisholm during the title years. Posey gave a speech honoring Chisholm and presented him with a trophy.
The Mets have shown interest in Brewers starter Freddy Peralta as they look to revamp their rotation this offseason.
Milwaukee is said to be open for business on the right-hander if a team is willing to meet their steep asking price, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post.
Unsurprisingly, interest has been wide, as he is owed just $8 million for this season.
Peralta has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since making the move from more of a relief option to the Brewers' starting rotation during the 2021 season.
He is coming off a spectacular campaign in which he topped numerous career marks.
The right-hander finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting after posting a league-high 17 wins, a 2.70 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 204 strikeouts over 176.2 innings of work.
That marked the third straight season in which he topped 30 starts and the 165-inning mark.
It's unclear exactly what the Brewers may want in exchange for Peralta, but it's fair to believe they would look to add one of New York's highly thought of young starters -- Brandon Sproat or Jonah Tong -- as part of a deal.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Right-hander Drew Anderson and the Tigers agreed to a one-year contract, $7 million. Detroit general manager Scott Harris said Monday.
The deal includes a $10 million team option for 2027.
Anderson, 31, spent spring training with the Tigers in 2024 on a minor league contract and struck out 14 over eight innings while allowing seven runs and nine hits. He had a 3.86 ERA in nine games with Triple-A Toledo, then asked to be released and signed with SSD Landers in South Korea.
He went 23-10 with a 2.91 ERA over parts of two seasons in South Korea, striking out 403 and walking 104 in 287 1/3 innings.
Anderson last pitched in the major leagues with Texas in 2021 and then spent two seasons with Hiroshima in Japan's Central League.
He is 1-3 with a 6.50 ERA in two starts and 17 relief appearances over five big league seasons with Philadelphia (2017-19), the Chicago White Sox (2020) and the Rangers.
Ahead of the MLB Winter Meetings, the chatter was that the Detroit Tigers would be listening to offers for potential Mets target Tarik Skubal, the back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner and a free agent to be after the 2026 season.
On Monday, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris gave a clear indication that there will indeed be "listening" and "exploring" when it came to the left-hander (and any player in the organization), but that might be as far as it goes.
“I’ve been pretty clear since I’ve been here,” Harris said in Orlando. “I don’t believe in untouchables at any level. So anyone in our organization, at any level. It’s not a commentary on Tarik specifically. Sort of a blanket team-building approach. I think I can’t do my job without listening.
“I can’t do my job without exploring anything that may or may not have legs. Some are maybe very likely moves, and some are going to be extremely unlikely. But you can’t actually fully vet those opportunities unless you are willing to listen. So that’s how we’re doing it.”
Harris, speaking on MLB Network, added later, "My job is to make this organization better. I need to find ways to make this organization better, which means that I need to listen to every opportunity."
On the eve of the meetings, ESPN's Buster Olney reported Detroit would "continue to be engaged" with teams interested in acquiring the ace, and that the asking price would be "enormous."
Enormous because the talent is so immense. Over his last two seasons, he's posted a 2.30 ERA (2.47 FIP) and 0.906 WHIP with 469 strikeouts and 68 walks in 387.1 innings over 62 starts.
If acquired, the Mets would face another hurdle in working on keeping the 29-year-old around for the long term: Skubal is represented by Scott Boras.
When the Tigers attempted to extend Skubal, it was reportedly not just a non-competitive offer, but one that was relatively insulting. Safe to say that while that isn't much of an indication of the starter's asking price, it is something the Mets would certainly be able to avoid.
In the meantime, Skubal is relatively inexpensive, expected to make roughly $18 million for his final season of arbitration.
SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino reported earlier this offseason that the Tigers have expressed interest in Brett Baty in the past.
David Stearns said Monday at the Winter Meetings that rehabbing Mets pitchers Christian Scott and A.J. Minter have been progressing well this offseason.
Scott is wrapping up his recovery from Tommy John surgery, which sidelined him for the entirety of last season, and he’s in line to be a full participant by the time spring training comes.
That’s certainly encouraging news for the Mets’ pitching depth.
The 25-year-old was the first of New York’s influx of young talent to crack the majors, and he showed some of his high upside before going down to injury.
Scott pitched to a 4.56 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over his first nine big-league outings.
Minter, meanwhile, remains a bit less certain for the beginning of the season.
The veteran left-hander continues recovering from a lat injury that sidelined him for the season in late May, but if he does miss time, it is only expected to be brief.
Minter looked strong in his 13 appearances prior to the injury, and he is expected to play a key role in New York’s bullpen again after picking up his $11 million player option.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts answers questions during a news conference at the MLB winter meetings in Orlando on Monday. (John Raoux / Associated Press)
It’s been an offseason of few acquisitions thus far for the Dodgers.
So much so that, on the first day of MLB’s annual winter meetings at the Signia by Hilton Orlando on Monday, the most intriguing rumor surrounding the team had to do with a potential subtraction from their big-league roster.
According to multiple reports, Teoscar Hernández has come up in the Dodgers’ trade talks with other teams this winter. USA Today went as far as saying the club was “shopping” the two-time All-Star, who is entering the second season of the three-year, $66-million deal he signed last offseason.
Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernández hits a sacrifice fly to score Dodgers' Will Smith during the Game 7 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Nov. 1. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
“Teo certainly fits [our roster still],” Roberts said. “He’s helped us win two championships. He’s one of my favorites.”
“That doesn't feel likely,” Gomes added of the possibility of trading Hernández. “Obviously, you can never say never on those types of things. I know that's come up [in reports]. But that's not something we anticipate at all."
The idea of the Dodgers trading Hernández has felt like a long shot from the start. Though the 33-year-old slugger suffered an inconsistent and injury-plagued regular season in 2025 — both at the plate, where he had 25 home runs but hit only .247, and especially defensively, where he had several notable lapses after moving to right field — the 10-year veteran has made crucial contributions in each of the Dodgers’ two World Series runs the last couple years, and has served in a mentor role to young players in the clubhouse; none more so than Andy Pages.
Granted, moving Hernández could help the Dodgers get younger, which has been a goal for the front office this offseason as they try to navigate their aging and expensive roster. And his salary could be repurposed if the team were to make a splashier free-agent signing.
But for now, the Dodgers continue to express belief in their current core, with Roberts noting Monday that “we're very confident with where the roster is right now” and that “there's really no big splash we feel needs to be made.”
Plus, moving Hernández would also only further exacerbate the team’s pre-existing need for outfield help, as the club continues to evaluate both the free agent market (where players such as Cody Bellinger or Harrison Bader figure to be better, and more affordable, fits than a likely $400-million signing of top free-agent option Kyle Tucker) and trade possibilities (such as Brendan Donovan or Lars Nootbaar of the St. Louis Cardinals, Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu of the Boston Red Sox or — in a less likely scenario — Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians).
Roberts did leave the door open to potentially moving Hernández back to left field, where he spent the majority of 2024 for the Dodgers before shifting over to his more natural right field position last year.
Still, in Roberts’ eyes, Hernández’s defense was “at least average” in right after an August series in Colorado when he made a couple particularly glaring mistakes on fly balls. His career-long defensive metrics have also been stronger in right field than left.
“I do think that with the versatility [of our roster] and how we potentially shape this roster, there's some options,” Roberts said. “But right now, he's our right fielder.”
Dodgers continue to assess bullpen options
Padres relief pitcher Robert Suárez celebrates after San Diego defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 27. (Gregory Bull / Associated Press)
One area the Dodgers do still seem more eager to make an addition this offseason is in the bullpen, even as they voice confidence in improved performances from the returning members of last year’s disappointing group.
“Getting a high-leverage reliever,” Roberts said, “is never a bad thing.”
The Dodgers have attempted to sign some big-name, back-end relievers already this winter, from Raisel Iglesias (who ultimately returned to the Atlanta Braves on a one-year, $16-million deal, despite the Dodgers reportedly making a similar offer to the veteran right-hander) to Devin Williams (who went to the New York Mets on a three-year, $5- million deal, despite the Dodgers’ interest in him dating back to last offseason).
The team had strong interest in Williams, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, even as his bidding reached the level of multi-year offers.
That could offer some insight into the club's pursuit of another current relief target: Former San Diego Padres closer Robert Suárez.
The Dodgers have expressed interest in Suárez, as the Athletic first reported. And, with the hard-throwing right-hander set to turn 35 next March, he has only been projected to sign a two- or three-year contract. Time will tell if that’s out of the Dodgers’ comfort zone.
If the team strikes out at the top of the market — Edwin Díaz still looms as the biggest free-agent closer, but is expected to be out of the Dodgers’ preferred price range — there could be other alternatives.
Pete Fairbanks, the former Tampa Bay Rays closer whom the Dodgers inquired about at last year’s deadline, remains a potential option, although the team has not yet targeted him aggressively. The Dodgers have also expressed interest in re-signing Evan Phillips, despite not tendering him a contract as he recovers from a Tommy John surgery.
Familiar face Michael Kopech could also be a fallback alternative after spending the last year and a half in Los Angeles, though he was unable to pitch in this past postseason because of injuries.
Faith in Tanner Scott, Mookie Betts rebounds
Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott throws from the mound and surrenders a lead against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 31 at Dodger Stadium. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times)
One constant message the Dodgers have reiterated when discussing their bullpen this offseason has been their continued faith in Scott, despite his 4.74 ERA and woeful 23 of 33 mark in save opportunities last year.
Both Roberts and Gomes noted on Monday that Scott was potentially hampered by injuries last year.
“I think there were just some things he kept under wraps about his body,” Roberts said of the 31-year-old left-hander, who missed a month in the second half of the season with forearm inflammation. “Some stuff that he just, honestly, he never felt right all year.”
“I think when he went down with the elbow injury, my sense is Tanner is a tough guy and wants the ball, but that was bothering him for a while,” Gomes added, while also noting that “there was a lot of batted ball luck and things that would be very hard to repeat again” that contributed to his disappointing debut season.
“We’ve seen it happen with elite relievers before,” Gomes continued. “So I’m very confident that Tanner is gonna come back and have a great season for us and be a big part of our success.”
Another player the Dodgers are banking on improvements from is Mookie Betts, who was a Gold Glove finalist defensively after switching to shortstop last season but suffered a career-worst campaign at the plate (.258 average, .732 OPS and only 20 home runs in 150 games).
“He had a tough, tough offensive year,” Roberts said. “He did. He's human, but it's easy to bet on a bounce-back year for Mookie on the offensive side for sure.”
A big reason why: Betts figures to be able to spend more time this offseason working on his swing and rebuilding the strength he lost following a bout with a serious stomach virus at the start of last season. Last winter, Betts spent the majority of his offseason work preparing for his full-time move to shortstop — a position Roberts confirmed he will play again in 2026.
“I'm sure in some way, he now knows that he is a double-plus shortstop,” Gomes said. “He will put in the work to maintain that. He now probably just has a little more bandwidth to balance it all out.”
Etc.
Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman forces out Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at second base during Game 4 of the World Series on Oct. 29. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
— Gomes said utilityman Tommy Edman’s recent ankle surgery was a debridement procedure to address the injury that nagged him during the second half of last season. Edman’s recovery will likely leave him limited at the start of spring training, but the team does not “expect it to affect a meaningful part of the season,” Gomes added. Edman is also expected to be able to play both the infield and outfield next season, after his injury limited him to mostly infield duties last year.
— Brusdar Graterol is expected to be “full go” next spring, Gomes said, after the reliever missed all of last year recovering from a shoulder surgery. Fellow reliever Brock Stewart “will be a little delayed” after missing the end of last year with his own shoulder surgery, Gomes said, “but we don’t think it’s going to be anything [that lingers] too deep into the season at all.”
— Shohei Ohtani is expected to be making full-length pitching starts from the beginning of next season, but Roberts noted the club could be strategic in giving him extra days off between his pitching outings: “I do feel that giving him six, seven, eight days off to kind of allow him to continue to stay rested and build up, I think that's in our process. But again, we have a long way to go [before making final decisions].”
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza discussed a number of topics on Monday at the Winter Meetings…
Nimmo trade, Semien addition
Like everyone else, Mendoza was caught off guard by the Brandon Nimmo trade.
While he only managed the outfielder for the past two seasons, he had to sit back and pause for a moment after David Stearns revealed the deal was completed with the Rangers.
While losing Nimmo is a tough blow, he is excited to add Marcus Semien to the mix.
“I wasn’t an easy decision,” he said. “Because of how much Brandon represented and what he meant to the team. At the same time, when you’re talking a guy coming back like Marcus Semien, there’s a lot of the same traits there.
“The qualities, makeup, he’s a proven winner, and also gives us the ability to improve on the right side of the infield. But it was a tough one, wishing Brandon nothing but the best, because as a manager, he represented everything.”
Williams added to the ‘pen
Mendoza is also excited about the Mets’ other big addition, this one in the bullpen.
While they are still trying to retain All-Star closer Edwin Diaz in free agency, Devin Williams brings experience and a significant boost to the backend of New York’s ‘pen.
“We’re talking about one of the best relievers for the past few years,” Mendoza said. “He’s a guy that is used to pitching in high-leverage and has closing experience -- we’re looking for help there, and the fact that we got one, I was excited.”
Carson Benge’s development
Some of the work the Mets still have in front of them this winter is in the outfield.
They now have openings in left and center after moving on from Nimmo.
Stearns indicated on Monday in Orlando that, as things stand, Jeff McNeil would likely see a majority of the reps in left, but Benge would also be in the mix.
Benge is coming off a strong first full campaign in the organization, in which he hit his way up to Triple-A before season's end.
He finished the year hitting .281 with 15 homers, 73 RBI, and a .857 OPS.
“He’s an exciting player,” Mendoza said. “He’s a guy who can impact the baseball, controls the strike zone, a pretty good defender, has the makeup -- there’s just a lot to like about this kid. I keep hearing his name since we drafted him, now here he is putting himself in a position where he’s going to show up ready to compete for a spot on our roster.”
Changes to the coaching staff
Monday presented Mendoza with the first opportunity to address the numerous changes to the coaching staff.
Hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh, first-base coach Antoan Richardson, and bench coach John Gibbons are some of the most notable ones to go.
They've been replaced by a whole new group, including four promotions from within the organization.
"Not a lot of easy decisions," Mendoza said. "Especially with the chair I'm sitting in as the manager, you develop so many relationships with these guys, but at the same time, I'm excited about the guys we were able to bring on board.
"You're talking about continuity and team chemistry, we brought up four guys from player development. Guys who are used to our players, our processes, our system, the relationship with players. I was very proud of the fact that we're not only promoting players, but also giving a chance to some of the coaches that are grinding in the minor leagues."
Juan Soto will likely have to move to DH at some point during his 15-year deal with the Mets, but don’t expect it in 2026.
Carlos Mendoza indicated on Monday at the Winter Meetings that he will continue to use Soto consistently in right field this season.
“He doesn’t like DHing,” the skipper said. “He takes pride in being a good defender, and he will continue to do so. The schedule will dictate sometimes dealing with physical stuff and you’re trying to keep his bat in the lineup, the DH may come in to play, but if he’s feeling good enough, he’s going to be out there in right field.”
Soto appeared in just three games as the DH during his first season in Queens.
He worked hard with outfield coach Antoan Richardson on improving defensively during spring training, but still finished with a minus-13 Fielding Run Value and minus-12 Outs Above Average during his first season in Queens.
Still, David Stearns indicated earlier this offseason that the team believes he can turn things around with the glove.
"Juan is one of our players we believe can perform better defensively than he did last year," he told Mike Puma of the NY Post. "I think he believes that he’s going to work hard on it this offseason -- he’s motivated to do that, and he’s proven at previous times in his career that he can perform better in right field."
Keeping Soto regularly in right leaves the DH spot open for a potential Kyle Schwarber addition in free agency.
Pete Alonso could also be in the mix for more DH at-bats if he were to return to the club.
A few years ago, Cody Bellinger's once-promising career – the NL Rookie of the Year in 2017 and MVP in 2019 – looked to be over after batting .193 with a .611 OPS in his final 239 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But after two solid years on Chicago's Northside and a terrific year in The Bronx, he enters free agency as one of baseball’s hot commodities.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone says there’s a lot to love about the 30-year-old outfielder’s game.
“Who he was in the room, his performance between the lines on both sides of the ball, his athleticism, his versatility,” the manager said Monday at the MLB Winter Meetings. “Who wouldn't want a player like that?”
During his (so far) lone season in pinstripes, Bellinger's on-field contributions totaled 29 home runs, 98 RBI, with a .272/.334/.480 slash line for an .813 OPS (125 OPS+ and wRC+) while ranking in the 93rd percentile in outs above average (seven) and with 12 defensive runs saved.
But with free agency, the power and decision of where he plays next is up to him for the second time in his career, something Boone is content with waiting to see how it plays out.
“He's earned the right now to get to this point of his career of free agency as still a relatively young man,” Boone said. “We’ll see what happens, we’ll see how it shakes out. As far as the player and the person, he’s a good one."
Boone said he hasn’t been part of the recruitment process, adding he doesn’t typically do that with players who have been with the club previously.
“They know who we are, they know what we’re about,” the skipper said. “Certainly, if there comes a point where – and this isn’t just for Cody, this is with anyone – when it gets to a point where we’re starting to get down the road, or being in conversations, I’ll certainly have conversations with guys where I see it fit.”
Out in left field
Part of the conversation around bringing back Bellinger would be: What does that mean for Jasson Dominguez’s opportunity to play more in left field?
“We’re back into the hypothetical again,” Boone said with a smile when asked about Dominguez’s opportunities. “Right now, reality is JD is a young, talented player that got real experience at the big-league level last year. Had a lot of success, had some struggles along the way with it, but I think we all see a really talented player there.”
Of course, while the situation is hypothetical now, reality could come calling at some point in the not-too-distant future.
“If the situation presents itself down the road where you end up having a lot of good players for not enough spots,” Boone said, “you figure it out. You work it out. And then competition plays a big role, too. Those things kinda work themselves out.”
New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Domínguez (24) gestures after hitting a three run double in the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
He added: “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, if and when something like that comes up.”
Dominguez returned to the Dominican to “get more at-bats” playing winter ball, which Boone called something that will be “very valuable” to the 22-year-old.
“Just going down there and playing in that environment and getting some at-bats and continuing to play,” he said, noting that while Dominguez reached 429 plate appearances on the year, that down the stretch he “didn’t play much obviously.”
One area that the Yanks hope to see Dominguez improve is batting from the right side. The switch-hitter posted a .274 average and .768 OPS as a lefty and just a .204 average and .569 OPS as a righty. The manager pointed toward limited at-bats as a reason for that disparity – 325 plate appearances as a lefty to 104 as a righty.
“We’re talking about a very, very young player that didn’t play a ton of minor league baseball, and what suffers from that? The side you don’t hit from as much,” Boone said. “I still think it's a natural side for him, he’s a natural right-handed hitter. I don’t think it’s out of the question that at some point that right hand catches up to the left side, but we’ll see.”
The bigger question regarding Dominguez’s chances is his defense in left field, which was a real liability: He was in the 2nd percintile for outs above average (minus-10).
“Overall, real improvement, but there’s still a long ways to go in that improvement,” Boone said of his defense. “The difference of him February compared to April compared to June, I think there was really big strides. But still a ways to go just in learning the nuances of the position.
“He’s athleticism is a real calling card for him as far as speed and arm strength, and you hope that continues to win the day and eventually gets him to that point where ‘man, now he’s really good out there.’ Still has a lot of development to do in that regard.”
First base for Ben Rice
Rice's bat was the biggest boost for the Yankees last season as he slugged 26 home runs and posted an .836 OPS, but his versatility playing first base and catching helped solve several lineup headaches for the manager. Entering the 2026 season, the club is leaving the option to see him work behind the plate open, while pointing the 26-year-old toward first.
"Right now he's our first baseman," Boone said. "The catching stuff is still very much in play, and then we'll see. We'll see how the offseason unfolds with how we are roster-wise going into spring training, and how much catching that means, or if it is all first base. But definitely see him as our first baseman."
Boone said that he didn't think Rice got "shorted" from working on his defense at first base by working at both spots, and that they will continue to give him time at catcher: "It's an important skill that he possesses that you don't want it to go away, because he's capable back there."
In early November, general manager Brian Cashman told reporters that "more likely than not" he sees Rice at first "without a doubt."
"I view Ben Rice as having an everyday role in the big leagues for us next year, whether it's at first... right now the lane is first base, I have no doubt teams will continue to come after our players, Rice included, for trade conversations," Cashman said at the time. "But as of right now, yeah, he's in our lineup, and the more likely spot would be first base."
The Mets have a number of openings to fill this offseason, but it appears you can officially scratch one off the list.
Carlos Mendoza said Monday at the MLB Winter Meetings that as things stand, Brett Baty will see the majority of the playing time at third base come spring training.
The hot corner was a huge question mark for New York coming into last season, but Baty truly took his game to another level and secured his hold on the everyday job.
“Brett took that step forward,” the skipper said. “It felt like we had a tryout there and Baty just got comfortable and played really well from both sides of the field -- we’ll see what happens, but as of right now Brett will get a lot of the opportunities.”
As for Mark Vientos, Mendoza says the team is preparing the young slugger for all scenarios.
The 25-year-old has been taking reps at both first and third over the winter.
“We aren’t throwing third out the window, and he’s working a lot at first,” he said. “But again, a lot can happen. So the one thing I told him is control the things you can control -- just put yourself in the best position and show up to camp ready to compete.”
Ronny Mauricio also finds himself in a similar position coming off an up-and-down first full pro season.
The biggest thing for him, though, is just staying healthy and ready to go.
“It’s good to see him playing Winter Ball and playing well,” Mendoza said. “He looks good and is in a very good place. He has to come in and compete for a spot on the roster -- there’s flexibility there, but I think the biggest thing is for him to be healthy.
“If we get a healthy-version of Ronny Mauricio, he is an impactful player.”
The Mets’ stance on Pete Alonso continues to stay the same.
Those around the organization have made it clear over the past few months that they’d love to have the free agent slugger back in orange and blue next year and beyond.
David Stearns and Carlos Mendoza reiterated that feeling, speaking at the Winter Meetings on Monday. “Of course I want him,” the skipper said. “You’re talking about a guy that, as a manager, his ability to post every day -- when you don’t have to worry about who is going to play first and hitting in the middle of the lineup, you can’t beat that.”
“We’d love to have him back,” Stearns added. “Pete has demonstrated he’s one of the best offensive players in baseball, and he’s performed at a high level for us -- that would be a priority for any team, and it certainly is for us.”
Alonso is looking to cash in on his highly productive campaign into a long-term deal.
Recent reports indicated that he may be seeking a pact of at least seven years, but an AL official told Joel Sherman of the NY Post that the length isn’t out there.
New York likely won’t be among those, though, with the two sides having so much familiarity.
“Pete knows us really well; we know Pete really well,” Stearns said. “I think he’ll take the time here to perhaps meet with organizations he doesn’t know quite as well, and we’ll be in touch.”
