Kuznetsov, 33, is coming off an injury-riddled 37-point, 39-game campaign with SKA St. Petersburg. It was his first season back in Russia after a 12-season NHL career spanning 743 games. Kuznetsov amassed 575 points and won the Stanley Cup along the way.
“The coach didn’t use him the way Evgeny would’ve liked,” Kuznetsov’s agent, Shumi Babaev, told RG.org in late June.
RG.org’s report in June mentioned 10 NHL teams had shown interest in the four-time 20-goal scorer, and that he was only negotiating with NHL teams, according to his agent.
“Not because there are no offers from Russia – there are,” Babaev said. “And honestly, he’d still be one of the best players in the KHL. But right now, the focus is on returning to the NHL.”
As recently as Sept. 27, Kuznetsov was linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers. His agent also disclosed that at that point, a move to Metallurg was “just a rumor” and that he had denied any talks with the team regarding a move.
A big sticking point that may have led to Kuznetsov’s KHL return could be that his agent made it clear in June that Kuznetsov would not consider any tryout offers, saying there’s no need to test him.
With an NHL return for Kuznetsov likely out of the question for 2025-26, the ex-Capitals star may have already played the final game of his decorated NHL career.
For
action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue,
subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by
subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
THN.com.
NEW YORK — Aaron Boone planned to lift starter Max Fried after the sixth inning of Game 1 of the New York Yankees’ AL Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox. Fried inducing a double play and sitting on 99 pitches prompted Boone to reconsider and let his ace lefty get one more out in the seventh.
Fried did that, and then Boone went to his bullpen. Luke Weaver walked the first batter he faced, and then allowed a double and Masataka Yoshida’s pinch-hit two-run single. David Bednar gave up back-to-back hits in the ninth to give Boston some breathing room, and the Yankees manager’s in-game pitching decisions were under the microscope yet again in the aftermath of a 3-1 loss that put New York on the brink of elimination in the best-of-three opening round.
Boone defended his decision on the basis that Fried faced increased pressure in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and had to work hard to get through them.
“I felt like his command was not as good those final few,” Boone said. “He’s just making so many big pitches, and his stuff was good. He gave us what we needed and felt really good about the outing he put forth, but I felt pretty convicted. Especially we got the double play, it’s like, ‘Let’s go get one more hitter and be good.’”
Fried allowed just four hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings and threw 63 of his 102 pitches for strikes, and the Yankees led 1-0 on Anthony Volpe’s solo home run. Fried beat Jarren Duran in a race to first base for the final out he recorded and felt he “had enough in the tank for whatever the team needed.”
“I definitely felt good at the end, coming out feeling good,” Fried said. “I’m going to stay in until I get the ball taken from me.”
Boone made that call and handed it to Weaver, who has not been the same since returning in June from a stint on the injured list with a strained left hamstring. The righty had a 1.05 ERA in his first 24 appearances before getting hurt and then a 5.31 over his final 40 games.
“I’ll take Weave there at the bottom of the order, especially with an out in the books,” Boone said.
Weaver started Ceddanne Rafaela off with two strikes before walking him in an 11-pitch plate appearance. It snowballed from there with Nick Sogard doubling, Yoshida driving in two. Weaver didn’t record an out and exited with the Yankees trailing.
“They put a good approach together, put the ball in play and found the holes,” Weaver said, describing his pitching as competitive. “I know there’s a lot of disappointed people, including myself, but I just got to be better.”
There were plenty of pregame decisions questioned, too, with left-handed hitters Ben Rice, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ryan McMahon not in the lineup against Boston starter Garrett Crochet, who got 23 outs before fellow lefty Aroldis Chapman recorded the final four to close it out. Crochet retired 17 consecutive batters after Volpe homered.
But after turning to Nestor Cortes in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers last year — with Freddie Freeman hitting a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 on Cortes’ first pitch — and making other calls to the bullpen that didn’t work out, Boone put himself in position to be second-guessed again.
He expressed no regret about the decisions afterward, other than lamenting Weaver not getting Rafaela out.
“I felt good about him going through there: Sogard and then probably a pinch-hit lefty there,” Boone said. “They played a couple hits on him where (he left it) maybe just a little up with a couple of the pitches more than he wanted.”
It’s a familiar script for the Yankees, whose bullpen ERA of 4.37 ranked 23rd out of 30 teams. That could have been forgotten if they scored after loading the bases with no outs in the ninth, but Chapman got out of the jam against his former team.
New York had scored in 25 of its previous 28 innings when loading the bases with no outs.
“One hit there and we tie the game,” said Paul Goldschmidt, who singled to begin the rally that fell short. “Unfortunately it didn’t work out but a good job to give ourselves a chance.”
SAN FRANCISCO — Freddie Freeman’s father long has been the one in his ear with an encouraging word and some advice to simplify his swing.
Even now, in his mid-30s, he still hears it from dad: Return to the tee.
Frederick Freeman Sr. instructs his son to get back to his hitting basics when times are tough. So, on a September Saturday in San Francisco, the Dodgers slugger did just that. He grabbed his bat and headed for the indoor cage to take some cuts off a tee.
It served as a reset of sorts for the Los Angeles first baseman, a chance to adjust his swing ever so slightly.
Freeman wound up with three hits in a 13-7 win over the Giants that night of Sept. 13 before getting three more the next day in a 10-2 triumph.
He took all of 45 warmup swings that first day behind the scenes — 12 balls off the tee and some 25 underhand flips before listening in on a hitters’ meeting then completing one more round in the indoor cage at Oracle Park.
“It’s always a work in progress,” Freeman said. “Sometimes you feel good where you can just go up there and it feels like you’re just swinging and you hit the ball hard. Sometimes you’re going through it.
“Even as you get older you’ve still got to go back to the basics. I hit off the tee this morning before the game, sometimes you’ve got to back to square one even if you’ve been playing a long time. Over the course of a season if you stick with your process and your plan and hunt where you’re looking and stick to it, it’s going to work over time.”
Freeman figures he hits off the tee maybe four times a season — “only when I think I’m really bad,” he said, smiling.
A perplexing funk left him searching for answers over much of a frustrating first half this year.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, meanwhile, remained ready to offer his support whenever needed, even for a veteran star unaccustomed to such hitting struggles.
Of course, Freeman found his way.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell provides an important reminder: There’s a lot of failing in baseball.
“That’s the wonderful challenge of being a major league hitter,” Counsell said. “If you do your job right you don’t always get the results you want. In basketball if you shoot a good shot it’s going to go in. Something’s not going to happen where it’s not going to go in, it’s going to go in. In baseball it’s a little different and I think that’s what makes it hard and I think that’s why we talk about the mental component of baseball and hitting so much. Those are challenges that the guys get good at. I think players get really good at that stuff. That doesn’t mean it still doesn’t affect you.”
Sometimes, turning to the metrics is the way to go nowadays more so than during the 55-year-old Counsell’s 16-year major league career as an infielder from 1995-2011.
“The statistics today in a lot of ways can help players because we can do a little better job of when a guy is just having bad luck and I think they have a better idea of that,” Counsell said. “Before, I would just say I was having bad luck and nobody would really believe you. We’re in a little better spot to do that. And then there’s sometimes when you’re not having bad luck, you’re just not very good.”
Padres manager Mike Shildt has an open-door policy with his players, and he’s all about establishing dialogue and trust to know when somebody might need more information and when to just leave him be.
“I think every player gains more experience and figures out how to deal with the challenges that are 162 games-plus schedule,” Shildt said. “It’s real, the schedule ebbs and flows and there’s going to be that with the human factor of this. You do try to, from my seat, always a starting point is just be supportive. Just the biggest thing is supportive and create relationships with players. Then you know how to best communicate with them on what they need and what they don’t need — sometimes they don’t want a whole lot. Sometimes they need something.”
“Then more specifically is what they may need as far as encouragement about what with our staff to work on — a little more clarity that we need to work on plate zone discipline, the ball up, breaking balls, etc. ... It’s a combination of things, but mostly about relationships and trust.”
Sticking to the approach and plan, “it’s that simple” for Freeman. That’s what he did to find his groove again at the plate after the All-Star break.
“I’m lucky enough that my approach, I’ve been in this game a long time, it’s worked over time,” he said. “This game is hard, sometimes it’s really hard. ... Just keep working and keep going and sometimes when they are going tough you can chase things and that’s when things can spiral. I know it’s going to work, it’s worked for a long time, so if it doesn’t work then I don’t know, it is what it is.”
The 36-year-old nine-time All-Star batted .297 leading into the break, but was hitting .376 on May 11. Roberts was unconcerned, and Freeman finished the regular season at .295 with 24 home runs and 90 RBIs.
“I’m really impressed with how he just continues to work. He expects a lot of himself. He’s an easy guy to bet on,” Roberts said. “Hitting is still hard. ... He just doesn’t waver from his work.”
Freeman knows momentum comes and goes in this game over the course of a 162-game season, with the many variables like travel, weather, pitchers and everything in between.
That allows him to keep it all in perspective to better deal with the rough days.
And, on occasion when needed, return to the tee under his dad’s direction.
“Every day’s a new day. You’re not facing the same guys every day so even if you feel good one day that’s why you can go 0 for 4 with four strikeouts the next day,” he said. “We’re just going to keep grinding.”
LOS ANGELES — Hunter Greene lived out a childhood dream, making his first postseason start for the Cincinnati Reds in his hometown.
There was no Hollywood ending for him, though.
Greene gave up a leadoff homer to Shohei Ohtani and lasted only three innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers pounded Cincinnati pitching for a 10-5 victory in the opener of their NL Wild Card Series.
The hard-throwing right-hander was tagged for six hits and five runs — all on three homers. He walked two and struck out four.
“Just wasn’t great at executing my slider,” Greene said. “That’s where I got hurt the most tonight. I’ve got to be able to make that pitch.”
The 26-year-old Greene prepped at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, about 15 miles north of Dodger Stadium, and was the second overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft.
He grew up a Dodgers fan, but thought he kept his emotions in check.
“Even keeled. Never felt fast,” said Greene, an All-Star last year. “Just wasn’t able to execute the way I needed to.”
In the first inning, Ohtani laced a 117.7 mph drive off a 100.4 mph fastball from Greene — the fastest pitch the three-time MVP has homered on in his major league career.
Greene issued consecutive walks to Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy in the third, and those proved costly when Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman launched back-to-back homers that gave the Dodgers a 5-0 lead. Greene got out of the inning after that, but then Reds manager Terry Francona went to his bullpen.
“Ball just got away from me, that’s really it,” said Greene, who went 7-4 with a 2.76 ERA in 19 starts this season.
Ohtani turned around a triple-digit fastball early, but Greene struck him out in the second inning on a 100 mph heater.
That fastball seemed to generate mixed results.
“There were some swings and misses on it,” Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson said. “I know Ohtani got one to hit. Just kind of a bad location. Teoscar hit the slider. I thought he made some good pitches, but they just took advantage of some he didn’t.”
During a workout at Dodger Stadium, Greene went to the mound and dropped to a knee, perhaps envisioning a scenario in which he turned the ball over to the Cincinnati bullpen after a successful playoff outing.
Maybe another night.
“(I’m) frustrated, but I have a lot of confidence that I’ll be back in this position and that we’ll be able to come out on top,” Greene said.
ATLANTA — Brian Snitker, who managed the Atlanta Braves to the 2021 World Series championship as the highlight of almost a half-century with the organization, will not return to the dugout next season.
The Braves announced the 69-year-old Snitker will move to an advisory role and will be inducted into the team’s hall of fame next year.
Snitker has been with the organization for 49 years as a long-time minor league manager, major league coach and finally major league manager.
Snitker led Atlanta to 811 wins, six NL East division titles and the the 2021 World Series championship in his 10 seasons as manager.
Fifth-year veteran forward Jonathan Kuminga, who was a restricted free agent this offseason, received a bag from the Warriors.
After months of slow negotiations and offer refusals, Kuminga signed a two-year contract reportedly worth $48.5 million contract on Tuesday.
Compared to the rest of what was a somewhat calm 2025 NBA free agency period, the two parties were involved in one of the relatively pricier restricted free-agent deals of the offseason. Here’s how Kuminga and Golden State’s newfound partnership stacks up against other deals.
Jonathan Kuminga got the 2nd-highest AAV of any restricted free agent this summer, 5th-highest in the last 3 offseasons (Via Spotrac)
And he will re-enter free agency at 23 or 24 years old with roughly $49-million to $73 million in career earnings, getting out after 5 or 6 years…
Kuminga was rewarded with a new average annual value of $23.4 million, giving him the second-largest restricted free-agent deal of the offseason after Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey. Giddy signed a four-year, $100 million contract with Chicago early on Sept. 12, giving him an AAV of $25 million.
The difference between Kuminga’s and Giddey’s AAVs isn’t much in NBA terms — about $1.6 million. However, there’s a decent-sized gap after Kuminga. Grizzlies center Santi Aldama, with an AAV of $17.5 million, is third on the list after signing a three-year, $52.5 million contract with Memphis on June 30.
And after Aldama, Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell is the last restricted free-agent signee on the list with a double-digit AAV ($12 million). Mitchell signed a two-year, $24 million contract with Miami on July 8.
When looking at previous classes, as Jackson Lloyd’s X post explains, Kuminga earned the fifth-highest AAV of any restricted free agent over the past three offseasons; quite impressive for a 22-year-old.
Golden State appears to have high expectations for Kuminga, the franchise’s choice with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. The Warriors certainly will pay the swingman — at least for one season — at a rate that rivals some of the league’s top up-and-comers.
The winless streak of the Detroit Red Wings in pre-season play came to a halt on Tuesday night in the Windy City, and once again, an intriguing young prospect played a key role in the victory.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, who already scored in last week's victory over the Buffalo Sabres at Little Caesars Arena, fired home his second tally of the pre-season on a one-timed shot from the slot that some fans could have some fans reminiscing of the days of Brendan Shanahan and Brett Hull.
Last week, Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan touted Brandsegg-Nygård's release, calling him "a hell of a shooter".
"The information I've received is that he's a hell of a shooter, and I watched the one playoff game in Grand Rapids last year and I thought he set himself up to shoot all the time," McLellan said last week of Brandsegg-Nygård'. "If someone gets him the puck, he's ready to shoot. I think it's a big part of his game, he has that heaviness and all those other things but for me, the shot isn't a surprise. I've been told it and I've witnessed it."
The Red Wings found the back of the net first thanks to Elmer Soderblom stealing the puck from Chicago's Connor Bedard and eventually setting up J.T. Compher, who tallied his first pre-season goal.
Jonatan Berggren, who was inked to a one-year extension during the offseason, helped set up Lucas Raymond's second period goal that extended Detroit's lead to 3-0 by outmuscling Sam Rinzel for a loose puck and feeding a pass to Raymond at the goal mouth.
Goaltender Cam Talbot, who is entering his second season with the Red Wings and will be paired with newcomer John Gibson as a tandem, stopped all but one of the 28 shots that the Blackhawks fired his way.
The Red Wings' win over the Blackhawks was their second win over former head coach Jeff Blashill, who was lured away from his job as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning to take over the head coaching responsibilities in Chicago this offseason. The Red Wings also beat the Blackhawks by a 3-2 final score on Sept. 23 in Detroit.
The pre-season is winding down for the Red Wings, who have only a pair of games remaining - both of them against the Toronto Maple Leafs, before they begin the regular season by hosting the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 9.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
Preparing to defend their World Series crown, the Dodgers seemed to awaken from their summer slumber in the final week or two of the regular season winning nine of their last 11 games. They carried that momentum into Game 1 of their Wild Card series last night at Chavez Ravine, jumping out to an 8-0 lead before ultimately winning 10-5. Shohei Ohtani led off the bottom of the first with a home run. He and Teoscar Hernandez each homered twice in the win and Blake Snell was dominant allowing two runs on four hits over seven innings while striking out nine.
LA's bullpen was leaky and that should make Dodger Nation a bit nervous, but seeing Snell control the game and the bats come alive is without question a combination the rest of baseball noticed.
Game 2 is now a must-win for Cincinnati. They will send Zach Littell to the mound while the Dodgers will counter with Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto made 30 starts this season finishing with 12 wins and the fourth-best ERA in baseball at 2.49. Littell carries a regular season record of 10-8 with a 3.81 ERA into the contest. Cincinnati has won his last four starts.
Lets take a closer look at the number for Game 2 and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Reds at Dodgers - Game 2
Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Time: 9:08PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: ESPN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Reds at the Dodgers - Game 2
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Cincinnati Reds (+223), LA Dodgers (-281)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (-132)
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Dodgers - Game 2
Pitching matchup for October 1, 2025: Zack Littell vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Reds: Zack Littell (10-8, 3.81) Acquired from Tampa Bay at the deadline, Littell closed the season strong allowing 3 runs over his final 2 starts (9.2 IP)
Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA) Yamamoto has not allowed a run over his last 2 starts (11.1 IP) and just 3 runs over his last 5 starts (34 IP)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Dodgers
In 17 playoff games over the last 2 seasons, Shohei Ohtani now has 5 HRs and 13 RBIs
In his last 3 postseasons (19 games), Teoscar Hernandez is hitting .262 with 7 HRs and 20 RBIs
Yoshinobu Yamamoto started 4 games in last season's title run for LA compiling a 2-0 record with a 3.86 ERA
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s Game 2 between the Reds and the Dodgers
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s game between the Reds and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
On Saturday, Mason McTavish and the Anaheim Ducks ended their elongated contract dispute and agreed on a six-year contract that carries an AAV of $7 million.
McTavish (22) missed the first nine days of the Ducks' 2025-26 training camp, and as he reported on Monday, he will have had 11 days of camp by the start of the regular season.
The Ducks have a brand new coaching staff behind their bench, led by Joel Quenneville, who, to this point in camp, has run high-intensity skating-based on-ice sessions. Missing nine days of a camp like that under a new coach is anything but ideal, and the Ducks will have to monitor how hard they push McTavish to integrate him without risking injury.
We’ll soon find out if missing that much time will hinder McTavish out of the gates, a slow starter as it is to this point in his career, and if extending negotiations into camp will be worth the headache.
The Ducks spent their highest draft pick in eight years when they selected McTavish (3rd overall in 2021) in the NHL Draft four years ago. Playing for two coaches who are no longer coaching in the NHL and in less-than-ideal environments, McTavish, with a substantial amount of runway left, has already evolved into a quality second-line center in the NHL.
He has one of the highest motors in the league, never giving up on battles and frequently extending or killing plays with extra efforts. He utilizes his 6-foot-1, 218-pound frame to protect pucks below the faceoff dots and along the boards, drawing defenders toward him and finding teammates in dangerous spots on the ice.
He has some wrinkles in his game to iron out, like defensive zone coverage, where he’d already improved in 2024-25, but will now be in a system more catered to his strengths. His skating and transition offense could use a boost as well, but to a lesser extent.
When comparing McTavish’s contract to similar ones (signed by players in similar circumstances), league-wide, it’s hard to argue the Ducks didn’t get tremendous value for their current and future second-line center.
$7 million represents 7.3% of the current $95.5 million NHL salary cap ceiling. McTavish has played 229 career games and tallied 140 points (60-80=140), a .61 points-per-game pace. He scored 52 points (22-30=52) in 76 games in 2024-25 (.68 ppg) and 2.16 points per 60 minutes at 5v5.
With his six-year term, the Ducks bought two yers of McTavish’s UFA status.
To put his numbers into perspective, a glance at similar deals would be beneficial:
Frank Nazar-Seven Years, $6.6 Million AAV(6.3% of cap)
Nazar just wrapped up his first full professional season, playing 21 games in the AHL with the Rockford Ice Hogs and 53 for the Chicago Blackhawks, where he notched 26 points (12-14=26).
Nazar has played only 56 career games and has scored at a .48 PPG pace, including .49 PPG and 1.36 P/60 at 5v5 in the 2024-25 season.
The Hawks are betting that Nazar will continue to improve, as he did in the latter stretch of the 2024-25 season. Though Nazar is signed for a year longer and will make $600k per year less than McTavish, McTavish’s greater production over a larger sample size might make his contract look more desirable as of now.
Matthew Knies-Six Years, $7.75 Million AAV(8.1% of cap)
Knies had a spectacular breakout season for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2024-25, where, mostly on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, he tallied 58 points (29-29=58) in 78 games. The Leafs will be relying on him more heavily, considering his raise and the departure of Marner this offseason.
Through 161 career games, Knies has scored at a .58 PPG pace. In 2024-25, he scored at a .74 PPG pace and 1.93 P/60 at 5v5.
Despite Knies scoring seven more goals last season, McTavish tallied points at a higher rate, in a less ideal environment, and at a more premium position (center v wing), again perhaps rendering McTavish’s contract more favorable.
Quenton Byfield-Five Years, $6.25 Million AAV(7.1% of cap)
Byfield is potentially the most similar to McTavish of this group in terms of contract, production, and draft pedigree. The 2020 second-overall pick scored 54 points (23-31=54) in 81 games last season and, with his skating and tenacity, was a 200-foot menace.
Byfield is 260 games into his NHL career and has scored at a .55 PPG clip. Last season, he scored .67 PPG and 2.00 P/60 at 5v5.
Byfield will likely always have a greater defensive impact than McTavish and will hope to take his production to an even higher level as soon as this season. With a five-year term, the Los Angeles Kings only bought one year of Byfield’s UFA status, but they’re saving $750k more per year than the Ducks are with McTavish.
Which contract is preferable between the two is in the eye of the beholder, but it will be very enjoyable to all to watch these two battle for the foreseeable future in Southern California.
Other Comparables: Logan Stankoven (Eight Years, $6 million AAV), Matt Coronato (Seven Years, $6.5 million AAV), Wyatt Johnston (Five Years, $8.4 million AAV), Alexis Lafreniere (Seven Years, $7.45 million AAV), Matty Beniers (Seven Years, $7.14 million AAV).
A year afterPete Alonsohit free agency for the first time -- resulting in an incredibly long negotiation process that included some late Blue Jays buzz, pointed words toward Scott Boras from Mets owner Steve Cohen, and an eventual compromise on a two-year deal with an opt-out to return to New York -- the first baseman is about to test the market again.
In the clubhouse this past Sunday after the Mets' season ended in abject failure, Alonso confirmed what was already known -- he would be opting out of his deal.
This time, Alonso will be coming off a much stronger season than the one he had in 2024.
While playing all 162 games in 2025, Alonso slashed .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs, a career-best 41 doubles, and 126 RBI. He was an All-Star for the fifth time, had the second-best OPS of his career, and was a force with runners in scoring position -- hitting .309/.401/.634 in 217 plate appearances.
Along the way, Alonso broke the Mets' all-time record for home runs. He now stands alone atop the leaderboard, having smacked 264 homers over his seven seasons in New York.
Speaking on Monday, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns made similar comments about Alonso's future to the ones he made last year around this time.
"Pete is a great Met," Stearns said. "He had a fantastic year. I said this last year and it worked out – I’d love to have Pete back and we’ll see where the offseason goes."
Stearns added:
"Whenever we’re talking about departing free agents or players who were with us who are then free agents, it’s always the holistic package of what that player brings to an organization. It’s what he means to the team on the field, it’s what that player means to the community, what that player means to the fanbase. That is always part of the decision-making process, and I imagine it will be again this offseason."
Should the Mets re-sign Alonso, paving the way for him to spend his entire career in Queens? Or is it time to move on?
Aug 12, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) runs after hitting a two run home run to become the all time Mets franchise home run leader in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images
WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO LET ALONSO GO
Alonso will be entering his age-31 season in 2026, meaning he's getting to the point where some regression can be expected.
He's also likely going to be looking for a massive payday. However -- as was the case last offseason -- it's fair to wonder how many teams will have a need for a power-hitting first baseman whose defense is suspect and be able to afford to pay him.
About that defense...
Alonso was near the very bottom of the league in 2025 when it came to range/Outs Above Average, ranking in the second percentile. His arm also graded out as very poor (fifth percentile), and he had issues with throws all season. It was Alonso's high throw to first base to a covering Kodai Senga that led to Senga's hamstring injury in June.
Then there's Stearns' comments about needing to improve the team's run prevention and the possibility of shaking up the offensive core.
"I come at this like we need to create a better roster that fits together better," Stearns said the day after the season ended. "I think our players worked their tails off. I think they came to the park with the right attitude every single day, and it didn’t work. So I need to take a long, hard look at our roster."
Of the Mets' core, Juan Soto is obviously going nowhere (as should be the case), Francisco Lindor is a perennial MVP candidate who plays plus defense at shortstop, and Brandon Nimmo has a full no-trade clause (and likely not a ton of value on the market given his age and contract situation). That means letting Alonso go could perhaps be the easiest way to shake things up.
While Alonso's offensive profile remains mostly terrific, he has had more swing and miss in his game over the last two seasons, striking out 162 times in 2025 after fanning a career-high 172 times in 2024. If his bat starts to slow down, those strikeout numbers could spike.
Sep 23, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) hits a RBI single against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field. / David Banks - Imagn Images
He was in the 90th percentile or better this past season in xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, average exit velocity, barrel percentage, hard hit percentage, and bat speed.
And while Alonso could perhaps be seeking a deal worth five or six years at roughly $30 million per season, it's not a slam dunk that any team will be prepared to give that to him. Maybe the Rangers could have interest, but they trimmed their payroll ahead of 2025. The Red Sox could be a fit, especially if Alex Bregman walks, but they should have Triston Casas back and healthy in 2026. The Yankees don't make much sense since they already have two right-handed power hitters who strike out a lot (Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton). The Cubs have Michael Busch at first base.
So it's possible Alonso falls back into the Mets' lap, though it will obviously take a bigger deal in terms of length than it did last offseason.
As the Mets weigh whether to reunite with Alonso, it's also worth noting that they don't have anyone ready to step in at first base if he leaves.
Before they re-signed Alonso last offseason, they floated the idea that Mark Vientos could be his replacement. But after Vientos had a down year (.702 OPS), it's impossible to see New York going in that direction for 2026. As far as options in the minors, the power-hitting Ryan Clifford could theoretically become one at some point soon. But he's not ready, and doesn't have the same kind of polished approach at the plate that Carson Benge and Jett Williams possess.
Another thing in Alonso's favor is that he plays nearly every day, and has done so for his entire career.
Out of a possible 1,032 regular season games over seven seasons, Alonso has played in 1,008 of them -- that includes all 162 each of the last two seasons.
New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) rounds the bases after hitting a home run / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
VERDICT
There's the logical side of this -- Alonso, while not a great defender, is a really good hitter at a position of need for the Mets, and has proven he can excel in New York.
Then there's the emotional side of it.
In addition to what he brings at the plate, Alonso has been a terrific Met off the field, is beloved by most of the fanbase, and has repeatedly expressed a desire over the last few seasons to remain in New York.
If Alonso's market doesn't get out of control -- and there's really no reason to expect it will -- it makes all the sense in the world for the Mets to make a strong effort to bring him back.
It will make even more sense for the Mets to reunite with Alonso if he's open to starting to transition to designated hitter in the coming seasons, which would allow the team to place a greater emphasis on defense at first base.
In the meantime, they can seek to improve their team defense by focusing on third base, second base, and center field.
With Boras as Alonso's agent, this will likely not be easy. But as was the case last offseason, the most sensible outcome is Alonso winding up back with the Mets. In that regard, nothing has changed.
The Kings are expecting big things from Keegan Murray as he enters his fourth season in the NBA, and that starts on the offensive side.
For first-year head coach Doug Christie, he understands all that Murray brings to the table, but he wants to see the 25-year-old be more aggressive.
“Part of things I talk to Keegan about is hunting shots. … Keegan has to learn that mentality and it’s a learned thing,” Christie told reporters Tuesday following the team’s first training camp practice. “It’s like whenever you catch it, I want him to catch it — not catch it and then think about shooting as he’s coming there.
“He needs to be already thinking about it. Matter of fact, when he’s in the corner he should be thinking ‘when I get up there, I’m going to shoot the basketball’ and that comes off to your defender and then it sprinkles through their team.”
Christie also said that when Murray doesn’t prove he’s willing to shoot the ball, it makes it easy for a team to take away the key, among other options.
“He needs to hunt shots and … for him, I think the number is around 10,” Christie added. “If he can get up 10 threes, that would be a beautiful, beautiful thing.”
Murray averaged just 5.9 3-point attempts last season after averaging 6.3 and 6.6 attempts in his rookie and sophomore seasons.
Last season, the Kings added DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, which likely had something to do with the limited attempts Murray was able to take.
However, LaVine says he wants to see the Iowa product looking for his shot, as well.
“I told him, ‘Look, when I throw you the ball up, don’t just catch and hold it and turn around and look for somebody. Go get it, this isn’t something that where you have to look over your shoulder or try to find somebody. Go try to find your buckets, go explore and then I’ll always be right here for you,’” LaVine said. “I think it’s an opportunity for him.
“Obviously, we have a lot of guys on the team that shoot the ball and do what they do out there … but you know in spots where he’s out there and he’s the second option or if he has it going we’re going to go to him or at least I am.”
The Kings have asked a lot of Murray since his historic first season, when he set the rookie record in 3-point makes; he also has become the team’s top defender and typically has taken on opposing teams’ star players over the past two seasons.
Now, they’re asking a little more of Murray and are hoping he can deliver.
The connection was easy to make, but there will be no reunion, Buster Posey said Wednesday. At least not when it comes to this search for a new manager
Posey said he spoke with Bochy earlier this week and let him know that he’s looking in a different direction.
Buster Posey doesn't envision the Giants pursuing Bruce Bochy for their managerial opening pic.twitter.com/AtPR7r8afI
“The door is always open here for some sort of role, but the way I think things are coming into picture in my mind with where we want to go next, I don’t see us going that route with Boch,” Posey said. “Obviously, (I have) a tremendous amount of respect (for him).
“It’s interesting, when I was a player, I didn’t consider Boch necessarily a friend. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, because he had this reverence and respect that he demanded from his players, but now post-playing, I consider Boch a friend and somebody that I know I can pick the phone up and call anytime and ask anything from him. That’s where I’m at.”
Bochy spent three seasons in Texas, winning a World Series in his first year back from retirement but then having two years that were similar to the ones that Melvin experienced. Friends of Bochy believe he would go one more year somewhere given the right opportunity, but Posey indicated that he is looking to hire somebody who can be his long-term partner.
On that front, Posey offered few specifics on Wednesday at his end-of-season press conference. He said he has had conversations with a few candidates already and that work will continue this week, but wouldn’t offer any names or rule anyone out.
A couple of potential candidates could quickly become the choices elsewhere. Skip Schumaker was considered the manager-in-waiting in Texas, and that job now is open. The Los Angeles Angels reportedly are interested in hiring former MLB superstar Albert Pujols, who is ready to try his hand at managing.
