Category: Sports News

Since the 2015 World Series Championship team, the Kansas City Royals have been shut out from claiming another division title. Outside of the 2024 season, where the Royals claimed a Wild Card spot, before being ousted in the ALDS by longtime rival, the Yankees, the Royals haven’t really been in the division title race.

I truly do believe that the Royals win the AL Central crown in 2024 if Lucas Erceg and Vinnie Pasquantino don’t get hurt on the same play, on a night game, in late August in Houston, Texas. (Sorry for upsetting you about reminding you of that.) However, with those injuries the Royals struggled in September and barely hung onto a playoff berth, but they slowly faded out of a divisional crown hunt.

Coming off a somewhat disappointing 2025 season, a winning season, but not reaching their goals, the Royals have been aggressive in the offseason. To me, that reflects why the Kansas City Royals will take the AL Central crown in 2026.

First, let’s talk about what the Royals have done. They have let go of some players who were seemingly never going to figure it out and break through. While I think they still have some moves to improve the team, notably another outfield bat, the Royals have also shored up some weaknesses that have troubled them the last two seasons.

They traded for Kameron Misner, an outfielder with upside potential, while not giving much anything. They signed Alex Lange, a reliever who has back-end-of-the-bullpen experience and could potentially be a bridge guy to Erceg and Carlos Estévez. They traded for Isaac Collins and Nick Mears, while only giving away Angel Zerpa. Collins, a switch-hitting outfielder, can play everywhere and is solid offensively. Mears, another good reliever, can bridge the game to Erceg or Estevez.

They signed Lane Thomas, who albeit wasn’t good last season, mainly because of injuries, but is a right-handed outfielder that mashes lefties and plays a good centerfield. Finally, they acquired Matt Strahm for Jonathan Bowlan from Philadelphia. Strahm, who started with the Royals, is a good reliever. He’s a reliable left-hander that the Royals have needed and can be an 8th or 9th inning guy.

That is just what they have done so far, but I don’t think they are necessarily done. I would like to see them, and I think they’d agree, acquire another veteran left-handed reliever and another outfield bat.

They are being proactive in filling the holes in their roster that have plagued them the last two seasons. Poor outfield production and relying on relievers to do stuff they haven’t before. Getting veterans, especially toward the back of the bullpen, should exponentially benefit the Royals this season.

The other big reason that I think the Royals will break through and take the division this season is because of the lack of productivity from the other four AL Central teams.

Let’s start with the Detroit Tigers. They resigned Gleyber Torres, who has been good for them, and signed future Hall of Fame closer Kenley Jansen. But at this stage, I don’t know how effective Jansen can be this season. They also resigned their big deadline addition from last summer, reliever Kyle Finnegan. The Tigers will still be solid and probably the earlier frontrunner, but they blew a historic 15.5-game division lead to the Guardians. I think that mentally could hurt them, and the Royals can take advantage of that.

Next, the two-time reigning champions, and winners of 3 of the last 4 division titles, the Cleveland Guardians. They haven’t made any notable moves, but they also haven’t lost anyone notable. The team is just really gritty and finds ways to win. Outside of Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan, they don’t have any star talent, but they have a lot of solid dudes. With that being said, the Royals have been right there each of the last two seasons with Cleveland, and I think they finally overtake them this season.

The Minnesota Twins won the division title in 2023, and they seemed poised to be really good for the foreseeable future. In 2024, they were right in the middle of the divisional race with the Royals and Guardians, but then fell off a cliff and missed the postseason altogether. And then last July, they completely blew up everything, trading away almost all of their talent. And now they are in rebuild mode for the foreseeable future. Just shows how quickly a championship window can close.

Lastly, the laughingstock of the MLB the last couple of years, the Chicago White Sox. They signed international infielder Munetaka Murakami and starter Sean Newcomb. But, while this team showed some flashes last season of potential with their youth, they are still very far away and shouldn’t be a concern for the Royals.

What concerns do you have that might hold the Royals back from winning the division? What team might I have undervalued? Because I think this is finally the year that the Boys in Blue are back on top.

On an emergency episode of The Mets Pod recorded live, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo are joined by SNY's Steve Gelbs for real-time reaction to the news that the Mets signed free agent infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year contract. 

The guys break down the deal, and the quick pivot the Mets made after Kyle Tucker chose the Dodgers, plus discuss the positives of Bichette, how he will fit the team, and what it all means for Brett Baty. They also look ahead to what's next, including potential pitching additions and more outfield help.

Later, Connor and Joe go Down on the Farm to cover the official signing of top international prospect Wandy Asigen, and answer Mailbag questions about LarsNootbaar, Austin Hays, and a possible trade match with the Minnesota Twins.

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

So much for the Dodgers being old. 

So much for the concerns about how their offensive firepower could diminish further.

The Dodgers have agreed to a four-year, $240-million deal with Kyle Tucker, and everything suddenly feels different.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman could have started the upcoming season waiting to see if veterans such as Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez could continue producing at championship levels. Instead, Friedman chose to be proactive, taking out his interest-free Shohei Ohtani credit card and purchasing the best hitter on the free-agent market.

This won’t be the Last Dance for these Dodgers.

This has turned into a never-ending party that only a lockout and salary cap can stop.

The Dodgers very easily could have done nothing this winter. They won their second consecutive World Series in October, earning their players the right to challenge for a third. Their fans wouldn’t have minded this either, as Mookie and Freddie and Teo have become civic heroes who are on first-name bases with Los Angeles.

An unchanged roster would have presented risks, however. The Dodgers were second in the majors in runs scored last season, but their aging and injury-prone lineup made them susceptible to extended slumps. 

The downside of their dependency on old players was particularly obvious in the World Series. Looking gassed after their 18-inning victory in Game 3, they were crushed in each of the next two games.

The lineup was shaping up to be even older this year.

By the start of the next World Series, Freeman will be 37, Max Muncy 36, and Betts and Hernandez 34.

That doesn’t change.

But the addition of Tucker will improve the team’s roster balance, as he will join a group of players in the primes of their careers including Ohtani (31 years old), Will Smith (30) and Tommy Edman (29).

Tucker will celebrate his 29th birthday on Saturday.

The worst-case scenario for the Dodgers is that Tucker will be a vehicle that helps them extract the most out of Freeman’s and Betts’ post-prime years. In that case, he plays for them for a couple of seasons, voids the remainder of his four-year contract and returns to the free-agent market.

The more desirable outcome is for Tucker to become part of the lasting bridge that links Freeman’s and Betts’ generation of Dodgers to the one that comes next.

The reported opt-out provisions after the second and third years of the deal make Tucker a potential flight risk if he rebounds from two injury-riddled seasons and returns to being a 30-homer, 100-RBI player. If or when Tucker is in that position, the Dodgers should already know what they have in him, not just as a player but as a locker-room presence.

Provided the Dodgers view him as a worthy long-term investment, who would be the favorites to sign Tucker then? The guess here would be the Dodgers.

This winter has underscored how much Ohtani has changed their financial reality.

Ohtani proposed the Dodgers defer all but $2 million of his $70-million annual salary, saving them money in the short term and creating opportunities for them to generate additional revenue by investing the money owed to him. 

The structure of Ohtani’s contract has positioned the Dodgers to take calculated gambles no other team can take.

Reliever performance is notoriously unpredictable, but the Dodgers wagered $72 million last winter on Tanner Scott. The left-hander stunk in his first year with them, a development that would have financially hamstrung any other team. But the Dodgers responded by doubling down and staking another $69 million on Edwin Diaz.

Tucker was also no sure thing, as he was slowed by injuries in each of the last two years. The Dodgers didn’t want Tucker on a long-term deal but positioned themselves to strike if he was willing to settle for a shorter contract with a higher average annual value. That’s what happened. The Mets offered Tucker $220 million, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The Dodgers offered him $20 million more.

Teams heavily reliant on free-agent signings are in danger of crumbling inelegantly. When the cores of their rosters age, they are stuck with old and expensive players who are difficult to move, which impedes the rebuilding process.

The Dodgers don’t have to concern themselves with any of that. Ohtani has handed them a stack of blank checks, and they aren’t afraid to use them.

Once again, the Dodgers stunned the baseball world.

Once again, they spent big money to land one of the top players in the game.

On Thursday night, the team agreed to a four-year, $240 million blockbuster signing of outfielder Kyle Tucker, adding the four-time All-Star and consensus top free-agent hitter to their already star-studded roster and dynastic core.

The move sent shockwaves through New York (where the Mets saw their own $220 million offer for Tucker spurned), Toronto (where the Blue Jays had offered Tucker a longer-term alternative, to no avail) and much of the rest of the baseball world –– sending a resounding reminder that, even in the wake of back-to-back World Series titles, the Dodgers are showing no signs of complacency with a three-peat now in their sights.

A day later, here are four takeaways from Tucker’s stunning signing, and what it means for the two-time defending champion Dodgers entering 2026:

Dodgers are in their own financial universe

To a large extent, this has been clear for some time. Last year, the Dodgers set an MLB record with their $415 million payroll. Their $169 million luxury tax bill was larger than 12 teams’ entire payroll. 

The Tucker signing, however, was a financial flex of a different caliber.

It ensures the Dodgers will once again surpass $400 million in payroll, threatening to set an MLB record for a second-straight year. It now gives them the two highest annual salary earners in the sport, with Tucker’s $60 million AAV trailing only that of Ohtani. And it came in the kind of bidding war that, despite their interest in Tucker on a shorter-term deal, the Dodgers didn’t always seem likely to win.

After all, for as good as Tucker’s all-around skill set is, he ranks only 11th among hitters in fWAR since 2020 (his breakout MLB season). He has only one career top-five MVP finish, and has not garnered any votes for the award the last two years.

He’s a great player –– but not necessarily a transcendent one.

Which, for the Dodgers, usually tempers how much they’re willing to spend.

But now, with their seemingly endless financial resources and unquenchable thirst to keep stacking championships, the club is discarding old norms and shattering previous expectations. If there’s a hole to fill, and a superstar target open to a shorter-term deal that preserves the club’s long-term flexibility, it hardly seems like there’s any limit they’re not willing and able to exceed.

Their offense was a bigger concern than they let on

What Tucker will bring to the Dodgers is exactly what their potent, but inconsistent, offense will need.

All winter, the team had publicly voiced its confidence in the lineup it was bringing back, a group that scored the second-most runs in baseball last year despite some prolonged slumps. But behind the scenes, the desire to balance the group with a steady and impactful bat like Tucker’s ultimately carried the day.

In Tucker, the team landed one of the most disciplined hitters in the sport, a 28-year-old who has never recorded a 100-strikeout season and possesses some of the lowest chase and whiff rates in the majors. And even in what was a down season last year, Tucker’s .377 on-base percentage was still better than all but two qualified Dodgers hitters. Thus, he should help bolster a Dodgers’ lineup that had been too top-heavy, and too prone to swing-and-miss, at times last year. 

He should be the perfect antidote to their offensive issues in 2025, all while also addressing their last true roster hole in the outfield.

Tucker won’t have to be a leading star

For the notoriously laid-back and spotlight-wary Tucker, the Dodgers also offered a seemingly perfect fit for his easygoing personality.

On the field, he won’t need to carry his new club, likely to slot in behind Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith in the batting order. Off the field, he won’t have to be a franchise face, either, becoming just the latest big-name player to populate the team’s star-studded clubhouse.

Tucker’s impact could prove to be more profound, of course. He has the capability to be a 30-homer/30-steal player; to rank among the league leaders in everything from batting average, to OPS, to WAR; to be a legitimate MVP contender in his own right, elevating his game to a higher level.

But even if he doesn’t, his consistent production (he has recorded at least 4.2 WAR each of the last five years) is all the Dodgers really need, providing valuable insurance to an offense that could have been in danger of seeing some of its older stars suffer drop-offs over the next couple years.

The offseason is now done — largely

The Dodgers won’t have any big boxes left to check off their winter to-do list now. Short of the Tigers making Tarik Skubal more available for a trade, the team is likely done making major acquisitions.

However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be more transactions ahead.

It’s possible the Dodgers could look to trade a piece from their current roster, either to open space on the 40-man (where they still have a surplus of young pitching and left-handed bullpen depth) or offload some salary to account for Tucker’s massive payday (they held trade talks regarding Teoscar Hernández earlier this offseason, though previously downplayed the possibility of moving him).

They could still pursue more marginal touch-ups, too, having maintained interest in bringing back both utilityman Kiké Hernández and reliever Evan Phillips (who will likely both be out until somepoint later this summer recovering from injuries).

But now, the team has addressed its two biggest needs with two of the biggest signings of the winter, following up its surprise addition of closer Edwin Díaz last month with an even more eye-popping move Thursday that makes Tucker the final significant piece in its three-peat plans.

That sound you heard – besides the “cha-ching” of Kyle Tucker’s bank account – was owners across the league further digging their heels in for a lockout in 2027.

It is not Tucker’s fault, of course, or even the Dodgers’ fault for landing the top free agent hitter on the market with a wild four-year, $240 million contract on Thursday night.

But the latest splashy deal handed out by the back-to-back World Series champions will only intensify the calls for a salary cap, which is at the root of the expected labor battle that looms next winter with the current Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire in December.

The presumption around the league – even before Tucker agreed to the Dodgers deal – was that there would be a lockout next year, it was just a matter of how long it would last. Owners are expected to push for a salary cap while the union will argue vehemently against it, making for what might be a prolonged dispute that could potentially end up costing the league games.

With the addition of Tucker – whose contract comes with $30 million in deferred money, still giving him a record present-day average annual value of $57.1 million – the Dodgers now have a projected luxury tax payroll of $402.5 million for 2026, per Cot’s Contracts. That figure is more than the bottom-four teams combined in terms of luxury tax payroll, surpassing the sum of the Marlins ($79.3 million), Rays ($93.9M), Guardians ($103.5M) and White Sox ($105.1M).

The Dodgers’ payroll is also nearly $100 million above the highest luxury tax threshold for 2026 ($304 million), with the financial penalties associated with it doing little to deter their spending – which is why many owners will fight for a salary cap, as MLB is currently the only major sport without out one. Even Hal Steinbrenner, whose Yankees currently have a projected luxury tax payroll of $287.8 million, has said he would be in favor of a cap as long as it came with a salary floor.

Ironically, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts – who joked that his team was ruining baseball on the way to a second straight title last October – is actually also among those who would be in favor of a salary cap and floor, despite the institution of one theoretically taking away one of his club’s biggest strengths over the rest of the league.

“Honestly, I think that we have an organization that whatever rules or regulations, constructs are put in front of us, we’re going to dominate,” Roberts said at the winter meetings. “And so just give us the rules, let us know the landscape and then I’ll bet on our organization. So that’s kind of the way I feel.”

The Pittsburgh Pirates are counting down the days before Opening Day, when they will face off against the New York Mets at Citi Field.

However, the Pirates’ job to beat the Mets in the first game of the season may have gotten a little more challenging after the team signed Toronto Blue Jays star Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract.

“The Mets have agreed to a three-year, $126 million deal with infielder Bo Bichette, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Friday. The club has not confirmed. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported that the deal includes two opt-outs and is pending a physical,“ MLB.com contributor Manny Randhawa wrote.

“After trading for second baseman Marcus Semien in the offseason, the Mets plan on starting Bichette at third, according to MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi. The incumbent third baseman is Brett Baty, who delivered career highs in homers (18) and RBIs (50) in 130 games. Baty missed the last week of the regular season with a right oblique injury.“

Bichette won’t have things easier either because he will likely match up with Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes in his first game with the Mets. Skenes is coming off a Cy Young season and he still has the potential to get even better.

After large contracts were fleshed out to Bichette and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker, it’s beginning to feel a lot like baseball season.

BD community, what do you think of Bichette and the Mets? Chime off in the comments section below.

First the Mets pivoted, then the Phillies did.

The Phillies are re-signing veteran catcher JT Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million deal, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.

It comes after the Mets swooped in and signed Bo Bichette away from their division rival Friday.

The Phillies had been targeting Bichette, and according to USA Today were closing in on a seven-year, $200 million deal, before the Mets signed him for three years and $126 million.

The Mets had been trying to sign Kyle Tucker before the Dodgers inked him to a four-year, $240 million deal Thursday night.

For now, Philadelphia will settle for bringing back Realmuto’s steadying presence behind the plate.

Realmuto, who has been with the Phillies for the past seven seasons, hit .257 last year with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs in 134 games.

The Phillies have re-signed slugger Kyle Schwarber, signed outfielder Adolis Garcia and brought in versatile reliever Brad Keller so far this offseason.

They lost starter Ranger Suarez to the Red Sox.

The Phillies finished 96-66 last season, winning the NL East by 13 games over the Mets before going out in four games to the eventual champion Dodgers in the NLDS.

The long wintertime staring contest between J.T. Realmuto and the Philadelphia Phillies is finally over.

Realmuto, the three-time All-Star catcher and highly respected handler of the Phillies' pitching staff, agreed to terms on a three-year, $45 million contract Jan. 16, according to a person with direct knowledge of the agreement.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal, first reported by The Athletic, has not yet been finalized.

Realmuto turns 35 in March and while he has been worth between 2.5 and 6.5 WAR in the six full seasons since the Phillies acquired him in 2019, his advancing age gave the club some pause entering the offseason. Multiple reports indicated the club preferred a two-year term and while both desired a reunion, the team scheduled a Zoom meeting with free agent infielder Bo Bichette on Jan. 12.

Acquiring Bichette would have all but ensured Realmuto's exit, but Bichette reached agreement with the New York Metsearlier in the day, and Realmuto's agreement with the Phillies - which includes incentives worth up to $5 million per season - came together shortly thereafter.

Realmuto was acquired from Miami before the 2019 season and led the major leagues in games caught in 2022, 2023 and 2025. Despite that workload he has largely produced well above league average offensively, with his finest season coming in 2022, when he hit 22 homers with an .870 OPS and a 130 adjusted OPS.

But that mark dwindled to 91 this past season when he hit a career-low 12 homers in 133 games.

Contributing: Bob Nightengale

It's been a whirlwind 24 hours for the Mets after the first two-plus months of their offseason saw them say goodbye to a large chunk of the offensive core.

After a spirited effort to bring Kyle Tucker to New York, which came with a four-year offer for $220 million, Tucker chose the Dodgers over the Mets and Blue Jays on Thursday night.

Then came the Mets' response.

Early Friday afternoon, New York agreed to a three-year deal with Bo Bichette worth $126 million -- with the expectation that Bichette will play third base.

The deal has been met with mostly excitement, but also with some wondering how Bichette fits given David Stearns' emphasis on improving the club's run prevention.

While that question is fair, there are two things to point out.

First, run prevention is not just defense. It's also pitching. And most people seem to be focusing only on the defensive aspect. Of course, the Mets still need to add significantly to their starting rotation this offseason.

Second, while Bichette has rated poorly at shortstop when it comes to his range, he should be better suited for third base -- and should be helped additionally by the rangy Francisco Lindor being to his left. 

With Bichette now in tow, there are a number of ways the Mets can go with their infield alignment.

Let's break it down, in no particular order...

Brett Baty to first base

The possible alignment:

Brett Baty, 1B
Marcus Semien, 2B
Francisco Lindor, SS
Bo Bichette, 3B

With Bichette taking over at third base, sliding Baty to first could make sense.

In that scenario, Jorge Polanco would be the regular DH.

Aside from one inning in left field in 2023, Baty has spent his entire major league career on the dirt. And the fact that he transitioned well to second base duty last season suggests that it isn't crazy to ask him to pick up a first base glove.

There are a lot of intricate things to learn at first base that you don't have to learn at second base, though. So it's easier said than done.

But with months to prepare, it's fair to believe Baty would be able to handle it.

Jorge Polanco at first base

The possible alignment:

Jorge Polanco, 1B Marcus Semien, 2B Francisco Lindor, SS Bo Bichette, 3B

The plan after the Mets signed Polanco was for him to spend plenty of time at first base -- a position he hasn't yet played in the majors.

Polanco, a natural middle infielder, started getting acclimated to first base during workouts last season while still with the Mariners.

In this scenario, Baty and Mark Vientos could conceivably get at-bats at DH, with Baty getting additional time around the diamond.

Mark Vientos to first base

The possible alignment:

Mark Vientos, 1B Marcus Semien, 2B Francisco Lindor, SS Bo Bichette, 3B

The probability might not be high, but the Mets exploring the trade market for Baty -- especially if it helps them land a difference-making outfielder or starting pitcher -- shouldn't be ruled out.

In a world where Baty is dealt, it could open up first base for Vientos (with Polanco at DH). Vientos has gotten time at first each of the last three seasons.

Vientos has been a poor defender at third base, though, so it's fair to wonder how he'd look at first base in a regular role.