Category: Sports News

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers finalized their four-year, $240 million contract for Kyle Tucker on Wednesday, introducing the All-Star outfielder in a press conference at Dodger Stadium. But they needed to make space on the 40-man roster for the addition of Tucker, so Los Angeles designated outfielder Michael Siani for assignment.

Siani was claimed off waivers on December 12 from the Atlanta Braves, who had claimed the outfielder from the St. Louis Cardinals in November.

A defense-first center fielder, Siani has played parts of the last four seasons in the majors with the Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds. He hit .221/.277/.270 with a 58 wRC+ in 160 career games and 383 plate appearances. He played in 19 games in 2025, none of them starts, with four singles in 17 at-bats plus two walks.

Siani in Triple-A Memphis last season hit .209/.307/.329 with a 71 wRC+ and 24 extra-base hits in 101 games. Between the majors and minors, 641 of Siani’s 673 career defensive starts have come in center field.

This is similar to another recent waiver claim by the Dodgers. Utility man Ryan Fitzgerald was claimed off waivers on January 9, designated for assignment on January 13 with the signing of infielder Andy Ibáñez, then after he cleared waivers on Monday was sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City, still in the organization as depth but now off the 40-man roster.

We’ll find out in the next week or so what fate awaits Siani, either claimed or traded elsewhere or possibly sticking around if he clears waivers. With one year, 63 days of service time and as someone who has not previously been sent outright to the minors, Siani wouldn’t be able to refuse an outright assignment should it come to that.

The New York Yankees got their man, and yes, at their price, too.

The Yankees signed free-agent outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million contract Wednesday morning, two officials with direct knowledge told USA TODAY Sports. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal won’t become official until Bellinger passes his physical.

The deal includes opt-outs after the second and third years of the contract, a full no-trade clause and a $20 million signing bonus. If Bellinger opts out after the second year of the contract, he will have earned a nifty $85 million the first two years.

The average $42.5 million salary the first two years is $500,000 higher than Bo Bichette’s three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets, that includes an opt-out after each season.

It was actually during Bichette’s news conference in New York that the Yankees and agent Scott Boras agreed to Bellinger’s deal, setting off a frenzy in New York.

The Yankees, who refused to budge off their five-year proposal, insisted they would not get into a bidding war. They believed all along that no one would outbid them and provide Bellinger the seven-year deal he was seeking.

They proved to be right.

The Los Angeles Dodgers made another big splash by signing Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240-million contract, and have also been linked to Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta on the trade front.

Consider that the reigning World Series champs also signed closer Edwin Diaz and may not be done improving their roster this offseason.

This has resulted in their 2026 World Series odds reaching one of the shortest preseason numbers in recent history. Below, we'll look at those odds and compare them to similar teams that breathed the same rarefied air.

2026 World Series odds

Crown the Dodgers, already

The Los Angeles Dodgers opened the offseason at +350 to win the 2026 World Series, according to Sports Odds History. The New York Yankees were closest at +800, and every other team was +1200 or longer.

Things haven't changed drastically since then, for the most part. The Yankees are +850, and the Seattle Mariners are now third on the board at +1200.

However, the Dodgers' odds have shrunk to between +240 (DraftKings, bet365) and +220 (FanDuel), giving them an implied probability of around 29-31% to win a third consecutive Fall Classic. While this is rare, it's not unheard of, and even Los Angeles itself has been here before. Just last winter, the Dodgers went from +400 after winning the 2024 World Series to +350 in December and later +240 by the end of March.

Roki Sasaki and Tanner Scott were their belwether free-agent acquisitions, and this offseason's crop certainly outclasses that, so another trip to the World Series certainly seems a given, particularly for L.A. fans and the "Dodgers are ruining baseball" contingent.

Hold your horses!

While it's true the Dodgers won the World Series, they were pushed to the brink by the Toronto Blue Jays over seven games and even needed a comeback victory to take Game 7.

The Dodgers also saw their World Series odds drop to +350 in September and +500 at the onset of the postseason. The supposed behemoths went 35-30 in the second half, and players like Mookie Betts played below their usual standard. The rotation battled injuries, the bullpen was a real weakness into October, and the outfield was a revolving door. The Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker additions shore some of those areas up, but is it premature to consider the World Series all wrapped up in January?

It should. Despite the Dodgers ultimately going wire-to-wire despite some concerns popping up along the way, it's been a minute since we've seen a preseason favorite at +300 or shorter.

The 2005 and 2007 Yankees each peaked at +300 before Opening Day. Neither won the World Series.

And to those decrying the Dodgers' practices as detrimental to the sheer fabric of America's Pastime, the Yankees were +260 or shorter every preseason from 1999 through 2004. While New York won the first two, it didn't claim another title until 2009.

The Yankees did win the 1998 World Series, but they were +600 to do so on April 1. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves were +200 and lost to the San Diego Padres in the NLCS. 

The Braves were also shorter than +300 in the 1993 preseason, but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS.

Ultimately, dating back to 1990, 14 teams have had preseason odds at +300 or shorter, and three have gone on to win the World Series. So while itmay be frustrating as a non-Dodgers fan to watch Los Angeles pluck up even more top names while flexing financial fortitude, it doesn't always work out. In fact, it may be more likely that it doesn't. 

That's not to say I'd suggest wagering against them! Until a different team can rise and prove it's got what it takes, the Dodgers are clearly the class of MLB entering the 2026 regular season.

World Series winners' preseason odds

Let's look back at where World Series winners were in the odds board during the preseason.

Year	Winning team	Preseason odds
2025	Dodgers	+240
2024	Dodgers	+350
2023	Rangers	+5000
2022	Astros	+1000
2021	Braves	+1000
2020	Dodgers	+385
2019	Nationals	+1600
2018	Red Sox	+1150
2017	Astros	+1175
2016	Cubs	+660
2015	Royals	+3300
2014	Giants	+2500
2013	Red Sox	+2800
2012	Giants	+2000
2011	Cardinals	+2500
2010	Giants	+2500
2009	Yankees	+500
2008	Phillies	+2000
2007	Red Sox	+700
2006	Cardinals	+700
2005	White Sox	+2200
2004	Red Sox	+400
2003	Marlins	+7500
2002	Angels	+4000
2001	Diamondbacks	+1000
2000	Yankees	+250
1999	Yankees	+200
1998	Yankees	+600
1997	Marlins	+1000
1996	Yankees	+700
1995	Braves	+400
1993	Blue Jays	+600
1992	Blue Jays	+700
1991	Twins	+8000
1990	Reds	+1600

Odds courtesy Sports Odds History

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Mets have signed reliever Luis García to a one-year deal, according to Joel Sherman. The deal is pending a physical and is reportedly worth $1.75 million, with the right-hander able to earn $1.25 million in incentives.

García, who turns 39 later this month, split last season between the Dodgers, Nationals, and Angels and pitched to a 3.42 ERA, a 3.28 FIP, and a 1.46 WHIP, with 48 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings. He finished the year with a 0.8 bWAR and posted a career-best 0.3 HR/9 while striking out 8.7 batters and walking 4.2 batters per nine innings. For his career, he owns a 4.07 ERA, a 3.92 FIP, and a 1.42 WHIP, and has struck out 547 batters in 583 1/3 innings. The Mets will be his ninth team, as he has previously suited up for the Phillies, Padres, Cardinals, Red Sox, and Rangers, in addition to the three clubs that he played for last season.

García is the latest addition to a revamped relief corps for the Mets, joining Luke Weaver and Devin Williams. In addition, A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley will be returning following injury-shortened seasons in 2025, which gives Carlos Mendoza a pretty good group of relievers to rely upon. The remaining spots, pending any additional bullpen moves this winter, will belong to guys like Huascar Brazobán, Richard Lovelady, and a prospects like Dylan Ross.

The St. Louis Cardinals are bringing back a legend, but not in the way that many thought it might happen. The team has announced they have hired Yadier Molina as a Special Assistant to President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom.

Here’s the statement shared by the St. Louis Cardinals today about Yadi’s return to the team:

“We are happy to welcome Yadi back to the Cardinals organization,” stated Bloom. “He is an elite competitor, a consistent winner, and one of the greatest ever at his position, and we look forward to many contributions during his visits with us in this new role, both in and out of uniform. Yadi will provide input on our catching program, will advise our staff on catching and game planning strategy, and will give me and our front office valuable perspective from his unique vantage point. Perhaps most important, he will help us nurture in our players the high standards, attention to detail, and championship mindset that are so critical to winning.”

There’s no need to document Yadi Molina’s many career accomplishments. As St. Louis Cardinals fans, most of us can recite them by memory without Google. The big question that immediately comes to my mind is how involved will Yadi really be with the Cardinals. You likely recall back in December of 2023, Yadi was hired by then President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak as a special assistant, but few of us really saw much of Yadi or his involvement. Based on the behavior of the new St. Louis Cardinals front office, I have confidence that we’ll see a more tangible result from Yadi Molina being a part of the team again. Or, at least that is my huge hope.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

He was a left-handed hitting outfielder.
They were a Bronx-based baseball team.
Can I make it any more obvious?

The offseason began with Cody Bellinger exercising his opt-out and hitting the free agent market a year early, eager to take advantage of arguably his best season since he won the 2019 National League MVP. From the beginning, though, it seemed inevitable that he would return to the Bronx and continue to don the same uniform his father wore. Bellinger hyped up the organization. The front office hyped up the player. Like two high school students who broke up due to circumstances but still clearly had a thing for each other, it seemed inevitable that the two would get back together once the dust cleared.

Well, it took long enough. After three months of Scott Boras looking at Cashman, and Cashman looking at Bellinger, the outfielder finally blinked, signing a still-generous, five-year deal worth $162.5 million. And the crowd went wild.

Oh, yeah, the crowd didn’t go wild because it’s Bellinger. Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy, think he’s a solid player, and am glad he’s back. But, much like these two commenters (and many others), I’m simply happy that I won’t be writing up any more Around the Empire posts trying to come up with yet another pun saying that the Yankees are still daring Bellinger to accept their contract.

When it came to the deal itself, our lovely PSA comments’ section could be broken down into three categories. First up, we have the “We’re a better team with him, so I’m happy he’s back” group, who mostly expressed satisfaction — but perhaps not the overenthusiastic excitement that would have followed, say, a Kyle Tucker signing.

Others, however, were not quite as thrilled with the contract, arguing that he does not move the needle enough in what is expected to be a viciously tight American League East in 2026.

Still others, in classic Pinstripe Alley fashion, have already put Bellinger in the rearview mirror and have begun to ask the Bartletian question, “What’s next?”

Oh, and one commenter directly expressed joy that Scott Boras failed to get his client a seven-year deal, although I argue with their notion that Boras rarely loses these days. See, for example: Gerrit Cole’s opt-out last winter, Jordan Montgomery’s failed free agent market, Alex Bregman’s free agency last year, Carlos Correa’s free agency a few years back; basically, anybody not at the extreme top of the market has had a more difficult free agency that they anticipated.

And so, after all this, I return the question to you, dear readers. What are your thoughts on the Yankees’ decision to finally get down on one knee and ask Bellinger to be their left fielder for 2026 — or perhaps, more accurately, on Bellinger finally saying yes?

Vote in our poll, and let us know your thoughts in the comments’ section below!

Cody Bellinger might not have the most impressive underlying hitting metrics in baseball. He doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard, with his average exit velocity in the 24th percentile and his 37.9 percent hard-hit rate in 2025 checking in the 26th percentile. His 70.1-mph bat speed is in the 20th percentile. And we can go on.

So why did the Yankees decide that this profile was worth $162.5 million over five years? Well, Bellinger showed that a hitter doesn’t need to have Giancarlo Stanton or Aaron Judge’s metrics to succeed.

Bellinger was, simply put, an above-average performer in the three things expected from a position player: batting, fielding, and baserunning. He was in the 82nd percentile in Batting Run Value per Statcast, in the 69th percentile in Baserunning Run Value, and in the 91st percentile in Fielding Run Value. His barrel control, consistency, work ethic, and natural talent to put the bat on the ball allowed Bellinger to hit 29 homers and post a 4.9-fWAR season in his inaugural campaign in the Bronx last year, his best output since his MVP year in 2019.

The Bombers determined that a player with 30-homer potential, an elite 13.7-percent strikeout rate, excellent defense, versatility, and a solid track record of production (save for a couple years ravaged by a shoulder injury that he didn’t wait long enough to recover from) was worth investing in.

The negotiation process was grueling and seemed to have no ending in sight. But Scott Boras, Bellinger’s agent, finally realized the Yankees weren’t moving from their five-year offer. The star did get a fair amount of flexibility, though, as there are opt-outs after the second and third season, a $20 million signing bonus, and a full no-trade clause. In the event of a lockout nixing the 2027 campaign—a looming threat—those opt-outs will each slide back a year.

In the end, with the Mets trading for Luis Robert Jr. late on Tuesday, it became clear that they weren’t going to seriously pursue Bellinger anymore. It sounded as though the Blue Jays were internally moving on from their interest as well. Finally, the path towards a deal was smoothed, and now the Yankees can finally plan around Bellinger being back on the squad.

He is likely ticketed for left field, with Trent Grisham in center and Aaron Judge in right. If he’s not moved as part of a package before Opening Day, Jasson Domínguez would be the fourth outfielder, with utilitymen Amed Rosario and José Caballero also available to cover corner outfield spots (DH Giancarlo Stanton would only be an emergency). Essentially, it’s a very similar unit to the end of last year, providing the project with some stability. Grisham could move on after his one-year qualifying offer contract in 2026 as well, and though Bellinger is better in left, he’s at least an option to help and play center if needed in 2027, keeping Judge in his most optimal spot.

Bellinger might not have the ceiling of his early career years anymore, when he used to put up wRC+ finishes in the 160s as he did seven years ago (when the ball was admittedly jumpier). He is now a steady, all-around performer who might not be flashy, but is very much effective in all facets of the game and can even man first as well.

Now that the Yanks have finally checked off Bellinger’s return from their list, the expectation is that they will focus on adding at least one more starter before the start of the season. Perhaps they will also add a bullpen piece or two, now that they know exactly how much money Bellinger will make and for how long.

The roster is still not finished—it would rightly be considered folly for the Yankees to think it’s A-OK—but Bellinger’s return is certainly a positive in the grand scheme of things. He showed the ability to take full advantage of Yankee Stadium’s short porch and finished 2025 with his highest home run total since he hit 47 back in 2019.

Bellinger has no platoon weakness (his 180 wRC+ against lefties was, in fact, much better than his 105 mark vs. righties), and he offers contact, power, speed, athleticism, defense, and pure baseball acumen. He also knows how to handle pressure and the media. Oh, and most importantly, he wanted to stay a Yankee, like his father. Now, he finally gets his wish and he

Negotiations weren’t pretty, but it finally happened: Cody Bellinger is staying a Yankee.

The Mets, after two high-profile lineup moves in recent days, turned toward the bullpen Wednesday.

Luis García, a veteran right-hander who spent last season with three teams, has reached agreement with the club on a one-year contract, The Post’s Joel Sherman first reported.

García, 38, pitched to a 3.42 ERA in 58 appearances last season with the Angels, Nationals and Dodgers.

He became the third new member of a reconstructed Mets bullpen during an offseason in which Edwin Díaz departed to the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million contract.

Previously, the Mets signed Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract and Luke Weaver a two-year deal for $22 million.

The Mets also have Huascar Brazobán, and lefties Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter in the bullpen.

García averaged 96.9 mph with his fastball last season, which ranked in MLB’s 87th percentile, according to Statcast. He also had a ground ball rate of 49.7 percent, which ranked in the 82nd percentile.

In the past week, the Mets signed Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract and traded with the White Sox for outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

The Mets are still searching for an arm to bolster the starting rotation.

“I’ve been clear, my preference would be to add a starting pitcher,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “It doesn’t mean it’s a certainty we’re going to do it, but yes.”

Framber Valdez remains the top option on the free agent market, and the Mets convened with the left-hander at the GM meetings in November. The trade options could include Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta, both of whom are entering their walk year.

Brett Baty will be an option to play first base and left field, according to Stearns. Last season Baty split time between second and third base, but those positions are now occupied by full-time players in Marcus Semien and Bichette.

“We have got a lot of people in the organization who feel Brett Baty is going to be a real good left fielder once he gets some experience out there,” Stearns said.

The Mets also plan to evaluate prospect Carson Benge in left field during spring training and have Tyrone Taylor returning.

“I think we have some options out there, and we’ll continue to see how the offseason goes,” Stearns said.