Category: Sports News

MIAMI — The Miami Marlins promoted Gabe Kapler to general manager on Monday amid a series of front office moves, the team announced.

Additionally, Frankie Piliere was promoted to vice president of amateur forecasting and player evaluation initiatives, and Vinesh Kanthan was moved to senior director of baseball operations.

Kapler will be the club’s sixth general manager after beginning his tenure with the Marlins in 2024 as an assistant GM focusing on player, coaching and staff development.

This past season, the Marlins’ minor league system made club history with four different affiliates reaching the postseason at their respective levels. That includes Jacksonville, which claimed the Triple-A National Championship.

Kapler spent the previous six seasons as a manager with Philadelphia (2018-19) and San Francisco (2020-23). The Los Angeles-native was also the World Series champion Dodgers’ director of player development from 2015-17, during which he worked with Marlins manager Clayton McCullough.

Miami outperformed many expectations in McCullough’s first season, winning 13 of their final 17 games.

“It is an exciting time to be part of the Marlins organization, and I am ready to continue the great work we are doing here, alongside Peter (Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix) and our entire Baseball Operations staff,” Kapler said in a statement. “The growth and momentum we’ve built are a direct reflection of a clear vision, a strong culture, and an incredible team working together toward a shared goal. I’m proud to help continue that progress and contribute to what’s ahead.”

Piliere joined the Marlins as director of amateur scouting, overseeing the club’s amateur scouts and draft. And Kanthan, before coming to Miami, spent five seasons with the Texas Rangers organization.

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff declined a $20 million mutual option for 2026 in favor of a $10 million buyout and the two-time All-Star right-hander will become a free agent.

Milwaukee said Monday it exercised an $8 million team option on two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta, the final year in a contract that will be worth $30 million over seven seasons.

The Brewers declined a $12 million mutual option on catcher Danny Jansen, who get a $500,000 buyout as part of a deal he signed with Tampa Bay that guaranteed $8.5 million.

After missing the 2024 season while recovering from shoulder surgery, Woodruff returned in July and went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts. He missed the postseason with a right lat strain that was unrelated to the prior injury.

During the postseason, the Brewers had held out hope Woodruff might be able to return if they had made the World Series, an indication he should be ready for the start of the 2026 season. Woodruff will turn 33 on Feb. 10

“As far as the future, I don’t know what that will entail, but I’m glad I had the opportunity to come back here,” Woodruff said before the Brewers’ NL Division Series win over the Chicago Cubs. “My son was born here last year. I’ve got so many roots dug here in Milwaukee. And not just the people in the clubhouse but people outside of the baseball field I’ve gotten to know. It’s home for sure. It’s my second home. Yeah, so for sure, I needed to throw on this uniform again.”

Woodruff agreed before the 2024 season to a backloaded $17.5 million, two-year contract. He gets half the buyout on Jan. 15 and the remainder on July 15.

Jansen, who turns 31 on April 15, batted .254 with a .346 on-base percentage, three homers and seven RBIs in 25 games with Milwaukee after his hometown team acquired him at the trade deadline. He hit .204 with a .314 on-base percentage, 11 homers and 29 RBIs in 73 games with Tampa Bay.

Peralta, 29, made his second All-Star team this season and went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts. He struck out 204 over 176 2/3 innings while helping Milwaukee win a third straight NL Central title.

Milwaukee also selected the contract of right-hander Coleman Crow from Triple-A Nashville. Crow, who turns 25 on Dec. 30, went 4-1 with a 3.24 ERA in 12 starts for Double-A Biloxi and the Sounds.

BALTIMORE — Left-hander Dietrich Enns and the Baltimore Orioles agreed Monday to a one-year contract guaranteeing $2,625,000.

Enns gets a $2.5 million salary for 2026 and the deal includes a $3.5 million team option for 2027 with a $125,000 buyout. Enns has the right to become a free agent at the end of the contract.

Baltimore had a $3 million option for 2026 as part of the contract he signed for 2025, which included a $1.25 million salary while in the major leagues and a $210,000 salary while in the minors. He could have become a free agent had the option been declined.

Enns, 34. made his major league debut with Minnesota in 2017 and pitched for Toronto in 2021. He played for the Seibu Lions in Japan’s Pacific League in 2022 and ’23 and for the LG Twins in South Korea in 2024. He then signed a minor league contract in January with Detroit that called for a $1.25 million salary while in the major leagues and a $210,000 salary while in the minors. He could have become a free agent had the option been declined.

He was brought up by the Tigers on June 26 and traded to the Orioles on July 31. Enns went 3-3 with a 4.08 ERA in three starts and 21 relief appearances.

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani and the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their second straight World Series championship with a downtown parade and stadium rally Monday after becoming the first team in 25 years to win back-to-back titles.

“Hello, hello,” Ohtani said, speaking in English at a sold out Dodger Stadium. “I want to say I’m so proud of this team. I want to say you guys are the greatest fans in the world. I’m ready to get another ring next year. Let’s go.”

Ohtani was accompanied by his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, who took a photo of him along the parade route. Last year, Ohtani carried his dog, Decoy, in his arms on the bus.

“It’s really nice to be able to win the game, and to be surrounded by all these amazing fans,” Ohtani said during the bus ride. “I’m really taking it in and enjoying it.”

World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto wore a black T-shirt with World Series champions on the front. Wearing sunglasses and a backward baseball cap, Yamamoto waved to fans.

“Losing isn’t an option,” Yamamoto told the stadium crowd in English. “To my teammates, my coaches, amazing staff and all the fans, we did it together. I love the Dodgers. I love Los Angeles.”

The team’s third Japanese player, rookie pitcher Roki Sasaki, celebrated his 24th birthday Monday.

Players walked a blue carpet from center field to a circular blue stage.

“What they talking about in Toronto right now?” actor-comedian Anthony Anderson asked the crowd. “They’re talkin’ about nothing.”

A woman in the crowd wore a blue T-shirt reading “Let’s ruin baseball.”

“I got four. Fill the hand all the way up, baby,” said Mookie Betts, who won a title with the Boston Red Sox and three with the Dodgers. “Three-peat has never sounded so sweet. Somebody make that a T-shirt.”

Rapper-actor Ice Cube drove a bright blue convertible around the warning track with the Commissioner’s Trophy in the front passenger seat. He carried it overhead to the stage and set it on a table next to a table with last year’s championship hardware.

Kiké Hernández apologized in advance for his expletive-filled comments.

“My teammates have been pretty humble, but I think it’s time to talk that s—-,” he said. “Everybody’s been asking questions about a dynasty. How about three in six years? We’re a motherf——in’ dynasty, baby.”

Earlier, manager Dave Roberts hoisted the trophy while aboard one of several buses that traversed a route packed with cheering, flag-waving blue-clad fans. “B 2 B” read one of many hand-lettered signs held up.

“I feel like it’s almost double from last year,” Freddie Freeman said. “These fans are crazy. It’s so awesome to be a part of this.”

Blue-and-white confetti blew from a truck rolling between the buses, which were filled with family members of the players, including newly retired Clayton Kershaw and his four children.

“It’s the perfect way to be done,” said Kershaw, who ended an 18-year career played entirely with Los Angeles. “I know the Dodgers have always meant a lot to this city for generations. For us to get to do this in front of them, it means the world to me and all the rest of the guys.”

Pitcher Blake Snell made the 6-7 gesture with his hands, signifying the Dodgers’ wins over the Toronto Blue Jays in Games 6 and 7.

“This is lit,” Snell said. “I love it.”

A bare-chested Hernández filmed the throngs with a hand-held camera.

“Winners win,” he said. “I hope these Dodger fans have a lot of fun because they deserve this. They showed up all year long, they supported us and here we are back-to-back champs.”

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves hired Walt Weiss on Monday as their manager, promoting from within for the successor to 2021 World Series winner Brian Snitker.

Weiss has been the Braves’ bench coach since 2018 and was on Snitker’s staff four years ago when they won the fourth championship in franchise history. Snitker also was an internal hire, coming from Triple-A in 2016, when he replaced Fredi González midseason and then got the full-time job the following year.

This is Weiss’ second major league managing job after four seasons with the Colorado Rockies (2013-16). Weiss finished his playing career as a shortstop with Atlanta from 1998-2000.

Snitker, who turned 70 last month, announced in early October that he would not be returning for an 11th year with the club. General manager Alex Anthopoulos said at the time that he did not have a list of candidates but wanted to move quickly to make a hire.