Category: Sports News

One of the biggest questions in the air with the MLB Winter Meetings set to begin in a few days is what the Tigers will do with potential Mets target Tarik Skubal.

Skubal, one of the best pitchers in baseball, is set for free agency after the 2026 season. And it seems like a foregone conclusion that Detroit will not be able to retain him.

When the Tigers attempted to extend Skubal, it was reportedly not just a non-competitive offer, but one that was relatively insulting. And owner Christopher Ilitch gave a bit of a weird answer a few months ago when asked about a possible Skubal extension. 

With that as a backdrop, Buster Olney of ESPN reports that the Tigers "continue to be engaged" with teams that are interested in trading for Skubal.

Olney notes that the asking price for the left-hander is "enormous."

Skubal is represented by Scott Boras, but the Mets would have the wherewithal to re-sign him in the event they trade for him -- something that would make the haul they'd have to part with more palatable.

For the Mets, it would likely take at least one or two of their best prospects along with much more to get a conversation going for Skubal.

SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino reported earlier this offseason that the Tigers have expressed interest in Brett Baty in the past.

Skubal, 29, has led the American League in ERA and FIP the last two seasons. And in 2025, he also led the AL in WHIP (0.89), walks per nine (1.5), and strikeout to walk rate (7.30). He carried that into the postseason, when he fired 7.2 one-run innings while striking out 14 in his Wild Card Series start and posted a 2.08 ERA and 0.61 WHIP while fanning 22 batters in 13.0 innings spanning his two starts in the ALDS.

He has also been a workhorse over the last two years, tossing 192.0 innings in 2024 and 195.1 innings in 2025.

Meanwhile, a look at Skubal's advanced stats via Baseball Savant illustrates his eye-popping dominance. In 2025, Skubal was in the 92nd percentile or better when it came to xERA, average exit velocity, chase percentage, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage, walk percentage, and hard hit percentage.

Skubal's stuff -- he relies heavily on his 4-seam and sinking fastballs and his changeup -- grades out in the 100th percentile. 

He's also relatively inexpensive (for now), expected to make roughly $18 million in 2026 in what is his final season of arbitration.

Both New York clubs are searching for starting pitching this offseason, and two players they are reportedly strongly considering are Tatsuya Imai and Michael King. 

The Mets and Yankees are among the most interested in the free agent righties, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. 

That certainly doesn’t come as a surprise, as both would present a strong addition to either clubs rotation. 

Imai, who was posted by the NPB’s Seibu Lions this offseason, is coming off a spectacular campaign in which he pitched to a career-best 1.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 163 innings. 

His plus-arsenal includes a mid-90s fastball, a splitter, slider, and cutter. 

He has until Jan. 2 to sign with a club, and according to a recent report from the Athletic, he is expected to visit with teams upon the end of next week’s Winter Meetings. 

Boston, Philly, and the Cubs are also believed to be interested as well.

King was tremendous in 2024 as he transitioned from the bullpen to a full-time starter, but he battled injuries for most of last season and was limited to just 15 outings with the Padres. 

He dealt with a nerve injury in his throwing shoulder, and also lost time due to a knee injury.

The NY native and former Yankee has top of the rotation potential when healthy, but concerns over his durability could result in him landing a short-term deal this offseason. 

King could potentially bet on himself with an eye on hitting the market again next winter, but there are several other clubs in the mix for his talents including the Orioles, Tigers, and Marlins. 

Giants notes: new reliever Sam Hentges has previous ties to manager Tony Vitello originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — At his introductory press conference in October, Giants manager Tony Vitello mentioned how Bryce Eldridge had turned him down when Vitello was trying to get him to come to Tennessee. Eldridge won’t be the only Giant next season who chose to go pro instead of playing for one of Vitello’s teams. 

New left-handed reliever Sam Hentges was recruited to Arkansas by Vitello in 2014, but he was taken in the fourth round of the MLB draft by the Cleveland Guardians and chose to start his career right out of high school. A decade later, Hentges is hopeful he’s pitching high-leverage innings for Vitello in his first season as a manager. 

The Giants signed Hentges to a one-year deal earlier this week, betting that he’ll be able to overcome two recent surgeries and give them another good left-handed option in their bullpen. Hentges had shoulder surgery in 2024 and knee surgery this past August, but on a Zoom call with reporters, he said his rehab is going well and he anticipates being 100 percent by the start of the spring. 

Hentges called it a “tough rehab,” and it was interrupted when he felt swelling in his right knee while going through a throwing program following shoulder surgery. He ended up needing a procedure to repair a tear in his meniscus. 

Hentges had a 4.18 ERA in four seasons in Cleveland, and over his last three — when he was purely used as a reliever — that number was 2.93, with an even shinier 2.66 FIP. He said the Giants “came in aggressively” when he hit free agency for the first time. 

“The opportunity that they have with Tony Vitello there and some new coaches — we just thought it would be a good fit,” Hentges said. “They came in pretty aggressively from what we were expecting, so it kind of turned out to be a no-brainer decision.”

Hentges said he doesn’t know a lot of current Giants, although he lives in the Phoenix area so he’s working out with other big leaguers and minor leaguers at their Papago complex. He does know Vitello, though, and he’s looking forward to reuniting years after he turned the new manager down. 

Another Familiar Face

Hentges let it slip that he has been working with longtime big league right-hander Jesse Chavez, and the Giants confirmed that he has been hired as Vitello’s new bullpen coach. The full staff is still being finalized and will be announced in the coming days. 

Chavez, 42, is as new to coaching as it gets. He made four appearances for the Atlanta Braves last season, capping an 18-year career that included stints with nine different teams. Chavez pitched for the Braves in each of the last four seasons and also spent time with the A’s early in his career. 

What Will They Do …

The Marco Luciano waiver claim opened a 40-man roster spot, which may be notable. The Giants didn’t anticipate Luciano competing for a big league job in the spring, but they also didn’t have to make a move with his spot this early. 

The spot could go to a free agent or player acquired via trade, but it also allows the Giants to participate in the Rule 5 Draft next Wednesday. They’ll have the 15th selection in the draft. 

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