LOS ANGELES — The Rangers’ announcement of their plans to retool naturally coincided with Gabe Perreault’s return to the top line.
Now that the Blueshirts have decided to take a step back, recalibrate and make some personnel changes, Perreault, who did not record a point in 16:24 of action in the Rangers’ 4-3 loss to the Kings on Tuesday night, is at the top of the list of players who can be managed more strategically going forward this season. Development has long been a critique of this organization, but circumstances are looking different than previously.
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Skating on the first unit with Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller for a third straight game Tuesday against the Kings, Perreault is starting to find his footing at the NHL level.
“It’s obviously nice playing with guys like that,” Perreault told The Post before the Rangers set out on the current road trip. “They’ve been here for a long time and kind of make it easy on me. Sometimes, it’s not always easy playing top line, top D-pair. It makes it harder in that sense. But I think since my first time in the top six, now I’m definitely more comfortable and more used to it, in a way. I hope to just keep getting better and more comfortable.”
The 20-year-old sure looked confident in the final minutes of regulation Monday night, when he was streaking toward the Ducks net and flipped to his backhand before Jackson LaCombe got his stick in the way at the last second.
It was a one-goal game at the time, and Perreault attacked the net like it was.
He’s had the puck on his stick a lot more. And after failing to record a single shot in half of his first six games, Perreault has only had two such performances over his 11 games since.
Cam York #8 of the Philadelphia Flyers battles for position with Gabe Perreault #94 of the Rangers in front of goaltender Aleksei Kolosov at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. NHLI via Getty Images
“Gabe had a hell of a game [against the Ducks],” Rangers captain J.T. Miller said Monday night. “I think maybe [he] did a lot of things that people watching don’t see. Obviously, he’s a really gifted player with the puck. It’s how he’s made a name for himself at this point. That being said, he was in such good spots all over the rink today. You can tell he’s learning a lot as he goes. He’s trying to be a sponge and it’s fun to play with.
“He’s just going to get better as he gets going, but I think today, his play without the puck was better. He was good with the puck, but I’m saying his play without the puck really stood out to me.”
In an otherwise disappointing effort against the Senators last week, Perreault recorded the first multigoal effort of his young NHL career. His three goals and four assists through 17 games indicate his game could be coming.
The more he plays with top six caliber talent the more opportunities he has to cement himself there.
In 58:13 of 5-on-5 ice time with Zibanejad and Miller, the trio has been on the ice for seven Rangers goals and three against, per Natural Stat Trick. The two veterans have said they enjoy skating alongside one another for the versatility at center.
If Perreault can seize the top-line wing role early, it would be one less thing for the Rangers to address in the retool.
“I think he’s getting quicker with his decision-making,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of the rookie. “I think his foot speed picking up and the game is probably slowing down in his brain, also. I think that’s all happening at the same time. That’s just the process so. He makes a handful of plays every night. He almost scores in the third period there to tie it up [Monday night]. He plays the game with a lot of courage. I give him credit. He takes that puck to the far post. When you take it to the far post like that, usually you’re going to pay a price when that happens.
“I think he plays the game with a lot of courage, his willingness to do those types of things. I think it just speaks to his competitiveness.”
Former outfielders Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones have been elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class, as both players reached the 75% threshold for induction as voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).
Both Beltrán and Jones finished just shy of making the Hall a year ago, as Beltrán received 70.3% of the vote and Jones hit 66.2%. Beltrán, now in his fourth year on the ballot, received 84.2% of the 425 ballots cast, while Jones, in his ninth year on the ballot, reached 78.4%.
Beltrán, 48, seemed like a first-ballot lock near the end of his career, but after he reportedly took a key role in the 2017 Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, he lost his managerial job with the Mets before coaching a game, and his reputation was tarnished.
Still, Beltrán finished his career with 70.0 bWAR, batting .279/.350/.486 with 435 homers, 2,725 hits, 1,587 RBIs, 1,582 runs, and 312 steals over 2,586 games during his 20-year career. He was also named AL Rookie of the Year with the Royals in 1999, and he was selected as an All-Star nine times, won a pair of Silver Sluggers, and three Gold Gloves.
Jones, also 48, had a slightly shorter career than Beltrán, playing 17 seasons from 1996 to 2012, though he still accumulated 62.7 bWAR. One of the greatest outfield gloves in baseball history, Jones won 10 Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and was named an All-Star five times. For his career, he hit .254/.337/.486 with 434 homers, 2,196 hits, 1,289 RBIs, 1,204 runs, and 152 steals over 2,196 games.
Beltrán will likely enter the Hall as either a Kansas City Royal or a New York Met. He spent seven years with both clubs, starting his career in Kansas City and accumulating 24.8 bWAR there before spending 2005-2011 in New York, totaling 31.1 bWAR with the Mets. Jones will almost certainly go in as an Atlanta Brave, having spent 12 of his 17 MLB seasons in Atlanta and totaling 61.0 of his 62.7 bWAR with the Braves.
Beyond Beltrán and Jones, the only other player to break the 50% threshold was former second baseman Chase Utley, who garnered 251 votes, good for 59.1%. Andy Pettitte and Félix Hernández both fell just shy of 50%, as Pettitte received 48.5% of the vote on his eighth ballot and Hernández got 46.1% of the vote in his second year on the ballot.
Of the 12 first-year candidates, Cole Hamels is the only name to remain on the ballot entering next year, as the left-handed starter received 23.8% of the vote. Ryan Braun led the group of players who won’t return to the ballot, as he picked up 15 votes (3.5%). Former Brewer Gio González received no votes, while former closer Francisco Rodríguez received 50 votes (11.8%) and will remain on the ballot for a fifth year next time around.
Congratulations to Beltrán and Jones on joining Kent and the other 354 elected members (281 players) in the Hall this summer! The full voting results of this year’s ballot are below.
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh and batting champion Steve Smith are among the high-profile names that have signed up for the inaugural season of the European T20 Premier League.
Carlos Beltran will soon have a permanent place in Cooperstown, as the former Mets outfielder earned Hall of Fame enshrinement on Tuesday by receiving 84.2 percent of the vote (425 total ballots).
Moments after the nine-time All-Star heard the news, Mets ownership and franchise icons joined the celebration, sharing statements on Beltran's stellar career and achievements.
"One of the most dynamic players ever to wear a Mets uniform, Carlos combined rare power and speed with elite defense, setting a standard of excellence that endures today," said Mets owner Steve Cohen. Beyond his achievements on the field, his leadership, insight, and presence continue to shape our organization. It is a proud moment for Carlos, his family, and Mets fans everywhere."
Beltran, who slashed .279/.350/.486 with 435 home runs, 565 doubles, and 1,587 RBI across 20 seasons, became just the sixth Puerto Rican to reach the Hall of Fame. His roots were emphasized by fellow countryman and Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who grew up idolizing Beltran.
"Growing up in Puerto Rico, Carlos was an important role model to so many of us. After getting to know him personally, I saw firsthand what an exceptional father, leader, and role model he truly is," Lindor said of Beltran. "He paved the way for future generations of Puerto Rican baseball players and set them on a path to success. For that, he truly deserves this moment."
During his two decades in the majors, Beltran spent most of the 2000s in Queens, playing alongside David Wright, Carlos Delgado, and José Reyes for several seasons. While the Hall of Fame remains a long shot for Wright, whose career was cut short due to injury, he credited Beltran for his leadership as a veteran teammate.
"I remember being a young player in Port St. Lucie in my first Spring Training and looking at you and trying to emulate your game as best as I could," Wright said of Beltran. "When I think of five-tool players, you are one of the first faces that come to mind. And to top it off with your work ethic."
Beltran also received congratulations from former Mets infielder Jeff Kent, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in December via the Contemporary Baseball Era committee ballot. The 2026 class includes Beltran, Kent, and former Braves slugger Andruw Jones.
"I know your family is proud of you, and I can’t wait until you and I meet up again in Cooperstown, where we’ll be inducted into the most prestigious class in all of sports -- the Baseball Hall of Fame," Kent said. "Good luck my brother. I look forward to seeing you in July."
This summer, Beltran could become the third player to don a Mets cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. He played for seven teams from 1998-2017, but collected more homers, doubles, RBI, and runs scored with the Mets than anywhere else.
His seven seasons (839 total games) with the Mets also produced a career-best 31.1 WAR, and his three Gold Glove awards were won while wearing orange and blue.
The Mets also posted a video to X/Twitter that featured former managers Willie Randolph and Jerry Manuel, among other icons, lauding Beltran.
CHICAGO (AP) — Guard Josh Giddey is just about ready to return to the Chicago Bulls’ lineup after being sidelined the past three weeks because of a strained left hamstring, coach Billy Donovan said Tuesday.
Donovan said prior to the game against the Los Angeles Clippers that Giddey could return at Minnesota on Thursday. The Australian missed his 11th game in a row.
“Feels pretty good,” Donovan said. “I think it’s just waiting to hear from the medical of what they want to do and how Josh feels. But everything that I’ve gotten from Josh in medical is that there were no setbacks and he’s doing well.”
Giddey has not played since a loss to New Orleans on Dec. 31. He walked off the court gingerly in the first minute of the second half in that game.
Giddey has performed at an All-Star level in his second season in Chicago since a trade from Oklahoma City. He is averaging a team-high 19.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 9 assists, and has seven triple-doubles.
“I don’t know what the cutoff point is in terms of missed games and things like that, but before he got hurt, I think you could certainly make the argument he was playing at that level for strong consideration,” Donovan said.
The Bulls were ninth in the Eastern Conference at 20-22 entering Tuesday's game. Forward Patrick Williams sat out because of a sprained right ankle and is day to day. ___
The beloved former Mets third baseman wished Beltrán a “huge, huge congratulations” in a video posted by SNY.
“To think of the impact that you had on my career, the leadership, showing me how a pro prepares, how a pro works, I’ll never forget,” Wright said. “It was a huge building block, whether you know it or not. Well deserved. A true five-tool player, a true star of the game. Proud to call you a teammate and couldn’t be more excited for the Hall of Fame. Congratulations, buddy.”
David Wright congratulates Carlos Beltrán on his election to the Hall of Fame! pic.twitter.com/wIxYqrAags
Wright wasn’t alone in his congratulations for Beltrán, as current Mets star Francisco Lindor released a statement to honor the Mets great.
“I would like to congratulate Carlos, Jessica, and the rest of his family on the remarkable achievement of his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame,” Lindor said in a statement. “Growing up in Puerto Rico, Carlos was an important role model to so many of us. After getting to know him personally, I saw firsthand what an exceptional father, leader, and role model he truly is. He paved the way for future generations of Puerto Rican baseball players and set them on a path to success. For that, he truly deserves this moment.”
Wright and Beltrán were teammates from 2005 through 2011 before Beltrán was traded to the Giants.
Their most memorable season came in 2006 when the Mets reached the National League Championship Series and took the Cardinals to seven games, ultimately losing in heartbreaking fashion at Shea Stadium.
During his seven seasons with the Mets, Beltrán hit .280 with 149 home runs and 559 RBIs.
The Mets, on their official account on X, posted the video of Beltrán receiving the call that he had been elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America into the Baseball Hall of Fame, with the center fielder getting emotional and his friends and family cheering in celebration around him.
This year was his fourth time on the ballot, and he received 84.2 percent of the vote, easily surpassing the 75 percent threshold to be inducted into Cooperstown.
Beltrán had already indicated to The Post that he would prefer going into the Hall of Fame wearing a Mets cap on his plaque.
Owner Steve Cohen and his wife Alex were among those who also celebrated Beltran’s big day.
“On behalf of the entire organization, we are thrilled to congratulate Carlos on receiving the highest honor in baseball,” they wrote in a statement. “One of the most dynamic players ever to wear a Mets uniform, Carlos combined rare power and speed with elite defense, setting a standard of excellence that endures today. Beyond his achievements on the field, his leadership, insight, and presence continue to shape our organization. It is a proud moment for Carlos, his family, and Mets fans everywhere.”
During his 20-year career, Beltrán was a nine-time All-Star and won three Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger awards. He hit 435 home runs, fourth best among primary switch-hitters.
David Wright and Carlos Beltran after Wright’s two-run home run in the fourth against the Reds at Shea Stadium in New York, June 22, 2006. Jeff Zelevansky/ N.Y. Post
Aside from the Mets, Beltrán played for the Yankees, Astros, Cardinals, Royals, Rangers and Giants.
Joining him as part of the Hall of Fame class of 2026 is fellow center fielder Andruw Jones.
They are just the third and fourth primary center fielders since 1981 to join the Hall of Fame.
Fellow Major League Baseball owners aren’t happy with the Dodgers’ big spending.
After the two-time defending World Series champions agreed to a deal with Kyle Tucker, adding to their embarrassment of riches and league-high payroll, chatter is growing on how to stop them.
The Athletic’s Evan Drellich reported Tuesday that a source told him there’s “a 100 percent certainty” that the other 29 teams will push for a salary cap during upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations.
Kyle Tucker in action against the Milwaukee Brewers during Game 1 of the National League Division Series at American Family Field on October 4, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Getty Images
“These guys are going to go for a cap no matter what it takes,” the anonymous source told the outlet.
The Tucker pact, a four-year, $240 million contract with $30 million in deferred money, intensifies talks of the coming labor battle — and potential lockout — when the CBA expires in December.
The massive free agent signing brings the Dodgers’ projected luxury tax payroll to $402.5 million for 2026, per Cot’s Contracts.
That’s more than the bottom-four payroll clubs combined, outnumbering the sum of the Marlins ($79.3 million), Rays ($93.9M), Guardians ($103.5M) and White Sox ($105.1M) with some time to go before Opening Day.
The Tucker-Dodgers marriage wasn’t the only move this offseason that has owners upset, per Drellich, though.
“The Dodgers and Mets might be the only teams that will try to stand in the way of a cap,” the source said.
Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Bo Bichette (11) throws to first for an out against Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman (25) in the eighth inning during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Amazin’s aren’t far behind the Dodgers in terms of spending, with a luxury tax payroll sitting at $345.7.
Agent Scott Boras, who has long been one of the biggest pro-labor and anti-cap voices in the sport, described the Dodgers as an anomaly, and “not a system issue.”
“[The Dodgers] are the benefactors of acquiring Shohei Ohtani, MLB’s astatine,” Boras said in a statement to The Athletic. “Short-lived and rare. No other player offers such past or present. Ohtani is the genius of elite performance and additional revenue streams of near $250 million annually for a short window of history.
“The process of acquiring Ohtani was one of fairness and equal opportunity throughout the league,” he continued. “A rare, short-lived element is not a reason to alter the required anchored chemistry of MLB. The mandate of stability to gain media rights optimums is the true solution to league success.”
Jonathan Quick is set to start against his former team as the New York Rangers take on the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.
It will be just the third game he’ll play against the Kings and the second time starting in the confines of Crypto.com Arena.
In 16 seasons with the Kings, Quick won two Stanley Cups and established himself as one of the great goaltenders of this generation.
It’s been a long time since those days, but the memories of Quick’s dominance in Los Angeles are certainly still remembered.
“Elite, just an elite goaltender and a fierce competitor,” Mike Sullivan says of what he remembers of Quick during his tenure with the Kings. “I think he commands so much respect because he's earned it through his body of work. I've said this so many times, I think he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
“I mean, with what he did in his years here in LA to help those teams win Stanley Cups the way they did, he was such a huge part of it, he was a cornerstone of those teams… He’s an inspiration to me.”
Quick recently made his 800th career start, and on Wednesday, he’ll turn 40 years old, joining Brent Burns, Alex Ovechkin, and Corey Perry as the only players who are in their 40s.
It’s an impressive milestone, but it’s no surprise to Sullivan that Quick is still in the NHL approaching his 40th birthday.
“It's not by chance he's continuing to play at the level he's playing at the age he's at,” Sullivan said. “You have to love what you do to continue to keep your game at the level that he keeps it at his age. I just think he's a great example for all of us, just the passion that he brings to his job every day and how hard he works at it, to try to keep his game at the most elite level and the most competitive level that he can. I have so much respect for his overall body of work in this league, and now having the opportunity to work with him and watch what he does on a daily basis, it's not by accident.”
The first and only time Vancouver Canucks fans saw playoff-Kiefer Sherwood was when he was still playing for the Nashville Predators in 2024. While he only scored once, Sherwood was a force for Nashville in what became a hard-fought series. The forward left such a positive impression that, when he ultimately signed a two-year, $1.5M AAV contract that off-season, then-Canucks captain Quinn Hughes became one of his biggest advocates.
“Just playing him in the playoffs against Nashville and seeing his competitiveness and what he brings, you need guys like that on a championship team,” Hughes had told Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet at the time.
In Sherwood’s time with the Canucks, Vancouver wasn’t quite able to reach that playoff threshold, but there were definitely times in which the forward’s clutch ability made Rogers Arena feel as though it was smack-dab in the middle of a series. From puck drop on Sherwood’s first game with Vancouver, to his first-career NHL hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche, to scoring the game-winning goal against the Dallas Stars after clawing back from a 5–2 deficit, Sherwood’s tenure with the Canucks had no shortage of clutch moments.
There’s something about four-syllable names that calls to Canucks fans and their chants. J.T. Miller, Thatcher Demko, and Conor Garland are three players who have had their name echo through the walls of Rogers Arena. Sherwood is no different — especially when it came to the sheer amount of times he did something worth chanting for.
“Looking back, I couldn’t have asked for anything more from my experience in Vancouver,” Sherwood said in a final media availability only a couple of hours after being traded. “To have the fans be as appreciative as they are, and even chant my name is crazy… it’s something I still sometimes process and look back on.”
Oct 13, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (44) celebrates his first goal of the second period against the St. Louis Blues at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
While to him it may have felt like the fans gave Sherwood their all, the effort was reciprocated tenfold. Sherwood finishes his tenure with the Canucks with 36 goals, 27 assists, and 670 hits. His 460 hits with the Canucks in 2024–25 mark a new single-season record for the NHL, while his two 12-hit games (October 22 vs. the Chicago Blackhawks and March 22 vs. the New York Rangers) are tied with Luke Schenn for the franchise-high in one game. In total, he has made 10+ hits in a single game 13 different times as a Canuck.
Ultimately, Vancouver and Sherwood were kind to one-another when it comes to the dynamic between player and fan. Sherwood found career-high after career-high while wearing Vancouver’s orca, and Canucks fans found a no-quit player they could support throughout even the roughest of games — one more than deserving of the Fred J. Hume “Unsung Hero” Award given to him at the end of last season. Even though Sherwood’s next stint in playoffs won’t be for the Canucks, he’ll undoubtedly have many people cheering him on from all across BC.
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Former White Sox legend Andruw Jones makes it to the Hall of Fame on his ninth ballot. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
It’s a tale of sustained excellence, peak brilliance and overdue redemption: Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones each surpassed the 75% needed for election by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Tuesday, while Jeff Kent formally was awarded his place in Cooperstown this winter by the Contemporary Era Committee. The trio will headline the Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Kent was announced as a Hall of Fame inductee in December, finally receiving long-overdue recognition for his sterling work at second base. His 377 homers are the most all-time at the position, while his 1,518 RBI and eight 100-RBI seasons are unmatched for a second baseman. Kent was a five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner who slashed .290/.356/.500 with 55.4 WAR over 17 seasons. Simply put, Kent was a generational talent who did things at second base that most didn’t think were possible.
Beltrán, meanwhile, fell just short of Cooperstown last year in his third trip on the BBWAA ballot, receiving 70.3% of the vote. But the writers have spoken this year, elevating Beltrán to the HOF with 84.2% of the vote. Beltrán appeared in 20 seasons and 2,586 games over his career, slashing .279/.350/.486 with 2,725 hits, 435 home runs, 312 stolen bases and 70 WAR. His counting numbers are all the more impressive considering he’s one of only five players in MLB history to post 500 doubles, 400 homers and 300 steals. Beltrán was a nine-time All-Star and won three Gold Gloves, as well as earning American League Rookie of the Year honors in 1999. What sets Beltrán apart from others, though? His resume in October. Beltrán was a different beast during postseason play, slashing .307/.412/.609 with a 1.021 OPS, which ranks among the best postseason performances ever.
Unfortunately for Beltrán, his career wasn’t all sunshine and roses as he was named in the report on the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal and admitted to using text messages to share scouting information during his tenure with Houston. After apologizing to MLB, he stepped away from baseball for several years. As time went on, the writers increasingly overlooked his role in the scandal and accepted his apology. Today, he serves as the Mets’ special assistant to the president of baseball operations, David Stearns.
The delayed election of Jones is just another example of how a perception of Hall of Fame worthiness can evolve over time. Jones surpassed the 75% mark this year in his ninth year on the ballot, eventually landing at 78.4%. It wasn’t always pretty for Jones, who came alarmingly close to falling off the ballot in his first year of eligibility after recording just 7.3% of the vote. But each year, Jones gained steam as voters began to understand the value of his elite defense at a premium position, combined with plus power at the plate. During his best years, Jones was one of the best center fielders the game has ever seen, winning Gold Gloves for 10 straight seasons while also hammering 434 home runs over his career. Prior to this year, only eight center fielders were enshrined in Cooperstown; with the election of Beltrán and Jones, that number now sits at 10.
A deeper dive into Jones’ prime reveals just how good he was. At age 19, Jones homered twice in his first two career World Series at-bats. He had seven 30-homer seasons, led MLB with 51 homers in 2005, and was a five-time All-Star. Unfortunately, injuries cut into Jones’ career after age 30 and prevented him from adding even more to his eye-popping stats. Jones spent one lone season in 2010 in Chicago, where he posted a 120 OPS+ and put up a 1.9 WAR across 107 games for the White Sox. His career was also not without issue, as an off-field arrest for domestic violence in 2012 may have delayed his rise toward Cooperstown.
Finally, reaching career highs on Monday was former White Sox southpaw Mark Buehrle, who saw his vote total jump from 11.4% in 2025 to 20% in 2026. It’s a steady increase over the course of his six years on the ballot, and one that could continue to trend upwards as seasons pass. This year’s election was rife with first-time voters, and this generally progressive sect gave the southpaw a healthy boost.
Buehrle has one of the best pitching hallmarks of all time, tossing at least 200 innings in 14 straight seasons. Only seven Modern Era pitchers have reached that milestone, and six are already in the Hall of Fame. Buehrle won 214 games, logged more than 3,200 innings since the start of the 21st Century and had elite defensive metrics earning him three Gold Gloves. Buehrle also boasts several signature moments (which voters love), including a perfect game, a no-hitter, an ALCS complete game, and a back-to-back starter win and save in the World Series. Hopefully, his case will only grow stronger with time, and the momentum eventually works in Buehrle’s favor.
There are two new members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and both of them are ex-Yankees. On Tuesday night, the BBWAA released the results of this year’s Hall of Fame ballot: Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones have been elected as part of the class of 2026. The pair will be enshrined in Cooperstown alongside Eras Committee pick Jeff Kent on July 26th.
The pair were born just one day apart in April of 1977 and have now been elected to the Hall of Fame on the same day. Only two center fielders had been elected to Cooperstown in the last 45 years, so to induct a pair in on the same day is a relative bonanza.
Beltrán topped balloting in this cycle, receiving 84.2 percent of the vote in his fourth year on the ballot. It’s a jump of almost 13 percentage points from last year, when Beltrán narrowly missed out on election.
Beltrán played 20 seasons in the big leagues with the Royals, Astros, Mets, Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, and Rangers, slashing .279/.350/.486 with 435 home runs, 1,587 RBIs, 312 stolen bases, a 118 wRC+, and 67.4 fWAR. He was a nine-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glover, two-time Silver Slugger, the 1999 AL Rookie of the Year, and the 2013 Roberto Clemente Award winner. He hit the fourth-most home runs of any switch-hitter in league history behind only Mickey Mantle, Eddie Murray, and Chipper Jones, and is one of only eight players in MLB history with at least 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases alongside Willie Mays, Bobby Bonds, Andre Dawson, Barry Bonds, Steve Finley, Reggie Sanders, and Alex Rodriguez.
Beltrán played two-and-a-half seasons for the Yankees in his late-thirties and was one of their more productive hitters upon signing with them in the mid-2010s before being traded to the Rangers for a trio of prospects at the 2016 Trade Deadline. He would go on to win his lone World Series ring a year later with the Astros (dispatching his old teammates in a seven-game ALCS), but was named as one of the architects of their 2017 sign-stealing scandal, which was one of the principal factors in not being elected to the Hall in his first three years of eligibility. Nonetheless, Beltrán becomes the sixth player from Puerto Rico to be elected to Cooperstown.
Jones sneaks in with 78.4 percent of the vote, representing just over a 12 percentage point increase from his vote share last year. It was Jones’ ninth year on the ballot, his penultimate year of eligibility.
Jones becomes the first player born in Curaçao to be elected to the Hall of Fame. He was considered one of the all-time great defensive center fielders in MLB history, his 126.4 UZR ranking him second all-time behind Ichiro Suzuki and his 150 total zone runs ranking him fifth all-time behind Clemente, Mays, Barry Bonds, and Jesse Barfield. He blended that defense with prodigious power — he is one of only four players in history with at least 10 Gold Gloves and 400 home runs, joining Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., and Mike Schmidt.
In his 17 big league seasons, Jones played for the Braves, Dodgers, Rangers, White Sox, and Yankees, making five All-Star appearances. He slashed .254/.337/.486 with 434 home runs, 1,289 RBIs, 152 stolen bases, a 111 wRC+ and 67 fWAR. His career is bookended by encounters with the Yankees. As a rookie in 1996, he became the youngest player in MLB history to homer in the World Series at just 19 years old, breaking the record set by Mickey Mantle when he hit home runs in his first two at-bats of Game 1 of the 1996 World Series. He played the final two seasons of his big league career with the Yankees in 2011 and 2012 before a two-season swan song in Japan with the NPB’s Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, where he was teammates with future Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka.
Andy Pettitte experienced one of the biggest jumps in vote share, going from 27.9-percent of the vote last year to 48.5-percent of the vote in this cycle. It’s an encouraging sign for Pettitte in his eighth year on the ballot — if he can experience similar jumps in his final two years of eligibility there is a real chance he could be elected. There will always be questions of the effect his admission to using HGH will have on future voting, but the all-time postseason wins leader is certainly trending in the right direction.
As for other former Yankees on the ballot, Alex Rodriguez remained relatively stagnant, going from 37.1-percent of the vote last year to 40-percent in this, his fifth year of eligibility. Bobby Abreu experienced a nice jump from 19.5-percent last year to 30.8-percent this year, but with only three more years on the ballot, he will need to be handed even bigger boosts in future voting cycles to have a shot. Edwin Encarnación received just six votes (1.4-percent) in his first year on the ballot and will therefore fall off the ballot as he comes up short of the five-percent threshold needed to maintain eligibility.
Congratulations again to Beltrán and Jones on this fantastic achievement. The full voting can be found below.
The Hornets come into this game with the fourth-best net rating over the past two weeks. That’s partially juiced by a 55-point win over the Utah Jazz. But it’s also a reflection of how good they’re playing right now. The offense has been good all season, but they’ve taken another step forward with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Kneuppel.
The Cavs’ defense will have its hands full trying to slow down Charlotte’s dynamic offense.
Cavs injury report: Darius Garland – OUT (toe), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League), Luke Travers – OUT (G League)
Hornets injury report: PJ Hall – OUT (G League), Liam McNeeley – OUT (G League), Mason Plumlee – OUT (groin), Antoni Reeves – OUT (G League), Tidjane Salaun – PROBABLE (achilles), KJ Simpson – OUT (hip)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Hornets expected starting lineup: LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate
Apr 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman before a game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
With the 2025 season now concluded, we’ll keep track of every transaction by the Dodgers for the entire offseason here, beginning with the advent of free agency on November 2 until the start of spring training.
For more information on Dodgers transactions during the 2025 season, click here.
Note: On a mobile device, this table will show up best in landscape mode.
No.
Pitchers (24)
Bat/throw
2026 age
Service
Options (used)
43
Anthony Banda
L/L
32
4.135
0 (’17-18,’20)
78
Ben Casparius
R/R
27
1.016
2 (2024)
3
Edwin Díaz
R/R
32
9.121
n/a
86
Jack Dreyer
R/L
27
1.000
3 (none)
65
Paul Gervase
R/R
26
0.021
2 (2025)
31
Tyler Glasnow
L/R
32
8.158
n/a
48
Brusdar Graterol
R/R
27
5.167
2 (2021)
60
Edgardo Henriquez
R/R
24
0.164
2 (2025)
63
Kyle Hurt
R/R
28
1.099
2 (2024)
61
Will Klein
R/R
26
0.081
2 (2024)
96
Landon Knack
L/R
28
0.119
2 (2024)
Ronan Kopp
L/L
23
0.000
3 (none)
28
Bobby Miller
R/R
27
1.119
1 (2024-25)
77
River Ryan
R/R
27
1.070
3 (none)
11
Roki Sasaki
R/R
24
1.000
3 (none)
66
Tanner Scott
R/L
31
7.059
n/a
80
Emmet Sheehan
R/R
26
2.080
2 (2023)
7
Blake Snell
L/L
33
9.072
n/a
41
Brock Stewart
R/R
34
4.093
0 (2016-19)
35
Gavin Stone
R/R
27
2.034
2 (2023)
49
Blake Treinen
R/R
38
11.065
n/a
51
Alex Vesia
L/L
30
5.078
1 (2021,’23)
70
Justin Wrobleski
L/L
25
0.150
2 (2024)
18
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
R/R
27
2.000
n/a
No.
Two-way players (1)
Bat/throw
2026 age
Service
Options (used)
17
Shohei Ohtani
L/R
31
8.000
n/a
No.
Catchers (2)
Bat/throw
2026 age
Service
Options (used)
68
Dalton Rushing
L/R
25
0.138
3 (none)
16
Will Smith
R/R
31
6.090
3 (none)
No.
Infielders (5)
Bat/throw
2026 age
Service
Options (used)
50
Mookie Betts
R/R
33
11.070
n/a
76
Alex Freeland
S/R
24
0.038
2 (2025)
5
Freddie Freeman
L/R
36
15.033
n/a
13
Max Muncy
L/R
36
9.027
n/a
72
Miguel Rojas
R/R
37
11.043
n/a
No.
Outfielders (5)
Bat/throw
2026 age
Service
Options (used)
12
Alex Call
R/R
31
2.161
2 (2024)
37
Teoscar Hernández
R/R
33
8.097
n/a
44
Andy Pages
R/R
25
1.155
1 (2023-24)
Michael Siani
L/L
26
1.063
1 (2023, 2025)
23
Kyle Tucker
L/R
29
6.079
n/a
No.
Infielder/outfielders (3)
Bat/throw
2026 age
Service
Options (used)
25
Tommy Edman
S/R
31
6.114
n/a
6
Hyeseong Kim
L/R
27
0.149
2 (2025)
Ryan Ward
L/R
28
0.000
3 (none)
Age is as of June 30, 2026
Click on the dates below for more detailed information on each transaction:
February 3: Michael Siani was claimed off waivers from Yankees. Andy Ibáñez was designated for assignment.
January 23: Michael Siani was claimed off waivers by Yankees.
January 21: Michael Siani was designated for assignment.
January 21: Kyle Tucker signed for four years, $240 million.
January 20: Ryan Fitzgerald cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
January 13: Andy Ibáñez signed for one-year, $1.2 million. Ryan Fitzgerald was designated for assignment.
January 9: Ryan Fitzgerald was claimed off waivers from Twins.
January 8: Anthony Banda signed one-year deal for $1.625 million, avoiding salary arbitration.
January 8: Alex Call signed one-year deal for $1.6 million, avoiding salary arbitration.
January 8: Brock Stewart signed one-year deal for $1.3 million, avoiding salary arbitration.
January 7: Brusdar Graterol signed one-year deal for $2.8 million, avoiding salary arbitration.
December 30: Esteury Ruiz was traded to Marlins for minor league pitcher Adriano Marrero.
December 12: Edwin Díaz signed for three years, $69 million.
December 12: Michael Siani was claimed off waivers from Braves.
December 4: Miguel Rojas signed for one year, $5.5 million
November 21: Evan Phillips and Nick Frasso were not tendered contracts, making them free agents.
November 18: Ronan Kopp was added to the 40-man roster
November 16: Robinson Ortiz was traded to the Mariners for minor league pitcher Tyler Gough.
November 12: Ben Rortvedt was claimed off waivers by the Reds. Tony Gonsolin cleared waivers and elected free agency.
November 6: Max Muncy’s $10 million club option for 2026 was exercised.
November 6: Alex Vesia’s $3.65 million club option for 2026 was exercised.
November 6: Justin Dean was claimed off outright waivers by the Giants.
November 6: Tony Gonsolin was designated for assignment, Ryan Ward and Robinson Ortiz were added to the 40-man roster. Michael Grove was sent outright to the minors.
November 2: Clayton Kershaw, Kiké Hernández, Miguel Rojas, Michael Conforto, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech, and Andrew Heaney are free agents.
Just a month ago, the Knicks were 18-7 and celebrating winning the NBA Cup (but not by putting up a banner). A couple of weeks ago, Knicks owner James Dolan was proclaiming, "We want to get to the Finals. And we should win the Finals" on New York radio. The team improved to 23-9 at one point.
That seems like a lifetime ago.
New York has gone 2-9 since that high-water mark, having lost four straight and getting booed by its own fans on Monday when shorthanded Dallas blew them out at home. The Knicks have looked like a team searching for an identity.
The NBA Showtime crew discuss what the Knicks have to do to get back on track. pic.twitter.com/fFCzq9FbnL
That led newly-minted All-Star starter and team captain Jalen Brunson to call a team-only meeting, reports Ramona Shelburn at ESPN. Brunson's message was "that the Knicks needed to find answers for their poor play in January among themselves, rather than look to the coaching staff for solutions."
Players haven't fully bought into their roles under head coach Mike Brown. Those reasons are cited often when you talk to people about the Knicks' flaws. Now, these issues aren't unique to this year's team. They existed to a degree in the locker room last season. But the Knicks coaching change hasn't rooted them out.
The firing of Tom Thibodeau and hiring of Brown was never going to cure all that ailed the Knicks. But the move definitely raised the stakes for New York.
Brown has opened up the offense, and it's a little better this season, but the defense has been a little worse, and with that, these Knicks are worse than a year ago. Not connecting with his players is partially on Brown, but there is plenty of blame to go around for how this team looks lost, both for the players and the front office.
For example, Karl-Anthony Towns isn't playing poorly — 21 points and 11.6 rebounds a game, he should still be an All-Star reserve — but his counting stats and, more importantly, his efficiency are well off from last season. His true shooting percentage fell from 63 a season ago to 59.9 this season, and his efficiency across the board is down. Is that on Towns, Brown for pushing Towns out of his comfort zone, or both?
The front office went out looking for depth this summer and added Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, neither of whom has added all that much to the team.
Brown, however, is the key variable. ESPN’s Shelburne was on NBA Today and discussed how Brown's recent postgame hug of Draymond Green, who had picked up a technical foul for tripping Towns that night, did not sit well with players.
"From what I understand, that did not land well with a lot of folks there in New York, in that locker room or even in the organization. While you can understand why he might have a bond with Draymond Green, I don't think that landed well, especially in the middle of a losing streak."
Brown spent six seasons as Steve Kerr's right-hand man in Golden State, so he has a relationship with Green forged over multiple title runs. Still, life can be about timing and perception, and Brown missed on both in this case.
While Knicks fans will point to the upcoming NBA trade deadline as a chance to shake things up, the team is hard-capped at the second apron and just $148,353 below that number — they have limited flexibility to really shake things up. Unless the Knicks want to shake up their core, the moves will be on the fringes.
Which means Brunson is right — the answers need to come from inside the locker room. And the Knicks need to come up with that answer fast, as New York has slipped to fourth in the East and is just 1.5 games above the play-in. This is a team that reached the Easter Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years last season, but they fired coach Tom Thibodeau, believing a new voice (and someone who would trust and develop the bench) could deliver more. There were logical reasons to make the move. That said, whatever you think of Thibodeau, his teams had a clear identity.
Shortly after the World Series ended in November, eligible BBWAA writers around the country (including one of our own) began to receive their ballots to determine the 2026 class for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and they had until the end of 2025 to mail them in. Former San Francisco Giants second baseman and MVP Jeff Kent was voted in by the Hall’s separate Eras Committee in December, and he won’t be alone on the podium in Cooperstown during the 2026 induction ceremonies this summer.
Joe Buck will receive the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting and longtime Cleveland writer Paul Hoynes will be honored with the newly-renamed Platinum Pen Award. As just revealed in a Tuesday night announcement on MLB Network by Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch, they’ll all be joined by the newest BBWAA inductees: Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones.
Purely by the numbers, Beltrán was always an excellent candidate for Cooperstown, as the switch-hitting center fielder finished his 20-year career in 2017 with 435 homers, 312 stolen bases, 2,725 hits, and 67.4 fWAR. He follows the legendary footsteps of Roberto Clemente in becoming the sixth Puerto Rican to make the Hall of Fame, joining first baseman Orlando Cepeda, second baseman Roberto Alomar, catcher Iván Rodríguez, and DH Edgar Martinez (born in New York but raised by his grandparents in Puerto Rico).
A second-round prep pick by the Kansas City Royals in the 1995 MLB Draft, he zoomed through the minors and became a near-unanimous pick for 1999 AL Rookie of the Year. He largely toiled in anonymity on some bad Royals teams until the contending Houston Astros traded for him in June 2004, just before he made the first of nine career All-Star appearances with a 30/30 season. Beltrán excelled down the stretch as Houston won a Wild Card spot and then seized the national spotlight with a postseason for the ages. Even though the Astros didn’t make the World Series and got eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals in a seven-game NLCS, Beltrán tied a then-playoff record with 8 homers in 12 games, hitting a hellacious .435/.536/1.022. He certainly did his part.
A coveted free agent that offseason, Beltrán signed a seven-year, $119 million contract with the New York Mets and had the best season of his career in 2006. He hit a new high with 41 homers, won his first of three consecutive Gold Gloves in center, and finished fourth for NL MVP as the Mets at last toppled the Atlanta Braves to the NL East. Beltrán’s bat was electric again come October with a .978 OPS, but the only at-bat that most fans remembered was the one that ended the Mets’ run in Game 7 of the NLCS, as Beltrán struck out looking against the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright with the bases loaded and the winning run in scoring position.
Thanks to some late-season collapses in Queens, it would be several years before Beltrán got another crack at a title. He joined those same Cardinals in free agency following the 2011 campaign, kept hitting in October, and made his first World Series appearance in 2013 when the Cards took down the up-and-coming Los Angeles Dodgers for the pennant after Beltrán walked off Game 1. The Boston Red Sox won in six games, so despite Beltrán’s .982 career playoff OPS for St. Louis, he had to make a return trip to Houston to finally win it all.
Signed at age 40 by the Astros to be a DH and team leader after stints with the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers, Beltrán’s production finally faltered. But his teammates pushed him over the finish line with a seven-game over the Dodgers. Beltrán rode off into the sunset as a World Series champion and was so well-respected that the Yankees interviewed him for their open managerial job less than a month after his career ended. He didn’t get it, but the Mets hired him as their skipper on November 2019.
Beltrán’s post-career momentum came to screeching halt that same offseason, when news broke of the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. The 23 then-active players who participated in the scandal were controversially granted immunity to help MLB’s investigation, and that contingent notably excluded the now-retired Beltrán. Indeed, he was the one named player in MLB’s final report, released in January 2020, specifically noted among a general group of players who “discussed that the team could improve on decoding opposing teams’ signs and communicating the signs to the batter.”
Beltrán was fired by the Mets before the team even reported for spring training, and the man who was onceconsidered a near-lock for the Hall of Fame appeared on less than half of all 389 ballots during his first year of eligibility in 2023. Since then, however, the BBWAA’s collective stance has softened on Beltrán, and he garnered 57.1 percent in 2024 before missing induction in 2025 by only 19 votes. Now, he is a Hall of Famer, appearing on 84.2 percent of ballots.
This will be a big year for defensively superb center fielders with power who were born in the Caribbean in late April 1977. Andruw Jones was in fact born just one day before Beltrán, though at the time, no one from Curaçao had ever played in the majors. If Hensley Meulens opened the door in 1989, Jones fully broke it down seven years later (All-Stars like Kenley Jansen, Andrelton Simmons, Jurickson Profar, and Ozzie Albies would follow). A preternaturally gifted prospect ranked No. 1 overall by Baseball America in 1996, Jones was only 19 when he made his MLB debut for the defending champion Braves that August. Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox was impressed enough by the teenager that he put him on the playoff roster, and the presence of the DH in Game 1 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium encouraged Cox to give Jones a start in the outfield.
Atlanta reaped the benefits when Jones immediately homered off Andy Pettitte to become the youngest player to homer in a Fall Classic, surpassing no less a luminary than New York’s own Mickey Mantle. He went yard in his second at-bat too, joining 1972 Oakland A’s catcher Gene Tenace as the only players in MLB history to do so.
Jones’ 1.250 OPS on the game’s greatest stage went for naught as the Yankees came back to win in six games. He would never be a World Series champion (losing another to New York in 1999), but for the next decade, there was no better center fielder in baseball than the prodigy in Atlanta.
From 1997-2007, Jones led the Braves’ offense alongside another Jones and hit .263/.343/.498 with 363 homers, a 114 wRC+, and 64.2 fWAR — a figure that trailed only Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez. The only center fielder within even 15 fWAR of Jones in that span was Jim Edmonds (50.7). Jones made five All-Star teams and narrowly lost the NL MVP to Albert Pujols in 2005, the last of Atlanta’s 14 consecutive division titles and a year that saw him clobber 51 homers to set a then-Braves record. His potent bat helped him reach 434 career homers (a top-50 in MLB history at the time his career ended), but what made Jones stand out was his glove. Jones has a legitimate case as the best defensive center fielder to ever play the game, and he won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves from 1998-2007.
The primary on-field issue with Jones’ Hall of Fame case was that his career was basically over after that stretch. His bat had dipped a bit in 2007, and he was both out of shape and absolutely horrible for the Dodgers upon signing with LA for his age-31 season in 2008. He found some success in a reduced bat-first role for three different teams from 2009-12, and he even a 132 wRC+ with in 77 games for the Yankees in 2011. The next year, though, he stumbled to an 89 wRC+, failed to make the playoff roster, and in a legitimately alarming off-field incident, Jones was arrested on Christmas Day 2012 for domestic violence against his wife. They later divorced, and plenty of voters who might’ve taken up his statistical Hall of Fame case understandably passed on voting for him. After two seasons in Japan with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, he was done. Jones was only 35 at the time of his last career MLB game.
Jones debuted on a very crowded Hall of Fame ballot in 2018 and failed to garner even eight percent of the BBWAA vote during his first two years. As the top of the classes thinned out and more former teammates and rivals began to ardently make the case for Jones, he took big jumps in voting share, and his largest leap yet in 2023 brought him up from 41.4 percent to 58.1. He garnered just under two-thirds of the vote in 2025, and now in his penultimate year on the ballot, he has passed the three-fourths hurdle at 78.4 percent and joined former Atlanta teammates Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, and Fred McGriff in Cooperstown.
The next-closest Hall of Fame candidate from this year’s crop was a man beloved by the City of Philadelphia, Chase Utley, at 59.1 percent. A somewhat-late start to his career led to a case that’s not as strong on counting stats, but like Jones, he was among baseball’s elite at his peak and he still accumulated 61.5 fWAR, one of just 17 second basemen in MLB history to do so. A remarkable 43.6 of that total came from 2005-2010, when he hit .298/.388/.523 with 162 homers and a 136 wRC+ as the Phillies won it all in 2008 and nearly repeated in 2009. Utley will be in great position to make it to Cooperstown in 2027, when the only players seemingly worthy of consideration who will be joining the ballot are Buster Posey and Jon Lester.
One of Utley’s teammates from those Philly teams debuted on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot: Cole Hamels (23.8 percent). The 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP was a durable, productive southpaw and four-time All-Star from 2006-19 before a sudden onset of injuries ended his career. He easily fared the best of the newcomer candidates. Hamels had a strong debut, and two other pitching holdovers made great gains as well in Andy Pettitte (48.5 percent) and Félix Hernández (46.1 percent). Starting pitcher standards have changed in recent years with how MLB teams have used starters as the century has progressed, so they’re longer look; given that, Mark Buehrle (20 percent) probably should have come closer to their percentages, but he will remain on the ballot next year anyway. So will Bobby Abreu, Dustin Pedroia, Jimmy Rollins, David Wright, Omar Vizquel, Francisco Rodríguez, and Torii Hunter, who all cleared that five-percent threshold.
Finally, there’s the matter of Alex Rodriguez (40 percent) and Manny Ramirez (38.8 percent). Both are obvious Hall of Famers by the numbers, but they also both have two long PED suspensions on their records. Although a high number of voters are willing to look past that (if not only because MLB already doled out the agreed-upon punishment and the man who looked the other way on PEDs for so long, commissioner Bud Selig, has a Hall of Fame plaque), they’ve never come particularly close to winning over even 50 percent. A-Rod will continue to hang around on the ballot next year. This will be the last for Manny, however, as this is his last year of BBWAA eligibility. Given how others with PED ties have fared on Eras Committees, it’s hard to envision a future where Manny or A-Rod get their days in the sun.
