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Yankees free agency and trade buzz: 'Genuine' interest in Luke Weaver reunion

Here's the latest Yankees free agency and trade buzz during the 2025-26 MLB offseason...

Dec. 16, 8:59 a.m.

The Yankees have "genuine" interest in a reunion with right-handed reliever Luke Weaver, reports Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, who notes that the interest is mutual.

Kirschner adds that roughly 10 teams have contacted Weaver's camp this offseason.

Weaver, 32, was solid for New York last season, with a 3.62 ERA (3.89 FIP) and 1.02 WHIP with 72 strikeouts in 64.2 innings.

His best season came in 2024, when he had a 2.89 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 84.0 innings while striking out 103 -- a rate of 11.0 per nine.

If brought back, Weaver would likely be one of the main bridges to closer David Bednar.

Dec. 14, 7:35 p.m.

While reports indicated that the San Francisco Giants "do not anticipate making the nine-figure investment" required to sign free agents this offseason, they aren't checked out of the marketplace altogether.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reported recently that the Giants “have checked in on” Cody Bellinger, the Yankees' No. 1 target.

Bellinger proved to be a big part of the Yanks' last season, contributing well on both sides of the ball with 29 home runs, 98 RBI, and a .272/.334/.480 slash line for an .813 OPS (125 OPS+ and wRC+) while ranking in the 93rd percentile in outs above average (seven) and with 12 defensive runs saved.

Dec. 11, 12:21 p.m.

The Yankees "have listened" when it comes to a potential Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Chisholm is set to earn roughly $12 million via arbitration in 2026 in what is his final season before free agency.

He spent time at third base (28 starts) and second base (96 starts) in 2025 -- and was not thrilled with his time at third, noting "everybody knows I'm a second baseman."

Offensively, Chisholm had a big season, posting an .813 OPS while hitting 31 home runs.

The Yankees' infield is unsettled. Ben Rice is penciled in at first base, with Ryan McMahon at third base. But the shortstop situation is in flux with Anthony Volpe expected to miss the start of the 2026 season after having shoulder surgery.

Other infield options include Jose Caballero and Oswaldo Cabrera.

Dec. 10, 7:26 p.m.

Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta is a hot name on the trade market this offseason, and the Yankees are among the teams reportedly looking to add him to their team.

According to Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Yankees are one of five teams looking to trade for Peralta, joining the Orioles, Red Sox, Giants and Astros. Other clubs like the Mets had previously reported interest in a trade for Peralta. 

The news comes just days after the Brewers made it known they were open for business on a trade. 

With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon starting the 2026 season on the IL, the Yankees would hope Peralta gives them the depth needed to get through a season until their big arms return.

Dec. 8, 9:50 p.m.

Looking for bullpen help, the Yankees have shown an interest in right-hander Brad Keller, according to a report from Gary Phillips of The New York Daily News on Monday.

Nothing is imminent between Keller and the Yanks, Phillips reported, adding that two or three teams are considering signing the 30-year-old free agent as a starting pitcher.

Keller is coming off his best year as a professional by far, pitching to a 2.07 ERA and 0.962 WHIP with 75 strikeouts to 22 walks in 69.2 innings over 68 appearances out of the bullpen. The righty has some very attractive attributes: 30.6 percent hard-hit percentage (99th percentile) last year, with a fastball that averaged 97.2 mph and a sinker at 96.7 mph.

Dec. 8, 8:45 p.m.

As the Mets and Yankees continue to look to revamp their bullpen this offseason, they've both called the Brewers about reliever Trevor Megill, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post.

Megill, of course, is the older brother of Mets starter Tylor Megill.

The 32-year-old would be a tremendous boost at the backend for either club, as he has developed into one of the top relievers in baseball over the past few seasons. 

Megill missed time to injury last year, but pitched to a stellar 2.49 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while locking down 30 saves. 

Dec. 8, 1:24 p.m.

SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino believes there's a "solid chance" the Yankees will retain free agent Amed Rosario.

Rosario had a .788 OPS in 16 games for the Yanks last season after being acquired from the Nationals ahead of the trade deadline.

The 30-year-old excelled against left-handed pitching in 2025, slashing .302/.328/.491 in 122 plate appearances.

Rosario would provide strong versatility if brought back, with the ability to play shortstop, third base, second base, and left field. 

Dec. 7, 9:31 p.m.

While the Yankees reportedly discussed the chance of a reunion with All-Star reliever Devin Williams a few weeks ago, it appears their conversations never intensified.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said as much on Sunday night at the Winter Meetings, telling Greg Joyce of the New York Post that the club didn't even make a formal offer to Williams before he signed a three-year deal with the Mets last weekend.

According to Joyce, Cashman asked Williams' agent to keep the Yankees in the loop regarding the right-hander's market, but he didn't get a call prior to Williams signing in Queens. Cashman also noted that Williams' reps never "needed to" update him on the process.

Dec. 4, 11:42 a.m.

While other suitors are certainly in the mix, Cody Bellinger remains the Yankees' No. 1 target, and the club is making a "big effort" to bring him back, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Heyman lists the Mets, Phillies, Angels, and Dodgers as other possibilities. 

ESPN's Jeff Passan has previously reported that signing Bellinger would be a "multipart move" for the Yankees, as the club would almost certainly need to move one of their other outfield pieces --potentially Jasson Dominguez or up-and-coming prospect Spencer Jones. 

With Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer, the Yanks would have a surplus of outfielders if Bellinger was to re-sign.

Dec. 3, 8:22 p.m.

The high-stakes bidding war for Kyle Tucker officiallyincludes one of the Yankees' division rivals, as the superstar outfielder visited the Blue Jays' facility in Florida on Wednesday, according to a report from Robert Murray of FanSided.

It's no surprise the reigning AL champions are big-game hunting for a new bat. The club signed free-agent starter Dylan Cease to a massive seven-year, $210 million deal and right-hander Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million contract in the last week.

Murray reports the Blue Jays are also interested in retaining shortstop Bo Bichette, who could garner an average annual value above $20 million.

Tucker would make the Blue Jays' lineup even more imposing. In his lone season with the Cubs, the 28-year-old slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 25 steals. His seven-year run with the Astros was far more impressive, though -- he hit .274 with 125 homers and 417 RBI.

Only time will tell if the Yankees make a legitimate run at Tucker's services. His contract demands seem too rich for their blood, and the Yankees have stated they're focused on re-signing Cody Bellinger, who'd come at a much lower price.

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Canadiens: Growth All Around

While most people’s attention was focused on the players’ growth in the Montreal Canadiens’ rebuild, someone else was growing before our eyes: coach Martin St-Louis. Much was made of the fact that he had no professional experience when he was hired to take the helm of the most storied franchise in NHL history, but not enough has been written about how he has adapted since then.

Speaking to the media earlier this week, the bench boss confessed that giving everyone their fair share of ice time in the NHL was on him, and that some players’ reduced ice time was on him, too—they didn’t necessarily deserve so little time. It was a refreshing sight to see a coach do his mea culpa, but for St. Louis, that’s just normal. He explained that if he asks his players to be accountable and face their truth, it’s only logical that he does the same:

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Because I feel if I’m asking my players to self-assess with some truth, I’ve got to be able to do the same thing, So, I have to own it. If I expect my players to own it, I better own it myself.
- St-Louis on accountability

His players respect St-Louis not only because of his Hall of Fame career, but also because he holds himself to the same standards he holds them to. He’s not playing the games anymore; he can’t help them on the ice, but he’s the one who decides who’s on in which circumstances and for how long. After doing his mes culpa about ice time, the pilot started the next game with the Kirby Dach, Brendan Gallagher and Zachary Bolduc line alongside his third pairing formed by Arber Xhekaj and Alex Carrier. Sure, the players the Utah Mammoth chose to start allowed him to do that; they weren’t the ones he wanted his first-line to face, but he could have gone for the Jake Evans or Oliver Kapanen lines just as easily.

Going from bantam hockey to the NHL was quite the jump for the bench boss, and while he’s improved by leaps and bounds since then, he feels he still has a long way to go:

The first game was so fast on the ice … I couldn’t believe the speed of the game. But two, three games in, it slowed way down. At the youth level, it was easy; you just rolled the lines, and everybody played the power play. It was fun, it was easy. Let’s go. At the NHL level, you got to be a little more calculated. I feel I’ve come a long way, and I’ve got a ways to go.”
- St-Louis on coaching in the NHL

This is what makes St-Louis a great coach: he can be critical of his players when needed, but he can also be critical of himself. He knows his players are still growing, still learning, but so is he. While he had seen it all as a player throughout his 16-year career in the NHL, behind a bench, he’s still learning.

Last year, he was a Jack Adams Trophy finalist for guiding his young team to the playoffs; this year, he has them leading their division and showing no signs of slowing down. When St-Louis agreed to join the Canadiens, he knew he was joining a team with potential for greatness but that needed to be built up, much like his coaching career, and he’s doing a fine job of both.

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Former Ottawa Senator Registers First NHL Point: 'That Was For (My Mom) Tonight'

When Ottawa-born Donovan Sebrango joined the Senators, he was part of the Alex DeBrincat deal with the Detroit Red Wings. At the time, he was exiting Detroit, a team in the middle of the second-longest NHL playoff drought, to join Ottawa, a club in the middle of the third-longest NHL playoff drought.

You might assume that neither roster, in those circumstances, should have been carved in stone; that an opportunity might have been there for a useful player. 

But Sebrango never caught on as a full-time player in either market. As he left Detroit, he hadn't seen any NHL action in Motown after four years with the club. As for the Senators, they immediately put him in Belleville and he even spent some time in the ECHL.

They did bring him up to Ottawa twice last season and then twice last month due to the preseason injury to Tyler Kleven. When Kleven got healthy, the Sens tried to send Sebrango back down to Belleville, but he was claimed on waivers by the Florida Panthers.

At his press conference on Monday, when asked about the left side of his blue line, Staios admitted that losing Sebrango hurt the Sens' depth in that area.

Now, since the move to Sunrise, Sebrango has found more work with the defending two-time Stanley Cup champions than he did in Ottawa and Detroit combined.

Not only did Sebrango play in his fifth game in a row for the Panthers on Monday night, but he also registered two assists in the game, including his first NHL point as Florida won 3-2 in Las Vegas.

"Yeah, I mean, it's always fun to get points," Sebrango told the media after the game. "That's not why they brought me in, but it's always fun to get a couple of points, and your first ones you always remember."

Even in his short time in Ottawa, it was very clear that Sebrango is tight with his mom, Kim.

So after he got his first NHL point, it's not hard to guess who he texted first.

"She said she was so proud of me," Sebrango said. "And I want to make her proud. And that means the world to hear from her. But I mean, that was for her tonight."

But Sebrango has other admirers in Florida, where he seems to be fitting right in. He's played the last five games for the Panthers, averaging 14 minutes a night, and setting up shop alongside Jeff Petry, who's closing in on 1000 NHL games (997).

"I think (Sebrango) has played the same game (every night)," head coach Paul Maurice told the media. "And that's a really impressive thing because he doesn't have a lot of NHL experience. He's still a young man, but he has been very, very consistent in his style of game and what we expect from him. And that is highly unusual in a young player, especially on defense.

"We play a different game than he's been experiencing. So we're really impressed with his composure in the game, and we like his bite. You know, he didn't wait a long time for the first fight.

"We like that a lot."

This shouldn't be read as a Sens tale of the one that got away, which all too often haunts the fan base. For one, it's far too early for any such declaration. Secondly, even if Sebrango ends up as a full-timer in Florida or spends the next decade in the NHL, this is merely the kind of thing that can happen to good teams when they don't have enough room on the roster for everyone. He was never going to rank ahead of Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, or Tyler Kleven.

This is more a story of a young man who's worked hard and honestly for a long time, just waiting for an opportunity like this to finally come his way. Even if Florida doesn't bring Sebrango back next season, every game he plays now for the champions only serves to improve his resume.

And how do you not tip your cap to a story like that?

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

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What we learned as Steph Curry, Warriors' offense struggle in loss to Thunder

What we learned as Steph Curry, Warriors' offense struggle in loss to Thunder originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

OKLAHOMA CITY – When the Western Conference semifinals began last season, there was a feeling behind the scenes that the Warriors were confident in their prospects against the Oklahoma City Thunder if the two were to meet in the next round with a chance of being in the NBA Finals.

That shot never happened. Steph Curry went down to injury, and the Thunder outlasted the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers in seven games each to be crowned champions. 

A decade ago, the Warriors were the young team coming up together that got past a Thunder team with similar ages to them on their way to a dynastic run. Now, the Thunder are the ones on that same path, proving so again Tuesday night. 

The Warriors and Thunder were on two different planets of basketball talents in their first matchup of the 2025-26 NBA season, a public spanking in a 126-102 blowout loss for Golden State at Paycom Center.

Curry returned after missing the previous three games because of an illness. Curry started strong but then quickly cooled off and found himself in foul trouble. He played 20 minutes and was a minus-23 with 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting, one rebound and no assists. Curry made his first 3-pointer and then missed his final four attempts.

All three of Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green were on the bench with five minutes and 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The Thunder led by 25 points at the time, ending the three veteran stars’ day right there on the first night of a back-to-back. 

Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28 points and 12 assists) and Chet Holmgren (23 points and 11 rebounds) dominated as a duo, and they received plenty of help from their Thunder teammates.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors starting their six-game road trip with a humbling 24-point defeat for their sixth consecutive road loss.

Steph’s Return 

Recovering from an illness didn’t slow Curry’s constant movement. His first three times touching the ball went as so: Cutting for a left-side layup, coming off a screen for a three at the top of the arc, and running around for a layup on the right side. These are sights Thunder fans are used to seeing for many years of torture from Curry in OKC. 

Curry scored seven first-quarter points in seven minutes, but also was called for two fouls, including a surprising Flagrant 1 upon review during an Isaiah Joe 3-point attempt. That marked the first flagrant foul of Curry’s 17-year NBA career after going 1,193 career games without being whistled for one.

But Curry was held scoreless in the second quarter after missing five shots in six minutes. He played 14 minutes in the first half and was a minus-17 with seven points and as many fouls (three) as made shots. 

Foul trouble followed him in the second half, too. Curry was called for two fouls in the first two-plus minutes of the third quarter, bringing him to five at the 9:41 mark. 

During his one game in OKC last season, Curry scored 36 points with five rebounds, seven assists and seven 3-pointers in a Warriors win. That wasn’t the player the Warriors got Tuesday night while the Thunder waxed them up and down the court.

Troubling Trend Continues

Turnovers once again doomed the Warriors. Again, and again, and again.

Trayce Jackson-Davis already had three in the first half, and a bad sequence when he entered in the third quarter gave him five in his first nine minutes. He wasn’t alone. 

Jonathan Kuminga also racked up five turnovers for the third time this season. He now has 17 turnovers and 16 assists in November, struggling with his handles and dribbling into traffic. 

His fellow forward, Green, also now has 17 turnovers in November in one fewer game after a three-turnover night against the Thunder. Green handed out four assists Tuesday night, giving him three more assists than turnovers. It was Green’s fifth straight game with at least three turnovers. 

As a team, the Warriors totaled 21 turnovers, two fewer than their number of assists. Those 21 turnovers became 27 points for the Thunder. The Warriors far too often are getting caught in the air, forcing passes and lack space offensively. 

An Embarrassment Of Riches 

Holmgren, standing one inch taller than Warriors 7-foot center Quinten Post, immediately showed what different skill sets the two young big men have. Over three straight trips down the court, Holmgren spun off Post for a layup, hit an 11-foot jumper on him and then extended his range for a 24-foot three from the left wing. He was in his bag and knew a long list of teammates would join the party. 

Holmgren is the Thunder’s second scoring option, and would be their third if two-way star Jalen Williams were healthy. He and Gilgeous-Alexander combined to score 26 points in the first half as the Thunder led by 19, with Holmgren scoring 11 and SGA leading with 15. They’re far from a two-man show. 

How deep are the Thunder with two-way players who can break you down offensively and defensively? Cason Wallace didn’t score a single point in the first half, missing three shots, yet still was a game-high plus-19 at the time.

They’re long, they’re athletic, they’re deep and they’re connected. This Thunder team can beat opponents to a pulp in every which way. The problems the Thunder present as a team aren’t going away anytime soon, and the Warriors only can hope lessons learned help for a better result when they play them three weeks from now at Chase Center.

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