Jeff McNeil’s time in the Big Apple has come to an end.
The Mets have long been floating the former batting champ in trade talks, and on Monday they finally reached an agreement to ship him off to the A’s along with cash.
New York receives 17-year-old pitching prospect Yordan Rodriguez in return.
While he seemingly didn’t have a home in the Big Apple anymore, the A’s feel the veteran McNeil will slot in perfectly with their young up-and-coming roster.
“He's a really good fit in a lot of ways,” GM David Forst told Martín Gallegos of MLB.com. “His experience -- let’s be honest, we still have a generally young roster without a ton of experience, particularly on the position-player side.
“I think he brings a lot to the table in terms of having played in that big market, played in the postseason, and just bringing a lot of experience to our clubhouse.”
That developing core is headlined by AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz, the slap-hitting Jacob Wilson, slugger Brent Rooker, catcher Shea Langeliers, power-hitting lefty Tyler Soderstrom, and dynamic outfielder Lawrence Butler.
The 33-year-old should bring a nice boost to their offense taking his newly-developed approach at the plate to the hitter-friendly confines of Sutter Health Park.
McNeil is currently penciled in as their everyday second base, but things could always change over the next few months, as the organization also values his versatility.
Frost views his skillset similar to another veteran he’d signed in the past.
“That he has that much versatility,” the GM said. “I see it a lot like when we acquired Ben Zobrist a long time ago -- just knowing you have some options and you can do some other things on the roster is great.”
McNeil, of course, has logged an appearance at every position except pitcher and catcher over the years.
He finishes his time with the Mets as a .284 hitter with 80 HR, 367 RBI, and a .779 OPS.
There's a good chance the Islanders will have their leading scorer back after the Holiday break.
Bo Horvat officially rejoined the team for practice on Monday afternoon, donning a red non-contact jersey.
Horvat still has some hurdles to clear, and is doubtful for Tuesday's game against the Devils.
The team is, however, targeting Saturday's meeting with the Rangers for his potential return to the lineup.
"It was nice, he was wearing a non-contact jersey today and it seems like things are going the right way," Patrick Roy said. "I'm doubtful for tomorrow but obviously it was good to see him back out there."
It certainly is a welcome sight, as the star winger has missed the last four games with a lower-body injury.
Horvat went down in significant pain and was unable to put any weight on his left foot after getting tangled up and twisting it during a Dec. 11 meeting with the Anaheim Ducks.
The team didn't have much of an update afterwards, but ruled him day-to-day at the time.
Now, just under two weeks later, Horvat has been able to take some encouraging steps towards getting back out there.
New York has gone 1-2-1 in the four games he's missed.
The Warriors sit at an even 15-15 two nights before Christmas, a disappointing record for everyone from top to bottom.
Golden State’s general manager, Mike Dunleavy, joined Bonta Hill, Chris Mullin and Festus Ezeli on “Warriors Pregame Live” prior to the Warriors’ win over the Orlando Magic on Monday at Chase Center and discussed whether he envisions another blockbuster trade happening before the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline.
“We’ll look to do stuff that makes our team better, Dunleavy said. “But I wouldn’t bank on that type of move. To get a guy like Jimmy Butler, to have the improvement that we did … that’d be pretty unrealistic.”
The Warriors made a splash minutes before the trade deadline last year, landing Butler, which completely turned their season around.
After acquiring Butler, the Warriors ended the season 23-8 with momentum heading into the postseason. An injury to Steph Curry in the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves halted the run, but there’s no excuse for why things haven’t clicked so far this season.
“I think the key, frankly, with this team right now is improving it from within, Dunleavy continued. “The biggest area we know is turnovers.”
The Warriors currently have the fifth-most turnovers per game at 16.2. Only the Trail Blazers, Rockets, Clippers, and Hornets average more.
“We’ve got to start taking care of the ball, Dunleavy stated. “We’re doing some really good stuff defensively. People talk a lot about our size, between Quinten and Draymond, when those two are in the game our rim protection is fantastic. When Steph’s off the court, and Jimmy’s on with the group. Our offense is pretty good.”
The Warriors still lack a consistent scoring big on their roster. Al Horford was signed during the offseason in an effort to fill the void, but the move hasn’t panned out so far.
“This has become a possession game in the NBA with the rebounding, the steals, taking care of the ball,” Dunleavy concluded. “I think we’re all frustrated, we know what the issue is, and we’ve just got to go solve it.”
The frustrations have been loud. From Steve Kerr and Draymond Green getting into it on the sidelines to Jonathan Kuminga receiving multiple DNPs. This team is searching for consistency and has found nothing but distractions.
Golden State currently sits at the eighth seed in the Western Conference as the group looks to build on a two-game win streak against the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day.
It seemed to take forever but in finally making a big-splash move, signing Bo Bichette last week, the Mets offered reason to believe they can still turn this offseason into something even their discontented fans would deem a success.
There is more to be done, to be sure. The Mets still haven’t made a move to upgrade their starting rotation, seemingly their top priority this winter, but after the events of last week you have to think David Stearns will do something significant on that front as well.
It wasn’t just that they signed Bichette, one of the top all-around hitters in baseball, but that Stearns and Steve Cohen made it clear they’re still willing to spend big. They offered Kyle Tucker a whopping $220 million over four years, but after losing him to the Los Angeles Dodgers, locked up Bichette for $42 million a year — eye-popping as well — on a three-year deal that includes opt-outs after Years 1 and 2.
Now, in addition to more pitching, the Mets still need an outfielder to replace Brandon Nimmo. So I’m a long way from giving Stearns a final offseason grade, but with every acquisition the Mets make I’ll be updating the grades of individual moves.
Suffice it to say, there’s plenty to like about the Bichette signing.
The grades:
BO BICHETTE SIGNED: 3 YEARS, $126 MILLION
For starters, it was impressive that Stearns had laid the groundwork for a Bichette deal so that he was able to pivot and sign the former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop within 12 hours or so of losing out on Tucker.
Bichette’s numbers as a high-average hitter with considerable pop speak for themselves, but perhaps most notable is that he has been one of the best clutch hitters in baseball throughout his career. He led the majors in hits with runners in scoring position last season, hitting .381 in those spots, and his career average with RISP is .330 with a .904 OPS.
Scouts say he excels in the clutch in part because he’s a smart hitter who makes adjustments with runners on base, recognizing how pitchers are trying to get him out, and oozes confidence in a way that some say is reminiscent of Derek Jeter.
“As the son of a big leaguer (Dante Bichette) he just seems comfortable in any situation,” said one scout. “In big spots he trusts his ability and keeps it simple, like Jeter did. He’s just a really tough out when it counts most.”
As such, Bichette, who may still be ascending at age 28 (come March), figures to be the guy to hit behind Juan Soto, dangerous enough that pitchers won’t pitch around Soto constantly. Also, as a right-handed hitter he gives the Mets’ lineup some needed balance, essentially replacing Pete Alonso in that sense anyway.
He needs to prove he can play third base, but shortstops usually can make that move without great difficulty. Bichette’s range, which ranked worst among shortstops last season, shouldn’t be as much as an issue at third, but it’s something to watch.
I give Stearns credit for being willing to break up the core that failed to deliver when it counted most for the last several years, the only exception being 2024. This trade with the Texas Rangers was the first move in that direction. In addition Stearns got out from under an expensive contract that likely wasn’t going to age well, with five years and $102.5 million remaining.
That said, taking on Semien’s three years and $72 million remaining is a major gamble as well. His defense at second base is an upgrade over McNeil but Stearns’ run-prevention philosophy may not be such an easy sell at Citi Field if Semien’s offensive decline of the last two years continues at age 34.
When this trade was made on Nov. 23, I felt like it would ultimately be judged on how Stearns replaced Nimmo’s offense. So far there is no such replacement.
GRADE: C
Second baseman Marcus Semien (2), then playing for the Texas Rangers, throws to first base during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Globe Life Field. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Much like the Nimmo trade, I felt this signing had to be evaluated by what came next. It had home run potential if paired with the re-signing of Edwin Diaz, but after the Mets either botched the Diaz negotiations or were OK with letting him leave - it’s still hard to be sure about which - it now feels like much more of a gamble.
Williams’ struggles in the Bronx in 2024 seemed very much related to the pressure of being the closer on such a big stage. That he eventually righted himself would seem to be a good sign, but it was also only long after he’d been removed as the Yankees’ closer.
So it’s fair to wonder how he’ll fare with the expectations of filling Diaz’s shoes as the Mets’ closer. The numbers say his stuff is still elite but scouts who watched him regularly say pressure affected the command of both his fastball and signature changeup.
In a sense the Bichette signing also impacts the Polanco deal, no longer making him the most significant offseason acquisition with the expectation of replacing Alonso’s offense, even if he is expected to be the Mets’ primary first baseman.
As such I changed the grade on this move.
As a complement to Bichette, Polanco is a solid signing, coming off a strong age-32 season for the Seattle Mariners in which he slugged .495 and hit 26 home runs, plus two more off Tarik Skubal in the postseason. And, like Bichette, he has been a very good clutch hitter, hitting .337 with runners in scoring position last year, and .400 w/RISP and two outs — as well as a .306 career hitter with RISP.
Of course, he also has a history of inconsistency from year to year, perhaps due somewhat to injuries, and he has no real in-game experience playing first base, even if the Mariners gave him a crash-course at the position last season in case he was needed.
Bottom line, the Mets needed another accomplished hitter to ensure Polanco alone wasn’t expected to make up for the absence of Alonso in the lineup. Now they have one.
GRADE: Adjusted from C to B
Oct 13, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners infielder Jorge Polanco (7) throws to first base for the first out in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
This is the one acquisition so far that doesn’t feel connected to anything else the Mets may or may not do. Instead it feels like a good gamble, signing Weaver to be one of the primary set-up men for Williams, knowing it wasn’t so long ago he excelled in the role of closer for the Yankees in 2023.
The righthander lost his way last season, but many baseball people believe Weaver’s struggles were related to tipping his pitches, which he eventually admitted messed with him mentally. Presumably he’s had time to make corrections, in which case his fastball-change-up combination, similar to Williams’ arsenal, will again be effective.
GRADE: B
JEFF MCNEIL TRADED IN SALARY DUMP
There wasn’t much doubt McNeil would be moved after the departures of Nimmo and Alonso. Whether a break-up of the core proves meaningful remains to be seen but clearly Stearns believed major change was needed, and McNeil’s reported dust-ups with Francisco Lindor may have added to that belief.
In any case, going into his age-34 season in 2026, McNeil is a long way from the batting champ who hit .326 in 2022, hitting .238 and .243 the last two seasons, so he wasn’t expected to bring back much of a return. In trading him to the Athletics, the Mets got back a lottery ticket of sorts, a 17-year old right-hander, Yordan Rodriguez.
More to the point, the A’s are taking on $10 million of McNeil’s $15.75 salary next season, the last on his four-year contract. The Mets are eating $5.75 million and potentially $2 million more if the A’s don’t’ pick up McNeil’s 2027 club option for another $15.75 million.
McNeil could have had value as a versatile utilityman playing behind Semien next season, so it’s up to Stearns to make better use of the $10 million saved.
Adbert Alzolay had a bit of a rough return to the mound a few weeks ago.
The right-hander was thrown right into the fire in his first game action in nearly two years, and he ended up blowing the save for Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League.
Since then, though, he’s been able to settle in nicely.
Alzolay seems to have shaken off whatever rust was on that right arm, posting three consecutive scoreless outings.
The latest was on Sunday, when he secured the final three outs of a 7-3 victory.
While it’s only Winter Ball, it’s certainly encouraging to see the reliever back on the mound and enjoying success.
The Mets brought Alzolay in last offseason on a two-year minor league pact knowing that he would miss the entire year recovering from Tommy John.
After completing his rehab, he now appears ready to compete for a spot.
The last time he was healthy, Alzolay pitched to a 4.67 ERA in 18 outings with the Cubs.
The year before that, though, he was one of the steadier late-inning arms in baseball having recorded 22 saves and a 2.67 ERA over 58 appearances.
If he can regain that form in spring training, he just might be able to crack a spot on the Mets' Opening Day roster.
Luke Weaver finalized his deal with the Mets on Monday, officially marking the end of his time with the Yankees.
The right-hander enjoyed a strong two-plus seasons in pinstripes.
Weaver came in as a journeyman starter looking for a new home off waivers, and the organization helped turn him into one of the more reliable setup men in baseball.
He quickly became a fan favorite for his electric personality both on and off the field.
He finished with a 3.22 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 12 saves, and 191 strikeouts over 129 appearances as a Yankee.
Weaver tipped his cap to the Bronx faithful one last time before starting his new journey on the other side of town.
"My career coming to what felt like an end. Overwhelmed with injuries and failure... it seemed destined that the new chapter of my life was within reach. But did the Lord have other plans for me," he wrote on Instagram. "Yankees fans and those that showed me your love/support... thank you from the bottom of my heart.
"What a ride it was and a rejuvenation I longed for. Another chapter begins for me but the memories are forever. Grateful and humbled. To God be the Glory."
Pool play will run from March 4-March 11 followed by the quarterfinals from March 13-14, the semifinals from March 15-16 and the championship game on March 17.
Where is the 2026 World Baseball Classic being played?
Group stage games will be played across four cities and three countries:
Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan
Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Daikin Park in Houston
loanDepot park in Miami
The quarterfinals will be held in Houston and Miami, while the semifinals and finals will be played in Miami.
Which teams are in the 2026 World Baseball Classic?
The WBC features 20 teams which are split into four different pools for the opening round. Each pool is assigned to one host city for the first round.
Here’s a breakdown of the pools and host cities:
Pool A (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Canada
Colombia
Cuba
Panama
Puerto Rico
Pool B (Houston)
Brazil
Great Britain
Italy
Mexico
United States
Pool C (Tokyo, Japan)
Australia
Chinese Taipei
Czechia
Japan
Korea
Pool D (Miami)
Dominican Republic
Israel
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Venezuela
How does the World Baseball Classic work?
The WBC opens with a round robin where teams play one game against each of the other clubs in their pool. The top two teams from each pool then advance to the knockout rounds, which are single-elimination.
Teams from Pools A and B will play quarterfinal games in Houston, while clubs from Pools C and D will play in Miami.
Mason Marchement(6-PPG, 7-PPG) and Kirill Marchenko(11-PPG) scored for the Blue Jackets, and Jet Greaves made 23 saves in a 3-1 win over the LA Kings on Monday night.
It was a brilliant game by the Blue Jackets, who defensively stifled the Kings all night long, giving them very little. The Blue Jackets' power play scored three goals on seven power plays to stay hot.
The Blue Jackets played without their best player in Zach Werenski, but they all stepped up, played really well, and gave the Kings nothing.
A bit of concerning news as Sean Monahan left the game in the third period. We will update you when we hear more.
First Period - SOG 11-10 Kings - CBJ Goals - Mason Marchment x2
Just 4:07 into the game, newly acquired Mason Marchment scored his 6th goal of the season. The goal was a power play goal, which was awarded to the Blue Jackets when Kevin Fiala went off for hooking. Damon Severson and Dmitri Voronkov were given assists on the score.
Damon Severson gave L.A. their first power play when he was called for hooking Anze Kopitar at 12:27 of the first period. Jet Greaves and the penalty killers were able to kill it, keeping the CBJ's one-goal lead.
Dante Fabbro gave the Kings their second man advantage when he was called for cross-checking Alex Turcotte with 2:28 left in the first. 44 seconds into the Kings power play, however, they were called for high-sticking when Andrei Kuzmenko's stick made high contact with Boone Jenner.
Mason Marchment would score his 2nd goal of the night, and third as a Jacket to put Columbus up 2-0. The Marchment trade has worked out well so far. Marchment is the first player in Blue Jackets history to score three goals in his first two games.
Second Period - SOG 11-4 CBJ - No CBJ Goals
Miles Wood gave the Kings another power play when he was called for interfering with Alex Turcotte. That was Turcotte's second drawn penalty so far in the game. The Blue Jackets were able to kill it off with ease.
Columbus was given another power play opportunity when Corey Perry picked up two penalties when he and Damon Severson got into a scuffle. The penalty was nullified when Ivan Provorov was called for tripping Warren Foegele. All he was trying to do was get to the puck when Foegele tried to cut back and tripped over Provorov.
With 7:56 to go in the second period, the Blue Jackets were awarded another power play when Brandt Clarke was called for slashing Miles Wood. The Kings were able to kill off the CBJ power play, which was their fourth of the game.
With 1:19 left, the Kings would score when
Andrei Kuzmenko put one past Jet Greaves. The Kings had been loading up their top line in desperation, and it finally worked.
The period would end 2-1.
Third Period - SOG 9-7 CBJ - CBJ Goal - Kirill Marchenko
There wasn't much to speak on in the third until Corey Perry took another penalty, giving the CBJ a power play. The Kings were able to kill the penalty off with ease.
Kevin Fiala took another penalty to give the CBJ their 6th power play of the game. Kirill Marchenko would waste no time though, scoring his 11th goal of the season to regain the Columbus two-goal lead. It was Marchenko's first goal in seven games. That would be the Blue Jackets first three power play goal game of the year.
Boone Jenner was called for hooking just 42 seconds after the Marchenko goal to give the Kings their 5th power play. The Kings would pull Goalie Anton Forsberg to attempt a two-man advantage. The advantage was nixed when the Kings were called for Too Many Men.
The Blue Jackets would shut down the rest of the game to pull out the win against the Kings.
Final Stats
Player Stats
Mason Marchment scored two goals and led the team with 4 shots.
Kirill Marchenko Scored his 11th goal.
Damon Severson had two assists, his 9th and 10th.
Dmitri Voronkov picked up his 11th assist.
Boone Jenner got his 10th assist and 4 shots.
Adam Fantilli picked up his 11th assist.
Denton Mateychuk recorded his 8th assist and played 28:35.
Jet Greaves made 23 saves.
Team Stats
The Jackets' power play went 3/7.
The Columbus PK stopped all five Kings power plays.
Columbus won 53.3% of the faceoffs. 32/60
The Blue Jackets had 14 giveaways.
Up Next: The Blue Jackets will now take a five-day break for Christmas and will resume their march to the playoffs on December 28th against the New York Islanders.
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When the Montreal Canadiens lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the shootout on Sunday night, only Cole Caufield was able to find the back of the net. The other two shooters, Nick Suzuki and Alexandre Texier, were both stopped by goaltender Artus Svilos, who had a .200 save percentage in the shootout before then this season.
Suzuki, as talented as he may be, has a 32.4% career success rate in the shootout. He hasn’t scored a shootout goal this season, or even last season. The last time he scored in that kind of scenario was during the 2023-24 season, when he used a Pavel Datsyuk-like move a few times. Since then, he’s been unable to find the back of the net.
It may just be time for Martin St-Louis to explore other options, especially since the Canadiens do have some offensive talent depth now. While taking shots in the shootout is a big responsibility and may be too much for some players, the coach has at least two players who both crave puck possession and want to be THE man when a goal is needed.
Whenever the Canadiens need a goal late, you can literally see how eager Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov are to get the puck and to try to get that goal. Furthermore, both have some impressive moves and hands. Is the coach trying to shield them from pressure? That would be surprising since both seem to thrive on it.
Lane Hutson on the shootout with Team USA 🇺🇸 at the World Championships in 2023
Is it that Suzuki wants to take the shots even though he’s struggling to score? Well, it’s part of the coach’s job to make that kind of decision; even if the captain wants to shoot, the bench boss has the final say. Much like when it comes to goaltending, you’re only as good as your latest results. If it weren’t the case, Samuel Montembeault would still be in the net, and Jacob Fowler would still be looking forward to getting his first NHL start.
What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow, and the coach must be willing to explore other options when results are needed.
Just one day before the NHL begins its three-day holiday break, the Toronto Maple Leafs have fallen to last place in the Eastern Conference. Ironically, it was former Maple Leafs prospect Mason Marchment who scored two power-play goals on Monday to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
That result highlights a glaring disparity: a single former prospect matched the entire output of the Toronto power play, which has managed only two goals on the man-advantage throughout its last 10 games in December. This persistent inefficiency recently forced the club to part ways with assistant coach Marc Savard, who had overseen the power-play unit for a season-and-a-half.
The last time the Leafs found themselves at the bottom of the conference this late in the calendar was during the 2015-16 season. That year, Toronto finished last in the league and subsequently won the NHL Draft Lottery, using the No. 1 overall pick to select current team captain and cornerstone Auston Matthews.
However, the current situation differs significantly from that total rebuild. Today, the Leafs are navigating a crisis of confidence following a winless three-game road trip through Washington, Nashville, and Dallas. Despite high preseason expectations of a Stanley Cup run, the team now finds itself searching for answers.
The silver lining for Toronto is the current parity within the Eastern Conference. With every team maintaining a points percentage of at least .500, the Leafs remain only six points out of a playoff spot. While a 15-5-5 record suggests there is plenty of time to recover, the team certainly has its work cut out for them as 2026 approaches. The Leafs return to action Tuesday afternoon, hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins with a vital opportunity to climb out of the conference basement.
