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President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom has said that he wants to add a veteran arm to the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff. According to a new report, that might be free agent pitcher Griffin Canning who the Cardinals have been in contact with.

MLB Trade Rumors just dropped the word that the St. Louis Cardinals, the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets are interested in Griffin Canning. That’s apparently based on a report by John Heyman of the New York Post. He spent several seasons in the Los Angeles Angels organization before signing a one-year deal with the New York Mets last season. He suffered a a torn Achilles tendon which cut his season short. Before that setback, he had greater than 55% groundball rate and decent strikeout and walk rates, too.

Griffin Canning was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 38th round of the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft from Santa Margarita Catholic High School and later by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2nd round of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of California, Los Angeles. He has a major league record of 32-37 for his career with an ERA of 4.65.

Assuming that Griffin is fully recovered from his Achilles injury, you’d have to think he would be a prime bounce-back candidate and/or trade deadline arm. He might just be the affordable veteran arm that Chaim Bloom said he would welcome.

Using a playbook familiar to their front office, the Dodgers waited until the market for slugging outfielder Kyle Tucker dwindled before making him an offer short on duration but generous in dollars.

The result is the defending two-time World Series champion plugged the only hole in its lineup with another superstar — one regarded by many analysts as the prize of this free agency class. The contract Tucker agreed to Thursday night is for $240 million over four years, with a $64-million signing bonus and $30 million deferred. He also will be able to opt out of the deal after the 2027 and 2028 seasons.

It's a major development that caused immediate consternation throughout baseball. The Dodgers are in a league of their own when it comes to spending on payroll.

Or as ESPN analyst Jeff Passan put it: "Fans feel like this game is unfair."

To which Times columnist Bill Plaschke wrote, "So what? Who cares? If three consecutive titles blows up the game, so be it. The Dodgers’ only responsibility is to their fans, and they have more than fulfilled their civic duty, and that’s all that matters."

Projections early in the offseason put offers for Tucker at around $400 million over 10 years, but the only team that reportedly entertained a deal that long was the Toronto Blue Jays. The New York Mets made an offer close to that of the Dodgers, but Tucker opted for L.A.

The Dodgers employed similar strategy in snaring first baseman Freddie Freeman and starting pitcher Blake Snell in recent years and closer Edwin Díaz last month, patiently allowing media hype to dissipate and waiting out the market before pouncing with short-term offers at astronomical yearly salaries.

The average annual value (AAV) of Tucker's contract as calculated by Major League Baseball will be a record $57.1 million, blowing past the previous highs set by the Mets' Juan Soto ($51 million) and the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani ($46.06 million) the last two offseasons.

Ohtani is now Tucker’s teammate, as are amply paid stars Mookie Betts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Freeman and Snell. And on and on. The Dodgers' estimated competitive tax payroll of $402.5 million is more than the combined spending of the A’s, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians and Miami Marlins.

Read more:Plaschke: Dodgers' ruination of baseball continues with Kyle Tucker, and it’s a beautiful thing

Who do the Dodgers have to thank for such largess?

Start with Ohtani. When the two-way star signed a record 10-year, $700-million deal two years ago, he agreed to take home a paltry $2 million a year and defer the remaining $68 million. That covers Tucker's salary and then some.

Don't forget the $8.35-billion, 25-year TV deal with Time Warner Cable (now Spectrum) in 2013 that created the Dodgers' SportsNet LA channel. Meanwhile, many teams have seen their TV revenue drastically reduced.

The settlement also approved the sale of the Dodgers from Frank McCourt to Guggenheim Baseball Management, the group fronted by Magic Johnson and run by Mark Walter that has greenlighted the lavish payroll spending.

And be sure to thank the fans who pack Dodger Stadium at each of the 81 home games, spending on parking, concessions and merchandise in addition to increasingly expensive tickets. Attendance last year was 4,012,470, a Dodgers record, the highest in MLB and nearly 600,000 more than the next-highest attendance, that of the San Diego Padres. The Dodgers averaged 49,537 fans per home game.

The response around baseball to Tucker's contract was as shrill as it was predictable. Cries for a salary cap when negotiations begin for a new collective bargaining agreement at season's end peppered social media. Some even advocated owners locking out the players if they don't agree to level the hot-stove playing field.

Anything to stem the spending of a franchise enjoying a revenue model that enables it to spend on salaries unchecked while breaking no rules.

"The Dodgers theoretically aren't doing anything wrong," ESPN analyst Chris "Mad Dog" Russo said Friday on "The Dan Patrick Show". "But the rules have to change. This is getting to be a joke."

Russo then proceeded to list the reasons players gravitate to Chavez Ravine: "Play in L.A. Winning team. Great organization. Good weather. Have a chance to be in the World Series every year."

Under baseball's rules, the Dodgers are punished financially for their gleeful spending. Competitive balance taxes — also known as luxury taxes — are imposed when payrolls reach certain thresholds. The Dodgers have blown past the highest level and must pay 110% of every dollar they spend above $304 million, meaning their commitment to Tucker will cost them $500 million — $240 million to the player and roughly $264 million to MLB in taxes.

By any measure that is a lot to pay a player who batted a ho-hum .266 with 22 home runs, 73 runs batted in and 25 stolen bases in an injury-marred 2025, his lone season with the Chicago Cubs. Tucker was a three-time All-Star during seven seasons with the Houston Astros.

What does MLB do with the luxury tax revenue? Half is distributed to small-market teams, ostensibly to increase their spending on salaries.

Tony Clark, executive director of the players union, concedes that the system might need tinkering but is adamantly opposed to a salary cap.

"We just completed one of the greatest seasons in MLB history, with unprecedented fan interest and revenues," he told The Times' Bill Shaikin. "While the free agent market is far from over, it is gratifying to see players at all levels being rewarded for their incredible accomplishments by those clubs that are trying to win without excuses."

Commissioner Rob Manfred, who will sit across the negotiating table from Clark when a new CBA is hammered out a year from now, is careful not to cast blame on the Dodgers while acknowledging that other teams and their fans are frustrated.

“The Dodgers are a really well-run, successful organization,” Manfred said during the team's spending frenzy a year ago. “Everything that they do and have done is consistent with our rules. They’re trying to give their fans the best possible product. Those are all positives.

“I recognize, however — and my email certainly reflects it — there are fans in other markets concerned about their team’s ability to compete. We always have to be concerned when our fans are concerned about something. But pinning it on the Dodgers? I’m not in that camp.”

And if CBA negotiations reach an impasse and players indeed are locked out and go unpaid until they return, Tucker's contract provides a hedge for that as well — $54 million of his signing bonus is payable now.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

When the Mets agreed to a deal with Bo Bichette barely more than 12 hours after losing out on Kyle Tucker, it was easy enough to deem it a panic move by David Stearns, a quick pivot to lock up the best pure hitter remaining on the free agent market, even if he wasn’t an ideal fit defensively. 

But the more I heard about the signing of Bichette on Friday from scouts and executives, the more it seems only fair to give kudos to Stearns for signing a proven clutch hitter who could have a huge impact on the Mets’ often exasperating offense, and for being prepared to do it so quickly. 

“That doesn’t happen unless Stearns had already laid the groundwork for a deal,” was the way one executive put it. “I know Mets fans are down on him, but you have to give him credit. As much as they wanted Tucker, Stearns was ready when it didn’t happen. I’m sure Bichette was on their radar. He only turns 28 next year.”

Fair enough. Especially with reports out of Philadelphia that the Phillies were ready to sign Bichette to a long-term deal before the Mets swooped in with their short-term offer of $42 million per year for three years, with opt-outs after each of the first two seasons. 

That alone, taking Bichette away from the hated Phillies, should move the needle for some Mets’ fans. 

I’m not saying Stearns is suddenly off the hook for this mostly disappointing offseason. As I wrote Thursday night, letting Pete Alonso walk will never completely make sense to me, especially when he’d made it clear he was willing to transition into the DH role. 

And the Mets still haven’t addressed their top priority of the winter, the need to upgrade their starting rotation. 

But the signing of Bichette at least offers hope and intrigue for what else Stearns may do in the coming weeks, as well as serves as a reminder that he deserves the entire offseason before passing judgment, even if this baseball winter seems even more endless than usual.

That said, the Bichette signing comes with a lot of moving parts. Defensively, he ranked at the very bottom, range-wise, among shortstops, according to MLB Statcast defensive metrics, so it remains to be seen how he’ll do at third base. 

At least from afar, he doesn’t fit the Stearns narrative of making run-prevention a priority, and he also displaces Brett Baty, who could now be something of a super-utility man, perhaps splitting time with Jorge Polanco at first base, or be used as a trade chip for pitching. 

On the other hand, Bichette may be just what the Mets need to bring more consistency to their offense, especially in clutch situations. 

His overall numbers during his years in Toronto with the Blue Jays make it clear that he has been one of the better hitters in baseball, but what jumps out in looking at his numbers is how he has excelled in the clutch. 

For example, in 771 career plate appearances with runners in scoring position, he has hit .330 with a .527 slugging percentage and a .904 OPS. 

That’s no small sample size. 

Even more impressively, in 301 plate appearances with RISP and two outs -- the ultimate clutch situation -- Bichette has hit .310 with a .531 slugging percentage and a .904 OPS. 

He also has a career .318 batting average with an .890 OPS in what Baseball-Reference defines as high leverage situations.

For a Mets’ team whose RISP failures often seemed to overshadow whatever individual numbers players were putting up in recent years, Bichette could be an important difference-maker. 

And two scouts I spoke to say those numbers reflect what they’ve observed about him over the years. 

“He’s a gamer you want at the plate in big spots,” said one scout. “He can hit elite pitching.”

Added the other: “He’s a very good situational hitter, especially in run-producing at-bats, because he understands how pitchers are trying to get him out and he makes adjustments in the box. He’s a smart hitter.”

In addition, scouts and execs said Bichette will be a better fit in New York than Tucker would have been. 

“Bichette grew up as a big leaguer’s son,” said one exec, referring to his father, Dante Bichette. “Everything you hear is that he’s a good clubhouse guy who brings day-to-day intensity to the field and really burns to win. What you hear about Tucker is that he may not have been a good fit in New York because he’s a low-key guy.’’

So who knows, maybe losing out on Tucker will turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Mets. 

Of course, they’re only guaranteed one year of Bichette, as they gave him opt-outs after the first and second year of his contract. But if he wants to opt out of $42 million per year next winter, it will mean he had a great season and will still be young enough for Stearns to justify giving him a longer-term deal. 

In any case, Bichette certainly seems like a step in the right direction toward helping Mets fans move on from all that has gone wrong this offseason while finally creating some enthusiasm for the 2026 season. 

Still, Stearns has more work to do, obviously. The Mets still need an outfielder, and most importantly, they need to upgrade the starting rotation. They’ll lose a draft choice by signing Bichette, because he turned down the Blue Jays’ qualifying offer, which might make it less likely that they’ll sign Framber Valdez, another free agent attached to a QO.

Can Stearns make a trade with his old team, the Milwaukee Brewers, for Freddy Peralta? The right-hander is available, one year away from free agency, and he’d give the Mets a top-of-the-rotation presence to go with Nolan McLean and what otherwise looms as a lot of question marks.

With that in mind, signing Bichette won’t change the complexion of this offseason by itself. But for Stearns, it was a win he desperately needed.

The Friar Faithful were caught off guard with the announcement of former San Diego Padres manager Bud Black joining the front office as an advisor. The hire provides an additional voice for Craig Stammen as he prepares to transition from a front office executive to a field manager.

Black’s resume is impressive

His resume is quite impressive, as Black has managed in the majors for parts of 18 seasons. He served as Padres manager from 2007 to 2015 and was the Colorado Rockies skipper from 2017 to 2025. His time in Denver saw him lead the franchise to back-to-back postseason berths in 2017 and 2018. 

Black is the second-winningest manager in Friars history with 649 victories. Heartache is part of his legacy with the franchise, as Black never led the ballclub to a postseason berth. 

Who could forget the Padres losing a one-game Wild Card playoff game against the Rockies in 2007? The Friar Faithful are still waiting for Matt Holliday to touch home plate. 

Black’s 2010 team fell apart and squandered a six-and-a-half game lead atop the National League West in August. A small consolation for him was being named NL Manager of the Year in the winter award season. 

Along with two managerial stints, he served as Special Assistant to the General Manager for the then-Cleveland Indians from 1995 to 1997 and again in 1999. Black held the same position with the Los Angeles Angels in 2016.

His other on-field positions include serving as the Angels’ pitching coach from 2000 to 2006. His staff played a crucial role in capturing the 2002 World Series title. Black also won 121 games with five different major league franchises during his 15-year playing career.

Black offers becoming a trusted mentor to Stammen

No one was quite sure what Black’s next career move would be after the Rockies let him go last summer. He could have taken time off and recharged the battery while waiting for a call from an organization about his interest in managing again. 

Instead, Black joined the Padres’ front office. Stammen has an opportunity to learn from a man who had some success as a major league manager. His experience will help him navigate through those rough stretches that occur in a baseball season.

The goal is for Black to become another sounding board for Stammen to bounce potential game strategies off of, discuss how to balance a batting order, and address other issues that arise. Given the complexity of the managerial role, he should seek insight from a respected former skipper.

There is no hidden agenda, as Black wants to offer guidance and not apply for his job. Managing egos inside the locker room can be as difficult as the games themselves. 

I may be naive, but I’m calling this potential mentorship a friendly conversation between two individuals who have a great passion for baseball. 

Stammen has never managed at any professional level, but Black could become an invaluable asset to his development. His baseball journey includes working in different capacities within several organizations.

Black’s vast knowledge will help Stammen make a smooth transition. 

Following the Bo Bichettesigning, the Mets made another move on Friday, claiming infielder Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Cheng, 24, made his MLB debut in 2025 with the Pittsburgh Pirates where he totaled seven at-bats (0-for-7) in three games. 

The Taiwan native spent the majority of last season with the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate. In 107 games, Cheng slashed .209/.307/.271. He has a .736 OPS over five minor league seasons.

Although he hit just one home run last season, Cheng showed some pop in Double-A and High-A in years past and has 35 home runs in 507 career minor league games.

A versatile infielder, Cheng has played shortstop, second base and third base, adding to New York's stockpile of infield depth.

After getting designated for assignment by Pittsburgh on Dec. 19. the Rays claimed him on Jan. 7 before DFA'ing him on Jan. 12.

Remember when teams had no money, recoiled at the asking price for free agents and were content to let the marquee stars rot at home all winter?

Oh, how five days can dramatically change the baseball world.

Suddenly, everyone has found money under their couch cushions.

It began Sunday when the Chicago Cubs out-bid everyone for third baseman Alex Bregman, signing him to a five-year, $175 million contract.

The Boston Red Sox, who had offered $165 million, immediately pivoted and signed starter Ranger Suarez to a five-year, $130 million deal.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, who had been sitting back since signing Edwin Diaz, pounced with a stunning four-year, $240 million contract for outfielder Kyle Tucker.

The Mets, who offered $220 million to Tucker, barely had time to blink, let alone shed a tear – and immediately turned around to sign infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract.

The Mets not only dramatically improved their lineup – though Bichette has never played third base in his career – but stole away him away from their hated rivals in Philadelphia.

The Phillies, according to two persons with direct knowledge of the negotiations, met Bichette’s request on a seven-year, $200 million contract Thursday night. The Phillies believed they just had to cross the t's and dot the i's.

Instead, less than 12 hours later, Bichette is a Met, accepting four fewer years, but earning $13.5 million more a season.

He also has opt-outs after each season with a full no-trade clause. So if he doesn’t like New York or believes he can make a financial killing in a year as the potential No. 1 free agent, you’ll see him back on the market again making even more money.

The Phillies, who had acrimonious negotiations with catcher J.T. Realmuto all winter, turned aound and suddenly met Realmuto’s request for a three-year contract. They signed him to a three-year, $45 million contract after refusing to give him longer than a two-year deal all winter.

Add it all up, and that’s $716 million just on five players in five days.

Considering all of the money suddenly thrown around, the Yankees’ five-year, $155-160 million offer to bring back outfielder Cody Bellinger feels outdated.

No wonder Tony Clark, executive director of the Major League Baseball union said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports:

“We just completed one of the greatest seasons in MLB history, with unprecedented fan interest and revenues. While the free agent market is far from over, it is gratifying to see players at all levels being rewarded for their incredible accomplishments by those clubs that are trying to win without excuses."