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With Edwin Diaz leaving the Mets to sign a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, right-hander Robert Suarez appeared to be a prime target to pair with Devin Williams at the back end of the bullpen. 

But that possibility ended on Thursday, with Suarez signing with the NL East rival Atlanta Braves.

Per multiple reports, the two-time All-Star, who has the most saves in the majors over the past two seasons, is joining the Braves on a three-year, $45 million deal.

The Braves also re-signed Raisel Iglesias earlier this offseason, giving them a formidable one-two punch to close out games.

The 34-year-old Suarez, who didn't make his major league debut until he was 31, has been an All-Star in each of the last two seasons, pitching to a 2.87 ERA with 76 saves and a 0.973 WHIP since the start of 2024. 

Suarez features three-pitch mix, including a fastball that averaged 98.6 miles per hour last season, which was in the 97th percentile via Baseball Savant. Suarez also has a nasty changeup that had opposing batters whiffing 32.8 percent of the time in 2025, and a sinker that held opposing hitters to a .102 batting average.

With Suarez off the board, names like Pete Fairbanks, Kenley Jansen, and Kirby Yates remain as back-end options for the Mets.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins in less than three months.

Between now and then, the Dodgers will have to have some “delicate” conversations with their star trio of Japanese pitchers.

As of now, Dodgers front-office officials said at this week’s winter meetings, no final decisions have been made about whether Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki will participate in the tournament, nor if Shohei Ohtani (who has already confirmed his participation) will pitch in addition to hitting.

“We’re still working through that,” said president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who met with Team Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata at the Signia by Hilton Orlando this week.

Read more:Analysis: Could Dodgers’ Edwin Díaz signing portend more big moves later this offseason?

“We’re very supportive of Samurai Japan and all that they’re trying to accomplish, and they’re very supportive of us,” Friedman added. “It was about just keeping open the lines of communication, the mutual respect and working together to help all sides.”

What would be most helpful to the Dodgers, of course, is if none of their three Japanese stars pitch in next spring’s international tournament.

Each of them shouldered a heavy burden during last season's postseason, from Sasaki’s nine appearances out of the bullpen to Ohtani’s four starts in a two-way role to Yamamoto’s playoff-leading 37⅓ innings (the final 8⅔ of which came on back-to-back days in Games 6 and 7 of the World Series) most of all.

Each of them could also benefit from extra rest going into the 2026 campaign. Sasaki will be returning to the starting rotation after missing most of last year’s regular season because of a shoulder injury. Ohtani will be embarking on his first full season of two-way duties since 2023. Yamamoto is coming off what was already an unprecedented workload even before last season's playoffs, having set a new career high (either in MLB or Japan) with 30 starts in the regular season.

Already, it appears several other Dodgers players will, or are likely, to skip the event. While Team Canada general manager Greg Hamilton said Freddie Freeman would like to participate, the first baseman is dealing with some lingering health issues after playing through an ankle injury for much of last season. Teoscar Hernández said in an interview that he will not play for the Dominican Republic in order to focus on next season. Tommy Edman, who previously represented Team Korea, is also not expected to play as he recovers from an offseason ankle surgery.

To this point, the only Dodgers player other than Ohtani to confirm his WBC participation is catcher Will Smith for Team USA.

More could follow, from Mookie Betts (who has yet to announce any WBC decision) to Hyeseong Kim (who told Korean media he has requested permission from the Dodgers to participate) to Alex Vesia (who is under consideration for a Team USA spot, according to American general manager Michael Hill).

In Japan, however, the WBC is held to a higher standard of importance than most other countries around the world (and, to its fans, an even more significant level than the World Series itself). The nation has won the event a record three times, including in the most recent 2023 edition. And having star players sit out, or even be restricted, in the tournament can threaten to become a culturally controversial development.

The Dodgers understand this.

Read more:Shaikin: Dodgers signing of Edwin Díaz shows they aren't going to worry about a potential salary cap

Manager Dave Roberts this week described the dynamic with the Japanese players as “very delicate,” and said neither he nor the organization “want to be dismissive of what it means to them representing their country.”

“You can't debate the emotion,” he added, “what a player might feel of this potential opportunity.”

That doesn’t mean, however, the Dodgers aren’t concerned about the cost the tournament can incur, especially for starting pitchers given its place on the calendar.

Next year’s event will take place March 5-17, requiring pitchers to be built up for live-game action nearly a month earlier than they would otherwise. Team Japan will also have to travel from Tokyo (where they will play their group stage games) to Miami (where the knockout round will be held) during that two-week window, assuming they advance through the preliminary round as expected.

Because of that, Roberts acknowledged he was hoping Ohtani (who will still be managed carefully as a pitcher next season, potentially with a week or more of rest between outings) would only hit in the event — and seemed to hint that would be the likely outcome for the reigning MVP.

“The pitching side of things is challenging and gives us a little bit of pause,” general manager Brandon Gomes added. “But yeah, we'll obviously continue to have those conversations and figure it out."

The Dodgers will also face a decision with Sasaki, whom they can block from participating in the WBC since he missed the majority of last season on the 60-day injured list, though they haven’t given an indication yet on whether they would do so.

“We just need to sit down and talk through it as an organization,” Gomes said generally of the team’s process for WBC players. “Once we get more info on the players, we’ll have those conversations.”

While the Dodgers can’t prevent Yamamoto from participating, Roberts indicated they could lobby for Team Japan to keep him (and Ohtani or Sasaki, if they wind up on the Japanese staff, as well) on a more restricted workload for the tournament.

Read more:Dodgers and Edwin Díaz agree to terms in blockbuster move to shore up bullpen

“I would like to think that it's going to be a dialogue as far as restrictions and limitations,” Roberts said. “In the sense of just trying to give them the opportunity, but also understand they've come off some stuff, some long seasons.”

There should be more clarity in the coming month, with Team Japan hoping to have its roster finalized by the new year. Next week, Friedman said, clubs and national teams will also submit forms to MLB regarding players’ potential participation, which allows for a period of feedback between all parties.

“I do think that the conversations need to be had [and] will be had, as far as what each individual is taking on and whatever role that they might be taking on,” Roberts said. “And what potential costs there might be.”

For now, however, when it comes to one of the more delicate situations the Dodgers will have to navigate this offseason, “there's no more clarity than we had before,” Roberts added.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Mets fans have been left dazed and despondent by what has transpired over the last few days.

If the loss of Edwin Diaz to the Dodgers was a body blow, Pete Alonso signing with the Orioles 24 hours later was the knockout punch. 

That those two departures came just a few weeks after Brandon Nimmo was traded to the Rangers means that in an incredibly short span, the Mets have lost not only three of their most popular players of recent vintage, but three of their most popular 15 or so players ever. 

So it's a big ask from David Stearns and Steve Cohen to expect fans to trust the process right now, especially considering the massive failure the 2025 season was. 

At the same time, it's important to look at the situations with Alonso, Diaz, and Nimmo separately. 

In the case of Alonso, while it might not have been totally nuts for the Mets to extend to four or five years for him (especially if he was willing to DH a lot more), they clearly had no intention of ever doing so. You can be furious about it, but that's the deal. Stearns stuck to his plan. As an aside, that they didn't officially offer Alonso a contract is of no consequence. Doing so would've been performative once they realized his market was beyond where they were willing to go. 

When it comes to Diaz, it seems that something went haywire. There is no indication that Diaz did not want to return to the Mets, and that he bolted over a difference of $3 million suggests the Mets botched the negotiation.

As far as Nimmo, dealing him for Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien was understandable -- if you realize that Semien is not replacing Nimmo. Yes, Nimmo was still an above average offensive player. But he has been slipping at the plate over the last two seasons, while his defense in left field has regressed significantly. And there were five years left on his deal.

With the dust starting to settle, here are the two most important things to consider:

The first is that the Mets are much worse off right now than they were at the end of the season. And it will not be easy to replace the production they've lost, especially when it comes to the power Alonso provided. 

The second is Stearns' overall philosophy. 

Anger from fans who simply want Stearns to hand blank checks to players is understandable. And Stearns' cold, calculating way of operating -- especially given the resources at his disposal -- is questionable.

But it's not that Stearns won't spend lavishly. It's that he seemingly won't spend big -- especially in terms of years -- on players whose contracts he thinks could imperil his long-term Mets vision. 

With that as a backdrop, here's how the Mets can reload without Alonso, Diaz, and Nimmo, and how they can address their other areas of need...

Replacing Alonso

To swipe a line from Moneyball, this will likely be about replacing Alonso in the aggregate, because there is no other first baseman or designated hitter available who has Alonso's blend of power and on-base ability.

There were multiple reports on Wednesday night about the Mets engaging the Cardinals on a potential trade for first baseman Willson Contreras, who has two years and $36.5 million remaining on his contract -- plus a club option for 2028. Contreras, who is entering his age-34 season, was a plus offensive player (123 OPS+) and above average defender (90th percentile, 6 OAA) in 2025. So he certainly fits the mold of what Stearns is looking for.

As far as what the rebuilding Cardinals would want, it's fair to believe that they would be seeking a controllable big league player and/or prospects.

If not Contreras, other options New York could pursue include Japanese first baseman/third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, who is a strong defender. There's also fellow Japanese free agent Munetaka Murakami, who has otherworldly power. But Murakami strikes out a ton and is viewed as a poor defender.

As far as internal candidates, unless the Mets go huge elsewhere on the roster, it's hard to justify using Mark Vientos regularly at first base. He is coming off a down offensive year, and has very little experience at the position.

Beyond the "who will play first base" question is the one about where the Mets will find more right-handed power.

The best answer could be free agent Eugenio Suarez, if he's willing to be a DH. Suarez hits bombs (he smacked 49 in 2025), but strikes out at an alarming rate and doesn't get on base much.

Replacing Diaz

The Mets already have Devin Williams, who is penciled in as the closer. And despite a relatively down 2025, Williams' stuff remains elite. And it's fair to believe he'll be very good in 2026.

But New York's desire to retain Diaz (and their failure to close the deal) means there's a massive hole in the back end of the bullpen that they're open to filling.

Pete Fairbanks is a free agents, and signing him would be the simplest way to react to losing Diaz.

There's also the trade market, with Brewers fireballer Trevor Megill available.

Megill has been great over the last three seasons, posting a 2.88 ERA (2.62 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP while striking out 162 batters in 128 innings.

He is set to earn roughly $6.5 million in 2026, and is arbitration-eligible in 2026 and 2027 -- making him incredibly valuable.

Replacing Nimmo

There are two obvious fits on the free agent market: Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger.

In the case of Tucker, it's difficult to envision the Mets giving him a massive deal in terms of years. And while he's a special offensive player, his defense has been slipping.

Bellinger, while an above average defender at multiple positions, is an erratic offensive performer. He also had stark home/road splits last season, with a .909 OPS in the tiny confines of Yankee Stadium and a .715 OPS on the road.

While Tucker or Bellinger could make a lot of sense if they can be had on deals that aren't crazy in terms of years, the Mets' best bet could be the trade market.

One very intriguing option is Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran.

Duran, who is entering his age-29 season and is under team control through 2028, had a .774 OPS last season for Boston while leading the AL with 13 triples, hitting 16 homers, and smacking 41 doubles. He also swiped 24 bases.

His defense has been kind of all over the place (95th percentile in 2024, 18th percentile in 2025). But he has elite speed.

In addition to left field, the Mets have a hole in center field. But it would be wise to keep one spot open for top prospect Carson Benge, who could be ready early during the 2026 season.

Addressing the rotation

Lost in the shuffle a bit in the madness of the last couple of days is that the Mets still have a ton of work to do in the rotation.

It was the starting staff that was most responsible for torpedoing the 2025 season, and it's the pitching just as much as the defense that Stearns is referring to when he discusses "run prevention."

Stearns' apparent unwillingness to go long on the top free agent starting pitchers on the market is also understandable.

Framber Valdez is 32 years old, Ranger Suarez's fastball velocity is steadily declining, and Tatsuya Imai is a largely unknown entity.

If Valdez winds up taking a deal for four years or so, perhaps the Mets swoop in. If not, someone like Michael King could make a lot of sense, though New York would be taking a big risk given King's injury history.

In a world where the Mets sign King, they would ideally also need to find a reliable starter with upside -- possibly via trade.

As things currently stand with the Mets' roster, it's hard to make an argument for them trading serious assets for a one-year rental like Freddy Peralta. But if they've already properly addressed their other needs before swinging a trade like that (or have faith they'll fill those needs afterward), going for it will make sense.

The Yankees’ ZiPS projections for the 2026 season have been released by FanGraphs,

Let’s take a look at the projections…

Offense

Could a third straight AL MVP Award be in the cards for Aaron Judge? FanGraphs projects Judge’s numbers to take a bit of a step backwards from his 53-homer, 215 OPS+ campaign he put together this past year, but they still see a great year for the slugger with 42 home runs, 115 RBI, a 181 OPS+, and a 7.7 WAR. 

For the purposes of this exercise, FanGraphs included free agent Cody Bellinger among the Yankees hitters, and the former NL MVP is projected to have another strong season with a 112 OPS+ to go along with 22 home runs and 90 RBI.

The Yanks are projected to have six 20-plus home-run hitters, including, interestingly enough, top prospect Spencer Jones. It’s yet to be seen if Jones will have a big league role with the Bombers this coming season, but he’s projected to hit 22 home runs in 525 plate appearances. Strikeouts have been an issue for Jones in the minors, and the projection sees him striking out a team-high 200 times in 2026.

Starting Rotation

The biggest question for the rotation revolves around how former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole will bounce back from last spring’s Tommy John surgery. Cole is projected to make just 19 starts but pitch relatively well with a 3.91 ERA.

Carlos Rodon is in a similar situation after having October elbow surgery to clean up loose bodies and a bone spur, and he’s projected to pitch to a 4.04 ERA over 129.3 innings. 

With those big names having some health issues, the rotation could be led by Max Fried and Cam Schlittler. Fried is projected to lead all Yankees starters with a 3.37 ERA, while Schlittler is projected to rack up 131 strikeouts in 128.7 innings, posing a 4.06 ERA

Bullpen

David Bednar, acquired at last season’s trade deadline, could see a strong first full season in pinstripes, with projections giving him a 3.23 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 61.1 innings.

Another trade deadline add, Camilo Doval, could also be in a for a nice season with a 3.64 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Fernando Cruz, Luke Weaver, and Tim Hill are also projected to be key pieces in Aaron Boone's bullpen.