Author: Deesha Thosar

David Stearns dismantled the Mets in December. Facing extreme levels of discontent and pressure, the team’s president of baseball operations was confident he had the time and resources to retool the team into a winner. 

After weeks of questions and uncertainty about whether he would be able to pull it off, this was the week that saved the Mets offseason. By January, Stearns re-assembled the roster into a legitimate contender. 

Stearns put the exclamation point on what was already a celebratory mood in Queens when he completed a major trade that addressed their biggest concern of the offseason. The Mets on Wednesday night acquired right-hander Freddy Peralta from the Brewers in exchange for two top prospects in right-hander Brandon Sproat and infielder Jett Williams. New York also received right-hander Tobias Myers in the deal.

That’s a generous haul for Peralta, who is ultimately a rental. The 29-year-old righty will become a free agent after this season, and an extension with Peralta has not yet been explored, according to sources. 

Peralta’s addition came hours after the Mets formally introduced new infielder Bo Bichette in a news conference at Citi Field on Wednesday afternoon. Bichette’s introductory conference came hours after the Mets traded for All-Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. on Tuesday night. Bichette’s agreement with the Mets, a three-year contract worth $126 million with player options after years two and three, also became official late Tuesday night.

So, in the span of roughly 24 hours, the Mets made three significant upgrades — really, the finishing touches — to a roster that looked depleted and unplayable just one month ago. The Mets addressed their biggest needs for a starting pitcher, an impact bat, and a quality outfielder.

“Look, I’ve been clear. My preference would be to add a starting pitcher,” Stearns said at Citi Field on Wednesday, hours before finalizing the deal for Peralta. “It doesn’t mean it’s a certainty that we’re going to do it, but that would be my preference.”

It was difficult to envision the Mets entering the season without a significant upgrade to their rotation. It was no secret they were one of the teams desperate to add a front-end starting pitcher. The Brewers fielded multiple competitive offers for Peralta, who is owed just $8 million this season. They had plenty of leverage to get a prime package from the Mets, or any other interested team. Giving up a pair of highly-ranked prospects was the price Stearns had to pay to acquire an ace in a thin starting-pitching market. 

Peralta, whose 2.70 ERA ranked seventh among all MLB starters last year, enhances a Mets rotation that will include Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, and David Peterson, with Jonah Tong and Christian Scott serving as depth pieces. Bichette, who will take over for Brett Baty at third, is an excellent right-handed hitter that significantly boosts a Mets lineup that struggled with inconsistency last year. Robert is a low-risk, high-reward center fielder with a ceiling of 38 home runs, which he produced in his 2023 All-Star season. 

In total this winter, the Mets have added 10 players: Peralta, Bichette, Robert, Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Luis Garcia and Myers. The result? A strong offseason and an impressive pivot.

Read more: Five Takeaways from Bo Bichette’s $162 Million Deal 

Stearns needed exactly six weeks to reshape the team and plug the holes he created. After the Mets’ $340 million roster couldn’t win more than 83 games last year, and couldn’t even surpass the Cincinnati Reds for a ticket to the playoffs, Stearns was prepared to take drastic measures. 

First, he indifferently dispatched outfielder Brandon Nimmo, previously the longest-tenured Met, in a trade with the Texas Rangers that sent second baseman Marcus Semien to New York. Then closer Edwin Diaz left town for the back-to-back world champion Dodgers. There was no turning back after Dec. 10, when slugger Pete Alonso bolted from Queens to accept a long-term pact with the Orioles. The Mets didn’t even make an offer to Alonso. Last year during the first baseman’s free agency, Mets owner Steve Cohen had to step in to get a one-year deal done with Alonso after spring training had already begun. Stearns might as well have put up a billboard in Times Square saying he was never interested in bringing Alonso back.

In the end, he was hardly interested in bringing any longtime position players back, unless they were signed to long-term deals (Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor) or still under team control (Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Francisco Alvarez, and Ronny Mauricio). Infielder Jeff McNeil, another longtime Met, was traded to the Athletics last month. The demolition of the Mets core seemed years in the making. 

Two years and three months after Cohen hired him to lead his baseball ops, Stearns can now say this is his team. He broke up the nucleus and remade the Mets in his own vision, complete with short-term deals and trade acquisitions. 

Hours before the Peralta signing became official, Mets officials looked tired. Manager Carlos Mendoza said he had not yet had any time to mock up potential lineups. Stearns had some dark bags under his eyes. The Mets endured the most active offseason in the league. From ripping their core apart to quite swiftly building it back together, they will enter this season with a strong roster that’s built to go deep into the postseason. 

Of course, the work is not done. As he enters Season 3 of his reign as president of baseball operations, Stearns will ultimately be judged by wins. Outside their remarkable 2024 postseason run, the Mets have won one playoff game since 2015. It’s been 40 years since they won a championship.

The Mets saved their offseason this week. It’s time to prove the pieces are in place to win the whole thing.

In the Big Picture, we contextualize key moves and moments so you can instantly understand why they matter.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Now, the Yankees’ offseason can really begin.

Free-agent Cody Bellinger and the New York Yankees reached an agreement Wednesday that will bring the outfielder back to the Bronx on a five-year, $162.5 million contract, per multiple reports. The deal includes a $20 million signing bonus, opt-outs after Years 2 and 3, and a full no-trade clause. 

Bellinger, his agent, Scott Boras, and the Yankees were in a stubborn standoff all winter, preventing the team from moving forward with other roster moves until Bellinger made his decision. Now that the 30-year-old will be back in pinstripes after a successful 2025 season — Bellinger swatted 29 home runs, posted a 125 OPS+ and received down-ballot American League MVP votes — the Yankees can finally start to address their other needs. 

Here’s what next for the Yankees, the AL East, and the remaining top free agents on the board:

What’s Next for the Bronx Bombers

The Yankees’ outfield picture for this season is complete – sort of. 

Bellinger will patrol left field again, becoming a steady presence in the corner-outfield spot for the first time since Brett Gardner was the Yankees’ everyday left fielder. Trent Grisham will play center and Aaron Judge, as usual, will be in right. So, where does that leave Jasson Dominguez? It’s the same question the Yankees were faced with last winter, when they traded for Bellinger as part of the pivot from losing Juan Soto to the Mets. One year later, Dominguez has played 149 games in the major leagues since his September 2023 debut. 

He has shown flashes of brilliance, like his three-homer game against the Athletics at the hitter-friendly West Sacramento ballpark. And, to be expected for a 22-year-old player who is still navigating learning curves, there are also areas of concern. Dominguez’s weaker slashline against lefties (.279/.290/.569) versus his solid production against righties (.274/.348/.420) last year is worth noting. Plus, his -7 Defensive Runs Saved last season signaled that Dominguez still has plenty of work to do in the outfield. 

Do the Yankees really want to slot Dominguez in as their fourth outfielder this season? There’s an argument that he could get a decent amount of playing time, whenever Grisham and Judge need days off, and Bellinger slides to first base to help out Ben Rice, who’s expected to take over for Paul Goldschmidt. But the best way for Dominguez to improve on both sides of the ball is for him to get regular, consistent reps. His 101 OPS+ last year, even without consistent playing time, indicates he can hold his own. The Yankees could use Dominguez as a trade chip to bolster their rotation or bullpen. 

Including a major-league-ready bat in a trade package could net the Yankees a quality starting pitcher. There is high competition for Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta, and so far Milwaukee has hesitated to part ways with their longtime starter, particularly because Peralta is owed just $8 million in his walk year this season. However, including Dominguez in the deal could push Milwaukee to the finish line. The Yankees need rotation help at the outset of the season, with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt all starting the year on the injured list. Acquiring someone like Peralta would not only hold them over, but his elite strikeout rate would perfectly complement the rest of their pitching staff.

What’s Next for the AL East Race

Getting Bellinger back into the lineup puts the Yankees in good shape to compete with the Toronto Blue Jays for the division title. Of course, out of any rival in the AL East, the Blue Jays have had the strongest offseason, filling holes with the additions of pitchers Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, infielder Kazuma Okamoto, and adding depth to the bullpen with Tyler Rogers. Toronto’s whiff on Kyle Tucker and losing homegrown shortstop Bo Bichette has left an unpleasant taste, but the Jays are in a solid position to run it back. They could still use an outfielder on a long-term deal, but that’s not as pressing of a need with Tucker and Bellinger off the board. But there aren’t any glaring holes on Toronto’s roster.

The Red Sox remembered their ability to spend money when they signed top free-agent starter Ranger Suarez to a five-year deal. It came on the heels of Alex Bregman leaving Boston to play for the Cubs, which was yet another miss by Fenway’s front office. Now, the Red Sox strategy consists of strengthening their pitching staff to prevent runs and offset any shortcomings in the lineup. Still, a part of run prevention is sharp defense, and the Red Sox led the majors in errors last year. They need to add a third baseman or second baseman, plus defense either through free agency or trade.

The Orioles still need to add a high-end starting pitcher to round out what has otherwise been a successful and busy offseason. The additions of first baseman Pete Alonso, outfielder Tyler Ward and pitchers Ryan Helsley and Shane Baz are savvy and fill roster needs. But, if this young and hungry club reaches the postseason, it currently has no one to take the ball in Game 1 of a playoff series. Re-signing Zach Eflin was important, but he’s no ace. The O’s should be in the market for the top free-agent starters still available, including left-hander Framber Valdez and righty Zac Gallen.

What’s Next in Free Agency?

Bellinger represented the last star-caliber free-agent outfielder on the market this offseason. Though there are still outfielders available, after him, there’s a sizable drop-off in quality and age. Now, 32-year-old Harrison Bader, who has a fWAR of 4.4 from 2024-25, is the best available outfielder. Austin Hays, 30, could be a good fit for a contender looking to fill a need. Jesse Winker, who has a concerning recent injury history, is still looking for a new home. Among position players across the board, third baseman Eugenio Suarez is the most impactful bat who still hasn’t signed. 

With teams set to report to spring training in just three weeks, the attention soon should shift to the remaining starters still available. Valdez and Gallen lead that list, followed by an enormous gap, and then arms like Lucas Giolito, Zack Littell, Chris Bassitt, Griffin Canning and Jose Quintana.

In What’s Next?, we look ahead at the potential impact of trades, hires, signings and more.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

In just a few years, Ranger Suarez went from being Major League Baseball’s most underrated pitcher to garnering increased attention to, finally, getting paid as one of the top arms in baseball. 

Suarez, who reportedly agreed to a five-year, $130 million contract with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, will earn an average annual value (AAV) of $26 million. That positions him among the top 15 highest-paid starting pitchers by AAV. 

That significant financial commitment from Boston is a testament to Suarez’s craft, to be sure. The 30-year-old southpaw owns a 117 ERA+ over the past four seasons. He throws a six-pitch mix that induces soft contact at an elite clip. Suarez’s 31.1 hard-hit percentage ranked eighth among all MLB pitchers last season. Meanwhile, his fastball velocity has dropped year after year. In 2025, Suarez’s four-seamer averaged just 91.3 mph, which fell into the seventh percentile among all pitchers, per Statcast. His diminishing velocity isn’t a red flag like it would be for flamethrowers around the league. Triple-digit fastballs aside, Suarez is excellent at recording outs using effective command while progressively reducing his walk rate.

In the age of obsessing over spin rates and high velocity being The Most Important Thing in pitching, Suarez’s contract signals a different direction from front offices and analytics departments in terms of what they value. There was a reason he entered the offseason as one of the top three free-agent starters on the market. And after climbing up the ladder in the Phillies organization, Philly’s loss is Boston’s gain.

Here’s what’s next for the Red Sox, Phillies, and the future of starting pitching after Suarez’s big contract.

What’s Next For the Red Sox

With the addition of Suarez, the Red Sox march into 2026 with one of the top rotations in MLB. Led by ace Garrett Crochet, who finished second in American League Cy Young voting last year, Boston’s starting staff will feature Suarez, Sonny Gray, whom the Red Sox acquired via trade this winter, Brayan Bello, and an assortment of options for the final slot, including Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval, and Connelly Early. That not only makes for an excellent rotation on paper, but the Red Sox also have a ton of pitching depth to carry them through the long season and protect against injuries. 

The splashy move — Boston’s first free-agent signing of the offseason — comes just days after it failed to re-sign free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, who instead agreed to a five-year, $175 million pact with the Chicago Cubs. By fumbling their opportunity with Bregman, the Red Sox again incensed their fan base with yet another perplexing decision. Last season, Boston traded away the face of their franchise, homegrown slugger Rafael Devers, in favor of Bregman, who instantly became a pivotal member and leader in the Red Sox clubhouse. Then the Red Sox fell short in Bregman’s free agency, and the three-time All-Star wound up spending just one year at Fenway Park. Maddening.

It seems like the Red Sox, with the signing of Suarez, are attempting to course correct by beefing up their pitching staff rather than signing another impact bat. And in the era of pursuing run prevention, acquiring a top-end starter like Suarez, whose average exit velocity (86.5%) was in the top 5% of the league last year, the Red Sox are accomplishing that goal. The 1-2 punch of Crochet and Suarez is going to be fun to watch. And, at the very least, it lessens the sting of losing Bregman.

What’s Next For the Phillies

Suarez spent his entire career — 14 seasons — in the Phillies organization. After signing him at 16 years old as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela, the Phillies watched Suarez ascend through the minor leagues, emerge as an effective big-league reliever, and transform into a middle-of-the-rotation starter before dominating at the top of their starting staff with ace-like stuff. In 2022, Suarez sent the Phillies to the World Series when he recorded the final two outs in the ninth inning of Game 5 of the NLCS. He leaves Philly boasting a 1.48 ERA across 42.2 innings in 11 career playoff appearances. 

Despite how much Suarez meant to the organization, the Phillies were never expected to reunite with their homegrown pitcher. Re-signing slugger Kyle Schwarber was their top priority, which they accomplished, and it was unreasonable, financially, for the Phillies to also re-sign Suarez, who emerged as a top starter in a thin market this winter. They will receive a draft pick this year between the fourth and fifth rounds after Suarez declined their one-year qualifying offer. But that hardly makes up for the significant loss of Suarez from their pitching staff. Where do they go from here?

The Phillies believe their rotation is in solid shape with Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Christopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo and top prospect Andrew Painter. But there are still concerns within that group, particularly how Wheeler will respond after undergoing thoracic outlet decompression surgery in September. Nola, too, will need to bounce back from his career-worst 6.01 ERA while he battled injuries and recorded just 17 starts last season. Painter has yet to make his MLB debut. A lot of things have to go right for this to work, and until then, the Phillies will turn their attention to the lineup. They have been connected to free-agent infielder Bo Bichette, and re-signing free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto remains on their offseason to-do list.

What’s Next For the Future of Starting Pitching

That Suarez received $130 million for being more like an ace-in-waiting rather than representing the No. 1 starter in any given rotation is surprising. It means the league is starting to re-prioritize crafty pitchers that excel at command and run prevention, despite not flashing overpowering velocity. In that sense, Suarez’s skillset is a bit of a throwback. 

Read More: Breaking Down All Top MLB Deals

But he’s an outlier from those old-school starting pitchers because, historically, he doesn’t pitch deep into games, and that’s perfectly fine in modern baseball. In recent years, teams have emphasized building super bullpens so that starters are only required to pitch five innings before turning the ball to the relief corps. And if Suarez, who in 2021 pitched out of the bullpen in more than half of his appearances, could become an effective reliever-turned-front-end-starter, perhaps more pitchers will follow suit.

Suarez’s talent and his ensuing contract are a case study in why throwing the ball with excellent command can be more effective than focusing on high velocity. He bucked the trend, and it worked. Not every pitcher will be as successful as Suarez, particularly because a part of his big pay day is credited to how calm he is under pressure, especially in the postseason. Still, he’s showing why minimizing the importance of velo is an approach worth pursuing. 

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

The Cubs‘ pitching rotation got a boost, even if it came at a high cost.

Starting pitcher Edward Cabrera will reportedly head to Chicago from the Marlins in exchange for a package that includes three prospects, headlined by outfielder Owen Caissie. 

The Northsiders entered the offseason with the stated goal of adding at least two established arms to the rotation. After left-hander Shota Imanaga somewhat surprisingly accepted the one-year, $22 million qualifying offer to stay with the Cubs, that could have disrupted the team’s plans and pushed president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to prioritize the trade market. That’s a good thing, because the addition of Cabrera makes for a deep Cubs rotation that, when fully healthy, features a stack of quality arms. 

ESPN reported that the two other prospects in the deal are infielders Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon. The Marlins have reportedly targeted Caissie, the Cubs’ No. 1 overall prospect, for a while now. Cabrera was expected to be green-lit at a hefty price, given his age and remaining years of team control, and it couldn’t have been an easy decision for the Cubs to part ways with Caissie. The 23-year-old slugger, who made his major-league debut in 2025 but is still rookie-eligible, figures to immediately slot into the Marlins lineup, adding another high-powered bat to complement breakout slugger Kyle Stowers. Caissie is a huge get for Miami, who will have him under team control for the next six full seasons. 

Here’s what’s next for the Cubs, other top contenders trying to improve their rotations this offseason, and how this deal impacts the rest of the starting-pitching market. 

What’s next for the Cubs

The Cubs’ pursuit for a top-flight starter dates back to last offseason. In the winter of 2024, Chicago almost struck a deal with former Marlins southpaw Jesus Luzardo before hesitating due to his medical report. Ahead of the 2025 season, Luzardo was traded to the Phillies, where he excelled across 32 starts, pitched to a 3.92 ERA and received down-ballot National League Cy Young votes. So, this time around, the Cubs didn’t want to miss their opportunity to trade for an impact starter, even if they held similar concerns about his medical history. 

Cabrera was placed on the injured list multiple times last season, with two of those stints related to right elbow issues. As much as the words “MRI” and “elbow” in the same sentence were worrisome for interested teams, Cabrera did rebound from his time on the IL to deliver his best season for the Marlins. The right-hander finished the year with a 3.53 ERA and career-highs in strikeouts (150), innings (137.2) and starts (26). Notably, his walk rate dipped to a career-low 8.3%, which was the eighth-best mark among all NL starters. 

The Cubs are getting a 27-year-old starter with three remaining years of team control. It’s a valuable deal that could end up looking even better than their push for Luzardo, who becomes a free agent after this season. Cabrera figures to jump right to the top of the Cubs rotation, which will feature some combination of Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, Colin Rea, Javier Assad and Justin Steele throughout the 2026 season. As far as what’s left on the team’s offseason to-do list, Chicago is still aiming to add a top-tier impact bat (Alex Bregman? Bo Bichette?) before Opening Day.

What’s next for teams eyeing an impact starter

The Cubs winning the Cabrera sweepstakes, which picked up in earnest earlier this week, escalates the pressure for other top contenders looking to upgrade their rotations without spending in free agency. 

The Yankees were among the teams interested in trading for Cabrera, according to a recent report from The Athletic. Multiple reports indicated that New York wasn’t close to acquiring the Marlins right-hander, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman’s seat is only getting hotter to do something this offseason. While a lot of the team’s focus has centered on re-signing Cody Bellinger, the rotation also needs legitimate help to begin the year.

Gerrit Cole (rehab from Tommy John surgery), Carlos Rodon (left elbow surgery to remove bone spur), and Clarke Schmidt (rehab from Tommy John) will all begin the season on the IL. The timelines for each starter to return are varied, and recovery from elbow surgery is tricky. The Yankees need rotation depth to help starting pitchers Max Fried, Will Warren, Luis Gil and Cam Schlittler at the onset of the season, at least. The club has had a lethargic offseason thus far, with its only moves including re-signing infielder Amed Rosario and bringing back outfielder Trent Grisham on a one-year, $22 million qualifying offer.

Other teams under heightened stress to add an impact starter, either through trade or free agency, include the Mets, Orioles, Padres, Braves, and the Athletics. 

What’s next for the starting-pitching market

There are a number of teams that are more likely to bolster their rotations through the trade market, and the club with 2025’s second-highest payroll appears to be one of them.

Read more: Top 5 Free Agent Starting Pitchers

While the Mets have the financial might to land one of the top free-agent arms, including Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez, their president of baseball operations, David Stearns, is said to prefer trading for a lower-cost starter. The top pitchers who could be traded this offseason include Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta (who’s owed a paltry $8 million in 2026) and reigning Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal, who is in his walk year and unlikely to be dealt by the Tigers without receiving a ridiculous haul.

Other arms who could be on the trade block, either this offseason or ahead of July’s trade deadline, include Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (free agent in 2029), Twins right-handers Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez (both FA in 2028), and Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (FA in 2028). There are still quality options out there, but they are thinning with spring training just around the corner. 

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

With pitchers and catchers set to report to spring training in just over a month, it’s surprising that a handful of high-profile free agents are still seeking long-term homes. All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker, the No. 1 player in this year’s class, continues to explore deals and, as a result, is likely holding up the market. But things can change fast. 

After looking at the five best available starting pitchers, here are the best landing spots for five of the most intriguing position players still on the board in free agency. 

1. Kyle Tucker, OF

Best fit: New York Yankees

With the Yankees hibernating through the winter so far, there are only a couple of moves that could realistically save their offseason from being viewed as a failure. Signing Tucker makes too much sense on a Yankees team that one year ago whiffed on Juan Soto being their long-term left-handed offensive threat. Now, they have the opportunity to lock in one of the best all-around players in baseball. Tucker’s pull-heavy swing is essentially custom-built for Yankee Stadium’s right-field short porch. Plus, the Yankees have an advantage that no other team can offer: batting behind Aaron Judge. 

But general manager Brian Cashman should avoid dangling Judge’s elite presence in the middle of the lineup as one of the reasons Tucker should accept a lower offer. Tucker is widely projected to sign a long-term contract worth at least $400 million, seeking to land a $40 million-plus average annual value that puts him in the stratosphere of Shohei Ohtani, Soto, and Judge. In the here and now, the Yankees might prefer to re-sign free-agent Cody Bellinger, who will demand fewer years and less money than Tucker on a shorter-term deal. But being aggressive with a 10-year offer for Tucker would safeguard the Yankees’ future. Judge turns 34 this April, and New York’s window to win a championship with him is getting narrower. With Tucker, who turns 29 this month, the Yankees can maximize their window around Judge and beyond. 

Other possible fits: Blue Jays, Mets, Dodgers

2. Alex Bregman, 3B

Best fit: Boston Red Sox

Even beyond Bregman’s clubhouse leadership and veteran presence in Boston, he continues to fit into that roster like a glove. Bregman got off to the hottest start of his career last year with the Red Sox, batting .299 with a .938 OPS, 11 home runs and 17 doubles through May 23. He was playing like a legitimate MVP candidate before injuring his quad and sitting out until the All-Star break. He wasn’t quite as productive after returning from the injured list, with the Red Sox admitting that could’ve been due to rushing him back into the lineup too soon. But Bregman playing at Fenway Park for a year, after reportedly turning down a six-year offer from the Tigers, was an excellent bet on himself. 

Entering his age-32 season, Bregman figures to command at least a $160-million contract that spans over six years. And Boston, for its part, appears ready to pay up. The Red Sox added their first position player this offseason in first baseman Willson Contreras, and right away, head of baseball operations Craig Breslow said he was still prioritizing another big bat and a need for more offense. The Red Sox could be in the mix for free-agent shortstop/second baseman Bo Bichette, but Bregman would be the more economical and proven option, particularly given his success in Boston, prosperous relationship with manager Alex Cora, and mentorship for a young roster with high expectations. 

Other possible fits: Tigers, Cubs, Diamondbacks

3. Cody Bellinger, OF/1B

Best fit: New York Mets

As much as this would reinforce the recent pattern of the Mets signing former Yankees, Bellinger going to Queens seemed like the perfect fit from the moment they traded outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers. That surprising trade, which was the first of four moves that broke up the Mets core, opened up a hole in left field that the Mets still have not addressed. Then, once slugger Pete Alonso moved on to Baltimore, another vacancy popped up at first base. Bellinger is the obvious fit for the Mets, where he could spend the majority of his playing time in left field, while also taking reps at first base. As things stand, new infield addition Jorge Polanco is slated to play first base for the Mets, even though Polanco has only appeared at the corner-infield position for one game in his career. 

Bellinger proved he can handle and play in New York, and his versatility on the field is a desired skillset for rosters built by Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns. Plus, New York created another need for a player like Bellinger when it traded Jeff McNeil to the Athletics. McNeil primarily played second base for the Mets, but he also spent ample time patrolling the outfield. If Bellinger’s sweepstakes come down to the Yankees and Mets, it’s unlikely the former will outbid the latter. Billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen has not yet spent lavishly in free agency this winter as he has previously done. If Bellinger is one of the final pieces of the puzzle to the team’s mysterious offseason plans, he just might outspend all the outfielder’s other suitors. And if the Mets fail to land Bellinger, they should be in the market for Tucker. 

Other possible fits: Yankees, Dodgers, Giants

4. Bo Bichette, SS/2B

Best fit: Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto is enjoying the best and busiest offseason in baseball, fresh off another big signing in Japanese star third baseman Kazuma Okamoto. Already, the Blue Jays have signed the top starter on the market in Dylan Cease, convinced right-hander Shane Bieber to opt-in for 2026 instead of hitting free agency, added starter Cody Ponce and reliever Tyler Rogers, and now they have made a splash on the position-player front with Okamoto. After years of striking out on big names, including Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani, Toronto is officially an attractive destination for free agents. 

Now, there are those who believe inking Okamoto to a reported four-year, $60-million deal takes the Jays out of the running for their homegrown free-agent star in Bichette. But there’s still reason to believe Toronto can reunite with Bichette, since Okamoto primarily plays third base, while also being versatile at first base and in the outfield. Bichette can play second, where he excelled in the World Series, even with an injured knee. And though the Blue Jays have shown interest in signing Tucker, Bichette will be cheaper and, at 27 years old, younger. For now, the Jays should continue to be viewed as the favorites to land Bichette. The only reason that could change is if they sign Tucker.  

Other possible fits: Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers

5. Eugenio Suarez, 3B

Best fit: Detroit Tigers

At 34 years old, Suarez is no longer the MVP-caliber hitter he once was in his prime for the Cincinnati Reds. But he’s still coming off an All-Star season in 2025, when he slugged 49 home runs (matching his career high) and posted a 126 OPS+ in 159 games for the Diamondbacks and Mariners. While Suarez’s rising strikeout totals are a concern, his continued durability is unheard of. Since 2016, only first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has played more games than Suarez. The veteran’s 27.5 fWAR in that span is ranked 26th in MLB. Suarez’s free agency is unique in that he represents one of the higher-profile bats available this offseason at what should be a very reasonable price tag. 

He’s expected to command a $20–25 million AAV on a three-year deal, which opens up his market to middle- and smaller-market teams. The Tigers were interested in trading for Suarez at last year’s deadline before opting to prioritize their farm system and hang onto prospects. But they could still use him at third base while moving Zach McKinstry to a utility role. Now, Detroit can afford to pay for Suarez’s power bat and reload for another playoff run in ace Tarik Skubal’s final year of team control. That being said, Suarez’s consistent production should be attractive to many contenders looking for offensive thump on a short-term contract. His market is expected to take shape once Bregman is off the board. 

Other possible fits: Diamondbacks, Mariners, Red Sox

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Earlier this month at the Winter Meetings, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow noted, not so subtly, that the club was looking to add power to the lineup. At the same time, Boston was linked to then-free-agent slugger Pete Alonso, with reports stating that Red Sox executives connected with the first baseman before he signed with the Orioles. 

After striking out on Alonso, reportedly making a lower offer in years and money than the five years and $155 million he accepted from Baltimore, the Red Sox needed less than two weeks to pivot and find their answer at first base. Boston traded for first baseman and designated hitter Willson Contreras, according to multiple reports, and sent three pitchers to the Cardinals, including right-hander Hunter Dobbins, in the move.  

Though Contreras isn’t quite as much of a power threat as Alonso, the 33-year-old has posted a 123 OPS+ or better in each of his last four seasons. The right-handed Contreras will be a consistent, above-average presence in a Red Sox lineup that’s too left-handed, helping to balance out their offense with a middle-of-the-order threat. Defensively, Contreras didn’t catch a single inning behind the plate this year, as he transitioned to first base full-time for the first time in his career. His glove graded out very well, recording 6 Outs Above Average, which ranked third among all major-league first basemen. 

Here’s what’s next for the Red Sox, Cardinals, and the trade market after Contreras’ big switch to the cutthroat American League East:

What’s next for Boston

Contreras is an ideal fit for a Red Sox lineup that needed help at first base while Triston Casas continues rehabbing from a ruptured patellar tendon. The addition of Contreras allows Boston to slow-play Casas return – he can begin the season in Triple-A and ease his way back into the lineup whenever he’s fully healed. And even when Casas does bounce back into the major-league lineup, he can split time with Contreras at DH and first base. 

Now, more than ever, Masataka Yoshida looks like the odd man out. The lefty-swinging Fukui, Japan native will see the majority of his batting opportunities go to Contreras and Casas. Yoshida has spent his two seasons with the Red Sox in left field as well as DH, but they now have a surplus of players clogging up the outfield, with Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela leading the pack. Yoshida is taking up a roster spot and the Red Sox could be having trouble moving him for any real value since he’s essentially a one-tool player coming off a down year. 

Plus, the Red Sox are still targeting a big-name free agent, preferring to re-sign Alex Bregman and, if not, maybe even spend exorbitantly on Bo Bichette to play second base. Contreras was the club’s first big move to bolster the lineup, and Boston still has money to spend on a top-tier bat. Expect Breslow to continue to make moves this winter to add at least one more power bat and put the finishing touches on their roster configuration. 

What’s next for St. Louis

Chaim Bloom, having finally taken over St. Louis’ baseball operations, entered the offseason with the intention of moving his top three veteran players in order to rebuild the organization by focusing on player development. Two of those three veterans are off the board – with both right-hander Sonny Gray and Contreras joining the Red Sox through separate trades. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who has been floated in trade talks for the past few winters and trade deadlines, remains the final player to be dealt by Bloom to complete his offseason goal. 

Throughout all of this, the Cardinals’ main focus is to add controllable starting pitching, and the haul they received for Contreras certainly accomplishes that. The 26-year-old Dobbins was the headliner in the trade, with two more right-handed prospects joining him in St. Louis in the deal. Dobbins — who endeared himself to Red Sox nation by saying: “If the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I’d retire” — was also a solid major-league-ready starter for them on the mound. Boasting a low walk rate, he threw 61 innings as a rookie before tearing his ACL in July, and now he figures to get a decent runway in the Cardinals’ starting rotation. 

Since the Cardinals are not contending any time soon, acquiring a few more young arms to enter into their revamped pitching development program, while clearing payroll, is in line with their rebuilding goals this winter. 

What’s next for the trade market

The Contreras trade is expected to kick off more action in the trade market, an area that has been more robust than previous offseasons this winter. The trade noise for Arenado in particular, as well as Brendan Donovan, should be getting louder after Gray and Contreras bounced from St. Louis. 

It’s no secret that the Cardinals have been actively looking to trade Arenado and clear their payroll of the two years and roughly $42 million remaining on his nine-year, $275 million contract — with the Rockies still covering a smaller portion of that sum. Parting ways with Arenado would also allow the Cardinals to give their prospects more playing time, in accordance with their youth movement. But that objective is getting tougher and tougher with Arenado’s declining power and no-trade clause. 

Some of the splashier trade targets potentially on the block this offseason are: Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta, and of course, Tigers southpaw Tarik Skubal. Other names that have been floated in trade conversations are Nationals left-hander Mackenzie Gore and Red Sox outfielder Duran. There’s still plenty of offseason left, so keep an eye out for some of these names to be moved before Opening Day rosters are finalized.

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Tony Vitello was a fish out of water at his first ever Winter Meetings.

“I don’t know what I’m doing at this thing, to be honest with you,” the new San Francisco Giants manager admitted last Tuesday to a gaggle of reporters at the onset of his news conference. 

These scrums with the media are a managerial responsibility that will soon become a significant part of his daily routine. They won’t always be as chaotic as this one was, which took place against the backdrop of thousands of individuals involved in baseball, meandering without a specific direction or path, in the wide and brightly lit hallways of the Signia hotel in Orlando, Fla. For someone not used to the mass and mess of the annual hubbub of baseball’s hot stove, the Winter Meetings can be unnerving.

Not only is Vitello not used to the professional baseball world, he’s never even been in it. Vitello has just as much experience being the manager of a pro baseball team as your neighbor next door. But, ask him about being the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, and he’ll have you schooled. After the Giants hired him in late October, Vitello became the first manager in MLB history to jump directly from college baseball to the major leagues without any professional baseball experience.

So, you can forgive Vitello for feeling overwhelmed by the frenzied nature of the Winter Meetings. But the thing is, it was impossible to tell. Vitello conducted his 30-minute managerial scrum with a relaxed tempo. He gave honest and thoughtful answers. He was energetic. He was funny. 

That being said, there were still small signs that he was new around here. He kept referring to himself as a coach rather than a manager. He was an open book in a refreshing way, not yet spurned by the inevitable negative coverage that comes with losses and poor records. 

“I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on here at both hotels that we’re occupying,” Vitello said. “With the teams in our division or that are out there in general, I don’t know what you’re supposed to say or not. It sounds like the Phillies got better today.” (Moments before Vitello sat down with the media, the Phillies re-signed slugger Kyle Schwarber to a five-year deal.)

Even as Vitello claimed he was unaware of exactly what to do or how to act, he kept saying the right things. Above all, what stood out from his first real foray into the pandemonium of professional baseball was his love of the game — be it at the college level or the big leagues. Vitello offered reminders that fresh ideas on how to improve MLB can come from anywhere, even from an unconventional hire: a self-deprecating college head coach who led Tennessee to its first-ever national title and three College World Series appearances in his successful eight-year run.

“Sorry to go on an even further tangent, but maybe this thing, and who knows if you want to call it the guinea pig, or sacrificial lamb, or if it goes well or doesn’t go well, who cares? I guess I should,” Vitello said. “I wish there was somebody, like, with a shorter haircut and more reputable up here, to say it’s time for college baseball and Major League Baseball to be married a little closer for a lot of different reasons.

“I think working together ultimately makes Major League Baseball a better product, which is great for the fans. Then, sorry, money is a big factor in the world, whether we like it or not. Ultimately, if Major League Baseball is a better product, then there’s more money being made.”

Vitello, 47, believes it took this long for someone to go straight from the college side to pro ball, without any playing, coaching, or minor-league experience, in part because of the improved talent at the college level, which has led to higher interest, which has led to greater national coverage. 

It’s all slowly closed the gap between the major leagues. 

“You don’t have to be in the SEC,” he said. “You could be out at Coastal Carolina or out on the West Coast. College baseball is now heavily covered by the media. TV is a part of the deal. There’s fans at every game, and the players are better.”

Giants president of baseball operations and former MVP catcher Buster Posey has tasked Vitello with bringing the organization back to greatness. He’s working on a three-year contract with a vesting option for a fourth year. Posey and the Giants want stability at the skipper’s position after Bob Melvin, who managed the club from 2024-25, was fired with a year left on his contract following a disappointing 81-81 finish while falling short of the playoffs again. This was the second time in three offseasons that San Francisco conducted a managerial search before choosing Vitello to lead the 26-man roster.

Vitello has solid pieces in place to help get the Giants back to the postseason for the first time since 2021. Logan Webb and Robbie Ray will lead the rotation, while Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers, and Willy Adames will provide the thump in the lineup. The rookie manager plans to lean on those veterans to help guide him through the ups and downs of his first year. For now, Vitello is viewing his roster through a college-ball lens — including a heavier emphasis on the word “recruit,” rather than “call up” or “sign.”

“I think it’s a really fun roster,” Vitello said of his Giants squad. “It’s almost got a parallel to a college team because there’s high turnover with guys graduating or getting drafted. You’ve got a solid group of guys that are solidified as, at the very least, this is their role. We expect this guy to be our everyday this or that. There’s also open competition at several spots, whether it be on the position side or the pitching side. I think the combination is good to already have a quality roster.”

Another unique aspect of Vitello’s transition from the college side will be facing players in the big leagues that he previously coached while at Tennessee. According to the University’s database, there are seven MLB players and 39 minor league players that hail from Tennessee — including Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet and Giants outfielder Drew Gilbert, whom Vitello will now be managing. 

“In the moment, there might be things you say or feelings you have, but when the moment is over, it’s kind of like UFC fighters or boxers, like an NFL game,” Vitello said. “These guys are just trying to kill each other, but afterwards, you have an appreciation because those are the people that push you the most or bring out the most intense feelings and emotions. 

“Yeah, it will be unique, and it will be interesting. The one thing about all the reps in pro baseball, they change who you are as a person and who you are as a player. That can be for the worse, certain times, and other times it’s for the better. I think each of those guys will have a different look the next time I see them.”

Naturally, Vitello’s atypical hire drew a lot of attention in the industry, with reporters, executives, and opposing managers all looking for moments to offer congratulations or advice as he sets out on an epoch-making development in baseball history. For an idea of how dream-like the experience has been for Vitello so far, look no further than what happened during and after his first Winter Meetings news conference. 

One of the earliest questions asked of Vitello was whether there was anyone in particular he was looking forward to meeting in Orlando. Immediately, he said: “Pat Murphy stands out because of the college background and having competed against him.” Murphy, who won second consecutive National League Manager of the Year honors after leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a franchise-record 97 wins in the regular season, had an extremely successful college baseball coaching career that spanned over 25 years. Vitello joked that maybe it was better to wait until after the 2026 season was over to connect with Murphy, since “he’s as competitive as it gets.”

Minutes after Vitello’s news conference wrapped up, he stepped out into the hallway at the Signia hotel and saw a beaming Pat Murphy walking up to him. A moment later, three-time Manager of the Year Dusty Baker joined them. The newcomer looked like he was doing most of the talking. There was Vitello, a fish out of water, rubbing shoulders with some of the best managers in the history of the sport, letting them learn from him for a change. 

“The college game is so good, talent-wise, mentality-wise,” Murphy said last week in Orlando. “And the Major League game is younger now, just the cultures are different. There’s less of the old-school, earn-your-stripes rookie. There’s less of that nonsense. So I think [Vitello’s] transition — and Posey knows what he’s doing — he’s going to get it so that the transition is easy. And I think he’s probably 10 times smarter than I was at the time.”

Vitello might not know what he’s doing just yet, but he’s setting the example of how a college-ball attitude might create fresh ideas in a professional league that’s finally open to more change. Ultimately, Vitello will be judged on his wins and losses with the Giants. But, for now, he represents an unprecedented opportunity to prove how college baseball and the major leagues just might make each other better. 

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

In breaking up the Mets core, team president of baseball operations David Stearns and team owner Steve Cohen invited the heat. 

Over the course of these next two months until spring training, there will be a megawatt spotlight pointed directly on Mets leadership to replace the players that left New York with enhanced, proven competitors capable of taking the team to the World Series. 

Otherwise, what was the point?

The new Mets – whomever they will be – cannot miss the playoffs like they did this past season. They will try to avoid that disaster without one of the game’s best sluggers, after longtime first baseman Pete Alonso signed a five-year contract worth $155 million with the Orioles on Wednesday. 

They will try to deliver wins without Edwin Diaz, arguably the best closer in baseball, after he chose to fly west to pitch for the defending-champion Dodgers for only $3 million more than what the Mets were offering him. 

They will try to adjust to new leadership in the clubhouse without Brandon Nimmo, regarded as a co-captain alongside Francisco Lindor, after the outfielder was asked to waive his no-trade clause and, as such, departed for Texas.

The amount of turnover, both on the Mets roster and coaching staff, has been dizzying. It’s the response to a baffling 83-win season from a Mets team with a $340 million payroll that was supposed to be good enough to beat the Dodgers, if not enjoy another deep playoff run after the success of 2024’s trip to the NLCS.

At the end of the 2025 season, Cohen apologized to Mets fans. The Mets owner said the “result was unacceptable,” and promised that the organization would do better. Since then, Cohen, the richest individual owner in professional sports, has watched three long-tenured and popular players leave the organization, with two of them departing for more money than he put on the table. He’s seen the outpouring of frustration and sadness from the same fans he said he’d serve better. So how will he respond now? 

The Mets had the second-highest payroll in MLB in 2025 and, to public knowledge, Cohen hasn’t bungled away his estimated $23 billion net worth in that time. His ambitions to build the Mets into a champion as soon as possible haven’t changed either. So the money has to go somewhere, and most of the top-tier free agents are still available for the taking. 

Revamping the roster will be a challenge, but it is doable. It will take spending oodles of money on marquee players, executing blockbuster deals, and maybe even engaging in an improbable trade for the American League’s back-to-back Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal.

That’s how high the Mets have set the bar for themselves after being indifferent about losing three valuable players in Alonso, Díaz, and Nimmo, and after Stearns expressed optimism about the direction of the Mets offseason. He and Cohen know they have to respond to such drastic measures with equally robust improvements. 

How will the Mets give their fans something to cheer about this winter? It starts with becoming better on-paper, and the best way to proceed might be by spreading their resources. A year ago, at this time, the Yankees pivoted from superstar Juan Soto’s decision to sign with the Mets by aggressively retooling. They signed Max Fried to the largest contract ever issued to a left-handed pitcher. They upgraded their bullpen and lineup by trading for Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger. After all of that, they didn’t miss a step. The Yankees recorded identical records (94-68) with and without Soto in the 2024 and ’25 regular seasons.

Will the Mets follow a similar blueprint after their own stars walked away? This past season, the Mets finished fifth in the major leagues in home runs, and in addition to Soto’s team-leading 43 homers, Alonso’s principal skillset was a major component of the team’s production; he hit 38 jacks en route to becoming the all-time franchise home-run leader this year. How do the Mets replace Alonso’s dingers? 

Kyle Schwarber, whom they were interested in signing, is off the board after re-signing with the Phillies. The next best free-agent slugging option is third baseman Eugenio Suarez, who crushed 49 home runs and recorded 118 RBI (fourth-most in MLB) playing for the Diamondbacks and Mariners in 2025. Suarez, entering his age-34 season, would also line up with the Mets’ preference for shorter-term deals. If Suarez plays the hot corner, where does that push Brett Baty, with Marcus Semien occupying second base? 

That’s not all. There are holes everywhere. First base. Left field. Center field. The bullpen. Most crucially, starting pitching. 

There are so many roster decisions to be made, and the work Stearns needs to do is only mounting. Evidently, he enjoys operating under an overwhelming amount of pressure. Otherwise, it would’ve been easier to spend Cohen’s money and bring back Alonso on a contract that outbid Baltimore’s offer. But the Mets were not willing to match the length of Alonso’s contract with the O’s. Instead, they preferred the blank slate. 

The unknown of the Mets offseason can be exciting, but it requires trust. The Mets owner trusts his head of operations to get this right, even at the expense of parting ways with fan favorites. Stearns was Cohen’s white whale for years before he finally plucked the top executive from the Brewers ahead of the 2024 season. Stearns is signed through the 2028 season, and his marching orders involve building a sustainable World Series contender. 

By taking a wrecking ball through the Mets core, months after the team missed the playoffs in one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, he is sending the message that mediocrity will not be tolerated. Of course, a large chunk of their poor results came from unpredictability and ineffectiveness in the starting rotation, a weaker area of the roster that has not yet been addressed. 

But, as an offense, the Mets failed to record even a single comeback win when trailing after the eighth inning in 2025. They went 0-70. It was unfathomable. At the end of the season, Stearns said he couldn’t make sense of it. The lack of late-game heroics had to be a factor when he decided to break up the core. 

There are also rumblings within the industry that the Mets had clubhouse issues this year. When asked about it at the Winter Meetings in Orlando this week, Stearns attempted to address that topic by saying: 

“I think we had a pretty good clubhouse last year, and I know a lot of you were in our clubhouse regularly, and maybe some of you would disagree with me, but I don’t know that many of you would walk in there on a daily basis and feel like this was not a good clubhouse. We have good people who play really hard, who want to win. We didn’t play well for the last two months of the year. 

“And when you don’t play well for the last two months of the year, people get frustrated, as we should. People hold each other accountable, as we should. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good group. That doesn’t mean it was a group that didn’t care about each other. I think we did. We just didn’t play well for the last two months of the year, and everyone was very frustrated by it.”

Stearns and the rest of Mets leadership have channeled that frustration by breaking up the band. In the seven seasons that Alonso, Diaz, and Nimmo played together, the Mets recorded eight playoff wins in two trips to the postseason. It wasn’t good enough. It has to be better. The Mets need to stack wins. In order for that to happen, sentimentality has taken a back seat to business only. 

OK, who are the Mets kidding? Sentimentality has been removed from the ride altogether. It’s an approach that might take a while to get used to, but time marches on. 

First came the disappointment. Then came the frustration. Next came the intrigue about what the Mets will look like on Opening Day. 

Now, it’s time for the pivot.

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

ORLANDO, Fla. – The next time Edwin Diaz pitches at Citi Field, the trumpets will be replaced by a tribute video. The same goes for Brandon Nimmo, whose catchy walk-up song – you know the one – will be superseded by a highlight reel of his best moments in New York. 

Is Pete Alonso next to join the growing list of long-tenured Mets deciding to walk away this offseason? In truth, the Mets shouldn’t even be considering it. They should be doing everything in their control to keep Alonso in Queens.

Losing two fan-favorite players is bad. But potentially parting ways with three? All in the same offseason? The Mets would have to execute exceptionally favorable blockbuster deals to even attempt to come back from that. 

“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Tuesday during MLB’s annual Winter Meetings. “We’ve got, certainly, work to do. But there are a lot of good players out there, and I’m confident that we’re really going to like where our team is once we get to Opening Day.” 

After Diaz shockingly swapped his blue and orange threads for the championship-adorned Dodgers uniform on Tuesday, the pressure is mounting for the Mets to re-sign Alonso to a long-term deal. The homegrown Polar Bear is said to be connecting with interested clubs here at the Winter Meetings, and the Mets won’t be one of them. They prefer to give him the space and freedom to see what’s out there before checking back in with him at a later date. 

So far, the Mets’ approach to keeping their battle-scarred players in New York has been laced with indifference. Sure, changes were expected after the team missed the playoffs on a $340 million payroll that was designed to be a World Series contender. But unemotionally parting ways with popular players and breaking up the team’s core makes me wonder if Stearns is underestimating the long-term negative impact those moves will have on the overall buy-in from the fan base, as well as the potential ripple effect within the clubhouse. 

Nimmo was the team’s longest-tenured player before he indicated he didn’t feel wanted by the Mets when they asked him to waive his no-trade clause. Then he agreed to go to the Texas Rangers in a deal that brought veteran second baseman Marcus Semien to Queens. Though Diaz’s upcoming free agency loomed over his 2025 season, no one really talked about it because it was presumed the Mets would do whatever was needed to keep their seven-year closer in New York. 

Something changed. Diaz chose the Dodgers on a reported three-year, $69 million contract – only $3 million more than what the Mets offered him. 

Now, right-hander Devin Williams is slotted to be the Mets closer, a risk in and of itself. He struggled to acclimate to New York’s high-pressure environment in his lone season with the Yankees, which led to his demotion from closer duties. He eventually adjusted, and it showed. Williams ended the 2025 season strong with 13 consecutive scoreless relief appearances, including four shutdown innings in the playoffs for the Yankees, but those all came in setup roles. There’s a ton of upside to Williams’ still-elite stuff, but he’s no Diaz. The Mets’ signing of Williams, at three years and $51 million, would have looked better if he served as the setup man to a high-leverage closer, like Diaz or free-agent reliever Robert Suarez. 

It’s fair to wonder if Diaz felt slighted by the Mets’ acquisition of Williams, viewing it as a sign that they did not necessarily need him to return. If so, that’s been somewhat of a trend for the Stearns-era Mets. Last offseason, Alonso expressed frustration at the slow pace of his free agency (the first baseman finally re-signed just before spring training), and the Mets lack of commitment to a long-term deal. 

Is Stearns striking the right balance between keeping valuable players and building continuity, versus making sure the Mets have the best team possible?

“That is something broadly that we talk about a lot,” Stearns said. “We have a lot of those conversations. We had them throughout this offseason. We had them throughout last offseason as well when we were faced with some decisions. It is part of it. I’ve said this before: I can’t tell you I know exactly how to weigh that. I think we do our best to weigh the full impact of any player on our team, on our organization, and we make the best decision we can.”

Rather than plugging the holes on their roster, the Mets have so far only created more vacancies. Trading Nimmo to the Rangers created an opening in left field, on top of the one that already existed in center. The bullpen still looks incomplete and in need of at least another high-leverage arm. If the season started today, Mark Vientos would be their first baseman. And, of the utmost importance, the Mets need an ace. 

There is plenty of offseason left, but the Mets have so far not addressed the source of the biggest headache of their nightmarish season: the rotation. They used a record number of pitchers in 2025 after sustaining an onslaught of injuries while dealing with unpredictability in the starting staff. Mets starters recorded a 4.13 ERA that ranked 18th in the majors. The unreliable nature of the rotation was a significant reason the Mets missed the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Mets offense, while frustratingly inconsistent at times, finished the year with the fifth-most home runs (224) and sixth-best OPS (.753) and on-base percentage (.326) in MLB. Alonso’s .272/.347/.524 slashline and 38 home runs were a major component of the team’s offensive success. 

Can the pain and frustration of losing Nimmo and Diaz — and maybe even Alonso — be quelled by a flurry of blockbuster deals from now until Opening Day? If the Mets parted ways with all three fan-favorites, but injected players like Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger into the outfield, and Framber Valdez or Freddy Peralta into the rotation, would that lessen the sting of losing those long-tenured Mets? Would that close the gap between the almighty powerful Dodgers, who only got stronger by acquiring Diaz? The Mets have to work just to keep up, let alone to fill their roster holes.

Stearns is asking us to trust his plans — less than three months after he took accountability for being the architect of this year’s flawed team. It’s a lot to ask for when the Mets, so far this winter, have seen more of their players walk away from Queens than decide to stay. 

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Kyle Schwarber is where he was always expected to go – right back where he belongs. 

The superstar slugger/designated hitter reportedly agreed to a five-year, $150 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies during the Winter Meetings on Tuesday. Schwarber was one of the marquee free agents of this year’s class. He opted to remain in Philly, where he has been idolized since joining the organization four years ago, despite the handful of offers he fielded this offseason, including interest from his hometown Cincinnati Reds. 

Schwarber is a clubhouse anchor coming off a career year in which he led the National League in home runs, paced the majors in RBI, and won All-Star Game MVP honors in a dramatic swing-off, all while playing 162 games. He finished second in NL MVP voting. Schwarber will earn $30 million annually for the next five years, taking him through his age-37 season. He becomes the second-highest paid designated hitter in the major leagues, behind only Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Here’s what’s next for the Phillies, Schwarber, and the rest of the free-agent market after his big pay day: 

What’s Next for Phillies

Re-signing Schwarber was the team’s top priority this winter, and it’s impossible to overstate how crucial it was that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski got the deal done. It would’ve been difficult to map out a pivot for the Phillies had Schwarber signed elsewhere, both in terms of talent and significance to the fan base. There is simply no other free-agent slugger that can do what Schwarber does at the plate – he ranked in the 100th percentile in hard-hit rate this year — and within the clubhouse walls. Schwarber is the connective tissue of the Phillies, the veteran who helped lift Orion Kerkering’s spirits following the reliever’s error that caused the Phillies to be eliminated from the playoffs. 

And beyond all of that, Schwarber staying in Philly keeps its championship window alive.

After falling short in the postseason again, the Phillies faced difficult decisions this offseason with their top players becoming free agents, as well as with the uncertain futures of their star players. Catcher J.T. Realmuto and left-hander Ranger Suarez are exploring the market. Bryce Harper is coming off a season in which he recorded his lowest career OPS since 2016, and even though he was still solid, he wasn’t elite. Ace Zack Wheeler is recovering from thoracic-outlet syndrome surgery. Given all of those unknowns, it was more important than anything else to re-sign Schwarber and stabilize the roster. 

Now, the Phillies must focus on upgrading their outfield, as well as bolstering their bullpen. After Schwarber’s deal, will the Phillies keep spending in free agency – targeting someone like outfielder Kyle Tucker – or will they focus on the trade market? There is still work to do in Philly, and Schwarber staying put was just the first, most crucial, step. 

What’s Next for Schwarber

As special as Schwarber’s walk year was, it would be unrealistic for the Phillies to expect him to hit 56 home runs every season for the next five years. But Schwarber made favorable changes to his zone swing rate and mentality at the plate ahead of the 2025 season, and his consistent production is something the Phillies can count on. This past season, Schwarber focused on swinging at pitches that are in the zone rather than working deeper counts. It led to an increase in his zone rate from 60.6% in 2024 to 64.1% in 2025. With improved plate discipline, Schwarber was aggressive on pitches that were strikes, and that’s a skillset he should be able to carry into next year.

Plus, Schwarber mashed lefties. His .598 slugging percentage against southpaws led the NL and ranked fifth in the major leagues. His dominance against left-handers helped propel the overall success of his walk year. Schwarber, who was non-tendered by the Cubs five years ago, has always been motivated to improve at the plate even as he creeps past his prime. That dedication to his craft while remaining open-minded with changes at the plate will help him remain one of the game’s most prolific sluggers through his five-year pact with the Phillies. 

What’s Next for MLB’s Top Free Agents

With Schwarber being the first domino to fall, other top free-agent position players should soon begin coming off the board. The industry was waiting for Schwarber, the bellwether of this year’s free-agent class, to make a decision, and now teams should be able to react to his market. After the success of his walk year, Schwarber was always projected to land an average annual value of around $30 million, so the financials of his long-term deal shouldn’t come as a surprise to the industry. 

Still, the door to the market should be wide open now. Teams that were interested in potentially adding Schwarber’s slug, including the Mets, Red Sox, Reds, and even the Pirates, will have to pivot. Expect the buzz around this year’s other top free-agents, including Tucker, Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger, and Pete Alonso, to pick up steam in the coming days.

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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