Author: Deesha Thosar

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NEW YORK — Juan Soto seemed to approach his introductory press conference with the Mets much the same way he sets up at the plate for his at-bats. Sitting at a long table on a raised stage in the jam-packed Piazza club at Citi Field, he clamped his teeth down on his bottom lip and nodded his head up and down. It was the same expression we’d seen him make in the batter’s box, except this time, instead of staring down the pitcher, he was facing his future. 

Soto was his usual picture of confidence as he exchanged his navy blue blazer for a white No. 22 New York Mets jersey that he wore over his black turtleneck sweater. Mets owner Steve Cohen, who looked both exhausted and relieved after the rollercoaster of emotions of the past week, extended his hand to Soto and officially started their 15-year, $765 million partnership. What’s step one? Build a dynasty in Queens so that the Mets become one of the premiere elite teams in baseball. 

“Definitely that was one of the things that opened my eyes more,” Soto said on Thursday at Citi Field. “How hungry they are to win a championship, and to want to make a dynasty with the New York Mets.”

Let’s dive into three takeaways from a special day in Mets franchise history.

What made the Mets stand out to Soto?

Being the recipient of the largest contract in professional sports history was the elephant in the room, but besides the obvious, the two words that Soto most mentioned throughout his first big day as a Met were winning and family. 

While Soto was still deciding where he would spend his future, he asked Cohen during their second meeting this offseason how many championships the Mets owner would like to win over the next 10 years. Cohen answered: “I’d like to win two to four.” That ambitious response resonated with Soto’s long-term goal, and it ultimately became a separator for the slugger as he mulled over bids from five teams (the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, and Blue Jays). Late Sunday night, Soto decided the Mets gave him the best chance to win a World Series. 

You might think his resolute determination to win puts pressure on the Mets organization, but Soto actually shares that hunger with Cohen. If anyone is heightening the pressure to win championships and morph the Mets into perennial winners, it’s the billionaire hedge-fund manager and lifetime Mets fan who bought the franchise for fun, as a hobby on the side, in Nov. 2020. The Mets’ presentation highlighted Cohen’s deep-rooted desire to bring sustained success to Queens.

“I wanted to get a point across to him that we’re good people, that we care, that we want to win a championship, that I’m always successful,” Cohen said. “If he ever wants to sit down and talk to me — I was saying that in a town hall for my hedge fund today. I have 3,200 employees, my door is always open. And most people don’t take advantage of it because I’m the boss and nobody wants to talk to the boss. But that’s how I operate. I operate that way with Juan Soto, and I operate that way with a junior analyst at my hedge fund.”

To demonstrate the importance of mi casa es su casa, Cohen held the California meeting with Soto in his $35 million Beverly Hills mansion. Cohen joked that he invited Soto over because “the food’s better at my house,” but it was just another detail that separated the Mets from the other four teams. Another distinction was the presence of Cohen’s 93-year-old father-in-law, Ralph Garcia, at the meeting. Cohen’s wife, Alex, grew up in Washington Heights watching the Mets with her dad, who goes to every home game these days, and he attended the Soto meeting to tell him how much he wanted to see the slugger play in orange and blue threads. 

The Cohen family’s openness and promised ongoing availability mattered a great deal to Soto. It made him and his family feel comfortable, and for a 26-year-old kid from the Dominican Republic who spends his free time with his family, that feeling of security loomed large over his decision-making process. But Soto’s favorite part about the Mets’ presentation was a video where, at the end of it, they showed a statue of Soto erected next to the statue of Tom Seaver that currently sits outside of Citi Field. Talk about acing the test.

“It’s been in a Mets town for a long time, so I think we just gotta bring it to the top,” Soto said. “Definitely, championships are going to tell you whether it’s the Yankees or a Mets town at the end of the day.”

How did the Yankees fall short?

We know the Yankees didn’t offer as much money as the Mets did, but they weren’t that far off from the final number. The Mets’ offer of $765 million is only $5 million better, in terms of total guaranteed value, than the Yankees’ offer of $760 million. His signing bonus in Queens is $15 million more than where the Yankees stopped. His agreed-upon $51 million annual average value is $3.5 million more than what it could’ve been with the Yankees. These are not outrageous differences, but to the youngest and most talented free agent to hit the market since Alex Rodriguez in 2000, the details clearly mattered.

“​​I feel like they did everything that they had in their power to help me out, to bring me back,” Soto said of the Yankees. “But I had four other teams doing the same thing and trying to make me feel comfortable. And at the end of the day we look at everything, we look at the chances and we look at what other teams wanted to do, and what everybody wants to do for the next 15 years, and I think we have the best chances over here.”

“Look, the New York Yankees in this negotiation stepped up. They did,” Boras said. “They really, really made themselves known in this process and the Soto family and everyone has the highest regard. It was really about internally what they felt was best long-term.”

[RELATED: Three moves the Yankees must make after losing Juan Soto]

Soto addressed the topic of the paid suite he requested for his family at the ballpark, and how he appreciated that Cohen was willing to include it. The Yankees, according to reports, did not sign off on a paid suite for Soto at Yankee Stadium. Cohen simply said he had heard from Scott Boras, Soto’s agent, that the slugger wanted a suite as part of the deal, so the Mets included it right from the beginning.

“He made a request, I was happy to provide it,” Cohen said.

Soto described his year with the Yankees as “the best time,” but he also said he hasn’t spoken to any of his former Bronx teammates since they lost the World Series to the Dodgers. He thanked Yankees fans for showing him love this past year, but that’s hardly going to minimize the barrage of boos that will be sent his way when the Subway Series goes to 161st Street on May 16. Of course, he understood that when he picked the two-time championship Mets over the 27-time championship Yankees. But 29 fanbases were always going to be irritated by his final decision. Soto was ready for that.

Ultimately, he was more impressed by the Mets’ hot pursuit. The formal presentation to land Soto began in earnest in August, when Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns typically begins his offseason preparation, but the groundwork was laid long before that. Stearns said acquiring Soto was on his radar, dating as far back as October 2023, when Cohen named him the first POBO in Mets franchise history. Cohen’s desire to make Soto a Met was discussed in his initial meeting with Stearns last year.

“We did know that if he was going to be a free agent,” Stearns said, “We were going to make a very strong push.”

What is Soto going to do with all the money?

The generational star expected a big pay day for a long time — that much was evident when he reportedly rejected a 15-year, $440 million extension with the Nationals in 2021. But, even so, no one was prepared for Soto to break Shohei Ohtani’s record for the biggest contract in sports by a whopping $305 million. 

Soto had a lot of time to think about what he would do with his money before he finally accepted the Mets’ contract this week. His thoughtful answer based on paying it forward provided insight into the values that Soto most cares about.

“The first thing that came to mind was, I’m going to try to help a lot of people back in D.R.,” Soto said. “I know that there are a lot of kids that have talent and they can have a bright future, but they don’t have the support to do it. And I feel like when you sign a contract like that, that’s the first thing it brings to my mind, to help the community and try to help everybody around my country – and try to create more chances, more opportunities for the people to grow and keep moving forward. 

“You never know who’s going to be the next Juan Soto, who’s going to be the next Ohtani, the next Bryce Harper, or who’s going to be the next Scott Boras, who’s going to be the next Steve Cohen. I want to give them that little hope. I feel like that’s one of the biggest things. Just give them hope so they can keep moving forward.”

[RELATED: $1 million per homer? $27,000 a point? Sports is loaded with money oddities]

It’s not just the Dominican Republic that Soto is supporting. He lifted the Mets’ long-beleaguered fanbase the second he announced his decision to play at Citi Field for what could be the rest of his career. Sit tight, Mets fans. Only a few more months until April 4, when you can give Soto your love in the most anticipated Mets home opener to date.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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DALLAS — The winter meetings are buzzing. 

This year’s event, held at the expansive, 45-acre Hilton Anatole resort, has the potential to be an extremely active week for the baseball industry as club executives, managers, player agents, and numerous reporters settle into the most exciting time in MLB’s offseason. 

After generational slugger Juan Soto got the week started with his eyebrow-raising decision to play for the Mets, free agents and trade candidates are expected to fly off the board as deals come together this week. Without further ado, here’s what we’re hearing from various corners of the industry.

Nolan Arenado is open to being traded

The 10-time Gold Glove winner may have played his final game in St. Louis. The Cardinals are “motivated to move him,” and Arenado is willing to strongly consider being traded as long as the landing spot is with a win-now team, according to his agent, Joel Wolfe. Not only is Arenado involved in daily conversations with Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak about being traded, but Wolfe is telling teams that the six-time Platinum Glove third baseman is even offering to play a different position.

“Nolan wanted to offer it and say, ‘I’m happy to play first. I can move around and play third,'” Wolfe said on Tuesday. “Nolan was like, ‘I’ll play shortstop. I’ll do whatever. But I’m not insulted to go play first, and I can win a Gold Glove over there if that’s what it takes to move around,’ because a lot of teams value versatility. So he wanted to be the first to offer that, so that [Mozeliak] can tell other teams that. From what I heard, that was well received.”

Arenado has a full no-trade clause, so he won’t be leaving St. Louis unless he signs off on it. Wolfe indicated that Arenado’s priority is to play for a team that’s going to win now, and win consistently for the rest of his career. He wants a team that “has the throttle down,” Wolfe said, and since the Cardinals are prioritizing moving payroll, it’s in the best interests of both sides to go in different directions. But it won’t be easy.

Arenado, who turns 34 in April, is owed $74 million across the remaining three years of his contract, with the Rockies covering $10 million, so any team that wants him will have to absorb $64 million for a veteran who was once a superstar, but has shown serious signs of decline in recent years. He hit just 16 home runs, slugged .394 (his career average is .515) and posted a 101 OPS+ in 2024. 

Garrett Crochet could be dealt this week

The White Sox ace has been attached to trade reports for a while now, but a source told FOX Sports that this could finally be the week that he’s dealt from Chicago. Before the retorts of “we’ll believe it when we see it” come flooding in, the expectation is that the White Sox are serious about negotiating a deal before the winter meetings are over. That should be an exciting jolt for contending teams; Crochet is the most coveted starting pitcher on the trade market. 

The 25-year-old southpaw has two more years of team control remaining before he hits free agency, and he’s coming off a successful jump to the rotation that included a 3.58 ERA across 32 starts. While the White Sox are receiving calls from several teams, their asking price might be too high at this juncture of the offseason. A number of teams are expected to explore deals for the many free-agent starting pitchers still available before making the tougher decision to ship a slew of top prospects in exchange for Crochet. It’s possible that Crochet will get dealt after more starters fly off the board. 

Boras expected to have an even bigger week

After Scott Boras got Soto, his top client, to sign Sunday to kick off the meetings, the industry is expecting the super agent to make at least one or two more big splashes before the week is over. 

Boras, as usual, has high-profile clients under his purview, with first baseman Pete Alonso, third baseman Alex Bregman, and right-handed starter Corbin Burnes headlining the list of his free agents. It’s possible that Boras is under pressure to get his players to reach agreements with clubs sooner rather than later in light of the extremely delayed signings that happened a year ago. Some of the biggest names that were last to sign last offseason were Cody Bellinger (Feb. 27, 2024), Matt Chapman (March 2), Blake Snell (March 19), J.D. Martinez (March 23), and Jordan Montgomery (March 29). 

Waiting until spring training was well underway — and in Montgomery’s case, two days into the regular season — didn’t bode well, in terms of performance and finances, for Boras’ players. It seems Boras has learned his lesson, as more of his top clients have already reached deals, including Snell’s five-year, $182 million pact with the Dodgers. Buckle up. More of Boras’ stars could be finalizing terms in Dallas as we speak.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on X at @DeeshaThosar.

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DALLAS — For the New York Yankees, there is no relief in discovering that their brand — the rich history and the weight of the pinstripes — mattered little to Juan Soto. Monument Park was calling the slugger’s name all year as he and Aaron Judge combined to post arguably the best offensive season in MLB history by teammates not named Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. A century later, Soto had the opportunity to build a Yankees legacy had he decided to spend the remainder of his career on 161st Street. 

But, make no mistake, this wasn’t about loyalty. Judge’s decision to accept a lesser contract offer from the Yankees in his 2022 free agency was connected to his homegrown odyssey through their system. Soto owed no such fealty to the franchise, and he was free to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Yankees organization with an open mind during his 2024 season in the Bronx. No matter how the Yankees slice it, Soto looking beyond their 44 Hall of Fame players, 27 championships, and 59 playoff appearances is a gut punch. 

That context matters as the team navigates where to go from here. If there’s a world where losing Soto to the crosstown Mets (despite a nearly equal offer) can be a positive for the Yankees, then Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman must find a way to migrate there. Like Steinbrenner said at last month’s owners’ meetings in Manhattan, “I know what’s expected of me.” After the Soto fallout, he is still expected to pivot to a strong Plan B and make the most of the offseason by spreading the finances he reportedly offered the top free agent on the market ($760 million over 16 years) between a few different impact players who could fill his club’s glaring roster holes.

Let’s examine three areas the Yankees must address to revive their offseason with the ultimate goal of winning their first championship since 2009.

1. Outfield

Who will be roaming right field for the Yankees on Opening Day? The club might handle its Soto-sized hole a couple of different ways. Judge can move back over to right, where he’s played the most games in his major-league career. Jasson Domínguez, the organization’s No. 1 prospect, could take over in center field, where he’s played 239 minor-league games versus 58 games in left field and one game in right. 

Such a defensive formation would free up space for the Yankees to acquire free-agent left fielder Teoscar Hernandez, who would be a terrific fit in the Bronx after his strong season with the championship Dodgers. Hernandez set career highs in home runs (33) and walks (53), all while playing 154 games (second-most on the Dodgers behind Shohei Ohtani), earning his third career Silver Slugger award. The Yankees saw firsthand how impactful Hernandez can be this past season, first in June when he swatted an eighth-inning grand slam to propel the Dodgers to a series win, and then again in the World Series as he posted a .931 OPS during L.A.’s triumph. 

Beyond Hernandez, the Yankees could also go for free-agent right fielder Anthony Santander and keep Judge in center while shifting Dominguez to left. Santander, like Hernandez, is another power-hitting corner outfielder who set a career high in home runs (44), RBIs (102), walks (58) and OPS (.814) in a full season. The Yankees have watched Santander rake on the Orioles in the AL East for the past eight years, and it would be ideal for them to flip the script there. But their commitment would likely have to be higher and longer on a deal for Santander, who is just 29, than they would for Hernandez, who figures to land a shorter contract since he’s 31. 

Either way, the Yankees need to land one of those two corner outfielders to replace Soto, because there’s a huge drop-off in talent after them.

[RELATED: How the Mets plucked Juan Soto from the Yankees | Ten biggest contracts in MLB history: Juan Soto’s $765 million with Mets tops list]

2. First base

Replacing Anthony Rizzo with someone in-house, like Ben Rice, would’ve been a fair path to take had the Yankees managed to sign Soto. But since they didn’t, Cashman & Co. should be going for one of the two top first basemen on the market. Either Pete Alonso or Christian Walker could help make up for Soto’s production in the lineup, but neither of them will come cheap. That shouldn’t be a problem, though. As noted, the Yankees should be going for players at the top end of the market with the money that was originally offered to Soto. So, which direction makes the most sense for the Yankees now?

Let’s tackle the Alonso argument first. The Yankees could respond to Soto bolting to the Mets by stealing the Polar Bear from Queens. It would definitely sting for the Mets, since Alonso is a homegrown slugger, half the jerseys that fans wear around Citi Field are his No. 20, and president of baseball operations David Stearns has said multiple times this offseason that they “would love to bring Pete back.” Beyond the New York rivalry, Alonso is an obvious match for the Yankees with their hole at first and need for power. The 30-year-old is said to be looking for a long-term contract in the range of five years, and the Yankees might have some concerns about Alonso’s defensive value toward the end of that deal, as his eventual role figures to be designated hitter.

Then there’s Walker, who is four years older than Alonso, but has been markedly better and more consistent on defense throughout his career. Since 2019, Walker leads all first basemen in outs above average (58), and nobody is even close to sniffing that kind of defensive value. At the plate, Walker doesn’t have Alonso’s power numbers, but his 95 homers over the past three seasons would represent a notable upgrade from what they’ve been getting. (The last first baseman to homer for the Yankees was fill-in DJ LeMahieu — in July). Walker’s age could be a red flag for an upcoming decline, whereas Alonso prioritizes staying on the field. Only Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson have played more games at first base than Alonso since his 2019 debut. 

These are the types of discussions the Yankees brass are having at this week’s winter meetings as they determine which direction to go. It’s also clear that the club can’t wait too long to make a decision given how weak the market for first basemen is beyond Alonso and Walker.

3. Starting pitching

Give credit to the Yankees for making sure Gerrit Cole stayed in pinstripes after he exercised his opt-out earlier this offseason. The attention has now shifted to the rest of the rotation, particularly whether the supporting cast is solid enough to be a dominant force in the playoffs. The emergence of Luis Gil was a huge boon for the staff, and it will be interesting to see how he builds on that success in his sophomore season after winning Rookie of the Year. Even with Gil’s help, the Yankees should still be shopping at the top of the market in both free agency and trades.

Starting with the latter, White Sox ace Garrett Crochet would be a great fit in the Bronx given his age (25) and trajectory. As evidenced by reliever-turned-starter Clarke Schmidt, the Yankees are big fans of converted starters, and Crochet immediately found success in 2024 in his first full season in a rotation. The southpaw struck out 209 batters across 32 starts, posting a 3.38 ERA in 146 innings. Saddling him with Cole and Carlos Rodón would give the Yankees one of the better pitching trios in baseball. 

Looking at free-agent starters, Corbin Burnes is widely viewed as the best option available. He’ll certainly be the most expensive, but that shouldn’t be an issue with Soto’s departure. The 29-year-old ace is coming off his fourth consecutive All-Star season, this time with the Orioles, registering a 2.92 ERA and 1.096 WHIP across 32 starts and 194.1 innings. Beyond the obvious advantage of adding a star like Burnes to complement the in-house ace in Cole, his immediate and smooth success with Baltimore after being traded demonstrates that he can excel in a new environment (and league). That’s important to the Yankees as they look for players who have the rock-solid demeanor to handle New York.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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DALLAS — Talk about a New York City robbery. It wasn’t just the top free-agent jewel that the Mets stole from the Yankees; Steve Cohen hijacked the crown, too. 

Less than two months after Juan Soto helped take the Yankees to the World Series, Cohen’s Mets blew him away Sunday with the largest contract in professional sports history. Soto did end up going to the highest bidder — the Mets’ reported pact with the slugger is for $765 million over 15 years. But the Yankees’ offer apparently wasn’t too far behind, bringing into question whether Soto wanted to play in Queens all along. 

If that’s the case, then there could be a couple of factors that swayed him one borough over. 

The Yankees’ reported offer of $760 million over 16 years would’ve given Soto an average annual value of $47.5 million, which is just $3.5 million shy per year of what he’ll earn with the Mets. Soto’s Mets deal also reportedly includes a $75 million signing bonus. If that difference in dollar amount is all that mattered to Soto, then it makes sense that he agreed to the highest offer on the table. But since the Yankees’ offer was pretty close to what he ended up agreeing to, it sure seems like Soto wanted to make a statement that both fan bases in New York won’t take lightly. 

RELATED: Ten biggest contracts in MLB history: Juan Soto’s $765 million with Mets tops list

The Mets — not the Yankees — represented the more appealing long-term destination to Soto in part because of how much they were willing to spend, no doubt. But Cohen also prioritizes getting to know the people in his organization — from players, to front office personnel, to security staffers — on an intimate level. He forms that relationship by routinely appearing on the field, walking through the Mets clubhouse, and just simply being available and around. Cohen’s wife, Alex, spends time around the Mets dugout, catching up with players during batting practice, too. It’s rare for any owner in professional sports to be as visible as the Cohens are with the Mets. Just take a look at the situation across town. 

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner doesn’t mingle in the clubhouse, and is rarely spotted around Yankee Stadium to talk with his players. One former Yankees player who spent eight seasons in pinstripes said he spoke to Steinbrenner just once or twice during his time in the Bronx. Steinbrenner has a closer relationship with captain Aaron Judge, particularly after Judge’s frenzied 2022 free agency that resulted in Steinbrenner getting on the phone and completing a long-term pact with the Yankees slugger. Judge confirmed as recently as last month that he has an open line of communication with Steinbrenner, and he appreciates that availability from the owner. 

Apparently, Steinbrenner doesn’t share that same dynamic with many in the building, let alone the guy who was his No. 1 priority this winter. Soto asked Steinbrenner, when the two sides met in California last month, why he didn’t approach him during this past season in the Bronx, and he wondered why the owner didn’t try to form a closer relationship with Soto. Steinbrenner, fairly or not, said he wanted to give Soto space because he was so clearly locked in, enjoying his best career season, and he didn’t want to get in the way of that.

In the end, waiting to form a close relationship with Soto might have been a colossal mistake on Steinbrenner’s part. 

Cohen’s players routinely voice how much they love playing for the Mets because it feels like a family. There’s an open trust around Citi Field, particularly during this David Stearns/Carlos Mendoza era. Mets players have said they feel like they can be themselves in Queens. 

One recent moment that painted a picture of the Cohens feeling like “one of the guys” to left-hander Sean Manaea was when Alex Cohen’s dad, affectionately known as Mets grandpa, was doused in champagne in the middle of their clubhouse after they advanced to the National League Championship Series.

Through that everyday visibility, Cohen sends the message that he cares about his team. And for the players that go through the 162-game grind of a season, in hopes of reaching October and ultimately being the last team standing, having that open relationship with the top brass in the organization matters a great deal. Shortstop and de-facto captain Francisco Lindor says it all the time: It takes every single person in the organization to win, and that includes the responsibility of the ownership to form a close relationship with players, the front office working hard to fill roster holes, and the manager sticking up for his clubhouse. 

As MLB’s winter meetings unfold in Dallas this week, Cohen’s commitment to winning has never been clearer. 

No one was going to stop him from acquiring Soto, certainly not the crosstown rival Yankees nor MLB’s luxury tax penalty, when all he had to do was continue to increase his offer. When Cohen bought the Mets franchise in 2020, he said he wanted to win the World Series in the ensuing 3-5 years. The upcoming season will be Year 5. Snatching Soto from the Yankees was a statement-making step in that championship-caliber direction, and the Mets are a threat to win it all with the generational slugger suiting up in the orange and blue — for the next decade and a half.

Welcome to the newest era of Mets baseball, where the little brother might have just become the bully.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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The Hot Stove has been cold through the first three weeks of November, but the action is expected to heat up soon with MLB’s winter meetings nearing. In the meantime, we’re examining each team to identify its three biggest needs this offseason and which free agents could fulfill them.

Our series begins with the National League East.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

1. Outfield: The Phillies’ subpar outfield production ranked 18th in MLB this past year, with a 97 wRC+ that fell below league average. Even if they’re set on staying with Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas haven’t done enough to be guaranteed starting roles. Could top prospect Justin Crawford take the center field job as soon as Opening Day? Trading for someone like Luis Robert Jr. or Brent Rooker wouldn’t hurt, either.

2. Starting pitching: They need to find a way to replace Taijuan Walker, and they could turn in-house for an arm at the back end of the rotation with top prospect Andrew Painter returning from Tommy John surgery next year. But the Phillies will likely have to wait at least until the summer months for Painter, so if they’re calling the White Sox for Robert, they might as well ask about Crochet, too. Otherwise, free agents Yusei Kikuchi, Walker Buehler and Frankie Montas, or even Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer for a year, could be good fits in Philly.

3. Bullpen: With Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez in free agency, the Phillies need to address their relief corps — and bringing one or both top arms back should obviously be on the table. Clay Holmes, Blake Treinen, and Tanner Scott are all premier relievers, and that’s where the Phillies should be shooting in order to remain a well-rounded threat to win the World Series. The bullpen would be a nice place to spend if they engage in trade deals for their other needs.

ATLANTA BRAVES

1. Starting pitching: After the complete robbery that Alex Anthopoulos pulled off by swapping Vaughn Grissom for Chris Sale last offseason, I’m expecting the Braves to upgrade their rotation by dipping back into the trade market, and it’s anyone’s guess whom the partner would be. If Atlanta goes the free-agent route, then Nathan Eovaldi or Nick Pivetta would be solid additions to a rotation that could still be without Spencer Strider at the beginning of next season and no longer includes Charlie Morton.

2. Shortstop: Outside of staying healthy, Orlando Arcia was abysmal last year, producing a 73 OPS+ and repeatedly falling short with runners in scoring position in the second half of the season. He seems like Atlanta’s likeliest trade candidate, and the club could use his return elsewhere because there are better infield options on the market. Free-agent shortstop Willy Adames would make terrific sense in Atlanta, as would jack-of-all-trades infielder Ha-Seong Kim. 

3. Outfield: Since Atlanta will start the season without Ronald Acuña Jr., the club will need an effective stopgap in right field to get through the first part of the year, then slide over once the former MVP is back. So this outfielder doesn’t have to be a game-changer, but just serviceable and steady enough to fit in well with the rest of the lineup. Free-agent Michael Conforto could be an option, as well as Alex Verdugo or Travis Jankowski.

NEW YORK METS

1. Starting pitching: On the Mets’ official team depth chart, there is only one starter listed in their rotation, and it’s Kodai Senga. With Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana all in free agency, the Mets have to rebuild their starting rotation, and while it makes sense to bring back some of those arms, they have $150 million coming off the payroll and should look to add from the top end of the market. Guys like Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Max Fried, Walker Buehler, and Jack Flaherty should all be in play. 

2. Outfield: Beyond the obvious reasons the Mets should go and get Soto, they might have a Starling Marte problem in right field. He’s missed a ton of time due to injuries, and is a different, less impactful player after double groin surgery. Brandon Nimmo looks like the only everyday outfielder, with Jeff McNeil possibly shifting to play in a corner spot. Soto would solve their problem, as would fellow free agents Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernández. 

3. First base/third base: If the Mets don’t re-sign Pete Alonso, they could move Mark Vientos from third to first. And if they do re-sign Alonso, then Vientos looked plenty serviceable at third to run him back and negate this need altogether. But Alonso staying in Queens is no sure thing, so the Mets can look to add Alex Bregman to create one of the strongest infields in baseball. Otherwise, it’s a thin market at the hot corner, and it doesn’t seem wise for the Mets to turn to Brett Baty there again.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

1. Power bat: So many of the Nationals’ roster spots are filled by young talent, and the thinking around the team is that this is the year to go for it and finally spend on high-end talent to fill the gaps in hopes of, at the very least, grabbing a wild-card spot. There are murmurs about Soto reuniting with the Nats for a reason, and though it’s still considered a long shot, their long-lost slugger would certainly solve a ton of their lineup/power issues. Other options are Anthony Santander, who won’t even need to change his home address if the Nats decide to make a big splash and land the coveted right fielder, and Joc Pederson. 

2. First base: Speaking of big spending, the Nats should be playing at the top of the market to fulfill their corner-infield hole. We’re talking longer-term deals with Pete Alonso or Christian Walker, with the latter posing as the better fit in D.C. Even though he’ll be 34 on Opening Day, he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, and the Nats should be prioritizing vets like him to help lead their club. Plus, due to his age, he’s in line for a shorter-term contract that could fit with Washington’s intentions.

3. Starting pitching: Perhaps Soto isn’t the only reunion Nationals fans could be focusing on. How fitting would it be for the Nats to land a one-year deal with Max Scherzer? Yes, a lot of their offseason plans seem to be surrounded by sentimentality, but Scherzer’s veteran presence on a young roster, in addition to whatever he has left in the tank, could go a long way. Other vets like free agents Nathan Eovaldi, Kyle Gibson and Jose Quintana, or bringing back Trevor Williams, could work, too.

MIAMI MARLINS

1. Outfield: After dealing Jazz Chisholm at the trade deadline, the Marlins need someone to roam center field, and their best bet could be sitting near the bottom-third tier of this year’s outfield free-agent class. Some names that should be on Miami’s radar: Mark Canha, Jesse Winker, Harrison Bader and Max Kepler. They’re not elite offensive outfielders, but they’re significant upgrades over what the Marlins would be trotting out otherwise. 

2. Shortstop: That being said, this is the Marlins we’re talking about, and their only free-agent signing last year was a one-year flier on Tim Anderson, and he was DFA’d by July. So, even though they have a few needs, they should be expected to be filled internally for the foreseeable future. Giving Xavier Edwards more runway is their likely scenario. The shortstop posted a 124 OPS+ in 70 games last year, but struggled on defense with -8 DRS. 

3. Catcher: Nick Fortes needs a catching partner, and if Miami goes shopping near the bottom of the market, it will see names like Max Stassi, Martin Maldonado, Omar Narvaez and Luke Maile that could be of interest to them. High-end free-agent catchers like Danny Jansen or Elias Diaz would be terrific offensive upgrades to the lineup, but that would require the front office to spend. It’s clear that the Marlins are still in rebuild mode.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter 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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The Hot Stove has been cold through the first three weeks of November, but the action is expected to heat up soon with MLB’s winter meetings nearing. In the meantime, we’re examining each team to identify its three biggest needs this offseason and which free agents could fulfill them.

Our series begins with the National League Central.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

1. Shortstop: The Brewers, as always, will be more active on the trade front than they will be in free agency following Willy Adames‘ departure. They can get creative and move either one of Brice Turang or Joey Ortiz to shortstop full time and then aim to fill second and third base to cover their ground that way. Since Rhys Hoskins opted in on his player option, the Brewers have a surplus of first basemen, in which Jake Bauers seems likeliest to go. Orlando Arcia could be a good bounce-back candidate if Milwaukee wants to do a deal with Atlanta.

2. Second base: If the Brewers wind up moving Turang or Ortiz to short, they could look to trade for Angels infielder Luis Rengifo, who will be in the final year of arbitration in 2025. It’s a boon for Milwaukee that Rengifo plays both second and third, and he shouldn’t cost them too many prospects or flashy players since he would be a one-year stop-gap option. Rangers infielder Justin Foscue could be another trade target, since he has no path to regular playing time in Texas.

3. Third base: It seems more and more likely that this will be the winter Milwaukee trades closer Devin Williams, as he’s set to enter free agency next offseason and the Brewers are not expected to extend him. Dangling a star pitcher like Williams in front of contenders that need bullpen help should net the Brewers a big return, so perhaps they could aim to land Orioles third base prospect Coby Mayo, who has a ton of upside but has been somewhat held back by Baltimore’s influx of infielders. 

CHICAGO CUBS

1. Starting pitching: Even though Chicago’s rotation could use a top-of-the-market starter like Burnes, it seems unlikely the club will shoot that high given its most recent, low-cost deals for Jameson Taillon and Shota Imanaga. Free agent starting pitchers with lesser price points who could fit into the rotation include Luis Severino, Frankie Montas, Jose Quintana, Adrian Houser and Trevor Williams. If they want to get creative in the trade market, the Cubs have a top-10 farm system in baseball and could try to win the Crochet sweepstakes.

2. Bullpen: After last year’s plan of Adbert Alzolay (Tommy John) and Hector Neris (setup man pushed into a closer role) didn’t work out, the Cubs should be focusing on adding a volume of high-leverage arms — and let’s face it, that’s every bullpen’s dream. Guys like Clay Holmes, Kenley Jansen, Danny Coulombe and Chris Martin would be solid fits. 

3. Catcher: The Cubs did a solid job trading for Angels catcher Matt Thaiss this offseason, but he’s ideally a backup option rather than the upgrade that Jed Hoyer indicated he wanted to add. For that, Chicago should be looking at the free-agent market, where Kyle Higashioka would make a lot of sense as the Cubs’ starter. Danny Jansen would be another premiere option. Cubs catchers produced a 69 wRC+ this past year (26th in MLB).

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

1. Starting pitching: Since Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson are free agents after decent one-year stints with the Cardinals, and Miles Mikolas shouldn’t be counted on to bounce back after his abysmal 2024 season, St. Louis could use a top-end starting pitcher who is, preferably, left-handed. The top two southpaws on the market are Blake Snell and Max Fried, and a tier or two below is left-hander Jose Quintana. After a 4.33 rotation ERA that ranked 20th in baseball, the Cardinals should be shooting for significant upgrades here.

2. Outfielder: The Cardinals could use another everyday outfielder to join Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar. Rather than dipping into the free-agent market, the still retooling Cardinals appear likely to turn in-house for outfield upgrades. Former prospects Jordan Walker and Victor Scott have yet to find consistency in the majors, but they could get more runway from the Cardinals to prove they belong. Outfielder Michael Siani also has a lot to prove to earn a potential full-time role.

3. Relief pitching: The relief corps needs a solid high-leverage arm who can pair well with closer Ryan Helsey since setup man Andrew Kittredge hit free agency. Perhaps veterans David Robertson or Aroldis Chapman could be of some help in St. Louis. 

CINCINNATI REDS

1. Outfield: Cincinnati could stand to upgrade at least two outfield spots, with a slugging outfielder being the club’s most pressing need. Since the Reds have a surplus of left-handed hitting outfielders in Luke Fraley and Will Benson, it would make sense to trade one of them for someone with more power. Over in San Francisco, Mike Yastrzemski and LaMonte Wade Jr. are both one year removed from free agency, so that could be a good place to start for Cincy. Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu could be another option.

2. Starting pitching: They could use another top-end rotation arm to pair with Hunter Greene, who’s coming off a sneaky Cy-Young caliber campaign and career year. Cincy probably feels good about three spots in the rotation along with the brief stint from former first-rounder Rhett Lowder, who was stellar following his August call-up. But overall, the talent in the rotation is a step behind the rest of the roster, so they should look to acquire a starter either via trade or free agency. Maybe Cincy could swing a deal for southpaw Jesus Luzardo, who’s under Marlins control for two more seasons but seems like a candidate to be traded at some point in the next several months. 

3. Designated hitter: The Reds’ OPS at DH in 2024 was .599, good for 29th in the major leagues, and their -3.0 fWAR from DH was worst in baseball. For comparison, the league’s average OPS at DH was .742. The top available DH this year is Joc Pederson, followed by J.D. Martinez and Andrew McCutchen, and there’s a steep drop-off after that. A’s outfielder/DH Brent Rooker could be a trade target for the Reds.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

1. First base: Pittsburgh’s biggest need is debatable between first base and a corner outfielder. Rowdy Tellez is a free agent and the team stood to upgrade from him anyway. The Pirates have plenty of solid arms to try and fill their roster holes through the trade market, and Ryan Mountcastle is someone they could be targeting. The Orioles are teeming with position players and could use some of Pittsburgh’s arms. These two clubs appear to be obvious partners this winter.

2. Corner outfielder: In that same token, the Red Sox are another club that could benefit from the Pirates’ boatload of young arms, and they have a right fielder who makes sense for the Bucs. The lefty-swinging Wilyer Abreu enjoyed a promising rookie season in 2024, crushing 15 home runs with a 114 wRC+ to boot. The Red Sox might be desperate for great pitching, so this could be the ideal time for the Pirates to strike. 

3. Relief pitching: Pittsburgh’s bullpen ERA (4.49) ranked 27th in baseball, which shouldn’t be surprising given the relief unit blew 36 leads. As much as the Pirates have received recognition for their arms, they need to revamp the bullpen to make any pitching headway actually count for something. Perhaps another free-agent deal for a proven veteran reliever, like last year’s acquisition of Aroldis Chapman, could work in their favor. Kenley Jansen would be a name to look out for. They could also choose to develop one of their multiple minor-league arms into more of a sure-thing relief option.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter 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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The Hot Stove has been cold through the first three weeks of November, but the action is expected to heat up soon with MLB’s winter meetings nearing. In the meantime, we’re examining each team to identify its three biggest needs this offseason and which free agents could fulfill them.

Our series begins with the American League East.

NEW YORK YANKEES

1. Signing the best young free agent in 20 years: The club’s top priority this winter is ensuring Juan Soto stays in pinstripes, but if he doesn’t, then the Yankees will need to look for outfield help, especially since Alex Verdugo is unlikely to return in free agency. Outside of top prospect Jasson Domínguez, who should be on the Opening Day roster, free agents Teoscar Hernández and Anthony Santander would be solid fits in the Bronx, keeping in mind there’s a significant drop-off in outfield talent after them.

2. Second base: Brian Cashman didn’t exactly offer glowing remarks for Gleyber Torres as the Yankees’ seven-year second baseman entered free agency, and the two sides always seemed destined to eventually part ways. New York’s roster needs to get younger and faster, so infield prospect Caleb Durbin could make a huge impact if he’s big-league ready. Durbin turned heads in the Arizona Fall League, setting an all-time record by stealing 29 bases in just 24 games. The Yankees could also move Jazz Chisholm to second, a spot he manned his first couple of years with the Marlins (or even to center field, where he was playing prior to being traded to New York, if the Yanks don’t land a star outfielder). But the need would then shift to adding a third baseman.

3. First base: Anthony Rizzo’s time in the Bronx has all but definitely come to an end, and while rookie Ben Rice was serviceable at first base in 2024, the Yankees could use a higher-impact bat. Will they go for free-agent slugger Pete Alonso? If they don’t get their white whale in Soto, they might need to pivot to more of a sure-thing at first, like the Polar Bear or D-backs veteran Christian Walker. But the first base market is thin, so developing Rice at the corner-infield position and going for a bigger splash elsewhere could be something of a Plan B.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

1. Starting pitching: Baltimore badly needs free-agent right-hander Corbin Burnes to stay, and thanks to its new ownership group led by private equity billionaire David Rubenstein, the organization can afford to keep him. It will be interesting to see how much the O’s flex their financial muscle in pursuit of arguably the top starter on the market, but they need an ace either way because they’re legitimate title contenders. So, if Burnes walks away, other top-line free-agent rotation possibilities include Blake Snell, Max Fried, Jack Flaherty, Yusei Kikuchi and Nathan Eovaldi.

2. Outfield: If Santander departs in free agency, the Orioles are losing a switch-hitting righty-swinging right fielder who amassed 105 home runs for them over the past three seasons. That will be impossible to replace on the open market unless they land Soto or Hernandez, so the O’s might as well take their shot at developing 25-year-old Heston Kjerstad and giving him a full-season runway in right. He was, after all, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft. Baltimore could also look at free agents Jurickson Profar, Tyler O’Neill and Randal Grichuk to fill the hole.

3. Bullpen/catching depth: Adley Rutschman needs a backup, so that will surely be a priority for the O’s this winter. Yasmani Grandal, Jacob Stallings or Kyle Higashioka could make sense there. But it also wouldn’t hurt to pad the bullpen with more security behind returning closer Felix Bautista. The O’s can make a statement by signing high-leverage reliever Tanner Scott, who will have a surplus of pursuers in his free agency, with righties Clay Holmes and Carlos Estévez serving as other targets. 

BOSTON RED SOX

1. A superstar: The Red Sox have to stop playing around. After a three-year playoff drought, enough is enough. They need to galvanize the team and fan base by spending big and fully committing to winning the winter, and there’s no better place to start than by going the distance for Soto. Their exciting young core should excite Soto, as will being the face of the franchise. Boston’s desire to contend has seemed like an afterthought since Mookie Betts was traded nearly five years ago. That can all change by making Soto an offer he can’t refuse.

2. Starting pitching: Speaking of superstars, Boston could use one of those in the rotation. The Red Sox’s previous championship teams all had an ace (or two) leading the staff, and now would be a terrific time to go for Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell or Max Fried. If they all come off the board, then arms like Sean Manaea or Yusei Kikuchi should be very attainable for Boston, and trading for White Sox ace Garrett Crochet would also stabilize the rotation. With or without Soto, the rotation is where the Red Sox must spend big.

3. A right-handed bat: A few exciting names stand out for the Red Sox to balance out their lefty-heavy lineup. Teoscar Hernandez, whom Boston courted last offseason before he went to the Dodgers, would be an excellent fit in Boston. Alex Bregman could take over duties at the hot corner, allowing Rafael Devers to shift to first base or DH full time. Pete Alonso would also make sense, and would send a strong message to the competitive AL East. The Red Sox might need to act fast to land any one of these top free agents. 

TAMPA BAY RAYS

1. Outfield: Randy Arozarena’s trade-deadline departure is still being felt in Tampa, and the Rays have work to do to improve their offense. That starts with the outfield, and since they have a surplus of pitching, they could start by trading for an outfielder who could slot into the heart of their lineup. The White Sox have been floating the idea of trading away All-Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. for a while now, so it could make sense for the Rays to find a way to get a deal done there. They definitely can take on his team-friendly deal.

2. Catcher: Tampa Bay needs a stopgap catcher until prospect Dominic Keegan is ready to make the leap to the major leagues. They already have lefty Ben Rortvedt, so a right-handed backstop would be ideal. Free-agent veterans like Kyle Higiashioka, Elias Diaz and Jacob Stallings could work. 

3. Shortstop: Speaking of missing former stars, the Rays have lacked production at shortstop since Wander Franco was placed on administrative leave late in the 2023 season. Taylor Walls has been mediocre there since, producing a 55 OPS+ over 84 games last year, with Jose Caballero picking up the rest of the workload but still lacking impact at the plate. No. 1 prospect Carson Williams’ MLB debut can’t come soon enough, and since the Rays aren’t going to spend, they could look at a thin trade market for shortstops or just hold with what they have until they promote Williams at some point this year. 

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

1. Extend Vlad and add a big bat: Extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would set the tone for everything else Toronto needs to accomplish this offseason. While the Blue Jays are in the mix for Soto, he’d want to know whether Guerrero will be sticking around with him on a potential long-term deal, because that significantly boosts their chances of being an annual contender. The Jays would also improve their chances of attracting other big-name free agents beyond Soto — like Hernandez, Santander, Alonso, Bregman, Tyler O’Neill and Jurickson Profar — by committing to Guerrero.

2. Relief pitching: The Blue Jays’ relief corps just recorded the worst fWAR (-2.5) and the second-worst bullpen ERA (4.82) in baseball, so improving that unit has to take top priority in order to become a threat in this division again. We’ve seen bullpen arms getting more and more expensive lately, so Toronto will have to commit to spending big to revitalize its relief unit. The club needs to settle on a closer, and then add two or three more high-leverage arms. Free agents like Tanner Scott, Clay Holmes, Carlos Estevez, Jeff Hoffman, Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen and Kenley Jensen should be of the utmost interest to the Jays.

3. Catching depth: Alejandro Kirk needs a catching partner, and his old friend Danny Jansen is back on the market after Toronto traded him to the Red Sox for three prospects this past summer. Kirk and Jansen are only two years removed from combining to create the best offensive catching duo in baseball with a 7.9 fWAR in 2022. But Jansen won’t come cheap this winter amid a thin catching market. The Jays can instead pivot to Higashioka, Carson Kelly or Austin Hedges for their backstop hole.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter 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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NEW YORK — The feeling of heartbreak consumed the Yankees as they said their goodbyes.

Players were still in full uniform 55 minutes after they saw their championship dreams come to a halt, giving long hugs and clapping hands with the trainers, staff members, coaches, and clubhouse attendance who were on the 170-game journey with them. Some players had tears in their eyes as they embraced each other, others were still in shock. Some of them smiled in gratitude for how far they had come, others were static and pissed off at the bitter end.

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“I think falling short in the World Series will stick with me until I die,” Aaron Judge said.

“This is as bad as it gets,” Gerrit Cole said. “It’s the worst feeling you can have.”

“I’ll remember the way I feel right now for the rest of my life,” Anthony Volpe said.

[RELATED: Full coverage of the World Series] 

The loss desolated the clubhouse. A special season that started 5-0 effectively ended in the fifth inning of Game 5 of the Fall Classic. The worst defensive inning in World Series history will stick in the minds of the Yankees and their fans for however many more Octobers it will take for the club to follow through on its promise to deliver the franchise’s 28th championship. Yes, the cracks that led to their tragic ending were that unforgettable, that unforgivable.

Judge’s dropped catch on a routine fly ball to center field. Volpe’s fielding error at shortstop. Anthony Rizzo’s unhurried reaction to a ground ball. Cole’s failure to cover first base.

The Yankees became the first team in Major League Baseball history, across the regular season and the postseason, to blow a five-run lead, surrender at least five unearned runs, commit three errors, a balk and a catcher’s interference all in the same game. Any one of those misplays would be bad enough in the excusable setting of a 162-game season. But this was a World Series game where the Yankees were facing elimination, and they embarrassed themselves out of a chance to extend the series back to Los Angeles. The Dodgers will be enjoying a championship parade on Friday, the same day Game 6 of the World Series was supposed to occur.

When asked what the Yankees have learned from the World Series, Giancarlo Stanton said: “Just never to have this feeling again. Any type of focus, miscues, or anything, just to up the level in all aspects.”

The 2024 Yankees entered the postseason as one of the worst defensive teams in the major leagues. Their 93 errors were the third-most in the American League, and seventh-highest overall. All year long, we saw New York’s stars take bad angles on fly balls and commit fielding and throwing errors in the outfield and the infield. Judge had the worst metric on the team for Outs Above Average with -6, and Juan Soto was right behind him with -5. Gleyber Torres‘ 18 errors were the most among all qualified second basemen in the majors. Judge’s -9 Defensive Runs Saved ranked 14th out of 16 qualified center fielders in MLB. Their .984 fielding percentage as a team ranked 24th in MLB.

The Yankees left the World Series showing the national audience that, until the very end, they were incapable of playing sound fundamental baseball. 

“I think from a PFP (Pitchers Fielding Practice) standpoint we’re pretty good,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on that horrific fifth inning. “It’s always magnified when obviously in a moment it doesn’t happen. I’d have to look for sure, but from a pitching standpoint, we’re pretty good at those kinds of things. Those are tough plays to be super consistent at, especially when you have 12, 15, at times 20 different pitchers kind of rolling through with different skill sets. Some we work hard at. Obviously, we had a rough inning tonight.”

Where do the Yankees go from here?

They can start by cleaning up their act. As much as Boone is beloved in the Yankees organization, his response to his team’s inability to play sharp baseball is as much a problem as his apparent indifference to their lack of discipline and preparation. The Yankees need a fearless leader and a coaching staff that will criticize their misplays and help fix the smaller details that can prevent a meltdown like the fifth inning of Game 5. We saw too many mental mistakes and lapses in focus this season that could’ve been avoided. The Yankees need someone to keep applying pressure in order to maximize their efforts, not someone who will nonchalantly accept the status quo.

This was the final guaranteed year of Boone’s three-year deal. The Yankees have a team option on him for 2025, and it remains unclear if they’ll take it.

Beyond leadership, the Yankees face questions about the strength of their roster with key players hitting free agency.

Soto, the guy who had the best OPS (1.085), the highest batting average (.313), drew the most walks (7) and scored the most runs in the World Series for the Yankees no longer has any loyalty to the team. It will be brutal for the Yankees if they lose him to another club (worse still, if he goes to the crosstown rivals) this winter. Outfielder Alex Verdugo could also leave in free agency, so the Yankees could be faced with the task of replacing both of their corner outfielders, with only top prospect Jasson Dominguez as an obvious alternative.

Torres has been involved in trade rumors seemingly every offseason in his seven years with the Yankees. He’s now a free agent, and even though he was solid in the final month of the regular season and in the playoffs after moving up to the leadoff spot, it has always seemed likely that he would sign with another team. Rizzo likely played his final game in pinstripes, too. With the calamity of that fifth inning fresh in their minds, it would be in the Yankees’ best interests to prioritize a younger, faster, and more athletic first baseman to post up every day.

Cole could theoretically opt out of his contract and reach the open market. But since he’s in line to continue earning $36 million every year through 2028, he seems likely to stay with the Yankees. It’s tough to imagine a scenario where another team matches or tops that average annual value. Right-hander Clay Holmes is now a free agent, and after the Yankees demoted him from closer duties for the more lights-out performances of Luke Weaver, it’s unlikely there will be a reunion in the Bronx.

There will be a lot of changes this offseason. 

“The way we handled ourselves in the clubhouse, I think it was really special for me,” Soto said. “That was one of the things I enjoyed most. Coming in every day and hanging out with guys that I literally can call them family.”

The 2024 Yankees family went through it all this year. Volpe broke out in the playoffs, and he and rookie catcher Austin Wells provided hope for the future. Stanton became the first Yankee player ever to hit seven home runs in a single postseason. Weaver’s unexpected late-game dominance was a welcome surprise. Right-hander Luis Gil could be an important staple of the Yankees rotation for years to come. Jazz Chisholm Jr. fit right into the mayhem that is the Bronx scene, and he’s under team control for two more years.

So, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Yankees, even though it might feel that way for a while. But they have a lot of work to do this offseason and beyond to get back to the World Series and try and close the gap with the Dodgers. Once pitchers and catchers report to spring training in a few months, the Yankees will have no choice but to turn their pain into motivation and try to move on from a feeling they said they’d remember forever.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter 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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NEW YORK — It was an hour into Halloween before Juan Soto finally divulged his thoughts and feelings about his free agency. The time was fitting, since the scariest thing that could happen to the Yankees would be the generational talent walking away and signing with another team. 

That’s certainly more of a reality now than it was when the Yankees walked into the stadium Wednesday morning. Moments after the Yankees lost the World Series to the Dodgers, Soto was already talking about New York in the past tense.

“Leaving any place that is a winning team is always hard,” Soto said. “Definitely, this place was very special. It’s been a blast for me. I’ve been really happy. Definitely, if I’m here or not, I’ll be really happy for the things that happened and the people that I got to know in here. This was a really special group. But at the end of the day, we will see what’s going to happen.”

[RELATED: Full coverage of the World Series] 

Soto, for all intents and purposes, entered free agency as he was speaking to reporters in the clubhouse, even though he was still wearing his fitted Yankees cap and team-branded performance shirt. He is now the sport’s most coveted young free-agent since Álex Rodríguez hit the open market in the winter of 2000. Early Thursday morning was the first time Soto openly discussed his emotions about free agency — which is his first opportunity to explore and decide on his future since he sprang into the major leagues in 2018. 

He didn’t hold back.

“I don’t know the teams that want to come after me,” Soto said. “But definitely, I’ll be open to listening to every single team. I don’t have any doors closed, or anything like that. I’m going to be available for all 30 teams.”

As frosty as Soto’s words might sound to the Bronx faithful, it was clear that he was emotional in what might be his final moments as a Yankee. After the final out of the World Series, Soto watched the Dodgers celebrate on the field that he called home for seven months, and then he went up to the top step of the dugout. He took a second, then pointed up toward the sky. 

Soto was the last player to leave the Yankees dugout. 

“This is going to stay in my heart for the rest of my life,” he said. “This group of guys. This year was really special for me.”

His eyes welled up when he was asked what was going through his mind during that moment in the dugout. Besides admitting that he was feeling a lot of emotions, he kept the rest to himself. 

“I think everybody in the room wants him back,” Aaron Judge said. “You can look at the stats and what he did on the field. I think the type of leader he is in this clubhouse. He just does a lot of the little things that people don’t notice that truly make him one of the best players, if not the best player in the game. 

“I definitely enjoyed getting the chance to have a front row seat all season long — watching his at-bats, watching his approach. The way he would talk about certain pitchers and how they would attack him and what he’s looking for. He’s a scientist up there. Definitely would love to see him in pinstripes for quite a long time.”

Giancarlo Stanton had only three words for Soto on the precipice of free agency: “Stay with us.”

Yankees team owner Hal Steinbrenner will have to pay up for that to happen. Soto is expected to command more than $500 million in what is sure to be a wild free agency. The four-time All-Star outfielder finished his walk year with the fourth-best fWAR (8.1) in the major leagues. He crushed a career-best 41 home runs and posted a .989 OPS across 157 games. Soto said the team that signs him will get a guy who plays hard every day and will be the best version of himself in the clubhouse and outside of it, inmploring prospective suitors to ask any of his teammates how much he cares about winning.

Judge hoped that Soto enjoyed his time in pinstripes, because the four-time Silver Slugger certainly brought a lot of joy to the Yankees. 

“I think he got a little taste of the excitement here, the history here,” Judge said. “What it truly means to be a Yankee, he fit every single category. It’s difficult coming to a new team. He spoke up many times in this clubhouse, in meetings. It’s little things like that that people don’t see. But this guy has no fear. He wants to be a leader. He wants to be in the spotlight. He wants to have those big moments. And when you’re a Yankee you’re going to be put in those situations. 

“I would love to have him back. But I’m going to give him time to think about it. Do what he needs to do with his family, and we’ll see what happens.” 

What will Soto prioritize in free agency? 

Playing for a winning team is of the utmost importance to the 26-year-old. Even if his organization is not the last team standing, he emphasized how much he wants to play in the World Series every year. In that regard, the Yankees could fit the description. But when Soto was asked whether they might have a leg up over other interested teams, especially given that he enjoyed a career year in the Bronx and helped take the club to the Fall Classic, he didn’t hesitate to throw ice-cold water on that presumption. 

“I feel like every team has the same opportunities when I’m going to free agency,” Soto said. “I don’t want to say any team has any advantage.”

From now until the time Soto signs, everyone will be looking for signs of where he’ll spend the next part of his career. Since he’s a Scott Boras client, we already know that the superagent has a tendency to wait it out until teams give him their best and highest offers. Last year, several of Boras’ top free agents didn’t sign until the middle or end of spring training in March. Soto is fully prepared for that same process and outcome with his own free agency.

“It’s all about the teams, how far they want to take it and how much they want to go back and forth,” Soto said. “I’m here. They are the ones that have to come over. We’re going to be waiting until somebody comes over. I can’t control if any team wants to call in February. So, we will see what happens. They know where I’m at.”

Yankees fans were loud all year about wanting Soto to stay in pinstripes. Some showed up to the ballpark with blank checks, or the dollar amount filled out to $700 million and counting. When asked if their gestures will have any impact on his decision this winter, Soto laughed before retorting, “It will probably impact the decision of the ownership.” 

It’s hard to imagine the Yankees advancing to their first World Series since 2009 this year without the iconic duo of Soto and Judge leading them there. All year, Soto looked like the final puzzle piece to a Yankees team that had been unable to get over the hump without him. They got as far as Game 5 of the Fall Classic against a Dodgers superteam that looked destined to win it all the moment they bet the house on Shohei Ohtani. 

Will Soto be able to easily walk away from all that he built with the Yankees this year? Will the Yankees really let him? Those two questions will follow every step of what is sure to be one of the most extraordinary free-agent signings in the history of Major League Baseball.

Stay tuned. This is only the beginning.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter 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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NEW YORK — The bigger the spotlight on his individual efforts, the softer Anthony Volpe’s voice gets. 

When the Yankees shortstop is asked about his performance in a given game, he tends to brush off the magnitude of his heroics before redirecting the spotlight onto his teammates. That’s how it went late Tuesday night, moments after he hit a grand slam for his first career playoff home run and was brought into the Yankees press conference room to discuss it.

Even though this wasn’t just a typical grand slam — it gave the Yankees a much-needed early lead over the Dodgers in an elimination Game 4 of the World Series — Volpe sat at the podium with the same shy demeanor and soft-spoken voice that he’s exhibited since his major-league debut last year. Only when he was asked to trace his Yankees fandom did the 23-year-old sit up a little straighter and look more confident, more self-assured, in front of the cameras and bright lights. 

“My grandfather, the Yankees are more than just a team or an organization for him,” Volpe said. “Because his father fought in World War II when he was little, and by the time he got back, his mom basically told him, ‘This is your dad.’ He didn’t know him, didn’t recognize him, didn’t know anything. The way he says it, the way he got to know and get to know his father was, he sat on his lap every single night, and they listened to the Yankees together. So, for him, it’s more than sports.”

It’s a story he’s told before, but never on the grandest national stage, when there are more eyeballs and attention on the second-year shortstop than he’s ever experienced. Volpe’s shy nature means we might never know, at least not for a while, how much this grand slam that sparked an 11-4 win blowout actually meant to him. But seeing him discuss his teammates’ feats more than his own, and hearing him retell the story of how much the Yankees organization means to his family, it’s easy to see that Volpe’s driving force as an athlete is centered on working hard for the people around him. 

If they’re winning, then he is too. 

[RELATED: Full coverage of the World Series] 

“I love him, he’s like a little brother to me,” Anthony Rizzo said of Volpe. “He works so hard. He cares so much about his teammates. He never really gets down. So, for him to have that moment in the World Series, hometown kid, it’s pretty special.”

The Yankees forced a Game 5 against the Dodgers not by the hands of Juan Soto, Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton. On a chilly Tuesday night in the Bronx, it was the Baby Bombers who came through in the most important game of their careers to date. 

After Volpe, Yankees rookie catcher Austin Wells is the third-youngest player on the Yankees’ World Series roster. He was 0-for-8 at the plate in the Fall Classic when Yankees manager Aaron Boone benched him for Game 3. Rizzo said it was hard for Wells to watch from the dugout, especially as the Yankees fell behind 3-0 in the Series, but it only made how he responded Tuesday that much more impactful. 

Wells ripped a 406-foot double off the padding in center field in his first at-bat of the night, then crushed a solo shot to right field to lead off the sixth. Not only did the rookie’s second home run of the postseason double a Yankees lead that had been trimmed to one, it reminded the 49,354 fans in attendance that, no matter how this World Series ends, the Yankees’ future will be bright behind Volpe and Wells. 

“It’s not really a friendship anymore. It’s a brotherhood,” Volpe said of his relationship with Wells. “We’ve been through it all together. The highest of highs, and at some point, the lowest of lows. He’s my first call, my last call. I know he has my back through thick and thin. To have a moment like that, for him to have a moment like that is special. But to do it together, you can’t trade it for anything.”

The Yankees catcher echoed Volpe’s sentiment, and added that it was clear to him as soon as he got to know the shortstop in the Yankees’ minor-league system that they had the same goals of being able to contribute to a historic franchise. Neither of them wanted to be superstars, per se. They just wanted to help the Yankees win another title, even if all they provided were modest contributions. Alas, Volpe’s clutch at-bat was anything but. 

Wells said Volpe’s grand slam in the third inning — which followed another Freddie Freeman two-run home run in the first — allowed the Yankees to take a deep breath, relax and enjoy playing baseball. He said his teammates were just waiting for that “one big swing” to break out of the funk that had marked three consecutive World Series losses. 

“I think the situation we were in, we just kind of needed to say screw it and go after it and have fun because some guys may never come back to the World Series again,” Wells said. “So, just enjoying the game, and I think that allowed us to play a lot looser tonight.”

It’s well known by now that Volpe grew up in New Jersey rooting for the Bronx Bombers and idolizing Derek Jeter. Now that he’s effectively in Jeter’s shoes, the pressure to excel at the highest level, in front of the largest media market in the world, all while getting scrutinized for every misplay, big or small, can be a lot. Perhaps some of the tension got to Volpe in the second inning, when he misread Wells’ long double and looked to tag up from second before having to hold at third. 

Volpe ended up touching home plate on Alex Verdugo’s RBI groundout, and he more than made up for his gaffe with his grand slam. But he still took accountability after the game: “That’s completely on me.” Initially frustrated with himself, Volpe relaxed after his teammates reminded him through their own excellent at-bats in Game 4 that they’d pick him up. 

Sometimes, his quiet demeanor makes him come off as one of the most serious guys on the Yankees roster. But left-hander Nestor Cortes set the record straight.

“He’s got a little fire in him. A little zest,” Cortes said. “He’s a little sassy. He’s becoming a little slicker, which is good. It’s good for him. He came up as a highly touted prospect. A lot of people expected him to be the next Jeter. That’s very hard to do. I think he’s gonna become a really good player — he already is. But I think he’s going to embrace who he is and write his own narrative and chapter here. He doesn’t have to follow who Jeter was.”

Volpe was excellent in this postseason even before he became the fourth-youngest player to hit a grand slam in the World Series. He entered the Fall Classic batting .310 with eight walks, six runs scored and an .804 OPS in nine playoff games. Now, the shortstop is the Yankees’ World Series RBI leader with five. More importantly, he’s the biggest reason there will be a Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday. 

Maybe as he logs more moments like his grand slam, he’ll stand up a little taller, speak a little louder, and come out of his shell. 

But what Volpe’s shown us so far in his young career is that he doesn’t need the big spotlight or the outrageous comparisons to a Yankees Hall of Famer to come up clutch for his team. 

He just needs to be himself.

“The more he does it, the more he needs to go out there and talk,” Cortes said. “The more he becomes the player of the game, I think you’ll see his personality a little more.”

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter 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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