Author: rincon

The Tatsuya Imai sweepstakes has come to a close.

The Houston Astros have signed the Japanese right-hander to a deal, ESPN reported on Thursday. Imai signed a three-year deal with opt outs after every season and a total value of $63 million, per the Athletic., with $54 million of that guaranteed and the rest coming through innings pitched escalators, according to the New York Post. 

The deadline to sign Imai, who was posted in mid-November, was Friday.

The Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres were among the teams that had been linked to signing Imai throughout the offseason, with the Astros coming seemingly out of nowhere to get a deal done.

The 27-year-old Imai pitched eight seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league and nine seasons professionally altogether for the Saitama Seibu Lions. Across a combined 187 career appearances, Imai recorded a 3.07 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 1,045 strikeouts over 1,077.2 innings pitched. Last season, Imai posted a career-best ERA (1.92) and WHIP (0.89).

FOX Sports MLB analyst Rowan Kavner ranked Imai as the 17th-best free agent available this offseason, saying that, “He’s not a particularly big guy, but teams who just watched Yoshinobu Yamamoto win World Series MVP honors might not be scared off by that. Imai continues to get better every year, seeing his strikeout rate rise and his walk rate decline precipitously.”

He joins an Astros team that finished second in the American League West in 2025 and missed the postseason, failing to even secure a wild card. While they still have ace Hunter Brown in the rotation, their other top starter from ’25, Framber Valdez remains a free agent, and might command a significant long-term contract.

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The Houston Astros are at an inflection point.

They just missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years with the winner of their division (the American League West) claiming the AL West with just 90 wins (Seattle Mariners). Moreover, Houston, which traditionally boasts a high-octane offense, was just 21st in MLB in runs (686).

This is a franchise that has been a perennial contender for a decade, but they need to make moves around the edges to get back to posing that threat. Here are three MLB free agents that Houston should sign.

2025 stats: 3.81 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 130 strikeouts, 111 ERA+, 3.2 wins above replacement (186.2 innings pitched)

How about investing in a starting pitcher on the rise?

Houston’s starting rotation was respectable but little more last season, finishing the regular season tied for 13th in MLB in ERA (3.97) and tied for 12th in WHIP (1.23). Plus, ace Framber Valdez remains a free agent. The Astros recently acquired right-hander Mike Burrows (3.94 ERA in 23 appearances/19 starts in 2025) in a three-team trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays, which is a plausible move, but adding another legitimate starting pitcher like Littell is a prudent play.

After a rough start to his MLB career, Littell found his way to the Rays in 2023 and has since become a reliable force as a starting pitcher. He continues to pitch deep into games, surrender fewer baserunners and has maintained a consistent, four-pitch arsenal: slider, split-fingered fastball, four-seamer and sinker; Littell also mixes in a sweeper.

Over the last two seasons, Littell has recorded a combined 3.73 ERA in 61 starts. In thought, Burrows replaces Valdez in Houston’s rotation. The issue? Several of its starters, including Spencer Arrighetti, Ronel Blanco, Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. have been held back by injuries in recent memory. The Astros could use another capable and healthy pitcher that can make 30 starts behind Hunter Brown. Littell is pitching the best ball of his career and in his prime.

2025 Stats: 17 home runs, 54 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, 117 OPS+, 3.9 wins above replacement, .277/.347/.449 slash line (448 at-bats)

The Astros have always replaced outgoing stars internally (e.g., the development of Valdez, Tucker, Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Pena), but trading away Tucker last offseason may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back; Houston needs a boost in the outfield, and Bader is a sure thing.

You can count on your hand how many players in the last decade have been better on the outfield grass than Bader. He covers infinite ground in center field, has a reputable arm and recently began playing left field on an extensive basis. Bader has made just 28 errors in his nine-year MLB career.

Meanwhile, Bader has a crisp swing from the right side that generates slug. Last season, he logged a career-high 17 home runs and 117 OPS+, while finishing with a .449 slugging percentage, which was the second-highest mark of Bader’s career. The Astros have struggled to get production from their outfield in recent years, a struggle underscored by Chas McCormick‘s production plummeting after an encouraging 2023 campaign (22 home runs, 70 RBIs and .273/.353/.489 slash line), as he’s hitting just .211 over the last two seasons.

The Astros would likely keep Jake Meyers in center field, which means Bader would start in left, Cam Smith stays in right and Alvarez would seldom play the outfield (he’d be their permanent designated hitter). Or, if Jose Altuve begins next season in left field, Bader can start in right field. Either way, Houston gets a proven commodity who plays Gold Glove-caliber defense and is a respectable, right-handed hitter in Bader.

2025 Stats: two home runs, 40 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, 76 OPS+, 1.6 wins above replacement, .262/.297/.334 slash line (431 at-bats)

This has become a team of versatility, so signing a player who can literally play everywhere would fit the Astros like a glove. That player could be Kiner-Falefa.

The 30-year-old Kiner-Falefa has started at shortstop, third base, second base, center field and left field for prolonged periods at the MLB level. Kiner-Falefa has also made 66 starts at catcher, while making infrequent appearances in right field. At the plate, Kiner-Falefa is a contact hitter who seldom strikes out.

At full strength, Houston’s starting infield options are likely set with Christian Walker at first base, Carlos Correa at third and Jeremy Pena at shortstop. Manager Joe Espada is left to figure out where to play Altuve (second base or left field) and Paredes (second or third base). The beauty of Kiner-Falefa is that if injuries present themselves in the infield (Correa has consistently missed time in his career due to injuries and Paredes missed two months last season due to a hamstring injury), he can slot into the vacated starting infield position. 

Otherwise, Kiner-Falefa, who started nine games at second base for the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 postseason and appeared in 15 of their 18 postseason games, would serve as a super utility player for the Astros who’s one of their first outfielders off the bench and has a track record of playing three infield spots. 

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Star outfielder Kyle Tucker is arguably the best player on the MLB free agent market, and the Chicago Cubs have to be prepared for him to be paid like that. In other words, they need a backup plan to make up for the impact and production that Tucker’s potential departure would vacate. Not to mention, Chicago traded former first-round pick Cam Smith, infielder Isaac Paredes and right-hander Hayden Wesneski to acquire Tucker from the Houston Astros last offseason.

With that in mind, here are three moves Chicago should make if Tucker bolts.

2025 Stats: nine home runs, 34 RBIs, 111 OPS+, 1.0 wins above replacement, .270/.335/.410 slash line (293 at-bats)

One way or another, the Cubs need to add a starting-caliber outfielder if Tucker is gone, and Marte fits the bill.

With Tucker theoretically out of the picture, Chicago should give Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcantara the chance to be its everyday right fielder, joining Ian Happ and burgeoning star Pete Crow-Armstrong in the outfield grass and keeping Seiya Suzuki as the primary designated hitter. This allows Marte, who spent the last four seasons with the New York Mets, to serve as the Cubs’ fourth outfielder.

Marte, a two-time Gold Glover, has prolonged experience playing all three outfield positions, has an impact swing from the right side of the plate and wreaks havoc on the basepath; Marte is averaging 38.2 stolen bases per 162 games over his 14-year MLB career. His versatility bodes well for a soon-to-be young Cubs’ outfield and provides manager Craig Counsell with a well-rounded outfielder who can start in a pinch.

2025 Stats: 18 home runs, 62 RBIs, 128 OPS+, 3.5 wins above replacement, .273/.360/.462 slash line (433 at-bats)

The Cubs know exactly what they’d be getting from Bregman: a smooth operator at the hot corner who’s a proven force at the plate with a boatload of postseason experience.

Yes, former first-round pick Matt Shaw shined at third base in his combined 132 games (regular season plus postseason) at the position last season, posting 12 defensive runs saved in the regular season. At the same time, Shaw has also played second base, primarily in the minor-league ranks. While Nico Hoerner is among the better contact hitters in the sport, Shaw could push Hoerner to be the starting second baseman, with the loser of the battle becoming the Cubs’ first infielder off the bench and a versatile one at that (Hoerner has made 186 career MLB starts at shortstop).

As for what the Cubs would be bringing in, Bregman fits their timeline, as he’d provide a veteran player in his prime to complement a continually improving positional core. Moreover, Bregman’s proven production at the plate would help the Cubs bypass the offensive growth that they’d be banking on from Shaw in the batter’s box next season (Shaw hit .226 last season).

Last season, Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox ($40 million average annual value). But he opted out of the deal after the first year, and chances are the 31-year-old will be looking at another short-term deal. Worst-case scenario for the Cubs, Bregman is a mere offensive upgrade at third base, and they move Shaw back to the position when the veteran’s contract ends. In the short term, Bregman would boost a plausible Cubs’ offense, while maintaining a Gold Glove-caliber fielder at third base.

2025 Stats: 2.21 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 241 strikeouts, 187 ERA+, 6.5 wins above replacement (195.1 innings pitched)

As Donkey told Shrek before trying to crash the abrupt wedding of Princess Fiona and Lord Farquaad, “Where’s a will, there’s a way.” And for the Cubs, Skubal would be the piece that makes them an etched-in-stone contender in the National League.

The defending, back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner is undoubtedly the best starting pitcher in the American League, if not all of MLB. Skubal pitches deep into games, posts strikeouts at a high clip and seldom puts runners on the basepath while possessing a consistent, four-pitch arsenal: changeup, four-seamer, sinker and slider. Last postseason, Skubal posted a 1.74 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched (three starts), including striking out 14 batters and surrendering just one run across 7.2 innings on the road against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series. 

Chicago’s starting rotation held its own last season (eighth in MLB with a collective 3.83 ERA), and the return of Shota Imanaga, a 2024 All-Star, will help; Matthew Boyd (3.21 ERA in 31 starts) had a resurgent season; Cade Horton (2.67 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 23 appearances/22 starts) was a stud in his rookie campaign; Jameson Taillon is a proven commodity; Colin Rea (3.95 ERA in 32 appearances/27 starts) had an encouraging season; if Justin Steele returns from elbow surgery in 2026, the more, the merrier. All that said, the Cubs don’t have a healthy and consistent rotation anchor, which Skubal would immediately become. He would make a top-third starting rotation one of the elite units in the sport.

Now, Skubal is a free agent after 2026, but with Tucker theoretically gone, that’s one less nine-figure contract that the Cubs have on the books for the long haul. Plus, any team that seriously engages in trade talks with the Tigers for Skubal is likely doing so with the intention of giving him the biggest contract for a pitcher in MLB history, anyway; Gerrit Cole‘s nine-year, $324 million deal with the New York Yankees in 2019 is the record for a pitcher.

While costly for only one guaranteed season of a player, it’s likely going to take a pair of highly touted prospects and more to acquire Skubal. For the Cubs, that could mean trading 2025 first-round pick Ethan Conrad, one of Caissie and Alcantara and one of Horton and right-hander Ben Brown, among others. It’s a lot, but it would be for an ace with a Hall-of-Fame trajectory in the prime of his career. It would also give the Cubs the inside track on securing Skubal’s long-term services.

The Cubs were one win away from reaching the NL Championship Series last season. If they replace Tucker’s bat with a player of Bregman’s ilk and a veteran outfielder (e.g., Marte) while taking a swing at a dominant ace (e.g., Skubal), Chicago would be the biggest threat in the NL to the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ aspirations of three-peating.

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The Mets had more players than spaces for them after trading for Marcus Semien and signing free agent Jorge Polanco, but they have now cleared some of that up in a deal with the Athletics. New York is sending infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil and $5.75 million to Sacramento, in exchange for right-handed pitcher Yordan Rodriguez.

The $5.75 million is to offset some of the $17.75 million remaining in McNeil’s $50 million, four-year contract. He has a $15.75 million salary next year as part of a deal that includes a $15.75 million team option for 2027 with a $2 million buyout.

McNeil is a two-time All-Star who won the National League batting title in 2022, thanks to a .326/.382/.454 season with nearly six wins above replacement. While he has never reached exactly those heights again, he has proven valuable as a player the Mets could reliably slot in at second base, the corner outfield spots, third base and even center or first base when necessary. McNeil has batted .253/.326/.389 combined since 2023, but produced his best work since 2022 this past summer, when he posted a well above-average 111 OPS+ in 122 games.

McNeil follows Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Díaz in departing the underperforming Mets, who failed to reach the playoffs this year despite the second-highest payroll behind the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

With the A’s, McNeil will likely stick at second base, as their outfield already includes power-hitting Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler and defensive wizard Denzel Clarke. As for the Mets, they are still reportedly looking for an upgrade in their outfield, but have Semien at second base and Polanco available to rotate around the diamond as McNeil previously did.

Rodriguez, who turns 18 on Jan. 29, signed with the A’s for a $400,000 bonus this past January and went 2-0 with a 2.93 ERA in one start and seven relief appearances for the Dominican Summer League A’s. He struck out 20 and walked eight in 15.1 innings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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McNeil is a two-time All-Star who won the National League batting title in 2022, thanks to a .326/.382/.454 season with nearly six wins above replacement. While he has never reached exactly those heights again, he has proven valuable as a player the Mets could reliably slot in at second base, the corner outfield spots, third base and even center or first base when necessary. McNeil has batted .253/.326/.389 combined since 2023, but produced his best work since 2022 this past summer, when he posted a well above-average 111 OPS+ in 122 games.

With the A’s, McNeil will likely stick at second base, as their outfield already includes power-hitting Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler and defensive wizard Denzel Clarke. As for the Mets, they are still reportedly looking for an upgrade in their outfield, but have Semien at second base and Polanco available to rotate around the diamond as McNeil previously did.

The Cuban-born Yordan Rodriguez doesn’t turn 18 years old until late-January, and spent 2025 pitching in the Dominican Summer League, where he struck out 20 batters in 15.1 innings.

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Two-time World Series champion Shohei Ohtani owns multiple records, and now, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ superstar is attached to another landmark moment.

Ohtani’s stardom helped to reset the trading card market on Thursday as one of his 2025 Topps Chrome MVP Award Gold MLB Logoman patch cards sold for a record $3 million through Fanatics Collect. The previous record for an Ohtani card belonged to a sale through Heritage Auctions for $1,067,000 back in March.

The sale accounted for several benchmarks, accounting for the highest publicly-sold Ohtani card of all time, the highest-selling card ever sold on Fanatics Collect Auction and the highest-selling modern baseball card of the last five years. The Ohtani card usurped the mantle previously held by a 1933 Babe Ruth Goudey card, which sold in 2024 for $1.63 million.

Per Fanatics, the 1/1 autograph card amassed 69 bids in a late-night bidding war that lasted past 2 a.m. ET. In addition to bearing Ohtani’s likeness, the unique card also contains a gold Logoman patch worn by the unicorn during an April 29, 2025, game against the Miami Marlins; Ohtani went 1-4 and hit his seventh home run of the season in a 15-2 win.

Ohtani and the Dodgers, of course, went on to finish the 2025 season with a 4-3 defeat of the Toronto Blue Jays to win back-to-back World Series titles. Ohtani also earned his fifth-straight All-Star and sixth-straight All-MLB First Team nods, and won a third consecutive MVP award.

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The Philadelphia Phillies have been busy – like, extremely busy.

They’ve retained 2025 National League MVP runner-up Kyle Schwarber (five-year, $150 million deal), signed former Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia (one-year, $10 million deal) and brought in several relievers, including right-handed pitcher Brad Keller (two-year, $22 million deal). At the same time, this is a Phillies team in World Series contention that has been bounced out of the Division Series round in back-to-back years: more can always be done. 

Here are three MLB free agents Philadelphia should still sign.

2025 Stats: 3.05 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 59 strikeouts, 137 ERA+, 1.1 wins above replacement (59 innings pitched)

Yes, the Phillies signed the aforementioned Keller and acquired relievers Jonathan Bowlan and Kyle Backhus, among others. But why would a team whose bullpen lacked compared to its starting rotation and positional depth chart last season get complacent with the weakness of its roster?

Johnson has come into his own with the Atlanta Braves. After surrendering just two earned runs in 23.2 innings pitched after the Braves acquired him in 2023, Johnson posted a combined 3.36 ERA and 124 ERA+ from 2024-25. He logs strikeouts at a high rate, successfully leans on his curveball – while mixing in his four-seamer and occasionally a cutter – and has excelled in the postseason; across 12.0 innings pitched in the postseason, Johnson has recorded a combined 1.50 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.

Johnson would add a quality right-handed reliever to a Philadelphia bullpen that was tied for 20th in MLB in ERA (4.27), tied for 20th in WHIP (1.33) and was 24th in opponent batting average (.249) last season. Joined by a full season of Jhoan Duran, Jose Alvarado, Tanner Banks and Orion Kerkering, Johnson could be the finishing piece that takes the Phillies’ bullpen from a bottom-third unit to one of the best in the sport.

2025 Stats: 12 home runs, 52 RBIs, 91 OPS+, 2.5 wins above replacement, .257/.315/.384 slash line (502 at-bats)

How do the Phillies go into next season without Realmuto?

Yes, he’s coming off a down year at the plate, but Realmuto is an essential part of the Phillies’ operation. A two-time Gold Glove award winner, Realmuto remains one of the best all-around catchers in the sport. He has a compact swing from the right side of the plate and is one of the more productive backstops in recent memory.

Realmuto, a three-time All-Star, was one of the bright spots in Philadelphia’s 2025 Division Series round loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting a team-best .353 among everyday players and driving in four runs. Moreover, if the Phillies changed hands behind the plate, they’d not only take away one of the better hitting catchers in the sport, they’d be taking away the person everybody on their pitching staff is accustomed to signaling pitches.

Realmuto’s down year at the plate could work in the Phillies’ favor because he won’t be as expensive. Re-signing Schwarber was paramount for Philadelphia, but bringing back Realmuto is also vital.

2025 Stats: 3.66 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 187 strikeouts, 114 ERA+, 3.8 wins above replacement (192 innings pitched)

Yes, career-long Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez has become one of the best starting pitchers in the sport. The problem? He has been held back by injuries over the last four years, including ones pertaining to his back, elbow and hamstring. Valdez, a two-time All-Star, is a safer bet on a long-term deal than Suarez.

Valdez, who boasts a career 3.36 ERA, has been the backbone of the Houston Astros‘ pitching staff for the better part of the last five years. He pitches deep into games, works out of trouble and finds success while consistently throwing three pitches (sinker, curveball, changeup). Valdez is an ace.

At his best and at full strength, Suarez is a force to be reckoned with. Philadelphia’s predicament when it comes to paying Suarez is that star right-hander Zack Wheeler is coming off a season-ending blood clot and Aaron Nola is coming off the worst season of his MLB career (6.01 ERA in 17 regular-season starts) and one where he missed three months due to an ankle injury. One might argue that the best version of Suarez is a tad better than Valdez, but the latter has been more durable and is a minor, if any, drop-off from the former.

A starting rotation that includes a healthy Wheeler, Valdez, Nola, Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo is an elite unit. Starting pitching has become Philadelphia’s identity. Bringing in Valdez helps the Phillies preserve that identity.

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The New York Mets are seeking to keep their 2026 payroll within $310-320 million, according to a recent report from the New York Post. Considering the historic spending spree that the Mets have been on in recent years – such as signing Juan Soto to a record $765 million deal last offseason – and the team coming off a 2025 campaign that saw it miss the playoffs, this led to widespread rage from the fan base.

But Mets owner Steve Cohen isn’t having it. 

“As typical, the usual idiots misinterpreting a Post article on Mets payroll for ‘26,” Cohen said in a X post on Friday morning. “I can’t imagine our payroll to be lower than last year. It’s always hard to predict, but that would be my best guess.”

“Payroll watchers always forget to budget for waiver claims, player movement from minors to majors and trade deadline moves,” Cohen said in a later post. “That’s how it typically works.”

Alrighty, then.

For what it’s worth, this was Cohen’s first post to X since Sept. 29, the day after the Mets’ final game of the 2025 regular season.

Last season, the Mets’ payroll was second in MLB at $342.3 million, per Spotrac. At present, their 2026 payroll is $275.8 million, which is fourth in the sport.

Thus far, it has been an offseason that has left much to be desired for Mets fans, as the team lost homegrown star first baseman Pete Alonso, closer Edwin Diaz and midseason acquisitions Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers and Cedric Mullins to free agency. Meanwhile, New York traded homegrown outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien.

As for incoming free agents, the Mets have signed former New York Yankees relievers Devin Williams (three-year, $51 million deal) and Luke Weaver (two-year, $22 million deal), as well as former Seattle Mariners infielder Jorge Polanco (two-year, $40 million).

Cohen bought the Mets from the Wilpon family in November 2020 for a reported $2.4 billion.

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They were one win away.

The Seattle Mariners were just one win away from reaching the World Series for the first time in franchise history last season, before blowing a 3-2 series lead to the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series. The Mariners are well-positioned to contend for the American League pennant again in 2026, however, beginning last month with them re-signing first baseman Josh Naylor on a five-year, $92.5 million deal. Now, they have to tie up loose ends.

Here are three MLB free agents Seattle should sign.

2025 Stats: 5.35 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 112 strikeouts, 79 ERA+, 0.3 wins above replacement (158 innings pitched)

Why have some good haddock when you can have some Paddack?

Few clubs have developed pitchers better than the Mariners over the past five years (e.g. Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo and George Kirby), which makes them tailor-made to embark on a reclamation project like Paddack. The right-hander split the 2025 season with the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers, making five appearances out of the bullpen with the latter. Seattle could sign Paddack with the intention of making him a full-time reliever.

In Paddack’s rookie 2019 season in the sport, he posted a 3.33 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 153 strikeouts in 26 starts. There’s a good pitcher in Paddack. It’s just more likely to come as a reliever given his primarily leaning on two pitches, those being his four-seamer and changeup; with just two consistent offerings, a pitcher can be more predictable to the opposition.

Paddack can pitch to his strengths, get in a groove as a middle-to-long reliever and provide the Mariners with more bullpen depth. While Andres Munoz is electric in the ninth inning and relievers such as Matt Brash, Gabe Speier and Eduard Bazardo are sturdy forces, Seattle’s bullpen as a collective whole was still tied for 16th in MLB with a .244 opponent batting average and tied for 13th in WHIP (1.28) last season. Plus, Paddack could be used as a starting pitcher if Seattle’s rotation gets ravaged by injuries.

2025 Stats: 8 home runs, 61 RBIs, 99 OPS+, 1.2 wins above replacement, .292/.327/.392 slash line (620 at-bats)

The 2025 Mariners had infinite power, most notably displayed by catcher Cal Raleigh‘s 60 regular-season home runs, which helped Seattle finish third in the sport in the long ball with 238. At the same time, the Mariners were inordinately reliant on the long ball, with them finishing just 20th in batting average (.244) and 17th in hits (1,345). How about signing a three-time batting champion to clean up some of those deficiencies?

Arraez is arguably the best pure contact hitter in the sport. He has a quick, slapping swing from the left side, seldom strikes out and has led the National League in hits in each of the last two seasons. Arraez has just 215 career strikeouts. For context, young Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood, a 2025 All-Star, had 221 strikeouts last season.

Meanwhile, Arraez, a two-time Silver Slugger, has shuffled between playing second and first base, with him mostly playing the corner infield spot last season. In Seattle, Arraez would be the starting second baseman and slide to first base if Naylor gets hurt or is the designated hitter for a particular game.

Yes, Seattle likely wants to give former first-round pick Cole Young or Leo Rivas the chance to be its permanent second baseman. But, in all likelihood, any offensive emergence from Young or Rivas next season isn’t going to come close to providing what Arraez, who’s still just 28 years old, brings to the table. He would give the Mariners an elite contact hitter, which is the perfect complement to the pop that they get from Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena and Dominic Canzone, among others.

If Arraez slumps on a short-term deal, then the Mariners can opt to let him leave in free agency. But for the sake of enhancing their 2026 World Series chances, Arraez would balance out the Mariners’ lineup and provide defensive versatility, an asset that Jorge Polanco, who recently signed with the New York Mets, had. Granted, Polanco was primarily Seattle’s designated hitter last season.

2025 Stats: 49 home runs, 118 RBIs, 126 OPS+, 3.6 wins above replacement, .228/.298/.526 slash line (588 at-bats)

The time is now for the Mariners, and committing a multi-year deal to a third baseman in his prime who’s coming off a monster power season fits the bill.

Seattle acquired both Naylor and Suarez from the Arizona Diamondbacks before the 2025 MLB trade deadline. While the latter struggled to get on base, he still blasted 13 home runs in 53 regular-season games with the Mariners and then hit three more home runs in the postseason, including a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning of Game 5 of the AL Championship Series. Like with Young at second base, Seattle likely wouldn’t mind giving young third baseman Ben Williamson the chance to play every day, but that day could wait another year or two.

Suarez, a two-time All-Star, is one of the elite power hitters in the sport and accustomed to playing third base every day. Excluding the shortened 2020 season, Suarez has averaged 35.1 home runs per season since 2018.

The Mariners can add offensive skill sets they don’t presently have (e.g. potentially adding Arraez), while still having the flexibility to retain veterans like Naylor (already happened) and Suarez. Why break up a successful power lineup that got as far in the playoffs as Seattle’s did last season? Instead, build on it.

Suarez and the Mariners are perfect for each other.

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A full postseason share for the World Series champion Dodgers totaled $484,748, up from the amount Los Angeles players earned in 2024 but still down from the winner’s figure in 2022 and 2023.

The total postseason pool of nearly $128.2 million was down slightly from the record $129.1 million in 2024, the commissioner’s office said Thursday. The yearly pool amount is impacted by ballpark capacities.

Los Angeles players voted 82 full shares and 12.5 partial shares for 94.5 full share equivalents plus $340,000 in cash awards in dividing a pool of $46.1. million.

Houston received a record full share of $516,347 in 2022, when the World Series champion Astros divided their pool into 59 full shares, 14.14 partial shares and $940,000 in cash awards. A full share on the 2023 champion Texas Rangers was worth $506,263, and the 2024 Dodgers’ full share was $477,441.

Full share equivalents have risen in recent years. San Francisco had 56.65 when it won the title in 2014.

All players and managers eligible for the World Series who were with the team or on an injured list from June 1 or later get a full share. Those not with the team on or after June 1 are eligible to get a full share or percentage share as voted by that team’s players along with two certified athletic trainers and one strength and conditioning coach.

Spring training coaches, scouts and the grounds crew are eligible for cash awards but not shares.

Executives such as general managers, assistant GMs, directors of baseball operations, team physicians and resident security agents are not eligible for any part of the pool.

A full share for the AL champion Toronto Blue Jays came to $354,118 just below the $354,572 last year for the New York Yankees when they lost to the Dodgers in the World Series. Toronto had 70 full shares, 15.44 partial shares and $508,5000 cash awards.

Full shares for other playoff teams this year were:

— $182,376 for Seattle

— $168,853 for Milwaukee

— $52,044 for Philadelphia

— $48,741 for the Chicago Cubs

— $47,318 for the Yankees

— $46,865 for Detroit

— $11,528 for Cincinnati

— $11,057 for Cleveland

— $10,711 for San Diego

— $9,347 for Boston

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The Boston Red Sox have been active on the trade market this offseason, acquiring right-handers Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo. At the same time, with Boston coming off a Wild Card Series loss to the New York Yankees – in what was its first appearance in the playoffs since 2021 – there’s still boxes for the Red Sox to check across the board.

Here are three MLB free agents Boston should sign.

2025 Stats: 2.41 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 36 strikeouts, 177 ERA+, 0.8 wins above replacement (33.2 innings pitched)

Yes, Boston’s bullpen was second in MLB with a collective 3.41 ERA last season, but with veteran Justin Wilson (3.35 ERA in 61 appearances in 2025) on the open market, the Red Sox could use another left-hander. Enter Chafin.

Despite constantly changing teams – Chafin has been on eight clubs in the last six years – the 35-year-old continues to survive in the big leagues. He posts strikeouts at a high clip, can put away hitters and evades damage. Chafin does so with a consistent three-pitch arsenal: sinker, slider and four-seamer.

Joining forces with closer Aroldis Chapman, Greg Weissert and Garrett Whitlock, Chafin would solidify the back end of Boston’s bullpen, which would be a unit that could rival any in the sport. Plus, Chafin should be attainable at a low rate on a one-to-two-year deal.

Chafin adds veteran pedigree and a pitcher who’s still among the best left-handers relievers in the sport to any bullpen he joins. What team wouldn’t want that, especially an aspiring contender like a Red Sox?

2025 Stats: 4.83 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 175 strikeouts, 89 ERA+ 1.1 wins above replacement (192 innings pitched)

The Red Sox held their own on the starting pitching front in 2025, posting a 3.92 ERA (12th in MLB), and the additions of both Gray and Oviedo are promising ones. That said, these acquisitions, by no means, preclude Boston from adding another starting pitcher – and signing Gallen would be a haymaker swing.

Sure, Gallen is coming off arguably the worst season of his career, as the right-hander posted a career-high 4.83 ERA. At the same time, this is a top-of-the-rotation force in the prime of his career. The 30-year-old Gallen, who leans on his four-seamer while traditionally mixing in a knuckle curve and changeup, pitches deep into games, gets hitters to bite at his low-to-mid-90s offerings and has been the backbone of the Arizona Diamondbacks‘ pitching staff since his 2019 arrival. From 2022-24, Gallen recorded a combined 3.20 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 4.1 wins above replacement per season across 93 regular-season starts, highlighted by helping Arizona reach the 2023 World Series.

Garrett Crochet (2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and AL-high 255 strikeouts and 205.1 innings pitched in 2025) was a force to be reckoned with and the runner-up for the 2025 AL Cy Young Award, and Brayan Bello (3.35 ERA in 2025) has come into his own. Despite this, Boston’s rotation was still 20th in MLB in WHIP (1.31) and tied for 21st in opponent batting average (.252), while Lucas Giolito is a free agent (3.41 ERA in 26 starts in 2025); there’s room for another proven starting pitcher.

Gallen would move Boston’s rotation into the upper echelon of the AL, if not MLB as a whole. 

2025 Stats: 18 home runs, 62 RBIs, 128 OPS+, 3.5 wins above replacement, .273/.360/.462 slash line (433 at-bats)

Yes, Boston could let Bregman walk and make esteemed infielder Marcelo Mayer its everyday third baseman. Or, it could retain Bregman on a short-term deal and have Mayer start at either second base or shortstop – which would move Trevor Story to second base – or serve as Boston’s first infielder off the bench. Having Bregman back gives the Red Sox the best chance to contend for the AL pennant.

Bregman’s 2025 campaign with the Red Sox was limited to 114 games due to a quad injury and muddled in the drama that surrounded which position star third baseman Rafael Devers was playing, which ended with the homegrown star being traded to the San Francisco Giants.

Bregman, a 2024 Gold Glover, is a rock at the hot corner who could serve as a veteran complement, both at the hot corner and in Alex Cora’s everyday lineup, to an emerging young nucleus for the Red Sox that includes Mayer and outfielder Roman Anthony, among others. While the Red Sox sport a productive offensive unit, they also lacked a bit in the power department last season, as they were just 15th in MLB in home runs (186). Wouldn’t losing a proven slugger who’s an extra-base hitting machine like Bregman only worsen them in that regard? Plus, Bregman, who previously won two World Series with the Houston Astros, has been in the playoffs in each of the last nine seasons.

Bregman is an impact hitter with a crisp, level swing from the right side who’s accustomed to postseason play. He improved Boston’s infield defense and is arguably its best all-around position player. The two sides are better together than apart.

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