Three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is “planning to crush some rehab” in his recovery from two surgeries.
Kershaw posted on Instagram that he had foot and knee procedures on Wednesday. He thanked Drs. Kenneth Jung and Neal ElAttrache for performing the operations.
“Planning to crush some rehab and be as good as can be come next year,” Kershaw posted on Thursday.
The 36-year-old Kershaw is 212-94 with a 2.50 ERA in 429 starts and three relief appearances over 17 seasons — all with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He declined a $10 million player option in favor of free agency, but he is expected to return to L.A. after vowing to do so at multiple points during and after the Dodgers’ run to a 2024 World Series championship.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kershaw was hurt for much of last season, finishing with a 2-2 record and a 4.50 ERA over seven starts. He was sidelined throughout the postseason.
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Don Bosseler, an All-American fullback who led Miami to the No. 6 ranking in The Associated Press poll in 1956 and was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, has died, his family and the National Football Foundation announced Thursday. He was 88.
Bosseler, who played eight years in the NFL, died Wednesday in Atlanta.
“Don Bosseler’s talents helped the Miami football program achieve national prominence in the 1950s,” National Football Foundation Chairman Archie Manning said in a release. “An All-American, he epitomized toughness, earning the nickname ‘Bull,’ and you can
Third baseman Alex Bregman had surgery to remove a bone chip from his right elbow.
Agent Scott Boras revealed the operation during a news conference Wednesday at the general managers meetings.
“He’s had his procedure. He’s going to be back swinging here in a few weeks, so he’s all through that process,” Boras said.
The Houston Astros, Bregman’s former team, said any details had to come from Boras.
ADVERTISEMENT
Bregman became a free agent last Thursday, after the expiration of a $100 million, five-year deal agreed to in March 2019 that covered 2020-24. The 30-year-old hit .260 with 26 homers and 75 RBIs and has a .272 career average with 191 homers and 663 RBIs in nine big league seasons, all with the Astros.
Boras said Bregman is willing to move to second base. The two-time All-Star has played third exclusively since 2020.
Astros: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total) Tigers: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total) Blue Jays: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total) Mariners: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total) Yankees: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total) Royals: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total) Any other team: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total) Mets: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total) Red Sox: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)
Bregman, 30, is a two-time All-Star third-baseman who has spent all of his nine professional years with the Astros, helping them win the World Series in 2017 and 2022. This past season, he registered the third-lowest batting average of his career (.260). He tallied 26 home runs and 75 RBIs in 145 games, and won his first Golden Glove. The Astros offered Bregman a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer on Monday.
Mets: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total) Yankees: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Red Sox: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Dodgers: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total) Padres: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total) Cubs: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total) Tigers: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total) Any other team: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total) Angels: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Snell, 31, has served as an ace for three different franchises over the course of his nine-year career. He spent five years in Tampa Bay, three in San Diego and pitched for San Francisco this past season. He’s won two Cy Young awards, led the AL in ERA in 2018 and led the majors in ERA in 2023. This past season, he went 5-3 in 20 starts, registering a 3.12 ERA and 145 strikeouts. He opted out of his contract with the Giants last week, becoming a free agent.
Mets: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total) Red Sox: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total) Dodgers: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total) Cubs: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total) Padres: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total) Orioles: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total) Any other team: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total) Tigers: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total) Giants: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Burnes, 30, spent the first six years of his career in Milwaukee, winning the NL Cy Young award in 2021. He also led the league in ERA that year. He’s a four-time All-Star, and last season was his first in a new city. He went 15-9 in 32 starts for the Orioles, posting a 2.92 ERA with 181 Ks. The Orioles offered Burnes a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer on Monday.
Cubs: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total) Dodgers: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total) Red Sox: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Tigers: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total) Braves: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total) Padres: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total) Mets: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total) Giants: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total) Angels: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Fried, 30, has spent all eight of his pro years in Atlanta, where he’s been a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner. He went 11-10 in 29 starts this past season, with a 3.25 ERA and 166 Ks. The Braves offered Fried a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer on Monday.
Nationals: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Mets: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Any other team: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total) Mariners: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total) Red Sox: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total) Yankees: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total) Tigers: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total) Giants: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total) Angels: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
The Polar Bear, 29, is a Mets icon, and has spent all six of his professional years in New York. He’s a four-time All-Star and won the Home Run Derby twice. He played 162 games this past season, tallying 34 home runs and 88 RBIs. The Mets offered Alonso a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer on Monday.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
–>
recommended
Get more from Major League BaseballFollow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Similar to how last winter was defined by the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes, this offseason will revolve around another generational superstar: Juan Soto. The 26-year-old slugger is coming off a career year with the New York Yankees, having also helped the Bronx Bombers back to the World Series for the first time in 15 years. Now, he’s likely staring down a record-breaking contract that might very well span the next decade-plus.
But where? The chatter has already begun during this week’s GM meetings. He’s not the only big fish on the open market, of course. There are plenty of other top-tier free agents, including ace pitchers Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles and Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves as well as Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.
And as Soto himself knows, after being dealt to New York from the San Diego Padres last offseason, there could always be landscape-shifting trades made in the winter.
Follow along below for the latest rumors around MLB free agency!
Nov. 6
Sasaki more likely to be posted than not
The 2024-25 MLB free-agent class might add another monumental talent. “Indications” are that Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki will be posted by NPB club the Chiba Lotte Marines, ESPN reported. If he is posted, the Dodgers are “heavily favored” to land the 23-year-old, according to ESPN. MLB on FOX insider Ken Rosenthal also reported that the Dodgers are the “heavy, heavy favorites” to land Sasaki, who was teammates with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Team Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
The possible sweepstakes for Sasaki won’t be as highly competitive from a spending standpoint as other free agents. Due to posting rules, teams can only use money from their international signing pools to offer him. Sasaki has pitched fewer than six professional seasons, meaning he can earn a maximum of $8 million if he’s posted after Dec. 15. If he’s posted before that date, the most he can receive is roughly $2.5 million, according to ESPN.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been in contact with Soto, checked in on Alonso
As free agency commenced Monday, Cashman shared that he spoke with Soto following the team’s World Series loss in late October. Cashman added that he’s already been in communication with Soto’s agent, Scott Boras.
Cashman figures to be busy in the coming weeks, as first baseman Anthony Rizzo and second baseman Gleyber Torres are also free agents. With that, Cashman confirmed the Yankees have interest in Pete Alonso, who’s available after starring for the Mets the past six seasons.
“There are a lot of high-quality players in this marketplace, and certainly Pete did an amazing job with the Mets,” Cashman said. “I had a brief conversation with Scott about a lot of his — he has a lot of free agents, which is normal, and Pete’s one of them, so yes.”
As for Torres, the Yankees did not extend him a qualifying offer, and Cashman offered a tepid response on whether the former All-Star could return.
“I’m not gonna dissect what he’s good at and not as good at,” Cashman said. “Obviously, he’ll have a lot of conversations with a lot of teams that have a need in that area and that might include us, who knows. But appreciate his efforts while he was here.”
Astros GM Dana Brown: Re-signing Bregman the “biggest priority”
Houston has a few key free agents to mull over, including Alex Bregman, Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Verlander. As Houston looks to retool after an early playoff exit, Brown was pretty blunt on which player the team is coveting this most this offseason.
The Astros, of course, have allowed a handful of homegrown stars walk in free agency in recent years. But Brown seemed bullish about the club’s chances to retain Bregman.
“Our mindset right now is that he’s not going elsewhere and we want to sign him,” Brown said. “If he ends up going elsewhere, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, but I’m going into this offseason with the thought that we’re going to get Bregman back. Hopefully we can do it.”
In an interview with MLB Network, Brown shared that he’s had initial conversations with Kikuchi and Verlander’s agents. He also said he’s “gone back and forth” with outfielder Kyle Tucker’s agent about a possible extension. Tucker is entering the final year of team control.
“We hope to narrow things down and have more conversations,” Brown said. “But we’ve had multiple conversations.”
With Bo Bichette set to become a free agent after the 2025 season, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins made it clear that the team isn’t willing to move on from the shortstop sooner than it has to. He told MLB Network that any trade calls involving Bichette are “an easy no.”
Bichette is coming off an underwhelming 2024 campaign, slashing .225/.277/.322 with just four homers in 81 games.
Rooker not available via trade
Athletics general manager David Frost insisted the A’s, who are temporarily relocating to Sacramento beginning next season, will not part with star designated hitter Brent Rooker.
Rooker was one of the most sought-after players ahead of the trade deadline in 2024. He finished the season with 39 homers and a 165 OPS+.
Nov. 4
Dodgers in on Soto? Mets not?
The New York Mets have long been seen as the most likely candidate to lure Juan Soto away from a return to the New York Yankees. But the Dodgers, fresh off beating Soto and the Yankees in the World Series, intend to make a bid for Soto “if he’s interested,” the New York Post reported last week. However, the Yankees reportedly believe a Soto-Dodgers union would “never happen” and regard the Mets and Toronto Blue Jays as their biggest threats in keeping the slugger.
One of the more surprising developments of the opening days of the MLB offseason was when the Milwaukee Brewersdeclined closer Devin Williams’ $10.5 million team option. Williams is a two-time All-Star who also won National League Rookie of the Year in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but did not make his 2024 season debut until late July due to stress fractures in his back. It’s part of the reason the defending NL Central champion Brewers declined his option, believing the 30-year-old closer will make less in arbitration anyway.
That not only helps the small-budget Brewers but also makes Williams a more attractive trade candidate, and he’s reportedly expected to be just that. Milwaukee has been aggressive in moving star players in the past. Williams, of course, only ascended to the closer role after the Brewers stunningly dealt Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres at the 2022 trade deadline.
Juan Soto is obviously the biggest name on the board, and the 26-year-old slugger might set a record for present-day value with his next deal after a career year with the New York Yankees.
But he’s just one of several All-Stars available in what figures to be an active winter.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas won reelection Tuesday, defeating U.S. Rep. and former NFL linebacker Colin Allred in the state’s U.S. Senate race.
Allred, 41, was a star high school athlete from Dallas who played linebacker at Baylor University in Waco before he spent four seasons in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans. He appeared in 32 career games and started two, accounting for 46 tackles. He later became a civil rights attorney after retiring.
Editor’s Picks
1 Related
In his concession speech at his watch party in Dallas, Allred said he
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman sounded as if he intends to bring back manager Aaron Boone for an eighth season and defended his team from criticism by Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly over New York’s sloppy World Series defensive play.
“I’m a big Aaron Boone fan. I think he’s a great manager and I think we’re lucky to have him,” Cashman said Tuesday at the general managers meetings.
Boone has led the Yankees to a 603-429 record, three AL East titles and one pennant in seven seasons. After the five-game loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series last week, Boone said he hadn’t thought about his future.
Boone agreed in October 2021 to a three-year contract that includes a team option for 2025. Cashman said the deadline for the option is 10 days after the World Series and he envisioned discussing both the option and a new deal.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I can’t put the cart ahead of the horse. We haven’t gotten there,” he said.
‘It stings forever’ – Aaron Boone on New York Yankees losing to Dodgers in World Series | MLB on FOX
–> <!–>
Cashman didn’t fault Boone for moves he made during the postseason.
“The manager’s job is so impossible, so you can play the game of second-guessing because you’re either going to make a move and it’ll be right, you make a move and it’ll be wrong and then have at it, right?” he said. “So I think he’s a really, really good manager. I think that we’re lucky to have him. He’s done a great job.”
Cashman acknowledged the World Series performance was a disappointment. The Yankees blew a 10th-inning lead in the opener when Freddie Freeman hit a game-ending grand slam off Nestor Cortes. After losing the first three games and winning Game 4, the Yankees wasted a 5-0 lead in Game 5 in a five-run fifth inning when center fielder Aaron Judge and shortstop Anthony Volpe made errors and pitcher Gerrit Cole failed to cover first on an infield grounder. The Dodgers won 7-6 to capture the title.
“First and foremost, I acknowledge that we played poorly in the World Series,” Cashman said. “We all saw that and unfortunately our `A’ game didn’t show up when it counted the most.”
“They got bad ball. Yeah, sloppy. Everyone knows that,” Kelly said. “We were saying every single game: Just let them throw the ball into the infield. They can’t make a play. I mean, you saw Shohei (Ohtani) get an extra base going to third off a sloppy Gleyber (Torres) play. It’s well known. We all knew. I mean, we’re the Dodgers. We know every little detail.”
“It was just a mismatch from the get-go,” Kelly added. “If we had a playoff reranking, they might be ranked eighth- or ninth-best playoff team. You know what I mean? You’re putting the Padres ahead of them, you’re putting the Phillies ahead of them, you’re putting the Mets ahead of them, you’re putting the Braves ahead of them — and the Braves just got unlucky because they had to play that doubleheader. You’re putting — I mean, the Guardians played like crap, but the Guardians played better, the better D (defense), better baseball all around.”
“I heard that,” Cashman said. “I also know people with the Dodgers, so I’ve got some internal conversations that I’ve got certainly feedback on. I think it’s more representative of some specific players rather than the overall group. And in Joe’s case, it feels like it’s for some reason, it’s a little personal, the way he’s out talking like he has.”
Cashman rejected criticism of the Yankees roster makeup, saying it’s natural that players are better at offense and not so strong at defense or base running.
“We’ve come across many a player that just aren’t good at bunting. As many times as you ask them to bunt and you practice bunting or whatever, they just aren’t good at it. And so at some point you manage the people you have,” Cashman said. “I remember having a conversation with one of my prior managers: ‘At some point you got to stop asking somebody to do something they’re not good at.'”
The Dodgers say the Japanese two-way player is expected to be ready for spring training in February.
Ohtani injured his nonthrowing shoulder while sliding into second base on a stolen base attempt, which resulted in a shoulder dislocation. He returned to play the next three games, helping the Dodgers beat the Yankees in five games to win the championship.
ADVERTISEMENT
Shohei Ohtani joins ‘MLB on Fox’ crew to discuss Dodgers winning the 2024 World Series
–> <!–>
The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.
