Author: Rowan Kavner Deesha Thosar

Hours after striking out on the top free agent in this year’s class, the Mets went and secured the next best thing.

New York again showed off its greatest asset, owner Steve Cohen’s wallet, by spending exorbitantly on two-time All-Star infielder Bo Bichette on a reported three-year, $126 million deal with opt-outs available after each of the first two seasons. Bichette, who led the majors in hits in 2021 and 2022 and enjoyed a bounceback 2025 season after a down year at the plate in 2024, is the Mets’ fifth major free-agent addition this winter, joining closer Devin Williams, infielders Marcus Semien and Jorge Polanco and reliever Luke Weaver. 

It’s been a busy offseason for Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who took a sledgehammer to the team’s core earlier this offseason. But less than a month out from the start of spring training, there’s still work to be done in Queens and around the league.

Here are our takeaways:

1. Mets get their impact bat

About 12 hours after Kyle Tucker passed over Cohen’s extravagant offer, the Mets swooped in and finally got their impact bat in Bichette. After Tucker went off the market, the 28-year-old Bichette was the next best free-agent hitter left. And even though the former Blue Jays infielder was expected to go to the Phillies on a long-term deal, the Mets increased their offer to a whopping annual average value of $42 million, surpassing his projected AAV by more than $15 million. It’s a massive overpay by the Mets, who were becoming increasingly desperate to bolster their lineup’s lack of thump after slugger Pete Alonso went to the Orioles in free agency.

Still, in an offseason that’s been in need of good news, the Mets deserve credit for doing whatever it takes to land a young hitter who can mash — Bichette has a career slashline of .294/.337/.469 and OPS+ of 121 — at the short-term commitment they always wanted. They were never publicly connected to Bichette the way that they were for Tucker, and a USA Today report indicated that the Phillies believed their seven-year, $200 million offer was enough to land Bichette as late as Thursday night. 

Now, the combination of Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien, and Bichette is getting closer to addressing the offensive production the Mets lost from Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil. They still need to fill their void in the outfield, as it’s hard to believe top prospect Carson Benge will be on the Opening Day roster. They still need to boost their rotation, the main reason they missed the playoffs last year. 

And, with Bichette expected to play third base — even though he’s never even logged a single professional inning at the hot corner — they have a logjam in the infield that could push Brett Baty to left field or out of New York in a trade. Polanco, too, was signed to play mostly at first base, with some reps at designated hitter. In the end, the Mets’ stated goal of improving their run prevention this offseason is being addressed by spending a combined $166 million on two players, Polanco and Bichette, who have never played at their respective positions. The Mets are banking on their athleticism to overwhelm any learning curves, and it just might work. –Thosar

2. How will the Blue Jays move on without Bichette?

As much as it hurts Blue Jays fans to officially lose their homegrown shortstop to the Mets, the team was headed toward a breakup after Toronto signed infielder Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year deal this offseason. It was even less likely a reunion with Bichette was on the table after the Blue Jays were heavily linked to Tucker, reportedly the only club to offer the outfielder a long-term deal. Even with Tucker slipping away, they’ve still had one of the best offseasons in baseball after acquiring Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers and Okamoto to strengthen their intention of repeating as American League champions. 

After the departure of Bichette, who will be remembered forever in Toronto for his electric three-run home run off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, Ernie Clement figures to spend most of his time playing second base, with Addison Barger in right. Losing Bichette’s regular production is still significant for Toronto, and they’re expected to keep spending to fill his void in the lineup. The Jays should be in the mix for free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, who has remained the Yankees’ top priority this offseason, though the two sides are in an extended standoff. Now that three of the top four free-agent bats (Tucker, Alex Bregman and Bichette) are off the board, there are fewer options for contenders to pivot to. –Thosar

3. The Phillies are already pivoting

At the outset of free agency, Philadelphia did not seem like one of the most obvious fits for Bichette. They have shortstop Trea Turner locked up through 2033. They have a strong second base defender in Bryson Stott. And they have Alec Bohm, who’s under one more year of team control, at third. But the benefits of employing Bichette and his bat outweighed any potential obstacles, which is why the two sides met earlier this week and seemed trending toward a deal. 

As Deesha alluded to, USA Today reported that the Phillies had agreed to Bichette’s request for seven years and $200 million Thursday night when the Mets, fresh off losing the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, made a higher-AAV, shorter-term offer that caused Bichette to change course. With the Mets’ deal, Bichette can test the market again entering his age 29, 30 or 31 seasons and could once again be one of the top position players available at that point, especially if he builds on his bounceback 2025 season. 

The Phillies would have had to do some roster reorganizing had they signed Bichette. The most obvious move would have been trading Bohm, and it might have also meant moving on from longtime Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto. Now, it seems much more likely that Bohm stays put. And in the hours after Bichette’s decision, the Phillies and Realmuto have already reportedly agreed on a return. After what was expected to be a winter of change in Philadelphia, things are shaping up to look a lot more similar than they could have. – Kavner

4. After losing Alex Bregman, where does Boston turn to?

After missing out on power bats in Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso early in free agency, the Red Sox still had a chance to appease the fanbase by bringing back third baseman Alex Bregman, who looked like a perfect fit in Boston. After all, what was the point in trading away All-Star slugger Rafael Devers to the Giants and his long-term deal for just one season with Bregman?

But Boston swung and missed. 

And now with Bichette going to the Mets, Boston’s best contingency option after losing Bregman is also off the table. If they still want to try to upgrade at third base rather than handing the reins to 23-year-old former top prospect Marcelo Meyer, who was a below league-average hitter last year in his first MLB season, Eugenio Suárez is still available and could have a field day mashing bombs over the Green Monster. 

But a year after employing both Devers and Bregman as third-base options, they have neither. And, at least as of now, they still have no established replacements for those All-Star departures a year after finishing 15th in home runs and ninth in OPS. They’ve upgraded their rotation significantly this winter and should still contend in the menacing AL East, but this winter’s offensive whiffs will still be difficult to justify. – Kavner

5. The Tucker deal lit the flame to MLB’s hot stove. So, who’s left?

Less than a month away from teams reporting to spring training, Tucker and Bichette — arguably the two most highly-coveted position players on the market — as well as the top catcher on the market were still unsigned. Then, in a 24-hour dash, that changed. 

Tucker’s staggering four-year, $240 million deal, which gave him the highest present-day average annual value in MLB history, forced the Mets to turn their attention immediately to Bichette. Then, Bichette’s signing spurred the Phillies to bring back Realmuto. 

The dominoes have finally started falling, and suddenly the top of the position player market has thinned out. Cody Bellinger lingers as possibly the last nine-figure bat on the board, and the price only figures to increase after the Tucker and Bichette deals. A return to the Yankees, who brought back Trent Grisham but have otherwise had a quiet offseason, still makes a lot of sense. But it would be foolish to count out any of the teams who missed out on Tucker, including the Blue Jays. Teams in need of power could turn to Eugenio Suárez, while Framber Valdez, arguably the top starting pitcher available this winter, and former All-Star Zac Gallen still remain available.  – Kavner 

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Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer 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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All anyone can do is laugh.

Dodgers fans are in a happy mood after outfielder Kyle Tucker, the undisputed jewel of this year’s free-agent class, signed a reported four-year, $240 million deal that includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons. 

Meanwhile, the 29 other MLB fanbases will just have to laugh through the pain of watching yet another star player join the defending World Series champions as they go for a three-peat. 

Here are our takeaways:

1. Dodgers address their two biggest needs with the best options available 

On Dec. 8, manager Dave Roberts said there was “no big splash” the Dodgers needed to make. Later that week, they made one anyway when they signed closer Edwin Diaz. And five weeks later, in an offseason in which they initially seemed content to sit out of the top end of the free-agent market, they’ve also now added the top overall player available in Tucker. 

They are always lurking, ready to pounce, especially if a star becomes available on a shorter-term deal. That was the case this winter, as the reigning champs addressed their two most glaring needs — bullpen and outfield — with the two best free agents at their respective positions.

 They were able to convince Díaz to sign for three years by giving him the highest average annual value ever for a reliever. They got Tucker, who was also projected to sign a much longer deal, for four years with opt-outs by giving him the highest AAV ever for an outfielder (Mets slugger Juan Soto previously held that mark at $51 million) and the second-highest annual salary ever for a player behind only his new teammate Shohei Ohtani. Accounting for deferrals, Tucker’s deal is an annual record in present-day value. 

The cost is staggering for any team, let alone a club that is already penalized at the highest tax rate. But the Dodgers have made abundantly clear that no matter how much money they’ve already spent, there’s always more available in their Ohtani economy. 

The additions of Díaz and Tucker, who both had a qualifying offer attached, will also cost the Dodgers their second, third, fifth and sixth-highest picks in the 2026 draft. But president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman vowed that the Dodgers would do everything they can to put themselves in the best position to win again in 2026. And by adding Díaz and Tucker to a championship roster, they’re in prime position to become the first team to three-peat since the 1998-00 Yankees. – Kavner

2. How do the Mets save their offseason?

Mets owner Steve Cohen provoked intense reactions when he posted a cryptic message on social media — “Let me know when you see smoke” — on Thursday night, just a couple of hours before news broke about Tucker’s decision to sign with the Dodgers. Cohen stoked the fire, only for Tucker to sidestep the Mets’ offer.

Speaking of smoke, the Mets have been under fire all winter after president of baseball operations David Stearns broke up the team’s core, with Pete Alonso (Orioles), Brandon Nimmo (Rangers), and Diaz (Dodgers) all departing from New York in the first part of the offseason. Signing Tucker would’ve expunged the anguish of losing three fan favorites. 

How can the Mets save their offseason now? Stearns created a void in the outfield when he dealt Nimmo to Texas. The Mets wanted Tucker to fill that void, hoping their substantial offer would be enough. Now, they can pivot by pushing hard for free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, whose versatility in left field and first base is a perfect match for the Mets. 

Beyond position-player upgrades, the Mets still have to bolster their rotation, which was the primary reason they missed the playoffs in their disappointing 83-win season last year. With Ranger Suarez off the board, would signing left-hander Framber Valdez (our top-ranked free agent pitcher) be enough to change the so-far bewildering state of their offseason? For now, limiting Cohen’s social-media usage could be a good start. – Thosar

3. Blue Jays absorb yet another Dodgers gut-punch

Not again.

That has to be the prevailing thought from a jilted Blue Jays fanbase. Two years ago, they lost the Ohtani free agency sweepstakes. Last offseason, they lost the Roki Sasaki battle and then fell in agonizing fashion in Game 7 of the World Series. And now, Toronto has absorbed its latest L.A. gut-punch with Tucker choosing the Dodgers. 

The Blue Jays were among the favorites to land the top free agent, a move that would have unquestionably made them the winners of the offseason and set their outfield up for years to come with George Springer and Daulton Varsho both entering their final year under contract in Toronto. Missing out on Tucker is a tough blow. 

Still, unlike past offseasons, this winter was a success for the Blue Jays even after the miss. After signing Dylan Cease, Kazuma Okamoto, Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers, they’ve spent more than any team in free agency and have put themselves in strong position to repeat as AL East champions. Tucker would have represented an obvious upgrade, but with Addison Barger, Varsho, Anthony Santander and Nathan Lukes, they can still field an adequate outfield. As currently constructed, they have a team capable of making another deep October run. 

Plus, the winter is not yet done. Perhaps they now turn more of their focus, and the money they would have spent on Tucker, toward bringing back top infielder Bo Bichette. – Kavner

4. A fresh wave of CBA and lockout talk

The Dodgers’ signing of Tucker invites more discourse of a potential lockout at the end of this year. MLB’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on Dec. 1, after which the league is expected to lock out the players and shut down free agency and trades, like it did in 2021.

Once again, MLB owners are pushing for a salary cap, pointing to huge payroll gaps and the fact that the Dodgers are continuously stacking stars and flexing their financial might in unprecedented ways, while arguing that smaller-market teams cannot compete. 

Particularly after the Tucker signing, most fan bases are more likely to side with the owners. The players union is prepared to stand in the way, which could lead to missed games amid a work stoppage in 2027.

For the Dodgers’ part, all they care about is winning. But it’s important to remember, their drive to compete has improved the bottom line. They paid nearly $170 million in luxury taxes in 2025, which shattered the record. This will be their sixth-straight year paying the highest penalty rates. The more the Dodgers pay in luxury taxes, the more money they’re redirecting to other clubs through revenue sharing. 

While a salary cap would, in theory, lead to financial fairness, the Dodgers’ present-day success is years in the making – including their shrewd front-office strategies (deferring player salaries) and strong player development. Those advantages won’t change even if a cap somehow goes through. Still, the Dodgers yet again signing the top free agent in the class will only intensify talks of a lockout and potential nasty labor fight. – Thosar

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!

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer 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.

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

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There have already been a handful of notable signings, re-signings and trades, but the offseason action will kick up a notch in a few days as the baseball world descends upon Orlando for the Winter Meetings. 

Before the hot stove really starts to sizzle and Major League Baseball’s top free agents find new homes, here are the 10 biggest storylines worth tracking ahead of MLB’s annual offseason extravaganza. 

How much does top free agent Kyle Tucker get?

 Tucker won’t approach the record $700+ million deals that Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto received as the prized commodities of the last two free-agency cycles, but the 28-year-old is the consensus top free agent on the market this winter and should expect somewhere in the $300-500 million range. Injuries have limited Tucker to 214 of a possible 324 games played the last two years, but he has still consistently produced between 4-6 WAR with an OPS over .800 each of the last five seasons. That makes him one of the most impactful outfield bats in baseball, especially when he’s healthy. His well-rounded skills at the plate should draw interest from every outfield-needy team that’s willing to spend. Tucker was reportedly seen touring the Blue Jays’ spring training facility this week, and the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Cubs, Giants and Phillies could also be among the teams in the mix. — Kavner

Who lands the NL home run leader? 

The market for Kyle Schwarber is fascinating, with teams like the Reds, Mets, Red Sox, and, of course, the Phillies all reportedly in the mix for his services. Coming off a career-best 56 home runs and an MLB-leading 132-RBI season, the 32-year-old slugger figures to command $30 million annually on a long-term deal. Schwarber finished second in National League MVP voting after his spectacular walk year. The Phillies are making it a priority to re-sign their designated hitter, but no deal is said to be close between the two sides. With Schwarber’s market heating up, it’s possible, if not likely, one of the most sought-after free agents will come off the board during the Winter Meetings. —Thosar

The top middle infielder 

It’s a thin market for star infielders this offseason, easily making Bo Bichette the splashiest free agent in the diamond. The 27-year-old shortstop/second baseman is expected to land a long-term contract that eclipses $200 million in overall value. Even though Bichette has publicly stated he wants to return to his homegrown team, the Blue Jays will have to outbid other top-payroll clubs to land him – yes, including the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the reigning champions reportedly a top candidate to sign Bichette, who only increased his value with a .348 batting average and .923 OPS in the World Series, his price tag just might reach astronomical levels. — Thosar

Starting pitching market 

This year’s top free-agent starting pitchers don’t have the track record of last year’s leading trio of Blake Snell, Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, but there are a handful of pitchers who will command nine-figure deals. One of them is already off the board after the Blue Jays made the first major splash on the pitching market, inking Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million commitment. Could Framber Valdez surpass that mark? Unlike with the position players, there’s really no clear-cut top starter here. It’s more a matter of preference. Cease could make the argument as the top arm in the field, but so could Valdez, Ranger Suarez and NPB star Tatsuya Imai. Beyond that group, Michael King and Merrill Kelly are also among the veteran pitchers who could upgrade a contending rotation.  –Kavner

Relief pitching market

Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, and Raisel Iglesias are all off the board, but there are plenty of closers remaining and the market has so far shown that it’s a good time to be a relief pitcher. After both Williams and Helsley secured major multi-year deals coming off of 4.00-plus ERA walk years, the ceiling for top free-agent closer Edwin Diaz just got that much higher. The Mets, Dodgers, Blue Jays, and Yankees should all be in the conversation for him, but a small-market club could pull off a surprising deal for the 31-year-old during the Winter Meetings. Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks are in the next tier of solid back-end relievers. It’s a sizable and standout group this offseason. –Thosar

How will the reigning champs retool?

The Dodgers have their sights set on a three-peat, but after spending lavishly the last two offseasons, it’ll be interesting to see how selective they are this winter. They don’t need another starting pitcher, and sluggers such as Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso don’t make much sense for their roster. They need to upgrade the bullpen, but could Tanner Scott’s struggles last year make them hesitant to offer another lengthy contract at a volatile position? If they’re not scared off by that, there are plenty of elite options still to choose from (see above). They could also use outfield help, which makes them potential suitors in the Tucker sweepstakes, though they tend to favor shorter-term, higher-AAV deals than the mega-contract Tucker is likely to receive. Could there be a reunion with Cody Bellinger three years after they unceremoniously non-tendered their former MVP? Or could they take a swing for Bichette and shift him to second? With the Dodgers, anything is possible. — Kavner

How will the looming labor battle impact this winter’s free agency?

We’re still a year away from the end of the current collective bargaining agreement, but the threat of a work stoppage in 2027 looms, especially if the owners ultimately push for a salary cap. How will that impact free agency this year? That remains to be seen (it’s still early), but so far, nothing looks too out of the ordinary. It’s interesting that four players took the one-year qualifying offer with the uncertainty ahead next winter, and we’ve already seen the Blue Jays give Cease a $210 million deal and the Mets give Devin Williams $51 million after a down year. At least for the league’s annual top spenders, it doesn’t appear that they’ll be spooked off by the ambiguity ahead. In fact, it’s possible there’s a greater desire to lock in their long-term deals now while they know what the economic system looks like. — Kavner

Where do the Japanese stars end up? 

Corner infielder Munetaka Marakami is most likely to sign during or right after the Winter Meetings with his posting window set to end on Dec. 22. Murakami, 25, is a power threat fit for any of the top contenders, but the Seattle Mariners have an obvious need for an infielder with Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suarez in free agency. Right-hander Tatsuya Imai may take longer to sign with his posting window running through Jan. 2. Imai, 27, recorded a 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts over 163.2 innings in the Nippon Professional Baseball League this season. The final big Japanese name this winter is infielder Kazuma Okamoto, a six-time NPB All-Star with a 30-homer ceiling. The 29-year-old’s posting window runs through Jan. 4. — Thosar

Will a small-market club make a splash? 

There have been rumors of the Pirates and Marlins potentially trying to spend this winter, which would represent a shift for the annually frugal franchises who are currently projected to have the two lowest payrolls in MLB in 2026. Perhaps it’s all just noise to avoid potential MLBPA grievances. After all, nothing of note has happened yet for the league’s cheapest spenders, and there will surely be a lot of “we tried” type comments when the most expensive free agents go elsewhere. But it’s worth keeping an eye on. Last year, the Diamondbacks shocked the MLB world by spending $210 million for Corbin Burnes. The A’s gave Luis Severino their largest guaranteed contract ever at $67 million. Who will that team be this winter? Could the Reds lure Ohio native Kyle Schwarber? Could the Tigers land Alex Bregman? We’re probably in for at least one surprise. — Kavner

The Scott Boras show

As always, the mega-agent will field questions and propose puns regarding his top free agents in this year’s class sometime at the onset of the Winter Meetings. While Boras’ press conferences always create buzz and draw large crowds, there have been fewer instances of useful information in recent years. Maybe this December, that will change. A top Boras client typically likes to sign during the Winter Meetings, and this year’s candidates are Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger, and Ranger Suarez. Last year, his top free agent was Juan Soto, and he signed his blockbuster contract with the Mets the day before the Winter Meetings. Expect at least one of those top-flight players to come off the board in Orlando. — Thosar

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.

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

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