Additionally, the New York Mets are also not expected to land Sasaki, per SNY. The Chicago Cubs were also among the teams to meet with Sasaki.
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As for the teams still in the hunt for Sasaki, the Padres hosted him over the weekend, The Athletic reported. He also visited with the Toronto Blue Jays in their home city, The Athletic added in its report. Both teams had previously met with Sasaki in Los Angeles.
The Dodgers talked with Sasaki at least once during the process. General manager Brandon Gomes told reporters that he was still hoping to secure a second meeting with Sasaki as of Jan. 7.
The Dodgers have been considered one of the favorites to acquire Sasaki for much of the offseason. They, along with the Padres, have reportedly told other international prospects to possibly reclassify and sign with the team as part of the international class of 2026. The expectation is that Sasaki will take up the vast majority of the available international bonus pool money with whichever team he signs with.
Because Sasaki is under 25 and has not played six seasons in NPB, he is classified as an international amateur and limited to a minor league contract subject to international signing bonus pools, which range from $7,555,500 to $5,146,200. Starting Wednesday, teams may make trades to increase their signing bonus allotment by up to 60% from their initial figure.
Sasaki was officially posted by his NPB team, Chiba Lotte Marines, on Dec. 9, opening the 45-day window for him to sign. So, he’ll have to make a decision on his MLB future by Jan. 23.
The Dodgers have already addressed their rotation this offseason, signing Blake Snell to a six-year deal. While they lost Walker Buehler in free agency, Shohei Ohtani will return to the mound in 2025 and Clayton Kershaw is expected to return at some point during the season.
If Los Angeles lands Sasaki, it’d have one of the most formidable rotations on paper in recent memory. Sasaki’s fastball tops 100 mph and he went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games last year, striking out 129 hitters in 111 innings in a season limited by shoulder inflammation. He has a 29-15 career record with a 2.10 ERA over four injury-shortened seasons with the Marines.
The Padres, meanwhile, haven’t made any notable signings or trades this offseason. Adding Sasaki would further solidify the Padres’ rotation as one of the best in baseball, joining the likes of Dylan Cease, Joe Musgrove, Michael King and Yu Darvish.
The Blue Jays have been in the mix for several marquee free agents this offseason, but they’ve missed out on many of them. Still, they’ve added reliever Jeff Hoffman and traded for standout second baseman Andrés Giménez this offseason.
As for the teams that are now out on Sasaki, the Yankees already brought on another big-name pitcher. They signed left-handed starter Max Fried to a seven-year, $218 million deal in December. The Mets re-signed Sean Manaea to go along with adding Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes to bolster their pitching staff. The Giants added Justin Verlander to their rotation earlier in January after losing Snell. The Rangers re-signed Nathan Eovaldi in December.
Philles outfielder Nick Castellanos believes that Mets second baseman Jose Iglesias should have been crowned MVP of the National League instead of superstar Shohei Ohtani, who earned all 30 first-place votes after becoming the first member of MLB‘s 50/50 club and setting the Dodgers up nicely for a deep postseason run.
“If you’re looking at the MVP as having the most weight on creating wins for your team, there’s no other player that has had that much weight as Jose Iglesias,” Castellanos said of his former Tigers teammate. “With him being able to come in and bring that Latin spark, knocked the ice off of [Francisco] Lindor, finally got [Mark] Vientos probably comfortable to be able to be an everyday third baseman. And now a bunch of guys that looked like they had no direction … in the beginning of the year — they made the playoffs [and] got to where they did while the whole Mets organization had the ‘OMG’ signs everywhere from in the city to [in] the stadium.
“The way I look at baseball, Jose Iglesias is [the] unanimous National League MVP.”
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Castellanos went on to add that Ohtani is the player he’d choose to build a franchise around and that he’s the superior overall player — just not the most valuable.
“Shohei Ohtani played a huge part in the Dodgers winning,” Castellanos said. “I don’t know if he’s the sole purpose of the Dodgers moving in one direction. That doesn’t mean that what Shohei did isn’t record-book worthy and he’s not an amazing baseball player. If I’m starting a team, I pick Shohei over Jose. There’s no doubt about it. I’m not stupid.
“But the way that I saw baseball last year, with my eyeballs, Jose Iglesias is the National League MVP.”
Ohtani earned 423 points in the voting, while Mets shortstop Lindor finished second with 263 points.
The Dodgers clinched the NL West and finished with the best record in the league at 98-64. Ohtani, 30, posted a .310 batting average (the fifth-best in MLB) and racked up a career-high 54 home runs (second-most) in 159 games. He hasn’t pitched since Aug. 23, 2023, when he was still the ace of the Angels. Since then, he had elbow surgery and accepted a monster 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. Ohtani has unanimously won MVP three times, twice in the AL and once in the NL, in a four-year span. The one season he didn’t win MVP, he finished second.
Iglesias, 35, posted a .337 batting average with four home runs while playing in only 85 games this season, producing 3.1 bWAR. The Mets finished with an 89-73 regular-season record, clinching a wild-card berth in the NL East.
Castellanos, 32, appeared in 162 games for Philly this season, finishing with a .254 batting average and 23 homers. The Philles clinched the NL East after finishing 95-67.
They were immediately ejected from the stadium following the incident, which occurred during the bottom of the first inning of New York’s eventual 11-4 win, and later had their tickets for Game 5 revoked.
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According to MLB.com, they were notified of the ban this week via a letter that read, in part: “You interfered with play by intentionally and forcefully grabbing a player. Your conduct posed a serious risk to the health and safety of the player and went far over the line of acceptable fan behavior. Based on your conduct, Major League Baseball (‘MLB’) is banning you indefinitely from all MLB stadiums, offices, and other facilities. You are also hereby banned indefinitely from attending any events sponsored by or associated with MLB.”
The report also stated that they’ll be removed from the premises and subject to arrest for trespassing if they violate this latest punishment.
The pair attended the game after getting the first-row seats from an unnamed season ticket holder, who has held his seats since 1990 and was not present at the game. He’ll be allowed to keep his tickets.
Brian Matusz, the left-handed pitcher who spent eight seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the Baltimore Orioles as they returned to prominence a decade ago, has died. He was 37.
The Orioles and the University of San Diego announced Matusz’s death Tuesday night, with USD saying it received word from Matusz’s family. No cause of death was announced.
“Our hearts are heavy tonight as we mourn the passing of former Oriole Brian Matusz,” the Orioles said. “A staple in our clubhouse from 2009-2016, Brian was beloved throughout Birdland, and his passion for baseball and our community was unmatched. He dedicated his time to connecting with any fan he could, was a cherished teammate, and always had a smile on his face.”
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The Orioles drafted Matusz with the fourth overall pick in 2008 out of San Diego.
“Brian was one of the best players to ever wear a Torero uniform,” San Diego coach Brock Ungricht said. “His dedication to the USD community and passion for the game of baseball were evident to all who knew him. Brian’s unexpected passing leaves a void in our hearts, but his legacy will continue to inspire us, both on and off the field. We will forever be grateful for his friendship and unwavering support of San Diego baseball.”
Matusz made his major league debut in 2009 and was a starter until shifting to the bullpen down the stretch in 2012. That was the season Baltimore earned a wild card berth for its first postseason appearance in 15 years.
In 2014, Matusz went 2-3 with a 3.48 ERA in 63 relief appearances as the Orioles won the AL East.
Baltimore traded Matusz to Atlanta early in the 2016 season, and he eventually caught on with the Chicago Cubs, making one start for them that year in what would be his final big league appearance.
Justin Verlander and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $15 million, one-year contract, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the deal was pending a physical.
It’s the latest big move by new Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey since he was hired in September to replace Farhan Zaidi.
This will be the 20th major league season for Verlander, a three-time AL Cy Young Award winner who turns 42 next month. He would join a Giants rotation led by Logan Webb.
Verlander went 5-6 with a 5.48 ERA in 17 starts for the Houston Astros last year. He opened the season on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. He also was on the IL from June 18 to Aug. 21 because of neck discomfort.
The right-hander had a 9.26 ERA in five September starts and was left off Houston’s postseason roster when the team was swept by Detroit in an AL Wild Card Series. He became a free agent after he failed to pitch 140 innings, a total that would have triggered his ability to exercise a $35 million conditional player option.
There is no denying it: The sports world was an incredible roller-coaster of a ride in 2024.
It was filled with a host of surprises, dazzling individual performances, stunning hiring and firings, and an endless supply of epic moments on the field.
So before we look ahead to 2025, let’s look back and celebrate an unforgettable year.
Here is a summary of the best sports storylines of 2024.
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NFL: Surprising stars, a wild MVP race … and the Chiefs just keep winning
In some ways, 2024 began and ended in the exact same spot, with Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on top of the football world. They were the road warriors in January as they muscled their way to their second straight Super Bowl championship. And as the clock ticks down on the calendar year, they sure look like good bets to win their third.
But while the Chiefs hovered over the league all year long, they didn’t always dominate the headlines across the country. The last 12 months were full of surprises (Sam Darnold can still play?), disappointments (everything about the New York Jets), and a fascinating MVP race (could Saquon Barkley pull it off? Ralph Vacchiano breaks it all down with his Top 10 NFL Storylines of the Year.
Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Saquon Barkley: MVP race HEATS UP
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College football: Two big stars — and one coaching legend — take center stage
From a host of stunning upsets to dazzling individual performances from generational stars like Ashton Jeanty, and Travis Hunter, the 2024 college football season has been filled with memorable moments — and that doesn’t even take us to the coaching changes, like Bill Belichick signing up to lead North Carolina! But what was the single biggest storyline in college football this year? Laken Litman, RJ Young and Michael Cohen answer that questionas we get set to flip the calendar to 2025.
Can Bill Belichick do in 2 years what Deion Sanders has done in 2 years at Colorado?
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MLB: Yankees vs. Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani, and so much more …
Historic performances in 2024 generated record increases in viewership and MLB’s highest attendance in seven years. It all culminated in a classic and unforgettable World Series between the Yankees and the Dodgers. But while the storied franchises entertained us in late October, there were several other fascinating developments throughout the year and across the league. Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar look back a the 10 biggest MLB storylines of 2024.
USWNT: Emma Hayes leads USA to gold, but loses several star players
They were Concacaf W Gold Cup champions, SheBelieves Cup champions and Olympic champions. Emma Hayes took over as the new manager and made an immediate and powerful impact. The “Triple Espresso” emerged and several legends retired. Laken Litman looks back at how it all unfolded, then turns to preparations for the 2027 World Cup.
USMNT: How the roller coaster of 2024 shook out
A Nations League three-peat, a catastrophic major tournament failure and a high-profile coaching change. For the U.S. men’s national team, 2024 provided no shortage of drama. Before looking ahead to what should be a fascinating 2025, FOX Sports’ Doug McIntyre details the wild ride that was 2024.
Alexi Lalas’ wishlist for USMST in 2025
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NASCAR: Big wrecks, thrilling finishes and off-track drama!
From close finishes to big wrecks to drama on the track and off of it, NASCAR produced several captivating storylines in 2024. Bob Pockrass counts down some of the top stories (not always the happiest but based on significance and impact on the sport) of the year!
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LeBron James is now a 40-year-old man, making more history just by getting a year older.
The all-time great will become the first player in NBA history to have ever played a game both as a teenager and as a 40-year-old the next time he takes the court. He’s still going strong in his 22nd season, too, averaging 23.5 points and nine assists per game as of his birthday on Dec. 30.
As if that weren’t impressive enough, James has also exceeded the hype following him around since he entered the NBA in 2003, playing at an All-Star level essentially since he entered the league. But there are other stars who’ve also lived up to the tremendous weight put on their shoulders before they became professionals. Just in the last 14 months, Victor Wembanyama, Paul Skenes and Caitlin Clark have started to meet the sky-high expectations that have been placed on them.
Those three still have a lot of their respective careers to play out, though. So, let’s take a look at James and nine other 21st century professional athletes who’ve made good on, or even surpassed, the expectations surrounding them.
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Before entering the WNBA, Parker’s high school accolades included being named the 2003 and 2004 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year, the only two-time award winner of the USA Today High School Player of the Year, Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American. The dunking forward-center then attended Tennessee from 2004-2008. She led the Lady Vols to two consecutive national championships in 2007 and 2008 while also being named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in both.
Parker was taken with the first pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, and broke the WNBA record for points by a rookie in her debut game, knocking down 34 points and adding 12 rebounds and eight assists. Parker was the first WNBA player to be named Rookie of the Year and win the MVP award in the same season, and the seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA MVP hoisted the championship trophy three times in her career with the LA Sparks (2016), Chicago Sky (2021) and Las Vegas Aces (2023).
Harper might be the closest thing to baseball’s equivalent to James this century, at least in terms of hype. In fact, Sports Illustrated gave Harper similar treatment that it gave James when he was in high school, putting Harper on the cover of an issue with the “Chosen One” text.
While Harper might not be in the GOAT conversation in his sport like James is, he’s been among the handful of top players in MLB since he made his debut in 2012. Two years after the Nationals selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Harper won NL Rookie of the Year and turned into one of the game’s biggest sensations. At 19 years old, he became the youngest position player to ever be named to an All-Star roster. Three years later, he won his first MVP.
Why Bryce Harper’s David Beckham quality is good for MLB playoffs
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Harper remained one of the major league’s best hitters throughout his time with the Nationals before leaving ahead of the 2019 season. He then signed the largest contract in MLB history at the time to join the Phillies. He went on to win his second MVP in 2021 and has helped Philadelphia make the postseason in three straight years.
Messi began his career as a member of Newell’s Old Boys youth team, scoring nearly 500 goals with the club before joining Barcelona’s youth team at 13 in 2000. He impressed the professionals he practiced against, totaling 36 goals in 30 games during the 2002-03 season.
Messi was called up to Barcelona’s top squad in 2004 and quickly asserted himself as the best player in the club’s history. He scored a record 474 goals in 520 caps with Barcelona before adding another 43 goals in 83 caps between PSG and Inter Miami over the last two years.
Lionel Messi: best of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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Of course, Messi has also had a remarkable international career, too. He reached the mountaintop when he led Argentina to a World Cup title in 2022, which was sandwiched between two Copa America wins. He’s won the Ballon d’Or eight times as he’s scored 850 goals between club and country, further displaying his all-time excellence.
Moore gained notoriety as a savvy power forward at the University of Connecticut from 2007-2011, where she led the Huskies to back-to-back national championships in 2009 and 2010. Before her reign at Storrs, Moore led her high school team to four straight Georgia state championship appearances, including three wins. The dual-sport athlete (track and field) was named to the 2006 Sports Illustrated All-America Team and also won the McDonald’s All-America Player of the Year in 2007.
Moore went on to score 678 points in her debut season with the Huskies, which is the most by a freshman in UConn history. The 10-time Big East Freshman of the Week went on to earn Big East Player of the Year honors three times (2008, 2009, 2011), Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player twice (2009, 2011) and also guided Connecticut to its second straight 39-0 season in 2010.
In 2011, Moore was drafted first overall by the Minnesota Lynx, and earned the Rookie of the Year award on the way to her first WNBA title. The six-time All-Star went on to win three more championships (2013, 2015, 2017) and was also named the WNBA MVP in 2014.
Historically, the highest-regarded quarterbacks haven’t fared too well in the 21st century. Andrew Luck’s career was cut short due to injury, while Trevor Lawrence and Caleb Williams are still in the early years of their respective careers. Additionally, many of the best quarterbacks drafted since 2000 haven’t had a great deal of buildup surrounding them, either.
However, Peterson garnered a lot of attention before the running back entered the NFL. He finished as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy as a freshman in 2004, leading Oklahoma to the national title game that same year. After he continued to excel in Norman for the next two seasons, the Vikings took Peterson with the seventh overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
That decision wound up being one of the smartest in Vikings history. Peterson had a wildly productive rookie season, rushing for a record 296 yards in one game as he went on to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Five years later, he rushed for 2,097 yards, finishing just 9 yards short of breaking the single-season record. That performance, which came after he had torn his ACL late in the previous season, helped him win 2012 MVP honors, making him the last non-quarterback to win the award.
Peterson was also the third-fastest player to rush for 10,000 yards in NFL history. His 14,918 rushing yards are also the fifth-most in NFL history as he led the league in rushing three times and was named a Pro Bowler on seven occasions.
“Sid the Kid” became a prodigy in Canada when he was literally just a kid. In his minor hockey years as a young teenager, Crosby appeared on “Hockey Day in Canada” before he dominated the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to the point that it retired his No. 87 in 2019.
After a dominant junior career, Crosby was drafted with the No. 1 pick by the Penguins in 2005. He helped Pittsburgh reach the postseason just two years into his career and led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final a year later. He won his first of three Stanley Cups in 2009, while adding two MVP wins over his career.
Internationally, Crosby scored one of the most memorable hockey goals ever when he netted the game-winner for Canada in the gold medal match against the USA in the 2010 Olympics. He won his second Olympic gold in 2014.
Hailing from Syracuse, the 6-foot-4 power forward returned to her New York roots in 2023, and with it added another WNBA championship trophy under her belt with the New York Liberty. The two-WNBA MVP was selected by the Seattle Storm with the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft, after a dynamic career at UConn (2012-2016) during which she collected four consecutive NCAA championship titles and four NCAA Tournament MOP awards.
Ahead of her college years, “Stewie” was a must-watch high school player, earning the 2012 Gatorade Player of the Year and Naismith Prep Player of the Year in her senior year, while also being named to the McDonald’s All-American team. The three-time USA Basketball Player of the Year has also won three WNBA championships (2018, 2020, 2024), two Commissioner’s Cup championships and an Olympics MVP award (2021).
You know you’re a special player when you’re nicknamed “McJesus” well before playing your first professional game. McDavid was the most decorated player in the history of the Ontario Hockey League, winning five individual awards as he was just the third player in the league’s history to be granted eligibility before turning 16.
While McDavid tore up the OHL, there was great anticipation over who’d land him in the 2015 NHL Draft. The Oilers won the lottery that year and took McDavid, which changed the course of their franchise. They’ve been a playoff mainstay since the 2019-20 season, and McDavid has won the Art Ross Trophy for the most points in the league five times and MVP on three occasions.
McDavid nearly led the Oilers to a title in 2024, when they lost the Stanley Cup Final in seven games to the Panthers. As the Oilers came back from a 3-0 deficit to force a Game 7, McDavid became the sixth player on the losing team to ever win the Conn Smythe Award.
Ohtani was a two-way sensation in Japan for several years before joining the Angels in 2018, winning Pacific League MVP in his penultimate season in the NPB.
At 23, Ohtani’s salary was maxed out due to international signing rules. But he immediately met the expectations thrust upon him. He won AL Rookie of the Year in 2018 despite playing through a UCL injury for part of the season.
After undergoing Tommy John surgery following his rookie season, Ohtani was finally able to put it all together as a pitcher and hitter starting in 2021. In a four-year span, he unanimously won MVP three times, twice in the AL and once in the NL. The one season he didn’t win MVP, he finished second.
Shohei Ohtani founds 50/50 club, Is he the greatest baseball player ever?
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Most recently, Ohtani also won a World Series in his first season with the Dodgers in 2024. That came as he wasn’t able to pitch, but he was still dominant at the plate. He became the first player in MLB history to record at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season.
“The Kid from Akron” has more than lived up to the hype that began even before the 18-year-old basketball phenom was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. In his 22 seasons in the league, James has earned four NBA championships and Finals MVPs (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), as well as four NBA Most Valuable Player awards (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013). The 2024 Olympics MVP has become the NBA’s all-time scoring champion and leads the league in minutes played with over 57,000.
Has LeBron James matched Michael Jordan’s greatness in year 22 of his career?
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Before he broke records in the NBA, James took the basketball world by storm as the standout player at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in his hometown. He was named the 2003 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year and was a two-time National High School Player of the Year and three-time Ohio Mr. Basketball. The Fighting Irish won the state championship three times in James’ four high school years, and the star made national headlines, most famously on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
During his first season in the NBA, James was named Rookie of the Year with final averages of 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. During his second season, the now-40-year-old earned his first NBA All-Star Game selection on his way to a record 20 appearances and three All-Star Game MVPs. He has also won the NBA Cup championship and Cup MVP in 2023.
The hot stove hasn’t cooled off during the holidays.
Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell and Max Fried are all finally signed, and each one of their contracts surprised to some degree. But which team negotiated the best deal between that trio? Which American League contender is having the best offseason? Where will Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman sign, and for how much?
FOX Sports MLB experts Deesha Thosar and Rowan Kavner weigh in on those topics and more in our latest roundtable.
1. Which of the big three pitcher contracts do you like best from the respective teams’ perspective?
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Thosar: Maybe it’s partly due to the shock of the signing, but I like the deal the Diamondbacks worked out with Corbin Burnes. Even though they weren’t linked to him all winter, Burnes’ residency in Arizona clearly made the organization a top candidate internally, and they capitalized on that advantage to secure the top free agent starting pitcher left on the market. The D-backs already had a strong rotation (Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, Eduardo Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery) without Burnes, and those supporting arms will decrease the pressure for him to uphold an entire pitching staff.
The NL West, dominated by the Dodgers, is arguably baseball’s toughest division, and the D-backs needed someone with the top talent of Burnes (2.94 ERA since 2021) to become a viable contender. As far as the money (six years, $210 million), Burnes was always expected to earn at least $35 million per year on a long-term deal, and the D-backs deserve credit for being able to deliver.
Kavner: Blake Snell with the Dodgers. I didn’t anticipate Max Fried getting the biggest contract (both by years and total value) of any pitcher this winter. I would have been hesitant to give eight years to a 30-year-old with recent forearm issues, so then it comes down to Snell and Corbin Burnes for me, and while I give major credit to the D-backs for swooping in to add an ace to a pitching staff that needed an upgrade, I’ll still take Snell for five years and $182 million on the Dodgers over Burnes for six years and $210 on the D-backs for a few reasons.
For starters, Burnes can opt out after two years. In addition, the deferrals in Snell’s deal lower his average annual value to between $3-4 million less per season than what Burnes is making. Plus, the Dodgers get added protection with their conditional club option on Snell’s contract for a sixth season at just $10 million should Snell suffer a serious injury at some point during his Los Angeles tenure. Burnes is certainly the bigger workhorse, but the upside is higher with Snell, who stabilizes a Dodgers rotation that had a lot of injury questions and whose overpowering swing-and-miss stuff can make him the best pitcher in the game when he gets on the type of roll he was on in the second half of the 2024 season. He’s a game-changer in October like few others.
2. The Yankees and Astros have been among the more active teams this winter among American League contenders. Which club has had the better offseason?
Kavner: Right now, I would not project either team to be better than what they were last year. But you can at least see a clearer path toward that potentially being possible for the Yankees, and I think they’ve had the better offseason of the two teams. Christian Walker is one of the more underrated players in baseball and was my favorite first baseman on the market (at least for the next 2-3 years), and I also think Isaac Paredes should have a field day with the Crawford Boxes, but I would much rather have Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman than what the Astros have now.
That’s not to say what the Yankees are doing will make up for the losses of Juan Soto, Nestor Cortes and Clay Holmes. The additions of Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt don’t exactly ease my concerns about that offense without Soto, but the pitching upgrades give them the nod here.
Thosar: Both teams lost at least one star player this offseason, but the difference for me is the Yankees’ strong response to losing Juan Soto in free agency, versus Houston’s game plan and execution once they decided to trade Kyle Tucker to the Cubs and most likely let Alex Bregman walk away in free agency. After Soto’s decision to decamp to Queens, the Yankees pivoted by acquiring Max Fried, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. Sure, we can go back and forth about the value of each of those contracts and how risky it could be to improve the lineup with two questionable/inconsistent bats, but the sheer volume of star players the Yankees added gives them the trophy for the better offseason when comparing them to Houston.
The Astros’ big move was signing first baseman Christian Walker, but that was a necessity for a while now (they had among the worst offensive production in MLB at the corner infield position in 2024). Often, the team’s financial limits in free agency are forgiven just because Jim Crane has set the standard that he won’t go above a certain payroll threshold to win. In the end, the Astros are a weaker team without Tucker and Bregman, just like the Yankees have a weaker lineup without Soto. But New York’s fully committed response to improve the entire roster gives it the better offseason.
3. What’s been your favorite short-term deal thus far?
Thosar: This isn’t the sexiest answer, but I like the Tigers’ deal with Gleyber Torres because it works out for everyone involved. Detroit is gambling just $15 million on a one-year deal — and that’s just about how much Torres was expected to earn on the market after recording his worst career OPS (.709) in his walk year with the Yankees. The Tigers have the opportunity to improve Torres’ defensive shortcomings at second base within the backdrop of an exciting, youth-driven roster that exceeded expectations last season.
As for Torres, he’s betting on himself with a prove-it deal to improve his value before he hits free agency again next winter, when he’ll still only be just 29 years old. It has always seemed like Torres would excel outside of the high-pressure New York market, and now he finally has the chance to improve his slugging (his high-water mark, astonishingly, was when he crushed 38 home runs in the 2019 season) and find his form again amid what is still the prime of his career. It’s a good deal for both sides in a world where overpayments are the norm.
Kavner: It’s one of Gleyber Torres, Shane Bieber or Walker Buehler for me, and I’ll go with Torres for one year and $15 million to the Tigers. This wasn’t the walk year he envisioned in New York, but if he performs to his capabilities in Detroit, this could be the steal of the offseason.
I thought the Tigers might try to upgrade at corner infield first, but wherever it was, they desperately needed another right-handed bat to both balance the lineup and raise its floor. Torres was a league-average hitter this year with the Yankees, but he’s a 28-year-old two-time All-Star who should have some extra motivation and a chance now to re-establish his value in a lower-pressure environment. He might never fully realize the upside many expected when he launched 38 home runs as a 22-year-old, but for just $15 million, it’s a low-risk chance that could reap big rewards for Detroit.
4. What are your best guesses for the teams and terms for Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso?
Kavner: I don’t feel particularly confident that either player reaches the $200 million mark, though Bregman certainly has the better chance. At 30 years old, he’s still a terrific defender who packs 20-plus homer pop with elite plate discipline. And now that a reunion in Houston appears out of the question, the possibilities are numerous. Any contending team with a need at third base (or second base) should be interested. The Tigers make the most sense for me as a fit, but I don’t anticipate their best offer will be enough. So, I’ll say the Blue Jays, coming off their massive 2024 disappointment, do what it takes to land the star that has eluded them and give him seven years and $196 million.
I don’t expect quite the same robust market for Alonso, given his defensive deficiencies and troubling offensive trends outside of his prodigious power. Now that the Astros and Yankees have already found their answers at first base in free agency, I think it comes down to the Mets and Giants for Alonso with a return to Queens ultimately in the cards. I could see this contract getting creative, but let’s say six years, $156 million.
Thosar: I have always expected Alonso to end back up with the Mets, and I’m not changing my answer now. The Mets know firsthand how pivotal Alonso’s role was in their 2024 playoff run — and even though he had a substandard regular season, his ninth-inning go-ahead home run off Devin Williams in the wild-card series propelled his club all the way to the NLCS. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns can try his best to take sentimentality out of the equation, but I think the emotional tie to Alonso might just push Steve Cohen to get the deal done somewhere around $130 million for five years.
As for Bregman, the Red Sox seem like the ideal landing spot for the two-time World Series champion. He would likely have to switch positions and play second base in Boston, but a potential Bregman signing would make the Red Sox contenders in the AL East. I would hesitate to give Bregman more than five years since he’s entering his age-31 season, but I think if the Sox are desperate enough, going to six years for around $165 million could make sense for both sides, which would include a reunion with his former Houston manager, Alex Cora.
5. Would signing Rōki Sasaki cap off an ideal offseason for the Dodgers? Do you have any real concerns with their roster?
Thosar: The Dodgers signing Sasaki would make for a fantastic offseason for the club. They have already addressed several roster concerns by paying up for typical top free agents (Blake Snell and Teoscar Hernandez), further signaling to the industry that they have every intention to defend their title. And landing Sasaki through an unusual free agency, plus adding yet another Japanese pitcher, would send the message that they have cemented themselves as the premiere landing spot for overseas talent.
The roster — mainly the outfield — would be more concerning if the Dodgers hadn’t reached a deal with Hernandez. But now, with Mookie Betts set for another move to the infield, the outfield looks like it will be Michael Conforto in right, Tommy Edman in center, and Hernandez in left, which makes for a solid roster construction that will in no way limit their offensive strength. The only concern they have left is making sure their arms stay healthy — and that can be safeguarded by adding more depth.
Kavner: It would make for an unbelievable offseason. There’s an argument to be made that even without Sasaki, a rotation featuring Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani might already be the best in baseball. Add Sasaki (and eventually free agent Clayton Kershaw) to that list, and it’s easily the most talented group in the game.
Now, talent and availability are two different things. Glasnow missed the end of the season with an elbow issue, Yamamoto missed nearly three months with a rotator cuff strain, and Ohtani, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin all didn’t pitch in 2024, so it’s hard to know exactly what to expect from the group. But if health is more on their side this year, the ceiling is massive for that unit, even after losing Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty.
The Dodgers already answered the two biggest concerns on their roster — starting pitching and outfield — by signing Snell, retaining Teoscar Hernández and adding Michael Conforto. You could quibble about their apparent decision to go with Mookie Betts at shortstop rather than second base or right field, but Tommy Edman and Miguel Rojas provide some insurance at the spot, and they already demonstrated they can win a World Series with those pieces as the options at the position. I’d expect them to try to further bolster the back end of their bullpen before offseason’s end, but even if they do nothing else from here, the moves they’ve made have positioned them to be an even more formidable group in 2025.
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 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.
Historic performances in 2024 generated record increases in viewership and MLB’s highest attendance in seven years. It all culminated in a classic and unforgettable World Series between the Yankees and the Dodgers. But while the sports’ two most storied franchises entertained us in late October, there were several other fascinating developments throughout the year and across the league.
That list includes a pair of pitchers recording triple crown seasons, another posting one of the best rookie campaigns ever, and the consummation of the largest contract in sports history.
Here’s a look back at the 10 biggest MLB storylines of 2024:
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1. A hobbled Freddie Freeman comes through with iconic Fall Classic
There were two lasting memories of the 2024 World Series: the Yankees‘ calamitous fifth inning in the deciding Game 5 and the iconic blast off the bat of a hobbled Freddie Freeman in Game 1. Freeman was unable to play in two of the Dodgers‘ final three games of the NLCS due to a lingering ankle injury and was also battling broken rib cartilage. He was held without an extra-base hit through the Dodgers’ first two postseason series, but the time off before the Fall Classic allowed him to find his power again. The Dodgers were down to their last out in Game 1 when Freeman conjured memories of Kirk Gibson as he launched the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history. Freeman would go on to homer in each of the next three games as well, giving the series MVP a major-league record six straight World Series games with a home run dating back to the Braves‘ 2021 championship run. — Rowan Kavner
2. Even without pitching, MVP Shohei Ohtani keeps making history
There’s enough material from Ohtani’s first season with the Dodgers to create an entire top-10 list of his achievements alone, so we’ll just take the whole thing here. Unable to pitch in the first year of his $700 million deal, Ohtani tried to find a way to make more of an impact as an offensive juggernaut with his speed and did it to unprecedented and awe-inspiring levels. He became the fastest player ever to reach 40 homers and 40 steals in a season, and he got there with a walk-off grand slam. Then he became the first 50/50 player in MLB history, hitting the milestone in one of the all-time great single-game performances (6-for-6, 3 HR, 2 2B, 2 SB, 10 RBI). In his first taste of the postseason, Ohtani won a World Series in his first year with the Dodgers and then was crowned the first league MVP who served strictly as a DH. — Kavner
3. The return of the Bronx Bombers
Aaron Judge and Juan Soto produced historic numbers we hadn’t seen in 93 years in their lone season playing in pinstripes together. Their combined oWAR of 19.6 became the highest for a tandem in baseball since Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig recorded 20.0 for the 1931 Yankees. Judge and Soto also combined for 99 home runs and finished in the top three in AL MVP voting, with Judge bringing the trophy home for the second time in his career. The two titans took the Yankees to the World Series; Soto’s 10th-inning pennant-winning home run off Hunter Gaddis was the ultimate highlight of their October, while Judge’s record 223 OPS+ during the regular season set the foundation for the Yankees’ championship run. We didn’t know at the time that Game 5 of the Fall Classic would be the last time they played together. Since Soto switched boroughs in free agency this December, it already makes the spectacle of Judge-Soto that much more nostalgic. For a single season, they were an iconic duo. But in the grand scheme of baseball’s history, they’re just a blip. Oh, but what a year it was. — Deesha Thosar
Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani: Who had the more impressive season?
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4. MLB’s homecoming at Rickwood Field
Major League Baseball’s decision to celebrate the historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala. this summer became an unforgettable tribute to the Negro Leagues and Willie Mays, who died the day before the event kicked off. Mays’ presence was felt at the nation’s oldest professional ballpark, where the Hall of Famer’s legacy began and veterans of the Negro Leagues returned in wheelchairs and high spirits as the Cardinals edged the Giants. Mays’ son, Michael, told the crowd: “Let him hear you!”, before a series of “Willie! Willie!” chants enveloped the field. From issues of race and segregation, to a meeting point for families and communities, to a birthplace of some of the sport’s most talented athletes of all time, Rickwood Field is a relic that will always hold a special place in baseball’s long and complicated history. While the event was held over a few days, the celebration of the beloved ballpark was a sentimental and unforgettable chapter of the 2024 season. — Thosar
5. Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes even better than advertised
Massive expectations followed Paul Skenes after the Pirates made the LSU national champion the top overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. He somehow managed to exceed them. Ten months after he was drafted, Skenes made his MLB debut on May 11. His first 11 big-league starts were so extraordinary that he earned the start in the All-Star Game, becoming the first player ever to go from the No. 1 overall pick to an All-Star the following year. The rest of his season was similarly overpowering. He finished the year with a 1.96 ERA, which was the lowest mark for any rookie with at least 20 starts in the live-ball era and the lowest mark of any big-league pitcher in 2024 with at least 130 innings pitched. Skenes, who struck out 170 batters in 133 innings, was named Rookie of the Year and finished third in Cy Young voting. — Kavner
‘MLB on FOX’ crew discusses significance of Skenes’ All-Star start
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6. Cy Youngs are triple crown winners
From 2012 to 2023, the only pitcher to win a triple crown (leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts) was Shane Bieber during the shortened 2020 season. Then came Chris Sale and Tarik Skubal, who this year became the first tandem triple-crown winners since Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander in 2011. Sale and Skubal, both left-handed pitchers who’ve persisted after Tommy John surgery, posted eerily similar totals — Sale went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts in his first year in Atlanta, while Skubal was 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts in Detroit — though their paths to award-winning seasons were vastly different. Sale had finished in the top five in Cy Young voting every year from 2013 to 2018 before being limited by injury over the past four years in Boston. The 35-year-old finally won the award in a bounce-back season in Year 14. Skubal, meanwhile, is still an ascending star. The 28-year-old won the AL Cy Young Award unanimously after helping lift the Tigers to the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. — Kavner
Whether it was Pete Alonso’s go-ahead ninth-inning home run off closer Devin Williams, or Francisco Lindor’s game-winning grand slam against the Phillies that sent the Mets to the NLCS, it was a fairy-tale season full of humor, whimsy and joy for the Amazins. Their late-inning heroics became a staple of their deep postseason run, which included an MLB record four consecutive postseason games in which the team with the lead entering the eighth inning lost. After putting together an expensive and disappointing roster in 2023, the Mets with tempered expectations battled their way all the way to a NLCS Game 6 against the Dodgers, when their capacity for comebacks finally ran out. But a season that featured a glove being thrown into the stands, a goofy McDonalds character, a banger of a Latin pop song performed by their infielder, and a special team culture that overcame setback after setback made for an internal belief that the Mets were always going to fight to stay in the game. When the curtain finally dropped, baseball was left to appreciate a truly remarkable season from the Mets. — Thosar
Dodgers vs. Mets: MINI-MOVIE of 2024 NLCS
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8. Witt, Henderson, De La Cruz headline golden era of young shortstops
If you want to get excited about the future of the sport, just look at the shortstop position. Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson and Elly De La Cruz all ranked in the top 10 in wins above replacement in 2024, and all three are under the age of 25. Witt and Henderson finished second and fourth in American League MVP voting, respectively, while De La Cruz finished eighth in the National League. Witt orchestrated one of the greatest all-around seasons from a shortstop ever and won the AL batting crown with a .332 batting average. Henderson had 28 homers before the All-Star break. De La Cruz had 45 steals and 15 homers in his first 91 games, and there are plenty more young talents behind them. C.J. Abrams, 24, was an All-Star and finished with a 20/30 season. Ezequial Tovar, 23, earned down-ballot MVP votes after leading the NL with 45 doubles. The position is in a spectacular place looking forward. — Kavner
9. Central time in the American League
Sure, we thought either the Tigers or the Royals could have a solid season in 2024, but even as late into the year as the trade deadline, nobody expected both teams to make the playoffs. Detroit traded away four of its best players, including Jack Flaherty, in July and fell to a 55-63 record on Aug. 10 with only 44 games left in the season. Then, behind ace Tarik Skubal, they just kept winning. The Tigers went from fourth to second place in the AL Central in the final week of the regular season, defeated the Orioles in the wild-card round, and advanced to the ALDS for the first time in 10 years while ending the longest postseason drought in baseball.
The Royals, who also just finished a long rebuild, relied on their mix of youth and veteran leadership to surge into the playoffs for the first time since their 2015 championship run. Kansas City fell to the eventual AL champion Yankees in the ALDS, but its future looks promising with AL MVP runner-up Bobby Witt Jr. on the books until at least 2030. The Guardians, meanwhile, finished with the second-best record in the American League and required late-inning heroics from the Yankees to be eliminated in the ALCS. Detroit, Kansas City and Cleveland combined to win four playoff series — no division won more — while the Twins also finished above .500, making the AL Central the only division to boast four teams with a winning record. The rise of the AL Central arrived ahead of schedule, but we’re definitely here for it. — Thosar
Mets, Juan Soto agree on 15-year, $765 million contract
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10. The $765 million man
The biggest contract in professional sports — an unprecedented moment in the history of MLB — looks a little something like $765 million paid to Juan Soto over the next 15 years. As if the contract wasn’t mind-boggling on its own, the generational slugger stunned the world when he traded his Yankees cap for a Mets jersey, ending what was the first head-to-head battle between the two New York teams for a free agent under the Steve Cohen era. It was a distinguishing moment in baseball that will be discussed, analyzed and scrutinized for decades to come.
For Scott Boras, too, this was a peculiar year that ended on the highest of notes when he helped Soto sign the massive contract. The year began with his top free agents remaining unsigned deep into the offseason, eventually agreeing to low-priced deals when spring training and even the regular season had already started. Perhaps because of the late start, most of those players suffered injuries or had disappointing seasons, and Boras entered this winter facing skepticism on whether the super agent could still deliver huge contracts. In the end, we got our answer in the form of three quarters of a billion dollars. — 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 Twitter at @RowanKavner.
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.
Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died at age 100 on Sunday. Carter, the longest-living president in American history, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by family.
Carter leaves a legacy highlighted by his humanitarian efforts around the world. The Nobel Foundation noted “his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development” when it awarded him its peace prize in 2002.
Less known, and admittedly less consequential, is Carter’s lifelong sports fandom. He was the first president to invite the Super Bowl champions to the White House, a tradition that continues to this day. In 1980, he hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers, along with the reigning World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates, at the president’s residence.
The Georgia native was also a supporter of Atlanta’s professional sports teams, including the Braves, Falcons and Hawks. They, among others, paid tribute to the former president shortly after his passing on Sunday.
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Here’s a look at how Carter’s life was remembered across the sports world.
NFL
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend and role model, President Jimmy Carter,” Blank’s statement read. “He was a great American, a proud Georgian and an inspirational global humanitarian. He lived his life with great civic responsibility and took it upon himself to be the change he wished to see amongst others.”
Washington Commanders
The Commanders held a moment of silence for Carter ahead of their game on Sunday night, which was against the Falcons.
MLB
Atlanta Braves
The Braves issued a statement on Carter’s passing late Sunday afternoon.
“President Carter was a testament to the best America, and Georgia, can produce,” the Braves wrote in their statement. “He served both his country and home state with honor his entire life. While the world knew him as a remarkable humanitarian and peacemaker, we knew him as a dedicated Braves fan and we will miss having him in the stands cheering on his Braves.”
MLB
The league also issued a statement on Carter’s death.
“A Georgia native, President Carter was an ardent supporter of the Atlanta Braves. As Governor of Georgia, he was in attendance when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium on April 8, 1974,” the league wrote. “Over the years, President and Mrs. Carter would often be seen cheering on the Braves in many Postseason contests. We extend our deepest condolences to the Carter family.”
MLB Network shared video of Carter throwing out the first pitch in the 1995 World Series, won by Atlanta over Cleveland.
NBA
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks were also among the Atlanta teams to release a statement addressing Carter’s passing.
“President Jimmy Carter represented all the best of Georgia,” the team wrote. “From his rural upbringing that he never strayed from, to his passion for Atlanta sports, Carter was proud of his home state and left a legacy for Georgians to be proud of, too.
He showed the world for a century what could be accomplished when leadership, faith, and diplomacy meet southern hospitality. He and his wife Rosalynn left Georgia and our nation better than they found it, pouring their lives into service, especially for those who could not protect or provide for themselves.
“Our deepest condolences along with our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.”
NBA
The NBA celebrated Carter’s humanitarianism in its statement remembering the former president.
“The NBA family mourns the passing of President Jimmy Carter,” the league wrote. “President Carter’s extraordinary humanitarian efforts and commitment to public service are an inspiration to people everywhere.”
College football
Carter’s alma mater, Navy, also posted a tribute to him as he played sprint football for the school.
How fans remembered Jimmy Carter
In addition to the Atlanta teams, some fans connected Carter to other happenings in the sports world. One even noted the number of homers Babe Ruth hit during Carter’s lifetime.
Another remembered when Carter welcomed a college championship team to the White House.
