From the moment Steve Cohen bought the New York Mets, the accompanying tagline has been that he’s the richest owner in baseball. That manifested more than ever on the eve of the 2024 winter meetings, as the Mets and superstar outfielder Juan Soto on Sunday night reportedly agreed to a 15-year, $765 million deal. It is the largest (and longest) deal in MLB history, topping Shohei Ohtani‘s $700 million pact with the Dodgers from last year.
Here’s a look at the top 10 deals ever doled out in MLB, and how those players performed after signing their historic contracts.
(Note: these values are based on data from Spotrac.com)
1. Juan Soto, New York Mets: $765 million over 15 years (reported)
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Soto’s 15-year deal topped Fernando Tatis Jr’s. 14-year extension as the longest in MLB history. He will be 40 years old when the deal is complete.
Led MLB in walks three times, on-base percentage twice, slugging once, OPS once
2. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers: $700 million over 10 years
After spending the first six seasons of his MLB career with the Angels, Ohtani signed a record-breaking contract in 2023 to remain in Southern California and play for the Dodgers. The deal, which includes $680 million deferred, will end after Ohtani turns 39 years old.
Stat line after deal (2024): .310/.390/.646/, 54 HRs, 130 RBIs, 99 XBH, 59 SBs
Career pitching line (did not pitch in 2024): 38-19, 481.2 IP, 3.01 ERA, 608 K, 1.082 WHIP
One of just nine players in MLB history with multiple 40-HR and 20-SB seasons
Three-time unanimous MVP (only player to win unanimously multiple times)
Prior to Ohtani, the most homers hit by a player with 10 or more wins as a pitcher was 11 by Babe Ruth in 1918. Ohtani hit 46 in 2021, 34 in 2022 and 44 in 2023.
Ohtani was the only American League pitcher in 2022 with at least 130 innings pitched to hold opponents to a batting average under .200.
After being traded from the Red Sox in 2020, Betts signed a 12-year extension with an MLB-record $65 million signing bonus. Betts helped deliver a World Series title that very year.
Stat line after extension (2021): .288/.373/.527/, 116 HRs, 322 RBIs, 145 OPS+
Notables since extension:Three-time All-StarFinished top-five in MVP voting twice2022 Gold GloveTwo-time Silver Slugger
Before 2022, Judge bet on himself. Then the slugger made history and slugged an AL-record 62 homers and secured his $360 million deal. The deal will take him through the 2031 MLB season, at which point he will be 39 years old.
Stat line after deal (2023): .300/.438/.666/, 95 HRs, 219 RBIs, 204 OPS+
Notables since extension:2024 AL MVPTwo-time All-Star223 OPS+ in 2024 was highest by a right-handed hitter in MLB history
2024 AL MVP
Two-time All-Star
223 OPS+ in 2024 was highest by a right-handed hitter in MLB history
After signing a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres in 2019 free agency, Machado re-upped with San Diego for a jaw-dropping $350 million. Machado will be 43 years old by the time the last year of the deal arrives.
Stat line after extension (2023): .267/.322/.467/, 59 HRs, 196 RBIs, 116 OPS+
Lindor was the face of the Cleveland franchise but was traded to the Mets and agreed to an extension with the team in 2021. The deal is through the 2031 season, but his contract is set up with $50 million in deferred money due to him in $5 million annual payments from 2032 to 2041.
Stat line after extension (2021): .259/.336/.461/, 110 HRs, 359 RBIs, 86 SBs 122 OPS+
Notables since extension:2024 MVP runner-upTwo-time Silver Slugger
Tatis Jr. inked his contract when he was just 22 years old in 2021. The deal, which is far from the only long-term commitment on the San Diego books, will take him through the 2034 season, at which point he will be 35.
Stat line after extension (2021): .271/.341/.514/, 88 HRs, 224 RBIs, 65 SBs 134 OPS+
Suspended for 80 games for use of performance-enhancing drugs in August 2022
Notables since extension:Two-time All-StarOne-time Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
After playing with the Nationals for his whole career, Harper left for the division-rival Phillies in 2019. His 13-year deal is the longest given to a free agent, and at the time it was signed, the contract was the largest in MLB history.
Stat line after deal (2019): .285/.391/.533/, 152 HRs, 455 RBIs, 149 OPS+
Notables since extension:2021 NL MVP2022 NLCS MVPTwo-time All-StarThree-time Silver Slugger
In 2014, Stanton capitalized on his stardom by signing the then-richest deal in MLB history. That deal expires after the 2027 season. Stanton was traded to the Yankees just three seasons after he signed the monster extension.
Stat line after extension (2015): .249/.334/.516/, 275 HRs, 704 RBIs, 131 OPS+
Notables since extension:Three-time All-Star2017 MVP2022 All-Star Game MVP2017 Silver Slugger
Seager had become a playoff hero even before signing with the Rangers prior to the 2022 season. The shortstop’s deal, which now looks very much worth it, ends in 2031 when he will be 37.
Stat line after deal (2022): .280/.350/.524, 96 HRs, 253 RBIs, 143 OPS+
Notables since extension:Three-time All-Star2023 World Series MVP2023 MVP runner-up2023 Silver Slugger
Three-time All-Star
2023 World Series MVP
2023 MVP runner-up
2023 Silver Slugger
T-10. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers: $325 million over 12 years
Yamamoto signed the largest contract of any pitcher in MLB history, narrowly eclipsing Gerrit Cole’s nine-year, $324 million pact with the Yankees.
At 25 years old, he was posted by the Orix Buffaloes last winter following one of the most dominant stretches in Japanese baseball history. He was a three-time Pacific League Most Valuable Player and has a lifetime ERA of 1.82.
Stat line after deal (2024): 7-2, 90 IP, 3.00 ERA, 105 K, 1.111 WHIP
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Juan Soto is remaining in New York, but he’s switching boroughs.
The superstar outfielder has agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, the New York Post reported Sunday. The contract is the largest in total value in MLB history, surpassing the 10-year, $700 million pact Shohei Ohtani signed to join the Los Angeles Dodgers last offseason.
With the deal, the Mets add one of the most talented young hitters in recent memory and will have him for several of his prime seasons. Soto, 26, posted a .288/.419/.569 slashline with 41 homers and 109 RBIs to help the Yankees reach the World Series in his first and only season in The Bronx.
Soto, a four-time All-Star, is already a well-decorated player for his age and has even drawn comparisons to all-time greats like Ted Williams. Although he’s yet to win an MVP award, he finished third in AL MVP voting this past season, marking his fourth top-six MVP finish over the last six seasons. Among active hitters, he ranks 20th in career batting average (.285), first in on-base percentage (.421), fourth in slugging percentage (.532), third in OPS (.953) and 11th in at-bats per home run (16.3). He’s also recorded 201 homers and 934 hits in 936 career games.
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Soto’s free agency has been highly anticipated in MLB circles over the last few years. He reportedly turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract extension from the Washington Nationals in 2022, just three seasons after he helped them win a World Series. That contract rejection led the Nationals to trade Soto to the San Diego Padres in July 2022. Soto and the Padres reached the NLCS later that season, but San Diego traded him to New York after the team had a disappointing year in 2023.
Even as the Yankees made their run to the World Series this past season, Soto’s free agency continued to dominate headlines. By the time the offseason began, only a handful of teams met and extended him an offer as he was projected to sign a contract worth at least $600 million.
The process to sign Soto moved relatively quickly after teams met with him and his agent, Scott Boras, at his agent’s office in Southern California in November. At that point, it was expected that Soto would sign a deal by the end of the winter meetings, serving as one of the first major dominoes to fall this offseason.
Dave Parker and Dick Allen were elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame on Sunday by the classic era committee.
Parker received 14 of 16 votes and Allen got 13. A vote of 75% or more was needed for election.
They will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 27 along with players voted in by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, whose balloting will be announced on Jan. 21.
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Tommy John was third with seven votes on a committee that considered candidates whose primary impact was before 1980. Ken Boyer, John Donaldson, Steve Garvey, Vic Harris and Luis Tiant each received less than five votes.
Parker, 73, hit .290 with 339 homers and 1,493 RBIs for Pittsburgh (1973-83), Cincinnati (1984-87), Oakland (1988-89), Milwaukee (1990), California (1991) and Toronto (1991).
He won World Series titles in 1979 and ’89, was the 1978 NL MVP, won the 1977 and ’78 NL batting titles and was a seven-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove right fielder.
Known as Richie Allen with the Phillies before asking to be referred to as Dick for the rest of his career, Allen was a seven-time All-Star who was voted the 1964 NL Rookie of the Year and the 1972 AL MVP.
Parker never got more 24.5% during 15 appearances on the BBWAA ballot from 1997-2011. He was on fewer than six ballots from the 2013 expansion era committee and was on seven from the 2019 modern era committee, which considered candidates from 1970-87.
Allen received a high of 18.9% on the BBWAA ballot from 1983-97, then fell short in a series of committee votes.
The San Francisco Giants have finally landed a big fish. It only took the better part of a decade and the individual with the largest deal in franchise history to make it happen. Shortstop Willy Adames now holds that distinction, however, as his reported seven-year deal for $182 million tops that of new president of baseball operations Buster Posey.
The Giants, and perhaps Posey, found themselves in this position partly because the club’s 13-year, $350 million pact with Carlos Correa two winters ago fell through over concerns about his medicals. While Correa is coming off another All-Star (yet abbreviated) season, the Twins are reportedly open to trading the 30-year-old despite four years left on his contract. The 29-year-old Adames, meanwhile, is coming off perhaps the best year of his career with the Brewers.
That prompted the following debate between our MLB writers:
Money being equal, who would you rather have for the next five years, Willy Adames or Carlos Correa?
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Rowan Kavner: This is a close call considering Adames’ durability and home run ability, but I have to go with the upside of Correa. He’s a year older with a concerning injury history, but he’s also a three-time All-Star, former Rookie of the Year and Platinum Glove winner and, as his .905 OPS this year demonstrated, a potential MVP contender when he’s healthy. The downside, of course, is that he often isn’t.
Adames is a much better bet to actually stay on the field. He’s a consistently above-average player who just produced a career year offensively, though his high strikeout and whiff rates cap his offensive ceiling. The highest wRC+ Adames has produced in a season was 126 (he was 26% better than league average offensively in the shortened 2020 season); Correa, meanwhile, has averaged a 127 wRC+ for his career (and a 126 mark over the past four years).
Since 2021, Correa and Adames rank sixth and eighth, respectively, in FanGraphs’ version of WAR among shortstops. Limit it to the past three seasons, and they’re 10th and ninth. In other words, they’ve provided close to the same value in recent years, despite Adames playing in almost 100 more games during that stretch. You can look at that two ways. One, Adames has been the more reliable player. Two, Correa is usually the more productive player when he does play. Adames leaves the yard more often, but Correa hits the ball harder, strikes out less and reaches base more often. Adames has produced between 3-5 WAR and played in at least 139 games each of the past four seasons, but he has never had a season worth 5.0 or more WAR and has never been an All-Star. Correa, meanwhile, has played in 139 games just once since 2017, but the ceiling (as evidenced by his MLB-best 7.2 bWAR season in 2021) is considerably higher.
After a down year in 2023, Correa displayed both what remains in the tank and the dangers of relying on him to stay healthy in 2024. He slashed .310/.388/.517 with encouraging underlying numbers in an All-Star season but missed half the year with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Even with Adames producing one of his best seasons ever — the former Brewers shortstop finished in the top 10 in MVP voting for the first time while posting career highs in hits, homers, RBI and stolen bases — Correa provided about the same value in about half the games.
I mentioned in our roundtable this week that I thought Adames was a perfect match for the Giants, who needed help up the middle defensively and a difference-maker in the lineup (the deal he was offered was exactly the max I said I would have given him). He was the type of player the Giants needed to get. But if I were picking between the two, I’d lean toward Correa, whose greater risk comes with greater reward.
Deesha Thosar: Adames. Perhaps the recency bias of his successful walk year is swaying me, but the 29-year-old’s career-high of 161 games in 2024 represent a major highlight, particularly when comparing him to Correa. As noted, the Giants broke their agreement with Correa a couple of winters ago because of medical issues, and there should be zero concerns about Adames’ physical health this time around. Given Buster Posey’s workhorse regimen during his prime years in San Francisco, it’s likely that Adames’ durability stood out to the new Giants front office leader — as it should. Avoiding major injuries, and playing through minor maladies, is not only becoming increasingly rare in today’s game, it’s an asset that Correa simply doesn’t have. Correa’s 86 games played in 2024 and the ongoing never-ending questions about his longevity are drawbacks that are really tough to look beyond.
Especially for someone like Posey, who is at the early stages of setting a new standard of stability for Giants baseball, it’s important to field a roster of players who can be counted on. Not only was Adames known as a clubhouse leader in Milwaukee, he was a dependable bat at a premium position, too. Of course, shortstops age rapidly, so there is a general risk of physical decline in the field with Adames. But the pop in his bat, which has played well at Oracle Park, can offset some of his defensive concerns, and his dependability goes a long way when considering a deal for the next five years. Adames has a .321 batting average, .381 on-base percentage, and .827 OPS in 63 plate appearances at Oracle. Now, the two home runs he’s hit in that span are lackluster, but that’s to be expected in the pitcher-friendly ballpark. I’m expecting Adames’ walk rate to offset some of those power concerns.
As for Correa, he always looks like he’s on the cusp of reclaiming his Houston superstar days — right up until he inevitably suffers an injury. There is no doubt at this point that those evaluating Correa for a five-year pact must readjust their expectations. Correa, who missed significant time with plantar fasciitis this past season, cannot make any promises about his finicky foot, which casts long-term concern on how much production to expect from the shortstop. I would be much more weary of going down that road with Correa than committing to a solid, albeit pricey, pact with Adames.
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.
Willy Adames has agreed to a $182 million, seven-year contract with San Francisco, providing the Giants with a power-hitting shortstop in the prime of his career, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical. ESPN first reported the move.
The 29-year-old Adames is coming off his best offensive season in the big leagues after hitting .251 with a career-high 32 homers and 112 RBIs with the Milwaukee Brewers. He’s a solid shortstop with a strong arm and good range, though his defensive metrics slipped a little in 2024.
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He also has provided consistent power with 150 homers over seven seasons. He broke into the big leagues in 2018 with Tampa Bay and hit 20 homers in his first full season in 2019.
He was traded to the Brewers in 2021 and had one of his best seasons in 2022, slugging 31 homers with 98 RBIs and had a 4.3 WAR.
Adames was signed by the Detroit Tigers in 2012 as a 16-year-old in the Dominican Republic.
Deciding whether Juan Soto tops Shohei Ohtani for baseball’s largest contract could be in the eye of the beholder because of all the deferred money in Ohtani’s deal.
Ohtani agreed last December to a $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, easily exceeding the previous high set when Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels struck a $426.5 million, 12-year agreement through 2030.
Ohtani’s deal includes $680 million in deferred money payable from 2034-43. There are several interpretations of how to value that deal in current dollars:
Soto could get a contract of 10-to-15 years for $600 million or more.
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His agent, Scott Boras, is not a big fan of deferred money and thinks teams might not insist on delaying the cash.
“I think it’s much less of an issue than it was before,” Boras said. “Deferral as a mechanism for me, is it: Will it impede my ability to get the greatest asset I can acquire? And the answer to that is, I don’t think they’re going to want to do anything that impedes their primary pursuit and goal.”
Juan Soto rumors: Dodgers moving Mookie Betts to infield for free agency play?
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The interest figure used for discounting to determine luxury tax value is set in the collective bargaining agreement as the federal mid-term rate defined in section 1274(d) of the Internal Revenue Code for the October preceding the initial contract year.
That rate dropped to 3.7% this offseason, which meant if Ohtani’s deal had been agreed to this month, its annual luxury tax value would have been about $49.3 million. That would have resulted in an additional $3.5 million annual tax bill for the Dodgers, who would exceed the top threshold and would pay additional tax at a 110% rate on each dollar.
MLB’s regular payrolls, which use the same rate as the one for calculating the qualifying offer price based on the 125 largest contracts, use the prime rate set by JPMorgan Chase on the preceding Nov. 1 plus 1%, rounded to the nearest full percentage point. That figure dropped to 9% for this offseason.
Deferred compensation must be funded by the second July 1 after the season in which it was earned, discounted to a present-day value at a 5% rate.
“It’s just trying to kick dollars down the road,” St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said at the general managers’ meetings last month.
Ohtani’s payments are two-thirds of the total owed.
“It was a unique situation for where a club was, a unique situation for a player who has very significant earning potential outside of strictly his compensation from a club,” New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “Those other ones are much more representative of what you see in sort of standard contracts around the industry. Each organization, each ownership group is going to have a slightly different perspective on this, on how they’re calculating the returns off of that deferred compensation.”
Yankees’ Juan Soto cranks a solo home run, tying game against Dodgers
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Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said his team’s leadership from Guggenheim Baseball Management has the expertise to fund deferred compensation wisely.
“A lot of our ownership group are from financial background and can have that money going to work right now,” he said.
MLB proposed during collective bargaining on June 21, 2021, to put an end to the practice.
“For contracts entered into after the effective date of the Basic Agreement, deferred compensation of any kind will not be permitted,” the proposal read, according to a copy obtained by The Associated Press.
That idea was rejected by the union and not included in the five-year agreement that expires in December 2026.
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman thinks his team’s large resources encourage players to seek their money as soon as possible.
“We’re open to deferrals,” he said. “A lot of times players are less open to doing deferrals for us than they are for maybe other markets, but if we can do stuff that benefits us, of course we will.”
The Los Angeles Dodgersannounced on Thursday that star first baseman Freddie Freeman “underwent surgery on his right ankle consisting of debridement and the removal of loose bodies.” He’s expected to be ready for spring training.
Freeman suffered an ankle injury in the final week of the regular season but played through it in the postseason — and proceeded to put on a show in the Fall Classic.
In the Dodgers’ five-game series win over the New York Yankees in the World Series, Freeman blasted four home runs and drove in 12 runs, helping him win MVP of the series. Furthermore, Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning in Game 1 of the series at Dodger Stadium.
In the regular season, Freeman totaled 22 home runs and 89 RBIs, while posting a .282/.378/.476 slash line, 4.7 WAR and 1 DRS at first base.
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Freeman, 35, is entering the fourth season of a six-year, $162 million deal with the Dodgers.
‘That’s a dream come true’ – Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman after his game-winning grand slam in Game 1 of World Series
Is there anything more enjoyable than bonding over sports with loved ones while winning some cash?
People get to do exactly that every week with our free-to-play FOX Super 6 contest.
With opportunities to win thousands of dollars, the Super 6 game gives fans a new reason to get excited about sports.
The contest — which has been live since the beginning of the 2023 NFL season — has already given away a ton of cash.
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This season, across all contests (NFL, College Football, NFL Network and MLB), more than $239,000 in cash and prizes has been awarded.
Let’s take a look at a few of our recent winners.
Home of the Braves
Les from North Georgia won the MLB Championship Super 6 contest, perfectly fitting for him as an Atlanta Braves fan.
“I’ve been playing Super 6 since September, and knowledge is my strategy,” the retiree explained.
While Les’ rooting interest is in the Braves, he does have a bold prediction about how the rest of the college football and NFL seasons will play out.
“It’s hard to win it all,” he said, “but I do think the Buckeyes, Dawgs and Falcons will make the postseason.”
College Football, MLB Reign Supreme
Justice from Maryland is one of our recent winners who chose not to tell his folks right away about his good fortune.
“No, I haven’t told my family yet, but I do plan to start my Christmas shopping earlier than later,” the college football Week 9 winner revealed.
And then there’s Midwest Jeff, a software engineer from Minnesota, who abandons strategy when it comes to FOX Super 6.
“I just pick and pray,” he admitted after cashing in on the FOX Super 6 MLB World Series contest.
Les (left) and Justice are two of the most recent FOX Super 6 winners to cash in. –> <!–>
West Coaster Cashes In
NFL Week 6 winner Michael from Washington admits that he was shocked when he found out he had won.
“When I realized it was actual and factual, I was in disbelief,” the beverage industry worker told us. “I told my family and friends, and their reaction was very similar to mine — shocked and excited.”
When it comes to his favorite team, Michael is a diehard Raiders fan. “I have been a fan of the Raiders since they were in Oakland, then L.A., back to Oakland and I’m still a fan now that they’re in Vegas.”
So what does he plan to do with the cash?
“Although I did not win the Super Bowl, I will be going to Disneyland!”
Michael from University Place, Washington, is excited about taking a Disney trip. –> <!–>
Terrible Towel, Wonderful Winner
Dakota from Pittsburgh works in finance and won the NFL Network contest in October.
“I’ve been playing for about two years and make selections primarily based off of the players’ opponents,” she explained. “A receiver or running back that might not be top 10 can still have dominant performances against weaker teams or a team facing injuries.”
The Steelers fan also gave us her bold prediction for the season.
“T.J. Watt is locked in this year, so Defensive Player of the Year is his for the taking. I think the Steelers will definitely make the playoffs and will hopefully make a run for a Super Bowl.”
Dakota enjoys watching her favorite team. –> <!–>
Super 6 at a Glance
Every week, the contest challenges its participants with fun, knowledge-oriented questions. We dug into the data to grab a few nuggets from the weeks that our highlighted winners won.
MLB League Championship Contest
There were four perfect entries in the MLB League Championship contest. Les took the top prize via the tiebreaker by most accurately predicting the final score of Game 4 of the NLCS when the Dodgers beat the Mets 10-2.
College Football Week 9
Ranker questions continue to be our most difficult question each week. During college football Week 9, Justice was part of only 1.95% of entries that correctly ordered Question No. 4: “Order the following by who will have the MOST TOTAL YARDS (highest to lowest)” as DJ Giddens > Omarion Hampton > RJ Harvey > Kaleb Johnson.
MLB World Series
The easiest question in the World Series contest was Question No. 6: “Who will win GAME 4 of the World Series? Yankees or Dodgers?” It was a relatively even split between picks, but Jeff was part of 48.7% of entries that correctly picked the Yankees to beat the Dodgers.
NFL Week 6
The hardest non-ranker question for NFL Week 6 was Question No. 1: “Who will have the MOST RECEIVING YARDS?” Michael was part of 11.9% of entries that correctly picked Chris Godwin, who had 125 receiving yards over A.J. Brown, CeeDee Lamb and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Your Turn!
So how can you join in on the fun?
It’s simple.
Just look out for our next FOX Super 6 contest, and when it goes live, try your hand to see if you can win.
The best part is that it’s free.
Your lucky day could be a few guesses away. Head to the app and start playing now!
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We’re in Week 5 of the Juan Soto sweepstakes, and with every report, the Yankees appear more vulnerable to losing him. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are rumored to be weighing potential trades for at least three stars.
Speaking of stars, Willy Adames isn’t a household name but is by far the best free agent among shortstops. Where would he make the most impact? Pete Alonso is the top first baseman on the market, but would he be a better buy than Christian Walker? What position players and pitchers will be the steals of free agency?
FOX Sports MLB experts Deesha Thosar and Rowan Kavner weigh in on those topics and more in our latest roundtable.
1. What potential trade target do you like best for the Dodgers: Cody Bellinger, Carlos Correa or Nolan Arenado?
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Kavner: I’d rank them Correa, Arenado and then Bellinger. Correa — if the Dodgers and their fans can look past any lingering disdain from what transpired in 2017 — makes the most sense, even if outfield is the more pressing need with Teoscar Hernández hitting free agency and Mookie Betts supposedly moving back to the infield. The Dodgers moved on from Bellinger once when they thought his salary would no longer be commensurate with his value two years ago. I highly doubt their opinion changes now, with Bellinger set to earn $27.5 million in 2025 with a player option for 2026 after his power dipped and he hit just 11% better than league average in a more pedestrian 2024 season. There are more obvious fits for him elsewhere, where he can utilize his versatility and move between the outfield and first base. Plus, it’s easier for a team to patch together an outfield than it is to find an All-Star caliber everyday shortstop, which is something the Dodgers have lacked since letting Corey Seager and Trea Turner go and is now a bigger need than third base.
Arenado could get moved, and the Dodgers have long held interest in the eight-time All-Star, but they’d have nowhere to put Max Muncy after his strong 2024 season if they trade for Arenado and Betts is occupying second base. Plus, Correa was a more valuable player in 86 games last year (3.7 bWAR) than Arenado was in 152 (2.5) and Bellinger was in 130 (2.2). He has the most upside of this trio and would provide the Dodgers a lot more certainty in their infield. Miguel Rojas, Tommy Edman and Betts are capable of taking down innings at shortstop, but Betts is better suited at second, Edman graded out better in center than at shortstop last year, and the Dodgers have preferred to keep Rojas in a part-time utility role. They demonstrated last year they don’t need a prototypical everyday shortstop to win a World Series, but having one the caliber of Correa would certainly be a nice luxury.
Thosar: I’m going with Bellinger. Even beyond the sentimentality, the Dodgers will need Bellinger’s expertise in the outfield if they don’t bring Teoscar Hernandez back in free agency. The Cubs are reportedly looking to trade Bellinger after he exercised his $27.5 million player option for 2025, and that kind of financial cost is a big risk for a player who was beset by injuries in 2024 after a promising season in 2023. But the Dodgers know Belli best, and the former MVP is a better option than Correa (who is still hated in Los Angeles after his bad blood with the 2017 championship Astros) and Arenado (who’s coming off his worst career season).
Arenado might want to be traded to the Dodgers, but do they want him? Max Muncy is signed through 2025, so they would have to shift him to second to accommodate the 10-time Gold Glove winner … but they also declared that Mookie Betts was returning to the infield next season. A reunion with Bellinger isn’t as risky or complicated as acquiring the other two trade targets.
2. Would you bet on the Yankees or The Field to sign Juan Soto? If the Yankees miss, what must they do to make this a successful offseason?
Thosar: The Yankees have to finish what they started and sign Juan Soto. They just have to, and the sky is falling if they don’t. Giving Soto a blank check in free agency was always a possibility when they traded for him in the first place, and after he enjoyed his best career season in the Bronx and took the Yankees to the World Series, presenting Soto with an offer he can’t refuse has become their only option to survive the offseason without angering the fan base. Soto was so clearly the missing piece for Aaron Judge’s Yankees, and the hope would be that if he sticks around, they might close the gap against the almighty Dodgers.
It’s hard to imagine a Soto-less Yankees team having anywhere close to the talent needed to win the American League pennant, let alone win it all, what with ace Gerrit Cole being a year older and Giancarlo Stanton on the verge of playing in his age-35 season. But landing Corbin Burnes, Teoscar Hernandez, and one of Pete Alonso/Christian Walker would qualify for a productive offseason … but the Yankees run the risk of seeing those impact players drop off the board while they wait it out for Soto.
Kavner: While Soto has to be the top priority for the Yankees (who remain among the few favorites to sign the unquestioned top player on the market), I’m going with the field, especially after hearing Hal Steinbrenner’s uncertainty following his meeting with Soto. If they don’t land him, they better get to work quickly trying to save the offense. A successful offseason would require at least two impact bats, one of which has to be a corner infielder. And even then, it might also take a difference-making starter to prevent bedlam in the Bronx.
One of Christian Walker or Alex Bregman would make a lot of sense, but Soto’s absence would also open a door in the outfield, where Teoscar Hernández or Anthony Santander linger as the top options behind Soto. A trade for someone such as Cody Bellinger, who can play both center and first, would also be in play. I want to make clear: keeping Soto is and should be the top priority. But if they could land two of those players and get Corbin Burnes or Max Fried, it might not fully make up for losing Soto, but it would provide plenty more optimism, help them save face and still cost less than what Soto will make.
3. Which team would Willy Adames make the biggest difference for? What would be your max offer for him?
Kavner: The San Francisco Giants. I have a hard time believing they won’t try to do something substantial to start the Buster Posey era, especially after their whiffs for big-ticket players in recent offseasons. Even if they do reduce payroll in 2025, as it sounds like they might, they have $30 million that they now won’t be paying Blake Snell next year. This is an offense that desperately needs a difference-making piece in the middle of the order to contend again, and the Giants could also use the help up the middle defensively.
Posey already made it clear at the GM meetings that finding a shortstop is a priority this winter, and Adames checks every box. He knocked in more runs than any shortstop in the majors this year, ranks third among all shortstops in homers over the past three seasons and plays plus defense. His presence would allow Tyler Fitzgerald to bump over to second base after his breakout rookie season. I’d expect Adames’ deal to look closer to Dansby Swanson’s than Trea Turner’s or Xander Bogaerts’. So, let’s say seven years, $182 million for my max offer.
Thosar: The Mets. Hear me out … Adames is reportedly willing to change positions if the team is a good fit for him. Since Francisco Lindor will be holding it down at short for the Mets for the next seven years, Adames would make sense in New York at either third or second base — regardless of whether they sign Juan Soto and/or keep Pete Alonso in Queens. Without the Polar Bear, Mark Vientos will likely shift to first, and the Mets could use Adames at third. Even if Alonso is re-signed, then Vientos will presumably stay at third, and Adames can take over at second base while Jeff McNeil shifts to the outfield. If Soto becomes a Met, that could limit how much the front office is willing to spend on Adames. But since finances are abundant in Steve Cohen’s neighborhood, signing Soto shouldn’t entirely stop David Stearns and company from going for it.
Adames and Lindor could team up to create the top middle infield in the National League, rivaled only by the Rangers pairing of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien across MLB. Depending on how desperate teams are, I wouldn’t go higher than $180 million, seven years for Adames, who set career highs in home runs (32), RBIs (112), and doubles (33) in his best major-league season in 2024. Realistically, I think he ends up signing in the $150-160 million range.
4. What’s the better buy: Pete Alonso for $160 million over six years or Christian Walker for $70 million over three years? Where’s the ideal landing spot for each player?
Thosar: Alonso. Even though that’s probably one year too many for a potential Polar Bear deal, the fact that his future home is likely at designated hitter shouldn’t entirely scare executives from agreeing to that deal. Alonso has power that few hitters possess in the major leagues, and he’s been able to do it at a mostly consistent clip since his 2019 rookie season. Removing the shortened 2020 pandemic season, Alonso has hit at least 34 home runs every year, and Walker has crossed that threshold just once (36 home runs in 2022) since his first full season in 2019. Alonso is also four years younger than Walker, and has shown he can dominate in the toughest media market, too.
While Walker has been consistent in Arizona, it’s entirely unknown if he can reproduce that production on a new team in a new city while entering his age-34 season. I still think Alonso makes the most sense on the Mets, with the Yankees being an ideal landing spot for Walker, who would be a solid replacement and upgrade over Anthony Rizzo.
Kavner: Walker. I think he’s one of the most underrated players in the game, and at 33, he’s demonstrating no signs of slowing down. In fact, his quality of contact numbers were considerably better in 2024 than they were in 2023. He was arguably MLB’s biggest All-Star snub this year after launching 22 homers in the first half, and even after his production dipped in the second half following an oblique issue, he still posted an OPS over .800 for the third straight year in his third straight Gold Glove season. Over those three years, he has been a more valuable player (10.8 fWAR) than Alonso (8.7), whose overall production has started to trend the wrong way.
Alonso can certainly still help a team that needs the pop, but a six-year, nine-figure deal for an inferior defender who has seen his batting average and on-base percentage decline the past two years would scare me. He’s a better bet to launch more homers than Walker over the next few years, as he has throughout his career, but I’m not sure what else he will reliably do better. Give me Walker for half the cost and time. Alonso in Houston and Walker in Seattle would make for great fits, though I’m not sure either will fork over the cash required to get them. Walker would be a great fit for the Yankees, too, so (going back to question No. 2) that’s a player they would probably need to be in on if they don’t get Soto.
5. Who is one position player and pitcher you predict will be a steal for the teams that sign them?
Kavner: Speaking of Walker, I’d expect him at his age to probably get a 2-3 year deal. For all the aforementioned reasons, I think he will be a steal in that shorter timeframe. There’s still a lot of juice in that bat — he has had an OPS+ over 120 in each of the past three seasons — and the elite defense provides a high floor.
For the pitcher, I assume it’s unfair to pick Roki Sasaki here (as long as he stays healthy, he should far outpace the capped salary he’s set to get as an international amateur). So, let’s go with Shane Bieber. It was an unfortunate situation for him injuring his elbow and undergoing Tommy John surgery right before free agency. That will surely depress the earnings on his next contract and add risk for any team signing him, but it also creates a fascinating buy-low opportunity on a former Cy Young Award winner who saw his strikeout rate skyrocket in two dazzling starts before being sidelined. It will require patience for any interested buyer, but the reward could be significant.
Thosar: Gleyber Torres and Walker Buehler. Torres was shrouded by superstars and the bright lights in the Bronx, getting heavily criticized (often, rightfully so) for misplays and sluggish decision-making in some of the Yankees’ biggest moments. Though he had a down year in 2024, he’s a two-time All Star, is only 27 years old, and has a career OPS+ of 112. It has always seemed like he would thrive in the right city, and I think he’ll end up being an under-the-radar difference-maker for whatever club signs him.
As for Buehler, it looks like his revenge era is just getting started after the dominance he showed in big-time October and World Series moments for the Dodgers. He seems to operate with a chip on his shoulder after the injuries that sidelined him, and he found new ways to be effective with a nasty knuckle curveball even after his second Tommy John surgery took away some of his elite fastball prowess. Buehler seems like the perfect candidate to be a hidden gem.
Bonus: What do you make of Rob Manfred saying there is “buzz” around adding a “Golden At-Bat” rule that would allow teams to use anyone in their lineup for one at-bat per game, regardless of where they’re at in the order?
Thosar: I had two words when I learned about the possibility of the golden at-bat: no thanks. This rule change would, in my opinion, mess with the integrity of baseball because it would minimize the importance of it being a team sport. Sending the best hitter to the plate in the game’s biggest moment takes away the opportunity for the supporting cast members to try and do something special and get their flowers. The unsung hero coming through is one of any sport’s most joyful moments. The idea that every hitter could be as critical to a team win would be negated. And then the possibility of intentionally walking Aaron Judge only for him to remain at the plate for a second straight at-bat because the Yankees would enact the golden rule is not only bizarre, it’s just plain weird. The golden at-bat rule just isn’t baseball. Hard pass.
Kavner: No thanks! For some background, this rule would allow a team to choose one at-bat in every game to send its best hitter to the plate, even if it wasn’t that player’s turn to hit. Fun idea, right? Sounds like something you and your buddies might throw around at the bar. If MLB wanted to do this in an All-Star Game setting, sure. I’m all for finding a way to spice that up in an otherwise inconsequential contest. But while I understand the effort to try to appeal to a bigger audience by finding ways to create more tension and make the game more compelling and exciting, this feels like a step too far. It’s a quick way to undo the progress made by some really great and beneficial rule changes in recent years and would fundamentally alter the game in a way that I think is too drastic.
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.
“There are a variety of (rule change ideas) that are being talked about out there,” Manfred said on the podcast. “One of them — there was a little buzz around it at an owners’ meeting — was the idea of a Golden At-Bat.”
Manfred’s comment was actually made back in October, but resurfaced in recent days due to a story from The Athletic. In the story, MLB officials reportedly declined to elaborate further on what the rule would entail.
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However, Manfred hinted at what the “Golden At-Bat” would look like.
“[It’s] putting your best player out there out of order at a particular point in the game,” Manfred said. “That rule and things like that are in the conversation-only stage right now.”
While Manfred didn’t mention it on “The Varsity” podcast, the Savannah Bananas have a similar rule in their games. The Savannah Bananas, who are an exhibition barnstorming team that’s been viewed as baseball’s version of the Harlem Globetrotters, have the “Golden Batter” rule. The rule, which was implemented ahead of the Bananas’ 2024 world tour, allowed teams to pinch-hit any hitter at any time of the game. Each team can only use the “Golden Batter” once.
“With the ‘Golden Batter’ rule, these insane matchups are guaranteed in each and every Banana Ball game,” a presenter for the Savannah Bananas said in a video.
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If it were brought to MLB, the “Golden At-Bat” rule would most likely come into play in the ninth inning or in high-leverage spots in the later innings of close games. There are countless times fans would’ve wished for their team to have their top hitter at the plate rather than someone in the midst of a cold streak or a bottom-of-the-line-up hitter.
Of course, such a rule could have major implications toward MLB’s history books as well. Star players would, presumably, gain an extra at-bat each game, which would likely allow them to inflate their stats relative to previous all-time greats.
As Manfred has introduced rules such as the universal designated hitter, the ghost runner, pitch clock and shift bans that have altered the game, he noted the obstacles of getting traditionalists to accept the changes. However, Manfred said the biggest issue has been getting the players’ union fully on board.
“The player side of it is really difficult for the union,” Manfred told “The Varsity” about making those sorts of rule changes. “Obviously, you want consensus, and we need agreement, or would like agreement, with the union. The reason it’s so hard for them is that if you think about it, almost every change, the pitchers line up one way, and the hitters line up another, and they represent them both.
“It’s very hard for the union to figure out where it ought to be on these role changes, and it makes the process more difficult.”
It appears Manfred’s notion about a pitcher/hitter split might be true. In the story for The Athletic, two of the three hitters (Christian Yelich and Carlos Correa) were open to the idea of the “Golden At-Bat” making its way into regular-season games. Meanwhile, the lone pitcher interviewed for the story (Matt Strahm) wasn’t a fan of it being enacted.
So, it appears the implementation of the “Golden At-Bat” rule is still a debate, at least for now. But it could be something that baseball fans might have to get accustomed to seeing sooner rather than later.
