“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.Â
USA vs. Japan Highlights
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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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
“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.Â
“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.Â
Baseball star Shohei Ohtani wants his former interpreter to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of baseball cards he says were fraudulently bought using his money.
The Los Angeles Dodgers star is also requesting Ippei Mizuhara, who previously pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud for stealing nearly $17 million from the unsuspecting athlete, return signed collectible baseball cards depicting Ohtani that were in Mizuhara’s “unauthorized and wrongful possession,” according to court documents filed Tuesday.
The legal filing alleges Mizuhara accessed Ohtani’s bank account beginning around November 2021, changing his security protocols so that he could impersonate him to authorize wire transfers. By 2024, Mizuhara had used that money to buy about $325,000 worth of baseball cards at online resellers eBay and Whatnot, according to the court documents.
Mizuhara’s attorney, Michael G. Freedman, declined to comment on the filing.
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Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June to spending millions from Ohtani’s Arizona bank account to cover his growing gambling bets and debts with an illegal bookmaker, as well as his own medical bills and the $325,000 worth of baseball cards.
Mizuhara is due to be sentenced in January after pleading guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return, crimes that carry a potential sentence of more than 30 years in federal prison. He also could be on the hook for restitution to Ohtani that could total nearly $17 million, as well as more than $1 million to the IRS. And as a legal permanent resident who has a green card, he might be deported to Japan.
Mizuhara stood by Ohtani’s side for many of the Japanese sensation’s career highlights, from serving as his catcher during the Home Run Derby at the 2021 All-Star Game, to being there for his two American League MVP wins and his record-shattering $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Off the field, Mizuhara became Ohtani’s friend and confidant. He famously resigned from the Los Angeles Angels during the 2021 MLB lockout so he could keep speaking to Ohtani — he was rehired after a deal was struck — and their wives reportedly socialized.
But Mizuhara gambled it all away, betting tens of millions of dollars that weren’t his to wager on international soccer, the NBA, the NFL and college football — though prosecutors said he never bet on baseball.
Earlier this year, Ohtani and the Dodgers won the World Series, and the baseball star won his third Most Valuable Player award.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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Brandon Crawford is retiring after 14 major league seasons, all but one of those played with his hometown San Francisco Giants as a slick-fielding shortstop and fan favorite.
A four-time Gold Glove winner and three-time All-Star, the veteran infielder announced his decision in an Instagram post Wednesday.
“During this time of the year, I am constantly being reminded of the things in my life that I am most thankful for. Baseball is one of them,” Crawford wrote. “Baseball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and for the rest of my life I will be thankful for the opportunities and experiences it has given me. Time is precious. I’m incredibly grateful for all the years I spent playing the game I love, but now it is time for me to spend it with the people who I’m most thankful for. Thank you to all of you who have been there for me throughout the years. It’s been an unbelievable ride.”
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A fourth-round draft pick in 2008 out of UCLA, Crawford made his debut on May 27, 2011, and won World Series championships with the Giants in 2012 and ’14 — the final two titles in their every-other-year run from 2010-14.
The Giants said they will honor Crawford’s career April 26 at Oracle Park. He was a career .249 hitter with 147 home runs and 748 RBIs, but his knack for making the key defensive play is what he will long be remembered for by many.
“It was an honor to get to know Brandon as a friend and as a teammate,” new Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey said in a statement. “From the first day we were both drafted in 2008 to our final year playing together in 2021, it was an honor to play alongside him for 14 years. Whether it was the clutch moments like the grand slam he hit in the 2014 wild-card game in Pittsburgh, the franchise-record, seven-hit game he recorded in Miami, or the dazzling defensive plays and acrobatic throws he made over and over again, Brandon made his mark in a way few athletes ever do.”
There was some thought Crawford might retire after the 2023 season when his contract expired in San Francisco, but he decided to give it one more year and joined the St. Louis Cardinals on a $2 million, one-year deal. He was released in August after hitting .169 with a homer and four RBIs over 80 plate appearances.
Crawford and wife Jalynne have five young children, and family will be Crawford’s primary focus going forward.
As a boy, Crawford leaned on the railing at Candlestick Park with his hat on backward supporting his beloved Giants — and eventually would star for them.
When he signed a two-year, $32 million contract in August 2021 while wrapping up a $75 million, six-year deal he had signed in November 2015, Crawford expressed his gratitude for playing in one place for so long.
“Being drafted by my hometown team and spending most of my career with them far surpassed any dream I had as a kid,” Crawford wrote in Wednesday’s post. “I definitely pretended to win a World Series in my backyard — but winning two? That was beyond my wildest dreams.”
Giants’ Brandon Crawford, Mitch Haniger, and Joc Pederson on making their childhood dreams a reality
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He is the Giants’ career leader in games played at shortstop with 1,617.
“Watching Brandon play was an absolute privilege for not only me but for Giants’ fans everywhere,” President and CEO Larry Baer said.
“He was an All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner, a two-time World Series champion, and a Lou Gehrig and Willie Mac Award winner, that always carried himself with class, honor and respect. The Giants have been incredibly blessed to have had Brandon as part of the franchise for 16 years — really for his entire 37 years, first as a young fan, who will ever forget that indelible photo of him leaning on the railing at Candlestick Park when there was a possibility that his Giants might leave San Francisco — and as this chapter closes on his career, his legacy in the game will be celebrated by fans, teammates, and future generations of players who look up to him by the example he set.”
A year after the Los Angeles Dodgers gave the largest contract in baseball history to Shohei Ohtani, made Yoshinobu Yamamoto the highest-paid pitcher in the sport and handed Tyler Glasnow a nine-figure extension, the reigning champions are back at it with the first major splash of MLB’s 2024-25 offseason.Â
Less than a month after winning the World Series with a decimated rotation, the Dodgers addressed the uncertainty surrounding their pitching staff and significantly upped the ceiling of the group by agreeing to terms on a five-year, $182 million deal with Blake Snell.Â
The two-time Cy Young Award winner broke the news himself, announcing his intentions by posting a photo of himself in a photoshopped Dodgers jersey on his Instagram page. The agreement reportedly includes a $52 million signing bonus, deferred money — a preferred tactic of the Dodgers, allowing them to lower the luxury-tax hit — and no opt-outs, which is notable considering that’s how Snell became available to them in the first place.Â
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The Dodgers had been interested in Snell for years — no surprise, considering president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman drafted Snell in 2011 when he ran the Tampa Bay Rays — including last season, before the left-hander signed a two-year, $62 million deal with the Giants. Despite coming off a second Cy Young season, Snell’s market didn’t materialize the way many expected it to last offseason.Â
He didn’t sign until the middle of March, and the start to his San Francisco tenure began inauspiciously after the late build-up. He dealt with groin and adductor injuries and was 0-3 with a 9.51 ERA in six starts before the end of June. At the time, he had not done much to assuage teams’ fears about his durability and reliability. Snell’s Cy Young seasons in 2018 with Tampa Bay and 2023 with San Diego are the only two times in his nine-year career that he has thrown more than 130 innings, and his ERA fluctuated in the four years between those award-winning seasons, due in part to a high walk rate and erratic control. But he would soon showcase the upside that few pitchers in the sport, if any, can match.Â
He returned from injury in July and produced a 1.23 ERA with 114 strikeouts in 80.1 innings the rest of the way, throwing a no-hitter on Aug. 2 — the first complete game of his career — and going at least six innings while allowing one or no runs in eight of his final 14 starts. Despite the slow start, he still ranked in the 98th percentile in whiff rate, strikeout rate, hard-hit rate and expected batting average by year’s end.Â
He has averaged 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings over his career, the most for a starter in MLB history, and he has struck out more than that in each of his past six seasons. In 2024, his 28.9% hard-hit rate, 34.7% strikeout rate and .174 batting average against all represented career-best marks.Â
Those skills are especially tantalizing for a contender looking for a final piece in October, when the ability to miss bats becomes more pronounced. Snell’s 3.33 career postseason ERA doesn’t hurt, either. In other words, he’s an ideal fit for the reigning champion Dodgers, a team he overpowered in the World Series four years ago.Â
Corbin Burnes is a more reliable workhorse. Max Fried is a more consistent producer. But no one at the top of this year’s robust free-agent pitching class offers the elite strikeout upside that Snell provides. While he uses his fastball nearly half the time, his curveball, changeup and slider have all registered a 43% whiff rate or better in each of the last three seasons.Â
Snell opted out of his second season with the Giants and wasted no time securing the long-term offer that never came last winter, ensuring there wouldn’t be a hurried, frenzied start to the year this time around. He will be joining his third different NL West club in the last three years.Â
The Dodgers should now in theory boast a significantly better pitching staff than they had during last year’s championship run, though they couldn’t have expected the need that would arise after devoting $325 million to Yamamoto and $136.5 million to Tyler Glasnow last December. Ten months later, Yamamoto, Walker Buehler and deadline addition Jack Flaherty were the only reliable starters they had left. Despite only one pitcher still standing from their Opening Day rotation, the Dodgers persevered to win a World Series over the New York Yankees.Â
This offseason, given the injuries to the group and the schedules of Ohtani and Yamamoto dictating the need for a six-man rotation, it was an area they felt they needed to bolster. Buehler and Flaherty are both free agents. Yamamoto missed nearly three months with a shoulder issue. Glasnow is coming off an elbow injury that forced him out for the playoff run. Ohtani, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin are all coming off major elbow surgeries. Bobby Miller was ineffective in 2024 after a promising rookie season. Clayton Kershaw is expected to re-sign with the Dodgers in 2025, but he’ll be coming off knee and foot surgeries.Â
With the depth of their roster, their farm system and their ownership’s bank account, they can afford to take calculated risks that would scare off many clubs. They did it with Yamamoto, despite him never having thrown a big-league pitch. They did it with Glasnow, despite him never having thrown more than 120 innings in a season.Â
Snell brings risk, too, along with an unrivaled potential for reward. Last week, Ohtani joined Frank Robinson as the only players ever to win an MVP in both leagues. This week, Ohtani became teammates with one of seven pitchers ever to win the Cy Young in both leagues. Adding Ohtani and Snell to a rotation already headlined by Glasnow and Yamamoto could make it the best in baseball.Â
And it’s just the start this offseason for the Dodgers, who are still considered the favorites to land Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, remain among the contenders in the Juan Soto sweepstakes and could bring back All-Star Teoscar Hernández. While their corner outfield vacancies should be the next order of business, the addition of Snell quickly takes care of one of the champion’s few glaring needs, much to the chagrin of the rest of the league.Â
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.
Blake Snell has agreed to a $182 million, five-year contract with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal is subject to a successful physical.
Snell would join Shohei Ohtani in a star-studded rotation, giving the Dodgers the first mega deal of this offseason following Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year contract last winter.
Earlier this month, Snell opted out of his contract with San Francisco to become a free agent for the second consecutive offseason after injuries hindered his lone year with the Giants.
Aaron Judge won’t be bothered if free agent Juan Soto gets a bigger deal from the New York Yankees than the captain’s $360 million, nine-year contract.
“It ain’t my money. I really don’t care as long as we get the best players, we get the most that we can, I’m happy with whatever,” Judge said Friday, a day after he was a unanimous winner of his second AL MVP award. “That’s never been something on my mind about who gets paid the most.”
Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322 as New York reached the World Series for the first time since 2009, only to lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks in his first season with the Yankees and finished third in MVP voting, also trailing Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt. Jr.
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A free agent at 26, Soto has met with the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, and he plans to meet with the Philadelphia Phillies, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the meetings have not been publicly announced.
Negotiations are not likely to intensify until after Thanksgiving.
Judge hasn’t spoken with Soto since the World Series. Judge went through the free-agent experience after hitting an AL record 62 homers in 2022.
“The best thing is to really give those guys space,” Judge said. “I talked to him all season and he knows how we feel about him and I think the most important thing is now let him do his thing with his family, pray about it, talk with people and come to the right decision for him and his family.”
Soto met with Yankees officials on Monday at a hotel in southern California, a group that included owner Hal Steinbrenner, team president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, manager Aaron Boone and senior adviser for baseball operations Omar Minaya.
“We had a good meeting. It was a very honest back-and-forth dialogue, a couple hours long,” Steinbrenner said Wednesday.
Asked how confident he was about keeping Soto, Steinbrenner said: “No idea. We’ll be in the mix. I’ll leave it at that.”
Soto and Judge filled the Nos. 2 and 3 slots in the Yankees batting order in a franchise-record 153 games, topping the 145 of Joe Dugan and Babe Ruth in 1923, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“I get to see a lot of pitches,” Judge said. “He’s going to be a tough at-bat in front of me. He’s going to wear down the pitcher right there in the first inning, within the first 15 pitches or so. Yeah, I think that was a big impact just having having a guy like that in front of you.
“If I could have eight Juan Sotos in the lineup with me, I would love that.”
After the World Series, Judge spent about a week in Tampa, Florida, where the Yankees hold spring training, and met with Steinbrenner.
Yankees’ Juan Soto cranks a solo home run, tying game against Dodgers
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“We kind of just discussed a lot of things from Juan to other guys that are kind of out there that I think could definitely help this team,:” Judge said. “So I kind of just gave my input on a couple things.”
Judge said when he agreed to his big deal in late 2022, Steinbrenner wanted to have a deeper relationship. They’ve been meeting every week or two, and pitcher Gerrit Cole has developed a similar exchange with the owner.
“I think just having that relationship to where I can kind of communicate with him about what I’m seeing, what I’m feeling, what I see with the guys, what I see against other guys that we play against,” Judge said. “I think it’s a cool part to where I think just the more communication you have from top to bottom, it just — it makes everybody better.”
Judge’s contract is baseball’s fourth largest, behind the deals of the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani ($700 million), the Los Angeles Angels‘ Mike Trout ($426.5 million) and the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts ($365 million). Judge cited the example of teammate Giancarlo Stanton, whose $325 million deal was the highest when he joined the Yankees ahead of the 2018 season but now ranks tied for ninth.
“Even though he signed one of those — the first big mega-contracts back in Miami, once he came here he didn’t care about the highest-paid guy. He just wanted good players around him,” Judge said.
In joining Mickey Mantle in 1956 as the Yankees’ only unanimous MVPs, Judge credited his teammates.
“You look at every single one of my teammates in that room and know that each and every single one of them impacted me in a way that put me in that position,” Judge said. “So it’s always going to be a team award in my book.”
The Hot Stove has been cold through the first three weeks of November, but the action is expected to heat up soon with MLB’s winter meetings nearing. In the meantime, we’re examining each team to identify its three biggest needs this offseason and which free agents could fulfill them.
Our series continues with the National League West.
1. Outfield: The Dodgers already had one spot to fill with Teoscar Hernández hitting free agency. Now, with general manager Brandon Gomes saying Mookie Betts is likely headed back to the infield, both corner outfield spots will have to be addressed. Top prospect Dalton Rushing has gotten some time in left field in the minors, but they need at least one or two more sure things in the outfield. Unless they can lure Juan Soto out of New York — they will at least make an effort — the easiest answer would be running it back with Hernández, who has expressed interest in a return.Â
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2. Starting pitching:Tyler Glasnow is expected to be healthy in spring, and at some point Shohei Ohtani should return to the mound, but there’s a lot of uncertainty here. The Dodgers, who were reduced to just three starters during their championship run, understand how quickly pitching depth can unravel. Two of those pitchers, Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty, are now free agents. Maybe Bobby Miller bounces back. Maybe Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin return strong from injury. Maybe top pitching prospect Jackson Ferris is ready to help. But that’s a lot of maybes, so expect them to add a more reliable piece externally. They’re considered the heavy favorites to land Roki Sasaki, but if the NPB phenom signs elsewhere, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them shopping at the top end of the free-agent market for Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell or L.A. native Max Fried.Â
3. Shortstop:Tommy Edman and Miguel Rojas provide some protection here, but part of their value is their versatility. The Dodgers could turn to Betts, who proved at least capable of filling in last season, but at 32, he seems to be a better fit at second base. Prospect Alex Freeland zoomed through the system last year, but if the Dodgers are looking for more of an immediate fix, Willy Adames would provide it. The trade market (Bo Bichette? Nico Hoerner?) could also offer options.Â
1. Starting pitching: If there’s a team that could lure Sasaki away from the Dodgers, Yu Darvish’s Padres are as good a candidate as any. Considering their potential financial constraints, that’s their best bet to land a big name unless A.J. Preller can tap further into the prospect ranks to lure Garrett Crochet out of Chicago. With Dylan Cease, Michael King and Yu Darvish leading the way, a middle-of-the-rotation or back-end starter is probably the most likely scenario, and a lefty would make sense for their righty-heavy rotation. Someone such as Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Quintana or Andrew Heaney could fit the bill.Â
2. Left field:Jurickson Profar broke out like everyone expected … 11 years later. The former top prospect enjoyed a career year at 31, and it makes sense that he’d return to San Diego. If he gets too expensive for their financial constraints, they might shop at the lower end of the free-agent market. Michael Conforto, Alex Verdugo or Tommy Pham would be among the options.Â
3. Catcher: The Padres could cross their fingers and hope Luis Campusano takes the leap that never came in 2024, but the easiest answer here would be running it back with Kyle Higashioka, who had his most valuable season as a big leaguer last year in San Diego. Danny Jansen, Yasmani Grandal and Carson Kelly are among the top catchers available, but there aren’t a ton of starting-caliber options on the market behind the plate.Â
2. First base: One of the first orders of business for the D-backs this winter will be figuring out what it will take to retain Christian Walker, who should have been an All-Star this year and is perennially among the most underrated talents in the game. With Josh Bell (who filled in admirably while Walker was out) also hitting free agency, they could turn to Pavin Smith, who finished the 2024 season exceptionally strong. But they might want more established pop in the middle of the order, especially with Joc Pederson also hitting the market. If Walker walks, could we see a Paul Goldschmidt reunion? Otherwise, Bell, Carlos Santana or Pete Alonso are among the names to watch.Â
3. Starting pitching:Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt provide a serviceable starting point, and the D-backs could point to the late starts from Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez and believe a more normal offseason might get them back on track. Still, they could use another arm to make sure things don’t go off the rails the way they did in 2024. Someone from the second or third tier of pitching free agents (Matthew Boyd? Jose Quintana? Frankie Montas? Andrew Heaney? Michael Lorenzen?) might make sense here.
1. Starting pitching: The GIants had Logan Webb and Blake Snell anchoring their rotation, and their starters still finished the year with a 4.22 ERA. Now they don’t have Snell anymore. While they can envision strides ahead from youngsters Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong, they need a steady piece to pair alongside Webb and Robbie Ray. If they can’t keep Snell or win the Corbin Burnes or Max Fried sweepstakes, there are still a bevy of options to fill out the rotation, from the departing Mets (Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, Jose Quintana) to Shane Bieber, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler, Tomoyuki Sugano and many more.Â
2. Middle infield:Tyler Fitzgerald enjoyed a spectacular rookie breakout, but he might be better suited at second base long term. Either way, the Giants could use more help up the middle. Willy Adames is the star of the free-agent shortstop market and would make a lot of sense in San Francisco. The Giants were among the worst defensive teams at shortstop in 2024, and Ha-Seong Kim could help there. Considering the drop-off after Adames, though, they could look to the trade market, too, for someone such as Bo Bichette, Nico Hoerner or Brandon Lowe.Â
3. An imposing bat: Can Buster Posey help the Giants finally reel in that big fish? It doesn’t sound like they’re planning to break open the pocketbooks in 2025, but exceptions can be made for Juan Soto or Adames. It could be a corner outfielder (e.g. Teoscar Hernández, Anthony Santander, Tyler O’Neill). It could be a right-handed hitting first baseman (Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Paul Goldschmidt). It could be a middle infielder (see above). Regardless of the position, another difference-making bat feels necessary for this team to contend again.Â
1. Relief pitching:Â Every other bullpen in MLB had an ERA under 5.00 last year. Then there was Colorado at 5.41. I don’t expect them to spend much this winter, but they could fill their bullpen with a couple more veteran arms on affordable short-term deals. Even if they won’t be shopping at the top end of the market, a lefty such as A.J. Minter, Aroldis Chapman or Andrew Chafin might make sense for the righty-heavy group.Â
2. Starting pitching: Rockies starters had a 5.54 ERA last year, also by far the worst mark in the sport. Do I think they’ll actually address the rotation this winter? Probably not. It’s hard enough to entice a difference-making arm to sign in Colorado, and when you add on the financial constraints, they’re probably more likely to trim from what they already have than to add to it. Maybe Germán Márquez comes back healthy to lead the group. Maybe top pitching prospect Chase Dollander is ready to contribute in 2025. But if they want to be competitive at all in the short term, they could use more help.Â
3. Right field: For the first time since 2010, Charlie Blackmon won’t be roaming the Rockies’ outfield. Brenton Doyle and Nolan Jones, if he can bounce back, provide a solid starting place. Right field is more of a question. Colorado has some prospects knocking on the door in Zac Veen, Yanquiel Fernandez and 2024 first-round pick Charlie Condon, and it’s certainly possible that 2022 first-rounder Jordan Beck takes a leap. Still, this might be a spot for a veteran addition such as Jason Heyward, Max Kepler or Adam Duvall, which would allow Kris Bryant more DH time.
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.
The Hot Stove has been cold through the first three weeks of November, but the action is expected to heat up soon with MLB’s winter meetings nearing. In the meantime, we’re examining each team to identify its three biggest needs this offseason and which free agents could fulfill them.
1. Outfield: The Phillies’ subpar outfield production ranked 18th in MLB this past year, with a 97 wRC+ that fell below league average. Even if they’re set on staying with Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas haven’t done enough to be guaranteed starting roles. Could top prospect Justin Crawford take the center field job as soon as Opening Day? Trading for someone like Luis Robert Jr. or Brent Rooker wouldn’t hurt, either.
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2. Starting pitching: They need to find a way to replace Taijuan Walker, and they could turn in-house for an arm at the back end of the rotation with top prospect Andrew Painter returning from Tommy John surgery next year. But the Phillies will likely have to wait at least until the summer months for Painter, so if they’re calling the White Sox for Robert, they might as well ask about Crochet, too. Otherwise, free agents Yusei Kikuchi, Walker Buehler and Frankie Montas, or even Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer for a year, could be good fits in Philly.
3. Bullpen: With Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez in free agency, the Phillies need to address their relief corps — and bringing one or both top arms back should obviously be on the table. Clay Holmes, Blake Treinen, and Tanner Scott are all premier relievers, and that’s where the Phillies should be shooting in order to remain a well-rounded threat to win the World Series. The bullpen would be a nice place to spend if they engage in trade deals for their other needs.
1. Starting pitching: After the complete robbery that Alex Anthopoulos pulled off by swapping Vaughn Grissom for Chris Sale last offseason, I’m expecting the Braves to upgrade their rotation by dipping back into the trade market, and it’s anyone’s guess whom the partner would be. If Atlanta goes the free-agent route, then Nathan Eovaldi or Nick Pivetta would be solid additions to a rotation that could still be without Spencer Strider at the beginning of next season and no longer includes Charlie Morton.
2. Shortstop: Outside of staying healthy, Orlando Arcia was abysmal last year, producing a 73 OPS+ and repeatedly falling short with runners in scoring position in the second half of the season. He seems like Atlanta’s likeliest trade candidate, and the club could use his return elsewhere because there are better infield options on the market. Free-agent shortstop Willy Adames would make terrific sense in Atlanta, as would jack-of-all-trades infielder Ha-Seong Kim.Â
3. Outfield: Since Atlanta will start the season without Ronald Acuña Jr., the club will need an effective stopgap in right field to get through the first part of the year, then slide over once the former MVP is back. So this outfielder doesn’t have to be a game-changer, but just serviceable and steady enough to fit in well with the rest of the lineup. Free-agent Michael Conforto could be an option, as well as Alex Verdugo or Travis Jankowski.
1. Starting pitching: On the Mets’ official team depth chart, there is only one starter listed in their rotation, and it’s Kodai Senga. With Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana all in free agency, the Mets have to rebuild their starting rotation, and while it makes sense to bring back some of those arms, they have $150 million coming off the payroll and should look to add from the top end of the market. Guys like Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Max Fried, Walker Buehler, and Jack Flaherty should all be in play.Â
2. Outfield: Beyond the obvious reasons the Mets should go and get Soto, they might have a Starling Marte problem in right field. He’s missed a ton of time due to injuries, and is a different, less impactful player after double groin surgery. Brandon Nimmo looks like the only everyday outfielder, with Jeff McNeil possibly shifting to play in a corner spot. Soto would solve their problem, as would fellow free agents Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernández.Â
3. First base/third base: If the Mets don’t re-sign Pete Alonso, they could move Mark Vientos from third to first. And if they do re-sign Alonso, then Vientos looked plenty serviceable at third to run him back and negate this need altogether. But Alonso staying in Queens is no sure thing, so the Mets can look to add Alex Bregman to create one of the strongest infields in baseball. Otherwise, it’s a thin market at the hot corner, and it doesn’t seem wise for the Mets to turn to Brett Baty there again.
1. Power bat: So many of the Nationals’ roster spots are filled by young talent, and the thinking around the team is that this is the year to go for it and finally spend on high-end talent to fill the gaps in hopes of, at the very least, grabbing a wild-card spot. There are murmurs about Soto reuniting with the Nats for a reason, and though it’s still considered a long shot, their long-lost slugger would certainly solve a ton of their lineup/power issues. Other options are Anthony Santander, who won’t even need to change his home address if the Nats decide to make a big splash and land the coveted right fielder, and Joc Pederson.Â
2. First base: Speaking of big spending, the Nats should be playing at the top of the market to fulfill their corner-infield hole. We’re talking longer-term deals with Pete Alonso or Christian Walker, with the latter posing as the better fit in D.C. Even though he’ll be 34 on Opening Day, he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, and the Nats should be prioritizing vets like him to help lead their club. Plus, due to his age, he’s in line for a shorter-term contract that could fit with Washington’s intentions.
3. Starting pitching: Perhaps Soto isn’t the only reunion Nationals fans could be focusing on. How fitting would it be for the Nats to land a one-year deal with Max Scherzer? Yes, a lot of their offseason plans seem to be surrounded by sentimentality, but Scherzer’s veteran presence on a young roster, in addition to whatever he has left in the tank, could go a long way. Other vets like free agents Nathan Eovaldi, Kyle Gibson and Jose Quintana, or bringing back Trevor Williams, could work, too.
1. Outfield: After dealing Jazz Chisholm at the trade deadline, the Marlins need someone to roam center field, and their best bet could be sitting near the bottom-third tier of this year’s outfield free-agent class. Some names that should be on Miami’s radar: Mark Canha, Jesse Winker, Harrison Bader and Max Kepler. They’re not elite offensive outfielders, but they’re significant upgrades over what the Marlins would be trotting out otherwise.Â
2. Shortstop: That being said, this is the Marlins we’re talking about, and their only free-agent signing last year was a one-year flier on Tim Anderson, and he was DFA’d by July. So, even though they have a few needs, they should be expected to be filled internally for the foreseeable future. Giving Xavier Edwards more runway is their likely scenario. The shortstop posted a 124 OPS+ in 70 games last year, but struggled on defense with -8 DRS.Â
3. Catcher:Nick Fortes needs a catching partner, and if Miami goes shopping near the bottom of the market, it will see names like Max Stassi, Martin Maldonado, Omar Narvaez and Luke Maile that could be of interest to them. High-end free-agent catchers like Danny Jansen or Elias Diaz would be terrific offensive upgrades to the lineup, but that would require the front office to spend. It’s clear that the Marlins are still in rebuild mode.
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.
The Hot Stove has been cold through the first three weeks of November, but the action is expected to heat up soon with MLB’s winter meetings nearing. In the meantime, we’re examining each team to identify its three biggest needs this offseason and which free agents could fulfill them.
Our series begins with the National League Central.
1. Shortstop: The Brewers, as always, will be more active on the trade front than they will be in free agency following Willy Adames‘ departure. They can get creative and move either one of Brice Turang or Joey Ortiz to shortstop full time and then aim to fill second and third base to cover their ground that way. Since Rhys Hoskins opted in on his player option, the Brewers have a surplus of first basemen, in which Jake Bauers seems likeliest to go. Orlando Arcia could be a good bounce-back candidate if Milwaukee wants to do a deal with Atlanta.
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2. Second base: If the Brewers wind up moving Turang or Ortiz to short, they could look to trade for Angels infielder Luis Rengifo, who will be in the final year of arbitration in 2025. It’s a boon for Milwaukee that Rengifo plays both second and third, and he shouldn’t cost them too many prospects or flashy players since he would be a one-year stop-gap option. Rangers infielder Justin Foscue could be another trade target, since he has no path to regular playing time in Texas.
3. Third base: It seems more and more likely that this will be the winter Milwaukee trades closer Devin Williams, as he’s set to enter free agency next offseason and the Brewers are not expected to extend him. Dangling a star pitcher like Williams in front of contenders that need bullpen help should net the Brewers a big return, so perhaps they could aim to land Orioles third base prospect Coby Mayo, who has a ton of upside but has been somewhat held back by Baltimore’s influx of infielders.Â
1. Starting pitching: Even though Chicago’s rotation could use a top-of-the-market starter like Burnes, it seems unlikely the club will shoot that high given its most recent, low-cost deals for Jameson Taillon and Shota Imanaga. Free agent starting pitchers with lesser price points who could fit into the rotation include Luis Severino, Frankie Montas, Jose Quintana, Adrian Houser and Trevor Williams. If they want to get creative in the trade market, the Cubs have a top-10 farm system in baseball and could try to win the Crochet sweepstakes.
2. Bullpen: After last year’s plan of Adbert Alzolay (Tommy John) and Hector Neris (setup man pushed into a closer role) didn’t work out, the Cubs should be focusing on adding a volume of high-leverage arms — and let’s face it, that’s every bullpen’s dream. Guys like Clay Holmes, Kenley Jansen, Danny Coulombe and Chris Martin would be solid fits.Â
3. Catcher: The Cubs did a solid job trading for Angels catcher Matt Thaiss this offseason, but he’s ideally a backup option rather than the upgrade that Jed Hoyer indicated he wanted to add. For that, Chicago should be looking at the free-agent market, where Kyle Higashioka would make a lot of sense as the Cubs’ starter. Danny Jansen would be another premiere option. Cubs catchers produced a 69 wRC+ this past year (26th in MLB).
1. Starting pitching: Since Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson are free agents after decent one-year stints with the Cardinals, and Miles Mikolas shouldn’t be counted on to bounce back after his abysmal 2024 season, St. Louis could use a top-end starting pitcher who is, preferably, left-handed. The top two southpaws on the market are Blake Snell and Max Fried, and a tier or two below is left-hander Jose Quintana. After a 4.33 rotation ERA that ranked 20th in baseball, the Cardinals should be shooting for significant upgrades here.
2. Outfielder: The Cardinals could use another everyday outfielder to join Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar. Rather than dipping into the free-agent market, the still retooling Cardinals appear likely to turn in-house for outfield upgrades. Former prospects Jordan Walker and Victor Scott have yet to find consistency in the majors, but they could get more runway from the Cardinals to prove they belong. Outfielder Michael Siani also has a lot to prove to earn a potential full-time role.
3. Relief pitching: The relief corps needs a solid high-leverage arm who can pair well with closer Ryan Helsey since setup man Andrew Kittredge hit free agency. Perhaps veterans David Robertson or Aroldis Chapman could be of some help in St. Louis.Â
1. Outfield: Cincinnati could stand to upgrade at least two outfield spots, with a slugging outfielder being the club’s most pressing need. Since the Reds have a surplus of left-handed hitting outfielders in Luke Fraley and Will Benson, it would make sense to trade one of them for someone with more power. Over in San Francisco, Mike Yastrzemski and LaMonte Wade Jr. are both one year removed from free agency, so that could be a good place to start for Cincy. Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu could be another option.
2. Starting pitching: They could use another top-end rotation arm to pair with Hunter Greene, who’s coming off a sneaky Cy-Young caliber campaign and career year. Cincy probably feels good about three spots in the rotation along with the brief stint from former first-rounder Rhett Lowder, who was stellar following his August call-up. But overall, the talent in the rotation is a step behind the rest of the roster, so they should look to acquire a starter either via trade or free agency. Maybe Cincy could swing a deal for southpaw Jesus Luzardo, who’s under Marlins control for two more seasons but seems like a candidate to be traded at some point in the next several months.Â
3. Designated hitter: The Reds’ OPS at DH in 2024 was .599, good for 29th in the major leagues, and their -3.0 fWAR from DH was worst in baseball. For comparison, the league’s average OPS at DH was .742. The top available DH this year is Joc Pederson, followed by J.D. Martinez and Andrew McCutchen, and there’s a steep drop-off after that. A’s outfielder/DH Brent Rooker could be a trade target for the Reds.
1. First base: Pittsburgh’s biggest need is debatable between first base and a corner outfielder. Rowdy Tellez is a free agent and the team stood to upgrade from him anyway. The Pirates have plenty of solid arms to try and fill their roster holes through the trade market, and Ryan Mountcastle is someone they could be targeting. The Orioles are teeming with position players and could use some of Pittsburgh’s arms. These two clubs appear to be obvious partners this winter.
2. Corner outfielder: In that same token, the Red Sox are another club that could benefit from the Pirates’ boatload of young arms, and they have a right fielder who makes sense for the Bucs. The lefty-swinging Wilyer Abreu enjoyed a promising rookie season in 2024, crushing 15 home runs with a 114 wRC+ to boot. The Red Sox might be desperate for great pitching, so this could be the ideal time for the Pirates to strike.Â
3. Relief pitching: Pittsburgh’s bullpen ERA (4.49) ranked 27th in baseball, which shouldn’t be surprising given the relief unit blew 36 leads. As much as the Pirates have received recognition for their arms, they need to revamp the bullpen to make any pitching headway actually count for something. Perhaps another free-agent deal for a proven veteran reliever, like last year’s acquisition of Aroldis Chapman, could work in their favor. Kenley Jansen would be a name to look out for. They could also choose to develop one of their multiple minor-league arms into more of a sure-thing relief option.
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.
The Hot Stove has been cold through the first three weeks of November, but the action is expected to heat up soon with MLB’s winter meetings nearing. In the meantime, we’re examining each team to identify its three biggest needs this offseason and which free agents could fulfill them.
Our series continues with the American League Central.
1. Starting pitching: Cleveland’s pitching factory was tapped out, and the Guardians still cruised to 92 wins and a division title. Imagine how many wins they would’ve had if their starting rotation didn’t have a 4.40 ERA! Looking forward, they’ll want to ease the load on their elite bullpen. Whether they’re able to keep free agents Shane Bieber and Matthew Boyd or not, adding more arms to the rotation should be the first order of business this winter. Given their financial limitations, some of the answers might come on the trade block. Could they look nearby to Chicago and swing a deal for Garrett Crochet or Jameson Taillon? Or maybe there’s a match in Miami with its plethora of arbitration-eligible talents?Â
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2. An impact bat:Steven Kwan is a unique talent and Josh Naylor provides some needed pop, but there aren’t a ton of imposing bats in the middle of this lineup outside of Jose Ramirez. The Guardians could use another impact bat, and while an everyday center fielder would make sense (allowing Lane Thomas to bump over to right field, where he’s better suited to play), the defensive position matters less than the offensive boost. Top prospects Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter could be helping soon, but they could really use another proven talent. Again, maybe this comes via trade. They have the prospects to create an intriguing package for Luis Robert Jr.Â
3. Catcher:Bo Naylor was a more valuable player in 67 games in 2023 than he was as the primary catcher in 123 games in 2024. The offensive leap didn’t happen, and while it certainly still could for the 24-year-old, the Guardians might be a little more impatient now that David Fry’s elbow injury likely takes him out of the catching mix. Like in center, however, there aren’t a ton of impact bats behind the plate in free agency. The Mariners have an excess of both starting pitching and catching options, so maybe they emerge as a trade partner.Â
1. A leadoff man: Like the Central division winners, the Royals need more offensive juice around their superstar. Bobby Witt Jr. carried this offense to October, but the only players on this offense who played at least 100 games and had an OPS over .700 were Witt, Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino. Their leadoff hitters had a combined .604 OPS. That’s not going to get it done. This might be a fit for Gleyber Torres or Jurickson Profar, but any help at the top of the lineup will be a boost.Â
2. Outfield: The Royals need to upgrade the outfield, which produced a 78 wRC+ — the lowest mark of any team outside of Colorado. If the Royals don’t end up with one of Anthony Santander, Teoscar Hernández, Profar, Tyler O’Neill, Michael Conforto or Randal Grichuk (or trade for a player with a similar impact), they will likely come to regret it. They need to find someone who can inspire some fear in the middle of the order to lengthen a thin lineup.Â
1. Corner infield: Could the Tigers’ surprise postseason run get them to spend? They’re currently projected to have just an $80 million payroll in 2025, one of the lowest in the sport, and should theoretically have room to make a splash. Alex Bregman or Willy Adames would be terrific fits for a left side of the infield in need of a difference-maker. But this also feels like an important inflection point for Detroit to decide if 2020 top overall pick Spencer Torkelson is the future at first base. There are plenty of options (Christian Walker and Pete Alonso at the top of the market; Carlos Santana, Josh Bell, Paul Goldschmidt and Justin Turner a tier below) if they want more experience at the spot.
2. A right-handed (preferably infield) bat: The position flexibility of Matt Vierling and many of the youngsters on the roster should give Detroit leeway to find various ways to upgrade an offense that ranked in the bottom 10 in every slash line category and especially struggled to get runners on base. Parker Meadows, Colt Keith and Jace Jung all provided late season lifts, but they all also happen to bat with their left hand (as do mainstays Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter), so the Tigers need to find a way to pack more punch and balance the lineup with a more proven right-handed force, regardless of where that person plays.Â
3. Starting pitcher: The Tigers’ “pitching chaos” approach allowed for their late surge, but it’s probably not a sustainable method of success. Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson provide a solid starting point and top prospect Jackson Jobe should be ready for a more featured role, but the rotation could use a proven veteran piece for the developing group. Could Jack Flaherty, who thrived there in the first half, return after he was dealt at the deadline? Or how about bringing the band back together with Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander? Any of them or Nathan Eovaldi, Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, Yusei Kikuchi, Walker Buehler or Jose Quintana seem like possible matches.Â
1. Right-handed corner outfield: After slashing payroll and doing little to meaningfully bolster the roster last year, the Twins paid the price for their frugality. It sounds like this winter will offer more of the same. Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner both hit considerably better than league average last season, but neither hits lefties. The Twins can envision top prospects Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez roaming the outfield in the near future, but both of them are lefties, too. Randal Grichuk would be a good fit here if Twins ownership is willing to spend anything at all. Maybe the Angels would listen to an offer for Taylor Ward?Â
2. First base: The Twins could make Jose Miranda the primary player here, but he does not provide much defensively and struggled last year against lefties. The most logical solution would be bringing back veteran Carlos Santana, who just won a Gold Glove at the position and produced a .934 OPS against lefties. Justin Turner, Josh Bell or Donovan Solano could also be among the low-cost options. The bigger move would be swinging a trade for Yandy Diaz.
3. Relief pitching:Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax and Cole Sands provide a healthy starting point, but Minnesota could use more depth in a bullpen that registered a 4.12 ERA as a group last season. If the Twins are only able to go bargain hunting, they should be able to still extract some affordable value from the relief market.Â
1. Keep rebuilding: You might be shocked to learn the worst team in modern baseball history has far more than three needs. The White Sox need help everywhere, so condensing down to three seems pointless. The 2025 season, like the one before it, won’t have much winning. So, it’s about laying a new foundation. This team is not about to contend. The White Sox have injected more talent to their farm system the last couple of years by trading away Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López, Dylan Cease, Erick Fedde and Michael Kopech, and I’d expect more of the same with Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. potentially next in line to leave.Â
2. Evaluate the young talent: Does top position player prospect Colson Montgomery take a leap forward? Can Miguel Vargas start to realize his offensive potential? What about Drew Thorpe on the mound? How does the development look for pitching prospects Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, Jairo Iriarte and Ky Bush? This is the time for the White Sox to start to figure out which of their pieces might be part of the next contending White Sox team, whenever that might be.Â
3. Add a couple of veterans to flip: While the White Sox certainly won’t be shopping at the top of the free-agent market, I’d expect them to take a couple one-year fliers on veterans they could potentially turn into prospects at the deadline.
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.
