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Aaron Boone will return for an eighth season as New York Yankees manager after the team exercised his 2025 option on Friday.

Boone has led the Yankees to a 603-429 record, three American League East titles and one pennant. New York reached the World Series this year for the first time since 2009, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

Boone agreed in October 2021 to a three-year contract that included a team option for 2025. General manager Brian Cashman said the deadline for the option is 10 days after the World Series.

“Aaron is a steadying presence in our clubhouse and possesses a profound ability to connect with and foster relationships with his players,” Cashman said in a statement. “Consistently exhibiting these skills in such a demanding and pressurized market is what makes him one of the game’s finest managers.”

Boone is the third Yankees manager to lead the team to the postseason in six of his first seven years after Casey Stengel and Joe Torre.

New York said Boone will discuss the decision during a news conference on Monday.

“I am grateful for the trust placed in me to lead this team,” Boone said in a statement. “It’s a responsibility — and an opportunity — that I will never take lightly.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is “planning to crush some rehab” in his recovery from two surgeries.

Kershaw posted on Instagram that he had foot and knee procedures on Wednesday. He thanked Drs. Kenneth Jung and Neal ElAttrache for performing the operations.

“Planning to crush some rehab and be as good as can be come next year,” Kershaw posted on Thursday.

The 36-year-old Kershaw is 212-94 with a 2.50 ERA in 429 starts and three relief appearances over 17 seasons — all with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He declined a $10 million player option in favor of free agency, but he is expected to return to L.A. after vowing to do so at multiple points during and after the Dodgers’ run to a 2024 World Series championship.

Kershaw was hurt for much of last season, finishing with a 2-2 record and a 4.50 ERA over seven starts. He was sidelined throughout the postseason.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Juan Soto was going to get a hefty payday, regardless. But surely his uptick in production this season in the Bronx will raise the already exorbitant cost for prospective buyers to secure his services. 

For other players in this year’s free-agent class, a surprise breakout or resurgent year came at just the right time.

Below we rank the 11 players who increased their market value the most with their 2024 production, including reasons to be both excited (green light) and skeptical (red light) about their future output. 

1. Juan Soto, OF 

2023: 5.5 bWAR/6.0 fWAR 
2024: 7.9 bWAR/8.1 fWAR

Green Light: It might feel strange to see him on this list. After all, he was already going to command more money than any free agent this offseason. But putting together the most productive offensive season of his career, and doing it in his first (lone?) season for the Yankees, added many, many millions to the total sum he is about to command. He always had an unrivaled eye at the plate, but his 41 homers and .569 slugging percentage both marked career highs for a full season (he had a ridiculous .351/.490/.695 slash line during the shortened 2020 season). He also hit the ball harder than ever before. By WAR, this was the most valuable season of his career. And, after turning 26 in October, he should just now be entering his prime.

RELATED: Juan Soto sweepstakes: Is he the Yankees’ to lose? Analyzing 9 potential suitors

Red Light: If we had to nitpick, it’d be defensively. It was a bit of a farce that Soto was a Gold Glove finalist, and the older he gets, the worse he’ll probably look out there defensively. But, c’mon, it’s Juan Soto. You can live with it. 

2. Jurickson Profar, OF 

2023 (COL/SD): 0.4 bWAR/-1.6 fWAR
2024 (SD): 3.6 bWAR/4.3 fWAR

Green Light: No one on this list had a more dramatic turnaround in a contract year than Profar, who finished a breakout season setting career highs in every slash line category as well as hits, homers, runs, RBIs and games played. The only qualified National League player with a higher on-base percentage than Profar was Shohei Ohtani. He had the fourth-highest year-over year jump in OBP and the sixth-highest year-over-year jump in slugging percentage in the majors. Coming off a season in which he hit nearly 20% below league average, he suddenly started chasing and whiffing less and hitting the ball significantly harder than ever before. He transformed himself into an All-Star, a decade after everyone expected. As surprising as the breakout was, everything under the hood suggested it wasn’t luck. 

Red Light: The former top prospect never did anything like this in his first 10 big-league seasons. This career year came at 31 years old, in his second stop in San Diego after starting the previous year in Colorado and spending time in Texas and Oakland. With a revival that seemingly came out of nowhere, I’m not sure how any team can know with any certainty what to expect going forward. One thing is clear: Wherever he signs next, it won’t be for $1 million again. 

3. Luis Severino, RHP 

2023: -1.5 bWAR/-0.5 fWAR
2024: 1.6 bWAR/2.1 fWAR

Green Light: Another player who took advantage of a one-year deal, a clean bill of health and an updated repertoire had Severino finding his form again. In his first year making more than 20 starts since his 2018 All-Star season, the right-hander logged 31 outings with the Mets and cut his home run rate in half from where it was the previous year with the Yankees. The addition of a sweeper, which got 60 strikeouts, was particularly useful. While he’s no longer the guy sitting close to 98 mph with a strikeout rate hovering near 30% the way he was as an All-Star in his mid-20s, he demonstrated he can still be plenty effective sitting in the mid-90s. At 31, there’s no reason to think he can’t continue to produce. 

Red Light: A year ago in the Bronx, Severino was 4-8 with a 6.65 ERA. By WAR, that made him a bottom-10 pitcher in baseball. The 2024 season represented a considerable leap forward, though he still isn’t missing bats the way he once did. 

4. Jack Flaherty, RHP 

2023: 0.8 bWAR/1.8 fWAR
2024: 3.1 bWAR/3.2 fWAR

Green Light: In a healthy, resurgent 2024 season, Flaherty ditched his cutter, saw a slight uptick in velocity on his four-seamer, got more swings and misses on the pitch and looked like a completely different guy from where he was last year in St. Louis and (especially) Baltimore. He posted the highest chase rate of his career and a significantly elevated whiff rate. While he wasn’t as good in the second half in Los Angeles as he was in the first half in Detroit, his presence in the rotation was crucial in helping the Dodgers win a championship. Even if he’s more of a middle-of-the-rotation arm, he will be an enticing piece at 29. 

RELATED: 2025 MLB free-agent rankings, team fits: Juan Soto leads top 30

Red Light: His velocity dipped down the stretch of the season, which he attributed to timing issues, then his production fluctuated with every October start, providing fodder for both believers and skeptics. When he saw a playoff opponent for the first time on extra rest, he usually dominated. When he saw that team for a second time on regular rest, he got torched. His injury history could also cause some trepidation. 

5. Sean Manaea, LHP 

2023: 0.3 bWAR/1.2 fWAR
2024: 3.0 bWAR/2.8 fWAR

Green Light: Any way you slice it, this was one of the best seasons of Manaea’s career. Take just the second half, after he made the switch to lower his arm slot à la Chris Sale, and his production was unlike anything he had ever done before. Manaea looked like an ace in his final 12 regular-season starts after making the change (10-2, 3.09 ERA, .538 opponents’ OPS) and was clearly the Mets’ top option in October. 

Red Light: At 33, how much will teams trust his finish over his eight previous seasons, especially as teams get to adjust? It’s worth pointing out he had an extremely low BABIP after making the switch, which might be unsustainable. Still, even if it doesn’t continue to the same degree, his consistent production after the arm slot change can’t be ignored. 

6. Teoscar Hernández, OF 

2023: 2.1 bWAR/1.9 fWAR
2024: 4.3 bWAR/3.5 fWAR

Green Light: Hernández didn’t get the offers he was hoping for last winter after a down year in Seattle. So he bet on himself, taking a one-year deal in Los Angeles in the hopes of playing for a winning team and resetting his market. Check, and check. In an All-Star season, Hernández popped a career-high 33 homers, won the Home Run Derby, then won a World Series as a vital cog in the Dodgers’ lineup. He has expressed a desire to return to Los Angeles, but wherever he goes, he can be confident he’ll be getting more than one year this time around. 

Red Light: Swing and miss is part of his game, and he doesn’t offer a ton of value defensively. While he should get more multi-year offers, it might not be a particularly long deal for the 31 years old. 

7. Willy Adames, SS 

2023: 3.0 bWAR/3.3 fWAR
2024: 3.1 bWAR/4.8 fWAR

Green Light: Adames, who just turned 29, is about to get paid. The only reason he’s low on this list is because his value was already so well-established, but his offensive jump shouldn’t be overlooked. Adames set career highs in hits, homers, doubles, RBIs and stolen bases. If he were part of the free-agent class two years ago, he might get lost in the shuffle. This year, though, he’s far and away the best shortstop on the market. His 112 RBIs ranked fourth in the majors, and he was one of six players to log at least 30 homers, 30 doubles and 20 steals. 

Red Light: A high whiff rate has contributed to a fluctuating batting average and on-base percentage the past few years, but his combination of defense and power have made him a top-10 shortstop over the past five years. 

8. Yusei KIkuchi, LHP 

2023: 0.1 bWAR/2.4 fWAR
2024: 1.4 bWAR/3.5 fWAR 

Green Light: Kikuchi made a tweak to his pitch usage after getting traded to Houston and became everything the Astros could’ve imagined. Upping his slider usage considerably, he posted the highest strikeout rate of his career down the stretch while lowering his ERA from 4.75 in 22 starts with the Blue Jays to 2.70 in 10 starts with the Astros. He finished the year with the eighth-best strikeout rate and 11th-best strikeout-to-walk ratio among all qualified MLB starters. 

Red Light: He will turn 34 in June, and while his stuff misses a lot of bats, he also tends to give up a lot of hard contact. Will his next team get the version that looked like one of the best pitchers in baseball in the season’s second half or the one with a career 4.57 ERA? 

9. Nick Martinez, RHP 

2023: 1.5 bWAR/1.4 fWAR:
2024: 4.0 bWAR/3.5 fWAR:  

Green Light: There’s a reason the Reds gave him the qualifying offer. Martinez is coming off the best season of his big-league career, one that featured better command than he had ever demonstrated before (his 3.2% walk rate was the best mark of his career and trailed only George Kirby and Bryan Woo for the lowest mark among pitchers with at least 100 innings). He excelled as both a starter and reliever. Utilizing everything in his six-pitch arsenal — including an elite changeup that’s responsible for most of his swing and miss — Martinez continues to get hitters to chase and has now posted an ERA under 3.50 in each of his three big-league seasons since resurrecting his career in Japan. 

Red Light: He turned 34 in August, and it wasn’t until then that the Reds made him a permanent fixture in the rotation. His swingman abilities, however, should allow him to fit in well wherever he goes. It’s fair to question whether he can maintain the control he demonstrated in 2024, but his vast arsenal should allow him to continue keeping hitters off balance and limit hard contact even as his velocity dips. 

10. Tyler O’Neill, OF 

2023: 0.3 bWAR/0.6 fWAR
2024: 2.6 bWAR/2.5 fWAR 

Green Light: It was only three years ago that O’Neill finished eighth in MVP voting, and this year provided a reminder of what’s still in the tank when his body is cooperating. He hit 32% better than league average while zapping the power back into his bat. After slugging .392 in 2022 and .403 in 2023 in St. Louis, a healthier first season in Boston yielded a .511 slugging percentage. He finished the year with 31 homers, the highest walk rate of his career and 113 games played — his most since his breakout 2021 season. 

Red Light: He is a bit of a baseball conundrum. One of the game’s most volatile talents, his career-best walk rate also came with an abysmal 33.6% strikeout rate. He can look like a top 10 offensive force one month and replacement level the next. He is no longer the Gold Glove outfielder he was a few years ago, but he’s only 29 and his power is still prodigious when he’s right. Can he stay healthy long enough to tap into it consistently? 

11. Joc Pederson, DH 

2023: 0.6 bWAR/0.7 fWAR
2024: 2.9 bWAR/3.0 fWAR

Green Light: On a rate basis, Pederson quietly put together the best offensive season of his 11-year career. It was really similar to his 2022 All-Star season in San Francisco, except he reached base more often and punished offspeed pitches more regularly. It was also a massive step forward from his 2023 season. Pederson finished the year with the fourth-highest year-over-year jump in slugging percentage among all qualified batters. He was one of just 10 hitters to post an OPS over .900 in at least 400 plate appearances. 

Red Light: His outfield days are probably behind him, and he doesn’t hit lefties. That will limit his suitors, but he demonstrated he can still be a massive offensive boost to a team in need of help against right-handed pitching with a DH spot open. 

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

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Third baseman Alex Bregman had surgery to remove a bone chip from his right elbow.

Agent Scott Boras revealed the operation during a news conference Wednesday at the general managers meetings.

“He’s had his procedure. He’s going to be back swinging here in a few weeks, so he’s all through that process,” Boras said.

The Houston Astros, Bregman’s former team, said any details had to come from Boras.

Bregman became a free agent last Thursday, after the expiration of a $100 million, five-year deal agreed to in March 2019 that covered 2020-24. The 30-year-old hit .260 with 26 homers and 75 RBIs and has a .272 career average with 191 homers and 663 RBIs in nine big league seasons, all with the Astros.

Boras said Bregman is willing to move to second base. The two-time All-Star has played third exclusively since 2020.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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MLB free agency is about to start picking up. 

And with that, there are a number of stars on the market.

Will those stars stay put with their current teams, or are they destined to take their talents elsewhere?

Let’s check out the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook for a few star players who are potentially on the move this winter, as of Nov. 6.

Alex Bregman next team:

Astros: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)
Tigers: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Blue Jays: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Mariners: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Yankees: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Royals: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Any other team: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Mets: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Red Sox: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)

Bregman, 30, is a two-time All-Star third-baseman who has spent all of his nine professional years with the Astros, helping them win the World Series in 2017 and 2022. This past season, he registered the third-lowest batting average of his career (.260). He tallied 26 home runs and 75 RBIs in 145 games, and won his first Golden Glove. The Astros offered Bregman a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer on Monday.

Blake Snell next team:

Mets: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Yankees: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Red Sox: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Dodgers: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Padres: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Cubs: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Tigers: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Any other team: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Angels: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)

Snell, 31, has served as an ace for three different franchises over the course of his nine-year career. He spent five years in Tampa Bay, three in San Diego and pitched for San Francisco this past season. He’s won two Cy Young awards, led the AL in ERA in 2018 and led the majors in ERA in 2023. This past season, he went 5-3 in 20 starts, registering a 3.12 ERA and 145 strikeouts. He opted out of his contract with the Giants last week, becoming a free agent.

Corbin Burnes next team:

Mets: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Red Sox: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Dodgers: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Cubs: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Padres: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Orioles: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Any other team: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Tigers: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Giants: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)

Burnes, 30, spent the first six years of his career in Milwaukee, winning the NL Cy Young award in 2021. He also led the league in ERA that year. He’s a four-time All-Star, and last season was his first in a new city. He went 15-9 in 32 starts for the Orioles, posting a 2.92 ERA with 181 Ks. The Orioles offered Burnes a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer on Monday.

Max Fried next team:

Cubs: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Dodgers: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Red Sox: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Tigers: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Braves: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Padres: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Mets: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Giants: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Angels: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)

Fried, 30, has spent all eight of his pro years in Atlanta, where he’s been a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner. He went 11-10 in 29 starts this past season, with a 3.25 ERA and 166 Ks. The Braves offered Fried a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer on Monday.

Pete Alonso 

Next team odds:

Nationals: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Mets: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Any other team: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Mariners: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Red Sox: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Yankees: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Tigers: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Giants: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Angels: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)

The Polar Bear, 29, is a Mets icon, and has spent all six of his professional years in New York. He’s a four-time All-Star and won the Home Run Derby twice. He played 162 games this past season, tallying 34 home runs and 88 RBIs. The Mets offered Alonso a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer on Monday.

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The MLB free-agent market is officially open! 

Juan Soto is obviously the biggest name on the board, and the 26-year-old slugger might set a record for present-day value with his next deal after a career year with the New York Yankees.

But he’s just one of several All-Stars available in what figures to be an active winter.

RELATED: 2025 MLB free-agent rumors tracker: Dodgers ‘heavy favorites’ to land Roki Sasaki | 2025 MLB free-agent rankings, team fits: Juan Soto leads top 30

Here are all the latest notable signings and the top remaining free agents in baseball.

MLB free-agent and trade tracker

Nov. 6

Angels signing SP Kyle Hendricks
Reported terms: 1 year, $2.5 million
Previous team: Cubs

Nov. 4

Atlanta Braves retain OF/DH Marcell Ozuna
Reported terms: Exercised one-year, $16 million team option

Nov. 3

Kansas City Royals re-sign RHP Michael Wacha
Reported terms: Three years, $51 million

Nov. 2

Chicago Cubs retain OF/1B Cody Bellinger
Reported terms: Exercised one-year, $27.5 million player option (with option for 2026)

Oct. 31

Atlanta Braves trade OF Jorge Soler to Los Angeles Angels
Who else is involved: RHP Griffin Canning to Atlanta.

Best remaining free agents

Juan Soto, OF
Corbin Burnes, SP
Blake Snell, SP
Alex Bregman, 3B
Willy Adames, SS
Max Fried, SP
Pete Alonso, 1B
Teoscar Hernández, OF
Anthony Santander, OF
Christian Walker, 1B
Jack Flaherty, SP
Tanner Scott, RP
Nathan Eovaldi, SP
Gleyber Torres, INF
Yusei Kikuchi, SP
Tyler O’Neill, OF
Jurickson Profar, INF/OF
Sean Manaea, SP
Ha-Seong Kim, INF
Walker Buehler, SP
Shane Bieber, SP
Luis Severino, SP
Nick Martinez, SP
Carlos Estévez, RP
Joc Pederson, DH
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
Nick Pivetta, SP
Alex Verdugo, OF
Max Scherzer, SP

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MLB free agency is here!

Similar to how last winter was defined by the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes, this offseason will revolve around another generational superstar: Juan Soto. The 26-year-old slugger is coming off a career year with the New York Yankees, having also helped the Bronx Bombers back to the World Series for the first time in 15 years. Now, he’s likely staring down a record-breaking contract that might very well span the next decade-plus. 

But where? The chatter has already begun during this week’s GM meetings. He’s not the only big fish on the open market, of course. There are plenty of other top-tier free agents, including ace pitchers Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles and Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves as well as Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.

RELATED: 2025 MLB free-agent signing tracker, trades | 2025 MLB free-agent rankings, team fits: Juan Soto leads top 30

And as Soto himself knows, after being dealt to New York from the San Diego Padres last offseason, there could always be landscape-shifting trades made in the winter.

Follow along below for the latest rumors around MLB free agency!

Nov. 6

Sasaki more likely to be posted than not

The 2024-25 MLB free-agent class might add another monumental talent. “Indications” are that Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki will be posted by NPB club the Chiba Lotte Marines, ESPN reported. If he is posted, the Dodgers are “heavily favored” to land the 23-year-old, according to ESPN. MLB on FOX insider Ken Rosenthal also reported that the Dodgers are the “heavy, heavy favorites” to land Sasaki, who was teammates with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Team Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The possible sweepstakes for Sasaki won’t be as highly competitive from a spending standpoint as other free agents. Due to posting rules, teams can only use money from their international signing pools to offer him. Sasaki has pitched fewer than six professional seasons, meaning he can earn a maximum of $8 million if he’s posted after Dec. 15. If he’s posted before that date, the most he can receive is roughly $2.5 million, according to ESPN. 

Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been in contact with Soto, checked in on Alonso

As free agency commenced Monday, Cashman shared that he spoke with Soto following the team’s World Series loss in late October. Cashman added that he’s already been in communication with Soto’s agent, Scott Boras.

RELATED: Juan Soto sweepstakes: Is he Yankees’ to lose? Analyzing 9 potential suitors

Cashman figures to be busy in the coming weeks, as first baseman Anthony Rizzo and second baseman Gleyber Torres are also free agents. With that, Cashman confirmed the Yankees have interest in Pete Alonso, who’s available after starring for the Mets the past six seasons.

“There are a lot of high-quality players in this marketplace, and certainly Pete did an amazing job with the Mets,” Cashman said. “I had a brief conversation with Scott about a lot of his — he has a lot of free agents, which is normal, and Pete’s one of them, so yes.”

As for Torres, the Yankees did not extend him a qualifying offer, and Cashman offered a tepid response on whether the former All-Star could return. 

“I’m not gonna dissect what he’s good at and not as good at,” Cashman said. “Obviously, he’ll have a lot of conversations with a lot of teams that have a need in that area and that might include us, who knows. But appreciate his efforts while he was here.” 

Astros GM Dana Brown: Re-signing Bregman the “biggest priority”

Houston has a few key free agents to mull over, including Alex Bregman, Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Verlander. As Houston looks to retool after an early playoff exit, Brown was pretty blunt on which player the team is coveting this most this offseason. 

“We’d love to have Alex Bregman back,” Brown told reporters at the GM meetings. “It’s our biggest priority.”

The Astros, of course, have allowed a handful of homegrown stars walk in free agency in recent years. But Brown seemed bullish about the club’s chances to retain Bregman.

“Our mindset right now is that he’s not going elsewhere and we want to sign him,” Brown said. “If he ends up going elsewhere, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, but I’m going into this offseason with the thought that we’re going to get Bregman back. Hopefully we can do it.”

In an interview with MLB Network, Brown shared that he’s had initial conversations with Kikuchi and Verlander’s agents. He also said he’s “gone back and forth” with outfielder Kyle Tucker’s agent about a possible extension. Tucker is entering the final year of team control.

“We hope to narrow things down and have more conversations,” Brown said. “But we’ve had multiple conversations.”

Bichette not available for trade

With Bo Bichette set to become a free agent after the 2025 season, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins made it clear that the team isn’t willing to move on from the shortstop sooner than it has to. He told MLB Network that any trade calls involving Bichette are “an easy no.”

Bichette is coming off an underwhelming 2024 campaign, slashing .225/.277/.322 with just four homers in 81 games. 

Rooker not available via trade

Athletics general manager David Frost insisted the A’s, who are temporarily relocating to Sacramento beginning next season, will not part with star designated hitter Brent Rooker.

“We’re going to keep [Rooker],” Frost told the New York Post.

Rooker was one of the most sought-after players ahead of the trade deadline in 2024. He finished the season with 39 homers and a 165 OPS+.

Nov. 4

Dodgers in on Soto? Mets not?

The New York Mets have long been seen as the most likely candidate to lure Juan Soto away from a return to the New York Yankees. But the Dodgers, fresh off beating Soto and the Yankees in the World Series, intend to make a bid for Soto “if he’s interested,” the New York Post reported last week. However, the Yankees reportedly believe a Soto-Dodgers union would “never happen” and regard the Mets and Toronto Blue Jays as their biggest threats in keeping the slugger.

Brewers could trade closer Devin Williams

One of the more surprising developments of the opening days of the MLB offseason was when the Milwaukee Brewers declined closer Devin Williams’ $10.5 million team option. Williams is a two-time All-Star who also won National League Rookie of the Year in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but did not make his 2024 season debut until late July due to stress fractures in his back. It’s part of the reason the defending NL Central champion Brewers declined his option, believing the 30-year-old closer will make less in arbitration anyway. 

That not only helps the small-budget Brewers but also makes Williams a more attractive trade candidate, and he’s reportedly expected to be just that. Milwaukee has been aggressive in moving star players in the past. Williams, of course, only ascended to the closer role after the Brewers stunningly dealt Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres at the 2022 trade deadline.

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Yankees general manager Brian Cashman sounded as if he intends to bring back manager Aaron Boone for an eighth season and defended his team from criticism by Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly over New York’s sloppy World Series defensive play.

“I’m a big Aaron Boone fan. I think he’s a great manager and I think we’re lucky to have him,” Cashman said Tuesday at the general managers meetings.

Boone has led the Yankees to a 603-429 record, three AL East titles and one pennant in seven seasons. After the five-game loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series last week, Boone said he hadn’t thought about his future.

Boone agreed in October 2021 to a three-year contract that includes a team option for 2025. Cashman said the deadline for the option is 10 days after the World Series and he envisioned discussing both the option and a new deal.

“I can’t put the cart ahead of the horse. We haven’t gotten there,” he said.

Cashman didn’t fault Boone for moves he made during the postseason.

“The manager’s job is so impossible, so you can play the game of second-guessing because you’re either going to make a move and it’ll be right, you make a move and it’ll be wrong and then have at it, right?” he said. “So I think he’s a really, really good manager. I think that we’re lucky to have him. He’s done a great job.”

Cashman acknowledged the World Series performance was a disappointment. The Yankees blew a 10th-inning lead in the opener when Freddie Freeman hit a game-ending grand slam off Nestor Cortes. After losing the first three games and winning Game 4, the Yankees wasted a 5-0 lead in Game 5 in a five-run fifth inning when center fielder Aaron Judge and shortstop Anthony Volpe made errors and pitcher Gerrit Cole failed to cover first on an infield grounder. The Dodgers won 7-6 to capture the title.

“First and foremost, I acknowledge that we played poorly in the World Series,” Cashman said. “We all saw that and unfortunately our `A’ game didn’t show up when it counted the most.”

Kelly was limited to 35 games this season because of right shoulder inflammation and didn’t pitch during the postseason. He criticized the Yankees on his “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast.

“They got bad ball. Yeah, sloppy. Everyone knows that,” Kelly said. “We were saying every single game: Just let them throw the ball into the infield. They can’t make a play. I mean, you saw Shohei (Ohtani) get an extra base going to third off a sloppy Gleyber (Torres) play. It’s well known. We all knew. I mean, we’re the Dodgers. We know every little detail.”

“It was just a mismatch from the get-go,” Kelly added. “If we had a playoff reranking, they might be ranked eighth- or ninth-best playoff team. You know what I mean? You’re putting the Padres ahead of them, you’re putting the Phillies ahead of them, you’re putting the Mets ahead of them, you’re putting the Braves ahead of them — and the Braves just got unlucky because they had to play that doubleheader. You’re putting — I mean, the Guardians played like crap, but the Guardians played better, the better D (defense), better baseball all around.”

“I heard that,” Cashman said. “I also know people with the Dodgers, so I’ve got some internal conversations that I’ve got certainly feedback on. I think it’s more representative of some specific players rather than the overall group. And in Joe’s case, it feels like it’s for some reason, it’s a little personal, the way he’s out talking like he has.”

Cashman rejected criticism of the Yankees roster makeup, saying it’s natural that players are better at offense and not so strong at defense or base running.

“We’ve come across many a player that just aren’t good at bunting. As many times as you ask them to bunt and you practice bunting or whatever, they just aren’t good at it. And so at some point you manage the people you have,” Cashman said. “I remember having a conversation with one of my prior managers: ‘At some point you got to stop asking somebody to do something they’re not good at.'”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Shohei Ohtani had arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday to repair a labrum tear in his left shoulder, following an injury the Los Angeles Dodgers star suffered during Game 2 of the World Series on Oct. 26.

The Dodgers say the Japanese two-way player is expected to be ready for spring training in February.

Ohtani injured his nonthrowing shoulder while sliding into second base on a stolen base attempt, which resulted in a shoulder dislocation. He returned to play the next three games, helping the Dodgers beat the Yankees in five games to win the championship.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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