Category: Baseball

The Women’s Pro Baseball League will play its inaugural season at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois.

The WPBL plans to begin play on Aug. 1. The Women’s Baseball World Cup is being held in Rockford — about three hours north of Springfield — from July 22-26.

Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Boston are the four teams for the league’s 2026 season. San Francisco will pick first in a snake-style draft on Thursday night, followed by Los Angeles, New York and Boston. The WPBL said there will be six rounds, with each team selecting five players per round.

Former Little League star Mo’ne Davis, USA Baseball’s Kelsie Whitmore and Japanese pitcher Ayami Sato are among the top players expected to be selected in the draft.

The WPBL said Robin Roberts Stadium “offers a central location” among its four founding clubs. Springfield also hosted one of the earliest paid women’s games in 1875, according to a WPBL news release.

The ballpark has a seating capacity of 5,200, and it recently installed a LED videoboard.

The upstart WPBL was co-founded by Justine Siegal, the first woman to coach for an MLB team, the Oakland Athletics, in 2015. When it debuts, it will be the first pro league for women since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League — immortalized in the film “A League of Their Own” — dissolved in 1954.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Right-hander Tatsuya Imai is entering Major League Baseball’s posting system and will be available to teams to sign as a free agent from Wednesday through Jan. 2.

He joins power-hitting corner infielder Munetaka Murakami, whose 45-day window to sign expires Dec. 22.

A 27-year-old right-hander, Imai went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA this season with the Pacific League’s Seibu Lions. He struck out 178 batters in 163 2/3 innings.

Imai is 58-45 with a 3.15 ERA in eight seasons with Seibu, with 907 strikeouts in 963 2/3 innings. He is a three-time All-Star.

Imai pitched eight innings of a combined no-hitter against Fukuoka on April 18. He struck out 17 against Yokohama on June 17, breaking Daisuke Matsuzaka’s previous team record of 16 from 2004.

Per a report from Nikkan Sports, Tokyo Giants infielder Kazuma Okamoto is also set to be made available through the posting system on Wednesday. Like with Imai, Okamoto is represented by agent Scott Boras, and was brought through the initial stages of the process at the same time.

Okamoto, 29, has spent 11 seasons in NPB, and batted .327/.416/.598 in an injury-shortened 2025. He had appeared in at least 140 games in each of the previous four seasons, before a wrist injury cut this past campaign short. Okamoto still hit 15 home runs in 293 plate appearances, however, and 37 extra-base hits overall.

FOX Sports MLB analyst Rowan Kavner ranked Imai the No. 17 free agent this offseason in his top-30 list, and Okamoto No. 22. For the former he wrote that, “Imai continues to get better every year, seeing his strikeout rate rise and his walk rate decline precipitously,” while for the latter, “Okamoto is four years older than Murakami and doesn’t have the same raw power or star ceiling, but he also doesn’t strike out nearly as often and might have the higher floor.”

Under MLB’s posting agreement with Nippon Professional Baseball, the posting fee would be 20% of the first $25 million of a major league contract, including earned bonuses and options. The percentage drops to 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% of any amount over $50 million. There would be a supplemental fee of 15% of any earned bonuses, salary escalators and exercised options.

How does the posting process work? Here’s a primer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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If a team is looking for power, third baseman Eugenio Suarez fits the bill and then some.

Last season, which Suarez split between the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks, he uncorked 49 home runs and posted a .526 slugging percentage. Suarez would be a great fit in Seattle for the foreseeable future, as the 34-year-old would fill a position of need for a Mariners team that was one win away from reaching their first-ever World Series.

However, any team in need of a third baseman will likely see what it costs to sign Suarez. And with that, here are the three best free agent fits for Suarez should he depart Seattle.

In theory, the Yankees’ 2026 starting lineup comes internally from one-to-nine, assuming that they re-sign one of outfielders Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham. But that lineup doesn’t have to be written with a Sharpie; Suarez would be a high-voltage pickup for New York.

Excluding the 2020 MLB season, Suarez has averaged 35.1 home runs per season over the last seven years. He would add another impact bat to a Yankees’ offense that led MLB with 274 home runs last season and be an overall upgrade at third base.

So, why make a move at third base? New York appears married to Anthony Volpe at shortstop, with Jose Caballero pushing him; Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the everyday second baseman; Ben Rice likely replaces Paul Goldschmidt at first base. Sure, Ryan McMahon is due $32 million over the next two seasons and is a great third baseman. At the same time, he hit just .214 last season and has extensive experience starting at second base, too. Suarez can take over at third base with McMahon moving into a utility role. 

All that said, the Yankees may refrain from backing up the truck for Suarez, instead preferring to get a third baseman who hasn’t entered their prime (Munetaka Murakami?) or at least one with a better defensive track record (Suarez posted -6 DRS at third base last season) should they entertain upgrading from McMahon.

Suarez is precisely what the 2026 Tigers need, and they don’t have to trade any prospects to get him.

Detroit shuffled several players at third base last season, including Zach McKinstry, Colt Keith and Andy Ibanez, among others. Signing Suarez would end the ever-fluid situation for the Tigers at the hot corner. Suarez, who ranked in the 89th percentile of MLB in barrel percentage last season (14.3%), would not only give the Mariners a proven third baseman but also a right-handed hitter with mammoth power.

While Detroit’s offense was a plausible unit, it ranked eighth out of 12 playoff teams in slugging percentage (.413). Suarez would fill a loose end and concurrently provide a power jolt to an offense that’s ready to roll. A lineup that features Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Spencer Torkelson and Suarez is one that would be one of the best power units in MLB. Suarez fits the Tigers’ timeline, as they’ve made the playoffs in back-to-back years and are coming off a grueling, first-round playoff series loss to the Mariners.

So, why isn’t Detroit the No. 1 team for Suarez?

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that the Pirates have “more flexibility than [they’ve] had in other offseasons.” It’s time for the Pirates to put their money where their mouth is.

Last season, Pittsburgh was last in MLB in runs (583), home runs (117) and slugging percentage (.350), and 28th in hits (1,244). In summation, the Pirates’ positional depth chart needs help across the board. Suarez would be a firm solution at third base for the coming years, adding a proven commodity to the corner infield position and desperately needed power.

The Pirates would likely have to be the top bidder for Suarez and make a concerted effort to improve their roster elsewhere to convince the veteran third baseman to hop aboard, but he’d fill a void and represent a step in the right direction. As for the rest of their infield, the Pirates could objectively hope that one of infielders Nick Gonzales – the No. 7 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft – and Jared Triolo come into their own. But if Pittsburgh’s offense could be a middle-of-the-pack unit, it would have a fighting chance at being a wild-card team.

Paul Skenes is arguably the best starting pitcher in baseball, but Pittsburgh’s starting rotation goes well beyond just the 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner. Last season, the Pirates’ starting rotation was sixth in ERA (3.71) and tied for sixth in WHIP (1.19). Mike Burrows and Carmen Mlodzinski flashed the potential to be rotation fixtures; esteemed pitching prospect Bubba Chandler made his big-league debut; Mitch Keller is a solid, rotation fixture; the Pirates selected right-hander Seth Hernandez with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft; prior to suffering a torn UCL, right-hander Jared Jones showcased the ability to be a strikeout pitcher and top-of-the-rotation force in 2024.

If now isn’t the time for the Pirates, who haven’t had a winning season since 2018, to spend and make a jump, then when is? 

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All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker is the top free agent in this year’s class, but that seemed like a foregone conclusion once Blue Jays’ slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a 14-year, $500 million contract extension back in April.

Tucker has earned that honor — and, soon, hundreds of millions of dollars — not necessarily for just his 2025 season with the Chicago Cubs. This past year for Tucker was still highly productive, but it wasn’t demonstrably better than the ones preceding it. But he’s still been a 4-6 WAR player each of the last five seasons.

For other players in this year’s free-agent class, a resurgent year or surprise breakout came just at the right time. These are the 11 free agents (with their 2025 teams) who boosted their stock and increased their value the most by raising their level of play during the 2025 season: 

1. Bo Bichette, Shortstop, Toronto Blue Jays

2024: -0.3 bWAR, 0.3 fWAR
2025:  3.5 bWAR, 3.8 fWAR

Green Light: There’s a world in which Bichette is entering the offseason as the World Series hero. His Game 7 home run off Shohei Ohtani ultimately ended in defeat, but it was an example of the resolve he demonstrated in his quest to bring a World Series title to Toronto. Will the Blue Jays pay what it’ll cost to run it back with Bichette? It won’t come cheap anymore. This year was a rousing success for Bichette, who went from playing at a replacement level a year ago to returning to his more typical ways as one of the top offensive shortstops in the game. His .311 batting average was tied for the highest among all qualified players at his position, and he finished tied for second in the majors in hits despite missing 23 games. He’s the best middle infielder on the market, and he’s still in his prime at 27. 

Red Light: While injuries played a significant role in the poor performance in 2024, he was the worst shortstop in MLB by WAR (min. 300 plate appearances). He bounced back in a major way this year, but he graded out as one of the worst defensive shortstops in MLB, and he may need to shift off the position for his next team. In addition, injuries have limited him to 355 of a possible 486 games the last three seasons. How will all of that impact what teams are willing to pay? 

2. Trent Grisham, Outfielder, New York Yankees

2024: 0.4 bWAR, 0.5 fWAR 
2025:  3.5 bWAR, 3.2 fWAR 

Green Light: The fact that Grisham, who was worth a total of 11 WAR over his first six career seasons, got a qualifying offer from the Yankees speaks to the kind of year he just had. Safe to say, he is about to command a lot more than the $5 million the Yankees gave him last winter. In a contract year in pinstripes, Grisham enjoyed the best offensive season of his career, doubling his previous personal best in home runs with 34 while also establishing career highs in hits (116), runs (87), RBI (74), slugging (.464) and OPS (.811). He’s only 29, and if he continues to hit the ball as hard as he did and pull it in the air the way he was able to this year, there are reasons to believe this could stick. 

Red Light: His .235 batting average in 2025 marked the first time he hit over .200 in a season since 2021. For his career, he is a league average hitter. Grisham always had a keen eye at the plate and could work his walks, but that could lead to being overpassive. Even this past season, he had the fifth-lowest swing rate in MLB, but he did more damage when he swung. Will that continue? If it doesn’t, that could spell trouble ahead. He was known for his defensive prowess and his speed, both of which regressed this year. 

3. Kyle Schwarber, Designated Hitter, Philadelphia Phillies

2024: 3.5 bWAR, 3.3 fWAR
2025: 4.7 bWAR, 4.9 fWAR

Green Light: He’s the best hitter on the market. By wRC+, he was the sixth-best hitter in baseball in 2025. Schwarber led the National League with 56 homers and all of MLB with 132 RBI, both of which represented career highs. Even as a primary DH, he was worth nearly 5 WAR. The underlying numbers are encouraging, too. He had the highest hard-hit rate and third-highest barrel rate in MLB. His combination of power and patience — he had the seventh-highest walk rate among qualified hitters — strike fear in opposing pitchers in a way few can, and his presence in the locker room has been revered. 

Red Light: He’ll be entering his age 33 season, and he has made a total of 13 starts in the field the last two years. He probably needs to be a DH, which will limit the number of interested suitors. In addition, he represents an anomaly as a slugger coming off his best offensive season as his mid-30s approach. He already strikes out a lot, so if the power starts to dip at all, he’ll be in trouble. When does the regression come? 

4. Cody Bellinger, Outfielder/First Baseman, New York Yankees

2024: 2.2 bWAR, 2.1 fWAR
2025: 5.1 bWAR, 4.9 fWAR 

Green Light: It’s hard to imagine Bellinger’s first (and maybe last) season in pinstripes going much better. He was the second most valuable position player on the Yankees behind Aaron Judge and hit 29 homers with 98 RBI, both of which were his most since his 2019 MVP season. Bellinger is no longer the same hitter he was back then, now favoring a more contact-oriented approach that has him both homering and striking out far less than he did when he was a star in his early 20s in Los Angeles. This version is plenty productive, though. He has hit 25% better than league average over the last three seasons, he just produced his lowest strikeout rate of his career, and his ability to move around the diamond makes him a valuable piece for any team that could use a versatile corner outfielder or first baseman. 

Red Light: A reunion in the Bronx would make a lot of sense, especially considering his home/road splits. He had a .909 OPS in New York and a .715 OPS away from Yankee Stadium. He smartly pulled the ball in the air more often this year — all 29 of his homers went to right field or right-center — taking advantage of the short porch in right. That home run total would have been a bit smaller had he played his home games elsewhere (though he still could be a 20-plus home run hitter wherever he goes). With some significant reverse splits last season, Bellinger thrived against lefties (1.016 OPS) but had more pedestrian numbers against right-handers (.741). 

5. Harrison Bader, Outfielder, Philadelphia Phillies

2024: 0.9 bWAR, 1.2 fWAR
2025: 3.9 bWAR, 3.2 fWAR

Green Light: After bouncing from team to team in recent years, Bader enjoyed a career year split between the Twins and Phillies in 2025. He registered career highs in batting average, on-base percentage, OPS, hits, home runs, doubles and RBI while maintaining his usual defensive proficiency and plus speed. His .305 batting average in 50 games with the Phillies was the highest on the team, and his.824 OPS trailed only Schwarber and Bryce Harper. It seemed to be an ideal fit, but his work with the glove could be additive for any team in need of a defensive upgrade in the outfield. 

Red Light: Bader’s defensive prowess and athleticism provide a reliable floor. Offensively, though, he outproduced his underlying numbers rather significantly in 2025, aided by a career-high .359 batting average on balls in play (that number was .415 after his trade to the Phillies). He chases and strikes out more than you’d like for a player with his profile. In his three previous seasons, he hit 20% below league average. There were only six qualified outfielders with a worse wRC+ over that stretch from 2022-24, and he’ll be 32 next season. 

6. Jorge Polanco, Second Baseman/Designated Hitter, Seattle Mariners

2024: 1.3 bWAR, 0.3 fWAR
2025: 2.6 bWAR, 2.6 fWAR 

Green Light: What a difference a year makes. Coming off an injury-plagued season in Seattle, Polanco decided to stick with the Mariners, and he rewarded them for their faith. He enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, hitting 34% better than league average while cutting his strikeout rate in half (15.6%) and hitting the ball harder than he had ever before. It was the most significant year-over-year decrease in strikeout rate among all qualified MLB hitters. He also posted the third-highest jump in slugging percentage, the eighth-highest jump in batting average and the 10th-highest jump in hard-hit rate among all qualified hitters.

Red Light: Polanco’s two seasons in Seattle demonstrated both the possibilities and the dangers in signing him. When he’s healthy, he can still be one of the more productive offensive middle infielders in the game. But injuries have limited his time on the field in recent years, he’ll probably need some time at DH wherever he goes to limit the wear and tear on his knees, and he offers little help defensively. 

7. Pete Alonso, First Baseman, New York Mets

2024: 2.6 bWAR, 2.1 fWAR
2025: 3.4 bWAR, 3.6 fWAR

Green Light: Alonso didn’t get the long-term deal he coveted last winter, but he will try again after posting a career-high .272 batting average and his highest slugging percentage (.524) since his rookie year in 2019. Alonso hit 44% above league average, and he actually underperformed his underlying numbers in one of the best seasons of his career. He registered the highest hard-hit rate and average exit velocity of his career while leading all first basemen with 38 home runs and 126 RBI and led the NL with 41 doubles. Teams in need of a power boost at first base need look no further. 

Red Light: Alonso hit .217 in 2023 and .240 in 2024. He was less passive in the zone in 2025, and it served him well as he saw a sizable jump in every slash-line category. But his poor defense at first base and limitations as a baserunner won’t get any better in his 30s. Plus, the winter isn’t always kind to players with his profile, as he found out last offseason. Will the boost he provides offensively be enough for a team to overlook his other deficiencies? 

8. Ranger Suárez, Starting Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

2024: 2.7 bWAR, 3.4 fWAR
2025: 4.7 bWAR, 4.0 fWAR 

Green Light: Suárez had his best year as a full-time starter, posting a 3.20 ERA that ranked 16th among all pitchers with at least 150 innings pitched in 2025. His vast arsenal of weapons and his precision make him adept at limiting hard contact and free passes, allowing him to consistently go deep into games. Suárez went at least six innings in 18 of his 26 starts and failed to go at least five just four times all year. And while he doesn’t rack up whiffs like a typical ace, he can still help a team with World Series aspirations. Suárez held the Dodgers to one run in five innings in his lone playoff start this year and has a career 1.48 postseason ERA. 

Red Light: His sinker, which is his most-used offering, registered at a career-low 90.1 mph this year. For what he might cost, teams may want someone with more overpowering stuff. He also has never made 30 starts in a season. This year’s 157.1 innings pitched represented a career high. 

9. Brandon Woodruff, Starting Pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers

2024: DNP
2025: 1.2 bWAR, 1.8 fWAR

Green Light: He was already a highly accomplished starter prior to the shoulder surgery that wiped out his 2024 season, and he returned in auspicious condition. In 12 starts, he was even better than his 3.20 ERA would indicate. His expected ERA (2.18), expected batting average (.172), strikeout rate (32.3%) and walk rate (5.4%) were the best of his career. 

Red Light: This will all be a moot point if he accepts the Brewers’ qualifying offer. Health will always be a concern — after returning from shoulder surgery, he was later sidelined down the stretch with a lat muscle strain — and his fastball velocity was notably down from pre-surgery form. He clearly still found a way to make it work, though, adding a cutter and holding opponents to a .181 batting average with 51 strikeouts with his four-seamer. If he declines Milwaukee’s offer, his market will be fascinating as he approaches his age-33 season. 

10. Edwin Díaz, Reliever, New York Mets

2024: 0.5 bWAR, 1.1 fWAR
2025: 3.0 bWAR, 2.0 fWAR

Green Light: When healthy, he’s still arguably the best reliever in the game. Another year removed from the knee injury that wiped out his 2023 season, Díaz showcased that in an All-Star 2025 season in which he racked up 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings with a 1.63 ERA. His 38% strikeout rate trailed only Mason Miller for the top mark among all qualified MLB relievers. 

Red Light: His four-seamer averaged 97.2 mph this year, down from 99.1 in 2022 and 97.5 in 2023. It’s still plenty effective — opponents hit just .133 with 39 strikeouts against the pitch — but for an overpowering closer who’s reliant on two pitches, it’s something worth monitoring. Entering his age 32 season, that velo could continue trending the wrong direction. 

11. Gleyber Torres, Second Baseman, Detroit Tigers

2024: 1.8 bWAR, 1.8 fWAR
2025: 2.9 bWAR, 2.6 fWAR

Green Light: A 29-year-old with his plate discipline should be tantalizing for any team in need of an offensive boost at second base. Torres tried to re-establish his value in Detroit after a down year with the Yankees and enjoyed his first All-Star season since 2019, posting an .812 OPS in the first half. His numbers dipped precipitously in the second half, but that could be explained by the hernia injury he was gritting through. His underlying numbers were notably better than they were the season prior with the Yankees and suggested some unluckiness in his overall totals in 2025. Torres logged the highest on-base percentage of his career (.358) and his highest walk rate over a full season (13.5%). Juan Soto was the only qualified player with a lower chase rate than Torres. 

Red Light: His hernia injury required surgery after the season. So, while that can help explain the drop-off in production, you also have to wonder if that will give prospective suitors some pause. So will the qualifying offer he received from Detroit, should he choose to decline it. Torres also is a below-average defender and baserunner whose success has fluctuated in recent years. 

Honorable mentions: Alex Bregman, 3B; Eugenio Suárez, 3B; Merrill Kelly, SP; Ryan O’Hearn, 1B/OF

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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Cole Hamels, Ryan Braun and Matt Kemp are among 12 newcomers on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released Monday, and Carlos Beltrán heads 15 holdovers after falling 19 votes shy in 2025 balloting.

Howie Kendrick, Daniel Murphy and Rick Porcello also are among the first-time eligibles, joined by Shin-Soo Choo, Edwin Encarnación, Gio González, Alex Gordon, Nick Markakis and Hunter Pence.

Beltrán received 277 of 394 votes for 70.3% in the 2025 balloting, when Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were elected.

A nine-time All-Star, Beltrán hit .279 with 435 homers and 1,587 RBIs over 17 seasons with Kansas City (1999-2004), Houston (2004, ’17), the New York Mets (2005-11), San Francisco (2011), St. Louis (2012-13), the New York Yankees (20014-16) and Texas (2016).

He received 46.5% support in his first ballot appearance in 2023, then rose to 57.1% in his second.

Beltrán was the only player cited by name in baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred’s 2020 report concluding the Astros used electronics in violation of rules to steal signs during Houston’s run to the 2017 World Series title and again in the 2018 season. Three days after the report was issued, the New York Mets said Beltrán was out as their manager, just 2 1/2 months after he was hired.

Other holdovers include steroids-tainted stars Alex Rodriguez (146 votes, 37.1%) and Manny Ramirez (135, 34.3%) along with Andruw Jones (261, 66.2%), Chase Utley (157, 39.8%), Andy Pettitte (110, 27.9%), Félix Hernández (81, 20.6%), Bobby Abreu (77, 19.5%), Jimmy Rollins (71, 18%), Omar Vizquel (70, 17.8%), Dustin Pedroia (47, 11.9%), Mark Buehrle (45, 11.4%), Francisco Rodríguez (40, 10.2%), David Wright (32, 8.1%) and Torii Hunter (20, 5.1%).

Pettitte is on the ballot for the eighth time after doubling support from 13.5% in 2024. A player can appear on the ballot up to 10 times.

BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years of membership are eligible to vote. Ballots must be postmarked by Dec. 31 and results will be announced Jan. 20. Anyone elected will be inducted on July 26 along with anyone chosen Dec. 7 by the hall’s contemporary baseball era committee ballot considering eight players whose greatest contributions to the sport were from 1980 on.

Hamels, a four-time All-Star, was 163-122 with a 3.43 ERA for Philadelphia (2006-15), Texas (2015-18), the Chicago Cubs (2018-19) and Atlanta (2020), pitching a no-hitter from the Phillies against the Cubs on July 25, 2015. He was MVP of the 2008 NL Championship Series and World Series as Philadelphia won its second title, its first since 1980.

Braun, the 2011 MVP and a six-time All-Star, hit .296 with 352 homers and 1,154 RBIs for Milwaukee from 2007-20. He was suspended for the final 65 games of the 2013 season for violations of baseball’s drug program and labor contract. A 50-game suspension for an alleged positive test in 2011 was overturned after Braun challenged the chain of custody of the urine sample.

Kemp, a three-time All-Star, batted .284 with 287 homers and 1,031 RBIs for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006-14, ’18), San Diego (2015-16), Atlanta (2016-17), Cincinnati (2019) and Colorado (2020).

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy are being considered by the contemporary era committee along with Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Eyeing a World Series title? Want to make a postseason push? Just field a competitive team? Every MLB team is going to want to address some roster questions in the offseason. 

Let’s take stock of all 30 teams, going by division, and what’s the main issue they’ll want to address with free agency in full effect. And while you’re at it, check out who we think are the top 30 free agents of the offseason.

JUMP TO: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West

AL EAST

The Blue Jays will aim to run it back and reach the World Series after their Game 7 heartbreak. The Yankees want to re-sign a key offensive piece. The Red Sox need to settle things down and shore up some pitching. The Rays will return to their home stadium and will look for some normalcy. The Orioles should build on a young and promising lineup that’s due for a bounce-back season. READ MORE

NL EAST

The Mets spent big last offseason but couldn’t reach October baseball. The Phillies took the division crown and looked poised for a World Series run but fell short once again. Both teams are expected to headline the NL East next season, but three other teams — the Marlins, Braves, and Nationals — will try to build toward making the division race a bit more interesting. READ MORE

AL CENTRAL

The Tigers somehow survived a historic second-half collapse and qualified for the playoffs, only to lose in the American League Division Series.  The Guardians had one of the most improbable runs to clinch the division. The Royals are one or two impact players away from making a playoff appearance. The Twins still haven’t demonstrated whether they’re fielding a competitive team next year, and the White Sox… Well, they’ll be better than they were a year ago. READ MORE

NL CENTRAL

The Brewers are all-in on their competitive window after a sensational season. The Cubs made it to the postseason, but will they take another big swing on top talent this winter? Then there’s the Reds offense, which has a slugging problem. The Cardinals are starting a new era and going back to the foundational basics. And the Pirates, with the fourth-lowest payroll in baseball, have to prove they’ll be aggressive enough to build around their star ace. READ MORE

AL WEST 

The Mariners will try to turn their ALCS heartbreak into championship fuel. The Astros are hungry to get back into contention after missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years. The Rangers desperately need their once-powerful offense to find success again while their All-Star starting pitchers are still dealing. The Athletics have a West Sacramento problem. And the Angels, once again, are facing significant challenges to build a winning club. READ MORE

NL WEST

The Dodgers won the World Series again and are going for a three-peat. The Padres are under pressure to revamp their starting rotation against the backdrop of a potential sale of the franchise. The Giants might have something special cooking, but they’ll need to sign some intriguing pickups. The D-backs will have to work hard and get creative to address their roster flaws. And the Rockies will re-examine their rebuild with fresh eyes. READ MORE

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

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The Dodgers won the World Series again, and next year, they’re going for a three-peat. The Padres are under pressure to revamp their starting rotation — against the backdrop of a potential sale of the franchise.

The Giants might have something special cooking, but they’ll need to spend on a couple of intriguing pickups. The D-backs will have to work hard and get creative to address their roster flaws, including upgrading what is currently an uninspiring pitching staff. And the Rockies will re-examine their rebuild with fresh eyes.

After analyzing the American League West, our series wraps up with the National League West. Here are the biggest needs for a division that’s had the same winner in 12 of the past 13 years:

Teams are listed in order of their records, best to worst, in the 2025 season.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Biggest needs: Outfield and bullpen 

Yes, even the back-to-back champions have flaws. Their outfielders produced just 98 wRC+ this season, which was good for 17th in the major leagues. Their bullpen, too, was ranked in the bottom third of the league and was as shaky as ever before Roki Sasaki moved to closing duties and helped ease some of the load. 

As usual, expect the Dodgers to swing big in free agency this offseason, as well as use their deep and talented farm system for shrewd trades. Kyle Tucker’s name has been floated around, and he makes too much sense for this Dodgers squad in need of an impact bat from a corner outfielder. They’re able to mitigate their mistakes better than most, as they did with Michael Conforto’s contract as well as the money spent on Tanner Scott. The thing is, even if they made no substantial upgrades this winter, they’re still the favorites to win in 2026.  

SAN DIEGO PADRES

Biggest need: Starting pitching

Arguably no other contender needs starting pitching more than the Padres. They lost Dylan Cease and Michael King to free agency this offseason. Yu Darvish will miss the entire season due to elbow surgery, which is his second major elbow operation and could be career-ending. Joe Musgrove, at least, will return from his 2024 Tommy John surgery, but it’s anyone’s guess how effective he’ll be after missing the 2025 season and how long it will take to find his form.

As of now, Nick Pivetta will begin the season as their ace after he recorded a career-best 2.87 ERA in 31 starts for San Diego this year. It will be intriguing if the Padres opt to make Mason Miller a starter, but that’s just another question mark in a long list of them. Given the latest news out of San Diego, with the Seidler family considering a sale of the franchise, it puts into question how active the team will even be in free agency this winter. 

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

Biggest need: Pitching depth

The Giants’ big hire of rookie manager Tony Vitello, who joins the club from the University of Tennessee with no professional managing experience, will look better if president of baseball operations Buster Posey gives him a talented roster to work with. That starts with filling up the pitching staff with top-tier names in both the rotation and bullpen. 

The 1-2 punch of Logan Webb and Robbie Ray is solid, particularly because they combined for 389.1 innings and 66 starts this year. But the Giants need more quality arms beyond those two, and I’m expecting them to go big in free agency, vying for starters at the top of the market. Cease, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, Michael King, Shota Imanaga, and Zac Gallen should all be in play as potential acquisitions. 

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Biggest needs: Starting pitching, relief pitching

Right after the Padres, it’s the D-backs that need to upgrade their starting pitching the most this winter. After losing Gallen to free agency, they’ll have Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson, and Eduardo Rodriguez in the rotation. Going into the season without a clear-cut ace is bad news. Corbin Burnes is targeting a return to the staff sometime around the All-Star break. So the Snakes need another quality starter to hold them over for the season, as they hope the All-Stars in their lineup — Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, and company — can do the rest. 

But another area of weakness this year was their bullpen. D-backs relievers ranked 27th in MLB with a 4.82 ERA that was better only than the Angels, Rockies, and Nationals. Lacking a true closer, the relief corps converted just 42 of 71 save opportunities, resulting in a (shield your eyes) 59% save rate. I’m not expecting Arizona to shop in the Edwin Diaz aisle, but significant attention must be paid to high-leverage relievers before Opening Day. 

COLORADO ROCKIES

Biggest need: The whole kit and caboodle

Coming off a 119-loss season, what don’t the Rockies need? Out of the blue, they hired Paul DePodesta to lead their baseball operations, bringing him back to Major League Baseball for the first time in a decade. He takes over for Rockies brass after spending the past 10 years working for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. At least Colorado is thinking outside the box, right? Now the organization will depend on DePodesta to fill their many vacancies, including hiring a manager, while taking a fresh look at their rebuild. On the field, the Rockies need more starting pitching, bullpen help, an offensive boost, and sharper defense. That should cover everything.

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

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A star second baseman in his prime and on a team-friendly contract. That’s what any team is getting in Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte.

In the wake of a disappointing season that saw Arizona miss the playoffs and be sellers at the MLB trade deadline, the switch-hitting Marte could very well be the next All-Star-caliber player moved by the franchise. Any team that needs a second baseman can talk themselves into making a move for the two-time Silver Slugger this offseason, but we’re narrowing the list. 

Here are the three best trade fits among playoff-caliber teams for Marte.

The Red Sox are close, but they need a little more oomph, and adding Marte would be a profound way to find it.

Marte, who posted 10 DRS at second base in 2024, would give Boston a surefire answer at second base (645 MLB starts) and somebody who can bounce to shortstop (256 MLB starts) or center field (160 MLB starts), when needed. The 32-year-old, who would form a stable, double-play duo with fellow veteran Trevor Story, is due just $92 million over the next five seasons and has a player option for the 2031 MLB season, an overall contract that’s one of the best values in the sport.

Marte would be a veteran star complement to a Red Sox offense that has an emerging core of young players like Roman Anthony, Romy Gonzalez and Wilyer Abreu. He can hit near the top of Boston’s lineup, generating offense for the meat of the order and having the lethal swing from both sides of the plate to do damage on his own. Marte would put the Red Sox on the same wavelength as the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees in the American League East next season even without internal growth. The Red Sox could send infielder and former first-rounder Mikey Romero, right-hander Hunter Dobbins and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia to the Diamondbacks for Marte.

All that said, Boston may prefer to let Gonzalez or Marcelo Mayer be its everyday second baseman in 2026 with a healthy Triston Casas at first base, refraining from a move in the middle infield – though, it would be for an impact player.

How about going back to where it all began to give the team that brought Marte into the sport its first championship?

Marte, who spent the first two seasons of his MLB career in Seattle (2015-16), would be the team’s permanent answer at second base, a position that was a revolving door for the Mariners last season. This is a Seattle team that was one win away from reaching the World Series. Want somebody who thrives in the clutch? Marte was exceptional with the bat en route to the Diamondbacks winning the NL pennant in 2023, totaling two home runs and 11 RBIs while posting a .329/.380/.534 slash line in 17 postseason games.

The 32-year-old Marte would add a well-balanced hitter to a Mariners’ offense that, while third in MLB in home runs (238), was just 17th in hits (1,345) last season. Seattle could center its offer to Arizona for Marte around second baseman Cole Young and right-hander Emerson Hancock, who are each former first-round picks.

What could halt a Marte pursuit for the Mariners, though, is them potentially preferring to focus on re-signing their starting infielders (Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez) and also keep and move Jorge Polanco – who was primarily Seattle’s designated hitter last season – to second base. In that scenario, the Mariners preserve their roster depth and/or use it for a different trade.

Trading for Marte would be a slick move by Detroit.

Yes, Gleyber Torres just put together a respectable season for the Tigers, but Marte would be an upgrade for them at second base, specifically with the bat, and allow Detroit to spend elsewhere in free agency (maybe a third baseman?). While Detroit’s offense made strides last season, it was still just 16th in MLB in hits (1,346), 14th in on-base percentage (.316) and collectively posted a mere .207/.290/.317 slash line in the postseason. Marte would give manager A.J. Hinch a proven hitter who can swing the bat for both contact and power, adding another integral piece to the long-term puzzle.

Prior to blowing a 15.5-game lead in the AL Central to the Cleveland Guardians – granted, Detroit beat Cleveland on the road in the Wild Card Series – the Tigers looked like the best team in the AL. Their starting rotation was stellar, their bullpen held its own and their offense was a well-oiled machine. The Tigers still have the pieces to get back to being that team, but to do something with it, they need to take a swing this offseason.

Detroit could base a trade package for Marte around outfielder and 2023 No. 3 overall pick Max Clark and versatile infielder Colt Keith, among other young players.

Marte would fit with any team he’s potentially traded to. But for a Tigers’ team whose time to contend for the World Series is the present, Marte could be the piece that puts them over the top.

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According to Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington, superstar right-hander Paul Skenes won’t be traded … for now.

At some point, if Pittsburgh can’t field a contending team, it will be forced to consider trade offers for arguably the best right-handed pitcher in MLB when he gets within three years of free agency – or risk losing him for nothing on the open market. That said, if Pittsburgh would actually listen to historic trade offers for the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year and 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner this offseason, which teams make the most sense to pull off a deal?

Here are the three best trade fits for Skenes (as a basis, we’ll presume that any trade offer would have to include at least five top prospects/former first-round picks).

Any team that wishes to acquire Skenes has to meet three requirements: 1) they have a proven roster that the right-hander would put over the top, 2) they have a reputable farm system and 3) they have a resume of developing young players. The Braves check all three of those boxes.

Through his first 55 MLB starts, Skenes has posted a combined 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 386 strikeouts and 13.5 wins above replacement in 320.2 innings pitched. He keeps runners off the basepaths, pitches deep into games and would become the ace of an already talented Atlanta pitching staff at full strength.

One could argue that Skenes would be Atlanta’s best starting pitcher since its historic rotation trio of Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine. Anchoring a rotation that includes Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, a healthy Reynaldo Lopez and one of Spencer Schwellenbach and Grant Holmes – for this exercise, one of them is traded for Skenes – Skenes would give Atlanta a top-five starting rotation.

Coming off a season that saw Atlanta miss the playoffs for the first time in eight years – and it still having not won a playoff series since the 2021 World Series – there should be a sense of urgency to get back on track. Worst-case scenario, the numbers get too high for Atlanta’s liking on a potential extension with Skenes, and it tries to capitalize on the five full seasons that it has him. In the meantime, the Braves have the track record of producing homegrown players across the board to build back up the depth they’d surrender to Pittsburgh for Skenes.

The only factor that could hinder a Skenes chase for the Braves is them already having Strider and potentially viewing healthy versions of Sale and Lopez as giving them enough top-of-the-rotation depth to not have to make a move of such substantial magnitude. 

The Astros just missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years and haven’t won a playoff series since 2023. It feels like Houston is losing its place as an AL powerhouse. Making a seismic move for Skenes erases any such doubt.

Last season, Houston’s starting rotation was tied for 13th in MLB in ERA (3.97). While respectable, this is a unit that has been thrown on its axis of late, especially with veteran Lance McCullers Jr. continuing to deal with elbow woes, among other injuries. Moreover, ace Framber Valdez is a free agent this offseason. Even if Valdez is retained, another proven arm would do wonders for this staff.

Enter Skenes, who throws an overpowering four-seamer and deploys a sweeper, split-fingered fastball, changeup and sinker – among other pitches – as part of his arsenal. The hard-throwing ace would become the new backbone of manager Joe Espada’s rotation. Combine Skenes with burgeoning star Hunter Brown, and the Astros have as potent of a one-two pitching punch as any in the sport. If Valdez re-signs, the more, the merrier, and that’s without mentioning the possibility of one of Spencer Arrighetti and Colton Gordon potentially making a jump.

Houston continues to replace outgoing veteran hitters internally and through trades (e.g. Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Pena, Yainer Diaz and Isaac Paredes). It needs to pick up the pace elsewhere if it aspires to return to being the dominant force of the American League West. Acquiring Skenes would make the Astros the best team in the division.

Why aren’t the Astros No. 1 for a Skenes trade? Because there’s a team that Skenes would fill a glaring void for, and that franchise is one that won’t be outbid by any team for a player it covets.

The Mets are the team to make a Paul Skenes trade.

While there are a handful of blossoming (Nolan McLean) and/or reputable pitchers (when healthy, Kodai Senga is a force and David Peterson has the potential to be a consistent one) in New York’s rotation, it doesn’t have a proven ace. The Mets’ starting staff finished last season with a 4.13 ERA, good for 18th in the sport. Skenes would fill the Mets’ ace void for the next decade.

The reality of MLB is that one-sixth of the sport is willing and able to spend at a different level than the field, and the Mets are one of those teams, which they put on display by signing outfielder Juan Soto to a record-shattering, $765 million contract last offseason. Under owner Steve Cohen, the Mets, without question, won’t be outbid for Skenes should he hit the open market down the road and there be determination to sign him.

That said, if half the sport is going after Skenes in a trade beforehand (for instance, this offseason), the Mets have the luxury of most of their significant transactions of late having been free-agent signings, rather than trades. This means that they’re in position to drain the top of their farm system for a player they deem worth doing so; Skenes certainly fits the bill. 

The Mets, who missed the playoffs last season, need a Cy Young-caliber arm to rise to contention and stay there for the long haul. Acquiring a 23-year-old who already has a case for being the best pitcher in the game and is nowhere near his prime would certainly be one effective way to do so.

If New York pulls off acquiring Skenes, it would make every season a World Series-or-bust mentality for the franchise, similar to the Los Angeles Dodgers – who are the only other team with a payroll exceeding $300 million. 

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Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom was voted American League Comeback Player of the Year and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. earned the National League honor Thursday night.

Edwin Diaz of the New York Mets was selected as the Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year and Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox was picked as the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year.

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers won the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award for the fifth straight year, matching the record Ortiz set from 2003-07, and Ohtani and the New York Yankees‘ Aaron Judge won their third Hank Aaron Awards as the most outstanding offensive performers.

Milwaukee general manager Matt Arnold became the first repeat winner of MLB’s Executive of the Year award.

DeGrom, a 37-year-old right-hander, had Tommy John surgery in June 2023, made three starts near the end of the 2024 season and went 12-8 with a 2.97 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 172 2/3 innings this year, earning his fifth All-Star selection.

Acuña, 27, tore his left ACL on May 26, 2024, and returned to the Braves this past May 23 and made his fifth All-Star team. He hit .290 with 21 home runs, 42 RBIs and nine stolen bases.

Also receiving AL votes were Baltimore pitcher Trevor Rogers, Toronto outfielder George Springer and shortstop Bo Bichette, Boston shortstop Trevor Story and right-hander Lucas Giolito and New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham. Others getting NL votes included San Francisco left-hander Robbie Ray, Philadelphia left-hander Jesus Luzardo, Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff and Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly.

Díaz also earned the reliever award in 2018 and 2022, and he became the second three-time winner along with Josh Hader. The 31-year-old right-hander was 6-3 with a 1.63 ERA, 28 saves in 31 chances and 98 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings.

The 37-year-old Chapman, an eight-time All-Star, was 5-3 with a 1.17 ERA, 32 saves in 34 chances and 85 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings. The left-hander did not allow a hit to 50 consecutive batters from July 23 through Sept. 7. Chapman also won the award in 2019.

Chapman’s win boosted the price of his 2027 mutual option by $1 million to $14 million. The option would become guaranteed if he pitches 40 or more innings next year and is found to be healthy enough for the 2027 opening day roster. Seattle’s Andres Munoz earned $100,000 for finishing second and Kansas City’s Carlos Estévez $50,000 for third.

Ohtani, 31, hit .282 with 55 homers, 102 RBIs, 20 steals, 109 walks and 146 runs. He joined Alex Rodriguez from 2001-03 as winners of three straight Hank Aaron Awards. He was named NL MVP earlier Thursday.

Judge, 33, also won Hank Aaron Awards in 2022 and 2024. He led the major leagues with a .331 average and had 53 homers and 114 RBIs to win AL MVP honors.

Arnold’s Brewers won their third straight NL Central title in the league’s smallest market. The 46-year-old joined the Brewers as vice president and assistant general manager in 2015. He was promoted to general manager in November 2020. When David Stearns stepped down as president of baseball operations after the 2022 season, Arnold took over.

Past winners and distinguished players voted on the Hank Aaron Awards, while the DH honor is selected by club beat writers, broadcasters and public relations departments. The executive award is voted on by executives from all 30 MLB teams before the postseason.

The players for the All-MLB First and Second Teams were also announced on Thursday. 

First Team

Catcher — Cal Raleigh, Seattle

First Base — Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto

Second Base — Ketel Marte, Arizona

Third Base — José Ramírez, Cleveland

Shortstop — Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City

Outfielders — Aaron Judge, N.Y. Yankees; Juan Soto, N.Y. Mets; Julio Rodriguez, Seattle.

Designated Hitter — Shohei Ohtani, L.A. Dodgers

Starting Pitchers — Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh; Tarik Skubal, Detroit; Garrett Crochet, Boston; Yoshinobu Yamamoto, L.A. Dodgers; Max Fried, N.Y. Yankees.

Relief Pitchers — Aroldis Chapman, Boston; Jhoan Duran, Philadelphia.

Second Team

Catcher — Will Smith, L.A. Dodgers

First Base — Nick Kurtz, Athletics

Second Base — Brice Turang, Milwaukee

Third Base — Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay

Shortstop — Bo Bichette, Toronto

Outfielders — Cody Bellinger, N.Y. Yankees; Corbin Carroll, Arizona; Pete Crow-Armstrong Chicago Cubs.

Designated Hitter — Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia

Starting Pitchers — Cristopher Sánchez, Philadelphia; Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee; Bryan Woo, Seattle; Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia; Hunter Brown, Houston.

Relief Pitchers — Edwin Díaz, N.Y. Mets; Andrés Muñoz, Seattle.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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