Category: Baseball

The small-market Brewers are all-in on their competitive window after a sensational 97-win season. The Cubs made it as far as the National League Division Series with their new lineup that featured (most likely) only one season of Kyle Tucker. Will Chicago 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 a significantly stronger lineup that could actually support their star ace.

After unpacking the American League Central, we look at the NL Central. Here are the biggest needs for a division that this year featured three teams competing in the postseason:

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

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Biggest need: Starting pitcher(s)

Milwaukee made an uncharacteristic move when it extended a one-year, $22 million qualifying offer to right-hander Brandon Woodruff. The homegrown Brewer declined his $20 million mutual option, becoming a free agent, and then the front office gave him the opportunity to come back on a one-year deal. Though we don’t yet know Woodruff’s decision, which very well could involve seeking a multi-year deal with another top contender, it was surprising to see the low-revenue Brewers go all-in for the starting pitcher. Woodruff missed the 2024 season with injury and returned this year to make 12 starts and record a 3.20 ERA before missing the postseason with a different injury. That the Brewers extended the qualifying offer to Woodruff suggests that they believe his health issues are behind him, and they’re confident he will put up excellent numbers in 2026.

If Woodruff walks away from Milwaukee, the Brew Crew will need an established starting pitcher to lead what is otherwise a young and thin rotation. They picked up the club option on Freddy Peralta, making him a steal at $8 million next season, but the Brewers are said to be shopping the right-hander before he enters free agency next offseason. The Brewers are in a competitive window, and with two huge question marks in the rotation, they’ll need to acquire quality starters this winter, depending on the futures of Woodruff and Peralta.

CHICAGO CUBS

Biggest need: Replenishing the bullpen

Brad Keller, Ryan Brasier, Aaron Civale, Drew Pomeranz, Taylor Rogers, Michael Soroka, and Caleb Thielbar have all entered free agency. That means the Cubs lost seven relievers – nearly their entire bullpen, except Daniel Palencia — this offseason. The front office not only has to restock its relief corps, but the Cubs need high-leverage arms as their top priority. They’ll have to get creative, through both free agency and trade, to replenish a bullpen that ranked 11th in ERA (3.78) and flashed the lowest walk rate (7.9%) in the majors. 

Still, Cubs relievers deeply struggled to induce swing-and-miss. Chicago’s bullpen had the fourth-highest contact rate this year, better only than the Giants, Tigers, and Royals. They’ll have to do better than that to remain competitive in a Kyle Tucker-less world, since they’re not expected to bring back the highly coveted free-agent outfielder. While they could still be in the market for an outfielder, they seem comfortable with their in-house options (Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, top prospect Owen Caissie) filling out their vacancies.

CINCINNATI REDS

Biggest need: Power hitters, more offense

The Reds had the fifth-worst offense in baseball this year, and thanks to the Mets’ collapse, they still managed to make the playoffs as the final wild-card team before being swept by the Dodgers in the first round. But the true fabric of Cincinnati’s lineup needs some major retooling. The Reds’ .391 slugging percentage was ranked 21st in the majors, and Elly De La Cruz’s second-half slump didn’t help. The offense needs a consistent power hitter to help improve those numbers, but they’ll have to spend big in free agency, or dip into the more attractive pieces in their farm system, to land a top-tier slugger who could make any sort of difference. 

The Reds front office was encouraged by the team’s first postseason appearance since 2020. But the organization still has not advanced beyond the Division Series since 1995, when the Reds lost to the Braves in the Championship Series. Their rotation, led by All-Star Hunter Greene, is ready to compete. Cincinnati must capitalize on that starting-pitching strength by building a better offense.

ST LOUIS CARDINALS

Biggest need: Set the groundwork for a better future

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Cardinals have a new front-office leader in Chaim Bloom. The new president of baseball operations will begin this new era of St. Louis baseball by focusing on building a talent base for the long-term, and that starts by trading away some, if not all, of these top veteran players: Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, and Willson Contreras. That’s just the baseline; there could be more 40-man players on the move. The Cardinals want young and controllable players in return, particularly starting pitchers, to shape future rosters. They want to focus on drafting and developing star players again. 

You would be right to think this is a rebuild, even if there’s no bulldozer tearing down the entire roster. Just don’t expect their payroll for 2026 to be among the top in the sport. The Cardinals are allocating any financial flexibility toward improving internal systems before spending money on a roster that’s for sure not going to contend next year. They’re aiming to set the groundwork for a better future this offseason. The return pieces on trade packages will be crucial to their goals. Keep an eye on the players the Cardinals will get back.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Biggest need: Major offensive boost

The Pirates’ numbers on offense this year were downright ugly. Spencer Horwitz (118 wRC+) and Joey Bart (101 wRC+) were the only hitters to perform better than league average. Not even Bryan Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen or Tommy Pham cracked that mark. They hit the fewest home runs in baseball, and it wasn’t even close, as well as recording the third-worst batting average in MLB. It was a real shame, because the Pirates pitching staff recorded the seventh-best ERA (3.76) and the fourth-best fWAR (19.1) in the major leagues, wasting away a Cy Young season from Paul Skenes. 

With a dominant ace leading the rotation, the Pirates actually have a chance at contending for the postseason. But they have major work to do to improve the offense to get there, and it remains a long shot that they’ll boost the lineup enough to be considered competitive all in one offseason. McCutchen and Pham are free agents, so they’re looking to fill at least a corner-outfield vacancy. Will Oneil Cruz finally take a significant step forward in his age-27 season? Either way, expect the Pirates to make moves to try and give their pitching staff some level of run support. 

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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Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal won his second straight American League Cy Young Award on Wednesday, joining elite company after another spectacular season in which the left-hander helped propel Detroit to a playoff berth.

The 28-year-old Skubal became the 12th player to win baseball’s top pitching honor in consecutive years, joining a group that includes Hall of Famers Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez.

Jacob deGrom was the previous pitcher to win consecutive Cy Youngs, pulling off the feat with the New York Mets in 2018 and 2019. Martinez was the last American League pitcher to do it, in 1999 and 2000.

Skubal posted a 13-6 record with an American League-leading 2.21 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 195 1/3 innings for the Tigers during the regular season, then went 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three playoff starts for Detroit, which was eliminated by Seattle in the Division Series.

Skubal received 26 of 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The other four went to runner-up Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox. Crochet led the American League in innings (205 1/3) and strikeouts (255). Hunter Brown of the Houston Astros came in third.

A year after taking a massive step forward by winning the pitching Triple Crown in the American League on his way to being a unanimous Cy Young Award winner, Skubal backed it up by serving as the anchor for the Tigers during a volatile season in which Detroit squandered a 15 1/2-game lead in the AL Central and was caught by Cleveland down the stretch.

The Tigers got a bit of revenge in the wild-card round, beating the division-champion Guardians in three games thanks in large part to a 14-strikeout gem by Skubal in the series opener.

Skubal’s historic run comes with him set to enter free agency after the 2026 season. Considering the massive contract Skubal could command on the open market, it’s uncertain whether he’ll stay with the Tigers beyond next season.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

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The Oklahoma City Spark are one of two teams that have been added to the Athletes Unlimited Softball League.

Another new team, the Cascade, will join the defending champion Talons, Bandits, Blaze and Volts to round out the six-team league for the 2026 season, the league announced Wednesday.

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said the move for the Spark further establishes Oklahoma City as a softball hotbed. The city hosts the annual Women’s College World Series and will be the site for the sport during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“The AUSL is putting the right pieces in place to represent the next evolution of professional softball, and the Spark have worked hard to build that foundation in OKC,” Holt said in a statement. “It makes sense for OKC, this team and this league to come together to take professional softball to the next level. I commend everyone involved for getting us to this day, and I’m excited to see where it leads.”

The Spark are the only team attached to a city so far. The league used a touring model in its first season this year, but will be city based next year.

Spark leadership will remain with the team. Founder Tina Floyd will be the team’s executive director. Destinee McElroy will be the chief operating officer. Amber Flores will remain head coach and former Oregon State head coach and UCLA assistant Kirk Walker will be the general manager. Walker was associate coach for the Talons last season.

The Spark, who operated independently last season, have existed for three years. Floyd said she’s been looking for this kind of fit since she started the team.

“We both align,” she said. “Our mission, our core values and what we want for these athletes is in complete alignment, and that’s something that I’ve been searching for these three years that we have played — to make sure that our ladies are playing a professional game with people that are in it for the right reasons.”

Floyd said the Spark likely will draw heavily from nearby college programs. The powerhouse Oklahoma and Oklahoma State college programs play within roughly an hour of downtown Oklahoma City.

While the Spark name will not change, the contracts of those who played for the team last season will expire, so there will be a new roster. Current players will be eligible for the AUSL’s allocation draft on Dec. 1. The expansion draft will be the same day.

AUSL commissioner Kim Ng, who took on that role in April of this year, believes the expansion is another step towards the goal of helping Team USA bring home Olympic gold.

“These players, not only will they be playing against just incredible quality, but now they’ll be getting all of these repetitions prior to ’28, and Team USA will be able to build off of that,” she said. “So we’re incredibly excited.”

In March, Major League Baseball made a “strategic investment” north of 20% in Athletes Unlimited. “This is something we’re really excited about,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told The Associated Press. “We studied the space hard. We think it’s a real opportunity and we’re excited to be involved.”

Manfred stated that MLB’s “goal is to get a softball league into the same position of stability that the WNBA has found,” per The Athletic. Expansion of the league would seemingly play a key role in achieving that goal.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Want a potent, left-handed hitter with postseason experience who’s also great with the glove? If so, then you’re in luck, because outfielder Kyle Tucker is a free agent.

The soon-to-be 29-year-old Tucker is among the best all-around players in the sport. He has a long, powerful swing from the left side, seldom strikes out and is a terrific right fielder.

After acquiring him from the Houston Astros last fall, one figures that the Chicago Cubs will try to keep Tucker in the Windy City. At the same time, Tucker will likely have a dozen, if not more, teams trying to lock him down on a long-term deal. Here are three best fits for Tucker should he depart Chicago.

Cleveland needs power wherever it can get it, and Tucker would be a substantial pickup for its sake.

At the moment, the Guardians’ outfield rotation is choppy. Steven Kwan is a steady, Gold Glover in left field, but Lane Thomas is a free agent; Jhonkensy Noel and David Fry are coming off injury-plagued seasons; Angel Martinez has had his moments but still hit just .224 last season. Tucker would provide Cleveland with its new everyday right fielder, likely moving former first-rounder Chase DeLauter to center field when he’s a full-time member of the Guardians’ roster.

With the bat, Tucker would add an elite hitter to an offense that was last in MLB in hits (1,199), 29th in on-base percentage (.296), tied for 28th in slugging percentage (.373) and 28th outright in runs (643) last season. Moreover, Tucker would give manager Stephen Vogt somebody who can do major damage in his lineup outside of Jose Ramirez. Tucker’s a proven, well-rounded hitter with reputable plate discipline who’s battle-tested in postseason play. He’s precisely what Cleveland needs.

The hindrance in Cleveland’s way of potentially signing Tucker? The Guardians, who have been in the bottom-third of MLB in payroll in each of the last five years, have never dished out a nine-figure contract that begins with the No. 2, with a five-year, $124 million extension given to the previously mentioned Ramirez in 2022 being the largest total contract in franchise history.

A team that’s been more than willing to throw nine-figure contracts at players? The Rangers – e.g. Corey Seager, Jacob deGrom and Marcus Semien – who would benefit greatly from Tucker’s theoretical arrival.

The Rangers’ offense needs help across the board, as they were 26th in slugging percentage (.381), 24th in hits (1,275) and 22nd in runs (684) last season. Left fielder Wyatt Langford is coming into his own, but Adolis Garcia‘s offensive production has dipped over the past two years, and Texas received scattered production from its outfield rotation in 2025.

Tucker would provide an element of stability and arguably give new manager Skip Schumaker his new best all-around player. deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and Jack Leiter, among others, headlined a Texas starting rotation that posted the best ERA in baseball last season (3.41). With a mere mid-level offensive attack, the Rangers can contend with the Seattle Mariners and Astros for the American League West.

Now, Tucker’s arrival would likely mean that Garcia would have to move from right field to center field, but the latter has 130 MLB starts at the position under his belt and the opportunity to add a proven hitter of Tucker’s caliber is difficult for Texas to pass up on.

Tucker could lift Texas back into playoff contention. There’s just a team that’s more desperate than the Rangers.

On June 15, the Giants acquired star third baseman Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox. Six weeks later, they were sellers at the MLB trade deadline. In other words, San Francisco has flip-flopped on a dime of late, but it has shown more willingness to operate as a contender than a rebuilding team, also exemplified by giving Willy Adames a $182 million contract last offseason. Tucker should be the next major addition to the Giants’ depth chart.

Outside of Heliot Ramos, who has become one of the faces of San Francisco’s operation, the Giants’ outfield is severely lacking in production. Tucker would take over in right field, with Ramos in left, Jung Hoo Lee in center and Drew Gilbert, a 2022 first-round pick who was acquired as part of San Francisco’s return from the New York Mets for reliever Tyler Rogers, as the team’s fourth outfielder.

Throw Tucker in a lineup that includes Devers, Adames and Matt Chapman and the Giants have something cooking in the batter’s box. They’ve already gone down the rabbit hole of making substantial investments in the aforementioned hitters; they might as well keep going.

On that note, the Giants’ division, the NL West, includes the back-to-back World Series-champion Los Angeles Dodgers, a perennial playoff contender in the San Diego Padres and the competitive Arizona Diamondbacks; San Francisco is closer in talent to those teams than the Colorado Rockies, who won just 43 games in 2025, and adding Tucker would make it reasonable to place playoff expectations on the Giants in 2026.

The Giants need the star bat, and Tucker presumably wants the bag. This is a match.

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For anyone up in arms wondering how World Series champion Dave Roberts wasn’t even a finalist (again) for Manager of the Year in the National League and how Blue Jays skipper John Schneider didn’t run away with the award in the American League, a reminder is warranted. 

The awards are based solely on the regular season, and votes are cast before the playoffs. Postseason performance does not factor in. 

Again: Postseason performance does not factor in. 

This feels especially important to reiterate when discussing this particular award compared to others voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, considering how subjective it is and how much the postseason can understandably shape fan perception of a manager’s performance. 

Unlike other awards, you can’t look at WAR or OPS or ERA to determine the credentials for the best manager in baseball. In addition, front offices increasingly have a role in decisions on the field, and we can’t possibly know how much one manager is involved over another or all the conversations taking place behind the scenes. 

What we can see, especially in October: Did the game speed up on the manager in the biggest moments? Did he let his starter ride where others might have turned to the bullpen? Did it work out? Did he pick the right relief matchup in the right spot? Did his pinch-hit decision work out? How did gut calls pay off? All of that can separate a good manager from a great one and a great season from a championship one. 

But, as one of the 30 BBWAA members who voted on the AL Manager of the Year Award this year, we only have the first 162 games to make a decision. So we look at wins and losses, and we look at which teams outplayed expectations, and we look at the managers who got the best out of their players and kept the ship afloat through hazardous seas. 

Schneider, who took the Blue Jays from worst to first in the always formidable AL East, had a strong argument to win the award even before guiding the Blue Jays to their first World Series since 1993. 

He would have been my vote a couple of weeks before season’s end, and he would still be a perfectly reasonable choice. 

But Cleveland’s historic finish to the year, during which Vogt kept the belief of a Guardians team that ultimately overcame a 15.5-game deficit — the largest ever to win a division — was enough to sway my vote for AL Manager of the Year. 

My final ballot: 

1. Stephen Vogt, Guardians
2. John Schneider, Blue Jays
3. Dan Wilson, Mariners

That’s how the BBWAA voting ultimately panned out, as well, with Vogt earning 17 of the BBWAA’s 30 first-place votes. Schneider received 10, Wilson got two and Boston’s Alex Cora got one. Cora finished fourth in the voting followed by Detroit’s A.J. Hinch in fifth and Houston’s Joe Espada in sixth. 

The Guardians were more than 15 games out of first place on July 8. By then, starter Luis Ortiz had been placed on administrative leave amid an MLB gambling investigation. Weeks later, Cleveland lost star closer Emmanuel Clase to the same investigation. Neither pitcher would throw another pitch for the Guardians in 2025, and both would later be indicted on charges tied to allegedly rigging pitches. 

At the deadline, no help arrived. 

In fact, Cleveland’s path forward was made even more challenging when the Guardians traded away former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber to Toronto as he approached his return from Tommy John surgery. 

It would have been easy to pack it up. 

The Guardians had a bottom-five payroll and an offense that lacked what appeared to be the requisite star power to mount a stunning comeback. José Ramírez could only do so much to lift an offense that finished the year ranked last in the AL in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS. 

Ramírez and first baseman Kyle Manzardo were the only Guardians players who hit above league average on the season. Ramírez and outfielder Steven Kwan were the only Guardians players worth at least 2 WAR. 

Meanwhile, the pitching wasn’t as overpowering as it was the year prior. The bullpen was missing Clase, and the rotation entered September ranked 18th in ERA and 19th in strikeout rate. 

On the morning of Sept. 5, with only 23 games left to play, the Guardians were still 11 games back in the AL Central. No team had ever overcome even a nine-game deficit in September to win a division. 

To his credit, Vogt kept the belief. 

“We can’t control the 11 games,” Vogt told me after winning the award. “The only way you can overcome a deficit like that is to win each individual game. We preached it and tried to live it every day.”

Certainly, the Tigers’ collapse down the stretch played a significant role in loosening Detroit’s season-long stranglehold in the AL Central, but that shouldn’t minimize what the Guardians accomplished, against all odds. 

They went 48-26 from July 7 through the end of the season, compiling more wins than any team in MLB during that time. And they finished the year winning 19 of their last 23 games, including a 5-1 mark against the Tigers team they were chasing, to ultimately capture their second straight division title under Vogt. 

He became the fourth skipper to win Manager of the Year in consecutive seasons, joining the Rays’ Kevin Cash (2020-21), the Braves’ Bobby Cox (2004-05) and the Brewers’ Pat Murphy, who was also named his respective league’s winner for the award for the second straight season on Tuesday. 

“I leaned on everyone around me,” Vogt told me. “I leaned on the coaching staff. I leaned on the front office. I leaned on the players. We were all in that together.”

Schneider and Wilson both mounted strong arguments. The Blue Jays, with a top-five payroll, a star in first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a resurgent year from designated hitter George Springer and a bevy of depth pieces who took a massive leap forward, had a 20-win improvement and held off the Yankees to win their first division title in 10 years. The Mariners, bolstered by some major deadline additions, made a five-win improvement and won their first division title since 2001. 

Either would be fine choices, but neither overcame the odds of a Guardians team that everyone had counted out. It is the resilience of the Guardians that Vogt, who became the first skipper ever to win Manager of the Year in his first two big-league seasons at the helm, will remember most from the 2025 season.

“And that we actually got it done,” Vogt said.

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 X at @RowanKavner.

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Cleveland’s Steven Vogt won his second straight AL Manager of the Year award and Milwaukee’s Pat Murphy repeated for the NL honor.

Vogt received 17 of 30 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, beating out Toronto’s John Schneider and Seattle’s Dan Wilson. Voting was conducted before the postseason, and results were announced Tuesday night.

Murphy got 27 first-place votes. Cincinnati’s Terry Francona was second, followed by Philadelphia’s Rob Thomson.

The last AL manager to win the award in consecutive seasons was Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash in 2020 and 2021. The previous NL manager was Bobby Cox for Atlanta in 2004 and 2005.

The Cy Young Award winner for each league will be announced on Wednesday, and the MVPs are revealed on Thursday.

Vogt led Cleveland to a second straight AL Central title in his second year in charge. The 41-year-old played in the big leagues for 10 years, then retired after the 2022 season. He had a one-year stint as Seattle’s bullpen coach and was hired by the Guardians in November 2023.

Cleveland trailed Detroit by 15 1/2 games in early July and by 11 games in early September before storming back to clinch the division title on the final day of the season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the largest in-season comeback in Major League Baseball history.

The Guardians also became the fourth big league team to reach the playoffs despite having a losing streak of at least 10 games during the regular season, joining the 2017 Dodgers, 1982 Braves and 1951 New York Giants. Vogt’s club dropped 10 in a row from June 26 to July 6.

Cleveland went on its big September run after closer Emmanuel Clase and starting pitcher Luis Ortiz were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of a MLB investigation into sports betting.

Murphy directed Milwaukee to a major league-best 97-65 record this year, setting a franchise record for wins. The Brewers were in second in the NL Central in early July before overtaking the Chicago Cubs with a remarkable 29-4 stretch that included a 14-game win streak, another franchise record.

Milwaukee eliminated Chicago in a memorable NL Division Series before it was swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS. The five-game victory over the rival Cubs was the Brewers’ first postseason series win since sweeping Colorado in a 2018 NLDS.

The folksy Murphy, who turns 67 on Nov. 28, was Milwaukee’s bench coach for eight seasons before he was promoted after Craig Counsell left for the Cubs in November 2023. The Brewers also won the NL Central in Murphy’s first season in charge, finishing with a 93-69 record.

“This is a tremendous and well-deserved honor for the second year in a row,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said in a release.

Murphy had a long coaching career at the college level, including stints at Notre Dame and Arizona State, before serving as a special assistant with the San Diego Padres for the 2010 season. He went 42-54 as the interim manager of the Padres in 2015.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The Guardians were the only team with a negative run differential in this year’s postseason, pointing to a vulnerable area that needs to be addressed. The Tigers somehow survived a historic second-half collapse and qualified for the playoffs, only to lose to the Seattle Mariners in the 15th inning of Game 5 of the American League Division Series. 

The Royals are one or two impact players away from making a playoff run for just the second time since their 2015 championship. 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.

After tackling the needs of the East, our series continues with the American League Central. Here are the biggest needs for a division that’s no longer considered a laughingstock, but still has plenty of work to do:

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

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS

Biggest need: Offensive boost 

The Guardians’ 3.9 runs per game this year were ranked 28th in MLB, better only than the Rockies and Pirates. And they still finished first in the division! Even so, for a lineup led by Jose Ramirez, who is consistently one of the game’s best hitters, outscoring only Colorado and Pittsburgh is preposterous. “Guards Ball,” or similar to the contact-driven style of offense we saw from the Toronto Blue Jays in their loud run to the World Series, works better when there is some level of consistent power involved. And, like the Jays, it would help if the Guardians doubled their payroll. 

Alas, there are no indications that Cleveland will run a payroll that’s higher than the $90–100 million range it’s been comfortable with in recent years. But there should still be some financial flexibility for free agents or trades heading into the 2026 season. The Guardians can attempt to address their lack of threats at the plate by adding a right-handed bat or two to their lefty-heavy lineup. I’m skeptical that they would pay lavishly for free agent first baseman Pete Alonso, and though he would significantly improve their offense, that’s a splashy move Cleveland typically hesitates to make. It’s more likely they will promote their No. 2 overall prospect, outfielder Chase DeLauter, who hits for both average and power, but his injury history is worth keeping an eye on.

DETROIT TIGERS

Biggest need: Starting pitching (if keeping Tarik Skubal)

Anything and everything the Tigers do this offseason will have the Skubal Decision looming all over it. He has expressed his interest in wanting to make Detroit a baseball city again. He is the current face of their franchise. The Tigers are an up-and-coming organization with legitimate World Series chances when Skubal is leading the rotation. He belongs in Detroit long-term, but will the Tigers ever pay him what he’s worth? The two sides are reportedly far apart in negotiations for an extension, and now the soon-to-be repeat Cy Young award winner looks all but certain to enter free agency next offseason, if not, become a trade-deadline candidate in July. 

So if the Tigers aren’t blown away by an enticing trade package (think: king’s ransom) for Skubal this winter, they can go ahead and plan for another year of contention with him in 2026. If that’s the case, they need starting-pitching help behind their ace. Going after left-handed free agent Ranger Suarez would create a terrific 1-2 punch in the rotation. Detroit has room in the payroll to add a top-tier starter, unless they’re allocating that money toward their corner-infield holes. Like last offseason, Alex Bregman is a free agent again and the Tigers could once again be finalists for the veteran third baseman. 

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

Biggest need: Thump from outfielders

The Royals rotation — led by Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Kris Bubic, and friends — is built to win now. The Royals have to improve their offense to supplement that strong starting-pitching staff. They can start by building around a core group of hitters — including Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Maikel Garcia — that patrols the infield. The Royals need more thump in the lineup from their outfielders, with a clear need at a corner position. Kansas City outfielders ranked last in MLB in on-base percentage and slugging, and 29th in batting average this year. 

Since the Royals have a surplus of starters and catching depth in the farm system, it’s possible they’ll focus on trades to improve those mediocre numbers. But it’s not as if they flash a payroll that’s in the basement next to the Marlins, A’s, White Sox, or Pirates. The Royals can certainly afford to shop for an outfielder on the market, where someone like free agent Cody Bellinger could make an impact. And, in a division as unpredictable as the AL Central, they have to go for it. Adding an impact bat could make them the favorites to win the division next year.

MINNESOTA TWINS

Biggest need: Relief pitchers

Are the Twins going into a rebuild after gutting the team at the trade deadline this year? Or are they actually trying to be competitive and aiming to fill a significant number of roster holes for next year? As of now, it’s unclear. But Twins fans deserve some hope for the future, so let’s presume it’s the latter, and Minnesota will take on the challenge of addressing its roster weaknesses. That starts with adding to a bullpen that lost closer Jhoan Duran and more relievers in Louis Varland, Griffin Jax, Brock Stewart and Danny Coulombe as part of July’s fire sale.

There’s a ton of opportunity to rebuild here, if only because the Twins are essentially starting from scratch. They can transform one of their many starting pitchers into a relief arm, like they did with Jax and Varland. But, even if they go that route, it’s hard to imagine the Twins going through the offseason without at least one outside addition, either through trade or free agency. No, a deal for Edwin Diaz isn’t expected. But, as the hot stove season progresses, there will be a handful of mid- to low-tier free-agent relievers who will get squeezed into accepting deals.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Biggest need: Pitching in starting and relief

The White Sox won 19 more games this year than they did last year. Sure, they still finished with 102 losses in 2025, but they genuinely looked like a slightly better-than mediocre baseball team in the second half of the season. They almost finished with a .500 record in July, falling just one win short of that achievement. All of which to say, there were at times flashes of encouragement from the White Sox this year. It appears we are past their infamous 2024 season, where they recorded the most losses (121) in modern MLB history.

To continue in their rebuild, they could finally trade outfielder Luis Robert Jr. after years of speculation, rid themselves of his $20 million salary, and put it to better use in the pitching staff. Chicago needs more veteran arms in the rotation and bullpen to help offset the workload of their younger pitchers. These don’t necessarily need to be quality arms. But innings-eaters will help simplify the development of top left-handed prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, since both pitchers are expected to be promoted in 2026.

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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Munetaka Murakami could be the next big thing in Major League Baseball.

After playing eight seasons for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB), Murakami, a two-time NPB MVP, has been posted to MLB teams to negotiate a potential contract. A primary third baseman who also has experience playing first base, Murakami has showcased mammoth power from the left side of the plate, most notably hitting 56 home runs and posting a .710 slugging percentage in 2022.

Here are the three best fits for Murakami, who will be 26 at the start of the 2026 MLB season.

After missing the World Series by one game, the Mariners are in the thick of championship contention, but one-third of their starting lineup is a free agent this offseason and, either way, the time is now for them to spend like contenders. Murakami would be a statement, long-term signing.

Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez and Jorge Polanco are all free agents, meaning three starting-caliber infielders (Polanco was primarily the Mariners’ designated hitter in 2025, but he has played second base and shortstop throughout his MLB career) could break free from Seattle this offseason; there could easily be a void, if not two, to fill in the Mariners’ infield, which Murakami could emphatically do. Murakami would start at the hot corner, adding needed slug to replace the potential departure of Suarez, while providing a left-handed bat.

Plus, if Seattle decides that it would rather have Murakami play first base as his career progresses, it opens the door to add a star third baseman down the road. Regardless of the position he plays, Murakami would give the Mariners the prime years of a potential impact hitter. 

With that said, the Mariners could instead choose to retain their starting infield, specifically Suarez at third base, with the mindset of keeping a proven commodity in place for a team likely seeking certainty in its starting lineup.

Chicago has an array of big-time boppers, but one of them could be out the door this offseason in star outfielder Kyle Tucker, who figures to have at least one-third of the sport vying for his services. If the Cubs feel that the price isn’t right, they could spend a chunk of the money they would’ve given to Tucker to secure their third baseman of the future in Murakami.

With Tucker theoretically gone, Murakami would keep the balance of left-handed vs. right-handed hitters in Chicago’s order intact and add even more upside to an offense primarily made up of players in its prime. Batting in an offense that’s headlined by Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ian Happ, among others, Murakami doesn’t have to be an All-Star-caliber hitter from the jump. Plus, if Murakami has a slow start firing in throws from third base, he has Busch, who has posted positive DRS at first base in each of the past two seasons, to scoop out errant throws. 

So, what do the Cubs do with soon-to-be second-year third baseman and 2023 first-round pick Matt Shaw? Package him as part of a trade for a much-needed top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher (e.g. MacKenzie Gore or, if they’re actually available for a king’s ransom, Tarik Skubal and Joe Ryan).

What could stop a full-fledged pursuit of Murakami for Chicago, though, is if it believes that Shaw could become a star and subsequently doesn’t allow itself to be outbid to keep Tucker.

Last offseason, the Yankees lost a then-26-year-old, left-handed-hitting star to free agency in Juan Soto. This offseason, they could sign a soon-to-be 26-year-old left-handed hitter for the long haul in Murakami.

“What is the Yankees’ lineup without Aaron Judge?” The temperature would be brought down on that yearly question, which is used against New York’s offensive success as Judge continues to hit at a historic level. Murakami could be an electric hitter who’s placed in the heart of the Yankees’ lineup and generates power on his own. He’d start at the hot corner, and if New York doesn’t like what it sees defensively and/or it projects first baseman/catcher Ben Rice to be behind the plate on a full-time basis, Murakami can move to first base.

This is a Yankees’ offense where, outside of Rice, esteemed, homegrown players have struggled to progress as hitters (e.g. Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominquez, granted it’s still early with the latter). Murakami would be fresh blood for that core and somebody whose game possesses upside.

Yes, the Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon before last season’s trade deadline, and he’s due $32 million over the next two seasons. At the same time, McMahon hit just .214 in 2025. If a tangible offensive upgrade presents itself, the Yankees can’t turn their back on it because of McMahon’s contract. Plus, McMahon, a stellar fielder, has extensive experience playing both third base and second base, allowing him to ease into a utility role.

The Yankees had as many regular-season wins as the team that eliminated them in the playoffs and went on to win the AL in the Toronto Blue Jays. With a more balanced offense and healthy starting rotation – 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole missed all of 2025, and 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil missed the first half of 2025 – New York is as talented as any team in the AL. Murakami could be the juice that the Yankees need.

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Moments after Craig Stammen was introduced as manager of the San Diego Padres on Monday, general manager A.J. Preller turned to the former reliever and light-heartedly said, “How’d we get here?”

That’s something Padres fans and many people around baseball have wondered since Thursday, when the Padres made the surprising announcement that Stammen had replaced Mike Shildt. Citing burnout, Shildt retired on Oct. 13 after just two seasons on the job, less than two weeks after the Padres were eliminated in the wild card round by the Chicago Cubs.

The 41-year-old Stammen, just three seasons removed from throwing his last big league pitch, has been with the Padres organization since 2017. Preller felt he had enough good qualities and knowledge of the team to make him skipper despite having no previous coaching or managing experience at any level.

Stammen went from helping interview candidates for the job to becoming a candidate to getting the job. He’ll lead a team that’s made four playoff appearances in six seasons and is led by stars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.

He retired in August 2023 after it became clear he wouldn’t bounce back from a shoulder injury sustained during spring training. He became an assistant to the major league coaching staff and the baseball operations department, and he said Preller often asked if he wanted more responsibilities in the organization while understanding Stammen was balancing his job with his home life with his wife, Audrey, and their four young children back in Ohio.

“He was very coy about it at the beginning,” Stammen said. “We kind of got through the interview process, the beginning of it, and then he put the sales kibosh on me and said, ’I really want you to be a part of the process; I want you to think about being the manager of the Padres.'”

Stammen wasn’t sure about moving his family to California. He had numerous conversations with his wife and others and cited Preller’s continued belief in him, without which “I probably would have not gone down the path as strongly as we did.

“Eventually, it got to the point where it was a yes for us. We made some family decisions to make that happen. Once we made that decision, there was a peace and a joy that came with it and an opportunity that there’s no way I could say no to. That’s where we said yes, and luckily enough and thankful enough, I was offered the job and here we are today, ready to make something happen.”

This is the third time Preller has hired a manager with little or no previous managerial experience. Stammen is the Padres’ sixth manager since 2015, not counting interim skippers.

Preller harkened back to what he’s seen of Stammen since his first season with the Padres in 2017, when he was coming off an arm injury and had joined San Diego as a free agent.

“He’s an elite competitor, incredibly hard worker, very prepared and a natural leader and somebody that, as a pitcher, was able to touch different elements of our clubhouse and be able to bond and connect with different players in that clubhouse over the course of a seven- or eight-year period here in San Diego.” Preller said.

“Craig has a unique seat, a unique lens. He was part of those building teams, and then he’s been able to see it through to the playoff teams and the teams that have won 90-plus games here the last two years. He’s part of some really high highs … Craig starting a playoff game, which is definitely a career highlight, and he also had a front-row seat to some of the disappointments of the last few years, and I think he’s going to carry those experiences with him here in this chair.”

Stammen is best known for starting the deciding Game 3 of the 2020 Wild Card Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, who at the time were managed by Shildt. He pitched 1 2/3 innings as the first of nine pitchers the Padres used in the 4-0 win, which clinched their first postseason series victory since 1998.

Stammen said it will be a “challenge for sure. I’ve got a big learning curve ahead of me.” But he said he has a great relationship with pitching coach Ruben Niebla – who was interviewed for the manager’s job – as well as with many of the players who were once his teammates.

“One of the advantages of being a relief pitcher and viewing the game from that lens is you’re always monitoring when the pitching changes are coming,” Stammen said. “Especially in the role I had, I had to be ready from pitch one until the end of the game.”

He said he and Niebla will “be a lethal combo” in making pitching decisions.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin won Rookie of the Year honors, with Kurtz taking the AL award in unanimous fashion.

The 22-year-old Kurtz batted .290 with 36 homers, 86 RBIs and a 1.002 OPS in 117 games this year. The first baseman became the eighth rookie since 1901 to finish with an OPS over 1.000 while making at least 400 plate appearances.

A’s teammate Jacob Wilson was second in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America that was announced on Monday night. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony was third. Cubs pitcher Cade Horton and Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin finished behind Baldwin for NL honors. 

Each Rookie of the Year gets $750,000 from a pre-arbitration bonus pool, and each runner-up receives $500,000.

The Manager of the Year for each league will be announced on Tuesday, followed by the Cy Young Award winners on Wednesday.

Baldwin, 24, stepped up for Atlanta after No. 1 catcher Sean Murphy was sidelined by a cracked rib in spring training. While Murphy was limited by injuries for much of the year, Baldwin hit .274 with 19 homers, 80 RBIs and an .810 OPS in 124 games.

Baldwin’s win secured an extra selection for Atlanta after the first round in next year’s amateur draft under the collective bargaining agreement’s prospect promotion incentive.

Kurtz, 22, starred at Wake Forest University before he was selected by the A’s with the No. 4 pick in the 2024 amateur draft. The 6-foot-5 slugger began this season in the minors, but he hit an RBI single in his first big league at-bat on April 23 against Texas.

It was a sign of things to come.

He hit a solo drive off Dodgers reliever J.P. Feyereisen for his first big league homer on May 13. He belted four more homers in a span of four days that same month, including his first career multihomer game on May 21 against the Angels.

He had his signature performance on July 25 at Houston, becoming the youngest player in major league history and the first rookie to hit four home runs in one game. He went 6 for 6 with eight RBIs while matching an MLB record with 19 total bases.

Wilson, 23, also had a terrific rookie season for the A’s, batting .311 with 13 homers and 63 RBIs. He was the starting shortstop for the AL in the All-Star Game.

Anthony, 21, made his big league debut on June 9. He batted .292 with eight homers and 32 RBIs in 71 games with Boston before his season was cut short by an oblique injury.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

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