Category: Baseball

ORLANDO, Fla. – In the latest shake-up to the Mets’ core, the club’s all-time home run leader is bound for Baltimore. 

Just one day after losing longtime closer Edwin Díaz to the Dodgers in free agency, and weeks after trading Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, Pete Alonso is the latest franchise icon to depart from Queens this winter after agreeing to a five-year, $155 million deal with the Orioles that will give him the highest average annual value ever for a first baseman in free agency. 

A year ago, Alonso was unable to secure the long-term deal he coveted coming off a down year by his standards. He settled for a two-year, $54 million contract that included an opt-out, which he exercised this winter after raising all of his slash-line numbers in 2025, hitting 44% above league average and passing Daryl Strawberry to become the franchise’s home run leader. 

Alonso, who was drafted by the Mets in the second round in 2016 and was an All-Star five times in his seven years in Queens, finished his Mets tenure with 264 home runs. He was the best power bat on the market after Kyle Schwarber returned to the Phillies on Tuesday on a five-year, $150 million deal. Clearly, Schwarber’s contract was a catalyst for Alonso’s market, as the new Orioles first baseman signed for $5 million more. 

What’s next for Alonso

It was worth the wait. 

The market isn’t always kind to players with Alonso’s profile, and that’s how it played out last winter after he slashed .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs. A bounceback season, during which Alonso lowered his strikeout rate, recorded a career-high .272 batting average and hit 38 home runs, enticed an Orioles club looking to rebound from a last-place finish. 

Alonso, who has the fourth-most home runs in MLB over the last five seasons, recorded the highest hard-hit rate and average exit velocity of his career in 2025, and he was rewarded with the long-term deal he sought. 

The limitations in Alonso’s game are obvious: He offers little defensively at first base and is a poor baserunner, but that’s not why the Orioles took this chance. He remains one of the premier power bats in the game, and he joins an Orioles club that ranked 19th in slugging percentage and 21st in OPS last year. Alonso had an .871 OPS in 2025, nearly 100 points higher than the best qualified hitter in the Orioles’ lineup (Gunnar Henderson led Baltimore with a .787 OPS). 

It doesn’t hurt that Baltimore just moved its left-field wall back in, either. According to Statcast, Alonso would have hit 45 home runs in 2025 if he played all of his games at Camden Yards (he finished the year with 38). If he continues to rake, the Orioles will live with the rest. 

What’s next for the Mets

Much like a season ago, the Mets were not willing to give Alonso the long-term offer he sought. And so, the winter of change continues in Queens, leaving an already distressed fanbase wondering what president of baseball operations David Stearns has cooking coming off a highly disappointing 2025 season. 

There’s a ton of work for Stearns to do. The addition of Devin Williams won’t erase the pain of Díaz’s departure, and Alonso had the highest batting average and second-highest slugging percentage and OPS on the club. 

Obviously, a lot of time remains for Stearns to fill the voids, whether by trade or free agency. But the losses have far outweighed the gains thus far. They need a frontline starter and more pop in the lineup. Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez and Tatsuya Imai are all available. So are Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger, Bo Bichette, Munetaka Murakami and Eugenio Suárez. 

It’s time for the Mets to get to work. 

What’s next for the Orioles 

After a stunning 75-87 season and fifth-place finish in the AL East, the Orioles are spending what it takes to finally turn their young core of talents into a winner. 

With Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward joining Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holliday, Adley Rutschman and company, this could now be one of the most dangerous lineups in MLB. The addition of Alonso helps balance a left-handed-heavy lineup that ranked 11th in home runs last year and also takes a first-base slugger off the board for the rival Red Sox, who are in the market for one. 

Starting pitching is the clear need now. The Orioles could still use a frontline arm to pair with Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish, whether through trade or free agency. But the lineup should have them in a much better position to contend. 

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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Just what can Kyle Schwarber accomplish with five more years in the Phillies lineup?

Kyle Schwarber will stick with the Phillies through 2030, after agreeing to a five-year, $150 million contract at the winter meetings. It will end up being the team he spends the most time on in his career, as he’s already at four years with Philly and will eclipse the six he spent with the Cubs before the middle of the contract hits.

With the kind of power that Schwarber has — power he has continued to display as he enters his mid-30s — it’s fair to wonder if he’s going to start showing up on any of the Phillies’ all-time leaderboards. The short answer: yes. The longer answer is below.

Schwarber will be 33 in 2026, after hitting a career-high 56 dingers last summer. Expecting him to hit the half-century mark every year would be a bit much even if he were a decade younger, but Schwarber has averaged 43.8 homers per season since he first left the Cubs back in 2021. In that five-year stretch, Schwarber has gone yard 219 times — that’s good enough for third in MLB, behind just Aaron Judge (249) and Shohei Ohtani (233). This trio are the only players with over 200 bombs over the last five years.

The most optimistic — and maybe not realistic — expectation would be for Schwarber to just keep it going for another five years. If he were to do that, he would have 438 long balls in a 10-year stretch. A more conservative — and safer — expectation would be 80% of that, or, 175 home runs over a five-year stretch. That would be 35 home runs per year, which builds in some room for Schwarber to continue to crush the baseball at the level he has in his late-20s and early-30s, but also leaves room for those numbers to drift closer to 30 per year as his offense diminishes.

Consider that a range of possibilities, then see where Schwarber already is. He has swatted 187 homers with the Phillies in four years, which puts him 12th in franchise history behind Bobby Abreu (195). Recently inducted Hall of Famer Dick Allen sits in 10th with 204 — Schwarber could pass him before the summer heat sets in.

Here is the full top 10 for the Phillies:

10. Dick Allen, 204
9. Jimmy Rollins, 216
8. Cy Williams, 217
7. Greg Luzinski, 223
6. Chase Utley, 233
5. Chuck Klein, 243
4. Pat Burrell, 251
3. Del Ennis, 259
2. Ryan Howard, 382
1. Mike Schdmidt, 548

Even at the most optimistic projection for Schwarber’s 2026 through 2030 seasons, passing Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt just isn’t in the cards — Schwarber is 361 dingers behind Philly’s all-time leader. He could get all the way up to second place, however: Howard’s 382 is just 195 ahead of Schwarber, which wouldn’t even require the best-case scenario estimate to pull off. 

Does Schwarber have another 361 homers in his career? Does he have them for the Phillies, specifically? These are good questions, but they are for whatever contract comes after this new one. It should be said that it’s not an impossibility, however — Schwarber would just have to age exceptionally well for it to happen.

With that bigger picture in mind, though, consider where Schwarber would be on the all-time list not just for the Phillies, but MLB, with another five years of crushing baseballs. He currently ranks 111th in MLB history with 340 career long balls, and it won’t take him very long to make his way into double-digit territory. Nolan Arenado is currently No. 100 on that list with 353 homers, tied with Torii Hunter until he hits another and passes the retired outfielder for good. Even if Schwarber hit just 35 homers in 2026 — remember, 175 split across five seasons is an average of 35 per year — that would put him at 375 for his career, or the 81st-most in history. Right ahead of Rocky Colavito and his 374, and directly behind Carlton Fisk and his 376.

Sticking with the 175 over five years estimate, Schwarber would wrap his new deal with the Phillies with 515 career dingers. That would make him just the 29th player to ever reach the 500-homer mark, and he would already be in the top 25 at No. 23, ahead of Ernie Banks (512) but behind Ted Williams, Frank Thomas and Willie McCovey, all of whom hit 521.

And if you go with the higher-end estimate, where Schwarber repeats his previous five seasons? That would have him at 559, or 15th all-time, ahead of Manny Ramirez (555) but behind Reggie Jackson (563). 

Regardless of whether Schwarber is great or great with the Phillies, it should be obvious that he’s in line to be a historically significant power hitter. His power has only grown as he’s aged, and while that won’t be the case forever, that his experience has fueled his performance offensively should at least give you some confidence that he can keep it going for a while yet. Just how long is the question, but barring a complete, unexpected collapse, Schwarber’s new deal means some level of history will be closer with every moonshot.

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ORLANDO, Fla. – The Dodgers are always lurking. 

A year after their exorbitant bullpen expenditures backfired, forcing them to use a bevy of starters in relief on the road to their second straight World Series title, the reigning champions are spending at the top of the bullpen market again to address their biggest weakness. 

After downplaying their need to make a splash this winter, the Dodgers made one anyway on Tuesday in the latest example of their financial might as they lured three-time All-Star Edwin Díaz away from the Mets on a three-year, $69 million deal that gave them the top closer on the market for the second straight winter. 

“We are in a really strong position right now financially, and our ownership group has been incredibly supportive of pouring that back into our team and that partnership with our fans,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said at the MLB’s Winter Meetings. “If we were on a really tight budget, we probably wouldn’t allocate in the same way. But having more resources allows us to be a little bit more aggressive on that point.”

There were scenarios, Friedman said, in which the Dodgers didn’t end up with a top-end reliever this offseason. They were seeking shorter-term deals, more in line with the way they had constructed their bullpens in previous seasons before lavishing a four-year, $72 million contract to Tanner Scott last offseason. 

The first year of that deal was a disaster. 

Scott recorded a 4.74 ERA and did not throw a pitch in the postseason. Kirby Yates, the other major relief acquisition the Dodgers made last winter on the free-agent market, had a 5.23 ERA and also did not appear in a postseason game. The Dodgers’ bullpen finished the year ranked 21st in ERA and threatened to be their downfall. By getting creative with their starters, they still triumphed in October, but the bullpen emerged as the Dodgers’ most glaring area of need entering this winter. 

They did not want to make another long-term commitment at a position prone to volatility, and they were going to be selective about the relievers they targeted. The options started dwindling quickly, as Devin Williams went to the Mets, Ryan Helsley went to the Orioles and Raisel Iglesias returned to the Braves. 

To the surprise of many, especially after Díaz opted out of the final two years of a record five-year, $102 million contract he signed with the Mets after the 2022 season, the Dodgers were able to get the deal done for one of the best closers in baseball without having to go to a fourth or fifth year. It certainly didn’t hurt that Edwin’s brother, Alexis Diáz, pitched for the Dodgers last season and passed along rave reviews about the team’s ability to communicate. 

“Obviously last year our pen performance was well below expectations,” Friedman said. “Still very surprising to us on a number of fronts. We feel like the group that we have coming back will be way better and the pen will be a real strength. That being said, adding to it is always helpful.” 

In a stunning move, the Dodgers took the top closer from one of the only teams capable of challenging their economic prowess. As the Mets now scramble to save their offseason, the Dodgers march forward seemingly undeterred by their enormous tax payments or the penalties that come with signing a player with a qualified offer attached. They will lose their second and fifth-highest draft picks in 2026, plus $1 million in international bonus pool money for signing Díaz, whose deal will set a reliever record for average annual value. 

And yet, they might not be done adding more elite talent either at the top of the free-agent market or via trade. 

When you’re the first team to repeat as World Series champions in 25 years, when you enjoy the financial benefits that come with employing the most popular international player in the sport, when you have one of the most robust farm systems in the sport and when you’re trying to maximize the window of a dynasty, you can afford to push the envelope further than expected. 

“We’re going to do everything we can to put ourselves in the best position to win a World Series,” Friedman reiterated. 

The signing of Díaz, who gives them a definitive ninth-inning answer after last season’s bullpen calamity, moves them one step closer to that goal and serves as a reminder that even when they don’t plan to spend aggressively, the Dodgers’ financial limitations are boundless. 

They are always lurking, ready to pounce. 

Other Dodgers notes from the winter meetings:  

• General manager Brandon Gomes said it “doesn’t feel likely” that the Dodgers will trade off of their MLB roster to acquire talent. In regards specifically to Teoscar Hernández, whose name has been brought up in trade speculation: “That’s not something we anticipate at all.”
• Manager Dave Roberts believes last year was “an outlier year” for Scott, and he said the reliever was dealing with some physical issues he kept under wraps: “He never felt right all year.”
• The Dodgers are also expecting a bounce back at the plate from Mookie Betts, who will be their shortstop again in 2026. After losing weight from an illness early last season and handling the rigors of a full-time move to short, the Dodgers believe his bat will return to form with more bandwidth to focus on in his swing.
• On the possibility of retaining Kiké Hernández: “We’ll never shut the door on Kiké,” Friedman said.
• Tommy Edman could be delayed at the start of spring after undergoing ankle surgery, but he is expected to be ready by the start of the season. The Dodgers could now turn their focus to bolstering the outfield.

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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ORLANDO, Fla. – The next time Edwin Diaz pitches at Citi Field, the trumpets will be replaced by a tribute video. The same goes for Brandon Nimmo, whose catchy walk-up song – you know the one – will be superseded by a highlight reel of his best moments in New York. 

Is Pete Alonso next to join the growing list of long-tenured Mets deciding to walk away this offseason? In truth, the Mets shouldn’t even be considering it. They should be doing everything in their control to keep Alonso in Queens.

Losing two fan-favorite players is bad. But potentially parting ways with three? All in the same offseason? The Mets would have to execute exceptionally favorable blockbuster deals to even attempt to come back from that. 

“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Tuesday during MLB’s annual Winter Meetings. “We’ve got, certainly, work to do. But there are a lot of good players out there, and I’m confident that we’re really going to like where our team is once we get to Opening Day.” 

After Diaz shockingly swapped his blue and orange threads for the championship-adorned Dodgers uniform on Tuesday, the pressure is mounting for the Mets to re-sign Alonso to a long-term deal. The homegrown Polar Bear is said to be connecting with interested clubs here at the Winter Meetings, and the Mets won’t be one of them. They prefer to give him the space and freedom to see what’s out there before checking back in with him at a later date. 

So far, the Mets’ approach to keeping their battle-scarred players in New York has been laced with indifference. Sure, changes were expected after the team missed the playoffs on a $340 million payroll that was designed to be a World Series contender. But unemotionally parting ways with popular players and breaking up the team’s core makes me wonder if Stearns is underestimating the long-term negative impact those moves will have on the overall buy-in from the fan base, as well as the potential ripple effect within the clubhouse. 

Nimmo was the team’s longest-tenured player before he indicated he didn’t feel wanted by the Mets when they asked him to waive his no-trade clause. Then he agreed to go to the Texas Rangers in a deal that brought veteran second baseman Marcus Semien to Queens. Though Diaz’s upcoming free agency loomed over his 2025 season, no one really talked about it because it was presumed the Mets would do whatever was needed to keep their seven-year closer in New York. 

Something changed. Diaz chose the Dodgers on a reported three-year, $69 million contract – only $3 million more than what the Mets offered him. 

Now, right-hander Devin Williams is slotted to be the Mets closer, a risk in and of itself. He struggled to acclimate to New York’s high-pressure environment in his lone season with the Yankees, which led to his demotion from closer duties. He eventually adjusted, and it showed. Williams ended the 2025 season strong with 13 consecutive scoreless relief appearances, including four shutdown innings in the playoffs for the Yankees, but those all came in setup roles. There’s a ton of upside to Williams’ still-elite stuff, but he’s no Diaz. The Mets’ signing of Williams, at three years and $51 million, would have looked better if he served as the setup man to a high-leverage closer, like Diaz or free-agent reliever Robert Suarez. 

It’s fair to wonder if Diaz felt slighted by the Mets’ acquisition of Williams, viewing it as a sign that they did not necessarily need him to return. If so, that’s been somewhat of a trend for the Stearns-era Mets. Last offseason, Alonso expressed frustration at the slow pace of his free agency (the first baseman finally re-signed just before spring training), and the Mets lack of commitment to a long-term deal. 

Is Stearns striking the right balance between keeping valuable players and building continuity, versus making sure the Mets have the best team possible?

“That is something broadly that we talk about a lot,” Stearns said. “We have a lot of those conversations. We had them throughout this offseason. We had them throughout last offseason as well when we were faced with some decisions. It is part of it. I’ve said this before: I can’t tell you I know exactly how to weigh that. I think we do our best to weigh the full impact of any player on our team, on our organization, and we make the best decision we can.”

Rather than plugging the holes on their roster, the Mets have so far only created more vacancies. Trading Nimmo to the Rangers created an opening in left field, on top of the one that already existed in center. The bullpen still looks incomplete and in need of at least another high-leverage arm. If the season started today, Mark Vientos would be their first baseman. And, of the utmost importance, the Mets need an ace. 

There is plenty of offseason left, but the Mets have so far not addressed the source of the biggest headache of their nightmarish season: the rotation. They used a record number of pitchers in 2025 after sustaining an onslaught of injuries while dealing with unpredictability in the starting staff. Mets starters recorded a 4.13 ERA that ranked 18th in the majors. The unreliable nature of the rotation was a significant reason the Mets missed the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Mets offense, while frustratingly inconsistent at times, finished the year with the fifth-most home runs (224) and sixth-best OPS (.753) and on-base percentage (.326) in MLB. Alonso’s .272/.347/.524 slashline and 38 home runs were a major component of the team’s offensive success. 

Can the pain and frustration of losing Nimmo and Diaz — and maybe even Alonso — be quelled by a flurry of blockbuster deals from now until Opening Day? If the Mets parted ways with all three fan-favorites, but injected players like Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger into the outfield, and Framber Valdez or Freddy Peralta into the rotation, would that lessen the sting of losing those long-tenured Mets? Would that close the gap between the almighty powerful Dodgers, who only got stronger by acquiring Diaz? The Mets have to work just to keep up, let alone to fill their roster holes.

Stearns is asking us to trust his plans — less than three months after he took accountability for being the architect of this year’s flawed team. It’s a lot to ask for when the Mets, so far this winter, have seen more of their players walk away from Queens than decide to stay. 

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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The Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s amateur draft lottery Tuesday and will have the top selection for the first time since taking Harold Baines in 1977.

Coming off a 102-loss season, Chicago had the highest odds to win the weighted lottery at 27.73%. The White Sox will have the No. 1 selection for the third time when the draft starts on July 11 in Philadelphia ahead of the All-Star Game.

Baines became a six-time All-Star and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019. Chicago selected first baseman Danny Goodwin with the top pick in 1971, and he played in parts of seven major league seasons.

Baines represented the White Sox on stage for the lottery at baseball’s winter meetings.

“I’m still learning more and more about the draft. I’m getting familiar with some of the top names,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said in an interview on MLB Network. “It looks like, at the top of the draft, that it’s a really impressive one.

“But on top of that, when you look at the pool space that you’re given and a chance to really walk away from a draft class and do some damage, bring in some real talent. … I’m just excited for our fan base and the people that are working for the Chicago White Sox.”

UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is currently projected as the top selection, followed by Fort Worth Christian High School shortstop Grady Emerson.

Tampa Bay will pick second, followed by Minnesota, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Baltimore, the Athletics, Atlanta and Colorado.

MLB and the players’ association established the lottery in the March 2022 collective bargaining agreement. The union pushed for the innovation to encourage teams to compete for wins rather than trade off players at the deadline in an attempt to get a higher draft choice.

Pittsburgh won the lottery the first year and chose right-hander Paul Skenes, the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year and 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner. Cleveland went first in 2024 and selected second baseman Travis Bazzana and Washington picked shortstop Eli Willits this July.

Colorado, the Los Angeles Angels and Washington were not eligible for this lottery. The Rockies, a big league-worst 43-119. were excluded because a team can’t receive a lottery pick in three consecutive years. The Angels and Nationals were blocked because teams that receive revenue sharing money can’t get a lottery pick in two straight years.

After the White Sox, Minnesota had the second-highest odds of the top pick at 22.18%, followed by Pittsburgh (16.81%), Baltimore (9.24%) and the Athletics (6.55%).

The New York Mets, the second-biggest spenders this year behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, had a 0.67% chance and will wind up drafting 27th after missing the playoffs.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

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Mike Trout, the cornerstone of Team USA’s 2023 World Baseball Classic run, is still under consideration as the roster for the 2026 tournament takes shape.

Manager Mark DeRosa said Tuesday that Trout is “in the mix” for one of the final spots, assuming he’s healthy and comfortable with his role.

“We’re talking to him, we’re talking to a couple other players, and trying to figure out what Mike wants to do,” DeRosa said at the MLB winter meetings.

The two-time American League MVP remains in a complicated place for Team USA, which is scheduled to play its first game of the tournament March 6 against Brazil in Houston.

A bruised left knee sent him to the injured list in May. It’s the same knee that required meniscus surgery in 2024, and the lingering issues kept him mostly at designated hitter last season. He still hit 26 home runs in 130 games, but his .232/.359/.439 slash line and elevated strikeout rate fueled questions about his health and availability for next year’s WBC.

Trout, who captained Team USA in 2023, has to weigh the spring tournament against being fully ready for the Angels next season. And DeRosa has to weigh carrying a full-time DH on a short, high-leverage roster.

“He’s got to be ready for ’26 with the Angels,” DeRosa said. “He didn’t play much defensively, if at all, so it’s a give and take — what he wants to do, what he feels comfortable with.”

Team USA announced four more position players on Tuesday: designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, infielders Gunnar Henderson and Brice Turang, and catcher Will Smith. They join captain Aaron Judge, outfielders Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong, and catcher Cal Raleigh.

On the mound, National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes leads the U.S. group, along with left-hander Matthew Boyd and reliever Garrett Whitlock.

General manager Mike Hill said the focus now shifts heavily to pitching.

“We were respectful of everyone’s season and making sure they got through healthy,” Hill said. “Now that we’re into the offseason and gearing up for the tournament, we’ll amp up our pitching process. We’ll be spending the next few weeks finalizing the roster and trying to build the deepest staff we can.”

Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal remains high on the wish list.

“We want our best to participate,” Hill said. “He is obviously the two time reigning Cy Young Award winner, so there’s no question about his ability with all of our pitching. You know, we’re trying.”

DeRosa said the goal isn’t simply gathering stars for this team, bur rather building a roster that fits: defense, speed, versatility, balance. A crushing loss to Japan in the 2023 WBC final, in which Shohei Ohtani struck out his then-Angels teammate Trout to end the game, has fueled their process and purpose building the team.

If Trout signs on and stays healthy, DeRosa said his name alone could shift the clubhouse dynamic. For now, though, the call remains open.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

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Kyle Schwarber is where he was always expected to go – right back where he belongs. 

The superstar slugger/designated hitter reportedly agreed to a five-year, $150 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies during the Winter Meetings on Tuesday. Schwarber was one of the marquee free agents of this year’s class. He opted to remain in Philly, where he has been idolized since joining the organization four years ago, despite the handful of offers he fielded this offseason, including interest from his hometown Cincinnati Reds. 

Schwarber is a clubhouse anchor coming off a career year in which he led the National League in home runs, paced the majors in RBI, and won All-Star Game MVP honors in a dramatic swing-off, all while playing 162 games. He finished second in NL MVP voting. Schwarber will earn $30 million annually for the next five years, taking him through his age-37 season. He becomes the second-highest paid designated hitter in the major leagues, behind only Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Here’s what’s next for the Phillies, Schwarber, and the rest of the free-agent market after his big pay day: 

What’s Next for Phillies

Re-signing Schwarber was the team’s top priority this winter, and it’s impossible to overstate how crucial it was that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski got the deal done. It would’ve been difficult to map out a pivot for the Phillies had Schwarber signed elsewhere, both in terms of talent and significance to the fan base. There is simply no other free-agent slugger that can do what Schwarber does at the plate – he ranked in the 100th percentile in hard-hit rate this year — and within the clubhouse walls. Schwarber is the connective tissue of the Phillies, the veteran who helped lift Orion Kerkering’s spirits following the reliever’s error that caused the Phillies to be eliminated from the playoffs. 

And beyond all of that, Schwarber staying in Philly keeps its championship window alive.

After falling short in the postseason again, the Phillies faced difficult decisions this offseason with their top players becoming free agents, as well as with the uncertain futures of their star players. Catcher J.T. Realmuto and left-hander Ranger Suarez are exploring the market. Bryce Harper is coming off a season in which he recorded his lowest career OPS since 2016, and even though he was still solid, he wasn’t elite. Ace Zack Wheeler is recovering from thoracic-outlet syndrome surgery. Given all of those unknowns, it was more important than anything else to re-sign Schwarber and stabilize the roster. 

Now, the Phillies must focus on upgrading their outfield, as well as bolstering their bullpen. After Schwarber’s deal, will the Phillies keep spending in free agency – targeting someone like outfielder Kyle Tucker – or will they focus on the trade market? There is still work to do in Philly, and Schwarber staying put was just the first, most crucial, step. 

What’s Next for Schwarber

As special as Schwarber’s walk year was, it would be unrealistic for the Phillies to expect him to hit 56 home runs every season for the next five years. But Schwarber made favorable changes to his zone swing rate and mentality at the plate ahead of the 2025 season, and his consistent production is something the Phillies can count on. This past season, Schwarber focused on swinging at pitches that are in the zone rather than working deeper counts. It led to an increase in his zone rate from 60.6% in 2024 to 64.1% in 2025. With improved plate discipline, Schwarber was aggressive on pitches that were strikes, and that’s a skillset he should be able to carry into next year.

Plus, Schwarber mashed lefties. His .598 slugging percentage against southpaws led the NL and ranked fifth in the major leagues. His dominance against left-handers helped propel the overall success of his walk year. Schwarber, who was non-tendered by the Cubs five years ago, has always been motivated to improve at the plate even as he creeps past his prime. That dedication to his craft while remaining open-minded with changes at the plate will help him remain one of the game’s most prolific sluggers through his five-year pact with the Phillies. 

What’s Next for MLB’s Top Free Agents

With Schwarber being the first domino to fall, other top free-agent position players should soon begin coming off the board. The industry was waiting for Schwarber, the bellwether of this year’s free-agent class, to make a decision, and now teams should be able to react to his market. After the success of his walk year, Schwarber was always projected to land an average annual value of around $30 million, so the financials of his long-term deal shouldn’t come as a surprise to the industry. 

Still, the door to the market should be wide open now. Teams that were interested in potentially adding Schwarber’s slug, including the Mets, Red Sox, Reds, and even the Pirates, will have to pivot. Expect the buzz around this year’s other top free-agents, including Tucker, Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger, and Pete Alonso, to pick up steam in the coming days.

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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ORLANDO, Fla. — On Monday afternoon, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence in the Dodgers’ roster as constructed and insisted “there’s really no big splash” the team needed to make. 

But he also left the door open. 

“I think that getting a high-leverage reliever is never a bad thing,” Roberts said. 

Less than twenty-four hours later, and for the second straight winter, the top closer on the market is bound for Los Angeles as longtime Mets closer Edwin Díaz agreed to a three-year, $69 million deal with the reigning champions. 

By offering Díaz the highest average annual value ever for a reliever, the Dodgers managed to fill their most obvious need and secure one of the game’s most overpowering late-inning arms without needing to offer a fourth or fifth year. Last year, the Dodgers signed Tanner Scott for four years and $72 million. 

Díaz has been one of the game’s most dominant closers for most of the last decade. He was an All-Star in his final season in Seattle in 2018, when he saved 57 games for the Mariners, before getting traded to the Mets in 2019. Díaz enjoyed his best year in Queens in an All-Star 2022 season before suffering a devastating knee injury in the World Baseball Classic that wiped out his 2023 season. 

Another year removed from that injury, Diaz was an All-Star for the third time in his career in 2025. His 1.63 ERA led all qualified National League relievers, and while his velocity and whiff rates weren’t what they were prior to his injury, he still ranked second among all MLB relievers in strikeout rate and remains among the game’s elite ninth-inning options.

What’s Next For the Dodgers

The Dodgers seemed content to exercise more constraint and be more selective this winter after another offseason spending spree helped them to a second straight World Series title. 

“We’ve been very aggressive the last couple offseasons,” general manager Brandon Gomes said Monday at the winter meetings. “There’s not as many clear paths to make the team meaningfully better.”

With Díaz, though, they clearly found a path. 

“If there’s something that we need to do that’s aggressive, we feel like it makes sense for us, then obviously we’ll do it,” Gomes said. 

The Dodgers now have more late-inning stability after a poor start to Scott’s four-year, $72 million deal began poorly. Scott had a 4.74 ERA and did not appear during the Dodgers’ postseason run, but Roberts said Scott “never felt right all year” physically and expressed confidence in a bounceback. 

The Dodgers could continue finding more pieces to fill out the bullpen or shift their attention to the outfield. A reunion with Cody Bellinger would still make sense, but the trade market could also reap rewards and help their aging roster get younger. 

Gomes said Monday “it doesn’t feel likely” that the Dodgers will trade off of their big-league roster to acquire more help. In regards to rumors of potentially trading Teoscar Hernandez, specifically: “That’s not something we anticipate at all.” 

What’s Next For the Mets

They need to get to work quickly. 

A year ago, the Mets poached the clear-cut top free agent from the Yankees. This winter, they’ve yet to sign any of the top free agents and have now lost their best closer to the reigning champs.

They did add Devin Williams, which helps ease the pain of losing Díaz maybe ever so slightly, but there’s a ton of work ahead for David Stearns and the Mets to build a better roster this year after a stunningly disappointing end to the 2025 season. 

They could go a lot of directions in an effort to do that, and most of the top free agents remain on the board even after Díaz departed to the Dodgers and Kyle Schwarber returned to the Phillies. Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette, Cody Bellinger and Pete Alonso are all still available to add pop to the lineup. Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, Tatsuya Imai and Michael King are all among the top starters available, and the Mets could use another frontline arm, be it in free agency or on the trade market. 

Time is ticking. 

What’s Next For the Closer Market

Much like it was as the deadline, this has been one of the most active position groups early in free agency. 

With Díaz now with the Dodgers, Williams going to the Mets, Ryan Helsley signing with the Orioles and Raisel Iglesias returning to the Braves, the clear top relief arm still on the board is Robert Suarez, who led the National League with 40 saves last year in San Diego. 

Luke Weaver, Kenley Jansen, Kyle Finnegan, Brad Keller and Seranthony Dominguez are among the many other options. 

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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Admitting participation by Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki in the World Baseball Classic is “very delicate” following a World Series that stretched into November, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts isn’t sure whether any limits will be placed on his team’s Japanese stars.

Ohtani had elbow surgery in September 2023 and returned to the mound in June. The two-way sensation helped the Dodgers become the first repeat World Series champion in a quarter century, starting the Game 7 win over Toronto.

“I would like to think that it’s going to be a dialogue as far as restrictions and limitations, in the sense of just trying to give them the opportunity,” Roberts said Monday at baseball’s winter meetings. “They’ve come off some stuff, some long seasons, and certainly with Yamamoto and looking out for 2026. But right now there’s no more clarity than we had before.”

Ohtani won his fourth unanimous Most Valuable Player award, hitting .282 with 55 homers, 102 RBIs and 20 stolen bases while going 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA over 14 shortened starts that included 62 strikeouts in 47 innings. He had eight homers and 14 RBIs in 17 postseason games along with a 2-1 record and 4.43 ERA in four postseason starts.

Roberts said he wasn’t sure whether Ohtani will pitch for defending champion Japan in the WBC, which starts March 5 and ends March 17 — nine days before the Dodgers’ opener against Arizona.

“I’m hoping he doesn’t but I don’t know,” Roberts said. “Shohei’s — he’s very in tune with his body. But I would say probably the thought is he’s probably just going to hit.”

Ohtani was MVP of the 2023 WBC, when Japan beat the United States 3-2 in the final as Ohtani struck out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out. That tournament generally limited pitchers to 65 pitches in the first round, 80 in the quarterfinals and 95 in the championship, and also included mandatory off days after certain pitch counts.

Sasaki started the semifinal win over Mexico and Yamamoto followed in relief as Ohtani doubled to spark a ninth-inning rally.

“I don’t want to be dismissive of what it means to them representing their country,” Roberts said. “I know the organization doesn’t but I do think that the conversations need to be had, will be had, as far as what each individual is taking on and whatever role that they might be taking on and what potential costs there might be. … But you can’t debate the emotion, what a player might feel of this potential opportunity.”

Limited to 90 innings by a triceps injury in his first season with the Dodgers after signing a $325 million, 12-year contract in December 2023, Yamamoto pitched 211 innings this year in the regular season and postseason combined.

Sasaki, in his rookie season, didn’t pitch for the Dodgers between May 9 and Sept. 24 because of a right shoulder impingement and became their closer in the postseason.

Los Angeles plans to have Ohtani as a regular member of the starting rotation next season.

“But it’s not going to be a regular five-man rotation,” Roberts said. “I don’t want to go down the six-man rotation road, but I do feel that giving him six, seven, eight days off to kind of allow him to continue to stay rested and build up, I think that’s in our process. But again we have a long way to go but we’ve got some viable candidates.”

After leading the Dodgers to their third title in six seasons, Roberts has tried to detach and relax. He told Amazon Prime’s “Good Sports” last week that he favors a salary cap, which some in management are advocating be proposed during collective bargaining next year. Baseball is the only U.S. professional major league without a cap.

“You know what? I’m all right with that,” Roberts said. “I think the NBA’s done a nice job of kind of revenue sharing with the players and the owners, but if you’re going to kind of suppress spending at the top, I think that you got to raise the floor to make those bottom feeders spend money, too.”

“I’m entitled to an opinion, as we all are,” Roberts said Monday. “My opinion shouldn’t move the needle.”

Los Angeles projects to a major league-record $509.5 million in payroll and luxury tax this year. The New York Mets, who didn’t make the playoffs, project second at $428.8 million.

“We have an organization that whatever rules or regulations, constructs are put in front of us, we’re going to dominate,” Roberts said. “And so just give us the rules, let us know the landscape and then I’ll bet on our organization.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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ORLANDO, Fla. – The trade market is generating buzz, and most of this year’s marquee free agents are still fielding offers and waiting to sign. 

As execs, agents and managers gather at Major League Baseball’s annual Winter Meetings, there is plenty to keep tabs on. We got you covered with what is happening on the ground. 

Brian Cashman Dishes on Yankees

New York’s longtime general manager dropped some hints late Sunday night regarding his plans to improve the team this offseason. In general though, Cashman said there isn’t too much work to do, and the roster is in good shape – indicating the Yankees may not make a ton of splashy additions. They’re primarily focused on re-signing free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger – even though he’s left-handed. 

Cashman knows the Yankees lineup is too left-handed (Jazz Chisholm, Trent Grisham, Austin Wells, Ben Rice and Ryan McMahon are all lefties), and they need more balance one-through-nine. That being said, Bellinger recorded a 1.016 OPS against southpaws this year. The 30-year-old’s reverse splits — plus a .909 OPS and 18 home runs at home, compared to a .715 OPS and 11 homers away — are attractive to the Yankees. Besides Bellinger, the Yankees have to focus on filling out their desolate bullpen.

As far as payroll, Cashman has continued to expel the notion that the Yankees have to stay under $300 million. Owner Hal Steinbrenner said last month that it would be “ideal” if the Yankees lowered their payroll from $319 million they spent on 2025’s roster. But it’s hard to believe the Bronx Bombers will be a better team in 2026 if they stay under $300 million — unless they swing a few blockbuster trades. For that reason, it seems more likely the Yankees will be more active on the trade market than in free agency. —Thosar

Trade Chatter Picking up Steam 

On the eve of last year’s winter meetings, Juan Soto exceeded every estimate imaginable when he signed the largest contract in MLB history. There was no such action leading into this year’s winter meetings, and there is no one of Soto’s caliber available this time around. Instead, teams are scouring the trade market in hopes of finding impact talent, particularly after most of the top arms on non-contending teams stayed put at the trade deadline. 

We’ve already seen Sonny Gray go to the Red Sox, a swap of Marcus Semien and Brandon Nimmo and another swap of Taylor Ward and Grayson Rodriguez. Expect bigger moves ahead. Among the top names to watch are Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore and shortstop C.J. Abrams, Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte and Marlins starters Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera. The biggest question still looming: Will the Tigers trade Tarik Skubal in his final year under team control? The most likely course of action is that they wait to see how they’re doing at the deadline before making that call, even if they don’t think they can extend him, but a blockbuster offer could be enticing. — Kavner 

Quiet So Far at the Top of the Market  

Outside of the players who accepted qualifying offers, there have only been three major free-agent moves entering Monday: Dylan Cease to the Blue Jays, Devin Williams to the Mets and Josh Naylor back to the Mariners. Almost all of the top free agents remain available. 

If a top free-agent does move early this week, the most buzz currently centers on Kyle Schwarber, who reportedly received a multi-year offer from a Pirates team typically unwilling to spend on premium free agents. His hometown Reds have also shown interest. Both teams will have a hard time outbidding a Phillies team that understands the value he brings both with his bat and in the clubhouse and has a lot of work to do to retool the roster this winter. For that reason, a return to Philadelphia still appears to be the most likely course of action. But they will have a lot of competition for the top bat on the market. Schwarber will be entering his age-33 season, but he’s coming off a career year and would immediately upgrade any lineup that has a DH spot available. If he does sign soon, that could help ignite the free-agent market. — Kavner 

Ranking all 30 Teams Ahead of Winter Meetings

All-Star sluggers like outfielder Kyle Tucker, third baseman Alex Bregman, outfielder Kyle Schwarber, infielder Bo Bichette, first baseman Pete Alonso, outfielder Cody Bellinger and others will make their decisions. But as we wait to see how rosters take shape over the coming weeks and months, here’s where all 30 teams stand right now. – Kavner

10 Biggest Storylines at Winter Meetings

Looming labor battle? How will the Dodgers re-tool as they aim for a three-peat? Where will the next wave of Japanese stars? This week will set the tone for the rest of the MLB offseason and provide a clearer picture of which teams will be major players in trade talks and free agency. Here are the 10 biggest storylines of the meetings. – Thosar/Kavner

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.

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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