Category: Baseball

It’s not just ovens experiencing blistering heat this holiday season. The stove is sizzling hot after the first major free agent flew off the board on Thanksgiving eve. 

Right-hander Dylan Cease reportedly signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on a massive seven-year, $210 million contract that will take him through his age-36 season. Cease, the top starting pitcher on the market this winter, has eclipsed more than 200 strikeouts and at least 32 starts in each of the past five seasons. These days, that type of durability is unheard of. No other pitcher in the majors has completed more than three 200-strikeout seasons in the past five years. 

Cease recorded the highest swing-and-miss rate (33.4%) in the majors for the Padres this year, even as his overall numbers were more underwhelming (4.55 ERA, career-high 21 home runs allowed) with familiar command issues in his walk year. Still, Cease is one year removed from finishing fourth in Cy Young award voting, and his 3.56 FIP and 3.43 expected ERA suggests he ran into some bad luck and poor defense in San Diego this past season.

Weak defense shouldn’t be a problem in Canada. Cease joins a dynamic Blue Jays team hungry to finish the job after their booming World Series appearance that forced a Game 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cease’s long-term pact is the largest pitching contract in franchise history. Let it be known: the Jays aren’t messing around.

Here’s what next for the Blue Jays, Padres, and the starting-pitching market after Cease’s deal: 

What’s next for Toronto

The defending American League champions got their front-of-the-rotation starter nearly two weeks before the winter meetings, showing the high level of aggression that many in the industry expected from the Blue Jays after their successful run to the Fall Classic. Cease’s 29.8% strikeout rate was the third-highest among all qualified major-league pitchers this year. Only Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet induced strikeouts at a higher clip in 2025. Cease’s elite whiff rate is exactly what the Blue Jays needed to add firepower to the rotation. 

With Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt departing for free agency, the Blue Jays had an obvious need for a top starting pitcher this offseason. Cease boosts a strong rotation led by Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios, and Shane Bieber, who unexpectedly opted in with the Blue Jays for $16 million in 2026 just days after falling to the Dodgers in the World Series. At the time, Bieber’s decision seemed like it could be the best news of Toronto’s offseason — particularly with his salary being a steal for the team. But it turned out the Jays front office had a bolder commitment in mind. 

Gausman and Bieber will become free agents after the 2026 season, so Cease’s long-term deal will help keep the Blue Jays in contention beyond next year. While the rotation looks set for Toronto, the organization still has to re-sign its headlining free-agent: homegrown shortstop Bo Bichette. The Blue Jays are committed to spending big this winter after getting a taste of the biggest stage in baseball. The megadeal for Cease shouldn’t stop them from securing Bichette, who is mutually interested in staying up north. 

What’s next for San Diego

Cease helped lead the Padres to the playoffs in each of his two seasons in San Diego, and it’s unclear how they’ll aim to fill his void. But it’s not as if this is a surprise. They floated his name at July’s trade deadline before opting to retain him, and his scoreless outing against the Cubs in the National League Wild Card series was always expected to be his last start for the Padres. Cease’s departure is part of why this offseason is so uncertain for the Friars. 

Besides the Baltimore Orioles, arguably no other contender needs starting pitching more than San Diego. In addition to Cease, the rotation also lost right-hander Michael King to free agency. Yu Darvish will miss the entire season due to elbow surgery, which is his second major elbow operation and could be career-ending. Joe Musgrove, at least, will return from his 2024 Tommy John surgery, but it’s anyone’s guess how effective he’ll be after missing the 2025 season and how long it will take to find his form. As of now, Nick Pivetta will begin the season as their ace after he recorded a career-best 2.87 ERA in 31 starts for San Diego this year.

In addition to the precarious state of the rotation, the Padres have the challenge of competing in the cutthroat NL West under new rookie manager Craig Stammen — all under the backdrop of a potential franchise sale. Outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr.’s name has been floated in trade talks this offseason as the Padres try to balance multiple high-cost agreements, particularly given the exorbitant long-term contracts of Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts. Despite all the moving parts and question marks surrounding the club, acquiring an established starter to stabilize the rotation remains the Padres’ biggest need. 

What’s next for the starting-pitching market

With the top arm off the board and headed to Canada for the next seven seasons, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, King, Tatsuya Imai, Nick Martinez, Bassitt, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are among the upper-tier free-agent starters still looking to be signed before Opening Day rolls around. We have seen the starting-pitching market gain traction in recent days, with Sonny Gray going to the Red Sox and Grayson Rodriguez going to the Angels. All of that movement could force other contenders to get impatient and show more urgency for a top arm before it’s too late. Expect fierce competition for the top-flight starters remaining, especially Valdez, Suarez and King.

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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Boston’s rotation already featured an ace who had finished second this year in American League Cy Young Award voting. Now, the Red Sox have added another former AL Cy Young runner-up to pair with Garrett Crochet. 

The Red Sox bolstered their rotation a week ahead of the winter meetings by acquiring veteran right-hander Sonny Gray from the Cardinals on Tuesday. In return, a rebuilding St. Louis club under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom will receive one of Boston’s top pitching prospects in 2024 fifth-round pick Brandon Clarke and an MLB-ready rotation depth piece in Richard Fitts. 

Gray is a couple of years removed from a 2023 All-Star season in Minnesota in which he tallied a 2.79 ERA and finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting. His ERA has ascended since then in his two years in St. Louis — 3.84 in 2024, 4.28 in 2025 — but the durable 36-year-old is coming off back-to-back 200-strikeout seasons and an NL-best 5.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2025. 

Here’s what’s next after Gray’s departure for Boston: 

What’s next for the Red Sox

Boston employs one of MLB’s most talented arms in Crochet, but the Red Sox needed another pitcher they could reliably give the ball to in a playoff game. Gray, who has a 3.26 ERA in six career playoff starts, fits the bill. He should now slot in as the team’s No. 2 starter. 

He won’t cost the Red Sox the full amount he was due — St. Louis is also sending $20 million to Boston to help offset Gray’s salary — so this opportunity makes a lot of sense for a Red Sox team that needed more stability in the rotation as it attempts to build on its first playoff appearance since 2021. 

The Red Sox have some high-upside depth options to round out the rotation even beyond 26-year-old Brayan Bello, who had a 3.35 ERA in 2025. Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval are both expected back in 2026 after missing last year to injury, and 23-year-old prospects Connelly Early and Payton Tolle could compete with 24-year-old Kyle Harrison for a starting role. This should just be the start, though, as there is still work to do in bolstering the bullpen and adding another impact bat with third baseman Alex Bregman now a free agent. 

What’s next for the Cardinals

Could veteran slugger Nolan Arenado (finally) be next to go? This is Bloom’s first trade of note as he attempts to chart a new path forward for a Cardinals team that has been stuck in neutral, missing the playoffs each of the last three years and making it no further than the wild-card round over the past six years. 

The Cardinals might still be good enough to field a competitive roster in 2026 — they’ve hovered close to .500 each of the last two years — but the immediate future seems to be centered on figuring out which young players (and especially which young arms) could be part of the next great St. Louis team. 

Clarke, 22, is a longer-term play and will be worth keeping an eye on as the Cardinals try to improve their player development under new leadership. The left-hander brings high-90s velocity and a wipeout slider that give him a high ceiling, but the development of his arsenal and control could determine whether he’ll be an MLB-caliber starter or a potential bullpen weapon down the line. He struck out 43 batters in 28.1 innings at High-A Greenville last year, but he also surrendered 25 free passes. 

Fitts, who made 10 starts for Boston in 2025, gives St. Louis some necessary rotation depth after losing Gray. The Cardinals will see if 26-year-old Matthew Liberatore and 25-year-old Michael McGreevy, both starters in last year’s rotation, can take a step forward. They have other young depth pieces who could get an opportunity, but they will likely need to add at least one more experienced arm. 

What’s next for Gray

Gray waived his no-trade clause for the chance to play for a winner in Boston. He was going to make $35 million in 2026 in the final season of a backloaded three-year, $75 million deal in St. Louis, and his original contract had a team option for $30 million in 2027. Now, that deal is reportedly being reworked. He’ll make $31 million next year with a mutual buyout option of $10 million. (Mutual options rarely get exercised, so he’s likely to make $41 million in 2026.) A slightly better payday, and a better chance to get back to the postseason for the first time in three years, had to be enticing. 

While Gray is not the same standout he was in Minnesota, he’s still plenty productive. He had a career-high whiff rate in 2024 and set career-best marks in K/BB, walk rate and chase rate in 2025. His sweeper remains a weapon — opponents hit .150 with 111 strikeouts against the pitch — which is all the more important as the velocity on his low-90s fastball wanes. His plus control and secondary offerings should allow him to remain an effective starter as he enters his late-30s, and his ability to eat up innings will take pressure off Crochet to shoulder the load. 

What’s next in the starting pitching market?

With Gray going to the Red Sox and Grayson Rodriguez going to the Angels, we’ve already seen some early action in the starting pitching market. And yet, all the top free-agent starters remain available. Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Dylan Cease, Michael King, Zac Gallen and Japanese standout Tatsuya Imai are among the top options for the many playoff-caliber teams searching for impact arms. 

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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Early this year, as Mets players poured into Port St. Lucie, Fla. for the start of spring training, president of baseball operations David Stearns was fielding questions about naming the next team captain. Brandon Nimmo, the Mets’ homegrown outfielder who was drafted by the organization in 2011, was a part of that discussion. 

It was only fair, since Nimmo was the longest-tenured Met before he agreed to waive his no-trade clause on Sunday, authorizing the club to send him to Texas in exchange for veteran All-Star infielder Marcus Semien. The shocking trade removed a clubhouse leader and fan favorite from New York, and added a defensive upgrade with a championship pedigree at second base. 

Between the time of those team captain conversations and the blockbuster trade, the Mets suffered a historic collapse from first place and failed to qualify for the playoffs this year. Stearns didn’t mince words on Monday when explaining why he broke up the team’s core. “Running back the exact same group wasn’t the right thing to do,” he said. 

The Mets will take on the remainder of Semien’s contract (he’s owed $72 million through 2028), while relinquishing the long-term financial obligation tying them to Nimmo ($102.5 million remaining through 2030), an eight-year contract that was designed by former general manager Billy Eppler in December 2022. 

Nimmo, in a social-media post on Monday afternoon, bid farewell to a legacy that had a lasting impact in Queens, saying, “There is truly no way I could adequately put into words how much my tenure with the Mets has meant to me … The last 14 years have felt like a dream.” The 32-year-old Wyoming native leaves the Mets with the sixth-most runs scored in team history. He ranks eighth in on-base percentage, ninth in home runs, and 10th in total bases and doubles. Though he didn’t win a championship with his homegrown team, fans will always remember Nimmo as a consummate pro who gave his all for the franchise. 

Here’s what’s next for each team, and Semien’s future impact, after the fascinating trade:

What’s next for the Mets?

Semien’s addition to the Mets infield addresses Stearns’ stated goal of improving run prevention. The 35-year-old, after winning his second-career Gold Glove award this year, is expected to be their full-time second baseman, a position that has become a revolving door in recent years, with the team prioritizing Jeff McNeil’s positional versatility. Semien will give the Mets an everyday, reliable option at second base, and his glove has remained a huge asset of his overall skillset (more on that later). 

Mainly, though, removing Nimmo from their outfield plans allows the Mets to go after top-flight free-agent outfielders this winter. They should be all-in on a potential bidding war for Cody Bellinger, whom the Yankees also want to re-sign, as well as in the mix for Kyle Tucker. Stearns on Monday said, “Anything would be realistic right now,” regarding the team’s financial flexibility and spending big in free agency. In other words, even if the Mets re-sign their top free agents, first baseman Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz, that will not preclude them from going after Bellinger/Tucker to fill their void in left field.

Still, how does Semien’s new role on the team impact McNeil’s usage? Stearns spoke to McNeil on Sunday night in part to ensure that, going forward, the veteran infielder is comfortable spending time at a corner-outfield position and even at first base, if needed. Even so, it remains unclear how New York’s younger infielders, including Luisangel Acuna and Ronny Mauricio, fit into the bigger picture next year. The Mets have an abundance of MLB-ready infielders now, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they dipped into that pool for more trades this offseason.

What’s next for the Rangers?

Before agreeing to the trade, Nimmo confirmed with Texas that the club was still committed to winning a championship. “This wasn’t a rebuild that I was coming into,” Nimmo said in a Zoom conference with reporters on Monday. “This was somewhere that I was extremely wanted, and they made that abundantly clear. And in the next five years, we would be competing for World Series titles, year in and year out.”

If subtracting Semien from the equation does not signal an immediate rebuild for the Rangers, then Nimmo’s addition to the lineup is expected to improve an offense that ranked 26th in slugging this past year. Nimmo recorded career highs in home runs (25), RBI (92), and hard-hit rate (50.2%) in 2025 — while his on-base percentage (.324) and walk rate (7.7%) both hit career lows. When healthy, Nimmo is a productive left-handed bat who will essentially take over for outfielder Adolis Garcia, who was non-tendered by the Rangers to become a free agent last week. 

It will be interesting to see how the Rangers navigate the rest of their offseason, particularly since president of baseball operations Chris Young is leading an effort to cut payroll while, apparently, keeping their goals of winning a championship intact. 

Can Semien rebound offensively?

The quick and short answer is, don’t count on it. Semien recorded career lows in batting average (.230), slugging percentage (.364), and OPS (.669) in 2025 – pointing to an offensive decline for the former two-time Silver Slugger as he approaches his age-35 season. Stearns said that Semien “can contribute to winning baseball in a variety of different ways, and the bat may not actually lead the way at this point in his career.” Rather, the Mets are counting on the veteran to bring his sparkling defensive ability to New York, a strength of his longtime career that so far has not diminished. 

Semien appeared in 127 games for the Rangers in 2025 and recorded 7 Outs Above Average and 5 Defensive Runs Saved, per Statcast, to go with a career-best .996 fielding percentage. For comparison, McNeil appeared in 106 games at second base for the Mets in 2025 and recorded 4 OAA and 3 DRS to go with a .983 fielding percentage. Semien is not the answer for how the Mets will replace Nimmo’s offensive production, but the veteran will pair up with shortstop Francisco Lindor for a sharper duo up the middle.

In addition to his defensive acumen, the Mets also like Semien’s makeup. He takes his craft seriously, has an elite work ethic, practices hard and, notably, Stearns mentioned that Semien holds his teammates to those same expectations and how that will “fit in very well for our group.” The Mets traded away a clubhouse leader in Nimmo, but they’re replacing him with another high-character individual in Semien who has been well-regarded by teammates going back to his days playing for Oakland a decade ago. His tireless mentality and drive to win should bode well in a Mets clubhouse that has, at times, lacked the required urgency to be successful over the course of the long baseball season.

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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Ohtani. Judge. Trout. The best players in baseball provided some of the season’s longest home runs. 

But they were bested by a breakout power-hitting rookie.

Here are the top 10 longest home runs of the 2025 season in partnership with Data Scientist Kirk Goldsberry:

T-10. Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) – 469 ft. vs. Brewers – Oct. 17

This is likely the only instance that this homer and this game will ever appear so low on any list. The towering blast came off Brewers reliever Chad Patrick and helped fuel the Dodgers’ NLCS-clinching victory. The Japanese two-way superstar’s second homer on the night came in what’s been dubbed the greatest individual performance in an MLB game ever. This homer now even has its own plaque at Dodger Stadium.

On his way to winning his third AL MVP, the Yankees slugger launched this 469-foot missile back in June against the Royals for his 24th homer of the season. Judge finished with 53 home runs on the season and was part of four players (joining Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber and Cal Raleigh) to reach at least 50 HRs on the season. 

9. Logan O’Hoppe (Angels) — 470 ft. vs. Athletics – May 21

One of the few high points of the season for the catcher, who went on a power surge during the early part of the season before regressing in the stretch run. O’Hoppe crushed this 470-foot homer back in May and had 17 homers at the All-Star Break, but then finished the season with just two more dingers. 

T-7. Denzel Clarke (Athletics) — 471 ft. vs. Giants – July 4

Clarke continually dazzled with his glove throughout the season, and now forms part of a promising young core with the A’s. He only finished with three homers on the season, but he put on his own fireworks show on Independence Day with this 471-foot solo shot in Sacramento. 

T-7. Riley Greene (Tigers) — 471 ft. vs. Athletics — August 26

Not only was this a towering shot for Greene, but it was his first career grand slam. As fellow Tigers slugger Kerry Carpenter noted, “That was one of the best swings I’ve ever seen.” Greene capped off the season as a back-to-back All-Star for a team that wilted in the AL Central race down the stretch. Greene had 36 homers on the season, but led the AL with a whopping 201 strikeouts. 

6. Corbin Carroll (Diamondbacks) — 474 ft. vs. Rockies — August 17

The top home run of August was also the longest of Carroll’s career. Carroll had a solid season even if the Diamondbacks failed to reach the postseason as he finished with a 30-30 campaign in terms of homers and steals.

5. Byron Buxton (Twins) – 479 ft. – vs. Rangers – June 11

A career season for the Twins slugger as he earned his second All-Star nod on the season, participated in the Home Run Derby, and capped it all off with a Silver Slugger award. One month after this homer, Buxton would earn his first career cycle. 

4. Carter Jensen (Royals) — 482 ft. – vs. Athletics – Sept. 28

The promising catcher was a late-season call but made the most of his time with the Royals during his September stint. He saved the best for last with this booming blast in the final game of the regular season. The longest homer for the Royals in the Statcast era, this one was the second of a back-to-back with outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. 

3.  Mike Trout (Angels) — 484 ft. vs. Giants – April 19

The first of two appearances on this list for the three-time AL MVP. In this game back in the early days of the season, the 11-time All-Star had two homers, which included this blast. It was the first of his two multi-HR games of the season, giving him 30 total in his career.

2. Mike Trout (Angels) – 485 ft. vs. Rockies – Sept. 20

Not to be outdone by that aforementioned home run, Trout connected on this one late in the season for his 400th career dinger.  It was the fourth longest of Trout’s career. Trout became the 59th player in MLB history with at least 400 home runs and the third player to reach the mark while in an Angels uniform, joining Dave Winfield and Vladimir Guerrero.

1. Nick Kurtz (Athletics) – 493 ft. vs. Reds – Sept. 14

The season’s longest homer was also a grand slam! If it didn’t seem clear that Kurtz would be on his way to winning AL Rookie of the Year, this may have been the closing argument. According to Statcast, it was also the longest home run hit in MLB in more than two years. Not bad for a power-hitting first baseman known as the “Big Amish” who had hit four homers in a single game earlier in the season. 

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Hall of Famer Randy Johnson’s No. 51 will be retired by the Seattle Mariners during a pregame ceremony next season, the club announced Monday.

Johnson threw the first no-hitter in Mariners’ history on June 2, 1990 — 35 years ago Monday — and in 1995 became their first Cy Young Award winner.

The exact date of the ceremony will be announced after the 2026 major league schedule is finalized.

Johnson, 61, went 130-74 with a 3.42 ERA across 10 seasons with the Mariners.

“I’m happy that my contributions over the 10 years that I was there are being acknowledged now,” Johnson said via Zoom. “It’s been a long time, that’s for sure.”

Johnson enjoyed more success with the Arizona Diamondbacks, with whom he won four consecutive Cy Young Awards in addition to a World Series championship in 2001. However, the lanky left-hander nicknamed the “Big Unit” because of his 6-foot-10 frame fondly remembers his Seattle tenure.

A year Johnson looks back on with particular fondness is the 1995 season. The Mariners’ future in Seattle was cast into doubt when in September of that year, King County voters rejected subsidy taxes to build a new stadium.

Simultaneously, the Mariners enjoyed a prosperous season on the field at the Kingdome, which culminated in reaching the AL Championship Series before falling to the Cleveland Indians. Ultimately, the King County Council approved funding for a new stadium.

“Looking back at it now and that story being documented by the Mariners, it worked out,” Johnson said. “I’m just thankful that I was a big part of that and everybody else was a big part of it, and everything just kind of jelled for all the players.”

That season, Johnson went 18-2 with a 2.48 ERA during a 145-game season and won his first of five Cy Young Awards. But Johnson didn’t hang around Seattle much longer; he was traded to the Houston Astros midway through the 1998 season.

Johnson signed with the Diamondbacks as a free agent ahead of the 1999 campaign, and enjoyed some of the most successful seasons of his major league career across eight years in Arizona. As a result, Johnson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame wearing a Diamondbacks cap.

“To me, it was a difficult choice,” Johnson said. “But, it was the right choice because statistically, I did more (in Arizona). Now if I could split the plaque and put a little bit of an M and a little bit of an A.”

Even so, Johnson is grateful for his years in Seattle and looking forward to his moment in the sun. It will be a separate occasion from the No. 51 jersey retirement of right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, which is planned for Aug. 9.

In 2001, three years after Johnson left Seattle, Suzuki arrived and wore jersey No. 51. Johnson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. Suzuki will be inducted on July 27.

Johnson’s No. 51 will be the fifth number retired in Mariners’ history, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (No. 24), Edgar Martinez (No. 11) and Suzuki. All MLB teams have retired Jackie Robinson’s No. 42.

“I know the significance of Ichiro and his accomplishments, and I didn’t want to interfere with his Hall of Fame induction this year or his number retirement this year,” Johnson said. “And so, the one contingent factor I had was if this was going to happen that I didn’t want to take away anything from his deserving day.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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When a free agent signs a new deal, there’s always a big question everyone will ask: What’s next?

A player’s new deal will have ramifications for his team (whether it’s a new one) and the overall free agency market. We’re breaking down all angles of the notable MLB deals as the offseason rolls on. And check out who we think are the top 30 free agents of the offseason.

JUMP TO: Grisham | Naylor | Torres 

Trent Grisham, CF, New York Yankees

A return on a one-year, $22 million deal means the Yankees aren’t confident that their prospects are ready to take the next step as everyday contributors at the major-league level. Grisham also gives the team a parachute in case it does not sign a top free-agent outfielder this winter. What’s next for the Yankees and the other top free agent center fielders? READ MORE. 

Josh Naylor, Third Baseman, Seattle Mariners

Mariners general manager Justin Hollander described Naylor as one of the smartest players he has ever had. Naylor’s perfect 19-for-19 mark on stolen bases in Seattle was an example of that. Despite being one of MLB’s slowest players, Naylor enjoyed a 20-30 season despite having never stolen more than 10 bases in a season — a credit to his baseball IQ. What’s next for the Mariners? READ MORE. 

Gleyber Torres, Second Baseman, Detroit Tigers

Coming off hernia surgery, Torres expected to be ready for spring training. It must mean the Tigers feel good enough about the second baseman’s recovery to make him the second-highest paid player for the upcoming season behind All-Star slugger Javier Baez. What’s next for the Tigers, keeping Tarik Skubal, and the other top second basemen? READ MORE. 

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Yankees manager Aaron Boone calls Trent Grisham “The Big Sleep” for his tempered and straight-faced demeanor in clutch moments. During the season, the team even sported T-shirts with Grisham’s new nickname during batting practice.  

It’s not surprising that Trent Grisham accepted the Yankees’ one-year, $22 million qualifying offer to play a third season in pinstripes. But it was at least eyebrow-raising that the outfielder decided not to test a thin market this winter, where he was expected to land a multi-year deal given his prime age and breakout season at the plate.

The 29-year-old outfielder has become a steady presence in the Yankees clubhouse since the Padres traded him to New York, alongside Juan Soto, ahead of the 2024 season. He’s tight with team captain Aaron Judge, with both players maintaining a calm and even-keeled composure throughout the long and grueling baseball season. 

Grisham’s return means that the Yankees aren’t confident that their prospects are ready to take the next step as everyday contributors at the major-league level. Grisham also gives the team a parachute in case it does not sign a top free-agent outfielder this winter. 

Here’s what’s next after Grisham’s new deal:

What’s Next for the Bronx Bombers

For those concerned that Grisham’s salary will prevent the Yankees from spending money elsewhere, that is unlikely to be the case. The Yankees are projected to have a 2026 luxury tax payroll of just over $284 million, which would put them in the top penalty tier for the fourth consecutive season. There’s more work to be done, and they should still be swinging big this offseason. 

After the reunion with Grisham, the Yankees are projected to have the sixth-best center-field production in MLB next year, and they’re not done. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has said that Grisham accepting the one-year qualifying offer doesn’t hamper his ability to go after outfielder Cody Bellinger. 

But the thing is, if Bellinger does return to the Bronx, there’s added uncertainty surrounding the team’s developing outfielders, Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones (No. 4 overall top prospect). It’s hard to imagine a world in which Bellinger, Grisham, and Aaron Judge are patrolling the outfield and Dominguez/Jones are still on the 40-man roster. In that scenario, expect a trade to be made.

If Bellinger signs elsewhere, then it’s more likely the Yankees open spring training with Dominguez and Jones competing for the open left-field job. Of course, New York is still keeping tabs on top free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker, too. If the team makes any outside addition to the outfield, Dominguez or Jones could be on the move. 

What’s Next For Grisham

The lefty-swinging center fielder enjoyed a career year this past season, swatting 34 home runs with the majority of those coming from the leadoff spot, setting the table for Judge & Co. to do the rest of the damage.  Since Grisham bet on himself with the one-year deal, he’s under pressure next year to prove his breakout season at the plate wasn’t just a fluke. 

The Yankees believe Grisham can repeat a 30-homer season, and his left-handed swing is a perfect match against the backdrop of Yankee Stadium’s short porch. More than that, Grisham has excelled offensively after stepping away from Petco Park. This year, he boasted a career-best walk rate of 14.1% to go with a career-best strikeout rate of 23.6%. His exit velocity jumped up a few notches. He recorded the second-best wRC+ (129) in the majors across all qualified center fielders, behind only Twins slugger Byron Buxton. 

As long as Grisham doesn’t drastically regress next year, the Yankees should be happy he’s back, and he’ll be setting himself up for an even bigger payday. Next offseason, Grisham won’t have the qualifying offer restricting his options. And with no draft-pick compensation attached, a contender could realistically push a $100-million contract across the table next winter. 

What’s Next For The Outfield Market

Grisham coming off the board diminishes what was already a weak outfield market, particularly in center field. Though Bellinger is still considered the top free-agent center fielder on the market, this year he played the least amount of games in the middle of the diamond, logging more innings in left and right field, as well as several games at first base. 

After Bellinger, there’s 32-year-old Harrison Bader, 31-year-old Cedric Mullins, and then an enormous drop-off in talent among free-agent center fielders. And even within the top-end of that group, Bader is viewed as a part-time center fielder, and Mullins was worse than league average at the plate this past season. 

So Grisham’s departure from free agency was a huge detriment to teams seeking a center field piece, which includes the Mets, Phillies, Tigers, and Astros. Now, some of these contenders will have to get creative through trades or in-house promotions to fill that need.

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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