Category: Baseball

 Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia, who missed the World Series because of what the team said at the time was a “deeply personal family matter,” said on Friday his daughter, Sterling, has died.

“Our little angel we love you forever & you’re with us always,” Vesia and his wife, Kayla, said on Instagram in a post that included a picture of an infant holding hands with adults. “Our beautiful daughter went to heaven Sunday October 26th. There are no words to describe the pain we’re going through but we hold her in our hearts and cherish every second we had with her.”

Vesia went 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 68 regular-season games and 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in seven postseason appearances. The team announced on Oct. 23, the day before Game 1 against the Blue Jays, that he was not with the team in Toronto.

Dodgers relievers wore Vesia’s No. 51 on their caps in a tribute to their absent teammate. Blue Jays relievers joined them in the tribute for Game 6.

Vesia and his wife, Kayla, thanked the medical staff at Cedars Sinai Medical Center for taking care of their family. They also thanked both teams for their understanding and support.

“Our baseball family showed up for us and we wouldn’t be able to do this without them,” the Vesias wrote. “Thank you Dodger Nation, Blue Jays organization and all baseball fans for your love and support. We have seen ALL your messages, comments and posts. It’s brought us so much comfort.”

The Dodgers beat Toronto in seven games, their second straight World Series championship.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Prince Harry went to Toronto for events marking the end of World War I and found himself on an apology tour for offending Canadians.

Speaking to a military charity on Thursday night, the Duke of Sussex sought to once again address the “blue-hatted elephant in the room.” He was referring to his widely ridiculed choice to wear a Los Angeles Dodgers cap at a World Series game in Los Angeles against the Toronto Blue Jays.

It was seen as a major snub in Canada, a British Commonwealth nation, where his father, King Charles III, is the head of state. He was blasted on social media in the Great White North.

Harry apologized for the blunder and tried to put a humorous spin on the incident he referred to as “Hat Gate.”

“When you’re missing a lot of hair on top, and you’re sitting under floodlights, you’ll take any hat that’s available,” he joked in an interview with Canadian broadcaster CTV.

He then donned a Blue Jays cap that happened to be an arm’s length away.

The incident was perceived by some as a test of his allegiance between his birthplace and his adopted home in the U.S. The prince and his wife, Meghan, stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and moved to Canada briefly before settling in California.

The appearance of Harry and Meghan at Game 4 of the series — that L.A. went on to win in seven games — also rankled some Dodgers fans who were upset at their prime position behind home plate.

The couple sat in the first row – in front of L.A. royalty — Dodgers great Sandy Koufax and Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who is a part owner of the team.

Harry said the couple, who live about an hour west of Los Angeles in the ritzy coastal enclave of Montecito, had been invited to the game by the team owner.

He felt “under duress” and wore the hat as a polite gesture, something he told the Toronto audience that he thought Canadians — known for their civility — would support.

Harry was in Canada for two days of events and meetings in advance of Remembrance Day on Tuesday that honors armed forces members who died in the line of duty.

“I am truly sorry for wearing a Dodgers cap,” he said to applause at a dinner for the True Patriot Love Foundation, a charity for Canadian service members and veterans.

He then played up his connections to the country, including the fact that his actor wife — before they married and when she was known as Meghan Markle — lived so long in Toronto filming the show “Suits” that many thought she was Canadian.

“Hopefully you can forgive her as a native Californian for her Dodgers loyalty, even if for just one evening,” he said. “But all jokes aside, this city has always meant a great deal to me — you provided me a wife.”

Harry insisted that he was rooting for the Jays for the final three games of the series — an admission that he told CTV might make his return to L.A. more difficult.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

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San Diego reliever Mason Miller, Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto and Kansas City third baseman Maikel Garcia are among 34 players with two-to-three years of service time who are eligible for salary arbitration.

Colorado outfielder Brenton Doyle, Milwaukee shortstop Brice Turang, Cincinnati shortstop Matt McLain and Washington right-hander Jake Irvin also made the cutoff of 2 years, 140 days of major league service.

Seattle right-hander Kowar Jackson, Tampa Bay right-hander Manuel Rodriguez and Cincinnati left-hander Brandon Williamson just missed at 2 years, 139 days. Behind them at 2 years, 136 days were San Francisco catcher Patrick Bailey, Royals right-hander Kuis Erceg and Giants right-hander Ryan Walker.

The cutoff was up from 2 years, 132 days last offseason and 2 years, 118 days for 2024. The cutoff was as low as 2 years, 115 days in 2019 and as high as 2 years, 146 days in 2011.

McLain was the last player above the cutoff at 2 years, 140 days. New York Mets right-hander Reed Garrett has 2 years, 143 days, and Houston outfielder Taylor Trammell and St. Louis left-hander Matthew Liberatore each has 2 years, 144 days.

Tampa Bay right-hander Alex Faedo would have been eligible but was designated for assignment this week and elected for free agency.

Others eligible include Cincinnati shortstop Nick Allen, New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, Boston left-hander Brennan Bernardino, Mets right-hander Huascar Brazoban, Cleveland outfielder Will Brennan, New York Yankees infielder Jose Caballero, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Alex Call, Washington right-hander Cade Cavalli, Miami right-hander Calvin Faucher, San Diego catcher Freddy Fermin, Cleveland right-hander Matt Festa, Guardians third baseman David Fry, Tampa Bay right-hander Kevin Kelly, Kansas City right-hander James McArthur, Athletics right-hander Luis Medina, Miami right-hander Max Meyer, Seattle right-hander Bryce Miller, Rays outfielder Richie Palacios, Houston left-hander Bennett Sousa, Pittsburgh outfielder Jack Suwinski, Rays right-hander Edwin Uceta, A’s left-hander Ken Waldichuk, Atlanta left-hander Joey Wentz and Astros right-hander Hayden Wesneski.

The top 22% of players by service time with at least two years but less than three are eligible for arbitration as long as they had at least 86 days of service this year. They join the group of three-to-six-year players.

Players and teams are set to exchange proposed salaries on Jan. 8, and hearings for those lacking agreements will be scheduled for Jan. 26 to Feb. 13 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Players were eligible after two years of service from 1974-85, and the threshold increased to three years in 1986. The super 2 class began in 1991 at 17%, and it increased to 22% in 2013.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

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Want a star shortstop entering his prime? Meet Bo Bichette.

The career Toronto Blue Jays shortstop is among the best at his position, a vibrant, right-handed hitter and a two-time All-Star. Following a seven-week absence due to a knee injury, Bichette hit .348 in Toronto’s crushing, seven-game 2025 World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers and will be 28 at the start of the 2026 MLB season. Translation: Bo’s getting a nine-figure contract this offseason.

Here are the three best fits for Bichette should he depart Toronto.

Milwaukee was third in MLB in runs (806) in the regular season but then scored just one run per game in the National League Championship Series, in what was a four-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers. If the Brewers are ever going to get over the hump in the postseason, they have to make a concerted effort to acquire impact hitters. Bichette fits the bill.

The scrappy Bichette hits for both contact and power, logs extra-base hits at a high rate and can hit at or near the top of a contending offense. Sure, Milwaukee has a handful of internal options at shortstop, but none of them rake like Bichette. More importantly, these players have versatility; Joey Ortiz has started at both shortstop and third base; Andruw Monasterio plays shortstop, second and third base; third baseman Caleb Durbin was primarily a second baseman in the minor leagues.

Bichette would be Milwaukee’s full-time shortstop for the foreseeable future and provide needed power to an offense that was just 22nd in home runs (166) and ninth out of 12 playoff teams in slugging percentage (.403) in 2025.

What could potentially hinder a full-blown Bichette pursuit by the Brewers, though, is them viewing the versatility of the previously mentioned players and their collective offensive youth as reason to bank on internal growth, rather than having to bypass it with a free-agent signing – and Milwaukee can spend elsewhere.

The Braves just missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years and only one team in their division – the Philadelphia Phillies, in the NL East – made the playoffs. If Atlanta fills some voids and gets healthy, it can get back in the NL pennant mix, and signing Bichette would be an emphatic step back in that direction.

Ha-Seong Kim opted out of his contract for 2026; Orlando Arcia is gone; while Nick Allen is a great defensive shortstop, he has been unable to gain traction in the batter’s box. In summation: Bichette would be a stellar pickup for Atlanta and a definitive, long-term answer at shortstop.

An infield that features Bichette, Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies would be one of the elite combinations in the sport, while Bichette adds an impact hitter to an Atlanta offense that was 13th in runs (724), tied for 14th in slugging percentage (.399) and home runs (190) and 15th in hits (1,349) last season. A spark is needed in Atlanta, and Bichette checks all the boxes.

There’s just a team that Bichette would have a bigger impact on.

Bichette is just what the doctor ordered for the Guards.

In 2025, Cleveland was last in MLB in hits (1,199), 29th in on-base percentage (.296), tied for 28th in slugging percentage (.373), outright 28th in runs (643) and 20th in home runs (168). How did it fare? The Guardians won the AL Central with 88 wins and lost in three games to the Detroit Tigers in the Wild Card Series. With just a little more offensive amplitude, Cleveland advances to the Division Series and is on the same level as several AL contenders.

Of late, the Guardians have shuffled Gabriel Arias, Brayan Rocchio and Daniel Schneeman at the middle-infield positions. While the three of them are still in the early stages of their respective MLB careers, none of them have yet flashed upside to become the hitter that Bichette is. 

Another possibility is one of Arias or Rocchio blossoms and Cleveland moves Bichette to second base, which is where he played for the Blue Jays in the World Series while coming back from his knee injury. Granted, the Guardians have obvious visions of Travis Bazzana, whom they selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, being their everyday second baseman in the near future.

At present, Jose Ramirez is one of the faces of the sport and Kyle Manzardo has legitimate power. Maybe a healthy Jhonkensy Noel and David Fry provide pop in 2026? Either way, there are minimal players in this order who are striking fear into the opposition outside of Ramirez. Getting somebody on base in front of Ramirez for him to drive in and generate offense on their own, too, is essential for Cleveland. Bichette would move the needle.

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Power-hitting Japanese corner infielder Munetaka Murakami is entering Major League Baseball’s posting system and will be available to teams to sign as a free agent from Saturday through Dec. 22.

Murakami, who turns 26 on Feb. 2, was the Central League’s MVP in 2021 and ’22 with the Yakult Swallows and is a four-time All-Star.

He batted .273 with 22 homers and 47 RBIs this season, limited to 56 games by an oblique injury. He struck out 64 times.

Murakami hit 56 homers in 2022 to break Sadaharu Oh’s record for a Japanese-born player in Nippon Professional Baseball while becoming the youngest player to earn Japan’s Triple Crown. He topped 30 homers in four straight years before an injury-interrupted season in 2023.

He has a .270 career average with 246 homers, 647 RBIs and 977 strikeouts in 892 games over eight Central League seasons, all with the Swallows. After playing primarily at first base in 2019 and 2020, he has spent most of his time since at third.

FOX Sports’ Rowan Kavner ranked Murakami No. 12 in his top-30 MLB free agents list, saying, “The power will make some teams salivate, and he’s not even 26 yet. But his high strikeout rate and limited defensive range at third base, which may require a move to first, lower the ceiling.”

At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Murakami hit a ninth-inning walk-off double off Giovanny Gallegos that scored Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida to give Japan a 6-5 semifinal win over Mexico. The following day in the championship game, Murakami hit a tying home run off Merrill Kelly in the second inning and Japan went on to beat the United States 3-2.

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

Want to know more about the posting process? We’ve got you covered.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Japanese star infielder Munetaka Murakami was posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB) on Friday, allowing MLB teams to negotiate a potential contract with him.

How does the MLB posting process work? How long does it take? Here’s a primer on how the Japanese Posting System works.

Who’s eligible to be “posted?”

Players from Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan with no more than nine years of professional experience are eligible to be posted to MLB teams. Both the player and their respective team have to agree to the posting. 

When do players get posted?

Players can be posted between Nov. 1 and Dec. 5.

How long do teams get to negotiate with players?

All 30 teams have a 45-day window to discuss contract parameters with a player after they’re officially posted.

What happens after 45 days?

Should a player not reach a deal with an MLB team, they return to their respective club in the NPB.

What is a release fee?

A release fee is “an amount that an NPB club must receive in the event an agreement is reached between a posted player and a Major League club.”

What’s the percentage of money MLB teams send to the Japanese team?

• When the contract for a player is $25 million or less, the release fee is 20% of the total guaranteed money in the contract.
• When the contract for a player is between $25,000,001 and $50 million, the release fee is 20% of the first $25 million, an additional 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% of the total guaranteed money exceeding $50 million.
• When the contract for a player is $50,000,001 or more, the release fee is 20% of the first $25 million, an additional 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% of the guarantees exceeding $50 million.

How many players have been posted?

A combined 53 players have been posted to MLB teams since 1999. Players like Daisuke Matsuzaka, Yu Darvish, Masahiro Tanaka, Shohei Ohtani and the first Hall of Famer enshrined in both America and Japan, Ichiro Suzuki, have used the posting system to leave NPB for MLB.

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What is a futures bet? Well, it’s just that.  

A futures bet is making a wager on an outcome to be decided at a later date. For example, wagering on who will win the Super Bowl during the NFL preseason or who will win the NBA MVP on opening night of the NBA regular season.

Essentially, it is a long-term bet that bettors will follow throughout the year, and a bet that will not be paid out until the outcome is determined at a later date, more often than not months into the future. 

Futures bets usually involve popular events (Super Bowl, NBA Finals, College Football Playoff, etc.) or popular players. 

Futures Betting at a Glance

• Bet Type: long-term wager on a season, tournament, or award outcome.
• Popular markets: championship winners, division winners, MVP awards, season stat leaders.
• Odds Format: American (+500), decimal (6.0), or fractional (5/1).
• Payout Timing: only paid out after the event or season ends.
• Risk Level: risk varies due to long-term uncertainty and potential injuries/trades.
• Hedging: possible; you can place offsetting bets later in the season to lock in profit.
• Best For: bettors looking for season-long engagement or value on underdogs.

How Futures Bets Work

Since futures are one of the most popular wagers among bettors, Sportsbooks often post odds well before an event begins, whether it’s “Who will win the Super Bowl?” or “Will a team make the playoffs?” 

Those odds don’t stay set. They shift based on team performance, injuries, trades, or even how much money the public is betting on a certain outcome. For example, if a star quarterback gets hurt, that team’s Super Bowl odds will lengthen almost immediately.  

When it comes to payout, timing depends on the market. If you bet on a team’s odds to make the playoffs, you could get paid as soon as their spot is mathematically clinched. On the other hand, a “win the championship” ticket won’t cash until the final game is over.

It’s important to know that futures bets don’t void if a player gets hurt. If you took a preseason MVP bet on a player who goes down in Week 3, the wager still stands—you just take the loss. Similarly, if you back a baseball team to win the World Series and their star pitcher is traded midseason, that’s part of the risk.

Another common example: betting on a golfer to win a major tournament months in advance. Odds might look great early, but once the field is set and recent form is factored in, those same odds can shrink quickly. For this reason, knowing when to place a future is a key component for a successful wager. 

How to Read Futures Odds

Futures markets use the same American odds format you see with regular bets. Positive odds for a futures wager means sportsbook think this event is not likely to happen, while negative odds mean they think it’s favorable. For example, if the Buffalo Bills are listed at -200 to make the playoffs, a $100 bet would return $50 in profit if they come through. If the New York Jets are posted at +400 just to make the playoffs, a $100 bet would return $400 in profit. 

You can also use the odds to understand implied probability—the sportsbook’s estimate of how likely an outcome is. The formulas are simple and shown below:

• For positive odds: 100 / (odds + 100) × 100 = implied probability; example: +800 is equal to 100 ÷ (800 + 100) x 100 = 11.1% chance.
• For negative odds: odds / (odds + 100) × 100 = implied probability; example: -120 is equal |120| ÷ (|120| + 100) = 54.5% chance.

Keep in mind: the farther out an event is, the longer the odds usually look. That’s because there’s more uncertainty over a full season, with events like injuries, trades, and surprise teams all possibly shifting the market.

Popular Futures Markets by Sport

Below, we’ll dive into popular futures markets within each major sport. 

NFL Futures

The NFL offers the widest variety of futures markets, from season-long team goals to individual player awards.

• Super Bowl odds: Bills +800, $100 bet wins $800.
• Conference Winner Odds: 49ers +350 to win the NFC, $100 bet wins $350.
• Division Winner Odds: Cowboys +150 to win the NFC East, $100 bet wins $150.
• MVP Odds: Patrick Mahomes +600, $100 bet wins $600.
• Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Myles Garrett +200, $100 bet wins $200.

College Football Futures

With only a few dozen true contenders, college football futures are popular for both title odds and awards.

• College Football Playoff Title Odds: Georgia +300 to win the national championship, $100 bet wins $300.
• Heisman Trophy Odds: Cade Klubnik +400, $100 bet wins $400.
• Conference Champion Odds: Michigan +200 to win the Big Ten, $100 bet wins $200.
• Biletnikoff Awards Odds: Jeremiah Smith +100 to win, $100 bet wins $100.
• CFP Odds: Miami +300 to make CFP, $100 wins $300.

NBA Futures 

The NBA futures market runs from preseason through playoffs, covering championships and player honors.

• NBA Finals Odds: Celtics +500, $100 bet wins $500.
• Conference Winner Odds: Nuggets +250 to win the West, $100 bet wins $250.
• NBA MVP Odds: Nikola Jokić +400, $100 bet wins $400.
• Rookie of the Year Odds: Cooper Flagg +200, $100 bet wins $200.

Men’s NCAAB Futures

College basketball futures peak around March Madness, but bettors target teams and awards all season.

• NCAA Tournament (March Madness) Odds: Duke +1200 to win the national title, $100 bet wins $1,200.
• Final Four Odds: Kansas +400 to make the Final Four, $100 bet wins $400.
• Conference Winner Odds: Arizona +250 to win the Pac-12, $100 bet wins $250.
• Wooden Award Odds: A.J. Dybantsa +400 to win Player of the Year, $100 bet wins $400.

MLB Futures

Baseball futures focus on championships, pitching awards, and seasonal achievements.

• World Series Odds: Dodgers +500, $100 bet wins $500.
• League Pennant Odds: Yankees +300 to win the AL, $100 bet wins $300.
• MVP Odds: Shohei Ohtani +600, $100 bet wins $600.
• Cy Young Odds: Gerrit Cole +700, $100 bet wins $700.
• Rookie of the Year Odds: Jackson Holliday +600, $100 bet wins $600.

Soccer Futures

Soccer’s global schedule provides year-round futures on both tournaments and individual honors.

• World Cup Odds: Brazil +400 to win, $100 bet wins $400.
• Champions League Odds: Manchester City +250, $100 bet wins $250.
• Euro Odds: France +500, $100 bet wins $500.
• La Liga Golden Boot Odds: Kylian Mbappé +600, $100 bet wins $600.

Golf Futures

Golf futures revolve around majors and special team events, often posted months in advance.

• Masters Odds: Rory McIlroy +1200, $100 bet wins $1,200.
• U.S. Open Odds: Scottie Scheffler +800, $100 bet wins $800.
• Ryder Cup Odds: Team Europe +150, $100 bet wins $150.

NHL Futures

Hockey futures combine team championship odds with individual player awards.

• Stanley Cup Odds: Oilers +900, $100 bet wins $900.
• Conference Winner Odds: Rangers +400 to win the East, $100 bet wins $400.
• Hart Trophy Odds: Connor McDavid +200, $100 bet wins $200.

UFC Futures

Though most UFC betting is fight-to-fight, futures markets cover champions and title paths.

• UFC Title Odds: Islam Makhachev -110 to retain lightweight belt, $110 bet wins $100.
• Next Champion Odds: Alex Volkanovski +250 to be next lightweight champ, $100 bet wins $250.
• Performance Bonus Odds: Jon Jones +150 to win Fight of the Night, $100 bet wins $150.
• Type of Win Odds: Max Holloway +100 to win by knockout, $100 bet wins $100.

Pros & Cons of Futures Sports Betting

So, what are the pros and cons of futures betting? 

One pro is that there could be larger payouts if you are betting on a long-shot or a player/outcome that the public hasn’t caught on to just yet. For example, if a bettor put $100 on Anthony Edwards to win NBA MVP next season at FanDuel (+2500), they could stand to win $2,600 at season’s end. Those are relatively long odds for a player that could have a good shot at winning the award, as opposed to a futures bet on Nikola Jokić to win MVP. His odds are at +310, meaning a bettor would stand to win $410.      

Futures bets also tend to keep bettors engaged throughout the season regarding a team or player, so it could simply make the NFL or NBA season more fun to follow if you have some skin in the game. 

A major con about futures betting is tying up money at a certain point and not seeing the potential of that money for weeks or months, assuming you see that money again at all. Also, futures bets tend to be difficult because there is so much unpredictability as time goes on. 

For example, if you bet Edwards to win MVP, and he has a hot start to the season and becomes the favorite, then suffers an injury that sidelines him for a few weeks midway through the season, that could have a major impact on his chances to win the award. 

Best Sportsbook Promotions for Betting on Futures

There are several sportsbooks where you can place futures bets, with most of them offering special sportsbook promos and welcome bonuses tailored for this specific type of wager. These benefits can often reduce risk, boost payouts, or even give you additional bets. 

FanDuel 

• Welcome Bonus: Get $150 in bonus bets if your first wager of $5 or more wins.
• Futures Use: offers “Futures Day” for example, where they drop profit-boost tokens specifically on futures markets like Super Bowl odds, playoff chances, division winners, and player milestones.
• Recurring Promos: regular odds boosts, “Futures Day” specials, and profit‑boost tokens on Super Bowl, division winners, and player props.
• What Makes It Good: user-friendly interface, market-leading coverage, and strong promotional events like “Futures Day” boost token drops.

DraftKings 

• Welcome Bonus: Bet $5, get $300 if your bet wins + three months of NBA League Pass free
• Futures Use: regularly releases “NBA Futures Profit Boosts”, letting you supercharge futures payouts.
• Recurring Promos: odds boosts, parlay enhancements, and integrated fantasy-sports promotions.
• What Makes It Good: massive reach across sports, seamless betting app experience, and strong synergy with fantasy betting.

BetMGM 

• Welcome Bonus: if your first bet loses, you get it back as bonus bets (up to $1,500) with promo code; in select states, there’s also a “bet $10, get $150 if you win” variant.
• Futures Use: if your longshot futures pick loses, you’ll still receive bonus bets, essentially reducing your downside; this makes it a prime use case for high-risk, longer-term wagers.
• Recurring Promos: frequent booster deals, leftover promos like the “PGA 3‑Ball Challenge,” and loyalty benefits through MGM Rewards.
• What Makes It Good: trusted MGM brand, broad markets, loyalty perks, and a flexible welcome option for futures bettors.

Caesars Sportsbook 

• Welcome Bonus: Bet $1, Double Your Winnings Your Next 20 Bets​
• Futures Use: boost tokens can apply to futures bets if the max wager ($25) matches your futures size; best used on mid-range futures where doubling your payout gives solid uplift.
• Recurring Promos: regular odds boosts, Super Boosts, and generous loyalty flow via Caesars Rewards.
• What Makes It Good: strong branding, in-app live streaming, and ample loyalty-driven value (especially in-person or across casino partnerships).

bet365 

• Welcome Bonus: bet $5, get $200 in bonus bets (win or lose).
• Futures Use: if you pick the bet-and-get option, you can wager on futures and still get your bonus once it settles (regardless of result).
• Recurring Promos: same-game parlay boosts, early payouts, and a wide array of markets; in-app promo tab refreshes frequently.
• What Makes It Good: high flexibility, in-depth betting options, pro tools like in-play streaming—especially strong on global sports.

Minimum $10 deposit required. Minimum odds -500 of greater. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. T&CS, time limits and exclusions apply.

Gambling disclaimer: Only individuals aged 21 and over are permitted to gamble. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Gambling is subject to local state regulation and is illegal in some states. Please gamble responsibly – information relating to responsible gambling can be found here.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker, Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette and Philadelphia designated hitter Kyle Schwarber were among 13 players who received $22,025,000 qualifying offers from their former teams Thursday as baseball’s free agent market opened for negotiations with all clubs.

San Diego right-handers Dylan Cease and Michael King also received the offers, as did New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz, Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen, New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga, Philadelphia pitcher Ranger Suarez, Detroit second baseman Gleyber Torres, Houston left-hander Framber Valdez and Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff.

Players have until Nov. 18 to accept.

Among the free agents who didn’t receive qualifying offers were Boston right-hander Lucas Giolito, Seattle infielder Jorge Polanco and Yankees reliever Devin Williams.

If a team makes a qualifying offer to a player who signs a major league contract with another club before next July’s amateur draft, his former club receives draft pick compensation at the end of the first round or at the end of competitive balance round B. The placement depends on the amount of the new contract and the revenue-sharing and luxury tax status of the team losing the player.

Qualifying offers began after the 2012 season, and only 14 of 144 offers have been accepted.

A free agent can be given a qualifying offer only if he has been with the same team continuously since opening day and has never received a qualifying offer before.

Free agents ineligible for qualifying offers included New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger, Boston third baseman Alex Bregman, Cincinnati pitcher Nick Martinez and Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto.

A total of 175 players became free agents in the five days following the World Series.

Among decisions Thursday:

— Atlanta exercised an $18 million option on left-hander Chris Sale and a $7 million option on second baseman Ozzie Albies while declining options on pitchers Pierce Johnson and Tyler Kinley;

—The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers exercised a $10 million option on third baseman Max Muncy and a $3.55 million option on reliever Alex Vesia;

— Polanco declined a $6 million player option;

— Infielder Justin Turner became a free agent after the Cubs declined a $10 million mutual option, and Chicago agreed to a $6.5 million, one-year contract to retain right-hander Colin Rea;

—Pitchers Paul Sewald and Jose Urquidy became free agents after the Detroit Tigers declined options;

— Shortstop Trevor Story declined to exercise his right to opt out of his contract, keeping $55 million in salary for the final two seasons of his $140 million, six-year deal with Boston;

— Left-hander John Means’ $6 million option was declined by Cleveland, allowing the pitcher to become a free agent as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery;

— Tampa Bay declined an $11 million option on Pete Fairbanks, allowing the closer to become a free agent, and exercised an $11.5 million option on infielder Brandon Lowe.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The Hot Stove season is just getting started, but before the action really heats up, we’re examining each Major League Baseball team to identify its biggest needs this offseason. 

From the usual big-money spenders destined to scour the free-agent market, to the teams with deep farm systems that will fare better on trade deals, we’ve got everyone covered. 

To kick things off, our series begins with the American League East. Here are the biggest needs for one of the most competitive divisions in baseball:

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

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Biggest need: Keeping Bo Bichette in Canada

Coming off an emotional and disappointing end to a hugely successful season, the defending AL champions quickly crossed off a priority on their offseason checklist when Shane Bieber opted into a one-year, $16 million deal instead of becoming a free agent. Now, they need to keep adding on by focusing on their homegrown shortstop. Bichette battled back from injury and, after seven weeks of no game action, returned during the World Series to become their hit machine. It’s time for Toronto to repay him.

Fortunately for the Blue Jays, as they aim to keep Bichette in Canada for the foreseeable future, the feeling is mutual. Bichette has been vocal about his preference to remain in the organization that raised him. But don’t expect the process to be nearly as swift or painless as it was for Bieber. Bichette is hitting the market at the prime age of 27, and there will be multiple suitors for one of the top hitters of the game. Plus, he just spent the World Series playing a more-than-serviceable second base, all while being at less than 100% health. Teams that have vacancies at shortstop, second, or third base should be salivating at the thought of signing Bichette.

Bichette has produced similar numbers to Corey Seager through the veteran shortstop’s age-26 season. Elite company for an elite hitter. Toronto has to be prepared to pay up to include Bichette in their long-term plans. It will be fascinating to see how long Bichette tests the market to drive up his price, which is expected to top $200 million. 

NEW YORK YANKEES

Biggest need: Re-signing Cody Bellinger

It was odd to see Aaron Judge and his Yankees teammates sitting courtside at the New York Knicks’ season opener a couple of weeks ago. It was the middle of October, and there were playoff games taking place, but the powerhouse Yankees weren’t a part of the action. How can they avoid getting eliminated next postseason, and build an indomitable roster?

It starts with re-signing Bellinger, who was a key performer at four positions for the 2025 Yankees. His transition into pinstripes was seamless. The former MVP posted a 125 OPS+ in 152 games. He was a leader in the clubhouse. He was consistent and durable. Outside of Aaron Judge, Bellinger was their MVP. Landing him on a multi-year deal to return to the Bronx will give the Yankees an everyday center fielder in a Trent Grisham-less world. 

Otherwise, the Yankees could target free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker. While his bat would be an asset to the lineup, he doesn’t make a ton of roster sense. Tucker taking over right (or left) field would push Aaron Judge to center, and that defensive alignment is suboptimal. The Yankees prefer an everyday centerfielder who is not Judge. They don’t seem to trust Jasson Dominguez there. And Bellinger has already demonstrated he can effectively fill that role. Tucker, of course, is the bigger acquisition and the Yankees should go for it. I just don’t think they will. And losing Bellinger’s versatility in the field would hurt them too much.

BOSTON RED SOX

Biggest need: Starting pitching

The Red Sox had a turbulent season, highlighted by the Rafael Devers Drama, before shocking everyone and making the playoffs. Though it was an early exit after losing to the Yankees in the Wild Card round, there were some encouraging developments to expand on. That starts with adding a quality arm behind ace Garrett Crochet to create a formidable 1-2 punch. 

The Red Sox have a farm system brimming with young talent, so they’re expected to trade for a starter rather than buy one. And if the Tigers are serious about shopping Tarik Skubal, the Red Sox have the trade capital to land him. The thought of a Skubal-Crochet 1-2 punch should petrify opposing teams to the bone, and it’s almost too tantalizing to believe it could come true for a Red Sox fan base that has seen more superstars leave the organization than enter it since their 2018 championship. Other potential trade targets include Freddy Peralta, Sandy Alcántara, Joe Ryan, Mitch Keller, and Luis Severino.

If you’re surprised that Boston’s biggest need isn’t re-signing Alex Bregman or an alternate corner infielder, that’s because they have an in-house option in Marcelo Mayer. He was called up to the big leagues after Bregman went on the injured list in May, and after a slow start, Mayer posted a .788 OPS with four home runs in June. If he can stay healthy, he could be the answer at third. Bregman is likely going to demand a higher asking price than the Red Sox are comfortable giving him. 

TAMPA BAY RAYS

Biggest need: Outfield impact bats (and roof over their stadium)

I’m only half-joking about that roof, which is expected to be built back up at Tropicana Field sometime in 2026. It still sounds like there is a possibility that the Rays will play their initial home games at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ winter and spring training complex. Besides a little more normalcy for 81 home games, the Rays also need to upgrade their outfield production. An outfield group consisting mainly of Jake Mangum, Chandler Simpson, Josh Lowe, and Christopher Morel ranked 26th in MLB in terms of OPS+ this past season. That has to be better. But how will they fix it?

The Rays’ payroll situation isn’t going to dramatically change this winter, but it’s also unlikely that they will run the same team back after finishing 77-85 and falling to fourth place in the division. That being said, it’s easy to imagine a world in which the Rays rely on Simpson and Mangum taking steps forward next year with their rookie seasons behind them. They could get creative and move fast with a sneaky move if the opportunity presents itself, a la the acquisition of infielder Ha-Seong Kim in early February. Barring a trade or two, expect the Rays to shop in the mid- to low-tier of free-agent outfielders. This winter, some of the top names in that group include Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Conforto, Max Kepler, Starling Marte, and Grandal Grichuk.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Biggest need: Starting pitching

Are the Orioles just going to stand pat and watch all the other teams in the division get better and contend for the playoffs, or are they going to make a scurry of significant moves to upgrade their roster? With an owner who is reported to have a net worth upwards of $4 billion, it has to be the latter. David Rubenstein took full control of the Orioles before the 2024 season, and we’re still waiting for him to infuse the roster with cash and bring in marquee free agents. Maybe this is the year. 

The O’s plan of running out Zach Eflin as their ace, backed up by Grayson Rodriguez, Charlie Morton, and Tomoyuki Sugano, didn’t work. It was viewed as a weak starting rotation heading into the 2025 season, and it unsurprisingly performed that way. The O’s should be shopping at the top of the free-agent market for arms like Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, and Michael King. There is no penny-pinching excuse. There should be no restraints. 

They have a young and promising lineup that’s due for a bounce-back season in 2026 after underwhelming results in 2025. They have a new manager in Craig Albernaz with a ton of optimism surrounding his hire. Now, they need a viable starting rotation to bring the Orioles back from the AL East basement. It was only two years ago when, led by ace Corbin Burnes, Baltimore boasted a 101-win season, followed by an early playoff exit due to — stop me if you’ve heard this before — a lack of quality starting pitchers. It’s past time for the O’s to fill up their rotation with top arms to supplement the stars in their lineup.

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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Don Mattingly is leaving his role as bench coach of the Toronto Blue Jays, who exercised manager John Schneider’s contract option for 2026 after coming within one victory of their first World Series title since 1993.

Toronto also made a $22,025,000 qualifying offer for 2026 to free agent infielder Bo Bichette, who is expected to reject it.

“He’s been important,” general manager Ross Atkins said Thursday. “We will be in his market.”

A two-time All-Star shortstop and AL hits leader, Bichette sprained his left knee in a Sept. 6 collision with New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells, forcing him to miss the end of the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs. He returned at second base in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in Game 7, which the Blue Jays lost 5-4 in 11 innings.

Mattingly joined the Blue Jays following the 2022 season as bench coach to Schneider. The former New York Yankees slugger and six-time All-Star became Toronto’s offensive coordinator before the 2024 season but returned to his role as bench coach at the end of that year.

Atkins said Mattingly left his role after reaching his first World Series because of a desire to spend more time with his family.

“He’s had a significant (impact) and I feel like it will be lasting,” Atkins said. “It’s something that we have to deal with in the game. We have to figure out a way to continue to improve even when we have a significant loss.”

Atkins said Schneider had been unbelievable in his third full season as manager, overseeing a 20-win improvement from 2024.

“We have picked up the option, that was picked up previously,” Atkins said. “He and I are talking about the potential of that being longer. Schneids has been unbelievable. He is a clear leader in this organization. Really, really good at his job and very proud to be working with him.”

Schneider was interim manager from July 13, 2022 until the end of that season after being promoted from bench coach to replace Charlie Montoyo.

Atkins said he did not expect additional changes to Toronto’s coaching staff.

“We’ll just try to get better,” Atkins said. “No proactive subtractions or significant changes in roles but we’ll try to get better in any way that we can.”

Toronto has already seen right-hander Shane Bieber exercise his $16 million option for 2026.

“Shane Bieber’s decision helps get us started in an area where we do have several subtractions,” Atkins said.

A 30-year-old right-hander who won the 2020 AL Cy Young Award, Bieber was acquired from Cleveland at the July 31 trade deadline. He returned Aug. 22 from Tommy John surgery in 2024.

Toronto pitchers Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer are both free agents. Scherzer started Game 7 of the World Series while Bassitt pitched in that game in relief.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

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