Major League Baseball 2023 Season

Looking ahead.

MLB free agency: Clayton Kershaw and Dodgers waste no time, agree to 1-year deal

Clayton Kershaw's second foray into free agency lasted a lot shorter than his first, but the destination was ultimately the same.

The longtime Los Angeles Dodgers ace has agreed to a one-year deal worth around $20 million with the only organization he has known since he was drafted in 2006, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

The deal swiftly removes one of the top arms available in this offseason's free agency class, though convincing Kershaw to leave Los Angeles always seemed like a hard sell for potential suitors. The Texas Rangers at least had the angle of being his hometown team, but the 34-year-old southpaw opted to keep his relationship with the Dodgers going.

Predictions for top MLB free agents

Where will the biggest free agents sign this offseason? Let's see what the experts think.

MLB.com polled 50 of its reporters and analysts on where 11 free-agent stars will end up for the 2023 season. These are the consensus picks for each one -- Aaron Judge, Jacob deGrom, Trea Turner, Carlos Correa and more.

Here are MLB.com's predictions on where the top free agents will sign.

Cy Young Award winners 2022

It's unanimous! Verlander, Alcantara sweep Cy vote

Their arms were outliers. Justin Verlander's surgically repaired, 39-year-old right arm was responsible for a season that was both statistically and scientifically significant. Sandy Alcantara's previously underrated, remarkably durable right arm delivered a workload that, by modern standards, rated as an unusual extreme.

So it came as no surprise Wednesday night on MLB Network when the Baseball Writers' Association of America rewarded Verlander's incredible comeback and Alcantara's old-school output by naming them the unanimous Cy Young Award winners in the American League and National League, respectively.

That made them outliers of a different sort. This marked just the second time in history that both winners were unanimous. The only other was in the Year of the Pitcher, when the AL's Denny McLain and the NL's Bob Gibson captured all the votes in 1968.

On the MLB Network broadcast, a clearly touched Verlander, who won this award for the third time, reflected on what this achievement meant to him after overcoming surgery at a later stage of his career.

Yankees' Aaron Judge tops Angels' Shohei Ohtani for 2022 American League MVP award

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge has been named American League Most Valuable Player for 2022, Major League Baseball and the voting body for the award – the BBWAA – announced on Thursday evening. Judge, presently a free agent, prevailed over fellow finalists Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels and Yordan Álvarez of the Houston Astros.

Here are the final voting tallies, with first-place votes in parentheses:

1. Aaron Judge, Yankees: 410 (28)

2. Shohei Ohtani, Angels: 280 (2)

3. Yordan Álvarez, Astros: 232

4. José Ramírez, Guardians: 186

5. Jose Altuve, Astros: 142

6. Andrés Giménez, Guardians: 141

7. Julio Rodríguez, Mariners: 108

8. Mike Trout, Angels: 90

9. Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox: 50

10. Justin Verlander, Astros: 44

11. Bo Bichette, Blue Jays: 16

12. Adley Rutschman, Orioles: 14

13. Luis Arreaz, Twins: 12

14. Rafael Devers, Red Sox: 10

15. Kyle Tucker, Astros: 8

16. Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Blue Jays: 7

17. José Abreu, White Sox: 5

18. Alek Manoah, Blue Jays: 5

19. Yandy Díaz, Rays: 2

20. Framber Valdez, Astros: 2

21. Sean Murphy, A's: 1

22. Dylan Cease, White Sox: 1

________________

Cardinals' Paul Goldschmidt named National League MVP for 2022

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has won the National League Most Valuable Player Award for 2022, Major League Baseball and the voting body for the award, the BBWAA, announced on Thursday evening. Goldschmidt prevailed in the balloting over third baseman and teammate Nolan Arenado and third baseman Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres.

This season for the NL Central-champion Cardinals, Goldschmidt batted .317/.404/.578 (180 OPS+) with 35 home runs, 41 doubles, 115 RBI, and 106 runs scored. He led the NL in slugging percentage, OPS, and OPS+, and until late in the season appeared poised to make a run at the Triple Crown. Goldschmidt also won the Hank Aaron Award in the NL and was a finalist for the Gold Glove award at first base.

This marks the first time that Goldschmidt has won the award in his 12-year MLB career. He previously notched top-five finishes in the balloting as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2013, 2015, and 2017. Winning the award at last will likely be a boost to Goldschmidt's eventual Hall of Fame case.

Goldschmidt's is the 21st MVP award in Cardinals franchise history and first since Albert Pujols took the hardware in 2009.

He received 22 first place votes, while Machado scored seven and Arenado got one. Here are the totals:

1. Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals: 380

2. Manny Machado, Padres: 291

3. Nolan Arenado, Cardinals: 232

4. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers: 220

5. Mookie Betts, Dodgers: 154

6. Austin Riley, Braves: 116

7. J.T. Realmuto, Phillies: 98

8. Pete Alonso, Mets: 81

9. Francisco Lindor, Mets: 77

10. Sandy Alcantara, Marlins: 39

11. Trea Turner, Dodgers: 29

12. Dansby Swanson, Braves: 23

13. Michael Harris, Braves: 9

14. Julio Urías, Dodgers: 8

15. Jeff McNeil, Mets: 6

16. Daniel Bard, Rockies: 2

17. Kyle Schwarber, Phillies: 2

18. Edwin Díaz, Mets: 2

19. Starling Marte, Mets: 1

MLB free agents after non-tender deadline

10 intriguing new free agents after non-tender deadline

As the 8 p.m. ET deadline for tendering arbitration-eligible players contracts passed Friday night, it quickly became apparent that among those players who were not tendered a contract are some notable and intriguing names.

1. Cody Bellinger, CF (non-tendered by the Dodgers)

2. Dominic Smith, 1B (Mets)

3. Luke Voit, 1B/DH (Nationals)

4. Franchy Cordero, OF (Red Sox)

5. Alex Reyes, RHP (Cardinals)

6. Jeimer Candelario, 3B (Tigers)

7. Adam Engel, CF (White Sox)

8. Aristides Aquino, OF (Reds)

9. Edwin Rios, INF (Dodgers)

10. Brian Anderson, 3B (Marlins)

Aaron Judge to meet with Giants

Outfielder Aaron Judge has arrived in San Francisco and is expected to meet with the Giants this week, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. Judge, of course, was ranked by CBS Sports as the top free agent available this offseason.

2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award winners

Pujols, Verlander add to legend with Comeback Player of the Year Award

Justin Verlander and Albert Pujols are two of the most decorated superstars in baseball history -- and each added one more honor to his name on Tuesday night.

Verlander and Pujols were named the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award winners in the American League and National League, respectively, by Major League Baseball.

Aaron Judge rumors

Giants get assist from Steph Curry in FA pitch to Judge

The Giants had an opportunity to give their free-agent pitch to Judge the past two days, and they reportedly looked to Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry for an assist.

NBC Sports Bay Area reports that Judge and his agent had dinner with president/CEO Larry Baer, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, manager Gabe Kapler and other members of the organization on Monday and continued to meet with the team on Tuesday.

The Giants also put Judge in touch with Curry's camp, with the hope that “the two superstars could connect as Judge weighs his decision.” Curry, who has spent his entire career with the Warriors, can offer the unique perspective on what it's like to be a star athlete in the Bay Area.

MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi expects the Giants to make a formal offer to Judge within the week, perhaps setting up the slugger to make his decision sooner rather than later.

“I believe that once Aaron Judge knows where at least the initial Giants offer comes in -- and I do believe one is forthcoming -- that there will be a fairly robust conversation here to where we could see Aaron Judge signing with a team within the next two weeks, by the end of the Winter Meetings,” Morosi said Wednesday on MLB Network. “So I think that’s kind of where we stand here, where this is not going to be a February decision. I would expect this to be a December decision, and it could even happen before the end of the Winter Meetings in his home state of California.”

MLB rumors: Twins like Carlos Rodon to fill rotation; Mets want Adam Ottavino back, but only on short deal

Mets hope to retain Ottavino

The Mets hope to retain setup man Adam Ottavino, reports the New York Post. The 37-year-old Brooklyn native is said to be seeking a multi-year contract while the Mets prefer to keep it to a one-year deal. The Mets had seven relievers become free agents after the season, though they did quickly re-sign closer Edwin Díaz to a reliever record five-year, $102 million contract.

Rangers infielders drawing interest

Rangers youngsters Ezequiel Duran and Josh Smith are drawing trade interest, according to the Dallas Morning News. Both players came over from the Yankees in the Joey Gallo trade and made their MLB debuts in 2022. Duran, 23, is primarily a second and third baseman, while the 25-year-old Smith has played all over the infield and some left field as well.

Twins interested in Rodón

Count the Twins among the teams with interest in free agent southpaw Carlos Rodón, according to The Athletic. At this point just about every team in the league has checked in on Rodón, though some are more likely to sign him than others for a variety of reasons (payroll, competitive window, etc.). Our R.J. Anderson ranked Rodón the eighth best free agent this winter.

Rays have interest in Murphy

Many teams have interest in Athletics catcher Sean Murphy, including the Rays, reports MLB.com. Murphy is our No. 1 trade candidate this offseason. The A's are in a deep rebuild and Murphy's salary is projected to climb into the $4 million range through arbitration in 2023. He has three seasons of control remaining and should fetch a significant prospect package.

White Sox interested in Clevinger

The White Sox have strong interest in free agent right-hander Mike Clevinger, reports The Athletic. Chicago needs a No. 5 starter behind Cy Young finalist Dylan Cease and fellow righties Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech, and Lance Lynn. Johnny Cueto filled that role admirably in 2022 after signing a minor league contract in April.

Tigers' Miguel Cabrera Confirms He Will Retire After 2023 MLB Season

Miguel Cabrera's curtain call will come in the 2023 campaign.

The longtime slugger announced on Monday that he plans to retire after the upcoming season:

His looming retirement doesn't come as a surprise—Cabrera was a full-time designated hitter last season, and injuries and the realities of aging have seen the once fearsome hitter manage just 45 homers in total over the past five seasons. To put that level of decline in perspective, he once hit 88 homers in a two-year stretch between 2012 and 2013.

But he will undoubtedly be a first-ballot Hall of Famer after he retires.

The 39-year-old is a 12-time All-Star, two-time MVP, seven-time Silver Slugger, four-time batting champion, one-time World Series champion and in 2012 became the first triple crown winner—leading the American League in batting average (.330), homers (44) and RBI (139)—since Carl Yastrzemski pulled off the feat in 1967.

For his career he's a .308 hitter with a .908 OPS who has 507 homers, 1,847 RBI, 3,088 hits and 1,530 runs. He's one of just seven players in MLB history to accumulate at least 500 homers and 3,000 hits, joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez.

It's one of the most exclusive clubs in baseball history, notwithstanding the questionable legitimacy of Palmeiro's and Rodriguez's accomplishments due to their steroid use.

Such questions have not been asked about Cabrera, who like Pujols came through the tail end of the steroid era in baseball without blemish. Both players make a strong argument for being the best hitters of their era.

Pujols, who retired after the 2022 season, will likewise be a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee after a career that spanned 22 years. He'll just be inducted one year before Cabrera.

Yankees' current offer for Aaron Judge 'in neighborhood' of $300 million, per report

The New York Yankees have made it no secret that want to re-sign franchise player Aaron Judge, and word of their current offer has arrived. According to ESPN, the Yankees are offering a contract "in the neighborhood of eight years and $300 million and could increase it." The belief is Judge could sign by the end of the MLB Winter Meetings next week in San Diego.

Judge rejected a seven-year extension worth $213.5 million in spring training, then went out and had a historic season that saw him hit an American League record 62 home runs. The two sides did not discuss an extension during the season -- Judge set an Opening Day deadline for talks -- though chairman Hal Steinbrenner has made it clear he wants Judge to return.

"I just want him to know how I felt. In case there was any lack of clarity or ambiguity," Steinbrenner told NJ.com earlier this month about his recent face-to-face meeting with Judge. "We have plenty of ability to -- and Aaron and I talked about this -- to make this happen and still have money to make other things happen ... My budget for Judge is going to be what I feel we can do. It's not limitless, obviously. But am I going to make moves before we're able to -- in my opinion, we're going to be able to sign Aaron. That's not going to stop me from signing other people."

Judge met with the San Francisco Giants, his hometown-ish team, last week. They are said to be serious with their pursuit and, at this point, it feels like eight years and $300 million is what it'll take just to get your foot in the door. It's likely Judge will land a deal north of that, perhaps upward of nine years. That would take him through his age-39 season.

Gerrit Cole holds the Yankees' franchise records for total contract value ($324 million) and average annual value ($36 million). Those are two benchmarks Judge's camp may want to top. Judge could try to break Max Scherzer's average annual value record ($43.3 million), though topping Mike Trout's total contract value record ($426.5 million) won't happen.

Where MLB labor issues stand one year after owners' lockout caused first work stoppage since 1994

The 2023 Major League Baseball Season is poised to be the first "normal" one in what feels like a very long time.

The 2020 season was abbreviated to just 60 regular-season contests and was forced to conduct the playoffs in a bubble setting, all because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, in-person attendance was drastically limited for much of the year – also because of the pandemic. This past season, the entire thing seemed imperiled because of the owner-driven lockout, and once an accord was finally reached for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the start of the season was pushed back to April 7 and the schedule was compressed to make room for the later Opening Day and the expanded playoffs.

That later cause of baseball upheaval brings us to the here and now. One year ago – just after midnight on Dec. 2, 2022 – the owners locked out the players and began the sport's first labor stoppage since 1994. It would be 99 days before players and owners were able to agree to a new CBA. That agreement runs through the 2026 season, which means five years of uninterrupted play starting with the recently completed 2022 season.

Given that we're just, oh, shin-deep or so into the current CBA, it's premature to say in any definitive fashion what the key issues will be. So to mark the unfortunate one-year anniversary of the lockout, let's take a (very early) look at the current issues that might imperil some – or, perish the thought, all – of the 2027 season should negotiations on the next CBA prove too contentious.

Much more in the link

Jacob deGrom leaves Mets, signs five-year, $185 million deal with Rangers, per report

Right-handed starter Jacob deGrom has agreed to a five-year contract with the Texas Rangers, the club announced on Friday night. No financial terms were disclosed by the organization, but MLB.com's Kennedi Landry reports that the deal is worth $185 million.

deGrom, 34, was ranked by CBS Sports as the second best free agent available this winter.

This marks the second consecutive offseason the Rangers have made a splash, following last winter's signings of two of the top position players available in Marcus Semien and Corey Seager. Texas made waves earlier in the winter, albeit on a small magnitude, by hiring three-time World Series champion Bruce Bochy as manager.

"We are thrilled that Jacob deGrom has decided to become a Texas Ranger," Rangers Executive Vice President and General Manager Chris Young said in a press release. "Over a number of seasons, Jacob has been a standout Major League pitcher, and he gives us a dominant performer at the top of our rotation. One of our primary goals this offseason is to strengthen our starting pitching, and we are adding one of the best. I also want to recognize our ownership group, led by Ray Davis, for continuing to provide the resources to build a winning culture here in Arlington. On behalf of the entire organization, I welcome Jacob, his wife Stacey, and the entire deGrom family to the Rangers."

MLB Rumors, Trades and Signings

Ace market heating up; both NY clubs involved

Dec. 3: Mets, Yankees eyeing FA aces (report)

Jacob deGrom’s shocking five-year, $185 million deal with the Rangers could have a domino effect on the rest of the starting pitching market.

The Mets have been hoping to come away with one of deGrom, Justin Verlander and Carlos Rodón, but with deGrom off the market, the competition for the other two could heat up. The Mets have a competitor for both hurlers in their own backyard, with the Yankees reportedly showing interest in Verlander and Rodón.

That said, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reports that the Mets “seem more intrigued” by Verlander, while the Yanks are “more focused” on Rodón.

Re-signing Aaron Judge remains the Yankees’ No. 1 priority this offseason and could cost the team $300 million or more, but Heyman noted Friday that signing Judge might not preclude the Bronx Bombers from adding a top-flight starting pitcher.

The Mets, meanwhile, are hoping to sign another starting pitcher in addition to Verlander or Rodón. They've been linked to Kodai Senga, and SNY's Andy Martino reports that they are in active discussions with Jameson Taillon and Andrew Heaney, among others.

Phillies, Trea Turner agree to 11-year deal

The Phillies got their star shortstop, agreeing to an 11-year, $300 million deal with Trea Turner on Monday, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The team has not confirmed the deal, which per Feinsand includes a full no-trade clause.

The free-agent shortstop market was loaded this offseason, but it’s difficult to find a player at the premier position who has accomplished more than Turner over the past few seasons.

Since becoming a full-time starter with the Nationals in 2018, Turner has established himself as one of the top hitting shortstops in the Majors. During that span, Turner is the only player in baseball with more than 90 homers and 140 stolen bases. He helped the Nationals win their first World Series in franchise history in ‘19.

Turner, who led the Majors in hits in 2020 and ‘21, has made the National League All-Star team each of the past two seasons. He finished fifth in NL MVP voting in ‘21 after leading the league with 195 hits and won his first batting title with a .328 batting average

Guardians’ Emmanuel Clase receives Mariano Rivera award as AL’s top reliever

The Guardians 2022 season ended in a Game 5 loss to the Yankees in the American League Division Series, but the awards keep coming closer Emmanuel Clase’s way.

Clase on Tuesday received the 2022 Mariano Rivera Award for being the top reliever in the AL. He is the first Cleveland reliever to receive the award, which was established in 2014.

Edwin Diaz of the Mets received the Trevor Hoffman award as the National’s top reliever.

As a young pitcher in the Dominican Republic, and as a minor leaguer, Clase’s favorite pitcher was Rivera, baseball’s all-time leader in saves.

“I’m excited to receive this award,” said Clase, with Anna Bolton of the Guardians acting as interpreter. “It’s an honor.”

The Rivera award was worth a $100,000 bonus for Clase. He signed a five-year, $20 million deal just before the start of last season.

Aaron Judge re-signs with Yankees for nine years

Major League Baseball's 2022 Winter Meetings saw their biggest signing Wednesday morning when Aaron Judge re-upped with the Yankees on a nine-year, $360 million deal. Judge, coming off a 62-home run season, was the top prize on the free agent market, but plenty of other All-Stars are still available, including Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Rodón. Judge agreed to the $40 million-per-year deal with the Yankees after reportedly seeing strong competition from the Giants and Padres in free agency.

The MLB offseason is now a month old, and while the first few weeks were slow, things have picked up in recent days with Jacob deGrom (Rangers), Justin Verlander (Mets) and Trea Turner (Phillies) all landing with new teams. H

Xander Bogaerts lands with Padres on 11-year, $280 million deal

The All-Star shortstop has agreed to an 11-year, $280 million deal, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, ending a tenure with the Boston Red Sox going back 10 seasons and giving San Diego yet another mega-deal on its books.

Bogaerts, 30, hit the open market after opting out of the final three years of the six-year, $120 million contract extension he signed in 2019 and rejecting a qualifying offer from the Red Sox, attaching draft pick compensation to his signing.

Bogaerts earned his money with a strong walk year, taking Silver Slugger honors with a .307/.377/.456 line at the plate. His free agency loomed large in Boston the past few years, thanks to the team's tenuous status as a long-term contender and the departure of Mookie Betts, who was traded after the Red Sox failed to agree on a contract extension.

The Red Sox made an attempt to keep Bogaerts but didn't even break $200 million with their final contract offer, per the Boston Globe's Alex Speier.

Brandon Nimmo returns to Mets on eight-year, $162 million deal

The outfielder has agreed to an eight-year, $162 million contract to return the Mets, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Nimmo confirmed that he was returning to Citi Field an hour later on Twitter.

The deal rewards a walk year in which Nimmo hit .274/.367/.433 with 16 homers and a team-leading 102 runs. His seven triples were the most in the National League.

It also moves the Mets further toward the status of MLB true financial juggernaut. With the addition of Nimmo and reliever David Robertson, who agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal around the same time, the Mets are projected to have a $322 million payroll for 2023, easily the highest in the league.

I used to love Baseball,
I lived near Sea Stadium and as kids we used to ride our bikes there, Behind it there used to be the junk yards ,a treasure island for kids,
We used to hung out with the guards that checked for tickets, and after the game started we would help them carry the stanchion and ropes that help form a line , inside and of course we would never come out. Back then there were plenty of empty seats, and we loved to sit by the left field foul pole and wait for foul balls from Dave Kingman.
I continued going to the games with my brother in law as a young adults and we knew all the players on both leagues.
I knew that Mookie Wilson (what a nice guy,) would work on a walk, and once on first base he would take a big lead, and dive back when the pitcher tried to pick him of. His first move when safely back on first base was to take the dirt out of his pants LOL.
The thrill of watching him take off and steal second. We used to go wild. !!
I knew all the players in the league, all their stats, and moves.
It was interesting to watch.
Then there was the baseball strikes, ticket prices started to skyrocket, and lost track of the game and players.
Unless you know what is going on and who will do what and when, the game can be very boring . I tried to watch a few times , and was asleep before the seven inning brake .

Age Is Just a Number as M.L.B. Teams Drop $2 Billion on Free Agents

Baseball was in a spending mood at the winter meetings, where the Mets added Justin Verlander, the Yankees kept Aaron Judge and San Diego splurged on Xander Bogaerts.

SAN DIEGO — Money was flying and the clock was spinning when Mets General Manager Billy Eppler emerged from his suite late Wednesday afternoon on the final day of the winter meetings to announce that Justin Verlander indeed had signed a two-year, $86.6 million deal with the club.

There was still plenty of work to be done, roster holes to fill, championship aspirations to chase. Would the Verlander deal leave enough in the owner Steven A. Cohen’s budget for Eppler to address some of those gaps in impactful ways?

“I think the biggest takeaway here is that Steve’s committed to winning,” Eppler said, and barely 24 hours later the club was in agreement to bring back outfielder Brandon Nimmo on an eight-year, $162 million contract. “He talked about that in his introductory news conference. He talked about that again last year when we were going in shortly after I got hired, and we made some of those signings.

“The commitment remains very evident to this day that he and Alex are making to the community, the fan base, the City of New York. It’s showing.”

Like the Mets, teams throughout the industry were in a spending mood this week. Freed from the constraints of the owner-induced, 99-day lockout a year ago that brought the business of baseball to an icy winter halt, many clubs saw nothing but green lights and blank checks this week amid the palm trees at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.

Major League Baseball teams so far this winter have guaranteed more than $2 billion in salaries to Verlander, Nimmo, Aaron Judge (nine years, $360 million, Yankees), Trea Turner (11 years, $300 million, Phillies), Xander Bogaerts (11 years, $280 million, Padres), Jacob deGrom (five years, $185 million, Rangers), Masataka Yoshida (five years, $90 million, Red Sox), Willson Contreras (five years, $87.5 million, Cardinals) and Taijuan Walker (four years, $72 million, Phillies), among others.

The money has gone to pitchers and outfielders, sluggers and speedsters, young players and — especially eye catching — older players.

Midterm MLB offseason grades for all 30 teams: Bowden on signings, trades and what’s next

Examples........

Miami Marlins
Grade: B
Trades: Acquired INF Xavier Edwards and RHP JT Chargois from Rays for RHP Santiago Suarez and RHP Marcus Johnson; traded RHP Elieser Hernandez and RHP Jeff Brigham to Mets for RHP Franklin Sanchez and a player to be named (Jake Mangum); traded C Payton Henry to Brewers for OF Reminton Batista.

New York Mets
Grade: A
Trades: Acquired LHP Brooks Raley from Rays for LHP Keyshawn Askew; acquired RHP Elieser Hernandez and RHP Jeff Brigham from Marlins for RHP Franklin Sanchez and a player to be named (Jake Mangum).
Free agents: RHP Edwin Díaz, 5 years/$102 million; RHP Justin Verlander, 2 years/$86.66 million; LHP José Quintana, 2 years/$26 million; CF Brandon Nimmo, 8 years/$162 million; RHP David Robertson, 1 year/$10 million.

San Francisco Giants
Grade: C
Trades: Acquired INF Brett Wisely from Rays for OF Tristan Peters; traded OF Steele Walker to Tigers for cash.
Free agents: OF Joc Pederson, 1 year/$19.65 million; OF Mitch Haniger, 3 years/$43.5 million.

New York Yankees
Grade: A
Free agents: OF Aaron Judge, 9 years/$360 million; 1B Anthony Rizzo, 2 years/$40 million; RHP Tommy Kahnle, 2 years/$11.5 million.

The rest in the link above

Mets, Japanese Star Kodai Senga Agree on Five-Year Deal, per Reports

Kodai Senga and the Mets have reportedly agreed to a five-year, $75 million deal, according to multiple reports. SNY's Andy Martino was first to report the news.

Senga’s contract is reportedly pending until he completes a physical.

During his time in Japan, Senga has posted a career record of 104–51, a 2.42 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 2.92 strikeout to walk ratio through 1,340.2 innings and 275 games. In 2022, the 29-year-old righthander recorded a 1.89 ERA through 148 innings.

The 29-year-old possesses a dangerous fastball and splitter. In the last 11 seasons, Senga has played for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan.

The deal with the Mets provides Senga does not have a full no-trade clause, but it does reportedly come with an opt-out provision that would allow him to become a free agent after the 2025 season, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.

In this link

Below you'll find our tracker, complete with the player, their rank, their last team, and their new team. We'll keep this updated throughout the offseason.

Top 10 of 50 players

https://i.ibb.co/XZbJBnf/top-10.jpg

Former MLB Pitcher T.J. House Comes Out as Gay, Announces Engagement: 'Love Has Finally Set Me Free'

Former Major League Baseball Pitcher T.J. House came out as gay as he announced his engagement to partner, Ryan Neitzel, on Facebook last Thursday.

House, a pitcher who played for the Cleveland Guardians and the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2014-2017 seasons, is only the third MLB player to come out as gay publicly.

The other two players are Glenn Burke who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland Athletics in the 1980s, and Billy Bean who played for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the 1990s.

Sean Murphy traded to Braves in 3-team deal

Backstop swap: Murphy to ATL, Contreras to Crew in 3-way deal

Sean Murphy is the Braves’ new catcher of the future.

Murphy was acquired from the A’s on Monday afternoon as part of a three-team deal that also included the Brewers. To land the highly regarded catcher, the Braves parted ways with All-Star catcher William Contreras and the club’s top-ranked prospect (per MLB Pipeline), left-handed pitcher Kyle Muller.

“It’s always hard to trade guys away,” Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said. “It’s just a rare opportunity to get a premium defensive player at a premium position. We gave up a lot of talented guys that we like. But we look at Sean and how he fits with this core and this group, and it’s a really good fit.”

The Braves paid a steep price to get Murphy, but in return they gained one of the game’s top backstops. The 28-year-old ranked third among all catchers (min. 400 plate appearances) in 2022 with 5.1 fWAR, trailing only the Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto (6.5) and Orioles rookie Adley Rutschman (5.3). He slugged .426 with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs for Oakland this year. He finished with a 120 OPS+ on his way to receiving a share of down-ballot votes for the AL MVP Award.

TRADE DETAILS:

A’s get:
OF Esteury Ruiz from Brewers (club's No. 8-ranked prospect)
C Manny Piña from Braves
LHP Kyle Muller from Braves (club's No. 1-ranked prospect)
RHP Freddy Tarnok from Braves (club's No. 6-ranked prospect)
RHP Royber Salinas from Braves (club's No. 18-ranked prospect)

Braves get:
C Sean Murphy from A’s

Brewers get:
C William Contreras from Braves
RHP Joel Payamps from A’s
RHP Justin Yeager from Braves

Carlos Correa agrees to 13-year megadeal with Giants

The Giants finally got their superstar.

After coming up short in their pursuit of the reigning American League MVP, the Giants won the Carlos Correa sweepstakes, agreeing to a 13-year, $350 million deal with the star shortstop, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The deal has no opt-out and a full no-trade clause. The club has not confirmed the move.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported that the Mets were entering the fray for Correa, likely driving the Giants to move quickly to get this deal done. The Twins were also among the final teams involved in talks.

Correa’s arrival will usher in a new era for the Giants, who had been looking for a new face of the franchise following the retirement of Buster Posey in 2021 and were in the mix for Aaron Judge before he agreed to return to the Yankees. Correa’s megadeal easily ranks as the biggest contract in club history, surpassing the nine-year, $167 million extension Posey signed in March 2013. It also exceeded Francisco Lindor's $341 million deal for the largest shortstop contract by total value and tied Bryce Harper for the longest free-agent contract in history.

Nathan Eovaldi and Lance Lynn set to join Team USA

The embarrassment of riches that is Team USA's World Baseball Classic roster just got a few more additions. On Wednesday, starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Lance Lynn committed to the team for this spring's tournament.

Eovaldi, the hero of the 2018 World Series for the Red Sox and currently a free agent, battled injuries last year en route to a 6-3 record with a 3.87 ERA across 20 starts. The right-hander has been one of the game's best at limiting free passes, holding the opposition to a second best in baseball 1.64 BB/9 since 2020 (min. 300 IP).

Lynn, who has three top-6 Cy Young Award finishes since 2019, returned from knee surgery in June and posted a 3.99 ERA in 121 2/3 IP last season. The White Sox starter is one of the most durable hurlers when healthy, though: From 2019-21, Lynn's 449 1/3 IP were fifth among all Major League starters.

Rosters won't be finalized until later this winter, but here is how Team USA's roster currently looks:

C: J.T. Realmuto, Will Smith
1B: Pete Alonso, Paul Goldschmidt
2B: Trevor Story
SS: Tim Anderson, Bobby Witt Jr.
3B: Nolan Arenado
OF: Mookie Betts, Cedric Mullins, Mike Trout, Kyle Tucker
SP: Nestor Cortes, Nathan Eovaldi, Kyle Freeland, Merrill Kelly, Lance Lynn, Miles Mikolas, Brady Singer, Adam Wainwright, Logan Webb
RP: Daniel Bard, David Bednar, Nick Martinez, Ryan Pressly, Dillon Tate, Devin Williams

Team USA will begin its title defense on March 11 in Phoenix, taking on Mexico, Colombia, Canada and Great Britain in Pool C.

MLB Insider Details The Kevin Kiermaier Deal

The Toronto Blue Jays are trying to put together the best possible team to compete for the AL East’s top spot.

They recently added pitcher Chris Bassitt and outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, a former Gold Glove winner in center field.

They announced the signing of the latter on Thursday, on a one-year deal worth $9 million.

It’s a good payday for a player who appeared in just 63 games this past season and had a .650 OPS.

Still, he has a game-changing ability to play defense that teams found appealing.

There are also some incentives included in his deal that make it more attractive.

“Kiermaier deal includes $750K in possible bonuses he can earn by staying on the active roster,” MLB insider Ken Rosenthal tweeted.

When he is at his best, Kiermaier can offer a solid power-speed combo, league-average offense, and his trademark defense.

Age and injuries, however, are starting to affect his performance.

He will be 33 next season, so he is a bit past his prime and has also lost half a step defensively.

In 2022, he slashed .228/.281/.369 with a 90 wRC+ (100 is considered league average) in 221 plate appearances with the Tampa Bay Rays.

If he is fully healthy, he can surely improve, but his ceiling is somewhat capped at this point.

He would be an ideal fourth outfielder for a contending team, but the Blue Jays might give him a starting gig and it could prove to be a mistake for those comparing him with the now-departed Teoscar Hernandez.

Carlos Rodon, Yankees agree to deal

Rodón, Yankees agree to six-year deal (source)

Carlos Rodón is headed to the Bronx, a move that projects to give the Yankees one of the American League’s most formidable starting rotations.

Rodón and the Yankees agreed on Thursday to a six-year, $162 million contract, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and has not been formally announced by the club.

The agreement with the 30-year-old Rodón follows the Yankees’ splashy move at the Winter Meetings to bring back superstar outfielder Aaron Judge on a nine-year, $360 million deal.

While negotiating that agreement, managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner promised Judge that the club could satisfy his demands and do more to improve the roster. With Rodón, Steinbrenner delivered.

Rodón was widely viewed as the top remaining starting pitcher on the free-agent market, with Jacob deGrom having relocated to the Rangers and Justin Verlander now across town with the Mets.

“He’s really good,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said during the Winter Meetings in San Diego. “Really good.”

The Yankees’ offseason work is not yet complete, even with Judge, Rodón and first baseman Anthony Rizzo agreeing to new deals this offseason. General manager Brian Cashman continues to seek a left fielder, with free agent Andrew Benintendi thought to be one of their choices.

White Sox sign Andrew Benintendi for five years, $75 million

The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms with free-agent outfielder Andrew Benintendi on a five-year contract worth $75 million, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Benintendi joins starting pitcher Mike Clevinger as the second notable free agent signed this winter by the White Sox. His contract, meanwhile, becomes the richest signed by a free-agent in franchise history, surpassing the $73 million agreement fetched by Yasmani Grandal a few years back.

Benintendi, 28, is coming off an All-Star season that doubled as the second most productive of his big-league career, trailing only his 2018 efforts. He batted .304/.373/.399 (120 OPS+) in split duty between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees, homering five times and tallying 3.2 Wins Above Replacement, according to the estimates housed at Baseball Reference.

Shortstop Dansby Swanson finalizing seven-year, $177 million deal with Cubs, per reports

The best remaining free agent shortstop has a deal. Dansby Swanson and the Chicago Cubs have agreed on a seven-year, $177 million deal, reports Russell Dorsey of Bally Sports. The team has not yet confirmed the signing. The other top free agent shortstops -- Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa, and Trea Turner -- all signed earlier this offseason. The Cubs were long rumored to be on at least one of them and the smoke was the heaviest around Swanson from the beginning of the offseason.

Swanson, 29 in February, was selected No. 1 overall in the 2015 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, though they traded him to this hometown Atlanta Braves six months later in the ill-fated Shelby Miller deal. In parts of seven seasons with Atlanta, Swanson authored a .255/.321/.417 line and averaged 20 home runs and 2.8 WAR per 162 games. He was part of their 2021 World Series-winning club.

The 2022 season was Swanson's best. He slashed .277/.329/.447 with 25 home runs, and a big jump in defensive stats allowed him to post a career best 5.7 WAR. Swanson rated as an above-average defender previously, then this past season the numbers jumped to among the best in the le

Red Sox land Justin Turner with two-year contract, per report

The Boston Red Sox have added to their lineup. The Red Sox and Justin Turner have agreed to a two-year contract worth $22 million, according to ESPN. The deal includes an opt out after 2023. The team has not yet confirmed the signing.

Although he has spent most of his career at third base, the 38-year-old Turner won't unseat Rafael Devers at the hot corner, and he is likely to see most of his action at DH in Boston. Boston's previous DH, J.D. Martinez, signed recently with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Turner's former team. Martinez received a one-year contract worth $10 million.

Devers, of course, is a trade candidate, particularly since the two sides reportedly remain far apart in contract extension talks. He is a year away from free agency and the Red Sox were unable to lock up Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts to long-term extensions in recent years. If they trade Devers like they traded Betts, Turner could be at least a part-time replacement at third base.

Turner hit .278/.350/.438 with 13 home runs in 128 games this past season, including .340/.412/.514 in 58 games after July 1.

Carlos Correa Mets deal

Correa pivots to Mets after Giants deal falls through

Steve Cohen’s boldness in fortifying the Mets knows no apparent bounds. Having already committed nearly half a billion dollars in payroll to improve the team this winter, Major League Baseball’s richest owner shocked the industry early Wednesday morning by agreeing to terms on a 12-year deal, $315 million deal with infielder Carlos Correa, a source told MLB.com.

The deal is not yet official and is pending a physical, which is an important distinction. The Mets have not confirmed the agreement.

The New York Post was first to report that Correa and the Mets had come to terms on a deal, mere hours after the shortstop’s 13-year, $350 million contract with the Giants fell apart over apparent medical concerns. That gave Cohen, who is on vacation in Hawaii, a window to slip through and reopen negotiations with Correa.

“We need one more thing, and this is it,” Cohen the Post. “This was important … This puts us over the top. This is a good team. I hope it’s a good team!”

As late as Tuesday morning, the Giants were expected to finalize their deal with Correa, a two-time All-Star and former No. 1 overall Draft pick who had negotiated with the Mets, among other teams, before agreeing to move to San Francisco. But the Giants abruptly cancelled Correa’s press conference over a medical concern that arose during his physical, according to multiple reports. That allowed the Mets to make Correa the new centerpiece of an offseason overhaul that has seen Cohen approve the acquisition of numerous players to improve the Mets.

Japan's Senga says it's 'surreal' to join MLB Mets rotation

Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga joined the New York Mets on Monday, taking his place alongside idols Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in the Major League Baseball club's starting roster.

"It almost feels surreal," Senga said through a translator at a news conference, showing off his new uniform after completing a five-year deal reportedly worth $75 million.

"I'm very happy and excited to be in the Big Apple," Senga said in English. "Let's go Mets."

The 29-year-old right-hander won five Japan Series titles with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and helped Japan win gold at last year's Tokyo Olympics.

"We're thrilled to welcome Kodai," Mets general manager Billy Eppler said. "We've scouted him from afar for a number of years and we knew when he hit free agency that we would want to make this day a reality."

Mets manager Buck Showalter, this year's National League Manager of the Year, and Eppler were among a host of Mets officials who met with Senga in November and convinced him New York was where he needed to play.

"The Mets really showed they wanted (me)," Senga said through a translator. "And also the opportunity to pitch with such great veteran pitchers," calling World Series champion hurlers Scherzer and Verlander "legendary pitchers" known well in Japan.

Senga said he was excited to pitch for Mets fans, who last celebrated a World Series crown in 1986.

"I hope to live up to the highest of their expectations," Senga said.

Senga had a 1.89 earned-run average with 159 strikeouts and 50 walks over 148 innings this year in Japan.

Dodgers' Trevor Bauer reinstated after suspension cut to 194 games

Trevor Bauer's initial 324-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy has been reduced to 194 games by an independent arbitrator, who also reinstated him.

Bauer's legal representatives and his employer, the Los Angeles Dodgers, were informed of the arbitrator's decision Thursday afternoon, ending a seven-month grievance process and bringing some clarity to a saga that has been unfolding for the past year and a half.

Bauer has served 144 games of the suspension, but arbitrator Martin Scheinman essentially gave him credit for the time he served on MLB's restricted list in the second half of the 2021 season. Bauer will be docked pay through the first 50 games of the 2023 season but will be officially reinstated Friday.

The Dodgers then will have 14 days, until Jan. 6, to determine whether to release him or add him to their 40-man roster.

Padres to make Caroline Perry one of highest-ranking female executives in MLB

The oldest of Caroline Perry’s two young daughters frequently states her intention to one day play baseball in the major leagues.

Whether or not Adeline, who is 8, breaks that barrier, she and her 6-year-old sister, Amelia, have a role model at home who is demonstrating what is possible.

“It’s tremendously meaningful to me — the idea that they’re going to grow up thinking they can do anything,” Perry said Tuesday. “… I love the fact they can view things that way.”

Perry, who has been with the Padres for almost 12 years, has been promoted to be the team’s Chief Operating Officer, making the Fallbrook High graduate the highest-ranking female employee in franchise history and one of the highest-ranking team executives in Major League Baseball.

Perry joins Marti Wronski of the Brewers as the only female COOs in MLB. Wronski was promoted earlier this month. In November, the Marlins made Caroline O’Connor their president of business operations. The Marlins also employ the only female general manager, Kim Ng. The Mariners’ Cati Griggs is the only other female serving as president of business operations.

“She is greatly respected by all her colleagues and all who report to her,” Padres CEO Erik Greupner said of Perry. “Her promotion is well-deserved, regardless of the fact she is a woman. But that is sort of the icing on the cake. That one of the most senior executives in our organization is a female, I think that sends an important message to all the females in our organization that there is an opportunity in our organization to rise.”

Perry will be the club’s third-ranking executive behind Greupner and President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller. The only other woman to hold a higher position within the Padres was Joan Kroc, who owned the team from 1984 to ’90.

The team has been without a COO since Greupner was promoted from that position to president of business operations in 2019. He was named CEO in 2021.

Perry, a graduate of Stanford and Columbia Law School, began her career in finance and later worked as a corporate attorney. She worked for Davis Polk & Wardell, one of the country’s largest law firms, immediately before joining the Padres.

“It really hadn’t crossed my mind,” she said of working in professional sports. “I was a big sports fan, particularly of the football franchise that shall not be named. I was in college when the Padres went to the World Series in 1998. I remember watching games in my dorm room. I don’t think I ever really (considered) the idea you could work in sports when you weren’t working on the sports side, and being part of a sports team in particular had never crossed my mind.”

Perry saw a job posting for an associate general counsel for the Padres.

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is my childhood team, and I could come back to San Diego,’ ” she recalled. “That was one of the most exciting days of my life. I still vividly recall getting the call from Erik and him offering me the job.”

She was hired by Greupner shortly after he joined the team in 2010.

“She was my first hire,” Greupner said. “She’s just done an outstanding job over the last decade. That makes her historic promotion even more meaningful to the Padres and to me.”

In her current role as executive vice president for business affairs and general counsel, Perry has overseen the Padres’ legal, finance, government affairs and IT operations. She will now assume responsibility for ballpark operations and business strategy and analytics. She will continue to lead the franchise’s efforts to develop the Tailgate Park area.

“She is a trusted adviser to me and (team Chairman) Peter Seidler and A.J. Preller,” Greupner said.

The promotion will be officially announced within the organization Wednesday and Perry will assume the COO role Jan. 1.

MLB greats who passed away in 2022

Roger Angell (1920). Perhaps the best baseball writer ever, Angell was a writer and editor for The New Yorker for decades, most notably serving as the magazine’s fiction editor. But he became known mostly for his baseball writing -- including his legendary essay, “Gone For Good,” about pitcher Steve Blass. He was the winner of the Spink Award, the PEN/ESPN Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sportswriting and an inductee into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the only man to achieve all three honors. His 2014 essay, “This Old Man,” remains one of the best pieces of writing this journalist has ever read.

Tommy Davis (1939). A two-time batting champ (he hit .346 in 1962, a year in which he also had 153 RBIs), he won a World Series with the Dodgers in 1963. Davis, who initially signed with the Dodgers rather than the Yankees on the advice of Jackie Robinson, was famously well-traveled in his career, once playing on 10 teams in 10 seasons.

Jeremy Giambi (1974). The young brother of Jason Giambi, Jeremy was a key player for the A’s (and famously immortalized in the book "Moneyball") in the mid-2000s. Like many members of those A’s teams, he was adept at drawing walks and posted a career .377 OBP, though for some fans he is best known for being the player tagged out by Derek Jeter on the famous “Flip Play” in the 2001 American League Division Series.

Hector Lopez (1929). Among the best Panamanian baseball players, Lopez was the other Yankees outfielder in 1961 and '62, playing alongside Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. He homered and had seven RBIs in the four-game World Series sweep of the Reds in '61. After he retired, he would go on to become the first-ever Black Triple-A manager when he took over the Buffalo Bisons in 1969.

Gaylord Perry (1938). The first pitcher ever to win the Cy Young Award in both the National League and the American League, Perry was perhaps most famous for his spitball -- a pitch he made sure to note that he threw a lot less than hitters thought he did. (He once tried to secure a sponsorship from Vaseline.) He pitched until he was 45, winning 314 games. He was finally ejected for doctoring the ball for the first time in his career during his second-to-last season in 1982. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.

Vin Scully (1927). The first Dodgers game Vin Scully ever broadcast in 1950 featured future Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider and Richie Ashburn. The last game he ever broadcast featured Buster Posey, Corey Seager and Justin Turner. In between was most of baseball history, with Scully right there in the middle of all of it -- the narrator, soundtrack and soul of the national pastime. “Hi, everybody and a very pleasant good evening to you, wherever you may be.”

Bruce Sutter (1953). Sutter did not invent the split-fingered fastball, but he was the one who mastered it -- a pitch he only started using because he had nerve surgery when he was 19 and discovered when he came out of surgery that none of his pitches worked anymore. He was a reliever from the beginning -- in the Minors, then with the Cubs. He was traded to St. Louis along with Leon Durham and Ken Reitz prior to the 1981 season, where he would be known as Engine No. 42. Sutter struck out Gorman Thomas to win the 1982 World Series. He was on the Hall of Fame ballot for 13 years before being elected in 2006.

Ralph Terry (1936). A starting pitcher who appeared in five consecutive World Series for the Yankees, Terry actually won the Series MVP in 1962, when he put together a 1.80 ERA in three games against the Giants -- most notably a shutout win in Game 7 in which he outdueled Jack Sanford. He is perhaps still most famous for giving up Bill Mazeroski's homer that won the 1960 World Series for the Pirates.

Anthony Varvaro (1984). A reliever for the Red Sox, Braves and Mariners from 2010-15, Varvaro, a Staten Island native, became a police officer for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey after he retired and was stationed at the new World Trade Center. He was killed in September by a driver going the wrong way in Jersey City while he was reporting to his post on the 21st anniversary of 9/11 attacks.

Gerald Williams (1966). A 14-year veteran who came up in the Yankees organization with Bernie Williams (and who would later befriend Derek Jeter, who considered him one of his closest friends), Williams would end up facing the Yankees as a member of the Braves in the 1999 World Series. Jeter once wrote, “Williams speaks softly and thoughtfully and is more like a philosopher than a baseball player. You could sit down next to Gerald on a plane, take a three-hour flight, talk the whole time and never, ever guess that he played baseball. Gerald would talk to you about politics, religion, health care, the judicial system, anything. He is a person who thrives on life. He always finds positives and has told me that he doesn’t think he could ever overuse the word positive.”

Maury Wills (1932). The man who brought the stolen base back, Wills won the 1962 MVP largely because of his 104 stolen bases, which broke Ty Cobb’s then-record of 96. This was after an inauspicious start to his career in which he was asked to take over for Pee Wee Reese as Dodgers shortstop. He would make seven All-Star teams and win three World Series with the Dodgers. Wills also took the first-ever at-bat for the Montreal Expos.

John Wockenfuss (1949). The eccentric, magnificently mustachioed (and magnificently named) Wockenfuss nearly quit baseball in 1975 to run his own pizzeria. He hung around as a utility player with a highly unusual batting stance and was ultimately part of the infamous 1984 Tigers-Phillies trade that gave Detroit Willie Hernandez, who would win the AL MVP and Cy Young, as well as the World Series that season.

Larry Biittner (1946). Pinch-hitter extraordinaire for four teams over 14 years.

Chuck Carr (1967). A stolen-base champ for the Marlins in 1993, Carr was a member of the Milwaukee Brewers in 1997 until, ordered to take a pitch 2-0 by manager Phil Garner, he swung away and popped out. Afterward, he told Garner, “That ain't Chuckie's game. Chuckie hacks on 2-0.” He was released shortly afterward, but it worked out fine for him: He hit a homer off John Smoltz as a member of the Astros in Game 3 of the NLDS that year. It would turn out to be his final MLB at-bat.

Julio Cruz (1954). A slick-fielding second baseman who was also a prolific basestealer -- Cruz once said Lou Brock told him, “Don’t go unless you’re going to make it eight out of every 10 times.” He ended up being the Mariners’ Spanish language announcer for nearly 20 years after retirement.

Gene Clines (1946). Pirates outfielder on their 1971 World Series team, Clines was also part of the Bucs' historic all-minority lineup that season. He was later a first-base coach for Dusty Baker when he managed the Cubs.

Terry Cooney (1933). Longtime umpire who joined the profession after serving as a prison guard.

Jim Corsi (1961). Massachusetts native pitched for the A’s on three different occasions before finally playing for the Red Sox, for whom he later worked as an announcer.

Ike Delock (1929). Longtime relief specialist for the Red Sox.

Dick Ellsworth (1940). Named an All-Star in 1964, one year after he won the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Bill Haller (1935). Umpired in four World Series, but may be most famous for a profane Earl Weaver tirade directed at him that was caught on tape.

Joe Horlen (1937). Led all AL pitchers in ERA (2.32) from 1964-68.

Odalis Perez (1978). The first pitcher ever to win a postseason game before a regular-season game, Perez was also once traded for Gary Sheffield.

Dick Schofield (1935). Played for 19 seasons, mostly for the Cardinals and the Pirates. The Springfield, Ill., native was the first player ever to bat at Shea Stadium.

Dwight Smith (1963). The runner-up for NL Rookie of the Year in 1989 behind teammate Jerome Walton, Smith was one of the best pinch-hitters in baseball and a key member of the 1995 World Series champion Atlanta Braves. He also platooned with Bo Jackson in Anaheim before Jim Edmonds showed up and forced him to the bench.

John Stearns (1951). The “Bad Dude” once got involved in an infamous brawl with Gary Carter, but, like Carter, the four-time All-Star will forever be known as a Met -- the team he both played for and coached with for more than a decade.

Lee Thomas (1936). An All-Star first baseman for the Angels, Thomas is perhaps better known as the general manager of the Phillies, where he built the 1993 World Series team.

Pete Ward (1937). Third baseman for the White Sox, who was acquired from the Orioles (along with Hoyt Wilhelm) for Luis Aparicio.

David West (1964). Crafty left-hander who won a World Series with the Twins in 1991 (and almost won one with the Phillies in '93).

Dave Wickersham (1935). One of four players (along with Aurelio Monteagudo, Moe Drabowsky and Ken Sanders) to appear with both the Kansas City A’s and the Kansas City Royals.

MLB rumors: Yankees eyeing Bryan Reynolds trade to pair with Aaron Judge; Reds DFA Mike Moustakas

The time between the Winter Meetings and Christmas was, once upon a time, a slow period for Major League Baseball news. We've had quite the week, though, with the Yankees announcing the Aaron Judge signing and naming him captain as the appetizer for the Carlos Correa fiasco -- and coup, from the Mets' perspective.

As we near the end of the week, expect things to be slow while leaving open the possibility that some really cool stuff happens. Here are the latest news and rumors from MLB.

Yankees in on Reynolds
Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds has reportedly been a trade candidate this offseason after asking to get out of town, though the Pirates are said to want such a big return that it's possible nothing happens. Still, a name like this moves the needle. The Yankees have shown interest in Reynolds, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, who he notes that the Pirates mostly wanted starting pitching in a prospect return for Reynolds, while the Yankees are best suited to give up position players.

Reynolds, 27, hit .262/.345/.461 (126 OPS+) with 19 doubles, four triples, 27 homers, 62 RBI, 74 runs, seven steals and 2.9 WAR last season, but he put up 6.0 WAR with a 145 OPS+ in 2021. He's capable of being a star.

Reds sign Myers; DFA Moose

The Reds have signed outfielder/first baseman Wil Myers to a one-year deal with the mutual option for 2024. Full story here.

Best Minor League system development 2022

It’s the last week of the calendar year. Time for some good old-fashioned retrospection.

The end of the Minor League season, the Arizona Fall League and offseason trades may have impacted how we view some of these groups a little since then, but for the most part, these are the five systems that showed the largest improvements in 2022:

1 Rockies
Preseason rank: 24
Re-rank: 9

2 Reds
Preseason rank: 15
Re-rank: 4

3 Guardians
Preseason rank: 12
Re-rank: 3

4 Cubs
Preseason rank: 18
Re-rank: 10

5 Nationals
Preseason rank: 23
Re-rank: 15