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Schwarber re-signs, Diaz joins Dodgers in MLB winter meetings<\/p>\n
Kyle Schwarber re-signs with the Phillies while Edwin Diaz joins the Dodgers in a busy MLB winter meetings.<\/p>\n
The dam broke at Major League Baseball’s winter meetings<\/a> on Tuesday morning with news of free agents Kyle Schwarber and Edwin Diaz agreeing to new contracts in quick succession.<\/p>\n Schwarber is returning to the Philadelphia Phillies<\/a> on five-year, $150 million deal<\/a>, while Diaz is set to join the champion Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a> with a reported three-year, $69 million pact that will make him the highest-paid (annually) relief pitcher in history.<\/p>\n Baseball’s annual gathering is winding down in Orlando but will we see more big moves before everybody scatters home?<\/p>\n Follow along Wednesday for the latest news, rumors and updates:<\/p>\n ORLANDO, FL \u2014 The\u00a0Baltimore Orioles<\/a>\u00a0wasted no time pivoting from their pursuit of slugger\u00a0Kyle Schwarber<\/a>\u00a0and signed first baseman\u00a0Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alonso becomes the latest fan-favorite to leave the\u00a0New York Mets<\/a>\u00a0after the team\u00a0traded outfielder Brandon Nimmo<\/a>\u00a0and All-Star closer\u00a0Edwin Diaz<\/a>\u00a0left for the\u00a0Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alonso, who originally was seeking a seven-year contract and badly wanted to return to the Mets, departed when it was clear New York didn\u2019t want to offer more than three years. And once teams started making offers for more than that, the Mets never budged or submitted a formal offer.<\/p>\n \u2013 Bob Nightengale<\/p>\n Rockies: RHP\u00a0RJ Petit\u00a0(from Tigers)White Sox<\/a>: RHP\u00a0Jedixson Paez<\/a>\u00a0(from\u00a0Red Sox<\/a>)Nationals: RHP\u00a0Griff McGarry<\/a>\u00a0(from PHI)Twins: C\u00a0Daniel Susac<\/a>\u00a0(from\u00a0Athletics<\/a>, later traded to SF for C\u00a0Miguel Caraballo<\/a>\u00a0and cash)Pirates: RHP\u00a0Carter Baumler<\/a>\u00a0(from BAL; later traded to TEX for RHP\u00a0Jaiker Garcia<\/a>\u00a0and cash)Athletics: RHP\u00a0Ryan Watson<\/a>\u00a0(from SF)Cardinals: RHP\u00a0Matt Pushard<\/a>\u00a0(from MIA)Astros<\/a>: RHP\u00a0Roddery Mu\u00f1oz<\/a>\u00a0(from CIN)Guardians: RHP\u00a0Peyton Pallette<\/a>\u00a0(from White Sox,\u00a0CWS No. 14 prospect<\/a>)Blue Jays: RHP\u00a0Spencer Miles<\/a>\u00a0(from SF)Yankees: RHP\u00a0Cade Winquest<\/a>\u00a0(from STL)Phillies<\/a>: RHP\u00a0Zach McCambley<\/a>\u00a0(from MIA)White Sox: RHP\u00a0Alexander Alberto<\/a>\u00a0(from TB)<\/p>\n Atlanta and the 35-year-old outfielder have agreed to a two-year, $23 million deal, according to multiple reports.<\/p>\n Yastrzemski, the grandson of Baseball Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, batted .233 last year with a .333 on-base percentage over 146 games split between the Giants and Royals.<\/p>\n The final order of business at MLB’s annual Winter Meetings is the Rule 5 draft. It will take place Wednesday, starting at at 2 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n The draft gives teams an opoportunity to select minor leaguers who aren’t on other clubs’ 40-man rosters for a $100,000 claim fee. Players selected must remain on the drafting team’s major league roster for the entire 2026 season or they return to their original organization.<\/p>\n Last year, the Chicago White Sox<\/a> selected pitcher Shane Smith with the top overall pick, and were rewarded with an All-Star season from the 25-year-old right-hander.<\/p>\n Here’s this year’s Rule 5 draft order:<\/p>\n Colorado Rockies<\/a>Chicago White SoxWashington Nationals<\/a>Minnesota Twins<\/a>Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a>Los Angeles Angels<\/a>Baltimore Orioles<\/a>AthleticsAtlanta BravesTampa Bay Rays<\/a><\/p>\n The draft continues in reverse order of last year’s standings. The draft proceeds until all teams pass.<\/p>\n The Pittsburgh Pirates have landed a free agent! We already knew it wasn’t Kyle Schwarber<\/a> … but left-hander Gregory Soto has agreed to a one-year, $7.75 million deal, according to ESPN<\/a>.<\/p>\n Soto, 30, had a 4.18 ERA last season over 60 1\/3 innings with the Orioles and Mets. He struck out 70 batters, while walking 24 with a 1.43 WHIP. He’s likely to serve as a primary set-up man for presumed closer Dennis Santana.<\/p>\n In the near two years that Carlos Beltran has served as a special assistant to the general manager\/president of baseball operations with the New York Mets<\/a>, he has had the opportunity to get to know fellow Puerto Rican Edwin Diaz.<\/p>\n On Tuesday afternoon in a conversation ahead of the World Baseball Classic, where Beltran is serving as Puerto Rico’s general manager, he discussed the Mets losing out on Diaz.<\/p>\n “He’s a guy that in the years that I’ve been around the Mets, great teammate, great person, prepares extremely well, Beltran said. “He dominates. So as a Met, there’s no doubt that some of the Mets fans probably are a little down right now and as a Dodger fan, you gotta feel good about adding a guy like that that you can count on in the ninth inning.”<\/p>\n \u2013 Andrew Tredinnick, NorthJersey.com<\/p>\n ORLANDO, FL \u2014\u00a0There’s a\u00a0Detroit Tigers<\/a>\u00a0reunion at the Winter Meetings.<\/p>\n The Detroit Tigers<\/a> re-signed right-handed reliever\u00a0Kyle Finnegan<\/a>\u00a0on Tuesday, Dec. 9, to a two-year, $19 million contract in free agency, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement. There aren’t any opt-outs or options, meaning Finnegan is set to pitch for the Tigers in 2027 as well.<\/p>\n In 2025, Finnegan posted a 3.47 ERA with 18 walks and 55 strikeouts across 57 innings for the\u00a0Washington Nationals<\/a>\u00a0(40 games) and the Tigers (16 games), racking up 24 saves in 31 chances.<\/p>\n The Tigers\u00a0acquired Finnegan from the Nationals at the July 31 trade deadline<\/a>,\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2212 Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press<\/p>\n Major League Baseball\u2019s draft<\/a>\u00a0is still more than eight months away. Yet after the Dec. 9 draft lottery determined the selection order, you could say the\u00a0Chicago White Sox<\/a>\u00a0are ready to Roch.<\/p>\n The White Sox earned the No. 1 overall selection among eligible teams, earning them first crack at UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky \u2013 the overwhelming choice to top the draft board come July.<\/p>\n USA TODAY Sports breaks down the draft order and takes a look at 17 top prospects who might slide into the pool of lottery and non-playoff clubs:<\/p>\n 1. (White Sox) Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA: Reigning collegiate player of the year combines 6-2, 205-pound frame with elite speed and Gold Glove-caliber defense.2. (Rays) Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS: The consensus top prep player available, he\u2019s a Texas commit who recently batted .346 with a .949 OPS in a stint for Team USA, earning All-World honors.3. (Twins) Derek Curiel, OF, LSU: Possibly the best pure hitter in the draft, Curiel batted .390 during LSU\u2019s run through the NCAA playoffs and a College World Series title and will move to center field in his second season at Baton Rouge, which should enhance his stock.4. (Giants) Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama: Displayed 18-homer pop as a sophomore and led the SEC in RBIs to go along with a very sound skill set at shortstop.5. (Pirates) Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle (Calif.): Like your shortstops big and physical? Spangler may be your man. The Stanford signee, 6-3 and 195 pounds, has a consummately projectable long, lean build, a clean left-handed swing and 6.56 60-yard dash speed.<\/p>\n \u2013 Gabe Lacques<\/p>\n ORLANDO, FL \u2014 Agent Scott Boras believes that DH\u00a0Kyle Schwarber<\/a>\u2019s\u00a0five-year, $150 million contract<\/a>\u00a0will not only accelerate free-agent signings this winter, but will lead to longer-term contracts for sluggers over the age of 30.<\/p>\n Yes, in particular the 31-year-old\u00a0New York Mets<\/a>\u00a0first baseman\u00a0Pete Alonso<\/a>, who\u2019s represented by Boras.<\/p>\n \u201cThe evidence in the market is that these premium talents that have power,” Boras said, \u201care in great demand. And the teams are willing to give more length to secure plot power in the marketplace. \u2026<\/p>\n \u201cSchwarber is obviously one of the best power hitters in the game, and all of these guys that are elite, whether they’re 29 or 30, they see a player who’s got five years length at 33, it’s obviously a fair quotient for the players that are younger to demand more years. \u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI think it really shows the demand for power. We just don’t have a lot of it, and it shows the impact that it has.”<\/p>\n \u2013 Bob Nightengale<\/p>\n While Mets president Stearns declined to comment on Diaz’s departure, given the deal has not been finalized, the latest departure of one of their core pieces underscores a new level of urgency.<\/p>\n “I think when we go into an offseason, we have lots of different paths that the offseason can take,” Stearns said. “We thought it important to bring in a reliever of really high quality. We’re really excited we were able to do that with Devin Williams. We think he\u2019s going fit our club really well.<\/p>\n “I’m also confident we’re going to continue to add to the pen and have a very good one when we get to the regular season.”<\/p>\n \u2013 Andrew Tredinnick, NorthJersey.com<\/p>\n The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres will play two regular-season games in Mexico City in 2026. Major League Baseball announced the return of the Mexico City Series on Wednesday. The National League West rivals will play on April 25 and 26 at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu.<\/p>\n