8+ hour, 15+ min ago (1336+ words) There's been speculation that Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner plans to drop payroll to under $300 million next year instead of spending whatever it takes to build a roster best suited to finally end a franchise championship drought that now is up to 16 seasons. There's been speculation that the Yankees' three-fold offseason plan is: A. Try to go into 2026 with the same lineup nucleus that was good enough to lead the AL in runs and homers last year by re-signing free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger after overpaying to keep center fielder Trent Grisham. B. Add bullpen arms but not necessarily spend for one of the pricy free agent closers because David Bednar is perfectly fine in that role. C. Redo the bench to give manager Aaron Boone platoon options similarly to what was accomplished at last summer's trade deadline. All of that and a lot…...

8+ hour, 22+ min ago (948+ words) For the Mets and president of baseball operations David Stearns, trading Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien wasn't easy. Nimmo was more than a fan favorite in a Mets uniform. He was beloved by teammates, coaches, members of the front office and more, a leader in the clubhouse and a homegrown player who had spent 14 years with the organization. But, Stearns said, it was the right move. "In order to create the type of sustainable championship caliber play that we seek to have here, at times these types of decisions are necessary," Stearns said on Zoom call with reporters Monday. "I think it's a recognition that what we did last year wasn't good enough and running back the exact same group wasn't the right thing to do," Stearns said. "So as went into this, we believed and still…...

14+ hour, 2+ min ago (541+ words) Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns isn't letting emotion stand between him and his biggest offseason priority. By trading Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien on Sunday, Stearns parted ways with the Mets' longest-tenured player, one who was drafted in 2011 and under contract through 2030. He also took an important step to improve the Mets' defense, while creating more flexibility to continue shaking up a flawed roster that failed to make the postseason in 2025. Statistically, Nimmo is a better hitter than Semien. The outfielder is coming off a season in which he swatted a career-best 25 home runs and slashed .262/.324/.436 over a career-high 155 games. Semien, meanwhile, has been in decline over the past two seasons; he posted a .230/.305/.364 line with 15 home runs and 62 RBIs in 127 games last year. But Nimmo's defense has declined as he's entered his…...

14+ hour, 27+ min ago (232+ words) A 17-year-old Middlesex High School baseball player died after being seriously injured in a crash. It wasn't immediately clear when or where the crash involving James Matula took place, but in a letter to the community school officials confirmed a student's death. Middlesex High School baseball coach Blaze Iannetti said Matula was returning from a trip out of state when the crash occurred, but didn't have additional details. Iannetti said Matula was both well-liked in school and among his teammates. "James was a type of kid who, who lit up the room, " Iannetti said. "As a kid around the building, he was always smiling. He was the type of kid who it seemed got along with everybody." Matula hit .263 as a junior in 2025 for Middlesex, which went 23-5 and won the Group I state title in June. Others sports organizations in…...

1+ day, 5+ hour ago (327+ words) The Mets made their first splashy move of the offseason on Sunday evening, a surprising trade that sent outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. ESPN's Jeff Passan was first to report the early-offseason blockbuster. To make this one-for-one trade possible, Nimmo waived his full no-trade clause, according to reports. It brings his 15-year tenure with the Mets organization " dating back to when he was drafted as a first-round pick in 2011 " to an abrupt close. Semien, 35, has three years remaining on his seven-year, $175 million contract. The Mets are on the hook for $72 million before Semien hits free agency following the 2028 season. Nimmo, meanwhile, is under contract for five more years. The 32-year-old is owed $102.5 million. According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, the Mets will send $5 million to Texas. Mets president of baseball operations David…...

1+ day, 11+ hour ago (262+ words) As we inch closer to the Dec. 1 launch of Missouri sports betting, Show Me State residents can start registering sportsbook accounts today. No FanDuel Missouri promo code is necessary for early sign-ups to get a $100 deposit for simply creating an account. Then, customers can bet $5 and get a $300 bonus if the wager wins. The bonuses will be available on Dec. 1. The pre-registration period for Missouri sports betting is now live. FanDuel Missouri is among the leaders already, and you can join in the action now. This is one of the best Missouri sportsbook promos for early sign-ups. Getting $400 in bonuses is a great way to kick off the MO sports betting launch, so your future self will be happy if you take the time to pre-register. Bonuses are a first-time bettor's best friend. When you place a wager, you can…...

2+ day, 14+ hour ago (373+ words) The Yankees enter the offseason with a clear priority: add a right-handed bat capable of reshaping the lineup. On Friday, YES Network announcer Michael Kay made a case for a particular superstar who fits that description almost too perfectly: Fernando Tatis Jr. Kay acknowledged the complications, including the PED suspension that once threatened the Tatis's trajectory. But he argued that the risk is manageable, noting that another violation could void the contract entirely. "You're one bad test away from being out of the deal," he said, suggesting that such a possibility could actually soften the long-term downside for any team willing to trade for him. And given how strongly the player has performed since that suspension, Kay believes the upside far outweighs the uncertainty. Still just 26 " turning 27 in January " he's coming off a season in which he hit .268 with 25 home…...

3+ day, 5+ hour ago (389+ words) The Yankees went from having three relievers in free agency to eight when they non-tendered five veteran right-handers " Mark Leiter Jr., Ian Hamilton, Scott Effross, Jake Cousins and Michael Arias. Friday was the deadline for the Yankees to tender contracts to their 15 players eligible for salary arbitration. They signed two players for one-year pacts " starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt for $4.5 million and infielder/outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera for $1.2 million " and tendered 2025 contracts to eight others " second baseman Jazz Chisholm, shortstop Anthony Volpe, infielder/outfielder Jose Caballero, starting pitcher Luis Gil and relievers David Bednar, Jake Bird, Fernando Cruz and Camilo Doval. None of the non-tenders was a surprise, not even Leiter, who pitched a 4.98 ERA over 59 games last season and then was left off the Yankees" Division Series roster. The five non-tendered relievers will join three other 2025 Yankees bullpen arms on the…...

3+ day, 13+ hour ago (201+ words) Should the Yankees make a run for Tigers ace Tarik Skubal? Former Yankees outfielder Cameron Maybin says yes. "This is the Yankees. If you want to win you find a way to make it happen!" The Tigers, who reached the ALDS this season, will need to decide whether they'll make Skubal available in trade discussions. With Scott Boras as his agent, Skubal is unlikely to give the Tigers a discount or even sign before he reaches free agency. In 2025, Skubal was 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA through 31 starts with 241 strikeouts over 195 1/3 innings. He won the AL Cy Young Award this year. In an appearance on "Foul Territory" on Thursday, Skubal acknowledged the trade talks. "At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter," he said. "It's not going to impact who I am on a day-to-day basis. It's not going to…...

3+ day, 17+ hour ago (1028+ words) Anyone who thinks the Yankees have the inside track on free agent Cody Bellinger should get acquainted with the gospel according to Scott Boras. There are no sentimental favorites for anyone represented by the toughest, most pitiless agent in baseball. That means no hometown discount, no points for clubhouse friendships or special consideration for a warm relationship with the fans. No one knows this better than the Yankees. Ownership is preparing for a long, drawn-out chess match with Boras, the industry's master of three-dimensional negotiating. So if the question is whether the Yankees think they can bring Bellinger back in 2026, the short answer is: It's complicated. The long answer? It's very complicated. Gone are the days when the Yankees could get away with simply marketing the pinstripes. It worked with aces Gerrit Cole and Max Fried, but the brand isn't…...