NL East

The Philadelphia Phillies have shored up their bullpen by signing right-handed reliever Craig Kimbrel to a one-year, $10 million contract, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Kimbrel will be reuniting with former Boston Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski in Philadelphia. Dombrowski worked for the Red Sox from 2015 to '19, and Kimbrel spent three seasons in Boston from 2016 to '18.

Dombrowski took over as president of baseball operations for the Phillies in 2021.

The 34-year-old Kimbrel has been on the move quite a bit in recent years, spending last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, his sixth different organization since 2014.

After signing a three-year deal with the Chicago Cubs in 2019, Kimbrel was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2021 before being flipped to the Dodgers last offseason in exchange for outfielder AJ Pollock.

He became a big part of Los Angeles' success in 2022, recording a 3.75 ERA, 22 saves and 72 strikeouts in 60 innings. The squad posted the best record in the majors during the regular season before falling to the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series.

Consistency has been a problem for the veteran, however, which was especially seen in 2021. After producing a 0.49 ERA across 39 appearances with the Cubs, he had a 5.09 ERA in 24 games with the White Sox.

The eight-time All-Star was one of the top closers in baseball during his prime, posting a 1.43 ERA across five seasons with the Atlanta Braves, adding 14.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

With his past success and lengthy experience, Kimbrel could be a valuable addition for his new team.

The only question is whether his up-and-down play makes him a trustworthy option in high-leverage situations.

The San Diego Padres are showing interest in veteran starting pitcher Johnny Cueto, according to FanSided's Robert Murray and the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the Miami Marlins have weighed a move for Cueto as well and posited the 36-year-old could be a replacement for Pablo López if the 26-year-old gets traded.

Cueto posted his highest WAR (2.4) since 2016 last season, per FanGraphs. He went 8-10 with a 3.35 ERA and a 3.79 FIP in 25 appearances. Although his 5.80 strikeouts per nine innings were a career low, he had his second-lowest walk rate (1.88).

The two-time All-Star could be a good stopgap on a playoff contender or perhaps serve as a trade asset to flip ahead of the 2023 deadline.

The Padres fit firmly in the former category after reaching the National League Championship Series in 2022. They fortified their ranks by signing Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year, $280 million contract.

The rotation remains a bit of a question mark, though, considering San Diego is projected to lean on two pitchers, Nick Martinez and the newly signed Seth Lugo, who operated primarily as relievers this past year. Only 38 of Lugo's 275 career appearances have come in a starting capacity.

Whether it's Cueto or another solution, signing a veteran starter makes sense for the Padres.

As Morosi speculated, Miami's interest might hinge on another player going out. The Marlins return their entire starting rotation, a group headlined by National League Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara.

The franchise doesn't have a pressing need for pitching help at the moment, but the situation could change between now and Opening Day.

Carlos Correa will have to learn a new position with the New York Mets, but the two-time All-Star's agent has no concerns about his ability to thrive.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Scott Boras said Correa thinks he can "seize" third base and that he will be able to "get a little bit stronger."

News of Correa's deal with the Mets sent shock waves throughout the baseball world. The 28-year-old originally agreed to a 13-year, $350 million contract with the San Francisco Giants on Dec. 13.

The Giants scheduled a press conference for Tuesday to officially announce the contract, but it was postponed shortly before the 2 p.m. ET start time because of concerns over Correa's physical.

The Mets acted quickly to give Correa a deal that isn't far off what he would have received from the Giants. He agreed to a 12-year, $315 million contract in the early morning hours Wednesday, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area, the issue involved an ankle injury Correa suffered in the minors during the 2014 season that required surgery to repair a fractured right fibula and a ligament.

Adding Correa to the Mets roster meant a position change because Francisco Lindor is entrenched as the shortstop.

This will be the second time Correa and Lindor will have been teammates. They were on the Puerto Rican team that finished second in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Lindor was the starting shortstop, with Correa handling third base.

As Boras alluded to, moving to the hot corner could help Correa's offensive game. He can add muscle because he doesn't have to be as fast at third base as he does at shortstop.

A more potent offensive version of Correa is a dangerous proposition for the rest of the National League. He is a .279/.357/.479 career hitter and has hit at least 20 homers in six of his eight seasons.

In addition to Correa, New York brought in Justin Verlander, José Quintana, Kodai Senga, Adam Ottavino and David Robertson and re-signed Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Díaz.

The Mets are looking for a stronger finish next season after their 101-win 2022 campaign ended with a loss to the San Diego Padres in the National League Wild Card Series.

The offseason of Steve Cohen continued with a stunning turn of events Wednesday when Carlos Correa agreed to a deal with the New York Mets.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Correa hammered out a 12-year, $315 million contract with the Mets after his pact with the San Francisco Giants fell through.

Correa and the Giants were set to announce his 13-year, $350 million deal Tuesday, but Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reported the team postponed the press conference less than three hours before its 11 a.m. local time start.

Per Ronald Blum of the Associated Press, the Giants postponed the press conference because of a "medical concern" that arose from Correa's physical.

Heyman noted Correa will play third base, as Francisco Lindor is entrenched as the Mets' starting shortstop.

There were rumblings that Cohen was trying to get in on Correa before he agreed to a deal with the Giants.

Speaking to Heyman on Dec. 17, the Mets owner said he was told by Correa's agent, Scott Boras, they were "already down the road" with San Francisco by the time the Mets tried to get in on the two-time All-Star.

"We thought maybe he might fall to us," Cohen said.

After the Mets stole Correa from San Francisco, Cohen told Heyman he thought the team needed "one more thing" to help it win a World Series.

"This was important … This puts us over the top," he said. "This is a good team. I hope it's a good team!"

While it's not unheard of for an agreement to fall through because of a medical concern, the Mets' swooping in to get Correa at the eleventh hour speaks to how committed Cohen is in his attempt to bring a championship to Queens.

Assuming Correa's deal gets finalized, the Mets will come out of this offseason with arguably the best position player and starting pitcher (Justin Verlander) on the free-agent market. They also added Japanese star Kodai Senga and re-signed Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Mets are projected to pay a total of $495 million between payroll ($384 million) and luxury-tax payments ($111) in 2023.

The 2015 Los Angeles Dodgers previously held the record for highest payroll in MLB history at $291 million.

Adding Correa to a lineup that includes Lindor, Nimmo, Pete Alonso, Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar and Jeff McNeil has the potential to give the Mets the best offense in MLB.

Reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander credited owner Steve Cohen at his introductory press conference for his decision to leave the Houston Astros for the New York Mets.

"I took a leap of faith, and here we are a few weeks later, and I think that leap of faith has paid off," Verlander told reporters Tuesday. "Ultimately, some of those pieces aren't cheap."

Verlander responded with one word, "Steve," when asked what convinced him to join the Mets, who were in the market for a big-name pitcher after losing two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom in free agency to the Texas Rangers.

The Mets rebounded nicely by adding Verlander, who inked a two-year, $86.7 million contract.

Per Danny Abriano of SNY, Verlander said he had a "lovely conversation" with Cohen and got a "positive vibe for what his vision of this franchise is, and that he wants to make this franchise amazing."

He also added that conversations with general manager Billy Eppler and manager Buck Showalter convinced him that everyone is on the same page regarding turning the Mets into a championship-caliber team.

"To follow that up, speaking with Billy and the rest of the staff -- Buck (Showalter) -- they all share that same vision and passion to do whatever is necessary to make this a championship-caliber organization again. And really, that's what it came down to for me was wanting to be a part of this vision moving forward. And obviously this organization took a gigantic step forward last year, had a great season. I think it's only going to continue in the right direction."

Cohen has backed up that sentiment by going on offseason spending sprees since he bought the team in late 2020. This year, he's committed $476.7 million to seven free agents, per Blum, including $162 million to retain Brandon Nimmo and $75 million to add Japanese starting pitcher Kodai Senga.

They join a Mets team that won 101 games last year but fell to the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card Series.

Cohen is clearly pulling out all the stops, to the point where the team is projected to have a $360 million luxury-tax payroll in 2023, per Blum.

Ultimately, Cohen isn't afraid to spend hundreds of millions to get the Mets their first World Series championship since 1986, and that has led to Verlander joining a stacked roster.

Veteran outfielder Michael Conforto has not played since the 2021 season, but he still has interest in free agency.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Monday that three teams are pursuing Conforto.

"The Rangers, seeking an impact bat in left field, are among the teams with interest, along with the Mets and Blue Jays," Rosenthal wrote.

Conforto made his MLB debut in 2015 and played seven years with the Mets. The 2021 season featured some of the worst numbers he's ever recorded, including a career-low slugging percentage of .384. He declined a qualifying offer to test free agency last offseason.

In April, Conforto's agent, Scott Boras, announced that the now-29-year-old underwent shoulder surgery and would not be ready to play until 2023. Conforto spent the year unsigned.

Rosenthal noted that some teams are "concerned about his ability to throw at full strength." Conforto also might not be able to play in the outfield every day, which could affect interest in him.

"If Conforto requires time at designated hitter, he might be less attractive to clubs that want more of a full-time outfielder," Rosenthal wrote.

In his career, Conforto has hit .255/.356/.468 with 132 home runs and 396 RBI. If he's healthy, he can contribute to any team.

The Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers will be under the national spotlight during the first week of the 2023 Major League Baseball season.

ESPN announced its Sunday Night Baseball schedule, and the Phillies will travel to face the Rangers for the first broadcast April 2. That means fans will get a first look at the reigning National League champions and a Rangers squad hoping to compete in the American League West.

This will be the 34th straight year for Sunday Night Baseball, and play-by-play announcer Karl Ravech will be joined by David Cone and Eduardo Perez in the booth. ESPN's Buster Olney will also be included in the broadcasts.

That the Phillies will be highlighted comes as no surprise.

They went to the World Series last season behind a daunting lineup that included Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Rhys Hoskins, J.T. Realmuto and Nick Castellanos, among others. They also agreed to an 11-year, $300 million deal with shortstop Trea Turner this offseason, adding even more pop to their offense.

Turner is a World Series champion, two-time All-Star, Silver Slugger and batting title winner who is still in his prime at 29 years old.

As for Texas, it made waves this offseason as well when it brought in pitcher Jacob deGrom on a five-year, $185 million deal with a sixth-year option that could bring the value to $222 million. While deGrom comes with injury risk, he is also one of the best pitchers in the entire league when healthy.

His resume includes two Cy Young awards, four All-Star selections, Rookie of the Year honors and an ERA title.

Philadelphia will be plenty familiar with deGrom if he pitches in the Sunday night game considering he spent the first nine years of his career on the NL East rival New York Mets.

There will be no shortage of star power in that matchup as both teams attempt to get off to an ideal start in the 2023 season.

The Philadelphia Phillies have rewarded the front office after a big 2022 season, announcing extensions through 2025 for general manager Sam Fuld and more Monday.

The Phillies have extended the contracts of Vice President and General Manager Sam Fuld and Assistant General Managers Ned Rice and Jorge Velandia, Phillies President of Baseball Operations David Dombrowski announced today. Each extension will go through the 2025 season.

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) December 19, 2022

The Phillies reached the playoffs for the first time since 2011 and went on a surprising run to the World Series before falling to the Houston Astros in six games.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski received his own three-year extension in November, keeping him under contract through 2027.

Dombrowski joined the organization in December 2020 and promoted Fuld to general manager, and they've helped turn around a club that had gone nine years without a winning record.

After going 82-80 in 2021, the Phillies improved to 87-75 with a wild-card berth in 2022. They replaced manager Joe Girardi after two months last season with Rob Thomson, who led them to playoff series wins over the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres.

The organization has also been aggressive in free agency and on the trade market. High-priced additions J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos all played significant roles in the World Series run.

Ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline, Philadelphia acquired David Robertson, Noah Syndergaard and Brandon Marsh.

The strategy has continued this offseason as the Phillies signed shortstop Trea Turner to an 11-year, $300 million deal. They also added pitcher Taijuan Walker to a four-year, $72 million contract.

The deals and on-field success earned Fuld and assistant general managers Ned Rice and Jorge Velandia new contracts with the organization.

The Minnesota Twins won big in free agency on Friday with the official signing of coveted catcher Christian Vázquez. They also reached an agreement with outfielder Joey Gallo.

Vázquez, who is fresh off his second World Series win, reached a three-year agreement with Minnesota earlier in the week.

Update: Three-year deal for Christian Vazquez with the Twins.

— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) December 13, 2022

Gallo is joining on a one-year deal, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Minnesota's new additions come in shortly after former Twins shortstop Carlos Correa agreed to join the San Francisco Giants.

According to The Athletic's Dan Hayes, Minnesota offered more in annual salary, but it wasn't enough for a franchise that hasn't won a playoff series since 2002.

What's next for the Twins as they look to return to contention in the American League? According to Hayes, Minnesota may turn to the trade market—with Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda and Luis Arraez drawing interest.

Per Hayes, Arraez is a player Minnesota would "consider dealing as part of a package for a prominent pitcher."

If Arraez is available, the New York Mets would be wise to make a run at him.

The Mets—who are loaded in the pitching rotation after adding Koudai Senga to a group that also includes Jose Quintana, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander—are reportedly looking to move a pitcher of their own.

"The Mets are listening to trade offers on Carlos Carrasco," Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote. "They believe the rise in free-agent prices, notably for starting pitchers, will make Carrasco an appealing piece at one year and $14 million for all of those shut out of the pricey market. Think teams such as the Twins, Royals and probably at least five or six more."

Would a package that includes Carrasco interest the Twins? That's debatable. Like Gray and Maeda, Carrasco is set to be a free agent next year, and the 35-year-old probably isn't considered a "prominent" pitcher.

However, Carrasco is a solid starter who went 15-7 last season. If the Twins believe they're building a strong playoff team, they could be interested. Carrasco's $14 million salary for 2023 is reasonable.

New York would undoubtedly have to include more in a trade offer for Arráez, who is under team control through 2025. but it's absolutely worth an exploratory inquiry. Arráez, the reigning AL batting champion, would be an ideal fit for the Mets.

New York favors an offense that plays for contact rather than power. The Mets ranked second in batting average last season (.259) but only 15th in home runs (171). Adding a combination of power and efficiency to the lineup would be ideal, which may be part of the reason why the Mets were also interested in Correa before he joined the Giants.

According to Hayes, Andy McCullough and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mets' plan was to play Correa at third base.

Arraez, a utility infielder, could slot right in at third, and while he might not possess the power of Correa (only eight home runs in 2022 versus 22), he'd still provide a huge offensive boost.

En route to the batting title, Arraez hit .316 with 49 RBI. He was more efficient than Correa in both BA and on-base percentage (.375 versus .366).

Of course, the question isn't whether Arraez would be right for the Mets, it's whether they could possibly pry him from Minnesota. Carrasco could start the conversation.

According to Hayes, McCullough and Rosenthal, catcher James McCann and third baseman Eduardo Escobar could also be made available, and possibly others: "The Mets may also have to explore interest in top prospects like Brett Baty and Mark Vientos."

The Mets owe it to themselves to find out exactly what Arraez would cost. Franchise owner Steve Cohen has shown that he's unafraid to spend big on win-now moves, and adding Arraez is exactly the sort of deal that could help bring New York its first playoff series win since 2016.

And then there was one.

Shortstop was a central focus of Major League Baseball's offseason with Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson all hitting free agency, but only the latter remains unsigned after Correa agreed to a massive 13-year, $350 million deal with the San Francisco Giants, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Swanson will have no shortage of suitors and potential top landing spots, as ESPN's Buster Olney pointed out the Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves are all looking to fill the shortstop position.

Swanson is in an ideal bargaining position given the need for shortstops across the league and some of the contracts that have been handed out.

Turner agreed to an 11-year, $300 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, while Bogaerts joined the San Diego Padres on an 11-year, $280 million contract. Swanson may not land those types of contracts given he doesn't quite have the same track record as his colleagues, but he is surely in line for a massive deal at this point.

He is coming off the first All-Star campaign of his career that saw him slash .277/.329/.447 with 25 home runs, 96 RBI and 18 stolen bases.

Throw in his first career Gold Glove, and it is clear how Swanson can impact the game in a number of ways. He was responsible for nine defensive runs saved above average in 2022, per FanGraphs.

Minnesota, Boston and Atlanta all make sense as possible landing spots for the Vanderbilt product given what has unfolded this offseason. The Twins lost Correa, the Red Sox lost Bogaerts and the Braves are somewhat in limbo with Swanson as the incumbent player at the position.

Then there is Chicago, which has been connected to seemingly every shortstop in the market at some point as it looks to bounce back from two straight losing seasons and perhaps move Nico Hoerner to second base to form a dominant defense up the middle.

It would be difficult to classify the Cubs' offseason as anything but a failure if they are unable to land any of the four top shortstops after some early secondary moves that saw them add Cody Bellinger and Jameson Taillon.

Swanson has all the leverage in this situation with a big-market team that could be desperate to close the gap on the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central, so don't be surprised if he ends up in Chicago blue before the end of the offseason.