‘I want my number called on’: Will Shipley is the constant Clemson needs
CLEMSON, S.C. — Will Shipley can rap.
This is not a skill Shipley actively promotes, but his roommate, Clemson tight end Jake Briningstool, insists he’s pretty good. Shipley might be folding laundry or unloading the dishwasher or just sitting around the living room with friends, and, spur of the moment, he’ll lay down a few verses off the top of his head. It never fails to impress.
Shipley’s favorite rapper is Mac Miller, but his biggest rap influence is his mom.
Tammy Shipley is a hip-hop connoisseur, and when Will and his older brother, James Jr., were kids, she had a habit of making up raps about them and their friends and could freestyle entire narratives about their football games.
“She makes these crazy raps for all her friends for their birthdays,” Will said. “She has a really good one about tomatoes.”
Now, the obvious follow-up to this information is to outright beg Tammy to perform her tomato rap, but Will’s dad, James Sr., said it’s not intended for mainstream audiences. It’s more of an underground mixtape. You’ve got to be part of the inner circle to know about it.
Of course, James Sr. and Tammy aren’t entirely opposed to sharing her art with the world at the right price, so they’re open to a deal.
“If Will wins a national championship at Clemson,” James Sr. said, “she can do it.”
This might seem like a rather esoteric aside in a story about one of the nation’s top running backs, but it hints at two critical aspects to Will’s persona. The first is that he possesses a nearly limitless skill set, from freestyle rapping to hurdling defenders on a football field.
“There’s a lot of layers to him,” Briningstool said, “and there’s only a certain amount of people that get to know him deep down.”
The second is that, even if it takes his mom rapping about tomatoes, there’s nothing Will won’t do to win a championship.
The Tigers return to Will’s hometown of Charlotte on Saturday with an ACC championship on the line against No. 24 North Carolina, but for many fans, it feels like a consolation prize. Last week, the Tigers lost to rival South Carolina, their playoff hopes vanishing with the defeat. It’s a second straight season in which the offense has struggled and Clemson has fallen short of its lofty expectations.
That’s not how Will sees it though. He wants to win the ACC title, and he wants that to be the start of his team’s ascent back to the playoff, back to the mountaintop, and there may not be a player in the country better equipped to lead that charge than Shipley.
“He’s fun and people love him, but he’s got some fire to him, man,” said offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter. “He’s got some juice to him. And every team needs that.”
WILL IS 205 pounds of potential energy. It’s palpable even in quiet moments, like a balloon filled to capacity, pinched at the end but ready to burst into a wild spectacle the moment he’s turned loose.
That’s partly why he started playing football, his mom said.
“He was always on,” Tammy said. “He didn’t have an off button. As soon as he woke up in the morning, he was getting after it.”
Turn him loose on a football field, however, and all that energy had a place to go.
James Sr. coached Pop Warner even before his boys were born. As toddlers, Will and James Jr. would run along the sidelines, imagining they were playing, too. Will got his first taste of action when he was 5, playing in a flag football league, and even then, he was something special. By 7, he was playing for his dad’s team, and James Sr. couldn’t help but notice his boy’s instincts at tailback.
“He’s always had really good vision,” James Sr. said. “Whether it was being patient and then hitting the hole hard or reading his blocks, he always had a knack for that. And then speed just came naturally for him.”
Will was at a tryout in eighth grade, and after running through all the usual drills — three-cone run, 40-yard dash — a coach came over to him to talk about college.
“Where do you think you might want to go?” the coach asked.
Will had never given it much thought. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to play college ball, he said.
“Son,” the coach said, “you’re going to be able to play anywhere in the country.”
As a freshman at Weddington High School, Will had more than 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns from scrimmage. As a sophomore, he established himself as one of the top recruits in the country, rushing for more than 1,400 yards, catching 31 passes and chipping in with two interceptions on defense.
His skills were one thing, but at camps, the first thing that caught Dabo Swinney’s attention was Will’s personality.
“He’s just got an energy to him, a confidence to him that you can feel it,” Swinney said. “Then you watch the tape and holy moly.”
By his junior season, Will was getting offers from dozens of top schools, though he never quite embraced the publicity.
“He’d get mail from all these colleges, and he’d leave it in my office and pick it up at the end of the day,” Weddington High coach Andy Copone said. “He didn’t want everybody to see he had mail. He just wanted to go to class and be a student.”
Will finished the 2019 season by leading Weddington to its second straight state title. He rushed for 256 yards in the state final, scoring four times. For the season, he rushed for 2,066 yards — averaging 11 yards every time he carried the football.
His senior season was delayed due to COVID-19, and by January 2021, Will had already enrolled at Clemson. He was a star from the moment he arrived.
“He’s a very natural leader,” Swinney said. “He’s one of the few freshmen who has come in here and led and guys followed. But it’s because of how he works.”
Will has never lost a sprint. This is a fact Swinney tends to use in nearly every description of his tailback. First sprint of a workout, Will wins. The 20th? Will wins that one, too.
“He just wants to be great,” Swinney said. “He works and if you can’t keep up with that, that’s your problem. He’s an unbelievable competitor.”
Will’s freshman year was miserable. Clemson lost its opener, lost again at NC State, lost again to eventual ACC champion Pitt. It was the Tigers’ worst season — and first without an ACC title — since 2014. And yet, Clemson still won 10 games in large part because of Shipley.
The offense was a mess. QB DJ Uiagalelei was playing through an injury, the O-line was a sieve and the receiving corps was so depleted that the coach’s son, Will Swinney, a former walk-on, was thrust into the starting lineup by year’s end. And in the absence of any other viable blueprint for scoring points, Clemson relied on Will.
In those final five games, Will played with a foot injury that needed offseason surgery. It didn’t matter.
Will’s totals in his final five games of the year: 571 yards and six touchdowns. Clemson won every one of them.
“I embraced that opportunity,” Will said. “I want to be the guy they come to when that situation arises. I want my number called on. There was no hesitation.”
WHEN THE ALL-ACC awards were announced earlier this week, Will was a clear-cut first-teamer — three times.
It’s a mark of Will’s diverse talents that he was voted first-team All-ACC at tailback … and all-purpose player … and specialist. If he’d been allowed to toss a couple flea-flickers during the course of the season, he might’ve won at QB, too. He can do just about anything.
“He’s so unpredictable,” Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter said. “He’s fast, we all know that. The athleticism. He’s really strong and explosive. He’ll run over you, run through you, jump over you. He can do anything the game has to offer.”
To truly appreciate Will’s unique set of skills, however, look no further than The Play.
It probably needs a better name — The Leap? The Hurdle? — but it’s hard to fully capture its magic with the usual article-plus-noun nomenclature. Suffice it to say that, in any discussion of Will on a football field, his touchdown run against Louisville in which he jumps over one defender then immediately sends two more converging Cardinals toppling like bowling pins is the play by which all others will be compared.
0:23
Will Shipley jumps over the Louisville defender for a Clemson touchdown.
Will takes a handoff at the Louisville 30-yard line. He bursts through the line of scrimmage, zipping past the Cardinals’ front and into the secondary. At the 10-yard line, a trio of Louisville defenders converge. M.J. Griffin attacks directly, aiming for Will’s midsection, but he hits nothing. Instead, Will elevates over the Cardinals safety like a sprinter running hurdles, and, having missed his point of impact, Griffin’s momentum sends him stumbling head first to the ground.
Griffin’s reinforcements are stunned, and they’re late to adjust. Will’s cleats hit the turf just an inch or two beyond their collision point, and he sheds both tacklers with ease, sending them tumbling to the turf as he trots into the end zone.
The play was the football equivalent of filling a Big Gulp with a little of every flavor soda — Will’s vision, first-step quickness and physicality all wrapped into one perfect highlight.
And yet there are two critical elements to the play that get overlooked.
The first came before — long before. Back in high school, Will went to his dad and insisted he start working with a private trainer. He loved his coaches at Weddington High, but time there was limited. He wanted more, so he started work with RoePro training in nearby Fort Mill, South Carolina. In those sessions, he practiced the leap. Not the play, exactly — but the maneuver. Adding leaping ability to his repertoire was just another playmaking skill with which he could eviscerate a defense, and so he practiced it. Video from those sessions made the rounds after the Louisville game, the two scenes fused together in near perfect symmetry. The play was improvised, of course, but it was possible only after years of refinement.
The second came after. Clemson won the game 31-16, with Will rushing for 97 yards in the victory. But he also fumbled twice, and he was furious with himself.
Running backs coach C.J. Spiller found Will on the bench, fuming.
“What are you doing over here?” Spiller inquired.
“I’m pissed,” Will told him.
Spiller put his arm around his protégé.
“You’ve got to put that behind you,” Spiller said. “That play was legendary. You made history.”
When they were kids, school started at 8 a.m., but Will and his brother refused to leave the house until they’d seen the day’s top 10 plays on SportsCenter.
“It came on at 7:52,” Will said, “and it didn’t matter if we were going to be late.”
It wasn’t until the Tuesday after the Louisville game that Will caught his play — the play — on SportsCenter. By then, the sting of the two fumbles had faded a bit, and it dawned on him that, yes, he’d done something worth appreciating. It was a rare moment in which Will allowed himself a sense of satisfaction. But even now, weeks later, he’s thinking about those fumbles, and he’s still mad.
That might be the most important thing about Will’s game. He can create a legend, and there will still be more work to do.
WILL’S FIRST GAME at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte came when he was playing Pop Warner ball when he was 8 or 9 years old. His team got to play a scrimmage at halftime of a Carolina Panthers game, and Will was the star, breaking off a series of long runs.
After the scrimmage ended, James Sr. got a text from a friend who was at the game: “Can Will stay in for the second half?”
As Will returns to that field Saturday, frustrated Clemson fans are asking a similar question.
Clemson’s playoff hopes are gone with last week’s loss to South Carolina. For the second straight season, a team used to competing for national championships is instead enduring a chorus of criticism largely focused on the struggles of its offense. Among the chief complaints is that Will, perhaps the most talented player on Clemson’s roster, has not played a big enough role.
Will has carried more than 20 times just once this season, in the Tigers’ come-from-behind win against Syracuse, a game in which backup QB Cade Klubnik entered with his team down 21-10, threw just four passes the rest of the way, and Clemson still won 27-21.
In the loss to Notre Dame two weeks later, Will had 12 carries.
Against South Carolina, Will ran for an 11-yard touchdown to put Clemson up by nine, then carried just twice more the rest of the way.
“Hell yeah, I want the freakin’ rock with five minutes to go and the game on the line against our rival,” Will said after the loss to South Carolina, in which he carried just twice in the fourth quarter. “That’s me as a competitor. But that’s not how it shakes out all the time.”
Will doesn’t spend much time on regrets. This summer, he grew a mustache for the team’s media day because he thought it would look funny in photos. That, he regrets. The playcalling in the second half of last week’s game though? Nah. That’s nobody’s fault — just the way it goes sometimes, he said.
Swinney is more contrite. In hindsight, he said, Clemson had a better shot to win if it had fed Will the ball more. It would be a valuable lesson to learn in time for the Tigers to face off against North Carolina’s defense, which ranks second-to-last in the ACC against the run.
Still, Will isn’t begging for a new game plan. But he’s desperate for a different outcome — whatever it takes to get there.
“I just love winning,” Will said. “That’s all I can say. Ten carries or 35.”
THESE ARE STRANGE times at Clemson, a place used to winning with a fan base that expects the Tigers to make something incredibly hard look easy. But that’s not how Will operates. There’s a process to doing something great.
“Every day I pick one thing and get better at it,” Will said. “Next day, pick another. And I keep repeating it.”
Will’s mom remembers shuttling her kids home from preschool. It was late fall, and leaves blanketed their lawn.
“Why don’t you boys try to catch a leaf before it hits the ground,” Tammy offered.
It was a canny mom trick to have the kids burn off some energy, and Will and James Jr. rushed into the yard and craned their necks toward the sky and awaited their prey.
Catching a leaf is a lot tougher than it sounds, Tammy said, but sure enough, within a minute or two, James Jr. grabbed one.
Will wasn’t so lucky.
Tammy and James Sr. watched for another 10 minutes as Will zigzagged his way across the lawn, but each time he had a bead of a fluttering leaf, it darted away from his outstretched hands before he could capture it.
The rest of the family soon grew bored and went inside.
“He didn’t come in for five hours,” Tammy said, “until he caught one.”
Will’s natural talent is immense, but he’s always understood that’s not enough to achieve what he really wants, and so he’s worked, relentlessly, to get better, no matter how long it takes.
Clemson will not win a national title this year. Tammy won’t be rapping about tomatoes. But Will keeps looking up, stalking his next challenge, and he will not relent until he grabs it.
The MLB winter meetings are underway in Orlando, Florida, with the baseball industry gathering for an action-packed week of rumors, signings and trades — including big splashes by top NL powerhouses with the Philadelphia Phillies bringing back Kyle Schwarber and the Los Angeles Dodgers adding top closer Edwin Diaz.
We’ve got it all covered for you, from our predictions going into the meetings to the latest updates and analysis as the moves go down.
Which big free agents will pick a team? Who will be mentioned in blockbuster trade discussion? And what rumors will rule the week? Check out our predictions and refresh often for the latest intel and reaction as the week unfolds.
Key links: Olney, Passan: Latest intel | Every team’s plan | FA tracker | Grades
Winter meetings news and rumors
Dec. 9 buzz
Why Marlins, Orioles could be a trade match
The Marlins are active in trade talks with multiple teams for Edward Cabrera, a 27-year-old right-hander who has been considered the most likely among their controllable starters to be moved, a source familiar with the situation said. At this point, the Orioles are the most advanced in those talks, as first reported by The Athletic. If completed, it’s an ideal fit. The Orioles are in need of a top-of-the-rotation starter and the Marlins are seeking controllable offensive pieces. — Alden Gonzalez
Will Dodgers make another free agency splash for a star outfielder?
Now that the Dodgers have solved their glaring ninth-inning problem, agreeing to a three-year, $69 million contract with Edwin Diaz, they can shift their focus to adding an outfielder. And until he comes off the board, they’ll continue to be linked to top free agent Kyle Tucker.
The Dodgers aren’t expected to get into the $400 million range on a long-term deal, but like with Diaz, they’ll remain on the periphery in case a short-term, high-AAV deal makes sense. That might not be the case for Tucker, who’s 28 and widely considered the best free agent available. Another option is Cody Bellinger, though it remains to be seen whether both sides are truly interested in a reunion. Of note: Both of those players are attached to a qualifying offer, as was Diaz.
Asked Tuesday night if he could see himself making another big free agent signing, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said: “I would say we definitely can. Whether that makes the most sense within the timing of our roster — there’s so many factors that go into it, and any decision you make has a future cost. … So, yes we can. How likely it is is probably another question.” — Gonzalez
Why extensions could be coming for A’s core hitters
The Athletics still need to build out some depths in their starting pitching as they aim to become sustainable contenders in the leadup to their move to Las Vegas, but there’s little doubt they’ve built a formidable core of position players — and part of the focus this offseason, in addition to adding reliable arms throughout their pitching staff, is keeping that core intact.
The A’s extended Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler last offseason, and now they’d love to find a way to lock up the likes of Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson and Shea Langeliers.
“There’s a big effort there to keep this group together,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “If we look at the group prior to this, that you could identify as a group that you would have wanted to move forward with, a group that came together in ’17 and ’18 and ’19 — the resources weren’t there to afford to keep that group together. I think there’s a vision and a future here going forward with this group that we were able to at least get those opportunities out in front of these players.” — Gonzalez
Will D-backs get enough to move Marte?
All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte continues to be the talk of this year’s winter meetings, but the Arizona Diamondbacks are asking a high return at the moment, sources familiar with the market told ESPN, which falls in line with what general manager Mike Hazen has communicated publicly — that he’s not required to trade Marte, but he will surely consider the right deal.
The Seattle Mariners, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays are among those who have been linked to Marte, though others are surely involved. A lot of teams have shown interest, but talks have yet to get serious.
The D-backs would ideally land a higher-end starting pitcher in return — a major need with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly probably departing via free agency, and Corbin Burnes spending at least the majority of 2026 recovering from Tommy John surgery — and would require major league-ready talent as part of any package, a source said. Given that his 10-and-5 rights kick in in April, there is at least some urgency to trade him this offseason.
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said he has been in touch with Marte over the offseason and that the mention of his name so aggressively in rumors “might have caught him by surprise a little bit.”
“But I think he gets it,” Lovullo added. “I told him just what I told you guys — teams are smart. They want really good players. He’s one of the best in the National League. I understand why teams are making phone calls on him. He gets that.” — Gonzalez
White Sox have high bar for dealing Robert
In his first 31 games after the All-Star break, Luis Robert Jr. demonstrated what kind of impact he could have, batting to a .298/.352/.456 slash line, clubbing five homers and stealing five bases. Throughout Robert’s career, the talk has been about his possible impact if he ever remained injury-free and in the lineup, and this was an example of that.
But then Robert got hurt, again, and the Chicago White Sox — with very little future payroll obligation — picked up his $20 million option for 2026, in the hope that he could hit that ceiling for an extended period. The White Sox don’t intend to trade Robert until some interested team is willing to pay for the value of what he could be at his best, rather than for a bargain price. Some teams have checked on Roberts’ availability, but to date, no team has met Chicago’s high bar for a trade return.
Short of that, the White Sox are likely to keep Robert into the ’26 season, and maybe beyond. The team holds another $20 million option for the ’27 season, a year of club control that could make Robert look even more attractive in trade if the 28-year-old is able to stay on the field and generate the kind of high-end production the White Sox enjoyed last summer. — Buster Olney
Fairbanks drawing lots of interest
Pete Fairbanks is a very popular player this offseason. The right-handed reliever has received interest from several clubs, including the Marlins and Blue Jays, sources told ESPN. Fairbanks, 31, recorded a 2.83 ERA in 61 appearances for the Rays last season. He reached free agency after Tampa Bay, in a cost-cutting measure, did not pick up his $11 million option. His injury history could be a concern for teams, but he’s expected to land a two- or three-year deal. — Jorge Castillo
Three teams to watch in trade talks
Free agent splashes dominated the winter meetings spotlight Tuesday morning, but trade winds continue to swirl in Orlando. The Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres are all coming up often as teams that could make a deal soon. — Jesse Rogers
Could the Blue Jays make another splash?
The reigning AL champions are still looking to spend after a strong start to the offseason and could leave the winter meetings with a new closer. Pete Fairbanks and Robert Suarez are two names to watch in Toronto’s reliever search — Rogers
Don’t expect a Valdez deal soon
The top closer and one of the top hitters in this free agent class agreed to deals Tuesday, but don’t expect to see the best available starting pitcher come off the board next. The market for right-hander Framber Valdez is still developing and he won’t be signing with a team for a while. — Rogers
Diaz’s deal with Dodgers spices up meetings
Moments after news broke of Kyle Schwarber‘s return to the Phillies, the Los Angeles Dodgers made a major move of their own in signing top free agent closer Edwin Diaz. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the deal is for three years and $69 million — which sets an AAV record for relievers.
The Dodgers had a clear need in the ninth going into the offseason, no matter how much they hyped up their depth publicly. But many doubted they’d go long term for the top guy in Diaz. A shorter, higher-AAV deal falls right in line with their preference. — Gonzalez
Will Schwarber’s return to Phillies heat up winter meetings?
Slugger Kyle Schwarber and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a five-year, $150 million contract, sources told ESPN. Schwarber’s return to Philly takes one of the most coveted free agents of this winter off the board and could be the move that sparks a run of action as the winter meetings roll on.
Dec. 8 buzz
Dodgers eyeing trades — but say Teoscar Hernandez won’t be dealt
The Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t expected to make major free agent moves this winter — at least not to the extent of the past two offseasons — and they’re certainly talking like a team content with where things stand.
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said Monday that “there’s not as many clear paths to make the team meaningfully better.”
Earlier, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts — acknowledging the team’s philosophy last year, that injecting new blood into the roster might be a good way to maintain an edge — said, “There’s really no big splash we feel needs to be made, because this team is still focused, and there’s some talk about a three-peat.”
Still, sources have said, the Dodgers will continue to look for ways to upgrade their outfield and fortify the back end of their bullpen, with the trade market the ideal path. A center fielder would be ideal for the Dodgers because of how it would fortify the entire outfield’s defense, prompting Andy Pages and his plus arm to move to right field while Teoscar Hernandez and his shoddy defense transition to left.
But Gomes praised Pages’ center-field defense, adding that it allows the team the flexibility to pursue any outfielder. Gomes also shot down rumors of Hernandez potentially being traded.
“That doesn’t feel likely,” Gomes said. “Obviously, you can never say never on those types of things, but Teo, I know that’s come up. That’s not something we anticipate at all.” — Gonzalez
Teams checking in on former All-Star Willi Castro
The Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies are among the teams interested in signing utility man Willi Castro, sources told ESPN. Castro, 28, was an All-Star in 2024 after a strong first half with the Minnesota Twins, but he regressed through the second half and into the 2025 season.
The switch-hitter slashed .245/.335/.407 with the Twins in 2025 before he was sent to the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline. He struggled in Chicago, batting just .170 with one home run and a .485 OPS in 34 games and did not have a plate appearance in the postseason.
Advanced metrics indicate Castro also regressed defensively in 2025, dropping from 0 to minus-9 outs above average, but he’s a versatile defender who played second base, third base, shortstop and all three outfield spots. — Castillo
Padres keeping trio in bullpen, need starting pitchers
In his winter meetings availability, San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen said the team will keep Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and David Morgan in the bullpen rather than converting them to starters.
“It’s a risky proposition health-wise and performance-wise,” Stammen said.
So, the Padres are very much in the market for starters. — Gonzalez
What will Tigers do with Skubal?
The Detroit Tigers continue to have trade dialogue with other teams about two-time American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. At its heart, Detroit’s choice about whether to swap Skubal now — before he reaches free agency next fall — comes down to this question: Will owner Chris Ilitch and the team’s front office place more on the opportunity to win in 2026, or will they place a greater value on the extraordinary collection of young players they would presumably acquire in a Skubal deal?
What complicates this decision is that the Tigers reside in the highly winnable AL Central. The theoretical path to the World Series is probably easier than it would be to come out of the AL East, with all of its financial monsters, or the AL West, where the Mariners are poised to be a formidable force for years to come. Despite a late-season collapse, the Tigers were still just a run away from playing for the AL championship two months ago.
If the Tigers decide to keep Skubal, they will have to be at peace with the reality that they’ll recoup just a fraction of Skubal’s current value when and if he departs as a free agent — through draft pick compensation. This is the part of the market equation that has compelled the Guardians to flip the likes of CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee or Francisco Lindor in past trades, and why the Brewers dealt Corbin Burnes before the 2024 season. — Olney
Which Marlins starting pitcher will be traded?
Sandy Alcantara is a long shot to be traded at this point, as is teammate Eury Perez, the 22-year-old right-hander whom Miami Marlins would love to sign to an extension. The most likely Marlins starter to get traded, a source familiar with the team’s thinking said, is Edward Cabrera, who is out of options and would be controllable for three years.
Cabrera, 27, posted a 3.53 ERA with 150 strikeouts and 48 walks in 137⅔ innings in 2025. The Marlins would love to use Cabrera — and potentially fellow starter Ryan Weathers, who is coming off an injury plagued season — to address their offensive needs, primarily at first base.
Cabrera, though, is among a deep crop of available starting pitchers this offseason, alongside the likes of Freddy Peralta, Kris Bubic, Mitch Keller, Joe Ryan, Hunter Greene and, most notably, Tarik Skubal. Peralta, Ryan, Greene and Skubal will most likely stay put, but they are nonetheless in trade talks. — Gonzalez
How far will the Phillies go to keep Schwarber?
A lot of the industry is waiting on Kyle Schwarber‘s free agent decision. He has both big and small market teams chasing him but most important will be what he hears from the Philadelphia Phillies, and that can come as soon as Monday or Tuesday. Will they match any offer? Will Schwarber take a little less to stay in Philadelphia? Those questions should be answered soon. — Rogers
King’s suitors starting to take shape
Free agent pitcher Michael King has a half dozen suitors, including the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs, but his market hasn’t completely materialized yet. — Rogers
Polanco could make a decision soon
Free agent second baseman Jorge Polanco, coming off a strong 2025 season with the Seattle Mariners, is expected to sign with a team during the winter meetings. — Rogers
Winter meetings predictions
Who will be the biggest name to sign (or get traded) in Orlando?
Jorge Castillo: I root for action at the winter meetings, so let’s pick the biggest name on the free agent market: Kyle Tucker. There aren’t many suitors that, whether it’s for fit or financial reasons, are in the mix, but there’s still interest for an ultra-talented player who can alter the championship landscape. And it starts with Toronto.
The Blue Jays whiffed on the brightest stars of the past two free agent classes — Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto — and Rogers Communications still has money to spend after investing $500 million in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in April and another $210 million recently in free agent starter Dylan Cease. Tucker visited the Blue Jays’ facility in Florida last week. Pairing the left-handed-hitting outfielder with the right-handed-hitting Guerrero would give Toronto a scary tandem for years.
Bradford Doolittle: The inclusion of Byron Buxton on our trade candidates ranking took me aback, mostly because Buxton has been insistent that he will remain a Twin. It’s surprising that he’s willing to waive his no-trade clause, but Buxton is 31, and the Twins don’t seem all-in on winning. Several leading contenders could use a bump in center field — the Houston Astros and New York Mets jump out as clear fits — and if the Twins are heading down this road, dealing Buxton soon would start those dominoes to fall.
Alden Gonzalez: A game of chicken might be brewing at the moment. On one side it’s Cody Bellinger, represented by the Boras Corporation. On the other it’s Tucker, whose free agency is overseen by Excel Sports Management. They’re arguably the two biggest names available, both of them versatile, multi-dimensional, dynamic outfielders, their markets naturally intertwined. And I think Bellinger goes first.
His price point — ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel predicts a six-year, $165 million contract — is more reasonable, and his list of suitors is seemingly more robust because of it. The New York Yankees want him back. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets are all a fit, to varying degrees. Given Bellinger’s ability to also play first base, other teams will undoubtedly emerge. Jumping on Bellinger before Tucker comes off the board and further inflates his market would be smart. And one team will do so this week.
Jesse Rogers: Ranger Suarez. Scott Boras clients usually take longer to come off the board, but not all of them can wait until the new year. Suarez isn’t staring at a megadeal, so checking him off the free agent list by late next week seems more than plausible.
The chatter surrounding the left-hander’s free agency from potential suitors such as the Astros, Mets, Orioles and others is picking up. He’s in line for at least a solid four-year deal — and if a team offers five or even six, it’ll likely land him.
What is one move fans might not expect you to predict will go down this week?
Castillo: Pete Alonso will probably wait until Kyle Schwarber decides on his destination, but I predict Alonso will sign with the Red Sox. Craig Breslow, Boston’s chief baseball officer, has been clear about his desire to acquire a right-handed slugger for the middle of the order. Not many players are better qualified for that role than the right-handed-hitting Alonso, whose 264 home runs since his debut in 2019 are the third most in baseball behind Aaron Judge and Schwarber.
Alonso is coming off a rebound All-Star season in which he clubbed 38 home runs with 126 RBIs, an NL-leading 41 doubles and an .871 OPS for the Mets. Defensively, Alonso is below average, but he could split time with Triston Casas at first base and designated hitter.
The Mets, on the other hand, are determined to improve their defense and would seemingly be in play for Alonso only if his market collapses for the second straight offseason.
Doolittle: Maybe it’s because I am overly susceptible to rumors that tickle my penchant for anti-Wolfean narratives, but I’ll say Schwarber will sign with his hometown Cincinnati Reds. It’s such a perfect fit, and not just because of Schwarber’s ties to Cincinnati. The Reds have a real chance to contend in the NL Central with the right upgrade on offense. And what an upgrade — Schwarber’s swing is perfect for Great American Ballpark, which has featured more homers from visiting lefty hitters over the past five years than any other venue (including 96 more than Citizens Bank Park). Even at 32, give Schwarber five healthy seasons at that park and he’ll reach 500 career bombs.
Gonzalez: This year’s market seems especially ripe for trades, and I think we’re going to see some big-name starting pitchers dealt during the winter meetings. Who, exactly, is anybody’s guess at this point, but there are a bevy of names to choose from, whether it’s two of the Miami Marlins‘ frontline guys (Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera), three steady veterans (Freddy Peralta, Luis Castillo and Pablo Lopez), two budding aces (Joe Ryan and MacKenzie Gore) or two Cy Young-caliber arms who are unlikely to move but are fascinating nonetheless (Tarik Skubal and Hunter Greene). All eyes will be on the big free agents this week, but the trade market will dominate. And the starting pitchers will be featured in it.
Rogers: How about a bold one: Nick Castellanos gets traded. Perhaps it won’t land as the biggest of surprises, considering how things went down in Philadelphia last year, but a deal would further show that the Phillies are turning things over a bit as they continue to chase a ring.
Castellanos could be the perfect fit for Pittsburgh, which is desperate for hitting. In a recent interview on MLB Network, Castellanos discussed the idea of playing first base. That opens the door to even more possibilities outside of Philadelphia.
What is the one rumor that will dominate the week?
Castillo: Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, if moved, would be the best position player to move this offseason — Tucker and Schwarber included. So the fact that he is available will undoubtedly generate rumors all week.
First, Marte produces. His 15.3 WAR over the past three seasons is 13th in the majors. He has made the NL All-Star team each of the past two seasons. He finished third in the NL MVP race in 2024. He owns a .289/.363/.510 slash line since 2019. Second, his economical contract — he has five years and $91 million plus a sixth-year player option at $11.5 million remaining — only adds to the allure and makes him palpable for several clubs. Marte is 32 and drew anonymous criticism from teammates for his behavior last season, but a player of his caliber will draw substantial interest.
Doolittle: Something about Tucker? It doesn’t feel like there have been many concrete reports regarding Tucker’s possible destination, but he’s the top free agent, so the rumor mill is more likely to focus on his wanderings than anyone else until he signs. News about him will pick up in Orlando.
Gonzalez: There is no bigger name on the trade market than Skubal. On one end, he is beloved in Detroit, where he has established himself as the type of cornerstone who should never pitch anywhere else. On the other is the cold reality — that he is a Boras client who would command the types of sums in the open market that the Tigers are either unwilling or unable to pay him. And though the Tigers intend to contend in 2026 and would undoubtedly have a better chance of doing so with Skubal fronting their rotation, it would be foolish not to at least explore a trade and attempt to get major talent back in return. It’s the responsible thing to do — and yet Tigers fans have every right to be enraged about this even being a possibility.
Rogers: Where Kyle Schwarber will play in 2026 and beyond. His next contract should be in the $150 million range, though if a new team steps up and is willing to pay big time for not only his power but his leadership, then all bets are off. But as intriguing as a smaller market might be, the Phillies need him as much as anyone during their current window to win. His return there isn’t a guarantee, but it still makes the most sense.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins placed center Evgeni Malkin on injured reserve Tuesday with an upper-body injury.
The move comes after the 39-year-old Malkin sat out a shootout loss to Dallas on Sunday. Malkin, in the final season of his contract with the Penguins, is off to one of the better starts of his 20-year career.
The Russian has eight goals and 21 assists in 26 games for surprising Pittsburgh, which began the season with modest expectations but is firmly in contention in the competitive Metropolitan Division.
The Penguins also placed forward Blake Lizotte on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Lizotte has three goals and two assists in 27 games.
The club described Malkin and Lizotte as both week-to-week.
Pittsburgh recalled forwards Danton Heinen and Sam Poulin from their American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to fill out the roster ahead of Tuesday night’s visit by Anaheim, the start of a five-game homestand.
TORONTO — Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann has been suspended one game for high-sticking Tampa Bay Lightning winger Oliver Bjorkstrand, the NHL announced Tuesday.
The incident occurred three minutes into the third period of Toronto’s 2-0 win over Tampa Bay on Monday night.
McMann received a match penalty after swinging his stick and hitting Bjorkstrand’s head following a cross-check from the Lightning forward.
McMann, who is being suspended for the first time in his career, will forfeit U.S. $7,031.25. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
He will miss Toronto’s game Thursday night against the visiting San Jose Sharks, and is eligible to return when the Maple Leafs host the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
McMann, 29, has eight goals and six assists in 29 games this season.
Leafs coach Craig Berube disagreed with the match penalty on Monday, calling it a “tough one.”
“From our view on the bench, I couldn’t really see it too well. I’ll take a look at it, but I had a tough time with that,” he said after the game.
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