What we learned about all 30 teams at the MLB GM meetings
As MLB’s hot stove season kicks off, baseball’s top executives gathered in Las Vegas for the annual general managers meetings, providing the first opportunity to hear front offices discuss their priorities for the offseason ahead.
From teams looking to make a big splash in free agency to those with trade decisions to ponder, ESPN MLB reporters Jorge Castillo, Alden Gonzalez and Jesse Rogers found out what every franchise will be focused on this winter.
Jump to a team:
AL East: BAL | BOS | NYY | TB | TOR
AL Central: CHW | CLE | DET | KC | MIN
AL West: ATH | HOU | LAA | SEA | TEX
NL East: ATL | MIA | NYM | PHI | WSH
NL Central: CHC | CIN | MIL | PIT | STL
NL West: ARI | COL | LAD | SD | SF
MLB
The Guardians gambling scandal news broke as GMs were headed to the meetings. What was the conversation on the topic this week?
Several team executives expressed hope that the expected punishments coming for Cleveland pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz would serve as the ultimate deterrent and were pleased to see some limits on prop betting. They weren’t necessarily worried this was a prevalent problem in baseball.
“We just want to educate everyone as much as possible,” Toronto Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins said. “And MLB is doing an incredible job providing us with that support.”
Agent Scott Boras also brought up prop bets during his GM meetings media session, pointing to their potential harm to player integrity he deems essential to the sport.
“Gambling and working in professional baseball,” Orioles GM Mike Elias said, “that is not something that should be mixed.”
AL East
Last offseason, Orioles general manager Mike Elias watched ace Corbin Burnes leave for Arizona and did not replace him, instead opting to rely on Grayson Rodriguez to step into the No. 1 spot and signing veterans Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano to bolster depth. But the additions struggled, Rodriguez didn’t throw a single pitch because of injuries, and the formula produced the 24th-ranked starter ERA in baseball — despite Trevor Rogers emerging as one of league’s top pitchers in the second half.
This winter, Elias said he was prioritizing acquiring a front-line starter and is willing to trade from his minor league system. His other targets include a closer and an impact bat, preferably an outfielder. — Castillo
Red Sox president of baseball operations Craig Breslow’s wish list is lofty: a front-line starter to partner with AL Cy Young runner-up Garrett Crochet atop Boston’s rotation and a right-handed-hitting middle-of-the-order slugger.
“We want someone who can start a playoff game and a bat that can produce in the middle of the order,” Breslow said. “Exactly what shape that takes and what it looks like, we’ll see.”
The Red Sox nearly acquired All-Star right-hander Joe Ryan from Minnesota at the trade deadline and they could rekindle those talks with the rebuilding Twins. Ryan, 29, recorded a 3.42 ERA in a breakout 2025 season and has two years of club control remaining. — Castillo
A year ago, the Yankees’ offseason was put on hold until Juan Soto made his decision to leave for the Mets. Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham aren’t on Soto’s level, but whether the Yankees retain either or both outfielders will have a significant impact on the rest of their offseason. Bellinger, a free agent after opting out of his contract, could command a multiyear deal approaching $200 million. Grisham has to decide whether to accept the Yankees’ qualifying offer, which would pay him $22 million next season, or reject it and hit free agency.
Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones are internal candidates to replace either, or both, should they sign elsewhere, though the Yankees probably would pursue another veteran option to join Aaron Judge in the outfield.
The Yankees are in need of relievers, with Devin Williams and Luke Weaver reaching free agency. A right-handed-hitting catcher, a right-handed-hitting first baseman to split time with Ben Rice, and starting rotation depth to absorb beginning next season with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt on the injured list are their other areas of focus. — Castillo
The Rays’ offseason began with picking up options for Brandon Lowe and Taylor Walls but declining an $11 million option for Pete Fairbanks, allowing their best reliever to reach free agency. The decision underlined the franchise’s financial reality as a small-market entity with an uncertain future.
Fairbanks will find a lucrative deal elsewhere — he’s in line for a three-year deal and has no shortage of suitors — and the Rays will presumably find cost-efficient ways to replace him in the bullpen. With only $29 million in guaranteed financial commitments for 2026, they will be seeking a catcher and perhaps a utility infielder. — Castillo
The Blue Jays were underdogs in the World Series, but they are not a plucky, small-market franchise. They have money and they spend it. After failing to sign franchise-altering free agents in recent years, including Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, Toronto invested $500 million to keep Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The question now is do they also keep Bo Bichette?
Bichette reached the majors months after Guerrero in 2019 and, besides an injury-plagued 2024, has been one of the best hitters in baseball since his debut. He regressed defensively at shortstop in 2025 and moving to another position is possible, but he should earn a robust nine-figure deal.
If not Bichette, the Blue Jays could earmark substantial money for Kyle Tucker, the consensus top free agent. The left-handed-hitting outfielder would complement the right-handed Guerrero in the middle of the order and supply more thump for an offense that was MLB’s best at making contact. Shane Bieber‘s surprising decision to pick up his $16 million player option dampens the need for rotation help, but the Blue Jays will pursue both starters and relievers this winter. — Castillo
AL Central
A surge in the 2026 standings isn’t front of mind for GM Chris Getz this offseason simply because the in-season jumps his young roster makes will be most impactful to how many more wins the team earns next year. Instead, the White Sox want to complement what they have, at least with a veteran outfielder and pitcher, to help show the youngsters the way.
“Some of our young players have earned the right to play at the major league level,” Getz said. “That doesn’t mean there won’t be opportunities to get into free agency and find players that are going to add to the group.”
Rounding out the pitching staff will be particularly important as the team does not want to rush its young but promising arms. Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz will eventually be in Chicago, but in the meantime, picking up veteran innings will be the goal this winter — as will deciding if the team wants Mike Tauchman as that leader in the clubhouse again. He was a positive for them in that role this past season. — Rogers
Chris Antonetti was reminded how a baseball season can turn on its head even after becoming “dark” and “bleak” as it did for Cleveland in 2025. The Guardians’ late run to the playoffs has only emboldened Antonetti’s desire to get better. But how will he do it?
“We want to score more runs,” he said. “We’re optimistic we’ll be able to do that.”
Cleveland will explore external options, but no one believes this will be an offseason of big spending. Antonetti was reminded there is a correlation between spending on payroll and going deep into the postseason.
“The system is what it is,” Antonetti said. “Until the system changes, it’s my job to find out a way to win a World Series in the system that exists.” — Rogers
Rest easy, Tigers fans. The chances of trading Tarik Skubal this offseason are low. Conversations will be had, but they’ll probably end there as a match for the two-time Cy Young Award winner with another team seems nearly impossible.
“Tarik is a Detroit Tiger,” Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg said. “We know how good he is. We’re not going to talk about our players in the context of trade or extension. He’s a Tiger. We’re happy to have him. Trading our own players isn’t something we’re going to discuss.”
In the meantime, the Tigers are waiting on infielder Gleyber Torres‘ decision on the qualifying offer they extended to him. After two straight postseason appearances, Detroit is looking for more this offseason.
“That could come through free agency or trade,” Greenberg said. “Some of that has to come through internal improvement as well. We’ll stay open-minded on all those avenues of taking the next steps in terms of where we’ve been the last two years.” — Rogers
The Royals missed the postseason in 2025, in part — or perhaps solely — because they finished 28th in runs scored. After signing Salvador Perez to a two-year extension earlier this month while watching Bobby Witt Jr. grow into a superstar role over the past two seasons, their window to win has become even clearer.
“We know right now, with a guy like Bobby Witt Jr., we’re not thinking about turning things over and building for the future,” GM J.J. Picollo said.
So what’s the plan? Finding help in left field, where the Royals finished 29th in OPS, will be a priority.
“That’s one of our objectives,” Picollo said. “Our outfield hasn’t been as productive as it needed to be. So we’re back at it again. Left field has been a bit of a revolving door. We have to try and settle that.
“If they can fit in the middle of the lineup, even better.” — Rogers
The Twins have undergone a considerable overhaul in recent months, between trading 10 players from their 40-man roster in July to hiring Derek Shelton to replace Rocco Baldelli as manager after another disappointing season. Derek Falvey, president of baseball operations, said bullpen and catcher are areas of need, while improving the team’s defense is also a priority.
Starting pitching, with Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez atop the rotation, is a considerable strength for Minnesota — potentially one it could trade from to infuse its farm system with more talent or address weaknesses.
“I think we’re going to prioritize keeping as much depth as possible, because, you know the inevitable,” Falvey said. “You’re not anticipating the injury. Guys [can be] a little bit slow coming into camp. Happens for every team in baseball. At the same time, if the right fit works — we say this with all our players on the roster — we have to be open-minded to trades that we think make us better.” — Castillo
AL West
The Athletics made a rare appearance near the top of the free agent market around this time last year, and that didn’t go very well. Luis Severino headlined their offseason splurge, then posted a 6.01 ERA at Sutter Health Park, the Sacramento-based minor league stadium the A’s are calling home as they transition to Las Vegas.
The A’s feature a young and exciting offense, but they’re still in desperate need of starting pitching, with Severino and Jeffrey Springs the only established starters going into 2026.
“We do talk about whether bringing in some experience, another veteran, some consistency, makes sense,” A’s general manager David Forst said. “It’s what everybody out there is looking for. It’s not easy to find, and ours is not the easiest park to pitch in for the next couple of years, I’m aware of that. But it’s definitely on our list.” — Gonzalez
Before hitting free agency this offseason, Framber Valdez accumulated 192 innings last year and 767⅔ innings since 2022, second most in the major leagues. The Houston Astros’ primary goal this offseason, general manager Dana Brown said, is to “get those innings back.”
Valdez is arguably the best free agent starting pitcher in this class, and the Astros are not expected to bring him back. The hope, Brown said, is that having Cristian Javier for a full season after he made only 15 starts from 2024 to 2025 will help make up for Valdez’s potential departure. Spencer Arrighetti, entering his age-27 season, could fill some of that void too. But the Astros will also be in the market for middle-tier starters. — Gonzalez
Angels owner Arte Moreno is always prone to change his mind, but at the moment, the expectation is that he won’t be spending big this offseason, especially with the civil trial related to Tyler Skaggs’ death continuing. That leaves general manager Perry Minasian with few options to fill a variety of holes throughout his roster, most notably: third base, second base, center field, starting pitching and the back end of the bullpen.
The Angels are one of approximately 30 teams in search of pitching depth at this moment. Their offensive needs, though, are more specific: the Angels would like some left-handed bats. At the moment, first baseman Nolan Schanuel is their only hitter capable of providing consistent production from the left side. Free agents Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham would be ideal fits but are not expected to be in the Angels’ price range. Minasian will need to be creative. — Gonzalez
The Mariners have made no secret about their desire to bring back first baseman Josh Naylor, which fits into a larger plan to retain as much of the 2025 group as possible. The Mariners came painstakingly close to making the first World Series in franchise history earlier this fall, and the hope is to continue to build on that momentum.
“This group this year was really special,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said. “They connected in real ways. I think common bonds around like care factor for winning, competitiveness, work ethic, preparation — they didn’t all display it outwardly the same way, but I think sort of hard-wired inside in a lot of the same ways. And it was really cool to see them experience a lot of winning.” — Gonzalez
The Rangers rode a high-powered offense to a championship in 2023. Since then, they have ranked 27th in OPS, prompting the team to miss the playoffs in back-to-back years — including in 2025, when the team boasted the lowest ERA in the majors and still finished nine games back in the American League West.
Now, the expectation throughout the industry is that the Rangers will cut payroll in pursuit of getting younger under new manager Skip Schumaker, with outfielder Adolis Garcia seen as a prime trade candidate. But the Rangers downplayed the idea of cutting costs simply for the sake of cutting costs this winter.
“We’re going to have a payroll that’s high enough for us to win,” Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said. “We’ve got a great core group in place, and we are in a great position that we don’t have to make any moves to accommodate payroll, to buy payroll flexibility so to speak. We’re expecting to win with whatever number we have.” — Gonzalez
NL East
General manager Alex Anthopoulos isn’t keeping his offseason needs a secret coming off a very uncharacteristic Braves season, finishing outside the playoff picture. They have a core of good players such as Ronald Acuna Jr, Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Michael Harris II. But there are holes.
“Shortstop, starting pitcher and a lot of relievers,” Anthopoulos said. “That’s the list.”
The Braves took a late-season flier on Ha-Seong Kim, but it’s unclear if he’ll be their shortstop in 2026 as he’s a free agent. It’s also unclear who pitches behind Chris Sale and Spencer Strider, though Hurston Waldrep had a solid debut in 2025. Additions to the rotation are likely to come from outside the organization.
The Braves know they are top-heavy in talent and need more depth to navigate a long season.
“We have a good starting point, but we have holes,” Anthopoulos said. “We need a starter one way or another.” — Rogers
The Marlins exceeded external expectations with a 79-win season in 2025, and are poised to spend more money than in recent years.
Peter Bendix, president of baseball operations, signed only three players to major league deals in his first two offseasons at the helm and has only one player — Sandy Alcantara — projected to make more than a few million dollars. As with nearly every team on this list, adding pitching, both in the rotation and bullpen, is a priority. Adding a corner infielder is another potential target.
“I was really happy with the progress of our major league team, really happy with the progress of our whole organization,” Bendix said. “We want to build on that. We think we can put together a really exciting team for 2026. We think we’re still building towards our goal of being sustainably competitive year after year.” — Castillo
The Mets have significant decisions to make, starting with two beloved stars: Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz. Both All-Stars opted out of their contracts. Either player returning to Queens is far from a guarantee. Ultimately, it will depend on how David Stearns, president of baseball operations, values first base and the closer role. Last offseason, Stearns didn’t budge on giving a long-term deal to Alonso. He probably won’t this time around either.
Stearns has reiterated that he wants to improve the club’s run prevention, which means upgrades on defense and in the pitching staff. A front-line starter is a priority as is adding multiple relievers. Stearns shared this week that he views Kodai Senga as part of the starting rotation, but teams have shown interest in trading for the veteran right-hander after a rocky 2025.
“I think if a front-line pitcher, top-of-the-rotation pitcher is available, we’re going to be involved in those discussions,” Stearns said. “We do have the depth and quality of farm system at this point that we can both have those players impact our major league team in a real way and, potentially, trade some of them to get some really near-term help, if that’s available.” — Castillo
Everyone knows what the Phillies are facing this offseason: They could lose three key free agent players from their core including designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, starter Ranger Suarez and catcher J.T. Realmuto.
“We’ve talked about them,” team president Dave Dombrowski said. “We’d loved to have them. It’s more their process than ours at this point. They set the time frame. They know we have interest.”
Rival executives said they would be surprised if Schwarber wasn’t back in Philadelphia, but Suarez and Realmuto might be finding new homes for the 2026 season. It would leave work to be done for Dombrowski at those positions, to go along with a potential need in the outfield with prospect Justin Crawford an internal option. — Rogers
The Nationals remain in staffing mode under new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, both with coaches and executives, as they move forward with a new era.
Once their focus switches to the roster, they’ll be on the lookout for a first baseman, catcher and relievers. But the question that will hover over their offseason is whether they will trade All-Star left-hander MacKenzie Gore. Gore is just 26 and has two years of control remaining. The Nationals’ rebuild isn’t near completion, though, and moving Gore for a haul of younger players would better line up with their timeline.
“We’re going to be really open-minded,” Toboni said. — Castillo
NL Central
The Cubs will be active when it comes to pitching, looking to trade or sign at least one high-end starter and/or a couple of midtier players. They’ve had success turning lower-profile relievers into high-leverage ones so using that strategy, a long-term commitment to a back-end option probably isn’t in the cards. They’ll offer some short-term deals, seeing if a proven arm will bite. Otherwise, the Cubs are going to be looking for arms wherever they can find them.
“If you look at our current lineup or depth chart, where we are most likely to improve, it’s going to be on the pitching side,” GM Carter Hawkins said. “Its not that we wouldn’t acquire an awesome position player, but it’s most likely going to be the pitching space where we find things to make us better at the cost we’ll be paying at that time.” — Rogers
The Reds know their starting rotation is their strength so adding to other parts of the team is the priority this winter and president of baseball operations Nick Krall indicated the Reds’ payroll would be “similar” to last season.
Cincinnati made strides offensively in 2025 but isn’t World Series caliber in that department just yet, so continued improvements at the plate are necessary. The Reds are also stressing getting better on defense behind their stellar rotation.
“We were midpack in defense,” Krall said. “We have to get better at that. We traded for Ke’Bryan Hayes and Spencer Steer has gotten better. We need to build on that.”
They also need to rebuild a bullpen that has four free agents potentially leaving. Essentially, the Reds have the most important part of a team’s roster set, but the rest of it is in flux as they attempt to push forward in Terry Francona’s second season. — Rogers
The Brewers are getting calls on starting pitcher Freddy Peralta after the team picked up his $8 million option for 2026. But with his production for that salary, he might not be going anywhere.
“Every team in the league is interested in Freddy Peralta,” president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said. “He means a lot to us too. I would anticipate he’s part of our team.”
As for spending free agent dollars this winter, Arnold noted that the Brewers have never operated with the lowest payroll in the league even though they are in the smallest market. Smaller additions are likely. — Rogers
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington wanted to make two things very clear this week: Paul Skenes isn’t going anywhere and improving the offense is the team’s focus. Pittsburgh scored the fewest runs in the majors in 2025, a shortcoming that sank the franchise to a 71-win campaign and extended its playoff drought to 10 seasons. To improve the offense, the Pirates are willing to spend more money than in recent years, according to sources, after fielding a payroll under $80 million last season.
“Run-scoring was the thing that got in our way more than anything and we got to add to that,” Cherington said. “Some of that has to be internal improvement, but we want to strengthen the roster too. So whether that’s through free agency, trades, combination, you name it, we’ll pursue everything and I’ll be disappointed if we don’t add to the position player group in a way that makes it look like a stronger group.” — Castillo
Chaim Bloom, new president of baseball operations, faces similar decisions to what his predecessor John Mozaliek did at this time a year ago: what to do with Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray. The good news is there is more clarity for the players this time. Arenado is open to being moved and Gray could get there as well. They’ll both have to waive their no-trade clauses, but Bloom indicated he and the players are on the same page, so when the return price is right, expect both to be traded.
As for the rest of his goals in his first offseason, it’s about finding a group of players around which to construct the rest of the roster. The Cardinals have a few players in place but need more.
“It’s really about building our core to where we can get this organization back to where it needs to be,” Bloom said. “Taking all the steps necessary and not taking shortcuts to build it back where we can compete for a division and a World Series.” — Rogers
NL West
The Diamondbacks will begin the 2026 season without their ace (Corbin Burnes), their two most important relievers (Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk) and one of their biggest power bats (Lourdes Gurriel Jr.). But all four are expected back around midseason, if not sooner. The goal is to remain in contention in the meantime, and to do so, general manager Mike Hazen said, they’ll focus on pitching, both starters and relievers.
The departures of Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly have left massive holes in the rotation and bullpen, and the D-backs don’t normally have the revenue to fill it all in free agency. That’s why Ketel Marte continues to be a fascinating name for a potential trade. Marte is 32, arguably the best second baseman in the sport, and is owed another $91 million on an extension he signed in April. Hazen said he has been getting asked “a ton” on his position players, Marte especially, though he added that the chances he gets traded are “low.” — Gonzalez
Paul DePodesta, the Rockies’ new head of baseball operations hired days before the GM meetings began, has a lot on his plate at the moment, not the least of which is hiring a manager. But by far his most important task will be figuring out pitching, and in Colorado, that’s incredibly complex. It’s not only about bringing in more talent or improving the organization’s infrastructure — it’s about figuring out how to get his pitchers to succeed at mile-high altitude, a problem the Rockies have been unable to solve in their four-decade-long history. DePodesta said he’s “very willing to experiment.”
“I think we have a lot of people in our organization that have been around a long time,” DePodesta said. “They’ve seen success at Coors Field, they’ve lived it. I’ve been the opposition, or opponent, going into Coors Field, and I have seen it from the other side, so I know it’s possible. But I’m interested in getting everybody’s take on what they’ve seen, what they feel is successful, or what’s worked in the past and what hasn’t. But we’ll probably be experimental, too, at times. I think we have to be willing to try some different things.” — Gonzalez
The Dodgers have been and will continue to be linked to free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker, though industry sources believe they’ll only get heavily involved if his market doesn’t materialize. The Dodgers are open to adding another bat, and doing so makes the most sense in the outfield, but they are not expected to go into the 10- or 12-year space for Tucker.
One place they will be aggressive, though, is in the bullpen.
The Dodgers’ bullpen was a disaster last year, so much so that they rode all four of their postseason starting pitchers to a win in Game 7 of the World Series. When asked about acquiring a set, established closer in particular, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said: “I don’t think it’s a need, but it could be a ‘nice to have’ if that’s how it plays out.” The expectation is that they will ultimately come away with one, either via trade or through free agency. — Gonzalez
The Padres could use a first baseman and are open to a reunion with Luis Arraez, but their primary need, general manager A.J. Preller said, is starting pitching. Joe Musgrove should be back from Tommy John surgery, but Yu Darvish will spend the 2026 season recovering from a repair of his ulnar collateral ligament, and Dylan Cease and Michael King are currently free agents. That leaves Musgrove, Nick Pivetta and a host of uncertainty beyond them
The Padres will explore free agency and trades for help, but they’re limited in both spaces. First, they must determine if Mason Miller, the star closer they acquired at midseason, would be willing to transition from the bullpen to the rotation. Those talks, Preller said, are ongoing. Adrian Morejon and David Morgan are also options to make such a move, but Miller’s decision in particular could shape their offseason. — Gonzalez
The Giants will seek high-leverage bullpen arms and starting pitching depth, but Buster Posey, entering his second offseason as president of baseball operations, identified outfield defense and baserunning as two clear areas to shore up.
Giants outfielders ranked last in outs above average last season at minus-18. As a whole, they were also one of the worst baserunning teams in the sport, finishing second-to-last in stolen bases (68) and baserunning runs above average (minus-9.1).
“I think it’s something that we can probably improve upon internally, but we’ll continue to monitor what else is possible,” Posey said. — Gonzalez
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Dan Wetzel
The purpose of the College Football Playoff selection committee is to sort through the unsortable — deciding between two teams of similar accomplishment.
This sport is a spectacular mess, of course, famously and belovedly so. The FBS level has 136 teams playing 12 regular-season games competing for one championship. The schedules are disparate, even within the current oversize “conferences.”
No one would design such a thing. Big schools. Small schools. State schools. Religious institutions. Even three military academies. From L.A. (Los Angeles) to L.A. (Lower Alabama). It’s glorious.
If a proper computer formula exists to figure out who should or shouldn’t be in a playoff, none has earned the trust of the sport. College football, after all, ain’t much for college.
So, it has a selection committee — 13 people who make the final, difficult, no-truly-correct-answer call. Their thanks comes from a barrage of hate courtesy of whomever they didn’t choose.
That there is controversy, hard feelings and anger doesn’t mean the system isn’t working.
It’s a sign that it is.
A sport that used to leave unbeaten teams out of the title game is now arguing about 10-2 and 9-3 clubs. A postseason that was once a collection of mostly meaningless exhibition bowl games designed as tourism campaigns is now anchored by a 12-team, 11-game free-for-all.
At least half a dozen teams must believe they can actually win the national title. Maybe more. Four playoff games will be staged on campuses, not at antiseptic NFL stadiums. The title will be settled on the field. This is the good stuff.
It’s why everyone needs to exhale for a moment.
Don’t let the pursuit of (unachievable) perfection get in the way of progress. This is always going to be an imperfect operation.
Would it be better if the ACC’s tiebreaker system didn’t malfunction and both Miami (as ACC champ) and Notre Dame (as an at-large selection) were in the field? Of course. But the presence of James Madison and some Fighting Irish disappointment shouldn’t cause anyone to take a wrecking ball to this entire enterprise.
College athletics is famous for knee-jerk decisions that it comes to regret. It too often makes policy via emotional swings and selfish reasoning without vision for the future.
Leagues get blown up (or expanded) for basic cable subscriptions (which are already dwindling). Legal cases are waged on the idea NIL will decrease competitive balance (Indiana is currently ranked No. 1). Congress is lobbied with hysterics that the sport needs “saving” (all while interest, revenue and television ratings rise).
The latest overreaction is to kill off this 2-year-old playoff for a bigger model that will supposedly be controversy-free (impossible) — one with 24 teams, at least, or with four automatic bids to certain conferences or who knows what else.
The committee is the punching bag. Subjectivity is the wedge issue. Conspiracies are everywhere. Emotions are running hot.
Look, there is one sure way for major programs to get into this thing: win your conference. If not, then you get into the knife fight that is the at-large selection process. Anything can happen. Criteria can shift. Decisions can seem unfair or arbitrary.
If, like Notre Dame, you find more overall value in independence, then this is your trade-off. It isn’t going to work as you wish every time.
Are there improvements and tweaks that can be made? Of course.
The committee should no longer release weekly rankings during the back half of the season. A single verdict should come out at the end. The current setup is good for content (including here at ESPN, which broadcasts the weekly rankings), but it undermines the credibility of the process. The week-to-week contradictions are maddening and, even worse, can box in the committee’s final decision.
Bloated leagues could return to divisions in an effort to create scheduling structure or find other ways to fix tiebreakers (ahem, ACC).
Two rounds of home games would increase the importance of seeding and bring more campuses and local communities into the fold. That would serve fans and families rather than bowl directors.
Conference championship weekend could even be eliminated altogether; if Alabama can get beaten soundly and not drop, then was it even a real game? (And yes, BYU, we see you.) That would move the playoff up a week and allow for the semifinals on New Year’s Day and a title game in early January rather than during the heart of the NFL postseason.
Of course, ending conference title games would require leaving money on the table, not to mention unwinding complicated media and hosting contracts, so it’s a heavy lift.
The minor tweaks are fine, though, as long as the regular season continues to matter. That has to be the North Star. This committee maintained that by valuing Miami’s Week 1 victory over Notre Dame. Yes, it should have made that determination weeks earlier, but it’s never too late to do the right thing.
A playoff that gets so big where results don’t matter very much or, as the Big Ten proposal would have, where Michigan and Iowa are still alive via play-in rounds forever alters how the sport is played.
Better to have one or two bitter 10-2 teams out there at the end.
Better to have cries and screams and a little bit of infuriation.
Better to have those 13 people in a meeting room making a decision.
Because in this wonderfully chaotic and disorganized sport, the selection committee, to channel some Winston Churchill, might indeed be the worst system ever, except for all the others.
Terry Ryan is living out a hockey player’s dream. It’s just not the exact one he grew up dreaming.
One of the stars of the hit show “Shoresy,” the hockey-centered comedy that has acted as equal parts love letter to the sport and cultural tastemaker, Ryan will join his castmates (all of whom are also hockey players achieving various levels of success) on Dec. 10 at UBS Arena on Long Island as part of the Shoresy Fall Classic, a multistop tour across Canada and the United States where the cast plays games typically against the alumni of that NHL team.
“Aaron Asham is one of my best friends in the world. I played junior and pro with him,” Ryan said of the retired 15-year NHL veteran who played four seasons with the New York Islanders. “So I’m looking forward to that.”
The pace of play is higher than most people think heading in, the 48-year-old noted, adding “we’re not out there trying to hurt each other or anything, but it’s a step up from a regular shinny game.”
“It’s a very unique experience. I don’t know if I’ve ever come across anything like it whereby the fans are cheering for both teams,” he said. “Even though we lose — we’ve been losing most of the games — we’re not getting blown out, and I think people walk away with an appreciation that, you know, we’re all actors in the show, but we’re all hockey players. We’re a pretty good team. We hang in there.”
The event, which also includes a Q&A with the cast, was sparked by the massive popularity of the show, which will release its fifth season in Canada on Christmas Day and on Hulu in early 2026 (its parent show, “Letterkenny,” wrapped up with 12 seasons and 81 episodes).
As for Ryan, he was the No. 8 pick in the 1995 draft of the Montreal Canadiens, and achieved his dream of playing in the NHL — but played only eight games with the Habs. He then spent six seasons with different AHL teams after an ankle injury brought his NHL dreams to a halt.
The Newfoundland native continued to play in various leagues while pursuing another career — film and television. But not as an actor.
“I got an arts degree in folklore and English, and within that there’s a film studies certificate. I worked on a crew, I mean like location [scouting], production assistant, AD. I was like ‘jump how high’ for six years,” he said. “Then I spilled over, I did some stunts, and then because I have no tooth, I got to play some parts like, you know, British soldiers, crackheads, pimps, drug dealers, stuff like that. … My entrance into this world was a lot different than the other guys [on the Shoresy cast].”
Eventually, Ryan did cross paths with one Hollywood star, who took him under his wing.
“There’s a show on Netflix called ‘Frontier.’ I was on crew, I was waiting to get in the union. I met Jason Momoa. He came along with [producers] and gave me a chance,” Ryan said. “I had no tooth, Momoa said, ‘Keep the tooth out. I can get you some stunt gigs.’
“Five seconds into the show, I’m the very first face you see. It’s a British soldier begging for his life, and I’ve got no tooth obviously … they got me that role. That’s how I got in.”
Ryan and Momoa also shared a love for hockey. Ryan taught Momoa and members of the crew how to skate (in Momoa’s case, the finer points).
“I don’t know how many times we went out on the ice, maybe 100 times,” Ryan recalled.
Ryan also taught Momoa the intricacies of a hockey fight.
“When we first [fought], I just shook him and beat him in a fight,” Ryan said. “I said, ‘It’s all about balance, man. You can be as big as you want.’
“Anyway, he laughed … trust me, if he hit me with one, it wouldn’t matter. [Momoa] wanted to get in a hockey fight [in the second season of ‘Frontier’], so, like, I’m [wearing] the British red coat, and he pulls the thing over, and he simulates a hockey fight.”
Momoa helped Ryan get several stunt gigs and even hired Ryan as his assistant for a period of time. Eventually, “Letterkenny” called with the role of Ted Hitchcock, a lovable hockey player from Newfoundland with a penchant for “martoonies,” which led to “Shoresy.”
And now, the show and cast enjoy a level of success that allows them to play in hockey games against NHL players across North America, with thousands of people cheering them from the stands. In a very circuitous way, a version of Ryan’s hockey dreams did come true.
Jump ahead:
Games of the week
What I loved this weekend
Hart Trophy candidates
Social post of the week
Stick taps
Biggest games of the week
I’m getting into “watch every Colorado Avalanche game” territory. I saw them live for the first time this season at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, and it was incredibly fun. Nathan MacKinnon had a pair of goals, including a nasty backhand overtime winner under the crossbar that he made look absolutely effortless.
1:08
Nathan MacKinnon skates through Rangers defense to score dazzling OT winner
Nathan MacKinnon makes a sweet move and scores on the backhand to give the Avalanche an overtime win.
We’ve been focusing a lot on the lack of regulation losses for Denver’s team — only two so far this season. But we can now start keeping an eye on points in general, because the Avs are are currently on pace for 58 wins and 134 points this season.
That would be second-most points by any team in a season in NHL history, behind the 2022-23 Bruins (135).
If things keep rolling, the Avalanche have a chance to make history. They have build a solid foundation for it. They have the players. Could they do it?
Weeks in mid-December can sort of fly under the radar in the course of the regular season, but these are the ones where teams chasing history work in the shadows and build. The Avs visit the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, host the Florida Panthers on Thursday and then have the Preds at home Saturday. It could be a three-win week for the NHL’s premier team.
Other key games this week
Monday, 9 p.m. | ESPN+
Tuesday, 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Tuesday, 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Thursday, 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Thursday, 7 p.m. | ESPN
Thursday, 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Thursday, 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Saturday, 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Saturday, 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Sunday, 6 p.m. | ESPN+
What I loved this weekend
The Athletic’s Murat Ates wrote a story about the mental health journey of Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi. The story, which includes raw and honest reflection from Vilardi, is equal parts fascinating and emotional. This quote from Vilardi was particularly humbling and something that certainly many athletes probably go through during a game:
“For me, negative self-talk is not just panic attacks; it’s something that I deal with a lot. And it drags on. It starts with one play. Then it’s like, ‘Oh s—, I’ve got to make up for that play.’ Then it drags on to three shifts because you’re still thinking in your head that you’ve got to make up for it. Next thing you know, it’s a period and it’s like, ‘F—, I’ve only got two periods left.’ I was in my head the whole first period.”
Sports psychologist Dr. Alicia Naser — who works with NHL players such as Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright and Calgary Flames center John Beecher along with other professional athletes — has helped to normalize the discussions, particular through her social media content, which includes bite-sized wisdom and actionable items related to mental health and performance that can benefit anyone watching or reading.
Hart Trophy contenders if the season ended today
Nathan MacKinnon times three. That’s it.
But really, MacKinnon obviously remains on the list. He’s currently on pace for 70 goals and 140 points this season; if he reaches those totals, he’d be the fifth player in NHL history to do it, joining Wayne Gretzky (who did it four times), Mario Lemieux (twice), Bernie Nicholls (1988-89) and Phil Esposito (1970-71). MacKinnon would also have the first 70-goal season since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny did it in 1992-93 (both with 76 goals).
As for the second contender, that goes to Connor McDavid. He pulled into second place in the points race, now six back of MacKinnon with 42; he also leads the league in assists (28).
Indeed, this might be the week it becomes a two-player race. For that reason, I’m giving one more nod in this section to both Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, because one (or both) might be unseated as early as next week. I kind of hope I’m wrong though.
Social media post of the week
It definitely isn’t the 6-7 cam at MSG, or Sam Bennett taking part in the trend.
My choice this week is new hockey fan Big Z on TikTok. It feels as if every few years someone goes viral (at least in the hockey bubble) for finding out how exciting hockey is. It’s fun to live vicariously through someone who is experiencing the same joy we all once did as hockey fans.
Big Z’s joy over seeing Alex Ovechkin and Dustin Byfuglien deliver checks, or lamenting a Red Wings shootout loss (but still saying that he needs to buy a jersey), is fantastic.
Stick taps
The Washington Capitals have partnered with WWE to release a limited edition collab for John Cena’s final WWE match before he retires, taking place Saturday. The shirt features Cena wearing a Caps hat holding a towel in his iconic pose that reads “Let’s Go Caps.”
The time is now for an #ALLCAPS x @JohnCena collaboration in celebration of his final match!
Fans who purchase through the special link will receive the exclusive t-shirt and tickets to #CapsCanes this Thursday, Dec. 11.
🎟️ https://t.co/IzoZjSdSrq pic.twitter.com/iAkVHjBx12
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 5, 2025
I’m all for more partnerships like this. City-specific merchandise is on the rise and often becomes a collector’s item. WWE also has championship belts specific to teams across multiple sports, including the NHL.
Sports
What Buster Olney, Jeff Passan are hearing about Schwarber’s suitors, top free agents and blockbuster trades
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Buster Olney
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Buster Olney
ESPN Senior Writer
- Senior writer ESPN Magazine/ESPN.com
- Analyst/reporter ESPN television
- Author of “The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty”
MLB’s winter meetings begin Monday in Orlando, Florida, signaling the time when baseball’s offseason activity is likely to take off.
What’s the latest on free agent hitters, including coveted sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Kyle Tucker? Will Framber Valdez find a new home now that fellow top free agent pitcher Dylan Cease is off the board? What’s the latest on a trade market featuring stars such as Ketel Marte and Steven Kwan? And which teams could surprise the sport by making a big splash in Florida?
Here is the latest intel Buster Olney and Jeff Passan are hearing on the players, teams and themes that will rule this year’s meetings.
Last year’s winter meetings were all about Juan Soto — is there one free agent or theme on everyone’s mind going into the meetings this year?
Olney: Some agents and execs are saying the money for free agents is generally locked down. There are outliers, of course — the Toronto Blue Jays are doing their thing, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, A’s and Miami Marlins are all angling for a We Are Trying posture.
The very elite guys, such as Kyle Schwarber, will get their money. But there are early indications that a lot of the teams that are traditionally aggressive might be more conservative this winter, perhaps because of the looming labor situation — and that could lead to more trades, rather than investments in free agents, as teams look to plug holes.
Passan: When does the Kyle Schwarber dam break? Several teams’ fortunes — from Philadelphia to Cincinnati to Pittsburgh to Boston to Baltimore to the New York Mets — depend on where Schwarber goes. The belief among teams is that it will take five years to secure the 32-year-old, and once that happens — perhaps sometime during the meetings — teams will start pivoting, and the action will pick up demonstrably.
Which top free agent hitter is most likely to sign during the winter meetings?
Olney: In recent winters, the Blue Jays wanted to spend big and couldn’t entice Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto to take their money. Now, some free agents could need Toronto, if some of the big-money teams pass on pricey moves. Kyle Tucker has been projected as a $400 million-plus player, but it might behoove him to move quickly if he gets an early, aggressive bid from the Jays (or some other team).
This is not a winter in which you want to be waiting for the big offers to materialize, as they did for Bryce Harper and Manny Machado in past offseasons.
Passan: Schwarber is the best bet. Tucker isn’t close to done yet. Cody Bellinger has a healthy market but is biding his time. Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette are world-class infielders with ample, moneyed suitors. Pete Alonso‘s signing could go down after Schwarber.
What’s clear is that there’s a group of teams that will spend on a big bat (Phillies, Red Sox, Blue Jays), a number surveying multiple options (Yankees, Mets, Cubs) and a handful that would do so opportunistically (Orioles, Tigers, Reds, Pirates). Others could emerge depending on how the market plays out and what trade possibilities emerge.
Which other hitters could move quickly at the meetings?
Olney: Cedric Mullins‘ choice to sign for a one-year, $7 million, with the Tampa Bay Rays could be a warning sign for this free agent class. Mullins was not a perfect free agent by any measure, after his struggles with the Mets, but the rapidity with which he agreed to a deal could reflect the general feeling that this market could play out like a game of musical chairs — if you’ve got offers in hand, it’d be best to move fast and grab a spot (and money). Jorge Polanco could be among those who sign sooner rather than later — he’s coveted by the Mariners and some other teams. Harrison Bader set himself up well with a strong performance in Philadelphia.
Passan: If Schwarber goes early, everyone is in play. Otherwise, the second tier of hitters includes infielder Jorge Polanco, catcher J.T. Realmuto and Japanese corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto, and teams believe there could be momentum toward deals with them. Another popular hitter: infielder Ha-Seong Kim, who could return to Atlanta — which still needs a shortstop — on a shorter-term deal or seek longer-term security elsewhere.
Now that Dylan Cease has signed, which big-name aces could move next?
Olney: It depends on your definition of “big name.” Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, future Hall of Famers, will find landing spots, but they are on the downslopes of their remarkable careers; they can wait, and there is a presumption that Scherzer could pitch for his good friend, new San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello.
If you’re talking about the guys who will be getting paid the most, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez are next up, and there are clearly teams with which they could fit. The Mets need an ace; the Orioles need an ace. But the perceived expectations for Valdez’s next deal are high early in this offseason, evaluators say, and any team that bids on Suarez has to get comfortable with investing in a guy who doesn’t throw hard — which is not common in this era.
Passan: Teams in the mix for Suarez believe he’s the next big-time starter off the board. Though the 30-year-old won’t fetch a Dylan Cease-level deal, he long has been a target for Houston, which balks at deals beyond six years, and Baltimore, which is seeking a top-end rotation piece. Right-hander Michael King has widespread interest because of his frontline potential with a willingness to sign for a shorter term than the top starters. Also worth watching: right-hander Merrill Kelly, who at 37 is in line for a multiyear deal. Arguably the best starter in the class, Valdez is often among the league leaders in innings with a playoff résumé, and his market will unfold alongside the best hitters’.
Will we see a run of reliever signings following Devin Williams and Ryan Helsley getting deals?
Olney: Not necessarily, because there are so many relievers available — more than 100 unsigned free agents. Pete Fairbanks could be among the next to sign, and the 35-year-old Robert Suarez. Edwin Diaz‘s free agency is fascinating because he’s the best available pitcher in an offseason in which there are few teams seemingly prepared to invest a nine-figure contract on a short reliever. He has been linked to the Mets, of course, and the Blue Jays, but each of those teams has been filling other holes, so far.
Passan: The run on relievers is slowing slightly, though Fairbanks and Kyle Finnegan are the closers who could be had sooner than later. Tyler Rogers is primed to get a three-year deal, as is Brad Keller, who could transition to be a starter. Luke Weaver will get multiple years. The left-handed market is thin and led by Steven Matz, Caleb Ferguson, Taylor Rogers, Gregory Soto and Sean Newcomb. Diaz and Robert Suarez are the two best relievers left, and they are likely to wait for the larger market to shake out.
Which players will be mentioned most in winter meetings trade discussions?
Olney: It makes sense for teams that have trade candidates under team control into 2027 to weigh offers now because they might struggle to get proper value for those players next July, given the labor uncertainty after the season. That means players such as Mackenzie Gore of the Nationals — and Paul Toboni, Washington’s president of baseball operations, said in a “Baseball Tonight” podcast interview Wednesday that he has talked with Gore about hearing his name in trade rumors — and Kwan of the Guardians.
Interestingly, other teams report that the Twins haven’t been pushing Joe Ryan in trade discussions. Maybe that’s because they don’t have to, or, in the opinion of some evaluators, Minnesota could prefer to keep Ryan. The Diamondbacks told interested teams in July that they wouldn’t trade Marte, but their posture now is very different; they have to improve their rotation, and the quickest way to do that would be to swap Marte.
Passan: Multiple executives see a flurry of potential trades, headlined by Marte, Arizona’s All-Star second baseman. The Diamondbacks aren’t clamoring to move him. They also know that with five very affordable years under contract, Marte is among the most valuable players in baseball, thanks to his combination of productivity and cost. Another second baseman teams are considering: Tampa Bay’s Brandon Lowe.
Miami is almost certain to move a starting pitcher this winter, and Edward Cabrera has generated the most interest. Boston has been discussing its outfield surplus with multiple teams. Pittsburgh wants to trade a starter for a hitter. The Brendan Donovan market remains conflagrant, as St. Louis considers whether its rebuild will include him or the hefty return he would fetch.
Which is one surprise team to watch at the winter meetings?
Olney: We aren’t accustomed to seeing the Pirates, Marlins or A’s among the most aggressive teams, but they seem to be like college freshmen holding credit cards for the first time — some agents think they’ll add something in the range of $25 million to $30 million in payroll, either in salaries acquired through trades or in free agency.
Passan: After getting Helsley in free agency and Taylor Ward in a trade, the Orioles are looking to land a big player — and though the priority is pitching, they’re not against targeting a hitter, either. The Los Angeles Angels, whose last major free agent signing for more than $65 million was Anthony Rendon in December 2019, are still looking to bolster their rotation after trading for Grayson Rodriguez and signing Alek Manoah.
What else are you hearing that will shape the winter meetings?
Olney: The juiciest rumor I heard this week was the notion that the Mets could push the Phillies for Schwarber, and there are a lot of reasons this could make sense. Beyond Schwarber’s power and on-base capability — can you imagine pitchers working to get through Schwarber and Soto in the same inning? — he is known as someone who works to pull players together. And hell, even if the Mets don’t believe they can beat the Phillies in the bidding for the slugger, they could push Philadelphia’s cost by being involved, as the Braves did with Aaron Nola two winters ago.
There’s a lot of talk among teams about Murakami, the free agent corner infielder who is making his way from Japan — and skepticism, in some front offices, about how his skill set will play in the big leagues, given his big swing-and-miss profile and the perception that his defense could be a problem. But all he needs in this bidding is for one team (or more) to fall in love with his big-time power.
Passan: If Schwarber signs and unclogs the market, expect others to fall — either toward the end of the meetings or in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai could wind up with a big-market team on the East Coast, and the New York Yankees — with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon expected to miss the start of the season — New York Mets and Philadelphia are reasonable landing spots. All three have interest in Bellinger, too. Another Japanese star, Munetaka Murakami, is more likely to sign in the period between the meetings and holidays. With the paucity of center fielders in free agency and on the trade market, Bader has a healthy market.
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