World Baseball Classic Power Rankings: Is USA or Dominican Republic on top?
It’s World Baseball Classic time! The international baseball tournament is back for the first time since 2017 and features some of baseball’s most stacked lineups maybe … ever.
In its fifth edition, the World Baseball Classic will start on March 8, with pool play spanning Japan, Taiwan, Florida and Arizona and featuring 20 teams. Two will advance out of each pool to compete in the quarterfinals in Tokyo and Miami. From then on, games will be played in Miami, with the semifinals on March 19 and 20 and the championship game on March 21 to conclude the tournament.
Which of the top teams will prevail?
Will Mike Trout help the United States defend its 2017 title? Can Japan win its third championship with Shohei Ohtani at the helm? Or will a stacked Dominican Republic team headlined by Manny Machado and Juan Soto secure a second title?
We ranked all 20 competitors — from those with the best chance at winning to those that are just happy to be there. ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, David Schoenfield and Bradford Doolittle explain the rankings, identify a player to know for every team and give us an MLB equivalent for each of the top squads.
Let’s dive in.
Best chance to win
1. Dominican Republic
Why it could win it all: I mean, just look at that lineup. The position-player portion of the Dominican roster boasts 34 trips to the All-Star Game, 20 Silver Sluggers and six Gold Gloves. The likes of Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano, now in the late stages of their respective careers, absorbed a sizable chunk of those accolades. But this team is decorated with numerous superstars in the thick of their prime — Machado, Soto, Rafael Devers, Julio Rodriguez, Wander Franco, Jeremy Pena. It’s exhausting.
The only question here is how Dominican manager Rodney Linares will divvy up playing time, especially at second base, third base and shortstop, all of which are incredibly crowded. The pitching staff is almost as lethal, led by reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara and featuring a plethora of legitimate, late-inning bullpen arms (Rafael Montero, Gregory Soto and Camilo Doval, just to name a few).
Player to know: Cristian Javier burst onto the scene in Game 4 of the World Series, throwing the first six innings of a combined no-hitter. It was the lasting image to what had already been a brilliant season for the 25-year-old right-hander with a devastating fastball. Javier, originally obtained for $10,000, has since signed a five-year, $64 million extension with the Houston Astros and is poised to take the next step as one of the most dominant arms in the sport during the 2023 regular season. First, he’ll serve as a key member of the Dominican Republic’s starting rotation, which also includes Johnny Cueto and Roansy Contreras. It’s still March, so Alcantara can’t carry this staff the way he did the Miami Marlins’ last season. If the Dominican Republic is going to live up to lofty expectations, Javier will probably have to dominate too.
MLB team they remind us of: The 2023 New York Mets — if they had signed Carlos Correa. The presence of Correa would have given the Mets a ridiculous — and borderline unfair — amount of talent throughout their lineup, to go along with a devastating top of the rotation and an intimidating back end of the bullpen. That’s this year’s Dominican Republic squad. It’s loaded with premium defenders, dangerous base stealers, prodigious sluggers and some of the best pure hitters in the world, all backed by a deep cast of proven power arms. There’s a reason the DR is the prohibitive favorite.
— Gonzalez
2. United States
Why it could win it all: The U.S. is the defending champ and rolls out a lineup that is the strongest it has ever assembled in the World Baseball Classic and includes Trout for the first time. Indeed, while social media has initiated a love affair with the Dominican team and the Dominicans rank No. 1 here, based on 2022 numbers, the U.S. lineup is stronger. Using wRC+, the U.S. team features the No. 3 hitter from 2022 (Paul Goldschmidt), No. 4 (Trout), No. 8 (Nolan Arenado), No. 12 (Mookie Betts), No. 14 (Pete Alonso) and No. 16 (Jeff McNeil). Oh, plus it has the best catcher in the game in J.T. Realmuto, NL home run leader Kyle Schwarber and two of the best all-around players in Trea Turner and Kyle Tucker. This lineup is absolutely stacked and has to rank as one of the best in the sport’s history, whether in the WBC or even All-Star competition.
Player to know: Brady Singer. There is no clear ace on the U.S. team, and manager Mark DeRosa might rely on St. Louis Cardinals veterans Adam Wainwright and Miles Mikolas in the biggest games, but keep an eye on Singer. He arguably had the best 2022 of any of the U.S. starters — it just came with the Kansas City Royals, so nobody noticed. The U.S. has a deep bullpen led by Devin Williams, Ryan Pressly, Jason Adam, Daniel Bard and Adam Ottavino, but the starters will need to deliver as well.
MLB team it reminds us of: The 2022 Los Angeles Dodgers, who led the majors in both runs scored and fewest runs allowed. Other teams can match or top the U.S. in starting pitching, but no team has the overall pitching depth of the U.S. from one through 15. Of course, we all know what happened to the Dodgers in the postseason.
— Schoenfield
3. Japan
Why it could win it all: Japan has won the World Baseball Classic twice already and returns with what might be its best, most balanced roster yet, featuring a compelling blend of proven major league talent, young NPB stars and veteran Japanese players who know what it’s like to navigate tournaments like these. We know the likes of Ohtani, Yu Darvish and Lars Nootbaar. But Masataka Yoshida signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Boston Red Sox this offseason and is a great pure hitter. Munetaka Murakami has won back-to-back Central League MVPs and is still only 23 years old. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is considered the best pitcher in Japan, coming off back-to-back Sawamura Awards (the NPB equivalent of a Cy Young). And Roki Sasaki might be even better.
Player to know: Major league scouts and executives are already salivating at the prospect of someday getting their arms around Sasaki, a 21-year-old right-hander who throws his fastball in the triple digits and nearly threw back-to-back perfect games last season. Sasaki finished the year with a 2.02 ERA and 173 strikeouts in 129⅓ innings. Murakami, meanwhile, posted a .318/.458/.711 slash line and accumulated a record 56 home runs. Late last season, while talking about the prospect of facing one another in the WBC, Ohtani told Trout he probably wasn’t the best pitcher nor the best hitter on Team Japan. Trout didn’t believe him. Soon, after getting an up-close look at Sasaki and Murakami, he just might.
MLB team it reminds us of: The 2001 Seattle Mariners. Led by a Japanese rookie named Ichiro Suzuki, those Mariners didn’t boast the sexiest of rosters, but they did everything well. They slugged, hit for average, stole bases, played sound defense and pitched extraordinarily well. By the end of the season, they won a whopping 116 games, establishing themselves as one of the most dominant teams in recent memory. That could be Samurai Japan.
— Gonzalez
4. Venezuela
Why it could win it all: Venezuela probably has the third-best lineup in the tournament and is especially loaded in the middle infield with Jose Altuve, Andres Gimenez, Luis Arraez and Gleyber Torres. If it wants to get all those bats in the lineup, it can slide Gimenez to shortstop, Arraez to first and let Altuve DH (with Eugenio Suarez or Eduardo Escobar at third base). Ronald Acuna Jr., Salvador Perez and Anthony Santander add power. Venezuela has had talented teams in the past but has reached the semifinals just once in four WBCs (back in 2009). The team has never had this kind of starting pitching depth, however, with the likes of Martin Perez, Pablo Lopez, Jesus Luzardo, Eduardo Rodriguez, Luis Garcia and Ranger Suarez — deep enough that some of that group can be used in relief.
Player to know: Acuna’s power was down last season as he returned from ACL surgery in 2021. This will be an opportunity to show everyone he’s back at full strength and still one of the best players in the game — and he certainly has the firepower to carry the offense if he gets hot.
MLB team it reminds us of: The 2017 Houston Astros, who had a deep and balanced lineup, including a stellar middle infield duo of Altuve and Correa. When the bullpen faltered early in the playoffs, they still had so much starting pitching depth that manager A.J. Hinch was able to use them out of the bullpen as the Astros won the World Series. Let’s just hope Venezuela leaves the garbage can out of this comparison.
— Schoenfield
5. Puerto Rico
Why it could win it all: After finishing second in the past WBC, Puerto Rico will try to channel some of the swagger of the 2021 Mets, with a flashy middle infield of Javy Baez and Francisco Lindor, as well as Edwin Diaz lurking at the back of the bullpen. Speaking of swagger: Manager Yadier Molina will channel his unique mix of bravado and intensity in a new role. While a number of key hitters for Puerto Rico are coming off subpar performances — Baez, Eddie Rosario, Kike Hernandez — that also means they have a lot to prove. And Molina has a filthy bullpen to work with in Diaz, his brother Alexis, Jorge Lopez, Alex Claudio and Emilio Pagan.
Player to know: MJ Melendez is looking to build on his solid MLB debut from last season, and he can mash. While he isn’t likely to see a ton of time behind the plate on a roster that includes Martin Maldonado and Christian Vazquez and is overseen by Molina — one of the great defensive backstops in history — Melendez should figure into the corner outfield/DH mix as one of the few lefty swingers on the Puerto Rico roster.
MLB team it reminds us of: The 2015 Royals. Lots of aggressive hitters, flashy defense and athleticism and a bullpen that can close things out if you get a lead into the middle innings. And, also, a group of starters — led by Jose Berrios and Marcus Stroman — that you just hope can get the ball to that bullpen with the game on the line.
— Doolittle
They’ll be competitive
6. Korea
How it stays competitive with the top teams: Like Japan, Korea has the advantage of being placed in Pool B, where it figures to outclass Australia, China and the Czech Republic to advance out of pool play. Once in the quarterfinals, Korea can attack opposing staffs with a contact-heavy lineup that has surprising pop. Tommy Edman and Ha-Seong Kim will be among the key table-setters, and if Korea can get runners on base, we’ll all see how dynamic this overlooked lineup is when Jung Hoo Lee, Baek-ho Kang and Jeong Choi get their hacks.
Player to know: Lee is the reigning KBO MVP. He’s similar to Wade Boggs, having hit .342 so far in his career as a lefty with ridiculous bat control and contact skills. And his power has been developing as well. Rumors are we could see him in MLB before too long, so get to know him now.
Style of play: A lot of Americans were exposed to the KBO in 2020, when MLB was shut down during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. What we saw was a circuit where home runs matter, of course, but there was also a premium on getting the ball into play and moving baserunners. If Korea goes on a deep run, we should see that firsthand.
— Doolittle
7. Mexico
How it stays competitive with the top teams: Mexico doesn’t feature a lineup as deep as the favorites in the WBC, but there is plenty of punch in a group led by outfielders Randy Arozarena, Alek Thomas, Alex Verdugo and Jarren Duran. There is also the potential for one of the top rotations in the WBC with Julio Urias, Patrick Sandoval, Jose Urquidy and Taijuan Walker. However, with strict usage limits on WBC starters, Mexico might have to hang on for dear life with an uncertain bullpen, especially once it hits the quarterfinals. Getting sizable early leads will be key.
Player to know: Thomas has been one of the better outfield prospects in the game for a couple of years, and in 2022, he got his first taste of big league ball with 113 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks. An agile, pure hitter in the minors, Thomas will have a chance to boost his confidence level heading into his sophomore campaign.
Style of play: Maybe it’s because of Fernando Valenzuela, but the first thing that springs to mind is starting pitching, and that will certainly be key to this year’s run for Mexico in the WBC. But is it also too reductive to say that the baseball itself is just … fun? Last week, according to MLB.com, Red Sox teammates Duran and Verdugo were asked to give a presentation about Mexican baseball at Boston’s spring camp. They brought in a mariachi band for the occasion. You gotta love it.
— Doolittle
8. Cuba
How it stays competitive with the top teams: It’s very simple for Team Cuba: Its stars — Luis Robert, Yoan Moncada and Yoenis Cespedes, the latter of whom has not played in the major leagues since 2020 — will have to get hot and carry the team. Cuba was once among the global standards for baseball excellence, but an exodus of top-shelf talent over the past decade or so — coupled with economic hardships throughout the island and an insular governance that often shelters Cuba from the rest of the world — has brought with it a massive drop-off in the overall quality of play. Cuba, though, will be helped by playing in a pool that also includes Italy, the Netherlands, Chinese Taipei and Panama. Cuba should survive that part of the tournament. After that, it’ll get really difficult.
Player to know: Robert isn’t just the best player on Team Cuba; by the end of the year, we might be wondering if he’s one of the best players in the world. Robert — like Cespedes a dozen years ago — is strong and agile in ways few baseball players ever are. And now, his age-25 season, could be the time when he taps into his true potential. Chicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol lent his voice to that earlier in spring training, saying: “This guy has an opportunity to win an MVP, in my opinion. If he puts it all together, it’s special.” The World Baseball Classic might be our first glimpse at that.
MLB team it reminds us of: This might seem random, but it’s the 2018 Oakland Athletics, who slugged only .286 against pitches 95 mph and above, one of the worst marks since the new millennium. And if there’s one major weakness for Team Cuba in this tournament, it could be that; the decrease in baseball talent on the island has meant its hitters are simply not used to seeing much velocity. That A’s team, however, was fundamentally sound, ranking among the best defensive teams in the sport that year. The Cuban players won’t hurt themselves. There’s still a lot of good coaching instruction on the island.
— Gonzalez
9. Canada
How it stays competitive with the top teams: If the tournament is moved to Saskatchewan and played on ice? OK, there are a few familiar names here including Freddie Freeman and Tyler O’Neill — and a team of mostly Canadian minor leaguers did beat the United States in a memorable contest back in 2006 — but simply advancing out of pool play and into the quarterfinals would be a huge accomplishment. Cal Quantrill, coming off an excellent season with Cleveland, is the staff ace, but Nick Pivetta had to withdraw, a severe blow to the pitching staff. There are some interesting prospects in catcher Bo Naylor (Cleveland Guardians), infielder Edouard Julien (Minnesota Twins) and outfielder Owen Caissie (Chicago Cubs). Adam Loewen, then a top prospect with the Baltimore Orioles, was the winning pitcher in that 2006 victory over the U.S., and he’s back at age 38, having last played professionally in 2018.
Player to know: Julien came in at No. 100 on Kiley McDaniel’s top 100 prospects. He’s a left-handed batter who played at Auburn and hit .300 with 98 walks and 17 home runs at Double-A. His defense at second base is a question, but his bat will get him to the majors.
MLB team it reminds us of: The 1982 Toronto Blue Jays. Canada has never advanced out of the first round and was outscored 21-3 in three games in 2017. Freeman and O’Neill will have to carry the offense, but the lineup is a little better with prospects and fringe major leaguers like Abraham Toro and Otto Lopez. As much as I’d like to compare Canada to the 1993 Blue Jays, it’s probably more like the ’82 team — interesting but not yet good enough.
— Schoenfield
10. Netherlands
How it stays competitive with the top teams: Teams that eke out low-scoring, close games have often gone far in the WBC. That feels like the formula that the Netherlands will need to stick to if it is going to once again reach the semifinals. There doesn’t figure to be a ton of strikeouts on this pitching staff, but if the team can collectively limit hard contact and keep the ball on the ground, an infield stocked with big names — Didi Gregorius, Jonathan Schoop, Andrelton Simmons and the newly enriched Xander Bogaerts — can take care of matters.
Player to know: Brothers! We all know about Jurickson Profar, but what about his brother, Juremi? They’re both on the Netherlands roster. Likewise, Jonathan Schoop is a well-established big leaguer, but have you watched his brother, Sharlon? You can see them together for the Netherlands in the WBC. Finally, the Palacios brothers — Josh and Richie — are both on the squad.
Style of play: We’ll see, but if the squad takes on the traits of its coaching staff, we’ll be in for a treat. Manager Hensley Muelens has Bert Blyleven and Andruw Jones on his staff. So maybe we can expect plenty of unhittable curveballs and off-the-charts defense in center field.
— Doolittle
You never know …
11. Chinese Taipei
What needs to go right: Long known for its success in the Little League World Series, Chinese Taipei has its own professional league that was established in 1989 and has had success in other international tournaments, including a win in the 2019 Asia Baseball Championship. Chinese Taipei has the added benefit of hosting Pool A, which includes Cuba, the Netherlands, Italy and Panama. It’s the most wide open (and weakest) group, so home-field advantage could help Chinese Taipei advance out of the first round for the second time. And if that happens … who knows.
Player to know: Infielder Yu Chang — now with the Red Sox after playing with the Guardians, Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays last season — is the only current major leaguer from Taiwan, but watch out for third baseman Li Lin, the 2022 Chinese Professional Baseball League MVP who won the Triple Crown. He led the league with a .335 average and 83 RBIs and tied with catcher Kungkuan Giljegiljaw for the lead with 14 home runs. Giljegiljaw reached Triple-A with Cleveland in 2018.
Fun fact: The CPBL plays a 120-game season — divided into two halves. Food for thought if MLB wants to perhaps make the second half of its season more interesting, reduce tanking and rethink a new playoff structure.
— Schoenfield
12. Colombia
What needs to go right: Colombia will need to take care of business against Canada and Great Britain during pool play and hope it gets an outstanding start when it takes on Mexico to open up WBC play on March 11. The top candidate to do that is probably Jose Quintana, but keep an eye on Julio Teheran, who is looking to reestablish himself after some injury woes.
Player to watch: Tayron Guerrero, still a 6-foot-8 hard thrower, is now 32 years old, though he has never been quite able to stick in the majors. That’s probably because he has seldom looked like he has much idea where his pitches are going. He’s in Cincinnati Reds camp this spring, and while things haven’t been great over his first couple of appearances, the WBC might be a chance for him to show that the intimidating reliever he once seemed to be may yet emerge.
Fun fact: Colombia is a little over a year removed from winning its first Caribbean Series, when Caimanes de Barranquilla knocked off Gigantes del Cibao of the Dominican Republic in the final. The star of that win was righty Elkin Alcala, who is on Colombia’s WBC roster.
— Doolittle
13. Italy
What needs to go right: The offense will probably have to carry Team Italy in this tournament. Outside of Matt Harvey, who spent all of last year in the minor leagues and posted a 6.83 ERA from 2019 to 2021, the pitching staff is composed largely of journeymen. That offense, though, could be solid, with Vinnie Pasquantino, David Fletcher and Nicky Lopez providing established major league talent on the infield. Outfielder Sal Frelick, meanwhile, was ESPN’s 45th-ranked prospect heading into the season.
Player to know: Pasquantino, the Royals first baseman, might already be one of the sport’s best hitters, showcasing an elite combination of power and bat-to-ball skills. In 72 games as a rookie last season, Pasquantino batted .295/.383/.450 with 10 home runs and more walks than strikeouts.
Fun fact: Team Italy will feature two brothers in David and Dominic Fletcher. David, an infielder for the Los Angeles Angels, and Dominic, an outfielder in the Diamondbacks system, were born in Southern California but picked up Italian from their mother. They visited Italy for the first time this offseason.
— Gonzalez
14. Israel
What needs to go right: Joc Pederson is the headliner of this roster, but he’ll need some help. Specifically, he’ll need some of the young, relatively unproven hitters to step up. The ones who stick out are Matt Mervis, a 24-year-old first baseman who OPS’d .984 in the Cubs system last year, and Zack Gelof, a 23-year-old second baseman who batted .270/.352/.463 in the upper levels of the A’s system.
Player to know: Dean Kremer is the first big league pitcher with Israeli citizenship. He’s also the unquestioned ace on this staff, after establishing himself with the Orioles last season. Kremer, 27, accumulated 125⅓ innings in 2022 and posted a 3.23 ERA in 2022. Team Israel will need some big outings from him in this tournament.
Fun fact: You might not remember, but Team Israel created quite the stir in 2017, winning four consecutive games to advance into the second round before being eliminated by Japan. And this year, Team Israel has more current major league talent on its roster than ever.
— Gonzalez
Just happy to be here
15. Panama
Player to know: The roster features several major leaguers, albeit no big stars. Pitcher Jaime Barria had a 2.63 ERA as a reliever with the Angels last year but might have to start in this tournament, and Colorado Rockies reliever Justin Lawrence will play a key role. Catchers Christian Bethancourt and Ivan Herrera will have to step up and Dodgers outfielder Jose Ramos hit 25 home runs last year in High-A.
Fun fact: Panama is Central America’s strongest team and has produced two Hall of Famers in Mariano Rivera and Rod Carew but returns to the WBC for the first time since 2009. It went 0-2 that year while failing to score a run and went 0-3 in 2006.
— Schoenfield
16. Australia
Player to know: Aaron Whitefield, a 26-year-old outfielder, got a brief call-up to the major leagues last year and can flat-out run, accumulating 179 stolen bases over his six full minor league seasons. Tim Atherton, a 33-year-old right-hander, is among the veterans of the staff and posted a 3.27 ERA in nine starts for the Australian Baseball League last season.
Fun fact: There’s having the flexibility to use your best pitchers in the highest-leverage situations, and then there’s Team Australia’s approach going into the World Baseball Classic. “Everybody needs to be ready to pitch in the first inning of the first game against Korea,” Australia’s pitching coach, Jim Bennett, said recently. “Literally.” Team Australia will roster 20 pitchers, and Bennett said he’ll use them all in Game 1 if he has to.
— Gonzalez
17. Nicaragua
Player to know: Jonathan Loaisiga has been a staple out of the New York Yankees’ bullpen over the past three years and could evolve into their closer if he’s right. Loaisiga was dominant for much of 2021, posting a 2.17 ERA in 57 appearances. He got off to a bad start in 2022 but bounced back down the stretch and into the postseason. His calling card is a devastating sinker that reaches triple digits and helps him induce a lot of soft contact.
Fun fact: Nicaragua is in an incredibly tough pool it probably won’t survive, headlined by the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. But just getting there was a triumph. Nicaragua failed to qualify for the previous two World Baseball Classics, going a combined 2-4 in 2013 and 2017. This year, though, Team Nicaragua won three of four qualifying games, beating Pakistan, Argentina and Brazil.
— Gonzalez
18. Great Britain
Player to know: After falling into a career as a big league/Triple-A journeyman, Trayce Thompson broke out as a key performer for the powerful Dodgers in 2022. Before starring for the Minnesota Golden Gophers alongside Kevin McHale, teaming with Magic Johnson on the Showtime L.A. Lakers and becoming the father of Trayce and NBA sharpshooter Klay, Mychal Thompson grew up in the Bahamas. That makes Trayce eligible to represent King Charles III in the WBC.
Fun fact: According to Wikipedia, the British team won the first-ever Baseball World Cup in 1938. That club was managed by Chummy McNeil, a Canadian-born athlete who also played hockey, as one does. Now you know.
— Doolittle
19. China
Player to know: Shortstop Ray Chang, a Chinese American from Kansas City, had a 12-year minor league career and is returning for his fourth World Baseball Classic at age 39. He hit .324 in his previous three tournaments.
Fun fact: China has been outscored 102-18 in its WBC history, but it does have two victories, beating Chinese Taipei in 2009 and Brazil in 2013.
— Schoenfield
20. Czech Republic
Player to know: Former major leaguer Eric Sogard is the guy you will recognize, but most of the team is actually Czech-born and amateur in status — holding down day jobs like high school geography teacher and firefighter. Team manager Pavel Chadim is a neurologist.
Fun fact: The Czechs beat Spain 3-1 in the qualifying tournament to get here, defeating a Spanish team that included several former major leaguers and top-100 prospect Noelvi Marte of the Reds. Martin Schneider pitched 6⅓ innings to get the win — after Spain had posted 21 runs against the Czechs earlier in the qualifier. In its second game of pool play, the Czech Republic gets to face Japan. Imagine jumping from your local amateur league to playing against Ohtani.
— Schoenfield
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Pete Thamel, Senior College Sports Insider
Former Florida State and Alabama wide receiver Malik Benson, who has an extra year thanks to the recent NCAA ruling on junior college players, told ESPN that he has committed to play at Oregon next year.
Benson told ESPN on Tuesday that he picked the Ducks because he was impressed with the coaching staff and was intrigued by the opportunity to play with quarterback Dante Moore, who projects as Oregon’s starter next year.
Until the ruling on Diego Pavia‘s eligibility changed the paradigm for junior college players, Benson had been set to start training for the NFL draft process.
“I’m just glad that the Lord blessed me with another opportunity and another year,” Benson told ESPN upon entering the portal. “I will not take this for granted.”
Benson began his college career at Hutchinson Community College, where he emerged as the nation’s top junior college prospect regardless of position. He played one season at Alabama, where he had 13 receptions in 14 games for 162 yards and a touchdown.
He transferred to Florida State, where he caught 25 balls for 311 yards and a touchdown this season. On his career, he averages 12.5 yards per catch.
Oregon’s receiving room lost star Tez Johnson to the NFL and is awaiting on an NFL decision from Evan Stewart, who missed the Rose Bowl with a back injury and slumped late in the year for the Ducks.
They do bring in the country’s top receiving prospect in Dakorien Moore, who is ESPN’s No. 3 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting class.
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Greg Wyshynski, Senior NHL writer
Some NHL awards races are actual races. There are leaders, but ones that are looking over their shoulders at a pack of candidates closing in fast.
Other NHL awards races currently look at lot like when Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt would race: Everyone is just going to have to be content with second place because their leads are that insurmountable.
Again, the operative word is “currently.” This is the NHL Awards Watch for January. We have a lot of season to go.
We’ve polled a wide selection of Professional Hockey Writers Association voters anonymously to get a sense of where the wind is blowing for the current leaders. We’ve made sure it’s a cross-section from the entire league, trying to gain as many perspectives as possible.
Bear in mind that the PHWA votes for the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng finalists; broadcasters vote for the Jack Adams; and general managers handle the Vezina.
All stats are from Hockey-Reference.com, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.
Jump ahead:
Ross | Richard | Hart
Norris | Selke | Vezina
Calder | Byng | Adams
Art Ross Trophy (points leader)
Click here for the updated point-scoring standings.
Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy
Click here for the updated goal-scoring standings.
Hart Trophy (MVP)
Leader: Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild
Finalists: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers; Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
A couple of things happened since the last NHL Awards Watch.
After leading the MVP race last month, Kaprizov’s lower-body injury put him out of the Wild lineup. Through Sunday, he had missed six of Minnesota’s 40 games this season. His stats remain stellar — 23 goals and 27 assists for 50 points — but other Hart contenders haven’t spent that kind of time off the ice.
The other significant happening was the entirety of Nathan MacKinnon’s December. The Avalanche star had seven goals and 18 assists for 25 points in 13 games, helping Colorado go 10-3-0 while being named the NHL’s first star for the month. Through 40 games, MacKinnon led the NHL with 65 points and 51 assists and led the Avalanche in scoring by eight points over Mikko Rantanen.
MacKinnon won the Hart last season. The NHL hasn’t had back-to-back MVPs since Alex Ovechkin won the award in 2007-08 and 2008-09. The way MacKinnon’s going, it could happen again.
And yet, Kirill Kaprizov still got the majority of the first-place votes from those canvassed this month.
“In the true spirit of the award, there is just no way Minnesota is anywhere close to the unexpectedly good team they are this year without Kaprizov,” a voter said.
But the MVP race behind the Wild star has changed dramatically. Last month, Kaprizov finished atop the Hart straw poll with 88% of the vote. This month, he earned only 37% of the first-place votes. MacKinnon is right behind him. So are the other players who received first-place votes this month: Draisaitl, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner. All of them have compelling MVP cases.
“It’s getting crowded at the top, but Kaprizov is still producing more at even strength than any other player,” a Kaprizov voter declared. “MacKinnon has Rantanen, Draisaitl has McDavid, Kucherov is too power-play dependent.”
“I’m picking Kirill Kaprizov,” another noted. “But if Colorado gets their stuff sorted for good and takes off, MacKinnon might run away with it. Central Division is where it’s at.”
0:57
Kirill Kaprizov scores goal for Wild
Kirill Kaprizov nets goal for Wild
MacKinnon won the Hart last year with 51 goals and 140 points. He’s nowhere near that goal pace, but his points-per-game pace (1.63) isn’t far off from his pace in his MVP season (1.71). He was the clear second choice with 26% of the first-place votes. MacKinnon was in the top three in the November Awards Watch, didn’t receive a first-place vote in December and has come roaring back this month.
“MacKinnon’s surge and Kaprizov’s injury changed the face of that Hart race,” a voter concluded.
“He not only leads the NHL in scoring but kept the Avalanche afloat long enough for them to swap out both goalies and look more like a serious contender,” another explained.
Draisaitl was third in the voting (16%), right ahead of Eichel (11%). The Oilers star led the NHL in goals through Sunday with 29 tallies, well ahead of the five players tied with 23 goals. His 59 points were second to MacKinnon for the NHL lead. According to Evolving Hockey, Draisaitl leads the NHL with 22.6 expected goals above replacement.
Draisaitl helped keep the Oilers on point as teammate Connor McDavid dealt with an injury. But McDavid has played only three fewer games than Draisaitl — and trailed him by only five points for the team lead. The season Draisaitl won his only Hart Trophy (the COVID-shortened 2019-20), he played seven more games than McDavid and tallied 13 more points.
Eichel’s having the best regular season of his career. Through Sunday, the 28-year-old center led the Golden Knights with 52 points in 39 games — nearly 20 points clear of the second-highest scorer, Mark Stone (33 points).
That Eichel had played 14 more games than Stone is exactly the point: As Vegas has had more guys out of action than a casino where the house always wins, Eichel has been the constant, playing every game and playing extremely well. His career high for points is 82 in 2018-19 with Buffalo. He’s on pace for over 109 points this season.
“He’s the best player on the best team, but most impressive is how Eichel has emerged as a defensive force,” one Jack backer explained.
They’re right about his defense, which has been improving each season since his 200-foot game earned accolades during the 2023 Stanley Cup run. Internally, Vegas has talked about Eichel getting a Selke push this season. The Knights give up just 2.16 goals-against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 with Eichel on the ice. It should be noted, however, that Kaprizov has him bested in goals-against per 60 (1.88) and expected goals against per 60 (2.05) this season.
0:41
Jack Eichel scores goal vs. Sabres
Jack Eichel scores goal vs. Sabres
Kucherov, who won the Hart in 2018-19, has led the Lightning in scoring all season. Through 35 games he had 55 points, 10 points better than the team’s second-leading scorer Brayden Point.
Marner received a first-place vote for holding down the fort while Auston Matthews was out with an injury. Marner has 56 points in 41 games, 13 more than the Leafs’ second-leading scorer William Nylander, while continuing to be an exceptional defensive forward, too. It’s a heck of a case he’s making in a contract year.
Marner has never finished in the top 10 for the Hart. Quinn Hughes was seventh for the award last season, when he won his first Norris Trophy. So he’s on the radar in the MVP race and pulled in one first-place vote.
In a tumultuous season for the Canucks — from infighting to injuries — Hughes has easily been their best player: 42 points in 34 games, including 34 assists. He’s not leading all defensemen in points nor ice time, but he’s leading the Canucks in both. Hughes leads Conor Garland (29 points) by 13 points for the team lead.
So it’s a very crowded field and could become even more crowded if Connor Hellebuyck starts getting the credit for the Winnipeg Jets‘ outstanding season. The NHL hasn’t had a goalie win MVP since Montreal’s Carey Price in 2014-15.
“I was this close to putting Hellebuyck down for MVP,” said a voter who ultimately broke for Kaprizov instead.
While he didn’t earn a first-place vote, it would be foolish to discount McDavid from the race. He’s won NHL MVP three times and been a finalist for the award six times in 10 seasons. With 54 points in 36 games — his 1.50 points per game average is fourth in the NHL — he’s just a stride behind the rest of these players.
Norris Trophy (top defenseman)
Leader: Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Finalists: Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks; Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
No major changes in the Norris race order, which we’re sure will go over well in Vancouver.
Makar’s lead has narrowed from earning 75% of the first-place votes to 58% from our panelists this month. His 49 points in 40 games led all defensemen through Sunday’s games. That’s impressive, but not nearly the total Makar’s incredible start (24 points in 15 games) seemed to portend. He’s a plus-13, skating more on average (25:31) than Hughes (25:08) but less than Werenski (26:28).
After getting dinged for his defense in last season’s Norris voting, Makar’s underlying numbers are strong: The Avalanche are giving up 2.04 goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 when he’s on the ice and have an expected goals-against of 2.14. Makar won the Norris in 2021-22 and finished third in the next two seasons.
One Makar voter anticipated some backlash for their choice. “Blah, blah, blah, you only pick points. But the dude is unreal and controls the game from the blue line. A total freak show,” they quipped.
“He leads all blueliners in goals and assists,” another Makar voter noted. “Quinn Hughes’ injury may prove the difference in what was shaping to be a tight race.”
0:22
Cale Makar tallies goal vs. Sabres
Cale Makar tallies goal vs. Sabres
Hughes, last season’s Norris winner, missed four games after Christmas with an undisclosed injury. His return is imminent, which is good news for a Vancouver team whose offense struggled to score just seven goals in his absence. Hughes (42 points in 34 games) had a razor-thin points-per-game lead (1.24) on Makar (1.23) entering Monday’s games.
Another factor for Hughes: He’s second in the NHL in expected goals above replacement (18.5) and has added three wins to the Canucks, per Evolving Hockey. Makar (13.7 xGAR, 2.3 WAR) was a distant fifth in both categories.
Hughes garnered 26% of the votes.
“The Canucks’ performance without the injured Hughes over the past few games underscores his importance to the team and gives him a slight edge over Cale Makar this time around,” a Hughes voter noted.
“It’s hard to argue with a plus-18 goal differential at 5-on-5,” another added.
Hughes play a ton at 5-on-5 (21:12) — more than Makar, in fact (19:34). He doesn’t play much at all on the penalty kill (11 seconds per game), while Makar does (2:12).
Werenski also plays in all three situations for the Blue Jackets. In fact, he plays more than any other skater in the NHL, at 26:28 per game on average. Werenski has 12 goals and 33 assists in 40 games. He entered Monday second to Makar in goals and points on the season.
“More people should be talking about Zach Werenski,” a Makar voter declared.
“The thing that stuck out to me the most [since December’s Awards Watch] was how much better the Blue Jackets are with Zach Werenski on the ice,” a Werenski voter said. “His impact is noticeable on both ends of the ice — the way he drives play, his defensive ability — and that is how he manages to be a plus-player on that bad of a team. He should be rewarded for that.”
“The Columbus Blue Jackets sit nowhere near sniffing-distance of a playoff spot if Werenski isn’t averaging 1.13 points per game while logging almost 27 minutes every night,” another Werenski voter pointed out.
These three defensemen dominated our voters’ ballots. The only other two names mentioned were Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, who was seventh for the Norris last season after finishing fifth one year earlier; and Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson, who continues to thrive under head coach Spencer Carbery. He was second for the Norris in 2019-20.
Calder Trophy (top rookie)
Leader: Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
Finalists: Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens; Matvei Michkov, Philadelphia Flyers
Last month, we likened Macklin Celebrini to a marauding T-Rex chasing a Jurassic Park jeep, as Matvei Michkov frantically glanced in his side mirror to discover that objects may be closer than they appear.
In other words, it was only a matter of time before the San Jose Sharks rookie had the body of work voters needed to put him over the Philadelphia Flyers rookie in the Calder race, and here we are.
“Sometimes, the obvious answer is the correct answer,” a Celebrini voter concluded.
After finishing second to Michkov in the December NHL Awards Watch, Celebrini pulled nearly 90% of the first-place votes from our panelists to take control of the rookie of the year race.
“A must-watch player already,” a Macklin backer said. “He’s absolutely electric despite having little help around him.”
0:50
Macklin Celebrini lights the lamp for Sharks
Macklin Celebrini lights the lamp for Sharks
Entering Monday’s action, Celebrini (28 points) trailed Michkov (29 points) by one point despite playing eight fewer games thanks to an early-season injury. Celebrini’s 0.93 points-per-game average was tops among all rookies. He also led all rookies with 13 goals, one more than Michkov.
“Matvei Michkov had the head start, but the wonder kid in San Jose has made up for lost ground,” a voter said.
Celebrini is seeing significantly more ice time (19:48) than the Flyers rookie (16:31) on average. In fact, Celebrini is second only to Hutson, a defenseman, in average ice time for rookie skaters.
“Not many rookie forwards skate almost 20 minutes per game,” a voter declared.
“I lean Macklin over Michkov because of the two-way skill and effort he regularly shows on a lesser team,” another added.
Michkov still has a strong case and could end up sweeping the goals and points titles among rookies, both of which have been harbingers for forwards winning the Calder. He’s feasted on the power play for the Flyers, with five goals and 12 points, which led all rookies. While Celebrini has managed to keep up with Michkov as far as highlight-reel moments, Michkov has thrived under — or despite? — the “tough love” of John Tortorella’s coaching.
“Michkov has restructured a broken power play with ease. He’s reminded us the extent of impact one majestic player like him can truly have on a team’s complexion,” a voter explained. “I anticipate changing this to Celebrini by the end of the year, but I’m also anticipating an extremely close call.”
Michkov is the only other player to earn first place votes for the Calder. Based on the number of mentions he received on voters’ ballots, we’re comfortable putting Hutson in that third spot just ahead of Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf.
Hutson has 27 points in 39 games while skating 22:34 per game for the Canadiens. To put into perspective how much Hutson has lapped the field among rookie defensemen: The next highest scoring rookie defenseman, Nolan Allen of Chicago, is 21 points behind.
The Canadiens defenseman is a minus-8, fourth worst on the Habs for players with at least 15 games played. That’s with Montreal having sheltered him with 63% of this zone starts coming in the offensive zone.
Wolf, who was third overall last month, is 12-6-2 in 20 games, with a .913 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average, to go along with two shutouts. Those are easily the best numbers for any rookie goalie with at least 10 appearances. With the Flames in the thick of the wild-card race, he should not be counted out for Calder consideration.
But right now, it’s just “consideration.” It remains Celebrini vs. Michkov, with Celebrini clearly ahead in the race.
Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)
Note: The NHL’s general managers vote for this award
Leader: Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Finalists: Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils; Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals
This is Connor Hellebuyck’s Vezina to lose, but our voters didn’t make it unanimous.
Hellebuyck is 24-6-2 for the dominant Jets, with a .926 save percentage, a 2.09 save percentage and five shutouts — leading the NHL on all of those categories for goaltenders with at least 20 appearances.
He won his second Vezina Trophy last season and looks very much poised to win a third. Since 1981 — when the NHL changed the criteria of the Vezina Trophy to no longer just honor the goalie who played the most games on the team that gave up the fewest goals — only three goalies won the Vezina more than twice: Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy. All legends and all Hockey Hall of Famers.
“It is ‘Helle-back?’ Perhaps ‘Helle-back-to-back?'” a voter quipped.
“Five shutouts and the season isn’t half over. He’ll be on Hart ballots, too,” another voter predicted.
There was another goalie that snagged a first-place vote and it was a surprise: Thompson, the Capitals netminder who came over from Vegas in the offseason.
The Capitals have been one of season’s best teams and Thompson has been a big reason why. In 20 games, he’s an incredible 16-2-2, with a .916 save percentage and a 2.39 goals-against average. Compare those numbers to what Washington’s other netminder Charlie Lindgren has posted (10-8-1, .900 and 2.70) and the contrast is stark.
“Thompson has been so incredibly efficient. Sixteen of his 20 appearances qualify as quality starts (80%),” the Thompson voter noted. “When the goals dried up for the Capitals following their hot start — and Alex Ovechkin was injured — Thompson kept them on track.”
The other Vezina spot could go to Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild, who was in the top three in last month’s NHL Awards Watch. He certainly has the numbers: 18-6-3 in 27 games, with a .926 save percentage and a 2.20 goals-against average. He also leads the NHL with 13.5 goals saved above expected per Stathletes.
But the goalie with the highest down-ballot mentions was Markstrom. He’s 19-8-2 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.18 goals-against average. He hasn’t been perfect, and has just 3.1 goals saved above expected this season, but a handful of voters believe he belongs in the Vezina conversation, such as it is.
“This is not a conversation by any stretch of the imagination,” a Hellebuyck voter opined.
Selke Trophy (best defensive forward)
Leader: Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
Finalists: Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils; Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
Barkov earned 42% of the first-place votes, which slightly down from his total last month (50%) but puts him in position to win back-to-back Selke trophies and his third Selke in five seasons.
The Panthers have a 2.06 goals-against and a 1.87 expected goals-against per 60 minutes with Barkov on the ice. The Panthers get 60% of the high-dander chances. He’s also winning an exceptional 61% of his faceoffs this season while putting in work on the penalty kill as well.
“Aleksander Barkov is still the guy,” a voter concluded.
While Barkov remains on top of the Selke leaderboard, the finalists from the December Awards Watch have changed. Out are Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers; in come Hischier and Marner.
Hischier was second in the Selke voting in 2022-23. He wins 55.8% of his faceoffs and leads the fifth best penalty kill in the NHL, as the forward with the most short-handed ice time on average for New Jersey. His underlying numbers aren’t stellar from a defensive standpoint, although he wins a good amount of puck battles. But he’s a player that certainly passes the eye test as a defensive force for New Jersey.
The same goes for Marner, a winger whose speed and tenacity make him a terrific defensive player. He leads the NHL in turnovers created (8.67) and steals per 60 (2.18) for players with at least 700 minutes of ice time, per Stathletes. He’s the ice time leader for the eighth best penalty kill in the NHL.
It’s here we note that a non-center hasn’t won the Selke Trophy since 2002-03, when Dallas Stars winger Jere Lehtinen captured the award for the third time.
Reinhart was one of five other players to receive a first-place vote, is listed as a center although he plays on Barkov’s wing. He has slightly better defensive metrics than his center, and also plays on the penalty kill.
Cirelli also received a first-place vote. He wins 51.7% of his faceoffs and he’s an outstanding penalty killer, with two goals and two assists shorthanded. His underlying numbers (3.51 expected goals against per 60 minutes) don’t mount a strong argument at the moment. Keep in mind that Cirelli was selected for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off as a defensive specialist, and that certainly raises his profile.
Anze Kopitar won the Selke in 2015-16 and 2017-18. He’s having an outstanding season for what might be the best defensive team in the NHL. The Kings have a 1.66 goals-against per 60 minutes when Kopitar is on the ice.
Jordan Staal has been searching for his first Selke win for 15 years, and finished second for the award last season. He’s once again the linchpin at forward defensively for the Hurricanes, who have a 1.69 goals-against average per 60 minutes when the center is on the ice.
The other player to receive a first-place Selke vote was Jack Eichel. As mentioned earlier, the Golden Knights believe his name should be in the hat for this award. Vegas gives up 2.16 goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 with Eichel on the ice, and he’s an effective penalty killer, too.
Barkov leads, but this is certainly still a competitive race.
Lady Byng Trophy (gentlemanly play)
This is the part where I mention that the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play should be voted on by the league’s on-ice officials or by the NHL Players’ Association instead of the PHWA.
Traditionally, this award goes to a player with a top 20 point total and the lowest penalty minutes among those players. Brayden Point is 16th overall in scoring with 45 points, and had only two penalty minutes through 33 games. But keep an eye out for Anze Kopitar, who won the award in 2015-16 and 2022-23. He’s 34th in scoring (39 points in 38 games) and also has just two penalty minutes. What a race!
Jack Adams Award (best coach)
Note: The NHL Broadcasters’ Association votes on this award.
Leader: Spencer Carbery, Washington Capitals
Finalists: Dean Evason, Columbus Blue Jackets; John Hynes, Minnesota Wild
Alex Ovechkin has 19 goals in 23 games this season. When he fractured his leg in November, there wasn’t just concern about the state of his NHL all-time goals record chase. There was concern that it might derail what had been a stellar start for the Capitals, who went 13-4-1 with Ovechkin in the lineup through Nov. 18.
In between his injury and Ovechkin’s triumphant return to the lineup on Dec. 28? The Capitals went 13-6-2, thanks in no small part to the steady leadership and strong fundamental systems of Spencer Carbery.
The second-year coach had Washington with the Eastern Conference’s top points percentage heading into Monday’s games. They were the top scoring team in the league (3.72 goals per game) and sixth in goals against (2.64).
Perhaps that’s why Carbery was the only unanimous choice in any category in this month’s NHL Awards Watch.
“He’s going to run away with this, and for justifiable reasons,” a voter declared.
While Evason and Hynes didn’t get any first-place votes, they both received a lot of love down the ballot from our voters.
Hynes coached the Wild through some injury adversity to get near the top of the Central Division, with strong underlying defensive numbers.
“Hynes deserves a little love here,” a voter argued.
Evason, in his first season with the Blue Jackets, has Columbus right at the Eastern Conference wild-card bubble after 40 games. He also has something that other candidates don’t have: an emotional backstory, as Evason helped lead this Blue Jackets team through its grief following the tragic death of star forward Johnny Gaudreau before the season.
“The job Dean Evason is doing in Columbus, given everything that franchise has endured, is remarkable. To have them remotely close to a playoff spot is a huge feather in his cap,” a voter explained. “If Columbus gets in, he may beat Carbery and Hynes, but those two have their teams playing consistently solid hockey.”
Other coaches mentioned by our voters include Los Angeles Kings first-year coach Jim Hiller, Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper and Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar. The Winnipeg Jets‘ Scott Arniel, who was in the top three last month, did not receive a mention.
“Steven Stamkos is gone, Mikhail Sergachev was traded and they’re one of the highest scoring teams in the league, one of the top in goal-differential, and radically turned their 5-on-5 play around,” a Cooper backer noted.
“Considering injury list and goaltending woes, though, Jared Bednar should get more love in this category,” another voter said.
Other coaches will get love. But it’s hard to imagine any one of them breaking through the infatuation with Carbery this season.
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Jeff Passan, Senior MLB Insider
Designated hitter Brent Rooker and the Oakland Athletics are in agreement on a five-year, $60 million contract extension, sources told ESPN late Monday night, continuing a winter of uncharacteristic spending with a long-term deal for the late-blooming slugger.
Before he joined the A’s in 2023, Rooker had bounced among three teams without finding consistent playing time. The A’s saw Rooker blossom into an All-Star in his first season with them, a 10th-place MVP finisher last year and the receiver of the second-largest extension in franchise history.
The A’s, who will play in Sacramento for the next three seasons before a planned move to Las Vegas after leaving Oakland, already had spent $67 million this winter to sign right-hander Luis Severino and added left-hander Jeffrey Springs in a trade with Tampa Bay. The deals, as well as Rooker’s, continue to push the A’s payroll toward the $100 million range. If they do not spend at least 1½ times the revenue-sharing money they receive, the A’s run the risk of a union grievance.
The deal signals the latest in an attempt to rebuild after years of minuscule payrolls and lackluster results. Though the A’s were a success story of a team that managed to succeed in spite of meager support from ownership, recent seasons with slashed payrolls have yielded awful results and coincided with vitriol toward owner John Fisher as A’s bid the city of Oakland farewell.
Rooker becomes the lone A’s player under contract through their planned Las Vegas debut in 2028. The deal, which was first reported by The Athletic, will pay him $30 million over the first three seasons and includes a sixth-year vesting option for $22 million that can escalate by $10 million. The previous largest extension had gone to star third baseman Eric Chavez, who also held the record for largest contract at $66 million until Severino exceeded it.
The deal buys out a potential three years of free agency for Rooker, who three years ago wasn’t sure how much longer his big league career would remain afloat. After debuting with Minnesota in 2020, Rooker struggled and eventually was traded to San Diego in April 2022. Four months later, the Padres dealt him to Kansas City. Three months later, the Royals designated him for assignment, and the A’s claimed Rooker off waivers.
In his first season with the A’s, Rooker nearly doubled his previous career plate appearances and hit 30 home runs. He was even better last season, hitting .297/.365/.562 with 39 home runs and 112 RBIs.
The A’s surprised teams at the July trade deadline when they declined to discuss Rooker in trade discussions. Rooker was similarly off-limits this winter, as Oakland understood an extension for him would further push their payroll toward the number needed to avoid collective-bargaining issues. Rooker was set to make around $5 million in arbitration, but the contract will count for $12 million because that’s its average annual value.
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