10 players who will define the 2026 season
After one of the great seasons in baseball history -- a season we’ll be talking about for the rest of our lives -- Major League Baseball has a tough act to follow in 2026. Fortunately, it has a deep cast of stars and compelling figures, all main characters in a
Ranking 20 fantastic finishes from 2025
There isn't exactly a formula for a really good baseball game. That said, there is one thing a lot of all-time classic ballgames have in common, and that's a really good ending. Walk-offs get much of the glory in this department. A walk-off home run is, after all, baseball's mic
6 teams whose fortunes are looking up for ’26
As we close the book on 2025 and celebrate the teams that enjoyed a great year, the teams that didn’t should keep this in mind: One year can make a huge difference. Just ask the Blue Jays. In 2025, they reached a World Series that they came this close to
Right-hander Eflin returns to Orioles on 1-year deal
BALTIMORE -- As the Orioles continue to bolster their rotation depth for the 2026 season, they have reunited with a familiar arm who was added back to the starting mix. Baltimore signed right-hander Zach Eflin on a one-year Major League deal with a mutual option for 2027 on Sunday night.
A 2026 bounceback candidate for each team
It’s almost time to put 2025 in the rearview mirror. For several of the game’s stars, that’s a good thing. The new year offers a number of players the opportunity to rebound from underwhelming performances last season, and a chance to look like themselves again. With an assist from all
5 reasons Willson Contreras is a great fit in Boston
When the Red Sox struck a deal with the Cardinals to acquire first baseman/designated hitter Willson Contreras last Monday, they parted ways with a package of young pitching in the hopes that Contreras will be the answer at a position that has presented mostly question marks over the past several
Prospects who broke out -- 1 for every team -- this season
With the Minor League season in the rearview mirror and a new year on the horizon, we took a look at how some of the top prospects performed in 2025.
10 players who hit key milestones in 2025
Every season is another chance for MLB’s talented players to show us all that they can accomplish. Entering the year, it’s always fun to anticipate which career milestones might be reached or surpassed in the upcoming round of 162 games. But over the course of the season, there are also
Are we witnessing the greatest peak for a righty hitter ... ever?
Aaron Judge was welcomed into a certain guild of greatness when the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voted him the 2025 American League MVP. Having also won the AL award in 2022 and 2024, Judge became just the 13th player with at least three MVP honors in his career, joining:
The 15 most extreme Statcast plays of the year
Another year in baseball is in the books, so let's look back at the best of the best plays from this past season. These are the annual Statcast superlatives -- the longest home run, the fastest strikeout, the speediest inside-the-park home run, the toughest catch and more. Here are 15
Lefty Heaney calls it a career after 12 MLB seasons
Andrew Heaney, who pitched for two World Series-winning teams, announced his retirement on Sunday afternoon in a social media post. The left-hander spent time with six teams over 12 big league seasons, during which he racked up 56 wins, 1,156 strikeouts and a 4.57 ERA.
A triple play is rare -- this guy helped turn SEVEN of them
Over the 20-season span from 1981-2000, there were 80 triple plays turned. Gary Gaetti was involved in 10% of them. Yes -- one player, eight triple plays. The odds are astronomical, but it's true. Gaetti, who played for the Twins, Angels, Royals, Cardinals, Cubs and Red Sox from 1981-2000, was
Marlins finalize 1-year deal with closer Pete Fairbanks
The Marlins found their high-leverage reliever, reaching an agreement with right-hander Pete Fairbanks on a one-year contract, the team announced on Sunday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Fairbanks will earn $13 million in 2026, per source, and the contract includes a $1 million signing bonus, plus another
Cubs agree to deal with reliever Harvey (source)
The Cubs have agreed to a contract with righty reliever Hunter Harvey, pending a physical, a source told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian on Saturday. The club has not confirmed the deal. Harvey, 31, spent much of the 2025 season on the injured list after also dealing with injuries in '24. Between
Reds pick up OF Myers in trade with Marlins
CINCINNATI -- As the Reds look for a significant offensive boost this offseason, they have been able to shore up other areas of need. On Saturday, that meant two separate value additions to their outfield. Not long after signing free agent JJ Bleday to a one-year, $1.4 million contract, Cincinnati
4 reasons Buehrle deserves to be in Hall of Fame
On the surface, Mark Buehrle may not jump off the page as a Hall of Famer. The remarkably consistent left-hander posted a 3.81 ERA over 16 Major League seasons. Buehrle was a five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, but he otherwise did not receive any major awards. He garnered
Each team's prospect to watch for 2026
Nick Kurtz. Drake Baldwin. Roman Anthony. Trey Yesavage. Nolan McLean. They and so many other rookies left their marks on the 2025 season. One year ago, they were mere prospects who had yet to make their MLB debuts, and another host of newcomers will inevitably be difference-makers for their clubs
McLean's stats in these 2 cats made for unprecedented combo
Nolan McLean produced a bunch of impressive numbers in his first 48 Major League innings this past season. He had a 2.06 ERA, a 2.97 FIP and a 21.8% strikeout-minus-walk rate, which was tied for 17th best among starters with at least 40 innings. But there are two other numbers
Reds add Bleday to outfield mix with 1-year deal
CINCINNATI -- Free-agent outfielder JJ Bleday knew plenty about Cincinnati. Bleday briefly lived across the river with a host family in Newport, Ky., while playing for the renowned Midland travel ball squad ahead of college. His first big league home run came in 2022 for the Marlins against then-Reds ace
Each team's longest home run of 2025
Happy holidays, baseball fans. As our gift to you, we're back with the tradition we are determined to make happen: our yearly list of every team's longest home run of the season just past. Admittedly, we always think these lists make for good gifts, but we have a pretty good
Minus-50 degrees? The coldest winter league you've never heard of
Hartson Bodfish checked the thermometer again, tapping it with his right hand. It couldn't be this cold, could it? But the numbers stayed true. The arrows didn't move. It was minus-50 degrees Celsius. Negative 58 degrees Fahrenheit. Fifty below zero. No matter how you put it, it was bone-chillingly, not-fit-for-human-being-living
Best baseball scenes from non-baseball films
The game of baseball has been around for 150 some-odd years -- longer than football or basketball, longer than many countries have existed. It infiltrates every part of our culture: books, music and, most notably, movies. And sometimes, even when a movie isn't about baseball, baseball still slips into the
This is why it's so hard to pitch to Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is doing things we’ve never seen on a baseball field before. That might be an obvious statement for you, the reader, but there’s never a bad time to recount his heroics of recent years. The two-way phenomenon has won three straight MVPs, the latter two coming with the
Yanks, Mets among teams interested in All-Star outfielder (report)
We're keeping track of all the latest free agent and trade rumors.
5 reasons Utley belongs in the Hall of Fame
Six-time All-Star second baseman Chase Utley is up for Hall of Fame consideration for the third time in 2026. After receiving 28.8% of the vote in his first year on the ballot, Utley was one of the players who trended upward in 2025, jumping to 39.8%. At first glance, Utley