Walker Buehler, the star pitcher who recorded the final out to seal the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series victory in 2024, has found a new home in MLB.
Buehler has reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox to add some more fire to their rotation for next season.
The deal is worth $21.05 million, according to multiple outlets. Yahoo Sports adds an additional $2.5 million can be made in performance bonuses.
Boston has been loading up on starting pitching this offseason, most notably trading for Garrett Crochet in a deal with the Chicago White Sox earlier. They also signed another left-hander, veteran Patrick Sandoval, on a two-year deal just days ago.
The Red Sox also sport Tanner Houck, who is coming off a breakout year, Lucas Giolito, Kutter Crawford and Brayan Bello to round out a good mix of starters for 2025.
Buehler’s career has been an interesting one to watch, as he was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball from 2018-2021, slicing and dicing hitters as the Dodgers’ potential ace of the future.
However, things took a turn in 2022 when he needed to undergo Tommy John surgery, his second one after needing it in 2015, when the Dodgers made him a first-round pick in the MLB Draft.
Upon returning to the rotation in 2024, Buehler was dreadful, pitching to a 5.38 ERA with a 1.55 WHIP over 16 starts.
But when the postseason rolled around for Los Angeles, Buehler remained in the rotation and seemed to be the pitcher of old, getting his wicked 12-6 curveball to work and dotting his fastball wherever he pleased.
Buehler ultimately closed out the ninth inning of Game 5 in the World Series against the New York Yankees, pitching on one day’s rest after providing five shoutout innings earlier in the series.
All that said, seeing what would happen with the 28-year-old in this free agency period was something baseball experts and fans alike were curious about.
Now, we see the Red Sox providing a good deal where Buehler can prove that what was seen in October is what should be expected moving forward, or at least that’s the plan on a one-year pact.
Buehler owns a career 3.27 ERA over 131 games and 731.2 innings pitched with 754 strikeouts to 190 walks.
Sports have given fans a little bit of everything in 2024.
Two back-to-back champions, some of the most dominant tournaments and playoff runs seen in their respective sports, while almost giving fans an historic reverse sweep.
Here are all the champions that were crowned in the calendar year.
For the second consecutive season, and for the third time in five years, the Chiefs were Super Bowl champions in 2024. The Chiefs took down the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime, with Patrick Mahomes winning his third career Super Bowl MVP award. This Super Bowl win was a little different for the Chiefs. For the first time in the Andy Reid-Mahomes era, they did not have home-field advantage in the playoffs.
The Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins at home in the wild-card round in frigid temperatures, and then went on the road and took down the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional round and Baltimore Ravens in the Conference Championship game en route to the franchise's fourth Super Bowl victory.
The Boston Celtics were utterly dominant in 2023-2024, going 64-18 in the regular season. In the playoffs, the Celtics were even better, going 16-3 over their four playoff rounds. Only the 2016-2017 Golden State Warriors had a better postseason record since all four NBA playoff rounds became best-of-seven contests in 2003. The Celtics beat the Miami Heat in the first round, the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference semifinals, and the Indiana Pacers in the eastern conference finals.
In the NBA Finals, the Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Forward Jaylen Brown won Finals MVP over Jayson Tatum. The championship was the Celtics' first since 2008, and the 18th championship in franchise history. The championship also gave the Celtics the most titles in NBA history, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Florida Panthers were 60 minutes away from being on the wrong side of history, as they almost blew a 3-0 lead to the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals. After going up 3-0, the Oilers stormed back, winning three in a row, before the Panthers held on, winning Game 7, 2-1, at home. The win over the Oilers secured the team’s first Stanley Cup in the franchise’s 30 years of existence, and avenged their loss in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Panthers beat their in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lighting, the Boston Bruins, and the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference final en route to the Stanley Cup Final. Oilers superstar Connor McDavid joined a rare group of just six players, winning the Conn Smythe trophy (Playoff MVP) as a member of the losing team in the Stanley Cup Final. McDavid was incredible in the playoffs for the Oilers, scoring a whopping 42 points in 25 playoff games.
The Los Angeles Dodgers won their eighth World Series in franchise history in October, taking down the New York Yankees in five games. The Dodgers went up 3-0 in the series, lost Game 4, but then erased a 5-0 lead in Game 5 to come back and win it all in the Bronx. Freddie Freeman was sensational for the Dodgers, winning World Series MVP. The star first baseman hit .300 with four home runs and 12 RBI, including the first-ever walk-off grand slam in World Series history in Game 1.
The Dodgers were pushed to the brink in the NLDS by the San Diego Padres, falling behind 2-1 before winning their next two games to advance to the NLCS. The Dodgers then beat the Mets in six games to secure the National League pennant. In addition to winning the World Series, Shohei Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and have 50 stolen bases in the same season, while winning the NL MVP in his first season with the Dodgers.
In Jim Harbaugh’s ninth and final season as head coach of Michigan, he led the Wolverines to a 15-0 record and a College Football Playoff victory. The victory was Michigan’s first in the new format, and the 12th national championship in program history. During the season, Michigan defeated Iowa 26-0 to win their third consecutive Big Ten championship.
Michigan beat Alabama 27-20 in overtime in the first round of the College Football Playoff round, and then beat Washington 34-13 in the championship game. Quarterback JJ McCarthy and running back Blake Corum lead the charge offensively for the Wolverines, both becoming top picks in the NFL Draft. Following the season, Jim Harbaugh left and went back to the NFL, taking the Los Angeles Chargers head coaching job.
The 2024 season was one of dominance for the Liberty. The team went 32-8 in the regular season and finished in first place in the Eastern Conference and earned the top seed in the playoffs. In the playoffs, the Liberty swept the Atlanta Dream in two games, beat the Las Vegas Aces 3-1 in the semifinals, and beat the Minnesota Lynx 3-2 to win the franchise’s first WNBA title. The Liberty WNBA Final win snapped the team's streak of five WNBA Finals losses.
Center Jonquel Jones won WNBA Finals MVP, as the star center averaged 15.5 points per game over the playoffs. Forward Breanna Stewart led the Liberty in scoring over the regular season, averaging just over 20 points, eight rebounds, and three assists per game. Stewart was an All-Star and also named to the All-WNBA First Team in October.
The Connecticut Huskies had a record-setting 2023-2024 season. The Huskies set a program record for regular season wins (28) and total wins (37) in a single season. They also became the first Big East team to win 18 conference games. Overall, the Huskies went 37-3 (18-2).
The Huskies capped off their incredible regular season with a historically dominant March Madness. Dan Hurley’s team won every tournament game by a margin of 14 points or more, breaking their own record from their March Madness run of beating every opponent by 13 points or more. UConn beat Purdue 75-60 in the National Championship game to win their second straight championship. Their dominant tournament run coupled with their incredible regular season has some people calling the 2023-2024 Huskies the best team in college basketball history.
The Gamecocks did not lose a game in 2023-2024. Dawn Staley’s squad went 38-0, becoming the 10th Division I women’s basketball team to finish the season undefeated. The Gamecocks were SEC regular season champions, SEC tournament champions, and NCAA champions.
South Carolina beat NC State in the Final Four 78-59, and then beat Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeye’s 87-75 in the championship game. In February, Dawn Staley won her 600th career game as a head coach (534 at South Carolina) in 786 games, giving her a sparking career record of 622-187. The Gamecocks 2024 national championship was the program's third in school history, with the other two coming in 2017 and 2022.
Joey Logano secured his third NASCAR Cup Series champion when he won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race and season title. Logano won four races in the season, including one in Nashville, to clinch a spot in the postseason. Logano’s win in Las Vegas secured him a spot in the championship race, giving him the chance he needed to win it all in Phoenix.
This was Logano’s third series win in three years, as the No. 22 car won in 2022 and 2018. Ryan Blaney was closing in on first place, but Logano edged him out by .330 seconds in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race to hold on for the top spot.
For the sixth time in franchise history, the Galaxy were MLS Cup champions in 2024. The Galaxy beat the New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win it, with Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Jovelić scoring the two goals in the win. Across the regular season and playoffs, the Galaxy were 25-9-8 and were tied with LAFC atop the Western Conference.
The Galaxy’s MLS Cup win was a league-record sixth MLS Cup win, and their first since 2014. Gastón Brugman was named the MLS Cup MVP after recording an assist and two interceptions in 75 minutes of action in the Cup match.
For the first time in nine seasons in the NWSL, the Pride became NWSL champions. The club set numerous NSWL records, as the team went undefeated through their first 23 games. By making the playoffs, the team ended a five-year drought and won its first postseason victory in club history with a 4-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars.
The Pride beat the Kansas City Current in the semifinals 3-2, and then beat the Washington Spirit 1-0 in the championship game, with Barbra Banda scoring the lone goal in the win. Pride head coach Seb Hines was named the Coach of the Year for her work in leading the Pride to their first playoff victory and championship.
Henderson is also the all-time leader in runs scored. He was named the American League MVP in 1990 after leading the AL with a 1.016 OPS, 65 stolen bases and 119 runs scored.
He also played for the Yankees, Padres, Mets, Mariners, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Angels and Dodgers.
Henderson's wife, Pamela, confirmed her husband's death in a statement.
"A legend on and off the field, Rickey was a devoted son, dad, friend, grandfather, brother, uncle, and a truly humble soul. Rickey lived his life with integrity, and his love for baseball was paramount. Now, Rickey is at peace with the Lord, cherishing the extraordinary moments and achievements he leaves behind," Pamela said.
"For multiple generations of baseball fans, Rickey Henderson was the gold standard of base stealing and leadoff hitting. Rickey was one of the most accomplished and beloved Athletics of all-time," MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
"He also made an impact with many other clubs during a quarter-century career like no other. Rickey epitomized speed, power and entertainment in setting the tone at the top of the lineup. When we considered new rules for the game in recent years, we had the era of Rickey Henderson in mind.
"Rickey earned universal respect, admiration and awe from sports fans. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I send my deepest condolences to Rickey’s family, his friends and former teammates, A’s fans and baseball fans everywhere."
Henderson won two World Series, one with the A's in 1989 and another with Toronto four years later.
Henderson became MLB's all-time stolen bases leader May 1, 1991, when he swiped third base in Oakland. He finished with 1,406 in his career, surpassing Lou Brock by nearly 500 bags. Henderson also retired with 2,295 runs scored, 50 more than Ty Cobb. His 3,055 hits are 27th all-time.
His 130 stolen bases in 1982 are the most in the live ball era. He and Vince Coleman are the only players since 1920 to have three seasons of at least 100 stolen bases. Henderson swiped 50-plus bags in 13 seasons, the most ever.
He made his debut in 1979 and hung up his cleats in 2003, accumulating 111.1 WAR in his 25 MLB seasons.
Last season was a down year by Goldschmidt’s standards, as he hit just .245 with 22 home runs.
However, over the last two months of the season, Goldschmidt hit better, batting .273 while getting on base more.
Goldschmidt is a career .289 hitter with 362 career home runs and 1187 RBIs over his 14-year career.
First base last year was a position where the Yankees did not get a lot of offensive production, as rookie Ben Rice and veteran Anthony Rizzo both struggled.
The Yankees first basemen in 2024 combined for an OPS (On-base plus slugging percentage) of just .619, the lowest in Major League Baseball.
The seven-time All-Star will slot into the middle of the Yankees lineup, deepening an already strong Yankees lineup despite losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets.
Since losing Soto, the Yankees have turned to their "Plan B." The team signed starting pitcher Max Fried, acquired closer Devin Williams, acquired outfielder Cody Bellinger and signed Goldschmidt.
Goldschmidt is not the first MVP winner the Yankees have acquired this offseason, as Bellinger won the 2019 NL MVP with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Yankees have four MVP winners in their lineup with the addition of Goldschmidt, Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge.
Stanton won the NL MVP in 2017 with the Miami Marlins, while Judge has won the AL MVP in both 2022 and 2024.
On Wednesday, as the Cubs announced a festival for fans, Sosa admitted he "made mistakes."
"I left it all on the field for the Cubs and Cubs fans because I wanted to win and make the fans happy. I loved to see the fans at Wrigley in the Right Field Bleachers every home game," Sosa said in a letter. "I understand why some players in my era don't always get the recognition that our stats deserve. There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games. I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.
"We accomplished great things as a team, and I worked extremely hard in the batting cage to become a great hitter. Cubs' fans are the best in the world, and I hope that fans, the Cubs and I can all come together again and move forward. We can't change the past, but the future is bright. In my heart, I have always been a Cub and I can't wait to see Cubs fans again."
"We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out. No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody's perfect, but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs," Ricketts said. "It is an understatement to say that Sammy is a fan favorite. We plan on inviting him to the 2025 Cubs Convention and, while it is short notice, we hope that he can attend. We are all ready to move forward together."
Sosa is the only player in MLB history to hit at least 60 home runs in three separate seasons. He retired with 609 in his career, which ranks him ninth all time, but PED speculation has kept him out of Cooperstown.
Earlier this year, Sosa walked out of a media session when he was asked about his suspected PED use. He was in Chicago for a memorabilia event, and it was his first time in the Windy City since his career ended.
Sosa is largely credited with bringing baseball back to life with his own personal home run derby with Mark McGwire in 1998 as they both chased, and shattered, Roger Maris' record of 61 homers in a season. McGwire hit 70, and Sosa hit 66. Sosa even swore under oath he did not take PEDs.
At this point, it would be a surprise if Nolan Arenado is wearing a St. Louis Cardinals uniform in 2025, but it's almost certain he won't be wearing the jersey of at least one other team.
The eight-time All-Star has three years remaining on his deal, but with the Cards in a rebuild, Arenado is perhaps their hottest commodity on the trade market.
The issue St. Louis faces, though, is that Arenado has a no-trade clause. That's not to say the Cardinals can't move him.
But Arenado would need to give the team permission to do so.
Arenado has reportedly decided not to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Houston Astros.
Houston is in the market for a third baseman because Alex Bregman is a free agent. And while the Astros were willing to take on a good chunk of the $74 million owed to Arenado through 2027, Arenado apparently wants no part of playing in Houston. The teams reportedly agreed on a trade, but it's not known when that happened.
It's also not clear why Arenado does not want to play in Houston, but it should be noted that Arenado will turn 34 a couple weeks into the season without a World Series ring, and the Astros, after trading Kyle Tucker, seem to be taking a step backward.
Arenado's agent, Joel Wolfe, said Arenado's list of teams he'd be willing to be traded to is "bigger than you would think … but he's not going to go just anywhere."
Other teams that may be interested in Arenado's services include the New York Yankees and New York Mets. However, the former reportedly did not have much of a "fit" for him earlier this month.
The Cardinals were on the opposite end of a no-trade clause in 2017, when Giancarlo Stanton shut down a deal with St. Louis while he was a member of the Miami Marlins. Shortly thereafter, Stanton went to the Yankees.
Arenado is a 10-time Gold Glove Award winner. Combine that with a .285 average and .857 OPS in his career, and he might be on the track to Cooperstown when it's all said and done. He is 174 hits away from reaching 2,000 for his career.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman took a swipe at MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday as the baseball boss talked about marketing the sport through starting pitchers.
Gausman implored his followers not to believe what Manfred said about starting pitching.
"Don’t believe a word this man says," Gausman wrote on X. "Get ready for 6 innings you get to keep the DH, if not a fan hits in their spot."
Gausman’s jab came weeks after the possibility of implementing the "golden at-bat" rule, which would allow teams to pick one batter per game to hit even if they are not next in the batting order, was floated into the baseball world.
Manfred spoke as part of the "Questions for Cancer" podcast. He said he did not think a minimum inning requirement for starting pitchers would be a great idea to help with the issue.
"I don’t think a specific inning requirement even with exceptions are workable in our rule," Manfred. "It’s just too blunt an instrument to fix this problem. I do see both problems as really serious. I think the injury issue – our physicians have studied this carefully. They continue to believe that the focus on velocity and spin rate is a significant cause in the increase in injuries.
"Look, marketing the game, just think about a broadcast. The name and face you see the most is the starting pitcher. The matchups of great starting pitchers have historically been important in terms of marketing the game and I do think we need to get back to that."
Manfred said rules should be developed to create incentives for teams that develop pitchers who can go deep into games.
"To me, this needs to be addressed in a more subtle way. I think rules surrounding transactions, that is how often pitchers can come on and off the roster. One of the things that happens today, guy pitches three days in a row, he gets outrighted, they bring somebody else in. They give him some rest as opposed to him staying on the roster the whole time.
"I think we need to create incentives through things like roster rules, transaction rules for clubs to develop pitchers who go deeper in the game. I don’t think it can be prescriptive, you have to go six innings. I think it has to be a series of rules that create an incentive for clubs to develop pitchers of a certain type."
CBS Sports noted that the inning per start rate sat at 5.2 during the 2024 season – more than an inning lower than it was in 1984.
Gausman started in 31 games in 2024 and led the majors with two complete games and one shutout. He completed at least seven innings of work eight times.
Cody Bellinger was traded to the New York Yankees from the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, as the 2019 National League MVP will look to add power to the lineup.
Bellinger’s fiancée is Maxim magazine and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Chase Carter. The two have two daughters together and announced their engagement in 2023. MLB fans quickly noticed that Carter also dated Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton at one time.
The New York Post noted in 2018 that Stanton and Carter were spotted together in the Bahamas and that she posted a video on her Instagram Stories of the two running into the water together. They reportedly met at a softball charity event.
Carter was also in attendance as the Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins in the 2019 American League Division Series.
Bellinger and Carter were then spotted together in 2020, and the relationship appeared to blossom from there.
Carter, who is from the Bahamas, started to model when she was 13 and has worked with Victoria’s Secret Pink, Maybelline New York, Urban Outfitters and others, according to People.
She also noted in an interview with Maxim she is a bit of a sports enthusiast and was at one point a highly touted javelin thrower in the Bahamas because she was the only one.
For Stanton, Page Six reported in May he was linked to hospitality worker Asiana Jayd Hung-Barnes.
Just a week after losing Juan Soto to their crosstown rivals, they acquired yet another All-Star, Cody Bellinger.
Just days after Soto left for Queens, they inked ace lefty Max Fried to an eight-year deal, and, on Friday, they acquired dominant closer Devin Williams.
Now, it appears they have added Bellinger, who was named the NL Rookie of the Year in 2017 and the 2019 NL MVP.
It's been an up-and-down career for Bellinger, who was on his way to becoming one of the game's best early in his career. From 2017 to 2019, he hit .278 with a .928 OPS. Since then, he's a .244 hitter with a .731 OPS.
ESPN first reported the deal. The Yankees later announced it on social media.
His last two seasons with the Chicago Cubs, though, were better. In 2023, he hit .307 with 26 homers, but he took a step back with a .266 average and a .751 OPS in 2024. Analytics suggest Bellinger was lucky in 2023, because he's not nearly the hard hitter he used to be. So, the 2024 season could be seen as the lefty returning to reality.
The Yankees apparently plan on putting Bellinger in center field, although he has spent time at first base. If that's the case, it ensures that Judge goes back to his normal right field position, and they could now look at the first base market that includes Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Carlos Santana and Paul Goldschmidt.
The Yankees will reportedly pay $45 million of the $50 million owed to Bellinger through 2026. He has a player opt out after the 2025 season. They sent reliever Cody Poteet back to Chicago.
EXCLUSIVE: Johnny Damon still remembers when he first met Donald Trump. But just as much, Damon remembers how certain people have treated him for being friends with Trump.
"Unfortunately, whenever you say you're friends with Donald Trump, we have a lot of people who just can not understand that," Damon told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.
The former MLB star met Trump during his time with the New York Yankees, and met him directly through the organization. After Damon left the Boston Red Sox for the Yankees in December 2005, Trump, who was then a New York City businessman and reality TV star, invited the baseball star to play golf in Mar-a-Lago. They were joined by former New York Mets captain David Wright on the green.
And when Trump found out that Damon was coming to New York to play for the Yankees, a team Trump had been well-connected to over the years, he made a pitch to Damon to move into one of his buildings. But Damon had already moved into a place in the Bloomberg Building.
Ten years later, Trump may have gotten his revenge on Damon for not buying a place in his building. In 2015, Damon appeared in the seventh season of "Celebrity Apprentice," where Trump fired Damon in the sixth episode for writing a bad product jingle.
But none of that stopped the two from becoming close friends. For Damon, that friendship blossomed into staunch political support. It was a level of support that Damon had to be prepared to defend himself over.
"We've just been really good friends, and I'm glad that he's back in office and I'm glad we have somebody who's going to be out there, somebody who's going to answer questions, somebody who's going to do the work to make America great again," Damon said.
"Unfortunately, this last administration, we can't see anything positive that they've done, and hopefully, Donald Trump doesn't get any backlash for anything he's doing because he's already done more than what President Biden has done in his four years and Trump's not even in office right now. So I'm very, very happy my friend is back in office."
Damon knows about the backlash to Trump because he has been on the receiving end of it too.
Damon famously endorsed Trump in 2016, and even spoke at one of his rallies in Orlando that November, igniting backlash from left-leaning baseball fans on social media at the time.
"I disowned him when he sold his soul to the devil (Go Sox). Is there a way to double-disown him?" one disgruntled Boston Red Sox fan wrote on X (then known as Twitter) in a 2016 response to footage of Damon at the rally.
Another user insulted Damon's intelligence, writing, "Stupid is as stupid does. No one said he was smart," in response to the 2016 footage.
But after Trump won in 2016, Damon's loyalty amid the backlash paid off with a chance to launch a career in politics.
In December 2020, Trump appointed Damon to serve on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. Damon joined fellow Yankees World Series champion Mariano Rivera, former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, UFC fighter Colby Covington and NFL Hall of Famer Troy Vincent.
The appointment inspired Damon to consider a future in politics, but that ended after a run-in with police.
In February 2021, Damon was arrested in Florida for a DUI. Leaked bodycam footage of his arrest showed a drunk Damon claiming that he was being targeted for supporting Trump. It came just a month after Jan. 6.
"Hey, bro, I'm a good f---ing guy. I know people are trying to target me because I'm a Trump supporter," Damon told a police officer in the video. The officer said Damon's support for Trump had nothing to do with the arrest, to which Damon responded, "Yeah... it does."
Damon, who has previously had to deal with backlash for supporting Trump, told Fox News Digital that he had three beers before he got in the car, and his mind was on politics the whole night.
"I was getting ready to run for politics, and thinking about it seriously, and then I get pulled over," Damon said, adding that he disagreed with what the police officer's breathalyzer test said about his blood alcohol level.
"Unfortunately, people want to go after great citizens, and at the end of the day I'm going to continue to be who I am."
Police reported that Damon had a blood-alcohol content of 0.30% – more than triple the legal limit in Florida. He was also charged with resisting arrest without violence. His wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon, was charged with battery on a law-enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.
Damon acknowledges that he made a "stupid" decision driving that night after drinking. But he believes at this point in his life he has overcome it by doing charity work and is now committed to raising his kids.
Still, Damon's support and fondness for Trump isn't going anywhere, no matter what anyone's response to it is.
"I'm going to continue to be friends with him," Damon said. "And I support my friends through the thick and thin, the good and the bad, so that's who I am and that's who I'm going to continue to be."
Williams, 30, is a two-time All-Star and two-time Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year.
Last season, in 22 games, Williams was 1-0 with a 1.25 ERA with 14 saves in 21⅔ innings after missing the first four months of the season with a stress fracture in his back.
Williams has a 1.83 ERA in 235⅔ career innings with 68 career saves. Williams is nicknamed "The Airbender" because of a wipeout changeup that strikes out over 14 hitters per nine innings.
Williams will become the Yankees' new closer, and Luke Weaver will move back into a setup role.
Cortes will immediately join the Brewers' starting rotation. Last season, Cortes was solid with a 3.77 ERA over 174.1 innings with a 9-10 record.
Cortes sustained a flexor strain at the end of the regular season and appeared out of the bullpen during the World Series in a limited role.
The Yankees parted with Cortes due to a wealth of starting pitching the team had after signing Max Fried to the most lucrative contract given to a left-handed starting pitcher in MLB history.
Durbin is a prospect who can play all over the diamond for the Brewers — second base, shortstop, third base and center field.
The 24-year-old hit .269 with 110 stolen bases in four minor league seasons. Durbin struck out just 111 times in 1,216 minor league plate appearances.
The Yankees don’t appear to be done making moves yet and reportedly have interest in trading for outfielders Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger to replace Soto.
The sex abuse trial of Tampa Bay Rays player Wander Franco was supposed to commence Thursday. But it was delayed until June after 28 of 31 witnesses expected to testify were absent.
Franco has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. His trial is scheduled to resume June 2, 2025.
Dominican Judge Yacaira Veras postponed the trial at the request of prosecutors due to the absence of several key witnesses in the case. Only three of 31 witnesses arrived for the trial Thursday.
Franco’s lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, arguing Franco must report to spring training in mid-February.
"There is no case against Wander. For as many witnesses as they present, there is no case now," Franco’s lead lawyer, Teodosio Jáquez, told The Associated Press.
The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment.
The 23-year-old shortstop said his career is not over yet, that he wants justice to be done and that "everything is in God’s hands."
Franco appeared upset when reporters asked if his MLB career was over.
"I did not had a career," he said, implying that he still has one. "This is not over."
Franco was arrested on a separate charge in the country for his involvement in an alleged armed altercation in November.
The Rays took down images of Franco around Tropicana Field after the allegations became public last year. There has also been no sign of Franco merchandise being sold at the Rays' team store within their ballpark.
He agreed to an 11-year, $182 million contract in November 2021. He was an All-Star for the first time in 2023, hitting .281 with 17 homers and 58 RBI over 112 games.
Tampa Bay placed him on the team's restricted list July 10, cutting off the pay he had been receiving while on administrative leave.
After Dominican police raided two homes associated with Franco just before the new year, he was eventually arrested. He was later released on the condition that he meet with local authorities once a month.
According to ESPN, Dominican prosecutors say Franco called the minor "my girl" in a WhatsApp message, admitting the relationship was a "risk," but he "loved it."
"My girl," Franco allegedly wrote in Spanish. "If my team realizes this, it could cause problems for me. It is a rule for all teams that we cannot talk to minors, and yet I took the risk and I loved it."
Prosecutors say Franco's relationship with the girl, now 15, lasted four months, and he paid her not to speak about it. The girl's mother also faces charges of money laundering based on gifts sent to her by Franco. Franco and the girl met Dec. 9, 2022, after he "took her from her home," had sex twice in a two-day span and began their relationship.
Prosecutors say the minor’s mother went from being a bank employee to leading an ostentatious life and acquiring assets using the funds she received from Franco. During the raids on the house of the minor’s mother, prosecutors say they found $68,500 and $35,000 that they allege was delivered by Franco.
Franco gave the girl the equivalent of $46,000 in July and August, the documents say, and paid the mother about $1,700 per month, along with a new car.
The New York Yankees seem to think they are doing everything possible to rebound from losing Juan Soto.
But their rivals, the Houston Astros, apparently think they are being low-balled for perhaps their best player.
It has become apparent the Astros are willing to trade Kyle Tucker this offseason as he enters the final year of team control. The lefty slugger figures to collect big bucks this time next year.
With Soto on his way to Queens, the Yankees have a hole in their outfield to fill, and they are looking at Tucker.
The two sides have reportedly spoken, but they seem far apart.
According to NJ.com, the Astros think the Yankees have offered "crap" for the three-time All-Star.
"I talked to someone with the Astros’ front office and was told the Yankees didn’t offer anything the Astros wanted," NJ.com's Randy Miller wrote Thursday. "Nothing. They think the Yankees have offered crap."
The executive Miller spoke with apparently said the Yankees have only offered low-level prospects.
The Astros apparently want a package to start with reigning Rookie of the Year Luis Gil.
Houston has also been in discussions with the Chicago Cubs about outfielder Seiya Suzuki and infielder Isaac Paredes.
MLB's winter meetings are now over, but there are still roughly 10 weeks until spring training begins. So, there's plenty of time.
The Yankees pivoted to sign Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal, the most lucrative contract ever given to a lefty.
If the Yankees do get Tucker, it wouldn't be the first time they traded for a lefty outfielder who was entering a contract year. It's what they did with Soto last year.
Soto finished third in the AL MVP vote, two spots behind Aaron Judge, and signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets, the richest in sports history.
Juan Soto was all smiles as he donned his newest pinstripes in New York.
The newest New York Mets superstar was introduced to the media and spoke about his excitement for the team's future, World Series aspirations and more.
But while Mets fans are over the moon with their $765 million man, New York Yankees fans remain bitter, and seeing Soto in his No. 22 Mets jersey likely added fuel to that fire.
During a media scrum, Soto was asked if he had a message for Yankees fans who hoped he would return on a similar deal the Mets gave him.
"I want to say thank you to them," Soto said, via SNY. "They really showed me all the love and everything they had last year. They were there day in, day out. They really have a spot in my heart at the end of the day. Tough that we couldn’t get it together and try to be back and stuff like that. But definitely I’ll always appreciate what they did for me in 2024."
It may not be an answer Yankees fans want, but Soto at least acknowledges what they did for him in 2024.
Fans showered the right fielder with "Re-sign Soto!" chants every game, fake blank checks were brought into the stadium and Soto had a career year statistically, helping the Yankees return to the World Series.
The love Yankees fans had for Soto was palpable, and they wanted him to remain with a long-term deal.
But the Mets outbid the Yankees, who reportedly had a 16-year deal worth $760 million on the table. Soto chose to go across town to Queens.
Soto revealed at his news conference he hadn't spoken to a single Yankees teammate since the World Series ended in a crushing defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"I think we have the best chance to win here," he added when asked about his choice of the Mets over the Yankees.
The Mets, always considered a "little brother" to the Yankees, have a new identity with owner Steve Cohen.
The New York Mets introduced their new superstar, Juan Soto, Thursday after outbidding the New York Yankees for his services.
During his introductory press conference, a reporter asked if Soto had talked to his former Yankees teammates throughout the free agency process.
"I haven’t talked to any of those guys. We talked to them through (the) playoffs, end of the playoffs. But, after that, I made this process. I haven’t talked to any of those guys," Soto said.
In his press conference after winning the AL MVP, Aaron Judge said he hadn’t spoken to Juan Soto since the end of the World Series.
"The best thing is to really give those guys space," Judge said, according to Fox Sports. "I talked to him all season, and he knows how we feel about him. And I think the most important thing is now let him do his thing with his family, pray about it, talk with people and come to the right decision for him and his family."
The bidding for the 26-year-old came down to the crosstown rivals, and the Mets won the prize of free agency.
The Mets gave Soto the most lucrative deal in professional sports history, a 15-year, $765 million contract that includes escalators that can take it over $800 million.
There is a player opt-out after the fifth season that the Mets can void by paying Soto $55 million per season for the remainder of the contract should Soto choose to opt out.
The jump to $55 million annually would be a $4 million raise from the $51 million Soto will receive annually for the first five years of the deal.
In addition to becoming the highest-paid player in baseball history, Soto will also receive a ballpark luxury suite for his family, four premium seats for home games and security for him and his family, according to the New York Post.
Last season, Soto finished third place in the AL MVP voting after having a career-best year hitting in front of Judge.
The four-time All-Star hit .288 with 41 home runs and 129 walks, second only to Judge.
During the Yankees' run to the World Series, his performances were crucial in the ALDS and ALCS, which was highlighted by his game-sealing, go-ahead extra-inning home run against the Cleveland Guardians.
Now Soto will take his talents crosstown and anchor the top of the Mets' lineup alongside Francisco Lindor and Mark Vientos.
There had been reports earlier this week that the Yankees "wouldn't budge" on giving Soto a suite at Yankee Stadium, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman seemed to all but confirm that. But the Mets gave a suite to Soto.
The New York Post says that, along with the suite, Soto will also have four premium seats for home games and security for him and his family both at home and on the road.
His uniform number was another issue.
Since his MLB debut in 2018, Soto has worn No. 22 with the Nationals, Padres and Yankees. He will do the same with the Mets, and it is a part of his contract, the Post notes.
Brett Baty had worn the number with the Mets since 2022. It is common for stars who join new teams to give a hefty gift to whomever was wearing a preferred number. It's unknown if Soto is giving Baty anything.
Either way, Baty doesn't have a choice in the matter.
The Yankees said their reported 16-year, $760 million offer was "above and beyond our comfort level." Cashman also noted that "some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites, they buy them."
Talented left-handed starter Garrett Crochet is switching Sox.
The Boston Red Sox have landed Crochet in a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox.
Boston is sending prospect catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and right-handed pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez to the White Sox in exchange for Crochet.
The New York Mets, who already landed Juan Soto on a record-breaking $765 million deal, were reportedly also in the running for Crochet's services next season. The Red Sox, a team with a deep farm system, unloaded four top-15 prospects to get the deal done, per MLB Pipeline.
What the Red Sox get in return is a budding star in their rotation, which needed a stud from the left side. Crochet is also under cheap team control for two years before becoming a free agent in 2027.
The White Sox made all the wrong MLB history last season with the worst record ever in a single year, but Crochet was a lone bright spot on the roster.
In his first All-Star season, Crochet pitched to a 3.58 ERA over 146 innings with 209 strikeouts and 33 walks.
His swing-and-miss stuff is what the Red Sox hope can be delivered at Fenway Park and beyond this season as a top-line rotation piece.
After the New York Yankees landed Max Fried, another reported Red Sox target in free agency, on an eight-year deal, Boston GM Craig Breslow quickly pivoted to Crochet to make sure they got a key piece for 2025 and beyond.
The Red Sox are not expected to be done, however. They were in on the Soto sweepstakes while also checking in on other position players as they hope to build a team worthy of reaching the postseason.
As for the White Sox, their rebuild continues, and top prospects like the ones they got in this deal are what’s needed to make that work in the long run.
The Bronx Bombers lost Juan Soto to their crosstown rivals earlier this week, but the show must go on, and the Yankees made a big splash.
The Yanks and Max Fried are reportedly in agreement on an eight-year deal worth $218 million, the most lucrative deal ever given to a left-handed pitcher.
Fried has been an ace for the Atlanta Braves in recent years alongside Spencer Strider. Fried pitched to a 3.23 ERA in 29 starts in 2024, and his career ERA is 3.07. His 2.81 ERA since 2020 is the lowest in the sport among pitchers with at least 90 starts in that span.
The deal is a risk for the Yanks. Fried turns 31 next month. However, their rotation is without a doubt one of the best in baseball, and it also keeps Fried away from the Boston Red Sox, who were also interested in Fried.
Fried will now be the co-ace alongside Gerrit Cole. The Yankees also boast Rookie of the Year Luis Gil. Carlos Rodon also had a bounce-back year, while Clarke Schmidt's 2.85 ERA, albeit in only 15 starts, was the best of his career.
The Yankees figure to move on from either Marcus Stroman or Nestor Cortes. Fried will make a tick over $27 million a year.
Fried ranks near the top of the league in average exit velocity allowed as well as ground ball rate. While he's not much of a swing-and-miss guy, weak contact on the ground is a good combination.
The Yanks reportedly offered Soto $760 million over 16 years, but Soto took the Mets' deal of 15 years and $765 million, which could reach over $800 million when it's all said and done.
The Yankees still have other holes to fill, most notably at the infield corners and in left, but they have been linked to Nolan Arenado, Christian Walker and Teoscar Hernandez.
The Chicago Cubs legend wrote in an Instagram post that the cancer, which he thought had been eliminated by radiation, has spread.
"Unfortunately, we recently learned the cancer has relapsed, and it has spread to other organs," he wrote Tuesday. "This means that I’m back to more intensive treatment. We will continue to be positive, strong, and fight to beat this. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for me and my family."
"Ryne is an inspiration to cancer survivors everywhere," Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said in a statement Tuesday. "I know all Cubs fans join my family and me in sending positive thoughts to Ryne and keeping him and his family in our prayers as he faces this next round of treatments to defeat cancer. Ryne has the heart and soul of a champion and that will serve him well in this challenge."
Sandberg hit .285 with 282 homers, 1,061 RBIs and 344 steals in 16 seasons in the majors. He made his big league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981 and appeared in 13 games with the Phillies before he was traded to the Cubs in January 1982.
Sandberg turned into one of the majors’ top players with the Cubs. He made 10 MLB All-Star teams and won nine Gold Gloves. He also was the NL MVP in 1984.
He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.
Over the summer, the Cubs immortalized Sandberg with a statue that depicts him crouched and waiting for a grounder. It stands next to bronze tributes to fellow Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins, Billy Williams, Ron Santo and Ernie Banks.
New York Yankees fans are still reeling over Juan Soto's decision to sign with the New York Mets, and while money talks, one report has perhaps an additional reason why he wanted Queens over the Bronx.
It was expected that Mets owner Steve Cohen would do anything possible to get Soto to wear blue and orange next season, and it wasn't just about the money, as the New York Post reported.
According to The Post's Jon Heyman, Cohen didn't think twice when it came to giving a suite to Soto's family to help sweeten the $765 million deal he agreed to.
Heyman adds the Yankees, though, "wouldn't budge on the suite," noting the team felt they couldn't do so when Aaron Judge and Derek Jeter – the past two Yankees captains – paid for their family's suite. There would've been a discount, but not a freebie like Cohen offered.
Of course, the main piece of this was Soto getting a historic contract that smashed Shohei Ohtani's $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
There are no deferments, so he's scheduled to receive $51 million per season. He gets a $75 million signing bonus, whereas the Yankees didn't have one, and there are escalators in the contract that could take the deal to $805 million.
Soto also has a fifth-year opt-out clause, when he will be 30 years old.
The Yankees' deal was comparable, though, as they reportedly offered $760 million over 16 years, which GM Brian Cashman admitted was "above and beyond our comfort level" when speaking to reporters at the MLB Winter Meetings on Monday.
And even Cohen understood his best offer might not have beaten the Yankees, considering Soto already had a year with the team and a World Series appearance to boot.
"I was being logical," Cohen told The Post about his negotiations with Soto and super agent Scott Boras. "When you have [Aaron] Judge, it’s tough to beat that. Juan was great. But what they had… I didn’t know how to solve that."
But Cohen, GM David Stearns and the rest of the organization found a way, ultimately checking the boxes Soto wanted for his long-term future in MLB.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are pivoting to Plan B, which appears to be going after top names in the starting pitching market, including Max Fried and Corbin Burnes.
How the Yankees respond to life without Soto remains to be seen, but the fallout from going crosstown still weighs heavy on the minds of fans.
