The Red Sox have found their No. 2 starter.

On Tuesday, they acquired veteran righty Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for lefty pitching prospect Brandon Clarke and starter Richard Fitts. It is a deal that furthers Boston’s pursuit of a deeper playoff run in 2026 by providing a reinforcement behind ace lefty Garrett Crochet.

What follows are grades for each team’s return in the deal to see who came out on the better end of things.

Red Sox Acquire: Sonny Gray

Boston had been desperate to find some rotation help behind Crochet and looked like a potential landing spot if the Tigers made Tarik Skubal available. The Red Sox went a much easier route, landing the 36-year-old Gray, who is a durable three-time All-Star in his own right.

Gray was solid but not spectacular for St. Louis in 2025. He went 14-8, with a 4.28 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, and 201 strikeouts against 38 walks in 180 2/3 innings. His FIP was 3.39, which shows he was a bit unlucky. While it wasn’t Gray’s best season, he is only two years removed from finishing second in AL Cy Young voting when he went 8-8, with a 2.79 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and a league-best 2.83 FIP for the Twins in 2023.

The Red Sox are getting a stable No. 2 for their rotation. He’s a guy with a career ERA of 3.58, and has only been over 4.00 twice in the past seven seasons. Additionally, Gray and Crochet are two of the five MLB pitchers who have struck out 200 or more batters in each of the last two seasons, making them a formidable duo. Boston is pushing to take the next step and has added a good arm near the top of its rotation.

To sweeten the deal, Boston is also receiving $20 million to help cover the $35 million Gray is owed in 2026. His contract has a mutual option for $30 million in 2027, but it only carries a $5 million buyout. It’s a manageable contract, and they didn’t surrender a top prospect in exchange.

Grade: B+

Cardinals Acquire: Brandon Clarke, Richard Fitts

St. Louis is pushing to get younger after missing the playoffs for three straight seasons. Gray’s age and contract put him on the outside of the team’s plans moving forward. In exchange, they landed two intriguing arms but didn’t get any true top prospects to add to their impressive farm system.

Fitts has made 15 appearances (14 starts) over two big league seasons and has struggled to keep the ball in the yard. In 2025, he pitched in 11 games (10 starts) and went 2-4 with a 5.00 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts against 16 walks in 45 innings. He allowed 11 home runs in that time. The former Yankees prospect has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s but tops out around 98, and his slider continues to improve and has some sweep to it.

The prize of the deal is Brandon Clarke. The 6’4” lefty has a fastball that can touch 100, and features an outstanding slider that can sit in the upper-80s. He also features a curveball and a changeup he hasn’t thrown for strikes consistently yet. The Red Sox selected Clarke with a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft out of junior college, and he made his pro debut in 2025. In 14 starts at two levels of A ball, he went 0-3 with a 4.03 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts against 27 walks in 38 innings. Opposing batters only hit 1.28 against him. If he can cut down on the walks and straighten out his changeup, Clarke could race up prospect lists.

St. Louis moved off Gray’s contract but also shipped $20 million to Boston and didn’t land a top 100 prospect in the process. They weren’t able to pry either of the Red Sox’s top two pitching prospects, as Payton Tolle and Kyson Witherspoon remain part of Boston’s system. The return isn’t disappointing thanks to Clarke’s upside, but it feels a bit flat.

Grade: B-

The Dodgers have been dominant this postseason as they've only dropped one game on their route to the World Series, where they could become back-to-back champions.

If it's not broke, then don't fix it, they say. And, Los Angeles seems to be following that motto as they announced the same starting pitcher rotation for Games 1 and 2 that the team used in the NLCS vs. the Brewers. Blake Snell will start Game 1 on Friday, Oct. 24 in Toronto, followed by Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting Game 2 on Saturday, Oct. 24 in Toronto, per ESPN's Alden González.

Snell pitched in Game 1 of the NLCS vs. the Brewers, which the Dodgers won 2–1. He recorded 10 strikeouts and just one hit over eight innings. Milwaukee's only run came in the ninth inning when Snell was out. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has been dominant all postseason so far, and will be looking to continue that with a Game 1 win.

Yamamoto pitched the entire nine innings of Game 2 vs. the Brewers, which resulted in a Dodgers' 5–1 win. He recorded seven strikeouts, and had three hits and one home run hit against him.

If the Dodgers continue with their starting pitcher rotation as they did in the NLCS, then Tyler Glasnow would start in Game 3 and Shohei Ohtani would start in Game 4. So far, no decision on those games has been reported.

تعادل فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك مع كهرباء الإسماعيلية، بثلاثة أهداف لكل منهما، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الرابطة.

والتقى الزمالك مع كهرباء الإسماعيلية، اليوم ضمن منافسات الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية، على أرضية ملعب استاد المقاولون العرب.

ويقع الزمالك في المجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية والتي تضم المصري وحرس الحدود وزد والاتحاد السكندري وسموحة وكهرباء الإسماعيلية.

طالع|فيديو | شيكا يسجل هدفي كهرباء الإسماعيلية الثاني والثالث أمام الزمالك

وسجل عمرو ناصر هدف الزمالك الأول في الدقيقة 22، من كرة رأسية بعد تلقيه عرضية من خوان بيزيرا داخل منطقة الجزاء حولها مباشرة في المرمى.

وأحرز أحمد شريف هدف الزمالك الثاني في الدقيقة 46، من تصويبة قوية خارج منطقة جزاء كهرباء الإسماعيلية سكنت المرمى مباشرة.

وأضاف آدم كايد الهدف الثالث لصالح الزمالك، بعد تصويبة داخل منطقة الجزاء وتستقر في الشباك.

بينما جاء هدف كهرباء الإسماعيلية الأول بعد تمريرة طولية واستلام من محمد شيكا الذي سدد الكرة من داخل منطقة الجزاء وتسكن مرمى الزمالك.

وأحرز محمد السيد شيكا هدف كهرباء الإسماعيلية الثاني أمام الزمالك في الدقيقة 72 من عمر اللقاء، برأسية من داخل منطقة الجزاء.

كما أضاف هدف كهرباء الإسماعيلية الثالث والتعادل أمام الزمالك، اللاعب نفسه محمد السيد شيكا، في الدقيقة 78. أهداف مباراة الزمالك وكهرباء الإسماعيلية في كأس عاصمة مصر 

MatériaMais Notícias

Juventude e Grêmio empataram por 0 a 0 na partida de ida da final do Campeonato Gaúcho, no Estádio Alfredo Jaconi, e a web detonou a atuação do árbitro Anderson Daronco na decisão do estadual.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Estou completamente decepcionado com quem me jurou que o Daronco era gremista.

— Grêmio Insider (@GremioInsider) March 30, 2024

O árbitro Anderson Daronco deu 40 faltas e distribuiu oito cartões no duelo entre Juventude e Grêmio durante os 90 minutos. O Imortal ficou na bronca com a arbitragem por um possível toque de mão fora da área do goleiro Gabriel Vasconcellos em lance com Diego Costa.

O Daronco é ex árbitro, só não quer se aposentar. pic.twitter.com/QTc42VZMhl

— Tato Caloghero (@Tatocm) March 30, 2024

➡️ Com R$50 no Lance! Betting, você fatura R$255 se apostar no 1 a 1 entre Santos x Palmeiras

Grêmio e Juventude voltam a se enfrentar no duelo decisivo no sábado (6), às 16h30. Antes do duelo, o Imortal enfrenta o The Strongest, fora de casa, pela primeira rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores. A tendência é que Renato Gaúcho utilize reservas no duelo contra os bolivianos.

continua após a publicidade

VAKINHA PRA COMPRAR UM ÓCULOS PRO DARONCO.

Pelo visto a @OficialFGF tá sem grana, e o Daronco idem.

Bora pagar pra ele uma ida no oftalmologista e um óculos.

Ou não viu a mão fora da área ou é premeditado. pic.twitter.com/fUbJyrAr4c

— Lucas 🇪🇪🍊 (@lucasmarketeiro) March 30, 2024

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários do Paulistão

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Grêmio

In a list of best baseball ideas of the past 50 years, the Home Run Derby has to rank near the top.

What once was a mere sideshow to the All-Star Game's festivities has come to exist on the same plane as the event itself. The Derby submits for fans' consideration something that was true in the 1920s, 1950s and 1990s, and something that continues to be true in modern times: the majesty of the home run is like nothing else in North American sports.

It has created superstars—New York Yankees right fielder and designated hitter Aaron Judge's 2017 performance, for instance, put him on the pop-culture map. It has driven ratings in a barren portion of the sports calendar. It has done, consistently, for MLB what the Slam Dunk Contest once did for the NBA.

Styles of play are temporary, but since Cleveland Forest Citys third baseman Ezra Sutton hit the first big-league one on May 8, 1871, home runs have proven immortal.

Here's a look at the Home Run Derby's single-event and all-time record-holders for home runs.

Who has the most home runs in a single Home Run Derby?

That record is held by rookie Toronto Blue Jays third baseman and designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero Jr. during his 2019 coming-out party in Cleveland. Amazingly, in a quirk of the competition's bracketed format, Guerrero did not win—he would have to wait until 2023 to do that.

Who has the most home runs in the Home Run Derby all-time?

No player in the 21st century has embraced the Home Run Derby quite like New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. Alonso bested Guerrero in that epic 2019 Derby and went on to win it again in the summer of 2021. Additional Derby trips in 2022 and 2023 have made him the most prolific home-run hitter in its history.

So far, two participants have been announced for the 2025 Home Run Derby: Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and Seattle Mariners catcher and designated hitter Cal Raleigh. Each will need to bash at least 57 home runs to crack the top 10 in a single derby, and two-time Derby participant Acuna needs at least 18 to break into the career top 10.

Arsenal are a little bit good, aren’t they? Heading towards the final weekend of November, Mikel Arteta’s charges sit at the top of the Premier League.

Not just in cracking form domestically, defeating rivals Spurs 4-1 last Sunday, they are also more than up to the task in Europe.

Following five match weeks in the Champions League this season, they are top of the table there as well and they are the only team with a 100% record left in the competition.

Their recent win was perhaps one of their most special of the Arteta era. Arsenal dispatched Bayern Munich, unbeaten Bayern this season, winning 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

But, how did they do it?

Arsenal's squad depth reigns supreme against Bayern

What was made all the more impressive about Arsenal’s win against Vincent Kompany’s men was the fact that the Gunners were not at full strength.

No Gabriel? No problem. Jurrien Timber will score from a corner instead. No recognised number 9? Fear not, Mikel Merino will knit things together.

No Martin Odegaard? Well, Eberechi Eze will keep things ticking over. After scoring a stunning hat-trick against Spurs, he registered an assist on Wednesday evening.

No Bukayo Saka? Well, that doesn’t appear to be a problem now either. Saka did start the game but was not at his best against the German giants and while he was still dangerous with his actions, it was the winger’s substitution just after the hour mark that tipped things in Arsenal’s favour.

The first half had been pretty even but the second period was all in favour of the hosts and they really came to the fore once Saka was subbed. In previous seasons, Arteta would rarely dare to take the club’s talisman off but Andrea Berta’s work in the summer transfer window has ensured that we no longer need to worry about that.

Saka went off and before you knew it, Noni Madueke was firing home at the back stick to make it 2-1. The goal had been created by another sub, Riccardo Calafiori, who galloped down the left-hand side like a prize race horse and swung in an inch-perfect delivery.

The third and final goal was tucked home by another substitute in the form of Gabriel Martinelli. Eze clipped a ball over the top and the Brazilian was left with an easy finish after he knocked the ball past an onrushing Manuel Neuer, who did not cover himself in glory at all.

So, it was a win for Arsenal and a win for Berta who fought tooth and nail to spend a shedload on improving the club’s depth. That work could well be decisive as they aim to win both the Premier League and Champions League.

That said, it wasn’t a positive night for everyone in red and white.

Arsenal's biggest concern after Bayern

Seeing Leandro Trossard, a man in the form of his career right now, limp off with an injury in the first half wasn’t ideal but ultimately the quality of Arsenal’s depth shone through. Madueke and Martinelli came on to get Arsenal over the line.

Equally, Calafiori came on and gave Arsenal far more than a certain Myles Lewis-Skelly had given during his 68 minutes on the field.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

For supporters, there have been concerns about the form and minutes of the teenager this season. Last term, he burst onto the scene in incredible fashion.

With Calafiori out injured, Lewis-Skelly was the main man at left-back and as a consequence, he became a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad. He even scored on his debut for the Three Lions.

There was that goal and that celebration against Manchester City too. He was nominated for PFA Young Player of the Season as well.

Yet, 2025/26 has been more difficult for Lewis-Skelly. The 18-year-old featured in the first couple of England camps but was told during the November break by Tuchel that he simply needed to be starting more games. Fair enough, right?

He was not dismissing the fact that Lewis-Skelly is a good player, but you simply aren’t going to make it in a World Cup squad if you aren’t playing football.

There have still been some positive performances from the Hale Ender this term. There was that stunning assist for Martinelli’s goal against Atletico Madrid in the earlier stages of the Champions League. It was a piece of play that showcased exactly what he’s all about.

Yet, against Bayern, we saw a player lacking in first-team minutes and ultimately a player lacking in confidence.

Minutes played

68

Touches

25

Accurate passes

7/12 (58%)

Key passes

0

Accurate crosses

0/1

Dribbles

0

Shots

0

Duels won

3/11

Recoveries

2

Tackles

1

Lewis-Skelly’s night wasn’t disastrous but he did endure a more challenging evening than his teammates. The England international was caught out by a brilliant ball in behind from Joshua Kimmich that led to Bayern’s equaliser.

Former Gunner, Serge Gnabry, got in behind the youngster and then laid the ball on a plate for 17-year-old Lennart Karl to score. In a battle of the teenagers, it was the German who triumphed on this occasion.

Lewis-Skelly spent most of the night rather uncomfortable with The Standard handing the full-back a 5/10 match rating, having endured a ‘tough evening against Michael Olise’.

In fairness, few will enjoy a comfortable night against a player of Olise’s calibre but Calafiori’s influence off the bench only served to show why Arteta has preferred the Italian this season.

Lewis-Skelly’s night was made all the worse by his lack of impact in possession. Usually an area that’s so impressive in his game, he had fewer touches of the ball (25) than David Raya (45) while he only completed seven passes. Only 33% of his passes in the opposition half were accurate.

So, this was a rare off night for a kid usually so captivating and so full of energy. He struggled. So what? Yet, he will have to improve if he wants to earn more regular minutes. For now, expect Calafiori to come back into the starting lineup for Chelsea at the weekend.

Arteta now has an even better duo than Gabriel & Saliba at Arsenal

Mikel Arteta has created an Arsenal team full of incredible partnerships, including one better than Saliba & Gabriel.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 27, 2025

The 2025 MLB season has come to a close, and it was capped off by a wild weekend.

While most of the playoff spots had been earned before the weekend, a lot happened over the season's final three days to get us to the final playoff picture. What follows is a chronological look at all the biggest moments from the weekend, starting on Friday.

Tatis Sinks the Snakes

The Diamondbacks somehow stayed in the NL wild-card race over the season's final two months after selling at the deadline. It was a valiant effort from Arizona that ended with a bang on Friday evening.

The Dbacks led the Padres 2–1 in the fourth inning with rotation stalwart Zac Gallen on the hill. The veteran righty loaded the bases, then tried to slip a 95 mph fastball past Fernando Tatis Jr. on a 3–2 count. He immediately regretted it. The ball left Tatis’s bat at 111.7 mph and landed in the second deck at Petco Park for a grand slam.

The Padres took a 5–2 lead en route to an eventual 7–4 win. The loss eliminated Arizona from playoff contention.

Red Sox Walk Off Into the Playoffs

Boston entered the bottom of the ninth of Friday's game against the Tigers locked in a 3–3 tie with their magic number down to one. A two-out single by Romy Gonzalez gave Ceddanne Rafaela the chance to be a hero. He delivered.

Rafaela blasted a 1–0 pitch from Tommy Kahnle off the center field wall. It kicked around in the outfield, and Gonzalez raced home with plenty of time to spare to send Boston to the postseason.

The Red Sox will travel to Yankee Stadium to face their bitter rivals in what should be a blockbuster wild-card series.

Busch Goes Deep Twice as Cubs Clinch

Michael Busch homered twice in the first five innings on Saturday against the Cardinals; the second gave the Cubs a 3–1 lead they never relinquished.

Busch hit a home run, double, and another home run to rack up 10 total bases in his first three at-bats. He ended the game 4-for-4, with two home runs, a double, and a triple, leaving him a single short of the cycle. More importantly, he launched the Cubs to a 7–3 win, which clinched the top wild-card spot and a home series against the Padres in the opening round of the playoffs.

Jahmai Jones Clutch Single Lifts Tigers to Playoffs

After a horrible September that saw them lose their massive lead in the AL Central, the Tigers were able to salvage a playoff spot thanks to a 2–1 win over the Red Sox on Saturday night.

Jahmi Jones had the big hit with a two-out, fifth-inning single that scored two runs and put Detroit in the lead for good.

They closed out the game to finally earn some good news by clinching a playoff spot.

Guardians Unconventional Walk-Off Clinches Spot

The Guardians joined the Tigers in the playoffs in one of the weirdest ways possible Saturday night. Cleveland's remarkable march back into the AL Central race overcame the longest of odds, and what happened in the ninth inning against the Rangers Saturday night only added to the surreal nature of their September surge.

After Rangers reliever Robert Garcia got the first two outs in a 2–2 game, Johnathan Rodriguez walked and Kyle Manzardo singled, sending pinch runner Petey Halpin to third. Texas intentionally walked Gabriel Arias, putting CJ Kayfus at the plate with two outs and the bases loaded.

After getting strike one, Garcia hit Kayfus, forcing in a run and sending the Guardians to the playoffs.

Incredible.

Red Sox Win Central for Cleveland

On Sunday, the Tigers entered Fenway Park on Sunday with a chance to win the AL Central. All they needed to do was beat the Red Sox and hope Cleveland lost. Neither of those things happened.

The Tigers took an early 3–1 lead, but in the bottom of the fourth, Chris Paddack gave up a two-run home run to light-hitting infielder David Hamilton, then back-to-back doubles to Nick Sogard and Jarren Duran.

That gave Boston a 4–3 lead, leaving Detroit with five innings to get another run. The Tigers couldn't do it. They put two on base in the top of the ninth but couldn't bring anyone across and surrendered the division to the Guardians with the loss.

Cleveland's players found out it had won the AL Central during their game with Texas and celebrated.

To top it off, Brayan Rocchio launched a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th against the Rangers to enter the playoffs in style.

Alejandro Kirk Leads Blue Jays Blowout For AL East Crown

Toronto's task was simple on Sunday: beat the Rays and clinch the American League East and the top seed in the AL. The Blue Jays did that. Emphatically.

Alejandro Kirk stepped to the plate in the bottom of the first inning with the game tied 1–1. It didn't stay that way for long. On a 2–2 pitch from Ian Seymour, Kirk sat on a changeup and annihilated it. He sent the ball 387 feet into the left-center field stands at the Rogers Centre, and sent Blue Jays fans into a frenzy.

The rout was on after that, and Toronto wound up taking a 13–4 win. That relegated the Yankees to the AL’s top wild-card slot, setting up a series against the Red Sox.

Mets Complete Collapse, Exit Postseason Picture

The Mets needed to win and get help on Sunday. One of those things happened, the other didn't. The Reds owned the head-to-head tiebreaker with New York, and the two teams entered the day deadlocked with identical 83–78 records. Cincinnati lost to the Brewers 4–2, which meant all New York had to do was beat the Miami Marlins. You can guess what happened.

Miami and its $67 million payroll team bested the franchise with a $323 million payroll by the score of 4–0, as the Mets went out with a whimper. They only mustered five hits off of Edward Cabrera and four relievers. The game and the team's season ended when Francisco Lindor grounded into a double play in the top of the ninth. New York's broadcasters lamented the team's epic collapse.

The Mets had MLB's best record on June 12 at 45–24. They went 38–55 after that. A deserved, depressing ending to the season.

The Blue Jays beat the Mariners in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night. While Toronto had a celebration for the ages, Seattle fans were forced to dutifully turn their attention to the Seahawks who thankfully beat the Texans in the second game of a double-header with Jaxon Smith-Njigba single-handedly trying to remind local fans what its like to have a basketball team.

For some fans it was a tricky balancing act keeping tabs on Game 7 because they had football tickets. Most people kept an eye on their phones, but at least one fan brought a tablet to stream the Mariners game while cheering for the Seahawks.

Of course as we've all learned after cutting the cord, streams can be unreliable or just delayed, which is how you get this guy holding up his tablet, still holding out hope the Mariners can rally in the top of the ninth while a large graphic broadcasts the result of the game confirming that no, they didn't.

That's a tough look. The entire country looking right at him, knowing he's seconds away from disappointment and sports depression, watching his final moments of optimism before it's gone forever.

Major League Baseball’s winter meetings are underway, which means rumors are flying and deals are likely to be struck.

On Monday, plenty of reports made the rounds as teams attempted to get a jump on the offseason and best position themselves for 2026. Here are all the latest rumors we’re hearing as the winter meetings heat up.

Nationals listening on CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore

The Nationals have a new head of baseball operations, and he’s looking to reshape the franchise to his liking. Paul Tobobi is MLB’s youngest president of baseball ops, and the long-time Red Sox scouting director and assistant general manager is not wasting any time. Turning Washington around likely means moving on from two young All-Stars.

Shortstop CJ Abrams and lefty starter MacKenzie Gore are being targeted by multiple teams at the winter meetings. The 25-year-old Abrams is an athletic shortstop coming off his best season, while Gore is a 26-year-old with elite stuff who had a brilliant first half but struggled down the stretch. Both came to the Nationals as part of the trade that sent Juan Soto to the Padres. Gore is under team control through 2027, while Abrams won’t hit free agency until 2029.

In 2025, Abrams slashed .257/.315/.433 with 19 home runs, 60 RBIs, 92 runs scored, 31 stolen bases, and a career-best 3.1 fWAR. He’s not a good defender at short, but could easily move to second base or the outfield. Gore made 30 starts and went 5-15, with a 4.17 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and 185 strikeouts against 64 walks in 159 2/3 innings. But in his first 19 starts of the season, he went 4-8 with a 3.02 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and 138 strikeouts against 35 walks. He faded hard down the stretch, which is something a new team would need to figure out.

Given the weak free agent market for shortstops, Abrams could fetch a significant haul. Meanwhile, Gore, a young lefty with ace stuff, could also net a hefty return. Teams will need to meet Toboni’s high price, but both players can be had.

Royals looking for multiple outfielders

The Royals are canvassing the league for help in the outfield and may need to make a trade to fill out the roster. Kansas City missed the playoffs by five games in 2025, as the team surprised the rest of MLB by staying in the race as late as it did. But the team’s outfield is a bit of a mess.

While Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, and another option like Harrison Bader would all be too expensive for the Royals, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal insists the team is pursuing all options. That could include trading starter Kris Bubic, who is set to make a projected $6 million before hitting free agency after next season. The 28-year-old lefty went 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 116 strikeouts against 39 walks in 116 1/3 innings this season. He could fetch a solid return as a rental.

Rosenthal listed Mike Yastrzemski, Adolis Garcia, Max Kepler, and Mike Tauchman as options in Kansas City’s price range. Jac Caglianone is almost certain to have right field locked down, but the two other spots remain open.

Padres entertaining Nick Pivetta trade

Padres general manager A.J. Preller pulled off a coup last offseason, as he waited out the market before signing Nick Pivetta to a shockingly affordable four-year, $55 million deal. The 32-year-old rewarded the Padres, turning in a career-best season in which he went 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts against 50 walks in 181 2/3 innings. That success, and a contract that is jumping to $19 million in 2026 has made Pivetta a trade candidate.

While The Athletic’s Dennis Lin points out that a Pivetta trade isn’t likely, the Padres need multiple starting pitchers and at least one bat. Moving the team’s ace would require a significant return that would improve San Diego at multiple spots, but no one should ever rule out Preller’s appetite for wheeling and dealing.

If Pivetta doesn’t move, San Diego could look to deal second baseman Jake Cronenworth. There aren’t a lot of middle-infield options on the market, and free agents won’t come cheap. The 31-year-old Cronenworth is a steady presence who is under contract for five more years at an affordable $60 million.

As the Padres face a salary crunch and a potential sale, cutting payroll to fill multiple spots makes a lot of sense.

Dodgers looking to get younger

Even the Dodgers have work to do this offseason. While the two-time defending World Series champions will enter 2026 as favorites to win again even if they don’t make a single move this winter, there are areas the team needs to shore up. Most pressing, is the desire to get younger.

Bill Punkett of the reports that L.A.’s president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, says there’s “not as much heavy lifting required” this offseason. But the team does have an aging core. Andy Pages, Dalton Rushing, and Hyeseong Kim were the only three position players under 30 on the Dodgers’ roster in 2025. While Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki give the team younger starters to build around, much of the roster is leaving its prime.

Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith will both be 31 next season, while Freddie Freeman is 36, and Mookie Betts is 33. The team does have a fairly loaded farm system, but outfielders Josue De Paula and Zyhir Hope are both 20 and have some growing to do. Meanwhile, MLB-ready infielder Alex Freeland doesn’t currently have an open spot to fill with Betts, Tommy Edman, and Max Muncy on the roster.

L.A. is expected to be involved in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes this winter, but they could also opt to use their farm depth to pursue an outfield upgrade. White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. or Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan would fit the bill and make the team a bit younger.

Five takeaways from India’s 5-0 whitewash of New Zealand

Ankur Dhawan02-Feb-20206:54

Star Sports Match Point – ‘India far superior in pressure moments’

Handling of pressure
Perhaps the single most important differentiator between the two sides was their attitude in pressure situations. India embraced it like an old friend, while New Zealand allowed it to dictate terms, and eventually the course of the series.Before the Super Overs madness, there was a chase of 204, which could have been a lot more if the bowlers hadn’t held their nerve to pull it back in the last three overs, which went for just 25. In the chase, India lost the set pair of KL Rahul and Virat Kohli within eight balls of each other to expose an inexperienced middle-order. But playing his first overseas T20I for India, Shreyas Iyer took them home with a fifty from No. 4. He followed that up with another match-winning knock in partnership with Rahul, when India were set a modest target but had lost Rohit Sharma and Kohli early.As the matches got tighter, India found different ways to conjure wins. But it was less magic trick and more stubborn resistance, refusing to throw in the towel even when a New Zealand win seemed a foregone conclusion. When Jasprit Bumrah had a bad day, Mohammed Shami first and later Sharma saved the day in Hamilton. Shami defended three off five when New Zealand had wickets in hand, and Sharma deposited two into the crowd when the equation was ten needed off two in the Super Over.Shardul Thakur struck a couple of late blows•Getty ImagesIn Wellington, there were two occasions when India were gone for all money. Manish Pandey and Shardul Thakur dug them out of an 88 for 6 hole to help post a fighting total, before Thakur starred with the ball again to take the match into another Super Over with next to no runs to play with in the final over.The final T20I epitomised India’s superior handling of pressure, as they came on to defend a seemingly sub-par 163 without their captain, who was rested and the stand-in captain, who had injured himself while batting. Rahul was the stand-in captain for the stand-in captain, and he and his young team caused the hosts to panic with early wickets that included a run-out. Even though it looked like New Zealand had gotten out of jail with a counter-attacking stand between Tim Seifert and Ross Taylor that at one stage brought the equation down to 48 off 44, India hung in there believing that one wicket could be the harbinger of another meltdown. From 116 for 3, New Zealand slumped to 133 for 8, with both Seifert and Taylor back in the hut, and along with them their chances of a solitary win.Death-bowling support for Bumrah
Martin Guptill quipped after the second T20I that New Zealand needed India’s premier bowler to have three bad games in order for the hosts to come back into the series. Funnily, he seemed to have thought it into existence as Bumrah had a rare off day in Hamilton. It’s true that India’s fielding let them down, and cost Bumrah a wicket and a few runs, but it was only the fourth time in T20Is that Bumrah conceded in excess of 40. Shami stood up with nine needed from the final over on that occasion.Thakur stood up in Wellington, with support from Navdeep Saini, who only conceded four in the penultimate over to give Thakur an outside chance in the last over with seven to defend. Thakur himself had conceded just eight in the 17th as the cliché of each run saved contributing to a win came to life.Finally, In Mount Maunganui, Thakur and Saini again bowled three of the last four overs, giving away 24 runs for three wickets, one of them of a set Taylor that virtually sealed the match. Essentially, pacers other than Bumrah went for a total of 64 runs in nine overs at the death (16-20) picking up seven wickets between them, ensuring that New Zealand had more than just Bumrah to worry about.KL Rahul’s hand-eye coordination helps him pull off some cool shots•AFPRahul – the three-dimensional man
A hint of Schadenfreude was in play as Rahul took over keeping duties to cover for a concussed Rishabh Pant in Mumbai. Since the ODIs against Australia where he impressed with his wicketkeeping skills, so much so that he was picked ahead of Pant for the decider in Bengaluru for which Pant was fit, Rahul seems to have become No. 1 choice for the role even in T20Is.While he has averaged in excess of 50 with the bat in his last ten innings in the format, Rahul is not only thriving in his new role for India, but seems indispensable to the side now. He finished the T20Is as the highest run-getter, for which he was named Player of the Series. In addition to the dual role that has been identified for him, he also had a shot at captaincy in the final T20I in Mount Maunganui, underscoring his exponential rise in Indian cricket.Yuzvendra Chahal: silent but deadly
Perhaps not the stand-out performer but a silent one, nevertheless. Wickets eluded him, but he kept things tight, often bowling at least one over in the Powerplay or one at the death, and occasionally both. Plus, when he did pick up a wicket, it was a crucial one. For example, the one of Kane Williamson in the first match in Auckland.Williamson had looked set to take the game away from India when Chahal was called upon to bowl the 17th. Things did not go immediately to plan as 13 were taken from the first five balls. But Chahal was still prepared to gamble as he threw one out wide with all his heart and induced a false stroke from the New Zealand captain. After his wicket, New Zealand managed just 25 from the last three overs and India won the match with an over to spare.Overall, Chahal went at 8.35 an over, not at all unimpressive for a legspinner on these pocket-sized outfields. Besides, it wasn’t as though as he was truly taken apart in any of the matches, his poorest returns 1 for 38 in Wellington and 0 for 28 in Mount Maunganui his best. It meant that his captain always had control when Chahal was handed the ball. Chahal also improved upon his economy-rate from the last time he toured New Zealand for T20Is when he went at 9 an over.