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Blue Jays must extend Daulton Varsho’s contract

Since the current administration took over in Toronto, contract extensions to buy years of autonomy have not been the norm. Not even close.

Randal Grichuk, Jose Berrios, Alejandro Kirk and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are the only ones who fit this mold. Two were actually signed in the last year.

But the way the club is built, the directors need to think about adding another name to this group: Daulton Varsho, who is currently a year away from complete autonomy.

Signing him to a contract extension now must be on the club’s shopping list.

Keep in mind that, even if Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro have issues to deal with right now, securing the center fielder’s future must be a major project this winter. If Varsho wants to stay at a good price, it has to happen.

Just for his elite defense, he deserves his place in the sun. But more and more, we’re seeing that the outfielder is also in a position to show what he can do offensively.

It’s clear that the Blue Jays, who gave away Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno to get Varsho, won’t want to let him go a year from now, just for the sake of it. That’s all the more reason for management to want to keep him.

Atkins was right, two years ago, when he said it was too early to evaluate the transaction with the DBacks. Let’s not forget that after the Arizona club’s World Series appearance, there was a lot of weeping in Toronto.

The Blue Jays gambled on Daulton Varsho and, indirectly, on Alejandro Kirk by making a move three years ago. Captain Kirk got his contract extension, and now it’s the center fielder’s turn.

A number of players are eligible for free agency in a year’s time, and starting to sign them is clearly a big deal on management’s desk.

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Rumor mill: Framber Valdez, the starter to watch for the Blue Jays

Framber Valdez, the starter to watch for the Blue Jays

We know: the Toronto Blue Jays intend to be aggressive this winter. The club has struggled to sign big free agents in recent years, but on the strength of their run to the World Series, they could be competitive on the market this winter.

And among the needs in town, rotation is one of them. The foundation is interesting (Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and Jose Berrios form a solid quartet), but we’d like to pick up another big name.

And the name to watch out for, among those free as a bird, is Framber Valdez. That’s what Mitch Bannon (The Athletic) said in his piece today.

Valdez, who played with Myles Straw and George Springer in Houston, is a proven guy who is almost always healthy. Given that Yesavage is young and Bieber has a long injury history, a sure thing like Valdez would solidify the rotation.

Yesavage and Bieber have the potential to be dominant, but they come with an element of risk. Valdez, on the other hand, minimizes that risk.

Let’s see if it materializes, but with the Astros seemingly ready to turn the page on Valdez, the Jays could get their hands on one of the best starters on the market.

Michael King in the Cubs’ sights

Michael King didn’t have a great 2025. He started the year strong, but injuries kept him sidelined for several months and affected his performance when he returned.

But despite everything, King is one of the big names on the market. We know how solid he is when healthy, and the potential will draw people to the table.

Of the lot, the Chicago Cubs, who are said to have him in their sights. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney (The Athletic) report.

The Cubs see King as a high-potential starter who could solidify the club’s rotation. And in light of the club’s success with Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd (guys the Cubs feel are similar to King in their approach), it makes sense that they’d have interest.

Will they be willing to pay for him? That, of course, is the big question.

Yankees interested in Tatsuya Imai

When we look at the starters on the market, Tatsuya Imai is one of the most interesting names. At just 27, we’re talking about a gunner who’s young… and above all, who’s broken everything in Japan in recent years.

So, despite his lack of experience in the Majors, we can expect to see him get a nice contract. And Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s recent series could help him increase his value.

And among the teams interested in Imai are the New York Yankees. Jon Heyman reports.

We know that the Yankees have, in the past, been a destination of choice for Japanese players. That’s less true than it once was, that said… but the club continues to try to attract them.

They were at the height of the race for Yoshinobu Yamamoto when he came to America, remember. And we expect them to be in the running for Munetaka Murakami.

So we’ll see if Imai joins the Yankees. But obviously, the Bombardiers are interested.

  • Pete Fairbanks isn’t surprised the Rays didn’t pick up his $11 million option.

  • Hiring for the Twins.

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MLB in brief: Ketel Marte and the Yankees | Jeff McNeil could be traded

Ketel Marte and the Yankees

The Diamondbacks star reportedly has the Yankees on the list of five teams he refuses to be traded to.

Love for Roman Anthony

David Ortiz is a big, big fan.

Shohei Ohtani makes history

Two MVPs and two championships in his first two years with a new team: a first in North American sports history.

A name to watch for the White Sox

Edgar Quero is of interest to many teams across MLB.

Selling teams that lie?

Ken Rosenthal believes that teams with big pitchers to trade are hiding their intentions.

Jeff McNeil could be traded

Mets are listening to offers for his services.

Hanging up the line on your manager

Zach Neto gave this treatment to his new manager, Kurt Suzuki.

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Kyle Tucker: “The team I hear from the most is the Blue Jays”

From Shohei Ohtani to Juan Soto to Corbin Burnes, the Toronto Blue Jays have often finished a close second in the race for free agents. These free-agent decisions, however, were apparently not based on the Ontario metropolis’ willingness to spend big.

But with the Blue Jays’ recent participation in the World Series, the tide could turn this off-season.

And once again this winter, according to the rumor mill, the Blue Jays are involved in all kinds of projects, including that of Kyle Tucker. In fact, the Jays don’t seem to be doing things by halves in this particular matter, according to Mark Feinsand.

The team I’ve heard most linked to Tucker is the Blue Jays… I think Tucker is definitely going to be in the mix in Toronto.

However, the Blue Jays aren’t the only ones in the running to acquire Tucker’s services. Indeed, while Toronto seems to have a head start, Bob Nightengale and Ben Nicholson-Smith both noted that the New York Yankees are also in the mix, as are the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tucker has posted solid statistics since the start of his career, including a .273 batting average. The period from 2022 to 2024 marked his best years in Major League Baseball with the Houton Astros, before he finally left Texas to play one season with the Chicago Cubs, where he posted a .266 average with 133 hits and 22 home runs.

If the Blue Jays want to get their hands on Tucker, they’ll have to reach into their pockets, since an estimated market value of $400 million is expected for a contract of at least ten years. The outfielder is expected to command $30-35 million per year.

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Edwin Diaz rates his chances of returning to the Mets at 50%

Just last night (Thursday), Edwin Diaz of the New York Mets won the title of National League Reliever of the Year. This comes after he opted out of the final two years and $38 million of his current contract on November 3, making him a free agent.

And the principal interested party estimates his chances of returning to Queens at 50%, as he seeks the best possible deal for his family.

I love New York. I’d love to stay in New York, but if I had to go somewhere else, I’d be happy. I want to win a ring, so wherever I go, I want to win a ring and enjoy my time there. I love the Mets organization. You know, if they came up with the best offer for me, I’d like to stay with them, but at the end of the day, I don’t know what they’re thinking.

In a market filled with arms who can play in a relief bullpen, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns could very well let Diaz go and replace him with a less expensive option. Because don’t expect Diaz to give the Mets a bargain and reject out of hand the possibility of signing a huge contract this winter.

If the closer were to leave the Big Apple, the Toronto Blue Jays, who were two outs away from winning the World Series until Jeff Hoffman dropped him, would certainly be in the running, ready to spend big as usual.

In fact, according to people close to the matter, the Blue Jays have met with Diaz’s agents from the Wasserman firm during general managers’ meetings. It’s not necessarily a major development, but interest has been officially expressed.

Certainly, the starting rotation is the Jays’ highest priority. But the relief bullpen also needs to be revamped, and Jeff Hoffman needs to leave the number one reliever position and set the table in the eighth inning instead.

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. named MLB’s Most Entertaining Player

Whether it was his Superman-like dive at the plate in the playoffs, his bat flip in game two of the Division Series against the New York Yankees or his ” Daaaaa Yankees lose ” at the end of the latter, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. entertained the baseball world during the 2025 campaign.

And the Toronto Blue Jays star was rewarded for it, winning the inaugural “Entertainer of the Year” award. MLB said Vladdy earned the award for shining “both on and off the field this season” while delivering big moments, big energy and big style.

Guerrero was not present at the awards ceremony in Las Vegas, but his godfather and former Major League Baseball pitcher Pedro Martinez accepted the award on his behalf.

Other awards were handed out during the evening, as Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani were each named their respective league’s Most Outstanding Players, in addition to winning the Hank Aaron Trophy as Best Offensive Players for a second consecutive season.

This achievement places the two superstars alongside Barry Bonds and four-time winner Alex Rodriguez as the only players to have won at least three Hank Aaron Awards.

Ohtani also added the title of Designated Hitter of the Year for a fifth consecutive campaign, equalling Hall of Famer David Ortiz’s record from 2003 to 2007.

On the mound now, Aroldis Chapman was named American League Reliever of the Year, while Edwin Diaz did the same in the Nationals.

Jacob deGrom and Ronald Acuna Jr. went on to earn the comeback of the year award, while Matt Arnold took home MLB’s top executive honors for the second year in a row, after building a Milwaukee Brewers team that won a league-high 97 games in 2025 and reached the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2018.

PMLB
  • Top players of the year by position.

  • World Classic: names added for the Americans.

  • Aaron Judge wants to win a championship.

  • Cal Raleigh wants to become a better leader.

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MVP vote: Byron Buxton comes close to winning three million dollars

On Thursday night, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge claimed the MVP title. They are the two best players in the league.

Although Judge and Cal Raleigh were the only two players to receive at least one first-place vote, no fewer than 20 guys received at least one of the 10 votes from a journalist in all.

Of the lot? Byron Buxton.

The outfielder, who finally managed to stay healthy in 2025, finished 11th in the MVP race. He received 14 votes in all, which enabled him to pick up 30 points.

But Buxton, who is reportedly increasingly open to leaving Minnesota on the sidelines of the club’s rebuild, still dropped three million dollars on the heels of the vote.

And I’m not saying that because he gambled on the outcome.

In fact, he finished two points behind Jeremy Pena, who scored 32 points and finished 10th in the race. And had he finished in the top-10 in the voting, a clause in his contract would have paid him $3 million.

For a guy who earns around $15 million a year, that’s… significant.

It’s worth noting that if he had won the MVP award, the player would have received $8 million. Basically, if he had finished in the top-10, he would have been entitled to bonuses of between three and eight million dollars, depending on his rank.

It’s ridiculous that the journalists who vote for the MVP have an impact on his salary, but hey.

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Aaron Judge wins MVP in the American: it was a (very) close vote

Tonight we learned which players had won the MVP awards.

Not surprisingly, it was Shohei Ohtani who won the Nationals title. It’s his second such accolade since joining the Dodgers… two years ago.

Two rings, two MVPs… all for two million dollars a year.

For the first time in history, a player has won two MVP titles in each league. In 2021 and 2023, Ohtani also won MVP for the Angels.

That makes four titles in five years, including three in the last three seasons. That’s quite historic.

For the second time in history, a player has won more than three MVP titles. Barry Bonds, who has seven MVPs behind the tie, is the only other player in history with at least four MVPs.

But Ohtani is still the only player in history to have won more than one MVP title unanimously. In fact, his four titles have been absolutely unanimous.

Remember that in 2022, Ohtani also played like an MVP, but Aaron Judge’s 62 bombs made the difference.

Speaking of Aaron Judge, there was some debate as to whether the Yankees hitter would be able to beat out Cal Raleigh for the MVP title in the American. It’s been a big debate this year.

The verdict? Aaron Judge… barely. His offensive dominance made the difference.

As you can see, the vote was very close. Judge garnered 17 of the 30 first-place votes and 13 second-place votes. The opposite was true for Cal Raleigh, who had a historic season. Voting is rarely this close.

Judge is in a group with Ohtani and Bonds for guys with at least three MVP titles over a four-year period. Judge also won in 2022 and 2024.

It should also be noted that winning three MVPs in a Yankees uniform (tying a franchise record with Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio) confirms, more than ever, that Cooperstown is waiting for him one day.

Since 2021, no one other than Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani has won the MVP while in either player’s league.

George Springer (who finished seventh), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (13) and Bo Bichette (16) also received votes with the Blue Jays. Who had Springer this high eight months ago?

Judge, along with Ohtani and Mike Trout, is now among the active players with at least three MVP titles.

PMLB
  • Tony Vitello doesn’t blame Joe Maddon for his comments against him. Maddon is insulted that an inexperienced manager has a job.

  • Kyle Tucker met with the Cubs.

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Joe Maddon ‘insulted’ by hiring of Tony Vitello as Giants manager

Joe Maddon is no longer a manager in MLB. Since he lost his job in Anaheim, no one has given him a job again.

The reason is simple: he no longer fits in with what teams are looking for, which is collaboration between the manager and management, including the advanced statistics department.

In other words, GMs no longer want a guy who wants to decide everything on his own.

The game has changed and Joe Maddon, even if he knows his baseball, is out of his depth in this sense. And clearly, he doesn’t really seem to accept the new reality of the sport.

Asked about the hiring of Tony Vitello as Giants manager, Maddon said he understood why he was chosen, wished him success… but said he was insulted by his hiring.

Why was he insulted? Because he didn’t come up through the ranks in the pros, that is, in the minors.

While Maddon may have glossed over the fact that Vitello has worked in many different positions in the NCAA, it’s true that it’s surprising to see a manager arrive who has never set foot in a pro locker room, either as a manager or a player.

But does that mean it has to be like the old days (Joe Maddon took 25 years from his pro debut to his Major League managerial debut) and the guy has to eat his black bread in the minors for years?

We can question the Giants’ new skipper ‘s lack of experience, but to say that you absolutely have to go the “classic” route or you’ll insult people is a little outdated.

Even if Maddon isn’t 100% wrong.

We’ll see in several years whether the change in trend will bear fruit. Leadership is now more important than experience because of the place GMs take in day-to-day decisions, and this showed in some of the managerial choices this autumn.

If Vitello hadn’t realized he’d be under pressure, it’s clearer than ever, anyway.

PMLB
  • A name to watch on the market.

  • The Dodgers are in every race.

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MLB en bref : Les Padres pourraient être vendus | Emmanuel Clase a été arrêté

Les Padres pourraient être vendus

Oui, le club perd de l’argent et pourrait bel et bien échanger Fernando Tatis Jr. en marge de la nouvelle du jour.

Tatsuya Imai aime les gros marchés

Son agent ne dira pas le contraire.

Les Blue Jays le gardent à l’oeil.

La puissante division Est de l’Américaine

Rien n’est facile, là-bas.

Emmanuel Clase a été arrêté par le FBI

Il est arrivé aux États-Unis.

Ranger Suarez à surveiller

Les Blue Jays l’aiment bien.