Top News:
Associated Press:
San Diego Padres hire former reliever Craig Stammen as manager — The San Diego Padres have hired former reliever Craig Stammen to be their manager. Stammen got a three-year contract to begin his first managerial job at any level of the sport. — The longtime right-handed reliever retired …
Discussion:
UPI, USA Today, San Diego Union-Tribune, Federal Baseball, The Athletic, MLB Trade Rumors, Yahoo Sports and Arizona Sports
RELATED:
Kevin Acee / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Padres hire Craig Stammen as manager — The Padres have hired a new manager. — The choice is outside the box but from inside the organization. He is relatively unknown by many who follow the game but highly respected by many in the game. — Craig Stammen, who spent six years …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball, New York Post, Yahoo Sports and MLB Trade Rumors
Kevin Acee / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Victor Rodriguez leaving Padres to become Astros' hitting coach
Victor Rodriguez leaving Padres to become Astros' hitting coach
Discussion:
The Athletic, MLB.com, Gaslamp Ball and MLB Trade Rumors
New York Post:
Don Mattingly leaving Blue Jays after World Series heartbreak - with two managing jobs open — Don Mattingly has decided to step away from his Blue Jays bench coach job, but not with the intention of retiring from baseball, The Post has learned. — Mattingly had been with the Blue Jays …
Discussion:
MLB.com, Yahoo Sports, The Athletic, New Jersey Online, MLB Trade Rumors, OnPattison, Bluebird Banter, Sportsnet.ca and Sports Illustrated
ESPN:
2025 MLB offseason buzz: Intel on free agency, trade rumors — The MLB hot stove season is here! — As players become free to sign with any team they choose (free agency officially begins Thursday at 5 p.m. ET), we asked our MLB reporters to open their notebooks with all of the intel …
Discussion:
NBC Sports Bay Area …, The Athletic, NESN.com, Seattle Sports and CBS Sports
The Athletic:
Rockies to hire Browns' Paul DePodesta as head of baseball operations: Sources — In a stunning career shift, Paul DePodesta soon will leave the Cleveland Browns to become the Colorado Rockies' head of baseball operations, according to sources briefed on the move.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports, USA Today, MLB Trade Rumors, Pro Football Rumors, Plain Dealer, Denver Post, MLB.com, Arizona Sports and Lone Star Ball
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
Giants owner evaluates Buster Posey, hiring Tony Vitello and Bruce Bochy's return to S.F. — Greg Johnson's annual Q & A with the Chronicle took place in the postseason for the first time, better to discuss the big news — Tony Vitello's hiring — but it comes with some new info, too.
Discussion:
The Athletic, NBC Sports Bay Area … and MLB Trade Rumors
Associated Press:
Jack Flaherty, Shane Bieber exercise options for 2026 as more players become free agents, raise total to 162 — NEW YORK — Detroit pitcher Jack Flaherty and Toronto pitcher Shane Bieber exercised their player options for 2026 rather than become eligible for free agency …
Discussion:
Marquee Sports Network, MLB Trade Rumors, The Athletic, MLive.com and Bless You Boys
Anthony Franco / MLB Trade Rumors:
Cubs Sign Colin Rea To One-Year Extension — 11:05am: The Cubs have officially announced Rea's contract. MLB.com's Jordan Bastian broke down the contract structure, noting that Rea will earn $5.5MM in 2026 with a $1MM buyout on a $7.5MM club option. — 7:24am: The Cubs have hammered …
Discussion:
Marquee Sports Network, cubsinsider.com, MLB.com, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times
RELATED:
Robert Murray / FanSided:
Source: Red Sox in agreement with Cooper Criswell on major-league contract — The offseason is officially here for the Red Sox. — Right-hander Cooper Criswell and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a fully guaranteed major-league contract for $800,000, a source familiar with the deal said.
Discussion:
masslive.com, Boston Herald, MLB Trade Rumors and NESN.com
D.J. Short / NBCSports.com:
MLB Free Agent Tracker 2025-26: Latest signings, top players, and biggest offseason deals — The MLB Hot Stove is here, and you can track all of the activity from the 2025-26 MLB offseason with our convenient free agent tracker. — The tracker, which is based on Matthew Pouliot's Top 100 MLB free agents …
Discussion:
TWSN Sports
Jorge Castillo / ESPN:
Yankees pick up LHP Hill's '26 option, decline RHP Loaisiga's — The New York Yankees made contract decisions on two relievers for the 2026 season, exercising left-hander Tim Hill's $3 million club option and declining right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga's $5 million club option, the team announced Wednesday.
Discussion:
Forbes, MLB.com and New York Daily News
Kiley McDaniel / ESPN:
Rankings, contract projections for top 50 2025-26 MLB free agents — The MLB offseason is officially here! As free agency kicks off at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, it's time to rank the 2025-26 free agent class and predict how much money each player will get. — Let's start with a quick rundown …
Discussion:
NESN.com
