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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

Cubs, Colin Rea Agree To One-Year Extension  —  The Cubs have hammered out a restructured deal with right-hander Colin Rea, reports MLBTR's Steve Adams.  It's a $6.5MM guarantee that includes a club option for the 2027 season and maxes out at $13MM over two years if that option is exercised.

Derek Shelton used his time off after the Pirates fired him to present the Twins a better candidate  —  Derek Shelton spent the first couple of weeks after his firing by the Pittsburgh Pirates in his feelings, bitter about the dismissal just 38 games into his sixth season as manager and defiant about his ability to do the job well.

Mariners exercise 2026 option on closer Andrés Muñoz  —  The Seattle Mariners exercised their $6 million club option for 2026 on closer Andrés Muñoz, general manager Justin Hollander announced Tuesday.  Muñoz, 26, went 3-3 with a 1.73 ERA and a career-high 38 saves, third-most in the major leagues.

Victor Rodriguez leaving Padres to become Astros' hitting coach  —  Whoever the Padres' next manager is will have a new hitting coach in 2026.  —  Victor Rodriquez and the Astros are finalizing a deal for him to become that franchise's hitting coach after he spent two seasons in the role for the Padres.

Salvy signs 2-year deal to stay with Royals through 2027  —  KANSAS CITY — The Royals have signed catcher Salvador Perez to a two-year contract that runs through the 2027 season, the club announced Tuesday night.  —  The new deal takes the place of the 2026 club option …

Source: Braves exercise $18M option on Chris Sale for 2026  —  The Atlanta Braves have exercised their club option on left-hander Chris Sale, who will make $18 million in 2026, a source confirmed to ESPN.  —  The 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner went 7-5 with a 2.58 ERA …

Yu Darvish Undergoes UCL Surgery, Will Miss Entire 2026 Season  —  The Padres announced that right-hander Yu Darvish underwent surgery last Wednesday to fix a damaged right UCL and flexor tendon.  The procedure was an internal brace surgery instead of a full Tommy John surgery …

Here are the finalists for MVP, Cy Young, Rookie and Manager of the Year Awards  —  The 2025 finalists for MLB's four major end-of-season awards from the Baseball Writers' Association of America — the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Awards, the Manager of the Year Awards …