Top News:
US Department of Justice:
Two Current Major League Baseball Players Charged in Sports Betting and Money Laundering Conspiracy — For Immediate Release — U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York — The Defendants Allegedly Rigged Pitches with Corrupt Sports Bettors, Who Placed Fraudulent Wagers Worth Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars
Discussion:
UPI, Los Angeles Times, Plain Dealer, Yahoo Sports, Boston Herald and KUSA-TV
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Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Guardians' Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz indicted for pitch rigging — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were charged with fraud, conspiracy and bribery stemming from an alleged scheme to rig individual pitches that led to bettors winning hundreds of thousands of dollars …
Discussion:
Deadspin, The Athletic, Plain Dealer, New York Post, Covering the Corner, Yahoo Sports and baseballmusings.com
Adam Morris / Lone Star Ball:
Clase, Ortiz indicted, per report — Cleveland pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have reportedly been indicted on gambling-related charges — Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges related to gambling shenanigans, according to Jeff Passan, with Ortiz having been arrested this morning.
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Sources: Japanese home run king Munetaka Murakami posts — Japanese star third baseman Munetaka Murakami is entering the posting system Friday, officially starting the process of one of the most anticipated free agencies of the winter, sources told ESPN. — Murakami, 25, owns …
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Associated Press:
Power-hitting infielder Munetaka Murakami enters MLB posting system, can be signed until Dec. 22 — NEW YORK — Power-hitting Japanese corner infielder Munetaka Murakami is entering Major League Baseball's posting system and will be available to teams to sign as a free agent from Saturday through Dec. 22.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Japanese slugger Murakami set to be posted — The countdown for Munetaka Murakami's move to the Majors is officially underway. — All 30 Major League clubs will be informed on Friday that Murakami has been posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, with his official negotiating window set to open on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. ET.
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit, The Good Phight, TheSportingTribune.com, Athletics Nation, New York Daily News, OnPattison and Boston Herald
Aaliyan Mohammed / Newsweek:
Phillies' Bryce Harper Allegedly Threatened to ‘End Up In a Ditch’ by MLB Deputy: Agent — The Philadelphia Phillies had a strong regular season, but ultimately fell short of the World Series again. The Los Angeles Dodgers' superteam ended up defeating the Phillies in the postseason on their way to another World Series win.
Discussion:
Forbes, baseballmusings.com, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Lookout Landing and The Good Phight
Mike Petriello / MLB.com:
Ranking all 30 MLB rosters as the offseason gets going — Where does each team start the 2025-26 offseason? It's not necessarily the exact same place where they ended the 2025 regular season (or postseason). — Even though it's only been a few days since the conclusion of a thrilling World Series …
Discussion:
NESN.com
USA Today:
MLB free agent predictions: Where will these top players sign for 2026? — Jesse Yomtov Gabe Lacques Bob NightengaleUSA TODAY — As Major League Baseball's hot stove gets fired up for the winter of 2025-26, rumors are swirling about where the game's best free agents will be signing in the months to come
Discussion:
NESN.com
Sports Illustrated:
MLB Free Agent Rankings and Signing Predictions — Baseball's offseason has officially begun. Where will Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette and other premier free agents end up? — As the baseball world comes down from the high of what was an all-time great World Series, the MLB calendar waits for no one.
Discussion:
MLB.com
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MLB Trade Rumors:
2025-26 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
Discussion:
Athletics Nation, Pinstripe Alley, Gaslamp Ball, McCovey Chronicles, Bless You Boys and Covering the Corner
Kiley McDaniel / ESPN:
Rankings, contract projections for top 50 2025-26 MLB free agents
Discussion:
Marquee Sports Network, Into The Fountains and NESN.com
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:
MLB.com, Denver Post, Defector, Purple Row, Plain Dealer, CBS Sports, MLB Trade Rumors, Pro Football Rumors, USA Today and Lone Star Ball
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Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Sources: Rockies to hire DePodesta to run baseball operations
Discussion:
Denver Post, FanGraphs Baseball, KUSA-TV, Purple Row, MLB.com, Plain Dealer, Yahoo Sports, baseballmusings.com, New York Post and Arizona Sports
Jackson Roberts / Sports Illustrated:
Royals Waive 5-Year Veteran Lefty After Dismal Season — Second time was not the charm... Relief pitching is incredibly volatile in Major League Baseball. — The Kansas City Royals signed left-hander Sam Long to a minor-league contract last year, and he turned in the best season …
Discussion:
Kings of Kauffman, MLB Trade Rumors and Royals Review
Rob Longley / Toronto Sun:
Blue Jays will be ‘in the market’ as star shortstop Bo Bichette hits free agency — ‘We will be in on his market,’ GM Ross Atkins said when asked about Bichette, who became a free agent at 5 p.m. on Thursday — If there is one thing that Ross Atkins has been consistent …
Discussion:
CBS Sports and MLB.com
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 …
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
13 Players Receive Qualifying Offers — Thirteen players have received a qualifying offer this year, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. The list is as follows: — Kyle Tucker, OF, Cubs — Kyle Schwarber, OF/DH, Phillies — Framber Valdez, LHP, Astros — Dylan Cease, RHP, Padres
