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Alex Bregman Will Opt Out Of Red Sox Contract

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Alex Bregman will be opting out of his contract with the Red Sox, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. He has two years and $80MM remaining on his deal, although some of that money is deferred.

Bregman, 31, is coming off a strong season in which he batted .273/.360/.462 with a 125 wRC+ in 114 games for Boston. After posting an uncharacteristically low 6.7% walk rate in 2024, he rebounded to 10.3% in 2025, while his strikeout rate increased only modestly to a still-excellent 14.1%. His batted ball metrics back up his performance, with his 90.1 mph average exit velocity and 44.4% hard-hit rate both representing career highs. Despite missing seven weeks in the first half of the season with a right quad injury, Bregman was worth 3.5 fWAR this year, ranking seventh among major league third basemen with a minimum of 400 plate appearances.

Defensively, Bregman graded out as above average, if a step down from his 2024 season. In 972 1/3 innings at third base, he was worth one Defensive Run Saved and three Outs Above Average in 2025, with Statcast valuing his range in the 83rd percentile. For comparison, he was worth 6 DRS and 8 OAA with the Astros last year. Defensive metrics are notoriously tricky, of course, but it appears Bregman remains a defensive asset as he continues into his 30s.

By opting out, Bregman is forgoing two years at a $40MM AAV. That figure is somewhat misleading, though, as $60MM of the $120MM total is deferred through 2035-46, per Ronald Blum of the Associated Press, which lowers the contract’s AAV significantly. In any case, Bregman will undoubtedly look to top that guarantee in his second straight trip to the free agent market. Prior to this year’s quad injury, he had three consecutive seasons of good health from 2022-24 and is a reasonable bet to stay healthy moving forward.

Under the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the owners and the MLB Players Association, Bregman is ineligible to receive a qualifying offer after receiving one from the Astros last offseason. A prospective team will not need to forfeit draft pick compensation to sign Bregman this time around. A look at our 2025-26 MLB Free Agents list shows Bregman as the clear headliner at third base, with Eugenio Suarez representing the next-best option. Suarez, 34, hit 49 home runs this season and matched Bregman’s 125 wRC+, but he’s three years older and an inferior defender.

Given the state of the market, his ineligibility for another qualifying offer, and his strong platform season, Bregman will likely be seeking a long-term contract this offseason. He reportedly sought a $200MM contract early last winter. He declined an early six-year, $156MM offer from the Astros and eventually turned down a six-year, $171.5MM proposal from Detroit late in the offseason. Heyman writes today that Bregman had countered with an offer in the $180MM range before taking the shorter deal with Boston at a much higher annual rate.

A reunion with the Red Sox is certainly possible, with the team having traded Rafael Devers to the Giants this past June. The team did not exceed the luxury tax threshold in 2024, although they appear on track to exceed this year’s $241MM threshold by several million, according to RosterResource. The team will see Steven Matz’s $12.5MM salary come off the books this offseason. They might also decline their end of Lucas Giolito’s $19MM mutual option depending on the severity of his recent elbow issue. Liam Hendriks underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery in September and will likely see his $12MM mutual option declined.

If the team runs a similar payroll in 2026 following this year’s postseason appearance, the club might make a run at resigning Bregman. The Tigers and Cubs were both in on Bregman last winter and might be have some interest in him as well. The Cubs were reportedly only interested in Bregman on a short-term deal, though, and their incumbent third baseman, Matt Shaw, showed promise in his debut this year. In contrast, Tigers third basemen ranked 26th in the majors this year with a 76 wRC+ and would benefit substantially from a player of Bregman’s caliber. If Bregman departs Boston, the Red Sox could hand the reins to Marcelo Mayer or make a play for Suarez in free agency.

Guardians To Re-Sign Austin Hedges

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The Guardians are in agreement with Austin Hedges on a one-year deal, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The Boras Corporation client receives a $4MM guarantee and the deal includes another $500K in incentives.

Hedges returns to Cleveland on the same contract he has signed in each of the last two offseasons. It’s his third straight one-year deal to serve as the Guardians’ backup catcher. Cleveland continues to place enough emphasis on his receiving and game-calling ability to live with a complete dearth of offense out of that position.

Over parts of 11 seasons, Hedges is a .185/.244/.313 hitter. That includes a .157/.229/.251 mark in 326 plate appearances over the last two years. The 33-year-old isn’t going to provide anything offensively, yet he remains an elite defensive catcher. Statcast routinely grades him as one of the sport’s best pitch framers. He typically rates as high-end blocker, though this past season’s metrics were average in that regard. Hedges also cut down a third of the 45 runners who attempted to steal against him, well north of the 22.3% league mark.

While Hedges already grades very well by the quantifiable aspects of catcher defense, he’s probably even more highly-regarded for the intangibles. He has earned a fantastic reputation as a game-caller and for his rapport with pitchers. The Guardians aren’t pricing in any drop in his value with the forthcoming introduction of the challenge system to supplement the home plate umpire on balls and strikes.

There’d been speculation about the ABS being a potentially bad rule change for defense-only catchers. The Guardians seemingly don’t think that deals a hit to Hedges’ value. Catcher framing will still be a part of the game since teams are limited to two unsuccessful challenges until extra innings. The ABS obviously also doesn’t take away from a catcher’s game-calling acumen.

Cleveland catchers hit .187/.269/.344 on the season. That was almost entirely split between Bo Naylor and Hedges, with Dom Nuñez picking up the final seven plate appearances. Naylor didn’t hit at all through the end of August, though he did finish with a strong September. Unless they include Naylor in a trade package for a bigger bat behind the plate, they’ll stick with that tandem for a third straight season.

Hedges was one of three impending free agents for the Guardians. Reliever Jakob Junis and outfielder Lane Thomas are set to hit the market in a few weeks. The Guards also have a $6MM club option on lefty John Means. Hedges is their fifth player under contract for 2026, though that includes a $6MM salary for Emmanuel Clase. The former star closer is currently on administrative leave as MLB conducts a gambling investigation.

José Ramírez ($21MM), Tanner Bibee ($4MM) and outrighted reliever Trevor Stephan ($3.5MM) are the only other players on guaranteed salaries. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects the team’s arbitration class to make around $20MM, nearly half of which is in Steven Kwan’s $8.8MM projection. Non-tenders of Ben Lively, Will Brennan, Nolan Jones, Matt Festa, Kolby Allard and/or Sam Hentges could knock the arb class down by $5-10MM.

The Guardians have opened the past two seasons with a player payroll right around $100MM, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Cleveland isn’t likely to be huge spenders in free agency, but they could make a couple mid-level acquisitions similar to last winter’s deals to bring back Carlos Santana and Shane Bieber. The Guardians will be in the outfield market and could also look for an innings eater to complement a young rotation nucleus.

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images.

Yankees Part Ways With Coaches Mike Harkey, Travis Chapman

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The Yankees are making changes to their coaching staff. Bullpen coach Mike Harkey as well as first base and infield coach Travis Chapman will not be returning to the club in 2026, per Andy Martino of SNY.

Harkey, 58, has served two separate stints as the team’s bullpen coach. His first stint was from 2008-13, which included the World Series winning 2009 season. After spending 2014-15 as the pitching coach for the Diamondbacks, he returned as the Yankees’ bullpen coach in 2016 and had been in that role ever since, until today’s news. The club has generally churned out a strong relief corps in those ten seasons. Since the start of 2016, Yankees relievers have posted a 3.63 ERA which ranks third-best among all major league teams. They are tied for third-best with a 16.7% K-BB rate in that time and have been worth a combined 56.3 fWAR, which is second only to the Dodgers.

This year, however, the Bronx bullpen did not perform up to its usual standards. Yankees relievers ranked 23rd in the league with a 4.37 ERA. While they struck out plenty of hitters, tying the Guardians bullpen for fifth-best with a 24.9% strikeout rate, they also walked 9.7% of hitters, which was ninth-worst. Key offseason acquisition Devin Williams posted a 4.79 ERA in 62 innings, although his 3.07 xERA and 2.68 FIP are much more favorable. Luke Weaver also underperformed relative to 2024, and while David Bednar proved invaluable following his acquisition at the trade deadline, fellow relievers Camilo Doval and Jake Bird were not as successful, with Bird almost immediately being optioned to the minors.

Obviously, responsibility for the bullpen’s performance is not Harkey’s alone. Underperformance in 2025 aside, Harkey has been a steady presence on the team’s staff for the past decade and now departs the organization with 19 years of coaching experience on his resume.

Chapman, 47, began his coaching career in New York’s farm system before being promoted to the major league staff following the 2021 season. Since the start of 2022, the club’s defense on the left side of the infield has generally been solid. With solid performances at the hot corner from the likes of DJ LeMahieu, Josh Donaldson, Oswaldo Cabrera, and now Ryan McMahon, Yankees third basemen have combined for 35 Defensive Runs Saved and 33 Outs Above Average in that time. Shortstop has also been a defensive strength, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Anthony Volpe leading the team to a combined 35 DRS (4th in the majors) and 8 OAA (14th) at that spot. First and second base have been more serviceable than excellent, being valued at 0 DRS and -6 DRS respectively.

This year, the infield defense was not quite as strong. Jazz Chisholm Jr. was worth 8 OAA at second base, but he was also forced to spend time at third base in the first half and was a negative there, which partly necessitated the trade for McMahon. Notably, Anthony Volpe regressed mightily at shortstop, as he was valued at -7 OAA after being lauded for his defense from 2023-24. As with Harkey, Chapman is not entirely to blame for the infield’s regression. Nonetheless, it appears the Yankees are moving on in hopes of improving their infield defense in 2026.

Other coaching changes are on the horizon as well. Per Martino, hitting coordinator Jake Hirst is being promoted to the major league staff. Assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler will not return in that role, although the team is discussing other potential roles with him. Meanwhile, hitting coach James Rowson is reportedly set to interview for the Twins’ managerial vacancy. In any case, the Yankees will look to have a capable staff in place under manager Aaron Boone in hopes of making a deeper postseason run in 2026 following their ALDS loss to the Blue Jays.

Qualifying Offer Price Set At $22.025MM

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Major League Baseball has officially set the qualifying offer price at $22.025MM, according to an Associated Press report. Joel Sherman of The New York Post had reported last month that the QO would be around $22MM, and it indeed lands just above that mark.

The qualifying offer is calculated as the average salary for the league’s 125 highest-paid players. It tends to rise year over year as salaries on the top of the market generally inflate. Last year’s QO price was set at $21.05MM, so this represents a $975K bump. The previous years’ QO figures were as follows:

  • 2012-13: $13.3MM
  • 2013-14: $14.4MM
  • 2014-15: $15.3MM
  • 2015-16: $15.8MM
  • 2016-17: $17.2MM
  • 2017-18: $17.4MM
  • 2018-19: $17.9MM
  • 2019-20: $17.8MM
  • 2020-21: $18.9MM
  • 2021-22: $18.4MM
  • 2022-23: $19.65MM
  • 2023-24: $20.325MM
  • 2024-25: $21.05MM

Teams have until five days after the conclusion of the World Series to decide whether to issue the qualifying offer to any of their impending free agents. Players who are issued the QO have 15 days to decide whether to accept the one-year deal or decline in search of a better (usually multi-year) contract. They are free to speak with all 30 teams during that 15-day period to get an early read on their market.

Not all free agents are eligible to receive a qualifying offer. A player cannot be tagged with a QO more than once in his career. Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso and Cody Bellinger are among this year’s free agents who have previously been issued the qualifying offer and thus cannot be tagged again. A team can only issue a QO to a player who spent the entire preceding season on their roster. Trade deadline acquisitions Eugenio Suárez, Josh Naylor and Merrill Kelly are all ineligible, as is August waiver claim Ha-Seong Kim (if he opts out of his deal with the Braves).

The qualifying offer entitles the former team to draft compensation if a player declines and signs elsewhere. Luxury tax paying clubs receive a draft choice after the fourth round. Revenue sharing recipients would get a pick at the end of the first round if the player signs for a guarantee of at least $50MM; the extra draft choice would otherwise fall between Competitive Balance Round B and the beginning of the third round (roughly 75th overall). Teams that neither pay the luxury tax nor receive revenue sharing get a pick after Competitive Balance Round B regardless of the contract value.

Signing a qualified free agent from another team comes with draft and/or international bonus pool penalties. Luxury tax payors lose their second- and fifth-highest picks in the 2026 draft, plus $1MM from their ’27 bonus pool for international amateurs. Revenue sharing recipients lose their third-highest 2026 draft choice. Teams that neither paid the luxury tax nor receive revenue sharing forfeit their second-highest draft pick and $500K from their ’27 international pool. If a team signs multiple qualified free agents within the same offseason, they’d lose another draft pick and take a second matching hit to their international pool.

Last offseason, teams issued qualifying offers to 13 players, one of whom accepted. This winter will certainly see each of Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, Kyle Schwarber and Ranger Suárez receive and reject one. Brandon Woodruff, Michael King, Edwin Díaz, Zac Gallen and Trent Grisham are each likely to decline a QO as well.

The Cubs would probably make one to Shota Imanaga even if they don’t exercise their three-year, $57MM option on his services. Jack Flaherty would be a borderline QO candidate if he declines his $20MM player option, while Lucas Giolito, Gleyber Torres and Devin Williams are long shot possibilities. There are usually one or two surprise QO decisions each winter, with Nick Martinez and Nick Pivetta each being unexpected recipients a year ago.

Twins To Interview James Rowson, Derek Shelton In Managerial Search

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8:40pm: Rowson, Shelton and Vázquez will all indeed get interviews, according to a Minnesota Star-Tribune report.

3:37pm: The Twins are looking for a new manager and are considering a current Yankee coach. According to reporting from Greg Joyce, Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of The New York Post, the Twins are interested in Yankees hitting coach James Rowson. Clubs generally don’t stand in the way of their staff members seeking promotions with other clubs and the report notes that the Yanks have already given the Twins permission to speak with Rowson about the gig. The report also mentions Derek Shelton and Ramon Vazquez as potential candidates. MLBTR covered Vazquez earlier today.

Rowson, 49, has no managerial experience but has a long track record as a hitting coach. The Twins are surely familiar with his coaching abilities, as he was their hitting coach from 2017 to 2019. Minnesota’s bats fared well during that time, putting up a collective .260/.330/.445 line over those three campaigns. That translates to a 105 wRC+, which trailed only four clubs for that span. The 2019 club was particularly successful, hitting 307 home runs. That was the juiced-ball season but the Twins still led the league in putting that ball over the fence.

Going into 2020, he jumped to the Marlins with the titles of bench coach and offensive coordinator. Miami didn’t have especially strong offense during his time there but the club wasn’t trying especially hard to win, playoff appearance in the shortened 2020 season notwithstanding. Rowson then spent 2023 with the Tigers as assistant hitting coach before getting his current gig as the Yankees hitting coach.

Separating the contributions of the players versus a coach is always difficult but the Yanks have performed well under Rowson. The Yanks had a .248/.333/.429 line last year, translating to a league-leading 118 wRC+. This year, it was a .251/.332/.455 slash, again topping the league with a 119 wRC+.

Obviously, having a slugger like Aaron Judge on the roster helps but Rowson appears to be respected around the game, based on his continued employment. Whether his experience with hitters can translate to the larger role of manager is something the Twins will have to debate as they pursue various candidates to replace Rocco Baldelli, who was fired last month. For the Yankees, they will have to find a new hitting coach if Rowson ends up getting the gig in Minnesota.

Shelton brings more managerial experience, though without much success in the role. He managed the Pirates from 2020 to 2025, getting fired in May of this year. He produced a 306-440 record while at the helm of the Pirates. That’s obviously a poor mark but Pittsburgh has been rebuilding for that stretch, so it’s debatable how much of that record should be attributed to Shelton’s managerial abilities.

Photo courtesy of John Meore, Imagn Images

Offseason Outlook: Tampa Bay Rays

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The Rays have a new owner and (hopefully) their old ballpark, as the plan is for a renovated and restored Tropicana Field to be ready for the start of the 2026 season.  Beyond those significant details, it may be an otherwise relatively normal Rays offseason, as the team looks to juggle payroll and churn the roster in the hopes of returning to contention.

Guaranteed Contracts

  • Yandy Diaz, 1B: $12MM through 2026 (Rays hold $10MM club option for 2027; becomes guaranteed for $13MM if Diaz has 500 plate appearances in 2026)
  • Drew Rasmussen, SP: $6MM through 2026 (includes $500K buyout of $8MM club option for 2027)

Option Decisions

  • Pete Fairbanks, RP: $12.5MM club option ($1MM buyout)
  • Brandon Lowe, 2B: $11.5MM club option ($500K buyout)
  • Taylor Walls, SS: $2.45MM club option ($50K buyout; Rays have arbitration control over Walls through 2027 whether they exercise the option or not)

2026 financial commitments (if Fairbanks/Lowe options are exercised): $41.5MM
Total future commitments (if Fairbanks/Lowe options are exercised): $42MM

Other Financial Obligations

  • Wander Franco, SS: Owed $164MM through 2032, but isn't being paid while on MLB's restricted list.

Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz))

Free Agents

Matt Silverman and Brian Auld have stepped down from their longtime roles as Rays co-presidents, and some other internal changes are inevitable now that Patrick Zalupski's ownership group has taken the reins.  However, the changes won't extend to president of baseball ops Erik Neander, with Zalupski making a point of stating during his introductory press conference that his group has a "self-imposed rule" that "none of us, and none of the partners, are allowed to talk to or have any influence on baseball operations."

The chief short-term goal for Zalupski's group is to finally secure a new ballpark in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, with the lofty aim of having this new stadium in place for the start of the 2029 season.  It seems like a lot to achieve in less than three and a half years' time, but the bottom line is familiar for Rays fans --- the player payroll doesn't seem likely to change until that new stadium is in place, and new revenues start flowing.

Assuming that the Trop's renovations are completed on schedule, returning to their former ballpark at least represents some relief for the Rays after a season spent at Steinbrenner Field.  The adjustment to suddenly playing home games in a minor league park, and playing outdoors in the tough Florida weather, seemed to take its toll on the Rays as the 2025 campaign rolled along.  Tampa Bay was 47-36 on June 28 and in the thick of the AL East race, but stumbled to a 30-49 record the rest of the way.

Since the Rays were also 80-82 in 2024, this season's subpar record can't be entirely written off as a creation of Steinbrenner Field.  The magic formula hasn't entirely worked for Neander and company in the last two years, even if the Rays have remained quasi-competitive.  This could mean that Tampa Bay might not be far away from a full-fledged return to contention, since a lot still went right for the team in 2025.

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Poll: Should The Tigers Consider A Tarik Skubal Trade?

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The Tigers lost a heartbreaker in Game 5 of the ALDS when they fell to the Mariners in 15 innings. Detroit was viewed as one of the best teams — if not the best team — in baseball throughout the first half but slumped to a 34-43 record from the start of July onward. They lost control of the AL Central despite boasting an 11.5-game lead on August 23rd, but they managed to put away the Guardians in the AL Wild Card Series even after ceding the division crown to them just days earlier.

It’s easy to argue that Detroit would not have made it to the postseason at all if not for ace Tarik Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young winner and 2025 Cy Young frontrunner. Over the past two seasons, Skubal has posted numbers that few pitchers can hope to match — 387 1/3 innings, 2.30 ERA, 31.2 K%, 4.5 BB% — and he’s been essential to both of Detroit’s runs into the playoffs for the past two years.

Skubal won’t be around forever, however. He’s scheduled to hit free agency during the 2026-27 offseason. With just $28.3MM on the books in guaranteed contracts for 2027 according to RosterResource, one can argue that the Tigers must do whatever it takes to extend Skubal or re-sign him in free agency. An extension doesn’t appear likely, though. If Skubal turns in a season anything like his 2024-25 campaigns, he could justifiably take aim at setting a new record among starting pitchers. Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s $325MM deal with the Dodgers stands as the current mark after narrowly edging out Gerrit Cole’s $324MM deal with the Yankees.

The Tigers have never spent more on a player than they did Miguel Cabrera, who they inked to an eight-year, $248MM extension back in 2014. The Tigers of the past few years haven’t come close to approaching the sort of overall spending they put forward during the 2016-17 seasons, when they carried a payroll in the $200MM range.

Would the Tigers be willing to give out a franchise-record deal to keep their ace? Asked about the matter after his season ended, Skubal himself told the Tigers’ beat that his job is “to go out there and play” and that such conversations are better left to the front office (via The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen). President of baseball operations Scott Harris isn’t tipping his hand publicly one way or another, however.

“Listen, I totally understand the question and understand that you have to ask me,” Harris said at the team’s end-of-season press conference when asked about Skubal’s future (video link, with the Skubal question landing around the 16:00 mark). “I’ve kind of learned over time, especially with this question, that general comments tend to get chopped up and forced into narratives. I can’t comment on our players being traded. I can’t comment on free agents, and I can’t comment on other teams’ players. So, I’m going to respond by just not actually commenting on it. Tarik is a Tiger. I hope he wins the Cy Young for a second consecutive year. He’s an incredible pitcher, and we’re lucky to have him. That’s all I can say on that.”

Fans of other clubs are understandably captivated with the idea of seeing their favorite clubs make a run at a Skubal trade. One could argue that if the Tigers don’t believe a long-term deal is possible, they’re better prioritizing long-term health of the organization than employing a win-at-all-costs-in-2026 mentality.

It goes without saying that having Skubal at the front of the team’s rotation would give Detroit its best chance of bringing home a championship next year. In addition to his dominant regular season work, he’s been a menace in the postseason with a 2.04 ERA, 1.92 FIP, and a 37.8% strikeout rate across his six starts. Skubal has not just been essential to the Tigers getting to October over the past two years, but he’s managed to shine when the lights are brightest.

Zooming out to look at the larger Tigers organization reveals that Detroit may not be particularly close to full power yet. Star pitching prospect Jackson Jobe made just ten starts this year before he was sidelined by Tommy John surgery, which is likely to eliminate his entire 2026 campaign. Even setting Jobe aside, the Tigers are bringing along a number of elite prospect talents who figure to make their big league debuts in the next few years. Shortstop Kevin McGonigle is considered one of the sport’s top 10 prospects and should make his way to the majors next year. Outfield prospect Max Clark is also frequently ranked as a top-10 leaguewide prospect, while catcher Josue Briceno and shortstop Bryce Rainer are typically regarded as top-50 talents.

That upcoming crop of youngsters could pair with Jobe and the team’s existing young core to produce a behemoth that competes for years to come. Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, and Spencer Torkelson are all controlled through 2028, while Reese Olson is controlled through 2029, Dillon Dingler will be in town through 2030 and Colt Keith is locked up through 2032.

Proponents of a trade would argue that Skubal would fetch the sort of high-end talent who can help replace not only Skubal himself but also other key veterans like Casey Mize, Gleyber Torres, and Jake Rogers. On the other hand, the Tigers already have a touted farm system and know all too well how uncertain the future of even elite prospects can be.

It wasn’t long ago that Mize and Torkelson were viewed just as highly as McGonigle and Clark are now. They both contributed to the 2025 team, but neither has turned out to be the sort of franchise-defining player the Tigers hoped to be getting when each was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick. Even Skubal battled through four seasons of injuries and mediocrity before coming into form as a superstar last year.

How do MLBTR readers think the Tigers should proceed with Skubal this winter? Should they trade him to load up for the future or should the maximize the 2026 even with no guarantees of signing him long-term? Have your say in the poll below:

Mets To Hire Kai Correa As Bench Coach

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The Mets are going to hire Kai Correa as their new bench coach, reports Pat Ragazzo of SI. He’ll replace John Gibbons, who held that job with the Mets for the past two seasons. Correa has been with the Guardians for the past two campaigns with the title of major league field coordinator, director of defense/strategy/baserunning.

Correa, 37, is a Hawaii native who is clearly respected around the game. After many years coaching in college ball, he was hired by the Guardians in 2018 to coach in the minors. Ahead of the 2020 season, he was hired by the Giants as bench coach and infield instructor.

Towards the end of the 2023 season, the Giants fired manager Gabe Kapler. Correa was tapped as the interim skipper for the final three games of the season. The Giants went 1-2 in those contests. Correa received an interview for that open managerial position going into 2024 but Bob Melvin got the gig. It was then that he returned to the Guardians, this time in a major league coaching role.

After a disappointing 2025 season, the Mets are making a number of coaching changes. One of the departed is Gibbons, with Correa stepping in to take over as manager Carlos Mendoza’s bench coach. It has also been reported today that Jeff Albert will join the staff to run the hitting department, with another hitting coach hire to come. Albert and that unknown other coach will replace outgoing hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images

Mets To Add Jeff Albert To Coaching Staff

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The Mets are adding Jeff Albert to their uniformed coach staff, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. Previously the director of hitting development, he will run the club’s hitting program next year. Passan doesn’t explicitly say what Albert’s title will be, though he notes that the club plans add another hitting coach to complement him.

It’s possible Albert ends up with a classic hitting coach title, though some clubs get creative with these kinds of things. Perhaps the Mets will call him an offensive coordinator or a senior director of hitting strategy or something like that.

Either way, the larger point is that he’ll be atop the club’s hitting hierarchy. He previously served as the hitting coach for the Cardinals from 2019 to 2022. It’s always tough to separate the contributions of a coach from the players on his team, but for what it’s worth, the Cards slashed a combined .246/.321/.411 during Albert’s time with that club. That translated to a league-average wRC+ of 100.

He decided not to return to the Cards after that 2022 season, even though they were planning to offer him a multi-year extension. He was then hired by the Mets as director of hitting development and has been working with the club’s minor leaguers for the past three years.

After a disappointing 2025 season, the Mets are making a number of notable coaching changes. The offense wasn’t a big part of the club’s poor performance, as their .249/.326/.427 line led to a 112 wRC+, a mark that was bested by just three MLB teams. Regardless, hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes are two of the guys who won’t be coming back. Albert will step up and take over, though as mentioned, another hitting coach will be added at some point. It’s unclear if that additional hitting coach will be an internal hire or if the Mets will conduct an external search.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images

Rockies Have Interviewed James Click, Scott Sharp, Matt Forman In Front Office Search

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The Rockies are looking outside the organization for a new front office leader. Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic reports that they have interviewed James Click of the Blue Jays, Scott Sharp of the Royals and Matt Forman of the Guardians. It’s possible that the club has spoken with others but that’s at least three external candidates to have interviewed.

Colorado just wrapped up a third straight season of at least 101 losses. They haven’t had a winning record since 2018. Understandably, changes are necessary, even for a famously loyal and insular club like the Rockies. Manager Bud Black was fired in May. A few weeks ago, it was revealed that general manager Bill Schmidt and the club would also be parting ways. When the Rockies announced the Schmidt news, they noted that they would be looking for an external candidate to be the new head of their baseball operations. That’s a notable shift for the Rockies, who have received criticism for always promoting from within. It seems they are following through on the plan to look elsewhere, based on these potential candidates.

Of the three, Click is the one with experience running a front office. After many years working for the Rays, the Astros hired Click to be their general manager going into the 2020 season. The Astros were already a good club at that time but previous general manager Jeff Luhnow had been fired in the wake of the sign-stealing scandal.

While Click had a head-start by inheriting a very strong team, he at least kept the good times rolling. They made it to the ALCS in the shortened 2020 season. In 2021, they won the West and made it to the World Series, though they lost to Atlanta. They managed to win it all in 2022, toppling the Phillies in the World Series that year.

Despite that continued success, Click and owner Jim Crane reportedly didn’t get along behind the scenes, leading to a rare instance of a club parting ways with a front office leader on the heels of a World Series title. A few months after leaving Houston, Click joined the Blue Jays as vice president of baseball strategy. He was reportedly a candidate for the Red Sox job a couple of years ago before pulling himself out of the running due to family considerations. The Sox eventually hired Craig Breslow to run their front office.

Sharp has been with the Royals since 2006, initially hired in a player development role. He got the assistant general manager title in 2015 and later added senior vice-president to his nameplate. Years ago, he received reported interest from clubs like the Mets and Angels. Last winter, he was connected the Giants general manager job working under president of baseball operations Buster Posey. Sharp withdrew his name from the running due to family considerations and Zack Minasian ultimately got that job. Last month, Sharp was connected to the Nationals’ front office search, before they hired Paul Toboni as president of baseball operations.

Forman joined Cleveland back in 2013 in a scouting role, getting promoted to assistant general manager after the 2016 season. He later added the title of executive vice-president to his office door. Like Sharp, he was connected to the Washington job last month before Toboni was hired.

Time will tell if any of these three are frontrunners or if they are just some of many names under consideration. What is also unknown is how much interest these three, or front office candidates in general, will be interested in joining the Rockies. Building a winner in Colorado will be a unique challenge. The altitude conditions are famously awful for pitchers. Even the hitters face a unique challenge, as breaking balls move differently in the mountains than at sea level. That means the bats are constantly adjusting when going on the road and back, leading many Rockies to have very wide platoon splits. It’s also been supposed that the thin Denver air present difficulties for injury management.

Those particular conditions may scare off some executives. On the other hand, the unique conditions might also attract a certain individual who is drawn to solving the puzzle and getting the recognition that would go along with that feat. There’s also the standard observation that there are only 30 jobs running a front office, so an individual who wants such a job may not want to close any doors. Teams generally don’t stand in the way of their employees interviewing for promotions elsewhere, so it’s unlikely the Jays, Royals or Guardians would stand in the way of these guys pursuing the job.

Photo courtesy of Troy Taormina, Imagn Images

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