The New York Mets got bad news this week when they learned that Francisco Lindor would need surgery to address his hamate bone injury.
Lindor is one of the best players in baseball and was penciled in as the Mets’ everyday shortstop. However, with him injured, the Mets have to rethink their infield plan in the short term. The team is optimistic that Lindor can be ready before opening day, and manager Carlos Mendoza took one solution at shortstop off the table.
The Mets signed Bo Bichette this offseason. After years of playing shortstop, the Mets are moving him to third base. After Lindor’s injury, Mendoza revealed that the plan will not change.
“As of right now, that is not on the table, but again, this is a guy who’s played shortstop,” Mendoza told reporters in a clip posted by SNY. “If we get to that point, that transition is not going to be as hard. Right now, we have to make sure we get him comfortable at third base and that’s where he’s going to be getting his work defensively.”
Perhaps the Mets do not think Lindor will miss any time in the regular season, and are focused on Bichette getting ready to man the hot corner. However, playing Bichette at shortstop would make sense considering the Mets have Brett Baty. Baty needs a spot to play after his breakout year, and he could just play third base again.
Perhaps if Lindor’s timeline changes, Mendoza moves Bichette to shortstop again, opening the door for Baty to play more as well. However, as of right now, the Mets are opting to stick with other options at shortstop. Even though it seems like simply playing Bichette at shortstop would make the most sense, Mendoza and the Mets are not committing to that yet.
While the offseason has been severely underwhelming compared to what fans had expected, the Phillies will still have a formidable roster heading into the 2026 season.
They took care of business by resigning both Kyle Schwarber to a 5-year, $150 million contract extension and JT Realmuto to a 3-year, $45 million contract. They added a veteran outfielder, Adolis Garcia, who’s spent his entire career with the Texas Rangers, by signing him to a one-year, $10 million contract.
The Phillies are also hopeful that rookie outfielder Justin Crawford and rookie starting pitcher Andrew Painter will have an immediate impact on the team.
Credit: Philadelphia Phillies-Facebook
The problems lie with the fact that they missed out on the big fish in Bo Bichette, who decided that the New York Mets would be a better place for him to win.
To quote the great movie Dodgeball, “That’s a bold move, Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for him.”
The Mets pretty much outbid the Phillies by offering him a three-year, $126 million contract. Bichette is owed $42 million with opt-outs after the first and second year. The kicker is that he has an opt-out after the first and second year, so it’s very likely this could be a one-year deal.
The Phillies also lost key starting pitcher Ranger Suarez to the Boston Red Sox, who signed him to a 5-year $130 million contract. Suarez is a great pitcher, especially in the postseason. Still, his injury history and a history of tailing off at the end of the regular season made the Phillies hesitant to offer him that much money, especially when top prospect Andrew Painter will hopefully be on the opening-day roster in 2026.
Running It Back
At this point, it feels like the same team that lost in the NLDS last year, and fans are concerned that this season will involve much of the same. The Mets and Dodgers both got significantly better as the Dodgers went out and signed top outfield FA Kyle Tucker, joining an already absurd lineup. The Atlanta Braves will look to have a bounce-back year as well, hoping guys like Austin Riley, Ronald Acuna Jr, Spencer Strider, and Matt Olson can all stay healthy throughout the season. The NL East will be much more competitive this year, and the Phillies are returning most of the same team.
Rob Thomson did not take kindly to the term “running it back,” as he made it known in his press conference a few weeks ago that this team is different in terms of the bullpen, the addition of Adolis Garcia, Otto Kemp, and the opportunity that Justin Crawford will have this season as well. We got an outfielder to replace losing Kepler and eventually Nick Castellanos, Otto Kemp, who was solid but is most likely a platoon player, and an improved bullpen despite losing Matt Strahm. That’s some real groundbreaking stuff, according to manager Rob Thomson. I beg to differ.
The consensus among the Phillies fans I’ve spoken to this offseason is that they’re very underwhelmed with how they handled it. Now that’s a take I agree with. Getting Schwarber back is enormous, and they are hopeful that Adolis Garcia can provide a spark for this team as he has in the past for the Rangers, especially in the postseason. I’m also very eager to see how top SS prospect Aidan Miller looks in spring training this year. It wouldn’t surprise me if he gets called up before June if Alec Bohm is either traded or struggles early on.
One of the last pieces to fall this offseason will be what happens with Nick Castellanos. The Phillies owe him $20 million next year, which is highway robbery on Castellanos’ end. It’s been expected that he would be traded or released all offseason. While neither has yet to happen, the Phillies will most likely be forced to release him, especially after the way he handled things with Rob Thomson last year.
Spring Is Upon Us
Pitchers and catchers report next week in Clearwater, Florida, for the start of 2026 spring training.
It feels like just yesterday we were watching Kerkering throw the ball over JT’s head while the Eagles lost to the Giants that same night.
I can’t wait to see what heartbreaking thing happens this year.
The New York Mets added their ace for the upcoming season Wednesday night in a trade for Freddy Peralta. The veteran starter was dominant throughout much of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Peralta is currently only under team control through the 2026 season before he becomes a free agent. As of Thursday evening, it was unknown if the Mets were looking at a potential extension or if they were still riding the wave of adding him.
“For a projection, let’s go with the consensus and a contract that takes Peralta through his age-34 season in 2030 — four additional seasons of team control,” they wrote. “To keep it that short, we’ll up the average annual value over those four years to $28 million per season — better than those received on the open market by (Dylan) Cease and (Ranger) Suárez. That equals four years and $112 million of new money for Peralta — pretty much in line with what (Tyler) Glasnow received from the Dodgers. The Mets could add the $8 million Peralta is owed this season to make it a five-year, $120 million deal.”
This projection would pay Peralta an average of $24 million per year. However, the Mets could choose to structure it in a way that is front loaded if they are worried about him declining heading into the final two years.
Britton and Sammon did note that this extension would make things worse for the Mets with the luxury tax in the upcoming season. David Stearns would either have to find a way to start the extension after this season or swallow the difficult pill of possibly adding more financial penalties.
In the wake of Kyle Tucker signing with the Dodgers, the New York Yankees are willing to upgrade their offer to free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, as his market may see the New York Mets and TorontoBlue Jays become seriously interested.
The Yankees are focused on keeping Bellinger, who had a stellar season in the Bronx, though talks have stalled over the past week, leaving both parties at a standstill.
However, one of the biggest free-agent dominoes has now fallen, with Kyle Tucker landing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Both the Mets and Blue Jays, who each need an upgrade at outfield, were among the finalists for Tucker, but the Dodgers’ four-year, $240 million offer was too good for the free agent to pass up.
The Mets and Toronto expressed confidence in landing Tucker, only to be left high and dry, still needing an outfielder.
According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, a highly-connected insider who specializes in the two big East Coast teams, the Yankees have looked to make progress in negotations with Bellinger as the Jays and Mets loom.
“The Yankees are signaling a wiliness to do not just one opt-out, but two opt-outs for Cody Bellinger in continuing efforts to bridge the long-standing issue of length of contract,” Heyman wrote.
“They’ve offered about $155M over five years and would increase the money too. But Bellinger has been looking for seven years.
“Bellinger has countered the Yankees’ offer. (But that’s no guarantee. Alex Bregman countered Boston’s offer, too.) After missing out on Kyle Tucker, the Jays and Mets may now come out stronger for Bellinger.”
The Blue Jays showed a willingness to offer Tucker a long-term deal. If they do the same with Bellinger, Toronto could become a serious player for the former Dodger.
The Mets, on the other hand, went to high salary figures for Bellinger, and they could potentially go high enough to see him switch sides in the Freeway Series.
The Yankees are looking to act fast, but their patient approach could cost them in the end.
Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez is one of the top players left in free agency, as of Wednesday, and he seems to have plenty of suitors.
The New York Mets make a lot of sense as a landing spot for the lefty. He would immediately slot in as the team’s best pitcher going forward. The Mets have the money to build up the pitching staff after the unit struggled last season. It would be the perfect addition in Queens.
“Valdez is one of the majors’ most durable, consistent pitchers; he and Giants ace Logan Webb are the only two hurlers to complete at least 175 innings while recording an ERA under 3.70 in each of the last four seasons,” Laws and Selbe wrote. “The worm-burning lefty also has three top-10 Cy Young finishes, a no-hitter and a World Series-clinching win under his belt from his time with the Astros.
“Valdez would step in as a top-tier No. 2 pitcher on just about any pitching staff, and the fact he doesn’t rely on elite velocity likely means he’d age well over the course of a five-year contract. The Angels, who recently agreed to a buyout with Anthony Rendon and reached a settlement in the Tyler Skaggs wrongful death lawsuit, have the payroll space for a big move to get them closer to contention.”
Adding Valdez makes perfect sense for the Angels. They’re seemingly desperate to add to their roster in the coming weeks, as they’re trying to contend again next season.
Adding Valdez to a struggling pitching staff would work wonders in pushing the Angels in the right direction. This move would give them a pitcher who can go toe to toe with any opposing ace in the league.
It’s hard to imagine the Angels outbidding the Mets in a sweepstakes like this, but don’t count them out yet.
The New York Mets and Texas Rangers reportedly pulled off the biggest trade of the offseason so far on Sunday night.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the news on Sunday by reporting that the Mets are acquiring three-time All-Star Marcus Semien from the Texas Rangers in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo.
“Breaking: The New York Mets and Texas Rangers are finalizing a trade that would send second baseman Marcus Semien to the Mets and outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, sources tell ESPN,” Passan wrote on X.
Afterward, key details began to emerge about the trade itself.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Mets are sending $5 million to the Rangers to help offset the cost of Nimmo’s remaining contract.
“Mets are sending ($5 million) to Texas to slightly offset the dollar difference,” Heyman wrote.
Nimmo had a full no-trade clause and Semien had a partial no-trade clause. USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale reported that the Mets and New York Yankees were not on Semien’s no-trade clause.
“Brandon Nimmo had a full no-trade clause that he waived,” Nightengale wrote. “Marcus Semien had a limited no-trade clause and the Mets and Yankees were not on it. Semien will get a tax hit and Nimmo will get big tax break with the trade.”
Andy Martino of SNY reported that improving the team’s overall defense played a role in getting the deal done.
“The Mets, of course, looking to get better in their defense,” Martino said in a video shared to X by SNY. “This is a move in that direction in that two positions that this trade can impact. Now, Semien is an elite defensive second baseman. Nimmo, not an elite defensive corner outfielder. So, what this does is give the Mets a chance to improve their outfield defense. They could do that in free agency if a Cody Bellinger, say, breaks to them.”
The Major League Baseball hot stove is officially on.
Randy Jones, the left-hander who won the Cy Young Award with the San Diego Padres in 1976 during a 10-year major league career, has died. He was 75.
Jones died Tuesday, the Padres announced Wednesday, without disclosing a location or cause.
Jones pitched eight seasons for San Diego and two for the New York Mets, going 100-123 with a 3.42 ERA. He still holds the Padres franchise records with 253 starts, 71 complete games, 18 shutouts and 1,766 innings pitched.
Jones was one of the majors’ best pitchers in 1975 and 1976, earning two All-Star selections and becoming the first player to win the Cy Young for the Padres, who began play as an expansion team in 1969.
He finished second in Cy Young voting behind Tom Seaver in 1975 after going 20-12 with an NL-leading 2.24 ERA for a San Diego team that won just 71 games.
Jones won the award one year later, winning 22 games for a 73-win team while pitching 315 1/3 innings over 40 starts, including 25 complete games — all tops in the majors. The still-young Padres experienced a surge in attendance whenever he pitched from fans who appreciated his everyman stature and resourceful pitching skills, and he made the cover of Sports Illustrated.
He earned the save in the 1975 All-Star Game, and he got the victory for the NL in 1976. He never regained his top form after injuring his arm during his final start of 1976, but he remained a major league starter until 1982 with the Mets.
Jones was a ground ball specialist who relied on deception and control instead of velocity, leading to his “Junkman” nickname. His career statistics reflect a bygone era of baseball: He started 285 games and pitched 1,933 career innings in his 10-year career but recorded only 735 career strikeouts, including just 93 in his Cy Young season.
“Randy was a cornerstone of our franchise for over five decades,” the Padres said in a statement. “His impact and popularity only grew in his post-playing career, becoming a tremendous ambassador for the team and a true fan favorite. Crossing paths with RJ and talking baseball or life was a joy for everyone fortunate enough to spend time with him. Randy was committed to San Diego, the Padres and his family. He was a giant in our lives and our franchise history.”
Born in Orange County, Jones returned to San Diego County after his playing career ended and became a face of the Padres franchise at games and in the community. A barbecue restaurant bearing his name was established at the Padres’ former home, Qualcomm Stadium, and later moved to Petco Park along with the team.
Jones announced in 2017 that he had throat cancer, likely a result of his career-long use of chewing tobacco. He announced he was cancer-free in 2018.
Jones’ No. 35 was retired by the Padres in 1997, and he joined the team’s Hall of Fame in 1999.
Jones made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres in 1973 and impressed as a rookie with a 3.16 ERA in 20 appearances, 19 of them starts. After going 8-22 in his second season, he bounced back with an NL-leading 2.24 ERA in 1975, earning his first All-Star nod and finishing second in the Cy Young Award vote behind Tom Seaver.
The following season, he racked up an MLB-leading 315.1 innings, and while five others in the National League had a higher ERA than his 2.74, he led the majors with 25 complete games, and his 1.03 WHIP was also the best mark in the National League. His 22 wins also led the majors, and all that was enough to beat out Jerry Koosman. Don Sutton finished third, Steve Carlton was fourth and Seaver fell to eighth.
San Diego Padres pitcher Randy Jones in action on the mound during the 1976 season.(Malcolm Emmons-USA Today Network)
In his final game of that magical season, he injured a nerve in his left arm and was never quite able to return to form. Despite a 2.88 ERA in 1978, he finished with an ERA higher than 4.50 in three of his final six seasons. Jones joined the New York Mets for his final two seasons in 1981 and 1982.
Jones was not known for striking out batters. In fact, he had only 93 strikeouts in his Cy Young Award-winning season, and his career best was 124 in 1974. He remains the only pitcher ever to win a Cy Young Award but have a losing record for his career. Four times, he was in the top 10 in innings pitched, walks per nine innings, starts, and home runs per nine innings.
Former San Diego Padre Randy Jones waves prior to the 87th Annual MLB All-Star Game at PETCO Park on July 12, 2016 in San Diego, California.(Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)
“With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, the Padres mourn the passing of our beloved left-hander, Randy Jones. Randy was a cornerstone of our franchise. The CY Young Award winner, Padres Hall of Famer, and tremendous community ambassador, was a giant in our lives and will be greatly missed,” the Padres said in a statement.
Former San Diego Padre Randy Jones tips his hat to the crowd prior to the 87th Annual MLB All-Star Game at PETCO Park on July 12, 2016 in San Diego, California.(Andy Hayt/Getty Images)
Jones’ No. 35 was retired by the Padres in 1997, and he was a member of the team’s inaugural Hall of Fame class two years later. He is widely credited with putting the expansion franchise on the map, as the team struggled mightily throughout his tenure, but he provided a spark in dark days.
NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted Sunday on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw specific pitches that would trigger winnings on in-game prop bets.
Prosecutors identified pitches from Clase and Ortiz that helped two unnamed gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000. This included throwing pitches intentionally outside of the strike zone or within certain velocity ranges. Here’s a closer look at those pitches.
Emmanuel Clase
May 19, 2023
The indictment cites this outing without a photo of the specific pitch, saying the scheme included a bet of about $27,000 that Clase would throw a pitch of greater than 94.95 mph. Clase began with a 98.5 mph cutter to the New York Mets’ Starling Marte that was low and inside in the 10th inning. Marte flied out on the next pitch, but the Mets rallied for a 10-9 win on RBI singles by Francisco Alvarez and Francisco Lindor. Clase took the loss.
June 3, 2023
The indictment cited bets of about $38,000 for a ball or hit by pitch and velocity slower than 94.95 mph. An 89.4 mph slider to Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers bounced well short of home plate starting the ninth inning and hit catcher Mike Zunino near a shoulder, leading an athletic trainer to check on the catcher. Jeffers struck out four pitches later and Clase got the save in a 4-2 win.
June 7, 2023
The indictment cited bets of about $58,000 for a ball or hit by pitch and velocity slower than 94.95 mph. Clase started the ninth inning with a 91.4 mph slider to Boston’s Jarren Duran that was caught just above the dirt. Duran walked on four pitches and was stranded as Clase got the save in a 5-3 win.
April 12, 2025
The indictment cited bets of about $15,000 for a ball or hit by pitch and velocity slower than 98.95 mph. An 89.4 mph slider to Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. bounced opening the ninth inning. Witt singled three pitches later, starting a two-run, ninth-inning rally in the Guardians’ 6-3 win.
May 11, 2025
The indictment cited bets of about $11,000 for a ball or hit by pitch. A 99.1 mph cutter to Philadelphia’s Max Kepler was in the dirt starting the ninth inning. Kepler grounded out five pitches later and the Phillies went on to win 3-0.
May 13, 2025
The indictment cited bets of about $3,500 for a ball or hit by pitch and velocity slower than 99.45 mph. A 89.1 mph slider to Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers bounced opening the ninth inning. Bauers struck out five pitches later and Clase got the save in a 2-0 win.
May 17, 2025
The indictment cited bets of about $10,000 for a ball or hit by pitch and velocity slower than 97.95 mph. An 87.5 mph slider to Cincinnati’s Santiago Espinal bounced starting the eighth inning. Espinal singled four pitches later. Clase was relieved by Joey Castillo with two outs and two on and got a strikeout in a game the Reds won 4-1.
May 28, 2025
The indictment cites the outing without a photo of the specific pitch, saying the scheme included bets of about $4,000 that a pitch would be a ball or hit batter. Clase started the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Andy Pages with a slider that bounced just behind the plate, but Pages swung and missed. Pages grounded out two pitches later to start the ninth and Clase got the save in a 7-4 win. The indictment says a bettor sent Clase a text with a GIF of a man hanging himself with toilet paper and Clase responded with a GIF of a sad puppy dog face.
Luis Ortiz
June 15, 2025
The indictment cited bets of about $13,000 that a pitch would be a ball. A first-pitch 86.7 mph slider to Seattle’s Randy Arozarena bounced starting the second inning. Arozarena walked on five pitches and scored the game’s first run on Miles Mastrobuoni’s RBI single in a five-run inning of a game the Mariners won 6-0.
June 27, 2025
The indictment cited bets of about $18,000 that a pitch would be a ball. A first-pitch 86.7 mph slider to St. Louis’ Pedro Pagés bounced and went to the backstop opening the third inning. Pagés homered two pitches later for the game’s first run in a three-run inning, and the Cardinals won 5-0.
NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls in the dirt instead of strikes, to ensure successful bets.
According to the indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn, the highly paid hurlers took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.
Ortiz, 26, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Boston Logan International Airport. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Clase, 27, was not in custody, officials said.
Ortiz and Clase “betrayed America’s pastime,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said. “Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”
Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.”
Georgalis said Ortiz’s defense team had previously documented for prosecutors that the payments and money transfers between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities.
“There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games, with every pitch and in every inning. Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court,” Georgalis said.
A lawyer for Clase, Michael J. Ferrara, said his client “has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
The Major League Baseball Players Association had no comment.
Unusual betting activity prompted investigation
MLB said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity and has fully cooperated with authorities. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” a league statement said.
In a statement, the Guardians said: “We are aware of the recent law enforcement action. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”
Clase and Ortiz are both charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison.
In one example cited in the indictment, Clase allegedly invited a bettor to a game against the Boston Red Sox in April and spoke with him by phone just before taking the mound. Four minutes later, the indictment said, the bettor and his associates won $11,000 on a wager that Clase would toss a certain pitch slower than 97.95 mph (157.63 kph).
In May, the indictment said, Clase agreed to throw a ball at a certain point in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the batter swung, resulting in a strike, costing the bettors $4,000 in wagers. After the game, which the Guardians won, one of the bettors sent Clase a text message with an image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper, the indictment said. Clase responded with an image of a sad puppy dog face, according to the indictment.
Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, had a $4.5 million salary in 2025, the fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract. The three-time AL save leader began providing the bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 but didn’t ask for payoffs until this year, prosecutors said.
The indictment cited specific pitches Clase allegedly rigged — all of them first pitches when he entered to start an inning: a 98.5 mph (158.5 kph) cutter low and inside to the New York Mets’ Starling Marte on May 19, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers that bounced well short of home plate on June 3, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. that bounced on April 12; a 99.1 mph (159.5 kph) cutter in the dirt to Philadelphia’s Max Kepler on May 11; a bounced 89.1 mph (143.4) slider to Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers on May 13; and a bounced 87.5 mph (140.8 kph) slider to Cincinnati’s Santiago Espinal on May 17.
Prosecutors said Ortiz, who had a $782,600 salary this year, got in on the scheme in June and is accused of rigging pitches in games against the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Ortiz was cited for bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to Seattle’s Randy Arozarena starting the second inning on June 15 and bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to St. Louis’ Pedro Pagés that went to the backstop opening the third inning on June 27.
Dozens of pro athletes have been charged in gambling sweeps
The charges are the latest bombshell developments in a federal crackdown on betting in professional sports.
Last month, more than 30 people, including prominent basketball figures such as Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in a gambling sweep that rocked the NBA.
Sports betting scandals have long been a concern, but a May 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling led to a wave of gambling incidents involving athletes and officials. The ruling struck down a federal ban on sports betting in most states and opened the doors for online sportsbooks to take a prominent space in the sports ecosystem.
Major League Baseball suspended five players in June 2024, including a lifetime ban for San Diego infielder Tucupita Marcano for allegedly placing 387 baseball bets with a legal sportsbook totaling more than $150,000.
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This story was first published on Nov. 9. It was updated on Nov. 11 to correct that, according to an indictment, a bettor sent Clase an image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper. Clase didn’t send that image to the bettor.
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Associated Press reporters Eric Tucker in Washington and Ron Blum in New York contributed to this report.
The New York Yankees need to do everything in their power to re-sign Cody Bellinger this offseason. Bellinger was recently projected to sign a massive $168 million deal, per The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, so the task won’t be easy to achieve.
The Yankees will likely have some tough competition in the Bellinger sweepstakes, too.
ESPN’s David Schoenfield recently listed the New York Mets as the favorites in the sweepstakes to sign Bellinger this offseason.
“Bellinger surprisingly tops the list in 2025 WAR, although that doesn’t by any means suggest he’s going to get the biggest contract,” Schoenfield wrote. “Indeed, although he offers positional versatility with his ability to play all three outfield positions as well as first base, teams will be skeptical of his 2025 numbers since he hit .302 with 18 home runs and a .909 OPS at Yankee Stadium with its short porch compared with .241 with 11 home runs and a .715 OPS on the road. Bellinger works for the Mets both in center field — heck, they were playing 33-year-old infielder Jeff McNeil out there at times — and at first, if they don’t re-sign Pete Alonso.”
The Mets desperately need to add an outfielder to their team. But Bellinger’s versatility on defense is what makes him the perfect fit in Queens.
Bellinger can play the outfield or first base. Considering the Mets have a hole in their outfield and Pete Alonso is heading to free agency, Bellinger is the perfect free agent target.
It would take some big spending to land him, but it’s nothing the Mets haven’t done before. A move like this would crush the Yankees.
The New York Mets may end up regretting it if the team lets superstar first baseman Pete Alonso walk in free agency this offseason.
Alonso has spent the first seven seasons of his career in New York, where he has excelled. A five-time All-Star and National League Rookie of the Year, Alonso has continued to be one of the best hitters in baseball. The 30-year-old slugger slashed .272/.347/.524 this season, mashing 38 home runs and driving in 126 runs. In his seven-season career, Alonso has only hit fewer than 30 home runs once in the shortened 2020 MLB season.
After failing to come to terms with the Mets on a long-term extension last season, Alonso signed a two-year, $54 million contract with a player option in the second year, according to Spotrac. With the slugger opting out of the second year of his contract, he is set to test free agency again, which could be bad for the Mets.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden recently listed the Mets’ NL East rival, the Philadelphia Phillies, as one of the best fits for the star first baseman.
“Alonso became the Mets’ all-time home run leader this year (he’s now at 264) and he put together a nice rebound season after a down 2024, hitting 38 bombs and leading the National League with 41 doubles,” Bowden wrote Monday. “He is beloved in Queens, and the feeling is mutual.
“The Mets were not willing to give him a long-term contract last offseason, and if they don’t change their tune this time around, they’ll probably lose him. Alonso has belted 37 or more homers in each of the last five seasons and although he’s a below-average defender at first base, he works at it and he’s durable, having played all 162 games in each of the past two seasons.”
The Phillies have their own slugger to prioritize in free agency in Kyle Schwarber, but could still look to target Alonso if they need a slugger. Though it would be bad for the Mets to lose Alonso in general this offseason, losing him to a division rival that they have to play against often would be the worst possible scenario.
Pete Alonso landed a two-year, $54 million contract with the New York Mets in February, an underwhelming conclusion to his first foray into free agency.
The first baseman received and rejected a qualifying offer from the Mets, which likely limited his market. Any team that signed him would have been subject to draft pick compensation, and eventually Alonso ended up back in Queens.
Now, Alonso is expected to opt out of the second year of his contract. According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, Alonso has his sights set on a seven-year contract in free agency.
Not so fast, said former Mets general manager Zack Scott.
“Looks like he may be back with the Mets … on a short deal after he once again overplays his hand in the market,” Scott wrote Monday on Twitter/X. “Rinse and rePete Alonso!”
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Alonso hit .272/.347/.524 in 162 games last season, with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs. His 144 OPS+ was just shy of the 146 OPS+ he posted in 2022, when he finished eighth in National League MVP voting, and the 147 OPS+ he had in 2019, when he won the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
Scott isn’t arguing that those numbers lack luster. He’s merely pointing out that seven-year contracts for 30-year-old position players are rare. And for all Alonso offers a team at the plate, his utility on defense is limited to first base or designated hitter.
Alonso was already a fan favorite when Scott joined the Mets as an assistant general manager in Dec. 2020, leaving the Boston Red Sox. Scott was promoted to acting general manager, replacing Jared Porter in January 2021, and served in the role until September of that year.
Mets general manager David Stearns might need to stay disciplined after owner Steve Cohen splurged on Juan Soto in free agency a year ago. Alonso’s camp, meanwhile, will try to leverage his profile as an elite power hitter and fan favorite to land a longer contract than he got last year.
The New York Mets lost their final regular season game against the Miami Marlins on Sunday, finalizing an ignominious end to their year after a strong start to the season took a brutal turn in the standings.
The Mets surged to a lead in that National League East division after a blockbuster offseason of free agent acquisitions. But pitcher injuries and regressions on the mound drove a collapse that superstars like Pete Alonso, Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor couldn’t hold off.
Now, questions are swirling around manager Carlos Mendoza’s job security even though he has another year ahead on his contract. And the prevalence of those questions forced a response from Mendoza after the loss on Sunday, as the manager offered a two-word answer on his culpability in the collapse.
Mendoza took the blame for a stunning Mets collapse, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that president of baseball operations David Stearns or owner Steve Cohen will cut ties with him. The executives might feel that injuries as well as poor performances from trade deadline pickups Ryan Hesley and Cedric Mullins were outside of the manager’s control.
But Mendoza seemed to understand that his performance will fall under some serious scrutiny.
“Since Day 1 when you take this job, you are on the hotseat,” the manager added, per Puma. “When you are managing a team that has a lot of expectations and you go home, questions like this are going to come up and that’s part of it.”
After a seriously disappointing end to the season, Mendoza seems to have accepted that fans and the media will be questioning his job security. And when it comes to being fired after the brutal turn of the Mets’ campaign, he offered a clear response. But it remains to be seen how his bosses will view the best path forward at the helm.
Trea Turner won his second career NL batting title, Kyle Schwarber led the league with 56 homes and 132 RBIs and Nick Castellanos capped Philadelphia’s 96-win season with a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as the Phillies beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Sunday.
Turner and Schwarber have a few days to enjoy the spoils of their outstanding individual seasons before the NL East champion Phillies play again. The Phillies are set to host Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Saturday.
The Phillies will try to stay sharp during the layoff with an intrasquad scrimmage on Wednesday night.
The Phillies finished at 96-66 and are looking to win their first World Series title since 2008. Loaded with All-Stars and an opening day payroll that reached almost $284 million, the Phillies have struggled in the postseason the last three seasons, losing in the 2022 World Series, the 2023 NLCS and last year to the New York Mets in the division series.
Turner returned from a three-week layoff due to a hamstring injury and went 0 for 2, yet still finished a league-best .304 this season. Turner also won a batting title in 2021, when he led the major leagues at .328 for Washington and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s the first Phillies’ first batting champion since Richie Ashburn in 1958.
Schwarber, eligible for free agency in the offseason, finished one homer ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani to lead the National League and four behind major league leader Cal Raleigh of Seattle, who hit 60.
Schwarber fell two homers shy of matching Ryan Howard for the franchise record of 58 set in 2006. He closed out the regular season No. 3 in walks at 107.
Cristopher Sánchez struck out eight and tossed two-hit ball over 5 1/3 innings — and tipped his cap to a roaring, appreciative crowd — in his final start before he takes the mound in Game 1 of the NLDS.
Key moment
Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers hit an RBI double off reliever Lou Trivino in the sixth, and Max Kepler tied the game 1-1 with a solo homer in the eighth. Castellanos drove in the automatic runner off Cody Laweryson.
Key stat
The Twins finished 70-92 and must decide if Rocco Baldelli will return as manager when they open the 2026 season March 26 in Baltimore.
Up next
The Phillies await their postseason opponent and the winner of the Dodgers-Reds first-round series.
A pair of Colorado Rockies fans (center) and thousands of Atlanta Braves fans enjoy The Battery before Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Sunday will be the final game of the season.
The Atlanta Braves’ 2025 season is nearly over. There will be no postseason play for the Braves this time around, though. The National League East belongs to the rival Philadelphia Phillies. A potential wild card spot may go to Atlanta’s other rival, the New York Mets. For Braves fans, the final series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and whether the team wins matters less than what will be in place when the team meets at CoolToday Park in Venice, Florida, for spring training next year.
There’s a lot that went wrong this season (injuries, losing streaks, blown leads, blown saves, and Michael Harris II’s month of May and June, to name a few), but there were also enough positive performances for the fan base to be looking forward to the 2026 season.
Michael Harris II (above) celebrates after hitting a home run during the series against the Chicago White Sox at Truist Park. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves
The 10-game win streak may have taken place at the end of the season, but it did happen. That streak of close wins, blowout victories, and stellar pitching performances (by Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, and Bryce Elder in particular) was an example of what this team can do when healthy.
All-Star first baseman Matt Olson had a career year. On Saturday night against the Pirates, Olson, an Atlanta native, played his 161st game of the year. During that time on the field, he has managed to lead the team in home runs (29), RBI (94), batting average (.272), doubles (40), and walks (90). His defense at first base has been Golden Glove-level.
Hurston Waldrep emerged as the club’s next star on the mound. Waldrep began his career in the majors as a last-minute call-up and had to pitch in Bristol, Tennessee, following a rainout. That was the Speedway Classic against the Cincinnati Reds on August 2, and Waldrep has been impressive during his nine starts (6-1 overall record).
Michael Harris II had one of the best offensive second halves in Braves history. He hasn’t been too bad over the past week, either. Harris II is hitting over .370 with three home runs, seven RBI, four steals, and is slugging over .800. Harris will be an important piece of the 2026 team, with his defense in centerfield and speed on the basepaths. Harris’s bat will also be needed if Atlanta is going to be a postseason team next year. Even with his early-season struggles, Harris will finish this season second on the team in RBI, first in steals, and one of five players with at least 20 home runs.
Ozzie Albies, a fixture at second base for years, had a strong second half as well. He played in 157 games before injuring his hand late in the season. Albies hit 16 home runs, drove in 74 runs, and had 23 doubles, second only to Olson.
Hurston Waldrep (above) of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Truist Park on August 20, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves
The Lows:
Atlanta began the 2025 season with seven consecutive losses and never seemed to get back on track. The 2026 season will begin at Truist Park, though. The opponents will be the Kansas City Royals and the (add city here) A’s.
The Atlanta Braves will finish the 2025 season under .500 at Truist Park.
All five of the opening day starting pitchers missed significant time this season. All of them. In his final start of the season, Spencer Strider gave up three earned runs and seven hits against the Pirates.
Drake Baldwin (above) of the Atlanta Braves celebrates scoring during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Truist Park on September 8, 2025. Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves
The Future: The Braves have a ton of young talent on this roster, and most of those players will be needed if Atlanta is going to retain its spot atop the National League East.
Braves catcher Drake Baldwin is one of the top rookies in the National League. The Wisconsin native and former hockey player is on his way to becoming the full-time catcher for this team after platooning with Sean Murphy early in the season. Baldwin has 19 home runs and 80 RBI, and has quickly become one of the clutch hitters on this team.
Nacho Alvarez Jr. (above) hits a single in the fourth inning during the game against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on September 22, 2025. Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves
Along with Waldrep, there are other young arms on the roster. Grant Holmes (21 starts this year), Spencer Swellenbach (17), and AJ Smith-Shawver (9) all gave the team quality starts when their numbers were called. All three pitchers will get starts next season alongside veterans like Strider, Sale, and Bryce Elder.
Currently at third base, Nacho Alvarez, Jr. has been impressive defensively in place of Austin Riley, who was hurt a few months ago. Alvarez, Jr. will not and cannot replace the offensive out of Riley, but will make a fine addition to the Braves’ bench when the time comes to give Riley a rest.
And of course, there’s Ronald Acuna, Jr., arguably one of the best players in baseball when healthy.
The reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers have already clinched the NL West and a postseason birth.
Los Angeles will be hosting one of the two NL wild card series beginning Tuesday. The Dodgers would seem to be the overwhelming favorite over the Cincinnati Reds or the New York Mets, but MLB Network’s Mark DeRosa doesn’t believe that will necessarily be the case.
DeRosa spoke on “MLB Central” Friday morning and discussed why both Cincinnati and New York may have a chance to knock off Los Angeles in the first round.
“The Reds and the Mets have a punchers chance against the Dodgers,” DeRosa said in a clip posted to X. “The Reds go in with a puncher’s chance because of the starting rotation. … Starting rotation wise, Cincinnati will give you everything they have.”
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While it’s the pitching for the Reds that makes DeRosa believe they have a fighting chance, it is a different story for why he believes in the Mets over the Dodgers.
“Whenever you need to quiet the noise, get this guy to the plate,” DeRosa said. “Francisco Lindor has been a money player for this team. Just thinking about last year, the grand slam against the Phillies, the moments against the Braves down the stretch. Whenever he needs to, he is able to relax.”
DeRosa went on to discuss more about Brett Baty, the Mets offense and why it could be so challenging for the Dodgers staff to collect 27 outs.
Los Angeles will certainly have to play some of its best baseball to avoid being knocked out in the first round of the postseason.
Jonah Tong on the mound. Photo: Evan Bernstein/Getty Images
Three hours before he was scheduled to throw the game’s first pitch, Jonah Tong stood, barefoot, in the centerfield grass at Citi Field and stared toward home plate, 400 feet away. Tong wore long black shorts and a long-sleeve black t-shirt with “Mets” in script across the chest. His black hair was wet from a shower. Tong balanced on his right leg for a minute. He balanced on his left leg. He practiced his golf swing. The 22-year-old would soon be making his third major league start, a crucial moment in the attempt to save an imploding Mets season. He appeared utterly at ease.
The Mets had been plunging rapidly downhill for three months and were now on the verge of tumbling out of the playoffs. The sudden arrival of Tong and two nearly-as-young rookie pitchers, Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat, injected a large dose of badly needed energy and optimism.
But if you know Mets history, uplift is nearly always a guarantee of imminent disappointment. Sure enough, things soured quickly in the top of the first inning. Tong was terrible. He had trouble with his control, issuing three walks. When he did throw strikes, he gave up four hits and six runs to the Texas Rangers. Tong’s night was done after just nine batters and 17 minutes, and before he could get three outs. There was a smattering of boos as he walked to the dugout.
His disastrous outing fit nicely, if painfully, into a Mets season that has swung from elation to desperation. Over the winter, they’d signed outfielder Juan Soto, one of the game’s greatest talents, if an enigmatic presence, to the richest-ever contract in pro sports. That helped propel the 2025 Mets payroll to the highest in the game, at $323 million. And for the first three months of the season, the free-spending plan was working: the Mets had the best record in baseball as of June 12. What they had not done, however, was spend big money on starting pitchers. Instead, team executives seemed to put too much stock in the Mets’ high-tech pitching lab, which employs everything from force plates to spin rate data, and supposedly turns bargains into all-stars. In 2024, they’d succeeded with two reclamation projects, Luis Severino and Sean Manaea. This year’s experiment included re-signing Manaea (“I thought that was curious, bringing him back,” a Mets insider says. “Manaea’s arm seem to be hanging by a thread at the end of last year”); acquiring the frequently injured Frankie Montas, whose last truly good season had been in 2021; and signing Clay Holmes, who’d spent the previous six years as a relief pitcher, and turning him into a starter.
Montas blew out his elbow after seven starts. Manaea was hurt, then erratic. Holmes has mostly been okay, though unable to pitch effectively deep into games. Now the Mets, improvising wildly with mere days left to retain their spot in the playoffs, are using Manaea and Holmes to split games, hoping to essentially get one adequate pitcher out of two underperforming starters. Kodai Senga looked like a dominant starter early in the year, then injured a hamstring and never really returned to form. In early September, he was shipped to Triple A Syracuse.
The Mets looked screwed. They’d been lousy for three months, compiling a 26-37 record that was lowlighted by a pair of seven-game losing streaks. Then McLean, Tong, and Sproat, were summoned from the minors by Mets’ president of baseball operations David Stearns, the baseball wunderkind who last year assembled a likable Mets squad that nearly reached the World Series. “I mean, I think we had confidence that we were going to have an influx of young pitching at some point this year,” Stearns told me while standing on the field in Philadelphia before the Mets took on the first-place Phillies. “I don’t know that we necessarily would have predicted having three of our starting pitchers making their major league debuts for us in a pennant race in September, but that’s where we are.”
That night, the 24-year-old McLean would turn in his fifth consecutive strong start, only to suffer his first big league loss as the Mets were shut out. McLean’s physical abilities have always drawn raves. “You will not find a stronger, more athletic man,” says his college coach, Oklahoma State’s Josh Holliday. “Put a pickleball paddle or a golf club in his hands and he’d get real good real fast.” But it’s his aptitude for pitching that may be even more freakish. McLean started out playing both baseball and football at OSU and threw a minimal number of innings in college; during his first two years in the minors with the Mets, McLean was a designated hitter on days he didn’t take the mound. He has been a full-time pitcher for slightly more than a year, yet makes in-game adjustments worthy of a grizzled veteran. McLean is able to throw six pitches; his signature is a sweeper than can break as much as 22 inches horizontally. In his third big league start, though, he noticed the Detroit Tigers, one of this season’s top teams, laying off his breaking pitches and instead leaned heavily on fastballs, giving up just two runs and getting the victory. “He knows what it’s like to stand in there against a professional pitcher,” says AJ Sager, who was the Mets pitching coach in Double A Binghamton last season and in Triple A Syracuse this season. “That’s rare, and it’s a big advantage, because Nolan can process that information really quickly.”
On top of all that, McLean is an above average singer, according to Mets reliever Brooks Raley. “We have the rookies sing on the bus. McLean’s an entertainer,” Raley says. “He did ‘Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue’ and got everyone whooping and hollering.”
Sproat, 25, was supposed to be the organization’s top pitching prospect, but he had to overcome a stretch of wildness this summer and was the last of the trio to be called to New York, where he has pitched well (and has defeated Raley at cribbage). Tong, who looks about 12 years old, is the most intriguing personality. He throws with a violent grace, jerking his head to the left in order to extend his right arm high into the air, a delivery yielding a 95-mile-per-hour four-seam fastball that appears to defy gravity and rise as it approaches home plate — an effect the metricsheads call induced vertical break.
Off the field, Tong is transparently, compellingly emotional. Two hours after he’d been removed from that ugly start against Texas, he was still struggling with his composure in the locker room, barely holding back tears as he answered questions from reporters. Six days later, though, Tong bounced back brilliantly, throwing his fastball aggressively and often, mowing down the San Diego Padres,
The Mets are doing what they can to reduce the pressure, tightly limiting media access to the three young pitchers. The protectiveness is, in part, an attempt to learn from “Generation K,” the much-hyped mid-nineties trio of Mets pitchers Jason Isringhausen, Bill Pulsipher, and Paul Wilson, who failed to live up to the hype due to injuries, unrealistic expectations, and assorted weirdness. Jeremy Hefner, the Mets pitching coach, believes the current group has a maturity beyond their years. “You could put them in a men’s league game in Central Park and they’re gonna be the same as they are out here,” Hefner says, looking weary while standing along the right field foul line. “These guys know themselves.”
The three are also leaning on one another. McLean and Sproat were roommates in Syracuse, and when McLean was called up, Tong moved into the apartment with Sproat. Now they’re all bunking in a Queens hotel, not far from Citi Field, as they try to salvage the Mets’ season. If the Mets reach the playoffs — and with an 80-74 record, they look quite likely to sneak in — the trio, slightly more than two months removed from facing the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, will likely be handed the majority of playoff starts, with McLean on target to pitch game one in the first round.
“Maybe you could expect one young player to carry a substantial load at this point in a season, but three?” a senior executive with a rival, playoff-bound major league team says. “The only thing I’m sure of with the Mets is that if you give David Stearns five years with Steve Cohen’s resources, he’s going to build a dominant team. What you’re seeing is a transition taking place.”
If McLean, Sproat, and Tong survive this month, that is.
The Phillies came into last week preparing for their biggest series of the season, a four-game series against the New York Mets, with their magic sitting at 13. Since then, the Phillies would go on to sweep the Mets, take two out of three from the Kansas City Royals, and now sit just one game away from clinching the NL East for consecutive seasons. The last time the Phillies did that was in 2010-2011.
NL East Dominance
As of today, the Phillies are 89-61, 12 games up on the New York Mets (77-73) for first place in the NL East, which is something I didn’t expect to write this season. I truly believed the Mets would be competitive and the NL East would be close for the majority of the season. However, the Mets have played dreadful baseball in September and just snapped an eight-game losing streak yesterday.
As for the Phillies, they are playing their best baseball of the season right now. The pitching looks great, the offense looks better despite the Phillies missing both Trea Turner and Alex Bohm this week, and the bullpen has found its rhythm. They have found different ways to win games, not just relying on the offense or pitching. Some nights, the pitching staff looks incredible when the offense doesn’t, and vice versa. This team looks like a team built to win in the postseason, and the Phillies are just 12 games away from starting another attempt at a World Series run. The Phillies head out west for six games before returning home for a six-game home stand to close out the season.
The Phillies currently sit as the two seed in the National League but are only two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (91-59) as the one seed. If the Phillies could clinch home-field advantage throughout the entire playoffs, that would make me feel much better entering the postseason.
Bader Leading Off
Once the Phillies announced that Trea Turner was going on the IL, I was unsure who the Phillies would bat leadoff. In last week’s article, I discussed the potential for Stott or Bader to step into that role. In the first game, Rob Thomson went with Bryce Harper in the leadoff spot, which was questionable and rightfully so. In the next game, Rob put Bader at the leadoff spot, and it clicked. In his first game batting leadoff, Bader went 3/5 with a home run against his former team, the New York Mets. Thomson kept Bader in the leadoff spot for the remainder of the week, and boy, did it work. Bader had a great week and has had an even better start to his Phillies career. Bader has a .349 BA with a .940 OPS in 38 games played for the Phillies. Not only has he delivered offensively, but defensively, he’s been great as well. Bader has made some really impressive grabs in the outfield, and for the first time in a while, it feels like the Phillies have found their centerfielder.
Dave Dombrowski did an incredible job this trade deadline, not only acquiring Harrison Bader but also Jhoan Duran, who has continued to pitch great for us as the closer. The Phillies added a legit CF and closer and now look like a team primed to make some noise in the postseason.
Two Weeks Remain
The Phillies kick off their final road trip of the season tonight, as they open up a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (84-65), a team that’s fighting to clinch the NL West. This series could also be a potential playoff matchup. The Dodgers have had a down year compared to where everyone expected them to be. Injuries have hit them hard, and the pitching isn’t what they had hoped. The Phillies always seem to play well at Dodger Stadium, so wins in 2/3 games seem likely. They have an off day on Thursday before they play a three-game weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks (75-75).
The Phillies need just one more win on the season to clinch the NL East, and I like their odds to do it tonight at 10:10 EST with Ranger Suarez on the mound.
Weekly Predictions
Not only do the Phillies win the NL East this week, but they also overtake the Milwaukee Brewers for the one seed in the National League.
The city’s blue-collar identity, deep traditions, and famously passionate fans make rivalries feel less like games on a schedule and more like battles for civic pride.
While every sports town has its grudges, Philadelphia’s run deeper, often defined by history, geography, and raw emotion.
From Cowboys week in the NFL to Flyers – Penguins hockey wars, these rivalries are woven into the DNA of Philly sports culture.
Eagles vs. Cowboys
If you ask a Philadelphia sports fan what week matters most on the NFL calendar, the answer is almost always “Dallas week”. The Eagles-Cowboys rivalry isn’t just about football; it’s cultural. Dallas, with its glitzy “America’s Team” image, has long stood as the antithesis of Philadelphia’s gritty, hard-working ethos.
The rivalry heated up in the 1970s, when both teams regularly fought for NFC supremacy. It reached new levels in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Buddy Ryan’s Eagles embraced a tough, bruising style perfectly tailored for taking on the star-studded Cowboys. Fans still talk about the infamous “Bounty Bowl” games of 1989, when tensions between the franchises turned downright nasty.
Even today, no matter the records, Eagles fans mark Cowboys week with extra energy. A win over Dallas feels sweeter than most, while a loss lingers longer than it should.
The rivalry between NFL teams can be quite heated and precious to not just the fans but also the ownerships, given the amount of money in the sport. It is one of the biggest sports in America, generating the most revenue; therefore, it isn’t just a case of winning or losing against your rival, there’s huge monetary value behind each win! Just like when it comes to NFL betting. Fans, like owners, put their money into backing their team, which gives the fixture that extra bit of excitement for them. The NFL is one of the most popular sports to bet on in America. When first starting out, to lower your risks of losing your own money and at the same time being able to perhaps maximise your winnings, which helps with additional funds, you should take a look at WSN and their sports betting bonuses. These help massively when placing your own bets and give you more to play around with.
Phillies vs. Mets
PHOTO: Connor Gan/Unsplash
On the diamond, the Phillies’ fiercest rivalry has often been with their neighbors to the north: the New York Mets. Though the two franchises have had different stretches of dominance, the overlap has fueled bitter seasons.
The rivalry really took off in the mid-2000s, when both clubs were loaded with talent and competing for NL East crowns. Who could forget Jimmy Rollins declaring the Phillies the “team to beat” in 2007 – only to watch Philadelphia storm past the Mets after New York collapsed in historic fashion down the stretch? That moment alone cemented a new level of hostility between fan bases.
Games at Citizens Bank Park still draw throngs of Mets fans making the trip down I-95, leading to loud, divided crowds and playoff-like atmospheres even in the regular season.
Flyers vs. Penguins
If Cowboys week defines football in Philly, Flyers–Penguins define hockey. This Pennsylvania rivalry isn’t just about geography – it’s about identity. The Flyers, known historically for their physical “Broad Street Bullies” brand of hockey, have clashed for decades with the Penguins, a team often built around flashy superstars like Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby.
The rivalry has produced some of the NHL’s most unforgettable moments. The 2012 playoff series between the teams was a wild, high-scoring affair full of fights, bad blood, and momentum swings. Fans on both sides still point to that series as peak Flyers-Penguins chaos.
For Philadelphia fans, beating Pittsburgh isn’t just about standings – it’s about reminding the state that grit and toughness still matter. The Penguins may have more recent Cups, but Flyers fans wear their hatred like a badge of honor.
76ers vs. Celtics
Basketball in Philadelphia has its own historic rivalry: Sixers vs. Celtics. Dating back to the Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell battles of the 1960s, this matchup has often determined Eastern Conference supremacy.
The intensity carried through the Julius Erving and Larry Bird years in the 1980s, with playoff battles that shaped NBA history. More recently, the Joel Embiid-led Sixers have faced the Celtics in several playoff series, often coming up short. Each postseason defeat only deepens the hunger for revenge.
For fans, there’s an extra sting when Boston is involved. The cities themselves compete culturally and historically, so when the Sixers finally topple the Celtics in a big series, it will feel like more than just a basketball win – it will feel like payback decades in the making.
Union vs. Red Bulls
Philadelphia’s MLS franchise, the Union, may not yet have the century-long history of the other teams, but its rivalry with the New York Red Bulls has grown fast. The two clubs’ proximity and regular playoff meetings have created a spirited competition.
Union fans, known as the Sons of Ben, bring the same Philly energy to Subaru Park, chanting loudly and making sure Red Bulls matches feel hostile for the visitors. It may not yet rival Eagles-Cowboys in intensity, but given time, it’s a rivalry that could blossom into one of Major League Soccer’s most passionate.
Why Rivalries Matter So Much in Philly
What makes these rivalries so special isn’t just the history or the stakes – it’s the fans. Philadelphia supporters carry victories like personal triumphs and defeats like personal insults. Rivalries become part of the city’s identity, passed down through generations.
A child who grows up hearing their parents curse the Cowboys, boo the Penguins, or yell at Mets fans in the stands is bound to inherit that same fire.
In Philadelphia, rivalries aren’t just about the teams; they’re about representing the city itself.
Every time the Eagles beat Dallas, or the Flyers take down Pittsburgh, fans feel like they’ve defended their home turf and proved the city’s toughness all over again.
