MLB winter meetings news: Schwarber, Diaz of the board in Tuesday flurry

Major League Baseball’s winter meetings continued Tuesday as the game’s most powerful people convened in Orlando.

The market for top free agent Kyle Tucker is still unclear and the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte is a player whose name has been hot in trade rumors. The Washington Nationals are drawing interest for All-Stars CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore, two of the players the team acquired in the 2022 Juan Soto trade.

The Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s 2026 draft lottery on Dec. 9 at the winter meetings and will have the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 1977, and just the club’s third in franchise history.

Here’s a look back at the signings and news from Tuesday:

MLB hot stove boils over with Diaz, Schwarber contracts

ORLANDO, FL — MLB’s free agent damn broke Tuesday when slugger Kyle Schwarber signed a five-year, $150 million contract to return to the Philadelphia Phillies while free-agent closer Edwin Diaz is heading to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Phillies felt all along they had to have Schwarber back, not only for his prodigious power, but for his veteran clubhouse leadership. The Phillies were offering Schwarber a four-year deal, but once the Pittsburgh Pirates and at least one other team offered a four-year deal for about $120 million, the Phillies knew they had to up the ante.

“He was just too important to us,’ one Phillies executive said. “We had to have him back.’

The Dodgers, who spent $85 million on closer Tanner Scott and setup man Kirby Yates last year, only for them to struggle, pivoted and grabbed the best closer on the market again in Diaz.

– Bob Nightengale

Chicago White Sox win MLB draft lottery

The Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s 2026 draft lottery on Dec. 9 at the winter meetings and will have the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 1977, and just the club’s third in franchise history.

The new Pope’s favorite team entered the lottery with the best odds (27.73%) to land the No. 1 pick, baseball’s fourth year with a draft lottery.

Tarik Skubal trade? Tigers are ‘listening’

ORLANDO, FL — Tarik Skubal is the talk of the MLB winter meetings.

The reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young winner is set to become a free agent after the 2026 season. The 29-year-old left-hander projects to become the first pitcher in MLB history to receive a $400 million contract once he reaches free agency.

‘I can’t do my job without listening,’ Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said. ‘I can’t do my job without exploring anything that may or may not have legs. Some are going to be very likely moves, and some are going to be extremely unlikely, but you can’t actually fully vet those opportunities unless you’re willing to listen.’

– Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press

Scott Boras provides Cody Bellinger update

Answering a question about Cody Bellinger’s free agency, agent Scott Boras on Tuesday suggested that the Yankees have competition from the Dodgers, Reds, Angels, Blue Jays, Mets, Giants and Phillies.

Of course, the Phillies might be out after reports of Kyle Schwarber’s five-year, $150 million agreement to remain in Philadelphia, which surfaced as Boras spoke on Tuesday

Out of code, Boras added that he ‘can never predict’ the pace of negotiations for someone like Bellinger, but ‘when owners get involved, they can do things at a moment’s notice with these type of players.”

Boras would not say whether Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner had become personally involved in the Bellinger negotiations.

‘We keep those things private,” said Boras. ‘But the Yankees have reached out about Cody, and we continue to talk.”

– Pete Caldera, NorthJersey.com

Tigers pursuing Ha-Seong Kim

ORLANDO, FL — It’s not Alex Bregman. But it might be a better fit.

The Detroit Tigers have interest in shortstop Ha-Seong Kim in free agency, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The 30-year-old Kim declined his $16 million player option with the Atlanta Braves to return to the open market in the 2025-26 offseason, suggesting he could seek at least two years and $30 million, if not three years, $45 million.

This marks the second straight offseason in which the Tigers have shown interest in Kim.

– Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press

Edwin Diaz signs with Dodgers

In completing their back-to-back World Series championship run, the Los Angeles Dodgers lacked one critical element: A lockdown closer.

They took care of that Tuesday, agreeing to terms with All-Star reliever Edwin Diaz, as first reported by The Athletic.

Diaz, who will be 32 on opening day, spent the past seven seasons with the Mets after beginning his career with the Seattle Mariners.

Diaz’s exit from New York was at least partially sealed when the Mets agreed to a three-year, $51 million contract with two-time All-Star Devin Williams.

Kyle Schwarber back to Phillies

Kyle Schwarber, who hit a National League-best 56 home runs in 2025, is heading back to the Philadelphia Phillies, agreeing to a five-year, $150 million contract, according to a baseball official familiar with the agreement. The official spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been finalized.

Schwarber, who turns 33 in March, closed out his four-year, $79 million contract with Philadelphia in epic fashion, setting a career-high in home runs and leading the major leagues with 132 RBIs to finish second in NL MVP voting. He averaged nearly 47 home runs and posted an .856 OPS in his four years with Philly.

That set him up as one of the most coveted sluggers on the free-agent market this winter, and the Phillies decided they could not live without his peerless slugging ability and clubhouse leadership.

Twins ‘able to move the ball forward’

After a trade deadline fire sale, Minnesota’s intentions this offseason seemed unclear with star outfielder Byron Buxton and right-handed starters Joe Kelly and Pablo Lopez considered trade bait. But the team has indicated all three will be back in 2026 and, per Bobby Nightengale Jr. of The Minnesota Star Tribune, Twins president Derek Falvey says ‘it’s a little more clear that we have been able to move the ball forward.’

Falvey has made presentations to ownership, including the minority investors, about potential payroll plans for this offseason, and it’s still uncertain just how much the Twins might spend. They could reveal their minority ownership investors as early as next week.

‘I anticipate some news on that here in the near term where things are shaking out around ownership,’ Falvey said. ‘But I’m not currently at liberty to speak to any specifics.’

Red Sox looking for infield help

With Alex Bregman’s return to Boston uncertain, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Red Sox have shown interest in Astros infielder Isaac Paredes.

‘Bregman still appears to be the Red Sox’s No. 1 target,’ writes Rosenthal, who adds that Paredes could be Boston’s Plan B or even an option at first base if the Sox were to bring back Bregman.

Paredes was traded to the Astros by the Cubs last December in the deal that sent this year’s prized free agent Kyle Tucker to Chicago. Paredes played 102 games for Houston in 2025, with 89 of those appearances coming at third base. He last played first base with the Rays in 2024.

Rays close to deal with lefty Steven Matz

The Tampa Bay Rays are in the process of finalizing a two-year contract with left-hander Steven Matz, according to multiple media reports.

A starter for most of his 11-year MLB career, Matz transitioned to the bullpen with the Cardinals and was extremely effective in the role last season, especially after the trade to Boston.

Matz, 34, finished with a 3.05 ERA in 53 total appearances, but he had a 2.08 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 21 ⅔ innings with the Red Sox.

The Rays will need to create a spot on the 40-man roster to add Matz once his contract is finalized.

As MLB lockout looms, Dave Roberts would support salary cap

ORLANDO, FL — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who drew the ire of the Major League Baseball Players Association last week when he voiced his support for a salary cap and floor, reiterated Monday that it’s merely his opinion and doesn’t consider his view a potential distraction among players.

“Here’s the thing,’ Roberts said, “I’m entitled to an opinion, as we all are. And so I think that’s one man’s opinion.’

– Bob Nightengale

Mets sure they’ll ‘be in touch’ with Pete Alonso

ORLANDO, FL. — Pete Alonso will be making the short trek from his home in Tampa to the winter meetings this week, but he won’t be entertaining the team where his roots had settled. David Stearns acknowledged that the longtime Mets first baseman would be attending but would let him explore his options unhindered.

‘I think Pete knows us really well. I think we know Pete really well,’ Stearns said. ‘I think he’ll take the time here to perhaps meet with organizations he doesn’t know quite as well, and I’m sure we’ll be in touch.’

– Andrew Treddenick, NorthJersey.com

Yankees-Blue Jays battle carries into hot stove

ORLANDO, FL — The Toronto Blue Jays are the reigning AL champions, and they arrived at the Winter Meetings having already made the biggest splash in free agency, signing Dylan Cease for $210 million.

“They’re really good and they’ve already gotten better,’’ Yankees GM Brian Cashman said, assessing the AL East as “the toughest division in baseball.’

“It typically is, the Beast of the East. We know our work is cut out for us.’

– Pete Caldera, NorthJersey.com