Actual Cubs baseball is only two days away, even if it is just a glorified scrimmage. I'm still trying to find a way to get out to spring training this year, but a pesky jury duty summons is mucking up my plans. Maybe I'll just have to take a little extra PTO and go earlier than initially planned. For some reason, I find it difficult to make time for myself with stuff like this.
General manager Chris Getz said after the Robert trade that the Sox would be "very active" in using that payroll space. Domínguez will make $8MM in the first season of his slightly backloaded deal. Even if the White Sox don't intend to reallocate all $20MM into this year's roster, there should be room in the budget for another addition. Getz acknowledged as much, saying on Thursday that the front office remains involved on both free agent and trade targets.
Evaluating the National League East's offseason activity so far begins with what has happened -- and what hasn't happened in New York. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns set out to make significant changes this winter after a frustrating season ( to put it mildly). Running it back wasn't an option. But it's been a shocking -- and, so far, incomplete -- overhaul in Queens that has fans on edge, an anxiousness exacerbated by Kyle Tucker emerging from the smoke to choose the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Mets late Thursday night.
Ketel Marte is officially off the market, but even if the Diamondbacks aren't swinging a big trade this winter they still have plenty of work to do. The team's biggest move of the offseason has been reuniting with Merrill Kelly in free agency. They've also signed right-hander Michael Soroka and catcher James McCann to one-year deals while shipping lefty Kyle Backhus and outfielder Jake McCarthy out in trades. Those relatively small moves aren't the end of the team's offseason maneuvers, as general manager Mike Hazen told reports (including Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports) that he would like to bolster the pitching staff and also add "a couple of bats" to the offense.
While it may seem a bit odd, December typically is one of the most exciting months on the baseball calendar. The Winter Meetings is typically the peak of off-season activity, and we are just a week away from the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings starting. This does not mean that moves will stop until then, but the main takeaway is that activity should continue to pick for the Braves and other teams.
The Los Angeles Dodgers made a roster move on Tuesday, adding left-handed pitcher Ronan Kopp to the 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft. He had a 3.43 ERA across 49 relief appearances in Double-A and Triple-A last season. In other news, the Dodgers have a few key free agents this offseason, one of them being longtime fan favorite Kiké Hernandez.
After winning the national title, Todd Golden lost the best backcourt in America. Departures included the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player in Walter Clayton Jr. and two more players who were selected in the 2025 NBA draft (Alijah Martin and Will Richard) -- but that's only part of the story. The return of Golden's frontcourt wasn't a guarantee as key players flirted with the NBA draft.
It was quite a moment: The favorite son and the face of the dynasty, back in the Bay to save the organization and that faded black-and-orange tradition he helped build. So, a year later, what have we actually seen change? Not much, if we're being honest. The Giants are still a thoroughly .500 outfit, staring up at the blinding lights of the Dodgers and the perpetually contending Padres.
The last two seasons have been two of the Timberwolves' most successful ... ever. However, coming off back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances, they had a largely uneventful offseason in terms of external improvement. Their most notable move was drafting French big Joan Beringer No. 17 overall last June. He's raw, but he's very athletic and a very good shot-blocker. It will take time for him to learn and bulk up, but I think it was a worthy dart throw.
For our second annual offseason outlook series, Hot Hot Hoops senior writer Matt Hanifan will provide his take on the offseasons of all 30 teams for the next 30 days! We have already completed the Eastern Conference, so we will proceed in alphabetical order with the West before capping it all off with the Miami Heat. Today, we will be evaluating the Denver Nuggets' offseason. Past Previews: Evaluating the Denver Nuggets' 2025 offseason:
Magic president Jeff Weltman was adamant this summer about wanting to win now, and he struck early by acquiring Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane in the summer's first big blockbuster. Bane is a significantly improved ballhandler and decision-maker while also averaging 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals on 40.7 percent shooting from 3-point range over the last four seasons. In translation: He's very good at basketball.
The Indiana Pacers took yet another leap last season, putting together another phenomenal postseason run. They were one game away from winning the franchise's first-ever NBA championship - which few, if any, expected heading into the playoffs. But they weren't able to outlast the Oklahoma City Thunder, and star point guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
The Bulls enter 2025-26 coming off their fourth-straight play-in appearance and second-straight 39-win season. Their biggest move of the offseason was flipping Lonzo Ball for Isaac Okoro, which was more poor asset management on the Bulls' part after what was reportedly available at the deadline. Ball does have notable health concerns. But they sold low on an expiring contract to take on more guaranteed money not only in 2025-26, but the following season as well.
The New York Islanders fell short of making the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs by nine points in the standings and had a reasonable chance at contending for a berth before ending the season on a 3-7-4 streak. The playoffs could potentially be within reach this upcoming season, but their chances hang in balance and depend on a new core finding chemistry together.
