It is very interesting to watch the off season moves by the MLB Clubs. The small market teams are always operating on the fringes with trades of role players and trying to manage to microscopic payrolls compared to the big players in baseball. The Dodgers do whatever they want and don’t worry about the cost. And then you have those next tier Clubs like the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Cubs, Blue Jays, Phillies (at least these days) and perhaps the Giants here and there.

The Yankees are more than happy to run it back from 2025 where they scored a lot of runs (although not in the playoffs) and will bank on a slew of starting pitchers returning to form from major surgeries (we all know how that usually goes – not well). Meanwhile, Steve Cohen instructed his President of Baseball Operations to to retool the roster – and fast. The Mets made a number of moves via free agent signings and then pulled off the trade for Peralta on the Brewers last night to really bolster their rotation in 2026. His contract expires after this year and he will make a ton more in free agency assuming there is even a season in 2027.

Cohen is rolling the dice for 2026 with a totally revamped lineup and of course, former Yankee relievers in the bullpen (hmm… good luck with that). SU says Met fans have to be happy with that as Cohen is not standing pat after an underachieving 2025 season. It may or may not work but at least he is going for it.

SU believes that the Bellinger signing by Cashman which was finally achieved yesterday was supposed to then potentially trigger a trade for Peralta. But the Mets got in first and that is a huge loss for the Yankees. The Yankees will head into this season with 6 left-handed hitters in the starting lineup and that assumes Stanton will be a regular contributor for the whole season which we all know is a physical impossiblity (anxiously awaiting the news on the first day of Spring Training to see which body part fell apart in the off season, e.g., tennis elbow, calf, hamstring). Rodon and Cole will be coming back from surgeries and you are banking on Schlittler being the real deal.

The Knicks finally showed some effort last night after a players’ only meeting and some soul searching. SU says coach Mike Brown is on the clock and it remains to be seen if he will survive the rest of the season. So many trade rumors for Giannis on the Bucks but the Knicks don’t have the draft picks that Milwaukee would even want in that type of deal. It does not seem like the Knicks can get to the next level with KAT (defensive liabilty and struggling for points this season) and SU has always felt that Bridges, while a nice player, is not that nice of a player. Could have done better in that spot. No doubt they will make some move at the trade deadline but only for a role player. The reality may be that their best shot was last season. We shall see.

Props to Indiana for running the table and winning it all this year as the Big Ten counts national championships for 3 years in a row. No doubt the SEC is increasingly pissed off about that. Cignetti is a great coach but a better judge of talent given his transfer portal moves. SU is sure he is very skilled with his NIL money as well.

So, Met fans: are you energized for 2026? I know Yankee fans are not. Oh how the tables have turned…