The dam broke atMajor League Baseball's winter meetingson Tuesday morning with news of free agents Kyle Schwarber and Edwin Diaz agreeing to new contracts in quick succession.
Schwarber is returning to thePhiladelphia Philliesonfive-year, $150 million deal, while Diaz is set to join the championLos Angeles Dodgerswith a reported three-year, $69 million pact that will make him the highest-paid (annually) relief pitcher in history.
Baseball's annual gathering is winding down in Orlando but will we see more big moves before everybody scatters home?
Follow along Wednesday for the latest news, rumors and updates:
Green Cathedrals: Photo journey through all 30 MLB stadiums
Rule 5 draft order
The final order of business at MLB's annual Winter Meetings is the Rule 5 draft. It will take place Wednesday, starting at at 2 p.m. ET.
The draft gives teams an opoportunity to select minor leaguers who aren't on other clubs' 40-man rosters for a $100,000 claim fee. Players selected must remain on the drafting team's major league roster for the entire 2026 season or they return to their original organization.
Last year, theChicago White Soxselected pitcher Shane Smith with the top overall pick, and were rewarded with an All-Star season from the 25-year-old right-hander.
Here's this year's Rule 5 draft order:
Chicago White Sox
Athletics
Atlanta Braves
The draft continues in reverse order of last year's standings. The draft proceeds until all teams pass.
Report: Pirates agree to terms with reliever Gregory Soto
The Pittsburgh Pirates have landed a free agent! We already knewit wasn't Kyle Schwarber... but left-hander Gregory Soto has agreed to a one-year, $7.75 million deal,according to ESPN.
Soto, 30, had a 4.18 ERA last season over 60 1/3 innings with the Orioles and Mets. He struck out 70 batters, while walking 24 with a 1.43 WHIP. He's likely to serve as a primary set-up man for presumed closer Dennis Santana.
Carlos Beltran reacts to Edwin Diaz leaving Mets
In the near two years that Carlos Beltran has served as a special assistant to the general manager/president of baseball operations with theNew York Mets, he has had the opportunity to get to know fellow Puerto Rican Edwin Diaz.
On Tuesday afternoon in a conversation ahead of the World Baseball Classic, where Beltran is serving as Puerto Rico's general manager, he discussed the Mets losing out on Diaz.
"He's a guy that in the years that I've been around the Mets, great teammate, great person, prepares extremely well, Beltran said. "He dominates. So as a Met, there's no doubt that some of the Mets fans probably are a little down right now and as a Dodger fan, you gotta feel good about adding a guy like that that you can count on in the ninth inning."
– Andrew Tredinnick, NorthJersey.com
Tigers re-sign reliever Kyle Finnegan
ORLANDO, FL — There's aDetroit Tigersreunion at the Winter Meetings.
TheDetroit Tigersre-signed right-handed relieverKyle Finneganon Tuesday, Dec. 9, to a two-year, $19 million contract in free agency, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement. There aren't any opt-outs or options, meaning Finnegan is set to pitch for the Tigers in 2027 as well.
In 2025, Finnegan posted a 3.47 ERA with 18 walks and 55 strikeouts across 57 innings for theWashington Nationals(40 games) and the Tigers (16 games), racking up 24 saves in 31 chances.
The Tigersacquired Finnegan from the Nationals at the July 31 trade deadline,
−Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press
2026 MLB draft top prospects: White Sox win No. 1 pick in lottery
Major League Baseball's draftis still more than eight months away. Yet after the Dec. 9 draft lottery determined the selection order, you could say theChicago White Soxare ready to Roch.
The White Sox earned the No. 1 overall selection among eligible teams, earning them first crack at UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky – the overwhelming choice to top the draft board come July.
USA TODAY Sports breaks down the draft order and takes a look at 17 top prospects who might slide into the pool of lottery and non-playoff clubs:
1. (White Sox) Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA: Reigning collegiate player of the year combines 6-2, 205-pound frame with elite speed and Gold Glove-caliber defense.
2. (Rays) Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS: The consensus top prep player available, he's a Texas commit who recently batted .346 with a .949 OPS in a stint for Team USA, earning All-World honors.
3. (Twins) Derek Curiel, OF, LSU: Possibly the best pure hitter in the draft, Curiel batted .390 during LSU's run through the NCAA playoffs and a College World Series title and will move to center field in his second season at Baton Rouge, which should enhance his stock.
4. (Giants) Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama: Displayed 18-homer pop as a sophomore and led the SEC in RBIs to go along with a very sound skill set at shortstop.
5. (Pirates) Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle (Calif.): Like your shortstops big and physical? Spangler may be your man. The Stanford signee, 6-3 and 195 pounds, has a consummately projectable long, lean build, a clean left-handed swing and 6.56 60-yard dash speed.
– Gabe Lacques
Scott Boras explains Schwarber's impact on Alonso contract
ORLANDO, FL — Agent Scott Boras believes that DHKyle Schwarber'sfive-year, $150 million contractwill not only accelerate free-agent signings this winter, but will lead to longer-term contracts for sluggers over the age of 30.
Yes, in particular the 31-year-oldNew York Metsfirst basemanPete Alonso, who's represented by Boras.
"The evidence in the market is that these premium talents that have power," Boras said, "are in great demand. And the teams are willing to give more length to secure plot power in the marketplace. …
"Schwarber is obviously one of the best power hitters in the game, and all of these guys that are elite, whether they're 29 or 30, they see a player who's got five years length at 33, it's obviously a fair quotient for the players that are younger to demand more years. …
"I think it really shows the demand for power. We just don't have a lot of it, and it shows the impact that it has."
– Bob Nightengale
What's next for Mets with Edwin Diaz's departure?
While Mets president Stearns declined to comment on Diaz's departure, given the deal has not been finalized, the latest departure of one of their core pieces underscores a new level of urgency.
"I think when we go into an offseason, we have lots of different paths that the offseason can take," Stearns said. "We thought it important to bring in a reliever of really high quality. We're really excited we were able to do that with Devin Williams. We think he's going fit our club really well.
"I'm also confident we're going to continue to add to the pen and have a very good one when we get to the regular season."
– Andrew Tredinnick, NorthJersey.com
Boras says Yankees are in on Cody Bellinger
According to Scott Boras, when GM Brian Cashman and club president Randy Levine call, they don't mention anything about a limited payroll.
"They talk about acquiring players,'' said Boras, who referenced the Yanks' $700 million-plus pursuit last December of his free agent client Juan Soto, who ultimately signed a record deal with the Mets.
"(Owner) Hal (Steinbrenner), Randy and Cash did everything they could possibly do to pursue a great talent,'' said Boras. "I have no reason that they wouldn't approach this market any different than that."
Boras wouldn't say if Steinbrenner had personally entered the Bellinger negotiations, "but the Yankees have reached out about Cody, and we continue to talk."
– Pete Caldera
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:MLB rumors live 2026 winter meetings, latest rumors, news and updates
