The Phillies have extended manager Rob Thomson’s contract through 2025.
For the next two seasons, Rob Thomson, also known as “Philly Rob,” will remain in Philadelphia.
Thomson’s one-year contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies, which will keep him in charge through the 2025 season, was announced on Monday.
The Phillies manager’s contract was scheduled to expire following the 2024 campaign, but the front office gave Thomson more job security rather than letting him work in a lame-duck year.
This is a sensible move, given that he has only been in charge of Philadelphia for a year and a half, but he has led the team to the World Series in 2022 and the National League Championship Series in 2023. In the regular season, the Phillies have a 155-118 record since June 2022, when Thomson was named interim manager.
Philadelphia was eliminated from the postseason in an unexpected loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS despite finishing the 2023 season with a record of 90-72 and securing a wild-card berth.
Dustin Lind and Rafael Peña were hired by Philadelphia as assistant hitting coaches, the team announced on Monday. Peña comes from a stint with the Houston Astros, while Lind was previously employed by the San Francisco Giants.
PHILADELPHIA — Following his leadership of the team to two consecutive NL Championship Series appearances, manager Rob Thomson of the Philadelphia Phillies has agreed to a one-year contract extension through the 2025 campaign.
Since Joe Girardi was replaced as Phillies manager by veteran bench coach Thomson on June 3, 2022, the 60-year-old has a 155-118 record. The Phillies were led by Thomson to the 2022 World Series, but the Houston Astros defeated them in six games. This season, the Phillies made a comeback to the NLCS, but they lost series leads against Arizona in Games 6 and 7 at home, 2-0 and 3-2.
The Phillies had their first 90-win season since 2011 under Thomson’s leadership in 2023, finishing 90-72. He joined Hall of Famers Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel as the only managers in MLB history to win 18 of their first 25 postseason games this past October.
Under former manager Gabe Kapler, Thomson was originally brought on as a bench coach for the 2018 campaign.
Until he was given a promotion to manager, Thomson had stated that he intended to retire after the 2022 season. Thomson stated that he intended to manage as long as the Phillies wanted him to after this season and that he had no plans to retire.
The Phillies look ready to challenge for the World Series once more in 2024 with sluggers like Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper back. According to FanDuel SportsBook, the Phillies had 10-1 odds on Monday to win the 2024 World Series.
Ace Aaron Nola was signed by the Phillies last month to a seven-year, $172 million contract.
Thomson declared, “We’ve got a good ball club,” following the Phillies’ NLCS elimination. But making it to the postseason is not our aim. Our ultimate objective is to win the World Series.
2008 was the last World Series victory for the Phillies.
From 1990 to 2017, Thomson was a part of the New York Yankees organization for 28 years. During that time, he served as the bench coach (2008), the major league coach (2015), and the third base coach (2009–14) for ten seasons.
Rafael Peña and Dustin Lind were also hired by the Phillies to serve as assistant hitting coaches.
With the signing of Joey Wendle to bolster the bench and Luis Severino to bolster the starting rotation, the Mets have already completed a small portion of their offseason work.
Along with minor moves for a few other players, mostly catchers and relievers who may not even be on the 40-man roster, New York has also addressed the bottom of the roster.
Plenty remains on David Stearns’ plate as the Mets and the baseball community gather in Nashville this week for the Winter Meetings.
These are five things that Stearns and Company ought to be doing at the Winter Meetings and, occasionally, even beyond them.
With Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana in the rotation, Severino will be the third pitcher. However, the Mets require much more.
According to SNY’s Andy Martino, Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto is their top pitching target. However, it’s unlikely that he’ll sign in Nashville.
The Mets may be able to acquire another pitcher or two as long as they pursue Yamamoto, who is apparently attracting strong interest from the Dodgers, Yankees, Giants, and other teams.
Jordan Montgomery is a good fit for New York if they’re searching near the top of the market. But he may hold off until Yamamoto is removed from the team. For Lucas Giolito and Shota Imanaga, the same is true.
But he may hold off until Yamamoto is removed from the team. For Lucas Giolito and Shota Imanaga, the same is true.
Potential starters Eric Lauer, Jack Flaherty, and Hyun-jin Ryu could be available soon on short-term contracts.
Adjust the bullpen.
I wrote about five relievers the Mets should target early in the offseason.
Only one of them, Ronaldo Lopez, has signed; the other four are still free agents.
Hector Neris, Matt Moore, Phil Maton, and David Robertson are those relievers.
Additionally, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Mets to sign two of the aforementioned players because they need multiple arms who can pitch in the late innings.
As things currently stand, the Mets’ bullpen consists of Edwin Diaz, Brooks Raley, and Drew Smith.
Locate an outfield player.
Right now, the Mets’ outfield is essentially made up of Brandon Nimmo and a number of unknowns.
Although Starling Marte has a contract through 2025, the Mets shouldn’t be counting on him to continue producing well or staying healthy after a season marred by injuries in 2023.
Then there’s Jeff McNeil, who has a better infield profile but can play both corner outfield positions.
The Mets need to bring in a backup in case Marte’s groin troubles resurface, and according to Martino’s Monday report, they’ve had talks with defensive mastermind Michael A. Taylor.
Taylor doesn’t provide the Mets much offense, so they should be looking elsewhere for it even though he would be a great addition as a fourth outfielder.
One of the most pressing needs for New York is to locate a reliable designated hitter.
The ideal addition would be a DH with additional positional versatility.
Jorge Soler, to whom the Marlins declined a qualifying offer, might be the best choice.
Teoscar Hernandez, a career.261/.317/.487 hitter, is another. Hernandez hit more than 25 home runs in a single year since 2019, with the sole exception occurring during the postponed 2020 season, during which he hammered 16 home runs in 50 games.
J.D. Martinez seems like the best fit in terms of bat and contract duration, but he can’t play a position.
The Mets should not, and most likely will not, forfeit their future by sending any of their best prospects to sign one-year contracts. However, that does not preclude them from making a significant trade.
The Mets might not be able to afford Dylan Cease, who has two years left of team control, or Corbin Burnes, who has one year left of control, but they should be able to acquire someone like Tyler Glasnow.
Glasnow has many more asterisks than Cease and Burnes.
He has a frightening injury history, is owed $25 million, and has never pitched more than 120 innings in a season.
To acquire Glasnow, something significant will be required, but his price shouldn’t be as high as Burnes’. Additionally, he shouldn’t be as expensive as what
SEATTLE — In exchange for right-handed pitchers Cole Phillips and Jackson Kowar, the Atlanta Braves acquired outfielder Jarred Kelenic, pitcher Marco Gonzales, and infielder Evan White from the Seattle Mariners.
Together with Kelenic, who was once considered one of baseball’s best young prospects, the trade gave the Braves another experienced lefty pitcher. In the process, Seattle released a portion of Kelenic’s salary and gave up on him, allowing the Braves to sign Gonzales and White to contracts.
As part of the deal, Seattle is sending cash to Atlanta. While White has $17 million in guaranteed money left on his contract, Gonzales is owed $12 million for the 2024 season.
Jerry Dipoto, President of Baseball Operations for Seattle, said in a statement, “We believe the additions of Jackson Kowar and Cole Phillips, as well as the roster and payroll flexibility created tonight, will move us closer to that goal as we continue to work through this offseason with a goal of improving our team for 2024 and beyond.”
The main component heading to Atlanta in the deal is Kelenic. Once a highly sought-after prospect for the New York Mets organization, Robinson Cano and Edwin Díaz were sent to the Mets by the Mariners in December 2018, resulting in Kelenic’s trade to Seattle. Although Kelenic was regarded as one of the best minor league prospects at the time, he had some difficulties making the jump to the majors.
and encountered growth issues even in that season, missing nearly two months due to a foot fracture sustained while kicking a cooler in the dugout. In 105 games, Kelenic finished the season with a.253 batting average, 11 home runs, and 49 RBIs.
Gonzales, who was acquired by Seattle via trade from St. Louis in 2017, had the longest tenure of any player on the team. He was at the top of Seattle’s rotation for a spell before having intermittent difficulties over the previous two seasons.
Over the course of seven seasons with Seattle, Gonzales, 31, started 148 games and recorded a 4.08 ERA. Gonzales only made 10 appearances as a pitcher in the previous campaign before having surgery to relieve pressure on a nerve in his left arm. He’s anticipated to be prepared for the beginning
Before making his major league debut in November 2019, White, 27, agreed to a $24 million, six-year contract. Since then, injuries have defined his career. His play at first base during the shortened 2020 season earned him a Gold Glove, but he has struggled to maintain his health in the intervening years. After making 30 appearances in the 2021 season, White has not participated in major league baseball. His remaining debt is $8 million in 2025, $7 million the following year, and a $2 million buyout of a 2026 club option.
The 27-year-old Kowar has experience in the major leagues, having relieved for Kansas City in 23 games the previous year. However, Phillips is the trade-off that might pay off in the future.
Despite not having pitched in a professional game, the 20-year-old was ranked among the top 10 prospects in Atlanta’s farm system and was selected in the second round of the 2022 draft. Before the 2022 draft, Phillips had Tommy John surgery, so he hasn’t made his professional debut yet.
The acquisition ends the Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos’ search for a left fielder to replace Eddie Rosario, whose $9 million club option was rejected, he told Atlanta media during a conference call.
Along with infielder Vaughn Grissom, who will start learning how to play outfield in the Puerto Rican winter league, Kelencic will have a chance at the position. The Braves are attempting to figure out a way to insert Grissom’s bat into the lineup despite his lackluster defensive play at shortstop. The right-hander might end up platooning with left-handed hitter Kelenic in left field while covering ground in the middle infield.
Gonzales gives a rotation that had trouble securing a complete complement of pitchers during the injury-plagued 2023 season another back-end option. Reynaldo López, a free agent signed by the Braves, is another player they hope to start after he exclusively
