The New York Mets made a big splash in the offseason by signing superstar Juan Soto to a $765 million deal, addressing their need for pitching by bringing back Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, and Clay Holmes. Despite missing out on high-profile starters like Corbin Burnes, the Mets are confident in their ability to develop a strong pitching staff under club president David Stearns, who has a track record of success with previous teams. The Mets’ rotation for 2025 includes Manaea, Kodai Senga, Montas, David Peterson, and Holmes, with potential for improvement and upside. Stearns’ strategy of not overspending on long-term deals for pitching allows for more financial flexibility to potentially strengthen the offense with signings like Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso. In evaluating Griffin Canning’s potential as a starter, trust in his abilities should be established by now, considering his background as a former second-round pick and a top-70 prospect. The Angels’ track record with pitchers compared to Stearns’ success in fielding rotations suggests that Canning’s talent may finally be realized. With support from Paul Blackburn and Tylor Megill, Stearns’ history of fielding effective rotations indicates that the pitching staff may exceed expectations despite lacking star power.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers, along with eight other MLB teams including the New York Mets and Yankees, are facing luxury tax bills totaling a record $311.3 million, with the Dodgers owing $103 million. The luxury tax system aims to curb excessive spending by calculating a team's tax based on the average annual value of player contracts and imposing penalties for repeat offenders, such as draft pick reductions for exceeding the threshold by more than $40...
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