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2025 Winter Meetings Charity Auction to support Little League Disaster Relief Fund

\n\n”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:” offerings include a range of experiences, including a tour of Wrigley Field and game tickets (Cubs), playing catch with Francisco Lindor (Mets), personalized video greetings from players (Yankees), a Bryce Harper autographed jersey (Phillies) and an autographed Mookie Betts jersey (Dodgers).\n\n“Little League is grateful that we enjoy a tremendous partnership with Major League Baseball, all the clubs, both at the Major League and Minor League level. Every year, Little League programs around the world face impact from natural disasters. As communities begin the long road to recovery, we want to ensure that the fields that boys and girls play on, baseball and softball, are ready, and they have the equipment necessary when the kids are ready to return,†said Patrick Wilson, Little League president and chief executive officer.\n\nOther causes the Winter Meetings Auction has supported over the years include lung cancer research in honor and memory of Orioles public relations great Monica Barlow; a youth baseball and softball field in memory of Mets public relations great Shannon Forde; a scholarship fund in memory of the late beloved baseball executive Katy Feeney; the Jackie Robinson Foundation and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; and for the five organizations leading the fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrigâ€s disease.\n\nMost recently, donations were given in support of the establishment of a new Boys & Girls Club in Uvalde, Texas – a much-needed resource for Uvalde youth and their families following the aftermath of the Robb Elementary shooting in 2022 – Stand Up To Cancer in 2023 and renovating Willie Mays Park in 2024.”,”type”:”text”}],”relativeSiteUrl”:”/news/2025-winter-meetings-charity-auction-to-support-little-league-disaster-relief-fund”,”contentType”:”news”,”subHeadline”:””,”summary”:”ORLANDO, Fla. – Since 2012, Major League Baseball has teamed with all 30 clubs to host a charity auction during the Winter Meetings that will benefit a specific cause that is especially meaningful to the game.\nThe auction – which offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences organized by dozens of media relations departments”,”tagline({\”formatString\”:\”none\”})”:null,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,”title”:”Article”,”type”:”article”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”winter-meetings”,”title”:”Winter Meetings”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”ContributorTag”,”slug”:”alyson-footer”,”title”:”Alyson 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Unusually devoid of creativity, Brighton had found themselves imprisoned within Nuno Espírito Santoâ€s tactical cage, falling right into his hands. Jarrod Bowen, so often West Hamâ€s talisman, scored the goal, executing the masterplan from the narrowest of angles, perfectly executing the counterattacking strategy. Slowly but surely, still staring demotion in the face, Nunoâ€s team look capable of fighting their way to safety. His plan had come together so well that Bowenâ€s goal was supplied by a substitute in Callum Wilson, on the field for just 51 seconds. His masterplan fell short when the Amex, the home of late goals, staged yet another comeback, Georginio Rutter roofing the equaliser amid the type of madcap scramble that is commonplace at Brighton.

Before a late surge that had seemed wholly beyond them, Brighton could not muster a shot on target. Their ambitions of returning to the European stage they graced in the 2023-24 season are being hindered by inconsistency. West Ham were in Europe that season, too, though horizons are lowered. Leeds†form has deepened relegation worries and they were denied the three points they needed to close the gap by Rutterâ€s equaliser.

Nuno presided over a 7-0 win over Fabian Hürzelerâ€s team last season at Nottingham Forest. His previous Premier League visit had seen both managers red-carded after touchline squabbles. With Lucas Paquetá returning from suspension after last Sundayâ€s tantrum, the Brazilian played off Bowen, playing centrally, a position where the Hammers captain has not often found his best form. Danny Welbeck and Rutter were restored to Albionâ€s attack.

Amid a horrible swirl of wind and rain that appeared to be keeping spectators from the Amexâ€s lower tiers, West Ham soon adopted Nunoâ€s trademark low block, aware of their opponents†speed in transition, Bowen, Paquetá and Crysencio Summerville asked to chase long balls out of defence when they could. None of that trio are as adept as Wilson at holding up the ball, the former England striker benched. Thus, Paquetáâ€s playmaking, his attacking colleagues peeling off in readiness, was the chosen weapon.

Brighton struggled to sustain any attacking threat in the first half. Amid slim pickings, the closest they came was Maxim De Cuyper going close to emulating Bruno Guimarães when almost scoring from a corner, only for the wind to deny. Worsening weather played its part in Mats Wieffer missing a more genuine chance, De Cuyperâ€s cross skidding beyond reach when any touch would have done.

When Paquetáâ€s low shot tested Bart Verbruggen for West Hamâ€s first shot on target, it suggested Nunoâ€s strategy could come off. The grimmer conditions became, the more likely a mistake or deflection to result in a goal. Half-time arrived as respite for players and spectators alike.

Jarrod Bowen celebrates after giving West Ham a second-half lead. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Action Images/Reuters

With El Hadji Malick Diouf blocking off the speed of Yankuba Minteh, Brighton were missing the invention and drive of Yasin Ayari in midfield while Carlos Baleba continues to fall short of the performances of last season that won him rave reviews. The speed of Summerville and Bowen, licensed to roam, began to grow in threat. Verbruggen, left unprotected, produced a brilliant double save following Bowenâ€s scampering run and grubber shot and Summervilleâ€s volley of the rebound.

Baleba departed on the hour, concerns continued over his ability to complete a full 90, for Jack Hinshelwood, as Hürzeler sought a control of midfield that never arrived. Nuno doubled down on his teamâ€s prominence by throwing on Freddie Potts for Guido Rodríguez, only for Brighton, at last, to build up a semblance of momentum. Minteh blasted wide – his shot selection is often wayward – for his last participation in the game, amid changes from both managers that brought Wilson into West Hamâ€s forward line, and Brajan Gruda and Charalampos Kostoulas for Brighton.

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That immediately preceded West Hamâ€s goal. Wilson pounced on Jan Paul van Heckeâ€s mistake to send Bowen away to score. That woke Brighton up, though the closest they came was Maximilian Kilman almost knocking beyond his own keeper. Kostoulas also missed a chance but it was Wilson who went closest to a second goal in the game.

Late goals being habitual at the Amex, kept home supporters, quiet all sodden afternoon, expectant that their team could find the incision lacking all afternoon. Welbeck, hitherto anonymous, claimed an unlikely penalty, and Alphonse Areola made a save from Kostoulas but the Hammers keeper was left unprotected as Van Hecke, showing calm amid the squall, slid the ball for Rutter to crash in.

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55 minWest Ham win a free-kick, but Mavrapnos canâ€t do anything with it at the back post.

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54 minSummerville swipes a pass in behind for Paqueta, who lays back a return, and thereâ€s a nice one-two between the former and Bowen, who canâ€t quite find a lane to shoot.

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53 minWiffer helps the ball down the right, but Minteh canâ€t turn it into anything and it goes behind for a goalkick.

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52 minThe free-kick seeks Mavrapanos at the back post, but thereâ€s way too much on it.

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51 minDunk and Wieffer both catch Summerville; the ref cautions the former.

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51 minHereâ€s that Hughes finish…

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47 minWest Ham feed Wan-Bissaka down the right and his cross is a goodun – do not adjust your screens, that is not a misprint – but Diouf, with time to take it down and have a chat, instead decides heâ€s Mark Hughest at Spurs in 1988, and it turns out he isnâ€t, his scissor-kick flying miles away from anywhere.

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Updated at 10.08 EST

47 min“If I was a kid offered the choice between playing EA Sports FC 25 or watching West Ham, who average just one goal every home game,†says Rick Harris, “then I think I would choose virtual excitement over reality dross.â€

This hasnâ€t been a terrible game, I donâ€t think, but yup, we need to get ill with it to make them endure the worst aspects.

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46 minWe go again…

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Back come our teams…

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Half-time entertainment:

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HALF-TIME: Brighton & Hove Albion 0-0 West Ham United

An interesting first half, light on chances but with plenty of scope for improvement.

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45+1 minWeâ€ll have one additional minute, almost played.

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45+1 minAnd the corner causes trouble, bouncing about in the box before going behind for a goalkick.

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45 minNow West Ham get Bowen on the ball, facing goal, and he drags is wide of Dunk, firing a shot thatâ€s deflected just wide thanks to the defenderâ€s desperate lunge.

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44 minWest Ham get the corner away and will be pretty satisfied with their afternoonâ€s work – so far.

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43 minBasck come Brighton, De Cuyper crossing from the left and Welbeck leaving it for Rutter, who catches his volley nicely … but Todibo, whoâ€s playing well – now and over the last bit – blocks behind for a corner. Diouf celebrates, because he knows that without his mateâ€s intervention, that was 1-0.

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41 minMistake from Van Hecke, who eads into Dunk, allowing Paqueta to nick away, sending Summerville through down the left side of the box. Heâ€s got a man in the middle and a lovely touch with the outside his right foot opens angle and far post for the Henry finish … but he doesnâ€t get the draw, passing a finish wide.

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39 minLovely feet from Paqueta on the right, and heâ€s chasing about following the ball now, trying to get as many touches as possible. Nothing comes of this opportunity, but heâ€s looking like a player desperate to affect the outcome of this game. Meantime, Wiefferâ€s cross is cleared to Gomez, who shanks high and wide.

Lucas Paqueta of West Ham United and Carlos Baleba of Brighton. Photograph: Sean Ryan/IPS/ShutterstockShare

Updated at 09.46 EST

37 min Wan-Bisska chases down Kadioglu then shoves him the back, exactly what te wanted. I canâ€t think of many defenders Iâ€ve seen with less game-intelligence than the West Ham man.

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35 minAgain, though, Brughton keep West Ham boxed, winning another corner, which goes beyond the back post where Gomez, unmarked, nods down and behind.

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33 minMinteh goes down the right but again sticks too much on his cross; this time, Brighton recover the ball and sustain the attack, then De Cuyper, under little pressure as Wan-Bissaka is too slow to get out to him, steps inside, curls a beauty of a cross into the corridor, and Wieffer is there to prod, bundle or tap home … but he ends up putting away fresh air, his timing off and the ball passing by him. Thatâ€s the best and only chance of the match.

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32 minDiouf is starting to involve himself, his cross deflected behind for a corner; Dunk heads it clear and the ref awards Brighton a free-kick anyway.

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30 minWe learn that when Bowen burrowed forward a few minutes ago, released by Paqueta, the touch he took was West Hamâ€s first in the Brighton box.

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29 minFernandes beats De Cuyper and sprays out to Diouf, whose low cross, probably mis-hit, almost catches out Verbruggen at the near post, ruffling the side-netting.

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28 minBetter from Brighton, Balebe moving forward before spreading for Minteh, who teases an inswinging cross towards the far post thatâ€s got just too much on it. The home side are, though, improving.

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27 minPre-match, we talked about potential olimpicos, and De Cuyper does go for goal from the corner, but the ball drifts just over the bar.

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26 minRutter skins Todibo, Diouf going to ground and allowing himself to be skipped over. Minteh takes over, but Todibo gets back well to block his cross at cost of a corner.

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24 minMinteh gives it away to Summerville, who immediately transfers inside to Paquueta, who flicks immediately to Bowen, at inside-right. Heâ€s blocked off by Rutter at cost of a corner – which comes to nowt – but that is precisely the kind of move West Ham are set up to execute.

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Updated at 09.26 EST

22 minWest Ham are letting Brighton have the ball until the cross halfway, and itâ€s notable that Paqueta isnâ€t being asked to chase back. Once heâ€s pressed from the front, heâ€s loitering upfield hoping for a cahnter.

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21 minGomez is late on Fernandes and just about escapes a booking; heâ€s actually a card away from a ban, so just as well for him and Brighton.

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20 minBaleba gives Gomez quick ball and itâ€s moved on to Wieffer, who thunders a shot into the nearest defender. Weâ€ve not had a chance yet, but I donâ€t think this match is going to end goalless.

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19 minIn Abu Dhabi, Lando Nozza is very close to winning the 2025 driver championship.

Photograph: ITV/ShutterstockShare

Updated at 09.21 EST

17 minWe thought Paqueta might have fun roaming free and tossing grenades, and heâ€s starting to, just overhitting a through-ball seeking Summerville.

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16 minSky have just apologised for some naughty words audible from the away end. Do they know their proprietor is Rupert Murdoch?

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15 minA ball in behind for Summerville, who looks offside, and once Verbruggen has saved a poor one-on-one finish, the flag goes up. It is, as ever, odd the officials and laws made the keeper do that for no reason, but West Ham are starting to threaten.

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14 minDelicious control from Paqueta, taking a pass from Areola and knocking off the Diouf, whose ball in behind seeking Summerville is quick and well directed. But Verbruggen is out quickly enough to clear.

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Aston Villa vs Arsenal (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes suffered a setback as Aston Villa secured a 2-1 victory with Emiliano Buendia’s stoppage-time winner on Saturday. The result reduced Villa’s gap to league leaders Arsenal to three points, while also providing Manchester City an opportunity to gain ground on Arsenal.In the final moments at Villa Park, Buendia found the back of the net in the fifth minute of added time, leaving Arsenal shell-shocked.”In the manner that happened at the end, obviously, (it is) really difficult to take,” Arteta told TNT Sports.Arsenal’s third consecutive away game without a win, following draws with Sunderland and Chelsea, has allowed rivals City and Villa to increase pressure at the top of the table.Villa moved to second place temporarily after winning nine of their last ten matches. This turnaround came after a challenging start under Unai Emery, where they failed to win their first five games.”At the minute we’re on a great run,” said Matty Cash, who scored Villa’s opener in the 36th. “We know it’s not even Christmas yet, so we have to keep being demanding, keep being consistent, and then we’ll see where it takes us.”Arsenal’s substitute Leandro Trossard equalized seven minutes into the second half.Buendia, who entered the game in the 87th minute, proved to be a game-changing substitution by scoring past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.”We fight until the last minute, the last second, it was a really incredible win,” he said.This marked only Arsenal’s second defeat of the season, their first since losing 1-0 to Liverpool in August.”We were 18 games unbeaten, and yet still the margin is so small,” Arteta said. “We have to focus on ourselves and set the standards that today, particularly, individually we didn’t raise that level. The effort was absolutely there and use that pain to go again.”

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Just a reminder that Paul MacInnes will be on hand for a World Cup draw Q&A later on this morning. Feel free to leave a comment below the line or send your questions in to matchday.live@theguardian.com before 11am.

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Q&A with Paul MacInnes

Paul MacInnes

Good morning and I hope everyone is enjoying the prospect of a return to actual football after whatever that was in Washington last night. Putting the awful politics to one side for a second, it was just a bad show to watch. Kevin Hart looked like he hadnâ€t been given a script, never mind learned, it and the Robbie Williams thing, Desire, gave me a strong desire to encase myself in concrete. I canâ€t see Gianni Infantino replacing Michael McIntyre anytime soon either (though they do share a nauseous kind of glossiness). As for the draw, is Scotlandâ€s Group C a challenge or an opportunity? Could the US have had it any softer? And are Croatia and Ghana potentially tricky opponents for England?

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At 11am, Paul MacInnes will be on hand to answer your questions on the World Cup draw. Get them sent to matchday.live@theguardian.com

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Thereâ€s another big soccer event in the US today, the MLS Cup: Messi v Muller, a retread of the 2014 World Cup final, though this time itâ€s Inter Miami v Vancouver Whitecaps.

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Slough play a real team in the FA Cup, Macclesfield FC, the third round beckons for both of them. Billy Munday spoke to Scott Davies about an important issue.

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Southampton play Birmingham today, as they attempt to recover from Will Still being their latest managerial misadventure.

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Thatâ€s about the size of it.

Six months to go and it’s all looking great:
> USA gets 75% of the matches, Canada and Mexico 12.5% each and no QFs, SFs or Final or 3rd place playoff.
> Qatar and Saudi Arabia given the most undisguisedly loaded final round of qualification (both games at home, avoided each other, twice as long a gap between games). What luck for two countries who make such generous financial contributions to
FIFA the game.
> Gianni ‘keep politics out of football’ Infantino spends next to no time with the Canadian and Mexican leaders, instead devoting his attention to cradling balls in the Oval Office.
> Also appearing in Washington is one of the most famous footballers on earth, who not long after has his three game ban for violent conduct lifted so that he can play the first couple of games.
> In a nauseating indulgence of a whingeing toddler, a special and absurdly illogical prize is created just for him.
> Instead of a simple four pot, 12 group affair, the draw is a farcical mess full of pointless changes and fixes that the dense and wooden host keeps telling us is ‘because of factors’.

Have I missed anything.

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Good morning, football. Iâ€m feeling a hangover, not through overindulgence, but some kind of reaction to having to unfurl myself from the embarrassment of what the World Cup draw told us about the world today. I wasnâ€t much aware of Kevin Hartâ€s work: I am not keen to seek out more. Same goes for Danny Ramirez. Rio Ferdinand, stick to the wind-ups, mate. I felt sorry for Heidi Klum. As for Gianni Infantino, when even Donald Trump is looking at you like you have taken things too far, itâ€s time to wind it in. Urgh.

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And with that, John Brewin will be taking the reins of this Matchday live until the first Premier League match of the day.

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Richard Foster

“When Gideon Kodua came off the bench and scored a 92nd-minute winner for Luton Town in their seven-goal thriller against Forest Green Rovers in the FA Cup last month, the impact was felt far beyond Kenilworth Road. The 4-3 win did not just take Luton into the second round of the competition, but it ensured that 8,000 trees will be planted in Uganda over the next few months thanks to an initiative by the sportswear manufacturer Reflo…â€

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Weâ€re just over two-and-a-half hours away from the opening Premier League match of the day between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park (12:30pm GMT). Take this post as a final reminder to sort out your Fantasy Premier League team if you havenâ€t already!

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Ruben Amorim also denied not trusting Manchester Unitedâ€s academy by pointing to his selection of Kobbie Mainoo in the matchday squad. Mainoo was an unused substitute in Thursdayâ€s 1-1 draw at home to West Ham. The 20-year-old midfielder, who has been at the club since he was six, has made 10 appearances this season but only one start, against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup.

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Ruben Amorim has warned Manchester United need to improve and gear up for a “tough match†as Wolves†winless streak will end sooner or later. After a five-match unbeaten run, setbacks on either side of last Sundayâ€s comeback win at Crystal Palace have darkened the mood at Old Trafford. United suffered an embarrassing 1-0 home loss to 10-man Everton and 10 days later boos greeted the final whistle following a 1-1 draw with 18th-placed West Ham. Bottom-placed Wolves have secured just two points in a winless first 14 games of the season. “Everything can happen and that will change – there is no team in the history of the Premier League that didnâ€t win one game, so it can be any game,†the United manager said. “We need to try to improve, to rest the players, work really well and prepare for a tough match because with us itâ€s always a tough match.â€

Ruben Amorim reacts after the Premier League match between Manchester United and West Ham. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Copa/Getty ImagesShare

Nuno Espirito Santo says everyone at West Ham needs to give their utmost as they face their relegation battle head-on. Nuno has overseen some marked improvements since being appointed manager in late September, yet the Hammers remain in the drop zone despite Thursdayâ€s 1-1 draw at Manchester United. “We have to face it,†he said. “We are fighting for survival. We cannot hide it. The results of other teams we cannot control. It is up to us.â€

West Ham travel to Brighton on Sunday buoyed by their comeback point at Old Trafford, with such spirit helping them collect more Premier League points from losing positions than any side other than Aston Villa since Nunoâ€s arrival. “Everybody in the club realising we have to give the best of everything,†Nuno added: “We have to give the best of us to get out of this situation. That is the reality. A club like us, as big as we are, we have to face the situation. It is hard to build with urgency. But the boys are committed and we think we can do it.â€
Lucas Paqueta will start on the south coast after serving a one-match ban, while Nuno is hoping Crysencio Summerville can be involved.

Nuno Espirito Santo during the match between Manchester United and West Ham. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Copa/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 04.30 EST

Amid the chaos of the World Cup draw, letâ€s not forget that we have seven Premier League fixtures to look forward to this afternoon…

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Just a reminder that Paul MacInnes will be on hand for a World Cup draw Q&A later on this morning. Feel free to leave a comment below the line or send your questions in to matchday.live@theguardian.com before 11am.

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Kári Tulinius has messaged in to say:

“Given that eight out of twelve third-place teams will get to the knockout stage, four points should be enough to get through. Given the potential disparity in quality between France, Senegal and Norway on the one hand, and one of Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq on the other, itâ€s not unlikely weâ€ll get a group where the third place team has four points and a positive goal difference. It could be the Group of Everybody Lives. The era of group stage drama may be over.â€

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Speaking after the draw, the England head coach Thomas Tuchel said: “I think itâ€s a very complex group, a very difficult group but, OK, it is what it is.

“Croatia are difficult. Itâ€s a big opening match and it could easily be a quarter-final or even later in the tournament but we donâ€t wish for things. We donâ€t want to avoid at all costs anything.â€

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Anyone else?

Iâ€m still mentally scarred by how awful and cringeworthy that draw was.

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Taking a look at this, which group do we think is the ‘group of death� Group I is looking like a tricky one, Group C and Group F too.

• Group A:Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Euro Playoff D

• Group B:Canada, Euro Playoff A, Qatar, Switzerland

• Group C:Brazil,Morocco, Scotland, Haiti

• Group D:USA,Paraguay,Australia, Euro Playoff C

• Group E:Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

• Group F:Netherlands,Japan, Tunisia, Euro Playoff B

• Group G:Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

• Group H:Spain, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Cape Verde

• Group I:France, Senegal, Norway, Fifa Playoff 2

• Group J:Argentina,Algeria,Austria, Jordan

• Group K:Portugal, Fifa Playoff 1, Colombia, Uzbekistan,

• Group L:England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana

ShareDavid Hytner

At the end of an extraordinary day in the US capital and a World Cup draw that lurched between the ridiculous and the sublime (with a greater emphasis on the former, if the truth be told), Thomas Tuchel and England now know. Croatia in Toronto or Dallas. Ghana in Boston or Toronto. Panama in New Jersey or Philadelphia. And that is just the group games…

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It was a case of Déjà vu for England last night when discovering they will meet two nations they played against at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The Three Lions were drawn against Panama – who they beat 6-1 in the group stage – and Croatia – who they lost 2-1 to in the semi-finals that year.

England will also face Ghana in Group L.

The England flag is displayed on a screen during the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Photograph: Deccio Serrano/NurPhoto/ShutterstockShare

Updated at 03.34 EST

Another key moment from the draw yesterday was Donald Trump receiving… an award. The President of the United States was named the first winner of the newly created Fifa peace prize, claiming “the world is a safer place now†as he received the medal and trophy.

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Paul MacInnes will be on hand for a World Cup draw Q&A later on this morning. Feel free to leave a comment or send your questions in to matchday.live@theguardian.com before 11am.

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Before we begin looking ahead to this afternoonâ€s games, letâ€s quickly talk about THAT World Cup draw from yesterday. Firstly, the groups, as things stand, look like this…

• Group A:Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Euro Playoff D

• Group B:Canada, Euro Playoff A, Qatar, Switzerland

• Group C:Brazil,Morocco, Scotland, Haiti

• Group D:USA,Paraguay,Australia, Euro Playoff C

• Group E:Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

• Group F:Netherlands,Japan, Tunisia, Euro Playoff B

• Group G:Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

• Group H:Spain, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Cape Verde

• Group I:France, Senegal, Norway, Fifa Playoff 2

• Group J:Argentina,Algeria,Austria, Jordan

• Group K:Portugal, Fifa Playoff 1, Colombia, Uzbekistan,

• Group L:England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana

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Preamble

Hello, good morning and welcome to another Matchday live! Well, where do we start? How about yesterdayâ€s World Cup draw? That was… something. Anyway, weâ€ll get into that properly a bit later.

Today weâ€ll be looking ahead to this afternoonâ€s Premier League, Championship and EFL games and looking back at some of the midweek fixtures.

Weâ€ve also got a big WSL clash between Arsenal and Liverpool to look forward to. What more could you want?

Iâ€ll be with you this morning to assess it all – join me!

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• Tim Bontemps

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  Tim Bontemps

  ESPN Senior Writer

  Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what’s impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.

• Brian Windhorst

  Close

  Brian Windhorst

  ESPN Senior Writer

  • ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010
  • Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years
  • Author of two books

Dec 5, 2025, 06:00 AM ET

It has been a downright terrible opening stretch for the 2025-26 LA Clippers.

Between the Aspiration scandal, the ensuing salary cap circumvention investigation involving Kawhi Leonard and this week’s messy public breakup with future Hall of Famer Chris Paul, there’s been a steady stream of bad news coming from Inglewood. Not to mention the Clippers are 6-16 and 13th in the Western Conference, a disastrous start given a welcome respite by Wednesday’s blowout victory over the Atlanta Hawks. LA’s spot in the standings has already led to some leaguewide angst.

Remember: The Clippers infamously owe their 2026 unprotected first-round pick … to Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti and the defending champs.

“We might need to get everyone in the league on a Zoom and brainstorm some ideas [to fix the Clippers],” one executive joked. “Invite everybody except Sam.”

The fact the Clippers don’t control their draft pick makes this situation far more complicated. If they did, the process might be simple: Sink to the bottom and hope for lottery luck in a loaded 2026 NBA draft.

What should the Clippers do? It’s a question we posed to coaches, scouts and executives across the NBA this week, to get a sense of how league insiders would attack the nearly impossible situation facing the franchise.

Three potential paths emerged.

Jump to a section:
Why L.A. should add talent
Why L.A. should trade talent
Why L.A. should stand pat

Why the Clippers should look to acquire players

Brian Windhorst: The Clippers have more than $50 million in expiring contracts and, in the apron era, that is the type of fodder that carries value as teams look to shed future money. They are light on draft assets — the Thunder also have swap rights to the Clippers’ 2027 first-round pick — and have just one distant first-round pick and three second-round picks available to trade. But, as one rival executive told me, “They can just wait for a blue light special.

“There will be teams who will be willing to dump players in two months,” they said. “Guys who might be able to help them.”

The Clippers are less than $2 million from hitting the first apron and are hard-capped, so they don’t have much monetary flexibility.

“For their issues with the age of their roster and their lack of athleticism, their two best players have played pretty well,” one West scout said. “I’m not saying [James] Harden and Kawhi are having career years, but they aren’t the problem. And you expect [Ivica] Zubac will get hot.

“You give them a piece or two that helps them defensively, and you might have a different outlook.”

play

1:45

What’s next for Chris Paul, Clippers?

Brian Windhorst joins Rich Eisen to break down possible next steps for Chris Paul and the Clippers.

Tim Bontemps: That “blue light special” comment was in line with what another West scout brought up to me. They even named a specific player.

“What about Zach LaVine?” they asked.

LaVine would, in theory, check some boxes for the Clippers. The Sacramento Kings guard would give them a serious dose of scoring and athleticism on the wing; the franchise lost both after it traded Norman Powell to the Miami Heat over the summer. LaVine, 30, has a $49 million player option for next season before his contract expires, meaning it wouldn’t cut into LA’s clear ambitions to become a cap space team by the summer of 2027.

He also shouldn’t fetch anything more than a few of the Clippers’ many expiring contracts. I’d argue the Clippers could even get an asset or two back from the Kings in such a deal, given they’d be saving Sacramento close to $50 million in salary next summer.

That means the Clippers could be one of the few teams, if not the only team, interested in taking on LaVine, thanks in part to the hefty price when he presumably picks up next season’s player option. That they could, in theory, be a fit only underscores the predicament in which the franchise finds itself.

“That’s a bad situation,” one West executive said.

Why the Clippers should look to trade their stars

Bontemps:Arguably the last time a team was in LA’s position — picks leveraged into the future and an aging, struggling roster — was the Brooklyn Nets in the mid-2010s. That team chose to change lead executives, moving on from Billy King and hiring Sean Marks, who chose to acquire future draft assets and intriguing young players rather than chase wins.

Different executives I spoke to this week both praised and excoriated the idea of the Clippers implementing that strategy.

“I would be trying to get rid of the old guys, bring in some young guys that I like and let the consequences of the record being bad be what they may,” said an Eastern Conference executive who pushed for the Clippers to take that path.

“But that doesn’t strike me as what [owner Steve] Ballmer would do, which in the past has been, ‘The only thing I want to do is win and to try to be competitive, and I don’t have interest in tanking and rebuilding.'”

“It’s hard to sell when you don’t have your pick,” another East executive said. “I remember the Nets did that when they owed their pick to Boston. I basically said, ‘F— that.’ I’m going to do whatever I can to make sure you don’t get a great pick from me.”

Editor’s Picks

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Some sources have indicated that the Clippers could try to move up their free agency timeline from the 2027 offseason to next summer, which would require finding trade partners with cap room to take on Harden ($42 million player option for 2026-27) and Leonard (owed $50 million in 2026-27).

The feedback from league insiders has been that, while a team would take on Harden, it may be more difficult to find a landing spot for Leonard because of his injury and the Aspiration case still ongoing.

“James has maybe neutral value,” an East scout said. “Kawhi has negative value.”

Windhorst: The Clippers transitioning into sell mode may not make a lot of sense on its face because of the pick situation. And Ballmer has always coveted a competitive team regardless of its ceiling. But there are teams that are wondering if the Clippers would go against the grain this time.

“There are a lot of ways to use cap space, and if they don’t believe in this core they could really turn their team over in a year if they got flexibility,” an assistant GM said. “You look at what they figured out in Phoenix. They had a team that was too old and turned over that roster and it changed their entire outlook.”

Luxury tax implications are also worth monitoring. You don’t typically think much about money when it comes to the modern-day Clippers, as they are owned by the deepest-pocketed owner in American sports. Let’s put it in perspective: Wednesday saw Ballmer lose more than $4 billion in net worth, but he probably ended the day happy after the Clips won. He was accused of overpaying for the Clippers in 2014 when he paid $2 billion; Sportico now values the franchise at $6.7 billion.

And outgoing owner Donald Sterling was in disbelief when, as told in ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne’s “Sterling Affairs” podcast, Ballmer said a bank wasn’t needed as he had the cash on hand to make the purchase.

But the Clippers do have some incentive to get out of the luxury tax, which they’re currently in by about $6.7 million. LA is in the repeater tax and last year made sure to pay off the Utah Jazz to take P.J. Tucker so they could eventually slip less than $100,000 out of the tax, the first time they did so in five years.

Getting out of the tax again this year would reset their repeater tax clock — not an insignificant goal.

Why the Clippers should stand pat

Windhorst:Of the executives, coaches and scouts I surveyed this week, it was interesting that the more veteran ones tended to preach patience.

“There are going to be several teams ahead of them in the standings that are eventually going to tank and [the Clippers] will be able to pass them,” a veteran executive said. “They won’t admit it now, but there are stealth tankers already at play. You’ll be coming to me asking about the tanking epidemic in the spring.”

“They are not as bad as their record says they are,” a veteran scout said. “If Kawhi gets hurt again, well then they won’t be, but they will course-correct.”

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Thursday, Dec. 25
Cavaliers at Knicks, 12 p.m.
Spurs at Thunder, 2:30 p.m.
Mavericks at Warriors, 5 p.m.
Rockets at Lakers, 8 p.m.
Timberwolves at Nuggets, 10:30 p.m.

All times Eastern

This version of the Clippers wasn’t built to sneak into the play-in and hope to get hot. It was built to contend, last season’s 18-4 finish and the excruciating seven-game series loss to the Nuggets convincing the Clippers they weren’t far off. Simply authoring a turnaround to avoid handing over a lottery pick — the Clippers have already sent one to the Thunder and it turned into Jalen Williams (ouch) — is hardly an incentive.

That doesn’t mean staying the course is the most prudent path.

Bontemps:This was the most consistent message I heard this week, but mostly because those sources I talked to genuinely don’t know what the best course of action is for LA to escape this hole.

“I’m not sure what you can do,” the second East executive said. “All roads lead to the same place.”

The best thing the Clippers have going for them is the incredible drop-off in the West standings after the top few spots. The top six — the Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves — are pretty well established. After that, the Phoenix Suns are a great story but are still projected as a .500 team by ESPN’s Basketball Power Index. The Golden State Warriors are below .500 and are dealing with injuries to Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III.

The belief is that this group will start to play better — the win over the Hawks is a start, albeit with both Trae Young and Jalen Johnson sidelined for Atlanta — and at least give the Clippers a chance to reach the playoffs and avoid sending OKC a pick in the lottery.

Paul will not be around to see if that turnaround happens, as multiple sources said the situation had reached a point of no return. But the underlying issue is that this was a team expecting to contend for home-court advantage in the West — at minimum a top-six spot.

It’s a group that seems a lot like last season’s Philadelphia 76ers, but at least the Sixers were able to parlay a lost season into keeping their protected pick. With no such fortune headed for LA, the majority opinion among sources I spoke to was that the Clippers don’t have much of a choice but to hope things improve.

“It’s got to be better than this,” another West scout said. “Ty Lue is a great coach. With Zubac, Harden and Kawhi, you’re just too talented to be this bad all season.

“You have to hold. We’ve only seen [22] games of it. Yes, it’s been terrible, but what can you do?”

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MANCHESTER, England — The UEFA Champions League is there for Manchester United if they want it. Apparently, though, they don’t.

The 1-1 draw with West Ham United at Old Trafford on Thursday was another example of an opportunity missed. At one point, leading 1-0 thanks to Diogo Dalot‘s second-half goal, Ruben Amorim’s team was fifth in the table and level on points with Chelsea. That was before West Ham midfielder Soungoutou Magassa‘s 83rd-minute equalizer sent United tumbling back down to eighth.

Amorim has been cautious when asked this season if qualifying for the Champions League is a realistic aim, and you can see why. There have been chances to climb the table in games against Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton in the last few weeks, and each time United have fluffed their lines. Against West Ham, it happened again.

Amorim has had to face reporters after plenty of poor results since arriving form Sporting CP a year ago. He has rarely appeared so annoyed. “Frustrated,” he said bluntly when asked about his opinion of the game. “Angry. That’s it.”

Manchester United squandered their late lead, showing a continued inability to win the games they should. James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images

This is exactly the type of game United will have to learn to win if they’re going to finish in the top four. Unfortunately for Amorim, it’s exactly the type of game they struggle in most.

West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo had his side well-organized and well-drilled. The visitors were happy to defend low and give up the ball and, for large spells, United didn’t appear to know what to do with it. Passes went side to side and came back again. Crosses into the box were headed away routinely by white shirts.

A short corner worked to Bryan Mbeumo ended in his shot being tipped over by West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola. Amad Diallo’s cross flicked off Joshua Zirkzee‘s thigh and was cleared off the line by former United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka — another player who looks far better now he’s well away from Old Trafford — and Bruno Fernandes grazed the post with a volley. In terms of chances, though, that was about it.

Even when United finally scored, there was a fortunate feel to it. Casemiro‘s deflected shot fell to Dalot, who took a superb touch and found the net. It was one of only four shots on target for United despite having nearly 65% possession. Still, keep West Ham out and it would have been enough.

It wasn’t.

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“I always have the feeling that we need to score more goals,” said Amorim. “Even with Brighton when we were 3-0 up. We suffer with that. We need to improve.”

Sometimes this season, United have dropped points because they’ve lost control. This didn’t happen here; instead, West Ham were able to capitalize on 90 seconds of defensive failings. There’s a reason United have only kept one clean sheet all season.

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First, United’s back four didn’t deal with a long ball forward that ended up bouncing over center back Leny Yoro‘s head. From there, West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, busy all night, was able to pick it up and win an unlikely corner off Noussair Mazraoui. From the set piece, the 5-foot-9 Bowen won the header at the near post, and after Mazraoui had cleared off the line, Magassa scored his first goal for West Ham.

It was mistake after mistake for United, and Amorim was left fuming. “It happened from a long ball, they won the second ball against three guys so we need to be better,” he said. “If you look at the goal, we have a long ball, we have everything under control, so we need to do better. We cannot let a team that is so much taller than us have a corner [like that].”

Amorim hasn’t looked as angry in a postmatch news conference since the 3-1 defeat to Brighton in January, when he broke his golden rule of not going into the dressing room after the final whistle and ended up smashing a TV and cutting his hand.

Here, he avoided his players immediately afterward and said he would address them at Carrington in the morning. Judging by his mood, there could be fireworks. “In that regard, I am almost always consistent,” said Amorim.

Amid the frustration of an avoidable goal conceded and two points dropped, there will be irritation on Amorim’s part that United seem incapable of taking a meaningful step forward when given the chance. Since a run of three wins in a row earned the Portuguese coach the Premier League’s Manager of the Month award for October, his team has taken just six points from five games, and just one point from two winnable home games against Everton and West Ham. Only five teams have taken fewer points over the same period and three of those — Wolves, Burnley and Leeds United — are in the bottom four.

This was meant to be the run of fixtures for United to put their foot down. With games against Wolves and AFC Bournemouth to come next week, there’s still an opportunity there to take advantage of the congested table and start moving toward the Champions League places. The question, though, is whether they’re capable of taking it. Presented with a golden chance against West Ham to show some real progress, Amorim again came away frustrated.

A spot in the Champions League is there for the taking, but United are yet to prove they want it.

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24 min: … but so much for xG, because Manchester United then launch their first serious attack for a while, Bruno Fernandes chasing a long bouncer down the right and hooking infield, forcing Todibo to clank out for a corner. The set piece is played back up the right wing, where Mbeumo aims a glorious curler towards the top left from the right-hand edge of the box. Areola is forced to arch his back and fingertip over the bar. Wonderful effort, wonderful save.

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23 min: Manchester Unitedâ€s xG is currently a Tottenham Hotspurian 0.06.

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21 min: … but otherwise the Old Trafford faithful have fallen a little quiet right now. This game is currently being played mainly in Manchester Unitedâ€s half.

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20 min: Soucekâ€s cross from the right is deflected out for a corner, West Hamâ€s third of the evening already. Bowen swings it in. Bruno Fernandes heads it upfield, but not very far. Diouf meets the ball just inside the area, and has time to get a shot away, but scuff-slices it horribly, the ball squirting miles wide left. The home supporters have their fun with him.

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18 min: Wan-Bissaka gets the better of his old team-mate Dalot down the right, and pings a cross in for Bowen, who has time to turn on the right-hand edge of the Manchester United box, but not enough to get a shot away. West Ham’s confidence is growing.

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16 min: Wilson is sprung into space down the left, and wins another West Ham corner. Earlier in the move, Bruno Fernandes had been caught by Potts, but didnâ€t get the free kick. Heâ€s not happy, so wags his finger furiously at the referee while saying his piece. Nothing comes of the corner, which is probably just as well all round.

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14 min: West Ham have worked their way into this game after a slow start. Wilson has the opportunity to release Soucek down the middle of the park, albeit a difficult one that involves him spinning and pinging a pass from the halfway line. He overcooks it, the ball bouncing through to Lammens.

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12 min: Heaven, perhaps a little bit shaken after that early booking, plays a poor backpass down the United right, forcing Lammens to race out of his box and slice into the crowd. Not the ideal start for the young man, a surprise selection by Ruben Amorim this evening.

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10 min: Bruno Fernandes shapes to shoot from just inside the West Ham area. He doesnâ€t really connect properly. The ball, and then Fernandes†foot, connects with the sliding Soucek, coming across to block. Another penalty claim. Another one correctly waved away.

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9 min: Bowen is found in some space down the right so Heaven races over to scythe him down from behind. Mistimed and clumsy, and worst of all, needless. Bowen was facing the touchline and going nowhere. The 19-year-old goes into the book.

Ayden Heaven goes in the book early doors. Photograph: Nick Potts/PAShare

Updated at 15.15 EST

7 min: The first major set piece of the evening is a non-event.

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6 min: … so having said that, Soucek plays Wan-Bissaka into acres of space down the right. He cuts back for Mateus Fernandes, who carefully aims a sidefooter towards the bottom right. Casemiro slides in to deflect over the bar for the first major set piece of the evening.

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5 min: Apart from one split second when Wilson threatened to turn Heaven on the halfway line – Mbeumo was on hand to support and snuff out any counter-attacking danger pretty quickly – itâ€s been all Manchester United in these opening moments.

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3 min: Diallo jinks into the West Ham box again from the right. He goes over, feeling the faint impression of Mateus Fernandes†palm on the back of his shirt. He claims a penalty, but come off it. The referee waves play on.

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2 min: Diallo dribbles his way down the right and reaches the box, then crosses low. The ball pings off Zirkzee and back out to the right for a throw. Soon after, Dalot probes down the left. Manchester United starting quickly, looking lively on both flanks.

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West Ham, resplendent in a blend of grey, beige and cream with a dash of yellow, get the ball rolling. Theyâ€re kicking towards the Stretford End in this first half.

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The teams are out! Manchester United in their red, white and black, West Ham United in second-choice ecru. According to House & Garden magazine, ecru is “a notoriously finicky colour to define†but they give it a go anyway: itâ€s “a blend of grey, beige, cream, and a dash of yellow, less creamy than cream, and not eggshell.†So there you have it. Weâ€ll be off in a minute.

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West Ham are still in mourning after last weekendâ€s passing of their beloved Billy Bonds, once voted by fans as their greatest-ever player. Thatâ€s no small statement at a club where Bobby Moore, Trevor Brooking and Geoff Hurst once strutted their stuff. Two FA Cup lifts, a club-record 799 appearances, plus runners-up medals in the European Cup Winners†Cup and League Cup … itâ€s the stuff of legend all right. Rest well, Billy.

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Nuno Espírito Santo speaks to Sky Sports. “We have to improve … always looking for a better performance … we are trying to improve game by game … we expect a competitive game … we will try to silence [the Manchester United fans] with our game … we have to think about the game, not the outcome … action by action.â€

As for Lucas Paquetáâ€s replacement Tomáš SouÄek: “He is a fantastic player … works very hard … he has the ability to score.â€

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… meanwhile on the subject of Leny Yoro, who was clearly unhappy after being hooked against Palace on Sunday, Amorim says: “I know on the TV he appeared really disappointed with his performance … I need to be normal all the time … I spoke [to him] about the message … all the trouble that is to see a Manchester United player so disappointed on the bench … it was just a tactical issue … a tactical option, just that.â€

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Ruben Amorim talks to Sky Sports. “We showed last game that we can play the same way but with a different intensity … last game at home we played a low pace … today we should be better … we need to be careful with set pieces … and transitions … we want to be the dominant team … need to be focused in every detail.â€

He also reports that the injury to Matthijs de Ligt is a “small thing†and he expects him back for Manchester Unitedâ€s next game at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night. Ayden Heaven will play in De Ligtâ€s usual central position tonight: “I think he has big character and is ready to play in that position, he will suit it really well.â€

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The three points on offer tonight are precious for both teams. Should Manchester United claim them, theyâ€ll go level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea. (If they want actual fourth place, theyâ€ll need to win by nine goals this evening.) As for West Ham, they were bumped into the relegation places last night due to Leeds Unitedâ€s victory over Chelsea. They need to win by a two-goal margin tonight if theyâ€re to leapfrog Leeds back out of the dropzone.

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Manchester United make three changes to the starting XI named for the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace. Matheus Cunha returns from injury, stepping up along with Noussair Mazraoui and Ayden Heaven. Leny Yoro and Mason Mount drop to the bench, while Matthijs de Ligt misses out altogether.

West Ham United make just one change from the team sent out for the 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool, and itâ€s enforced. Lucas Paquetá having talked himself into a suspension, Tomáš SouÄek comes in to take his place in midfield.

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The teams

Manchester United:Lammens, Dalot, Heaven, Shaw, Diallo, Casemiro, Fernandes, Mazraoui, Mbeumo, Cunha, Zirkzee.
Subs: Bayindir, Martinez, Mount, Malacia, Dorgu, Yoro, Ugarte, Mainoo, Lacey.

West Ham United:Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Todibo, Diouf, Magassa, Potts, Bowen, Soucek, Fernandes, Wilson.
Subs: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Rodriguez, Irving, Earthy, Marshall, Mayers, Kante.

Referee:Andrew Kitchen
VAR: Peter Bankes

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Updated at 13.57 EST

Preamble

West Ham United have beaten Manchester United in four of their last five Premier League meetings. Now then, three of those victories were at the London Stadium. But the most recent one was at Old Trafford in May, when the Hammers completed the double over the Red Devils for the first time since 2007, and there is no way the hosts will be going into this fixture counting their chickens. However while West Ham arrive in the north after a supine surrender to Liverpool at the weekend, Manchester United are coming off the back of a turnaround boost at Crystal Palace. So while the recent record between the two teams favours Nuno Espírito Santoâ€s men, the immediate form is with Ruben Amorimâ€s side. Balanced rather deliciously, then. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT. Itâ€s on!

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Chelsea have been without Cole Palmer for more of this season than they would have liked.

The nonchalant 23-year-old was the Blues’ talisman last season, netting 18 goals and providing 14 assists across 52 appearances in all competitions.

But this season hasn’t gone to plan for the England international, slowed by a groin injury lay-off, with his absence then extended by a freak accident at home, fracturing his toe in a supposedly EA FC-related incident.

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Is Cole Palmer injured for Chelsea’s visit to Bournemouth?

Palmer has been a huge miss for the Blues, given his exploits last season (Image credit: Getty Images)

Chelsea’s need for a fit and fighting Palmer was laid bare in their trip to face Leeds United, where they were undone in a 3-1 loss to the recently promoted side.

Thankfully, however, there was at least one positive to take from Elland Road.

Palmer was brought on by Enzo Maresca as a second-half substitute (Image credit: Getty Images)

That was the return of Palmer, whose last minutes came towards the end of September against Manchester United.

He had been an unused substitute against Arsenal last weekend, but made it onto the pitch against Leeds, playing almost 30 minutes.

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“Probably it’s the only good news of the night,” Enzo Maresca admitted after the final whistle. “I’m happy for him, he’s back, now he needs to build a little bit the physical condition and he will be important for us, for sure.

“He’s getting better, but he needs to play minutes. Last night, he had more or less half an hour; hopefully, we can give him more in the next game.”

The next logical step would see Palmer get around an hour, so barring another freak incident, we could see the attacker start against Bournemouth.

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Palmer has been away from the pitch for over two months now (Image credit: Getty Images)

In FourFourTwo‘s opinion, this is massive news for Chelsea, a positive to cling onto as the Leeds result threatens to throw them slightly off course.

The Blues have threatened Premier League title chasers Arsenal and Manchester City this season, even without Palmer for the most part.

He has performed miracles in poorer Chelsea teams than this, so if he can get up to speed with the current iteration of the side, Maresca’s men could become a real force.

Palmer is worth €120m, according to Transfermarkt. Chelsea next face Bournemouth, when Premier League action returns this weekend.

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The Rule 5 Draft can be a fascinating, if imperfect, process, and you only need to look at last yearâ€s edition to see why.

On one hand, the White Sox selected Shane Smith from the Brewers and watched him blossom into an All-Star before finishing with a 3.81 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 146 1/3 innings. Left off the 40-man by Milwaukee, he earned his first Major League look in Chicago and made the most of it, becoming just the kind of player the Rule 5 Draft was meant to benefit.

On the other hand, Smith is one of only three of last yearâ€s 15 picks still with his new organization. Marlins catcher Liam Hicks (formerly of the Tigers) was the only other player to stick in The Show all season long. (Right-hander Angel Bastardo remains with the Blue Jays because they stashed him on the injured list all season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.) Left-handers Nate Lavender and Connor Thomas also made it through the summer, but they have since moved on from the Rays and Brewers, respectively. Mike Vasil satisfied his Rule 5 requirements with the White Sox but only after a wild ride: he was taken by the Phillies, traded to the Rays and then claimed off waivers by Chicago when he didnâ€t make Tampa Bayâ€s Opening Day roster.

On Dec. 10, clubs making a Rule 5 selection will do so hoping they get the 2026 version of Smith, but they are likelier to be getting someone passing through for a brief spell.

Hereâ€s one candidate from each organization to be taken in this yearâ€s Rule 5 Draft.

(Reminder: players are Rule 5-eligible if they are not on the 40-man roster but were signed at 19 or older and have been in pro ball for four seasons or more or were signed at 18 or younger and have been in pro ball for five seasons or more.)

Blue Jays: Yohendrick Pinango, OF (No. 7)
Pinango produced a 169 wRC+ over 47 games in Double-A New Hampshire to push himself to Triple-A in his age-23 season, only to hit .235/.335/.379 with seven homers and a 96 wRC+ in 84 games there. The data under the hood, however, is much better as he ran a 108.8 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity, 115.4 mph max EV, 47.8 percent hard-hit rate and 86 percent in-zone contact rate while batting from the left side. Below-average speed and fringy arm strength would limit him to left field in the Majors.

Orioles: Alex Pham, RHP (unranked)
Pham opened the year in the Double-A rotation, missed about three months with right forearm inflammation, and moved to the bullpen in the back half of 2025. He has a deep pitch mix with a four-seamer (featuring cut-ride action), curveball, slider, cutter and changeup from an over-the-top release, and while he doesnâ€t flash huge velocity, his experience working in multiple roles could be beneficial for his chances at sticking as a swingman.

Rays: Logan Workman, RHP (unranked)
Workman has been one of the Minors†best workhorses with four straight seasons of 100-plus innings, including 152 1/3 with Triple-A Durham in 2025 (second-most in MiLB). He posted a 4.02 ERA with 152 strikeouts in that span and walked only 7.2 percent of his batters faced (Triple-A average was 10.9 percent). His 92-94 mph fastball was a subpar offering, but his mid-80s slider and 82-85 mph changeup were whiff generators. His ceiling is limited, but he could be worth a look as a durable and cheap No. 5 option for clubs in need of starting help.

Red Sox: Hayden Mullins, LHP (No. 17)
Mullins gets impressive swing-and-miss on his 91-94 mph four-seamer (that plays up with good extension and life up in the zone) and low-80s, two-plane slider, helping him fan 30.0 percent of his batters faced in 2025. He had a 13.8 percent walk rate in his 18 starts at Double-A and hasnâ€t yet reached Triple-A yet as a 25-year-old, and those two factors likely kept him off Bostonâ€s 40-man. But he could be an interesting reliever out of the gate for a Rule 5 club with an eye on being a part of starting depth.

Yankees: Harrison Cohen, RHP (No. 30)
Once undrafted out of George Washington, the 6-foot reliever has posted back-to-back seasons with sub-2 ERAs. In this most recent campaign, he finished with a 1.76 mark and 1.10 WHIP while striking out 59 in 51 innings between Triple-A and Double-A. He ran pretty even splits by relying on a tight mid-80s cutter against righties and mid-80s changeup with good armside fade against lefties, all while sporting a more mundane 92-94 four-seamer from a low arm slot. The deception can be an issue for his control, but it also could make him a plug-and-play option in an MLB bullpen.

Guardians: Wuilfredo Antunez, OF (unranked)
Right shoulder tendinitis put a crimp in Antunezâ€s Arizona Fall League stint back in October, which would have provided him an opportunity to display his skill set for a wider audience. As is, he posted a 139 wRC+ across High-A and Double-A this past season, ranking as the lone member of the Guardians organization outside of José Ramírez to post 50+ extra-base hits and 15+ steals in 2025. Signed for just $10,000 out of Venezuela in April 2019, the left-handed-hitting Antunez has made tremendous strides since arriving stateside, but with just 123 at-bats in the upper levels of the Minors, a jump straight to the big leagues could come with a sizable learning curve.

Royals: Javi Vaz, INF (No. 25)
The Vanderbilt product already faced questions about his power heading into 2025, and fractured fingers in his right hand (suffered in Spring Training) didnâ€t help that cause as he slugged just .326 with three homers in 103 games for Double-A Northwest Arkansas after his return. That said, the lefty hitter walked more than he struck out for a fourth straight pro season and added 25 steals in 28 attempts thanks to his plus speed. Vaz has experience at both second base and left field, aiding the possibility heâ€s taken as a speedy, high-contact utility option off an MLB bench.

Tigers: RJ Petit, RHP (No. 30)
Listed at 6-foot-8, 300 pounds, Petit would bring plenty of size to any MLB bullpen, but he brings results to the table too, having posted a 2.44 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 79 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings. He leans heavily on his 83-85 mph, late-breaking slider against batters from both sides, even getting lefties to whiff on 58.3 percent of their swings against it at Triple-A. Petit also works with a mid-90s fastball and upper-80s changeup and has decent control without overthrowing.

Twins: Jose Olivares, RHP (No. 24)
With a four-pitch mix and a fastball that sat in the mid 90s for the majority of the year, Olivares has a starter kit that fits the look of an MLB rotation member. The main caveat working against him is that heâ€s yet to pitch above High-A, where he compiled 10.7 K/9 in 2025 but also ran a 5.7 BB/9 rate that lays bare his need for improved command of his arsenal. A club who likes what it sees under the hood could try running him out in a long-relief role before expanding his workload in ‘27 and beyond.

White Sox: Peyton Pallette, RHP (No. 14)
A move to the bullpen last July has done wonders for Pallette, who posted a career-high 12.0 K/9 this season (86 in 64 1/3 innings) between Double-A and Triple-A. His fastball sits 94-96 mph and he combines it with a high-spin curveball (consistently north of 3,000 rpm) that falls off the table and a mid-80s changeup (50.8% whiff rate at Triple-A in 2025). A second-round pick in the 2022 Draft, the 24-year-old fits the prototypical mold (with the level pedigree to match) of a Rule 5 selectee that a club could plug and play into its bullpen.

Angels: Samy Natera Jr. LHP (No. 20)
Buzz first started to percolate around Natera after an impressive five-outing showing during the Arizona Fall League in 2024, which he followed up with a dominant debut campaign as a reliever. A 17th-round pick in ‘22 out of New Mexico State (which has sent just three pitchers to the big leagues), Natera rode his fastball/slider combo as high as Triple-A while striking out 85 batters in 57 innings. He threw his heater with significant cut and ride 78.6 percent of the time overall and was particularly stingy against lefties, whom he neutralized to the tune of a .160 AVG and .559 OPS. At 26, the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder is knocking on the door of a big league bullpen as he still works to hone in his stuff (career-high 6.6 BB/9 in ‘25).

Astros: Alimber Santa, RHP (No. 13)
After jumping on prospect radars after he dialed his fastball up to 100 mph in August 2022, Santa has settled into the mid 90s and found success after a full-time transition to the bullpen that began in mid-2024. Named to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in July, Santa posted a Double-A-best (min. 50 innings) 1.26 ERA this season, which earned him a bump to Triple-A at just 22 years old. The Dominican righty has battled his control throughout his time in the Minors (6.0 BB/9 rate) but his elite arm speed, feel for a changeup and pair of distinct breaking balls could enthrall a club who buys into his all-around upside.

Aâ€s: Daniel Susac, C (No. 11)
The 19th overall pick from the 2022 Draft, Susac has played at each stop of the Athletics†stateside organizational ladder. He took full advantage of the hitter-friendly confines in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League this past season, posting career highs in home runs (18), RBIs (68), OPS (.832) and wOBA (.365). The younger brother of former MLB catcher Andrew, Daniel has a reputation as a solid receiver behind the dish with plus makeup to boot, attributes that could land him on an MLB roster as soon as next March as a backup who is still refining his all-around game.

Mariners: Michael Morales, RHP (No. 18)
Dating back to his Single-A debut in 2022, Morales has compiled the 11th-most innings (472 1/3) in the Minors. Remarkably durable, the third-round pick has made at least 22 starts four years running. Heâ€s a true mix and match hurler who works with five pitches of varying speeds, with just his low-80s changeup rating out as above average. His strikeout rate backed up considerably in 2025 (6.2 per nine) but he was two-and-a-half years younger than his Double-A competition. It will likely never be a high whiff profile but Morales could provide stability in an innings-eater role to an MLB club that believes in his pitchability.

Rangers: Cameron Cauley, SS/OF/2B (No. 17)
While it may not be a true one-for-one comp, Cauley has many of the same attributes that led to the Nationals nabbing Nasim Nuñez in the Rule 5 Draft back in 2023: elite speed and defensive flexibility. Additionally enhancing Cauleyâ€s favor is that he also has some considerable pop, having swatted 15 home runs for the second straight this year. Running a 86.9 percent stolen-base clip throughout his Minor League career, the 2021 third-rounder has experience starting at shortstop, second base and center field, making him a prime option for a club in search of a versatile utility man.

Braves: Blake Burkhalter, RHP (No. 11)
Atlanta didnâ€t add anyone to its 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 deadline, leaving Burkhalter (among many) available. The 6-foot right-hander had solid success as a Double-A starter in 2025 before moving to the Triple-A bullpen, where he didnâ€t miss as many bats (23 strikeouts in 31 innings). His 92-95 mph four-seamer does have impressive ride (17.9 inches of induced vertical break at Triple-A, on average) and some cutting action that could be appetizing for Rule 5 clubs, and he has a truer cutter in the upper-80s and a low-80s curveball for righties and a mid-80s changeup for lefties.

Marlins: Matt Pushard, RHP (unranked)
The University of Maine product knocked on Miamiâ€s door with a 3.61 ERA, 73 strikeouts and 23 walks in 62 1/3 innings as a Triple-A Jacksonville reliever but never broke it down during his age-27 season in 2025. His 94-96 mph four-seamer (touching 97.4) regularly caused batters to chase and miss with its combination of ride and run, and he added an effective low-80s sweeper to go with a more traditional curveball. He doesnâ€t have as many control issues as other potential Rule 5 relievers, though heâ€s more likely to succeed in right-on-right situations.

Mets: Felipe De La Cruz, LHP (unranked)
The 24-year-old left-hander bounced between Double-A and Triple-A in 2025 as he couldnâ€t find consistent success at the Minors†top level (7.30 ERA, 32 strikeouts, 17 walks in 24 2/3 innings). Heâ€s a sinker/slider southpaw with a 94-96 mph heater with tons of run and a cutter-like breaking ball in the 84-87 mph range with a little armside break of its own (roughly two inches on average). Even righties had a whiff rate of 41.8 percent against the slider in Triple-A, so De La Cruz wouldnâ€t necessarily need to be lefty-heavy in the Majors. His handedness might still give him a leg up in consideration.

Nationals: Tyler Stuart, RHP (No. 29)
The 6-foot-9 right-hander would be your classic stash candidate as he underwent Tommy John surgery after appearing in only 10 games while battling elbow issues this summer. Acquired from the Mets in July 2024 for Jesse Winker, he struck out 135 batters in 122 1/3 innings at Double-A and Triple-A that season, relying heavily on an 82-85 mph slider with good two-plane break. He plays off that with a sinker, changeup and cutter and has enough control to keep starting once healthy. If a team were to pick him and keep him on the IL for all of ‘26, heâ€d need to be active for 90 days in ‘27 to stick.

Phillies: Griff McGarry, RHP (unranked)
Prepare to hear McGarryâ€s name a good amount as his stuff continues to be promising. His 93-95 mph four-seamer comes in with a flat approach and plays up with above-average extension, shortening the decision window for batters. His low-80s sweeper averaged 17-18 inches of gloveside movement in front of Statcast, and he has a mid-80s slider thatâ€s a little shorter than that; both can generate a heavy amount of whiffs. But even as McGarryâ€s control improved from a disastrous 2024, he still walked 13.9 percent of his batters faced across all levels. A Rule 5 club would have to want to buy and build on that progress.

Brewers: Blake Holub, RHP (unranked)
Acquired from the Tigers in November 2023 in a straight-up swap for Mark Canha, the 6-foot-6 right-hander first reached Triple-A Nashville in 2024 and posted a 3.70 ERA with 53 strikeouts and 31 walks in 41 1/3 innings there this season. Heâ€s a two-pitch reliever with a 93-95 mph cutter and a 84-86 mph slider, each of which had a whiff rate of 29-30 percent in ‘25. Holub comes with nearly seven feet of extension and generates a ton of ground balls (50.5 percent last season), which could interest some Rule 5 clubs, but would need to throw more strikes to stick in an MLB bullpen for a full season.

Cardinals: Pete Hansen, LHP (unranked)
The 2022 third-rounder out of Texas has certainly delivered results in his three full seasons with the Cards, most recently finishing with a 3.93 ERA, 123 strikeouts and 37 walks in 137 1/3 innings at Double-A Springfield in ‘25. Considering his fastball only scrapes 92 mph, itâ€s all about the command and secondary stuff here, particularly an 80-82 mph slider that gets heavy chase and an 81-84 mph changeup that holds off righties.

Cubs: Grant Kipp, RHP (No. 19)
Six-foot-six. Elite spin rates. Considerable velocity gains. Thereâ€s a ton to like in Kippâ€s prospect package despite having turned 26 this offseason. An undrafted free agent who possesses an economics degree from Yale, he spun a career-best 108 2/3 innings this summer at Double-A and struck out better than a batter per inning, all while continuing to refine his arsenal – mid-90s heater, low-80s curve (49.4% whiff rate in 2025, per Synergy), upper-80s cutter, along with a slider and changeup that could fall by the wayside if a club believes in his immediate relief bona fides.

Pirates: Anthony Solometo, LHP (No. 25)
Once a pitcher who drew Madison Bumgarner comps for his deception from the left side, Solometo saw his velocity drop in 2024 and then battled shoulder issues that limited him to only 10 2/3 innings this summer. Still only 23 for the 2026 season, he would be a rebuild candidate, someone clubs could stash on the IL as he tried to regain strength in the shoulder and velocity on the fastball. Even when the heater was down, his slider looked like an above-average pitch, and he has a history of showing average to good command.

Reds: Carlos Jorge, OF/2B (No. 22)
Traditionally, posting a sub-.700 OPS in consecutive seasons wouldnâ€t get you on many clubs†Rule 5 radars. But Jorge – who repeated High-A this year – ripped off 40 stolen bases, his fifth consecutive campaign with at least 27 bags, all while running at an 84.2 percent success clip. Factor in untapped offensive potential to the fact the 22-year-old has experience playing all three outfield positions, as well as second base, and an aggressive club who believes in his long-term upside could attempt to stash him as a late-inning baserunner/defensive replacement.

D-backs: Christian Cerda, C (unranked)
Could Cerda be this yearâ€s Hicks? Like the Marlins catcher, the 22-year-old has posted impressive walk rates at every stop in the Minors, though he trades Hicks†elite contact rates for a little more power. Cerda hit a career-high 18 homers in 93 games for Double-A Amarillo in 2025. Teams wonâ€t look too heavily into that total alone as Cerda slugged just .357 away from Amarilloâ€s home launching pad, but thereâ€s enough right-handed pop and defense there for a Rule 5 club in need of catching help to consider him.

Dodgers: José Rodríguez, RHP (unranked)
Rodriguez has one of the most unique deliveries in this yearâ€s Rule 5 Draft with his back turned to the batter, followed by pronounced seven-foot extension and a whiplike arm motion. It helps sell his 86-88 mph changeup (also one of the best in this yearâ€s R5 class), since it looks much like his 95-97 mph sinker in movement until it hits the brakes near the plate. The cambio had a 67.3 percent whiff rate at Triple-A, and you can bet a lot of clubs would like to get their hands on that and his 85-87 mph short slider with a 51.2 percent whiff rate. Rodriguez also walked 14.2 percent of his batters faced with Oklahoma City, and that lack of control (a likely outcome of his delivery) could scare them off too.

Giants: Tyler Vogel, RHP (unranked)
A 12th-round pick in 2022 out of Jacksonville, Vogel hadnâ€t broken past High-A entering this year, but he enjoyed a breakout 2025 with a 2.88 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A in his age-24 season. The 6-foot righty can touch 97 with his fastball, and his 79-81 mph curveball and mid-80s splitter are very effective against lefties with whiff rates above 40 percent against opposite-side bats. Left-handers hit just .183 against him in 2025 (compared to .313 for righties).

Padres: Francis Pena, RHP (No. 20)
Triple-A El Paso can be a tough place to pitch, as Pena can attest to after posting a 6.04 ERA in 21 home games there in 2025. But in general, last season was a step back for the 24-year-old righty who had dominated in his previous two stateside seasons. Still, he offers some interesting pitches in his 94-97 mph sinker and 86-89 mph two-plane slider, both of which come from more than seven feet of extension. Penaâ€s walk rate more than doubled from 7.1 percent in ‘24 to 14.3 percent with the MLB ball in ‘25, and thatâ€ll weigh on his candidacy.

Rockies: Yujanyer Herrera, RHP (No. 17)
Herrera didnâ€t pitch at all in 2025 as he recovered and rehabbed from Tommy John surgery, but thereâ€s some starting potential here because of the way his strike-throwing was improving before the elbow procedure. His 92-94 mph fastball and hard slider both earned average to above-average grades, and there are the makings of a changeup here too. A Rule 5 club could oversee the remainder of his recovery and give him rehab outings in-house before better assessing if he could jump to The Show.

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