Jim Bowden: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

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The New York Yankees are in a good old fashioned showdown with outfielder and free agent Cody Bellinger. While the Pinstripes are keen to bring Bellinger back after his 29 home run season in 2025, the 30 year old is reportedly looking for a contract worth over $200 million and around seven years.

Toronto Blue Jays News / Toronto Blue Jays on SI / January 6

Former MLB General Manager Drops Blunt Take on Blue Jays Signing Okamoto

Following their World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Toronto Blue Jays front office has pounced on making moves this offseason, trying to capitalize on the championship-winning window they've created for themselves.

Cincinnati Reds News / Cincinnati Reds on SI / December 8

Former MLB Executive Floats Bold Free Agency Contract Plan for Reds

It's the offseason, and it feels like a very important one for the Cincinnati Reds, who are looking to make it back to the postseason for the second consecutive year in 2026 for the first time since they made it in 2012 and 2013.

Cleveland Guardians News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'MLB active doubles leaders' quiz

How many of the active MLB players with 300 or more doubles in their career can you name in five minutes?

The '2025 MLB hits leaders' quiz

The 'Cleveland's 1997 World Series roster' quiz

The 'Most multi-HR games by MLB team' quiz

MLB News / New York Yankees on SI / December 6

Yankees Predicted to Land Mets Reliever in Splash Move

The MLB winter meetings are about to begin, and a bold prediction from an insider has the New York Yankees making a surprising move for a reliever in town.

MLB News / Yardbarker

The 20 most significant MLB Rule 5 draftees

The Rule 5 draft, held annually at the winter meetings in December, never garners much fanfare, but it has been known to yield some noteworthy transactions.

Atlanta Braves News / Atlanta Braves on SI / December 5

MLB Insider Names Braves Fit to Sign All-Star, Return Him to Form

The looming Winter Meetings mean more ideal landing spots are being named. For the Atlanta Braves, they’re deemed a fit, not just to sign an All-Star starting pitcher long term, but to get him back to his high-caliber ways.

Atlanta Braves News / SportsTalkATL / December 5

A hypothetical deal Braves should avoid at the Winter Meetings

The MLB Winter Meetings are set to kick off in a couple of days, which should — hopefully — jumpstart the offseason and spark a flurry of free-agent and trade activity.

MLB News / Texas Rangers on SI / November 26

Former GM Jim Bowden Declares Early Winner In Rangers-Mets Blockbuster Trade

When a baseball trade is made, it's often difficult to tell right away which team won the deal. One side may have gotten the better player or more talent on paper, but it's impossible to predict the future and know how the trade will actually play out on the field.

Pittsburgh Pirates News / Pittsburgh Pirates on SI / November 17

Pirates Named Fit for Padres Top 30 Free Agent

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates desperately need hitters to make their 2026 season a competitive one and they could go after one of the best of this generation in free agency.

Los Angeles Dodgers News / Los Angeles Dodgers on SI / November 7

Dodgers Linked to Projected $88 Million All-Star Closer in Free Agency

The Athletic's Jim Bowden named the Los Angeles Dodgers as a potential landing spot for All-Star closing pitcher Edwin Diaz this offseason. Diaz opted out of the final couple of seasons of his contract with the New York Mets after the conclusion of the World Series, and will test the free agency market this winter.

New York Mets News / New York Mets on SI / November 7

MLB Insider reveals Mets’ preferred free agency plan

The New York Mets know they have to upgrade their starting rotation this winter and there are a lot of avenues to do so. While the free agent market has

MLB News / Yardbarker

The 25 greatest pitching seasons from the modern MLB era

America's favorite pastime has more memorable performances than any sport. As such, figuring out which pitchers had the best seasons ever is no easy task.

Texas Rangers News / Texas Rangers on SI / November 6

How Rangers Could Lose Super-Utility Star in Trade This Offseason

The Texas Rangers are looking to trim payroll this offseason. But would they deal a player that won’t cost them much in 2026? Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) wrote a piece about all 30 teams and their needs going into the offseason.

San Diego Padres News / San Diego Padres on SI / November 2

Padres All-Star Predicted to End Free Agency With $80 Million Deal

The Athletic's Jim Bowden expects San Diego Padres All-Star Robert Suarez to secure a four-year, $80 million contract in free agency this offseason. Suarez has spent all four years of his MLB career with the Padres, making his debut in 2022.

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The 'Youngest Conference Champ QBs' quiz

The 'MLB active doubles leaders' quiz

The 'NFL undrafted receiving leaders' quiz

The 'NFL tight end receiving leaders' quiz

Pittsburgh Pirates News / Pittsburgh Pirates on SI / November 2

Pirates Named Top Landing Spot for Mets Reliever

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates had a strong bullpen in 2025, but could enhance it with the addition of this particular free agent. Jim Bowden of The Athletic ranked the top 50 free agents this offseason and had New York Mets right-handed pitcher Rayn Helsley at 37th overall.

Athletics News / Pittsburgh Pirates on SI / October 28

Pirates Named Landing Spot for Reds Reliever

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates had a strong bullpen in 2025, but could bolster it with one free agent signing from a divisional rival for 2026. Jim Bowden of The Athletic named Cincinnati Reds right-handed relief pitcher Emilio Pagán as the 33rd best free agent amongst the 50 he ranked.

Boston Red Sox News / Boston Red Sox on SI / October 27

Red Sox Linked To 49-HR Slugger After All-Star Season

The Boston Red Sox have been the subject of so much speculation over the last few weeks. Unfortunately, we're going to have to wait a while before we start to see real moves.

Philadelphia Phillies News / Last Word On Sports / October 23

Former GM Expects Phillies To Make Offseason Trades

Jim Bowden of The Athletic, a former MLB general manager, expects the Philadelphia Phillies to make offseason trades. Bowden ranked Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm as the ninth most likely player to be moved this offseason.

Los Angeles Angels News / Los Angeles Angels on SI / October 4

Angels Receive Bleak Future Outlook From Former GM

The Athletic's Jim Bowden ranked the Los Angeles Angels 17th out of the 18 teams who missed out on the postseason in terms of who is best positioned for the 2026 season, only ahead of the Colorado Rockies.

Seattle Mariners News / Fastball on SI / September 5

Mariners Stuck Gold; Landed Seattle's Next Star Pitcher

The Seattle Mariners have a talented young core and a loaded farm system. The future is certainly quite bright in Seattle, especially after this season's MLB Draft.

Atlanta Braves News / SportsTalkATL / September 3

Braves prospect cracks Jim Bowden’s list of the top 50 prospects

The Braves farm system has been dragged by prospect evaluators for several years now, but that hasn’t stopped it from producing high level talent, including this season.

New York Yankees News / Athlon Sports / July 27

Former MLB GM Warns Yankees Can’t Catch Blue Jays Without Pitching Trades

Jim Bowden isn’t buying the idea that the Yankees are done. The former MLB general manager, now a host on MLB Network Radio’s “The Front Office”, was blunt on Saturday when talking about what still needs to happen in the Bronx before the trade deadline.

Atlanta Braves News / SportsTalkATL / July 21

Jim Bowden on Braves trade deadline plans

The consensus among MLB insiders is that the Braves will wait until the offseason to make sweeping changes to their roster, which does make some sense.

Atlanta Braves News / SportsTalkATL / March 25

Braves trails only Dodgers in Jim Bowden’s MLB lineup rankings

Despite returning nearly every bat from a lineup that has an argument for the greatest offense in baseball history from a couple of seasons ago, the Braves are rarely talked about among the best lineups ahead of the 2025 campaign.

Atlanta Braves News / SportsTalkATL / December 24, 2024

Jim Bowden doesn’t see Braves making a blockbuster move this winter

To this point, the Atlanta Braves’ offseason has been marked more by subtractions than additions. The only notable move thus far was trading Jorge Soler to the Angels, a decision aimed at shedding payroll.

MLB News / Bluejaysnation / December 23, 2024

Top Stories of 2024 – No. 9: Bowden suggests trade that would see Vladimir Guerrero Jr. head to the Astros

Twins among 'best fits' for 10 of MLB's 45 best potential free agents

The World Series officially begins Friday night, which means we are one step closer to the start of free agency. The Athletic recently ranked the top 45 free agents and the Minnesota Twins were mentioned among teams that are the "best fit" for 10 players.