Chelsea Janes

News: Dan Kolko will succeed Bob Carpenter doing play-by-play on Nationals broadcasts this year, according to multiple people familiar with the decision. Kolko filled in regularly for Carpenter last year and has been a part of Nats coverage in various roles since 2012.

One of MLB’s top managers was burned out. He’s already back in the game. Mike Shildt abruptly left the San Diego Padres at the end of last season, but he is energized for a new role as an instructor for the Baltimore Orioles.

Mike Shildt stepping down as Padres manager was so stunning it made people wonder if more was going on. Now, as he starts new role with Orioles, he maintains it was simple.

“I was tired of being the principal. I wanted to get back to being the teacher.”

www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2026/...

Analysis | Dodgers buy another big star, and MLB’s spending gap grows even wider The defending World Series champions didn’t need Kyle Tucker, but they got him anyway. Are they leaving the rest of baseball behind?

The Dodgers keep doing the unthinkable. Will the rest of baseball decide it’s unallowable? www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2026/...

Getting a lot of questions about how the Nats moving to MLB as a broadcast partner instead of MASN will affect fans. Tried to answer some of them here.

Nationals leave MASN, partner with MLB to broadcast games in 2026 Under a deal announced Wednesday, Nationals games will be available via streaming and on to-be-determined television networks this season.

News: No more MASN for the Nationals. They’ve chosen to have MLB broadcast their games in 2026. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2026/...

Analysis | Alex Bregman chooses the Cubs, and the Red Sox have to do some reflecting The free agent infielder stunningly agreed to a five-year deal with Chicago on Saturday night. Where does his spurned former team go from here?

The Cubs needed an anchor, a star. They finally splurged on one. The Red Sox needed a star, an anchor. They finally had one, and they let him get away. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2026/...

They’ll be throwing Dunkin in the harbor tonight

Alex Bregman will be a Cub, 5/175M, per person familiar with the deal, though you heard from @JonHeyman and @JeffPassan. Seemed such a perfect fit in Boston (city/clubhouse) thought for sure he’d use FA to get more and go back. But 35M AAV thru age 36 season is a monster deal.

Wanted to provide clarity re: MASN contract. The Nationals’ contract with MASN expires at the end of February, both the Nats/O’s confirm to @chelseajanes.bsky.social and me.

None of this is to say the Nats won’t opt to go in a different direction with their TV rights. But still with MASN.

Final reminder: Team usually has final say for on-air personnel in conjunction with/regardless of broadcast partner. Nats obviously have uncertainty on the on-air talent front entering 2026, too. So stay tuned.

But would not expect it to be a massive number from a bidder. Main advantage to that route vs MLB would be up-front cost certainty, from what I can tell.

If someone (like MASN or say, another network) wants to buy the rights, then that network would commit to a price and handle distribution and steaming as MASN has in recent years. Currently unclear how many suitors there are for these rights and how big a bid someone might make

Just to add what I can to the MASN discourse, Nats can always choose to have MLB handle production and distribution of games, as league does for San Diego/AZ/etc. My understanding is that in that case Nats receive whatever revenue they get from any cable deals and streaming subs

Analysis | Anthony Rendon may finally be what he has long sought: A former MLB player The Angels and the former Nat have reportedly worked out an end to a seven-year, $245 million deal that will go down as one of the worst in MLB history.

Anthony Rendon and the Angels restructured his contract so both sides can move on in 2026, which was the supposed to be the final year of his seven-year deal. It should come as no surprise he didn’t finish it. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Late to the party, but confirming the Angels have agreed to a settlement with Anthony Rendon that ends his tenure after six years. The Nationals had a choice after 2019: Give $245 million to Strasburg or Rendon. Hard to say they made the wrong choice?

Re O’s acquiring Baz: Price for starting pitching is high, in trades as in FA. But if Baz is at his best, he’s really really good with three years of control. The “if” is what scares you, but its there with most of the FAs too in some form I guess

Analysis | The Orioles land Pete Alonso, and maybe they’re finally ready to flex Baltimore is signing the slugging first baseman to a five-year, $155 million deal, showing a willingness to spend after years of a more conservative approach.

Even as big free agent deals go, the Pete Alonso signing is a hugely significant development for the Orioles. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Alonso might not be the most hyped clubhouse guy in this free agent class, but he cares, he’s earnest, and he’s been there before. All of which will help.

The Baltimore Orioles finally get the proven offensive guy they’ve been chasing: Pete Alonso agrees to 5 yrs, $155M, as @JeffPassan said, per person familiar with deal. Biggest free agent move of Elias’s tenure by a wide mile. And given state of the rotation, they’re not done.

Analysis | At MLB’s winter meetings, Kyle Schwarber is the first big domino to fall The power-hitting DH is staying with the Phillies on a new five-year, $150 million deal that sends the handful of teams pursuing him scrambling to contingency plans.

Kyle Schwarber tipped the first domino. Edwin Diaz toppled another. Time for everyone who wanted them to pivot — meaning the chaos can begin: www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Ryan Helsley said possibility of starting was "definitely real" and that he told his agent to listen if teams asked about it. Said Tigers were "in on me heavy" as SP.

"Weighed the options and the risks and they just didn't seem to line up with where I am in my career."

I feel obligated to report that Paul Toboni let slip today that people in Boston called him “T-Bone,” which I can confirm from having spoken to Boston people. Unfortunately, this means my shorthand idea — “POBOni” (President of Baseball Operations) — might not stick.

Seidler family announces they are exploring “strategic options” for the Padres, including a potential sale.

The GM Meetings are overlapping with BravoCon in Vegas this week. This is the exact geographic center of my Venn diagram.

A ‘Moneyball’ architect is back in MLB to turn around another franchise After a decade away from baseball, Paul DePodesta takes over the Colorado Rockies. Can he save a struggling team in a dramatically changed sport?

There was a time when Paul DePodesta had the reputation as the kind of front office wunderkind who might, say, figure out how to win at Coors Field someday. But that was many jobs and an NFL jaunt ago. Can he really pull this off? www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

MLB announces that all authorized betting partners will now cap wagers on pitch-level bets at $200 and exclude them from parlays. Pitch-level bets, you may remember, are the kind Clase, Ortiz, and their co-conspirators allegedly exploited.

Emmanuel Clase’s attorney Michael Ferrara said the following:

“Emmanuel Clase has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

Guardians pitchers charged with taking bribes to rig pitches Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are alleged to have thrown certain pitches in exchange for money from bettors. Each could face up to 65 years in prison.

News regarding Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz and the crazy, brazen pitch-rigging scheme alleged against them: www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Luis Ortiz’s attorney, Chris Georgalis, says Ortiz is innocent and that payments to the DR that DOJ alleges were related to betting were for “lawful activities”

Good morning from Craig Albernaz’s introductory press conference. The man sitting in the front row, back of head to the camera in the beige suit, is Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, here to support his friend.