Lead: At the Winter Meetings on Dec. 13, 2025, managers and front-office officials traded updates and assessments that underscored workload questions, clubhouse moves and front-office strategy. Terry Francona flagged playing-time concerns for Reds All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz after a heavy two-season workload. Other notable notes touched on Sonny Gray’s past Yankees ties, Dave Roberts’ perspective after consecutive World Series, and a string of coaching and roster shifts that could reshape several AL and NL clubs.
Key takeaways
- Terry Francona said he must manage Elly De La Cruz’s workload better after the shortstop played 322 games across the last two seasons and all 162 games in 2025.
- De La Cruz logged 1,382 of a possible 1,435 defensive innings last season and was used as DH in just five games, prompting Francona to consider more rest and day games after night contests.
- Sony Gray’s 2018 comments about New York resurfaced; Yankees manager Aaron Boone downplayed the friction while noting Gray is now a Boston Red Sox player.
- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said back-to-back World Series titles have eased outside pressure and reinforced his confidence in his approach and leadership.
- The Angels hired Brady Anderson as hitting coach and Mike Maddux as pitching coach; Anderson has not previously served as an on-field coach and was last in an MLB front office role in 2019.
- Guardians manager Stephen Vogt confirmed long-time pitching coach Carl Willis will return for his 23rd major-league season as a coach.
- Pete Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles, a move that has prompted debate about roster construction from teams that passed on him, including the Red Sox and Mets.
Background
The Winter Meetings have become a late-season crossroads where front offices, managers and agents clarify strategy, personnel moves and workload management for the year ahead. This edition again highlighted an industry balancing act: teams searching for roster upgrades while trying to manage player health and longevity. Attention often centers on marquee names and how clubs deploy them — whether through rest, shifting roles, or roster reconfiguration — because those choices ripple through lineups and pitching staffs.
Player usage and analytics-driven roster construction were recurring themes. Teams such as the Mets and Red Sox are making tradeoffs between power and defense in free-agent markets, while other clubs are shaking up coaching staffs to address uneven pitching ERAs or missing offensive production. The meetings also serve as a platform for managers to publicly temper expectations, explain personnel choices and field questions about where teams stand entering spring training.
Main event
Terry Francona singled out Elly De La Cruz’s heavy workload as a concern, saying he needs to find ways to rest the shortstop more often and that he accepts responsibility for not doing enough. Francona praised De La Cruz’s daily energy and willingness to play but suggested strategic day-game usage after night games could help preserve the player’s long-term effectiveness.
Sonny Gray’s past comments about not wanting to be traded to the Yankees in 2018 were revisited when Yankees GM Brian Cashman noted conflicting recollections about Gray’s willingness to come to New York. Aaron Boone downplayed the dispute, pointing out Gray is now with the rival Red Sox and adding that any added edge to the rivalry is fine with him.
Dave Roberts reflected on the relief that can come with sustained success, saying consecutive World Series titles reduced his concern about outside opinion and allowed him to focus on doing his job. His remarks framed a broader conversation about managerial security and public scrutiny in baseball’s high-pressure environment.
On the coaching front, the Angels hired Brady Anderson as hitting coach despite his lack of experience as a uniformed coach; manager Kurt Suzuki praised Anderson’s rapport with players and the front office’s conversations that led to the hire. The club also lured Mike Maddux from the Rangers to overhaul a pitching staff that posted a 4.89 ERA last season.
Other notes included the Guardians retaining veteran pitching coach Carl Willis for a long-term staff continuity, and the Orioles’ signing of Pete Alonso, which drew scrutiny about which teams were willing to spend and which prioritized defensive or aging-player models. Several roster threads — from potential Red Sox fits like Kyle Schwarber to role clarity for players such as Rob Refsnyder and Kristian Campbell — emerged as possible spring training storylines.
Analysis & implications
Francona’s comments about De La Cruz highlight a tension between maximizing elite, energizing talent and protecting it from cumulative wear. De La Cruz’s near-constant presence in the field (1,382 of 1,435 possible innings last season) and playing all 162 games in 2025 signal both durability and risk; teams are increasingly deliberate about scheduled rest because marginal declines from fatigue can compound across a season.
The Sonny Gray exchange underlines another recurring Winter Meetings motif: headlines from past seasons can resurface and be reframed. Boone’s measured response aims to defuse a narrative that might distract in-season clubhouse dynamics. For rivalries, such moments can serve as fuel without necessarily altering roster or tactical plans.
The Angels’ unconventional hire of Brady Anderson demonstrates that franchises may value former players’ relationships and communication skills as highly as prior coaching résumés, especially when paired with experienced hires like Mike Maddux. That combination suggests a push to blend fresh perspectives with established pitching expertise to fix a staff ERA problem.
Pete Alonso’s move to Baltimore and the reactions from other clubs encapsulate differing roster philosophies: some organizations are prepared to make bold, high-cost signings to change a competitive trajectory, while others prioritize long-term defensive metrics and payroll flexibility. The outcomes of these choices will be clearer by midseason, when performance and injury patterns crystallize.
Comparison & data
| Metric | De La Cruz (2025) | League context |
|---|---|---|
| Games played (last two seasons) | 322 | Top-tier usage |
| Games (2025) | 162 | Full season |
| Defensive innings (2025) | 1,382 of 1,435 | Very high innings share |
| DH appearances (2025) | 5 | Minimal platoon rest |
The table underscores how atypical De La Cruz’s field exposure was last season. Limited DH starts indicate the team relied on defensive substitution patterns less and leaned on his availability rather than maximizing rest. That usage profile helps explain Francona’s public acknowledgment of a need for greater workload management.
Reactions & quotes
Managers and front-office figures offered short, pointed responses that clarify tone and intent.
“I need to find ways to get him off his feet from time to time, and I didn’t do a very good job of that, and I own up to that.”
Terry Francona, Reds manager
Francona framed the issue as a manager’s responsibility and emphasized De La Cruz’s value and energy while signaling a change in how the team might deploy him.
“He’s in Boston now. He’s not supposed to like us anyway…If he’ll spice up the rivalry a little, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Aaron Boone, Yankees manager
Boone’s remark sought to minimize lingering controversy around Sonny Gray’s earlier comments and cast the exchange as standard rivalry banter.
“I kind of stopped worrying about what people thought…I’m happy with what we’ve accomplished. I’m very secure with who I am as a man.”
Dave Roberts, Dodgers manager
Roberts used his recent championships to explain a calmer public posture and steadier managerial approach.
Unconfirmed
- Reports that Sonny Gray directly instructed a friend to contact Brian Cashman in 2018 are based on conflicting accounts and have not been independently corroborated.
- Marcelo Mayer’s participation in the World Baseball Classic remains uncertain while he continues to recover from wrist surgery; final roster decisions are pending.
- Speculation about which Red Sox outfielder (if any) will be traded to open playing time for Kristian Campbell is not confirmed and will depend on spring training evaluations.
Bottom line
The Winter Meetings served as a reminder that roster moves, coaching hires and candid manager comments are all part of a seasonal chess match. Francona’s acknowledgment about Elly De La Cruz’s usage is the sharpest operational takeaway: teams must balance a player’s day-to-day availability against the cumulative toll of heavy playing time.
Coaching hires like Brady Anderson’s and Mike Maddux’s, the Guardians’ continuity with Carl Willis, and the Alonso signing all point to divergent organizational strategies — some leaning toward veteran experience and big swings, others toward analytics-driven restraint. How those strategies play out will be measured in health, midseason standings and who is still standing in October.
Sources
- Boston Globe (news media) — original reporting on Winter Meetings remarks and notes.
- MLB Charities Auction (official/charity) — listing for Winter Meetings charity auction offerings.