Shane Bieber steps in for Game 3 in Seattle, tasked with stabilizing Toronto's rotation after a brutal ALCS start at home. The Blue Jays traded Khal Stephen for him at the deadline, betting on an ace who can lift a staff led by Gausman and Bassitt. A strong postseason showing could affirm the Bieber trade and shape Toronto's winter plans as he weighs a 2026 option and free-agent fate.

Toronto needs Bieber to reset the tone in a hostile environment, using a fastball-curve mix to attack Seattle’s right-handed hitters. If he hits his spots early, the Jays can reclaim momentum and demonstrate the deal’s value; if not, questions about the trade and the staff’s ceiling will intensify as the postseason pressure grows.

New York Mets lock in Kai Correa as bench coach for 2026 and promote Jeff Albert to director of Major League hitting, signaling a rapid, data-driven rebuild under David Stearns. Correa brings elite defensive analytics and infield teaching; Albert translates minor league scouting into big-league hitting prep. The hires came with zero leaks, underscoring Stearns’s preference for stealth and speed. Gold Glove finalists Torrens and Peterson highlight Mets defensive emphasis, while Soto and Lindor show mixed defensive marks. Rookie Tong and catcher Alvarez add intriguing winter notes as the organization presses ahead.

Max Fried headlines the AL Gold Glove finalists after leading MLB pitchers with 10 defensive runs saved and 39 assists in his first season with the Yankees, edging Jacob deGrom and Luis Severino for the trio. In the NL, Ryan McMahon anchors the infield after joining the Yankees midseason, with Ke’Bryan Hayes and Matt Shaw also in the mix at third. Catcher Luis Torrens heads the Mets’ catching group alongside Patrick Bailey and Carson Kelly, while David Peterson joins Torrens as a Mets finalist on the mound with Logan Webb and Matthew Boyd. The Yankees last Gold Glove winner was Volpe in 2023, and the Mets’ last was Lagares in 2014.