1 week agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, starting pitcher
Kyle Bradish (elbow) and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a one-year, $2.35 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. The 28-year-old logged 39 1/3 innings in 2024 before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery. In this small stint, the right-hander posted a 2.75 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Under the hood, he generated a stellar 28.6% hard-hit rate and 56.0% ground-ball rate. He also struck out batters at an elite 32.5% rate. In 2023, Bradish posted a 2.83 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP across 168 2/3 innings of work in a breakout season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the season, as he may be eligible to return to the Baltimore rotation sometime during the second half of the 2025 campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
1 week agoInfielder
Luis Arraez and the San Diego Padres settled on a $14 million deal for the 2025 season on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration, according to a source. Arraez will get a $3.5 million raise in his final year of arbitration eligibility. With the Padres looking to cut salary this year, they've explored trading Arraez to the New York Yankees, although no deal is close. The 27-year-old Venezuelan is the best contact hitter in the game and won the batting title for the third straight season while playing for the Padres and Miami Marlins. It's hard to believe his .314 average was a step back from 2023, and he also had surgery in October to fix a torn ligament in his left thumb. Arraez surely has a unique skill set, but his lack of defensive prowess and speed mostly make him a one-category contributor (average) in fantasy. If he stays in SD, Arraez should hit leadoff in a strong lineup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
1 week agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, catcher
Jose Trevino and the Cincinnati Reds have settled on a one-year, $3.425 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. The Reds acquired Trevino from the New York Yankees in a trade earlier this offseason, which sent right-handed pitcher
Fernando Cruz to the Bronx. Trevino should be expected to share catching duties with
Tyler Stephenson. Last season, Trevino posted a .215/.288/.354 slash line with just eight home runs. Under the hood, Trevino generated a poor .267 xwOBA, a 5.3% barrel rate, and a 35.1% hard-hit rate. Trevino should only be targeted in deeper NL-only formats, as Stephenson should be expected to see the majority of starts behind the dish and because Trevino carries minimal offensive upside.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
1 week agoOutfielder
Leody Taveras and the Texas Rangers avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by settling on a one-year, $4.75 million deal. Taveras had a pretty disappointing 2024 campaign in his fifth year with the Rangers, slashing .229/.289/.352 with a below-average .641 OPS, 12 home runs, 44 RBI and 59 runs scored in a career-high 151 games, but he did manage a career-best 23 stolen bases. The 26-year-old switch-hitting Dominican outfielder also reached double-digit home runs for the second straight season, but Taveras could face more competition for everyday playing time and is in danger of becoming Texas' fourth outfielder unless he improves more offensively in 2025. Helping his cause is that he's solid defensively and can run. The health of
Evan Carter could have a big impact on how much playing time Taveras sees next season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
1 week agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, left-handed relief pitcher
A.J. Puk and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a one-year, $2.95 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. Puk began the 2024 campaign in the Miami Marlins rotation but struggled as he posted a 9.22 ERA and a 2.63 WHIP across four starts. He was then placed on the injured list with a shoulder injury and was moved back to the bullpen when he returned. Puk returned to form in the bullpen and was eventually shipped to Arizona to help them down the stretch. Across 57 2/3 innings of relief, the southpaw posted a stellar 1.72 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. He struck out batters at a strong 29.9% rate and generated an impressive 2.72 xERA and a .197 xBA, which were both within the 90th percentile among qualified pitchers. Fantasy managers should expect Puk to compete for save opportunities with
Justin Martinez in the Arizona bullpen in 2025.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
1 week agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Detroit Tigers and starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal settled on a one-year contract with $10.15 million to avoid arbitration. Skubal was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball last season en route to winning the American League Cy Young Award. Across 192 innings, which was a career-high, the southpaw posted a 2.39 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP with an 18-4 record. He generated a stellar 2.72 xERA and .208 xBA. He generated strikeouts at an elite 30.3% rate and whiffs at a 31.9% rate. He also limited hard contact at a solid 33.9% hard-hit rate. Fantasy managers should view Skubal as one of the top pitchers in baseball heading into the 2025 campaign. Given his elite strikeout ability and ability to limit hard contact, he is worthy of being viewed as the SP1 in all formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
1
week
agoRight-handed
reliever
Michael
Kopech
and
the
Los
Angeles
Dodgers
avoided
salary
arbitration
on
Thursday
by
agreeing
to
a
one-year,
$5.2
million
deal
for
2025.
Kopech
began
last
season
as
the
closer
for
the
Chicago
White
Sox
and
struggled
with
a
4.74
ERA
and
read more...
1 week agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Philadelphia Phillies and outfielder
Brandon Marsh have settled on a $3 million contract to avoid arbitration. The 27-year-old operated as an everyday outfielder for the Phillies in 2024 and should be expected to retain that role in 2025. Last season, Marsh held a .249/.328/.419 slash line with 16 home runs and 19 stolen bases. His 60 RBI matched a career-high. Under the hood, he generated a strong 47.4% hard-hit and 10.0% barrel rates, placing him in the 83rd and 68th percentile, respectively. While he posted a hefty 32.4% K rate, he was still able to draw walks at a solid 10.5% mark, which was above average. Given his ability to hit for power and swipe double-digit bags, Marsh remains a viable target in deeper five-outfielder leagues as long as he continues to have an everyday spot in the starting nine.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
1 week agoThe Houston Astros and third baseman
Isaac Paredes avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $6.625 million deal, according to a source. Paredes is heading into his first year in Houston in 2025 after the Astros acquired him from the Chicago Cubs this offseason in the blockbuster trade involving All-Star outfielder
Kyle Tucker. With the Astros choosing not to re-sign
Alex Bregman and after signing
Christian Walker to play first base, Paredes should be locked in as Houston's everyday third baseman this year. The 25-year-old right-handed slugger struggled in the second half of 2024 with the Cubbies after he was traded by the Tampa Bay Rays, but he'll have an excellent chance to bounce back in Houston as a pull-happy righty with the short porch in left field at Minute Maid Park. Paredes is getting a $3.225 million raise from last year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
1 week agoRight-hander
Dylan Cease and the San Diego Padres avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $13.75 million deal. The figure represents a raise of nearly $6 million in what is Cease's final year of arbitration. In his first year in San Diego after the Padres acquired him in a trade from the Chicago White Sox before the 2024 season, the 29-year-old had a strong campaign with a 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 224 strikeouts and 65 walks in 189 1/3 innings. Cease threw a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals and was the team's ace for a large portion of the year. His 29.4% strikeout rate was fifth-best among qualified pitchers, and he paired it with a career-low 8.5% walk rate. Cease will enter his second year with the Friars as their ace, but with just one more year left on his deal, he could become a popular trade candidate during the summer, depending on SD's place in the standings.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
1 week agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Seattle Mariners and starting pitcher
Logan Gilbert have settled on a $7.625 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. Gilbert is coming off the best season of his career, posting a 3.23 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. His 208 2/3 innings of work led the major leagues. He showcased elite command with a 4.6% walk rate. He generated strikeouts at a strong 27.4% K rate and whiffs at a solid 31.7% rate. He also generated a 3.14 xERA, placing him in the 87th percentile among qualified hitters. Gilbert has been one of the most reliable workhorse pitchers in the sport, making at least 32 starts each of the past three seasons. Fantasy managers should draft Gilbert with confidence as he carries one of the highest floors among starting pitchers. In addition, he should significantly improve your WHIP ratio, given his elite control.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
1 week agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers acquired minor-league right-hander Jose Vasquez from the Minnesota Twins on Thursday in exchange for catcher
Diego Cartaya. The 20-year-old Vasquez has spent the last two summers playing in the Dominican Summer League, going a combined 5-2 with an ugly 8.05 ERA, 1.93 WHIP and 71:47 K:BB in 57 innings over 22 appearances (nine starts). Vasquez has yet to play in affiliated minor-league ball and has plenty of seasoning to do in the minor leagues as he transfers to the Dodgers organization. In a best-case scenario, Vasquez is likely several years away from even being a consideration for the big-league roster in LA.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
1 week agoThe Minnesota Twins acquired catcher
Diego Cartaya from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday in exchange for minor-league right-hander Jose Vasquez. Cartaya was once one of the Dodgers' top catching prospects, but he has struggled at the plate the last two seasons in the minors and slashed .221/.323/.363 with a .686 OPS, 11 home runs, 52 RBI and 113 strikeouts in 400 trips to the plate over 95 games with Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2024. The move to trade the 23-year-old comes after the Dodgers dropped the Venezuelan backstop from their 40-man roster recently. With minor-league options still remaining, expect Cartaya to begin the 2025 campaign at Triple-A St. Paul with his new organization as minor-league depth behind
Ryan Jeffers and
Christian Vazquez at the major-league level.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
1 week agoMLB Network's Jon Morosi reports that the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers are options for third baseman
Nolan Arenado if the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox can't reach an agreement on a trade package. After nixing a potential trade from the Cardinals to the Houston Astros earlier this offseason, Moroso also reports that Arenado has been more "open-minded" about waiving his full no-trade clause to more teams in the last 24 hours. In addition to Arenado, both the Red Sox and Tigers have been mentioned as suitors for free-agent third baseman
Alex Bregman, who remains on the open market. The 33-year-old Arenado has seen his offensive numbers dip in recent seasons, but he's still a well above-average defender at the hot corner. He's apparently open to moving across the diamond to first base, but that's unlikely to happen if he is traded to either Boston or Detroit.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
1 week agoAccording to Andy Martino of SNY, the Tampa Bay Rays are not actively shopping infielder
Brandon Lowe. Martino noted that with the Rays needing offensive help, they would instead hold on to Lowe as he carries high power upside. Lowe has hit at least 20 home runs in each of the past two seasons. Last summer, the 30-year-old posted a .244/.311/.473 line with 19 doubles, 21 long balls, and five stolen bases. Under the hood, he posted a strong .346 xwOBA, .485 xSLG, and a 12.4% barrel rate, which were all significantly above the average marks. In addition, playing in a spring training stadium for their home games could increase Lowe's power output. However, if the Rays fall out of playoff contention, he could then be placed on the trade block. For now, fantasy managers should expect Lowe to operate as the clear No.1 second baseman in Tampa Bay.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Andy Martino
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