1
week
agoAccording
to
Scott
Merkin
of
MLB.com,
infielder
Josh
Rojas
has
agreed
to
a
one-year
deal
with
the
Chicago
White
Sox.
Before
being
non-tendered
earlier
this
offseason
by
the
Mariners,
Rojas
hit
.225
with
a
.286
wOBA
and
91
wRC+.
He
hit
eight
home
runs
read more...
2 weeks agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the New York Mets and free-agent first baseman
Pete Alonso remain apart on the potential length of his new contract. Heyman noted that, "I do think the years are the hang-up right now," when discussing the current state of their negotiations. While they may be on the same page in terms of money, both sides remain apart on the length of a new contract. Alonso is one of the top bats remaining on the free-agent market and is the clear top first baseman available. He has spent his entire six-year MLB career in Queens. Last summer, Alonso hit 34 home runs with a .240/.329/.459 slash line. Alonso has gone deep at least 30 times in each of his full seasons, excluding the 2020 season. If Alonso were to return to the Mets, he would continue to bat in the top half of a lineup that is welcoming
Juan Soto.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Dan Bartels
2 weeks agoAccording to Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the San Diego Padres held a meeting with free agent Roki Sasaki. According to sources, almost "20" teams are vying for the overseas superstar. Earlier this offseason, it was reported that the Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers were viewed as the "frontrunners" for the right-hander. In the 2024 season, the hard-throwing right-hander struck out 129 batters across 111 innings of work in the NPB. He posted a strong 2.35 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. The 23-year-old is viewed as one of the top pitchers on the current free-agent market despite him not having pitched in an MLB setting. His agent Joel Wolfe has told teams that Sasaki may prefer to pitch in a smaller market which could continue to add teams to the bidding war. With
Joe Musgrove (elbow) recovering from Tommy John surgery, Sasaki would have a definitive rotation spot in San Diego if he were to sign there.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Sanders
2 weeks agoAccording to James Fegan of Baseball America, the Chicago White Sox designated shortstop
Braden Shewmake for assignment to make room for left-handed pitcher
Tyler Gilbert. The White Sox acquired Gilbert from the Philadelphia Phillies earlier on Wednesday. Shewmake appeared in 29 games with the White Sox last summer and held a poor .125/.134/.203 slash line with two doubles, one home run and five stolen bases. Across 209 career games at the Triple-A level, the infielder has posted a career .239/.299/.395 line with 23 home runs and 36 stolen bases. If Shewmake finds a new club, he will likely spend most of the 2025 campaign in the minor leagues given his struggles in the big leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: James Fegan
2 weeks agoFree-agent catcher
Jake Anchia signed a minor-league deal with the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, according to his agent, Gavin Kahn. Anchia was previously with the Seattle Mariners and was ranked by Baseball America as the organization's best defensive prospect at his position. The 27-year-old former seventh-round selection by Seattle in 2018 out of Nova Southeastern University spent all of the 2024 campaign at Double-A Arkansas, slashing .210/.246/.358 with a weak .604 OPS, nine home runs, 39 RBI, three stolen bases and 33 runs scored in 290 trips to the plate over 79 games played. Anchia's calling card is obviously his defense, leaving him very little fantasy upside if he ever reaches the major-league level in Cleveland.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Gavin Kahn
2 weeks agoColorado Rockies outfielder/designated hitter
Kris Bryant (back) said he is doing well while recovering from back injuries that have limited him to 159 games since he signed with the team before the 2022 season. All checkups on Bryant this offseason have gone well, according to the Rockies. "He's doing good," general manager Bill Schmidt said. "From my understanding, he really hasn't shut down since the end of the season. He's working out. He's swinging the bat." Over his three seasons in Colorado, Bryant has produced a minus-1.3 fWAR, which tied him for 2,069th among major-league players in that span. The Rockies plan to use him as their DH and right fielder in 2025 if he can stay healthy. He could also play first base, but
Michael Toglia could play there full time. The 32-year-old only played in 37 games in 2024 and hit .218 with a 31% strikeout rate. Bryant's fantasy stock has plummeted the last few years.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Thomas Harding
2 weeks agoThe Chicago White Sox acquired left-hander
Tyler Gilbert from the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday in exchange for minor-league right-hander Aaron Combs. Gilbert had been designated for assignment by the Phillies on Dec. 22. Gilbert will head to the American League in 2025 after appearing only six times out of the Phillies' bullpen in 2024. In his 8 1/3 innings pitched, he allowed three earned runs on 10 hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out four. The 31-year-old former sixth-round selection by the Phillies in 2015 out of the University of Southern California (USC) debuted in the bigs with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2021 and holds a career 4.23 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 100 innings over 34 outings (13 starts) in his four seasons. Gilbert will give the rebuilding White Sox a swing arm in 2025, but he won't be on the fantasy radar at all.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Philadelphia Phillies
2 weeks agoThe Philadelphia Phillies acquired minor-league right-hander Aaron Combs from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in exchange for left-hander
Tyler Gilbert, who the Phillies had designated for assignment on Dec. 22. Combs will come to the Phillies as organizational relief depth after spending his first professional season at Single-A Kannapolis in the White Sox's organization in 2024. Combs appeared in only six games out of the bullpen and allowed just two runs (none earned) on five hits while walking four and striking out 13 in 7 2/3 innings pitched. The 23-year-old was drafted by the White Sox in the eighth round back in the summer out of the University of Tennessee. Combs will open the 2025 campaign in the lower levels of the Phillies' farm system.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Philadelphia Phillies
2 weeks agoPhiladelphia Phillies left-hander
Jesus Luzardo (back, elbow), who was acquired from the Miami Marlins this offseason, said he feels 100 percent after missing time with left-elbow tightness and not pitching after June 16 due to a stress reaction in his lower back. 2024 was a tough year for the lefty, but he did have a 3.48 ERA and 328 strikeouts in 279 innings in 2022 and 2023 with Miami. He's optimistic that his back issues are behind him as the 27-year-old southpaw embarks on his first season in Philly. Luzardo had a rough 5.00 ERA and made only 12 starts for the Fish this past season because of his injuries, but if he can stay healthy in 2025, he'll give the Phillies the deepest starting rotation in the sport. However, with only one season with 20 starts in the big leagues, Luzardo remains a pretty big fantasy risk on draft day.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Philadelphia - Corey Seidman
2 weeks agoThe Baltimore Orioles announced on Tuesday that they agreed to terms with free-agent infielder/outfielder
Nick Gordon on a minor-league deal. Gordon will give the Orioles some extra utility depth in both the infield and outfield heading into spring training in February. The 29-year-old left-handed hitter was the fifth overall pick by the Minnesota Twins in 2014 out of a high school in Florida. He debuted in the big leagues in 2021 and has slashed .244/.283/.386 with a .669 OPS, 23 homers, 112 RBI, 21 stolen bases and 106 runs in 338 games over his four seasons. Last year he played in 95 games with the Miami Marlins and hit .227 (59-for-260) with eight homers, 32 RBI, five steals and 29 runs scored. Gordon's best season came in 2022, when he slashed .272/.316/.427 with nine homers, 50 RBI and six steals in 136 games. At best, he'll likely be a bench player for the O's.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
2 weeks agoThe Texas Rangers signed free-agent right-hander
David Buchanan to a minor-league deal on Tuesday that includes an invitation to big-league spring training. Buchanan made his major-league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies back in 2014 and made 20 starts. He then made 15 starts the following year but struggled to an ERA just under 7.00 with 44 strikeouts and 29 walks in 74 2/3 innings pitched. The 35-year-old former seventh-round pick by the Phillies in 2010 out of Georgia State University resurfaced in the majors in 2024 with the Cincinnati Reds but only pitched 3 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. Buchanan pitched in both Japan and Korea during his long stint out of the big leagues. He'll now try to return to the big leagues in the American League in 2025 while providing relief depth for the Rangers. Buchanan will not be on the fantasy radar.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Dallas Morning News
2 weeks agoThe Chicago Cubs announced on Tuesday that they signed former Minnesota Twins left-hander
Caleb Thielbar to an undisclosed one-year deal. Thielbar will provide veteran left-handed depth for Chicago's bullpen heading into the 2025 season. The 37-year-old former 18th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers back in 2009 out of South Dakota State University has pitched for the Twins in all eight of his big-league seasons since debuting in 2013. He held a 5.32 ERA (4.10 FIP) and a 1.56 WHIP with a career-high three saves, 53 strikeouts and 24 walks in 47 1/3 innings over 59 relief appearances in 2024. It was one of Thielbar's worst seasons of his career, but the Cubs are hoping he can bounce back after striking out a third of the batters he faced from 2021 to 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
2 weeks agoAccording to Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, right-handed pitcher
Ben Heller has signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs. Heller logged just 12 innings with an 11.25 ERA and a 2.08 WHIP with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season. However, at Triple-A, he held a 3.55 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP across 33 innings of work. In this stint, he struck out an impressive 55 batters. Heller was on the injured list with a shoulder injury towards the end of the season but has not shown any signs of being in danger of missing Spring Training. The 33-year-old could earn a spot on the major league roster but will likely open the 2025 season at the Triple-A level, given his lack of success in the big leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Andrew Destin
2 weeks agoAccording to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com, the Texas Rangers have designated right-handed pitcher
Grant Anderson for assignment to open a roster spot for
Joc Pederson. Anderson has spent the past two seasons in the Texas organization. Last summer, through 26 2/3 innings of work, the 27-year-old posted an 8.10 ERA with a 1.60 WHIP. He struck out batters at a modest 24.2% rate but generated a poor 5.18 xERA and a .261 xBA. In 2023, Anderson carried a 5.10 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP through 35 2/3 innings of work. In 74 1/3 career innings at Triple-A, Anderson has posted a 3.87 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. If Anderson were to find a new club, he would likely operate a low-leverage relief option.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Kennedi Landry
2 weeks agoAccording to Katie Woo and Will Sammon of The Athletic, free agent left-handed pitcher
Kyle Hart is drawing interest from five clubs on the free agent market. According to a source, the Yankees, Twins, Astros, Orioles, and Brewers are among the suitors. The southpaw has not pitched in the MLB since 2020 but has begun to revive his career by pitching overseas in South Korea. This past season in South Korea, Hart posted a 2.69 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP with 182 strikeouts across 157 innings of work. In 2020, Hart logged 11 innings in San Francisco to the tune of a 15.55 ERA and a 3.09 WHIP. Across 334 2/3 career innings at the Triple-A level, he posted a 4.36 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. If Hart were to find a suitor, he would likely operate as a long-relief option.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic
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