2 weeks agoThe Rule 5 Draft will take place Wednesday at 2 p.m. EST, and the Chicago White Sox have the first pick after finishing last season with the worst record in baseball. The team is reportedly set to pick pitcher
Shane Smith from the Brewers' organization. The 24-year-old spent most of his time last season at Double-A, pitching to a 3.08 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and a strong 22.6% K-BB% over 87 2/3 innings (27 appearances, 16 starts). The righty tossed six-and-two-thirds innings of relief at Triple-A as well, allowing two earned runs with a 3:7 BB:K. With the selection, Smith will be put on Chicago's 40-man roster. Last season, 10 players were selected in the Rule 5 Draft, with six of those players sticking on the roster for the entire season.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Jonathan Mayo
2
weeks
agoSt.
Louis
Cardinals
president
of
baseball
operations
John
Mozeliak
recently
acknowledged
that
the
team
was
interested
in
trading
third
baseman
Nolan
Arenado,
but
with
Arenado's
full
no-trade
clause
in
his
contract,
the
10-time
Gold
Glover
would
have
to
approve
of
any
trade.
The
33-year-old
read more...
2 weeks agoThe Cleveland Guardians acquired pitchers
Luis L. Ortiz, Josh Hartle and
Michael Kennedy from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night in exchange for infielder
Spencer Horwitz, according to sources. Ortiz is the biggest name in the swap for the Guardians as they look to add pitching depth to their system. The 25-year-old Dominican right-hander had his best year in the big leagues in his third year with Pittsburgh in 2024, going 7-6 with a 3.32 ERA (4.25 FIP), 1.11 WHIP, a career-high 107 strikeouts and 42 walks in 135 2/3 innings over 37 appearances (15 starts). Even though the Guardians re-signed
Shane Bieber already this offseason, Ortiz could be primed for a spot near the back end of Cleveland's starting rotation to open the 2025 regular season. Ortiz was slightly better as a starter in 2024 but had a strikeout rate under 20%, limiting his overall upside as a matchup-based streamer in deeper leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
2 weeks agoThe Miami Marlins are acquiring shortstop/second base prospect
Echedry Vargas, shortstop Max Acosta and left-hander Brayan Mendoza from the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night in exchange for third baseman/first baseman
Jake Burger, according to a source. The Marlins continue their full-on rebuild this offseason. The top name in the deal coming back to Miami is Vargas, who was ranked as the Rangers' No. 17 prospect on MLB Pipeline. Vargas is only 19 years old, so he's unlikely to be a realistic option for a big-league promotion for at least a couple years. The Dominican infielder spent all of 2024 at Single-A Down East, slashing .276/.321/.454 with a .775 OPS, 14 homers, 48 RBI, 29 steals and 65 runs in 97 games. Vargas has surprising power for a 5-foot-11, 170-pounder but may need to cut his swing down as he advances up the minors. For now, he's just one to watch in dynasty/keeper formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Alden Gonzalez
2 weeks agoThe Texas Rangers are acquiring third baseman/first baseman
Jake Burger from the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night in exchange for third baseman
Echedry Vargas, shortstop Max Acosta and left-hander Brayan Mendoza, according to a source. The move to add Burger adds thump to Texas' lineup after he hit 29 home runs and drove in 76 for the Marlins in 2024. He hit a career-high 34 long balls with the Chicago White Sox and Marlins in 2023 while also posting a nice .828 OPS. The former first-round selection by the White Sox in 2017 out of Missouri State University will move to a much better situation for his fantasy prospects in Texas and will be surrounded by much better hitters. Between third base, first base and designated hitter, Burger should play regularly and give fantasy managers a solid power floor with around a .250 average.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Alden Gonzalez
2 weeks agoThe Toronto Blue Jays acquired right-hander
Nick Sandlin and second baseman
Andres Gimenez from the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday in exchange for outfielder Nick Mitchell and infielder
Spencer Horwitz, who was later flipped to the Pittsburgh Pirates for three pitchers. Sandlin, 27, has posted a decent 3.27 ERA (4.41 FIP), a 1.15 WHIP, one save and a 223:92 K:BB in 195 1/3 innings over 209 appearances (one start) in his first four years in the big leagues, all with the Guardians. For the second straight season in 2024, the reliever had a 3.75 ERA while also sporting a 1.27 WHIP, a career-high 68 strikeouts and 27 walks in 57 2/3 frames. The former second-round selection by Cleveland in the 2018 draft out of the University of Mississippi will serve in a middle-relief role for the Jays in 2025 and won't carry much fantasy value.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
2 weeks agoMinnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said at the MLB winter meetings on Tuesday that the club hasn't decided yet if third baseman
Royce Lewis will shift from the hot corner to second base in 2025. Baldelli also said that Lewis has been taking ground balls at the keystone this offseason just in case, and the skipper is confident that Lewis has the skill set to be able to make a successful transition to second if the team asks him to do so. The 25-year-old made one start at second in 2024 but could play regularly there in 2025, depending on what the rest of Minnesota's roster looks like come spring training. The former first overall pick has some of the best pop from the right side in baseball, but he's already torn his ACL twice and hasn't played more than 82 games in his first three seasons in MLB. Lewis is a risk/reward power bat that could become a lot more attractive if he gains second base eligibility.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Darren Wolfson
2 weeks agoThe Cleveland Guardians traded second baseman/first baseman
Spencer Horwitz to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night in exchange for pitchers
Luis L. Ortiz, Josh Hartle and
Michael Kennedy, according to sources. The Guardians traded second baseman
Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays earlier in the day for Horwitz before flipping him to Pittsburgh. Horwitz's best path to playing time in Pittsburgh will likely come at first base, but given his lackluster defensive skills and his struggles against left-handed pitching, the 27-year-old could quickly become a platoon player in his new digs in 2025. The former 24th-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2019 out of Radford has hit a combined .264/.355/.428 with a .783 OPS, 13 home runs and 47 RBI in his two big-league seasons over 112 games. The move from Toronto to Pittsburgh is less than ideal for fantasy purposes.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
2 weeks agoThe Washington Nationals won major-league baseball's draft lottery on Tuesday and will have the first overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft for the third time in franchise history. The Nats entered the lottery with the fourth-best odds (10.8%) of getting the top pick, with the Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins (22.5% each) being tied for the best chance. The Marlins fell to seventh, while the Rockies will have the fourth selection. The Los Angeles Angels had the third-best odds for the top selection but will pick second. The Chicago White Sox and Athletics were not eligible for lottery picks due to revenue-sharing rules. The two previous times Washington held the top pick, they chose wisely, selecting right-hander
Stephen Strasburg in 2009 and outfielder
Bryce Harper in 2010. The Nats will be hoping to get the pick right again next year after having not made the playoffs since winning the 2019 World Series.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
2
weeks
agoFree-agent
infielder
Gleyber
Torres
is
drawing
interest
on
the
open
market
from
the
Los
Angeles
Angels
and
Toronto
Blue
Jays,
among
other
teams.
The
Blue
Jays
just
swung
a
trade
to
land
second
baseman
Andres
Gimenez
from
the
read more...
2 weeks agoFree-agent right-hander
Nathan Eovaldi and the Texas Rangers are reuniting after agreeing on a three-year, $75 million deal on Tuesday, according to sources. Eovaldi was considered at the top of the middle tier of free-agent arms this winter, and the Rangers will have him back for another three seasons. The 34-year-old veteran landed on the open market after declining a $20 million player option for the 2025 season. The two-time All-Star went 12-8 in 2024 with a 3.80 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 166 strikeouts and 42 walks in 170 2/3 innings over his 29 starts. He's posted a 3.72 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 298:89 K:BB in 54 regular-season starts for Texas over the last two years. Injuries have been an issue for Eovaldi in the past, but he stayed healthy for the most part last year and delivered a nice 23.9% strikeout rate. He lacks big strikeout upside and doesn't throw as hard as he did early in his career, but Eovaldi gives fantasy managers a solid floor as a mid-rotation arm.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
2 weeks agoThe Cleveland Guardians acquired first baseman/second baseman
Spencer Horwitz from the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday in the deal that sent second baseman
Andres Gimenez and
Nick Sandlin to Toronto, according to a source. Horwitz comes with six years of club control -- two years at league minimum and four years of salary arbitration. Horwitz, 27, made his major-league debut in Toronto in 2023 (15 games) and hit .265/.357/.433 with a decent .790 OPS, 12 home runs, 40 RBI and 46 runs scored in 381 trips to the plate over his 97 games played. He has the ability to play multiple positions, but Gimenez now in Toronto, Horwitz figures to see most of his playing time with his new team at the keystone. The left-handed hitter was originally a 24th-round pick by Toronto in 2019 out of Radford. Horwitz's defensive skills pale in comparison to Gimenez, and he could be destined for a platoon role unless he improves against lefty pitchers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Kiley McDaniel
2 weeks agoThe Toronto Blue Jays are finalizing a trade on Tuesday to acquire three-time Gold Glove-winning second baseman
Andres Gimenez from the Cleveland Guardians, according to sources. Gimenez should become a little bit more interesting from a fantasy perspective with the move to hitter-friendly Rogers Centre and a pretty potent Blue Jays lineup despite his struggles offensive in Cleveland in 2024. The 26-year-old slashed .252/.298/.340 with 63 RBI in 152 games played in his final year with the Guardians. Although his bat may not stand out among second baseman, his glove does, and Gimenez has also recorded back-to-back 30-stolen base campaigns. Gimenez will be a nice bounce-back candidate in Toronto in 2025 as an everyday player after sporting an .837 OPS just two years ago. Target his speed in drafts and hope that he can start hitting ball harder than he has the last two seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
2 weeks agoFree-agent left-hander
Max Fried and the New York Yankees agreed to an eight-year, $218 million deal on Tuesday, pending a physical, according to sources. It becomes the largest guarantee in baseball history for a left-handed pitcher and sends Fried from the National League East with the Atlanta Braves to the American League East. Fried will not have any deferred money and won't be able to opt out of the contract. Although injuries have set back the 30-year-old southpaw before, the Yankees were willing to take the risk because of Fried's ace potential when healthy. The two-time All-Star has a career 3.07 ERA (3.29 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP and 23.9% strikeout rate in his eight big-league seasons (all in Atlanta). He has made at least 28 starts in four of the last five full seasons but he also has topped 180 innings just once. The move to the AL East won't be easy, but Fried's ground-ball tendencies in the Bronx should help.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
2 weeks agoAccording to Ari Alexander of KPRC2, the Toronto Blue Jays have signed free-agent relief pitcher
Yimi Garcia (elbow) to a two-year contract worth $15 million. Last season, Garcia opened the season in Toronto and was eventually traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder
Jonatan Clase. Overall across 39 innings of work, the right-hander held a 3.46 ERA and a stellar 0.90 WHIP with five saves and 13 holds. Garcia's season was cut short in late August due to elbow inflammation. Under the hood, he generated an impressive .185 xBA, 32.0% strikeout rate and 34.4% hard-hit rate, which were all significantly above the average marks. Fantasy managers should monitor his status leading up to spring training, as he may face an uphill battle to be ready for the season opener. With Garcia returning to Toronto, fantasy managers should expect him to operate as the go-to eighth inning option, but he could eventually mix in for save opportunities with
Chad Green.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Ari Alexander
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