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
2 weeks agoAccording to Jake Rill of MLB.com, Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher
Grayson Rodriguez (lat) will be a "full-go" for spring training. The 25-year-old missed the final two months of the 2024 season with a lat injury. Over 116 2/3 innings of work last summer, the right-hander held a 3.86 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with a 13-4 record. Under the hood, the former top prospect generated a strong 30.0% whiff rate and 26.5% strikeout rate. In addition, he also generated a solid 3.72 xERA and .231 xBA, which were both above the average marks. This was a nice improvement compared to the 4.35 ERA and 1.34 WHIP he held during his rookie campaign in 2023. Fantasy managers should monitor his status during spring training, as the former 11th overall selection could operate as the Baltimore ace during the entire 2025 season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jake Rill
2 weeks agoAccording to Mark Feinsand of the MLB Network, the Colorado Rockies have signed free-agent infielder
Thairo Estrada to a one-year contract. Estrada has spent each of his past four seasons playing with the San Francisco Giants. Last season, the 28-year-old held a disappointing .217/.247/.343 slash line, which was a stark drop compared to the solid .271/.315/.416 line he posted in the 2023 campaign. In addition, during the 2023 season, he hit 14 home runs and swiped 23 bags while he hit just nine home runs and had two stolen bases last summer. Under the hood, Estrada generated a weak 31.7% hard-hit rate and 4.8% barrel rate. Despite his drop in production last season, Estrada could be an intriguing late-round flier in deeper formats, as he will be playing in a positive fantasy environment in Coors Field and could be set up well for a nice bounce-back campaign as a regular.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
2 weeks agoJapanese left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara was officially posted by the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball on Tuesday, making him available to all major-league teams this offseason. Fellow Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki is getting all the headlines as an international free agent, but the 27-year-old Ogasawara will also make the move to the States for the 2025 season. He had a 3.12 ERA with a microscopic 3.7 percent walk rate with the Dragons in Japan in 2024, although he didn't miss many bats with just a 13.6 percent strikeout rate. Ogasawara will have more earning power than Sasaki due to MLB international signing rules, but he won't be nearly as attractive in fantasy next year. At 5-foot-11, 183 pounds, Ogasawara has a weak 18.9% strikeout rate in 951 1/3 innings in Japan and is likely to pitch to contact in the big leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Francys Romero
2
weeks
agoFree-agent
left-hander
Max
Fried,
the
top
remaining
lefty
starter
on
the
open
market
this
offseason,
is
expected
to
choose
his
next
team
by
this
Thursday,
according
to
major-league
sources
briefed
on
the
talks.
The
finalists
for
Fried's
services
figures
to
be
the
New
read more...
2 weeks agoAgent Joel Wolfe said that it might be beneficial for young Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki to have a soft landing with more of a small-market MLB team because of the issues he had with media earlier in his career overseas in Nippon Professional Baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been considered the favorites for the 23-year-old hurler from the beginning, but they are the opposite of small market, and Sasaki would be the third biggest Japanese draw there behind
Shohei Ohtani and
Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The division-rival San Diego Padres are the other team most associated with Sasaki this offseason, although the Seattle Mariners could also be a good fit. Sasaki was officially posted for MLB teams on Monday, opening up a 45-day window for him to sign with an MLB team. His stuff should play in the big leagues right away, but durability issues could limit his overall upside.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Metsmerized - Mike Mayer
2 weeks agoThe Detroit Tigers are showing interest in free-agent first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt, according to sources. The 37-year-old veteran right-handed slugger is only two years removed from winning the National League MVP award. However, his offensive prowess dropped considerably in a disappointing 2024 campaign in which he hit 22 home runs with a .716 OPS in 154 games for the St. Louis Cardinals. Because of his rapid decline at the plate, the Cardinals didn't even offer him a one-year qualifying offer, so Detroit wouldn't have to send draft compensation St. Louis' way if the were to sign Goldy. With the Cards looking to get younger in 2025, they aren't expected to pursue re-signing him. A move to Detroit wouldn't be a great landing spot from a fantasy perspective after Goldschmidt posted career-worsts in strikeout rate (26.5%) and walk rate (7.2%).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
2 weeks agoMinneapolis Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale reports that the Minnesota Twins have received calls from teams interested in trading for shortstop
Carlos Correa. The veteran shortstop is owed over $120 million over the next four seasons and has been limited to 221 games in the last two seasons due to various injuries, most notably with his feet. The 30-year-old Puerto Rican and three-time All-Star played in only 86 games in 2024 but swung the bat well when healthy, slashing .310/.388/.517 with a .905 OPS, 14 home runs, 54 RBI and 55 runs scored. Correa is recovering nicely in the offseason and should be ready for next year. He showed that he still has above-average power, but because of durability issues with his feet, interested teams aren't likely to offer much to Minnesota. There are also long-term concerns about his ankle, making him a pretty big risk in real life and in fantasy in 2025 and beyond.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Minneapolis Star Tribune - Bobby Nightengale
2 weeks agoSt. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acknowledged at this week's winter meetings that the team is interested in trading third baseman
Nolan Arenado this offseason. "Ultimately, he's not demanding a trade. He's not telling me I have to do it," Mozeliak said. "But I think in the best interest of both sides, I'd like to find him someplace." However, Arenado has a limited list of teams the Cardinals can trade him to as they look to prioritize playing time for their younger players in 2025. Arenado, though, is open to the idea of joining a contender and is even willing to shift to first base to facilitate a deal. The 34-year-old eight-time All-Star is still one of the best defensive third baseman in the game, but he had a career-worst .719 OPS with 16 homers and 71 RBI in his fourth year in St. Louis. Arenado has been trending down offensively the last three years, but a change of scenery could be good for him.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
RADIO
