2 weeks agoMinnesota Twins outfielder
Manuel Margot and infielder
Kyle Farmer had their 2025 club options declined and will head to free agency according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Margot held a .238/.289/.337 line with four home runs and five stolen bases across 129 games last season. Farmer posted a similar .214/.293/.353 slash line with five home runs and three swiped bags in 107 games of action in 2024. Margot logged most of his starts in center field while Farmer was deployed all over the infield. Both batters will likely be viewed as reserve options during free agency and should not be on your fantasy radar heading into 2025.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
2 weeks agoMilwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Wade Miley had his club option declined according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Miley was only able to make two starts in 2024 to the tune of a 6.43 ERA and 1.43 WHIP before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery. The southpaw would be entering his 15th MLB season in 2025 and faces a tall task to rebound from that procedure if he decides to continue pitching. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during the offseason as he could serve as a back-end option to a rotation if he decides to continue his professional career. In 2023, the left-hander posted a solid 3.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP with a 9-4 record.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
2 weeks agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Lucas Giolito (elbow) had his 2025 club option exercised. The right-hander was not able to take the mound last summer after undergoing an internal brace operation in his throwing elbow in March. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression during Spring Training as he may be able to return to action during the early part of the 2025 campaign. In 2023, Giolito spent time in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Cleveland and held a cumulative 4.88 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, with a 73:204 BB:K ratio across 184 1/3 innings of work. Giolito could be a sneaky late-round target this offseason if he is able to return to from during Spring Training.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Boston Red Sox
2 weeks agoKansas City Royals outfielder
Hunter Renfroe and relief pitcher
Chris Stratton both had their 2025 club options exercised according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Renfroe had a down year in 2024 as he hit just 15 home runs, his lowest total in a full season throughout his career. He held a .229/.297/.392 slash line. Stratton served as a high-leverage reliever this past summer and posted a 5.55 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP with four saves and five holds. Fantasy managers should expect Renfroe to be deployed as a platoon option early on in right field with the opportunity to grow into a full-time role if he can get back on track. He could be worth a look as a late-option for power in deeper formats. Stratton should be in the mix to see a handful of save opportunities in 2025.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
2 weeks agoArizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Jordan Montgomery had his club option exercised for 2025 according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The southpaw had a rough debut season in the desert as he posted a hefty 6.23 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP, which were both significantly lower compared to his 3.20 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP he held in the 2023 campaign. Under the hood, Montgomery held a 5.10 xERA and .290 xBA which were among the worst marks among qualified pitchers. He also generated strikeouts at a low 15.6% mark. Fantasy managers should expect the 31-year-old to remain in the Arizona rotation throughout all of next season but is no more than a late flier in drafts this offseason given his struggles this past summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
2 weeks agoOakland Athletics outfielder
Daz Cameron was traded to the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday in exchange for cash considerations. The 27-year-old appeared in 66 games in Oakland last summer and held a .200/.258/.329 line with five home runs, 15 RBI, and five stolen bases. Cameron previously spent time in the Baltimore organization playing with Triple-A Norfolk during the 2023 season. With Norfolk, Cameron posted a .268/.364/.452 slash line with 16 home runs and 23 stolen bases. The 27-year-old will likely be in the mix for the a spot on the Opening Day Roster but will have few opportunities given how deep the current Baltimore outfield is, consisting of
Colton Cowser,
Cedric Mullins, and
Anthony Santander.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Orioles
2 weeks agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitchers
Kyle Gibson and
Lance Lynn had their club options declined and will be headed to free agency. Gibson logged 169 1/3 innings in his debut season in St. Louis with a 8-8 record, 4.24 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and a 68:151 BB:K ratio. Lynn posted a 3.84 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP with a 7-4 record across 117 1/3 innings last season. Both remained in the starting rotation the entire season. In the same move, the Cardinals also declined the 2025 club option for pitcher Kenyan Middleton. Middleton logged only five innings in the minor leagues this season due to a forearm injury. This transaction allows the Cardinals to trim substantial payroll off of their pitching staff. Currently, the Cardinals rotation consists of
Miles Mikolas,
Erick Fedde,
Sonny Gray,
Andre Pallante, and
Michael McGreevy.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Cardinals
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Angels starting pitcher
Roansy Contreras was claimed off of waivers by Texas Rangers earlier on Thursday according to Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. The 24-year-old logged 52 frames with the Angles last summer to the tune of a 4.33 ERA and 1.29 WHIP after being designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates in May. Contreras operated out of both the rotation and the bullpen in Los Angeles but never exceeded more than three innings in an outing. For now, fantasy managers should expect the right-hander to continue to be deployed out of the bullpen but could be given an opportunity to compete for a spot in the rotation during Spring Training.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Kiley McDaniel
2 weeks agoMinnesota Twins first baseman/outfielder
Alex Kirilloff announced his retirement from professional baseball earlier on Thursday on his personal social media account. The 26-year-old emphasized how the numerous injuries he sustained as a professional athlete has taken on toll on him both "mentally and physically." In addition, he expressed that he can no longer give the game the "110%" it requires. Throughout his four-year MLB career with the Minnesota Twins, the former 15th-overall selection held a .248/.309/.412 slash line with 27 home runs, 116 RBI, and a 62:215 BB:K ratio.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Minnesota Twins
2 weeks agoAtlanta Braves outfielder
Jorge Soler is being traded to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange right-hander
Griffin Canning according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Last season with both the Giants and Braves, Soler held a .241/.338/.442 line with 21 home runs, 64 RBI with a 68:141 BB:K ratio. Canning held an underwhelming 5.19 ERA, 1.40 WHIP with a 66:130 BB:K ratio across 171 2/3 innings of work. Soler should be expected to have a spot in the Opening Day lineup either serving as an outfielder or the designated hitter. Canning will likely compete for a spot in a crowded Atlanta rotation that will welcome back ace
Spencer Strider who missed most of the 2024 season due to UCL damage in his throwing elbow.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan
2 weeks agoNew York Yankees third baseman
Jazz Chisholm Jr. went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in their Game 5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chisholm hit his second home run of October in the opening frame directly after
Aaron Judge hit a two-run shot which gave the Yankees an early three-run lead. However, the Bronx Bombers were unable to hold their lead as the Dodgers eventually tied the game in the fifth and took the lead in the eighth. Chisholm's other postseason long ball came in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Kansas City Royals. The former Miami Marlin joined the Yankees at the trade deadline and finished his postseason run with a disappointing .182/.250/.309 slash line.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez extended his hitting streak to six games by tallying two hits in their series-clinching victory on Wednesday evening. Hernandez tallied two hits including the game-tying two-run double in the fifth inning which capped an impressive five-run inning for the Dodgers. This double scored outfielder
Mookie Betts and first baseman
Freddie Freeman. After struggling through most of the NLCS, Hernandez safely reached in every game during the World Series and tallied at least two hits in two of the games. Throughout all of the postseason, the 32-year-old posted a solid .250/.352/.417 line with three home runs and 12 RBI.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoNew York Yankees outfielder
Aaron Judge went 2-for-3 with two walks and two RBI in their series-clinching loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Judge opening the scoring with a two-run shot in the first inning which also scored outfielder
Juan Soto. This was his first round-tripper of the World Series and only third of the postseason. Later in the eighth inning, Judge hit a double to left field. Judge finished his postseason run with an underwhelming .184/.344/.408 slash line with just five extra-base hits and a 11:20 BB:K ratio.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoNew York Yankees designated hitter
Giancarlo Stanton went 1-for-4 with his seventh home run of the postseason in their Game 5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Stanton hit this solo shot off Dodger right-hander
Jack Flaherty and at the time gave the Yankees a five-run lead. However, they were unable to hold it as the Dodgers pulled off the rally and won the series. Stanton was previously named the ALCS MVP and has been the most consistent bat in the Yankee lineup during October. In the postseason, the 34-year-old held an impressive .273/.339/.709 slash line with nine total extra-base hits and 16 RBI.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Walker Buehler was tasked to record the final three outs in the Game 5 of the World Series. Buehler previously got the starting nod in Game 3 of the World Series but was available out of the bullpen on Wednesday. In the final frame, the 30-year-old got
Anthony Volpe to ground out and then proceeded to strike out the next two batters,
Austin Wells and
Alex Verdugo en route to winning his second World Series. This postseason, Buehler logged 15 innings to the tune of a 3.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. During the regular season, the right-hander carried a 5.38 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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