2 weeks agoThe New York Yankees and right-hander
Gerrit Cole agreed on Monday to add a fifth year and $36 million after Cole opted out of his four-year, $144 million contract over the weekend. With the Yankees essentially voiding Cole's opt-out decision, the 34-year-old will now be owed $180 million through the 2029 season. The former first overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of UCLA won the American League Cy Young award in 2023 but had the start of his 2024 campaign delayed by right-elbow issues. Cole finished with an 8-5 record, 3.41 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 99:29 K:BB in 95 innings over his 17 regular-season starts. Although he looked good in the playoffs, Cole has had a concerning trend of his strikeout rate falling for the third straight year to 25.4% in 2024. Still, as long as he's healthy heading into the start of next season, he should be a No. 1 fantasy starter.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
2 weeks agoThe Baltimore Orioles are picking up designated hitter/first baseman
Ryan O'Hearn's $7.5 million option for the 2025 season. O'Hearn finished the 2024 regular season strong at the plate and ultimately hit .264/.334/.427 with a .761 OPS, career-high 15 home runs, 59 RBI, three stolen bases and career-high 60 runs scored in 142 regular-season games in his second year in Baltimore. He has slashed .275/.329/.450 with an above-average .779 OPS, 29 home runs, 119 RBI, eight steals and 108 runs scored in 254 games in his two seasons with the O's and will remain a part of the organization as the team looks to make the postseason for the third straight year in 2025. The 31-year-old lefty swinger should remain a lineup regular for Baltimore next year against right-handed pitching.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
2
weeks
agoMLB
announced
their
2024
Rawlings
Gold
Glove
award-winners
on
Sunday
night,
with
14
first-time
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coming
away
with
hardware,
which
ties
the
mark
for
most
in
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single
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with
2022.
The
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Mariners
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Raleigh,
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2 weeks agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers exercised shortstop
Miguel Rojas' $5 million club option for the 2025 season on Saturday. Although Rojas finished the team's World Series championship season battling a groin injury, the 2024 campaign was a very successful one for the 35-year-old veteran Venezuelan infielder. Known mostly for his glove at the 6, Rojas impressed in 103 regular-season games in his second year in Hollywood with a .283/.337/.410 slash line, six home runs, 36 RBI, eight stolen bases and 41 runs scored. He will need surgery on his torn groin this offseason, but he should be recovered in time to be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season, where he'll once again serve as a solid defender for the Blue at shortstop. Fantasy managers in NL-only leagues shouldn't expect Rojas to swing the bat as well as he did in 2024, though.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ElExtraBase - Daniel Alvarez-Montes
2 weeks agoThe New York Mets declined relief pitcher
Phil Maton's $7.75 million option for the 2025 season on Monday and instead paid him a $250,000 buyout. Maton is now on the free-agent market and will be looking for a new team to pitch for next season. It wouldn't be a surprise for the Mets to try to re-sign him, though, after how effective he was out of their bullpen in 2024 after they acquired him in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays. The 31-year-old right-hander had a 2.51 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, a save, 30 strikeouts and six walks in 28 2/3 regular-season innings for the Mets in the second half of the season. In 40 outings in relief for the Rays before the trade, Maton wasn't quite as good, recording a 4.58 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, two saves, 30 strikeouts and 18 walks in 35 1/3 innings pitched. Perhaps he'll land somewhere where he'll have a better shot at save chances in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
2 weeks agoTexas Rangers right-hander
Nathan Eovaldi declined his player option on Monday morning, which will make him a free agent this offseason. President of baseball operations
Chris Young said the team still has plenty of interest in bringing Eovaldi back to the starting rotation for next season. In his second season with the Rangers in 2024, Eovaldi went 12-8 with a 3.80 ERA (3.83 FIP) and a 1.11 WHIP with 166 strikeouts and 42 walks in 170 2/3 frames over his 29 starts. The 34-year-old two-time All-Star has a 3.72 ERA (3.86 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with a 298:89 K:BB in his 54 starts in his two seasons in Texas. Eovaldi is a hard-throwing, injury-prone starter that profiles as a risk/reward midrange starter for fantasy managers heading into next season. We'll have a better idea of his fantasy value for next year once we know where he'll be pitching.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
2 weeks agoThe Milwaukee Brewers declined closer
Devin Williams' 2025 club option for $10.5 million on Sunday, according to a source. Williams will instead receive a $250,000 buyout. He will remain with the Brewers and will be in his final year of salary arbitration while expected to make $8-9 million in 2025. Williams will also be a trade candidate this winter. The 30-year-old right-hander missed the entire first half of the 2024 season due to a serious back injury, but when he returned, he was once again lights-out for the Brew Crew with a 1.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 14 saves, 38 strikeouts and 11 walks in 21 2/3 innings during 22 regular-season outings out of the bullpen. A trade out of Milwaukee could make Williams less attractive from a fantasy perspective, depending on where he lands, but if he stays with the Brewers, he'll be an elite fantasy closing option in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
2 weeks agoThe Kansas City Royals and right-hander
Michael Wacha agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal on Sunday, according to sources. The deal to keep Wacha in town includes a club option and can max out at four years and $72 million. The 33-year-old veteran and former first-rounder was a big reason why the Royals surprised with a playoff appearance in 2024 and advanced to the American League Division Series before losing to the New York Yankees. He was fully expected to decline his $16 million player option for 2025 after going 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 145 strikeouts in 166 2/3 innings in his 29 regular-season starts. Wacha has pitched pretty well the last three seasons with the Royals, Padres and Red Sox when he's managed to stay healthy. However, he's had issues avoiding the injury bug in the past and doesn't miss as many bats as fantasy managers would like.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
2 weeks agoThe Atlanta Braves signed right-hander
Reynaldo Lopez to a new three-year, $30 million deal on Saturday, the team announced. Lopez will earn $8 million in 2025, $14 million in 2026, and $8 million in 2027. He originally signed a three-year deal with the Braves last November that included a club option for 2027. Additionally, the team signed left-hander
Aaron Bummer to a two-year, $13 million deal on Saturday. He'll make $3.5 million next season and $9.5 million in 2026. The 30-year-old Lopez was originally set to make $11 million in both 2025 and 2026. He faded down the stretch due to injuries, but overall, the Dominican hurler had a fantastic first season in Atlanta in a return to a starting role, going 8-5 with a 1.99 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 148 strikeouts in 135 2/3 innings over his 26 outings (25 starts) during the regular season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Atlanta Braves
3 weeks agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers are exercising their 2025 club option on catcher
Austin Barnes, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. In his tenth season as a Los Angeles Dodger, Barnes posted a .264/.331/.307 slash line with one home run, 11 RBI, and three stolen bases in 54 games, serving as the clear backup to
Will Smith. Fantasy managers should expect the 34-year-old to return to a similar role in the 2025 campaign. Barnes should not be on your fantasy radar heading into the offseason due to his sparse playing time and limited offensive output throughout his MLB career.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Robert Murray
3 weeks agoRelief pitcher
David Robertson did not exercise his mutual team option with the Texas Rangers for the 2025 season and will instead test free agency, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. The 39-year-old enjoyed another excellent campaign, posting a 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, with a 27:99 BB:K ratio in 72 innings of work. He tallied two saves and 35 holds, serving as the primary eighth-inning option in Texas. Robertson was able to generate ground balls at an above-average 47.0% mark and induce soft contact with a strong 5.5% barrel rate. Robertson will likely be a top target for fantasy managers in holds leagues in 2025 and could be in the mix for save opportunities, depending on his situation.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Kennedi Landry
3 weeks agoThe San Francisco Giants exercised their 2025 club option on infielder
Wilmer Flores, according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. The 33-year-old appeared in only 71 games this past season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Flores hit for a mere .207/.277/.318 line with just four home runs and 12 doubles. Under the hood, he posted a poor 27.6% hard-hit rate and 5.9% barrel rate. However, he did show a strong eye at the plate with a stellar 13.6% K rate and 13.9% whiff rate, which were among the highest marks last season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress during Spring Training as Flores may miss some time early on in the season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Andrew Baggarly
3 weeks agoThe Milwaukee Brewers traded infielder
Owen Miller to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for cash considerations, according to Patrick Lyons of Just BB Media. The 27-year-old made just 14 appearances in the big leagues last season and held an underwhelming .185/185/.222 slash line with one extra-base hit and three RBI. Miller spent most of the campaign playing in Triple-A and performed quite well with a .276/.354/.392 line with 18 doubles, five home runs, 37 RBI, and nine swiped bags. Fantasy managers should monitor his progress throughout Spring Training as the former third-round selection could find a stable role in the Colorado lineup.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Patrick Lyons
3 weeks agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks exercised their 2025 club option on starting pitcher
Merrill Kelly, according to Jon Heyman of the NY Post. The 36-year-old made only 13 starts this season after sitting out for an extended period with a shoulder injury. He logged 73 2/3 innings of work with a 4.03 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a 19:63 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, he carried a poor 4.93 xERA and .266 xBA, which were among the worst marks among qualified pitchers. In addition, he posted a below-average 40.9% hard-hit rate and a 10.7% barrel rate. Fantasy managers should expect the right-hander to remain in the Arizona rotation through the entire 2025 season and be a stable low-end starter to target late in drafts.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
3 weeks agoThe Baltimore Orioles are declining their 2025 option on designated hitter
Eloy Jimenez. Baltimore traded for the 27-year-old at the trade deadline and posted an underwhelming .232/.270/.336 line through his small stint with the Orioles. During the first half of the season in Chicago, Jimenez posted a low .240/.297/.345 slash line. This was the worst campaign of his six-year MLB career. Even though he held a strong 49.0% hard-hit rate, he could not generate much offense from it with a poor 25.1% LA Sweet-Spot%. In addition, he carried a low 6.3% walk rate and a high 33.0% chase rate, which lowered his value in points leagues. Fantasy managers should view Jimenez as a high-risk option for power later in drafts this upcoming season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jake Rill
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