2 weeks agoAccording to Mark Feinsand of the MLB Network, the Boston Red Sox intend to pursue free-agent outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez if they do not sign
Juan Soto. Feinsand noted that Boston is believed to have more interest in Hernandez than in another free-agent outfielder,
Anthony Santander. In addition, Feinsand also stated the Blue Jays are in the mix for Hernandez but may prefer Santander. While Hernandez has hinted he prefers to stay with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a sizeable contract offer from Boston may change his mind. Last season in Los Angeles, Hernandez posted a solid .272/.339/.501 slash line with 33 home runs and 12 stolen bases. Under the hood, he generated a stellar 14.9% barrel rate and has continued to establish himself as one of baseball's best pure power hitters. The 32-year-old will be a popular pick in drafts this season simply off his power but may see a drop in RBI opportunities if he leaves the Dodgers.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
2 weeks agoThe Tampa Bay Rays have sent minor-league pitcher Sean Harney to the New York Mets in exchange for international signing pool money. The right-handed pitcher was drafted by the Rays in the eighth round of the 2022 draft and has yet to make his major league debut. The 26-year-old spent the bulk of 2024 at High-A but finished the season at Double-A, which was the second time he reached that level. For his minor league career, the righty owns a 3.90 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and has 124 strikeouts in 124 2/3 IP. There isn't an expectation that he'll see the majors this season, but if he did it would most likely be as a middle reliever, so there isn't any immediate fantasy impact here.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Rays
2 weeks agoThe New York Mets have signed free-agent outfielder
Edward Olivares to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring camp. The 28-year-old played the first half of last season for the Pirates before being optioned to Triple-A in July. He hit .263 with 12 home runs in 2023 for the Royals over 107 games, and while he hit .344 with three home runs over the first nine games in 2024, the right-handed hitter was unable to maintain that momentum over the course of the season. For his career, the Venezuelan has shown some better pop against left-handed pitching, with a .440 SLG and .199 ISO against them compared to a .389 SLG and .128 ISO versus righties, so he could fit into a platoon role were he able to make it back to the majors.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: New York Mets
2 weeks agoThe Baltimore Orioles have signed free-agent catcher
Gary Sanchez to a one-year, $8.5 million deal. Sanchez will back up frontline catcher
Adley Rutschman, but could also DH if need be. The 32-year-old played for Milwaukee last season, slashing .220/.307/.392, including 11 home runs, with a .307 wOBA and 96 wRC+ in 280 plate appearances. The veteran backstop still has plenty of pop in his bat, registering a 10.5% barrel rate last season and a 15.4% rate with 19 home runs in 240 at-bats just two seasons ago in 2023. Coming to Baltimore brings him back to the AL East, the division in which he played in for his first several seasons up through 2021 as a member of the New York Yankees. Unless the Dominican gets regular at-bats, however, he won't be all that relevant for fantasy purposes.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
2 weeks agoAccording to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News the Texas Rangers remain in contact with free-agent starting pitcher
Nathan Eovaldi. Earlier this offseason, the Rangers expressed interest in bringing back Eovaldi, and this report suggests that this possibility is still in play. The 34-year-old has been with the Rangers for the past two seasons and was a crucial part of their rotation during the 2023 World Series run. This past summer, the right-hander posted a 3.80 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP across 170 2/3 innings of work. Eovaldi generated an excellent 48.9% ground-ball rate and 32.2% chase rate, both well above the average marks. In addition, he also showcased great command with a 6.0% walk rate. With the Rangers lacking depth in their rotation, Eovaldi would be a welcome return for the 2025 season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Evan Grant
2 weeks agoAccording to Alex D'Agostino of Sports Illustrated, free-agent relief pitcher
Andrew Kittredge could be a good fit for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 34-year-old operated as the go-to setup man for
Ryan Helsley in St. Louis last season. Across 70 2/3 innings of work, the veteran right-hander posted a 2.80 ERA and 1.13 WHIP and tallied 37 holds. He held a modest 23.3% strikeout rate and showed great command with a 7.0% walk rate. In addition, he generated a 45.5% ground-ball rate and a 27.8% whiff rate, which was also slightly above the average marks. With Arizona lacking a proven ninth-inning option, Kittredge could provide a veteran presence in the bullpen and may eventually find himself in a ninth-inning role. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should monitor where he signs in free agency, as he could be a solid target for saves if he becomes a true closer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Alex D'Agostino
2 weeks agoAccording to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher
Devin Williams is still in trade conversations. With Williams projected to earn $7.7 million in his final year of arbitration before becoming a free agent, the Brewers may opt to move off the superstar closer due to their minimal payroll flexibility. With
Clay Holmes agreeing to a $38 million contract with the New York Mets, Williams could be in store for a massive payday, given his elite production throughout his career. The 30-year-old missed the first half of the season due to back fractures but returned to his typical ninth-inning role in the second half and posted a 1.25 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 14 saves. Under the hood, he generated a near-perfect .143 xBA with a 43.2% K rate. Even with the possibility of a trade, fantasy managers should view Williams as a top relief pitcher in all formats heading into the 2025 campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Ken Rosenthal
2 weeks agoAccording to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, free-agent first baseman
Justin Turner could be a good fit for the Texas Rangers. With the Rangers looking to improve their production against southpaws, Turner could fit that bill. Last season facing southpaws, Turner posted a .252/.355/.403 slash line with nine doubles, three home runs, and a 17:25 BB:K. While
Nathaniel Lowe will likely operate as the No. 1 first baseman in 2025, Turner would provide a depth option at the position and could also see time on the strong side of a platoon at the DH spot. In addition to his solid bat, Turner showcased great on-base skills last season, boasting a 10.9% walk rate and 17.6% strikeout rate. Fantasy managers in points leagues and formats that score on-base percentage should consider Turner as a deeper value target in drafts.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Evan Grant
2 weeks agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Baltimore Orioles have signed free-agent outfielder
Tyler O'Neill to a three-year, $49.5 million contract. The deal includes an opt-out after the 2025 campaign. After playing in under 100 games in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons, O'Neill got himself back on track this past summer in Boston. Across 113 games, the 29-year-old held a .241/.336/.511 slash line with 31 home runs and four stolen bases. This was his best power output since his 2021 breakout campaign. Under the hood, O'Neill boasted a stellar 17.3% barrel rate and 48.8% hard-hit, which were among the highest marks in the sport. However, he carried a hefty 33.6% strikeout rate, which placed him in the second percentile among qualified hitters. While his home run total will likely drop playing in a more pitcher-friendly ballpark, fantasy managers should expect O'Neill to have prime RBI opportunities batting in a deep Baltimore lineup.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
2 weeks agoAccording to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the San Francisco Giants have signed free agent shortstop
Willy Adames to a seven-year contract worth $182 million. This is the largest contract in their team's history and the third-largest guaranteed contract earned by a Dominican-born player. The 29-year-old enjoyed an excellent campaign last season with Milwaukee as he posted a strong .251/.331/.462 line with 32 home runs and 21 stolen bases. He added a career-high 121 RBI and 33 doubles. Under the hood, Adames generated an excellent 12.0% barrel rate with a .461 xSLG which was both significantly above the average marks. In addition, he posted a 10.2% walk rate, which placed him in the top 80th percentile among hitters. Fantasy managers should expect the power-hitting shortstop to bat in the heart of the San Francisco lineup, which should provide him with ample RBI opportunities. Given his ability to contribute to all five standard categories, fantasy managers should see him as a high-end shortstop entering the 2025 campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoThe San Diego Padres re-signed infielder
Mason McCoy to a minor-league deal on Friday that includes a non-roster invite to big-league spring training, according to sources. McCoy was non-tendered by the Padres in November but will now return to the organization and will get a chance to compete for an Opening Day roster spot in spring training. The 29-year-old got a short run as the Padres' starting shortstop late in the season when
Ha-Seong Kim (shoulder) was injured, but he was a short-term stopgap at the position and hit just .204 (10-for-49) with no homers, three RBI, seven runs scored and 19 strikeouts in his 57 plate appearances over 19 games. McCoy has played in just 25 big-league games since debuting in 2023 with Toronto and has a .200/.273/.240 slash line with a .513 OPS. He'll represent infield depth for the Friars again in 2025 and is off the fantasy radar.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Yahoo Sports - Russell Dorsey
3 weeks agoFree-agent right-hander
Adrian Houser signed a minor-league deal with the Texas Rangers on Saturday. Houser will head to the American League after spending the 2024 campaign with the New York Mets. Houser appeared in 23 games (seven starts) for the Mets but wasn't very effective on the mound, going 1-5 with a career-worst 5.84 ERA (4.93 FIP), a 1.53 WHIP, his first career save and a 45:32 K:BB in his 69 1/3 innings pitched before he was cut in late July. The 31-year-old veteran latched on with the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs after that but didn't make it back to the majors in the second half of the season. The former second-round pick by the Houston Astros in 2011 wasn't much better in seven starts in the minors, posting a 6.37 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 35 1/3 frames. Houser will most likely open the 2025 season at Triple-A Round Rock as pitching depth for Texas.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
3 weeks agoESPN's Buster Olney writes that the St. Louis Cardinals are working from a limited list of options of third baseman
Nolan Arenado's preferred teams as they consider their trade possibilities for the future Hall of Famer. The Cardinals are shifting their plans this offseason with an eye more toward the future while playing most of their youngsters in 2025, so the 33-year-old Arenado is being shopped this winter. Even though he's still one of the best defensive third basemen in the game, Arenado is willing to shift to first base in 2025 to create more roster flexibility for a contending team that might be interesting in acquiring him. Some teams that could make sense for Arenado include the Red Sox, Dodgers, Astros, Yankees, Mariners and Blue Jays. Offensively, Arenado has been on the decline since he came to St. Louis, and he had just 16 homers in 2024. In addition, he had career-worst marks in average exit velocity (86.3 mph), hard-hit rate (31.6%) and barrel rate (3.2%).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Buster Olney
3 weeks agoThe Chicago Cubs announced on Saturday that shortstop
Dansby Swanson (core) had successful surgery on his core in early October with Dr. Bill Meyer. Swanson isn't expected to miss any time as the result of his offseason surgery and should be ready to go for the start of spring training in mid-February. The 30-year-old wasn't quite as good in his second year in Chicago as he was the previous two seasons when he was an All-Star, as he slashed .242/.312/.390 with a .701 OPS, 16 home runs, 66 RBI, a career-high 19 stolen bases and 82 runs scored in 593 trips to the plate and 149 games. If not for a late-season surge, Swanson would have had a terrible 2024, as he hit just .219/.291/.346 with nine homers in his first 99 games. Despite his resurgence from a poor start, Swanson's career-high 49.9% ground-ball rate doesn't pound to a rebound in the power department going forward.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro
3 weeks agoAccording to sources, Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki is expected to be officially posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan at next week's MLB winter meetings, which will open a 45-day window for major-league teams to sign him once the amateur signing period opens on Jan. 15. The 23-year-old is regarded as one of the best young pitchers in the world, but his contract will be for a fraction of what he would receive as a major-league free agent because he's under 25 years old and has fewer than six years of experience. Because he'll come on the cheap with front-line starting potential, plenty of MLB teams are expected to pursue him, but the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are considered the front-runners. Sasaki should be fantasy relevant right away in 2025, as he has a triple-digit fastball and one of the best splitters in the game.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
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