3 weeks agoFree-agent second baseman
Gleyber Torres has reportedly declined an offer from the Washington Nationals because he doesn't want to play third base. Possibly, Torres is just giving an excuse because he didn't want to join the 71-win Nationals club. However, there have been reports in the past about Torres not wanting to move away from second base. The 28-year-old was once the top prospect in a trade to the New York Yankees that landed the Chicago Cubs reliever
Aroldis Chapman for their 2016 World Series run. Since then, Torres has put together a few All-Star seasons and has been a serviceable player over the last seven seasons. Last season, Torres hit .257/.330/.378 with 15 home runs and 63 RBI in 154 games in the Bronx. He should be able to get a multi-year deal this offseason, but his inability to move positions could hurt his market value.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
3
weeks
agoAccording
to
Jack
Curry
of
the
YES
Network,
the
Yankees
are
unlikely
to
target
free
agent
third
baseman
Alex
Bregman.
According
to
Curry
on
an
episode
of
Yankees
Hot
Stove,
"That's
not
a
road
the
Yankees
are
going
down."
Curry
noted
that
the
read more...
3 weeks agoAccording to Jack Curry of the YES Network, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman
Nolan Arenado is "not a fit" for what the Yankees are trying to do. Curry reported this on Yankees Hot Stove on the YES Network. Curry noted that while the Yankees may attempt to move starting pitcher
Marcus Stroman to shed payroll, they are not trying to swap him for Arenado. While the 33-year-old has remained an elite defender throughout his career, his hitting metrics have dropped. Last summer, Arenado hit just 16 home runs and held a .394 SLG. He generated a poor .356 xSLG and a .296 xwOBA, both well below the average marks. While the Yankees may still be in the market for a third baseman, it looks like Arenado does not fit their current plan.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. and
Oswaldo Cabrera are current candidates to be the Opening Day third baseman.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: New Jersey Advanced Media
3
weeks
agoAccording
to
Justin
Tasch
of
the
New
York
Post,
the
New
York
Mets
had
interest
in
designated
hitter
Joc
Pederson
before
he
signed
a
two-year
contract
with
the
Texas
Rangers.
Last
summer,
Pederson
performed
very
well
being
deployed
on
the
strong
side
of
a
read more...
3
weeks
agoAccording
to
Mark
Feinsand,
Bryan
Hoch,
and
John
Denton
of
MLB.com,
St.
Louis
Cardinals
starting
pitchers
Erick
Fedde
and
Steven
Matz
are
gaining
interest
on
the
trade
market
from
several
clubs
such
as
the
Detroit
Tigers
and
Cleveland
read more...
3 weeks agoAccording to Mark Feinsand, Bryan Hoch, and John Denton of MLB.com, St. Louis Cardinals right-handed pitcher
Ryan Helsley is drawing interest from several clubs, including the Toronto Blue Jays and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The three insiders noted that the Cardinals are looking for a "reset" in 2025, and moving one of their top players could allow them to acquire a top prospect. Last season, the right-hander tallied the most saves in the major leagues (49) and pitched to the tune of a 2.04 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Across 66 1/3 innings, Helsley generated a stellar 2.72 xERA with a 36.1% whiff rate and 29.7% K rate. Helsley should be viewed as a top relief pitcher heading into the 2025 season, as he would be the go-to ninth-inning option wherever he calls home next summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 weeks agoAccording to Jake Oliver of Sports Illustrated, right-handed pitcher
David Robertson could be a potential target for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks have expressed interest in adding a reliable high-leverage option and given Robertson's experience, he could fit that bill. Last summer across 72 innings with the Texas Rangers, the 39-year-old held a strong 3.00 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. He struck 99 batters with a 9.4% walk rate. Robertson was deployed as the set-up man behind
Kirby Yates. Under the hood, he generated a strong 3.19 xERA and 5.5% barrel rate which were both above the average marks of qualified pitchers. If the Diamondbacks do not pursue Robertson, they could look internally for their ninth-inning arm such as
Justin Martinez or
A.J. Puk.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Sports Illustrated
3 weeks agoAccording to MLB.com, left-handed pitcher
Raymond Burgos is returning to San Francisco on a minor league contract. Burgos spent most of the 2024 season in the minor leagues but did make one appearance in the majors. Across his lone inning, Burgos allowed one run and three hits. However, across 26 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level, Burgos performed very well boasting a stellar 1.69 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He struck out 27 batters and served up just five free passes. In a similar 21 1/3 innings of work at Triple-A in 2023, Burgos held a much higher 5.48 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Given his excellent production at Triple-A last season, Burgos could find himself in a permanent role in the big leagues next summer if he has a successful Spring Training.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 weeks agoAccording to MLB.com, right-handed pitcher
Enyel De Los Santos has signed a minor-league deal with the Atlanta Braves. De Los Santos spent the 2024 campaign with the San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, and Chicago White Sox. Across 64 innings, the 29-year-old held a 5.20 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Under the hood, he generated a strong 29.3% whiff rate but allowed hard contact at a hefty 42.3% hard-hit rate. In 2023, De Los Santos posted a 3.29 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Fantasy managers should expect De Los Santos to serve as a low-leverage relief option in the Atlanta bullpen if he can make the Opening Day roster.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 weeks agoAccording to Chris Cotillo of MassLive, the Boston Red Sox have acquired left-handed pitcher
Jovani Moran from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for catcher
Mickey Gasper. The 27-year-old missed the entire 2024 campaign due to Tommy John surgery. Across 42 1/3 innings in 2023, the southpaw held a 5.31 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. He struck out 48 batters. During this stint he generated a strong 3.69 xERA and a .211 xBA. In 2022, Moran posted a stellar 2.21 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in a similar 40 1/3 inning sample size. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should monitor his progress during Spring Training as he may earn a spot in the Boston bullpen when healthy.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Chris Cotillo
3 weeks agoAccording to Chris Cotillo of MassLive, the Boston Red Sox have traded catcher
Mickey Gasper to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for left-handed pitcher
Jovani Moran. Gasper made his major league debut in Boston last summer. Across a small 14-game stint, the backstop went 0-for-18 at the plate with a 4:8 BB:K ratio. Across 48 games at the Triple-A level, the 29-year-old held a strong .367/.471/.592 line with 14 doubles, eight home runs and a 30:20 BB:K ratio. Earlier in the summer at Double-A, Gasper posted a .282/.403/.458 line with four home runs. With
Ryan Jeffers and
Christian Vazquez currently on the major league roster, Gasper will likely open the 2025 campaign at the Triple-A level but would be the first name called if one of them were to miss time.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Chris Cotillo
3 weeks agoThe Philadelphia Phillies designated right-hander
Jose Cuas for assignment on Monday to make room for recently-signed right-hander
Joe Ross on the 40-man roster. Cuas, a 30-year-old Dominican hurler, had an ugly 7.71 ERA (7.02 FIP) and 1.78 WHIP with 17 strikeouts and 10 walks in only 16 1/3 relief innings thrown in 2024 with the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays. He was claimed off waivers by the Phillies in September but may soon be looking for another organization unless he's claimed off waivers again. Cuas was originally an 11th-round selection by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015 out of the University of Maryland. He made his major-league debut in 2022 with the Kansas City Royals and holds a career 4.37 ERA, a 1.59 WHIP and two saves in three seasons in the majors over 119 1/3 innings pitched.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Todd Zolecki
3 weeks agoThe Philadelphia Phillies signed free-agent right-handed reliever
Guillo Zuniga to a minor-league deal earlier this month. Zuniga will head to the Phillies for the 2025 campaign after appearing in 15 games out of the Los Angeles Angels' bullpen in 2025. In his 17 2/3 innings pitched this past season at the major-league level, Zuniga allowed 10 earned runs on 16 hits (five home runs) while walking eight and striking out 12 in 17 2/3 innings. He debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023 but only tossed two innings in relief. The 26-year-old hasn't been very healthy the last two seasons, either, and he'll be a long shot to have a significant role out of the Phillies' bullpen at the big-league level next year. Zuniga is most likely to open the 2025 regular season pitching back on the farm for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He's nowhere near the fantasy radar.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 weeks agoThe Texas Rangers signed right-handed relief pitcher
Shawn Armstrong to an undisclosed one-year deal on Monday and designated pitcher
Sam Huff for assignment in a corresponding move. Armstrong pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays, St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs in 2024 and went a combined 3-3 with a 4.86 ERA (3.57 FIP), a 1.53 WHIP, one save, 66 strikeouts and 25 walks in 66 2/3 innings over a career-high 57 appearances (seven starts). The 34-year-old former 18th-round pick by the Cleveland Guardians in 2011 out of East Carolina University debuted in the big leagues with Cleveland in 2015 and holds a career 4.15 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with eight saves in 347 1/3 total innings pitched. With Texas in 2025, he should operate in a middle-relief role, where he won't have any real fantasy value to speak of.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
3 weeks agoThe Philadelphia Phillies signed free-agent right-handed reliever
Nabil Crismatt to a minor-league deal earlier this month. Crismatt will head to the National League East after spending the 2024 campaign pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He only made five appearances out of the bullpen for the eventual World Series champions, though, and allowed three runs (two earned) while walking none and striking out six in seven innings of work. The 30-year-old also had an unsavory 5.81 ERA with 75 strikeouts and 28 walks in 79 innings at three different minor-league levels. Crismatt will most likely open the 2025 season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and will serve as relief depth for the Phillies. He has a career 3.71 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 177 innings in his five big-league seasons dating back to 2020.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
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